INSTITUT KURDE DE PARIS

Information and liaison bulletin N°328

july 2012 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 Information and liaison bulletin Kurdish Institute of Paris Bulletin N° 328 July 2012

• SYRIA: THE KURDS ARE LIBERATING THEIR REGIONS.

• IRAQI KURDISTAN: A TURCO-KURDISH EXPORT AGREEMENT AROUSES BAGDAD’S IRE.

• TURKEY: THE START OF A MASS TRIAL OF 205 PEOPLE ACCUSED OF “TERRORISM”.

• CULTURE: THE UBISOFT COMPANY DORCED TO BACKTRACK FACED WITH KURDISH ANGER.

SYRIA: THE KURDS ARE LIBERATING THEIR REGIONS t the beginning of July while the United States consid- putting forward a creditable the Syrian opposition ered that it would not let Bashar political organisation capable of rejected the UN peace el-Assad play any part in Syria’s replacing the Baath in office plan proposing a “polit- political future. The Americans without plunging Syria into A ical transition” and a finally gave way faced with insurrectional chaos or civil war. provisional government so as to Russia’s stubbornness. Nabil al-Arabi stated, before the ends the acts of violence. This 250 Syrians meeting there, that plan had been put forward by For his part, Bashar al-Assad has this conference was an opportu- Kofi Annan and accepted by the constantly repeated that it was nity that should not, in any cir- United Nations some days earli- his duty to eliminate “terrorism” cumstances, be lost by factional er, during an international con- and rejects any foreign interfer- quarrels (AFP). ference at Geneva. However, ence in Syrian affairs. the revolting Syrians consider Nasser el-Kidwa, representing the that negotiating with Bashar al- Meanwhile, in Cairo, Nabil al- United Nations, also insisted on Assad or any member of his Arabi, the leader of the Arab the fact that unity of the Syrians “murderous” government would League, called on the Syrian opposed to the Baath was not “an be just a waste of time, especial- opposition, meeting in the option but a necessity”. ly as Russia insisted that any Egyptian capital, to unite “most future agreement should not urgently”, setting aside their dif- The differences and the multi- totally dismiss the present ferences of opinion that, so far, tude of political platforms are, in Syrian President from office had prevented them from fact, a reflection of the very het- • 2 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 328 • July 2012

erogeneous character of Syria, want to lay down non-nego- by the fact that, as in Iraq in which is split up into a mosaic of tiable conditions for this such as Saddam’s era, many members of ethnic, religious and political recognition of a Kurdish entity the Baath had joined more from groupings — unlike Egypt, in the future Syrian constitution. opportunism or to secure jobs Tunisia and even Libya, whose This is just the issue that proved than out of conviction and that populations are much more a stumbling block to any project the American error in 2003 of homogeneous. Moreover, the of unity in Cairo, since a driving all Iraqi “Baathists” out contacts between the insurgents Kurdish group withdrew when of any public office or the army in Syria and the dissidents in faced with the refusal of the was a powerful factor in increas- exile are very difficult and there Arab opposition to consider ing the ranks of the insurgents. is often little co-ordination such a Kurdish entity in Syria. between on the spot military Thus, one of the members of the While the general Syrian opposi- action in Syria and external ini- National Kurdish Council in tion is having difficulty in unit- tiatives. Consequently the prin- Syria, Morshid Mashouk, ing, an important step, on the cipal fighting force in the field declared that he would not contrary, was taken by the was not represented in Cairo. return to this conference and Kurds on 12 July when the two that this decision was irrevoca- principal blocks of Kurdish As for the Kurds, they also seem ble: “We are a people, we have one opponents, the PYD and the divided over certain political language, one religion and every- Kurdish National Council of choices. Thus on 4 July, Saleh thing that defines a people”. Syria, who had hitherto adopted Saleh Mohammad, leader of the antagonistic positions on the Democratic Union Party (the The final statement of the Cairo attitude to adopt regarding Syria affiliate of the PKK) con- Conference reaffirmed that the Baath, finally announced that sidered, contrary to the rest of fall of Bashar al-Assad was the they had reached an agreement. the opposition, both Kurdish necessary pre-requisite for any They decided to form a common and Arab, that Kofi Annan’s political solution to the Syrian front after final negotiations at plan of a transition government Crisis. “Civil peace and national Irbil, the capital of Iraqi supported “the people’s wishes, unity” are objectives on which Kurdistan. President Messud since this set up would include the opponents were able to agree Barzani attended the meeting. all the social circles in Syria” and (once the Kurdish parties had that his party, consequently, left!). Apart from that, the oppo- While the contents of the agree- supported the decisions taken in sition leadership seemed to ment have not been made pub- Geneva: resist any attempt at unification lic, the effects were soon appar- “We Kurds will also take part in — indeed they were hesitant ent since, as of 20 July the Syrian this government, since the Kurdish about letting any single leader- Kurds announced that they had opposition has already taken it place ship control all their forces. Thus launched an operation to “liber- within the general opposition in the proposal for a committee, ate the Kurdish regions” and Syria”. which would consolidate all the had already taken over the town actions of dissident parties, was of Kobane (in Aleppo giver- However the PYD was alone rejected by the principal political norate) stating that the govern- amongst the Kurds in wishing to body, the Syrian National ment forces had withdrawn. spare the Syrian government as Council. This was criticised by Videos quickly circulated on long as possible, without clearly others, who saw this as a refusal Internet showing that some offi- choosing between the Ba’ath and by the SNC both to give up its cial buildings were flying the the Free Syrian Army. From the leadership and to act as the co- Kurdish flag. PKK flags were start of the revolt it has tried to ordinator itself. also visible and the picture of set up more or less autonomous Ocalan was seen side by side areas in towns it controlled and The Cairo Conference expressed with that of Massud Barzani where it imposed either neutrali- the wish for a “republican, demo- (very popular in Syrian ty of a non-aggressive line cratic” Syria and for a “civil and Kurdistan) in demonstrations between the Kurds and the gov- plural system”. The dissolution that seem to confirm a common ernment’s armed forces. of the Ba’ath Party is envisaged strategy of Syrian Kurds. They but its former members would also show to what extent State Other Kurdish parties are con- not be excluded from all political borders are totally irrelevant sidering whether to ally them- participation so long as “they do when it is a matter of defining selves more clearly with the not have blood on their hands”. the various trends within the Arab opposition while others This last point can be explained Kurdish national movement. n° 328 • July 2012 Information and liaison bulletin • 3•

These actions, in any case, mark autonomy and laying down its to occupy the abandoned areas, a turning point in the PYD’s pol- own conditions and, even today, virtually without firing a shot. It icy, which has hitherto tried to refusing any presence of the is only at Qamishlo that clashes discourage the other Kurdish Iraqi Army on its soil must have seem to have taken place between movements from joining the carried some weight in the the Kurdish “People’s Defence Arab revolts because of its choice of this strategy. Union” and Baath militia. Turkish sponsor. Thus the PYD leader announced the formation A rew days after the liberation of Il remains to be seen whether of “civil defence committees” Kobane, it was the turn of the Damascus was caught unawares that would administer the liber- towns of Efrin and Amude then by the Irbil agreement or ated areas, For his part Nuri of Dêrik to fall into Kurdish whether there the Alawis are Brimo, spokesman for the hands as well as certain neigh- anticipating the future collapse Kurdistan Democratic Party, bourhoods of the big city of of this agreement and hope to stated to the daily paper Rudew Qamishlo. win back both the lost Kurdish that, on the strength of the Irbil regions and its alliance with the agreement, the town of Kobane It should be noted that, so far, PYD. Abdul Bassit Sayda, the would be jointly administered the Kurds have been spared the SNC president, does not share by the PYD and the Kurdish violence suffered by the Arab the apparent confidence of the National Council and that this towns and that these acts of “tak- Kurds in the Baath’s neutrality was just the first step in the lib- ing power” have visibly taken and fears a bloody thirsty return eration of “Western Kurdistan”. place without clashes between of the Syrian Army to Syrian the Kurdish forces and the Kurdistan once it has succeeded An announcement from the Syrian Army. It is true that the in crushing the revolt in the Kurdish Party of Progress made Baath forces and the paramili- Arab towns. the point that the Baath’s author- tary militia are foreign forces in ity was greatly reduced in the the Kurdish regions and that, The power sharing and balance Kurdish regions as a whole and unlike the rest of Syria, there has between the Kurdish move- that some of them were now not been any war between pro ments is fragile. The Kurdish completely free of it. and anti-regime Kurds. National Council insists so often about the necessity of observing It is hard to say how far this new Indeed, each lime a Kurdish town the terms of the Irbil agreement agreement between these was “liberated” the Kurdish par- that its fear is evident that the Kurdish organisations will last ties announced that a Syrian PYD might not do so. However, or hit snags, but it is certain that “withdrawal” or the surrender of it must be recalled that the one of the most important fac- militia without it being possible Kurds have a horror of civil war tors cementing this alliance is to know the situation on the spot, ever since the one that nearly the common determination of but never any shelling or street caused the collapse of the Iraqi the Kurds not to let their towns fighting. In any case, the Kurds Kurdistan in the 90s. Even be taken over by the the “Free on the spot do not seem to fear though the rivalry between the Syrian Army” by themselves any reprisals from the regime and PYD and the other Kurdish plat- freeing them. Thus the PYD, the to distrust more the other Syrian forms has often been sharp and only armed group, has been for rebels, who are backed by given rise to acts of violence, it some months been preventing Turkey. Should one conclude that has never gone so far as to the FSA from entering Syrian the Baath has decided of it own degenerate into bloody conflicts. Kurdistan and has again pre- accord to withdraw from the Having said this, only the PYD, vented its militia from entering Kurdish regions and concentrate so far has any armed forces, the Kobane by announcing its liber- their action of the Arab provinces other Kurdish factions being ation. Moreover the other so as to avoid fighting on several political movements. The new Kurdish parties support it in fronts, while putting off the forces being trained in Iraqi this. “Kurdish question” to be dealt Kurdistan may change this situa- with later? This is the explanation tion. Here too, the recent history of put forward by Nuri Brimo, who Iraqi Kurdistan, that freed itself points out that other regions had Moreover, the Syrian conflict from Saddam Hussein in1991 been emptied of troops. He even issues regarding the Kurds in and then joined the new Iraq of states that Damascus had advised Syria is being exported to Iraq its own accord in 2003 on the the PYD of this withdrawal so and is aggravating relations strength of its mow ten-year-old that the Kurdish fighters only had between Irbil and Baghdad, • 4 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 328 • July 2012

since the Kurdish President sup- inclined to support the to serve in the liberation forces. ports the Syrian movement of Damascus regime and balks at revolt and is regarded by the opening its borders to the floods This a “moral and financial” Syrian National Council as a of refugees. support has bee given to the major representative and part- Syrian Kurds on condition that ner, on the same level as Turkey. Massud Barzani has been they agree on the common man- Thus Abdul Bassit Sayda, the accused by political circles and agement of the towns taken over (Kurdish) president of the SNC papers close to the Iraqi Prime from the Baath. This has been ahs indicated that he is in con- Minister of sending his own admitted by Nuri Brimo, the tact with the Kurdistan regional troops in to liberate Syrian Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Government regarding events in Kurdistan, which he denies, spokesman, thus confirming and Syria and even secretly visited though pointing out that strengthening, along with the Irbil before the agreement. The Kurdish troops that had desert- Irbil agreement, Barzani’s posi- Baghdad government, on the ed the Syrian Army and sought tion as “godfather” or even other hand, supports Syria (with refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan were arbiter of the Kurdish cause in the support of Iran) and seems being trained by the Peshmergas the Middle East.

IRAQI KURDISTAN: A TURCO-KURDISH EXPORT AGREEMENT AROUSES BAGDAD’S IRE elations between the without needing Iraqi approval. the Kurds, had ceased to export Baghdad central gov- “Even if there is no consensus with fuel and oil derived products to ernment and the Baghdad, we will continue to sell Iraqi Kurdistan. “They therefore Kurdistan Regional our natural gas and oil oil to asked us for fuel and we accepted”. R Government have fur- Turkey. We plan to sell 10 billion ther deteriorated since the cubic metres of gas to Turkey and, From the Kurdish side, Seerwan announcement of an agreement eventually to Europe”. Abubaqr, a KRG adviser to the between Irbil and Ankara Ministry fo Natural Resources, regarding the export of Kurdish Pointing to the disastrous confirmed that they had stared natural gas to Turkey that bye neglect and economic state in exporting “limited quantities” of passes Baghdad’s authorisation. which Iraq finds itself, compared crude oil that would be refined in with the development of Turkey “and would return” to For years past the Iraqi central Kurdistan, the Kurdish Minister Kurdistan. government has been struggling added that if they depended on against any autonomous man- Baghdad to attract foreign “If necessary, we would export oil to agement of the Kurdish region’s investors, nothing would be pos- Iran” added Seerwan Abubaqr. natural resources and its deter- sible. “We will continue to export oil until mination to make its own agree- the central government supplies us ments without going through On 8 July, an AFP despatch con- with oil derived products. It is the Baghdad. Thus the announce- firmed from official sources that cental government that is pushing us ment of a gas pipeline between the Kurdistan Regional into this”. Turkey and Kurdistan, that Government had started to would enable le latter to sell its export oil produced in its territo- The Iraqi Oil Minister denies gas directly to its Northern ry without waiting for central these allegations while his prede- neighbour is a hard blow both to government approval. For its cessor, Hussein Al-Sharistani the Maliki government and to its part, the Telegraph stated that (who now heads all fuel and relations with Ankara. trucks transporting crude oil power questions in Iraq) repeats, were crossing the Turkish bor- through his spokesman Faisal Speaking at the Forum on the der pending the constriction of a Abdullah, that only the Oil Caspian gas question that was pipeline planned for 2013, fol- Minister has the right to decide taking place in Istanbul in July, lowing an agreement between on exports. Ashti Hawrami , the Minister for Irbil and Ankara. Fuel and Power of the Kurdistan Kurdish sources have reported Regional government let it be While on a visit to Brazil, the that “only” four trucks a day, understood that this agreement Turkish Prime Minister, Recep while the Fuel and Power could take effect in about 18 Tayyip Erdogan explained that Minister, Taner Yildiz, spoke of 5 months to two years — and Iraq, in recurring conflict with to 10 trucks of crude a day on 13 n° 328 • July 2012 Information and liaison bulletin • 5•

July while hoping that this would an agreement reached between bought 80% of two operating shortly increase to between 100 Exxon and Irbil, led President fields in Iraqi Kurdistan on 19 and 200 trucks a day. Barack Obama once again to try July. an appease his Iraqi ally with However, the sanction imposed The Iraqi government spokesman, sweet words about the Iraqi on Chevron did not dissuade Ali Dabbagh, then directly Constitution and its laws, without Total, which announced on 31 July addressed Turkey, ordering it to talking of any concrete measures the signing of an operating agree- stop these “illegal” transfers of or pressures on this American ment in the Kurdish region: its crude oil by the Kurds at the risk company. 35% participation in two fields, of damaging bilateral relations, Harir and Sageen, that it has particularly economic ones. This has not stopped the Iraqi bought from Marathon Oil. Prime Minister’s Office from On 17 July, Hussein Sharistani’s declaring that, on the strength of The Kurds aim to supply, by 2015, office reported a loss of 8 and a this encouragement by the US 1 million barrels a day, and 2 mil- helf billion dollars due to the government, it was going to take lion by 2019, according to Michael freezing of deliveries of crude oil “all necessary measures for applying Howard, an advisor of the by the Kurds. In retaliation the the law” and preventing foreign Minister of Natural resources Iraqi government threatened to companies from dealing directly Ashti Hawrami. Present produc- freeze the 17% of its annual bud- with the Kurds. tion is about 300,000 barrels. get dueto be allocated to the Kurdish region. Exxon, for its part, has not made Agreements have been signed any comment, and indeed, the with about fifty foreign compa- Turkey is not the only, or even the only retaliatory measures that Iraq nies, including Norway’s Statoil first, country to arouse the anger can really carry out are to cancel ASA (STL), Exxon Mobil Corp of the Iraqi government for having the operating contracts under way Chevron Corp, and Total SA (FP) dared to sign contracts with the with foreign companies that might to name the most important ones. KRG without Baghdad’s approval. contravene its policy of centralisa- The United States, through Exxon, tion. Baghdad has not spared itself As for pipelines that the KRG is at and France, through Total, were making such threats, whose effects present building following an attacked several months ago by do not seem to have impressed agreement reached directly Iraq. foreign investors. Thus Chevron, between the Kurds and the Turks, another American giant, has been they should have a capacity of The latter, having once again banned from working in the non- 200,000 barrels a day, according to protested to the White House over Kurdish regions of Iraq for having an executive of Genel Energi.

TURKEY: THE START OF A MASS TRIAL OF 205 PEOPLE ACCUSED OF “TERRORISM”

mass trial began at the sidered to have engaged in “ter- Kurds with an international plat- beginning of July wit rorist actions” or even of mem- form for their linguistic and 205 people in the dock bership of a Kurdish political political demands. Thus many of accused of links with organisation. They have been those accused have demanded A terrorism and propa- jailed because of the contents of the right to speak in their mother ganda on behalf of a terrorist their publications, covering such tongue although any remarks organisation, on the basis of “sensitive” subjects as the made in Kurdish in a court is their membership, whether real Kurdish question or the recorded as “having been or suspected, of the Union of Armenian genocide like Busra expressed in an unknown lan- Kurdistan Communities (KCK) Ersanli, an academic and guage”. This time, however, the which Turkey considers an affili- research worker or Ragip Court’s Chairman has recog- ate of the PKK”. Zarakolu, a publisher who have nised, in writing, that since the long been targets of the Turkish Kurdish language was used by Among those charged are a con- legal system for the simple rea- one of the accused his remarks siderable number of intellectu- son of their work, although could not be understood — als, journalists and academics as undertaken completely legally. which at least means that recog- well as members of the Pro- nition of the existence of the Kurdish BDP party. Some of the The spectacular extent of this Kurdish language has been writ- accused cannot seriously be con- trial is, however, providing the ten into the archives of the • 6 • Information and liaison bulletin n° 328 • July 2012

Caglayan High Court even if should be transferred to the was the largest in this brand not, at present, mentioned in the High Court of Appeals. new Law Court, le lack of room Turkish Constitution. However, the Prosecutor, was evident because of the great Ramazan Saban, rejected this media coverage of this trial. In On 3 July the accused Kudbettin demand as well as the right to addition to the family and sym- Yazbaşı and Mümtaz Aydemir, plead in Kurdish. pathisers of the accused, it was members of the BDP party were packed with journalists, foreign greeted in Court with shouts of The lawyers then withdrew from observers, and members of “Berxwedan jiyan” (Resistance is the Court in protest. NGOs who were forbidden to Life) and the Judge had to warn take photos. the public against any attempts On 13 July, 16 of the accused at applause, boos or any other were released after passing sev- This time the accused did not “extravagant behaviour”. eral months in detention. proclaim their support for resis- Amongst them was Busra tance but did reply present in When two of the accused, Ersanli, who lectures at Kurdish: “Ez li vi rim” when the Kudbettin Yazbaşı and Mümtaz Marmara University and for court asked them for their Aydemir, were asked to give whom the prosecution had names. Doğan Erbaş, a lawyer their names and identities, they called for a 15-year sentence for accused of acting as an interme- again did so in Kurdish and this “membership of a terrorist organisa- diary between Ocalan and the time the Court President recog- tion”. This academic, who is a PKK described their working nised that they had spoken in a member of the BDP, had spent 8 conditions and how the Turkish language “other than Turkish”. months in jail awaiting her trial. State could be unaware, in this Mehmet Emin Aktar, who is case of such facts. head of the Diyarbekir Bar Three days later, on 16 July, 50 Association, objected to the fact other accused, 46 of whom were `The whole of the accusation is that a language spoken by 20 lawyers, appeared charged with based on our meetings with million people was not legally membership of the KCK. Seven Abdullah Ocalan. All these recognised by the Court and of them face 22 and a half years meetings, from the first to the asked for translators for the jail for “having formed and led an latest, took place with the autho- accused. Far from granting this armed organisation”. The others risation and under the surveil- request, the Court authorities face 15 years jail for being mem- lance of the State. All was pre- switched off the microphones as bers of this organisation. determined by the law — there soon as any remarks were made was no room for chance or initia- in Kurdish. The defence had demanded the tive in these meetings. In such suspension of all proceedings circumstances it would have Another lawyer, Meral Danış against them and their immedi- been impossible to manager the Beştaş, challenged the Court’s ate release, which the Court “leadership committee” men- jurisdiction for trying members refused. The demands to plead tioned in the charge sheet. of the BDP, arguing that only the in Kurdish as well as that of constitutional court had the right hearing Ocalan as a witness (in Finally, after three days of hear- to try political parties. She thus the case of Ocalan’s lawyers, ings, only nine of the lawyers demanded that 3 experts exam- accused of transmitting the PKK were released but they remained ine the BDP’s political activities leader’s orders) were, unsurpris- on probation. The hearings were and decide whether there was a ingly also rejected. postponed to 6 November 2012 need for opening an enquiry. and will take place at the Silivri Should that be the case, the case Although the Courtroom chosen Special Assize Court. CULTURE: THE UBISOFT COMPANY DORCED TO BACKTRACK FACED WITH KURDISH ANGER he Kurdistan Department of video games and so obliged Persia”, “Assassin’s Creed”, and for Foreign relations it to retouch a graphic element “splinter Cell” is due to bring wrote a letter of protest in the next section of one of out a new episode of Tom to Ubisoft, a French most famous video games Clancy’s adventures in 2013: firm that has become “Splinter Cell”. “Splinter Cell Blacklist” that T rd the world’s 3 largest publisher The publisher of “Prince of begins with a terrorist group n° 328 • July 2012 Information and liaison bulletin • 7•

preparing a series of attacks in Toronto, gave the following protest page in Facebook, which the United States. explanation: the scenes’ graph- pointed out that “being the ics were inspired by present largest nation without its own While looking at the trailer day villages in the rural State did not necessarily make it a some Kurds were infuriated at Kurdistan mountains. “The ter- terrorist nation. One could other- seeing that the terrorist rorists has driven out the villagers wise think that its alliance with stronghold surrounded by and used this township as a base, the USA in the war against Iraq in American commandos was fly- since its “natural camouflage” 2003 made it a rogue nation”, ing Kurdistan’s historic flag, makes it an ideal secret training recalled Falah Mustafa Bakir, in which is also that of the present camp. If the terrorists have his letter. Regional Government of Iraqi retained the Kurdish flag in a visi- Kurdistan. ble position, it is to preserve their The Director of the ‘camouflage’” insisted Scott Lee, Communications department of The Kurdistan Region’s Foreign explaining that he had wanted Ubisoft, Michael Burk, has Minister, Falah Mustafa Bakir, to place side by side heavy promised that the flag will be even wrote a letter of protest to weapons and military elements removed in the final version the Communication Department in a “civilian” décor. and that they had never intend- of Ubisoft (US). ed to confuse people’s minds by Questioned about this the artis- This, however, did not convince making the Kurdish flag a sym- tic Director of Ubisoft, in the Kurds, who opened a bol of terrorism. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

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2 inillll I PROCÈS À ISTANBUL DE 193 MILITANTS KOMIS Près de 35 millions de personnes forment le plus grand peuple sans Etat, écartelé entre laTurquie, l'Irak, l'Iran et la Syrie. Après lavague des révolutions au Moyen:Orient, les Kurdes de la région attendent, eux aussi, un réveil démocratique

Guillaume Perrier

Istanbul correspondance

EnTurquie, onne badi¬

ne pas avecles symbo¬ les. Le réseau social

Facébook a récem¬

ment adopté des

règles de censure sur mesure pour le pays d'Atatùrk. La publication d'une carte du Kurdis¬ tan ou l'apologie d'Abdullah Oca- lan, leader emprisonné depuis t s 1999 du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), peuvent, par <**

exemple, entraîner la suppression

immédiate du compte d'un utilisa¬

teur. Cette crispation pourrait prê¬ i ""'««Mi. ter à sourire si elle n'était pas le reflet d'une longue relationconflic¬ * tuelle entre l'Etat turc et sa minori¬ 1 té kurde. Le PKK, d'obédience marxiste-léniniste, mène depuis

1984 une lutte armée contre l'Etat w-*« v> turc pour obtenir une autonomie -* politique ainsi que des droits cultu¬

rels et linguistiques pour les Kur¬ des de Turquie. En près de trente ans, le conflit a fait plus de 45 ooo.morts et 1 millionde person¬

nes déplacées. nalisme, arrestations... En fait; la considérable dans le pays. crédité le premier ministre Recep L'impasse est devenue criante à colère n'est pas retombée depuis Officiellement, Ankara crai¬ Tayyip Erdogan dans sa volonté de

la lumière des «révolutions ara¬ décembre 2011 etle drame d'Ulude- gnait une infiltration d'un groupe sortir du cercle vicieux. Pour les

bes ». Les Kurdes sont venus rappe¬ re, village frontalier désormais de «terroristes» du PKK. Mais Kurdes de Turquie, c'est un trau: ler à laTurquie que, pourprétendre synonymede massacre : une colon¬ l'image des corps de ces adoles¬ matisme de plus.

à un rôle de modèle démocratique ne de contrebandiers qui reve¬ cents, enroulés dans des couvertu¬ La perspective d'une solution dans la région, il lui fallait d'abord naient d'Irak y a été prise pour res et alignés le long d'une route, durable à ce. conflit avait pourtant

régler cette question interne. cible parles F-16 de l'armée turque, ajoutée au silence du gouverne¬ été entrevue après l'arrivée au pou- : Les armes sont jusqu'à présent au moment de traverser lafrontiè¬ ment, incapable de prononcer un voir, enaopS) del'AKP, unparti isla- la seule réponse. Les récents com¬ re. Bilan : 34 morts et une émotion mot d'excuse, a durablement dis- mo-conservateur, et le lancement

bats qui ont fait au moins 26 morts par M. Erdogan d'une politique d'« ouverture démocratique» en près de Daglica le 20 juin, à la fron¬ Ils sont venus rappeler tière entre la Turquie et l'Irak, dont direction des Kurdes. Quelques gestes symboliques ont suivi: la 8 soldats turcs et 18 rebelles du à la Turquie que pour prétendre PKK, selon le décompte officiel, création d'une chaîne de télévi¬ sion d'Etat en langue kurde (TRT6), ont replongé la Turquie dans un à un rôle de modèle démocratique cycle de violences immuable l'ouverture de départements dé' kurdologie dans des universités..: depuis trente ans: attentats et dans la région, il lui fallait d'abord Mi-juin20i2, le gouvernement à embuscades du PKK, raids de repré-' aussi annoncé que la langue kurde sailles de l'armée, funérailles des régler cette question interne serait proposée en cours optionnel martyrs, révoltes,montée dunatio-

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

à l'école publique. Cette détente a

permis à des réfugiés politiques, Le PKK au ceur du jeu comme le poète Kemal Burkay, en exil depuis trente et un ans, de ren¬ diplomatique régional trer au bercail.

Surle plan poktiqueet militaire,

les progrès ont été beaucoup plus Assadpense qu'ilvapouvoirm'utiliser, monts Kandil, dans le nord de l'Irak, qui abrite les

timides. Les représentants des ser¬ mais c'estmoiqui l'utiliserai. » Ces paro¬ dirigeants militaires et plusieurs milliers de com¬ vices secrets (MIT), dont leur chef, les, rapportées à Istanbul parl'un de ses battants, est devenue dangereuse. La Turquie y Hakan Fidan, très proche du pre¬ anciens compagnons de lutte, ont été pronon¬ envoiérégulièrement ses avions pourbombar¬ mier ministre, avaient tout de cées par Abdullah Ocalan dans les années 1970, à derles camps et les villages, quand ce ne sont pas même entamé des négociations, Damas. « Apo », qui fonda le Parti des tra¬ des troupes qui franchissentla frontière. L'Iran a en 2010, à Oslo, avec les chefs mili¬ vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK) en 1978, près de fait de mêmeen 2011 et serait ainsi parvenu, taires du PKK. Diyarbakir, s'installa dès l'année suivante en selon certains rapports du renseignementturc, à Mais le cycle de la violence a vite Syrie. Pendant vingt ans, son organisation opéra capturerMurât Karayilan, principal comman¬ repris le dessus. Le PKK a relancé sous la protection du régime baasiste, installant dant du PKK, avant de le remettre en liberté. . attentatsetembuscades.Abdullah ses camps d'entraînement dans la plaine de la Le PKK se retrouve une nouvelle fois au c . Ocalan, son chef historique, est Bekaa, au Liban. Cette alliance pritfin en 1999. d'un jeu diplomatique régional complexe. Le mouvement fondé parAbdullah Ocalan s'appuie confiné en prison, sans qu'aucune : Sous la pression de laTurquie, quin'hésita pas à sur ses antennes régionales : le Parti de l'union visite lui soit autorisée, depuis dé menacer de réduire le débit dufleuve Euphrate démocratique (PYD) en Syrie, le Parti pourune ' Jongs mois. L'armée bombarde pourfaire entendre raison à son voisin syrien, vie libre au Kurdistan (PJAK) enIran, le Parti pour quasiment chaque semaine les Damas se résolut à expulser Ocalan et son état- . une solution démocratique au Kurdistan (PCDK) : camps des rebelles situés dans le major. Après une longue cavale et une traque

' nord de l'Irak -c'est encore le cas digried'un film d'espionnage, le chefdu PKKfut en Irak... Il maintient sur le sol irakien, avec le camp de réfugiés de Màkhmour, 12 000 habi¬ depuis le 20 juin. finalement capturé à Nairobi, au Kenya, avec tants, unvéritable vivierde combattants... Surtout, les vagues d'arresta¬ l'aide du Mossad israélien. Il est, depuis treize Profitant du chaos en Syrie, labranche syrien¬ tions menées dans tout le pays ans, détenu et isolé sur une île, Imrali, en pleine ne tente de mettre la main sur la région kurde et. ; 'depuis avril 2009, dans le cadre de mer de Marmara. de s'y aménager une forme d'autonomie. sur le KCK (Union des La Syrie pourrait de nouveau offrirun refuge Damas, mais aussi Téhéran, avec qui le PKK a ^communautés du Kurdistan), une à la guérilla du PKK. La Turquie craint en effet conclu un cessez-le-feu, semblent prêts à fermer ': structure civile de soutien au PKK, que BacharAl-Assad ne cherche à utiliser la rébel¬ lés yeux. Au contraire, pour le président de la sorte d'administration fantôme lion kurde comme moyen de pression et qu'il « région autonome kurde » MassoUd Barzani, "indépendantiste, ont éreinté le tolère la présence de camps d'entraînement et qui a développé des liens économiques très forts mouvement et attisé la colère. de chefs politiques du mouvement sur son terri¬ toire. «Lesforces de sécuritéontnoté une aug¬ avec la Turquie, devenue son meilleur allié dans Plusieurs milliers de personnes mentation du nombre de groupes de combat¬ la région, la présence du PKK sur son territoire ont été arrêtées : six députés élus tants du PKKentrant en Turquiepar la Syrie », a est de plus en plus gênante. Le 21 juin, surla chaî¬ en 2011, une trentaine de maires, mis en garde le ministre turc des affaires étrangè¬ ne d'Etat turc TRT, désormais diffusée à Erbil, dont celui de la grande ville de res, Ahmet Davutoglu, en mars. De nombreux M. Barzani a condamné les attaques du PKK et a Van, des fonctionnaires munici¬ Syriens garnissent déjà les rangs du PKK, tel appelé l'organisation à déposerles armes. « Ces paux, des syndicalistes, des centai¬ Bahoz Erdal, l'un de ses chefs militaires. Ankara attaquesfontsouffiirles Kurdes», a-t-il déclaré. nes d'étudiants^ des dizaines de est également persuadé que l'attaque contre ses Les Etats-Unis, qui fournissent des renseigne¬ journalistes, les avocats d'Abdul¬ soldats à-Daglica, le 20 juin, à la frontière entre la ments à l'armée turque, et les pays européens se lah Ocalan... Mais aussi des intellec¬ Turquie et l'Irak, est à mettre enlien avec la dété¬ montrent plutôt coopératifs avec laTurquie. Le tuels et des défenseurs des droits rioration de ses relations avec la Syrie. PKK figure sur la liste des mouvements terroris¬ de l'homme jugés pro-Kurdes, tels Pourla rébellion, un repli dans le nord-est de tes de l'Union européenne. que l'éditeur Ragip Zarakolu et la Syrie présenterait des avantages. La zone des Gu.P. l'universitaire Bûsra Ersanli, deux figures du monde intellectuel. Le premier a été libéré après plu¬ sieurs mois de détention, la secon- pour lés Kurdes afin de parvenir à ; de, professeure de sciences politi¬ . une trêve. Les Kurdes attendent toujours le printemps. ques, reste sous lesverrous. Les pri¬ En Irak, plus au sud, l'onde de sons débordent, des mutineries et choc du « printemps arabe » se fait des grèves de la faim politiques y davantage sentir. Il n'y a certes pas sont déclenchées. L'industrie péni¬ eu de révolution à Bagdad : la chu¬ tentiaire tourne à plein régime. te du dictateur Saddam Hussein Une maison d'arrêt géante est en avait déjà eu lieu, en 2003. Mais ' construction à Diyarbakir, la « capi¬ c'est dans la région kurde, dans le tale » des Kurdes de Turquie. nord de l'Irak, que le mouvement La déception est d'autant plus a pris le plus d'ampleur. A Souleir , grande que le gouvernement isla- maniyé, fief de l'Union patrioti¬ mo-conservateur de l'AKP sem¬ que du Kurdistan (UPK) de Jalal blait « armé » pour rompre avec la Talabani, des dizaines de manifes¬ traditionnelle politique d'assimi¬ tants ont planté leurs tentes sur lation des Kurdes. Le déni d'identi- . * >r une place rebaptisée «Tahrir», té qui avait conduit l'Etat à élabo¬ A- qu'ils ont occupée pendant plu¬ rer des théories pseudo-scientifi¬ sieurs semaines en 2011. Les affron¬ ques, présentant les Kurdes com- O En avril 2011, le Conseil électoral turc invalide tements avec les forces de sécurité ' me des « Turcs des montagnes », a la candidature de plusieurs représentants kurdes aux y ont fait au moins quatre morts. fait long feu. Mais le gouverne¬ élections législatives. le 19 avril, à Istanbul, en réaction, Ce mouvement, dit « du 17 février mentde M. Erdogan n'a pas renver¬ des manifestants agitentle portrait d'Ocalan, 2011», entendait dénoncer le sé le dernier tabou: la reconnais¬ chefemprisonné du PKK. mustafa ozer/afp mode de gouvernance autocrati¬ sance d'une autonomie politique que des vieux leaders kurdes, la Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

. corruption endémique et l'absen- - (PDKI), fut assassiné à Vienne. ce de services publics. Un an plus . Depuisl'arrivéeaupôuvoirdupré- . tard, une nouvelle manifestation sident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ' - *Jm ftkT / a été interdite. Le problème reste. . en 2005, les partis kurdes restent +^* --^^ ' ^^A ^ £~*- entier. j marginalisés. ^ ~^^ * \ ' /N Wt'^È ** Car, vingt ans après avoir obte- Plusieurs'leaders de la commu- *V '^^^"'^ ' jg w"S nu l'autonomie de facto, en 1991, nauté ont ainsi été écartés par les V W ^ 'w < ' & Vf après la première guerre du Golfe, autorités avant les dernières élec- ' ""'' / les Kurdes d'Irak attendent tou- tions législatives du 2 mars. Le , I jours qu'elle s'accompagne d'une Conseil des Gardiens de la révolu- * démocratisation en profondeur, tion a rejeté la candidature de , 1 Les deux chefs historiques, Mas- ~T~^'~i-i ' j ' m. soudBarzanil'héritierdeMustafa représentants duTront kurde um i Barzani, et Jalal Talabani, se parta- De plus, les condamnations amort 13 , gentlarégion.L'unrègnesurErbil, de pnsonmerspohtiques kurdes . Tautre sur Souleimamyé, l'un sur se sont multipliées ces dernières V , ,. années. En mai 2010, 16 d entre le Parti démocratique du Kurdis- euxontétépendus,cequiaprovo- tan(PDK), l'autre sur l'UPKCha- qué des émeutes dans les régions _ -- _ ., a - , ;--.- -ft .- cun dispose de son armée, de sa ^des Le dignitaire chiite irakienMoqtadaAl-Sadr (a droite) police politique, de ses médias, de* £n Syri6j même si elle est, en est accueilli parle leader des Kurdes d'Irak sa compagnie de téléphonie mobi- nomDre ia' moins importante, la MassoudBarzani à Erbil, le 26avril. La rencontre le et d'un trésor de guerre farami- niinoritékurde est, ces temps-ci, la a pour objectifd'apaiser les tensions entre neux tiré des revenus pétroliers. plus observée. Quelle attitude le «Kurdistan autonome» et Bagdad. Cependant, les libertés indivi- va.t-elle- adopter face à la réprës- hamedsafin/afp duelles n'ont guère progressé. Les siQn du ré ime de Bachar menaces qui pèsent surles jourha- M.Assad ? Dèsles premières semai- listes indépendants, là révélation . ' j-45 de l'existence de prisons secrètes, nés de révolte, les Kurdes ont défi- mr««^ A~ C~4~ «« « M«- les agissements du Parastin, les lé spontanément, notamment LeS KUTdeS de SyTie Tie Veulent paS services secrets du PDK dirigés par dans la grande ville de "'i»"__-"~^.«^ MasrourlefilsdeMassoudBarza- Kamechliyé, à la frontière turque. d Ulie autre république « arabe », ni... dressent un sombre tableau. Mais l'un des premiers gestes de - »^#^^"*.««« «* «««*««14«A«k L'un des hommes les plus puis- Damas fut de rétablirla citoyenne- autoritaire et Centralisée

sants du Kurdistan est aujour- té syrienne pour environ =- : - ......

d'huiNéchirvan Barzani neveu de 300ôooKurdesquienétaientpn- be «syrienne, autoritaire et centra- circonstance est aussi un moyen Massoud un riche homme d'affai- vés depuis cinquante ans. Même lisée Mais> début jum) ie CNS a pour la Syrie de maintenir la Tur- res qui après quelques années en s'ils ont a priori peu de sympathie envoyé un message fort en nom- quie a distance. Si Ankara passe a retraitdupouvoirvientderepren- pour le régime, dont ils furent aus- mant à sa tête, à Istanbul, le Kurde l'offensive en utilisant l'Armée dre lès rênes du gouvernement sivictimes,notammenten2004et indépendant Abdelbasset Sayda. Hbre syrienne (ALS), a laquelle elle régional d'Erbil La société kurde 2005, les partis kurdes syriens ont Pour tenter de T3imeT ies Kurdes à fournirait des armes, Damas est est régie par un ordre tribal rapidement exprimé leurs inquié- la cause de la révolution. prêt à en faire autant avec la rebel- C'est contre cette fatalité que tudes devant les objectifs suppo- La principaleforce politiquekur- lionkurde. Une stratégie de dissua- s'élèvelajeunegénérationdeKur- ses. de l'insurrection. Quels de dé Syrie reste le PYD (Parti de sion déjà employée dans les desirakiens Des partis contestatai- seraient leurs droits dans la Syrie .ruriion démocratique), la «filiale» anneesiggopar Assad père, res ont émergé en 2009, avec les del'après-Assad? syrienne du PKK qui, elle, n'a pas Si les appareils hésitent, la rue et élections régionales, en faisant Une dizaine de petites forma- les organisations de jeunesse sou- campagne contre la corruption :1e : tionskurdesontbienprispartaux ^f^^^Elïachïï fennentle changementde regime, mouvemenf :Gx>ran: Change- . premières réunions du Conseil 3^J L'assassinat de Mechaal Tamo, ment,),dudissidentNawshi4n nafionalsyrienfCNSÎ.fondeenTur- fj^SSS^SSl ïSSSSn^fe*^ Mustafa, et l'Union islamique du quie fin 2011, avant de s'en retirer ou^r des écoles en langue kurde SSSvoa^deVrSSeïoS Kurdistan, proche des Frères p0Ur créer le Conseil national kur- et des centres culturels et permet- JbSÏS^SStaSfa- ^7&%fcZ£S£- ^ (CNK). Les Kurdes ne veulent tant le retour d'exU du chef politi- ££2S ïàïchei un pei!ÎS quand P3S d ' republlqUe < Qnt

celadevenaitnécessaire.Etàjouer prisfaitètcausepourlarévolution, sur l'éternelle rivalité Kurdes-Ara- " * appelant les partis kurdes de Syne bes pour renforcer sa légitimité, \ a ne pas rester silencieux. ;. en s'opposant au gouvernement ' -^ . , L administration kurde irakien- central, non moins autoritaire, de . ~* ne de Massoud Barzani joue aussi NouriAl-MaliM. -' de son influence pour tenter de EnIran,lesKurdessesonttenus r ' fédérer 1 opposition kurde^ Le Kur- en retrait de la grande vague de , . ^stsm ir*en a accuf^ *&*** manifestations du «mouvement .,- .. » giessynens et accorde 1 asile, debut ;> 5="»- mars.àunetrentamededeserteurs vert», qui a précède 1 election pre- kurdes de l'armée syrienne. En jan- sidentielledejuin2009.Apresla ^ l8partis kurdes syriens. révolution de 1979, qu ils ont sou- s'étaient réunis à Erbil et, cet été, tenue pour mettre fin au regime _ M.Barzaniprojetted'organiseruhè du chah, ils ont rapidement **-. _ grande conférence kurde, réuriis- déchanté et ont ete exclus des ^ sant toutes les sensibilités politi- débats sur la nouvelle Constitu- ques! Loin d'être uni, le monde kur- tion^A la fin des années 1980 le funéraUles de 35 civils kurdes tués lors d'un de est plus que jamais traversé par DrAbdul Rahman Ghassemlou, raidaérienturc dans la province de Sirnak, des luttes d'influence.. figure intellectuelle et leader du - j i j -".,.«..,- . pfrti démocratique kurde iranien P'« de la frontière irakienne, f«décembre 2011.

BULENTKiLic/AFP Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

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Un peuple, plusieurs langues et religions

Turquie, ils sont quelqueismillions, soit 20 % aSnlrak. Les Kurdes irakiens sont au moins smil- de la population. Près de 3 millionsviventà Istanbul, lions:imillionàBagdadetplusde4millionsdansle la plus grande « ville kurde ». L'installation dans les nord du pays (22 % de la population). Lès provinces de agglomérations de l'ouest du pays est le résultat d'une Duhok, Erbil et Souleimaniyé constituent une « région émigration dans les années 1980-1990. La majorité autonome du Kurdistan » depuis 1970. Celle-ci dispo¬ des Kurdes dé Turquieresteconcentrée dans les pro¬ se de son propre président.MassoudSarzani, élu vinces d'Anatolie del'estet du sud-est, aux frontières .. depuis 2005, de son gouvernement régional et desôn de l'Iran, de l'Irak et de la Syrie. Les Kurdes turcspàr- Parlement, qui siège dans la capitale, Erbil. En revah- lent essentiellement le kurmandji, principal ensemble che, lés provinces mixtes dé Kirkouk, Mossoul et Diya- linguistique kurde, qu'ils écrivent en alphabet latin. 3a, revendiquées parles kurdes, sont sous le contrôle Les Kurdes de Turquie ne sont pas légalement recon¬ du gouvernement central. On yparle le sorani, un dia¬ nus comme une minorité parAnkara et ne disposent lecte kurde qui s^écrit en alphabet arabe. Majoritaire¬ d'aucune forme d'autonomie. Le Parti pourla paix et ment musulmans et sunnites, les Kurdes d'Irak comp¬ la démocratie (BDP) joue le rôle de vitrine politique du tent aussi environ 500 000 adeptes du yézidisme, une PKK, mouvement clandestin armé. Le BDP dispose de . religion antique. Depuis 2005, l'ancien chef de guerre 35 députés au Parlement turc et détientla majorité des JalalTalabani, leader de l'Union patriotique du Kurdis¬ grandes municipalités dans les zones kurdes. tan (UPK) est président de l'Irak

Iran. Environ 6millions à 7 millions de Kurdes En Syrie, on compte environ 2 millions de Kurdes y vivent (de 8 % à 10 % de la population), principale¬ (9 % de la population), concentrés dans la région de la ment le long des frontières avecla Turquie et l'Irak Djézireh, dans le nord-est du pays, et qui sont aussi (provinces du Kurdistan, de Kermanchah, d'Azerbaïd¬ présents dans les villes d'Alep et de Damas Les Kurdes

jan occidental .) Une communauté kurde s'est éta¬ syriens sont majoritairement sunnites et parlent le blie également dans le Khorassan, à la frontière avec kurmandji Depuis i960 et l'arrivée au pouvoir dû par¬ le Turkménistan. Une pâme des Kurdes iraniens Se ti Bâas, ils ont subi une intense politique d'arabisa¬ réfèrentau chiisme majoritaire, tandis qu'environ tion, dès restrictions surl'utilisation de la langue et deuxtiers d'entre eux suivent le rite sunnite et consti¬ l'expression de leur identité. En 1962, à là suite d'un tuent donc une double minorité, ethnique et religieu¬ recensement de population controversé, environ se. Leurlangue maternelle est le sorani. Les Kurdes 300 000 Kurdes se sont vus privés de la nationalité peuventgénéralements'exprimerdansleur langue syrienne et se sont retrouvés apatrides dans leur pro¬ et vivre leur culture mais ne bénéficient d'aucune pre pays. Ce n'est qu'en avril 2011 que le régime syrien autonomie politique. Depuis 2005, des émeutes ont a mis fin à cette situation en « [octroyant] à desperson¬ régulièrement éclaté dans les régions kurdes et une nes enregistrées comme étrangères dans legouvemo- sévère répression politique a conduit à l'exécution de ratdTiassakéla citoyennetéarabe syrienne», m plusieurs militants. Gu.P. Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 1, 2012 Syrian opposition rejects

EIRUT (Associated Press)– Syria's new international plan main opposition groups rejected on B Sunday a new international plan that Geneva as a "farce" and of "no value on the calls for a transitional government because the ground." compromise agreement did not bar President "The Syrian people are the ones who will Bashar Assad from participating. decide the battle on the ground, not those sit- Their reaction held out little hope for an ting in Geneva or New York or anywhere else," end to more than 15 months of carnage on a he said by telephone from Cairo, where oppo- day when the main opposition group said 800 sition groups are to meet Monday. people were killed in violence in the past week The Local Coordination Committees, a key alone. activist network, said it was "very concerned" Opposition activists groups say more than over the vague language used in the agree- 14,000 people have been killed since the upri- ment. sing against President Bashar Assad's authori- "This provides yet another opportunity for tarian rule began in March 2011, or on average the regime's thugs to play their favorite game in about 900 a month. That would make last U.N.-Arab League special envoy Kofi utilizing time in order to stop the popular Syrian week's toll alone almost as high as the monthly Annan speaks Saturday in Geneva. A plan revolution and extinguish it with violence and average as government forces furiously poun- would allow a transitional government in massacres," it said in a statement. ded rebellious towns and cities with helicop- Syria to include members of the current The U.N. plan was brokered by special envoy for Syria Kofi Annan, who in March sub- ters, tanks and artillery in an offensive aimed at regime. recovering rebel-held territories. mitted a six-point peace plan that he said the World powers at a conference in Geneva Assad regime accepted. It led to the April 12 on Saturday accepted a U.N.-brokered plan sharp escalation in violence and deaths and ceasefire that failed to hold. U.N. observers calling for creation of a transitional national the conflict threatening to spill across borders. sent to monitor the ceasefire suspended their unity government with full executive powers in Syria shot down a warplane from neighboring patrols in Syria on June 16 due to a spike in Syria. But at Russia's insistence, the compro- Turkey on June 22 and Turkey responded by violence and have been confined to their hotels mise agreement left the door open to Assad setting up anti-aircraft guns along the frontier. since. being part of the interim administration. It could Turkey said Sunday it scrambled fighter jets to Moscow had refused to back a provision also include members of Assad's government its border after Syrian helicopters flew too close that would call for Assad to step aside, insisting and the opposition and other groups. The tran- to the frontier. that outsiders cannot order a political solution sitional government would oversee the drafting But any hopes for a quick breakthrough for Syria and accusing the West of ignoring the of a new constitution and elections. were dashed by the opposition's rejection to darker side of the Syrian opposition. The oppo- However Syria's fragmented opposition the brand new initiative, likely relegating it to sition has made clear it would not take part in a has long opposed any solution that involved the latest in a series of failures by the interna- government in which Assad still held power. negotiating with Assad or allowing him to cling tional community to unify and stop Assad's Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to power. crackdown on dissent. underlined that the plan does not require Bassma Kodmani, a Paris-based spokes- At the Geneva conference, the U.S. Assad's ouster, saying there is "no attempt in woman for the main opposition group, the backed away from insisting that the plan should the document to impose on the Syrian people Syrian National Council (SNC), said the agree- explicitly bar Assad from any role in a new any type of transitional process." ment is "ambiguous" and lacks a mechanism or government, hoping the concession would Even as the international powers met to timetable for implementation. She said there encourage Russia to put greater pressure on find a solution, the death toll mounted on were some positive elements in the plan, which its longtime ally to end the violence. Saturday. Activists said dozens were killed and implies that all members of the Security U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wounded in a powerful explosion Saturday Council were in agreement that the transition insisted on Saturday that Assad would still evening that hit a funeral procession in a period must not be led by Assad. But she said have to go and France's foreign minister suburb of the capital Damascus. Details of the this needs to be more explicit. echoed the demand on Sunday. blast in Zamalka were still murky on Sunday. "We cannot say that there is any positive It is now "incumbent on Russia and China But amateur videos showed gruesome images outcome today," Kodmani said. to show Assad the writing on the wall" and help of bodies, some with their limbs torn, lying on The regime did not react to the plan. But force his departure," Clinton said, addressing the ground as people walked about dazed in a Assad has repeatedly said his government has the two countries that have shielded Assad's cloud of smoke. a responsibility to eliminate terrorists — his regime from U.N. Security Council resolutions The British-based Syrian Observatory for term for those fighting the regime — and will condemning the crackdown. Human Rights said more than 30 people were not accept any non-Syrian model of gover- The SNC criticized the plan as too ambi- killed, while the LCC said it had documented nance. guous though it said it contained some new, the names of 40 of the dead and that residents Fayez Sayegh, a prominent lawmaker and positive elements. Other opposition groups cal- were unable to identify an unknown number of member of the ruling Baath party, expressed led it a waste of time and vowed as they always remaining bodies. satisfaction at the outcome of the conference, do not to negotiate with Assad or members of Activists blamed government forces for the saying participants left it up to the Syrian peo- his "murderous" regime. explosion, which they said was likely the result ple to decide their fate and form of governance. "Every day I ask myself, do they not see of a car bomb detonated near a mosque where "The conference ... did not discuss matters how the Syrian people are being slaughtered?" the funeral of an activist killed by regime gun- that have to do with the president as Western veteran opposition figure Haitham Maleh men was being held. countries would have wished," Sayegh told The asked. "It is a catastrophe. The country has The SNC did not explain how it arrived at Associated Press. been destroyed and they want us then to sit the death toll of 800 for the past week. But it The need for a solution to the Syrian crisis with the killer?" said in a statement that most of the dead were➡ is growing more urgent by the day with the Maleh described the agreement reached in killed in indiscriminate tank and helicopter

5 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➡ shelling by regime forces on residential tic" in light of the past week's carnage. plane by Syrian forces. Turkey has also reinfor- areas throughout Syria. The LCC and the Observatory have repor- ced its border with anti-aircraft guns and other Death tolls are virtually impossible to verify ted an average of around 100 Syrians killed in weapons. in tightly-controlled Syria, which imposes the past week. The military said the two helicopters flew severe restrictions on journalists. Turkey scrambled its jets days after it said as close as 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) to the bor- But Khalil Al Haj Saleh, a member of the it would treat any Syrian military unit approa- der province of Hatay on Saturday morning and Ë Local Coordination Committees activist net- ching its border as a direct threat in response Saturday afternoon. work, said the 800 figure appears to be "realis- to the downing of a Turkish reconnaissance

5 July 2012 Kurdish Parties Walk out of Syrian

By ADIB ABDULMAJIDOpposition Conference in Cairo rudaw.net Syrian opposition MSTERDAM, Netherlands – Syrian summit in opposition groups held a conference Cairo, Asponsored by the Arab League on July 2 July 2, 2012 and 3 in Cairo. Photo AFP. The goal of the conference was to unify the opposition and agree on an agenda and vision for a post-Assad Syria. The Kurdish National Council (KNC) actively participated in the conference, but divisions arose when Arab partici- pants refused to include the term participants. fied them to overthrow the Kurdish peo- “Kurdish Nation” in the meeting’s final The document demanded constitu- ple and exclude their legitimate rights.” declaration. tional recognition of the Kurdish people During the conference, a prominent Kurdish groups angrily withdrew in Syria and the democratic resolution of Syrian Arab activist and member of the from the conference and Arab opposition the Kurdish issue according to interna- General Commission of the Syrian groups were accused of marginalizing tional conventions. It also proposed the Revolution in Homs, Khaled Abu Salah, them and refusing to resolve the Kurdish recognition of the Kurdish language as said that all Syrian people support the issue in Syria per international conven- an official language in Syria, and decen- Kurdish right to self-determination and a tions. tralized rule in Syria, without specifying decentralized state. Arab oppositionists said they reject whether this was to be administrative or “This is the message of revolutiona- the term “Kurdish Nation” because of political. ries in Homs, and we will keep suppor- the consequences it might have. For Prominent Kurdish opposition figure ting our Kurdish brothers because their Kurds, this signified the possibility of a Murshid Al Khaznawi was one of the freedom is part of Syria’s freedom, and new era of persecution against them in participants at the conference and the their rights in Syria are as legitimate as the future. first to protest the Arab opposition’s Arab rights.” The two documents discussed during refusal to discuss Kurdish rights or use Sarbast Nabi, a Syrian Kurdish philo- the conference -- the National Charter the term “Kurdish Nation.” sophy professor at Erbil University, said and the Transitional Stage in Syria -- Leaving the conference, Khaznawi that the time has come for Kurds to unify didn’t include any terms concerning the said, “If this is the mentality of the oppo- and end any hostility among one another Kurdish issue in Syria. sition, then Bashar al-Assad himself “in order to put all the Kurdish effort to Immediately after their withdrawal would be better at dealing with the issue. the service of facing our enemies, both from the Cairo conference, Kurdish parti- We will not change our position until we the Syrian regime and the Arabist oppo- cipants issued a statement. see full recognition of the rights of sition.” “The Arab opposition documents Kurdish people in the National Charter.” “Kurdish unity and a consolidated exclude Kurdish rights, even that the Khidir Abdulkarim, a Syrian Kurdish political plan are urgently needed at the Kurdish language be considered an offi- writer and activist, commented on the moment, and the Kurdish political move- cial language in the Kurdish areas of Arab opposition’s position on the ment in Syria needs to bear its responsi- Syria in the future. This means a total Kurdish issue by saying, “For over 16 bilities to the Kurdish people, because we marginalization to this indigenous months, the Syrian opposition couldn’t are facing a dangerous Arabist opposi- nation and its historical existence on its unify its ranks and provide a clear vision tion which might declare jihad own land,” the statement read. for Syria’s future. When Arab opposition against the Kurdish people if we keep The KNC had provided a document groups met at one table, they couldn’t demanding our legitimate rights without listing Kurdish demands at the start of agree on overthrowing Assad, but their a clear alternative political plan,” Nabi
the conference, but it wasn’t discussed by common hostility against the Kurds uni- concluded.

6 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July / 2 / 2012

Erdoğan-Zana talks dismissed by PKK Labeled as ‘his- ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News toric peace meet- ing,’ Prime meeting between the country’s Minister prime minister and a prominent Erdoğan (R) AKurdish politician with the prospect of meets with a finding a peaceful way to solve the leading Kurdish decades-old Kurdish question was put politician Leyla down by the outlawed Kurdistan Zana, who calls Workers’ Party (PKK), which dismissed for talks these efforts saying, “They have entered between the into a military-solution process.” PKK and the state. AA Photo Independent member of Turkish Parliament Leyla Zana spoke at a press elective lessons in public schools in the because she said peace should prevail, conference at Parliament on July 1 fol- coming school year as “a positive devel- but because she took the initiative with- lowing her 1.5-hour long meeting with opment,” Zana said the courses would out consulting her friends.” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan be far away from meeting the Kurdish on Saturday. She called on the govern- people’s demands for education in their Speaking later yesterday in the south- ment to restart stalled talks with mother tongue. “No people in the eastern province of Diyarbakır, BDP co- Kurdish militants following much- world learn their mother tongue by chair Selahattin Demirtaş said his party anticipated talks with the prime minis- paying money for it.” would positively approach any contri- ter while calling it “unrealistic” to bution to finding a solution despite ear- expect an end to the Kurdish conflict PKK REJECTION lier saying the Zana-Erdoğan meeting merely by asking militants to disarm. would not be conducted with party con- However, the meeting between sent. “The only way which has not been fol- Erdoğan and Zana was put down by the lowed is a sustainable negotiation,” outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party “God willing, [the meeting] will be Zana, who is a legendary figure in the (PKK), which dismissed these efforts good,” Demirtaş said, noting that a Kurdish political movement, said yes- saying, “They have entered into a mili- good outcome would depend upon terday. tary-solution process.” “The AKP Erdoğan’s approach to the “İmralı-Oslo [Justice and Government Party] govern- protocols.” İmralı is the name of the “In this regard, I said the Oslo meetings ment lost the war it staged against the island in the Marmara Sea where were a threshold, and that these talks Kurds and Kurdish freedom movement Öcalan is serving his life sentence. should restart,” Zana said, referring to in the last year,” Duran Kalkan, one of talks between the National Intelligence leaders of the PKK, said yesterday in an “The approach to the protocols is a sin- Organization (MİT) and PKK represen- interview with Fırat news agency. cerity test. I hope that the prime minis- tatives abroad between 2009 and 2011 in ter takes these chances offered to him. a series of meetings publicly known as Kalkan challenged Zana’s description As the BDP, we will positively approach the “Oslo talks.” The talks collapsed of Erdoğan as the sole person who can all kinds of contributions. It has been a after a PKK attack killed 13 soldiers solve the problem, asking why the long time since the ball has been in the near Silvan, Diyarbakır in July 2011. prime minister did not try to do so in prime minister’s court,” Demirtaş said. the last 10 years. “Everyone has to be During the June 30 meeting, Zana said realistic about this issue. Realities Erdoğan however repeated his calls to she told Erdoğan that the security- should not be ignored in the name of BDP lawmakers to distance themselves based policies which have been some simple approaches or gains. from the terror organization and employed for years in an attempt to Everyone should be serious, realistic denounce terrorism. “Can you hear resolve the Kurdish issue had borne no and consistent,” Kalkan said. from one of these party officials that this fruit. is a terror organization? No, you cannot. POSITIVE MESSAGES FROM BDP They cannot. Westerners even admit Zana also suggested that transferring that this is a terror organization,” the imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ahmet Türk, another independent prime minister said in his address to his Öcalan to house arrest could help reach deputy who served as the co-leader of party’s Kayseri branch congress. a solution. “I emphasized that this the BDP before the 2011 elections, said country, which broke a taboo like [abol- the roadmap announced by Zana was “Those who see the ugly face of terror ishing] the death penalty, could put Mr. no different from theirs. In response to do courageously speak about the reali- Öcalan under house arrest and that this some circles’ criticism of Zana for her ties. We want right-minded people to has vital importance,” she said. While statement that the problem could only stand and talk about it at this very criti- welcoming the government’s H be solved by Erdoğan, Türk said cal period,” Erdoğan said. announcement to introduce Kurdish “Reactions against Zana were not

7 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 3, 2012 Iraqi Kurds to sell gas directly to Turkey Ashti Hawrami says we plan to sell 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Turkey. By Evrim Ergin | Iraq is currently the second- Kurdistan biggest market after Germany STANBUL (Reuters) - Regional for Turkish exports, amounting Iraq's semi-autonomous Government I to more than $8 billion last Kurdish region may begin sel- Minister for year. But according to Turkish ling natural gas directly to Natural Resources Economy Minister Zafer Turkey within two years, its Ashti Hawrami in Caglayan, about 70 percent of energy minister said on Erbil, Kurdistan Turkey's exports to Iraq are to Tuesday, a move likely to anger region of Iraq. the north. the central government and Photo: Reuters further strain Baghdad's ties with Ankara. If the Kurdistan region were a meters of natural gas to Turkey, as yet untapped. country, it would still be The Kurdistan Regional and later Europe in the long- Turkey's eighth-biggest export Government (KRG) in the term," he said, adding that While there are no official fig- market, according to his esti- north of the country and sales were expected to begin ures for gas reserves in mates. Baghdad have rowed for years within 18 months to two years. Kurdistan, Iraq as a whole has over issues including late pay- the world's 10th-largest Turkish officials have been ments for crude, the legality of The KRG is obliged to attract reserves at 112 trillion cubic locked in a war of words with the regional government's oil investment from abroad, he feet, according to U.S. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- deals and disputed territory. said. "If we left everything up to Department of Energy data. Maliki since December, when Baghdad this would not work." he ordered the arrest of Sunni Baghdad accuses the Kurds of Most Kurdish oil is still Vice President Tareq al- smuggling their oil abroad, Once the poorest region of Iraq, pumped into the national Hashemi, based on allegations mainly to Iran, and wrecking Kurdistan is now at its most pipeline system. One pipeline that he ran death squads. the central budget by denying it prosperous, having been largely carrying about 60,000 bpd revenue. insulated from the insurgency already feeds directly from Turkey, the majority of whose and sectarian violence in the Kurdistan's Tawke oilfield into people are Sunnis, has accused "Even if there's no consensus south, and the regional govern- the main pipeline to the Shi'ite Maliki of stirring ethnic with Baghdad, we will continue ment has increasingly become Turkish port of Ceyhan. tension. The Iraqi prime minis- to sell natural gas and oil to less reliant on Baghdad. ter has accused Turkey of med- Turkey," KRG Minister of The move to bypass Baghdad dling in its affairs. Natural Resources Ashti For now, the region largely could further strain ties Hawrami told the Caspian Gas depends on receiving 17 per- between the central Iraqi gov- Turkey has heavily courted the Forum in Istanbul. cent of the national budget, but ernment and Turkey, which has Kurds, along with Iraq's Sunni the KRG estimates there are forged solid political and trade Arab parties in recent years, "We plan to sell 10 billion cubic about 45 billion barrels of oil ties with Iraq's Kurds in recent but Maliki and Shi'ite parties reserves in the north, most of it years. have remained allied to Iran. N

Le Kurdistan irakien fait raffiner son pétrole en Turquie, Bagdad furieux Erbil (Irak), 8 juillet 2012 (AFP) "Personne n'a le droit d'exporter du pétrole, du gaz ou tout autre produit issu du pétrole vers l'étranger. Seul le ministère irakien du Pétrole a le droit d'exporter du pétrole et des produits pétroliers", a tonné Faiçal Abdullah, LA RÉGION AUTONOME du Kurdistan irakien fait raffiner une partie de porte-parole du vice-Premier ministre irakien chargé de l'Energie Hussein son pétrole brut en Turquie voisine, à la colère du gouvernement ira- Chahristani, en réaction aux déclarations de M. Aboubakeur. kien, qui dit se réserver cette prérogative, a-t-on appris dimanche de Le pétrole est au centre d'un conflit entre Bagdad et le Kurdistan, région sources gouvernementales. autonome du nord de l'Irak, depuis plusieurs mois. "Nous avons commencé à exporter du pétrole brut vers la Turquie en quan- Le Kurdistan accuse le gouvernement de Bagdad de ne pas le livrer pro- tités limitées il y a quelques jours", a expliqué à l'AFP Sirouan Aboubakeur, duits pétroliers, ce que le ministère irakien du Pétrole dément. Et la région conseiller au ministère des Ressources naturelles du Kurdistan. a récemment cessé ses exportations pétrolières vers l'Irak en raison d'un Le brut est envoyé vers la Turquie, y est raffiné, puis acheminé de nouveau contentieux financier. vers le Kurdistan sous forme de produits pétroliers (essence, gaz, huile...). Fin juin, le ministère à l'Energie a prévenu les compagnies françaises que "Si le besoin s'en fait sentir, nous exporterons du pétrole vers l'Iran", a tout contrat avec Bagdad serait annulé si elles signaient d'autres contrats ajouté M. Aboubakeur. "Nous continuerons à exporter du brut jusqu'à ce que avec des autorités locales ou régionales, après que le Kurdistan a fait le gouvernement central (irakien, ndlr) fournisse notre région en produits affaires avec des compagnies étrangères.H pétroliers".

