Hispano-Turco.com [ Dialogue of Civilizations Update July 2006 ]

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[ July 2006 ]

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Spain, Turkey PMs Warn Of 'Chaotic Deadlock' In Mideast

July 22, 2006
ANKARA (AP)--The prime ministers of Spain and Turkey appealed to world leaders and international bodies Saturday to help stop hostilities in the Middle East, saying the violence threatened to drag the entire region into a "chaotic deadlock."
Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Spain's Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose two countries have promoted cross-cultural dialogue, also offered to contribute to efforts toward a cease-fire.
In a joint declaration, the two leaders said: "We call upon the United Nations, the EU, and other relevant international organizations, nations and international leaders ... to intensify ongoing efforts to bring an end to this spiral of violence and hostility that runs the risk of dragging the entire region into a chaotic deadlock with global repercussions."
Spain and Turkey last year presided over the launch of the Alliance of Civilizations, a U.N.-sponsored program aimed to counter extremism and promote respect between civilizations and cultures.
Israeli warplanes have pummeled targets across Lebanon for nearly two weeks since Lebanon-based Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a bloody cross-border raid.
The Spanish and Turkish leaders have issued joint statements before, most notably over the international tensions that arose after the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad last year.

The joint statement issued by the Turkish and Spanish prime ministers reads; "We, as co-chairmen of the Alliance of Civilizations project, are ready to help in any way appropriate. Weapons must give way to dialogue and talks. There is no time to lose. In order to declare a ceasefire and peace, the time for action is now. Our future is in danger. We cannot remain as spectators in he face of this human tragedy.

In response to the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers last week by Hezbollah, Israel launched air raids on Lebanon in which they bombed the Lebanese capital Beirut, in addition to much of the country's infrastructure.

Nearly 400 civilians have been killed so far in the Israeli attacks which have evoked little in the way of serious protest from the international community.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Friday that he feared a major humanitarian disaster if innocent Lebanese people continue to be killed or displaced.

Meanwhile also on Friday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking ahead of her visit to the trouble Middle East region, stated that she would not be pursuing a cease-fire because that would constitute "a false promise if it returns us to the status quo."

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has had phone talks with the leaders of Iran, USA, Syria, Russia, Britain and Lebanon, seeking support for a cease-fire.

The Alliance of Civilizations initiative was launched by the prime ministers of Turkey and Spain and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan last July.

The Project aims to bridge the gap between the Islamic and Western worlds and to help overcome misconceptions that could threaten world peace.

Summit on Mideast conflict fails, U.S. pushes own plan: Top diplomats who met in Rome to seek a solution to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict parted ways Wednesday without an agreement. A demand by European and Arab countries, as well as United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, for an immediate cease-fire was rejected by the U.S., which reportedly is working on its own plan for solving the strife in Lebanon. Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) (7/27)

Security Council disagrees on words about UN deaths: Members on the United Nations Security Council disagreed Wednesday on how to fashion a statement tackling Israel's bombing Tuesday of a UN post in southern Lebanon that killed four UN observers. Financial Times (London) (7/27)

UN: Observers repeatedly pleaded for help: Four unarmed monitors pleaded for help for six hours as the United Nations observation post where they were killed Tuesday took repeated hits from Israel's bombardments, UN officials said Wednesday. Los Angeles Times (7/27)

Interview: Israeli blockade hampers UN aid to Lebanon: Arafat Jamal, the top United Nations refugee agency official in Lebanon, says a great amount of aid intended for those displaced by the fighting in Lebanon has been delayed while UN officials await a guarantee of safe passage from Israeli military forces. Der Spiegel (English online version) (7/26)

ElBaradei on Lebanon: UN peacekeepers the "only solution": In this interview with Der Spiegel, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei laments the chaotic violence in Lebanon and asserts a deployment of UN peacekeepers would be the most effective near-term solution to halt the fighting. ElBaradei also discusses the showdown over Iran's nuclear activities and North Korea's missile tests. Der Spiegel (English online version) (7/27)

Annan steps up calls for Mideast cease-fire

Upset by the killing of four United Nations observers in what he called "apparently deliberate targeting by Israeli Defence Forces," Secretary-General Kofi Annan is attending an international summit in Rome, where he aims to rally support for an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. BBC (7/26), USA TODAY (7/26)

Olmert says UN strike was accidental; tensions rise
Four United Nations observers were killed Tuesday by an Israeli bomb in southern Lebanon, intensifying the region's already tense diplomatic situation. Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said it was an accident and expressed "deep regret." CNN (7/26), The Boston Globe /Associated Press (7/26)

Annan, Rice on diplomatic track: As the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice seeks to negotiate a cease-fire to current hostilities between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Rome to help establish a peace plan. Annan said that a number of proposals had been put forth and that it was critical leaders seeking peace for the region don't "walk away empty-handed." CBC.ca (7/25)

UN shifts spotlight to humanitarian aid: The United Nations has shifted some of its focus to humanitarian aspects of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Inter Press Service News Agency (7/24)

UN humanitarian chief critical of Hezbollah tactics: United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland criticized Hezbollah for using the cowardly tactics of hiding among women, children and other civilians during the current conflict with Israel. Chicago Tribune /Associated Press (7/25)

A recipe for peace in the Middle East: This analysis from TIME offers six crucial steps that need to be taken to bring peace and stability to the Middle East. TIME (7/23)

Interview: Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni: In this interview with Der Spiegel, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni discusses Israel's political and military options in its showdown with Hezbollah. Der Spiegel (English online version) (7/25)

Commentary: Annan's position on Mideast unhelpful: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's failure to specifically mention terrorism as a key reason for Israel's incursion into southern Lebanon in recent comments undermines the world body's credibility in the Middle East conflict, writes Harvard University law professor Alan M. Dershowitz in a Chicago Tribune commentary. Chicago Tribune (7/25)

Interview: Egeland anxious for guarantee of safe passage from Israel: United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland says most of the aid destined for hundreds of thousands of displaced persons in Lebanon will be put on hold until Israel agrees to guarantee the UN and other relief agencies safe passage. Egeland also repeated criticism of Israeli air strikes, calling them "totally disproportionate." AlertNet.org /Reuters (7/23)

Israel dismisses UN humanitarian relief chief's accusations: Israel has rejected the United Nation's humanitarian relief chief Jan Egeland's comments that Israel has been using excessive force against Lebanon, saying Egeland's opinion contradicts the comments of other UN bodies and diplomats. ABC (Australia) (7/24)

Rice urges cease-fire efforts: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew into Lebanon Monday, planning to meet with leaders over the next three days to formulate a cease-fire plan. The Times (London) (7/24)

Annan to decide soon on diplomatic mission to Iran, Syria: The United Nations is weighing the possibility of sending a diplomatic contingent to Iran and Syria in hopes of bringing a peaceful end to the fighting. AlertNet.org /Reuters (7/24)

UN peacekeepers struggle for power in South Lebanon: Though calls for an international peacekeeping force in South Lebanon increase, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has been active in the area since 1978. TIME (7/19)

Annan outlines Mideast peace plan
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Thursday outlined a plan to the Security Council for bringing peace to Israel and Lebanon. Annan's report to the council -- based in large part on the findings by a UN crisis team that this week visited the region -- blamed the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia for starting the conflict but also criticized Israel for its collective punishment of Lebanon's people, which he said is causing a humanitarian crisis. Click here for a transcript of Annan's address to the council. The Daily Star (Lebanon) (7/21), National Public Radio (text only) (7/20)

