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Turkish Press Review, 99-07-22Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>22.07.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[02] SPECIAL KOSOVO[03] ECEVIT INFORMS DEMIRELPresident Suleyman Demirel received Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit last night at Cankaya Pavillion and met for 1 hour and 15 minutes. While leaving the meeting Ecevit declared that he had informed the President about the latest domestic and foreign economical and political developments. /Star/[04] FISCHER ARRIVES IN TURKEYGerman Minister of Foreign Affairs Joschka Fisher arrived yesterday in Istanbul. Following his arrival he met his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem at Musir Fuat Pasha Guesthouse in Emirgan. The two Ministers took a boat trip along the Bosphorus and later visited Topkapi Palace and Sultanahmet Mosque. Fisher and Cem attended the banquet given by businessmen Rahmi Koc in honour of the German Minister. It is reported that Cem and Fischer discussed the problems being experienced in Turco-German relations as well as those between Turkey and Europe. Fischer is expected to arrive in Ankara today. /Sabah/[05] SCHRODER PROMISES TO SUPPORTGerman Chancellor Gerhard Schroder promised a Turkish business delegation that he would support Turkey's European Union (EU) membership in Bonn. The Chancellor, who met five Turkish businessmen yesterday in Bonn, said that he would visit Turkey within this year. After the meeting Turkish businessman Sarik Tara said that they had discussed with the German Prime Minister ways of improving Turco-German economic relations and investing jointly in third world countries. He remarked that it had been accepted at the meeting that Turkey needed the status of candidate for EU membership. /Sabah/[06] ATHENS' HARRASMENT CLAIMSThe Greek Government yesterday announced that Transport Minister Tassos Mandelis was harrassed by Turkish aircraft. According to the Greek Air Forces Mandelis' plane flying from Southern Cyprus to Athens was harrassed twice by Turkish aircraft. Greek Government Spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that such negative activities just before the Turco-Greek dialogue to be held in Ankara on 26 July did not have only military but also political repercussions. /Sabah/[07] PKK ATTACKS IN BINGOLTwo police officers died in a terrorist attack in Bingol yesterday. A statement released by the Bingol Governor's Office said that the officers, Ahmet Birkac and Mustafa Yuksel, were killed in gunfire from PKK terrorists. A search for the persons responsible is underway, said the statement.In another incident in the Uludere township of Sirnak, village guard Levent Paksoy was killed during an attack by terrorists late last night. Meanwhile, operations have been continuing unabatedly in the Southeastern regions of Anatolia. According to the Office of the Emergency Rule Governor, 10 terrorists were killed in the Hizan township of Bitlis and one was killed in Tunceli. It added that operations would continue to maintain peace in the region. /Sabah/ [08] ANOTHER IMPORTANT PKK FIGURE SEIZED IN MOLDOVAThe Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has captured another terrorist, the second leading figure in the PKK, Cevat Soysal, disclosed Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday in Ankara. According to MIT's written statement, it was not stated where and when Soysal was captured. The statement said that Soysal had become more active in training PKK militants and organizing pro-PKK actions in Europe after Ocalan was apprehended. It added: "Cevat Soysal was trying to organize PKK supporters in Turkey towards a massive use of violence under the instructions of one of the PKK leaders in Europe, Ferhat Sahin. Enquiries related to Cevat Soysal are still being conducted in cooperation with the police and other security forces."Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the European wing of the PKK, Mizgin Sen, said Soysal apparently disappeared in Moldovia on Sunday. She also confirmed that he had obtained refugee status in Germany. A travel document issued in Monchengladbach, Germany was apparently found among Soysal's possessions at the time of his arrest. Now, "Aksam" newspaper has asked the German Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josckha Fisher, who is still in Turkey, to answer these questions: What is a travel permission document issued by the German State doing among Soysal's possessions?; the terrorist PKK organization is outlawed in your country. So why did you give asylum to a terrorist?; do you know anything about the fact that this terrorist orders suicide bombing? /Aksam/ [09] UNPLEASANT ATTACK AGAINST TURKS IN LONDONA group of Greek and Greek-Cypriot demonstrators gathered to protest against the 