Τζεμιλ Τουραν Μπαζιντι

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (KRG.org  08 Feb. 2012) – On his first visit to Kurdistan, the Greek Ambassador to Iraq, Dr Mercourios B. Karafotias, said that he was surprised to see the level of progress that is being made in the Kurdistan Region.

In his meeting with President Masoud Barzani on Tuesday, the Ambassador assured the President that the Hellenic Republic wants to play a stronger role in the region’s growing success and said that his government would try to upgrade their commercial office in order to have a permanent diplomat posted to Erbil.

President Barzani welcomed the prospect of expanding relations between Kurdistan and Greece saying, ‘Our people have an old relationship with each other. We appreciate the ties that already exist between us, and we are ready to coordinate and work together to further develop these relations.’

The Ambassador underscored his personal support for increasing relations with the Region on many fronts and assured the President that there would be more frequent visits from the Embassy in Baghdad in the future.

Ambassador Karafotias also attended a separate meeting with Minister Falah Mustafa, Head of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations, to be briefed about the KRG’s outreach policy with the international community and with the growing number of diplomats being posted to Erbil.

Reflecting on the growing international interest in the region, Minister Mustafa said, ‘The region is stable and secure, and we are willing to provide any assistance needed in order to upgrade the current level of representation from Greece.’ He added that joining other countries in establishing a diplomatic presence will ensure more awareness of the economic opportunities that exist in the Region and a better understanding of Kurdistan’s political situation.

Both sides also touched on the need for civic ties to be enhanced, especially in regard to Greece’s extensive knowledge and experience in agriculture, and Minister Mustafa highlighted the potential for cooperation between cities and universities as well.

During his three-day visit to the region, the Ambassador also met with KRG Minister of Interior, Mr Karim Sinjari; Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Jamil Sleiman Haider; Minister of Housing and Reconstruction, Mr Kamaran Ahmed Abdullah; and Minister of Health, Mr Taher Abdullah Hussein Hawrami.

By Cemil Turan

The talks caused by the publication of the tapes revealing the conversations and contacts between the Turkish secret service MIT and representatives of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) in Oslo, Norway is still in the news in Turkey. The issue is only maintained by various media as the majority of the public opinion remains indifferent to this publication and did not react against Erdogan’s government, as expected by the larger opposition.

The contacts and talks between the MIT and PKK began in 1993, in Imrali, where Otzalan was prisoned, in order to solve the Kurdish issue. It was decided then that time had come to “do something” about the Kurdish issue which was an obstacle for the European course of Turkey.

Seeing the absolute popularity of Erdogan, the opposition is now attempting to use the tape-recorded conversations as a cause to trip Erdogan. Those against the solution of Kurdish problem which seems within reach, also complain about these conversations.

From the other side, people that have attended these meetings in the Norwegian capital have consolidated the conclusion that Turkey is moving towards solving the problem. Those are: from the side of Turkish state the head of MIT, Hakan Finch and the assistant deputy commander-starter Güney. From the side of the PKK, Mustafa Karasu board member of the Union of Communities Kurdistan and Sabri Ok. While from the side of the separatist Kurdish KONGRA-GEL group, the chairman Zubeyr Aydar and Adem Uzun.

From information reaching the light of publicity, the meeting in Oslo was the fifth in a row with the Prime Minister Erdogan and the military leadership being informed for all these meetings. The meetings seem to serve a single goal: the peaceful and political solution of the Kurdish question in order to stop the armed struggle of the PKK, a clear demonstration of the commitments of the Turkish state for political and cultural reforms.

The MIT did not deny anything from what has leaked. The service made a move to showing that rather than being a dark office it can celebrate in transparency the 85 years since its creation. Last week MIT opened for the first time the doors to the media. Reporters were called and were explained MIT’s goals and actions. The next day a similar presentation was made on a business-like design of its new modernized structure in the political leadership of Turkey. This presentation made by the head of MIT lasted 2.5 hours and was attended by the President of the Republic Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan, Chief of Staff Ozel, the Ministers of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Justice . Following the presentation, Erdogan stated that Finch enjoys his full support and confidence, everything suggesting that contacts similar to those of Oslo will continue as the Turkish government wants to solve the Kurdish question.

