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Iraqi Kurd daily criticizes Turkish policy
towards Kurdistan
1.3.2008
By Adnan Osman
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March 1, 2008
Text of commentary by editor Adnan Osman: "PKK or
Kirkuk?", published by Iraqi Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan-funded daily Aso on 28 February
It is reported that in one of his visits to Turkey
in the period of Turgut Ozal's presidency, the Turks
blamed [Secretary-General of Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK)] Jalal Talabani for supporting the
PKK. Talabani was surprised by this criticism and
told the Turks: "I don't understand how I support
the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). I managed to
talk to [PKK leader] Abdulla Ocalan and convinced
him to declare a ceasefire from his headquarters at
Biqa' valley [Lebanon] and to be prepared to
negotiate a peaceful solution with you." The Turks
replied: "That is exactly what we mean. You gave
good advice to PKK and then put the ball in our
court."
Whether this story is true or not, it does not
change anything from the fact that the Turks,
especially their military, have always thought in
this way,www.ekurd.net
have always used the
language of violence and repression instead of the
language of peace and dialogue and instead of making
an effort to understand the roots of the problem. It
is odd that a state should be happy with its
opponents' language of war and violence and be upset
by the call for peace.
It is now many years since the PKK expressed its
willingness for talks and negotiation at any level.
This party is prepared to change its ideology,
methodology and policies; it is prepared to seek
solutions within the framework of the Turkish state;
it is prepared to abandon the armed struggle and to
choose political methods to achieve its aims. It has
declared a unilateral ceasefire many times. It has
changed its ideological and political language to
such a degree that it has lost the support of many
Kurds who think that it is a setback for the Kurdish
national movement.
In response to all this, Turkey has not taken even
the smallest positive step. Its racist policies are
still in action. Only in the last few days, the head
of a Kurdish municipality was taken to court because
he used the Kurdish language in his office.
And now, the Turkish state has received the PKK's
decision to declare a unilateral ceasefire with the
same old mentality.
Political observers regard this strange Turkish
position with surprise: this country is always
prepared to welcome the prospect of war at any time
and ignores all possibilities of peace. Many
observers believe that the current Turkish threats
and escalated language of war are related to the
implementation of clause 140.www.ekurd.net
In fact we have always
seen the intensification of Turkish pressure at very
sensitive times. And now every time the Kurdish
political leadership makes a tortoise step towards
the implementation of this clause, Turkey increases
its pressure and threats.
In short, this sort of approach and behaviour from
Turkey is not just related to the problem of the PKK
and the Kurds or the result of a psychological
complication or internal problems. It is part of the
foreign agenda which this country seeks to implement
in the region and Iraq in particular.
Originally published by Aso, Kirkuk, in Sorani
Kurdish 28 Feb 08.
BBC Monitoring Middle East
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