25th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation and attacked nine Turkish-Cypriots in front of the Turkish Embassy to London. They also broke the windows of the Turkish Embassy and shouted out that Cyprus was Greek. Turkish officials in London stated that the British police overlooked these serious incidents against them. /Aksam/[10] LOCAL RATING PERIOD BEGINsDuff and Phelps' Credit Rating Corporation's (DCR) Turkish representative, DCR Turkey, is instituting the application of a local rating for the first time in Turkey. The establishment will start the process after obtaining licence from the Capital Market Board. The rating points of the Institution will be independent of Turkey's credit rating. The DCR Turkey Executive Board's Assistant Chairman and the Central Bank's ex-Assistant Chairman, Selcuk Abac, said that transparency is of great importance now in the financial markets and the application of a local rating will contribute to the financial transparency. He affirmed that the action will enable the entrance to Turkey of about 2 billion dollars but before that the Social Security and Arbitration Laws should be enacted at once and an agreement with the IMF should be reached. /Star/[11] NEW PERIOD IN PRIVATIZATIONIn order to prevent claims concerning corruption in the privatization process and to distribute capital funds nationwide, the government has redrawn the guidelines for its privatization programme. the State Minister responsible for Privatization, Yuksel Yalova, has begun efforts to maintian "social agreement" on the new privatization policy. He stated the main points of the new policy as follows: distributing funds nationwide, depending on wide cooperation and concensus, giving autonomy to the public, having nothing to hide and protecting the public interest. Yalova added that they were waiting for suggestions from public and private institutions, local administrations and unions. /Sabah/[12] PAFMETAL IN BULGARIAIt is reported that a Turkish company has bought an aluminium factory under the umbrella of privatization in Bulgaria. Chairman of the Bulgaria Privatization Agency Council Georgi Dulgerov said the Turkish PafMetal Company bought the Alumina aluminium factory in partnership with the Bulgarian "Alumina Invest" Company. He added that the Turkish PafMetal Company holds a 75 % stake in the company and the Bulgarian Alumina Invest Company holds the remaining 25 % of the Alumina factory. /Aksam/[13] WARDENS REMAIN HOSTAGE IN 14 PRISONSPrison officers in 14 prisons across Turkey remained under the control of inmates who took them hostage in a show of support for two comrades on hunger-strike at another correctional facility. According to officials, left-wing inmates took their wardens hostage in support of TIKKO members being held in Eskisehir Prison, who began a hunger strike 65 days ago in an effort to be transferred to another facility. The Erturk brothers were imprisoned for planting a bomb that injured Cankiri Governor Ayhan Cevik earlier this year. /Aksam/[14] TURKISH SOLDIERS ATTEND BELGIAN NATIONAL CELEBRATIONSTen Turkish soldiers carrying the Turkish flag attended the official ceremony held on the occasion of the Belgian's National Day under the organization of Prince Albert.This year NATO member countries' soldiers were invited to the National Day celebrations and NATO aircraft flew over Brussels. /Aksam/[15] PARRIS: "TURKEY AND AMERICA HAVE COMMON INTERESTS"State Minister Abdulmelik Cay received the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, Mark Parris, yesterday. Cay and Parris discussed support for the Turkish-speaking Republics. The Minister asserted that the newly-independent Turkish Republics need the support of Western nations if they are to be able to really stand on their own. Ambassador Parris said for his part that the U.S. is very interested in Turkish-speaking countries and added that the interests of both America and Turkey are the same in the region. /Turkiye/[16] ISRAELI AIR FORCES' COMMANDER IN ANKARAIsraeli Air Forces' Commander General Eithan Ben-Eliahu, who came to Turkey at the official invitation of his Turkish counterpart General Orhan Kilic, visited Anitkabir, Ataturk's Mausoleum, yesterday. During his visit to General Kilic he thanked his hosts for their hospitality and said that cooperation between Turkey, Israel and European countries was bringing a peaceful atmosphere to the region. /Turkiye/[17] MINISTRY OF ENERGY: NEW RESERVES WON'T CHANGE PLANSYurdakul Yigitguden, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said yesterday that newly-discovered natural gas reserves in the Sah Sea, Azerbaijan would not change Turkey's short and middle-term plans. He added that Ankara is also involved in a natural gas project in Turkmenistan, the Anatolian News Agency reported.