BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- While arguments continue over Turkish officials possibly holding meetings with northern Iraqi officials, Mete Cubukcu of news channel NVT met this week with Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. Barzani had this to say about three top issues:
1. An Independent `Kurdistan': Independence is the most natural right of the Kurds. Our neighbors need to get used to this idea.
2. Kirkuk: This city is Kurdistan's heart. It's an Iraqi province and part of Kurdistan. It's a Kurdish province.
3. The PKK: Turkey shouldn't expect us to go against the PKK. Political steps should be taken on the issue. We won't allow a possible Turkish cross-border operation and won't just stand by and watch this.
These views of Barzani are known. He suggests that political steps be taken on the issue, and wants Ankara to accept political demands which are PKK-oriented. It's natural for Barzani, who is trying to gain influence in southeastern Anatolia and form political alternatives in Turkey's domestic policy, to give such messages.
Turkey's three northern Iraq-oriented problems are the possible declaration of an independent Kurdish state, Kirkuk and the PKK. We have already discussed the first, so now let's discuss Kirkuk and the PKK. Why is Kirkuk important for Turkey?
Turkey considers the possible declaration of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq a risk for Turkey's future. Along these lines, Kirkuk carries a special importance. If Kirkuk is under Kurdish administration, this will be a milestone in their quest for an independent Kurdish state. The second aspect of the Kurdish problem is Iraq's ethnic Turkmen. Turkey is concerned about their safety if a conflict breaks out in Kirkuk.
There's no need to summarize the PKK problem. The terrorist PKK's presence in Turkey has lessened, but now it's more present in northern Iraq. The PKK's representatives in Turkish politics keep pushing their requests. These requests are moving Turkey to become two nations with a general amnesty and Kurdish as an official language of education.
While discussing Kirkuk and the PKK, it would be wrong to try to link the two. Presenting these two problems to Turkey as bargaining chips would be a mistake. All three problems are very important for Turkey.
Since meeting with Iraqi officials would be a means, not an end, Turkey needs to make clear the aim of such meetings.