ECEVIT: “THE ESDP CAN’T BE ESTABLISHED WITHOUT TURKEY”
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday left for Bucharest, Romania to attend the NATO Candidate Countries Heads of State and Government Summit. Speaking at the meeting, Ecevit stated that the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) could not be an alternative to NATO. Ecevit also said that an ESDP in the Balkans while still excluding Turkey could not be established and would be unable to accomplish anything. “Turkey is in favor of including Romania and Bulgaria in NATO’s enlargement,” Ecevit added. Ecevit thanked Romania for blocking PKK activists from crossing into Turkey in order to disrupt Nevruz celebrations last week. Ecevit also met with US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Armitage and told US reporters that Turkey was opposed to a military operation against Iraq and instead favored the problem being solved at the United Nation level. “Certain concerns remain for Turkey. We are seeking to take the command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan,” Ecevit added. /Hurriyet/
CEM: “STOP ACTING LIKE COLONIAL GOVERNORS”
Speaking at a conference organized by the Europe-Turkey Foundation in Brussels yesterday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that there are some EU representatives who were acting like “colonial governors” and that this attitude was hindering Turkish-EU relations. Cem also said that the list of terrorist groups prepared by the EU after last September’s attacks on the US had not met the expectations of the Turkish people. The attitude shown by the EU is not encouraging but rather discouraging, he remarked. Cem also met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen yesterday. After the meeting Verheugen said that this year’s EU Summits in Seville, Brussels and Copenhagen were very important for Turkish-EU relations. European Commission member Michel Barnier spoke after Cem to the foundation and stated, “Nobody has the right to act like colonialists, and Turkey doesn’t need to take lessons from anybody.” /Hurriyet/
CHENEY: “THE US HAS ASKED TURKEY TO TAKE ISAF COMMAND”
US Vice President Dick Cheney said on Sunday that the US administration had asked Turkey to take over the command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Following a 10-day tour of Middle Eastern countries as well as Turkey and Great Britain, Cheney appeared on NBC public affairs program “Meet the Press.” Regarding the command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, Cheney said, “The US has asked Turkey to take responsibility for the International Security and Assistance Force ?ISAF? that currently provides security in Kabul. I think that’s a very important mission, and I’m hopeful they’ll do it.” Cheney stated that the US would continue to deploy its troops in Afghanistan and to support the ISAF and the interim Afghan government until security was established in the country. Answering a question as to whether or not Iraq was connected with last September’s attacks and the terrorist organization al-Qaida, Cheney said, “We’ve not been able yet from our perspective to nail down a close tie between al-Qaida and Saddam Hussein. We’ll continue to look for it.” He also added that he had very fruitful meetings with leaders of the countries he visited on the Iraq issue and that he was still keeping in touch with them. /Turkiye/
GEN. BUYUKANIT: “THE TURKISH ARMED FORCES AREN’T AGAINST THE EUROPEAN UNION”
Speaking to the press at a reception yesterday at the Hilton Hotel, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit answered reporters’ questions concerning Turkish-EU relations and Turkey’s possible takeover of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Gen. Buyukanit reiterated that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were not opposed to Turkey’s bid for EU membership, adding that certain political circles had purposely distorted TSK’s views. Furthermore, Buyukanit also stated that the TSK was planning to convey its views on Turkey’s possible takeover of Afghan peacekeeping force to the domestic political leadership next week. Stressing the importance of leading the force, Buyukanit remarked that Turkey should weigh its steps very carefully while taking its own security into consideration. /Cumhuriyet/
CILLER: “IRAQ’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS IMPORTANT”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that Iraq’s territorial integrity was important for Turkey. At a conference entitled, “The Turkish Economy After the Sept. 11 Attacks” held at Istanbul’s Beykent University, Ciller said that preparations for an operation in Iraq were continuing and that such an attack would almost certainly to take place before this fall’s US congressional elections. “Iraq’s territorial integrity is important for Turkey. On the other hand, we have little interest in seeing Iraq’s current regime stay in power. Within this in mind, Turkey should get itself ready for an operation,” she said. /Turkiye/
