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Kurds aiming for final agreement next week Ecevit says Turkey prepares its defenses Trouble brews between Kurds/Islamic rebels in Iraq KDP and PUK Set to Seal Agreement on Implementing Four-Year-Old Peace Deal Kurds tell of Iraqi war ignored by outside world Iraq's Kurds Fear Results of U.S. Attack on Saddam Former US diplomat visits Iraqi Kurdistan Turkey's Kurdish party sees no ban before polls Al-Qaeda Surrogate Islamic Group in Southern Kurdistan Destroys Sufi Shrines Two Kurdish guerrillas killed in Southern Kurdistan Police Smash Immigrant Smuggling Ring Washington will not lay the groundwork for a "provisional government" Iraqi Kurds Fear Islamic Militant Group Attack by Islamist Radicals in Kurdistan Brings Kurdish Factions Closer Sweden Arrests Kurd in Immigrant "Honor Killing" Turkey set for November polls, EU reforms in doubt
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Protest Letter to
Bush by Kurdish, Greek and Armenian Groups
Six major Greek-American, Armenian and Kurdish organizations addressed a letter to US President George Bush condemning the efforts to distort the historical truth and reality regarding Turkey, while they expressed their opposition to the free aid offered to this country by the United States. In their letter, dated September 4, the organizations ANCA, AHEPA, HAWC, HANC, AKIN, and AHI, condemn the recent statements made by US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. He had made the statements to CNN Turk and in speeches in Istanbul and Wash ington when he praised Turkey, stating among others that he is impressed by its democratic attitude toward the minorities in its territory. In the letter they present strong evidence on the gross violations of minority human rights by Turkey in the 20th century, while they wonder how can a country be democratic when genocide has been committed repeatedly on its territory and its government i s still controlled by the army. They referred to the genocide of 1.500.000 Armenians (1915-1923), 550.000 Greeks from Pontos and Asia Minor (1914-1922) and 50.000 Kurds. They also referred to the events in Istanbul in September 1955 and the persecution of 100.000 Greeks from the city. They also raised the issue of the reopening of the Theological School of Chalki, while they pointed out that the Young Turks launched an anti-Christian policy in the country which is being followed until today. The human rights violations by Turkey have been recorded in full on the annual reports issued by the US State Department, Amnesty International, Human Watch and other non governmental organizations. Responding to the comments by the US official according to which, Turkey is one of the most reliable allies, it is pointed out that Turkey had helped the Russian army during the Cold War. While in response to his comment, that it is one of the most self- sufficient US allies, they stress that in the 90s it received over US$1 billion in aid. To the praises concerning Turkey's role in the international war against terrorism, they stress that Turkey is an international terrorist country which, in violation of the NATO principles, invaded Cyprus in 1974 and continues to occupy its northern part . They also reminded that the US had encouraged the coup against Archbishop Makarios on July 15, 1974 and the invasion that followed on July 20, while they added that the criminal acts against the Kurds continue.
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