TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News (January 18, 1996)

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

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS

18 January 1996

[01] Black Sea drama goes on as hijacked ferry heads west

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Pro-Chechen militants who hijacked a Black Sea ferry from a Turkish port to protest the Russian attack on Chechen rebels on Wednesday appeared ready to release some of the 200 hostages on board, sparking optimism that the drama could be brought to an end without bloodshed.

The hijackers said their struggle was for the freedom of their homeland, but it became increasingly apparent that they would be content with the publicity they created.

About half a dozen militants, speaking perfect Turkish and believed to be ethnic Abkhazians and Circassians related to the Turkic nations inhabiting the tumultuous Caucasus, seized the 3,383-ton Panama-registered Avrasya, at the Turkish Black Sea port of Trabzon Tuesday night taking hostage 144 Russian passengers, 44 Turks and 45 crew members.

A local police official was reportedly injured in a skirmish with the masked militants who are armed with Kalashnikov rifles.

They later forced the ship, operating between the Crimean port of Sochi and Trabzon, a favorable spot for Russian tourists indulging in small time trade, to put out to sea, and head for Istanbul, 1,200 kilometers west.

The vessel, shadowed by Turkish coast guard vessels, were reported off the port of Samsun where it was expected to release some of the hostages.

Earlier, the hijackers said all the Turks aboard would be released.

The leader of the hijackers, identifying himself as Muhammed Tokcan, denied reports that they had used violence on the passengers and there were scores of wounded.

"The reason why we have commandeered this ship is very simple: I do not know what the world is thinking, but what we are after is saving our homeland, living with our own culture ... And we do not think there is a force which can prevent that, because, our only choice is between freedom and death. This struggle will go on until the Russians withdraw and a confederation of Caucasus peoples is established," Tokcan told the Anatolia news agency in a radio interview.

He said they would take the ship to Istanbul, and decide the next step there.

Earlier, he told a television that they would act "in accord with people's wishes" in Istanbul, thus hinting a peaceful end to the episode.

Reuters, quoting Samsun port officials said the Turkish authorities were trying to persuade the militants to release at least the women and children among the hostages.

The officials reportedly said some of the passengers could be freed in the port of Sinop, 160 kilometers further west.

Turkish anti-terrorism units were reported to be at the ready, but Turkish Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal said although preparations have been made for all contingencies, "the important thing is bringing the incident to a conclusion without leading to a clash or bloodshed." But in a dispatch from Moscow, the Turkish news agency Anatolia said a small flotilla of warshipos had been readied at the Ukranian port of Sevastopol for a possible operation to rescue the hostages. Anatolia, quoting the Russian wire service Interfax, said the unit comprised a Kerch-class frigate, a hospital ship and a minesweeper. The report said special Russian forces to participate in a possible operation could be aboard the ships, but did not clarify whether a joint operation had been discussed between Turkish and Russian officials.

The hijacking, however, looked set to further chill the relations between Moscow, irritated by Turkey's developing ties with the post-Soviet Turkic republics, and Ankara, viewing with concern what it sees as a Russian drive to reimpose its military and political hegemony in the area.

Baykal confirmed to reporters that Moscow had handed a note to Turkish embassy in Moscow, "containing a justified call for measures to ensure the safety of the Russian hostages." But Foreign Ministry spokesman Nurettin Nurkan dismissed Moscow's allegations that Turkey was training Chechen fighters on its territory and providing medical treatment to the wounded rebels.

The Russian accusations were reportedly contained in a statement by Moscow's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) spokeswoman Tatyana Samelis who disclosed contacts with the Turkish secret service in connection with the hijacking.

In denying the allegations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nurkan said there are some ethnic Chechens among the Turkish citizens and said it was only normal for them to set up some solidarity associations.

In statements they issued, the spokesman for associations of Caucasian Turks, generally disapproved the hijacking or any course of action that may embarrass Turkey or harm its international image.

Nurkan said the hijackers will be tried in Turkey. He said it was unknown yet whether the vessel will be allowed into the Bosphorus, one of the world's busiest waterways.

