KIRKUK PROVINCE (TAMIM) IRAQ – video
August 10, 2012 at 2:47 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Kirkuk video
Syrian Conflict Sends Food Costs Skyrocketing for Iraqi Consumers
August 10, 2012 at 11:53 am | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Commodities prices Iraq, Syrian Economy
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A child leans on a fruit stand beside her mother as they shop for fruits at a market in Mosul, about 240 miles north of Baghdad, Feb. 2, 2009. (photo by REUTERS/Erik de Castro)
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Current events in Syria have led to a considerable rise in the prices of goods that are exported from the country to the Iraqi market. This puts an additional burden on Iraqi citizens, and may cause Syrian merchants to lose their stake in a primary market. Mohammad al-Saadi, an [Iraqi] fruit and vegetable merchant told Al-Hayat: “The rise in prices has affected goods we used to import from Syria.” He said that [Iraqi] consumers are beginning to sense the impact of the events in Syria, as they have started to affect their daily food supply. According to Saadi, this increase cannot be taken lightly, as the prices of commodities have increased to almost four times more what they were less than a month ago. He noted that the prices of some commodities have risen 10-fold, stressing the difficulty in obtaining these goods from other countries since Iraqi consumers have become accustomed to Syrian goods.
Iraqi Turkmen Front Mission made an official visit to Turkey.
August 8, 2012 at 3:53 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: ITF mission in Ankara, ITF reps meet with Davutogu in Ankara
Iraqi Turkmen Front Mission made an official visit to Turkey.
The mission lead by the Head of ITF and Kirkuk Member of Parliament Erşad Salihi and Minister for Foreign Affairs in Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu discussed the status of the Turkmen in the scope of Iraqi-Turkey affairs in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
The meeting took place in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was also attended by the mission consisting of ITF Deputy Head Ali Haşim Muhtaroğlu, ITF Turkey Representative Dr. Hicran Kazancı, ITF Executive Board Member Hasan Turan, ITF Official Spokesman Ali Mehdi and ITF Diyale MP Hasan Özmen Beyatlı.
The mission discussed the recent events and the Kirkuk visit with Minister Davutoğlu and underlined the importance of the visit.
Minister Davutoğlu assured that all endeavors were taken and would be continued to ensure peace, welfare and development in Iraq.
Kirkuk MP Erşad Salihi made a statement to Turkmeneli Television and assessed the meeting by saying: ”Stability in Iraq, stability in the region and the developments in Syria were all discussed.”
ITF Official Spokesman Ali Mehdi said that the Iraqis must be aware that Turkey is working towards the development of Iraq. ITF Executive Board Member and Head of the Kirkuk Province Assemly Hasan Turan stated that Turkey had always sided with Iraq and the Turkmen in particular.
Dr. Hicran Kazancı
Iraqi Turkmen Front
Turkey Representative
An Interview With Dr. Denise Natali: The state of the Kurdish Regional Government In Iraq
August 6, 2012 at 8:46 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: KRG state of
Monday, August 6, 2012
Iraq’s Kurds have been making waves both domestically and internationally recently. Kurdish Regional President Massoud Barzani has been in an extended political dispute with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki over the distribution of power within the state. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) has attracted major energy companies to invest in its oil industry, and has talked about building its own pipelines to neighboring Turkey. Those events have raised the question of Kurdish independence. Dr. Denise Natali holds the Minerva Chair at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University. She is the author of The Kurdish Quasi-state: Development and Dependency in Post-Gulf War Iraq and The Kurds and the State: Evolving National Identity in Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, and has researched, lived, and worked in the Kurdistan region since 1992. What follows is an interview with Dr. Natali about the Kurds’ political and economic strategy, as well as the internal situation within the KRG. She believes that talk of Kurdish independence is unrealistic, because the Kurdistan Region is economically dependent upon Baghdad, has no clearly accepted territorial boundaries of a Kurdish state, and has no regional support for its political ambitions, including from Turkey.
Reidar Visser stops posting on constitutional and rule of law issues in Iraq
August 6, 2012 at 12:29 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Reidar Visser Iraq Analysis
We will miss Reidar Visser’s “Iraq analysis”and comments very much.
