22 June 2001

1. "Kurds warn Turkey of new war", the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has warned two years after declaring a unilateral ceasefire that it may resume armed operations against Turkish security forces.

2. "Court seen ruling Friday whether to ban pro-Islamic Virtue", the head of Turkey's constitutional court said the tribunal was likely to rule on Friday whether to ban the main opposition pro-Islamic Virtue Party, a move that could undermine the country's fragile political stability.

3. "KDP: We remain your trusted ally, however...", the Mesoud Barzani administration which is running a major partion of Nothern Iraq is unhappy with the current rumors that there are serious problems in its relations with Ankara and stresses that the Kurdistan Democracy Party (KDP) "is and will remain a strong ally which Turkey can rely on."

4. "Turkey Joins U.S.-Israeli War Games", U.S., Israeli and Turkish fighter jets staged mock dogfights over central Turkey on Monday as part of what Israeli officials call the most important military exercises ever held by the three countries.

5. "Council of Europe asks Turkey and Russia to abolish death sentence", Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Scwimmer asked Turkey and Russia to sign European Convention of Human Rights protocol no.6 which abolishes death penalty.

6. "Turkey and Syria sign protocol as relations warm", Turkey and Syria signed a landmark protocol on Thursday foreseeing closer ties in trade, tourism and energy as they try to smooth a relationship rocked by arguments over security and water.

1. - The Scotsman - "Kurds warn Turkey of new war":

ISTANBUL / James Dorsey

THE Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) has warned two years after declaring a unilateral ceasefire that it may resume armed operations against Turkish security forces.

The PKK said it was prepared to start striking back against Turkish forces, which were inflicting "constant blows" upon them with 33 rebels killed since April. Clashes between the PKK and the Turkish military have become intermittent since captured rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan ordered the unilateral ceasefire in April 1999.

Ocalan, who has been sentenced to death by a Turkish security court on charges of treason and is awaiting the outcome of his appeal to the European Human Rights Court, had hoped that the ceasefire would prompt the government to negotiate cultural rights for the country's estimated 12 million Kurds.

Since Ocalan's capture in February 1999, some 5,000 PKK fighters have withdrawn into northern Iraq and Iran.

But the Turkish government has dismissed Ocalan's strategy as an attempt to save his own neck and has vowed to wipe out the PKK, which it denounces as a terrorist organization. The government has so far done little to rebuild the war-ravaged south-eastern Turkey and to restore political stability.

Some 30,000 people have died in 16 years of fighting between the PKK and security forces in south-eastern Turkey.

"The constant blows aimed at destroying us are forcing our guerrilla forces towards retaliation," the PKK command was said in a statement on the website of Ozgur Politika, a pro-Kurdish publication. "We call on officials of the Turkish state once more to abandon these coercive attacks and the politics of denial and destruction," the command said.

The statement said 33 PKK rebels had been killed in the south-eastern provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari since April. The number of deaths tallies with statements made by security officials in April and May about clashes in the south-east of the country.

"Despite the Turkish army's cries of heroism, our guerrilla army is powerful and strong enough to rapidly become an even more superior force," the PKK said in its statement.

A farmer in Hakkari died this week and another was seriously wounded late on when a landmine exploded in the field where they were working, the governor's office said. Officials said the mine had been laid by the PKK.

2. - AFP - "Court seen ruling Friday whether to ban pro-Islamic Virtue":

ANKARA

The head of Turkey's constitutional court said the tribunal was likely to rule on Friday whether to ban the main opposition pro-Islamic Virtue Party, a move that could undermine the country's fragile political stability.

The outcome of the case is significant not only for Virtue, which stands accused of anti-secular activities, but also for the government since it could spark by-elections and disrupt crucial IMF-backed reforms to save the economy from serious crisis. Anatolia news agency reported the court head, Mustafa Bumin, as saying "I guess so", when asked by reporters whether the court could wrap up the case on Friday. He declined to answer further questions. The court session began at 0630 GMT. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who has spoken in favour of suspending the case, called an extraordinary cabinet meeting at 0800 GMT, apparently to discuss government strategy in case Virtue was outlawed, the all-news NTV channel said. Virtue is accused of being a "focal point" for anti-secular activities and an illegal continuation of the Welfare Party, which was banned in 1998 for similar activities.

