Turkey's Ambassador In Washington: U.S. Should Not Protect Iraqi Kurds

WASHINGTON D.C. - Turkey's Ambassador in Washington D.C. Faruk Logoglu Tuesday called on United States not to protect Iraqi Kurds in determination of Iraq's future. He said, ''in case it is said 'north of Iraq belongs to Kurds' this will be a disaster.''
Replying to questions of reporters at a meeting in Washington, Logoglu criticized Washington and U.S. administration in Baghdad in failing to exert necessary efforts to convince Iraqi Interim Governing Council on dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq.
Logoglu said Ankara would not be insistent to send soldiers unless ''an open invitation'' comes from Iraqis to Turkey.
Stating that Turkey was concerned that U.S. gave more strength to Kurdish groups within Iraqi Interim Governing Council, Logoglu said, ''favouritism shown towards several groups was reflected in Governing Council and interim council of ministers. If they say north of Iraq belongs to Kurds while determining future of Iraq, this will be a disaster. Kurds were protected more regarding the future of the country. We don't have any problems with the Kurds. We had protected them for more than 10 yeas. We want the best for them but everything should be done under equality basis.''
Logoglu said, ''what we are concerned is that if you give the impression that you tolerate a specific system, this will lead to separations, and means to say that you, in any case, create instability element within Iraq.''
Logoglu said U.S. administration and American administration in Baghdad showed flexibility toward oppositions within Iraq regarding dispatch of Turkish soldiers to Iraq, stressing that, ''Iraqis are not only against Turkish soldiers but to foreign forces. They are against presence of U.S. soldiers there. According to the information which we obtained from our own contacts, some circles in Iraq will welcome dispatch of Turkish soldiers in case several conditions are met. Many Iraqis prefer Turkish soldiers to other soldiers. U.S. had to explain well why they wanted Turkish soldiers, and had to persuade concerned sides.''
Logoglu said that he didn't share the views of the U.S. chief administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer who said that the issue of Turkish soldiers had to be discussed between Turkey and the Iraqi Governing Council, adding that ''this issue is basically the issue of the American administration in Iraq and the Iraqi Governing Council. Certainly we want an invitation from the Iraqi Governing Council. We have contacts with representatives of Iraqi Governing Council in Washington, London, Paris and Baghdad, but the authority which will give a decision about the issue of Turkish soldiers is U.S. which undertook the responsibility of Iraq.''
Logoglu said that unless an open invitation came from the Iraqi people, Turkey would not insist on sending soldiers to Iraq, adding that ''ours is not a demand. If we go, we must take into guarantee that we will be greeted in a nice way and we will be beneficial there.'' Logoglu stated that if convenient conditions were to be formed, Turkey wanted to send soldiers, adding that he didn't share the proposal of former high ranking diplomat Richard Holbroke who said that ''Turkey should suspend its proposal of sending soldiers.'' ''I don't agree with Holbrooke, the success of Iraq is to the interest of Turkey. Iraq's being unsuccessful will first of all negatively affect Turkey,'' said Logoglu.
Logoglu stated that sending soldiers to Iraq didn't have a time limitation, but this issue should not be turned into a problem in Turkish-American relations.
Upon a question about Turkish and American soldiers, Logoglu said that ''there are differences in using the body language between Turkish and American soldiers. Turkish soldiers are closer to ordinary Iraqis, particularly about treating women and behaving in environments where there are women. For instance the influence of Turkish soldiers' patrolling in Kabul is very different on the Afghan people when it is compared with the influence of patrolling of German soldiers.''
Logoglu said that if Turkish soldiers were to be sent to Iraq, there would probably be certain losses, adding that ''but you have to take risks while doing an important thing.''
Logoglu said that Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party's collecting customs taxes from passages at the Iraqi side of Habur border gate was unacceptable, adding ''before the war, Barzani group collected the taxes and they didn't want to share with the Talabani group. After the war, there is only one Iraq. The customs duties collected should be transferred to the whole Iraq, not to Kurds.''
Noting that Turkey had the intention to open a new border gate in Ovakoy region in west of Habur, Logoglu said that region was not controlled by Barzani group.
Stressing that the terrorist organization PKK/KADEK still continued its existence in north of Iraq, Logoglu said that the studies with the U.S. about this issue continued and that the Turkish public opinion was sensitive about the issue.
''Turkish public opinion wants an action to be taken against PKK/KADEK in north of Iraq, the patience of the public opinion decreases. We want to see concrete moves against PKK/KADEK in north of Iraq,'' he added.
(ÖŞ-AY) 04.11.2003