BY FIKRET BILA
MILLIYET- Elections were held in Iraq last weekend and results will be announced in 10-15 days. Ankara mentioned its gladness from the elections. Foreign Ministry stated that Ankara was sad due to the Sunni Arabs’ low rate of participation in elections. Ankara thinks that Kirkuk’s demographic structure was changed before the elections and that this would start a discussion concerning the legality of elections. In other words, if Kirkuk becomes a Kurdish city with the contribution of Kurds who moved to Kirkuk, Ankara would prepare not to recognize the results as a support to the criticisms by the Turkmen. In addition, if a domestic conflict occurs in Kirkuk following the elections and attacks start against the Turkmen, Ankara wouldn’t be just an onlooker to this situation. This was stated by Second Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. This is Turkey’s stance. However, the US’ stance is completely different than that of the US’. Following Basbug’s remarks, US State Department spokesman stated that Washington supported Kurds’ return to Kirkuk. In addition, US Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith said the problem belonged to Iraq and that this would be solved by the Iraqi people.
There are disagreements between Turkey and the US concerning the PKK/KONGRA-GEL and the Kirkuk issue. As long as the US’ stance continues, it would be hard to think that Ankara’s warnings influenced or will influence the process. Ankara’s effectiveness will be seen during the developments following the elections. Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani emphasized that Kirkuk was a Kurdish city and that an independent Kurdish state would be established finally. Other Iraqi Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani is a candidate for the duty of Iraqi head of state or prime minister. Both leaders speak boldly by depending on the US. With the conflict of interests of the US and Turkey in northern Iraq and the US’ stance, Ankara already started contacts with Iran.