Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

.Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro
de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
dialogue, and stressed that he was not trying to establish an independent Kurdish state, which had
previously been stated as the PKK's aim.
In a statement broadcast April!? by a London-based Kurdish TV station, Ocalan pointed to the "Northern
Ireland formula" as an example for Turkey. "I'm prepared to leave the arms and enable [talks]," he said.
But one senior government official says Ocalan is simply trying a new tactic. He says Turkey's "southeast
problem" - officials still refuse to refer to it as a "Kurdish problem" - has no resemblance to the situation in
Northern Ireland.
Public opinion, beyond that of the liberal elite, seems to favor a hard line. Many Turks blame the PKK for
14 years of terrorism, the deaths of 30,000 people, and a cost to Turkey of $80 billion. Many have rallied
for the execution of Sakik, who is likely to be tried for several guerrilla attacks, including one that killed 33
Turkish soldiers in 1993.
No Progress in Iraq
••It was clearly apparent that all sites
had undergone extensive evacuation.
In all the sites outside of Baghdad, for
example, there were no documents and
no computers. The buildings were
largely empty .... Iraq' s explanation for
Chiswas that such measures were taken
in anticipation of a military strike. "
So much for the United Nations'
victory in winning access to Iraq' s
"presidential sites. "
This was the issue, you recall, that
stymied UN inspections of Iraqi nuclear,
chemical and biological weapon
capabilities, led to a buildup of U.S.
forces in the Gulf and culminated in
February in a deal negotiated by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan with
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - a
deal portrayed by the Clinton administration
as a victory for its combination
of diplomacy and show of force.
Now UN weapons inspectorCharles
Duelfer has reported to Mr. Annan. He
notes that Iraqi cooperation since the
agreement has been "satisfactory"
and that the presence of senior diplomats,
added- to inspection teä'ms by
order of the Annan-Saddam agreement,
"worked out generally well."
But his report raises questions about
who really gained from the monthslong
crisis that Saddam generated.
The Clinton administration said the
presence of diplomats and Mr. An-
~an's promi~ to respect. IrJlq's "national
secunty, sovereigrity and dignity"
would not make inspections
more cumbersome. In fact, Mr.
Duelfer says diplomats did' at times
challenge and argue with UN inspectors,
"supporting Iraqi views against
those of Unscom," as the inspection
commission is known. "Such problems
are likely to re-emerge in the
future, especially when' true no-notice
inspections are conducted," he said.
Iraqis outnumbered inspectors by
ratios of 5 to I, at times so crowllmg
inspectors that their work was impeded.
With 25 UN vehicles and 50 or
more Iraqi vehicles, •'convoys at times
exceeded a kilometer in length. ' ,
Administration officials insisted in
February that, despite new intermediaries
reporting to Mr. Annan, Saddam
had not succeeded in undermining
the inspectors' authority. But Mr.
Duelfer notes that, when Iraqis objected
to inspectors' plans at the presidential
sites, they engaged directly 00
with Mr. Annan, not with the inspec- g:
tors .• 'This has important implications ~
for the authority of Unscom and its ;f
chief inspectors," Mr. Duelfer says.
Having had plenty of time to sanitize
the palace sites, Iraqi officials now
t::3
=:
maintain that they have fulfilled their ~
obligations and may not have to let >f
inspectors back in. As Mr. Duelfer ~
wrote, "One major aspect of the agree- Z
ment, involving the continuing natur~ =
of such access, is still unresolved, ~
merely postponed." Indeed~ Baghdad ~
last week resumed agitating for a lifting ~
of sanctions and an end to inspections. S~
It is worth recalling that the point
here was not to tour Saddam Hussein' s
palaces but to determine whether Iraq,
a defeated aggressor. had given up ils
weapons of mass destruction, as prom- '
~
ised. Toward that goal almost no progress
has been made in the past six
months, according to chief UN arms
~
=
inspector Richard Butler; in fact, all ~
evidence points to the contrary. "'"
Soon Iraq, friends and would-be =
commercial parln~rs can ~ ~xpt:cled El
to resume lobbying for a phony cer- ~
tificate of compliance. The last time ~
that happened, America found itself ~
with no appealing options. One won- t:!
ders whether it is using this interval to ~
put itself in a more advantageous position
next time around.
- TIft: ....ASHfNGTON POST,
107