BBC Monitoring quotes from Turkish press
05 Jan 05

The following is a selection of quotes from editorials and
commentaries published in 5 January editions of Turkish newspapers
available to BBC Monitoring

EU

Hurriyet [centre-right] “The socialists who want to make Turkey a
‘Peoples Republic’ and the supporters of the National Vision [the
religious political base from which today’s many government members
come from] who want to make Turkey a ‘Republic of Islam’ have now met
at the mission of making Turkey an ‘EU member’. The point that worries
me is: What happens if they cannot succeed in this mission? Besides,
how can they give up concessions such as Cyprus etc.? Otherwise, will
these things be lost?” (Commentary by Ege Cansen)

Middle East

Yeni Safak [liberal, pro-Islamic] “Turkey has relations with Israel
that even the AKP [Justice and Development Party] government cannot
break; these relations date back to the foundation days of the Israeli
state… Turkey is interested in Palestine and what is happening there
too. It is not very strange that a country, which has close relations
with both sides, has their trust, decides to take the initiative to
resolve the current problem when the appropriate time
comes… [However] since both sides understand a ‘permanent’ and
‘fair’ solution in a different way, it is very difficult for Turkey,
which has undertaken the role of an ‘honest mediator’, to reach a
result that can change the route of the history.” (Commentary by Fehmi
Koru)

Armenian issue

Posta [tabloid] “The Armenian diaspora is getting ready for a big
campaign after 24 April, which is the 90th Anniversary of the 1915
events. Moreover, this is very much kept as a secret. The aim is to
corner the Turkish Republic a little bit more… The PR efforts, which
have not been useful until now, will not be enough to oppose such a
campaign… Creative policies must be started and decisive steps be
taken. Until now, no such preparations are seen on Ankara’s
agenda… Something must be done as soon as possible. Otherwise, when
it is too late to do anything about it, we have to be content with
accusing the USA and Europe and criticize ourselves.” (Commentary by
Mehmet Ali Birand)

Iraq

Milliyet [centrist] “Today, doesn’t carrying out a military operation
in Iraq [as the former PM of Turkey Bulent Ecevit advices now] put
Turkey against the USA, the Arabs and the Kurds? Won’t the world
oppose that? Won’t this lead to an outcome which will be more serious
than clashing with Britain [for Mosul] in 1922? Moreover, even if it
is possible to occupy Mosul militarily, both politically and
geographically this will cause big troubles for Turkey… Turkey could
carry out a limited military operation against northern Iraq as part
the ‘coalition’ in order to take measures against terrorism; now that
is not possible either…” (Commentary by Taha Akyol)

“Still, there is a need for an ‘adjustment of interest’ in the Turkish
American relations. One needs to accept that Turkey and the USA are
not anymore at the same (or very close) frequency like they used to be
during the Cold War. The new problems that have emerged (such as the
Kurdish entity in northern Iraq, the existence of the PKK [Kurdistan
Workers’ Party] ) have created a considerable distance between Ankara
and Washington. How can this ‘adjustment of interest’ be done? Of
course through talks, consultations… Turkey has to take the
increasing influence of the USA in the world and the region into
consideration and it has to try to solve the problem not by showing
enmity but by understanding of partnership.” (Commentary by Sami
Kohen)

Cumhuriyet [secular, Kemalist] “The public is told that [Foreign
Minister Abdullah] Gul has warned the American diplomat [Richard
Armitage]. Turkey is fed up with these warnings which have passed
unnoticed for three years. [Asking the USA] Not to let the Kurdish
tribes change the population structure of Kirkuk, to destroy the
PKK… There is no difference of telling these to the USA or to a
wall. The USA has been giving promises for years but it hasn’t solved
the PKK issue. The issue can be resolved by using weapons. The USA
does not want to use weapons against the PKK. Their last trick is to
discuss the PKK issue in a meeting of three, with the contribution of
the USA and Iraq. Baghdad is helpless to provide security. Will it
bring down the PKK from the Kandil Mountain [in Northern Iraq] alone
and with military power? Do not make me laugh?” (Commentary by Cuneyt
Arcayurek)