8 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 2 juillet 2012

La Turquie ouvre le procès de l’union des communautés du Kurdistan années 2000, à la demande du chef du PKK, Abdullah Öcalan, des assemblées Les syndicats sont aussi visés, comme Delphine Nerbollier de villes et de quartiers ont en effet été celui des fonctionnaires (KESK). G créées, réunissant avocats, universi- L’intellectuel Ahmet Insel écrit dans le Le KCK est accusé d’être une taires, journalistes, représentants de la quotidien Radikal que cela « permet de organisation terroriste et d’avoir société civile, maires et membres du faire d’une pierre deux coups : briser les favorisé une insurrection dans l’Est et parti pro-kurde (BDP), du Parlement à bases syndicales d’activités politiques le Sud-Est anatoliens. Ankara. kurdes et se débarrasser d’organisations G qui résistent aux politiques du gou- Des opposants dénoncent la mili- Très actifs durant les élections munici- vernement » . tarisation du régime et l’application pales de 2009 qui ont permis la victoire de la loi antiterroriste. du BDP dans le Sud-Est, ces acteurs sont L’avocate Eren Keskin met en cause la devenus la cible de la justice. Comme militarisation du système et la législa- ’est un nouveau procès-fleuve qui a Busra Ersanli, professeur de sciences tion antiterroriste qui prend dans ses débuté hier au tribunal de Silivri, à politiques et membre du BDP, Ragip filets des personnes non impliquées 80 km d’Istanbul. Celui de l’Union des C Zarakolu, éditeur d’ouvrages sur les dans des actes de violence. « Dans les communautés du Kurdistan (KCK) questions kurde et arménienne. Ils sont années 1990 (NDLR : au pire des com- accusée d’être la branche politique du accusés d’être intervenus au cours de bats entre le PKK et l’armée turque), les Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan l’université d’été du BDP. gens étaient tués. Aujourd’hui, ils sont (PKK), en lutte armée depuis près de arrêtés » , juge-t-elle. trente ans contre Ankara. Quelque 193 35 MAIRES POURSUIVIS PAR LA personnes y seront entendues, dont 51 JUSTICE L’affaire KCK n’est pas la seule à révéler accusées de diriger une organisation ter- « Busra Ersanli est une universitaire les excès de cette loi antiterroriste. Les roriste, les autres sont soupçonnées d’en respectée. Son arrestation est un mes- étudiants aussi en sont victimes, comme être membres ou d’avoir apporté leur sage à tous ceux qui pensent et pro- la Franco-Turque Sevil Sevimli. Vivant à aide. duisent des idées hors normes » , estime Lyon mais en échange Erasmus en Fusun Ustel, l’une de ses collègues. Turquie, elle est soupçonnée de « collu- Selon l’acte d’accusation, le KCK L’affaire du KCK est décriée par une sion avec une organisation terroriste » chercherait à « remplacer les institutions partie de l’opposition. Le BDP estime en pour avoir assisté au concert d’un officielles dans l’Est et le Sud-Est ana- être la cible directe avec 193 de ses mem- groupe connu pour son activisme con- toliens » et à « favoriser une insurrection J bres élus et 35 maires poursuivis par la testataire. dans ces régions » . Au milieu des justice.

3 juillet 2012 Série d'attentats anti-chiites meurtriers en Irak

u moins 38 personnes ont considérablement diminué par péri mardi en Irak dans rapport aux terribles années Aplusieurs attentats, dont 25 lors 2006 et 2007 mais demeurent de l'explosion d'un camion courantes dans le pays en piégé dans un marché au sud proie à une grave crise poli- de Bagdad, attaque qui "porte tique et à des tensions confes- la marque d'Al-Qaida", selon le sionnelles. gouverneur de la province. Cette nouvelle vague de Ces attaques n'ont pas été violence ravive ainsi la crainte revendiquées, mais leurs de voir ressurgir des tensions auteurs visaient clairement la confessionnelles dans le pays communauté chiite, majori- où chiites, sunnites et Kurdes taire en Irak, qui s'apprête à peinent à surmonter leurs commémorer vendredi la nais- divergences politiques depuis Irak, explosion sur un marché, le 3 juillet 2012. Irak, explosion le retrait de l'armée américaine sur un marché, le 3 juillet 2012. | AFP sance du Mahdi, une figure I centrale du chiisme. en décembre 2011.(AFP) Les violences en Irak ont

9 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

Al Qaeda Members Crossing From Iraq Into Syria, Say Iraqis BAGHDAD, July 5, 2012 (Reuters)

Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told a news conference in Baghdad. IRAQ SAID on Thursday that it believed militants loyal to al Qaeda were crossing from Iraq into Syria to carry out attacks. Syria says that a 16-month-old uprising against President Bashar al- Assad is not a popular revolt but a "terrorist" conspiracy funded "We have solid information and intelligence that members of al and directed from abroad, not least by the wealthy Gulf monarchies Qaeda terrorist networks have gone in the other direction, to Syria, of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. to help, to liaise, to carry out terrorist attacks," Iraqi Foreign

8 July 2012

Danger of KurdishIn response, the Civil FSA allegedly Warof these claims, in it Syria is clear that the different WLADIMIR van WILGENBURG attacked PYD checkpoints and targeted policies and propaganda attacks could rudaw.net the group in its speeches. lead to more violence. Being a tribal peo- At the end of June, the PYD arrested ple, Kurds often rely on revenge as a way Mustafa Juma of the Kurdish Freedom to deal with opponents. On June 13, for ne of the first casualties in a war is the (Azadi) Party, releasing him after an example, a whole family was massacred truth, and rumors can contribute to apparent request from Kurdistan Region in a village near Efrin. Some say the Otensions and even escalate conflict. The President Massoud Barzani. The PYD Assad regime was responsible, others that different strategies of Kurdish political claimed Juma had been in touch with the it was Kurds looking for revenge. parties in Syria could result in more vio- Turkish intelligence service and the FSA It was for this very reason that the lence. with a view to plot against the PKK in KNC and PYD signed an agreement on Recently, tensions between Kurdish Syria. June 11 to prevent further tensions. But groups allegedly associated with the The PYD claims elements within the despite the promises, violence has conti- Syrian Free Army (FSA) and the KNC are cooperating with Turkey to tar- nued. Kurdistan Workers’Party (PKK) affiliated get them; anti-PYD groups claim the PYD PYD leader Salih Muslim and People’s Defence Committees (TEV- is working with the PKK and Assad to People’s Council co-chairs Abdulsalam DEM) resulted in destruction of property, suppress demonstrations. The PYD says Ahmed and Sinem Mihemed met with arrests and the deaths of between three this is Turkish propaganda, while other Barzani and the Kurdish Council on July and five people in Efrin on July 3. Kurdish parties claim that the PYD is not 5 in Erbil in order to ease the tensions. According to a statement from TEV- tolerant to non-PKK organizations. This is because the majority of the Syrian DEM, members of the Kurdish National With up to 4,500 fighters trained in Kurds do not want conflict between Council (KNC) complained to the Syrian the Qandil Mountains, the PYD in Syria Kurds. Free Army that the Democratic Union cannot be easily challenged by the KNC. But one little spark can cause a fire. It’s possible the Azadi Party tried to work Just look at what happened in Iraqi Party (PYD) was suppressing anti-Assad J demonstrations and kidnapping Kurdish with the FSA in order to confront them. Kurdistan in the 1990s. activists. While it is difficult to assess the truth

TRT television says Monday that the rebels died in a clash with Turkish troops close to Mount Tendurek on the Iranian border. It says 3 Kurdish rebels, the Friday clash came after the rebels burned down about a dozen trucks at a roadblock in eastern Agri province. 1 soldier killed in eas- TRT says one Turkish soldier was killed and another one was woun- ded in a mine blast in Tunceli province, further west, early Monday. tern Turkey The rebels have stepped up their attacks as they seek autonomy in ANKARA, Turkey / July 9, 2012 / The Associated Press Turkey's Kurdish-dominated eastern and southeastern provinces amid renewed efforts by some Kurdish politicians and the govern- STATE-RUN television says three Kurdish rebels and one soldier ment to try to find a solution to the conflict that has killed tens of
have been killed in eastern Turkey. thousands of people.

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

jOBonde Mardi 3 juillet 2012 Syrie : la Russie impose ses vues aux Occidentaux

L'accord sur la « transition » politique syrienne trouvé à Genève

renvoie dos à dos le régime Assad et les insurgés

SergueïLavrqv, leministrerus- mois par M. Assad contre son pro- des aides à la rébellion et gérant de

se des affaires étrangères, est prepeuple au prixdels 000 morts Des opposants syriens nouvelles tensions à ses frontières et privilégié le prisme d'une depuis la destruction d'un de ses sorti «ravi», samedi 30 juin, voient dans l'accord guerrécivileoùles responsabilités ; de la réunion des grandes puissan¬ avions par l'armée syrienne; le

ces à Genève, sur une « transition se confondraient. La Russie a obte¬ de Genève uneforme Qatar, content de figurer dans une nu, en particulier, le retrait d'une chorégraphie diplomatique au politique » en Syrie. De son point de dëcapitulation, de vue, il y avait de quoi. Après de lon¬ formule qui excluait du gouverne¬ titre de laLigue arabe, mais persua¬ guesheures de discussion,la Russie ment provisoire toute personne ; « farce », permettant dé que l'essentiel est l'évolution dont la «présence continue porte¬ du rapport de forces sur le terrain, a imposé ses vues au seindu « Grou¬ au dictateur de gagner pe d'action » voulu par l'émissaire rait atteinte à la stabilité (...) et à la avec la hausse des livraisons d'ar¬ réconciliation» en Syrie - autre¬ de l'ONU et de la Ligue arabe,. Kofi dutemps mes à l'insurrection. Annan. Les Occidentaux,enparticu¬ ment dit, des officiels ayant trop ' M.Annan, qui avait convoqué lier les Etats-Unis, -représentés par de sang sur les mains. laréunionde Genève pourreconfi¬

la secrétaire d'Etat Hillary Clinton, , ' Là phrase était censée, du point d'Une rupture avec Moscou, qui gurer sa mission en « médiation », ont préféré céder aux demandes de vue occidental, barrer la route à ; discréditerait sa politique de reset et créer de « l'unité» entre les puis¬

plutôt que de se séparer sur Bachar Al-Assad. Hjllary Clinton, («relance des relations bilatéra¬ sances, semble espérerqueles Rus¬

un constat de désaccord. interrogée par des journalistes sur les ») enpleine campagneélectora¬ ses vont désormais se montrer Le document validé à Genève, ce qui apparaît comme une victoi¬ le. D'autant que lacoopération rus¬ plus coopératifs et efficaces, dans

est centré sur l'idée de mettre en re russe, a cherché à. nier tout se est requise sur d'autres dossiers la capacité d'influence qui leur est

place une « entitégouvememénta-- «Assad devra tou¬ pouvant perturber Ses chances . prêtée sur le clan alaouite au pou¬ leprovisoire » en Syrie qui « exerce- jours partir. Il ne passera jamais le d'être réélu; eji cas de crise majeu¬ voir à Damas. A l'ONU, un nou¬ . rait les pleins pouvoirs exécutifs», test du consentement mutuel», re : le nucléaire iranien et les rou¬ veau projet de résolution pourrait et «pourrait inclure des membres a-t-elle expliqué. Le ministre fran¬ tes d'évacuation des troupes être rapidement présenté par les du gouvernement actuel et de l'op¬ çais des affaires étrangères, Lau¬ d'Afghanistan. Occidentaux. position », choisis sur la basé d'un ' rent Fabius, a développé le même Le compromis entre Hillary Des groupes -de l'opposition

« consentementmutuel »: Mais cet- argument à la télévision. Clinton et Sergueï Lavrov sur la syrienne voient dans l'accord de te feuille de route ne contient Mais pour M.'Lavrov, le gain réunion de Genève a ainsi com¬ Genève une forme de capitula¬

aucun élément contraignant ni . était notable. Les Occidentaux ces¬ mencé à s'esquisser en amont, lors tion, de «farce », permettantau dic- accusatoire pour le pouvoir saient de présenter le départ de d'une rencontre à Saint-Péters¬ .. tateurde gagnerdutemps. Les sou-

syrien: c'est la porte ouverte aux Bachar Al-Assad comme une exi¬ bourg. L'affaire était suivie non . tiens occidentaux de l'opposition man dilatoires. Les recula¬ gence immédiate, puisqu'ils enfai- sans inquiétude par les responsa¬ -r qui doit se réunir au Caire, avant des des Occidentaux apparaissent, saient l'aboutissement d'une tran- bles français, souvent en pointe d'être représentée au Groupe des défait, nombreuses dans ce texte. . sitionàlaquelle le régime étaitcen- . dans la critique du pouvoir syrien, amis de la Syrie le 6 juillet, à Paris - :Le départ du pouvoir du prési¬ se consentir... L'émissaire de Mos- - et craignant en l'occurrence un savent qu'ils auront du mal.à lui dent syrien Bachar Al-Assad n'est cou a enfoncé le clou: «Le docu¬ relâchement de la pression occi¬ faire valider un compromis'large- pas exigé. Aucun calendrier n'est ment n'exige pas la démission de | dentale. Laurent Fabius a ment dicté par Moscou. imposé pourle changement politi¬ Bachar . Àl-Assad », cela serait . d'ailleurs laissé entendre qu'il ne NatalieNougaykIdi

que. Le régime syrien et l'opposi¬ «contraireaux normes des Nations se rendrait pas à Genève si la réu- '.

tion sont renvoyés dos à dos. Une unies sur la non-ingérence dans les nion devait déboucher sur un tex¬

équivalence est établie-entre les affaires intérieures des Etats ». te inique ou sans force. parties en conflit. Il n'est plus Sous le couvert de l'anonymat, Mais comme le constate un., demandé aux troupes progouver¬ dimanche, des sources européen- diplomate d'expérience, « la Fran¬ nementales de déposer les armes nés commentaient que l'arrange¬ ce nepouvait se permettre d'être le en premierdans le cadre d'une trê- mentbancalconclu à Genève trou¬ seul membre permanent du , ve. La répression armée gouverne¬ vait son explication dans la volon¬ Conseil de sécurité à nepaspartici¬ mentale contre des civils n'est pas té de l'administration Obama de per à cette réunion ». «Dès lors évoquée, encore moins condam¬ maintenir à tout prix un proces¬ qu'Hittary annonçait qu'elle irait, née. Rien, non plus; apropos d'une sus diplomatique sur le dossier et que William Hague, le Britanni¬ résolution du Conseil de sécurité syrien, quitte à ce que celui-citour¬ que, lui emboîtait le pas, on était sous chapitreVII, c'est-à-dire pou¬ ne à vide. Une absence d'accord à^ obligé de suivre. C'est la réalité des vant contenir des pénalités si la Genève aurait porté un coup fatal rapports deforces dans le monde «transition» n'a pas lieu. d'aujourd'hui... De Gaulle doit se à la mission Annan, qui, tout en La justice internationale? Pas¬ retourner dans sa tombe», ajoute ayant échoué à obtenirla moindre sée sous* silence, de même que le diplomate. trêve sur le terrain, reste considé¬ l'idée d'un embargo sur les livrai¬ On né peut que deviner les rée comme le seul recours. sons d'armes à la Syrie. motifs d'acceptation chez les Le président Obama a la hantise . Ces « omissions » reflètent en . autres participants «anti-Assad» d'un nouvelengagement militaire tous points la lecture russe de lacri- du Groupe d'action : la Turquie, américain dans le monde arabo- se, qui fait abstractionde la campa- ; concentrée sur l'acheminement gne de terreur menée depuis seize ' musulman et ne veut surtout pas

11 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 4 juillet 2012 A Ankara, la Kurde Leyla Zana contre l’engrenage de la violence Analyse Alors que la crise syrienne ravive les tensions et les opérations de la guérilla, la militante, Prix Sakharov, a rencontré le Premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Par MARC SEMO nerveuse, pleine d’appréhension Envoyé spécial à Ankara à cause des arrestations, et il est plus que jamais nécessaire qu’il Elle tente le pari risqué du y ait aujourd’hui de grands pas dialogue avec les sincères dans la voie du dia- autoritésE turques. Leyla Zana, logue», a expliqué Leyla Zana, députée indépendante et égérie au lendemain de ce tête à tête de la cause kurde, vient pourtant samedi à Ankara pendant une d’être inculpée pour divers pro- heure et demie avec l’homme pos jugés séditieux et risque de fort du pays. Ce dernier avait repartir derrière les barreaux lancé en 2009 une «ouverture pour dix ans. Depuis lundi s’est démocratique» envers les aussi ouvert dans la prison de Kurdes, finalement réduite à la haute sécurité de Siliveri, dans création d’une chaîne publique la lointaine périphérie occiden- de télévision en kurde et à tale d’Istanbul, le l’autorisation des cours Leyla Zana, lors de sa rencontre avec le chef du gouvernement procès de 205 militants ANALYSE payants dans leur turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (au centre), samedi, à Ankara. PHO- et sympathisants, dont langue. Des négocia- TOKAYHANOZER. AP des intellectuels de renom, tions confidentielles entre le patron du MIT (les services comme l’éditeur Ragip pour un Kurdistan uni et le maintien de l’ordre. En secrets) et proche du Premier Zarakolu et l’universitaire Busra indépendant a bien cédé la place réponse à l’appui turc aux ministre, Hakan Fidan, et des Ersanli. Tous sont accusés d’être depuis 1999 à une stratégie du rebelles syriens, Damas accroît représentants du PKK s’étaient membres du KCK (Union des vivre-ensemble [au sein de la de nouveau son soutien aux par ailleurs engagées à Oslo communautés du Kurdistan) Turquie ndlr], si le but est bien insurgés du PKK encourageant avant de capoter l’été dernier. considéré comme le réseau de aujourd’hui la démocratisation les infiltrations. soutien urbain au PKK (Parti et la décentralisation adminis- Emprisonnée entre 1994 et des travailleurs du Kurdistan), trative, personne, alors, ne peut «GESTES FORTS». Les 2004, parce qu’accusée de liens qui mène la lutte armée contre en conscience vouloir la mort de témoignages de plusieurs com- avec le PKK, Leyla Zana avait Ankara depuis 1984, un conflit jeunes pour cela», expliquait- battants arrêtés ces dernières reçu le prix Sakharov du qui a fait plus de 40 000 morts. elle, il y a quinze jours, dans une semaines évoquent le poids Parlement européen pour son interview au quotidien Hürriyet. croissant au sein même de la combat en faveur des droits col- Considéré comme une organisa- Elle s’adressait aussi au Premier guérilla de commandants lectifs, notamment culturels et tion terroriste par Washington et ministre, en affirmant que «celui d’origine syrienne, comme politiques, de la population par l’Union européenne, le PKK qui est le plus fort peut mettre Fehman Huseyin, beaucoup plus kurde. Sa légitimité est donc pourrait compter sur 5 000 com- un terme à tout cela». radicaux même que l’actuel incontestable, mais cet entretien battants. La semaine précédente, patron opérationnel du PKK, sans précédent a fait grincer des une vingtaine de syndicalistes C’est cette interview qui a été à Murat Karayilan, qui avait dents. Le BDP, le parti légal de la fonction publique (Kesk) l’origine de la rencontre. «Avec accepté les négociations d’Oslo kurde d’abord critique, a fini par étaient aussi arrêtés car sup- ce face-à-face, Leyla Zana a pris avec l’accord d’Öcalan, incar- soutenir cette «approche par le posés membres du KCK, un vrai risque politique, mais le céré près d’Istanbul et con- dialogue qui sera un test de la s’ajoutant aux 8 000 personnes Premier ministre aussi», analyse damné à vie. Lors de la rencon- sincérité des autorités». aujourd’hui emprisonnées pour un intellectuel kurde proche de tre, la députée a insisté sur la «appartenance à une organisa- la députée, soulignant que «l’un nécessité de «gestes forts», Ces réticences n’ont guère sur- tion terroriste», le plus souvent et l’autre sont aujourd’hui con- comme la mise aux arrêts domi- pris la députée. «C’est quand la sur la base de dossiers vides. scients du risque d’une reprise ciliaires d’Öcalan, dont l’aura situation est difficile qu’il faut Malgré ces signes d’un dur- du conflit à grande échelle, symbolique reste importante au tout tenter pour rouvrir les cissement, Leyla Zana a décidé notamment avec les développe- sein de l’organisation comme portes», a-t-elle expliqué. Lors de rencontrer le Premier min- ments de la crise syrienne». dans la population kurde. Ce qui de son tête-à-tête avec Erdogan, istre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lui permettrait de jouer un rôle elle a certes clairement rappelé issu du mouvement islamiste, Le régime baasiste a, pendant plus actif dans un éventuel qu’il était «irréaliste» de poser alors que les incidents armés des années, hébergé les bases du processus de négociation. Elle comme préalable un abandon de sont toujours plus fréquents PKK et son leader historique, en est bien convaincue, plus que la lutte armée par le PKK. Mais N dans le Sud-Est, où vit la Abdullah Öcalan, avant de jamais le temps presse. elle n’hésite plus à reconnaître majorité des 15 millions de l’expulser en 1998, mais les ouvertement que ce choix des Kurdes de Turquie. liens demeurent. Dans les zones armes est aujourd’hui une kurdes de Syrie, le PKK assure LÉGITIMITÉ. «La société est impasse. «Si la stratégie de lutte

12 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Will Syria Remain a July 10, 2012 Unified State? by Harold Rhode gatestoneinstitute.org that the trend in the Middle ted: should they see them- the Shiites, who were calling East is towards Islamic Sunni selves as Arabs and try to for equal rights. Syria's fundamentalism, supported attain, through Arab nationa- Druze, Ismailis, Christians hat stands behind much by the Muslim Brotherhood, lism, the equality they lacked and other minorities seem to of the violence in Syria the Wahhabis, the Qataris, among the Sunnis? Those be terrified about what might isW the rise of Arab Sunni fun- and Turkey's Sunni funda- who accepted this view happen to them if the Sunni damentalism in its various mentalist leadership. became the most ardent Arab Muslim Brotherhood takes forms – whether Salafi, nationalists in Syria; their over there. Wahhabi, or Muslim The regime knows that in the hope was that speaking Brotherhood? All of these long run, it cannot stand up If one views Assad in this Arabic as the Sunnis did threaten the very existence of to these forces -- possibly the context, there is a real possi- would serve to gain them the the Alawites, the Kurds, and reason Assad and his cohorts bility that Syria will not stay equality that was eluding other non-Sunni ethnic and are doing everything they can united, and that the days of them under Syrian traditional religious groups. to destroy the Sunni funda- Arab nationalism are over. system, in which being Sunni mentalists and perhaps Islamist Sunni fundamenta- While the news is filled daily was a key element to advan- hoping then to retreat to the lism is the enemy of the non- with terrible atrocities which cement. Alawites' ancient homeland. Sunnis, who, to survive, will the Syrian regime is carrying Others within the Alawite likely have to look for other out, these reports mask ano- Another sign that the Syrian community, who disagreed political alternatives beyond ther development: the brea- Sunnis are abandoning Assad with this approach, argued the present borders, and pos- kup of Syria into at least two, is the defection of Manaf Tlas, that they would never be sibly ally themselves with fel- if not more, statelets. Is Assad a senior Sunni Syrian military accepted by the Sunni majo- low non-Sunni Arabs in the trying to create an Alawite official – a childhood friend of rity as equals; and instead region. homeland in the traditional Bashar Assad, and whose strove to attain an indepen- Alawite area along the Syrian father Mustafa was a close Similarly, the Kurds in nor- dent homeland in their tradi- coast between Lebanon and ally of Bashar's father Hafiz, thern Syria, who are directly tional homeland: the Syrian Turkey? Will Syria end up the previous dictator who connected to the Kurdish ter- coastal area between today's being a federated state, more ruled Syria with an iron ritories inside Iraq, although Lebanon and Turkey. along the lines of Iraq? And hand. also Sunni, see the Muslim where are Syria's Kurds hea- In the early 1940s after the Brotherhood and the Since 1966, Syria has been ded French had ruled Syria from Wahhabis by and large as ruled by the Alawite minority, post-World War I until 1946, Arab imperialists trying to Reports from various sources who make up about 12% of Suleyman Assad, the grandfa- force them to abandon their inside Syria and from the Syria's population and live ther of Syria's present leader, Kurdish identity and become defectors and refugees whom mainly in the coastal area Bashar Assad, and about five Arabs -- probably the reason al-Jazeera has interviewed in between Lebanon and Turkey. other Alawite leaders wrote to most Kurds loathe the northern Jordan reveal that As the Alawites historically the French government Muslim Brotherhood. For the the war in Syria has descen- would do the distasteful work asking the French to let the Brotherhood, being Sunni is ded into a sectarian war, pri- which the Sunnis refused to Alawites have their own state not enough. For the marily between the ruling do, the Syrian Sunni Arab in their homeland along the Brotherhood, only Arabs can Alawite minority and the Arab establishment traditionally coast. These Alawite leaders be true Muslims. Non-Arabs Sunni majority. looked down upon them, claimed that the Sunnis had must abandon their non-Arab referring them as as "abid," One of the places that the never treated the non-Sunnis and non-Sunni languages and or, roughly "slave." Assad regime has been most fairly, and that therefore, in a cultures, and adopt an Arab violent is against the Sunnis Also, as Alawites believe that united Syrian state, the identity -- exactly how most of living in the Alawite traditio- Ali – the Muslim prophet Alawites would continue to the Middle East became Arabs nal homeland and in Homs, a Muhammad's cousin and son- suffer serious discrimination. during the first century of largely Sunni city just to the in-law – is God, Sunnis do They cited as evidence the Islam. east of the Alawite heartland. not see them as monotheists, way the Sunnis were at that If the present violence in Assad's forces have been des- and often therefore do not time treating the Jews in Syria does not come to an troying Sunni villages in that even accept them as Muslims. British-Mandated Palestine. end, Syria could easily disin- area, and wreaking havoc on During the 1940s and 1950s, Given the present trend tegrate; the northern part of Homs. As the Sunni refugees the Sunnis, who did their towards Sunni Islamist rule the country would become a in Jordan – mostly from the best to avoid military service, throughout the region, the Kurdish entity – either within Homs area – who were cited gave their Alawite servants non-Sunnis clearly feel threa- a loosely federated, geographi- on al-Jazeera on July 4 recommendations to enter the tened. Christians have been cally altered Syria, or possibly noted, "The regime has tur- military. As they rose to leaving the Middle East in even as an independent state. ned this into a sectarian bat- higher and higher ranks, the droves. Shiites in Bahrain, If either of these were to hap- tle between itself and the Alawites eventually, in 1966, although they form the majo- pen, Iraqi Kurds, who have Sunnis. It is killing the took over Syria in a military rity, are ruled by an oppres- been politically counseling the Sunnis in Homs and forcing coup. sive Sunni minority who use Syrian Kurds, could form an other Sunnis to flee that area. brutal force and who, earlier alliance with Syria's Kurds Members of Alawite commu- Clearly, the Syrian regime of this year, called in their who inhabit an area which nity have all along felt conflic- Bashar Assad understands Sunni Saudi allies to subdue reaches west almost to ➤

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

➤ Aleppo, a city not far from Kurdish state. the Alawites, the Kurds, and believe they must spare no other members of the non- effort to survive. It also the Mediterranean Sea. If the In short, what stands behind Sunni ethnic and religious explains why most of Syria's Kurds then made some politi- most of the violence in Syria groups. other minorities – such as the cal arrangement/alliance is the rise of Arab Sunni fun- Druze, Ismailis, and with a future Alawite state, damentalism in its various It is therefore much easier to Christians – still largely sup- they could gain access to the forms – whether Salafi, understand why the ruling port the Assad regime. H sea . This would be a major Wahhabi, or Muslim Alawites feel they are fighting step towards the establish- Brotherhood. All of those a life and death battle with ment of an independent threaten the very existence of the Sunnis, and why they

JULY 12, 2012 What future for Syria's Kurds? Syria's Kurds seek unity ahead of uncertain future as Turkey keeps an eye on deployment of fighters close to PKK. Middle East Online / By Acil Tabarra - BEIRUT

yria's Kurds, hostile to a regime that has oppressed them and suspicious of the opposition, are putting aside differences to uniteS and manage their own region in the face of an uncertain future. They have engaged carefully with the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime, but have also kept the rebel Free Syrian Army out of their regions, for fear of attracting the vio- lence that has engulfed much of the country. The PYD "has perhaps started to understand that the regime is In recent days, the Syrian army has pulled back from northern finished," he said. Kurdish areas where fighters close to the Kurdistan Workers' The People's Council of Western Kurdistan denies any coopera- Party (PKK) have been deployed. tion with the regime. That has fuelled suspicions among some of collusion with the "We have peacefully cleansed our areas of the presence of regime, and angered Turkey, which considers the PKK a terrorist government forces," a spokesman for the council, Shirzad Izidi, organisation and has criticised the presence of the PKK-linked said. Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) along the border. He said the group had formed "popular Kurdish units," a kind of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned this week Syrian version of the famed Peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq, that Turkey would not hesitate to go after members of the PKK, who are helping keep order in the region. which took up arms in 1984 and has bases in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan, inside Syria. And while these fighters are believed to be the only ones car- rying arms in the Kurdish region for now, Barzani recently revea- "That's not even a matter of discussion, it is a given," he said, led that Iraqi Kurds are training their Syrian counterparts in nor- describing the establishment of PYD posts near the Turkish bor- thern Iraq, most of them deserters from the Syrian army. der as aimed directly at Ankara. The Kurdish community, largely concentrated in the north, The traditional parties of Syria's Kurds have been largely suspi- represents around 15 percent of the 23 million population in cious of the PYD, particularly following an influx of Kurds from Syria, according to French geographer Fabrice Balanche, a Syria northern Iraq to the area. specialist. But despite the differences, the region's communities signed an The community has long complained of discrimination at the accord on July 11, under the sponsorship of Massud Barzani, hand of the regime's ruling Baath party and advocated for reco- president of Iraq's Kurdistan region. gnition of their cultural and political rights. Since then, the Kurdish National Council, which groups around And it has had difficult relations with the opposition Syrian a dozen traditional Kurdish Syrian parties has joined the National Council, accusing it of seeking to marginalise Syria's People's Council of Western Kurdistan (PCWK), a PYD offshoot, ethnic and religious minorities, even though the council's head under the banner of the Supreme Kurdish Council. Abdel Basset Sayda is himself Kurdish. "The agreement was extremely positive because we feared vio- But the Kurds insist they are not seeking autonomy like their lence inside the community with the PYD, which previously Iraqi counterparts. backed the regime," Havidar, a Kurdish journalist in northern Syria, said. "We want our rights to be clearly recognised in the next consti- tution," said Bahjat Bashir, a leader of Syria's Kurdistan "It seems that the Syrian Kurds have decided to work together," Democratic Party. said Ignace Leverrier, a former French diplomat who spent part of his career in Syria. "We want to be full partners in the new Syria and we are com- mitted to the unity of the country."I

14 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 14, 2012

Diyarbakir, where the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) was Turkish police planning to hold a rally. The provincial governor had refused and Kurds the party permission to hold the rally, planned in part to call for the release of jailed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) clash, bomb militant leader Abdullah Ocalan. The rally coincided with the first wounds 12 anniversary of a declaration of "demo- DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) - cratic autonomy" by Kurdish politicians, Police fired water cannon and teargas as and it was also exactly one year after Van, which is on the border with Iran. they clashed with stone-throwing PKK guerrillas killed 13 soldiers in an The wounded police were not reported Kurdish protesters in south-east Turkey attack in Diyarbakir. to be in a serious condition. on Saturday, while militants elsewhere While the street clashes continued in No further details were immediately in the region detonated a bomb which Diyarbakir, PKK militants detonated a available. wounded 12 police officers. roadside bomb by remote control, More than 40,000 people have been Kurdish members of parliament wounding 12 police officers after they killed since the PKK took up arms were caught up in the trouble as police got out of a vehicle in eastern Turkey, against the state in 1984 with the aim of creating a separate state in mainly and demonstrators battled on the streets security sources said. N of the main south-eastern city of The attack took place outside a Kurdish south-east Turkey. police shooting range in the province of

July 16, 2012

it aims to be one of top 10 economies within 10 years. They don't have a great deal of energy themselves. So they will be looking Turkish-Kurdish Oil around at their neighbors for their energy security. But also Turkey could be a major a Deals Upset Baghdad transit route," Howard said. Dorian Jones / voanews.com Ankara does not want to take a step that would endanger the position of the Kurdish For years, Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan have STANBUL — Growing tensions between regional government in its own dealing with been trying to hammer out a solution by pas- Baghdad and the semiautonomous Iraqi Baghdad," Ulgen said. sing a so-called hydrocarbon law. Baghdad Kurdish government over control of the coun- believes petroleum policy should be set at the I The Kurds and the Arab-led government in try's energy reserves is threatening to pull federal level and comply with its interpretation Baghdad have been arguing over the right to neighboring Turkey into the deepening dis- of the constitution. Irbil, in contrast, wants to develop and export the north's natural pute. This past weekend, Iraq warned Ankara be able to award production contracts and resources. Baghdad says the region has no that such trade with the region could damage plan export pipelines on its own terms. right to sign deals unilaterally and that exports its relations with the central government in must go through the state-run pipelines. Political observers say there is little hope of a Baghdad. Kurds argue that the constitution gives them solution. Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish regional the right to sign agreements without consul- Ulgen said irrespective of whether a new law government has started to send dozens of ting Baghdad. is passed, Ankara is already eyeing Iraqi tankers of crude oil to neighboring Turkey. Felah Mustafa Bakir is the head of foreign Kurds' energy as a vital source. The shipments will be refined and sent back relations for the Kurdistan Regional to the Kurdish enclave. Turkey said last week "I would expect Turkey would continue to buy Government. that it had begun importing five to 10 road tan- oil even if the hydrocarbon law issue is not kers of crude a day from the northern region "We have done nothing in violation of the Iraqi resolved. In the long run Turkey is looking at of Iraq and the volume could rise to 100-200 Constitution. We have respected the Iraqi the opportunities in northern Iraq in order to tankers per day. Constitution and we want to help the people. allay some of its concerns over energy We have been able to develop sector. We imports. So from that perspective in the This has angered the Iraqi government of have been able to produce oil for 175,000 medium and long term it will provide an alter- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who called on barrels a day, that we did not have single bar- native to Turkey's dependency on Iran," Ankara to immediately end the arrangement. rel in the past," Bakir said. Ulgen said. But Sinan Ulgen, head of the Istanbul-based Despite the controversy, Iraqi Kurds have Ankara has been cutting its energy imports international relations research center Edam, been signing contracts with international oil from neighboring Iran to comply with interna- thinks Baghdad will be disappointed companies, including U.S. oil giant Exxon. tional sanctions against Tehran over its "No, I don't think Ankara will comply, essen- nuclear program. That, analysts say, has Michael Howard is an adviser to the Iraqi tially for two reasons: one, relationship bet- given added impetus to its growing economic Kurdish energy ministry. He says the Kurdish ween Maliki government is quite problematic. and political ties with its Iraqi Kurdish neigh- regional government realizes the potential in J Turkey accuses Maliki of trying to grab power. bors, despite what Baghdad says. selling to Turkey. So Ankara does not feel any sort of need to please the Maliki government; secondly "Turkey is a growing economy at the moment,

15 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 5 juillet 2012 TURQUIE • Ankara revoit ses alliances La crise syrienne a montré au gouvernement islamiste de la Turquie que l’Iran et la Russie ne pouvaient être des alliés fiables. Ankara ne peut compter que sur l’Occident.

Simon Tisdall | The Guardian

Comme les temps changent ! Au début de 2003, quand le C gouvernement Bush avait demandé l’autorisation de faire passer ses troupes par le territoire turc pour envahir l’Irak, Ankara avait froidement refusé. Pour s’être aussi audacieuse- L ment opposée à la volonté de © Dessin l’Amérique, la Turquie avait été saluée de Bleibel, dans le monde arabe, en particulier en Liban. Syrie.C’est désormais au tour du régime du président Bachar El-Assad d’être considéré à Ankara comme un ennemi dangereux : le Premier min- istre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a théorie, tout cela devait consolider la imprévisibles, les dirigeants turcs promptement changé de ton [après position d’Ankara en tant que puis- devraient comprendre où se trouve leur l’attaque d’un avion turc par la Syrie le sance régionale montante et intérêt. Sinon, qu’ils se concentrent au 22 juin]. Rechignant à s’attaquer lui- d’interconnexion entre l’Occident et le moins sur une question en particulier : même à Assad, Erdogan s’est tourné Proche-Orient.Cette politique a semblé l’énorme arsenal syrien dans le vers les Etats-Unis et l’Otan en quête fonctionner pendant un temps. En ce domaine des armes conventionnelles et de soutien.Mais Erdogan a eu beau qui concerne plus particulièrement la de destruction massive. Un danger mis jurer de frapper toutes les unités mili- Syrie, la Turquie s’est efforcée de met- en lumière la semaine dernière par The taires syriennes qui approcheraient de tre de côté de vieux litiges, comme le Christian Science Monitor : “On dis- la frontière, d’appuyer “à tout prix” les partage des ressources en eau, le prob- pose de peu d’informations solides sur forces de l’opposition et de faire tout lème de la province frontalière de les capacités syriennes dans le son possible pour abattre la dynastie Hatay et le soutien de Damas aux mil- domaine de la guerre chimique et Assad, en réalité la position de la itants kurdes. Une ouverture qui paraît biologique, mais le pays disposerait Turquie est faible. Les priorités aujourd’hui malavisée. Du reste, les d’un des plus grands stocks d’agents d’Ankara sont doubles, et d’ordre relations avec Israël ont capoté. De son chimiques du monde, dont du VX et du national : la modernisation et la crois- côté, l’Irak préfère manifestement sarin, des gaz innervants. Damas est sance économique. La Turquie ne veut Téhéran à Ankara. Et les responsables également doté d’un nombre impres- pas d’une guerre à sa frontière sud ; du programme nucléaire iranien n’ont, sionnant de missiles sol-sol, comme elle ne peut pas se permettre de voir un semble-t-il, aucune considération pour les Scud-D, qui peuvent être équipés conflit menacer ces deux objectifs, les efforts de médiation turcs. La ques- de têtes chimiques.”Il est effrayant déstabiliser un peu plus les régions tion kurde, elle, n’a toujours pas trou- d’envisager que certaines de ces armes kurdes, et sérieusement compromettre vé de solution.La crise syrienne offre soient utilisées par un régime dés- ses intérêts régionaux. Cette faiblesse aux dirigeants turcs la possibilité de espéré se battant pour sa survie ou inhérente de la Turquie était manifeste réorienter la politique de leur pays sur qu’elles tombent aux mains de groupes même avant le début du soulèvement une base plus saine, en cherchant terroristes, quelle que soit leur obédi- en Syrie, il y a plus d’un an. Et elle aujourd’hui qui sont leurs vrais amis, ence. Le chaos qui s’ensuivrait aurait s’est accentuée par une série de graves non qui ils pourraient être. Les Etats- largement de quoi faire pâlir ce qui Unis et la Grande-Bretagne appartien- s’est passé en Libye et dans le Sahel erreurs de calcul.Ahmet Davutoglu, le J ministre des Affaires étrangères, nent fermement au premier camp, tout après la chute de Kadhafi. surnommé le “Kissinger turc” (un comme la plupart des pays de l’Otan, surnom censé être un compliment), est en dépit des sentiments antiturcs agités le père de la politique du “zéro prob- par le peu regretté Nicolas Sarkozy et lème avec les voisins”. En bref, l’idée quelques âmes sœurs allemandes. La était que la Turquie renforce ses liens Russie n’est certes pas une amie de la avec les pays arabes qu’elle avait Tur autrefois colonisés, joue le rôle d’intermédiaire de bonne foi avec quie, pas plus que l’Iran.Confrontés à l’Iran, et entretienne une relation prag- un nombre toujours plus important de matique positive avec Israël. En réfugiés, “hôtes” ou transfuges syriens, et à des provocations militaires

16 Revue de Presse-Press Revieiv-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

SI)c5ïa

ELLEN BARRY Durant les MOSCOU - La Syrie compte environ dernières 20000 épouses russes, héritage d'une al¬ décennies, les liance née de la guerre froide qui, à par¬ unions entre tir des années 1960, mêlait lesjeunes des élites dans des dortoirs et des salles de ressortissants des cours soviétiques. deux pays ont été.- Cette diaspora inhabituelle offre un très nombreuses. aperçu de la relation complexe entre les Roksana Dzhenid deux pays et explique la réticence du (ci-contre) a Kremlin à rejeter le président syrien, épousé son mari Bachar el-Assad. La Russie a des inté¬ syrien, Wael, rêts stratégiques en Syrie, y compris dès contrats d'armement qui s'élèvent à en 2000 et vit 700 millions de dollars par an (556 mil¬ Jk maintenant à lions d'euros), et un petit port sur la Moscou. Grâce V. Méditerranée, sadernièrebasemilitaire à elle, dit-elle, il en dehors de l'ex-Union soviétique. échappe aux liens Maïs n'oublions pas le facteur hu- mÇ^^BV familiaux très * t~ï main. Il est intervenu il y a cinquante importants qui ans quand des liens se sont formés entre existent dans la

société syrienne.

Depuis l'URSS, les de l'URSS. Une nouvelle vague de ma¬ relations culturelles sont analyste politique moscovite spécialiste du Moyen-Orient. Évacuer les Russes dé riages a suivi l'effondrement du bloc soviétique, quand lesjeunes femmes ont profondes entre ces pays. Syrie, dit-elle, "serait cent fois pire". cherché un moyen d'échapper au chaos, Tout celaremonte aune expérience de économique. 1963, lorsque le parti Baas socialiste est "Je veux que le monde entier sache ce¬ arrivé au pouvoir. L'URSS offrait d'édu- ci : les Russes sont des gigolos.Peut-être quer les meilleurs étudiants en prove¬ des jeunes qui se sont rencontrés à l'uni¬ pas tous, mais plus de la moitié d'entre nance d'Asie, d'Afrique et d'Amérique versité. Dans presque n'importe quelmi- eux", proclame Roksana Dzhenid, qui latine, en les associant à des camarades nistère ou siège social syrien, on trouve a épousé Wa'el, un homme d'affaires, soviétiques dans des brigades de travail des hommes qui ont passé leurjeunesse en 2000 et vit avec lui à Moscou. Cela et des "soirées de l'amitié". en Russie. Nombre d'entre eux sont ren¬ lui a bénéficié aussi, remarque-t-elle, il L'objectifétait de forger une élite intel¬ trés avec une femme à leur bras, et leurs lectuelle mondiale prosoviétique, mais a échappé aux exigences familiales qui enfants ont grandi dans des foyers rus- cela s'est d'abord traduit par dés maria¬ incombent aux maris de Syriennes. "En sophones. ges. Les jeunes femmes ont émigré en cas de dispute, que fait une Russe ? Elle "Ce sont les épouses de l'élite, qui ont tant qu'épouses de médecins, de profes¬ pleure, raconte-t-elle. Au pire, elle va une certaineinfluence,mais endouceur", seurs et de fonctionnaires. "Les Soviéti¬ voirune amie et lui dit :' il est comme explique Nina Sergeyeva, qui, jusqu'à ques leur ont dit adieu, pensant qu'elles ci et comme ça'. Une Arabe ? Elle réu¬ récemment, dirigeait une organisation nerentreraientjamais", affirme Natalia nit lé groupe de tous ses proches. Elle d'expatriés russes depuis son domi¬ Krylova, une historienne qui a publié de peut se rendre chez la mère de son mari cile de Lattaquié. "L'élite masculine de nombreux ouvrages sur les populations et sa soeur durant la nuit et se mettre à . Damas est très marquée par la Russie." russes d'Afrique. hurler." L'une des questions les plus épi¬ Selon une estimation du Kremlin, alors Les unions entre Russes et Syriens neuses qui se posent, est de savoir, après qu'aucune solution diplomatique ne par¬ étaient particulièrement fréquentes - et cinquante ans de mariages entre les vient à résoudre le conflit en Syrie, envi¬ pas seulement pour dès raisons géopo¬ deux communautés, qui est russe.et qui ron 30 000 citoyens russes, des femmes litiques, ont déclaré lors d'interviews ne l'est pas. La distinction, si elle existe et des enfants pour la plupart, y vivent maris et femmes. Beaucoup de Syriens vraiment, sera difficile àfaire. toujours. Moscou a déjà été confrontée à ont 'eu l'impression d'être transformés Svetlana Zaitseva, 62 ans, qui vit dans pareille situation au Moyen-Orient, lors¬ par leur séjour en Russie, mais ils ont le port syrien de Tartous, avait 19 ans que la chute de gouvernements alliés de également cherché à éviter de payer une quand elle a rencontré son mari, un étun l'URSS a coincé des citoyens soviétiques dot, comme c'est la coutume au Moyen- diant en linguistique qui partageait lé. dans divers pays. Mais ni dans ces pro¬ Orient. Mahmoud al-Hamza, qui a ren¬ même dortoir dans l'ex-Leningrad. portions, ni à l'ère des médias sociaux, contré safemmè, Nadejda, dans un parc Cette mère de trois enfants, qui a qua¬ où le sort des Russes pourrait se révéler de Moscou en 1971, dit que pour épouser tre petits-enfants, s'accroche à l'espoir très embarrassant pour Moscou. une Syrienne, "il faut un appartement, que le conflit auraune fin, mais même s'il: "Comme nous l'avons vu avec les cas de l'argent et de l'or, tandis que pour une dégénère en guerre, dit-elle, elle choisira d'évacuation au Liban et en Palestine Russe, une alliance suffit". de rester en Syriejusqu'au bout. ces dernières années, des problèmes Les demoiselles soviétiques avaient "Onnepeutpas faire autrement, avan-: surgissent toujours - et là, il n'était pas leurs propres raisons de s'intéresser aux ce^t-elle. Nous appartenons àcette terre; question de milliers ou des dizaines de Syriens - des hommes sobres qui, grâce maintenant. Nos enfants sontici, ils sont milliers de personnes, mais de quelques aux liens du parti Baas avec les commu¬ citoyens syriens, comme nos petits-en¬ centaines", explique Yelena Suponina, nistes, entraient et sortaient librement fants. Tout ce qui est ici esta nous."

17 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Turkey tries 46 lawyers over

ISTANBUL / Mon Jul 16, 2012Kurdish / By Ece Toksabay / (Reuters) militantunable to enter. links Defense lawyers DOZENS of lawyers went on trial in Turkey on Monday on charges took turns to speak, of links to Kurdish militants and foreign jurists rallied outside the before leaving the court to protest at the latest in a series of cases that have drawn cri- courtroom to allow ticism of Ankara's human rights record. others to enter. "We All 50 defendants - including 46 lawyers - had been involved in are representing col- representing the jailed Kurdish militant chief Abdullah Ocalan. leagues who are Among the charges listed in the indictment against them was passing now defendants," orders from Ocalan to rebel fighters. some of them said. The trial, and others like it across Turkey, have led lawyers and civic As in similar trials, groups to question the stated commitment of Prime Minister Tayyip the court rejected a request by Erbas for the accused to defend them- Erdogan's government to human rights and to criticize the wides- selves in the Kurdish language. pread use of pre-trial detention. Turkish is the only official language in Turkey, where ethnic Kurds "How bitterly funny is it that a country teaching democracy and make up around a fifth of the population and Turkish citizens are human rights to Syria and the whole region is stealing the right to required to speak Turkish at formal proceedings. They can request an defense on its own soil," said Dogan Erbas, one of the lawyers on interpreter only if deemed unable to speak Turkish. trial, told the court on behalf of other defendants. FOREIGN LAWYERS RALLY OUTSIDE COURT "Going to bed as a lawyer and waking up as an executive of a terro- Dressed in their traditional gowns, scores of lawyers from 27 coun- rist organization shows that this case is not trying a crime, it is trying tries around the world gathered outside the courthouse in a show of a political stance. This case has been political since the very start," he support for the accused. said. "We are here to support our colleagues and protest the judiciary The defendants, who include a journalist and three members of a law actions that strip the defense of their rights to defend," said Judith firm, stand accused of maintaining ties to the Union of Kurdistan Lichtenberg, professor of law and philosophy at Georgetown Communities (KCK), which the state sees as the urban wing of the University in the United States. militant separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). "We will be following this case until the end and we will not leave A founding member and leader of the PKK, Ocalan, 64, was captured our colleagues as captives to political motives," she told reporters in 1999 and is serving a life prison term. shortly before the court opened. The PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States In a written statement, 18 rights and lawyers' groups from Turkey, and European Union, has waged an armed campaign against the Europe and Canada said they had written to the United Nations cal- Turkish state for autonomy in the mainly Kurdish southeast that has ling on it to scrutinize the case and make recommendations to the claimed more than 40,000 lives since 1984. Turkish government. Thousands of Kurdish politicians, activists, journalists and acade- Monday's trial came two weeks after the start of another trial in mics have been arrested since 2009 on suspicion of links with the which more than 200 people, including a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, KCK and many of them remain in jail without being tried. Out of stand accused of links to the KCK. Monday's 50 defendants, 37 are in prison. Fifteen of those defendants, including well-known academic Busra The trial got off to a chaotic start when more than 100 lawyers, all Ersanli, were released from custody last Friday in what appeared to wanting to represent the defendants, tried to crowd into the small be one of the first outcomes of legal reforms tightening up conditions Istanbul courtroom with many resorting to standing on their seats in for pre-trial detentions. order to watch the proceedings. Those reforms were hurriedly pushed through parliament this "This is the largest courtroom we have, so there's no point in complai- month before the summer recess, following complaints by campai- ning about it," said presiding Judge Mehmet Ekinci, after receiving gners, and the prime minister, about the powers of state prosecu- G grievances about the size of the courtroom. Hundreds of people were tors.

The S-70 Sikorsky helicopter, belonging to Turkey's paramilitary police force, crashed while landing near an outpost in Hakkari province, close Turkey to the border with Iraq, the military said in a statement posted on its website. It was carrying four crew members and 11 security personnel. helicopter crashes in The military said the helicopter experienced a loss of power and cra- shed. But Firat News, an agency that is close to the rebels, claimed the Kurd region; 4 killed helicopter was downed by rebel fire. ANKARA, Turkey , Sunday July 22, 2012(AP) Kurdish rebels have used northern Iraq as a springboard for attacks on Turkish targets in their decades-long fight for autonomy in Turkey's A TURKISH paramilitary helicopter crashed Sunday in a southeas- Kurdish-dominated southeast. The conflict has claimed the lives of tens tern region where troops are fighting Kurdish rebels, killing four secu- of thousands of people since 1984. rity personnel on board, officials said. Eight others were injured.

18 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 18, 2012

Erdogan’s not wholly wrong. The BDP Erdogan vs. won’t take his side. It’s not because they are afraid of the PKK or because they are spiteful. It’s because, from the perspective of many Kurds, the PKK’s fight is still The Kurds legitimate given the judicial assault on The National Interest democratic activism and the lack of a for- Aliza Marcus mal peace process. At the same time, Erdogan’s reforms may be new for Turks, but for Kurds, these changes are either ity Turkish prime minister Recep than attend their meetings. Many have been held in prison for upwards of three irrelevant to main concerns or twenty Tayyip Erdogan. It seems he just can’t years behind the demand curve. Take Pget the Kurdish issue right. years while the trials progress. Charges center on alleged membership in the Kurdish-language television: a nice idea, In early June, when Erdogan visited Union of Communities in Kurdistan which is why pro-PKK activists in Europe Diyarbakir, the unofficial capital of (KCK), which prosecutors say was set up started their own satellite programming in Turkey’s Kurdish southeast, shops closed by the PKK rebel force to control the 1995. The graduate programs in Kurdish- in protest. A few weeks later, when he Kurdish southeast. The evidence against language studies were not poorly announced that schools would be allowed defendants, including press conferences received, it’s just that with so many stu- to offer elective Kurdish language classes, they called and legal briefs they wrote, is dents and some professors in prison, it’s opposition Kurdish politicians accused shoddy even by Turkey’s notoriously lax hard to know who will teach the classes— him of denying their identity by refusing judicial standards. or take them. Elective Kurdish-language mother-tongue education for Kurds. Even courses might be a good idea for Turkish Kurdish Islamists aren’t fans. “Turks and Meanwhile, the number of journalists students, but Kurds want their children to Kurds fought together to create the state, jailed—the majority of them Kurds—has learn in their own language, not learn but somehow, we were then left behind,” skyrocketed to a level not seen since the about it. And allowing families to speak said Kurdish lawyer Huseyin Yilmaz, who 1990s, when a broad antiterror law made Kurdish to their children on visiting day in heads the Hezbollah-rooted Mustazaf-Der writing about the Kurdish insurgency a prison is great. But letting them out of association (no relation to Hezbollah in crime. And more than seven hundred uni- prison would be even better. Lebanon). “We have our own language, versity students are in prison, the highest our own identity. We have something we number since the 1980 military coup, It’s not that Kurds aren’t clear what they want.” many charged with aiding the PKK rebel want. It’s more like Turks don’t want to group through its urban KCK political hear it. In a public statement last year, Erdogan’s unpopularity among Kurds is wing. The evidence, again, usually rests leading Kurdish political parties and hardly a surprise. Since his Justice and on nonviolent acts or speeches promoting organizations demanded “democratic Development Party (AKP) won an Kurdish identity or criticizing government autonomy” and a realistic plan for ending unprecedented third parliamentary major- policies, including the cost of tuition. the PKK’s war and demobilizing the some ity in June of last year, Erdogan appears to While the space for legal Kurdish politics eight thousand rebels whose home base is have abandoned the democratic-reform narrows, the PKK shows no signs of in the remote Kandil mountains of Iraqi plans that initially gained him respect weakness; in June, rebels killed some Kurdistan. In a June interview with the from Kurds and the backing of Turkish twenty Turkish soldiers, including eight in liberal Turkish daily Taraf, BDP cochair- liberals. The prime minister’s campaign an assault on a fortified Turkish outpost man Selahattin Demirtas laid out a frame- pledge to overhaul the constitution— close to the border with Iraq. work for getting to the solution: Halt the drawn up by the 1980–1983 military arrests of Kurdish officials and activists, junta—is moribund. Kurdish politicians in Erdogan denies that he’s backed off from and release them from prison; ease condi- Ankara from the main political parties say his reform agenda and frequently cites the tions for imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah any package he produces is unlikely to changes he has made in his terms in Ocalan, who hasn’t had any visits, includ- answer Kurdish demands that their identi- office: he opened a twenty-four-hour ing from his lawyers, in almost a year; and ty and language be recognized in the con- state-run Kurdish television channel; create a mechanism for dialogue. stitution. And instead of changing restric- allowed graduate Kurdish-language pro- tive penal-code laws used for decades to grams at university; opened the way for Erdogan’s Intransigence repress Kurdish identity and muzzle elective Kurdish-language classes in pri- demands, he’s now using them to silence mary and secondary schools; and made it Unfortunately, like those who ruled before those who question his policies or advo- possible for families to speak to their him, Erdogan’s having a hard time accept- cate for change. imprisoned children in Kurdish. The bot- ing Kurdish nationalism and the popular tleneck isn’t him, he claims, it’s the hold the PKK exerts over Kurdish opin- Almost four hundred officials from the Kurds. He notes that the BDP, which won ion. As a result, he remains wedded to the Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party thirty-six seats in last year’s national par- idea that if he can do away with the PKK (BDP) party are in prison, among them liamentary elections, won’t join him in and outspoken Kurdish activists, he can thirty-six elected mayors and thirteen condemning PKK “terrorist” attacks and find someone who will be perfectly con- deputy mayors, along with six hundred- won’t acknowledge the Kurdish reforms tent with the changes he’s made to date. plus Kurdish civil-society activists, he’s done. He also accuses them of not But that’s not a way to make peace. If he wants to end the fighting, he has to talk to including human-rights workers, trade being able to even go to the toilet unless ➡ unionists and people who did no more the PKK first “loosens the strings [3].” those who have the guns. And if

19 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➡ he wants a political settlement with the head of Turkey’s national intelligence mental problem. the Kurds, he needs to negotiate with agency, MIT, last year, Erdogan’s gov- their political party. Anything short of ernment didn’t fall, and his ratings in the The Kurdish issue isn’t a matter of sell- that is just wasting time. polls didn’t drop. When Erdogan ing something to the voters. It’s a matter announced the new Kurdish-language of selling it to Erdogan.N It’s popular to suggest that Erdogan reform package, the most amazing thing wants a deal, but he has to move slowly was the lack of reaction among AKP vot- Aliza Marcus is a writer in Washington, DC, because of the nationalist wing in his ers. Erdogan’s strength is that he has won and the author of Blood and Belief: The party and within his voting base. Yet con- the support of the Turkish public—again, PKK and the Kurdish Fight for vincing the Turkish public may not be as again and again. His weakness is that he Independence. hard as it seems. When word leaked out still hasn’t decided how to use this polit- about secret talks between the PKK and ical capital to solve Turkey’s most funda-

Agency of Kurdistan for News Syrian Kurdish opposition signs Erbil deal under Barzani's supervision ERBIL, July 11, 2012 (AKnews)

Under the auspices of Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, two Kurdish opposition forces of Syria signed a joint state- ment today in Salahaddin, Erbil, Kurdistan presidential web- site said. Erbil Statement, as it was named, was signed by Kurdistan National Council of Syria and the National Council of Western Kurdistan. According to the statement the parties should form a joint com- mittee called Kurdish Senior Board which is supposed to draw the general policy for leading the Kurds in the current decisive political situation in Syria. The statement further urges the signatories to stop their media The president also demanded the Kurdish opposition represen- war. tatives not to give up the struggle for the Kurdish ethnic rights which can be achieved only by maintaining unity among the Barzani congratulated the opposition parties over the "historic Kurdish political forces and strategic ties with the entire demo- deal" and urged them to unite voices in the face of the current cratic forces across Syria.
changes in Syria, according to Kurdistan presidential website.

