INSTITUT KUDE RPARD IS E

Information and liaison bulletin N°308 NOVEMBER 2010 The publication of this Bulletin enjoys a subsidy from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DGCID) aqnd the Fonds d’action et de soutien pour l’intégration et la lutte contre les discriminations (The Fund for action and support of integration and the struggle against discrimination) This bulletin is issued in French and English Price per issue : France: 6 € — Abroad : 7,5 € Annual subscribtion (12 issues) France : 60 € — Elsewhere : 75 € Monthly review Directeur de la publication : Mohamad HASSAN Numéro de la Commission Paritaire : 659 15 A.S.

ISBN 0761 1285

INSTITUT KURDE, 106, rue La Fayette - 75010 PARIS Tel. : 01-48 24 64 64 - Fax : 01-48 24 64 66 www.fikp.org E-mail: bulletin@fikp.org Contents

• IRAQ: A NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE FORMED SOON.

• TURKEY: THE EUROPEAN UNION’S CRITICISMS OF THE “KURDISH OPENING”.

• IRAQI KURDISTAN: A FRESH INFLUX OF CHRISTIAN REFUGEES FOLLOWING THE BAGHDAD MASSACRE.

• PARIS: A DISCUSSION AT THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: IRAN IN 2010.

• CULTURE: SULEYMANIAH PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE GREEK NOVELIST NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS.

IRAQ: A NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE FORMED SOON lthough, for the last choose someone from his list to in the government on an equal eight months, the Iraqi replace the Kurdish M.P., Fuad footing with the former. As Iyad A leaders have failed to Massum, who has been acting Allawi explained: “ We must rapidly agree about forming a Speaker since the elections. form a government that reflects the new government, on 8 election results and we must have November the outgoing Prime The heads of the Principal Iraqi equal rights and duties in power Minister’s spokesman, Ali al- political blocks, then went togeth - (sharing), without anyone have a Dabbagh, announced that Nuri al- er to Irbil, at the invitation of the whip hand over the others ”. Malaki will be re-elected to this Kurdistan Region President, position since the principal Shiite Massud Barzani, to officially One of the principal grievances parties and the Kurdish Alliance endorse this agreement at the end against the outgoing Prime had reached an agreement. It of a three-day meeting. The main Minister made by his Sunni Arab remains, however, to secure the problem was to reconcile the rival was that of having “monopo - agreement of the principal Sunni stands taken up by the Shiites, led lised and exercised powering a Arab block, al-Iraqiyyah, which by Nuri al-Maliki with those of the very personal manner”, even will secure the post of Speaker. Its Sunni Arabs on the al-Iraqiyyah demanding a revision of the leader, Iyyad Allawi, will have to list, who wanted to be represented Constitution legally limiting the • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 308 • November 2010

political powers of the head of the in an interview given to the Arabic would be presided over by a member Iraqi government. It should be daily As-Sabah : “ They consist mainly of the al-Iraqiyyah list — an ideal noted that these criticisms of el- of amendments to the Constitution, of originally put forward by the Maliki’s “ excesses ” and his reforms in the workings of the govern - Americans to avoid isolating the attempts to concentrate all state ment, of guarantees demanded by the Sunnis from the government. power in his own hands were also Kurds, of the future of the frequently expressed by the Kurds Responsibility and Justice Finally, on 11 November, Ussama al- in the preceding period. Commission (given the responsibility Nujatifi, a Sunni Arab from the of finding former Baathists) and the Iraqiyyah list, was elected President However, Nuri al-Maliki refused powers of the future national Council (Speaker) of the Iraqi parliament by to consider any changes to the for political strategy ”. 227 votes (out of 295) while Jalal Constitution, arguing that a viable Talabani was also reconfirmed as political partnership could only be Despite the optimistic tome adopted President of Iraq by 195 votes (18 of set up between “ real partners devot - by the Kurds, the Iraqi press the ballot being declared invalid). ed to the Constitution. Turning over a expressed scepticism about the likeli - new page is conditional on respecting hood of success of what it saw as an However, the session was mainly the Constitution — it is an indispen - umpteenth meeting that would pro - marked by the unexpected boycott by sible condition of partnership ”. duce nothing concrete. As the daily sixty-odd Iraqiyyah list M.P.s who al-Dastur headline said: “ The Irbil raised the question of the non-obser - Thus at the end of the three days meeting: one step forward, two steps vance of one of the conditions set by envisaged for this Irbil meeting, only back ”, considering that “ the political their list, namely that they wanted to the Kurds and Shiites had succeeded leaders have not offered anything new vote of the agreement reached with in reaching and agreement. The Sunni to meet what the Iraqis have been the other lists on the composition of Arabs remained undecided whether to expecting in the recent period. All the government before electing the choose the post of Head of State, for they have done is go over the same President of Iraq. which Jalal Talabani, the outgoing old problems with putting forward any President was also a candidate with solution ”. So, after eight months of hitherto Kurdish and Shiite support, or that of fruitless negotiations to provide Iraq Speaker of the House. Consequently, However, at the end of a final meet - with a government, the “ethnic and two further days of discussion were ing, this time in Baghdad, Nuri al- denominational” sharing of power decided, to enable the discussions to Maliki was reaffirmed in his position resumes the same pattern: a Kurdish take place in Baghdad. As Massud of Prime Minister following an agree - President of the Republic, a Shiite as Barzani announced to the press on 8 ment with the Sunni Arabs in which head of the Government and a Sunni November° “ The allocation of the the latter agreed to leave the role of Arab at the head of Parliament — and three leading roles must be discussed President of Iraq to Jalal Talabani and apart from the last, the same men tomorrow and the day after and take on that of President of have been renewed in their former important matters must be decided in Parliament. roles. the next two days ”. The “important things” were very Another compromise was the creation The New Prime Minister will have a soon made explicit by Roj Nuri of a new Council that would handle month in which to form his govern - Shawish, the Deputy Prime Minister, the issue of internal security, which ment.

TURKEY: THE EUROPEAN UNION’S CRITICISMS OF THE “KURDISH OPENING” n its annual report on in this direction even if, in other Kurdish problem, the Commission Turkey’s progress areas, the legal reforms were con - stated that the government had towards qualifying for tinuing, with Constitutional barely done anything since August I Kurdish membership, the amendment and the restructuring 2009 to give effect to its “ European Union made of the constitutional Court and the opening ”: “ It is important to support a severe assessment of the High Commission of public the attempts to resolve the Kurdish “Kurdish opening ” that the Turkish Prosecutors and Judges. Trade problem. In order to avoid dispropor - government had proclaimed the Union legislation had been tionate arrests under the cover of ter - year before so as to resolve the strengthened and measures to pro - rorist crimes and to improve the Kurdish problem in the country. In tect women and children had bee Human Rights situation in the region, fact, the reporters considered that set up. some necessary changes must me made there had been no concrete actions However, with regard to the to the Anti-Terrorist Laws ”. n° 308 • November 2010 Information and liaison bulletin • 3•

The laying of mines and the sys - The banning of the pro-Kurdish public schools despite complaints tem of “village guards” remain a DTP party as well as of several from religious minorities like the source of concern. The proposed NGOs and other organisations Alevis, and in spite of ruling compensation of displaced people show the need for constitutional against this by the European (whose villages had been reforms to provide further protec - Court for Human Rights in its destroyed) has had real effect in tion for freedom of opinion. optional protocol (N°1). the field. The report also mentions that The representation of women in Attacks on freedom of expression some mayors from the BDP party political parties and Trade and opinion of Kurdish media and NGO representatives are at Unions remains weak, even have not decreased. The report present being tried on the grounds though some improvements have recalls that he enquiry regarding of their membership of the been noticed in the area of the attack on the Spendinli Kurdish KCK organisation, itself women’s rights, equality of the Bookshop (Hakkari Province) was accused of being a screen for the sexes and violence to women. suspended (the Army was becom - PKK. The report also points out that ing implicated) and that pressures Trade Union rights in Turkey are exercised on Kurdish language While recognising some improve - not in line with EU and ILO stan - papers or even ones dealing with ments in the use of the Kurdish dards. the Kurdish question had language, the EU report recalls the increased. Thus, the Kurdish daily, fact that the use of any other lan - Nearly 200,000 children are at Azadiye Welat (The country’s guage than Turkish remains illegal present in boarding schools, Freedom) has been seized several in political life. especially in the Eastern and times and its journalists sentenced South Eastern regions of the for “ terrorist propaganda ”. The report also criticises the fact country. The commission that it is impossible for the linguis - expresses its concern regarding Although some improvements had tic minorities (i.e. those not cov - the safety of pupils in these been observed, the attitude of the ered by the Treaty of Lausanne) to schools, which often have inade - police during street demonstrations learn their mother tongue in either quate or defective and equip - in Turkish Kurdistan continue to be private of public schools. It also ment. It hopes that objective and sources of violence. Indeed, the points out that those speaking transparent enquiries will be car - forces enjoy a wide degree of immu - other languages than Turkish can - ried out to clarify some accidents nity for their blunders and excesses not be employed in the public ser - that have recently occurred. on the basis of a law passed in 2007. vices, that there are never inter - The EU report stresses that this preters present at judicial interro - In conclusion the Reporters con - immunity harms the effectiveness of gations even though this is autho - sider that the Turkish government criminal and administrative rised by the law has failed to set up the in any enquiries on policemen who are concrete measures for its “ Kurdish alleged to have used excessive and Orthodox Islamic teaching opening ”, which has, indeed, disproportionate violence. remains compulsory in Turkish never really been carried out.

IRAQI KURDISTAN: A FRESH INFLUX OF CHRISTIAN REFUGEES FOLLOWING THE BAGHDAD MASSACRE ollowing al-Qaida’s against all sections of the Iraqi are deeply distressed by the crimes of bloody attack on the population is so widespread. which they have been the victims and F Baghdad Church of we condemn these criminal actions. Our Lady of Massud Barzani, the president of These people are innocent and a pre - Deliverance, which the Kurdistan Region, again stated cious part of our nation ”. caused 70 deaths and 75 injured, that Kurdistan was ready to wel - the islamist terrorists issued a come and protect those Christians Since 31 October, other attacks “fatwa” against all the who wished to settle there. have targeted Christian homes in Christians in Iraq, setting of a Western Baghdad, while, in wave of terror in this religious “I want them to know that the Mosul, several Christians have community and considerable Kurdistan Region is open to them. If been assassinated, either in their feeling in the international com - they wish to come, we will protect cars or their homes. munity, even though violence them and provide any aid needed. We The President of Iraq, Jalal Talbani, • 4 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 308 • November 2010

also pointed out that the with a mainly Christian popula - ers — and they are ready to leave for Christians could find temporary tion, most of whom have arrived Kurdistan. They are sorry to leave asylum in the Kurdistan Region, since 2003. their city, but at least they will thus sparing them from perma - remain alive ”. nent emigration — an offer many Moreover, in the province of Christian families welcomed with Nineveh, which is not included in Yunadam Kanna admits that the relief. the Kurdistan region but is pro - Kurdish offer is preferable to all tected by Kurdish Peshmergas, the Christians going into exile out - “Life is no longer possible for us in some Christian villages have been side Iraq. The Assyrian Baghdad at the moment ”, Milad build North and East of Mosul, by Democratic Movement had earlier Butros, who lives in the Southern the Irbil government, to house enjoined the government to part of the capital, explained to refugees from that city. improve the capital’s security, for National , Abu Dhabi’s English lan - example by forming Christian guage daily. “ The government does “We hope that many Christians will guard units to defend the not seem to be seriously concerned come to the North (of Iraq)”, Churches and residential quarters, about protecting us here, so if no one declared a Christian member of thus copying the Kurdish system wants us in Baghdad we will leave. the Kurdish Parliament, Romeo of guards, armed and maintained The Kurds have offered us their pro - Higari. “ At least that way they will by the Kurdish government, as tection, so we will go there. I couldn’t remain in Iraq. I reject the idea that much for Ankawa as for all the remain any longer in Baghdad, even if the Christians must absolutely leave Christian and Shabak villages in it were built of gold ”. for Europe if they want any future. Nineveh or the Yezidi villages of We have been living there for thou - Sinjar — a system that, at one Milad Butroas, aged 52, had sands of years, this is our country and time, ha had disparaged. already had two of his daughters we must remain here ”. kidnapped by al-Qaida fighters in With regard to Iraqi life, explained 2006. He has not had any news Even Yunadam Kanna, the leader Muthama al0-Jafani, a Baghdad about them since, despite intense of the Assyrian Democratic sociologist, the Christian exodus efforts and the help of powerful Movement, who at one time had would be an economic disaster: Iraqi tribes. repeated Arab charges attacking “The Christians form a large part of “the Kurdish takeover of Nineveh ter - the educated elite and, without them, Thousands of Iraqi Christians ritory ”, no longer sees any other the medical, educational and engi - have already fund asylum in those solution than a Northern exodus neering projects in Baghdad would provinces governed by the Kurds. under Kurdish protection: “ I am in suffer. If the Christians leave, it will Thus Ankawa, an Irbil suburb, is contact with Christians at present in tear asunder the whole social tissue of now enjoying a flourishing growth Baghdad — doctors, engineers, teach - Baghdad. This is a serious danger ”.

PARIS: A DISCUSSION AT THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: “IRAN IN 2010 ” n 27 November a con - 2019 crisis also showed the be exhaustive, to answer a whole ference was organised “Ahmedinjad system’s ” capacity to series of questions: O by the Paris Kurdish control, with the support of the What are the roles of the legacy Institute on the subject Supreme Guide, virtually all the of the 1979 revolution and of the of Iran in 2010. machinery the State and to Iran-Iraq war in the “millenari - mobilise the Pasdarans and the an” turn it has taken under The mass demonstrations that Bassijis as well as a series of Ahmeinjad? followed the controversial re- para-State Foundations. election of Mahmud • How does the Velayet-e fiqih Ahmedinjad as President of the By distancing the discussions (government by jurisprudence), Islamic Republic showed the from the nuclear issue that often the regime’s supreme organ, extent of the urban population’s is the front-page issue of the legitimise his power? discontent and of the divisions European newspapers, this sem - • How have the organs of that have at work within the inar aimed at presenting some power developed during this Iranian regime over the last few basis elements for understand - decade? years. ing the Iranian situation since • What about the social and Ahmedinjad’s first term in office economic inequality between the Despite their intensity, this 2009- (2005) and, without claiming to different provinces? n° 308 • November 2010 Information and liaison bulletin • 5•

• How should we understand of the constant demand for oil. Hajj! Since Khomeiny’s successor the new forms of protest of cer - Imagine what would have been has taken office, the necessity of the tain of the country’s non-Persian Louis XVI’s position had he not Guide to be a model for imitation and/or non-Shiite communities? needed to raise more taxes — he has been suppressed. • How can we map out the dif - would not have been obliged to sum - ferent political and social move - mon the Estates General. So Iran’s They have left the religious field to ments in the Persian population? leaders did not need to consult the regard the Guide’s role to be that of • What is, today, the situation of people and raise taxes in order to ensuring better cohesion between the feminist struggles, which make political decisions. However, the various Intelligence services — were so important in the period since 1905, the population has been reading the daily reports of these around the year 2000? seeking to control its own destiny services has replaced that of reading • Who are the actors in the — subjects want to become citizens. theological texts! “cyberspace” that, in view of the Thus in 2009 the same slogans strict control of the press, has being used in the streets of the What now countries is far from the become the main vector of much major cities as in the constitutional ideas of the hidden Imam — it is the of the communication and revolt, which was mobilised to survival of the military and socialisation in the urban cen - defend a Parliament being shelled Intelligence machinery thanks to the tres? by the Shah’s troops . oil revenues ”.

The first Round Table, chaired However, one of the most spectacu - Finally, the new situation in the by Jonathan Randal, former lar changes of the evolution of relationship of the Iranians with Washington Post special corre - Iranian society has been the acceler - the authorities is the blooming of spondent to the Near East, ated urbanisation of the country new Information technologies in included Hashem Ahmadzadeh, since the end of the last Shah’s a country that has 27 million lecturer at Exeter University reign. Today 65% of the population internet users, with sites like (UK), Thierry Coville, Professor is urban, which implies deep YouTube and Facebook that have at the Ecole Superieur de changes in Iranian society. “Thirty an audience par outstripping Commerce et Management Negocia years ago, Iranian’s imaginary that of traditional media like the et Advancia , in Paris, Christian world —including its religious per - BBC or Persian radio. . Bromberger, Professor of ception — was essentially rural. Ethnology at the University of Now it is Teheran, a megapolis, that “This is the first time that a society Provence and Ahmed brings together the greatest number experiencing the Islamic Utopia has Salamatian, former Iranian of minorities: Kurds, Sunni Moslem reached the stage of wanting to Member of Parliament. This and Azeris! One has to be able to escape from what has become a table discussed the dynamics of speak Azeri to do ones shopping in nightmare — an excessive religious the 2009-2010 crisis. the city! There are over one and a ideology, a real disillusion … half million Sunnis in Teheran. In According to Ahmed Ispahan there is now a complete Today the choice is not between a Salamatian, one should see a quarter of people from Sanandaj! religious power structure and an a- constant factor in the Iranian sit - During a visit to this city’s Free religious society but rather between uation since the Islamic University I saw that the student a civil society seeking ways of living Revolution, namely “ the complete hostels housed students of 17 differ - together and an authority that has dependence of the State on oil ” a ent origins . realised that it cannot survive with dependence that, in fact, can be becoming militarised. traced back to 1926, “ when BP Among consequence of this urbani - organised the 1926 coup d’état ”. sation is the weakening of tradition - Hence what is important is its This dependence has meant that al bonds, the lowering of the at geopolitical position, not the nuclear it could ignore the people to which young people get married (26 issue ”. make its economy work while years), the development of a middle facing the same kind of opposi - class that is so dynamic that its cul - Professor Hashimzadeh then tion from “the street” — an tural influence goes far beyond its took the floor and raised the opposition that has been almost sphere of social activity, Now a fam - issue of minorities in Iran, taking unchanged since the beginning ily’s prime investment is in educa - the Kurdish question as an of the 20th Century. tion . example, and the extent that Some can even say, as indeed, did they had or had not taken part in “This State has always had a con - Khomeiy, that if the Velayat-e Fiqih the elections since 1979. “ The ten - siderable and fixed income because demanded, it could even forbid the dency if for the periphery to inte - • 6 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 308 • November 2010

grate when the centre opens up. “As from Reza Shah’s time on, Iran ciations. The same technique is used However, when the centre closes up has been carrying out a determined for reviews and other publications. again the periphery reacts by boy - policy of ethnic unification. The Centre knows very well how to cotting. Just after the revolution, ´National Unity` means that take over local festivals as well as there were negotiations between the Persian is considered the sole lan - activities taking place in the ethnic Kurds and Mr. Rajvi, who said he guage and that even diversity of groups’ community centres in was prepared to accept the Kurdish clothing was banned, The term Teheran, where religious or pro- delegation’s 14 points. However, “Ostan” to designate a province State discourse is regularly intro - Mr. Rajavi was not able to take part comes from the Sassanide period. duced ”. in the elections and the other candi - Thus Ostan does not designate an dates were faced with a Kurdish ethnic group and this is deliberate ”, Regarding the situation of the boycott. It should be noted that 80% Kurds, Christian Bromberger of the Kurds, who are Sunni The problem of ethnic minorities remarked on the cultural and Moslems, cannot stand for is increase twofold by that of political vitality of Kurdish soci - Presidential elections. Kurdistan religious minorities, since apart ety in Iran, with an almost fever - was the only region on Iran when from the Azeri's, most of the ish editorial and associative life. Rafsanjani’s candidature did not non-Persian Moslem ethnic win most of the votes ”. groups are Sunnis and the Shiite Professor Thierry Coville, gave a Azeris not only bar the Sunnis thorough analysis of Iran’s eco - What broke the boycott policy of access mot only to s religious nomic situation, which he out - the majority of Kurdish organi - expression but also to political right described as “ bad ”, particu - sations was the more favourable representation as well as eco - larly with two shocks in 2008: attitude towards the cultural nomic development. “ It should firstly “a massive and demagog - rights of ethnic minorities adopt - be noted that there is not a single ic injection of oil dollars into the ed by the candidates Mussavi Sunni mosque in Teheran! Similarly economy by President and Karrubi in the 2009 elec - the government does not have a sin - Ahmadinjad, which brought on tions. These rights are covered gle Sunni minister. In referring to a rate of inflation of between 10 by articles 15 and 19 of the the Sunni areas around Iran, they and 20%, followed by a brake on Constitution, the first mention - talk of an “Eastern Sunni arc”, the economy. Then, following ing the right to being taught in a essentially in Central Asia. To the the financial crisis of 2008, as oil language other than Persian and political difficulties experienced by prices had slumped because of the second referring to “ ethnic these peripheral ethnic groups must the generalised reduction in identity ”. Thus many Kurdish be added their poor economic situa - demand for oil due to the gener - students (there are 70,000 of tion ”. al economic slow-down, the them in Iran) supported the can - price of petroleum slumped. didature of Mehdi Karrubi (who The demands of the various eth - Thus the IMF, who had initially is, himself ethnically Lori). nic groups vary in accordance predicted a 6% rate of growth, with their surface and popula - had to revise it to 2% for 2010. However, it should be noted that tion size, their history, and the The sanctions imposed by the the rural areas were relatively slogans of their political move - international community, partic - passive during the “ green revolu - ments, going from “ cultural ularly the banking sector, have tion ” protesting at Ahmedinjad’s events, radical demands for autono - also weighed on the economy. election, which was essentially my to the violent actions ”, such as an urban movement. those of the Kurdish PJAK, Nevertheless, Iran has enough which the State deals with by means for coping with such situ - Professor Christian Bromberger executions and by shelling ations. Over 65% of its income took up the question of minori - Kurdish villages in Iraqi comes from oil, and the recent ties, recalling that “in the 2006- Kurdistan, following the Turkish increase in price (from 70 to 80 2007 elections the Guide’s slogan example. $/barrel) is much to its advan - was “ national unity, Islamic cohe - tage, allowing the country to sion ” that is implying the “ classi - “However, there are other less visi - avoid indebtedness (less than cal repression of any concern for ble procedures. Thus, the ´week of 10% of the GDP) and to build up ethnic pluralism ”. sacred defence` consists of a parade substantial monetary reserves of of minorities in traditional clothing, between 80 and 100 billion dol - This policy of “ determined ” eth - while as soon as a local association lars. Moreover, its exports nic unification recalls the seizing is created by a minority group, the towards neighbouring countries of power by Reza Shah (1925): Centre creates its own, official, asso - are booming. n° 308 • November 2010 Information and liaison bulletin • 7•

Reviewing the ills from which working with Asia, mainly with part, the government is stressing the Iranian economy is suffering, Russia and China, but also with the fight against corruption with Thierry Coville highlighted sev - Turkey ”. the slogan: “There are mafias in eral: inflation, the poor shape of Iran”, which is, indeed, quite true. the banking system, the budget The demagogic economic mea - Thus the state of the economy is deficit and unemployment. sures Ahmedinjad often took very much the part of the internal had perverse effects, such as the political debate ”. “Inflation remains the main prob - massive imports, which harmed The Second Round Table, lem, and it had an effect of the 2009 local industries. chaired by Marc Semo, a journal - election campaign. The Iranian ist of the daily paper Central bank forecast a reduction in We can expect great social and "Liberation”, included Hamit the rate of inflation from 20% in economic difficulties to hit the Bozarslan, research director at 2009 to 10% in March 2010, but no poorest sections following the the IHESS, Abdolkarim Lahiji, one believes it! For example, Iranian new law ending subsidies on Vice President of the FTDH and citizens are faced with a 22% basic needs like water, wheat, Bernard Hourcade, research increase in medical treatment — flour, milk and petrol. “ It is director at the CNRS (Iranian which means that it is the middle intended to spread this cancellation World Section). This Table cov - classes who suffer most from the sit - over the next five years — but it ered the likely perspectives uation. starts as from this month. It is hard before the Iranian crisis. to understand why the government The Iranian banking system is in a has felt able to launch this reform in Hamit Bozarslanfirst of al asked very poor shape. The development of the difficult conditions of which it is two questions: why does Iran lending has been a total failure — aware. It is proposed that the State worry people so much? express - the IMF estimates that the assets of will offset the resulting price ing his doubt that the only rea - Iranian banks are almost worthless. increase, for the poorest sections, by son was the nuclear issue; and For the last two or three years there direct personal grants. The why was the period of has bee a considerable growth of pri - Statistics centre has asked people to Khatami’s presidency just a brief vate banks. This may be or bye-pass register on internet to determine “aside” in Iranian political life? the sanctions, but the borders here their eligibility for such grants. The are very vague. Thus a number of main dear is that this cancellation Dealing with the second point foundations are closely linked to the could lead to price increases of up to first, Hamit Bozarslan made the Pasdaran. There is a considerable 50% and spark of a major inflation - suggestion that “ Khatami was not budget deficit: officially it was 6% ary wave. The social consequences up to the task of tackling the contra - of the GDP in 2008 and 4% in are also potentially alarming. To cap dictions at the heart of the system. 2009. These figures are highly sus - it all, calculations indicate that He chose the course of maintaining pect (…) Te rate of unemployment these compensatory grants could the stability of the State rather than was officially 9% in 2009 and 14% cost the State more than it saves that of democracy ”. for 2010, but in reality it is much from cutting the subsidies ”. higher ” According to Thierry Coville, He then developed the “contra - The effect of sanctions has less this economic deterioration, dictions” of the Iranian revolu - impact on the groups close to which affects the poorest, could tion, contradictions that, in his the regime (…) since over the lead to an “ alliance between the view, reached a “paroxysm” last 20 years they have found green movement and the working with Mahmud Ahmedinjad’s ways of getting round them, but class movement if the economic sit - taking power. the private sector is suffering uation gets even worse. The 2010- seriously from them. Thus “ the 2015 Five Year Plan is being dis - “The Islamic Revolution represent - black market exchange rate col - cussed at this moment. Ahmedinjad ed both a new order inside the coun - lapsed in 2010, whereas till then it has just been excluded from the try and an ambition to export (its was almost identical with the offi - Board of Directors of the Bank of ideas ). It began as a Left wing revo - cial rate. This is probably linked Iraq. The recent purchase, by the lution, but we must not underesti - with anxiety about sanctions, but Pasdaran, of the biggest telecommu - mate the impact of the Iraq-Iran the Iranian banks are no longer able nications company has been strong - war on the direction it then fol - to find external partners, even in ly criticised and attacked in lowed, especially as Iraq was, at the Arab Emirates: foreign banks Parliament. A struggle is taking that time, strongly supported by the fear American reprisals if they work place between some moderate con - West (…) In Iran, this revolution with Iran. Thus Iran is increasingly servatives and Ahmedinjad. For its was transformed into a conservative • 8 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 308 • November 2010

revolution. Its radicalism comes Hamit Bozarslan refusing to they are expressed by the denial directly from the field of battle with apply the latter term to Iran. He of any cultural, linguistic or Iraq. At that time, the present presi - mainly analysed the part played political expression: “ Regarding dent, Ahmedinjad, played an impor - by religion in today’s power minority languages, although they tant role in the Kurdish provinces, structure: “ Although the country are theoretically allowed to be even though he keeps quiet about it. has all the organs of a modern State: taught in schools, the law is never We know little about this period of Parliament, President, judiciary, do applied. There is even direct repres - his life ”. these do three organs really work, or sion and a stage of siege has been is there a fusion of Divine Law and existing for some time, with many Not having a “ unified power ” human Law? Because there is a arrests, the prisoners being sent structure, Iran cannot be called a power higher than these bodies that away from their home regions to totalitarian State. According to draws its legitimacy from the divine Teheran and tried in camera by this research worker, it is “ riddled sphere. The Head of State is a repre - “revolutionary courts. by three contradictory rationali - sentative of this “hidden Imam” … ties ”: Although the status of Mullah has In the course of peaceful demonstra - no basis in qualifications, hierarchy tions, dozens of people are assassi - The bureaucratic rationality. or theology, this man, who has no nated. Some lawyers have been Ahmedinjad represents the genera - popular elective legitimacy holds jailed for practicing their profession tion that was in its 20s at the time 80% of the power under the in defending political prisoners ”. of the revolution. It should be noted Constitution. Thus Parliament’s that, as soon as he took office, he had room for manoeuvre is limited Finally, in the opinion of Bernard all the country’s Ambassadors and because all laws have to be checked Hourcade, the international all the Provincial governors by a council of theologians appoint - community’s sanctions and the replaced. This represented a brutal ed by the Supreme Guide. If any law opposition to Iran’s nuclear pro - closing down of the Khatami period. is considered contrary to Islamic gramme only reinforces the law it is declared nul and void. regime and prevent the Iranian The paramilitary and para-State However Islamic law are defined society as a whole from main - rationality. Which is most worry - nowhere — we are thus faced with a taining contacts with the out - ing. It has three components: the completely arbitrary situation ”. side. Bassijis and the Pasdarans, which are forces at once official but acting Regarding the forms of discrimi - “The sanctions lead to a withdrawal outside the State, to which must be nation practiced in Iran, from Iran. France now forbids acad - added the religious foundations, or Abdolkarim Lahiji showed that emics to go there. This withdrawal martyrs’ foundations. This produces they were both ethnic and reli - is letting the Iranian middle classes a coexistence of State-non-State or gious, taking the example of down. The nuclear issue is just an State-para-State peculiar to Iran. Baluchistan, a Sunni region, excuse — specifically, the Iranian which is the poorest and most lack - weapon serves to justify Israel’s (…) Iran’s millenarian dimension. ing in any public services of all the There are 30 other countries Totalitarianism is the combination country’s regions. “Nor a single one throughout the world that have of a millenarian utopia and a posi - of the provincial governors (ostan - nuclear programmes on the same tivist rationality. Millenarianism dar) or assistant governors (ferman - scale as Iran’s …” plays a major role in the foundation dar) in Sunni regions is a Sunni of Shiism. However, to build long- Moslem ”. Thus, in Bernard Hourcade’s term State institutions, it is obliged view, “ this western policy only postpone the millennium. Here, on These discriminations against strengthens the Iranian radicals. the contrary, we can feel a determi - Sunni Moslems (15 to 29% of the The sanctions also lead to the emi - nation to anticipate the millennium. population) cover the whole gration of opponents, which is This millenarianism is self-perpetu - country: “ Although 20 to 25% of counter productive)÷_ Giving ating ”. Teheran’s population is Sunni, there Iranians visas to enable them to is not a single Sunni mosque there, emigrate is a solution of despair Abdolkarim Lahiji, Vice while there are both Churches and (…) What the Iranian government President of the FIDH, also Synagogues ”. fears most is not being bombarded raised this question of a total by Israel, nor the sanctions but con - State or a totalitarian State, like As for ethnic discriminations, tacts with foreigners ”. n° 308 • November 2010 Information and liaison bulletin • 9•

CULTURE: SULEYMANIAH PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE GREEK NOVELIST NIKOS KAZANTZAKIS rom 10 to 14 November head of the French Department Festival were: on 12 November 2010, the 14th Gelawêj of the language Faculty of Irbil the visit to Suleimaniah Prison, in F Cultural Festival took University, himself a writers and which thousands of Kurdish place at Suleimaniah. translator. Amongst these were patriots were atrociously tortured Several literary public André Velter (France), Ahmad and executed, today a symbolic figures, both Kurdish and Mala (Spain), Fawaz Hussein site of pilgrimage. Then on 13 European, had been invited (France) and Georges Stassinakis November, we visited the muse - Georges Slassinakis, the founder *Switzerland). um-monument of Halabja. A and President of the martyred village that was subject - International Society of the On 10 November, Georges ed to an aerial bombardment Friends of Nikos Kazantzakis. Stassinakis, president of the with gas and chemical weapons, Mr Slassinakis, who came from International Society of Friends which killed outright about 5,000 Switzerland, said he was of Nilos Kazantzakis (ISFNK), women, children and old men. °delighted by the hospitality and inaugurated the Book Fair. welcome he had received from the These massacres, perpetuated by organisers and the martyred Then on 12 November, he gave a Saddam Hussein and his confed - Kurdish people ”. On his return he lecture, in French, on “Nikos erates, will always remained wrote a article on his stay in Kazantzakis and the world” fol - engraved in the memories of all Kurdistan, for the Festival, of lowed by an interesting discus - men and women who cherish which the following are extracts. sion about nature, women, poli - freedom. From 10 to 14 November 2010, tics, spirituality and the 14th Gelawêj Cultural Kazantzakis’ stand about the On November 15, Georges Festival took place at Kurds. Stassinakis met Dr. Frédéric Suleimaniah (a town in Eastern Tissot, the French Consul Kurdistan). It included exhibi - In the course of the Festival, the General, and Amélie Banzet, the tions of books, paintings, callig - president of the ISFNK met Director of the French Cultural raphy, music and traditional many Kurdish, Arab, Iranian Centre in Irbil. He gave them Kurdish songs, as well as an and European writers, poets and seven of Nikos Kazantzakis’ impressive number of literary translators. He observed, with novels, The dissident , his biogra - lectures and conferences. great pleasure, their perfect phy written by his wife, a CD of Inaugurated by Mrs Hero knowledge and admiration of a French Belgian TV broadcast Talibani, the wife of the Nikos Kazantzakis’ works. We and the text of one of his own President of the Iraqi Republic, must bear in mind that eight of lectures on “ Kazantzakis and and attended by a great number his novels have been translated France ”. of well-known public figures of into Kurdish (from Arabic or cultural and political life, it was Persian): Alexis Zorba, Freedom or Following these fruitful meet - a great success. death, Christ Recrucified, The last ings, Professor Mohsen Ahmed temptation, Report to Greco , The Omer, local representative of the A number of writers, poets, aca - poor woman of Assisi, the Rock ISFNK for the last year, decided demics and French-speaking Garden and The Rivals. to create a local branch of the research workers were invited ISFNK in Kurdistan, over the by Dr. Mohsen Ahmed Omar, The most moving moments of the next few months. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

ATTENTAT D/ISTANBUL: LE PKK DEMENT SON IMPLICATION, ET PROLONGE LA TREVE

1 novembre. 2010 / De Nicolas CHEVIRON (AFP)

^& ?Çr::;^ ISTANBUL Les rebelles kurdes de Turquie ont démenti lundi toute implication dans l'attentat-suicide qui a fait 32 blessés dimanche à Istanbul et ont annoncé la prolongation de la trêve qu'ils avaient décré¬ tée en août, a rapporté l'agence Firat News, proche du PKK.

"Il n'est pas possible pour nous de mener une telle action au moment où notre mouvement a décidé de prolonger une trêve. Nous ne sommes en aucune Policiers et enquêteurs sur les lieux de l'attentat, manière impliqués dans cette attaque," a indiqué la direction du Parti des tra¬ vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) dans un communiqué, selon Firat. le 31 octobre 2010 à Istanbul

La trêve, décrétée le 13 août, puis prolongée d'un mois le 30 septembre, devrait être prolongée jusqu'aux prochaines élections législatives, que le Dans un entetien publié jeudi par le quotidien turc Radikal, le chef militaire du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a prévu début juin 2011 . PKK, Murât Karayilan, avait assuré que les rebelles s'engageraient à épargner "Notre mouvement (...) a décidé de prolonger son processus de non-action les civils et à poursuivre sans limitation de temps leur cessez-le-feu unilatéral jusqu'aux élections générales de 2011 pour imposer (à Ankara) un processus si le gouvernement turc acceptait le dialogue. de solution démocratique et assurer que les élections législatives en Turquie se tiendront de manière saine", a affirmé le PKK. Ses déclarations sont intervenues alors que M. Erdogan a lancé une nouvelle initiative visant à résoudre le problème kurde. Les autorités ont, selon la La fin du cessez-le-feu a coïncidé dimanche avec un attentat-suicide visant presse, associé à cette initiative Abdullah Ôcalan, emprisonné à vie. des policiers anti-émeutes en faction sur la place de Taksim, en plein centre Les avocats d'Ôcalan devaient s'entretenir lundi avec leur client sur l'île-prison d'Istanbul, qui a notamment blessé 15 policiers. d'Imrali, où il est enfermé, a indiqué l'agence de presse Anatolie. Les autorités se sont abstenues de tout commentaire sur les pistes qu'elles Les médias désignaient lundi les rebelles comme les auteurs les plus plausi¬ privilégiaient. bles de l'attaque, même s'ils n'excluaient pas d'autres pistes, comme celle du "Nous avons en mains certaines données, mais nous sommes prudents, nous mouvement armé clandestin d'extrême gauche DHKP-C, visé dimanche matin, ne devons pas faire de déclarations prématurées", a affirmé lundi devant des peu avant l'attentat, par un coup de filet de la police qui a procédé à 16 arres¬ journalistes le ministre de l'Intérieur Besir Atalay, précisant que la police n'avait tations, selon le journal libéral Radikal. procédé pour l'heure à aucune arrestation. Le réseau Al-Qaïda, auquel ont été imputés des attentats commis en 2003 à Le Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan a toutefois dénoncé lors d'une Istanbul contre deux synagogues, le consulat britannique et une banque bri¬ conférence le fait que "dans certains pays européens des entités (...) liées à tannique, qui ont fait 63 morts, était également mentionné comme une piste l'organisation terroriste agissent librement", un reproche qu'il avait déjà possible. exprimé dans le passé, en faisant référence au PKK.

ATTENTAT D'ISTANBUL: LE KAMIKAZE IDENTIFIE COMME UN MEMBRE DU PKK

2 novembre 2010 (AFP) , De Nicolas CHEVIRON l'attentat avait pénétré en Turquie trois mois plus tôt en provenance d'Irak par le poste-frontière de Habur (sud-est).

Les rebelles du PKK disposent de camps dans les montagnes du nord de l'Irak, ISTANBUL , L'auteur d'un attentat-suicide qui a fait 32 blessés diman¬ depuis lesquels ils lancent des attaques contre les forces de sécurité dans le che dans le centre d'Istanbul était un jeune homme de 24 ans qui avait sud-est anatolien de la Turquie, peuplé en majorité de Kurdes. rejoint les rangs des rebelles kurdes en 2004, a affirmé mardi le gouverno- rat d'Istanbul dans un communiqué cité par l'agence de presse Anatolie. Si l'implication du PKK dans l'attentat est confirmée, ce développement devrait compliquer la tâche du gouvernement dans ses efforts de dialogue avec les Kurdes, face à une opinion publique qui considère le PKK comme l'ennemi L'enquête a permis d'identifier l'auteur de l'attaque, qui visait des policiers des public numéro un et est hostile à toute concession faite à la violence. forces anti-émeutes, comme étant Vedat Acar, un Kurde né à Gùrpinar, dans la province de Van (est), qui avait rejoint les rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Ankara s'est récemment engagé dans des échanges discrets et prudents avec Kurdistan (PKK) six ans plus tôt, a indiqué Anatolie. les Kurdes pour convaincre le PKK, considéré comme une organisation terro¬ riste par la Turquie et de nombreux pays, d'abandonner les armes et de mettre Les déclarations des autorités turques interviennent alors que les rebelles ont un terme à un conflit qui a fait plus de 45.000 morts en 26 ans, selon l'armée. démenti lundi toute implication dans l'attentat, qui a notamment blessé 15 poli¬ ciers, et ont annoncé une prolongation de la trêve qu'ils avaient décrétée en août jusqu'aux prochaines élections législatives, prévues en juin. Le chef emprisonné du PKK Abdullah Ôcalan semble associé à cet effort, ses La fin de la trêve a coïncidé dimanche avec l'attentat d'Istanbul. avocats servant d'intermédiaires. Des agents de l'Etat ont également des

La police de cette ville a identifié les proches du kamikaze et procédé à l'arres¬ contacts avec lui sur l'île-prison d'Imrali ou il est incarcéré, affirment ses avocats. tation de sept suspects dans différents quartiers, tous des membres du PKK, Le quotidien Milliyet a écrit mardi que le PKK avait prolongé sa trêve après avoir écrit Anatolie. reçu un courrier d'Ôcalan transmis aux chefs militaires du mouvement, basés

La chaîne d'information télévisée NTV a pour sa part rapporté que l'auteur de dans les montagnes du nord de l'Irak, avec l'aide de responsables turcs. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Dans un entretien publié jeudi par le quotidien turc Radikal, le principal chef mili¬ Le kamikaze a déclenché sa charge d'explosif dimanche vers 08h30 GMT sur la taire du PKK, Murât Karayilan, avait assuré que les rebelles s'engageraient à place de Taksim, une esplanade très fréquentée en plein coeur d'Istanbul, où épargner les civils et à poursuivre sans limitation de temps leur cessez-le-feu sont stationnées en permanence des unités de police anti-émeutes. L'explosion unilatéral si le gouvernement turc acceptait le dialogue. a eu lieu alors qu'il tentait de pénétrer dans un minibus de la police.

Plusieurs journaux avaient évoqué au lendemain de l'attentat la possibilité que celui-ci ai été commandité par des "faucons" du PKK dans le but de torpiller ces efforts de dialogue.

**éMMl*M 5 novembre 2010 L'entre-deux irakien s'éternise

civils tués). Al Qaida a perdu la quasi- manque de confiance. On touche là le totalité de ses djihadistes arrivés des principal problème qui empêche l'Irak

quatre coins du monde musulman. de redécoller. Les vainqueurs des élec¬

Par Georges Malbrunot tions ne veulent pas partager le pou¬ blog.lefigaro.fr Aujourd'hui, le groupe est d'abord voir. Et sept ans après la chute de la irakien, composé à 90% de salafistes dictature, le nouvel Irak reste incapa¬

locaux et d'anciens fidèles de Saddam ble de dépasser ses conflits confes¬ n moins d'une semaine, trois Hussein, dont l'expertise militaire lui sionnels, comme l'a montré la attaques terroristes d'envergure est bien utile pour répandre la mort semaine dernière la condamnation à H signées Al Qaida ont causé la parmi la population. Mais sa capacité mort de Tarek Aziz, 74 ans, malade et mort d'une centaine de civils de nuisance a décliné, comme le mon¬ déjà condamné à 22 ans de prison. irakiens. L'une d'elle a tué plus de tre les explosifs de moindre qualité quarante chrétiens en prière dans une utilisés dans ses derniers attentats. Et Entre violence résiduelle et crise église de Bagdad. Une autre a massi¬ ce n'est pas en ciblant des civils - une politique, l'Irak vit un entre-deux qui vement frappé plusieurs quartiers chii¬ erreur que n'a pas commise la branche risque de durer encore longtemps. tes de la capitale. yéménite - qu'Ai Qaida va regagner L'ancienne Mésopotamie se retrouve

du crédit auprès des Irakiens. plongée au c de tous les para¬ Mais contrairement à son habitude, doxes. C'est à la fois le pays qui dis¬ la branche irakienne de la mouvance Reste que le blocage de la situation pose du système le plus démocratique terroriste n'a pas visé des symboles politique à Bagdad lui procure un cer¬ du Moyen-Orient, avec le Liban. Mais d'un pouvoir qu'elle a longtemps tain répit. Plus de sept mois après les aussi celui où la violence et la corrup¬ cherché à affaiblir. Sous les coups de élections législatives, l'incapacité des tion y sont les plus importantes. Et il boutoir des forces américaines et ira¬ dirigeants irakiens à s'entendre pour lui faudra encore au moins dix ans kiennes, Al Qaida a dû en effet chan¬ former un gouvernement offre de l'es¬ pour régler ses problèmes institution¬ ger de stratégie : jusqu'au printemps pace aux terroristes, lesquels peuvent nels (Quelle constitution ? Quel type dernier, les terroristes commettaient toujours être instrumentalisés par un de fédéralisme? Quelle place pour les de spectaculaires attentats à la voiture pays voisin (Iran,Syrie, Arabie Saou¬ Kurdes ?). « C'est un passage indis¬ piégée contre des ministères et des dite. . . ) mécontent de l'évolution de la pensable. U faut que la démocratie et hôtels. Il s'agissait de démentir les situation à Bagdad. l'état de droit domestiquent la vio¬ progrès en matière de sécurité rempor¬ lence, cette composante ancienne de tés par le premier ministre Nouri al- Même si Nouri al-Maliki apparaît l'histoire irakienne », souligne un Maliki. le mieux placé pour se succéder à lui- diplomate français bon connaisseur du

même, ses réticences à faire de la pays. Mais en avril, la liquidation des place à la minorité sunnite - défendue deux cerveaux d'Al Qaida en Irak - par son rival Iyad Allaoui - ne peuvent Mais en attendant, les risques Omar al-Bagdadi et Abou Ayyoub al- qu'alimenter la violence de certains d'une nouvelle guerre civile sont limi¬ Masri - a contraint les sicaires de Ben groupes radicaux. Sa récente décision tés. Pour une simple raison : l'Irak est Laden à revenir à des cibles civiles, de désarmer des anciens rebelles, qui un pays riche grâce au pétrole. Aucun tout en cherchant à conserver le carac¬ avaient rejoint les rangs américains et de ses dirigeants n'a intérêt à tuer la tère spectaculaire de leurs crimes. irakiens contre al Qaida à partir de poule aux d'or. Et autour aucun

2007, a provoqué leur retour au sein voisin n'a intérêt à voir un nouveau Ce regain de violence ne doit, tou¬ de la guérilla. chaos déborder chez lui. tefois, pas faire illusion. L'insurrection

a reculé dans la plupart des régions. Le gouvernement Maliki à majo¬ L'Irak a connu en octobre le mois le rité chiite et kurde refuse de les inté¬ moins meurtrier depuis un an (120 grer dans les forces de sécurité... par Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Les chrétiens de Bagdad

MARDI 2 NOVEMBRE 2010 frappés en pleine messe

Une prise d'otages «C'est un immense sentiment puis un assaut de tristesse qui m'envahit. C'est inhumain. Même les animaux dés forces de sécurité ne se comportent pas ainsi entre ont fait plusieurs eux», a déploré Mgr Shlimoune Wardouni, évêque chaldéen de dizaines de victimes .Bagdad. Le major-général Qas- sem Al Moussaoui, porte-parole dans la cathédrale des forces de sécurité à Bagdad, syrienne-catholique s'est, lui, félicité, selon l'Agence France-Presse, d'une «opération de la capitale (...) conclue avec succès», alors irakienne que sept policiers ont été tués et quinze autres blessés: Selon un responsable du ministère de l'in¬ térieur, «cinq terroristes ont péri et Les chrétiens d'Irak ont huit suspects ont été arrêtés ». connu dimanche une de Pour Mgr Casmoussa, ce nombre leurs pires journées depuis élevé de victimes ne s'explique que l'attaque anglo-américaine contre le régime de Saddam Hus- parce que «le gouvernement a voulu en finir rapidement, sans négocier sein en 2.003. En fin d'après-midi, Le cercueil d'une victime quitte le lieu du drame, hier, devant une prise d'otages puis un assaut avec les'preneurs d'otages». Ceux- ci avaient lancé leur attaque en donné par les forces de sécurité la cathédrale Sayidat Al-Najat de Bagdad. dans la cathédrale Sayidat al- faisant d'abord sauter une voiture Najat (Notre-Dame du perpétuel piégée et en tuant plusieurs gardes secours), au centre de Bagdad, ont terroristes», poursuit l'archevê¬ fondamentales, dont la liberté reli¬ tourné au bain de sang. Le bilan que de Mossoul, qui sait que ces gieuse», et son soutien aux autorités est d'au moins 46 morts, dont deux « Le manque de volonté attaques visent aussi à intimider irakiennes dans leur lutte contre le prêtres, et 60 blessés. les chrétiens et les obliger à fuir terrorisme. C'est vers 17 heures (15 heures politique des dirigeants leur pays. « Une grande peur règne De leur côté, les évêques irakiens GMT) que la cathédrale syrienne- dans les c estime-t-il en irakiens laisse le champ rejettent tout lien entre le Synode catholique a été envahie par des constatant que nul n'osait parler pour les Églises orientales qui s'est terroristes se revendiquant de libre aux terroristes», de cet assaut hier dans les rues de clos le 24 octobre à Rome et cette l'«État islamique d'Irak», la Karakosh. Les chrétiens redou¬ prise d'otages. «Nous continuons branche irakienne d'Al-Qaida, juge Mgr Casmoussa, tent en effet que les « retombées de d'affirmer notre désir de vivre avec alors que 100 à 150 fidèles étaient cette affaire» n'entraînent d'autres archevêque de Mossoul. nos compatriotes musulmans, assemblés pour la messe de veille actions similaires. poursuit Mgr Casmoussa. Nous de la Toussaint. «Des hommes en À Karakosh, ville où réside la plus cherchons à dialoguer, à travailler habits militaires ont pénétré dans grosse communauté syrienne-ca¬ armés devant la cathédrale. Selon ensemble, à renforcer les courants l'église et ont immédiatement tiré tholique, on attend l'arrivée des le P. Yousif Thomas Mirkis, supé¬ modérés. . . Aujourd'hui ou demain, sur un prêtre», a raconté un jeune dépouilles d'au moins sept défunts rieur des dominicains à Bagdad, nous célébrerons l'enterrement des de 18 ans, qui s'était réfugié dans Originaires de la ville pour pouvoir « l'opération avait été préparée de sept victimes de Karakosh dans le une petite salle avec quatre autres les enterrer. Mgr Casmoussa, qui longue date, vu les armes et les recueillement. Et dans l'espérance, fidèles.«Peu après, deux dès hom-. connaissait bien les deux jeunes munitions retrouvées dans la ca¬ malgré tout. Cela n'efface pas la mes armés sont entrés dans la pièce, prêtres tués, tous deux originai¬ thédrale». douleur mais nous ne voulons pas ont tiré en l'air et sur le sol, blessant res de Karakosh - «ils étaient des Avant l'assaut des forces de que la rancune remplace l'amour. trois personnes:, puis nous ont pous¬ amis»-, s'inquiète aussi du cas sécurité, les terroristes avaient Jamais! C'est cela notreforce, même sés dans la nef. Il y a eu des échanges- donné un ultimatum de 48 heu¬ si certains la considèrent comme une d'un troisième prêtre grièvement dé tirs, des bruits d'explosions, et des res a l'Église copte d'Egypte pour faiblesse. » vitres sont tombées sur les gens», a- blessé aux reins et aux jambes: libérer deux épouses de prêtres CLAIRE LESEGRETAIN t-il ajouté. «Il a été opéré et nous attendons coptes, soi-disant converties à ç. À peine deux heures plus tard, avec inquiétude d'en savoir plus l'islam et qui seraient «emprison¬ 11) Malgré la fin de leur mission de sur son état. » l'armée irakienne, en présence de combat fin août, les troupes américai¬ nées dans des monastères» de ce Les réactions internationales, pays, selon le centre américain de nes peuvent toujours utiliser la force, troupes américaines (1), donnait hier, restaient encore peu nom¬ surveillance des sites islamistes si elles sont attaquées ou si l'Irak sol¬ l'assaut pour «libérer» les otages. breuses. «La France condamne (SITE). « Un prétexte fallacieux», licite leur aide. Elles ont démenti, hier, « Cet assaut a été mené de manière fermement cette action terroriste juge Mgr Casmoussa persuadé qu'il avoir participé à l'assaut. archaïque, très violente; ce n'est qui fait suite à une campagne de né s'agit là que de «racontars». pas comme ça qu'il fallait agir», meurtres et de violences ciblées», Selon lui, c'est plutôt dans «le s'indignait d'emblée Mgr Basilios a déclaré dans un communiqué vide politique actuel en Irak» qu'il Georges Casmoussa> archevêque Bernard Kouchner, ministre des faut chercher une explication à ce syrien-catholique de Mossoul, joint affaires étrangères, à Paris. Une. nouvel acte de terrorisme visant les hier par La Croix à Karakosh, ville délégation de chefs d'entreprise chrétiens. Depuis les élections lé¬ chrétienne à 400 km au nord de français conduite par Anne-Marie gislatives du 7 mars dernier, aucun Bagdad. Selon des survivants, au Idrac, secrétaire d'État chargée du gouvernement n'a été formé et des moment de l'attaque par les forces commercé extérieur, était arrivée factions armées continuent de se de sécurité, les terroristes, au nom¬ la veille à Bagdad pour la Foire déchirer pour le contrôle des ter¬ bre de cinq ou six, ont lancé des internationale annuelle. Bernard ritoires et du pétrole. «Le manque grenades et fait sauter leurs vestes Kouchner a rappelé l'attachement de volonté politique des dirigeants bourrées d'explosifs. de la France «au respect des libertés irakiens laisse le champ libre aux Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

01 November 2010 Rudaw.Net

said Qadir, himself a KDP member. Arab Sunni But deputy-director of KDP's head¬ quarters in Kirkuk, Mohammed Insurgent Khurshid, has several otiier reasons for why KDP officials appears to have become a bigger target of the insurgents. Threatens The first reason, Khurshid asserts, is that KDP take a more serious position Kurdish regarding the Kurdish issue in Kirkuk, an approach that Arab ultranationalists do not like as they oppose to any attempts, Officials in including Article 140 of the Constitution, ~tuniK swcmvx:*-?* vs. an SMî*M!i>i«;«i that adds Kirkuk to the federal region of group in Iraq. Kirkuk Kurdistan. The second reason, Khurshid adds, is may make in the city," said the letter Barzani' s initiative to bring all Iraqi lea¬ By RUDAW published a group indentified itself as ders together in Erbil to form a new

Mujahidw Arab Kirkuk. government. KIRKUK: As the ethnic tensions But Brig-Gen Sarhad Qadir, Chief of A possible inclusive government will running high in a country without a Police of Kirkuk Districts and Sub- be determinant decrease violence and government, a Sunni Arab militant group Districts, dismisses the letter as "non¬ give a blow to insurgents having vested is threatening Kurdish officials in Kirkuk sense and teenage words." interest in a destabilized Iraq. with promises to do everything they can "Of course, we will keep doing our "The KDP cadres working in security to undermine the activities of Kurdish task and not be discouraged by such institutions have been so skillfully crus¬ security forces who have played a notable threats," he said. hing terrorists," said Khurshid as the third

role in drawing down violence in the oil- However, Qadir believed that the reason. rich city. threat was particularly made against the The US and International Think- The letter, published on October 30, security men answering to the ruling Tanks have all warned of the seriousness comes a few days after a tradeoff was Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led of the problem of the disputed regions in made between the police forces of Kirkuk by President Massoud Barzani in Erbil Kirkuk and Nineveh and their surroun¬ and an insurgent group that released 2 and Duhok. dings. Kurdish girls that it was taking hostage in "The letter direatens all the security These regions, claimed by Arabs, return for the release of five women who agencies, but it is also a particular threat Kurds and Turcomans, are considered to had been arrested for alleged ties with al- to the KDP officials in Kirkuk since they have a great potential of civil war bet¬ Qaeda. have cornered them prevented them from ween/among different ethnic groups. "We will answer any activity you doing much their planned terrorist acts,"

Aswat al-lraq ^1 Iraq's National Alliance and Kurdistan NOVEMBER 1, 2010 Coalition refuse Saudi Monarch's Initiative:

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-lraq: Iraq's National Alliance and the Kurdistan the State of Law Coalition, Walid al-Hilly, told Aswat al-lraq: "Our Blocs Coalition have issued a joint statement on Sunday saying that position is clear towards the Saudi initiative, which was not to the settlement of the government's crisis must be solved locally, in attend the meeting (proposed in the initiative)." their first official reaction towards the initiative of the Saudi The Saudi Monarch, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz had called on Monarch, Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz. Saturday night on Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and the leaders of

Both Coalitions have issued a joint statement, read by the leader of the Iraqi political blocs to meeting in Riyadh after the forthcoming the Islamic al-Daawa Party, Hassan al-Suneid, expressing "appecia- Eid al-Ad'ha, under the umbrella of the Arab League, to overcome tion for the Kingdom of Saudi Arbia, expressing their position that the crisis of forming the new Iraqi government. the Iraqi political leaderships have received the said Initiative with The semi-official Saudi news Agency had pointed out that King a spirit of appreciation and keenness by the Brethren. " Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz had called on Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani

But, both Coalitions have expressed "strong rejection of the initia¬ and all Iraqi political parties which participated in Iraq's March 7th tive," saying that "Iraqi leaders arre working within the initiative of nationwide elections and other political groups to attend his propo¬ Kurdistan Region's President, Massoud Barzani, towards the forma¬ sed Riyadh meeting after the end of the Haj (Polgrimage) occasion, tion of a government of partemship and national concorde, repre¬ under the auspices of the Arab league, in order to reach a settle¬ senting all trends of the Iraqi people." ment for the issue of the Iraqi government's formation.

