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TURKMEN SAYS GOV'T SHOULD BE BOLD IN SOLVING KURDISH ISSUE
Today's Zaman
May 18 2009
Turkey
Ambassador Ilter Turkmen, a former Turkish foreign minister, has said
the Turkish government needs to be bold in taking steps to bring an
end to the problems of Turkey's Kurds, as the military has also said
that it is time to take civilian measures.
Turkmen said that there have been signs of a change in Turkey's
approach to the country's long-standing problem since the government
started to grant more rights to the country's Kurds but added that
there is a lot more to be done.
"For example, a mayor was prosecuted for sending out invitations
written in Kurdish. Why? What's wrong with that?" Turkmen asked. "There
should be some way of preventing the prosecution of mayors in the
Kurdish region for everything they say."
The Kurdish issue returned to Turkey's agenda following Turkish
journalist Hasan Cemal's recent interview with Murat Karayılan,
who took the role of acting leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) after the terrorist organization's top leader, Abdullah
Ocalan, was captured by Turkish security forces.
Karayılan said the PKK wants a mutual cease-fire and hopes that this
will be followed by peace talks. He also said people such as Turkmen
could be the state's interlocutors for dialogue. Turkmen said it is
not possible to negotiate with the PKK, but that there is nothing to
prevent Turkey from taking "unilateral" steps.
Regarding the Kurdish issue, President Abdullah Gul said Turkey has
been presented with a "historic opportunity" and called on everyone
not to miss it. In an interview with Monday Talk, Turkmen gave more
details on the Kurdish issue.
Were you expecting the president of Turkey to say that the country's
most important problem is the Kurdish question?
Yes. I would have expected it because he is a realist, and I very much
appreciate the way he approaches the Turkey's difficult problems. He
showed his pragmatism and realism with what he did to bring about
normalization in Turkish-Armenian relations, for instance. It came to
me as no surprise. I think it is the greatest failure of the Turkish
Republic that it has not already found a settlement to this problem.
This issue has come onto the agenda of the government and the public
many times in the past. However, the discussion stops after a while
and promises are forgotten. Is there anything different about the
current period?
Yes, there is something different this time, because measures have been
taken; TRT Å~^eÅ~_ [a state-run Kurdish-language television station]
has been established. It is an important step. It is not exactly what
the Kurds want, since they want their own television stations and there
are some legal impediments to this at the present time. In addition
to the president's approach, we have the discussion going on at the
level of the civil society. In addition, the chief of general staff
[Gen. Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug] contributed to that.
What did he really say about the Kurdish issue in his recent address?
First of all, he underlined the importance of taking measures that
will enable some of the PKK members to come down from the mountains.
Non-military measures?
Non-military measures. He did not advocate a new law, but he said the
present law could be implemented in a better way. The other thing he
underlined was what he called the "people of Turkey," not the "Turkish
people," meaning that there are grounds for different identities in the
nation. This is the first time we heard something like that from the
military. All these signs indicate that we are making some progress,
at least in our minds, and that we are approaching the problem in
a different manner, considering that we made terrible mistakes in
the past.
What mistakes do you think have been made?
We did nothing in 1999, when Ocalan was captured, until 2005. After
the capture of Abdullah Ocalan, the military had said, "Our job is
finished, and it is up to the civilians to bring about a solution." The
government did nothing then. The present opportunity should not
be missed.
What was Karayılan's message? Some people argue he said nothing new.
Yes, some people say that he repeated things that have been said
before. There is no harm in repeating good things that have been
said before. And certainly he said a few things which, if true,
are important. He said that they are seeking a solution within a
unitary state. Of course, we are not going to resolve the problem
by negotiating with the PKK. But the idea that they are not after
a divisive solution and that they are becoming more realistic is
important.
'Prime minister should talk with Kurdish deputies'
You said that Turkey is not going to negotiate with the PKK. What is
Turkey going to do?
