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Erdogan: Turkey's patience in
Kurdistan-Iraq has limits, Even if the EU rejects
Turkey's entry
22.12.2006 |
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Even if the EU rejects Turkey's entry, it won't
be end of world, according to premier
December 22, 2006
Washington, -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has urged the United States to produce swift
and concrete results against the Rebel Kurdistan
Workers Party's (PKK) presence in northern Iraq,
warning that there was a limit to Turkey's patience.
Erdogan told the U.S. public television PBS that
Washington and Ankara's special envoys for
countering the PKK were working on anti-terrorist
measures, but that there should be rapid progress.
The interview came during his visit to New York
earlier this week.
"The whole object of this work is to ensure that
what we discussed is translated into concrete
actions. And in that respect, of course, we would
like to see the results of the work," Erdoğan said.
"But if this work continues to drag on and no result
is achieved, of course, there is a limit to our
patience." |
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Prime Minister |
Turkey in July threatened to send its army to
neighboring Kurdistan (northern Iraq) to destroy PKK
bases there after Iraq- based terrorists killed
scores of security force members and civilians
inside Turkey. Ankara's warning prompted Washington
to appoint retired general Joseph Ralston, a former
supreme commander of NATO, as special envoy for
countering the PKK.
Since then the PKK has announced a fragile
ceasefire, mainly imposed by harsh winter conditions
in Turkey's southeastern areas bordering Iraq, but
the Turkish military is continuing with security
operations.
Ankara has been complaining that despite the U.S.
and Turkish envoys' ongoing work, no substantial
steps have been taken against the PKK's presence in
northern Iraq, an area controlled by Iraqi Kurds.
Asked how much more time Turkey gives the
U.S.-Turkish negotiations before "taking matters
into its own hands," Erdoğan said: "We do not see
that there is a lot of time for that work. ... I
have to say very clearly that work has to progress."
Erdogan also called for the postponement of a
planned referendum next year for the fate of the
oil-rich and multiethnic Iraqi city of Kirkuk, whose
control is being sought by Iraqi Kurds. "The
demographics of the city have been changed, and that
is like a bomb that is ticking to explode," he said,
referring to en exodus of more than 100,000 Kurds
into Kirkuk since the 2003 Iraq war.
The former Iraqi president forced about 250,000
Kurdish residents to give up their homes to Arabs in
the 1970s, to "Arabize" the city and the region's
oil industry.
In addition to Kurds, Kirkuk is home to Turkmen,
Sunni Arabs and Christian, but Kurds want to make
the city the capital of their region, which in the
future could become independent.
"Kirkuk must be granted a special status based on
its historical background," Erdoğan said. "There is
a referendum that is planned for 2007, and I don't
think the referendum results will be very positive.
And in my opinion, the referendum must be
postponed."
He called on the United States to engage in talks
with Iran and Syria over Iraq's future, saying,
"Iran, Turkey, Syria and the United States; these
countries could have bilateral or trilateral
meetings." Erdoğan also backed calls for an
international Iraq conference to be attended by the
United States, neighboring countries and the U.N.
Security Council.
U.S. President George W. Bush so far has refused to
enter into a dialogue with Iran or Syria, accusing
both nations of subversive acts in Iraq. Washington
is also at odds with Tehran over the latter's
nuclear program.
On Ankara's faltering bid for EU membership Erdoğan
said that even if the wealthy bloc refused the
country's eventual entry, it would not be the end of
the world for Turkey.
EU leaders last week decided to freeze negotiations
with Turkey on eight out of 35 policy chapters
because of a dispute on trade with Greek Cypriots,
an EU member.
"With respect to these eight policy areas and their
suspension last week, I do not see that as being a
permanent decision. That will be taken up later on,"
Erdoğan said. “The EU cannot say no to Turkey at
this point. Even if it did, that would not be the
end of the world for Turkey, either," he said.
"Turkey is a strong country."
turkishdailynews com.tr
The former Iraqi president forced about 250,000
Kurdish residents to give up their homes to Arabs in
the 1970s, to "Arabize" the city and the region's
oil industry.
Kirkuk city lies just south border of the Kurdistan
autonomous region and it is not under the full control of
Kurdistan Regional Government administration.
A referendum is to be held in late 2007 to decide
whether the oil-rich Kurdish province should be
annexed to the safe semiautonomous Kurdistan region
in Iraq's north.
The use of the term "Kurdistan" is vigorously
rejected due to its alleged political implications
by the Republic of Turkey, which does not recognize
the existence of a "Turkish Kurdistan"
Southeast Turkey. The Kurds have no rights in
Turkey.
Others estimate as many as 40 million Kurds live in
Big Kurdistan (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Armenia),
which covers an area as big as France, about half of
all Kurds which estimate to 20 million live in
Turkey.
The Kurdish flag flown officially in Iraqi Kurdistan but
unofficially flown by Kurds in Armenia. The flag is
banned in Iran, Syria, and Turkey where flying it is
a criminal offence"
Southeastern Turkey:
North Kurdistan (
Kurdistan-Turkey) wikipedia
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