Turkish Press Review (April 5, 1995)

From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)

Subject: Turkish Press Review (April 5, 1995)

Topic: trkn


CONTENTS

  • [01] DEMIREL IN ARGENTINA

  • [02] CILLER AND CETIN RAP THE WEST

  • [03] DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ

  • [04] GERMAN PRESS ANGRY WITH KINKEL

  • [05] TURKISH FLAG BURNT IN MOSCOW

  • [06] NO ROOM FOR PKK IN REFUGEE CAMPS

  • [07] ANKARA HOLDING TALKS WITH KURDISH LEADERS

  • [08] LABOUR PARTY ROW DEEPENS

  • [09] PETROL DIPLOMACY

  • [10] KARADAYI CONDEMNS PKK

  • [11] 3,355 TURKISH CITIZENS HAVE BEEN KILLED BY PKK

  • [12] PRAISE FROM THE US

  • [13] "REBELLION" IN GERMAN COMMUNICATIONS

  • [14] TURKISH CITIZENS IN GERMANY WITHDRAWING FROM GERMAN BANKS

  • [15] SEPHARDIC FEDERATION OPPOSES ANTI-TURKISH SENATOR

  • [16] RUSSIA ASKS TURKEY FOR CULTURAL AID

  • [17] TURKS SET UP 6,769 FIRMS IN FEBRUARY

  • [18] TURKEY COMBATS PKK TERRORISM IN NORTHERN IRAQ

  • [19] THE WASHINGTON POST : "WE CAN'T BE NEUTRAL ON TURKEY"

  • [20] THE ECONOMIST (April 1, 1995)

  • [21] THE INDEPENDENT (March 27, 1995)

  • [22] POLICYWATCH, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE

  • [23] COMMUNIQUE OF THE U.S.-TURKEY JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION


  • WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF

    DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

    TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

    APR 5, 1995

    Summary of the political and economic news in the

    Turkish press this morning

    [01] DEMIREL IN ARGENTINA

    As Argentine President Carlos Menem was in mourning for his son -killed in an accident last month- the

    Argentine Senate Speaker Eduardo Menem, who is also the president's brother, held a dinner in President Suleyman

    Demirel's honour on Monday evening. In an address given at the dinner, Demirel said despite a huge physical

    distance between Turkey and Argentina, there were many similarities between the peoples of both countries. "I

    believe that Turkey and Argentina, as two areas of stability in their regions, will boost their ties in

    every field" he said. Demirel, who later talked with Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and Deputy Prime Minister

    Hikmet Cetin on the phone, was given information regarding the northern Iraqi operation, and about

    Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu's tour. Menem also gave a luncheon to Demirel and his accompanying delegation

    yesterday. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissenger, who was in Argentina for a working visit,

    also participated in the luncheon. Having a breakfast with Argentine businessmen yesterday, Demirel replied to

    questions regarding the Kurdish problem. He said: "All the world confuses the Kurdish problem and the terror

    problem. There is no Kurdish problem, there is a terrorism problem. Kurdish people are all first class

    citizens. There is terrorism in the country. It kills without discriminating between child or woman. Latin

    America also knows what terrorism is. Terrorists are mostly of Kurdish origin but those they kill are 95 %

    Kurdish-origin citizens. This proves that they are terrorists. Turkish people will protect their country

    and nation. The terrorist organization does not defend the rights of the Kurdish people. They want to divide

    the country. No one will allow the country to be divided. They infiltrate into Turkey because of the

    authority vacuum in northern Iraq following the Gulf War".

    Argentine President Carlos Menem presented the "Saviour of San Martin Honorary Award", which is the

    highest award that can be presented to a foreigner, to Demirel. Demirel said that this award was an indication

    of the friendship between the two countries. Menem, in his speech at the ceremony, said that he would always

    remember the visit he paid to Turkey and added: "Once you gave me a Turkish passport, I will never forget

    this. It was the happiest moment in my life. We know that Turkey is determined to be a democratic country.

    We also want to establish relations with Europe. So, we attach great importance to Turkey". /Hurriyet-Milliyet/

    [02] CILLER AND CETIN RAP THE WEST

    Prime Minister Tansu Ciller yesterday lambasted Germany, which has suspended its military aid over

    Turkey's cross-border military operation against Turkish-Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq, while a

    high-level Foreign Ministry team left for talks with Iraqi-Kurdish leaders on border security.

    Ciller said: "Let your weapons be yours" (to Germany) and that the operation would continue anyway.

