BABACAN: TURKEY EXPECTS URGENT STEPS BY US, BAGHDAD AND IRAQI KURDS AGAINST PKK
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 3 2007
Both administrations in the north of Iraq and Iraqi central
administration as well as the United States should exert "urgent and
determined" efforts which will bring concrete results in the fight
against PKK terrorist organization, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told
a press conference at Turkish House in New York early Tuesday.
Babacan said that he conveyed Turkey’s views about this issue strongly
to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Iraqi Foreign Minister
Hoshyar Zebari.
Upon a question about U.S.-made weapons in PKK possession, Babacan
said that the investigation on the issue has not been completed yet,
but it is obvious that serious mistakes were made. "We will see the
results after the investigation is completed," he added.
Upon a question about fight against terrorism, Babacan said that
terrorism is a global problem, noting that Turkey has not received
the support and solidarity it expects from other states in fight
against PKK.
Noting that this attitude –which is especially seen in European
countries– has changed recently, Babacan said that now PKK has been
listed as a terrorist organization by many states and organizations.
Underscoring that Iraq’s political unity and territorial integrity
should be preserved, Babacan said Turkey, as a neighboring country,
exerted efforts for a national compromise in Iraq. Turkey particularly
suggested inclusion of Sunnis in the political process and launched
Iraq’s Neighboring Countries initiative, added Babacan.
Responding to a question, Babacan said Iraq’s future was very
important both for the United States and Turkish people, indicating
that rapid withdrawal of the U.S. soldiers from Iraq may have
extremely "destructive" outcomes and the problem may become more
serious. "Withdrawal of the United States according to a specific
timetable and securing stability after the withdrawal is very
important," he said.
Reaffirming that Iraq’s division could not be an alternative, Babacan
said Iraq was always administered by single central authority,
and international society advocated Iraq’s political unity and
territorial integrity.
Babacan expressed pleasure over rise of U.N. role in Iraq, yet noted
that it would not be right to have high expectations about the U.N. on
the matter.
*****
Ties with Iran
When asked Turkey’s views regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Babacan
said that Turkey’s stance is very clear, adding, "we don’t want
proliferation of nuclear weapons in our region." He added that
Turkey has always stressed, during talks with Iran, that it (Iran)
has to be transparent as well as in cooperation and dialogue with
the international community.
Recalling that Turkey is one of the oldest members of the UN, Babacan
said that UN cannot make decisions easily about Iran.
Upon a question about the memorandum of understanding on natural gas
signed with Iran, Babacan said that energy is an important issue,
and production of natural gas is nearly the half of electricity
production in Turkey, adding that 49 provinces are heated by natural
gas in Turkey.
Noting that Europe and Turkey should diversify their energy resources,
Babacan said that the memorandum of understanding which Turkey signed
with Iran is a step to research what can be done in this issue,
adding that it is not an agreement.
Babacan said that priorities of Turkish foreign policy are stability
and security of its nearby region and the EU process.
Foreign Minister Babacan said that his contacts on the sidelines of
UN’s General Assembly meetings were indeed very fruitful, adding that
he told his counterparts about Turkey’s contributions to world peace,
its economy, which is the 17th biggest in the world, and its particular
place within the dialogue of civilizations and the world energy sector.
*****
The Cyprus issue
Babacan stated that during his contacts he briefed his counterparts
about the Cyprus issue, and about a meeting which was held between
President Mehmet Ali Talat of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) and leader of the Greek Cypriot administration Tassos
Papadopoulos on September 5. Babacan added that Turkey’s membership
in the European Union was particularly taken up during his meetings
with European foreign ministers.
In a separate meeting earlier at the Turkish American Association
Babacan said Turkey and Turkish Cypriots still support the start
of talks under U.N. auspices, "we favor finding a fair, permanent
and a comprehensive solution to the problem. The Turkish government
endeavored to find such a solution," he noted.
Babacan said Turkish Cypriots continued to live under embargo and
restrictions although they voted "yes" for the Annan plan. "They
continued to punish the constructive party, Turkish Cypriots. The
Greek Cypriot party, which did not favor cooperation, was awarded
and given EU membership. Turkey will continue to do its best in the
future for the resolution of the problem," he said.
Babacan said Cyprus question started in 1960s, noting that Turkey,
following the tragedies in that period, abided by international
agreements and intervened as guarantor country. "We had every kind
of reasons to be there at that time in the past and we have every
kind of reasons to be there today," he added.
*****
Condemns terrorism
Babacan also condemned a recent attack by the members of the terrorist
organization PKK, which killed 12 Turkish citizens over the weekend.
"We have told our counterparts about the importance of counter
terrorism and the international cooperation on this issue and brought
to the attention of the foreign ministers of certain countries a need
to stop PKK/Kongragel’s illegal activities. And we expressed in the
possible strongest terms that Turkey would not tolerate terrorists
to use the north of Iraq as a base and staging area," Babacan said.
*****
Armenian allegations
Touching on the Armenian allegations on the incidents of 1915 in
Ottoman Turkey and a draft resolution awaiting discussion on the U.S.
Senate floor that sees these events as an act of genocide, Babacan
said that "history should not be written by parliamentary votes."
"Allegations about the incidents of 1915 proved one of the most
difficult issues in relations between Turkey and the United States, one
which could negatively affect the relations," Babacan told reporters,
adding that Turkey closely monitored developments in Washington.
"We have to be careful in every step we take as the Armenian lobbies
allocate enormous resources for the issue," Babacan said.
The foreign minister also recalled that Armenia still has to respond
to a Turkish offer to set up a joint commission of historians and
experts to look into the allegations.
"History should not be written by parliamentary votes, but by
historians. We have opened all our archives for research and anyone
willing to dig into them are happily welcomed. It is not us who
have fears."
*****
Aim is EU membership
Earlier addressing the Turkish-American Association Babacan said
Turkey will not accept any other arrangement apart from full and
equal membership in the EU.
Babacan gave information to the audience about Turkey’s EU accession
process.
He said Turkey was grateful to the United States over its support to
Turkey’s EU membership process, and noted that the EU process was a
"social transformation" for Turkey. He also emphasized that the target
was to upgrade the standards of Turkish people.
Indicating that many countries closely monitored Turkey’s accession
process to the EU, Babacan said, "Turkey gradually proves that
democracy, secularism and Islam can live together."
Babacan said Turkey’s EU membership was important with respect to
human rights and its spread to Islamic countries, "Turkey will be
the gate of the EU opening to a vast geography," he noted.
He said many countries extending from Morocco to Indonesia monitored
Turkey closely, adding that, "what will happen in Turkey relays
messages to a very vast geography."
Responding to a question, Babacan said Turkey’s EU process was not
only important for the EU and Turkey, but also in regional and global
dimensions.
Babacan said current economic growth of many EU member countries
is slow, and noted that unemployment increased in some of them. He
said countries like Germany and France should make serious reforms
to increase competition.
Babacan said, "some circles, while commenting on Turkey’s EU
membership, made criticisms like Turkey was poor, big and different
in cultural sense to enter the EU. Such criticisms are not fair."
He said Turkey is the 17th largest economy in the world, and
moreover, some circles expected Turkey’s economy to rank the 10th in
2023. "Turkey is not poor," Babacan remarked.
Later Babacan held a reception at the Turkish House hosting Asha-Rose
Migiro, UN Deputy Secretary General, UNDP Chairman Kemal Dervis,
Zalmay Khalilzad, the permanent representative of the U.S. at the
United Nations and other senior Turkish and foreign diplomats.
Babacan is set to attend on Thursday foreign ministers’ meeting of
the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and meet Bangladeshi
and Armenian foreign ministers before he leaves for Turkey.