Turkish Daily News, 96-06-20
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
TURKISH DAILY NEWS
20 June 1996
CONTENTS
[01] U.S. Senate subcommittee removes cap on 'aid' to Turkey
[02] US gratified with extension of OPC
[03] Expoship Turkey '96 in Istanbul
[04] Ankara reacts strongly to Armenia-Greece defense agreement
[01] U.S. Senate subcommittee removes cap on 'aid' to Turkey
Ambassador Kandemir sends letter to Senate asking Armenia-related
conditions to be removed
By Ugur Akinci
Turkish Daily News
WASHINGTON- The U.S. Senate went back to square one and
removed all caps and almost all restrictions imposed on U.S. assistance
to Turkey by the House version of foreign assistance bill, HR
3540.
Accordingly, Turkey will be eligible for up to $60 million in
Economic Support Fund (ESF) grant and $175 million in Foreign
Military Sales (FMS) loans, both as originally suggested by the
administration. The bill is expected to end up in Conference Committee
in mid-August to find a compromise solution between the House
and Senate versions of the bill.
Senate Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee, chaired
by Sen. Mitch McConnell, convened on Tuesday to approve a $12.2
billion foreign aid package. The subcommittee eliminated two Armenia-
related
amendments introduced in the House by Reps. George Radanovich
and Peter Visclosky. The Radanovich amendment placed a $22 million
cap on ESF if Turkey did not recognize the "Armenian Genocide."
The Visclosky amendment eliminated the ESF grant altogether unless
Turkey opens the humanitarian aid corridor to Armenia. Turkish
government promptly rejected the ESF with such conditions attached.
The subcommittee also eliminated the House-approved 7-to-1 ratio
between humanitarian aid funds to be sent to Azerbaijan and Nagorno-
Karabakh,
respectively, despite the fact that the latter is a district of
Azerbaijan and not an independent state.
Another arbitrary ratio, the 7-to-10 that regulates U.S. military
assistance to Greece and Turkey was kept as is, however.
The Senate version allowed $95 million to Armenia and $25 million
to Georgia in economic assistance for financial year '97. Greek-Cyprus
was also earmarked $15 million in U.S. aid.
Kandemir's letter
On the day before the subcommittee met, Turkish ambassador to
Washington Nuzhet Kandemir sent a letter to the members of Senate
appropriations committee asking them to remove the Armenia-related
amendments from the bill.
"The basis of U.S.-Turkish friendship has never been foreign
aid, even in years when the amounts involved were much greater,"
Kandemir said. The Turkish ambassador railed especially hard against
the charge that Ottoman Turkey committed "genocide"
against its Armenian subjects following WWI. After reminding that
75 Turkish diplomats had been murdered by Armenian terrorists
in the 1970s and 1980s, Kandemir said "it is inconceivable
to us that a legislative body such as the United States Congress
would involve itself in this historical dispute and reach conclusions
on century-old events."
"Adoption of this provision will have devastating consequences"
for U.S.-Turkish relations, "and I strongly urge you to reject
it," Kandemir concluded.
[02] US gratified with extension of OPC
But expects longer extension at end of July
By Ugur Akinci
Turkish Daily News
WASHINGTON- The U.S. State Department said Washington was
gratified with the extension of Operation Provide Comfort (OPC)
for one more month by the Turkish Parliament. Spokesman Nicholas
Burns also added that the United States would like to see a longer
extension when the Turkish Parliament takes up the matter at the
end of July. This is the 12th time OPC has been extended since
its inception in 1991 to protect the northern Iraqi Kurds from
the wrath of Saddam Hussein.
Burns said the United States was "very pleased" to see
the extension of "Turkey's participation in Operation Provide
Comfort by one month until July 31. We are very gratified that
the Turkish Parliament has taken this step."
He then added, "We very much hope that this will lead to
a longer extension of the mandate when the Turkish Parliament
raises that question at the end of July."
"We continue to believe that Operation Provide Comfort may
play a crucial role in deterring Saddam Hussein from the kind
of aggression against the Iraqi people that provoked the mass
exodus of Iraqis in northern Iraq in March of 1991. OPC has been
a success for Turkey, as well as for the United States and for
the people of northern Iraq," he said.