    She added that Turkey would withdraw from N.Iraq as soon as possible with the least loss and said: "As we have

    such a beautiful country of our own, it is out of the question for us to occupy there. This operation is our

    legal right. If the ones who should be on our side threaten us by saying "If you use our weapons...", then

    we say: "We have the right to defend ourselves. If they are your weapons, then let them be yours". Deputy

    Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin said: "There is an authority vacuum in N.Iraq. If there is someone who is

    responsible, they are the ones who created the problems in the region in the first place, and then went away".

    /Hurriyet/

    [03] DEVELOPMENTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ

    Turkish military forces are still penetrating into the furthest corners of northern Iraq in their pursuit

    of PKK separatists. Reports from the region say that many members of the PKK have fled into areas controlled

    by forces belonging to the Saddam government in the Gara mountains.

    Despite the difficulties of the terrain, Turkish forces have reportedly succeeded in surrounding some PKK

    encampments and that as a result of clashes the PKK has suffered more losses. /All papers/

    [04] GERMAN PRESS ANGRY WITH KINKEL

    The German press is angry with Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel following his meeting with Turkish

    counterpart, Erdal Inonu, because he was not "severe enough" in his talks with Inonu. German dailies claim

    that the visit of Inonu was just for "strengthening friendship" between the two countries.

    Inonu, on the other hand, in an interview with the German daily Bild, evaluated his visit positively and

    added that he had asked Germany to deal with the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and it's satellite organizations in

    a "more determined" manner.

    Before leaving Germany, Erdal Inonu met with German Federal Parliament Speaker Rita Sussmuth and said that

    Turkey had no intention of staying in northern Iraq or of establishing a buffer-zone in the region. Inonu

    stressed that Turkey respected Iraq's territorial integrity.

    During his meeting with Sussmuth, Inonu pointed out that Germany was responsible for protecting Turkish

    citizens living in Germany. Within the framework of his visit, Erdal Inonu also met with the Chairman of the

    German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Rudolf Scharping. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/

    [05] TURKISH FLAG BURNT IN MOSCOW

    About 80 Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) supporters set fire to a Turkish flag in front of the Turkish

    Embassy in Moscow to protest the northern Iraq military operation.

    The demonstration was held with the permission of Moscow Municipality. /Hurriyet/

    [06] NO ROOM FOR PKK IN REFUGEE CAMPS

    Spokesman for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Rupert Colville, said yesterday that it was not

    possible for members of the PKK to find refuge in the Etrus refugee camp run by the UN. Colville noted that

    even if there were some PKK separatists in the camp, "they would not be there long."

    Spokesman Colville added that there were more anti-PKK people in the camps than sympathizers, and

    these would make sure that PKK separatists would find no welcome in the camp. /Milliyet/

    [07] ANKARA HOLDING TALKS WITH KURDISH LEADERS

    In moves to make northern Iraq secure, Ankara has sent a delegation to the region for talks with Kurdish

    leaders Mesut Barzani and Celal Talabani. The two leaders will be met at different times and their

    viewpoints will be taken into consideration in connection with the future of the region. /Milliyet/

    [08] LABOUR PARTY ROW DEEPENS

    The two members of the British Labour party who made an unscheduled visit to the northern Iraq battle

    zone, and were ousted from the party on their return to England are now at each other's throats.

    Jim Cousins and feminist extremist, Ann Clwyd, are now accusing each other of ulterior motives regarding

    their visit to northern Iraq the other week. Party chairman Tony Blair sent the two packing because he said

    that the party had given no permission for them to visit the area of the incursion by Turkish military forces.

    In the meantime, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin has added to the confusion by sending a

    letter to Tony Blair complaining about his treatment of the two party members. Cetin noted in his letter that

    Cousins and Clwyd had presented a picture at variance with that prevailing in Europe, one that presented the

    military operation in its true light. Cetin said that he was concerned that Cousins and Clwyd were being

    punished for doing the right thing.

    Ann Clwyd has written down the details of her visit in a story given to the Times newspaper. In it she

    relates the harrowing experience of her visit to Gorumlu village where she saw the bodies of people-including

    children- killed by PKK separatists. /All papers/

    [09] PETROL DIPLOMACY

    According to diplomatic circles in Ankara, Azerbaijan is trying to improve relations with Turkey by

    offering a larger share in Azeri petrol production to Turkish companies.

    Ankara has also offered new proposals that could make things easier for Azerbaijan to reach world

    markets, by suggesting that a pipeline could be built through Anatolia to outlets in Turkish port facilities.

