Report: A secret US plan in northern Iraq

The Turkish Daily Star has highlighted a secret US proposal to Turkey concerning northern Iraq. The paper said that the US diplomat who is in charge of coordinating the Iraqi opposition, Frank Ricciardone, visited the Turkish embassy in Washington on July 12 and asked Turkey to take part in organizing a meeting for the Iraqi National Congress in northern Iraq and to ensure the security of the meeting.

The paper noted that the Turkish officials say that Washington seeks to assure security for such a meeting, intending to send US and Turkish forces into northern Iraq.

The paper added that if Turkey refuses the US proposal, an international peace force led by the US will head to northern Iraq to ensure protection for the Iraqi opposition meeting.

The paper quoted one expert as saying there is an attempt to establish a new entity in northern Iraq and that the Kurdistani Democratic Party, and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan are until now making efforts to reach a solution to three issues: distributing authority in northern Iraq, partition of water resources and establishing a joint military force.

The paper added that during a meeting in northern Iraq, all sides concerned may reach a solution concerning these matters, and as a result the first step would be achieved towards establishing a federal state under US land military forces deployed in the region.

The paper proceeded that a Kurdish federal state in northern Iraq would cause a shock to the region as a whole.

The paper concluded by saying that Turkey does not have much time left to draw up a policy for dealing with the coming developments because the meeting of the Iraqi opposition will be held in September.