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| Iraq |
| Turkey, Iraq sign terrorism deal but no hot pursuit clause |
| 2007-10-01 |
| Turkey and Iraq signed a security agreement Friday to fight the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) but the sides failed to reach an agreement over a clause that would allow the Turkish military to engage in ''hot pursuit'' operations in the northern Iraq territory. “We could not reach an agreement on the article concerning improvement of border security cooperation. Our negotiations on this issue will continue,” Turkish Interior Minister Beþir Atalay told a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Jawad al-Bolani, following the signing ceremony. On the second day of negotiations in the Turkish capital it was announced that the agreement would be signed Thursday but the discussions went into deadlock when Iraq insisted on laying strict conditions for Turkey's possible hot pursuit operation across the border. Under the now-deleted article 4 of the agreement the Turkish military would chase the PKK terrorists on the other side of the border on the condition that permission is granted by Baghdad first. While the visiting Iraqi interior minister was readying to leave Turkey Thursday without having reached a compromise late the same day, Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ertuðrul Apakan and Interior Ministry Undersecretary Þahabettin Harput visited al-Bolani at his hotel. Al-Bolani extended his stay to Friday only after further talks with Turkish officials. The final version of the agreement falls short of meeting Ankara's demand to cross the border in order to chase the PKK terrorists who stage deadly attacks from their bases in northern Iraq. Instead, the countries committed themselves to taking all necessary measures, including financial and intelligence, to combat the PKK and other terrorist groups. They will hold six-monthly meetings to coordinate their work under the accord. “We are expecting this cooperation against terrorism to be broadened as much as possible,” said Atalay. Al-Bolani said the agreement as “very important for Iraq,” adding his government would do all in its power to implement the measures. “The PKK is an organization that aims to harm Turkey,” he said. “You can be sure that the necessary steps will be taken in the coming period to prevent terrorist acts,” he said. On the hot pursuit issue, al-Bolani said, “We want to choose the most effective mechanism for both sides.” He said discussions on the key demand would continue. Iraqi Kurds Friday signaled they might agree to an Iraqi-Turkish counter-terrorism pact after Ankara dropped its demand to send troops in pursuit of the PKK in northern Iraq, said news reports. But they complained the agreement had been reached without their consultation. “We are not committed to any security agreement connected to Kurdistan's security that was drawn up without any active participation from the regional government,” Brig. Gen. Jabbar Yawar, an undersecretary for the ministry governing Kurdish protection forces known as peshmerge, was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. “If this agreement is a routine one for sharing intelligence and fighting terrorism, then we will support it, but we will not support anything violates the sovereignty of the regional government,” he said. |
| Posted by:lotp |