Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Demirel fearsnationalist
backlash to PKK violence
• 'Kurds should not be held responsible for killings' _ 'Some of my closest friends are of Kurdish origin'
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Presiden~ Süleyman Demirel has said that he fears
that separatist violence in Southeast Turkey will polarize the nati~
on, leading to a nationalist backlash. He has called on the Turkish
people not to hold Kurds responsible for separatist terrorism.
Referring to the consequences of the nine-year anned campaign
by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Southeast Turkey,
DemIrel told the TDN in an exclusIve interview that the Kurdish
people were innocent.
!'It is the gangs which are carrying out these murders. The fact
that these gangs are of Kurdish origin should not lead to enmity
against those people who say they are Kurds, because these people
are innocent people, these are our brothers. If we feel enmity
towards them then Turkey will'be divided,!' he said. Reminded by
a:TDN editor that such a division had already started in Turkey,
the president continued:
!'That is what we are trying to stop. Why, when opening my
arms to the people of northçrn Iraq, do I saythat they are Kurds.
but they are stilI my'brothers? Because they are no different from
the people in Turkey.!' Demirel added that he had no problem
with the Kurdish people, pointing out that everyone, regardless of
their.ethnic origin, could holela state service position at any level.
58
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- President Süleyman Demirel
is closing all doors on reforms related to
Turkey's Kurdish-origin population and has
disclosed that he is against any measures or
steps, even ift,aken in the name of democracy,
which could lead to the division of Turkey.
.
Demirel, who spoke to Turkish Daily'
News editorsduring a luncheon on Mon-'
day, openly said ne wasagainst taking
• 'No concessions for the sake of preveming bloodshed'
_Demirel says democratic measures should not lead to division
measures in the name of democracy if theX
would be in the form of concessions and If
in the future they could endanger the integrity
?f the country. .
HIS remarks were in reference to demands
for freedom of the unlimited use of
the Kurdish language and/or protection of
the Kurdish ~ulture m this country. Turkey
has a populatIOn of about 12 million Kurds,
the largest concentration of Kurdish people
in the Middle East region, but does not offie
cially recognize them as an individual identity.
.
!'If democracy is to lead to the division of
a country, that ISnot democracy ... Democracy
shouldbe protected but Turkey should
not be divided,' Demirel said.
Referring to the violence in Southeast
Turkey, the president pointed out, "There
are men who have settled down on the
rocks and mountains of Turkey's Southeast.
They are armed with every kind of weapon.
Let us jl,lst thin.k thçy ar~ doing nothing.
Should we let them sit there? As a state,
should.we.allow them to just sit there, saying
they are doing nothing? These ~eople
have machine guns, rockets and guns. '
Stressing that a state could not allow any
armed force to exist in its territory other
than its own legitimate forces, Demirel crit-
Talabani to Turkey:
ILetls liberate Kirkuk, get the oil l
By Emre Gökalp
Turkish Daily News
IRBIL, IRAQI KURDISTAN- Iraqi Kurdish
leader Jalal Talabani on Tuesday called
on Turker, to support the Peshmargas in an
effort to 'liberate!' the oil-rich ~rovince of
Kirkuk froin Arab control and jomtly exploit
the oil reserves. .
Talabani, in an interview with the Turkish
Daily News, said he was concerned about
Ankara's recent rapprochement with Baghdad.
!'But now, I say this: Come and let us
work together to liberate Kirkuk and run the
pipeline through Turkey. It is very easy if
Turkey supports us. We will open the 'pIpeline.
A Turkish company will explOIt the
petroleum. This woula also be in accordance
with the United National Security Council
decisions. Why should we lose the oil to
a war criminal?!'
Pointing out that a tripartite summit between
Turkey, Iran and Syria was actually
strengthening the pan-Kurdish movement in
the region, Talabani referred to this initiative
as hostile. !'When these three countries
cooperate against the Kurds,!' he said, the
Kurds of these countries would join forces
against them. He said this could lead to very
danRerous consequences. Referring to Turkey
s own Kurdish separatist movement, the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK),
Talabani said its leader Abdullah Ocalan
was prepared for a cease- fire if Ankara res- .
ponded positively. Talabani expressed his
belief that there would be a second ceaseefire
by the end of this year and warned both
sides that "neither Kurdish violence nor
Turkish violence clm solve the problem.