Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (March 30, 1995)
As the military operation in northern Iraq carries on into yet another day, controversy stalks the moves by the
Turkish military to clean out the pockets of PKK terrorist resistance. While Turkey claims that national security is
at stake, international pressure for an "international solution" to the PKK-Kurdish problem continues to grow.
While Turkish armed forces comb the hills around Hakurk, a major PKK base, foreign interest in the military op-
eration against PKK separatists also increases, especially as Turkish officials have said openly that Turkish forces
could remain in northern Iraq for quite some time. Instead the suggestion from Ankara is that the West should
do more about persuading Iraqi leader Saddam to get in line with UN demands, and mediate a peace between the
Kurds and Baghdad. Turkey has made it clear through government spokesmen that it prefers a "more practical"
solution to the question of resolving the power vacuum in northern Iraq. Nevertheless, western countries are still
most concerned about when the Turkish military force of at least 35 thousand troops and logistic suppport units will
withdraw. According to a press release from the General Directorate of Press and Information, foreign and domestic
journalists are allowed free access to all parts of northern Iraq, and even some British parliamentarians have
visited the regions where fighting continues. Yet another aspect of the controversy surrounding the military
incursion into northern Iraq, is the growing dispute with Germany over military grants to Turkey. Germany has
frozen a 150 million mark grant that was part of an agreement to promote defence cooperation between Turkey
and Germany. Other countries are thinking of doing the same thing regarding their own agreements with Turkey.
Ankara has responded to German moves to pressure the government by announcing that cooperation with Germany in
this area could well be coming to an end. /All papers/
The PKK has answered German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, who unwillingly supports Turkey's military operation in
the northern Iraq and said: "The first photograph of a dead civilian will be to the disadvantage of Turkey".
Photographs of four dead civilian killed in Gorumlu township by the PKK have been shown to the world by news
agencies. The recent PKK attack was a response to the military operation of the Turkish armed forces in northern
Iraq which aimes to finish off terrorism, and these are the first photograps of dead civilians. However, they are
not photographs of dead civilians killed by Turkish soldiers; they were innocent Kurdish children massacred by
the PKK. One of the leading German TV channels, NTV, presented these photographs as Kurdish children killed in
northern Iraq by the Turkish armed forces. The French Euronews TV channel in Lyon which broadcasts throughout
Europe also fell into the same trap. On the other hand, British Labour Party deputies Anne Clwyd and Jim Cousins
and their assistant Clive Forness visited Gorumlu township which the PKK attacked and they were astounded by the
things they saw. The British parliamentarians said: "It was very sad. We hope that such a sad event will never be
repeated. We believe that Turco-Iraqi and Syrian Kurds will live together in peace in the region. Turkey is
right in its struggle against terrorism. During wars civilians are killed. This is a tragedy. Civilians are
innocent victims of wars. Turkey should stop terrorist attacks. We share Turkey's views about terrorism. Turkey
should protect itself from terrorist attacks." Regarding the operation, the British parliamentarians said: "We
believe that European countries understand Turkey's operation beyond her southern border. A secure
environment has been established following the Turkish armed forces incursion into the region. It is important
that press members should be in the region. Turkey is now in the northern Iraqi territories. We hope that forces
will withdraw as soon as possible once the operation is concluded." /Sabah/
Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Ground Forces Commander, said yesterday that whoever opposed the "Steel Operation" was
infact, supporting terrorism. Karadayi added that a lot of arms were found and most of them were German made. He
said world should be ashamed by these findings./Sabah
It has been stated that Ankara's attitude towards the German government is changing due to Germany's latest
announcement that the German government will suspend military aid to Turkey. It has also been noted that there
is a move towards not giving any more defence tenders to Germany. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ferhat Ataman said
yesterday that the frigates were not a grant and added :"We are not getting any military aid from Germany now.
The projects are mostly purchases. Turkey is paying DM 9.9 billion to Germany for military supplies. Turkey
contributes to the German economy more than Germany contributes to the Turkish defence sector. I think that
the continuation of these relations are good for the German economy." /Milliyet/
Reports say that the US administration is waiting for Turkey's views on regional problems-especially in
connection with the power game now being played out in northern Iraq. Spokeswoman for the US State Department,
Christine Shelly said yesterday that telephone conversations with Prime Minister Ciller had not been
explicit enough where the northern Iraq power vacuum was concerned. The US has indicated clearly that until Ankara
comes up with "a concrete solution" measures to deal with the situation as it now stands should be taken through the
"hammer" force de- ployed in Incirlik near Adana, as part of the UN Provide Comfort mandate to protect Kurds in
Iraq. In fact, reports suggest that initiatives for a Turkey-US security base in northern Iraq could be on the
cards. A dele- gation to the US led by Prime Ministry Advisor Emre Gonensay has already put this idea to US
government representatives. New deals in the air will not exclude the Kurdish leaders in the region, and Mesud
Barzani and Celal Talabani will be given a say in what is planned as a solution for the regional problems now
plaguing northern Iraq. There are also tentative reports that a US commission will visit Turkey during the first
two weeks of April. The special commission will include top US officials like Strobe Talbott, Richard Holbrooke,
John Deutch and Joseph Nye. Later in the month of April, Prime Minister Ciller will have talks with President
Clinton in Washington about developments in north- ern Iraq and the new security mechanisms even now being
planned. /All papers/
Turkey has warned the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) about the UN program to move Turkish
