by Fulya Özerkan
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 02, 2009 00:00
ANKARA-Iraq's outgoing Ambassador Sabah Omran admits the PKK has always caused a strain on ties with Turkey. ’Eradicating the PKK is not easy. This is a very large, mountainous, isolated area,' he says, adding that even the US faces difficulties.
Many significant changes have happened in Turkish-Iraqi ties over the last four years, said Iraq’s outgoing ambassador, who came to Turkey in 2004 in the wake of the U.S.-led war.
"Good changes, good developments in all areas from security to economyÉ and we are expecting more and more," Sabah Omran told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review in an interview.
Officially, he is meant to leave Jan. 9, but due to intensifying political consultations and mutual visits between the two countries' officials, his tenure may be extended.
President Abdullah Gül indicated he would soon travel to Iraq after postponing his visit because of an ear ailment that prevented him from flying. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari is expected in Turkey in the first week of January but no date has been set due to the emergency situation in the Middle East.
"We are waiting for an appropriate time as the Israeli aggression in Gaza gives rise to so many unexpected meetings of Arab foreign ministers," said Omran. While comparing Turkish-Iraqi relations four years ago to now, he recalled the landmark visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Baghdad in July that marked the first by a Turkish premier in 18 years. What challenged him the most was the shadow of the terrorist PKK organization, using Iraqi territory as a springboard for attacks in Turkey's southeastern region.
PKK shadow in ties
"This has always had a negative impact on ties," said Omran. "The Turkish side asks Iraq to eradicate the PKK. Eradicating the PKK is not like you have a pencil on the desk and you want to move it. No, you cannot do it. This is a very large, mountainous, isolated area."
He stressed how even the American forces found it difficult to chase terrorists in the Kandil Mountains.
"This is not an issue that the Iraqi government does not want to cooperate but the nature of the problem makes things difficult. This problem cannot even be controlled by the Turkish government. We believe, as the Iraqi government and even Kurdistan regional leaders, that this [the PKK] is a terrorist organization we should eradicate," Omran said.
Turkey has long accused Iraqi Kurdish leaders of turning a blind eye to, and even aiding the PKK. But in a policy shift, Ankara has recently stepped up diplomacy with Iraqi Kurds to address the issue. A tripartite committee established to combat the terrorist group involves Turks, Americans, Iraqis and also Iraqi Kurds.
"I am very optimistic and I hear there is a certain contact and discussion (between Turks and Iraqi Kurds). We are very optimistic to take more solid action against this kind of organization to minimize the damage the PKK has inflicted on both sides: Turkish and Iraqi," stated the ambassador.
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, recently said an amnesty may be offered as an incentive to persuade the PKK to lay down arms. According to some reports, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki came up with a plan during a meeting with Turkish officials last month.
But Omran declined to comment on the existence of such a plan. "I don't know the technical details. It's not a secret that I don't want to share. This is not the business of the ambassador. We have a tripartite committee to meet," he merely said.
'Turkey supports SOFA'
Under the Security of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, entering into force as of this month, Turkey’s future air strikes at the PKK camps based in northern Iraq will receive the consent of the Iraqi central government, not the United States. Ambassador Omran said that would not create a problem in bilateral ties.
"We've read this agreement and sent an Iraqi delegation to listen to Turkey's advice. Turkey gives us all assistanceÉ the Turkish side is helping Iraq to regain its sovereignty. This is a significant move. They support this agreement," he noted.
Energy constitutes another area of cooperation between the two neighbors. Energy Minister Hilmi Güler will soon travel to Iraq for talks on natural gas exploration. Omran said Turkey could absolutely play a role in the transfer of northern Iraqi natural gas to Western markets.