Turkish Daily News, 96-05-18

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From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>

TURKISH DAILY NEWS
18 May 1996

CONTENTS

[01] Yilmaz discusses EU, Kurds with Chancellor Kohl in Bonn

[02] Mobility in the Aegean Sea

[03] Parliamentary regulations brought in accordance with the constitution

[04] General Kundakci warns that Greek-Greek Cypriot military accord will rebound on south

[01] Yilmaz discusses EU, Kurds with Chancellor Kohl in Bonn

Turkish Daily News

BONN- Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz met with German President Roman Herzog and Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Friday to express Turkish concerns about bottlenecks in Turco-European Union ties and Ankara's concerns about the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Leaving behind a political crisis in Turkey, Yilmaz landed at Cologne's airport, an airport spokesman said. His official program started Friday, when he met Chancellor Kohl, President Roman Herzog and other leaders.

As Yilmaz went in for talks with Kohl, two groups of demonstrators held separate demonstrations, shouting PKK slogans. Surrounded by tight security measures, they waited for one-and-a-half hours on the route which Yilmaz was supposed to take, but the prime minister arrived at Kohl's office by another route.

Talking to the press after his contacts in Bonn, Yilmaz said he had held useful talks.

Indicating that they had touched on all issues with Chancellor Kohl in an open and frank manner, Yilmaz said that while Turkish-German relations appeared fragile on the surface they were based on very solid foundations.

Characterizing President Herzog as a statesman who has contributed greatly to the efforts to integrate Turks living in Germany into German society, Yilmaz said he had conveyed an invitation to visit Turkey to Herzog from President Suleyman Demirel.

Referring to his talks with Chancellor Kohl, Yilmaz said he had explained the security concerns of the two million Turks living in Germany.

Yilmaz said that the majority of Turks living in Germany legally were there to stay and added that there was a need for concrete steps to meet the educational, economic and social needs of these people.

Yilmaz went on to indicate that Turkish-EU relations were the most important item on the agenda of his talks with Kohl. He said he had thanked the Chancellor for Germany's continuing support for Turkey's bid to forge closer ties with the E.U.

"Now the important thing is for the customs union between Turkey and the E.U. to be successful. Turkey has fulfilled her obligations in this regard. The fact, however, that the customs union has not been put in force in all its facets because of the obstructions by Greece is unacceptable. I was pleased to observe that Chancellor Kohl is of the same opinion as us on this matter," Yilmaz said.

EU member Greece blocked a 375 million ECU ($490 million) aid package to Turkey in March after the two countries nearly came to blows in a dispute over deserted Aegean islets.

In an interview this week with a German newspaper, Yilmaz said he would try to win support from a reluctant Germany for Turkey's goal of joining the EU.

He told the weekly Die Zeit that German opposition was the biggest barrier to Turkey's plans for full EU membership, not objections thrown up by archrival Greece.

"Our goal is Turkey's full membership in the EU. We hear everywhere that Germany's attitude is the biggest obstacle, not that of Greece," Yilmaz said.

Yilmaz explained at his press conference in Bonn after his talks with Herzog and Kohl that he had made a call for peace with Greece on March 24 and added that Turkey wants to normalize its ties with Athens.

Yilmaz said he had provided Chancellor Kohl detailed information about his call for unconditional talks on March 24.

He pointed out that the question of separatist terrorism by the PKK and Turkey's Southeast problem had become a determining factor in Turkish-German relations from time to time.

Before beginning his first visit to Bonn as Turkey's prime minister, Yilmaz told reporters he would convey his concern about the outlawed PKK's activity in Germany.

"I will communicate to German officials Turkey's unease about the terror organization PKK continuing its activities, despite being outlawed in that country (Germany)," he said.

Around half a million Turkish Kurds live in Germany out of a total Turkish population of some 2.2 million.

Yilmaz said at his press conference after his contacts in Bonn that he had told Chancellor Kohl that a definite distinction must be made between the PKK and Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin.

"The majority of citizens of Kurdish origin living in Germany want to live in peace. But the PKK is using a small and militant element to create disturbances and disrupt public order in Germany" Yilmaz said.

