Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Revieu;-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro<br />
<strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basm Öz<strong>et</strong>i<br />
now." But it's sensitive, because in their heart of hearts, many Kurds would prefer to live in their own state rather than<br />
to be a minority in a post-Saddam Iraq. There is a strong sense of solidarity with Kurds in neighboring countries, but<br />
they'revery careful about links with any separatist groupings because they don't want to provoke the Turks.<br />
But there's also a flip-si<strong>de</strong>, in the form of the <strong>et</strong>hnic Turcoman minority in northern Iraq, who have their own political<br />
parties in Iraqi Kurdistan but have a troubled relationship with the Kurds. Many Kurds see the Turcomans as a proxy<br />
for Turkey. The Turcomans themselves feellike a minority without a place in this big Kurdish fraternity, and they look<br />
to the Turks for support. I m<strong>et</strong> with the lea<strong>de</strong>r of the Turcoman party, who said frankly that if the Turcomans are in jeopardy,<br />
they expect Turkey to come in and help them - which sounds like creating a pr<strong>et</strong>ext for Turkey to intervene. In the<br />
Kurds' i<strong>de</strong>a of their autonomous region in a future Iraqi fe<strong>de</strong>ration, theyinclu<strong>de</strong> Kirkuk and part of Mosul, but Turkey<br />
may be reluctant to endorse those.<br />
TIME.com: Some Iraq war scenarios had the Kurds playing the proxy infantry role that the Northern Alliance played in<br />
the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan. How realistic is that? .<br />
AM: Well, they're probably keen to play that sort of a role, but they don't have more than 30,000 armed men. And U.S.<br />
planners seem to be moving away from giving them that sort of role. They'd love to be trained and armed by the U.S.<br />
because that would strengthen their position in the post-Saddam scenario. .<br />
TIME.com: What are they expecting Saddam to do once a war starts?<br />
AM: A couple of weeks ago, Iraq sud<strong>de</strong>nly-reinforced its forces in the region, moving a large number of tanks right tip<br />
to the bor<strong>de</strong>r as a way of intimidating the Kurds. Then, about a week ago, those tanks were pulled back severàl miles.<br />
They were scared their troops would <strong>de</strong>fect. As the likelihood of an invasion grows, people here are expecting plenty of.<br />
Iraqi <strong>de</strong>fections. But they don't expect Saddam to attack up here. They think he's going to be too busy <strong>de</strong>fending<br />
Baghdad.<br />
* * * *<br />
Barzani and Talabani Joint Press Conference<br />
4 October 2002 Iraqi Kurdistan Dispatch (From Brayati, 3 October 2002)<br />
A joint press conference by Barzani and Talabani on ending differences Kurdistan Democratic Party newspaper, Brayati,<br />
in Kurdish, on 3 October 2002<br />
Brayati's editorial: In a press conference, held following yesterday's me<strong>et</strong>ings b<strong>et</strong>ween [Kurdistan Democratic Party,<br />
KDP] lea<strong>de</strong>r [Mas'ud] Barzani and [Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, PUK, lea<strong>de</strong>r] Mam [honorific] Jalal [Talabani] and KDP<br />
and PUK political bureaus, lea<strong>de</strong>r Barzani and Mam Jalal talked about the outcome of the me<strong>et</strong>ings and latest steps<br />
towards peace and confirmed that the Iraqi Kurdistan regional parliament will convene on 4 October 2002. Following is<br />
the text of their statement.<br />
Jalal Talabani: On behalf of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, once again I express my pleasure for Kak Mas'ud Barz~mi's<br />
visit andcomra<strong>de</strong>s from Kurdistan Democratic Party lea<strong>de</strong>rship [to Suleimaniya]. It is a source of happiness and honour<br />
for the Kurdish people and us because this visit, like previous visits [by KDP officials] leads to the establishment of peace<br />
and brotherhood b<strong>et</strong>ween the PUK and KDP. This time, the visit of Kak Mas'ud gave a more significant imp<strong>et</strong>us to the<br />
peace process and to the objectives and intentions for the implementation of all the previous <strong>de</strong>cisions [taken regarding<br />
reunification of Iraqi Kurdistan]. I say with satisfaction that the four committees which were s<strong>et</strong> up [after KDP and PUK<br />
lea<strong>de</strong>rs me<strong>et</strong>ing on 8 September], have successfully compl<strong>et</strong>ed their work. Both, Kak Mas'ud and I,are satisfied with the<br />
work they carried out. Once again, we thank the brothers at the Higher Committee for Peace, who, within the framework<br />
of their efforts, laid the ground [for agreement b<strong>et</strong>ween the two si<strong>de</strong>s].<br />
Kak Mas'ud's visit is a jubilant event, not only for me, but also for all the brothers at PUK lea<strong>de</strong>rship [council]. It ma<strong>de</strong>.<br />
all the agreements [b<strong>et</strong>ween PUK and KDP] be compl<strong>et</strong>ed, and we, both, are keen and reaffirm our <strong>de</strong>sire to fulfil our<br />
people's aspirations within the framework of a fe<strong>de</strong>ral and <strong>de</strong>mocratic Iraq. With the wish of God, we will visit Kak<br />
Mas'ud and-[KDP] brothers at the Kurdistan parliament, the Kurdistan National Assembly, in Arbil. We will go forwards<br />
tog<strong>et</strong>her, hand in hand, towards fulfilling the objectives.<br />
Mas'ud Barzani: Me too, on behalf of my [KDP] comra<strong>de</strong>s and myself, I do thank MamJalal and all the brothers at PUK<br />
lea<strong>de</strong>rship [council] for welcoming us so warmly. We are very pleased for this occasion to be Mam Jalal's gust in Dukan.<br />
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