Statements by U.S. Officials

Senior Advisor on Iraq, Ambassador David Satterfield Roundtable Interview

Ankara, Turkey - March 31, 2008

Moderator:  I’d like to introduce Ambassador David Satterfield, our Senior Advisor and Coordinator for Iraq.  He’s been doing that for almost two years and before that, of course, he was our Deputy Chief of Mission in Baghdad and has served in several other places particularly in the Near East and South Asian Affairs Bureaus.  Ambassador Satterfield is on one of his regular visits to the region and he just came from Baghdad, I believe, directly.  He spent some time in Iraq.  So I’m sure he has some interesting things to say about his latest observations.  So I will let Ambassador Satterfield say a few words upfront and we can open it to questions.  And this is all on the record. 

Ambassador Satterfield:  How much time do we have?

Moderator:  About 45 minutes.

Ambassador Satterfield:  I would open by noting that the United States and Turkey share a common interest in seeing a secure and stable Iraq emerge and flourish, an Iraq which is not the source of threat, of violence or terror to any of its neighbors or to the region as a whole, an Iraq in which positive progress on economic, social issues as well as an Iraq which contributes to the peace and stability of the broader Middle East and the region is the goal.  This is a common U.S.-Turkish vision.

Iraq is threatened by the same forces which threaten the Middle East as a whole: Iran’s hegemonistic ambitions and direct support for violence within Iraq, by Sunni Islamist terror, Al-Qaeda’s activities, and Iraq is threatened as well - all Iraqis, Kurds and non-Kurds - by a terrorist organization which also threatens Turkish citizens, the PKK.  In Baghdad, as well as here in Ankara today, I have had discussions, Iraqi government officials have had discussions, the United Nations Special Representative has had discussions with Turkish officials on how together we can work to move Iraq forward and address these threats. 

The Turkish government sees a broad range of positive engagements with Iraqis and with the Iraqi government; economic, social, cultural, security.  We want to see those ties encouraged and we want to see those ties developed for the sake of Iraq and Turkey.

We will work closely with the Turkish government, with our partners in the Iraqi government, as well as with our partners in the Kurdish regional government to see that these objectives of a stable, secure and peaceful Iraq free of terror of all kinds are achieved.  It’s particularly important at this moment when the tension is focused on the situation in Basra to recognize as the Turkish government, and my government recognizes, that confronting forces engaged in violence and advancing economic opportunity for the citizens of Iraq are two parts of the same challenge.  How to achieve stability and security?  We will work closely with the Turkish government, in Iraq as well as here, so that together, and with other partners, including among others the government of Kuwait and private investment from the Gulf, we can see that opportunities given for Iraqis throughout the country but particularly in the South, in areas such as Basra, to develop in a peaceful fashion. 

We welcomed Turkey’s hosting last November of the Expanded Neighbors Conference Ministerial Meeting.  Both we and Turkey look forward to the next meeting in Kuwait on April 22 of the neighbors, and we hope that can be a productive opportunity for the government of Iraq and for the states in the region, the participants in that conference, to reaffirm their commitment through positive steps to work to facilitate security and stability in Iraq.

Iraq still faces considerable challenges from inside and from outside.  But it is important to recall the progress that has been made over the last year, over the last several months towards greater security, more economic opportunity and political reconciliation.  While much remains to be done, much has been accomplished.  In particular, the passage of a National Hydrocarbon Framework Law that will allow Iraq and Iraq’s citizens to benefit fully from their hydrocarbon resources, and the necessary steps to permit the holding of local elections, provincial elections in Iraq this fall, are critical goals. 

With respect to the PKK, the U.S. regards the PKK as a terrorist organization.  It is a terrorist organization at whose hands far too many innocent Turks have suffered and continue to suffer.  But innocent Kurds have also suffered, and the stability of the north of Iraq has suffered from the PKK’s operations and continued presence.  It is in the interest of all parties that there be a definitive end to this threat, to this challenge to peace and security.  Such a definitive resolution will require a comprehensive approach, an approach which has military, social, economic and political aspects.  Steps will need to be taken to induce as many as possible of those who associate with the PKK to leave that organization and return to the normal life of Turkish citizens.