He went on to argue that the solution to the Southeast question was based on retaining Turkey's unitary nature and territorial integrity.

"Apart from anything else, this is a question of developing the individual's democratic rights in Turkey," Yilmaz said.

Yilmaz went on to declare that there was a broad parity of views between the sides on the international and regional issues he had taken up with Chancellor Kohl.

Yilmaz flies back to Ankara today, where his minority government has been rocked by a constitutional court ruling that its March vote of confidence was illegal.

[02] Mobility in the Aegean Sea

US supports going to The Hague not only for Kardak but for the numerous rocks and islets in the Aegean, says Greek paper

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Tensions in the Aegean Sea increased between Turkey and Greece once more with a Greek coastal guard boat firing at 10 to 12 Turkish fishing boats.

The shooting took place south of Midilli (Lesbos) at 5:00 A.M. Thursday morning. No one was hurt, but two Turkish military boats came to the region immediately, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The shooting incident near Midilli took place as the two countries prepare information tours for groups of journalists, which include a tour of the Aegean Sea.

Ankara, which earlier protested this scheduled tour by Greece, hastily arranged its own half-day tour that starts from Bodrum, Turkey's lively holiday resort that hosts thousands of tourists every year.

Both tours takes place on Saturday.

On Friday, the European Union journalists invited by Greece were briefed on the Greek cases in the Aegean in general and ownership of Kardak in particular.

A briefing was given at the Greek Defense Ministry. Later, the journalists were to meet with the Greek prime minister, the foreign minister and the government spokesman.

In a parallel development, the pro-government daily Etnos said that the Turco-Greek disputes were discussed at length in a meeting between high level military officials from Greece and Turkey. According to the same paper, Jan Lodal, the assistant secretary of defense who represented the U.S. side, said that the United States supported going to The Hague, not only for Kardak but for the status of numerous islets and rocks.

Another Greek newspaper, Apoyevmatini, reported that the United States and NATO suggested "an emergency phone line" between Athens and Ankara which could be used for immediate consultation in the event of a crisis.

[03] Parliamentary regulations brought in accordance with the constitution

Kalemli: 'It is a very important step to have the parliamentary regulations changed after 23 years'

TDN Parliamentary Office

ANKARA- The debate over the rules concerning parliamentary votes of confidence culminated in the removal of the controversial article in the Parliamentary Regulations on Thursday.

In a last-minute change Article 105 was included in a motion proposed by the Republican People's Party to bring it in line with the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court.

The change removes from Article 105 the section which says, "If the number of those voting positively is more than the number of those voting negatively during the vote of confidence, the government will have received the vote of confidence."

Among other changes made in the Parliamentary Regulations, most were concerned with reshaping the articles to make them accord with last summer's constitutional amendments.

Parliamentary Speaker Mustafa Kalemli, addressing a press conference at the Parliament, noted that it was a very important achievement to change so many regulations after 23 years.

"The amendments may still not be sufficient, but this first step will pave the way for the next ones in the near future," Kalemli said.

Kalemli also pointed out that these changes were the first laws adopted by the current Parliament.

Thursday's changes came as a result of a consensus in the Parliament. The Welfare Party, which previously had opposed any changes in the parliamentary regulations, changed its attitude, when the article that enabled it to contest the government's vote of confidence was included in the motion's text.

The most important change in the parliamentary regulations is apparently the one referring to the vote of confidence. From now on, an absolute majority of the votes of participating members will be required.

The same rule will be applied to other votes in the Parliament, including the extension of emergency rule in the Southeast and the mandate of the Provide Comfort force.

Some of the other changes decided upon are as follows:

-- The Parliament session will finish by July 1, unless the parliamentary general assembly votes to extend it. Parliament will not be allowed to be in recess for more than three months during the legislative year.

-- The parliament can decide not to meet during certain weeks.

-- A deputy who is absent for more than 45 parliamentary sessions during the legislative year without giving a valid reason will be stripped of three months of salary.

