R. Nicholas Burns Interview on CNN-Turk

Interview on CNN-Turk

R. Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs

Ankara, Turkey
January 19, 2007

Released by U.S. Embassy-Ankara, TurkeyMr. Burns, thank you very much for joining us. It’s a pleasure to welcome you for us to here. Just I want to start with Mr. Dink’s assassination. You and Mr. Ambassador made a statement in front of the Prime Ministry. We know that there is a bill* regarding Armenian Genocide. It is in the agenda of the Congress. In which direction this assassination can affect the process in Washington. What is your view on that?

QUESTION:

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Well, first let me say that we were very shocked and saddened by his murder today in Istanbul and obviously, our condolences and our heartfelt sorrow goes out to his family and friends. He was, I had never met him, but I’m told he was a very courageous man who stood for reconciliation between Turks and Armenians, a cause that we support in our country.

We know that the government of Turkey has made a very strong statement condemning this murder, Prime Minister Erdogan and his Cabinet members. We had a chance to talk to Foreign Minister Gul who told us how shocked the Turkish Government was. So, I think what’s important now, is that the Turkish Government obviously be given some time to investigate and to see who is responsible. And we wish the Turkish Government well and we know that they will take that responsibility very seriously.

QUESTION: Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Burns, you know there are critics about Turkey regarding Armenian genocide and one Armenian journalist is killed in Istanbul. In which direction it will affect the bill* in the congress?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Oh, I think it is impossible to say because the resolutions are months away, but obviously, what’s going to be very important is that the government follow up and investigate seriously and aggressively and that those who murdered him are…well, this is a despicable act of murder, an act of terrorism and they should be brought to justice, there is no question about this.

QUESTION: Are you concerned about the passing of the bill*?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: I think, today a human being has been killed. First and formost we are shocked; we’re sorry for his family and I think that our sentiments have to be there first. I think our position on a resolution is well known. What’s important now is that those who stand up for reconciliation between Armenians and Turks, that that community be listened to and that the people who brought about this murder be apprehended. I think the focus ought to be on events here right now.

QUESTION: About Kirkuk. We know the time is very tight. Ankara is demanding the postponement of referenda in Kirkuk, not in 2007, but later on. The Arab states, the Egyptian Foreign Minister was here, and they are requesting such a thing. The Turkomans living in Kirkuk are also in this way. The Arabs living in Kirkuk are demanding this. The United States and the Kurds are insisting on the punctuality the referendum. Why?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: First and foremost, this is an important issue for the Iraqi’s themselves and we have to remember: it’s Iraqis who run that country now. It’s not the United States, it’s not any other country. They are sovereign, the Government of Iraq of Prime Minister Malaki has to take this decision. It has been part of the Constitutional process and a debate over the Constitution in Iraq and so for them, for the Iraqis this is also a very sensitive and serious issue. And what we would like to do is to encourage countries that have an interest, of course, talk to the Iraqi Government. Whether it’s an Arab, country whether it’s Turkey. Express the sentiments of the Government in Ankara, the Government in Cairo. But in the final analysis all of us need to respect the fact that Iraq is sovereign, Iraqis need to work out these very challenging problems on their own.

QUESTION: Mr. Burns you are right, but at the end the United States forces, the coalition is the main rule sector in Baghdad and, for instance, in Mr. President Bush’s plan some responsibilities for Baghdad Administration. If Iraq is fully sovereign why Bush is demanding some new responsibilities from the Baghdad Government. Then that’s why, in this respect, shouldn’t the American Administration have a request regarding Kirkuk in order to provide the security in the region?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: You know, I think it should be very clear what our responsibilities are and what they’re not. We have been asked by the Iraqi Government to provide security for their borders, to help the Iraqi armed forces provide security in the major cities in the country and to try to bring about a greater sense of stability and order in the country so the Iraqis can get on with the business of rebuilding a country that was shattered by war and by 25 years of Saddam Hussein. What we are not responsible for, and I don& rsquo;t think most of your viewers will want us to be responsible for, is the basic decisions about how Iraqis organize their political life, how they make difficult decisions when there are competing interests and competing demands. We are not an occupier in that sense. We are a country that has been invited to do a specific job, but the responsibility for civil matters, legal matters, constitutional matters rests with the elected officials of the Government of Iraq. That is a very important principle that all of us need to respect.

