Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris
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20<br />
Revue <strong>de</strong> Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro <strong>de</strong> la Prensa-Basin Öz<strong>et</strong>i<br />
➼ this column noted last week, Salehi said on March 2 that "in the<br />
next election, Presi<strong>de</strong>nt Assad, like others, will take part, and the<br />
Syrian people will elect whomever they want … [the] official position of<br />
Iran is that ... Assad will remain legitimate presi<strong>de</strong>nt until the next ...<br />
election" in 2014. In response to a question by a Turkish reporter on<br />
March 7 about the feasibility of a Syria without him, Assad replied: "I<br />
can’t leave even if I wanted to. I will not abandon ship until we g<strong>et</strong> to a<br />
calm port in this storm. My people are behind me. If the storm ends one<br />
day, if there are elections, <strong>de</strong>mocracy comes and people tell to me<br />
leave, then I will. I mean I will go if I have to, but my people have to tell<br />
me that."<br />
March 12, 2013<br />
US Intelligence / By: Harvey McDaniel<br />
Turkey and Iran, being rivals are working<br />
toward influence in the Middle<br />
East.Turkey stature increase in the region is<br />
<strong>de</strong>pendant upon before Arab Spring is to<br />
mantain economic and political stabilization,<br />
and b<strong>et</strong>ter relations with a boastful<br />
Iran claimed Prime Minister Erdogen and<br />
Foreign Minister Davutoglu. Still ever cautious<br />
of relations with Iran, they continue to<br />
maintain relations with the US and NATO.<br />
Thanks to Dr. Anthony Cor<strong>de</strong>sman and his<br />
staff at the Center for Strategic and<br />
International Studies for supplied data with<br />
which ALU scholars can do a project analysis.The<br />
trends have turned to a cooling<br />
action because of Iranian support for the<br />
Assad regime and the Civil War in Syria.<br />
Prior to the outbreak of hostilities b<strong>et</strong>ween<br />
the Assad regime and the rebels, Turkey<br />
was negotiating free tra<strong>de</strong>, travel arrangements,<br />
mediation of Syria's indirect talks<br />
with Israel. Multiple visits b<strong>et</strong>ween 2003-<br />
2011 ensued. 2009 saw both governments<br />
<strong>de</strong>velop a "High Strategic Cooperation<br />
Council", hosting joint cabin<strong>et</strong> me<strong>et</strong>ings,<br />
and joint military exercises. Turkey's "zero<br />
problems" strategy focused on bringing<br />
Syria "in from the cold" which was hailed as<br />
a success. The non sheltering of Abdullah<br />
Ocalan opened the way for transit routes for<br />
Turkish trucks heading for the oil-rich Gulf<br />
States, which is a trading and important<br />
partner in Turkey's fight with the PKK<br />
Turkey viewed Syria as an east/south gateway<br />
for it's goal of integrating the Middle<br />
East (politically and economically). The<br />
results of Turkey and Syria's High level<br />
Strategic Cooperation Council me<strong>et</strong>ing in<br />
December 2010 focused on each one's<br />
cooperation was served as a mo<strong>de</strong>l for the<br />
region and is being monitored by the same;<br />
With future enhancements b<strong>et</strong>ween them<br />
and will change the future of the region.<br />
Taking a more realistic observation of the<br />
conflict in Syria, Iran and Turkey have<br />
eased relations because of being on opposite<br />
si<strong>de</strong>s of the conflict. International and<br />
domestic security interests is what Turkey<br />
sees. The Pkk attacks Turkish interests in<br />
Syria because of the lack of central state<br />
control (they have limited regional autonomy).<br />
The Pkk can gain a stronghold in<br />
northeast Syria to reinforce their effort of<br />
building a Kurdish state with an exten<strong>de</strong>d<br />
Civil War. By mid 2012 110,000 refugees<br />
went to Turkey forcing resources of the<br />
Turkish government to be pushed to the<br />
limit which s<strong>et</strong>s up Turkey for a long term<br />
refugee population. Syrian shelling and<br />
Turkish artillery have caused bor<strong>de</strong>r clashes,<br />
so that in 2012 a Turkish Phantom II j<strong>et</strong><br />
was shot down by the Syrian military.<br />
Ankara is supporting the Syrian opposition<br />
groups, using their territory (along<br />
the 511 mile long bor<strong>de</strong>r with Turkey) as a<br />
staging area for the Free Syrian Army and<br />
the Syrian National Council (now Syrian<br />
National Coalition).Turkey is thinking of<br />
invoking Article V of the NATO treaty in<br />
May and June 2013; they have been involved<br />
in an Article IV me<strong>et</strong>ing in October<br />
2012 to establish "humanitarian corridors"<br />
and a no fly zone.Turkey's concerns are that<br />
