Iraqi Kurdish MPs Say Turkey Has Various Motives Behind Incursion
Iraqi Kurdistan Region MPs have said Turkey had various motives behind a possible incursion into the region, Wisha Company’s Sbay media website of former Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Nawshirwan Mustafa reported 18 October.
The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) List in the Kurdistan Region parliament, Shirwan Haydari, said: “One of the main reasons [for a possible incursion] is related to the phase that Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are going through. It is true Turkey’s pretext is the Kurdistan Workers’ Party [PKK], but it wants to destabilise the secure state of Kurdistan, especially as Article 140 [on normalization of the status of Kirkuk scheduled for end of 2007] is being implemented at this stage.”
The Turkish parliament yesterday gave the go-ahead to the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, allegedly in pursuit of Turkish Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rebel bases.
The head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) list in the parliament, Kwestan Muhammad Abdallah, also believed there were other motives behind the Turkish move.
Abdallah said: “The reason for Turkish incursion is the issue of a federal Iraq rather than the PKK. Turkey opposes the Kurds having an independent region. The Kirkuk issue might also be another reason for a [possible] Turkish incursion.”
She added: “It [the conflict] should be resolved through peaceful and diplomatic means. These threats and any incursion will have the most damaging effects on Turkey itself.”
The head of the Turkoman list in the parliament, Karkhi Najm-al- Din, shared his colleagues’ opinion, saying: “Obviously, we subscribe to the stance adopted by all individuals in Kurdistan, namely rejecting those threats and violations. We do not allow any foreign player to attack the Kurdistan Region.”
He added: “Turkey could not achieve its aims in 24 [previous] cross-border operations. We think that they cannot achieve it with the 25th one We also do not support the PKK’s recourse to arms and launching attacks against Turkey from our territories, because Turkey is our neighbour and we want to enjoy the best relations with them.”
Regarding Turkey’s motives for an incursion, Najm-al-Din said: “The issue is certainly not just the PKK. Unfortunately, the Turkish chauvinists, who are only a minority there, do not accept the existence of the Kurdistan [Region] entity. They consider this entity more dangerous than the PKK and other things.”
Independent MP Dr Nuri Talabani said: “I think this is not the first time and it will not be the last. Wherever the Kurds tried to establish an entity, Turkey tried to tamper with it in one way or another, so that the Kurdish hopes would not come true.”
Talabani added: “Turkey’s pretext [for an incursion] is the presence of the PKK in Mount Qandil [in Iraqi Kurdistan], but we all know the PKK’s presence in Qandil is not at the wishe of the Kurdistan regional government. However, there is no other way than dialogue to resolve the issue.”
Originally published by Sbay media website, in Sorani Kurdish 18 Oct 07.
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