UN's call for Mideast cease-fire opposed by U.S.: The U.S., which is key to any international plan to bring peace to the Mideast region, so far is resisting the UN's call for a cease-fire so that killings be stopped and aid can be sent. AlertNet.org /Reuters (7/21)

UN post hit in Middle East fighting: Ghanaian troops manning a UN observation post escaped unharmed after the post was severely damaged during fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. USA TODAY /Agence France-Presse (7/21)

Editorial: For peace's sake, rein in the militants: Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report Thursday on how to end the Mideast conflict did not go far enough, The Miami Herald writes in this editorial, arguing that a comprehensive plan must do more to tackle militant groups as well as Syria's and Iran's sponsorship of Hezbollah. The Miami Herald (free registration) (7/21)

Europeans push new UN Iran plan
France, Britain and Germany on Thursday distributed to the United Nations Security Council's 15 members a new draft resolution that threatens Iran with sanctions unless it suspends its nuclear program by an unspecified date in August. Iran, however, reiterated its earlier stance that it will not reply until Aug. 22 to the incentives plan on the table. The Boston Globe /Reuters (7/20)

UN seeks ways to foster Mideast peace
The United Nations is working on a new long-term plan for peace between Israel and Lebanon, which would include the implementation of a resolution that the UN Security Council approved in 2004 and that, among other things, called for Lebanon's Hezbollah militia to disband. Also, France suggested ideas for a new resolution, including the possibility of a new peacekeeping force in the region. Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) (7/19), The Boston Globe /Associated Press (7/19)

Analysis: UN monitoring force shows peacekeeping's limitations: The UN for years has had a monitoring team along the Israel-Lebanon border, and although it does not have the authority to enforce peace it illustrates the difficulties and limitations of peacekeeping, The New York Times writes in this analysis. The New York Times (7/19)

UN: Spike in Iraqi civilian deaths
Nearly 6,000 Iraqi civilians were killed in May and June, including deaths caused by bombings, assassinations, torture, intimidation and kidnappings, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq reported. "While welcoming recent positive steps by the government to promote national reconciliation, the report raises alarm at the growing number of casualties among the civilian population killed or wounded during indiscriminate or targeted attacks by terrorists or insurgents," the UN said. USA TODAY /Associated Press (7/18)

UN powers begin new effort to curb Iran's nuclear program
Major powers on Tuesday began work on a United Nations Security Council resolution to curb Iran's nuclear intentions by threatening sanctions, updating the version introduced by the U.S., Britain and France in early May. The resolution would command Iran to cease its uranium enrichment and temporarily stop constructing a potentially plutonium-producing reactor and would set a date for Iran to comply. The Washington Post /Reuters (7/18)

UN presents Israel with peace plan
A United Nations team sent to the Middle East to try to defuse the Israel-Hezbollah conflict today presented top Israeli officials in Jerusalem with a cease-fire package based on an outline drawn up at the weekend's G8 meeting. Also, Israel's foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, suggested that Israel may not object to a temporary UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) (7/18)

Editorial: Security Council must act on Hezbollah: To promote long-term stability between Lebanon and Israel, it is crucial that a united UN Security Council demands that Hezbollah disarm its militia and stop "operating as a state within a state in southern Lebanon," The New York Times writes in this editorial. The New York Times (7/18)

Annan, Blair urge peacekeepers in Lebanon

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday urged that an international peacekeeping force be deployed to southern Lebanon to defuse the growing Israel-Hezbollah conflict. A 2,000-strong UN team has monitored the Israel-Lebanon border since 1978, but it is not authorized to enforce peace. BBC (7/17), Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) (7/17)

UN to try to defuse growing Mideast crisis
The United Nations Security Council today was set to discuss Israel's attacks on Lebanon, which came in response to the killing and capture of Israeli soldiers by Lebanon-based Hezbollah guerillas. A UN team that is being sent to the region to try to defuse the situation first will meet with Arab governments in Cairo and then expects to visit Israel, Lebanon and other areas. Click here for a UN News Centre article that cites the UN's human rights chief urging all sides to avoid civilian casualties. The Daily Star (Lebanon) (7/14), Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel)/Reuters (7/14)

U.S. halts UN condemnation of Israel's Gaza offensive: A UN Security Council resolution proposed by Qatar that would have condemned Israel for its now two-week old military offensive in the Gaza Strip was vetoed by the United States. Reuters (7/14)

UN: Gaza's humanitarian situation worsening
United Nations officials say a breakdown in basic services in the Gaza Strip has caused a humanitarian situation that is growing bleaker by the day. "Daily life is a misery. Ordinary people are struggling. We are running around trying to put plasters on everything," a UN official said. The Guardian (London) (7/10)

Commentary: The new, sad life in Gaza: The difficult humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, including scarce food rotting because of lack of electricity since Israel's recent military offensive, are described in this commentary by Mona El-Farra, a local physician and human rights advocate. The Boston Globe (7/10)

UN rights envoy criticizes Israel for Gaza siege
The siege Israel has laid upon the Gaza Strip in response to the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier involves a "disproportionate use of force against civilians," John Dugard, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, told the UN Human Rights Council. "It is clear that Israel is in violation of the most fundamental norms of humanitarian law and human rights law," Dugard added. AlertNet.org/Reuters (7/5), Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel)/Associated Press (7/6)

Annan calls for calm in Gaza: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a statement Wednesday calling on both Israelis and Palestinians to "step back from the brink" and ease the rising tensions between them. AlertNet.org/Reuters (7/5)

Annan calls on Islamic States to continue cooperation with UN in world’s hotspots

11 July 2006 – Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on Islamic countries to continue their cooperation with the United Nations in calming crisis flashpoints particularly between Israel and the Palestinians, in Iraq, and in Sudan’s strife-torn Darfur region.

“Over the years, and especially the past decade, the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have worked to promote tolerance, equality, development and the peaceful resolution of conflict,” he said in a message to a meeting in Rabat on cooperation between the two bodies, delivered by Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Mehr Khan Williams.

“This gathering is therefore a timely occasion to review our existing cooperation.”

Referring to the Middle East, Mr. Annan repeated his call all parties to avoid steps which further aggravate the situation and to act in strict accordance with international humanitarian law. “At this difficult juncture, the international community, including the OIC, must guide the two sides away from violence and conflict and towards negotiations and compromise,” he said.

On Iraq, he voiced hope that the OIC would continue to work with the UN and other parties to ensure that the new inclusive and representative Government there is fully empowered to address the grave challenges confronting it.

“In Sudan, we must now do everything within our power to ensure that the Darfur Peace Agreement is fully implemented. At the same time, we must continue to deliver the humanitarian assistance that is a lifeline for so many people in that region,” he said.

“The United Nations needs partners such as the OIC and other international and regional organizations whose experience and knowledge complement the reach and legitimacy of the UN system. Your support is crucial to our long term success.”

