A STRANGE SITUATION BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said terrorism has
shown its ugly face once more with the recent terrorist attacks in the
US. Addressing the opening ceremony for the 2001-2002 scholastic year
at the Middle East Technical University (METU), Sezer pointed to the
terrorist assaults in the US. He said, "Wherever it comes from,
whoever does it and whatever the reason is, terrorism is a crime
against humanity. We condemn terrorism and terrorist activities, and
we share the grief of the American nation." /Turkiye/
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Cervantes
Institute, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit stated that US President
Bush's usage of the word "the Crusades" was misunderstood by
some circles. Ecevit said there was no need to doubt about the legal
and humane basis of the American fight against terrorism. He said,
"Terror is just what it is. It has no religion. Joint fight is
essential. The US is a democratic country and there is no need to
doubt whether she will fight against terrorism democratically or not.
In the joint declaration of Ecevit and Spanish Prime Minister Jose
Maria Aznar, currently visiting Turkey, leaders said, "Nothing
can justify terrorist activities. Turkey and Spain condemn all
terrorist activities no matter in which country they are carried out
and call for an international cooperation to eradicate the roots of
terrorism all around the world." /Cumhuriyet/
Parliament convened in an extraordinary session to
discuss the constitutional amendment package. Prior to session,
parliamentarians observed a minute of silence in memory of the people
who lost their lives in the recent terrorist attacks in the US.
Leaders conveyed messages condemning terrorism. Deputy Prime Minister
Mesut Yilmaz said that negative effects of the recent terrorist attack
on the US would not be observed on the economy as he did not expect an
extensive war. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said
that the tragedy in the US should be a turning point for the Western
countries to increase international cooperation in fighting against
terrorism and to abstain from applying double standards on the issue.
Chairwoman of the True Path Party (DYP) Tansu Ciller said that as the
world entered a new structuring period after September 11th, Turkey
obtained a very important opportunity to play an active role in this
period. Additionally, Chairman of the Felicity Party (SP) Recai Kutan
argued that it was financial capitalism fostering extreme social
imbalances throughout the world which paved way for the rise in
terrorist activities. /Cumhuriyet/ CEM: "WE ALWAYS SUPPORT THE
US" Speaking at the Parliamentary Plenary Session, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem said, "We, as Turkey, will always be
with the US in this fight. We will give full support to the US as much
as our circumstances allow." Stating that their priority was
always Turkey's interest and happiness of Turkish people, Cem
emphasized that fight against terrorism should be taken on in a calm
and collected manner. He said, "The most important method to
fight against terrorism is not limiting freedoms and democracy but
using them as a weapon in dealing a deathly blow on terrorism. We will
not be hurried in this period." Pointing out that terrorism had
no religion, Cem said struggles should be coordinated. He added,
"We can feel the grief of American people mostly. Fight against
terrorism is now more extensive, deep and determined. This is the idea
we have been defending for years." /Cumhuriyet/
Holding a meeting with national press members
yesterday at breakfast, Minister of State responsible for Economy
Kemal Dervis evaluated the current economic program and the period
Turkey entered in after the recent terrorist attacks on the US.
Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak and Central Bank Governor Sureyya
Serdengecti also attended the meeting. Dervis said, "We entered a
temporary period the atmosphere of which is charged with ambiguities.
We, as the rest of the world, will inevitably be affected by the
consequences of the terrorist attack on the US. We had reached a
stability in the markets, as the program was going well, however, it
is very difficult to foresee how Turkey and the world will be affected
and what will be the consequences in the long run after September
11th." Upon a question about the possible costs of Turkey's
support to US retaliation, Dervis said, "No matter the cost, to
fight against terrorism is our responsibility as a country. It would
never be a moral attitude to bargain on this issue with the US. First,
join the fight and then voice your requests. He also added that
Turkey's geopolitical importance increased after the attack and that
this might accelerate Turkey's accession period to the EU if the
European countries could comprehend how important Turkey is.
/Cumhuriyet/
The new conditions that have emerged following the
terrorist attacks against the US and Washington's decision to lead the
"war against terrorism" has begun to worry Athens. Athens is
worried about the new balances to be established in the region and the
increase of Turkey's geostrategic importance. The US efforts to search
the criminals in the Middle East and Afghanistan and the new war
scenarios will cause Turkey to be important in terms of its location
during the cold war. During the cold war, the West had considered
Turkey as a strong ally against the Varshaw Pact and now it considers
Turkey as a important ally against international terrorism stemming
from Islam fundamentalism. Three countries out of five, which are
accused of causing terrorists attacks (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and
Libya) border Turkey and Turkey is the nearest country to Afghanistan
within NATO. Therefore the US will need Turkey so that it can be
successful in his plans to blow the international terrorism.