[02] Chechen committee head condemns ferry hijacking

Turkish Daily News

ISTANBUL- Calling for a peaceful solution to the Trabzon ferry hijacking by Chechen paramilitary activists, the Caucasia Chechen Solidarity Committee's humanitarian aid representative, Dursun Bolat, said his organization disapproves of the hijacking and the using of passengers as hostages, which he fears may cause friction between Turkey and Russia.

Bolat told the TDN he hopes for an immediate bloodless end to the crisis, saying, "If they reach Istanbul, being a Chechen I may go to meet them." Bolat spoke before the hijackers changed course for Samsun due to low fuel.

Dursun Bolat said he does not know Muhammed Tokcan, the leader of the hijackers who took the "Avrasya", personally, but says he was involved in the recent Chechen war. Saying the aim of hijacking an unarmed vessel and holding dozens of hostages is for Chechens to make their voices heard throughout the world, Bolat said, "We do not approve of such actions, which may bring Russia and Turkey in opposition. I can't estimate what the consequences may be, but I hope it ends bloodlessly." Bolat added that his committee has not attempted to contact the hijackers.

The hijackers were originally planning to reach Istanbul by Friday, calling on Chechen supporters to meet them there, but announced that they have changed course for Samsun due to low fuel supplies.

In a separate statement the Ankara based "Caucasia, Chechen Solidarity Committee" said on Wednesday that the Trabzon hijacking was "a response to the genocide being perpetrated on the Chechen people by Russia." It said that this act of protest was similar to the one by Chechens in Kizlyar. The statement added that while the means selected in the ship's hijacking could not be approved of, this was nevertheless the means selected by Chechen demonstrators to highlight their plight.

"We know that those who carried out this action do not intend to shed blood. We want our state to refrain from the tough action against them and to end this action in a bloodless manner." The statement added, that as an organization, they are ready to contribute to bring about a peaceful settlement of the hijacking and concluded by indicating that they had no wish to see any of the Russian hostages harmed.

[03] PM Ciller creates impasse with her own trump cards

ANKARA- True Path Party (DYP) Chairwoman and caretaker Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has trapped herself in a deadlock of her own making, because the proposals she has put forward to corner her main rival, Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz, have not received support from any party.

Ciller's insistence on continuing as prime minister has also complicated attempts to form a new government in the three weeks since the Dec. 24 election.

While the ANAP and DYP leaders, who have played major roles in this process, have fought a tactical war, Welfare Party (RP) leader Necmettin Erbakan's room for maneuver has expanded. At the outset, Erbakan, whom President Suleyman Demirel appointed last week to form a government, was seen as having little chance of forming a coalition, but the conflict between Ciller and Yilmaz has led to more serious discussion of RP-based government formulas.

With the three-stage plan she proposed last weekend, Ciller has increased the opposition facing her. She suggested the formation of a six-month "Motherpath" (ANAP-DYP) coalition government, followed by fresh elections which the two parties would enter in alliance, with the leader of the party receiving more votes becoming prime minister. Ciller's plan also provides for an eventual transition to a presidential system.

This plan, prepared by Ciller in the expectation that it would secure her post as prime minister, has failed to get backing from any party, and has increased the political deadlock. In the face of Ciller's plan, the following picture has emerged of the stance of other parties: @ Realization of the Motherpath model, which came on to the agenda with the parties' moderate statements after the election, has become problematic. ANAP, which has refused to accept Ciller's premiership, has considered the possibility of forming a coalition with the RP, although only as a last resort. Yilmaz and Erbakan are due to meet for a second time today, and Yilmaz had said previously that he hoped to give a definite answer to Erbakan's proposal on Thursday. ANAP has also begun to prepare the grounds for setting up a minority government with the Democratic Left Party (DSP) should the circumstances necessitate it.

