6 December 2001

1. “Cyprus leaders hold historic meeting”, President Glafcos Clerides has become the first Greek Cypriot head of state to visit the Turkish-occupied north of the island since its partition 27 years ago.

2. “Powell: Iraq Remains a Concern”, Secretary of State Colin Powell told anxious Turkish leaders on Wednesday that President Bush has not yet decided whether the next phase of the war on terrorism should include Iraq.

3. “Controversy over Prison Watch Commission”, the Prison Watch Commission (PWC), who's members were chosen by the City Justice Commission and are made up of high-level judges and prosecutors, aim to inspect the prisons, especially F-type prisons, and end the controversial speculation on human rights violations.

4. “HADEP: On rise”, HADEP Party Assembly and provincial chairmen made a meeting, stating that assaults on their party would damage the democratisation process. They emphasized that the attacks could not prevent it from rising.

5. “Noam Chomsky caught on Turkish legal net“, the world famous linguist, Noam Chomsky’s book, ”American Interventionism”, is currently facing charges of ”separatism” in Turkey.

6. “Iraqi Kurds Wary of U.S. Action Against Iraq”, Northern Iraq's two main Kurdish factions said on Wednesday they were wary of the U.S. war on terrorism targeting President Saddam Hussein's government and said Iraqis must be left to decide their country's fate.

1. – BBC – “Cyprus leaders hold historic meeting”:

President Glafcos Clerides has become the first Greek Cypriot head of state to visit the Turkish-occupied north of the island since its partition 27 years ago.

Mr Clerides crossed the United Nations-controlled buffer zone between the island's two entities for talks over dinner with the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.

The visit comes a day after the two leaders held their first face-to-face talks in four years during which they agreed to hold negotiations on the island's reunification.

Neither leader spoke to reporters before or after the two-and-a-half hour dinner, which is said to have included specialities popular on both sides of the island.

UN special envoy Alvaro de Soto also attended the event at Mr Denktash's residence.

'Social event'

President Clerides was welcomed on the other side of the buffer zone by a group of Turkish Cypriots who released white balloons and two white doves into the air.

But on his side of the island, he was criticised by Greek Cypriot opposition parties and refugee associations who said he should visit the north while refugees were not allowed to return to their homes there.

Critics said his move could be interpreted as a move toward recognition of the breakaway state, which is only recognised by Turkey.

Before leaving for the north, Mr Clerides said it would "be strange if I agreed to talk with Mr Denktash but not to eat together."

The leader of the northern Cyprus also tried to play down the significance of the dinner invitation.

"This is a social event. Do not make Clerides regret coming to dinner," he told reporters asking them not to exaggerate its importance.

Tuesday's agreement to begin talks on reunification in January has been hailed as a breakthrough by observers.

Both sides have agreed to sit down at the negotiating table with no preconditions and continue until they reach a settlement of the island's 27-year dispute.

BBC correspondent Gerald Butt says it is a much more hopeful outcome than had been expected, and represents the start of a new peace process for Cyprus.

But, he says discussion of the issues themselves in January is likely to prove difficult, as there is nothing to suggest that either leader has shifted his position.

2. – AP – “Powell: Iraq Remains a Concern”:

ANKARA / By TOM RAUM

Secretary of State Colin Powell told anxious Turkish leaders on Wednesday that President Bush has not yet decided whether the next phase of the war on terrorism should include Iraq.

The United States remains concerned about Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein efforts to acquire nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, Powell said.

``But the president has made no decision with respect to what the next phase in our campaign against terrorism might be,'' he said.

Turkish officials had pressed Powell to clarify the U.S. position amid rising speculation that the United States might go after Iraq next.

``No country would like to see trouble in its neighbor(hood),'' Turkish Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in a joint news conference with Powell.

Powell welcomed ``positive developments'' in talks in Germany over a post-Taliban government. Afghan factions agreed on an interim government for the next six months headed by anti-Taliban commander Hamid Karzai.

``Now the real work is ahead as we put that interim government in place in Kabul,'' said Powell.

Powell said the United States will consult with allies over ``what support may be required to make it a viable government.''

Powell spoke before the Pentagon announced that Two American soldiers were killed and 20 wounded in Afghanistan when a B-52 bomber missed its target.