The statement, which Sunaid said was issued by the National The Saudi Monarch had reiterated that the current circumstances Alliance and the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition had reiterated "confi¬ "necessitate the Iraqis to unify their ranks and overcome their dence of the representatives of the people have reached the final wounds, as well as keeping away the ghost of differences." stages in their dialogues to form such government." adding that the King Abdullah also called for unity of the Iraqi political forces, their "Iraqi parliament would resume its session soon to elect the three solidarity and cohesion that would reflect the power of Iraq, also leading State posts, according to the constitution." calling for "unity, patience and wisdom, in order to build a power¬ 'The Saudi initiative shall complicate things once again and post¬ ful dam in the faceof those who try to create differences, whatever pone the process of forming the new Iraqi government," Sunaid their motives might be, in order to restore the building of the said, reiterating that "the Iraqi political leaders have began to Rafidain (Mesopotamia) Homeland, that had been and still is sup¬ reach a fruitful national consensus in its current meetings." ported by its Arab brethren, forming a strong dam against differen¬ ces and games that serve nobody but the enemies of the (Islamic) On his part, the leader in the Islamic Daawa Party and Member of Nation." Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Kurdish group claims responsibility Af> Associated Press for suicide bombing in Istanbul

November 4, 2010 / Suzan Fraser, Associated Press

ANKARA, Turkey A Kurdish militant group claimed M3-W ,.*-5ms* «St1!. responsibility for a suicide attack that wounded 32 people in

Istanbul over the weekend, a pro-Kurdish news agency

reported Thursday.

The Kurdistan Freedom Falcons, an offshoot of the autonomy- seeking Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, claimed responsibi¬ **i lity for Sunday's attack, the pro-Kurdish Firat News agency

reported on its website. The PKK had denied any role in the sui¬ cide bombing Monday, when it extended a unilateral rebel

cease-fire until parliamentary elections next summer in hopes of opening a dialogue with Turkish leaders. AP - Police forensic officers inspect the scene after an explosion The main Kurdish rebel group has always distanced itself from in Taksim square where riot police were violent attacks by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons in Turkish cities. The Falcons operate with some autonomy, and it said Baz said Sunday's attack, in Istanbul's Taksim square, was Thursday it had had no involvement in the PKK's decision to aimed at police rather than civilians. It wounded 15 riot police extend the cease-fire and would press ahead with attacks, Firat officers and 17 passers-by. reported.

Kurdish rebels have been fighting for autonomy mainly in the Turkish authorities have identified the suicide bomber as 24- Kurdish-dominated southeast since 1984. The Falcons surfaced year-old Vedat Acar, a Kurd trained in a Kurdish rebel camp in after the capture of Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan in the Hakurk area in northern Iraq, Turkish media reported Thursday. The Falcons said Acar was a senior member of their 1999.

group, according to the Firat agency. The Falcons are known to be recruiting former Kurdish rebels as

well as Kurdish youth who have migrated to big cities such as Firat quoted Dogan Baz, a spokesman for the Falcons' group, which is known by its Kurdish acronym TAK, as saying Acar Istanbul, authorities say.

had "organized the attack and acted on his own initiative." The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people. The rebels

"As long as actions aimed against the Kurdish people and its and Kurdish militants have also carried out numerous bombings and suicide attacks around the country. values continue, the TAK will continue with its actions," the

group said.

2 November 2010 IhUQBZAMAI

wounded 32 people, half of them KCK prolongs cease-fire police. The police are still investiga¬ ting the attack but there have been until next year s elections no official announcement about who was responsible for the attack. No one has claimed responsibility. that five steps were needed for a In related developments, co- truly democratic solution and las¬ chairwoman of the Democratic ISMAIL AVCI ting peace. These are, the KCK Society Congress (DTK) and a for¬ said, Ending military and political mer member of the now-defunct The Kurdish Communities operations [against the PKK], Democratic Society Party (DTP) Union (KCK), the urban arm of release of Kurdish politicians under Aysel Tuluk yesterday went to the the terrorist Kurdistan Workers arrest, allowing PKK s jailed leader Omrali Island, where PKK chief Party (PKK), has announced that Abdullah Ocalan to actively partici¬ Ocalan is being held, to talk to him they will be prolonging a unilate¬ pate in the process and bring the in her capacity as his lawyer. ral cease-fire that ends on Oct. currently ongoing dialogue up to Ocalan s other lawyers Mehmet 31 until the 2011 general elec¬ the level of full negotiations, the Sabirtas, Sebahattin Kaya and tions. The KCK said that if the establishment of a constitution and Obrahim Bilmez accompanied Tu¬ Turkish state also stands by the a fact-finding commission to help luk. The meeting, which was still cease-fire, it could turn into a the process unwind and the abo¬ underway as Today s Zaman went permanent truce. lishment of the country s ten per¬ to print, is crucial in the process. The KCK s statement was pos¬ cent election threshold for parlia¬ Tuluk had intended to go last week, ted yesterday on the website of a mentary representation of political but her trip to the island was can¬ news agency affiliated with the parties. celed due to adverse whether group. The KCK said that Turkey The announcement comes a day conditions. has entered a crucial phase to solve after a suicide bombing in Istanbul the Kurdish question, defending Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

INTERNATIONA!.,,

NOVEMBER 2, 2010 In church massacre, spirit of Iraq' is victim

BAGHDAD

Survivors and families weep for their dead, and for their cultural mosaic

BY ANTHONY SHÂDID

Blood was still on the walls of Our Lady of Salvation Church on Monday. Scraps of flesh remained between the pews. But for survivors of the worst massacre of Iraqi Christians since the war began here in 2003, the attack went deeper than the toll of human wreckage : A fusil¬ lade of grenades, bullets and suicide > v vests had unraveled yet another thread , ?. of the country's once eclectic fabric. "We've lost part of our soul now," said Vt ft Rudy Khalid, a 16-year-old Christian «* who lived across the street. He shook his head. "Our destiny, no one knows what to say of it." A critic might argue that the attention on the 58 dead all but seven of them A coffin Monday outside the Roman Catholic church in Baghdad that Was attacked the day before. hostages was unseemly. Since the Confusion still reigned over what happened as the security forces moved in. American invasion of Iraq, so many thou¬

sands more have died here, Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims, and far too wounded behind, there were no an¬ few of them have generated the outrage swers. Not in the statements of outrage "We've lost part of our soul expressed Monday. But no one seemed from the Iraqi leaders, themselves now. Our destiny, no one blamed for the dysfunction of the Iraqi to argue that Christian blood was being knows what to say of it." valued more than Muslim blood this day. state. Not from Pope Benedict XVI, who Rather, many mourned what the massa¬ condemned the "absurd and ferocious cre meant for a country that once repre¬ violence." Not from security officials, grasped a crucifix and pLeaderj with the sented a remarkable entrepôt of beliefs, whose accounts contradicted other sto¬ gunmen to spare the worshippers. He customs and traditions that glided across ries and prompted suggestions that they was then executed, his body riddled boundaries gracefully ill-defined. might have inadvertently worsened the with bullets. The massacre seemed to draw anoth¬ carnage. Most of all, not from the survi¬ "We must die here," Mr. Qasboutros er border in a country of identities vors, one of whom said the gunmen who said defiantly. "We can't leave this hardened by war, occupation and seized the church Sunday evening had country." deprivation. Nearly all of Iraq's Jews only one task in mind. "They came to Some survivors echoed his senti¬ long ago left, many harassed by a xeno¬ kill, kill, kill," Mr. Sami said. ments. "If we didn't love this country, phobic government. Iraq's Christians Even the police who stood guard at we wouldn't have stayed here," Radi have dwindled. Once numbering the church, its doors barricaded with Climis, an 18-year-old who wore a floppy 800,000 to 1.4 million, at least half are barbed wire and its walls lined with : bandage on his forehead, where he was thought to have emigrated since 2003, roses, orange trees and a plant Iraqis their leaders say. wounded by shrapnel from a grenade call "the ears of an elephant," did not I "They came to kill Iraq, not Iraqis," thrown by gunmen. know quite what to say. One discour¬ But many others looked in disbelief said Bassam Sami, who huddled in a aged anyone from entering the when asked whether they would stay in room in the church for four hours before shattered doors, under a portico that a place still so unsettled, so dangerous. security forces managed to free him. celebrated the glory of God "on the land "Why? That's no question to ask," ' 'They came to kill the spirit of Iraq. They of peace." said Stephen Karomi, who had come to came to kill the reason to live, every "Blood, flesh and bones," he de¬ Baghdad a day before from Karakosh, a dream that you want to make true." scribed the scene. "You can't bear the troubled Christian town in the north. Down the street was Rudy Khalid, as smell." "Everyone wants to leave for one rea¬ upset as he was anxious at a country Knots of survivors and their friends son: to protect ourselves and to keep that seems to grasp at the mirage of nor¬ and relatives stood in the street' amid our sanity." malcy, fleeting as it might be, only to bullet casings and wrappers for band¬ Confusion still reigned Monday over turn away in disgust at the resilience of ages, some of them crying. The Rev. what happened in the attack, which was violence. "No one has any answers for Meyassr al-Qasboutros was among us;" he said. "îw^''"' claimed by a front for Al Qaeda in Meso¬ them. His cousin, Wassim Sabih, was Oh thé morning after security forces potamia, a homegrown group led by one of the two priests killed. Survivors Iraqis. stormed the Catholic churchy freeing said he was pushed to the .ground as he hostages but leaving far more dead and An American official, who was not au- Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

thorizéd to speak on the record, said se¬ al-Jabiri, a senior official in the Interior ricaded themselves behind two book¬ curity forces had made the decision to Ministry. shelves. storm the church after coming to be¬ Several survivors said that many of "Peace be upon you, Mary," some lieve that the assailants had begun the casualties happened when the gun¬ prayed. "God in heaven, help us," oth¬ killing the hostages. Had they not, he men entered and began firing randomly ers said. In time, the gunmen learned said, the toll would have been even at people, church icons and even win¬ the they were there. Unable to break in, dows. They described a ferocity on the they hurled four grenades inside, killing worse. "Our information was the hos¬ part of the gunmen, some of them four people and wounding many more, tage takers had begun to systematically speaking dialects from other Arab coun¬ survivors said. execute hostages," he said. tries, as though the sight of the church's Mr. Sami was lucky. He escaped the But Interior Ministry officials and interior had enraged them. back room without any visible wounds. survivors offered other accounts. One "They seemed insane," said Ban Ab¬ But on Monday, he listed his friends who official said 23 of the hostages were dullah, a 50-year-old survivor. had died the day before: Raghda, John, killed when two of the gunmen detonat¬ Her daughter, Marie Freij, was shot in . Rita, Father Wassim, Fadi, George, ed suicide vests as security forces Nabil and Abu Saba. "A long list," he stormed the church. Another official the right leg as the gunmen entered. She said. confirmed that account but said many lay in her own blood for more than three He shook his head, growing angry. hostages were killed soon after the gun¬ hours. "Why was Father Wassim killed? I men entered the church. An estimated 6 "I thought I would make it, but even if don't know," Mr. Sami said. "Why was to 15 gunmen seized the building. 1 I didn't, I was in the church, and it would Nabil killed? I don't know." "We received orders to raid the have been O.K.," she said from her hos¬ He turned silent, and his eyes church, so when we did, they blew them¬ pital bed in Baghdad. softened with the trace of tears. selves up and killed many, but they had Before the gunmen entered, the Rev. already killed a number of civilians be¬ Rafael Qutaimi herded many of the sur¬ fore the raid, those cowards," said Jihad vivors into a back room, where they bar

HeralSSfeSribtiM november3,2oio Hiker freed by Iran says group was directed to cross border

tained that it did not know how their ar¬

American challenges %\ rest transpired. "We don't know wheth¬ * ' er they had two feet on one side or the military report that said other or one foot pn each," the State De¬ they strayed from Iraq partment spokesman, Philip J. Crowley, said. "All we know is Iran has held them

far too long." BY NEIL MACFARQUHAR But the U.S. military report, by an anonymous official, that appeared on The three Americans accused of espio¬ WikiLeaks said that the three Ameri¬ nage by Iran stepped off an unmarked cans were definitely captured in Iraq. dirt road inadvertently crossing from "The lack of coordination on the part of Iraq only because a border guard of these hikers, particularly after being unknown nationality gestured for them forewarned, indicates an intent to agi¬ to approach, according to Sarah E. Sarah Shourd was imprisoned nearly 14 tate and create publicity regarding in¬ Shpurd, the only one to be released. months. On Monday, Iran delayed the trial ternational policies on Iran,' ' it said. Ms. Shourd, a teacher freed in of 2 other Americans including her fiancé. Ms. Shourd said she was mystified by September after nearly 14 months in Ev- in Prison, contacted The New York that conclusion. The three had no idea ; state^rùn Islamic Republic News Times, whose global edition is the Inter¬ they were near the border and had not [Agency cited by Bloomberg News, national Herald Tribune, to give her been warned about anything, she said. i Prosecutor General Gholamhossein fullest public account yet of the capture "Those claims are illogical and unsub¬ | Mohseni-Ejei did not announce a new of the three in July 2009. stantiated," she said. "Itis ridiculous tp trial date. Ms. Shpurd, 32, said she wanted to claim that mountain climbers would be What seemed like a casual encounter correct the gathering false impression, agitating along a border.' ' ; on the fateful day has mushroomed into fueled by a classified U.S. military re¬ According to Ms. Shourd 's account, it ! a lengthy incarceration and an exten¬ port made public last week by began as a relaxed overnight camping WikiLeaks, as well as earlier U.S. and ded cause of tension in Iranian-Ameri¬ trip, undertaken by three reunited British news reports, that the three can relations. friends from the University of Califor¬ When they approached the armed were detained inside Iraq and forced nia, Berkeley, happy to escape to the border guard who had gestured to them, across the border. fresh, green Kurdish mountains from Her comments came Sunday, less Ms. Shourd said, "he pointed to the the sweltering Syrian plains. than a week before the scheduled start ground and said 'Iran? and pointed to She had been teaching English to the trail we had been on before he of the trial of the other two Americans, waved to us, then said 'Iraq,' " ; her fiancé, Shane M. Bauer, and their "He pointed to the ground "We did not actually enter Iran until friend Joshua F.Fattal, both 28. and said 'Iran.'" he gestured to us," Ms. Shourd said by But Iran announced Monday that the telephone from her home in Oakland, proceedings would be postponed be- ; California. ' 'We were confused and wor¬ Iraqi refugees in Damascus* where Mr. . cause Ms. Shourd was not summoned to ried and wanted to go back.' ' Mr. Bauer was working as a freelance appear, according to a report by the The U.S. State Department has main journalist while both studied Arabic. Mr. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Fattal came to visit, and they set off to The next day, they trekked up a dirt ing to Ms. Shourd, more guards who Kurdistan after a friend raved about the road past the waterfall. After a lunch- were repeating in Persian, "Mushkil place and a Web site they read said the time nap, a soldier with a gun appeared nadereh," or "no problem," blocked

area was safe. on a ridge above them and gestured for their attempt to run away and ignored Various Kurds suggested they visit them to keep climbing. He was the first their pleas to return to Iraq. Four days Ahmed Awa, a spectacular mountain person they saw on the mountain, Ms. and several moves later, they ended up waterfall where local people camp Shourd said. in Evin Prison, where Mr. Bauer and Mr. overnight. The three Americans had no About 500 paces farther up, with nary Fattal remain. idea it abutted Iran, Ms. Shourd said, a sign to indicate the border, she said, a "I think we were extremely unlucky," and they twice encountered Kurdish guard standing by a stone hut gestured Ms. Shourd said, concluding that their peshmerga troops who greeted them for them to approach. A news report one mistake was hiking too far. "I guess warmly. The music and laughter around that a shot had been fired over their I never believed there would be so many scores of camphres at the waterfall heads was wrong, she said. hundreds of people close to a border." gave no sense of imminent danger. At a second, larger structure, accord

. INTERNATIONAL,, îieralb^É^ft November 4, 2010 THE WORLD'S DAILY NEWSPAPER ~ : ' From Iraq, threats toward

BAGHDAD

FROM NEWS REPORTS Christians

Al Qaeda's front group in Iraq has threatened more attacks on Christians after a siege on a Baghdad: church (that left 58 people dead, linking the warning to claims that Christians in Egypt are holding women captive for converting

to Islam. Egyptians were quick to condemn the threat from the front group, the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that in¬ cludes Al Qaeda in Iraq and other allied Sunni insurgent factions. Security was reinforced at churches in Egypt, where Christians make up 10 percent of the 78 million people, the biggest Christian

population.in the Middle East. "This threat is not directed only at but at the Egyptian state;" said Father Abdel Maseeh Baseet of the Residents of Baghdad returned to places like the Majid market on Wednesday, a day Coptic Orthodox Church, the biggest after bombings and mortar strikes across the city killed dozens of people. Christian community in Egypt. "Egypt's security ended terrorism in the 1990s and it is capable today of erad¬ two women identified by the Iraqi group, from those used by Egyptian groups in icating these threats." both wives of priests, converted to Islam the 1990s. The Muslim Brotherhood, a banned and were being detained by the church. "Handling Al Qaeda threats and its group that long ago renounced violence A priest denied this and said they were new technology requires higher levels to bring political change, condemned in monasteries for their safety. of security monitoring and scrutiny," he the threat and said security forces could "I think those responsible for the said. "These groups see that they pen¬ stop.' militants. Its own members are massacre were looking for a justifica¬ etrated places like Iraq arid think they regularly rounded up by the authorities. tion for what they did by linking it to can penetrate Egypt' ' "Egypt's security, apparatus has Egypt's church," said Wasim Badia, a He pointed to the interception of two three decades of experience in stem¬ Coptic deacon. parcel bombs on cargo planes in Britain ming jihadist activity and penetrating In announcing its reasons for its at¬ and Dubai last week. extremist groups,'"said Abdel.Moneim tack on Sunday, the Islamic State ofIraq Though analysts say the militant Abul Futuh, a senior member of the said the Coptic Church had until Tues¬ threat in Egypt has eased, tensions be¬ Muslim Brotherhood. "I doubt they day to release the women. It also de¬ tween Muslims and Christians periodic¬ would fail in handling such threats.' ' manded the release of its members held ally emerge. Frequent security sweeps But even if the Iraqi group has ho al¬ in Iraqi prisons. against any Islamist activity reflect offi¬ lies or network inEgypt to carry out its With the passing of the deadline, the cial concerns that, without vigilance, threat, some said it could stir radical Is¬ group said its fighters would attack militants might regroup in Egypt. lamists into action against the Christian Christians wherever they could be The Baghdad church siege horrified

community. .- reached. Iraq's Christian community, hundreds "That kind of call may find some re¬ Over the past few years in Egypt, ar¬ of whom gathered Tuesday'for. a me¬ ceptive ears in Egypt, but it won't find guments over conversions in both direc¬ morial service in Baghdad. One of the the receptive ears of an existing organ¬ tions have worsened tensions between officials read a letter from Pope Bene¬ ization capable of striking with the kind Muslims and Christians, which were dict XVI to the crowd. of sophistication that we see in Iraq," already high over issues like the con- . "For years the violence hasn't said Issandr El Amrani, a political ana¬ struction of new churches. The two com¬ stopped hitting this country, and Chris¬ lyst based in Cairo. munities generally live in peace, though tians are becoming the target of these Bishop Morkos of Shubra al-Khaima clashes and attacks have taken place. cruel terrorist attacks," the letter read. in Cairo echoed the comments: "The The conversion issue has become a The attack on Sunday was the deadli¬ massacre will not lead to a rise in sectari¬ rallying point for hard-line Islamists in est ever recorded against Iraq's Christi¬ an strife in Egypt, but it could catalyze Egypt. Youssef Sidhom, editor in chief of ans, whose nuihbers have plummeted dangerous attempts by extremists." Al Watani, a Coptic newspaper, said mil¬ as they fled to other countries after the Islamists in Egypt contend that the itants were using techniques different U.S.-led invasion in 2003. (ap.reuters) Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

IRAQ OIL REPORT November 3, 2010

Baghdad silent, US pans new KRG deals with American oil firms

blocks and 25 percent working

interest in the Sarsang block,

By Ben Lando of operated by American firm

Iraq Oil Report Hillwood Energy, and 20 per¬

cent in the Atrush block, ope¬

rated by Aspect Energy, also a BAGHDAD, Iraq s Kurdistan U.S. company. Regional Government has Iraqi, U.S., and European signed at least five deals with sources confirmed that other two big American oil compa¬ deals have been signed by the nies, asserting its oil auto¬ KRG, including with Murphy nomy as the central govern¬ Oil, a Fortune 500 company ment, usually a vocal critic, is and one of the bigger hushed to avoid upsetting Workers at Norwegian oil company DNO's Tawke oilfield in American operators. The pro¬ coalition talks eight months June 2008. (BEN LANDO/Iraq Oil Report) duction sharing contract for at after a disputed national elec¬ least one block has already tion. been signed and is to be been blacklisted from winning oil contracts, have thus far kil¬ The U.S. government, which announced Nov. 4. Phone deals from Baghdad as well led any chance of passing a has regularly condemned the calls and emails to Murphy as purchasing Iraqi crude. new oil law that would govern KRG s now more than 30 officials went unanswered. Marathon, in fact, required the sector and related laws deals for what it views as fur¬ Canada s Western Oil Sands governing revenue collection Two European firms, possibly thering the Kurd-Baghdad to spin-off its KRG assets into and redistribution, a new Iraqi including Spain s Repsol, and divide over oil development independent Western Zagros National Oil Company and a an unnamed Irish company is and other constitutional before completing a takeover reorganization of the oil minis¬ also said to be in final stage issues, also warned Marathon. in 2007. Both Marathon and try. talks for KRG deals. The United States position Repsol were pre-qualified to Meanwhile, the Oil Ministry The KRG deals date back to remains that it is in the interest bid in the three auctions but has refused to comment on 2002, but nearly all have been of all Iraqi parties to enact a opted for the north. the new deals. Usually the signed since early 2007, a set of national laws to govern Netting big name American KRG s announcements of a timeframe that signifies a the development, manage¬ firms is a strategic move by contract are followed by decla¬ breakdown in talks over key ment, and distribution of Iraq s the KRG, adding prestige to rations that the deals violate oil legislation. The KRG hydrocarbons resources, the its nascent oil sector and a lit¬ (Baghdad s interpretation of) demands autonomy in develo¬ U.S. Embassy in Baghdad tle stronger standing in its poli¬ the 2005 Constitution. ping its oil sector and says said in an emailed statement. tical negotiations. Until now Baghdad should pay for them, We have encouraged all com¬ Sources within the ministry the biggest and most contro¬ as long as the revenues from panies, including Marathon, to say the silence is on purpose, versial was the contract the secret deals it signs are refrain from signing deals with a directive to ensure Prime signed in fall 2007 with Hunt sent to the central govern¬ the KRG independent of the Minister Nouri al-Maliki s Oil. Led by Ray Hunt, who at ment. Baghdad, meanwhile, central government s appro¬ attempt to get Kurdistan the time was an international maintains the central govern¬ val, the statement continued, Alliance support for his second security advisor to President ment has the sole right to sign we have consistently advised term in office. George W. Bush, the company oil contracts and develop oil companies of the significant first denied it discussed the oil fields. It has awarded 14 oil legal and financial risks they deal with U.S. officials in Iraq and gas deals to foreign oil may incur by signing contracts or Washington, D.C. It was companies since June 2009 in with any party independent of later found that the company three transparent auctions the central government s was advised by the U.S. not to though the contracts still approval. sign the deal, both because of remain secret to such firms Marathon announced Oct. 20 legal uncertainty and its per¬ as ExxonMobil and BP in a it was awarded a production ceived affect on political dis¬ massive push for production sharing contract worth 80 per¬ cussions. capacity increases. cent ownership in two pre¬ Political disputes, including but Those that have signed viously open exploration surely not limited to the KRG s contracts with the KRG have Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

REUTERS

Turkey's decades-long conflict with the PKK: Questions & Answers

November 2, 2010 / (Reuters) / By Ayla Jean Yackley as a shield for less popular tactics, said Gareth Jenkins, an independent Istanbul-based analyst.

"Co-operating with these marginal groups serves the PKK ISTANBUL - Some Turkish security officials have made purpose of being able to distance itself if things go wrong, like Kurdish militants the prime suspects in a suicide bombing civilian casualties," he said. in central Istanbul on Sunday, but the Kurdistan Workers

Party, the main militant group, denied involvement.

No group has claimed responsibility and the attack, which HOW MANY CEASEFIRES HAS THE PKK DECLARED? wounded 32 people, has cast renewed attention on one of The PKK has called eight ceasefires since taking up arms in Europe's longest-running and deadliest conflicts. 1984. In past truces, violence has not completely ceased, Issuing its denial the PKK, which has waged a 26-year armed though the PKK says it abstains from offensive attacks. For its campaign against the Turkish state, also extended a ceasefire part, the state has in the past rejected the PKK's one-sided tru¬ until elections next year. ces and has continued to wage operations. The army has a mandate from parliament to enter northern Iraq in pursuit of Turkey, a NATO member and candidate to join the European the PKK. Union, has so far refused to talk with the PKK, or Partiya

Karkeran Kurdistan in Kurdish, though separatist struggles

elsewhere in Europe have been subdued through negotiations. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO END THE CONFLICT? Some 40,000 have died in the Kurdish conflict; nearly 30,000 of A settlement of the fight with the PKK would help ease the them members of the PKK. planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq in 2011 by hel¬

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has tried to expand Kurdish ping preserve stability in that country's most peaceful region.

rights, but his initiative suffered a backlash following images The PKK has been based mainly in northern Iraq since the

of flag-draped coffins of soldiers killed by the PKK. 1990s.

The latest PKK ceasefire could create breathing space for Ending the war and improving the plight of Kurds is also

Erdogan to renew efforts to resolve the Kurdish question later. essential if Turkey is to meet Europasean Union membership

criteria and fulfil its decades-long dream of joining the bloc. Here are questions and answers about the conflict:

WHAT ARE THE PKK'S DEMANDS? WHAT ARE THE PKK'S MILITARY CAPABILITIES?

The PKK has abandoned its fight for an independent home¬ The PKK says it is calling the ceasefire when it is at "full land for Turkey's 14 million ethnic Kurds and says it is now strength," but analysts say the group lacks real military capa¬ fighting for greater autonomy and expanded political and cul¬ city. "They have hit-and-run capabilities, but are far from tural rights. being able to wage battle with the Turkish armed forces," said

David Phillips of Columbia University. To make the ceasefire permanent, the rebels want the army to

quit operations and the government to release 1,500 or so The PKK has said it targets military and strategic assets to Kurdish politicians and activists held on charges of backing avoid civilian casualties. Its main tactic is roadside bombs the rebels. The PKK wants an end to a vote threshold of 10 per¬ aimed at military convoys in the mainly Kurdish southeast. cent that political parties must cross to enter parliament. It has Less frequently, it has ambushed army outposts in remote also said Ocalan must participate in any peace process. areas.

Groups linked with the PKK have attacked urban sites. The

Kurdistan Freedom Hawks (TAK) said in June it bombed a WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO RESOLVE

military bus that killed five people. TAK also claimed respon¬ THE CONFLICT? sibility for a string of bombings in cities between 2006 and The army and government both acknowledge that the Kurdish 2008. issue cannot be solved through military means alone. Erdogan

The PKK itself says it attacked an oil pipeline carrying Iraqi last year introduced a "democratic opening" to address

crude to Turkey's Mediterranean coast, most recently in July Kurdish grievances and encourage peace. and August. In August 2008, a bomb the PKK planted on a BP- The government has pledged billions of dollars to develop the led pipeline carrying Azeri oil knocked out flows for southeast, where incomes are a quarter of those in affluent three weeks and drove up global oil prices. western Turkey. It has also eased restrictions on the Kurdish language. Less than 20 years ago, Kurdish was completely banned. COULD A PKK SPLINTER GROUP BE BEHIND THE

LATEST ATTACK? According to sources close to the matter, authorities in recent weeks have held talks with Ocalan, once unthinkable. PKK leaders, based in northern Iraq, deny the movement is

fractured, and say its forces are under control. Jailed PKK lea¬ But Erdogan may now wait until the 2011 election before der Abdullah Ocalan still runs the movement, they say. making any significant and politically risky reforms.

Many observers do not believe that the PKK, which tolerates little internal dissent, is fragmenting. Rather, the PKK trains and retains loose control over TAK and others and uses them

10 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

Kurdistan Regional Government

2 November 2010

France's Trade Minister opens agriculture and environment house in Erbil

Erbil, Kurdistan - Iraq (KRG.org) - France's Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac arrived yesterday in Erbil to inaugurate the French House for Agriculture and the Environment. The centre paves the way for French firms to work in agricultural, water and environmental projects in the Kurdistan Region. . w. .

: 5 . sik-- Ms Idrac and Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani > r'-vi * together cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the House, which is *r / **N * - f "* * V attached to France's Consulate General in Erbil. i . N

i& President Barzani said, "I would like to warmly welcome the Minister and thank the French Ambassador and Consul i General for today's important event. France and the Kurdistan *V .s* Region have enjoyed a historic friendship, from the days of De ** Gaulle until the present day" - W if ..

: i ' .* X' He added, "During our recent official visit to Paris we signed a . ^'. *. > .M letter of intent to increase our cooperation with France in a number of important sectors, with special attention to agricul¬ ture. I invite French firms to help the Kurdistan Region develop . *. ' * t .;s its agricultural sector and other aspects of our economy, and I a:;v thank the Minister for her visit."

Water Resources Jamal Haider to develop a master plan for Minister Idrac said that France is willing to provide technical integrated water management in the Kurdistan Region. The cooperation and professional expertise in the Kurdistan Region France's Trade Ministry is providing funding for the project. and throughout Iraq, and emphasised the importance of agri¬ cultural production and sustainable development. She said that The House for Agriculture and the Environment will facilitate she was most pleased to participate in this opening with the participation of French firms in agricultural, water-related, President Barzani, and hoped that the opening would lead the and environmental projects throughout the Kurdistan Region. way for the activity of French companies in the Kurdistan

Region. The Kurdistan Region rolled out a five-year plan to renew the agriculture sector in 2009, and the KRG has pursued coopera¬ Ms Idrac was joined by France's Ambassador to Iraq Boris tion with international companies which possess modern tech¬ Bouillon and several officials and business representatives. The nology and expertise in all aspects of food and agriculture. Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Deputy Prime Earlier this year President Barzani conducted an official visit to Minister Azad Barwari and other KRG ministers also participa¬ Paris, meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy and other offi¬ ted. cials, and signing a letter of intent that outlined the direction of further cooperation. A representative of the French firm Canal du Provence later signed an agreement with the Minister for Agriculture and

The Economist November 4th 2010

Iraq's insurgency Yet the attacks, though the worst for two months, were not that unusual. In August, just before American combat forces Another spasm left the country, more than 20 car-bombings and other attacks occurred simultaneously across

Baghdad - Iraq. Al-Qaeda, regenerated after two of its leaders were kil¬ A wave of atrocities raises the spectre of a led earlier this year, seems to be return to sectarian mayhem concentrating on spectacular attacks every few months. atrocities were presumed to have American commanders have BAGHDADIS were badly shaken been the work of Iraqi Sunni often said that assaults would this week when dozens of groups tied to al-Qaeda. After fall only to an "irreducible mini¬ Christians died in a massacre in a eight months of vicious political mum". But two large-scale church in the city's centre, follo¬ infighting since March's inconclu¬ attacks in a week, as well as a wed two days later by at least 14 sive election, tension was already bomb in a Shia area in Diyala, a car bombs exploding in mostly high. The strain on Iraq's fledgling mixed Shia-Sunni province north Shia areas of the capital, killing security services and fragile insti¬ of Baghdad, where another 25 another 100 or so people. The tutions has been mounting. civilians were killed, raise the

11 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

spectre of widespread sectarian intelligence services. The sement, with Iran's approval, of violence if a national-unity Awakening Councils, drawn lar¬ an anti-Western, Shia religious government is not formed soon. gely from Sunni former insur¬ party led by Muqtada al-Sadr, a Despite such recent setbacks, gents, whose recruitment by the fiery populist. The Kurdish par¬ the burgeoning Iraqi army and American army was instrumen¬ ties are back as kingmakers but police, numbering more than tal in lessening sectarian vio¬ have a long list of tough 400,000 in all, have been coping lence during the American mili¬ demands still to be met. After a better. They have generally tary surge in 2007, have not court ruling, it has been decided contained the insurgency. The been adequately incorporated that members of parliament violence is still far less intense into the Iraqi forces. As a result must meet on November 8th to than it was three years ago. of the ensuing resentment, choose a speaker, who might in But the security forces are extremism may once again turn speed up the search for a

plainly unable to stop the occa¬ become more tolerated among new government. sional big attack. Factionalism Sunnis. Last year's budget No one is betting on one does not help, with branches of freeze after the fall in oil prices soon. But one thing is sure: if Mr the forces loyal to different poli¬ in 2008 has left little money for Allawi fails to get a top job, brin¬ tical leaders and ministries. training forces in intelligence. A ging his group into government, Intelligence gathering, a crucial new budget cannot be passed the disaffected Sunni minority tool in counter-terrorism, is still until a government is in place. will make it much harder for the patchy, because different bran¬ The incumbent prime minis¬ security forces to prevent the ches are reluctant to share infor¬ ter, Nuri al-Maliki, and his Shia- sort of atrocities that occurred mation with each other. led State of Law group are still this weekand which, if they American forces still share intel¬ trying to build a ruling coalition, again become frequent, could ligence across the board, but as is his chief rival, Iyad Allawi, plunge the country back into have shifted many of their best whose mainly Sunni-backed wholesale sectarian violence. people and units to Afghanistan. group won two more seats than In particular, the Sunnis are Mr Maliki's. Mr Maliki was still underrepresented within the recently boosted by the endor

Hurriyet November 4, 2010 DailyNews, Tensions erupt over Kurdish in Turkish court

When the judge decided to remove

ISTANBUL - A Diyarbakir court was all the defendants from die courtroom

forced to recess during a trial of the the defense lawyers objected. Lawyer alleged urban wing of the outlawed Tahir Elçi said the suspects' request to

Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, on defend themselves in Kurdish is not a

Thursday, after arguments erupted political request but a legal request. Elçi regarding Kurdish being spoken during said calling Kurdish an "unknown lan¬

the proceedings, news agencies repor¬ guage" would have heavy political ted. consequences.

When Bayram Altun, deputy head of The case against the urban alleged the shuttered pro-Kurdish Democratic wing of the PKK, the Kurdistan

Society Party, or DTP, began to read a Communities Union, or KCK, started defense statement in Kurdish, the head last month. Among the more than 150

judge had his microphone turned off. suspects are mayors of several southeas¬ "The defendant is making his defense in tern Anatolian cities elected from die an unknown language," he reportedly pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy

said. Party, or BDP, as well as alleged PKK

Following this eruption, defendant members. The suspects are charged with Ramazan Morkoç also reportedly being members of the KCK.

addressed the court in Kurdish, and then The PKK is recognized as a terrorist in Turkish. "You cannot insult the lan¬ group by Turkey, the United States and guage of a people," he said. The head Gendermerie officials bring suspects the European Union. judge moved to expel Morkoç from the in the Kurdistan Communities Union,

courtroom, sparking protests from the or KCK, case to the courthouse. DHA

other defendants who asked to be expel¬ photo led from courtroom collectively.

12 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

04 November 2010 iltRudaw.Net

Kurd-Arab Tensions Are Running Higher After Recent Incidents in Kirkuk

By NAWZAD MAHMOUD

SULAIMANI, Iraqi Kurdistan -- According to the evidence gathered by the Kurdish security forces in Kirkuk, the oil-rich city is facing a major threat as al-Qaeda fighters, hard-line Arabs and other groups are getting closer together in order to oppose Kurds. A Kurdish security source in Kirkuk told Rudaw that "90 percent of the attacks in Kirkuk are aimed at Kurds and the perpetrators are Arabs." There appears to be a consensus on this among Kurdish security sources in Kirkuk who say "Kurds are the target of terrorists and hard-line Arabs in the city." Brig. Gen. Sarhad Qadir, Top police officer for Kirkuk's countryside, said the Sherzad Mofari, the chief" of Oruba insurgent groups have connections with the officials inside the city. Photo by police station in Kirkuk said, "Now the Rudaw. chauvinist Arabs, terrorists and extre¬ mist Turcomans all are standing against Kurds.We have been saying for quite Kirkuk said the insurgents have connec¬ moved into Kirkuk paving the way for some time that the influx of Arabs into tions with the officials inside the city. violent activities in the city. Kirkuk should be stopped because we He said while the directorate of Gen. Jamal Tahir, Kirkuk's police have arrested dozens of terrorist groups Kirkuk police was just 100 meters away chief says the Kurdish politicians need whose members were from those inco¬ from the site of the armed robbery in the to work on the issue because the security ming Arabs." jewelry- stores area, the police forces in forces can only try to provide security. "More than a thousand Arab families the directorate took no action. As a Halo Najat, the head of Kurdistan have entered Kirkuk under die cover of result Brig. Gen. Qadir had to send in his Democratic Party (KDP)'s security immigration. There are tens of terrorist forces to fight the assailants. apparatus in Kirkuk, said "There is now groups among them." "How did three cars full of armed coordination between terrorists and "We have lots of evidence pointing men enter the city? What were the some of the officials in Kirkuk against out that those Arabs are trying to buy checkpoints doing? Who allowed them Kurds. We have got evidence but cannot houses worth 60 million Iraqi Dinars to enter," Qadir said asking about the reveal them. (nearly $50,000) and they are terrorists. Ansar al-Sunnah members who attacked The KDP is one of the two main How can they buy those houses if they the jewelry stores. Kurdish parties that run the autonomous are not backed by terrorists?" said He called for a committee to be for¬ region of Kurdistan and has a major pre¬ Mofari. med to investigate all security and police sence in Kirkuk. One of the armed men Mofari had units in the city. He said there is a renewed process of recently arrested had confessed that he "Even among the security forces, the re-Arabization in Kirkuk saying it is was a member of a "terrorist" group. stations run by Arab officials are not as even worse than what Saddam Hussein The group had killed one person and serious as the ones run by the Kurds," did during his 35 years of ruling die injured another one in Kirkuk. claimed Qadir calling this an alarm bell. country. "The enemies of Kurds have every¬ Sherzad Mofari confirmed Qadir's Unlike the security officials, thing but helicopters and chemical wea¬ words saying the hard-line Arabs and Kirkuk's political and administrative pons," said Sherzad. even the United Nations office in Kirkuk officials see the situation differently and Since the preparations for the popu¬ have complained against him. say the situation in the city is tied to the lation census started, violence in Kirkuk "Let everybody know that the hard¬ security and political situation in the has increased. There has been even a line Arabs in Kirkuk have relations with whole country. further increase since Kurds voiced the terrorists and al-Qaeda here in order Rebwar Talabani, the deputy head of opposition to removing the ethnicity to oppose Kurds. And the latest inci¬ Kirkuk provincial council believes the item from the census questionnaire. dents prove that,' said Qadir. chaos engulfing Iraq as a result in the Among other incidents in Kirkuk did Ahmed Askari, a member of Kirkuk delay in forming the country's new recently a big armed robbery attempt provincial council said an Arab member government has spread to Kirkuk as take place in the city's jewelry-stores of the body has defended "terrorists" well. area and two Kurdish girls were kidnap¬ numerous times. He said there is no Rejecting claims that the armed ped. "concrete evidence" to prove the guilt of groups and the hard-line Arabs have joi¬ The militant Ansar al-Sunnah group some of the detainees. ned efforts to oppose Kurds, Talabani attacked the jewelry stores in Kirkuk "We hear words from some council said, "They are not only opposing the market leading to clashes with security members that make them smell like ter¬ Kurds the threat is directed at all ethni¬ forces that left several people dead and rorists. Someone who defends terrorists cities in Kirkuk." injured among the attackers, the police has to be one himself," Askari said. and store owners. Kurdish sources say in the recent On his part, Brig. Gen. Sarhad years around 8,000 Arab families have Qadir, a high-ranking police official in

13 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

(TclcjrrapU c 4 November 2010 Iran arrest 'Kurdish rebels who worked for British-based militant' Iran has arrested four Kurdish rebels of a banned group who worked for a militant based in Britain, according to reports.

*> f - V": " ' s

MARIWAN

vfit Majid Bakhtiar, Hajeer Ebrahimi, . '.-, "£* * * 'f A fighter of the Loqman Moradi and Zanyar * Islamic group of Moradi who are members of the ban¬ Kurdistan ned Komala group were arrested in 'Komala Islamy' Iran's western city of Marivan, the '* V' carries his English-language Press TV said on its 181111 " machine gun website. Photo: AP ifil ' -y -" -- The five are accused of carrying out five assassinations in Iran in the past H two years, the report said. If It claimed that they have confessed to getting orders in the Iraqi city of Sulaimaniyah from their commander, the allegations as "another in a long line Kurdistan (PJAK). who is residing in Britain, and added of slurs against the United Kingdom that documents and weapons were Unlike the United States, Britain still from the government of Iran." confiscated from them. has diplomatic relations with Iran. In early September, Iranian security The report described the alleged The head of Britain's Secret forces killed four members of Komala in commander as "one of the commanders Intelligence Service, John Sawers, said the Iranian province of Kordestan. of the Komala terrorist group which has in a speech last week that "intelligence- been perpetuating several assassinations Western Iran, which has a sizeable led operations" were needed to prevent in the western cities of Iran since the Kurdish population, has seen deadly cla¬ Iran getting a nuclear bomb, a comment Islamic revolution in 1979." shes in recent years between security interpreted in Tehran as proof that forces and Kurdish rebel groups opera¬ Britain was using subterfuge against the The four men claimed "they were ori¬ ting from bases in neighbouring Iraq. government. ginally promised $20,000 (£12,300) for each murder, but they only received In May, Iran hanged four Kurds, $8,000 (£5,000) after accomplishing the including a woman, after convicting mission," the report said. them of belonging to another outlawed Kurdish group, the Party of Free Life of The British government dismissed

wounded in attacks. Some of the attacks began late on Tuesday, the source said. Both sources asked not to be identified. Blasts target Iraq Christians, Tensions have been running high since a March parliamentary 3 dead, dozens hurt election that produced no clear winner, leaving Iraq's Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish political factions jockeying for position in a new government and raising fears of renewed violence. BAGHDAD - November 10, 2010 / (Reuters) Sunni Islamist insurgents have claimed responsibility for a string of recent attacks that appeared aimed at reigniting the sectarian BOMBINGS and mortar attacks targeting Christians killed at warfare that ravaged Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and least three people and wounded over two dozen in Baghdad on which began to abate three years ago. Wednesday, Iraqi security sources said, 10 days after a brazen assault on a Catholic cathedral that killed 52. Fifty-two hostages and police were killed on Oct. 31 in a raid on the Our Lady of Salvation Church in central Baghdad, prompting Attackers detonated at least 14 roadside bombs across the Iraqi vows from the Iraqi government to step up security for Iraq's capital and a mortar round struck in the southern Doura district Christian minority . within a two-hour period, all apparently targeting Christians, an Interior Ministry source said.