Turkey needs to solve internal conflicts, those of Kurds within the country, otherwise will not be able to withstand the turbulences at its borders, in which might be added the imminent revolts in the Syrian border (877 km border). Turkey is pressing as much as it can the leadership of Syria to proceed with democratic reforms and to protect the rights of its citizens as Turkey doesn’t wish to have next to her a second Lebanon.

Lebanon passed from the Ottoman Empire to the French domination, was attacked by foreign forces, was torn apart by civil war and experienced interventions of world powers. This history should not be rewritten in Syria which is experiencing similar internal frictions.

Syria is a mosaic of nationalities, religions and sects. Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Armenians, Caucasians are shared among Christians, Muslims, Gezinti, Alevi, Drouze, Ismailit, tzaferites. The state of 23 million people does not give exact figures but from past surveys and recordings the rates that make up the mosaic are more or less known. Of the Christians, which together meet 15% of the population, most belong to the Orthodox Church (approximately 5%), the Alevis are 11%, the isamilites 1,5-2%, 5% are drouzites. By nationalities 15% are Kurds, Turkmen 1.5%, 0.1% Caucasian, and the Sunni Arabs make up about 52%.

With a boiling pot on its borders, Turkey cannot whistle indifferently. Her stance towards these issues is determined each time from its interests as well as global circumstances. It was not long ago when Turkey wanted to help its neighbor to “integrate” into the rest of the world and tried to find solutions to problems between Syria and the West. Turkey is now trying to prevent an intervention like those of Libya and Iraq in Syria as well safeguard its own interests, clearly at risk from possible population change at the border from, as happened in Northern Iraq.

The policy pursued by Turkey to Syria enjoys mutual agreement across the political and military leadership. This is a detail which strengthens the diplomatic pressure upon Bashar al-Assad. It is characteristic that all diplomatic contacts with Syria are made directly from the Foreign Minister Davutoglu. Turkey is showing by all means that if Assad does not proceed to democratization and reforms, he has only one choice left: to abandon power. Otherwise he will have, at best, the same fate as former Egyptian President Mubarak or have the fate of Gaddafi or Saddam.

Cemil Turan is well-known Journalist and Writer

http://www.balkanspace.org/mat.php?lang=2&idm=188&idr=36

By Cemil Turan

It is undeniable that “Arab Spring” has strongly influenced political developments in Muslim countries, whether one agrees with the results of these popular uprisings or not. Somehow, political developments in Turkey are affected too, they have taken another form. Turkey’s Prime Minister, Recep Tayyp Erdogan has supported the “Arab spring” and has shaped accordingly his policy-making inside the country.

It is true that in the eight years of Erdogan’s government significant progress has been made for the democratization of the country, human rights as well as the weakening of the “deep state”. The incumbent, the Kemalist military and the conservative, regressive opposition of Turkey were faced with a political man who was determined for large and democratic changes.

And, this opposition has a really broad front, stretching from the extreme right to the left, within a strange agglomeration of forces and reactions, even on matters that were banners of political demands such as the Constitutional change that was enacted and applied since Evren’s junta. So, when Erdogan announced a referendum for the change of the junta constitution, all opposition reacted to something that should have been accepted with relief and support. In contrast to this puzzling reaction front, Turkish people rewarded Erdogan’s referendum.

Then, in the year of referendum, in 2009, Erdogan spoke to the minorities of Turkey, with statements that will remain in history: “Several ethnic minorities were expelled in this country. What have we won? Perhaps it’s time to think about our mistakes?”. After those statements, the state returned confiscated property to minorities.

It is true that Erdogan’s movements seem to be following the footsteps of the former President of the Republic of Turkey, Ozal. Ozal, in 1985, during his visit in Algeria, apologized to the Algerian people, because in 1958, in UN, when there was a resolution on the independence of Algeria, Turkey had stood neutral. Similarly, Erdogan, as the country’s Prime Minister, apologized to Kurdish people.

