flash bulletin

1. - "One killed, two hurt in clash in southeast Turkey", A village guard was killed and two other people wounded on Wednesday when Turkish security forces clashed with Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey

2. - "EU Calls for Turkey to Speed Reforms", The European Union says Turkey should speed up reforms if it wants talks on joining the 25-nation European Union to be a success.

3. - "Erdogan fights back against critics of EU accession", Erdogan said: "I want to state clearly that there is no slowing down. I cannot understand those who claim that we have slowed down our membership process."

4. - "Europe vs Turkey", A look at some of the European ways of dealing with things and the way Turkey behaves may shed light on how much it has to do to become a true European state. An opinion by Adil Al-Baghdadi

5. - "1915's Memory Confuses Turks", Turkish public gives vexed reactions regarding the heated debate on Armenian Question. While some propose: "Let's recognize what had happened in the past, this would only credit us", others retort:"Europe and the US are attempting at dismembering us."

6. - "Report suggests Iraq split into federal states", Iraq should consider splitting itself into five or six federal states under a single national government to give Iraqis greater management of their own affairs, a new report by a U.S. academic suggests

1. - Reuters - "One killed, two hurt in clash in southeast Turkey"

DIYARBAKIR / 27 April 2005

A village guard was killed and two other people wounded on Wednesday when Turkish security forces clashed with Kurdish rebels in eastern Turkey, military sources said.

The clash came during a three-day army operation backed by helicopters in mountainous territory north of the city of Diyarbakir in mainly Kurdish southeastern Turkey.

The injured were ferried to hospital by helicopter, the sources told Reuters. Military operation were continuing.

Guerrillas from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have increased attacks on security forces since June 2004 when they called off a unilateral ceasefire.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan this week criticised the stance of some European countries, saying they were failing to act against the PKK despite branding it a terrorist group.

More than 30,000 people, mainly Kurds, have been killed since 1984 when the PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in a campaign to carve out an ethnic homeland in the southeast.

Violence dropped sharply after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was jailed in 1999.

2. - VOA - "EU Calls for Turkey to Speed Reforms"

LUXEMBOURG / 26 April 2005

The European Union says Turkey should speed up reforms if it wants talks on joining the 25-nation European Union to be a success. The development comes out of an EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg.

Formal negotiations on Turkey's eventual admission to the European Union start in October and could go on for many years. To join, Turkey must comply with EU political, human rights and economic standards.

Luxembourg foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, whose country holds the EU presidency, says faster reforms mean faster results. He is heard through an interpreter.

"The speed with which accession negotiations proceed will depend on the pace of the reform process in Turkey," he said through an interpreter. "Determined, effective and overall implementation of the reforms will be decisive for the success of the whole accession process."

Foreign Minister Asselborn says areas of concern include freedom of religion, protection of minorities, exercise of cultural rights, social rights, discrimination and relations between civil society and the army. The dominant role of the Turkish military in the country's politics has been a concern for the European Union.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn acknowledged that Turkey has done a lot of work to meet European standards, but also says more must be done.

"While there has been progress in reforms, significant reforms recently in Turkey in the last couple of years, it is at the same time essential to keep up the momentum of reforms and implement them so that they become a reality in all walks of life," he said.

Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul, said there can always be differences or problems between the sides, but Turkey remains determined to complete the reforms.

"There is much to do on our part," he said through an interpreter. "There is legislation that needs to be adopted still. And I informed my colleagues on these issues and I renewed our determination in the implementation of the reforms. We are aware how important the implementation is."

Turkey also initialed a protocol extending an EU customs pact to Cyprus and the nine other new EU states that joined last May. The measure, which normalizes trade relations with the Greek Cypriot government, must still be signed by Ankara.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a Greek-Cypriot coup. Turkey does not recognize the Greek-Cypriot government, but the lesser step of trade normalization is a requirement for EU membership talks to start in October.

EU officials say mostly Islamic Turkey can become a bridge between Europe and the Islamic world as it completes reforms and eventually enters the 25-nation group.

3. - Financial Times - "Erdogan fights back against critics of EU accession"

ANKARA / 27 April 2005 / by Vincent Boland

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, on Wednesday defended reform aimed at preparing for European Union in an attempt to regain the leadership initiative after weeks of mounting criticism at home and abroad.

Insisting that Turkey was not wavering from reform Mr Erdogan said: "I want to state clearly that there is no slowing down. I cannot understand those who claim that we have slowed down our membership process. Even our opponents cannot deny that we are closer to the EU now than we have ever been."

