FEAR EVERYWHERE
BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
In the runup to a visit to the United States,
Jordan’s King Abdullah accompanied by his wife
Queen Rania yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay a
two-day official visit. After their meeting with
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Abdullah told
reporters that all parties should do their best to
bring a quick end to violence in the Middle East.
“Jordan will do its utmost to make peace in the
region,” said the monarch. For his part, Sezer
said, “Turkey and Jordan represent stability and
modernization in their region.” Abdullah later
proceeded to Istanbul, where Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan hosted a banquet at the Dolmabahce
Palace in the royal couple’s honor. King Abdullah
is expected today to meet with Erdogan and
business leaders. /All Papers/
Prime Minister and ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip
Erdogan yesterday stumped for voter support in
Kocaeli ahead of the March 28 local elections,
while main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) leader Deniz Baykal did the same in Tokat
and Kirsehir. Baykal criticized the government’s
economic policies, charging that it had imposed a
heavy tax burden on the nation. Young Party (GP)
leader Cem Uzan also campaigned in Kirklareli and
Edirne, while Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader
and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit spoke to
voters in Yalova and Bursa. /Cumhuriyet/
Speaking to journalists yesterday, Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul disparaged recent
suggestions that the Kurdish-Arabic conflict
currently raging in Syria would spread across the
border to Turkey. “Why would it spread to Turkey?”
Gul asked rhetorically. “Is there a Turkish-Kurdish
conflict in our country? Such suggestions have no
basis in fact. Everybody in our region should stay
on the alert, since such a conflict would harm the
entire region.” In addition, asked about recent
tension between Georgia and its autonomous
province of Adzhara (Adjaria), Gul said that
Turkey supported Georgia's territorial integrity.
“Adzhara is a part of Georgia, and stability in
the Caucasus is in the interests of both Turkey
and the region,” he added. /Star, Sabah/
UN Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto yesterday
presented a give-and-take document to Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) leader Rauf
Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos
Papadopoulos, following up on the leaders’ lists
of requested changes to the UN Cyprus plan
submitted two days ago. While de Soto included in
the document Turkish requests opposed by the Greek
side, which claims they contradict the UN plan,
the document attempts to adjudicate both sides’
requests through a give-and-take method. /Hurriyet/
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday
that TRNC President Rauf Denktas shouldn’t
withdraw from negotiations over the island which
began last month, warning that doing so would
damage the Turkish Cypriots’ own interests. “If he
had done this in the beginning it wouldn’t have
created a big problem,” said Talat, but added that
withdrawing at this stage would be inappropriate.
Talat stated that the most negative development so
far in the talks was Denktas’s not presenting a
new TRNC draft constitution to the United Nations.
/Cumhuriyet/
The World Bank will continue to support Turkey,
said WB President James Wolfensohn yesterday, on
the heels of this week’s first meeting of the
Turkish Investment Consultative Council. Speaking
to reporters in Istanbul alongside International
Monetary Fund Executive Director Willy Kiekens,
Wolfensohn praised the government’s success in
bringing down inflation and interest rates, adding
that efforts to this end should continue. Asked
whether there would be a new standby agreement
between the IMF and Ankara, Wolfensohn said that
he had no information on the issue. “One thing I
know is that the WB will continue to support the
Turkish economy,” stated Wolfensohn. For his part,
Kiekens said that the IMF would do its best to
help Turkey attract more foreign direct
investments, a focus of the council meeting.
Kiekens further stated that Turkey’s positive
macroeconomic indicators were the result of its
IMF-supported economic program. Later, Wolfensohn
visited Bilgi University. /Aksam/
International Monetary Fund European Director
Michael Deppler yesterday stated that this week’s
first meeting of the Turkish Consultative
Investment Council had been very productive, as
international CEOs had had the opportunity to tell
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan directly about
their views and suggestions on the Turkish economy.
“Turkey’s on the right track,” said Deppler.
“However, this doesn’t mean that Ankara has
finished its homework. Turkey still has a lot to
do, particularly on the banking and social
security issues.” /Hurriyet/
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek yesterday traveled
to Egypt for an official visit. He is expected to
meet with high-level Egyptian judicial officials
today and later attend a banquet in his honor.
Tomorrow Cicek is scheduled to be received by
Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid. /Star/
Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun
yesterday traveled to Israel in order to tour high-tech
industrial parks and qualified industrial zones
there. Coskun is expected to proceed to Jordan
tomorrow, on the heels of King Abdullah’s visit to
Turkey, and while there he is scheduled to meet
with his Jordanian counterpart H. E. Halaigah.
/Star/
Campaigning yesterday in the Black Sea towns of
Mengen, Devrek and Karabuk ahead of the March 28
local elections, True Path Party (DYP) leader
Mehmet Agar said that Turkey should keep a close
eye on important developments unfolding in its
region and that, when needed, it should step in to
guide them. Adding that regional stability and
peace depended on Turkey’s power, Agar said, “For
that reason, Turkey needs a firm hand at the helm,
and it can get this at the next general elections.”
