26 September 2001, Copyright © Turkish Daily News
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Cem leaves for Washington

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem left for Washington on Tuesday upon the invitation made by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.

The visit to be paid by Cem had an important meaning for the United States since Turkey had close contacts with the Northern Alliance and had broad information on the region, observers say.

Cem will share Turkey's views and information on Afghanistan and will discuss the opportunities for cooperation against terrorism.

Cem, who is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State on September 27, will be accompanied by Turkey's Special Coordinator on Afghanistan deputy undersecretary Aydemir Erman. Erman will be in Ankara on Wednesday after completing his talks in Tehran. Cem will travel to New York on Thursday night or Friday morning.

Ecevit: 'We should be closer with the United States'

Turkey should form closer ties with the United States, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, stating that the United States is a close ally for Turkey.

Ecevit received Cem in his office at Parliament soon before Cem left for Washington.

Cem meets with Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and Ambassador Pearson

Cem met with deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and the U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Robert Pearson.

Before leaving for Washington, Cem invited Gen. Buyukanit to the ministry and had a broad discussion on the new developments.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Talabani takes Halabja Monday night, Barzani sends message to Ankara

Northern Iraq heats up, Baghdad threat feared

SAADET ORUC

While the United States and Britain step up military activity at Turkey's Incirlik air base, a move regarded as preparations for a possible operation against Saddam Hussein, the situation in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq is heating up as locals fear an imminent attack from Baghdad.

Iraq has already served notice in its daily Babil newspaper that it will "re-take" northern Iraq from the Kurds if it is attacked by the Western powers.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Kurdish leaders have set up a joint front to combat Islamic radicals in their region, who are suspected of collaborating with Osama Bin Laden.

The Turkish Daily News was told that Jalal Talabani of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party had agreed to fight rising Islamic extremism in their region even before the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

As a part of this campaign, Talabani's forces launched an all out attack and took over the Halabjah city in northern Iraq, which was controlled by the militants of Jund-ul Islam on Monday night, northern Iraqi officials said.

Further remarks made by the northern Iraqi officials, on the other hand, confirmed the activities of fundamentalist groups in the region, which had links with the Saudi terrorist bin Laden.

The fighting at the Bayana and Tawalla districts, at the southern parts of Halabja, which erupted on Sept. 23, between Talabani and the fundamentalists in the region is still continuing, sources stated.

Talabani's taking Halabjah may cause a new tension between Iran and the Iraqi Kurds, observers say.

"Iran had mediated between the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (IMK) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Tehran has been demanding the PUK not to have an eye on Halabjah. Now, a crisis may explode between Tehran and the PUK," they commented.

Jund-ul Islam and Osama bin Laden

According to the sources briefing the TDN, Jund-ul Islam, the Arab-Afghan origin group, was formed when three groups, Tevhid (which was responsible for the assassination against the governor of Arbil, Francois Hariri in March 2001), Jihad-i Islami, which was active in Halabja region and Soran Peshmerga Force united their forces.

The total number of militants of Jund-ul Islam is nearly 300-400.

The political message given by Jund-ul Islam was commented to be quite similar to the policies of bin Laden, regional sources commented.

The militants of these groups were trained in bin Laden's camps in Afghanistan and were attacking women who were without headscarf and are also against shops selling alcoholic drinks in northern Iraqi cities.

Defining the leading two Iraqi Kurdish parties as infidel and secular groups, Jund-ul Islam targets these parties as well, official sources stated.

Iraq reported to be trying to destabilize the North

Babil newspaper commented in a recent article that in case of a U.S. attack against Iraq, Baghdad may attack the north to retake control of the Kurdish-administred region.

"This is one of the options," says a northern Iraqi official.

"Iraq is trying to destabilize the north," Iraqi Kurdish sources say.

PUK & KDP work closely: Barzani sends envoy to Ankara

The arising threat against the Iraqi Kurdish groups led to broad cooperation between the two rival Kurdish parties.

Before the clashes, sending an envoy to Talabani on Sept. 9, Massoud Barzani, the leader of the KDP proposed cooperation, defining the acts of fundamentalists as a serious threat.

Barzani's close aide Hoshyar Zebari was in Ankara on Tuesday and had a broad evaluation at the Foreign Ministry.

The main message of Barzani to Ankara was to increase cooperation on security, sources said.

