TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (June 26, 1995)

CONTENTS

  • [01] INONU LEAVES FOR KEY CYPRUS VISIT

  • [02] INONU TO VISIT TO BULGARIA

  • [03] STATE MINISTER ATTENDS CONFERENCE IN HELSINKI

  • [04] TERRORISTS KILL THREE CIVILIANS, TWO POLICEMEN IN SOUTHEAST

  • [05] TURKEY SAYS OVER 2,000 TERRORISTS DEAD THIS YEAR

  • [06] CILLER SENDS FINAL APPEAL TO PKK MILITANTS TO SURRENDER

  • [07] SYMPOSIUM ON DRUGS STARTS

  • [08] FM INVITES FOREIGN DIPLOMATS TO WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING

  • [09] KARADAYI GOES TO FRANCE

  • [10] GREECE REACTS TO TURKISH LETTER TO UN

  • [11] TURKEY REMOVES NETHERLANDS FROM "RED LIST"

  • [12] TURKEY ON COUNCIL OF EUROPE AGENDA

  • [13] EMERGENCY RULE VOTE ON TUESDAY

  • [14] EUROPEAN INSPECTION AT CUSTOM GATES

  • [15] HAIG CRITICIZES PROVIDE COMFORT

  • [16] GREEKS SEEKING REVENGE THROUGH PKK

  • [17] ANTI-TERROR MEASURES ALONG IRAQ BORDER

  • [18] ALTERNATIVE ARTICLE 8 CHANGES

  • [19] AGREEMENT WITH IRAN TO OUST PKK

  • [20] ANOTHER EU COMMITTEE ON THE WAY

    •

    WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF

    DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

    TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

    JUNE 26, 1995

    Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish

    press this morning.

    [01] INONU LEAVES FOR KEY CYPRUS VISIT

    After a week of intensive talks by Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas in Turkey, Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu flies today to Nicosia to tackle a heavy agenda that ranges from the armament of Greek Cyprus to the Turkish side's economic woes. "Now is the time to make a diagnosis of the Cyprus question" Denktas told journalists on the eve of Inonu's visit to the island. Inonu, armed with a high-level delegation from his ministry, is expected to meet with opposition leaders, as well as the TRNC cabinet members. His visit coincides with rising concern about the heavy armament by the Greek Cypriot administration, which is preparing to buy 43 armoured personnel carriers from Russia. The deployment of 24 Exocets, anti-vessel missiles bought from France, has also raised concern on the Turkish side. /All papers/

    [02] INONU TO VISIT TO BULGARIA

    Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu, who is going to Sofia on Wednesday, will speak to Bulgarian officials about bilateral relations and regional issues, the Anatolia news agency reported. The visit is taking place at a time when there are no important problems casting a shadow on relations between the two countries. "There can be no insoluble problems within the framework of friendship. The two countries attach great importance to their relations" a senior official said. /Cumhuriyet/

    [03] STATE MINISTER ATTENDS CONFERENCE IN HELSINKI

    State Minister Aysel Baykal left yesterday for Helsinki to participate in the "Council of Europe Conference of Ministers Responsible for Family Affairs" which will start today and end Wednesday, the Anatolia news agency reported. The topic of discussion will be "Family politics and the role of fathers". Baykal is expected back in Turkey on Friday.

    [04] TERRORISTS KILL THREE CIVILIANS, TWO POLICEMEN IN SOUTHEAST

    Separatist terrorists killed three people and injured one in carrying out a raid on the village of Kuyuluk in Hatay, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Two terrorists were found dead after Turkish forces' operation. Meanwhile, two policemen were killed in Bingol after responding to a call to police headquarters which warned of several terrorists hiding in a certain house. The officers arrived at the scene only to be shot at by members of the separatist organization.

    [05] TURKEY SAYS OVER 2,000 TERRORISTS DEAD THIS YEAR

    Turkey said yesterday its security forces have killed more than 2,000 PKK militants so far this year, Reuters said quoting an official statement. Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's office said in a statement that 2,106 separatists have been killed since January. It played down recent PKK raids on security posts near the Iraqi and Iranian borders. "Attacks for propaganda purposes on some security posts in recent days will not stop the terror organization's collapse" the statement said.