[18] IMKB BREAKS RECORDThe Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) closed at 6,004 points on Wednesday, breaking a record. The index was at 5,879 points at the close of the first session, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Six thousand points is considered a psychological barrier for the IMKB.[19] TOTAL OF 306 FOREIGNERS CAPTURED IN EDIRNEA total of 306 people of foreign origin were captured in Edirne yesterday while trying to pass the border and go to Greece. Gendarmerie teams captured one Bulgarian, 127 Iranians, 42 Iraqis, 11 Afghans, 99 Pakistanis, 10 Syrians, 4 Africans and 11 Bangladeshis in Meric, Ipsala and Uzunkoru townships, reported the Anatolian News Agency.[20] OCALAN MESSAGE FROM FINLANDThe European Union's Current Chairman Finland's Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen asserted that Turkey should not execute Abdullah Ocalan. During his speech in the European Parliament on the report by his country as the EU's current Chairman, he said, "The execution of Ocalan becomes an unlucky decision. We hope that the Turkish Grand National Assembly will abolish the death penalty." Halonen said that the annulment of the death penalty is the common target of UN countries. /Milliyet/[21] BLAME FROM GREECE: YOU HAMMER DIALOGUEAthens has accussed Ankara of hammering the dialogue initiatives as a reaction to the celebrations in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. The Greek-Cypriot Foreign Minister, Yannakis Kasoulides, met the Greek Foreign Minister, Yorgo Papandreu, and Deputy Minister Yanos Kranidiotis in Athens. After the meeting Kranidiotis said, "The activities and speeches of the Turkish side are hammering the Turco-Greek dialogue which is expected to begin soon." Meanwhile, the Greek private television channel Sky TV asserted that the Greek Transport Minister Tasos Mandelis's plane returning to Athens following the ceremonies held in Northern Cyprus related to the events of 1974 on Cyprus was harrassed by Turkish F-16s 40 miles south of Rodos Island for 10 minutes. Furthermore, the Greek Foreign Minister Yorgo Papandreu also confirmed the news and said, " We are outraged at this situation." /Milliyet/[22] KURDISTAN HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION CONDEMNS PKKThe Kurdistan Human Rights Association which is active in Northern Iraq has condemned the massacres carried out by the PKK terrorist organization in the towns of Hac Umran and Coman. A declaration issued by the Association and dated July 13, 1999, stated that as a result of the attack by the PKK in Hac Umran on July 8, 1999, five people died and 11 people were wounded, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[23] 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LAUSANNE TREATYThe Association for the Support of Contemporary Life (CYDD) will celebrate the 76th anniversary of the Lausanne Treaty in Istanbul on July 24 with contributions by the Inonu Foundation. According to a written statement issued by the CYDD, various events will be held to mark the occasion, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[24] 60 TRILLION TL FOR EDUCATIONNational Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu stated yesterday that the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) would grant 60 trillion TL to the Education Ministry. Bostancioglu, who held a series of meetings in Istanbul yesterday, visited Istanbul Governor Erol Cakir. During his visit, Bostancioglu said that he had also visited the IMKB and announced that the IMKB would grant 60 trillion TL for education following the IMKB donation worth 32 trillion TL in 1997. /Hurriyet/[25] PKK: MOLDOVA HAS DELIVERED SOYSAL TO TURKEYERNK, the political wing of the PKK terrorist organization, sent a statement to the offices of foreign news agencies in Ankara yesterday and said that PKK European number two Cevat Soysal had not been captured in a covert operation but had been arrested and then delivered to Turkey by the Moldovan police. According to the Reuters News Agency quoting Hamgin Abdullah, a PKK supporter in Moldova, Soysal went from Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, to Moldova on July 2, then on July 13 departed from where he was staying in Kishinev. Abdullah claimed that when no information was received from Soysal, he had contacted Moldovan Security Ministry officials who said that Soysal had been arrested but would be released soon. /Hurriyet/[26] MOLDOVA DENIES CLAIMSMoldovan officials said that they did not have any information concerning rumours of Cevat Soysal being taken into custody last week. Quoting the Spokesman of the Moldovan Interior Ministry Reuters reported that they do not have any information concerning the issue. /Sabah/[27] SOYSAL HEADLINES ON CNNThe capture of Cevat Soysal following a successful operation received a great deal of coverage in the foreign