Türkiye-Irak ilişkileri ve Kürt sorunu(1926-1990)
Özet
The subject of this study is Turkey-Iraq relations and Kurdish question between 1926 and 1990.The relations between Turkey and Iraq started to develop particularly after Ankara Agreement signed in 1926. Existence of Kurdish question in both countries led the security dimension to have a priority in their relations. That there were Kurdish rebellions(riots) in both Iraq and Turkey in the 1920s and 30s made it compulsory for the relations to be sustained in cooperation during the 1930s. This situation turned into a regional cooperation with Sad-Abad Treaty in 1937.With the Cold War following the World War II the convergence in the relations between the two countries got accelerated. What underlied that convergence was the fact that both countries followed a pro-West foreign policy and perceived the Soviet Union as a threat as well as the prevalence of Kurdish question in both: although the change in the direction of foreign policy of Iraq with the 1958 military coup d'etat and following alliance between Kurdish politicians and new Iraqi government caused a short-term tension in the relations, there was a recovery in the relations in the form of a cooperation regarding the Kurdish question from 1963 up until the end of the 1980s. The basic policy of Turkey in that period was based on the prevention of the Iraqi Kurdish movement from threatening its national security and territorial integrity and affecting the Kurdish population within its borders. During the 1980s, hindering the settlement of PKK, which threatened particularly itself, in northern Iraq became another main objective.