Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
October 16, 2007

Iraq's Vice President Visits Turkey to Discuss Border Tensions
--------------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=19E554D:A6F02AD83191E16043248025AD15739A9574F7DCC14957C0 Turkey threatening
to launch military incursion against Kurdish separatist bases in
Northern Iraq With Turkey threatening to launch a military incursion
against Kurdish separatist bases of the Kurdish workers party in
Northern Iraq, Ankara is at the center of intense diplomatic activity.
Iraq's vice president and the Syrian president are the visiting the
Turkish capital for talks. For VOA, Dorian Jones reports from
Istanbul.









Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi answers questions during press
conference in Ankara, 16 Oct 2007Turkey is in the center of intense
diplomatic activity, with the visits of Iraqi Vice President Tariq
Al-Hashimi and Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. The visits come as
Turkish forces continue to mass on the Iraqi border. Ankara is
threatening to launch a large military incursion against bases of the
Kurdish workers party - the PKK - in Northern Iraq.

In the last two weeks, Turkey has blamed the PKK staging a series of
attacks that have killed 30 soldiers and civilians. Monday, the
Turkish government agreed to send a motion to parliament to sanction a
cross-border operation. According to analysts, Turkish threats are
causing deep concern among Turkey's neighbors. Government spokesman
Cemil Cicek on Monday sought to downplay the concerns.

He says the motion targets only the PKK and is designed to prevent
further bloodshed.

The Tuesday visit of Iraq's vice president and Syria president is
being interpreted as an attempt by Ankara to prepare the diplomatic
ground for a possible attack. Turkey and Syria have been regional
rivals for decades and any military incursion by Turkish forces into
Iraq would be viewed by Damascus with deep suspicion.

Baghdad is calling on Ankara to hold off an attack, to give it time to
deal with the PKK. International pressure on Turkey not to intervene
continues to grow. Washington has repeatedly called on Ankara to work
with Iraqi authorities. In the last week, two high-level American
diplomats visited Ankara to lobby against an intervention.

However, the Turkish government is under intense domestic pressure to
act.

Political scientist Cengiz Aktar says any intervention would have
wider objectives than just the PKK.

"The background of this affair is the uneasiness of the Turkish
establishment including Akp, (The ruling party) visa vis what is
happening in northern Iraq. This is the real issue, because there is a
sort of new state emerging," Aktar said.



Ankara fears any such Kurdish independent state could lead to similar
demands from its own Kurdish population. Relations between Ankara and
the Iraqi Kurdish political leadership have deteriorated in the last
year, despite Kurdish denials of any plans to declare an independent
state.


.