TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News (March 26, 1996)

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

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 26 March 1996

[01] Greece brushes off Turkish offer of dialogue

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz on Monday failed in his gambit of achieving a breakthrough in Turkey's ties with the European Union through his weekend call to Greece for "an unconditional dialogue" including international arbitration.

Dashing Turkey's hopes for an immediate reward, EU foreign ministers tied the Association Council meeting, scheduled for today, to a set of conditions deemed "unpalatable" by Turkish diplomatic sources.

The conditions included non-aggression guarantees from Turkey to Greece, acceptance of the competence of the International Court of Justice on the Aegean disputes and inclusion in a the final declaration of the Association Council of a clause saying that the Greek borders are considered European borders.

In return for Turkey's acceptance of all these three points, the EU still evaded a firm commitment to the release of the withheld financial assistance.

Boris Ferrari, the Foreign Ministry undersecretary of Italy, which currently holds the term presidency of the EU, merely said that the EU foreign ministers "hoped" that Greece would lift its veto.

In a surprise move on Saturday, Prime Minister Yilmaz offered an "olive branch" to Greece on the eve of a European Union foreign ministers meeting, expressing for the first time Turkey's readiness to accept the arbitration by the International Court of Justice on its long-standing Aegean disputes with its NATO ally.

[02] Yilmaz's peace offensive draws fire from his own party

TDN Parliament Bureau

ANKARA- Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's surprise weekend declaration of his government's readiness to enter unconditional negotiations with Greece over the Aegean disputes and accept third-party mediation and a settlement at the International Court of Justice in The Hague brought him under sharp attacks from his Motherland Party (ANAP) which shares power in a minority government with fellow-rightist True Path Party (DYP).

Kamran Inan, a mainstream foreign policy expert for the Motherland renowned for his hawkish views, described Yilmaz's statement as "overly concessionary, extremely dangerous and irritating." The Democratic Left Party (DSP) which lends indirect support to the governing coalition also expressed concern over Yilmaz's initiative while Islamist opposition Welfare Party similarly criticized the move. The left-wing opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) of former foreign minister Deniz Baykal hailed the move as a positive step.

Treating the prime minister to a heavy broadside, Inan said voiced consternation over Yilmaz's Aegean position which, he said contrasted ANAP leader's former stance. "I do not know under what circumstances he has made this statement, but I do not find it right, at least from the angle of timing," the hardline politician said.

Stressing the wide gulf between Yilmaz's long-known views on foreign policy and the position he expressed on Sunday, Inan suspected outside meddling. "If this has happened because of pressures from the United States, this will be doubly irritating" Inan said Yilmaz's call had all the elements of a serious concession. Recalling that the European Union (EU) had made Turkey accept the EU membership of Greek Cyprus as a condition for the customs union, he said the spectacle now was a new concessions was being demanded from Turkey in order to soften Athens' opposition to the EU financial assistance.

"If a concession is going to be asked from Turkey every time to satisfy Greece, there will be no end to it; the United States has to exert pressure on Greece instead," the ANAP politician argued.

He said none of the existing disputes with Greece stemmed from Turkey, and so, it was for the other side to seek a dialogue. He expressed worry that the call for a dialogue from the prime minister will be seen by a sign of weakness by the other side and will ultimately lead to fresh concessions from Turkey's interests.

Inan particularly criticized Yilmaz's reference to possible arbitration by the International Court of Justice as dangerous and irritating. "If the road is opened to The Hague, then Turkey enters under obligation of meeting Athens' demands."

As for the mediation by third countries, the ANAP foreign policy specialists said this would make things even more difficult instead of facilitation their solution. He said the reason why Greece refused to come to a rational position concerning the Cyprus and the Aegean disputes, was its confidence about the backing of Western powers.

He said Aegean would soon become a major route for oil transport and that's why Greece was escalating the tensions in the region.

[03] Hillary Clinton in Turkey

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- U.S. first lady Hillary Clinton meets today with leaders and a group of Turkish women today in a tight schedule that starts with a visit to the Mausoleum.

The U.S. first lady, who is accompanied by her 16-year-old daughter Chelsea, arrives in Turkey on a three-day trip where she will visit Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

Her meeting with Tansu Ciller, the chairwoman of the True Path Party, is to take place in Istanbul.

Her schedule is being kept secret for security reasons, with only some of the activities released.