"These operations, which targeted Christians, came as a continua¬ That attack was followed two days later by a series of explosions tion of the attack that targeted the Salvation church," the source across mainly Shi'ite areas in the city in which at least 63 people said. died.

An Iraqi police source put the toll at three dead and at least 32

14 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

ÏjE FIGARO samedi 6 - dimanche 7 novembre 2010

Marjana Alaoui, la jeune Ma¬ trouvées sur le plateau de cette Le génocide kurde rocaine qui interprète Najla, se coproduction internationale souvient, d'un tournage (Italie, Suisse et Irak). «Les

« bouleversant au quoti^ Kurdes ont tourné avec passion,

vu d'Irak dien. Dans un camp, nous ajoute le réalisateur. Une fois

tournions devant un grand mur qu'Us ont compris ce que nous CMÉMMi « Les Fleurs de Kirkouk » , criblé d'éclats de balles. Quand voulions montrer^ Us ont coopé¬ je suis arrivée sur les lieux, ré avec enthousiasme. » u premier grand film tourné en Irak depuis j'étais loin d'imaginer un tel la chute de Saddam Hussein, a marqué génocide». Le film a été tourné près de le festival du cinéma de Rome. Kirkouk, dans des villages ra- ,

nien Fariborz Kamkari, pré¬ ses par l'armée irakienne et RICHARD HEUZÉ sente son long-métrage Les ROME avec pour figurants des habi¬

Fleurs de Kirkouk comme la tants qui ont eux-mêmes

est la première «grande histoire d'un amour connu les horreurs de la guer¬

fois que le gé¬ interdit » sur le front de guerre re. Les soldats de Saddam

nocide kurde entre deux médecins, une jeu¬ Hussein, cruels et violents, Ont

perpétré par ne femme de la haute bour¬ été choisis parmi les forces ar¬

l'armée ira¬ geoisie de Bagdad, Najla, et un mées du régime actuel.

kienne (180.000 morts dont insurgé kurde, MoRhtâr: Scè¬ « Quand j'ai pensé à le tour¬

,6 000 gazés à Halabja le nes dramatiques au milieu de ner ilya trois ans,. cela semblait

16 mars 1988), épisode tragi¬ . la mitraille, directement ihs- une folie », explique Fariborz que de l'histoire jusqu'à pré¬ i pirées par Roberto Rossellini, Kamkari; Et pourtant les auto- fy sent oublié par le cinéma, est le maître à penser de Kamkari, risatioris pour tourner sur les

porté à l'écran dans un film qui ; qui dit avoir voulu exalter le lieux des massacresxlui ont été Marjana Aaloui interprète Najla,

n'est pas un documentaire. rôle des femmes courageuses accordées. une femme médecin

Le réalisateur^ le Kurde ira ; dans les sociétés musulmanes. , Huifnationalités se sont re sur le front de guerre, dr

Mercredi 10 novembre 2010

Des centaines de lieux et d'insti¬

tutions - stades, aéroports, barra¬ Atatiirk reste le «père de la nation», ges, bibliothèques, hôpitaux, rues, quartiers - sont baptisés du nom etson mausolée est « laMecque turque » d'Atatiirk. «Son effigiefigure sur laplace des villes et dans chaque école, sans exception, souligne

Esra Elmas, chercheuse à l'univer¬ minutes, le pays se fige. Les pèle¬ On a tiré sur Atatiirk, début sité Bilgi et auteure d'un ouvrage, rins se recueillent sur le lit de 10 millions de pèlerins octobre. Sur une sculpture Mon cherAtatiirk, sur la percep¬ mort, au palais dé Dolmabahçe, à Son corps repose au mausolée géante de 42 m, taillée dans tion du mythe par les écoliers. Ata¬ Istanbul, dont les pendules sont que lui ont fait construire ses suc¬ un rocher, dessinant le visage du tiirk est tellement omniprésent arrêtées à 9 h 05 depuis 1938. A la cesseurs, en 1953. Ce temple, au fondateur de la Turquie moderne. qu'avec le masque géant situéprès télévision, sur les panneaux publi¬ sommet d'une colline, dans la Cet extravagant « mont Rushmo- d'Izmir, il est le seul Turc que l'on citaires, dans les écoles, au balcon capitale, Ankara, est visité par re turc », situé près d'Izmir, a été la peutvoir depuis la Lune. » des appartements, on affiche Un plus de 10 millions de personnes cible d'un vandale. « Personne ne Les milieux artistiques com¬ portrait, visage pâle et regard chaque année. Tout chef d'Etat de mencent à interroger ce mythe. peut détruire l'unité de notre passage vient s'incliner devant Une exposition d'art contempo¬ pays», s'est ému Aziz Kocaoglu,. le perçant, de Mustafa Kemal. Atatiirk, avant mêmede se rendre rain, en octobre, a voulu ironiser maire d'Izmir, troisième ville du Né à Salonique en 1881, ce mili¬ au palais présidentiel. «L'idéolo¬ sur le culte d'Ataturk, en ajoutant pays et bastion des « laïcs » radi¬ taire est à la fois le héros de l'a gie d'Atatiirk est devenue une reli¬ la silhouette de Kemal à côté des caux. «Je demande auxautorités guerre de libération contre l'occu¬ gion et son mausolée est laMecque symboles des trois religions du policières defaire la lumière sur pation grecque, italienne et fran¬ turque», compare Murât Belge, Livre, sur un panneau signaléti- cet acte. Je le dis avec honte, maisje çaise, au lendemain de la premiè¬ éditeur et professeur de littératu¬ que. L' a été détruite par un suisprêt à allerprès delà statué re guerre mondiale, et lé bâtis¬ re à l'université Bilgi d'Istanbul, d'Atatiirkpour monter la garde. » seur de la République sur les groupe de militants kémalistes. évoquant un culte de substitution Guillaume Perrier Soixante-douze ans après la décombres de l'Empire ottoman.

mort de Mustafa Kemàl Atatiirk, L'idéologie officielle porte son à l'islam. « Quand les gens ont . (Istanbul, correspondance) le 10 novembre 1938, le culte qui nom, le kémalisme, et le code peur des islamistesyils brandissent- lui est voué ne faiblit pas. Les pénal protège sa légende. Il instau- : son image ou des slogans à l'arriè¬

Turcs célèbrent, ce mercredi, l'an¬ ra un régime laïc et autoritaire re de leur voiture », poursuit-il. niversaire de la mort du « Père de qu'il présida jusqu'à sa mort, D'autres se font tatouer la signatu¬ la nation ». A 9 h 05, pendant trois d'Une cirrhose du foie. re du leader sur le bras.

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L'aviation turque avait riposté le même jour en bombardant des positions des UN GÉNÉRAL TURC ÉCROUÉ rebelles kurdes dans le nord de l'Irak, que le PKK utilise comme base arrière DANS UNE ENQUÊTE SUR pour ses opérations. Mais l'enquête a révélé que l'engin provenait des stocks de l'armée.

LA MORT DE SIX SOLDATS Des enregistrements de conversations téléphoniques supposées entre le général Es, qui commandait alors une brigade de gendarmerie dans la région, et d'autres officiers ont par ailleurs été diffusées sur internet, dans lesquels le ANKARA, 7 novembre 2010 (AFP) général admet avoir fait poser la mine, pour des raisons de sécurité, affirment les quotidiens. UN TRIBUNAL MILITAIRE d'Ankara a ordonné le placement en détention Longtemps intouchable, l'armée, qui se considère comme la gardienne du provisoire d'un général dans le cadre d'une enquête sur la mort de six régime laïque turc, a été amenée au cours des dernière années à répondre de soldats tués par une mine dans le sud-est de la Turquie en 2009, un inci¬ ses actes devant la justice, conséquence de la lutte de pouvoir qui l'oppose au dent alors imputé aux rebelles kurdes, a rapporté la presse dimanche. gouvernement, issu de la mouvance islamiste. La cour a prononcé vendredi la mise sous écrou du général de brigade Zeki Un officier turc a été condamné en novembre 2009 à neuf ans de prison pour Es pour avoir causé la mort des six militaires, ont indiqué les journaux. la mort de quatre soldats, alors qu'il avait ordonné à l'un d'eux en guise de Six soldats turcs avaient été tués et huit autres blessés le 28 mai 2009 par l'ex¬ punition de garder dans sa main une grenade dégoupillée. L'armée avait dans plosion d'une mine au passage de leur véhicule à proximité de la localité de un premier temps conclu à un accident, mais la presse avait révélé l'affaire. Cukurca, dans la province de Hakkari, près de la frontière irakienne.

Les autorités avaient imputé l'incident aux rebelles du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), qui utilisent souvent des mines dans leurs attaques contre les forces de sécurité.

IRAK: LES DIRIGEANTS REUNIS A ERBIL POUR SE PARTAGER LE POUVOIR

ERBIL (Irak), / 8 novembre 2010 / (AFP)

LES DIRIGEANTS POLITIQUES IRAKIENS ont entamé lundi à Erbil, capi¬ tale de la région autonome du Kurdistan, une réunion cruciale pour se partager le pouvoir et déterminer notamment la place à accorder aux sunnites, afin de sortir de huit mois d'impasse politique.

La réunion devrait durer trois jours et se poursuivre mardi à Bagdad. Dès l'ou¬ verture, les deux rivaux, le Premier ministre sortant Nouri al-Maliki et son pré¬ décesseur lyad Allawi, ont campé sur leur position.

"L'objectif de la réunion d'Erbil est d'obtenir la présence au gouvernement pessimiste. "Il y a eu des convergences politiques lors de nos réunions à d'Iraqiya (la formation de M. Allawi, NDLR) et de la convaincre d'accepter la Bagdad mais il reste des points essentiels non résolus et je ne pense pas qu'ils présidence du Parlement", a affirmé à l'AFP le député de cette liste Hassan le seront lors cette réunion, car il faut du temps", a-t-il dit.

Allawi. Devant des positions aussi tranchées, l'ancien Premier ministre Ibrahim

Cette formation, arrivée en tête lors du scrutin du 7 mars, est soutenue par les Jaafari a poussé un cri de colère: "Il faut que chacun fasse des sacrifices car sunnites qui ont perdu le pouvoir lors de l'invasion conduite par les Etats-Unis le peuple attend des actions concrètes".

en 2003, après avoir dominé ce pays depuis sa création au début des années M. Maliki arrive en position de force à cette réunion, car un accord a été conclu 1920. samedi entre l'Alliance Nationale, regroupement de formations chiites auquel

"Il faut former rapidement un gouvernement qui reflète les résultats des élec¬ il appartient, et l'Alliance Kurde.

tions, et nous devons être égaux en droits, en devoirs et dans (le partage) du Après d'intenses négociations, M. Maliki dispose du plus vaste soutien au pouvoir, sans que quiconque n'ait la haute main sur les autres", a affirmé le Parlement, avec 148 élus, mais il lui manquait encore 15 sièges pour obtenir chef d'Iraqiya, l'ancien Premier ministre lyad Allawi. la majorité absolue des 325 sièges du Parlement. Les différentes formations

M. Allawi, dont la liste a obtenu 91 siège contre 89 à celle de Nouri al-Maliki, kurdes ont obtenu 57 sièges au total.

reproche à ce dernier d'avoir accaparé le pouvoir et de l'exercer de façon per¬ Théoriquement, chiites et kurdes peuvent former à eux seuls un gouverne¬ sonnelle. Il exige donc une révision de la Constitution pour réduire les pouvoirs ment, mais cela entraînerait une exclusion de la majorité des sunnites, avec du Premier ministre. un risque de regain de violences de la part de cette communauté qui s'estime¬

Pas question, a rétorqué M. Maliki. "Le partenariat doit être conclu avec de rait lésée.

vrais partenaires attachés à la Constitution. La nouvelle page est conditionnée Selon cet accord politique, détaillé par le porte-parole du gouvernement Ali al- à l'attachement à la Constitution, c'est une condition indispensable au parte¬ Dabbagh, le kurde Jalal Talabani continuerait à être chef de l'Etat, Nouri al- nariat", a déclaré le Premier ministre sortant. Maliki resterait Premier ministre, et Iraqiya se verrait offrir le poste de président

Ces prises de position augurent mal des résultats de cette réunion, alors que du Parlement.

le Parlement est convoqué pour jeudi afin d'élire son président, comme lui a Mais cette répartition n'a pas obtenu l'aval d'Iyad Allawi, qui souhaite pour sa enjoint la Cour suprême. formation le poste de chef de l'Etat.

L'élection du président du Parlement est une étape indispensable avant la désignation du chef de l'Etat et du Premier ministre, selon la Constitution.

Le vice-président de la République, le sunnite Tarek al-Hachemi, s'est montré

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LA TURQUIE VEUT ENGAGER DES SOLDATS PROFESSIONNELS POUR LUTTER CONTRE LE PKK (MINISTRE)

La frontière turco-irakienne, longue de quelque 350 km et particulièrement mon¬ tagneuse, est propice aux infiltrations des militants du PKK. ANKARA, / 9 novembre 2010 / (AFP) Le PKK compte environ 2.000 hommes dans ses repaires de la montagne ira¬ kienne, selon Ankara. L'aviation turque les bombarde régulièrement depuis 2007 LA TURQUIE envisage de déployer des unités composées de profession¬ mais cela n'a pas empêché les attaques rebelles. nels notamment à sa frontière avec l'Irak pour enrayer l'infiltration sur son sol des rebelles kurdes depuis le nord de l'Irak, a affirmé le ministre de la M. Gônùl n'a pas précisé quand les unités composées entièrement de profes¬ Défense dans des déclarations publiées mardi. sionnels seront déployées.

"Dans une première étape" 50.000 hommes seront engagés dans les rangs de Malgré certaines démarches en faveur d'une armée de métier, l'armée turque, la l'armée pour une durée d'"au moins trois ans" et seront "utilisés dans le cadre deuxième en nombre au sein de l'Otan (515.000 hommes environ) après les de la lutte anti-terroriste", a précisé Vecdi Gônùl, cité par le journal I Etats-Unis, est largement composée de conscrits.

Par lutte anti-terroriste, le ministre entend parler du combat engagé par les for¬ Le conflit kurde en Turquie à fait 45.000 morts depuis le début, en 1984, de l'in¬ ces d'Ankara contre les rebelles kurdes du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan surrection armée du PKK, qui a cependant déclaré une trêve unilatérale contre (PKK) que la Turquie et nombre de pays considèrent comme un mouvement ter¬ les forces turques à la mi-août dans le but de favoriser les initiatives du gouver¬ roriste. nement turc visant à en finir avec ce conflit.

Ces hommes, qui deviendront de simple soldats, sans grade, seront choisis parmi d'anciens conscrits, a-t-il souligné.

IRAK: LES DIRIGEANTS DOIVENT S'ENTENDRE SUR Uwll UNE DIZAINE DE SUJETS EPINEUX

BAGDAD, 9 novembre 2010 (AFP)

LES DIRIGEANTS politiques irakiens devaient se retrouver mardi soir au domicile du chef kurde Massoud Barzani à Bagdad, pour trouver un terrain d'entente sur une dizaine de dossiers épineux qui bloquent la formation du gouvernement depuis huit mois.

Après s'être rencontrés lundi à Erbil, au Kurdistan, ils se sont donné deux jours supplémentaires pour surmonter leurs divergences avant la réunion jeudi du Parlement, qui est censé choisir son président puis élire un chef de l'Etat, qui désignera ensuite un Premier ministre.

L'accord sur l'attribution de ces postes dépend avant tout de la résolution de questions qui empoisonnent la vie politique irakienne. Même si la violence n'a pas atteint le niveau de 2006 et 2007, les atten¬ "Il s'agit notamment d'amendements à la Constitution, de réformes dans le tats sont en pleine recrudescence dans le pays. Lundi, jour de la réunion fonctionnement du gouvernement, de garanties exigées par les Kurdes, d'Erbil, trois voitures piégées ont fait 28 morts et 90 blessés dans trois vil¬ de l'avenir de la commission Responsabilité et Justice (NDLR: chargée de les chiites. traquer les baassistes) et des attributions du futur Conseil national pour la politique stratégique", a affirmé mardi Roz Nouri Chawis au quotidien As- Pour le quotidien al-Adala, organe du Conseil suprême islamique d'Irak (CSII, part chiite d'Ammar al-Hakim), les divergences entre les Irakiens Sabah. favorisent les interventions étrangères. A la demande de Massoud Barzani, dont il est proche, M. Chawis, vice- Premier ministre d'origine kurde, a initié ces dernières semaines des ren¬ "Certains espèrent que ces réunions démontreront que nous sommes contres entre les différents courants politiques qui ont abouti à la réunion capables de résoudre seuls nos problèmes, mais dans le cas contraire, les des chefs à Erbil. portes de l'enfer s'ouvriront sur l'Irak et chaque pays voudra interférer chez nous pour en tirer profit", avertit le journal. Mais cet ordre du jour illustre surtout l'opposition entre le Premier ministre sortant Nouri al-Maliki, qui entend préserver toutes les attributions que lui M. Maliki est en position de force face à M. Allawi, car il dispose, grâce au accordent la Constitution, et son principal rival et prédécesseur à la tête du ralliement de plusieurs groupes, du plus vaste soutien au Parlement, avec gouvernement, lyad Allawi, qui l'accuse d'avoir accaparé le pouvoir et de 148 élus. Il lui manque encore 15 sièges pour obtenir la majorité absolue l'exercer de façon personnelle. des 325 sièges. Les différentes formations kurdes ont obtenu 57 sièges au total. "L'attribution des trois présidences (chef de l'Etat, président du Parlement et Premier ministre, NDLR) doit être discutée demain et après-demain Or, selon le porte-parole du gouvernement, un accord a été conclu samedi (mardi et mercredi) et des choses importantes doivent être décidées", entre l'Alliance Nationale, un regroupement de formations chiites auquel avait affirmé lundi M. Barzani aux journalistes. appartient M. Maliki, et l'Alliance kurde.

La presse se montrait pessimiste mardi sur l'issue de ces discussions. Théoriquement, chiites et kurdes peuvent donc former seuls un gouverne¬ Sous le titre "Réunion d'Erbil: un pas en avant, deux pas en arrière", le ment, mais l'exclusion de la majorité sunnite, qui soutient l'alliance laïque quotidien Ad Dustour (indépendant) constate que "les dirigeants politiques de M. Allawi, risquerait de raviver les violences, cette communauté pou¬ n'ont rien apporté de nouveau à ce que les Irakiens attendent ces derniers vant s'estimer lésée. temps. Ils n'ont fait que répéter les mêmes problèmes sans avancer de solutions".

17 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

NOVEMBER 6, 2010

OPINIONS | COLUMNISTS &Ç5"*^ Es

Barzani is doing

W- everything ; .,v' t.*&'3Xk is?** possible to annex -\1 Kirkuk

:?&{& If the situation is not addressed, a civil war seems likely to break out The extraordinary rise in Kurdish fortune is the direct in Iraq result of Kurdish unity, Baghdad's disintegration - both in political and military terms - and vital American support given to the Kurds at crucial junctures in their struggle for By Jasim Al Azzawi, Special to Gulf News/UAE power and prominence

* Image Credit: Gulf News

The steady rise of Kurdish power in Iraq in the last two decades has increased regional concerns pite disingenuous denials by Kurdish and Arab politi¬ B and confounded Iraqis across the political spec¬ cians that future confrontation between Baghdad and trum. With the fall of Saddam Hussain's regime, Arbil is impossible, events on the ground paint a diffe¬ the Kurds have emerged as kingmakers; their parlia¬ rent picture. When Washington announced the sale of mentary swing bloc has become indispensable to for¬ advanced US fighter jets to modernise the Iraqi air ming governments and passing crucial bills and their force, the speaker of the Kurdish parliament Adnan Al regional capital, Irbil, has become a magnet for party Mufti blasted the deal and said the planes would be used political bosses who visit to pay homage and seek sup¬ against the Kurds. In 2008 US Ambassador to Iraq

port. Ryan Crocker had to personally intervene to avert a major military clash between Peshmerga forces and The extraordinary rise in Kurdish fortune is the direct Iraq's Third Army on the outskirts of the city of result of Kurdish unity, Baghdad's disintegration both Khanaqeen. The Third Army was sent by Prime Minister in political and military terms and vital American Nouri Al Maliki to answer calls for help by the Arab and support given to the Kurds at crucial junctures in their Turkmen inhabitants of Khanaqeen protesting Kurdish struggle for power and prominence. The northern no-fly oppression. zone, imposed by the US immediately after the first Gulf War in 1991, and the invasion of Iraq have given the The Kurds perceive Baghdad's current weakness as a Kurds the freedom and power to prosper, expand their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to achieve unchallenged influence throughout government institutions and Kurdish power in Iraq and Massoud Barzani, president create fait accompli on the ground. of the Kurdistan Regional Government, is determined to extract all possible concessions, whether through politi¬ "The Kurds feel they have the legitimacy to expand their cal bargains or brute military force, before Baghdad influence and extract greater advantage. They are prac¬ regains its balance and determination to reasserts its tising realpolitik," says Dr Ali Alawi, an Iraq expert who central role. "Resistance by those who have been given also served as defence and finance minister in 2004- the short end of the stick to form a countervailing force, 2005. Kurdish ambition seems relentless and shows no without the backing of Baghdad, is not imminent," says signs of stopping at securing a semi-independent region Alawi. composed of the three Kurdish provinces of Arbil, Sulaimania and Dhook. While Iraqi Arabs were murde¬ Barzani's eyes are fixed on Kirkuk as the ultimate prize. ring each other in a horrendous civil war the Kurds were To achieve that, the Kurds have presented the three busy extending their hegemony to oil-rich Kirkuk, main political factions with a list of 19 thorny demands Diyala and Mosul, and creating the so-called "disputed in return for their support to form a new government. It areas". is hard to see, however, how party leaders will be able to keep their coalitions intact if they succumb to Kurdish But is this unchecked power expansion sustainable? dictates. Even if they agree to oblige the Kurds, will the Under what future circumstances would the Iraqi army new nationalist parliament agree to play along? challenge the Kurdish forces? The humiliation suffered by the Iraqi army at the hands of Peshmerga forces in Darkening clouds Mosul, Kirkuk and Diyala has provoked calls by Iraqi nationalists to put an end to this degradation. And des- Today, the Kurds enjoy unchallenged influence in Kirkuk. They control the security and economic life of

18 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

the city, to the bitter resentment of its Turkmen and Yet, despite this explosive situation, Arab political lea¬ Arab inhabitants. Anger, cries of oppression and char¬ ders remain silent because they know they are cur¬ ges of torture, killings and kidnappings committed by rently not in a position to challenge Barzani and his Peshmerga forces have become a staple diet of the fierce Peshmerga forces. The Iraqi army is still very city's political life. These accusations are resonating in weak and it will take several years of modernisation Baghdad, especially among politicians who perceive and training to regain its former strength. A modern Kurdish actions as confrontational and thwarting Iraqi air force is also several years away. efforts to achieve Iraq's holy grail of national reconci¬ liation. This deteriorating situation has the hallmark of a major future military confrontation and may drive the "The Kurds are facing a moment of crisis and feel trap¬ entire country into an all out north-south war. That ped. They've overplayed their hands over Kirkuk and eventuality is perhaps a decade away, if the current oil. They produce oil but cannot sell it," says George situation is not reversed in time. A war over Kirkuk Joffe, a lecturer at Cambridge University. "They've may become Barzani's Waterloo. become extremely dependent on Turkey's economic investment. Now they realise they cannot achieve independence and that is why they are trying to play Jasim Al Azzawi is the presenter ofInside Iraq on the role of mediators and not kingmakers." Al Jazeera English.

Aswat«at ai-iraq; n November 8, 2010 I i t ll»lK»»ir.J I ffArbil Meeting historic moment for Iraq's development" - Barzani

ARBIL / Aswat al-lraq: The President of Kurdistan Region,

Massoud Barzani, has said in the opening of Arbil's Meeting of the Leaders of Iraq's Political Blocs "is a historic moment of deep meaning and content, to participate in defining the trend for Iraq's development."

"This is a historic meaning and content for us to meet toge¬ ther to participate in defining the trend of the country's deve¬ lopment and the cohesion of our efforts to raise it to the level of the Iraqi people's ambitions," Barzani said in his speech.

He said that "a meeting on this level is a national achieve¬ Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani speaks at a news conference in Erbil, November 8, 2010. Iraq's political ment, if we take into consideration the sensitivity of the state blocs met on Monday to try to break an eight-month passing on the democratic political process and its direction, deadlock over forming a new government, a move increa¬ as well as what we and our people is facing, along with the singly expected to assure incumbent Prime Minister Nuri questions coming from abroad, expressing anxiety and loss of al-Maliki of a second term. patience, as well as doubts, caused by the formation of the government." Union of Kurdistan, among them the Party's Assistant Secretary

"Baghdad dialogues, that took place with the participation General, Kosrat Rasoul, leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic of all of us and their positive results, have expressed our abi¬ Party, among them its Vice-Chairman, Nichervan Barzani and lity to overcome all obstacles and their settlement, as the past Kurdistan Parliament's Speaker, Kamal Kirkuki. few days have proved the potential to mold understanding and Kurdistan Region's President, Massoud Barzani had laun¬ to find solutions to settle our problems," Barzani said. ched an initiative to settle the current political crisis on Sept.

The Arbil meeting is held with the attendance of Iraq's 16 2010, comprising the formation of an 8-12-member commit¬

President Jalal Talabani, his two Vice-President, Adel Abdul- tee to represent the representatives of the political blocs, to Mahdi and Tareq al-Hashimi, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, start talks among them to settle the suspended differences, former Prime Minister lyad Allawi, the Chairman of the discus the issue of the formation of the formation of a govern¬ National Alliance, Ammar al-Hakim, Representatives of al- ment of national-partnership, as well as the settlement of the Fadhila (Virtue) Party, the Free Bloc, the Iraqi Accordance Bloc issue of the three leading State presidencies. and others.

The meeting is also attended by leaders of the Patriotic

19 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

ISI REUTERS

Kirkuk: a ticking time bomb in volatile north Iraq

November 10 , 2010 /By Maria Golovnina / (Reuters)

KIRKUK, Iraq - Haji Mohammed Ismail, a tribal elder in Kirkuk, home to one of Iraq's biggest oilfields, is bracing for the worst once U.S. troops leave the country and Arab and Kurd face off

with no one to halt the fight. '^v "As soon as U.S. forces leave Iraq, there will be civil war. In a place like this, the strongest will devour the weakest," said Ismail, 80, an Iraqi Arab, as he leaned over a mud brick wall in his village near the

disputed northern city. t?&» "There is a lot of tension. People are being thrown out of their homes and humiliated. They want revenge. Something bad is going to hap¬

pen."

Ismail's anguish was echoed by ordinary people and Iraqi officials alike in Kirkuk, whose sun-bleached plains are dotted with blazing

oil fires flickering like torches in the haze.

The region is believed to be sitting atop four percent of global oil

reserves and is attractive to foreign investors, but exploration has Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Holland. "People will go into the streets been blocked by fears of fresh violence. to demonstrate. If someone really feels they have been shut out then

In this low-rise city of dust and squat houses, the faint smell of oil is there could be violent episodes." a constant reminder of the riches that lie under the sand, and Arabs The contested areas, which include other areas besides Kirkuk, are and Kurds both claim Kirkuk as their own. thought to contain up to 13 percent of Iraq's proven oil reserves, but

As violence fades in other parts of the country, the row is seen as a the stakes are broader than just oil. chief threat to Iraq's efforts to restore stability after years of sectarian Protracted wrangling over a new government, eight months since violence, and could yet plunge the province into bloodshed when an inconclusive vote, has cast Kurds as kingmakers, and they are U.S. troops pull out next year. pressing Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to heed their claims over

Tensions have flared ahead of a census, slated for December after Kirkuk in exchange for backing him for a new term.

several delays a crucial event because it might determine if Kurds Disputes over Kirkuk have come close to violence in the past but so are now the biggest ethnic bloc in Kirkuk. far have been largely limited to angry rhetoric.

The Arab-led central government recently said it might delete a Speaking underneath a portrait of President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, question about ethnicity from the survey, prompting outrage among General Turhan Yussef, deputy head of Kirkuk city police, said the Kurds who fear that would deprive them of an opportunity to prove fragile balance could unravel rapidly. that Kirkuk and the vast lake of oil that lies beneath it is right¬ fully theirs. "U.S. forces are leaving too early. They preserve a certain balance that keeps the situation stable," he said. "If they leave before a solu¬ Arab families have accused Kurds of forcing them to leave in order tion is found, that would be a deadly decision." to tilt the demographic balance, prompting U.S. forces to step up

joint patrols with Iraqi soldiers in disputed areas. Asked if open hostilities were possible, he paused and added: "Yes, that is probably what will happen." The feud dates back to Saddam Hussein's "Arabisation" push that

uprooted thousands of Kurds and leveled their villages in the 1980s. With its fate undecided and investment sidelined, Kirkuk remains a

After 2003, Kurds returned en masse and want to fold Kirkuk into depressed place, many of its neighborhoods devoid of basic services

their semi-autonomous northern enclave of Kurdistan a move the like clean water and electricity.

Arab-led government in Baghdad is loath to allow. "If I was an oil company I wouldn't want to come here," said Colonel

Unlike restive Kirkuk, Kurdistan is relatively peaceful. It has been Larry Swift, commander of U.S. forces in Kirkuk. "So once that successful in luring investors and rebuilding its cities, signing about uncertainty is eliminated, I think oil investment here will dwarf any 40 deals with international oil companies. of the foreign aid that the province is getting."

Highlighting the political risks investors face and the potential for a

protracted and worsening dispute over Kirkuk, Baghdad considers VIOLENCE all deals signed by the Kurdish Regional Government illegal as On a hilltop north of Kirkuk, Ali Hassan al-Majeed, the Saddam aide Iraq's oil and gas are federal resources. who oversaw the Anfal campaign of attempted annihilation against The dispute has halted exports from the northern region. Kurds, once owned a lavish villa. Majeed, also known as Chemical

The United States formally ended combat operations in Iraq in Ali, was executed in January and a senior Kurdish official now lives

August, more than seven years after its troops ousted Saddam on the hill. Hussein, and says Iraq is a much safer place. The surrounding plains are dotted with new flat-roof blocks built

Stationed on a dusty Saddam-era military outpost outside Kirkuk, by thousands of Kurds who have poured back since 2003.

U.S. forces have long provided a buffer in the Arab-Kurdish conflict A referendum on Kirkuk's status was supposed to have been held and tried to pacify the old adversaries. no later than December 2007 but was shelved after Arabs and

U.S. commanders said they were aware of the latest round of ten¬ Turkmen accused Kurds of flooding the city with their kin. sion in Kirkuk and were ready to deal with any new flare-ups. The unrelated census has also been delayed several times because of

"In and around the census time there will be a lot of emotion," said fears it would trigger bloodshed if Kurds proved to be the most

20 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

numerous community in the city. Mumtaz Mohamed, 53, said one of his Arab neighbors had to pay $1,700 this month to unidentified men to be able to stay in his Its beat-up streets lined with crumbling house-fronts and strewn house. with rubbish, Kirkuk appeared to seethe with emotions. Another woman, Suham Ahmed, 37, also a shop owner, said 16 Speaking outside her shop, Shatha Abdul Wahid, an Arab woman, Arab families in her neighborhood had left Kirkuk for other parts said her family had been receiving threats since early September to of Iraq after receiving threats over the last two months. pack up their belongings and leave the city. "Before it was much better. Now it's only getting worse," she said. "When they came, they said: you must leave Kirkuk," said Wahid, "People are very afraid." 33, her face alternating between fear and anger.

She refused to describe the perpetrators, shaking her head in fear: "We want to stay here. Please God help us. But if they come again,

we will have to leave."

NOVEMBER 11,2010 Sfje lUnoijhiflUm eiutco Obama bid to pick Iraq leader spurned

Talabani rebuffs request to resign

Qubad Talabani, Mr. Talabani 's son and the Washington representative of the By Eli Lake Kurdistan Regional Government, said the Kurds were disappointed with the United States.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, one of "As the deadlock continues, Iyad Allawi America's closest allies in the country, has rebuffed the personal request of has said the only post he wants is prime President Obama and Vice President minister or president. The Americans have come to us and have asked us to Joseph R. Biden Jr. to relinquish his post as Iraqis form a new government in step aside and relinquish the post of pre¬ Baghdad. sident to Iraqiya and specifically to Iyad Allawi, which we find very disappoin¬

Iraqi leaders announced Thursday a ting," he said. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani rejected a new government in which Mr. Talabani request by President Obama to give up Mr. Obama's personal diplomacy in Iraq remains president, Nouri al-Maliki his post in the new government. remains prime minister and Iyad stands in contrast to the State Allawi's Iraqiya party, which won the Department's stated position that it most votes in March's election, controls would prefer a government that inclu¬ ded Mr. Allawi's party, but was not the speakership of Parliament and the purging former members of Saddam trying to impose an arrangement on the presidency of the National Security Hussein's ruling party which had barred Iraqi people. Council. three of their members from taking part in government positions, the AP repor¬ "The formation of a new government Mr. al-Maliki and his top rival Mr. ted. That demand was rejected, and the will require decisions by Iraqi leaders. Allawi sat next to each other in the par¬ Iraqiya members left. The parliament We are not trying to impose any solution liament chamber in an apparent sign of session was able to continue without on Iraq. We are pleased to see serious unity after a contentious, eight-month them. interaction among the leaders to form political fight over the formation of the an inclusive government," State government, the Associated Press repor¬ Last Saturday, Mr. Obama phoned Mr. Department spokesman P.J. Crowley ted. But that didn't last long, as he later Talabani and asked him to give up the said in response to a query about Mr. joined a walkout of the Iraqiya members seat he has held since 2005 so that Mr. Obama's efforts to get Mr. Talabani to in protest. Allawi could be Iraq's president, accor¬ resign. ding to U.S. and Iraqi officials familiar A parliament vote on the government with the diplomacy. Mr. Obama on Mr. Obama's efforts are also a reminder could still take weeks, but the session Saturday also urged the president of the that despite the president's announce¬ Thursday paved the way with the first Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, to ment in August of the end of major com¬ formal steps, starting with the naming accept Mr. Allawi in the role of the pre¬ bat operations in Iraq, the U.S. is still of a parliament speaker Osama al- sidency. closely engaged in the country it inva¬ Nujaifi, a Sunni Arab, AP reported. ded in 2003. Since late summer, U.S. officials had Mr. Allawi is a Shi'ia Arab, though his been trying to get Mr. al-Maliki and Mr. While "combat operations" have techni¬ party has attracted support from former Allawi to share power in the govern¬ cally ended, the nearly 50,000 remaining Baathists and Sunni Arabs. ment because neither man's party won troops continue to train Iraq's military the majority of votes. But Mr. al-Maliki's and conduct joint counterterrorism ope¬ The lawmakers had demanded that Rule of Law party ultimately formed an rations. U.S. military assets continue to before parliament vote on the president, alliance with the Kurds and another provide intelligence to Iraq's govern¬ it vote first to formally dissolve deci¬ Shiite bloc with ties to Iran known as the ment and protect the supply line for sions by a De-Baathification program Iraqi National Alliance. Iraq's military. U.S. fighter jets continue

21 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

to patrol Iraq's skies. in exchange for Iraqi concessions on Graham of South Carolina and John water rights over the Shaft al Arab McCain of Arizona, and Sen. Joe A White House official Wednesday waterway between Iraq and Iran. Lieberman, Connecticut independent, declined to comment on the specifics of In 1988, then-Iraqi President Saddam urged Massoud Barzani, president of the

the diplomacy. Hussein began the Anfal campaign to Kurdistan region, to replace Mr. Talabani depopulate the northern Iraqi Kurdish as well. "We continue to encourage all the parties regions, a military campaign that inclu¬ to form an inclusive government that ded the use of nerve gas on Kurdish civi¬ Reidar Visser, a researcher at the reflects the will of the voters, involves lians in the town of Halabja. The U.S. Norwegian Institute of International significant power-sharing among the during this period sold Iraq grain credits Affairs and proprietor of the Gulf major blocs, and will guide Iraq through and only made a symbolic protest. Analysis blog, said: "I find this strange its next chapter," the official said. that the Obama administration is pus¬ At the close of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, hing so hard for Iraqiya to get the presi¬ Mr. Talabani, however, said the pressure President George H.W. Bush gave a dency, because the speakership will be on his father to resign was reigniting old speech urging Iraqis to rise up against more powerful." fears for many Iraqis. Saddam, but privately the U.S. allowed him to use attack helicopters to put Mr. Visser added that the veto powers of "The Kurds have been the strongest ally down the rebellion even though the U.S. the president will expire this year. and partner of the United States since and its coalition partners controlled before the liberation and certainly Iraq's air space. "The Americans do not appreciate the during it," he said. "And for the United challenges involved in upgrading the States to be leaning on us, as they are According to U.S. and Iraqi officials, Mr. presidency to the level where it has now, in effect handpicking the new lea¬ Biden in a phone call last week offered power that would make it attractive to ders of Iraq, is not respectful of Iraq's the Kurds the speakership of the Allawi," he said. "That will require parliamentary system and touches on all Parliament and the Oil Ministry and also constitutional change, and that would of the insecurities of the Kurds, that the a public statement offering the Kurds a require a referendum. So it's hard to see

United States will once again betray us." security guarantee. how the Americans can make good on their promise." Kurds consider the first U.S. betrayal to Mr. Biden's office declined to comment have occurred in 1975, when the U.S. for this report. and the Shah of Iran agreed to end all support for the Kurdish rebellion in Iraq On Tuesday, Republican Sens. Lindsey

I REUTERS

Five facts about Iraqi * Talabani became a key player in post-war Iraqi politics after the Kurds, who had managed to make peace, formed a power¬ President Jalal Talabani ful voting bloc in the Iraqi legislature. Talabani became Iraq's first elected president in more than 50 years in April 2005 and was selected for a second term by parliament in April 2006 as a November 11 , 2010 / (Reuters) national unity government was put together.

Here are some facts about Jalal Talabani after * Talabani's power base has been threatened by the Iraq's main factions agreed on the top three politi- # desertion of a former lieutenant, Noshirwan cal posts, following an eight-month deadlock after ^ Mustafa, who established the Change List, or elections. "Goran," which made a strong showing in Kurdish elections in 2009. The top complaint of many Kurds Lawmakers have said that Talabani, a Kurd, would j, is corruption. ;cv return as president.

* Talabani had said in April that minority Kurds * Talabani was born near Arbil in northern Iraq in ." > fe~ . could be expected to join the country's main Shi'ite 1933 and became a lieutenant to Mullah Mustafa blocs if they united to form the next government Barzani, patriarch of Iraqi Kurdish nationalism and founder of following inconclusive elections in March 2010. Kurdish sup¬ the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which is now led by port gave Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki the muscle he needed Barzani's son Masoud. Talabani joined the KDP at the age of 13 to persuade former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to join a new and by 1958 was a lawyer and an inner member of the party. government led by him. Allawi's cross-sectarian Iraqiya alliance won the most seats in the March vote after gaining the * Talabani split from the KDP in 1974 and formed the PUK in broad backing of Iraq's Sunni minority. Damascus the following year. A bitter rivalry with the Barzanis followed and led to alliances with neighbouring Iran, Turkey and even Saddam Hussein. With Saddam weakened after the 1991 Gulf War, the Kurds carved out an autonomous zone in northeastern Iraq but Talabani and Barzani disputed control of a Kurdish regional government and fought a bitter civil war.

22 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Trois jours pour sortir

MARDI 9 NOVEMBRE 2010 l'Irak de l'impasse politique

"Les dirigeants irakiens réunis depuis hier. De gauche à droite, devant: l'ancien Premier ministre Ibrahim AUafari, le pre¬ mier ministre Nouri Al Maliki (chiite), le président Jatal Talabani (kurde) et lyad Allaoui (soutenu par les sunnites).

Réunis dans la région ministre. «L'objectif de la réunion cette répartition n'a pas obtenu d'Erbil est d'obtenir la présence au l'aval d'Iyad Allaoui, qui souhaite autonome du Kurdistan, gouvernement d'Iraqiya et de la pour sa formation le poste de chef les dirigeants irakiens convaincre d'accepter la présidence de l'État. essaient de trouver du Parlement», à affirmé le député Après d'intenses négociations, de cette liste Hassan Alaoui. Pour la recette Nouri Al Maliki dispose du plus vaste soutien au Parlement, avec pour la formation lyad'Allaoui, l'enjeu est de «former 148 élus, mais il lui manque rapidement un gouvernement qui d'un gouvernement encore 15 sièges pour obtenir la reflète les résultats des élections». majorité absolue des 325 sièges incluant les sunnites «Nous devons être égaux en droits, en devoirs et dans le partage du du Parlement. Si, théoriquement, Après huit mois sans gou¬ pouvoir», plaide-t-il. chiites et kurdes peuvent former vernement, les dirigeants L'Alliance nationale (regroupe¬ à euxseuls un gouvernement, cela politiques irakiens ont trois ment de formations chiites) du entraînerait une exclusion de la ma¬ jours pour se mettre d'accord sur la premier ministre sortant, Nouri jorité des sunnites, avec un risque répartition des pouvoirs entre les Al Maliki, avait, elle, remporté de regain de violences de la part de partis politiques représentant à 89 sièges le 7 mars. Elle est en cette communauté qui s'estimerait égalité les trois communautés prin¬ position de force car elle a conclu lésée. lyad Allaoui dispose du sou-, cipales, chiites, sunnites et kurdes. un accord samedi dernier avec tien de l'Arabie Saoudite et de la Sy¬ Les dernières élections législatives l'Alliance Kurde - les formations rie. Les dirigeants de ces deux pays, du 7 mars avaient donné 91 sièges à kurdes avaient obtenu 57 sièges. à majorité sunnite, se sont réunis à la liste Iraqiya, la formation laïque plusieurs reprises pour aider à dé¬ d'Iyad Allaoui, ancien premier mi¬ «Nous devons être égaux bloquer la crise gouvernementale nistre par intérim du gouvernement en Irak en aidant au retour des irakien entre mai 2 004 et avril 2005. en droits, en devoirs sunnites, marginalisés dans l'Irak Bien qii'Iyad Allaoui soit chiite, sa de l'après-Saddam Hussein. formation était soutenue par les et dans le partage Les. dirigeants irakiens tenteront sunnites qui avaient perdu le pou- ; du pouvoir», plaide lyad de se mettre d'accord avant jeudi, voir lors de l'invasion conduite par date à laquelle le Parlement est les États-Unis en 2003, après avoir Allaoui dont le parti est convoqué afin d'élire son prési¬ dominé ce pays depuis sa création dent, comme il en a été enjoint par au début des années 1920. soutenu par les sunnites, la Cour suprême. Cette élection est lyad Allaoui reproche au pre¬ l'étape indispensable avant la dé¬ mier ministre sortant, le chiite Selon cet accord, te Kurde Jalal signation du chef de l'État et du Talabani continuerait à être chef Nouri Al Maliki, d'avoir accaparé premier ministre, selon la Cons¬ le pouvoir et de l'exercer de façon de l'État, Nouri Al Maliki resterait titution. personnelle.- Il exige donc une premier ministre, et la formation AGNÈS ROTIVEL révision de la Constitution pour Iraqiya se verrait offrir lé poste réduire les pouvoirs du premier de président du Parlement. Mais

23 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

LE FIGARO

mercredi' 10 novembre 2010 amenai tente de

En octobre, DELPHINE MINOUI Ali Khamenei CORRESPONDANTE AU MOYEN-ORIENT a passé une

IRAN Le guide suprême iranien n'est dizaine de jours dans la ville pas, un adepte . des voyages. Encore sainte de Qom moins des bains de foule; Pourtant, (notre photo), événement sans précédent, l'ayatollah afin de mettre Ali Khamenei est resté, le mois dernier, en garde les pendant dix jours d'affilée à Qom. Un nombreux clercs choix stratégique : c'est au cpur de la qui ne lui ont pas ville sainte, berceau de la révolution is¬ pardonné lamique de 1979, qu'il fait aujourd'hui son soutien face à ia fronde la plus redoutable - cel¬ à la réélection

le des membres d'une partie de la no¬ frauduleuse

menklatura religieuse qui n'a jamais d'Ahmadinejad.

autant mis en cause son pouvoir.

Âgé de 71 ans, atteint d'un cancer de la prostate, il semble également préoccupé par son legs

. *

Les discours qui ont ponctué le dé¬

placement du numéro un du régime

iranien se lisent comme autant de mises

en garde à leur attention. « L'ennemi a aussi acerbes. Récemment interrogé à lui comme étant «. l'imam Khamenei »

décidé de transformer Qom en quartier par un fidèle sur la légitimité du « ve- - un qualificatif qui incombait, à ce

général des contre-révolutionnaires », layat-e faghi » - la « tutelle du juriste jour, uniquement à l'ayatollah Kho-

s'est-il insurgé dans une de ses nom¬ théologien », qui accorde les pleins meyni, que les révolutionnaires de

breuses interventions retransmises à la pouvoirs au guide suprême -, le grand l'époque avaient désigné comme le re^ télévision d'État, en référence au mou¬ ayatollah Ali-Mohammad Dastgheib présentant sur terre de Mehdi, le dou¬

vement de contestation qui sévit en n'a pas hésité à épingler Khamenei en zième imam chiite. Profitant de sa visite Iran depuis la réélection controversée s'inquiétant de la concentration du à Qom, ses fidèles se sont également

d'Ahmadinejad, en juin 2009. pouvoir entre les mains d'un seul hom¬ chargés de distribuer des photocopies Quand il succède à l'ayatollah Kho- me. Pour être légitime, a-t-il ajouté, le de son arbre généalogique, afin de meyni, en 1989, Ali Khamenei n'a ni le « vali » doit avoir une « place particu¬ prouver qu'il est bien descendant de la charisme ni les compétences a priori lière dans les c et les esprits ». famille du prophète Mahomet. requises pour remplacer le « père » de « Khamenei fait face à une réelle crise

la révolution islamique. L'ex-président de légitimité. Son voyage à Qom, c'est « Actes erronés commis

de la République islamique n'a pas rédi¬ une ultime tentative d'asseoir son pou¬ au nom de la religion » gé le fameux resaleh, ce traité portant ' voir et de redorer son blason », remar¬ Mais, si son déplacement a été vivement

sur des questions de jurisprudence lui que, depuis Téhéran, un analyste ira¬ salué par. la presse prpgouvernementa-

permettant d'accéder à la dignité nien qui préfère taire son nom. lé, les sites Web réformistes ont mis l'accent sur le silence volontaire de cer¬ d'ayatollah - même si, plus tard, il sera Le clan conservateur s'est empressé tains dissidents religieux. L'un d'entre élevé à ce haut rang. Choisi par un col¬ de saluer le voyage de Khamenei com¬ eux, l'ayatollah Khorassani, aurait lège de 80 religieux, il est régulière¬ me un rempart contre tout risque de ouvertement fait savoir qu'il refusait de ment chahuté par ses adversaires, mais « sédition ». Dans son intervention sur lé rencontrer. Plusieurs journaux libé¬ s'attelle à son rôle d'arbitre, au-dessus la place Astaneh, Khamenei s'est félici¬ raux en ligne sont même allés jusqu'à de la mêlée. té de la « vaccination » du pays contre publier une lettre de l'ayatollah Monta- les « microbes » - sous-entendu les an- zéri, un ex-leader spirituel de la dissi¬ Crise de légitimité ti-Ahmadinejad. Dans un autre dis¬ dence, décédé l'année dernière, dans Il y a un an et demi, la donne a changé. cours, tenu cette fois-ci devant des étu¬ laquelle il appelait les clercs à résister En cautionnant la réélection frauduleu¬ diants, il a mis en garde ses détracteurs aux « actes erronés commis par l'État au se d'Ahmadinejad et en soutenant indi¬ contre l'abus des « valeurs humanistes nom de la religion » . rectement la répression post-électorale , et démocratiques » qui peuvent mener il est descendu dans l'arène politique. « aux pires guerres » . Un geste impardonnable aux yeux de Âgé de 71 ans, atteint d'un cancer de

nombreux clercs réformistes, qui osent la prostate, le guide suprême semble parler de « dérives fascistes » et de également préoccupé par son legs. « sultanisafion » du régime iranien. D'après certains observateurs, ses pro¬ Depuis, les critiques n'ont jamais été ches supporteurs se réfèrent désormais

24 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

mercredi 10 novembre 2010

UE : la candidature turque dans l'impasse

La Commission de Bruxelles doute

de l'engagement européen d'Ankara.

