Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Kurdistan Region: Lower Your Flag in Kirkuk

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the President of Turkey, on Tuesday, April 15, urged the Kurdistan Regional Government to lower its flag in the city of Kirkuk and warned that failure to do so would damage relations between the two sides. Kirkuk is one of the disputed areas in Iraq, with a population that includes Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, and a Christian minority. Last month, members of the Kirkuk local council voted to raise the Kurdistan flag in the city. Kurdish Peshmerga forces took control of Kirkuk in mid-2014 amid the Islamic State's assault on northern Iraq, which saw the Iraqi army retreating and losing large swathes of territory. According to Reuters, Erdogan stated, 'We do not agree at all with the claim that Kirkuk belongs to the Kurds. Kirkuk belongs to Turkmen, Arabs, and Kurds, if they are there. Do not get involved in the issue that Kirkuk is yours, or else the cost will be very heavy. You will damage relations with Turkey.' He further added during a rally in Zonguldak on the Black Sea as part of his campaign for an April referendum to increase presidential powers, 'Lower that flag as soon as possible.' Iraqi Kurds have long claimed ownership of Kirkuk and its surrounding areas, which are rich in oil resources. They assert that Kirkuk, which is very close to their autonomous region's borders, has historically been their capital. Kurdish television network Ruda quoted the governor of Kirkuk province as saying that the Kurdistan flag will fly alongside the Iraqi national flag since the city is essentially protected by Kurdish security forces. The Turkish government considers itself the protector of the Turkmen living in northern Iraq. Local media quote Turkmen leaders in the Kirkuk area as saying that raising the Kurdistan flag in this city is against the Iraqi constitution. The Turkish government is concerned that the advances and successes of Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria may embolden the aspirations of Kurds in Turkey. Kurdish regions in southeastern Turkey have been the scene of violent conflicts between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and state forces for over three decades, and since a temporary ceasefire broke down about two years ago, large-scale armed clashes have resumed. In another part of his speech, the Turkish president stated, 'In my opinion, installing a second flag alongside the Iraqi national flag in the city of Kirkuk is a completely wrong act, and I ask the local Kurdish government officials to correct this mistake as soon as possible.' Turkey's relations with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq have always been very friendly, and the two sides have extensive trade relations, with Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Region, having visited Ankara multiple times. However, the Turkish government is worried about any demographic changes in Kirkuk or the excessive empowerment of Kurds outside the borders set for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In recent years, Iraqi Kurds have put the issue of holding a referendum on the independence of this region on hold, knowing that such a move would anger not only the central government in Baghdad but also neighboring countries with Kurdish minorities, especially the Turkish government. The United Nations has also warned that raising the Kurdistan flag over the ancient castle and city of Kirkuk may exacerbate existing tensions in the city and region. Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish leaders consider the city of Kirkuk part of Turkey's natural sphere of influence and remind that it was part of the Ottoman Empire's territory for centuries until its defeat in World War I.