Category: News

Interfax
July 23 2004
American ambassador upbeat on Armenian-U.S. cooperation
Yerevan. (Interfax) – U.S. ambassador to Armenia John Ordway has
expressed optimism over the future of his country’s cooperation with
Armenia.
The quick pace at which relations are developing is the result of the
situation in Armenia and the region as a whole, as well as
international processes, Ordway told a news conference in Yerevan on
Thursday.
The United States plans to continue working with the Armenian
authorities to help them carry out democratic reforms and strengthen
the country’s economy, he said.
The construction in Armenia of the largest U.S. embassy in the world
has proved that Washington views its relations with Yerevan as stable
and long-term, Ordway said.
The U.S. will continue its assistance to the Armenian armed forces,
the ambassador said, adding that Armenia is on the road towards
participation in the peacekeeping operation in Iraq.
Commenting on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ordway said the time has
come for the conflict to be resolved. Resuming hostilities would have
a devastating impact on Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the entire
region, he said. The ambassador expressed hopes that the conflict
will be settled within the next few years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
July 23 2004
Cease-fire Breached Again, Defense Ministry Says
Armenian troops breached the 1994 cease-fire agreement by firing at
Azerbaijan’s army positions along the north section of the frontline
on July 21, press office of the Ministry of Defense said.
According to the press office, Armenian troops located in Berkaber
village of this country’s Icevan District shot at the Azeri positions
in Qizilhacili village of the northwestern Qazakh District for about
an hour.
Azerbaijani troops retaliated Armenians and there are no casualties
on the Azeri side, the press office added.

The Messenger, Georgia
July 23 2004
Zurabishvili meets president of Armenia
After meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili in
Yerevan Thursday, the president of Armenia Robert Kocharian declared
Yerevan’s interest in Georgian stability, Mediamax reports.
According to the Armenian president’s press service, Kocharian and
Zurabishvili discussed Armenian-Georgian relations and the prospects
of development of the South Caucasian region.
Pointing at that the two countries’ actual economic relations fall
short of both the potential and aspirations of Armenia and Georgia,
Kocharian underlined the necessity of the two governments’ working
together to further economic cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Kavkaz Center, Turkey
July 23 2004
Caucasus crossword puzzle

Even if you assume that it is a major turf war going on in the
Caucasus, America could not allow another evident failure happening
after the fiasco in Iraq. It is always more costly to be fighting
with an Islamic nation directly. And even though America is more
successful in Hollywood studios, it is still good at making troubles
and intrigues in the so-called third world countries.
Russians have it the other way around. There’s plenty of cannon
fodder, and you can send them wherever you want. And the whole
political ruse is in the number of that cannon fodder and in the
number of tanks per square unit.
But it doesn’t mean at all that the two tactics described above have
collided in the Caucasus. Evident failure in South Ossetia and
Abkhazia, which Georgian President Saakashvili is asking for, as the
ordinary citizens believe, is not too obvious unless you take a
little closer look at the logic of the events.
Everybody knows whose protege he is. He was supplied with whatever
necessary in such cases: with money, with military instructors, with
political instructions and with PR through mass media. European
political staff was attached to him so that he could not deviate from
the instructions (and a European wife was found even before that).
While consistently paving the way for their protege, the West is
getting the public opinion trained at the same time. Everybody must
know that once the West patronizes some puppet, then the success is
guaranteed.
Foolish behavior of the so-called «leaders of the Caucasus nations»
looks deplorable in the middle of all of this. They do not have much
of a choice, and the alignment is downright simple. If you do not
want to be dependent on anyone, and if FREEDOM is not a mere empty
word for you, then you should become like first Chechen President
Dudayev, raise a flag with the slogan ‘freedom or death’ and go
ahead. But if you don’t have the guts to defend real independence,
then you should still have enough brains to choose a normal
‘sponsor’.
You have to be ignorant about history and very naïve in politics to
believe in reliability of Russian guardianship. But if they seriously
believe the Kremlin’s today’s leadership, that’s when one must assume
that there is some clinical problem involved.
It is understandable when leaders of South Ossetia or Abkhazia cringe
before Putin. They are the ones who belong to the category of
mentally sick persons mentioned above. But political shortsightedness
of Aslan Abashidze, former leader of breakaway region of Adjaria, was
totally unexpected. A man of noble descent, whose ancestors have
always been in the head of the fight of freedom of Adjaria, a pretty
smart man, all of a sudden believed that Putin would never betray
him. Couldn’t he see it from the record of the Kremlin’s outhouse
‘dumper’?
He ‘dumped’ Castro, he turned in Milosevic and Saddam, and he would
be more than happy to turn in the North Korean leader, but Kim Jong
Il is lucky enough not to depend on Moscow or hope for Moscow. Putin
gave up Central Asia without making too much of a noise. He is giving
up Transdniestria just as quietly too. But why was he not supposed to
give up Adjaria? Just because some Moscow bureaucrats built villas
for themselves down there?
Only after he escaped to Moscow (what a place to escape!), Abashidze
all of a sudden got politically enlightened: turns out Russia has
never had any policies on the Caucasus (!). And now he probably
understands that it would have been much easier to come to an
agreement with Georgian president Saakashvili (who is Georgian of
Armenian descent), rather than allying with those who «do not have
their policies on the Caucasus».
Today’s escalation of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict is a fuss at a
lower level so far. They are pushing one another, they are making
noises, and they excel in little dirty tricks that they do to one
another. Nobody wants to be fighting a war. Fighters for ‘national
independence’ are writing slavish addresses to be accepted back into
the stall of serfs. As far as Russian chauvinist marginals go, they
are smacking their lips when anticipating the coming ‘gathering of
lands’. Their calls are heard in the Russian State Duma (parliament)
«not to be shy and go ahead and join them to us». Many even think
that the Politburo of the past has now reappeared in the Kremlin,
only on a much smaller scale. But today’s dwellers of the Kremlin
have only the ‘not-to-be-shy’ thing left from Politburo of the past.
But their ability to ‘join’ (by force), or ability to ‘retain’ will
never be restored ever again.
To the majority, which is doomed to be constantly deluded, it seems
like there is confrontation between Russian the West going on in the
Caucasus. Although, there are quite a few of those who can guess that
it is a transfer of the Caucasus region to the Western curators going
on in a private manner. But at the same time the ringleaders of
worldwide political mafia have to consider the views of the majority
and this is why it is happening under the guise of fight for areas of
influence.
This kind of concert does not always go smoothly, since you can’t get
all of the idiots initiated into its real goal. You can tell the ones
which ones are ‘initiated’ and which are not from the things that
they say. Georgian Prime Minister Zhvania is one of the ‘initiated’.
He can hardly hold his emotions inside and he reminds that you can’t
jeopardize the agreement between Putin and Saakashvili or the life of
Ossetian and Georgian nations «because of just one idiot». Everybody
understands that South Ossetian leader Kokoity is that ‘one idiot’.