Agency of Kurdistan for News France selects new General Consul to Kurdistan Region ERBIL, July 16, 2012 (AKnews)

The French government has selected Alan Gepran as the new General Consul to the Kurdistan Region, said the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative in France. qunsuli nwey faransa Khaman Zrar said the party was hosted in the region's representative headquarters in France for selecting Gepran Gepran announced: "The same as last year a French political and as the new consul and to introduce himself to Kurdish migrants in economic delegation will visit the region to convince them to work the country. like the other French companies that arrived to work there earlier. Zrar added: "France was one of the first countries that opened its “The cultural relation with the Kurdistan Region will be the work consulate in the region and Fredric Tisso was the first French consul priority of the consulate."
there since 2008."

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

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2012 Syria stiffens its defense

BEIRUT " of Damascus Helicopter gunships join battle in capital as rebels and army extend clashes

BY NEIL MACFARQUHAR i AND DALAL MAWÀD ' j>v »T * Damascus was tense on Tuesday as clashes between the Syrian Army and rebels near the city center extended in¬ to a third day, with government forces throwing a security cordon around ! some embattled neighborhoods, firing from helicopters and reinforcing the J number of tanks on the streets. The urban combat in Damascus over¬ shadowed international diplomacy aimed at halting the Syria conflict, , * which intensified before a U.N. Security Council vote this week on whether to ex- \ . tend the mission of 300 U.N. monitors, who have been basically trapped in ' their hotel rooms.since last month, their

work suspended. The Shaam News Network said this picture, which it released on Tuesday, showed Free

. There was also new evidence, report- Syrian Army fighters firing on a base in the town of Qusayr, Horns Province. . ed by Israel's intelligence chief, that President Bashar al-Assad was moving Damascus and activists reporting more ramped up their game ; and keeping Da¬ troops into Damascus, the capital, from tanks entering Midan. Another showed mascus calm will tie down a lot of elite Syria's border with the disputed Golan a tiny pifckiip truck groaning under the troops that the regime has used to try to Heights territory held by Israel, a possi¬ weight of moçe than a dozen shabihà, crush the uprising throughout Syria. ble indication of the seriousness of the the militiamen deployed by the govern¬ "Damascus is a symbol, it is the center fighting that was roiling neighborhoods ment to subdue neighborhoods, appar¬ of gravity, of the Syrian regime, so this at the president's doorstep. ently headed toward the fighting. has a psychological, moral, military and The epicenter of the Damascus fight¬ In Jerusalem, Maj. Gen. Aviv political consequences," Mr. Hanna said. ing remained an area in the city's south¬ Kochavi, Israel's military intelligence But Mr. Hanna was also dismissive of west where street battles first erupted chief, told a parliamentary committee claims that this was any kind of end Sunday, particularly the Midan neigh¬ that the. Syrian government had witiv borhood because rebel fighters concen¬ game; the rebels would have to control drawn forces from the Goian Heights to trated there after being chased out of much more territory and be able to redeploy them in Damascus. He did not surrounding quarters. make direct assaults on key institutions, give more specifics. "The heaviest clashes are going on in he said, "We are seeing changes but it is Satellite images show that Mr. Assad Al-Midan and the neighboring areas," still not decisive," he said. is directing artillery at highly populated said a spokesman for an activist group in The official Syrian news media con¬ regions and acting "extremely brutally, ' Damascus. ''Regime forces are threaten¬ centrated on what was happening in the which displays their desperation and in¬ ingto bombard the whole area and telling- Midan neighborhood. They said Syrian dicates they are unable to find more efc civilians to evacuate their houses." security forces were pursing "armed ficient'.solutions to pacify the upris¬ : Despite other fighting, in thenerthern terrorist groups" their description ings" General Kochavi said. suburb of Qaboun, plus sweeping state¬ for all opposition and inflicting heavy Indeed, the government seemed to be ments from some rebel fighters that the losses on them there. preparing trie same tactics in and around ultimate battle for Damascus had been Witnesses said the government had Midan that it- had in other cities like joined, numerous opposition members deployed a huge security presence in Da¬ ; Horns and Hama where it momentarily suggested that it was more-intense skir¬ mascus, basically cutting off all the em¬ lost control isolating them, waiting for mishing in a limited number of neigh¬ battled neighborhoods in the southern the rebels' ammunition to run low and borhoods, a continuing of gun battles section of the capital from the rest of the that started on Sunday. then pounding them into submission. city. There were also reports thatgovern¬ But that is a riskier, more fraught "The battle for Damascus has not ment employees in the area, including policy in Damascus because it is such a started," said Abu Raed, a coordinator the staff of Tishreen, the Syrian state-run symbolic prize and the government has in Qaboun for the loose coalition of rebel newspaper, had been sent home early. tried to use the stability there fighters known as the Free Syrian Army, Unlike Monday, when activists throughout the 16 months of the upris¬ who was interviewed in Turkey and streamed live images of an assault in ing to project the sense that it remains used only one name because lie planned Midan and a number of videos showing in control of the entire country. to return to Syria. "It is more ebb and heavy clashes and sandbagged barri¬ Elias Hanna, a retired Lebanese of¬ flow; these skirmishes are just a test as cades appeared online, anti-govern¬ ficer and military analyst, said the fight¬ our fighters infiltrate then withdraw." ment activists posted relatively few im¬ ing in Damascus was important for There were signs the government ages of street fighting from Tuesday. three reasons : Control there is the main . was taking it seriously, however, with Activists in the Qaboun suburb report¬ pillar of the Assad regime; attacking in one video posted online showing tank ed that helicopter gunships were firing at the capital indicates the rebels have and troop, reinforcements rolling "into fighters inthe area, and theyclaimed that

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

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A picture released by thé Syrian opposition via the Shaam News Network on Tuesday was described as showing destruction in

the Juret al-Shayyah neighborhood of Horns.

rebel forces had shot down one of them. suburb. and near the old Hamidiyah bazaar, but That could not be independently corrob¬ There were also reports from Qaboun the heavier fighting did not reach there. orated and there was no video evidence. of rebel soldiers firing on government

Videos posted by anti-government ac¬ targets, including a police station and Hwaida Saad contributed reportingfrom tivists showed night scenes of gunfire the headquarters of an elite Revolution¬ Istanbul, J. David Goodmanfrom New and helicopter noise, as well as daytime ary Guard unit. York, Isabel Kershnerfrom Jerusalem, images,ofwhat was said to be helicopter Elsewhere, there were scattered re¬ and an employee ofThe New York Times gunships.,:flying over the capital. One ports from witnesses and postings on from Damascus. person posting on Twitter said-he could Twitter of gunfire in the very heart of see a helicopter shelling a Damascus the city, around the Seven Seas Square

. MTEIWATIONAl.

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2012 Syrian leaders dealt blow as defense chief and Assad in-law are killed

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REUTERS MORTEZA NIKOUBAZL/REUTERS

ASEF SHAWKAT, DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER DAOUD RAJHA, DEFENSE MINISTER A Ca¬ MAJ. GEN. HASSAN TURKMAN! An assistant

President Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law reer military officer who had held his post . vice president who reportedly led the crisis

and a fixture of Syrian intelligence circles for just under a year and was among the group of security officials charged with put'

for more than.a decade. most powerful, visible Christiansin Syria. ting down the uprising.

law. The blast in Damascus, after three . claims that its forces have been mar¬ BEIRUT days of fighting in the capital, struck at shaling strength to hit the close-knit the very core of the military structure centers of state power. BY NEIL MACFARQUHAR thafhas battled the 17-month-old upris¬ PresidentAssad made rio public state¬ AND DALAL MAWAD ing against Mr. Assad's rule. ment about the attack and his where¬ An explosion described by Syrian state The assassinations were the first of abouts were not immediately clear. -

television as a suicide bomb attack such high-ranking members of the elite The attack heightened tensions be¬ . killed at least three top aides to Presi¬ since the revolt began and could repre¬ tween government soldiers and thé op¬ dent Bashar al-Assad of Syria on Wed¬ sent a turning point in the conflict, ana¬ position, with fierce clashes reported in

nesday, including the defense rninister . lysts said. The nature and target of the several Damascus districts, and it came and Mr. Assad's powerful brother-in- attack strengthened the opposition's despite a huge security presence to iso-

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

laté the embattled neighborhoods. ern-sponsored resolution that would minister or a top official of President As¬ In such a tense, suspicious climate, it threaten Mr. Assad's government with sad's Baath Party, and there were re¬ was not clear who Mr. Assad might find economic sanctions if it does not put in ports of a second bomb in the street that to replace those killed and wounded place a peace plan negotiated by the spe- had shattered nearby windows. from the innermost circle of his security rial envoy Kofi Annan more than three "If a bodyguard blew himself up, then team that has led the effort to put down months ago. The resolution, which Rus- there was a major internal security . the. uprising in Syria. The attack was breach," Mr. Hanna, the Lebanese mili: also accompanied by a rash of reported tary analyst, said. defections from the government side. An Army statement quoted by state According to state television, the television said in part: "This terrorist dead included the defense minister, **** act will only increase our insistence to Daoud Rajha; Asef Shàwkat, the presi¬ purge this country from the criminal dent's brother-in-law who was the terrorist thugs and to protect the dig¬ deputy chief of staff of the Syrian mili¬ nity of Syria and its sovereignty." tary; and Hassan Turkmani, a former ^ The information minister, Omran al- minister of defense and military adviser Zoubi, also went on a talk show to reject to Vice President Farouk Sharaa. claims by those calling it the beginning But the television report rejected of the end. claims by Arab satellite channels that "The morale of our people is very the interior minister, Mohamed Sha'ar, high and our armed forces are at their also was killed, saying he was wounded SANA, VIA REUTERS highest level," he said. President Assad's opponents claimed the and in stable condition. Activists reached in Damascus said bombing was a major victory against him. "Who will replace these people?" the city appeared deserted, aside from asked EliaSvHânna, a retired Lebanese the security cordon thrown up around military officer and a military analyst the leafy, well-to-do neighborhood Sia has threatened to veto, would also ex¬ knowledgeable about Syria. "They are where the explosion took, place just irreplaceable at this stage, it's hard to tend the mission of 300 unarmed United down the road from the American am¬ Nations monitors, whose work has been find loyal people now that doubt is bassador's residence, which has Been suspended because of the violence. ' sowed everywhere. Whoever can get to . vacant for months. Thç area is dotted Reporters at the United Nations said ' Asef Shawkat can get to Assad." with embassies and government of¬ that Security Council members had "Everyone, even those close to the in¬ fices. agreed to delay the' vote, originally ner circle, will now be under suspicion," "All the stores and shops are closed," scheduled for Wednesday, until Thurs¬ he said. said an activist in Damascus reached day at Mr. Annan's request, to allow General Rajha was appointed defense via Skype. "Some people are scared and . more time for diplomats to resolve their minister in August. A Christian, he was some are happy, you can hear people fir¬ differences over the resolution's word¬ one of the prominent minority figures, ing off gunshots in many places.'' ing. used by the Assad government to put a Thewounded were evacuatedtothe al- But in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Min¬ face of pluralism on the military and se¬ Shami hospital, an élite medical facility. ister Gennady Gatilov, offering Russia's curity services dominated by the presi¬ Since the uprising began in March, first official commentary on the Damas¬ dent's Muslim Alawite sect. 2011, Syriahas been run by an ever-tight¬ The British-based Syrian Observafo-' cus .bombing, said via his Twitter ac¬ er circle of army and security officials ry for Human Rights, an anti-Assad ac- count that the attack had put consensus close to thç president. The killings repre¬ tivistorgahization, said all the members between members of the Security Coun¬ sented as much a psychological blow as of the crisis group set up by President cil even farther out of reach. a physical one, emboldening the opposi¬ Assad to try to put down the revolt were "A dangerous logic: While discus¬ tion, analysts said, and challenging Mr. either dead or wounded. State television sions on settling the Syrian crisis are be¬ Assad to demonstrate quickly that his ing held in the U.N. Security Council, said that besides the three dead and the forces can still confront the rebels. militants intensify terrorist attacks, wounded interior minister, the only oth¬ "Can they demonstrate the ability to frustrating all attempts," he wrote. er wounded was Hisham Ikhtiar, head of put down this challenge and show that There were conflicting accounts of the general security bureau. they are on the way to survival?" said how the. attack took place and compet¬ The government moved rapidly to an analyst with long experience in Da¬ ing claims about who carried it out. Lt. project an image of control, naming mascus, speaking in return for anonym¬ Malik al-Kurdi, the second in command Gen. Fahed Jassem al-Freij, the military ity because hé still works there. "The of the Free Syrian Army troops in Tur¬ chief of staff and a man once assigned to opposition cannot defeat the regime key, claimed that it had plotted the at¬ subdue the restive Idlib province in the militarily but they can defeat it through tack. He said it was not a suicide bomb¬ north, as the new defense minister. In a : psychology." ing but "bombs planted around the statement on state television, General Even as state media reported the at¬ national security building" that were - Freij said the military would not be de¬ tack, Syria's Russian-armed military- set off by remote control. terred from ' 'cutting off every hand that ' was reported to have suffered further But people reached by telephone who harms the security of the homeland and defections among its top ranks, with two live in the same neighborhood said they citizens." brigadier generals among 600 Syrians did not hear any explosions, which At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary . who fled to Turkey overnight, Reuters would lend weight to the idea that it was Leon E. Panetta said that the situation reported. a blast within the building. . in Syria "is rapidly spinning out of con¬ Their action brought to 20 the number Regardless of who was responsible, trol" and warned Mr. Assad's govern¬ of such high-ranking figures, who in¬ Mr. Assad's opponents claimed a major ment to safeguard its large stockpile of clude a onetime close associate of Mr. victory. chemical weapons. "It's obvious what is Assad, Gen. Manaf Tlass, the son of a "The Syrian regime has started to happening in Syria is a real escalation of former defense minister, the fighting,'' he said at ajoint news con¬ collapse," said the activist who heads the Syrian Observatory, who goes by ference with the British defense minis^ Alan Coweil contributed reportingfrom . the pseudonym Rami Abdul-Rahman ter, Philip Hammond. London, Hwaida Saddfrom Istanbul, J. for reasons of personal safety. "There The attack came as diplomatic maneu¬ David Goodman and Rick Gladstone was fighting for three days inside Da¬ vers to seek a cease-fire remained dead¬ from New York, Ellen Barryfrom Mos¬ mascus, it was not just a gun battle, and locked by differences between Syria's cow, Isabel Kershnerfrom Jerusalem, now someone has killed or injured all international adversaries and sponsors, Elisabeth Bumiller and Eric Schmitt these important people." principally Russia, ahead ofa United Na¬ from Washington, and an employee of Rumors swirled around Damascus tions Security Council vote on a West The New YorkTimesfrom Damascus. that the bomber was a bodyguard for a

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

LE FIGARO vendredi 6 juillet 2012 Syrie : la diplomatie se range derrière les combattants

l'après-el-Assad. Mais avec le prolongement de la Alors que la France réunit crise et son glissement vers la guerre civile,- la s£ France a changé de ton, ne craignant plus d'évo¬ ce vendredi la conférence quer « un risque de chaos islamique » après un ren- ! des Amis du peuple versement du régime.

syrien, les espoirs Les Frères musulmans gardent la main

ans fleurs, ni couronnes. La France en¬ pour l'après-el-Assad Ces acteurs du changement, propulsés sur le de¬ terre discrètement le Conseil national vant de la scène par leurs parrains français, turcs et syrien (CNS). Enfin presque. Le princi¬ ne reposent plus qatariens, sont devenus des spectateurs, souvent honnis par les insurgés de l'intérieur. « Dites à vos pal groupe de l'opposition est rétro¬ sur l'opposition en exil. gradé au rang de représentant parmi amis Ghâlioun ou Manna qu'ilsfassent Men attention La priorité va désormais d'autres d'un peuple en lutte depuis quand ils rentreront au pays, menace un activiste seize mois contre le régime de Bachar aux rebelles de l'intérieur, réfugié en Jordanie, car ils risquent d'avoir despro¬ el-Assad. La reconnaissance internationale de cet- blèmes dès leur descente d'avion à Damas. » ! te alliance hétéroclite d'islamistes.de'libéraux et dé que les mouvements L'opposition de l'étranger? « Uneplaisanterie », '.'. nationalistes laïcs en exil n'est plus du tout à l'ordre islamistes veulent armer. ironise Salman Shaikh, à la tête de l'antenne qatâ- . du jour. La refondation d'une opposition appelée à rienne du Brooking Institute à Doha. « Mais on ne succéder au raïs, privilégie au. contraire les com¬ peutpas dissoudre le CNSpuisque c'est notre bébé. » battants de' l'intérieur, ceux qui, chaque jour, ris- Comment faire alors pour ne pas perdre la face ? : quent leur vie contre la soldatesque syrienne. « On essaie de l'élargir et.de le restructurer », dé¬ Le virage sera acte ce vendredi lors de la confé¬ clare Nasser al-Qidwa, l'adjoint de Kofi Annan, le rence inteihationale des Amis du peuple syrien à médiateur international sur la Syrie. Tâche titanes- Paris. « Laprioritéy est accordée aux voix de l'inté¬ que plombée par les luttes pour le pouvoir, les ego rieur, celles des comités locaux de coordination de la surdimensionnés et la persistance des vieux ré¬ i révolte, tel est le souhait de Laurent Fabius », souli¬ flexes baasistes d'exclusion de l'autre. gne un diplomate en pointe dans L'organisation de Sous l'égide de la Ligue arabe, l'opération à com¬ cette troisième édition d'une grand-messe desti¬ mencé fin 2011. Objectif: rassembler toutes les née à montrer qu'au bout du tunnel des souffran¬ composantes de l'opposition dans un congrès gé¬ néral où le CNS devrait partager le pouvoir." Pre- : ces, perce la lueur d'une transition politique que le *i sommet de Paris va chercher à renforcer. Fini mier échec. Les Frères musulmans n'ont pas voulu ' » donc le monopole du dialogue accordé par la Fran¬ perdre la main. Mis en sommeil ensuite, le projet a ce aux dirigeants du CNS. Tous les courants de été relancé par les Turcs, qui ont réuni en mai un : l'opposition ont été dûment invités par lettre offi¬ comité préparatoire. Dix-huit représentants de cielle, signée de l'ex-ambassadeur en Syrie, Éric foute l'opposition sont parvenus à accoucher d'un Chevalier, ordonnateur de la conférence. '« C'est Pacte national, sorte de charte constitutionnelle de

vrai, nous noussommes longtemps trompés », a-t-il . la Syrie de demain. Mais il restait à le faire valider récemment reconnu devant Haytham Manna, di- r par les ténors de l'opposition. Ce fut l'objet des , rigeant de la Coordination nationale, l'un des plus c c c deux jours de conférence à huis clos qui se sont te¬ : virulents pourfendeurs du CNS, longtemps margi¬ nus lundi et mardi au Caire, où un autre texte sur les modalités de la transition a été débattu. nalisé par le Quai d'Orsay. « Mais vous devez com¬ La bagarre prendre qu'un État ne peut pas reconnaître qu'il Pour la première fois, quelque 200 opposants de change depolitique ». Oubliées également les pres¬ a porté tous bords se sont assis autour de la même table sions exercées sur Michel Kilo, figure libérale in¬ pour discuter de l'après-el-Assad. Les premières dépendante, pour qu'il adhère au CNS et demande notamment heures furent pénibles dans l'hôtel thaïlandais qui l'asile politique. accueillait les débats sur les bords du Nil. On en est . Face à une organisation qui a échoué à fédérer les sur même venu aux mains. Éc lesecrétaire géné¬ anti-el-Assad et à rassurer les minorités de l'inté¬ ral de la Ligue arabe, Nabil al-Arabi, préféra quitter rieur qui le soutiennentencorepafpeur.de l'ave¬ la question les lieux, tandis que dans les couloirs de l'établisse- ' nir, Paris a fini par appliquer le principe de réalité. ment, les missi dominici français redoublaient, kurde)) d'inquiétude. Si Le Caire échoue', l'opposition s'af¬ Aujourd'hui; le CNS n'a plus Wàïrhent la" cote. fichera désunie à la réunion de Paris. C'est la catas¬ « C'est à lui de définir son rôle, pasànous », rétôr- SAMIR AÏTA, trophe ! L'ambiance fut encore alourdie par le coup que-t-on sèchement au Quai d*Orsay. Pendant des UNI VESITAIRE, OPPOSANT de tonnerre lancé depuis l'intérieur de la Syrie, où mois, pourtant, Parisyà irjisérasirf les dirigeants du VIVANT À PA'RIS des dissidents de l'ASL rejetèrent d'emblée ces CNS, notamment ; Burhan Ghâlioun et Bassma LOUAI BESHARA/ÀFP «palabres ». Kodmani, deux Syriens devenus français après des . « La bagarre a porté sur deux points », souligne décennies dans l'Hexagone, mais dont l'influence l'opposant Sarnir Aïta, présent sur place. La ques¬ est aujourd'hui réduite au sein du mouvement. tion kurde, tout d'abord. Les représentants de cet¬ Pendant des mois également, Paris n'a pas voulu te minorité exigeaient que la charte constitution¬ voir qu'en coulisses, les laïcs comme Ghâlioun nelle cite «le peuple Uurde». Mais les Frères étaient pris en otages par lés islamistes liés aux Frè- musulmans et les représentants turcs très actifs en res musulmans ou « les néointégristes » exiles à coulisses s'y sont farouchement opposés. Le Pacte Londres ou Washington, qui veulent aller vite pour national ne parle donc que de « communautés dif¬ bénéficier de la redistribution des cartes dans . férentes»., ce qui provoqua le départ des Kurdes et

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

d'autres opposants qui les soutenaient. La charte D'où leur insistance pour exiger l'expression « ré¬ fut finalement adoptée par une majorité des parti¬ sistance arméepopulaire » dans le document; « Al-

cipants, les Frères musulmans ayant quelque peu Qaîda, c'est de la résistance armée ? », a alors pro¬

assoupli leurs exigences sur le passage relatif à la testé un opposant, eh référence aux djihadistes qui

çlàce de -la religion dans la Constitution du futur combattent également ;-el-Assad et ses miliciens.

État syrien. Y est reconnue « la liberté de choisir sa Finalement, ce document sur la transition n'a pas religion et même d'en changer », une victoire pour été adopté par l'opposition, n ne pourra donc pas

le camp laïc. Par ailleurs, il n'y est indiqué nulle être exploité par la Conférence de Paris, qui comp¬

part.que le futur chef de l'État devra être musul¬ tait sur un avis unanime des opposants pour faire

man, la religion de la majorité. Des concessions avancer l'après-el-Assad. chèrement monnayées par les « Frères » qui ont Mais au final, les apparences ont été sauvées. Les

arraché le retrait de la référence, impie à leurs déchirures entre opposants ont été contenues, Les

yeux, sur « la religion pour Dieu, la nation pour islamistes ont tactiquement reculé sur certains

tous », qui sous-entend une séparation du divin et points. « Et si tout le monde respecte ses engage¬ du politique. Ils ont également conservé la maîtrise ments, Le Caire aura constitué une étape historique du nerf de la guerre : l'argent pour financer les se¬ pour l'opposition », se félicité Samir Aïta. Contre

cours aux victimes de la répression. l'avis de Kofi Annan et des Russes, l'opposition dans sonintégralité campe sur son refus de s'asso¬ Accord sur une transition sans Bachar cier à un gouvernement temporaire qui compterait

Les intégristes n'ont pas davantage reculé sur le se¬ des soutiens actuels au régime d'el^Assad, Plus que. cond texte, le plus brûlant parce qu'il traite des jamais, la voie choisie est celle du combat armé. modalités de là transition. Pour les Frères musul¬ Dans ce contexte, le rôle de la Turquie, par où tran¬

mans, cette transition ne peut passer que parla lut-_ sitent les armes destinées aux rebelles syriens, re¬

te armée. La leur, bien sûr, ou celle des dissidents devient central. de l'ASL. Mais également celle de tout le peuple.

Xe3Jlonde

Mercredi 4 juillet 2012

Ouverture du procès à grand spectacle de plus de 200 opposants turcs

Le cas de l'éditeur Ragip Zarakolu/qui figure parmi les accusés, provoque une vague d'indignation

des dizaines d'avocats, doiit cer¬ M. Zarakolu avait reçu en octo¬ Silivri (Turquie) tains figurent aussi sur la liste des bre 2011 le prix de la Liberté de Envoyé spécial «terroristes» jugés par la cour. -Quelques activistes internatio¬ publication au Salon du livre de Francfort, quelques jours avant Une vieille femme en habit naux, des journalistes et une dizai¬ d'être arrêté. En mars, des dépu¬ traditionnel kurde supplie ne de députés turcs sont venus tés suédois ont déposé sa candida¬ le gendarme de la laisser observer ce procès politique géant. entrerdans là salle d'audience. Son Dès milliers de personnes ont ture pour le prix Nobel de la paix. fils est là, parmi les accusés, expli- été arrêtées depuis le déclenche¬ Ce procès illustre à lui seul l'em¬ que-t-elle en pleurs. «C'est plein, ment, en 2009, de l'enquête sur le ballement de la machine judiciaire revenez tout à l'heure», lui répond KCK et, chaque semaine, de nou¬ turque qui, depuis cinq ans, a mul¬ le militaire. Depuis le veaux noms viennent s'ajouter à la tiplié lès procédures spectaculai¬ matin, tout a été fait pour dissua¬ liste. Au moins^ooo personnes res contre des opposants au gou- ' der les proches de venir au procès seraient détenues, selon le Parti vernement islamo-conservateur qui s'est ouvert lundi près d'Is¬ pour la paix et la démocratie (BDP, issu du Partidela justice et du déve¬ tanbul contre une branche présu¬ kurde). Elles sont soupçonnées de loppement (AKP) : militaires, jour¬ mée de l'Union des communautés fbrmerunréseaudesoutienà « une nalistes, étudiants, avocats, intel¬ du Kurdistan (KCK), présentée organisation terroriste». Les diri¬ lectuels... «Les autorités détour¬ comme un réseau civil de soutien geants du syndicat de la fonction nent le sens de la notion de terroris¬ milieude la nuit, à quelques heures

à la guérilla du Parti des tra¬ publique KESK les ont rejoints la me. La Turquie est le pays au mon¬ seulement de l'ouverture du pro¬ vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), qui semaine dernière. de quicompte leplus deprisonniers cès de Silivri, l'abolition de ces mène la lutte armée contre l'Etat Mais l'affaire a déclenché une politiques avec la Chine, l'Iran et cours spéciales, soutenueparle pre¬ turc depuis 1984. vague internationale de protesta¬ Cuba », souligne M. Schoulgin. mier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdo¬

Mais plusieurs centaines de per¬ tion avec l'arrestation, l'an dernier, Environ 9 000 personnes gan, provoquant une vive opposi¬ sonnes sont venues manifester de deux figures du monde intellec¬ seraient en prison pour des accusa¬ tion à l'intérieur de son parti, l'AKP. devant le tribunal pour réclamer tuel turc, l'éditeur Ragip Zarakolu tions de «terrorisme», selon le «La réforme ne concernera pas les une relaxe générale. A l'intérieur et l'universitaire Busra Ersanli. «Je député de gauche Ertugrul Kûrkçu. en cours», a tentéde rassurer dutribunalspécialde Silivri, le spec¬ suis très choqué, -s'insurge l'écri¬ A chaque- fois, ces affaires sont le vice-premier ministre, Bekir tacle a déjà commencé : 205 accu¬ vain norvégien Eugene Schoulgin, . jugées par des tribunaux d'excep¬ Bozdag. Elle risque cependant de sés ont pris place surle banc, la plu¬ tion et des procureurs aux pou¬ les rendre illégaux. Al'ouverturede vice-président du Pen Internatio¬ part emprisonnés depuis de longs voirs élargis, dont la légitimité est la séance, lundi, les avocats ont nal, venu soutenir son "amiRagi-. mois. Les familles s'agitent, échan¬ contestée, jusqu'au sein de l'AKP. demandé le dessaisissement de la p". Dès que vous entrez ici, vous gent des signes de la main avec les cour de Silivri.» voyezbienquecettecoum'estabso- Ultime coup de théâtre, le Parle¬ détenus. Sur la droite sont alignés mentturc a approuvé dimanche au Guillaume Firmer lumentpas indépendante. »

25 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti IRIS -Institut de relations internationales et stratégiques — 10 juillet 2012

(CNS) a nommé à sa tête le dissident kurde / turc Abdelbasset Sayda, exilé en Turquie, Syrie, Irak : Suède depuis 20 ans, tandis qu’Assad a accordé à 300 000 Kurdes la nationalité tensions autour des Kurdes syrienne dont ils avaient été privés. Mais si les organisations kurdes syriennes sont qui figure sur le banc des accusés et a quelques peu hésitantes, les Kurdes de rrestations en masse en Turquie, qui- déjà été emprisonnée de 1994 à 2004, a Syrie ont tranché en participant massive- Aproquos et contradictions avec l’Armée rencontré le Premier ministre Recep ment aux manifestations anti-Assad. libre syrienne et tensions avec le régime Tayyip Erdogan dans l’espoir de renouer irakien sur la vente de pétrole, les Kurdes le dialogue. La communauté kurde a par En Irak, où les Kurdes jouissent d’une font face à une actualité chargée. ailleurs rappelé à Ankara que la Turquie, autonomie de facto depuis 1991, des Communauté divisée entre quatre pays et qui compte 15 millions de Kurdes, ne protestations avaient émergé pendant le aux conditions de vie inégales, les Kurdes pourrait pas servir de modèle démocra- printemps arabe. Le mouvement kurde tentent de se fédérer à l’heure du prin- tique dans la région tant que la question irakien du 17 février 2011 critiquait temps arabe. Leur lutte menée depuis kurde ne serait pas réglée. Ce conflit a notamment la manière autoritaire de une trentaine d’années pour une autono- fait plus de 45 000 morts depuis 1984 et gouverner des deux leaders kurdes qui misation voire une indépendance du l’armée turque continue de bombarder se partagent la région, Massoud Barzani Kurdistan se heurte au gouvernement certaines zones kurdes au Nord de l’Irak et Jalal Talabani, chacun à la tête de son turc. La situation en Syrie met également sur une base hebdomadaire. propre parti, armée, médias et compag- en porte-à-faux la communauté kurde, nie téléphonique. Barzani a récemment majoritairement hostile au régime La question kurde s’invite également au recueilli des réfugiés et déserteurs kur- d’Assad. cœur des relations turco-syriennes. des de Syrie, témoignant ainsi de sa Damas a menacé d’armer le PKK turc si volonté d’unir les différents mouvements Le procès de 205 membres supposés de Ankara continuait à armer l’Armée syri- kurdes et de profiter des changements l’Union des communautés du Kurdistan enne libre (ASL). La communauté kurde politiques de la région pour obtenir une (KCK) s’est ouvert lundi dernier en syrienne, la plus faible numériquement, plus grande autonomie. Une situation Turquie, venant couronner des vagues est traditionnellement hostile au régime gênante pour le pouvoir central de d’arrestations visant les sympathisants en place mais s’inquiète par ailleurs de Bagdad, qui a tenu à réaffirmer kurdes depuis 2009. Le KCK est la struc- son sort dans l’hypothèse d’une Syrie dimanche dernier son autorité suite à la ture civile du Parti des travailleurs du post- Assad. La communauté kurde est vente directe de pétrole par les régions Kurdistan (PKK). Mercredi, la député PKK d’ailleurs courtisée par le régime et par autonomes kurdes.G et titulaire du prix Sakharov Leyla Zana, les rebelles. Le Conseil national syrien

Turquie/Kurdes: Vaste manifestation à Diyarbakir pour la libération d'Öcalan

DIYARBAKIR, 14 juil 2012 (AFP)

DE VIOLENTS HEURTS, faisant au moins une vingtaine de blessés, ont éclaté samedi entre la police et des manifestants kurdes qui ont bravé une interdiction des autorités de se rassembler à Diyarbakir (sud-est) pour réclamer la libération du chef rebelle emprisonné Abdullah Öca- lan. Plusieurs centaines de manifestants répartis en plusieurs groupes à travers la ville ont affronté durant plusieurs heures les forces de l'ordre à coups de pierre et de bâtons avant d'être dispersés par la force à l'aide de canons à eau et de gaz lacrymogène, a constaté un correspondant de l'AFP. Plusieurs manifestants, cinq policiers ainsi que des responsables, dont un député, du principal parti pro-kurde de Turquie, le Parti pour la paix et la démocratie (BDP), ont été blessés dans les incidents. turque comme le principal responsable des 45.000 morts du conflit kurde en Les manifestants ont mis le feu à des voitures et saccagé des magasins Turquie, est considérée comme une ligne rouge infranchissable par Ankara. dans certains quartiers de la ville. Elle est en revanche réclamée par les militants kurdes comme une des La demande de cette formation d'organiser une manifestation de masse mesures clé à prendre pour résoudre la question kurde. dans le centre-ville de Diyarbakir a été rejetée par les autorités locales qui Öcalan est privé depuis un an de la visite de ses avocats, qu'il recevait ont considérablement renforcé les dispositifs de sécurité dans cette ville, la auparavant régulièrement et par le biais desquels il communiquait avec plus importante du sud-est anatolien, peuplé principalement de kurdes. l'extérieur. Pour protester contre cette mesure décidée par les autorités Le BDP entendait attirer l'attention sur le sort d'Öcalan chef de l'organisation pénitentiaires, le détenu refuse de rencontrer les membres de sa famille, qui rebelle du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK). Celui-ci purge depuis ont déclaré être inquiets. 1999 une peine de prison à vie sur l'île d'Imrali (nord-ouest). Le PKK a pris les armes en 1984 pour obtenir l'indépendance du sud-est La libération d'Öcalan, désigné par une grande partie de l'opinion publique turc, une revendication qui s'est muée en autonomisme.H

26 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Les Kurdes de Syrie cipé le dirigeant du Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani. unissent leurs forces "Nous annonçons la bonne nouvelle au peuple kurde de Syrie et du contre Assad depuis l'Irak Kurdistan", déclarent les deux formations dans un communiqué commun publié mercredi soir. "Nous avons bâti une maison kurde commune pour Erbil (Irak), 11 juillet 2012 (AFP) unir nos forces". L'opposition syrienne, surtout le Conseil national syrien (CNS), la principale coalition de l'opposition dont la direction est en exil, a été accusée de mar- LES DEUX PRINCIPALES formations kurdes de Syrie, farouchement ginaliser les groupes religieux et ethniques minoritaires en Syrie. opposées au président Bachar al-Assad, ont décidé mercredi d'unir leurs forces et de se regrouper au sein d'un seul et même bloc, à Le CNS a choisi le 10 juin comme nouveau chef le militant kurde Abdel l'issue de négociations tenues au Kurdistan irakien. Basset Sayda, notamment pour rassurer ces minorités. Le Conseil national kurde, qui regroupe une douzaine de partis, et le Les Kurdes représentent près de 9% des 23 millions de Syriens et se plai- Conseil populaire du Kurdistan occidental sont désormais unis sous la ban- gnent depuis des décennies d'être discriminés sous le régime Assad.H nière du Conseil suprême kurde après des discussions auxquelles a parti-

Le Kurdistan accuse Maliki de "militariser" la société irakienne

ERBIL (Irak), 17 juillet 2012 (AFP) aux valeurs démocratiques les plus élémentaires ainsi qu'au principe même d'un partenariat", a affirmé M. Sabah. En décembre 2011, les Etats-Unis avaient donné leur accord pour vendre LA PRÉSIDENCE de la région autonome du Kurdistan irakien, en déli- 36 avions de combat F-16 à Bagdad dans un contrat de plusieurs milliards catesse avec Bagdad depuis plusieurs mois, a accusé mardi le de dollars. Premier ministre irakien Nouri al-Maliki de chercher à "militariser la société irakienne". M. Barzani avait déclaré s'opposer à ces achats tant que M. Maliki serait au pouvoir, disant craindre qu'il ne les utilise contre le Kurdistan. "L'intention (du Premier ministre Maliki) est de militariser la société ira- kienne et de soutenir la violence comme moyen de parvenir à ses fins poli- Le Kurdistan accuse par ailleurs Bagdad de ne pas le fournir en produits tiques", a affirmé Umid Sabah, porte-parole de la présidence du Kurdistan, pétroliers (essence, huile, gaz, etc), ce que le ministère irakien du Pétrole dans un communiqué. dément. Et la région a récemment cessé ses livraisons pétrolières en rai- son d'un litige financier avec Bagdad. Les relations entre le gouvernement irakien et les autorités du Kurdistan, une région riche en pétrole, sont au plus bas depuis plusieurs mois en rai- Dimanche, Bagdad a sommé la Turquie de cesser de recevoir le pétrole du son notamment de profonds différends sur le dossier des hydrocarbures. Kurdistan irakien, après que ce dernier eut annoncé qu'il exportait du brut vers la Turquie pour qu'il y soit raffiné et expédié de nouveau vers le Massoud Barzani, dirigeant de la région autonome située dans le nord de Kurdistan sous formes de produits pétroliers. Bagdad avait qualifié ces l'Irak, s'oppose ouvertement à M. Maliki et a apporté son soutien au projet opérations d'"illégales".H d'un vote de défiance à son encontre au parlement à Bagdad. "Il ne fait aucun doute qu'il (Maliki) s'entête dans des pratiques contraires

Des avocats jugés pour avoir servi d'agents de liaison entre Öcalan et le PKK

ISTANBUL, 16 juillet 2012 (AFP) mort pour trahison en juin 1999, une peine commuée en prison à vie qu'il purge sur l'île prison d'Imrali (nord-ouest). Öcalan est privé depuis un an de la visite de ses avocats, qu'il recevait LE PROCÈS d'une cinquantaine d'avocats accusés d'avoir servi auparavant régulièrement et par le biais desquels il communiquait avec d'agents de liaison entre le chef emprisonné de la rébellion kurde l'extérieur. Abdullah Öcalan et son organisation, le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), a débuté lundi à Istanbul, a rapporté l'agence de Le procès des avocats s'inscrit dans une vaste opération judiciaire visant à presse Anatolie. démanteler tous les relais du PKK dans la société civils. Les prévenus "ont sciemment effectué une mission de définition de la stra- Cette opération contre l'Union des communautés kurdes (KCK), une orga- tégie (du PKK) en relayant le contenu de leurs entretiens (...) avec le chef nisation clandestine considérée par les autorités turques comme la branche des terroristes (...) et en donnant les ordres de passage à l'action", affirme urbaine du PKK, a conduit à l'arrestation de plusieurs centaines d'opposants l'acte d'accusation, cité par Anatolie. kurdes - des milliers selon des sources kurdes. Le ministère public réclame entre 15 et 22 ans et demi de prison contre sept Un vingtaine d'organisations internationales et européennes de juristes ont prévenus accusés d'avoir eu des fonctions de direction au sein du PKK, et fait part de leur "inquiétude" concernant ce nouveau procès aux rapporteurs entre sept ans et demi et 15 ans de prison contre les 43 autres, en tant que de l'ONU pour l'indépendance des juges et des avocats et pour la situation "membres d'une organisation terroriste", selon l'agence. des défenseurs des droits de l'Homme, selon un communiqué conjoint dif- fusé vendredi. Au banc des accusés figurent 46 avocats, trois employés de cabinets d'avocats et un journaliste. Le PKK a pris les armes en 1984. Le conflit a fait plus de 45.000 morts, selon l'armée turque.H Abdullah Öcalan, le chef historique du PKK, a été capturé par des agents turcs à Nairobi en février 1999, puis transféré en Turquie et condamné à

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

15 juillet 2012 L'Irak demande à la Turquie de refuser le pétrole en provenance du Kurdistan irakien Par RFI Avec notre correspondante à Bagdad, Fatma Kizilboga Constitution. Des allégations rejetées L'Irak a demandé, dimanche 15 par le gouvernement central, qui juillet, à la Turquie, d'arrêter de dénonce l’individualisme des Kurdes. se fournir illégalement en pétrole au Kurdistan irakien, au risque de Car ce qui s’apparente à une guerre mettre en péril les relations entre économique n’est en réalité qu’une nou- Ankara et Bagdad. C'est ce qu'a velle illustration des aspirations indépen- déclaré le porte-parole du gou- dantistes kurdes. Une volonté que le vernement irakien. A l’origine du président du Kurdistan irakien, Massoud contentieux, un accord signé le Barzani, n’hésite plus à marteler dans mois dernier entre la région ses discours. autonome kurde et la Turquie. Un scénario qui semble ne plus faire peur ’accord passé entre Ankara et Erbil, la à Ankara, principal partenaire capitale du Kurdistan irakien, se veut économique d’un Kurdistan irakien riche L'exploitation pétrolifère de Tawke Lpourtant clair : il ne s’agit pas d’acheter en pétrole et en plein boom économique. près de la ville de Zacho dans le du pétrole mais de raffiner du brut en La même Turquie qui a récemment viole- Kurdistan irakien.Getty Images/Muhannad Turquie, avant de le réacheminer en Irak ment réprimé dans le sud-est du pays Fala'ah sous forme de produits pétroliers. une manifestation pro-PKK, le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan. Un Kurdistan La région autonome du Kurdistan irakien libre, oui, mais en dehors des frontières accuse Bagdad de ne pas la fournir en turques.J essence et en gaz, comme le stipule la

Bagdad met Ankara en garde contre toute violation de son territoire 17 juillet 2012Par Ali al-Saadi | AFP "Cette question va affecter les Bagdad - relations entre nos deux pays et notamment nos relations écono- L'IRAK a mis en garde mardi la Turquie contre toute nouvelle "viola- miques qui seront mises en péril" tion" de son territoire ou de son espace aérien et a décidé de porter si ces échanges continuent, avait plainte devant le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU. alors prévenu Ali Dabbagh. "Nous mettons en garde la Turquie contre toute violation de l'espace aérien La semaine dernière, le ou du territoire irakiens", a indiqué le porte-parole du gouvernement Ali Kurdistan avait dit avoir com- Dabbagh dans un communiqué, à l'issue d'une réunion du cabinet. mencé à exporter du pétrole brut "Le gouvernement a demandé au ministre des Affaires étrangères de porter vers la Turquie, provoquant la plainte devant le Conseil de sécurité", a-t-il ajouté. fureur du gouvernement irakien. le porte-parole du gouvernement A plusieurs reprises ces derniers mois, des avions de combat turcs ont pro- Le brut est envoyé vers la Turquie cédé à des raids contre des rebelles kurdes dans la région autonome du pour y être raffiné puis acheminé Ali Dabbagh Kurdistan irakien, dans le nord du pays. de nouveau vers le Kurdistan sous forme de produits pétroliers (essence, gaz, huile...). Les relations turco-irakiennes connaissent un sérieux coup de froid depuis décembre dernier, en raison notamment du refus de la Turquie d'extrader le La question du pétrole est au centre d'un conflit entre Bagdad et la région vice-président irakien Tarek al-Hachémi, qui y a trouvé refuge. autonome du Kurdistan depuis plusieurs mois. M. Hachémi est actuellement jugé par contumace devant un tribunal de Le Kurdistan accuse Bagdad de ne pas le fournir en produits pétroliers, ce Bagdad pour avoir, selon la justice irakienne, commandité des assassinats. que le ministère irakien du Pétrole dément. Et la région autonome a cessé en avril dernier ses exportations de brut en raison d'un litige financier avec Et, dernier épisode en date: dimanche, Bagdad a sommé Ankara de ne plus Bagdad.H accepter les exportations de pétrole provenant du Kurdistan irakien, les qua- lifiant d'"illégales".

28 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 18, 2012

A Letter From Tartus The Syrian city of Tartus on the shores of the Mediterranean. Syria's (Khaled Al Hariri / Courtesy Alawite Reuters) Refuge Katie Paul Fayez describes them sarcastically, Official tallies -- from the UN agencies holding up his fingers in bitter air operating inside Syria, for instance -- O n a recent Sunday afternoon, the quotes. "Tartus is my new home. I are nonexistent. Syrian port city of Tartus buzzed in the don't ever intend to leave," he says. "In summer heat. Car showrooms dis- the end, Bashar al-Assad will go and Such movement could be an early har- played lines of new vehicles. Markets our children will be left, and we have binger of territorial entrenchments of full of clothes, furniture, and house- to defend their future here." Syria's sectarian fault lines. "At this hold knicknacks bustled with cus- point, the regime is not looking at tomers. Clouds of nargileh smoke Eighteen months of fighting have itself as a small state within Syria," wafted from hookah pipes at the see- hardened both men's sectarian says one Alawi academic who lives in and-be-seen restaurants lining sandy resolve. In their view, Alawites are both Damascus and Latakia. "It wants Mediterranean beaches. Yachts under attack by a Sunni majority, all of Syria, and it will stay that way bobbed indifferently in the port. which uses its religious identity as an until the last possible moment." organizing principle for mobilizing Alawites talk of a return to the coast is This Middle Eastern haven, however, the militias operating under the Free specious, he says, the product of a lies just 60 miles west of Homs, the Syrian Army umbrella. In turn, the regime "game" of hyping threats in battle-broken city that is the center of coastal Sahel region is the only safe order to instill fear in minorities. Still, gravity in the civil war that has shat- haven, and this stretch of land -- he adds, "Just like the weapons game, tered Syria, killing more than 16,000 encompassing the port cities of the sectarian game is a dangerous people and displacing a quarter of a Latakia, Baniyas, Jableh, and Tartus, one. People are hearing rhetoric like, million more. Tartus, though, has and the mountains separating them 'We want to annihilate Alawis.We want become a refuge for the country's from the rest of Syria's plains -- must their deaths.' You never know if it will minority Alawi Shiite population. "As be protected against Sunni encroach- pass a point at which you can't stop it, an Alawi, I don't really care about ment at all costs. you lose control." Bashar al-Assad," says 30-year-old Majed, referring to Syria's president, Far removed from the shabiha, Assad's That fear is rooted in the community's who is also Alawi. "The only thing that vigilante militias notorious for carry- historical marginalization. Throughout concerns me is security." ing out the regime's crackdown centuries of Mamluk and Ottoman against the uprising, these men in the rule, Alawites, a heterodox offshoot of Eight months ago, after losing his job Sahel are neither fanatic nor armed. Shia Islam, largely confined them- and fearing for his safety, Majed But they represent a demographic selves to the mountains east of escaped Homs. (Like others inter- force creating another de facto divide Latakia. Aside from tiny minorities in viewed for this article, Majed chose to in the country. As fighting takes place the villages around Homs and Hama, keep his last name private for securi- along Syria's central artery running they emerged from their "wild hills" ty reasons.) In Tartus, he has found northward from Homs to Idlib, only occasionally to work as menial work as a telecommunications sales- Alawites are increasingly setting up laborers. After World War I, French man. "Everyone thinks we defend the shop in the Sahel, looking to cordon mandate authorities codified these regime and the authorities, but the themselves off from the chaos that isolationist impulses, creating a sover- opposition has given us no choice but they believe will come as Assad's grip eign Alawi territory extending from to flee to the coast," he says. "It's like on the country weakens. Latakia to Tartus in 1920. Though I'm not even in the Middle East here, I Alawi leaders initially cheered their feel so secure." In several conversations, Alawites region as a bulwark against Sunni said that thousands of families have domination of the interior, even Similar sentiments are easy to find in relocated to the coast. Others spoke of French protection could not make the Tartus. Fayez, a 35-year-old import- friends and family members who have state viable. Alawites constituted a export business owner, also aban- not yet moved but have purchased majority of the population, but city- doned Homs last year after opposition homes there in anticipation of a shift in based Sunni and Christian communi- fighters operating under the banner fortunes. Although the real figure is ties lagged behind by only a third, of the Free Syrian Army kidnapped impossible to determine, visits to possessed far greater wealth and edu- his cousins and wrote "Get out" on the Damascus, Homs, and Tartus indicated cation, and were strongly in favor of door of his home. "Revolutionaries," that such numbers are plausible. union with Damascus. By 1937, the ➨

29 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➨ experiment had failed; the state was become a lot weaker, since so many are divided on the future of the incorporated into modern-day Syria. powers are centered in the presiden- coastal mountains, seeing little tial office. But you would end up with choice but to fight for control of the Alawites eventually entered the a very well-armed core still fighting entire country. According to one Syrian mainstream via new national with tanks, special forces, possibly high-ranking Alawi general in Homs military and educational institutions airplanes." with direct knowledge of the thinking in the cities, assuming posts in the full in Damascus, the regime leadership spectrum of professions: public serv- The most likely scenario, Abi Ali is not formulating any plans for sepa- ice, the security forces, academia, says, is that rebel forces would con- ration. At the same time, he says, the and business. Eventually,that process centrate on Daraa, Deir al-Zour, the demographic changes are happen- put Hafez al-Assad, an Alawite air Homs-Idlib corridor, and rural areas ing organically on their own, driven force officer, in position to seize the around Aleppo and Damascus, while by the violence in central Syria and presidency in a 1970 coup. Today, government forces could continue to fear of the unknown in Damascus. He Alawites constitute about 12 percent hold Aleppo, Damascus, and the has already sent his own family coast- of Syria's population of 22 million, coastal areas. As the capabilities of ward, citing the area's security and primarily concentrated on the coast the two sides equalize, fighting would environment as "suitable for us." but with significant numbers in gradually progress into conventional Damascus and Homs. The main- warfare, with much of the Alawi civil- "We're Alawis, so we can't live among streaming process has not been even ian population forced toward the the other groups," he says. "We have or complete. Like his father, Bashar coast. a different, more open culture, so the al-Assad has kept the top ranks in the coast is best for us. This is our only military and security services The problem is what comes after- option." reserved for well-connected ward. As history has shown once Alawites. Meanwhile, fueled in large before, the odds are stacked against As the war grinds on, other possibili- part by a stifling ban on discussion of the viability of a state in the moun- ties may become more attractive to sectarian issues, identity within tains of the sea. For one, there is the the general. These are still the early Syrian society remains strongly coast's restive Sunni population. Even days of Alawi migration, a relatively determined by sect. Latakia, commonly cast as an Alawi mild flow that could be stanched if a stronghold, is more than 50 percent political deal convinces enough of Today in Damascus, people living in Sunni province-wide and more than the population that they would have a Alawi districts such as Mezze 86, a 70 percent Sunni in the city itself. stake in the country's future govern- middle-class neighborhood, are Baniyas, too, is evenly split. ment. But Syria's chronically squab- weighing their future. Ask them how Overwhelming force has thus far bling opposition figures have so far they feel about the city, and it is not been sufficient to quell protests in failed to make such overtures, while uncommon to hear a refrain repeat- both cities, but, according to one Assad's forces, fighting what they ed: "Damascus is my maskan, my res- Latakia-based activist, even mountain consider an existential battle, appear idence, but Latakia is my ma'man." areas such as Jabal Akrad and Haffeh unlikely to put down their weapons Ma'man translates roughly to "home" are beginning to see Free Syrian voluntarily. Whether those forces but derives from a root meaning Army activity. Many Sunnis of means choose to make their final battle in "security." It means, more precisely, are leaving the city for Turkey,includ- Damascus or retreat to the moun- "the place where I am safe." Khalil, a ing the activist's own family, fearing a tains, the stage in Syria is set for a medical student born and raised in final showdown there as Alawis long war and deepening social divi- Mezze 86, is only in his 20s, but he retreat. sions. repeats it, too. "I have friends, and everything is comfortable for me A fledgling "state within a state" For Majed, settling comfortably into here," he explained to me in May, would then face the same economic his new home in Tartus, there is no "but something inside me still feels dilemmas that doomed it a century going back. "It's true that there aren't alienated." For now, he chooses to ago. Import-export businesses fuel the right ingredients for a state, but remain in Damascus to finish his stud- the economies of Tartus and Latakia, the Syrian coast is basically the cen- ies, but he keeps one eye trained on and those would suffer if a de facto ter of gravity for the sect," he says. "If encroaching opposition forces and partition develops further, since mer- the war continues in Syria, I'll be the other on the coast. "If it becomes chants would be unable to move their among the supporters of separation. dangerous for us Alawis, then we goods to market in Damascus and There is enough blood." I can't stay here." Aleppo across a hostile border. Although there is some discussion KATIE PAUL was formerly a reporter But although the Alawites are minori- among the Alawi elite that they might for Newsweek and is now a freelance ties, they hold disproportionate find oil and gas on the coast offshore, correspondent in Beirut. She wrote power, which makes it unlikely that according to Abi Ali, sectors such as this story with a journalist inside Syria they would accept a Sunni leadership tourism and agriculture are not who chose to remain anonymous for without a fight. "If Assad leaves enough to sustain an Alawi state on safety reasons. tomorrow morning, the war in Syria their own. The entity's regional will not end," says Firas Abi Ali, an neighbors, wary of their own domes- analyst at the London-based risk con- tic secessionist movements, would be sultancy Exclusive Analysis. "A core loath to recognize it. of Alawis would continue fighting. The conventional army would With these odds in mind, Alawi elites

30 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 19, 2012 quote from the letter, and his office did not provide a copy of it. It called on the company US's Chevron signs deal to meet "recommendations of the Iraqi government and the recommendations of the with Iraq Kurds, defies U.S. administration regarding this issue." The statement also implied that Obama Baghdad would side with Baghdad on the dispute, saying his letter "stressed respect of the By SINAN SALAHEDDIN constitution, and Iraqi laws, along the same The Associated Press lines the Iraqi government is working." However, Baghdad and Kurdish leaders AGHDAD — U.S. oil giant Chevron said long have bickered over the legality of regio- Bon Thursday it signed a deal with Iraqi nal oil deals without the government's bles- Kurds to explore for oil in their northern sing. A law that would settle it has been stal- region, defying the central government led in parliament for years, and there is no which wants to control the area's oil wealth. sign the constitutional debate will be settled The agreement makes Chevron the any time soon. second U.S. company to secure oil deals with And there is considerable incentive to Kurds in conflict with Baghdad, after Exxon sought. work directly with the Kurds -- unlike the flat Mobil Corp. agreed last October to explore fee the central government pays for each bar- for oil in six areas. Iraq's post-invasion governments have until recently blacklisted energy companies rel of oil extracted, the Kurds offer lucrative Baghdad wants to manage its energy that signed contracts with the Kurdish contracts allowing developers to claim a resources nationwide and have the final say government to prevent them from working share in reserves and the oil produced. on all oil and gas deals. Kurds argue that the elsewhere in the country or purchase crude Iraq has been struggling to develop its oil constitution allows them to draw up develop- oil. and gas reserves after years of war, interna- ment plans independently and award deals tional sanctions and neglect. Foreign compa- without going through the oil ministry. But in the case of Exxon Mobil, the Iraqi government has had a light hand. It preven- nies with the resources and expertise to Chevron, based in California, said in a ted it from taking part in Iraq's fourth energy develop the oil fields, such as Exxon Mobil, statement it will take over India's Reliance bidding round in May but has not touched its are seen as key to helping revive the nation's Exploration and Production efforts to deal to develop the 8.6 billion West Qurna vital energy sector. explore for oil in the Rovi and Sarta blocks. field near the southern city of Basra along Since 2008, Iraq has awarded 15 oil and Chevron will hold 80 percent of the contract with Royal Dutch Shell PLC. gas deals to international en while Austria's OMV AG will hold the rest. ergy compa- Chevron has no deals with the Baghdad nies, the first major investments in the The blocks are located north of the regio- government. Officials in Baghdad and Irbil country's energy industry in more than nal capital, Irbil, and cover a combined area could not immediately be reached for com- three decades. of approximately 1,124 square kilometers ment. (490 square miles). The original goal was to boost daily Later in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister production from about 3 million barrels Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the Nouri al-Maliki's office said it received a now to 12 million barrels by 2017. That Kurds have signed over 50 relatively small "positive and convincing" letter from may be revised downward to fewer than 10 deals — production sharing contracts with President Barack Obama about Exxon million barrels however, given infrastruc- small and mid-sized oil companies. But the Mobil's oil plans in the Kurdish region, ture bottlenecks and a possible falloff in entry of majors Exxon Mobil and now where Baghdad wants it to cease operations. demand on international markets. N Chevron may be a game changer that could lead to de facto policies the Kurds have long Al-Maliki's statement did not directly

Officials blamed the attack on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a Kurdish separatist group that has claimed responsibility for past Attack on Turkey-Iraq attacks on the 960-km (600-mile) pipeline. Firat News, a website with ties to the PKK, also said the outlawed pipeline knocks out oil group was behind the attack. Insurgents in Iraq have in the past disrupted the transport of oil on DIYARBAKIR,flows Turkey / July 21, 2012 (Reuters) the pipeline, the country's largest, and technical faults on the 35- year-old link, which consists of two pipes, have also cut flows.

FIREFIGHTERS in southeast Turkey on Saturday put out a fire on The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States a pipeline carrying about a quarter of Iraq's oil exports, but it was and the European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in unclear when oil would resume flowing, security sources said. 1984, and more than 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died in the conflict. They blamed sabotage by Kurdish separatists for the explosion on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline. The PKK has claimed responsibility for attacks on other natural-gas and oil pipelinesG in what it has calls a campaign to target Turkey's The fire broke out at 11 p.m. (1700 EDT) on Friday near the town of strategic assets. Midyat in Mardin province, near the Syrian border.