Zebari had talks with officials from the Middle Eastern department of the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the shifting regional balances in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Another KDP official was in Tehran to evaluate the political environment in the region, while Zebari was meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara.

Amid the thunder of the changing facts of northern Iraq, Turkey is reported to be getting more involved in the region, as the Iraqi Kurds demand a broadening of cooperation in all fields, especially concerning security matters.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Uniting against terrorism

Kofi A. Annan

The terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11 aimed at one nation, but wounded an entire world. Rarely, if ever has the world been as united as it was on that terrible day. It was a unity born of horror, of fear, of outrage and of profound sympathy with the people of the United States. It was a unity born also of the fact that the World Trade Center was home to men and women of every faith from more than 60 nations. This was truly an attack on all humanity, and all humanity has a stake in defeating the forces behind it.

As the United States decides what actions it will take in defense of its citizens, and as the world comes to terms with the global implications of this calamity, the unity of Sept. 11 will be invoked, and it will be tested. I have expressed to President Bush and Mayor Giuliani -- and to New Yorkers at services in Churches, Synagogues and Mosques -- the complete solidarity of the United Nations with the United States and its people in their hour of grief. In less than 48 hours, the Security Council and the General Assembly joined me in condemning the attacks and voted to support actions taken against those responsible and the states who aid, support or harbor them. Of this solidarity, let no one be in doubt.

Nor should anyone question the world-wide resolve to fight this scourge for as long as is needed. Indeed, the most eloquent global answer so far to the attacks has been the commitment of states from every faith and region to act firmly against terrorism.

At a time like this, the world is defined not only by what it is for, but by what and who it is against. The United Nations -- and the international community -- must have the courage to recognize that just as there are common aims, there are common enemies. To defeat them, all nations of good will must join forces in a common effort encompassing every aspect of the open, free global system so wickedly exploited by the perpetrators of last weeks atrocities.

The United Nations is uniquely positioned to advance this effort. It provides the forum necessary for building a global legitimacy for the long-term response to terrorism. United Nations conventions already provide a legal framework for many of the steps that must be taken to eradicate terrorism -- including the extradition and prosecution of offenders and the suppression of money laundering. These conventions must be implemented in full.

Essential to this response, however, is that it deepen and not fracture the global unity of Sept. 11. While the world must recognize that there are enemies common to all societies, it must equally understand that they are not -- they never are -- defined by religious or national dissent. No people, no region and no religion should be condemned, assaulted or targeted because of the unspeakable acts of individuals. In Mayor Giuliani's words, "That is exactly what we are fighting here." He and President Bush have shown admirable leadership on condemning attacks on Muslims in the United States, and around the world other leaders have done the same. To do otherwise, and to allow divisions between and within societies to be exacerbated by these acts, would be to do the terrorist's work for them, and no one could wish for such an outcome.

Terrorism today threatens every society, every people, and as the world takes action against its perpetrators, we have all been reminded of the necessity of addressing the full range of conditions which permit growth of this kind of hatred and depravity. We must confront violence, bigotry and hatred even more resolutely. The work of the United Nations must continue as we address the ills of our time -- conflict, ignorance, poverty and disease. Doing so will not end every source of violence -- there are those who will hate and who will kill even if every injustice is ended. But if the world can show that it will persevere in creating a stronger, more just, more benevolent and more genuine international community across all lines of religion and race, then terrorism will have failed.

The author is Secratary-General of the United Nations

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

NEWS ANALYSIS - 'Giving in return for nothing does not reflect the realities of today`s diplomacy' says a senior Turkish ambassador, referring Turkey`s announcement of opening its airspace and bases to US aircraft prepared for a guerilla war against terrorists.

Turkish diplomacy on US terror turns into gaffe

Lale Sariibrahimoglu

Many analysts and senior diplomats have been criticising the way Turkey has been handling the foreign policy instruments to respond to the U.S. policies which have concentrated on how to respond to the terrorist attacks staged against the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on Sept. 11 as well as to establish an international coalition for its guerilla warfare against prime suspect Osama bin Laden said to be based in Afghanistan.

"From the very start, the handling of Turkish policy turned into gaffes. In the first place Turkey did not have to send a letter to the United States since the diplomatic channels have intensely been open between the two countries. Secondly, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit should not have made binding statements concerning commitments to the United States before securing Turkish interests," argues a senior retired Turkish Ambassador who requested anonymity.