JEAN-JACQUES MÉVEL CORRESPONDANT À 8RUXELLES

UNION EUROPÉENNE L'UE renvoie la balle à Ankara : « H est urgent que la Tur¬ quie remplisse ses obligations ». et normali¬ se ses relations avec Chypre, sans quoi le processus d'adhésion relancé il y a cinq ans mène tout droit à l'impasse, avertit la Commission européenne dans son rapport % annuel sur l'élargissement.

A cinq semaines d'un sommet européen peut-être crucial pour la survie de la can¬ didature, «personne ne peut se satisfaire du I. rythme actuel de la négociation », disait Le président turc, Abdullah Gui, a dénoncé, lundi à Londres, l'attitude «à courte vue» hier le commissaire à l'élargissement Ste¬ des dirigeants européens opposés à l'adhésion de son pays, alistair grant/ap fan Fiile. Bruxelles fait porter la responsa-

Le couple franco-allemand oppose un « partenariat privilégié » à l'adhésion. Avec l'opposition de la République de veut croire que l'UE et la Turquie, tra¬ Ankara n'est pas d'accord Chypre et de la France, conjuguées à cel¬ vaillant main dans la main, « peuvent ren- le de l'UE sur des chapitres ponctuels, la forcer la sécurité énergétique, s'atteler au bilité de l'impasse sur les épaules turques candidature piétine. Seuls 18 des 35 ter¬ règlement des conflits régionaux et prévenir

et met en cause l'engagement européen du rains d'accord imposés à la Turquie ont l'apparition de fossés ethniques et reli¬ tandem Gul-Erdogan. Dans cette « phase pu être explorés, techniquement, trois gieux». Le rapport fait le point sur huit exigeante, la Turquie doitfaireplus d'efforts pourraient être encore ouverts. Pour les pour souscrire aux conditions posées», in¬ diplomates, il faudrait un miracle pour autres candidatures à l'UE, officielles ou siste le texte. échapper à un blocage définitif en 2011 encore à l'ébauche. Parmi ces dernières, la C'est une façon de maintenir une façade ou 2012. La commission, comme pour commission soutient fermement l'Alba¬ d'unité, sans se prononcer pour ou contre. mieux souligner ses frustrations, met en nie. Mais elle temporise pour la Bosnie, L'UE est notoirement divisée sur le ticket avant les convergences sur d'autres handicapée par l'absence de réformes et

européen d'un pays périphérique, musul¬ fronts. La Turquie s'est embarquée dans «le manque de vision de ses dirigeants » . m man et dont l'économie est aussi dynami¬ « une profonde révision de sa Constitution que que la démographie. Il compte la et se rapproche des normes européennes Grande-Bretagne et la Suède parmi ses », estime-t-elle. Réserves récurrentes, soutiens. Les adversaires recrutent en elle s'inquiète d'un cadre légal qui « ne France, en Allemagne, en Autriche et dé¬ garantit pas assez la liberté d'expression sormais aux Pays-Bas. A l'adhésion, Nico¬ ». Elle relève aussi des manquements à la las Sarkozy et Angela Merkel opposent im liberté religieuse, aux droits des femmes-

« partenariat privilégié », demi-mesure et à ceux des syndicats. rejetée par Ankara. Travailler main dans la main La question de Chypre, divisée entré le Au contraire de beaucoup, Bruxelles se Sud qui appartient à l' UE et le Nord où sta¬ garde encore de conclure que la Turquie tionnent les troupes turques, plombe le regarde moins vers l'Europe et davantage dossier depuis 2005. Les Chypriotes grecs vers l'Orient. Le rapport mentionne sans exigent de la Turquie qu'elle ouvre ses commentaire qu'Ankara s'est dissociée ports à leurs navires, conformément à la des Européens et de ses alliés de l'Otan, parole donnée. Faute de l'obtenir, ils ma¬ pour voter contre le renforcement des nient le veto. Bruxelles s'impatiente : « Il sanctions imposées à l'Iran par le Conseil n'y a eu aucun progrès vers une normalisa¬ de sécurité de l'Onu. Le geste a alerté lès tion des relations bilatérales », constate le deux rives de l'Atlantique. La Commission rapport de la commission.

25 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

12 novels 2o10 iran . Israël et les républicains américains

remettent en avant « l'option militaire »

Alors que les grandes puissances espèrent de nouvelles discussions sur le nucléaire iranien,

Barack Obama est invité à durcir le ton face à Téhéran

L'administration Obama L'option militaire contre l'Iran ce aérienne etporter un coup décisif que le programme nucléaire ne entend tester les intentions de est de nouveaujnentionnéé. aux Gardiens de la révolution. En devait pas être inscrit à l'ordre du Téhéran, et a rejeté les dernières Mais comme le dit un officiel d'autres termes, châtrerce régime. » jour, mais seulement «les problè¬ demandes israéliennes concernant occidental: «Entre l'envisager Pour le premier ministre israé¬ mes internationaux » et « l'établisse¬ une reprise de la thématique mili¬ sérieusement, etenparler, ilyaune lien, Benyamin Nétanyahou, la ment de la paix ». taire comme moyen de pression différence. » Au lendemain de la vic¬ mention de l'option militaire vise à~ Malgré l'impact des sanctions sur l'Iran. Réagissant aux propos de toire des républicains aux élections adresser un message à Téhéran sur internationales qui aggravent les M. Nétanyahou, le secrétaire à la au Congrès américain, le thème la gravité des enjeux, tout en difficultés économiques de l'Iran, défense, Robert Gates, a souligné revient dans des déclarations publi¬ pesant sur M. Obama, au moment que «les sanctions mordent plus ques, à la fois comme un angle de où ce dernier cherche à sauver le La force militaire profondément que cela était antici¬ critique contre le président Obama, processus de paix au Proche- devrait permettre de pé ». dont la diplomatie peine à enrayer Orient. le programme nucléaire iranien, et Dans ses mémoires publiés le En visite aux Etats-Unis, « châtrer ce régime » comme sujet de ralliement au sein 9 novembre, George Bush raconte M.Nétanyahou a évoqué, le Le sénateur Graham du camp conservateur aux Etats- qu'il avait demandé au Pentagone 8 novembre, un «paradoxe» au Unis, où les tendances isolationnis¬ d'étudierun plan de frappes militai¬ c du dossier nucléaire : « Si la tes du mouvement du Tea Party les responsables israéliens se mon¬ res sur les installations nucléaires communauté internationale, suscitent des inquiétudes. menéepar les Ètats:Ûnis, veut arrê¬ trent dubitatifs sur la capacité de iraniennes, afin que «l'option soit toujours sur la table », mais qu'il Ce double objectif de durcisse¬ terl'Iran sans userde l'action militai¬ ces pressions à modifier in fine le ment semblait poursuivi par le comportement du régime iranien avait dû y renoncer après la publica¬ re, elle doit le convaincre qu'elle est sénateur républicain, membre de sur la question nucléaire. tion, fin 2007, d'un rapport des ren¬ prête ày recourir. » la Commission des forces armées, Présent à la conférence d'Hali¬ seignements américains affirmant Ces propos interviennent alors Lindsey Graham, quand il déclara, fax, le ministre israélien Ehoud « qu'il n'y avait pas de programme que les grandes puissances espè¬ le 6 novembre, lors d'un colloque Barak a déclaré devant des journa¬ nucléaire militaire actif». rent parvenir, ce mois-ci, ou début M. Obama gère depuis des mois sur les questions de sécurité inter¬ décembre, à de nouveaux pourpar¬ listes qui l'interrogeaient sur la la double pression des républicains nationales organisé à Halifax (Cana¬ lers avec l'Iran qui pourraient por¬ . perspective de discussions entre et des Israéliens à propos d'un rap¬ da) par le groupe de réflexion Ger¬ ter sur un nouveau schéma d'éva¬ .les grandes puissances et l'Iran: pel de l'option militaire. Début man Marshall Fund: «J'aimerais cuation d'uranium enrichi iranien . «Nous sommes encore dans la pha¬ août, l'admirai Mullen, chefdes for¬ que leprésident indiquedelaman 1è¬ vers l'étranger. se de la diplomatie et dés sanctions. ces américaines, avait déclaré re la plus claire que toutes les La Turquie, sollicitée par les Ira-' Bien sûr, si l'Iran cessait d'enrichir qu'une telle option « restait sur la options sont surla table. (...)Laforce . niens, s'est déclarée prête à l'uranium, ce serait une évolution table ». En avril, la spus-secrétaire à militaire ne devrait pas seulement accueillir cette réunion, dont le positive. Mais, si on sefonde sur les la défense, Michèle Flournoy, la consister à neutraliser le program¬ calendrier et le contenu demeu¬ expériences passées et l'exemple décrivait, a contrario, comme « reti¬ me nucléaire, qui estprobablement rent incertains. Le président ira¬ nord-coréen qu'ils suiventprobable¬ rée de la table, à moyen terme » . dispersé et consolidé, mais aussi à nien, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a ment, on voit que leur objectif de Natalie Nougayrède coulerleurmarine, détruire leurfor en effet déclaré, le 10 novembre, base est de défier le monde entier ».

IRAK: LE CANDIDAT D'ALLAWI, OUSSAMA AL-NOUJAIFI, ÉLU PRÉSIDENT DU PARLEMENT

BAGDAD, 11 novembre 2010 (AFP) Elu en 2005 sur la liste Iraqiya, il fut durant un an ministre de l'Industrie dans le gouvernement d'Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Il a été réélu en 2010 dans la province de Ninive où son frère Athil est gouverneur. LE SUNNITE Oussama al-Noujaifi, député sur la liste laïque Iraqiya dirigée Après son élection comme son président, le Parlement a commencé ensuite un par lyad Allawi, a été élu jeudi président du Parlement irakien, a annoncé second vote pour élire les deux vice-présidents, le sadriste chiite Qoussaï Abdel le doyen d'âge le kurde Fouad Massoum. Wahab al-Souhail et le kurde Aref Tayfour. "Oussama al-Noujaifi a été élu par 227 voix sur 295 députés ayant pris part au L'entente consacre la répartition ethnique et confessionnelle des trois plus vote", a précisé M. Massoum. Soixante-huit votes ont été annulés, a-t-il dit sans importantes charges du pays. Le président de la République sera kurde, le expliquer les raisons de ces annulations. Premier ministre chiite, et le président du Parlement sunnite. Le nouveau Parlement compte 325 sièges. La deuxième étape sera l'élection du chef kurde Jalal Talabani comme président Seul candidat pour ce poste, à la suite de l'accord conclu mercredi soir entre les de la République à la majorité des deux-tiers, aux termes de l'accord annoncé principales forces politiques irakiennes, M. Noujaifi succède à un autre sunnite par le porte-parole du gouvernement Ali al-Dabbagh. lyad al-Samarraï du Parti islamique. Selon ce dernier, M. Talabani devra désigner, après la fête de l'Adha célébrée à Agé de 54 ans, cet ingénieur électrique, diplômé de l'université de Mossoul, ville partir du 16 novembre, le Premier ministre sortant Nouri al-Maliki pour former le du nord de l'Irak où il est né, a passé la première partie de sa vie professionnelle nouveau gouvernement. M. Maliki aura un mois pour le constituer. (1980 à 1992) à la Compagnie nationale d'électricité avant de démissionner pour créer une société de produits agricoles.

26 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti ttegnardiaoj Novcmber 10> 2010 Kurdish show trial shames Turkey

The trial of 151 Kurdish politicians, lawyers, mayors and leaders of Kurdish civil society is an affront to human rights

Margaret Owen

Atrial that would shame any democracy is now in its fourth week in Diyarbakir, Turkey. Named the KCK trial, its processes have been widely condemned by the several hundred independent observers who attended during its first 1. v. few days. Charged with "violating the unity of the state" and "abetting terrorism" are 151 Kurdish politicians, lawyers, mayors and leaders of Kurdish civil society. Of these, 103 have already been in detention for the past 18 months, but [**$ details of the charges were not disclosed until 12 weeks ago. A* This Friday is "crunch day" when the judge will decide whether to accept the defence team's argument that there is It is clear from the 7,500-page indictment and so-called no case to answer and release those detained, or to let the supporting evidence that there are no grounds for suspec¬ trial continue with the "suspects" remaining in prison or ting any actual crimes have been committed, such as refe¬ released on bail. rences to weapons, acts of violence, or conspiracy for terro¬ The manner of gathering evidence and procedures in rism. Most of the evidence is based on (unlawful) wiretap¬ the courtroom breach all international and European stan¬ ping and bugging to draw conclusions from private daily dards on human rights and fair trials. I was a member of conversations, or on routine political propaganda and the independent UK delegation that attended the first week secret statements by anonymous prosecution witnesses. of this trial. It could last for months, even years. It is vital Innocent conversations, for example, referring to the that those in prison are released on bail, and that the pro¬ purchasing of "tomatoes" or "bread", are construed as secutions are dropped for this is a "political trial", not a codes for bombs and grenades and have found their way legal one. into the indictment, along with intimate and personal The pro-Kurdish political parties, and recently the PKK, conversations between family members and friends. have made repeated attempts to obtain a resolution of the To prepare for this event, and accommodate not only 30-year-old conflict through democratic dialogue and the 151 defendants, but their 250 lawyers, the press, the negotiations rather than violence. The PKK has called for many relatives of the accused, the members of foreign "ceasefires" on several occasions, and has just now declared observer delegations, and more than 60 armed prison that the present ceasefire, due to expire at the end of the police, the Turkish government built a vast new courthouse month, will continue until the elections taking place next in the yard between existing courts. June. The joke went round that everyone should be grateful to But time and again the authorities have closed down the Kurds for this new courtroom, and will probably need pro-Kurdish political parties, imprisoned Kurdish political to thank them again for a new prison. Security has been leaders and declared Kurdish civil society and human intense. There were more than 1,500 armed police on duty rights organisations illegal. Peaceful protests and demons¬ around the building and armed snipers on the surrounding trations calling for an end to armed conflict and respect for rooftops. It took ages to get into the court, going through human rights are subject to brutal harassment by the body searches and scanning. My purse containing some police. Turkish lira in coins was confiscated because I might "use The Democratic Society party (DTP) was the last of them as missiles to throw at the judge". several parties to be closed in 2009. Today, legal-democra¬ Many of the accused are lawyers. One is Muharrem tic Kurdish politics continues under the roof of the newly Erbey, head of the IHD (Human Rights Commission), who named BDP (Peace and Democracy party). Not only have has continually spoken out on the need for diplomacy and many of its members been arrested and imprisoned, but its dialogue to end the conflict. distinguished chair, Ahmed Turk, has been banned from all The trial began with the judge, Menderes Yilmaz, dis¬ political activities for the next five years, and the brilliant missing the defence lawyers' submissions - firstly, that the and charismatic mayor of Diyarbakir, Osman Baydemir, defendants should be able to defend themselves in their faces not only prosecution but also assassination threats as Kurdish mother tongue. he continues to speak out on behalf of the Kurdish popula¬ tion whose lives are wracked by persecution, extrajudicial On these opening days the accused lawyers argued fero¬ killings, torture, displacement and extreme poverty. ciously and passionately that these proceedings were in fact a show trial, a political trial, that there were no victims of Some 5,000 Kurds are in prison on charges of suppor¬ the alleged crimes, that the evidence was based on hearsay, ting terrorism, but this trial will reveal Turkey's true status and that the trial should be abandoned. in the context of democracy, justice and the rule of law. There is still time for Turkey's AKP government to ack¬ This trial of the 151 "suspects" is the most repressive nowledge that this trial has no basis in law, and order its action yet to shut down the lawful and democratic activities closure and the immediate release of those detained. of Kurdish organisations and eliminate all political activity. The manner by which the evidence in the trial was gathered gives cause for extreme concern.

27 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

November 11, 2010 £osÀuaeles3Mme£

Q&A: Iraqi Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani

Barzani discusses the deal on forming a new government in which he played a crucial role and what

lies ahead for Kurdistan and for Iraq as a whole.

made.

By Ned Parker Was there a key meeting with Los Angeles Times [Iraqiya leader Iyad] Allawi and Maliki in the last days that tipped the balance? Reporting from Baghdad Massoud rf«f Barzani, president of the Kurdistan I have spent time talking to them one regional government in northern Iraq, was on one and privately, and I felt there feeling triumphant. The onetime Kurdish was a desire from both to get out of the fighter against Saddam Hussein's regime crisis. . . . Maybe each saw the situation had hosted three days of talks and pushed a different way, each had a fear in a through a deal Wednesday meant to end fe %. way, and we tried to allay the fears, Iraq's eight-montii political stalemate and form a stable government that could rule and also to work together. until elections planned for 2014. Even if You warned in early 2009 that the arrangement breaks down before a full Maliki risked drifting toward autho¬ government is seated the secular ritarianism and not honoring his Iraqiya bloc walked out of a parliamentary session Thursday, suggesting the difficult commitment and friendship to the road ahead Barzani will be remembe¬ Kurds. What restored your confi¬ red for his efforts to end die impasse. In an dence in Maliki, so that you could do interview Thursday with The Times, business with him again? Kurdistan Alliance were the kingma¬ Barzani made clear his insistence that die kers of Iraqi politics, that there is a power-sharing agreement be honored by There is no doubt that the last four all sides, including by Prime Minister government today because of the years were a rich experience for us, for Nouri Maliki, who retains his post under Kurdistan Alliance? Prime Minister Maliki, for [Maliki 's]

the deal despite the fears of many tiiat he Dawa party, for our party and for all Our fate and destiny is with that of is seeking to monopolize power. the other parties involved in the politi¬ Iraq. The Kurdistan region is part of cal process. So a fact was known to all Iraq. It doesn't work for us if we say of us, to everyone, that with confronta¬ let's do well in Kurdistan and let what Did you expect the deal last night on tion and challenges die situation in Iraq happens in Baghdad happen. That's not naming a government? will deteriorate. We have to find com¬ a true approach, and that's not a sound mon ground, and common points that I had hoped we would succeed in our policy. . . . Therefore, we tried seriously bring us together and we have to work efforts. In fact, the developments that to solve the problems in Baghdad and together. happened last night were . . . beyond elsewhere in Iraq togedier. And, of

my expectations. course, we do not want to exploit our What gives you confidence that the position and our situation in a way to prime minister has learned as well? How long did you think it would gain achievements for the Kurds alone. Is it his acceptance of Iraqi take? We want to gain achievements for the Kurdistan's position papers [19 I expected some of the key issues Kurds and Kurdistan region, but also points that look to limit the powers would not be sorted out or finalized for all of Iraq. And we feel proud that of the prime minister's office, to pro¬

decisively. The good thing was last the Kurds have been able to play this mote power-sharing and to resolve night and the previous night some of role. outstanding issues regarding Iraqi these key issues were sorted out. Kurdistan's semi-autonomy]? What was a key moment in the nego¬

Which issues are settled now clearly, tiations that helped to convince A number of reasons: our conversation with no ambiguity? Iraqiya [which won the largest num¬ with him, the 19-point paper, the pro¬

ber of parliamentary seats in March gram or agenda of the government, die There are a number of very complica¬ elections but could not leverage that bylaws and statutes of the council of ted issues that have been there for five to gain the prime minister post] to ministers, die bylaws of the parliament, or six years and have not been sorted join? the practices of the parliament, die out: die issue of accountability and jus¬ basis of partnership, the balance of tice, die issue of balance, the issue of There was a lot of sensitivity and lack governance. So these all make sure the consensus, the issue of partnership in of trust or mistrust among many of the process goes the right way. the government, the issue of the three colleagues. So we did our best either to

presidencies. . . . These had all become eliminate the lack of trust . . .or at least Do you want U.S. [military] forces to

problems, but it was good we were to minimize it. ... We played and acted stay in Iraq after 2011, when the able to sort them out. as guarantors so that no sides will step country's current security agreement back from the pledges that they have expires? Is that important for Iraqi Is it fair to say that you and the

28 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

Kurdistan? So it is not as crucial an issue as it head of the Kurdistan regional was in the past when you had said government? Of course, this issue has to be studied you wanted U.S. bases in the north. thoroughly, and based on the require¬ I certainly would welcome and like our ments of the circumstances on that day The crucial point is for the relationship forces to be trained, to be equipped and after. When the time has come, based to continue. Instead of having combat to be helped.

on that, die federal government has to troops, we could have experts to train decide upon it. I've always stated that the Iraqi forces, so die relationship we are for friendly and continued rela¬ could change, and the same with the tions with the United States, but not [Kurdish] peshmerga forces to train necessarily that that relationship is the [Kurdish] forces.

confined only to the presence of their Do you want that personally as the troops on die ground.

Kurds hold to presidency, Iraq

November 9, 2010 stalemate rolls on

j.'-1 .<.-"' -JM- Associated Press ,4-

BAGHDAD Iraq's Kurds are ..=. .-- tO. -' holding firm to their claim on the country's presidency and the T*;i * \*' *» ÎS&35?. once-dominant Sunni minority is *, V.,f- Sj .-c~. trying to push for checks on the -.. vfV " powers of Prime Minister Nouri al- " . "... ' \ Maliki as the country faces a loo¬ ming parliamentary deadline to choose a new political leadership. Iraq's top political leaders are to meet Tuesday for the second day in a row for face-to-face talks to find a way out of the country's eight- month political deadlock since March leaders of Iraq's main political blocs, front row, from left to right: former 7 elections. Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, But producing a deal by Thursday's are seen during their meeting in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan region in scheduled parliamentary session is Iraq's north, Monday Nov. 8, 2010. Leaders of Iraq's main political blocs difficult. Standing in the way are concluded their first meeting since parliamentary elections in March issues such as how to apportion key without an agreement on the makeup of a new government. AP Photo government posts, what role to give the Sunni-backed Iraqiya coalition led by a senior Shiite politician and tarian violence. al-Aaraji, said the main issue kee¬ the deep distrust between political ping Iraqiya from joining in a power- But members of Iraqiya have balked factions. sharing government with al-Maliki is at joining a government with al- that they want positions with real Iraq has yet to cobble together a new Maliki at the helm and have been power in the next government. This government after the March vote. pushing for some way to limit his is to serve as a check on al-Maliki, That inconclusive election set off a powers. who they say is consolidating his bitter fight between al-Maliki, now During a news conference Tuesday, a power. partnered with anti-American cleric senior Iraqiya leader, Saleh al- Muqtada al-Sadr in an Iranian- Another politician linked to al-Maliki Mutlaq, said the issue of who will be backed coalition and, on the oppo¬ said Tuesday's talks would focus on the next prime minister has not yet site side, the Iraqiya coalition led by the three top positions in the been settled and will be discussed in former prime minister Ayad Allawi. government the prime minister, the next few days. The Sunnis see Allawi's coalition as president and parliament speaker their only hope for political power. Alluding to Iraqiya's concerns over and how to apportion them. al-Maliki, he said the next prime With momentum recently shifting in He said officials are trying to per¬ minister should be someone who al-Maliki's favor, the question suade Iraqiya to accept the parlia¬ would not repeat the country's dic¬ appears to be what role to give to ment speaker's post, which Allawi tatorial past and would cooperate Allawi's Iraqiya coalition. If the has already rejected, or persuade the with everyone in running the coun¬ coalition is shut out altogether and Kurds to give up the presidency. try. the Sunnis left feeling disenfranchi¬ sed again, the risk is a return to sec- A lawmaker backing al-Maliki, Bahaa

29 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

StejgPaidiàmj November 13, 2010

Iraq Lawmakers Approve Deal to Form New Government

ByBUSHRAJUHI Associated Press VA

E>V ~*p BAGHDAD - Iraqi law¬ makers approved an ,-*->5'.\. W* agreement on Saturday ^>«S that aims to bring all of 1 >;

Iraq's feuding political # °"'» - blocs into a new govern¬ *.." V ment led by Shiite Prime ' *v Minister Nouri al-Maliki, although deep disagree¬ fc ments remain about the role to be played Jby the country's minority Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malik, center, shakes hands with a lawmaker during

Sunnis. a parliament session in Baghdad, Iraq, Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010. Iraq's president The deal struck this week ended gave Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki the nod to form the next government an eight-month impasse that had Thursday after an eight-month deadlock, but a dramatic walkout from parliament by his Sunni rivals cast doubt on a power-sharing deal reached by the two sides stalled the formation of a new less than a day earlier. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) government and threatened to re- ignite sectarian violence. But the agreement appeared on the brink of collapse almost immediately after it cribed as a general outline for the with al-Maliki. The issue of whether was announced because of the new government but with few spe¬ or not to lift the ban was the reason deep-rooted distrust that pervades cifics. Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud the Iraqiya lawmakers stormed out Iraq's sectarian politics. Othman said it passed by a large of parliament Thursday. The Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc margin. A day after President Barack had threatened to boycott the Under the agreement, al-Maliki Obama praised the power-sharing Saturday session to approve the and President Jalal Talabani, a deal, Iranian President Mahmoud deal after storming out of parlia¬ Kurd, keep their current posts. Ahmadinejad voiced his support for ment on Thursday and raising fears Iraqiya, meanwhile, gets the parlia¬ it, calling the agreement "a great the group would abstain from ment speaker's post as well as the victory for the Iraqi people." government altogether. Iraqiya top spot on a council intended to Iran's official IRNA news agency lawmakers said they had been serve as a check on al-Maliki's said Ahmadinejad spoke with al- betrayed by al-Maliki's Shiite coali¬ powers. That job is supposed to go Maliki and Talabani by telephone tion, who they fear is trying to to Iraqiya leader Ayad Allawi. Saturday to congratulate them. deprive them of a significant role in But in comments to CNN televi¬ the next government. Iran, also a Shiite majority coun¬ sion late Friday, Allawi said he try, has backed al-Maliki's efforts to Leaders of the major parties met would not take part in the al-Maliki seek another term as a way to early Saturday to try to iron out government and described the consolidate Shiite power in their differences and salvage the power-sharing deal as dead. Allawi Baghdad. Iran had also lobbied deal. When parliament convened did not attend the parliament ses¬ heavily to sideline Sunnis in the later in the day, Iraqiya was present sion, and other lawmakers said he new government. and took part in the parliament vote had already left the country. to approve the power-sharing The months of political While Allawi absent, Iraqiya agreement. jockeying after inconclusive March official Fattah al-Sheik said the 7 parliamentary elections have left "There was a misunderstanding majority of the bloc's members Iraqis disillusioned and fearful that in the last session," Iraqiya spokes¬ were there. sidelining the minority Sunni com¬ man Haider al-Mulla told lawma¬ The lawmakers also agreed munity could fuel more violence. kers. "We here stress that we will be Saturday to lift a ban on three Iraqiya won 91 seats to 89 for al- an active part in producing a natio¬ Iraqiya members who were preven¬ Maliki's State of Law coalition, but nal unity government." ted from taking seats in parliament neither was near the 163-seat thres¬ There was no immediate tally of because of alleged ties to Saddam hold necessary to govern. how many members attended or Hussein's regime, said Hadi al- Iraqiya argued it should form voted for the deal, which was des- Ammari, a Shiite lawmaker aligned

30 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

the government, but after months of Iraqiya lawmaker Wahda al- may be elements in the community negotiations it was al-Maliki who Joumaili said al-Maliki's alliance who would want to express their dis¬ cobbled together enough support to must adhere to what she said were pleasure in the form of violence," keep the prime minister's post. After previous agreements allocating said the top American commander intense negotiations and amid signs Iraqiya some influential ministries. in Iraq, Gen. Lloyd Austin, speaking that al-Maliki would form the American officials have stressed to reporters Saturday. government with or without them, the risk of a return to sectarian vio¬ "It's hard to predict how this is Iraqiya decided to join forces with lence if Sunnis do not have a legiti¬ going to come out. The best case for him. mate role in the new government security is an inclusive government, The key test going forward for the and lobbied hard for Iraqiya to be a and we're just hopeful that we'll see Sunnis will be to see how many part of it. that," he said.

ministerial posts Iraqiya receives in "If the people don't consider it to * the new al-Maliki government. be an inclusive government there

The DenverPost November5, 2010

Al-Qaida claims Baghdad attacks on Shiites

on Sunday at a Baghdad church that left 58 people dead. ByBUSHRAJUHI In its claim of responsibility for Associated Press that attack, the group cited events ^Sf

.. ; ( outside of Iraq, saying the siege was -, sf- meant to force the Coptic Christian ;3 ** BAGHDADAl-Qaida's front Church in Egypt to release Muslim -Vs"'. »! group in Iraq on Friday claimed *- women that the militant group «.' S responsibility for a string of attacks claims are being held captive. £*s *. , on Baghdad's Shiite districts this The group also demanded the release of al-Qaida-linked prisoners j > . threatened more strikes against the v. held in Iraq. >4 »'» country's majority sect. V* The Islamic State of Iraqan Sectarian tensions in Iraq remain *% ' v- umbrella group that includes al- high despite a drop in violence from *»v!

Qaida in Iraq and other Sunni insur¬ its height in 2006 and 2007 when »i gent factionssaid in a statement battling Sunni and Shiite militias

posted on a militant website that the pushed the country to the brink of An Iraqi man chants anti-U.S. slogans

attacks against Shiite civilians at civil war. as followers of radical Shiite... ((AP

restaurants and cafes across the Meanwhile, a long-awaited par¬ Photo/Karim Kadim» capital on Tuesday was just "the first liament session that had been called of many bloody days to come." for Monday is being postponed yet cobble together enough political It also appeared to link the vio¬ again. The acting parliament spea¬ allies to form a coalition govern¬ lence to remarks made by a hard¬ ker, Fouad Massoum told The ment. line Kuwaiti Shiite scholar who cal¬ Associated Press that the session A Sunni-backed bloc led by for¬ led the Prophet Muhammad's wife, would not be held Monday. He did mer Prime Minister Ayad Allawi Aisha, an "enemy of God" during a not elaborate. won 91 seatstwo more than a recent event in London, saying "the Another member of parliament, coalition led by current Prime smell of death won't leave their independent Kurdish lawmaker Minister Nouri al-Maliki. (Shiite) gathering where they insult Mahmoud Othman, said the session But as the political process drags the wives of the Prophet." would be held Thursday to give the out and violence continues, many Sunnis consider such remarks political blocs more time to come up Iraqis have become increasingly about the prophet's wife blasphe¬ with an agreement on who will frustrated with their lawmakers' ina¬ mous. claim the top jobs in the next bility to come to an agreement on The Islamic State of Iraq's threat government. the next government. of more attacks on Shiites comes Iraq's parliament has met only days after the group also vowed to once since the March 7 election. No launch more strikes on Iraq's single bloc won an outright majo¬ Christians following a bloody siege rity, leaving the blocs scrambling to

31 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

! NOVEMBER 2010 £1 guaaManlHJ Iraq is left in a sectarian rut after the elitefs horse trading

The war-ravaged country finally has a government, but what kind

of precedent does it set for the future?

Iraq's prime minister Nuri al-Maliki (left) and former Nussaibah Younis Iraqi premier and Iyad Allawi Iraq's prime minis¬ ter, Nuri al-Maliki (left) araq's new power-sharing deal is with Iyad Allawi, head of certainly an improvement on the the secular Iraqiya coalition. recent prospect of a Shia-Kurdish Photograph: Reuters coalition that excluded Sunni and secu¬ lar Iraqiya supporters. i «SSF

Without wishing to read doom into These arrangements also empower poli¬ every development, I find it difficult to The 2010 elections gave Iraq's politi¬ tical elites at the expense of ordinary see a bright future at the end of the road cians a rare opportunity to take politics voters. Elites from each ethno-religious chosen by Iraq's political elite. The in another direction. Together, Allawi group can quickly gain a stranglehold intransigence and self-interest of Iraq's and Maliki gained overwhelming sup¬ over their communities, quelling dissent politicians over the past eight months port because they spoke of Iraqi unity, by pointing to the threat posed by the may have squandered the country's last reconciliation, and reconstruction. But other Iraqi communities. opportunity to build a truly democratic when it came to forming a government, political system. self-interest won. Neither could bear the By undermining national unity, such a thought of not being prime minister, government also renders itself vulnera¬ The Iraqi people voted for nationalism and both were content to drag the pro¬ ble to meddling from external powers. and against sectarianism in the 2010 cess on and on - waiting to clinch a Iran and the US, for instance, are able elections - for Iraqiya and not for Sunni political advantage while ordinary to wield far greater leverage in Iraq Islamists, for the Da'wah party and not Iraqis paid with their lives in the escala¬ when Sunnis, Shia, and Kurds are more for the ultra-Shia Islamic Supreme ting violence. concerned about protecting themselves Council of Iraq. But the electorate's sup¬ from other Iraqis rather than protecting posed representatives are rewarding The months of negotiation led Iraq's Iraq from foreign exploitation. them with a sectarian government par parties to retreat into their sectarian excellence. identities, which is exactly what the While we should be relieved that electorate voted against. Iran's involve¬ Allawi's Iraqiya is being included in the In fact the new government promises to ment bolstered the position of the Shia new Iraqi government, the compromise be very similar to the old government: parties, while the US desperately sought that has been cobbled together should the same Shia prime minister will Sunni participation to stymie the recent not be seen as a long-term political govern alongside the same Kurdish pre¬ resurgence of sectarian violence in Iraq. solution for Iraq. sident, with the simple addition of a

new role for the Sunni representative - In a dangerous parallel with Lebanon's Iraqis want a transparent and accounta¬ chair of the National Council for "National Pact", which led to two civil ble government that wins power on the Strategic Policy. wars and continuing political volatility, basis of its political policies and that Iraq's developing political model spells can be held responsible for its actions Dividing up political roles like this sets trouble for the years ahead. It does not come election time. After all, the Middle a dangerous precedent. Politicians take constitutional amendments to ins¬ East does not need yet another govern¬ should come into office because of elec¬ titutionalise identity-based politics. The ment run by political elites who ignore toral success based on political pro¬ allocation of top jobs according to com¬ their duty of public service and content grammes - and not simply because they munity in Iraq may set a precedent just themselves with sharing the spoils of claim to represent ethnic or religious like Lebanon's unwritten Pact. power behind closed doors.

groups.

Governments based on communal If Iraqi politics is to continue in this power sharing can be extremely dama¬ way, we can all sit back and relax - wai¬ ging for national reconciliation in a ting every five years for the elections country like Iraq which is recovering that mean nothing, the backstage horse from civil war. Political leaders discover trading in which politicians nakedly vie that it pays to be in charge of a strong, for personal advantage, and finally the well-defined religious or ethnic group. divvying up of power between groups in And communities realise that the politi¬ a way that promises to hamstring the cal system will reward them the more new government before it has even they act like a unified interest group. begun.

32 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

13 novembre 2010

L'Irak met fin à huit mois d'impasse politique et se dote d'un gouvernement

Nouri Al-Maliki serait reconduit comme premier ministre et Jalal Talabani resterait à la présidence

que, outre la présidence de l'Assem¬ Il aura fallu huit mois d'impasse et trois jours d'âpres discus¬ blée nationale et, peut-être, le ministère des affaires étrangères, sions pour y parvenir. Les qua¬ Irakiya, la liste majoritairement tre principaux groupes politiques d'Irak se sont accordés, mercredi sunnite conduite par lyad Allaoui, ait obtenu l'assurance de diriger 10 novembre au soir, sur les gran¬ une nouvelle institution, le des lignes d'un partage du pouvoir. Le pays, sauf coup de théâtre dont Conseil national de la politique il n'est pas avare, pourrait disposer supérieure (CNPS). d'un gouvernement dans les pro¬ Nouvel organe chaines semaines. L'accord conclu consacre la Suggéré depuis des mois parles répartitionethnico-confessionnel- Etats-Unis, qui voyaient là le

le précédente puisque le président moyen de «compenser» le recul de la République reste kurde, le pre¬ accepté par leur protégé mier ministre, Nouri Al-Maliki, (M. Allaoui répétait depuis huit mois qu'il ne se satisferait que de la continuera d'incarner la majorité direction du gouvernement), ce arabe chiite du pays, tandis que la nouvel organe, qui reste à créer par minorité arabe sunnite conserve une loi spécifique, devrait théori¬ la présidence du Parlement. quement «approuver» toutes les Le président américain, Barack décisions «majeures» du gouver¬ Obama, a déclaré, vendredi à nement, économiques (pétrole), Séoul, en marge du G20, que cet militaires et sécuritaires, avant que accord était « une étape importan¬ celles-ci ne deviennent effectives. te dans l'histoire de ce pays ». Les Vendredi matin, on ignorait Etats-Unis, qui veulent retirer encore ce que seraient les attribu¬ leurs 50 000 soldats du pays fin tions, les pouvoirs réels et les mem¬ 2011, ont suivi les tractations de bres de cet organisme, chacun sup¬ près. Néanmoins, selon Joost Hil- putant que M. Maliki, à qui il est termann, un expert de l'Internatio¬ reproché de «personnaliser» le nal Crisis Group (ICG), le scénario pouvoir à outrance, tenterait de agréé «n'est pas celui qui avait la conserver le maximum de pou¬ faveur de Washington ». voirs que lui conférait la Constitu¬ Sauvegardée par Téhéran qui a tion. poussé les trois principales forma¬ M. Allaoui a posé trois autres tions chiites religieuses rivales à Oussama Al-Najafi, député sunnite du parti Irakiya d'Iyad Allaoui, conditions à son acceptation : exa¬ l'union, la domination des chiites a été élu président du Parlement irakien, thaier al-soudani/reuters men par un comité ad hoc de la pratiquants sur le pouvoir fédéral M. Talabani, qui occupe une pré¬ situation des prisonniers politi¬ d'Irak «joue plutôt en faveur de ont franchi, jeudi soir, dans un cli¬ ques (très majoritairement sunni¬ l'Iran», relève encore M.Hilter- mat acrimonieux, les deux premiè¬ sidence largement cérémôniale, doit appeler M. Maliki à former tes), annulation du «bannisse¬ mann. Anthony Blinken, res étapes du plan agréé. ment» de trois de ses élus pour conseiller du vice-président améri- Jalal Talabani, le politicien kur¬ son gouvernement dans les quin¬ ze jours, celui-ci ayant alors, selon liens présumés avec le parti Baas ; cain, Joe Biden, a contredit ce juge¬ de (77 ans) qui préside la Républi¬ la Constitution, un mois supplé¬ (interdit) de Saddam Hussein et ment et qualifié l'événement de que depuis avril 2005, a été diffici¬ officialisation par écrit des accords Bagdad de «grandpas en avant ». lement reconduit pour quatre ans mentaire pour le composer et obte¬ conclus. «Nous espérons, indique Reste à concrétiser l'ensemble à la majorité requise des deux nir l'aval de l'Assemblée nationale. la liste Irakiya, ne pas avoir à rêve- . de l'accord, ce qui pourrait prendre tiers, et Oussama Al-Najafi, un Les chefs de partis s'étant abstenus nirsurla décision de participera ce plusieurs semaines. Réunis, pour député arabe sunnite d'Irakiya (74 d'entrer dans les détails, les mar¬ processus politique, si nos condi¬ la seconde fois seulement depuis ans), la liste « laïque » arrivée pre¬ chandages pour l'attribution des tions n'étaientpas respectées.» huit mois, les 295 députés présents mière aux élections de mars, a été postes vont durer. de l'Assemblée nationale (sur 325) élu président de l'Assemblée. Selon certains élus, il semble Patrice Claude

33 Revue de Presse-Press Revieiv-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

15 novembre 2010 En Turquie, la désillusion à l'égard de l'Union européenne progresse

Seuls 38 % des Turcs se disent favorables à l'adhésion de leur pays à l'UE, selon un sondage

«Depuisquelematchacommen- rer à l'Union européennene faiblit Istanbul fixer une datepourl'adhésion. L'Eu¬ pas. La Turquie, dont l'économie Correspondance rope ne sertplus de levierau proces¬ 1 ce, les règles du jeu ont été modi- sus de changementquiestà l'nuvre i fiées», et la Turquie «prend ombra- est l'une des plus dynamiques de la planète, veut rejoindre le club des L'Europe est votre première en Turquie», poursuit-il. \ ge de cette situation », a-t-il ajouté. BRIC (Brésil, Russie, Inde, Chine), les femme!» À sa manière, Les pourparlers, commencés il y 1 Dans un entretien à la BBC, le prési¬ grands pays émergents. A Oxford, Daniel Cohn-Bendit a rappelé a cinq ans à Bruxelles, avancent au dent de la République Abdullah . Gûl a dénoncé les « obstacles artifi¬ au chef de la diplomatie turque, ralenti. «Trop lentement», s'est . le 8 novembre, Abdullah Gûl a ciels et injustes» placés devant la Ahmet Davutoglu, que la poursui¬ plaint Ankara. Sur les 35 chapitres expliqué que l'équilibre mondial candidatureturque, censée satisfai- te des négociations d'adhésion à de règles communautaires aux¬ se déplaçait vers l'Est et que, pour I re des critères techniques, mais qui l'Unioneuropéenne (UE) devait res¬ quelles la Turquie doit se confor¬ rester forte, l'Union devait intégrer doit finalement répondre à des ter une priorité pour Ankara. Le mer, seuls 13 ont été ouverts. la Turquie. «Peut-être que, le jour arguments politiques. ministre a apprécié son échange , Aucun nouveau volet n'a pu être venu, les Turcs diront : "Nous avons Le rapportde la Commission pré¬ «franc et sincère » avec le président I entamé cette année, et 18 restent lancéles réformes, nous avons adop¬ senté reste nuancé. Suffisamment dugroupeVerts du Parlement euro¬ ; bloqués par.Chypre ou par la Fran- té les standards européens, ça nous pour permettre au ministre chargé péen, mercredi 3 novembre. Mais, I ce, qui font obstruction à l'adhé¬ suffit", et peut être qu'ils ne senti" des affaires européennes, Egemen face à l'opposition parfois agressi¬ sionturque. Il enva ainsi du dossier rontpas le besoin de devenir mem¬ ve de plusieurs pays membres, ; Bagis, de se laisseraller à l'autosatis¬ bres de l'Union », a conclu M. Gûl. principalement la France et l'Alle¬ L'enthousiasme faction. «Nous avons progressé L'enthousiasme européen peut magne, l'enthousiasme proeuro¬ I dans tous les domaines. Les progrès renaîtrefacilement, plaide l'univer¬ péen s'essouffle. européen peut '. réalisés par la Turquie ces huitder- sitaire Cengiz Aktar, pour qui ce A peine 38 % des Turcs se décla¬ renaître facilement, nières années sont sidérants », esti- désamour est «conjoncturel». Un rent en faveur d'une adhésion à me-t-il. Les chapitres restant à accord sur l'assouplissement des l'Union, selon le dernier sondage plaide un ouvrir sont quasiment épuisés. procédures de visa pour les Turcs Eurobaromètre établi par la Com¬ universitaire turc : L'impasse de la question chypriote voyageant dans l'Union, actuelle¬ mission européenne. Plus qu'une demeure le principal obstacle. La ment en négociation, permettrait véritable opposition, ce chiffre tra¬ Turquie refuse d'ouvrir ses ports et d'apaiser les susceptibilités. «Nous duit une résignation sur l'issue des pourtant crucial de l'énergie, sur : ses aéroports aux Chypriotes grecs avons besoin de la dynamique, des négociations. «Rien n'avance, lequel Chypre a mis son veto. « Cela qui, de leur côté, empêchent là techniques, des norines et des constate Cengiz Aktar, directeur du fait cinquante ans que la Turquie levée de l'embargo sur la partie tur- valeurs européennes pour conti¬ département d'études européen¬ estlaissée à laporte de l'Union euro¬ que de l'île, une promesse faite par nuer à nous réformer», insiste nes à l'université Bahçesehir d'Is¬ péenne», a regretté le premier Bruxelles en 2004 Chypre joue « le M. Aktar.» tanbul. Les raisons sont connues: la ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan, gamin capricieux de l'Union», Guillaume Perrier méthode de M. Sarkozy, la politique amer, le jour de la sortie du rapport selon Daniel Cohn-Bendit. derevanchedelaRépubliquede Chy¬ annuel de suivi de la Commission | Dès lors, Ankara menace de pour¬ pre et l'absence d'une perspective européenne sur les progrès de la suivre d'autres objectifs, même si, claire donnée à la Turquie. Ilfaut candidature. officiellement, la volonté d'adhé

A l'origine, plus de 100.000 Kurdes ont été privés de la nationalité SYRIE: DES KURDES PRIVÉS syrienne, après un recensement réalisé en 1962, qui ne les a pas comp¬ tabilisés. "En conséquence, ils ont été privés de beaucoup de droits", a DU DROIT À LA SANTÉ expliqué le rapporteur. (RAPPORTEUR DE L'ONU) "Pour ce groupe, l'accès au droit à la santé est semé d'embûches", a-t-il ajouté, en appelant le gouvernement syrien à "suivre" cette question.

DAMAS, 14 novembre 2010 (AFP) En 2007, le président syrien Bachar al-Assad avait annoncé que des mesures concrètes allaient être prises pour accorder la nationalité à des Kurdes syriens qui en sont privés, évoquant alors "un projet de loi en QUELQUE 300.000 KURDES en Syrie sont privés de nombreux phase d'élaboration". droits, notamment l'accès à la santé, a affirmé dimanche à Damas le Représentant environ 9% de la population en Syrie, les Kurdes sont esti¬ rapporteur spécial de l'ONU sur la santé, Anand Grover. més à plus de 1,5 million. "La situation de l'un des groupes vulnérables en Syrie, environ 300.000 Les responsables kurdes réclament la reconnaissance de leur langue, de personnes d'origine kurde, est inquiétante, car elles sont privées de beau¬ leur culture et de leurs droits politiques, mais se défendent de toute visée coup de droits, y compris celui à la santé", a estimé le rapporteur de l'ONU sécessionniste. dans une déclaration écrite distribué lors d'une conférence de presse.

34 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

L'accord de partage politique

11 NOVEMBRE 2010 mis en oeuvre en Irak

par Khalid al Ansary

BAGDAD (Reuters) - Au terme de

huit mois de paralysie, les responsa¬

bles irakiens se sont entendus sur l'at¬ tribution des trois principaux postes

politiques en Irak, avec notamment le maintien du chiite Nouri al Maliki

comme Premier ministre. Le Kurde Djalal Talabani a été

réélu dans la soirée au poste de chef de l'Etat et a aussitôt reconduit Maliki

dans ses fonctions. Un peu plus tôt, le Nouri al-Maliki et Jalal Talabani conservent leur place dans le nouveau poste de président du parlement était gouvernement irakien. (Reuters) revenu à Oussama al Noudjaïfi, un

sunnite du bloc Irakia de l'ancien

Premier ministre lyad Allaoui, arrivé dans la journée à Bagdad. Mais le maintien au pouvoir de de justesse en tête des élections légis¬ L'inclusion d'Irakia au sein de ce Maliki ne peut que déplaire aux "durs" latives le 7 mars dernier. que Barzani a appelé un gouvernement de la communauté sunnite, hostiles à D'autres membres du bloc Irakia de "partenariat national" devrait aider à l'influence de l'Iran sur les dirigeants

entreront au gouvernement et l'un prévenir le risque d'une reprise des chiites irakiens. Nombre d'entre eux

d'eux prendra le poste de ministre des violences confessionnelles, après huit jugeront certainement insuffisantes les

Affaires étrangères. Allaoui lui-même mois de bras de fer entre Maliki et garanties obtenues pour la formation sera placé à la tête d'un nouveau Allaoui. du prochain gouvernement.

conseil de stratégie politique. Minoritaires face aux chiites, les

Mais la réélection de Talabani puis SAUVER LA FACE" sunnites détenaient les postes-clés du

la nomination dans la foulée de Maliki, Nouri al Maliki avait pu conforter pouvoir du temps de Saddam Hussein.

qui dispose désormais d'un délai de son statut de favori à sa propre succes¬ "Dans tous les cas, nous nous

trente jours pour former son gouverne¬ sion en s'assurant mercredi soir le sou¬ retrouvons dans le même climat qu'en

ment, ont été marquées par le départ tien d'une trentaine de membres du 2005, lorsque les sunnites estimaient d'une soixantaine d'élus, soit les deux bloc Irakia, arrivé en tête aux élections être sous-représentés au gouverne¬

tiers, du bloc Irakia. Leur décision législatives avec deux sièges de plus ment, ce qui avait grandement contri¬ illustre les difficultés de la cohabita¬ que l'alliance du Premier ministre. bué à l'instabilité du pays", déclare

tion à venir. "Ce qui est le plus important, c'est Yahya al Koubaïssi, chercheur à "Grâce à Dieu, nous avons franchi que nous soyons enfin sortis de l'im¬ l'Institut irakien des études stratégi¬ hier soir une grande étape, ce qui est passe", a dit Amer al Fayyadh, doyen ques. une victoire pour tous les Irakiens", a de la faculté de sciences politiques à Pour lui, le poste réservé à Allaoui

déclaré le président du gouvernement l'université de Bagdad. "La formation à la tête d'un conseil de stratégie vise autonome kurde, Massoud Barzani, d'un gouvernement est maintenant en simplement à tenter de "sauver la lors d'une conférence de presse jeudi vue", a-t-il ajouté. face".