23 Temmuz 2006 www.hurriyet.com

BAŞBAKAN Tayyip Erdoğan ile İspanya Başbakanı Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, ’Medeniyetler İttifakı Girişimi Eşbaşkanları’ olarak, Ortadoğu için ortak deklarasyon yayınladı. Deklarasyonda özetle şunlar kaydedildi:

"Bizler, hangi biçimde ortaya çıkarsa çıksın terörün her türlüsünü kınıyoruz. Bombaların veya füzelerin, sivillerin /_newsimages/1902878.jpg

üzerine düşmesini kabul edilebilir bulmuyoruz. Herhangi bir orantısız güç kullanımını kesinlikle reddediyoruz. Kaçırılan askerlerin ve olayların akışı içerisinde, bakan ve milletvekili dahil, alıkonulanların serbest bırakılmasını talep ediyoruz.

En temel, vazgeçilmez yaşam, güvenlik ve özgürlük haklarının inkarı, Medeniyetler İttifakı’nın eşbaşkanları olarak bizim daraltmaya çaba sarf ettiğimiz mesafenin daha da büyümesi tehlikesini ortaya çıkarıyor. Bu çatışmanın vahim yankıları, Ortadoğu’nun çok ötesinde hissedilecektir. Biz, Ortadoğu’daki çatışmanın kaçınılmaz olmadığına, tam tersine, bölgede barışın mümkün olduğuna inanıyoruz.

GELECEK TEHLİKEDE

Medeniyetler İttifakı girişiminin eş başkanları olarak bizler, uygun olabilecek her şekilde katkıda bulunmaya hazırız. Silahlar yerini diyalog ve görüşmelere bırakmalıdır. Kaybedecek zaman yok. Ateşkes ve barışa ulaşabilmek için ortak eylem zamanı şimdidir. Geleceğimiz tehlikede, ortaya çıkan trajedinin sürmesine seyirci kalamayız.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will be in the Italian capital Rome today, attending a peace conference expected to deal with the growing crisis in the Middle East. It is anticipated that Gul will have a chance to meet face to face with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice while in Rome, an opportunity which Gul will use to underline once more Turkish expectations on US actions against the PKK presence in Northern Iraq.

The conference in Rome comes only 3 weeks or so after Gul's trip to Washington, DC, at which time he also met with Rice on the subject of possible US actions and precautions against the PKK in Northern Iraq.

Yildirim stated that he decided to resign from the Israeli group since Israel had continued its attacks on innocent people in Lebanon on the pretext of rescuing its soldiers.

The CHP deputy added that he had earlier left the US group because they supported Israel's military offensive while they failed to take any concrete actions against the PKK, which they have listed as a terrorist organization.

"As a parliamentarian and a human being, it was impossible for me to be indifferent to the cruelty inflicted by Israel", remarked Yildirim, adding that he had received many thanks and congratulations for his decision

CHA

World leaders and foreign ministers are in Rome for the make-or-break talks that Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general, says cannot be allowed to fail.

The escalating violence and death toll in the Middle East is raising the stakes and fueling calls for an immediate ceasefire and an agreement on an international force in the region. However, the gaps between the parties that will be around the table are still very wide.

The weather bureau says the temperature will be 36 degrees in Rome today and the talks at the conference on the Middle East are likely to be equally heated. Top of the agenda are a ceasefire, a prisoner exchange and a deal on an international force to move into the region as soon as a cease-fire is in place.

Around the table will be major role players in the Middle East, the United States, the European Union and its major powers, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. While Iran and Syria will not be there, Annan says they must be part of any solution.

However as air strikes, rocket attacks and ground fighting continue unabated, serious concessions will have to be made by all the major role players if any way forward is to be found. Israel shows little sign of agreeing to a ceasefire and the views on the composition and mandate of any international buffer force vary greatly between countries in the west and in the Middle East.

The Rome conference has an unenviable task. The foreign ministers meeting here need to leave Rome tonight with some agreement on a way forward or the conflict in Lebanon and Gaza could develop into a regional war in which no one can win.

UN deaths put pressure on Rome talks for cease-fire

Ceasefire and Troops on the Table at Rome Conference

World leaders are converging on Rome before an emergency conference aimed at stopping nearly two weeks of Israeli-Lebanese violence.

Wednesday's four-hour conference at Italy's foreign ministry will bring together ministers from 15 countries as well as top officials from the UN, the EU and the World Bank.

"The primary objective is a ceasefire," Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi told journalists Tuesday, although clear differences were emerging as to when a cessation of hostilities should begin.

Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Siniora had little hope of achieving an early ceasefire as he left Beirut.

"I want to be clear on this: I do not expect the Rome conference to lead to a ceasefire, even if we must do everything in our power to reach one," he said, making it clear he saw it more as an exercise in advertising the plight of the Lebanese people.

"This visit will serve to have Lebanon's voice heard and to explain (to the international community) the hardships that the Lebanese are suffering," Siniora said ahead of the conference.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Monday he was going to press for a truce and creation of a buffer force in south Lebanon, as well as the release of the two Israeli soldiers whose abduction sparked Israel's offensive, and an end to Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israel.

He also stressed the need to secure full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1559 which calls for the disarming of Hezbollah, and for the Lebanese government to reassert its authority throughout its territory.

Many other countries and leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire, including France, Russia, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Pope Benedict XVI.

Linked to the ceasefire issue is the question of a stabilization force for southern Lebanon.

Peacekeepers' mandate under debate

The idea of deploying an international peacekeeping force to the region was gathering momentum on Tuesday, but many questions remain about what its mandate would be, top diplomats said.

Coming up with an outline for what sort of force could be used to police any future peace is a main objective of the Rome meeting, but it is unclear who would be willing to take part and how long any force would have to stay.

"The basic elements, I think, will be clarified (Wednesday)," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Almost 400 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's offensive against Hezbollah started some two weeks ago, according to information from medics, police and Hezbollah.

Debate with Damascus

Any international force entering the region would need to have a United Nations mandate allowing them to deploy in southern Lebanon up to the border with Syria. Israel has repeatedly accused Syria of delivering weapons to Hezbollah, which is also backed by Iran, across the border. The government in Damascus strongly denies the charge.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -- with the United States as its dominant force -- has the command structure, planning capability and political coordination to run such a multinational operation, but Solana seemed to doubt that it would play a role.

"We have to be very careful with the perception of people since we want to get the people on our side," said Solana, a former NATO secretary general.

For the EU, there is one obvious benefit to taking part. Playing such a role means the bloc would increase its leverage in the region and its standing as a future broker for peace.

"Trust is nonexistent"

"I think that without Europeans ... the force will not exist. To me it is fundamental that some European countries participate," Solana said.

On Monday, the German government said it hoped the conference would reach "rapid and practical solutions" to humanitarian issues such as the evacuation and well-being of refugees who are flooding out of southern Lebanon fleeing Israeli bombardment.

European Commission President Manuel Barroso told reporters Monday, "I think it is obvious that this international presence is necessary because the level of trust between the belligerent parties is non-existent. … Only with an international force can we have the minimum conditions for peace."

Germans question role

The idea of an international force -- which would most likely be led by France and Turkey, according to US news reports -- has caused public flip-flopping in Germany.

After vague responses from German Chancellor Angela Merkel earlier this week in response to questions of whether Germany would contribute troops, Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung reversed the official line when he told Germany's N24 television station Berlin "could not refuse such a peace mission" under certain circumstances.

The issue of deploying an international peacekeeping force to Lebanon will dominate the agenda of the Peace Conference in Rome.

Issues relating to timing, participation, and the tasks of the multi-nation peacekeeping force, including disarming Hezbollah, as well as the role of the United Nations and NATO, remain unclear.