    /All papers/

    [10] KARADAYI CONDEMNS PKK

    In a statement given to Stern magazine, Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Chief of the General Staff said that the

    PKK made a great deal of money from drug smuggling. Stressing that everybody was equal in regard to the law,

    Karadayi said that Kurds in Turkey were not given minority status and that there were many Kurdish- origin

    ministers, generals and 130 deputies in the Turkish Parliament. /Hurriyet/

    [11] 3,355 TURKISH CITIZENS HAVE BEEN KILLED BY PKK

    ATTACKS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS

    3,355 Turkish citizens, mostly the elderly and women, have been massacred by the PKK and nearly 10,000

    children have been orphaned. 117 teachers and auxiliary personnel and 38 religious officials have been murdered.

    369 village schools and 36 mosques have been set ablaze. The Turkish Democracy Association has given an account

    of the acts of terrorism carried out over the past 10 years by the separatist organization PKK which aims at

    destroying the territorial integrity of the Turkish Republic. The booklet "Turkey and the Triangle of

    Democracy, Human Rights and Terror" published by the Turkish Democracy Association states that the separatist

    terrorist organization "massacres people who refuse to aid and shelter them in the region, and raids towns and

    villages where those who respect the law live, just because they are loyal to the state and reject the

    organization". According to the Association, the number of civilians massacred by the separatist terrorist

    organization until now totals 3,355. This figure comprises the elderly, women and children. The

    separatist organization left nearly 10,000 children orphans. The said booklet lists the separatist

    organization's terrorist acts as follows: -3,355 civilians mostly comprising the elderly, women and

    children have been massacred and nearly 10,000 children have been orphaned. -117 teachers and auxiliary

    personnel have been killed, and 369 village schools hav been set ablaze, 5,615 village schools could not offer

    instruction because the terrorist organization oppresses and threatens the local people. As a result, 101,425

    children have been deprived of education in the region. -38 religious officials have been killed and 36 mosques

    have been set ablaze. -56 party members, who were working at the regional organizations of the political

    parties which are represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), have been kidnapped and

    massacred by militants of the separatist terrorist organization. -The separatist organization has tried to

    prevent Turkish and world public opinion from learning the brutality they commit by blocking the distribution

    of newspapers and magazines. -160 journalists who have gone to the region in the last three years have been

    kidnapped by the militants, thus obstructing them from carrying out their work. The booklet also notes that

    the separatist organization prevents many factories and mines from operating in the region by using violence and

    terror, sets fire to the work machines delivered to the region for infrastructural services, therefore

    condemning the region to poverty and unemployment. Indicating that the work machines cost around TL 650

    billion, the booklet says: "The terrorist organization seizes or burns agricultural products and animals which

    are the livelihood of the citizens. The government's TL 50 trillion-investment package aimed to improve the

    economy of the region could not be used because of terrorism. The citizens are deprived of medical

    services which they badly need. The terrorists set fire to village clinics and intimidated medical personnel,

    making them flee the region. Therefore, infant mortality in the region is twice Turkey's avarage".

    /Cumhuriyet/

    [12] PRAISE FROM THE US

    After inspecting Turkish Armed Forces area of military operations in northern Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel

    Robert Pistana, ZAKHO-USA Military Attache in the Ankara US Embassy said that the" Steel" military operation was

    "very successful". Pistana, inspected the Sindi region now under the control of the Turkish Armed Forces.

    Accompanying Lt.Col Pistana, Thomas Senecal, US narcotics specialist took some samples from the poppy

    plants in the poppy fields cultivated by PKK terrorists in the Pirbela camp. Pistana said that the deployment

    and equipment of the Turkish Army "were perfect". /Sabah/

    [13] "REBELLION" IN GERMAN COMMUNICATIONS

    The prejudicial attitude of the German media behind much of the news about current events has created a

    "rebellion" in German communications. A top-level official in the German police has evaluated these

    "slander campaigns" saying they promote Nazi thinking. It has also been discovered that extreme right

    sympathizers have a "communication in cipher" system with phones and computer networks in the northern Ren

    district of Westphalia province. It has been revealed that Nazi groups have taken new initiatives because they

    claim that German interior security is being jeopardized by Turks and refugees. They do not want Turks and Kurds

    to turn Germany into a battle field and believe that it is now time to show their strength. /Hurriyet/

    [14] TURKISH CITIZENS IN GERMANY WITHDRAWING FROM GERMAN

    BANKS

    Turkish citizens living in Germany have began withdrawing all their savings from German Banks after

