Border tension heats up - US urges Turkey not to cross border

Turkish Daily News
Monday June 4, 2007 

The United States yesterday urged Turkey not to conduct a cross-border operation into northern Iraq, following repeated threats by the Turkish military against both the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani.

Border tensions increased over the weekend as Kurdistan Patriotic Unity (KYB) forces stopped a team of Turkish special forces in northern Iraq. Turkey's Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Büyükanit, hinted on Thursday at potential combat with Barzani's forces in northern Iraq if Turkish troops cross the border. Troop movements on Turkey's southeastern border have prompted speculation of a possible incursion into Iraq's largely autonomous northern Kurdish region.

"We would prefer that we continue to work through this problem with them to try and safeguard Turkey, and hope that there will not be unilateral military action across the border into Iraq,” Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense, on Sunday told a news briefing at an Asian security conference in Singapore.

“The Turks have a genuine concern about Kurdish terrorism,” Gates said. “We have been working with the Turks to try and help them get control of this problem on Turkish soil.” Asked whether U.S. pressure for a non-military response was being heeded in Ankara, Gates said: “We have had ongoing discussions with Turkish officials.”

Rice urges Turkey as well

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on Saturday, speaking to reporters on board a flight to Madrid, noted that any conflict at the border would not help to secure stability in Iraq. Rice also said Turkey and the United States are in close contact to solve the complex situation.

Another commentary about a possible Turkish incursion came from Baghdad on Saturday. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on Turkey not to send its troops into northern Iraq, urging Ankara to tone down its threats of military intervention.

“If there are problems we shouldn't resort to threats, force and weapons because this worsens the problems,” Maliki said at a news conference with Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Arbil. “We do not want to harm neighboring countries, but we also do not want neighboring countries to interfere with military raids,” he said.

Barzani also urged Turkey to tone down its threats of military intervention. “I hope it is internal rhetoric and they are not considering solving their problems through war, because war never resolved anyone's problems,” he said.

Second Sulaimaniya crisis?

An incident occurred on Friday in Sulaimaniya between a team of Turkish special forces and the KYB's local Peshmerga forces, sparking new tension in the region. Armed Peshmerga forces stopped the Turkish team and asked them for identification documents. The incident ended without casualties.

However, the Turkish military demanded Iraqi Kurdish groups not repeat such episodes in the future, hinting that an armed conflict could take place. The Turkish Foreign Ministry corresponded with the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Ross Wilson, and asked him to urge Kurdish groups in northern Iraq not to play games any longer, daily Hürriyet reported yesterday. “These are dangerous games,” the daily quoted a high-level official. “Tell them to be intelligent.”

On the other hand, the KYB officials on Saturday said that as Turkish forces were in civil attire, the Peshmerga forces could not identify them. KYB's Ankara Representative, Bahruz Galali, apologized to Turkish officials for the episode and said they will take measures not to repeat such occurrences.

Turkish troops shell the border?

Turkish troops shelled a border area in northern Iraq early Sunday in an attack on terrorists of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) based in the region, Belgium-based Firat news agency reported. The report could not immediately be confirmed. Citing the terrorist PKK, Firat news agency said Turkish artillery targeted the Hakurk area in northern Iraq and that no casualties were reported. The PKK have long had camps in the area, which is 15 kilometers from the Turkish border.

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