Memri.
Iraq and Turkey: Regional Cooperation That Should Change the Region
Basra-Istanbul Railway, Highway Will Link East and West, Bringing
Prosperity to Both
On June 16, 2008, the website www.tolerancy.org posted an
editorial by Dr. Hussain Sinjari, former minister in the regional government
of Kurdistan, owner and publisher of the liberal Iraqi paper Al-Ahali, and
president of Tolerancy International, an Iraqi NGO that promotes tolerance
among Arab ethnic and religious groups. In his editorial, Dr. Sinjari
focused on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to
Iraq and on Turkish-Iraqi rapprochement, and proposed that a modern railway
and highway be built to link Basra and Istanbul.
The following are excerpts:
"Due to the Long Decades of Dictatorship... Our Country [Iraq]
is Almost a Wasteland... In Order to Change It, We Need This Kind of
Strategic Regional Cooperation"
"The last visit by a Turkish prime minister to our country was
in 1990. Now, 18 years later, a different Turkish prime minister has come to
Baghdad... An historic moment came when the two sides founded the Higher
Strategic Cooperation Council, co-chaired by both prime ministers, which is
planned to convene three times a year, and will deal with vital issues of
energy, military industry, security and politics.
"This historic visit was the fruit of efforts by Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki. It came after the
obvious success of the latest military/security operations in various
locations in Iraq – including Basra, Baghdad, Ramadi, Mosul and other places
where criminal gangs used to terrorize the population.
"Erdogan's visit would not have been possible without this
security success. The writer of this article has witnessed the improvement
in his walks through Baghdad, by day and by night. I was recently surprised
to see hundreds of families relaxing in Abu Nawas, a famous avenue of cafés
and restaurants on the bank of the Tigris River, widely known for its
mesgouf grilled fish. Security in the area is maintained by a private
security company, the Sandi Group, which patrols the bars and restaurants,
checks cars, guards against terrorists, and preserves order.
"Semi-European Turkey – with its democratically elected
parliament, free and critical media, active civil society organizations, and
with the progress it has made in the fields of agriculture, industry,
education and tourism – will form a unique regional partnership with Iraq,
which has the largest oil reserves in the world and the best human resources
in the Middle East. Due to the long decades of dictatorship – during which
our national wealth was wasted on armaments, the liberation of Palestine,
propaganda lies and other destructive practices – our country is almost a
wasteland. This sad reality must be changed, and in order to change it we
need this kind of strategic regional cooperation, which will enable us to
rebuild and reconstruct."
"The Kurdish People Live Along the Iraqi-Turkish Border, And Can
Be of Great Help as a Bridge Between the Two Countries"
"The Kurdish people live along the Iraqi-Turkish border, and can
be of great help as a bridge between the two countries. The armed insurgency
must stop, and people must demand their rights and expressed their
grievances in acceptable civil ways. The state is not innocent either – its
policies must be revised, so that the people are listened to and cared for.
"The Turkmen in Iraq and the Arabs in Turkey are examples of
diversity which could and should be a source of strength and wealth.
"While Iraq suffers great pain because its eastern neighbor,
Iran, has decided to follow Saddam's path of nihilism, our northern
neighbor, Turkey, extends a hopeful hand of friendship, trust and a promise
of prosperity."
"Give Top Priority to Building a Modern Railway Between Basra
and Istanbul, As Well As a Modern Highway Connecting the Two Cities"
"Here I make a proposal to the governments of Iraq and Turkey:
Give top priority to building a modern railway between Basra and Istanbul,
as well as a modern highway connecting the two cities. These two large-scale
projects will attract investments from large companies, and small businesses
will flourish along the railway and highway.
"This new artery will link Iraq to Europe via Istanbul, and
Turkey to the Gulf region via Basra, and it takes no more than a glance to
realize what wealth this could bring – not only to the people of Turkey and
Iraq, but to Europe and the Gulf as well!
"In our globalized world we need more 'tolerance diplomacy.'
This new approach means finding common ground and mutual interests
regardless of differences in faith, ideology, ethnicity and language. Iraq,
Turkey and other countries should explore the benefits of mutual acceptance
and recognition of each other's rights. Operating along these lines, the
Higher Strategic Cooperation Council will serve as an example for many
others who are crippled by evil ideology."
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