ERDOGAN VISITS TURKISH TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

On the second day of his trip to Afghanistan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday visited the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters and met with both NATO Senior Civilian Representative Hikmet Cetin and current ISAF Commander Gen. Ethem Karadagli. Speaking at a press conference prior to his departure from Kabul, Erdogan expressed his pleasure at the Afghan people’s interest in and sympathy for Turkey. He emphasized the Turkish military’s success in the country in the face of difficult conditions. Pointing to Turkish businessmen’s investments in Afghanistan, Erdogan said the country still needed significant international help for its reconstruction. After completing his contacts, the premier returned to Ankara last evening. /Turkiye/

GUL TELLS POLISH COUNTERPART OF DISAPPOINTMENT OVER SO-CALLED GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, currently in Vilnius, Lithuania to attend an unofficial meeting of NATO foreign ministers, yesterday met with his Polish counterpart Adam Daniel Rotfeld to discuss the recent decision of Poland’s Parliament recognizing the so-called Armenian genocide. During their meeting, Gul expressed Ankara’s disappointment with the Polish Parliament’s decision. Speaking at a press conference afterwards, Gul said that Rotfeld had told him that the decision was a result of the political stance of some deputies and that Parliament had been caught unprepared. “He told me that he had done his best to prevent such a decision, but had been unsuccessful,” said Gul. “He further told me that the government didn’t share the same view concerning the genocide and that that it always supported Ankara.” Gul also said that he had also met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to discuss a number of issues, and that Rice said that the US stands with Ankara on the so-called genocide issue. In related news, addressing a dinner for the diplomats, Rice cited Turkey as an example proving that there is no conflict between the Muslim world and democracy. /Milliyet/

ARINC TO PRESENT NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AWARD TO RENOWNED BRAIN SURGEON

Speaking after yesterday’s Presidential Board meeting, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that the board had decided to present Dr. Gazi Yasargil, a world-famous brain surgeon, with this year’s National Sovereignty Honorary Award. “Nearly 150 people were nominated for the award, and Dr. Yasargil won the votes of 14 out of 15 members of the Parliament Speaker's Office,” added Arinc. Dr. Yasargil, who was elected Neurosurgeon of the Century in 1999 by the Journal of Neurosurgeons, is a Turkish medical scientist and neurosurgeon. He is a pioneer in micro-neurosurgery and has won many honors for his work. Yasargil developed special instruments for treating epilepsy and brain tumors. /Sabah/

AUSTRALIAN CHIEF OF STAFF VISITS TURKEY

Australian Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Cosgrove yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay an official visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. After an official ceremony, the two top officials held face-to-face talks. /Hurriyet/

PARLIAMENT COMMISSION TO BEGIN DISCUSSING REVISED TCK

A draft including amendments to the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) set to be put into effect on June 1 will begin to be discussed today by Parliament’s Justice Commission. Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy and commission member Orhan Eraslan criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, saying that the draft had been prepared without consulting them. Charging that there was not enough time to discuss the necessary amendments to the law, Eraslan claimed that at least one year would be needed for such revisions. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek submitted the draft to the prime minister at the beginning of this week. /Star/

ARMENIA’S KOCHARIAN WELCOMES ERDOGAN’S PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH JOINT COMMISSION

Armenian President Robert Kocharian said yesterday that his country had no precondition for developing relations with Turkey. During an official to France, Kocharian commented on Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent proposal to establish a joint commission consisting of historians from both countries. Stressing that the two countries should look ahead within the framework of bilateral ties, Kocaryan welcomed Erdogan’s offer. “If Turkey wants to discuss the issue, Armenia prefers that it be done at the highest level and in the largest scope possible,” said the Armenian president. In related news, after their talks today, Kocharian and French President Jacques Chirac are expected to visit so-called Armenian genocide monument in Paris and lay a wreath. /Hurriyet/

AKP EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR OZKOK’S STATEMENTS

Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Firat yesterday expressed support for Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and his Wednesday speech warning of reactionary elements in Turkey, adding that the government was capable of fighting these reactionary forces. “I listened closely to Ozkok’s statements and I appreciated them,” he said. “Turkey faces a number of problems, and reactionary elements are one of these. Eliminating these elements is our government’s duty.” Firat added that the government was determined to counter any action which threatens the Republic of Turkey, adding that reactionary actions were among these. /Cumhuriyet/

TALABANI: “WE’RE AWARE OF THE PKK PRESENCE IN NORTHERN IRAQ, AND WE’RE DETERMINED TO FIGHT IT”

Appearing on CNN Turk yesterday, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said that he was aware of the PKK presence in northern Iraq, adding that the Iraqi government was determined to fight against it. “We’ll never allow foreign forces to stage activities in Iraq,” he said. “Our government has decided to end the presence of foreign armed forces in Iraq.” Talabani stressed that Iraqi security forces were not yet fully prepared and that US forces will remain in the country for at least one more year. “I think that the US forces also want to leave Iraq, and they will do so when we’re ready,” said Talabani. He further stated that he was grateful to Ankara for its support of Iraq, adding that he would do his utmost to develop relations with Turkey. /Aksam/

CHP DEPUTY LEADER: “OZKOK’S LAUDABLE STATEMENTS ECHO WHAT BAYKAL HAS SAID FOR TWO YEARS”