It has been reported that the United States as well as the Netherlands and UK do not approve sending peacekeeping troops in to the region at this time.

NATO officials speaking to Zaman daily said they will not take any steps before seeing the results from today’s Rome meeting.

Neither Israel nor Lebanon has called for the deployment of NATO forces to help contain the situation, the same diplomatic source said. “There has been some talk in Washington about the probable deployment of NATO troops, but so far, no official comment has come from the US.”

France and Turkey have been mentioned as possible countries to lead the peacekeeping force.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, joining the Rome conference, will emphasize that the any deployment of an international force can only take place after a ceasefire agreement has been reached.

Turkey wants the UN to decide on the issue and favors the deployment of UN Peace Keeping Forces, instead of EU or NATO-led forces.

Ankara recommends that the multi-national forces concentrate on the task of “preserving the peace” and not “establishing the peace.”

The two concepts are very different since a military force given the task of “establishing the peace” would likely be involved in heated battles.

Israel has made clear that the peacekeeping force should be given wide reaching authority, which includes the use of fire power as well as the task of controlling the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Israel finds the current 2,000 strong UN Peacekeeping Force insufficient to fulfill the task of patrolling in the region.

In a statement to the media before departing for Rome, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that countries may be more likely to send troops when part of a UN force.

NATO sources are ready to be deployed; however, the alliance remains cautious about taking action at this point.

For reasons relating to the large NATO presence still active in Afghanistan, NATO is calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the green light from Hezbollah before considering the deployment of peacekeeping troops.

Turkey wants the role of the international force to be clearly defined, and wishes to avoid becoming actively embroiled in battles in the region.

The European Union term president; Finland’s Foreign Minister, UN Secretary-General and the World Bank President will also join the Rome conference.

The United States has expressed its support to Turkey over a joint operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson informed that the US is working to develop more functional methods for dealing with the PKK.

Wilson referred to the common vision document that was signed between Turkey and the US a month ago, and stressed that the document foresees cooperation over the PKK, economic and commercial issues as well as many others.

Speaking on the crisis between Israel and Lebanon, Wilson conveyed the American government and the public’s gratitude for Turkey’s contribution to assisting the evacuations from Lebanon.

He also appreciated Turkey’s efforts to establish peace in the region, and expressed the US’s continuing support for Turkey’s entry to the European Union.

Turkish and American military officials met in Ankara and Bagdat (Baghdad) to discuss measures against the PKK presence in Northern Iraq.

Sources reported that the US is ready to take concrete military steps against the PKK.

In Ankara, US top level military representatives to Turkey Peter Satten met officials from the Turkish Military Operation and Intelligence Directorate.

Turkish and American military officials also held talks in Baghdad and northern Iraq.

Turkish citizens living in Beirut that have come under increasing threat due to the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, are being evacuated to Turkey.

Yesterday, 1,200 Turkish citizens were evacuated from Lebanon on a Turkish Sea Forces ferryboat, called Iskenderun.

Hidir Kilic, who has lived in Beirut for five years, expressed his happiness upon arriving back in Turkey. “Bombs were raining down on us and we barely got away with our lives. We were forced to seek shelter in parks; hiding in garages and have lived in our car for days. Thank Allah, we are now returning home to our country.”

Many Turkish citizens who had been working in Lebanon said they have no plans to return to Lebanon in the future.

Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon, Irfan Acar, said that all the necessary preparations have been made to evacuate Turkish citizens from Lebanon safely.

There are about 25,000 to 30,000 Turkish citizens residing in Lebanon, and most are from the southeastern Turkish province of Mardin.

Nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated from Lebanon since the start of the Israeli attacks.

In addition to the 1,200 Turkish citizens that were evacuated by ferryboat, around 800 were evacuated from Lebanon by bus.

Tension escalated during the evacuation when it became apparent that some Turkish nations had been residing in Lebanon illegally.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora gave these illegal Turkish emigrants permission to board the ferryboat and return home; however, they will have to pay a fine to the Lebanese government.

A Turkish Sea Force ferryboat which took 1,200 Turkish citizens, who were left stranded in Lebanon due to the ongoing Israel attacks, is expected to arrive in Mersin on Tuesday afternoon to Turkey's biggest ever evacuation operation.

The ferryboat left Beirut on Monday at 7.15 pm and is expected to arrive in Turkey on Tuesday evening after a 17-hour journey.

Boarding the Turkish citizens to the ferryboat in Beirut port lasted 7 hours as Turkish Special Forces provided security on the boat.

Doctors and nurses aboard the ferryboat provided medical care for the Turkish citizens who had been waiting in Beirut for 12 days.

Many Turkish citizens left Lebanon last week and returned to Turkey by bus via Syria.

Some 30,000 people have been evacuated from Lebanon since the start of war. Nearly 600,000 people have been displaced in the country, according to a UN report.

At least 390 civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in attacks which the Israeli authorities claim target Hezbollah fighters who kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and who are launching rocket attacks from Lebanon into Israel.

Reports on the ground in Lebanon show that civilians are bearing the brunt of the Israeli bombings, which are also destroying Lebanon's infrastructure.

Annan'dan İsrail'e 'kasıtlı' iması

A.A. www.hurriyet.com

Liderler Roma'da barış için toplanırken İsrail, hem Gazze hem de Lübnan cephesinde saldırılarına devam ediyor. Şiddeti giderek artıran İsrail, bu kez de bir BM gözlem noktasını vurdu ve 4 BM gözlemcisini öldürdü. BM Genel Sekreteri saldırının yanlışlıkla meydana geldiğine inanmadığını belirterek kasıtlı davranıldığı imasında bulundu.

BM Genel Sekreteri Kofi Annan, İsrail'in Lübnan'da bir BM gözlem noktasına saldırısında Avusturya, Kanada, Çin ve Finlandiya vatandaşı BM görevlilerinin öldürülmesinde 'kasıt' imasında bulundu.

BM Genel Sekreteri Kofi Annan, görünüşe göre İsrail askerlerinin gözlem noktasını kasıtlı olarak hedef aldığını söyleyerek İsrail yönetiminden olayın soruşturulmasını istedi.

İsrail'in BM Büyükelçisi Dan Gillerman ise Annan'ın, gözlem noktasının bile bile hedef alınmış olabileceği yorumunun kendilerini şoke ettiğini bildirerek, olayın soruşturulmasını isteyen BM Genel Sekreteri'nin açıklamasının “erken ve yanlış” olduğunu iddia etti.

BM'nin Lübnan'daki geçici barış gücü UNIFIL'in sözcüsü Milos Struger ise İsrail'in Hiam kasabasında bulunan binayı ve sığınağı doğrudan hedef aldığını ifade etti.

Struger, kurtarma görevlilerin enkazı temizlemeye çalıştığını, ancak İsrail askerlerinin kurtarma çalışmaları sırasında bile ateşe devam ettiklerini kaydetti.

İsrail Dışişleri Bakanlığı Sözcüsü Mark Regev, güney Lübnan'da BM personelinin trajik ölümlerinden samimi olarak

BM personelini hedef almadıklarını savunan Regev, Lübnan'la çatışmaya girdiklerinden bu yana BM barış gücünde görev yapan personelin güvenliğini garantiye almak için sürekli çaba gösterdiklerini, bu trajik olayın titiz biçimde soruşturulacağını kaydetti.