Turkey hits back at Iraq in Kirkuk visit controversy
August 4, 2012 at 4:12 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Davutoglu's visit to Kerkuk
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu kisses a Turkmen child holding a Turkish flag during his visit to the disputed Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Thursday. (Photo: AA)
Iraq summons Turkey envoy to protest over visit
3 August 2012 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
Turkey has lashed out at the Iraqi government for criticizing Ankara for interference in Iraqi affairs after Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu paid a surprise visit to an oil-rich Iraqi city claimed by both the central government and the country’s autonomous Kurdistan region without consulting the Iraqi authorities first.
Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned Iraq’s Ambassador in Ankara to protest Baghdad’s subsequent statements after Davutoğlu’s visit to the contested city. Sources said the statements Iraq made after Turkish foreign minister’s Kirkuk visit are “unacceptable.”
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu told the Iraqi envoy that Turkey is taking every step in an open way and that it has no hidden agenda. Sinirlioğlu warned Iraqi authorities to be careful while making statements.
Turkey’s protest came after Iraq delivered a formal diplomatic note to Turkey’s envoy in Baghdad on Friday.
Continue Reading Turkey hits back at Iraq in Kirkuk visit controversy…
Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Kirkuk
August 4, 2012 at 3:38 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Ahmet Davutoğlu in Kirkuk
Bilgay Duman ORSAM Middle East Specialist
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu paid a visit to Arbil on 1 August 2012 to talk on the recent events breaking out in the areas where Kurds reside in Syria, and held official talks in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). But then, he made a surprising visit to Kirkuk on 2 August 2012. As the visit took place on the day that this article was written, it is not possible to give the details. Neverthless, he talked to Kirkuk Governor Necmettin Kerim in the morning. In this article, the importance for both Iraq and Turkmens will be handled.
Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Kirkuk is extremely important. As a result of the developments taking place in Kirkuk in the post-2003 and the efforts of Kurdish groups to seize power in this city, the deadlock in Kirkuk has been carried until today. Kirkuk has become a deadlock in Iraqi politics and it has been a subject in all the political bargains. At this point, the talks to be held and statements to be made on this problem during Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Iraq could be effective in solving the aforesaid problem, and it could facilitate solving the Kirkuk deadlock, in other words the most important political gridlock of Iraq.
The visits to Kirkuk that we can call the center of Turkmen entity in Iraq have been limited, and none of the Turkish officials paid a visit to Kirkuk from 1976 until 2006. The last visit paid by Turkish officials to Kirkuk was the one that was paid by the delegation of GNAT (Grand National Assembly of Turkey), including AK Party Balıkesir Deputy Turhan Çömez and CHP Tokat Deputy Orhan Ziya Diren, on 26 May 2006. Following the establishment of the Iraqi state, the delegation, which was going to sign the Sa’dabad Pact in 1937 and before that visited Iraq within the scope of the last preparations of the Pact and which included the then-Foreign Minister Tevfik Rüştü Aras and then-Minister of Economy Celal Bayar, paid the first visit to Kirkuk.
The delegation, which paid a visit to Iraq on 17-28 November 1954 and comprised of Turkish academicians like Prof. Dr. Ekrem Şerif Egeli, Prof. Dr. Tevfik Remzi Kazancıgül, Prof. Dr. Behçet Sabit Erduran and Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Kerim Gökay, passed from Baghdad to Kirkuk on 23 November 1954.
Between 6-12 November 1955, the delegation, composed of the then Prime Minsiter Adnan Menderes, Foreign Minister Fuat Köprülü, Minister of Economy Nedim Paçacı and Minister of Public Works Kemal Zeytinoğlu, examined the oil facilities and got information about the facilities by visiting Kirkuk on 9 November 1955.
Afterwards, then Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel paid a visit to Iraq on 20-24 October 1967 upon the invitation of the Iraqi Prime Minister General Taher Yahya.
After the visit of Demirel, it was stated that President Cevdet Sunay paid visits to Kufa, Karbala, Najaf, Kirkuk and Mosul between the dates 27 April – 1 May 1968.
On 27 April 1976, also the President Fahri Korutürk visited Turkish Cultural Center in Kirkuk affiliated to the Turkish Ministry of Culture within the scope of his visit to Iraq.