/Cumhuriyet/
Ankara declared sorrow after the death of the
military leader of the northern alliance Ahmed Shah Massoud, following
an attack on Sept. 9. "We consider the death of Ahmed Shah
Massoud as an important loss for Afghanistan," the Foreign
Ministry statement said and added," Information about the
assassination points to the fact that it was not committed only by
internal fractions, and this situation will make the solution to the
problems in Afghanistan more difficult." The statement added that
a lasting peace in Afghanistan could be achieved after the formation
of a government to represent all the parties in Afghanistan, following
a cease fire. /Turkish Daily News/
The Chief of General Staff, General Huseyin
Kivrikoglu, urged the Defense Industries Undersecretariat (SSM) to
conclude the Airbone Warning and Control System (AWACS) before the end
of the month, following a negotiation period of two years. The project
was discussed in a meeting of the two military bodies on September 6.
"AWACS planes are a lot more efficient on aerial risks and
threats. They are also faster. The air attacks in the United States
have increased the importance of AWACS. This project will be the eyes
and ears of Turkish aerial defense," said a military official.
The SSM is expected to step up talks with the US company Boeing by the
end of the month. /Turkish News/
The "Istanbul Cervantes Institute" was
opened yesterday by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and his Spanish
counterpart Jose Maria Aznar. The Institute, established in 1991, has
36 centers in 24 countries and it aims at promoting Latin American and
Spanish culture. 70 thousand students in total are being educated in
the Institutes annually. /Turkiye/
Motherland Party (ANAP) Parliamentary
Representative from Aydin,Yuksel Yalova, was elected as the
Parliamentary Deputy Speaker in place of State Minister Nejat Arseven
who resigned from the post a while ago. New members for the vacant
positions in the Constitutional Commission due to the closure of the
Virtue Party were also elected during the Turkish Grand National
Assembly (TGNA)'s extraordinary session yesterday. /Turkiye/
Religious Affairs Director Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz said
yesterday none of the religions tolerate terrorism and crimes against
humanity. Yilmaz attended a symposium entitled, "The Religious
Dimension of Turkey's Entry into the European Union",organized in
Canakkale. Stressing that Islam is a religion of peace, Yilmaz told
reporters terrorists may be from any nation and any religion. He said,
"It is a big mistake to blame religions for terrorism."
/Turkiye/
Turkish Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi will pay an
official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with
a delegation from Parliament on Wednesday. The delegation will hold a
series of meetings with TRNC authorities. Izgi is expected to meet
with the leaders of the political parties following a speech at the
TRNC Parliament on Friday. /Turkish News/
President of Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC),
Rauf Denktas, has said that the Cyprus conflict has now turned into a
legal fight, and called on jurists to help the TRNC. Speaking at the
opening of the new judicial year, Denktas said that Greek Cypriots
wanted possession of the whole island, did not want to grant any
rights to the Turkish Cypriots, and did not recognize their
government.The TRNC President said that no agreement could be reached
without agreement on certain parameters. /Turkish News/
Upon the invitation of Interior Minister Rustu Kazým
Yucelen 17 former interior ministers discussed the developments. The
interior ministers stated that at first terrorism should be defined.
The first of the "Former Ministers evaluation Meeting",
which was the idea of Yucelen, was held yesterday. During the meeting
they discussed the terrorist attacks on the United States. The
ministers and Yucelen agreed that an international organization like
the Interpol has to be formed to fight against terrorism and if Ladin
is a terrorist he must be viewed as such by everyone and if Ocalan is
a terrorist, he must be accepted as a terrorist by everyone.
/Milliyet/
The 9th president of the Turkish Republic Suleyman
Demirel stated that the United States has to act according to the
international law and be careful not to make a mistake. "Terror
does not have a religion, a belief, a book and a God" Demirel
continued. "This attack is not perpetrated only against the
United States but also against the whole mankind. Therefore not only
U.S. but everyone has to fight against terrorism. Who attacked and who
supported these attacks and what is the reason? This has to be
explained." /Cumhuriyet/
Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen said
Turkey's trade wasn't exposed to a major impact from recent terrorist
attacks on the United States and a possible relation on countries
which are thought to harbor terrorism. "We are confident that
Turkey's exports will exceed $30 billion this year as projected
earlier," Tuzmen told Turkish Daily News exclusively over the
phone. /Turkish Daily News/
The non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have
requested the Turkish government to act in accordance with commonsense
while condemning terrorism in the US. Chairman of the Turkish Bars
Association, Ozdemir Ozok said improving democracies and human rights
should not be hampered by considering terrorism as a pretext.
