TRKNWS-LTurkish Press Review (April 14, 1995)
Subject: TRKNWS-LTurkish Press Review (April 14, 1995)
CONTENTS
[01] LE MONDE: "NORTHERN IRAQI OPERATION SUCCESSFUL"
[02] 427 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
[03] AFTER US TOUR, CILLER WILL VISIT AZERBAIJAN
[04] US: "PKK, A BRUTAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION"
[05] BONN: "NO STANDING IN INTERNATIONAL LAW"
[06] ANKARA SENDS PROTEST NOTE TO HOLLAND
[07] DIPLOMATIC CRISIS IN THE HAGUE
[08] IRAQI KURDS AGAINST KURDISH PARLIAMENT IN-EXILE
[09] REACTION FROM TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIAN IN GERMANY
[10] PKK USING VILLAGERS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS
[11] ECEVIT-PEREZ MEETING
WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
APRIL 14, 1995
Summary of the political news in the Turkish press this
morning.
[01] LE MONDE: "NORTHERN IRAQI OPERATION SUCCESSFUL"
Le Monde newspaper, which previously wrote that following
Turkey's military operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish
government would influence parliament to take steps
regarding democratization, yesterday pointed out that the
operation had been successful from the standpoint of
destroying the logistic support system of the PKK. The
article, which stated that northern Iraq was a mountainous
region full of mines, noted the difficulties of a cross
border operation, and said: "If the aim is to destroy the
logistic support of the separatist organization, the
operation is successful. Furthermore, the operation can
also be effective in the changing of ideas among the
conservatives who block the democratization process". The
article added that the government was looking for a solution
in cooperation with the Iraqi Kurds to ensure border
security in northern Iraq". /Hurriyet/
[02] 427 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
427 PKK terrorists have been killed during the Turkish Armed
Forces "Operation Steel" in northern Iraq since March 20.
According to the General Staff Press and Information Centre,
during conflict with PKK terrorists yesterday and the
previous day, 10 more PKK militants were killed. Thus, the
number of terrorists killed has risen to 427. During the
last three days of the operation, three soldiers have been
killed. /Hurriyet/
[03] AFTER US TOUR, CILLER WILL VISIT AZERBAIJAN
Prime Minister Tansu Ciller promised to visit Baku following
her 7-day US visit, while she was signing a share-increase
agreement with Azeri President Haydar Aliyev. The main
purpose of the visit will be the oil pipeline. During the
one-day visit of Ciller to Baku, alternatives were taken up
regarding the route of a proposed oil pipeline via Armenia
or Georgia. It is reported that if steps are taken for
securing an Armenian-Azeri peace during Ciller's visit to
the US, this will influence the solution to the problem.
Ciller will carry a message from Aliyev to US President Bill
Clinton regarding a solution to the Karabakh issue. Ciller
will go to New York tomorrow. Ciller, who will make a
series of contacts, will meet with President Clinton on
Wednesday. She will come together with former US President
George Bush on Friday. Prime Minister Ciller will return to
Turkey next Saturday. /Hurriyet/
[04] US: "PKK, A BRUTAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION"
The US administration has condemned the Kurdish Parliament
in-exile. Washington pointed out that the Kurdish
Parliament was under the control of the PKK terrorist
organization. US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns
said that Washington accepted that the PKK was "a brutal
terrorist organization" and described the parliament in The
Hague as a "PKK Parliament in-exile". /Hurriyet/
[05] BONN: "NO STANDING IN INTERNATIONAL LAW"
Federal Germany has made no official statement over the
"Kurdish Parliament in-exile". However in answer to a
question, a Federal Germany Foreign Ministry spokesman said:
"Kurdish Parliament in-exile" has no standings from the
point of international law". He also pointed out that there
was no state called Kurdistan and that this so-called
parliament could not be representative as it was not
established as the result of an election. /Hurriyet/
[06] ANKARA SENDS PROTEST NOTE TO HOLLAND
Using strong diplomatic terminology, Ankara has again
protested to Holland about the Dutch attitude towards the
setting up of a Kurdish parliament-in-exile despite
opposition from Turkey.