-- Any deputy who fails to attend the sessions five times in a month without giving a valid reason may be stripped of his membership status, if the majority of the general assemble votes in favor.

-- Time limits will be set on the length of the debates over decrees and motions by parliamentary commissions.

-- Special methods may be adopted during debates over inclusive codes such as the commercial code, criminal code and civil code.

-- The Parliament can declare war on the orders of the council of ministers, by a vote of the absolute majority of the members of the Parliament. In case of an attack on Turkey, if the President rules that the Turkish Military Forces should respond, the Parliament will have to convene immediately.

-- When a parliamentary investigation is ordered, the report submitted by the related commission will have to be debated by Parliament within seven days.

If the Parliament decides, by a majority vote, to submit the issue to the constitutional court, it will have to do so within seven days.

[04] General Kundakci warns that Greek-Greek Cypriot military accord will rebound on south

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Lt. Gen. Hasan Kundakci, the commander of the Turkish forces in northern Cyprus has said that the joint defense agreement Greek Cyprus had signed with Greece has put the Greek Cypriot administration "under a great risk."

Coming out with some of the hardest-hitting public remarks to date from any senior commander on the question of Cyprus, he added that the Greek Cypriot side "would reap more harm than benefit from this agreement."

Talking on a live program of the Turkish Cypriot radio and television corporation, Bayrak, on Thursday night, Kundakci indicated that Turkish forces "would not depart from the island until a solid peace settlement is reached."

Indicating that the Turkish forces in northern Cyprus were ready around the clock for war with its up-to-date equipment of the highest standard, General Kundakci acknowledged the accord that the Greek Cypriots had signed with Greece would bring them some advantages.

But, he said, it also brought risks along with it.

"The agreement of course puts the Greek Cypriot administration at risk in the event that something happens between Turkey and Greece. I think the Greek Cypriot administration either knowingly or inadvertently entered into such a risky situation... I see that they have put themselves in danger. This is my assessment of the situation."

He went on to argue that it was in fact Greece that was reaping the major benefit from this accordand said that Athens would use Greek Cypriot money for the sake of operating its own bases.

Kundakci said that there were two main reasons for the massive armament campaign being pursued by the Greek Cypriot side over the past few years.

He said they were purchasing both defensive and offensive arms.

"We are wondering why the Greek Cypriots need defense now. Our strength is there for all to see. As long as the (Turkish) peace forces are on the island they do not have any chance. If they are buying these weapons against us then they will find these are insufficient. But if they are buying them against the Turkish Cypriots, then they will find that these are more than enough" Kundakci said.

He indicated that another reason behind this armament campaign by the Greek Cypriots is "the dream of an attack against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)."

Kundakci said the Greek Cypriots were waiting for the Turkish forces to leave after an agreement is reached in order to stage an attack against the TRNC.

Pointing out that the Turks had "not forgotten the lessons of Crete" (a reference to the Ottoman withdrawal from Crete at the end of the last century) Kundakci said, "we have seen this film before and have not forgotten it yet. They are arming on Cyprus this time for the sake of the same scenario."

Underlining again the fact that Turkish troops would withdraw from the island only after a solid peace settlement is reached, General Kundakci said Turkey "would never desert the Turkish Cypriots."

Kundakci said that the Turkish forces in Cyprus today were made up of officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers who had gained valuable fighting experience in the Southeast of Turkey and were imbued with a "great dynamism."

"Our fighting ability is very high and we are ready to fight night and day. We are here doing our duty to provide for the security and peace of the Turkish Cypriot people... The Greeks know this very well" Kundakci said.

Touching on the support provided by the Greek Cypriot side to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which is outlawed in Turkey where it is waging a separatist war in southeast Anatolia, General Kundakci said "it was very difficult to understand the logic behind this support."

"To even think of using an organization that the whole world considers a terrorist organization is a very dangerous thing. Terrorism is like a disease that spreads. Those who use it will find in a short period of time that it turns upon them. This is how the support provided by the Greek Cypriots will end, in other words with harm to them" he said.

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