Turkey: US envoy says USA committed to fighting terrorism

Milliyet website, Istanbul
8 Feb 07

Text of a report by Sami Kohen: "Are we not on the same page as the
United States?" published by Turkish newspaper Milliyet website on
8 February

Talks between Turkey and the United States, especially with respect
to overcoming the different points of view regarding northern Iraq,
the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] and the Armenian problems, are
intensifying.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s current visit to the United States
is one link in this chain of meetings. Just recently Defence Minister
Vecdi Gonul was in Washington. A delegation of Turkish lawmakers has
just returned from the United States and Chief of Staff Gen Yasar
Buyukanit is off to Washington next week.

Meanwhile, there are people who regard these talks as "actors not being
on the same page". Really, as far as the public has been made aware to
date these meetings have failed to produce anything visible, at least
nothing in the way of meeting Turkey’s expectations. The Turkish side
is telling its American counterparts what it wants, what it expects
and what its complaints are. Similarly, the American side is telling
its Turkish counterparts where they stand and what the problems are.

Can it go any further than this?

Foreign Minister Gul says: "I saw an attentiveness in Washington I
had not seen last year. They feel compelled to do something. I will
not talk much about this but there is some commitment."

When?

What we heard US Ambassador Ross Wilson say when he spoke with a
group of columnists in Istanbul yesterday was along those lines.

We spoke with him about two "critical issues" in particular. One was
about the situation in northern Iraq, the PKK presence there and the
future of Kirkuk.

When we reminded him that the Turkish-US talks that have been going
on regarding this topic for some time had turned into a "dialogue
between deaf people" Wilson objected to this. "Speaking as somebody
who has attended most of these meetings I can say that this is not a
‘dialogue of the deaf’." But he did state that he was aware of Turkey’s
expectation and disappointments. He emphasized that despite this their
efforts were still continuing and that "visible" results would soon
be achieved.

When and like what, for example? Echoing Foreign Minister Gul,
Ambassador Wilson said he would "not divulge much more" and added,
"You cannot announce in advance what your counter-terrorism plans are."

Despite this, Wilson stated that some results were being achieved
right now as a result of the counter-terrorism envoy’s efforts. He
linked the raids against the PKK in France and Belgium and the arrests
made to these efforts.

We also asked this of the ambassador: What will the United States
do if Turkey mounts a cross-border operation? We know that certain
official voices in Washington have noted their opposition to this
eventuality. Wilson preferred to leave this question unanswered.

In fact, Turkey has always expected the United States to make an effort
to put an end to the PKK presence in northern Iraq. Is this a case
of "not putting in the right cc’s?" Should Baghdad and northern Iraq
also be cc’d? Ankara is trying to resolve this business "exclusively"
through Washington.

What if it gets passed?

The second important topic of our interview with the US ambassador
concerned the "Armenian genocide bill" being submitted to the House
of Representatives.

Wilson emphasized that this was not a "law" only a "ruling" and that
it was not binding on President Bush or his administration.

Frankly, the American officials and diplomats are afraid that this
ruling will get passed this time. In fact, Wilson is planning to go
to Washington next month to do some "lobbying".

He is aware that if this ruling is passed it will have a very adverse
impact on Turkish-US relations. But despite this he says: "But there
are so many other issues out there: Iraq, the PKK, Cyprus, the EU,
Iran, the Middle East etc, we need to work on these together. Any
breakdown in relations will be harmful for both sides. We need each
other more than ever before."