Turkey, the first Muslim nation to pledge troops to be Afghan peacekeepers, has voiced concern about widening the war to Iraq.

``We don't want an American operation concerning Iraq,'' President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Tuesday.

Some hard-liners in the Bush administration want Iraq to be the next theater in the war, but Powell insisted no decision has yet been made.

``The president has indicated for a long time that we are concerned about Iraq as it tries to develop weapons of mass destruction. We're doing everything we can to keep it from getting such weapons. We also know that Iraq is a sponsor of terrorism over the years. And that continues to be a concern of ours,'' Powell said.

Ankara was the second stop on Powell's eight-day, ten nation tour of Europe and central Asia.

After a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Powell on Wednesday had separate meetings with Sezer, Cem and Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

Powell was heading next for Brussels, Belgium, for discussions with NATO representatives. He goes to former Soviet republics in central Asian later in the week and to Moscow over the weekend.

The trip's main theme of rebuilding Afghanistan has been overshadowed by the flare-ups in the Middle East this week. A suicide bomber set off an explosion Wednesday outside a hotel in Jerusalem, following two days of Israeli military strikes against Palestinian targets in Gaza and the West Bank.

Noting that latest incident, Powell on Wednesday repeated a U.S. plea that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat do more to control terrorist organizations. He suggested the latest violence did little to buttress Arafat's claim that he was making a 100-percent effort to end the violence.

``We'd like to see a zero level of violence,'' Powell said. ``As long as bombs keep going off, it's very difficult to put in place conditions leading to a cease fire.''

Powell said Turkey has an important role to play in the Middle East ``as a friend of both sides.''

Turkey was a launching pad for allied air attacks against Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War. There remain about 50 U.S. warplanes in southern Turkey to monitor a ``no fly'' zone over northern Iraq.

Recent remarks by President Bush and other U.S. officials have fueled speculation that an Iraqi campaign might be next. Bush late last month challenged Saddam Hussein to allow U.N. weapons inspectors back into Iraq and declared that Saddam would ``find out'' the consequences if he refuses.

The Turkish government fears that if Saddam is overthrown, Iraqi Kurds who control a de facto autonomous zone in northern Iraq would take advantage of a power vacuum to establish a Kurdish state. This, in turn, could boost the aspirations of autonomy-seeking Turkish Kurdish guerrillas.

A war in Iraq could also deepen Turkey's economic problems.

Cem told reporters that Turkey's reluctance to see an Iraqi campaign was well known to the United States. He called on Iraq to fully comply with all U.N. resolutions.

Powell applauded Turkey's offer of troops for duty in Afghanistan. At this point, ``we haven't discussed a specific role that Turkish peacekeeping forces might play,'' he said.

Powell also said he would bring back to Washington Turkey's requests for to lower U.S. duties on Turkish textile and other exports.

3. – Turkish Daily News – “Controversy over Prison Watch Commission”:

Serdar Alyamac

The Prison Watch Commission (PWC), who's members were chosen by the City Justice Commission and are made up of high-level judges and prosecutors, aim to inspect the prisons, especially F-type prisons, and end the controversial speculation on human rights violations.

Following changes to the Anti-terrorism Law, which brought about the establishment of the PWC, as well as lifting isolation by providing conditions for inmates to meet for cultural, sports and social activities, the way the PWC was put together has caused controversy. The law authorized the City Justice Commissions to establish the PWC, however the candidates of Bar Associations and Chambers of Doctors were excluded, despite provisions in the article stating that representatives of these profession chambers should be included.

Izmir Bar Association PWC Director Ismail Hanoglu, talking to the Turkish Daily News, said that degrading treatment and torture in prisons continued. Hanoglu stressed, "We, as the watch commission of Izmir Bar, are recording and reporting human right violations in prisons. Unfortunately, the change of the Anti-terrorism Law has not made any changes in prisons up to now."

Talking about the human rights violations in F-type prisons, Hanoglu said, "Music is broadcast in the F-type prisons, however, they broadcast music constantly, and inmates cannot turn it down or turn it off. Also, during the transfer of inmates to the F-type prison, inmates were punched and their hair was cut badly. With the change of the Anti-terrorism Law, isolation was lifted and inmates could see each other, but according to complaints by inmates to their lawyers, they are not allowed to talk each other. When we receive these kinds of complaints, we inform the Izmir Public Prosecutor."