The speech to his party MPs was his first substantive defence of his EU policy since December 17, when Brussels agreed to start of Turkey's accession process in October.

His failure to sell the EU idea throughout Turkey in the past four months to has cost him the initiative on the merits of reform and concessions on the divided island of Cyprus, a hot issue for Turkish nationalists.

Rising political tension in Ankara, and the prospect that a French vote against the European constitution next month could damage Turkey's EU membership prospects, have put pressure on the prime minister to overcome scepticism about Turkey's European prospects.

Supporters of its EU aspirations, especially the powerful Istanbul business lobby and the emerging middle class, are increasingly sceptical that Mr Erdogan's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development party will be able to deliver membership. Those who oppose EU membership claim reform is harming the country's national interests.

"This government enjoyed a two-year honeymoon, supported by Turkish public opinion," said Gunduz Aktan, a conservative commentator. "That is now over." Mr Aktan said rising hostility in the EU to Turkey's entry, as much as any perception of a slowing of the reform drive, was leading many supporters "to have second thoughts about whether the government can achieve its aims."

The growing disillusion among an influential bloc of Turkish voters may also be behind the brittle political mood in Turkey, which has seen a surge in nationalist sentiment in recent weeks.

Some diplomats said Mr Erdogan might have been seeking in his address to regain the initiative from Hilmi Özkök, chief of the general staff. The general, considered a liberal supporter of EU membership and of a diminished role for the military in Turkish politics, made a rare foray into the political arena last week with a hardline speech on issues such as the moral and cultural collapse of Turkey, and European support for Turkey's Kurdish minority.

Gen Özkök appeared to make the military's support for EU membership contingent on the government refusing to make more concessions over Cyprus until the EU ends economic and political isolation of the island's Turkish Cypriot minority. He also suggested that Turkey might reject EU membership, a view the government regards as heresy.

"To say yes or no [to membership] is a right that not only belongs to the EU," the general said. "I want it to be known that Turkey can also say yes or no."

4. - Kurdish Media - "Europe vs Turkey"

26 April 2005 / by Adil Al-Baghdadi

Turkey’s EU bid has hit another snag with President Chirac’s contention that “they”, the Turks, have different traditions to Europeans and that Turkey has to do 15-20 years of work until it can present itself as European.

The French President was quoted as saying: “Whether or not Turkey is European or Muslim does not matter and it depends on Ankara to do what is necessary to become more European as current life styles and values in Turkey are different from those of the Europeans”.

It seems Turkey wanted to convince the world that it has changed its ways by merely saying yes and doing no to EU demands.

A look at some of the European ways of dealing with things and the way Turkey behaves may shed light on how much it has to do to become a true European state:

In Europe anyone can proclaim their ethnicity without fear and without being intimidated or discrimination.
In Turkey everyone is Turkish and any suggestion of being a citizen of Turkey from a different ethnic group is viewed with suspicion and is liable for prosecution

In Europe anyone cam mock political or military leaders and vilify them in cartoons, works of art, political satire and in songs.

In Turkey political figures can sue anyone who depict them in cartoons and its absolutely forbidden to vilify anyone in the military establishment and anyone defies this will end up in prison.

In Europe anyone can wrap themselves or burn any flag if they so wish without fear of prosecution.
In Turkey all people are allowed to wrap themselves with only Turkish flag and anyone who burns the flag even as young as 10 years of age will be tried and sentenced.

In Europe anyone and any group can distribute leaflets in towns, cities, shopping centres and high roads without any fear of prosecution provided that the content does not incite people for violence or racially motivated.

In Turkey those who distribute leaflets calling for human rights can expect no protection and may be lynched by a mob and then prosecuted and end up in prison.

In Europe Times Atlas can be bought off the shelf.
In Turkey Times Atlas is banned as it contains in its index a geographical designation of the region Kurdistan.

In Europe anyone can publish and print any material in any language as long as the content is not racist, derogatory or contains offensive remarks against any ethnic race and does not encourage violence against others

In Turkey no one is allowed to publish anything without official permission and racist content, derogatory and offensive remarks are normally allowed against Kurds.

In Turkey no one is allowed to incite people to commit violence only against Kurds. (Turkish general staff issued a statement calling Kurds so-called citizens)

In Europe any deliberate killing by the police will result in public inquiry, suspension and prosecution of the policeman involved and then will be followed by apology and compensation.

In Turkey policemen can kill 12 year old child and his father and only get removed from their local station and reinstated to full duty in different region.

