17
May 2002
2. "Turkey bans Paris-based press watchdog", Turkey banned a Paris-based media rights watchdog on Wednesday from entering the country after the group enraged the government with an exhibition which portrayed its top general as one of the world's "enemies of the press".
3. "FOGG: Political criteria not enough", the program for Turkey’s accession to the EU does not mean interference in the country’s domestic affairs by Brussels, Fogg said.
4. "EU 'disappointed' over RTUK", as Turkey enters a crucial period to go ahead with the reforms she pledged in her National Program to fulfill the Copenhagen Criteria, European Union (EU) officials continued today to express their discontent over the new Parliament -endorsed RTUK law.
5. "Spell out the goals for Iraq", to reassure neighbors.
6. "Amnesty bill to be discussed next week", discussion on the amnesty bill which President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent back to Parliament for reconsideration began yesterday.
Dear Readers,
due to a bank holiday on Monday, May 20 (Whit Monday), there will be no Flash Bulletin that day. Our service will be available again on May 21, 2002. We regret any inconveniences this may cause.
1. - Financial Times - "EUROPE: Stoiber warns against continual EU enlargement":
By ANTON NOTZ and QUENTIN PEEL / 17 May 2002
Edmund Stoiber, the conservative challenger to become German chancellor,
yesterday warned of the danger of excessive enlargement of the European
Union, and spelt out his strong opposition to Turkey becoming a full
member.
In a blunt speech at the German embassy in London, Mr Stoiber warned that the cohesion of the union would be endangered by continual enlargement.
"I believe that there must be geographical borders for the EU," he told an audience of leading politicians, diplomats and business people. "We are of the opinion that Turkey is an important partner in Nato, and should have particularly friendly relations with Germany. But that does not mean it must be a member of the EU."
"Europe cannot end on the Turkish-Iraqi border," he added, in the most forthright criticism of Turkish membership to be made by aEuropean political leader since Turkey was formally declared a candidate for EU membership in December, 1999.
He said that if Turkey joined the EU, there would be calls for Morocco and Tunisia to become members as well. "Whoever wants that endangers the cohesion of Europe," he said.
Mr Stoiber, who is prime minister of the state of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union, is front runner to defeat Gerhard Schroder, the Social Democrat chancellor, in Germany's September general election. His conservative alliance with the Christian Democrats has a 10-point lead in the polls.
Although he has long been seen as relatively Euro-sceptic in Germany, he said that a more closely integrated EU was the only answer to the challenges of globalisation - and urged the UK to play a full part in that process. But he also called for greater transparency in EU decision-making.
Mr Stoiber said that Britain would be "unable to avoid" the introduction of the euro as its currency.
"A country that wishes to play, and should play, an important role in Europe must be a fully-fledged player in the European internal market in all its features," he said.
He said that the greatest danger facing Europe today was insecurity, and the EU could only tackle it together.
While he recognised and respected the special relationship between the UK and US, he was convinced that "the future of Great Britain is in a strong European integration."
Speaking just after meeting Iain Duncan Smith, the UK Conservative leader, he said: "I hope that all responsible British people engage themselves strongly in European development."
In particular that meant playing a full part in the European
convention, seeking to draft a new constitution for the union. 
2. - Reuters - "Turkey bans Paris-based press watchdog":
PARIS / 17 May 2002
Turkey banned a Paris-based media rights watchdog on Wednesday from
entering the country after the group enraged the government with an
exhibition which portrayed its top general as one of the world's "enemies
of the press".
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said they had been told by the Turkish embassy in Paris they must not enter Turkey.
The embassy confirmed the report and said it was passing on a message from Ankara.
"We passed on the message to RSF that the relevant authorities in Turkey have decided to forbid them access to Turkish territory," an embassy spokeswoman told Reuters.
The announcement came on the same day Turkey's parliament passed a media law widely criticised as an assault on media freedom and a threat to the country's internet industry.