    Germany took the arms embargo decision against Turkey. Newspapers yesterday announced this development under

    the headline. "Turks close their accounts". It was reported that the Turks had already drawn at least DM 70

    million from German banks. It was also estimated that the net annual income of the 1.9 million Turks presently

    living in Germany was approximately DM 20 billion 450 million. /Hurriyet/

    [15] SEPHARDIC FEDERATION OPPOSES ANTI-TURKISH SENATOR

    Alfonse D'Amato, the Republican Senator who presented a bill to the US Congress proposing the

    cancellation of US aid to Turkey, has met with a strong negative reaction from the American Sephardic

    Federation, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Federation Chairman Leon Levy stressed that Turkey

    represented a democratic role model in a region of the world surrounded by extremist regimes. He also recalled

    Turkish historical openness to peoples in need, enumerating the examples of Jews fleeing the Spanish

    Inquisition and Nazi Germany. Levy also underlined the lengths to which Turkey went during the Korean and Gulf

    Wars when Turkey and the US were allies and in which Turkey suffered high financial losses. /All papers/

    [16] RUSSIA ASKS TURKEY FOR CULTURAL AID

    The Russian Culture Ministry has asked for help from its Turkish counterpart in connection with the

    exhibition of the Trojan Treasure at the Pushkin Museum in St.Petersburg in 1996, reported the Anatolia news

    agency yesterday. They have requested documents, slides, photographs and scientific publications.

    [17] TURKS SET UP 6,769 FIRMS IN FEBRUARY

    In February 6,769 firms with a total of TL 4.48 trillion in capital were set up,according to the

    statistics provided by the State Statistics Institute (DIE) yesterday. The DIE statistics also revealed that

    505 firms in the same period transferred a total of TL 10.15 trillion in capital. /All papers/

    [18] TURKEY COMBATS PKK TERRORISM IN NORTHERN IRAQ

    REUTER (March 22, 1995)

    "U.S. President Bill Clinton has expressed 'understanding for Turkey's need to deal decisively' with

    the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which uses bases in Iraq in its fight for a Kurdish homeland inside Turkey."

    [19] THE WASHINGTON POST : "WE CAN'T BE NEUTRAL ON TURKEY"

    (Lally Weymouth, April 2, 1995)

    "PKK guerrillas have their headquarters in Damascus but use northern Iraq as a base from which to operate against

    Turkey. It should be noted that the PKK terrorist activity in

    northern Iraq had been taking place in spite of a 1992 agreement between Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdish leadership

    that PKK activity would be prevented. ..continuing PKK efforts to use northern Iraq as a base for operations are to

    be expected. If it wants to help Turkey fight terror, Washington would be wise to lean on Syria to desist from

    hosting the PKK. Washington's stated goals are to support Turkey, to

    fight Islamic fundamentalism and to anchor Turkey in the Western alliance. These are wise objectives, but they

    require a two-track policy: The United States must do whatever is possible to help Turkey fight terrorism, and

    Washington also needs to bolster Turkey's secular parties in order to prevent radical Islamists from coming to power.

    Neutrality is to be avoided at all costs. Turkey must be viewed as a bulwark against potential Russian

    expansionism, as vital vis-a-vis Iraq and the Persian Gulf and as critical to stability in the Balkans. Turkey can

    also serve as model for the Islamic world - if it remains a democratic and pro-Western country... if the United States

    remains firm in its support for Turkey, including its struggle against terrorism, the U.S.-Turkish relationship

    can only prosper."

    [20] THE ECONOMIST (April 1, 1995)

    "The Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), the target of the army's operation in Iraq, is a terrorist outfit with less

    than whole-hearted support among most fellow Kurds."

    [21] THE INDEPENDENT (March 27, 1995)

    "No one doubts that Turkey has a genuine security problem on its hands with the Marxist, separatist Kurdistan

    Workers Party (PKK). Ever since 1982, the PKK has operated two routes of infiltration into Turkey, one from Syria and

    the other from northern Iraq. The PKK does not speak for all Kurdish Kurds, and it is not the sort of organisation to

    which the West should be lending support."

    [22] POLICYWATCH, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE (February 8, 1995)

    "...all parties (the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) were told (by David Litt,

    country director for Northern Gulf Affairs, US State Department) to reject the PKK as a legitimate player - for

    it is not. The PKK is a terrorist organization, and must be repudiated and dealt with as such."

