Iraqi Opposition Groups Meeting To Take Place In Ankara

Turkish Press ^ | 3/17/2003

[Lessismore]

ANKARA - The Ankara meeting which will bring certain Iraqi opposition groups in Iraq with Turkish and American officials is expected to be held on March 19, Wednesday.

Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani, Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) representative Necirvan Barzani, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) leader Sanan Ahmet Aga, U.S. President Bush's adviser for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and Turkish officials will attend the meeting.

Diplomatic sources said that ''if this meeting is successful, another meeting in which Shii and Arab opposition groups in Iraq will participate can also be held.''

Meanwhile, sources said that Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal assessed the situation with General Staff's Operation Department's Chief Gen. Koksal Karabay in their meeting in the morning.

(ÖS-AÖ) 17.03.2003

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[a_Turk]

Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani, Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) representative Necirvan Barzani, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) leader Sanan Ahmet Aga, U.S. President Bush's adviser for Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and Turkish officials will attend the meeting.

Now how about that..

Anybody remember this article?

Snubbing Turkey--State Department missteps played a part in Saturday’s embarrassing vote.

Who wants to bet this is a glimpse at a list of similar reasons for the Turkish change of attitude?

[Torie]

So is Turkey going to do a 180, or just licks its wounds, which even if the US was not sensitive enough, I suspect will be fairly substantial.

[Dog Gone]

I'm glad this is happening, but I'm still puzzled by the attachment to the Turkmen. They are not Turkish citizens and they are going to remain part of Iraq.

Is the assumption that they will be advocates for Turkey in the new Iraqi government?

[a_Turk]

The inclusion of the Turkmen in the opposition, the bridging of the Turkish Kurdish gap, these are 180s by the USA, and will definitely be reciprocated/rewarded..

[Torie]

Perhaps you could comment on the bridging of the Turk Kurd gap. I missed that one.

[a_Turk]

All their land were belong to us!..

Turks have lived there in those days, and they still do. They number perhaps slightly lower than the Kurds.

The Turkmen have suffered as well in Irak, from both the Government, as well as others.

Those are our brethren from the olden days.

They are called Turkmen for political reasons, but they are just plain Turks who still live in former subject lands.

Their living there is good for us, because it will work for an economic integration. Just as the Kurds being shared among our two countries has the same up side.

What definitely needs to happen, though, is the elimination of the terrorists.

[a_Turk]

Simple. This meeting is about having face to face talks with the Iraki opposition groups about the strategic involvement of Turkey. The US is facilitating the clarification that Turkey is not a threat to them.

[marron]

You know, what I keep thinking, and occasionally saying, is that I expect a autonomous Kurdistan to come out of all this, and furthermore, Turkey will be its sponsor.

I know, I know, but just wait a couple of weeks, and then laugh at me.

Turkey and Kuwait are Iraq's natural partners, and I expect Turkey to be deeply invested in the new Iraq. And, whether they like it or realize it or not, Turkey and Kurdistan are also natural partners. They may not like each other, they may be like Oscar and Felix, but they are permanent neighbors, they are permanent trading partners and always have been, and very soon Turkey is going to be refining Kurdish oil.

Free Kurdistan is free thanks to Incirlik and a non-stop caravan of goods crossing from Turkey into Kurdish territory. And just maybe, in part, a significant Turkish armored force garrisoned there. The problem is not Free Kurdistan, the problem is beating the snot out of the PKK, and giving the rest a stake in a real economy, and a real country. And that is just about to happen, I am convinced. Turkey may not like it, but she is about to become their very reluctant champion.