The Kirkuk–Ceyhan Oil Pipeline Agreement was signed in 1973, and the then Prime Minister Süleyman Demirel paid a visit to Kirkuk for the opening ceremony on 3 January 1977.
Excluding the visit of the delegation of the GNAT in 2006, Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Kirkuk has been the first visit paid by the administrative elite for the last 36 years. The aforesaid visit will be an important milestone in solving the Kirkuk gridlock in Iraq; and considering from Turkey’s point of view, it is important in terms of emphasizing the efficiency in Iraqi politics, in terms of the determination in solving the Kirkuk problem and in terms of underlining the vital role of Turkey in the regional equation. Even though it is observed that Turkey has adopted a balanced approach in the Iraqi politics, Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Kirkuk and a “greeting” to Turkmens are believed to help the people, who feel themselves alone in the region, stand up again. The Turkmen, who could not play an efficient role in the Iraqi political process especially in the post-2003, started to rise in political life after the 2010 elections, and 10 deputies and 3 ministers were elected among Turkmens for the first time. Besides, the fact that the Turkmen deputies, invited to Turkey by President Abdullah Gül, decided to form a group from the Iraqi parliament is such as to greatly contribute to a more active participation of Turkmens in the forthcoming political process. Ahmet Davutoğlu’s visit to Kirkuk within the scope of his Iraq visit is believed to reinforce the efficiency of Turkmens. Thus the Turkmen presence, which has become more influential and powerful in Iraq, is considered to become more effective in the Iraqi politics.
Felicity Arbuthnot on the Iraq Inquiry
August 3, 2012 at 4:28 pm | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Iraq inquiry
| “Open Government”, “Open War” against Iraq: Britain’s War Against the Truthby Felicity Arbuthnot | |
| Global Research, August 2, 2012 | |
| “I think most people who have dealt with me think I am a pretty straight sort of guy, and I am.” (Tony Blair, November 2007.)
In the last several days, the shreds of Britain’s threadbare claim to democracy have been ripped away. The refusal by the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government to disclose documents integral to the decision to join the US in invading, occupying, destroying and dismantling the entire civil authority, and infrastructure of the very State of Iraq, follows their Labour predecessors, the invasion’s co-architects. The Iraq Inquiry findings under Sir John Chilcot’s Chairmanship will now be delayed for over another year. Sir John and his distinguished team will at least have learned one thing that lesser mortals ascertained long ago: When it comes to dodging, diving, weaving and circumventing the truth, no one does it better than top British politicians of all political hues. On Friday (27th July 2012) the Guardian noted: “The Foreign Office (FCO) is appealing against a Judge’s ruling that extracts of a conversation between Tony Blair and George W. Bush days before the invasion of Iraq must be disclosed”, adding: “The FCO has now sought leave to appeal against the decision with an “Upper Tribunal” made up of more senior Judges …” (i) This related to the vital papers of the Cabinet discussions under Tony Blair’s Premiership, between March 13th-17th 2003. The Iraq invasion began on 19th-20th March (depending on geographic region.) The documents had been ordered released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) due to the dogged persistence, through legal channels, of Stephen Plowdon of The Nonviolent Radical Party, an NGO with Consultative Status at the UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) since 1995. Ironically, the Freedom of Information Act was introduced by the Blair government, in Blair’s headlong embrace of all things American, from open shirts, to “open government”, to open war. Blair is now a vociferous FOI critic, recently harshly criticized by a Parliamentary Committee for failing to appear before their investigation in to the impact of the FOI Act. The Justice Select Committee deplored his decision not to be questioned by them. Their Report in fact, states that FOI laws have been a: “significant enhancement of democracy” and are not harming government, notes the Guardian. However, it transpires that the crucial notes pertaining to the decisions on the destruction of Mesapotamia are, in a legal sleight of hand, not to be released for thirty years. |
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Davutoğlu’s Kirkuk visit boosted the morale of Turkmens
August 3, 2012 at 10:51 am | Posted in Turkmens | Leave a commentTags: Davutoglu's visit to Kerkuk
Iraqi Turkmen Front Turkey Representative Hicran Kazancı:”Davutoğlu’s historical visit is a sign that the Turkmens are a main actor in the political process of Iraq and no different from the other Arab and Kurdish political groups.”