31 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 19, 2012 Iraq gets "positive" Obama response on Exxon concern oil company to offer Iraq technical Aseel Kami and Braden Reddall assistance and training following the (Reuters) - U.S.-led invasion. "The opportunities in Iraq's licen- AGHDAD/SAN FRANCISCO Iraq's sing rounds didn't compete in Chevron's Bprime minister said on Thursday investment portfolio," said an oil indus- that U.S. President Barack Obama try source. "The commercial terms in backed Baghdad's concerns over Exxon Kurdistan were attractive, an opportu- Mobil's oil deal with the Kurdistan nity presented itself and Chevron region and had emphasized moved on it." Washington's respect for the Iraqi oil operations in Kurdistan said the The U.S. major has advised Baghdad constitution and laws. Obama administration was continuing of its Kurdish deal and is in the process Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki issued to discourage firms from moving into of setting up an office in Arbil, he said. the northern region, the government of the statement as U.S. oil major Chevron An Iraqi oil ministry spokesman which is based in Arbil. Corp confirmed its purchase of 80 per- declined to comment directly on the cent of two blocks in Kurdistan in a "Washington is saying, 'This is a bad Chevron deal on Thursday but repeated move that may infuriate the central Iraqi time to go into Kurdistan, given the Baghdad's warning to foreign energy government, which wants all oil deals to sabre rattling between Baghdad and companies. pass through Baghdad. Arbil,'" the source said. "The government attitude is clear. Baghdad is embroiled in a deep dis- Kurdistan said in June that it expec- Contracts signed outside the framework pute with the autonomous Kurdish ted more oil majors to follow Exxon in of the federal government are conside- region over energy exports and has the next few months in striking deals red as illegal," Assim Jihad said. asked Obama to stop Exxon exploring there. Iraqi oil industry sources said for oil there, saying it could threaten France's Total has already said it Baghdad might strike hard against stability. On Thursday it welcomed was interested in investments in the Chevron, going further than just barring Obama's written response. region, drawing a veiled threat from it from oil and gas investment projects. "We would like to confirm that the Baghdad which said French companies Chevron has a contract to buy 167,000 letter was positive and convincing and should avoid unsanctioned oil deals. barrels of Iraqi oil per day, which Iraq stresses its respect for the constitution Exxon became the first oil major to could seek to cut in protest, they said. and Iraqi laws, in the same manner as move into the northern region in mid- At the same time as punishing those the Iraqi government is seeking," a state- October when it signed a deal with the dealing with Kurdistan directly, the cen- ment from Maliki's office said. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). tral government could also reward other "The Iraqi government will take all Apart from Total, Norway's Statoil is companies developing Iraq's giant sou- necessary measures in applying the law also looking closely at KRG exploration thern oilfields by improving commercial and will not allow the company to deals, industry sources have said. terms, the sources said. implement these contracts," it said, "People are looking at the commer- The dispute over oil exports is part referring to the deals signed with cial terms on offer in Kurdistan and of a broader clash between Iraqi Arab- Kurdistan. Exxon declined to comment. they're voting with their feet," said a led central government and the Kurdish The White House declined to com- senior Western oil executive. government over territory and regional ment on the content of the letter from "The margins on Iraq's service autonomy that many see as a potential Obama to Maliki, but did indicate some contracts are slim and Arbil is offering flashpoint for conflict since the last level of discomfort with the potential more lucrative production sharing American troops left Iraq in December. for ruffled relations with Iraq. deals." OPEC-member Iraq holds the world's "We advise American energy compa- CHEVRON SEES "PROMISE" fourth-largest oil reserves and is expec- nies doing business in Iraq to consider Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil ted to be a major source of future oil the legal risks involved in signing deals company, said it sees "considerable pro- supplies. with a region, against Baghdad's wishes, mise" in Kurdistan. It is purchasing the Eager to rebuild its dilapidated infra- and are concerned that such deals could Sarta and Rovi blocks from India's structure, it has signed a series of be destabilizing," a senior Obama admi- Reliance Industries Ltd, where it will be contracts with foreign oil companies nistration official said, speaking on the the new partner of Austria's OMV AG - that target total oil production capacity condition of anonymity. holder of the other 20 percent interest. of 12 million barrels per day (bpd) by "That said, in our economic system, Though it chose not to participate in 2017, up from about 3 million bpd. Most private companies make their own busi- Iraq's four oil and gas licensing rounds, analysts see 6 million to 7 million bpd ness decisions, largely beyond the reach Chevron said it would still monitor as a more realistic goal.
of government control," the official said. opportunities in both the north and An industry source familiar with U.S. south of the country. It was the first big

32 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Syrie: au moins 10 morts dans des combats près de la frontière turque soutenus par des hélicoptères de combats, a assuré l'un des rebelles, Abou ATMAH– sam. 14 juillet 2012 , Par Saygin Serdaroglu , AFP Moujahid. Les combats ont duré jusque vers 08H00, lorsque les Kurdes se sont DES COMBATS entre des rebelles syriens et des soldats et miliciens repliés à Talsallour, selon plusieurs combattants rebelles. fidèles au régime du président Bachar Al-Assad ont fait au moins 10 morts Les deux hélicoptères ont tourné des heures dans la zone des affrontements, et 15 blessés samedi matin du côté des insurgés, selon un journaliste de rendant difficile l'évacuation des blessés et faisant feu à plusieurs reprises, au l'AFP sur place. canon et à la roquette, selon le journaliste de l'AFP. Vers 03H00 samedi, plusieurs dizaines de rebelles ont attaqué à l'arme légère En fin de matinée, dix tombes ont été creusées dans le cimetière de la petite ville un poste de contrôle gouvernemental entre les villages kurdes de Diwan et de d'Atmah, à 5 km de la frontière turque, d'où venaient certains combattants Talsallour, dans la province d'Idleb, ont expliqué des rebelles à l'AFP. rebelles, et dix corps avaient été ramenés en différents endroits de Les combattants ont expliqué avoir pris la position vers 05H30, assurant avoir l'agglomération, selon le journaliste de l'AFP. tué huit soldats et en avoir fait fuir une quinzaine d'autres. Mais vers 05H45, ils Des sources médicales ont confirmé un bilan de dix morts, ainsi que 15 blessés, ont subi une contre-attaque menée par un groupe de Kurdes venus de Talsallour. parmi les insurgés.H "Les Kurdes étaient armés par le régime" de Bachar Al-Assad de mitrailleuses et

Syrie: Les kurdes ont pris 19 juillet 2012 le contrôle d’une ville Les kurdes ont mis la main sur toutes les institutions du régime syrien dans la ville de Kobani, au Kurdistan Occidental. financée par des services secrets. Par Maxime-Azadi / blogs.mediapart.fr Les kurdes peuvent s’emparer du Kurdistan Occidental, la région lors que les combats entre le régime d’Assad et les groupes armées kurde en Syrie, a-t-on appris de source kurde. Asoutenus par l’Occident s’intensifient, les kurdes syriens ont pris Sous la menace directe du régime syrien et la Turquie, et face au le contrôle de la ville de Kobani, a-t-on appris auprès des comites de silence, la complicité et les manipulations de l’Occident, les kurdes ont défense, créés après la révolte lancée la mi-mars 2011, pour la protec- poursuivi à construire leur autonomie démocratique, en ouvrant à tion du peuple kurde. l’initiative du PYD des écoles de langue, interdits jusqu'à la révolte, Le chef du principal parti kurde PYD, Salih Mohammad Muslim, a créant des communes, des conseils du peuple et des comités de légi- confirmé cette information, affirmant que le peuple kurde veut se gou- time défense pour protéger la population kurde, estimée entre 2 et 3 verner dans la région. « Il s’agit d’une mesure empêcher la propagation millions, soit 15 % de la population du pays. des violences dans la région kurde » a-t-il affirmé à l’agence de presse kurde Firat et à l’ActuKurde. Des comités de défense du peuple sont indispensables et un droit légi- time face à cette situation qui pourrait dégénérer en une guerre régio- Le 3 juillet, les membres de l’opposition syrienne avaient enlevé un nale, selon le mouvement kurde. Beaucoup de membres de ces comités jeune kurde connu sous le nom de Chekdar dans la ville d’Afrin et sont femmes. décapité son corps sauvagement après avoir torturé. Le comité de défense du peuple kurde avait aussitôt lancé une poursuite pour Malgré les tentatives de déstabilisation et de division visant le retrouver les assassins, tuant trois d’entre eux. Le principal mouve- Kurdistan syrien pour renforcer le Conseil National Syrien (CNS), Le ment kurde syrien avait lancé un avertissement à l'Armée syrienne Conseil du Peuple qui regroupe plusieurs partis kurde dont le PYD, le libre (ASL), en cas d’ingérence dans le Kurdistan syrien. plus influant, et le Congrès national kurde (CNK), deuxième formation au Kurdistan syrien, ont décidé d’unir leur force au sein d'un seul et Le contrôle des plusieurs institutions étatiques dans la ville d’Afrin même bloc après des discussions menées au Kurdistan irakien entre le sont également sous contrôle des kurdes, a dit le chef du PYD, souli- 9 et 10 juillet. L’accort a été signé en présence de président du gnant que la main mise du peuple sur les institutions s’est déroulée de Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani. façon pacifique et qu’aucun acte de violence n’a été déclaré. Le PYD a été le seul parti kurde refusant de prendre place au sein du « Le peuple se gouverne » a affirmé le chef du PYD, avant d’ajouter que CNS dès le début de la révolte lancée mi-mars 2011, déclarant que le le peuple kurde a le droit de se défendre face aux combats qui but de trio répressif Qatar-Turquie-Arabie Saoudite n’était pas de s’intensifient pour but de s’emparer du pouvoir en Syrie. Ce sont des construire la démocratie, mais de faire obstacle devant les réalisa- combats qui se déroulent entre le régime Assad et l’ASL, formée et tions du peuple kurde.G

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

eudi 19 juillet 2012 LE FIGARO

Un attentat Damas

JOBAR e iPariMitant Palais

KFAR desOmcyyides SOUSSEH c du NAHH AL-LAOUAN AJCHÊ

ALTADAMON

QADAM

régime syrien AL-HAJAR AL-ASSOUAD

Ikm La mort du béau-frère de Bachar

el-Assad et du ministre de la Défense

pourrait hâter la chute du régime. s'enfuir, un employé de li¬ vraison à domicile avait

versé du mercure dans eux, été blessés. Ce dernier aurait eu les GEORGES MALBRUNOT deux mets destinés au repas , jambes coupées par l'explosion. de ces dignitaires, selon des , Les cinq hommes participaient à une

MOYEN-ORIENT Le spectaculaire atten¬ sources diplomatiques à DamasiCette

tat a décapité l'appareil de répression au réunion du Comité de sécurité national, fois-ci, les rebelles ont réussi la prouesse terme d'une invraisemblable faille de sé¬ en charge de l'organisation de la répres¬ de retourner un centurion du régime curité. Un homme a réussi à s'introduire sion des insurgés. Pour pénétrer à l'inté¬ avant de percer l'armature du premier mercredi dans le bâtiment ultraprotégé rieur du bâtiment, l'auteur de l'attaque a cercle d'un pouvoir que l'on disait jus¬ de la Sécurité nationale du quartier de forcément bénéficié de complicités. C'est qu'à maintenant solide. Deux groupes Rawdah, en plein clur de Damas, avant le premier attentat qui parvient à élimi¬ d'insurgés ont revendiqué l'exploit, l'un de faire exploser une mallette qu'il a ten¬ ner des personnages clés du pouvoir. lié à l'Armée syrienne libre, lès déser¬ due à l'un des cadres sécuritaires du régi¬ teurs et des'ciyils qui ont pris les ar¬ Des rebelles galvanisés me en réunion avec ses collègues. «Je mes, l'autre un groupe islamiste suis sous le choc, l'impact est énorme », H y a un mois et demi, ces mêmes dénommé «la Brigade- de soupirait quelques instants après unjour¬ responsables avaient été visés l'Islam », qui a indiqué sur . naliste syrien proche du régime. L'hom¬ par une tentative d'empoi¬ Facebook avoir ciblé « la me en question serait le propre garde du sonnement, à laquelle ils 60 ceïluîe de crise » mise en corps de l'un des participants, Hicham avaient réchappé. Avant de place par le régime Bekhtiar. Ce qui confirme une infiltration militaires contre ses opposants. par l'opposition de la'nomenklatùra sy¬ Pareille réussite devrait lues en deux jours rienne. Et pas n'importe laquelle. galvaniser les rebelles, qui daas les combats Parmi les tués figurent en effet le géné¬ ont lancé depuis dimanche a Damas ral Assef Shawkat, beau-frère de Bachar une opération de prise du pou¬ el-Assàd, vice-ministre de la Défense et voir sur Damas, la forteresse du régi¬

homme clé de la sécurité dans le pays, le me el-Assad. Pour celui-ci, le coup est rfimistrè de la'Défense, DaoudRajhâ, cau¬ très rude. Dans un communiqué repris tion chrétienne de la répression des ma¬ par la télévision officielle, le pouvoir ac¬

nifestants, et le général Hassan Turkma- cuse « des mercenaires » tout en promet¬ ni, autre homme fort de la sécurité. Avec tant d'en finir avec « les bandes criminel¬ la disparition de Shawkat, c'est la famille les », selon la terminologie qu'il utilise el-Assad qui est frappée de plein fouet. Le pour qualifier ses opposants. «C'est

ministre de l'Intérieur, Mohammed Ibra¬ l'État et toutes ses institutions qui sont vi- Bachar el-Assad him al-Chaar, et Hicham Bekhtiar ont, Président de la République arabe syrienne

r

r*.

î H

Daoud Rajha Hassan Turkman! Mohammed Ibrahim al-Chaar Hicham Bekhtiar

Vice-ministre de la Défense Ministre de la Défense Adjoint au vice-président Ministre de l'Intérieur Patron de la Sécurité (beau-frère de Bachar) nationale Le Comité de sécurité nationale décimé par un attentat TROIS MORTS ET DEUX BLESSÉS SUR LES NEUF MEMBRESDU COMITÉ

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

temps de passer la main, ou au contraire pourrait pousser des figures baasistes à

va-t-il se lancer à corps perdu dans une quitter le navire, deux semaines après le On annonçait hier soir intensification de la répression ? » Il sem¬ départ de Syrie du général Manaf Tlass, des bombardements très blerait que ce soit la deuxième option qui haut responsable de la Garde républicaine durs. D'autres craignaient ait été retenue. « Cet acte terroriste ren¬ et ami d'enfance d'el-Assad. . force la détermination desforces armées à Pour la fraction de la population qui « une boucherie » de la nettoyer la patrie des restes des bandes hésitait encore à rejoindre l'opposition, part d'un pouvoir humilié terroristes», a affirmé la télévision ce coup est une incitation à penser que les d'État. D'autres craignaient «une bou¬ jours du régime sont définitivement cherie » commise par un pouvoir humi¬ comptés. D'autant qu'à la périphérie de la ses. C'est une guerre ouverte contre tous lié. On annonçait, hier soir, dès bombar¬ capitale, les affrontements se sont pour¬ les Syriens », a réagi le député Khaled al- dements très durs à Homs. L'armée suivis, mercredi, notamment à Midane et Aboud, qui a accusé « des parties exté¬ syrienne avait également positionné ses Kfar Sousseh. Plus de soixante soldats rieures qui 'uvrent à la destruction de la canons sur la montagne dé Kàssioun, qui auraient été tués, depuis dimanche, dans Syrie ». domine Damas, afin de pilonner le quar¬ la capitale; où le pouvoir a, pour la pre¬ Comme elles l'avaient fait Tan dernier tier de Mezze ainsi que le faubourg de mière fois, recouru aux hélicoptères pour en Libye, des forces spéciales. du Qatar Mouadamiya, selon des opposants. écraser les rebelles. Les appareils seraient auraient pénétré sur le terrain syrien, as¬ de nouveau entrés en action mercredi sure une source sécuritaire française. Pousser d'autres défections contre des positions insurgées dans les . « Cet attentat va. certainement hâter lafin Même si le raïs a rapidement nommé un quartiers de Qaboun et de Barzeh, dans du régime », prédit un ancien ambassa¬ nouveau ministre de la Défense, le géné¬ l'est de Damas deur de France en Syrie. « Bachar est ral Fahd al-Freij, ufie brèche a bel et bien ébranlé, mais comment va-t-il réagir ? », . été ouverte. La confiance déjà minimale se demande de son côté un diplomate au entre cadres d'une nomenklatura qui se Moyen-Orient. « Va-t-il réaliser qu'il est surveillent va encore se réduire. Elle

Assef Shawkat, poigne de fer du clan Assad

« LE PATRON vous salue, mais il nepeut du régime hors de ses frontières. Pen¬ teurs français. Mais à cause de ses hens pas vous recevoir », nous avait glissé dant longtemps, Shawkat a incarné la avec les services étrangers, le clan el- son adjoint en 2006 à Damas. Le géné¬ capacité de nuisance du régime syrien Assad. s'en méfiait, notamment son ral Assef Shawkat,- beau-frère de Ba¬ hors du territoire. Et c'est à ce titre que autre beau-frère, Maher, qui le blessa char el-Assad qui a été tué mercredi . le beau-frère de Bachar était devenu un d'un coup de revolver à la fin des années dans un attentat à l'âge de 62 ans, n'ap¬ interlocuteur des services de renseigne¬ 1990, contraignant Shawkat à aller dis¬ paraissait jamais devant la presse occi¬ ments occidentaux. «Intelligent et crètement se faire soigner à l'hôpital du dentale. Il était pourtant l'un des ouvert », souligne un ancien de la DCRI Val-de-Grâce à Paris. maillons clés d'un appareil sécuritaire, qui le connaît bien. C'est son service qui En 2008, Bachar el-Assad l'écarta un qui a permis au régime- baasiste de se se chargeait de traquer puis de renvoyer temps, lui faisant payer le fiasco du maintenir au pouvoir aussi longtemps. les djihadistes français, britanniques ou bombardement israélien de la centrale L'un des principaux détenteurs dés se¬ américains qui tentaient de pénétrer en nucléaire de al-Kibar. Avant de le réin¬ crets du régime, .dont il connaissait Irak, via le territoire syrien. Quand cela tégrer comme vice-ministre de la Dé¬ toutes les turpitudes. Et l'un des mem¬ correspondait bien sûr aux intérêts de fense. Le déclenchement de la révolte bres éminents du directoire familial qui son pays. en mars 2011 le rendit finalement indis¬ contrôle la Syrie. Shawkat, qui avait été l'un des prin¬ pensable. Assef Shawkat tirait une par¬ « Assef est un dur, c'est le vrai para cipaux architectes de la domination sy¬ tie de son influence de son épousé, Bou- desforces spéciales », dit de lui un de ses rienne sur le Liban, était un monstre chra, la fille aînée et préférée de l'ancien interlocuteurs dans les services de ren¬ froid. «Assef fit ses classes dans les président Hafez el-Assad. Celle dont il seignements français. Il siégeait au Co¬ commandos parachutistes à Hama en avait été le garde dû corps. mité de sécurité nationale, l'organisme 1982, où 15 000 islamistes furent liqui- G. M. créé par le régime pour structurer la ré¬ dés », se souvient un de ses interlocu- pression contre les manifestants. Sa

connaissance du terrain était très utile à Bachar el-Assad. Ce dernier l'avait en¬

voyé à plusieurs reprises à Homs et à al-

Zabadany pour superviser les opéra¬ tions contre les rebelles.

Blessé par son beau-frère

La « plus-value » de Shawkat résidait

dans son passé de patron du tout-puis¬

sant service des renseignements mili¬

taires. Ily avait tissé un maillage de l'ar¬ / mée, bien, utile aujourd'hui pour ' .;> » contrer toute défection en masse. Au .«t début de sa présidence, Bachar el-Assad

le laissa placer ses hommes à la tête des

autres services de renseignements. Grâce à lui, la maison était tenue.

Mais son pouvoir dépassait le cadre strictement syrien. Il a longtemps eu la haute main sur la redoutée Section Pa¬ Soldats syriens combattant, mardi à Damas. Les rebelles ont lancé une offensive sur lestine des renseignements militaires, chargée de « neutraliser » les ennemis la capitale depuis dimanche, ap

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

WTERNATIONAL îteibjÊ^È©rumtw july 20,2012

ward Egypt, he said, with its fresh ex¬ periment on democratizing an Islamic society. "Instead of gaining influence," Iran in danger of he said, "we are witnessing the emer¬ gence of new powerful countries that in the future could pose a challenge to us." Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, condemned Wednesday's sui¬ losing main ally cide blast, blaming "foreign interven¬ tion." Last week, when Kofi Annan, the special Syria envoy for the United Na¬ tions and the Arab League, paid a visit, TEHRAN well as the risk of deepening its political Mr. Salehi insisted that elections sched¬ and ideological isolation in the region. uled for 2014 would allow Syrians to It is a far cry from last year, when With Assad threatened, solve their own problems. Arab revolutions brought down leaders Tehran's dream of great in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, and Despite the political costs and the growing possibility that the Assad gov¬ regional power dissipates it looked to many inside and outside that Iran would emerge as the power broker ernment will collapse, there will be no

in the Middle East. shift in Iran's support for the Syrian

BY THOMAS ERDBRINK The conditions for an expansion of president, political insiders in Tehran Iranian influence had never seemed have said. Iranian leaders believe that . At this time last year, as a series of up¬ . better. Tehran's ally in Lebanon, Mr. Assad will prevail, just as they were risings toppled traditional American al¬ Hezbollah, had fought Israel to a draw . able to suppress the peaceful protests lies across the Middle East, the Iranian and established itself as a political force . that erupted after the 2009 presidential leadership was welcoming the Arab there. The Americans were on the verge elections in Iran. Spring. It was a gift from God, they ar¬ of leaving Iraq after toppling Saddam "Have no doubt, Assad's regime will gued, one of many divine interventions Hussein, the Iranians' greatest enemy, survive," said Hamid Reza Taraghi, an in favor of the Islamic Republic. and installing a Shiite government. The Iranian foreign policy expert and politi¬ ' Now, with the Syrian government of oil-rich Sunni kingdoms, the Saudis in cian whose views are close to the gov¬ Bashar al-Assad locked in a life-and- particular, warned darkly of a Shiite ernment's. "His leadership is powerful; death struggle against an armed rebel-' crescent of Iranian influence stretching there is no need for us to support him ' lion, Tehran is in danger of losing its last from Tehran to Damascus to the shores militarily." and most important ally, and its dream of of the Middle East. Wednesday's suicide attack was in re¬ becoming the undisputed regional power At the same time, countries like Tur¬ taliation for a "definitive" blow dealt by is dissipating like another desert mirage. key, Brazil and Qatar were reaching out the Syrian Army to the rebels, Mr. Syria has long been the linchpin Of the to Iran's leaders, giving them new confi¬ Taraghi said. He said 95 percent of Syria security order in the Middle East, which dence that the political support, trade is "now cleansed of terrorists," and is why so many nations in the region and joint military exercises with their over 1,000 of them had been killed and and beyond Europe, Russia, Turkey, new friends would enable them to wield arrested in the past few days. "This was the Gulf states, the United States and Is¬ considerable clout in the Middle East a desperate attack, a last stand by rael have a keen interest in the out¬ arid even resist Western pressure over them," he said. come of the 17-month-old conflict that its nuclear program. But officials lower in the hierarchy threatens now to end 42 years of rule by . But that is riot how things worked out. have long worried that the Iranian de¬ the Assad family. Tehran has tied itself in knots trying cision-makers' all-out support for Mr. The unraveling of the Assad govern¬ to explain to the revolutionary Arab Assad could backfire. ment, the odds of which increased with world why it has so strongly supported "Ideally, Bashar al-Assad will sur^ the bombing that decapitated the gov¬ Mr. Assad. While they say Iran's 1979 Is¬ vive," Hossein Alaei, a former admiral . ernment's war council on Wednesday, lamic revolution was a model for the re¬ in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards has all the potential to enflame ethnic, gion, they charge that the mostly Sunni Corps, wrote a year ago on the Web site religious and regional rivalries and draw uprising against Mr. Assad is composed Irandiplomacy.ir, "but this ideal might in outside powers, great and small. of "terrorists" backed by Israel and the not be fulfilled. We should think of other But for Iran, Mr. Assad's downfall United States. ways to protect our national security." would be a powerful blow. Syria is one of Last week, Egypt's president, Mo¬ Mr. Shamsolvaezin, the Iranian Iran's closest allies, and it has been hamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Middle East expert, predicted an uncer¬ Iran's main conduit to supply aid and Brotherhood, chose to visit Iran's tain future for Iran. He noted that at weapons to Hezbollah, Hamas and Is¬ archenemy SaudiArabia first, clearly fa¬ least Iraq was under Iranian influence, lamic Jihad Islamic groups that in voring an alliance with the Sunni princes but said he did not know for how long. any number of ways act as an extension . over the political clerics in Tehran. "We were popular some years ago," of Iranian power. All this has exacted a high political he said. "But our ethical decisions have On Wednesday, after the bombing in price, said Mashallah Shamsolvaezin, made a crisis for us. We hoped all in the Damascus, Hassan Nasrallah, thelead- an Iranian Middle East analyst. region would turn away from the U.S. er of Hezbollah, delivered an emotional "We aïe supporting some uprisings Now, we should be careful they do not speech live on television, sayingthat the and ignoring others," he said. "Arab turn their backs on us." Syria of Assad was the backbone of the Arab confrontation with Israel. "Arab people do not believe us Indeed, without Mr. Assad, the reach of Iran, which has tried to make opposi- anymore. We come across as . tion to Israel a rallying point for the Is¬ antagonists, following our lamic world, would be sorely comprom¬ political agenda." ised. That is why Iran has offered its staunch support for Mr. Assad, whose

Alawite sect is close to the Shiite Islam people do not believe us anymore. We that Iran champions. It has done so come across as antagonists, following even at the cost of relations with other, our political agenda." longtime allies and blossoming political The new Arab governmerits look to friendships, from Turkey to Qatar, as

36 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 22, 2012

tion in the Kurdish language. The measures are aimed at addressing Kurds' grievances Kurdish MPs urge Turkey to and at meeting EU criteria for membership of the 27-nation bloc. "Everyone must accept that Mr Ocalan free militant leader represents the Kurdish people," said Aysel By Ayla Jean Yackley less frequent and most of the PKK is now Tugluk, another MP from the BDP. based in northern Iraq, but violence still "Mr Ocalan has called ceasefires and for STANBUL (Reuters) - Kurdish members flares up. Fighting between the PKK and a democratic end to the conflict. It's because of Turkey's parliament on Saturday called the Turkish armed forces has claimed more of a recognition of his effectiveness that a for the release of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed than 40,0000 lives since 1984. I dialogue and negotiations were launched leader of the armed Kurdistan Workers Turkey, the European Union and the with him." Party (PKK), saying an end to the group's United States list the PKK as a "terrorist" The government is widely believed to 27-year conflict with the army is impossible organisation. have held secret talks with Ocalan in an while he is in prison. However, Turkish officials have repea- attempt to end the violence. But no such Joined by human rights activists, the tedly ruled out releasing Ocalan or moving talks are said to have taken place in well lawmakers also told a news conference that him from jail to house arrest. Nor is there over a year. Ocalan has not seen his lawyers or family much public support for Ocalan's release About 8,000 Kurdish politicians, members for a full year and that such outside of the mainly Kurdish southeast. lawyers, activists, youth group members "inhumane" conditions raised concerns DIFFERENT CLIMATE and others have been arrested in connection about his health and security. Calling for his freedom would have with an investigation into the Union of "If there is going to be a negotiated been unthinkable just a few years ago. Only Kurdistan Communities (KCK), said BDP peace, Ocalan's captivity must be ended," last year, Ayna was convicted for remarks MP Sebahat Tuncel. Prosecutors allege the said Emine Ayna, a lawmaker from the pro- about the PKK that judges ruled were "ter- PKK set up the KCK to create its own poli- Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). rorist propaganda". tical system in the southeast. "A negotiating table in which one side holds Until recently, even referring to the PKK The PKK has dropped its original the key to the handcuffs of the other party leader as "Mr Ocalan" was grounds for a demand for an independent Kurdish home- won't yield any results." prison sentence. land and is now seeing greater political Ocalan has been serving a life sentence But Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has autonomy for Turkey's estimated 14 million on an island prison in the Sea of Marmara done away with some taboos surrounding N Kurds. since his conviction for treason in 1999. the Kurdish issue and has expanded cultu- Since his detention clashes have become ral rights, including ending a ban on educa-

July 17, 2012

led in the conflict since the militants took up arms in 1984 as part of their fight for more Kurdish autonomy and rights. Iraq warns Turkey against Ankara has increasingly courted Iraqi Kurds as its relations with the Shi'ite-led central government in Baghdad have soured. AGHDAD (Reuters)violating - Iraq warned and airspace warns Turkey against any violations of Turkey is a major investment and trading BTurkey against violating its airspace Iraq's airspace and territory," government partner for Iraq, especially for Kurdistan and territory and said on Tuesday it plan- spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said in statement Turkish officials have been waging a war ned to protest to the U.N. Security Council after a cabinet meeting. of words with Baghdad since December Iraqi after its radars had repeatedly detected Dabbagh said the cabinet asked the Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered Turkish warplanes, in a deepening a rift Foreign Ministry to protest to the Security the arrest of Sunni Vice President Tareq al- with its neighbor. Council over the violations. Hashemi, based on allegations that he ran Over the past four weeks, Turkish war- death squads. "Iraq will retain its right in taking all the planes and attack helicopters have carried measures to prevent these oversteps against The two countries have also clashed out repeated strikes on suspected Kurdish its sovereignty," Dabbagh said. over energy policy. The airspace warning militant targets in northern Iraq, according comes two days after Baghdad condemned The Turkish Foreign Ministry was not to Turkish military command, after clashes Turkey for receiving Kurdish oil exports by immediately available for comment. on the Iraqi side of the border. truck, saying it would damage ties with the The Turkish military says it is targeting The PKK, considered a terrorist group by central Iraqi government. Turkey, the United States and the European hideouts of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, Union, has stepped up cross border attacks militants after some of the most intense bat- which borders Turkey, is locked in a dispute over the past year after abandoning a unila- tles this year of the separatist conflict. with the central Iraqi government over oil teral ceasefire. "The Iraqi government condemns these exports and energy policy has become a very violations to Iraq's airspace and sovereignty More than 40,000 people have been kil- sensitive topic.

37 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 23 July 2012

IRAQI KURDS TRAIN THEIR SYRIAN BRETHREN Iraq's Shia-led government walks a tightrope on Syria, as regional groups enter the political and military fray.

Jane Arraf

Syrian alahadin, Iraq - The Kurdish govern- Kurds are ment in the north of Iraq is training increasing- SKurdish-Syrian fighters who will be sent ly fleeing to back to defend Kurdish territory at Iraqi home, says Kurdish regional President Kurdistan Massoud Barzani. to escape violence In an interview with Al Jazeera at the [Reuters] presidential palace near Erbil on Sunday, Barzani confirmed for the first time the presence of a training camp in the Kurdish region.

The training puts yet another twist on complicated Kurdish relations and high- lights major differences between the retake the Yarabiya crossing early policy of the Kurdish regional govern- Monday morning. ment and Iraq’s central government towards neighbouring Syria. Iraq’s Shia-led central government has been treading a very careful line on “A good number of the young Kurds who Syria, warning of the dangers of arming fled have been trained. We do not want the opposition and saying the Syrian to interfere directly in the situation but people must decide on their own future. they have been trained,” Barzani told Al Jazeera in his first interview in months. With violence worsening though and He said they have not yet been sent into attacks on Iraqis in Syria increasing, the Syria but are intended to be deployed government has called on Iraqis to there to fill any "security vacuum" as return home, seen by some as an implic- Syrian security forces retreat. it recognition that they do not expect the Syrian government to last. While “The best and the biggest support that thousands have returned to central Iraq, Barzani said the fighting force, made up we could provide is to have a united hundreds of Sunni Iraqis who fled sectar- largely of Syrian Kurds who deserted the position and in this we were successful,” ian violence say they plan to remain in army and made their way across the bor- he said. der, would take its orders from a new the safer Kurdish region. high committee formed two weeks ago He said Syrian forces withdrew from sev- Iraq has closed the gates to Syrian when two major Kurdish opposition eral towns in the largely Kurdish al- refugees, saying it does not have the groups put aside their differences. Hasekah region which are now con- resources to take care of them at its trolled by Kurdish fighters. “They have not been sent to Syria. They remote desert crossings. Humanitarian officials from one of the borders report- are still here - if this high committee At Syria’s border crossing with northern ed that Iraqi authorities on the weekend requires them to go they still could - if Iraq, Iraqi officials said Syrian security had handed a Syrian family seeking asy- not they will wait for the situation to be forces on Sunday morning retook the lum back to Syrian authorities. One offi- sorted out because these people are border post from gunmen who had cial said it was likely because the fami- from these areas and they will go back seized it. eventually,” he said. “This was aimed at ly included military-age men. filling the vacuum that will be created.” The Iraqi and Syrian sides of the border The United Nations High Commission for post are just metres away. One Iraqi Refugees (UNHCR) and aid organisations 'UNIFIED' KURDISH POSITION border official told us he had spoken have appealed for Iraq to open the bor- with a lieutenant colonel of the Free ders to Syrian civilians trying to escape Barzani, the most prominent regional Syrian Army who took control of the post the fighting. I Kurdish leader, oversaw an agreement in along with Kurdish and Arab fighters. Erbil between the Syrian armed opposi- tion and the mainstream Kurdish They melted away though when Syrian National Council. security forces sent in helicopters to

38 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 23, 2012 Fleeing Syrian Kurds seek refuge with Iraqi brethren position than Sunni Gulf states such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. But Kurdish parties in Syria's opposi- tion to Assad have been supported by Iraq's Kurdistan to encourage them to put aside differences and present a united front to fight for Kurdish rights. Kurdish SNC members have had open disputes with others in the group over Kurdish rights - on July 4 a Kurdish group walked out of an opposition meeting in Cairo amid scuffles and fistfights - and whether a post-Assad Syria would be built around a federal structure similar to that in Iraq. with common roots and language as Syria The role played by Syria's Kurds in any falls apart. post-Assad Syria will be important for Patrick Marke - Reuters While Syrian towns such as Homs face neighboring Turkey and Iran, where large the brunt of Assad's crackdown after AMP DOMIZ, Iraq (Reuters) - Syrian Kurdish populations have long sought more than 16 months of protests and troops usually came before dawn, more independence. C fighting, activists from the Kurdish region rounding up young Kurdish men to force For many Kurdish refugees that kins- say Syrian Kurds - a million out of Syria's them into an army they did not see as their hip drove them across Syria into Iraqi 21 million population - now cautiously see own and into a fight for a government that Kurdistan instead of seeking refuge in a chance to edge closer to rights similar to treated them as outsiders. Lebanon or Turkey, where they believed Kurdistan's model. When they came, Syrian law student they would face more restrictions. Iraqi Kurdistan, autonomous since Ahmed slipped out, leaving his family and Eight months fighting in the crack- 1991, has its own provincial government crossing the border in April into Iraqi down on protesters was enough for sol- and armed forces, though it still relies on Kurdistan to join thousands of Syrian dier Bilent to escape across Syria for the Baghdad central government for its Kurds now living among their Iraqi bre- Kurdistan. He said he paid a $200 bribe to budget. thren in a refugee camp or homes of rela- an officer to get a leave of absence, visit Demands from Syria's Kurdish region, tives. his family and leave. which has faced repression of rights such As Syria's crisis escalates, Syria's "There was a rule. When they gave as teaching in Kurdish, will be decisive for Kurdish provinces have been spared most orders if I didn't follow and shoot, then the Syrian National Council (SNC), the of the violence. But increasingly, Syrian they would shoot me," he said sitting mainly Arab opposition to Assad, led Kurds say they are fleeing to Iraqi among 20 other Syrian army deserters since June by Abdelbasset Sida, a Kurd. Kurdistan to escape from growing econo- near the camp. "I'll be here until Assad Numbers of Syrians fleeing into Iraq mic hardship, kidnappings and instability. leaves and then I'll go back." are still small compared with the refugees More than 7,000 Syrians have crossed For families at the camp, food shor- crossing into Turkey and into Lebanon, the border and found their way to tages, dwindling supplies of gas for coo- where the United Nations said up to Kurdistan, where local authorities and king and the threat of violence were 30,000 refugees may have crossed the international agencies have set up a camp enough to push them to abandon their frontier in the past week. on a dusty plain. Diggers are already pre- homes and escape over Iraq's border. At Camp Domiz, where rows of tents paring land for more. Many already see Iraq as their new are divided between single males and "Army convoys would come at around home, seeking jobs in nearby towns, and families, newly arrived refugees talk of 4 am, asking for ID papers. When they sur- fixing tents with air conditioners in prepa- Assad's departure, and offer a view of rounded my house I knew I couldn't go ration for the long wait. Syria splintering into separate regions as back," said Ahmed, who like many others "Even if Assad falls we won't go back, the violence there grows. at the camp asked that only his first name there is no life left in Syria. It is better to "I am sure Assad will leave now. In the be used for fears of reprisals on family. stay here," said Wansan, who paid smug- past the military were strong, but there Some are soldiers escaping orders to glers to ferry her and her three children are too many defections now," said Hamo, fire on protesters or fellow Kurdish deser- into Iraq to follow her husband three a Kurdish Syrian soldier who fled the ters, others are families who faced an weeks ago. army and into Kurdistan after 10 months increasing struggle to find gas and food, At a half-built mosque near Camp in Homs. or students who wanted no part in figh- Domiz, sentiment running through the ANOTHER HOME ting for President Bashar al-Assad. settlement is clear. Pale blue graffiti For Iraq, Syria's crisis is particularly Syria's Kurds have long suffered dis- across the mosque's unfinished grey sensitive. Baghdad's Shi'ite-led govern- crimination under Assad and many see in concrete walls reads: "Out with Bashar al- ment is close to Iran, Assad's ally in the Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan a place Assad."
region, and has taken a more moderate where they can find work and easily settle

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

lemonde font actuellement route vers la : « Trop impliqués dans Samedi 21 juillet 2012 base de Tartous en Méditerranée lesoutien à Damas, et 10 000 experts militaires russes Moscou campe sont à pied d' en Syrie. les Russes ne peuvent Pourtant, les arguments ration¬ faire marche arrière, nels habituellement servis pour . surun soutien expliquer le soutien russe ne tien¬ ils sontdans une nent plus. Principal client de Rosb- totale impasse» boronexport, la centrale russe

d'exportation d'armes, la Syrie a Mahmoud Al-Khamsa

jusqu'au-boutiste certes acheté pour700 millions de le représentant du Conseil dollars (570 millions d'euros) national syrien à Moscou d'équipements militaires en 2011 à Damas mais elle estdans l'incapacité d'ho- sont compromises. Trop impliqués norer ses factures. Et puis, la base dans le soutien à Damas, les Russes

Moscou fayyip Erdogan. «Assad refuse de ' de Tartous, présentée comme le ] nepeuventfaire marche arrière, ils Correspondante démissionnernonpasparce que la dernier ayant-poste militaire rus- ; sontdansunetotaleimpasse»,esti: meMahmoudAl-Khamsa,lerepré- . Russie le soutient mais parce i se en Méditerranée, n'est pas d'un qu'une large partie de la popula¬ sentant du ConseiLnationalsyrien Jeudi 19 juillet, pour la troisième ; grand intérêt stratégique. tion est derrière lui», a, depuis, dans la capitale russe. fois depuis mars 2011, la Russie La position officielle « est com¬ Malgré les dénégations officiel¬ et la Chine ont opposé leurveto, ajouté, le diplomate. plètement détachée de la réalité», Ni la recrudescence des com¬ les, le Kremlin veut aider Bachar au Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU, à . expliquait récemment à la chaîne Al-Assad à se maintenir au pou¬ une résolution occidentale suppo¬ bats sur le terrain, ni l'attentat de télévision indépendante Dojd voir coûte que coûte. Les navires sée mettre fin au bain de sang en ayantvisé mercredi trois des colla¬ ; TV, Gueorgui Myrski, un spécialis- borateurs du président syrien russes en route vers Tartous pour- . Syrie. Persuadé que ce texte i teduMoyen-Orient.Arheureoùle n'ont infléchi la position russe. raient-ils prêter main-forte à l'éta¬ ouvrait la voie à une intervention Parlernent russe vient d'adopter «Les défunts, bien connus, avaient blissement d'unfiefalaouite à Lat- militaire, Moscou tente d'empê¬ une loi qualifiant les ONG non grandement contribué à l'essor de taquié? Tous les scénarios sont cher coûte que coûte la chute du financéesparleKremlind'ft agents la relation russo-syrienne», souli¬ possibles. régime de Bachar Al-Assad. deî'étranger»,lapolitiqueétrahgè- gne le ministère des affaires étran¬ Ils sont certainement évoqués Ce troisième veto russe n'est' re de Vladimir Poutine obéit à la gères dans un texte de condoléan¬ en coulisse avec l'oncle maternel pas une surprise. « Tout le monde ' même logique. «Le désastre sécuri¬ doit comprendre que Bachar ces publié après l'attentat. Moscou taire et humanitaire en Syrie est' du président syrien, Mohamed espère que «les auteurs de l'atten- Makhlouf, le responsable des Al-Assad ne quittera pas le pou¬ pourle régime russe un exemple de tatserontpunis»etque«legouver- finances du clan. Arrivé il y a une voir. Même si la Russie modifiaitsa cequel'Occidentetses"agents"pré- . nement et la population syrienne, semaine à Moscou avec famille et position au Conseil de sécurité, parent en Russie », explique le spé¬ envraispatriotes,saurontsurmon- bagages, l'homme s'est installé à cela ne serait d'aucun secours», cialiste des questions militaires ' \ ter la crise». l'hôtel Ukraine, sur les bords de la . avait déclaré Sergueï Lavrov, le Pavel Felguenhauer. Plus les jours du régime syrien Moskova, juste en face de la « Mai¬ ..chef de la diplomatie" russe, en «Avec ce troisième veto,.la Rus- semblentcomptés, plus l'élite mili- son blanche », le siège du gouver¬ marge de la rencontre intervenue sie a tout perdu au Moyen-Orient. taro-politique au pouvoir en Rus¬ nement russe. mercredi à Moscou entre le prési¬ Son imageestternie, ses chancesde sie est acharnée à le défendre. MaweJégo dent russe, Vladimir Poutine, et le maintenir ses intérêts sur place premier ministre turc, Recep Onze navires militaires russes

LE FIGARO À Damas, les opposants toujours

lundi 23 juillet 2012 sous le feu des loyalistes

DANS LA CAPITALE, les forces gouver¬ faires alaouite en contact avec la hiérar¬

nementales poursuivent leur contre-of¬ chie sécuritaire àpâmas. fensive antirebelles. Appuyées par des En parallèle, experts russes et syriens blindés et des hélicoptères, les troupes tentent de déterminer le lieu d'où a été loyales à Bachar el-Assad ont visé di¬ commandée l'explosion- de la bombe

manche des poches tenues par les insur- . utilisée dans l'attentat de mercredi. Se¬ gés, légèrement armés. De leur côté, des lon nos informations, une plaquette

membres de la Garde républicaine, une d'explosif de la taille d'un téléphone unité d'élite, protégeaient les bâtiments portable aurait été dissimulée sous cha¬ des services de sécurité, cibles des révo¬ cun des bureaux occupés par les cinq lutionnaires, après leur exploit de mer¬ responsables de la sécurité tués ou bles¬ credi au cours duquel ils ont réussi à tuer sés pendant une réunion. quatre cadres de la nomenklatura', dont Assef Shawkat, le beau-frère du prési¬ Des militants de tous horizons

dent syrien. « À Damas, les gens continuent à cher¬ Face à la supériorité militaire de l'ar¬ cher désespérément à être en sécurité », mée, les insurgés ont dû se retirer dès s'alarme la Croix-Rouge internationale.

quartiers de Midane et de Mezze. Di¬ Les insurgés contrôlent désormais trois manche, les combats se concentraient à postes frontières avec la Turquie, mais ils

Barzé et dans les vergers derrière Mezze. ont dû en céder un à la frontière irakien- '

Ils auraient fait des dizaines de morts. ne. Un groupe d'environ 150djihadistes Un camion brûle samedi à Damas, « Le bilan est beaucoup plus, élevé que ce étrangers, armés de kalachnikovs et de dans le quartier d'Erbeen qui vient qui est annoncé », selon un homme d'af lance-roquettes, occupe par ailleurs le de se faire pilonner., handout/reuters

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

d'autres ont revendiqué une apparte¬ centaines d'autres attendent côté ira¬ poste syro-turc de Bab al-Hawa. Des nance à al-Qaida au Maghreb islamique. kien de la frontière avant de retourner ' militants ont affirmé à un photographe Tandis que la Turquie a déployé plu¬ chez eux. Samedi, Laurent Fabius a ap¬ de l'AFP venir d'Algérie, d'Arabie Saou¬ pelé l'opposition « à se mettre en ordre dite, des Érnirats arabes unis, d'Egypte, sieurs batteries de missiles sol-air à Mar- diri, non loin de sa frontière avec la Sy¬ de marché » pour former rapidement-un. de France, de Tchétchénie et de Tunisie. rie, plus à l'est en territoire syrien, les « gouvernement provisoire représentatif Certains ont" indiqué appartenir à une Kurdes ont avancé; prenant possession delà dwersité delà société syriemie »M «choura» (assemblée) talibane, et G. M. d'un certain nombre de villes. Quelques

samedi 21 - dimanche 22 juillet 2012 LE FIGARO tant arsenal d'armes chimiques, accumu¬ lé ces quarante dernières années grâce au

concours de Pex-URSS et de l'Iran, no¬ tamment' du gaz type sarin, VX, ainsi que Syrie : les armes du gaz moutarde. Ces dépôts sontdisper¬ sés en plusieurs endroits du pays, et pla¬ cés sous la surveillance d'agents des ren¬ seignements de l'armée de l'air, le plus chimiques sous puissant des services de sécurité du régi¬ me. Selon un rapport du Centre d'études

sur la non-prolifération, Damas posséde¬ rait au moins quatre usines d'armes surveillance chimiques situées près de Damas, d'Alep et de Hama, l'une des places fortes de la révolte populaire, qui menace le pouvoir Des forces spéciales américaines ont été d'Assad. Jusqu'à une date récente, aussi bien les États-Unis qu'Israël ou la Jorda-' déployées pour prévenir leur dispersion. nié voyaient encore en Bachar el-Assad un « leader rationnel ».qui ne s'aventure¬ rait pas à utiliser ses «sales bombes» Le pouvoir syrien a.commencé de dé¬ GEORGES MALBRUNOT contre ses opposants où l'État hébreu. placer une partie de ses stocks d'armes Leur plus grande crainte résidait plutôt chimiques, indiquait, il y a une semaine, dans la dissémination de cet arsenal entre MOYEN-ORIENT Inquiets de la détériora¬ le Wall Street Journal, se fondant sur des de «mauvaises mains », notamment des tion de la situation en Syrie, les États- sources du renseignement américain. groupes djihadistes liés à al-Qaida ou du Unis ont accru l'effectif de leurs Forces Dans son édition du 3 juillet, Le Figaro Hezbollah libanais pro-iranien. spéciales, déployées dans le désert au soulignait déjà de tels rnouvements, qui Même si l'utilisation de ces armes nord de la Jordanie, pour mieux traquer pourraient fournir aux Américains lajus¬ chimiques par des «amateurs» reste les armes chimiques, détenues par Bachar tification à des frappes ciblées en Syrie. complexe, cette hantise s'est accrue avec el-Assad. « Les Américains ont également « Grâce aux images satellites, les Améri¬ le chaos de ces derniers jours, marqué par créé une cellule commune avec les Jorda¬ cains surveillent assez bien ces dépôts, une certaine perte de contrôle de la situa¬ niens, spécialement dédiée au partage du mais pas tous, et certains stocks, nous.le tion par le régime. Des experts n'écartent renseignement et à la surveillance de cet savons, ont été déplacés », nous confiait plus qu'Assad ait recours aux armes arsenal », révèle une source militaire au récemment cet expert militaire. À partir chimiques «en dernière extrémité ». En Moyen-Orient. de leur .base jordanienne, des comman¬ début de semaine, Washington a averti le dos des Forces spéciales américaines fe¬ raïs qu'il le tenait responsable du contrôle raient désormais des incursions en terri¬ Washington a averti de ses armes chimiques. Les spécialistes toire syrienpour s'assurer du maintien de américains restent toutefois divisés sur les le raïs qu'il le tenait ces stocks entre les mains du régime d'el- raisons qui ont poussé Assad à ordonner Assad, qui dément en posséder. responsable du contrôle un déplacement de certains de ses stocks. La Syrie dispose pourtant d'un impor- de ses armes chimiques Déclencher une frappe

Volonté d'inquiéter ses ennemis ? Souci de les placer hors de portéedes rebelles ? ^* 5 Dissimulation de ces armes face aux me- <^^ naces américano-israéliennes ? Plusieurs raisons sont invoquées. Une chose est sûre, « c'est là menace des armes. chimi ques qui peut déclencher une intervention »* , militaire américaine ciblée », avertit1 un i » -V ' ;_ diplomate en Jordanie. _ Les récentes mannuvres militaires sy¬ ,u <* riennes comprenaient des tirs de missiles Scud et SS-21, capables de transporter des armes chimiques. Damas possède également des missiles. M-600 de tech- ~\ . nologie iranienne pouvant atteindre Is- . .. £ raêl, après avoir survolé le territoire jor¬ danien. D'où la dernière requête du roi Abdallah II, qui a demandé à ses alliés américains dé reconfigurer les batteries Un tank appartenant à l'armée gît, samedi, dans une rue d'Alep, après un affrontement de missiles antimissiles Patriot d'ancien¬ ne génération que Washington lui avait avec les rebelles syriens, str/epa/maxppp promis en début d'année.

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

LE FIGARO mardi 24 juillet 2012

Comment se prépare un, vraisemblablement l'Algérie - ont offert à Assad une « porte de sortie sûre » pour lui-même et sa famille. Il pourrait se l'après-el-Assad voir offrir refuge à Dubaï ou Abu Dhabi, où sa famille a de nombreux intérêts, fi¬

nanciers notamment. Afin d'éviter un vide sécuritaire et institutionnel, Contenir les islamistes deux entités sont en chantier : un conseil militaire, À Doha, le grand manitou de la diplo¬ d'un côté, et un gouvernement de transition, de l'autre. matie qatarienne, Cheikh Hamad Ben Jassem, a appelé « l'opposition et l'ASL à former un gouvernement d'unité nationa¬ de Rastàn, un des bastions de la révolte, GEORGES MALBRUNOT ET ALAIN BARLUET le ». C'est le second volet du dispositif de travaillerait à la mise en place d'un «commandement militaire renforcé» de transition. Il épouse le souhait français exprimé samedi par Laurent Fabius de MOYEN-ORIENT En coulisses, les gran¬ l'Armée syrienne libre (ASL), pour y in¬ voir l'opposition « se mettre en ordre de des maneuvres s'intensifient pour pré¬ tégrer les autres généraux qui, comme parer l'après-Assad. « Même si le régime marche» pour former rapidement un gouvernement de transition dans lequel peut encore mordre, reconnaît un diplo¬ ^^ Le chef de la diplomatie seraient inclus le Conseil national sy¬ mate français, l'attentat du 18juillet mar¬ qatarienne, Cheikh rien, la principale composante de cette que un basculement, qui nous impose de Hamad Ben Jassem, réfléchir à la vraie question du jour opposition - où Paris compte de nom¬ breux amis - mais aussi « l'ASL, des re¬ d'après. » Avec une hantise clairement a appelé « l'opposition présentants de l'opposition intérieure, affichée : «Nous craignons une situation et l'ASL à former à la libyenne, où les chefs de guerre tien¬ . un gouvernement ainsi que des grandes familles ^sunnites

draient le haut du pavé, ou une situation à k. d'unité nationale » bourgeoises de Damas qui peuvent jouer un rôle structurant pour l'avenir », pré¬ l'irakienne, avec un désert institution¬ cise le diplomate. Mais, à ce stade, Fran¬ nel », poursuit le diplomate. lui, ont récemment fait défection. À cette

Dans les chancelleries, deux mécanis¬ fin, il aurait pris langue avec son cousin, çais et Américains divergeraient. Préoc¬

mes sont à l'étude pour palier ces vides le colonel Abdelrazzak Tlass, qui com¬ cupés par la sécurité, Washington

politique et sécuritaire. Toutd'abord, sur mande la brigade al-Farouk, active à privilégie, dans unpremier temps, l'éta¬

le modèle de la transition égyptienne, la Homs et dans la région de Rastane, ainsi blissement du Conseil militaire. D'autre

création d'une sorte de Conseil suprême qu'avec d'autres figures dissidentes sur le part, « les Américains ne tiennent pas à

des forces armées, regroupant les géné¬ terrain en Syrie. Malgré de récents pro¬ donner trop de place aux /islamistes »,

raux déserteurs et ceux qui sont toujours grès, les déserteurs et les civils en armes souligne-t-on dans l'entourage d'An¬

en service. Ce conseil gérerait la période nan, tandis que, sur le terrain, les grou¬ qui ont rejoint ces derniers mois l'ASL transitoire - neuf mois environ - à l'is¬ pes intégristes ou même djihadistes s' af¬ restent incapables d'assurer la relève à la sue de laquelle des élections seraient or¬ franchissent de plus en plus de la tutelle chute de Bachar. ganisées, et un projet de Constitution ré¬ de l'ASL, alors que des accrochages Ils auront besoin de se reposer sur l'ar¬ digé. Cette première option s'inspire des meurtriers sont signalés entre leaders de mée. Justement, « les Américains et les travaux sur la transition du médiateur ces deux mouvances rivales. Britanniques pensent que les bonnes rela¬ international, Kofi Annan, et des recom¬ Autre souci : comment limiter, à la tions de Manaf Tlass avec les généraux sy¬ mandations adoptées par l'ensemble de chute du régime, les règlements de riens peuvent permettre à l'armée de ga¬ l'opposition lors de sa dernière réunion compte anti-alàouites, dont seraient rantir la stabilité et la sécuritépendant une au Caire, début juillet. Un homme pour¬ victimes les membres de la minorité, qui phase de transition », poursuit un Syrien, rait jouer un rôle central : le général Ma- soutient le clan Assad. Les initiatives se en contact avec Washington et Londres. multiplient pour éviter les affronte¬ naf Tlass, ce -haut gradé de la Garde ré¬ « On pourrait imaginer un scénario dans ments communautaires. Paris a deman¬ publicaine qui a quitté Damas pour la lequelle général Tlass sorte de son silence dé à ses ambassades, en Egypte notam¬ France, il y a trois semaines. Depuis, cet pour annoncer la constitution de ce Haut ment, de prendre contact avec les ami d'enfance de Bachar el-Assad n'a Conseil, tout en appelant Bachar el-Assad rompu le silence que pour affirmer dans à céder le pouvoir », explique un diplo¬ instances religieuses sunnites pour un texte adressé à l'AFP qu'il prônait mate dans l'entourage de Kofi Annan. qu'elles incitent les cadres sunnites de la « une opposition constructive ». Assad aurait, selon lui, demandé des ga¬ rébellion à « une attitude responsable ». ranties à ses alliés russes et chinois qu'il D'autre part, l'oncle de Bâchai-, Rifaat L'armée garante de la stabilité ne serait pas traduit devant la justice in¬ el-Assad, exilé à Paris, a été approché Selon certaines sources, le général Tlass, ternationale. Dimanche, en réunion au pour transmettre des messages d'apai¬ un sunnite comme les rebelles, originaire Qatar; les 22 pays de la Ligue arabe - sauf sement aux membres de sa communau¬ té alaouite. « Ce n'est pas facile de fédérer une structure politique ou militaire, après des mois d'éclatement des groupes armés en Syrie, avec une multitude de parrains, le Qatar, l'Arabie Saoudite,- la Turquie, la France... », reconnaît Samir Aïta, res¬ ponsable de l'opposition à Paris. Enfin, sn que disent les Russes de ce plan de tran¬ I sition? «Bachar reste pendant cette transition, répète inlassablement Mos¬ cou. Son sort doit être décidé par les Sy¬ riens eux-mêmes lors d'une élection. » De son côté, un porte-parole du raïs a

Un blindé de l'armée syrienne attaqué par des rebelles, lundi à Alep. aa/abaca exclu lundi tout départ d'el-Assad.

42 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 23, 2012

Syria's Kurds stand alone after rejecting rebels and regime located in the Sunni Arab tribal areas around thenational.ae Deir Ezzor. Nor does Syria's Kurdish region Aymenn Al Tamimi have access to ports that could allow Iraq's Kurds to set up an independent pipeline to transport petroleum to the international mar- evelopments in Syria and Iraq have ket. led some to speculate that the birth of an independent Kurdish state D There was considerable media coverage of might be at hand. A closer analysis shows an agreement signed in May between that a united Kurdistan is still unlikely, Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional although a separate semiautonomous Government of Iraq, covering two pipelines Kurdish community in Syria, with some par- that carry oil and gas from the Kirkuk area to allels to the Kurdish Autonomous Region in the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. Iraq, is a growing possibility. Numerous reports portrayed this deal as In Syria, Kurds are sitting on the sidelines of incurring the disapproval of the Iraqi govern- the uprising against the Damascus regime. ment in Baghdad. The implication was that Indeed, the Free Syrian Army has accused Turkey and the KRG had agreed, without members of the militant Kurdistan Workers Baghdad's permission, to set up these Party (PKK) of hindering its operations in has a bad reputation regarding Turkish pipelines. some areas against the Assad regime, Kurds in matters of civil and cultural rights. according to the Kurdish website Rudaw.net. Some commentators saw the deal as part of Leaders of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic In addition, whenever Kurdish groups have a Turkish strategy to deepen economic ties Union Party (PYD), which is affiliated with tried to engage the Syrian opposition about with Iraqi Kurds. This was seen as a sign the PKK, have made it clear that they will not the shape of a post-Assad Syria, talks have that the Turkish government had warmed to tolerate the spread of Syria's conflict into the always broken down. The main issue is that the idea of potential Kurdish independence. Kurdish-dominated areas of Syria. the opposition refuses to drop the identifica- tion of Syria as an Arab nation (as evinced in However, as the analyst Joel Wing of the The PYD stands separate from the Kurdish the country's official name: "Syrian Arab blog Musings on Iraq noted, this analysis National Council, a coalition of 11 Kurdish Republic") and accept that Kurds are a dis- gets the basic facts wrong. The Kirkuk- parties in Syria that has ties to the tinct people. Thus ended the recent Cairo Ceyhan pipelines are under the control of autonomous Kurdistan Regional meeting of anti-Assad groups, attended by the oil ministry in Baghdad, and so the KRG Government in Iraq. But leaders of the the KNC. agreement with Turkey must have had cen- Kurdish National Council have also indicated tral government approval to some degree. to Rudaw that they are aiming to keep With Syrian Kurds declining to choose After all, Baghdad provides 95 per cent of Kurdish areas free from fighting between the between Mr Al Assad and the opposition, the the KRG's annual budget. regime and the rebels. idea of a de facto Kurdish autonomous area in the Al Jazira area of north-east Syria Note that the Kurdish areas of Turkey consti- The Kurdish groups are far from united on becomes a possibility. tute at least 50 per cent of the dreamed of most issues - the KNC has in the past Kurdistan. Ankara would not welcome an clashed with the PYD, but since Syria's In the event of Mr Al Assad's downfall, Sunni independent Kurdish state just south of its unrest began last year, the two factions have groups and others in Syria might be too dis- border, believing that such a state would "signed an agreement sponsored by the tracted by infighting to deal with the question increase the possibility of a Kurdish revolt in Iraqi Kurdish leadership to prevent intra- of Kurdish autonomy. Turkey's south-east. One of the Kirkuk- Kurdish tensions", according to Jonathan Ceyhan pipelines was shut down on Spyer, an analyst at the Israel-based Global It does not follow, however, that the Syrian Saturday after an explosion that Ankara Research in International Affairs Center. Kurds will join with Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government to form an independent Kurdish blamed on Kurdish rebels. That fraught rela- tionship does not appear to be improving This, Mr Spyer writes in the Jerusalem Post, state straddling the northern part of today's any time soon. ensures "de facto Kurdish control of a large Iraq-Syria border. swathe of Syria's north-east and the placing As long as Turkey remains opposed to of this area off limits to the insurgency Evidently, Iraq's Kurdish leadership would Kurdish independence and the KRG lacks against the Assad regime for the foreseeable like to win independence from Baghdad opportunities to break its financial reliance future". eventually, although that is rarely stated on Baghdad, an independent Kurdistan will explicitly. But economic independence is a I remain a remote prospect. Syria's Kurds are not, by and large, support- prerequisite, and Syria's Kurdish areas ers of President Bashar Al Assad, but their would have little to offer the Iraqi Kurds in Aymenn Jawad Al Tamimi is an adjunct fel- scepticism about the Syrian opposition is that regard. low at the Middle East Forum understandable. For one thing, rebel fighters in Syria have the support of Ankara, which Most of Syria's remaining oil reserves are

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

TIME JULY 23, 2012-

U.S. is involved in a conflictwith Russia in Syria. Washington is moving more subtly thanits old ColdWar adversary. Inthe past few months, the U.S. State Department has worked to establish relationships with op¬ position groups and is planning to open an office in Istanbul to vet them for pos¬ sible ties to al-Qaeda and other terrorist ARMS groups, Administration and congressional sources say. On July 6, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged not to leave the As Russia continues to equip the Assad regime, ,, rebel fighters hanging, even if the U.S. rebel groups are buying powerful weapons continues to avoid direct arms sales, let alone military intervention. "The United : abroad too. Is all out civil war inevitable? States will continue providing nonlethal assistance to help those inside Syria who are carrying the fight," she said at a meet¬ HIS WEAPON IS PERFECT FOR CLOSE-QUARTERS COMBAT, ing on the crisis in Paris. That assistance house to house," the Russian arms dealer explains, . has included communications equipment and training. Meanwhile, countries such handing a silencer-equipped AK-104 assault rifle to a . asQatar.SaudiArabiaandtheUnitedArab Syrian official, who brings the gun's sight to his eye Emirates are providing weapons or funds and aims it across Pavilion C3 ofRussia's biennial arms forthem, U.S. sources say. An official at the Saudi embassy in Washington declined . bazaar. Through the crosshairs, he can see the neon dis¬ to comment; officials from the Qatari and ; play of Rosoboronexport, Russia's state weapons dealer, which has Emirati embassies did not respond to re¬ given the Syrians a rare chance to do some military shopping. Most of peated requests for comment. No govern¬ the world has banned arms sales to the Syrian government amid ment has openly acknowledged supplying the rebels with weapons. the country's escalating civil revolt. So in deals with Damascus until the war ends, Moscow the four-member Syrian delega¬ its existing agreements "willnot be affect¬ Moscow's Firepower tion is enjoying the hospitality. After an ed in any way," Anatoly Isaykin, the head AS THE MAIN WEAPONS SUPPLIES TO DA- hourwiththe Kalashnikov salesman, the ofRosoboronexport, tells Time. mascus, Moscow has unmatched leverage Syrians stroll over to study some rocket On the opposite side ofthe conflict, the with the Syrian regime. Syria has been a launchers, cruise missiles and military disparate bands of rebels fighting to oust Kremlin client state since the 1970s, and SUVs, which gleam in the summer sun Assad are also receiving arms from abroad, apart from Iran, Russia is the only power like sports cars at a dealership. making the Syrian crisis seem to many ob¬ that may be able to persuade Assad to step Welcome to Russia's premier weapons servers like a proxy conflict whose lines of down. As international pressure mounts, expo, the innocuously named Forum of patronage stretch not only to Moscow but Russia has shown new signs of impa¬ Technologies in Machine Building, a mili¬ across the Arab world and all the way to tience with the Syrian despot. On July 9, tary buffet that President Vladimir Putin, Washington. Russia, the U.S. and Europe at a summit in Moscow with his entire who was then Prime Minister, inaugurat¬ all have major stakes in the Syrian strug¬ ambassador corps, Putin ordered the dip¬ ed two years ago. In the last week of June, gle, as does almost every religious sect and lomats to "do as much as possible to force delegations from 103 nations, including ethnic clan in the Middle East, andthey are the conflicting sides to reach a peaceful Iran, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Uganda, de¬ all lining up behind one side or another. political solution." The same day, a delega¬ scended on ZhukovskyAirfield near Mos¬ But with none of the foreign players will¬ tion of Syrian revolutionaries arrived in cow to attend the expo. One noteworthy ing to commit troops, the means ofengage¬ Moscow for talks with the Foreign Min¬ attraction: a "ballet" of twirling, smoke- ment has been through an arms race. For ister, signaling that Moscow may have belching tanks staged by a choreographer the West and its Arab allies, supporting started looking for partners among the from the Bolshoi Theatre. the rebels is a low-risk way to even out the opposition, perhaps to retain influence But the Syrians were not there to be battlefield just long enough to persuade entertained. Over the past 16 months, Assad to step down. For Russia and Iran, with a post-Assad government. The Rus¬ Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar Assad's most powerful supporters, this tac¬ sians "have indicated for some time now Assad have used their Russian weaponry tic smacks ofviolent regime change. that they are not invested in Assad specifi¬ to hammer a homegrown rebellion, the The stalemate has allowed more weap¬ cally but rather are concerned about an most violent of the Arab Spring revolts. ons to flow into Syria increasing the outcome that maintains stability in Syr¬ The U.N. estimates the death toll at more chances that this bloody internal conflict ia," says Ben Rhodes, President Obama's than 10,000, including thousands of willmorph into a full-scale civilwar, with Deputy National Security Adviser. "They women and children. And as Syria falls regional and international forces backing certainly have not closed the door to a po¬ deeper into disarray, Assad's regime has opposing sides. "This is a proxy war," Ser¬ litical transition from Assad. The hurdle continued to import Russian weaponry as gei Ordzhonikidze, a Russian diplomat, for them has been understanding and ap¬ part of long-standing deals between the toldTime afterreturningto Moscow from preciating that there's no way to achieve stability with Assad still in power, and two countries. According to CAST, a Rus¬ Damascus in July. It harks back to the tra¬ sian military think tank with ties to the dition of Cold War détente, he says, when that's what we've been trying to convince Ministry of Defense, there are now about the nuclear superpowers "avoided direct them ofin our conversations." $4 billion in open weapons contracts be¬ confrontation while advancing their in¬ But at the weapons bazaar there was tween Russia and Syria, and even though terests through third countries." little sign that Russia intends to use its Moscow has pledged not to sign any new U.S. officials reject the notion that the power in the arms trade to pressure Assad.