The party is also charged with inciting protests against a headscarf ban in universities and orchestrating a failed bid by one of its legislators in 1999 to take an oath in parliament wearing a headscarf, a move seen as a symbolic challenge of Turkey's strictly secular order. Former chief prosecutor Vural Savas, who brought the case against the party in May 1999, demanded a five-year political ban on Virtue's leadership and the removal from office of all 102 Virtue deputies. Savas described Virtue as a "blood-sucking vampire" for allegedly exploiting people's religious beliefs. If the court removes more than 20 Virtue MPs, Turkey will have to hold by-elections for the vacant seats in the 550-member house and the government could come under pressure to conduct a general election.

But Turkey can avoid going to the polls if the constitutional court heeds the demand of the prosecutor who succeeded Savas. In a fresh indictement in February, prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu maintained the call to outlaw Virtue but demanded the removal of only two of its deputies from office.

3. - Turkish Daily News - "KDP: We remain your trusted ally, however...":

There are differences of opinion on security and border trade but no serious problems"

Ilnur Cevik

The Mesoud Barzani administration which is running a major partion of Nothern Iraq is unhappy with the current rumors that there are serious problems in its relations with Ankara and stresses that the Kurdistan Democracy Party (KDP) "is and will remain a strong ally which Turkey can rely on."

In a satellite telephone interview with a highly placed KDP official in Selahaddin who asked not to be named said the Barzani administration does not claim northern Iraq belongs to the Kurds but also stressed that there are four million Kurds living in the region "and they are real people and lead an ordinary lifem it is Barzani's responsibility to maintain peace, stability and prosperity of the people."

He said "perhaps this can work better with some encouragement from KDP allies, be it Turkey or the West, and other neighbors for that matter, rather than promoting antagonism and false information to the public opinion."

The official stressed the KDP is highly concerned that from time to time "certain media circles" are fed disinformation by "certain cricles" who are clearly oppose good relations between the KDP and Turkey.

The official stressed that even the Iraqi constitution names nothern Iraq as the "Autonomous Region of Iraqi Kurdistan" and said "the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan is a reality and Turkey with others are dealing with this realityt for the past ten years."

The official also stressed that no one is interested in setting up a Kurdish state in the region. "What we are doing here is to maintain public services and run the region in the best interests of the people and thus we have to provide all the services that a state normally gives with serious financial sacrifices."

The official said "Turkey suffering from economical crisis must look into other options to remedy the problem rather than depend on hand outs... She can develop the border area with the region and increase the volume of trade. Northern Iraq is a huge market for Turkish goodsnot to mention the benefits of transit trade with Iran and Iraq."

The official also said the Barzani administration is seriously concerned about reports that Turkey and Iraq are considering the opening of a new border gate near Habur that aims to bypass the authority of the KDP. "The second border gate under present circumstances cannot materialize, considering the reality opf the situation on the ground and the reality is the existance of KDP authority along the proposed 12 kilometers route." The official said the proposed route goes through KDP territory.

Sources close to the Turkish military said they too do not see how such a route can be built and operated without KDP cooperation.

The Turkish Daily News learnt that this plan was cooked up by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to appease the Iraqis but that the military is not happy with it.

The KDP official told the TDN that even without any new route or the existing facilities in Habur the border trade in the pre-Gulf period was over 2000 trucks per day, wheras it has dropped to under 20 percent presently especially in the last six months.

The KDP official also said Ankara has to remember a crucial point about what happens "the day after if and when changes do take place in Baghdad and certain regional powers interfere in the internal affairs of Iraq to promote their extended arms to power, where does Turkey stand and who can she rely on... The Turkoman Front? ... KDP is still the only strong ally and that Turkey can rely on for now and in the future."

The official said there are no serious problems between Turkey and the KDP but agreed that there are some differences of opinion on certain matters such as security and borfder trade. "There is a atmopshere of goodwill betwene us and sides try to accomodate the needs of each other," he concluded.

4. - Los Angeles Times - "Turkey Joins U.S.-Israeli War Games":

ANKARA / by AMBERIN ZAMAN

U.S., Israeli and Turkish fighter jets staged mock dogfights over central Turkey on Monday as part of what Israeli officials call the most important military exercises ever held by the three countries.

The maneuvers, called Anatolian Eagle, are being conducted over the central province of Konya, an Islamic stronghold. They are expected to continue until June 29. "That these exercises should be proceeding as planned is the strongest possible message that Turkey is not afraid to be our friend even with the resumption of the [Palestinian] intifada," said an Israeli official familiar with the exercises who spoke on condition of anonymity. Turkish officials have offered little information about the war games, which have met with resistance from Turkey's largest opposition group, the pro-Islamic Virtue Party. Turkey, which is predominantly Muslim but officially secular, has emerged as Israel's strongest regional ally in recent years.

