Information and liaison bulletin - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti
SJjeiNeUritorkfêimeîS November 3, 2007
Pressed by Turks, Rice Seeks to Solve Kurdish
Rebel Threat While Urging Restraint
By HELENE COOPER
and SABRINA TAVERNISE
ANKARA, Turkey, Nov. 2 -
Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice came under pressure Friday
'
1
.
.
from Turkish leaders seeking
American help to curb Kurdish
guerrillas in northern Iraq. But it
was not clear whether her public
pronouncements at the outset of
this long-awaited visit would be
enough to satisfy them.
During a string of meetings in
the capital, Ankara, before head¬
ing to Istanbul, Ms. Rice took
pains to demonstrate support for
Turkey. She called for restraint in
Bush administration officials
are in the middle of a delicate bal¬
an attempt to forestall any Turk¬
ish military incursion into north¬ With photos of Turkish soldiers killed by Kurdish rebels,
ancing act, trying to shore up Mr.
Erdogan's hand against those in
ern Iraq, where the Kurdish . Turks in Istanbul denounced the United States and the rebels his country calling for military
rebels stage attacks on Turkey -,
action. But they are also stren¬
from mountain hide-outs. yesterday.
uously trying to avoid a new front
"I think it's fair to say that we in the war, and Ms. Rice must
all need to redouble our efforts,"
,down the field of maneuver for Support for the United States find a way to give Mr. Erdogan
Ms. Rice said at a press confer¬ the government," said liter eroded further last month, when public backing while privately
ence on Friday. "All across the Turan, a professor of political sci¬ a House committee approved a urging restraint.
world we've seen that it's not ence at Bilgi University in Istan¬ resolution condemning the mass Professor Turan said that
easy to root out terrorism." bul. The political opposition is killings of Armenians by Otto¬ might not be enough. "This kind
Turkish leaders continued to fanning nationalism, he said, and man Turks during World War I as of explanation is often seen as
sound resolute. "Our expecta¬ with trust in the United States at genocide. The full House did not buying time," he said. "I think
tions of the United States are a low in Turkish society, it is "dif¬ vote on the resolution, but Tur¬ what the public wants to hear is
very high," the foreign minister, ficult for the Turkish government key reacted angrily, threatening something concrete."
Ali Babacan, said, standing next to appear that it is trusting the to shut off its territory as an Speaking to reporters on her
to Ms. Rice. "We want action." Americans without some con¬ American supply hub for Iraq, flight to Ankara, Ms. Rice said
Less than two weeks before crete results,"
and recalling its ambassador pointedly that Turkey's problems
Ms. Rice's visit, the Kurdish Mr. Erdogan will meet with from Washington.
with the Kurds could not all be
rebels, the Kurdistan Workers' President Bush next week, and The Bush administration laid at America's door. "This
op¬
Party, killed 12 Turkish soldiers he reiterated this week that he posed the genocide vote, and has
didn't arise with the liberation of
near the border with Iraq, would not press for a large-scale worked to smooth things over
Iraq," she
worked to smooth things over
Iraq," she said. "The problem has
prompting Turkey to threaten a offensive, but that he expected
been there, and no one has been
since then. Ms. Rice delicately re¬
military offensive. Turkey is a support from the United States.
able to deal with it. And so now at
ferred to the Armenian issue on
NATO member and a strong
least we have an Iraqi govern¬
But with American forces al¬ Friday as "the events of 1915,"
American ally in a troubled re¬
ment that wants to deal with it."
ready stretched thin in Iraq, but made no mention of the word
gion, so a military offensive into
But there is little trust between
American military commanders genocide, a term the Turks
Iraq whose territory is con¬
the Turks and the Iraqi govern¬
have balked at taking action strongly reject.
trolled by the United States mil¬
ment; Mr. Babacan, the foreign
against the rebels, known by Even within the Bush adminis¬
itary could be deeply problem- minister, spoke Friday of doubts
their initials, the P.K.K., and the tration, there has been criticism
atic for all parties.
about the efforts of the Iraqi gov¬
Bush administration has focused that the United States, in more
The Turkish prime minister,
ernment to rein in the Kurdish
its efforts on pressing Iraq's than four years in Iraq, should
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been
guerrillas.
Kurdish leaders, who control the have done more to rein in the
skeptical of military action in the
Ms. Rice is supposed to partici¬
area in which the P.K.K. hides, to Kurdish guerrillas. Gen. Joseph
past, and is well aware of the,
pate with Iraqi and Turkish offi¬
take action against the group. W. Ralston, who is retired from
damage an offensive would inflict
cials in a three-way discussion on
Those leaders, however, say that the
on Turkey, which is pressing for
Air Force and until last month
on Turkey, which is pressing for
Air Force and until last month Saturday to try to come up with a
it is impossible to dislodge the was the United States special en¬ joint plan that all sides can agree
acceptance into the European fighters from the remote moun¬ voy for countering the P.K.K., on. Administration officials said
Union.
tains where they hide, and that told McClatchy Newspapers on that the American military had
Few Turkish officials expect the only solution is through diplo¬
collected a list of P.K.K. guerrillas
the United States to offer military macy and amnesty.
Friday that United States inac¬ and issued orders for American
action, but a public display of The Kurdish rebel situation tion on the P.K.K. issue might forces to pick them up if they en¬
support for Mr. Erdogan could "has now become, rightly or force Turkey to act. General Ral¬ counter them in Iraq. Beyond
ease the pressure on him to wrongly, a test of where the Unit¬
ston resigned hi£yx>st, adminis-:* that, American spy planes will
choose military action.
ed States holds Turkey," said Soli
tration officials said, because he 1
choose military action.
ed States holds Turkey," said Soli
tration officials said, because he 1 also feed intelligence to Turkish
"The Americans are not being
was
Ozel, a professor of international
frustrated with the failure of
Ozel, a professor of international
frustrated with the failure of forces on P.K.K. movements in
concrete, and that is narrowing
Iraq and the United States to do
relations at Bilgi University.
northern Iraq, administration of¬
more in northern Iraq.
ficials said.
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