Le Journal dû Dimanche Irak: Le gouvernement fragilisé 13 NOVEMBRE 2010

vel exécutif. En cas d'absence des sunni¬

tes au sein du gouvernement, le pays Le Journal du Dimanche pourrait replonger dans la violence inter¬

confessionnelle.

Apeine signé, l'accord de partage du A peine entériné, et déjà il vacille.

pouvoir en Irak bat de l'aile. Deux L'accord de partage du pouvoir en Irak,

jours après l'annonce de la formation annoncé il y a deux jours après huit

d'un nouveau gouvernement, l'ancien mois de paralysie politique, a été remis

Premier ministre, lyad Allaoui, annonce en cause samedi par l'ancien Premier

samedi le retrait de sa formation, ministre, lyad Allaoui, à la tête du bloc

Irakiya. Mais ses alliés élus au Irakiya. "Nous pensons que le concept

Parlement ont malgré tout confirmé leur Iyad Allaoui n'accepte pas le partage de partage du pouvoir est mort mainte¬ intention d'être présents au sein du nou- du pouvoir. (Reuters) nant. C'est terminé. Je ne participerai

35 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

pas à cette comédie. C'est l'établisse¬ d'Irakia] signifie probablement des ten¬ de partenariat national", a ainsi déclaré

ment d'une nouvelle dictature en Irak", sions et de la violence", a ainsi estimé le porte-parole d'Irakiya au Parlement,

a-t-il ainsi déclaré sur CNN, depuis lyad Alloui, alors que le pays a connu Haïdar al Moulla. Quelques heures plus

Londres où il est officiellement en ces derniers jours une recrudescence des tôt, le député Djaber al Djaberi avait

voyage pour "raisons familiales". attentats, en sus des attaques visant la estimé que toute cette situation relevait

communauté chrétienne. d'un simple "malentendu". "L'intention A peine entériné, et déjà il vacille. d'Irakia n'est pas de boycotter le proces¬ L'accord de partage du pouvoir en Irak, Dans un premier temps, le bloc

annoncé il y a deux jours après huit Irakiya - qui a remporté les élections sus politique", avait-t-il ainsi assuré.

mois de paralysie politique, a été remis législatives du 7 mars dernier avec 91 Selon les termes de l'accord de par¬

en cause samedi par l'ancien Premier sièges contre 89 pour la coalition de tage du pouvoir conclu mercredi, Nouri

ministre, lyad Allaoui, à la tête du bloc l'Etat de droit emmenée par Nouri al- al-Maliki, Premier ministre depuis 2006,

Irakiya. "Nous pensons que le concept Maliki - avait accepté de soutenir ce conserve son poste, le kurde Djalal

de partage du pouvoir est mort mainte¬ nouveau gouvernement. Mais jeudi, les Talabani garde son fauteuil de président

nant. C'est terminé. Je ne participerai deux tiers des élus se réclamant de cette et le sunnite Oussam al-Noudjaïfi, mem¬

pas à cette comédie. C'est l'établisse¬ alliance ont claqué la porte du bre du bloc Irakiya, devient président du

ment d'une nouvelle dictature en Irak", Parlement, estimant que l'accord de par¬ Parlement, ou l'alliance d'Alloui est

a-t-il ainsi déclaré sur CNN, depuis tage n'était pas respecté par les autres majoritaire. Le poste de ministre des

Londres où il est officiellement en forces en présence. Affaires étrangères devait également

voyage pour "raisons familiales". Au Parlement, Irakiya confirme l'ac¬ aller un membre d'Irakiya et lyad Alloui devait prendre la tête d'un nouveau Si le Premier ministre chiite, Nouri cord de gouvernement Conseil de stratégie politique, une insti¬ al-Maliki, reconduit dans ses fonctions, Au sein d'Irakiya toutefois, tout le peut gouverner sans Irakiya - une tution ad hoc. Mais avec les déclarations monde ne partage pas la position d'Iyad de l'ancien Premier ministre, les cartes alliance mêlant représentants laïques et Alloui. L'alliance a d'ailleurs confirmé sont désormais rebattues. Reste encore à sunnites -, l'absence de ce bloc pourrait samedi au Parlement son intention de savoir qui parle au nom d'Irakiya. entraîner de nouvelles violences inter¬ participer au futur gouvernement. "Tous confessionnelles, les seuls chiites et kur¬ les blocs vont continuer à appliquer l'en¬ des étant alors représentés au gouverne¬ semble des accords. Nous confirmons ment. "Pour l'Irak, cela [le retrait qu'Irakia fera partie d'un gouvernement

REUTERS ffi |

Nouri al Maliki

chargé de former

un gouvernement

en Irak

BAGDAD / 25 novembre 201 0 /(Reuters) La coalition de l'Etat de droit de Maliki, à dominante chiite, est arrivée en deuxième position aux élections législatives. Mais il a réussi à conserver son poste de Premier ministre en rassem¬ LE PRÉSIDENT irakien Djalal Talabani a officiellement blant une alliance de factions chiites qui a obtenu le soutien de chargé jeudi le Premier ministre, Nouri al Maliki, de former l'Iran. d'ici un mois un gouvernement réunissant les factions politi¬

ques chiite, sunnite et kurde. Il a ensuite reçu l'appui des députés kurdes et d'une partie de l'alliance Irakia dirigée par lyad Allaoui. Irakia est arrivé en tête Les élections législatives du 7 mars n'ont pas dégagé de majo¬ des élections du 7 mars avec 91 sièges contre 89 à l'Etat de droit rité claire en Irak et après huit mois de tractations un accord de de Maliki, mais Allaoui n'a pas trouvé de partenaires pour partage du pouvoir a été conclu il y a 15 jours. atteindre la majorité parlementaire. Maliki, d'origine chiite, a été reconduit pour un second mandat à la tête du gouvernement tandis que Talabani, un Kurde, était maintenu à la présidence et qu'Ossama al Noudjaifi, un sunnite, Maliki a effectué le mois dernier une tournée des capitales ara¬ a été nommé président du parlement. bes pour obtenir leur soutien à sa reconduction à la tête du gou¬ vernement, offrant aux voisins arabes des possibilités d'inves¬ "Je m'adresse au grand peuple irakien, à toutes ses religions, ses tissements en Irak en échange de pressions sur Irakia pour que obédiences et ses nationalités, et à nos frères les dirigeants poli¬ l'alliance accepte un compromis, dit-on de source politique. tiques, pour souligner la nécessité de coopérer afin de surmon¬ ter les différends du passé (...) et d'ouvrir une nouvelle page", a Des dirigeants d'Irakia ont indiqué qu'ils voulaient le ministère dit Maliki lors d'une cérémonie au palais présidentiel à Bagdad. des Affaires étrangères actuellement détenu par un Kurde, Hoshiyar Zebari. Cependant, des divisions au sein d'Irakia A l'heure où l'Irak doit reconstruire ses infrastructures et relan¬ pourraient compromettre ces prétentions, alors même que les cer son secteur pétrolier ravagés par des années de guerre et de Kurdes souhaiteraient conserver le poste. sanctions économiques, le choix des ministres du Pétrole et des Finances sera particulièrement important.

36 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

INTERNATIONAL,,

»cfalb2E8ribune November 12, 2010 Instead, Mr. Allawi will lead a newly created council to oversee issues of se¬ Iraqi breakthrough deal curity and foreign policy. But the coun¬ cil's powers remain vague: Mr. Maliki is unlikely to give up the reins over securi¬ returns leader to power ty issues, and one of his key Shiite part¬ ners the staunchly anti-American Sadrist movement also appears to be A parliamentary vote on the govern¬ angling for a hand, as well. BAGHDAD ment could still take several weeks, as Thé United States praised the fact that the factions work out the details of who the new government would have at least Maliki gets 2nd term, gets what posts. But the session Thurs¬ some Sunni presence. "The apparent day paved the way with the first formal while Sunnis appear to agreement to form an inclusive govern¬ steps, starting with the naming of a Par¬ ment is a big step forward for Iraq,' ' said liament speaker. be grudging partners Tony Blinken, national security adviser Under the agreement, the post went to a figure from Mr. Allawi's Iraqiya bloc THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The deal is potentially a Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni hard-liner who holds staunch support among his setback for the United States. The Iraqi Parliament approved key community in northern Iraq but is leadership positions Thursday in the widely hated by Kurds. His power and first step toward forming a new govern¬ to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., personality may be able to bring more ment, after a breakthrough deal that re¬ the administration's point man for Iraq. authority to what has been a lackluster turns the country's Shiite prime minis¬ The deal preserves the sectarian position in the past. Lawmakers were ter, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, to office for a breakdown of positions that has held then electing two deputy speakers a second term but falls short of Sunni since the first elected government in Kurd and a Shiite and would possibly hopes for greater political power. 2005: Shiites hold the prime minister's elect the president later Thursday. Mr. Maliki and his top rival, Ayad office, Sunnis the Parliament speaker's Sunnis appeared to be grudging juni¬ Allawi, who had hoped to take the prime seat, and the Kurds the presidency. or partners in what could be a fragile minister's post at the top of a Sunni- President Jalal Talabani was expected government. backed coalition, sat next to each other to be elected to a second term. "I don't think we got what we in the Parliament chamber in an appar¬ But it leaves unresolved the sectarian wanted," said Jaber al-Jaberi, an Ir- ent sign of unity after a contentious, wounds that have bloodied the country aqiya lawmaker from the Sunni strong¬ eight-month political fight over the for¬ since Saddam Hussein was toppled in hold Ramadi. "We are the biggest bloc, mation of the government. the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. His fall ended The deal, reached late Wednesday, and we won the election. We earned the political domination by the Sunni minor¬ ends the deadlock, but raises concerns right to form the government." He said ity and brought the Shiite majority to that Sunnis disillusioned with the polit¬ Sunnis compromised because of power. Sunnis responded by becoming ical process could return to the ranks of "powerful forces." the backbone of the insurgency against the insurgency, fueling new violence as Mr. Jaberi warned that Iraqiya could the government, sparking vicious the United States prepares to remove withdraw its support if Mr. Maliki did not Shiite-Sunni violence. the last of its troops from the country by follow through with his promises. "We With the insurgency eased since 2008, the end of next year. can always change our minds," he said. the Americans had hoped the election The deal is potentially a setback for "We have 91 seats in the Parliament." could create a .new sectarian political the United States, which had been push¬ Iraqiya won the most seats in the balance to ensure stability as U.S. . ing for a greater Sunni say in power, and March 7 elections, but not a majority. troops withdraw from Iraq. Sunnis a boost for Iran, a regional rival. The That opened the door for Mr Maliki, turned out in droves for the March elec¬ Sunni minority had put great hopes in ; whose State of Law party came in tion despite purges of their candidates. the March elections and succeeded in second, to cobble together alliances with ' The drawn-out wrangling over the lifting its bloc to a narrow victory, only, . ; religious Shiite parties, garnering government left a political void that to be outmaneuvered by Iranian-allied ; enough seats to force Mr. Allawi to make many feared was fueling new bloody at¬ Shiites who preserved their domination a deal, thwarting his bids for both the ; tacks by Sunni insurgents and Al of the new government. prime minister's job and the presidency. Qaeda's, branch in the country.

^

political struggles ahead. out after failing to force a vote on de¬ BAGHDAD The U.S. government has insisted mands that included a release of detain¬ during Iraq's protracted political dead¬ ees. They also sought to reverse a de¬ BY STEVEN LEE MYERS lock that a new government should mir¬ cision that disqualified three of the

Only three hours into a parliamentary ror the will of the electorate. It got its alliance's candidates on the grounds that session called to begin the process of ap¬ wish: The government if it holds to¬ they were loyal to Saddam Hussein's proving an agreement on a new unity gether will be fractured and un¬ Baath Party. Both are contentious issues , among the country's Sunni Arabs. government, members of an alliance led wieldy, rife with suspicion, hobbled by a by the former prime minister, Ayad shaky grasp of the rule of law and prone "We can't go on with a government Allawi, walked out in protest. to collapse, or at least to chaos. that begins with a violation of its agree¬ While the walkout Thursday did hot Despite reaching a tentative agree¬ ments," said Haydar al-Mullah, an AtlawK supporter. Mr. Allawi's alliance narrowly immediately scuttle the agreement, ment, Iraqi leaders continued to which was reached only the night be¬ squabble over positions and power,1 and defeated Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al- fore, it was a stark illustration of the fra¬ to make threats that could unravel a Maliki's bloc last spring but failed to win . enough support to unseat him. gility of a broad coalition that was not deal that took eight months to reach. yet 24 hours old and a portent of the Members of Mr. Allawi's bloc walked Although many politicians spoke of

37 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

At a news conference in Seoul on Fri¬ national unity after the agreement was ment ended its session Thursday night. day, President Barack Obama praised announced Wednesday night, there was The new 325-member Parliament re¬ Iraqi moves to form an "inclusive" gov¬ little in evidence of it either in the Iraqi elected Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, as presi¬ ernment, despite the Sunni walkout, Parliament or- on the streets, Nor was dent, though he failed to win the re¬ The Associated Press reported. "All in¬ there much celebration outside the nar¬ quired two-thirds majority oh the first dications are that the government will row circle surrounding Mr. Maliki, a vote after Mr. Allawi's walkout. Increas¬ be representative, inclusive, and reflect dour, divisive leader who nonetheless ingly frail he won a second vote, as al- '. the will of the Iraqi people who cast their secured the official nomination for a , lowed by law, with a simple majority of ballots in the last election," he said. second term as prime minister as Parlia 195 votes, hardly a mandate.

Iraqi Christians welcome in north, Kurdish leader says

From Jomana Karadsheh, CNN

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) - Iraqi Christians under siege by Islamic militants are welcome in the country's north, a Kurdish leader said Thursday, after a string of attacks tiiat have killed dozens of the faitii.

"I want to let them know that the Kurdistan Region is open to them. If they want to come, we will protect them and provide them with all services," said Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan regional government. "We are extremely sorry Iraq's Christians remember victims for the crimes they have been subjected to and we condemn these criminal acts, they are innocent people and a precious

part of this nation." ghout Iraq, to include pilgrims in the holy cities of Najaf and

Karbala." In the past, the regional government has opened its doors to

other persecuted minorities. The U.N. Security Council also decried attacks on places of worship in Iraq. Many Christian families that CNN spoke to Wednesday said they feared for their own safety and wanted to leave Iraq, but The archbishop of Chicago, Illinois, urged U.S. President didn't have the means to do so. Some Iraqi church leaders Barack Obama to take steps to protect Christians in Iraq. and politicians such as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have been discouraging Iraqi Christians, one of the oldest "Having invaded Iraq, our nation has a moral obligation not Christian civilizations in the world, from leaving. to abandon those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves," wrote Cardinal Francis George of the U.S. Conference of CNN reporters in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish north Catholic Bishops. have noticed an influx of Christians in the country's north in recent days, but there has been a general migration since A group called the Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility 2003. for the gruesome October 31 siege of the Sayidat al-Nejat cathedral that left 70 people dead and 75 wounded. The Barzani's comments came after the United States, the U.N. umbrella group includes a number of Sunni extremist organi¬ Security Council and an American Catholic archbishop zations and has ties to al Qaeda in Iraq. expressed concerns Wednesday about the continuing attacks on Christian and other religious groups in Iraq. Thirty-five Christian survivors of the attack arrived in France this week, where they will be able to seek asylum. At least three people were killed and 25 wounded Wednesday morning, an Iraqi interior ministry official said. The gunmen who led the attack demanded that the Iraqi government release a number of detainees and prisoners in On Tuesday evening, three people were wounded in western Iraqi prisons, saying the Christian hostages would be freed in Baghdad when bombs exploded outside Christian homes return, according to the police officials. there, the ministry said.

Iraq's defense minister later said on state television that the "The United States strongly condemns the recent terrorist kidnappers had demanded the release of a number of priso¬ attacks in Iraq, which were perpetrated by al Qaeda in Iraq ners in both Iraq and Egypt. against Christians in Baghdad in their homes and in their churches," said Mike Hammer, spokesman for the White House's National Security Council. "We also strongly condemn additional attacks against innocent civilians throu-

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THE IRISH TIMES November 13, 2010

Combined revolutions begin to bear fruit for Kurdish women guerrillas

The Irish Times conflict.

It is every parent's night¬ mare to lose a child to the Catrina Stewart PKK. In southeastern Turkey, in the Qandil Mountains, a predominantly Kurdish northern Iraq area, thousands of mothers have watched helplessly as their children were recruited to the cause, only to see them A JEEP screeches to a halt in return in a body bag, if at all. front of the house, and with a slamming of doors, three Every young girl that joins Kurdish fighters emerge, two the PKK does so in the know¬ 4» «»; of them women. They stride ledge that she is forsaking a 4- into the villagers' house, and life with marriage and chil¬ * 1 % even though it is late and the dren. Sex between men and family wants to sleep, their women in the movement is hosts bring out some fruit discouraged, and soldiers and tea. rarely leave.

Sitting cross-legged on "I saw the woman in my the floor, their rifles propped society had a very hard life, again, opposition to them Recep Tayyib Erdogan held up in the corner of the room, and I didn't want to live like gradually melted away. out an olive branch to the the two women light cigaret¬ that," says Raperin Derik, a They receive training Kurds last year, the PKK tes and crack a joke to ease female guerrilla originally alongside their male counter¬ declared a ceasefire, raising the tension with the men in from Syria, referring to the hopes that the fighters could the room. parts in the use of explosives traditional role played by finally lay down their arms. and weapons, and are trained Since joining the Kurdish many Middle Eastern in guerrilla combat. Women But while the ceasefire still resistance in the early 1990s, women. operate in mixed or single- largely holds, Erdogan has these women have cut them¬ "I joined the PKK to sex bands of 10 or 15 fighters, backtracked on those promi¬ selves off almost entirely escape marriage." ses, fearful of appearing weak and move stealthily through from their families and loved She paid a price for that the mountainous region, see¬ on terrorism ahead of next ones, dedicating their lives to choice, though. Within two king out Turkish military tar¬ year's elections. a cause that has cost an esti¬ years ofjoining up Derik was gets and evading shelling or Nevertheless, for the first mated 40,000 lives from captured by Turkish troops, capture. time in years, Kurds say they both sides in the past three and over the next 12 years she sense that change is in the decades. Turkey, which regards the was shunted from prison to air, and parents can now dare PKK as a terrorist organisa¬ "When I was a student, I prison, including the noto¬ to hope that their sons and tion, has repeatedly sought to wrote a letter to my parents, rious Diyarbakir facility. rout the movement militarily, daughters may finally come setting out my reasons for "At the beginning, they more recently through cross- home - perhaps not next leaving, and left it for them to year, but soon. tortured me very badly," says border attacks, but with little read," recalls Evindar Ararat, Derik, who was released only success. Indeed, many Kurds So, too, do the guerrillas. a fighter in her late 30s, of four years ago. believe it was the PKK's how she left for the Kurdish "I read a novel once about armed struggle that reversed resistance over 15 years ago. "But what kept me going the daughter of a partisan," the repressive policies of was the hope that I'd return says Ararat, a faraway look "I knew they wouldn't let denial and assimilation. to the mountains." on her face. me go," she adds. But the movement argues The PKK is proud of its "In that book, the parti¬ The women are soldiers of that the freedoms do not attitude towards women. sans return to the town, the Kurdish Workers' Party, extend far enough. Abdullah Ocalan, the move¬ which is full of cheering or PKK, which for 26 years ment's revered head who lan¬ Kurdish language is still crowds throwing flowers. I has waged a bloody war for guishes in a Turkish prison, not taught in local schools, have a dream that I'll return autonomy in Turkey from the argued that the Kurds could some 1,500 prominent Kurds like that." mountains in northern Iraq only be emancipated if they have been arrested in the that straddle southern freed their women, too. past year for allegedly sup¬ Turkey and part of Iran. Inevitably, there was porting PKK ideology, and Only in the last two years resistance at first from the the vote threshold is high at has the movement lowered men, who viewed women as a 10 per cent, denying the its sights, settling for equal liability in battle, and a dis¬ Kurds adequate representa¬ democratic and cultural traction. When the females tion in parliament. liberties in a bid to end the proved themselves again and When prime minister

39 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

CôESHir IKTMtKATIOMAL En couverture L'implosion de l'islam

du 18 au 24 novembre 2010 Sunnisme et chiisme entre coexistence et conflits

Le conflit entre les deux branches déré le "Livre" comme un manuel pour agir, alors partis radicaux, de Bahrein au Liban, en passant de l'islam n'est pas uniquement que les chiites, eux, ont poussé plus loin sa glo¬ par l'Irak. Cette règle n'a connu que de rares

une question religieuse. L'Histoire, rification, de sorte que son caractère sacré a fini exceptions au cours de l'Histoire, sous la dynas¬ la vision du monde, les disparités par l'emporter sur sa vocation pratique. Les deux tie bouyide, qui régna sur l'Irak et l'ouest de sociales les séparent aussi. communautés considèrent la vie du prophète l'Iran aux Xe et XIe siècles, et sous les Fatimides, Mahomet (sira) et ses paroles (les hadith) qui gouvernèrent l'Egypte et d'autres régions

comme des sources d'inspiration essentielles, d'Afrique du Nord du Xe au XIIe siècle.

OpenDemocracy (extraits) Londres mais chacune s'appuie sur des récits différents Dans la plupart des villes, les habitants sont provenant d'autorités distinctes. De plus, elles en majorité sunnites, et ce au moins depuis la

endant des années, la division portent sur certaines figures historiques de la période ottomane. Comme les minorités chré¬

[ entre les deux grandes sectes de vie du Prophète des regards diamétralement tienne et juive, les sunnites ont produit une

l'islam (en réalité, deux religions opposés, en particulier sur son épouse Aïcha. classe de marchands, de fonctionnaires et de let¬

à part entière) est restée taboue. trés. Le sunnisme a toujours dominé également Les persécutions des chiites Nous, Arabes, avons une fâcheuse la classe défavorisée des artisans citadins, et avec

tendance, face aux problèmes, à Par ailleurs, tout comme le christianisme s'est eux leurs corporations, les arts, la musique et nous réfugier dans le déni, ce qui explique la fondé sur une mythologie autour de la cruci¬ d'autres coutumes. En revanche, les chiites situation où nous sommes. A vrai dire, le fixion du Christ, le chiisme est né de l'assassi¬ vivent traditionnellement en zone rurale, pour schisme n'est pas fondamentalement religieux : nat d'Ali, le gendre du Prophète, puis de son fils l'essentiel, loin des regards suspicieux des auto¬ c'est une question où les différences religieuses Hussein, commis par ceux qui devaient devenir rités sunnites ; c'est pourquoi leur vie était liée reflètent plus largement des disparités sociales les sunnites. Le rite de l'Achoura, au cours à l'agriculture. Autre conséquence, leur culture et politiques. duquel les chiites pleurent la mort de Hussein, se caractérise par une transmission orale,

Il n'est pas exagéré de dire que cette division est une sorte de théâtre populaire qui met en presque mécanique, des traditions et des

trouve ses origines dans les rivalités entre les scène les persécutions des chiites par les auto¬ croyances. clans hachémite et omeyyade, à la période pré¬ rités sunnites tout au long de l'Histoire. En com¬ islamique, quand n'existaient ni le sunnisme ni mémorant chaque année ces persécutions, les L'infaillibilité de l'imam le chiisme [aux VIIe et vme siècles]. La compé¬ chiites ravivent ces haines séculaires et renfor¬ Il est révélateur que les Safavides, qui régnaient

tition prit par la suite de nombreuses formes et cent leur sentiment de différence. sur l'Iran au XVIe siècle, aient décidé, pour se

ne cessa d'être entretenue. Si sunnites et chiites Traditionnellement, les sunnites ont tenu distinguer des Arabes, d'embrasser le chiisme

partagent une même vénération du Coran, ils les rênes du pouvoir dans la plupart des pays - comme si, ce faisant, ils définissaient l'iden¬ ne furent que brièvement unis dans la même musulmans, tandis que les chiites étaient dans tité de leur empire en fonction de différences entité politico-religieuse, sous le règne des pre¬ l'opposition. C'est resté vrai à l'époque moderne, religieuses avec leurs voisins sunnites.

miers califes. quand, dans les années i960 et 1970, les jeunes Les spécialistes sunnites de la loi se sont

Traditionnellement, les sunnites ont consi- militants chiites sont allés grossir les rangs des toujours intéressés à la question du pouvoir et aux moyens de le conserver. Pour le grand juriste sunnite Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328), un ;e dirigeant despotique est préférable au chaos et à la discorde. En revanche, les idées dévelop¬ Les Américains n'ont toujours pas compris pées par les premiers penseurs chiites met¬ taient l'accent sur la quête de justice, sur la

En décembre 2006, bonnes réponses. Il s'est dernier n'ont pas toujours définition de la société idéale et la perfection The New York Times trompé sur Al-Qaida, été très sûrs de leurs de l'imam dit "caché", le dernier chef vénéré révélait que la différence qu'il a présentée comme connaissances sur l'islam. des chiites qui aurait été soustrait au monde et entre les sunnites étant majoritairement chiite, En 1921, alors qu'il était en » dont ils attendent de nos jours encore le retour, et les chiites n'était pas et a séché sur le Hezbollah, train de redessiner les à la manière d'un messie. L'infaillibilité de toujours très claire aux qui, lui, est majoritairement frontières du Moyen-Orient, l'imam (que l'ayatollah Khomeyni étendit au Etats-Unis, et pas seulement chiite. "Cela n'engage Winston Churchill demandait chef suprême de sa république islamique) est pour l'Américain ordinaire. que moi", a-t-il dit aux à un collaborateur un concept qu'ignore totalement la tradition

Aux questions "Al-Qaida journalistes, "mais une note de trois lignes sunnite.

est^elle sunnite ou chiite ?" il est difficile de replacer sur les "tendances En Europe, les guerres de religion qui oppo¬ et "Quelle sectedomine les choses dans leur religieuses" du roi hachémite sèrent protestants et catholiques étaient liées le Hezbollah ?" posées contexte.'V n'est pas le seul qu'il envisageait de à la question de la réforme de la religion, pro¬ à l'improviste par lejournal à avoir fourni des réponses placera Bagdad. "S'agit-il cessus qui conduisit par la suite à l'émergence du Congrès, Silvestre Reyes, inexactes. D'autres membres d'un sunnite ayant de l'Etat-nation. Dans le monde musulman, la candidat présenté par du Congrès, démocrates des sympathies chiites divergence presque absolue entre l'islam des

le Parti démocrate pour et républicains, se sont ou d'un chiite ayant des sunnites et celui des chiites rend peu probable

diriger la Commission montrés tout aussi ignorants. sympathies sunnites ? une évolution semblable à celle de l'Europe. On

du renseignement A vrai dire, certains des interrogeait-il. a du mal à voir comment les différends entre

de la Chambre, était hommes d'Etat occidentaux Je confonds toujours ces deux confessions, ajoutés à la faiblesse de

incapable de fournir les les plus intelligents du siècle les deux." l'Etat-nation et à l'absence de cohésion sociale

40 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

du 18 au 24 novembre 2010 typique du Moyen-Orient, pourraient débou¬ {Cot&ner cher sur autre chose que la destruction et la

guerre civile dans les pays où ces deux commu¬

nautés cohabitent - et s'entre-déchirent.

Les tentatives d'"union" des deux branches î&îmKmtx

de l'islam ont toujours été d'une superficialité pathétique. De la Première Guerre mondiale à Un autre chiisme est-il possible ? la fin de la guerre froide, l'inclination tradition¬ nelle des Arabes à faire table rase des différends "Une bataille se déroule depuis commencé à regarder vers l'Irak entre sunnites et chiites s'accompagna d'un des siècles au sein du chiisme. Il existe pour imaginer une nouvelle relation engouement certain pour la modernité (qui une vision plus modérée, plus entre clergé et Etat, estime également nous conduisit à considérer les divisions reli¬ Mehdi Khalaji. Sur son site, gieuses comme "honteuses"). Après la révolu¬ démocratique du chiisme - qui a été Mehdikhalaji.com, cet intellectuel tion islamique de Khomeyni, en 1979, des appels balayéepar la révolution islamique retentirent à nouveau en faveur d'une "unité iranienne de 1979", affirme irano-américain affirme

islamique" pluriconfessionnelle et anti-impé¬ Mohammed Bazzi, chercheur libano- qu'"après la chute du régime de

rialiste. Mais le tournant iranien, avec son expé¬ américain, dans la revue Foreign Saddam, la renaissance d'une forme

rience politique inédite, est survenu précisément Affairs. "Le modèle depouvoirabsolu de chiismeplus traditionnelle et

alors que la gauche s'affaiblissait partout ailleurs qui domine l'Iran d'aujourd'huin'est politiquement moins engagée a

et que l'Union soviétique commençait à se sclé¬ qu'une des multiples doctrines au sein commencé à changer les dynamiques

roser. Hazem Saghieh du clergé chiite. Le velayat-e faghih, dans l'ensemble du monde chiite".

ou te 'gouvernement des doctes', Pourtant, prévient-il, "ceseraitune

a triomphé sous la direction erreur de penser que les institutions

de l'ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeyni. de Nadjaf, en Irak, pourraient

Le charisme et le talentpolitique de remplacer l'autorité religieuse mise en

Khomeyni ont éclipsé une vision plus placepar Khomeyni, notamment à

modérée du chiisme venue de la ville Qom, en Iran. L'establishment clérical

irakienne de Nadjaf/'En Iran, et ailleurs, irakien neprendrajamais aucune

nombreux sont ceux qui ont décisiion pouvantaffaiblirou menacer

la république islamique d'Iran, car il

voit dans la survie de cepuissantEtat

la meilleureprotection pour le chiisme. Trop de tensions Dans un futurproche, le chiisme irakien restera en grandepartie dans l'ombre

du clergé iranien. Les séminaires

en Irak n'ont que quelques milliers

Les conflits entre sunnites et chiites En premier lieu, nous ne pouvons, à de religieux, contre 300 000 en Iran. risquent de déstabiliser le monde chaque fois qu'un extrémiste a envie de faire Partout où ilémerge ets'implante, arabe. Mais l'Iran, qui joue au parler de lui, accepter de mettre en danger la le clergé chiite ne peutpas se pyromane, peut aussi prendre feu. stabilité de nos pays. De tels extrémistes exis¬ développers'il est déconnecté de Qom. tent des deux côtés, et l'outrance, d'où qu'elle Les membresprééminents du clergé

vienne, engendre l'outrance. Il faut raison irakien peuvent critiquer le mélange

Asharq Al-Awsat Londres garder et éviter les généralisations. En second du politique et du religieuxprônépar

lieu, il est de notre intérêt de renforcer le le velayat-e faghih iranien, etpeuvent

fin de mettre un terme à l'esca¬ concept de citoyenneté, de vivre-ensemble et sympathiser avec les couches moins

lade des tensions entre sunnites de droit ïla différence. Il en va de la respon¬ religieuses de la société iranienne,

et chiites, les rassemblements sabilité des gouvernements. Evidemment, les mais ils se retiendront de se

ont été interdits au Koweït. On médias doivent prendre soin de ne pas verser confronter au régime ou de collaborer

en était arrivé là après des décla- de l'huile sur le feu. Toutefois, nous ne pou¬ avec ses opposants. " ' rations outrageantes de la part vons passer sous silence le rôle dangereux que d'une personne qu'on ne peut que qualifier d'ex¬ joue l'Iran dans la région. Il faut le dénoncer trémiste à propos de la personne d'Aïcha [épouse sans pour autant courir le risque d'une désta¬ de Mahomet et ennemie du calife Ali, considéré bilisation. La stabilité est un bienfait précieux. comme le père du chiisme - voir ci-dessus]. Fina¬ De même, la consolidation de l'idée de lement, le chiite Yasser Habib, auteur de ces décla¬ citoyenneté ne signifie pas baisser les bras rations incendiaires, qui vit à Londres, s'est vu devant ceux qui portent atteinte aux religions retirer sa nationalité koweïtienne. ou qui insultent les prophètes, les compa¬

Au même moment, à Bahrein un chiite a été gnons ou les épouses de Mahomet. Il faut déchu de sa nationalité et un autre a été inter¬ cependant garder son sang-froid et ne pas dit de prêche. Au Liban, on assiste à des attaques accorder à tel ou tel comportement plus d'im¬ en règle contre les sunnites. Et au Yémen, des portance qu'il n'en mérite. Ceux qui veulent rebelles houthistes [chiites] se drapent de l'idéo¬ faire vibrer la corde du confessionnalisme logie du velayat-efaqih [doctrine politique en oublient que, tôt ou tard, ils en seront les prin¬ vigueur en Iran, justifiant la suprématie du reli¬ cipales victimes. Car l'Iran lui-même est une gieux sur le politique]. En Irak, on entend des mosaïque d'ethnies et risque plus que qui¬ voix réclamant que le pouvoir reste aux mains conque d'être déstabilisé. Il en va de même des chiites, démocratie ou pas... A qui profite pour d'autres Etats au Moyen-Orient. toute cette agitation ? Tareq Al-Humayed

41 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

CFiristian Science MonitorjH^J November 18, 2010

In Turkey, Kurdish writers once needed pseudonyms. Now they have a master's program,

Led by senior Kurdish politi¬ The first graduate program cians such as Selahattin Demirtas (center), co-chair of in Kurdish language and the pro- Kurdish Peace and culture is a rare bright spot Democracy Party (BDP), thou¬ in Turkey's initiative to sands of Turkish Kurds hold a protest march to the cour¬ improve the cultural rights thouse in Diyarbakir, sou¬ of its Kurdish minority, theast Turkey, on November 11. Kurds in Turkey may be whose language was seeing a change, as the study banned for decades. of the Kurdish language is now a graduate-level program there. (Scott Peterson / Getty Images) By Scott Peterson,

The Christian Science Monitor many years; never mind academic Davutoglu explained last week. "I work, even speaking was forbidden.... addressed Massoud Barzani as 'Kak.'

Mardin, Turkey For 20 years, Now the Kurds are recognized as a This means 'mister.' This respect is part Tekin Cifci explored his native nation in Turkey." of our culture. My duty is not to create enemies for Turkey, but to create Kurdish language in secret, hiding Cifci says he is proud to be one of friends." behind a pseudonym when writing for Turkey's first crop of "Kurdologists," semi-underground Kurdish magazi¬ one of 30 accepted for the two-year nes. For much of that time in Turkey, master's program. The university began The limits the use of Kurdish was banned - an its work in Kurdish last summer, tea¬ utterance on the street could mean ching a crop of 50 language instructors But there are limits: Even though there time in jail. whose certification will allow them to is now an official Kurdish-language But today Mr. Cifci is writing the thesis teach elsewhere in Turkey as new state television channel, TRT6, and for his master's degree, in Kurdish and Kurdish programs are founded. Turkey's Higher Education Board has about Kurdish - and under his real announced that Kurdish is an official The interest was overwhelming. Some name - as part of Turkey's first-ever language for academia, that board has 550 people applied for the three-month graduate program in Kurdish language so far refused permission for creation summer course, and 350 to be candi¬ and culture. of a Kurdology institute. dates for the master's degree. "I'm still not used to this new period," And legal hurdles remain: In a court "It's incredible for me to see the num¬ says Cifci, who is part of the pilot case against 1 53 Kurds in Diyarbakir - bers," says Abdurrahman Adak, assis¬ Kurdish program of Mardin Artuklu among them 1 2 elected mayors - jud¬ tant chairman for the "live languages" University in southeast Turkey's ethnic ges in recent weeks have dismissed program, which will include the Syriac Kurdish heartland. The region has been efforts to mount defense arguments in and Arabic languages, as well as plagued by civil war between Kurdish Kurdish, writing that it was an "incom¬ Kurdish. So far only Kurdish faculty rebels and the state security forces prehensible language." have been chosen. 'This is making pre¬ since 1 984, and witnessed tens of paration for coming years, if Turkish The conflict also continues to simmer thousands of deaths. universities have these [Kurdish] bran¬ beneath the surface, and the main That conflict has eased in the past ches. We are preparing from now." rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), decade. And the Turkish government which still has wide popular support When setting up the program, the last year announced a "Kurdish and declared a ceasefire until next directors visited other well-established Opening" aimed at improving the lives summer, is deemed a "terrorist" group Kurdish programs at universities in nor¬ of ethnic Kurds, by restoring some by Turkey, the US, and the European thern Iraq and in Europe. In coming long-denied cultural rights. Union. Some factions continue attacks, weeks Mardin will host a number of and Turkish forces also counter them in But while many Kurds feel that little has experts from the Center for Kurdish southeast Turkey and at PKK bases in changed - and point to some 1 ,500 Studies at the University of Exeter in northern Iraq. Kurdish politicians and activists roun¬ the United Kingdom. ded up and jailed across the region Yet at the university in Mardin, a project President Abdullah Gul visited the since the "opening" - the Kurdish lan¬ is under way to create a library of origi¬ Turkish university last month and prai¬ guage program is planting new seeds nal historical handwritten Kurdish texts, sed the new language program. The that could transform attitudes. and to play catch-up with more establi¬ Kurdish language also received an shed Kurdish programs in the region unexpected vote from Turkish Foreign and beyond, in a bid to make Mardin Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who last New opportunity the recognized center of Kurdology. June used some Kurdish words when "Each time our teachers explain about speaking to Iraqi Kurdish leader "In the beginning, we had difficulty fin¬ Kurdish language and culture, I find Massoud Barzani. ding some educators, because in myself in a different world," says Cifci. Turkey there is no one whose official "Kurdish is one of the languages for "It's like coming into the world again, profession this is," says Dr. Adak, who which we should have respect, and it is like being reborn to the culture.... himself speaks five languages. "But this also a language that is used by a Kurdish was a forbidden language for university has found us and brought us considerable part of our people," Mr.

42 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

together.... It is a very important step. try. When I started this program, the rector We believe this will impact Turkish asked: 'Where were you until now?' I "We are not discussing anymore if there society, and help bring peace." replied: 'I was among those hiding my is a Kurdish nation or not, but how the name.'" Graduate student Cifci says he wants to education of Kurds can be in their be there, on an academic front line mother tongue," says Cifci. "Now more where Kurdish writers and intellectuals and more people accept that the no longer need pen names for their poe Kurdish issue is not a terrorist issue....

DEPENDENT 18 NOVEMBER 2010

Iraqi President bars execution of Tariq Aziz

By Kim Sengupta, "I cannot sign an order of this kind Diplomatic Correspondent because I am a socialist. I feel com¬ passion for Tariq Aziz because he is a Christian; an Iraqi Christian. In addi¬ tion, he is an elderly man - aged over Tariq Aziz, a multilingual Christian, was the man Saddam 70 - and this is why I will never sign this order." Hussein put in front ofthe cameras to Tariq Aziz, a multilingual Christian, defend his regime to the world's was the man Saddam Hussein put in The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al- front of the cameras to defend his media Maliki, was one of the leaders of the regime to the world's media Shia opposition Aziz is accused of Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani, is persecuting and the refusal by Mr refusing to sign the execution order The EU, the Vatican and Russia have Talabani, who is a Kurdish Sunni, to for Tariq Aziz, 74, the prominent for¬ urged the Iraqi government not to sign the death sentence is likely to mer member of Saddam Hussein's proceed with Aziz's execution. lead to Shia protests. Officials in inner circle who was sentenced to Bernard Valero, a French foreign Baghdad said discussions "will have death. ministry spokesman, said his govern¬ to be held at the highest level". Tariq ment was "delighted" by the stance Harb, a leading Iraqi constitutional Aziz, who is reported to be seriously Mr Talabani is taking. The US did not lawyer, said: "We do not see how this ill, is already serving a 22-year prison join in the call for clemency for Aziz execution can be carried out legally sentence over charges that he autho¬ although some senior officials in the without the President's signature. rised the execution of businessmen Obama administration are thought to According to the Iraqi constitution accused of profiteering in the black believe that hanging him would need¬ the President has the power to ratify market and for his role in the forced lessly antagonise sections of the com¬ death sentences before they are car¬ displacement of Kurds. The former munity, when he is unlikely ever to be ried out and they cannot be carried deputy prime minister has 30 days to freed. out without his approval." lodge an appeal against his sentence

of death by hanging for his part in the Aziz had claimed that he tried to dis¬ Saddam Hussein was hanged in 2006 suppression of Shia opponents of the suade Saddam from the invasion of despite the fact that Mr Talabani's regime, imposed two days after being Kuwait in 1990, which led to a humi¬ signature was not on the execution handed over to Iraqi officials by the liating defeat in the first Gulf War. order. But the Iraqi government has Americans. been attempting to stick to the tenets Although a long-standing member of of the constitution since then and Aziz was the highest ranking the Ba'ath party's higher echelon, going through with Aziz's death sen¬ Christian in Iraq's power elite and Aziz was not regarded as one of the tence against the wishes of the head often portrayed as the public face of more brutal members of the regime. of state would be more of a problem. Ba'athist rule. The country's Such a decision will also have a Christian community has faced repeated attacks since the US-led damaging effect, say analysts, at a invasion of 2003 and many have fled politically fragile time that saw a long abroad. impasse in forming a government after elections in March.

Speaking in Paris, Mr Talabani said:

43 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

November 19, 2010 TheNational

Turkey and the Kurds: back to arms?

Piotr Zalewski,

The National/UAE

Last year, the Turkish government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a series of reforms to address the grievances of its 12 to 15-million-strong Kurdish minority. Following a series of political miss¬ teps, a nationalist backlash and the closure of a Kurdish political party, the initiative has imploded. A recent referendum has given it a new lease on life.

On a bus ferrying a delegation of aca¬ demics from Turkey to a conference in northern Iraq, the Kurds are jittery. Many are entering Iraqi Kurdistan for the first time in their lives. My neigh¬ bour, a doctoral student from Mardin, a city in south-east Turkey, snaps pictu¬ Men wave a flag of the banned Kurdish group, the PKK. (Reuters) res of the border gate at Habur and the fatigues-clad Kurdish peshmerga (figh¬ ters) manning the crossing. As his eyes and air-conditioning at full blast - gives At street level, beyond the security climb the nearby flagpole, he grows way to a gleaming sports arena, the detail, the scene is very different. Here, emotional. "To be a Kurd and to see the likes of which few European universi¬ the dress of choice, instead of the suit Kurdish flag for the first time, really, it's ties can boast. A girls' volleyball match and tie, is the jacket and chalwar. a very special feeling," he says. is taking place. "I'd love to teach here," People speak Kurmanji, a Kurdish dia¬ whispers one of the Turkish Kurds lect. It is a telling sign of the change that Once the passport check begins, the when we step outside. "The kids are has taken place over the past decade. Kurds from the group separate from motivated, confident, not like some of Perceived as a threat to national unity, their Turkish colleagues to exchange my students in Turkey. They can get speaking Kurdish in public was unthin¬ spirited greetings with the peshmerga. jobs here, the economy is strong. There kable - that is to say, punishable by law Before posing for pictures against the is hope for Kurds here. But not in - until the 1990s. These days, people backdrop of the KRG (Kurdish Regional Turkey." have no qualms about speaking it in Government) flag, a few of them try on shops, restaurants and even in schools.

the guards' berets. Laughing, the pesh¬ ************* On October 9, a university in Mardin merga seem flattered by the excitement launched a master's programme in and the adulation. The Turks on the bus Back on the Turkish side of the bor¬ Kurdish language and culture, a first in look on in consternation. Their govern¬ der, outside the local cultural cen¬ Turkey. ment's historic nightmare - that northern tre in Sirnak, a group of gun-toting In the wake of a separatist insurgency Iraq, home to nearly five million Kurds, gendarmerie officers, accompanied launched in 1984 by the Kurdistan might become a magnet for Turkey's by an armoured vehicle, keep watch Workers' Party (PKK) - since listed as a own Kurdish population - seems to be over the surrounding streets. Inside, terrorist group by Turkey, the European unfolding before their eyes. the opening ceremony of a confe¬ Union and the United States - Sirnak rence on the future of the region is and the rest of the south-east fell into a In Dohuk, about an hour south of the under way. Much like the enormous spiral of violence that has claimed the border, their dismay increases. signs ("Homeland above all" or lives of more than 40,000 people, Stepping off the bus and into the recep¬ "Happy is he who calls himself a among them Kurdish militants, govern¬ tion hall of a local university, the group Turk") etched by Turkish soldiers into ment troops and civilians, victims of ter¬ comes face to face with a fictional map the nearby hillsides, the decor and rorist attacks and of brutal reprisal cam¬ of "The New Middle East". On it, a the mood yield nothing to Sirnak's paigns by the Turkish army. As many as "Greater Kurdistan" stretches from Kurdish heritage. A portrait of Ataturk, three million people abandoned their Kirkuk in the south to the Black Sea in the founding father of the modern countryside homes in the 1980s and the north, covering large swathes of Turkish state, hangs above the hall. the 1990s. Some left out of fear of eastern Turkey in between. The map So does a Turkish flag. Prompted by revenge killings perpetrated against draws loud protests from the Turkish one of the hosts, the guests rise to "collaborators" by the PKK. Others professors and amused bewilderment observe a moment of silence for were forcibly cleared from some 3,000 from the Turkish Kurds. Ataturk and his comrades-in-arms. remote villages destroyed by govern¬ They remain standing to sing the ment troops in order to deprive the At the university, the Kurdish quasi- Istiklal marsi, the Turkish national insurgents of local support. state's oil-powered economic miracle is anthem. on full display. The reception hall - Things improved during the past upholstered furniture, flat screen TVs

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decade. In February 1999, Turkish to believe it could finally wrest control Kurds who travelled to Habur for the commandos captured the founder and of the south-east from the Democratic occasion. Television images of PKK leader of the PKK, Abdullah Ocalan, in Society Party (DTP), the standard- members greeted by victory parades Kenya. Having been on the run for bearer of Kurdish politics. The AKP across the south-east were too much months, Turkey's most wanted man had an Islamist lineage, which would for many Turks to swallow. For the peo¬ was spirited away to an island prison off appeal to Kurdish conservatives. It ple watching, says Kemal Kirisci, a pro¬ Istanbul, tried, and sentenced to death had a record, however patchy, of fessor at Istanbul s Bogazici University, for treason. The sentence was later catering to EU demands for greater this was scandalous . reduced to life imprisonment when minority rights, which would appeal to A month after the Habur debacle, Turkey abolished the death penalty. Kurdish nationalists. And, most Ocalan added more fuel to the fire, Following Ocalan's capture, the PKK importantly, it had cash. AKP mem¬ complaining about conditions in his new declared a unilateral ceasefire in bers repeatedly intimated that mayors prison cell. Here they want to constrict September 1 999 and relative calm was from the ruling party could tap into the me even more... Here, I cannot breathe restored. The bombings, the extrajudi¬ government's coffers. By winning the at all, he said in a statement released cial killings, the kidnappings, and the south-east, they would finally give the through his lawyers. In the past, similar fierce shootouts subsided. Ceasefires Kurds what they were said to need complaints, echoing the widespread have since come and gone, but the vio¬ most - jobs, factories, roads and belief that the Turkish state wants to lence has never returned to previous funds. The DTP, they warned, could expedite Ocalan s death in jail, have levels. In places like Sirnak, the local only offer more of the same - identity been known to provoke riots across the economy has begun to show signs of politics and conflict. south-east. This time was no different. life. The border crossing with northern But the AKP miscalculated. Its mayoral Protests and street fighting erupted in Iraq, 40km away, is now a lifeline. Flush candidates lost in eight Kurdish provin¬ Kurdish areas across the country. with oil money, Iraq has become the ces, including Diyarbakir, the region's Ocalan s new prison cell turned out to destination for 99 per cent of Sirnak's most important urban centre. Overall, be 1 7 square centimeters smaller than exports. the governing party saw its share of the his previous one. vote drop by eight per cent in compari¬ All the same, the scene outside the cul¬ son to the 2007 elections for parlia¬ From there, things got rapidly worse. tural centre in Sirnak speaks volumes ment. On December 11, 2009, Turkey s about the region's enduring problems. It Constitutional Court decided to ban the is Friday morning and the local cafes "They try to fool us with religion and DTP, having found that the party had are already full of men playing back¬ with money. They give refrigerators to become a focal point for terrorist activi¬ gammon. In Istanbul, these would be the poor to buy votes. We are Kurds ties . The party denies being the politi¬ moustachioed 60-year olds, making the and we will stay Kurdish. We cannot cal wing of the PKK, but Kurdish politi¬ best of their retirement. In Sirnak, they renounce that," says Mehmet, a young cians have been reluctant to condemn are working-age men. The local unem¬ man from Diyarbakir. "Still, we need PKK violence. The ruling prompted a ployment rate, at 22 per cent, is the jobs, a place to work. Otherwise, there massive wave of arrests of prominent highest in Turkey. Per capita GDP is a will be more crime." Mehmet, as he rea¬ DTP politicians including ?Osman third of the national average. dily admits, has just been released from Baydemir, the popular mayor of jail. He pulls up his shirt to reveal Diyarbakir. Turkish governments have been slow to dozens of barely healed scars lining his adopt any comprehensive policy to stomach, clear evidence, as he appears The fallout has continued up to the pre¬ improve living standards in the south¬ to see it, of having done time in a sent day. Though the DTP has reconsti¬ east and a massive infrastructure pro¬ Turkish prison. The guards, he says, tuted itself as the Peace and gramme launched in the 1990s has slashed him repeatedly with razor bla¬ Democracy Party (BDP), its leaders gone only some way towards solving des. remain banned from politics. In June, the problem. But they have been even Baydemir and 150 others were indicted slower to recognise Kurdish minority The disappointing election results, the on charges of abetting a terrorist orga¬ rights and freedoms. Bureaucratic iner¬ lack of major breakthroughs in the EU nisation. Roadside attacks by the PKK tia, a narrow understanding of national accession process, plus a series of and air strikes by the Turkish military on identity and lingering fears of western bloody PKK attacks against army tar¬ the group s positions in northern Iraq plots to weaken Turkey have always gets, persuaded the AKP government once again feature regularly on the impeded efforts in this direction. that the time was ripe to reach out to the daily news. With the government accu¬ According to a 2009 poll, 76 per cent of Kurds. Launched several months after sed of appeasement, funeral services Turks believe that the European Union, the elections, the "Kurdish opening" ini¬ for soldiers killed in PKK attacks more which Turkey aspires to enter, has a tially appeared no more than a catchph- than 100 have died since the beginning secret agenda to divide their country. rase. Gradually, it turned into talk of an of the year have seen physical Any concession to Kurdish ethnic iden¬ economic package, optional Kurdish assaults on the ruling party s dignita¬ tity is seen as a potential blow to the language courses at schools, the resto¬ ries. During one service, Taner Yildiz, very existence of the Turkish state. Only ration of Kurdish place names, and par¬ the minister for energy, was punched in five years ago the Turkish environment tial amnesty for members of the PKK. the face. We don t want openings, we ministry changed the official Latin name want blood, chanted mourners during of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes The initiative began to unravel just as it another.Worryingly, reports of inter- Kurdistanica, to Vulpes vulpes. Use of got under way. On October 1 9, 2009, a communal fighting between Turks and the old name, the ministry explained, group of 34 people - eight PKK mem¬ Kurds are on the increase. With Kurds challenged national unity. bers and 26 Kurds from the UN-run dispersed throughout the country, Makhmour refugee camp in northern explains Henri Barkey, an expert at the

