14 September 2001

1. "Ocalan rejects charges in his second trial", Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, already on death row for treason and separatism, has rejected similar charges brought against him arising from crimes committed more than 20 years ago, Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.

2. "We condemn the attacks", PKK stated that they denounced the attacks in USA costing ten thousands of civilians. PKK Council of Leaders pointed out "We as the Kurdish people share the sorrows of the American people, and offer our condolences."

3. "Turkey pledges to do its share to punish culprits of US attacks", NATO-member Turkey pledged Thursday to help in tracking down those behind Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States.

4. "U.S. buildup at Turkey air base reported", Turkish military sources said Thursday the United States has beefed up its presence at Incirlik Air Base in south-central Turkey.

5. "HADEP is not satisfied with the amendment draft!", People's Democracy Party (HADEP) expresses dissatisfaction with the Constitutional Amendment draft, which is to be the first topic on Parliament's agenda next monday.

6. "Turkey puts army on high alert in face of pledged US retaliation", NATO-member Turkey has placed its armed forces on high alert in the face of Washington's vow to hunt down those responsible for the devastating attacks in New York and Washington, a defence ministry official said Friday.

1. - AFP - "Ocalan rejects charges in his second trial":

ANKARA

Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan, already on death row for treason and separatism, has rejected similar charges brought against him arising from crimes committed more than 20 years ago, Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.

The leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), condemned to death in June 1999, faces a second trial along with 100 other defendants on charges of treason, murder, armed usurpation, illegal possession of firearms and membership of an armed group. The pending case pertains to crimes committed before 1980, which judicial authorities forgot to incorporate into the main trial two years ago. "I have not killed anybody myself," Ocalan, 52, said in a written testimony to an Ankara criminal court from the northwestern island of Imrali, where he is the sole prisoner, Anatolia reported.

He claimed the PKK did not have any separatist motives during the period to which the charges pertained, and that the militants made only "theoretical evaluations." "I did not have information either about the planning or the perpetration of the attacks blamed on me," Ocalan said, according to Anatolia. "I even clashed with the organization about that. Although I was saying that the right to legitimate defense should be used properly, the boys raided villages and killed children. It is not possible for me to accept this," he added. However, the rebel chieftain admitted that as the founder and the leader of the PKK, he held certain responsibility for its acts of violence.

The court adjourned the case to a later date to complete missing documents required for a final verdict. Ocalan could face a second death sentence if convicted. The other 100 defendants in the case include high-profile figures such as Ocalan's ex-wife, Kesire, and two senior PKK commanders -- Cemil Bayik and Murat Karayilan. Undercover agents captured Ocalan in February 1999 in Nairobi after he left the Greek embassy, where he found refuge after Syria expelled him from Damascus, his long-time safehaven, fearing military action from Turkey.

Heeding an appeal by the European Court of Human Rights, Ankara suspended Ocalan's execution until the court rules on his complaints against Turkey. The PKK's struggle for Kurdish self-rule in southeast Turkey has cost some 36,000 lives. Fighting between the rebels and the army has notably scaled down since September 1999, when the PKK declared an end to its armed campaign in favor of a peaceful solution following peace calls from Ocalan.

2. - Kurdish Observer - "We condemn the attacks":

PKK stated that they denounced the attacks in USA costing ten thousands of civilians. PKK Council of Leaders pointed out "We as the Kurdish people share the sorrows of the American people, and offer our condolences."

PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) stated that it condemned the attacks in USA costing ten thousands of civilians. PKK called on everybody to have commonsense and be cool-headed, to appraise the incident realistically and to work hand-in-hand to make the world a world of peace, democracy, freedom, equality and justice.

A statement by PKK Council of Leaders denounced the attacks, saying "We as the Kurdish people share the sorrows of the American people, and offer our condolences."

Emphasizing that such a tragic incident would affect the future life of humanity, the statement said with words to the effect: "Unfortunately, as we enter into a new century full of big hopes, humanity can face such intolerable and insoluble events. It is at the same time reveals today's realities of the world and serious problems of humanity once more and bitterly."

A common-sensed approach is necessary

The Council of Leaders continued to say that "It is absolutely necessary to see the relation between the sad incident and current policies dominating the world and to try to find a solution in changing these policies. Just as it is impossible to take the incident individually, as isolated from the current international political system, it is also unrealistic to choose the method of repression and violence to prevent such incident, to vow to take revenge and to suppose finding a solution with similar methods. The only and one way to prevent such incidents which damages all the humanity is to render the world a place where all people can live happily; and to secure peace, democracy, freedom, equality, share and justice necessary for it. This is the only consequence and true orientation which can be drawn from the sad incident."

Call to work hand-in-hand

The statement had to say the following: "We call on everybody to have commonsense and be cool-headed, to appraise the incident realistically and to work hand-in-hand to make the world a place of peace, democracy, freedom, equality and justice."

3. - AFP - "Turkey pledges to do its share to punish culprits of US attacks":

ANKARA

NATO-member Turkey pledged Thursday to help in tracking down those behind Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States. "We will do whatever falls on our shoulders not to let these attacks go unpunished," Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem told reporters here after talks with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

"And we have not forgotten US support for Turkey, which has suffered similar attacks," Cem said, in reference to Ankara's conflict with Kurdish rebels who were fighting for self-rule in the country's southeast. The Turkish foreign minister also hailed NATO's decision to invoke Article 5 of its treaty, describing it as a move which would prove beneficial to NATO and the entire world.

