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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-10-23
[01] AA Daily
23 October 1999 Saturday
[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
[03] These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in
Turkey's press on Oct 23, 1999. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these
stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
[04] HURRIYET (LIBERAL) - ------------------ MIXED BOMB A bomb expert told
the paper that the explosive which killed Ahmet Taner Kıslalı have the
characters of the bombs used by fundamentalist terrorists, leftist
organizations and intelligence organizations in attacks. Ugur Mumcu and
Bahriye Ucok were probably killed by Hezbollah or Islamist organizations.
However the terrorist organization PKK recently used pipe bombs in their
attacks like the one used in the car-bomb attack against Kıslalı. The
expert pointed out that maybe the aim of using such kind of a mixed type
bomb was just to confuse the minds.
[05] MILITARY TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN FUNERAL Military will fully
participate in the funeral of Ahmet Taner Kıslalı with their military
uniforms which will take place today. Firstly a ceremony will be held in
the parliament at 9.30 a.m., later in front of Communications Faculty of
Ankara University at 11.00 a.m, another one in front of Big Theatre at
12.00 and in front of Cumhuriyet newspaper's office at 2.00 p.m. Kıslalı
will be buried after the prayer at mid-afternoon.
[06] MILLIYET (LIBERAL) - ----------------- ARMY ORDERS ITS PERSONNEL TO
ATTEND KISLALI'S FUNERAL The army reacted harshly to the murder of Ahmet
Taner Kıslalı, a political scientist. The General Staff issued an order for
the first time requesting all the military personnel including generals and
commanders of forces to participate in Kıslalı's funeral in Ankara today.
[07] AIM TO IMPEDE TURKEY FROM EU The Greek Press thinks that the aim of
the bomb attack against Ahmet Taner Kıslalı is to blow a strike on the
efforts of Turkey to come closer to the European Union (EU). To Vima, a
Greek newspaper said that ''Islamists broke the pen of Kemalism.'' Swaboda,
the Chairman of the Socialist group in European Parliament (EP) said that
''this could be done by those who want to alienate Turkey from the EU.''
[08] SABAH (LIBERAL) - -------------- DIFFICULT QUESTIONS TO RP David
Rockefeller, the Honourary Chairman of the U.S. Foreign Relations Council
met with Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP) on Friday and
asked him very difficult questions. Rockefeller asked Kutan if his party
was a religious one. Kutan responded to that by saying ''we support
democratic and secularist republic. We want to combine secularism with
religious beliefs. We are not a radical religious party. You can call us a
centralist party.''
[09] TANTAN, SOLVE THIS MURDER The paper calls Saadettin Tantan, the
Minister of Interior to clarify the murder of Ahmet Taner Kıslalı. Tantan
was a successful police officer and he questioned mafia bosses. He is today
the head of the security.
[10] CUMHURIYET (LEFT) - ---------------- WE WILL WATCH THE REPUBLIC
Following the assasination of Prof. Ahmet Taner Kislali, a columnist of our
newspaper, many private and public institutions, labour unions, non-
governmental organizations and professional organizations stressed that
they would protect the secular Republic and Ataturk's principles to the
end. President Suleyman Demirel also visited our Ankara bureau.
''Unclarified murders are the biggest shame for a government. We'll find
the murderers,'' Demirel said. There will be a ceremony at the Parliament
at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday for Kislali. Three more ceremonies will be held
for him at Ankara University, the Ministry of Culture and Cumhuriyet
Newspaper's Ankara bureau. Kislali will be buried at Ankara's Karsiyaka
Cemetery. The Chief of General Staff instructed the units in Ankara to
attend the ceremony at Kocatepe Mosque. Republican People's Party (CHP)
General Directorate asked all its organizations to come to Ankara to attend
Kislali's funeral.
[11] INVESTIGATION CONTINUES Five working groups were formed to investigate
Kislali's murder under the cooperation of security units, gendarme,
National Intelligence Organization and State Security Court. ''It is our
responsibility to find the murderers,'' said Cevdet Volkan, the Chief
Prosecutor of Ankara State Security Court. RDX, a material which was also
detected in the bomb which killed Ugur Mumcu, was found in the bomb used in
Kislali's assasination. The bomb experts said the bomb had a simple
mechanism, but it was very powerful. ''This bomb was so sensitive, it could
have exploded while planting it,'' they said. The bomb was also said to be
put together by using a combination of methods used by illegal leftist
organizations, PKK and terrorist Islamist organizations.
[12] RADIKAL (LEFT) - --------------- PRESIDENT DEMIREL VISITS CUMHURIYET
PAPER President Demirel vowed yesterday that those responsible for the
killing of Ahmet Taner Kıslalı will not ecape from the long arm of justice.
Visting the Ankara office of daily Cumhuriyet, President Demirel stated
that all the institutions of state and their persnonnel were on the job to
find whoever placed this bomb or had it placed. Demirel said in the
condolence book opened for Kıslalı that ''those who work for dark aims will
not reach their goal.''