We will continue, the government of Iraq will continue to work closely together to address this common challenge.  We, together, encourage the Kurdish leadership to take the steps necessary, for their own interest, to help bring this situation to a resolution.  We welcome the steps that the Kurdish regional government has taken to date to address the PKK issue. Further steps will be necessary.

With that, I’d be happy to take your questions.

Question:  Thank you for the information you’ve given us.  I’d like to ask you about your words about confrontation of violence and the military, social and economic aspects that we need to take steps against PKK.  For instance, the PKK in return has some demands to start life as normal Turkish citizens.  They want a pardon, a general reprieve law to be passed, and they want Ocalan to be released from prison.  So do you think Turkish government needs to be in negotiation for these points.  What are your expectations from Turkey?

Ambassador Satterfield:  The Turkish government has expressed its own support for a comprehensive approach to a resolution of the challenge posed by the PKK, an approach which includes the elements that I discussed.  With respect to the particular questions that you ask, these are measures for the Turkish government to decide upon, not for us.  But the important point here is it is the position of your government which we welcome: that a comprehensive approach that includes, but goes beyond military actions will be necessary to resolve this issue.

Question:  Did you have a chance to meet with your counterpart, Mr. Ozcelik today.  I believe he has recently come from Baghdad as well.  Another part of my question is, during the talks Vice President Cheney had in Ankara and the talks with the Iraqi President Talabani and Turkish officials, did the issue of contact with regional Kurdish leadership come up?  And did Turkish officials convey their position to you; if such contact would be established, if they plan to establish such contact to improve relations between Iraq and Turkey?

Ambassador Satterfield:  Well, yes.  In Baghdad as well as today in Ankara, I met with Mr. Ozcelik.  I look forward to further meetings with him and with his team in Baghdad in the future.  His presence is very inportant.  His engagement with all of the parties on the Iraqi scene, as is the case with us as well, is necessary.  Turkey has many interests in Iraq.  Certainly the PKK threat is one of those interests, but it is only one of those interests.  Turkey’s concerns for Iraq and in Iraq extend beyond the simple dimensions of the PKK terrorist threat.  There are economic interests, there are political interests, there are overarching security interests in a stable, secure and prosperous Iraq.  Certainly, we support that goal, we will work with Turkey to advance them.  With respect to the specific conversations with President Talabani, or Vice President Cheney, I will leave to the Turkish government to characterize those discussions in detail.  I will say that we regard the talks that were held here with President Talabani and his delegation as exceptionally positive and constructive - that is certainly the view I think of the Turkish government and of President Talabani, himself.  And we would welcome further such contacts.  What is important here, for the government of Turkey as well as for other governments, is at this stage of Iraq’s development, to have the maximum degree of contacts, the maximum degree of a presence and exposure to the situation there.  What happens in Iraq is important.  It is important not just for the United States, it is important for Turkey, it is important for all of Iraq’s neighbors, it’s important for the Middle East as a whole.  And our message, not just to the government of Turkey, but the governments of the Gulf, the Middle East in general, is that you should be engaged, you should be present, you should have communication with the leaderships in Iraq - not for the sake of Iraq or for the United States, but for your own interests.  There is a common concern for security of this region, confronting a threat posed by Iran, a threat posed by jihadist terror.  For those threats to be addressed engagement is necessary with Iraq.  And we welcome what Turkey is doing.  We would hope that the other neighbors constructively engage as well.

Question:  In order to eliminate the PKK threat, first we need to get rid of PKK leaders who are based in northern Iraq, and there have been some expectations from northern Iraq administration as well as central administration in Baghdad and United States.  But these expectations have not been met, yet.  So may we have your comments on that?

