DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Aug 12 (AFP) - 16h02 - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged Friday that the Kurdish conflict in Turkey would be resolved with "more democracy" despite a marked increase in violence by armed Kurdish rebels whom Ankara considers "terrorists."

By Michael Kuser [The Financial Times - Published: August 12 2005]

The Turkish governmentis turning its attention once again to its long fight with Kurdish militants, after devoting much of its energy during the past two years to the start of accession talks to the European Union.

BAGHDAD, Aug 7 (AFP) - 4h14 - Iraq's leaders will attempt to break the deadlock on a new draft constitution in a national conference here Sunday amid signs that Iraq's Kurds are unwilling to compromise on their demands for autonomy.

[AP - 6 August 2005] BAGHDAD - Sunni members of the committee drafting Iraq’s new constitution rejected Kurdish demands for a federal state, saying it cannot be implemented under foreign military occupation and an unstable security situation.

BAGHDAD, Aug 6 (AFP) - 15h18 - Iraqi Kurds Saturday rejected suggestions the country should be proclaimed an Islamic state as the northern region's autonomous parliament debated the country's draft constitution ahead of a national conference on the issue Sunday.

ARBIL, Iraq, Aug 6 (AFP) - 14h03 - The president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, Massud Barzani, said Saturday that the Kurds would not accept an Islamic identity for Iraq when the war-torn country's new constitution is finalised.

BAGHDAD, Aug 5 (AFP) - 11h11 - A crucial national meeting of Iraqi leaders scheduled for Friday to resolve constitutional problems was postponed for two days because of an emergency meeting of the Kurdish autonomous parliament.

TEHRAN, Aug 4 (AFP) - 13h46 - Fresh clashes erupted in Iran's northwest Kurdish region on Wednesday as rioters ravaged public buildings amid unconfirmed reports that several people had been killed.

TEHRAN, Aug 2 (AFP) - 20h21 - Demonstrators ran riot in a mainly Kurdish city in Iran, attacking official buildings and setting vehicles ablaze on Monday, Kurdish leaders said Tuesday.

ISTANBUL, Aug 3 (AFP) - 4h09 - After 28 years of exile in Europe, Kurdish-language writer Mehmed Uzun has returned to Turkey at a pivotal time in its history, when he believes Turks and Kurds must choose between peaceful coexistence and a return to violence.