18 September 2001

1. "Free Women's Foundation is established", International Free Women's Foundation declared its establishment in Amsterdam, Netherlands with a reception attended by a number of international women's organizations.

2. "Iraq braces for American retaliation", Iraq's most influential newspaper said on Monday it expected the country to be a target of U.S. retaliation after last week's attacks in New York and Washington.

3. "Everything comes down to oil in the end", Caspian states vie for riches under the sea.

4. "Why?", Decisions Turkey must make regarding terrorist actions

5. "League of soft terrorist known in Kurdistan", a group calling itself the Islamic Kurdish League must stand accused of using anti- Kurdish ideology by abusing and oppressing other Kurdish religions in Kurdistan.

1.- Kurdish Media - "Free Women's Foundation is established":

International Free Women's Foundation declared its establishment in Amsterdam, Netherlands with a reception attended by a number of international women's organizations.

AMSTERDAM / by Deniz Yildizhan

International Free Women's Foundation is established. The opening reception was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands with the participation of various international women's organizations. Those who could not come to the reception sent messages. Among those who sent messages there are PKK President Abdullah Ocalan, Free Women's Party (PJA), Arabian Women's Solidarity, Dicle Women's Cultural Center, DEP former deputy Leyla Zana and AMARGI Women's Cooperative.

Being established under the slogan "Different colors, different thoughts, different languages, different realities - common hope" International Free Women's Foundation was explained by its Chairwoman Gonul Kaya as follows: "Our aim is to meet the women with their nature, to develop the women's solidarity around the world, to win over the beauties latent within the women. All women, from European women to Latin American women, from Palestinian women to women in Yugoslavia, from women in Kurdistan to African women. And all projects regarding women, children and a healthy society are considered by us valuable. We will take up all works for peace as our own projects."

Gonul Kaya said that they would use the opportunities of Europe, their work area, for the education and development of women, and they would concern with the migrants in Europe.

Arabian Women's Solidarity and Zana greeted them

Attending to the reception as a representative of Arabian Women's Solidarity, Dr. Sheren el-Naga from Egypt stated that they support all sorts of movements for women's solidarity and Free Women's Solidarity is a step towards this solidarity. And Leyla Zana, former DEP deputy who has been in prison since 1994, sent a message to the opening, expressing her happiness. Zana said in her message, "I greet your difficult but magnificent, honorful and determined march sincerely. I believe that it will be a light to the dark world of women, a remedy to their wounds. I nearly see that the Foundation will serve to peace and humanity without any discrimination between religion, language, race and sex. I embrace you with warm feelings and wish accomplishment."

PJA congratulated

Free Women's Party congratulated the establishment of the International Free Women's Foundation by a message. PJA stated in its message, "We, as PJA which struggles to change the 21. century into a century of equal sexes, peoples, democracy and freedoms, salute the International Free Women's Foundation which we believe that is an organization on this basis. And we also greet all our esteemed friends who struggle for societal peace, are sensitive to the problems and humanity with passion for freedom.

Solidarity from Istanbul

AMARGI Women's Cooperative which is organized by sociologist Pinar Selek also sent a message to the opening. The message said that they believe the Foundation will be an important step towards the unification of all women with passion for freedom.

Speaking on behalf of Dicle Women's Cultural Center, Suna Parlak said the following: "Being a woman is good but the most beautiful is to claim the life as women and to be hand-in-hand. We believe that the Free Women's Foundation will play an important role in the struggle for equality, freedom and democracy taking strength from women."

And Muyesser Gunes from Mothers for Peace Initiative who was invited to the opening ceremony but could not participate because of bureaucratic reasons stated in his message the following: "We want to share your aims and activities in spite of all bureaucratic obstructions and all bitterness, to open our hearts full of hope to you. Resisting against the policy denying different colors, different religions, different realities is also our basic aim and thought.

And pianist Naze, Koma Venge Sodiri, opera artist Diana Wemil, Guadaloupe Urbine ano Winanda Del Sur from Latin America and three Kurdish singers Beser Sahin, Gulistan Perwer and Merziya Rezzazi performed in the reception.

Ocalan: A honoured project

PKK President Abdullah Ocalan also sent message to the opening ceremony. His message pointed out that the establishment of the foundation meant a great deal not only for Kurdish women but for women of the world. Ocalan added "Victory of democracy will arise from the noble struggle of women". Emphasizing that reactionism, cruelty and repression can be resisted by women renaissance, Ocalan continued to say insistence and sacrifice are needed to continue such a honoured project.

