TRKNWS-L NEWS from Vic McDonald

[newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl]

From: newsdesk_aps_nl at apsf.aps.nl (newsdesk at aps.nl)
Subject: TRKNWS-L NEWS from Vic McDonald


    BRUSSELS, Feb 9 (Reuter) - Belgium said on Thursday Turkey should be put
under pressure to respect human rights through political dialogue rather than
isolation by the European Union.

    ``The aim is not to isolate Turkey but to attain a fundamental
improvement of the human rights situation in that country,'' Foreign Minister
Frank Vandenbroucke was quoted as telling Belgium's parliament.

    In a report in London on Tuesday, the international human rights
organisation Amnesty International accused Turkish government forces of daily
abuses, including torture, ``disappearances'' and extra-judicial executions.

    Vandenbroucke said Belgium did not await the Amnesty International report
to remind Turkey of its duties concerning human rights.

    He noted that current political dialogue with Turkey was not
noncommittal. ``He wants a thorough assessment of the results (of the
dialogue),'' a foreign ministry statement said.
REUTER   Transmitted: 95-02-09 15:08:26 EST


OSCE to send human rights team to Turkey

    BONN, Feb 8 (Reuter) - Observers from the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe will go in May to the Kurdish region of Turkey, under
attack for its human rights record, an OSCE parliamentary assembly official
said on Wednesday.

    Germany Labour Minister Norbert Bluem, meanwhile, reacted to a highly
critical report on Turkey by the human rights watchdog Amnesty International
by calling on Turkey to ``return to the circle of civilised states where
human rights are respected.''

    Willy Wimmer, deputy speaker of the OSCE parliamentary assembly and a
conservative member of the German parliament, said the delegation had been
invited by the speaker of the Turkish parliament.

    It would also hold talks with the government in Ankara.

    Amnesty, which has accused Turkey of blocking such a visit, says there
were more than 50 reports of unexplained ``disappearances'' and nearly 400
political assassinations in Turkey last year.

    Most alleged human rights violations are connected with Ankara's bloody
war against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is fighting for
independence in southeast Turkey.

    ``Turkish security forces are committing human rights violations every
day and will continue to do so until the Turkish government ends its policy
of blank denial,'' Amnesty said in its report.

    At the same time, it said, the PKK was responding with its own killings
of civilians and summary executions.

    German Labour Minister Bluem said in a statement: ``Torture, political
murders and causing civilians to ``disappear' are things that no state can
allow to happen to its citizens.''

    He also accused the PKK of committing ``violence, murder and terror.''

    Bonn has already expressed concern over last month's conviction of
Kurdish deputies for comments they made in parliament on Kurdish autonomy.

    It has also suspended all repatriation of rejected Kurdish asylum seekers
until February 28 while it examines the safety of Kurds in Turkey and
Ankara's promised efforts to liberalise its constitution.

    Further extension of the freeze on repatriations seemed unlikely,
however, after a majority in parliament's legal affairs committee spoke out
on Wednesday in favour of going back to a simple examination of individual
cases.

    Opposition parties say Bonn should wait for a firm Turkish commitment
that returnees will not be harassed or tortured.
REUTER   Transmitted: 95-02-08 14:44:21 EST