Kurds discuss big change in Turkey : historical opportunity
not to be missed
By: Dr Kamal Mirawdeli
Report by Hastyar Qadir. Translated by Dr Kamal Mirawdeli from Rozhnama,
Sulaymaniya, independent daily newspaper published by the Wsha Company. 30 Aug
07, p, 1, 2
The Secretary of Kurdistan Toilers Party Mr Qadir Aziz said in a statement to
Rozhnama: All Turkish parties are chauvinists. But if the Justice and
Development Party can free itself from the influence of the army, then this
party compared with other parties has better position on Kurdish issue and takes
a more independent approach.
He added that Turkish army obtains a big budget because of the war against PKK,
but the conflict that waists in Turkey [between the army and Justice and
Development party] can eventually benefit PKK. It is possible that Kurdish
question in Turkey will be resolved in future even though not a total
satisfactory way.
The member of political bureau of Kurdistan Communist Party Abu Karwan told
Rozhnama that he did not expect any big changes; "The Turkish generals still
have the main role in deciding the general politics of Turkey . It would be very
difficult for someone like Gul to bring about radical changes especially in
relation to the Kurdish question which is considered by the army as a sensitive
and dangerous issue.
The member of PUK political bureau Sa’di Peera said: Although the Justice and
Development party is an Islamic party but it is a modern party, they do not have
any sectarian position and they accept the secular system of Turkey . What is in
the interests of Kurds is that the power of the military would be reduced and
the economic situation would improve.
Most of the political parties in Kurdistan believe that the existence of
Abdullah Gul as the President of Turkish republic will have a positive effect on
the Kurdish issue in Turkey and the level of relationship of Turkish government
with Kurdistan region will increase and Turkey will have a more moderate stance
on the issue of Kirkuk .
Qadir Aziz believes that by taking the post of the presidency of the republic
the Justice and Development party has taken the last fortress of the
secularists. He predicted that there would be an opening towards the Kurds
within the Turkish parliament and outside parliament. This may even involve
changes in the constitution. The Secretary of the Toilers Party indicated that
there is a big possibility that there would be changes in dealing with the
KURDISH ISSUE IN Turkey. It has been the army that always used the language of
threats and force and forced the Justice and Development party to accept some of
these policies because of the pressure by the Turkish public but if this
[Kurdish] issue is resolved then the Justice and Development Party can have
peace in Turkey and also a positive relationship with Kurdistan region. He
mentioned as an evidence to this the decision by Abdullah Gul even before
becoming president of Turkey to invite [Iraqi Kurdish president] Jalal Talabani
to Turkey and he said that if the army withdraws from politics then the position
of Ankara government would be better and more positive in relation to the
Kurdish question in both North [Turkish] and south {Iraqi] Kurdistan even in
relation to Kirkuk issue.
But Abu Karwan of Kurdistan Communist Party said: The policies of Turkey
regarding all issues is clear and they are not going to change. He said Abdullah
Gul claims they wish to normalise their relations with Kurdistan region but they
have different approach to many issues in Iraq . They even have a claim to the
Mosul Wilayat (present Mosul governorate). There are so many differences between
the two countries that a change in presidency in Turkey is a too little change
to deal with them.
Member of the leadership of Islamic Union Party Omar Muhammad said: So far [the
previous Turkish president] Najdet Ahmat Sizer has not accepted meeting a
Kurdish leader. By inviting Mam [honorific] Jalal Talabani to Turkey Abdullah
Gul is demonstrating that he is prepared to change Turkey ’s attitude to Kurds
although these issues in Turkey are very sensitive. Furthermore the Justice and
Development Party are preparing to make important constitutional changes in
clause 66 and clause 44. The first asserts that Turks are the sole citizens of
Turkey and the second is related to the powers of the president who in the past
had all powers to refute all the decisions of parliament. The Kurds can take
advantage of these opportunities to promote and solve their issue in a political
way.
Omar Muhammad added: The changes in the position of Turkey under the leadership
of the Justice and Development Party are related to the subjective will of the
party itself and the reality of Kurdish question in Turkey and that Party’s
willingness to open up to the world and have a more effective role in
international issues. Add to this the pressure that Turkey is in relation to its
file for becoming a member of the European Union.
Sa’di Ahmad Peera asserted that Gul’s presidency represents a big change in
Turkey because this is the first time in the history of Turkey that such a big
change has happened in spite of the opposition of the army which has had the
biggest power in Turkey since the establishment of the Turkish state. In fact it
has always worked as a state within a state.
Peera rejected the tying up of the solution of Kurdish question in Turkey to
PKK. He said: the legitimacy of Kurdish rights in Turkey has nothing to do with
where PKK stands. About the relationships between Turkey , Kurdistan region and
Kirkuk he said: Turkey uses Kirkuk issue to interfere in Iraqi affairs. This is
an internal Iraqi issue.
He expressed his pessimism about any changes in the attitude of Turkey to the
issue of Kirkuk but he said the language of dialogue between Kurdistan and
Turkey might change.