************* Iraq - crossed the Habur border gate Carnegie Endowment for International and handed themselves over to Turkish Peace, violence can erupt "anywhere, After last year's local elections, authorities. Originally intended as a at any time". change finally seemed to be on show of support for the Kurdish ope¬ Despite some reforms - the launch of a the horizon. With its share of the vote ning , the move turned into a PR disas¬ Kurdish TV channel, a measure allo¬ increasing in each election since ter for the AKP. Released after questio¬ wing the use of the Kurdish language at 2002, Turkey's governing Justice and ning, the returnees received a heroes political rallies, and the repeal of a law Development Party (AKP) had reason welcome from tens of thousands of that sent thousands of children to prison

45 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

for participating in anti-government the people are here to stay!" EU process, pave the way for a wholly demonstrations - the AKP has put the new democratic constitution to Kurdish initiative in the deep freeze. When I asked Turk over a year later why replace the one written by a military Even its name has become taboo. the crowd didn't chant his name, or junta in 1982 and, just as importantly, Caught off guard by the nationalist Baydermir's, or that of any other DTP resuscitate the Kurdish initiative. backlash, AKP politicians no longer candidates, Turk was guarded. 'This is speak of a "Kurdish opening", but of a a 30-year process," he said. 'There is Despite the ongoing violence, modera¬ "democratic" one. still a lot of sentiment towards the PKK. tes on both sides are now trying to reco¬ You cannot change this overnight. The ver lost ground. The government is said According to experts, the implosion of PKK was founded 30 years ago, and the to be in secret talks with Abdullah the Kurdish initiative threatens to undo parties only came much later." Ocalan. Ahmet Turk, meanwhile, has the recent trade-fuelled rapprochement called for armed PKK units to leave between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. Osman Ocalan, Abdullah's younger bro¬ Turkey so as to avoid provocation and With many PKK fighters operating out of ther, was more straightforward. 'The clashes with the military. For a political the mountains of northern Iraq, warns [Kurdish parties] act on a foundation solution, that has to be done through Barkey, Ankara is expected to place that the PKK has set," he said earlier democratic means, he explains over renewed pressure on the KRG to deliver this summer, inside his home in Koy the phone. You cannot do this with wea¬ the militants. Should that fail, it may Sanjak, a town in northern Iraq. Ocalan, pons. That s what the state sees, and launch new incursions. This would spell who briefly led the PKK after his bro¬ that s what the Kurds see. trouble for the Americans. As Barkey ther's capture, he says, split from the recently explained in Foreign Policy: group in 2004. Despite having faced at But not all of them. On October 31 , a "Washington cannot afford... for Turkish least one assassination attempt by his day before the PKK extended its cease¬ military action in Iraq to undermine that former comrades, he remains adamant fire until next spring, a 24- year-old country's stability." With the looming US - like most Kurds - that a solution to the named Vedat Acar walked up to a row of withdrawal, a major eruption of hostili¬ Kurdish issue must involve the PKK police vehicles parked in Taksim ties between Turkey and the KRG would and, as such, Abdullah Ocalan. "The Square, the heart of Istanbul, and blew weaken the region's defences against state's approach to put the leader in jail himself up. Fifteen policemen and 17 sectarian violence, bringing it one step and to dismiss him as an interlocutor is civilians were wounded. Acar was the closer to civil war after the US withdra¬ not going to produce a solution," he only fatality. wal. says. "I think 95 per cent [of PKK figh¬ ters] would prefer a political struggle to Even if Osman Ocalan is right, claiming

************* a military one. But because Turkey has that 95 per cent of PKK members are not talked to the PKK, because it did not willing to forsake violent struggle, what The night of last spring's municipal open the road for a solution, these 95 of the remaining five per cent? It is they elections, I found myself sitting per cent... have not laid down their who might be behind the Taksim attack. opposite Ahmet Turk, then the DTP's arms." And it is they who might yet turn out to leader, in a crowded office on the be the last and the most difficult obsta¬ second floor of the party's headquar¬ In Osman Ocalan s view, the solution, cle to peace. ters in Diyarbakir. Sitting at his desk, wherever it might lie, must include a

Turk peered calmly into a TV placed general amnesty for all PKK members, And then there is Osman s ^brother. on the other side of the room, tracking including his brother. The PKK leader¬ Accustomed to being seen as nothing the vote tally. Every now and then, ship itself has proposed that Ocalan be less than the embodiment of the Kurdish elderly women - invariably dressed in released and placed under house cause, Abdullah Ocalan insists, from his puffy overcoats, puffy trousers and arrest. jail cell, that it is he, not people like Turk green, yellow and red DTP flags - or Baydemir, who should call the shots. would pour into the room to heap It is, however, unlikely that the govern¬ Some say that armed struggle is no lon¬ blessings on the grand old man of ment will free a man viewed by most ger valid, the pro-Kurdish F1 rat News Kurdish politics. They were received Turks as a terrorist mastermind. Turks Agency quoted him as saying last week. with a generous grin, accentuated by are not ready, says Kemal Kirisci. No How do they decide such a thing on Turk's equally generous grey mousta¬ government, even one as powerful as their own? Some decisions, including che. the AKP s, can hope to free Ocalan the decision to withdraw, are vital without risking a massive outcry and a issues. And these decisions can t be At times, taking a break from the TV and subsequent drubbing in the polls. made by anyone other than me. the Kurdish grannies, Turk would approach the window. Two storeys Moderates like Turk are careful not to Back in Iraq, inside a dark SUV headed below, a crowd of several thousand peo¬ include Ocalan s release among their for the bus terminal in Koy Sanjak, the ple had gathered to celebrate the DTP's key demands. Cultural rights, more conversation turns to the subject of landslide victory in the Diyarbakir mayo¬ freedoms, and more decentralisation is family and home. The driver, a former ral race. Men and women were dancing what they want most, says Turk PKK fighter, has not seen his they are in circles. The mood oscillated between in Urfa, across the border in Turkey for

************* jubilation and menace. 'This is Amed," more than a decade. But it is only a mat¬ the crowds chanted, referring to ter of time before he does, he assures Diyarbakir by its ancient Kurdish name, There is some reason for optimism, me. For certain, he says, I will return. "Turks go home!" "Hang Erdogan!" however. In a referendum held on shouted one group. A masked teenager September 12, Turkish voters backed raised himself up on the shoulders of a government-sponsored package of two of his friends and, maintaining an constitutional amendments that, uneasy balance, began to wave the out¬ among other things, will give politi¬ Piotr Zalewski is a freelance lawed flag of the PKK. A banner featu¬ cians greater oversight of the secula¬ journalist living in Istanbul ring Ocalan's face unfurled from a win¬ rist judiciary. By handing the AKP a dow of one of the DTP offices. "PKK is fresh vote of confidence, the referen¬ the people!" shouted the crowd, "And dum may yet breathe new life into the

46 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Observatoire de la Vie Politique Turque (OVIPOT). ..15 NOVEMBRE 2010

Rapport en demi-teinte de la Commission européenne sur l'état d'avancement de la candidature de la Turquie.

Jean Marcou

La Commission Européenne a rendu une fois de plus un rap¬ port annuelle d'évaluation de la candidature turque à l'UE en demi-teinte, le 9 novembre dernier. Sur le plan politique, ce rapport observe que depuis la fin de l'année 2009, l'actualité a été dominée par la réforme constitutionnelle, par l'ouver¬ ture kurde et par les multiples procès qui visent principale¬ ment la hiérarchie militaire. Cela ne l'empêche pas de se livrer à une analyse méticuleuse de la situation des droits fondamentaux dans ce pays.

également sur le maintien d'un certain nombre de situations En ce qui concerne la révision constitutionnelle adoptée le choquantes concernant notamment les droits des femmes 12 septembre 2010 par référendum, le «Turkey Progress Report 2010» réitère l'opinion qu'avait formulée à son égard (crimes d'honneur, mariages forcés...) ou la stigmatisation des homosexuels (propos homophobes récents de la ministre la Commission européenne : les changements proposés «vont en charge des femmes et de la famille ou réglementation dans la bonne direction» et «traitent les priorités soulignées militaire qui continue à qualifier l'homosexualité de mala¬ par le Partenariat d'adhésion». Le rapport estime notamment die). que la modification des compositions de la Cour constitu¬ tionnelle et du HSYK (Hakimler ve Savcilar Yûksek Kurulu - Conseil supérieur des juges et des procureurs, équivalent du Le «Progress Report 2010», par ailleurs, tout en observant les améliorations découlant de la loi sur les fondations reli¬ Conseil supérieur de la Magistrature en France), ainsi que la gieuses de 2008, estime que la situation des minorités non soumission des décisions des tribunaux militaires à la justice musulmanes reste préoccupante. En particulier, il relève peu de droit commun, sont des «pas positifs». Toutefois, obser¬ de modifications dans le sort fait à la minorité grecque vant que la présidence du HSYK échoit désormais au seul orthodoxe et remarque que le procès des assassins du jour¬ ministre de la justice, il souligne la nécessité d'appliquer les réformes adoptées, «en respectant les standards européens naliste d'origine arménienne, Hrant Dink, «se poursuit sans progrès significatifs» depuis plus de 3 ans. et en suivant une voie ouverte, transparente et consen¬ suelle». Le rapport regrette aussi, à plusieurs reprises, que cette réforme constitutionnelle n'ait pas fait l'objet d'une Pour ce qui est des multiples affaires complots, le rapport se montre moins optimiste que les années précédentes. Il évo¬ consultation plus large des partis politiques et de la société que plusieurs enquêtes et procès en cours (Balyoz, civile. Ergenekon, Cage, Erzincan...). Il estime que ce processus peut permettre à la Turquie de renforcer la crédibilité de En ce qui concerne la question kurde, si le rapport salue les efforts qui ont étendu les possibilités d'usage des langues ses institutions démocratiques et de son État de droit. Mais il insiste à plusieurs reprises sur la nécessité imperative de kurde et arabe dans le sud-est ainsi que l'accroissement des respecter les droits des personnes arrêtées ou mises en investissements régionaux découlant du GAP (Giiney Anadolu cause, et relèvent des dysfonctionnements importants de la Projesi, projet d'Anatolie du sud-est : opération d'aménage¬ procédure pénale à cet égard. ment du territoire menée par le gouvernement turc, repo¬ sant d'abord sur le développement corrélatif de l'hydroélec¬ tricité et de l'irrigation), il regrette que «les mesures annon¬ Parmi les observations les plus sévères effectuées par la Commission européenne, à l'occasion de cette évaluation cées dans le cadre de l'ouverture démocratique aient été en deçà des espérances et n'aient finalement pas pu être sui¬ annuelle, figurent celles concernant le conflit chypriote. Le rapport 2010 observe que la Turquie n'applique toujours pas vies d'effets concrets». Sont en outre pointés du doigt : la dissolution du DTP (parti parlementaire kurde remplacé les obligations de non-discrimination et de totale ouverture des mouvements commerciaux à l'égard de Chypre, qui depuis par le BDP) en décembre 2009, la rafle massive des membres du KCK (organisation kurde suspectée par les auto¬ découlent de l'accord d'Union douanière et de son protocole rités turques d'être une branche urbaine du PKK) qui a suivi, additionnel. On sait que la non ouverture des ports et aéro¬ ports turcs à la République de Chypre gèle 8 chapitres de le maintien des champs de mines et du système des gardiens négociations d'adhésion depuis 2006. Dans son rapport 2010, de village, et le caractère particulièrement meurtrier des affrontements armés avec le PKK qui ont repris en 2010. Le la Commission européenne critique vertement le maintien du statu quo en la matière, comme d'ailleurs l'absence rapport recommande une atténuation du caractère d'excep¬ tion de la législation anti-terroriste ainsi qu'une réduction d'amélioration des relations bilatérales turco-chypriotes. des arrestations opérées dans le cadre de cette législation. A bien des égards ce rapport peut sembler similaires à ceux des années précédentes (cf. notre édition du 26 octobre Si le rapport souligne les résultats obtenus en matière de 2009), très marqués par une ambivalence du propos. Au-delà lutte contre la corruption et observe les efforts législatifs et de l'évaluation technique des différents aspects de l'état réglementaires qui ont amélioré la parité homme-femme, le d'avancement de la candidature turque, on remarque que la droit des enfants ou le droit des fonctionnaires, il s'attarde

47 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Commission s'inquiète beaucoup «du climat de confrontation laisser place à une analyse politique plus ouverte et plus politique ambiant caractérisé par un manque de dialogue et stratégique. Sans quoi la Commission européenne risque d'esprit de compromis.» A cet égard, les efforts de concilia¬ d'être condamnée à répéter, chaque année, ce sempiternel tion du président de la République sont à nouveau salués, discours exposant que la Turquie n'a pas démérité mais tandis que si les initiatives du gouvernement pour relancer qu'elle peut mieux faire. Une telle démarche aboutit finale¬ les réformes nécessaires à l'intégration européenne de la ment à donner l'impression que rien ne change en Turquie, Turquie sont relevées, tout en étant considérées comme «de alors même que des mutations politiques (recul de l'armée portée limitée». et de la hiérarchie judiciaire), économiques (résultats spec¬ taculaires de l'économie turque au cours des derniers mois) On peut toutefois regretter que l'analyse politique de la et diplomatiques (nouvelle politique étrangère) majeures Commission n'aille pas un peu plus loin que cet appel au sont en cours depuis 2007. Ces mutations ne présument pas consensus et qu'elle n'essaye pas d'appréhender la modifica¬ forcément d'ailleurs de la capacité de la Turquie à entrer tion des équilibres politiques qui sont en cours ; en particu¬ dans l'Union Européenne, mais sans doute serait-il intéres¬ lier, le recul de l'armée (sortie très affaiblie du dernier YA_), sant de les aborder avec une plus grande audace et dans un les divisions du pouvoir judiciaire, les mutations de la hiérar¬ esprit plus prospectif. chie universitaire (de plus en plus acquise à l'AKP), les trans¬ formations en cours dans le domaine de la presse et des médias (disparition programmée du groupe Do_an notam¬

ment) ou les mutations de la diplomatie turque. Il est vrai

que le propre d'un tel rapport est de coller aux conditions de Jean Marcou , l'adhésion et aux réponses qui sont apportées chaque année Professeur de droit public à l'Institut d'études politiques de par le pays candidat. Que cette méthode soit strictement Grenoble, et pensionnaire scientifique à l'Institut français respectée dans la 4ème partie du rapport, qui expose la d'études anatoliennes d'Istanbul (IFEA), où il dirige depuis capacité de reprise de l'acquis communautaire, chapitre par 2006 l'Observatoire de la vie politique turque (OVIPOT). chapitre, on le comprend. Toutefois, la 2ème partie du rap¬ port (consacré au «Critère Politique») pourrait peut-être

A en croire l'historien kurde Serdar Mohamed, la plupart de ces gens du IRAK: AU KURDISTAN, voyage vivant en Irak sont originaires d'Iran. Il n'existe pas de chiffres précis UNE ÉCOLE AMBULANTE POUR mais les chefs de tribus Roms estiment leur nombre à 60.000 en Irak. Relativement protégés par l'ancien régime de Saddam Hussein dont ils pimen¬ AMÉLIORER LE SORT DES ROMS taient avec leur musique et leurs danses les fêtes les plus fastueuses, ils ont été rejetés après la chute de l'ex-président en 2003 et contraints à vivre dans le dénuement le plus total. SOULEIMANIYEH (Irak), 27 novembre 2010 (AFP) "Le gouvernement autonome du Kurdistan nous a donné des papiers", indique Hassan Rahim, 65 ans. "Mais nous demeurons des citoyens de seconde zone ÂGÉS DE 6 à 45 ans, les élèves suivent sous une tente des cours que et nous vivons dans des tentes."

leurs professeurs ont préparés dans leur voiture: bienvenue à "Al- Des conditions de vie qui choquent Bahyah Rahim, une enseignante de 37 Rouhal" (les nomades), une école pas comme les autres, la première ans: "Certains élèves ne mangent pas à leur faim et ne se lavent même pas le créée au Kurdistan irakien pour une population Rom démunie. visage parce qu'il n'y a pas assez d'eau dans leur camp."

Elle a ouvert ses portes mercredi dans la banlieue sud de Souleimaniyeh, à "Alors il faut repartir de zéro avec eux car ils ne connaissent rien du système 270 km au nord de Bagdad, à l'initiative d'une enseignante, Hana Fadhel scolaire. Ils ne savent pas qu'il faut rester assis en cours, respecter et écouter Ahmed, bouleversée par les conditions dans lesquelles vit cette communauté son professeur", poursuit-elle. dans la seconde ville du Kurdistan. Certains des Roms parviennent tant bien que mal à gagner un peu d'argent en "J'avais suggéré au printemps aux services de l'éducation de Souleimaniyeh vendant des vêtements qu'ils fabriquent, mais beaucoup sont livrés à la men¬ de mettre en place des formations professionnelles pour les gitans vivant près dicité. de la ville", explique Hana Fadhel Ahmed, qui a été nommée directrice d'al- "Et certains ont recours au vol ou à la prostitution", affirme la directrice. "Alors Rouhal. cette école vise aussi à les ramener sur le droit chemin." "Ils m'ont demandé de recenser les personnes susceptibles d'être intéres¬ Près d'elle, Karim, 12 ans, reconnaît qu'il faisait la manche sur un marché de sées." Souleimaniyeh avant de venir à l'école. "Je suis content de ne plus devoir Selon elle, 383 Roms vivent dans des tentes installées aux abords de mendier et j'espère que l'école me permettra de trouver un bon travail." Souleimaniyeh, soit environ 70 familles. "Aucun d'entre eux ne sait lire ou La petite Maryam, 9 ans, se dit elle aussi "heureuse" de cette opportunité écrire." d'étudier: "Nos parents nous ont encouragés à venir à l'école avec mon frère." Les élèves ont été répartis par tranches d'âge. Six heures de cours collectifs Al-Rouhal dispose de moyens limités, au point que les cinq enseignantes pré¬ sont ainsi prévues le matin pour 70 enfants de 6 à 12 ans tandis que l'après- parent leurs cours dans leur voiture, garée à proximité de la tente. Selon la midi, deux classes ont lieu simultanément pendant deux heures, la première directrice, les autorités ont promis d'augmenter le nombre de professeurs. pour les 13-24 ans, la seconde pour leurs aînés, la limite d'âge ayant été fixée à 45 ans. Du haut de ses 65 ans, Hassan Rahim regrette lui que l'école n'ait pas été ouverte il y a 10, 20 ou 30 ans. "Et quand ils bougeront, nous les suivrons", annonce Mme Ahmed. "Ils se déplacent environ tous les quatre mois, mais uniquement à l'intérieur du "Mais au moins, elle sera profitable à nos enfants." Kurdistan car la Turquie ne veut pas d'eux."

48 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

19 novembre 2010

Le bouclierantimissile Irak Jalal Talabani refuse de signer La Turquie placée dans Tordre d'exécution de Tarek Aziz PARIS. La France a apporté son soutien, mercredi 17 novembre, au prési¬ une position difficile dent irakien, Jalal Talabani, qui ne veut pas signer l'ordre d'exécution de Tarek Aziz, ancien vice-premier ministre de Saddam Hussein. « La Fran¬ ce étantfavorable à l'abolition de la peine de mortpartout dans le mon¬ de, nous, nous réjouissons de cette décision », a déclaré le porte-parole du avec 1 Iran, comme il l'avait tente, ministère des affaires étrangères, Bernard Valero. «Je ne signeraipas un en mai, avec le Brésil sur le dossier ordre de ce genre parce queje suis socialiste. Je compatis avec TarekAziz, nucléaire. «Nous ne considérons car c'est un chrétien irakien; et c'est en outre unepersonne âgée qui a pas l'Iran comme une menace», a Zoom plus de 70 ans. C'estpourquoije ne signeraijamais cet ordre d'exécu¬ répétéle ministre des affairesétran¬ tion », a assuré le président Talabani, d'origine kurde, à la chaîne France gères, Ahmet Davutoglu, en marge Les documents publics du 24. Tarek Aziz a été condamné à mort le 26 octobre pour son rôle dans du G20 à Séoul. sommet de Lisbonne ne l'élimination des partis religieux par le régime baasiste. - (AFP.) Le pays, qui pourrait utilement devraient pas désignerexpli¬ héberger un radar en raison de sa citement l'Iran comme frontière commune avec l'Iran, ne étant lamenace principale qui justi¬ veut pas non plus risquer d'être la fie l'édification, par l'OTAN, d'une presser le bouton ? Qui va avoir les Le gouvernement turc souhaite¬ première cible en cas d'attaque. défense antimissile sur le conti¬ çommandes ?» a demandé M. Erdo¬ rait encore avoir un accès direct à «Nous ne voulonspas d'unezone de nent européen. Même s'il ne fait gan avant le sommet. toutes les informations échangées guenefroideautourdenous »,a pré¬ pas de doute aux yeux des alliés Dans la réforme en cours de sur la menace balistique, avec l'as^ cisé M. Davutoglu. Unp.autre garan¬ qu'elle provient du Moyen-Orient, l'OTAN, le pays veut sauver le quar¬ surance que ces données ne soient tie demandée est que l'antimissile, le contour précis de cette menace tier général d'Izmir. La base d'Incir- pas accessibles à des pays non mem¬ relevant de l'OTAN et non des seuls balistique pourrait être renvoyé à lik, où sont stationnés des moyens bres de l'OTAN, tels qu'Israël, note Etats-Unis, protège l'ensemble de des documents classifies. En cause : de surveillance aérienne, est évo¬ Avnish Patel, membre du cercle de son territoire, au-delà des zones les réticences de la Turquie, qui a quée pour accueillir une partie du réflexions britannique Royal Uni¬ limitrophes de l'Iran. posé des conditions pour un accord système radar du bouclier. ted Services Institute (RUSI). La Tur¬ Même si les questions concrètes de principe au bouclierproposé par quie, relèvent toutefois les experts, liées à l'architecture du système les Etats-Unis. «Qui va presser le ne. pourra aller jusqu'à bloquer le antimissile, comme, l'implanta¬ L'antimissile a placé la Turquie, projet de ses alliés. tion des intércepteurs et des bouton ? Quj va avoir membre de l'OTAN depuis 1952 et N. G., avec Guillaume Perrier radars, ne seront pas tranchées à adepte d'une doctrine.du « zéro pro¬ les commandes ? » (Istanbul, correspondance) Lisbonne, la Turquie a réclamé blème avec les voisins », dans une d'être présente à un niveau opéra¬ Recep Tayyip Erdogan positiondifficile. Le gouvernement tionnel dans le commandement et de Recep Tayyip Erdogan souhaite premier ministre turc le contrôle du bouclier. « Qui va conserver sa capacité de médiation

REUTERS Le Parlement européen demande à Tirait d'épargner Tarek Aziz

STRASBOURG / 25 novembre 2010 / (Reuters) -

Le Parlement européen a demandé jeudi à Badgad de ne pas exécu¬

ter les peines de mort prononcées contre l'ancien vice-Premier ministre irakien Tarek Aziz et deux autres anciens proches de Le Parlement européen souligne "l'importance qu'il y a à traduire en Saddam Hussein. justice les auteurs de violations des droits de l'homme, y compris les Il leur demande également, dans une résolution adoptée à hommes politiques", mais demande à Bagdad d'abolir la peine de

Strasbourg, d'abolir la peine capitale. mort "en toutes circonstances".

La Cour suprême irakienne a condamné l'ancien bras droit de Le président irakien Jalal Talabani a dit qu'il ne signerait pas l'acte Saddam Hussein à la peine de mort le 26 octobre pour avoir parti¬ de condamnation à mort de Tarek Aziz, 74 ans, mais l'exécution peut

cipé à la "persécution de partis islamiques». être mise en oeuvre par la voie parlementaire.

"Ce n'est pas le cas de Tarek Aziz qui est important. Nous ne pou¬ Celui qui fut considéré comme la personnalité la plus "fréquentable" vons pas avoir demain sur nos écrans de télé l'image de la pendai¬ de l'ancien régime irakien purge déjà une peine de 15 années de pri¬ son de Tarek Aziz comme symbole de la libération de l'Irak", a son pour son implication dans le meurtre de commerçants en 1992 affirmé dans l'hémicycle l'eurodéputée socialiste belge Véronique et une autre de sept ans pour la déportation forcée de Kurdes dans

De Keyser. le nord de l'Irak.

49 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

institute for war & peace reporting November 19, 2010

The Shaky Government of Iraq

Months in the making, what lies in store for the new Baghdad administration?

mainly been created as a concession to Allawi, who will head it. It is as yet unclear just exactly what the composition and purpose of By Daniella Peled - Iraq, IWPR this body will be. Its mandate needs to be fixed within the next two

November 19, 2010 i^^v ^^*K weeks and approved by parliament, but it is anticipated that it will have a supervisory role regarding the performance of government

ministers and include departments dealing with a wide range of

power-sharing agreement has issues, such as domestic, foreign and economic affairs. finally been reached in Iraq, after US president Barack Obama reportedly phoned Allawi to reas¬ eight months of political stale¬ H sure him that this role would not be merely symbolic and provide mate. him with real authority. But if this is true, then it would be to the With a government now due to be formed IWPR Iraq chief of detriment of the prime minister. We could have two authorities

within 30 days, IWPR Iraq chief of mis¬ mission Ammar al- with different strategies and both with executive power.

sion Ammar al-Shahbander identifies the Shahbander Iraqi citizens have spent the last eight months witnessing bit¬ main problems facing the new authority. ter disputes as the politicians they elected failed to form an administration to govern them. How much legitimacy does this new government have in the eyes of the electorate? What are the most immediate challenges confronting Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki? This government definitely has less legitimacy than the pre-elec¬

tion administration did. For example, there is the way Maliki and This coalition came about because there were just no other choi¬ the government handled the recent attacks on Christian sites. The ces and it seems likely that its members are going to clash on church siege, in which at least 52 people were killed, and which some major policy decisions, not least security. was followed by another string of attacks against Christians, were Disarming and integrating the militias is likely to be a fraught all clear indications of incompetence. undertaking. What has also cost Maliki credibility is the fact that he campai¬

The followers of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who are the prime gned on an anti-Baathist agenda, but has agreed to suspend the

ministers strongest allies, have secured an agreement to be Justice and Accountability Commission for two years until it can

given 25 per cent of senior positions within the security forces. be turned into a judicial rather than political body at which point This could pose problems for Maliki because they would be loyal only former Baathists found guilty of committing crimes will be

to no-one other than Sadr. Sadr might in future use this fact to punished. exert pressure on Maliki, possibly even threatening or staging a What kind of future does this government face and how sta¬ coup. ble is it likely to be? As a condition for supporting the coalition, the Kurds insisted that I think this coalition will break down within a year. Either there will around 80,000 Kurdish peshmerga be integrated into the military. be a plot to remove Maliki or it will just disintegrate. Maliki has This is a daunting logistical and financial task: the total size of the been making enemies left, right and centre and while his alliance Iraqi army was initially supposed to be around 300,000 and it is with the Sadrists is important, it is very unstable. Sadr can change already almost double that size. Moreover, central government his mind at any time, for strategic reasons or just in a fit of pique. would have concerns over the loyalty of these troops in the event

of a clash between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Despite the problems, what positives can be drawn from the Government, KRG. formation of the new government?

There are likely to be tensions over foreign relations too. Maliki Apart from some fraud, the elections were more or less success¬ has been isolated by Arab neighbours, particularly Saudi Arabia. ful. Violence was largely avoided and the parties engaged in a His overtures to them in the months following the March election proper competition for votes. What became clear during the

were rejected, while his backing from Iran has grown. months the parties spent arguing and fighting over a coalition was

that no single person or party can dominate the political scene Meanwhile, Maliki s arch rival for the prime ministers post, lyad here. The political process in Iraq is real. Allawi, the leader of the secular but largely Sunni Iraqiya party, enjoys close relations with Arab countries. Although we don t know yet who will get the ministry of oil, I think they will be able to pass the oil and investment laws which are The fear here is that - with Iran s influence in Iraq perhaps slightly needed to develop Iraq s natural resources. That doesn t mean diminished, yet still greater than that of the Arab countries - that there will be an immediate economic dividend, however, Tehran may try to deepen the divisions between Maliki and the because foreign investors are deterred by the security situation Arab world to further its own interests. despite assurances from the government. So we need to see

Then there is Article 140 of the constitution, which deals with a security first, then development. referendum to decide the fate of disputed territories such as Who benefits most in this government? Kirkuk. Maliki promised to push forward with this, a move which

Allawi will definitely resist. Strangely, Maliki is being backed by the All the parties are equally unhappy. But the most satisfied mem¬

Sadrists who, like the Iraqiya bloc, are staunch nationalists.sup- bers of the coalition are the Kurds, who more or less got what they

porting a strong central government and oppose Kurdish indepen¬ wanted at least on paper. They came to Maliki with a list of 26

dence. But the Sadrists believe that the referendum will show that requests and he signed off on all of them. These included jobs for

Arabs rather than Kurds - are a majority in Kirkuk, and most the peshmerga; ensuring action on Article 140 and the disputed Arabs in the city are followers of Sadr. territories; and a clause whereby the resignation of Kurdish minis¬ ters would force the entire cabinet to step down. But if the As well as dealing with major differences on policy within his coali¬ National Council for Strategic Policy is given executive power, tion, Maliki may face a serious challenge to his authority. then Maliki s promises could become irrelevant. The new National Council for Strategic Policy has apparently

50 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

23 November 2010

Kurdish intellectuals say shady forces at work to form CHP-BDP bloc

TANJU OZKAYA / ERCAN YAVUZ, A delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party visi¬ ISTANBUL/ANKARA ted the main opposi¬ &;« tion CHP's headquar¬ '"VÏ Kurdish intellectuals are stron¬ ters in Ankara on Nov. **.>':* V*" gly opposed to the idea of an Kgl n 17 to wish CHP depu¬ alliance between the pro-Kurdish ties a happy Eid. Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Republican People s Party (CHP) to garner more alliance is their opposition to the votes in the general elections AK Party, said Firat.Bozyel agreed next year. with Firat on the matter and The prospect of an alliance added that if the BDP allies with According to Umit Firat, one of between the main opposi¬ the CHP it would mean a denial of these prominent intellectuals who their raison d être. Naturally, the tion CHP and the pro- spoke to Today s Zaman, the war¬ Kurds will not find what they re ming atmosphere between the two looking for in this alliance and will Kurdish BDP ahead of the parties is the latest step by the be the losing party because the same circles that ousted former 2011 general elections has CHP mentality is completely closed CHP leader Deniz Baykal from his to Kurdish demands, he said. caused unease among post by releasing a video of Baykal in an intimate affair with a Kurdish intellectuals, who Maskan, on the other hand, drew party deputy in May. For Firat, attention to the lack of discussion believe that the relatively both the removal of Baykal from concerning possibilities that such the CHP s helm and pushing it clo¬ warm atmosphere between an alliance could facilitate, with ser to the BDP are efforts to forge the parties only interested in addi¬ the two parties is the latest a more popular opposition to the tional seats in Parliament. Both ruling Justice and Development step by the same circles parties have problems in their Party (AK Party). Baykal resigned approach to democratization. They that unseated former CHP from CHP leadership over the sex should first achieve progress with tape scandal but no one claimed leader Deniz Baykal that, Maskan added. responsibility for the secret recor¬ ding. Speculation focused on Will an election bloc dethrone wing parties to join this planned efforts to make the CHP a govern¬ the AK Party? ment alternative because under alliance. the leadership of Baykal, the party The CHP-BDP alliance discussions In Ankara, the corridors of had constantly lost ground to the began a week ago when CHP Parliament have been filled with AK Party. Rights and Freedoms Secretary-General Suheyl Batum Party s (HAK-PAR) Bayram Bozyel discussions focusing on the ambi¬ said they are open to cooperating tious plans of some groups who and Participatory Democracy Party with any party committed to alle¬ have conventionally adopted anti¬ (KADEP) deputy-chairman viating inequality in Turkey, in Nizamettin Maskan also denoun¬ democratic means to create a response to an alliance proposal much more popular opposition to ced CHP-BDP election bloc efforts. from BDP leader Selahattin dethrone the ruling AK Party in In particular, they pointed out that Demirtas. Batum s remarks drew Kurds would utterly lose ground in the 2011 elections. According to the ire of some CHP deputies and those speculations, those efforts their demands for cultural rights later on CHP leader Kemal because the CHP has been one of may reconcile even the most dis¬ Kiliçdaroglu who said they are not tant ideologies on the grounds of the most outspoken critics of ini¬ in search of an alliance. Demirtas hostility to the AK Party. Though it tiatives to expand rights and free¬ later said, Forming an election seems pretty unlikely at the doms for people of different ethni¬ bloc with the CHP is not possible moment, some even note that cities, cultures and religions in under present circumstances. those efforts may even lead to a Turkey. left-wing government including the However the possibility of forming This is the latest move in the CHP and the BDP and supported an election bloc with the BDP has by the Nationalist Movement Party Baykal tape incident process. The not ceased as CHP deputy-chair¬ (MHP) from outside the govern¬ alliance [proposal] is based on man Mesut Deer recently said ment after the next elections. winning more seats in [eastern people residing in eastern and and southeastern] regions rather southeastern parts of the country However, there are some other than a new political formation or are warm to an alliance that would interpretations as to the outcome becoming a democratic establish¬ result in a CHP government in of an election bloc between CHP ment. At the foundation of this Turkey. He also called on all left-

51 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

and BDP. If it became a reality, former CHP deputy who has also Party (SHP) and the People s some say this alliance would harm worked with current BDP politi¬ Labor Party (HEP) - entered into both parties because the CHP cians, told Today s Zaman it is an alliance in the i991 elections. would lose its nationalist voters to impossible for the two parties to The SHP-HEP alliance led to much MHP and some leftist parties, engage in such an alliance; howe¬ controversy. HEP members resi¬ while the BDP would lose its reli¬ ver, if it actually happened, it gned from the SHP after just five giously sensitive voters to the AK would not be a good decision for months, and founded the Party because these two groups either party because it would lead Democracy Party (DEP). At the cannot stand the idea of such Kurds to vote for parties other same time, an attempt by HEP cooperation. While the CHP s than the BDP. Sedat Yurtdas, ano¬ deputy Leyla Zana to take her

nationalist constituents are uneasy ther leading Kurdish politician, parliamentarian oath in Kurdish about the BDP s hesitancy to pro¬ agrees completely with Canan. He harmed the SHP greatly. Its suc¬ claim the Kurdistan Workers Party said the CHP s current stance cessor, the CHP, has been making (PKK) as a terrorist organization, against Kurdish rights will never great efforts for years to make

the BDP s conservative voters are seem sympathetic to Kurds. voters forget about that incident. unhappy with CHP s staunchly secularist stance and opposition to Predecessors of the two parties religious freedoms. Esat Canan, a the Social Democratic People s

Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP)

25 November 2010

UK to Open Consulate i v? r General in Kurdistan Region

Salahaddin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRP.org)

PRESIDENT BARZANI today met with British Foreign

Office Minister for the Middle East Mr. Alistair Burt and an ws fc*i$KBs«.' -a**' ft accompanying delegation which included British

Ambassador to Iraq John Jenkins and British Consul General

to Erbil Chris Bowers. Kurdistan Region is prepared to provide them with a refuge In today's meeting, the British Minister stated that his and with security until the security situation improves in government has decided to upgrade the current UK Embassy other parts of Iraq. office in Erbil to a full consulate general, a decision which "Christians fleeing violence in otfier parts of Iraq are wel¬ President Barzani warmly welcomed. come in the Kurdistan Region and we will do all we can to "The British government has made the decision to upgrade help diem with security and shelter, however we would also our Embassy Office in Erbil to a full consulate general, and need financial assistance from Baghdad and the international this is a sign that our relations are strengthening and mat we community to address their needs here if me numbers are

intend to further improve our relations," said Minister high and if they have to stay here for a long period," stated Alistair Burt. He expressed his admiration for the economic President Barzani, urging Christians at the same time to

progress and rapid development that Erbil is witnessing and avoid leaving Iraq. hoped that with the opening of the British consulate, more Minister Burt commended the offer by the President and the British businesses and companies will come here for invest¬ KRG for receiving the fleeing Christians and for their sup¬ ment. port for them. The British Minister also congratulated President Barzani for The President and the British Minister also discussed his role in breaking the Iraq government formation deadlock women's rights in the Kurdistan Region, especially in light which led to the appointment of the three main posts of of some recent media reports about the practice of honor kil¬ President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Council of ling. President Barzani said the figures given in the media are Representatives. unclear and sometimes exaggerated, but that the KRG takes

President Barzani thanked the UK government for their deci¬ the matter very seriously and has taken many measures to

sion to upgrade their Embassy Office and described it as an combat this practice leading to visible improvements and a important step toward further improving bilateral relations in reduction in the number of crimes against women. various fields including energy, commerce, agriculture, tou¬ rism, industry and education.

On the plight of Christians in Iraq who have been targeted by terrorists in recent weeks, President Barzani repeated that the

52 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

.INTERNATIONAL.* 'fierais jsSîfe eribunc. Monday, November 22, 2010

THE WORI j)Aj LY NEWSPA PER : What we must do for Iraq now

. The United States commitments to the Sons of Iraq, the must also continue to Iraq still Joseph R. Biden Jr. Politics has Sunni groups that banded together do its part to reinforce needs U.S. emerged as against insurgents; resolving disputed Iraq's progress. That the dominant internal boundaries and the future of help to is why we are not dis¬ the northern city of Kirkuk, which is means for set¬ strengthen engaging from Iraq claimed by both Arabs and Kurds ; WASHINGTON Nine days ago, Iraqi tling differ¬ rather, the nature of passing a hydrocarbon law that would its security political leaders agreed on a framework ences and ad¬ our engagement is for a new government to guide their distribute oil revenues and maximize changing from a mili¬ forces and vancing in¬ the benefit to all Iraqis; stabilizing the country through the crucial coming tary to a civilian lead. get its. new terests. years. Since the elections there in economy through foreign investment, Since taking office, government March, our administration has said that private sector development and new the Obama adminis¬ the Iraqi people deserve a government sources of revenue beyond oil; passing running tration has withdrawn nearly 100,000 that reflects the results of those elec¬ a fiscally responsible budget; and smoothly. troops from Iraq and ended our combat tions, tiiat includes all the major blocs bringing to a close its post-Gulf war ob¬ operations. The 50,000 troops who Will , representing Iraq's various communis ligations to the United Nations. remain until the end of 2011 have a new ties and that does not exclude or mar¬ While the day will come when Iraq's ; mission: to advise and assist their Iraqi ginalize anyone. That is what they will vast natural wealth can fully finance its counterparts, protect our personnel now have. security and investment needs, and and property and participate in coun- While, President Obama and I and when its civilian institutions no longer terterrorist operations. Meanwhile, we an outstanding team of U.S. officials in require such intensive support, it has are establishirig a diplomatic presence '. Washington and Baghdad played an not yet arrived. Iraq has increased its mroughout the country and, under the active role in supporting this effort, the own speriding in these areas, and With terms of our Strategic Framework most important steps were taken in Iraq, sustained American engagement, it will Agreement, building a dynamic part¬ by the leaders of Iraq's largest political emerge from generations of trauma to nership across a range of government parties! Theiraccomplishment is the become a stable and self-reliant nation. sectors, including education, energy, latest and strongest evidence of a key That is why, even at this difficult eco¬ trade, health, culture, information tech- development in Iraq: Over the past two nomic time, we are asking Congress to I noïogy, law enforcement and the judi¬ years, politics has emerged as die domi¬ fulfill our budget requests to support ciary. nant means for settling differences and America's continued engagement, in¬ In a country where extremists re- advancing interests. cluding our broader diplomatic pres¬ : main bent on sowing chaos, and where Time and time again in recent ence, a modernization plan for the Iraqi innocent civilians still suffer unspeak¬ months, Iraqi leaders have painstak¬ security forces and financing for a po¬ able hardship, the transition to a safer ingly worked through thorny issues lice development program. The draw¬ society depends on the continued de¬ including disputes over who is eligible down of U.S. troops will save $15 billion velopment of Iraq's security forces, to run for office or serve in government, in the coming fiscal year we seek to now more than 650,000 strong. challenges to the election results and direct less than one-third of that ' Over the six visits I have made to, power-sharing arrangements with¬ amount to provide needed assistance to Iraq since January 2009, 1 have seen the out resorting to violence. It hasn't al¬ Iraq's security forces and to our State remarkable progress its police and sol¬ ways been pretty, but politics rarely is, Department's civilianrled efforts. diers have made. Iraq today is far safer in Iraq, in America or anywhere else. The Iraq war has cost our nation } and more stable than at any time since By agreeing to form a national partner¬ dearly, with the greatest price of all ! the outbreak ofwar in 2003. More than . ship government, however, Iraqi lead¬ paid by the 4,430 heroes Who have ; a year ago, Iraqi forces took charge of ers have sent an unmistakable message made the ultimate sacrifice. Now it is in security in-major cities, and last Au- to their fellow citizens, tiieir region and America's fundamental interest to, help > gust, when the American combat mis- the world: After more than seven years preserve the gains Iraq has made, pre¬ j sion ended, they assumed primary re- of war and decades of dictatorship, vent the re-emergence of violent ex¬ i sponsibility nationwide. In recent Iraqis seek a nation where the rights of tremists and encourage Iraq to become months, using their own intelligence, all citizens are recognized and the tal¬ a pivotal American ally in a strategical¬ Iraqi forces have killed or captured ents of all are harnessed to unlock the ly critical region, and a responsible re- . i dozens of senior leaders of Al Qaeda in country's full potential. gional actor in its own right. i Iraq and other terrorist groups. The In a country that still faces enormous [ weekly tally of violent incidents challenges on the road to security and Joseph R. biden jr. is the vice president of tiirpughout Iraq has dropped to about prosperity, that goal has never been the United States. 160, from nearly 1,600 in 2007. more essential. The next step is for the Nevertheless, Iraq's security forces leaders of Iraq's new government to are not yet ready to operate fully on honor their landmark commitment to their own, and we must continue to sup¬ share power '-? a pledge embodied in port them. We must also help Iraq's the new National Council for Higher ; ' leaders with a range of challenges that Policies, whose responsibilities and au¬ lie ahead: conducting a census; further thority are still being determined but integrating Kurdish security forces into will eventually be enshrined into law. the Iraqi security forces; maintaining

53 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Ocalan Warns Kurdish Mayor, Armed Struggle Against Turkey Is Not Over: Taraf

November 23, 2010 / ekurd.net

IMRALI ISLAND, Turkey,- Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned Kurdish leader and head of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, rebuked the mayor of Turkey's largest Kurdish-majority city for saying the Kurds' armed struggle was over in Turkey, Taraf newspaper reported.

Osman Baydemir, one of Turkey's most popular Kurdish poli¬ ticians and the mayor of Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey {Turkey Kurdistan], said that the time for armed struggle had come to an end. Abdullah Ocalan (L), the imprisoned Kurdish leader rebuked Osman Baydemir, the mayor of Turkey's largest Speaking through visitors to his prison cell on the island of Kurdish-majority city for saying the Kurds' armed struggle Imrali, Ocalan said that Baydemir wouldn't be in his position was over in Turkey. for two months without the support of armed militants, the Istanbul-based newspaper reported.

Ocalan warned Baydemir to stick to his own area of respon¬ PKK's demands included releasing PKK detainees, lifting the sibility, saying the mayor had no authority to speak for the ban on education in Kurdish, paving the way for an autono¬ armed wing of the Kurdish movementTaraf said. Some ele¬ mous democrat Kurdish system within Turkey, reducing pres¬ ments of the PKK and Baydemir's own party are pressing for sure on the detained PKK president, stopping military action his resignation, the paper reported. against the Kurdish party and recomposing the Turkish constitution. Since it was established in 1984, the PKK [Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan] has been fighting the Turkish state, which still PKK demanded demanded to stop military and political ope¬ denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, to establish a rations and to release Kurdish politicians who are unjustly Kurdish state in the south east of the country. detained. The organization also requested to enable impri¬ soned PKK leader Abdullah Ôcalan's active participation in But now its aim is the creation an autonomous region and the process. more cultural rights for ethnic Kurds who constitute the greatest minority in Turkey, numbering more than 20 million.

Financial time^ November 25, 2010 France Telecom eyes stake in Iraq s Korek

emerging markets in Africa, about 3m customers. per cent of the Iraqi popula¬

By Lina Saigol and the Middle East and Asia. It is competing with two tion own a mobile. Although France oppo¬ much larger groups: Zain, Stéphane Richard, Andrew Parker in London sed the US-led invasion of Iraq s largest mobile opera¬ France Telecom s chief exe¬ Iraq in 2003, the Baghdad tor, which has 11.8m custo¬ cutive, has set a target of government has urged mers, and Asia Cell, the doubling the group s revenue France Telecom is in talks French companies to play a second largest, which has from Africa and the Middle to buy a minority stake in significant role in the coun¬ 7.9m. East within five years. In Iraq s third-largest mobile try s reconstruction. Zain, which has mobile 2009 the group reported phone operator, as part of a The security situation has businesses in several coun¬ sales of 3.4bn ($4.5bn). strategy to expand its pre¬ improved in Iraq since 2005, tries in Africa and the Middle Mr Richard is interested sence in the Middle East. when the country was on the East, is in talks to sell a in acquiring télécoms assets People familiar with the brink of civil war, but there is controlling stake in itself to to help reach his target, and situation said it was conside¬ still regular violence. Etisalat, the acquisitive in September announced ring purchasing a stake in Korek was founded in Dubai-based télécoms plans to buy a 40 per cent Korek Telecom, in a deal that 2000 by Sirwan Mustafa, group. stake in Meditel, Morocco s could give the Iraqi mobile who is its sole shareholder Asia Cell is part of Qatar second-largest mobile ope¬ operator an enterprise value and nephew of Massoud Telecom, another acquisitive rator, for 640m. of $1.5bn. Barzani, president of Iraq s Middle East télécoms opera¬ France Telecom is also Although no deal has autonomous Kurdistan tor. among several groups bid¬ been finalised, France region. The Iraqi operators are ding for the third mobile ope¬ Telecom is interested in The company initially still enjoying growth by provi¬ rating licence in Syria. eventually securing a focused on mobile services ding people with their first controlling stake in Korek. in Kurdistan, but in 2007 it mobile phones. Informa, the The French télécoms obtained a nationwide opera¬ research and consulting group is looking for growth in ting licence and now has organisation, estimates 76

54 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

TheNationai |raqj Christians flee to Kurdish

NOVEMBER 24, 2010 north for safety

Nizar Latif

The National/UAE Civilians in Christian villages in northern V Iraq have established BAGHDAD // With attacks on their _,' &n>^.i their own security in community continuing, Iraqi J ^ iA" an attempt to deter Christians in Baghdad are looking f" v-l '"-' murders, abductions north to the Kurdish region, as they " *V and would-be car seek safety and an alternative to t's*- V. bombers. AP fleeing their country entirely.