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

"These are the guys we are rooting for," an official with Rosoboronexport told Time while showing the Syrian delegates a set of truck-mounted rocket launchers. The à Syrians climbed into armored trucks, y studied surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and discussed certain weapons systems .- ;> 5 * i > '"A at length with Rosoboronexport reps. But their chaperone, Colonel Isam Ibrahim ji As'saadi, the military attaché at the Syrian \w i embassy in Moscow, declined to say what, if anything, they purchased that day, nor did he allow Time to speak with them. The man As'saadi identified as the head of the delegation would say only that he had '' . «...

flownin from Damascus to attend the fair. * v. "That shows a serious intention to buy," says Hugh Griffiths, an arms-trafficking

expert at the Stockholm International Comparison shopping if

Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which //; S'ci :,n: .A-.'.-.uf.vi: .

tracks the global weapons market. ;i>/Yi !\ ,1 A.i.'iIm':':.''..':- «AI In recentyears the Syrians havebecome j»,i:ii'| 1 . -I increasingly good customers. According to SIPRI, which gets its data on the arms is funded by wealthy Saudi, Qatari, Emi- trade from open sources, Syria increased rati and Syrian individuals, among others, its arms purchases almost sixfold over the 'WE'RE was buying anything it could get, includ¬ past five years, and at least 78% of those ing pistols and grenades. Now they want TRYING TO GET weapons came from Russia, the world's bigger things. "They want thermals," says second largest arms dealer, after the U.S. Abu Saddam, meaning heat-seeking mis¬ ANYTHING This included deliveries of MiG-29 fighter siles. Something that could take out an air¬ jets, Pantsir-Si rocket systems and Buk- THAT IS MORE plane or a tank, like a SAM, would go for M2E SAMs. "These are deterrents," says about $2,500, and he could get it "within Griffiths. "They would make any foreign EFFECTIVE five minutes." To prove the point, he tells intervention in Syria a lot more costly." one of his khaki-vested minions to open IN THIS an armored metal door tucked behind a They are also driving the rebels' rush STRUGGLE to seek heavy weaponry oftheir own. tattered curtain. His employee pulls out a couple ofmortar rounds, then some SAMs. AGAINST Stoking the Inferno All ofthem are sourced from Libya, he

JUST ACROSS THE BORDER FROM SYRIA, says. "Youcouldnotimagine the quantities bashar:

along a desolate stretch of the Mediterra¬ they have," says Abu Saddam. The wiser MOLHAM ALDROBI, nean coast, one of North Lebanon's lead¬ heads among the sometimes fractious Lib¬ MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ing arms traffickers runs his business out yan brigades that fought in that country's

of what looks like a repurposed seafood revolution want to ship the weapons out, like Turkey and the Gulfstates. "Surelyyou restaurant. Metal shutters are pulled he explains, before theirpostrevolutionary don't think a tiny state like Qatar is acting

down over the large plate-glass windows, battles get any bloodier. The Libyans even alone in all this," scoffs Ordzhonikidze, and an empty aquarium embedded in the help load the weapons onto cargo ships the Russian diplomat. The motivations floor is growing lush with algae. Outside, headed for Lebanon, Abu Saddam says. for the West are simple, he suggests. For half a dozen heavyset men dressed in The ships fly French, Russian or U.S. flags, Europe, the goal is regime change so that

identical khaki vests patrol the parking anything but Libyan, and the manifests an oil pipeline can be built from the Gulf

lot withwalkie-talkies in their hands and are doctored to read wood, ceramics or to the Mediterranean. For the U.S., as ever,

pistols peeking out oftheir waistbands. sheet metal, anything but guns. the prize is Iran, which would be isolated Inside, Abu Saddam, who uses anom de Among the nonstate actors contribut¬ ifits only major allyin the Middle East fell. guerre, has just gotten offthe phone.About ing to the Syrian arms race are Islamist Whether or not this intelligence is accu¬ two hours ago, he says, he sent a big ship¬ groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, rate, it is considered so by Russia's leader, ment to Syria. What kind? "Painkillers," which has been among the most active in and that makes it hard for them to stay on he says, cocking an imaginary gun to his supporting the rebels, sometimes in ex¬ the sidelines while, in their eyes, the West head. He refuses to say what type ofweap¬ change for loyalty. Molham Aldrobi, an carves up another region ofthe world. ons they were. But when asked whether executive member ofthe Muslim Brother¬ Syria is also home to tens ofthousands

they were for the Free Syrian Army, the hood and a founding member of the of Russians, a legacy of the cultural and

loose confederation of military defectors Syrian National Council, says his orga¬ scientific exchanges that began 1^1963, and revolutionaries fighting Assad, Abu nization has been providing "all kinds of when the socialist Baath Party came to

Saddam rolls his eyes. "Naturally," he says. support," from logistics and financial aid power. Soon after, Syria became a Soviet "The FSAis like hell. The more you put fire to weapons. "We're trying to get anything client state under the rule of Hafez Assad, into it, the more it asks for." that is more efficient and more effective in Bashar Assad's father. A legacy of that Over the past couple of months, he this struggle against Bashar," Aldrobi tells relationship is Russia's naval base in the

says, he has shipped several million dol¬ Time from Jidda, Saudi Arabia. Syrian port of Tartus, the only military lars' worth of heavy weapons to Syria. At In the Russian analysis, the West is base Russia has left outside the former So¬ the beginning of the conflict, the FSA, trying to control the flow of arms to the viet Union. On July 10, the Russian Min¬ which Abu Saddam and other sources say rebels, primarily through its Sunni allies, istry of Defense said it had sent a flotilla

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

arms

KiNi'/'cW'l reprewilatmif, ; greets the head ofthe Syrian delegation THESE ARE *'4 THE GUYS WE ARE ROOTING r for:

AN OIHC1AI. FROM

ROSOBORONEXPORT, RUSSIA'S STATE ARMS >* t COMPANY

of warships for exercises near Tartus, the as long as Assad can pay the bills. "None So until all sides can agree on a better largest show of force in the region since of these events will influence our rela¬ option, the arms race in Syria is likely the conflict in Syria began. "Ifwe lose Tar¬ tionships with our traditional markets to continue for this war and, perhaps tus, we can kiss ourfootholdinthat region in any way," Isaykin says. even more worrying, for one yet to start. goodbye," says Konstantin Sivkov, a Rus¬ But Russia's decision to meet with Syr¬ Abu Saddam, the Lebanese arms dealer,

sian military strategistwho once served as ian opposition leaders in Moscow may says his clients in Syria are stockpiling

a naval commodore in Tartus. "The entire indicate that Russia is seeking to ensure weapons not as much to overthrow Mediterranean would be surrounded by its foothold in Syria well after a possible Assad as to prepare for the carnage that NATO, and we cannot let that happen." Assad ouster. "We are not married to his downfall would initiate. "That will Assad," explains Sivkov. "We can main¬ be the real battle," he says. "The FSA will The Next War? want to take control, the Salafists will tain our position in Syria as long as there THE LONGER RUSSIA CONTINUES DEFEND- want to take control, the Muslim Broth¬ is a normal succession process." Russia's ing Syria, however, the greater interna¬ erhood will want to take control, and the arms contracts with Syria require the two tional pressure Russia comes under. In CIA, the Saudis and the KGB will want countries to maintain stable relations so July, Clinton said the world should make a say in what happens. Libya and Iraq? that the weapons can be installed, ser¬ Moscow "pay a price" for standing by They will be nothing compared to what viced and repaired. Russia usually pro¬ Assad and the frequent reports of Syr¬ will happen in Syria once Bashar falls." vides ammunition, technical support and ian troops torturing and massacring ci¬ WITH REPORTING BY ARYN BAKER AND training for the lifetimes of the weapons vilians are regularly thrown in Russia's RAMI AYSHA/BEIRUT, RANIA ABOUZEID/ it sells. So unless the post-Assad govern¬ face. This presents an image problem, TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER AND JAY NEWTON- ment wants to replace its entire military says Rosoboronexport's Isaykin. "Around SMALL/WASHINGTON infrastructure, it will not be able to sever these hot spots, efforts are made to pres¬ ties with Russia. ent our organization as some kind of evil That relationship would come to an genius who is trying to pour kerosene end, says Sivkov, if the West insists on on the fire," he tells Time at the Moscow uprooting Assad's regime completely. arms bazaar, which his company helped "That would spark a total war," he says. organize and sponsor. The Alawites the offshoot of Shi'ism In April, Human Rights Watch in¬ that the Assads belong to and gain much formed Isaykin in an open letter that of their support from would be at risk Assad's use of Russian arms puts his of persecution at the hands of the major¬ firm "at a high risk ofcomplicity" in war ity Sunnis, Iran could be dragged in, oil crimes. The independent watchdog later prices could spike and the region would

urged a global boycott of Rosoboronex¬ be in danger of dissolving into a sectar¬

port. Isaykin describes the attempts to ian quagmire. blacken his company's name as unfair Part of the reason the West has not competition on the part of his Western been willing to give the rebels heavy ar¬ counterparts. "Of course I mean competi¬ tillery is that ifAssad is overthrown, "it's tion in the broadest sense of the word," going to be ugly," says Joseph Holliday, a he says. "It always existed, and it will Syria expert at the Institute for the Study continue to exist." So his orders from the of War in Washington. "No one really government thus far are to soldier on. He wants to precipitate a war right now. For says Rosoboronexport has every inten¬ those reasons you'll see a continued proxy tion of fulfilling its multibillion-dollar conflict the Gulf states vs. Russia and contracts with the Syrian government Iran, and the U.S. trying to play referee."

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

. WIÏJIXATIONAL

warnings to both warring sides to avert

mass atrocities. Mr. Obama has come under criticism U.S. focuses The Uriited States has regularly dis¬ from Mitt Romney, his presumed oppo¬ cussed with the Israelis how they might nent in the presidential election, who move to destroy Syrian weapons facilit¬ has said that he would arm the Syrian on efforts to ies, U.S. officials said. Washington is not opposition. advocating such an attack, the officials Mr. Obama had been pushing Russia said, because of the risk that it would to join the United States in calling for topple Assad give Mr. Assad an opportunity to rally Mr. Assad to step down from power,. But support against Israeli interference. on Thursday, Russia and China blocked U.S. officials say they will not provide tougher action in the U.N. Security government arms to the rebel forces; Turkey, Saudi Council. This prompted Susan E. Rice, Arabia and Qatar are already financing the U.S. ambassador to the United Na¬ those efforts. But officials said the tions, to say that the Security Council United States would provide more com¬ had "utterly failed" the Syrians and to WASHINGTON munications training and equipment to pledge that the United States would now help improve the combat effectiveness instead work "with a diverse range of Officials hold talks of disparate opposition forces in their partners outside the Security Council" with Turkey and Israel widening, sustained fight against Syri¬ to pressure the Assad government. an Army troops. It is also possible the Officials in Washington say the over managing a collapse rebels would receive some intelligence United States is also working with Syri¬ support, the officials said. an rebels to establish a transition pro¬ By enhancing the command and con¬ cess for the day that Mr. Assad's gov¬ BYERICSCHMITT trol of the rebels' formations, largely by ernment falls, including trying to set up AND HELENE COOPER improving their ability to communicate a provisional government that would in¬ The Obama administration has for now with one another and their superiors clude representatives from the various abandoned efforts for a diplomatic set¬ and to coordinate combat operations, religious groups in the country: Ala- tlement to the conflict in Syria and is in¬ U.S. officials say they are seeking to fuel wites, Sunnis and Christians. "We need creasing aid to the rebels and redoub¬ the momentum of the rebels' recent bat¬ to make sure that what comes next has ling efforts to rally a coalition of like- tlefield successes. Alawite representation," one U.S. offi¬ minded countries to forcibly bring down "You'll notice in the last couple of cial said Saturday. While the majority, of the government of President Bashar àl- months, the opposition has been Syrians are Sunni, the Àlawite sect, Assad, U.S. officials say. strengthened," a senior U.S. official said which includes Mr. Assad, controls the U.S. officials have been in talks with Friday. "Now we're ready to accelerate levers of power. leaders in Turkey and Israel over how to that." The official said that the hope was Outreach to the Alawite community is manage a Syrian government collapse. that support for the Syrian opposition important if the Syrian state is to re- The U.S. defense secretary, Leon E: from the United States, Arab govern¬ main intact after Mr. Assad is gone, U.S. Panetta, is headed to Israel in the next ments and Turkey would tip the balance officials and foreign policy experts said. several days, following up on a visit last in thé conflict. And it may be necessary to hasten Mr.. week by President Barack Ôbama's na¬ Senior U.S. officials say the changes Assad's exit. tional security adviser, Thomas E. Doni- are in response to a series of setbacks at "The much more urgent challenge," lon, in part to discuss the Syrian crisis. the U.N. Security Council, where Russia said Martin S. Indyk, a former U.S. am¬ In a sign ofthe escalating seriousness has staunchly refused to engineer the bassador to Israel, "is to make contact ofthe Syrian crisis after a week of inten¬ removal of Mr. Assad, as well as the tur¬ with Assad's generals to get them to de¬ sified fighting in Damascus, the capital, moil that has left the Syrian govern¬ fect with units intact." and the killing of Mr. Assad's closest se¬ ment reeling; at least for the moment. But as the unexpected turn of events curity aides in a. bombing attack, the "We're looking at the controlled de¬ last week indicate, planning for the end White House is now holding daily high- molition of the Assad regime," said An¬ of the Assad government is virtually im¬ level meetings to discuss a broad range drew J. Tabler, a Syria expert at. the possible. "What is the end? That's the of contingency plans, including safe¬ Washington Institute for Near East dilemma," one senior defense official guarding Syria's vast chemical Policy. "But Eke any controlled demoli¬ said. ' 'No one knows what the end is. So weapons arsenal and sending explicit tion, anything can go wrong." it's all about mitigating the risks." And the risks are legion. ? . * -' «it v% ' yj;. The escalating violence has so far sent as many as 125,000 people fleeing */ ' h*4&' across the Syrian border into Lebanon, rJH,

1. > «*- . The United States may supply rebels with communication aid.

-J*

Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, according to the State Department. U:S. officials are expressing fears that the implosion of the government could lead to a breakup of Syria, with Alawites, still armed with chemical weapons, retreating to coastal / mountain redoubts. 7W.Y -* -"-_ "It's an outcome that contains the seeds of a war that never ends," said .-._/ h Robert Malley, Middle East and North Africa program director at the Interna¬ tional Crisis Group. "The rest of Syria «.MJ- won't accept having part of their territo¬ 1' ry under the control of the people

Syrian rebels on Sunday near Aleppo, the commercial center of the country, long a bastion of who've been oppressing them." This month, Syria started moving support for President Bashar al-Assad.

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

parts of its huge stockpile of chemical curity worsens in the country or after weapons out of the hands of fighters al¬ weapons out of storage, drawing warn¬ the collapse of the government. lied with Al Qaeda or other terrorist ings from U.S. officials not to use them "If the Assad regime did fall, this groups, one senior U.S. official said. or face unstated consequences. Some would provide more Islamist militants By helping to vet rebel groups, U.S. in¬ U.S. intelligence officials said later that with a potential opportunity to establish telligence operatives in Turkey also hope the movements were most likely a pre¬ a new foothold in the heart of the Middle to learn more about a growing, changing caution as security conditions across East," said Charles Lister, an analyst opposition network inside of Syria and to the country rapidly deteriorated. with Jane's Terrorism and Insurgency establish ties to fighters who may be the "It's going to take ah international ef¬ Center. "The temporary lack of state country's leaders one day. fort when Assad falls and he will fall structures would also afford aspirant U.S. diplomats are also meeting regu¬ in order to secure these weapons," militant Islamists with a safe area for larly with representatives of various

Adm. William H. McRayen, the head of training." Syrian opposition groups outside the the U.S. military's Special Operations A small number of clandestine CIA. country to help map out a possible post- forces, told Congress in March. officers have been operating in south¬ Assad government. U.S. and other Western intelligence ern Turkey for several weeks, helping "Our focus with the opposition is on officials have expressed concern that allies decide which Syrian opposition working with them so' that they have a some of the more than 100 rebel forma¬ fighters across the border will receive political transition in place to stand up a tions fighting inside Syria may have ties weapons to fight the government. The new Syria," Patrick Ventrell, a State De¬ to Al Qaeda that they could exploit as se C.I.A. effort is aimed in part to help keep partment spokesman, said last week.

PfrHWATTOMAl. JULY 21-22, 2012

Turkeys human rights

sponse to the genocide against Armeni¬ of 1915, and that makes Turkey look very ans and other Christian civilians. Britain, Turkey TanerAkcam much like a security threat to them. France and Russia initially defined Otto¬ Confronting the past is closely linked must atone man atrocities as "crimes against Chris¬ to security, stability and democracy in for its own tianity" butlater substituted "human¬ the Middle East. Persistent denial of his¬ ity" after considering the negative torical injustices not only impedes, de¬ past crimes WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS Anew reaction that such a specific term could mocratization but also hampers stable before lec¬ political order is emerging in the elicit from Muslims in their colonies. relations between different ethnic and Middle East, and Turkey aspires to be. turing oth¬ Today, Mr. Erdogan is seeking to be a religious groups. This is particularly its leader by taking a stand against au¬ global spokesman for Muslim values. true in former Ottoman lands, where ers on hu¬ thoritarian regimes. Earlier this week, In June 2011, he told thousands people view one another in the cloaks of man rights; Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip gathered to celebrate the landslide vic¬ Erdogan, went so far as to denounce their ancestors. In addition to the rever¬ tory of his Justice and Development the Syrian government's continuing berations of the Armenian genocide, Party (A.K.P.) : "Sarajevo won today as massacres of civilians as "attempted mass crimes against Kurds and Alevis much as Istanbul; Beirut won as much genocide." in Turkey, violence against Kurds and as Izmir; Damascus won as much as Turkey's desire to champion human Arabs in Iraq, and Christian-Muslim Ankara. Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, the rights in the region is a welcome devel¬ tensions in Syria and Lebanon continue West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza won as opment, but Mr. Erdogan's condemna¬ to poison contemporary politics. much as Diyarbakir." tion of Syria is remarkably hypocritical. The popularity of the A.K.P. in Tur¬ Speaking in support of oppressed As long as Turkey continues to deny key and the Muslim world affords Mr. Muslims has earned him popularity. crimes committed against non-Turks in Erdogan.an opportunity to usher in an But if Mr. Erdogan aspires to defend the early 1900s, during the final years of era of tolerance. By acknowledging the freedom and democracy in the region, the Ottoman Empire, its calls for free¬ genocide against Christians and crimes dom, justice and humanitarian values he must also address the legitimate against other groups, the Turks can be¬

will ring false. fears of Christians in the Middle East: come leaders in the realm of human Turkey's attempt to cultivate an im¬ Just as the European powers opted for rights. But Turkey's efforts to paint it¬ age as the global protector of Muslim universalism in 1915 by denouncing self as a beacon of freedom and democ¬ rights is compromised by a legacy of "crimes against humanity," Mr. Er¬ racy will fail so long as Turkey refuses ethnic cleansing and genocide against dogan must move beyond his narrow atone for Ottoman sins. Christians and terror against Arabs focus on "crimes against Muslims." All Moral purists and hard-nosed real¬ and.Kurds. Memories of these crimes oppressed peoples deserve protection. ists mistakenly believe that pursuing are very much alive throughout former It isn't a coincidence that many Chris¬ justice and national interests are mutu¬ Ottoman territories. And Turkey can¬ tians and other minorities in Syria sup- ally exclusive. But acknowledging his¬ not serve as a democratic model until it , port Bashar al-As- torical wrongs is not a zero-sum game. acknowledges that brutal violence, pop¬ Confronting sad's Baath Party; In the Middle East, the past is the ,. they are willing to present. And truth and reconciliation ulation transfers and genocide underlie the past is sacrifice freedom for are integral to establishing a new, the modern Turkish state. closely linked security. While Turk- stable regional order founded on re¬ Using documents from the Ottoman to security, jsh rhetoric appeals to spect for human rights and dignity. Tur¬ government archives in Istanbul, which stability and the Sunni Muslim ma- key should lead by example. were once classified as top secret, I have democracy in jority's demand for soughtto pull back the veil on Turkey's the Mideast. freedom in Syria, it TanerAkcam, aprofessor of history at . century of denial. These documents does not relieve Syri¬ Clark University, is the author of "The clearly demonstrate that Ottoman demo¬ an Christians' anxiety YoungTurks' Crime Against Humanity: graphic policy from 1913 to 1918 was about their future. On the contrary, Syri¬ The Armenian Genocide and Ethnic genocidal. Indeed, the phrase "crimes an Christians listening to Mr. Erdogan against humanity" was coined as a legal Cleansing in the Ottoman Empire." and his denialist rhetoric are reminded term and first used on May 24, 1915, in re

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

26 juillet 2012

Syrie : les Kurdes contrôlent leur région désertée par Assad Drapeaux Pierre Haski | Cofondateur Rue89 kurdes, syriens et du andis que la confrontation entre le PKK dans la régime syrien et ses opposants se zone kurde concentraitT sur la ville d’Alep, les zones de Syrie kurdes du Nord échappaient d’un seul (Rudaw) coup, ces derniers jours, au contrôle du pouvoir central syrien, et tombaient entre les mains des mouvements kurdes. Le drapeau kurde flotte désormais sur les principales localités kurdes du nord et du nord-est syrien, qui ont été abandonnées en fin de semaine dernière par les garni- relève en cas de chute du régime de sons de l’armée syrienne envoyées sur Damas. d’autres fronts, par les membres des ser- vices de sécurité (les « moukhabarat »), LES 2 000 HOMMES ARMÉS DU PKK et même par les fonctionnaires arabes En contradiction avec l’opposition, les des grandes villes. partis kurdes désormais en contrôle de Les Kurdes constituent environ 9% des leur région sont également très divisés 23 millions de Syriens, et vivent pour la entre eux. Selon Kendal Nezan, bon plupart dans ces zones du nord et du connaisseur, en cas d’élections, le KNC nord-est, à l’exception de communautés l’emporterait vraisemblablement. Mais kurdes dans les grandes villes comme Le drapeau kurde (Institut Kurde, Paris) aujourd’hui, ce sont d’abord les quelque 2 Damas et Alep. 000 hommes en armes du PYD/PKK qui quent à la fois du pouvoir baassiste tiennent le haut du pavé, et assurent la Les Kurdes sont un peuple de plus de 25 sécurité. millions de personnes, installées dans syrien, mais aussi de l’opposition qui quatre Etats voisins, la Turquie, l’Irak, mène le soulèvement contre Bachar el- Cette présence du PKK à ses frontières a l’Iran et la Syrie. Ils ont eu une éphémère Assad. Aucun soldat se réclamant de suscité une sortie prévisible du premier République kurde en 1946, et se battent l’Armée syrienne libre (ASL) ne se trouve ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, qui depuis des décennies pour la reconnais- ainsi sur le terrain, en zone de peuple- a accusé mercredi le pouvoir syrien sance de leurs droits politiques et cultu- ment kurde. d’avoir placé délibérément dans cette rels dans leurs Etats respectifs. Cela fait du Kurdistan syrien une force zone le Parti marxiste kurde avec lequel il avec laquelle le vainqueur de la confron- est en guerre ouverte. La Turquie soutient Ce retrait du pouvoir syrien, sans se bat- activement l’opposition syrienne, et est tre, a créé un vide dans lequel se sont tation actuelle, quel qu’il soit, devra comp- ter pour dessiner la Syrie de demain. l’un des points de passage vraisemblable engouffrés les partis kurdes, qui ont d’armes au profit de l’ASL. constitué une instance provisoire (sous Le Conseil national syrien (CNS), princi- l’égide des « grands frères » kurdes ira- pale force politique de l’opposition à Erdogan a déclaré qu’il n’hésiterait pas à kiens) dont la priorité est de maintenir la l’étranger, est certes présidé par un intervenir militairement contre cette sécurité dans cette zone échappant dés- Syrien d’origine kurde, Abdel Basset implantation du PKK à ses portes, comme ormais à l’autorité centrale syrienne. Sayda, mais celui-ci est indépendant de il l’a fait à de nombreuses reprises par le ces formations kurdes. passé, notamment contre des sanc- ALLIANCE KURDE PROVISOIRE tuaires du PKK en Irak. Selon Kendal Nezan, directeur de Les partis traditionnels kurdes s’opposent à la vision majoritaire de l’opposition La Turquie est en guerre depuis 1984 l’Institut kurde de Paris, rentré ce week- contre le PKK, qui réclame l’autonomie du end du Kurdistan irakien où se trouvaient actuelle au régime de Damas, qui conserve une vision centralisatrice du sud-est anatolien peuplé de Kurdes, et a des dirigeants kurdes syriens, cette ins- plusieurs fois, par le passé, bénéficié du tance, le Conseil suprême kurde, est pouvoir, alors que les Kurdes réclament au minimum une autonomie comparable soutien actif de la Syrie d’Assad, en fonc- composée à parité par : tion du degré d’hostilité ou d’« amitié » G à celle dont jouissent désormais leurs le Conseil national kurde (KNC) de cousins d’Irak. entre Damas et Ankara. Le PKK a bénéfi- Syrie, regroupant les partis traditionnels ; cié de camps d’entraînement dans la G Ce désaccord pèse lourdement sur la plaine libanaise de la Bekaa au temps de le Parti de l’union démocratique (PYD), cohérence du soulèvement contre Assad, la présence syrienne dans ce pays. proche du PKK marxiste-léniniste et relativise la portée de l’appel lancé d’Abdullah Ocalan, principalement samedi dernier par le ministre français Pour Kendal Nezan, cette accusation est implanté en Turquie. des Affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, « de bonne guerre ». Mais il craint que la Turquie n’utilise ce prétexte pour occuper en faveur de la formation d’un gouverne- ➼ Ces deux formations, aux objectifs et à une « zone tampon » dans le nord de la l’idéologie très contradictoires, se démar- ment syrien provisoire pouvant assurer la

49 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➼ Syrie, afin de se protéger de possibles port à la bataille d’Alep et au soulève- sunnite et les minorités ethniques et reli- incursions armées, et qui pourrait lui ser- ment qui, depuis dix-huit mois, a gagné gieuses, de choisir un modèle institution- vir de monnaie d’échange avec le futur l’ensemble du pays. nel adapté aux lendemains de dictature, pouvoir syrien à l’issue du conflit. et de réévaluer les rapports de force Mais elle peut peser lourd dans la défini- régionaux. Il faudra compter avec les La partie qui se joue dans cette part de la tion de la future Syrie, lorsqu’il s’agira de
Kurdes. Syrie peut semble périphérique par rap- trouver les équilibres entre la majorité

Pétrole: Chevron signe avec le Kurdistan, Bagdad l'exclut du reste de l'Irak

BAGDAD, 24 juillet 2012 (AFP) La semaine dernière, Bagdad a prévenu qu'il prendrait "les mesures qui s'imposent" si ExxonMobil, un concurrent de Chevron, mettait en oeuvre des accords sur l'exploration pétrolière dans cette même région. CHEVRON ne pourra désormais plus travailler avec l'Irak, en dehors Les relations entre le gouvernement irakien et les autorités du Kurdistan du Kurdistan, en raison de l'acquisition par le géant pétrolier améri- sont au plus bas depuis plusieurs mois en raison notamment de profonds cain de deux blocs pétroliers dans la région autonome sans différends sur le dossier des hydrocarbures. l'approbation de Bagdad, a annoncé mardi le ministère irakien du Pétrole. En juin, le gouvernement irakien avait prévenu les compagnies françaises que tout contrat avec Bagdad serait annulé si elles signaient d'autres Dans un communiqué, ce ministère a "fait part de l'annulation de contrats avec des autorités locales ou régionales. l'autorisation attribuée à la société Chevron" de travailler en Irak, "à moins qu'elle résilie le contrat" passé avec les autorités du Kurdistan. Pour Allen Good, analyste de la maison de recherche Morningstar, c'est sciemment que Chevron a choisi de faire affaires avec le Kurdistan plutôt Interrogé sur cette interdiction d'exercice, un porte-parole de Chevron qu'avec l'Irak, où les contrats sont moins avantageux pour lui. s'est contenté de répondre que le groupe pétrolier "travaille avec le gou- vernement irakien depuis près d'une décennie et a initié le premier pro- "Chevron n'a pas participé aux dernières enchères (pour des concessions gramme d'assistance technique en 2003". dans le sud de l'Irak), ça montre qu'il ne voyait pas de valeur ajoutée aux termes de ces contrats. Donc d'être exclu, (pour le groupe), ce n'est pas "Notre but est d'aider l'Irak à réaliser ses objectifs pour le secteur pétrolier vraiment une punition", estime-t-il. et gazier en participant aux opportunités qui répondent à nos critères d'investissement", a-t-il ajouté. Au Kurdistan, où les groupes pétroliers sont payés "avec un accord clas- sique de partage des bénéfices et où ils contrôlent les réserves", "il y a L'action de Chevron a reculé de 1,53% à 106,30 dollars mardi. plus de valeur ajoutée" que dans le sud de l'Irak, où les groupes pétroliers Le 19 juillet, Chevron avait annoncé le rachat à l'indien Reliance de deux doivent produire une quantité donnée de pétrole avant de commencer à blocs pétroliers dans la région autonome, sans en référer au gouverne- gagner 2 dollars par baril, explique-t-il. H ment irakien. Ce dernier affirme que tous les contrats pétroliers doivent lui être soumis et considère comme illégaux tous ceux qui ne le sont pas.

La Turquie peut exercer son droit de poursuite à chaud contre le PKK en Syrie (Erdogan)

ISTANBUL (Turquie), 26 juil 2012 (AFP) de ceux-ci en territoire turc, M. Erdogan a répondu: "Ca ne se discute même pas, c'est une évidence. C'est la mission, ce qu'il faut faire." "Du reste cela fait partie des changements de nos règles d'engagement" LE PREMIER ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a accusé le régime de l'armée turque face à l'égard de la Syrie, a-t-il ajouté. La Turquie a de Damas d'avoir "confié" plusieurs zones du nord de la Syrie au annoncé avoir modifié ces règles après la chute le 22 juin d'un de ses PKK et a prévenu que la Turquie pourrait exercer son droit de pour- avions de combat abattu par la défense antiaérienne syrienne au large de suite à chaud en Syrie contre ces rebelles kurdes de Turquie. la Syrie. "En ce moment, le régime d'Assad est regroupé à Damas, il est coincé là "C'est d'ailleurs ce que nous avons fait et continuons de faire en Irak. Si bas, et aussi en partie dans la région de Lattaquié (nord-ouest). Dans le nous lançons de temps à autres des frappes aériennes contre les zones nord il a confié cinq provinces aux Kurdes, à l'organisation terroriste", a des terroristes, c'est qu'il s'agit de mesures prises par nécessité de déclaré mercredi soir M. Erdogan lors d'un programme télévisé sur la défense", a-t-il précisé. chaîne Kanal 24. M. Erdogan a souligné qu'Ankara considérait l'installation par Damas du "Ces derniers essaient maintenant de créer une situation conforme à leurs PKK, ou de sa branche syrienne le Parti de l'union démocratique (PYD), intérêts en affichant des portraits du chef de l'organisation terroriste sépa- près de la frontière turque comme un geste "dirigé contre" la Turquie. ratiste", a-t-il poursuivi, faisant référence aux rebelles du Parti des travail- leurs du Kurdistan (PKK), en lutte contre Ankara depuis 1984. "Il y aura forcément une réponse de notre part à cette attitude", a-t-il souligné.H Interrogé sur la possibilité pour la Turquie d'utiliser son droit de poursuite à chaud contre les rebelles par-delà la frontière syrienne après une action

50 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 24 July 2012

trolled region in Syria with great pride, Turkey is inevitably alarmed Welcome to the Kurdistan at such developments. Regardless of greater Kurdish Region of Syria unity in Syria, there is no denying that a major force on the new rather than risk a bloody conflict Kurdish political maps is the PYD The Kurdish Globe with the Kurds. which has strong links to the PKK. Bashdar Pusho Ismaeel The PKK flags on display tell its At this historical juncture, the own story, or thousands of Kurds in Kurdistan Region must continue to Syria, achieving basic rights support their brethren in Syria, Barzani has helped to reposition andF citizenship was a dream let both through a continuation of the PYD focus from one of anti- alone witnessing the hoisting of the political efforts to bolster unity and Turkey and supporting the PKK to flag of Kurdistan on the historic harmony amongst the disparate one that can focus on the primary soil of their ancestors. Kurdish voices in Syria and also and historical objective of liberat- through logistical support and aid. ing Syrian Kurdistan. For hundreds of years, Kurdish valour, passion and determination Erbil Agreement PYD has changed its tone for now, stood up to many forms of tyranny but it has left Turkey in a precari- and the sheer force and military Only a few weeks ago, there was a ous position. Does it remain idle might of their oppressors. Often deep split in Syrian Kurdistan that and watch as the Kurds and partic- helicopter gunships, tanks, fighter threatened the nationalist goals of ularly the PYD carve out a new jets and even chemical weapons the Kurds, undermined their efforts Kurds hold up Syria bastion of Kurdish nationalism, or were no match for the heart and at a key time to topple Assad and does it intervene and do something pride of the Kurdish warrior. even threatened to break into civil about it? the Kurdish citizens, were at the war. After decades out of the limelight, forefront of the liberation. If Turkey does take military action it is the turn of the Kurds of Syria As part of the Erbil agreement, the to intervene then it almost certain- to seize their historic opportunity, Kurdish National Council (KNC) The battle for these cities was ly will alienate the Kurds further to unite and liberate another part of and the People's Council of largely without any real confronta- and may even lead to a greater Kurdistan from tyranny and dicta- Western Kurdistan formed an tion. This is not because Bashar al- cross border insurgency. It will torship. As a series of cities suc- agreement for the join-administra- Assad's government sees these also undermine their role as the cumb to Kurdish control, Kurds tion of Syrian Kurdistan. areas as non-important. On the main sponsor of Syrian opposition- need to ensure that the last Arab contrary, they dare not indulge in a al if ironically they are seen to pun- troop to leave Kurdistan is the last Maintaining unity is perhaps the bloody confrontation with a group ish Kurds for ousting Assad. oppressing force to ever be seen in of determined, passionate and biggest risk to nationalist goals of their territory. the Kurds in Syria. Even Assad is patriotic Kurds, where the outcome Kurdistan Region on the other less of a danger that the danger of was certain defeat. Instead, the hand has the difficult job of keep- Much like the uprising of Iraqi Kurdish disunity itself. Syrian army decided to regroup ing Syrian Kurds in tandem with Kurdistan in 1991, Syrian Kurds and focus their efforts in maintain- their Region and working on their must ensure that the newly hoisted Through unity, the Kurds become a ing control of key cities. side and away from one that may Kurdish flags on-top of govern- cohesive force and where their bat- incur the wrath of Turkey. ment buildings are the only flags With reported clashes in Qamishli, tle becomes one of ethnic and sov- that the region will ever see. ereign rights, rather than individual the iconic Kurdish power centre of The Kurdistan Region will become goals of political parties. Syria, it is unlikely that Assad will the natural foster parent of Syrian Liberation of Kurdistan give up the city without a fight. Kurdistan and it will be interesting Kurdish parties seem to be well However, with a united Kurdish to see how Ankara reacts to this As Kurdish forces of the Kurdish aware of the dangers of not fulfill- offensive and the Syrian army inevitable reality. National Council (KNC) and the already stretched in Damascus and ing a united front. The importance Democratic Union Party (PYD) of working together was recently in other battles with the Free However, it may be a small price to finally united via the recent Erbil echoed by the Kurdistan Syrian Army (FSA), Damascus can pay if the Kurdistan Regional agreement brokered by Kurdistan Democratic Party and Kurdistan ill-afford a protracted and ultimate- Government can manage to keep President Massoud Barzani, the Freedom Party. ly costly battle against the growing the PKK away from dominating renewed vigour of the Kurds was Kurdish brigades. the Syrian Kurdistan region. on instant show. Unity amongst such an array of Kurdish views will not be easy but The Union of Kurdish Kurdistan First The fall of Kobane, in the province Coordination Committees (UKCC) any alternative is simply not an of Halab (Aleppo) and close to the option. urged the members of the Syrian The focus of Syrian Kurds must be Turkish border, served as the first army to withdraw from the on Kurdistan before the nationalist symbol of freedom. This quickly Ankara Alarm Kurdish areas or face conse- objectives of the Arab dominated followed with the liberation of quences. Indeed some reports indi- Syrian National Council (SNC). Amude, Afrin, Dêrik and the cate that the Syrian army may well Whilst the Kurds in Syrian and Cidêris district. Kurdish People's throughout greater Kurdistan looks ➩ withdraw under certain conditions Syrian Kurds will be wary of Defense Unions (YPG) alongside at the emergence of a Kurdish con-

51 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➩ taking any new power and and to limit the prospects of con- How the array of opposition voices would have a pivotal region with a influence for granted, knowing frontation and thus damage to can be wedged together is a diffi- plenty of oil reserves, and will only too well of the Arab opposi- Kurdistan as much as possible, cult undertaking. There are many work to safeguard and bolster their tion to the idea of Kurdish self-rule echoes of Iraq in the new Syria, region before submitting to the let alone de-facto independence. While the Kurds should continue and once the euphoria of the even- sentiment of Arab nationalism N to do what they can to topple Assad tual fall of Assad wanes, the battle once again. In this light, it was a wise move by from power, the very future of to keep a united Syria will take the Kurds to prevent the FSA post-Assad Syria is far from cer- centre stage. forces from entering their region tain. Much like Iraq, Kurds in Syria

24 July 2012 Republic of Latakia: The key to

theThe free Kurds have a seas long history in for the Kurds The Kurdish Globe Syria. By the 11th century the By Behrooz Shojai Kurds had already settled a site, which was called Hisn al-Akrad or the Castle of the Kurds. This he Kurds have a long histo- famous site fell under control of ry in Syria. By the 11th cen- the Crusaders and was later turyT the Kurds had already settled renamed Krak de Chevalier. The a site, which was called Hisn al- great Kurdish leader Sultan Akrad or the Castle of the Kurds. Saladin ruled the Muslims from Syria and it was from this country When this article is printed, the that he liberated Jerusalem from Kurds in Syria may already have the crusading Franks. control over Qamishli, the chief- With the emergence of the PKK to who will probably be less tolerant town of Western Kurdistan, Syria. The descendants of Kurdish princi- the north, many Syrian Kurds towards minorities than even the The two other towns of Efrin and pality of Bohtan settled in the joined its military organization. Assad regime. It is more likely that Kobani were taken over by Kurds French mandate area of Syria and Eventually a pro-PKK organiza- they are no more than Sunni Arab without bloodshed through negoti- founded Xoybun, the first modern tion was founded in Syria, the nationalists with reliance on the ations between Kurdish National transnational Kurdish organiza- People's Union Party or PYD, who virtues of Islam than liberals Assembly and the People's tion. This organization later initiat- latterly founded the People's believing in diversity and democ- Congress of Western Kurdistan on ed a liberation war against Turkey Congress with a military force con- racy. one side and Syrian security forces on the Aratat slopes in late 1920s. trolling the roads, especially in the on the other. The first modern periodicals in PKK's stronghold of Efrin. When Sunni Arabs assume charge, Kurmandji dialect of Kurdish in the Christians and the now ruling The Kurdish towns in Western Latin orthography were published The other organizations finally Alawite minorities will be margin- (Syrian) Kurdistan have been in Syria by Bedirxani princes, established the Kurdish National alized and deprived of their privi- spared from atrocities of civil war Kamuran and Jeladet. Congress of Syria. The two leges. This will spark the Alawite that have struck the Arab areas of umbrella organizations soon minority to aspire for secession. I Syria. It is welcome news and a During the first years of the inde- accused each other of different will not be surprised if the major accomplishment that not pendent Republic of Syria, the kind of violations. Through Alawites try to revive the Alawite only are these towns now in Kurds had many representatives in tremendous efforts led by State of the French mandate in the Kurdish control but that they were parliament. However, by the President Barzani, the two organi- mountainous and coastal areas taken over without violence. It seizure of power by the Arab zations finally signed the so called around Latakia. Nationalist-seces- shows a degree of political maturi- nationalist Baath party, the Kurds Erbil Agreement, which stipulated sionist aspirations among Alawites ty among Kurds. This maturity was were marginalized and subsequent- joint efforts on pursuing common already existed during the French also put to the test when the two ly more than hundred thousands of cause for the Kurds in Syria. Mandate in Syria, but the French major Kurdish umbrella organiza- Kurds were deprived of their citi- Hoping that they stick to the treaty did not go far as appeasing the tions in Syria found common zenship. When the Post World War in the short-term, they are likely to Alawite aspiration to convert the ground with the agreement of Two Kurdish national movement meet tremendous challenges here- autonomous region of Latakia to Erbil, the credit of which should in Iraq began, many Kurds from after. The constellation of the an independent Alawite State. also be ascribed to the president of Syria joined it and even founded opposition parties and their respec- the Kurdistan Region. It proved brother parties, like the Syrian tive agenda's concerning the Syria traditionally has a military that Kurds can get what they want Kurdistan Democratic Party. Kurdish issue in Syria is unclear dominated by theAlawites. I do think without protracted confrontations, and inconsistent. that they will easily hand over their internally and towards their antag- But later on the Syrian Kurds power and privileges voluntarily to a onists. splintered into a dozen parties, The opposition umbrella organiza- vindictive Sunni majority. Thus, with➩ often passive and non-violent. tion is dominated by Sunni Arabs, the creation of a new state,

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

➩ Republic of Latakia may join maintained, there are external chal- have access to the world market eventually full independence. the community of new nation- lenges. Should the Kurds wait and through the Alawite harbors if the states. Christians are spread over see out the course of the events in Syrian Kurds can facilitate a corri- Another challenge is that in con- Syria and lack territorial concen- Syria or should they be more dor between the two. But creation trast to the population of Kurdistan tration. It is unlikely that they will proactive and anticipate a further of such a constellation would be Region, the Syrian Kurds are heav- strive or even aspire for their own escalation of conflict between hazardous, since our Turkish ily pro-PKK which naturally independent state. The remaining Sunni Arabs and Alawites, In that neighbor in the north and the Sunni alarms the Turks. But all of these two groups are Arabs and Kurds. case, who will constitute the best Arabs in South would probably not disadvantages for Turkey are in allies for the Kurds, only oppose such an enterprise, but fact only short-termed, and the The question is what will happen will actively choose the course of Turks have to be convinced about to the Kurds and what challenges Sounding opportunistic perhaps, confrontation against it. The Turks the long-term advantages of such a lay ahead of them. These chal- the Kurds should choose the one will oppose it of several reasons; solution. lenges are both internal and exter- closer to secularism and diversity, they have a large mainly Kurdish nal. Internally, it is important that but at the same time such a choice and restive Alawite minority. Kurdish-Alawite state formations they stick on their common cause should not jeopardize their projects in the southern frontiers of Turkey beyond partisan politics. Whether in the future. Socially, historically The sovereignty of Syrian Kurds will protect it from the Arab domi- the pro-KRG National Assembly and politically, the Alawites would will inevitably give more fuel to nated Middle East that for decades and pro-PKK People's Congress be better allies than for instance the Kurdish aspirations in Turkey to ahead will be afflicted by turmoil get involved in unison discourse Wahabi-inspired Sunni Arabs in push forward some kind of autono- and endless conflicts. The more remains to be contested, but it will Syria. Geopolitically the Alawites my, which Turkey considers with moderate Kurds and Alawites will be crucial to see whether the are of course the best allies. The disapproval. A Syrian Kurdish sov- eventually constitute not only reli- Syrian Kurds will seize this creation of an independent Alawite ereign area will also give the able partners, but also powerful unprecedented and unique oppor- state in Coastal Syria and an Kurdistan Region more breathing allies for the Turkish Republic. tunity to rise from political and alliance with the Kurds will finally space. A Kurdish region in north- This may sound unrealistic, but in social exclusion and from a desig- offer the Kurds the long-awaited ern Syria could practically make fact I believe that it is an advanta- N nation of second class citizenship. access to the free seas. the Kurdistan Region independent geous pact for all three parties. from Turkish territory in terms of Once the unity among the Kurds is The Kurdistan Region would then oil export, economic growth and

July 24 / 2012

Kurdish troops march toward Syria as Turkey keeps careful watch ŞIRNAK - Doğan News Agency (DHA)

DHA video housands of Kurdish soldiers are grab shows marching toward the Syrian border in Kurdish sol- Tnorthern Iraq as Turkey deployed troops diers marching along to its own border with its war-torn toward the neighbor. Syrian border. A cell phone video recording showed Kurdish soldiers walking in two rows on the sides of a road toward the border bet- ween northern Iraq and Syria today. The soldiers, apparently unarmed, were flan- ked by armed guards who held high posi- sed into Syria, Barzani said. "They are still ped a large number of soldiers to its bor- tions along the road. here. They can only go if the high council der with Syria. Around 200 civilian mini- allows them. If not, they will wait for buses transported soldiers from garrisons Some soldiers yelled "we march to things to settle down. But they will even- in the Cizre district of the southeastern Qamishli, we are on our way to take tually go back to Syria, because that is province of Şırnak to the Nusaybin dis- Qamishli.” where they are from," he said. trict in Mardin province – roughly 100 The leader of the Kurdistan Regional Barzani said Kurdish men were being kilometers to the west along the Syrian Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, trained to fill a possible security vacuum border. Masoud Barzani, confirmed that they had in "Western Kurdistan" in the event the Turkish gunships are making frequent been training young Kurdish men who Syrian army withdraws from there. patrol and reconnaissance flights along had deserted the Syrian army and had the Syrian border, according to reports. fled to northern Iraq. Turkey moving troops to border Nusaybin is situated directly across The "fighting force" has not yet cros- The Turkish Armed Forces have ship- G from Qamishli.

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

ItalSKtSriblUK TUESDAY, JULY 24. 2012

sure to raise concerns about the govern¬ Iraq rebels deliver ment's ability to contain the violence, six months after the last American troops left the country. "I think Al Qaeda in Iraq made a big a deadly message joke of th&government.and the Iraqi se¬ curity forces," said Khalid Fadel, a mili¬ tary analyst and former instructor at the Iraqi Military College. "They were BAGHDAD so clear that they were going to launch attacks during Ramadan, and the gov¬ Widespread attacks kill ernment said that they have informa¬ nearly 100 and assert tion of about 30 terrorist groups enter¬ ing the country, but still the security strength of insurgents forces are unable to prevent the at¬ tacks." Mr. Baghdadi said in the Qaeda state¬ BYYASIRGHAZI ment that "we are returning again to AND ROD NORDLAND dominate territories we used to domi¬

In a coordinated display intended to nate, as well as more." He depicted the

show they remain a viable force, insur¬ attacks as part of a battle by Sunnis

gents in-Iraq mounted at least 37 sepa¬ AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP against the country's Shiite leaders and

rate attacks throughout the country on taji Iraqis surveyed damaged homes on people.

Monday morning, setting off car bombs, Monday after bombings killed more than 40. storming àmilitarybase, attackingpolice The first attack came about 5 a.m. on Monday when gunmen stormed onto an officers in their homes and ambushing Iraqi military base near the town of Du- checkpoints, the Iraqi authorities said. luiyah in Salahuddin Province and At least 99 people were killed, and more than 300 wounded in the single killed 15 Iraqi soldiers, security officials bloodiest day in Iraq this year, accord¬ said. Four soldiers, including 'a"high- ing to local officials in the many areas ranking officer, were wounded, and a where attacks took place. fifth was taken prisoner by the insur¬ The attacks, coming in the early days gents, who escaped. of Ramadan, the monthlong Muslim re¬ Then, in steady succession, mostly ligious rite, were foreshadowed on Sun^ from 6 a.m. to 10 am., car bombs were day in an audio message attributed to set off across the country, from Taji and the leader ofAl Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Bakir vtf Husseiniya north, of Baghdad, to Sadr al-Baghdadi, and posted on the group's Cityin eastern Baghdad; in Tuz in west¬ Web site. Mr. Baghdadi vowed that a ern Salahuddin Province, Dujail in southern Salahuddin, and Balad and new offensive, which he called Breaking KARIMKADIM/AP

Down Walls, would begin soon. madain A bomb explodedjust days after a Baquba, northeast of the capital, said

The offensive was without precedent Qaeda leader declared a new offensive. police, hospital and Iraqi Army officials. this year at least in sheer number of at¬ Bombs also were set off in the northern tacks, spread over a third of Iraq's 18 cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, and in Di¬ provinces, from north to south. It was waniya Province, in the south. The insurgents also attacked the home of a police official in Balad, seri¬ ously wounding four family members, TURKEY IRAN and ambushed a checkpoint near SYRIA Baquba, killing one police officer. In all, 39 separate attacks were reported in 6 The attacks were as far-flung A deadly day provinces. as Mosul in the north, where Eight attacks struck Kirkuk Province, of attacks in Iraq 11 were killed in four attacks, mostly aimed at police patrols, killing 8 Dibis and Diwaniya in the south. Insurgents in Iraq staged people and wounding 42. KHkuk- at least 37 separate Of the 11 people killed in four attacks

attacks in towns across in Mosul, 7 were Iraqi soldiers. Other at¬ Tuz Khurnialo . the country, killing at least tacks struck marketplaces and other The fust attack, at an Iraqi places where civilians were sure to be¬ 99 people and wounding military base near the town of come victims. more than 300. BnladV Duluiy»h. killed 15 Iraqi soldiers. The offensive started on the third day

Dujail» #Baquba\ . of the holy month of Ramadan, and ap¬ parently took advantage of the wide¬ The most dsadly Tn'miyah Attacks occurred in spread practice in Iraq and many other attacks occured in several districts in Muslim countries of staying up most of Taji. where b>mbs Bagdhad. including the night, and then sleeping late during killed at lest 41 <&«v< Sadr City, where car the daytime when fasting is required. people and woinded bombs killed at least The attacks were likely to continue 40 noie. 16 and wounded 33 the trend of the first six months since Diwaniya others. the departure of U.S. troops, when vio¬ lence has steadily increased, according *"*»». SAUDI ARABIA to United Nations statistics. June was one of the deadliest months so far, with about 200 people,, mostly civilian ml-

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

grims, reported killed. police to fire on the crowd, killing one The authorities in Salahuddin Province, U.S. and Iraqi officials have argued protester and wounding, dozens of oth¬ which seemed to be the worst hit -area, that violence has been declining. ers, a police official said. said they also managed to defuse two Unusually, only one ofthe attacks was Karar Mustafa, 27, was waiting at the car bombs and three roadside bombs confirmed to have been carried out by a door of the hospital in Sadr City to find without harm. suicide bomber, in Mosul, where police out what had happened to his father, "If it wasn't for Our security plans the managed to shoot him before he could who was brought there with extensive loss would have been much bigger," cause any fatalities, the authorities shrapnel wounds. said Maj. Gen. Jamal.Tahir, head of the said. . "We should blame the sleepy govern¬ Awad Musa, 34, was on his way to police in Kirkuk.' ment for doing nothing to protect its He said the authorities had killed the work in a bus in Sadr City that was people," Mr. Mustafa said. leader of the Qaeda cell there and, with¬ caught in a blast. "All of a sudden, the By early afternoon the violence had in hours ofthe attack, had arrested 12 in¬ explosion happened and the glass of the subsided, but several hours later, four windows started hitting my face," he surgents., one of whom he said had com¬ mortar rounds were fired at police and

said. "I put my arm up to protect my mitted suicide in his jail cell; hanging army headquarters in Kirkuk. No one eyes. It was like a big storm of broken himself with his clothing. was reported hurt.

glass." The anger Of Iraqis at their own gov¬ Mr. Musa, wounded in his arm, was ernment was on frequent display, espe¬ Rod Nordland reportedfrom Cairo. Re¬

among the lucky. cially in the southern province of Di¬ porting was contributed by Duraid Ad- "Whenever we think it is over and we waniya, where a car bomb exploded in a nanfrom Baghdad, andby other Iraqi will live a stable life with no fear of ex¬ busy vegetable market, killing 5 people employees ofThe New York Timesfrom plosion, we wake up" again from this and wounding 32. A ci-osrd at the scene Baghdad, Diyala, Kirkuk, Mosuland dream, to more disasters*' he said. became incensed and started smashing Samarra. The violence could have been worse. police cars, then marched on govern¬ ment buildings in the area, leading the

. DfTEMATIOKU. Jteralb^sM^StUmne Tuesday, july 24, 2012

cused on the chemical weapons . also Mr. Assad has resisted such calls referred to as weapons of mass destruc¬ from the United States and other Syria vows tion "aims to.justify and prepare the powers. international community's military in¬ And at the meeting in Brussels; E.U. tervention in Syria under the false pre¬ foreign ministers also decided to freeze not to use text of W.M.D." the assets of, and ban visas for, 26 more Syria is facing "gang warfare" in its people, and- to prevent European main cities where the weapons could companies from doing business with chemicals not be used, the Foreign Ministry three more entities in Syria. The 26 spokesman said, and it is ultimately a people were not immediately identified. military decision of when to deploy "I am deeply concerned at the esca¬ on civilians them, should Syria be attacked from lating violence and its tragic con¬ abroad. sequences for the Syrian population," His comments carne as foreign minis¬ Catherine Ashton, the E.U. foreign ters from the European Union, meeting policy chief, said in a statement. BEIRUT in Brussels, voted to toughen sanctions "The E.U. has warned against a fur¬

against supporters of the country's ther militarization of the conflict. Today BY NEIL MACFARQUHAR president, Bashar al-Assad, and to re¬ we take practical steps toward limiting With street battles still flaring in Syria's quire the 27 E.U. member nations to the supplies that fuel the fighting.'' two main cities, the Syrian government search airplanes,and ships suspected of The new obligation to search vessels said Monday that its forces would never carrying weapons or banned equipment suspected of carrying arms applies to use chemical weapons in its domestic into Syria, where fighting has raged for all weapons destined for the country, in¬ conflict, describing them as being out¬ days in the country's main cities. cluding any .intended for opposition side the bounds of the kind of guerrilla Rebel commanders in the northern forces, said one European official who warfare they are fighting. Syrian city of Aleppo vowed to liberate was not authorized to speak publicly. Jihad Makdissi, the Foreign Ministry it from government control on Sunday Previously, it was up to member states spokesman, read a statement at a news and skirmishing continued in the city on to decide on how to deal with suspect conference in Damascus addressing re¬ Monday, Reuters reported. vessels according to their own domestic peated questions that have arisen in re¬ But as the fighting appeared to be laws. cent days about Syria's chemical spreading in Aleppo, skirmishes in Da¬ "If there is a cargo destined for Syria, weapons. The Syrian Army has all mascus faded as large numbers of gov¬ suspected of carrying either arms or stocks of such weapons under secure ernment troops were deployed to shut materials for internal repression, mem¬ guard and would use them only in case down the rebels in one neighborhood ber states will be obliged to search," the of an external attack, he said. after another where they had gained official said. "It applies to the whole ter¬

"They will not be used, against Syrian . footholds last week. ritory of Syria." civilians," Mr. Makdissi said. "Theywill . An emergency meeting of Arab Under the agreement, if a country has never be used domestically no matter League ministers in Doha, Qatar, ended reasonable grounds for suspicion for how this crisis evolves. Those weapons with what the Qatari prime minister, example if it is notified of intelligence will only be used in the case of exterior Sheik Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al- reports of arms movements then it aggression." would have to make a search of a vessel. The Syrians were evidently taking a They "will only be used in the If it did not do so then it would have lesson from Iraq, where accusations of a breached E.U. law and could in principle case of exterior aggression." chemical weapons stockpile was among be taken to the European Court of the reasons used to justify the March Justice.

2003 U.S. invasion. Thani, said was agreement that Mr. As¬ In addition, aircraft and vessels head¬ The Iraqi stockpile never materia¬ sad should step down and that the rebel ing to Syria will have to provide addi¬ lized. Free Syrian Army should form a transi¬ tional information on their cargo before

Mr. Makdissi said all the attention fo tional government. their departure.

55 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 24 July 2012

Kurdish President: Syrian Kurds Trained in

By ADIB ABDULMAJIDKurdistan to Defend Their AreasThe establishment of this committee rudaw.net followed an agreement initiated by the Kurdistan Region presidency and signed MSTERDAM, Netherlands on June 11 in Erbil between Kurdish fac- –Kurdistan Region President tions in Syria, namely the KNC and the AMassoud Barzani, told Aljazeera TV on Democratic Union Party [PYD]. Monday that Kurdish soldiers who defec- Barzani said that the trained Syrian ted from the Syrian military have received Kurds would take their orders from the military training in the Kurdistan Region. Kurdish Supreme Committee. “A number of young Syrian Kurds Given the withdrawal of Syrian secu- who defected from the Syrian army and rity forces and liberation of several took refuge in the Kurdistan Region have Kurdish cities in the Kurdistan Region of been trained in the Region,” President Syria, the fear of disorder and a power Barzani told Aljazeera. “The main goal of vacuum looms large. this military training is to enable those “The trained Syrian Kurds may wait Kurdish soldiers to protect their areas in for a while until the situation is sorted out, Syria and to fill the security vacuum and they will return to their areas in the trained Kurdish soldiers have not been end, to provide the security to their own which will follow the total withdrawal of sent back to Syria yet, and that their return the regime’s forces from the Kurdish areas people and fill the vacuum,” Barzani will follow the retreat of Bashar Assad’s added. in Syria. army from the Kurdish areas. Barzani said that Iraqi Kurds do not During the interview, Barzani also “The trained Syrian Kurds are still in referred to the role played by the intend to interfere in the situation in Syria the Kurdistan Region, and they will be and that training the Kurdish soldiers for Kurdistan Region in unifying the Kurdish sent back as soon as the Supreme Kurdish political forces of Syria. the protection of their areas. Committee in Syria needs them,” Barzani This is the first time the Kurdish lea- “The Kurdistan Region contributed to told Aljazeera. unify the Kurdish political forces in Syria, dership in Iraqi Kurdistan confirms the The Kurdish Supreme Committee was presence of a military training camp for and that could be the best support the Iraqi founded recently the main two Kurdish Kurdistan can provide for the Kurdish Syrian Kurdish soldiers in the Kurdistan J political forces: the Kurdish National people of Syria,” Barzani said. Region. Council [KNC] and the People’s Council According to President Barzani, the of Western Kurdistan.