Encouraged by the United States, the two countries signed a military training and cooperation agreement in 1996. Turkey's first Islamic-led government sealed the accord. A torrent of accusations ensued from the two countries' Arab neighbors and Iran, including charges that the alliance was directed against the Muslim world. But Turkish policymakers say the alliance with the Jewish state has boosted Turkey's strategic value immeasurably in the eyes of its Western allies. Perceptions of that importance faded after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. "Rapprochement with the Israelis was our smartest foreign policy move since joining NATO," said Hasan Koni, a professor of political science at Ankara University.

Ties between the two countries have expanded in recent years to include trade and tourism. Israel has signed a $700-million deal to upgrade Turkey's squadron of U.S.-manufactured F-4 fighter jets. And talks are underway for the sale to Israel of water from southern Turkey's Manavgat River, which would be shipped via the Mediterranean. The joint air exercises follow naval search-and-rescue operations held in January off the Israeli coast. Unlike previous simulations, however, Anatolian Eagle is reportedly offensive in nature. Virtue Party lawmakers criticized the noise from the mock air battles, and environmental grous said the exercises will scare thousands of flamingos from a central Turkish lake. In a statement, the Turkish general staff denied charges that the planes would use ordnance containing depleted uranium.

5. - Anadolu News Agency - "Council of Europe asks Turkey and Russia to abolish death sentence":

STRASBOURG

Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Scwimmer asked Turkey and Russia to sign European Convention of Human Rights protocol no.6 which abolishes death penalty.

Scwimmer spoke at a congress in Strasbourg on Thursday with the purpose of lifting death penalty in all countries. ''I'm expecting and asking Council of Europe members Turkey and Russia to abolish death penalty and sign protocol no.6,'' he said.

Drawing attention to campaings to raise awareness about the death sentence, Scwimmer said they were also investigating the conditions of starting a similar campaign in Turkey.

Protocol no.6 which was formed by the Council of Europe in 1982 is the only international document that has a binding quality regarding capital punishment.

The Council of Europe is also trying to lift death sentence in war situations, and made the abolishment of death sentence a condition to join the Council.

Scwimmer said death sentence cannot be a punishment used by democratic societies.

6. - Reuters - "Turkey and Syria sign protocol as relations warm":

ISTANBUL

Turkey and Syria signed a landmark protocol on Thursday foreseeing closer ties in trade, tourism and energy as they try to smooth a relationship rocked by arguments over security and water.

The agreement includes plans to lift customs duties on goods destined for third party countries, ease bank transactions and cut bureaucratic red tape slowing bilateral trade.

Before Syria's expulsion of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1998, bilateral relations suffered as Ankara accused Damascus of supporting the outlawed group. The two countries also wrangled over rights to water from the Euphrates River, which rises in Turkey and flows through Syria.

Turkish Minister of State Recep Onal and Syrian Economy and Foreign Trade Minister Mohammed Imady signed the protocol at the end of a meeting of their Joint Economic Commission in Ankara.

While disputes over water remain, both sides vowed they were determined to implement the agreement.

"Our first duty as statesmen and politicians is to transform what has been written into concrete action," Onal said in a speech at the signing ceremony.

The past year has seen a flurry of contacts between the two countries, including visits to Syria by Turkey's energy and agriculture ministers and business tycoon Rahmi Koc.

"There is an equal desire to develop bilateral relations. We are extremely pleased about the developments," said Imady.

Bilateral trade has risen from almost nothing in 1998 to $724 million last year, and the two aim to exchange goods and services worth $1 billion in 2001.

Oil products constitute around 80 percent of Syrian exports to Turkey, while Turkish exports include textiles, iron and steel wire and vegetable oil.

Huseyin Parmaksiz, head of department at Turkey's foreign trade undersecretariat, said earlier in the week that Syria and Turkey would link their electricity networks in October and cooperate further in transporting natural gas.

"Cooperation in natural gas can be developed significantly," he said at a meeting of Turkish and Syrian businessmen organised by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) on Tuesday.

Ankara is cooperating with Damascus on a pipeline to carry four to five billion cubic metres of gas a year from Egypt through Jordan and Syria to Turkey.