KHARRAZI WINDS UP A RATHER FRUITFUL VISIT TO TURKEY
By our diplomatic Correspondent
ANKARA 18TH Jan. (IPS) Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi ended Tuesday a two-days visit to Turkey that observers said was marked by "frank and blunt exchange of views" expressed in a yet friendly atmosphere.
Turkey showed Kharrazi secret intelligence documents proving the presence on the Iranian soil of bases belonging to the outlawed PKK, the Turkish Kurdish Workers Party fighting for the creation of a separate Kurdish state and the Iranian guest openly expressed concern over growing military and security co-operation between Turkey and Israel.
Informed sources said while in public Mr. Kharrazi rejected as "baseless" the Turkish accusations, but in private, he admitted to the possibility of the existence of PKK bases in mountainous regions separating Iran from Iraq and Turkey but told his hosts that Tehran was not supporting the extremist leftist PKK.
For their part, the Turks assured Mr. Kharrazi that not only the Ankara-Tel-Aviv military and security arrangements are not against any neighbours, but also Israel would never be allowed to use the Turkish territory to aggress other nations.
Before leaving for the historic city of Konya, where is buried the world famous Iranian poet Maulana Jalaleddin Roomi, Mr. Kharrazi had a new round of meetings with Turkish officials that included both President Suleiman Demirel and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
Addressing journalists during a joint press conference, both Kharrazi and Cem expressed satisfaction at their talks and described them as "constructive and fruitful".
Earlier in the day, the two ministers had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening mutual co-operation in political, economic and cultural areas.
Both Kharrazi and Cem expressed hopes that as a result of the visit, the two neighbours could resolve differences and remove concerns.
Based on the MOU, the two sides agreed to form a working group consisting of deputy ministers of foreign tries to study mutual cooperation in political, economic, transportation, communications, security, consular, education and cultural areas and also to exchange views on regional and international issues.
Turkey also agreed to compensate Iran for the bombing of an Iranian village a year ago by Turkish jets striking at PKK bases, killing five Iranian villagers.
The tow sides also solved their differences concerning the building of gas pipeline transporting Iran natural gas to Turkey.
As Turkey has failed to fulfil it's part of the 20 US$ billions agreement, Iran was claiming a US 200 millions in damages that Ankara is not willing to pay.
Receiving the Iranian Foreign Minister, President Suleiman Demirel urged both Turkey and Iran to expand their friendly relations and promote ties in all fields.
He also urged the two countries to bolster ties within the framework of eight developing Islamic countries (d-8), the Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO), and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the Iranian official news agency IRNA said.
As Mr. Kharrazi was being send off at the Ankara Airport by his Turkish host Esma'il Cem, it was announced that the police had raided several apartments in Istanbul belonging to the outlawed Turkish Hezbollah Party, killing Hussein Valioqlu, the leader of the Iran-backed Islamist organisation and arresting eight of it's members.
According to press reports, police had also arrested Jamal Aydin, the Commander of the Hezbollah military branch and Adib Gumus, the party's boss for the region of Istanbul.
Expressing once again the Iranian fear out of Turkey-Israel military collaboration, the hard line English-language daily "Keyhan International" said the "illegal Zionist (Israel) regime which has managed to hoodwink some of the Turkish officials is the main cause of discord between Iran and Turkey".
The Iranian "Mullahrchy" does not recognises Israel and it's clerical leaders, particularly ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i frequently calls for the annihilation of the Jewish State.
"In light of this, it is hoped that Turkey realises that Israel is a parasite which feeds and grows on the Muslim world's resources", said the paper that is controlled by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, warning that Israel's foothold on Turkish soil is "detrimental" to development of good neighbourly ties between Muslim countries''.
Considering the depth of political, economic and cultural divergences between the staunchly secular Turkey and Islamic Republic of Iran, analysts say what Mr. Kharrazi obtained during his visit to Ankara was the maximum the two sides could have agree upon. ENDS IRAN TURKEY 18100