Hanoglu pointed out that they had offered five people for inclusion in the PWC, however they were not chosen. "They chose retired people for the commission, despite us putting forward five people with relevant backgrounds. Except for one person in the commission, it has been turned into a heaven for the retired.

Izmir Bar Association Chairman Noyan Ozkan also told the Turkish Daily News that it was incredible that they had offered five people for the commission, but not one of them had been chosen. "The PWC was presented as a reform, but implementation is much important than establishment. We carefully defined five people who had great backgrounds about the implementations in prison and offered them for the commission, but none of them were chosen, this is ridiculous."

Touching on a contradiction in the commission, Ozkan said, "A retired prosecutor was chosen for the commission. This person was Izmir prosecutor during the conflict in Buca Prison on Sept. 21, 1995. During this conflict, three inmates were killed. Furthermore, the prosecutor of that term, Melih Dari was chosen for the commission. He should not be chosen for a PWC that aims to prevent human rights violations."

Ozkan said that they as the Izmir Bar have set up watching commissions for the prisons. He added, "We set up this commission because there was a need, and we had experience. But our candidates were not chosen, this is not proper implementation." Ozkan stressed that the child had been born handicapped with this implementation: "The City Justice Commission could have made a good choice, however they did not do this. For that reason, the child was born handicapped."

Izmir Chamber of Doctors Chairman Fatih Surenkok said that the City Justice Commission had demanded the Chamber send five names to take place in the PWC, however the candidates of the Chamber were not chosen for the commission, despite the article in the law saying that representatives of professional chambers should take part in the commission. He went on to say that: It is impossible to understand this. It is clear that their idea of a PWC is very different to ours. We really want to know why these people were not chosen for the commission."

4. – Kurdish Observer – “HADEP: On rise”:

HADEP Party Assembly and provincial chairmen made a meeting, stating that assaults on their party would damage the democratisation process. They emphasized that the attacks could not prevent it from rising.

People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) Party Assembly members and provincial chairmen made a meeting. A statement by HADEP General Headquarters said that a number of subjects from the law on political parties to European Union and Cyprus question were discussed at the meeting. HADEP pointed out the main item on the agenda of the meeting was political activities carried out after the 4. Congress on November 26, 2000 at a period at which repression intensified on HADEP in order to prevent it from ascending.

The statement drew attention that after the attacks on September 11 all societal problems in general and the Kurdish question in particular were dealt with repression and violence.

Democratic reflex

HADEP stated that according to the latest poll the rise of HADEP is clearly evident, attracting attention that some circles do not tolerate it. The statement continued as follows: “It should be known that repression on HADEP and democratic and press institutions will damage to democracy. Our party will show its democratic reflex against these wrong stances as it has shown in the past.”

Problems will be overcome

The statement touched on the subject of the war in Afghanistan, saying that it is possible for it to extend to Iraq. HADEP added the following: “Turkey’s involvement in the war will not solve the problems, it will only deepen the economic and political crisis. Our party opposes to an operation in Iraq.”

For societal peace…

The statement pointed out that the meeting discussed the following preferences for societal peace and democratisation in Turkey:

- The problems cannot be solved by neglecting the will of millions of people. Our party prefers an early election without barrages and democratisation of law on political parties and election as soon as possible.

- Our Party consider itself a key to solve the problems of toiling masses, and declare that it will struggle in cooperation and solidarity with labor organisations.

- Education in mother tongue is an indispensable right. Our Party states that the application of students demanding education in mother tongue is a human right and supports them.

- Our Party asks for annulling the capital punishment as to involve PKK President Abdullah Ocalan; lifting the State of Emergency Rule Law; declaration of general amnesty; legal arrangements on linguistic and cultural rights; and call on PKK to declare a truce. It calls on everybody to take step towards peaceful democratisation.

- Our Party consider the solution of problems in Turkey, in the region and in the world by peaceful and democratic means necessary. In this respect, it emphasizes on the transformative role of the civil politics and non-governmental organization.