Last week, the Turkish press concentrated on, among other aspects of possible U.S. retaliation against the terror, wondering why the Turkish government delayed sending a letter to U.S. President George W. Bush despite a leakage by the Cabinet, later confirmed by Ecevit about the letter's existence.

Appearing on CNN Turk the next day on Sept. 21, Ecevit did not only reveal how Turkey could assist to the United States in its fight against the common enemy, i.e. terror, but also the reasons behind a delay in sending a letter to Bush under which Turkey was going to underline its help and conditions for U.S. help. Ecevit linked the delay to the uncertainty of the then situation.

But this absurd issue of "Letter to Bush" was announced to be sent on Sept. 22 the day after President Ahmet Necdet Sezer received a phone call from Bush. This left an impression among the analysts that Ecevit, being annoyed that Sezer -- who he has been at odds with -- taking the lead in contacting Bush, decided to send the letter immediately.

In a cynical tone, a senior retired Turkish ambassador stressed his conviction that upon local press reports questioning "Why Bush did not telephone Sezer or Ecevit while he was been in contact with he world leaders that the United States would need help from logistically as well as politically." U.S. Ambassador Robert Pearson might have asked his president to call Turkish officials to alleviate press concerns.

"I am very sure that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem`s visit to the United States due to start on Thursday was a result of the Turkish press' pressure prompting Washington to arrange a meeting for him with his U.S. counterpart Colin Powell," says the same diplomat.

In a similar development, Turkish diplomacy gaffes found reflection within the Turkish General Staff too. Planning to brief the journalists on Sept. 21, concerning "Nato`s Article 5 (That the alliance decided to activate) and the military preparations" was postponed with a statement faxed to the press on Thursday, Sept. 20. The General Staff postponement cited the uncertainty over the preparations of the alliance in response to possible U.S. strikes.

Turkey opens bases

Ecevit announced on Sept. 22 that it had granted a U.S. request to open its bases and airspace to U.S. transport aircraft as the United States was preparing an assault against terrorist camps in Afghanistan. But Ecevit, in the same announcement, ruled out sending troops to fight against Muslim terrorists side by side with the U.S. special operations team. Instead he offered Turkey's intelligence information to be shared with the United States concerning Afghanistan and proposing the training of the opposition in this country.

This has been a tactical mistake made by Turkey, says a senior Turkish diplomat, adding that Ecevit made a binding statement to the United States before assuring Turkey`s interests to be secured that would result from financial and political losses.

NATO-member Turkey is a predominantly Muslim but a secular state by Constitution, and a very close ally of the United States which has been the main actor in backing International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans to help Turkey ease its already severe economic crisis.

"Turks being proud of being the inheritors of the Ottoman Empire refrain from making requests for its own good while giving something in return for nothing. Whereas in today`s diplomacy this is how the things have been working. Ecevit, through quiet diplomacy, could have sought more credits from IMF in return for opening its facilities for the United States," stresses the senior retired Turkish diplomat.

Pakistan, one of the key countries for the United States to secure access to its facilities to be used as a staging ground against bin Laden`s camps, secured a U.S. decision to ease economic sanctions from the very start before turning green light to the United States, recalls the same diplomat. But Pakistan`s reservations till continue, though it secured U.S. help.

Turkey has been taking financial and the political risks while opening its bases to the United States but still does not know how to use the tools of diplomacy for its own good, says another frustrated diplomat.

Nearly all Islamic countries of the Middle East and North Africa have condemned the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, but unlike Turkey they are not ready to make firm commitments to the United States to join its efforts to establish an international coalition.

Turkey makes Gulf War mistakes

Since the U.S. announcement to take action against the "Unseen enemy," i.e. the terrorists, Turkey has feared that it will face similar repercussions as it did during the Gulf War back in 1991.

The then President Turgut Ozal, challenging the then Chief of Staff Necip Torumtay who later resigned, opened a second front for the United States during the Gulf War of 1991 staged by the U.S. lead coalition forces to end the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Ozal's claim that taking sides with the United States would mean "We would sew one and reap three" theory did not turn into a reality.

The aftermath of the Gulf War speeded up Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terror with its terrorists using no-man`s land Northern Iraq as a base to infiltrate Turkey, while Ankara still suffers from the economic impact due to its strict abidance to a more than 10-year old U.N. embargo imposed against its southeastern neighbor, resulting with an estimated loss of about $45 billion.

