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Iraq's al-Jaafari Meets Turkish Officials in Ankara

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Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari is in Turkey for talks on boosting relations and on ways to defuse the spike in sectarian violence in Iraq.

He met Tuesday in Ankara with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who warned the violence could spill outside Iraq's borders. Turkish officials fear a civil war in Iraq could lead to the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, leading Turkey's Kurds to call for their own independence.

Mr. al-Jaafari's talks were also expected to focus on Turkish help for Iraq to overcome water and energy shortages.

Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, criticized Mr. al-Jaafari for making the trip without informing him.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
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