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US: Diplomacy should also be used by
Turkey with Kurdish PKK rebels
27.7.2007
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July 27, 2007
A military option alone is not enough to resolve the
Kurdish issue, diplomatic efforts should also be
exerted to tackle the PKK problem, US Brigadier
General Robert Holmes, deputy director of operations
at US Central Command stated.
“Turkey must make use of diplomacy to resolve the
terrorist issue of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
As to possible supplies of weapons to PKK by the
United States, I must see the reports on such an
argument before answering this question,” Holmes
said.
Ankara is going to launch a cross-border operation
into Kurdistan region (northern Iraq) against PKK
fighters. According to media, currently Turkey has
concentrate a 140 000 contingent near the Iraqi
border. The Turkish Prime Minister and Chief of
General Staff have repeatedly stated on the
possibility to launch military operations against
Kurds. |
US Brigadier General Robert Holmes |
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.
More than 37,000 Turkish soldiers and Kurdish PKK
guerrillas have been killed since 1984 when the PKK
took up arms for self-rule in the country's mainly
Kurdish southeast of Turkey.
The United States and the European Union, like
Turkey, class the PKK as a "terrorist organisation"
Panarmenian net
** 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.
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.
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 25 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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