"She will emphasize the significant role of secular/civic society in Turkey through discussions with Turkish women about health, family and economic issues," said a White House news release last week.

Her first day in Ankara starts with a visit to the Mausoleum, followed by a luncheon given by President Suleyman Demirel and First Lady Nazmiye Demirel. She will then meet with a group of Turkish women in the U.S. ambassador's residence in a "roundtable discussion" that will take two hours.

She will also attend a reception given by Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Berna Yilmaz in their residence.

In Istanbul, the first lady will meet with religious leaders representing the many faiths of Turkey convened by the Research Center of Islamic History, Art and Culture.

Her schedule also includes a site visit to a USAID-supported family planning clinic which partners with Baltimore, Maryland's John Hopkins Hospital to train medical professionals.

Earlier Monday, Hillary Clinton arrived in Tuzla on a morale-boosting visit to U.S. peacekeeping troops deployed in Bosnia.

The first lady was greeted on the tarmac of the Tuzla airbase by U.S. Ambassador John Menzies, NATO Peace Implementation Force commander Admiral Leigton Smith and the commander of the 1st U.S. Armored Division, General William Nash.

She was also welcomed by Bosnian Vice President Ejup Ganic, acting as a stand-in for ailing President Alija Izetbegovic, and a group of Bosnian schoolchildren.

Looking very pleased, Ganic said "Thank you for coming." A young Bosnian schoolgirl read the first lady an emotional poem whose opening verse read in English: "The peace has come." At a meeting with representatives of the various factions in the former Yugoslav region, Mrs. Clinton listened as one woman told her, "Sarajevo is the largest graveyard in the world." "On every corner we found dead bodies, dead animals. We found death and destruction everywhere," Katarina Mandic said. "The price of peace we paid has been very high ... Without the help of Americans we wouldn't have that today." The meeting took place at the headquarters of U.S. peacekeeping troops.

She become the first U.S. president's wife since Eleanor Roosevelt to visit independently an "AOC," military jargon for area of conflict.

The wife of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt toured bomb-blasted London and the southwestern Pacific during World War Two.

On a plane loaded with mail and movies for U.S. troops involved in NATO peacekeeping operations, comedian Sinbad and pop music star Sheryl Crow, who will provide entertainment during her visit, also travelled.

"I brought a lot of stuff," Clinton told Smith during a short welcoming ceremony under overcast skies at the Tuzla airbase.

She briefly spoke to a group of U.S. officers and soldiers lined up in her honor.

"I think it is a positive visit, it is a good morale boost. I am pleased that she came," Sgt. Ellen Houston from Queens, New York, told Reuters.

[04] Turkish minorities' status in Balkans gets conference focus

TDN Guest Writer

ESSEN/ISTANBUL- A large Turkish minority, whose rights have been secured under an international agreement, continues to live in Greece under protection of the Lausanne Treaty of 1924, which guarantees the legal rights of about 130,000 Turks living in Greece.

During the prime ministry of Turgut Ozal, Turkey lifted visa requirements for Greek citizens. This step was not reciprocated, and in fact Greece did not allow the president of the Turkish office for religious affairs to enter Greece on an official trip to visit the Turks of Western Thrace. Greek authorities also kept silent as Deniz Baykal and Yildirim Aktuna were attacked by fanatic Greeks in Western Thrace during visits to Greece.

Clouds remain over the death of Sadik Ahmet, leader of the west Thracian Turks and a former member of the Greek parliament, in a traffic accident last year.

The population of Turks and Muslim Pomacs living in Bulgaria, which lies to the northernwest of Turkey is about 1.5 million.

Even though the repressive policies of the Jivkhov regime against Bulgarian Turks almost disappeared in the first half of the 1990s during Bulgaria's democratic reforms, they have reappeared as Communists increase their influence and power in the country.

There are obvious reasons for this discrimination, three being that Bulgarian repression aims to cut off Turks and Muslim Pomacs' (who are of Slavic origin) ties with Islam, the expatriation of Bulgarian Turks to Turkey, and to achieve a homogeneous structure in the Bulgarian society. The Bulgarian government continues to create difficulties for Turkish businessmen who wish to invest in regions where Bulgarian Turks are densely populated.