Anything that Turkey does to resolve the problem will be done through
unilateral measures by the Turkish state without negotiating with
either the PKK or the DTP [pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party]. But
... if the DTP can distance itself from the PKK, it should be
possible, maybe not to have negotiations with them, but to exchange
views. After all, they are the elected representatives of the people
in the Kurdish areas.
Don't you think the government should have talked with the DTP before?
Talking, not negotiating. One of the first things we should do is
to end the isolation of the DTP. The president has again given an
example of this by receiving members of the DTP. The prime minister
and others should also talk to them. They are members of Parliament.
We don't see that happening yet? Do you think we will?
You never know. In Turkey, it might happen any moment.
What are your views about the opposition in that regard? Their support
is very much needed in solving the issue.
The opposition looks hopeless. They consider their function to be
opposing anything the government does. They don't put forward any
new ideas. Recently I saw [main opposition Republican People's Party
(CHP) leader] Deniz Baykal saying that they are ready to help in
finding a solution to the Kurdish problem, but within the limits
of the territorial integrity of Turkey. Who has ever challenged
the territorial integrity of Turkey? Even Karayılan accepts the
unitary state.
The Kurdish issue has made its way to the CHP's agenda even in the
recent past.
But you know our politicians. In the past, [former prime minister]
Mesut Yılmaz went to Diyarbakır and said, "The road to the European
Union passes through Diyarbakır." Former President Suleyman Demirel
had said, "I accept the reality of the Kurdish problem." But nothing
happened. We have this tendency to discuss problems very intensely
and then forget about them.
What do you think about the MHP's [Nationalist Movement Party]
approach to the problem?
If there was only the CHP, which is blocking the way to a solution
to the Kurdish problem, they would be isolated. But with the MHP,
they form a common front. Beyond the number of chairs that they have
in Parliament, they strongly influence public opinion.
'Cultural rights should be granted'
So is there a deadlock on solving the Kurdish problem?
It boils down to the government having political courage. When you are
a statesman, you ought to be able to make courageous decisions. Perhaps
in the beginning you will face opposition. But if you keep your
resolve, you will achieve something that will receive the support of
the people.
What do you think the government can do as a first step toward
achieving that goal?
There are a number of steps to be taken, and language is the main
issue. As far as the judiciary is concerned, there should be some
way of preventing prosecution of mayors in the Kurdish region for
everything they say. For example, a mayor was prosecuted for sending
out invitations written in Kurdish. Why? What's wrong with that? There
is now talk of changing thousands of names of villages and small towns
from Turkish back to Kurdish. You can go back to the old names. Then,
of course, you should allow the people in the area to have some local
radio or television channels in Kurdish. And Kurdish language could
become an elective course at schools.
So you are talking about granting cultural rights.
Yes. One thing that exists in Turkey is equal opportunity. There is
nothing preventing a Kurd in Turkey from becoming a politician or
businessman. The problem arises in the region. Many years ago I had a
British diplomat friend in Cairo. He had served in Turkey. He told me
that at one time he traveled to the East to present a report proving
that Turkey is mistreating the Kurds. He wrote a report in which
he said that they are terribly mistreated and put under pressure,
but that there is no discrimination and both Turks and Kurds receive
the same treatment! The important thing in Turkey is to change the
mentality with which the issue is approached.
In what sense?
A Kurdish deputy had said that because the DTP won elections in
the easternmost province of Igdır, they had traced the borders of
Kurdistan. Is this such a big issue? You can say whatever you want. In
the next election, another party could win Igdır. But prosecutors
started an investigation against her. That is what I mean. Tolerance
is important between individuals and between the state and individuals.
Do you think there is a need to establish a new government post for
dealing with the Kurdish issue?
They have created an undersecretary post in the Interior Ministry. The
new post will be charged not with implementing policies, but with the
task of preparing policy recommendations. This post should have been
under the prime minister's office because the Interior Ministry has
the task of providing public order and security. In addition, there
should be a renewed effort to make more investments in the Kurdish
region and to bring the private sector there.
So are you talking about a deficiency of vision on the part of the
political leaders?
