31 July 2001

1. "Turkish Islamist party ban does not violate rights convention", the European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday that Turkey's decision to dissolve the Islamist Refah, or Welfare, party in 1998 did not violate article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

2. "IMF backs Turkish reform", Turkey's battered economic rescue programme has been boosted by recent adjustments and a big show of confidence over the weekend from Stanley Fischer, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

3. "Democracy is the people's dawn", Ocalan said that democracy was the 5,000-year dream of the people of the Middle East, and added that the democratic success of the Kurds would be the dawn for the people of the Middle East.

4. "Piskinsut claims being lynched", Piskinsut: I am strong enough to survive a political lynching'.

5. "Turkey's Islamists blast European court ruling, plan appeal", Turkey's Islamists on Tuesday condemned a European Court of Human Rights ruling upholding Ankara's decision to dissolve the Islamist Welfare Party and said that they would lodge an appeal.

6. "Turkey says ties with Israel will not affect Arabs", Turkey's relations with Israel will not be to the detriment of the Arab world, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said today.

1. - AFP - "Turkish Islamist party ban does not violate rights convention":

STRASBOURG

The European Court of Human Rights ruled Tuesday that Turkey's decision to dissolve the Islamist Refah, or Welfare, party in 1998 did not violate article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.The court ruled that sanctions against the party of former prime minister Necmettin Erbakan could reasonably be considered a response to a social problem that were used to protect Turkish democracy.In deciding that Turkey had not violated the article on freedom of assembly and association, the court said Welfare had declared its intention to introduce Islamic law, which is against the convention.

The court also said that the party had raised doubts about its position regarding the use of force to achieve power and hang on to it. Erbakan and two former Welfare vice presidents had complained to the court that Turkey had violated the party's and their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. But the court ruled that a political party whose officials insisted on resorting to violence and who advocated a political policy which did not respect one or more democratic rights or which aimed to destroy them, were not protected by the convention against sanctions imposed for these reasons. The court also rejected their complaints of violation of their rights against discrimination, freedom of expression, protection of property and right to free elections. Welfare was Turkey's most popular political party after parliamentary elections in 1995 and came to power as part of a conservative coalition in June the following year.

But the military, Turkey's self-appointed guards of secularism, began pressuring Erbakan, the Islamist prime minister, who was finally forced to resign after a year in office. In January 1998, the country's constitutional court outlawed Welfare for "becoming the centre of activities against the principle of secularism" and its assets were given to the state treasury. Erbakan, 74, and his two deputies, plaintiffs Sevket Kazan and Ahmet Tekdal, were banned from parliament and from taking part in political activities for five years. The former prime minister was later banned from politics for life and sentenced to a year in jail, but he won a partial amnesty and has not served any time in prison. Ankara argued it was justified in dissolving Welfare because the party was using democratic laws and freedoms to introduce Islamic law, or the Sharia.

2. - Financial Times - "IMF backs Turkish reform":

ANKARA / by Leyla Boulton

Turkey's battered economic rescue programme has been boosted by recent adjustments and a big show of confidence over the weekend from Stanley Fischer, the deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

Concluding a two-day visit, Mr Fischer indicated that the IMF board would meet on Friday to approve a $1.5-billion loan tranche for Turkey.

He said year-end inflation was now forecast "on the order of 58%", slightly higher than the 52-57% initially forecast, although it is still targeted to fall to 30-35% over the next 12 months. The forecast for the economy's growth rate has been revised from -3 to -5.5%.

To help drive down interest rates, essential for the programme's success, Fischer argued that investors' fears of a domestic debt default and political instability were overdone.

He said adjustments announced on Thursday by Kemal Dervis, economy minister - including a move for state banks to buy treasury bills - would "significantly reduce" the required debt rollovers and "help ensure a sustainable debt situation".

In a point driven home by his own clarifications of Turkish government policy, he added that Ankara needed to communicate its economic strategy more effectively to investors.

He maintained however: "Although a great deal has been said by critics about a lack of political cohesion in Turkey, the fact is that the Turkish government and parliament have essentially delivered on their commitments under the programme, and they have not been given sufficient credit for this."

He said that meeting leaders of all three parties in the ruling coalition had given him "some confidence. . . there will be more explicit backing of the programme by the government".

Challenged about the extent of political support after a damaging row earlier this month over telecommunications and banking reform, Fischer conceded, "If the rest of the programme is willingly implemented on schedule, even ahead of schedule. . . it would be much better for Turkey than if it happens as a result of disputes and pressure."

