[A-List] Turkey: Tidbits on the current chaos

[Sabri Oncu <soncu@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

ECEVIT: THE CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIROMENT IS A BIT CHAOTIC
Anadolu Agency, 9/10/2002

ANKARA - Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader
Bulent Ecevit has said that the current political environment was
a "bit chaotic."

After a meeting with Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz
on Tuesday, Ecevit came to his party's headquarters.

Answering questions about his meeting with Yilmaz, Ecevit said
"The political environment is a bit chaotic at the moment,
therefore I can't tell much now. I'll first talk with my
friends."

Ecevit also stated that he had not talked with U.S. President
George W. Bush recently.

(Should we conclude that Bush is his friend?)

++++

VERHEUGEN BOTH PRAISES AND CRITICIZES
Radikal,  9/11/2002

European Union (EU) Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter
Verheugen said reforms were approved in Turkey by amazing
everybody. Pointing out that Turkey should be given the place
which it deserves, Verheugen said same conditions would be
carried out for Turkey like the other candidates. He said a
government should come to the ruling which would implement those
reforms.

Criticizing Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) President Rauf Denktas harshly on Cyprus issue, Verheugen
said dialogue was very difficult with the Turkish side, claiming
that administration in the North create obstacles. He said they
wanted to see Cyprus as an EU member as a whole.

+++++++++++++

POSTPONEMENT POSSIBILITY OF ELECTIONS STIR UP MARKETS
Anadolu Agency, 9/11/2002

Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz's announcement to
withdraw from the government stirred up the markets yesterday.
The stock market which dropped 3.06 points in the first session
dropped 5.67 points to 8,878. The interest rates climbed and one
US dollar reached one million 680,000 TL. The markets started
calming down after the statement of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit,
but the stock market closed the day with a 4.16 percent loss.

+++++++++++++

Reuters claims Turkey sends 1,000 troops into Northern Iraq

Turkish Daily News, 9/11/2002

According to a report by Reuters, Turkey has sent 1,000 more
troops to Iraq's break-away Kurdish north, bringing the total to
5,000, a Turkish military official said on Tuesday as speculation
mounted over possible U.S. military action against Iraq.

Turkey regularly pursues the separatist terror organization
Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) into northern Iraq, outside of
Baghdad's control since the end of the Gulf War.

"The soldiers are in the region with the aim of watching and
controlling the activities of PKK militants," the official said.

"Separately, Turkey is ensuring the peace and security of the
local people in northern Iraq with this military force and is
providing stability in the region," he said.

Ankara and Iraqi Kurds have traded barbs in recent weeks over
fears Turkey could intervene to block the Kurds from setting up
an independent state in the enclave they have administered since
rising up against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 1991.

Iraqi Kurdish leaders have said their aim is not statehood,
insisting they want a united, federal Iraq in the aftermath of
any U.S. military offensive to topple Saddam.

The Turkish official denied the deployment of 1,000 troops near
the town of Kani Masi across Turkey's southeastern border had
stoked tension with the regional authority, the Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP), which jointly runs the enclave.

While warning Turkey not to resort to threats to solve problems,
KDP leader Massoud Barzani sought on Tuesday to ease tension with
Ankara by saying his recent remarks that appeared in a German
newspaper had been distorted.

Die Zeit newspaper last week quoted Barzani as saying Iraqi Kurds
would launch an "intifada (that) would turn our streets into a
graveyard for Turkish soldiers."

Turkey has allowed the United States to use its air bases to
patrol a "no-fly" zone over northern Iraq that protects the Kurds
from any reprisals from Baghdad.

Both sides would be key allies if U.S. President George W. Bush
decides to strike Iraq for its alleged development of weapons of
mass destruction.

PKK terrorists, part of an armed movement that aims to carve out
an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey, largely withdrew into
Iraq after their chieftain was captured in 1999.