press. After Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit made a statement to the press that Soysal had been captured, leading news agencies in the world said: 'Turkey deals another blow to the PKK'. The CNN TV station headlined Soysal's capture. The French news agency AFP, American Associated Press, the British Reuters news agency and the German news agency DPA also devoted wide coverage to Sosyal's capture. /Hurriyet/[28] TREASURY WILL BE ANNEXED TO OZKANPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit finally accepted the resignation of the State Minister responsible for the Economy, Hikmet Ulugbay, who attempted suicide. It is reported that Ecevit will make an assignment for the replacement of Ulugbay and then will present the assignment decree to President Suleyman Demirel today. The Treasury Undersecretariat and the Central Bank will be annexed to the Deputy Prime Minister from the Democratic Left Party (DSP), Husamettin Ozkan. /Hurriyet/[29] ECONOMIC PACKAGE SUMMIT OF COALITION LEADERSThe Chairmen of the Parties in the Government, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli and Chairman of the Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz held a summit yesterday and discussed the economic measures to be taken and arrangements to be made in the Taxation Law. Meanwhile, Ecevit received the head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Fuat Miras, yesterday. Miras said following the meeting that he had conveyed TOBB's views concerning the economic package to Ecevit.Ecevit made a statement prior to the discussions which will begin in the Turkish Parliament's Planning and Budgetary Commission today, concerning the draft law which foresees an increase in the age for retirement. He stated that except for the issues concerning the age of retirement and the unregistered economy, there could be reconciliation on other issues. /Hurriyet/ [30] THY'S ADVISOR: CS FIRST BOSTONFor the privatization of Turkish Airlines (THY), CS First Boston will render its mediation and advisory services. According to a statement issued by the Privatization Administration, the THY is planning to be privatized in a block sale in the last quarter of the year and, as a result of its technical and financial evaluation, it has been decided that CS First Boston will be THY's advisor. /Hurriyet/[31] 'TRNC SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED'A noted German expert on Cyprus, Uli Piller, said that in order to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) whould be recognized as soon as possible. Piller who is known for his conferences and books concerning the Cyprus issue made some interesting statements during a press conference held on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. Piller, who is also the Chairman of the Unterschleissheim youth organization within the German Social Democrat Party (SPD), blamed Europeans for commenting on the Cyprus problems from the Greek-Cypriot standpoint. Piller said: "In Europe, it is being examined as if the Cyprus problem began with the Peace Operation in 1974. Attempts are being made to forget the Greek-Cypriot massacres carried out in 1963 and the Turkish Army which arrived on the Island to establish peace is shown as if it were an occupation force". /Hurriyet/[32] ELEFTOROTIPIA: EOKA SUPPORTERS ARE STILL IN POWER IN CYPRUSThe Greek 'Eleftorotipia' newspaper said that the Greek-Cypriot Administration is still being directed by those who carried out an assault against Makarios, tried to destroy Turks and annex Cyprus to Greece. Eleftorotipia stated that many Greek-Cypriots participated in the EOKA-B organization which tried to abolish Turkish-Cypriots on the Island, however, it added that the result was a disaster for Cyprus. The newspaper pointed out that administrators of the secret organization set up within the State against Turks in the late 1960s were still in power. /Hurriyet/[33] DANIEL COHN-BENDIT BECOMES HEAD OF JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSIONDaniel Cohn-Bendit became the Head of the Joint Parliamentary Commission, which seeks to establish relations between the European Parliament, which was renewed during the elections in June, and Turkey. Daniel Cohn-Bendit is now the Head of the European wing of the EU-Turkish Joint Parliamentary Commission. He is being supported in this duty by the Christian Democrats and Socialists within the European Parliament. Daniel Cohn-Bendit has always been in support of the idea that Turkey should be given an EU membership perspective. He had previously blamed the European Parliament and claimed that with the Customs Union, some had tried to block Turkey's membership. A German Euro MP of Turkish origin, Ozan Ceyhun, who is a member of the same political group in the European Parliament, became the 'substitute member' of the same commission. /Hurriyet/[34] COOPERATION