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TURKEY AUTHORIZES TROOPS TO ENTER IRAQ TO FIGHT REBELS
By Sebnem Arsu And Sabrina Tavernise
The New York Times
Oct 10 2007
ISTANBUL, Oct. 9 - Turkey took a step toward a military operation in
Iraq on Tuesday, as its top political and military leaders issued a
statement authorizing troops to cross the Iraq border to eliminate
separatist Kurdish rebel camps in the northern region.
Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press A military truck carries a tank near
the Turkey-Iraq border.
Reach of War
Go to Complete Coverage " Turkey moved toward military action in the
face of strong opposition by the United States, which is anxious to
maintain peace in the region, one of the rare areas of stability in
conflict-torn Iraq. But more than two dozen Turkish soldiers have
been killed in recent days, and the government of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan seemed far more determined than before to act
decisively.
A government official without authorization to speak publicly on
the issue who asked not to be identified by name, said preparations
were under way to seek parliamentary approval for a cross-border
military operation, a request that would be the first formal step
toward an offensive.
The Associated Press reported that the request would be submitted to
Parliament as early as Wednesday.
Government offices and institutions have been ordered "to take all
economic and political measures, including cross-border operations when
necessary, in order to end the existence of the terror organization
in a neighboring country," said the statement, which was released
by Mr. Erdogan's office, after he met with political and military
leaders in Ankara.
A Turkish military offensive into northern Iraq, while unlikely, would
have far-reaching consequences for the United States. Turkey is a NATO
member and has the region's most powerful army. Turkey's support of the
United States in the Iraq war is crucial. The United States' Incirlik
Air Base in southern Turkey supplies the military in central Iraq.
Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, said the United States
had encouraged Turkish officials to work together with the Iraqi
government.
"In our view, it is not going to lead to a long-term, durable solution
to have significant incursions from Turkey into Iraq," he said at a
news briefing in Washington.
But Iraq's government has little authority in the region, which is
controlled exclusively by Kurds, and an accord reached by Iraq's
interior minister and senior Turkish officials last month did not
include permission for military operations, a formulation that
frustrated Turkey.
Relations between the United States and Turkey are delicate on another
front. A bill on the Armenian genocide - the killing of more than
a million Armenians by Turkey at the end of World War I - is due
before the House Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. Turks have
been working to prevent its consideration, with Mr. Erdogan making
phone calls Tuesday, according to a Turkish member of Parliament in
Washington to work against the bill.
Its passage "would be insulting to Turkey," said Egeman Bagis,
the Parliament member. "It would mean losing Turkey's support in
the region."
He did not say precisely what that might mean. Turkey ended military
cooperation with France last year after France voted to make denial
of the Armenian genocide a crime.
"It could make it very difficult for Turkey to continue supporting"
the United States in Iraq, Mr. Bagis said.
Turkey's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, made a similar appeal to
Israeli authorities on a visit over the weekend, asking them to press
Congress to drop the matter. Turkey has close relations with Israel,
and Turkish officials have bristled at a recent statement by the
Anti-Defamation League declaring that the killing of Armenians was
"tantamount to genocide."
Some analysts said that given the complex relationships among Turkey,
Iraq and the United States, Turkey would continue to consider military
action a last resort.
Edip Baser, a retired general who was special coordinator in a United
States-Turkey effort against the Kurdish Workers' Party in 2006,
said it was likely that political and military leaders would wait
for the appropriate time to act.
The government official who asked not to be identified by name said:
"Our government will soon start technical consultation with the
military to see what they need in order to end this violence that make
our hearts bleed. First, there needs to be necessary preparations
and assessments. We can say that they have already started." Senior
cabinet members, state officials and high-ranking military officials
met Tuesday after President Abdullah Gul, Mr.
Erdogan and Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, the leader of the Turkish Army,
vowed to strengthen efforts against the Kurdish Workers' Party,
the Kurdish rebel group.
Sebnem Arsu reported from Istanbul and Sabrina Tavernise from Baghdad.
