Turkish Daily News, 96-06-19

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From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>

TURKISH DAILY NEWS
19 June 1996

CONTENTS

[01] RP concession to DYP for coalition

[02] Arab League warned not to be anti-Turkish

[03] Greek-Armenian pact angers Ankara

[04] Turkish Armed Forces on exercise in eastern Med

[05] Ankara soon to break the ice with Euro Parliament

[01] RP concession to DYP for coalition

TDN Parliament Bureau

ANKARA- The Welfare Party (RP) is looking increasingly likely to oppose the motion calling for an inquiry into True Path Party (DYP) Chairwoman Tansu Ciller. The pro-Islamic 'no' will be given in return for a coalition deal with the DYP on RP terms.

The RP points out that the Democratic Left Party (DSP) motion against Ciller is not based on serious documents. The DSP motion contains allegations that Ciller misspent the Prime Ministry slush fund and that she handed over TL 5.5 billion to the swindler Selcuk Parsadan. The RP says that details of slush fund transactions are state secrets and cannot be revealed. It says that debate of the motion would distort the subject.

Last weekend, RP leader Necmettin Erbakan met Ciller and proposed a coalition partnership to her. Ciller, however, said she would reply on Thursday. According to political analysts, Ciller delayed her reply in order to see whether the RP would back the DSP motion during the debate which was expected to take place on Tuesday but has since been postponed.

The DSP has proposed that the motions calling for parliamentary probes into Ciller and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz be debated next week.

While the RP was backing the DSP proposal on Monday evening, it changed its stance during the Parliamentary Consultative Commission which convened on Tuesday. The DSP offer has not received support from other parties. Following this development, the parties agreed to debate the motion today. The change in the RP's stance was reportedly ensured at the DYP's initiative.

During the ANAP-DYP minority government rule, the RP introduced motions calling for inquiries against Ciller in regard to the alleged corruption concerning the automobile concern TEDAS, the electricity distribution corporation TEDAS and launched another probe into her assets. Parliament has already agreed to open these inquiries. Following the dissolution of the ANAP-DYP government, the RP shelved the other inquiries which it was to introduce against Ciller. Erbakan had earlier announced that he and his colleagues had 12 other files on Ciller.

ANAP, the DSP and the Republican People's Party (CHP) are expected to cast 'yes' vote on the motion. However, should all of the RP and DYP deputies vote 'no,' the inquiry will be rejected.

Possible inquiry into Yilmaz

During today's debate, two of the three motions calling for an inquiry into Yilmaz are expected to be rejected while the third is expected to be accepted. The DYP introduced the motions which concern alleged bribery by former Emlakbank General Manager Engin Civan in return for loans; alleged corruption at state-run tea producer Cay-Kur; and Yilmaz's personal assets.

The DSP has announced that it will back the motion on the Emlakbank issue, and the RP is reportedly inclined to support it as well. However, both the DSP and the RP are expected to vote against the other two motions.

Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting, ANAP leader Yilmaz said he would vote for the motions. He said that he did not care how many inquiries were opened.

ANAP deputies said that the motions were not serious, so they would reject them.

Briefing his colleagues at the DSP group, Metin Bostancioglu noted that the alleged bribery by Civan in return for loans had taken place when Yilmaz was in office as prime minister. Bostancioglu said Yilmaz had not subsequently removed Civan from his post.

Bostancioglu, however, said that the allegations concerning Cay-Kur could not be made subject of a parliamentary inquiry and therefore its should be rejected. He also said that the allegations concerning Yilmaz's assets were not based on serious documentation.

[02] Arab League warned not to be anti-Turkish

Arab source argues meeting is not aimed at any third party; 'peace' will be on the agenda

By Ayse Karabat
Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Before the Arab League summit in Cairo this weekend, Ankara warned Arab countries about taking any decision regarding the waters of the Euphrates River.

Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonansay has sent letters to his Arab counterparts, setting forth the potential damage any anti-Turkey decision would have. In his letter Gonansay also emphasized that such a decision would give the impression that an Arab front against Turkey had been created.

Turkish ambassadors in Arab capitals have been working to prevent any decision against Turkey and have explained the Turkish view about the water issue to the respective Foreign Ministries.

Arab ambassadors in Ankara held a mini-Arab summit yesterday. Arab ambassadors traditionally come together but yesterdays meeting was especially important as it came directly after Gonansay's letter to Arab foreign ministers.

The Arab League summit will be held on Saturday in Cairo. All countries in the Arab world, with the exception of Iraq, will participate in the meeting.

At recent intra-Arab meetings, the Euphrates water situation has been discussed. Also expected to be on the agenda is the Turkish-Israeli military training accord, signed in February, to which some Arab countries have shown strong negative reactions.

An Arab diplomatic source said that this Arab League summit was a regular one, like the Balkan summit. However, this will be the first summit since the Gulf War. "This is a time for normalization of relations and this meeting is not designed to be against any particular third party," he said.

Saying that the United States is talking about reshaping the Middle East and that Israel wants to be the major player in the region, in all fields from economy to politics, the diplomat said that Israel does not need additional air space for training, while the timing of the Turkish-Israeli created doubts.

He said that they have some reports indicating that a new alliance in the region was emerging between Israel, Jordan and Turkey. There is also the possibility of Iraq joining, to break its international isolation. These kind of developments can create some problems, the source said.

Another source from the region said that this summit is very important for the future of the region. "Arab leaders wait 10 years for a summit, during the Iran-Iraq War they did not hold a summit, during the Gulf War they didn't hold one. Now in Israel, Mr. Netanyahu has won the elections and they (the Arabs) arrange a summit. There is a continuation principle in state affairs. Mr. Netanyahu cannot say that he is not recognizing the Oslo and other agreements.