QUESTION: Mr. Burns, you are right, but at the end so few deadlines were kept in Iraq regarding the elections, regarding the formation of the Parliament and the Government and nobody is requesting the cancellation of the referendum, but the postponement. And that’s why will it destruct the stability and all the process just postponing the referendum?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: You know, I think that has to be a decision made by all the people involved on the Iraqi side, the various politicians from political parties and from different ethnic groups. They are the ones who in the final analysis need to make this decision. Now, we certainly recognize that this is a sensitive issue in Turkey. I have heard a lot about this in the last two days from all the Turkish political figures, and we respect that sensitivity, and we encourage the Turkish Government to carry on a dialogue with the Iraqi authorities about this. Of course, Turkey has the right to express its opinion, no one would say otherwise, but decisions have to be made by the government in charge. Just as the Turkish Government makes decisions here, of course, about what happens in Turkey, it’s the Iraqis in the final analysis who have this responsibility.

QUESTION: There are some comments in Ankara that Kurds gave the most concrete support to the United States forces during the operation in Iraq, but The Turks not. And now Turkey is paying the cost. Is it right?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Oh, I wouldn’t look at it that way at all. I don& rsquo;t think that’s accurate. Turkey is a NATO ally of the United States. Turkey is one of our most important strategic partners world wide. We have a very good relationship between our governments. That’s not how we treat a friendly government, but it’s certainly true that we are very close to the Kurdish political leadership in northern Iraq, that the Kurds represent an important part of the overall Iraqi political process and that all of those Iraqi elements - the Shia and the Sunni and Kurd – need to work on making the basic decisions that are going to be so important for the future of the country regarding oil, regarding the legal process and even regarding the questions that you put in front of me.

QUESTION: Mr. Burns, regarding the integrity of Iraq, there are so many concerns in Ankara that it will divide it into three; the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shia. Can you guarantee or can you say that Iraq will be intact at the end of the day.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: The United States certainly agrees with Turkey that we both support one Iraq. No one wants to see, we don’t want to see the country divided into various factions, the Turkish Government doesn’t. We had a very good opportunity here in Ankara over the last two days to talk to the Turkish authorities about our strategy for Iraq, about what Turkey can do and what the European countries can do to be helpful to the Iraqi Government. But I think we are absolutely agreed with the Turkish authorities and the Turkish people that we want to see the state held together. We want to see one Iraq under its current borders in the future.

QUESTION: Regarding PKK. In Mahmour Camps American troops made an operation and couldn’t find any gun and surprisingly. What will be the next step? To close the Mahmour Camp or regarding combat with PKK?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: First of all, we are standing with Turkey, with Turkey, in support of Turkey in the battle against the PKK. The PKK is a vicious terrorist organization. It’s been sanctioned by the United States. We are Turkey’s partner in convincing other countries, European countries, to take a tough stance against it and we are going to support the Turkish Government in insisting that the number of attacks against Turkish soldiers and civilians be diminished. As you know, we are working with the Turkish and Iraqi Governments to try to see if there is a solution to these attacks and to this problem. The Mahmour Camp has been a source of support in some respects for the PKK and we must not allow that to continue. So, frankly, it was a very important first step for the U.N. authorities….with the Iraqi authorities; excuse me with the assistance of the United States to make an inspection of that camp, that is a first step. We will do more and ultimately our country believes that the Mahmour Camp should be closed. The people should be repatriated back to their home countries, many of them are Turkish citizens. And if the PKK continues to use Mahmour for support, or for any other reason, then I think there will be a great initiative to try to close that camp as soon as possible.

QUESTION: Mr. Burns, thank you very much for joining us. We are expecting the next steps and it will be a great pleasure to announce them here.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much.

* Note: The speaker is referring to a resolution that may be introduced in Congress, not a bill.

Released on January 19, 2007

ENDS

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