Fischer also helped quash calls for a "managed" floating exchange rate regime after the abandonment in February of the crawling peg underpinning Turkey's previous IMF-backed programme.

Tusiad, the business federation, has sought more central bank intervention to help overcome what Aldo Kazlowski, vice-chairman, described as "uncertainty on all three fronts of inflation, exchange, and interest rates, which we cannot survive".

While defending a flexible exchange rate as essential in a "period of transition", Fischer argued that the government's planned introduction by December of inflation-targeting - involving aggressive use of interest rates to control inflation - would help alleviate the instability.

Zafer Kurtul, chief executive of Akbank, Turkey's most profitable bank, said banks hesitated to lend to the government in Turkish lira because most of their funding was in foreign currency, while uncertainty prevailed over domestic inflation and the exchange rate.

While predicting that the government would increasingly borrow from domestic markets in foreign currency to avoid high lira interest rates, Kurtul felt encouraged after Fischer's visit that "the IMF and the Turkish economic team know what they are doing".

He remained unsure about Turkish politicians' ability to avoid further political mishaps even though he agreed, "Politically there seems to be better co-operation."

Kazlowski argued that a reshuffle of the government, expected by some observers to take place after the August 7 party congress of Motherland, the junior coalition party, remained necessary.

3. - Kurdish Observer - "Democracy is the people's dawn":

Ocalan said that democracy was the 5,000-year dream of the people of the Middle East, and added that the democratic success of the Kurds would be the dawn for the people of the Middle East. Ocalan said that democracy should not be belittled, stressing that it was at least as important as the birth of civilization.

PKK President Abdullah Ocalan stressed that realization of democracy amongst the Kurds would mean the realization of the 5,000-year dream of the people of the Middle East. Making a statement through his attorneys who visited him on Imrali island last week, Ocalan said, "The democratic success of the Kurds will be the dawn for the people of the Middle East," and called attention to the fact that there wasn't a people more naturally democratic than the Kurds. Ocalan made detailed remarks concerning the meaning of democracy for the Kurds and the Middle East, the problem of democratization of the state, and the history of religions and the "revolution in conscience."

'The dream will come true'

Ocalan said that nationalism in the Middle East had given horrible pain and that a complete tragedy had occurred, adding the following: "Iranian nationalism, Ba'ath Arab nationalism, Turkish nationalism, and Kurdish small bourgeoisie nationalism has tyrannized the Middle East. These have no relation to humanity. There is no people more naturally democratic than we Kurds. Development of democracy among the Kurds is equal to the democratization of the Middle East." Ocalan warned that democracy should not be belittled, stressing that it was at least as important as the birth of civilization.

Ocalan continued to say the following: "Democracy will be the realization of the 5,000-year dream of the peoples of the Middle East. The democratic success of the Kurds will be the dawn of the peoples of the Middle East. You must take the lead in freedom and honor until the end. It is enough that it be democratic. We are defending a unity of the entire Middle East." Ocalan underscored that surrounding borders with hedges, killing each other for property, for one chicken, had no relation to the ideology of the labor class.

'Contemporary Abraham will win'

Ocalan dwelt significantly on his Urfa Defenses, renewing his statement of the need for Christians and Muslims to live together freely, continuing to say the following: "We are the Contemporary Abrahamic Movement. This could be said about us: 'A fight has been started between the contemporary Abrahams and the contemporary Nimrods.' The contemporary Abraham will win. I elaborated on true Abrahamism, true Islam is in my defense. False Muslims are definitely playing the contemporary Nimrod. The Abrahams event is the name given to an event of freedom and progress 2000 years ago. These determinations will deepen the ideological debate."

Ocalan described mosques as each being a place to determine the direction of worship and enlighten the people and called for them to develop a debate around the basic problems of the people on how to live better. Ocalan explained that the Sumerian priests had done the same, and, giving the example of Prophet Mohammed, said that people should not be fanatics.

