ASSESSMENTS

Turkey's Kurdish Strategy

Sep 17, 2010 | 15:04 GMT

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Summary

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is in talks with Kurdish militant group the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its patron, Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government, to ensure that violence does not erupt after the scheduled Sept. 20 expiration of the PKK's unilaterally declared cease-fire. The AKP appears to be gaining ground on that front, as Iraqi Kurdish support for a recent Turkish referendum indicates. However, a Sept. 16 attack on a Turkish civilian minibus is a reminder of the spoiler potential attached to Turkey's Kurdish strategy.

Turkey appears to be making headway in pursuing key elements of its Kurdish strategy, including eliciting cooperation from Iraq's Kurdish leadership, but significant challenges remain. ...

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