VARIOUS: Turkey warns Iraqi Kurds after Massoud Barzani comments about Turkey's policy towards northern Iraq

Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said in a television interview on Saturday (April 7) that if Ankara interfered in northern Iraq, as it has threatened to do, Iraqi Kurds would interfere in Kurdish cities in Turkey. In his interview, Barzani, who is president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, said he would not allow Turkey to intervene in Kirkuk and stressed the city's Kurdish identity. "I am not afraid of their military force nor of their diplomatic force, because they are interfering in a matter that doesn't concern them, in the internal affairs of another country. Kirkuk is an Iraqi city with a Kurdish identity. Geographically, historically, all the facts prove and affirm that Kirkuk is a part of Iraqi Kurdistan, and Iraqi Kurdistan is a part of Iraq. So Kirkuk is an Iraqi city with a kurdish identity, and Turkey is not allowed to interfere in the Kirkuk issue. If it allows itself to do so, we will interfere in Diyarbakir's affairs and other cities in Turkey," said Barzani. He said that his words were not a threat but just a response to a possible Turkish intervention in Iraq. He said that Kurdistan would not interfere in Turkish matters despite the presence of Kurds in Turkey unless Turkey involved itself in Kurdish affairs because of Turkmen living in Iraq. "We do not interfere. But if they were to allow themselves to interfere in Kirkuk affairs because of a few thousand Turkmen, then we will interfere for the sake of 30 million Kurds in Turkey," said Barzani. He said that he hoped that matters would not escalate to that level. "I hope they do not. But if the Turks insist on interfering in the Kirkuk matter, I will take all responsibility for all results (of retaliation), and I will not allow them, and I will not let them see through their agenda in Kirkuk," said Barzani. Turkey's prime minister, Tayyip Erdogan issued a stern warning to Barzani on Monday (April 9) over the comments he made about Ankara's policy towards northern Iraq, saying Barzani would "be crushed by his own words". Erdogan told journalists that the Kurdish leader had exceeded his limits. "My advice to them is not to publish any comment that they cannot achieve," he said. "They really need to clarify their position, otherwise they will be crushed by those words. And northern Iraq, which shares the same border with Turkey, is making big mistakes by taking those steps. And the price of this for them is very heavy." Ankara is concerned about what it sees as moves by Iraqi Kurds to build an independent state in northern Iraq, fearing this in turn could re-iginite separatism among the Kurdish population in southeast Turkey. Turkey fears the Iraqi Kurds will wrest control of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk after a referendum on its status due by the end of 2007, turning it into their new capital. Ankara has repeatedly urged Baghdad and U.S. forces based in Iraq to crack down on an estimated 4,000 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters hiding in the mountains of northern Iraq, but they have failed to act. Three guerrillas from the outlawed PKK, four Marxist rebels and a soldier were killed on Monday in fighting in Turkey's southeast, security officials said. Ten soldiers and seven rebels were killed at the weekend after thousands of Turkish troops, backed by helicopters, launched operations against the PKK. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul complained to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Saturday over Barzani's comments. Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Monday Ankara could take unspecified measures "when the time comes". Some opposition politicians have called for the temporary closure of the Habur border gate between Turkey and Iraq as a protest. In the past, both government ministers and army generals have also affirmed Turkey's right under international law to send troops into Iraq if necessary "in self-defence". Turkey blames the PKK for the deaths of more than 30,000 people since the group launched its armed campaign for an ethnic homeland in southeast Turkey in 1984.

ITN Source | April 10, 2007

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