Stressing that the International Free Women's Foundation should be considered an academy of freedom, PKK President mentioned, "There is a free life to be wined, there is a free world."

2. - Reuters - "Iraq braces for American retaliation":

BAGHDAD

Iraq's most influential newspaper said on Monday it expected the country to be a target of U.S. retaliation after last week's attacks in New York and Washington.

"We do not rule out that we are in the forefront of countries that America wants to attack," said Babel, the newspaper of President Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday. Babel said U.S. concentration on Afghanistan as the primary focus of any revenge strike could be a cover for a plan to hit other countries like North Korea, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

Al-Thawra, an official newspaper, said the United States was intent on using the attack as an excuse to "humiliate totally" Arabs and Muslims. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said Washington will go after countries that harbour "terrorists and their organisations" in retaliation for the attacks, which left more than 5,000 dead and missing.

A U.S.-led coalition bombed Iraq heavily during the 1991 Gulf War. Iraqi targets still come under attack by Western planes policing two "no-fly" zones in the north and south of the country.
Iraqi officials declined to comment on whether Iraq would be the subject of U.S. retribution. Foreign Minister Naji Sabri told Reuters that Iraq hoped the attacks on New York and Washington would force America to reconsider its foreign policy.

Privately, officials in Baghdad expressed relief after U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell said Washington did not possess evidence linking Iraq to the attack.

Life in the Iraqi capital on Monday was normal and people went on with their routine business. The exchange rate was stable at 2,003 dinars to the dollar. Government buildings, which were targets of previous Western bombardment, remained well lit at night.

At the Trabeel border crossing with Jordan, a main land outlet available to Iraq, drivers said movement was subdued. "People don't know what to expect," one man said. "They are postponing their journeys in both directions." An Iraqi official said: "When you've gone through as much bombardment as we did, life goes on normally, even under the present circumstances."

3. - Frankfurter Rundschau - "Everything comes down to oil in the end" :

Caspian states vie for riches under the sea

TEHRAN / by Ahmad Taheri

Black clouds are gathering over the Caspian Sea as tensions around the world's largest lake rise. Diplomatic skirmishes flare daily as the main players in the new conflict, Azerbaijan and mighty Iran, rattle their sabres.

TheDavid-and-Goliath hostilities began on July 23 when an Iranian gunboat and a fighter-bomber forced two Azeri-registered ships in the Caspian Sea to turn back to the capital, Baku. The Iranian version of events claims that they had penetrated Iranian oilfields on behalf of British oil giant BP.

More threats on the high seas followed, with sources in the Azeri capital reporting that Iranian bombers were repeatedly violating the Caucasus republic's airspace. President Haidar Aliev, a man reputedly with an eye for such incidents, contented himself with condemning the military threat and said he intended to raise the problem in Tehran on September 17. Relations between Tehran and Baku have always been strained.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the new masters in Baku feared that the credo of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini could gain ground in the ideological vacuum among Azeris. They, like the Iranians, are overwhelmingly Shia Muslims. So Azerbaijan distanced itself from the Islamic Republic and turned increasingly to the secular state founded by Ataturk. In Turkey, the Azeris saw the gateway to western markets for their oil riches. The Turks, conversely, saw themselves from then on as the Azeris' protectors. They share closely related languages and origins.

No one expected that Turkey would leave its little brother on the Caspian Sea alone in its hour of need. Ankara was adamant that Tehran's gunboat diplomacy had to be answered appropriately and so sent ten of its F-16s to Baku several days ago. As President Aliev looked on, Turkish planes swooped in over the Azeri capital's Freedom Square. The squadron was accompanied on its trip by Hussein Kivrikoglu, chief of the Turkish armed forces.
Tehran got the message. Iranian newspapers began talking of "Turkey's provocation." The demonstration of Turkey's ability to put up a fight, retorted Ankara, had been planned months before as nothing more than "a guest appearance at a flying show" and in no way connected to the latest developments on the Caspian Sea.

But Vali Kucuk, a retired Turkish general, writing in an Azeri newspaper, termed the "air show" a "response to Iranian threats." "We are a nation with two states," he wrote with soldierly frankness.

"Azerbaijan's suffering is our suffering and thus unacceptable." At the root of the spat between the neighbours, which has all the potential of developing into a dangerous regional conflict, is the division of rich natural resource deposits under the Caspian Sea, an area where borders are constantly in flux. After the Persian Gulf and Siberia, the Caspian Sea is the third-largest oilfield in the world; its reserves of black gold are estimated at total 40 billion barrels.

At current prices, that amounts to roughly a trillion US dollars.

