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Erdogan could become Holbrooke’s visionary
leader
17.2.2007
By Vladimir van Wilgenburg, is a non-Kurdish writer
from Netherlands
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February 17, 2007
Apparently Erdogan is following the advice of
Richard Holbrooke. Steps could be taken to develop
relations with regional the Kurdish government in
northern Iraq, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said Thursday. We should praise this move of
Erdogan in the election time. It confirms the view
that the AKP isn’t hostile to Kurds. Of course they
make “nationalistic statements” to get cheers from
the masses, like Barzani does. But the reality is
that the AKP is a blessing for the Kurdish issue.
This is confirmed by personal statements of Kurdish
officials in the diaspora.
Earlier before Richard Holbrooke wrote in the
Washington Post that: “Despite their history, Turkey
and Iraqi Kurdistan need each other.” More US
officials called for more cooperation, peaceful
solutions and expressed their opposition against
Turkish military intervention. Even the Turkish PKK-coordinator
Edip Baser wants to talk with the KRG.
So our friend Erdogan wants to develop relations
with the Regional Government of Kurdistan. Let’s
hope Erdogan keeps his word, since the ulusalci
leader Buyukanit gave a hostile message to the KRG
in Iraqi Kurdistan. Although I am quite positive
about Erdogan’s words, we shouldn’t forget Erdogan’s
speech in Amed. What happened after his speech? I
think this also might have to do with the influence
of the military and the course of events (Unrest in
Amed). The AKP pushes for reforms, but is not only
checked by a parliament, but by the military as
confirmed by a recent article of The New Anatolian.
One retired general said that Turkey has to be more
realistic, since they are one of the creators of the
safe-haven in “northern Iraq” and because the new US
policy gives “Turkey a strategic vision and gives
the Kurds a new strategic partnership. The deal also
secures Turkey's and the Kurds' partnership and give
the U.S. the chance to be present in the Middle East
for at least 30 more years."
Buyukanit not all too bad
Buyukanit’s first opening speech wasn’t very bad
though, he said that he wanted to “unite those who
want to solve the Kurdish problem without violence.”
Although that this took place, nothing changed. The
Kurdish president Talabani asked the PKK to declare
a ceasefire. We shouldn’t forget that the Turkish
government asked Talabani to play a diplomatic role
in this PKK-TSK conflict. But still the problem is
ongoing. Some Kurdish politicians (PSK for instance)
say the conflict benefits the army and that‘s why
they won’t want to solve it. “Would the army have so
much
power without the PKK?”, they ask.
“Nobody should dare to dream about dividing Turkey!”
Buyukanit said in Washington. But DTP leader Ahmet
Turk said even before pasha’s speech: Turkey’s Kurds
don’t want a Kurdish state. Why don’t these people
listen to each other.
Holbrooke?
And what about Richard Holbrooke? I don't totally
agree with him about Ankara's legitimate concerns
about Kerkuk. If Ankara was so concerned about
Turkmen in Kerkuk, why didn’t Ankara help the
Turkmen in the time of Saddam? Like Ilnur Cevik said
before: Turkmen were killed then and it went even so
far that Saddam’s regime declared that there were no
Turkmen in Kerkuk! Guess what, nobody said a thing
in Ankara.
We also shouldn’t forget the background of Richard
Holbrooke. In the past he said that the NATO should
finish of the PKK in Iraqi-Kurdistan, but now he
opts for a diplomatic solution. The pro-PKK blogger
Rasti isn’t all too positive about Holbrooke.
Holbrooke did some “nasty” things in Indonesia and
is also related to Ralston. But others praise
Holbrooke’s role in the peace process in Bosnia.
Ankara’s worries
Ankara says it’s worried about the Turkmen position,
but there are more reasons for Kurds to have
concerns about their Kurdish brethren in Turkey. Why
Ankara and Erbil don’t work together to look for a
peaceful and long-lasting solution to the Kurdish
issue? Turkmen, Kurds and Turks can solve these
problems together. I said this a long time before.
Recently Turkmen in Erbil declared again that they
are in favour of article 140 and Kerkuk becoming
part of the Kurdistan region. Of course the Turkmen
front says something else, but they also made up
stories that the PKK is getting heavy weapons in
Kerkuk and that PKK members get passports of Iraqi
embassies in Europe. AKP MP Turan Comez clearly got
his information from the Turkmen front, which is
pretty well organised in my homeland and spreading
propaganda about Kerkuk. Apparently he didn’t know
that the Iraqi embassies in France and Switzerland
are lead by a Shiite and Sunnite Arab.
A Turkmen leader recently showed his support for
article 140 and the Kurdish government. In an
exclusive interview with TNA, Karhi Altiparmak, the
head of the Turkmen parliamentary group in the
regional parliament in Erbil and the head of the
Turkmen Democratic Movement, says the lack of
dialogue between Ankara and the Kurdish leadership
"is dangerous and it allows other outside forces to
interfere in the affairs of the region."
In other news, an independent Kurdish politician
said Ankara can help the Kurds with democracy.
PKK part of the problem?
Recently Kurdish officials urged the PKK not to
conduct a "spring terrorist campaign". They also
prevented a PKK-demonstration in Erbil. According to
some PKK criticasters (For instance on Roj Bas, the
PKK is a part of the problem. Due to their
insistence on the armed struggle against Turkey,
Turkey has a reason to invade Iraqi Kurdistan.
Even the jailed rebel leader Ocalan called for more
friendly relations between Turks and Kurds in his
book:” Declaration on the Democratic Solution of the
Kurdish Question”. It’s ironic that the PKK camps in
Iraqi Kurdistan are one of the reasons of that this
friendly relation still doesn’t exist. In this book
he called for the implementation of true democracy
to solve the Kurdish problem within existing borders
of a unitary Turkey. Despite that he still regards
the military force of the PKK legitimate and one
shouldn’t forget PKK’s undemocratic legacy of
violence (Which he admitted himself). Abdullah
Ocalan says he now believes in a non-violent
solution of this issue. But does the PKK believe in
that? Considering Kani Yilmaz’s death?
I should emphasize more that violence would only
result in backlashes and more nationalism. Just look
to the results of “suicide-operations” of TAK. I
hope that the PKK realises that a spring campaign
would negatively affect the Kurdish issue in Turkey
and in Iran. If they want to solve to problem, they
shouldn’t launch attacks against the TSK and create
another atmosphere of violence.
It’s time now for “unite those who want to solve the
Kurdish problem without violence,” like Buyukanit
said. All the parties related to the conflict should
become more realistic, including the ABD, TC, PKK,
TSK, KRG, etc, to really solve the conflict without
violence. In the past and even today they use
violence to achieve their goals, but the problem
remains. They say they want to solve the problem
without violence, but still opt for military
alternatives.
I quote the words of Ilnur Cevik: “It is good that
Turkey has reciprocated with a positive statement by
Erdogan. Let us hope this is the beginning of more
positive steps that will lead to genuine and
fruitful dialogue between Ankara and the Kurds“.
I hope Erdogan and others become the visionary
leaders Richard Holbrooke talks about.
vladimirkurdistan.blogspot.com
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