He said that the Arab countries hadn't held a summit for 10 years and now they couldn't even wait for 10 days before Netanyahu's government program was announced.

The source warned that if the summit produces any resolutions against Turkey, Israel or the Turko-Israeli agreement the Arab countries would have legitimized the non-peaceful policies of Netanyahu and would have created a real danger for the Middle East.

[03] Greek-Armenian pact angers Ankara

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- A military cooperation accord signed between Greece and Armenia on Tuesday has elicited angry responses from Ankara with Minister for Defence Oltan Sungurlu saying that Turkey has the strength to "have such an agreement cancelled."

The agreement was signed in Athens between Greek defense minister Gerassimos Arsenis and Armenian defence minister Vasgen Sarkisiyan at the Greek defence ministry.

The signing was done against the backdrop of an official visit by Armenian president Levon Ter Petrosyan to Greece.

After the signing, Arsenis said Greece would be the first country to post a military attache to Armenia.

He added that his country has been trying for some time now to develop a defence network with countries in the region and that maintaining these efforts was directed at securing peace and stability.

"This agreement signed with Armenia is not only of historic importance but also has a priority for a host of other reasons," Arsenis said.

He added that Greece was today also developing its military ties with Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Egypt, Syria and Israel.

Armenian defense minister Sarkisyan for his part said that the preparations for the accord with Greece had been continuing for over two years.

Sarkisiyan also said that Greek army officers were today helping the Armenian army.

Greek foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos, also commenting on the accord, said that they were interested in establishing a "defence forum" between the two countries.

He added that they wanted Iran, Syria, certain Arab countries and Georgia to be included in this forum.

Turkish Defense Minister Oltan Sungurlu was quoted by the Anatolian news agency on Tuesday as saying that such a development posed no threat to Turkey's security.

"Turkey is in a position to cope with much bigger countries. But we are still bothered by our neighbors establishing such relations among themselves. I don't know the reasons for Greece's wanting to be in the Caucasus, but this also has to be accepted. Greece does not have a friendly attitude towards Turkey."

Former foreign minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Mumtaz Soysal for his part said that while Greece could establish what ties it wanted with any country it chose, this did not prevent Turkey from speaking its mind if it was faced with a situation that angered it.

"What business has Greece got in the Caucasus? For the opposite reason that we don't want a military base in Albania they want a base in this region. Is it proper for a person to try and enter his neighbor's house through the back door? If he has a problem then let him come and try and enter through the front door. He will of course get the response he deserves then," Soysal said.

He added however that "the response to those trying to enter through the back door would be far more serious."

[04] Turkish Armed Forces on exercise in eastern Med

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- The fourth part of the ongoing Seawolf-2/96 military exercise which has been taking place off the coasts of Cyprus and Syria ended on Tuesday as the preparations for the three-day Toros-1/96 military exercise, which starts today in the international waters and airspace of the eastern Mediterranean and Northern Cyprus, started.

Under the command of Adm. Selim Dervisoglu, Seawolf rehearsed submarine defense strategies. Training in tactics for surface, submarine and air defensive warfare was carried out in the international waters of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. In addition, ship-to-ship transfers were practiced.

The warships participating in the exercise anchored in the harbors of Mersin and Iskenderun on the south coast of Turkey and the Kyrenia and Famagusta ports of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The Turkish contingent in Cyprus and warplanes and ships from Turkey will join the exercise. Toros-1/96 aims to improve coordination and cooperation between the two forces.

This year Seawolf-2/96, one of the Navy's most important exercises, was extended to six weeks from five to allow the maneuvers to take place in waters of the eastern Mediterranean off the Syrian coast. This development is seen as a message to Syria which Turkey accuses of trying to escalate tension between the two countries, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The warships also visited some TRNC harbors for the first time in the history of the exercise. This was interpreted as a message to Greece that the TRNC was not alone and had Turkish support.

Meanwhile, these developments were latched onto by the Greek Cypriot media who said that the winds of war were blowing in the region.

Efes 96, the Turkish Armed Forces' 15-day joint exercise carried out in the Aegean, finished last Friday.

Seawolf-2/96 is expected to be completed on June 28.

[05] Ankara soon to break the ice with Euro Parliament

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- On the eve of a Joint Parliamentary Commission meeting, between deputies from Turkey and the European Parliament, scheduled for June 24-26, the Euro MPs on Monday convened in Strasbourg to make their final preparations.

The meeting, which is to take place in Turkey later this month, will officially break the ice between Ankara and Strasbourg, the seat of the European Parliament.

The meeting of the joint commission was suspended two years ago when the Turkish Parliament stripped eight former deputies of the pro-Kurdish Democracy Party (DEP) of their parliamentary immunity.

But the European Parliament decided to resume its ties with the Turkish Parliament last December in a move consecutive to its vote, by 343-149, in favor of the customs union.

With a resolution adopted right after the vote, however, the European Parliament urged the European Commission to report annually on human rights developments in Turkey.

A vice president the European Parliament, Peter Dankert -- an MP from the Netherlands, was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying that they had convened to make an evaluation of their scheduled trip to Turkey for the last time.

The joint commission is expected to refer to essential issues such as the enlargement process of European Union, the Intergovermental Conference, and the customs union deal, signed between Turkey and the EU.

Caretaker Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz visited Klaus Haensch, the president of the European Parliament earlier this month during a visit to Brussels.

Yilmaz pointed out that some of the European Parliament's resolutions stemmed from a lack of information about Turkey, and that he hoped the revitalization of the joint parliamentary commission would prevent the recurrence of such events.

Haensch in return said that the European Parliament had some criticisms of Turkey from time to time but these were constructive, aimed at achieving more positive steps in Turkey.

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