DATE=6/24/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43719
TITLE=TURKEY AFTER KOSOVO
BYLINE= ED WARNER
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS HIS TRIAL RESUMED IN TURKEY, KURDISH REBEL LEADER
ABDULLAH OCALAN ONCE AGAIN SAID IF HIS LIFE IS SPARED, HE WOULD
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO END THE LONG CONFLICT BETWEEN HIS P-K-K
MOVEMENT AND THE TURKISH STATE. WHILE TURKISH PUBLIC OPINION
SEEMS FIRMLY IN FAVOR OF THE DEATH SENTENCE, PROTESTS HAVE BEEN
RISING IN EUROPE AGAINST THE TRIAL AND THE TREATMENT OF TURKEY'S
KURDS. IN WASHINGTON, THE TURKISH AMBASSADOR EXPLAINED HIS
COUNTRY'S POSITION ON THE OCALAN TRIAL AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO
NATO'S WAR IN KOSOVO. V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS.
TEXT: TURKEY WAS A VITAL ALLY IN THE COLD WAR, SAYS MAJOR
GENERAL EDWARD ATKESON, A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE INSTITUTE OF LAND
WARFARE. TODAY, TURKEY, WHILE LESS CRITICAL, REMAINS A KEY
FACTOR IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEYOND.
THAT SAME POINT WAS MADE BY TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED
STATES, BAKI ILKIN, IN A RECENT PRESS BRIEFING (WED., JUNE 23).
HE NOTED TURKEY'S ASSISTANCE TO SOME 46-THOUSAND REFUGEES FROM
KOSOVO AND ITS MILITARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR:
/// FIRST ILKIN ACT ///
WE PARTICIPATED FULLY IN THE NATO OPERATIONS. WE
ALLOCATED AIRCRAFT. WE ALLOCATED A FRIGATE WHICH
MONITORED THE OIL EMBARGO IN THE ADRIATIC. ALSO AT A
LATER STAGE, WHEN WE WERE ASKED BY NATO, WE MADE
AVAILABLE CERTAIN FACILITIES IN TURKEY FOR AIR
OPERATIONS. I THINK THAT TURKEY'S RECORD, AS FAR AS
CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATO OPERATIONS, IS IMPECCABLE.
/// END ACT ///
JOHN VOLL, PROFESSOR OF ISLAMIC HISTORY AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY,
SAYS THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND TURKEY, BUT THERE IS CLEAR APPRECIATION OF TURKEY'S ROLE IN
THE KOSOVO WAR:
/// FIRST VOLL ACT ///
I THINK IN GENERAL TERMS, TURKEY STARTS FROM A RESIDUAL
VERY POSITIVE IMAGE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT MEANS
IN THE POST-KOSOVO ERA, I THINK MOST AMERICANS AND
PARTICULARLY AMERICAN POLICY-MAKERS WOULD BE QUITE OPEN
TO RECOGNIZING THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME RECOGNITION
OF TURKISH INTERESTS IN THE SOUTHERN BALKANS.
/// END ACT ///
THOSE INTERESTS ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE KOSOVARS, SAYS GENERAL
ATKESON. HE BELIEVES FACTIONS WITHIN TURKEY ARE URGING A
PARTITION OF THE PROVINCE THAT WOULD PLACE MOST OF IT IN KOSOVAR
HANDS.
WHILE ENJOYING THE ACCLAIM FOR ITS WARTIME ROLE, TURKEY FACES
INCREASING CRITICISM OVER ITS POLICY TOWARD ITS KURDISH MINORITY,
WHICH MAY GROW MORE INTENSE WITH THE TRIAL OF P-K-K LEADER
ABDULLAH OCALAN.
REFLECTING TURKISH PUBLIC OPINION, AMBASSADOR ILKIN SCOFFED AT
MR. OCALAN'S PROMISE TO HELP END THE KURDISH REBELLION IF HE IS
NOT SENTENCEED TO DEATH:
/// SECOND ILKIN ACT ///
THIS MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF 30-THOUSAND
LIVES. HE IS BEING TRIED IN AN INDEPENDENT COURT. HE
HAS ADMITTED HIS GUILT. SO WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO?
IT IS LIKE ASKING AN AMERICAN WHETHER YOU WOULD BE ABLE
TO COOPERATE WITH [ACCUSED TERRORIST OSAMA] BIN LADEN IF
HE REPENTS.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR VOLL SAYS TURKEY SHOULD NOT BE SO QUICK TO DISMISS
MR. OCALAN'S OFFER OF HELP. HE BELIEVES IT MIGHT WORK, AS HAS
HAPPENED IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT:
/// SECOND VOLL ACT ///
THE FACT IS THAT YASSER ARAFAT, WHO MOST PEOPLE THOUGHT
OF AS BEING UNALTERABLY, RADICALLY OPPOSED TO ISRAEL,
SAT DOWN AND SIGNED A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH THEM, AND THE
WORLD IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF ENGAGING IN A RESOLUTION
TO WHAT WAS SEEMINGLY AN INTRACTABLE PROBLEM. I THINK
THERE IS A DANGER IN REJECTING THE OCALAN INITIATIVE
JUST SIMPLY OUT OF HAND WITHOUT AT LEAST GIVING IT A
CHANCE TO FLY. I THINK THERE ARE SAFE WAYS OF DOING
THAT.
/// END ACT ///
WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL, GENERAL ATKESON THINKS
U-S-TURKISH RELATIONS WILL REMAIN FIRM:
/// ATKESON ACT ///
A LOT DEPENDS ON THE POLITICAL WINDS IN WASHINGTON.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS CHOSEN TO PLACE HUMAN-RIGHTS
ISSUES VERY HIGH ON OUR NATIONAL OBJECTIVES OR
INTERNATIONAL OBJECTIVES LIST. ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION
MAY BE SOMEWHAT MORE ORIENTED TOWARD NATIONAL INTERESTS
AND DOWNPLAY THOSE THINGS.
/// END ACT ///
BUT GENERAL ATKESON SAYS IT IS CRUCIAL FOR THE TURKISH MILITARY
TO GIVE WAY TO CIVILIAN AUTHORITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY'S
POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL STRUCTURE. (SIGNED)
24-Jun-99 2:04 PM EDT (1804 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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