ISTANBUL (Marmara)–The Russian parliament announced last week that it expects Turkish forces to gain order in Turkey’s Kurdish regions.
It is believed that this decisive anti-Turkey announcement was made after Turkey recently neglected to extend an invitation to Russia to participate in a meeting with five foreign ministers discussing Caspian Sea oil issues.
Russian officials announced on several occasions that they were disturbed by Turkey’s apparent neglect–although Turkish officials had given some explanations to the Russian Ambassador in Ankara.
Moscow evidently was not fulfilled by these explanations–especially after state minister Ahad Andijan made displeasing commen’s against Russia. Andijan stated that Russian influences were the cause of the recent assassination attempt on Georgian president Edward Sheverdnadze and governmental changes in Armenia.
In the Turkish "Cumhurriyet" daily newspaper–an article in Monday’s issue by Lale Sareibrahimoglu–who is well-informed in such matters–wrote that Turkey’s stance on oil issues is anti-Russian–while–on the other hand–Turkey works side-by-side with Russia to deal with internal strife.
Although Turkey’s Defense Minister Coumhur Ersoumer on February 17-20 had received Moscow’s cooperation with the Baku-Ceyhan pipe-line–Turkey’s foreign ministry decided not to invite the Russia’s to the meeting in Istanbul–where Turkey strengthened its position.