-Although circles close to Ciller hold the view that an ANAP-RP coalition would lead to the dissolution of ANAP, which would favor the DYP, some DYP members believe that such a coalition may bring up allegations regarding Ciller's assets, which might in the end result in her trial by the Supreme Court.

Political circles have commented that such a possibility would lead to the erosion of both the DYP and ANAP, and that it would be the RP which would emerge advantageous from this situation.

On the other hand, according to sources close to Ciller, ANAP is bound to set up a coalition with the DYP, because if it enters a coalition with the RP around 50 ANAP deputies are estimated to resign from the party. In response to this proposition, ANAP members point out that the DYP would not be able to maintain its homogeneous structure in opposition, due to the reaction against Ciller's "A team," consisting of former bureaucrats and administrators.

- Ciller's insistence on retaining her premiership and proposing early elections has also shattered the DYP-CHP front, which was put forward as an alternative to the ANAP-DSP rapprochement after the elections. Following the RP, ANAP and the DSP, CHP leader Deniz Baykal has also criticized Ciller harshly. With the CHP also opposed to early elections, a four-party anti-election front has come into existence against Ciller. This has indicated the difficulty of passing an election decision in Parliament in a short term -- if the process for election does not begin automatically, due to the failure to form a new government within 45 days in accordance with the Constitution. The existence of this front has also showed that the four parties are determined to form a government. According to this interpretation, the supposed trump cards in Ciller's hand have in fact put her, rather than her rivals, into a difficult position.

[04] Turkey's infant market lures foreign retailers

ANKARA- Turkey's newly growing retail market, almost unspoiled for many analysts, lures many foreign firms, including two of Britain's top brands, Tesco and Sainbury's.

A senior retail industry source says a number of foreign retailers have been researching the Turkish market. "I would not be surprised to see them all here within a couple of years," he adds, asking not to be named.

He says those foreign retailers who might soon give the go ahead to their Turkish subsidiaries are Tesco and Sainsbury's from Britain; Leclerc and Auchan from France; Aldi and Kaufhaus from Germany; and Super Valu from the Unites States.

A Turkish government official says the European retailers would have comparative advantage over their Turkish and American rivals in the retail market because of Turkey's customs union agreement with 15 nations of the European Union, which took effect on Jan. 1.

"The customs pact will obviously help EU retailers who would find the Turkish market more lucrative after the removal of customs tariffs and other barriers," explains one general director at the Turkish Treasury Undersecretariat.

Foreign retailers currently working in the Turkish market include Carrefour, Continent, Spar, Gotzen, ACE, GIB, and Bauhaus.

Two British retailers, Marks & Spencer and Austin Reed, opened their first premises in Turkey last year.

Marks & Spencer Plc opened its first franchise shop in Turkey on Sept. 22 with partner Turkpetrol Holdings AS (TPH). The 10,000-square-foot store is in the shopping district of Nisantasi in Istanbul and carries menswear, ladieswear, lingerie and toiletries. Food lines will be introduced in the near future. Credit card payments and refunds will be available in addition to cash purchases.

"We are delighted to be opening our first store with TPH in Istanbul .. our intention, in time, is to establish a presence in each of the major cities in Turkey," said Zen Yaworsky, franchise development manager at Marks & Spencer.

The reports are encouraging. M&S swiftly sold all its stock at its four-floor store. Fortunately for Istanbul's status-conscious consumers, M&S flew out emergency supplies to the store. While rivals sneer that the rush at M&S will not last, it did show just how promising retailing in Turkey can be.

Dogan Bolak, M&S's Turkish partner, says prices at his new Istanbul store are about one-third higher than in the UK. The difference should fall to 1-2 percent after the customs union.

Soon after, Austin Reed went on sale in the Turkish capital.

British clothing store Austin's, opened a branch at Ankara's Karum shopping center on Nov. 16. A statement from the British Embassy in Ankara said the store aimed to provide an outlet and showcase for a wide range of British clothing and accessories.

