20
June 2003
2. "EU urges Turkey to make "significant" further reform steps", the European Union welcomed Friday the latest reform pledges by Turkey, but urged Ankara to make "significant" further reforms if it wants to start EU entry talks, a draft statement said.
3. "The Vision Turkey Needs", a commentary on Turkey's role after the Iraq war and the role of the military with respect to the country's EU membership bid.
4. "Repentance Law or general amnesty in the solution of Kurdish question?", Turkey strengthened her hands by sweeping human rights reforms, including broadcast and education in Kurdish language, last summer and arrived at a crossroads regarding Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- now Kurdistan Democratic Congress (KADEK) -- in the solution of the Kurdish problem
5. "Turkey, Wooing EU, Passes Reforms", the Turkish parliament unanimously approved a package of reforms today meant to demonstrate that this nation of 67 million people will take the steps necessary to gain admittance to the European Union.
6. "Weapons ultimatum issued in northern Iraq", the US and Kurdish authorities in Iraq yesterday issued a joint ultimatum for all groups in the north of the country, other than the two main Kurdish parties,to give up their heavy weapons.
1.
- AFP - "Ex-admiral says Greek government used him to betray
Kurdish leader":
ATHENS / June 19, 2003
The ex-admiral charged with endangering the peace of Greece by bringing
Turkish Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan to Athens said Thursday
he had been used by the Greek government to betray Ocalan, according
to judicial sources.
"I was used as bait for their shameful project," Antonis
Naxakis told the Athens court, accusing the socialist government at
the time of organising Ocalan's handover to the Turkish authorities.
Ocalan was in Athens for two days in January 1999 in the hope of being
granted political asylum before being evacuated to Kenya, where he
was seized by Turkish agents.
"I was used against my will to betray Ocalan," Naxakis continued.
Naxakis, nine other Greeks, Ocalan and his two Kurdish companions
are all charged with endangering the peace and helping the Kurdish
leader enter Greece illegally.
If found guilty, Naxakis faces five to 10 years in prison.
Ocalan, who is on trial in absentia, is currently serving a life sentence
in Turkey after he was sentenced in June 1999 for his Kurdish separatist
activities.
Two ministers who lost their jobs because of the debacle testified
in May that the operation had indeed endangered the country by providing
grounds for a possible Turkish invasion.
Naxakis, known for his ultra-nationalism, was a strong supporter of
Ocalan's Kurdish rebel separatist party (PKK) which had a political
representation in Athens at the time.
The assizes court is expected to hand down its judgement by June 28,
according to judicial sources.
2.
-AFP - "EU urges Turkey to make "significant" further
reform steps":
PORTO CARRAS, Greece / June 20, 2003
The European Union welcomed Friday the latest reform pledges by Turkey,
but urged Ankara to make "significant" further reforms if
it wants to start EU entry talks, a draft statement said.
EU leaders, meeting at a summit in northern Greece, welcomed in particular
Turkey's commitment to bringing legislation into line with EU standards
by the end of this year.
But it said: "Taking into account progress achieved, significant
further efforts to this end are still required," according to
the draft version of the summit's final conclusions.
On Thursday Turkish lawmakers passed a package of democratic reforms
aimed at boosting the mainly Muslim nation's struggling bid to join
the European Union.
These are aimed at improving Ankara's chances of being given a green
light at an EU summit in December 2004 to begin membership talks.
The EU has repeatedly put off a decision, citing concern over Turkey's
reforms notably in the field of human rights.
Meanwhile the EU leaders also boosted Romania and Bulgaria's hopes
of joining the expanding bloc soon, strengthening their language to
say the bloc aims to welcome them as members in 2007.
"Building on significant progress achieved, the Union supports
Bulgaria and Romania in their efforts to achieve the objective of
concluding negotiations in 2004," they said according to the
draft.
"The objective is to welcome Bulgaria and Romania as members
in 2007," they said. Previously the EU has used slightly weaker
language, expressing support only for the two countries' own stated
aim of joining the EU in 2007.
The EU agreed at a landmark in Copenhagen last December to take in
10 new mostly ex-communist members -- the Czech Republic, Cyprus,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
-- in May 2004.
3. - Zaman - "The Vision Turkey Needs":
by Sahin Alpay / 19 June 2003
If our Parliament had accepted the US troop deployments, Washington would have donated $6 billion (worth $26 billion in loans), and this raised the hopes of many circles, especially in the government. However, this money wouldn’t have met the trouble or the risks we would have taken by getting involved in Iraq. Furthermore, a possible Turkish-Kurdish war in Iraq and the cost of keeping a large army stationed abroad for a long period of time would have been burdensome as well.
We should abandon the habit of keeping our economy alive through foreign ‘injections.’ If we stick with the economic stability program now, we can be ‘rescued’ from the International Monetary Fund. We have to stand on our own two feet. If this happens because we happened to reject US troops deployment, then so much the better.
