Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 15 2008

Erdoðan: Iraq operations may be extended if needed

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan said yesterday that his
government may seek an extension of its parliamentary mandate to
attack the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq
when the current authorization expires in October.

His remarks came in Madrid at a meeting with members of the Spanish
media hosted by the Spanish Europa Press agency. The meeting — which
took place ahead of today’s landmark meeting of the UN Alliance of
Civilizations initiative, in which Erdoðan will be participating —
was aired live on Turkish news channel NTV.
Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops, backed by warplanes,
artillery and tanks, near its border with Iraq. Parliament approved a
resolution on Oct. 17 providing the legal basis for cross-border
operations against the PKK over a 12-month period.

"We hope our fight against terrorism ends quickly, but I can’t say
when it will end. If it doesn’t end, we will ask Parliament for the
authorization to continue," Erdoðan said.

Turkey claims the right under international law to carry out
cross-border operations and has been receiving intelligence from the
US, its NATO ally, to pinpoint PKK targets. The US and the EU, like
Turkey, classify the PKK as a terrorist organization. In addition to
air and artillery strikes, Turkish commandos have staged limited
raids into Iraqi territory. But commentators say a full-scale
invasion is unlikely, despite the troops amassed along the border.

Ankara blames the PKK for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people since
1984, when the terrorist organization began its fight for an ethnic
homeland in southeastern Turkey.

`Article 301 amendment soon’

During the meeting with Spanish media, the prime minister pledged
that within a month his government would propose an amendment to
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which has been widely
considered a stumbling block for freedom of expression in Turkey.

Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Þahin had originally said the article
would be sent to Parliament last week, but divisions within the
government over the scope of the change — which is opposed by
powerful nationalist parties — have caused delays.

The EU, which Ankara hopes to join, says the article stifles free
speech and must be changed. It has been used against dozens of
writers and journalists, including slain Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate Orhan Pamuk.

`Meeting with Merkel, Sarkozy in May’

While reiterating Ankara’s objection to any option short of Turkey’s
full membership in the EU, Erdoðan said he would meet with the
leaders of Germany and France — which oppose Ankara’s bid to join
the EU — in May to discuss future relations between the EU and
Turkey. Erdoðan had already said last week that the meeting would
take place in Germany, but he had not given a date. Turkey rejects
outright the idea of any privileged partnership that would replace
full membership in the 27-nation bloc. French President Nicolas
Sarkozy proposes membership in a "Mediterranean Union" instead of
Turkish EU membership.

15.01.2008

Today’s Zaman Ankara