WITH CHINESE POLICEA Chinese delegation arrived in Ankara in order to develop relations with Turkish security forces. The delegation observed manoeuvres during which special police teams intervened in an illegal demonstration. Ankara Deputy Security Chief Yasar Akbas also followed the operation which was of great interest to the Chinese delegation. /Hurriyet/[35] OCALAN'S STATEMENTS ON GERMANYDuring his interrogation by Gendarmerie teams when he was first brought to Turkey, in his initial statements, the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan explained the role and support of Germany in the PKK. Ocalan stated that there were many PKK associations and representative offices in Germany. Ocalan also pointed out that Grunevald from the German Organization for the Protection of the Constitution, had visited him in Syria in 1995. /Cumhuriyet/[36] 'SPECIAL RELATIONSIP AGREEMENT' BETWEEN TURKEY AND TRNCA 'Special Relationship Agreement' to be signed between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the upcoming period foresees that areas of cooperation between the two countries will also include defence. Turkey's guarantorship based on the 1960 Agreement on Cyprus will be strengthened with this agreement to be signed between the two countries. In addition to the Association Council set up in order to achieve integration in economic relations between the two countries, cooperation in politics and defence will also be maintained. /Cumhuriyet/[37] GREEK-GREEK CYPRIOT LOBBY IN USIt is reported that the Greek-Greek Cypriot lobby in the US Congress will launch initiatives envisaging that if a development in the solution of the Cyprus problem is achieved, then Washington will deal with the sale of weapons to Turkey. Member of the House of Representatives from the Democrat Party and one of the leading figures in the Greek-Greek Cypriot lobby, Robert Menendez, made a statement yesterday and said that the Greek-Greek Cypriot lobby would probably initiate these plans in September. /Cumhuriyet/[38] TEHRAN ACCELERATES INCREASE IN TENSIONIran is trying to accelerate an increase in the tension with Turkey which began following statements claiming that Turkish war planes attacked a military headquarters in Iran, even though a commission is being set up in order to investigate these claims. Iranian politicians are blaming Turkey for assuming an agressive stance in the region. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials are denying the claims and say that Iran is in search of connecting its own domestic disorders to Turkey thereby establishing a 'social lever'. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials stated that the Turco-Iranian High Security Congress was planned to be held in Ankara on August 9 and stressed that relations between the two countries were very deep. /Cumhuriyet/[39] NO PERMISSION FOR DEMONSTRATION TEHRANThe Iranian Interior Ministry did not allow demonstrations in front of Turkey's Tehran Embassy. It is reported that a group of anti-Turkish supporters wished to organize a demonstration against Turkey due to claims that Turkish aircraft had bombed Iranian territories; however, the Iranian Interior Ministry prevented the demonstration. /Aksam/[40] PREPARATIONS FOR US FOOD FAIRThe Aegean Exporters' Unions have begun their preparations for three food fairs to be held in the US in 2000. The Deputy General Secretary of the Aegean Exporters' Unions,Sezmen Alper, issued a written statement saying that in the light of the positive developments attained by Turkish firms which participated in the food fairs in New York in 1998 and in Chicago and New York in 1999, they had started preparations for participation in the 2000 food fairs. /Cumhuriyet/[41] FIRE IN BODRUMA fire broke out yesterday in the Konacik county of Bodrum, Mugla, yesterday. Teams from the fire-brigade tried to extinguish the fire which destroyed 150 hectares of forest. Officials said that the fire had been brought under control. /Milliyet/[42] GREAT FUND ADMINISTRATORS IN TURKEYTurkey has entered a new process in foreign borrowing. After a new stand-by process with the IMF has been achieved and decisions have been taken by the Government for many structural reforms, foreign capital investors have decided to closely observe Turkey. While the contacts made by US and European bankers and investors in Turkey are still underway, representatives of six important financial groups headed by Merrill Lynch will arrive in Turkey today. These groups are: Fidelity, Oppen Heimer, Etna, Omnia, Dresdner and Quantum owned by the famous speculator George Soros. The delegation will first hold meetings with the representatives of big banks in Istanbul and then will proceed to Ankara. /Milliyet/[43] DUMPING LAW ENACTEDA draft which foresees an amendment to the Law concerning the Prevention of Unfair Competition