ABD, İsrail saldırısı sonucu 4 BM gözlemcisinin hayatını kaybetmesinden dolayı üzgün olduğunu belirtti.

Çin Dışişleri Bakanlığından yapılan açıklamada da İsrail'in bu saldırısından dolayı “derin şok” yaşandığı belirtilerek, saldırı kınandı.

OLMERT, 'DERİN ÜZÜNTÜSÜNÜ' İFADE ETTİ

İsrail Başbakanı Ehud Olmert, ülkesinin, Lübnan'da bir BM gözlem noktasına düzenlendiği ve 4 BM gözlemcisinin ölümüne neden olan saldırıyla ilgili olarak 'derin üzüntü' duyduğunu ifade etti.

Olmert'in bürosundan yapılan açıklamada, Başbakanın, İsrail askerlerinin gözlem noktasını kasıtlı olarak vurmuş olabileceğini söyleyen BM Genel Sekreteri Kofi Annan ile telefonda görüştüğü belirtildi.

Açıklamada, Olmert'in 4 BM gözlemcisinin yanlışlıkla öldürüldüğünü vurguladığı ve Annan'ın suçlamasından “dehşete düştüğünü” ifade ettiği kaydedildi. Görüşmede Olmert'in olayla ilgili soruşturma yapılacağı sözü verdiği ve sonucun Annan'a sunulacağını söylediği belirtildi.

İsrail savaş uçaklarının, askeri gemilerinin ve füzelerinin sürekli bombaladığı Lübnan'ın birçok kentinden dumanlar yükseliyor.

Başkent Beyrut'un güneyindeki sahil kenti Sayda bunlardan sadece biri. İsrail'in, iki askerinin Hizbullah tarafından kaçırılması üzerine 12 temmuzda başlattığı taarruzdan önce Beyrut'tan 20 dakikada ulaşılan Sayda'ya gitmek, şimdi en az 3 saat alıyor.

İsrail füzelerinin vurduğu yollar kullanılamaz halde olduğu için Beyrut ile Sayda arasındaki ulaşım ancak dağ yollarından sağlanabiliyor.

Bombardımanın sürmesi nedeniyle çevre köylere yardımların ulaştırılmasında da büyük problem yaşanıyor. Dumanlar arasında zar zor seçilen bir diğer kent ise Beyrut'a 35 kilometre uzaklıktaki Sur kenti.

Hayalet kent görünümdeki Sur'un sakinleri hala kaçmaya çalışıyor. Kaçanlar, sivil olduklarını göstermek için araçlarına astıkları beyaz bez parçaları ile kendilerini bombalardan korumaya çalışıyor.

Ancak onlar için tek tehlikeyi bombalar oluşturmuyor. Daha önce düşen füzelerin yollarda açtığı büyük çukurlar da bomba korkusuyla mümkün olduğunca hızlı hareket eden araçlar için bir ölüm tuzağına dönüşebiliyor.

Kentte kalanlar için yardımlar da bu yollardan ancak güçlükle ulaştırılabiliyor. Kente gelen yardımların çevre köylere dağıtılması ise neredeyse imkansız. Bombaların hedefi olmaktan korkan şoförler araçlarıyla yola çıkmayı reddediyor.

Sur'daki devlet hastanesi Nagem de kentin hayalet görünümüyle uyumlu, bomboş. Hastanede tedavisi süren 4 hafif yaralı ile yakınları ve birkaç görevli dışında kimse bulunmuyor.

Bombardımanda yaralananlar Nagem hastanesine getiriliyor, ancak ilk müdahalenin ardından hızla kuzeydeki Sayda ve Beyrut'a sevk ediliyor.

Sur'un çevresindeki yaklaşık 300 köyün tamamen boşaltıldığı belirtiliyor. Çevre köylerden kaçıp Sur'a sığınanlar ise okullara yerleştiriliyor.

GAZETECİLER SIĞINAKTA MAHSUR KALDI

Yine bomba korkusu nedeniyle gizlenen ve fotoğraflarının çekilmesi yasak olan okullarda yaşayan mülteciler bölgeye yardım gelmemesi nedeniyle yiyecek ve ilaç sıkıntısı çekiyor.

Basın mensupları ise Sur'da, BM'nin güvenliğini sağladığı bir bölgede görev yapıyor, buradan haberlerini geçiyor.

Gazetecilerin bir bölümü sığınaklarda kalırken yer bulamayanlar yüksek ücretler ödeyerek, açık olan birkaç otelden birinde konaklıyor.

Birkaç gün önce kadın foto muhabirinin öldüğü Sur'daki gazeteciler daha güneye ise geçemiyor. Güneyde bombardıman ve çatışmalar aralıksız devam ediyor.

El Cezire ve Hizbullah'ın El Manar televizyonu, Güney Lübnan'daki Bint Cbel köyünde, Hizbullah militanlarıyla devam eden şiddetli çatışmalarda bir İsrail askerinin öldüğünü, beşinin yaralandığını bildirdi.

İsrail ordusu ise çatışmalarda birkaç İsrail askerinin yaralandığını kaydetti. İsrail radyosunun 6 askerin yaralandığını belirtmesine rağmen ordu kesin rakam vermedi.

Bint Cbel köyünü Hizbullah'ın kalesi olarak gören İsrail askerleri, salı gününden bu yana köyü ele geçirmeye çalışıyor.

Accusations fly after U.N. observers killed

Annan slams 'apparently deliberate' strike by Israel

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) Wednesday, July 26, 2006
A diplomatic firestorm raged Wednesday after four U.N. observers died in southern Lebanon in what the U.N. chief said was an "apparently deliberate" Israeli airstrike.

The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon initially reported that two peacekeepers were dead and two missing but early Wednesday confirmed that all four were killed in the late Tuesday strike

The observers were Austrian, Finnish, Canadian and Chinese, Lebanese security sources said.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was "deeply distressed" by the "apparently deliberate" strike.

"This coordinated artillery and aerial attack on a long-established and clearly marked U.N. post at Khiyam occurred despite personal assurances given to me by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that U.N. positions would be spared Israeli fire," he said in a statement.

"Furthermore, General Alain Pelligrini, the U.N. force commander in south Lebanon, had been in repeated contact with Israeli officers throughout the day on Tuesday, stressing the need to protect that particular U.N. position from attack." (Full story)

The airstrike came as Israeli forces continued to battle Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, seeking to end the Islamic militia's rocket attacks on northern Israel.

'Caught in the middle'

Daniel Ayalon, Israel's ambassador to the United States, said that "UNIFIL obviously got caught in the middle" of a gunfight between Hezbollah guerrillas and Israeli troops.

"We do not have yet confirmation what caused these deaths. It could be (Israel Defense Forces). It could be Hezbollah," he said.

UNIFIL sent a rescue-and-medical team to the city of Khiyam, where the post was located. Attacks in the vicinity continued as rescuers tried to reach those killed or injured, UNIFIL said.

UNIFIL said there had been at least 14 incidents of fire close to the post since Tuesday afternoon.

Ayalon called Annan's statement "outrageous," while Israel's U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, said he, too, was "deeply distressed" that Annan alleged that the strike was deliberate.

"I am surprised at these premature and erroneous assertions made by the secretary-general, who while demanding an investigation, has already issued its conclusions," Gillerman said in a statement.