[13] TÜRKİYE (RIGHT) - ---------------- BAN PREVENTING KAVAKCI FROM
TRAVELING ABROAD LIFTED Ankara State Security Court lifted the ban which
prevented Kavakci from travelling abroad. The court discussed the written
document given to Kavakci's lawyer Salim Ozdemir by the Parliament Speaker
Yildirim Akbulut and accepted Ozdemir's request to lift the ban.
[14] ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE) - ------------------- PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:WE
LAUNCH EFFORTS Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the state does its
best to find the assailants who staged a car-bomb attack against Ahmet
Taner Kıslalı, a professor and a writer-journalist. Ecevit stressed that
the citizens should keep calm, adding ''the people behind this murder want
to create chaos. We shouldn't let them do so.''
[15] CULTURE MINISTER TALAY PARTICIPATES IN TURKISH-GREEK FRIENDSHIP
CONCERT
[16] BURSA, Oct 23 (A.A) - Istemihan Talay, the Culture Minister,
participated in the ''Turkish-Greek Friendship Concert'' held in Bursa on
Friday. Talay spoke before the concert started. Fitos Kisidas, Greek Chief
Consul to Istanbul, also participated in the concert. The quakes which hit
Turkey and Greece derived the love of the two nations, Talay said. Talay
noted that the concert is a very meaningful facility in the name of Turkish-
Greek friendship and brought together the singers of the two countries.
Turkish and Greek nations proved that they are in favour of peace and
friendship following the quakes, Talay stated. Talay added that this
concert is the result of all these positive feelings and developments.
[17] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''IT IS OBVIOUS THAT ASSASSINATION OF KISLALI
IS AN ORGANIZED CRIME''
[18] TRABZON, Oct 23 (A.A) - Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister, said
on Friday that it is obvious that the assassination of Ahmet Taner Kislali
is an organized crime rather than an individual attack. Turk responded to
the questions of the journalists about Kislali's assassination. ''All the
evidence is being evaluated. The gendermarie forces, the bomb experts
continue their studies. All the tip-offs are being evaluated. But, we
cannot reach a definite result yet. The fact that the bomb was put inside a
can does not mean that the assassination was not staged professionally,''
Turk said. Turk added, ''it is obvious that this is an organized attack.
Because, it is obvious that Kislali had been followed. Some people had
learned when and where he was going and had planned the assassination in
accordance to their observations. I hope the assailants will be captured in
the shortest time.''
[19] PREMIER ECEVIT RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT KISLALI'S ASSASSINATION
[20] ANKARA, Oct 23 (A.A) - Premier Bulent Ecevit responded to the
questions about Ahmet Taner Kislali's assassination in a news programme on
Friday. Ecevit said that Kislali was a distinguished and honest scientist,
a conscious Kemalist and a consistent politician. Pointing out to the
geopolitic position of Turkey, Ecevit noted that the region where Turkey is
situated enlarged. Ecevit continued, ''The importance and the influence of
Turkey in this large environment increases, especially in the integration
process of Asia and Europe. Some people are uneasy about this. There are
some circles which want to collapse and prevent Turkey.'' ''Those who are
uneasy about Turkey's development and those who want to stop Turkey will
always exist. This is the cost of our strength and geopolitic position. We
have to get used to live with this,'' Ecevit added. The terrorist
organizations in Turkey should be eradicated although they are supported by
some powers outside Turkey, Ecevit noted. When asked whether or not
Kislali's assassination has connection with foreign powers, Ecevit said,
''I do not have the authority to predict about these issues due to my
responsibilities. If I predict, I will influence the interrogation and the
jurisdiction.'' However, the fact that the attack can have connections with
some domestic or foreign powers should be taken into consideration, Ecevit
stated. Turkey should not panic against such incidents, Ecevit pointed out.
Ecevit continued, ''if we panic and if the nation loses its confidence in
itself and the state, then those who commit these crimes will be very
happy. Their courage will increase and they will take a step forward to
their targets. We should never panic. We should save ourselves from some
worries thinking that 'the democracy is not enforced in Turkey and the
state does not work properly.' For example, the press started complaining
that the interrogation does not go any further. But, the assassination
happened yesterday. The assailant can be found or cannot be found. But, we
have marked giant leap forward in capturing assailants in the recent days.
