Iraq: Turkish invasion could have devastating regional consequences

The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari, commented about continued pressure from Turkey in a recent interview with the BBC. An invasion would have serious consequences for stability in both countries and for the region as a whole, Zebari said, according to The Sidney Morning Herald.

Zebari said that the present crisis was “dead serious” and that Turkey had shown no interest in Iraqi proposals to calm the situation.

According to the article “Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops, backed by warplanes and tanks, on the border between the two countries for a possible offensive against an estimated 3,000 Iraq-based rebels.”

There are fears that the Turkish military build-up will be used to carry out a larger incursion into northern Iraq than anticipated, Zebari said. He added that, according to the article, such a step would have disastrous consequences for stability in both countries.

Turkey’s demand for Iraq to hand over senior members of the outlawed PKK sheltering in Iraq was deemed impossible to fulfill by Zebari.

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