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AHI
Sends Letters To Washington Times Refuting Turkey's Alleged
Value In War On International Terrorism
On October 23, 2001,
AHI's founder, Gene Rossides, sent a letter to the editor
of The Washington Times responding to an article by Andrew
Borowiec ("Turkey anticipates benefits of answering America's
call," October 5, 2001). The letter refutes, point-by-point,
the arguments asserted by Turkish officials and journalists as
to Turkey's perceived rise in status following the September 11
events.
Contradicting statements
made by Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem, Rossides points
out that Turkey is not a front line country in the current conflict
as it is more than 1,000 miles away from Afghanistan.
Rossides asserts that
Turkish columnist Mehmet Ali Birand's statement that, "Cyprus
is no longer on [the U.S.] agenda," is inaccurate and is
an attempt to divert attention from the Turkish state's "international
terrorism" against Cyprus by its aggression in 1974 in violation
of U.S. laws, the UN Charter, the NATO Treaty and international
law. In reality, the current crisis will refocus attention on
Cyprus and the double standard applied by the U.S. to Turkey's
aggression and violations of the rule of law.
Rossides also emphasizes
that Turkey's economic crisis is caused primarily by the military-controlled
government, the military's vast ownership of businesses, and official
corruption. Meaningful economic and political reforms must proceed
in Turkey if she is to play an effective role in facilitating
U.S. interests in the region.
No benefits should
be extended to Turkey at the expense of U.S. values and foreign
policy objectives until these reforms are realized. The U.S. must
not relinquish long-held positions on human rights based on strong
moral roots for the sake of short-term cooperation.
In closing, Rossides
urges Mr. Borowiec to investigate:
- the Turkish military's
vast business holdings and assets in the tens of billions of
dollars which should be used now in Turkey's financial crisis;
- money laundering
and drug trafficking in northern occupied Cyprus; and
- Osama bin Laden's
contacts in Turkey and his two visits to Turkey on August 28,
1996 and February 17, 1998, during the period of time he was
sought by Interpol.
AHI's full letter
to the editor is available on the AHI Web site by clicking here.
For additional information,
please contact Chrysoula Economopoulos at (202) 785-8430 or chrysoula@ahiworld.org,
and visit our Web site at http://www.ahiworld.org.
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