Retired Diplomats and Generals Urge Solution to Kurdish Issue

NTV news has reported that the “Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies”  (Bilgesam) has produced a report entitled “Turkey Today and Tomorrow”. Written by retired ambassador İlter Türkmen, the report also contains the subheading “Kurdish question”.

The report is yet to be launched officially, and this will happen on 5 March in Istanbul. However, NTV has said that the opinions of retired ambassadors İlter Türkmen, Oktay İşçen, Güner Öztek, Fahir Alaçam and retired generals Aytaç Yalman and Oktar Ataman and retired admiral Salim Dervişoğlu are cited on the Kurdish question.

Some of the comments and suggestions made in the report are:

• In the years ahead, the Kurdish issue will continue to be Turkey’s most difficult exam. As long as a comprehensive solution is not found, the unity, security and stability of Turkey will continue to be threatened.
• Turkey must manage to solve the Kurdish question internally. Otherwise, it will later face a transborder identity problem rather than an internal ethnic problem.
• Within a unitary state, a Kurdish cultural identity must be acknowledged.
• More tolerance must be extended towards ethnical political parties. It has to be remembered that such parties, if they act constitutionally, are an important obstacle to the continuation of terrorism.
• Although the Kurdish broadcasts of TRT have been met with satisfaction, they must be widened as to be watched not only in Turkey but the whole region. Private channels must be given the same rights.
• In places where there is demand, Kurdish should be taught as an elective class. It may be useful to let some universities found Kurdology Institutes and departments of Kurdish language and literature.
• Investments in Northern Iraq should not exclude, but rather include the Southeast of Turkey and thus create a structure of mutual dependence. To achieve this, the number of border gates should be increased, passage either way should be made easier, and services should be improved. Companies from the area exporting into Northern Iraq should be given the necessary encouragement and tax exemptions. (TK/AG)