Each of the five nations bordering the sea - Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran - would like as large as possible a slice of the cake for themselves. But that depends on how the borders between the states are drawn in the Caspian Sea.

The Iranian leadership regards the Caspian Sea as a lake which ought to be divided up equally between all the states by surface area and treasures. In support of this stance, it refers to treaties between Tehran and Moscow from 1921 and 1940 which forbid the Caspian nations from unilaterally exploiting its resources. Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, in contrast, consider the Caspian an open sea complete with national waters. The Azeris believe that Iran is only entitled to 12.5 per cent of its surface waters.

Turkmenistan, meanwhile, is keeping its thoughts to itself. The desert kingdom, rich in oil and natural gas reserves, has already secured its share of the oil in the Caspian Sea. But President Saparmurad Niyazov tends to take sides with Tehran, its regional ally. Iran's President Muhammad Khatami recently telephoned his Turkmen opposite number to tell him he hoped that the meeting of the Caspian Sea states would achieve an "important step" towards mutual resolution. Latest reports, however, reveal that the meeting, planned for October in the Turkmen capital, has been cancelled. It seems that Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan would prefer to preserve the status quo and retain the existing de-facto division of the Caspian Sea into national zones.

4. - Sabah - "Why?":

Decisions Turkey must make regarding terrorist actions

by Sedat Sertoglu

Turkey must make certain hard but necessary decisions regarding what she should do. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit gave certain clues as to what these may be. He did not answer questions, which could have led to speculations. First of all, Turkey will act together with the US. She will give full support to armed and unarmed US diplomacy to eradicate international terrorism.

Secondly, she will review her relations with Europe while making these decisions. There are some problems in these relations... For years Turkey was troubled by the tolerance shown towards the terrorist groups working against Turkey.. European Security and Defence Identity (ESDI) is another problem... However, none of these will hamper Turkey's fight against terrorism together with the US. Bringing those issues to the table during or at the end of the war may be a more rational policy. [...] As we have seen that timing is of utmost importance in diplomatic initiatives, and is of great significance in achieving success, we believe we have to keep calm. Thirdly, Turkey does not have enough money to spare for a military operation because of the economic crisis she suffers.

Everyone and mainly the US is aware of the situation. Washington says that Turkey's stance has comforted ant pleased the US Administration. The dialogue between Washington and Ankara is going on and the US defines Turkish policy followed as rational and she is certain that Ankara will do whatever is expected of her when the time comes. A country like Turkey who suffered the pains of terrorism for long cannot remain outside this war or passive. The second important name in the US Department of State, Richard Armitage may stop by Turkey during his visit to Moscow. Ankara will receive information concerning the recent events, the US plans and her expectations from Turkey directly from Mr. Armitage in detail. She will have the opportunity to ask questions in her mind. We hope Turkey will be able to benefit from this new situation which brings many problems and advantages together."

4. - Anadolu Agency - "Ecevit Interview: 'We didn't receive any request from the US to use Malatya and Diyarbakir airports''':

ANKARA

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has said that he has not received any request from the United States to use Malatya and Diyarbakir airports in a possible strike.

Prior to his departure from Ankara, Ecevit said he would have a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Jose Maria Aznar on Monday and also attend the opening of Cervantes Institute with him. Ecevit later responded to questions of reporters.

Question: There are news stories saying that Turkey accepted the U.S. request to use the airports in Malatya and Diyarbakir as well as Incirlik.

Ecevit: I haven't received such a received. I saw it in the paper today.

Question: Did the Turkish intelligence warn that Usame Bin Ladin might have chemical weapons?

Ecevit: I don't know those details but the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) works very closely with the CIA as well as with the intelligence agencies of many other countries. But we don't receive all the details from them.

Question: Does the United States have any request from Turkey?

Ecevit: :What would Turkey's response be if the United States wants to use
the airports in Diyarbakir and Malatya?

Ecevit: As I said yesterday, I can't speak much about possibilities.

Question: You had earlier said that you found adding a religion in front of the word terrorism wrong. Are you worried about the attacks to Muslim communities and mosques?

Ecevit: Yes I'm worried about it. It is very wrong to trigger separation while the whole world is trying to unite. Of course people are right now very sensitive and angry. Such acts could result in bad consequences. I'm expecting the U.S. administration and British Prime Minister Blair to react against such behaviour.

Question: Are you worried about a possible nuclear war? Also, are Turkey and the United States co-operating in the intelligence field?

Ecevit: May God protect the whole world from a nuclear war. This would be a disaster for the whole world. I don't think anyone is thinking about doing such a thing but we should also take the evidence they might found into consideration. But I don't think that any country could risk to undertake such a big adventure.

