Turkey's President Abdullah Gul makes landmark visit to Iraq

President Jalal Talabani of Iraq warned rebel Turkish Kurds based in the north of the country to lay down their arms or leave the country during the landmark visit by Abdullah Gul, Turkey's president.Iraq on Monday warned Turkish Kurdish rebels based in its northern mountains to lay down their guns or leave the country, during a landmark visit by Turkey's President Abdullah Gul."The PKK has two choices: lay down its guns or leave Iraq," President Jalal Talabani, himself a Kurd, said of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) at a joint news conference marking the first visit by a Turkish head of state in 33 years."The PKK must become involved in political and parliamentary life instead of resorting to weapons, since using guns does wrong to Kurds and Iraqis," Talabani said."Iraq's constitution forbids the existence of armed groups, the PKK along with others, and we are currently working towards this aim on the tripartite committee" comprising Iraq, Turkey and the United States, he said.The Turkish president said: "It is time to finish with these problems because they harm relations between our two countries ... Common action is needed to eliminate terrorism."Gul said the responsibility fell upon "officials in the areas where these terrorists are implanted," in reference to the Kurdish regional government of northern Iraq.He was also set to meet the premier of the Kurdish autonomous region during his trip, an official with the regional government said. Falah Mustafa said Nechirvan Barzani would meet Gul in Baghdad.Turkey has often accused the Iraqi Kurds, and the autonomous administration in northern Iraq, of tolerating and even aiding the rebels.