TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News excerpts (January 9, 1996)

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

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 9 January 1996

[01] Demirel told of military concerns about a Welfare-led government

By Hayri Birler

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Circles in the state hierarchy are discussing the consequences of a coalition government which includes the pro-Islamic Welfare Party (RP or Refah), which won the majority of seats in Parliament after the Dec. 24 election.

President Suleyman Demirel has reportedly been informed about the military's deep concern about Refah which prompted Demirel to make a statement in Adana on Jan. 5 declaring "there is no need to fear or feel concern" in view of recent developments.

Some military officers and state officials prepared a number of projections on Refah's chances of taking power, according to informed sources.

"Refah has emerged as the leading party after the election, but it has failed to gain enough seats to form a government on its own. Nevertheless, the party had spent all its efforts and money to win the polls. Therefore Refah members and its supporters are frustrated with the election outcome, and this has led to much soul searching. Party officials believe that this soul searching will disappear if and only if Refah takes part in a coalition partnership, and thus every effort is being made to take part in the government," the officials said.

Two conflicting views have emerged. One view is that if the Refah comes to power within a coalition it will have access to state funds and have the opportunity to employ its supporters in key state positions. Thus, according to some officials, if the Refah's growth is to be stopped it should not be allowed to come to power under any circumstances.

These circles suggest that the Refah could remain an opposition party, while a number of its moderate deputies switch to either the True Path Party (DYP) or the Motherland Party (ANAP). "If the party loses some of its deputies to the opposition, the domestic and foreign support for Refah will decline and the conflicts will spread," some officials predict.

Against these projections, another group of officials claim that Refah will become more powerful if it remains the main opposition -- against a weak coalition government. Thus they feel Refah should come to power and be a coalition partner.

Amidst these discussions, top military officers voice their concern about Refah. Some top officers are reportedly against the Refah's bid for government because some of its members are against the secular constitution. The Turkish Daily News learnt Demirel has been informed about these concerns.

"The president is well aware of the recent developments and is having ongoing discussions within the Turkish Military," sources said. In his address in Adana on Friday, Demirel said "You may dislike or regret the outcome of the election, but you should act in accordance with its consequences." He explained that the Turkish Republic has the status of a secular and democratic state and that nobody has the power to threaten it. "Therefore, acting with suspicions and prejudice could threaten peace in society. Let us believe in ourselves and our state." "This proves that he is against any anti-democratic initiative," sources said.

[02] Process starts, all eyes on Demirel

By Kemal Balci

TDN Parliament Bureau

ANKARA- Today President Suleyman Demirel will officially launch the process for seeking a solution to the government crisis.

Demirel will meet separately for 45 minutes with the leaders of each of the five political parties which have members in Parliament.

During these meetings the president will determine whether or not a coalition capable of winning a vote of confidence in Parliament can be formed. A day after the meetings, Demirel is expected to give the assignment to form the government to one of the party leaders. Each leader will present a different government model to the president. If a consensus cannot be reached, the assignment to form the government will have to be given to Necmettin Erbakan since his Welfare Party (RP) won the largest number of seats in Parliament.

The new Parliament held its first session on Monday, at which the newly-elected deputies were sworn in. Thus, although the 20th legislative term has officially begun, Parliament will have to wait for another 10 days before it begins to operate.

Candidates for speaker and deputy speaker have a 10-day deadline to declare their candidacy. Parliament will convene again on Jan. 19 for the election of the new speaker and the members of the speaker's council. This also marks the beginning of the 45-day time-limit to form the new government. If no government is formed within this period, the president will appoint a prime minister to form a temporary election government leading to new elections 90 days later.

Erbakan will be Demirel's first visitor today. He is expected to point out that political precedents mean that he should be given the assignment to form the government, and that he believes he can form a government which can obtain vote of confidence in Parliament. Erbakan believes that Demirel will call him again on Wednesday at the latest to give him the assignment.

According to the rumors, if Erbakan gets the assignment to form the government but fails to find a coalition partner he will not return the assignment and will propose a minority government to the president.

[03] Turkey pulls out its Asi card

By Nazlan Ertan

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Turkey, long on the defensive on the water conflict, now aims to turn the tables against Syria by bringing the issue of the Asi River (Orontes), where Turkey is the downstream country, into the water conflict that has escalated over the last few months.

"It is our intention to raise the question of the Asi River whenever the water question rises," Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel said Monday. "The question of the Asi will inevitably be brought up by the Turkish side in any water forum (between Turkey and Syria.)" The status of the Asi River is on the agenda and needs to be settled, but it is not a precondition for solving the water question, according to a Turkish diplomat familiar with the water question.