International force proposed

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Rome, Italy, to meet with European foreign ministers. Sources say she will propose an ambitious plan in which international military forces would help the Lebanese government stabilize southern Lebanon. (Full story)

Rice pitched the plan Tuesday to Israeli leader Olmert in Jerusalem, then traveled to the West Bank city of Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The United States' top diplomat presented the plan Monday to Lebanese officials, the sources said.

Hezbollah leader's threat

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday threatened again to take the fight "beyond Haifa."

Haifa is an Israeli port city that has been frequently targeted by Hezbollah rocket attacks.

Nasrallah also alleged that Israel and the United States had planned to invade Lebanon later this year but put the plan into effect early after Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.

Since July 12, at least 398 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and as many as 1,486 wounded in Lebanon, Lebanese security officials said Wednesday.

At least 41 Israelis have died, including 19 civilians, and at least 388 have been wounded, Israeli officials said.

No letup in the fighting

Israeli soldiers battled Hezbollah fighters in and around Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, a day after Israeli military announced it had taken control of the village, Israeli military sources said.

There were casualties among the Israeli troops, the Israeli sources said. Arab TV networks reported at least one Israeli soldier dead and five wounded.

The IDF hopes to create a "security zone" in southern Lebanon until an international force arrives, said Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz. (Watch as Israel fights for a buffer zone -- 2:04)

Hezbollah rockets fell in the Haifa area Wednesday morning, seriously wounding at least one person and lightly wounding four others, Israeli medical sources said.

About 100 Hezbollah rockets were fired into Israel on Tuesday, striking the cities of Haifa, Carmiel, Kyrat Shmona and Nahiriya, according to the IDF.

One attack killed a 15-year-old girl in the village of Meghar, Israeli police and medical service officials said.

In Haifa, at least 18 people were injured and one man died of a heart attack after a rocket struck near his home, officials said.

In northern Gaza, meanwhile, Israeli tank artillery fire killed seven people Wednesday morning, Palestinian sources said.

An IDF spokesman said the military carried out an airstrike on militants in Gaza but did not confirm any tank shelling.

OIC Calls for Ceasefire, Accuses Israel of War Crimes

By Cihan News Agency Monday, July 24, 2006 zaman.com

The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which groups together 57 Muslim countries, has called for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and has accused Israel of violating international law and of committing war crimes.

Israel has killed more than 360 civilians in Lebanon following the kidnapping of two of its soldiers by Hezbollah fighters.

The world Muslim body said in a statement on Monday that it acknowledged the need for an immediate ceasefire followed by a prisoner swap and the setting up of an international force under the United Nations in order to ensure disengagement.

The OIC said on Monday it supported the efforts to install an international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

Since the crisis broke out, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu has undertaken several initiatives with a view to alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples caused by the Israeli aggression.

OIC leader Ihsanoglu said that the U.N. Security Council resolution 1559 should be implemented.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair had proposed to establish an international peacekeeping force in south Lebanon. Israel on Monday announced that it would accept NATO peacekeepers.

Some EU states and Turkey are expected to contribute to a United Nations-sponsored peace force.

Foreign ministers gathering in Rome for key Mideast conference

ROME (AP) - World leaders attending a Mideast conference Wednesday in Rome plan to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon followed by deployment of a multinational force to stabilize the country's border with Israel and help disarm Hezbollah guerrillas, European Union officials said.

Calls for a ceasefire gathered steam, raising the possibility of differences with the United States, which insists that any truce must lead to a durable peace and ensure that Hezbollah is no longer a threat to Israel.

An Israeli air strike on a United Nations observation post in southern Lebanon that killed at least three unarmed UN observers, possibly including one Canadian, could further fuel international demands for a quick end to the fighting.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the air strike late Tuesday appeared to be a deliberate attack and demanded an investigation. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Annan on Wednesday to express his "deep regret over the mistaken killing," Olmert's office said.

Officials in Brussels told The Associated Press Javier Solana, the EU foreign and security affairs chief, will propose Wednesday that a rapid reaction force be established. It would ideally be built around French, German and Spanish troops, supplemented by forces from Turkey, the Netherlands, Canada and Arab states such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, EU officials said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay is attending the meeting. So far, Ottawa has been cool to the prospect of sending Canadian peacekeeping troops to the region.

"I think, ultimately a solution lies in the region," Harper said Tuesday in Cambridge, Ont.

"Canada's first choice is not to have Canadians or foreign troops enforcing this."

Solana said Tuesday that an international force for Lebanon should represent a broad sweep of countries to generate the widest possible public support in the Middle East and have a robust United Nations mandate to use force, if necessary.

The closed-door Mideast meeting brings together 18 countries and international organizations seeking ways to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants based in southern Lebanon.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi said the main goal of the conference is a ceasefire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah guerrillas, along with discussing an international force and the problem of refugees, which he said was of "astonishing proportions."

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reiterated the United States' position that a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon must come with conditions, saying there is "no desire" on the part of U.S. officials to come back in weeks or months after terrorists find another way to disrupt any potential ceasefire.

Shortly before the conference, Rice met with Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema.

ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged US President George W. Bush in a telephone conversation Thursday to throw his weight behind efforts for a ceasefire in Lebanon, aides told Anatolia news agency.

Erdogan told Bush that the US-backed Israeli offensive was undermining the Beirut government and that a safe corridor was urgently needed to transport humanitarian aid to Lebanon, the sources said.

Erdogan renewed his call for an end to hostilities in telephone calls to UN Secretary Generaal Kofi Annan to whom he also expressed support for the creation of an international force to stabilize southern Lebanon, Anatolia reported.

The proposal, already shunned by Israel, was put forward by G8 leaders at the weekend and later supported by Annan.

Earlier Thursday, Israeli Deputy Premier Shimon Peres rejected Turkish appeals for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, saying Israel's foes had no intention of stopping their attacks.

"We have the greatest respect for Prime Minister Erdogan, but the problem is the following: Hamas and the Hezbollah will not agree to a ceasefire," Peres told the CNN-Turk channel, according to a voice-over translation in Turkish.

Erdogan, whose country is one of the Jewish state's few allies in the region, has vocally criticized Israel's devastating raids in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and engaged in diplomatic efforts to help end the fighting.

Bush, Turkish PM discuss Mideast by phone

U.S. President George W. Bush discussed the Middle East situation and the separatist attacks in Turkey with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan by phone on Thursday, White House spokesman Tony Snow said at a briefing.

"They discussed the importance of addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon" and also supporting the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, Snow said.

"They discussed the fact that Secretary Rice would be traveling to the region to work on a diplomatic path forward," Snow said.

"The president condemned Hezbollah for provoking the crisis and thrusting Lebanon into a conflict that neither the government nor the people wanted, and expressed his concern about Iranian and Syrian support for Hezbollah," Snow said.

They also discussed the recent attacks by the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party in Turkey and "the need to work jointly to address that terrorist threat," Snow added.

Turkey, a member of the Western military alliance NATO, has been a U.S. ally.

Source: Xinhua July 21, 2006

Turkey and Spain call for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon
SANA - Syrian Arab News Agency - Damascus,Syria Saturday, July 22, 2006

Turkey and Spain have called for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East that puts an end to the tragedy from which the Lebanese people are suffering ,warning against the repercussions regionally and internationally.

