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Turkish Press Review, 01-09-11
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
11.09.2001
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT'S STATEMENT ON UN SUMMIT
[02] ECEVIT IS INVITED TO TURKISH-AMERICAN BUSINESS
COUNCIL MEETING
[03] ECEVIT ORDERS THE INVESTIGATION OF CASA PLANES
[04] EXPLOSION IN ISTANBUL
[05] EU INVITES TURKEY TO STOCKHOLM
[06] CEM ASKS FOR EU PATIENCE
[07] DERVIS ATTENDS TOBB MEETING
[08] ANKARA'S MESSAGE TO MOROCCO
[09] BRUSSELS FOLLOWS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN
TURKEY
[10] DENKTAS: ASK CLERIDES ON EQUALITY
[11] DIALOGUE PERIOD WITH SYRIA
[12] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TO GO TO SWEDEN
[13] HEALTH MINISTER DURMUS GOES TO SPAIN
[14] ARSEVEN HOPEFUL ABOUT REFORMS
[15] NEW MEMBER TAKES OFFICE IN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
[16] AYGUN VISITS BAYKAL
[17] TUSIAD ASKS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
[18] TURKEY PLEDGES IMF BUDGET ON COURSE
[19] TURKISH-GREEK NATURAL GAS NETWORK ON THE WAY
[20] JAPANESE PRINCE TOHOMITO TO VISIT TURKEY
[21] INONU ATTENDS TURCO-GREEK PHYSICS CONFERENCE
[22] IZMIT RECEIVES THE EUROPEAN HONOR FLAG
[23] TURKISH-JEWISH ENCOUNTER IN NEW YORK
[24] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[25] THE BEST POSSIBILITY BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] ECEVIT'S STATEMENT ON UN SUMMIT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit responded the
questions of the reporters on the Cyprus issue yesterday. Ecevit said
that Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Clerides could not bear to meet with
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas
despite Denktas' proposal. Stating that Denktas took the decisions
concerning the Cyprus issue by consulting with Turkey, Ecevit said,
"Contrary to allegations, Denktas is ready to meet with Clerides.
However, it was Clerides who rejected a face-to-face meeting."
/Cumhuriyet/
[02] ECEVIT IS INVITED TO TURKISH-AMERICAN BUSINESS
COUNCIL MEETING
The Turkish-American Business Council invited Prime
Minister Bulent Ecevit to the meeting which is planned to be held in
Turkey in November. The members of the Council stated that Ecevit's
attendance might draw the attention of the American business circles
to Turkish economy. Receiving the members of the Council yesterday,
Ecevit has not given an answer to the invitation yet. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] ECEVIT ORDERS THE INVESTIGATION OF CASA PLANES
The inquiry was opened within the Civil Defense
Undersecretariat concerning the CASA planes. CASA planes, which came
to Turkey in 1989, has made accidents three times and caused the death
of 48 people. Upon the findings and complaints found in the first
research made by the Ministry of National Defense, this time the Prime
Ministry's Council of Investigation has begun to search the incident
with the order of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. /Hurriyet/
[04] EXPLOSION IN ISTANBUL
An explosion in Istanbul's Taksim Square killed two
police officers and injured 20 other people. The suicide bombing,
occurred at 17:37 yesterday, was carried out by Ugur Bulbul, one of
the death fasters to protest F-type prisons. The illegal DHKP_C
organization claimed the responsibility for the attack. President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit and political parties leaders condemned the terrorist
attack and expressed their sorrow. On the other hand the Minister of
Interior Affairs, Rustu Kazim Yucelen decided to return Turkey
interrupting his visit to Syria. /Turkiye/
[05] EU INVITES TURKEY TO STOCKHOLM
Turkey has been invited to the annual EU Conference
of Parliamentary Speakers for the first time this year. Speaker of the
Turkish Parliament Omer Izgi will travel to Stockholm on Thursday to
attend the conference between September 13th and 15th. The
Parliamentary Speakers will be received by the King of Sweden on
September 14th. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] CEM ASKS FOR EU PATIENCE
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Cem, has
convinced the European Union (EU) term president and the Commission
officials that the issue of Turkey will be debated not this week, but
in October. The EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs will discuss Turkey on
October 5th. Meanwhile, the EU Commission representative, Gunther
Verheugen, will come to Turkey in October. Cem also informed his
counterparts on the Cyprus issue and said, "Do not judge the
question with prejudices and rely on hear-say information." Cem
added the constitutional amendments will be debated in the Turkish
Grand National Assembly (TGNA) in September and that Turkey will go
through many changes by October. Following this approach of Cem, the
EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs have postponed the meeting concerning