Our Party sees it a main mission for itself to be an alternative to all problems of Turkey, to grow and to gain speed in planning and working.”

5. – Radikal – “Noam Chomsky caught on Turkish legal net“:

Translated from Kurdish Media

The world famous linguist, Noam Chomsky’s book, ”American Interventionism”, is currently facing charges of ”separatism” in Turkey. The judge of the State Security Court in Istanbul, Bekir Rayif Aldemir, put forward that Chomsky’s book, published by Aram Publishing in Turkey, was ”propagating separatism”.

Aldemir wants one years prison sentence for publisher Fatih Tas according to the Anti Terror Law, Article 8 for ”propagating against the indivisible unity of the State of the Turkish Republic with its territory and nation”. Aldemir bases his prosecution especially on the Chapter titled ”Possibilities of Peace in the Middle East” between the pages 143 - 185.

Aldemir is especially concentrating his prosecution on the following contents of the book, a collection of Chomsky’s lectures:

”. . .The third is Turkey and the Kurds. Through out the 1990’s, this place saw the most serious crimes against Human Rights, a still ongoing process . . .” (page 143)

”. . . Turkey and the Kurds. The Kurds were heavily oppressed through out the modern history of the Turkish State, but this changed in 1984. In 1984, the Turkish government started a full on war against the Kurdish population in the southeast. And this continued. In reality, it still continues. . . This, as it can be clearly seen, did not have anything to do with the Cold War. It resulted from a counter uprising. An ethnic cleansing with the death of thousands of people, emigration of two or three million and the destruction of approximately 3,500 villages . . .” (page 149)

The case will start on the 13th of February 2002 at State Security Court in Istanbul.

About Noam Chomsky:

Noam Chomsky is a world-renowned linguist, scholar, and political analyst. Born on December 7, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Chomsky became politically conscious at a very young age, writing his first political article, on the fight against fascism in Spain, when he was only ten years old.
His 1957 work Syntactic Structures revolutionized the field of linguistics, fundamentally changing the current understanding of language and mind. Noam Chomsky joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1955, and in 1976 was appointed Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy.

Noam Chomsky has written and lectured extensively on linguistics, philosophy, international affairs, U.S. foreign policy, and other contemporary political issues. His essays have appeared in The New York Review of Books, The Nation, Z Magazine, CAQ, and numerous political and scholarly publications.

Chomsky’s groundbreaking work on Palestine and the Middle East, East Timor, the Gulf War, and the mass media have gained international attention. As evidence of his broad appeal and importance, he was the subject of the award-winning 1993 film "Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media," and excerpts from his speeches have appeared on the b-side of a single by the band Bad Religion.

Chomsky’s works include: The Minimalist Program, The Chomsky Reader, and Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. He has published fourteen books with South End Press.

6. – Reuters – “Iraqi Kurds Wary of U.S. Action Against Iraq”:

ANKARA

Northern Iraq's two main Kurdish factions said on Wednesday they were wary of the U.S. war on terrorism targeting President Saddam Hussein's government and said Iraqis must be left to decide their country's fate.

Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday assured Turkey that President Bush's administration has not made a decision on taking action against Iraq for its refusal to allow U.N. weapons inspectors to enter the country.

"We reject the random bombardment of Iraq, because only the people of Iraq will suffer," said a Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) official at the group's mission in Ankara.

"We cannot leave the future of Iraq to be shaped by others," he said, quoting a PUK policy statement. "We are directly affected and must be involved to ensure that the future of Iraq is different from its miserable and brutal past."

Since the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. warplanes have protected Kurdish-held territories in Iraq's north administered by the PUK and the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

The PUK and KDP, which wrested control of the region from Iraq after the Gulf War, oppose Hussein but say they are committed to working within Iraq's territorial integrity.

The KDP is "watching the situation very carefully. We are very wary of developments," an official told Reuters.

"We want to preserve the unity of Iraq and end the misery of the Iraqi people brought on by the (U.N.) embargo," he said.

Ankara has said it too opposes strikes on Iraq, saying it has lost billions of dollars in trade with Baghdad since the United Nations imposed sanctions in 1990.

Turkey also fears upheaval in its neighbor could stir its own restive Kurds.