The brands present at the opening ceremony were Ballantyne Cashmere Ltd., Finest Cashmere Garments; Glenmac and MacGeorge, Luxury Scottish Knitwear; Austin Reed, Ladies and Gentlemen's outfitters; Danimac/Baracuta, Outdoor clothing; Penhaligons, Ladies and Gentlemen's fragrances; DAKS Simpsons, Ladies and Gentleman's outfitters; Stephens Brothers, Shirtmakers; Mitcheleone of London, Silk Neckwear and Accessories; JG Hall, Hosiery; and Hunters of Brora, Tweed Cloth.

[05] TRNC exports boom in spite of embargo

ANKARA- While economic stagnation in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), due mainly to an inhuman economic embargo imposed by the Greek Cypriot side, has reached its third year, the country experienced a real boom in exports in 1995, a press release from TRNC's office of the representative to the United Nations said.

According to statistics released by the relevant government departments, exports within the year increased by an overall 58 percent. The figure includes estimates based on the first nine months of the year and shows the rate of increase to Turkey as 100 percent and to the rest of the world as 16 percent.

The main export item of the TRNC are citrus, citrus-based products, potatoes, dairy products, fruit juices, pharmaceuticals, paper products and textiles.

Experts predict a continuation of the increase in 1996, particularly in exports to Turkey. Answering questions put to him by the local TAK News Agency, the presidential adviser on economic matters, Dr. Ahmet Aker, attributed this to the further opening up of the mainland Turkish market to exports from Northern Cyprus by a recent decision of the Turkish Government and indicated that expansion into Turkey has brought with it expansion into other world markets. Aker's response to a question as to whether the TRNC was "breaking through the inhuman embargo" on exports resulting from an earlier decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in July 1994, initiated by the Greek Cypriot side, was an unequivocal "Yes." Aker's forecast on the future of TRNC exports was also optimistic. Pointing out that this was the first year in which Turkish Cypriots had been given full access to mainland Turkish markets, he said any shortcomings resulting form this initial phase would gradually diminish as experience grows and new partnerships are forged.

[06] Amb. Sanberk: Turkey supports peaceful resolution to hijacking

LONDON- Ozdem Sanberk, Turkey's ambassador in London, said Wednesday that Turkey fully supports Russian integrity and favors a peaceful resolution to the hijacking of the Turkish ferry by Chechen rebels.

"It is very clear where Turkey stands on events like (this) seizure or any terror-like event," Sanberk told a meeting of journalists. He called for the ferry incident to "be resolved peacefully, without bloodshed, without anyone being hurt."

Sanberk said he considered Russia a factor of stabilization in its region, adding that "Turkey also benefits from a stable Russia. We fully support the integrity of the Russian Federation. If Russia loses its ability to be a power, that would also damage Turkey." An unstable Russia would negatively affect the Caucasus and Central Asia, he said, which would not be of benefit to Turkey.

Almost all mainstream daily newspapers in the United Kingdom published on their front pages the story of the seizure of the Turkish ferry.

The Daily Telegraph, saying that the Chechens had proved themselves to be masters of terrorists tactics, commented that by launching the attack in a Turkish port they had involved another major power with direct interests in the Caucasus, where, according to the daily, Russia's authority has been crumbling day by day. The daily pointed out that Turkey has a Chechen community of about 25,000 persons and that Turkey sympathizes with the largely Muslim republic's three-year drive for independence.

Another daily, The Independent, said that the gunmen were believed to be from the Chechen community in Turkey.

Both commentators agreed that the incident worsened the separatist crisis for Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

[07] Demirel meets head of Europe's top employer group

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- President Suleyman Demirel received the head of Europe's top employers' association on Wednesday and said Turkey deserved full membership in the European Union (EU).

Speaking to a delegation including Francois Perigot, chairman of the European Union for Industrialists and Employers' Confederations (UNICE), Demirel said: "Europe should not miss the opportunity (of Turkey's full membership)." The delegation also included Halis Komili, the head of Turkey's most elite business club, TUSIAD, and Refik Baydur, chairman of the Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK).

