Paranoia in Turkey Over Northern Iraq (Southern
Kurdistan)
The New Anatolian
Ilnur Cevik
22 February 2007
A former American official says something and paranoia grips our countrymen,
creating round the clock debates over the creation of a possible independent
"Kurdistan" in northern Iraq.
Former Clinton administration official Richard Holbrooke, who visited Erbil
recently, has come up with an idea that a "Taiwan model" can be applied for
northern Iraq where the international community indirectly recognizes the
independent entity in the Kurdish region and deals with it diplomatically in a
limited manner but forges unlimited economic and financial relations.
So immediately the media picks up this story as if Holbrooke is actually in the
Bush administration and suggests this is a new American plan to push Turkey to
recognize a Kurdish state.
Holbrooke was in Erbil recently and had talks with Kurdish leaders. Like anyone
visiting the area, he saw that the Kurds are suffering serious hardships and
could not sustain any form of an independent entity without serious outside help
if Baghdad collapses and the area is left without funds.
He also realized that the region badly needed Turkey's support and was dismayed
by the lack of dialogue between Ankara and the Kurdish leaders.
So it seems Holbrooke did some deep thinking and came up with his own solution.
These are his views, not the views of the Bush administration. He may again
become an influential American official after a future Democratic presidential
victory, but even that remains to be seen.
We feel Turks have really become paranoid about northern Iraq. It is the lack of
information about this region that is creating this impression. Turks who visit
Erbil and northern Iraq see for themselves the reality and the importance of
helping this region stand on its two feet. They realize that the region is
heavily dependent on Turkey while our people are jittery that the Kurds will
become independent and eventually swallow up southeastern Turkey.
Instead of turning its back on the region, Turkey should establish some form of
diplomatic presence in Erbil. The Americans are here. The British are here. The
Russians are establishing a consulate, while the Iranians, who are as much
concerned as us about an in dependent Kurdish state, have a representation.
Turkey, which is the most important regional political and economic power which
is actually driving the Kurdish economy, is missing in Erbil. Can this be
tolerated?
Our newspapers are full of stories that are seriously misleading simply because
no one takes the trouble of visiting this region and prefers to write about it
sitting in Istanbul.
Newspapers claim that the military has a secret report saying Talabani and
Barzani have agreed to use Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) against the Turkmens.
It seems those who do not know the region and the strength of the Turkmens in
Erbil do not realize that this is impossible and believe in such nonsense.
It seems some people simply do not want dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish leaders
and Turkey to eventually prevail in northern Iraq. Turkey should think big
instead of getting lost in paranoia.