There are problems related to that. Most of the time we have been
thinking that the Kurdish problem is fomented by external forces. This
is not true. It is our problem. This problem was created within
Turkey, even though they may have received foreign support. In
addition, we had this idea that the PKK could be defeated with only
military measures. This is nonsense. Former Chief of General Staff
Gen. YaÅ~_ar Buyukanıt said recently that even if we sent the whole
of the Turkish army, one of the most powerful armies in the world, to
the Kandil Mountains, they would not be able to put an end to the PKK.
'Turkey should open consulate in Arbil'
How does northern Iraq factor into this discussion of the Kurdish
issue?
First of all, the PKK is there. There should be more control over
the Kandil Mountains by the Kurdish authority there. So we have an
interest in better relations with the Kurdish officials in the northern
autonomous region. We have taken some steps in this direction, but
very small ones. We have not even been able to open a consulate in
Arbil. Greece has a consulate there. Iran has a consulate there. We
should not forget that we are in competition with Iran in northern
Iraq and that if we are not careful, the main political influence
there will not be Turkey's influence, but Iran's.
Why do you think the government is hesitant to move forward in that
direction?
We have the problem of having the right ideas but hesitating to
implement them for one reason or another. They might be thinking
that if you open a consulate in Arbil, it might mean recognizing the
northern Iraqi government. But this has nothing to do with it. Arbil
is an Iraqi city. When you ask to open a consulate there, you are
going to ask the Baghdad government, which will give the necessary
authorization.
Ambassador Ä°lter Turkmen, an expert in diplomacy
A former Turkish foreign minister (1980-1983), he was general
commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 1991 to
1996. Previously he was Turkey's ambassador to France. He also
represented Turkey at the UN in New York (1975-1978 and 1984-1988). He
was ambassador to Greece from 1968 to 1972 and to the former Soviet
Union from 1972 to 1975. A columnist for the Hurriyet daily for
about nine years, he is currently a member of the Foreign and Defense
Policies Group at the Balkan and the Middle Eastern Studies Foundation.
Today's Zaman
May 18 2009
Turkey
Ambassador Ilter Turkmen, a former Turkish foreign minister, has said
the Turkish government needs to be bold in taking steps to bring an
end to the problems of Turkey's Kurds, as the military has also said
that it is time to take civilian measures.
Turkmen said that there have been signs of a change in Turkey's
approach to the country's long-standing problem since the government
started to grant more rights to the country's Kurds but added that
there is a lot more to be done.
"For example, a mayor was prosecuted for sending out invitations
written in Kurdish. Why? What's wrong with that?" Turkmen asked. "There
should be some way of preventing the prosecution of mayors in the
Kurdish region for everything they say."
The Kurdish issue returned to Turkey's agenda following Turkish
journalist Hasan Cemal's recent interview with Murat Karayılan,
who took the role of acting leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) after the terrorist organization's top leader, Abdullah
Ocalan, was captured by Turkish security forces.
Karayılan said the PKK wants a mutual cease-fire and hopes that this
will be followed by peace talks. He also said people such as Turkmen
could be the state's interlocutors for dialogue. Turkmen said it is
not possible to negotiate with the PKK, but that there is nothing to
prevent Turkey from taking "unilateral" steps.
Regarding the Kurdish issue, President Abdullah Gul said Turkey has
been presented with a "historic opportunity" and called on everyone
not to miss it. In an interview with Monday Talk, Turkmen gave more
details on the Kurdish issue.
Were you expecting the president of Turkey to say that the country's
most important problem is the Kurdish question?
Yes. I would have expected it because he is a realist, and I very much
appreciate the way he approaches the Turkey's difficult problems. He
showed his pragmatism and realism with what he did to bring about
normalization in Turkish-Armenian relations, for instance. It came to
me as no surprise. I think it is the greatest failure of the Turkish
Republic that it has not already found a settlement to this problem.
This issue has come onto the agenda of the government and the public
many times in the past. However, the discussion stops after a while
and promises are forgotten. Is there anything different about the
current period?
