23
May 2003
2. "Simitis calls on Turks to change stand", Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday called on Turkey to change its stance on Cyprus so that UN efforts to end the island's division can be given a chance.
3. "Turkey's Military Faces Demands For Reform", Turkey's military has come under strong pressure for reform.
4. "Turkish Army Opposes New Government Bill On Reforms", Erdogan attempt to convince the military establishment into accepting the new bill
5. "Talabani: We hope for a general amnesty for KADEK", answering yesterday the questions of the Turkish NTVMSNBC journalist, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talabani, said that the US was determined to rid Iraq of terrorist organisations and within this frame the PKK/KADEK would also be ousted from the area.
6. "Turks tells US 'uneasy' with Kurd role in Kirkuk", Turkey has expressed its "unease" to the United States over what it says are signs Kurds are seeking control of northern Iraq's oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Thursday.
7. "Gul: We Will Be Model of Islam and Democracy", Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul declared that Turkey would be a model to the world demonstrating how Islam can coexist along with democracy.
8. "Turkey urges US to stop Armenian genocide draft bill", Turkey urged US lawmakers on Friday to drop consideration of draft resolution describing as genocide the killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
1. - The Financial Times - "Kurds fear for role of political movements":
BAGHDAD / 23 May 2003 / by Charles Clover 
The United Nations resolution lifting sanctions on Iraq does not
take account of Kurdish interests and has given Iraqi political movements
less of an incentive to participate in running the country, a Kurdish
leader said on Thursday.
Hoshyar Zebari, spokesman for the Kurdistan Democratic party, the largest Kurdish party in Iraq, said the resolution gave a subordinate role to an interim administration to be composed of Iraqis.
"The resolution will not motivate the political forces in the country to form an interim government, because the coalition [the US and UK] is going to run the country and they don't need partners," said Mr Zebari yesterday.
"I think this resolution will complicate the political process in the country, it could even aggravate the situation on a security level."
In addition, he said, the resolution put the northern Kurdish region at a "great disadvantage". It removed from Kurdish control Iraqi oil revenues which were earmarked for the Kurdish region, made up of three northern provinces, under the oil-for-food programme.
Under the new resolution all Iraqi oil revenues minus 5 per cent earmarked for a compensation fund for Kuwait will go into the Development Fund for Iraq, a trust-fund like entity that is mandated to spend the money "for the benefit of the Iraqi people".
Mr Zebari said it was still unclear what would become of the 13 per cent quota on Iraqi oil revenues dedicated to the northern Kurdish region. "They seem to want to put it all in a national pot. This will be a great disadvantage for us."
He said that up to $4bn currently deposited in the oil-for-food escrow account belonged to the Kurdish government, and that the resolution left the disposal of that money unclear. According to the resolution, the oil-for-food programme will continue for six months, after which all remaining money in the account must be transferred to the development fund.
The oil-for-food money designated for Kurdistan is largely responsible for the region's recent economic boom. The region was given US protection following the Gulf war and has evolved into a largely independent area, with its own government and parliament based in Arbil.
"Before 1991 we were the most backward area in Iraq," he said, "and now we are the richest place in the country. This is something we want to hold on to."
Iraq's Kurds were key allies in the US-led campaign to unseat the regime of Saddam Hussein, but feel their loyalty has so far gone unrewarded. US leaders are keen to discourage any hint of separatism by the Kurds, who have said they will seek a federal Iraq with Kurdistan as one federal region.
US officials have said they are willing to contemplate federalism as a solution to Iraq's ethnic troubles. But key disagreements exist over longstanding Kurdish claims that the provinces of Kirkuk and Mosul be included in a federal Kurdish entity, as well as their claim that a share of Iraq's oil wealth be earmarked for them. Mr Zebari said Kurds would like this share to be 25 per cent.
Mr Zebari said they had received assurances from the US
that, until there was a new Iraqi constitution, Kurdistan would continue
to have its own administration. 
2. - Kathimerini - "Simitis calls on Turks to change stand":
Ban ends, Cypriots visit Turkey
ATHENS / 23 May 2003
Prime Minister Costas Simitis yesterday called on Turkey to change
its stance on Cyprus so that UN efforts to end the island's division
can be given a chance. President Tassos Papadopoulos, who is to meet
with Simitis in Athens on Monday, is ready to resume talks on the basis
of Secretary-General Kofi Annan's proposal and would like to see an
agreement reached by February, Cypriot government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides
told reporters. Cyprus is to join the EU on May 1 of next year. If no
deal is reached, only Greek Cypriots will enjoy the benefits of this.
Yesterday, Defense Minister Koulis Mavronicolas said Cyprus will put
reconnaissance aircraft and training facilities at the EU's disposal
as part of its defense contribution to the bloc.
Also yesterday, some 300 Cypriot doctors and nurses became the first Greek Cypriots to visit Turkey since a 1963 ban was lifted. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced earlier this month that such visits would be allowed from May 22. The doctors and nurses, who were attending a conference in Greece, boarded six buses and crossed the Turkish border at Ipsala, The Associated Press reported. They were to visit Istanbul's Hagia Sophia cathedral, which has been turned into a museum, and the Orthodox Patriarchate. «We are happy to be in Turkey,» the agency quoted Evanthia Georgiou as saying. «I hope relations continue to get better.»
