The following message (subject: Kurdistan Region is not a threat to Turkey) was posted by Kurdistan Region News, on 22/10/2009 07:36:00.

Kurdistan Region is not a threat to Turkey: Turkish expert

Saturday, October 17th 2009 8:18 PM

Ankara, 14 October (AKnews) Fearing Iraq’s partition, and the Kurds to have their entity, Turkey has adopted a threatening policy with interferences in Kurdish self-determination,” says Doghu Argil, a Turkish political-analyst, to Kurdistan News Agency (AKnews).

“When Iraq will divide, America and Israel will make Turkey agree on the establishment of an independent Kurdish state against the Persian and Arabic radicalism,” tells Argil. “And Turkey will be the best friend of the Kurds in the region,” he adds.

Giving answer to AKnews’ questions Argil shed lights on the relations between Kurdistan Region and Turkey which composes the first part of the interview.

AKnews: the two crucial and historical issues of Kurds and Armenians are being put forward in Turkey, does Turkey do it willingly or allegedly it’s an American project?

Argil: “if it is counted as an American project it means we don’t expose our willingness, we can’t protect our national interests, and we are far from being patriots. The American interests may overlap with the world’s interests. It will ease the situation and paves the way of solution. There were not such causations before, but now the situation is helpful and a talented authority should not miss the chance. It is very normal.”

AKnews: what will happen after the Americans pull out from Iraq?

Argil: “some facts occur, firstly, Iraq should provide local security to maintain stabilization and stay undivided, since Iraq’s partition will be the start of a new war in Iraq. No one will know it (the war) will end or not, if not when it will be ended. This fact is also related to Iraqi Kurdistan. If Iraq is divided, then Kurds will encounter Shiite and Sunni Arabs, they don’t like Kurds and they try to wipe out this fact. On the other hand Iranian influence will increase in the Middle East as a consequent and neither the West nor Turkey hope so. So, the Kurdish Government should be protected. It is too hard for America to come and protect the Kurds; the closest state to the Kurds is Turkey.

AKnews: what will be the impact of establishing relations with Kurdistan Region on Kurdish case in Turkey?

Argil: “a secure condition of relations between Turkey and Kurdistan Region will soften the Kurdish case in Turkey. Firstly, the softening of Kurdish case means the absence of the radical Kurds [PKK] in Iraq. Secondly, the relatively democratic sphere gained in Iraqi Kurdistan can also be given to the Turkey’s Kurds. The international sphere has given a chance for Turkey to solve the issue.”

AKnews: what is your comment on the possibility of Iraq’s partition and breaking out war between Kurds and Arabs after the American pull out of Iraq?

Argil: “it is a probability and I don’t know how far it works, but if Iraq divided and a Kurdish independent state established, the life of the new Kurdistan will be dependent on the number of opponents and allies of the Kurds.”

AKnews: Who would be the opponents and who would be the allies?

Argil: “States with Kurdish citizens would not be happy, because neither of these states is democratic nor do they give the right of nationality to the Kurds. If we take a look at Iran we see they don’t give the same rights to the Kurds and the Azeri’s as they do to ethnic Persians. Syria doesn’t give citizenship for a large number of Kurds. In this regard Turkey is the best, but Turkey has also problems with its Kurds. The problem in Turkey is not citizenship but it is rather in the definition of citizenship. If Turkey resolves the issue of Kurds, then it doesn’t see Iraqi Kurdistan as a threat. If Turkey doesn’t see Iraqi Kurdistan as a threat, then it improves the co-operations and defends Iraqi Kurdistan in the purpose of protecting its southern border. To do this Turkey has allies like United States and Israel. These two countries will be worried if the Arabs and Persians damage the security in the Middle East and become a threat to the interests of the West. They wish for a Kurdistan close to the West. This will make Turkey convinced to accept an independent Kurdistan for its interests. Then, Turkey would have conditions like “you don’t have the right to interfere in my Kurds Issue.” The best friend for Turkey in the Middle East will be the Kurds. It is satisfactory for the Turks to see their concerns eased and their pockets full of money as a consequent of the relations.”

Doghu Arghil was born in 1940 in Istanbul. In 1996 has graduated from Social College of Ankara University. In 1972 has got a certificate in social and political science in New York State University. In 1994 arranged “South-east Report” for the Turkish Businessmen Association, in 1995 arranged “the Kurds Report” for Turkey’s Stock markets and Chamber Unions, and in 2006 arranged “the South-east report: Democracy in the Eyes of Sandstorm” for Social Research Centre.

sm AKnews.com