TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review
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newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl
Sun Mar 26 00:22:57 GMT 1995
From: newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl (newsdesk at aps.nl)
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
MARCH 24, 1995
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish
press this morning.
NO YIELDING TO PRESSURE
In response to pressure from some foreign governments, Prime
Minister Ciller said yesterday that she would not bow to
outside pressures when it came to developments in northern
Iraq.
A number of foreign governments, including the European
Union, have called for Turkey's quick withdrawal from the
region of northern Iraq, and have claimed that Turkey is
flouting international laws about national sovereignty and
territorial integrity. Following an interview with
Britain's BBC yesterday evening, Ciller went on to detail
Turkey's position with Sabah newspaper and said that Turkey
was fighting against terrorism.
Noting that Turkey had launched a massive military operation
against terrorism in northern Iraq to beef up domestic
security, Ciller added that Turkey was doing this with US
government support and with the approval of European
countries like France. Commenting on the problems of the
huge anti-terrorist campaign, Ciller said that it was no
easy task to eliminate the PKK.
Claiming that the military operation had created no
difficulties with either the US or the European Union,
Ciller explained to Sabah newspaper that the process of
democratization in Turkey would not be adversely affected by
the northern Iraq military operation. /Sabah/
US BLOW AGAINST PARLIAMENT IN EXILE
Former deputy of the now defunt Democracy Party (DEP), Ali
Yigit cancelled a press meeting in Washington after US
government officials failed to agree to support initiatives
to establish a Kurdish parliament in exile. Christine
Shelly, State Department Spokeswoman confirmed the decision
of US administration by saying: "The US government is
determined not to recognize a Kurdish parliament in exile
because of PKK support for this initiative." The statement
by Shelly shows that the connection between the Democracy
Party and PKK has been carefully documented by the US
government. Continuing, Spokeswoman Shelly said: "The US
will not establish any connection with the PKK or with
groups trying to legalize the PKK, and therefore will not
hold talks with former Democracy Party Deputy Ali Yigit".
/Hurriyet/
EU-TROIKA MEETINGS IN ANKARA
The foreign ministers of three key EU members, in high-
level talks with Turkish officials in Ankara yesterday,
expressed concern over Turkey's military operation against
separatist Kurdish camps in northern Iraq. Officials
responded by indicating that the end of the Gulf War had
left a power vacuum in the region which was working to
Turkey's disadvantage by endangering security and
necessitating this kind of action by the Turkish armed
forces. Indicating that the current arrangement by the West
vis-a-vis northern Iraq did nothing to enhance Turkey's
security, Ankara also asked the EU to recommend means
whereby this security could be provided, thus relieving the
Turkish armed forces of having to take such big and costly
measures. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and
Spain arrived in Ankara yesterday for a visit representing
the so-called EU "troika" which comprises the Union's past,
present and next term presidents. They were accompanied by
the EU commissioner in charge of foreign affairs, Hans van
den Broek. Addressing a joint conference with Turkish
Foreign Minister Murat Karayalcin after the talks, French
Foreign Minister Juppe admitted that if a vote were to be
taken tomorrow in the European Parliament on Turkey's
customs union with the EU, it would not pass. Juppe added
that despite their various concerns about the method and
duration of Turkey's military operation, they were pleased
that Turkish officials they had met with had made it clear
that Turkey would withdraw from northern Iraq as soon as it
had completed its mission there.
Juppe also stressed that Ankara had the right to ensure its
own security and he condemned the separatist PKK terrorist
organization. He added, however, that the EU was concerned
over possible civilian losses and said that the Union was
following developments closely. Turkish Foreign Minister
Karayalcin also gave similar messages to Europe: "We are
carrying out this operation in a region where Iraq has no de
facto sovereignty. If Iraq had the de facto sovereignty in
that region, we would not have had to carry out this
operation. The decisions which the Western allies are
implementing, block the establishment of Iraq's sovereignty
there. If Iraq re-establishes its sovereignty there, then
we will not have to carry out this kind of operation again".