In a similar way, repressive policies against the Turkish minority of 110,000 living in Macedonia continue. Internal problems of government formation in Turkey, Greece's search for support in the European Union, their attempt to gain European Parliament backing of Greece's declaration of the region up the Kardak islet in the Aegean as Greek territory and the old Communists in Bulgaria, who wish to establish closer ties with Europe by playing the Greek card, have all contributed to increasing pressures on the Turkish minorities of Greece and Bulgaria.

The Turkish foreign ministry has always followed a balanced and careful policy concerning the Turkish minority in Greece and Bulgaria up to now. Aiming to avoid a serious confrontation between neighboring countries, Turkey's silent diplomatic policy only helped to encourage Greece and Bulgaria increase their repressive policies on Turks to a larger scale.

We hope that the existence of new government coming to power in Turkey and this government's declaration of goodwill in relations with Greece will lead our neighbors in the Balkans to listen to the voice of wisdom.

[05] Turkish minority in Western Thrace to open school in Turkey

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Taner Mustafaoglu, chairman of the Western Thrace Turks' Solidarity Association, asked the support of Health Minister Yildirim Aktuna for "Sadik Ahmet College" which they hope to establish in Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Mustafaoglu said that since the possibilities for teaching Turkish culture to young people living in Western Thrace were limited, they would open a school in Turkey.

Minister Aktuna stressed the importance of education and said his ministry was ready to support the association's initiative.

Meanwhile, Doctor Sadik Ahmet's appeal to the European Court before his death regarding the Turkish identity of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace will be discussed on March 27 in Strasbourg.

Ahmet's application was first discussed by the European Human Rights Commission which ruled against the Greek administration.

Sadik Ahmet and Ibrahim Serif, mufti of Comotini, were sentenced to 18-year prison terms by Greek courts on charges of addressing the minority as Turks in their declaration as "Confidence Party" candidates during the 1989 legislative elections in Greece.

[06] Have the Greeks done us a favor?

Turkish Daily News

Athens has rejected a new call by Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz to start a dialogue between Turkey and Greece. The Greeks say they see nothing new in the Yilmaz statement to warrant a change in their position to block European Union funds for Turkey and thus feel no meaningful dialogue is needed to sort out the array of problems between the two sides.

Turkey has clearly said it is prepared to talk to Greece "anywhere, anytime and on any subject" and yet it has been turned down by the Simitis government. The Greek government seems to fail to understand they are being put in the international limelight as an intransigent state which does not even want to talk to its neighbors on its disputes.

The Greeks displayed such an attitude on Macedonia and did not get far. In the end they had to accept Macedonian independence. They nearly went to war against Albania but in time they realized they were making a grand mistake and now they have normalized their relations with the Tirana government.

Some Greek friends have told us that the current rebuff by the Greek government concerning the offer made by Yilmaz should not be taken at its face value. They say in a matter of weeks the Greek government may start making more positive responses to Ankara. That may well be the case, especially after Prime Minister Costas Simitis meets U.S. President Bill Clinton at the White House on April 9.

What the Greeks should realize is the fact that Yilmaz himself is also under fire from certain quarters in Turkey who criticize him for selling out on the Aegean. Thus when the Simitis administration rejects the offers made by Yilmaz it only pleases those who feel we have given away too many concessions.

[07] Ecevit tells IPI congress in Israel all countries in the region must be urged to cooperate against terrorism

JERUSALEM- Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit has suggested a number of steps for ensuring a stable peace, development and democratization in the Middle East. He told the International Press Institute (IPI) congress in Jerusalem that all countries in the region, including Iran, Syria and Iraq, must be urged to cooperate against terrorism. Ecevit said he would make brief suggestions for stable peace, development and democratization in the region:

- Iraq must be reunited through an internationally guaranteed arrangement that would ensure security and human rights for people of all ethnic origins, and the economic embargo on Iraq must be lifted under effective scrutiny.

- Turkey and Greece must try to solve the Aegean issue through dialogue without outside intervention.

- Attempts for agreement on the balanced limitation of mass-destructive and conventional armaments must be expedited so as to ensure peace and to liberate the excessive funds used on armaments for economic development.

- The oil-rich countries of the region must be induced to make greater and equitable contributions to regional development funds through a joint organization that would prevent the attachment of political ties to economic aid.

- Substantial international aid must be extended to all the settlements under Palestinian rule in order to ensure greater and sustained support for the peace process and to reduce the perilous gap between the living standards of the Israelis and Palestinians.

