Subject: Turkish Press Review (April 5, 1995)
As Argentine President Carlos Menem was in mourning for his son -killed in an accident last month- the
Argentine Senate Speaker Eduardo Menem, who is also the president's brother, held a dinner in President Suleyman
Demirel's honour on Monday evening. In an address given at the dinner, Demirel said despite a huge physical
distance between Turkey and Argentina, there were many similarities between the peoples of both countries. "I
believe that Turkey and Argentina, as two areas of stability in their regions, will boost their ties in
every field" he said. Demirel, who later talked with Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and Deputy Prime Minister
Hikmet Cetin on the phone, was given information regarding the northern Iraqi operation, and about
Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu's tour. Menem also gave a luncheon to Demirel and his accompanying delegation
yesterday. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissenger, who was in Argentina for a working visit,
also participated in the luncheon. Having a breakfast with Argentine businessmen yesterday, Demirel replied to
questions regarding the Kurdish problem. He said: "All the world confuses the Kurdish problem and the terror
problem. There is no Kurdish problem, there is a terrorism problem. Kurdish people are all first class
citizens. There is terrorism in the country. It kills without discriminating between child or woman. Latin
America also knows what terrorism is. Terrorists are mostly of Kurdish origin but those they kill are 95 %
Kurdish-origin citizens. This proves that they are terrorists. Turkish people will protect their country
and nation. The terrorist organization does not defend the rights of the Kurdish people. They want to divide
the country. No one will allow the country to be divided. They infiltrate into Turkey because of the
authority vacuum in northern Iraq following the Gulf War".
Argentine President Carlos Menem presented the "Saviour of San Martin Honorary Award", which is the
highest award that can be presented to a foreigner, to Demirel. Demirel said that this award was an indication
of the friendship between the two countries. Menem, in his speech at the ceremony, said that he would always
remember the visit he paid to Turkey and added: "Once you gave me a Turkish passport, I will never forget
this. It was the happiest moment in my life. We know that Turkey is determined to be a democratic country.
We also want to establish relations with Europe. So, we attach great importance to Turkey". /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
Prime Minister Tansu Ciller yesterday lambasted Germany, which has suspended its military aid over
Turkey's cross-border military operation against Turkish-Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq, while a
high-level Foreign Ministry team left for talks with Iraqi-Kurdish leaders on border security.
Ciller said: "Let your weapons be yours" (to Germany) and that the operation would continue anyway.
She added that Turkey would withdraw from N.Iraq as soon as possible with the least loss and said: "As we have
such a beautiful country of our own, it is out of the question for us to occupy there. This operation is our
legal right. If the ones who should be on our side threaten us by saying "If you use our weapons...", then
we say: "We have the right to defend ourselves. If they are your weapons, then let them be yours". Deputy
Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin said: "There is an authority vacuum in N.Iraq. If there is someone who is
responsible, they are the ones who created the problems in the region in the first place, and then went away".
/Hurriyet/
Turkish military forces are still penetrating into the furthest corners of northern Iraq in their pursuit
of PKK separatists. Reports from the region say that many members of the PKK have fled into areas controlled
by forces belonging to the Saddam government in the Gara mountains.
Despite the difficulties of the terrain, Turkish forces have reportedly succeeded in surrounding some PKK
encampments and that as a result of clashes the PKK has suffered more losses. /All papers/
The German press is angry with Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel following his meeting with Turkish
counterpart, Erdal Inonu, because he was not "severe enough" in his talks with Inonu. German dailies claim
that the visit of Inonu was just for "strengthening friendship" between the two countries.
Inonu, on the other hand, in an interview with the German daily Bild, evaluated his visit positively and
added that he had asked Germany to deal with the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and it's satellite organizations in
a "more determined" manner.
Before leaving Germany, Erdal Inonu met with German Federal Parliament Speaker Rita Sussmuth and said that
Turkey had no intention of staying in northern Iraq or of establishing a buffer-zone in the region. Inonu
stressed that Turkey respected Iraq's territorial integrity.
During his meeting with Sussmuth, Inonu pointed out that Germany was responsible for protecting Turkish
citizens living in Germany. Within the framework of his visit, Erdal Inonu also met with the Chairman of the
German Social Democratic Party (SPD), Rudolf Scharping. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
About 80 Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) supporters set fire to a Turkish flag in front of the Turkish
Embassy in Moscow to protest the northern Iraq military operation.
The demonstration was held with the permission of Moscow Municipality. /Hurriyet/
Spokesman for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Rupert Colville, said yesterday that it was not
possible for members of the PKK to find refuge in the Etrus refugee camp run by the UN. Colville noted that
even if there were some PKK separatists in the camp, "they would not be there long."
Spokesman Colville added that there were more anti-PKK people in the camps than sympathizers, and
these would make sure that PKK separatists would find no welcome in the camp. /Milliyet/
In moves to make northern Iraq secure, Ankara has sent a delegation to the region for talks with Kurdish
leaders Mesut Barzani and Celal Talabani. The two leaders will be met at different times and their
viewpoints will be taken into consideration in connection with the future of the region. /Milliyet/
The two members of the British Labour party who made an unscheduled visit to the northern Iraq battle
zone, and were ousted from the party on their return to England are now at each other's throats.
Jim Cousins and feminist extremist, Ann Clwyd, are now accusing each other of ulterior motives regarding
their visit to northern Iraq the other week. Party chairman Tony Blair sent the two packing because he said
that the party had given no permission for them to visit the area of the incursion by Turkish military forces.
In the meantime, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin has added to the confusion by sending a
letter to Tony Blair complaining about his treatment of the two party members. Cetin noted in his letter that
Cousins and Clwyd had presented a picture at variance with that prevailing in Europe, one that presented the
military operation in its true light. Cetin said that he was concerned that Cousins and Clwyd were being
punished for doing the right thing.
Ann Clwyd has written down the details of her visit in a story given to the Times newspaper. In it she
relates the harrowing experience of her visit to Gorumlu village where she saw the bodies of people-including
children- killed by PKK separatists. /All papers/
According to diplomatic circles in Ankara, Azerbaijan is trying to improve relations with Turkey by
offering a larger share in Azeri petrol production to Turkish companies.
Ankara has also offered new proposals that could make things easier for Azerbaijan to reach world
markets, by suggesting that a pipeline could be built through Anatolia to outlets in Turkish port facilities.
/All papers/
In a statement given to Stern magazine, Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Chief of the General Staff said that the
PKK made a great deal of money from drug smuggling. Stressing that everybody was equal in regard to the law,
Karadayi said that Kurds in Turkey were not given minority status and that there were many Kurdish- origin
ministers, generals and 130 deputies in the Turkish Parliament. /Hurriyet/
ATTACKS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS
3,355 Turkish citizens, mostly the elderly and women, have been massacred by the PKK and nearly 10,000
children have been orphaned. 117 teachers and auxiliary personnel and 38 religious officials have been murdered.
369 village schools and 36 mosques have been set ablaze. The Turkish Democracy Association has given an account
of the acts of terrorism carried out over the past 10 years by the separatist organization PKK which aims at
destroying the territorial integrity of the Turkish Republic. The booklet "Turkey and the Triangle of
Democracy, Human Rights and Terror" published by the Turkish Democracy Association states that the separatist
terrorist organization "massacres people who refuse to aid and shelter them in the region, and raids towns and
villages where those who respect the law live, just because they are loyal to the state and reject the
organization". According to the Association, the number of civilians massacred by the separatist terrorist
organization until now totals 3,355. This figure comprises the elderly, women and children. The
separatist organization left nearly 10,000 children orphans. The said booklet lists the separatist
organization's terrorist acts as follows: -3,355 civilians mostly comprising the elderly, women and
children have been massacred and nearly 10,000 children have been orphaned. -117 teachers and auxiliary
personnel have been killed, and 369 village schools hav been set ablaze, 5,615 village schools could not offer
instruction because the terrorist organization oppresses and threatens the local people. As a result, 101,425
children have been deprived of education in the region. -38 religious officials have been killed and 36 mosques
have been set ablaze. -56 party members, who were working at the regional organizations of the political
parties which are represented in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), have been kidnapped and
massacred by militants of the separatist terrorist organization. -The separatist organization has tried to
prevent Turkish and world public opinion from learning the brutality they commit by blocking the distribution
of newspapers and magazines. -160 journalists who have gone to the region in the last three years have been
kidnapped by the militants, thus obstructing them from carrying out their work. The booklet also notes that
the separatist organization prevents many factories and mines from operating in the region by using violence and
terror, sets fire to the work machines delivered to the region for infrastructural services, therefore
condemning the region to poverty and unemployment. Indicating that the work machines cost around TL 650
billion, the booklet says: "The terrorist organization seizes or burns agricultural products and animals which
are the livelihood of the citizens. The government's TL 50 trillion-investment package aimed to improve the
economy of the region could not be used because of terrorism. The citizens are deprived of medical
services which they badly need. The terrorists set fire to village clinics and intimidated medical personnel,
making them flee the region. Therefore, infant mortality in the region is twice Turkey's avarage".
