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Terror ties: Turkey and Pakistan join
forces
By Jean-Christophe Peuch
PRAGUE - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is
examining with Turkish leaders ways to enhance bilateral
ties and boost cooperation against terrorism. Musharraf
is on a three-day visit to Ankara in his first official
trip to the Turkish capital since he became president in
June 2001. The Pakistani leader - who last month
survived two assassination attempts in his own country -
arrived Monday night at Ankara's Esenboga airport amid
tight security measures. The 60-year-old Pakistani
leader, who speaks Turkish, spent his early childhood in
Ankara, where his father was posted as a diplomat in the
1950s.
In November 2003, Turkey was the target
of a series of deadly suicide bombings that have been
blamed on Pakistani-trained radical Islamic groups
affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network. The
joint fight against terrorism and organized crime was
one of the three main topics Musharraf discussed with
the Turkish leadership. In a short address made before
entering the Cankaya presidential palace, Musharraf said
both sides had agreed to join forces against terrorism.
"During this process, we are going to sign a
number of agreements and protocols, especially on
fighting terrorism, and we will articulate a common
understanding and stance on [this] issue," Musharraf
said.
Addressing reporters later during a joint
press conference with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer, Musharraf said the antiterror agreement covered
the exchange of information and experts between the two
countries. The Pakistani leader also held separate talks
with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other
Turkish government officials.
Musharraf's Ankara
talks come seven months after Erdogan's visit to
Pakistan last June. Although both countries have enjoyed
traditionally close economic and political ties,
bilateral relations received a significant boost after
Musharraf became Pakistan's de facto ruler in October
1999 after a bloodless coup.
As Pakistan's top
defense official at the time the military took power in
Islamabad, Musharraf has never concealed his admiration
for the influential role the Turkish military has
traditionally played in domestic policy. He also claims
a profound admiration for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the
founder of modern Turkey, whom he sees as a model
statesman. As director of military operations of
Pakistan's Army General Staff, Musharraf has also
developed a close relationship with the Turkish military
and increased defense ties between the two countries in
the 1990s.
In comments to the Ankara-based
Turkish Daily News, Pakistan's ambassador to Ankara,
Sher Afgan Khan, said that he expected this week's talks
- which follow a recent visit to Islamabad by Turkish
Deputy Army Chief of Staff General Ilker Basbug - to
pave the way for even closer bilateral defense ties.
Khan, in particular, mentioned weapons production as a
possible area of cooperation.
But it is in the
security area that stronger ties are expected to develop
in the short term. Sher Afgan Khan said Musharraf and
his Turkish hosts were expected to review in detail the
situations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ankara and Islamabad
are both seen as key players in the region and have been
requested by the United States to back stabilization
efforts in those two countries.
Turkey has been
contributing troops to the international peacekeeping
mission in Afghanistan, and Pakistan - which actively
supported the Taliban in the 1990s - has now vowed to
fight al-Qaeda-affiliated armed groups in its
northwestern provinces. Both countries were asked by
Washington to join coalition forces in Iraq. Turkey
initially agreed, but subsequently withdrew its offer in
the face of Iraqi opposition.
In his interview
with the Turkish Daily News, Pakistani envoy Afgan Khan
cited domestic opposition in both Islamabad and Baghdad
to justify his country's refusal to send troops to Iraq.
Khan insisted Pakistan would stick to its decision
unless the United Nations authorizes the deployment of
foreign soldiers in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Turkish and
Pakistani intelligence agencies have been maintaining a
close working relationship with the US, both in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Pakistan, which claims it fully supports
Washington's antiterror drive, is apparently keen to
trace any possible links between radical Turkish Islamic
groups and al-Qaeda. Turkey, in return, is actively
investigating possible ties between the perpetrators of
the recent Istanbul bombings and Pakistani-based
terrorist cells.
Pakistani media reported in
recent weeks that Washington is also pushing Islamabad
to imitate Ankara and normalize relations with Israel.
There has even been speculation in Pakistan that the
recent assassination attempts against Musharraf were
prompted by discreet steps he has taken to explore a
possible rapprochement with the Jewish state.
Neither side provided any details on the
security aspect of Tuesday's talks. Sezer contented
himself with stressing that Ankara and Islamabad have
similar views on regional issues and agree that
"overcoming the problems of Iraq and Afghanistan" is of
"vital importance" for their stability. Delegations from
both countries signed agreements in the health and
banking sectors, as well as accords on economic
partnership and preferential trade.
Musharraf
said Ankara and Islamabad - who are both founding
members of the Economic Cooperation Organization, a
10-member regional forum that promotes trade in Central
Asia and the Caspian area - would strive to boost
bilateral trade volume to $1 billion a year by 2005.
Annual trade volume between the two countries currently
stands at around $170 million.
On Thursday, the
Pakistani leader will meet representatives of the
business community in Istanbul, Turkey's economic
capital, before heading to the World Economic Forum in
Davos, Switzerland.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry
spokesman Masood Khan said Musharraf would speak before
the plenary session of the international assembly, which
is expected to focus this year on global security and
growth issues. The Pakistani leader will also address a
forum dedicated to promoting ties between the West and
Muslim countries.
Copyright (c) 2002, RFE/RL
Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave
NW, Washington DC 20036
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