DENKTAS CRITICIZES EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday harshly criticized EU Commissioner for Enlargement Gunther Verheugen’s recent statement that no one could prevent Cyprus’ full EU membership. Denktas said that following the separation of the two sides in an ethnic struggle, nobody had the right to ask them to re-unify. “Which Cyprus was Verheugen thinking of?” Denktas asked. “Greek Cyprus is the side which applied for EU membership. Nobody asked us about it. The 1960 Constitution was violated.” He added that during previous talks a settlement had proved elusive due to the Greek Cypriots’ insistence that “Cyprus is ours” and that Turkish Cypriots are a mere “minority.” “We are asking for a partnership under conditions of equality,” he said. Meanwhile, Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides will meet today once more as part of the direct talks which began this January to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/
LETTERS LAY BARE ARMENIAN LOBBY’S PLOTS IN FRANCE
The Union of Turkish Associations in France has sent letters to French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and other French politicians expressing Turkey’s views on the issue of the so-called Armenian genocide. The letters stressed how it was through the efforts of the Armenian lobby that animosity had been sown between the Turkish and Armenian peoples. Criticizing the lobby’s policies as anti-republican, the letters laid out Armenian efforts to leverage political power in France through the influence of a comparative handful of votes in this year’s French elections. /Cumhuriyet/
TERRORIST PKK CHANGES NAME
At the conclusion of its so-called eighth congress, the terrorist organization PKK decided to change its name to the “People’s Liberation Party” (PAG), a move in line with its “politicization” for the sake of its European supporters. Towards the same strategy, the separatist group avoided using the word “Kurdistan” in its resolutions. /Hurriyet/
WORLD TURKISH BUSINESSMEN SLATED TO MEET IN ISTANBUL THIS APRIL
The fourth World Turkish Businessmen’s Congress, an annual meeting jointly organized by the World Turkish Businessmen’s Foundation and the Turkish Foreign Trade Foundation, will be held in Istanbul this year on April 25-27. Turkish businessmen from over 50 countries will attend the congress, which is the most extensive economic forum in Turkey. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and State Economy Minister Kemal Dervis are also expected to attend the meeting. Sabanci Holding Board of Directors Chairman Sakip Sabanci yesterday handed over the helm of the congress to Turkish Union of Commodities and Stock Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu. /Cumhuriyet/
DUTCH PATIENTS TO BE TREATED IN TURKEY
Agis Groep, the largest insurance company in the Netherlands, yesterday signed an agreement with 35 private hospitals in Istanbul. Under the agreement, Dutch patients will be treated in these 35 hospitals and it is expected that the number of Dutch tourists visiting Turkey, which now totals 650,000, will come to surpass 700,000. The agreement between Kunart Medical Assistance, which has 850,000 subscribers, and the Agis Groep covers some 42 provinces and 22 districts. Speaking at the project’s signing ceremony, Agis Greop Board of Directors Chairman Eelke Van Der Veen said that they were looking for new ways to treat the patients covered by Agis. Agis Groep Director Turkey General Savas Avci said that Agis Groep would open an office in Istanbul in June and that the first patients from the Netherlands would arrive soon thereafter. Kunart Medical Assistance Divisionhead Huseyin Kurt said that health services in Turkey were of a high quality. /Aksam, Star/
GERMAN DELEGATION LEARNS ABOUT ISLAM
Father Wolfgang Bour, a prominent German Catholic priest, accompanied by 50 German tourists visited Marmara University Theology Faculty Dean Zekeriya Beyaz yesterday in Istanbul. Briefing the guests on Islam, Beyaz said, “Although our religions are different, we both believe in the basis of faith. We consider everyone as our brother or sister. The aim of Islam is to bring peace to all people.” Beyaz added that he regretted last September’s terrorist attacks on the US very much. /Star/
TURKISH-GREEK PIPELINE PROTOCOL TO BE SIGNED THIS WEEK
The Ankara-Dedeagac pipeline, a project to transport Caspian natural gas through Turkey to Greece, is due to move closer to reality this week. During Greek Development Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos’s official visit to Ankara on Thursday, the protocol, one of the key steps in the project, is expected to be signed by Tsochatzopoulos and Turkish Energy Minister Zeki Cakan. /Star/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION