PULSE of TURKEY No: 87-94 .................................................... FEBRUARY  1999

PULSE of TURKEY No:87  ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA WILL BOOM, SAYS PM
High-level contacts will soon be made with Russia to work out joint economic measures to counter global financial crisis. Turkey will cooperate with the United States to solve the crisis with Iraq. Otherwise, says PM Ecevit, American policy is bound to end up in an independent Kurdish State.

PULSE of TURKEY No:88TURKEY’S PLAN PUT INTO ACTION FOR IRAQI CRISIS

Baghdad has begun to withdraw its air defence installations from no-fly zones. It may be a sigh of relief for Turkey who was ill at ease over the American air strikes in the northern fly-zone. Meanwhile, Ankara has been working hard to update the DSP’s 1996 plan for the Iraqi question, to work out an international document parallel to that plan and to make preparations to safeguard national interests in all possibilities. ANAP has begun to consider Atatürk’s “National Pact” as a way out and it means accepting the Americans’ long-standing plans for Kirkuk and Mosul.

PULSE of TURKEY No:89 BANK BILL TO AFFECT ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

PM Ecevit has proved wrong in his optimism that he will be able to pass the Bank Bill, a must for international support to his economic program. What impact will it make on his economic performance and on the Turkish economy in general?

PULSE of TURKEY No:90  TURKEY BEING WOVEN WITH NATURAL GAS PIPELINES

Natural gas pipeline projects have been given a spur to save Turkey from the energy bottleneck in the new century. Natural gas will account for more than a third of Turkey’s total energy consumption. Iran waives $245,000 fine a day for Turkey’s delay in completing the pipeline in time. The United States suspects that Turkmen gas may arrive in Turkey via Iran and strongly objects to it. Turkey’s basic policy is to diversify its natural gas, oil and energy imports. Relations with Iran have been given a boost recently, but it has not yet gone as far as tripartite cooperation including Syria, as suggested by Tehran, because of dodgy document Damascus handed to Turkey about the PKK.

PULSE of TURKEY No:91 TURKISH ENTEBBE CARRIED OUT WITHOUT BLOODSHED

PKK terrorist chief Abdullah Öcalan was brought to Turkey handcuffed from Nairobi at 3 a.m. (local time) on February 16th with a historic undercover operation. The biggest question is how the Turkish security forces carried out this unbelievably successful operation so smoothly and which foreign intelligence service helped them. The answer partially rests in the course of Öcalan’s adventures since he left Rome on January 16th. For the intriguing story of this brilliant success story of Turkey’s security and intelligence services see the article below.

PULSE of TURKEY No:92 TURKEY IN THE AFTERMATH OF OCALAN’S ARREST

For several reasons, the impact of Ocalan’s arrest on Turkey’s future orientation may be deeper than expected. Above all, it will radically affect the election returns. However, the elections are only a small part of this reorientation: the economic and social development of the East and Southeast, Turkey’s relations with Europe, the West, Greece and the countries of the region are other factors at least as important. Education is the priority sector in the regional development efforts.

PULSE of TURKEY No:93  INTERNATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE PKK

Turkey is determined to put an end to PKK terrorism and sees Greece as the keystone. Ocalan’s arrest provides invaluable information and a golden opportunity. Ankara has initiated step-by-step action to achieve this and international conditions facilitate its implementation.

 

PULSE of TURKEY No:94 PRESIDENT COMPARES GREECE AND SYRIA VIS-à-VIS PKK

President Demirel says that Greece has less leeway than Syria in supporting PKK terrorism because of its memberships with international organisations. He warns the civilised world with unequivocal terms. 1999 is the year for restoration of social and economic development of the East and Southeast.

 

 

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