The Foreign Ministry yesterday called Dutch Ambassador Jan
Horak to the ministry for talks on the latest dev-
elopments, but according to reports, the Ambassador de-
clined to talk about the parliament.
The Turkish Ambassador in Holland has been recalled to
Ankara to provide an evaluation of the development which
Ankara so strongly opposes.
Most comments in the European and US press are against the
formation of a Kurdish parliament in Holland.
Following announcement of the opening of the Kurdish par-
liament, spokesman for the US State Department, Nicholas
Burns declared that the US "gave absolutely no support to
the PKK parliament."
Most European papers describe the parliament-in-exile as a
figment of the imagination, with no hope of success or even
coming near the realities of a free parliament based on
democratic principles. /All papers/
[07] DIPLOMATIC CRISIS IN THE HAGUE
Members of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and former
Democratic Party (DEP) parliamentarians who held a meeting
of the "Kurdish Parliament-in-exile" have created a crisis
between Turkey and Holland.
The Dutch Ambassador to Ankara was invited to the Foreign
Ministry yesterday and handed a protest note. Also,
Turkey's Ambassador to The Hague, Zeki Celikkol, was asked
to come to Turkey to assess recent developments.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry stressed that Turkey had
withdrawn its ambassador to the Hague, but following a
change in the Dutch attitude, he would return.
In the protest note it was pointed out that giving
permission for a terrorist organization to hold meetings was
against international law. It was also stated that allowing
the meeting of a terrorist organization, which threated the
territorial integrity of Turkey, would have a negative
effect on Turco-Dutch relations.
State Minister and Government Spokesman Yildirim Aktuna
stated that despite top-level protests, NATO-member Holland
had acted against international agreements. A 6-hour
meeting was held at the Foreign Ministry yesterday.
Meanwhile, a government statement was issued following a
discussion by the Council of Ministers. It stressed that
Turkey felt regret over the Dutch attitude regarding the
meeting. It said: "The attitude of Holland is a clear
violation of its international obligations regarding the
struggle against terrorism". /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[08] IRAQI KURDS AGAINST KURDISH PARLIAMENT IN-EXILE
Opposing Kurdish groups fighting for power in northern Iraq
have disclosed that they are against the Kurdish Parliament
in-exile. Safeen Dizayee, Ankara Representative of
Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Mesut Barzani, said
yesterday that it was noteworthy the Kurdish Parliament
in-exile was under the influence of the PKK. He said
"Whatever they do, we have nothing to do with them. We have
our own parliament and we do not believe that a parliament
in-exile will produce anything". The Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan led by Celal Talabani, also disclosed that it did
not accept the Kurdish Parliament in-exile, or support this
development. /Hurriyet/
[09] REACTION FROM TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIAN IN GERMANY
Cem Ozdemir, a parliamentarian in the German parliament
yesterday said that the parliament-in-exile set up in
Holland was "nothing but a front for the PKK and its
supporters."
Noting that the Kurdish parliament could do nothing to bring
peace or a lasting solution, Ozdemir said in a statement to
the German press that the parliament was powerless to help
and was not convincing in its aims. /Sabah/
[10] PKK USING VILLAGERS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS
According to a new report from the Narcotics Division of
National Security Directorate, the PKK terror or- ganization
is using villagers in the southestern regions of Turkey to
produce drugs and traffic them.
Recent military operations in the region have brought to
light PKK activities involving the supply and distribution
of seeds for drug production and the setting up of routes
for getting the product into the drug market.
The report gives a number of instances where drug operat-
ions have been discovered and dismantled by security forces
in the Diyarbakir area. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] ECEVIT-PEREZ MEETING
Chairman of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), Bulent Ecevit,
met with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Perez yesterday.
Vice-President of the DSP, Rahsan Ecevit and Turkish
Ambassador to Israel Onur Gokce, also attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Ecevit said that they discussed a new
plan for the Middle East and West Mediterranean for more
security and cooperation. /Cumhuriyet/
END
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