Yes, there is something different this time, because measures have been
taken; TRT Å~^eÅ~_ [a state-run Kurdish-language television station]
has been established. It is an important step. It is not exactly what
the Kurds want, since they want their own television stations and there
are some legal impediments to this at the present time. In addition
to the president's approach, we have the discussion going on at the
level of the civil society. In addition, the chief of general staff
[Gen. Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug] contributed to that.
What did he really say about the Kurdish issue in his recent address?
First of all, he underlined the importance of taking measures that
will enable some of the PKK members to come down from the mountains.
Non-military measures?
Non-military measures. He did not advocate a new law, but he said the
present law could be implemented in a better way. The other thing he
underlined was what he called the "people of Turkey," not the "Turkish
people," meaning that there are grounds for different identities in the
nation. This is the first time we heard something like that from the
military. All these signs indicate that we are making some progress,
at least in our minds, and that we are approaching the problem in
a different manner, considering that we made terrible mistakes in
the past.
What mistakes do you think have been made?
We did nothing in 1999, when Ocalan was captured, until 2005. After
the capture of Abdullah Ocalan, the military had said, "Our job is
finished, and it is up to the civilians to bring about a solution." The
government did nothing then. The present opportunity should not
be missed.
What was Karayılan's message? Some people argue he said nothing new.
Yes, some people say that he repeated things that have been said
before. There is no harm in repeating good things that have been
said before. And certainly he said a few things which, if true,
are important. He said that they are seeking a solution within a
unitary state. Of course, we are not going to resolve the problem
by negotiating with the PKK. But the idea that they are not after
a divisive solution and that they are becoming more realistic is
important.
'Prime minister should talk with Kurdish deputies'
You said that Turkey is not going to negotiate with the PKK. What is
Turkey going to do?
Anything that Turkey does to resolve the problem will be done through
unilateral measures by the Turkish state without negotiating with
either the PKK or the DTP [pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party]. But
... if the DTP can distance itself from the PKK, it should be
possible, maybe not to have negotiations with them, but to exchange
views. After all, they are the elected representatives of the people
in the Kurdish areas.
Don't you think the government should have talked with the DTP before?
Talking, not negotiating. One of the first things we should do is
to end the isolation of the DTP. The president has again given an
example of this by receiving members of the DTP. The prime minister
and others should also talk to them. They are members of Parliament.
We don't see that happening yet? Do you think we will?
You never know. In Turkey, it might happen any moment.
What are your views about the opposition in that regard? Their support
is very much needed in solving the issue.
The opposition looks hopeless. They consider their function to be
opposing anything the government does. They don't put forward any
new ideas. Recently I saw [main opposition Republican People's Party
(CHP) leader] Deniz Baykal saying that they are ready to help in
finding a solution to the Kurdish problem, but within the limits
of the territorial integrity of Turkey. Who has ever challenged
the territorial integrity of Turkey? Even Karayılan accepts the
unitary state.
The Kurdish issue has made its way to the CHP's agenda even in the
recent past.
But you know our politicians. In the past, [former prime minister]
Mesut Yılmaz went to Diyarbakır and said, "The road to the European
Union passes through Diyarbakır." Former President Suleyman Demirel
had said, "I accept the reality of the Kurdish problem." But nothing
happened. We have this tendency to discuss problems very intensely
and then forget about them.
What do you think about the MHP's [Nationalist Movement Party]
approach to the problem?
If there was only the CHP, which is blocking the way to a solution
to the Kurdish problem, they would be isolated. But with the MHP,
they form a common front. Beyond the number of chairs that they have
in Parliament, they strongly influence public opinion.
'Cultural rights should be granted'
So is there a deadlock on solving the Kurdish problem?
It boils down to the government having political courage. When you are
a statesman, you ought to be able to make courageous decisions. Perhaps
in the beginning you will face opposition. But if you keep your
resolve, you will achieve something that will receive the support of
the people.