July 23, 2012 Turkey blames Syria for supporting Kurdish rebels, inches closer to military action Should Turkey decide that the Kurdistan Workers' Party – seen now by Ankara as an additional arm of Assad's forces – threatens its national security, it may decide to invade its neighbor. By Zvi Bar'el weapons and permitting them Syria and threatened to invade national security. Freedom of to carry out terror acts in the country. In light of that movement and operation of ill the Kurdistan Turkish territory. Should threat, Syrian President Hafez PKK operatives in Syria might Workers' Party (PKK) Turkey decide that the opera- Assad (Bashar's father) decided serve as a Casus belli, especially dragW Turkey into a war in Syria? tions of PKK members threaten to distance the country from the since the Turkish military is The Turkish media has empha- its national security, it may PKK and stop any assistance, currently engaged in heavy sized the declaration by the decide to invade Syria under thus diminishing the chances of fighting with Kurdish rebels PKK's de facto leader Murat the justification of preventing a war. within its own borders. Karayilan that "If Turkey inter- terror, rather than aiding the Turkey now supports the The Kurdish area in Syria venes against our people inwes- rebels against Assad's crack- establishment of security zones has so far been relatively quiet, tern Kurdistan, the area will down. Such a decision could for Syrian refugees inside particularly after Bashar Assad turn into a battlezone." become the turning point the Syrian territory, yet it is refrai- decided to grant a few hundred Western Kurdistan is the Syrian rebels are hoping for – a ning from doing so on its own thousand Kurds with Syrian name the Kurds call eastern foreign military intervention in without an international citizenships, denied for Syria, inhabited by more than their country. umbrella that will allow entry of decades. Nevertheless, the two million Kurds. Turkey now Turkey and Syria stood on foreign troops to these zones. At Kurds created their own anti- blames Syria for using the PKK the brink of a military crisis in the same time, Turkey has Assad front after being pushed as an additional arm, allowing 1998, when Turkish forces – declared in recent weeks that it aside by the Syrian National members of the organization to including tanks – were may have to act on its own if the Council, the large opposition roam freely in its territory with deployed on the border with Syrian uprising threatens its body operating outside of

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

the country. Turkey claims to include Kurdish representa- allowing the PKK to form a change in Turkey's policy, the Kurdish rebels are suppor- tives, and effectively pushed the political framework and cam- which might come into effect ted by the Democratic Union Kurdish organizations to the paign against Ankara, as well as after the meeting of the Friends Party, a Kurdish-Syrian organi- sidelines of the uprising. serve as another arm against of Syria group on April 1 in zation that is affiliated with the Now, Turkey is reporting the uprising. Turkish sources Istanbul – which will move PKK. This cooperation promp- that according to its intelli- told Haaretz that highlighting from threats to real military ted Turkey to demand that the gence services, Syria is also the cooperation between Syria action.I opposition umbrella group does and the PKK may point to a

25 July 2012 Liberated Kurdish Cities in Syria Move into Next Phase

By HEVIDAR AHMED ted with -- are now being raised over the region. “As the SNC, we are holding mee- rudaw.net majority of government and public buil- tings with international actors in order to dings. receive financial and humanitarian aid and RBIL, Kurdistan Region -- Syrian However Abdulbaqi Yusuf, a spokes- save ourselves from the clutches of the governmental forces have retreated person of Kurdish Union Party (KUP), said, Syrian regime. We need this aid because the Efrom the Kurdish regions of Syria without a "The buildings under the control of PYD economic situation of the Syrian people and fight; the liberated cities are now being are using their own flags, but we as the the Kurds is very bad and they need help," ruled evenly by the People's Council of KNC are using the national flag of he said. Syrian Kurdistan (PYD) and the Kurdish Kurdistan. This is a problem because we Sayda added, "We are constantly in National Council (KNC). only recognize one flag and that is the touch with Barzani regarding the situation According to the information obtained national Kurdish flag, but the PYD does not in Syria and keep each other updated." by Rudaw, the Kurdish cities of Kobane, recognize that flag." Brimo explained the withdrawal of Derek, Amoude, Efrin and Sari Kani have He added, "For example, in the city of regime forces from the Kurdish cities. "The fallen under the control of Syrian Kurdish Kobane, we controlled some buildings and Syrian regime is gathering its forces in forces. raised the Kurdish national flag over those Damascus,” he said. “Therefore, they are The city of Kobane was the first buildings, but the PYD came and forced us retreating from other regions." Kurdish city to be liberated last Thursday, out with their guns and removed the natio- He also revealed that the Syrian regime 17 months after the revolution against the nal flag of Kurdistan and replaced it with informed the PYD about their withdrawal regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad their own flag. We could not do anything in advance, so that the group knew before- began. because they were armed and we were not." hand which cities the forces would be lea- The KNC and PYD agreed to jointly Yusuf also had concerns about the qua- ving. control the liberated Kurdish cities in a deal lity of life for Syrian Kurds. "People are The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is present made in Erbil on July 11, under the super- living in bad conditions and have not recei- in many parts of Syria, but not in the vision of Kurdistan Region President ved any help," he said, criticizing the Kurdish regions. "There is a sort of agree- Massoud Barzani. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for ment between KNC and SNC. The FSA "According to the treaty of Erbil which not coming to their aid. will not come to the Kurdish regions and was signed by the KNC and PYD, any "We have requested help from the KRG the Kurds will not go the Arabic regions," administrative vacuum in the Kurdish cities several times but they have not helped. said Brimo. of Syria will be occupied evenly -- 50/50 -- Nobody listens to us," Yusuf said. Sayda admitted fearing a surprise attack by these two signatories. These two groups Brimo admits that "Barzani asked the by the Syrian government on these Kurdish will continue ruling the Kurdish regions KNC and PYD to rule the Syrian Kurdish regions. until an election is carried out," said Nuri cities evenly between them and in return "The Kurds of Syria need to brace Brimo, a spokesperson of the Democratic promised financial and moral support.” themselves for a sudden return of Syrian Kurdish Party of Syria. Abdulbasit Sayda, the leader of the government forces. It is probable that the country’s largest opposition group, the regime might return to attack this region The national flag of Kurdistan and the H flag of the PKK – which the PYD is affilia- Syrian National Council (SNC), said they again," he said. were looking for help for people in the

57 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 25 July 2012 Iraq blasts kill Kurdish security officials Explosions in a town north of Baghdad has killed 6 members of Kurdish intelligence forces, and wounded three others. twin blast has killed six members of the deadly attacks have persisted while political Kurdish intelligence forces known as the tensions among Iraq's main Shia, Sunni and AsayishA and wounded three others in a town Kurdish factions have increased since US north of the capital Baghdad, hospital and troops completed their withdrawal in police sources said. December. The first bomb was planted outside a house of CHEVRON BLACKLISTED a member of the Asayish in Tuz Khurmatu, Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has blacklis- Salahuddin province, 170km north of ted Chevron Corp over its new deal with the Baghdad. semi-autonomous Kurdish region. When Asayish members arrived at the scene "In line with Oil Ministry policy based on the to evacuate the wounded, a bomb-rigged constitution, the Oil Ministry announces the motorised cart then exploded. disqualification of Chevron company and bars Three civilians were also wounded in the it from signing any deals with the federal Oil attack, sources said on Tuesday. the country. Ministry and its companies," the oil ministry At least 107 people were killed in bomb and As well as the scores of deaths, at least 268 said in a statement on Tuesday. gun attacks in Iraq on Monday, a day after 20 people were wounded by bombings and shoo- Baghdad says deals made with the Kurdistan died in explosions, in a co-ordinated surge of tings in Shia majority areas of Baghdad, the Regional Government are illegal. violence against mostly Shia Muslim targets. Shia town of Taji to the north, the northern Iraq banned Exxon Mobil from an oil explora- The bloodshed, which coincided with an cities of Kirkuk and Mosul and many other tion operation in May because it had signed a intensifying of the conflict in neighbouring places, hospital and police sources said, deal with the Kurds last year. making it one of Iraq's bloodiest days in Syria, pointed out deficiencies of the Iraqi The country is said to have the world's fourth weeks. security forces, which failed to prevent figh- largest oil reserves, with parts of the country ters from striking in multiple locations across Sectarian violence surged in 2006-2007 but still undeveloped. N

JULY 26, 2012 Turkey says it 'will not tolerate' a Kurdish-run region in northern Syria NKARA, Turkey (AP)- Turkey will have trust in you, but please do not be a not tolerate the creation of a Kurdish- party to any wrong moves." Arun region in Syria, its prime minister said As Syrian President Bashar Assad has Thursday following reports that Kurdish cracked down on an increasingly armed rebels and a Syrian Kurdish political party opposition movement over the past 16 had taken control of five cities along the months — a conflict that has left thousands Syrian-Turkish border. dead and morphed into a civil war — Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments Turkey has emerged as one of Assad's fier- underscored Turkey's concern that the cest critics and taken in some 44,000 refu- creation of a Kurdish authority in the north gees from the Arab state. of Syria could provide a sanctuary to On Thursday, Erdogan said he believed Assad was "on his way out" and that Syria Turkey's own Kurdish separatists, who (PKK) we would not hesitate to take it." took up arms against the state in 1984. The was preparing "for a new era." He said a The conflict between Turkey's Kurdish transitional government should prepare for Kurdish rebels already use northern Iraq as rebels and the government has killed tens a springboard for attacks in Turkey. a new constitution as well as presidential of thousands of people over the past 28 and parliamentary elections. The prime minister said Turkey's mili- years. Kurds also make up substantial por- tary is closely monitoring the develop- The Turkish leader again would not tions of the population in the neighboring rule out the possibility of setting up a buf- ments. He warned the Kurdistan Workers countries of Syria, Iran and Iraq. Party, or PKK, which is fighting for self- fer zone to protect Syrians along the border Erdogan said Foreign Minister Ahmet if the security situation deteriorates. The rule in Turkey's southeast, and the Davutoglu would meet officials from Iraq's Democratic Union Party of Syria, known buffer zone on Syrian soil would aim to Kurdish regional government next week to guarantee the security of Turkey's border as the PYD, to avoid any attempt at colla- relay Turkey's concerns over the PKK boration. and the welfare of Syrian civilians fleeting taking up positions along the border with the violence. Otherwise, "it would not be possible violence-torn Syria and to urge Iraqi Kurds for us to tolerate and watch this," Erdogan "A safe zone, a buffer zone, refugee not to support a Kurdish-run region in camps — all of these are possible alterna- told reporters before departing to London Syria. for the opening of the 2012 Olympic tives," Erdogan said. "Their priorities will Erdogan said Davutoglu would tell depend on the situation; they will be asses- Games. "No one should attempt to provoke Kurdish officials in northern Iraq, "We us. If a step needs to be taken against the sed according to the process that unfolds."

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

LE FIGARO jeudi 26 juillet 2012

Les Kurdes marchent vers leur autonomie

GEORGES MALBRUNOT *

Il EST MINUIT moins cinq dans les ré-

gions kurdes du nord de la Syrie. Les

unes après les autres, les villes échappent

au contrôle de Bachar el-Assad pour

passer entre les mains de cette minorité

non arabe, longtemps opprimée par le

pouvoir central à Damas. Après leurs frères d'Irak en 2003 à la chute de Sad¬ dam Hussein, les Kurdes de Syrie {10 % de la population) profitent du chaos ac¬ tuel pour prendre leur destin en main. v< -+f * - .- i«V\^ «Les districts de Qabaneh, d'Afrine,

d'Amouda, de Derika Hamko et de Girhe-

laghé sont désormais géréspar les Kurdes, I affirme Khaled Issa, un responsable kur¬ iLY V** de en exil à Paris. R ne reste plus que les villes de Qameshli,Ras al-Aïn, Der Bassié "1: où des discussions sont engagées entre les ;- Kurdes et.les autorités locales pour assu¬ i M l rer un transfert en douceur du pouvoir. » '<«'

, Car jusqu'à présent, à la différence des

zones à majorité sunnite où rebelles et Des manifestants arborant les couleurs et le drapeau kurdes ont protesté contre le forces loyales à el-Assad s'affrontent, régime d'el-Assad en début de semaine, à Hassetché, dans le nord-est du pays, reuters chez les Kurdes, le transfert des respon-

. sabilités s'effectue sans trop de violen¬

ces. Il faut dire que depuis le début de

l'insurrection, ces derniers avaient affi¬

ché un attentisme prudent.

Ai Mt Ml L'obstacle turc 0. ..iv «À Qamishli,par exemple (250 000 habi- :"> J''l ! tants,.NDLR), les trois entrées principales Turquie

sont gardées par des Kurdes, poursuit :»>, Tabriz

Issa, mais les partisans duPYD, laprinci¬ * +±J £ lÊÊtii. _* '"^ pale faction kurde, ont envoyé des émis¬

saires négocier avec les responsables des

administrations. Ceux-ci ont peur. Mais, f Raqqao nous leur avons promis de leur réserver le o même traitement que dans les villes qui Mrez-Zor Klrtot* sont déjà passées sous notre contrôle. » SYRIE Là, les chefs de la sécurité-et crîrparti uni¬ IRAK que au pouvoir, le Baas, ont été priés de © © déguerpir. Mais les fonctionnaires, eux,

ont été appelés à retourner au travail. J^ Zone de peuplement kurde ' ^^ Objectif : tout faire pour éviter un vide

du pouvoir. Quant à la sécurité, elle est

assurée par les « unités de défense popu- représentants pour leur faire comprendre laire», des civils armés encadrés par le comme au Kurdistan irakien de l'après- que notre stratégie repose sur l'unité de la PYD, qui se préparait depuis la fin de Saddam Hussein, lé drapeau syrien a vite Syrie et nonpas sur la sécession. » Malgré l'année dernière. été remplacé par les fanions kurdes. Si ces assurances, dans certaines villes Dans leur lente marche vers l'autoges¬ les agents baasistes ont disparu d'une comme à Terbaspi, des affrontements tion, les Kurdes avaient en effet patiem¬ large partie du paysage kurde, des obs¬ ont éclaté entre Kurdes et Arabes. ment mis sûr pied des structures paral¬ tacles subsistent sur. la voie de cette Le second danger pour les Kurdes lèles, misant sur la crainte du régime de autonomie rêvée. vient de la Turquie, voisine. Pour Anka¬ Damas de s'aventurer si près de la Tur¬ Le premier est intérieur à la mosaïque ra, les velléités autonomistes des Kurdes quie. Le 9 juillet dernier, sous l'égide de syrienne. Il est incarné par les tribus ara¬ syriens sont d'autant plus inacceptables bes, présentes dans certaines enclaves Massoud Barzani, un des leaders kurdes

d'Irak, les Kurdes syriens ont réuni leurs comme Tel-Abiat ou la ville de Hassakeh deux principales forces (PYD et Conseil - toujours sous le contrôle d'un pouvoir « Notre modèle est une national kurde) dans un Conseil du peu¬ qui veille sur les gisements de gaz et de autogestion démocratique, ple. pétrole - mais aussi dans les cités péri¬ mais pas le séparatisme » Contrairement aux Kurdes d'Irak, phériques, comme Raqqa et Deir ez-Zor. KHAKED ISSA, KURDE SYRIEN EN EXIL ceux de Syrie assurent ne pas lutter pour «Dans ces zones grises, les tribuspeuvent l'indépendance. «Notre modèle est une faire pencher la balance d'un côté ou de autogestiondémocratique, maispas le sé¬ l'autre, redoute Khaled Issa! C'est pour¬ que le PYD est proche du PKK (le parti paratisme », jure Khaked Issa. Reste que, quoi nous sommes en contact avec leurs des Kurdes de Turquie), l'ennemi juré

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

d'Ankara. À en croire des responsables les aspirations kurdes. Enfin, Ankara ne. avec le chef de la diplomatie turque, Ah¬ kurdes, la Turquie aurait déjà activé sa se prive pas d'exercer des pressions sur met Davutoglu. «Plus que jamais, notre capacité d'obstruction antikurde. «Les le Conseil national syrien (CNS), la prin¬ stratégie doit éviter les conflits, aussi bien services de renseignements turcs agitent cipale formation de l'opposition, qui est avec les composantes non arabes de Syrie, les tribus arabes pour-mettre en difficulté abritée en Turquie. . qu'avec la Turquie, martèle Issa. Nous de¬

notre nouvelle administration», regrette La récente déclaration du patron du vons montrer à-tous que nous ne nourris¬

un autre responsable kurde. CNS, Abdel Bassit Sayda, en serait une sons pas le dessein de créer un grand État D'autre part, la Turquie chercherait à preuve évidente, selonles Kurdes. «Nous kurde àpartir de la Syrie. » h

renvoyer un certain nombre de réfugiés ne voulons pas de drapeau kurde, mais syriens - arabes pour la plupart - de uniquement celui de l'indépendance», a l'autre côté de la frontière, pour y freiner insisté Sayda, en sortant d'un entretien

LE FIGARO 26 juillet 2012

« La vengeance sera malheureusement inévitable »

Symbole de ce réseau d'entre-aide posent même de leurs propres prisons et DELPHINE MINOUI médit dans la Syrie des Assad : le rôle de leurs propres tribunaux, où les sus¬ CORRESPONDANTE AU MOYEN-ORIENT des femmes. « Elles soignent les blessés, pects arrêtés sont détenus et jugés », jouent les messagères et traversent dis¬ confie Hamdi, un-activiste de cette ville « ETVAPRÈS ?» Assis en tailleur dans le crètement les check-points de l'armée sy¬ proche de la frontière turque. « L'ASL sous-sol d'un grand hôtel de Beyrouth, rienne avec des ordinateurs et des camé¬ affirme que les prisonniers sont bien .

Moataz ose enfin se poser « la » ques¬ ras camouflés.sous leurs voiles », raconte nourris, qu'elle ne leur inflige pas les mê¬ tion. « La fin du régime, c'était un rêve Lujaim, une des participantes au stage. mes tortures que lé régime à ses oppo¬ avant l'attentat du 18~juillet contre des sants. Les innocents sont libérés. Mais D'après Azad, un activiste kurde, les responsables sécuritaires syriens. ceux qui ont du sang sur les mains sont régions tenues par cette minorité ethni¬ Aujourd'hui, c'est une réalité à laquelle exécutés », poursuit-il. que sont particulièrement prêtes à gérer nous devons nous préparer», relève Ces méthodes expéditiyes préfigurent la transition postrAssad. « Dans les vil¬ l'activiste damascene de 23 ans. le climat de vengeance qui risque de lages kurdes de laprovince d'Alep, çafait De passage au Liban, en compagnie prévaloir une fois le régime tombé. bien longtemps qu'il n'y aplus ni gouver¬ d'une trentaine d'autres jeunes de la dis¬ « Notre révolution était pacifique. En re¬ nement ni police. Là-bas, ce sont les co¬ sidence syrienne pour quelques jours de courant à la violence, Bachar el-Assad mités locaux et les partis politiques kur- formation intensive en vidéo et secouris¬ desquiontpris lesrênes », dit-il. nous a forcés à prendre les armes. Nous me, dispensée par l'organisation huma¬ avons tous perdu un ami, un frère, un nitaire Avaaz, il estime l'opposition cousin... Lavengeance contre les shabiha, «sujjïsamment rodée» pour préparer «Je n'ai pas fait les miliciens pro-Assad, ou contre les l'après-Assad, même s'il craint, comme cette révolution membres de la minorité alaouite au pou¬ ses acolytes, une « période de chaos inévi¬ voir sera malheureusement inévitable », pour qu'on me colle table ». «Audébut de la révolte, Uy après s'inquiète Hamdi. d'un an et demi, nous naviguions à vue. un voile sur la tête ! » Unie contre le rais de Damas, l'oppo¬ Depuis, des réseaux se sont tissés entre les LUJAIM, DISSIDENTE SYRIENNE .. sition reste également fragilisée par différents opposants. La résistance aeule d'importantes dissensions internes. « U temps de s'organiser en comités locaux et Mais de l'avis général, c'est l'ASL - y a les civils contre les militaires,. les Sy¬ conseils révolutionnaires. Ces derniers sont l'Armée syrienne libre - qui, sur le ter¬ riens de l'intérieur contre la diaspora en composés d'avocats, d'hommes d'affaires, rain, est la mieux organisée. Pour le" exil, les laïcs contre les religieux. Le par¬ de personnalités religieuses. Es assurent meilleur et pour le pire. « Avant, elle tage du pouvoir risque de se faire dans le une médiation avec l'Armée syrienne libre était essentiellement composée de sol¬ sang », prédit un autre activiste. et les représentants du Conseil national sy¬ dats déserteurs. Aujourd'hui, les civils Pour Lujaim, lajeune femme du grou¬ rien qui sont à l'étranger. Lejour où le ré¬ constituent environ 70 % de ses effec¬ pe, c'est la montée de l'islamisme qui gime tombera, ces différentes structures tifs », estime lad, également originaire ' constitue la menace la plus importante pour l'avenir du pays. « Je n'ai pas fait permettront d'assurer la rélève et de com¬ de Homs. bler le vide sécuritaire », confie-t-il. « Dans certaines régions, l'ASL su¬ cette révolution pour qu'on me colle un pervise tout : la sécurité, la politique, la voile sur la tête », s'emporte-t-elle. À Des femmes Homs, ses amis lui ont raconté avoir communication », relève-t-il. Selon en première ligne croisé de nombreux barbus parmi les lui, un système de cartes d'identité est À ses côtés, Rami opine de la tête. Che¬ soldats anti-Assad. « Pendant des mois en train de se mettre progressivement mise à carreaux et lunettes rondes, il et des mois, ces gens-là se sont battus en place à travers le pays. Aux postes vient de Homs, la cité « martyre » de la contre le pouvoir de Damas au nom d'Al¬ tenus par l'ASL, les voitures sont lah. À la chute du régime, ils vont récla¬ révolution. « Là-bas, c'est déjà l'auto- fouillées et leurs passagers contrôlés gouvernance. On a fait installer des mer leurpart dugâteau en voulant impo¬ pour éviter que les agents pro-Assad ne ser la çharid », prédit-elle. groupes électrogènes dans certains quar¬ s'infiltrent dans les zones tenues par les tiers pour palier le manque d'électricité. anti-Assad. Des familles se portent volontaires pour héberger les populations déplacées. Un « Ceux qui ont dû sang approvisionnement en nourriture est as- sur les mains sont exécutés » surépar desbénéyoles », dit-il. «Àldlib, les forces syriennes libres dis

60 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 27 juillet 2012 Loin de Damas, le Kurdistan syrien

Le régime de Bachar al-Assadde a factoévacué presque autonome tout le nord du pays, provoquant l’ire de la Turquie, son principal opposant. En outre, le risque d’un conflit interkurde n’est pas écarté.

Cela n’a pas empêché Damas Par MARC SEMO de soutenir pendant des années les rebelles du PKK, e drapeau kurde flotte sur avant finalement d’expulser les bâtiments officiels des leur leader, Abdullah Ocalan, Lzones kurdes syriennes. Ou en 1998. Après quelques con- plutôt, les divers drapeaux cessions sur les droits kurdes, kurdes variant selon les villes, Damas accepta le retour d’exil les quartiers ou les villages, de Muslim Salih, leader du illustrant les divisions poli- PYD. tiques de cette population concentrée dans le nord du Seize mois après le début de la pays. Outre les trois couleurs, révolte en Syrie, le rêve d’une jaune, vert, rouge, plus ou entité kurde autonome est moins admises par tous, figu- néanmoins en train de devenir rent celles de la principale for- réalité. Sans un coup de feu mation kurde syrienne, le Parti tiré, ou presque. «Les respons- d’union démocratique (PYD). ables des services de sécurité, Des sympathisants du PDK (parti kurde irakien bien implanté Proche de la rébellion turque les soldats, les chefs en Syrie) défilent contre Al Assad à Al Hasakah, dans le nord, du Parti des travailleurs du d’administration arabes sont le 20 juillet. (Reuters) Kurdistan (PKK), le PYD est tous partis après des négocia- resté dans l’expectative, voire tions tout au long du week- - dont le PDK d’Abdulhakim attaque des tribus arabes la collaboration avec le régime end», explique un kurde Bachar -, afin de leur imposer enclavées : la zone de Derik, depuis le début de la révolte. syrien justifiant les mois de de créer une structure com- dans le territoire kurde, con- prudence face au soulèvement mune de pouvoir et de sécu- centre les principales Le drapeau tricolore vert- : «C’était quand même difficile rité. «Tous ont finalement ressources pétrolières syri- blanc-rouge frappé du soleil pour des Kurdes de combattre accepté ; le PYD, pour se ennes. flotte également. C’est celui du auprès d’une rébellion aidée légitimer et faire oublier ses Kurdistan irakien, indépen- par l’Arabie Saoudite, le Qatar ambiguïtés envers le régime, Le régime baasiste aux abois a dant de fait de Bagdad avec et surtout la Turquie.» En et le PDK, parce qu’il est sûr probablement laissé se créer la son président«régional», outre, le Conseil national de l’emporter lors des pre- zone autonome kurde dans le Massoud Barzani, symbole de syrien (l’opposition à Bachar mières élections libres dans la nord pour compliquer la la lutte pour l’indépendance, al-Assad), bien que présidé zone kurde»,souligne une donne régionale, et mettre en et leader du Parti démocra- par le Kurde Abdel Bassit source proche du dossier. difficulté la Turquie, principal tique kurde (PDK), tradition- Sayda, reste très prudent, et soutien politique de la rébel- nellement bien implanté en même hostile à toute idée Mais chacune des deux forces lion et base arrière pour les Syrie. «Ce n’est pas encore la d’autonomie. Damas, qui a compte bien garder ses fiefs. approvisionnements de vraie liberté, car il y a toujours, besoin de ses troupes ailleurs, Plusieurs centaines de combat- l’Armée syrienne libre. dans certaines villes, quelques notamment pour reconquérir tants du PKK seraient ainsi Quelque 15 millions de forces de sécurité du régime, Alep, a donné son accord pour venus gonfler les rangs des Kurdes vivent en Turquie, mais elles ne sortent plus des l’évacuation du nord du pays milices du PYD, qui tiennent notamment dans les zones casernes, et les mouvements par les forces du régime. notamment la région d’Afrin, proches de la Syrie. La «sale kurdes ont de fait aujourd’hui située stratégiquement entre guerre» entre les rebelles du le pouvoir dans le Kurdistan Les fonctionnaires kurdes sont Alep et la frontière turque. Le PKK et l’armée a fait 40 000 syrien», explique un intel- en revanche restés en place PDK a aussi ses places fortes, morts depuis 1984. Bien que le lectuel qui revient de la région. partout. Pour éviter tout vide comme à Qamichli, la princi- PYD tente de lisser son dis- sécuritaire, les divers mouve- pale ville kurde de Syrie avec cours, évitant même d’utiliser PRUDENCE. En Syrie, la ments qui avaient mis sur pied 250 000 habitants, et il aurait le mot «autonomie», les liens minorité (10% de la popula- des structures de pouvoir par- reçu des renforts d’hommes entre ce parti et le PKK incitent tion) a été longtemps discrim- allèles ont déployé leurs com- formés par les «peshmergas», les autorités d’Ankara à hauss- inée. Des centaines de milliers battants. Face au risque tou- les combattants kurdes er le ton. Le Premier ministre de Kurdes, déchus de leur jours présent d’affrontements irakiens. islamo-conservateur, Recep nationalité dans les premières fratricides, le leader kurde Tayyip Erdogan, rappelait années du régime baasiste, irakien, Massoud Barzani, «SALE GUERRE». Le princi- ainsi avant-hier dans un dis- vivent comme des sans- avait réuni dans sa capitale pal danger - outre le risque cours : «Nous avons un droit d’Erbil, du 6 au 9 juillet, le papiers dans leur propre pays. d’un conflit fratricide pour le naturel à intervenirN dans le PYD et le Conseil kurde syrien moment gelé - est une contre- nord de la Syrie.»

61 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 27 JUILLET 2012

comme une organisation terroriste par la Turquie, les Etats-Unis et l'Union Une explosion tue deux soldats européenne. dans le sud-est de la Turquie Plus de 40.000 personnes, des Kurdes Reuters civil ont également été blessés dans pour la plupart, ont trouvé la mort l'explosion qui s'est produite aux alen- depuis que le PKK a pris les armes en eux soldats turcs ont été tués ce ven- tours de 7h près de la ville de Lice, dans 1984. Il revendique davantage de droits dredi dans le sud-est de la Turquie à la province de Diyarbakir. sur le plan culturel et une autonomie majorité kurde, lorsque leur véhicule a politique pour sa minorité de 14 millions D
explosé sous l'effet d'un engin explosif Les responsables de la sécurité turque ont de personnes en Turquie. télécommandé, ont annoncé des sources attribué cette attaque au Parti des tra- de sécurité. Un troisième soldat et un vailleurs du Kurdistan (PKK), considéré

28 juillet 2012 Frapper le PKK en Syrie serait dangereux et contre-productif pour la Turquie dats sur le sol syrien seule et sans le Le Premier ministre turc Recep STANBUL (Turquie), 28 juil 2012 couvert d'une opération internatio- Tayyip Erdogan a accusé mercredi le (AFP) — Depuis quelques jours, la nale, ce sera une provocation ouverte régime de Damas d'avoir "confié" cinq Iprésence dans le nord de la Syrie de pour la Russie et l'Iran", souligne zones du nord de la Syrie au PKK ou miliciens membres ou proches des Cengiz Candar, du quotidien libéral au PYD pour nuire à la Turquie, avant rebelles kurdes de Turquie, le PKK, est Radikal. d'indiquer que la Turquie ferait usage au coeur de tous les discours à La méthode forte occasionnerait si nécessaire de son droit de poursuite Ankara, qui évoque d'éventuelles d'autres dégâts collatéraux: toute opé- contre les rebelles et d'évoquer une actions militaires, voire une zone tam- ration militaire "est condamnée à zone tampon en Syrie comme une pon. Trop dangereux, estiment les ana- entraîner (la Turquie) dans de nou- hypothèse envisageable. lystes. velles aventures non désirées, qui vont "La situation est beaucoup plus L'idée est hasardeuse d'abord ruiner non seulement le rapproche- chaotique que ça (...) Le fait est que le parce que la Syrie en plein conflit ment en cours avec l'Irak du nord PYD ne contrôle pas toute la situation interne n'est pas l'Irak, où le pouvoir kurde, mais aussi aggraver le pro- dans le nord de la Syrie (...) Il est clair central comme l'administration kurde blème kurde en Turquie", écrit Semih que sur le terrain ils travaillent en ce autonome nord-irakienne Idiz, dans le quotidien Hurriyet Daily moment en collaboration avec d'autres s'accommodent bon gré mal gré News. groupes", fait remarquer Hugh Pope, d'occasionnels raids de l'aviation "Cela créerait une hostilité entre la de l'International Crisis Group. turque contre les bases-arrières du Turquie et tous les Kurdes" du Le Conseil national kurde, qui Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan Proche-Orient, insiste Cengiz Candar. regroupe une douzaine de partis tradi- (PKK). Le PKK lutte depuis 1984 contre tionnels kurdes syriens, et le Conseil "Si vous voulez mettre en oeuvre l'autorité d'Ankara, sa revendication populaire du Kurdistan occidental une (opération de) poursuite à chaud évoluant de l'indépendance vers (CPKO), émanation du PYD, ont en contre les milices du PKK dans le nord l'autonomie du sud-est anatolien, effet signé à Erbil (nord de l'Irak) le 11 de la Syrie, le gouvernement syrien va peuplé en majorité de Kurdes. Le juillet un accord pour unifier leurs réagir très différemment du gouverne- conflit a fait plus de 45.000 morts. rangs, sous le parrainage du chef ment irakien", prévient Osmam Pour les analystes, la vraie solu- kurde irakien Massoud Barzani. Bahadir Dinçer, du Centre d'études tion passe par la diplomatie et les jeux La clé des problèmes d'Ankara sur le Proche-Orient. d'influence. pourrait ainsi se trouver à Erbil, la Damas entretient déjà des rela- "Dans cette région du nord de la capitale du Kurdistan irakien, qui tions exécrables avec son voisin turc, Syrie (...), il y a de nombreuses tribus pourrait utiliser son influence parmi qui réclame la fin de la répression et le arabes sunnites, et elles ont beaucoup les mouvements kurdes syriens pour départ du président syrien Bachar al- d'influence sur la population kurde", désamorcer les tensions avec la Assad. Et elles se sont aggravées commente M. Dinçer. Turquie. quand la Syrie a abattu un jet turc le "Si la Turquie peut coopérer avec Le gouvernement turc semble 22 juin au large de ses côtes. ces tribus, alors on pourra anéantir l'avoir compris: le chef de la diploma- Le pire serait donc à attendre d'un l'influence du PKK ou du PYD sur ce tie, Ahmet Davutoglu, doit se rendre régime aux abois, puissamment armé, territoire", ajoute-t-il, faisant référence mercredi à Erbil pour "partager la sen- et qui dispose de surcroît d'alliés de au Parti de l'union démocratique sibilité" d'Ankara avec les kurdes ira- poids. (PYD), une formation syrienne proche kiens.N "Si la Turquie fait entrer des sol- du PKK.

62 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 27, 2012

By Ceding In this Tuesday, July 24, 2012 photo, a Syrian boy sits atop a dam- aged military tank at the border Northeaster town of Azaz, some 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Aleppo, Syria. n Syria to Turkey sealed its border with Syria to trucks on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 cutting off a vital supply line the Kurds, to the embattled nation as fighting stretched into its fifth day in the Assad Puts commercial capital of Aleppo.

Turkey in a northeastern towns, Assad’s forces the PKK’s influence in Syria, mostly retreating without a fight. Abdulhalim, a Kurdish activist in Syria, Bind told TIME via Skype. Even if it is the Ankara has been a key The news sparked a Turkish media and strongest and best armed of the Kurdish political clamor about the imminent rise factions in Syria, the PYD is in no posi- backer of Syria's rebellion, of a “PKK Republic” or a “Western tion to overwhelm its local rivals. but the prospect of an Iraq- Kurdistan” on Turkey’s southern flank. “People will not allow the PYD to control style autonomous Kurdish Commentators fear that the rise of a sec- the area,” Abdulhalim insists. “All peo- zone has Erdogan threaten- ond Kurdish statelet, following the ple here, Arabs, Christians, and other ing to intervene emergence of the one in neighboring ethnicities, will be in control.” The radi- Iraq in 2003, would embolden Turkey’s cals would also have to contend with own 12-15 million Kurds to pursue their Barzani, whose government has provid- By Piotr Zalewski/Istanbul own dream of autonomy. Worse still, it ed training to Kurdish defectors from could potentially provide the PKK — Assad’s army. he retreat of President Bashar al- branded as a terrorist organization by Assad’s forces from parts of Turkey, the U.S., and the EU — with But, Abdulhalim warns, nothing would northeasternT Syria along the Turkish sanctuaries from which to launch cross- unite the Kurds of Syria more than border might have been welcomed by border attacks. resistance to a Turkish incursion. “We Turkey, a key supporter of the Syrian are strongly refusing Erdogan talking rebellion, except for one thing: The Picking up where the media left off, about any invasion of Syria to protect region is predominantly Kurdish, and Turkey’s fiery leader, Prime Minister Turkey from the PYD,” he says. Ankara fears the resulting power vacu- Recep Tayyip Erdogan, banged the war um will be a major boon to its number drums. Though he and his government When the sabre-rattling dies down, one enemy, the Kurdistan Workers’ proclaim the Kurds a “brother nation,” writes Oral Calislar, a commentator for Party (PKK) whose three-decade sepa- Erdogan told a TV interviewer on Radikal, a Turkish newspaper, Ankara ratist insurgency has seen some 40,000 Wednesday, a Kurdish state in northern will do the same with a Kurdish quasi- people killed. Syria would likely become a “terrorist state in Syria as it did with the one in entity”. If need be, he warned, Turkey Iraq – learn to live with it. “We used to Until recently, Syria’s Kurds had been would not hesitate to hit the PKK inside say we’d never tolerate an autonomous divided. A coalition of roughly a dozen Syria, as it has done repeatedly in north- Kurdistan on our border,” Calislar Kurdish parties had tentatively backed ern Iraq. “If a formation that’s going to writes. “It was one of our ‘red lines.’ And the popular uprising against Assad, be a problem emerges, if there is a terror now we’re buddy-buddy with Barzani.” while the PKK’s Syrian ally, the operation, an irritant, then intervening Democratic Union Party (PYD), would be our most natural right.” For the time being, the most that Turkey appeared to align itself with the Syrian can do to contain the fallout from Syria regime, intimidating opposition It would not be easy. In northern Iraq — is to make amends with its own Kurds, activists and quashing popular protests. where the PKK has come under pressure says Hugh Pope, an analyst with the Others sat on the sidelines, wary of clos- from a Barzani government that seeks to International Crisis Group. If Erdogan ing ranks with a Sunni Arab-dominated improve ties with Ankara — the rebels wants to ensure Turkey’s security, he opposition that turned a deaf ear to remain ensconced in remote mountain adds, his government will have to do so Kurdish demands for new rights in a hideouts, making it easier for Turkish by addressing the Turkish Kurds’ main post-Assad Syria. Two weeks ago – per- forces to target them with relative grievances – adequate political repre- haps sensing that the regime’s fall was impunity. In Syria, the PKK-aligned sentation, mother tongue education, imminent – the rival Syrian Kurdish PYD is an urban-based outfit. To bring some degree of devolution, and a partial political currents put aside their differ- the fight to them, Turkish troops would amnesty for PKK members. ences, under the coaching of Iraqi have to operate in large population cen- Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. In ters, many of them within a stone’s The situation across the border might be Irbil, capital of Iraq’s autonomous throw of the common border. “alarming” for Turkey, says Pope, “but Kurdish Regional Government, they only because Turkey has not solved its signed a unity agreement that has Syrian Kurds are quick to counter own Kurdish problem.”I allowed them to take control of several Turkish alarmism. Ankara is overstating

63 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 15, 2012 Syria's Kurds play the long game

The National UAE Phil Sands

AMASCUS // Internal divisions and political differences with other Dopposition groups are still preventing Demonstrators and wave a Kurd flag and pre-Baath Party Syrian flags during a protest Syria's Kurds from throwing their full against Syria's President Bashar Al Assad in Qudsaya, near Damascus. weight behind the uprising against Bashar Al Assad's regime. watering down of Syria's Arab identity "We have our fears and they are legi- The dispute between Kurdish blocs and have voiced suspicions that the timate, we don't just want to replace and other opposition factions was under- Kurds' real goal is to create an indepen- one Arab chauvinist regime with ano- lined at a conference in Cairo this dent state. ther," he said. month, when scuffles broke out between delegates and a Kurdish group walked Other Syrian opposition figures have Demographics and the belief their out, angrily accusing Arab revolutiona- said with hundreds being killed each negotiating position is now at its stron- ries of being worse than the regime they month, all efforts must now be put into gest are also pushing the Kurds to cut a are seeking to topple. winning the struggle, not arguing over deal with the opposition over their constitutional matters that will be set- future status before further commit- Although a concluding document was tled during a political transition. ment to the revolution. patched together, the fundamental pro- blems that have blocked a truly joint Kurdish activists and political ana- "At the moment the opposition is Kurd-Arab opposition front from emer- lysts say the Syrian authorities have cle- trying to unify on a basis of consensual ging were not addressed, according to verly used a softer approach with the democracy, to bring everyone together Kurdish political figures. Kurds, avoiding the kind of bloodshed but after the revolution it might just that might spark a full-fledged revolt or revert to a simple democracy of majority "We are sorry for what happened in push them to take up arms alongside rule," said another Kurdish dissident who Cairo but we are not responsible for the rebelling Arab areas. supported the Damascus Declaration of meeting's failure," said a leading Kurdish 2005, a failed attempt to secure political dissident in Damascus. Opposition blocs, including the Syrian National Council - which is led by reforms. "Unity among the opposition is impor- Abdulbaset Saida, a Kurd - have also With Arabs making up 75 per cent of tant but we must have firm guarantees sought to allay Kurdish concerns by the country, and Kurds 10 per cent, over the rights and aspirations of the stressing that a post-Assad Syria will be a Kurds could not automatically expect to Kurdish people," he said. democratic state in which all citizens be able to secure a parliamentary majo- The Kurdish National Council (KNC), are equal before the law. rity to back their political programme. which represents the majority of Syria's That would bring to an end the insti- The strategy may backfire on the dozen or so Kurdish political parties, tutionalised discrimination rights groups Kurds, an independent Syrian political insists it does not want Kurd-controlled say Kurds have suffered for the past 40 analyst said. areas to secede from Syria. years in Syria. "If the regime falls, Arabs might But the KNC has demanded written However the Kurdish opposition, decide they didn't die to overthrow assurances from opposition groups about represented by two major blocs, the KNC Assad while the Kurds sat and watched, Kurdish recognition should Mr Al Assad's and a rival Kurdish alliance, the People's only for the Kurds to then make regime fall. It wants Kurdish identity to Council for Western Kurdistan (PCWK), demands," the Damascus-based analyst be recognised as distinct from Syria's have said that is not enough. said. Arab majority and guarantees that Syria's two million Kurds will have a "In European or American democracy Internal tensions between Syria's "decentralised" state that permits them all citizens are equal but we must be Kurds rose dramatically this month with "self-determination". realistic and say Syria will not turn over- a string of kidnappings and killings in the night into Sweden so for that reason we Kurdish area of Afreen, near Aleppo. These issues have been a sticking must insist on these extra guarantees," point since the revolt began last March. Activists said the violence involved said a Kurdish political activist, whose the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and In April last year, Kurds and Arab opposi- party belongs to the KNC. tion groups met in Damascus in an effort gunmen from the Democratic Union to forge a unified anti-regime bloc. They He said experience had taught Kurds Party (PYD), a political group affiliated failed to reach an agreement then, and that supporting revolutions did not to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). have failed ever since. always end well, as with the overthrow The KDP is a key member of the of the Shah in Iran with repression conti- Kurdish National Council bloc, while the Some Arab nationalist opposition par- nuing under the Islamic republic. ➼ ties have baulked at what they see as a PYD is principle member of the

64 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

➼ People's Council for Western ting against Mr Al Assad - to help them disputes before they can spin out of Kurdistan (PCWK), the other major bloc protect themselves against the PYD/PKK control. With the ink on the deal hardly in Syrian Kurdish politics. gunmen after party members were kil- dry, it remains to be seen if the two The PKK, considered a terrorist orga- led and others kidnapped, Kurdish acti- blocs will come closer together or if the nisation in Europe and the United vists said. underlying tensions inside the Kurdish States, has fought a long guerrilla war Fearing Syria's Kurds were near an community remain unaddressed. against Turkey, and KNC members internecine war, Massoud Barzani, the "The Kurds are fighting multiple accuse it and the PYD of working as a influential president of the autonomous struggles at the same time," said a proxy for the Syrian authorities - now Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in Kurdish political activist with the KNC. also bitter rivals to the Ankara govern- Iraq, brokered a reconciliation agree- They were battling the Syrian ment - helping arrest dissidents and ment between the KNC and PCWK in regime, against other anti-Assad groups even assassinating anti-regime Kurds, Erbil last week. who see Syria as a purely Arab nation, including the influential Kurdish dissi- The two groups agreed to work on and against other Kurd factions in the dent, Meshaal Tammo. The PYD denies unifying their political stance, and to murky, mafia-like world of Kurdish poli- the claims, and insists it is part of the shut down armed factions in favour of tics. anti-regime uprising. unarmed "protection committees" in "It's a very complex situation," the In Arfeen, KNC members called in Kurdish areas of Syria. Mediation coun- activist said.I the Free Syrian Army - the rebels figh- cils are also to be established to solve

27 /July/ 2012 Kurdish Forces Stop Iraqi Army Advance Near Syrian Border By ABDULLAH NIHELI rudaw.net

RBIL, Kurdistan Region – On the second day of a standoff between EKurdish Peshmerga forces and Iraqi troops near the Syrian border, a senior Peshmerga commander in the area said, “we will not allow the Iraqi Army to advance one more step.” On Friday, Iraqi Army units were dis- patched to Rabia and Zumar northwest of Nineveh province to control the border crossing between Iraq and Syria. The area has been under Kurdish control since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003. Speaking to Rudaw, Colonel Issa tation. The statement also warned that the Zewayi, intelligence chief of the 8th batta- Zewayi added that the commander of deployment of the Peshmerga forces in lion of Peshmerga forces said that around the 38th battalion of the Iraqi Army had certain areas of Nineveh province “is a 7,000 Iraqi troops have been sent to the asked the Kurdish Peshmerga to allow his dangerous phenomenon and will lead to area armed with heavy weaponry. units to advance, but their request was bad outcomes.” Zewawyi said the Iraqi forces intended rejected. The prime minister’s statement called to cross into territories controlled by the Anwar Haji Osman, Kurdistan on the Kurdish authorities to “respect Kurdish Peshmarga units. Region’s deputy minister of Peshmarga order and law” and calling the presence of “But the Peshmerga forces are said the Iraqi troops have been sent to Peshmerga troops outside the three pro- deployed along an area of 60 kilometers control the border areas between Iraqi vinces of Kurdistan Region – Erbil, from Cairo village to Zumar district and Kurdistan and Syria. Sulaimaniya and Dohuk—“a clear viola- will not allow the Iraqi Army to advance Osman told Rudaw on Friday that an tion of the law and security measures.” one more step toward Kurdish areas,” said artillery unit has been dispatched to rein- The office of Kurdish Kurdistan Zewayi. force the Peshmerga forces in the area. Region President Massoud Barzani also According to Zewawyi, Peshmarga On saturaday, the office of Iraqi prime released a statement on Saturday saying, and Iraqi troops are deployed less than one minister and Commander in Chief Nuri al- “we have problems with the mentality that kilometer from each other near Cairo vil- Maliki issued a statement saying the believes in using weapons and force” in a lage and “clashes are possible at any Kurdish Peshmerga forces have acted clear reference to Baghdad’s statement moment.” “against the constitution”. and deployment of Iraqi troops in areas He said the Kurdish units in the area The statement said the situation was controlled by Kurdish forces since 2003.
are well armed and ready for any confron- on the verge of a military confrontation.

65 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 26, 2012 Assad hands control of Syria’s Kurdish areas to PKK, sparking outrage in Turkey By ROY GUTMAN - cate that thousands of pro-Assad and Union Party takeover several weeks ago, McClatchy Newspapers rebel fighters are converging on the city. when he hosted the 16 or so groups in the The developments in Kurdish areas, Kurdish National Council, together with STANBUL — Syrian President however, suggest that no matter who the Syrian National Council, also an Bashar Assad, facing a growing wins the civil war, the fighting is shifting umbrella body, at a meeting in Erbil. I rebel presence in Aleppo, his coun- the politics of Syria and its neighbors in Many now believe the arrangement he try's largest city and its commercial hub, ways that cannot be predicted. brokered actually led to the PKK takeo- has turned control of parts of northern ver. Syria over to militant Kurds whom The establishment of a Kurd-ruled zone inside Syria has long been a goal of In a move that some analysts said Turkey has long considered to be terro- might be intended to undercut PKK rists, prompting concern that Istanbul the Kurdish population. Leaders of the anti-Assad opposition have said in recent influence in Syria, Barzani announced might see the development as a reason to Sunday that the Kurdistan Regional send troops across its border with Syria. days that they would oppose such a zone, and Kurdish fighters have said they Government would send back to Syria, Turkish Prime Minister Recep would not allow the Free Syrian Army to allegedly to fill a security vacuum, some Tayyip Erdogan, in comments late operate in the region. of the Kurdish Syrian soldiers who des- erted into Iraq to escape the civil war. Wednesday, said Turkey would not Officially, the Democratic Union Kurdish media reported that about 650 accept an entity in northern Syria gover- Party is sharing power over six towns - Kurdish soldiers returned to Syria last ned by the Iraq-based Kurdistan Workers Kobane, Derek, Amude, Efrin, Sari Kani week, and there were suggestions that Party, or PKK, which has long waged a and Girke Lege - with the Kurdish the Kurdistan Regional Government's guerrilla war against Turkey, and its National Council, an umbrella organiza- own military, the peshmerga, is also Syrian affiliate, the Democratic Union tion of anti-Assad Kurdish groups. In considering entering Syria. That move is Party. fact, the Kurdish militants have raised opposed by the PKK, local Kurdish He said the two groups had built a the PKK flag over public buildings or newspapers have reported. "structure in northern Syria" that for have used force to haul down their rivals' Turkey means "a structure of terror." flag, Kurdish news media in the Iraqi "Peshmerga forces are our brothers and relatives and we do not have any "It is impossible for us to look favo- Kurdish capital of Erbil reported problems with them," Salih Muslim, a rably at such a structure," he said in a Thursday. Democratic Union Party leader, told the television interview. The PKK affiliate also controls English-language daily Rudaw. "But stretches of the Syrian border, including He warned that if Syrian Kurdish Syrian Kurdistan does not need assis- a key crossing into territory of the militants mount an attack or some other tance from the peshmerga forces at this Kurdistan Regional Government, the form of cross-border provocation against point and if the need arises we will ask increasingly autonomous province in Turkey, "then intervening would be our for their help." most natural right." neighboring Iraq. Assad forces still control Qamishli, a Turkey fears that a Syrian Kurdish The prospect of a PKK-dominated city of well over 400,000 and the unoffi- state run by the PKK will radicalize its zone in northern Syria appears to be an cial capital of the predominantly Kurdish own Kurds, who number 12 million of unintended consequence of the civil war northern region. But a decision by Assad its population of 74 million. Hundreds, between Assad and rebels of the Free to allow the PKK to take over there as possibly thousands, of Syrian Kurdish Syrian Army, who are Sunni Muslims well could move Barzani to intervene on fighters have taken part in PKK raids fighting, with U.S. and other nations' Turkey's behalf. Such a development inside Turkey over the years. backing, to topple Assad's government. could spark a reaction in Baghdad, Assad withdrew forces last week The development also could worsen whose authority over Iraq's international from six predominantly Kurdish towns the political situation in Iraq, where the relations would be directly challenged by and handed control to the Kurdish mili- autonomous Kurdistan Regional a peshmerga move into Syria. Government maintains chilly relations tants in what appears to be an effort to Turkey has shown little hesitance to with the central government in Baghdad, bolster his defenses at Aleppo, which invade neighboring countries in response but ever closer relations with Turkey. became the scene of sustained fighting to PKK attacks on Turkish targets. In Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al Maliki, a last week for the first time since the anti- October, Turkish aircraft and troops Shiite Muslim, supports Assad, whose Assad uprising began more than 16 crossed into Iraq to hunt down PKK Alawite religious sect is an offshoot of months ago. Assad also reportedly has guerrillas who killed 29 members of Shiite Islam. Baghdad and the Kurdish pulled forces from the Idlib region of Turkey's security forces and five civi- government disagree over other issues, northeastern Syria and moved them to lians in a series of raids in southern such as oil-export policy and who should Aleppo. Turkey. I govern cities where the population is Tens of thousands of residents of split between Kurds and Arabs. Aleppo have fled in anticipation of a bat- tle. Reports from anti-Assad groups indi- Kurdistan's president, Massoud Barzani, tried to head off a Democratic

67 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti JULY 26, 2012 Assad hands control of Syria’s Kurdish areas to PKK, sparking outrage in Turkey By ROY GUTMAN - cate that thousands of pro-Assad and Union Party takeover several weeks ago, McClatchy Newspapers rebel fighters are converging on the city. when he hosted the 16 or so groups in the The developments in Kurdish areas, Kurdish National Council, together with STANBUL — Syrian President however, suggest that no matter who the Syrian National Council, also an Bashar Assad, facing a growing wins the civil war, the fighting is shifting umbrella body, at a meeting in Erbil. I rebel presence in Aleppo, his coun- the politics of Syria and its neighbors in Many now believe the arrangement he try's largest city and its commercial hub, ways that cannot be predicted. brokered actually led to the PKK takeo- has turned control of parts of northern ver. Syria over to militant Kurds whom The establishment of a Kurd-ruled zone inside Syria has long been a goal of In a move that some analysts said Turkey has long considered to be terro- might be intended to undercut PKK rists, prompting concern that Istanbul the Kurdish population. Leaders of the anti-Assad opposition have said in recent influence in Syria, Barzani announced might see the development as a reason to Sunday that the Kurdistan Regional send troops across its border with Syria. days that they would oppose such a zone, and Kurdish fighters have said they Government would send back to Syria, Turkish Prime Minister Recep would not allow the Free Syrian Army to allegedly to fill a security vacuum, some Tayyip Erdogan, in comments late operate in the region. of the Kurdish Syrian soldiers who des- erted into Iraq to escape the civil war. Wednesday, said Turkey would not Officially, the Democratic Union Kurdish media reported that about 650 accept an entity in northern Syria gover- Party is sharing power over six towns - Kurdish soldiers returned to Syria last ned by the Iraq-based Kurdistan Workers Kobane, Derek, Amude, Efrin, Sari Kani week, and there were suggestions that Party, or PKK, which has long waged a and Girke Lege - with the Kurdish the Kurdistan Regional Government's guerrilla war against Turkey, and its National Council, an umbrella organiza- own military, the peshmerga, is also Syrian affiliate, the Democratic Union tion of anti-Assad Kurdish groups. In considering entering Syria. That move is Party. fact, the Kurdish militants have raised opposed by the PKK, local Kurdish He said the two groups had built a the PKK flag over public buildings or newspapers have reported. "structure in northern Syria" that for have used force to haul down their rivals' Turkey means "a structure of terror." flag, Kurdish news media in the Iraqi "Peshmerga forces are our brothers and relatives and we do not have any "It is impossible for us to look favo- Kurdish capital of Erbil reported problems with them," Salih Muslim, a rably at such a structure," he said in a Thursday. Democratic Union Party leader, told the television interview. The PKK affiliate also controls English-language daily Rudaw. "But stretches of the Syrian border, including He warned that if Syrian Kurdish Syrian Kurdistan does not need assis- a key crossing into territory of the militants mount an attack or some other tance from the peshmerga forces at this Kurdistan Regional Government, the form of cross-border provocation against point and if the need arises we will ask increasingly autonomous province in Turkey, "then intervening would be our for their help." most natural right." neighboring Iraq. Assad forces still control Qamishli, a Turkey fears that a Syrian Kurdish The prospect of a PKK-dominated city of well over 400,000 and the unoffi- state run by the PKK will radicalize its zone in northern Syria appears to be an cial capital of the predominantly Kurdish own Kurds, who number 12 million of unintended consequence of the civil war northern region. But a decision by Assad its population of 74 million. Hundreds, between Assad and rebels of the Free to allow the PKK to take over there as possibly thousands, of Syrian Kurdish Syrian Army, who are Sunni Muslims well could move Barzani to intervene on fighters have taken part in PKK raids fighting, with U.S. and other nations' Turkey's behalf. Such a development inside Turkey over the years. backing, to topple Assad's government. could spark a reaction in Baghdad, Assad withdrew forces last week The development also could worsen whose authority over Iraq's international from six predominantly Kurdish towns the political situation in Iraq, where the relations would be directly challenged by and handed control to the Kurdish mili- autonomous Kurdistan Regional a peshmerga move into Syria. Government maintains chilly relations tants in what appears to be an effort to Turkey has shown little hesitance to with the central government in Baghdad, bolster his defenses at Aleppo, which invade neighboring countries in response but ever closer relations with Turkey. became the scene of sustained fighting to PKK attacks on Turkish targets. In Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al Maliki, a last week for the first time since the anti- October, Turkish aircraft and troops Shiite Muslim, supports Assad, whose Assad uprising began more than 16 crossed into Iraq to hunt down PKK Alawite religious sect is an offshoot of months ago. Assad also reportedly has guerrillas who killed 29 members of Shiite Islam. Baghdad and the Kurdish pulled forces from the Idlib region of Turkey's security forces and five civi- government disagree over other issues, northeastern Syria and moved them to lians in a series of raids in southern such as oil-export policy and who should Aleppo. Turkey. I govern cities where the population is Tens of thousands of residents of split between Kurds and Arabs. Aleppo have fled in anticipation of a bat- tle. Reports from anti-Assad groups indi- Kurdistan's president, Massoud Barzani, tried to head off a Democratic

67 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 27 JULY 2012 the PYD leader said most people in the region stood with the movement and sup- Crisis in Syria emboldens ported their aims. Those aims are certainly not supported by country's Kurds the Turkish government, which has, for decades, fought its own often bloody battles with Kurdish separatists and nationalists of the PKK - the Kurdish Workers' Party.

Wyre Davies / BBC News In a blunt message at the end of this week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it abundantly clear he saw What is happening in Syria cannot the creation of a separate Kurdish enclave in be taken in isolation. The protrac- northern Syria as a direct threat to his own tedW upheaval in one of the Middle East's big- country's interests and security. gest, most powerful and most influential Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Mr Erdogan said that Ankara would not countries is affecting the entire region and, Erdogan Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan accept the creation of a "terrorist" structure most critically, its immediate neighbours. sees a Kurdish enclave in Syria a direct in the region. Like Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon Turkey has threat to Turkey "It is our most natural right to intervene (in already absorbed - almost without hesita- northern Syria) since those terrorist forma- tion - thousands of Syrians fleeing the figh- tions would disturb our national peace," For Turkey, it is like a red rag to a bull. ting, in particular from the northern cities of said the Prime Minister in a television inter- Hama and Aleppo. As the Assad regime pulls in regular Syrian view. troops from peripheral areas for the military Turkey is understandably concerned that Turkey, a one time ally of the Assad regime the number of civilians fleeing across its assault on Aleppo, there is clear evidence relatively open southern border will increase that others are almost seamlessly moving in as the fighting intensifies in Syria. to the vacuum left behind. Some of those refugees also bring their own And in some Kurdish parts of northern Syria political baggage with them and there have the opposition forces of the Democratic already been disturbances in the border Union Party (PYD) and other smaller fac- tions have all but taken over. The leader of the PYD, Salih Muslim, spoke to the BBC in recent days about his move- ment's strategy and aspirations. "We are able to govern ourselves - we have The crisis has emboldened Syria's Kurds the power for it," he said. but some analysts say their relationship with the FSA is tense Mr Muslim was careful to insist, at this stage at least, that he wasn't calling for an inde- pendent Kurdistan but an autonomous Kurdish Syrian refugees Some Syrian in Syria for pragmatic and economic reasons region within a new, democratic Syria. Kurds have fled to Iraq, but the many as much as anything, has all but given up remaining are asserting autonomy as the It is thought that Kurdish militias now on Damascus. Assad regime becomes embroiled in conflict control at least four main towns and cities in On more than one occasion Mr Erdogan has northern Syria. They reportedly include at called on President Bashar al-Assad to stop least parts of Qamishlo, Efrin, Amude, the onslaught against his own people and to Terbaspi and Ay El Arab. camps. step down before more lives are lost. More remarkable is that although there Occasionally ethnic and regional tensions Assad handover? spill over as thousands of displaced Syrians were sporadic clashes and some loss of life live cheek by jowl in tents under the bliste- many of them appear to have been secured Some in Turkey also believe that a despe- ringly hot summer sum. without much of a fight. rate President Assad has deliberately aban- doned, or handed over, the northern regions "We warned them to leave the Kurdish But for Turkey, the refugee issue is a mere to the PYD in order to create tensions with areas, otherwise we would resort to diffe- inconvenience compared to what it thinks Turkey and also divide the already fractious rent measures," says Muslim, referring to will be the biggest fall-out of the Syrian cri- opposition movements in Syria. sis - the Kurds and Kurdistan. civil administrators and officials from Damascus who used to run the towns." "In the North, (Assad) has already allocated In an almost mirror image of what happe- five provinces to the terrorists (Kurds)," Mr They were aware of the people's demands ned in Iraq after 1991, Kurdish nationalists Erdogan was quoted as saying by a Turkish and that's why they gave in without blood in northern Syria are making the most of the news agency last week. Ankara simply being spilled." turmoil and violence in the rest of the coun- regards the Syrian PYD as a branch of its try to strengthen their own identity and Erdogan's "terrorist" threat own, outlawed PKK. position. Quite deliberately choosing to describe the But the criticism and allegations of trying to 'Govern ourselves' region of northern Syria as "West Kurdistan" create regional instability aren't limited to ☛

68 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ☛ the pariah that is the regime in Damascus. quite literally marking out their territory, the In some Syrian Kurdish towns under the de- famously nationalist Turks are, to put it facto control of the PYD, pro Assad troops The autonomous Kurdish administration in mildly, concerned. have remained in their barracks, raising northern Iraq has now admitted it has been questions about a deal, of sorts, between training Kurdish-Syrian fighters on its terri- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davatoglu is Damascus and the Kurds. tory. being dispatched to northern Iraq in the coming days where, according to reports, And, the biggest question of all, will Turkey In a recent interview the regional leader, he will talk with Kurdish officials there about carry out its threat to intervene militarily in President Massoud Barzani, openly confir- the situation in Syria and Turkish "sensitivi- northern Syria to prevent the creation of a med the presence of a military training ties." Kurdish "entity". camp where "a good number of young Kurds" have been trained. Many things are still unclear; relations bet- One thing is certain. If and when President ween the Syrian Kurds and other opposition Assad is driven from power, the country he Tension with FSA groups (the Free Syria Army) are said to be leaves behind will for some time be divided, With as many as 20million Kurds in Turkey tense. damaged and violent.
alone, watching their brethren to the east

29 July 2012 Kurds and Turks: Business as usual – for now The Kurds’ only independent political entity is cozying up to Turkey to do business. How long can Iraqi Kurdistan stay in the quiet eye of the regional storm and avoid collateral damage?