Under Article 5, an attack on any NATO member is considered an attack on the entire alliance, implying a joint military response. Cem said that the catastrophe in New York and Washington had opened a new era in which there was a struggle "between democracy and terrorism, between common sense and fanaticism".

"In this new period, Turkey will of course take the necessary steps for its own people and humanity," he added. However, Cem also warned against turning the events into a "fight between two religions and different cultures", and added that predominantly Muslim but strictly secular Turkey, a close western ally, would be the biggest obstacle in the way of such "errorenous interpretations" "It would be the utmost disrespect to all religions to identify any religion with terrorism. There is no Muslim, Christian or Jewish terrorism," he said.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Ankara announced that US diplomatic missions in Turkey will resume public service on Friday after a two-day suspension in the aftermath of the attacks. "The US embassy in Ankara and the US consulates in Istanbul and (the southern city of) Adana will be open for all normal public services, including visas, beginning Friday," an embassy statement said. The missions in Turkey were closed to the public on Wednesday and Thursday.

4. - CNN - "U.S. buildup at Turkey air base reported":

ANKARA

Turkish military sources said Thursday the United States has beefed up its presence at Incirlik Air Base in south-central Turkey.

The American base is used to monitor and bomb northern Iraq on a regular basis as part of Operation Northern Watch -- the operation that maintains the northern no-fly zone established after the Gulf War.

Turkish military sources said the base seems to be gearing up for a major strike on Iraq -- more than just the routine patrolling of the northern no-fly zone.

In the two days since the terrorist attacks in Washington and New York, the United States has sent in more troops to bulk up its force of 7,000 troops already there, the sources said.

Movement in the towns surrounding the air base also has been restricted, they said.

The Pentagon had no immediate comment.

Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told CNN Thursday in Ankara that Turkey would allow the base to be used on an any attack against neighboring Iraq, as part of its commitments to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO invoked a Cold War-era mutual defense clause indicating the alliance's support of the United States. It was the first time in NATO's 52-year history the clause was invoked.

"It is a very powerful signal to the international community and to those who dabble in terrorism or who harbor terrorists, that the Western alliance will not stand easily by," said NATO Secretary-General George Robertson.

According to Article 5, the cornerstone of the alliance, "an armed attack" against any of the NATO members "shall be considered an attack against them all."

5. - Turkish Daily News - "HADEP is not satisfied with the amendment draft!":

People's Democracy Party (HADEP) expresses dissatisfaction with the Constitutional Amendment draft, which is to be the first topic on Parliament's agenda next monday.

HADEP Vice-President Naci Kutlay made a press statement on the Amendment, stating that the foreseen amendments are far from the requirement of the urgent democratic needs of the society.

In the statement, Kutlay noted that the Amendments to Article 26 and 28, which have been presented as revolutionary changes, only introduce some facilities for the use of languages other than Turkish. Kutlay also claimed that the Amendment will not provide easiness for the establishment of institutions that helps other languages to flourish.

Naci Kutlay stated that the alteration of the concept "thought" to "action" in Article 14 is likely to be a relative development, for the "thought" and "action" has always been mentioned together in judiciary practices.

Kutlay also challenged the Constitution, even with its "new look," claiming it is far from requiring the social, cultural, political and economic dynamics of society. Furthermore, the democratization and freedom of thought should be brought up to international standards, Kutlay claimed.

HADEP Vice-President also said that it is not realistic to call the Constitutional Amendment proposals as, "Constitutional Reform," and added there is a great opportunity to re-prepare the whole Constitution by totally modernizing it.

Kutlay requested the new Constitution to consider Article 9, 10 and 11 of the European Human Rights Convention, which regulate freedom of thought and religion, freedom of expressing opinion, and freedom of organization, respectively. HADEP Vice President also mentioned the Copenhagen Criteria as another international convention to be fully adopted in the new Constitution.

6. - AFP - "Turkey puts army on high alert in face of pledged US retaliation":

ANKARA

NATO-member Turkey has placed its armed forces on high alert in the face of Washington's vow to hunt down those responsible for the devastating attacks in New York and Washington, a defence ministry official said Friday.

"The army is on alert," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We have cancelled all leave." The commander of the Turkish air force, meanwhile, was widely quoted by the national press on Friday as saying that "Turkish air bases were ready for any eventuality". Turkey has already declared that it will stand by its key ally, the United States, in tracking down those behind Tuesday's terrorist attacks. "We will do whatever falls on our shoulders not to let these attacks go unpunished," Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem told reporters here on Thursday.

For the first time in its history on Wednesday, NATO invoked Article 5 of its treaty, under which an attack on any NATO member is considered an attack on the entire alliance, implying a joint military response. Turkey hosts a force of some 40 British and US planes in the Incirlik air base in its south, which are tasked with patrolling the no-fly zone imposed on northern Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War to protect the region's Kurdish population.

During the Gulf War, Turkey allowed the base to be used in the air campaign against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.