Turkish Army chief: Turkey loses say in Iraq

"Currently we do not know what shape Iraq will take… we have no say since we are not there," General Hilmi Ozkok told the liberal radikal daily.

Turkey on Friday reversed its decision to deploy troops in Iraq, which was approved by the parliament in early October, after the United States failed to overcome stern opposition from the Iraqi leadership and, especially the Iraqi Kurds, to the plan.

Ozkok underlined that Turkey would closely watch developments in Iraq as instability in its southern neighbour would have a direct effect on the country.

"Terrorist activities are on the rise. If Iraq becomes a source of terrorism, that would be of close interest to us …if Iraq is divided and there is a formation in the north, that would affect us very much," he added.

Turkey fears that Kurdish groups in the northern Iraq could use their post-war political gains to move towards independence — a prospect it says could re-ignite separatist violence among Kurds in its southeastern corner.

By helping the the United States in Iraq, it was aiming to win a say in the shaping of Iraq’s post-war system and prevent Iraqi Kurds from declaring independence.

It was also hoping that its military involvement would encourage the United States to take action against Turkish Kurd rebels hiding in northern Iraq — which both Ankara and Washington consider "terrorists".