if there is an international effort to arm the<br />
rebels with additional weapons, it would<br />
increase the fighting and negatively effect<br />
the fighting in southeast Turkey. Iran's interests<br />
in Syria have come into conflict with<br />
Turkey's actions to the Assad regime. Being<br />
a critical access point for Iran because of, 1)<br />
closest to the Levant, 2) Israeli-Palestinian<br />
conflict, and 3) only ally globally or regionally<br />
since the revolution of 1979, they are<br />
trying to hold onto relations. Syria provi<strong>de</strong>d<br />
Iran with a supply line for supporting<br />
Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah can provi<strong>de</strong><br />
a r<strong>et</strong>aliation force, and threaten Israel's<br />
security giving Iran leverage in the Levant.<br />
Iran's regional ambitions would be short<br />
lived if they were to lose Syria (blow to<br />
power, and security).<br />
Trying to convince Bashir al-Assad to make<br />
top down reforms, Turkey was snubbed in<br />
their efforts to engage the Syrian government<br />
forcing the Turkey joined Western and<br />
Gulf states to call for him to step down,<br />
which was directly opposite for Iranian<br />
ambitions. Iran calling for peaceful negotiations<br />
maintained their stance that the violence<br />
is caused by the foreign power and<br />
terrorist interference. Both Iran and Turkey<br />
As Geoffrey Aronson wrote on Feb. 6: "In the past, the suggestion that<br />
Assad was prepared to lose an election in 2014 could not be ma<strong>de</strong> in<br />
polite company. No longer. This change does not insure success, but<br />
at the very least it helps to establish a formidable and broad-based<br />
diplomatic counterweight to the killing.”<br />
Syria remains in crisis, and all hopes for a peaceful outcome may y<strong>et</strong><br />
come to naught, as the parties seem to remain in a killing mood for<br />
now, but the signs of a trend toward a political solution <strong>de</strong>serve attention<br />
and priority, as the pursuit of a military solution means only more<br />
tragedy and <strong>de</strong>struction for Syria and the region. ❐<br />
Turkey and Iran's Cold War<br />
accused each other of causing the bloodshed<br />
in Syria. Turkey's accusations are that<br />
Iran is supporting the regime, and Iran's<br />
accusations is that the Western powers are<br />
inflaming the peaceful situation. Ankara's<br />
support and <strong>de</strong>nunciation of Assad is<br />
<strong>de</strong>emed as a b<strong>et</strong>rayal, because of Turkey's<br />
cooperation with the west Iran claims. Iran<br />
still has priviledged access in Damascus.<br />
ALU scholars, in doing their initial project<br />
analysis, looking into related facts<br />
conclu<strong>de</strong>d that Turkey and Iran both ma<strong>de</strong><br />
claims that each other supported opposing<br />
si<strong>de</strong>s in the Syrian civil War. Turkey claims<br />
that Iran had an ally since their revolution in<br />
1979, which is supplying them a supply<br />
route for materials to be sent to Hezbollah<br />
in Lebanon. Their claims would further<br />
un<strong>de</strong>rmine the mediation with Syria based<br />
on the account of the Israeli-Palestinian<br />
conflict, providing a r<strong>et</strong>alian force against<br />
Israel, and giving them leverage in the<br />
Levant. Iran's counterclaims of Turkey<br />
trying to invoke Article V of the NATO<br />
treaty, trying to adhere to the Article IV suggestions<br />
of a "humanitarian corridor" and a<br />
no fly zone, Syria being an east/south gateway<br />
(prior to the conflict) spread their<br />
influence in integrating the Middle East.<br />
Both of them are also looking into the PKK<br />
building of a Kurdish state in northeast<br />
Syria. ALU suggestions would be to, 1)<br />
negotiation with iran, Turkey, and Syria into<br />
a Free Kurdish zone in northeast Syria with<br />
United Nations monitoring, 2) the 110,000<br />
refugees in Turkey will need humanitarian<br />
support from worldwi<strong>de</strong> sources, 3)<br />
Turkey's zero problems strategy should still<br />
be put into effect, 4) Turkey to continue<br />
mediation of their indirect talks with Israel,<br />
5) Iran should <strong>de</strong>crease it's support for<br />
Hezbollah in lebanon, 6) the Assad regime<br />
should bring Turkey and Iran to the table<br />
(US, United Nations and NATO are observers),<br />
for discussions. Turkey, Iran, The<br />
United States, NATO, and the United Nations<br />
should draft a resolution to "Rebuild Syria<br />
for Syrians", to inclu<strong>de</strong> cease fires, limited<br />
peace treaty, free tra<strong>de</strong> zones, humanitarian<br />
efforts, and general infrastructure building<br />
to <strong>de</strong>velop a key gateway for regional stability.<br />
❍