But the senior retired Turkish diplomat who has been very familiar with the Turkish policy during the Gulf War says Turkey has been making a similar mistake.

One day in August 1991, then U.S. Secretary of State James Baker visited Ankara and met with then President Ozal. By the time Baker visited Turkey, Ozal had already announced Turkey`s closure of the Kerkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline with Iraq.

Thus, already having the Turkish assurance in his pocket, Baker told Ozal that "We (the U.S.) will never forget Turkish help, while looking into his watch saying that "My plane is awaiting me to take off."

When Turkey realized its mistake it was too late, explains the same diplomat. Turkey's insistence on some help for its relief has only resulted with a fund opened by some Gulf countries for the manufacture of the second batch of 80 Turkish F-16s, recalls another diplomat, adding that, what Turkey got in return for its support to the United States was a peanut compared to countries like Jordan.

Loglu@superonline.com

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Erdogan receives Egyptian Ambassador El-Shazly

AKP (Justice and Development Party) Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that they don't accept any relation between terrorism and Islam and said, "Terrorism has no religion."

Erdogan received Ankara's Egyptian Ambassador, Mohammed El-Shazly at his office in Yildiz.

El-Shazly said that they follow the political understanding of AKP and wished success to Erdogan.

El-Shazly said that there are good relations between both countries and he also pointed out the latest terrorist attacks on the United States. El-Shazly said that both Turkey and Egypt have suffered from terrorism and as two Muslim countries should cooperate against terrorism. El-Shazly said that Islam has no relation with terrorism and this kind of an understanding would be wrong.

Erdogan stated that their party programme is very rich on the issue of world peace and Turkey and Egypt should collaborate on every subject.

Erdogan added that he felt sorry for the terrorist attacks on the United States and the concept of war against terrorism should be defined clearly and there should be a common struggle platform against terrorism created.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Some minor anti-US voices heard in Turkey

A few minor voices against the United States and Turkey's possible more active role in the war against terror have started to be heard in Turkey.

Turkey, a day after the terrorist attack against the targets in New York and Washington, condemned the event which claimed the lives thousands of innocent civilians. All political parties and Turks shared the grief of the United States, a close ally of Turkey.

Turkey over the weekend agreed to allow U.S. Air Force transport aircraft to use its airspace and airports for a possible response to the recent terrorist attacks. Turkey is also willing to share intelligence on Afghanistan with the United States.

Ecevit said Turkey was willing to train opposition groups fighting against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Turkey would provide increased "material aide, training and other kinds of help" to opposition groups.

Despite the coalition partners pledge of full support, Islamist opposition Saadet (happiness or contentment) Party (SP) deputy chairman Lutfu Esengun stated that it won't be acceptable for Turkey to clash or to be a side of a clash with the Afghan people.

"Turkey is a mediator and a bridge between the Afghan and U.S. people. If Turkey makes a mistake now, its costs will be too high to pay," Esengun said.

Meanwhile, SP leader Recai Kutan strongly condemned the attacks and all acts of terrorism no matter who committed them, but he added that Turkey certainly should not be a side of such a war.

As well as Kutan, who urged the government to inform of every detail to Parliament, other opposition parties, such as the Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that only Parliament has to authority to declare war, government is not authorized to take such a decision without the permission of Parliament.

Both leaders of the pro-Islamist parties which were born out of the ashes of defunct Virtue Party (FP), expressed fear that the recent events may lead to a serious clash against Islam.

Kutan said, "Unable to create a fresh new enemy for itself, America has chosen Islam for this purpose. The name of the new enemy is Islam."

AKP leader Tayyip Erdogan has joined the cautious side, raising objections to the hostile atmosphere against Muslims in the United States.

In his parliamentary group speech, Erdogan said terrorism has no religion, and the recent terrorist attacks on the United States had created a trauma. Considering the high technology, perfect planning and major capital necessary for the terrorist act, said Erdogan, it could be easily observed that terrorism has raised the benchmark. Erdogan added that this new situation is even more dangerous than war.

The AKP leader said that even war has some rules, but terrorism doesn't recognize any. Noting the symbolic values of the targets, Erdogan said the attacks on the Twin Towers, which represented the New World Order, and on the Pentagon, which represented the military power, gives an idea on who could back this terrorist act.