citizens of Kurdish origin migrating to northern Iraq out of the military operation region. Noting in his weekly
press meeting that PKK terrorists had infiltrated civilian refugee groups, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ferhat Ataman
said that Turkey had asked the UNHCR to take every measure needed regarding this issue. Ahmet Uzumcu, Foreign
Ministry representative in Diyarbakir during the initial phases of the operation, has also stressed that they have
been no complaints from the civilian population. Meanwhile, the UN force is charged with protecting
northern Iraq Kurds from Iraqi leader Saddam, and responsible for distributing humanitarian aid. /Hurriyet/
While the West was waiting whether Turkey would constitute a "security-aimed buffer zone" in northern Iraq or not,
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ferhat Ataman said: "At this level, it is not foreseen to form a buffer zone at our
borders". About the time of the operation, Ataman said: "The operation will last until conditions that require
another operation are removed". There was no complaint or information given to the Foreign Ministry from the Red
Crescent, the UN or non-governmental organizations in the region that civilians were harmed, Ataman added: "On the
contrary, we are in close cooperation with international institutions. Kurdish-origin Turkish citizens who
migrated from Turkey to northern Iraq, have been taken under the protection of the UN. Turkey has conveyed to
the UN that measures should be taken to prevent these people infiltration by PKK militants". Regarding the
Habur border gate, Ataman said: "The roads from the Habur border gate are separated into two: for humanitarian and
commercial traffic. These facilities continue and we are very sensitive on this issue." /Milliyet/
ORGANIZATION"
The Wall Street Journal newspaper described the PKK as a "wild terrorist organization". The article said that the
PKK was one of the most bloody terrorist organizations in the Middle East and did not hold a worthy place among the
Kurds in Turkey. The article described Turkey as a needed friend, and complained about the reactions of the West
regarding the military operation in northern Iraq. It noted that the West misunderstood the objectives of the
operation which was being carried out by a democratic and legal government against a terrorist separatist
organization. The article added: "This bloody organization has friends in the West who are unaware of
the PKK reality. The PKK utilizes human rights as a trump card and affiliates with the people in Germany, Sweden and
other Western countries to ensure their stand against the Turkish government". It went on: "The main target of PKK
drug traffic is Europe. The PKK is also aided by Syria and Iran". /Sabah/
STATEMENT
Ankara has reacted angrily to a statement from Germany's Labour Minister Norbert Blum that Turkey treated Kurds
worse than animals and let Kurds fleeing to Turkey from Iraq during the Gulf War die by closing its borders.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ferhat Ataman said that Blum's statements showed he lacked information on Turkey and
northern Iraq. Ataman also said Blum's statements were not consistent with the friendship that existed between
Turkey and Germany. /All papers/
General Staff Press and Public Relations Department Chairman Colonel Dogu Silahcioglu has stated that the
military operation is continuing with great success and that everything is under control. Silahcioglu said that
search and destroy operations of the Turkish armed forces were going on in the region. He added that since the
beginning of the operation 269 terrorists had been killed and twelve others had been taken alive. Silahcioglu noted
that three soldiers wounded by mines are not in serious danger. Meanwhile, 11 terrorists have been killed in
Gercus (Batman) and Kulp (Diyarbakir). Four terrorists in Bitlis have been arrested together with their weapons and
ammunition. Two terrorists surrendered to the security forces in Gercus and Eruh. 24 terrorists have been
arrested in Bitlis, Bingol, Mus, Hakkari, Siirt and Tunceli. /Sabah/
Azeri President Haydar Aliyev has sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart Suleyman Demirel, thanking him for
Turkey's consideration during recent clashes in Azerbaijan. /All papers/
A second symposium on Turco-Macedonian relations, organized by the Turco-Macedonian Friendship Association,
was held in the Turkish capital yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported. Bahaeddin Guney, the president of
the Association, said at the symposium that the aim of the meeting was to develop relations between Turkey and
Macedonia. He reported that there were now 1,000 Turkish companies operating in Macedonia. Sotir Glavince, the
head of the Macedonian Jurists' Association, declared that everything possible would be done to develop economic and
cultural relations between the two countries.
Antalya Mayor Hasan Subasi announced yesterday that the World Bank has agreed to advance $115 million in credit
for Antalya to renew its infrastructure, the Anatolia news agency has reported. The credit, which will be paid back
within the next 17 years, is expected to be handed over in May after final approval from the World Bank's Executive
Board. The money will be specifically used to help environmental and infrastructural development.
NEAR SANLIURFA
The world's biggest irrigation tunnel, "Sanliurfa T-1", will begin operations on April 11, contributing to the
agricultural production of 62 villages in the area, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The 7.62
metre-wide and 26.4 kilometre-long tunnel, which will bring water from the Ataturk Dam into villages
agricultural regions in the plain of Harran, will guarantee four different harvests each year, officials
said.
Republican Newt Gingrich, speaker of the US House of Representatives, has expressed once more his deep
admiration for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The occasion was a dinner party hosted by an Atlanta-based defence contractor
which has projects going in Turkey. "We have to discover the secret of Ataturk" Gingrich said, adding that as
Republicans they should study the swiftness with which Ataturk introduced one reform after another within a
matter of a couple years. /All papers/
Venezuela provided a "cure" for the Turkish textile and ready-to-wear industry in 1994, which was suffocating in
search of new markets, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. According to the figures in Hedef Magazine,
exports to Venezuela, which stood at $76,000 in the January-November period of 1993, rose to a high of $4.14
million in the same period of 1994. Following Venezuela came Ecuador with exports to Turkey increasing 50 times in
1994.
END