What do you think the government can do as a first step toward
achieving that goal?
There are a number of steps to be taken, and language is the main
issue. As far as the judiciary is concerned, there should be some
way of preventing prosecution of mayors in the Kurdish region for
everything they say. For example, a mayor was prosecuted for sending
out invitations written in Kurdish. Why? What's wrong with that? There
is now talk of changing thousands of names of villages and small towns
from Turkish back to Kurdish. You can go back to the old names. Then,
of course, you should allow the people in the area to have some local
radio or television channels in Kurdish. And Kurdish language could
become an elective course at schools.
So you are talking about granting cultural rights.
Yes. One thing that exists in Turkey is equal opportunity. There is
nothing preventing a Kurd in Turkey from becoming a politician or
businessman. The problem arises in the region. Many years ago I had a
British diplomat friend in Cairo. He had served in Turkey. He told me
that at one time he traveled to the East to present a report proving
that Turkey is mistreating the Kurds. He wrote a report in which
he said that they are terribly mistreated and put under pressure,
but that there is no discrimination and both Turks and Kurds receive
the same treatment! The important thing in Turkey is to change the
mentality with which the issue is approached.
In what sense?
A Kurdish deputy had said that because the DTP won elections in
the easternmost province of Igdır, they had traced the borders of
Kurdistan. Is this such a big issue? You can say whatever you want. In
the next election, another party could win Igdır. But prosecutors
started an investigation against her. That is what I mean. Tolerance
is important between individuals and between the state and individuals.
Do you think there is a need to establish a new government post for
dealing with the Kurdish issue?
They have created an undersecretary post in the Interior Ministry. The
new post will be charged not with implementing policies, but with the
task of preparing policy recommendations. This post should have been
under the prime minister's office because the Interior Ministry has
the task of providing public order and security. In addition, there
should be a renewed effort to make more investments in the Kurdish
region and to bring the private sector there.
So are you talking about a deficiency of vision on the part of the
political leaders?
There are problems related to that. Most of the time we have been
thinking that the Kurdish problem is fomented by external forces. This
is not true. It is our problem. This problem was created within
Turkey, even though they may have received foreign support. In
addition, we had this idea that the PKK could be defeated with only
military measures. This is nonsense. Former Chief of General Staff
Gen. YaÅ~_ar Buyukanıt said recently that even if we sent the whole
of the Turkish army, one of the most powerful armies in the world, to
the Kandil Mountains, they would not be able to put an end to the PKK.
'Turkey should open consulate in Arbil'
How does northern Iraq factor into this discussion of the Kurdish
issue?
First of all, the PKK is there. There should be more control over
the Kandil Mountains by the Kurdish authority there. So we have an
interest in better relations with the Kurdish officials in the northern
autonomous region. We have taken some steps in this direction, but
very small ones. We have not even been able to open a consulate in
Arbil. Greece has a consulate there. Iran has a consulate there. We
should not forget that we are in competition with Iran in northern
Iraq and that if we are not careful, the main political influence
there will not be Turkey's influence, but Iran's.
Why do you think the government is hesitant to move forward in that
direction?
We have the problem of having the right ideas but hesitating to
implement them for one reason or another. They might be thinking
that if you open a consulate in Arbil, it might mean recognizing the
northern Iraqi government. But this has nothing to do with it. Arbil
is an Iraqi city. When you ask to open a consulate there, you are
going to ask the Baghdad government, which will give the necessary
authorization.
Ambassador Ä°lter Turkmen, an expert in diplomacy
A former Turkish foreign minister (1980-1983), he was general
commissioner of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from 1991 to
1996. Previously he was Turkey's ambassador to France. He also
represented Turkey at the UN in New York (1975-1978 and 1984-1988). He
was ambassador to Greece from 1968 to 1972 and to the former Soviet
Union from 1972 to 1975. A columnist for the Hurriyet daily for
about nine years, he is currently a member of the Foreign and Defense
Policies Group at the Balkan and the Middle Eastern Studies Foundation.