If we had gotten involved in Iraq, this would have threatened our democracy. But since we didn’t, now we’re making progress on our regime becoming more civilian. The seventh harmonization package proposes that the National Security Council’s general-secretary be a civilian, his powers be made to comply with the NSC’s ‘advisory role’ and the only regular militarily member of the NSC would be the chief of General Staff. In addition, the transparency of military expenditures is up for discussion.
The Turkish Republic cannot have imperial objectives. Its philosophy won’t permit it. The pillar of Turkish foreign policy is living peacefully with our neighbors and establishing good relations on the basis of mutual interests. Our army’s duty is to defend Turkey’s borders. Of course it should be strong, but it also should act for the sake of our country’s defense. We have to bring down military expenses and channel many of our resources into education, health care, social security, our infrastructure and the economy. If a country’s economy is weak, so will its army be. A country with a strong economy needs no foreign donations.
The power of our armed forces is the guarantee of our borders and national integrity. However, the real strength of the Turkish Republic is its secular, democratic character. Military might by itself means little. The actual power of a country lies in its economy, esteem and prestige.
If Turkey were an impoverished third world country, it would have
accepted all the US’ conditions. You can be sure that now reasonable
officials in Washington respect Turkey much more. The US administration
finally understands that Turkey isn’t a ‘bird in hand’
and that one must consider our public opinion, Parliament and democracy.
I’m happy that we didn’t militarize ourselves by following
the US and Israel, but instead are setting a democratic civilian administration
on our path to European Union membership. Our people should embrace
the vision of a European Turkey living in peace and stability.
4. - Turkish Daily News - "Repentance Law or general amnesty in the solution of Kurdish question?":
Izmir / 20 June 2003
by Serdar Alyamac
Turkey strengthened her hands by sweeping human rights reforms, including broadcast and education in Kurdish language, last summer and arrived at a crossroads regarding Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- now Kurdistan Democratic Congress (KADEK) -- in the solution of the Kurdish problem that caused the deaths of nearly 36,000 people.
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is prepared to legislate the draft "Repentance Law" that aims drawing PKK militants to Turkey's side to hollow out the organization. However, the contents of the law raises the question: Will this law contribute to haunt the wound of Turkey that has been bleeding for two decades?
In the past, the state has passed a similar law seven times. However, due to security anxieties, the law was turned into an "informers' law" and less than 1,000 people applied to benefit from the laws, and they turned into fiascos.
According to the former laws, repenting was not enough, the militants that repented and left their arms had to provide information about the organization. Neither the leaders nor those militants that had committed murder or wounded somebody in the course of terrorist incidents were able to benefit from the law. Due to the value of the information the repentant provided, the repentant was provided with a new identity and a job.
The new bill drafted by AK Party will pardon those militants of PKK/KADEK that repent. According to the draft, except the high-level leaders, all PKK/KADEK members would be able to benefit from the new repentance law, including those who committed murder or the crime of wounding a person in the course of terrorist incidents.
While the government is about to legislate the Repentance Law in order to collapse the organization, PKK/KADEK has slammed this step of the government. Releasing a written statement, PKK/KADEK said that they accepted the Repentance Law as an act not to be respected in the solution. PKK/KADEK consider the 'Repentance Law' meaningless. This law will not bring any positive contribution to the solution."
According to the commitment of Washington, which ensured leader of this organization Abdullah Ocalan's capture and delivery to Turkey in 1999, they wants to disarm and send home PKK/KADEK militants that number approximately 4-5,000 currently in northern Iraq. For that reason, the Repentance Law is very important to provide these militants an ability to return to normal lives, find jobs and start a new life.
The People's Democratic Party (DEHAP) has recently launched a campaign for a general amnesty for all those members of PKK/KADEK. Diyarbakir Metropolitan Mayor Feridun Celik of DEHAP, talking to Turkish Daily News, said that the Repentance Law would not solve the Kurdish problem: "Because permanent steps should be taken and the atmosphere is very convenient for these permanent steps to solve the question. If the state says 'I pardon you, but you first should confess your offences and inform on people who committed this crime', nobody will go along with this law."
Celik said that the 36 mayors of DEHAP recently held a press conference and revealed the expectations of people living in the southeast region. "Here is our message; at this point we have reached a new informer or repentance law that does not solve the problem. The main thing that should be done is a general amnesty and install peace in the region."
"As known, the United States announced that they will not let PKK/KADEK militants live in northern Iraq. In this situation, if the state does not make a general amnesty law, those people will come to Turkey and a clash will start and many people will die again. Because none of those people will go along with this limited repentance law," Celik added.
Murat Bozlak, the former leader of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) that was closed down by the Constitutional Court, said that the main point in this kind of act like the repentance law was to make PKK/KADEK militants abandon their guns. Bozlak, who was barred from being a member of a political party, said the repentance law would not contribute to the solution of the problem. "This kind of laws was applied by former governments, too. However, none of them have been useful. All these laws could not get a favourable result. The most important thing is to ensure these people leave their guns. If the government make a law of general amnesty, this problem will be solved."
