Iran's foreign minister visits Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived in Baghdad from Syria Wednesday for regional talks on separatist Iraqi Kurds attacking Turkey.

At a joint news conference, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the focus of the talks revolved around calling an international conference on the tensions facing Istanbul later in the week.

Turkey has massed 100,000 troops along its southern border to combat attacks by the Iraqi Kurds known as the PKK who are seeking an independent state straddling Iraq and Turkey.

Zebari said the key issue was Turkey-Iraq relations, Alalam Satellite TV reported.

"We stressed that the conference must focus on Iraq's stability and security and not be distracted by the current tension with Turkey and the terrorist operations by the PKK," Zebari said.

Mottaki was also urged by Zebari to attempt dialogue with the United States, but Mottaki said the issue of at least six Iranians detained by U.S. forces in Iraq was an issue Baghdad would have to address first.

"The Iraqi government is responsible for their release," Mottaki said.