Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
March 26 2007
Turkish Army official urges international support in fighting
terrorism
WASHIGTON D.C. (A.A) -26.03.2007 -Turkish Deputy Chief of Turkish
General Staff Ergin Saygun pointed out that although PKK was in the
terrorist organizations list of many countries, the measures taken
against it were weak in practice.
Attending the 26th annual conference of the Turkish American Council
(ATC), Saygun said, "some believe that terrorism started with
September 11th. It’s not like that. Terrorism began a long time ago."
Noting that Turkey had tried to persuade NATO to take measures
against the attacks launched by the Armenian terrorist organization
Asala, Saygun reminded that NATO labelled this issue as a ‘political
problem’ back then and said "this problem does not concern NATO."
Stressing that terror could target a superpower or a poor country
alike, Saygun said the level of technology employed by terrorists was
revealed with the September 11th attacks and underscored that the
uncertainty in when or where terrorists would attack made it all the
more difficult to ‘manoeuvre against’ in the combat against terror.
Saygun said, "the world got these messages from September 11th
(terrorist attacks). Our message is about the PKK," and underlined
that PKK also used religion as a tool in its activities.
Exposing the terrorist organization PKK with pictures, Gen.Saygun
noted PKK was responsible for the killing and wounding of 343 people
just in 2006 and said it also targeted facilities like communication
centres, bridges and the like.
Giving examples of documents adopted by the UN Security Council, NATO
and the EU against terrorism, Saygun said despite these, majority of
the countries only took low level measures against terrorism.
Displaying the photo of a European Parliament meeting also attended
by PKK supporters, Saygun said "you may adopt resolutions against
terror, but what matters is the practice."
Stressing that PKK, along with acts like drug smuggling, human
trafficking and money laundering, was making its propaganda through
European based TV channels like Roj TV, Saygun said the main base of
PKK was Kandil mountain and 3,500 PKK militants were stationed in
Iraq. Saygun underscored that PKK was allowed to take base in the
north of Iraq and its logistic and arms needs were met there.
Saygun reminded the agreement that was signed between Turkey and Iraq
in 1926 and pointed out that Turkey had the right to enter as far as
75 km. inside the Iraqi territory from the Iraqi-Turkish border.
Commenting on the genocide allegations of the Armenians, Saygun
reminded the remarks by Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit
warning that the adoption of the so-called Armenian genocide
resolution would severely harm Turkish-US relations.
-IRAQ-
Saygun pointed out that Kurdish groups in northern Iraq rejected the
Iraqi flag and the Baghdad government.
Stating that the demographic structure of Kirkuk was altered to the
favour of Kurds, Saygun said, "it will not be just to held this
referendum in these circumstances," when commenting on the referendum
that is planned to be held in Kirkuk.
-CYPRUS-
Stating that recently the Greek Cypriot administration accused Turkey
of invading the territory of Cyprus, Saygun reminded that it was not
Turkey who ended "the republic of Cyprus" where the two communities
lived together, but it was ended by a military coup that was
supported by Greece.
Showing pictures exposing the violence committed against the Turkish
population in the island, Saygun said Turkey would not withdraw its
forces from the island until a just solution to the problem was
found.
Saygun underlined that the military expenditures of the Greek Cypriot
adminstration had increased recently especially after its membership
to the EU.
Saygun also said that it was striking that the Greek Cypriot
administration deployed American-made weapons in the island since
1988.
-GIAMBASTIANI-
On the other hand, Edmund Giambastiani, the Vice Chairman of the US
Joint Chiefs of Staff, underlined importance of confidence building.
Stating that the relations between the two countries in the field of
defence produced dynamic and concrete results, Giambastiani said
Turkey and the US worked together against the terrorist organization
PKK.
Expressing his optimism about the termination of problems like the
terrorist organization PKK, Giambastiani said Turkish-US relations
remained strong.