- Attractive projects for regional economic development should be launched, as envisaged by Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres in his visionary book entitled "The New Middle East" in order to pave the way for comprehensive cooperation in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

- Arrangements for the fair utilization of water resources should be supplemented by coordinated agricultural policies among the Middle Eastern countries to ensure optimal productivity.

- It is very regrettable that the United States and several West European countries have been contributing to the perpetuation of some of the most anachronistic and despotic regimes of the world in the Middle East. When so-called "Islamic fundamentalism" reigns in an anti-Western oppressive country of the Middle East like Iran, the United States and some of its allies express deep alarm and react strongly.

But they do not seem to find any cause for alarm in the fundamentalism of friendly regimes in the region, even if these regimes happen to be equally or even more despotic and anachronistic. On the contrary, they support such regimes, and they close their eyes and ears to the flagrant violations of human rights in the friendly oil-rich Middle Eastern countries. Yet such support and complicity may prove to be a liability rather than an asset for the West in the near future.

The increasing popular reactions against the corrupt and oppressive systems of the pro-Western Arabic countries of the Middle East are giving way to a new form of Islamic fundamentalism. This militant and anti-Western fundamentalism may become the Sunni version of Iranian Shiite fundamentalism in respect to its anti-Western attitude. In the interest of the whole world, particularly the West, encouragement should be given to a sound process of modernization and democratization in the Middle East.

- It must be admitted that either the declared U.S. policy on Iraq has failed, or possibly that there are certain undeclared U.S. objectives which are in the process of being fulfilled. One disguised reason for obstructing the modest steps toward democratization in Iraq may be to save the Arabic Gulf countries the embarrassment of lagging behind Iraq in that respect. And possibly a basic tenet of U.S. strategy may be to keep the Middle East under permanent U.S. control. In the meantime the United States may have been sharing with the Arabic Gulf countries the objective of keeping Iraq suspended between life and death so as to ensure that it will no longer be able to cause problems for others, and yet it may continue to be a bulwark against increased Iranian infiltration in the Middle East.

- A comprehensive cultural campaign must be launched with the participation of the media to promote democratization in the whole region.

- The holy city of Jerusalem must be turned into a permanent center of cultural exchange between the three main religions which were born in the Middle East.

No water war likely in the near future

In reply to questions from the audience, Ecevit said he did not think it likely that a "water war" would start in the Middle East in the near future.

On the other hand, serious hardships would be experienced if the region's water problem was not solved, "because the water resources there are far from meeting the needs of the countries of the region where the population keeps increasing. Turkey is in a luckier position than other countries in the region with respect to water. And Turkey is prepared to enter into cooperation for the best and most rational use of the water resources in the region. For that purpose Turkey has prepared the 'Water for Peace' project. It is not easy to understand the logic behind certain Arab countries' rejection of that project, considering that they stood to gain a lot from it."

On the water issue, Ecevit said Syria had adopted an unjust stance toward Turkey, and it should not be forgotten that Turkey had released into Syria more water than it had pledged to. The best irrigation techniques should be adopted by countries in the region to make maximum use of the water resources, the DSP leader stressed.

Noting that Israel was interested in Turkey's Manavgat river waters, Ecevit expressed the hope that an agreement would soon be reached on this issue between Turkey and Israel.

Provide Comfort force

Prior to his departure from Turkey Ecevit said, in reply to questions from the press, that his party would vote against a renewal of the mandate of the Turkey-based Operation Provide Comfort force for northern Iraq, "unless Parliament accepts our conditions for a switch to new arrangements regarding that force."

Ecevit will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres in Jerusalem and with Palestinian head of state Yasser Arafat in Gaza before returning home on Wednesday.

[08] US ambassador introduces new $100 note in Turkey

ISTANBUL- The new $100 banknote, which will appear in Turkey for the first time today, was introduced to the Turkish public by American Ambassador Marc Grossman.

Speaking at a press conference Monday at the Istanbul Hyatt Regency Hotel, Grossman tried to calm fears that the new bills would mean that the old U.S. banknotes would no longer be valid.

He stressed that no one was compelled to replace their old $100 bills. He also emphasized that the move did not mean that there should be any expectation of a devaluation.

When Grossman was asked about rumors that the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline might be in danger, he insisted that this was not the case and that America intends to support the proposed pipeline as before.