At the National Security Council (MGK), top Turkish state officials decided that any economic embargo on Iraq should for now be restricted to the energy and food sectors. Turkey has prepared short, medium and long-term embargo plans and is also thinking of closing down the single and most important border crossing between Turkey and Iraq, at Habur. Turkey had previouisly planned to construct another border crossing in Ovaköy as an alternative to Habur but was unable to make any progress with this project. As 85 percent of its construction has been concluded, the Nusaybin border crossing seems a more likely alternative to Habur.
However, it seems that Turkey’s Nusaybin project will have a greater impact on Turkish-US relations than on Turkish-Iraqi relations. The Habur border crossing had been constructed under a Cabinet resolution passed on July 18, 1969, but following the US occupation of Iraq, its control had passed to Kurdish groups. After about 100 Turkish truck drivers were killed in northern Iraq, Turkey had decided to open another border crossing in Ovaköy. During the negotiations over the parliamentary authorization for cooperation with the US over Iraq, Turkey had stipulated that the Ovaköy border crossing should be opened and that Turkish soldiers who would serve in Iraq should pass through this crossing.
But the government failed to obtain this authorization, and the cold winds started to blow over Turkish-US relations; this meant the interruption of construction in Ovaköy because neither the US nor the Kurdish groups in northern Iraq were content with Turkey’s plan to build another border crossing. Under a Cabinet resolution dated May 15, 2004 and numbered 2004/7276, Turkey had once again decided to open a border crossing in Ovaköy and give it the name of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s father, Ali Rıza Efendi, who was a Customs officer. Given the current state of affairs, Turkey discussed possible alternatives to Habur if the embargo on Iraq takes on unprecedented dimensions.
The government will decide what alternatives will be used in the event of closure of the Habur border crossing. Currently, the most viable alternative seems to be the Nusaybin border crossing, which is currently being modernized by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) under a build-operate-transfer model. An area of 10 kilometers on both sides of the border crossing had been cleared of land mines, and the crossing is currently closed to passage of trucks.
This crossing is capable of ensuring access to inner regions of Iraq passing through Syria and bypassing the areas controlled by Kurdish groups in northern Iraq. It is planned to be completed in early 2008 and the government has introduced revisions to the contract, requiring that X-ray devices, computer equipment and maintenance and repair be provided by the operating company. When it is opened, it will be more attractive than the Habur border crossing, experts say. TOBB, which had previously modernized the Habur border crossing for $50 million, has already spent $30 million for Nusaybin. Given recent developments, the government has decided to accelerate the Nusaybin border crossing project.
Will the US be content with passage via Syria?
The short and medium-term targets of Turkey’s embargo do not provide for complete closure of the Habur border crossing; however, Turkey is also pondering its options in the event of further worsening of bilateral relations with Iraq and full closure of the Habur border crossing. Turkey is aware of the fact that the US is currently sending 70 percent of the logistic needs of its troops in Iraq through the Habur border crossing and will not be warm to the idea of accessing Iraq via Syria, particularly considering the current state of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Full closure of Habur would render the US unable to provide logistical supplies to its troops in Iraq. For this reason, such an action may spark a crisis between Turkey and the US. Accordingly, Turkey is not planning to fully close down the crossing and is trying to decide on which export items will be sanctioned. Turkey will not block passage of medicine and medical products and may opt for allowing the provision of logistical supplies to US troops in Iraq.
Even if the US administration is persuaded to use the Syria route to access the inner regions of Iraq, it may not opt to use it due to security concerns. This is because the US thinks that most of the attacks on its troops in Iraq originate in Syria and sees northern Iraq as a relatively more secure region.
At the MGK meeting, the possible alternatives to the Habur border crossing were listed as follows: Mardin-Nusaybin-Kamışlı (railroad, currently open), Mardin-Nusaybin-Kamışlı (highway border crossing, currently open), Mardin-Şenyurt-Derbesiye (highway border crossing, currently closed), Şanlıurfa-Ceylanpınar-Ra’sal Ayn (used during religious festivals), Şanlıurfa-Akçakale-Tell Ağabeyyat (highway border crossing, currently open), Gaziantep-Karkamış-Carablus (highway border crossing, currently open), Gaziantep-Çobanbey-Akderun (railroad and highway border crossing, currently closed), Gaziantep-Islahiye-Ekbez (railroad, currently open), Kilis-Öncüpınar-El Selame (Azez) (highway border crossing, currently open), Hatay-Cilvegözü-Bab Al Hawva (highway border crossing, currently open), Hatay-Yayladağı-Kesep (highway border crossing, currently open).
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