He also called upon the US and Baghdad to find a solution to
the northern Iraq problem. He said to Baghdad: "If you
fulfil the UN decisions, we will not have to carry out any
other operations". Karayalcin gave this message to the US:
"If Europe continues its reactions, we will bring the
Provide Comfort into question". He added that conditions
should be created to either ensure Iraq's total control over
the region, or an international mechanism could be
established to fill the authority vacuum there. The foreign
ministers of the three countries met with Republican
People's Party (CHP) Chairman Hikmet Cetin. They were also
received by President Suleyman Demirel, Parliament Speaker
Husamettin Cindoruk and Prime Minister Tansu Ciller. During
the meetings, Cindoruk, Ciller and Cetin talked about the
aim of the military operation, Turkey's steps towards
democratization and amendments to the law and Constitution.
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel met with New Democracy
Movement (YDH) leader Cem Boyner and independent deputy
Abdulmelik Firat, who is of Kurdish origin, and CHP
executives Fehmi Isiklar, Halil Ibrahim Tutu and Atilla Hun.
/All papers/
SECURITY FOR CIVILIANS
A special centre is being set up in northern Iraq to make
sure that security for civilians in the battle areas is not
abused. Thirty-five thousand Turkish troops supported by
heavy armour and air cover are in the region of northern
Iraq, and there is both foreign and domestic concern that
civilians might be harmed by the military pursuit of PKK
terrorists hiding in the mountains.
The special centre will take in hand complaints coming from
civilians suffering loss or damage by the military, and will
try to find a solution. Danish Foreign Minister Niels
Helveg Peterson said yesterday that Danish observers in a UN
team following events in northern Iraq had reported that
civilians were not being affected by the operation.
In the meantime, the battle against the PKK has, if
anything, intensified. One military representative said
yesterday that the campaign will not be over in just a few
more days. "We are taking new measures to provide more
security, but the operation has spread over a wider area."
The same official repeated that military forces deployed in
northern Iraq will not be withdrawn until the last terrorist
has been dealt with.
Reports from military sources say that the region of Hakurg
has been surrounded by Turkish troops. During the last 24
hours another 39 terrorists have been confirmed killed,
bringing the total to around 128.
The Turkish forces in northern Iraq are coming across
pockets of resistence, despite the heavy bombing of PKK
bases. There are reports of five separate clashes between
PKK terrorist groups and the military forces. Traffic at
the Habur border crossing point has once again been stopped,
except for returning Iraqi trucks. /All papers/
EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL
According to military spokesmen, Turkish forces have
consolidated an area penetrating forty kms into north- ern
Iraq. While heavy guns continue to pound the mountains at
the further reaches of the incursion zone, support units
have turned the area into a "security zone" -free of
isolated groups of PKK terrorists.
Specially trained forces are combing small communities
around the PKK mountain strongholds in seek and destroy
operations designed to rid the region of every last vestige
of PKK control.
Down in Incirlik, at the military base near Adana, officials
there said yesterday that everything was "normal" and that
AWAC and other air traffic was "routine" -nothing out of the
ordinary. /Milliyet/
US CONTINUES TO SUPPORT TURKEY
The US administration responded yesterday to some critics
against the Turkish operation in northern Iraq and said:
"We approve Turkish cross-border operation against the PKK
terrorist organization". White House, State Department and
Pentagon officials continue to support the operation as long
as Turkey carries out within the border of its commitments.
State Department Spokesman David Johnson said: "If one
country is attacked by a terrorist organization settled in a
neighbouring country, then this country has the right to
protect its integrity". Former CIA official and Middle East
expert, Graham Fuller also pointed out that northern Iraqi
people are not administered according to international laws
and said: "Thus, Turkey's operation is in line with
international laws". /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH DEFENCE MINISTER GOLHAN IN PARIS
Mehmet Golhan, Defence Minister attended an unofficial
meeting of the Western Europe Armament Group (WEAG) held in
Paris yesterday. Attending the meeting as a guest of
Francois Leotard, French Defence Minister, Mehmet Golhan met
his Western European colleagues in a one-day seminar.
Various issues of particular concern to France were taken up
during the meeting which preceded France's two year term
presidency. /Cumhuriyet/
YILMAZ CONTINUES HIS CONTACTS IN THE US
Motherland Party Chairman Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that
he was ready for talks with any Kurdish group that was
against terrorism and defended the territorial integrity of
the country.
