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March 1, 2008
News
Turkey and Kurdistan
Kurdishaspect.com - By Peter Stitt
Whilst I do not agree with everything that my brother Mr Takman says in his article What we need is Turkish – Kurdish brotherhood I think his underlying message is very sound and should be listened to and considered by all reasonable Kurds.
Here is a Turkish man who advocates that Turkey should renounce any claims on Kirkuk. That is a reasonable Turkish man who you can speak with. I also know Mr Takman from the last few months on Kurdish Aspect, sometimes we have argued, sometimes we have agreed on things, I know he is a reasonable man who respects other people in a debate and that is why he continues to read and contribute to Kurdish Aspect.
In the end, the Kurdish people will never get 100% of what they want and Turkey will never get 100% of what it wants, that is the nature of peace deals. Compromise is everything but it has to be areas of compromise in which all parties retain their dignity. Mr Takman, bringing up the issue of Kirkuk shows great compromise because I know many Turks would disagree with him. He has been courageous in even saying it on this website and I thank him for being the lovely reasonable man I already knew he was. He is not anti-Kurdish, he just isn't. I have great respect for Mr Takman and I love the fact that he continues to read Kurdish Aspect. I was called a "traitor" by the English for helping Kurdish people in 2000 and it's not pleasant. Mr Takman is doing a similar thing here.
Shortly, the BBC is running a radio series on how peace was achieved in Northern Ireland and I will be posting the internet link so Kurdish and Turkish people can listen to the programmes. The conflict over Ireland started hundreds of years ago and they have managed to put enemies around the same table, laughing and joking together. There is much to be learned. I think the biggest lesson of the programme will be how to compromise because both republicans and loyalists had to give up things they said were important to them in order to make peace happen. They have done it and now their economy is doing very well and the people have a good standard of living and the future looks good.
Ardalan, please give Mr Takman my email address because that man is always welcome at my table alongside my Kurdish friends.
God bless all decent Kurdish and Turkish people and I pray we can find a way to end all hostility between the two peoples.
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