The leading names of the PKK and many other terrorist organizations were
captured. I hope the assailants of this attack can be captured. This will
be a very pleasing development for Turkey,'' Ecevit added. When recalled
that the assailants of Ugur Mumcu assassination were not captured despite
some promises, Ecevit said, ''I can only promise to carry out all kinds of
efforts to capture the assailants. I think it will be wrong to promise for
any other thing.'' Ecevit drew the attention to the importance of the
cooperation between the security and intelligence units in solving such
incidents. He can promise that all the public institutions will work in
harmony, Ecevit stressed. When asked whether or not a suspect has been
captured or any organizations undertook the responsibility of the
assassination, Ecevit said, ''there are some possibilities. There is not a
definite finding at the moment. There can be some people who were contacted
for the interrogation but noone was arrested. I have confidence in the
security forces. I believe that they will not neglect anything.'' When
asked whether or not Kislali was assassinated for his articles or for
provocation, Ecevit emphasized that he can be assassinated for either of
these two possibilities. Ecevit was later asked whether or not there is a
connection between the assassination and the developments like the EU's
opening doors for Turkey, Helsinki Summit, Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project,
the OSCE Summit which will convene in Istanbul. ''All these incidents
indicate that Turkey gradually becomes more powerful and effective.
Unfortunately, some people can stage such attacks to prevent Turkey from
benefiting from these developments,'' Ecevit said. Ecevit continued, ''I
can only promise to carry out all kinds of efforts to capture the
assailants. But, I will feel sorry if I say we will capture the assailants
and cannot capture them. If I say this, the confidence in the state can
deteriorate. We will do our best.'' Responding to another question, Ecevit
pointed out that this assassination will not negatively affect the OSCE
Summit which will be held in November. When asked whether or not Turkey
will utilize international cooperation in the interrogation, Ecevit said,
''if it is necessary, we will. The National Intelligence Organization (MIT)
has some relations with the intelligence units of many other countries and
these relations are based on mutual trust. If it is necessary, MIT will
benefit from the impressions and observations of some other countries.''
[21] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO GO TO DIYARBAKIR
[22] ANKARA, October 23 (A.A) - President Suleyman Demirel will go to
Diyarbakir on Sunday to attend two openings and a foundation laying
ceremony. Demirel will first attend the openings of South East 99 Second
International Trade and Industry Fair and Diyar Galeria Shopping Center. He
will later attend the foundation laying ceremony of Toprak Holding Co.'s
Lice Facilities. A total of 103 firms will participate in the South East 99
- Second Trade and Industry Fair. The fair is organized by Diyarbakir Trade
and Industry Chamber and aims to bring together the producers,
industrialists, enterpreneurs and exporters in the region. Scientific,
cultural and art activities will also take place in the fair. Diyar Galeria
Shopping Center which cost 20 million U.S. dollars is composed of several
stores and resting facilities. The center built on 60,000 square meters
will provide employment to 1000 people. Toprak Holding Co.'s Lice
Facilities whose foundation will be laid on Saturday by Demirel will
include educational and health facilities as well as industrial buildings.
The complex will be built on 30,400 square meters and expected to cost 4
trillion Turkish Liras. The facility will include a marble factory which is
already operating, a vegetable oil factory which is one of Turkey's biggest
investments, a fodder factory, an elementary school of 500 students with a
dormitory, a public education and youth center, a maternity home of 30-40
beds and a small polyclinic. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will also join
Demirel in his visit.
[23] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''SOMETIMES JUSTICE WORKS SLOWLY''
[24] TRABZON, Oct 23 (A.A) - Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister said on
Saturday that ''sometimes the justice system works slowly.'' ''If justice
is slow, it means that it is not justice,'' said Turk. However, the
Ministry of Justice can't intervene in judiciary, he added. ''We bring new
provisions to law of procedure on which we work to make the justice work
more fastly,'' said Turk responding to questions. Upon another question
about the attempt of Nuh Mete Yuksel, the Chief Prosecutor of State
Security Court (DGM) to take testimony of Merve Kavakcı, a deputy of the
Virtue Party (FP), Turk said ''we started an investigation about him.''
[25] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT ABOUT ASSASSINATION
OF KISLALI''
[26] ANKARA, Oct 23 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Saturday
that there is no development about the assassination of Prof. Ahmet Taner
Kıslalı. Responding to questions of journalists before leaving Prime
Ministry office for the funeral of Kıslalı in Kocatepe Mosque, Ecevit said
''there is no development.''
[27] TURKEY SAYS FAREWELL TO KISLALI - TEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME
TOGETHER IN KOCATEPE MOSQUE
[28] ANKARA, Oct 23 (A.A) - Ten thousands of people gathered in Kocatepe
mosque for the funeral of Prof. Ahmet Taner Kıslalı, a political scientist
and journalist-writer who was killed by a bomb attack on Thursday. Mehmet
Nuri Yılmaz, the Director of Religious Affairs performed the ritual. Yılmaz
expressed his condolences over the death of Kıslalı to his family, his
students and Turkish nation. ''Human beings are sacred in all religions.
The life, property, honour of human beings are also sacred. Killing one
person is one of the biggest sins in our religion. Thus I condemn this
assassination. I hope the assailants can be captured as soon as possible
and handed over to Turkish justice,'' he added. The coffin of Kıslalı is on
the way to Karsıyaka cemetery accompanied by the crowd.
A.A
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