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Turkish Press Review, 01-11-07
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Foreign
Press in Turkey
Turkish
Press Review >>
Press
Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
07.11.2001
CONTENTS
[01] LEADERS SUMMIT HELD
[02] HARRAZI'S ONE-DAY VISIT TO TURKEY
[03] IMF DELEGATION MEETS TOSKAY
[04] SEZER TO VISIT TAJIKISTAN, GEORGIA
[05] DENKTAS: "TURKS MUST SHOW THAT THEY ARE NOT
MINORITIES ON CYPRUS"
[06] PARLIAMENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TRANSLATES UN
CONVENTIONS INTO TURKISH
[07] TURKISH FLAG FLOWN AT INTERNATIONAL PEACE SUMMIT
[08] IZGI : "ELECTIONS ARE INEVITABLE"
[09] FOREIGN MILITARY ATTACHES VISIT ANITKABIR
[10] CILLER TOURS IN PUSH FOR EARLY ELECTIONS
[11] AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 86 PASSES FIRST HURDLE
[12] ABRAMOWITZ: TURKISH SOLDIERS KEEP THE PEACE IN
CYPRUS
[13] CAKMAKOGLU SAYS ANKARA OPPOSES WAR IN IRAQ
[14] TURK CALLS FOR UNIFORM STANCE IN FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM
[15] TOROS-2001 MILITARY TRIALS CONTINUE
[16] ENIS SULUN RESIGNS FROM ANAP
[17] TURKISH-GREEK BUSINESS COUNCIL TO MEET IN ATHENS
[18] TURKEY TO BRING UZBEK BASES UP TO NATO STANDARDS
[19] TURKISH AID REACHES AFGHANISTAN
[20] ARCELIK PLANS TO PURCHASE BRANDT
[21] REYHAN ARABACIOGLU WINS GOLD MEDAL
[22] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[23] THE PRICE IS HIGH FOR EVERYONE BY SAMI KOHEN
(MILLIYET)
[24] WAR AND OPPORTUNITY BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)
[01] LEADERS SUMMIT HELD
During the leaders summit yesterday, in which a 7
quadrillion TL savings package and shrinking the state were discussed,
it was decided that 19 Village Services Regional Directorates would be
closed in stages. Before the summit, State Minister for Village
Services Mustafa Yilmaz told his concern that 50,000 workers might
lose their jobs. Reportedly, although Yilmaz protested, State Minister
for the Economy Kemal Dervis was insistent and it was thus decided
that the 19 directorates would be closed by stages in one month's
time. In addition, Dervis brought the issue of closing Highways and
State Water Works (DSI) Regional Directorates to the agenda.
/Milliyet/
[02] HARRAZI'S ONE-DAY VISIT TO TURKEY
During a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Kemal
Harrazi to Turkey yesterday, Turkey and Iran were unable to reach a
consensus on the US operations in Afghanistan and on the issue of
sending troops to the region. Although certain steps were taken to
improve Turco-Iranian bilateral relations, disagreement concerning the
US operations could not be overcome. After meeting with Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem, Harrazi was also received separately by President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Parliament
Speaker Omer Izgi. Cem and Harrazi held a press conference after the
meetings. Denouncing the US operations in Afghanistan, Harrazi said,
"Problems in Afghanistan should be solved by the Afghan people
themselves. Other countries' sending troops to Afghanistan only makes
things worse. Iran is against any state or power attacking an Islamic
country." After having Harrazi's criticisms of Turkey's sending
troops to the country, Cem remarked, "These are Mr. Harrazi's own
ideas. It is natural that we have a divergence of opinion on certain
issues. Our Turkish soldiers are not going over to attack Afghanistan,
on the contrary they will help the Afghan people to get rid of
terrorism." Meanwhile, Ecevit voiced his satisfaction with the
cooperation between Turkey and Iran in fighting against terrorism.
Stating that they both were doing their utmost to prevent any attempts
to subvert Turkey's territorial integrity, Harrazi recalled Iran's
extraditing a number of PKK militants to Turkey. Furthermore,
President Sezer emphasized the necessity to improve security
cooperation between the two countries. A protocol on establishing a
Turkish-Iranian Business Council was signed during Harrazi's visit.
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] IMF DELEGATION MEETS TOSKAY
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation met
with State Minister Tunca Toskay yesterday. Targets to be set
regarding exports, imports and the inflation rate were reportedly
discussed during the meeting. Diplomatic sources stated that the IMF
delegation was pleased with the firm financial policies pursued by
Turkey's government. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] SEZER TO VISIT TAJIKISTAN, GEORGIA
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's official visit to
Tajikistan and Georgia begins today, the Anatolia news agency reported
yesterday. President Sezer's visit to Tajikistan will end on Nov. 8
and then he will fly on to Georgia. He is expected to return the next
day. State Minister Abdul Haluk Cay will accompany the president.
During the visits, recent developments and their repercussions within
Eurasia will be discussed as will regional bilateral matters. /Turkish
Daily News/
[05] DENKTAS: "TURKS MUST SHOW THAT THEY ARE NOT
MINORITIES ON CYPRUS"
A meeting was held yesterday to evaluate recent
developments regarding the Cyprus issue. Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, high-level TRNC officials,
Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Turkey's
Ambassador to Nicosia (Lefkose) Hayati Guven attended the gathering.
Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Denktas remarked that Greek
Cypriots were extremely uneasy with Turkish Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit's and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's recent statements
concerning Cyprus. Stating that the Greek Cypriots saw themselves as
Cyprus's legal government and Turkish Cypriots as minorities, Denktas
said, "They have stolen the name of 'Cyprus government' by
carrying out illegal activities. We are responsible for developing the
TRNC against such efforts. We are indeed nothing but minorities if we
do not preserve our state and let them join the EU without recognizing
our presence. We must show the world that we are not minorities on
Cyprus." Meanwhile, Undersecretary Ziyal stated that Turkey would
always stand by Turkish Cypriots. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] PARLIAMENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TRANSLATES UN
CONVENTIONS INTO TURKISH
The Parliament Human Rights Commission has prepared
translations into Turkish of two United Nations documents, UN
Convention on Prohibiting Child Pornography, Child Trafficking and
Child Prostitution and the "UN Convention on Preventing the
Recruitment of Children in Armed Conflicts". The translated
conventions will be included in a publication entitled "Booklet
for International Human Rights Documents", which will cover all
human rights documents to which Turkey is a party. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] TURKISH FLAG FLOWN AT INTERNATIONAL PEACE SUMMIT
At yesterday's Peace Summit held in Warsaw, Poland,
16 Eastern and Southern European countries pledged their support to
the West in the fight against terrorism. Turkey attended the meeting
as an observer. The Turkish flag was carried together with those of
the 16 participating countries and the US in front of the hall in
which the meeting was held. /Sabah/
[08] IZGI : "ELECTIONS ARE INEVITABLE"
Motherland Party (ANAP) Izmir Deputy Isin Celebi
presented a bill proposing amending the Political Parties and
Elections Law to the office Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi yesterday.
Celebi said that bill had been prepared in line with citizens'
requests and asked that it be taken up at the Interparties
Reconciliation Commission. Receiving Celebi and his colleagues,
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi stated that the work would be beneficial
since elections were inevitable and would be held in the near future.
/Turkiye/
[09] FOREIGN MILITARY ATTACHES VISIT ANITKABIR
General Staff Intelligence Chief Corps Commander
Huseyin Goksu and foreign military attaches visited Anitkabir
yesterday for the international representatives' annual pilgrimage to
the site of Ataturk's mausoleum. The delegation later visited the
Missak-i Milli Tower. There Corps Commander Goksu wrote in the guest
book: "Great Leader Ataturk, we are proud and honored to be near
you once again, along with the foreign military attaches. The Turkish
Republic you established and the principles you proclaimed as ideals
for humanity continue to be a guiding light for world peace today. The
good relations which Turkey established through following your
principle, "Peace at home, peace in the world" continue to
improve every day with the additional support of the foreign military
attaches too." /Turkish Daily News/
[10] CILLER TOURS IN PUSH FOR EARLY ELECTIONS
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller has begun
her tour of political parties' leaders to ask support for elections to
be held in the near future. Ciller first visited Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit yesterday. During their half hour meeting, Ciller requested to
Ecevit that the Political Parties and Elections Law be amended and
that elections' expenditures be made transparent, as well as that the
number of parliamentarians be decreased to 450. After being reminded
that the government had given signals that elections will be held in
2004, Ciller told reporters, "The government doesn't always call
for elections. However, they may emerge when needed. The people want
elections. We cannot separate the Parliament from the people.
Otherwise, the Parliament will lose its honor." /Turkiye/
[11] AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 86 PASSES FIRST HURDLE
A proposed amendment to the controversial Article
86 of the Constitution regarding deputies' salaries and pension
benefits was approved yesterday at the first round in the Parliament's
Plenary Session. If the proposal receives more than 376 votes during
the second round of voting to be held next Tuesday, there will be no
need for a referendum. /Turkiye/
[12] ABRAMOWITZ: TURKISH SOLDIERS KEEP THE PEACE IN
CYPRUS
Former US ambassador Morton Abramowitz visited
yesterday in his capacity as a member of the International Crisis
Group Ankara. During his stay, Abramowitz said that as long as Turkish
soldiers remain in Cyprus, there would be no violence./Hürriyet/
[13] CAKMAKOGLU SAYS ANKARA OPPOSES WAR IN IRAQ
Turkish Defence Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu on
Tuesday left no room for doubt that Turkey would be opposed to any
attempts by Washington to carry its war against terrorism to Iraq in
the absence of clear evidence linking Baghdad and the Sept.11 attacks
against the United States. Before visiting Croatia Cakmakoglu, said
"We believe that it would not be right to intervene in Iraq in
the absence of serious information and documents linking northern Iraq
and the bin Laden, al Quaida and Taleban threesome in connection with
terrorism and its financial resources as well as facts showing that
they are being trained there."/Cumhuriyet/
[14] TURK CALLS FOR UNIFORM STANCE IN FIGHT AGAINST
TERRORISM
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Türk said yesterday
that the fight against terrorism required a uniform stance on the part
of world countries, and called for the end of double standards in
deciding who is a terrorist and who is not. Türk also said it was a
fatal mistake to link terrorism to any particular religion, ethnicity
or race. The minister added that Turkey had suffered from terrorism
for many years, and for this reason was opting to take an active part
in the anti-terrorism campaign in the wake of the attacks on the World
Trade Center and Pentagon. "Our painful experience with terrorism
showes the necessity of coordinating efforts in the fight against
it." For this reason, Turkey was the first country to take part
in the international coalition against terrorism, he stressed./Turkish
News/
[15] TOROS-2001 MILITARY TRIALS CONTINUE
Commandos carried out mock rescues and attacks
yesterday as part of the "Toros 2001" exercises held in the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The exercises are
conducted annually by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). TRNC Security
Forces Commander Gen. Galip Mendi released a statement saying that the
TRNC Army was becoming a more modern, powerful force with its new
weapons systems and with the support of the Turkish Cypriot
peacekeeping forces, and that he fully believed these security forces
could carry out any duty they might receive. Gen. Mendi also charged
that the Greek Cypriots consider the whole of Cyprus as their own, and
that they are trying to make the island a part of Greece. " They
have never managed to do so, despite all their efforts, and they will
never manage to do so he declared."/Turkish News/
[16] ENIS SULUN RESIGNS FROM ANAP
Motherland Party (ANAP) Tekirdag Deputy Enis Sulun
resigned from his party yesterday. In the wake of his resignation, the
number of ANAP deputies in Parliament dropped to 79, while
independents rose to 22. /Turkiye/
[17] TURKISH-GREEK BUSINESS COUNCIL TO MEET IN ATHENS
A Turkish-Greek Business Council common meeting
will be held in Athens today and tomorrow. According to the Foreign
Economic Relations Council (DEIK), several meetings have been held
since last year to develop trade and economic relations between the
two countries, and today's meeting will be another of these. Today a
reception will be held at the Atina Divani Caravel Hotel and tomorrow
Turkish and Greek Foreign Ministers Ismail Cem and George Papandreou
will deliver speeches. Issues such as the possibilities for
cooperation and the future of Turkey and Greece in the European Union,
development of relations between the two countries in the finance
sector and collaborative projects for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games
will be discussed. /Turkish Daily News/
[18] TURKEY TO BRING UZBEK BASES UP TO NATO STANDARDS
Turkey is preparing for an important mission,
namely, that of bringing Uzbek airspace, bases and military facilities
up to NATO standards. Towards this end, Air Forces Brigadier Gen.