/Cumhuriyet/
After inspecting Turkish Armed Forces area of military operations in northern Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel
Robert Pistana, ZAKHO-USA Military Attache in the Ankara US Embassy said that the" Steel" military operation was
"very successful". Pistana, inspected the Sindi region now under the control of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Accompanying Lt.Col Pistana, Thomas Senecal, US narcotics specialist took some samples from the poppy
plants in the poppy fields cultivated by PKK terrorists in the Pirbela camp. Pistana said that the deployment
and equipment of the Turkish Army "were perfect". /Sabah/
The prejudicial attitude of the German media behind much of the news about current events has created a
"rebellion" in German communications. A top-level official in the German police has evaluated these
"slander campaigns" saying they promote Nazi thinking. It has also been discovered that extreme right
sympathizers have a "communication in cipher" system with phones and computer networks in the northern Ren
district of Westphalia province. It has been revealed that Nazi groups have taken new initiatives because they
claim that German interior security is being jeopardized by Turks and refugees. They do not want Turks and Kurds
to turn Germany into a battle field and believe that it is now time to show their strength. /Hurriyet/
BANKS
Turkish citizens living in Germany have began withdrawing all their savings from German Banks after
Germany took the arms embargo decision against Turkey. Newspapers yesterday announced this development under
the headline. "Turks close their accounts". It was reported that the Turks had already drawn at least DM 70
million from German banks. It was also estimated that the net annual income of the 1.9 million Turks presently
living in Germany was approximately DM 20 billion 450 million. /Hurriyet/
Alfonse D'Amato, the Republican Senator who presented a bill to the US Congress proposing the
cancellation of US aid to Turkey, has met with a strong negative reaction from the American Sephardic
Federation, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Federation Chairman Leon Levy stressed that Turkey
represented a democratic role model in a region of the world surrounded by extremist regimes. He also recalled
Turkish historical openness to peoples in need, enumerating the examples of Jews fleeing the Spanish
Inquisition and Nazi Germany. Levy also underlined the lengths to which Turkey went during the Korean and Gulf
Wars when Turkey and the US were allies and in which Turkey suffered high financial losses. /All papers/
The Russian Culture Ministry has asked for help from its Turkish counterpart in connection with the
exhibition of the Trojan Treasure at the Pushkin Museum in St.Petersburg in 1996, reported the Anatolia news
agency yesterday. They have requested documents, slides, photographs and scientific publications.
In February 6,769 firms with a total of TL 4.48 trillion in capital were set up,according to the
statistics provided by the State Statistics Institute (DIE) yesterday. The DIE statistics also revealed that
505 firms in the same period transferred a total of TL 10.15 trillion in capital. /All papers/
REUTER (March 22, 1995)
"U.S. President Bill Clinton has expressed 'understanding for Turkey's need to deal decisively' with
the rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which uses bases in Iraq in its fight for a Kurdish homeland inside Turkey."
(Lally Weymouth, April 2, 1995)
"PKK guerrillas have their headquarters in Damascus but use northern Iraq as a base from which to operate against
Turkey. It should be noted that the PKK terrorist activity in
northern Iraq had been taking place in spite of a 1992 agreement between Ankara and the Iraqi Kurdish leadership
that PKK activity would be prevented. ..continuing PKK efforts to use northern Iraq as a base for operations are to
be expected. If it wants to help Turkey fight terror, Washington would be wise to lean on Syria to desist from
hosting the PKK. Washington's stated goals are to support Turkey, to
fight Islamic fundamentalism and to anchor Turkey in the Western alliance. These are wise objectives, but they
require a two-track policy: The United States must do whatever is possible to help Turkey fight terrorism, and
Washington also needs to bolster Turkey's secular parties in order to prevent radical Islamists from coming to power.
Neutrality is to be avoided at all costs. Turkey must be viewed as a bulwark against potential Russian
expansionism, as vital vis-a-vis Iraq and the Persian Gulf and as critical to stability in the Balkans. Turkey can
also serve as model for the Islamic world - if it remains a democratic and pro-Western country... if the United States
remains firm in its support for Turkey, including its struggle against terrorism, the U.S.-Turkish relationship
can only prosper."
"The Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), the target of the army's operation in Iraq, is a terrorist outfit with less
than whole-hearted support among most fellow Kurds."
"No one doubts that Turkey has a genuine security problem on its hands with the Marxist, separatist Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK). Ever since 1982, the PKK has operated two routes of infiltration into Turkey, one from Syria and
the other from northern Iraq. The PKK does not speak for all Kurdish Kurds, and it is not the sort of organisation to
which the West should be lending support."
"...all parties (the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) were told (by David Litt,
country director for Northern Gulf Affairs, US State Department) to reject the PKK as a legitimate player - for
it is not. The PKK is a terrorist organization, and must be repudiated and dealt with as such."
Following is a the text of the Joint Communique of the U.S.-Turkey Joint Economic Commission Meeting. It was
signed March 30. The U.S.-Turkey Joint Economic Commission (JBCX) met in
Washington, D.C., on March 29-30, 1995. The Turkish delegation was headed by Professor Dr. Emre Gonensay,
senior adviser to the prime minister of Turkey. The U.S. delegation was headed by Richard Holbrooke, assistant
secretary of state for European and Canadian affairs. The delegations included representatives of numerous agencies
from each government. Discussions built on the work achieved during and
subsequent to the last meeting of the JEC, an December 8-9, 1993 in Ankara, and served to underline Turkey's importance
in a strategic and volatile region of the world. The meeting highlighted the significant economic potential of
Turkey both for the region and the United States. The U.S. side affirmed its support for Turkey's
economic growth and prosperity. Both parties agreed on the importance of fostering a strong partnership between the
United States and Turkey based on shared interests, and affirmed the leading role to be played by the private
sector. The U.S. and Turkey today concluded negotiations on
two agreements which will strengthen bilateral ties: - A Globe ("Global Learning and Observations to benefit
the Environment") Agreement was initialed. It signifies the increasing cooperation between Turkey and the United States
on environmental matters. - A cooperative Financing Agreement between the
Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Export Credit Bank of Turkey. This agreement provides a framework
for cooperation between U.S. Eximbank and Turk Eximbank to finance investment projects by U.S. and Turkish firms in
third countries. Significant progress was made on the Treaty for the
Avoidance of Double Taxation. Both sides expect to conclude the agreement in the near future. This agreement will spur
investment in both countries, particularly by small and medium-sized firms.
The two delegations discussed the status and prospects of Turkey's economic refrom program. The U.S. side
welcomed the progress made to date under the reform program begun in April, 1994 and expressed its solid support for
continuing structural reform and other measures to strengthen Turkey's economy. In this regard, the two sides
reached the following understandings: - The U.S. and Turkey will both participate in a
privatization seminar in Washington, D.C., on March 31. This seminar, which the JEC delegation heads and other
officials will attend, will introduce U.S. business to the opportunities presented by Turkey's privatization program.
- The U.S. will send a delegation of senior economic officials to Turkey during the coming months to review other
ways in which the U.S. can assits Turkey. It was agreed that these officials would discuss the formation of a
business development committee as part of the BEM initiative so as to enhance a public/private sector partnership in the
economic development of Turkey. - The parties discussed Turkey's designation by the
U.S. Department of Commerce as a Big Emerging Market (BEM), noting that this entails an affirmation by the U.S. of
Turkey's great economic potential. This JEC meeting initiated the commercial dialogue component of the BEM
strategy, with the aim of increasing private sector participation in promising commercial areas. Discussion
focused on energy and telecommunications, including the status of Turkey's Build-Operation-Transfer (BOT)
regulations and privatization efforts. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency will assist with the U.S.-Turkey Private
Power Conference, to be held May 22-23 in Istanbul. Both sides agreed that a similar conference in the
telecommunications area would be useful after Turkish regulations for private telecommunications service suppliers
are issued. - Detailed discussions took place between the two sides
on the subject of intellectual property rights. The Turkish side affirmed their intention to pass modern, effective
legislation in this area as quickly as possible. The U.S. side agreed to work closely with Turkey on such areas as
training to support of Turkey's effort. - The parties agreed to sustain their momentum in
cooperation on the environment, acknowladging their mutual satisfaction at Turkey's designation as a qualifying
priority under the U.S. TIES ("U.S. Technology for International Environmental Solutions") program. They also
noted the substantial progress towards a second stage of cooperation under the 1991 U.S. EPA-Ministry of Environment
Memorandum of Understanding. The parties agreed to enhance their cooperation in this with the objective of making
"green" relations a feature of the future relationship. Both sides also explored new areas for cooperation
under the 1994 U.S.-Turkey Science and Technology Agreement. The two parties recognized the imperative of bringing
Central Asian and Caucasian oil and gas to western markets. Turkey reiterated its appreciation for the U.S.
Government's statement of support for a pipeline running through Turkey to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. The
parties explored potential financing support for such a pipeline, should the government of the region and the
pertinent firms ultimately decide to take that route. The Turkish side briefed the JEC on the process of
implementing the Customs Union Agreement with the EU. The parties reviewed the impact this would have on U.S.
commercial interests. The U.S. side reiterated its strong support for Turkey's integration with the EU, noting the
positive benefits expected for Turkey's economy. The parties agreed to cooperate and exchange
information.