Bozlak said that if the government could not bring a general amnesty, they may implement another application. "If a general amnesty cannot be legislated, the government can make another application. These people in 'the mountains' can leave their guns, and the government follows up these people. If they do not commit any offence for a time, they can continue their lives. But the main point in this application is that those people who abandon their guns should not be punished."
Diyarbakir Human Rights Association' chairman Selahattin Demirtas
also said that this repentance law would not contribute to the solution
of the problem. "Even the name of this law will choke this act.
The Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu called this law 'social peace
law' during his recent visit to Diyarbakir. This name is much better,
but with this law brings some conditions like informing on their friends
in order to benefit from this law. If they want bring a solution to
this problem, a general amnesty should be implemented."
5. - The Washington Post - "Turkey, Wooing EU, Passes Reforms":
ISTANBUL / June 20, 2003
by Karl Vick
The Turkish parliament unanimously approved a package of reforms today meant to demonstrate that this nation of 67 million people will take the steps necessary to gain admittance to the European Union.
The new measures overturn or amend a variety of laws that the EU, which is holding a summit in neighboring Greece, had called inconsistent with membership. The most significant measure, according to analysts, abolished a long-standing section of Turkey's anti-terrorism provisions that authorized punishment for "propaganda against the inseparability of the state."
Prosecutors and the powerful military had used the statute against the large, sometimes restive Kurdish minority. Other measures passed tonight shored up other Kurdish rights, which EU monitors had identified as a major sticking point.
One bill allows parents to give their children Kurdish names. In the past, Turkish officials refused to register names deemed "un-Turkish." Another bill will allow private television and radio stations to broadcast in Kurdish.
Another measure eases the way for retrials of citizens seeking redress before the European Court of Human Rights, a venue sought out by advocates of Kurdish rights jailed under the anti-terrorism statute overturned today.
"I hope the leaders of the EU fully appreciate the commitment shown by the Turkish parliament," said Egemen Bagis, a legislator with the ruling Justice and Development Party. "This is the sixth package of EU reforms Turkey has passed."
Party leaders say at least one more package of reforms will be brought to parliament this year. That schedule would leave all of 2004 for Turkey to demonstrate the new laws are being implemented despite the country's largely conservative and sometimes stubborn bureaucracy.
The EU has given Turkey until the end of 2004 to meet its criteria for entry, promising vaguely to consider the country's bid at that time. Members of the union still are divided on allowing Turkey to join. Opponents cite religion and geography; the country is overwhelmingly Muslim and is largely in Asia.
But economic concerns also loom large, as Turkey's population is largely low-income.
"Getting this package out of the way is very good," said Meltem Muftuler Bac, an EU expert at Sabanci University in Istanbul. "They have a lot of homework to do and that's what they're doing. It shows some degree of determination."
An EU official in the Turkish capital of Ankara, interviewed earlier
this month, said Turkey's public enthusiasm for EU membership probably
would roll over objections from conservative interests, including
members of the military, which the EU wants to see pushed out of domestic
politics.
6. - The Financial Times - "Weapons ultimatum issued in northern Iraq":
Suleimaniya (Iraq) / June 18, 2003
by Gareth Smyth
The US and Kurdish authorities in Iraq yesterday issued a joint ultimatum for all groups in the north of the country, other than the two main Kurdish parties,to give up their heavy weapons.
This extends a new weapons regime that came into force in the rest of Iraq on Sunday, but its implementation faces a special challenge in a mountainous region that was outside the control of the Baghdad regime after 1991 and where many factions have substantial arsenals.
The order - which lists a number of proscribed weapons including the BKC machine-gun, the Dushka anti-aircraft gun, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and artillery - is based on "law number three" of the coalition forces in Iraq and on a 1993 decree of the Kurdish parliament.
"These are very close, parallel documents," said Colonel Harry Schute, head of the US-led civil affairs administration in northern Iraq.
"The Kurdish parliament law has been in effect for 10 years but has been loosely enforced due to the special circumstances that existed until very recently."
The Kurdistan Democratic party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the two Kurdish parties that each administers part of the Kurdish region, will keep their heavy weapons, which they augmented with supplies from the disintegrating Iraqi army.
The two parties have agreed with the Americans that their forces will be later integrated into a new Iraqi army.
Among the other groups holding heavy weapons are the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan, the Socialist party and the Communist party. Two Kurdish parties from neighbouring countries - the PKK (Kurdistan Workers party) of Turkey and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran - also have heavy arms at bases inside northern Iraq.
"We are giving these groups 15 days to be aware of the policy," said Colonel Schute. He refused to specify what would happen if any groups kept their heavy weapons.
The nature of yesterday's announcement suggests that the KDP and
the PUK will enforce the order with the threat of US back-up.