Also criticizing the Justice and Development Party
(AKP) government’s economic policies, the DYP
leader charged that Turkey’s citizens were
struggling under unemployment and low wages. /Turkiye/
The European Parliament yesterday discussed a
Turkey report drafted by Arie Oostlander, a member
of the EP’s Foreign Relations Commission. The
report is considered to be the last evaluation
prior to the release of the key European Union
annual progress report on Turkey this fall. It
praises the reforms taking place in Turkey, but
also criticizes what it calls shortcomings in
implementation. A vote on the report is expected
today. /Turkiye/
Police investigating the suicide bombing of a
Masonic lodge last week have arrested 18 suspected
Islamic militants, including three who were
planning new suicide bombings, said Istanbul
Governor Muammer Guler yesterday. “We have foiled
new suicide attacks,” Guler told a news conference
where he displayed a vest with homemade pipe bombs
attached, along with other explosive material. /All
Papers/
Columnist Semih Yildiz comments on Turkey’s
stance on separatist incidents. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“The recent Kurdish-Arab violence in Syria
concerns the Kurdish reality, something which
Turkey is the best-equipped country to deal with
and solve. Our reform process coincided with this
period and will serve as a safety valve. In short,
the antidote to Kurdish separatism is our process
and pathway to European Union membership. Those
who believe that the EU will divide Turkey will
consider this meaningful. However, those who think
about the issue more reasonably know very well
that the socio-economic factors which feed this
separatism can’t be ignored. For years former
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has emphasized the
economic dimension of this equation.
However, as economic conditions improve, people
won’t forget their identity. On the contrary,
perhaps the better conditions shake them up even
more. However, this doesn’t necessarily have to
mean separatism. When the state shows its caring
side, the existing separatist tendencies can be
discouraged. After all, there will always be those
feeding this separatism. For instance, although
the Basque region has been given a broader
political autonomy, the ETA terror group still
exists. However, as we saw recently, today Spain’s
Basques condemn this organization as much as do
other Spaniards.
During our fight against the terrorist PKK,
there were radicalized people among our security
forces. Such a thing is no longer acceptable.
Let’s consider one scenario: Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad attempts a mass massacre against
the Kurds. This would certainly outrage not only
the region’s Kurds, but also the entire civilized
world. Consider that after these recent incidents,
there were demonstrations in our own Diyarbakir.
If radicalized elements among security forces and
civilian officials can’t be curbed, this would
surely backfire for Turkey.
Of course we can’t ignore those making
calculations for their own political ends. If the
streets are reduced to ashes during demonstrations,
of course our security forces will do what’s
necessary. We can explain this to the entire world.
However, if they treat with violence those who
want only to demonstrate, incidents could spiral
out of control. Actually people are already
starting to think about these issues. A serious
state should do this.”
BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Hikmet Bila comments on last week’s
terrorist attacks in Spain. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“Last week’s terrorist attacks in Madrid caused
many deaths, with the number rising almost daily
to now exceed 200. Not only Spain but also the
whole world is in shock. The Spanish government
made a statement before the dimensions of the
incident were well understood: ‘This is ETA’s work.’
Nobody wanted to believe in it. Everyone suspected
an attack by al Qaeda. But Madrid insisted: ‘Other
scenarios don’t work. This is ETA’s work.’ When
people began to think that the Spanish government
had knowledge of the attacks, the truth came out.
The reason for the hasty finger-pointing at ETA
was the government’s election plans. Its main aim
was to turn the fight against ETA into votes even
while the injured were still crying out for help.
Though the government fell after the elections and
paid the price for its hasty lie, the incident
became a historical lesson and an example of
trying to use terrorism as a political tool.
What wouldn’t a mentality that uses terrorism
against its own people even during times of
bloodshed then do to other countries and their
people that are under a terrorist threat?
Terrorism has hit Europe’s heart, and it’s in a
panic. The European Union will appoint a special
commissar to coordinate the fight against
terrorism. The EU interior ministers have been
invited for an immediate meeting to discuss anti-terror
measures. France wants both the EU and UN to meet
immediately. Troops in Germany are now required to
patrol train stations. The Belgian government
stated that it had taken ‘measures both visible
and covert to protect its people.’
The Netherlands is reminding everyone that it
wasn’t one of the first countries to cooperate
with the US in its war against Iraq and is praying
this will protect it from terrorist attacks. In a
panic, the Dutch government decided to discuss in
Parliament a bill on fighting terrorism. Under
this law, non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
that have ties to terrorist groups or pose a
threat to public order will be banned. French
President Jacques Chirac also gathered a summit on
the fight against terrorism. Its security alert
rose from yellow to orange. Troops will be given
more domestic security duties. Greece has
requested help from NATO for security in the
upcoming Olympics. The EU countries are discussing
suspending the Schengen Treaty that currently
allows free movement.
There is fear all around. Will this fear bring
Europeans to their senses? Would Europe have acted
in a same unified way if bombs had exploded in
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or Kenya, as it
for Spain? Would Europeans who didn’t declare
Spain a dangerous area but released advisories
warning, ‘Don’t travel to Turkey, it’s dangerous’
after we were hit by attacks understand that they
aided terrorism? Would they cease calling terror a
‘struggle for freedom’ when it strikes at Turkey
or other countries? If we look at their reports on
Turkey, they are far from that point. I hope one
massacre will suffice for them to finally
understand.”