Zhvania is also showing his excessive Armenian caution by not
pointing his finger at the idiot number two, Russian general the
‘peacemaker’. As soon as something went a little wrong against the
scenario, Saakashvili’s nerves began to give. He started panicking
and he came running to his European mother-in-law to complain about
Putin.
That’s where he was probably clamed down and asked not to worry. He
was probably explained what the principles of the dog’s vertical
hierarchy was and that today Putin is the eighth sprocket for G7. He
had to hear that this is what the Western politics is based upon, so
that the delusion of the majority and excessive activities of idiots
could be used to your own advantage. And he was told that you can’t
take the delusion away from the majority right off the bat and you
can’t be counting on the same idiots over and over again.
After little specifications made backstage, after the trips of
resented Saakashvili to England and after sudden arrival of ‘buddy’
Schroeder, Putin organizes an interesting meeting, where the entire
diplomatic corps was invited. They say it was the second case like
that ever since the times of Red Commissars. Back then the situation
was critical. Bolsheviks kept throwing in the slogan ‘Revolution in
Danger!’ But what about today? Supposedly, there was a good reason
why all ambassadors from all countries were gathered.
Russian media quoted Putin’s key phrase, which at first sounds
somewhat contradictory. He proposes to attach a number one priority
to the diplomatic activities in CIS states, and then all of a sudden
he says that one shouldn’t think that Russia is the only country that
has the right to be a leader in these states. Like, we must consider
the reality.
It was probably all clear to those in the auditorium. But we won’t be
able to figure it out that quick. What is it? Aesopian language or
accidental slip of the tongue? If some group of countries is the
number one priority for diplomatic activities, then maximum
strengthening of influence is usually the goal. But if you agree to
the leadership of other countries in the region, then what’s the
point of the ‘prioritized activities’?
It doesn’t sound too clear to ordinary people. But if the G7 pointed
to Putin to quietly move over from that ‘prioritized’ CIS and prepare
a place for someone else, then everything is falling into place and
there is no discrepancy at all. Replacing one leader, even a bad one,
for another, even a good one, is a painful and not easy process. And
this is where prioritized diplomacy is necessary in order to lull the
majority and not to get the ‘uninitiated idiots’ excited before their
time.
But let’s leave the interesting gathering of Russian diplomats behind
and let’s go back to South Ossetia. Let’s imagine a fantastic
situation: Georgia and South Ossetia are left face to face to deal
with each other. Georgia would have never been able to restore its
influence in this part of the Caucasus by using its own power. Even
if this whole thing lasted until the second coming of Christ.
Moreover, if Georgia calls its new patrons for help and South Ossetia
remains without the support from Moscow (with the condition that
Moscow will not be doing nasty things and will not block the Cross
Mountain Pass), then Georgia’s chances would still not have been
increased too much. And only when Saakashvili starts enjoying full
support from his new masters, and when Westernized part of the
population will be strengthened in Ossetia, that’s when the Kremlin
will take its weaponry away and choke Ossetia in a perfidious way
from behind, — and only then South Ossetia will be integrated into
Georgia. And the Kremlin’s perfidy will be the main and determining
condition here. Georgian patchwork quilt cannot be put together
without it.
The political concert is gathering momentum. While this article is
being written, Georgian-Ossetian negotiations are going in full swing
in Moscow. Mass media are squeezing the adrenaline from ordinary
citizens: like, negotiations are going on in «hard… and difficult
conditions, but still…». So far the Georgian side made a proposal «to
disarm unnecessary formations in the conflict zone». The Kremlin’s
‘dumpers’ must treat it with understanding, and then the nature will
take its course…
In this kind of shows somebody has to be made a fool. South Ossetian
leader Kokoity is most fit for this role. Judging by how talkative
and self-satisfied he is, and judging by his thoughtless actions, he
is not going to let anybody else have this role.
Abkhazia will be next. Its leaders are just like Kokoity. Their
statements are just as strong, and they are counting on Moscow the
same way. And their naïve assurance that they can never be overthrown
is the same as well,… since they all have Russian passports…
It’s not too pleasant to be making any predictions. We were just
trying to be guided by the main political tendencies and the logic of
the events. In this temporal world plans and predictions that the
people are making will be fulfilled only as much as Almighty Allah
decides, praise be to Him, and great He is.
Saad Minkailov, Jokhar, CRI.
For Kavkaz-Center

Reuters
July 23 2004
Turkey to scrap four army brigades — newspaper
23 Jul 2004 13:24:08 GMT

ANKARA, July 23 (Reuters) – Turkey’s military General Staff plans to
abolish four brigades, cutting the size of NATO’s second biggest army
by 18,000 in a drive to improve efficiency and flexibility, the
Referans daily said on Friday.
Those to be scrapped are the 33rd armoured brigade near the Bulgarian
and Greek borders, the 7th mechanised brigade on the Armenian border,
the 10th infantry brigade on the Iranian border and the ninth
armoured division in central Anatolia, it said.
The report said the General Staff also aimed to scrap its Aegean army
next year in a move seen as underlining much-improved ties with
Greece, a NATO ally but traditional rival with which Turkey almost
went to war as recently as 1996.
The General Staff declined to comment on the report.
The cuts could save cash-strapped Turkey about 65 trillion Turkish
lira ($44.29 million), the report said, adding that they had been
authorised by the head of the General Staff, General Hilmi Ozkok.
The report, written by Lale Sariibrahimoglu, who is also Turkey
correspondent for the respected British-based Jane’s Defence Weekly,
said Ozkok had initially intended a more radical shakeup, slashing
the land forces from 400,000 to 280,000. Turkey’s Defence Ministry
statistics show Turkey’s defence budget for 2004 stood at 9,880
trillion lira, about 3.4 percent of gross national product (GNP).
But these figures do not include substantial extra-budgetary funds,
for example, an estimated 2,400 trillion lira allocated to the
gendarmerie, or military police, and the coast guard.
Under reforms sought by the European Union, which Turkey aims to
join, Turkey recently agreed to allow full parliamentary scrutiny of
all future military spending.
The armed forces have a special place in Turkish society and see
themselves as the ultimate guardian of the country’s secular
democracy, but they are having to accept a big reduction in their
political influence as Turkey moves closer to the EU.
Turkey has a total of 800,200 people serving in its armed forces, the
bulk of them conscripts, making it second in size only to the United
States in the 26-nation NATO alliance. ($1=1467500 Turkish Lira)

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 23 2004
PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN RECEIVED HEAD OF OSCE BAKU OFFICE
[July 23, 2004, 19:06:28]
President of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev received the newly
appointed head of the OSCE Baku Office ambassador Maurizio Pavesi, 23
July.
President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Mr. Maurizio Pavesi on his new
mission and wished success in his activity in the Country.
Noting that Azerbaijan is the OSCE member and takes regular part in
the arraignments of the Organization, head of Azerbaijan state said
that the Republic attaches great significance to cooperation with
this Organization.
