TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 14 SEPTEMBER 1

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

Subject: TURKISH DAILY NEWS / 14 SEPTEMBER 1995


US State Dept. sides with Turkey, and against Rep. Hamilton, on PKK fight

By Ugur Akinci

Turkish Daily News
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WASHINGTON- The U.S. State Dept. sided with Turkey concerning the government's
fight against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) when Rep. Lee Hamilton (D) of
Indiana questioned the use of U.S. weapons in that effort, according to
documents recently acquired by the Turkish Daily News.

Hamilton is a ranking and influential member of the House International
Relations Committee who has frequently criticized Turkey in the past for its
human rights record and the situation in Cyprus.

In a letter dated June 29, 1995, addressed to Secretary of State Warren
Christopher, Hamilton questioned that section of the State Department's "Report
on Allegations of Human Rights Abuses by the Turkish Military," released on
June 1, 1995, which stated "U.S.-origin equipment, which accounts for most
major items of the Turkish military inventory, has been used in operations
against the PKK during which human rights abuses have occurred. "

"Are Turkey's human rights abuses with U.S.-origin military equipment...
consistent with Section 4 of the 'Purposes for Which Military Sales by the
United States Are Authorized,' under Section 4 of the Arms Export Control Act
(AECA)?" Hamilton asked Christopher. Would that prohibit the sale of U.S.
weapons to Turkey, he wanted to know. For any weapons sales to foreign
countries, the State Department's "Export Licensing" department must issue an
export license" first.

Hamilton also raised the issue of a "political solution" to the "Kurdish
problem." "Is it U.S. policy to promote a political solution in southeastern
Turkey?" Hamilton asked in his letter. "Does Turkey support a political
solution? What is the next step in trying to promote a political solution?"

Replying to Hamilton a month and a half later, Assistant Secretary of State
Wendy Sherman, writing on behalf of Christopher, told Hamilton on Aug. 15,
1995, that Section 4 of the AECA "provides in the relevant part that the U.S.
government may provide U.S.-origin defense articles to friendly countries for a
number of purposes, including for internal security.

Although human rights violations have occurred in the course of operations,
those operations appear in fact to have been undertaken for a purpose
authorized under the AECA and therefore a report is not required under section
3(c)(2). "

"Turkey's human rights record raises serious concerns, but we do not believe
that it has engaged in a consistent pattern of gross violations of
internationally recognized human rights within the meaning of Section 502B of
the Foreign Assistance Act," Sherman wrote.

Even the Turkish General Staff has instituted its own human rights program to
train the soldiers, she noted. .

After describing in detail the 16 constitutional changes of July 23, Sherman
also replied Hamilton's inquiry about a "political solution." Describing the
PKK as a "brutal terrorist organization," Sherman said "the Turkish government
interprets references to the need for a 'political solution' in the southeast
as encouragement to negotiate with the PKK, which we have not asked Ankara to
do. We support Turkey's territorial integrity and legitimate right to fight
terrorism.

"While engaged in a difficult struggle with a brutal terrorist organization,
the government of Turkey is making a determined effort to improve its human
rights performance.

We believe that to promote a settlement in the Southeast, our best course is to
continue energetically to promote democratization, while supporting Turkey's
legitimate struggle against terrorism. In both of these efforts, Turkey needs,
and continues to deserve, our help and support," Sherman concluded.
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Major defense fair to open in Ankara next week

Turkish Daily News
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ANKARA- IDEF-95, the second International Defense Industry and Civil Aviation
Fair, is due to open in Ankara on Sept. 20, bringing together company
authorities, defense experts and high-ranking bureaucrats from all over the
world.

Twenty-two countries are due to be represented in the fair with 194 companies
and their products, IDEF organizers told a news conference on Turkey. The
Turkish Daily News will also take part in IDEF-95.

Defense industry products raging from small arms and missiles to military
helicopters and heavy artillery pieces will be exhibited in the fair, which
will also include civil aviation pieces.

Gurhan Paker, head of the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation which sponsors the
fund, said the companies taking part in IDEF-95 would pay a total fee of $3.5
million.

The United States, Britain, France, Israel and the Russian Federation are due
to be the main foreign contributors to the fair while Turkey will be
represented with the products of 42 companies.

Israel, with which Ankara had distant relations until recently, will take part
in IDEF-95 in its first participation in a defense fair organized in Turkey.

The Turkish Armed Forces Foundation supports a number of Turkish military
modernization projects.

Delegations from 37 countries will be attending IDEF-95 which will be
officially inaugurated by President Demirel on next Wednesday.

Teams from Turkey and Britain will also perform air shows during the fair.

The last defense fair in Turkey was organized in Ankara two years ago.
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Kandemir Ambassador to US, welcomes HABITAT delegates

Turkish Daily News
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WASHINGTON- Nuzhet Kandemir, Turkish Ambassador to Washington, welcomed the
participants in the Habitat Urban Finance Conference held at the World Bank
with a reception at the Turkish Embassy.

The delegates from seventy countries included Gurel Tuzun, coordinator of the
second U.N. Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT II); Deha Sezer, vice
president of the Turkish Housing Development Administration (THDA); and Omer
Kiral also from THDA.

HABITAT II, to be held in June 1996 in Istanbul, is the last major U.N.
conference to be held in what is left of the 20th century.

Since 1992 the U.N. has held similar conferences in Rio, Cairo, Copenhagen and
Beijing.

"Sustained urban development is a major theme of HABITAT II," Mr. Sezer told
the TDN. Amb. Kandemir, in his address to the invited guests, reminded that:
"by the year 2000, half of humanity will be living in urban areas. By the year
2030, urban populations will be twice that of rural populations.

"Given this reality, we need new ideas, new approaches and new established
policies to solve the common problems of urbanization and to provide better
'habitats' for every human being around the world," Kandemir said.

It is for this reason that HABITAT II will be held in Istanbul next year, he
said.
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