MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila comments on his conversation with Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi. A summary of his column is as follows:
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi has been issuing important messages concerning northern Iraq. The media haven’t given these messages the attention they deserve, but Izgi says that Turkey can serve as a ‘protector’ for Kirkuk, Mosul and Suleymania, and that such action could not rightly be considered occupation. During my conversation with Izgi yesterday, I asked about the basis for his views and his aims in making them public. ‘Following last year’s Sept. 11 attacks,’ Izgi began, ‘our government held a summit to discus this tragedy and what might come of it. I said then that after it confronted Afghanistan, the US would turn next to Iraq. We discussed what might happen in such a situation along with how best to ensure the security of Iraq’s Turkmen population.’ Voicing his concerns about the chaotic atmosphere a US operation might bring, he added, ‘In an echo of the 1974 Cyprus situation, the Turkmens might get caught between Kurds and Arabs amid this chaos and be led towards disaster. Such a possibility concerns us greatly. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) should serve to safeguard against such a possibility. However, I want to umambiguously emphasize -- especially to the Arab countries -- that this won’t be an occupation.’ When these developments were being discussed, we asked Izgi, did the government summit come to a decision? As parliament speaker, are your views influenced by this information? ‘I’m the chairman of our legislative body,’ he replied. ‘However, I hope the officials from the executive branch, that is, the president, prime minister, government and TSK, discussed all these possibilities and make a decision. After the Sept. 11 attacks, we discussed this issue with the prime minister.’ Izgi emphasized that Turkey couldn’t be expected to simply sit on its hands and watch the fate of the Turkmens unfold following a military operation. Izgi added that Turkey didn’t favor war, and was continuing its diplomatic efforts to head off a conflict, but that it was prepared to meet head-on developments beyond its control. Izgi added that if the US takes action without considering the views of Turkey, which will keenly feel the affects of developments in the region, or without ensuring cooperation, there might be ill-fated results. The answers to many of these questions may emerge during the upcoming visits of US Gulf Commander Gen. Tommy Franks to Ankara and Turkish Gen. Hilmi Ozkok’s visit to Washington.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION