TRKNWS-L Turkish Daily News (March 21, 1996)

From: TRKNWS-L <[email protected]>

Turkish News Directory

CONTENTS

TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 21 March 1996

[01] Newroz celebrated throughout Turkey and Turkic Republics

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Newroz is being celebrated in Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well in as other Turkic Republics, with many festivities, the Anatolia news agency reported.

President Suleyman Demirel received a delegation, including ministers of culture, ambassadors, sportsmen and artists from Turkic republics, headed by Umut Arik, chairman of the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), for Newroz celebrations in the Presidential Palace.

Demirel said that it was a very important step for world peace to stand as a protector of cultural values and celebrate Newroz together with Turkic republics. The president further noted that in Newroz there was a unity which would serve as an example to whole world, not a separatism and discrimination.

Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev issued a message on the occasion. He said that Newroz had been celebrated as the festival of the awakening of nature, spring and peace, throughout the centuries. Azerbaijanis began to celebrate Newroz on Wednesday by holding concerts, folk dances, theater plays and setting fires at night. The two-day official holiday has been lengthened to four days.

The Second International Newroz Festival is continuing with many activities in the Turkish province of Igdir. Igdir Governor Semsettin Uzun said that the Newroz Festival had a very important place in the strengthening of national unity and integrity.

Kemal Yazicioglu, Izmir police director, said that all necessary security measures were taken to prevent actions by separatist groups during Newroz celebrations.

Salim Uslu, the chairman of the Hak-Is Labor Confederation, said in a written message that Newroz should be accepted as a cultural celebration, rather than giving it ideological and chauvinistic meanings. Uslu said that Newroz celebrations should become widespread throughout the country.

Meanwhile, many security measures are being taken in Germany to prevent violent incidents. The Cologne police in Cologne refused permission for a Newroz celebratory march on the grounds that it might be used by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

[02] German Ambassador Vergau indicates Bonn will combat PKK but wants 'lessons' from no one

'The law is that terrorism is forbidden. We fight terrorism without compromise. And those that undertake violent actions disrupting our public order will have to face the strictest countermeasures from the authorities,' Vergau says

'The origin of PKK terrorism is in Turkey. Finally the PKK activists are Turks. So the events have made the question more pressing. What is the policy of Turkey to mitigate the underlying problem of this violent opposition?' Vergau says

By Semih D. Idiz

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Germany's ambassador to Ankara, Hans-Joachim Vergau, reflecting the angry statements coming out of Bonn in recent days, said that his country is determined to combat violence by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) "without compromise." Vergau did not, however, hesitate to reveal a discernible annoyance on the German side because of what appears to be Turkish gloating over the weekend incidents in Dortmund where PKK supporters went on the rampage, almost lynching members of the German police force.

"We don't need teaching on how to handle terrorism or on how to handle our principles of freedom of thought," Vergau, who was answering questions for the TDN, said.

Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and high-ranking Turkish officials said in various statements after the Dortmund incident that Germany had been warned about the PKK and its cover organizations on countless occasions.

They clearly implied that if Germany had heeded these past warnings and acted firmly against the PKK, then the weekend incidents, which sent shock waves through German society, would not have taken place.

Vergau, who also answered questions on Turkish-EU relations during the course of the interview, underlined that in the final analysis the origin of PKK terrorism was Turkey.

Asked whether Germany was planning new measures against the PKK in view of these latest developments, Ambassador Vergau said, that as far as Germany was concerned, the legal situation had not changed.

"The law is that terrorism is forbidden. We fight terrorism without compromise. And those that undertake violent actions disrupting our public order will have to face the strictest countermeasures from the authorities," Vergau said.

"In our public opinion there is an unanimous rejection of violence and of course, no tolerance whatsoever for terror.

There can be no doubt that German public opinion is very unhappy about the disruption of order in Dortmund and especially about the attacks on members of the police force," he added.

"The first thing that comes to the mind of the man on the street in Germany is the question, How can it be explained that after many years there are still so many Turks attacking other Turks?" Vergau acknowledged that for the average German on the street the dividing line between Turk and Kurd is too fine to understand.

He also underscored that it was, after all, the Turkish government which has been asking everyone to look on the Kurds as "first class Turkish citizens" and not Kurds.

Saying that from the European point of view it was clear that there was a need "to cooperate loyally and in solidarity to fight terrorism," Vergau nevertheless indicated that "every terrorist organization has its own roots." "The origin of PKK terrorism is in Turkey. Finally the PKK activists are Turks. So the events have made the question more pressing. What is the policy of Turkey to mitigate the underlying problem of this violent opposition?" Vergau said.

"We ourselves have dealt with terrorism in several states of our recent development. We have done our best to overcome the problems by a combination of police efficiency and democracy. We don't need teaching on how to handle terrorism or on how to handle our principles of freedom of thought," he added.

Reminded that according to Turkish officials many innocuous-looking Kurdish organizations in Germany are in fact PKK fronts which are instrumental in organizing violent demonstrations such as the one in Dortmund, Ambassador Vergau conceded that German officials may be encouraged now to be more aware in this respect.

"These incidents might encourage our authorities and citizens to be more aware of the danger that illegal elements can be at work in otherwise harmless associations or clubs. And so it might become more difficult to abuse these meeting frameworks," he said.

Vergau indicated that to the extent that there was evidence that such associations and clubs are involved in blackmailing people for money or in turning gatherings into violent actions, these will be prevented.

But he was adamant that there are limits to what can be done in this respect.

"Democracy has a price and there is no way that Western Europe will drive the police precautions to a point where political debate and the evolution of democratic society is undermined," Vergau said.

Reminded that Amnesty International has referred to heavy-handed treatment of migrants by German police, and asked if the latest incidents would precipitate even more rough handling of Turks by the police seeing as the average German sees Turks and Kurds alike Vergau said that for the police "to be enraged about brutality against colleagues is a human reaction." "The government and public opinion very much appreciate the brave attitude of the police. They continue to assure that the defense of our democratic and social values are preserved in line with constitutional requirements," Vergau added.

Asked if the latest incidents called for closer cooperation between Turkey and Germany in the security area, the German ambassador indicated that both sides were currently preparing closer cooperation among their police forces.

He said, however, that this process had started before the events in Dortmund.

On the question of Turkish-EU ties, Vergau was asked why Ankara was being kept at arms length by the European Union by being exlcuded from the upcoming Inter-Governmental Conference in Turin, even though others, including countries that had voted against EU membership, had been invited to attend on the sidelines.

"Those who will be on the sidelines in Turin will be observers and will not be part of the decisions to be taken. So their presence is symbolic. Turkey however must see that it has an outstanding weight in the EU. To put Turkey at the same level as other countries like Malta for example is to underestimate her," Vergau said somewhat evasively.

"We believe that we have the customs union and should now cooperate in implementing it and pursuing the trend the Turkish side announced on the occasion of the parliamentary preparation for the customs union in Strasbourg," he added.

Vergau went on to indicate that Turkey's progress in joining Western Europe brings with it outstanding responsibilities for both sides. He said this stemmed from the fact that the accession of Turkey to Europe "will change Europe." "It will be the second largest population with an outstanding, dynamic economy. So we find it beside the point to quarrel about where Turkey stands in the line, say compared to Malta. Germany is constantly advocating the inclusion of Turkey in the political and strategic consultations in Europe to the largest possible extent," he said.

Asked about progress in the customs union and whether it had brought any discernible benefits to Germany and Turkey yet, Vergau underlined that it was still early days, given that the customs union accord had only come into force in January 1996.

He added that because Europeans had removed taxes already, there has been little change for them from the point of Turkish consumer goods on the market.

Vergau said the exception to this was the situation of textile goods where EU quotas were removed recently. This, he said, was now enabling high quality Turkish textile goods to have a presence in Europe.

Going on to point out investment as the most immediate consequence of the customs union, Vergau said that there could be no doubt that the Turkish market had become more attractive for Western investment, including German investment.

"At the beginning I could observe a hesitation on the part of Western investors because of what they saw as political instability in Turkey. I did not agree with the assessment that this is a serious obstacle today. And today I believe confidence in Turkish politics is forthcoming and I expect a remarkable increase in Western European investment in 1996," he said.

Reminded of Greece's vocally declared intention to block Turkey's path in the EU, and asked to what extent it could sustain this position, Ambassador Vergau reflected a growing annoyance with the Greek stance in the union, although he refrained from signifying Greece by name.

"No partner of the European Union can sustain productive influence if it is isolated. Germany insists on keeping the commitments towards Turkey that are coming along with the customs union. To remove obstacles the partner concerned must accept that arbitrary obstruction works against his own interests," he said.

"But if you want to qualify an obstruction as 'arbitrary' you need a helpful and statesman-like attitude from the Turkish side. We appreciate the encouraging signals and the constructive language being practiced by Ankara these days," Vergau added.

[03] Ankara wants more concrete measures by Germany

Turkish Daily News

ANKARA- Turkey urged Germany on Wednesday to take "more concrete measures" toward the Kurdish demonstrators who have held violent riots in Dortmund, Germany, including their extradition to Turkey.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel said Turkey "understood and appreciated" the very justified reaction of the German officials and the public opinion.

"But, of course, more concrete measures should be taken," Akbel said in his weekly press conference. "This is our expectation." This point is expected to be conveyed to German Foreign Ministry State Secretary Peter Hartman, who will arrive in Ankara for political consultations.

"There is an established consultation mechanism between Turkey and Germany," Akbel said.

However, the Foreign Ministry spokesman indicated that Turkey wanted an activation of a memorandum of understanding, which had been made in March 10, 1995.

"This is related to the extradition of the people who have been involved in the Kurdistan Workers' Party and other terrorist groups in Germany to Turkey," Akbel said. "We expect the Germans to activate this memorandum, which has not been activated so far, after the events." German President Roman Herzog on Monday condemned the PKK militants for political violence over the weekend and warned that foreigners involved in rioting forfeited their right to live in Germany and should leave.

This position was reinstated even more strongly when Chancellor Helmut Kohl said that those who were involved in the riots would be deported.

In a European Union meeting of interior and justice ministers in Brussels, Germany asked the other European Union members to ban the PKK.

German Interior Minister Manfred Kanther said that the PKK was a terrorist organization. "It carries terrorism not only to Turkey but to the whole of Europe." "It would not do if, while Germans kept fighting with this, Germany's neighbors opened their doors to this organization," Kanther said.

Meanwhile, the ERNK, the political wing of the PKK, claimed that it was not the demonstrators who have violated German laws but the German police.

"We will celebrate Newroz and we will continue to fight until our last breath," Dogan Cudi, who held a press conference in Brussels on behalf of the ERNK European wing.

Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party, welcomed Kohl's declaration to oust PKK. She said, in her party group meeting, that some European states, particularly Belgium, gave support to the PKK, which "poisoned their youth" through its drug trafficking.