By Riad al Khouri recent warning that Ankara sells raw materials to Turkey, lation means that the KRG is reserves the right to act in including oil. About ten KRG forced to export oil without n the high-level geopolitical northern Syria against any trucks laden with crude oil recourse to Baghdad, which Ihurricane currently building Kurdish militant organization enter Turkey daily, but that will should technically control mar- up in the Middle East, autono- perceived as hostile, to prevent soon increase to up to 200. The keting of crude oil. Yet another mous Iraqi Kurdistan seems to it from “establish[ing] itself first phase of a pipeline that is row is breaking out between be the tranquil eye of the storm. there and threaten[ing] due to carry up to one million Baghdad and Erbil - over the The province of nearly 5.5 mil- Turkey.” barrels of oil a day from Iraqi deal just made between the lion people enjoys a GDP per Kurdistan to Turkey is sched- KRG and the United States capita that has now grown to Turkish fears of Kurdish mili- uled to finish by the end of giant Chevron, which is not, well over $5000, while its poli- tant spillover near its borders 2012. Kurdish gas will also later according to the federal govern- tical stability is maintained by are put aside, however, when be on offer after a recent under- ment, supposed to operate in the Kurdistan Regional the KRG and the Turks increas- standing between Ankara and Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq Government (KRG). Iraqi ingly cozy up to do business. Erbil over future Turkish under separate, parallel agree- Kurdistan’s provincial capital. This trend has been established imports of the fuel. ments. Erbil, is a gateway to Iraq for over the last five years, after businesses and traders from Turkey redefined its geopoliti- Great, one might say - but the Iraqi Kurdistan seems set for neighboring countries. cal environment, by publicly story doesn’t end there. Three significant economic success in growling at Israel and deepen- weeks ago, Iraq’s prime minis- the long-term because of its Yet, for Iraqi Kurds, blips on ing its economic engagement ter and oil minister accused the strategic geopolitical position the radar are appearing. Turkey with its immediate neighbors, KRG of “smuggling” crude oil to and openness to trade, but has warmed to the KRG for the including Iraq. Turkey - and Iran. Though such those very factors are likely to last few years. But last week, charges had been leveled lead to a very turbulent and the Turkish government Helped by Ankara’s concerted before, this was the first time politically-charged short-term, expressed anxiety that a group promotion of bilateral trade, the KRG was directly accused as relations between the KRG linked to the Kurdistan Iraqi Kurdistan imported by Baghdad’s council of minis- and its neighbors, whether in Workers Party (or PKK), an around $5.5 billion worth of ters in a cabinet meeting, a Baghdad or Ankara, as well as organization that Turkey views goods from Turkey last year, clear heightening of tension events in Syria, face the test of as terrorist, is now entrenched making the province Turkey’s between the federal and provin- the region’s rough instability. in northern Syria near the eighth-biggest export destina- cial governments. HHH Turkish border. tion. (A look around the bur- geoning malls in Erbil on my The Kurds counter-argue that Riad al Khouri, an Arab econ- Turkish Foreign Minister most recent mission there sev- the federal parliament has been omist who lives and works in Ahmet Davutoglu is due to visit eral weeks ago confirmed that, unable to legislate regulations the region, is a principal of Erbil this week to influence the increasingly, many of the goods for the oil sector through a Development Equity KRG’s position in regard to on sale are Turkish-made.) hydrocarbon law, although a Associates Inc, Washington Syria’s Kurds, and he is likely to draft bill was presented six DC. re-iterate his prime minister’s For its part, Iraqi Kurdistan years ago. The absence of legis-

69 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 19 juillet 2012 "L'alaouistan", ou la stratégie du repli de Bachar al-Assad Selon plusieurs experts, le président syrien a déjà préparé la région côtière pour s'en servir de base de repli.

Par Céline Lussato tales effectuées dans plusieurs villages de cette partie du pays, comme à Houla achar al-Assad s'est-il rendu ce jeudi ou Treimseh. Opérations qui auraient été dans la ville côtière de Lattaquié, destinées à chasser les populations sun- dirigeant la riposte après nites effrayées par les exactions. B l'assassinat de trois de ces lieu- tenants comme l'ont affirmé à Reuters INACCEPTABLE des sources au sein de l'opposition syri- "Combien de temps pourront-ils s'y enne, ainsi qu'un diplomate occidental ? réfugier ? C’est difficile à savoir. Ils Bachar al-Assad envisagent peut-être ce réduit comme un Malgré le terrible coup porté au régime refuge temporaire, où ils pourront résis- par l'attentat de Damas, Bachar al-Assad commencé depuis plusieurs mois à pré- ter et se réorganiser dans la perspective a tardé à faire une apparition publique, parer", affirmait mercredi l'ancien diplo- de reconquérir la Syrie. Dans le pire des laissant courir des rumeurs de fuite du mate Ignace Leverrier au "Nouvel cas, ils pourraient tenter de s’y fixer à pays ou, moins de façon moins radicale, Observateur". demeure, reconstituant l’ancien Etat des de fuite dans la partie côtière du pays. La Alaouites," souligne Ignace Leverrier. télévision d'Etat a finalement diffusé ZONE CÔTIÈRE ALAOUITE quelques images du président au palais "Il s’agit d’une zone qui couvre la côte Cette éventualité pourrait trouver un présidentiel à Damas, en compagnie du syrienne de la frontière libanaise au Sud, écho favorable auprès de quelques nouveau ministre de la Défense ayant à la limite de l’ancien sandjak minorités syriennes, et notamment les tout juste prêté serment. d'Alexandrette au Nord, sur à peu près Kurdes, désireux également une cinquantaine de kilomètres de large d'autonomie. Elle limiterait peut-être les Mais les rumeurs de fuite ont trouvé un en direction de l’Est." chasses aux sorcières anti-alaouites dans large écho dans la presse. Depuis le pays. Mais pour la grande majorité des plusieurs mois, certains experts red- Selon plusieurs experts, le régime a déjà Syriens, cette option ne semble pas outent en effet que le président ne se préparé cette région pour un repli. "Plus envisageable. C'est "une position inac- replie dans sa région à majorité alaouite ils s'approprieront une part grande de ceptable pour la population, sunnite – la secte chiite à laquelle il appartient – cette région, souligne le diplomate, plus dans son ensemble, à laquelle elle rap- sur la côte méditerranéenne. ils assureront une protection avancée à pelle par trop l’époque où la puissance leurs bastions et le bénéfice de terres mandataire, divisant pour régner, avait "Si la tête du pouvoir était obligée de agricoles fertiles dans cette région". morcelé la Syrie en mini-Etats I quitter Damas, elle pourrait tenter de autonomes", affirme le diplomate. chercher refuge dans le réduit alaouite C'est cette logique qui expliquerait, que Bachar et ceux qui le soutiennent ont d'ailleurs, les dernières opérations bru-

31 juillet 2012

"Abdel Basset Sayda est arrivé ce de M. Barzani et du président irakien soir (dimanche) à Erbil (nord de l'Irak), Jalal Talabani, tandis que le CPKO est Opération et doit rencontrer le président de la proche du Parti des travailleurs du région (autonome) du Kurdistan, Kurdistan (PKK), qui a établi des bases séduction de Massoud Barzani, et d'autres dirigeants dans la région autonome du Kurdistan kurdes" lundi, a déclaré à l'AFP un res- dans le nord de l'Irak. ponsable du Conseil national kurde M. Sayda a effectué auparavant une Sayda au (CNK), qui regroupe des partis kurdes visite secrète dans le Kurdistan pour syriens. rencontrer M. Barzani et d'autres diri- Kurdistan "Sayda veut obtenir un accord avec geants kurdes avant son accession à la les dirigeants kurdes pour qu'ils rejoi- présidence du CNS en juin, a ajouté la gnent le Conseil national syrien", a indi- même source. irakien qué ce responsable. Quelque 2 millions de Kurdes vivent Le Conseil suprême kurde, qui com- en Syrie et M. Sayda lui-même est RBIL (Irak) — Le président du prend le Conseil national kurde et le kurde. EConseil national syrien (CNS), prin- Conseil populaire du Kurdistan occi- Le Conseil national kurde, qui cipale coalition de l'opposition, Abdel dental (CPKO), émanation du Parti de regroupe une douzaine de partis tradi- Basset Sayda, effectue une visite dans le l'union démocratique (PYD), une forma- tionnels kurdes syriens, et le Conseil Kurdistan irakien afin de tenter de tion syrienne proche des rebelles populaire du Kurdistan occidental convaincre les dirigeants kurdes ira- kurdes de Turquie, participera à la ren- (CPKO), ont signé à Erbil le 11 juillet un kiens de rejoindre son organisation, a contre. accord pour unifier leurs rangs, sous le indiqué dimanche un responsable kurde Le Conseil national kurde est proche parrainage de Massoud Barzani.N syrien.

70 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti Les Kurdes tentent de s'unir pour 27 juillet 2012 préparer la Syrie de demain es Kurdes syriens, hostiles au régime PYD, les deux parties ont signé le 11 que les kurdes irakiens entraînaient qui les a réprimés et méfiants envers juillet, sous le parrainage du chef kurde leurs frères syriens, en grande partie l'oppositionL qu'ils jugent peu encline à irakien Massoud Barzani, un accord des déserteurs de l'armée. reconnaître leur spécificité, ont décidé pour unifier leurs rangs. Des décennies de discrimination de s'unir et de gérer leur région pour Désormais, le Conseil national Installés dans le nord de la Syrie, les faire valoir leurs droits dans la Syrie de kurde, qui regroupe une douzaine de Kurdes représentent près de 15% des demain. partis traditionnels kurdes syriens et le 23 millions de Syriens selon les estima- Ils se sont prudemment engagés Conseil populaire du Kurdistan occi- tions de Fabrice Balanche, géographe dans le soulèvement contre le régime de dental (CPKO), émanation du PYD, sont spécialiste de la Syrie. Bachar Al-Assad mais ont tenté de gar- réunis sous la bannière du Conseil Ils se plaignent d'être discriminés der à l'abri des violences leurs régions, suprême kurde. par le régime du parti Baas au pouvoir où les rebelles de l'Armée syrienne libre "L'accord est extrêmement positif et réclament la reconnaissance de leurs (ASL) ne sont pas présents. car nous craignions des affrontements droits culturels et politiques, mais Depuis la semaine dernière, l'armée fratricides avec le PYD qui faisait aupa- jurent ne pas avoir de visées autono- s'est retirée sans combat de certaines ravant le jeu du régime", souligne mistes comme leurs frères irakiens. régions kurdes où des militants Havidar, journaliste kurde dans le nord "Nous voulons que nos droits soient proches du Parti des travailleurs du de la Syrie. clairement reconnus dans la prochaine Kurdistan (PKK, autonomistes kurdes "Il semble que les Kurdes syriens Constitution", affirme Bahjat Bachir, turcs) se sont déployés, suscitant des aient décidé de travailler ensemble", un dirigeant du Parti démocratique soupçons de collusion avec le régime. estime Ignace Leverrier, ex-diplomate kurde en Syrie. Le Premier ministre turc Recep français qui a passé une partie de sa "Nous voulons être des partenaires Tayyip Erdogan a même accusé Damas, carrière en Syrie. Selon lui, le PYD à part entière dans la nouvelle Syrie et son ancien allié, d'avoir "confié" plu- "commence peut-être à comprendre que sommes attachés à l'unité du pays", sieurs zones du nord de la Syrie à la le régime est fini". assure M. Bachir. branche syrienne du PKK, le Parti de Le CPKO nie lui toute collusion avec Les Kurdes ont aussi des relations l'union démocratique (PYD). le régime. "Nous avons nettoyé pacifi- difficiles avec le Conseil national syrien Le PKK est considéré comme une quement nos régions de la présence des (CNS), qu'ils accusent de chercher à organisation terroriste par Ankara et forces gouvernementales", affirme à marginaliser les groupes religieux et plusieurs autres pays. l'AFP son porte-parole, Chirzad Izidi. ethniques minoritaires. Et même si son La Turquie a également considéré Selon lui, son parti a formé des nouveau chef, Abdel Basset Sayda, est l'installation du PYD près de la frontière "unités populaires kurdes", sorte de kurde, il ne représente pas pour autant comme "dirigée contre" elle. Ce parti peshmergas syriens, à l'instar de leurs cette minorité, selon les militants. compte de nombreux combattants frères irakiens, pour assurer l'ordre. "Les Kurdes veulent que la révolu- venus du Kurdistan d'Irak pour soute- Si les combattants du PYD étaient tion leur garantisse leurs droits avant nir leurs frères de Syrie. jusqu'à présent les seuls à disposer l'issue finale", explique Ignace Malgré la grande méfiance entre les d'armes dans les zones kurdes, Leverrier. N(AFP) partis kurdes syriens traditionnels et le Massoud Barzani a révélé récemment

L'Iran ripostera "durement" en 30 juillet 2012 cas d'attaque turque en Syrie OLJ/AFP Watan. lière limitée dans le nord de la Syrie et La République islamique a informé notamment dans la province d'Alep en 'Iran a mis en garde récemment la Ankara qu'elle "ripostera très durement vue de créer une zone tampon". Turquie contre toute attaque en terri- contre toute agression à l'intérieur du Les rebelles de l'Armée syrienne Ltoire syrien, affirmant que Téhéran territoire syrien et que l'Iran réactiverait libre (ASL), dont le quartier général est ripostera "durement" pour venir au (le cas échéant) l'accord de défense en Turquie, tentent de gagner la bataille secours de son allié, a indiqué lundi al- commune signée avec la Syrie", écrit al- dans la ville d'Alep en vue de créer une Watan, quotidien proche du pouvoir à Watan. "zone sécurisée" dans le nord syrien. Damas. Il s'agit d'une "réponse claire aux L'armée turque poursuivait lundi le "La Turquie a reçu au cours des der- dernières menaces du Premier ministre renforcement de son dispositif à la fron- nières heures des mises en garde très turc", selon le diplomate. Recep Tayyip tière syrienne avec l'envoi de batteries fermes et le message suivant: 'gare à Erdogan a accusé le 26 juillet Damas de missiles, de chars et de véhicules de vous si vous changez les règles du jeu'", d'avoir "confié" plusieurs zones du nord combat d'infanterie dans le sud du a indiqué le quotidien, citant un diplo- de la Syrie au PKK et prévenu pays, selon l'agence de presse Anatolie. mate arabe non identifié. qu'Ankara pourrait exercer son droit de Le diplomate arabe cité par al-Watan "Ankara se préparait, aux côtés des poursuite à chaud en Syrie contre ces est présenté comme issu d'un pays où Etats-Unis, à intervenir militairement rebelles kurdes de Turquie. le gouvernement est partisan du régime dans le dossier syrien en utilisant le Le diplomate arabe a précisé que "la de Bachar el-Assad. dossier kurde comme un prétexte, mais Turquie s'est mise d'accord avec les Téhéran est le principal allié du pou- N l'Iran a mis fin aux rêves turcs", écrit al- Etats-Unis sur une intervention fronta- voir syrien dans la région.

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

Xf3nOndt Dimanche 29 -Lundi 30 juillet 2012

L'armée syrienne a lancé ses chars contre Alep

Les dernières heures avant l'assaut, Alep (Syrie) Envoyée spéciale par notre reporter Florence Aubenas

LA GRANDE PRIÈRE du vendredi

vient de se terminer à la mosquée tr Nour Al-Chouhada, à Alep. La cha¬

leur et la poussière montent com¬

me une vapeur, c'est une de ces

journées où, même sans bouger, fcj' on se couvre de sueur instantané¬ ? ment. Les fidèles commencent à r. sortir de la mosquée. La semaine "-y ' dernière, ils avaient réussi à faire

dixmètresdans la-rae;.Enfait,'ils

n'ont jamais réussi à avancer * -T*- davantage en un an, depuis que des ittmifestâtidhs contre le régi¬ )i * *

me ont lieu tous les vendredis, ici comme dans la plupart des villes

en Syrie. A lamosquée Nour Al-Chouhada, les choses se sont r/j*. "*' d'ailleurs toujours déroulées de la 'WOBK même manière, semaine après c \ semaine. Passé le seuil, quelqu'un lance ^ assez vite : «Allah akbar. » Le cri 1 J agit comme' signal : des policiers v< et des chabbiha - les âmes dam¬

nées du régime -se mettent me noue une cravate d'un geste réprimander au téléphone un immédiatement à tirer. Cinq abandonné. Les habitants ont fui fonctionnaire de l'administration minutes plus tard - même si cer¬ avantageux. en masse depuis que l'armée régu- . La manifestation s'arrête alors, des eaux : «Puisqueje vous dis que tains vendredis, on a tenu jusqu'à lière a annoncé une offensive d'en¬ comme effrayée d'elle-même. dix- l'endroit est vide. Parfois, il vergure pour récupérer Alep. La Quelqu'un amène un corps, entou¬ n'y a pas de victime. Les rebelles semblent plupart repassent la ligne de ré d'un drapeau. Est-ce un des Ce vendredi 27 juillet, donc, ils . démarcation, pour se retrouver 17 morts dans l'attaque d'hélicopr avancer comme des sont 250 manifestants environ à du côté gouvernemental et éviter tère du matin ou un des 40 autres s'engager dans la rue. Ils avancent funambules surleur les bombardements. Dans la rue, un notable soupire : « Dans le cas des deux bombardements aériens fil, sûrs d'eux, tout en où l'armée de Bachar reprend du quelques heures plus tard, tous «Dites-le à la télé: terrain, unepartie des habitants se menés par les troupes de Bachar donnant le vertige à remettra à le soutenir. » . nous sommes allés Al-Assad ? Personne ne sait. Le ceux qui les regardent corps est porté en tête du cortège. Depuis deux jours, deux avions jusqu'à laboutique On lance à nouveau «Allah de chasse ont déjà survolé la ville le gouvernement, c'est nous. Vous du tailleur akbar», qui sera à peu près le seul et le quartier de Salaheddine a été devez obéir. « Et l'autre, au bout du cri - on n'ose pas dire slogan - du lourdement pilonné. Il est à la fois pourhommes!» fil, qu'on entend hésiter : « Oui, défilé. le premier à s'être insurgé à Alep Un manifestant mais si le régime revient?» Haji Cela a duré une demi-heure. . et aussi le plus proche de la zone hausse les épaules. «Le régime ? Il C'était la première manifestation contrôléepar le régime. Les forces d'un mètre. Ils avancent de deux. est trèsfatigué.» du vendredi, à Alep, deuxième vil¬ régulières n'ont, semble-t-il, pas Haji a 32 ans, une barbe soignée Quelqu'un lâche : «Allah akbar» le de Syrie, depuis que les rebelles réussi à y pénétrer. Quatre-vingt- Pas un coup de feu. Personne en et un long visage un peu triste. de l'Armée syrienne libre y sont trois tanks, venus notamment d'I- Choisi par tous ses pairs pour diri¬ vue. Alors, un autre, à son tour : entrés en masse dimanche. « Grâ- ger la région militaire, il a hâte de dlib, se seraient également massés «Allah akbar. » Ils continuent de ceàeux, la révolution a avancéde près du pont de Rammoussa, de marcher, centimètre par centimè¬ 100 mètres », dit un jeune dentis¬ retrouver son entreprise de l'autre côté de la cité, même si les tre. Ils vont dépasser les te. Il en rit lui-même. «Maispour semencesdanslenorddupays.il troupes rebelles en ont détruit dix mètres, une foule à la fois déci¬ nous, c'est énorme. » vient de recevoir de l'argent du sept sur le chemin. Aux yeux de dée, scandant de plus en plus fort, Cette marche-là ressemble Qatar, mais toujours pas d'armes. tous, ces deux derniers jours ont mais qui tressaille au moindre bien, à vrai dire, à la situation. Quand on lui dit que Bachar donc semblé particulièrement cal¬ bruit, s'émiettant parfois, prête à Beaucoup de choses ont changé Al-Assad est, lui, soutenu par mes, mais personne nétrouvait se volatiliser. depuis l'arrivée des rebelles, mais l'Iran, la Chine et la Russie, il haus¬ que c'était bon signe, a Ils sont à presque 100 mètres ils semblent avancer comme des se les épaules. «Eh bien, nous, on îiORENCE Aubenas de la mosquée maintenant, et ils funambules sur leur fil, lente¬ gagnera tout seuls. Ici, à Alep, va se

n'en croient pas leurs yeux. «Dites- ment, sûrs d'eux, tout en donnant jouer le grand combat. » le àla télé: nous sommes allésjus¬ le vertige à ceux qui les regardent. Rues désertes, magasins fer¬

qu'à la boutique du tailleurpour més, plus de voituresje pain qui Dans son bureau, un des princi¬ hommes », crie un père de famille commence à manquer : dans sa - paux commandant de l'Armée et, pour preuve, il montre l'ensei¬ partie est, contrôlée par les rebel¬ syrienne libre, Haji, est en train de gne où un garçon blond en costu- les, la ville ressemble à un décor

72 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 29 July 2012

Talk to Al Jazeera

TheMassoud Kurdish president Barzani:warns that Iraq's Kurds Flying could seek the independence Kurdish if they do notflag get what they need from Baghdad. "... Some of the people in Baghdad do not intend any goodwill for the people of Kurdistan and they are sim- ply hostile to the Kurdistan region .... They just want to stop the progress that the Kurdistan region is mak- ing." - Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish president

here are more than thirty million Kurds "I am very proud of being rest of Iraq. - most of them living in an overlapping one individual among the Tarea of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. Kurdish people because "We have seen tanks, artillery and other our people have had their weaponry being used against our people. It is said to be the biggest ethnic commu- suffering and pain and We have seen large numbers of troops nity in the world without a homeland. In they don't think about being used against our people," explains some of the countries in which they live, retaliation or revenge Barzani. "Our fear is not of that. Our fear they are prevented from speaking their after the tragedies that is the mentality that still believes in using language or obtaining citizenship. have happened to them." planes, artillery and tanks to solve prob- - Massoud Barzani, Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi leader, lems. We do not believe that that will solve the Kurdish president used chemical weapons against the the problem. This is the wrong approach Kurds, destroyed their villages and killed and the misery and the troubles that Iraq tens of thousands of them during his rule. part of Iraq, fuelled by oil and Turkish faces today is a result of that kind of men- The bodies are still being unearthed. investment. tality. Therefore we do not want that to be repeated again. The US encouraged them to rise up And while relations with Turkey have against Saddam when his forces were improved, they have worsened with "Otherwise if Baghdad or the federal gov- driven out of Kuwait in 1991 but then left Baghdad - with disagreements over oil, ernment thinks about the usage of such them hanging. And thousands died fleeing land and politics that some fear could turn things then we will be obliged to go back to Turkey as refugees. violent. to the times when we had to think about how to target the F-16s in order not to But the no-fly zone that the US, British Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish president, allow them to reach here. We hope this and French established to protect them has emerged as a crucial player in Iraqi will not be the case but we have to get from Saddam's attacks, allowed them to politics and as the leader of Kurdish aspi- ready." break away from Iraqi government author- rations in the region. ity, while remaining part of Iraq. He has warned that Iraq's Kurds could On this episode of Talk to Al Jazeera, we seek independence if they do not get what sit down with Barzani to find out how far he is willing to go to protect and promote Since 2003, the Kurdish region has they need from Baghdad. And that his N become the most stable and prosperous region will not be dragged down by the the interests of the Kurdish people.

Two soldiers killed in blast in southeast Turkey DIYARBAKIR, Turkey - July 27, 2012 - (Reuters) Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a 27-year campaign against the Turkish state in which 40,000 people, mainly Kurds, have died. TWO TURKISH soldiers were killed in the mainly Kurdish Explosives were buried in a road near military barracks and were set southeast on Friday when the vehicle they were traveling in was off by remote control when the vehicle carrying soldiers passed, the hit by a remote-controlled explosive, security sources said. officials said. A third soldier and one civilian were also wounded in the attack, Turkey, the European Union and the United States all list the PKK as which occurred around 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) near the town of Lice in a "terrorist" organization. Diyarbakir province, they said. The PKK, based mainly in northern Iraq, has scaled back its demands for a Kurdish homeland for Turkey's 14 million Kurds to Security officials blamed the attack on the outlawed Kurdistan
greater cultural rights and political autonomy.

73 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti

DIYARBAKIR,Turkish Turkey / forces July 25, 2012 / kill (Reuters) 15 Kurdishgely Kurdish rebelssoutheast of Turkey. in southeast Turkey has cemented ties with the Kurdish leadership of Iraq's semi- TURKISH SECURITY forces killed at least 15 Kurdish rebels in a autonomous north, where the PKK has a military presence, through raid near the country's border with northern Iraq after tracking trade and investment, but remains wary that the example of Kurdish them with drones and attacking them with helicopters and on the self-rule in Iraq and deepening chaos in neighboring Syria could ground, officials said on Wednesday. inflame its own Kurdish conflict. They said drones spotted a group of Kurdish fighters who blocked Syrian Kurdish opposition figures say Syrian President Bashar al- roads on Monday in Hakkari province, then pinpointed them for an Assad's forces have quit areas of Hassaka and Aleppo provinces, attack when the Kurdish fighters returned to the same area on which border Turkey, leaving them under the control of the PKK-lin- Tuesday evening. ked Democratic Union Party (PYD). Three Turkish soldiers were injured in clashes that ensued, the secu- The head of the Syrian National Council - which aspires to political rity officials said. leadership of the revolt against Assad and much of whose leadership The region is the theatre of a 28-year-old conflict between Turkish is in Turkey - said Assad's troops had lost control of some parts of those regions, but that the Syrian opposition did not endorse any forces and fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which in H various incarnations has waged a campaign for autonomy in the lar- Kurdish separatist project.

28 July 2012

for direct oil exports illegal. The Kurds argue that the contracts are in Kurd leader warns against line with the constitution and say they have been forced to sell crude because of budget cuts by Iraq delayed revenue transfers from the central Massoud Barzani says any move to cut funding to the region government. in a dispute over oil sales would be a "declaration of war". "Instead of having such an animosity to Kurdistan and the Kurdish people they Jane Arraf should respond to the Iraqi people," Barzani said. alahadin, Iraq - The president of Iraq's Kurdistan region has warned that he "After spending $27bn on the electricity Swould view as a "declaration of war" if the sector can they respond to the Iraqi people federal government cuts funding to the and tell them what happened to that region in a dispute over oil sales to Turkey. money?" In an interview with Al Jazeera this week, Barzani said he would not accept the cur- Massoud Barzani also said his region rent political situation to continue and said would take measures to counter any mili- his region would find ways to counter any tary threat from the Iraqi government. "Our fear is the mentality threat arising out of the Iraqi government's The comments, in the Kurdish leader's first that still believes in using purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the US. international interview in months, appear to planes, artillery and tanks "If Baghdad or the federal government serve notice to the government in Baghdad to solve the problems." thinks about the usage of such things then - Massoud Barzani, that he does not intend to back off on the we will be obliged to go back to the times the Kurdish president escalating dispute over its authority over when we had to think about how to target the region. through his official interpreter. the F-16s... We hope this will not be the Speaking at his presidential palace outside case but we have to get ready," he said. Erbil, Barzani said the issue could be sol- Asked to explain what that would mean, the Kurdish president said: "It’s obvious "For us, F-16s do not differ from MIG 19s or ved if political parties agreed to pass an oil MIG 21s. We have seen them being used and gas law. Hostility by the Iraqi prime what it entails. It's premature [to talk about that now] but certainly the moment they do against us. We have seen tanks, artillery minister and others towards the Kurds was and other weaponry being used against holding it up, he said. that [cut the budget] then we consider it a war declaration." our people. "And of course cutting the budget of the "We have seen large numbers of troops Disputed oil contracts region from Baghdad we would consider it being used against our people. Our fear is as war, a declaration of war and Baghdad The Iraqi government considers the not of that. Our fear is the mentality that still will be held responsible for the conse- Kurdistan region's contracts with oil com- believes in using planes, artillery and tanks I quences," he said, speaking in Kurdish panies such as Exxon Mobil and its plans to solve the problems."

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

IVTERNAnONAL JtextâgMzMmit THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2012 a bomb struck at government security offices in Idhb, or on April 27, when a sui¬ cide bombing killed 11 people in Damas¬ Al Qaeda slips into Syria, cus, Al Nusra claimed credit in postings on a jihadist Web site, according to the

SITE monitoring group. The group also claimed responsibility for a June 30 at¬ changing nature of conflict tack on Al Ikhbariya TV, a pro-govern¬ ment station, which it said "was glorify¬ ing the tyrant day and night." Seven CAIRO media workers were killed, to interna¬ tional condemnation. Spokesmen for the BY ROD NORDLAND Syrian opposition denied any role. It is the sort of image that has become a In February, the US. director ofnation¬ staple ofthe Syrian revolution, a video of al intelligence, James Clapper, told a con¬ masked men calling themselves the Free ir £ gressional hearing that there were "all Syrian Army and brandishing AK-47s the earmarks of an Al Qaeda-like attack" with one unsettling difference. In the in a series of bombings against security background hang two flags of Al Qaeda, and intelligence targets inDamascus. He white Arabic writing on a black field. and other intelligence community wit¬ "We are now forming suicide cells to nesses attributed that to the spread into make jihad in the name of God," said a Syria of the Iraqi branch ofAl Qaeda. speaker in the video, using the classical Shortly before Mr. Clapper's testi¬ Arabic favored by Al Qaeda. «* mony, Ayman atZawahri, the apparent The video, posted on YouTube, is one leader of Al Qaeda since the killing of .more piece of evidence that Al Qaeda Osama bin Laden, released an audio re¬ and other Islamic extremists are doing cording in which he lavishly praised the

their best to hijack the Syrian revolu¬ TURKPIX.VIAAP Syrian revolutionaries, calling, them tion, with a growing although still lim¬ BATTLE IN ALEPPO LOOMS ' lions of the-Levant," a theme that ited success that has U.S. intelligence of¬ À Syrian rebel on Wednesday in the has since been taken up repeatedly in ficials publicly concerned, and Iraqi town ofAzaz, about 30 kilometers from public pronouncements by the group. officials next door openly alarmed. Aleppo, where a major government- Daniel Bymari, a counterterrorism While leaders of the Syrian political rebel clash was expected. specialist who is a professor at Geor¬ and military opposition Continue to deny getown University in Washington and a any role for the extremists, Al Qaeda has fellow at the Brookings Institution, said helped to change the nature of the con¬ it was clear that Al Qaeda was trying to flict, injecting the weapon it perfected in "Our big hope is to form a Syrian-Iraqi . become more active in Syria. As they Iraq suicide bombings -- into the Islamic state for all Muslims, and then have already done in Somalia and Mali, battle against President Bashar àl-Assad announce our wair against Iran and Isra¬ and before that in Chechnya and Yemen, . with growing frequency. The evidence is : el, and free Palestine.'' the group is trying to turn alocal conflict mounting that Syria has become a mag¬ His grandiose plans have been echoed to its advantage. net for Sunni extremists, including those by Al Nusra Front for the People of the "There's no question Al Qaeda wants Levant, which military and intelligence operating under the banner of Al Qaeda. to do that, arid they are actually pretty analysts.say is the major Qaeda affiliate Bab al-Hawa, an important border cross¬ good at this sort of thing," he said. operating in Syria, withtwo other Qaeda- ing with Turkey that fell into Syrian "They've done- well at taking a local linked groups also claiming to be active rebels' hands last Week, has quickly be¬ conflict'' and taking it global. there, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades and come ajihadist congregating point They have done this by relying more The presence of jihadists in Syria has Al Baraa ibn Malik Martyrdom Brigade. heavily on local fighters than on foreign Since the start of the uprising, the accelerated in recent days, in part be¬ ones, except at upper leadership levels Syrian government has sought to depict cause of a convergence with the sectari¬ correcting a mistake that cost them the opposition as dominated by Al an tensions, across the country's long Qaeda and jihadist allies, something the border in Iraq. Al Qaeda, throughan au¬ opposition has denied and independent "Our big hope is to form dio statement, has made an undisguised observers have said was not true at the a Syrian-Iraqi Islamic state bid to link its insurgency in Iraq with the time. The uprising began as a peaceful for all Muslims, and then revolution in Syria, depictingboth as sec¬ protest movement and slowly turned in¬ tarian conflicts Sunni versus Shiite. announce our war against Iran Iraqi officials said that the extremists to an armed battle in response to the and Israel, and free Palestine." operatingin Syria are in many cases the government's use of overwhelming very same militants striking across lethal force, they say. their country. "We are 100 percent sure Syrian state media have routinely de¬ credibility in the early years of the Iraqi . from security coordination with Syrian scribed every explosion as a suicide conflict. "They learned a lot from Iraq," authorities that the wanted naines that bombing, as they did with a bombing on Mr. Byman said. "They even write we have are the same wanted names July 18 that killed at least four high- about this they say, 'We got on the . that the Syrian authorities have, espe¬ ranking government officials. wrong side of the locals.'" In Iraq, the Over time, however, Syria did become cially within the last three months," government is led by the Shiite major¬ Izzat al-Shahbandar a close aide to a draw forjihadists as the battle evolved ity, while à Sunni minority has been Al the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al- into a sectarian war between a Sunni- Qaeda's early breeding ground. Maliki said Tuesday. "Al Qaeda that is dominated opposition and government On Sunday, one day before a wave of operating in Iraq is the same as that and security forces dominated by the 40 attacks across in Iraq, Abu Bakr al- which is operating in Syria," he said. Alawite minority. Beginning in Decem¬ Baghdadi, the pseudonymous leader of One Qaeda operative, a 56-year-old ber, analysts began seeing -what many the group's Iraqi affiliate, issued a rare known as Abu Thuha who lives near thought really were suicide bombings. audio statement, not only predicting the Kirkuk, Iraq, spoke to an Iraqi reporter Since then, there have been at least 35 next day's attacks, but also lavishly : for The New York Times on Tuesday. . car bombings and 10 confirmed suicide praising Syrian revolutionaries. "You "We have experience now fighting the bombings, 4 of which have been claimed have taught the world lessons in cour¬ Americans, and more experience now by Al Nusra Front, according to data age, jihad and patience," he said, ac¬ with, thé Syrian revolution," he said. compiled bythe Institute for the Study of cording to a translation provided by the War. In some cases, like on June 1, when mohitoring organization SITE.

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

Joseph Holliday, an analyst from the posed tô a role for Al Qaeda iritheir pop¬ had heard rumors about Qaeda fighters,

institute for the Study of War who stud¬ ular uprising. 'but had never actually seen one. In Deir ies Al Qaeda and the Arab Spring, said,: "Every now and then, we hear about Ezzor this year, a massive truck bomb "The emergence of.Al Qaeda-linked ter¬ Al Qaeda in Syria, but there is so far no. exploded near a military base . which rorist cells working against the regime material evidence that they are here," the resistance immediately attributed poses risks to the United States and a said Samir Nachar, a member of the ex¬ to the Assad regime, claiming it bombed challenge to those calling for material, ecutive bureau of the Syrian National itself. support of the armed opposition." Congress. "The regime has talked about "If Al Qaeda comes to get rid of him," He added: "It's something to keep an it, arid there were political statements Sayid said.referring to Mr. Assad, "why eye out for, the convergence of Iraq and from the Iraqi government that Al not? But I personally have seen none of Syria. As the'Syrian government loses Qaeda has moved from Iraq to Syria, but them." the ability to project force on the peri¬ on the ground.there is no information on phery of its territory, what you're going the presence offoreign fighters." DuraidAdnan contributed reporting

to see is an emboldened Sunni opposi¬ In Deir Ezzor, Syria, not far from the from Baghdad; Dalai Màwad, Neil Mac- tion emerging in Nineveh and Iraq." Iraqi border, a Free Syrian Army bri¬ Farquhar and Haida Saadfrom Beirut;

For the moment, though, mainstream gade leader, identified only as Sayid, and Eric Schmittfrom Washington. Syrian rebels are nearly uniformly op said in an interview by Skype that he

, MTHUttTIO.NAL Jkrdfcg&lSributti» Thursday, july 26, 2012 Syria is Iraq

ground in Syria or anywhere in the country into more homogeneous blocks Arab world again and the U.S. public of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds. would not support it I find myself But the U.S. presence in Iraq con¬ hoping my analysis is wrong and that tained that civil war and ethnic cleans¬ Syrians will surprise us by finding then- ing from spreading to neighboring own way, withjust arms and diplomatic states. And once that civil war burned it¬ assistance, to a better political future. I self out and all sides were exhausted Thomas L. know columnists are supposed to and more separated the U.S. success¬ pound the table and declaim what is . fully brokered a new Constitution and Friedman necessary. But when you believe that power-sharing deal in Iraq, with the what is necessary, an outside midwife Shiites enjoying majority rule, the Sun- for Syria, is impossible, you need to say out of power but not powerless, and so. I think those who have been advoc¬ Hie Kurds securing semi-autonomy. The Lord knows I am rooting for the opposi¬ ating a more activist U.S. intervention " Cost ofthis transition in lives and money tion forces in Syria to quickly prevail on in Syria and excoriating President was huge, and even today Iraq is not a their own and turn out to be as demo¬ Obama for not leading that are not . ijtablè or healthy democracy. But it has cratically inclined as we hope. But the being realistic about what it would take

for me, the lesson of Iraq is quite simple : against a regime that plays by what I there is a surprise. A surprise would be You can't go from Saddam to Switzer¬ call Hama Rules, which are no rules at the disparate Syrian opposition groups

land without getting stuck in Hobbes all. The Assad regime deliberately congealing into à united political front awar of all against all unless you have killed demonstrators to turn this con¬ -r- maybe with the help of U.S., Turkish a well-armed external midwife, whom flict into a sectarian struggle between and Sàudiintelligence officers on the everyone on the ground both fears and the ruling minority Alawite sect, led by ground and this hew front reaching trusts to manage the transition. In Iraq, the Assad clan, arid the country's ma¬ out to moderate Alawites and Christi¬ that was America The kind oflow-cost, jority of Sunrii Muslims. That's why the ans who supported the Assads out of remote-control, U.S./NATO midwifery opposite of the Assad dictatorship fear and agreeing to build a new order that ousted Qaddafi and gave birth to a could be the breakup of Syria as the together that protects majority and

"Libya is not likely to be repeated in Syr¬ Alawites retreat to their coastal re¬ minority rights. It would be wonderful ia. Syria is harder. Syria is Iraq. doubt and a permanent civil war. to see the tyrannical Assad- Russia- And Iraq was such a bitter experi- There are two things that could divert iran-Hezbollah axis replaced by a de¬ ence for America that we prefer never us from that outcome. One is the Iraq al¬ mocratizing Syria, not a chaotic Syria.

to speak of it again. But Iraq is relevant ternative, where America went in and But color me dubious. The 20 percent here. The only reason Iraq has any decapitated the Saddam regime, occu- of Syrians who are pro-Assad Alawites chance for a decent outcome today is pied'the country and forcibly changed it or Christians will be terrified of the new because America was on the ground from a minority Sunm-led dictatorship Sunni Muslim majority, with its Muslim

with tens of thousands of troops to act to a majority Shiite-led democracy. Be¬ Brotherhood component, and this . as that well-armed midwife, reasonably cause of both U.S. incompetence and Sunni Muslim majority has suffered trusted and certainly feared by all the nature of Iraq, this U.S. intervention such brutality from this regime that re¬ sides, to manage Iraq's transition to triggered a civil war in which all the conciliation will be difficult, especially more consensual politics. My gut tells parties in Iraq Sunnis, Shiites and with each passing day of bloodshed. me that Syria will require the same to Kurds tested the new balance of Without an external midwife or a Syri¬ have the same chance. power, inflicting enormous casualties .. an Mandela, the fires of conflict could But because I absolutely would not ' on each other and leading, tragically, to burn for a long time. I hope I am sur¬ advocate U.S. intervention on the ethnic cleansing that rearranged the prised.

76 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 27, 2012

Jenkins. "The problem is there would inevi- tably be civilian casualties because these Kurdish worries drag camps would be put near civilians." Then, there is the risk of severe retalia- Turkey deeper into tion. Earlier this week, Syria's government said that while it would not use chemical weapons against its own people, it might Syria war against any foreign intervention. fleeing civilians through. "Unlike with Iraq, attacks in Syria can By Peter Apps and Daren Butler Whatever might happen on the Kurdish very likely draw Turkey into a prolonged front, a senior Turkish official speaking on military confrontation with the Assad ONDON/ISTANBUL (Reuters) -- condition of anonymity said support for the regime, which has a formidable military LTurkey may be some way from acting rebels was set to continue - although clear and the political will to respond," says on Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's threat caution remains. Hayat Alvi, lecturer in Middle Eastern poli- to strike Kurdish separatists in Syria, but "Naturally we are watching develop- tics at the US Naval War College. "Syria and week by week it finds itself sucked ever fur- ments in the Kurdish region, but Ankara Turkey are both heightening the rhetoric, ther into its neighbor's worsening war. will not give up on its support for the whole but it would be a huge gamble for both sides The shooting down of a Turkish recon- revolution because something has happe- to engage in military confrontation." naissance jet last month was seen by many ned in the Kurdish region," he said. Turkish leaders have long regretted the as a turning point, prompting Ankara to "We have been saying from the start, we way in which northern Iraqi Kurdistan join Saudi Arabia at Qatar in semi-covert do not think it is right to impose a regime effectively seceded after the 1991 Gulf War. support for the Free Syrian Army fighting from outside... The Syrian people must At worst, Turkey now fears Iraqi and Syrian against President Bashar al-Assad. decide its own future." Kurdish areas might try to come together to On Friday, Reuters revealed the exis- form a larger Kurdistan - an entity that The official declined to comment on tence of a secret Turkish operations centre might yearn for swathes of Turkish terri- what Turkey might do if the PKK establi- where it worked with the two Gulf states to tory. shed itself in the region. provide aid and weaponry to the rebels. SIMPLY SABRE RATTLING? CROSSING RED LINES For most foreign powers, events in Already, commentators in Turkish Syria's Kurdish provinces are largely seen a What Turkey is desperate to avoid is a newspapers express growing concern that sideshow compared Assad's battle to sur- scenario in which Kurdish parts of Syria that is exactly what is happening. What the vive. But Erdogan's comments on Thursday quietly break away from the rest as the PKK may end up running in parts of Syria, made it clear that Turkey is alarmed by government, rooted in Assad's Alawite they say, may not just be assorted training worries over Kurdish PKK rebels taking minority sect, slugs it out with the predomi- camps but a de facto Kurdish state. advantage of the chaos. nantly Sunni Muslim opposition. The image of PKK members directing The Turkish leader - once a friend to his "Any area which serves as a potential traffic and performing other civic duties, Syrian counterpart who helped to rehabili- haven for the PKK or its affiliated groups some Turks worry, could help swell its sup- tate Assad on the international stage, but poses a direct threat to Turkish security and port both amongst Kurds and more now apparently an increasingly implacable Ankara's jingoistic rhetoric should be jud- broadly. At the very least, the PKK would foe - accused Damascus of allocating five ged in this context," says Anthony Skinner, probably have access to both new recruits provinces to the PKK. head of the Middle East practice at UK- and some of the weaponry made available based security consultancy Maplecroft. Both Ankara and most Western powers by Syria's wider and fast-growing conflict. view the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as "Any government which allows the PKK "The recent developments could pro- a terrorist group, blaming it for a long-run- to set up training camps represents a red vide the PKK with significant military ning conflict that has killed some 40,000 line for Ankara.... Ankara is again warning opportunities. If the government doesn't people since it took up arms in 1984. Damascus not to cross Turkey." take any precautions and wastes this most Turkey regularly strikes PKK bases in Iraq's But if it is to take military action, precious time, Turkey will face serious northern self-ruled Kurdish enclave, and Turkey's options are somewhat limited. security problems," Nihat Ali Ozcan, a secu- Erdogan made it clear the same option was Turkey might have the largest military in rity analyst at the Ankara-based think tank being discussed for Syria. the region, but a large-scale ground incur- TEPAV, wrote in Hurriyet Daily News. "We will not allow a terrorist group to sion is seen as unlikely for now. "The PKK wants to harvest the political establish camps in northern Syria and An airstrike on a known PKK facility - or opportunities these military advantages Turkey," he told a news conference before perhaps a Syrian government post believed would provide, will rise up and be more travelling to London for the opening of the supporting them - seems a much more pro- aggressive about reaching its aims." Olympics. "If there is a step which needs to bable approach. But while air defenses over Exactly how much support Syria might be taken against the terrorist group, we will Kurdish areas are seen as a much less be giving Kurdish separatists is far from definitely take this step." sophisticated than those along the coast, clear, although some Syrian opposition Rising numbers of refugees crossing the the loss of one Turkish jet already points to figures accused the PKK's local partners, border could put further pressure on the dangers of entering Syrian airspace. the PYD, of acting as enforcers for Assad. Turkey. If, as many expect, Assad's forces "If Turkey could prove that there was an Under both Assad and his father, Hafez, target the partially rebel-held city of Aleppo attack coming out of Syria against Turkey, Turkish accusations of Syrian backing for in the coming days, numbers could soar. then it could launch an air strike, if it could the PKK were points of contention and Turkey has already closed its borders to identify a specific PKK camp in Syria," said occasionally led to threats of outright commercial traffic but says it will allow Istanbul-based security expert Gareth ➤ conflict.

77 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti ➤ In 1998, Turkey moved tanks to the support. "But someone - most likely the border and explicitly threatened to send Some kind of at least tacit agreement Americans - has been sitting on their tail. I them into Syria if Damascus did not expel from Washington might still be needed for don't think the Turks would do anything PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, at the time the Turks to be willing to take action. unless they knew the Americans were with sheltering in Syria. Hafez al-Assad took the them. They want to act, but they don't have "The Turks have been going for a gold threat seriously enough to evict Ocalan - any good options. It's a microcosm of the medal when it comes to sabre rattling," who was shortly afterwards captured in whole Syria situation."
says David Lea, regional analyst for Control Kenya by Turkish forces and probable US Risks, a consultancy firm.

July / 27 / 2012

* By firing bullets? * Or by a policy that would suit a demo- The Arab Spring has cratic country? What happens if an Alevi/Christian mas- sacre starts in Syria? transformed into The situation in the areas under the control of the opposition in Syria is far the Kurdish Spring from pleasant. Ertuğrul Özkök There is a strange situation both in Iraq We hears that such creepy slogans as: and in Syria: Arabs are fighting each other, “Christians to Lebanon, Alevis to the cof- people are dying. fin” are being chanted in those areas. ur Foreign Minister is reported to be “looking for a place for Bashar al- The Kurds are taking one more step on Concrete information is emerging that Assad.” their path to an independent state. Christians are being badly mistreated. O Besides, they are able to achieve this What will Turkey’s stance be if Sunnis You know what, while he is looking for a without firing one bullet, without losing attempted a massacre tomorrow? place, let us, ourselves, look for a new one soul. place for Turkey. Are we going to request the Sunni Arabs Here you go, this is true strategic depth. We may or may not support our country’s to “act with decisiveness”? FOUR: Syrian policy. That does not matter in the Look at the map to see the photograph least. We are all aware of the picture in On the other hand, the outlawed RESULT: front us, aren’t we? Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is figh- From now on we have a 1,200 kilometer We have a 1,200 km long Kurdish border ting and losing lives, but is not able to win. long border with the Kurds. ONE: FIVE: If you look at the map, you will see ano- There is another weird situation present: Only one week ago, we had a 400-kilome- ther reality. ter “Kurdish border.” Now, 800 kilometers In Turkey, the PKK is firing bullets in the On this side of the border, at least 800 to have been added to this. name of Kurds but it has not gained any- 900 kilometers long, the Kurdish popula- thing up to today. Friends, this is the new geopolitical reality tion of Turkey is residing. that has been drawn by “our strategic Let’s stop a minute. This means: depth”: Who can guarantee that the “Kurdish The “Kurdish Spring” has arrived at our As of today, we have a 1,200 kilometer Spring” that has arrived in the Arab coun- border. long Kurdish border. tries will not one day also arrive in To counter a “spring charge” launched by We could not manage 400 km, could we Turkey? Kurds, based on the de facto situation in manage 1,200 km? Don’t mention Foreign Minister the two neighboring countries, we should Davutoğlu. TWO: respond with a serious policy, one that is We should consider this. It is enough if he keeps a distance. backed by the whole of Turkey, not by the The coming era cannot be entrusted to fantasies of an academic. We could not manage a 400 kilometer the fantasies of an academic Kurdish border. How are we going to I might have oversimplified the matter, manage 1,200 kilometers? We are awaiting * This de facto situation achieved by Kurds but the realities facing us are that simple… an “in depth” response to that. in two countries will involuntarily turn May God save Turkey from the after- Arabs are fighting, Kurds are winning eyes to the Kurds in Turkey. shocks of “strategic depth”… THREE: * If one day in the future an intense Ertuğrul Özkök is a columnist for daily “Kurdish Spring charge” is directed in Hürriyet, in which this piece was published on Are you aware, the “Arab Spring” that we Turkey, how are we going to respond to July 26. It was translated into English by the fervently support has completely transfor- this? Daily News staff. med into a “Kurdish Spring”?

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

relTlondf

Mardi 31 juillet 2012

Le régime syrien privilégie à nouveau les bombardements

Combien de temps pourront- ils résister ? Retranchés dans Le chefde l'opposition syrienne quelques quartiers d'Alep, la deuxième ville de Syrie, à 350 km tea envisite dans le Kurdistanirakien au nord de Damas, les insurgés se Hv... SYRIE ffl^. ERBIL. Le président du Conseil national syrien (CNS), principale coalij battentpied à pied pourmaintenir tion de l'opposition, Abdelbasset Sayda, effectue une visite dans le Kur¬ leur position. Lundi 30 juillet au ® Damas distan irakien afin de tenter de convaincre les dirigeants kurdes ira¬ matin, une source sécuritaire kiens de rejoindre son organisation, a indiqué, dimanche 29 juillet, un syrienne assurait que le secteur de :!" -' responsable kurde syrien. «Abdelbasset Sayda est arrivé à Erbil (nord de Salaheddine, au sud-ouest d'Alep, l'Irak) et doit rencontrerleprésident de la région (autonome) du Kurdis¬ où se concentre le plus grandnom¬ SUPERFICIE DE LA VILLE tan, MassoudBarzani, et d'autres dirigeants kurdes » lundi, a déclaré à bre de combattants rebelles, avait l'AFP un responsable du Conseil national kurde (CNK), qui regroupe des été repris par le régime. L'Armée ^ 190 km2 partis kurdes syriens. syrienne libre (ASL) prétendait de Soit 2 fois la superficie de Paris intra-muros Le Conseil suprême kurde, qui comprend le Conseil national kurde et le son côté que ce. quartier demeure Conseil populaire du Kurdistan occidental (CPKO), émanation du Parti sous son contrôle.' Deux alléga¬ de l'union démocratique (PYD), une formation syrienne proche des tions impossibles à vérifier de NOMBRE D'HABITANTS AVANT rebelles kurdes de Turquie, participera à la rencontre. Le Conseil natio¬ ; source indépendante, compte LES AFFRONTEMENTS nal kurde est proche de M. Barzani et du président irakien Jalal Talabani,- tenu des entraves posées par 2,5 millions tandis que le CPKO est proche du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan' Damas au travail des journalistes. * La ville la plus peuplée du pays (PKK), qui a établi des bases dans la région autonome du Kurdistan dans Ce que J'on sait, c'est que les le nord de l'Irak. rebelles se défendent avec un arse¬ La vieille ville a été classée Quelque 2 millions de Kurdes vivent en Syrie et M. Sayda lui-même est nal rudimentaire, composé essen¬ au Patrimoine mondial kurde. -(AFP.) m tiellement de kalachnikov et de de l'humanité par l'Unesco lance-roquettes RPG, contre un .en 1986 performantes que celles dont ils Une fuite en avant dans là. ennemi eiijgrande partie invisible. disposent actuellement, notam¬ répression qu'a dénoncée le secré¬ Fidèles à la tactique qu'elles NOMBRE DE MORTS À ALEP ment des lance-roquettes sol-air. taire à la défense américain, Léon avaient testée lors du siège de 485 « Nous voulons des armes capables Panetta. «Alep constitue un nouvel Homs, au mois de février, les for¬ 9e ville la plus touchée du pays, d'arrêter les chars et les avions de exemple tragique de la violence ces régulières ont entrepris de depuis mars 2011 combat, a déclaré Abdelbasset Say¬ aveugle à laquelle a recours le régi¬ pilonnerles secteurs dontles rebel- da. Ilfautque les Syrienspuissentse me d'Assad contre son proprepeu¬ lesse sont emparés ilyauneserhai- NOMBRE DE MORTS DANS 53_2; défendrecontrela machineà tuer. » ple», a déclaré le patron du Penta¬ he. Par tanks, par hélicoptères et LA PROVINCE D'ALEP Dans un communiqué diffusé gone, à bord d'un avion qui l'em¬ même par chasseurs bombardiers . dimanche, le CNS a aussi réclamé menait enTunisie, première étape 1235 MIG. Plutôt que de se lancer dans Depuis mars 2011 une réunion d'urgence du Conseil d'une tournée qui doit également un combat de rue, qui ferait l'affai¬ de sécurité des Nations unies, de le mener en Israël et en Jordanie. re de ses adversaires, rompus à la façon à prévenir le «massacre» «Aw bout du compte, il creuse sa guérilla, l'armée loyaliste a choisi 184 172 queles autorités syriennes s'apprê¬ propre tombe », a-t-il ajouté. -pour l'instant au moins - de les 105 I 102 I tent, selon lui, à commettre à Alep. Depuis Dubaï, où il se trouve, matraquer à distance, en usant de Il a réitéré, une nouvelle fois, son 25 Abdelbasset Sayda a également sa puissance de feu. I i II I appel à « imposer unezone d'exclu¬ annoncé la tenue prochaine de Outre Salaheddine, bombardé Déc.Janv. Fév. Mars Avril Mai Juin Juill.- sion aérienne et à instaurer des 20112012 .; consultations sur la formation de façon rhétronomique, le quar¬ zones sécurisées pour quelque d'un gouvernement de transition, : tier de Sakhour, dans l'est d'Alep, a FORCES ARMÉES DU RÉGIME deux millions de déplacés ». chargé d'organiser des élections été mitraillé par hélicoptères. De Le quotidienpro-gouvememen- libres, une fois le régime tombé. violents affrontements se sont aus- "" 300 000 (en 2011), dont tal Al-Watan affirmait de son côté Une équipe qui, dans son esprit, sidéroulés autourdu siège des ser- 50 000 soldats d'élite que «l'armée syrienne a commen¬ pourrait compter quelques mem¬ vicesde renseignementde l'armée cé une opération très délicate à bres du pouvoir en place. de l'air dans le quartier. d'Al-Zahi- 4 950 chars Aleppour (...)faire régnerl'autorité «Ily a des personnes du régime ra, selon l'Observatoire syrien des delaloietlibérerlesAlépins dester¬ actuel qui n'ontpas de sang sur les droits de l'homme (OSDH). 555 avions dont roristes envoyés de différentes mains et qui n'ont pas été impli¬ D'après cette ONG basé à Londres, 300 chasseurs ' régions du mondepourfaire tom- quées dans les grandes affaires de qui effectue un décompte quoti¬ 36 hélicoptères berï'Etat». corruption, a déclaré M. Sayda. dien dés victimes, 67 personnes d'attaque - Nous allons, en discuter avec ont été tuées dimanche à travers « Aubout du compte, d'autres partis,, mais on devrait toute la Syrie. Samedi; date du SOURCES : GRAFIC NEWS, SYRIANSHUHADA, aboutir à un consensus. » Le chef début de là contre-offensive du AFP, « LE MONDE » le régime d'Assad du CNS a néanmoins rejeté l'idée régime à Alep, elle avait recensé deconfterla directionde cetexécu- creuse sa propre 26.morts dans cette ville et 190 ter longtemps à la machine de ' tif transitoire à Manaf Tlass, un dans l'ensembledu pays. guerre syrienne, le président du tombe» général autrefois proche de Conscient que le rapport de for¬ Conseil national syrien (CNS) a Leon Panetta Bachar Al-Assad et aujourd'hui : ces est déséquilibré et que les exhorté ses alliés arabes et occiden¬ secrétaire à la défense réfugié à Paris.» taux à livrer à l'ASL des armes plus mutins d'Alep ne sauraient résis- américain Benjamin Bakthi

79 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 30 juillet 2012

POLITIQUE | COMMUNAUTÉ KURDE Syrie : la crainte d’une « aventure » turque La menace d’Ankara de représailles dans le nord de la Syrie inquiète la communauté kurde, qui a pris le contrôle de cinq régions frontalières. Le maire kurde de la ville de Sur, au sud-est de la Turquie, Abdullah Demirbas (qui tient le tapis à gauche) a rencontré il y a peu le maire es menaces du Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip de Thionville, Bertrand Mertz (à droite) et a attiré l’attention sur la Erdogan de poursuivre le PKK (Parti des travailleurs du situation des Kurdes en Syrie. Photo RL Kurdistan,L autonomistes kurdes turcs, considérés comme « terroristes » par Ankara) jusqu’en Syrie inquiètent vivement la communauté kurde. Selon Ankara, les rebelles kurdes ratique qui leur garantit des droits en tant que peuple. Une profiteraient des positions de leurs voisins syriens pour s’y intervention de la Turquie serait injuste car il n’y a pas de réfugier et continuer leurs actions de guérilla. Mais ces déc- danger pour la population syrienne. La volonté du peuple larations et la perspective de voir l’armée passer la frontière doit être respectée. » Aussi, il appelle la communauté inter- font ressurgir chez les Kurdes la crainte de massacres. nationale à reconnaître ces nouvelles autonomies. « C’est un bel exemple pour le peuple kurde qui aspire à être reconnu. En déplacement à Thionville pour des raisons culturelles, le Il y aurait un impact certain en Turquie. Malheureusement, le maire kurde de la ville de Sur, au sud-est de la Turquie, pouvoir ne veut pas de démocratie. » Abdullah Demirbas, a qualifié ces projets d’« aventure » qui ne servirait pas les intérêts de la Turquie. Selon le BDP, il y aurait actuellement huit mille prisonniers politiques kurdes en Turquie. « Des maires, des députés, des Face à une centaine de représentants de la communauté conseillers généraux, des académiciens et des intellectuels kurde de Moselle, cet élu du BDP (Parti de la paix et de la sont emprisonnés », détaille Abdullah Demirbas. « S ur la démocratie) a largement commenté l’actualité turque mais scène internationale, Ankara assure mettre tout en œuvre aussi syrienne, après la prise de contrôle, des mains du pour régler le problème kurde, mais dans les faits, la Turquie régime Baas, de cinq régions frontalières par les Kurdes. fait exactement l’inverse ». L’émergence de cette nouvelle région autonome aux fron- tières de la Turquie, après celle du Kurdistan irakien, risque Emprisonné durant deux ans pour « crime de langue » après d’engendrer de vives réactions. avoir édité des textes en kurde dans sa ville, Abdullah « Un bel exemple » Demirbas a été libéré pour raison de santé. « Nous n’avons pas le droit de nous exprimer. Ces pressions font que la « En Syrie, les Kurdes revendiquent leur autonomie mais pas jeunesse se radicalise et nous ne parvenons plus à la canalis- d’indépendance », p récise pourtant Abdullah Demirbas. « Ils er. Depuis le début des procès, deux mille jeunes ont rejoint ne sont pas séparatistes, ils veulent une constitution démoc- le PKK et nous craignons pour leurs vies. » Olivier SIMON.

