Cheney pledges support against PKK, urges co-operation with Iraqi Kurds

26/03/2008

Visiting Ankara this week, US Vice President Dick Cheney expressed support for Turkey's struggle against the terrorist PKK, but urged Ankara to maintain an open dialogue with the Iraqi Kurdish regional government.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times –26/03/08

US Vice President Dick Cheney (left) meets with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday (March 24th) in Ankara. [Getty Images]

Following a nine-day trip to the Middle East and Afghanistan, US Vice President Dick Cheney visited Ankara briefly on Monday (March 24th) to discuss Turkey's fight against the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and to encourage officials to co-operate with the Iraqi Kurdish regional government to end the fight.

On Sunday, Cheney discussed the PKK problem with Iraqi Kurdistan regional government leader Mesud Barzani in Arbil. Then in Ankara, Cheney met with President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit.

As did US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who visited Ankara last month and pushed for a comprehensive political and socioeconomic plan to undercut the PKK, Cheney underscored the need for a broader strategy.

Turkey has conducted air raids against PKK terrorists in northern Iraq with the help of US intelligence since December 2007, and in February it launched an eight-day ground offensive, killing at least 240 militants, according to the Turkish General Staff.

That ground offensive created unease among Iraq's Kurds, however, who interpreted it as an attack against their autonomy and the Kurdistan regional government.

One of the most important discussions during Cheney's visit was the need for a stronger commitment among the NATO allies to the Afghanistan mission. The United States is pressing the Allies to provide more combat troops -- an issue that will be discussed at the summit in Bucharest next week.

Turkey signaled before Cheney's visit that it is unwilling to commit combat troops to Afghanistan, in light of the ongoing struggle against the PKK.

However, Turkish officials emphasised that Ankara will abide by decisions taken at the summit.

Iran's nuclear programme was a third key topic discussed during Cheney's visit. He expressed Washington's expectation that Ankara will continue to support international efforts to convince Iran to give it up.

In fact, Erdogan was quoted by Turkish officials as saying that Iran should fully co-operate with the UN International Atomic Energy Agency to eliminate doubts about its nuclear programme.

Cheney and Turkish officials also briefly discussed a proposed missile shield system to provide protection from short- and long-range missiles to all members of NATO, including Turkey.

The United States is currently negotiating only with Poland and Czech Republic on a missile shield system. It would not cover Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria. Some NATO members argue that such protection should be provided to all members.