Touching upon the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict, President Ilham Aliyev said that OSCE Minsk Group
is engaged in resolution of the conflict, at the same time stressed
that hitherto it has failed in finding solution to the problem. Head
of Azerbaijan state underlined that the conflict jeopardizes
stability and security in the entire region and it can be settled
only in the frame of international laws and principles. He stated
that Azerbaijan makes great contribution in ensuring safety in the
region and the Republic takes active part in the regional projects.
All these serve strengthening of peace and safety in the region. Head
of Azerbaijan state underlined that in Azerbaijan economy develops
intensively and it has notable influence on the entire development of
the region, Social problems are solved successfully and a lot is
being done to better the life conditions of over one million of
refugees and IDPs who as a result of Armenian aggression were ousted
form their homelands, the president said.
Noting success of the democratization process in the Republic,
President of Azerbaijan dwelt on the active cooperation with the
international organizations. Azerbaijan has fully implemented its
obligations before the council of Europe since it became its member
three years ago.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that integration of the Country
to the European structures and European family would successfully
continue in the years ahead and OSCE will assist to Azerbaijan in all
these processes.
Expressing his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for sincere
reception, Mr. Maurizio Pavesi said the Organization he represents
bases on principles of strengthening of cooperation in Europe, noted
that Azerbaijan and OSCE are successfully cooperating. The guest
expressed confidence that this cooperation would further continue and
he personally would make his contribution to the existing relations
between Azerbaijan and the Organization.
Head of the foreign relations department of President Administration
Novruz Mammadov took part at the reception.

Israel Tries Mending Eroded Alliance With Turkey
By K. Gajendra Singh
Al-Jazeerah, July 23, 2004
When questioned by journalists during his visit to Turkey last
September, whether the United States was working to create a new axis
between India, Turkey and Israel, Indian prime minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee replied in the negative, but added that India was expanding
its defence co-operation to a higher level. The question was posed
because Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon had visited India a few
weeks earlier, during which a number defence co-operation agreements
were signed and many decades long relationship between Turkey and
Israel had blossomed almost to a level of an alliance with Israeli
and Turkish air force jets exercising together over central Anatolia.
But the Turkish Israeli relationship has recently come under severe
strain after Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly
characterized Israel’s policy in Gaza as’ state terrorism’ and media
reports claimed that Israel was interfering in Iraqi Kurdistan which
could have adverse repercussions among Turkey’s own Kurds in
adjoining south east.
Israel’s deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Ankara in mid July
to mend deteriorating relations between the two countries. Before
returning home he said “I was reassured of the continuity and
stability of relations. ” The visit for an economic joint commission
meeting by Olmert was the first high-level contact after Prime
Minister Erdogan’s harsh criticism of Sharon’s policies. To which
Israel would have normally replied sharply but it needs its only
friend in the region, Turkey.
Olmert’s visit began on a wrong note with an “appointment crisis”
with Prime Minister Erdogan leaving Ankara for holidays, a few hours
before Olmert’s arrival, after holding talks with Syrian Prime
Minister Naji al- Otri. Israel said that Olmert’s visit could not be
proponed as he was busy in Brussels. It was as well. In his May 25
meeting with Israeli Infrastructure Minister Yousef Paritzky, Erdogan
asked the Israeli minister: “What is the difference between
terrorists, who kill Israeli civilians and Israel, which also kills
civilians?’
But it was an article in New Yorker magazine by veteran US journalist
Seymour Hersh about Israel providing training to Peshmarga commando
units in north Iraq and running covert operations in neighbouring
countries which brought out in the open brewing differences between
Turkey and Israel. The media reports were denied by both Israel and
north Iraq Kurdish leadership. But Turkey was far from convinced.
Israel is also reportedly infiltrating agents into Iran to plot
Iran’s clandestine nuclear weapons program for a possible pre-emptive
strikes by the Israeli Air Force. Israel believes that Tehran is
about a year away from a breakthrough in that program and is
accelerating its Shehab intermediate-range ballistic missile program.
Israel would prefer a weak and decentralized Iraq if not a divided
one.
According to Beirut’s Daily Star of 17 July, ` it appears that
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, one of Erdogan’s closest confidants,
was behind the leak on Israeli interference in Kurdistan, to
demonstrate Ankara’s deepening anxiety that Kurdish aspirations of
independence will be fueled by Israeli interference. Indeed, the US
debacle in Iraq is driving neighbors Turkey, Syria and Iran into each
other’s arms as all fear chaos in Iraq in the coming months’ It added
that ` Erdogan’s government has embarked upon a high-profile
diplomatic effort to bolster relations with the Arab and Muslim world
which were blighted by Israel’s 1996 military agreements with Turkey.
Turkey temporarily withdrew its ambassador and consul- general from
Israel. Relations took a turn for the worse when the Israeli airline
El Al had to suspend for two weeks 6 weekly flights to Turkey from
June 24 in a row over security at Istanbul airport.
Annual trade between the two countries now amounts to $1.4bn
excluding defence sector. Last year, more than 300,000 Israeli
tourists (8% of population ) visited Turkey. Israelis find Turkey
(and a few other countries like Romania) safer for holidays to escape
tensions at home. During Paritzky’s visit agreements were signed for
a US$800 million deal for the construction of three power plants in
Israel. In March, the two sides signed an agreement for Turkey to
sell to Israel more than 50 million cubic meters of water annually
for the next 20 years.
Strained relations between Turkey and Israel caused serious concern
to USA. US president George W. Bush asked Erdogan ` to tighten
Turkey’s relationship with Israel.’ Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronot
said that Washington’s concerns were conveyed by Bush in Ankara prior
to the June NATO summit in Istanbul. It added that Bush stressed that
friendly relations between Turkey and Israel would `contribute
towards the best interests of the United States and expressed concern
that an escalation in tension may spark instability in the Middle
East.’
Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy
commented recently. “The groundwork of the Turkish-Israeli
relationship as it stands in Turkey is eroding. It’s too early to be
alarmist, but I would say that the relationship is under a serious
challenge.” “What once was a marriage of love has become a marriage
of convenience,” said Dr Anat Lapidot-Furilla, a research fellow at
Hebrew University’s Truman Institute in Jerusalem. “It is obvious
that the ‘strategic alliance’ is in a period of erosion,” commented
Turkish columnist Erdal Guven in Radikal.
History of Turkish- Israeli Relations;
Through out history Turks had good relations with the Jews. When
expelled from Spain, Jews found shelter with the Ottoman empire. Even
after the gut wrenching events of the First World War, when the
Ottoman empire collapsed, Armenians were massacred, Christians
exchanged with the Turks from Greece, Jews continued to live in
Turkey, mostly in Istanbul, providing the financial acumen earlier
supplied by Armenians and Christians.
There has been no love lost between the Arabs and the Turkic people.
