Turkey looks to KRG for help against PKK
Analysts say the Iraqi Kurds have limited influence to halt PKK violence.
By Alakbar Raufoglu for SES Türkiye -- 04/07/12
Seeking an end to the rising tide of PKK attacks from the mountains of northern Iraq, Turkey is again enlisting the support of the Iraqi Kurdish leadership. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani have been urging the PKK to declare a ceasefire -- and eventually lay down its arms -- in order to give a political solution a chance.
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![Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani held talks in Istanbul on April 19th. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/07/04/ALAKBARphoto-310_213.jpg)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani held talks in Istanbul on April 19th. [Reuters]
![Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani held talks in Istanbul on April 19th. [Reuters]](/shared/images/2012/07/04/ALAKBARphoto-800_550.jpg)
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The Iraqi Kurds' efforts comes as Turkey and the KRG have experienced a remarkable blossoming of relations over the past three years, with added strategic importance since the US withdrawal from Iraq and the uprising in Syria.
Turkey's economic and political weight over the KRG has been matched by domestic reforms to address the Kurdish issue. Despite the numerous hiccups and the failure of the much vaunted "Kurdish opening" in 2009, the Iraqi Kurdish leaders recognise Turkey has taken unprecedented steps to address Kurdish rights.
Viewed from Erbil, the PKK is a problem that also provides the KRG with leverage over Turkey. Ultimately though, the Iraqi Kurds believe a solution lays in negotiations between the PKK and Turkey alongside democratic and rights-based reforms that would meet Kurdish demands and make the PKK's armed struggle irrelevant.
Barzani has condemned PKK violence and stated the Kurdish struggle for rights cannot be won by force of arms, but neither can Turkey solve it with the heavy hand of the military.
Hemin Hawrami, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) Foreign Affairs Office, told SES Türkiye the Iraqi Kurds believe there is no alternative to dialogue and a democratic, peaceful solution.
"We ask the PKK to lay down their arms and give a chance for a political solution within the framework of the Turkish political process in parliament. We also salute the Turkish government for their initiatives so far and we do encourage them for more steps in this regard," he said.
The Iraqi Kurds would like the PKK and its Iranian offshoot, PJAK, expelled from its territory to avoid regular Turkish and Iranian cross-border operations. But they have limited military capabilities and the tough terrain of the PKK's mountainous redoubts has thwarted even the Turkish military for nearly 30 years.
In the 1990s, the Iraqi Kurds at times fought the PKK at the cost of many fighters, or peshmerga, something Barzani is quick to point out. There is little love between the PKK and Barzani. The close relationship between the KRG and Turkey has only made Barzani less credible in the eyes of the PKK.
"The PKK will never take its orders from Barzani," said Denise Natali, a scholar on the Kurds at the National Defense University.
Syria -- where the PKK's Syrian offshoot, the PYD, enjoys widespread support -- provides an example of just how little influence Barzani may have over the PKK. At the prodding of Turkey, Barzani has unsuccessfully been encouraging the Syrian Kurds -- one-third of which support the PYD -- to join the opposition Syrian National Council based in Istanbul.
According to Natali, "It is unlikely that Barzani will ultimately be able to influence the Syrian Kurdish opposition that supports the PYD/PKK because they are anti-Turkish and Barzani is not."
The Iraqi Kurdish leaders know how much importance their powerful northern neighbour accords to hindering the PKK's presence, but the Iraqi Kurds must also be attuned to their own Kurdish public opinion which would hardly support tough measures against the PKK.
"Barzani can make all the promises he wants to Ankara, but the internal pressures by Kurdish nationalists inside the Kurdistan Region, and the PKK presence that has and will continue to destabilise the northern area will remain a thorn in his own side for years to come, at least until the Kurdish problem is resolved in Turkey," Natali explained.
Ahmed Ali, an Iraqi affairs analyst and editor of Iraq Shamel, told SES Türkiye policy-makers in Ankara "should be cognizant of these facts and limitations and should probably have low expectations of what Barzani and Talabani can achieve."
What do you think of this article? (Total Votes )
75 Like(s)
14 Dislike(s)
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AKP continues to befool people. Well my dear, who is befooling whom? Isn’t it the origin of the terror?
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I agree too, in my opinion neither Barzani nor Talabani does have enough power to dictate PKK.
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The prime minister did what befits himself and found his real friends. We used to refuse Barzani, Talabani, Israel and the US, but now we are visiting them. I guess this is what a “powerful Turkey” is about.
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Turkey is a great country and it will get rid of this trouble with god’s permission as long as no foreign support or weapons are provided to the PKK.
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Ah you losers! You still don’t understand that the PKK is a great organization.
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Who cheats whom? PKK never ends, fights until it gets its rights and it will be successful. Because it’s rightful. It fights for a right. The unfair one is only Turkish state.
