The Kurdish issue is Turkey's problem number one

PanARMENIAN.Net - But the most important thing that Erdoghan must decide as soon as possible is the Kurdish problem, and in this case he may face opposition from General Stuff, whose aim has been invading North Iraq for a long time. It should be reminded that Turkey has been announcing about its readiness to carry on military operation in North of Iraq, where according to the military men about 3.000 Kurdish militants rest, if the Iraqi government and the US occupation forces do not take effective measures against the separatists. In answer to it the USA and Iraq spoke of inadmissibility of Turkish army's invasion of Northern Iraq and warned against the possible abrupt destabilization of the situation in the region. Meanwhile the representatives of Bush Administration together with the representatives of Turkish government work on a secret military operation plan for suppressing Kurdish separatists' movement and taking their leaders.

The US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman held a confidential briefing on this issue for a number of members of the US Congress. Edelman informed them that the US will assist the Turkish armed forces in neutralizing the leaders of the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party. The representative of the Ministry of Defense assured the legislators that he is quite certain in their success and in case of need the special operation may be kept in secret or even denied. If Iraq is not able to take measures against the terrorists from Kurdistan Workers Party, Turkey could carry out an international operation," writes Washington Post. At the same time the former US Ambassador to Ankara Morton Abramowitz thinks that the situation on the border is fraught with dangerous tension.

However the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to Ankara seems to have had some positive results. According to the Iraqi official representative Ali al-Dabbaga, Kurdistan Workers Party is a terrorist organization and Iraq is ready to cooperate with Turkey in this matter. In fact this is what happened - Turkey and Iraq signed a protocol about joint resistance to Kurdistan Workers Party in Northern Iraq, at that Erdoghan said that Turkey doesn't intend to upset the territorial integrity of Iraq. "We give much importance to the territorial integrity of Iraq and are for finding a peaceful resolution to all its problems by the help of negotiations," said Erdoghan. According to the document, the parties have agreed upon accelerating the preparations of the agreement on cooperation in fight against the international terrorism.

In its turn, Nuri al-Maliki once again confirmed that the Iraqi authorities consider Kurdistan Workers Party terrorist organization. "We agree with Turkey in the issue of fighting terrorism and we are for close cooperation in this sphere," he said.

If invasion of Northern Iraq is not carried out, it will mean that Redgep Erdoghan managed to ignore the Turkish General Stuff, which plays a very, if not the most important role in Turkey's home and foreign policy. This role, by the way, is approved by the Constitution, in spite of the "extenuating" Article which was suggested under the pressure of the EU, allowing the impeachment of the government if it "acts against national interests of Turkey". In the new edition it is said that the General Stuff "may" in case of need. But the truth is though, that the military men are not likely to pay any attention to such cosmetic improvements if necessary.