Many Turks have still not forgiven the Arabs for stabbing the
Ottomans in the back in First World War by the Arab revolt led by
Lawrence of Arabia. After all, the Sultan Caliph in Istanbul was the
guardian of Muslim sacred shrines in Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
Turkey joined Organisation of Islamic Conference ( OIC) only to
garner support from Muslim states on Cyprus. Economic relations
improved with Arab states when post 1973 jump in oil prices brought
in sudde! n wealth.
But after the 1967 was and even after the 1973 war when the Arabs
used the oil weapon, Turkey did not break relations with Israel.
There was close cooperation on rightist and leftist and revolutionary
student movements which affected Turkey, specially during 1960s and
1970s. In 1971 Turkish students assassinated Israeli Consul General
in Istanbul, a former senior Mossad officer.
Israel has developed a top rate defence industry based on support and
cooperation from USA. After the end of cold war, Turkey specially its
armed forces felt a little left out. So Turkey sold itself as a
barrier between Europe and the Middle East and the Caucasus, both
`cauldrons of fundamentalism and chaos. ` Its informal alliance with
Israel, encouraged by Washington was useful for U S grants of
sophisticated arms and equipment.
The fall of the Berlin wall also brought in far-reaching shifts in
geo-strategic parameters. The potential threats from the Middle East
grew with many countries acquiring stockpiles of chemical and
biological weapons, and arsenals of ballistic missiles. Beyond
potential threats, terrorist groups like PKK and others in the region
were another menace. They could acquire chemical and biological
agents. So Turkey could no longer afford to overlook possible new
threats from the Middle East.
While Turkish policy towards Israel started changing in early 1990s,
only in 1996 the two went public and signed an agreement on military
cooperation. Much has written about this evolving relationship with
some political analysts calling it an “axis,” an “entente” or even an
`alliance. Of course there are no explicit commitments to assist one
another in the event of an armed conflict but a careful
interpretation of the provisions of the document shows that the
enhanced cooperation could even reach levels usually among allies.
Many joint military air and naval exercises were carried out since
1996. For example the so called “Anatolian Eagle,” took place in
central Anatolia in early July 2001. It included air force units of
Turkey, Israel and the United States and the air defense systems of
all three countries. The exercise simulated defense as well as combat
operations against a comprehensive air attack. Such trilateral
military exercises have put in place a mechanism for advanced
military coordination.
Then 11 September attacks against USA complicated the strategic
environment.
But the Palestinian cause always had supporters on the religious
right, the “progressive” left and even in the Turkish mainstream. The
Palestinians were faithful to the Ottoman Empire in the First World
War. Many held high Ottoman posts and intermarried with Turks. Media
coverage of the Palestinian intifada further affected the Turkish
public. Then in November, 2002 elections the Justice and Development
party (AKP), which has Islamic roots, won 2/3rd seats , although it
got only 34% of votes cast . Over 90% of Turkish population opposed
US invasion of Muslim Iraq, which the secular Turkish military was
very keen to join forcing the parliament to reject US request to open
a ! second front against Iraq. Turkish -US relations nose-dived , but
are now satisfactory.
Israel guilty in North Iraq unless proved innocent
When Erdogan publicly criticized Ariel Sharon’s policies in Occupied
Territories accusing Israel of `state terrorism `, members of his
ruling AKP, were even harsher, lambasting US policies too in Iraq.
Turkish -Israeli relationship reached a low point. Erdogan turned
down an invitation to visit Israel and temporarily withdrew his
ambassador and consul general from Israel.
Then the New Yorker revelations made the simmering differences
public. Turks were aware of Israeli activities in north Iraq. On June
23, the Israeli ambassador to Turkey, Pini Aviv, denied the New
Yorker report that Israel took advantage of the US occupation of Iraq
by expanding Israeli presence in the northern Iraq. He reassured the
Turkish foreign ministry that Israel! had decided long ago not to
meddle in Iraqi affairs.
Foreign minister Gul accepted Israeli denials. “The Israelis tell us
those allegations are not true. But everybody understands regional
and Turkish sensitivity to this issue, so we have to believe what we
are told,” the semi-official Anatolia news agency quoted Gul as
saying. “I hope our trust [of Israel] won’t prove wrong,” he added.
Turkey’s problem with its own Kurds
Turkey has serious problems with its own Kurds, who form 20 percent
of the population. But after 5 years of comparative peace and quiet
in Turkey’s southeast, there is now some upsurge in violent rebel
activity. Kurdish rebellion since 1984 against the Turkish state led
by Abdullah Ocalan of the Marxist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) cost
over 35,000 lives, including 5,000 soldiers. With a third of the
Turkish army tied up in the southeast, the cost of countering the
insurgency at its height amounted to between $6 billion to $8 billion
a year.
When ever there has been chaos and instability in north Iraq, as
during the Iraq-Iran war in 1980s or after 1991 Gulf war, PKK
activity peaked up in Turkey. The rebellion died down after the
arrest and trial of Ocalan in 1999, when a ceasefire was declared by
PKK. After a Turkish court commuted to life imprisonment the death
sentence passed on Ocalan in 2002 and the parliament granted rights
for the use of the Kurdish language, some of the root causes of the
Kurdish rebellion were removed. TV broadcasts in Kurdish have already
begun. Till mid-1980s even the use of word Kurd was taboo and could
even lead to imprisonment.
Turkey fears that any moves to bolster Kurdish autonomy in Iraq could
pave the way to the formation of a Kurdish state in Iraq and
eventually fuel separatism among its own Kurds. Turkey also uses the
pretext of protecting the rights of its ethnic cousins the Turkmen,
traditionally settled around Kirkuk.
Olmert’s Visit to Ankara
Ehud Olmert is an influential figure in the Israeli Cabinet and is in
charge of ministries of industry, trade and labor. Apart from a
meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, he had a “friendly,
sincere and serious discussion” with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Olmert said that “Gul repeated again the commitment of Turkey to
carry on the relations with Israel on the friendly basis as in the
past.’ Olmert added that Israeli officials would soon visit Turkey to
“continue the dialogue that we started. He also assured the Turkish
leaders that Israel was not engaged in any relationship with Iraqi
Kurds in northern Ira! q that co! uld jeopardize Turkish interests.
Gul made no public comments but many analysts believe that Turkey is
reassessing relations that were so close in the past. Erdogan offered
a warm reception to Syria’s visiting prime minister, Naji al- Otri
hours before Olmert’s arrival which Abdullah said was just a
coincidence. There was an important Iranian delegation too in town.
Olmert played down Erdogan’s outbursts and his not being able to meet
with him in an interview with CNN-Turk television. “The two countries
enjoy economic relations that are constantly growing deeper. Our
relations are stable and will keep on growing. Israel wants to
maintain its strategic ties with Turkey,” said Olmert. He also denied
reports that Israeli agents were operating in northern Iraq and
provided training to Iraqi Kurdish peshmergas. “Israel has no
relations with Kurds in the north of Iraq. Turkish authorities know
about all the details. We want a united Iraq. We would never act
against the interests of Turkey,” Olmert told CNN-Turk.