'I solved the state'

The PKK President criticized the approach to the state taken by leftist circles in Turkey, saying that rather than casting dry accusations at the state, they needed to solve it. Ocalan said he had solved how the state could democratize, but that the leftist circles did not understand this. Ocalan stressed that the 3rd Field Theory was insufficiently understood not only by the left but by many other circles. Ocalan continued to say the following: "Democratizing the state is a very noble effort. Creativity is important. Making the state take even one democratic step is a great, noble effort. What I call the 3rd Field Theory is this. They don't even understand that they are going to work on this day and night. Actually, this is valid not just for the leftist circles, but for all institutions, people, and legal parties. Actually, the state cannot oppose the projects of civil society too much. No one can oppose this if it doesn't make a mistake, if primitive nationalism isn't fallen into." Ocalan said that the state would not take 'being a manservant and pleading' seriously, but underscored that resistance in a crude style had lost its significance for a solution also.

'Civic society project is a revolution'

As opposed to this, Ocalan said that the state and society would accept the 3rd Field Theory, adding that this would be possible with a democratic culture and civic society. Ocalan continued to explain the project as follows: "What is called the 3rd Field Theory will be possible with the democratic unity of democratic politics, society's economic circles, chambers of commerce, associations, democratic cooperatives, sports and arts teams, historical and cultural protection organizations, foundations, and youths' and women's movements. Organization of democratic society is made with all of these. This also is revolution. It won't happen with false leftism. If the 3rd Field Theory is implemented with success, the state cannot do anything with classic dictatorship. Complete institutionalization of the 3rd Field will force the state, society, and people to be democratic. It will compel democratic reconciliation of difference. This is not, as some say, on an ethnic basis. This is in one sense also a civil society project."

'You are in need of a revolution in conscience'

PKK President Abdullah Ocalan also made evaluations concerning conscience and ethics. Ocalan said that serious problems were being experienced in the mental and spiritual realms, adding that a great revolution in conscience, ethics, and culture was needed. Ocalan said, "You need a great revolution in conscience to understand the pains and love on the right basis," and continued to ask the following questions: "How can this geography pass from the blood culture to the love culture? How can the problems in conscience born from discrimination, the love of tribe, clan, nationalism be overcome?" Ocalan underscored that the solution lie in a Middle East Renaissance.

Ocalan recalled that there were indications of this solution in Mesopotamian culture, and continued to say the following concerning the concept of "revolution in conscience": "They say that old people suffer ordeals for 40 years. I suffered ordeals for 40-50 years. For you to sense this is very difficult. This pains me. Mankind cannot be strong if it does not experience a revolution in conscience and heart. Those who cannot properly experience a revolution in conscience cannot carry out strong politics. They ask how Ocalan can stand it. I am living with a great revolution in conscience. If man does not think high, develop a great sensitivity, he will burst here. There are many examples in history. Yildirim Beyazit could not stand falling captive and broke down."

'Dirty souls are not at ease'

Comparing his own to the stances of historical personalities, Ocalan said, "Neither did I cry, nor moan, nor swear, nor beg, nor act coarsely. I am in a calm, Socratic state." Ocalan then called for the Socratic position in the 21st century to be correctly understood. Ocalan said that most people seek happiness, making do, and a comfortable life, continuing to say the following: "You cannot be happy with just the comforts of the world. Dirty souls are not at ease. They are taking advantage of the possibilities of the age, but they are not at ease; they don't have the spirit to drink of ease because they haven't solved their problems of conscience. The more aspiring ones may capture a few hints from my defenses."

'They sold the Kurdish problem'

Continuing his comments, Ocalan called for primitive nationalism and regressiveness to not be underestimated. Ocalan recalled that it was these forces which had resulted in massacres in the last two centuries, and warned that Kurdish regressiveness was worse than state regressiveness. Ocalan continued to say, "It was they who brought Kurds to this condition. They auctioned off the Kurdish problem for five [cents] for protection money." Ocalan noted that these powers were a part of the international conspiracy, but said that he had acted scientifically and with common sense against this. "There is great skill, patience, maturity, and resistance. Skill also brings success," Ocalan said.

'You are on the outside...'

Ocalan concluded his statement with the following remarks: "You are on the outside, you have many opportunities. You have relations with thousands of people. You can meet and discuss. International law, democratic law, and the civic society project are open to implementation. EU law can be reached this way. The people will give each other strength and mix with each other this way instead of with discrimination and nationalism. Richness will be created through cooperation."