    [06] CILLER SENDS FINAL APPEAL TO PKK MILITANTS TO SURRENDER

    Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has called on militants of the PKK terrorist organization to give themselves up and to avail themselves of the "Repentance Law" which is due to expire on July 7. Ciller's message to the militants was also addressed to parents whose young children have joined the PKK and taken up arms against the Turkish security forces. The repentance law foresees either big reductions in convictions or no conviction at all for PKK members who give themselves up and who provide information against the organization. "We know that the PKK organization is in a state of desperation and its members starving. Starting from the people in the region (the southeast) people all over Turkey are fed up with terrorism. They are refusing to give food and to house members of the organization. I call on those young people who want to free themselves from the organization. Use this last chance that the state is extending to you" Ciller said. She promised those who did give themselves up that their lives would be saved and that they would not be subject to any ill treatment. "I guarantee this as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey and as the mother of all the young people of this country" Ciller said. /All papers/

    [07] SYMPOSIUM ON DRUGS STARTS

    An International Symposium on the Use and Smuggling of Drugs starts today in Ankara, the Anatolia news agency reported. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the UN, ministries and other institutions will participate in the symposium.

    [08] FM INVITES FOREIGN DIPLOMATS TO WEEKLY PRESS BRIEFING

    Foreign Ministry press briefings will now take place with the participation not only of foreign journalists but of foreign diplomats. This decision, one of the first taken by the new spokesman Omer Akbel, marks the end of a longstanding complaint by foreign correspondents that they were not being admitted into regular press briefings. Akbel and his deputy, Nurettin Nurkan, informed the representatives of the non-Turkish media and press officers of the embassies in Ankara of the decision Friday morning. Under the new decision, correspondents of foreign media are to have press conferences on Monday and Thursday, which will be in English. They can also attend the press conferences on Wednesday, which will be in Turkish.

    [09] KARADAYI GOES TO FRANCE

    Chief Of the General Staff, Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi went to France for an official visit yesterday. According to a statement from the General Staff Press Department, Karadayi will pay his visit as the official guest of French Chief of the General Staff, Admiral J.Lanxade. /Hurriyet/

    [10] GREECE REACTS TO TURKISH LETTER TO UN

    Athens was not happy when it received news of the letter Turkey sent to the UN notifying it of its views on the Aegean and the issue of the 12-mile limit for territorial waters, the Anatolia news agency reported Friday. Greek Government Spokesman Evangelos Venizelos said that Turkey had gone against UN principles with this letter.

    [11] TURKEY REMOVES NETHERLANDS FROM "RED LIST"

    Turkey said on Friday that it had removed the Netherlands from a "red list" of arms supplying countries from which Ankara had pledged not to buy weapons due to rows over the Kurdish issue. After Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo stated that the Dutch government removed restrictions of arms exports to Turkey in a letter to Turkish Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu, Ankara struck The Hague from the "red list" to the "yellow list". In his 22 June-dated letter, Mierlo said: "I believe that this decision will give an opportunity for normalizing bilateral relations and increasing cooperation in the defence industry in line with common security interests". Mierlo pointed out that within the framework of process decided at the Foreign Ministries Political Directors' meeting on 8 June 1995, the final step would be the meeting of the two ministers. /Milliyet/

    [12] TURKEY ON COUNCIL OF EUROPE AGENDA

    Turkey's democratization and human rights will be back on the agenda of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA) this week. The general assembly meeting of the CE parliamentarians will debate two sharply divergent views on relations between the Council and Turkey during the week. The first view, which leans toward suspending Turkey's ties with the Council, is wrapped up in a motion taken by the Assembly in April. The other is the view of the Council's executive body, which is ignoring the call for a suspension. In April, the Assembly asked the Council's ministerial council, which is an executive body, to "reassess" Turkey's membership in the CE unless Ankara improved its record, bringing it up to acceptable standards, particularly in respect of Turkey's Kurdish population. The deadline was set as June 26, which is today. However, the ministers of the CE, who met two weeks after the Assembly's motion, virtually buried the call to suspend Turkey by leaving it to their ambassadors to draft a reply to the assembly. The report prepared by the permanent representatives of CE members, which was released Thursday, gives no deadline for "democratic progress" and severely condemns the terrorism of the PKK. The report also says that Parliament is taking up constitutional change and the committee of ministers will continue to monitor developments. Ankara came up with mild criticism, only complaining that the document did not "fully acknowledge" the democratic reform process that is going on in Turkey. The report is to be discussed by the CEPA, along with two reports that are of interest to Turkey. One is on fighting against xenophobia and racism and the other is titled "Media, immigrants and ethnic minorities". /Cumhuriyet/

