The situation of Iraq has witnessed many changes; But Turkey is still dealing with the status u which Iraq is still a dependent part of the Ottoman Empire, Why do you think that the Turkish government swims contrary to the sea wave currents. That is to say, Turkey goes in the opposite direction? Especially after the 2007, the Turkish leader’s speeches are very hard and strong towards Iraqi Kurdistan.
Realities are always hard to acknowledge. Especially when things change very quickly. The situation in northern Iraq has indeed changed very radically and very fast. On the other hand, it is difficult to say that in Iraq choices are made very rationally.
How do you see the Ankara worries and hesitation towards Kurdistan experience? How do you see the future of Turkish- Kurdish relations?
Turkey is very uneasy concerning the new Kurdish entity. This is because it knows it doesn’t make its own Kurds particularly happy.
One of the negative points of the Kurdish- Turkish relations is the absence of dialogue; don’t you think that it’s the time for Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to visit Iraqi Kurdistan, to discus the issues with the Kurdish leaders?
No. Turkey has too many problems to settle right now. On the other hand Kurds of Iraq are totally dependent of the US. But I fully agree that Turkey should be in constant dialogue with Iraqi Kurds. I despise people contending that Turkey should “give a lesson” to Iraqi Kurds. This is not the way to deal with the PKK problem, which is an internal affair.
Turks have always been the suzerains and the Kurds always the vassals in this region. The only way to keep this historic relationship that was beneficial to both is to act like a suzerain: To play the role of midwife for the birth of a Federated Kurdistan instead of trying to prevent it, all the while respecting the territorial integrity of Federal Iraq. On the other hand, a landlocked Federated Kurdistan can only be secure if it maintains good relations with Turkey. This is a win-win situation. In this region, hegemonic power, whatever it’s name is now, are travelers; Turks and Kurds are the inn-keepers. Also, let us not forget that the Kurds were “seduced and abandoned” four times by the US only: King-Crane Commission in 1919, Kennedy in 1962, Nixon1975, and Father Bush 1991.
*During his visit to Diyarbakir Abdullah Gul admitted that there is Kurdish problem in Turkey and they have made mistake that they haven’t solved it yet. How do you look at the future of Kurdish issue in Turkey? To you how this issue could be solving?
This had been admitted before, 1991. AKP is the first non-nationalistic party to come to power in Turkey. This is a chance for both peoples. But it’ll take time.
* Due to the continuity of the present critical and complicated situation in Iraq a number of the political supervisors are in the belief that splitting Iraq into number of three separate regions has become a de facto status… Hence if the splitting of Iraq has become a truth and the Kurdistan region has become an independent entity… In your opinion of view how would be the Turkish stance and attitude towards this new phenomenon and then how would the Turks deal with the future Kurdistan entity?
I hope the Iraqi Kurds will not fall to this trap which is called “infantile sickness”.
* Joseph Biden’s plan for Iraq’s federalism is a plan which came to existence as a result after the absence of a serious and a characteristic plan in the political ground in Iraq. How far this plan will fill the political gap? Don’t you think that this plan will be a preface or first step towards partitioning Iraq?
I don’t know about this plan.
* The unity of Iraq is real or only a dream?
I have answering this question before: Hope it’s not a dream. This would hurt the Kurds as much as the Arabs.
* How far Biden’s plan will make impact the US strategy and policy in Iraq and the Middle East? Do you think that, from now and so on, this plan will be the structure of dealing the civil society in Iraq?
* Now US is trying to put Iran under an international pressure, this is through blaming Iran by not implementing the UN security council decisions for stopping its nuclear program, so do you think that US is going to be successful in this step?
Iran is a very important regional power. The US cannot invade it like Iraq. It can only shell it, which is bound to strengthen the government.
* Some observers expect militarily facing each other of US and Iran, or US trying to strike Iran, so what is the probability of these expectations to be true?
- There is possibility of big changes in Middle East, How do you see the position and weight of Kurds in these changes?
I already commented on this. I said: I hope Kurds will not fall in the trap of the infantile sickness.