PKK Threatens Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan

The Turkish authorities cope with the consequences of a powerful explosion that occurred today on the pipeline in the south-east of the country, according to Radio Liberty.

The explosion occurred in the border province of Sirnak on the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline, which supplies oil from northern Iraq to Turkey. On the scene of the explosion arrived firefighters and rescue workers who managed to locate the resulting strong fire and to prevent leakage of oil.

 So far no one has claimed responsibility for the blast. However, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, said that this was a diversion of Kurdish separatists. "Separatist and terrorist organizations are aimed at undermining the stability and national security of the country," the minister said.

Earlier the Turkish-Iranian gas pipeline was undermined in the Turkish province of Agri on the border with Iran. The Turkish authorities have also stated that this was the work of Kurdish separatists.

Peace with the Kurds was interrupted after the Turkish aircraft bombed seven PKK camps in northern Iraq last week.

Kurdish leaders have repeatedly threatened to undermine the strategic Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. Once they succeeded - in August 2008, the day before the Russian aggression against Georgia.

Against the background of continuing air strikes against bases of the Kurds, the mass arrests of activists and US involvement in the operation, the threat to Baku-Ceyhan is more than serious. -02D-