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Kurdistani leaders are happy with
Erdogan's statement, but... !
17.2.2007
By Ilnur Cevik - Iraqi Kurdistan leaders have to help
Erdogan |
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February 17, 2007
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has done the
right thing. Whoever has even a bit of common sense
knows well that Turkey has to establish proper
dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish leaders and create a
new environment of cooperation and understanding
that will lead to the solution of many problems like
the separatist group Workers' Party (PKK) issue and
the Kirkuk question.
So the prime minister took a calculated risk and
announced that his government is ready to start
dialogue with Kurdistan regional government in
northern Iraq.
We are aware that the Iraqi Kurdistani leaders are
very happy with this statement. But this does not
mean a thing as long as they fail to answer
Erdogan's positive remarks with gestures.
On Thursday the Kurdish authorities in Kurdistan
region capital of Erbil prevented PKK supporters
from staging a rally to demand the release of PKK
Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan. This is a good
first step, but we need more substantial gestures
that will really strengthen the hand of the Turkish
prime minister.
The Kurdish leaders have to remember that we are now
living in an age of advanced information technology
and whatever they say here is heard in all corners
of the world within the hour. So it is sad that soon
after Erdogan made this statement our TV stations
carried a Massoud Barzani interview with daily Le
Monde where the Kurdish leader said, "If Turkey
intervenes in Kirkuk, do not expect us to greet them
with flowers."
Such statements do not help. We know that this
interview was done last Saturday before Erdogan made
the statement, but the timing of its publication and
its tone does not fit the spirit of the positive
message given by the Turkish prime minister.
Leaders on, both sides have to talk with extreme
caution and realize the fa-reaching affects of their
statements.
We know that in this interview with Le Monde,
Kurdistan region president Massoud Barzani also said
an election victory of Turkish nationalists in
November's parliamentary elections in Turkey would
kill all hopes of dialogue with the Kurds and that
the Kurds would prefer the Justice and Development
Party (AK Party) to win the polls. This is positive,
but it will hardly be noticed by the Turkish public
when people look at his remarks on Kirkuk.
Erdogan is now under fire from the Turkish military
and the president for his remarks on his willingness
to open dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish leaders. If
the Kurds are really sincere about bolstering
Erdogan's political strength, they have to do
something to help him.
The Kurdish leaders could start with curbing the
activities of the PKK in the Kurdistan region and
stop giving the impression that they are giving the
militants a free hand to operate freely in their
areas.
They could also stress that while they feel Kirkuk
is a part of the Kurdish homeland, they will do
everything to ensure the rights of Turkmens are
fully respected and that they agree to share power
with them in running the city.
They could display openly that they will provide
security to the Turkmens in Kirkuk.
But first they have to understand what Erdogan is
trying to tell them.
thenewanatolian com
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