Turkey has "three-stage plan" to invade Iraqi Kurdistan Region – paper

Aso, Kirkuk
14 Apr 07

Turkey has prepared "a three-stage plan" against the Kurdistan
Regional Government, the independent daily newspaper Aso reported on
14 April. The Turks would begin with "political pressure, then, in the
second stage, they would close the air space and Ibrahim Khalil border
crossing point; in the third stage, they would enter the Kurdistan
Region."

The paper also said the US opposes Turkish threats.

Aso quoted Kurdish expert in Turkish issues Yusif Goran as saying that
the "recent decisions by the Turkish National Security Council
coincide with the recent political tension between the regional
government and Turkey". He added: "Through using the threat card, the
Turks try to show that they have other options for intervention."
Turkey was capable of implementing some phases of the plan if the
current situation remained unchanged; but the Turks said that they
would not attack without European Union and the UN approval.

Goran told Aso that Turkey would not be able to carry out such an
operation without the agreement of Iraq and the US. The Turks did not
threaten the regional government directly, because doing so would be
considered a kind of formal recognition of the region and this fact
"represents Turkey’s weakness".

Aso said that Goran believed the Kurds had to concentrate their
efforts on improving the relationship with Turkey in the interest of
both sides, because Turks demanded action from the Iraqi government
towards finding solutions to the issue of the Kurdistan Workers’
Party. Otherwise, they would implement their plan.