Kerry acknowledges Turkish concerns over peshmerga

2014-10-20 24

--AUDIO AS INCOMING --

Plumes of smoke rise from the Syrian town of Kobani.

It's a city at the heart of the battle against Islamic State.

Kurdish fighters have been central to the fight -- raising concerns in nearby Turkey, which has for decades battled the PKK - is a group seeking Kurdish rights in Turkey.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry traveling in Indonesia, acknowledges Ankara's concerns.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYING:

"Let me say very, very respectfully to our allies the Turks that we understand fully the fundamentals of their opposition, and ours, to any kind of terrorist group and particularly, obviously the challenges they face with respect the PKK."

Turkey said Monday it would allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters to reinforce fellow Kurds in Kobani.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYING:

"We talked with Turkish authorities. I did. The president did,