17 DEAD IN GAS EXPLOSION IN GEDIZ

A gas explosion in a coal mine in Gediz, Kutahya yesterday killed 17 miners. Rescue teams were immediately deployed to the area of the explosion, but only two people were able to emerge alive from the mine, which is 400 meters below the ground. /Star/

ANKARA TO HOST EUROPEAN CAPITALS CONFERENCE

Ankara will host the Ninth Conference of EU Capitals today organized by the Ankara Greater City Municipality. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will deliver an opening speech at the gathering. Mayors from European Union member and candidate countries, including Greek Cyprus’ Lefkosa Mayor Michalis Zabelas, are expected to take part in the conference. After attending celebrations marking April 23 Children’s Day tomorrow, the visiting mayors are set to proceed to Cappadocia on Sunday. /Star/

FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…

WHERE’S THE MISTAKE?
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

Columnist Sami Kohen writes about Turkish-United States relations. A summary of his column is as follows:

“A series of significant developments in Turkish-United States relations have recently taken place, including the government’s permission earlier this week for a year’s extension on the use of Incirlik Airbase by allied forces under a United Nations resolution. This agreement grants the US a number of restricted rights for using the airbase. Ankara has neither accepted nor rejected all of the American demands, but found a diplomatic way to finesse them.

The fact that the government approved the agreement on the eve of April 24, the so-called ‘Armenian genocide day,’ is very important. The Armenian groups have recently stepped up pressure on US President George W. Bush about a proposed congressional resolution urging him to use the term ‘genocide’ in his remarks on that day. American diplomatic circles believe that no matter how hard the Armenian lobby tries, it can neither persuade Bush to use the term nor convince Congress to pass a resolution recognizing the so-called genocide.

It’s quite difficult to get a sense of the current state of Turkish-American relations. Our media recently gave extensive coverage to ‘crisis’ stories between the two countries. However, both Ankara and Washington have retained their positions as two close allies, insisting that there’s no such crisis between their administrations. Our military forces are denying allegations along these lines on the one hand, but expressing their dissatisfaction over the US’ policy in northern Iraq on the other.

A meeting called ‘Redefining and Boosting Turkish-US relations’ was held yesterday in Istanbul by the ARI movement, an independent movement to promote structural change and youth participation in Turkish democracy, and these issues were discussed in detail. Significant figures from the political, business, academic and media world attended the gathering and clarified a number of key points on Turkish-US relations, which can be summed up as follows:

During the Cold War, Turkey and the US became closer then ever under common national interests, which were at that time threatened by common security problems. Although they managed to maintain their partnership in the post-Cold War era, the US changed radically in wake of Sept. 11, which inevitably affected bilateral relations. * Over the course of time, Turkish foreign policy has stayed conservative, and thus failed to keep up with new developments. * Turkey can realize its plans on the issues of the terrorist PKK and northern Iraq only by establishing more harmonious cooperation with the US. The governments don’t need to constantly fine-tune their policies. Nations should stop being paranoid and try to catch up with the latest developments, and this is possible only if the governments keep their citizens well informed and guide them in correct directions.

‘Neither side is indispensable to the other, but both Washington and Ankara would lose much should their relationship deteriorate further,' writes Michael Rubin in the current issue of Turkish Policy Quarterly, a journal published with the support of the ARI Movement. 'If Turkish and American politicians and diplomats do not acknowledge and put aside their past mistakes, bilateral relations will continue to sour,' he adds, stressing, 'The US-Turkish partnership is simply too important to lose.’ I think this is a very important point for all of us.”

STRIKING REMARKS BY ERICH FEIGL
BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)

Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the Armenian “genocide” claims and Professor Erich Feigl’s remarks on the issue. A summary of his column is as follows:

“A panel on ‘Turkish-Armenian Relations and Historical Facts’ was held earlier this week at Istanbul Technical University (ITU). Among the speakers at the panel was well-known Austrian author and documentary filmmaker Professor Erich Feigl, who made various incisive remarks during his speech.

Feigl is an expert on Middle Eastern, Central Asian and American cultures and religions. He has produced several documentaries which have attracted worldwide attention. He became acquainted with the events of 1915 while doing historical research, and he quickly developed an interest in the issue. Meanwhile, Turkish Attaché for Labor and Social Affairs in Vienna Erdogan Ozen, a close friend of his, was murdered by the terrorist Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) in 1984. Ozen’s murder affected him so much that he wrote a book on Armenian terror called ‘A Myth of Terror.’

In his speech, Feigl lamented that Turkey has been unable to counter the psychological war waged by the Armenians. Feigl said that the total number of Armenians who lived under Ottoman rule was 1.7 million, and only 700,000 of them were sent away by the Ottomans. Therefore, their assertion that 1.5 million Armenians were killed is nonsensical.

Feigl also presented a new document, in which Boghos Nubar, leader of the Armenians in exile early in the last centrury, admits that the Armenians took sides with the enemy during the war. ‘It’s most fortunate that I could discover this document before the Armenians could find and destroy it,’ Feigl said. ‘Because they have successfully destroyed almost every document against them.’

Feigl also urged that Turkey not agree to discuss their claims, let alone recognize them. ‘If you recognize their claims or even agree to discuss the issue with them, next they will demand your money and land. You should never ever do that,’ he said.

Feigl ended his speech with a striking statement: ‘This land is yours. You didn’t settle in Anatolia after the Battle of Malazgirt. Archeological findings at Catalhoyuk prove that you have been here for more than 10,000 years’.”