Demirel thanked UNICE for their supporting Turkey for the customs union with EU and said the customs union was essential to strengthen the alliance between Turkey and the EU. He pointed out that Turkey served as a bridge between Central Asia, the Middle East, Caucasus and the Balkans and added that it fulfilled the requirements of a market economy and was an emerging market with its developing industry.

He said the customs union would make the Turkish economy more competitive and that although Turkey could face problems in the beginning, the customs union with the EU would be for the benefit of both Turkey and the EU.

Integration with the EU, Demirel said, was one of Turkey's biggest dreams and it deserved to be a full member. He pointed out that Turkey had investments worth $30 billion in the Balkans and would be the energy terminal of Caucasus and Central Asia.

The petroleum pipelines should pass through Turkey, he said. He added that Turkey has always supported peace and looked for peaceful solutions.

Francois Perigot, speaking after Demirel, said that UNICE had 33 employer organizations from 25 different countries in Europe and was the only organization authorized to represent employers at the EU, where it was a powerful and influential organization.

Although Turkey is not a full member of the EU, TUSIAD is one of UNICE's prominent members, he said.

Perigot concluded by saying that the improvements in Turkey were satisfactory and added that UNICE supported a free trade zone including Turkey and other Mediterranean countries.

[08] US clarification of policy toward Turkey relieves Ankara

By Ugur Akinci and Nazlan Ertan

Turkish Daily News

WASHINGTON/ANKARA- Faced with Ankara's urge to "clarify" its position regarding the Kurdish question and terrorism, the U.S. State Department made a statement to explain that there had been no change in its position regarding Turkey's right to fight terrorism.

"One thing I want to make clear about the 60 Minutes program, which I did not see, is that the United States' support for Turkey is very strong," said Nicholas Burns, spokesman for the State Department.

"Any comments that you saw are of course always clipped by the producers. They choose what is put on [the air]. [Such selectivity] should not indicate to Ankara and the Turkish public that the United States is diminishing its support for Turkey. We are not. We have a very strong, healthy, good relationship with Turkey. That will continue, including the sale of advanced missiles," he said.

"Our initial reaction is that the statement of Spokesman Burns reflects a more positive and constructive attitude in bilateral relations between the countries," Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said.

He was comparing Burns' statement to the remarks of two senior U.S. State Department officials as quoted in the edition of the news program "60 Minutes" on Turkey, "An American Dilemma," aired on Sunday (Jan. 14) evening on CBS, one of the three major TV networks in the United States. The remarks attributed to two officials, Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck and deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum, proved to be "worrisome" to Ankara, who asked Washington for clarification on whether U.S. policy on the Kurdish question and Turkey's right to fight terrorism had changed.

"It is up to the United States to say (if the remarks of the officials were misrepresented)," Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen said in a hastily-arranged press conference on Tuesday.

After Burns' clarification in less than 12 hours, it was not Oymen but Nurkan who signalled Turkey's satisfaction. "Burns' statement shows a major difference from the quoted remarks. It says that the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) is a vicious terrorist organization and underlines Washington's support for Turkey's fight against terrorism," Nurkan said.

But he also noted that Burns made a reference to reports that were not proven, and that Turkey was uneasy with such references.

Burns: "No apologies for military cooperation"

Since the CBS show ended with an implication that the recently purchased ATACMS "anti-personnel missiles" might be used against Kurds, Burns said, "As you know we've just concluded the recent sale of ATACMS missiles to Turkey."

"The reason we did that is because we think Turkey faces potential long-range threats from Iran and Iraq," Burns said.

"And we think the sale of this missile is fully justified to help Turkey meet its national defense requirements. 60 Minutes didn't tell you about that. They called it an 'anti-personnel missile.' It is not an anti-personnel missile. It is a long-range strategic missile. And we defend the sale of that missile."

"The United States will continue to have a very close, supportive alliance relationship with Turkey for the foreseeable future," Burns said. "Turkey remains a valuable NATO friend and ally. Our military assistance for Turkey makes sense. It makes sense for the United States. It makes sense for Turkey. It helps Turkey [and] it helps the United States to defend our interests in southern Europe. There are no apologies to be made for American military assistance to Turkey, a valued NATO ally."

