Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
February 16, 2008
Turkey may enter Karabakh
The PKK camps in the occupied lands will be hit. The
US-Turkey-Azerbaijan alliance is being set up against the terrorist
organization
by Elsad Pasasoy
Washington discusses PKK with Azerbaijan
As part of the large-scaled military operations against the PKK,
which have been under way since autumn of 2007, Turkey may also
strike camps of the terrorist organization in Karabakh. According to
reports obtained from sources in Turkey, this issue was on the agenda
of the mutual discussions between Ankara and Washington to destroy
the PKK facilities. Washington is said not against the discussion of
this option considering the possibility of the PKK growing more
active on territories of Azerbaijan.
As reported, for the first time the USA discussed the issue of the
PKK in the mutual antiterror talks with Azerbaijan. Visiting Baku
after Ankara, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy to the
Coordinator, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, Frank
Urbancic had talks with officials to this end.
[Azerbaijani] Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, who met F.
Urbancic, confirmed that the PKK was also posing a threat to
Azerbaijan. Speaking about the issue, the deputy minister said that
"this organization is coming closer to our country", thereby, hinting
that the discussions were serious.
There are periodically reports in the Turkish and Azerbaijani media
that members of the PKK, driven into a corner in the northern Iraq,
cross Azerbaijan and set up bases there. Obviously, those reports
have been sufficiently proved by evidence, and consequently, official
circles have set the wheels in motion. At the same time, the start of
the discussions between the USA and Azerbaijan over the PKK shows
that the situation is more complex than we expected.
Official recognition of PKK threat
Incidentally, the Azerbaijani authorities have never spoken about the
PKK so openly and fearlessly. A. Azimov’s statement that "the USA and
Azerbaijan are discussing the PKK issue at the antiterror talks"
shows that cardinal changes have taken place with relation to this
problem. We should recall that until recently, the authorities were
deviating from commenting on the PKK under very different pretexts.
Some officials even issued statements on the sidelines saying that
"if we recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization, it may pose a
threat to Azerbaijan".
The fact that the USA has one foot in Turkey and another foot in
Azerbaijan while discussing the PKK problem shows how the process is
serious. Washington has already declared the PKK its enemy and
obviously this is not a mere wordy political statement. The USA seems
resolute to completely crash this terrorist organization.
This state has taken a decision to fight against the PKK after it
stated to target the US interests in Azerbaijan too. Reports that the
PKK would commit acts of terror against the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline and other strategic energy infrastructures were obviously
serious.
It is for sure that the PKK issue topped the meetings at the National
Security and the Interior Ministries with Urbancic. It seems that a
coalition of the USA-Turkey-Azerbaijan is being shaped in the fight
against the PKK.
Intelligence reports confirm PKK presence in Karabakh
In the meantime, the Israeli intelligence has confirmed that the PKK
terrorists have concentrated in Azerbaijani territories under
Armenian occupation. The report says that after the operations of the
Turkish armed forces against the PKK terrorist organization in
regions bordering Iraq, terrorists are coming together in Armenia and
in Azerbaijani territories under the Armenian occupation.
APA news agency quoted Turkish Show TV as reporting that after the
Turkish armed forces pounded PKK camps, terrorists did not head for
Iran but Armenia. This report was also confirmed by the Israeli
intelligence. In conformity with a decision of the PKK leaders, the
occupied Azerbaijani districts of Fuzuli and Lacin have been chosen
camps for terrorists.
We should recall that addressing the latest Munich conference,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan strictly urged the
Armenians to "leave Karabakh". Some observers believe that such a
strict position of the Turkish officials at the international event
may be an announcement of the brethren country to carry out military
operations against the PKK in Karabakh.
There are solid grounds now to say that the USA does not only
recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization in words. Washington’s
position is now unambiguous in destroying camps of the terrorist
organization which is openly threatening its interests.
In an interview with our paper, the head of the public relations
office of the US embassy to Azerbaijan, Jonathan Henick, once again
confirmed that the issue of PKK was discussed at the talks with
Azerbaijani officials: "I cannot speak about details of the
discussions as I did not attend those meetings. I can only say that
we have no information about the existence of the PKK in Azerbaijan.
We simply hear similar reports. We naturally are ready to have talks
with Azerbaijani officials to this effect. The PKK has
representatives in Turkey, Iraq, European countries and the problem
of the PKK does exist. Naturally, if this problem also surfaces here,
no doubt, we shall cooperate with Azerbaijan."
Can the USA target those camps after reports of the Turkish and
Israeli sources that PKK terrorists have been resettled to occupied
lands? In reply to this question, Henick said that "I cannot exactly
say what might happen", adding that in fight against terrorism,
peace-loving countries and governments should cooperate: "However,
our priority is to fight against the PKK in Iraq and Turkey. If your
reports on the PKK are confirmed, we are ready for talks with the
Azerbaijani government."
Spokesman attests that PKK threat is high
The [Azerbaijani] Foreign Ministry spokesman, Xazar Ibrahim, has
confirmed the existence of the PKK threat: "And this threat is very
high. First, official Baku cannot control the occupied lands now.
Second, the threat is that those territories are controlled by the
occupying state with wide experience in the conduct of terror acts.
For the time being, there are reports that the PKK is resettled
there.
"Bearing in mind that the PKK carries out terror acts in the region,
at the same time, it also issued statements that relevant
infrastructures would be hit in Azerbaijan. The overall threat is
very high. Therefore, this should be reacted properly. Azerbaijan is
in political consultations to this end, at the same time, is in
discussions with both regional and allying states."
As for the prospects of any specific military action, Ibrahim said
that a relevant condition is required for this: "Azerbaijan is
naturally capable of taking relevant steps to repulse all the dangers
and threats."
Information we obtained at the end of the day was very intriguing. A
source (an official editorial staff) on condition of anonymity said
that the PKK’s auxiliary camps had been in existence in Karabakh long
before: "Simply those camps are being reinforced. The military arm of
the PKK is being fully relocated to Karabakh. This is what makes
Turkey and America uneasy. This terrorist organization has come all
of a sudden closer to oil pipelines.
"Moreover, the PKK is bearing a grudge against the USA and this bad
blood might be manifested in a dangerous option of committing acts of
terror. Therefore, the USA wants the PKK be ousted from Karabakh and
they could only be driven out from there by armed intervention. At
present Azerbaijan and Turkey are in discussion over bombing PKK
camps to be located in joint operations. This is very likely to take
place in the months to come. The USA should also participate in this
process closely. Military delegations of both countries have already
stationed in Baku."
Our source also claimed that with the support of the USA, Turkish and
Azerbaijani troops can kick off joint operations under the pretext of
hitting PKK camps: "Both air and ground operations are possible in
spring and the work is under way to work out such a plan. The USA
needs several districts bordering Iran, at least Fuzuli be returned
under Azerbaijan’s control. Due to future-oriented strategic
interests, the control over Azerbaijani occupied lands bordering Iran
by Armenians as well as Russia does not suit the USA…[ellipsis as
published]"
The Azerbaijani government may soon officially appeal to Turkey to
intervene in Karabakh to deal with the PKK camps.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is soon expected to visit Turkey.
The Turkish media report that this is connected with plans to work
out a joint "fatal operation" against the PKK in spring. US Attorney
General Michael B. Mukasey currently in Turkey told the local media
after meetings Turkish officials that the aim of the countries’ are
to end with the PKK.