Turkey's three-stage plan for solving the water problem, which has been on the table since 1984 but categorically rejected by Iraq and Syria, refers to the Asi River as part of the water resources of the countries involved, but the reference is indirect.

Syria refuses to consider the waterway as an international river and rejects any debate on the grounds that bringing it to the negotiation table would be a "de facto recognition" of Turkish sovereignty over Hatay, which is described in the program of Ba'ath Party as an integral part of Syria although it joined Turkey in 1939.

"For a long time, Syria refused to make any reference to the Asi River, but we bring it up in negotiations and will continue to do so," the diplomat said.

Turkey also "reminded" Syria of the Asi River question in a demarche given to Damascus on Dec. 31. Turkey told Syria that it was depriving downstream Turkey and that Turkey "withheld its right" to demand its fair share of the Asi River waters.

Originating in Lebanon, the Asi River passes through Syria and flows into the Mediterranean Sea within the Turkish province of Hatay. It stretches 40 km in Lebanon, 120 km in Syria and 88 km in Turkey. In Lebanon, there are two water flow regulators on the Orontes and in Syria there are two dams -- Destan and Maherde -- in addition to a water regulator in the town of Jisr-al-Sughur. Both countries, especially Syria, have been using this river for intensive irrigation purposes.

Syria has been using 90 percent of the total flow which reaches an annual average of 1.2 billion cubic meters, of which only 120 million cubic meters enters Turkey. This amount will further decrease to approximately 25 million cubic meters if the planned reservoirs at Ziezoun and Kastoun in Syria are built.

Eighty million cubic meters are earmarked for the use of Lebanon in accordance with an agreement made between Lebanon and Syria.

Ankara's attitude toward the Asi River is unchanged, Akbel said, indirectly denying press reports and commentaries that Turkey had decided not to bring the question of the Asi River into the discussion in order to bring Syria to the negotiation table.

Akbel's statement came a day after Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal told a television news program that Turkey, Syria and Iraq should come together to assess how the water resources in the region, including the "Euphrates, Tigris and Asi," could be used to the mutual benefit of all sides.

The status of the Asi River was also brought to the attention of foreign diplomats in Ankara during two briefings given by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the water question.

Spokesman Akbel said that all the countries who were briefed by Syria previously were invited to the two briefing sessions -- one for Arab countries and one for the OECD countries.

Asked whether there was any reaction from Syria, which was not invited to the briefing sessions, Akbel answered with a smile: "We did not expect any because we briefed the countries already briefed by Damascus. The Turkish ambassador was not invited to those meetings either."

[04] Supporters of prison rioters hit Turkish targets in Germany

Reuters

STUTTGART- Arsonists apparently protesting against conditions in Turkey's prisons hit Turkish targets in Germany for the fourth consecutive night, police said on Monday.

One firebomb gutted a storey of a house containing a Turkish youth group in Singen, on Lake Constance in southern Germany.

Another burned out a Turkish travel agency in the central German city of Darmstadt.

The fires caused property damage but no injuries. Militant Turkish prisoners on Sunday released six prison officials they had taken hostage in Istanbul last week, but rioters were still holding other people they seized on Friday.

Most of the prisoners involved in the protests are on trial or serving time for links to the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP-C), a leftist group blamed for a series of attacks in Istanbul.

Supporters of the Marxist prisoners ran riot in Istanbul and clashed with police on Sunday.

Cem Ozdemir, a member of Germany's parliament whose parents are Turkish, singled out supporters of the banned left-wing extremist group "Dev Sol" for attacks in Germany.

"I think that one can neither allow this kind of war by proxy in Germany nor express understanding for it," he told German radio.

But he also called for turning up the pressure on Ankara to improve conditions in prisons by reducing massive overcrowding and replacing security officials.

Some two million Turks live in Germany, the largest community outside Turkey itself.

[05] Ankara asks Washington to exert pressure on Syria

ANKARA- Ankara appealed to the United States on Monday to exert pressure on Syria to urge this country to end its support of terrorism.

U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Marc Grossman paid a visit to the Turkish Foreign Ministry to announce the postponment of American secretary of trade. Grossmman met with Undersecretary Onur Oymen and deputy Undersecretary Temel Iskit. While Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel described the visit as "routine," Ankara took the opportunity to voice its criticism of Syrian escalation of water problem.

Anatolia news agency quoted unnamed ministry sources as saying Ankara asked Washington to exert pressure on Syria.

Grossman was reportedly told that the question of water and terrorism was not linked in any way, but Syria sought to shift the focus on the water question in order to hide its involvement in terrorism.

According to the news agency, Turkey said that Syria should abandon its support of terrorism in order to become a partner in the Middle East peace process.

The same sources said that Ankara asked the United States to make use of the peace process to exert pressure in Syria.