Yilmaz has been holding talks with top-level officials from
the US State Department, the Defence Department, Congress
and Republican Party.
Yilmaz has also had talks with US Assistant Secretary of
State, Strobe Talbott, and they discussed the latest
developments in the Causcasus and in the Balkans,the Turkish
military operation in northern Iraq and the latest
developments in Turkey.
Talbott told Yilmaz that he trusted in Turkish democracy,
the Motherland Party and the leadership of Yilmaz.
Yilmaz also held intensive talks with the possible new head
of the CIA, Assistant Secretary of Defence John Deutch,
Republican Senator Jesse Helms and one of the writers of the
"Contract with America" programme, Dick Armey.
Yilmaz attended a breakfast organized by the Carnegie
Endowment Institution and answered the questions of
representatives from the US State Department, the National
Intelligence Council, the CSIS, Washington Institute, the
Helsinki Commission and Amnesty International, about the
Turkish coalition government, the Kurdish issue and Turkey's
relations with her neighbours. At the breakfast, Yilmaz
noted that Turkey was against a federal, autonomus
independent Kurdish state. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
NEW ATTACK AGAINST TURKS
The police have arrested two PKK supporters in Singen,
Germany evidently planning attacks against Turkish
institutions by using molotov cocktails Police officials
have said that it was still unknown whether or not the two
suspects arrested in Singen had connection with the fire
bomb attacks against a mosque on 11 August, 1994.
/Cumhuriyet/
TURKEY COMBATS PKK TERRORISM IN NORTHERN IRAQ
=============================================
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE (March 23, 1995)
"...this is an operation conducted by a legitimate,
democratic government and a close ally of the West against a
brutal terrorist organization.
The PKK is one of the deadliest terrorist movements in the
Middle East. What perhaps distinguishes the PKK from an
organization like, say, Hamas, however, is the unwitting
friends it has in the West. Though it by no means
represents a significant portion of Turkish Kurds, much less
other Kurds in the region, the organization is nevertheless
seen in many Western circles as fighting for "Kurdish
rights." The PKK's record of slaughtering Kurdish villagers
loyal to the government should be evidence enough that the
opposite is true.
The PKK also makes money in Europe. europe is reportedly
one of the main destinations for what is widely believed to
be a lucrative PKK narcotics trade, from which it allegedly
finances no small amount of its guerilla activities.
Turkey's allies have a great stake in seeing this succeed.
If Europe is to help Turkey, it must not push for early
withdrawal from northern Iraq. Europe must recognize that
terrorism today is sophisticated and savvy enough to use the
West's principles against it. Turkey remains an important
adjunct of Europe and a key member of the Atlantic Alliance.
It remains our friend in a troubled region and deserves our
support."
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (March 23, 1995)
"The invasion by one country of another would normally
occasion universal condemnation. That this has not been the
case with the Turkish pursuit of Kurdish rebels into
northern Iraq is due to the peculiar nature of the
situation. Baghdad is in no position to prevent the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from using Iraq as a
springboard for attacks into south-east Turkey.
The PKK is a ruthless organization which threatens the
integrity of the Turkish state.
FINANCIAL TIMES, (March 23, 1995)
"A spokesman for Mr. Hans van den Broek, EU commissioner
for external affairs, justified Turkey's action on the
grounds the Kurdish Workers' party was a terrorist group..."
WASHINGTON TIMES, (March 21, 1994)
After Mrs. Ciller briefed President Clinton during a
10-minute telephone call, White House Spokesman Michael
McCurry said the president expressed "understanding for
Turkey's need to deal decisively" with the PKK."
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD HOLBROOKE
(February 21, 1995)
"With regard to the situation in the Southeast, we
reaffirmed the fact that we believe that the PKK is a
terrorist organization and that the Turkish government has a
legitimate right to deal with it as such."
MARCH 23, 1995
ITALY EXPRESSES UNDERSTANDING FOR TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM
Wrapping up a three-day visit to Turkey, Italian President
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro expressed his country's full
understanding and support for Turkey in its fight against
terrorism.
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