Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 26 2007
Wilson: We want Iraq’s territorial integrity to be preserved
US Ambassador Ross Wilson said that Turkish and US policies in Iraq,
the Middle East and Cyprus were overlapping.
His main points were that both countries want to secure the
territorial integrity of Iraq, to see a two-state solution in the
Israeli-Palestinian struggle, and a settlement in Cyprus based on the
Annan Plan.
After saying in a recent TV interview that the US would not regard a
Turkish military operation in Northern Iraq against PKK camps as an
intervention in Iraq’s domestic politics, Wilson clarified the US
position by saying that Iraq’s neighbours had the right and
obligation to advise the Iraqi government on issues related to their
own securities and to raise their concerns, but not to impose any
decision. "Including us," added the American ambassador.
Wilson was speaking at a panel organized by the Eurasia Strategic
Research Centre (ASAM) discussing the future of US-Turkey relations
in 2007. The conference was chaired by Faruk Loloğlu, a former
ambassador of Turkey to the US and the president of ASAM. The
audience consisted of high level diplomats, former ministers and
retired military personnel.
Instead of making predictions on the future of relations, Ambassador
Wilson presented a history of relations and claimed that
Turkish-American cooperation on international terrorism was as old as
the history of the US. Wilson recalled that though there have been
some differences in the Turkish and US positions on international
politics in the past, like the Johnson Letter, the Cyprus issue in
the ?70s and the arms embargo, today’s reality was that the two
states want the same things. "Turkey has done several things in Iraq
that we want. But these were not favours to the US. They were also in
the interest of Turkey," said Wilson.
The US ambassador assured the audience that his country was looking
for a final solution to PKK terrorism, not just a freezing of the
problem. "This necessitates tough measures in fighting the PKK,
cutting down their financial sources and cooperation with the Iraqi
government and the local Kurdish government in the north of Iraq,"
reminded Wilson. "What Turkey needs to do," continued the US
ambassador, "is to convince the Iraqis that changing their way of
behaviour is also to their interest."
Wilson also elaborated on the future of Turkish-Armenian relations
and said that the positive atmosphere created during the funeral of
slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink may contribute to the
betterment of relations. Wilson assured Turkey that even if the
Congress and the Senate passed the Armenian genocide resolution, US
foreign policy would not change direction.
Answering a question about Kurdish-US cooperation, Wilson claimed
that this cooperation was not mutually incompatible with the
US-Turkish alliance. "The Kurds need to have good relations with
Turkey, and Turkey certainly needs to have good relations in all of
Iraq," said the ambassador. Wilson also warned that Iran’s possible
acquisition of nuclear weapons would have further security
implications for Turkey and US-Turkish relations, but did not want to
make any further predictions on these implications.
26.01.2007
KERİM BALCI ANKARA