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Arms Control & Disarmament
Turkey attaches particular importance to arms control and
disarmament processes. For Turkey, active participation
in international efforts in these areas, adherence to the
relevant international agreements and observance of their
full implementation are important elements of her national
security policy. As a result of the momentous changes which
took place in the European security architecture over the
last decade, the general aspiration for a new security system
based on cooperation gave a fresh impetus to arms control
and disarmament endeavours, which was welcomed by Turkey.
* The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE)
was concluded in 1990 and entered into force in July 1992.
The CFE Treaty ensured significant reductions in five categories
of conventional arms and equipment, namely battle tanks,
armoured combat vehicles, artillery systems, combat aircraft
and attack helicopters and imposed certain numerical limitations
on states parties. As such, Turkey considers the Treaty
as the cornerstone of the European security architecture.
Turkey has participated in an active and constructive manner
in the negotiations started in Vienna and ended in Istanbul
for adapting the CFE Treaty to the new conditions which
came about with the end of the bipolar structure of the
Cold War era.
The Agreement on Adaptation of the Treaty on Convantional
Armed Forces in Europe signed in Istanbul on 19 November
1999 will place legally binding limits on the armed forces
of every individual country that is party to it, from the
Atlantic to the Urals. It will also enhance peace, security
and stability throughout Europe and strengthen the requirement
that host nations must consent in advance to the deployment
of any foreign forces on their territory.
For Turkey the maintenance of the Flank Regime and its
reconciliation with the structure of the new Treaty has
been the most vital and determining aspect of the adaptation
process. The substance of this important element of the
Treaty is maintained under the adapted CFE.
While expecting all States Parties to complete their ratification
process in an expeditious manner, Turkey attaches utmost
importance to the full implementation of the present Treaty.
* Turkey considers the Treaty on Open Skies which was concluded
in 1992 as a major confidence-building instrument and an
important mechanism for the verification of the arms control
agreements. In recognition of its significance and potential
contribution to European security, Turkey ratified the Treaty
in 1994 and stands ready to contribute to efforts directed
to facilitating its timely entry into force.
* Turkey regards confidence and security building measures
(CSBM) at bilateral and regional levels as an element complementing
other disarmament efforts. In this context the Vienna Document
consitutes an important CSBM instrument which contributes
effectively to the security and stability in the OSCE area
and will continue to be an important part of the collective
efforts directed to creating a safer and more transparent
environment in Europe in the next century. The implementation
of the Vienna Document to date has been successful. An important
reason underpinning the successful implementation of the
Document is its evolving character in the face of new conditions.
Within this spirit, as in the previous revisions of the
document in 1992 and 1994, the latest process directed to
further developing the document has been successfully concluded
and as a result, the Vienna Document 1999 was adopted in
Istanbul. Turkey believes that this important CSBM arrangement
will, in its updated form, make further contributions to
openness and transperancy in the OSCE area.
As an indication of the importance she attaches to regional
security cooperation, Turkey started as from 1990 to conclude
with her neighbours in the Balkans bilateral CSBM arrangements
drawing upon the Vienna Document. In this context, in 1991
with Bulgaria the "Sofia Document" and then in
1992 as an elaborated version the "Edirne Document",
in 1995 with Albania the "Tirana Document" and
the same year with Macedonia the "Skopje Document"
were finalized and put into practice. Turkey also proposed
to materialize similar arrangements with other regional
countries.
* Notwithstanding the fresh hopes for a safer environment
brought about by the end of the Cold War, the world has
also experienced a proliferation of regional conflicts and
armed hostilities and witnessed a trend leading to the spread
and destabilizing accumulation of sophisticated weapon systems
including the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their
means of delivery.
In view of her particular geographic location close to
the regions which bear high risks of proliferation, Turkey
monitors with vigilance the developments in this field and
takes part in collective efforts aimed at devising measures
to reverse this alarming trend.
In this context, Turkey was among the initial signatories
of the Non-Proliferation and Test Ban Treaties. Turkey is
also party to both the Chemical Weapons and the Biological
Weapons Conventions. In 1996, Turkey became the founding
member of the Wassenaar Arrangement regarding export controls
of conventional weapons and dual-use equipment and technologies
and joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
in 1997. Turkey recently became a full member to the Zangger
Committee. To complete the picture Turkey expects to join
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and the Australia Group
in the nearest future.
Turkey wishes to see, both in her region and at global
level, that all countries adhere to the goals of non-proliferation
and work collectively for their accomplishment.
* Turkey is fully conscious of the human sufferings and
the casualties caused by the irresponsible and indiscriminate
use of anti-personnel mines (APMs). However, the security
situation around the country so far precluded Turkey from
signing the Ottawa Convention aimed at the total elimination
of the APMs.
Yet, Turkey keeps an open mind towards an eventual mine
ban to be achieved in stages. In this context, a national
moratorium on the sale and transfer of APMs was put into
force in January 1996 and was extended untill 2002.
Furthermore, Turkey initiated a number of contacts with
some neighbouring countries with a view to seeking the establishment
of regimes for keeping the common borders free from APMs
and for preventing their use in border areas in the future.
To this end an agreement was concluded in March 1999 between
Turkey and Bulgaria. The agreement has already been approved
by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Turkey also took part as an observer in the First Meeting
of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention on 3-7 May 1999,
during which she announced her decision to become party
to the Convention at the beginnig of the next decade, provided
that the recent conditions will not change adversely.
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