Iraqi Kurds ready to support Kurdish initiative

Turkey has embarked on a brave road by introducing the Kurdish initiative, and although this is being considered as an “internal matter,” Iraqi Kurds are ready to support this process if asked by the Turkish government, officials from the regional Kurdish authority in northern Iraq said on Tuesday.

A group of Iraqi Kurdish officials met with the representatives of the Turkish NGOs at a two-day workshop organized jointly by the American University, Columbia University and the Atlantic Council, a U.S. think tank. The workshop was also sponsored by the Norwegian government.

Emphasizing that they are in Istanbul on their private capacity, Fuad Hussein, chief of staff of Massoud Barzani, the president of regional authority, said that they have talked about all issues concerning bilateral relations, from business matters to energy issues. “The Kurdish opening will have an effect on relations between Turkey and Iraqi Kurds positively. Although it is an internal matter, we support the Kurdish opening of the Turkish government and Iraqi Kurdish leadership is ready to offer any support if asked by the Turkey,” said Hussein.

When reminded that Turkey is expecting the hand over of the leaders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK in northern Iraq and it wants the Kurdish authority to exert more pressure on the terrorist organization, Safeen Dizayee, who was recently appointed as education minister, said that certain measures have been taken in northern Iraq might have had an impact in the recent developments, as well. “We don't approve of the PKK methods. We understand Turkey's concerns,” he said, adding that in the past military efforts did not prove sufficient to eradicate the group. “We felt that we should explore other avenues to tackle the problem,” said Dizayee, adding that the current government's efforts are courageous enough to deal with the reasons and not just the result.

When asked to evaluate the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party's stance on the Kurdish initiative, Dizayee said that the DTP could be part of the solution and might contribute to the solution. “Sometimes emotions can preside more pragmatic approach,” said Dizayee.

The celebrations organized by the DTP at the return of eight PKK members and 26 refugees from Makhmour camp had draw strong reaction across the country, especially families which have lost their sons or husbands during the fight against the PKK. “They should act more constructively and be more forthcoming. They should not be blamed that they are undermining the process,” said Dizayee, who worked many years in Turkey as a representative of Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party, or KDP.

Meanwhile, he also said that the relations with Turkey was index to the PKK issue in the past yet there are more grounds for further cooperation, a view echoed by Falah Mustafa Bakır, the head of the Department of Foreign Relations. “We want to have strategic relations with Turkey,” said Bakır.