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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
"It's a very unimportant event, actually," the agency quoted Kani Yilmaz, the European head of
the ERNK, as saying. "He was a harmful obstruction who has committed war crimes ... In spite
of his crimes our leadership forgave him many times and now we have been relieved of this.
burden."
"He was a harmful obstruction who has committed war crimes ... In spite of his crimes our
leadership forgave him many times and now we have been relievedof this burden," Yilmaz
said.
Can Turkey handle Papal visit?
• 'We are not willing ... to have a courtesy visit be overshadowed by political issues,' an official states
Alparslan Esmer
Ankara - As the leader of the world's Roman Catholic community continues to fascinate people with his visits to a
number of countries, it still remains unclear whether Turkish officials, who invited him to Turkey. will also be
fascinated, or merely frustrated.
....
..c:
Officials appear worried about whether or not they are well prepared to host Pope John Paul II. President Suleyman .. gf'
Demirel sent the pope an invitation last February to visit Turkey as part of the celebrations on the 2000th
&:
anniversary of the birth of Christ. cS
Recent foreign trips by the pope have been attracting popular attention for another reason: The 77 year-old Pontiff
has been visiting countries with weak human rights records, such as Nigeria and Cuba.
The pope was recently in Nigeria for a three-day visit. He urged that nation's military rulers to respect human
rights, saying there was no place for abuse of power or intimidation of the weak and that the African nation had to
strive to prevent any violation of human rights.
Officials in Ankara are concerned that, if the visit takes place, the pope may underline a number of issues Turkey is
troubled with, such as human rights and the Kurdish issue. Turkey's Islamists mayalso bring the pope's attention
to their "claims" that their religious rights are curbed by the authorities, they added.
"If he makes similar remarks [concerning Turkey's human rights issues] we will give him the adequate response,"
a foreign ministry official said. "We are not willing, however, to have a courtesy visit be overshadowed by political
issues," another official stated.
Papal visit expected
The foreign ministry said that the Vatican's aff~rmative response .for .t~e P?pe's visit wa~ c,onveyed to. ~nkara by
the Italian government, but no date for the visit has been set. .T~s ViSitwIll be .the pontIff.s second .VlSltt~
Turkey-- the first was made in 1979. In 1~81, he ~as sh?t and mJured by a Turkish nght-wmg terronst durmg a
mass in the Vatican, but this did not stram relations with Turkey. .
'Pope received PKK delegation'. .
In January, the TurkishDaily News reported that the Pope received a delegat~on fr?m t~e so-called "Kurdish .
Parliament in Exile," a group which Turkish authorities claim to have ~ relationshiP. with the outlawed. Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK has beenfighting for independence against the Turkish Armed Forces smce 1984.
The Pontiff reportedly told the delegation that he ':would pr~~ for the. sufferings of t~e Kurdi~h people under the
Turkish authorities." Turkish authorities did not give an offiCiaIreactlOn to the Pope s reception of the group.
The group then asked the Pope to use his influence within the international
solution to the conflictof Kurdistan."
community "to find a peaceful
During the historic visit to Cuba in the same month, the pope call~d on the ~uban re~ime to rel~ase the political
dissidents from prisons. Having an overwhelming Roman Cathohc popu~atIon, Cuba s.le.ader, Fidel Castro,
affirmàtively responded to the calls by the pope and released a small portlOn of these dissidents.
in making his call to Cuban leaders, the Pope submitted to the authorities in Havana the names of 270 inmates,
whom he called "prisoners of conscience." .
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