BY NASUHI GUNGOR
STAR- Developments in Turkey on terrorism could bring many changes. A debate recently started over whether certain areas within the state - for example, intelligence agencies - had played a role in the process of the terrorist PKK's emergence. It would be unfair to make such a debate `institutional,' but it should also be conducted in a productive way. Maybe the PKK could have reached this point as a result of multiple balances within the state. One could even say that even if they didn't play an active role in its formation, certain areas of the state use the PKK for domestic and foreign political fodder and have manipulated and transformed it.
Today a vitally important process is starting. Of course it's not easy to wipe away such organizations. But it's also clear that the PKK is in troubled waters. Leaked comments from convicted PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan show that the group is losing power in certain areas within the state. Ocalan, an 11th-hour convert to the idea that Turkey can't become a moderate Islamic country, actually talks about areas his group cooperates with. A similar idea was also recently mentioned by the Democratic Society Party (DTP), and it signaled that it was closer to protecting the secular order than the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). This idea, brought up by the DTP before this summer's general elections, was interesting, and depicted the DTP as a child of this system itself.
I have no doubt that the PKK decline disturbs certain circles which have seemed very upset about terrorism and always condemn the group. Because the PKK and associated groups - for example, defunct parties such as the Democratic Party (DEP) and the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) and now the DTP - actually were used as tools in the hands of certain powers in Turkey.
Recent developments at least weaken these tools. The strongest sign of this fact came in the July elections. Now people are looking towards the local elections set for next spring. Probably the DTP will either win or lose in certain important centers. Maybe it would be better to evaluate the public pressure on the DTP and calls to close it through such a lens. If Turkey can manage its problems related to northern Iraq, maybe it will be able to gain unprecedented maneuvering room. Here let me underline that the problem isn't only the PKK or terrorism. We lack the means to know how to fight these problems in their natural spheres of activity, but at least we have the intention and courage.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told President Abdullah Gul this week that these places were extensions of Turkey. These words are very important, because they mean that Turkey could take a very broad area of activity. Now it's time to evaluate this using good analytical tools and game theory.