Strategic Research And Study Centre Opens

ANKARA, Jan 8 (A.A) - Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu said on Tuesday that the security atmosphere of the future is not known now, adding that ''the societies which don't realize change, can have to bear serious results.''
The Strategic Research and Study Centre (SAREM) was opened the same day at the meeting held at General Staff headquarters to introduce it.
Addressing the meeting, Gen. Kivrikoglu said that SAREM which will act within the structure of General Staff, won't deal with domestic politics.
''However the Centre will deal with evalutations about the fundamentalist and seperatist activities which closely concern the future and national power of the Turkish State,'' he said.
Kivrikoglu said that SAREM is a think-tank which brings together civilian and military administrators, strategists and scientists.
''One of the most important elements in determining the national military strategy is the security atmosphere of the future. If you will develop a defense strategy, you must guess the change in the international security atmosphere for the coming 20 years. Because it is not possible to change the military power of a nation so quickly. You have to give your decisions about the issue years ago and you should form your armed forces in a way that is foreseen by the future's security atmosphere,'' Kivrikoglu said.
He said that the questions of the future have to be answered by both the military and civilian officials who should study together.
Kivrikoglu noted that countries which were friends of Turkey for years extended support to terrorism which targetted the future of Turkey.
He added that there are not many think-tanks in Turkey, adding that SAREM will make studies with the goal of presenting information and alternative solutions for military and civilian decision makers.
Kivrikoglu said that SAREM would shed light to the future and would have important contributions to Turkish intellectual life and security.
''The United States annonced that the suspects of Sept. 11 attacks would be tried at military courts and there would be no right to appeal. The EU is giving full support to the United State's fight against terrorism and then it is not regarding an organization like PKK as a terrorist organization,'' he said.
Kivrikoglu stated that institutions such as SAREM should carry out studies without any prejudices. He said there were a number of institutions in Turkey but their studies were weakened by obsessions and prejudices.
''SAREM will do research in geopolitical and geostrategical fields and provide important database and alternatives to decision makers,'' he continued. ''It will not be involved in domestic policy. Matters of domestic policy will be outside of SAREM's activity field. However, SADER will naturally deal with Islamist fundamentalist activities since this directly concerns the Turkish Republic. SAREM's activities will not reflect the official view of any institution.''
Kivrikoglu said that SADER would be formed of a small number of military personnel and a large number of university lecturers and will be one of the largest think-tanks of Turkey.
''Briefly, SADER's goal is not to do politics but to make assessments for the future about Turkey's national security,'' he added.
Later SAREM Chairman Resat Odun gave information about SADER. He stated that SADER would mostly focus on the Caucasians, Balkans, Middle East, Central Asian Turkish Republics, Europe, Aegean, Cyprus, Mediterranean, and Blacksea regions and it would present research results to the related authorities.
CORRUPTION HAS TO BE ERADICATED IN TURKEY
Kivrikoglu said that corruption has to be eradicated in the country, adding that ''if this is not the case, Turkey will not be able to stand on its own feet.''
Responding to questions of journalists at General Staff Headquarters upon the opening of the Strategic Research and Study Centre (SAREM) asking if there had been a change in the Turkish Armed Forces' list of threats on Turkey, Gen. Kivrikoglu said that ''there is no change for the moment.''
When the same reporter recalled that corruption came the first in the list of threats, Gen. Kivrikoglu said that ''corruption has to be eradicated, if this is not the case, Turkey can't stand on its feet.''
Referring to the fight with corruption, General Kivrikoglu said that there is a progress about the issue when compared to the past.
''Now the society is aware of the threat. The society won't forgive them, the people who ignore such kind of acts...,'' Kivrikoglu said.
Kivrikoglu said that the quickness of the judiciary is also important in the fight with corruption, adding that ''certainly the judiciary has certain problems. It does not have sufficient judges and prosecutors. Reforms have to be undertaken in all fields.''
When asked if he was concerned about a social explosion like the one in Argentina caused by the economic crisis, Kivrikoglu said that ''Turkish people are hopeful about 2002. The people are better off when compared to the past. I don't think that there will be such an incident in Turkey. Turkey will be better. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) index started to increase. The decision makers will have the ability to act more autonomously and they will do the right things without being under the influence of others. 2002 will be better for Turkey as a result.''
When a journalist asked Gen. Kivrikoglu if the Turkish Armed Force was against the operation to save certain banks and particularly against the decisions taken recently, Kivrikoglu said that ''we believe that the things that are beneficial for Turkey have to be done. Certainly, we are not economists. We are not against or in favour of it. We are trying to understand the issue.''
