In a meeting between US President Barak Obama and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday, important decisions regarding the elimination of the PKK in northern Iraq were made. The US, which has been supporting Turkey with instant intelligence in the region against the PKK since 2007, has given the go-ahead for Turkey to organize a decisive military operation in the area.
Following the deaths of 11 soldiers in a terrorist attack on a military outpost in Gediktepe in late June, the military brass and the Cabinet met for a summit on terrorism under the chairmanship of President Abdullah Gül. One of the important findings of this convention was that the PKK continues to use northern Iraq as a base for its terrorist activities despite intelligence support from the US. A National Security Council (MGK) meeting held a few days after the terrorism summit also confirmed this conclusion, calling for increasing international cooperation against terrorism. Erdoğan, in his meeting with Obama, said that Turkey has given all the support it can to fighting terrorist groups active in the US and asked for US and NATO support for Turkey's fight against terrorism.
US to clean up Kandil
The government has been in contact with US, Iraqi and northern Iraqi officials since these decisions were made at the terrorism summit and the MGK meeting. In his meeting with Obama, Erdoğan expressed his opinion that the Kandil Mountains have turned into a new Bekaa -- a Syrian-controlled valley in Lebanon where the PKK was based for many years until Turkey threatened Syria with war if it did not put an end to it -- and expressed his wish to see this area cleansed of terrorist elements. The US administration noted Turkey's determination to purge the Kandil Mountains of terrorists and end the region's current position as an area being used as an extensive base for terrorist organizations and promised support. This promise includes more than intelligence sharing, but the US was not happy about Turkish troops remaining in the region once the terrorist elements are wiped out. Turkey, however, noted its concern regarding the failure of the administration of northern Iraq to ensure security in the region and asked for a solution which all three countries would agree to. Sources say the US is now planning to establish some long-term military bases in the region. Some analysts say Turkey might even start its operation in the region before fall if the PKK steps up its attacks. The timing of this operation will be up to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
Öcalan's meetings with lawyers
Among the measures Turkey will be taking against the rise in terrorist attacks is limiting Öcalan's links to the organization. Although Turkey has been expecting Öcalan to use commonsense at a time when civil society organizations based in the Kurdish-dominated East and Southeast have called on the PKK to lay down their arms, Öcalan has continued to direct the PKK from his jail cell through his lawyers, pushing the government's patience and tolerance to its limits. Öcalan uses his weekly meetings granted to him under the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) to make decisions for the PKK. The Justice Ministry has decided to limit the frequency of these meetings. At the same time, the government will provide the European Court of Human Rights with proof that Öcalan is using his meetings to lead the PKK.