By Sebnem Arsu And Sabrina Tavernise
The New York Times
Oct 10 2007
ISTANBUL, Oct. 9 - Turkey took a step toward a military operation in
Iraq on Tuesday, as its top political and military leaders issued a
statement authorizing troops to cross the Iraq border to eliminate
separatist Kurdish rebel camps in the northern region.
Burhan Ozbilici/Associated Press A military truck carries a tank near
the Turkey-Iraq border.
Reach of War
Go to Complete Coverage " Turkey moved toward military action in the
face of strong opposition by the United States, which is anxious to
maintain peace in the region, one of the rare areas of stability in
conflict-torn Iraq. But more than two dozen Turkish soldiers have
been killed in recent days, and the government of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan seemed far more determined than before to act
decisively.
A government official without authorization to speak publicly on
the issue who asked not to be identified by name, said preparations
were under way to seek parliamentary approval for a cross-border
military operation, a request that would be the first formal step
toward an offensive.
The Associated Press reported that the request would be submitted to
Parliament as early as Wednesday.
Government offices and institutions have been ordered "to take all
economic and political measures, including cross-border operations when
necessary, in order to end the existence of the terror organization
in a neighboring country," said the statement, which was released
by Mr. Erdogan's office, after he met with political and military
leaders in Ankara.
A Turkish military offensive into northern Iraq, while unlikely, would
have far-reaching consequences for the United States. Turkey is a NATO
member and has the region's most powerful army. Turkey's support of the
United States in the Iraq war is crucial. The United States' Incirlik
Air Base in southern Turkey supplies the military in central Iraq.
Sean McCormack, a State Department spokesman, said the United States
had encouraged Turkish officials to work together with the Iraqi
government.
"In our view, it is not going to lead to a long-term, durable solution
to have significant incursions from Turkey into Iraq," he said at a
news briefing in Washington.
But Iraq's government has little authority in the region, which is
controlled exclusively by Kurds, and an accord reached by Iraq's
interior minister and senior Turkish officials last month did not
include permission for military operations, a formulation that
frustrated Turkey.
Relations between the United States and Turkey are delicate on another
front. A bill on the Armenian genocide - the killing of more than
a million Armenians by Turkey at the end of World War I - is due
before the House Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. Turks have
been working to prevent its consideration, with Mr. Erdogan making
phone calls Tuesday, according to a Turkish member of Parliament in
Washington to work against the bill.
Its passage "would be insulting to Turkey," said Egeman Bagis,
the Parliament member. "It would mean losing Turkey's support in
the region."
He did not say precisely what that might mean. Turkey ended military
cooperation with France last year after France voted to make denial
of the Armenian genocide a crime.
"It could make it very difficult for Turkey to continue supporting"
the United States in Iraq, Mr. Bagis said.
Turkey's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, made a similar appeal to
Israeli authorities on a visit over the weekend, asking them to press
Congress to drop the matter. Turkey has close relations with Israel,
and Turkish officials have bristled at a recent statement by the
Anti-Defamation League declaring that the killing of Armenians was
"tantamount to genocide."
Some analysts said that given the complex relationships among Turkey,
Iraq and the United States, Turkey would continue to consider military
action a last resort.
Edip Baser, a retired general who was special coordinator in a United
States-Turkey effort against the Kurdish Workers' Party in 2006,
said it was likely that political and military leaders would wait
for the appropriate time to act.
The government official who asked not to be identified by name said:
"Our government will soon start technical consultation with the
military to see what they need in order to end this violence that make
our hearts bleed. First, there needs to be necessary preparations
and assessments. We can say that they have already started." Senior
cabinet members, state officials and high-ranking military officials
met Tuesday after President Abdullah Gul, Mr.
Erdogan and Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, the leader of the Turkish Army,
vowed to strengthen efforts against the Kurdish Workers' Party,
the Kurdish rebel group.
Sebnem Arsu reported from Istanbul and Sabrina Tavernise from Baghdad.