"In addition to that, the United States fully supports the Turkish government in its fight against the PKK [which is] a vicious terrorist organization... It targets the Kurdish population, the civilian Kurdish population of both northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey [as well as] innocent Turkish civilians. Turkey has a responsibility to fight this kind of terrorism," Burns said, but allowed that the State Department also had some concerns with "the manner in which the Turkish government acted in some instances."

"We are troubled by continuing reports of torture, restrictions on freedom of press, some extrajudicial killings.

We are troubled by reports of burning villages and forced evacuations of villages." Burns added that the Turkish government has taken some steps within the last 12 months to prevent such violations, like the constitutional changes and the modification of Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

"We hope that kind of progress by the Turkish government to identify human rights abuses where they occur and try to change the method of operation will continue," he concluded.

In a related development, Turkish Ambassador Nuzhet Kandemir met on Tuesday with John Kornblum, the deputy assistant secretary of state, to express his protest at the "60 Minutes" program.

"I explained to Mr. Kornblum how unjust and unfair the program was," Kandemir said, talking to a group of Turkish journalists after his meeting with Kornblum.

Commenting on the biting remarks of Rep. John Porter of Illinois on the same program, Kandemir said Porter's remarks were not surprising since he had assumed the responsibility of being the spokesman for a number of anti-Turkish ethnic lobbies in the United States. "Yet what hurt us more was the fact that two senior U.S. officials took part in this program and expressed views inconsistent with the facts," he said. CBS showed an interview with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in the same segment with Kornblum and the assistant secretary of state for human rights, John Shattuck. "I told Kornblum that we were protesting this situation," Kandemir said.

The Turkish ambassador also called Kornblum's attention to the fact that the "60 Minutes" show in question was carried on some U.S. military TV stations as well. "The U.S. bases in South Korea have broadcast the same show, according to a cable I received this morning," he said. "I asked Kornblum if all this meant a change in U.S. policy toward Turkey. Kornblum said there was no change whatsoever in U.S. policy toward Turkey, and Turkey continued to be good friend and ally of the United States," he said.

"Kornblum said CBS edited his half-hour interview into two minutes in a fashion that would suit their purposes," he said.

"We still view the PKK as a terrorist organization and we maintain that no contact is possible with them," Kornblum reportedly told Kandemir. "I personally have feelings of great friendship towards Turkey. Mr. Shattuck has to defend the existing reports on human rights violations in his capacity as the State Department official responsible for human rights. But we never participated in that CBS program in order to condemn Turkey. On the contrary, we tried to compensate for the presumed bias of the program," Kornblum reportedly said.

"We were told that the remarks of the two officials were not fully given, and edited down so as to cause a misrepresentation of their views," spokesman Nurkan said in Ankara.

Undersecretary Oymen claimed the same thing, saying that only three or four sentences from an interview he gave in September were used.

[09] Kandemir's letter to CBS

"The well-manipulated synchronization of the program material runs counter to the regular codes of journalistic ethics. The program's setup, to include legitimate members of the Turkish government together with members of an outlawed terror organization, is unethical, and we have never accepted to appear on a program of such a nature," Kandemir said.

"Building an argument based on the unfounded rhetoric of 'spending U.S. taxpayers' money' turns a blind eye to the fact that FMF loans are, in actuality, credits extended at normal market interest rates and are tied to the purchase of U.S.-made military equipment that are fully repaid by the Turkish Government," Kandemir said, and reminded that the real sacrifice was made by the "Turkish taxpayers" when they lost $30 billion "as a result of the embargo Turkey continues to enforce against Iraq" in the aftermath of the Gulf War.

