[NYTr] Turkey Says Its Troops Can Cross Iraq Border

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

The New York Times - Oct 10, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/world/europe/10turkey.html

Turkey Says Its Troops Can Cross Iraq Border

By SEBNEM ARSU

ISTANBUL, Oct. 9 — Turkey took a step toward cross-border military
action in Iraq today, as a council of the country’s top political and
military leaders issued a statement today allowing troops to cross to
eliminate separatist Kurdish rebel camps in the mountainous northern
region.

Turkey’s move toward military action comes in the face of strong
opposition by the United States, which is anxious to maintain peace in
that area, one of the rare regions of stability in conflict-torn Iraq.

All government offices and institutions have been ordered “to take all
economic and political measures, including cross-border operations when
necessary, in order to end the existence of the terror organization in
a neighboring country,” said the statement, which was released by the
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office.

After the meeting, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul told the semi-official
Anatolian News Agency said that the parliamentary approval normally
needed for cross-border movement of troops was not needed for special
units’ in hot pursuit of Kurdish separatist rebels, who have launched a
recent series of hit-and-run attacks from bases in northern Iraqi
mountains. A landmine that exploded Sunday in southeastern Sirnak
Province, about 15 miles from the Iraq border, killed 13 soldiers, one
of the highest death tolls in recent years from attacks by the
separatist Kurdish Workers’ Party, or P.K.K.

Some analysts said that give the complicated relations among Turkey,
Iraq and the United States, Turkey would continue to consider military
action a last resort.

Edip Baser, a retired general, who acted as special coordinator in a
joint United States-Turkey effort against the P.K.K. in 2006, said,
“Security forces always have plans and programs ready, and now together
with the directives mentioned in today’s statement, these plans will be
dealt with at the highest level until the best timing, both military
and political.”

Senior cabinet members, state officials and high-ranking military
officials met today after President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister
Erdogan and the head of the Turkish Army, Yasar Buyukanit, vowed to
strengthen efforts in their fight against the P.K.K.

Turkey has tried to persuade Iraqi officials to recognize Turkey’s
right to enter inside the country for so-called “hot pursuit.” An
agreement to combat terrorism signed between the two countries last
month excluded military options, but encouraged technical and
intelligence cooperation.

An agreement between Turkey and Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s rule did
not require Iraqi officials’ approval in advance of any Turkish
cross-border troop movements.

Copyright 2007 The New York Times