in Imports was approved by the Turkish Parliament's General Council and thus enacted yesterday. The draft foresees that the law preventing unfair competition will be in line with developments in the foreign trade of the country, articles which cause problems in its implementation will be re-arranged and Anti-Dumping and Subventions Agreement will be parallel with EU laws. According to the Law, a council will be established to tackle the issues of dumping and subvention. /Milliyet/[44] SELIM HANAY RANKS THIRD IN CHEMISTRY OLYMPICSSelim Hanay, who is a graduate of the Ankara Science High School, has ranked third in the world at the 31st International Chemistry Olympics held in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and attended by 200 students from 53 countries. /Milliyet/[45] AGRICULTURE MINISTER GOKALP RECEIVES NEW ZEALANDAMBASSADORProf. Husnu Gokalp, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said they work to improve relations with New Zealand in the field of stock breeding and betterment of pasture areas. Ian Kennedy, the New Zealand Ambassador visited Gokalp on Tuesday. Gokalp said New Zealand was an agricultural country famous in the world for for its betterment of pastures. The Minister said they would exchange views on this subject and added that he wanted to develop agricultural and trade relations with New Zealand, the Anatolia News Agency reported.[46] EIGHTH ENERGY CONGRESS TO BE HELD MAY 8-12, 2000 IN ANKARATurkish Eighth Energy Congress and the Energy Fair will start in Ankara on May 8, 2000. The Congress and Fair which will be organized at the Middle East Technical University (METU) between May 8-12 next year will be supported by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The subject of the Congress will be "Energy and its Technology for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century", the Anatolia News Agency reported.[47] TURKISH FILMS IN ITALYTwo Turkish films have been elected to take part in a film festival in Taormina in Italy. "Propoganda" by Sinan Cetin and "Parcalanma" by Canan Gerede are among the 12 films to compete at the Festival on 14-31 July in Taormina. /Sabah/[48] BOLSHOI IN ISTANBULAs part of the Yapi Kredi Arts Festival '99, the Belarussian Republic's National Bolshoi Ballet Company will give three performances on 22 and 23 July in Istanbul. Today they will perform "Romeo and Juliet" and on 24 July "Carmina Burana and the Carmen Suite" will be staged by the Bolshoi National Ballet Company. /Sabah/[49] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[50] DOVE, HAWK AND COURAGE -BY ILTER TURKMEN (HURRIYET)Former Ambassador Ilter Turkmen comments on the recent developments concerning Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:"It is a pleasing coincidence to see Ecevit, who launched the Cyprus Peace Operation, on its 25th anniversary again in power. At the time of the Operation, the Prime Minister had followed a determined and courageous policy. However, following hawkish policies does not mean that you are courageous. Sometimes it takes more courage to be a dove. The most striking examples of this is the policy followed by Inonu in 1963, when he did not opt for a military intervention in Cyprus despite the insistence of those around him. Similarly in 1967 President Sunay had warned the Government of the possible risks a military intervention entailed and paved the way for intiatives leading to the withdrawal of Greek troops from the Island through diplomacy. At present, we are again at a crossroads concerning Cyprus. On the one hand the G-8 and the UN Security Council are calling for negotiations with no pre-conditions based on a federation. On the other hand, Prime Minister Ecevit and the TRNC President Rauf Denktas are insisting that they will not go to the table unless the sovereignty of the TRNC is recognized. They state that a solution must be based on a confederation. As the recent tragic incidents in the Balkans have proven that two nations cannot live under the same State against their will, Turkish demands should have been found appropriate. However, the historic developments of the Cyprus problem are not suitable for the acceptance of these proposals. Despite the de facto situation which created two sovereign units in Cyprus, we defended the federation policy and the Greek-Cypriots never accepted legalizing the division with their own hands. Neither the US, nor the G-8 or the decisions of the Security Council can force Turkey to accept a solution. Therefore, there is no need to discuss the matter. However, it should be considered carefully where the present Turkish policy will lead from the impasse reached today. The possibilities are that if the Greek-Cypriot Administration is accepted into the EU, Turkey will be shown as occupying the territory of an EU member. In the long run, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus cannot protect its independent status and will become a part of Turkey. However, the international community will not accept that it belongs to Turkey. The door of the EU may forever be closed to Turkey. Turkey may bear these results but at a very high cost. Furthermore, at the moment Turkey has strong cards which she can use at a negotiation table. A majority of European countries hesitate in making the Greek-Cypriot Administration part of the EU so long as the Cyprus question remains unresolved. An alternative solution close to a confederation can be found. The negotiations could be used to prepare Turkey for candidacy of the EU. Ecevit was a courageous hawk in 1974 and maybe he can be a courageous dove today. The opportunity is not lost as yet." [51] IF GERMANY IS SINCERE -BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)Columnist Hasan Cemal writes on the relations between Turkey and Germany. A summary of his column is as follows:"German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is in Ankara today. Turkey is an important friend and ally of Germany. The spectrum of relations between the two countries is wide. There is a large number of Turkish businessmen in Germany, and she is the largest trade partner of Turkey. Furthermore, the majority of tourists coming to Turkey are German. In other words, two States who have such close relations cannot turn their back on each other. They do not have the luxury to do so. However, Turco-German political relations have not fared well in recent years. The responsibility for this lies mainly with Germany, as the policies she has followed on the European Union, the PKK and terrorism have been mistaken. The European Union has stated 11 countries, most of them behind Turkey in many ways, as "eligible for membership" and placed them in the waiting room while not showing the same consideration for Turkey. Furthermore, the EU has put forth conditions before accepting Turkey as eligible for membership. This policy of double standards was displayed during the Luxembourg Summit at the end of 1997. At this Summit the main actor was Germany and it can even be said that Greece was left far behind her at the time. At the time Chancellor Helmut Kohl was in power. The conservative parties led by him saw the EU as a "civilization project" and because of her different culture and religion were excluding Turkey out of this project. As the Cold War was over and communism had collapsed there was no need for Turkey. Today, Social Democrats and the Greens are in power. Prime Minister Schroeder and Foreign Minister Fischer are following different policies. This is a positive development. The improvement of Turco-German relations is a step in the right direction. However, while Germany was following a positive stance, during the last EU Summit in Cologne the Greek veto could not be overcome. If Germany sincerely wants full-membership perspective to be given to Turkey, as to the other 11 countries, she has to put pressure on Greece and lift her veto. Furthermore, if Germany wants to help Turkey on terrorism she has to stop the PKK actions in the country. Neither the EU nor Germany denounced Greece, when Ocalan who had committed crimes against humanity was captured in a Greek Embassy. Certainly, Turkey has her homework to do in the economic and political fields. However, there are some steps which have priority and those belong to Germany. " [52] SPECIAL KOSOVO[53] TURKISH COMMANDER FOR PEACE FORCEA Turkish General will command the Multinational Balkan Peace Force. Bulgarian Defence Minister Georgi Ananiyev announced that the Balkan Peace Force will be activated after an official ceremony to be held on 11 September. The Turkish, Macedonian, Albanian, Italian, Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian Defence Ministers signed an agreement to set up a joint peace force following the initiatives of the U.S. last year. The U.S. and Slovenia will be observers of the Peace Force which will have four thousand soldiers. It is also reported that a Turkish General will command the Peace Force. /Turkiye/[54] KOSOVAR REFUGEES CONTINUE TO LEAVE TURKEYThe Kosovar refugees who were offered shelter in Turkey during the war continue to return to their homes and the number of refugees who left Turkey from Kapikule Border Gate reached 14,540 as of Wednesday, reported the Anatolian News Agency. The officials reported that currently 1,964 refugees stay at Kirklareli Refugee Guesthouse. A total of 6,769 Kosovars has left the Guesthouse so far. About 500 of the refugees are getting ready to return to Kosovo by plane which will depart from Corlu Airport on July 23. Two more planes will go to Kosovo from Corlu on 27 and 29 July.END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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