ANKARA (AA) – 02.08.2012 – Erkan Avcı
Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Turkey Representative Hicran Kazancı emphasized the importance of a visit to Kirkuk from Turkey for the first time in 75 years on a minister of foreign affairs level and indicated that Davutoğlu’s visit was a major source of morale for the Turkmens. Kazancı said, ”Davutoğlu’s historical visit is a sign that the Turkmens are a main actor in the political process of Iraq and no different from the other Arab and Kurdish political groups. ”
ITC Turkey Representative Hicran Kazancı answered the questions of AA reported regarding Davutoğlu’s historical Kirkuk visit.
Dr.Kazancı indicated that in the past the visit of a high level authority from Turkey to Kirkuk had always been a great source of morale for the Turkmens and that because the visit was made by Ahmet Davutoğlu it made the occasion even more meaningful.
Dr.Kazancı emphasized that in its foreign policy in the region since 2003 Turkey had assessed the Turkmens among the significant elements and said:
”Many times Turkish authorities have said ‘all the sections in Iraq are our brothers but the Turkmens are our kin. The Turkmens are a bridge between the other sections there and Turkey’. Today this visit is an indicator that Turkey is behind the Turkmens there. It is an indicator that the Turkmen are a main actor in the political process of Iraq and no different from the other Arab and Kurdish political groups, that they are aligned in the same ranks.”
Dr.Kazancı emphasized that Davutoğlu’s visit to the resting place of the late Turkmen leader Necdet Koçak and Kirkuk Castle which is the resting place of officers who were martyred in the Ottoman era and the governor’s office held symbolic significance to the Turkmens.
“We have lived together with the Kurds for a long time ”
Dr. Kazancı indicated that the Turkmens had lived in peace with the other communities in Kirkuk saying, “Looking at the historical conjuncture it is evident that us Turkmens have lived intertwined with the Kurds for many years in the region. There are also Arabs in Kirkuk. As a political formation, the Iraqi Turkmen Front confers with all groups”.
ITF representative Kazancı said that with the US occupation in 2003 and the restructuring of Iraq the Turkmens had obtained significant rights but that these rights were not enough. Dr. Kazancı said, ”We are the third main element in Iraq following the Arabs and Kurds.
Three power centers are important for us being Baghdad, Arbil and Ankara. According to the population of the country we are the third element and we demand that the rights we have been given are exercised by the central government in Baghdad. However, I see that we have not sufficiently attained these rights. Looking at the Arbil centered government we are the second main element after the Kurds in that region which is why we must attain our rights there as well. These problems can best be resolved through negotiations.”
“Turkey is a country which spreads stability in its periphery “
Dr.Kazancı indicated that after 2003 Turkey had endeavored to have relations with all the groups in Iraq and these efforts had proved to be quite successful and underlined that Ankara had not only conferred with the Kurds but the Sunni and Shiite groups in Baghdad as well.
Dr.Kazancı said, ”Looking at the recent past we see that all Iraqi leaders have visited Turkey. For a millennium Turkey has been a country who sows stability in its periphery. Before the US intervention, Turkey indicated that any intervention in Iraq would not be a solution in this country, that it would bring ethnic and sectarian conflicts. Turkey tried to prevent the American intervention indicating that this would result in conflict which would reach all the way to Yemen. Looking at the events of today we can see how right Turkey was”.
“We warned the Turkmens in Syria ”
Hicran Kazancı said, “There is a community of approximately three million Turkmens living dispersed in the northern part of Syria” and said that the Turkmens in Syria had been warned not to remain outside the new political formation which would be established in the country.
Dr. Kazancı indicated that they were in constant contact with the Turkmens in Syria and said, ”After the events of the recent past the Turkmens were dispersed at first, they did not take part in the opposition. After they unite it is very important that a Turkmen is included in the National Council. We are constantly warning them not to remain outside the process. We had the same experience in Iraq.
Remaining outside the opposition means remaining outside the power as well ”.
Publisher : Ogün Duru
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