A representative of Middle East Watch in Washington, DC, provided the following information during a telephone interview on 16 October 1996.

In the 1980s Turkey's interest in Iraqi Kurdistan was mainly economic, as the Iraqi export oil pipeline passed through Turkey via Iraqi Kurdistan. However, since the 1991 imposition of a UN embargo on Iraq, Turkey has had an additional economic interest as the embargo increased cross-border trade between the two. The 1991 creation of the autonomous Kurdish government in Iraqi Kurdistan added political and military dimensions to Turkey's interest in that region. Having a Kurdish minority itself, Turkey has not been favourable to the idea of Kurdish autonomy in northern Iraq. The presence of Turkey's anti-government Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq has led to a series of Turkish military operations in Iraqi Kurdistan during the last few years. As a result, militarily, Turkey has been heavily involved in Iraqi Kurdistan.

During a telephone interview on 16 October 1996, another Middle East Watch representative added that the instability in northern Iraq has allowed the PKK to establish bases in that region, from which they have launched attacks on Turkey. Turkey has created a secret service network in the region in order to monitor PKK activities and provide the intelligence necessary for Turkey's military operations against PKK bases. Turkey has also tried to form an alliance with Iraq's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) as a means of dealing with the PKK in northern Iraq.

The attached Middle East International articles provide information on Turkey's economic and political interests in Iraqi Kurdistan, its concerns about instability in that region, its 1995 military operations against PKK bases in the region, and its efforts to play off the KDP against the PKK.

The February 1996 DIRB Question and Answer Series paper, Turkey: The Situation of the Kurds, provides additional information on the PKK presence in northern Iraq and its attacks against Turkey from that region.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Middle East Watch, Washington, DC. 16 October 1996. Telephone interviews with representatives.

Middle East International [London]. 20 September 1996. No. 534. Hugh Pope. "Turkey's Change of Climate," pp. 6-7.

_____. 6 September 1996. No. 533. Hugh Pope. "Saddam Moves Forward," pp. 4-5.

_____. 14 April 1995. No. 498. Nicole Pope. "Turkey: A Deal with Iraq's Kurds,?" pp. 7-8.

_____. 31 March 1995. No. 497. Nicole Pope. "The Turkish Invasion of Northern Iraq," pp. 3-4.