Meanwhile, Chairwoman of the Women of the Republic Association Senal
Sarihan said, "The basic dilemma does not concern the religions
but is between America and Asia. Turkey should consider this dilemma
taking her peculiar conditions into consideration." /Cumhuriyet/
In an operation carried out in Izmir against the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), 12 people among whom were the HADEP
Konak District Chairman and an Iranian, have been arrested, Anatolia
news agency reported on Monday. According to the information received,
teams from the Anti-Terrorism and Intelligence Branch directorates
raided many houses and workplaces among which were the HADEP Konak
District Organization, Mesopotaminan Culture Association, "Free
Society," an the "Welat" paper. /Turkish News/
Five days after the horrific terrorist attack on
the US, the veil of fog slowly lifts. Tourism managers now discuss the
possible impact of the event on their sector. As security measures in
many airports are readdressed, Turkey formed a crisis desk to prevent
damage to its key tourism sector. Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar and
Chairman of the Turkish Travel Agencies Union (TURSAB) Basaran Ulusoy
say the attack will not adversely impact Turkish tourism. Tasar said
the Tourism Ministry formed a crisis desk to discuss measures and
reassured sector representatives that there was nothing to worry
about. /Turkish Daily News/
Balkan-Art Istanbul Exhibition will be open on 9-14
October in the 11st Istanbul Sanat Fair. This activity, which is
planned to be opened once in every two years, aims to ensure an
intensive exchange of information on arts and to establish a different
communication basis among artists, who share the same cultural
inheritance from various countries. /Cumhuriyet/
Yildiz Ibrahimova and Gypsy Band will stage a
concert in Istanbul and Ankara within the framework of the concerts
jointly organized by the Sevda-Cenap And Music Foundation and the
United Nations Representative in Ankara. Yildiz Ibrahimova and Gypsy
Band will stage a concert at the Concert Hall of Istanbul Kultur
University on October 9. Ibrahimova and Gypsy Band will perform for
jazz lovers on October 14 at the Cultural and Congress Center at the
Middle East Technical University in Ankara. /Cumhuriyet/
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the recent
policies adopted in view of the US determination to strike the
terrorists in their hiding places following the terrorist attacks
which occurred in the US. A summary of his column is as folows:
"It is noted that hesitation and reservations are gradually
taking the place of strong international solidarity observed following
the terrorist attacks against the US. During the first few days after
the attacks, the entire international community, from NATO to Russia,
China to many Arab countries agreed on the point that a common front
should be formed against terrorism. As the Bush Administration began
preparations to carry out its new strategy with the courage it
received from this support, different opinions began to be voiced. The
US President is declaring an all-out war against terrorists and those
supporting them. This will be a long and bloody war. It is a war
against unspecified targets and countries. As the US is preparing for
such a war, countries which have expressed their solidarity with the
US have begun to say that she should be more cautious and calm and
search for other ways to combat terrorism.... Most of the countries
who are calling on the United States to act with commonsense and more
calmly are acting out of the concern that a harsh intervention by the
US and its consequences would endanger their interests. What is
interesting is that Libya, Iran and Iraq are among these countries...
The term 'Double Standards' is being used more frequently than ever.
Whatever they do is correct and just and what others do is wrong and
dangerous. How many countries are there in the world who do not apply
'double standards'? What would they have done if they were faced with
terrorist attacks such as those in the US? Some of the countries who
had expressed solidarity with the US are now listing the drawbacks of
a US retaliation and its turning into a war. Some of these arguments
may seem logical. However, it is apparent that action should be taken
against international terrorism."
Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on the recent
terrorist attacks in the US and the policies to be followed regarding
them. A summary of his column is as follows: "It is known that
the US will deal a harsh blow mainly to Afghanistan and other
countries who are sheltering terrorists. However, which countries fit
the description other than Afghanistan it is not known. If the words
of the US officials are taken as basis, this blow will be dealt
through a war which will last long. However, no one knows where this
war will lead to. Among all this chaos, we forget that an organization
called 'United Nations' was found in 1945 to solve international
disputes through peaceful means. If there is a war in sight, shouldn't
it be carried to the Security Council of the UN? It may be said that
one of the sides is known but the other party is not specified as yet.
If this is the case, where is the logic in striking Afghanistan? The
main question here is the mentality of the officials governing the
United States of America. The US could not accept to go to the UN for
the solution of a problem she is a party to and therefore felt no need
to to have a resolution for sanctions adopted. She felt it was enough
to have passed a resolution condemning the attack which occurred on
September 11th . On the other hand she called on the NATO countries to
adopt a resolution that all NATO countries would deem an attack
incurred on the US as if it was done to them and had it accepted in a
day. We believe there is an incongruity here or are we mistaken? The
issue of countries sheltering terrorism is another matter on our mind.
If the US will punish those sheltering terrorists, should not she
start with the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Belgium and Greece and
even France who once embraced ASALA? True, these states are not cited
in the list of terrorist countries announced by the US. States such as
Iran, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and Libya were seen contantly in these
lists. However, the recent attacks were carried out not by terrorists
fostered in these countries but in the countries who sheltered Metin
Kaplan, and Dursun Karatas, the murderer of thousands of innocent
people...'