Ambassador Satterfield:  We certainly want to see the maximum amount of effort possible from the Iraqi government, from the Kurdish regional government who are important players in all of this and have an important responsibility in this issue, to address the challenge posed, the threat posed to their interests, as well as to Turkey’s interest by the presence of the PKK in northern Iraq.  And we continue as the United States to be directly engaged, the Turkish government is certainly working to advance these goals through its own contacts and dialogue.  With respect to the cooperation between the United States and the government of Turkey and the Turkish Armed Forces, that is a cooperation that we believe serves our U.S.-Turkish mutual interest that helps advance the stability and security of Iraq and the region and that cooperation will continue.  And I, frankly will not comment on a view that the cooperation is in some fashion deficient or hasn’t met expectations.  It is something we regard as extremely positive, as one element in what must be a comprehensive package of approaches to a resolution of the PKK. 

Question:  I’d like to ask you what you mean specifically when you refer to the aspects other than military aspects to bring a solution to PKK because our main opposition leader Mr. Baykal has said that ‘after the cross-border operation of Turkish government, we will see a new package of propositions that will bring about a political solution to this problem.  So, in line with his words, what do you mean specifically? 

Ambassador Satterfield:  I am not going to comment on a domestic Turkish political statement or issue.  I will say that the Turkish government is of the same view as our government - that a full resolution of the PKK issue, a definitive end to this issue - will require a comprehensive set of measures.  Military steps are part of those comprehensive measures, but in addition to military steps, social, economic and political developments that take from the PKK the ability to attract or retain its cadres, that encourage the return to the life of the state as many as possible of the PKK and reduce that organization and its appeal to the maximum extent possible, those are elements of the comprehensive approach which my government, which your government believe are necessary.  How they are implemented, the precise content of these steps, those are Turkish decisions to make.  But the principal is one which is accepted.

Question:  I want to come back with relations between Turkish government and Kurdish regional government.  Correct me if I’m wrong, U.S. always asks Turkey to connect with the  Kurdish regional government, but until today there’s no official connection between Ankara and Erbil.  How do you evaluate this?

Ambassador Satterfield:  Well, I will not speak to your description of what is or is not the state of Turkish government contacts with Kurdish regional government officials.  That’s a question to address to the Turkish government itself.  We are, of course, in close contact with the Kurdish regional government. The Kurdish regional government leadership is a critical part of the leadership of Iraq as a nation.  And the interests of the United States- and we believe the interests of Turkey-  in a stable, peaceful and prosperous Iraq which is not the source of threat of any kind, terrorist or otherwise to its neighbors, is best served by the most extensive dialogue and contacts possible. The Kurdish regional government, as I said, to state the obvious, has a major role to play in addressing - not the only role, but a major role to play - in addressing the challenge posed by the PKK, not just Turkey and your security, but also to the stability of the north and the Kurdish regional government itself.  Kurds have suffered from PKK violence, as have Turks. The Kurdish regional government does have a responsibility in this regard, it is a responsibility that we believe that they should focus upon.  They should continue to take steps that constrain the ability of the PKK to operate.  They should make very clear that the PKK is a terrorist organization, no ambiguity.  I think President Talabani addressed these issues very clearly in the discussions which he had here in Ankara.  The Kurdish regional government needs to do so as well, and we believe direct contacts with the Kurdish regional government are an important element of any approach to the PKK challenge.

Question:  The termination of Turkey’s ground operation in Iraq was very much discussed in Turkey, and the U.S. influence on the end of such operation was a controversial issue here.  What if that comes up again?  What if the possibility of a hot pursuit comes up again?  What will be the stand of the U.S.?

Ambassador Satterfield:  Let me make clear, as your government has made clear, the decision to embark upon the ground operation and the decision to bring that operation to a close were Turkish decisions.  Full stop.  They were Turkish decisions.  With respect to the north, with respect to actions against the PKK, we understand Turkey’s right to defend itself from terrorist attacks.  We’ve made that very clear.  We ask that as Turkey considers its response to the threat of PKK terror that it consider also issues that affect the stability of Iraq which is also an important goal for all of us.

Question:  Thank you, Mr. Ambassador, for your time.

Ambassador Satterfield:  Thank you very much. My pleasure.