Since last month's massacre at the Our

Lady of Salvation church in the capital, ters in 2006. He has heard nothing of doctors, engineers and professors now which left about 50 worshippers dead, them since, despite extensive search in Baghdad and they are ready to leave there has been a heightened sense of efforts aided by Iraq's powerful tribes. for Kurdistan," he said. "They are sad insecurity among Baghdad's Christian to leave their city, but at least they can minority. The latest series of attacks on keep their lives." Christians, apparently carried out by al Despite a brief period of relative calm Qa'eda, and the Kurd's offer of sanc¬ Mr Kanna said the Kurdish offer of a in recent days, a series of assassina¬ tuary have convinced Mr Butros that he safe haven was a preferable alterna¬ tions has done nothing to settle rattled should now take his wife and son away tive to Iraq's Christian's leaving the nerves or inspire confidence in the abi¬ to safety. country altogether. lity of security forces to prevent further

sectarian bloodshed. "The government doesn't seem to be The ADM has urged the government to serious about protecting us here, so if improve security in Baghdad, and has On Monday, two Christian brothers no one wants us in Baghdad, we will advocated the establishment of were gunned down in their car works¬ leave," he said. "The Kurds have offe¬ Christian guard units that would defend hop in the restive city of Mosul, 390km red us shelter and we will go. I couldn't churches and residential neighbour¬ north of Baghdad. stay in Baghdad even if it was built of hoods. Similar arrangements have gold." already been made in some of the vil¬ Exactly one week earlier in eastern lages on the outskirts of Mosul, despite Mosul, another two Christian men were Thousands of Iraqi Christians have fears it would lead to the formation shot and killed after gunmen broke into already sought and found refuge in the Lebanese-style Christian militias their home. Kurdish provinces. In Erbil, the Kurds' Mr Kanna stressed any such forces administrative capital, the flourishing would remain under Iraqi government There have been renewed calls in Ankawa neighbourhood has been built command, and would not be an inde¬ Europe for Iraq's Christians to be gran¬ up and populated by Christians, with pendently controlled Christian fighting ted asylum, suggestions that sparked a the support of the Kurdish authorities. unit. quick rebuke from Iraqi officials - inclu¬

ding many senior Christians - that such Even outside of Kurd-run areas, in The prospect of Christians leaving a move would only serve the Islamic Ninewah province, Kurds have helped Baghdad en masse would be "disas¬ extremists trying to rid the country of to secure the Christian villages to the trous" for the country, said Muthana al Christianity. north and east of Mosul, the provincial Jafani, a sociologist based in the capi¬ capital. That help has not been uncon- tal. The Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, a troversial, with some viewing it as part Kurd from the northern city of of a land grab by the Kurds in their long "Christians makes up a large part of Sulemaniya, last week said that rather territorial dispute with the country's the educated elite, and without them than fleeing overseas, Christians Arabs. medical services, education and engi¬ should move to the secure autono¬ neering projects in Baghdad will all suf¬ mously administered Kurdish areas "We expect many Christians to come fer," he said. "If the Christians leave, it until the situation elsewhere had stabi¬ north," said Romeo Higari, a Christian will tear up the very fabric of Iraq. It is a lised. It is an offer that many Christians MP in Erbil. "At least they will still be in very serious threat." here are now seriously contemplating. Iraq - 1 refuse to accept that Christians have to leave for Europe to have a An estimated 800,000 Christians lived "Life isn't possible in Baghdad for us at future. We have lived here for thou¬ in Iraq before the 2003 invasion but the moment," said Milad Butros, a sands of years, it is our country and we their number has shrunk, with tens of Christian resident of Doura, a neigh¬ should stay." thousands moving to Syria and Jordan bourhood in southern Baghdad in or gaining asylum overseas.

which Muslims and Christians long Yunadam Kanna, head of the Assyrian enjoyed a peaceful coexistence. But Democratic Movement (ADM) in Iraq after the 2003 US-led invasion, the and an MP, also said many of area quickly fell under the control of Baghdad's Christians were now prepa¬ Islamist militants. ring to move north.

Mr Butros, aged 52, had two of his "I have been in touch with Christian daughters abducted by al Qa'eda figh

55 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Ealéftfil^îg 21 novembre 2010

Les enjeux du futur marche commun entre la Turquie, la Syrie, l'Iran et l'Irak

laquelle oublie parfois que le grand Saladin était lui-même Kurde, et que Car l'Iran, par son histoire, sa cul¬ lesdits Kurdes, auxquels fut injuste¬ ture, son économie - plus que par la Par Georges Malbrunot ment dénié le statut de nation lors du force et les armes qu'on la soupçonne blog.lefigaro.fr démantèlement de l'empire Ottoman, de détenir - crée à grands pas une sont aryens et persophones ! situation irréversible. La Chine, qui n'existait pas en tant que puissance, il C'est aussi la raison pour laquelle, Je vous livre l'analyse de Xavier y a cinquante ans, tire avantage du au moment où l'Irak envisage de Houzel, expert pétrolier et bon boycott occidental pour s'y installer concéder aux compagnies pétrolières durablement. L'Union Européenne, connaisseur du Moyen-Orient, sur le de ses voisins des privilèges exorbi¬ qui, à la même époque, n'était qu'un projet de creation d'un bloc regional tants, ces derniers - la Turquie la pre¬ marché commun réduit aux six qui regrouperait la Turquie, la Syrie, mière - viennent d'accepter qu'aucun Economies convalescentes, voit ses l'Irak et l'Iran. tracé d'oléoduc ou de gazoduc positions commerciales battues en brè¬ (comme suggéré par l'américain che. Alors que nous ne sommes pas en Pendant que les Russes et les Bechtel et qui relierait le Golfe guerre avec la République islamique, Chinois préservent l'avenir par une Persique à la Mer Méditerranée), ne confortable passivité sur le dossier nous nous pénalisons en lui imposant puisse être dessiné sans l'accord préa¬ des sanctions, peut-être efficaces mais nucléaire iranien, nous assistons à la lable du Kurdistan Regional qui ne feront pas tomber le régime. reconstitution du CENTO, cet ancien Government (KRG). rempart dressé contre l'ex-URSS plus Nous devons voir le monde tel connu sous le nom de Pacte de D est temps pour la France d'ac¬ qu'il est, pour trouver la porte de sor¬ Bagdad, mais aujourd'hui sans les compagner cette nouvelle réalité qui Etats-Unis et le Pakistan. Trente ans tie honorable du dossier nucléaire dans consacre, qu'on le veuille ou non, la lequel nous nous sommes embourbés. après la volatilisation de ce bloc anti sortie de l'Iran de son splendide isole¬ Et accessoirement ne pas laisser aux soviétique sous l'effet de la révolution ment et la résurrection (virtuelle) du iranienne, la Turquie, la Syrie, l'Irak et seuls Etats-Unis le bénéfice de trouver Kurdistan après un siècle de dispari¬ le « face saving » qui actera cette nou¬ l'Iran dessinent en effet à vive allure la tion injustifiable mais vraie. velle réalité, une fois la crise actuelle matrice de leurs institutions commu¬ dépassée. Ainsi la France serait-elle en nes, à l'instar, il y a cinquante ans, de Ce futur « ensemble » de 250 mil¬ mesure de reprendre sa place -je veux l'Europe des Six. Malheureusement, la lions d'habitants - qui contrôle à lui dire son rôle en Europe et dans le voix de l'Occident est absente de cette seul le Bosphore, le détroit d'Ormuz et monde, pas seulement dans l'immense ébauche de marché commun régional. la plus grande part des routes du gaz et région qui va de Kaboul à Istanbul. du pétrole - possède 35% des réserves Il s'agit pourtant d'un événement Les conséquences économiques de primordial. Les visas entre ces quatre d'hydrocarbures de la planète. A terme, c'est une hyper puissance qui ce sursaut gaullien seraient pour elle pays sont désormais supprimés. Un émergera. Sans la France, pénalisée salutaires. La voix de la France se consortium vient d'être créé pour ren¬ par sa politique. Alors que les ferait entendre avec une force décu¬ dre compatibles les réseaux des oléo¬ Américains[l], moins naïfs, sont déjà plée. L'Europe, consolidée au Nord ducs et des gazoducs existants et à à la manoeuvre pour prendre leur part par un nouveau partenariat avec la venir. Les ressources d'eau y sont du futur consortium pétrolier régional. Russie, se rééquilibrerait au Sud grâce administrées de conserve. La Turquie, à l'apparition de ce contrepoids indis¬ déçue par le peu d'engouement des La France, pourtant, a amélioré ses pensable. Européens à l'accueillir, s'est mise à rapports avec la Syrie. Son entente est regarder à l'Est. Elle paie son tribut « neutre » avec la Turquie, et elle a Car l'Union Européenne est actuel¬ mémoriel à l'Arménie et se détache repris langue avec l'Irak. Mais sa rela¬ lement démesurée. Sa taille paraît d'Israël. Elle s'est réconciliée avec la tion avec l'Iran est exécrable. Or à hypertrophiée en comparaison de l'es¬ Syrie, qui, de son côté, oublie terme, la seule démarche qui vaille pace qui la jouxte et qui donne l'im¬ Alexandrette, son vieux conflit territo¬ consiste à renouer avec la « Perse de pression d'être un no man's land abri¬ rial datant de l'empire Ottoman et du toujours », comme l'avait fait le tant les débris toujours brûlants de mandat français. Général de Gaulle avec la « Chine de l'empire Ottoman. Elle a absolument toujours ». besoin d'une frontière à l'Est sur Depuis des mois, les trois voisins laquelle s'appuyer, et se reposer. C'est de l'Irak se sont penchés ensemble sur Personne ne rirait d'un président de cet autre empire que le sien, de cette les fonts baptismaux du futur gouver¬ français qui s'aventurerait à dire civilisation s tour à tour nement de ce pays, comme s'il ne pou¬ vait procéder que de leur seul consen¬ demain en farsi, comme son illustre Aristotélicienne et Zoroastrienne, prédécesseur l'avait osé en Chinois : « Chrétienne et Islamique, en passe de se sus ; mais c'est finalement à Massoud reconstituer, qu'elle a le plus besoin. Barzani, le président du Kurdistan Vive la Perse, vive le peuple iranien ! Irakien, que va revenir le mérite de » De même que personne ne rie Au moment où la finalité de sceller l'accord définitif entre les com¬ aujourd'hui de voir le chef de l'Etat l'OTAN est remise en cause par cer¬ posantes arabes du pays dans leur français recevoir en grande pompe son diversité. Le symbole en est considéra¬ homologue chinois, l'homme devenu tains, il est impensable que la France, dont la tentation d'universalité a long¬ ble, car il rappelle que près du sixième le plus puissant du monde, sans évo¬ temps fait la spécialité, ne soit pas la de la population globale de l'Irak, de la quer les entorses de son invité aux Turquie, de la Syrie et de l'Iran est droits de l'homme et à celui des peu¬ première à admettre et même à facili¬ ter ce retour en force de l'Histoire. Kurde. Quelle revanche sur l'Histoire, ples.

56 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

fcï^K!|fej3éj,. du 17 au 23 novembre 2010, numéro 845

IRAQ : L'incertitude persiste sur la participation du bloc Iraqiya au prochain gouver¬ nement, malgré la signature d'un accord sur le partage du pouvoir. Le difficile équilibre des forces

ment, dispose de suffisam¬

Abir Taleb ment de soutien de la part ÀÎ^AHRAM He'bdo des partis chiites et kurdes

pour gouverner sans

Iraqiya. Mais Washington Au moins huit person¬ et les pays sunnites voisins nes, dont quatre militaires, de l'Iraq tiennent à ce que ont péri dimanche dans des la communauté sunnite soit attentats dans le centre et le bien représentée au sein de nord de l'Iraq, selon des l'Etat, pour prévenir le ris¬ responsables des services de que d'une reprise des vio¬ sécurité. L'attaque la plus lences confessionnelles. sanglante a eu lieu dans la province riche en pétrole de Or, au sein du bloc Kirkouk, mosaïque ethnique tage du pouvoir, Maliki, l'Iraq, dont le gouverne¬ Iraqiya, c'est, semble-t-il, la et confessionnelle au nord arrivé à la tête du gouver¬ ment sera « représentatif, confusion, voire la mésen¬ de Bagdad. Il s'agit là des nement en 2006, conserve ouvert à tous et reflétera la tente. Iraqiya a accepté de premières violences depuis son poste de premier minis¬ volonté du peuple iraqien ». la signature de l'accord de soutenir un gouvernement tre, le Kurde Jalal Talabani Le secrétaire général de partage du pouvoir, conclu toujours dirigé par Maliki, garde la présidence et le l'Onu, Ban Ki-moon, a de mercredi dernier entre chii¬ mais les deux tiers des élus sunnite Oussam Al- son côté félicité « tous les tes, sunnites et Kurdes de l'alliance avaient claqué Noudjaïfi, d'Iraqiya, prend partis politiques et leurs la porte du Parlement le après huit mois de blocage la présidence du Parlement. dirigeants pour avoir trouvé lendemain en déclarant que politique. Inutile donc de Le poste de ministre des un compromis qui va servir trop se réjouir de cet le pacte de partage du pou¬ Affaires étrangères doit les intérêts collectifs du voir avait été violé. Et lyad accord. Les huit mois de aller à un membre d'Iraqiya. peuple iraqien », les appe¬ Allaoui a assuré que la paralysie politique ont peut- L'accord prévoit aussi que lant à « continuer à faire être pris fin, ou presque, majorité de l'alliance, dont M. Allaoui obtienne, comme preuve du même esprit de lui-même, resterait à l'écart, loin de là les clivages politi¬ compensation, la présidence partenariat » pour former même si des membres ques, d'autant plus que pour du Conseil National de la un gouvernement. le moment, c'est la confu¬ d'Iraqiya veulent toujours Politique Supérieure rejoindre le gouvernement. sion qui règne. En effet, l'al¬ (CNPS), une nouvelle ins¬ Aujourd'hui, l'heure est liance laïque Iraqiya, qui « Nous pensons que le tance dont l'idée avait été aux tractations pour la for¬ comprend des représentants concept de partage du pou¬ avancée par les Etats-Unis. mation du gouvernement, voir est mort maintenant. de la communauté sunnite, une tâche à laquelle Maliki C'est terminé », a-t-il dit à a confirmé samedi au Iraqiya a en outre posé s'est attelé dès la signature CNN. « Je ne participerai Parlement iraqien son quatre conditions à sa parti¬ de l'accord. Ce dernier doit pas à cette comédie. C'est intention de participer au cipation au processus politi¬ être formellement désigné l'établissement d'une nou¬ nouveau gouvernement du que : vote d'une loi criant le dans les prochains jours et velle dictature en Iraq ». En chiite Nouri Al-Maliki, mal¬ CNPS, examen par une aura alors un mois pour revanche, d'autres person¬ gré l'hostilité de son chef commission de la situation constituer son gouverne¬ nalités d'Iraqiya ont lyad Allaoui. Ce dernier, qui des détenus politiques, offi¬ ment. Encore faudra-t-il a quitté Bagdad pour défendu l'accord conclu et cialisation par écrit de l'ac¬ que la position d'Iraqiya Londres, officiellement pour entendent toujours partici¬ cord de partage du pouvoir soit claire. des raisons familiales, avait per au prochain gouverne¬ et annulation des décisions auparavant affirmé sur ment. Plusieurs députés de bannir trois membres CNN que l'accord de par¬ d'Iraqiya ont même dit leur d'Iraqiya pour leurs liens tage du pouvoir était « mort étonnement de voir Allaoui présumés avec le Baas de », prédisant de nouvelles partir pour Londres, un l'ex-président Saddam tensions et des violences voyage dont il ne leur avait Hussein. dans le pays. pas parlé. A Séoul, le président

En fait, le premier Un mois pour former américain Barack Obama a ministre sortant, Nouri Al- le gouvernement présenté l'accord politique Maliki, finalement recon¬ comme une « étape impor¬ duit à la tête du gouverne Selon l'accord de par tante » dans l'histoire de

57 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

CTffjfljjfNBBBR I NOVEMBER 25, 2010

Iraqi PM Maliki asked to form new government

Iraq's president formally asked Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki on Thursday to

form a new government, giving him 30 days to choose a cabinet

mise, political sources said.

Reuters Senior leaders from Iraqiya have said they want the foreign affairs ministry, cur¬ aAGHDAD: Iraq's rently held by a Kurd, president formally Hoshiyar Zebari. asked Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki on Thursday But Iraqiya faces rifts within to form a new government, giving him 30 days to its ranks that may affect its choose a cabinet from bid for the ministry. Kurdish lawmakers want to among Iraq's fractious keep it. Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni a * "We prefer to get the foreign political factions. i^Jfc; ministry as a sovereign

The request from President ministry because of the suc¬ Jalal Talabani came two cesses that we had the last four years. But if not, we will weeks after political leaders The oil ministry, which has ask for the finance ministry reached an agreement to signed a raft of deals with The long political impasse instead," senior Kurdish divide up the top govern¬ global petroleum companies after an election that produ¬ ment jobs, a deal that put official Adel Barwari said. in the past year in a bid to ced no clear winner stirred Maliki, a Shiite, on track for vault Iraq back into the top concerns about increased a second term as premier. The Kurds' lack of seats may echelon of producers, is led violence from militants The power-sharing pact, cost them a chance at the by Hussain Al Shahristani, a trying to take advantage of a more than eight months foreign ministry, Kurdish close Maliki ally and a lea¬ power vacuum. after an inconclusive March officials have said. der in his newly formed 7 parliamentary election, The power-sharing deal rea¬ National Alliance. After his mainly Shiite State ched on Nov. 10 gave offered some hope that Iraq of Law alliance came second Talabani, a Kurd, another could avoid a return to the "All ministries are impor¬ in the election with 89 seats, sectarian warfare that killed term as president and ins¬ tant, but the National Maliki won a lengthy politi¬ talled Sunni lawmaker tens of thousands of people Alliance is interested in get¬ cal fight for the premier's at its peak in 2006-07. Osama al-Nujaifi, a member ting the oil ministry, then job by cobbling together an of Iraqiya, as speaker of par¬ the finance ministry," said a alliance of Shiite factions, "I am addressing the great liament. Allawi, who wanted senior lawmaker in Maliki's cementing support from Iraqi people, all its religions, Maliki's job, was to become coalition who asked not to Shiite neighbour Iran. sects and nationalities, and head of a council for strate¬ be named. our brothers the politicians, gic policies that has yet to be He then won the backing of about the necessity to work created. TOP OIL PRODUCER Kurdish lawmakers and to overcome the disputes from parts of the Sunni- from the past, to put them The OPEC producer aims to backed Iraqiya alliance hea¬ behind us and to open a new ramp up crude output capa¬ ded by his chief rival, former page," Maliki said in a cere¬ city to 12 million barrels per premier Iyad Allawi. mony at the presidential day from the current 2.5 palace in Baghdad. million, which could boost it Cross-sectarian Iraqiya won into the top tier with leader 91 seats but Allawi was una¬ Among his biggest decisions Saudi Arabia. ble to reach agreement with are his choices to head the others for a parliamentary oil and finance ministries. At the same time, Maliki's majority. Iraq is trying to rebuild its government is fighting a battered infrastructure and weakened but still lethal Maliki toured regional capi¬ sagging oil industry after Sunni Islamist insurgency. tals last month to win years of war, international Bombings and other attacks backing for a second term, economic sanctions and have fallen significantly in offering Arab neighbours neglect and depends on oil frequency from the height of investment deals in Iraq in revenues for about 95 per¬ the sectarian slaughter, but exchange for pushing cent of its federal budget. still occur daily. Iraqiya towards a compro

58 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

^fàmmgbnptiSt November 26, 2010 ;

Kurdistan and the other main Kurdish Iraq political party have been allies of al- Maliki in his Shiite-led coalition - and Kurdish they will remain so in the new govern¬ ment still being formed. leader: A Still, Talabani has stood up to al- Maliki on some policies, causing public spats, and the prime minister has imiter in a berated him for overstepping the autho¬ rity of the presidency. divided The prime minister holds executive

powers, and die president's duties are nation largely symbolic. But Talabani has worked his informal influence heavily.

"I don't have constitutional powers, but

By HAMZA HENDAWI I have Mam Jalal powers," he often The Associated Press tells aides, using an affectionate Kurdish term for uncle.

During the bloody days of Sunni- His elevation to the presidency had Bn his five years as Iraq's president, Shiite strife in 2006 and 2007, Talabani enough symbolic value in and of itself. Jalal Talabani has shown a remar¬ approved the dispatch of Kurdish It wasn't just that a member of a com¬ kable ability to rise above the eth¬ troops to parts of Baghdad to act as a munity brutally repressed by Saddam nic and religious divisions defining buffer between the two sides. The was now Iraq's head of state: It was the country's political scene - someti¬ troops won the trust of residents and also that a non-Arab was now leading a mes at die expense of his own Kurdish helped reduce violence. identity. country long seen regionally as the pro¬ Talabani "was close to all parties The 77-year-old statesman with his tector of the Arab world's "Eastern during the sectarian strife and acted as trademark grin, hearty laugh, portly Gate" against Persian enemies in Iran a bridge between the Shiites and girth and walrus-like mustache was and later as a bastion of Arab nationa¬ Sunnis," said Kurdish analyst Aref elected to a second, four-year term in lism. Qurbani. office mis monm and already has been Talabani was able to prevent any It's a contrast to al-Maliki, widely uirust back into the public eye. challenges to his presidency - unlike al- seen as a sectarian partisan at heart. On Thursday, he formally asked Maliki, his re-election by parliament For example, like most Shiite politi¬ incumbent Shiite Prime Minister Nouri was hardly ever in question - by posi¬ cians, al-Maliki has been a vigorous al-Maliki to form a new government, tioning himself as a father figure for supporter of purging from public life fulfilling a key but rather symbolic Iraq. members of die late dictator's Baath duty as president. But only a week ear¬ "I am casting off my Kurdish clo¬ party, even at the risk of alienating lier, he gave an example of how he has thes and wearing Iraqi ones instead," Sunnis who made up the backbone of flexed what real muscles his officially Talabani told leaders of his Kurdish die party. Talabani - whose people were ceremonial position does have by refu¬ followers in 2005 as he became interim equally massacred by Saddam - has sing to sign off on the hanging of one president - before being elected the fol¬ advocated a softer approach, insisting of Saddam Hussein's closest aides, lowing year to the first of his two, four- that only Saddam loyalists known to Tariq Aziz. year terms. have committed crimes should be cove¬ The move annoyed Shiite parties "You must accept mat," he said as red by the "de-Baathification" policy. who have doggedly sought executions some in the room shouted protests that Talabani's argument for sparing the for the top figures of the Saddam era. he must not forget who he is. life of the 70-year-old Aziz, Saddam's But in rejecting the death sentence Talabani's re-election this month foreign minister, is that he is both against Aziz - a Christian who was does help enshrine the divvying up of Christian and too old. Aziz was senten¬ Saddam's longtime foreign minister - me country's top jobs - the president a ced to death last month by an Iraqi Talabani offered Iraq's small Christian Kurd, the prime minister a Shiite Arab court on charges related to a Saddam- minority a significant goodwill gesture and the speaker of parliament a Sunni led campaign that hunted and executed at a time of deep uncertainty over its Arab. But even those who dislike members of al-Maliki's Shiite Dawa future in the wake of deadly attacks having a Kurd as head of state see Party. since 2003. Talabani as the Kurd to have. In 2007, Talabani also refused to In polarized Iraq, most politicians "We think that the president of Iraq sign off on the hanging of former press an unflinching sectarian or ethnic should be an Arab because Iraq is an defense minister Sultan Hashim al-Taie line - whether Sunni, Shiite or Kurdish Arab state," said Talal al-Zubaie, a on the grounds that he was a soldier - in a zero-sum game where another Sunni lawmaker. "But we do believe who could have only disobeyed orders sect's win is often seen as your sect's that Talabani has been a uniter and at a risk to his own life. Al-Taie was loss. But Talabani, despite his past as a played the role of a peace dove among convicted of genocide for a 1980s fighter for Kurdish autonomy, has rival politicians for the sake of a united crackdown that killed up to 180,000 given a sense of unity by largely avoi¬ and strong Iraq." Kurdish civilians and guerrillas. ding presenting himself as the Kurds' Talabani's Patriotic Union of advocate in power. Born in a tiny village north of the

59 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

city of Irbil in November 1933, intend to split Iraq, and take heavily al-Hassani, a Shiite lawmaker allied Talabani has been at the heart of the Arab and oil-rich parts of die north with witii al-Maliki.

Kurdish struggle for self determination them - particularly the city of Kirkuk. Ironically, it means Talabani's most for nearly four decades. Even while his party pushes Kurdish vocal critics are fellow Kurds. causes in parliament and the Cabinet, He has been an activist since age 13 "The Talabani I see now is not the Talabani has studiously avoided taking when, as a student, he founded and led one who once struggled for democracy a prominent role in issues like the fate a movement to press for education and freedom," said Ahmed Mirah, editor of Kirkuk. He has largely confined his reform. His involvement in Kurdish of the Kurdish political weekly Leven. comments on the issue of Kirkuk that a politics began five years later and in "What I see is a man who wants to keep clause in Iraq's new constitution stipula¬ 1976 he and his comrades in the PUK, the presidency and pays no heed to die ting that a census and a referendum which he founded in neighboring Syria future of die Kurdish people or Kirkuk." the previous year, took up arms against should determine the fate of the city be Baghdad to win self determination for implemented.

Iraq's Kurdish areas. "One of the reasons why we support

In the post-Saddam era, many Talabani is that he was fair to all groups Sunnis and Shiites remain suspicious of and forgot his being a Kurd during all the autonomous Kurds, believing they his time as president," said Abdul-Hadi

November 30, 2010

Disputes again delay nationwide census in Iraq

Iraq's government Tuesday once again pushed back a nationwide census that has been stalled in a years long dispute over how to count the ethnic breakdown between Arabs and Kurds in the nation's north.

area's oil wealth. their ethnicity. One policeman was woun¬ LARA JAKES, ded, officials said, and the There is also disagreement attackers fled before they Associated Press The census was supposed to be held on Dec. 5, but politi¬ over who can be considered were captured. A medic at cal leaders have been una¬ a legal resident and be Mosul's public hospitals BAGHDAD (AP) ble to resolve the disagree¬ counted given that there confirmed the casualties. Iraq's government said ments over who would do have been so many popula¬ Tuesday it will again delay a the counting in the disputed tion shifts since the fall of In another Mosul attack, nationwide census that Saddam Hussein. gunmen raided a conve¬ could determine the real territories, said Planning Ministry official Mahdi al- nience store Tuesday eve¬ numbers of the country's Alaq. Officials will meet The disputed areas are ning and killed its Christian religious and ethnic groups. again on Thursday to try to home to Kurds, Arabs and owner, police and medical settle the argument. Turkomen. officials said. The census, which would be Iraq's first nationwide count No new date has been set At the center of the dispute Also Tuesday, a bomb hid¬ in more than two decades, for the census, al-Alaq said. is the ethnically mixed city den on a car in Baghdad kil¬ has been caught up in the of Kirkuk, which sits on top led the driver and wounded larger dispute over territory "The reason behind the of one-third of Iraq's estima¬ three passers-by, city police and oil between Iraq's cen¬ delays in holding the census ted $11 trillion in oil reser¬ said. The 1 p.m. bombing tral government and the is the deep mistrust among ves. Arabs fear the Kurds came in the capital's wes¬ semiautonomous Kurdish want to annex Kirkuk to region in the north. political groups regarding tern Sunni neighborhood of the disputed areas," said their northern autonomous al-Qadisiya. A medic at region. Yarmouk hospital confir¬ Neither side trusts the other Kurdish lawmaker med the casualties. And an to conduct the count in the Mahmoud Ofhman. In Mosul, another ethnically evening roadside bomb in a three provinces that make mixed town in the disputed mixed Sunni-Shiite neigh¬ up the Kurdish north or in A 1997 census that put Iraq's the disputed areas along its population at more than 26 territory, police said a gang borhood in an eastern of four insurgents attacked Baghdad area wounded edge. It is crucial because million excluded the three three bystanders, police and determining the exact size northern Kurdish provinces an Iraqi army checkpoint, officials at Al-Kindi hospital of the bitterly divided Arab because they were beyond killing one soldier and and Kurdish communities the control of the central wounding another. As said. in the contested areas could government. police rushed to respond to bolster the territorial claims the attack, they were hit by of one side or the other. Officials have agreed to a blast from a bomb hidden count the three provinces in in a shopping cart that was pushed into their path. At stake is control over the the new census and to ask the residents to identify

60 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

28 November 2010

tions. Muqtada al-Sadr is currently in Qom, pursuing reli¬ Maliki is Iraq's best gious studies. defence against As an indication of the level of influence that Iran now has over the Sadrists, it was Tehran that directed Muqtada to back his arch-enemy Maliki in October, in effect ending Iranian influence Allawi's hopes of becoming premier and preventing power returning to Iraq's Sunni-Arab leadership. That has, since Washington and the Arab world have little 2003, been Iran's ultimate goal in Iraq, and it continues to choice other than to back the new adminis¬ succeed. tration: it has legitimacy and experience That may mean Maliki now owes Iran. Yet the fact is that the Iranians had no other choice: back Maliki or risk Iraqyiah taking office. In fact Sadrist and Iranian backing is more of a Ranj Alaaldin strategic catch for Maliki given that it was he who in 2008 guardian deployed the Iraqi army to oust Sadrist militias from Basra, jfc sJbs who has imprisoned hundreds of Sadrists and who broke from the Shia Iraqi National Alliance to contest the March Qraq is expected to have a fully functioning government in elections independently, much to Iran's dismay. less than a month now president Jalal Talabani has for¬

mally asked Nouri al-Maliki to form a new one. Sadrist militias and other splinter groups armed, forced Parliament convened two weeks ago to reappoint underground as a result of the 2008 Basra operation and Talabani as president after nearly nine months of political funded and trained by Iran, may still cause a headache for deadlock. Maliki and challenge the security environment. However, this will not be tantamount to challenging the increasingly As part of the efforts to form a national unity government the effective Iraqi security forces and indeed challenging Maliki position of parliament speaker went to Osama Nujayfi, the himself, who holds effective control over them. controversial ultra-nationalist who contested the elections as part of the Iraqyiah bloc of Ayad Allawi, the United States' Beyond the security perspective, politically Iran has tapped favourite. Allawi's coalition won 91 seats - two more than into every other major grouping. The Kurds, for instance, Maliki's bloc - in the March elections. also enjoy a historic relationship with Tehran. One on-the- ground source even spoke of Iraqyiah's resistance to Talabani Irrespective of how the ministries are distributed it is now becoming president because "he is too close to Iran" (Tehran clear that Maliki and his State of Law coalition are the ulti¬ backed Talabani's PUK - Patriotic Union of Kurdistan - mate victors, having retained the premiership and preventing during the Kurdish civil war in the 1990s). real power falling into the hands of rivals across the ethno- sectarian spectrum. Much to Iran's advantage, both Talabani and Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region and leader of PUK For the next four years it will, therefore, be Maliki who will be rival the Kurdistan Democratic Party, rejected US pleas to dictating Iraq's domestic affairs - with or without the sup¬ give Allawi the presidency. However, that had more to do port of his so-called coalition partners. This becomes particu¬ with Barzani wanting to make sure Talabani stays in larly significant for the US, which is expected to complete its Baghdad, lest he should return to undermine his authority in troops withdrawal at the end of 2011 and is hoping it can any way. work with Maliki to ensure that it leaves the country in a condition favourable to its long-term interests in the region. Iran benefits from the fact that its enemies in Iraq, like Allawi's Iraqyiah, are divided, and reluctant to forge any On the minds of Washington's policy- and decision-makers alliance with the major Shia blocs in case this upsets their will be the extent to which Iran will have a stranglehold on sponsors in the Arab world. Senior figures within the move¬ the country once the US leaves. If Washington and its allies ment were privately against an Allawi premiership, given that in the region truly want to manage Iranian influence when this would have denied them any entitlement to key posts. the withdrawal materialises then they need to start formula¬ ting policy around Maliki himself. However, though Iran may have that unparalleled web of influence in Iraq and though it may combine its vast econo¬ Of course, the winner of the elections is once again Iran, at mic and cultural interests in the country with its influence least regionally. over the security and political environment, it cannot always be certain of determining Iraq's domestic affairs. In the past It has won the eight month-long battle to swing the balance it tried to torpedo the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) of power in Iraq in its favour: it is clear the Saudi-Arab world that extended the US troop presence to the end of 2011, but backed Allawi and his Iraqyiah bloc will not get the premier¬ Maliki successfully resisted this. ship, and is unlikely to get control of any meaningful national council that restrains the powers of the Iraqi premier. Maliki may also decide to extend the troop presence beyond this deadline, just to counterbalance Tehran's influence. Iran continues to successfully play its carefully planned, Politically independent and an effective and electorally legiti¬ ruthless and strategic game in Iraq. It has audaciously sideli¬ mate leader unmatched by others in the current political ned historic ally the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISO), arena, Maliki, based on his record as premier, could be which has just 17 seats to its name, and replaced it with unli¬ Washington's and the Arab world's best hope of countering kely bedfellow Muqtada al-Sadr's Sadrist bloc, the effective any rising Iranian influence in the country and indeed the grassroots movement that won nearly 40 seats in the elec- region. They may not have any other choice.

61 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

28 November 2010 Rudaw.Net Wikileaks: US Sees Kurds As Seasoned Political Masters Likely To Expand Influence

By WLADIMIR VAN WILGENBURG

*«*&* K AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands: *?rà fc"^ *"**' the The leak of 250,000 US diplomatic

cables by Wikileaks shows that K

Kurdish leaders are seen as seasoned

masters of the Iraqi political chess¬ board by the US embassy in Baghdad

on 13 November 2009. Furthermore

the cables indicate that the Kurdish

opposition party Gorran is seen as "an

unknown factor" by the US in their

position towards Iran. the Kurds an important element in doing so would undermine the IRIG's In a detailed analysis, the US ensuring a pro-Iranian Shia victory in [Iran's] valued relationship with embassy in Baghdad looks at the ways the election. INA officials are confident Talabani, while also proving exceedin¬ Iran is seeking to ensure mat Iraq's that the Kurds will join uieir coalition, gly duplicitous, even by IRIG and elections produce a government favou¬ all but guaranteeing an election vic¬ KRG standards." rable to its interests on 13 November tory." 2009 before the Iraqi elections, which Turkey Is Iran's Rival in Kurdistan were held in Iraq on 7 March 2010. Gorran Position Unknown

Other parts of the leak show that Kurds Play Major Role in Iraq Wikileaks' documents say that the Turkey is seen as the biggest economic

US embassy is yet to know the position competitor of Iran in Iraq, particularly According to the US embassy the of the Kurdish opposition party Gorran in the Kurdistan Regional Government Kurdish leaders are smart leaders. towards Iran. Gorran is led by (KRG). Furthermore in February 2010 "Kurdish leaders such as Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa, former deputy- Turkey hoped for an early action plan Barzani will likely exploit their politi¬ leader of the PUK, Talabani's party, from the US government to elicit more cal strength among Shia/Sunni counter¬ which the US sees as a pro-Iranian support from the Kurdistan Regional parts to protect and expand Kurdish party.according to Wikileaks cables. Government (KRG) against the leader¬ influence in a future government," the "Gorran is committed to unseating ship of the Kurdistan Workers Party report notes. the PUK (and Talabani) in Sulaimani (PKK). Other documents show the US But it also shows that the US sees province but needs financial backing to government is highly suspicious over the Kurds playing a major role to bring ensure its long-term viability in the the Islamist background of the ruling a pro-Iranian government to power KRG and national politics. Iran could Justice and Development Party (AKP) with the coming to power of Prime conceivably alleviate Gorran's finan¬ in Turkey. Minister Nouri al-Maliki. cial woes, particularly through its close "Iran's historic ties to the PUK, and ties with the Kurdish Jaff tribe, some of to a lesser extent KDP officials, make whom are Goran members. However,

REUTERS Ses résultats sont attendus avec intérêt parce qu'ils fourniront des réponses à des questions clés pour l'avenir des gisements Recensement différé de pétrole du Nord, situés dans les provinces de Kirkouk et de Ninive que se disputent Arabes et Kurdes. en Irak pour cause de Le ministre de l'Environnement Nermine Osman, présent à différend arabo-kurde une réunion du cabinet où la décision a été prise mardi, a déclaré qu'une nouvelle date serait fixée dans les prochains jours, après une rencontre entre le Premier ministre Nouri al Mardi 30 novembre 2010 / Reuters Maliki et des responsables de Ninive et Kirkouk.

Le recensement est de première importance pour les territoires LES AUTORITES IRAKIENNES ont de nouveau reporté le contestés, que Bagdad tient à garder mais que les Kurdes veu¬ premier recensement complet du pays depuis 1987, faute de lent intégrer à leur enclave semi-autonome du Nord. progrès dans un différend territorial et économique entre la majorité arabe et la minorité kurde. La province de Kirkouk, où se côtoient Arabes, Kurdes, Turkmènes et autres, est au coeur du différend. Selon des res¬ Aucune nouvelle date n'a été fixée pour ce recensement, qui ponsables américains, elle recèle quatre pour cent des réserves avait déjà été repoussé du 24 octobre au 5 décembre. mondiales de pétrole.

62 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

November 29, 2010 LiT

year. Iraq oil output may hit Producers in Kurdistan, inclu¬ ding Norway's DNO, stand ready to export over 100,000 bpd at short 8 million bpd by 2017 notice, industry executives say, but so far a dispute between Baghdad and the region's government has Iraq in 2003 and now advises Prime prevented this, except for a short Reuters, Minister Nuri al-Maliki on oil, told a period in 2009. conference on Monday. Shahristani has described * Former oil min effecti¬ Analysts have cited undeveloped contracts the regional government infrastructure and security concerns vely cuts projected output signed with foreign companies as as the key obstacles preventing Iraq illegal but Dabbagh told reporters a target from reaching output of 12 million deal was under discussion. * Most analysts see Iraq bpd - which would make it the "Part of smoothing the relation producing much more world's largest oil nation or put it on with Kurdistan is that these modest volumes a par with current leader Saudi contracts need to be legitimised and Arabia. we want to find a formula which * Government sees The country, which sits on some makes this workable within Iraqi Kurdish exports from of the world's largest oil reserves, prevailing law, keeping the soverei¬ January has struggled in the past years to gnty of the federal government so (Adds comment on push its output even close to the 3 that they have a hand with the Kurdish oil deals) million bpd it saw in the late 1980s region to manage the new oil fields," before it invaded Kuwait and saw a he said. U.S. military retaliation. "I don't think it will be difficult," LONDON, - Iraq could more than A Reuters poll suggested last he added. triple oil output by 2017, a senior month Iraq's crude oil output would Last week, Iraq's president for¬ advisor to its prime minister said on rise to 2.8 million bpd by 2011 from mally asked Maliki, leader of a Shia Monday, effectively cutting previous roughly 2.5 million bpd now and bloc, to form a new government, estimates but giving a figure that reach only 4.6 million bpd by 2015. after he secured support from some would still make Iraq one of the Current Oil Minister Hussain al- Sunni Arab leaders and the Kurds. world's top producers. Shahristani has said he expects 4 Iraq's 2011 production target of Iraq has signed deals with inter¬ million bpd in three years' time and 2.3 million bpd assumes Kurdish national oil companies following that there is no need for Iraq ~ for production of 150,000, Dabbagh auctions last year that could in now the only member of the said. theory take capacity to 12 million Organization of the Petroleum If the region doesn't reach this barrels per day (bpd) by 2017 a Exporting Countries exempt from level, it will face penalties in the figure that most analysts view as its system of output curbs to have form of deductions, on a proportio¬ unrealistic. a production target until then. nal basis, from the 17 percent of "I expect we will reach a capacity Government spokesman Ali al- total oil revenues which the region of 8 million barrels per day within Dabbagh told reporters that Iraq's is allocated by the central govern¬ the next six-seven years," Thamir output would be boosted by crude ment. Ghadhban, who served as oil minis¬ from its semi-autonomous ter after the U.S.-led invasion of Kurdistan region from January next

REUTERS Earlier on Thursday a roadside bomb wounded a police offi¬ cer near Samarra, 100 km (62 miles) north of Baghdad, while Bomb kills three, injures roadside bombs also wounded police officers, soldiers and children in two separate incidents in Tuz Khurmato, 170 km 15 in north Iraq (105 miles) north of the capital, police sources said.

Gunmen killed a tailor earlier on Thursday when they threw MOSUL, Iraq / November 25, 2010 / (Reuters) - a hand grenade at his house in Baaj, 375 km (233 miles) north¬ west of Baghdad, a police source said. A BOMB blast in a pet shop in the town of Tat Afar on Overall violence in Iraq has fallen sharply since its peak in Thursday killed three people and wounded 15 others, a 2006-07 but killings and bombings still occur daily. Tensions police source said, as a series of attacks hit restive northern have been running high since a March parliamentary election Iraq. that produced no clear winner. The dead and most of the wounded were inside the shop, the Iraq's president formally asked Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki source in the Nineveh province operations centre said. on Thursday to form a new government, giving him 30 days The blast occurred in a mixed Shi'ite and Sunni area. Tal Afar to choose a cabinet from among Iraq's fractious Shi'ite, lies about 420 km (260 miles) north of Baghdad and just west Kurdish and Sunni political factions. of the volatile city of Mosul, considered the last urban stron¬ ghold of the al Qaeda Islamist militant group.

63 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

1 NOVEMBER 30, 2010 GLir¥

Foreign investment leads to more shopping malls in Arbil

Hewa Group has convinced several international names to open their first stores

in Iraq in the Majidi Mall, a landmark in Kurdistan.

"At BTWShiells we unders¬ tand retail and therefore the By Mariwan F. Salihi, importance of the right tenant Special To Gulf News mix to create a long-term sus¬

tainable mall," he added.

The company has over 30 rbil It used to be that years of retail sector expe¬ shopping in Arbil 1» - . rience and offices in London, Iraq's most popular B Dubai, Belfast and Arbil. They business and leisure currently manage 40 shopping destination was mostly cen¬ flMif malls in the UK and Ireland, tred on the Qaysaria Bazaar, with a total portfolio value of which has been around since $6.5 billion. Mane Mall is their the 12th century. first project in Iraq. It still is, selling everything #1 Iff I from Kurdish dairy products to Future developments Swiss watches and Japanese electronics. But an influx of * The Majidi Mall is one of the largest shopping centres in Iraq. The Kurdish capital has attracted more than $16 billion foreign investment in recent BTWShiells has partnered in foreign investment in the past three years. years has led to the opening of with the Diyar Group to form

many large shopping malls. Diyar Retail, which aims to

More are on the way. develop a number of malls from outside the region, and fine-dining experience. across Iraq in Duhok, At last count, there are Iranians are allowed to enter It will also benefit from an Sulaimaniyah, Kirkuk, Mosul, over a dozen malls, and in the Kurdistan region. They are exclusive rooftop restaurant Basrah, Najaf and Baghdad. their wake have come many among the big spenders in giving spectacular views of global brands venturing into "We are speaking to a Arbil's malls. It is now compe¬ Arbil and the nearby Tarin Iraq for the first time. number of internationally ting with Dubai as a favoured Hills. Directly linked to Mane The French hypermarket recognised retailers from shopping and leisure destina¬ Mall is a 250-room hotel. Europe, the Middle East and chain Carrefour will open in tion for Iranians. "Mane Mall will not only Arbil before the end of this Turkey, and the overall feed¬ The Majidi Mall, which have a significant impact on back has been very positive," year. opened in November last year, the retail market in Iraq, but said Majid. The autonomous Kurdistan has drawn much attention as also on the local and national region spared the violence "We can give retailers Iraq's "most luxurious shop¬ economy," said Jamie Majid, a confidence when entering the and attacks since the US inva¬ ping complex". director of BTWShiells, one of sion of Iraq in 2003 is wit¬ country as BTWShiells adheres Owned by the Hewa the developers of the shopping nessing unprecedented growth to strict internationally reco¬ Group, an Arbil-based com¬ complex. in all aspects of its economy, gnised property management pany owned by the prominent "The Iraqi people have had including its retail sector. standards. And we are also in Majidi family, convinced seve¬ many years of hardship; it's the enviable position of being International investments ral international names to time for the country to prosper able to offer a pipeline of sites have reached more than $16 open their first stores in the and return to the great nation through our local Iraqi part¬ billion (DI158 billion), accor¬ country. it once was," said Majid. ner, the Diyar Group." ding to the Kurdistan "The country has sound Investment Board (KIB). A private company head¬ High street favourites fundamentals, and with the quartered in Arbil, the Diyar The region with more relaxed investment laws, the Group has interests in than half of its population government is encouraging They include Mango, Ecco, construction, aviation, banking under the age of 21 and an foreign companies to enter." Chopard, Diesel, Levi's and and retail. expatriate community estima¬ many others. Kuwait's City "The security situation has ted at 250,000 to 300,000 by Another shopping destina¬ Centre opened an anchor greatly improved. The nor¬ some unofficial sources is tion is the Family Fun Mall, store, immediately becoming thern Kurdish region is stable seeing quite a substantial fund located on 100 M Road in Arbil's most popular hyper¬ and considered the gateway to flow into retail. Arbil. Part of an already popu¬ market. the rest of Iraq. The Iraqi peo¬ lar theme park, the shopping With a population of nearly ple, like the rest of the Middle Another entrant is Mane centre will have space for two million, Arbil is already a East, enjoy shopping, which is Mall, which will offer over 150 about 350 renowned brands. draw among Iraqis and tou¬ why there is great consumer brands, a hypermarket, multi¬ rists alike. Besides its own Opening next month, it will demand." plex cinema, bowling lanes upscale citizens and Iraqis also host Carrefour, the

64 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti world's second-largest hyper¬ All brands represented in City Mall, rapidly heading More options market chain in terms of size the mall will be from outside towards completion. It will Iraq, thus, making it the coun¬ incorporate 210 shops, 15 food and the world's second largest Shoppers and visitors are try's largest all-brand shopping outlets and a hypermarket. retail group in revenues. excited by the opening of a mall. Located between English large number of malls in the Only open for a few Village and the Italian City 'A different concept' city. months is Sofya Mall on the housing development, Arina "We have more options prestigious Gulan Road, close Shopping Mall, located on and more global brands now," A project by Arbil-based to the new hotels and housing Gulan Road and opposite Sami Darin Company, it will also said Aveen Jaleel, a resident of projects under construction. Abdulrahman Park, is also have an ice rink, cinema com¬ Erbil. under construction. According to its director plex and bowling alley. A visitor from Iran, Laila Fareed Tawfiq, it has leased It will mainly cater to resi¬ "We will become a different Hussaini, considered Arbil a space for 100 outlets on its dents in the area and visitors concept, one with more quality "women's paradise" when des¬ four floors. staying in the five-star hotels brands and entertainment faci¬ cribing the city's retail sector. under construction near the The 7,000-square metre lities than any other mall in "In Iran, not every design mall. property features a few cafes the Kurdistan region or Iraq," or brand is available, but in and restaurants and an indoor Other large projects said Rawand Hussain Ali, Iraqi Kurdistan, women have games section for children. include Tablo Mall (located advertising manager at Darin the freedom to shop for whate¬ near Francois Hariri Stadium) Company Owned by the same develo¬ ver they like to wear," the 24- and Mega Mall (on Salahaddin per is Galerya Mall, just wal¬ The mall will be managed year old said. Resort Road). Mega Mall is king distance from the Sofya by GLL, which operates 75 modelled on a shopping centre Mall. It is set to open early shopping centres around the with the same name and - The writer is a Dubai- world, including Turkey's lar¬ next year. concept in Sharjah. basedjournalist. gest. Family Fun Mall is the Exactly opposite both these first venture for GLL in Iraq. malls, also on Gulan Road, is

Bloomberg NOVEMBER 30, 2010

Kurdistan Expects to Resume Oil Exports in Early 201 1

By Grant Smith

The Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq will .:*t - - - - - resume oil exports in early 2011, Kurdish Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami said.

'-^"'''StvAitvjp _, Oil supplies from the semi-autonomous area halted a year ago as it failed to reach an agreement with Iraq's government on how to pay operators such as DNO International ASA and Addax Petroleum Corp. Iraq's main political factions are forming a

coalition to end eight months of deadlock following inconclu¬ million barrels a day over the next three years. Iraq's 2011 sive elections. A cabinet will be appointed before Christmas, budget assumes exports of 150,000 barrels a day from government spokesman Ali Al-Dabbagh said yesterday. Kurdistan, Al-Dabbagh said.

Hawrami said the 38 contracts signed by the KRG with foreign In June, Hawrami had said that Kurdish exports would resume oil companies will "stand" under Iraq's new oil law, likely to be soon following a provisional accord on payments between the enacted by June. Legislation to be passed will incorporate, KRG and Baghdad. possibly amend and legitimize the KRG's contracts, previously considered invalid, according to Al-Dabbagh. Before exports halted last year, revenue for oil pumped by firms in Kurdistan were collected by the national government's "Iraq needs to be rebuilt," Hawrami said in a speech at the State Oil Market Organization. The companies are still owed Iraq Petroleum conference in London. "We need to put the $400 million to $500 million in unpaid revenue, Hawrami said past four years of dogma behind us." today.

