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Barzani is not a name we recognise, says
Turkish FM
27.11.2007
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Turkey and the US were in the implementation process
regarding sharing intelligence about the Turkey's
rebel group the PKK, Babacan said
November 27, 2007
WASHINGTON - The regional administration in
the 'north of Iraq' (Autonomous Kurdistan region)
has yet to take steps that would inspire confidence
in Turkey about the sincerity of their attitude
towards the Turkey's rebel 'terrorist' organisation
the PKK, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said
late Monday.
Babacan, who arrived in Washington earlier Monday to
attend the Annapolis conference on the Middle East
peace process denied reports in the media that he
had said Turkey was co-operating with Masoud
Barzani, the president of Kurdistan region in
'northern Iraq', with regard to combating the PKK
“There is a difference of tone in the recent remarks
made by the administration in the north (of Iraq),”
Babacan said. |
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan |
“We see some differences
in the statements made in the last few weeks, but
did they take steps that would earn our confidence?
The answer to that is unfortunately: No.”
Responding to a question put by a journalist as to
whether Turkey would invite the Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani along with President Barzani to
Ankara for a visit, Babacan said, “The problem with
citing those two names side by side is that:
Talabani is the president of the central government
that we recognise. But the other name is a leading
figure of a region. Putting both names side by side
and inviting them is out of the question.”
Massoud Barzani, is officially the President of
Kurdistan region in 'northern Iraq', Kamel Shaker, a
top Iraqi Kurdish leader, said earlier "Turkey do
not want to meet with the representatives of
Kurdistan, or have a dialogue with president Massud
Barzani. They do not want Kurdistan." www.ekurd.net
Iraqi Kurdish politician says, Turkey is using
Turkey's Kurdish separatist PKK rebel group as an
excuse to invade Kurdistan region 'Iraq' to prevent
the establishment of Kurdistan state in the Kurdish
autonomous region in 'northern Iraq', Turkey fears
this could fan separatism among its own large
Kurdish population in southeast Turkey.
Turkey rejects direct talks with Iraqi Kurdistan
government, Officially, Turkey does not recognise
the regional government of Kurdistan led by
president Massoud Barzani.
Turkey has never, and still does not, recognize the
Kurdistan region government (KRG) and refuses to
meet with its representatives in any official
capacity. That reflects Ankara's fear that any
international respect shown to the autonomous Iraqi
Kurdistan region would only embolden Turkey's own
large Kurdish minority to seek similar home-rule
status. www.ekurd.net
The PKK, listed as a 'terrorist' group by Turkey, US
and EU, has waged a
bloody campaign for self-rule in mainly Kurdish
southeast Turkey since 1984. The conflict has
claimed more than 37,000 lives.
ntvmsnbc com | Agencies
**
Kurds are not recognized as an official minority in
Turkey and are denied rights granted to other
minority groups. Under EU pressure, Turkey recently
granted Kurds limited rights for broadcasts and
education in the Kurdish language, but critics say
the measures do not go far enough.
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.
Others estimate over 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.
Turkey is home to over 25 million ethnic Kurds, some
of whom openly sympathise with the Kurdish PKK for a
Kurdish homeland in the country's mainly Kurdish
southeast of Turkey.
Before August 2002, the Turkish government placed
severe restrictions on the use of Kurdish language,
prohibiting the language in education and broadcast
media.
The Kurdish alphabet is still not recognized
in Turkey, and use of the Kurdish letters X, W, Q
which do not exist in the Turkish
alphabet has led to judicial persecution in 2000 and
2003
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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