Turkey to October. /Hurriyet/
[07] DERVIS ATTENDS TOBB MEETING
State Minister responsible for economy, Kemal
Dervis, has replied the questions of businessmen concerning the
economic and political instability during the meeting of the Turkish
Union of Chambers and Stock Exchanges (TOBB) Council and said,
"In Turkey, there is a political structure in pieces and these
divisions will multiply much more. However, it is possible to ensure a
stability in society. It is wrong to depend everything on the miracles
in politics. If some non governmental organizations in Turkey, the
high-ranking administration in bureaucracy settle down, then a social
stability can be ensured. In addition, nobody should make concessions
regarding the issues of transparency and honesty." Dervis also
criticized the opening of inquiries on information provided by
unsigned letters and said the psychosis of crime can be overcome by
social solidarity. /Sabah/
[08] ANKARA'S MESSAGE TO MOROCCO
Charge d'affairs of Moroccan Embassy, Rasid
Aguassim, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to
inform him about Ankara's displeasure concerning the historical
artifact smuggler, Aysegul Tecimer's release. Aguassim met with the
General Director of Middle East Department, Turkekul Kurttekin, and he
was briefed about Turkey's sensitivity concerning the issue and the
disappointment deriving from the release of Tecimer. Kurttekin said
that Tecimer had been captured together with the Moroccon police but
then she had been released immediately, without informing Turkey.
Aguassim said he would deliver this message to the Moroccan Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. /Hurriyet/
[09] BRUSSELS FOLLOWS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN
TURKEY
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem met with the
EU Commissioner responsible for Enlargement, Gunther Verheugen
yesterday. It was reported that they discussed the issues of Cyprus,
Turco-EU relations and European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI)
in detail. During the meeting, Verheugen drew attention to the fact
that EU attaches great importance to the constitutional amendments
especially on the human rights issues. He stated that Brussels was
closely following the developments concerning the amendments at the
Turkish Parliament. Meanwhile, Cem reminded that the Turkish
government was determined to make constitutional amendments.
/Cumhuriyet/
[10] DENKTAS: ASK CLERIDES ON EQUALITY
President of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas appealed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan
to ask Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Clerides why he refuses to accept
a partnership based on political equality between the two communities
on the island. "Annan and the Security Council members should
analyze the Cyprus question correctly. False analyses and wrong
initiatives have lost us 38 years. Clerides should be asked crucial
questions by his interlocutors. Ask, for instance if it was not indeed
the Greek Cypriot side which used the title of the republic of Cyprus
and got richer, while we lived without any of our rights and became
poorer," he said. Denktas said that the Turkish side merely
wanted its constitutional rights, spelled out in the 1960
Constitution. Those, said Denktas, include political equality, equal
sovereignty between the two communities, and the need to live in a
bi-zonal system. /Turkish News/
[11] DIALOGUE PERIOD WITH SYRIA
Interior Minister Rüştü Kazım Yücelen, who
made his first official visit to Syria after becoming Minister for
Interior Affairs, signed a cooperation agreement and an agreement to
prevent illegal migration with the Minister for Interior Affairs of
Syria Mohammed Harba. Harba stated that they will take decisions for
preventing organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism with the
cooperation agreement. Yücelen reminded that the dialogue process
between Syria and Turkey restarted after the Adana Agreement and that
there are good reasons for both countries to improve their dialogue. Rüştü
Kazım Yücelen also stated that the cooperation agreement will
improve economic relations. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TO GO TO SWEDEN
Parliament Speaker Ömer Izgi is to fly to
Stockholm in Sweden to take part in the "European Union
Parliament Speakers' Conference" over Sept. 13-15. The attending
speakers will all take part in a conference discussing the role of
national parliaments during EU accession talks. /Turkish Daily News/
[13] HEALTH MINISTER DURMUS GOES TO SPAIN
Health Minister Osman Durmuş has gone to Madrid to
take part in the 51st World Health Organization European Region Office
meeting. Durmuş said they would discuss poverty and health, the
health situation in Europe, the alcohol action plan and the annual
budget. /Turkish Daily News/
[14] ARSEVEN HOPEFUL ABOUT REFORMS
The Minister of State Nejat Arseven said yesterday
that he had no concerns about the passing of the constitutional
amendment package through Parliament, adding, "The members of
opposition parties, too have their signatures to the agreement
document." Arseven and the acting group leaders of other parties
met yesterday with Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association (TUSIAD) executives in Ankara to exchange views on the
constitutional amendment package. Following the meeting Arseven told
reporters that he had no concerns and anxieties about the passage of
the package through Parliament. /Turkish News/
[15] NEW MEMBER TAKES OFFICE IN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
A new Constitutional Court member started office on
Monday after a ceremony was held in the court's headquarters.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit were
present at the ceremony, where newly-elected Enis Tunga was sworn in.
Speaking at the ceremony, Constitutional Court President Mustafa Bumin
said that court members would fulfill their duties in line with
principles of secularism. He alşso emphasized that the court should
be independent to properly fulfill its duties. /Turkish News/
[16] AYGUN VISITS BAYKAL
Ankara Chamber of Trade (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun
visited the Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal
yesterday and informed him about the campaign they have launched to
recover the lost of prestige of the Turkish lira. Aygun said that 75
percent of the Turkish people supported the ATO's campaign, however,
the government has not taken any concrete steps, although two weeks
have gone by. The CHP leader Baykal said that there was a confidence
problem lying beneath the current economic crisis that Turkey is
undergoing. /Turkish News/
[17] TUSIAD ASKS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
Tuncay Ozilhan, the Chairman of the Turkish
Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) called on
political parties to support constitutional reforms including
amendments to 37 articles. TUSIAD organized a press conference in
Ankara yesterday to present a list of proposals to the government for
the lifting of restrictions on freedom of expression. Ozilhan said,
"The reforms that we need to carry out to overcome the political
and economic crisis should also be fulfilled to achieve EU membership.
Now we are waiting for Parliament to start debates over the
constitutional amendment package on Sep.17. Approval of the package
will be of historic importance." TUSIAD Deputy Executive
Committee Chairman Mustafa Koc also said restrictions on freedom of
expression should be removed. /Turkiye/
[18] TURKEY PLEDGES IMF BUDGET ON COURSE
Turkey on Monday promised the IMF it would stick by
ambitious 2001 budget targets laid out under a $15.7 billion
international crisis rescue lending package. "Any deviation from
fiscal targets is out of question," Finance Minister Sumer Oral
said reporters after meeting with visiting IMF inspectors headed by
Turkey desk Chief Juha Kahkonen. "One of the program's most
important legs is fiscal policy and the fiscal targets will be enacted
with care." /Turkish News/
[19] TURKISH-GREEK NATURAL GAS NETWORK ON THE WAY
The project works of the natural gas network
between Turkey and Greece continue say Turkish officials. Turkish
Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Mithat Balkan made a speech in
the conference on "The EU and Black Sea Economic
Cooperation" held in Thessaloniki. Balkan stated that Turkey is
preparing a model for the liberalization of trade among the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) countries. Balkan added that Turkey is to
submit this model to the BSEC Council of Ministers meeting, which will
be held in Antalya this october. Mithat Balkan continued to his speech
by mentioning the cooperation programs within the framework of BSEC
and the cooperation between Turkey and Greece in establishing a
natural gas network. /Turkish Daily News/
[20] JAPANESE PRINCE TOHOMITO TO VISIT TURKEY
Japanese Prince Tohomito will visit Turkey to
examine the results of certain excavations being carried out in the
province of Ankara and its districts. He is expected to arrive in
Turkey on September 25th. He will examine the historical artifacts and
visit tourist sites. /Cumhuriyet/
[21] INONU ATTENDS TURCO-GREEK PHYSICS CONFERENCE
The "1st Turco-Greek International Physics
Conference", jointly organized by the Turkish Physics Association
and the Greek Physics Association, started in Bodrum. Prof. Erdal
Inonu also attended the conference and said the friendship between
Turkey and Greece will play an important role in the development of
science. /Sabah/
[22] IZMIT RECEIVES THE EUROPEAN HONOR FLAG
Izmit will receive the European Honor Flag today.
The European Council's Parliamentarians Assembly held a meeting in
Strasbourg and awarded Izmit with the European Honor Flag due to the
fact that the Izmit Metropolitan Municipality values man and nature,
it contributes to the development of unity, solidarity and friendship
among the European nations, and because of its sister city relations
and cooperation that it has established on the international platform,
works that it carries out as a member of the International Black Sea
Club, its cooperation during the natural disasters and finally due to
its closeness to the European culture. Mayor of Izmit Metropolitan
Municipality, Sefa Sirmen, said, "This award was given to us on
behalf of our country and city. We are very happy. It has not only
honored us, but also increased our motivation." /Sabah/
[23] TURKISH-JEWISH ENCOUNTER IN NEW YORK
Members from the Turkish and Jewish communities in
New York held a meeting co-organized by the Turkish-American
Associations Federation (TADF) and American Jewish community (AJC)
Westchester branch. AJC Westchester Branch Chairman Harry Paul stated
that relations between Turks and Jews had reached a higher level in
the last three years. Reminding the 200,000 Jews who escaped the
Spanish inquisition 500 years ago and found shelter in the Ottoman
Empire, Paul noted that Turkey was the first Muslim country that
recognized Israel after its establishment. TADF Chairman Egemen Bagis
noted the contribution of the Jews to Ottoman Civilization, and
mentioned that Turks and Jews had always been close to each other in
various places in the world. Bagis also thanked the Jewish community
in the United States for the support they gave to Turkey after the
1999 earthquake. /Turkish Daily News/
[24] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[25] THE BEST POSSIBILITY BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the importance of
Cyprus regarding Turkish-EU relations. A summary of his column is as
follows: "The worst possible scenario on the Cyprus issue may be
the admittance of Greek Cypriot Administration in the EU which would
lead to the integration of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with
mainland Turkey, severing of Turkey's ties with the EU and heightening
of tension in Turco-Greek relations. If a solution on the problem is
blocked , it would not mean that the worst scenario would be enacted.
An answer to the question is not definite and, in fact the President
of the European Commission Romano Prodi expressed his belief that the
Cyprus issue should be solved before the enlargement of the EU. As
long as Cyprus remains to be a serious source dispute, there are those
who do not favour its admittance to the Union. As 'The Economist'
magazine has stated the EU is split in letting a divided Cyprus into
the Union. Some are inclined to admit the Greek Cypriot Administration
in the EU notwithstanding the objections of Turkey. Some considering
the problems this would cause for the Union are thinking otherwise.
The second group are concerned that in addition to annexing TRNC
,Turkey could impose an embargo on the whole Island if the problem
turns into a crisis. In that case the EU would have created a more
serious problem while trying to solve it. It is hard to guess which
one of the views would prevail in the EU when the time for a decision
comes. The EU will be a party to a dispute which could turn into a
crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean by admitting the Greek Cypriot
Administration into the Union. Many European diplomats are aware of
the fact that the membership of Cyprus is not worth taking such a
risk. However, there is another factor which puts the EU in a
difficult position and that is: Greece will veto the admittance of
other candidate states into the Union if the membership of Greek
Cypriot Administration is suspended. Therefore the whole enlargement
policy of the EU will be upset. Some EU officials are inclined to
accept a Cypriot membership even though the Island may be divided. The
best scenario for Cyprus is one where there will be a high possibility
for a solution and a compromise will be reached. This will create an
atmosphere where both sides will be winners."
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