In Olmert’s talks with Abdullah Gül, apart from bilateral relations,
the two sides focused on Turkey`s role in the Middle East peace
process and recent developments. Olmert said that Israel considered
Turkey a powerful force for stability in the Middle East. “Turkey
would play an important role and would be a great power in the
region,’ he added. Olmert also informed Gul about plans for the
Israeli army withdrawal from the Gaza strip but cautioned that
preparations would require some time. “One must understand that
pulling out the settlements is not a simple operation. It has to be
carefully prepared, and! it takes time. We are in favor of
accelerating ! the preparations anyway if it is possible, so we shall
see,” he said.
Abdullah Gül on the other hand said “Sustainable peace in the Middle
East should be provided immediately. Turkey is ready to do its best,
” Gül said. He reiterated Turkey`s readiness to mediate with a view
to finding a solution to the Middle East conflict.
Olmert told the daily Sabah that Israel proposed setting up a
telephone hotline between Israel and Turkey to help avoid further
tensions between the two allies. Israel was willing to give detailed
information about their policies on a daily basis.
Yilmaz Oztuna wrote in Turkiye that ` rescuing Palestinians from
oppression and forging an Arab-Israeli peace, — is a `mission
impossible.’ Former US President Bill Clinton couldn’t manage it.
This knot won’t be untied anytime soon. — We don’t have the power to
be a Middle East peace broker. Even if we had it, this would go
against our interests. Anyway, what Mideast country would ask us to
serve as mediator? These are hard political realities, not stuff for
romantics and idealists.’
Yes, but the Turkish offer to mediate in Middle East is a policy
change brought in by Erdoagn government, which earlier was of benign
neglect. Once annoyed when told that there were El Al planes in
Istanbul, Turkish president Turgut Ozal told the visiting Saudi
foreign minister that it was Turkish policy not to meddle in disputes
amongst its former subjects.
Olmert meets with Turkish Media
Olmert was more assertive in his breakfast meeting with Turkish
journalists. When asked whether Turkey would undertake a role to find
a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Olmert said that
Israel was carrying out unilateral action (with drawl from Gaza and
parts of the West bank) as setting up a dialogue would be a waste of
time. It was to change the situation in the region. Neither Turkey
nor the United States could do much now adding that Turkey would play
an important role in future to provide stability and promote
democracy in the region. Stressing that unilateral wit! hdrawal o! f
Israel from Gaza strip was of historic importance, Olmert stressed
that it was being achieved under the Likud leadership.
When questioned on relations between Israel and Syria, Olmert said
that Israel gave priority to withdrawal from Gaza strip and formation
of the coalition government. Asked about the West Bank barrier,
recently ruled as a violation of international laws by the
International Court of Justice, Olmert said it was purely a defensive
measure. ” Once the terror ends, the fence will be removed. The fence
is reversible, death is not.” The standard Israeli line.
Olmert and his Turkish counterpart for the Joint Economic Committee
meeting, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Sami Guclu, set an
ambitious goal of doubling the two-way trade. Olmert said that an
effort would be made to create better investment climate for the
Turkish companies, which were doing well in Israel. He showed
interest in energy projects in southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP)
(the project is in Turkey’s Kurdish region across Iraqi Kurdistan ).
Other areas identified for cooperation were in technology,
telecommunication, agriculture and infrastructure.
Recent changes in Turkey
Prime minister Erdogan’s AK party emerged from the ashes of 4 Islamic
parties, banned earlier by the secular establishment led by the armed
forces, but it now feels more secure. Taking advantage of Europe
Union requirement to harmonise Turkey’s system to Copenhagen
criteria, AKP has successfully sidelined the military, which had
exercised power through its domination of the National Security
Council (NSC). From a top policy making forum, NSC has now been
reduced to an advisory role. Compared to earlier regimes perceived as
corrupt, AKP has further strengthened itself by following transparent
governance. It did very well in April municipal elections.
There is a clear erosion in the strategic relationship between Turkey
and Israel which denotes a decline of the Turkish military in
politics, said Amnon Barzilie in Haa’rez. A decision to put Turkey on
a course towards EU membership would strengthen Erdogan, and weaken
the military, according to Israeli Defense Ministry. EU membership
would mean that the Turkish government would wield all its influence
to make arms deals with EU countries instead of Israel.
Since 1996, when the strategic dialogue between Israel and Turkey
began, numerous deals were signed with the Israeli arms industry in
order to “punish” EU countries, which refused EU membership to
Turkey, the Israeli defense establishment says. In December, the
heads of the EU will decide on a date for Turkey to begin accession
talks. While full membership is unlikely soon, some via media would
be found with Turkey coming closer to EU policies
According to this analysis a EU decision to delay membership for
Turkey would strengthen the Turkish military which could even depose
Erdogan and call for fresh elections. One of the first moves would
then be a large arms deal with Israel. Now, the Turkish military has
no choice but to sit tight. Erdogan’s harsh criticism of Israel’s
actions in the territories was a powerful expression of that change.
But Turkey still looks at Israel as its partner in this part of the
world and, therefore, where security and economic interests are
concerned, there would be no change for the worse. Israeli Defense
analysts noted that the U.S. sees strategic importance in ! Turkey’s
joining the EU, as it regards Turkey as a model to prove that there
is no contradiction between a Muslim state and a democratic one.
Dr. Alon Liel, chairman of the Turkey-Israel Chamber! of Commerce
believed that the Turkish army is getting weaker, but that the
Defense Ministry is suffering from fixed ideas and indifference.
“It’s true that in the short term Turkey’s entrance into the EU will
harm arms sales to Israel but the implications for the Middle East
will be so dramatic that in the final analysis it will work to
benefit Israel,” Liel said. This is a farfetched analysis.
Without question, the Iraq war and, in particular, the developments
in northern Iraq have kindled a rapprochement between Turkey and Iran
and Turkey and Syria in spite of US opposition. Turkey now pursues a
strategy of strengthening its ties with the countries in the region.
Since AKP’s coming to power two years ago, Turkey has strengthened
relations with other eastern countries, while making all efforts t! o
fulfill Copenhagen criteria to join EU. EU countries to some extent,
are trying to maintain their relationship with Tehran and Damascus. A
Turkish diplomat said that this should be evaluated, not as
opposition to the United States, but as a result of the recent
developments.
India- Israel relations;
Of course relations between India and Israel would now remain
unobtrusive and in low key. Even the Bhartiya Janta party led Indian
government had balanced Sharon’s September visit last year by
receiving a week earlier Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Sha’ath
as President Yasser Arafat was under siege. Two days before the
Sharon’s visit a senior Indian official said, `We accept and
recognize Yasser Arafat as the President of Palestine.’
There were many write ups against Sharon’ visit and his policies in
Indian media. Opposition parties from the left of the centre i.e. the
communist parties; the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and
the Janata Dal (S) participated in protests against the visit. The
Congress party, then in opposition, did not join in the protests but
made it clear that the party’s position of supporting the Palestine
cause and an independent state of Palestine remained undiluted.