On April 23, Turkish Cypriots eased restrictions on travel across the Green Line that has divided the island since the Turkish invasion of 1974. But Ankara and the Turkish-Cypriot leadership still insist that any solution be based on the recognition of two separate states, something that Annan's plan rules out.
Simitis discussed this and other issues with British PM
Tony Blair in London. «We discussed Cyprus and we are of the same
position. There is no reason to resume talks in the UN framework if
Turkey continues to express the same position on the issue,» Simitis
told reporters. «Turkey must change course if talks are to resume.
The Annan plan... must not lose its meaning with talks that lead nowhere.»
3. - Middle East News - "Turkey's Military Faces Demands For Reform":
Turkey's military has come under strong pressure for reform.
ANKARA / 22 May 2003
Turkish government sources said the government of Prime Minister
Recep Erdogan has approved some of the reforms demanded by the European
Union required for Ankara's membership. They said the reforms are meant
to eventually place the military and weapons procurement under the control
of the civilian government and parliamentary oversight.
"There has always been pressure on the military for major reforms," a Turkish official said. "The difference is that the military could always count on significant portions of the government and official bureaucracy to oppose or deflect these pressures. That isn't the case today."
The General Staff has to decide whether to approve the
government's reform package within the next few months. The Erdogan
government, which has pledged to improve the economy, has already assured
Brussels that the EU demands would be met.
4. - Islam Online - "Turkish Army Opposes New Government Bill On Reforms":
Erdogan attempt to convince the military establishment into accepting the new bill
ANKARA / 22 May 2003 / by Sa’ad Abdul-Majid
The Turkish army expressed opposition to a government bill calling
for the introduction of political and democratic reforms to the constitution
that would benefit the Kurdish minority.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met with Chief of Staff Hilmi Ozkouk in an effort to convince him into accepting the bill, due to be presented to the parliament within coming few days, the Milliyet daily reported on Wednesday, May21 .
The two sides probed at the one-hour meeting parts of the bill which Turkey had earlier committed to the European Union to introduce over next few years.
The talks came after the army-controlled Turkish National Council secretary lodged a complaint against the some changes proposed by the bill.
The Council made the complaint about the bill’s call for “changing the eighth article of the Anti-terrorism Act and allowing non-Turkish language television and radio shows to beam on the country’s airwaves,” Millyet reported.
The article bans issuing any written or aired statements during demonstrations or other kinds of gatherings or holding meetings which call for dividing the country. Those who violate the article face three to five years in prison and100 - 300million liras in fines.
The new bill also allows foreign observers to keep an eye on the general elections in Turkey.
Amnesty
During their meeting, Erdogan and Ozkouk reportedly discussed granting amnesty to Kurdish fighters inside and outside Turkey to be added to the new bill.
But Turkish Minister of Justice Cemil Cicek dismissed the report after his talks with the U.S. ambassador here.
Asked if his government has made changes to the text of the bill after the protests of the military establishment, Cicek said, “We will see this together on Thursday.”
“The ministry benefited from viewpoints of government
institutions when the bill was drawn to introduce modifications to 10
laws in the country’s institution,” he added.
5. - KurdishMedia - "Talabani: We hope for a general amnesty for KADEK":
LONDON / 22 May 2003 / by Welat Lezgin
Answering yesterday the questions of the Turkish NTVMSNBC journalist,
the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Jalal Talabani, said
that the US was determined to rid Iraq of terrorist organisations and
within this frame the PKK/KADEK would also be ousted from the area.
Claiming that Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK), formerly known as Kurdistan Worker`s Party (PKK), had around 5000 guerrillas, Talabani said that they were hoping for a general amnesty for these people and that the problems surrounding the presence of PKK/KADEK in south Kurdistan would solve itself in this way.
Regarding PUK’s relationship with Turkey, Talabani told the NTV channel that they had very positive meetings with the Turkish delegation in Iraq adding that they wanted to reinforce the relations with Turkey.
On the reports that the number of Kurds in Kirkuk had increased, Talabani said that these reports were false. "These kinds of reports are propaganda. The documents in question are documents prepared by the Iraqi dictatorship and cannot be trusted. These have been produced to lower the numbers of Kurds and Turkmens," Talabani said.
Talabani also added that a peaceful life had started in Kirkuk and that a committee where Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens and Assyrians were represented had already been set up. Talabani said that their aim was to stop the process of Arabisation in Kirkuk by enabling the return of displaced Kurds and Turkmens.
Saying that they wanted a democratic and federal Iraq, Talabani said that they did not have any demands regarding the creation of an independent Kurdish state.
Answering live the questions of the Turkish NTV journalist Isin Elcin, Talabani touched upon the issue of Turkish oil firms, saying that they had given assurances to the Turkish delegation that the agreements with the Turkish companies would be valid when an Iraqi government comes to power.
During the interview the PUK leader also said that he would support the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani in case he became a candidate for the Iraqi presidency, adding that he was not a candidate for such a position. Talabani also emphasised that he did not have any disagreements with Barzani.
