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Kurdistan: Deputies' visit shows deep
divide with Kurds
29.9.2006
By Ilnur Cevik, Contribution by Vladimir van
Wilgenburg |
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The visit of two Turkish
deputies to Kurdistan 'northern Iraq' "on a
fact-finding tour" shows the discord, distrust and
huge misunderstandings between Turkey and the Iraqi
Kurdish administration …
The delegation came to Kurdistan 'northern Iraq'
without the official knowledge of the Kurdistan
regional government, but despite that they received
VIP treatment at Erbil airport and were cordially
hosted for one night in the Kurdistan regional
capital as they were advised not to travel to Kirkuk
at night. Next day they were off to Kirkuk where
they met local regional officials and the Turkmens
from the ailing Turkmen Front...
What is sad is that the Turkish press did not really
report the substance of the visit, but two
"incidents" which were "sensational."
One was the fact that at the VIP lounge the
passports of the delegation and the journalists
accompanying them were collected, processed swiftly
in another room and returned to them. Some people
seemed very eager to make a great fuss that the
passports were stamped with "Kurdistan" but of
course it was all a tempest in a teacup. Because in
actual fact the stamp read: Republic of Iraq,
Kurdistan region. This is exactly what the Iraqi
Constitution says.
The second incident was to do with a map at the
Kirkuk Provincial Assembly Speaker's Office. When
the delegation visited the speaker, ruling Justice
and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Turan Comez
took down the map and said parts of Turkey had been
included in Kurdistan and that is unacceptable.
The speaker explained that it's a historical map
brought from the British archives and doesn't
represent the current situation and only stressed a
historical fact. Comez left the map on the floor.
After he and his opposition Republican People's
Party (CHP) colleague Orhan Ziya Diren left the
speaker's office, the map was reportedly hung back
on the wall.
The incident was reported on in the Turkish and
Kurdish media in different ways. The Kurds were
angered, while the Turks applauded Comez for taking
the map down...
So what did these two incidents do to enhance
Turkey's much-needed dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish
leadership?
Did they contribute to a solution of the Kirkuk
issue? Did they help to secure the cooperation of
the Kurds to do more in combating the Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK)? Did they enhance the prospects
of a meaningful dialogue between Ankara and Erbil?
The answer is, unfortunately, a big "NO." All they
did was to further strengthen misunderstandings and
prejudices on both sides.
What we need are gestures, understanding and
tolerance. Provocation and playing on each others'
nationalist sensitivities may earn some deputies
prestige in their own constituencies, but in the end
may hurt Turkey's vital interests.
On Thursday the two deputies were back in Erbil
meeting the Turkmens of the city. Let us hope these
contacts are more fruitful and create a better
environment between Ankara and the Iraqi Kurds …
The new Anatolian
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