Political analysts and journalists have said the law encourages monopolies and curbs press freedom at a time when European Union candidate Turkey must expand civil liberties to launch accession talks with Brussels.
Supporters say the law contains enough safeguards to stop monopolies thriving.
RSF said it had asked to meet authorities in Istanbul and planned to hold a news conference afterwards to explain why it listed Chief of Staff General Huseyin Kivrikoglu in an exhibition in Paris last week as a "predator of press freedom".
"RSF thinks this attitude is appalling," the non-governmental group said in a statement. "It reveals that Turkish authorities are incapable of talking to an independent organisation."
A furious Turkey last week threatened to freeze military agreements with its NATO ally, France, over the display, which features a photograph of Kivrikoglu alongside 38 others they claim are enemies of the press.
The exhibition at the Saint Lazare railway station shut
down last week after about 30 Turkish demonstrators and journalists
trashed it, RSF said.
3. - NTV / MSNBC - "FOGG: Political criteria not enough":
The program for Turkey’s accession to the EU does not mean interference in the country’s domestic affairs by Brussels, Fogg said.
16 May 2002
There are other requirements just as important as the political
ones set out in the Copenhagen Criteria that Turkey must fulfil in order
to qualify for full-membership of the European Union according to the
EU’s representative in Turkey. Ms Karen Fogg, addressing a meeting
of representatives of the cosmetics, soap and detergent sector on Thursday,
said that this year was critical for Turkey in its bid to become a member
of the EU.
Turkey has made systematic and comprehensive progress
along the EU path after the ratifying of its National Program, Fogg
said. However, more had to be done, she added. “The steps to be
taken before a negotiation date is set will be to the benefit of the
Turkish people. The accession strategy does not mean interference by
Brussels in Turkey’s domestic affairs,” she said. Fogg also
stated that they plan to hand over the monitoring of the financial and
technical aids provided by the EU to a unit associated to the Prime
Ministry by the end of the year.
4. - Turkish Daily News - "EU 'disappointed' over RTUK":
BRUSSELS / by Selcuk Gultasli
As Turkey enters a crucial period to go ahead with the reforms she
pledged in her National Program to fulfill the Copenhagen Criteria,
European Union (EU) officials continued today to express their discontent
over the new Parliament -endorsed RTUK law. EU Commission sources told
TDN that they were 'disappointed' to see that the law was endorsed once
again which was previously vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Commission
sources said "it was a backward step" for Turkey which ambitiously
pushes to get a date from EU to start accession talks next year. Turkey
is the only country among 13 EU candidates with which Brussels has not
started accession talks yet.
Stressing that the RTUK law is not in line with the Turkish pledges in its National Program to expand the freedom of expression and liberalize broadcasting regulations, EU sources said the new law was far away from what was expected and even " a backward step".
The timing of the RTUK law could not come at a worse period when Turkey urgently needs to both pass the reform laws and implement them before the Parliament starts its summer break. EU which will prepare the Progress Report during summer and publish it late October expressed on many occasions that Turkey needs to fulfill the reforms and at list complete the ones in the short-term part of the National Program for a positive Progress Report.
Ankara seeking to get a date to start accession talks
during the Danish Presidency that will start on January 1st, 2003 has
to pass reform bills that will pave the way for a positive Progress
Report, which in turn may open the door for a date to accession talks
during Danish Presidency. However sources cast doubt for a possible
date taking into consideration the "backward steps", the one
like RTUK.
5. - International Herald Tribune - "Spell out the goals for Iraq":
To reassure neighbors
ISTANBUL / by David L. Phillips / 16 May 2002
Recent negotiations between the United Nations and Iraq ended inconclusively.
In the past three years the Baghdad regime has repeatedly obstructed
efforts to resume monitoring of its program to produce weapons of mass
destruction. As a result, military action led by the United States seems
inevitable.