TURKEY DOES NOT VIOLATE AIRSPACE OF GREECE
Kivrikoglu said that Turkey didn't violate the airspace of Greece, adding that ''when Turkish planes fly over Aegean and when they fly between six and ten miles surrounding the islands, Greece considers it as a violation.''
Responding to a question of a journalist asking his views about the increasing violations of Turkey's airspace by Greek war planes recently, Kivrikoglu said that ''There are two air corridors coming from the Aegean. One of them comes from the north in parallel to Turkey's coasts. The other one comes from Greece. The first one is G-18 and the other one is R-19. These two unite in a certain place, around Datca town of western Mugla province. And they go to Cyprus passing from Turkey's territory. As this is the case, Greek planes, military planes or planes carrying weapons and munitions have to inform us. We are right about this matter. They pass over our territory and they have planes which take pictures, they are reconnaissance planes. We must have previous information about these planes, we ask them to give us information. This is what we say. We don't violate their airspace. When we fly over Aegean, Greece considers this as a violation. No country in the world accepts such an airspace. None of our flights is violation, but theirs is violation. We gave a note on this issue.''
Upon another question about the number of Turkish soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan, Kivrikoglu said that ''meetings are held with Britain, which is the leader country in this issue. The first troop will be sent to the region starting from mid-January. It will continue till the end of February. We have still time. The possibility of Turkish soliders to go to this country is high. We must send certain soldiers to this country now to make them become adapted to the country.''
When a journalist asked Gen. Kivrikoglu about the initiatives of reform taken in the Turkish Armed Forces, Gen. Kivrikoglu said that the main issue is education in this respect. Stressing that officers are encouraged to have postgraduate studies, Kivrikoglu said that 20 percent of the officers undertook postgraduate study.
IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE DIVIDED
Kivrikoglu said on Tuesday that Iraq should not be divided, adding that ''its division means creating a new source of trouble in the Middle East.''
Responding to questions of journalists after the meeting held at General Staff headquarters upon the opening of SAREM, Kivrikoglu said that certain European countries had earlier extended support to terrorist organizations.
Turkey warned European countries on the issue, Kivrikoglu said and noted that ''the terrorist organizations get organized in the form of associations and foundations, governments in Europe also support them. I suppose European countries are worried now that terrorism could return back to them if they stop these organizations. But we believe that these countries will act in a correct way in the end.''
''There is globalization in the world and EU is in a certain region in this globalizing world. European countries tell Turkey that unless these terrorist organizations don't take action in Europe, they don't accept these organizations as terrorist,'' Kivrikoglu said noting that human rights and democracy are sometimes manipulated to protect those having bad interests.
''Can we get the message from your speech in the opening of SAREM that Turkey must be careful about the steps it will take while joining the EU?'' asked a journalist to Kivrikoglu.
''All countries or persons should consider about its security while taking steps. We attribute importance to this issue in military field,'' he responded.
''Turkey is a central country, it is the centre of three continents and the world. I always tell this to foreigners. Turkey is the uniting point of Africa, Asia and Europe. It is on the border between democratic and undemocratic countries. Thirdly it is on the uniting point between the Islamic and Christian world. Certainly Turkey is at the centre of many conflicts,'' Kivrikoglu said.
Upon a question upon the compromise reached about the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), Kivrikoglu said that ''Greece didn't withdraw its reservation. I suppose other EU countries urge her to withdraw it. We believe that we recorded progress in favour of Turkey about ESDP. We attribute importance to the issue of this force's not being used against Turkey in critical regions which concerns Turkey. Turkey has the right to stop the usage of the force as NATO will also be there.''
When a journalist told him that foreign delegations which visit Turkey always bring onto agenda the issue of Iraq and intervention in this country, Kivrikoglu said ''We don't give importance to Saddam's being there or not. Turkey has to stand on its own feet economically and it has to spend less to this end. We believe that such an operation can put Turkey into a difficult position economically again. We also think that Iraq should not be divided. Its division means creation of a new source of trouble in the Middle East. The Middle East is exhausted of fight and terrorism for 60 years...The issue is not one of Saddam or another person for us. We certainly support a democratic state there, but the people of that country will give such a decision themselves.''
''Many facilities have been brought for Jordan after the Gulf Crisis. Jordan exports and imports from Iraq. This is not the case for Turkey. Sometimes there is oil trade, but certain facilities should be provided for Turkey. The money given to Turkey is not much. In return to Turkey's losses, an aid equal to one percent of her losses was given to Turkey. Turkey lost at least 40-50 billion dollars,'' he said.
Kivrikoglu added that Turkey wishes the three million Turkmens living in Iraq to be in good position.