Turkish and Spanish Prime Ministers, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Jose Luis Zapatero warned in a joint press conference issued on Saturday in both Ankara and Madrid against the repercussions of the Israeli aggression on Lebanon which would lead to widening the gap between the civilizations.

They stressed the necessity not waste time for the establishment of peace because the future is in danger and the world cannot stand watching .

The two sides expressed readiness to do everything necessary to contribute to finding a solution to the current crisis in the Middle East.

Iraq: Turkey Threatens Military Incursion

By Kathleen Ridolfo

PRAGUE, July 21, 2006 (RFERL) -- Turkey has said it was taking steps this week to prepare for a cross-border incursion into northern Iraq to hunt down Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters holed up in the Qandil Mountain range. The announcement came following a series of PKK attacks on Turkish troops in recent days that left more than a dozen soldiers dead.

The Turkish General Staff was asked to plan and prepare for a possible cross-border operation following antiterrorism board and ministerial council meetings earlier this week. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on July 19 that preparations are under way, telling reporters in Ankara: "Authorized institutions and security forces are proceeding with their work. Whatever step needs to be taken will be taken according to the study."

Change In U.S. Stance?

Turkey has tried on several occasions in recent months to pressure the U.S. and Iraqi governments to take action against the PKK. The latest attempt appears to be based on an assumption that the U.S. position regarding cross-border operations has changed.

"Of course, we understand the Iraqi government's position, but if they are not able to control their land, they should not hesitate to cooperate with us. If they cannot stop it, we will have to take action."

A "strategic vision" document signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Washington on July 5 stressed the United States' continued commitment to eradicating the PKK, which it considers a terrorist organization.

"We will work very actively with Turkey and also with the new Iraqi government to deal with this problem because, as I have said before and as I said when I was in Turkey, no one wants the PKK to be able to operate, to carry out terrorist attacks against Turkey anywhere, but most especially from northern Iraq," Rice told reporters after their meeting. However, it appears Rice meant diplomatically, not militarily.

The United States maintains that any Turkish military operation could destabilize Iraqi Kurdistan. U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson told Turkey's NTV television on July 17 that the United States would oppose any unilateral action on Turkey's part.

'Iraq Is Not Lebanon'

Wilson denied that the U.S. position reflected a double standard because of its support for Israel's attack on Hizballah positions in southern Lebanon, saying that Israel's circumstances were different. "Turkey has an ally in Iraq. Israel does not have such an opportunity. Besides, [the] PKK is not only in the north of Iraq, it is in Europe and in Turkey. Entering the north of Iraq will not resolve the problem," Anatolia quoted Wilson as telling the news channel. The ambassador's remarks were widely criticized in the Turkish press.

The U.S. Embassy clarified Wilson's remarks in a July 19 statement posted to its website, saying the ambassador's remarks had been misinterpreted in the Turkish media. "Of course, Turkey, like every country, has a right and an obligation to defend itself and its people. For over 50 years, we have stood together as members of an alliance dedicated to collective defense and security.... Working together with the United States and the government of Iraq can be an essential part of advancing Turkish security.

"We look forward to continued close cooperation with Turkey and with the government of Prime Minister Erdogan as our countries address together the threat posed by the PKK and the other security challenges we face," the statement read.

Turkey Looks For Support

Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan summoned the U.S. and Iraqi ambassadors to a July 17 meeting in Ankara and told them to take action against the PKK or else Turkey would.

Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said the parties involved must understand Turkey's resolve in destroying the PKK, which it considers a terrorist group, and that Turkey "will take the appropriate steps decisively and with firmness" to carry out that goal. "We expect support, sincerity, and cooperation from all governments which acknowledged that [the] PKK is a terrorist organization," he noted, referring to the United States and Iraq, Anatolia news agency reported on July 17.

Abdullah Gul (right) with Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari (epa file photo)Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has been trying to drum up European support for a Turkish incursion. He raised the issue with U.K. Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett in London on July 18. Gul told reporters following the meeting that he called for international support against the PKK.

Gul later contended in an interview with the "Financial Times" published on July 20 that the PKK has armed itself with remote-controlled explosives and weapons obtained in Iraq, including from the Iraqi army. "We cannot tolerate this. Definitely we will use all our rights under international law," he said.

Regarding past statements by Iraqi officials that any Turkish military operation would potentially destabilize Iraqi Kurdistan, Gul said: "Of course, we understand the Iraqi government's position, but if they are not able to control their land, they should not hesitate to cooperate with us. If they cannot stop it, we will have to take action."

Gul also told the "Financial Times" that hesitation over letting Turkey join the EU, coupled with U.S. policies in the Middle East, are triggering an anti-Western backlash in Turkey.

Turkey Least Of Iraq's Concerns

Iraqi officials have said little publicly about the threatened incursion. Given the problems faced by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's administration in Baghdad, the timing could not be worse. Security continues to deteriorate, and reports this week by the UN and Iraqi Migration and Displacement Ministry indicate that some 6,000 nationals have been killed in the past two months, and an equal number wounded, while some 32,000 have been displaced in the past three weeks. The ministry estimates that 162,000 Iraqis have been internally displaced over the past five months.

The escalation in regional tensions brought on by the Israeli attacks on Hizballah in Lebanon have further occupied Baghdad, as it considers the ramifications of a broader regional conflict should Israel take action against Hizballah sponsors Iran and Syria.

Kurdish leader and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani issued a strong warning to Turkey on July 13, saying that previous agreements signed between Saddam Hussein and the Turkish government regarding permission for Turkey to carry out cross-border operations were no longer valid.

Referring to Turkey and Iran, which have been carrying out operations against Kurdish fighters along the Iraqi border for several weeks, Talabani said: "The central government in [Baghdad has] conveyed its uneasiness on the issue to the two countries via their embassies. The government has warned the two countries." U.S. officials have also cautioned against any Turkish-Iranian incursion into Iraq, according to Turkish media reports.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani told reporters on July 19 that the PKK was an internal Turkish issue and the Kurdistan government had not given safe-haven to the PKK. For Barzani, any instability in his region's relations with Turkey would cost both sides economically.

And this may be the only area where Turkey has leverage. If it succeeds in convincing Iraq's Kurdish leaders that the region will suffer financially, there may be some Kurdish movement on the issue.

The Next Front

Pressure is building on Ankara to deal more harshly with cross-border terrorist attacks from Iraq.

By Owen Matthews and Sami Kohen

Newsweek International

July 31, 2006 issue - Israel launched airstrikes on Lebanon in response to attacks by Hizbullah earlier this month, and George W. Bush called it "self-defense." But what to tell the Turks, who over the last week lost 15 sol-diers to terror attacks launched by sepa-ratist Kurds from neighboring Iraq? Many Turkish leaders are pressing for cross-border tactical air assaults on the guerrillas. But Bush, fearing yet another escalation of the Middle East's violence, urged Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to hold off. "The message was, unilateral action isn't going to be helpful," says a senior U.S. official, describing the 15-minute phone conversation. "The president asked for patience."

