By Ilnur Cevik
TDN- If you read the mainstream Turkish newspapers and believe what they write, Turkish leaders spoke very tough to Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani on the issues of Kirkuk, federalism and the PKK.
Those who are privy to what has been discussed between Talabani, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in separate meetings know well that this is not the case.
Yes, Turkey has serious reservations and even concerns about the future of Iraq as well as the future of Kirkuk, on a federal structure designed to encourage secessionism and splits in Iraq and the presence of the PKK terrorists in the mountains of northern Iraq but Turkish leaders have seen that Talabani also has such concerns and is prepared to share them and find solutions in a brotherly manner and in a spirit of full cooperation.
Talabani as well as the Kurdistan Democracy Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani detest the PKK and regard it as a harmful terrorist group that has hurt the Iraqi Kurdish people in every manner. They are totally against the PKK resuming violent acts inside Turkey and are prepared to encourage the PKK militants holed up in the mountains of northern Iraq not to embark on a new adventure. They see many PKK militants reluctant to join in the terrorist campaign against Turkey and they do not know what to do with them. They want the Turkish leaders to help them deal with this dilemma.
Isn't this a pragmatic and realistic approach?
On Kirkuk Talabani is very clear. He wants the city to be run by a joint administration of Kurds, Turkmens and Arabs and that is how this should be done and decided in a democratic manner. He realizes the strong Turkish influence in Kirkuk and respects Turkey's sensitivities. He is prepared to fully cooperate with Turkish leaders to hammer out a solution for Kirkuk to the benefit of the Turkmens and the Kurds with the help of Ankara.
What more can the Turkish leaders want?
Then of course there is the issue of federalism. Talabani like Ankara feels the Iraqi people should decide the shape and structure of a federal system in Iraq. So the Kurds do not want to impose a federal system that enhances their self rule. On the contrary the Kurds say they have given up most of their gains regarding self rule by accepting to be in Baghdad and be a pat of the new Iraq. They say they have made many sacrifices and expect Ankara to acknowledge this.
So there are many areas where Ankara and the Kurds see eye to eye but with some minor problems that need to be ironed out regarding nuances.
We are told that the Turkish leaders have been very positive to Talabani during this visit and we can safely say a new chapter has been opened in the relations between the Iraqi Kurds and Ankara. Let us hope this is further consolidated with a Masoud Barzani trip to Turkey.