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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivi~ta Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
Turkish Daily News January 5, 2001
Ecevit: Stay on guard against PKK
Speaking on the Dogus Group's NTV television news channel Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the Kurdistan
Workers Party (PKK) separatist terrorist organization may be a spent force in Turkey but it still has men under arms
just across the border and could start fresh ventures into Turkey at any moment and warned Turkey to be on its
guard, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.
Ecevit pointed out in his interview with NTV's Ankara correspondent Murat Akgun when asked whether it
would be possible to lift the state of Emergency Rule in the four provinces where it is still being applied, that
as prime minister he had to treat the matter with great circumspect due to the delicate geopolitical situation
Turkey found itself in.
Still on the subject of terrorism, Akgun asked whether in the aftermath of the terrorist bombing of the Sisli
police headquarters in Istanbul Turkey could expect a new wave of terrorist violence? Ecevit replied he did not
expect such a thing adding: "Those who practically occupied the prisons during the latest prison incidents do
have men on the outside as well. These individuals could take it upon themselves to react in some way." He
added that those who run the terrorist organizations in the prisons are being protected by allegedly respectable
circles in Europe and he held these people accountable for the recent events. Ecevit said: "Ido not expect widespread
actions. We have seen they are no match for the state. The PKK is not seen to be effective, Hizbullah has
collapsed, but people in desperate situations do desperate things." Furthermore he criticized the obvious lack
of security measures at Sisli police headquarters. "There was serious neglect there, I hope it won't be repeated,"
he said.
Staying on the subject of prisons, Ecevit spoke about the death fasts being held in order to bring reform to
the prison system. "These are acts of grave irresponsibility," said Ecevit, "These young people are doing themselves
a great disservice, a great injustice. We do not want them to kill them. On the contrary, we have spent
weeks struggling to prevent them from killing themselves. I only hope they can realize the futility of their
actions. Those controlling them are abroad and living it up in safety while using the boys here as tools." He
called upon the prisoners families, intellectuals and Non governmental organization's (NGO's) to step up their
warnings to the prisoners and added he did not want to see the prisons become terrorist headquarters again.
Akgun went on to ask Ecevit about the National Program Turkey is drawing up in response to the European
Union's (EU) Accession Partnership Document and asked whether it would be ready by the end of January. He
also asked whether any consensus had been reached on matter such as the civilianizing of the National Security
Council (MGK) and the abolition of the death penalty. Ecevit replied: "Wehave not got into the finer details yet.
There is perfect harmony within the coalition. However, nobody's demands conform entirely with everyone
else's. Democracy is a regime based on consensus. We continue to reach a consensus most successfully all the
time. I am very hopeful, yet I know we cannot solve everything in one move. Let's take the issue of Kurdish
television for example. If Turkey was in the same position as Denmark, Germany, Holland or another
Scandinavian country, there would not be any problem here, but Turkey is faced with a serious separatist movement.
When this movement realized they could not get their way through force of arms they embarked on a
political path instead. This quite naturally disturbs certain circles. They have serious reservations when it comes
to making exceptions over languages, radio and television.
"It is clear that not only our immediate neighbors but also our slightly more distant ones in Western and
Northern Europe are harboring designs on Turkey that are far from congenial. These countries are where the
allies of those wishing to break Turkey up live. They may not actually be within the governments, but they are
there none the less. Our friends in the West have to be made aware of this and reminded what their responsibilities
are."
On the subject of whether the National Program would be introduced by the Cabinet or by national consensus
through Parliament, Ecevit said this would be decided next week when the party leaders meet. When asked
his idea regarding a calendar for Turkey's eventual full membership of the EU should the National Program
prove unsatisfactory to the EU, Ecevit said it was too soon to predict such things.
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