While U.S. allies, including Turkey, have so far resisted plans to invade Iraq, they would welcome a role in developing political and security arrangements for Iraq after its dictator Saddam Hussein is overthrown. Defining the end-state would encourage potential coalition partners to participate, when called upon. It would also help assuage countries like Turkey, by signaling America's commitment to stability. States bordering Iraq will resist efforts to depose Saddam until their concerns about chaos and fragmentation are addressed..
The Bush administration places special value on relations with Turkey. As a secular, democratic, majority Muslim country, Turkey is a key partner in the global war on terror. It is slated to assume command of the multinational force in Afghanistan. Should military action be required against Saddam, Turkish bases would be an essential staging ground for an air campaign and humanitarian intervention.
But Ankara has stated publicly that it opposes a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. It worries that military action would create a power vacuum, destabilize the region and encourage separatism among Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin. Turkey is also concerned about the economic consequences of conflict with Iraq. As a result of sanctions imposed after the Gulf War, Turkey estimates that it may have lost as much as $40 billion in trade and revenue. The Bush administration's position is clear. By whatever means, it will seek removal of Saddam and establishment of a federal democratic republic in Iraq. But such objectives cannot be achieved without Turkey's participation. The United States must satisfy Turkey's demand not to undermine the territorial integrity of Iraq. On the other hand, America wants to help Iraqis fulfill their long-suppressed democratic aspirations. Iraqi Kurds and others have suffered terrible abuses under Saddam's tyrannical rule. Kurds will not easily relinquish their dream of independence unless they are assured a secure and prosperous future in a unified Iraq.
Establishing a federal democratic republic represents a structural solution, which can help reconcile Turkish concerns with Kurdish aspirations. To this end, Iraq could be divided into three entities: a Kurdish, Turkmen and Assyrian region in the North, a Shiite Arab area in the South and a Sunni Arab belt in the middle. There would be a clear demarcation of boundaries between the entities. For example, Iraqi Kurdistan would encompass Kirkuk as well as other traditional tribal lands north of the 36th parallel.
While the central government in Baghdad would retain jurisdiction over defense and foreign policy, a highly decentralized system of governance would include a local executive, assembly and a security apparatus controlled by regional authorities. Local government institutions in Iraqi Kurdistan would reflect power-sharing provisions between the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan; Turkmen and other minority groups would also be fairly represented. In addition to local self-rule, Kurds would be allocated key central government ministries and share responsibility for border control and customs collection. Baghdad would continue to manage the country's energy sector. The Kurdish entity would be allocated a predetermined percentage of the country's overall oil income at least equal to the 13 percent of oil revenues it currently receives via the UN Oil for Food Program. Central government control of the national oil industry would discourage Kurdish nationalism, as well as separatism among the Shiite population of Basra, a rich resource region near Iran.
Such constitutional arrangements would simultaneously meet Kurdish aspirations and address Turkey's primary requirements.
A buffer zone between Turkey and Iraq would help deter incursions by armed groups. A commercial agreement could expedite cross-border transport and trade. And provisions would need to be enacted to protect the rights of ethnic minorities, including 2 million ethnic Turks in Northern Iraq.
There is widespread agreement that the world would be safer without Saddam, but debate persists on how to achieve this goal. Focusing on the end-state would advance cooperation and help harmonize the ambitions of stakeholders in the region.
The writer, a senior fellow and deputy director of the
Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations in
New York, contributed this comment to the International Herald Tribune.
6. - Sabah - "Amnesty bill to be discussed next
week": 
Discussion on the amnesty bill which President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent
back to Parliament for reconsideration began yesterday.
Speaking of the last such amnesty law, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said, “That law put 730 inmates back on the streets who then committed new crimes and had to be locked up again.”
He predicted that some 5,000 prisoners would be released
under the new law. However, when individual articles of the bill were
up for discussion a quorum was lacking, and so further discussions have
been scheduled for next week.