Subject: ATHENS NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN, March 7, 1995 Topic: ana ------------------------------------------ (Apo to Ellnviko Grafeio Tupou kai Plnroforiwv, Ottawa, Canada E-Mail Address: grnewsca@sympatico.ca) CONTENTS ======== [1] EU, Turkey sign customs union, deal's final hurdle concern at human rights abuses [2] Reactions in Athens [3] Clerides: EU commitment for entry talks spur to resolve Cyprus issue [4] Turkey threatens EU with annexation of occupied Cyprus [5] Ciller admits to human rights abuses in Turkey, but claims that the Kurds are to blame [6] Cyprus' EDEK party joins European socialist group ===================================================== [1] EU, Turkey sign customs union, deal's final hurdle concern at human rights abuses ------------------------------------------------------------------ Brussels, 07/03/1995 (ANA - M. Savva, F. Stangos, P. Pantelis / Reuter): The European Union and Turkey yesterday formally signed a customs union agreement, only hours after EU foreign ministers ratified a compromise deal which clarifies a specific date for the start of talks on full membership for Cyprus. The deal ratified yesterday was the result of protracted negotiations last week at the Council of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) to finalise details that Greece said had to be included - including compensation for Greece's textile industry, as well as a firm commitment for Cyprus talks - in order for it to lift its veto. Turkey expects to receive up to 2.5 billion ECU's in loans and assistance from the Union over five years as a result of the deal and also hopes to get 300-400 million Ecu under a special EU programme to fund infrastructure projects around the Mediterranean. The customs union is expected to boost Turkish exports, mainly textiles. It will enable Turkish textile producers to enter into the EU market of 380 million people without any tariffs and quotas and officials believe textile exports will double up to $10 billion next year following the customs union. The text of the deal, however, includes a promise of compensation for the Greek textile industry, after a review of the effects of the customs union, which is to take effect on January 1, 1996. Alternate Foreign Minister George Alexander Mangakis stressed that the final text contained positive elements for Greece, such as that Turkey must strive for relations of good neighbourliness with those of the EU it shares borders with, namely Greece, that it must apply the rules of international law in the case of disputes and avoid acts of violence, that it must make every effort for a solution of the protracted Cyprus problem on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions, and that it must be mindful that the application of the deal depends on approval by the European Parliament, which has so far been sceptical of Turkey's commitment to human rights. Mr. Mangakis said that the common positions of the 15 constituted an important political message to Turkey, that "it must change behaviour and mentality towards Greece", stressing that "with the occasion of the customs union, the time has come for Turkey to show her approach to a new reality". He warned, however, that "both Greece and the European Union (as a whole) need to make an effort towards implementing the commitments they undertake". Yesterday's 36th EU-Turkey Association Council session was opened by presiding French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, who presented the positions of the 15, followed by Commission president Jacques Santer, and Turkish Foreign Minister Murat Karayalcin. Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller attended the official dinner which followed the Council session. Mr. Juppe acknowledged that the effects of the customs union for Europe will not be painless, especially in the textile sector, but stressed that "Turkey will be called to contribute the greatest part of the effort." He expressed his regret over the "inadequate progress in the inter-communal talks" on the Cyprus problem, describing the present situation as "unacceptable", but found that developments in the past few months permitted "the pinpointing of certain elements which could prove useful in determining an agreement". He said the progress of human rights in Turkey was "inadequate", and pointed in particular to the persecution of journalists and intellectuals, the banning of newspapers and the imprisonment of deputies for crimes relating to freedom of expression. He called on Turkey to fall into line with norms in the European Union, and reminded the Turkish government of the commitments it has entered into in relation to constitutional revision and the amendment of its anti-terrorist law. [2] Reactions in Athens ----------------------- Athens, 07/03/1995 (ANA): Government spokesman Evangelos Venizelos on Saturday dismissed as "naive" claims by the main opposition New Democracy party its leader Miltiades Evert had worked out the agreement on Cyprus talks with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe earlier. Referring to possible economic benefits resulting from Turkey's customs union with the EU, Mr. Venizelos said it was obvious that now the field was open for Greek products, as for all Community products, to enter Turkey under better terms, but for Greece the basic problem in these negotiations had not been economic compensation, but the political issue of linking Turkey's customs union with the procedure for Cyprus' accession talks. Commenting on the Turkish premier's recent threat that Turkey would annex the occupied northern part of Cyprus if the government of the island-republic succeeded in its bid for full EU membership, Mr. Venizelos said it was not serious and attributed it to repeated official and semi-official Turkish efforts to manufacture tension. Meanwhile, yesterday, New Democracy party spokesman Vassilis Manginas accused the government of erroneously handling the whole issue. "Turkey's customs union with the European Union is a fact. Our country has missed a good opportunity for the promotion of our national interests through the government's wrong handling. The government's responsibilities are most heavy," he said. [3] Clerides: EU commitment for entry talks spur to resolve Cyprus issue ----------------------------------------------------------- Nicosia, 07/03/1995 (ANA - G. Leonidas): Cyprus President Glafcos Clerides said yesterday that the EU's commitment to a specific timetable for the start of talks for Cyprus to enter the 15-member bloc should act as a spur for the resolution of the problem. Speaking before departing for London, Mr. Clerides said that Cyprus' entry to the EU would put an immediate stop to any expansionist designs Turkey might have against the island republic. "It is unthinkable that Turkey would try to expand within united European territory, regardless of whether Cyprus is a full member of the EU or not," he said. "Turkey should consider whether it is in its interest to maintain 36 per cent of the island under military occupation, thus creating for itself a negative image." Referring to the customs union signed with the EU, he said that the EU economic aid was not a miracle cure for Turkey's economic woes and added that the aid was dependent on Ankara showing a radically different policy on the human rights situation, on the Kurdish problem and the Cyprus issue. He said that Ankara tried to give visiting foreign diplomats the impression it wanted to resolve the Cyprus issue but that when the diplomats leave, "we never see a change in its policy". [4] Turkey threatens EU with annexation of occupied Cyprus ---------------------------------------------------------- Brussels, 07/03/1995 (ANA - M. Savva, P. Pantelis/AFP): Turkey's Foreign Minister Murat Karayalcin threatened the European Union yesterday that Turkey would annex the occupied north of Cyprus if Cyprus talks on becoming a full member of the EU began before the issue was resolved. If Cyprus entry talks with the EU begin before a solution to the Cyprus problem, then "Turkey will be forced to do the same with Cyprus' northern part, in other words, annex it ... Cypriot accession would hinder the search for a solution," he said at a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe. He said the newly-signed customs union put relations with Greece on a different level and opened up prospects for a resolution. His comments drew fire from Alternate Foreign Minister George Alexander Mangakis. "Turkey must realise that its persistence in casting doubt on the legitimacy and international standing of the Republic of Cyprus isolates it and exposes it internationally," he said. "The Republic of Cyprus is part of the European family and will be included in the next round of enlargement on the basis of European Councils. Turkey ought not to be trying to stop this course with threats of developments which the international community will never recognise. On the contrary, it ought to support it if it really wanted a just solution to the Cyprus problem and a different quality to Greek-Turkish relations." He called on the Turkish authorities to abandon their tactics of threats and blackmail and "to finally come to terms with the demands of international legality". Mr. Karayalcin described the customs union as "a step (forward) in Turkey's relations with Europe", stressing that his country's ultimate aim was full membership of the European Union. Referring to the European Parliament's decision that Turkey's poor human rights record would stop it from approving the customs union, Mr. Karayalcin said this was "an internal problem of the EU". The customs union must be approved by the European Parliament, the EU's only directly-elected body, which has recently criticised Turkish human rights abuses, citing in particular Ankara's conviction of eight Kurdish deputies on charges of treason. The foreign minister said that the Turkish Supreme Court had confirmed the sentences on the Kurdish deputies and they could not be pardoned. [5] Ciller admits to human rights abuses in Turkey, but claims that the Kurds are to blame --------------------------------------------------------------- New York, 07/03/1995 (ANA - M. Georgiadou): Turkey's prime minister has admitted to widespread human rights violation in Turkey by her country's armed forces, but says that Kurdish guerrillas are to blame. In an interview with Ms Ciller published in yesterday's edition of The New York Times, reporter John Darnton writes that Ms Ciller admits to "widespread human rights violations in Turkey" but accuses Kurdish guerrillas of burning down their own villages. Ms Ciller said she had evidence that "the terrorists (Kurdish rebels), wearing Turkish soldiers' uniforms, burn down and destroy their own villages." The newspaper quotes Ms Ciller as adding that when Turkish armed forces intervene, "it is difficult to distinguish between terrorists and civilians." Noting that Ms Ciller's government has authorised security forces to bring down the Kurdish rebellion, the newspaper says Turkey violates human rights on a large scale, and also uses torture against civilians. The newspaper quotes a Turkish civilian saying that "torture in Turkey will not be wiped out by the present regime." Some 14,000 people -- mainly civilians -- have died and over 60 villages destroyed in the 11-year-long Kurdish rebellion. [6] Cyprus' EDEK party joins European socialist group ----------------------------------------------------- Athens, 07/03/1995 (ANA): The Cyprus Socialist EDEK party yesterday acceded to the European Socialist Party at the opening of its Second Congress in the Spanish city of Barcelona. Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) Central Committee Secretary-General Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who is in Barcelona at the head of a PASOK delegation, said Cyprus' full membership in the European Socialists, prior to the commencement of EU membership talks, was a "positive" factor. The congress, which began yesterday, elected German Social Democrat Party head Rudolf Scharping as the leader of the European Socialist Party, which groups socialist and social-democratic parties. Scharping replaces Willy Claes, who has moved on to take the NATO Secretary-General post. The congress, which ends today, is focusing on the situation of women in society and the links between European and Mediterranean countries. Mr. Tsohatzopoulos said the congress came at "a critical time for the future of Europe." "Great changes lie ahead of us, changes that will signal the 1996 intergovernmental conference. This shall be discussed at the congress," he said. He added that the European socialists would focus on promoting a "complete Mediterranean Policy" together with the EU policy for eastern and central European countries. He said the congress would also focus on such issues as employment and social and economic development.