Erdogan proposed a common world strategy for the fight against terrorism, and said: "We understand the punishment discourse of President Bush, but we hope that our American friends would not make a punishment based on assumptions." Erdogan also called the attacks against Muslims in the United States, dangerous, and said: "Let God keep President Bush and Congress members in his way. For, as Jesus Christ said, do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

The AKP leader also raised concern about a drawback from the democratic traditions and freedoms after the terrorist attack, and said, "I hope the U.S. leader and Congress do not allow this to turn into a war of religions or a witch hunt."

Anti-US protests in Turkey

Apart from political parties, there are some groups in Turkey that are not supporting the idea of Turkey's full support of the United States in its war against terror. Moreover, minor anti-U.S. protests took place.

At the opening ceremony of Istanbul Technical University, a group of students protested the one-minute silence ceremony for the victims who died in the attacks against civilian targets in U.S.. Opening anti-U.S. banners and chanting slogans such as, "We won't pay honor to World's biggest imperialist United States," a group of ten-students who were the members of IP Youth Branch left the ceremony.

Meanwhile, a large group who were at Istanbul's Sami Yen Stadium to watch the game between Galatasaray and Lazio match at European Champions League refused to heed a one-minute silence ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Twin Towers, Aydinlik reported.

Aydinlik, known as the voice of leftist Worker's Party (IP), listed the renowned Turkish terror victims in its recent issue. Claiming that scores of students, academicians, politicians, journalists and policemen were victims of the U.S. terror policy, Aydinlik listed some of them.

According to Aydinlik, Abdi Ipekci, Dr. Bahriye Ucok, Muammer Aksoy, Gen. Esref Bitlis, professor Ahmet Taner Kislali and Gaffar Okkan were among the victims of U.S. terror.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Exodus of Afghan nationals cause of distress for all neighboring states

  • 'No increase in usual number of Afghan asylum applications in Turkey'

Endless conflict, drought and political instability -- once topped with escalating fear -- have resulted in an exodus of Afghans into neighboring countries. Whereas UNICEF estimates this number to be around 1.3 million people, statistics could skyrocket in the case of a major attack.

No Afghan arrivals have been reported in Iran so far but the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Iranian government mission have still decided to set up seven camp sites in the border areas of the Khorassan province so as to house Afghan arrivals.

The total number of Afghan asylum seekers in Turkey is less than 200 and the UNHCR has reported that there has been no increase in the usual number of applications placed by Afghan nationals after the incident.

The UNHCR has also claimed recent news claiming Turkey to be the second largest host country for refugees is false. Statistics show that Pakistan hosts 2 million refugees and Iran 1.5 million, whereas this figure is only about 7,000 for Turkey.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw,was expected to convey to Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Harrazi a proposal during his trip to Iran. The British package is to offer some 25 million pounds to countries bordering Afghanistan, so as to help them cope with the increase in the number of Afghan refugees.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Pope sends letter to President Sezer

  • Ankara: "Pope should not smear Turkish history to please the Armenians"

SAADET ORUC

A visit planned by Pope John Paul II to a monument of the so-called genocide has caused a diplomatic traffic between the Vatican and Ankara.

As Turkey launched diplomatic attempts both in the Vatican and Ankara, the Pope sent a letter to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer saying that there was no reason to be worried, Foreign Ministry officials told the Turkish Daily News.

"The Pope should not take an attitude smearing Turkish history and the Turks just to please the Armenians during his visit to Armenia. We informed the Vatican through our attempts in Ankara and the Vatican," Turkish officials say.

"The Pope sent a letter to Sezer saying that there was no reason to be worried," they continued.

Pope John Paul II planned to visit the monument in Yerevan for the victims of the so-called genocide.

The Pope, apparently seeking to be both firm and delicate, has called the deaths genocide but has not declared any party responsible, news reports from Yerevan said.

John Paul's trip has focused on seeking to reduce religious tensions in the wake of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackings that destroyed New York's World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon. The United States blames Islamic extremists for the attacks.

On Monday, the Pope said in predominantly Muslim Kazakstan that the Roman Catholic Church respected "authentic Islam" but "hatred, fanaticism and terrorism profane the name of God and disfigure the true image of man."

The Pope also cautioned Catholics in Kazakstan against aggressive proselytizing in a land of many faiths.

He quoted a Kazakh scholar, Abai Kunanbai: "Because we worship God fully and have faith in him, we have no right to claim that we must force others to believe in him and worship him."

Ankara was unable to make an official statement on Tuesday concerning the visit of the Pope to the monument.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

 

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