Regarding the future of Iraq, Talabani underlined that
he saw the future of Iraq as a democratic, federal, independent and
rich country, stating that it was necessary to establish a central government
with the participation of all the groups in Iraq.
6. - Reuters - "Turks tells US 'uneasy' with Kurd role in Kirkuk":
ANKARA / 23 May 2003
Turkey has expressed its "unease" to the United States
over what it says are signs Kurds are seeking control of northern Iraq's
oil-rich city of Kirkuk, Turkish diplomatic sources said on Thursday.
Kurdish control of the city and its vast oil fields are seen in Turkey as the first step towards a Kurdish state, despite Iraqi Kurds' avowals they do not seek independence from Baghdad.
Turkey fears a Kurdish state in Iraq could spark separatism among its own 12 million Kurds, but it has backed off from threats to invade if it sees moves towards independence.
"There is an ongoing dialogue with U.S. authorities on the issue of Iraq. We have conveyed our fundamental approach that Iraqi cities belong to all Iraqis," the diplomatic source said.
Asked if Turkey had spoken to Washington of its concerns over Kirkuk, the source said: "Our unease...has been discussed."
The source would not say what events had raised concerns in Ankara. A Turkish Foreign Ministry delegation has been in Iraq for more than a week and has met Kurdish leaders in the north.
Tensions have simmered in ethnically diverse Kirkuk since the city fell to U.S.-backed Kurdish "peshmerga" fighters. More than 10 people were killed at the weekend in clashes between Kurds and Arabs.
Kirkuk's Arabs have accused Washington of favouring Kurds, who backed the U.S.-led war to depose former President Saddam Hussein. U.S. forces on Thursday detained two Arab candidates in Kirkuk days before a local election.
Turkey keeps a few thousand troops in the north to pursue guerrillas who fought for an ethnic homeland in southeast Turkey that killed more than 30,000 people in the 1980s and 1990s.
Relations between NATO allies Turkey and the United States
soured after Ankara refused to allow in tens of thousands of U.S. troops
to open a second front on Iraq during the war.
7. - Zaman Daily Newspaper - "Gul: We Will Be Model of Islam and Democracy":
ISLAMABAD / 23 May 2003 / by Harun Celik
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul
declared that Turkey would be a model to the world demonstrating how
Islam can coexist along with democracy.
In comments to Zaman yesterday while on an official visit to Pakistan, Gul said, "We are determined about one thing: We will show that Islam and democracy can coexist." Acknowledging that some people would be disturbed by that coexistence, Gul stated that a Turkey "attached to its identity and faith, reconciled to its history and having an established democracy" would be a model for the Middle East and the rest of the Islamic world. He indicated their willingness as government and said, "We will accomplish it." Gul stated that his views on the subject were received with great interest by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Pointing out the importance of designating the power of public opinion on the matter, Gul stated: "Unfortunately, in Islamic countries the structure is authoritarian, and a one-man mentality blocks the way of the public. The choices of the people are ignored. I consider the biggest problem in the Islamic world to be its leaders. The public's horizon has exceeded the way of the leaders, and the leadership is blocking the way of the public." Gul said governing countries behind closed doors should come to an end, declaring that transparency in governance was necessary.
Gul said they didn't want clashes of civilizations or
of faiths. He stated that people who are disturbed by the harmony of
faith-democracy consider events at different points and chip away at
the base of the country when chaos is present. Gul pointed out that
improprieties were a great blow to the Islamic world and said: "The
prevention of improprieties will make the way easier in an economic
sense for the public. Masses with a higher level of prosperity will
express their democratic demands aloud."
8. - AFP - "Turkey urges US to stop Armenian genocide
draft bill":
ANKARA / 23 May 2003
Turkey urged US lawmakers on Friday to drop consideration of draft
resolution describing as genocide the killings of Armenians under the
Ottoman Empire during World War I.
"We keep our expectation that this draft will not be taken onto the agenda of the House of Representatives or if it is, that it will not be approved," foreign ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz told a press conference here.
"We expect the US Congress and the US administration to make the necessary efforts so that this draft is not adopted," Dirioz said. The judiciary committee of the lower house of the US Congress on Thursday passed a draft resolution reaffirming its support to a 1948 international convention on the prevention of genocide, in which the mass killings of Armenians were referred to as "genocide", along with the Holocaust and the massacres in Rwanda and Cambodia.
In October 2000 a draft congressional resolution acknowledging the massacres as genocide was pulled from the House floor following an intervention by President Bill Clinton who argued that the United States should not damage its ties with Turkey, a key Muslim ally.
There are fears in Ankara that this time the Bush administration may not intervene to have the resolution quashed because of Turkey's failure to back the US-led war against Iraq. Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen were massacred in orchestrated killings in 1915-1918.
Turkey categorically rejects claims of genocide, saying that 300,000 Armenians and thousands of Turks were killed in what was a civil strife during World War I when the Armenians raised up against their Ottoman rulers.
In 2001, France triggered a storm in its relations Turkey
when its parliament passed a law describing the massacres as genocide.