US-Israeli-Indian axis
The idea of so called tripartite US-Israeli -Indian axis was mooted
after the September 11 attacks on USA and was publicly broached by
India’s national security adviser, Brajesh Mishra in Washington at
the annual meeting of the American Jewish Committee, where many
American congressmen were also present. After emphasizing the
similarities between the three countries, he said: “India, the US and
Israel have some fundamental similarities. We are all democ! racies,
sharing a common vision of pluralism, tolerance and equal
opportunity. Stronger India-US relations and India-Israel relations
have (therefore) a natural logic”. He then called for the
establishment of a US-Israel-India axis to fight “the menace of
global terrorism” by military means, i.e. “fight terror with terror”.
The proposal was warmly welcomed by US officials and pro-Israeli
lobby. Jews and Indian Americans also came together in USA. Despite
their obvious differences, the alliance has the potential to increase
the clout of the two communities which are about 5.2 million Jews and
1.8 million Indians, but highly educated, affluent and attached to
democratic homelands facing what they increasingly view as a common
enemy. But how much influence it has exercised on USA on India’s core
problem of cross border terrorism!
Ed Blanche wrote in Beirut’s `The Daily Star ` on July 17,’ In India,
the demise of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
government in parliamentary elections in May was seen as potentially
major setback for Israel’s plans for extending its influence into the
subcontinent to help contain Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile
programs and into the energy-rich Muslim republics of Central Asia in
conjunction with the Americans.
The BJP had become a major buyer of Israeli arms and
counter-intelligence expertise and had forged unprecedented ties with
the Jewish state. The new government under the Congress Party, which
throughout the Cold War was staunchly pro-Arab and has said it will
take a more even-handed approach to the Middle East, is not expected
to be so pro-Israel. The new government unveiled its policy road map
on May 27, which said that India would remain committed to the cause
of a Palestinian homeland and that new impetus would be given to
diplomatic and economic relations with Arab states.
A recent scandal in India’s premier intelligence agency, the Research
and Analysis Wing (RAW), in which a senior officer recruited by the
CIA defected as security authorities closed in on him, has raised
fears that the US and Israeli intelligence services have penetrated
India’s intelligence establishment.
Asian intelligence sources told The Daily Star that Israel’s Mossad,
as well as the CIA, sought to recruit Indian intelligence operatives
attending seminars in Israel in recent years and apparently succeeded
in some cases. All this is likely to further damage Israel-India
relations.
US and Israeli analysts believe that the Congress Party, which
restored relations with Israel in 1992, will issue some tough
statements, “then things will settle down.” But even the Americans
are bracing for some policy shifts by the Congress-led government in
New Delhi, which relies on the support of leftists, who oppose
proximity to the US and the occupation of Iraq, to survive. Some US
officials in Washington, along with Jewish organizations, are deeply
! concerned about a rupture in Indian-Israeli relations that were
enthusiastically supported by the Bush administration, especially the
hawks in the P! entagon, in part to help counterbalance China,
America’s emerging strategic rival.
There is no expectation at this time that either Ankara or New Delhi
plan to sever relations with Israel. But it is clear that their
relationships with the Jewish state are becoming more hard-headed,
particularly because of Israeli heavy-handedness with the
Palestinians and because of Iraq. Whether this will result in reining
in Sharon remains to be seen, but some big changes may be in the
offing.’
Conclusion And if US can not enforce its will, how can Israel hope to
shape the region. Disruption and chaos, yes . And if US were forced
to withdraw even with a face saving solution with help from
international community, it might then look for a scapegoat.
If Israel wants to play a role in creating an independent Kurdistan,
it would become a willing tool in the regional balance at US behest.
But such a development would be inimical to Turkey and would not be
accepted by it. By now it should be clear that the developments in
Iraq would be determined by the growing insurgency now blossoming
into full-fledged resistance for removing US occupation and for
freedom. Certainly Bush administration and even those opposing it now
in USA can see the strength, depth and ! resilience of Iraqis who
refuse to be subjugated. How would the dice roll for Iraqi Kurds is
difficult to predict. But a break up of Iraq would have unforeseen
consequences even beyond the region. The struggle has only begun in
full earnest.
With a stock of nearly 100 nuclear bombs as reported in the media,
Egypt shackled and thus neutralized and with a US veto on demand,
Israel has shown itself as a wild and irresponsible state in the
region, bent upon creating chaos.
(K Gajendra Singh, served as Indian Ambassador to Turkey and
Azerbaijan in 1992-96. Prior to that, he served as ambassador to
Jordan (during the 1990-91 Gulf war), Romania and Senegal. He is
currently chairman of the Foundation for Indo-Turkic Studies. The
views expressed here are his own.- [email protected] )

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 23 2004
CONDOLEEZZA RICE: `USA CONSIDERS AZERBAIJAN CLOSE FRIEND AND ALLY’
[July 23, 2004, 22:15:35]
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov who is
staying with a working visit in Washington on the invitation of the
US State Secretary Colin Powell, on July 22 and 23 has carried out a
number of meetings in the capital of US.
As the correspondent of AzerTAj informs, during the discussions which
have been carried out with the assistant of the State Secretary on
Europe and Eurasia affairs Elizabeth Jones, the assistant on
military-political affairs Lincoln Bloomfield, the assistant on
democracy, human rights and work by Michael Cossack, the Ambassador
Plenipotentiary on international religious freedom John Hanford, Mr.
Elmar Mammadyarov has in detail informed about carried out in
Azerbaijan political and economic reforms, integration of our country
into the NATO and other European structures, the steps undertaken by
the government in the direction of improvement of situation,
connected with human rights. The sides have carried out exchange of
opinions on a wide spectrum of relations between the USA and
Azerbaijan.
At the meeting with the American co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group
and the adviser on diplomacy of the Caspian basin Steven Mann,
discussed were ways of settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict and power projects carried out in our region.
Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov also has met assistant to the US President on
national security affairs Condoleezza Rice. Madam Rice has thanked
the Azerbaijan side for the support rendered to struggle against
global terror. Having expressed satisfaction with development of
connections between our countries, Ms. Rice has told: `The United
States considers Azerbaijan its `close friend and ally’.
Elmar Mammadyarov has told about situation in the complex geo-politic
region in which Azerbaijan is located, about reforms carried out in
our country. The Minister has noted, that the relations between
Azerbaijan and the USA continue to remain at the level of strategic
partnership.
The sides also have had exchange of views on development and
transportation of power resources of the Caspian basin, programs of
the US assistance in region of Southern Caucasus, relations of
Azerbaijan with the next states. The Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict was one of themes of negotiations. Condoleezza Rice
has emphasized, that the US are interested in the immediate peace
settlement of the problem and as the intermediary in the given area
would support efforts on search of ways of settlement of the
conflict.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has met also Congressmen –
James Gibbon and chairman of subcommittee on external operations of
the House of Representatives by James Coble. On discussions with
American legislators, Elmar Mammadyarov has emphasized, that the
decision of the Congress on granting in 2005 fiscal year of the
military aid to Azerbaijan and Armenia in the identical size has not
been unequivocally perceived in the country. He has stated: `While
from first day of antiterrorist struggle Azerbaijan shows real
support to the US, the Congress’s similar decisions directs the
public of our country false political message. In reply to it, the
Congressmen have noted, that they would try to bring to the notice of
their colleagues the position of Azerbaijan in the said question.
