Sunday, October 08, 2006
Turkey: Kirkuk referendum could trigger civil war
Political, Region
A referendum set for late next year over the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Iraq shouldn't go ahead, according to ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Balikesir Deputy Turhan Comez, who warns it could trigger a civil war.
"Parliament should convene for a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation in northern Iraq and reserve the right to launch a cross-border operation to protect the Iraqi Turkmens if a civil war erupts in Iraq," said Comez in a report published on Friday after his key visit to northern Iraq. The report was prepared after he and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Tokat Deputy Orhan Ziya Diren paid a four-day visit to the region late last month.
The report, which was submitted to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, the General Staff and leaders of political parties, urges Ankara to request a 10-year normalization period for Kirkuk instead of a referendum, to prevent the region from heading into civil war.
Comez concluded by saying, "If there's a referendum on Kirkuk's status, the region will most probably be dominated by the Iraqi Kurdish administration since some 600,000 Iraqi Kurds have moved to Kirkuk. Following such a referendum, inevitable chaos would ensue in the region and so the 2007 referendum shouldn't be held." Comez also warned that the referendum results, which wouldn't be accepted by the Turkmens or Arabs living in the region, could trigger a civil war in Iraq.
"Parliament should convene for a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation in northern Iraq and reserve the right to launch a cross-border operation to protect the Iraqi Turkmens if a civil war erupts in Iraq," said Comez in a report published on Friday after his key visit to northern Iraq. The report was prepared after he and main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Tokat Deputy Orhan Ziya Diren paid a four-day visit to the region late last month.
The report, which was submitted to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, the General Staff and leaders of political parties, urges Ankara to request a 10-year normalization period for Kirkuk instead of a referendum, to prevent the region from heading into civil war.
Comez concluded by saying, "If there's a referendum on Kirkuk's status, the region will most probably be dominated by the Iraqi Kurdish administration since some 600,000 Iraqi Kurds have moved to Kirkuk. Following such a referendum, inevitable chaos would ensue in the region and so the 2007 referendum shouldn't be held." Comez also warned that the referendum results, which wouldn't be accepted by the Turkmens or Arabs living in the region, could trigger a civil war in Iraq.
Comez, in his report, also urged Ankara to encourage the Iraqi Turkmens, who are politically divided, to unite and become an influential group in Iraqi political life. The report went on to suggest the opening of Turkish schools in Erbil and promoting Turkish language radio, TV and publications. Stressing the need to open a second border gate between Turkey and Iraq, the report also urged Ankara to consider opening consulates in Kirkuk and Erbil. Comez also underlined the need for Turkey to begin the construction of the Ilisu Dam in the southeast, stressing that it will be a strategic trump card in Turkey's hand.