    [13] EMERGENCY RULE VOTE ON TUESDAY

    The "signature crisis" in the Council of Ministers was solved with the resignation of Culture Minister Ercan Karakas. Now it is expected that ratification of the government bill concerning the extension of the emergency rule by four months will be passed on Tuesday by the Council of Ministers. The government bill envisaging extending emergency rule by four months, dating from July 19. In accordance with the government note, emergency rule will continue dating from 17.00 hours on July 19, for four months throughout the region, except Adiyaman. /Cumhuriyet/

    [14] EUROPEAN INSPECTION AT CUSTOM GATES

    Faruk Kilic, chief manager of Edirne customs has stated that a delegation of 20 experts from the European Union will arrive at the Kapikule border gate on 1 July in order to make inspections of Turkish border customs gates. Stating that he believed that Kapikule would receive "full marks" Kilic said: "There is no other gate better than Kapikule in Europe." /Sabah/

    [15] HAIG CRITICIZES PROVIDE COMFORT

    The function of Provide Comfort rapid deployment force and the US strategy regarding Iraq have been criticized in a tough note from Alexander Haig, former US State Secretary and former NATO commander-in-chief. Haig stated that Provide Comfort had created a secure atmosphere in the region only for the PKK terrorist organization. In a article in the Washington Times newspaper, Haig, known as "Al Pasa", claimed that the Provide Comfort mandate could not provide security and peace in the region, and that Turkey had paid the heavy bill of the US default in settling accounts with Saddam Huseyin following the Gulf War. Also criticizing the Washington approach to the Kurdish Problem, Haig claimed that if a strong and effective partnership was not established with Turkey, the US would lost strategically, and added that decreasing US military aid to Turkey because of human rights issues, blockade against Armenia and the Cyprus problem, was contrary to US strategic advantages. /Milliyet-Hurriyet/

    [16] GREEKS SEEKING REVENGE THROUGH PKK

    According to reports in the Greek "Eleftrotipia" newspaper, quite a lot was involved in the recent visit by Greek parliamentarians to PKK terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan.

    The Greek paper said over the weekend that Greece had, in so many words, suggested that Ocalan could wreak revenge for Greece against Turkey. The paper also noted that the Speaker of the Greek parliament, Apostolos Kaklamanis had sent a note to Ocalan which professed support for Ocalan's actions. /Milliyet/

    [17] ANTI-TERROR MEASURES ALONG IRAQ BORDER

    The Turkish government is going to spend something like three trillion TL on a 200 km-long stretch of road which runs along the Turkey-Iraq border. Road improvements will facilitate the rapid movement of Turkish military units as they keep the border secure.

    In the meantime, military operations against the PKK in the southeast regions of the country continue. Reports from Adana say that nine people in the Adana and Hatay regions have been killed during the past 48 hours. /All papers/

    [18] ALTERNATIVE ARTICLE 8 CHANGES

    Noting that she would like to see the constitutional changes speeded up, Prime Minister Ciller also made some suggestions about how the controversial article 8 changes could be made. Over the weekend, the proposed changes were discussed by Ciller and DYP party group leaders, and members of the Constitutional Commission.

    When Ciller debates the changes and alternatives with her party leaders later this week, she will present some alternatives designed to stop further delays in the change process. /Cumhuriyet/

    [19] AGREEMENT WITH IRAN TO OUST PKK

    Turkey is making more effort to convince Iran that the PKK is operating from camps in Iran. Although Tehran denies the existence of the camps, Turkey has information that is expected to convince Iran that cooperation with Turkey would be the wiser course of action. Details and documents proving that the PKK is using Iran will be relayed through diplomatic channels, said Defence Minister Mehmet Golhan yesterday. /Sabah/

    [20] ANOTHER EU COMMITTEE ON THE WAY

    Yet another committee of European Union (EU) parliamentarians is expected to arrive in Turkey on June 30, with the intention of checking up on human rights developments and the democratization process.

    The committee wants to see what is happening in situ, with its own eyes. The committee members are keen to see just what is happening in these vital areas as Turkey hustles to get these issues settled prior to autumn voting in the EU on Turkey's membership. /Sabah/

  • [21] DENKTAS WARNS OF LOOMING ECONOMIC CRISIS

    President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas, said yesterday that letting the economy slide in the TRNC would lead to serious other developments on the island.

    Speaking to government representives, leading industrialists and businessmen, Denktas said that support in this area from mainland Turkey was unavoidable. He noted that economic development was one of the prime elements in international assessments of national development, and that the TRNC would not change its thinking on major economic partnerships with Turkey. /Sabah/

    END

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