In Europe the killing of a child with 14 bullets to his frail body by four policemen is thoroughly examined by the media and investigated by judiciary and parliament and result in many resignations from top government posts to lower ranks within the police station in question.

In Turkey the killing of an innocent child of 14 years of age is first justified and gets reported as a killing of a terrorist, then only questioned when a global news wire reports the killing as a mistake by the police force.

The killing is then gets 50/50 reaction, the first fifty condemns the killing while the other supports the action by police, and there will be no public inquiry or debate, no prosecution for the culprits, no resignation from any level within the government.

In Europe the mayor of the region where the unfortunate killing took place condemns the action, apologizes for the family and asks for culprit policemen to face trials.

In Turkey the governor of the Kurdish region where the boy and his father were killed applauds the action by police and issues three statements justifying the killing and calls the victims terrorists.

In Europe taking a course in any language is as easy as taking a bus ride.

In Turkey taking a course in any language is as easy as taking a bus ride only if the language chosen is Kurdish, where applicants would undergo different lines of questioning and are handed application forms asking them about motives for choosing the language and any political affiliation.

In Europe mayhem against the Armenians in the dying days of Ottoman Empire in which 1,5m perished is recognized as genocide.

In Turkey the events between the years of 1915-1918, which saw the complete annihilation of the whole population of Armenian regions of Anatolia, are called incidents.

No wonder Turkey still has to do a lot of home work and sole searching in order to get any where near European norms and standards.

5. - Bianet - "1915's Memory Confuses Turks":

Turkish public gives vexed reactions regarding the heated debate on Armenian Question. While some propose: "Let's recognize what had happened in the past, this would only credit us", others retort:"Europe and the US are attempting at dismembering us.

ISTANBUL / 26 April 2005

As the people of Armenia and the Armenian “diaspora” across the globe commemorate the 90th anniversary of the “genocide” of 1915, Turkish public is divided between conflicting opinions.

Some believe that Turkey approaches the issue with paranoid doubts, and believe that relieving the country from the burden of the past by recognizing whatever happened in history would earn credits for Turkey. Yet others perceive the Armenian Question as US and EU forged conspiracy in order to dismember the country.

Randomly interviewed by bianet reporter, Istanbul inhabitants reflect motley shades of both opinions.

“Nobody is going to carve Kars (an Eastern town city neighboring Armenia) out of Turkey’s boundaries. The Germans admitted that they have killed the Jews and earned credits for repenting. It would not be any different for Turkey,” says insurance agent Seda Katirci. Student Hüseyin Alkan converges with the same opinion.

However a döner –grilled meat- seller Ahmet Barçin is cool to say: “Nobody kills the other without reason,” and argues that all talk is coming from “those who want to stain the reputation of Turkey.”

Meanwhile barber Cüneyt Aslan raises the issue of Turkish casualties inflicted during the Armenian uprisings of the early 20th century: “Nobody is talking about the Turkish people who died there. This shows that Armenians and the Europeans are playing it double”.

Student Aysel Oguz proposes a different approach though: “Let’s recognize what happened then and apologize. Since our public memory is weak enough, it will soon be forgotten. Nobody cares about what happens in Iraq today as much as what took place 90 years ago”.

Comments

Hüseyin Alkan, student

Whatever you may call it, genocide or else, you cannot change the blunt reality that; people were killed. Turkey must start recognizing some things. Once you do so, you do not belittle yourself, or you lose from your dignity. Instead, I believe you are gaining some appraisal. In the end, it is the Ottoman Empire who did it, not Turkey.

Ahmet Barçin, döner –grill- seller

Nobody strangles the other without reason. Those who want to stain our history are at work again as proved by this Armenian issue. The only friend of the Turk is nobody but the Turk. The Europeans whom we had defeated feel themselves hurt and looking for revenge in supporting Armenians. We will not allow this, if somebody tries to meddle with our business, they will have the answer in a responding manner”.

Seda Katrci, insurance agent

"Europeans regard us as barbarians, they look down upon us, and they try to dismember Turkey”… All these are illusions forged in our minds. Nobody perceives us this way. Nobody is going to carve –the Armenia-Turkey border city of- Kars away. These events happened 90 years ago. The Americans accepted they killed the Amerindians and the Germans admitted the same for the Jews, and they earned credits for that. I think it would be no different for Turkey.

Cüneyt Aslan, barber

The Crusaders are back again. They are talking about a war that happened 90 years ago, as if it happened yesterday. Nobody is even talking about the Turks who died there. This shows that the Armenians and the Europeans are playing it double. If they are not accepting us in the European Union because of this, then they better don’t at all”.