After the founding of the Turkish state, in 1922, in Kurdistan there have been many revolts against the Kemalist regime - 1925 the revolt of Sheikh Said, 1930-33 in Ararat and in 1936-39 in Dersim. Erdogan, based on official documents of the Turkish government, which bear the signature of the Minister of the interior Faik Oztrak, stated that in the last Dersim uprising 13,806 people were killed. “All the evidence shows that in Dersim there was genocide against the Kurdish people. Someone has to apologize, as a Prime Minister I am doing it, I apologize for this genocide. ”

That was really a big step in the Kurdish issue that initiated developments, along with several other democratization measures, for the smooth solution of the problem. This is something that probably the opposition does not wish. Many are those who argue that the armed conflicts that started in the border region are not at all random and “innocent”. There are also many who do not hesitate to say that behind this conflict there is an Israel’s plan and assistance to the Syria’s PKK.

Syria has every reason to help the PKK militants since the rivalry with Turkey is lasting for years and it has to do with territorial as well as “maritime” claims. Things have now deteriorated because of Turkey’s supportive attitude towards Syrian opposition. And those who forced Turkey to take an active part in the operation against Qaddafi, changing the initial position of non-intervention, have now left Turkey almost alone to support the revolt of the Syrian people. Besides, it is a fact that Erdogan has generally supported the rebellions of peoples in other Arab countries. It was therefore expected to take several measures against the Syrian government.

The Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced the sanctions that Turkey decided to impose on Syria, which consist of nine points and which freeze Turkish-Syrian relation till the formation of a government reconciled with the people. These measures are:

- Inhibition of strategic cooperation,

- Imposition of travel ban to Syrian officials

- Cessation of arm sales,

- Closure of the land, air and maritime space,

- Freeze of relations with the central bank,

- Freeze of the assets of Syria to Turkey

- Freeze of credit relations,

- Cessation of relations with the Commercial Bank of Syria

- Suspension of the loan agreement with Eximbank.

These measures were accompanied by the statement by Turkish Prime Minister: “We can not remain silent in the face of what is happening.”

Turkish government also allowed the opposition in Syria, Kurds and Arabs (Shi’ites and Sunnis) to make their meetings in Turkey. However, similar measures took Syria against Turkey too.

Everyone expects that the regime change in Syria will drift Iran too. Syrian people have reached their limits. Thousands of people, because of fear of death, flee on the Turkish side of the border, in Hatay town, where three refugee camps have been established. The Red Crescent with the help of the Turkish government has set up these camps which operate under satisfying conditions. The number of refugees fluctuates depending on developments in Syria. And right here is found another paradox of Turkish opposition: it disagrees and holds a negative attitude to this humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees.

And this absolute refusal has culminated with the latest denouncements of the opposition against Erdogan’s government. The cause of denouncements is recorded tapes that were given to the media and which include talks of contacts and meetings between MIT Turkey secret service and representatives of the PKK in Europe. One such meeting was held in Oslo among the head of MIT Hakan Fidan, deputy head Afet Gunes and the PKK.

It is unknown who channeled these tapes to the media, but their purpose was clear: not to solve the Kurdish issue. The opposition quickly denounced the Turkish government of sitting at the same table negotiating with Kurdish terrorists and it also tried to drift the Turkish people to this curse dance, who, however, gave absolutely no meaning or weight to the complaints.

Finally, Erdogan has won the trust of Turkish people and moves on to establish the new Turkish Constitution, with the participation in this democratic venture of intellectuals, professors, political and economic personalities. And, it is has been argued that this “wise men” committee has one and only concern: solving people’s problems as well as the democratization of the country. A constitution which we believe will lead to solving the Kurdish issue and then indeed we will have the real apology by Turkish Prime Minister to the Kurdish people. Furthermore, it will be another key step in achieving Erdogan’s the ambitions.

Author is well-known Journalist and Writer

http://www.balkanspace.org/mat.php?lang=2&idm=177&idr=36

Gulf News 01 Feb. 2012

Second busiest hub in Iraq achieves 37% rise in passenger traffic and 67% increase in cargo volumes last year

By Mariwan F. Salihi, Special to Gulf News

Erbil, Iraq: Erbil International Airport (EIA) achieved a 37 per cent rise in traffic last year to about 622,000 passengers and cargo volumes were up 67 per cent, making it Iraq’s busiest hub after Baghdad.

Further gains, albeit lower, are expected in both passenger and cargo throughput this year.

This reflects a period of consolidation for the airport amid the decline in air travel around the world stemming from the econ-omic turmoil.

Last year’s passenger numbers easily exceed the airport’s own four-year projections, which had predicted 430,000 passengers.

According to industry sources, the airport is currently in talks with regional and global airlines to operate new routes. Emirates and Qatar Airways are said to be among them.

Last March, amid the demonstrations in Bahrain, Gulf Air temporarily suspended its daily flights to Erbil, among all other destinations in Iraq and Iran, saying “the decision has been taken following the on-going security situation in the region”.

Gulf Air’s website suggests the Iraq flights might be restarted tomorrow.

The airport handles an average of 11 flights a day and around 38 cargo flights a month.

Routes launched last year include Turkish Airlines’ daily flights to Istanbul, and Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus’s run to Ankara, EgyptAir’s flights to Cairo, and Cyprus Airways to Larnaca. Etihad Airways increased its frequency from two to four flights a week.

Popular routes

The most popular dest-inations from the airport remain Istanbul and Baghdad, with Turkish Airlines and Atlas Jet leading the way on routes to Turkey’s largest city, while Iraqi Airways — the national carrier — continues to operate the most flights into Erbil with an average of around 95 a month.

Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, flydubai, Royal Jordanian and Middle East Airlines are among the others with scheduled passenger flights to Erbil.

Emirates SkyCargo, Etihad Crystal Cargo and DHL Aviation are among those servicing the cargo demand.

Established in 2004, the airport was expanded in 2010 when a new terminal opened. It also claims to offer one of the least expensive aviation fuel prices in the world, at less than 50 cents a litre.

Με ένα πλάνο θανάτου στη δική του μοναδική σκηνή, ο Θόδωρος Αγγελόπουλος συνεχίζει το ταξίδι του σε άλλους κόσμους. Κι εμείς, ρακένδυτοι πλέον θεατές, τον αποχαιρετούμε. Καλό ταξίδι Θόδωρε.

 «Ξεχάστε με στη θάλασσα»

«Σας εύχομαι υγεία και ευτυχία αλλά δεν μπορώ να κάνω το ταξίδι σας

Είμαι επισκέπτης

Το κάθε τι που αγγίζω με πονάει πραγματικά

κι έπειτα δεν μου ανήκει

Όλο και κάποιος βρίσκεται να πει “δικό μου είναι”

Εγώ δεν έχω τίποτε δικό μου είχα πει κάποτε με υπεροψία

Τώρα καταλαβαίνω πως το τίποτε είναι τίποτε

Ότι δεν έχω καν όνομα

Και πρέπει να γυρεύω ένα κάθε τόσο

Δώστε μου ένα μέρος να κοιτάω

Ξεχάστε με στη θάλασσα

Σας εύχομαι υγεία και ευτυχία».

(ανέκδοτο ποίημα του Θόδωρου Αγγελόπουλου γραμμένο το 1982 λίγο πριν από την έναρξη συγγραφής του σεναρίου της ταινία «Ταξίδι στα Κύθηρα»)

By Reina Saiki
Rudaw 17 Jan. 2012

Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan — Mountains. Huts. Squat toilets. I write candidly and with no offense – these are things I first thought of when I decided I will travel to Iraqi Kurdistan, to work for three weeks in the city of Erbil. Information was severely limited in regards to travel advice in Kurdistan; I mainly gathered bits and pieces from various blogs and travel forums. My lack of knowledge about Kurdish society and culture contributed to my shock when I walked off the plane and entered Erbil International Airport, a sleek, modern building with sparkling white floors, the most up-to-date security systems, and to my utter surprise, Western toilets.Though currently I am a graduate student, prior to my studies, I worked at former President Bill Clinton’s office in Harlem, New York City. As a Foreign Policy Researcher, I supported the President’s work by preparing briefings and reports related to his meetings abroad. Though I worked on briefing documents for a wide range of countries – from Europe to Asia, and even the slightly obscure countries like Macedonia – sadly, Kurdistan was never on the list.

Since arriving here, many locals have asked me what I think of Erbil and of Kurdistan. And I have embarrassingly answered each time that quite frankly, I was surprised at how big and modern the city is, admitting that the Kurdistan I had in my mind prior to my trip was a backwards country still recovering from Saddam-era oppression and bombings. I imagine I am certainly not the first foreigner to travel to Kurdistan with such unintentional, but blatant, ignorance. As I mentioned before, there is very little accurate travel information about Kurdistan freely available. Because the region is modernizing at a rapid pace, new businesses and buildings pop up every year, making it impossible to keep what little information that is available online completely up to date.

I had the opportunity to interview Newzad Hadi, Governor of Erbil, who gave me a historical overview of Erbil, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. From Assyrians, Persians, Romans, and to Mongols, the city has been touched by many, and nowhere can the region’s rich cultural history and marks of ancient civilization be seen more than in the Citadel located at the heart of Erbil.

“Everything I saw seemed to contradict my initial expectations.”

Complementing this historical significance is the city’s rapid development and its growing importance as an economic hub of Iraq. “We started out with about $4 billion in our 2004 budget for the region. In 2011, we had about $10 billion,” said Hadi. “We also support the private sector to be more active. We now have more than $11 billion in investment from the private sector. Erbil is becoming the capital of the economy of Iraq – it’s a big center for trade.”

And it shows. The malls I have visited are enormous and kept pristine; they easily rival the American malls I frequent back home. The many parks in Erbil are a welcome escape from the busy streets. According to Hadi, there are over 190 hotels in Erbil, and all of them are kept busy, especially in the summer time and during holiday seasons. Erbil also boasts hospitals with expert doctors who come from all across the region, private universities, and prestigious international schools. New infrastructure projects are constantly being planned to accommodate the rapidly growing city.

Outside of Erbil, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of other areas of Kurdistan. The bustling city of Sulaymaniya, encompassed by beautiful scenery. Dohuk and its surrounding mountains. The breathtaking views of the canyons and mountains in Northeastern Kurdistan. Everything I saw seemed to contradict my initial expectations.

The region itself is not the only thing that surprised me. The hospitality of the Kurdish people – their good nature, their spirited laughs, their unabashed curiosity to learn new things – startled me even more. The people here do not just offer their help, they insist on it. Even in my own home countries of America and Japan, I would seldom receive this kind of hospitality and genuine kindness.

Having had the opportunity to meet with and interview several MPs and party officials, I learned that in the political arena, Kurdistan is just as determined to mature and strengthen. What surprised me most was, despite the decades of oppression and abuse the Kurdish people have endured, how optimistic the people are, particularly those in politics. Or perhaps it is because of the repression they have overcome that they are able to plan for the future without being fettered by their past. Both the politicians and the general population display a certain confidence in their identity and a loyalty to their region that are unmatched anywhere else in the region.

Of course, Kurdistan is not without its problems and challenges. The Turkey-PKK conflict near the northern border puts the KRG at a difficult position vis-à-vis Turkey, a country that has increasingly become an important economic partner. Though living standards are quickly improving in the major cities, many rural areas still suffer from economic underdevelopment. The amount of garbage and litter on the streets was astonishing, given most Kurds’ pride in the magnificent beauty of their natural environment. Amnesty International has issued reports on the inhumane state of overcrowded prisons in Kurdistan, requesting the KRG to reform detention policies and construct new prisons.

“No matter how much Kurdistan changes, the people’s solidarity never will.”

Yet, there is no denying that politically and economically, both at the regional and global levels, Iraqi Kurdistan is fast developing into a major player. In a region rife with stalled democracy and a skewed sense of power, Kurdistan’s booming economy and political progress deserve far wider international recognition and support.

Hadi ended our interview with this. “We have suffered in the past,” he said. “And now we are our own. But we would never even think about taking revenge against those who wronged us in the past, against our people in Iraq…never.”

“We focus instead on the development of our region and our city to help our people. This region is the product of the efforts of the Kurds…the vision of the Kurds.”

From a prominent MP to one of the richest CEOs in Iraq, from my Rudaw colleagues to the young man selling CDs on Iskan Street, everyone I have had the pleasure of meeting is very proud of Kurdistan, but equally humble. Wealth is not flaunted and excessive display of opulence is not well received in Kurdistan, in stark contrast to other oil-rich nations of the Middle East. Despite the region’s growth and rapidly increasing wealth, it seems to me there is an unspoken acknowledgment that no matter how much Kurdistan changes, the people’s solidarity never will. Respect for each and every individual, for the family, for the community, and for Kurdistan – I believe it is these Kurdish values that politicians, businessmen, civil society leaders, and the citizenry hold dear to their heart and work to preserve that distinguish the region.