| International-UN-NGOs |
| Turkey forging strategic relations with ChiComs on multiple levels |
| 2005-06-12 |
| From Geostrategy-Direct, EFL, subscription req'd. A flurry of high-level Turkish delegations to China this year are among the indications the two nations are significantly increasing security cooperation. The increased security relationship was part of a decision by Ankara and Beijing to forge strategic cooperation, Turkish officials said. This cooperation would encompass defense and military ties as well as joint industrial projects. So how can we be allies with Turkey when they can take our intel and weapons systems (inc. NATO) and pass it along to the ChiComs?China has expressed interest in procuring advanced technology from Turkey, particularly in the area of electronic warfare, they said, while Turkey has sought to purchase medium-range air defense systems from China. Against whom will they use them? The Greeks?Turkish Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Fevzi Turkeri has been touring China and meeting with the nation's security chiefs to discuss joint projects for next year. Officials said Turkeri, who met Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, has sought to begin joint police training, exercises, intelligence sharing and joint investigations. [*snip*] "We have always emphasized the importance of international cooperation against global crimes threatening humanity such as organized crime and drug smuggling," Turkeri said. Nice cover, Turkeri. You have all the buzzwords covered. The Turkish commander said the militaries of China and Turkey have been growing closer since 1999. Turkeri predicted that military relations would reach a "much improved level." Earlier this year, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and air force commander Gen. Ibrahim Firtina visited China and discussed arms sales. In late May, Chinese Chief of Staff, Gen. Liang Guanglie visited Turkey and reviewed similar issues. On June 12, Turkish President Ahmet Sezer was scheduled to begin a state visit to China. Sezer's schedule has not yet been released. |
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| Europe |
| Turkish Hezbollah resurfaces |
| 2005-03-23 |
| On January 12, Turkish police arrested Mehmet Semih Arikan, a member of Hizballah in Turkey, a group not necessarily part and parcel with Lebanese Hizballah, while he was carrying out a reconnaissance mission near the governor's office of Konya province, ten minutes ahead of a scheduled visit by Gen. Fevzi Turkeri, commander of the Turkish gendarmerie. Hizballah is alive in Turkey, despite a 2000 crackdown in which security forces arrested 3,366 of its members and killed its leader and founder Huseyin Velioglu. What is more, according to recent intelligence this group might have established links with al-Qaeda. Why has the organization been able to recover from the 2000 crackdown? Given its suspected al-Qaeda connection, what kind of threat does it pose to Turkey and the West? Hizballah emerged in Turkey's predominantly Sunni Kurdish southeast in the 1980s. Unlike Alevi Kurds and Turks, whose faith encompasses a liberal version of Islam, and Sunni Turks, who belong to the relaxed Hanefi school, Sunni Kurds adhere to the strict Shafi'i school and are among Turkey's most conservative constituencies. Thus, after its emergence, Hizballah found a receptive audience in southeastern Turkey, becoming a Kurdish group. Like other Kurdish terror groups in Turkey, such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Kurdish Hizballah (KH) under its leader Velioglu developed a strictly hierarchical structure. Iran played a crucial role at this stage: Velioglu was inspired by the Iranian revolution, received funding from Tehran, and members of the organization went to Iran in the 1980s for training. |
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| Europe |
| Turkish Military Dismisses a Dozen Officers, Suspected Links to Islamic Groups |
| 2004-08-05 |
| Turkey's military announced the firing of 12 officers Thursday, and Turkish news media said most were dismissed under suspicion of sympathizing with Islamic groups. The military, which has staged three coups since 1960 and is a powerful defender of Turkey's secular system, has sacked hundreds of officers since 1996 for suspected ties to Islamic activists or Kurdish groups. A statement released by the military said only that 12 officers it did not identify were dismissed for "undisciplined" behavior. But private NTV television and other news reports said most had suspected links to Islamic groups. The military also announced the naming of Gen. Yasar Buyukanit to head Turkey's land forces and Gen. Fevzi Turkeri to head the paramilitary police, replacing generals who are retiring this summer. Buyukanit's appointment puts him in line to become the next chief of staff, when Gen. Hilmi Ozkok retires in 2006. |
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| Iraq |
| Turkish Press Stories |
| 2003-02-10 |
| These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on February 10, 2003. HERE ARE NINE SINE-QUA NON CONDITIONS Turkish army will enter Northern Iraq on its own. Main duty of the Untied States will be to provide communication of Turkish-U.S. and Kurds. -Turkish army will enter Northern Iraq on its own when time comes. -Duty of the U.S. soldiers will only be to provide coordination. -Turkish units will act independently in Northern Iraq. -The United States will be deployed in the southern part of the 36th parallel. It will control Mosul and Kirkuk. -Armament of the Kurdish units by the United States will be under the control of Turkey. -Turkish units will launch operations if the PKK elements do not withdraw from the region. -Gen. Fevzi Turkeri will command the Turkish units. -Joint operation center will be in Diyarbakir. -There will be a Turkish general in U.S. operation center in Qatar. It all boils down to controlling refugees and limiting action by the Kurds. Turkish Armed Forces gave this message to U.S. officials: There is not a coalition or a United Nations (U.N.) umbrella yet. What we actually see is a U.S. operation in which Britain takes places at certain extent. In this case, it is out of question for us to be under the command of another country. We do not favor any operation against Iraq. In general, we do not favor war. Our aim is to prevent any incidents which will be contrary to Turkey's interests. Meaning - If the Kurds try to take over, we won't be under US control, so don't try to stop us from putting them down. As a measure against possible developments in Iraq, reinforcement of the Second Army has been completed to a great extent. It is learned that more that two thousand officers and non-commissioned officers have been assigned to join the units in the region. It is noted that officers were appointed to the units because Turkey expected that deployment will last long. Humm, were they short handed or are they being beefed up? General Staff has prepared its plans for a possible war and started to wait for February 18. According to the plan, Turkey will enter Northern Iraq with two army corps. Second Army Commander General Fevzi Turkeri said that five hours would suffice them for a security line to be formed in the north. Prior planning, unlike certain NATO countries. |
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