Aysel Oguz, student

It is as if whole world has left aside everything else and is debating how many died 90 years ago. Yet they do not care how many people already die in Iraq and in the ongoing wars elsewhere. Since our public memory is extremely weak just like the fish memory. I propose apologize. Everything will be forgotten soon. Thus, Turkey will be relived of the pressure coming from Europe and the US.

Hande Koçgürbüz, housewife

If we admit that genocide had occurred, I am afraid that very bad things will happen. In the TV broadcasts, it is repeatedly reported that Turkey’s interests are at stake. I wonder does EU support for the Armenians mean, and what for a negative attitude towards Turkey. And what if the Armenians are right? What if Turkey is right? We do not know the answers to these questions. A war had happened and people were killed. Our rulers will do whatever necessary.

Bahri Yavuz, art historian

The whole problem is not detached of our own perception of history and our attitude towards the minorities. The core problem is that –in our popular conscience- everybody except Turks are perceived as villains plotting against our national interests, and this is what is taught to the public: “Our homeland will be taken away from us”, “The Armenians and the Kurds are plotting against our country”.

We must get rid of such paranoia and stop speaking of “so-called genocide” but resolve conflicts instead. We should also recognize that people from other ethnic backgrounds are also living in this country. The Armenians are one of those. Refusals will not solve anything.

6. - Reuters - "Report suggests Iraq split into federal states"

BAGHDAD / 27 April 2005 / By Luke Baker

Iraq should consider splitting itself into five or six federal states under a single national government to give Iraqis greater management of their own affairs, a new report by a U.S. academic suggests.

The division should take place along geographic not ethnic lines, and Baghdad should be one of the states, argues the report by a senior fellow at the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, an independent think-tank.

"Iraq’s elections on Jan. 30, 2005, were a watershed in the country’s history. Still, democracy involves much more than voting," says "Power-sharing in Iraq", a 50-page analysis written by Middle East and Iraq scholar David Phillips.

"It is about the distribution of political power through institutions and laws that guarantee accountable rule.

"In the new Iraq, federal Iraqi states should control all affairs not explicitly assigned to the federal government."

Phillips, a former adviser to the U.S. government, suggests two or three states be formed from nine southern and central provinces, where the population is mostly Shi’ite Muslim, and another state crafted from four central and western provinces that are predominantly Sunni.

Another would be carved from the three mainly Kurdish provinces in northwestern Iraq, and Baghdad would stand alone.

"Consistent with the principle of decentralisation, federal Iraqi state and local authorities should have the ability to adopt laws that conform to local custom," Phillips says.

His report is due to be translated into Arabic and distributed to the Iraqi government and parliament shortly.

A division of Iraq into states has been suggested before, but the proposal raised questions about ethnic and sectarian separation and left hanging the core issue of how the country’s vast oil wealth would be distributed.

Iraq sits on the world’s third largest oil reserves, but production is based in the far south and around the northern city of Kirkuk, which is claimed by Arabs, Kurds and minority Turkmen alike. The central region has no natural oil resources.

Iraqi leaders have responded only lukewarmly to suggestions of a federal structure in the past, insisting that the first priority is to form a government and create stability.

Arab leaders are also reluctant to grant Kurds, who have enjoyed significant autonomy in their northern region for more than a decade, any more independence than they already have.

Revenues Split

Phillips suggests the national government should retain a portion of oil revenues for operations, but the balance should be distributed to the federal states on the basis of population.

He also says the national government should retain responsibility for foreign affairs, foreign trade, border control, customs and taxation, fiscal policy, the issuing of currency, major infrastructure development and the armed forces.

"For this to happen, hard choices must be made: Arab Shi’ites will have to forego demands for Islamic law as the only basis for legislation; Arab Sunnis must accept that they no longer control Iraq’s institutions," the report says

"Iraqi Kurds must forego their dream of independence and sole control of oil in Kirkuk; and Iraqi Turkmen and Chaldo-Assyrians must recognise that they reside in federal Iraqi states where Arabs and Kurds constitute the majority."

Iraq’s leaders are still battling to form a government three months since elections -- they haven’t even begun to discuss the issue of a new constitution let alone proposals such as federalism.

The constitution is perhaps the biggest problem. While there is an Aug. 15 deadline for it to be drafted, delays in forming the government have put that date in jeopardy. Phillips suggests lawmakers should try to meet it, but adds:

"If a draft is not ready by June 30, 2005, the Iraqi government should convene the assembly and ... consider a delay of up to six months."