The KRG's deals allocate a share of the oil produced to foreign Iraq aims to more than double its current oil output of 2.4 mil¬ companies while those adopted by the national Oil Ministry pay lion barrels a day over the next four years and has said it has a per-barrel fee. Hawrami said that the KRG will consider potential to reach 12 million a day during the next seven years. adjustments to its agreements. Hawrami said that a "realistic" production target is between 4 Turkey Supply million and 6 million barrels a day.

Kurdistan can supply 100,000 barrels a day to Iraq's northern Grant Smith in London at [email protected] export pipeline to Turkey and aims to boost production to 1

65 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

. INTERNATIONAL eralMiSribime monday, November 29, 2010 would make him appear weak to the Ira¬ nians. But the cables show how Mr. Obama's aides quickly countered those : worries by rolling out a plan to encircle . Iran with economic sanctions and anti¬ STATE'S SECRETS missile defenses. In essence, the admin¬ istration expected its outreach to fail, but believed that it had to make a bona In Arab world and beyond, fide attempt in order to build support for tougher measures. Feeding the administration's urgency deep distress over Iran was American intelligence about Iran's missile program. The cables reveal for the first time that the United States be¬ His plea was shared by many of the lieves that Iran has obtained advanced Diplomatic cables show United States' Arab allies, including the missiles from North Korea that could let how U.S. built support powerful King Abdullah of Saudi Ara¬ it strike at West European capitals and bia, who according to another cable re¬ Moscow and help it develop intercontin¬ for harsher sanctions peatedly implored Washington to "cut ental ballistic missiles. off the head of the snake" while there As it weighed the implications of this was,stiUtrae.v: : >: -v - .":'' :^y:-:- BY DAVID E. SANGER, JAMES GLANZ .intelligence, the administration maneu¬ Thèse warnings are part of a trove of AND JO BECKER vered to win Russian support for sanc¬ diplomatic cables reaching back to the tions. It killed a Bush^era plan for a mis- . In late May 2009, Israel's defense minis¬ genesis of the Iranian nuclear standoff sile defense site in Poland which

ter, Ehud Barak, used a visit from a con¬ in which leaders from around the world [ Moscow's leaders feared was directed gressional delegation to send a pointed offer their unvarnished opinions about at them, not Tehran and replaced it message to the new American president. how to negotiate with, threaten arid per¬ with one floating closer to Iran's coast. In a secret cable sent back to Washing- haps force Iran's leaders to renounce While the cables leave unclear whether ' tori, the American ambassador to Israel; their atomic ambitions. there was an explicit quid pro quo, the James B. Cunningham, reported that In day-by-day detail, the cables, bb- move seems to have paid off. Mr. Barak had argued that the world had i tained by WikiLeaks and riiade available There is also a U.S.-inspired plan to get 6 to 18 months "in which stopping Iran to a number of news organizations, tell the Saudis to offer China a steady oil supr from acquiring nuclear weapons might the disparate diplomatic back stories of ply, to wean it from energy dependence soli be viable." After that, Mr. Barak two administrations pressed from all on Iran. The Saudis agreed, and insisted said, "any military solution would result sides to confront Tehrari. They show how on ironclad commitments from Beijing in unacceptable collateral damage.' ' President George W. Bush, hamstrung to join in sanctions against Tehran. There was little surprising in Mr. by the complexities of Iraq and suspi¬ At the same time, the cables reveal Barak's implicit threat that Israel might cions that he might attack Iran, struggled how Iran's ascent has unified Israel and attack Iran's nuclear facilities. As a to put together even modest sanctions. many longtime Arab adversaries no¬ pressure tactic, Israeli officials have They also offer new insights into how tably the Saudis in a common cause. been setting such ' deadlines, and ex¬ President Barack Obama, determined Publicly, these Arab states held their tending them, for years. But six months to merge his promise of "engagement" tongues, for fear of a domestic uproar

later it was an Arab leader, the king of ; with his vow to raise the pressure on the and the retributions of a powerful neigh¬ Bahrain, who provides the base for the Iranians, assembled a coalition that bor. Privately, they clamored for strong U.S. Fifth Fleet, telling the Americans agreed to iriipose an array of sanctions action by someone else. that the Iranian nuclear program "must considerably harsher than any before If they seemed obsessed with Iran, be stopped," according to another cable. attempted. ' though, they also seemed deeply con¬ 'The danger of letting it go on is greater When Mr. Obama took office, many al¬ flicted about how to deal with it with than the danger of stopping it," he said. lies feared that his offers of engagement diplomacy, covert action or force. In one typical cable,' a senior Orriani, military

.Officer is described as Unable to"decide what is worse: "a strike against Iran's nuclear capability and the resulting tur- ; moil it would cause in the Gulf, or inac¬ V tion and having to live with a nuclear-ca¬ pable Iran."

Still, running beneath the cables is a belief among many leaders that, unless the current government falls, Iran will t have a bomb sooner or later. And the Obama administration appears doubtful that a military strike would change that.

* One of the final cables, on Feb. 12 ofthis year, recounts a lunch meeting in Paris between Hervé Morin, then the French defense minister, and Secretary of De¬ fense Robert M. Gates. Mr. Morin raised the delicate topic of whether Israel could strike Iran without American support. Mr. Gates responded "that he didn't ; know if they would be successful, but f-that Israel could carry out the opera¬ tion." Then he- added a stark assess¬ ment: Any strike "would only delay Ira¬

nian plans by one to three years, while President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, center, with commanders of the Basij militia, unifying the Iranian people to be forever

is distrusted by many leaders in the Middle East, according to diplomatic cables. . embittered against the attacker.' '

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were equally frustrated by the Arabs' its banks, ships, planes and front compa¬ THE FEARS OF ARAB STATES unwillingness to speak out against Iran. nies to evade existing sanctions and feed ; In 2005, Iran abruptly abandoned an "We need our friends to say that they its nuclear and missile programs. ' agreement with the Europeans and an¬ The cables show some notable suc¬ nounced that it would resume uranium cesses, particularly with the banks. But enrichment activities. As its program they also make it clear that stopping grew, beginning with a handful of centri- Iran from obtaining needed technology Ifuges, so, too, did many Arab states' was a rnaddening endeavor, with spies fears of ah Iranian bomb and exaspera¬ and money-laundering experts chasing tion over American inability to block shipments and transactions in whack-a- Tehran's progress. mole fashion, often to be stymied by re¬ [- To some extent, this Arab obsession calcitrant foreign diplomats. ' with Iran was rooted in the uneasy sec- One cable details how the United tarian division of the Muslim world, be¬ States asked the Italians to stop the tween the Shiites who rule Iran, and the YONHAP.VIAEPA planned export to Iran of 12 fast boats, Sunnis, who dominate most of the re- Oct. 10, 2010 Pyongyang Iran which could attack U.S. warships in the 1 gion. Those strains had been drawn obtained 19 advanced missiles from Gulf. Italy did so only after months of 'i'tauter with the invasion of Iraq, which North Korea, according to a cable. Arms "foot-dragging, during which the initial effectively transferred control of the of- the same type were later shown at a eleven boats were shipped," the em¬ government there from Sunni to Shiite parade in the North, some experts said. bassy in Rome reported. leaders, many close to Iran. Another cable recounts China's re¬ In December 2005, the Saudi king ex¬ peated refusal to act on detailed infor¬ pressed his anger that the Bush admin¬ stand with the Americans," General mation about shipments of missile parts istration had ignored his advice against Abizaid told Emirates officials, accord¬ from North Korea to Beijing, where tfiey going to war. According to a cable from ing to one cable. were loaded aboard flights to Tehran. the American Embassy in Riyadh, the By the time Mr. Bush left office in The election of Mr. Obama, at least king argued "that whereas in the past January 2009, Iran had installed 8,000 initially, left some countries wondering the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Saddam Hus¬ centrifuges (though only half were run¬ whether the push for sanctions was sein had agreed, on the need to. contain ning ) and was enriching uranium at a about to end. Shortly after taking office, Iran, U.S. policy had now given Iraq to rate that, with further processing, in a videotaped message, he reiterated Iran as a 'gift on a golden platter.'" would let it produce a bomb's worth of -Regional distrust had only deepened his campaign offer of a "new begin¬ fuel a year. With that progress came in¬ ning" the first sustained talks in with the election that year of a hard-line creased Israeli pressure. three decades with Tehran. Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmad¬ After Mr. Barak, the Israeli defense The United Arab Emirates called Mr. inejad. minister, issued his ultimatum in May Obama's message "confusing." The , During a meeting on Dec. 27 with the 2009, the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi American Embassy in Saudi Arabia re¬ commander of the U.S. Central Com¬ Ashkenazi, followed up in November. ported that the talk about engaging Iran mand, Gen. John P. Abizaid, military had "fueled Saudi fears that a new U.S. leaders from the United Arab Emirates "There is still time for diplomacy, but administration might strike a 'grand "all agreed with Abizaid that Iran's new we should not forget that Iran's centri¬ bargain' without prior consultations." President Ahmadinejad seemed unbal¬ fuges are working day and night," Gen¬ In Europe, Germany and others dis¬ anced, crazy even," one cable reports. A eral Ashkenazi told a delegation led by cerned an effort to grab market share! ;. few months later, the Emirates' defense Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, "According to the British, other EU . chief, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Za- the Democratic chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Member states fear the U.S. is prepar¬ yed of Abu Dhabi, told General Abizaid That, in turn, led Arab leaders to ing to take commercial advantage.of a ; that the United States needed to take ac- press even more forcefully for the new relationship with Iran and sub- : tion against Iran "this year or next." United States to act before Israel did. sequentiy are slowing the EU sanctions The question was what kind of action. Crown Prince bin Zayed, predicting in process," the American Embassy in Previously, the crown prince had re¬ July 2009 that an Israeli attack could London reported. layed the Emirates' fear that "it was come by year's end, suggested the The administration, though, had a dif¬ only a matter of time before Israel or the danger of appeasing Iran. "Ahmadine¬ ferent strategy in mind. U.S. would strike Iranian nuclear facil¬ jad is Hitier," he declared. ity targets." That could provoke an out¬ Seemingly taken aback, a State De¬ A NEW STRATEGY come that the Emirates' leadership con¬ partment official replied, ' 'We do not an¬ The man chosen to begin wiping out the sidered "catastrophic": Iranian missile ticipate military confrontation with Iran confusion was Daniel Glaser, a little-' strikes on U.S. military installations in before the end of 2009." known official with a title that took two nearby countries like the Emirates. So it was that the United States had breaths to enunciate in full: acting as¬ Now, with Iran boasting in the spring put together a largely silent front of- sistant secretary of the Treasury for ter¬ of 2006 that it had successfully accom¬ Arab states whose positions on sanc¬ rorist financing and financial crimes. plished low-level uranium enrichment, tions and a potential attack looked much The first big rollout of his message ap- the crown prince began to argue less like Israel's. . pears to have come in Brussels on March equivocally, cables show. He stressed 2 and 3, 2009, during what the cables : "that he wasn't suggesting that the first BANKS AND BUSINESSES called "an unprecedented classified option was 'bombing' Iran," but also briefing" to more than 70 Middle East Despite an American trade embargo and warned, "Theyvhave to be dealt with be¬ experts from European governments. several rounds of United Nations sanc¬ fore they do something tragic." Mr. Glaser got right to the point. Yes, tions, the Bush administration had never The Saudis, too, increased the pres¬ engagement was part of the administra- forged the global coalition needed to im- sure. In an April 2008 meeting with Gen. ' tion's overall strategy. "However, 'en¬ pose truly painful international penalties David H. Petraeus, then the incoming gagement' alone is unlikely to succeed," on Iran. While France and Britain were Central Command chief, the Saudi am¬ Mr. Glaser said. And to those concerned supportive, countries like Germany, bassador to Washington recalled the that the offer of reconciliation was open- Russia and China that traded extensive¬ king's ' 'frequent exhortations to the U.S. ended, one cable said, he replied curtly ly with Iran were reluctant, at best. to attack Iran," and the foreign minister that "time was not on our side." In die breach, the United States em¬ said that while he preferred economic The relief among countries support¬ barked on a campaign to convince for¬ . pressure, the "use of military pressure ing sanctions was palpable enough to eign banks and companies that it was in against Iran should not be ruled out." pierce the cables' smooth diplomatese. their interest to stop doing business with Yet if the Gulf allies were frustrated "Iran needs to fear the stick and. feel a Iran, by demonstrating how Tehran used by American inaction, U.S. officials light 'tap'. now," said Robert Cooper, a

67 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

senior European Union officiai. in Eastern Europe was scrapped. Those range, though, Uiey would also immedi¬ "Glaser agreed, noting the stick could demands crested July 29, when a senior ately allow Iran to strike Western Europe escalate beyond financial measures un¬ Russian official repeatedly disrupted a or Moscow essentially the threat the der a worst case scenario," a cable said. meeting with Russia's objections, ac¬ revamped system was designed for. The Czechs were identified as surpris¬ cording to one cable. Russia is skeptical that Iran has ob¬ ingly enthusiastic behind-the-scenes al¬ Six weeks later, Mr. Obama gave the tained the advanced missiles, or that lies. Another section of the same cable Russians what they wanted : He abruptiy their North Korean version, called the was titled "Single Out but Understand replaced the Eastern Europe site witti a BM-25, even exists. "For Russia, the the E.U. Foot-Draggers": Sweden, con¬ ship-borne system. That system, at least BM-25 is a mysterious missile," a Rus¬ sidered something of a ringleader, fol¬ in its present form, is engineered to pro¬ sian official said. (That argument was lowed by Cyprus, Greece, Luxembourg, tect specific areas against short- and me¬ dealt a blow last month, when North Ko¬ Spain, Austria, Portugal and Romania. dium-range missiles, not pulverize long- rea rolled out what some experts identi¬ The decoding of Mr. Obama's plan was range missiles soaring above the atmos¬ fied as those very missiles in a parade.) apparendy all the Europeans needed, phere. Mr. Obama explained the shift by Whatever the dynamic, Mr. Obama and by year's end, even Germany, with saying that intelligence assessments had had removed the burr under the Russi¬ its suspicions and longstanding trading ans' saddle, and in January 2010, one ties with Iran, appeared to be on board. changed, and that the long-range-missile cable reported, a senior Russian official Still, there could be Utile meaningful threat appeared to be growing more "indicated Russia's willingness to move : action without Russia and China. Both slowly than previously thought. to the pressure track.'' are permanent members of the United The cables are silent on whether at The cables obtained by Wikileaks end Nations Security Council, where multi¬ some higher level Russia hirited that Se¬ in February 2010, before the last-minute lateral action would have to pass, and curity Council action against Iran would maneuvering that led to a fourth round be easier with the site gone. But another ' both possess a global reach that could of Security Council sanctions and even secret meeting with the Russians last effectively scuttle much of what the stiffer measures imposed by the. December, recounted in the cables, may United States tried on its own. United States, the Europeans, Australia help explain why Mr. Obama was willing The câbles indicate tiiat die adminis¬ and Japan that experts say are begin¬ to shift focus to die short- and medium- tration undertook multilayered diplo¬ ning to pinch Iran's economy. But while range threat, at least in the near term. matic moves to help ensure that neither Mr. Ahmadinejad has recently offered In the meeting, U.S. officials said noth¬ would cast a council veto to protect Iran. to resume nuclear negotiations, the ing about a slowing of the long-range As of early 2010, China imported cables underscore the extent to which nearly 12 percent of its oil from Iran and Iran's true intentions remain a mystery. worried that supporting sanctions would "There is still time for As Crown Prince bin Zayed of Abu imperil that supply. Obama administra¬ diplomacy, but we should not Dhabi put it in one cable: "Any culture tion officials have previously said that forget that Iran's centrifuges that is patient and focused enough to the year before, a senior adviser on Iran, spend years working on a single carpet are working day and night." Dennis B. Ross, traveled to Saudi Arabia is capable of waiting years and even de¬ to seek a guarantee that it would supply cades to achieve even greater goals." the lost oil if China were cut off. His greatest worry, he said, "is not how threat, as cited by Mr. Obama. They in¬ The cables show that Mr. Ross had in¬ much we know about Iran, but how sisted that North Korea had sent Iran 19 deed been in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, much we don't." advanced missiles, based on a Russian in April 2009. While there is no direct ac¬ design, that could clear a path toward the count of those meetings, a suggestion of William J. Broad and Andrew W. Lehren ' development of long-range missiles. Ac¬ dazzling success turns up later, in contributed reporting. cording to unclassified estimâtes of their cables describing meetings between Saudi and Chinese officials. The offer may have come during a King Abdullah Jan. 13 meeting in Riyadh between For¬ King Hamad of Saudi Arabia eign Minister Yang Jiechi of China and of Bahrain King Abdullah and other senior Saudi

officials, one of whom told Mr. Yang, 'fSaudi Arabia understood China was "He told you to cut off the concerned about having access to en¬ "'That program must be stopped,' head of the snake." ergy supplies, which could be cut off by he said. 'The danger of letting it Iran," according to one cable. AddA al-Jubeir, the Saudi go on is greater than thé danger The conversation, evidently shaped ambassador to the U.S., quoted in an of stopping it.'" by Mr. Ross's request, developed from April2008 cable regardingKing there, the cable indicated. A later cable Abdullah's "frequent exhortations to ' November 2009 cable îniôhiçJi noted simply, ' 'Saudi Arabia has told the the US. to attack Iran and thus put an > the king is quoted on the needjoftçtlt Chinese that it is willing to effectively Iran's nudear pursuit. end to its nudear weapons program." trade a guaranteed oil supply in return for Chinese pressure on Iran not to de¬ velop nuclear weapons." That left Russia. Saâd Hariri

DEALING WITH RUSSIA *** f Lebanon's parliamentary Abu Dhabi Crown #rfff> ' majority leader Throughout 2009, the cables show, the Prince Mohammed "*' u s (now prime minister) Russians vehementiy objected to Ameri¬ bin Zayed can plans for a ballistic missile defense U.A.E. defense chief site in Poland and the Czech Republic. "Iraq was unnecessary,' claimed

Conceived under Mr. Bush and billed as a Saad. 'Iran is necessary."' "Ahmadinejad is Hitler." shield against Iranian missiles that U.S. Quoted inan August 2006 cable intelligence said were under develop¬ July 2009 memo in which Crown tellingAmerican officials thatthey ment, the site was an irritant to Russia, Prince bin Zayed is quoted as urging "must be willing to go all the way if which contended mat it was really de¬ the U.S. not to appease Iran. need be" to stop Iran's nuclear signed to shoot down Russian missiles. In talks with the United States, the program ifdiplomatic efforts fail. Russians insisted that there would be no cooperation on other issues until the site

68 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Bomb attacks strike 2 Iranian NOVEMBER 30, 2010 nuclear scientists in Tehran, killing one

TEHRAN

BY WILLIAM YONG

AND ALAN COWELL

Unidentified assailants riding motor¬ cycles carried out bomb attacks on Monday against two Iranian nuclear physicists here, killing one of them and prompting accusations by Iran that the United States and Israel were behind

the assaults. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that "undoubtedly the hand of the

Zionist regime and Western govern¬ ments is involved" in the killing but did not identify those governments by name. The killing led Iran's nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, to warn the West and its allies not to "play with fire." Mr. . Salehi and Mr. Ahmadinejad vowed that

Tehran would not be deterred from ex¬ The Iranian news agency Fars, which provided this image, said police officers inspected panding its nuclear project. the car of a nuclear scientist killed by a bomb attached to the vehicle on Monday in Tehran. But Mr. Ahmadinejad publicly ac- knowledged, apparently for the first time, that Iran's nuclear program had Beheshti University." patience of the Iranian people has its recently been disrupted by a malicious Some reports from unofficial Iranian limits. If our patience runs out, you will computer software that attacked its news media outiets, controlled by hard¬ suffer the consequences.' ' centrifuges. "They succeeded in creat¬ liners, described Mr. Abbasi as a loyalist Mr. Mohammadi and Mr. Shahriari ing problems for a limited number of our supporter of die Iranian regime involved were associated with a nonnuclear sci- . centrifuges with the software they had in nuclear research at tiie Defense Min¬ entific research unit. It is based in installed in electronic parts," he said at istry and said both scientists were from Jordan, operates under United Nations a news conference. the nuclear engineering department of Iranian officials had previously ac¬ Shahid Beheshti University. auspices and is known as Sesame, for knowledged unspecified problems witii A pro-government Web site, Synchrotron-light for Experimental Sci¬ Iran's centrifuges, which are used to en¬ mashreghnews.ir, said Mr. Abbasi had a ence and Applications in the Middle rich uranium that can be used for peace¬ East. Unusually, its nine-member coun¬ doctorate degree in nuclear physics and ful energy generation or atomic cil includes representatives from Israel described him in terms that suggested weapons. But the Iranians had always along with Iran and several other that he was closely associated with the denied that the problems had been Muslim countries. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The attacks offered Iran another rea¬ caused by malicious computer code. According to soriie reports, Mr. son to argue that its nuclear program A computer program, Stuxnet, is be¬ Shahriari taught at the Supreme Na¬ was under assault after the discovery of lieved to have struck Iran oyer the sum¬ tional Defense University, which is run a computer worm that independent ex¬ mer. Experts said the program, which is by the Iranian Army. perts suspected of causing Iran's nucle¬ precisely calibrated to send nuclear cent- Some Iranian news reports called the ar centrifuges, used to enrich uranium, . rifuges wildly out of control, was likely attacks terrorism. The attacks were to spin oUt of control. The worm is a ma¬ developed by a national government. similar to a bombing in January in

Mr. Ahmadinejad did not specify the which a remote-controlled bomb killed a licious program detected this year on malware or its perpetrators but said that physics professor, Masoud Ali Moham- computers, primarily in Iran but also in ' 'fortunately our experts discovered that madi, outside his home in Tehran. The India, Indonesia and other countries. and today they are not able anymore." Iranian authorities also attributed that In an apparent coincidence, the bomb¬ The dead scientist was. identified as attack to the United States and Israel, a ings on Monday came a day after leaked Majid Shahriari, a physics professor at charge that the U.S. State Department U.S. State Department documents Shahid Beheshti University, in northern dismissed as absurd. quoted several Arab leaders as urging Tehran. He was killed and his wife was In 2007, state television said another the United States to attack Iran's nuclear wounded when a bomb that had been at¬ nuclear scientist, Ardeshir Hossein- facilities. Iran says its nuclear program tached to his car was detonated re¬ pour, had died of gas poisoning. is for civilian purposes only, but many in motely. A second professor at the same Mr. Salehi, who heads Atomic Energy the West and in Israel maintain that university, Fereydoon Abbasi, was Organization of Iran, told the Islamic Re¬ Tehran's aim is to build a nuclear bomb. wounded in a separate, simultaneous at¬ public News Agency, another semi¬ tack. His wife was also wounded. official outlet, on Monday that Mr. Alan Coweli reportedfrom Paris. Iranian news reports said the attack¬ Shahriari "was my student and he

ers had attached the bombs to the pro¬ worked with the Atomic Energy Organ¬ fessors' cars anddetonated them from a ization." Mr. Salehi called Mr. Shahriari distance. The attackers escaped. the manager of "one of the organiza¬ The Fars News Agency, a semiofficial tion's major projects" and said Tehran outlet, declared, "The United States and would "multiply our nuclear efforts." the Zionist regime perpetrated a terror¬ "Don't play with fire," he warned ist attack on two professors at Shahid Western powers and their allies. "The

69 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

Le wahhabisme est une interprétation rigoriste de l'islam sunnite pratiqué en IRAN: DEUX CHEFS REBELLES Arabie Saoudite.

PRÉSUMÉS TUÉS DANS Le communiqué ne précise pas quand l'embuscade a eu lieu et n'identifie pas non plus le groupe rebelle. Il indique que les deux tués étaient soupçonnés du LE KURDISTAN IRANIEN (MINISTÈRE) meurtre d'un responsable de la justice locale et d'avoir mené une série de vols à main armée.

"Le groupe entend utiliser l'argent volé pour augmenter ses actes terroristes dans les zones peuplées de sunnites dans l'ouest du pays", ajoute le commu¬ TEHERAN, 21 novembre 2010 (AFP) niqué.

L'ouest de l'Iran, où est concentrée une forte population kurde, a été le thé⬠DEUX CHEFS rebelles présumés ont été tués dans des affrontements tre de violences meurtrières pendant des années entre les forces de sécurité avec les forces de sécurité iraniennes dans la région kurde de Sanandaj iraniennes et des groupes rebelles kurdes opérant depuis l'Irak voisin. (ouest), a annoncé dimanche le ministère des Renseignements. Le 22 septembre, 12 personnes avaient été tuées et 81 blessées par l'explo¬ "Le chef d'un groupe terroriste formé de déviationnistes wahhabites a été tué sion d'une bombe à Mahabad, une ville à forte population kurde de la province dans une embuscade ainsi que son adjoint" a dit le ministère dans un commu¬ d'Azerbaïdjan occidental (nord-ouest), frontalière de l'Irak et de la Turquie. niqué publié par l'agence de presse Mehr.

IRAK: ESPÉRANT UN VISA, DES CHRÉTIENS SE RUENT SUR UN CONSULAT FRANÇAIS

ERBIL (Irak), 28 novembre 2010 (AFP) sans dire si celui-ci avait dû fermer ses portes.

La branche irakienne d'AI-Qaïda, qui a revendiqué l'attaque sanglante de la cathédrale syriaque catholique de Bagdad le 31 octobre, dans laquelle 44 fidè¬ PLUSIEURS centaines de chrétiens irakiens souhaitant échapper aux menaces d'AI-Qaïda se sont rués dimanche au consulat français d'Erbil, les, deux prêtres et sept membres des forces de sécurité avaient péri, a dans la région autonome du Kurdistan, sur la foi d'une rumeur affirmant annoncé le 3 novembre que les chrétiens étaient désormais des "cibles légiti¬ que cette mission délivrait à tous des visas pour la France. mes" pour les combattants islamistes.

Des menaces qui se sont concrétisées une semaine plus tard par une série Face à l'afflux de ces réfugiés --des hommes, femmes, enfants et personnes d'attaques contre des maisons appartenant à des chrétiens à Bagdad, et qui âgées- munis de leurs papiers d'identité, le consulat a été contraint de fermer ont fait au moins six morts. ses portes, selon un journaliste de l'AFP.

Ces violences ont poussé de nombreux chrétiens à fuir l'Irak ou à chercher La plupart de ces chrétiens sont originaires de Bagdad, théâtre ces dernières refuge au Kurdistan, une région où Al-Qaïda ne commet aucune attaque. semaines d'attaques sanglantes contre leur communauté, et de Mossoul, la

deuxième ville du pays, où leur situation est également difficile. "Que pouvons-nous faire si le gouvernement ne nous protège pas?", interro¬ geait de son côté dans la foule Mazin, arrivé de Mossoul il y a une dizaine de "Nous sommes venus quand nous avons appris que le consulat français pre¬ jours. "Nous voulons partir pour pouvoir vivre en paix." nait les noms des déplacés pour leur donner un visa car, franchement, nous

ne voulons plus rester dans ce pays", a déclaré dans la foule Girgis, 54 ans, Le Premier ministre irakien, Nouri al-Maliki, a appelé le 9 novembre sans la originaire de Mossoul. nommer le France à ne pas favoriser l'émigration des chrétiens, après l'éva¬ cuation vers ce pays de 35 Irakiens blessés dans l'attaque du 31 octobre "J'avais une usine à Mossoul mais je l'ai quittée parce que j'ai peur des terro¬ contre l'église, selon un communiqué de son bureau. ristes. Mais notre vie ici est très difficile et nous ignorons combien de temps

nous allons devoir vivre de la générosité des proches qui nous accueillent". Alors ministre français de l'Immigration, Eric Besson avait indiqué que l'asile

Contactée par l'AFP, l'ambassade de France à Bagdad a simplement affirmé en France leur serait "très généreusement accordé" s'ils en faisaient la demande. que "des dizaines de chrétiens" s'étaient rendus dimanche au consulat d'Erbil,

PROCES DU MEURTRE DE KURDES FAILI EN IRAK: 10 ANS DE PRISON POUR TAREZ AZIZ

BAGDAD, 29 novembre2010 (AFP) L'ancien ministre de l'Intérieur, Saadoune Chaker, et deux ex-dirigeants locaux du parti Baas au pouvoir sous Saddam Hussein, Aziz Saleh al-Nohman et Mizban Khoder Hadi, ont été condamnés à mort. L'ANCIEN vice-Premier ministre irakien Tarek Aziz a été condamné lundi à 10 ans de prison pour sa responsabilité dans le meurtre de membres Sept autres prévenus ont été acquittés "pour manque de preuve", a précisé le tribunal. de la communauté kurde Fail i à l'époque de Saddam Hussein.

Emprisonné depuis sa reddition fin avril 2003, un mois après l'invasion améri¬ Compagnon de la première heure de l'ancien président irakien, Tarek Aziz caine de l'Irak, Tarek Aziz, 74 ans, cumule désormais cinq peines de prisons. avait été condamné en octobre à la peine de mort pour "crimes contre l'huma¬

nité" dans un autre procès, celui de la répression des chiites dans les années En plus de la peine capitale, il avait écopé le 26 octobre d'une peine de 15 ans 1980. de prison pour des tortures, et d'une seconde de dix ans de prison pour crimes

"La Haute cour pénale irakienne a condamné Tarek Aziz et Ahmed Hussein contre l'humanité.

Khodeïr à dix ans de prison", a indiqué à l'AFP Mohamed Abdel Sahab, porte- Il avait été condamné en 2009 à 15 ans d'emprisonnement pour "crimes contre parole du tribunal. Ahmed Hussein Khodeïr était un ancien conseiller de l'humanité" après l'exécution de 42 commerçants en 1992 et à sept ans de pri¬ Saddam Hussein. son pour son rôle dans le déplacement des populations kurdes Faïli dans les

Pendant la guerre avec l'Iran (1980-1988), de nombreux Kurdes Faïli (chiites) années 1980.

furent chassés de leurs terres jugées trop proches de la frontière avec "l'en¬ Opposé à la peine de mort, le président irakien Jalal Talabani a affirmé qu'il ne nemi" iraniens. Et beaucoup périrent dans ces déplacements de population. signerait pas l'ordre d'exécution de M. Aziz.

70 Revue de Presse-Press Revieiv-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

30 novembre 2010 WikiLeaks Décryptages

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllllllllllllllllllll Nucléaire iranien : la mission secrète de l'Elysée à Téhéran

A l'été 2007, Paris dialogue avec un conseiller du « Guide suprême »

La pointe du glaive» : c'est l'ex¬ ments américains dévoilent cette autiste ». Une autre source française pressionqueretient l'ambassa¬ démarche. Tout commence lorsque insiste: «Les Iraniens ne céderont de des Etats-Unis à Paris, en l'Elysée accède, en mai 2007, à une pas tantqu'ils nesentirontpasque la novembre 2009, pour décrire l'in¬ demande d'Ali Aktiar Velayati, le survie du régime est en cause.» transigeance de l'Elysée sur le dos¬ conseiller diplomatique du « Guide Les diplomates américains s'in¬

sier nucléaire iranien. «Des respon¬ suprême», Ali Khamenei. Un terrogent cependant sur,« laphrase sablesfrançais dehaut rang ontsug- «canal de communication» est saisissante » prononcée par géréquelaligneduredeSarkozypou- ouvert. Il vise à contourner le prési¬ M. Sarkozy lors d'un discours, le vaitserévélerutileentantque"pom- dentiranien, MahmoudAhmadine¬ 27 août .2007, «indiquant que le te du glaive" pourfaireface au défi jad, jugé infréquentable. monde est confronté à un choix iranien », relève un mémo figurant Cela conduira à l'envoi à Téhé¬ entre un Iran avec la bombe et le dans les documents obtenus par ran, le 23 août 2007, d'une mission bombardement de l'Iran». Un WikiLeaks et révélés parLeMonde. secrète de la présidence française. conseiller de l'Elysée leur explique Les télégrammes américains Elle est menée par François Richier, que «cela ne signifie pas, comme montrent à quelpointla diplomatie le conseiller pour les affaires straté¬ l'ont avancé certains médias, que la française a insisté très tôt sur le ren¬ giques. «Richieradità Velayatietà Franceseraitprêteàparticiperà une

forcement des sanctions contre d'autres officiels iraniens que si telle action. Loin de là, laFrances'pp- Téhéran Y compris celles prises à l'Iran ne remplissait pas ses obliga¬ posevigqureusementau recoursàla titre national, allant au-delà des tions, les sanctions internationales force». mesures décidées à l'ONU ou au neferaientques'accroître.(...)Richier Fin septembre 2007, un télé¬

sein de l'Union européenne. Paris a ajouté que la France voulait éviter gramme constate que « le canal que presse aussi l'administration Oba¬ une action militaire contre l'Iran, Velayati a essayé d'ouvrir n'est pas ma d'exprimer plus de soutiens mais qu'elle l'accepterait éventuelle¬ fermé, juste inactif, jusqu'à ce que la pour l'opposition iranienne, que le ment comme un dernier recours de France décide de l'utiliser. (..) Le gou¬ pouvoir réprime violemment. Le la communautéinternationale, afin vernementfrançais est pleinement regime iranien est «fasciste», com¬ d'empêcherque ITran se dote de l'ar¬ conscient que Téhéran essaie par ce mente, en septembre 2009, Jean- me nucléaire», écrit un diplomate canal de diviser lePs+i », le groupe DavidLevitte, le conseiller diploma¬ américain, le 7 septembre. des grandes puissances traitant le tique de Nicolas Sarkozy. dossier nucléaire. Les motivations de M. Sarkozy « Phrase saisissante » . Mais aussi, «l'Elysée s'inquiète . sont décortiquées par les diploma¬ Les Américains ont été tenus d'être tenu dans l'obscurité si - et tes américains : « Une croyancefer- informés en amont. Cela n'avait pas quand - le moment viendra d'une meen la non-prolifération (pourpré- été le cas, en décembre 2006-jan- frappemilitaire.Letimingetl'ampli- server la dissuasion nucléaire de la \rier2007, lorsque Jacques Chirac tude d'une telle action -frappe France), une préoccupation réelle avait déjà envisagé de dépêcher dis¬ chirurgicaleou campagneplusgêné'-/ s'agissant de la menace pour Israël crètement un émissaire à Téhéran ralisée-pourraient mettre en cause et une colère personnelle liée à la (l'affaire ayant été éventée, il avait des intérêts français d'une façon façondontl'Irana essayéde manipu¬ renoncé). L'initiative de M. Sarkozy majeure, en raison notammehtdes ler la France,y compris en détenant fait long feu. « Velayati, rapporte capacités de représailles de /îrari la Française Clotilde Reiss », énumè- l'ambassade américaine, en s'ap- contre des Etats du Golfeprésumé

re l'ambassade a Paris. puyant sur des explications françai¬ un diplomate américain. Paris sou¬ Une proximité saisissante entre ses, partait de l'idée erronée que haite être mieux informé des plans la France et Israël sur le dossier ira¬ M Sarkozylibérerait la France de sa de réserve élaborés côté américain. nien se lit dans les comptes rendus, "dépendance" envers les Etats- En mai 2009, M. Sarkozy inauguré

que font les Américains du « dialo¬ Unis. » Les émissaires français sont une base militaire française à Abou gue stratégique » noué entre Paris et rentrés perplexes de Téhéran. Un Dhabi, renforçant le dispositif occi¬ Jérusalem à partir de mai 2008: . conseiller de l'Elysée raconte aux dental dans le Golfe. L'accord de C'est précisément en se basant Américains que « leslraniens nesem¬ défense avec la Fédération des émi¬

sur cette posture stricte que blentpas comprendre la gravité de rats arabes unis est renouvelé et M. Sarkozy a aussi tenté une diplo¬ la situation ni la positionfrançaise. approfondi. matie secrète avec l'Iran. Les docu Ils souffrentd'une mentalitéferméè, Natalie Nougayrède

71 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ôzeti

30 novembre 2010 Décryptages WikiLeaks

Comment les Israéliens ont poussé Washington à la fermeté face à l'Iran

Pour Israël, la diplomatie de Barack Obama à l'égard de l'Iran « ne marchera pas »

érusalem, 1" décembre 2009. quer une arme nucléaire. Rédui- après avoir été tentés. (...) M. Yadlin ricain daté de novembre 2009, près Amos Gilad, directeur des affai¬ santainsi la question de lamilitari- répond qu'il n'est pas en train de d'un an avant que le Kremlin renon¬

res politico-militaires au minis¬ sation [l'étape finale vers la conseillerauxEtats-Unis d'ouvrirun ce à livrera l'Irandes missiles antiaé¬ tère israélien de la défense, s'adres¬ bombe] à une décision politique. » troisième front, mais ilfaut com¬ riens S-300. Les efforts pour rallier

se à EllenTauscher, la sous-secrétai¬ «Le gouvernement israélien, prendre qu'Israël voit les choses la Russie à la diplomatie occidenta¬ re d'Etat américaine. « Sepenchant ajoute un autre document améri¬ autrement, et ne peut retirer l'op¬ le sur l'Iran constituent un souci sursa boule de cristal, écrit le diplo¬ cain, daté du même jour, décritl'an¬ tion militaire de la table », rapporte constantdes Israéliens, qui endiscu¬ mate américain qui relate la scène, née2010comme uneannéecritique. un « memo » américain. tent avec l'admimstration Obama. Gi'/ad dit qu'il n'estpas certain que Si les Iraniens continuent de proté¬ Retour en arrière, à l'époque En coulisses, les tractations vont l'Iran ait décidé de fabriquer une ger et consolider leurs sites nucléai¬ Bush. En août 2007, le chef du Mos¬ bon train. Devant Ellen Tauscher, le arme nucléaire, mais que l'Iran est res, il sera plus difficile de les viser et sad, Meir Dagan, décrit «les cinq 1" décembre 2009, Amos Gilad, «a "déterminé" à avoir l'option d'en de les endommager. » Israël, est-il piliers de la stratégie israélienne» expliqué que Moscou a demandé construire une. » La diplomatie du noté, attend que les Etats-Unis lui face à l'Iran. Il les énumère devant le des livraisons de drones israéliens président Barack Obama, «l'enga¬ livrent des bombes GBU-28 capa- sous-secrétaire d'Etat américain, sophistiquésenéchangedel'annula- gement stratégique avec l'Iran, Nicholas Bums. Un télégramme tion de la vente des S-300 à Téhé¬ c'est une bonne idée», poursuit En août 2007, diplomatique américain les. résu¬ ran», écrit un diplomate. «Gilad a M. Gilad, selon ce télégramme, me ainsi: «A) L'approche politique dit que les Russes reconnaissaient « mais il est bien clair que cela ne le chefdu Mossad (Dagansalueleseffortspourtransfé- leurretardtechnologiquësurlesdro- marchera pas». énumère devant rer le dossier iranien au Conseil de hes, et qu'ils sontprêts àpayer 1 mil¬ L'évaluation des intentions du sécuritéde l'ONU, mais il dit que cet- liard de dollars pour la technologie régime iranien, ainsi que la façon le sous-secrétaire teapprochenerésoudrapaslacrise). israéliennesurcesappareils. lia répé¬ de résoudre la crise nucléaire, qui d'Etat américain, B) Des mesures clandestines (Dagan té qu'Israël nefourniraitpas sa tech¬ dure depuis 2002, occupent une et le sous-secrétaire décident de ne nologie la plus récente, expliquant place importante dans lés télé- Nicholas Bums, pas évoquer cette approche en large qu'elle se retrouverait probable¬ grammes.de la diplomatie améri¬ « les cinq piliers de la comité). C) La contre-prolifération ment entre les mains des Chinois. » caine obtenus par WikiLeaks et (Dagan souligne le besoin d'empê¬ Le même jour, devant cette res¬ révélés par Le Monde. Les Israé¬ stratégie israélienne » cherl'Iran d'acquérirdu savoir-faire ponsable américaine, le directeur liens semblent, pour leur part, faceàïlran et de la technologie. Ilfautfaireplus général du ministère israélien des appeler constamment l'adminis¬ dans ce domaine). D) Des sanctions affairesétrangères, YossiGai, « affir¬ tration Obama à durcir son appro¬ (Dagan dit que c'est dans ce domai-. me que '7e calendrier est essentiel",

che. bles de détruire des bunkers. Celles- ne qu'ont été enregistrés les plus et le temps est venu de mettre en On trouve, dans un télégramme ci seront fournies en mai 2010. grandssuccès.Troisbanquesiranieh- américain daté du 18 novembre Washington envoie des émissai¬ nes sont sur le point de s'effondrer). contre l'Iran, note un télégramme 2009, ces observations : « Un repré¬ res pourtenter de calmerla nervosi¬ (..)E) Forcer un changementde régi¬ diplomatique. «Gai a comparé la sentant du Mossad affirme que té israélienne. Robert Wexler, un me (Dagan dit qu'ilfaudraitfaire nécessité dé sanctions renforcées à Téhéran comprend qu'en réagis¬ influent élu démocrate du Congrès davantagepourfomenter un chan- uneprescription d'antibiotiquespar

sant positivement à l'engagement américain, rencontre, le 13 mai gementderégimeenIran,sipossible un médecin- ilfautprendre tout le [américain], l'Iranpeutcontinuer à 2009, le chef des renseignements avec le soutien de mouvements étu¬ traitementpendant toute sadurée, "jouer la montre". (...) Du point de militaires israéliens, Amos Yadlin. diantsdémocrates etdegroupes eth¬ sinon les médicaments n'agiront vue du Mossad, l'Iran nefera rien « Wexler explique que le président niques, Azéris, Kurdes, Baloutches, pas. » A partir de juillet 2010, sur d'autre que d'utiliser des. négocia¬ américain pourra plus facilement opposés au régime en place). » décision de Barack Obama, les sanc¬ tionspourgagnerdu temps. De tel¬ convaincre l'opinion américaine de L'attitude russe surle dossier ira¬ tions américaines contre l'Iranfran¬ le sorte qu'en 2010-2011, l'Iran aura soutenir une action militaire si les nien est, d'après des Israéliens, « un chiront de nouveaux paliers. la capacité technologique defabri efforts d'engagement échouent mystère », note untélégrammeamé N.No.

72 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

30 N0VEMBRE.2O10 WikiLeaks L'obsession iranienne

Nombre de documents produits par WikiLeaks concernent la lutte de Washington contre Téhéran.

Lm avalanche de documents américains Le prince héritier d'Abou Dhabi, cheikh Mo¬ cisme. Les émissaires américains lui rétor¬

publiés par WikiLeaks est une pho¬ hammed ben Zayed, estime carrément quent que l'opinion soutiendra plus volon¬

tographie assez réaliste des préoc- qu' «une guerre conventionnelle à court terme tiers l'option militaire si la preuve est faite I cupations du moment de la diplo¬ avec l'Iran est clairementpréférable aux consé¬ que la voie diplomatique a échoué. Le gou¬

matie américaine. Ces télégrammes, comptes quences à long terme d'un Iran nucléaire». Il vernement israélien s'est montré plutôt sa¬

rendus, mémos et autres notes révèlent une tenait ces propos à Timothy Geithner, secré- tisfait et soulagé des révélations de Wiki¬

véritable obsession iranienne, dossier priori¬ -; taire au Trésor américain, en juillet 2009. Le Leaks, peu d'observateurs ayant relevé sa

taire et objet de tous les attentions roi (sunnite) de Bahrein, dont le.pays est ma¬ proposition à l'Egypte d'envahir et de pren¬

des diplomates américains. Dis¬ joritairement peuplé de chiites, fait la même dre en charge la bande de Gaza après l'opéra¬

cussions serrées avec Israël, com¬ analyse, devant le général Petraeus, com-. tion Plomb durci de janvier 2009. Washington s'attache aussi beaucoup à éva- munications secrètes avec les pays arabes, mandant en chef du Central Command. : luer le degré d'engagement de ses alliés sur coordination méfiante avec les Européens, Téhéran a réagi à ces révélations embarras¬ le dossier iranien. Paris, dont les positions bras de fer avec la Russie et la Chine, suspi¬ santes avec magnanimité, du moins officiel¬

cions envers la Corée du Nord : tout est ana- lement, assurant que les fuites n'auraient pas sont alignées sur Israël, est vu comme

lysé, décortiqué, interprété au prisme du de conséquences sur les relations avec les «lapointe du glaive» occidental contre l'Iran.

programme nucléaire iranien. «pays amis» voisins. Le président iranien, Des propos de Jean-David Levitte, traitant

La principale révélation - ou plutôt confir¬ Ahmadinejad, ajugéles documents publiés le régime de Téhéran de «fasciste», sont rap¬

mation - de ces communications tous azi¬ «sans valeur», laissant entendre qu'ils rele¬ portés dans un compte rendu. Paris a refusé

muts tient dans l'expose au grand jour du vaient de la «guerre psychologique»; de commenter. En revanche, les diplomates

doublé langage des dirigeants arabes. Alors Moins surprenantes sont, en revanche, les américains restent perplexes sur

qu'en public, ils appellent à un règlement pa¬ pressantes admonestations d'Israël a contrer la phrase de Sarkozy d'août 2007

cifique du problème iranien, en privé, ils la menace iranienne avant qu'il ne soit trop évoquant l'alternative infernale:

poussent Washington à passer à l'action con¬ tard. Le ministre de la Défense, Ehud Barak, «Labombeiranienneoulebombarde-

tre le grand rival perse et chiite. Ainsi, le parle d'une «fenêtre d 'opportunité» qui court ment de l'Iran.» Est-ce à dire que

compte rendu d'une entrevue avec l'ambas¬ jusqu'à fin 2010 pour mener une opération Paris est prêt à participer à une opération

sadeur saoudien à Washington, militaire contre l'Iran, après quoi les «dégâts militaire?

en avril 2008, mentionne les ap¬ collatéraux» pourraient se révéler «intoléra¬ Missiles. La Russie est surveillée comme le

pels réitérés du roi Abdallah bles». En 2007 déjà, le chef du Mossad, Meïr lait sur le feu, surtout au sujet de la vente

d'Arabie Saoudite «à attaquer l'Iranpour met¬ - annulée en septembre - de missiles antiaé¬ Dagan, plaidait auprès du sous -secrétaire trefin [à son] programme nucléaire» . Il parle riens S300 à l'Iran. La Chine est priée d'user d'Etat, Nicholas Burns, pour Èuvrer à un : même, dans le langage imagé des Bédouins, de son influence auprès de Pyongyang pour changement de régime en Iran en attisant de «couper la tête du serpent» . On se souvient empêcher la vente de missiles nord-coréens «l'instabilité» causée par l'inflation et «les qu'il avait confié, selon le Figaro, à Hervé Mo¬ à l'Iran. Enfin, Washington cherche à s'infor¬ tensions au sein des minorités ethniques». rin, alors ministre de la Défense, que «deux mer des rapports de force interne à la Répu¬ Lorsque l'administration Obama expose, dé- pays ne devraient pas exister», faisant réfé- blique islamique. Ainsi, un homme d'affaires

. rence à Israël et à l'Iran. Le roi Abdallah me¬ se rendant régulièrement à Téhéran affirme

naçait aussi, en février, d'une course régio¬ ias exister.»'. nale aux armements nucléaires, si l'Iran Le roi Abdallah d'Arabie Saoudite évoquant Israël acquiert la bombe. Dans ses efforts pour en¬ et l'Iran auprès d'Hervé Morin traver les efforts de son voisin et rival, Riyad à une ambassade américaine en Asie centrale propose même à la Chine de lui fournir du but 2009, sa nouvelle politique de la «main que le Guide, Ali Khamenei, souffre d'une pétrole pour l'inciter à adopter des sanctions tendue» à Téhéran, Amos Gilad, un repré¬ leucémie en phase terminale. C'était en .

économiques contre Téhéran. sentant du ministère de là Défense israélien, août 2009. «Guerre». Le roi Abdallah n'est pas le seul. prend note mais ne cache pas son scepti- CHRISTOPHE AYAD

LIBERATION MARDI 30 NOVEMBRE 2010 Ankara et Al-Qaeda. Le kara dans le financement

quotidien panarabe Al-Hayat d'un attentat contre un pont

relève que «certains des de Bagdad. Un câble améri¬ documents attestent de la col¬ RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN cain en langage codé an¬ laboration -passive et active - nonce ainsi qu'une «grande «Erdogan hait tout simplement Israël», affirment des de la Turquie au terrorisme quantité d'eau est arrivée de diplomates américains en poste en Turquie, indiquant d'.Al-Qaeda en Irak». Il est Turquie, dont les vagues vont soutenir la thèse de l'ambassadeur d'Israël à Ankara, notamment question du bientôt déferler sur Bagdad» . Gabby Levy, selon laquelle les virulentes déclarations laxisme d'Ankara le long de En clair, des explosifs fournis anti-israéliennes du Premier ministre turc sont avant tout la frontière avec l'Irak, qui par la Turquie à des terroris¬ «émot/onne//es, car [Erdogan] est un islamiste». Pour > permet le passage de terro¬ tes basés eh Irak. Le ministre Washington, ['«antipathie» du Turc envers Israël est un ristes chargés d'armes et turc des Affaires étrangères «facteur» dans la détérioration des rapports israélo-turcs. d'explosifs. Un document a été qualifié «d'exception¬

nellement dangereux» par un évoque l'implication d'An informateur de l'ambassade.

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