    [23] COMMUNIQUE OF THE U.S.-TURKEY JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION

    Following is a the text of the Joint Communique of the U.S.-Turkey Joint Economic Commission Meeting. It was

    signed March 30. The U.S.-Turkey Joint Economic Commission (JBCX) met in

    Washington, D.C., on March 29-30, 1995. The Turkish delegation was headed by Professor Dr. Emre Gonensay,

    senior adviser to the prime minister of Turkey. The U.S. delegation was headed by Richard Holbrooke, assistant

    secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs. The delegations included representatives of numerous agencies

    from each government. Discussions built on the work achieved during and

    subsequent to the last meeting of the JEC, an December 8-9, 1993 in Ankara, and served to underline Turkey's importance

    in a strategic and volatile region of the world. The meeting highlighted the significant economic potential of

    Turkey both for the region and the United States. The U.S. side affirmed its support for Turkey's

    economic growth and prosperity. Both parties agreed on the importance of fostering a strong partnership between the

    United States and Turkey based on shared interests, and affirmed the leading role to be played by the private

    sector. The U.S. and Turkey today concluded negotiations on

    two agreements which will strengthen bilateral ties: - A Globe ("Global Learning and Observations to benefit

    the Environment") Agreement was initialed. It signifies the increasing cooperation between Turkey and the United States

    on environmental matters. - A cooperative Financing Agreement between the

    Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Export Credit Bank of Turkey. This agreement provides a framework

    for cooperation between U.S. Eximbank and Turk Eximbank to finance investment projects by U.S. and Turkish firms in

    third countries. Significant progress was made on the Treaty for the

    Avoidance of Double Taxation. Both sides expect to conclude the agreement in the near future. This agreement will spur

    investment in both countries, particularly by small and medium-sized firms.

    The two delegations discussed the status and prospects of Turkey's economic refrom program. The U.S. side

    welcomed the progress made to date under the reform program begun in April, 1994 and expressed its solid support for

    continuing structural reform and other measures to strengthen Turkey's economy. In this regard, the two sides

    reached the following understandings: - The U.S. and Turkey will both participate in a

    privatization seminar in Washington, D.C., on March 31. This seminar, which the JEC delegation heads and other

    officials will attend, will introduce U.S. business to the opportunities presented by Turkey's privatization program.

    - The U.S. will send a delegation of senior economic officials to Turkey during the coming months to review other

    ways in which the U.S. can assits Turkey. It was agreed that these officials would discuss the formation of a

    business development committee as part of the BEM initiative so as to enhance a public/private sector partnership in the

    economic development of Turkey. - The parties discussed Turkey's designation by the

    U.S. Department of Commerce as a Big Emerging Market (BEM), noting that this entails an affirmation by the U.S. of

    Turkey's great economic potential. This JEC meeting initiated the commercial dialogue component of the BEM

    strategy, with the aim of increasing private sector participation in promising commercial areas. Discussion

    focused on energy and telecommunications, including the status of Turkey's Build-Operation-Transfer (BOT)

    regulations and privatization efforts. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency will assist with the U.S.-Turkey Private

    Power Conference, to be held May 22-23 in Istanbul. Both sides agreed that a similar conference in the

    telecommunications area would be useful after Turkish regulations for private telecommunications service suppliers

    are issued. - Detailed discussions took place between the two sides

    on the subject of intellectual property rights. The Turkish side affirmed their intention to pass modern, effective

    legislation in this area as quickly as possible. The U.S. side agreed to work closely with Turkey on such areas as

    training to support of Turkey's effort. - The parties agreed to sustain their momentum in

    cooperation on the environment, acknowladging their mutual satisfaction at Turkey's designation as a qualifying

    priority under the U.S. TIES ("U.S. Technology for International Environmental Solutions") program. They also

    noted the substantial progress towards a second stage of cooperation under the 1991 U.S. EPA-Ministry of Environment

    Memorandum of Understanding. The parties agreed to enhance their cooperation in this with the objective of making

    "green" relations a feature of the future relationship. Both sides also explored new areas for cooperation

    under the 1994 U.S.-Turkey Science and Technology Agreement. The two parties recognized the imperative of bringing

    Central Asian and Caucasian oil and gas to western markets. Turkey reiterated its appreciation for the U.S.

    Government's statement of support for a pipeline running through Turkey to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. The

    parties explored potential financing support for such a pipeline, should the government of the region and the

    pertinent firms ultimately decide to take that route. The Turkish side briefed the JEC on the process of

    implementing the Customs Union Agreement with the EU. The parties reviewed the impact this would have on U.S.

    commercial interests. The U.S. side reiterated its strong support for Turkey's integration with the EU, noting the

    positive benefits expected for Turkey's economy. The parties agreed to cooperate and exchange

    information.


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