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| Europe |
| Turkey bargaining with the US over PKK |
| 2005-12-13 |
| Following the visit of FBI director Robert Mueller to Turkey on Saturday, CIA chief Porter Goss followed in Mueller's footsteps and paid a visit to Ankara for talks with officials from the Turkish General Staff and the intelligence service MIT. Goss might also meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and some other government officials while on his trip. the two visits took place soon after US Ambassador Ross Wilson announced that there were some secret aspects to the visit over cooperating in the fight against PKK. The visits have triggered speculations that the US might start a serious initiative for the neutralization of PKK after the Iraqi elections. The talks between Goss and Turkish officials will focus on al Qaeda, and on developments in Iraq, Iran and Syria. The Turkish side will submit to Goss a file containing intelligence information about top-level PKK militants in Northern Iraq. Turkey will also convey to Goss its concerns about developments that might pave the way for the founding of a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. Turkey will warn that such a development would increase the influence of al Qaeda terror network. Goss is also expected to give to Turkish officials details about CIA planes that have landed at least once in Turkey. Turkish Land Forces Commander General Yasar BÃŒyÃŒkanit was currently in the US for talks with US officials. The visit of Goss was taking place in the aftermath of the meeting of Turkish MIT chief Emre Taner with Massoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdish regional government in Northern Iraq. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #3 These would be the same Turks whose elected government are allowing the smashing of liquor shops and the harassment of non-Muslims in the old-style Ottoman way? I'd suggest long, involved, and ultimately decision-free negotiations are appropriate, with periodic announcements to the local newspapers about why there's been no movement. Yes, the PKK are very bad news, but the Turkish people need to see the consequences of their choice; they are free to chose their own government, and we are free not to help that government out if it goes against our principles. Realpolitik is for fools. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-12-13 16:44 |
| #2 Yes ineed, those nice Turks who pounded the Kurds from the North while ole Saddam pounded them from the South. I wonder what they think about the recent Kurd and IS link up? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-12-13 07:59 |
| #1 ... concerns about developments that might pave the way for the founding of a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. Ahh, our dear friends the Turks. The ones that were soooo helpful in the run-up to kicking Saddam's tyrannical ass. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2005-12-13 00:48 |