barfly
06-01-03, 09:11
Turkey says studying historic claims to N.Iraq oil
By Steve Bryant
ISTANBUL, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister was
quoted on Monday as saying historical treaties and ethnic ties
gave Turkey the right to a say in the future of oil-rich areas
in northern Iraq in the event of any U.S.-led war.
"This is a sensitive issue for us. We are discussing it with
the United States. They say every time that they understand our
worries and share our views," Minister Yasar Yakis told the
Hurriyet newspaper.
He said Turkey had no intention of claiming the fields for
itself in the event of a U.S.-led war in neighbouring Iraq and
stressed Turkey wanted the oil to be used by a central Iraqi
authority for the benefit of all Iraqis.
Yakis said he was examining early 20th century treaties to
see whether Turkey even had a legal claim to oilfields around
the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.
"If we do have rights ... we have to explain that to the
international community and our partners and secure those
rights," Yakis told the mass-circulation daily.
Iraqi reserves, the world's second largest after Saudi
Arabia, are at the centre of a tug-of-war between countries
hoping to grab a share of Baghdad's oil wealth once United
Nations sanctions are lifted.
Turkey is dragging its feet on promises of support for any
U.S. strikes on Iraq, fearful of unrest and damage to Turkey's
fragile economic recovery.
OTTOMAN ERA LEGACY
Yakis's comments were the first high-level mention of the
international treaties made in 1920s after the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire and underlines Ankara's determination to have a
say in the future of Iraqi oil after any war.
Turkish nationalists have previously spoken of the treaties
and many Turks feel that Britain cheated Turkey out of its
rights at the time.
Yakis said lawyers were studying the documents.
"We are having that examined now. In other words we have to
examine whether there has been anything in later years that
cancelled out those rights," he said.
Yakis said Turkey's own security as well as the interests of
the Turkish-speaking minority in northern Iraq all meant Turkey
had an interest in stability in the region, just across its
southeastern border.
"When there is a war there will be an authority vacuum
there. If that vacuum is something that damages Turkey's
legitimate security and strategic interests then Turkey may have
to take measures," he said.
Turkey, the second-largest armed forces in NATO, has long
kept troops inside northern Iraq to crack down on Kurdish rebels
that use the mountains as a base. Northern Iraq has been under
Kurdish control since after the 1991 Gulf War and is protected
by U.S. air patrols based in Turkey.
Turkey has recently increased its military presence in the
mountainous region, saying it needs to prepare food and shelter
for a possible wave of Kurdish refugees from any fighting.
((Writing by Steve Bryant; Editing by Ercan Ersoy; Reuters
messaging: steve.bryant.reuters.comreuters.net; Istanbul
Komt de aap dan eindelijk uit de mouw?
By Steve Bryant
ISTANBUL, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister was
quoted on Monday as saying historical treaties and ethnic ties
gave Turkey the right to a say in the future of oil-rich areas
in northern Iraq in the event of any U.S.-led war.
"This is a sensitive issue for us. We are discussing it with
the United States. They say every time that they understand our
worries and share our views," Minister Yasar Yakis told the
Hurriyet newspaper.
He said Turkey had no intention of claiming the fields for
itself in the event of a U.S.-led war in neighbouring Iraq and
stressed Turkey wanted the oil to be used by a central Iraqi
authority for the benefit of all Iraqis.
Yakis said he was examining early 20th century treaties to
see whether Turkey even had a legal claim to oilfields around
the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk.
"If we do have rights ... we have to explain that to the
international community and our partners and secure those
rights," Yakis told the mass-circulation daily.
Iraqi reserves, the world's second largest after Saudi
Arabia, are at the centre of a tug-of-war between countries
hoping to grab a share of Baghdad's oil wealth once United
Nations sanctions are lifted.
Turkey is dragging its feet on promises of support for any
U.S. strikes on Iraq, fearful of unrest and damage to Turkey's
fragile economic recovery.
OTTOMAN ERA LEGACY
Yakis's comments were the first high-level mention of the
international treaties made in 1920s after the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire and underlines Ankara's determination to have a
say in the future of Iraqi oil after any war.
Turkish nationalists have previously spoken of the treaties
and many Turks feel that Britain cheated Turkey out of its
rights at the time.
Yakis said lawyers were studying the documents.
"We are having that examined now. In other words we have to
examine whether there has been anything in later years that
cancelled out those rights," he said.
Yakis said Turkey's own security as well as the interests of
the Turkish-speaking minority in northern Iraq all meant Turkey
had an interest in stability in the region, just across its
southeastern border.
"When there is a war there will be an authority vacuum
there. If that vacuum is something that damages Turkey's
legitimate security and strategic interests then Turkey may have
to take measures," he said.
Turkey, the second-largest armed forces in NATO, has long
kept troops inside northern Iraq to crack down on Kurdish rebels
that use the mountains as a base. Northern Iraq has been under
Kurdish control since after the 1991 Gulf War and is protected
by U.S. air patrols based in Turkey.
Turkey has recently increased its military presence in the
mountainous region, saying it needs to prepare food and shelter
for a possible wave of Kurdish refugees from any fighting.
((Writing by Steve Bryant; Editing by Ercan Ersoy; Reuters
messaging: steve.bryant.reuters.comreuters.net; Istanbul
Komt de aap dan eindelijk uit de mouw?