Le Kurdistan irakien a entraîné des Kurdes syriens (haut responsable)

Erbil (Irak), 31 juillet 2012 (AFP) "Mais nous soutenons l'unité des Kurdes en Syrie, afin qu'ils soient un sou- tien majeur de l'opposition syrienne et un soutien majeur au changement positif en Syrie", a précisé M. Hawrami. LES FORCES KURDES irakiennes ont donné un entraînement de base aux Kurdes syriens afin de "combler une éventuelle brèche dans la Les deux principaux blocs kurdes syriens d'opposition -- le Conseil national sécurité" en cas de chute du régime de Bachar al-Assad, a indiqué kurde, qui regroupe une douzaine de partis traditionnels kurdes syriens, et mardi un haut responsable du parti du président de la région auto- le Conseil populaire du Kurdistan occidental (CPKO) -- ontsigné à Erbil le 11 nome du Kurdistan. juillet un accord pour unifier leurs rangs, sous le parrainage du président du Kurdistan irakien, Massoud Barzani. Un "très petit" nombre de jeunes Kurdes syriens "a reçu un entraînement de base dans les camps de la région afin de combler une éventuelle brèche "Nous, au PDK, suivons les affaires syriennes, parce qu'il y a plus de deux dans la sécurité après la chute du régime syrien", a déclaré à l'AFP Hayman millions de Kurdes en Syrie", a souligné M. Hawrami. Hawrami, responsable des relations extérieures du Parti démocratique du Cette déclaration intervient alors que le président du Conseil national syrien Kurdistan (PDK). (CNS), principale coalition de l'opposition, Abdel Basset Sayda, est en visite "Nous, au PDK et au sein du gouvernement de la région, n'interférons pas au Kurdistan irakien. dans les affaires syriennes, et nous n'imposons aucune équation politique Selon une ONG syrienne, plus de 20.000 personnes ont été tuées en 16 concernant la situation des Kurdes en Syrie", a-t-il ajouté. mois de révolte en Syrie.H

80 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti 27 juillet 2012 Irak. Les troupes kurdes empêchent l’armée d’atteindre la frontière syrienne es troupes du Kurdistan irakien ont déployé des troupes supplémentaires à empêché des soldats de l’armée ira- leur frontière avec la Syrie, pays en proie kienneD de rejoindre un point de passage à un mouvement de contestation réprimé informel avec la Syrie situé dans une zone dans le sang. L’Armée syrienne libre que se disputent la région autonome et le (ASL), formée en majorité de déserteurs gouvernement irakien, ont annoncé les et de civils armés, contrôle l’un des trois autorités kurdes vendredi. postes-frontières avec l’Irak.

Des troupes irakiennes envoyées par Des relations tendues Bagdad ont tenté mercredi « de se rendre de Rabiyah (dans la province de Ninive) L’arrivée des soldats irakiens « n’avait vers la région de Zimar, mais les peshmer- pas été préparée et il s’agit là de terri- gas (troupes kurdes) les en ont empêché toires disputés », a expliqué Jabbar », a indiqué Jabbar Yawar, secrétaire Yawar. « Cette région n’a pas besoin de général du ministère des peshmergas. irakien et le gouvernement central. Selon troupes supplémentaires. Ce sont des Jabbar Yawar, les soldats irakiens étaient zones sûres et stables ». Les relations Protection de la frontière syrienne censés protéger le côté irakien de la fron- entre le gouvernement irakien et les tière avec la Syrie. autorités du Kurdistan, une région riche L’armée irakienne comptait se déployer à en pétrole, sont au plus bas depuis un point de passage informel à L’ASL contrôle les postes-frontières plusieurs mois en raison notamment de Fichkhabour, dans la région de Zimar, profonds différends sur le dossier des contrôlée par les peshmergas depuis Les autorités irakiennes ont récemment hydrocarbures.
1992, mais que se disputent le Kurdistan

Total se lance au Kurdistan irakien et suscite la fureur de Bagdad PARIS, 31 juillet 2012 (AFP) depuis plusieurs mois en raison de différends sur le dossier stratégique des hydrocarbures. Conditions plus alléchantes LE GÉANT PÉTROLIER français Total a mis un pied mardi dans l'exploration pétrolière au Kurdistan irakien, s'exposant aux repré- En effet, les contrats de partage de production proposés par le Kurdistan sailles immédiatement promises par Bagdad, en conflit avec la turbu- sont beaucoup plus lucratifs que les contrats de service du gouvernement lente région autonome sur l'exploitation des hydrocarbures. fédéral, qui offrent un prix fixe par baril de brut. La troisième compagnie pétrolière européenne a annoncé l'acquisition Du coup, les compagnies pétrolières sont de plus en plus tentées de pas- auprès de l'américain Marathon Oil de 35% de deux permis d'exploration, ser outre l'ire de Bagdad et d'aller travailler dans le nord du pays. Total, tout couvrant des superficies respectives de 705 et 424 kilomètres carrés. Le en réaffirmant la souveraineté de l'Irak sur la région autonome, avait gouvernement régional du Kurdistan détient lui-même 20% de ces deux reconnu il y a plusieurs mois négocier une entrée au Kurdistan. blocs. "Les conditions contractuelles y sont meilleures, donc c'est peut-être un De facto, Total s'est lancé dans un bras de fer avec Bagdad, qui entretient petit message à passer sur l'ensemble du pays", avait lancé son PDG des relations exécrables avec la province autonome, à l'image de ses Christophe de Margerie en février. "Beaucoup d'entreprises investissent au rivaux américains Chevron et ExxonMobil désormais en froid avec le gou- Kurdistan irakien, et je ne vois pas pourquoi Total ne pourrait pas le faire", vernement central irakien. avait-il renchéri le mois suivant. Ce dernier n'a pas tardé à réagir. "Nous considérons ce contrat illégal et Total a cherché l'apaisement mardi en réaffirmant dans son communiqué anticonstitutionnel, et nous traiterons cette compagnie comme nous avons "son engagement de contribuer au développement du secteur pétrolier ira- traité celles qui violent la législation irakienne", a déclaré un porte-parole du kien et investir dans de nouveaux projets". vice-Premier ministre irakien chargé de l'Energie, Hussein Chahristani. Cet accord, qui risque d'ouvrir un nouveau chapitre dans les relations entre En réaction, un conseiller du ministre des Ressources naturelles du Total et l'Irak, marque un retour aux sources pour le groupe français. Kurdistan a réaffirmé que la région était dans son bon droit. Son ancêtre, la Compagnie française des pétroles (CFP), avait été créée En juin, le gouvernement irakien avait prévenu les compagnies françaises dans les années 1920 pour prendre part à l'extraction pétrolière en Irak, que tout contrat avec Bagdad serait annulé si elles signaient d'autres suite à la découverte d'un gisement près de Kirkouk, ville du nord du pays contrats avec des autorités locales ou régionales. toujours objet d'un conflit de souveraineté entre Bagdad et les Kurdes. Dans le même esprit, il a annoncé la semaine dernière que Chevron ne La CFP dut quitter le pays en 1972, suite à la nationalisation du secteur pourrait plus travailler en Irak, en dehors du Kurdistan, car le géant pétro- pétrolier. Depuis le renversement de Saddam Hussein, Total était revenu lier américain a acquis sans son approbation deux permis pétroliers dans par la petite porte, en remportant en 2009 un appel d'offres pour le déve- la région autonome. Bagdad a aussi menacé ExxonMobil de représailles loppement et l'exploitation du gisement de Halfaya, dans le sud du pays, similaires. dans le cadre d'un consortium avec des compagnies asiatiques. Un contrat qui pourrait être menacé par l'incursion de Total côté kurde.H Les relations entre Bagdad et les autorités du Kurdistan sont au plus bas

81 Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Özeti July 27, 2012

Attacking Kurdish militants in Syria: Dangerous adventure for Turkey Analysts warn Turkish attack of Syrian Kurds will further complicate Syria's deadly con- flict, volatile regional situation. Middle East Online By Nicolas Cheviron – ISTANBUL

urkey this week cranked up its already-heated rhetoric against Kurdish militants in northern Syria, saying it wouldT not hesitate to go after PKK fighters, just as it has in northern Iraq. Analysts warn such a move would be dangerous for Turkey and further complicate Syria's deadly conflict and the vola- tile regional situation. "If you implement a hot pursuit against the PKK militias in northern Syria, the government in Syria will react very dif- ferently from the Iraqi government," Osman Bahadir Dincer of the Ankara-based USAK thinktank said. cooperate with these Arab Sunni tribes then we can cut the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday influence of PKK and PYD on the territory," Dincer said. said it was a "given" that Turkish troops would pursue fleeing Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants inside Syria if they The PYD, or Kurdish Democratic Union Party, is a Syrian struck Turkey. Kurdish group close to the PKK. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Ankara and by Erdogan on Wednesday accused Assad's regime of allotting much of the international community, took up arms in five northern Syrian provinces to Kurds and said he would Kurdish-majority southeastern Turkey in 1984, sparking a consider creating a military buffer zone on the border bet- conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives. ween Turkey and Syria. Turkey regularly bombs suspected Kurdish rebel hideouts in Hugh Pope of the International Crisis Group said the situa- northern Iraq, with both Baghdad and the government in the tion was more complex than Erdogan claimed. autonomous Kurdish region forced to accept the military "The fact is that PYD is not controlling all of the situation in strikes. northern Syria," he said. "On the ground they are currently Relations between the former close political allies Turkey working with the other Kurdish groups." and Syria have disintegrated as Ankara has lashed out The traditional parties of Syria's Kurds have been largely sus- against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's bloody response to picious of the PYD, particularly following an influx of Kurds the ongoing uprising against his rule, which so far has led to from northern Iraq to the area. the deaths of about 19,000 people since mid-March 2011. But despite the differences, the region's communities signed The relationship soured further after Syria shot down a an accord on July 11, under the sponsorship of Massud Turkish jet on June 22. Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdistan region. Though Syria is facing isolation from many Western powers, Since then, the Kurdish National Council, which groups analysts warn that Turkish military action in Syria risks the around a dozen traditional Kurdish Syrian parties, has joined wrath of some of the country's powerful allies. the People's Council of Western Kurdistan, a PYD offshoot, "If Turkey brings soldiers onto Syrian soil by itself and not as under the banner of the Supreme Kurdish Council. part of an international operation, it would be an open pro- Ankara could find solutions in the town of Erbil in Iraq's vocation to Russia and Iran," said Cengiz Candar of the daily Kurdish region, where officials could use their influence Radikal newspaper. among various Kurdish movements to defuse tensions with Hurriyet daily news writer Semih Idiz said any military ope- Turkey. ration would be doomed to lead Turkey into "new and unwel- Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is due to head to come adventures, which will not only ruin the ongoing rap- Erbil next week. G prochement with Kurdish northern Iraq, but also aggravate the Kurdish problem in Turkey." Analysts say Turkey must stick with diplomacy and work with the region's Arab Sunni tribes, which hold sway over the lar- gely Sunni Kurdish population. "They have an influence on these people, so if Turkey can

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

HeraUSSSributu saturday-sunday.july 28.29. 2012

government tried to played nice with Mr. Assad, asking him to reform. When he refused, Turkeythrew open the doors Turkish Tuscany' to the Free Syrian Army, the most powerful of Syria's myriad rebel groups, who now operate from a heavily guarded compound inside Turkey near the border. The Turkish government has is rebel haven been trying to delicately steer events in¬ side Syria, pushing the opposition to unite and hosting several high-level meetings with Syrian rebel leaders, but it is fearful of getting dragged deeper in. ANTAKYA, TURKEY "The Turkish police are watching the border, but with their eyes closed," said "The Turkish people don't want an in¬ Ahmed al-Debisi, a Syrian pharmacist tervention," said liter Turan, an inter¬ Syrian insurgents strain and opposition member based in Ant¬ national relations professor at Istan¬ a once-peaceful region akya: He's trying to make homemade bul's Bilgi University. "This society is gas masks out of Coke cans and cotton enjoying the fruits of economic prosper¬ beloved by tourists balls, in case the government of Presi- ity and they don't want it destroyed by

dent'Bashar al-Assad unleashes chem¬ some external engagement." BY JEFFREY GETTLEMAN ical weapons, as many fear it might. In-Antakya, the grumbling is growing on both sides. This town is known for People here call it Tuscany with min¬ Syria's intensifying civil war is turn¬ its ruins, its old churches and a museum arets. ing into a raging national security head¬ with a world-class collection of Roman Turkey's southeastern quadrant, ache for Turkey. Beyond the strain of and Byzantine mosaics. The fertile farm¬ along the long Syrian border, is one of its sheltering more than 40,000 refugees land produces cherries, olives, huge and most picturesque, where olive groves dot which Turkish officials said was initially sweet melons. Abdulmecit Ercin, an in¬ the roiling farmland and the mountains manageable but is now "creating prob¬ surance broker and Antakya native, re¬ are sluiced by Evian-clear streams. In lems" a Syrian border postjust fell in¬ members all the tourist buses that used the mornings, old women come down to the hands of a group linked to Al to wend along the Asi River beneath his from the hills to pluck apricots from the Qaeda and a contingent of Libyan fight¬ office window. But since the war began market. In the evenings, tourists stroll ers was recently spotted hanging in Syria, the buses have disappeared. along the promenades, happily search¬ around Antakya;'s main hospital, wait- " "In the market," he lamented, ing for a simit, a bagel-like thing, or a ing for their wounded "brothers." "there's nr/energy, no life." scoop pf ice cream. Another border zone, just inside Syr¬ At the Damascus Restaurant, a Syri¬ But how it's not unusual to see rebel ia, was seized by Kurdish militias, leav¬ an fighter hangout across from Ant- soldiers limping around the touristtown ing the Turks deeply concerned that the akya's main hospital, several broad- of Antakya on crutches, and countless rapid unraveling of the.Assad govern¬ shouldered men squeezed together on ; apartments across this area have been ment could provide a lift to Kurdish mil¬ turned into makeshift combat field clin¬ itants in Turkey. "The Turkish people don't ics, crammed with young men nursing When asked this past week if Turkey gunshot wounds. ' would strike inside Syria, should Kurd¬ want an intervention. This Turkish security services insist they ish militants use Syria as a base, the society is enjoying the fruits of are closely patrolling the border. But prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip economic prosperity." medical supplies, material and fighters Erdogan, said: "That's not even a mat¬

slide across the frontier every night, ter of discussion; it is a given." making this part of Turkey the most im¬ Turkey is eager to flex its diplomatic tiny, vinyl-covered stools. One wounded portant base for the growing Syrian re¬ muscles, but the conflict next door is a fighter started griping about how he got bellion. major setback. Originally, the Turkish an X-ray for his back and then was rudely hustled out of the hospital. % "It's been 20 days 20 days! and I still haven't heard anything," he said. \ "We have an expression in Syria: You . either host your guest properly, or you don't host them at all." At that, a locàl.official within earshot * pulled him away from the group and said: "What are you talking about? ' ' You're eating the bread of this country. Don't complain." A few minutes later, a police van pulled up, disgorging half a dozen beefy Turkish police officers. The t* Syrian fighters scooted. In a way, the two neighbors couldn't be more different: Turkey, nationalistic,

democratic, orderly and on its way up, versus Syria, a deeply repressive, deeply divided society, plunging into a messy civil war. Many Syrian rebels here, when asked why they defected, began their answer with the same word: "atfal," Arabic for children. Turkish police officers patrolling Thursday in Antakya, Turkey, a picturesque tourist town "The government is slaughtering children," said Mulham al-Masri, a near the Syrian border where many rebel fighters and refugees have taken shelter. former captain in the Syrian Army who

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

defected a few months ago: they're now afraid of the families," Mr. tination for Syrians coming across the He said he had been plotting his es¬ Amouri said. borderfor shoppingtrips. One tourist op¬ cape for weeks, talking to a cousin in the Every night, the border is bustling, erator said he used to get 2,000 custom¬ Free Syrian Army via cellphone and along illegal crossing points, of course. ers per day, but now it is down to zero." then walking out of his barracks one Medicine and supplies flow into Syria The operator, who did not want to be morning, infull uniform, and slipping in¬ . and. bloodied fighters trudge out. It identified because he was embarrassed to a Black Hyundai stuffed with rebels. seems the Antakya area is becoming a about going bankrupt, said he had just One of his comrades, Nabil al-Amouri, magnet for foreign jihadists, with the laid off the last of his three secretaries. also formerly an officer in the Syrian Libyan contingent of around a dozen "This conflict did not affect us," he Army, said many other officerswantedto fighters recently arriving and other for¬ said. "It finished us." defect but were worried about revenge. eigners just across the border. "These guys have killed civilians and Antakya usedtobea hot weekend des- SebnemArsu contributed reporting..

. JNTEIMTIONAL Hcralfea-SjsSributif monday,july3o,2oi2

Russia joined the chorus on Saturday by warning of tragedy as it chastised the Syrian lashes out rebels' foreign backers for failing to pres¬ sure the opposition to end the violence. Sergey V. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, called on Mr. Assad's govern¬ at rebel supporters ment to "make the first moves" in ceas¬ ing military action. But he also blamed Western countries and some of Syria's neighbors for not putting enough pres¬ daily in Aleppo, Syria's biggest city. BEIRUT sure oh the armed opposition to stop The minister, Walid al-Moallem, said fighting. fighters from Egypt, Iraq, Libya and Speaking in Sochi, Russia, Mr. Lavrov Foreign minister faults Tunisia had entered Syria over the Turk¬ said those countries "encourage, sup¬ ish border and he called on Lebanon to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and port and direct the armed fight against help block the infiltration of "terrorists." the regime." Turkey for rising violence "The -campaign on the international Although he dïd not name any coun¬ stage against Syria will not stop," he tries, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey said.. During the news conference, he BY KAKEÉM FAHIM have been helping the Syrian rebels ob¬ also said countries like Qatar, Saudi AND ELLEN BARRY tain weapons andAmerican officials say Arabia and Turkey were working with U.S. intelligence officers are operating As fierce fighting continued in the Syri¬ Israel in an effort to overthrow the Syr¬ in southern Turkey to help decide which an city of Aleppo and its outskirts on ian government.. groups receive the arms. Sunday, the Syrian foreign minister, on a "Israel is the mastermind ofall in this Russia said this month that it would visit to Iran, lashed out at Saudi Arabia, crisis," Mr. Moallem said, according to halt any weapons shipments to the gov¬ Qatar and Turkey, blaming them for the The Associated Press. ernment of Mr. Assad. On Saturday, escalation of violence and saying that His comments came as the Syrian though, the Russian Foreign Ministry their backing of armed groups in Syria Army used tanks and artillery to pound said it would not cooperate with the was blocking a path toward, "political opposition strongholds in Aleppo, con¬ European Union's effort to block such dialogue." tinuing its barrage on a city that for by searching ships suspec¬ His words, an echo of comments days has been steeling for an assault, ted of carrying weapons to Syria. A min- ' made by Russia, Syria's most important residents and activists said. It remained istry spokesman said Russia considered ally, reflected the growing pressures on unclear whether the attack, which activ¬ the plan to inspect ships a violation of the Syrian government as it fights a ists said was focused mainly on the other countries' sovereignty. mounting and emboldened armed in¬ southwestern neighborhood of Salahed- In comments to the Interfaxnews ser¬ surgency oh several fronts, most cru- . dm, was the beginning of a broader cam¬ vice, Mr. Lavrov dismissed the notion paign. that Russia would grant Mr. Assad In Dubai on Sunday, a leader of a Syr¬ asylum, saying it was a rumor started to ian opposition group appealed for coun¬ make Russia look bad. tries opposed to the Syrian government "There is no such agreement we to provide rebels with heavy weapons. are not even thinking about this mat¬ "The rebels are fighting with primit¬ ter," he said. "It's a provocation by ive weapons," Abdelbasset Sida, who those who want to put all the blame for . heads the Syrian National CounciL:said what's happening in Syria on us and on . in,cDubai, .according ;to Reuters; '.'We China, because supposedly we're block¬ want weapons that we can stop tanks ing someone there. We are blocking . and planes with. This is what we'Want." only one thing: an attempt to allow *' The clashes came after days of warn¬ people to support one side in an internal I ings from the international community conflict through a U.N. Security Council about the human toll in Aleppo as Pres¬ resolution." ident Èashar al-Assad's forces massed

on the outskirts of the city. For days, Ellen Barry reportedfrom Moscow, I rebel fighters have been pouring into ttwaida Saad contributedreporting. Salaheddin and other neighborhoods in Aleppo, which had remained quiet for much of the uprising that started in March 2011.

A member of the Syrian opposition in Aleppo on Sunday. Rebel leaders appealed for heavy weapons from abroad as the Syrian Army continued its attack on the city.

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

LE FIGARO mardi31iuillet2012 En Syrie, des djihadistes

en

La présence de militants islamistes internationaux a été signalée en diverses parties du pays.

plus vraisemblablement par malchance sommairement soignés par leurs ravis¬ PROCHE-ORIENT Deux journalistes oc¬ que du fait d'une quelconque complici¬ seurs, qui les ont accusés d'espionnage cidentaux ont été enlevés' et détenus té de leurs passeurs. avant de leur déclarer leur intention pendant une semaine par des djihadis¬ Les journalistes ont décrit leurs ravis¬ d'exiger une rançon en échange de leur tes internationaux en Syrie, avant seurs comme des musulmans britanni¬ libération. d'être libérés jeudi dernier par des ques d'origine pakistanaise et bengalie. combattants' rebelles de l'Armée sy¬ Certains avaient, selon eux, de forts ac¬ rienne libre. lohn Çantlie, photographe cents londoniens. Ils ne cessaient de fai¬ Certains combattants indépendant de nationalité britanni¬ re référence à la charia et au Coran, et que, et leroen Oerlemans, un photo¬ pourraient avoir affirmaient être sous les ordres d'un graphe néerlandais, ont été capturés le la nationalité britannique émir non identifié. Menacés de mort, 19 juillet peu après leur passage clan¬ les deux journalistes ont tenté de s'en¬ destin de la frontière turque, dans la fuir pieds nus du camp où ils étaient re¬ Après plusieurs jours de captivité, région de Bab al-Hawa, dans le nord- tenus en otages. Leurs ravisseurs ont détenus sous étroite surveillance et les ouest de la Syrie* Les deux hommes ouvert le feu sur eux, manquant de'peu yeux bandés, ils ont été finalement li¬ sont tombés sur le. campement d'un ! de les tuer. Blessés, l'un à la jambe, bérés par l'intervention de combattants . important groupe de plusieurs dizaines l'autre au bras, les deux hommes ont été de l'Armée syrienne libre, qui ont in- . de combattants islamistes étrangers, vesti par la force le campement de ces

djihadistes étrangers. par Pierre Rousselinsselinj| Les yeux bandés editorial proussc-IinÇlc'igaro.ffjaro.tr | Ramenés en Turquie, où ils ont été soi¬ m gnés, les deux journalistes sont arrivés hier' en Grande-Bretagne et aux Pays- Syrie : l'autre danger Bas. Le Foreign Office enquête sur l'origine de ce groupe de combattants,

dont certains pourraient avoir la natio¬

Plus le temps passe, Dé plus .en plus ethnique, le conflit de¬ nalité britannique. L'enlèvement des plus la guerre civile qui vient aussi.de plus en plus religieux. Il at¬ deux jourrialistes vient confirmer les oppose la rébellion tire les djihadistes venus d'ailleurs, peu nombreuses informations selon les¬ syrienne et la dictature sensibles à l'aspect nationaliste du com¬ quelles la Syrie serait devenue le nou¬ veau terrain de prédilection du djihad . de Bachar el-Assad fait bat pour une nouvelle Syrie, mais ravis dé international. le lit des islamistes. trouver un terrain propice où propager Ces militants islamistes internatio¬ Ce qui a commencé, en mars 2011, leur conception d'un islam radical. comme un soulèvement pour la liberté Même s'ils ne forment pas le gros des naux sont manifestement plus intéres¬ sés par l'instauration d'un État islami¬ est devenu, en un an, une guerre ouverte combattants, ils profitent de la militari¬ que dans la Syrie de l'aprèsTBachar que où "les confrontations ethniques se sation croissante du soulèvement. L'aide par une quelconque participation aux multiplient. ~ financière et les armes provenant des combats contre l'armée syrienne, rap¬ Entre la minorité alaouite, qui est instal¬ monarchies du Golfe, dont la générosité pelant en cela l'attitude d'al-Qaida lée depuis quarante ans au pouvoir, et la est souvent motivée par des impératifs dans les dernières années de la guerre majorité sunnite, qui fournit les troupes religieux, contribuent à renforcer l'aile contre les Soviétiques en Afghanistan. des rebelles, le conflit est devenu impla¬ islamiste d'une rébellion déjà marquée Leur présence a été signalée dans di¬ cable. Les autres minorités, chrétienne par l'influence des Frères musulmans, verses parties de la Syrie, mais presque jamais dans les opérations de l'Armée notamment, sont aussi la cible d'exac¬ principales victimes du régime el-Assad. syrienne. libre. Les forces rebelles sont tions, non parce qu'elles auraient soute¬ Encourager l'insurrection et appeler au essentiellement composées de Syriens, nu el-Assad et son clan, mais parce que le départ de Bachar el-Assad, tout en lais¬ qui combattent dans des groupes for¬ conflit alimenté par la répression sangui¬ sant à d'autres lé' soin d'armer les rebel¬ més sefon des allégeances locales ou naire des forces régulières est en train de les, est une politique qui a ses limites. familiales. démembrer le pays. Il est vrai qu'en l'absence de solution po¬ A.J.(ÀANTAKIYA) Après tout le sang versé, l'effondrement litique, il n'y a guère d'alternative. Mais du régime, que l'Occident appelle de ses les islamistes, eux, prospèrent, à mesure voux, pourrait bien ne pas mettre fin aux que la guerre civile, s'enlise dans des règlements de comptes. combats sans.fin.

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

LE FIGARO mardi 31 juillet 2012 SYRIE

Une insurrection musulmane conservatrice, plutôt qu'extrémiste

mourir», disent les rebelles. L'influen¬ Prédicateurs itinérants ce des Frères musulmans, si elle n'est décryptage pas directe, reste aussi présente dans Mais l'isolement de la rébellion, dé¬

les rangs du soulèvement. Beaucoup pourvue de soutiens extérieurs, la rend ADRIEN JAULMES d'insurgés sont les fils de victimes de la vulnérable à des influences d'organisa¬ .9 ENVOYE SPECIAL A ALEP tions musulmanes extrémistes venues grande répression des années 1980 lan¬ npulnies vicllgnro f r \\ cée par le père et l'oncle de Bachar el- du Golfe et d'Arabie Saoudite. . Assad contre l'organisation islamique. On aperçoit parfois dans les zones LES RÉVOLUTIONNAIRES syriens par¬ Pour ces combattants, les mots de rebelles de mystérieux prédicateurs iti¬ nérants saoudiens, Coran en main, qui tent à l'attaque des chars de Bachar el- «liberté» et de «démocratie» n'ont viennent prêcher une version nette¬ Assad en criant «ÀlîahAkbarJ»,«AUah pas forcément une signification libé¬ ment plus politique et radicale de l'is¬ est grand! ». Le même cri leur sert à sa¬ rale. La liberté? «Mais c'est la liberté de lam que celle pratiquée localement. luer leurs morts, à célébrer leurs vic¬ pratiquer notre religion, dit Ayman H., L'abrutissement de quarante ans de toires et à rallier leurs troupes. Leurs sans que l'on puisse offenser nos croyan¬ dictature, où tous les maux du pays véhicules sont décorés de drapeaux ar¬ ces. Ce qui existe actuellement en Tuni¬ étaient attribués par le pouvoir à des borant la Chahada, la profession de foi sie, où l'on peut caricaturer le Prophète, complots de l'étranger, occidentaux et des musulmans. est le contraire de la liberté. »« Ouais, sionistes, la déception face à l'inaction Les insurgés syriens sont dans leur on se bat pour la liberté, dit en rigolant des pays occidentaux, États-Unis, immense majorité des musulmans sun¬ un rebelle entré dans Alep, mais parmi France et Grande-Bretagne, constitue nites. Ils assurent qu'il y. a dans leurs nous, plus encore se battent pour la reli- un terreau favorable aux idées fonda¬ rangs des chrétiens, et même des mentalistes. alaouites. C'est peut-être vrai, mais on «Personne ne nous aide. Plus la révo¬ n'en voit pas beaucoup. lution continuera, plus el-Assad nous Le soulèvement contre le régime de \ On se bat pour tuera,' plus nous resterons isolés, plus Bachar el-Assad reste avant tout celui la liberté mais parmi nous, nous allons voir ces extrémistes prospé¬ de la Syrie musulmane sunnite, pieuse, rer, explique Mohammed K., un volon¬ conservatrice et majoritaire; qui . se plus encore se battent taire rebelle du Nord. On a déjà dans la dresse non seulement contre une dicta¬ pour la religion |> région d'Idlib des combattants étrangers ture particulièrement sanglante, mais venus d'Angleterre ou.dù Pakistan. Des aussi contre un clan familial, celui des UN REBELLE ENTRÉ DANS ALEP membres d'al-Qaida arrivent du monde el-Assad, appartenant à une minorité entier. Ça ne va pas aller en s'amélio- . religieuse schismatique et méprisée : rant. » les alaouites. gion.» Quant à la démocratie, c'est une Comme dans une terrible prophétie La défense de l'islam constitue une revendication qui, dans un pays dont la autoréalisatrice, le régime de Bachar puissante motivation, dans le combat population est à 70 % sunnite, revient à el-Assad, acculé, pourrait bien laisser des rebelles. Les histoires de profana¬ réclamer le pouvoir. en héritage après sa chute un pays tra¬ tions de mosquées par les chabiha, les Le régime de Bachar el-Assad s'est nervis du régime, spécialistes du viol et empressé de présenter les révolution¬ vaillé en profondeur par des forces ex¬ du meurtre, sont colportées dans leurs naires comme des islamistes apparen¬ trémistes qu'il prétendait combattre. Et

rangs et déclenchent des réactions tés à al-Qàida, meilleur moyen de stig¬ laisser les minorités syriennes qu'il indignées. Toutes les horreurs; bien matiser n'importe qui, en Occident prétendait protéger, chrétiens et réelles, commises par ces écorcheurs, comme en Orient. alaouites en particulier, aux prises avec

se mêlent dans l'esprit des insurgés aux L'accusation, en tout cas pour le mo¬ un islam dominateur qui pourrait vite préjugés stigmatisant cette secte ésoté- ment, est fausse. Dans les campagnes, mettre fin à la très ancienne et très fra¬ rique apparentée de loin aux Ismaéliens la révolte ressemble plutôt à une gile mosaïque confessionnelle qui

et aux chiites. chouannerie version musulmane, avec constitue l'une des principales riches¬ des bandes regroupées par villages ou ses de la Syrie. Ferveur religieuse families, étendues, sans beaucoup de

«Les alaouites ne sont pas des musul¬ contenu idéologique. Ces musulmans mans», assure Ayman H., un jeune conservateurs et pratiquants, ne sont

professeur d'anglais de la région pas extrémistes. Ils représentent la ma¬ d'Alep, rallié à la révolution. «lis ne jorité silencieuse dans la plupart des

croient pas en Dieu et ignorent que Ma¬ pays de la région. homet est son Prophète. Es n'ont aucune Pour le r,este, les combattants de l'in¬

morale et leurs femmes vont la tête dé¬ surrection fument comme des chemi¬

couverte. Us boivent de l'.alcool et n'ob¬ nées et n'observent pas très rigoureu¬

servent aucune règle dé comportement. » sement le jeûne du . ramadan. Les

Le courage des insurgés, qui combat¬ étrangers sont bienvenus, et tout le tent un ennemi équipé de tanks avec monde se met en quatre pour être à la

des kalachnikovs et des lance-roquet¬ hauteur de la réputation d'hospitalité

tes, est alimenté par cette ferveur reli¬ syrienne. Rien à voir avec la paranoïa

gieuse. On s'échange comme des faire- xénophobe et bornée de certains mi¬

part les photos et les vidéos des martyrs lieux sunnites irakiens, par exemple. tombés au combat. «On se fiche de

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

3itrdbj˻Srtimttt saturday-sunday, july 28-29, 2012 Time to manage the fall of Assad

Lebanon and Iraq in particular are vul¬ makers. A similar sectarian conflagra¬ A breakup Vali Nasr nerable; they, too, have sectarian and tion plunged Iraq into violence after the of Syria communal rivalries tied to the Sunni- U.S. invasion. There, a surge ofAmeri¬ poses a Alawitestruggle for power next door. can troops in 2007 helped stop the fight¬ ing. In Syria, there are no foreign troops graver The conflict in Syria has reached a tip¬ In the past week, Mr. Assad has lost to play such a role, and little prospect threat to the ping point, but not one that promises a control of important parts of the coun¬ that any will come while the war lasts. quick end to the fighting. With or with¬ Middle East try, ând'the opposition, buoyed by out¬ But there is still time to prevent the out Bashar al-Assad as its leader, Syria than Iran's side sympathy and support, has built on worst from happening in Syria. It will now has all the makings of a grim, the momentem of a bombingin Damas¬ require difficult decisions andrecalcu- nuclear drawn-out civil war: evenly matched cus that killed key security aides to the lating what is possible. Even in the face protagonists who are not ready for a . program. president. Th£ shift in balance is signifi¬ ofvetoes from Russia and China, which cease-fire, and outside powers preoccu¬ cant, but itiSihot decisive. Rather, it sets feel that the West overstepped its U.N. pied with their own agendas and unable the stage for a protracted conflict that mandate in Libya, the United States to find common ground. would divide Syria into warring opposi¬ and its allies are still focusing on inter¬ There is no easy way out of such a tion and pro-Assad enclaves. stalemated struggle, and this one national pressure and support for the For now, the Assad government has threatens the stability of the whole opposition to bring down Mr. Assad. enough support and firepower to keep Middle East. So the United States and That is the wrong goal, because it will fighting, and it shows no sign of giving its allies must enlist the cooperation of not end the fighting. up. Most members of Syria's Alawite, Mr. Assad's allies Russia and, espe¬ Instead, the aim of diplomacy should Christian and Kurdish minorities, along cially, Iran to find a power-sharing be to devise a post-Assad power-shar¬ with a slice of its Sunni Arab popula¬ arrangement for a post-Assad Syria ing arrangement that all sides could tion, still prefer Mr. Assad to what they that all sides can support, however dif¬ sign on to. That, rather than more pres¬ fear will follow his fall; together, those ficult that may be to achieve. sure oh the government and more bick¬ . groups make up perhaps half of Syria's ering among the outside powers, could Until now, Washington has seen the population, the rest of which is largely finally persuade Syrians who are still in developments m Syria as a humiliating Sunni Muslim. Mr. Assad's corner to abandon the fight. strategic defeat for Iran, and it has The opposition, meanwhile, is win¬ There is ground for hope that Russia largely sat on the sidelines, trying to ning territory, but its ranks are divided and Iran wouldjoin the bargaining. Both draw diplomatic cooperation from Rus¬ among some 100 groups with no clear wish to rebuild their damaged prestige sia. The administration and its critics political leadership. Even if Mr. Assad in the Arab world, and Iran is concerned alike may think that involving Iran in were to step down voluntarily, his about the fate of more than a million any resolution to the conflict would Alawite military machine and its sec¬ Shiite Muslims in Syria. As for the West, throw Tehran a lifelme and set back tarian allies are likely to fight on, hold¬ Mr. Assad's fall, without a transition talks on Iran's nuclear program.' But a ing large chunks of territory. plan, would be a Pyrrhic victory the breakup of Syria arid the chain of Syria would then fracture, with the beginning of a greater bloodletting. events that such a breakup would inev¬ fighting deciding who controls what A transition plan also must include itably set in motion poses a graver area a larger version of Lebanon in Turkey, which has a long border with threat to the Middle East and to Amer¬ the 1970s. There would be ethnic cleans¬ Syria and the military muscle to influ¬ ica's long-run interests in trie region ing, refugee floods, humanitarian dis¬ ence the conflict. than does Iran's nuclear program. And asters and opportunities forAl Qaeda. But the single most important partie-, Iran is much more influential with the In Lebanon, a decade and a half of ipant would be Iran. It alone has the in¬ Assad leadership than is Russia. carnage was stopped only with the as¬ fluence on Mr. Assad and the trust of ' If the Syrian conflict explodes out¬ sistance of Syria and its army.as peace- various parts of his government to get ward, everyone will lose: It would spill them to buy in to a transition. Cur¬ into Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey. rently, Iran is at an impasse: It cannot abandon Mr. Assad, nor can it save him. But intense debates are taking place '. » > among its leaders, some of whom have called for ending Iran's unwavering support for Mr. Assad. »r Once a transition plan is worked out, t it will be important to remember this : No such plan will be credible without - 1* committing foreign troops to enforce ~i the cease-fire and protect the defeated it** minority communities that have j -. v backed Mr. Assad. Until the United States and its allies get down to busi¬ ness with Russia and Iran, and get seri¬ ous about how they will manage Mr. i i I Assad's fall, the conflict will only grow and so will the threat to the region.

vali nasr, dean ofthe School ofAdvanced

J-*" International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, advised President Obama's '/ " %:$#***? special representativeforAfghanistan and Pakistan.

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

îlmlr&îribimt TUESDAY. JULY 31.2012

Turkey reinforces border

against Syrian threat

such violent and oppressive acts." He ANTAKYA, TURKEY liance, and then shift to another area to joined Syria's top diplomats in Iraq, fight government troops. Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates "These guys are very professional," Heavily armed militants who have formally dissociated them¬ Ahmed said. "You can tell by the way selves from Mr. Assad's government in control a border area they move they know what they're do¬ the past few weeks. ing." as battles rage in Aleppo Turkish officials now fear that Syria Turkish analysts say they do not ex¬ could become a beachhead for Kurdish militants bent on wreaking havoc inside pect Turkey to get dragged deep into BYSEBNEMARSU Turkey. Officials have indicated they Syria's conflict because popular senti¬ AND JEFFREY GETTLEMAN will not hesitate to strike in Syria should ment is solidly against that.

The Turkish military dispatched troops, Kurdish militants stage attacks against "Recent deployments are not at a armored personnel carriers and missile Turkey from there. scale pointing at a major military opera¬ batteries to the Syrian border on Mon¬ The Turkish government considers tion but look more like a reinforce¬ day, shoring up its defenses against a Kurdish separatists to be its greatest ment," said Nihat Ali Ozcari, aterrorism country that has plunged into turmoil, national security threat. Since the 1980s, expert with the Economic Policy Re¬ with some serious potential repercus¬ tens of thousands of people have been search Foundation of Turkey. But Turkish officials are clear that sions for Turkey. killed in a conflict pitting the govern¬ In the past few weeks, as Syria's gov¬ ment against the Kurdistan Workers' they do not like the direction in which ernment has struggled against an in¬ Party, or P.K.K., a militant Kurdish some of the Kurdish areas of Syria are choate but spirited rebel army, chunks group fighting for more autonomy. heading. It seems the Kurdish areas are of Syria have fallen into the hands of But there is another growing prob¬ . rapidly getting sucked into the growing Kurdish militias while at least ohe.area lem. Scores and perhaps even hundreds proxy war between Syria and Turkey. along Turkey's border is now controlled of foreign fighters from Libya, Alge¬ The two countries used to be allies, but byjihadist groups dominated by heavily ria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Europe are after Mr. Assad refused to compromise with Syria's political opposition, Turkey : armed foreign fighters. streaming into Turkey and using it as a began backing the Syrian political oppo¬ Television pictures' on Monday transit point to Syria. Many of the fight¬ sition and helping rebel fighters get showed a cpnvoy of Turkish Army ers say they are on à jihad, or holy war, weapons. trucks chugging down a highway run¬ with the goal of turning Syria into a pur¬ ning along the Syrian border. The Anato¬ Recently, Kurdish militants in Syria, ist Islamist state. apparently with the approval of the As¬ lia News Agency reported that mobile On Sunday, a recent refugee from Bab sad government, seized control of a few missile batteries, which were based in al Hawa, a Syrian border town, said aji¬ northern Syrian areas and then raised Iskenderun, a southern coastal town, hadist group of 200 foreign fighters had the P.K.K. flag. This prompted Turkish ' were being relocated by rail to Islahiye seized control of that town. The refugee, officials to ask Syrian rebel command¬ township along the border. a sinewy young man named Ahmed, ers to take down the flags and hoist the Turkish officials were quickto describe said the jihadists' plan was to gain con¬ white, green and black banner of the the border buildup as "routine" but at trol of a specific area, secure it, invite in Free Syrian Army. the same time, one government official the Free Syrian Army, the main rebel al- said, "it is not possible to expect Turkey Turkish officials say they are con¬ cerned about the fragmentation of Syr¬ to act as if nothing is happening.'' Inside Syria, the government and its ia, which has deep sectarian fault lines. opponents claimed victories in the em¬ "Taking a separatist line is not good battled city of Aleppo on Monday, a day for the country," a senior Turkish offi¬ after the United Nations humanitarian cial said. "The other groups could start chief warned of a growing crisis in their own agenda." But analysts say the possibility of a Aleppo, the country's largest city, say¬ Kurdish stronghold in neighboring Syr¬ ing that almost of a tenth.of its residents ia is the real worry. had fled over two days of fighting.

Opposition fighters said that after a \ Kareem Fahim, Rick Gladstone, Hwaida pitched battle lasting several hours, Saad and Dalai Mawad contributed re¬ they had seized control of a vital check¬ portingfrom Beirut, and an employee of point northwest of the city, freeing up a the New York Timesfrom,Aïeppo. route for supplies and fighters from the A Turkish tank moving toward Turkey's Turkish border. border with Syria on Monday. The combat convulsing Aleppo came as the Syrian government suffered an¬ other high-ranking defection from its "Recent deployments are not diplomatic corps, the fourth since the at a scale pointing at a major uprising against President Bashar al- Assad began more than 17 months ago. military operation but look In Britain, the Foreign Office an¬ more like a reinforcement." nounced that the Syrian chargé d'af¬ faires, Khaled al-Ayoubi, had resigned

because "he is no longer willing to rep: resent a regime that has committed

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

Not all foreign fighters are jihadists, . MIBUWITON.U. either. One Libyan-Irish fighter, Mahdi In one sense, the changes on the al-Harati, who helped lead the battle for ground have actually brought closer to

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012 reality the Syrian government's early, and easily dismissible, claim that the Secular people and moderate opposition was being driven by foreign- Islamists "join Salafi groups financedjihadists. because they have the A central reason cited by the United weapons and the money." ring cry States for limiting support for the resis¬ tance to things like communications Tripoliin Libya, organized agroup of vol¬ equipment is that it did not want arms unteers for Syria, noted Thomas Pierret, flowing to Islamic radicals. But the flip in Syria is a lecturer in contemporary Syrian Islam side is that Salafist groups, or Muslim at the University of Edinburgh. "He is puritans, now receive most foreign fi¬ not a jihadi; he sees himself as a Libyan nancing. increasingly revolutionary there to help the Syrian "A lot of the jihadi discourse has to do révolution," Mr. Pierret said. with funding," said Pete'r Harling, the ' Fighters, activists and analysts say Syria analyst with the International religious that jihadi groups are emerging for sev¬ Crisis Group, whose headquarters are eral reasons. They generally stand apart in Brussels, adding that it was troubling from the Free Syrian Army, the loose na- BEIRUT all the same. "You have secular people tional coalition of local militias made up and very moderate Islamists who join ofarmy defectors and civilianvolunteers. Salafi groups because they have the Fighters invoke jihad Significantly, most of the money flowing weapons and the money. There tends to . to the Syrian opposition is coming from to attract more foreign be more Salafi guys in the way the religious donors in Saudi Arabia, Qatar money and weapons groups portray themselves than in the and elsewhere in the Gulf region whose groups on the ground." generosity hinges on Salafi teaching. Butjihad has become a distinctive ral¬ Further, as the sectarian flavor of the: BY NEIL MACFARQUHAR lying cry. The commander of the newly uprising deepened, pitting the majority; ANDHWAIDASAAD unified brigades ofthe Free Syrian Army Sunni Muslims against the ruling minor- ;

As the uprising in Syria against the gov-1 fighting in Aleppo was shown Sundayin a ity, the Alàwites, it attracted fighters erhfnent of President Bashar al-Assad YouTube video exhorting menjoining the lured by alarger Muslim cause. Alawites, grinds on with no resolution in sight, Syr¬ rebellion there by telling them: "Those the president's sect, dominate Syria, but ians involved in the armed struggle sayit whose intentions are. not for God, they many orthodox Muslims view them as a is becoming more radicalized: Home- had better stay home, whereas ifyour in¬ heretical offshoot of Shiite Islam. growri Muslim jihadists, as well as small tention is for God, then you go for jihad Understanding the military players in groups of fighters from Al Qaeda, are and you gain an afterlife and heaven." the Syrian opposition has become re¬ taking a more prominent- role arid de¬ What began as alargely peaceful, sec¬ markably more difficultin recentmonths manding a say in running the resistance. ular protest movement in March 2011 through the proliferation of brigades, The past few months have witnessed first took on a more religious tone late battalions and fronts, many bearing reli¬ the emergence of larger, more organ¬ last summer as it shifted into an armed gious names. Plus they change all the ized and better-armed Syrian militant conflict waged by more conservative, time, and some have all but disappeared. organizations pushing an agenda based more rural Sunni Muslims whose faith But there is a marked trend in videos onjihad, the concept that they have a di¬ was already a focus of their daily lives. not displaying the revolutionary banner vine mandate to fight. Even less-zealous But greater attention has been paid to Syria's independence flag with a resistance groups are adopting a pro¬ Qaedainvolvement in the uprising since green, white and black stripe and three nounced Islamic aura because it at¬ mid-July, when fighters professing alle¬ red stars. "The issue of the flag really is tracts more financing. giance to the terrorist organization ap¬ key," Mr. Pierret said. "They are on their Idlib Province, the northern Syrian re¬ peared during the opposition takeover way to amore Salafi,jihadi agenda and a gion where resistance fighters control ofthe Bab al-Hawa border crossing with rejection ofthe national framework." the most territory, is the prime example. Turkey. In one video, five fighters de¬ One recent such video, highlighting In one case there, afterjihadists fighting clared their intention to create an Islam¬ the storming of a police station hear under the black banner of the Prophet ic state. Mainline Qaeda ideology calls Aleppo, featured a pistol, the Koran and Muhammad staged significant attacks for a pan-Islamic caliphate. a song about fighting. "The Koran in our against Syrian government targets, the Still, there is as yet no significant hands, we defy our enemy, we sacrifice commander of a local rebel military presence of foreign combatants of any with our blood for religion" were some council recently invited them to join. stripe in Syria, fighters and others said. of the lyrics. "They are.everywhere in Idlib," said a The Saraqib commander estimated The commander in Saraqib said that lean, sunburned commander with the there were perhaps 50 Qaeda adherents when he invited jihadists into his mili¬ Free Syrian Army council in Saraqib, a in all of Idlib, a sprawling northwestern tary council, they rejected several pro¬ strategic town on the main highway province that borders Turkey. The for¬ posed names for the expanded group southwest from Aleppo. "They are be¬ eigners included Libyans, Algerians that included references to Syria. "They coming stronger, so we didn't want any and one Spaniard, he said, adding that consider the entire world the Muslim hostility or tension in our area" he much preferred them over homeland, so they refused any national, Tension came anyway. The groups de¬ homegrown jihadists. They were both Syrian name," he said. manded to raise the prophet's banner less aggressive and less cagey than the The attitude prompts grumbling from solid black with "There is no god but locals, said the commander, inter¬ fighters used to the -gentler Islam long

God" written in flowing white Arabic viewed in Turkey and via Skype and de¬ prevalent in Syria. Adel, a media activ¬ calligraphy during-'the.weekly Friday clining to be further identified. ist from Idlib interviewed in Antakya, demonstration. Saraqib prides itself on An activist helping to organize the Syr¬ Turkey, in June, said that "the Islamic its newly democratic ways, electing a ian military councils, said there were current has broken into the heart of this new town council roughly every two roughly 50,000 fighters all told and that revolution." When a Muslim Brother¬ months, and residents put the matter to fair fewer than 1,000 were foreigners, who hood member joined his group in Idlib, a vote the answer was no. The jihadi often have trouble gaining local support. he said, within a week the man deman¬ fighters raised the flag anyway, until a "If there were 10,000, you would know, ded that the slogans that they shouted formal compromise allowed for a 20- and less than 1,000 is nothing," said the all include "There is no god but God." minute display. activist, Rami, declining for safety rea¬ "Now there are more religious chants sons to use more than one name. than secular ones," Adel said.

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

Mardi 31 juillet 2012 ..

\ . = Isolé, Damas cherche le soutien de Téhéran

En visite en Iran, le chef de la diplomatie syrienne a accusé les puissances sunnites d'attiser la violence

Alors que le régime de Bachar secrétaire du Conseil suprême de nucléaires et de ses prétentions à mordial. Son -gouvernement, à

Al-Assadlutte poursa survie la sécurité nationale et homme de une hégémonie régionale. - dominante chiite, est favorable à

en jetant toutes ses forces confiance du Guide suprême, Ali L'Iran/ soumis à dés sanctions Bachar Al-Assad. Mais, selon des dan^ la bataille pour le contrôle Khamenei, ainsi qu'avec le prési¬ économiques et financières sources diplomatiques, les Etats-

d'Alepet deDamas,l'alliance straté¬ dent du Parlement, Ali Larijani. Il a asphyxiantes de la part des Etats- Unis font pression suï Bagdad

gique entre la Syrie et l'Iran reste aussiété reçuparle président Mah¬ Unis et de l'Europe, a averti, mardi pour interdire le survol de son ter¬

plus que jamais de mise. Le chef de moud Ahmadinejad, qui a repris à 24juillet, par l'entremise de son, ritoire aux avions iraniens qui la diplomatie syrienne, Walid son compte la thèse, développée chef d'état-major adjoint, Mas¬ approvisionnent l'Etat syrien en

Al-Mouallem, a effectué une visite par les autorités syriennes depuis soud Jazayeri, que les alliés de la armes {alors que l'Iran est soumis

remarquée à Téhéran, dimanche le début de la crise, en mars 2011, Syrie « nepermettrontpas un chan¬ à un embargo de l'ONU sur les 29 juillet, au lendemain du début d'un «complot international» d'Is¬ gementde régime » à Damas. exportations d'armes), mais aussi

de l'offensive contre les quartiers raël, des Etats-Unis et de l'OTAN, Une chute du régime Assad en carburant et en devises. d'Alep tenus par les rebelles de l'Ar¬ avec l'aide de pays de la région afin ferait perdre à l'Iran son principal Une importante délégation éco¬ mée syrienne libre (ASL). de renverser le régime syrien. soutien dans le monde arabe, nomique syrienne, dirigée par le

A l'issue d'une entrevue avec depuis l'alliance nouée en 1980, vice-premier ministre, Omar Gha-

son homologue iranien, Ah Akbar Instructeurs iraniens renforcée par un traité dé défense lawanji, et comprenant cinqminis¬

Salehi, M. Al-Mouallem a déclaré, à L'émissaire syrien est allé plus mutuelle signé en juin 2006. Elle tres, avait effectué jeudi une visite

propos des combats en cours: loin, accusant «le Qatar, l'Arabie couperait, par ailleurs, les voies en Iran, où elle avait notamment

« Toutes lesforces antisyriennes se Saoudite, la Turquie» d'attiser la d'approvisionnement entre Téhé¬ signé un accord pour importer de

sontrassemblées àAleppourlutter violence en soutenant les rebelles ran et lé Hezbollah, le mouvement l'électricité depuis l'Iran vers la

contre le gouvernement, et elles et en leur fournissant des armes. islamiste radicalqui domine la scè- , Syrie vial'Irak. Selondes témoigna¬

seront sans aucun doute vaincues Cette mise en cause de ces Etats est .ne politique et le gouvernement ges d'insurgés syriens, des instruc¬ [pax l'armée syrienne]. » parfaitementenligne avecla diplo¬ libanais: teurs iraniens seraientégalement à Reçu comme un hôte dé mar¬ matie iranienne, actuellement à Dans ce conflit, qui a pris désor¬ pied d'oeuvre en Syrie, aux côtés de

que, le diplomatesyrien avait égale¬ couteaux tirés avec les pays arabes mais une dimension clairement conseillers militaires russes. ment rendez-vous avec Saïd Jahli, sunnites au sujet de ses ambitions régionale, l'Irak est un enjeu pri Christophe Ayad

Mardi 31 juillet 2012 En Turquie, de plus en plus d'hôtels

Istanbul

Correspondance se convertissent au tourisme halal

Depuis qu'il a découvert en Certains ont des piscines non mixtes, avec port du burkini obligatoire

famille le Shahinn Paradi¬ té en Turquie. Mais depuis l'arri¬ de formule. boutique dansun quartiertouristi¬ se, Mahfoud Saadouni, un vée au pouvoir du Parti islamo- que d'Istanbul. Parisienqui travaille dans lafinan¬ conservateur de la justice et du Filtrage ultrastrict Avec 30 millions de touristes ce, le recommande à tous ses développement (AKP), en 2002, et «Ce qui m 'a motivé à 80 %, c'est par an, le secteurpèse 10 % du PNB amis. Pour le confort cinq étoiles l'émergence d'une nouvelle classe lapiscine ouvertepour lesfemmes, turc et compte pour environ 7% et le parc arboré de cet hôtel-club moyenne conservatrice, les pour que la mienne puisse prendre des emplois dans le pays. L'offre situé sur la côte turque, à l'ouest un peu le soleil au moins unefois s'adapte à la demande. C'est ainsi m en matière de tourisme d'Antalya. Mais surtout pour sa dans l'année. Unfiltrage ultrastrict que Serafettin Ulùkent, un hôte¬ ont évolué. plage close, son code vestimentai¬ est réalisé à l'entrée, pour éviter les lier de Cesme, sur la côte égéenne, En dix ans, le nombre d'établis¬ re strict, sa zone réservée auxfem- téléphonesportables, appareilspho¬ s'est converti au tourisme islami¬ sements offrant des «vacances mes, sa mosquée et son buffet to, etc. », témoigne Kevin, un Fran¬ que. Au départ, les premiers alternatives » a été multiplié par sans alcool. çais musulman venu passer des clients de son club étaient plutôt dix selon le quotidien Mïlliyet. Le Cet hôtel propose à ses clients vacances dans unhôtelprès d'Anta¬ des surfeurs allemands qui appré¬ chiffre d'affaires de ces clubs a pro¬ des vacances « halal » : en accord lya, qui raconte son séjour sur un ciaient la bière fraîche et les soi¬ gressé de 200 % en cinq ans. « Ily a avec les règles qu'ils s'imposent site Internet communautaire. rées détente, explique ce Turc,, une demande croissante pour le dans la pratique de leur foi musul¬ Une quarantaine d'hôtels isla¬ musulman non pratiquant. tourismehalalen Turquie ^consta¬ mane. «Lesgensquifréquententce miques ont ouvert depuis, là où il Un jour, il est venu en aide à un te Teoman Duman, universitaire lieu cherchent la même chose que groupe de touristes religieux lais¬ spécialiste du marketing « musut en existait cinq avant 2002. La cri¬ nous, ce qui garantit une atmo¬ sés en rade par leur tour-opéra¬ man ». Il estime que près de 6 % de se économiqueenEuropeyest aus¬ sphère saine etfamiliale», expli¬ teur. «Les surfeurs étaient sym- l'offre de logements touristiques si pour quelque chose. Russes, Bri¬ que M. Saadouni. pas, mais ces gens-là avaient vrai¬ en Turquie répond aux critères de tanniques et Allemands sont Pendant le mois de jeûne de ment de l'argent», souligne ce marché. moins nombreux à venir bronzer ramadan, qui débute le 20juillet, M.Ulukent. Depuis, il dirige le La demandeest locale,mais aus¬ sur les côtes turques en période le Shahinn Paradise fera le plein. Yeni Meltem, un village vacances, sien provenance des pays du Golfe estivale. Tandis aue « vour les tou¬ Ouvert en 2000, c'est l'un des plus avec piscines séparées pour hom¬ ou duMaghreb. Des touristes euro¬ ristes arabeSj l'argent n'estpas un anciens clubs islamiques de Tur¬ mes et femmes et port obligatoire péens de confession musulmane problème, alors qu'avec les Euro¬ quie. A l'époque, ce type d'établis¬ du burkini à la plage.» sont également séduits par ce type péens... », soupire Ali, qui tient une sement était observé avec curiosi- Guillaume Firmer

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

MARDIS! JUILLET 2012 Le Proche Orient

après Assad

Par GERARD CHALIAND par l'Arabie Saoudite, à laquelle la Tur¬ Méditerranée. Certaines factions kurdes Spécialiste des quie prête désormais main-forte. évoquent la perspective de l'autoriomie conflits armés Là situation militaire, sans être déses¬ d'un Kurdistan. pérée pour un régime qui dispose en¬ La dégradation générale de la situation a fin programmée du régime core de moyens importants et de divi¬ devrait se poursuivre, toujours en zone dictatorial de Bachar al-As¬ sions sûres, s'est graduellement urbaine, où sejoue la partie essentielle sad approche. Celle-ci, outre modifiée au profit des factions insur¬ en cours. Les règlements de comptes, lé soulèvement d'une partie gées avec l'introduction d'armes anti¬ dans lesquels les populations civiles croissante des populations, tanks et de missiles sol-air destinés à vont payer le prix, sont à l'ordre du est largement due au soutien neutraliser les hélicoptères de combat. jour. Lé gros des victimes est sans doute . de la grande majorité de la Tandis que le régime s'est efforcé.de à venir. L'agitation diplomatique de¬ Ligne arabe, menée par l'Arabie Saou¬ frapper lès villes à très forte majorité vient dé plus en plus empressée en pré¬ dite, relayée par le.Qatar et appuyée sur sunnite comme.Homs, l'insurrection vision de la montée prochaine du der¬ le plan logistique par la Turquie. L'appui s'estjudicieusement attaquée aux bas¬ nier acte. des Etats-Unis en matière d'observa¬ tions urbains de l'Etat baasiste : Damas La probabilité, elle aussi programmée, tion satellite, sans compter des actions et Alep avec quelques actions à carac¬ d'une intervention extérieure se rap¬ plus discrètes de services spécialisés, tère terroristèsparticulièrement profes¬ proche. Ce rôle a été dévolu (par la Li¬ ainsi que celui de ses alliés européens sionnelles. En revanche, l'utilisation gue arabe et lés Occidentaux, à défaut isolent un régime qui n'est plus soutenu d'armes chimiques paraît improbable de l'aval du Conseil de sécurité, de que par' la Russie et la Chine. parce qu'elle serait suicidaire, l'ONU) à la Turquie voisine, désireuse Ces deux Etats estiment que l'éradica- Au sud, la longue frontière avec l'Irak à la fois de conforter son statut de puis¬ tion du régime du colonel Muammar ai- qui jouxte les régions sunnites de ce sance régionale sunnite majeure et de Kadhafi, menée pays est partiellement contrôlée par ne pas laisser se développer à ses fron¬ par les Anglo - l'insurrection. Au nord, les Kurdes, ja¬ tières une agitation kurde ppuvant me¬ Français et piloté dis opprimes et déplacéspar le régime nacer sa sécurité. par les Etats-Unis, alaouite, puis récemment courtisés afin Le dernier acte n'est pas encore joué, outrepassait le. mais l'Iran va se retrouver de plus en mandat du Conseil qu'ils restent neutres, ont désormais plus sous pression. Le Liban pourra-t-il de sécurité de choisi de s'opposer activement. Le diri¬ éviter d'être directement affecté par les l'ONU et qu'ils ont été floués. La Russie geant du Kurdistan irakien autonome, changements en cours ? L'Irak chiite, et soutient Damas et lui fournit des armes, Massoud Barzani, tenait il y a peu une plus particulièrement le gouvernement mais devra tenir compte de l'évolution réunion de conciliation à Erbil entre les de Nouri al-MaUki, va.être de plus en des rapports de force sur le terrain. Le différentes factions kurdes de Syrie. plus isolé: L'opinion publique occiden¬ but de l'opération en cours, sous cou¬ Bien que divisées, celles-ci, parmi les¬ tale, essentiellement informée des péri¬ vert d'humanitaire, est essentiellement quelles se trouve le -PKK (mouvement péties et du décompte des victimes, ne politique. Il s'agit d'affaiblir l'Iran en le armé- kurde de Turquie), disposent paraît pas se douter qu'elle assiste à une privant d'un allié régional essentiel. Par d'armes et. contrôlent déjà un pan de importante recomposition géopolitique voie de conséquence, le Hezbollah liba¬ territoire jouxtant la Turquie. Ces déve¬ de la région. nais en subira le contrecoup, ce qui ne loppements inquiètent Ankara quivient

peut que conforter Israël qui sera l'un de masser des troupes à la frontière sy¬ Derniers ouvrages parus: «l'Impasse rienne. afghane», l'Aube 2011 et «la Pointe Les diverses factions politiques syrien¬ au couteau (mémoires, tome 7jl, On peut interpréter lés nes, dont aucune n'est pleinement re¬ Flammarion, 20V. événements actuels comme présentative, sont loin d'avoir une un refoulement du chiisme coordination comme le souhaiterait offensif... Washington soucieux d'éviter un chaos entre sectes religieuses. La majorité

sunnite sera bientôt tentée de tirer ven¬ des bénéficiaires des événements en geance des alaouites et, d'une façon gé¬ cours. nérale, des chrétiens qui ont été les pro¬ Sur un plan plus large, on peut inter¬ tégés et*les alliés de ces derniers. L'exil préter les événements actuels, qui trou¬ d'une partie d'entre eux est inévitable. vent leur source dans la révolution Par ailleurs, les Etats-Unis veulent évi¬ khomeyniste de 1979, comme un refou¬ lement du chiisme offensif (la contes¬ ter une désintégration de l'Etat syrien qu'envisageraient peut-être, en dernier tation populaire à Bahrein a été discrè¬ tementjugulée par Riyad) couronnant ressort, les alaouites majoritaires dans leur réduit montagneux en bordure de le contre-feu sunnite mené depuis lors

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