Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Barzani - Kurds will retaliate if Turkey interferes in Kurdistan
Turkey, Kurdistan, Security
(VOA) - The Iraqi Kurdish leader has again warned Turkey not to interfere in northern Iraq, saying Iraqi Kurds would retaliate by interfering in Kurdish areas in Turkey if that happened. Massoud Barzani spoke Tuesday in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's largely autonomous northern Kurdish region. He said Iraqi Kurds would interfere only if Turkey did the same in mainly Kurdish northern Iraq.
Barzani also said his initial warning broadcast last Saturday by Al-Arabiya television was taken out of context. He said the remarks were originally recorded on February 26, and that he made them in response to Turkish threats. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to Barzani's initial warning on Monday. He said Iraqi Kurds will - in his words - pay a heavy price if they interfere in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.
Mr. Erdogan said Barzani "overstepped the line" and said Iraqi Kurds could be "crushed" under their own words. Turkey sent a diplomatic note to Iraq's government over the incident. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack also criticized Barzani's remarks, saying they were not helpful and did not further the goal of greater Iraqi -Turkish cooperation.
Turkey is battling a Kurdish insurgency in its southeastern region. More than 37,000 people have been killed in the fighting since 1984. Turkey is concerned that Kurdish rebels are using northern Iraq to launch attacks in southeastern Turkey. Ankara is also worried that any move toward independence by Iraqi Kurds will spark similar sentiments in Kurds in Turkey.
Barzani also said his initial warning broadcast last Saturday by Al-Arabiya television was taken out of context. He said the remarks were originally recorded on February 26, and that he made them in response to Turkish threats. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded to Barzani's initial warning on Monday. He said Iraqi Kurds will - in his words - pay a heavy price if they interfere in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast.
Mr. Erdogan said Barzani "overstepped the line" and said Iraqi Kurds could be "crushed" under their own words. Turkey sent a diplomatic note to Iraq's government over the incident. U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack also criticized Barzani's remarks, saying they were not helpful and did not further the goal of greater Iraqi -Turkish cooperation.
Turkey is battling a Kurdish insurgency in its southeastern region. More than 37,000 people have been killed in the fighting since 1984. Turkey is concerned that Kurdish rebels are using northern Iraq to launch attacks in southeastern Turkey. Ankara is also worried that any move toward independence by Iraqi Kurds will spark similar sentiments in Kurds in Turkey.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday sought to appease Ankara. His office issued a statement on his behalf, saying it was his government that decides on regional issues and not any single leader. "The foreign policy of Iraq is planned and executed by the Iraqi government," said the statement quoting Maliki, who is currently on a trip to Tokyo and Seoul.
"This policy reflects our intention to maintain best relations with neighbours and does not aim to intervene in their affairs. At the same time we will not allow neighbours to intervene in our affairs." Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has already telephoned his Turkish counterpart to express his regret over Barzani's remarks.
"This policy reflects our intention to maintain best relations with neighbours and does not aim to intervene in their affairs. At the same time we will not allow neighbours to intervene in our affairs." Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has already telephoned his Turkish counterpart to express his regret over Barzani's remarks.
Labels: Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, Nouri Al-Maliki, PKK, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sean McCormack, Turkey
Saturday, March 31, 2007
U.S. rules out deal with Iran to release British sailors
Iran, U.K., Security
(The Telegraph) - The United States has ruled out a deal to exchange the 15 British sailors and Royal Marines captured by Iran for five Iranians held by US forces. State department spokesman Sean McCormack crushed hopes that the hostages could be swapped as the crisis over the captured Royal Navy personnel entered its ninth day.
The US seized five suspected members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Iraqi city of Irbil in January, fuelling claims that Iran has been supplying Iraqi insurgents with weapons. Mr McCormack said: “The international community is not going to stand for the Iranian government trying to use this issue to distract the rest of the world from the situation in which Iran finds itself vis-a-vis its nuclear programme.”
Fears that British sailors would suffer a lengthy incarceration grew as Iranian officials repeated that they could face trial for violating international law. Speaking on Russian television Gholam-Reza Ansari, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, said that his country had launched a investigation into the sailors. He said: “It is possible that the British soldiers who entered into Iranian waters will go on trial for taking this illegal action. “The legal phase concerning these British soldiers has started and if charges against them are proven, they will be punished.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said despite the comments, the British position remains unchanged. He said: “It does not change our position. We made it clear that they were seized in Iraqi waters and we demand their release immediately, as well as consular access.” A third letter, purportedly written by Ldg Seaman Turney, the mother of a young daughter, was also published. It said she was being held because of “oppressive” British and US behaviour in Iraq. The letter, in poor English, called for Britain to withdraw from Iraq.
The US seized five suspected members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Iraqi city of Irbil in January, fuelling claims that Iran has been supplying Iraqi insurgents with weapons. Mr McCormack said: “The international community is not going to stand for the Iranian government trying to use this issue to distract the rest of the world from the situation in which Iran finds itself vis-a-vis its nuclear programme.”
Fears that British sailors would suffer a lengthy incarceration grew as Iranian officials repeated that they could face trial for violating international law. Speaking on Russian television Gholam-Reza Ansari, Iran’s ambassador to Russia, said that his country had launched a investigation into the sailors. He said: “It is possible that the British soldiers who entered into Iranian waters will go on trial for taking this illegal action. “The legal phase concerning these British soldiers has started and if charges against them are proven, they will be punished.”
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said despite the comments, the British position remains unchanged. He said: “It does not change our position. We made it clear that they were seized in Iraqi waters and we demand their release immediately, as well as consular access.” A third letter, purportedly written by Ldg Seaman Turney, the mother of a young daughter, was also published. It said she was being held because of “oppressive” British and US behaviour in Iraq. The letter, in poor English, called for Britain to withdraw from Iraq.
Britain gained its first significant international backing over the crisis last night when the European Union called for the "immediate and unconditional" release of the 15 Royal Navy personnel. The "message of solidarity" from 26 other European foreign ministers warned Iran that unless the sailors and marines were released, the EU would take further action, including possible suspension of business ties with Teheran and trade sanctions.
The strongly-worded EU response came 24 hours after the United Nations Security Council in New York approved a watered-down statement expressing "grave concern" about the situation. The EU statement pointedly used the word the UN baulked at endorsing by saying the it "deplores" the Britons' continued detention. It backed Britain's insistence that the Royal Navy boarding party had not crossed into Iranian territorial waters and threatened "further measures" if they were not released.
The strongly-worded EU response came 24 hours after the United Nations Security Council in New York approved a watered-down statement expressing "grave concern" about the situation. The EU statement pointedly used the word the UN baulked at endorsing by saying the it "deplores" the Britons' continued detention. It backed Britain's insistence that the Royal Navy boarding party had not crossed into Iranian territorial waters and threatened "further measures" if they were not released.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, a loose political and economic alliance of Iran's U.S.-allied Gulf Arab neighbors - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, also urged an end to the confrontation. The crisis, at a time of heightened Middle East tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions, has helped push oil prices to six-month highs over concerns an escalation might curb crucial oil exports from the region.
Labels: Baghdad security conference, British navy, E.U., Gholam-Reza Ansari, Gulf Cooperation Council, Iran, oil prices, Sean McCormack, trial, U.K., U.N. Security Council, U.S.