Elmar Mammadyarov also met the board of editors of the newspaper
`Washington Times’, has answered their numerous questions.
The American-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce has held a reception in
honor of Minister of Foreign Affairs of our country. On reception,
there were representatives of a diplomatic corps in Washington, the
governmental structures of the US, the non-governmental
organizations.
On July 24, Mr. Elmar Mammadyarov is to come back to Baku.

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep
July 23 2004
Georgia: Frustration Grows Among Azeri Community
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

While Georgia is striving to restore control over its northern
separatist province of South Ossetia, tension is brewing in its
predominantly Azeri southern districts. Local residents blame the
Georgian president for failing to deliver on pre-election pledges to
improve social conditions in the region. The situation has sparked
concerns in neighboring Azerbaijan, where voices are rising in
defense of Georgia’s largest Muslim minority.
Prague, 23 July 2004 (RFE/RL) — Since they were elected a few months
ago, the two young leaders of Azerbaijan and Georgia have been vowing
mutual friendship and pledging to take neighborly ties to new
heights, while increasing bilateral trade to unprecedented levels.
Yet, concerns over the fate of Georgia’s sizable Azeri community have
cast a shadow over this idyllic picture.
Estimates generally put the number of Georgia’s Azeris at around
350,000. Most of them live in four of the six administrative
districts of the southwestern Kvemo Kartli region, an area that is
known as Borcali in Azeri. Azeris account for nearly 50 percent of
the Kvemo Kartli population.
Tensions began rising after Georgian security forces two months ago
raided Azeri border villages and arrested a number of residents as
part of what was officially presented as an attempt to put an end to
smuggling operations from Azerbaijan.
In recent weeks, Baku-based newspapers have been reporting on alleged
extortion, arbitrary detentions, and other forms of harassment
against Azeri community leaders. First among them has been the
Russian-language “Zerkalo” daily, which has been spearheading a
campaign of support to Kvemo Kartli Azeris.
But Georgian authorities deny any wrongdoing.
Kvemo Kartli Governor Soso Mamzishvili tells our correspondent that
such accusations are unfounded:
“All these reports about alleged violations of ethnic Azeris’ rights
are out of place. What [these people in Baku] say or write is sheer
provocation. Neither I nor any other Georgian has had any conflict
[with ethnic Azeris]. There can be no talk of rights violations
against [Georgia’s] Azeris,” Mamzishvili said.
Azeris are Georgia’s second-largest ethnic minority group after the
Armenians.
They are also among the least integrated — a circumstance that
officials in Tbilisi generally ascribe to the fact that 90 percent of
them reportedly do not speak Georgian.
Azeris, in turn, blame the successive Georgian governments that took
over from Soviet rule.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, collective property was abolished
throughout Georgia. But as Azerbaijani poet Eyvaz Borcali tells
RFE/RL, the then government of hard-line nationalist President Zviad
Gamsakhurdia denied Kvemo Kartli Azeris the right to purchase land.
Borcali is a native from Kvemo Kartli who runs a Baku-based
nongovernmental group known as the Borcali Society. He says most
Azeris continued to be denied land ownership rights after former
Georgian Communist Party head Eduard Shevardnadze returned to power
following Gamsakhurdia’s ouster.
“Shevardnadze has done nothing good [for the Azeris]. He made only
empty pledges, and he did nothing [to correct his predecessor’s
policy]. Many Azeris are denied access to lands that belonged to
their ancestors. Those lands have been taken by Georgians and are
being given to Azeris for temporary use. [Sometimes] the Georgian
owners are not even from the region. There are cases of urban
Georgians who own lands in villages that have been Azeri since the
dawn of time and let them to local residents,” Borcali said.
Unofficial figures show up to 70 percent of Kvemo Kartli’s
predominantly rural Azeris are still denied access to land and are
forced either to rent plots or hire themselves to Georgian farmers.
Georgia’s Azeris are now showing signs of impatience.
Earlier this year, Azeri demonstrators picketed Saakashvili’s office
in Tbilisi to request that land be redistributed fairly among Kvemo
Kartli residents. They also demanded that steps be taken to restore
Turkic village names that were
“Georgianized” under Gamsakhurdia and that Azeris be better
represented in local administrations.
Observers generally agree that simmering tension in Kvemo Kartli
partly stems from the high expectations raised by the recent change
of political leadership in Tbilisi.
During his election campaign in December 2003, Saakashvili promised
Kvemo Kartli residents that he would meet their political and social
demands, vowing to grant all citizens equal rights regardless of
their ethnicity.
As other Georgian regions, Kvemo Kartli voted massively for
Saakashvili’s National Movement-led coalition in the 28 March
legislative elections. But now local Azeris are demanding action.
Unlike many in Baku, Azerbaijani lawyer Isaxan Asurov — another
native of Kvemo Kartli — does not believe the situation of Georgia’s
Azeris has significantly deteriorated under the new Georgian
leadership. Yet, neither has it improved, he says.
“One cannot say that the situation has worsened. Simply it remains
unchanged, and that worries people. During his election campaign,
Saakashvili himself raised such issues as the land reform or the
under-representation of local Azeris in official structures. But he
has still to fulfill his promises. That explains why we are unhappy,”
Asurov said.
Kvemo Kartli Governor Mamzishvili denies Georgia’s new leaders have
remained idle in the past seven months and says measures are being
taken to address the land issue.
“We are taking steps. We are currently reviewing all land contracts.
With respect to land, Georgians and Azeris alike face problems. We
are taking back all lands that have been purchased without being put
up for auction and we will organize new tenders. We are
redistributing land according to the existing legislation,”
Mamzishvili said.
Mamzishvili is the third governor to run the region since
Shevardnadze’s ousting. He claims that, since he was appointed last
February, he has managed to bring gas and electricity supplies in the
region to near nationwide standards.
Borcali says that, even if that were true, that would not be enough
to alleviate the plight of Kvemo Kartli Azeris. “When one is supplied
with gas and electricity,” he says, “that does not mean that one’s
problems are solved.”

Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review
July 23 2004
Gul pleased because Turkey will continue the occupation of EU
territory without political cost
Istanbul YENI SAFAK newspaper (22.07.04) publishes an interview with
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul by Yeni Safak Ankara Representative
Mustafa Karaalioglu aboard the flight to occupied Cyprus under the
title “No obstacles to negotiations”.
The Turkish Foreign Minister made the following disclosures
concerning the issues on the political agenda.