'Overreacting' to Syria
A U.S. administration senior official who asked to remain anonymous
told Turkish journalists on Tuesday that the Turkish press was
"overreacting" to the news stories of Syrian troop movements
along the Turkish-Syrian border. "If you look at the explosions
that occurred, that might answer why some of the troop movements
took place," he said. "I wouldn't lead you to the idea
that an international conflict is imminent," he said.
He said the U.S. administration was "neutral" on Syrian
troop movement reports.
But, concerning the arrest of hundreds of Turcomans in Syria in
connection with the explosions, the official said that the reports
were accurate and the United States was "concerned"
by such arrests.
[03] Expoship Turkey '96 in Istanbul
Turkish Daily News
ISTANBUL- The Expoship Turkey '96 Organization Committee
Chairman Oktay Ulkuguner said during a press conference, held
to promote the Expoship Turkey '96 project to the press, that
the relations between the countries which bound the Black Sea
as well as those which have economic relations with this sea have
improved within the last years.
"These countries founded the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Union -- a regional cooperation platform -- in order to work together
in fields like trade, commerce, industry, projects, transportation,
communications, statistical and economical information, energy,
mining and tourism," he said.
Ulkuguner stated that trade and commerce have increased greatly
between Turkey and these countries, through thousands of "suitcase"
traders, visitors who come to Turkey to buy goods for trade in
their own countries, and enhanced export strategies.
"The income obtained from these, began to be an important
part of the overall exports of Turkey.But, some problems emerged
as time went by.An important one was that Turkish products began
to be identified as "low quality" because the suitcase
traders bought the cheapest and lowest quality products to sell
back in their countries," Ulkuguner explained.
He said that the level of income is increasing in these countries,
which means higher quality Turkish products should be promoted
and presented in order to increase sales and exports.
The Expoship Turkey '96 "Turkey's Sailing Exhibition Center",
aims to change impressions poor impressions of this country's
products by promoting Turkey's potential of goods and services.
"Turkey's export potential will be exhibited and service
sectors such as tourism, transportation, banking and architecture
will be promoted by Expoship Turkey '96, at six important port
cities of the Black Sea," he said. "Also, the general
promotion of Turkey as well as presenting the cultural and artistic
activities are the aims of the exhibition."
The Expoship Turkey '96 "Turkey's Sailing Exhibition"
will be docking at Batum in Georgia, Novorossiysk in Russia, Sevastopol
in the Crimea, Odessa in Ukraine, Costanta in Romania and Varna
in Bulgaria.The ship will not be stopping at two of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation Union member countries, Greece and Albania.
Committee Chairman Oktay Ulkuguner said that the Expoship Turkey
'96 "Sailing Exhibition" will be organized with the
participation of all the member countries in 1997 and visit Middle
East and Mediterranean ports in 1998.
The project, which will take place with two ships: the Marmara
Princess Ro-Ro, owned by Cenk Sea Transportation A.S. to be used
as the exhibition ship; and Lev Tolstoy, which is a luxurious
Ukrainian ferry to be used for the transportations of company
owners, will be held between 1 and 23 November 1996.
Oktay Ulkuguner concluded by saying that the necessary contacts
with the Trade and Industry Chambers, related organizations and
business circles of the countries to be visited have already been
arranged.
[04] Ankara reacts strongly to Armenia-Greece defense agreement
Turkey calls the agreement a threat to peace in the region
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel,
speaking a weekly press conference, said that Ankara strongly
opposes the Greece-Armenia defense cooperation agreement. Akbel
called it an example of the Greek policy which aims to encircle
Turkey and which threatens peace and stability in the region.
Akbel said that the agreement, along with statements by Greek
officials, revealed that the real Greek aim was to exacerbate
tensions in the region.
"Turkey is evaluating all aspects of Greece's hostile attitude.
It should be kept in the mind that any attempt to target Turkey's
security interests would be harmful to those who intend it. It
is obvious that this agreement will be harmful to cooperation
and stability in the Caucasus," Akbel said.
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