4. - Turkish Daily News - "Piskinsut claims being lynched":

Piskinsut: I am strong enough to survive a political lynching'

Former chairperson of the Parliamentary Humah Rights Commission and Democratic Left Party (DSP) deputy for Aydin Ms. Sema Piskinsut has said she is strong enough to withstand all attempts at political lynching, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. In a written statement, Ms. Piskinsut drew attention to the verbal dueling that has been going on between herself and Justice Minister Prof. Hikmet Sami Turk since a report calling for her parliamentary immunity to be revoked was drawn up, and said that the Justice Minister was taking every opportunity to create not only legal problems but also problems of level. "It is because I believe that the manner and level of these arguments are harmful to our nation that I am no longer to reply to anything he says," said Ms. Piskinsut.

The deputy for Aydin went on to say that although Minister Turk knew the commission had been working for Parliament and that after she had been replaced as chair of the commission it had continued to apply the same rules and principles, he had turned the issue into a personal one. She added that the entire public knew this attempt to entirely politically motivated. She said in extremely polite terms that the minister was failing to furnish her with a satisfying reply, that he had been trying to act all innocent and deny there was any political motive, that he maintained he had only forwarded demands made to the ministry to the courts but that he was making remarks that far overstepped his authority. "He is trying to make a public issue out of my well-known political standpoint using a military coup mentality. I am strong enough to withstand any political lynching because I draw my strength from the fact I am right," she wrote adding she was ready to pay the political cost for the injustice. She accused the Justice Minister of acting not with the law behind him, but with the power of his office.

5. - AFP - "Turkey's Islamists blast European court ruling, plan appeal":

ANKARA

Turkey's Islamists on Tuesday condemned a European Court of Human Rights ruling upholding Ankara's decision to dissolve the Islamist Welfare Party and said that they would lodge an appeal. "This is a surprising decision... we will file an appeal with the court within one month's time," one of the formal plaintiffs, former Welfare deputy chairman Sevket Kazan, told Anatolia news agency in Strasbourg, where the European Court of Human Rights is based.

The court ruled Tuesday that Turkey had not violated the European Human Rights Convention by banning Welfare in January 1998 for anti-secular activities. It said Turkey had not breached Article II on freedom of assembly and association since Welfare had declared its intention to introduce Islamic law, which was against the convention. In Ankara, former Welfare members accused the court of being unfair and acting against European human rights norms. "The European Court of Human Rights has disowned its own principles. This is double standards and a political decision," said Mehmet Bekaroglu, the deputy chairman of the newly-established pro-Islamic Saadet -- or Felicity -- Party. The ruling showed that the "European Convention of Human Rights is valid only for certain countries", Anatolia quoted him saying.

Bulent Arinc, a leading former Welfare deputy, told Anatolia: "The European court has deviated from international norms and passed a verdict designed for Turkey. This is interesting." Saadet MP Seref Malkoc, on the other hand, argued that the ruling would open a debate on Europe's understanding of human rights. Turkey's decision to outlaw Welfare of former Turkish prime minister Necmettin Erbakan had triggered criticism from western countries, even though the Islamist movement does not enjoy widespread sympathy in Europe. The ban came after Welfare's stormy one-year term in power in coalition with a conservative party, which was marked by frequent rows with Turkey's powerful military, the self-appointed defenders of secularism, because of its overtly Islamist policies. Some of the members of Welfare founded the Virtue Party as a successor but it, too, was banned in June this year for anti-secular activities. The ban on Virtue deepened a rift between its moderate "modernist" and conservative "traditionalist" factions.

The "traditionalists," who are widely believed to be led by Erbakan behind the scenes, set up the Felicity Party, and the "modernists" are expected to soon announce their own party aimed at a broader center-right electorate.

6. - The Jerusalem Post - "Turkey says ties with Israel will not affect Arabs":

Turkey's relations with Israel will not be to the detriment of the Arab world, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said today.

Cem was speaking to reporters after talks in Cairo with the secretary general of the Arab league, Amr Moussa.

Turkey's military ties with Israel have angered many Arab states. Israel and Turkey regularly hold joint naval exercises and Israel is refurbishing Turkish warplanes.

Moussa said he had conveyed Arab concern over these relations and their possible expansion.

"Our relations with Israel will never affect the strong relations we have with the Arab countries," Cem said.

"Turkey has good relations with both the Palestinians and Israelis and it is keen on using these relations to help stop the bloodshed," Cem said, referring to the more than 600 people killed in 10 months of fighting between Israelis and Palestinians.

Speaking alongside Cem, Moussa said Turkey is an important state in the Middle East and "it is affected as much as other countries in the region by the ongoing crisis."

Cem was scheduled to meet Ahmed Maher, Egypt's foreign minister, before leaving Egypt at the end of a one-day visit tonight.