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Turkish prime minister won't rule out
military options against Iraqi Kurdistan
19.9.2007
By S. Arsu |
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September 19, 2007
ANKARA, -- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan refused Tuesday to rule out the possibility
of military operations in Kurdistan region 'northern
Iraq' to root out armed Kurdish PKK separatist
groups that he said had taken refuge in the border
region. Erdogan also criticized some Western
countries for what he called their increasingly
hawkish stance against Iran.
Meeting with a group of foreign journalists on the
eve of his trip to the United States to meet with
President George W. Bush and others attending the
United Nations General Assembly next week, Erdogan
said that despite the relative calm in the Kurdistan
region 'Iraq' bordering Turkey, all options remained
open in his country's struggle against Kurdish PKK
separatist militants.
"No country can continue living under the constant
threat of terrorism," Erdogan said in his office at
his party headquarters in Ankara. "This struggle has
the same legitimacy for Turkey as it has for the
U.S., Spain or United Kingdom."
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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan |
The PKK, or Kurdish Worker's Party, has been
operating in Turkey since the 1980s, pressing
demands for a separate Kurdish state in the mainly
Kurdish southeast of Turkey in a conflict that has
taken more than 37,000 lives.
There are about 3,500 armed rebels taking shelter in
the mountains of Kurdistan 'northern Iraq' and
organizing hit-and-run attacks inside Turkey,
according to Turkish officials. These attacks, which
have been more frequent in recent months, have led
the Turkish military to insist on an active
operation to counter them.
"We have done our part in joint struggle against
terrorism in Afghanistan as requested by the U.S.,"
Erdogan said. "Now, we expect the same approach from
the U.S."
He said Turkey expected "a three-pronged approach -
U.S., Iraq and Turkey - to function against the
terror organization settled in northern Iraq."
Turkey has unilaterally entered Kurdistan 'northern
Iraq' three times since the 1990s with large numbers
of troops, while so-called hot pursuits by special
army units have become common along the Iraqi
border.
A large-scale Turkish military operation could
complicate matters in Iraq.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense
Secretary Robert Gates have warned Turkey against
such a military action, urging a political
resolution.
The general elections and presidential election in
Turkey this summer stalled any anti-PKK activity,
but the issue continues to simmer as Kurdish
separatist attacks take lives in the predominantly
Kurdish southeast.
The growing international tension surrounding Iran's
nuclear ambitions has added another layer of
complexity to Turkey's relationship with the United
States and Europe, which have accused the Iranians
of trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian
energy.
Erdogan has strongly opposed the idea of military
action against Iran, calling instead for an
objective analysis of the Iranian nuclear program.
He questioned the accusations against Iran, saying,
"We have to trust their word that they are using
nuclear power for peaceful humanitarian needs until
otherwise is proven.
Turkey has signed a memorandum of understanding on
cooperation on natural gas with Iran, which is the
second largest provider of natural gas to Turkey.
iht com
**
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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