Ambassador's Remarks and Public Events

Ambassador Ross Wilson  Interview with CNNTurk

Hyatt Hotel Istanbul, June 14, 2007

Question: …find a solution to the PKK problem, Iraqi government, Kurdish authorities, United States and Turkey should cooperate together. But, also, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that a cross-border operation is not a good idea, and would not contribute to the solution of the problems. Does this mean that the United States is against every kind of cross-border act? While I’m asking you, if your government would support minor operations or limited cross-border acts? Are you against all kinds of cross-border acts?

Ambassador Wilson: Let me answer your questions, I think, in two ways. First, I’m not going to try, from the last part of your remarks, to parse certain words of Secretary Rice. I think what she said is clear enough; what she said reflects the thinking that we have had for a long time; and the concerns that we have about the prospects for stability and reconciliation, and a kind of security regime in Iraq, that we want to see, that Turkey wants to see, and I think most of Iraq’s neighbors, ultimately want to see. Second; we have long recognized and we have long talked about the obligation that every democratically elected government - in fact, every government – has to protect their citizens; and the right that governments have and that security forces have, to act on behalf of the welfare of their people. Of course, governments also have an obligation, as do we, to try to find what we think will be the wisest, and especially the most effective way of doing that. That’s something I think the Turkish authorities are perfectly capable of doing, they have been doing, and I’m sure, they will continue to do. And we trust in their judgment. To turn to the first part of your question. What we believe is  - what we are trying to work on – is cooperation between the United States and Turkey in dealing with the PKK; dealing with the PKK here, in Turkey; dealing with the PKK in Europe, and its fundraising capabilities. We are also trying to engender cooperation between the authorities in Ankara and in Baghdad, to try to come up with more effective strategies that will help ensure Iraq will not be a base of terrorist activity against this country.

Question: Mr. Ambassador, can you put it this way: Can you say that you are totally against any kind of military operation?

Ambassador Wilson: I’ll stand by what I just said a moment ago.

Question: Let me ask you about Mr. Barzani’s statement, in recent days. When he met with Iraqi President, Mr. Talabani, in Suleymaniye, he told to reporters that we will not fight against the PKK. However, we also know that the United States Administration asked Kurdish authorities to struggle against the PKK. So how will you convince the Kurdish authority to struggle and fight against PKK? How will you advise them?

Ambassador Wilson: We’ve been talking with the Iraqi Kurdish leadership and the Iraqi leadership for a very long time about this problem. What we hear from them is that they oppose the PKK; they do not want the PKK in Iraq. The authorities in the north, do not want the PKK in the north. They believe it is bad for a kind of new Iraq that they’re trying to build. We obviously need to continue to work on them, to try to persuade them to take more effective measures, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do.

Question: Last question, because we are running out of time. In recent days, there’s a growing anti-American sentiment here in Turkey, after the death of nearly 16 soldiers from the beginning of this month. Do you think Mr. Ralston’s efforts are enough, or are you considering to take new actions against the struggle against PKK?

Ambassador Wilson: Well, first, we condemn the PKK; we condemn its activities in this country; and we’re determined to do all that we can to help the Turkish people to deal with this terrible terrorist threat. We want to do more; we’re trying to do more; we’re working very hard on it. I don’t have a higher priority here in terms of what I do, and in terms of what my Mission does. I deeply regret and am deeply saddened by these deaths. They don’t reflect well upon the kind of cooperation that we’re trying to build; they don’t reflect well on the cooperation and the work that we are doing together. We need to produce – together, the United States and Turkey, the authorities of our two governments – need to produce more effective results that the Turkish people can see and can appreciate. And I understand that.

Question: Thank you very much.

Ambassador Wilson: Thank you.