We have very closer relations with the United States. We share their grief after the attack. I don't know what the United States will do now. It should make a plan since that it declared war. This plan should be based on serious intelligence. We don't yet know what they are planning.

Question: Will the National Security Council convene? Is there a change in the concept of foreign threats?

Ecevit: Right now there is no reason to convene the National Security Council. There will be a scheduled meeting soon. People from the General Staff, Foreign Ministry and MIT are having meetings every day.

Many things could change in the world after the terrorist attack in the United States. Some concepts might need to be changed.

Question: There are news saying that the terrorists might have Turkish relatives? Have you heard anything about this?

Ecevit: I didn't hear anything except for what I read in the papers.

5. - Kurdish Media - "League of soft terrorist known in Kurdistan":

by Harem Jaff

A group calling itself the Islamic Kurdish League must stand accused of using anti- Kurdish ideology by abusing and oppressing other Kurdish religions in Kurdistan. They have successfully done this with help of multi terrorist's organisations working on an international scale led by terrorists such as Usama Bin Laden.

Salahadin Muhamed Bahadin

The League is a wealthy group, getting support from non-governmental organisations in various Arab Gulf countries, as hinted by their leader Salahadin Muhamed Bahadin in an interview with the Arabic newspaper Al-Itihad in Kurdistan.

The League is inspired by Ikhwan Al-Muslim (Muslim Brotherhood) and has its roots in Egypt. The League has appeared soon after the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a domestic organisation. The Baath Party of Iraq ignored them at that time, and they were able to focus heavily on discouraging the Kurdish Patriotic elements and propagate successfully against national struggle.

After the uprising of the Kurds in Southern Kurdistan, all the forces of the dictator Saddam Hussein were wiped out by Kurdish people. This gave vent to a dream for this group to start hijacking the achievements obtained by the Kurdish National Movement. Kurdish analysis described this group as the League of Enemy in Kurdistan.

Iran, Iraq and other Arab nationalists began seeing Kurdistan as a threat to their backward strategy in the Middle East, firstly because they felt that occupied Kurdistan is part of their territories, and second but not the least is the new democratic era, which the Kurds started in Southern Kurdistan. Moving towards creating a civilised society in Kurdistan encouraged and continues to encourage the other Kurds to end the era of dictatorship in the Middle East. Therefore, while Saddam Hussein and his allies physically out of sixty percent of liberated Southern Kurdistan, it was still beneficial for them to support and use this group to terrorise, assimilate Kurds and destabilise their homeland.

The city of Halabja, as a symbol of the Kurdish tragedy, becomes a zone for multi-terrorists organisations. Ahl-ii, Haqq, Yazidism, Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrianism are other Kurdish religions that exist in Kurdistan. They are subjected and targeted by these terrorist groups. Ahl-ii Haqq is one of the Kurdish deep-rooted religion within which the Kurdish pray in their native language.

The League has been keenly trying to miss use the aid of European non-organisations in Kurdistan. Non-Muslim Children are not allowed to benefit from education if they do not obey the instructions of Islam. Using economical sanctions, abuse, terrifying pushing people to convert, discriminating against them from the sources of their land are just a few of the methods used by these group to spread terror. These new and obvious methods are part of the state's terrorism and a conspiracy against Kurds and against humanity.

The destruction of the Ahlii-Haqq''s Holly Qallatee and Shai-Sar-Tin in Hawraman, beating up their followers kidnaping are serious attacks on one of the most respective parts of Kurdish beliefs in their culture and history and a solemn abuse of human rights. The terrorism that Kurds face today is clearly a state terrorism in which Iran and Iraq continue playing a significant part.

The Islamic Kurdish League has a tight link with many Islamic organisations in the world, especially with Arab Gulf countries. One of their financial bases is the UK in London. They have already started to invest money and open businesses to feed their movement. Their members are trying hard to show that they are modern and not like the others. This group makes full use of their connections within the multi-terrorists groupings to terrify Kurdish people, thus making it possible for them to fulfil their fanatical programmes.

The Kurdish nation has witnessed crimes of fanatic nationalists before. Today it has become a hapless victims of these terrorist organisations. Kurdistan has a multi religious society and accepted Islam as one of the other religions with no exception or priority, while the nation has maintained it own original religion. As we entered into the new millennium, it is imperative that Islam must not be another tool to harm this valuable heritage in Kurdistan. The new era has brought a new and well-experienced generation, who are ready to defeat human right abusers and fanatics. This will surely see the end of the ideologies that rely on Sworn Terror and Anfal.