After mentioning the help Turkey extended to Iraqi Kurds escaping Saddam's wrath, Kandemir pointed out the equal rights Kurds enjoyed in Turkey. "For this reason, Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin participate in all walks of political, economic, and cultural life and, accordingly, have gained access to the highest levels of the government, judiciary, Parliament, military, and business." "Regrettably, the contents [of the show] are far from representing such fairness and objectivity," Kandemir concluded.

[10] Clinton corrects anti-Turkish US senators

Turkish Daily News

WASHINGTON- TDN learned that President Bill Clinton, in a letter dated Dec. 29, 1995 that he sent to some anti-Turkish members of the U.S. Senate, implied Turkey's critics were reading too much into Turkey's reaction to the proposed Greek expansion of territorial waters up to 12 miles. Greek-American Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, his close ally Barbara Mikulski of Maryland and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania were among the Senators that received Clinton's letter.

"While I fully agree that there are serious problems between Greece and Turkey in the Aegean, I also believe the current situation does not justify the additional messages recommended in your letter," Clinton said.

The letter the president was referring to was penned by Specter and Mikulski on Sept. 7, 1995. The letter said, "It is unnecessary and potentially dangerous for the Turkish prime minister to state that she considers as "casus belli" Greece's extension of its territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles." The senators also wanted President Clinton to communicate to Turkey that "America strongly opposes any Turkish military action against our ally Greece."

President Clinton reminded the senators that the Turkish position is nothing new. "As you know, it has been the long-standing policy of the Turkish government that an extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles would be a cause for war. Greece, for its part, has maintained that it reserves the right to extend its territorial waters at an appropriate time.

"In this particular instance," Clinton continued, "I understand that the Turkish government did not seek the resolution to which your letter refers. Turkey's Parliament adopted it on its own as a demonstration of political solidarity on this issue," he said.

"I agree that relations between Turkey and Greece remain far from satisfactory in a number of respects," Clinton said and added that the solution lied in developing confidence-building measures that "would prevent an incident in the Aegean from provoking escalation."

[11] Holbrooke reaffirms wish to make 1996 a year of Cyprus settlement

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA/WASHINGTON- A senior American official reiterated that the United States wants to make 1996 a year of settlement for the 32-year-old Cyprus problem, the Athens News Agency (ANA) reported from Athens.

Meeting at the State Department with the leaders of the Greek-American community from Washington and New York, American Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke said he hoped 1996 would bring an end to the Cyprus problem.

Disclosing that he will be retiring from public life on Feb. 21, Holbrooke told the Greek-Americans that after his retirement he would continue his efforts for a settlement in Cyprus. He did not disclose, however, in what capacity he would continue his "Cyprus mission." Without going into details, Holbrooke also briefed the Greek-Americans about the new American initiative on Cyprus.

According to ANA, Holbrooke said the settlement plan the United States has developed for Cyprus does not foresee separate sovereignty -- a key demand of Turkish Cypriots -- for the two peoples of the island.

According to ANA, he said there will be a federal Cyprus state with single sovereignty. ANA said Holbrooke told Greek-Americans that he appreciated the demilitarization of Cyprus proposal of Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides.

The Greek-American delegation was chaired by Andrew Athens, who was elected last November to the chairmanship of the Council of Greeks Living Abroad. That convention was held in Thessalonica. Athens was quoted by ANA as saying that he would work to make Cyprus a top priority item on the agenda of the American administration and the State Department.

The meeting of the Greek-Americans with Holbrooke was originally scheduled for Jan. 10. However, due to the blizzard that hit Washington last week, the meeting could not be held.

According to unconfirmed reports, the Greek lobby firm Manatos and Manatos was also present during the meeting at the State Department. There are no indications so far that Holbrooke is considering to have a similar meeting any time soon with the Turkish-Americans.

Meanwhile, State Department Spokesman Richard Burns said Holbrooke still intends to undertake a diplomatic mission to Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, but he has not yet set a date.

According to an American administration source, the lack of a government in Greece and Turkey was the main reason why Holbrooke postponed his trip to the region. "The U.S. will wait until there are prime ministers in both countries before there can be a diplomatic mission," the source said.