EU: No gray areas left for Europe
“I do not see any hurdles to the commencement of negotiations with
the EU. I am not saying this in the fashion of an ordinary politician
or statesman. I am not saying it either in a manner intended to get
across the message that “we should have started negotiations two
years ago.” I am a deputy prime minister and foreign minister brave
enough to say some three months ago that “if I were writing the
progress report, I would not write a favorable one.” We had
shortcomings then. However, while I certainly cannot say Turkey is
flawless, nobody can now accuse our country of having shortcomings
great enough to disqualify it. Can you imagine the degree of our
determination? Not even the bureaucracy has been able to keep pace
with us. We convened Parliament during the summer recess and on the
last night before the deadline, we passed two important EU bills we
had promised to enact. We passed the Associations Bill as well as a
bill regarding the ‘Compensation of Damages Resulting From the
Struggle Against Terrorism.’ There is only one way for Europe. There
are no gray areas left.”
Negotiations should last ten years yet …
“The issue of whether negotiations can start in April or March is a
minor detail. What is important is that the date of negotiations be
set in a way that leaves no room for doubt whatsoever. The talks will
take some ten years. We as Turkey would prefer the negotiations to
last long. This is how it should happen because where large countries
are in question, major preparations are required. The negotiation
process is really a very complicated thing in itself.”
Israel: Their own Ministers are leveling criticisms
“The state of our relations with Israel should not be interpreted as
being the result of the change in regional balances. Turkey can never
act blindly. We are maintaining very good relations with regional as
well as non-regional countries. The thing about Israel is this: We
are not the only country to criticize Israel for some of its
policies. Israel’s own Justice Minister and other countries have
criticized Israel, too. Indeed, everybody has criticized Israel. Have
Israel’s relations with Turkey been severed because of this? No, they
have not. On the contrary, our relations with Israel and Palestine
are increasing our capability to contribute to the peace process.
[Israel’s] Deputy Prime Minister came to Turkey. We talked with him
openly and sincerely and told him what we think. Our relations [with
Israel] are continuing as part of our foreign policy. We are also
holding talks [with Israel]. These will continue.”
Armenia: We wish them well
“Such an issue (relations with Armenia) cannot be left frozen while
all other issues are being solved. We are trying to settle that
problem, too. Armenia is beset by economic troubles in many ways. We
would not want the people of a neighboring country to be wracked by
troubles regardless of which country might be in question. We would
want to help. Yet there are circumstances restricting our ability to
proffer help. At a time when some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory
is under [Armenian] occupation … There are difficulties created by
this situation. We feel responsible about this matter and we are
trying to play the role of catalyst for the settlement of this
problem. I cannot say that we have gone a long way toward achieving
this purpose yet during the Istanbul meeting, all three countries at
least expressed their determination to hold talks about the problem
and work on it. There is a need to be courageous.”
Northern Iraq: We are making a great contribution to Iraq
We see Iraq as a whole rather than talking about a north or a south.
Important things are happening there. As far as Turkey’s interests
are concerned, there is no need for anyone to be worried. We as
Iraq’s neighbors are going to discuss the situation in Iraq for the
seventh time in Egypt. The UN is keeping a close watch on Iraq. The
Americans are also keeping a close watch on this country. This is a
very difficult period. Yet Turkey is doing its best to make favorable
contributions to Iraq. And we are contributing a lot.
The seminary is a global issue
Some work is being conducted in connection with the Halki Seminary.
However, this is a long-standing issue. There are no dates set for
anything. There are problems. This is not like Germans coming to
Manavgat to open a church. This is a historical and global issue. On
the other hand, we attach a lot of importance to religious freedoms
regardless of anything. We will consider everyone within this
framework, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Efforts are continuing yet
it is not as if a briefing has been held at this point for the
President or the Prime Minister.
Cyprus: Our gain is worth more than any amount of money
There are two important topics in the Cyprus issue: first, the future
of Turkish Cypriots, second, the incredible problems being created
for Turkey by those using Cyprus as an excuse. A crucial turning
point regarding both matters was reached sometime ago. This issue
used to be exploited as a flimsy pretext to conduct an incredible
propaganda campaign and create an unfavorable international image for
Turkey. By being represented as a quarrelsome country trying to
achieve certain military interests, unable to comprehend Europe’s
culture of compromise, entirely incapable of talking peace, and
always relying on crude force, Turkey was forced to pay incredible
political prices. Our latest polices and the results of the Cyprus
referenda have relieved Turkey. From now on, nobody can exploit
Cyprus to Turkey’s detriment. Not only have the obstacles placed
before Turkey by those abusing the Cyprus issue been removed through
our policies but they have also turned into pluses for Turkey. It has
been proven that Turkey supports peace and compromise. This is a gain
worth more than billions of dollars.
Direct flights to start
It has been understood who wants peace on the island, is open to
compromise, and supports coexistence. Because of their confidence in
the Greek Cypriots, many world leaders felt deceived [in the wake of
the Cyprus referenda]. They began to realize the injustices done to
the Turks. Where once they did not think it right to shake hands with
Turkish Cypriots’ representatives and their President and Prime
Minister, let alone calling them president or prime minister,
visiting them in their offices, or inviting them to official
functions, the Russian, American, and British foreign ministers are
now coming together with the Prime Minister of the “Turkish Republic
of Cyprus”. Let me also point out that the first direct flights will
be starting soon and there will be more to follow.
The support of the Islamic Conference Organization
Last year, Mr Denktas took part in the joint meeting of the
Organization of Islamic Conference and EU Foreign Ministers as “the
representative of the Muslim people of Cyprus.” At this year’s
meeting in Istanbul, it was decided to refer to the Turkish Cypriot
side at the General Assembly of the Organization of Islamic
Conference not as a Muslim community but as the Turkish Cypriot
State. Certain foreign ministers from Muslim countries visited
[Northern Cyprus]. Others will start paying visits from now on. There
is a lot that we must do and there is a lot that the Turkish Cypriot
Republic must do. The Turkish Cypriot government should effect a
rapprochement with Islamic countries and increase the number of
visits to these countries.
We too would have decided to carry out an operation 30 years ago
One should not brag about the 30-year Turkish foreign policy in
talking about Cyprus because Turkey went to Cyprus 30 years ago with
very just reasons and powers invested by international agreements. We
would have made the same decision if we had been in power then. Yet
during recent years, Turkey followed a policy that regarded
non-settlement itself as a solution. Denktas was the person who
implemented this policy. Yet the policy had become very detrimental
to both Cyprus and Turkey. It needed to be changed. We did that very
courageously. Now what is in question is an achievement acclaimed by
the entire world.
Denktas sounded like he was talking at a coffeehouse
I disregarded the manner of Denktas’ remarks during the 30th
anniversary celebrations. For, he gave the kind of speech that one
would make at a coffeehouse, a political arena, or an election rally.
There were representatives of the Turkish Republic and Government
before him. He should not have delivered the sort of speech that one
would make at an election rally or in a coffeehouse. Yet I am willing
to overlook it. I was not offended either. We are going to continue
to do what we believe to be right.