TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News (April 8, 1996)

From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 8 April 1996

[01] Military accord with Israel chills relations with Iran and Arabs

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Reports of a military cooperation and training accord between Turkey and Israel have led to a new chill in perennially sensitive relations between Turkey and Iran, and between Turkey and the Arab states.

The only remark so far uttered by an official on the accord came from Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Mousa who characterized it as a "dangerous example." Reporting from Cairo the Anatolia news agency quoted Mousa as saying that the accord between Turkey and Israel was also "dangerous in terms of the region." Syria's daily Tishreen, known for its close ties to the authorities, also commented on the military cooperation agreement between Turkey and Israel, claiming this was against Arab states.

Echoing Mousa's words, Tishreen said on Sunday that the accord was dangerous for the region where it would contribute to further instability.

In Iran officials are remaining silent for now on reports of a military cooperation accord between Turkey and Israel.

But media organs known to be close to the authorities have been raising their voices over this accord and accusing Turkey of conspiring with Zionism against Iran.

Minister for Defense Oltan Sungurlu announced recently that Israeli pilots will be able to use bases in Turkey for training purposes.

This statement was made after Greek Defense Minister Gerassimos Arsenis claimed that Syria had given landing rights to Greek fighter jets and had hinted that this was targeted against Turkey.

The Turkish side later said Syria had denied the Greek minister's claim.

Sungurlu was quoted by the Turkish daily Milliyet on Sunday saying that he had "confused the matter" when announcing that Israel would be allowed broad training privileges for its air force in Turkey.

While not denying that an arrangement had been worked out with Israel, Sungurlu said only certain types of military aircraft would make limited trial runs in Turkey.

The deputy undersecretary for the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Ali Taygun, is to travel to Iran this week for talks with his opposite number and other Iranian officials.

The talks will, sources say, also try and clarify reports about the extent of Turkish-Israeli military cooperation and underline that this is not directed against another country.

Anatolia said on Sunday that a report in the English language Iranian daily Tehran Times referred to this military accord and said the "Zionist regime has come to Iran's door." Risalat, another Iranian daily, accused Turkey of being "a platform of conspiracies" while Cumhuri Islami claimed Turkey had become "Israel's garden." The daily Ahbar went further, claiming that Turkey's neighbors reserved the right to respond to these steps by Ankara, while Allame Seyid Muhammed Hussein Fazllulah, a leader of the Lebanon-based radical and pro-Iranian Shiite movement Hezbollah, alleged Turkey "had declared war on Islam." These accusations in Iran against Ankara come amid widespread allegations by official and unofficial Turkish sources of an Iranian hand in terrorism in Turkey by militant Islamic groups.

Ambassador Tuygan is expected to touch on these reports and furnish some names to the Iranian side concerning citizens of that country who are residing in Turkey in official capacities and who are accused of contacts with radical Islamic groups.

[02] S. Arabia allocates more oil revenue to Bahrain

MANAMA- Saudi Arabia has agreed to allocate the balance of oil production from an offshore field it shares with Bahrain to the small Gulf island state to boost its economy, oil industry sources said on Sunday.

The sources said from April 1, revenue from Saudi Arabia's share of the 140,000 barrels per day (bpd) Abu Saafa field would go to Bahrain, providing an estimated additional 80 million dinars ($200 million) a year of oil revenue.

This would boost the share of government revenue from Abu Saafa from 36 percent of the total in 1995 to around 50 percent in 1996 and would offset Bahrain's estimated 76 million dinar budget deficit for the year, the sources said.

Previously, Saudi Arabia had received revenue from 40,000 bpd of the field's output while Bahrain had been entitled to 100,000 bpd from the field, which is operated by Saudi state-owned oil firm Saudi Aramco.

One source said the decision had "profound political implications" for Bahrain, which has been disrupted by widespread domestic unrest since January 1994.

Unemployment among the island's Shi'ite majority is a key factor behind the unrest, in which 24 people have died.

The protesters have been demanding the restoration of parliament dissolved in 1975.

Abu Saafa field lies between the two countries and supplies Bahrain's export-orientated oil refinery at Sitra.

International benchmark Brent crude was priced at $20.25 a barrel for May delivery on Thursday.

[03] NATO secretary-general to visit Turkey

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana will visit Turkey in May, the Anatolia news agency said on Sunday quoting unnamed official sources.

The visit, which was postponed previously because of prolonged efforts in Turkey to form a government, is expected to take place in the third week of May.

Solana has paid courtesy calls on NATO capitals after being appointed NATO secretary-general last year.

A source quoted by Anatolia said that Turkey wanted Solana's visit to be more than just a courtesy call.

"It is too early to talk of an agenda. But what is certain is that the visit will have an agenda," the source said.

At his last meeting in Brussels with Turkey's former foreign minister, Deniz Baykal, Solana expressed his wish to see Turkish-Greek tensions disappear from NATO's agenda.

Anatolia also quoted an unnamed Western diplomat as saying that Turkish-Greek relations could be expected to take a prominent place on the agenda of Solana's visit to Ankara.

[04] Denktas accuses Russia of `enmity towards Turks'

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas has accused Russia of increasing pursuing pro-Greek Cypriot policies despite the fact that it is an influential Security Council member which means it should remain impartial.

In a written statement carried by the Anatolian news agency out of Nicosia on Saturday, Denktas said Russia's position was turning more and more into one of "enmity towards Turks." He added that Russia's spoiling the neutrality it has to preserve is also casting a shadow over the U.N. Security Council.

Denktas, said that the prime means by which Russia is spoiling is neutrality, is through its increasing arms sales to the Greek Cypriot side, at a sensitive time on the island.

The Turkish Cypriot president made his statement following reports that Greek Cyprus is planning to by medium range s-300 missiles from Russia after an agreement which is to be signed by the two sides within two months at the latest.

Greek Cypriot press reports also indicated that T-80 tanks brought from Russia will be delivered to the Greek Cypriot National Guard in six months time.

U.N. Secretary- General Boutros Boutros-Ghali warned in a report last year that there is a dangerous escalation in the number of arms on the island.

The Turkish side says that its efforts are commensurate with Greek Cypriot efforts and are aimed at restoring the balance disrupted by the armament efforts of the Greek Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriot council of ministers decided on Friday to speed up the armaments program announced under the Joint Defense Doctrine between Greek Cyprus and Greece.

[05] State Minister Ozdemir: 'HABITAT is a great opportunity'

Turkish Daily News

ISTANBUL- Minister of State Ali Talip Ozdemir said at the weekend that the U.N. Conference on Human Settlements HABITAT II would be an important event as for the first time civil society organizations would voice their views in such a conference.

"Local administrations play an important role in the progress of democracy. If we neglect their role, HABITAT II will fail to achieve its goals," Ozdemir said in a conference on Saturday.

Declaring that the conference, to be held between June 3 and 14 in Istanbul, would be a great opportunity both for Turkey and the ancient city, Ozdemir warned central and local organizations to work in coordination.

"With recent developments the model of sustainable development has to be reevaluated. I hope HABITAT II will also focus on this issue," Ozdemir said.

Yigit Guloksuz, director of the Housing Directory which is responsible for preparations for the conference, speaking at the same conference suggested that a national human settlements conference should be held after HABITAT II.

"The HABITAT Conference will emphasize more global issues, so we should deal with more specific problems in another conference," Guloksuz said.

Meanwhile, Sezai Hazir, director of the youth division of the host committee for HABITAT II, urged everyone to be concerned about the conference, the Anatolia news agency reported.

"Every citizen who feels discomfort on issues like health, education, the environment and human rights should take part in the HABITAT II conference," Hazir said in a conference held in Adana on Saturday.

Sezai Hazir described the most important aspect of the conference as "the discussion of the decisions of both civil society organizations and official meetings on a joint platform." He explained that the host committee for HABITAT II would be working to ensure that the results of the conference were long-lasting.