Turkish Times Exclusive
Minister Gurel: "Turcomans of Iraq should be treated
equally by US Administration"
Vural Cengiz, ATAA Treasurer, The Turkish Times - Developments in Northern Iraq is as interesting for the Turkish government as the prospects of war with Iraq is to the American Administration. President Bush seems very determined to attack Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein from power despite the fact that most American sources are claiming that a successful campaign requires more soldiers and fire power than what US has in the region now. Turkish government and people of Turkey are very concerned with such a move because, as the Iraqi, Israeli and Turkish governments stated before, there is a probability that it will spread out and transform into a regional war not limited only to Iraq.

ATAA's Treasurer and newly President-elect Vural Cengiz talked to Foreign Minister of Turkey, Prof. Sukru Sina Gurel on September 26 while Dr. Gurel was still in Denmark for EU talks with Denmark's politicians.

CENGIZ: Mr. Minister, we all heard about Turkish concerns regarding Northern Iraq and Kurdish threats regarding possible Turkish invasion of the Kerkuk region. Does Turkey aim any invasion?

GUREL: Republic of Turkey is not planning any invasion of any part of Iraq or any other district of another neighbor. Turkey does not have any plans to capture any resources that belong to her neighbors either.

CENGIZ: What is most crucial to Turkey in US-Iraq conflict?

GUREL: Not dividing Iraq into pieces is the most crucial to us.

CENGIZ: What is the latest position of Turcomans of Iraq?

GUREL: Turkish minority of Iraq, Turcomans, should be treated equally by the US Administration and others. Kurds are not the only minority in Iraq. We will defend our own people against any aggression.

CENGIZ: Why do you think that Kurds should not control northern oil by themselves?

GUREL: Iraqi petrol and other natural resources belong to all of the Iraqi people. It is not fair to include some of these [resources] in any negotiations with any minority group of Iraq.

As we understand from our talks with Minister Gurel, the U.S. State Department is not adding Turcomans to minority group talks in Washington and that bothers the Turkish government as much as it does bother us, Turkish-Americans. We also understand that Republic of Turkey definitely wishes Iraq to stay as a whole country, with its territorial integrity intact.

We are hoping that the U.S. administration is not going to test the strong Turkish-American friendship and alliance by making any deals with Kurdish groups behind closed doors at the expense of Turcomans of Iraq or Republic of Turkey. We believe such agreements could bring Turkey and US to different sides of a conflict — a possibility that would concern the Turkish people seriously. If the United States administration wants to get a good result in Iraq, her dependable allies are Turks and Turcomans and not the Kurds. Let us all remember that Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq are protected by the U.S. and British forces that take off from Turkish airbases. Anyone who is going to make decisions about the region should read the history of the region first.