Hasan Kabas last week visited Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent with
officers from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia./Hürriyet/
[19] TURKISH AID REACHES AFGHANISTAN
Turkey's humanitarian aid to the Afghan people has
been delivered by means of the United Nations International
Organization of Migration (IOM). Some 55,000 articles of winter
clothing, 18,000 blankets, 55,000 pairs of shoes and socks, as well as
pots and pans, gas lamps and plastic tent cloths were brought through
Turkmenistan in three convoys and delivered to people over last
weekend. /Turkiye/
[20] ARCELIK PLANS TO PURCHASE BRANDT
Turkish appliance maker Arcelik is reportedly
seriously considering the purchase of Brandt, a division of French
company Moulinex which was recently put up for sale. The French daily
La Tribune published a report based on statements by Arcelik spokesman
Omer Kayali saying that Arcelik was a "serious candidate" to
buy Brandt. The newspaper wrote that the deadline for purchase
proposals was Friday adding that Arcelik was one of the seven leading
durable goods producers in Europe. /Milliyet/
[21] REYHAN ARABACIOGLU WINS GOLD MEDAL
Turkish weightlifter Reyhan Arabacioglu, 69 kg.,
yesterday won a gold medal with a lift of 155 kg. in the snatch
category during the 71st Men World Weightlifting Championship held in
Antalya. Yasin Arslan, another Turkish weightlifter also garnered the
silver medal with a 150 kg. lift /Turkiye/
[22] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[23] THE PRICE IS HIGH FOR EVERYONE BY SAMI KOHEN
(MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the recent
developments concerning Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:
"Due to the unexpected remarks from Ankara, the Cyprus issue has
reentered a critical stage . The harsh statements by Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem,Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and other government members
can be explained through various reasons. The visits by EU
high-ranking officials to Southern Cyprus and their statements on the
membership of the Greek-Cypriot administration have enraged Ankara as
well as TRNC President Denktas. The Turkish government has seen it
proper to explain its action plan were this membership granted. The
harsh statements from Ankara come at a time when it is sending troops
to Afghanistan and its importance has increased in the eyes of the
West. This gives the impression that timing is an important factor
taken into consideration. With its stance the government is trying to
force the EU to change its policy favoring Greek Cypriot membership.
The question is, will it succeed? At the moment there is no indication
to suggest that. It also seems that Turkey's sending troops to
Afghanistan and its increasing geostrategic importance have not
impressed the EU. This concerns the US more than the EU, and the US
seems uninclined to intervene in EU's Cyprus policy. If Turkey takes a
series of drastic measures in the face of the EU's refusal to alter
its stance, the price will be high. However, this high price willl be
paid not only by Turkey, but the EU and Greece as well. For Turkey,
such a situation may mean the severing of ties with the EU, the start
of new period of tension with Greece, weakening of relations with the
West and increasing unrest among Turkish Cypriots.This may cause
serious concerns for Turkey both abroad and within the country. For
the EU, admitting the Greek Cypriot administration in a divided and
uneasy state would mean bringing a serious problem within itself. The
Union may suddenly find itself confronted with a serious security
problem. For Greece, there is the danger of disrupting its recently
improved relations with Turkey. Even though the admittance of the
Greek Cypriots into the Union may satisfy the Greeks at first,
eventually uniting the island will become a dream. Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem's visit to Greece is taking place under these unfavorable
circumstances. However, this may also be an opportunity to form a new
understanding on Cyprus. At the moment, the only path to prevent a
crisis entails freezing the Greek Cypriot membership process for some
time and starting the negotiation process on Cyprus. Foreign Ministers
Cem and Papandreou may come up with a conciliatory solution. If this
can be achieved during the talks in Athens no one will have to pay a
high price needlessly."
[24] WAR AND OPPORTUNITY BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)
Columnist Gungor Mengi writes on the campaign
against terror and warns against falling prey to provocations. A
summary of his column is as follows: "It took Turkey 15 years
tobeat the PKK terrorist organization. How long will it take to defeat
a terrorist organization which dares to attack the US? When the aim is
reached in Afghanistan, radical Islamic regimes which will provoke
their people by inciting their emotions of revenge may emerge as the
new targets of this war. The imaginary scenario penned by Willam
Safire in The New York Times and his envisioned project of making
Turkey an oil-rich country through its invasion of Iraq are attempts
to awaken imperial desires which are presumed to be present but asleep
at the moment in us. Turkey has to be careful in assessing its
interests and aims correctly, and it must act quickly and with
determination. The decision to send a unit of 90 soldiers was right,
but we should be prepared for the possibility that circumstances may
force us to make additional contributions. At present, Germany is
joining the alliance with 3,900 troops, and Italy with a third of
that. This war is against terrorism, not Islam. When it is won, the
Islamic world will be liberated. Al Qaida and the Taleban are threats
to Islamic nations. War against terror is not a sacrifice for Turkey,
but is rather a duty conferred by its national interests and its
status as a modern state."
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