And so Turkish forces are holding fast—for now—in deference to their half-century alliance with the United States. But that patience is bound to be challenged, probably sooner than later. Domestic political pressures are building to take a leaf from Israel's book and hit back at the guerrillas of the Kurdistan Work-ers' Party, or PKK. Since the beginning of the year, attacks on Turkish military garrisons and police stations have esca-lated across the country's southeast, along with random shootings, bombings and protests—many of them, authorities suspect, organized in Iraq. Already the Turkish military has laid detailed plans for possible helicopter-and-commando assaults, government sources tell NEWSWEEK. Meanwhile, Ankara's frustration with Washington has grown palpable. For all the Bush administration's repeated promises to crack down on the PKK, little if anything has happened. With elections coming next year, Erdogan could be pardoned for soon concluding that his forbearance might prove politically dangerous. "Moderate, liberal people in Turkey are becoming increasingly anti-American," warns Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. "That isn't good."

Erdogan has built a career on skillfully riding populist waves, and he's not going to miss this one. On the one hand, he recognizes the importance of maintaining good relations with America, if only to foil critics who lambaste him for being too Islamist. On the other, popular anger at the PKK is getting explosive. At the funeral of a murdered soldier in Izmir last week, crowds destroyed wreaths sent by Erdogan's Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and the city's governor, Oguz Kaan Koksal. Some mourners chanted slogans accusing the government of cooperating with the PKK. And when a group of 60 human-rights activists were arrested in the resort of Kiyikoy on suspicion of being PKK sympathizers last week, locals attacked the detainees with stones and iron bars.

The Turkish press has been baying for action, with even the solidly pro-American Turkish Daily News railing in an editorial that "Turkey is no banana republic that can leave its security to the mercy of others." Another editorial posed the question more directly. "Why is it that Israel has the right to 'self-defense'," the paper asked, "and not Turkey." The country's usually fractious parliamentary opposition, in a rare moment of unity, called for active intervention. "Opposition," says True Path Party leader Mehmet Agar, "ends at Habur"—Turkey's border crossing with Iraq.

Can Washington keep the lid on this bubbling pot? Not for long, many experts fear. Despite past assurances, the U.S. military has been unwilling or unable to mount operations against the guerrillas. With its hands full elsewhere, Washington can realistically offer little more than in-telligence-sharing, coupled with possible measures to cut off PKK funding. That's just not enough, says a senior Erdogan aide: "We want action, not words." Nor can the Turks expect much from the Iraqis. "We will not tolerate any terrorist groups on the territory of Iraq," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshir Zebari told NEWSWEEK. But even he acknowledges that it may be a while before the government's security forces get around to dealing with the PKK. By contrast, Iran last week began shelling PKK positions around Kandil Mountain on northern Iraq's Iranian and Turkish border. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also called Erdogan to assure him of Teh-ran's willingess to help quell the guerrillas —unlike the United States.

This won't automatically lead to another front in the region's wars. For all the clamor for a military strike, "the sane members of the Turkish General Staff are aware of the costs of going into northern Iraq," says independent analyst Grenville Byford. Those include possible all-out civil disorder across Turkey's Kurdish southeast provinces—which, if rioting this spring is anything to go by, would lead to a brutal crackdown, hurting Ankara's hopes for joining the EU. "There is no good way out of this for the Turkish government," says Byford.

All this comes at a bad time, clearly. Turkey could play a key diplomatic role in dealing with the burgeoning crisis in southern Lebanon, NATO officials say, especially if Turkey were willing to provide troops to the sort of international force being promoted by France and other European leaders, including Tony Blair. Not only are Turks Muslims, which should reduce frictions with the local population, but Ankara also enjoys good working relations with many of the countries and forces active behind the scenes. As one of Damascus's few friends in the region, for example, Ankara would be in a good position to rein in Syrian ambitions in Leba-non. Erdogan has been trying to play the role of mediator with Iran, Israel and the Palestinians as well—precisely why Turkey would "encourage and support" an international peacekeeping force, says Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan.

Objectively, Turkey knows that it has no real option but to remain within the Western Alliance. As for Erdogan himself, who has pushed through so many dramatic reforms to win membership in the European Union, he, too, will be reluctant to break with the West, however sorely provoked by the PKK. Still, if attacks continue to the point where his political survival is at stake, that sense of restraint could abruptly give way. Last week rumors swirled in Ankara and Istanbul that he was close to such a move. For the United States and others, the diplomatic challenge is to help save Erdogan from having to make such a choice. If they fail, the next occasion may require more than a phone call from Bush.

U.S. promises Turkey to fight against outlawed PKK organization

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has telephoned Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and promised to do whatever necessary to fight against the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Sunday.

In the telephone talks, Rice told Gul that the U.S. administration comprehended the seriousness of the situation on the PKK issue and thus would do whatever necessary on this issue, said Anatolia.

For his part, Gul said that a tangible result should be obtained on the issue of the PKK organization soon.

The two sides also discussed the Middle East issues, especially the latest development of Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Rice expressed U.S. satisfaction and gratitude over the cooperation of Turkey displayed in evacuation of U.S. citizens from Lebanon.

Reports reaching here from Washington said that U.S. President George W. Bush had also phoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on recent PKK militants' attacks in Turkey and "the need to work jointly to address that terrorist threat".

The high-level phone talks between the two sides came after a diplomatic friction happened in the past week when Erdogan on Tuesday slammed U.S. ambassador Ross L. Wilson's statement over Turkish cross-border military operation into northern Iraq.

On Monday, Wilson said that Israel was exercising its right to self-defense by making incursions into Lebanon, but Turkey should not carry out similar cross-border operation "unilaterally" into Iraq.

The remarks drew dissatisfaction of Erdogan, who justified that "such a decision is taken by the Turkish government and the authorized institutions of Turkey, not by the ambassador. We decide and implement the decision."

Turkey has repeatedly called on U.S. forces in Iraq to take " concrete" action against the PKK militants based in northern Iraq. But the U.S. officials have claimed that stability must be restored and a government should first be formed in Iraq before the PKK is tackled.

In early 1990s, the Turkish army crossed the border to combat the PKK militants based in Iraq.

Turkish intelligence sources believe that nearly 4,000-5,000 PKK militants are hiding in the mountainous northern Iraq, from where PKK's terrorist activities were emanating.

Violence has been mounting since 2004 when the PKK, blacklisted as a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, called off a six-year unilateral ceasefire in its armed campaign for an independent Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey.

Source: Xinhua

TEHRAN, July 21 (MNA) -- In response to the Zionist regime’s atrocities in Lebanon, Iran and Turkey have called on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to hold an extraordinary session to halt the aggression.

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July 22, 2006 Reuters

U.S. promises Turkey to fight against outlawed PKK organization

Mutual misconceptions:
Arabs need a lot more public diplomacy in the U.S.

Annan steps up calls for Mideast cease-fire

Annan, Blair urge peacekeepers in Lebanon

UN deaths put pressure on Rome talks for cease-fire

Differences in Rome

Ceasefire and Troops on the Table at Rome Conference

World leaders are converging on Rome before an emergency conference aimed at stopping nearly two weeks of Israeli-Lebanese violence.

Accusations fly after U.N. observers killed

Annan slams 'apparently deliberate' strike by Israel

'Caught in the middle'

International force proposed

Hezbollah leader's threat

No letup in the fighting

Foreign ministers gathering in Rome for key Mideast conference

Bush confers with Turkish leader on Mideast

July 22, 2006 Reuters

U.S. promises Turkey to fight against outlawed PKK organization

Mutual misconceptions: Arabs need a lot more public diplomacy in the U.S.

Mutual misconceptions:
Arabs need a lot more public diplomacy in the U.S.