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Cool it, guys! Turkey has a trashy government. The US, Israel and others are using Turkey as a tool. What happened after the Mavi Marmara incident? They downed our aircraft; two of our pilots died martyr and their children were left an orphan. Nobody gave account of what happened. Turkey has got only one chance to be strong: coming to terms with the PKK, which is right in its cause, and providing our Kurdish brothers with the same right we have.
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You opened your arms to Syrians and then what happened? They threw stones to our police and soldiers in our own country. They will ask for other things tomorrow.
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This country is not ruled by Turks, but Jews and the US. Look and you will see.
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Let’s behave anymore. Turks has a statement: Turks has no friends but Turks. Because you did not let any friend. For centuries, you’ve been going on America’s coat tail. It’s pity for all of us. Understand this. Although you’ve killed Kurds wildly, in the world, Turks has no friends but again Kurds. Let’s not show ingratitude.
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Independent state of Kurdistan has been set up and you’re still seeking after to throw tear gas. Go, save yourselves.
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Kurds are subject to mahdi Al Salam. Cruels are the soldiers of devil. Four Muslim countries
namely Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkeyhas made Kurdish massacres for 100 years. Their operators are governments and dictators. The people has no problem with each other. -
Watch out, the ones who massacre are always third world countries and Muslim people. What kind of “believers are brothers” is that? Now, in Turkey, PKK and AKP are serving to whom? There is no reason at all for these conflicts. Whoever says whatever, Kurds will reach autonomy within three to five years. Because, twenty million people cannot sacrifice anymore. No force or dictatorship can stand against this potential. Then, let’s unite, let’s not pour borthers’ blood, let’s sustain our unity of 1000 years. Kurd and Turk can exist only by being together. Otherwise both of them are destroyed.
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Pity for Turkey. While you were so powerful, having such a rich geography and Kurdish bothers who will help you and protect your rights like brothers, you’ve preferred to accept the enemy as friend and became their dogs. And now, you’ve accepted Kurds as enemies and ypu’ve injured them from the bottom of their hearts, you’ve killed them, eliminated, destroyed, burned and collapsed, banished them, but you should know that Kurds are still on their feet and will fight to bring you to account for this until their last breath and its bill will be heavy too. Don’t worry Erdoğan and his advocates, you continue to deceive yourselves.
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Hey, you’ve still not understand, Kurdistan has been set up, you’re deceiving yourselves. If you wear your these sighted glasses now, you’ll read it much more correctly. Şırnak and Hakkari are under the control of PKK for ten days. If you don’t believe it, look at anef. Long live independent big Kurdistan.
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Kurds, who want to divide our country, should die. I am not talking about our fellow Kurds, but the backstabber ones and the PKK.
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I am calling out to Mr. Erdogan on this holy day of Ramadan! You do not have a fear of god and are pulling us to war. You are saying that you are Muslim, but unfortunately you have no idea what that is. God orders rulers to bring wisdom, faith and peace to their people, but you are shamelessly oppressing Muslim Kurds in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Shame on you! In fact we are all one.
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This issue can never be resolved unless the Turkish state does not sit down to discuss with the PKK. Solution is only possible through democratic ways. This is my personal opinion and I respect all other ideas.
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My dear brothers, believe me when I say the only friend of yours in this geography is Kurdish people, the rest is of no use. Like domino stones… Turkey’s turn has not come yet – there are 1-2 years to that. There is Iran first. Just after Iran, it will be your turn. But let me tell you a story: There was this dying old man in a village. His son asked him if he had a will. Irrigation was made by turns in their village and the old man told his son “When your turn comes, do not let anyone cheat you of your right. Don’t give up without fighting.” When the son asked his father what he was supposed to do after the fight, he replied “Of course, you will let them after the fight.” A word is enough to the wise. If those, who are ruling Turkey now, are wise enough to avoid ending up like Damascus, Aleppo, Libya, Egypt or Algeria, they should act before their turn comes – before it is too late.
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In our country where shamefullness and dishonesty are being experienced at the utmost level, what else can be said about the flip-flop policy and its results?
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All the comments made here are nonsense. Nobody writes them by his own mind, I guess. Fellows, pull yourself together, here is Turkey, think of the blood poured for this country, of the tears wept for this homeland, of the sons left without mother or father for this land, and then write according to this. That’s all from me.
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Ignobles, we do not give this country to you. Dirty PKK people, corbies, and besides you even make comments. You smell like sewage. Traitors.
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PKK, who do you think you are? You take to the mountains and fight dastardly. Why don’t you show up and fight like a man? If you have the balls, take to the mountains of Afyon. People in Afyon would shoot you before soldiers do (There is no mercy in Afyon).
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Supporters of violence, those who have not experienced the pain of losing a child, those with chauvinistic and fascist thoughts from both sides shall stop talking and let those, who have suffered, talk about peace. Let an independent, democratic Turkey reborn.
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