Baykal: Turkey failed to enter northern Iraq on time

Iraqi Kurdish leaders have said they will resist any Turkish military moves and Washington fears that Turkish intervention could undermine its war efforts in the north by provoking Turkish-Iraqi Kurdish clashes.

Criticizing the government’s Iraq policy, Baykal yesterday said Turkey failed to display efficient power on time on the northern Iraq issue, emphasizing the country is now an onlooker in the developments.

"It’s for sure that Turkey’s chance to steer the developments in Iraq will have received a major blow at the end of the current process," Baykal added.

Addressing labor union Tes-Is’s board meeting on Friday, Baykal noted that a Turkish military presence in northern Iraq bothered many circles and added that the real target of the war was to bring a new structure to the Middle East. According to Baykal, the U.S. did not share this will with Turkey, the powerful country of the region.

Recalling that Turkey had repeatedly said that it had no hidden agenda regarding Mosul and Kirkuk, Baykal criticized the U.S. for tying its $1 billion grant to the condition that Turkey would not enter northern Iraq.

"What’s worse is that the Turkish government said, ‘We do not want to enter northern Iraq, anyway.’ Why did you carry out talks about northern Iraq then?" Baykal slammed the government.