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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-28
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Turkish
Press Review >>
Foreign
Press Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
28.12.2001
CONTENTS
[01] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONVENE TODAY
[02] ECEVIT: "THE US HAS PROMISED TO CONSULT TURKEY BEFORE TAKING STEPS AGAINST IRAQ"
[03] YILMAZ: "KIVRIKOGLU IS RIGHT"
[04] FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF SIGNALS CONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ OPERATION
[05] WOOLSEY: "TURKEY ALONE WOULD BE ENOUGH AGAINST IRAQ"
[06] GENERAL STAFF WARNS GREECE
[07] TURKEY RATIFIES TWO UN CONVENTIONS
[08] UN PLEASED BY NEW TURKISH CIVIL CODE
[09] YILMAZ SENDS MESSAGES FOR CHRISTMAS
[10] PPK AND DHKP-C NOT INCLUDED IN EU TERRORIST LIST
[11] PILGRIMAGE HIGHWAY TRAVEL BAN UP FOR EXTENSION
[12] ERDOGAN TO ATTEND ECONOMIC FORUM IN US
[13] ALCATEL TELETAS WINS AYCELL BID
[14] EGS BANK MERGED UNDER BAYINDIRBANK
[15] FERZAN OZPETEK, GETS BEST DIRECTOR NOD
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[17] APPOINTMENT FOR FEBRUARY 12 BY ERTUGRUL OZKOK (HURRIYET)
[18] THE IRAQI PROBLEM BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
[01] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONVENE TODAY
The National Security Council (MGK) is scheduled to convene today to
discuss recent economic and foreign developments. State Minister for the
Economy Kemal Dervis and Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak are expected
to attend the meeting to brief the council on recent economic developments.
Among the issues to be addressed during the meeting are measures to enhance
international cooperation to fight terrorism in the post-Sept. 11 period,
the US operation in Afghanistan, Turkey's possible contributions to
restructuring of Afghanistan's future, and the policy Turkey would pursue
if the US carries out an operation in Iraq. Furthermore, Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem is expected to speak at the meeting about the consequences of
the Laeken summit during the MGK meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] ECEVIT: "THE US HAS PROMISED TO CONSULT TURKEY BEFORE TAKING STEPS
AGAINST IRAQ"
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that "If the US is to take
steps against Iraq, it should establish a dialogue with us, and they have
promised Turkey that they would do this." Ecevit also said that he hoped to
focus discussions on economic matters, rather than Iraq, during his visit
with US President George Bush next month. But if there is any operation,
Ecevit remarked, due to Turkey's geographic importance it will inevitably
be involved in the matter. "Turkey opposes any strikes against our neighbor
Iraq," Ecevit added. We have important relations with Iraq and its
stability is important for the world and, more particularly, for the
region. Ecevit also said that he didn't think the Cyprus issue would be a
main topic for his discussions with Bush.
/Hürriyet/
[03] YILMAZ: "KIVRIKOGLU IS RIGHT"
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said
yesterday that he agreed with the concerns of Chief of General Staff Gen.
Huseyin Kivrikoglu regarding any operation against Iraq. "Iraq's
territorial integrity is very important for Turkey," he stated. "The US
main target is to change the current regime in Iraq."
/Hürriyet/
[04] FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF SIGNALS CONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ OPERATION
Former Chief of the General Staff retired Gen. Dogan Gures told reporters
yesterday that he believes that Turkey should take part in any intervention
in Iraq, but only on the condition that no Kurdish state is established in
the process and that Turkey is to supported economically. Gures is
reportedly planning to visit Turkish leaders in order to share his thoughts
about such an intervention. /Sabah/
[05] WOOLSEY: "TURKEY ALONE WOULD BE ENOUGH AGAINST IRAQ"
Former CIA director James Woolsey said yesterday that if US were to launch
an operation in Iraq, he believes that Turkey would act with the US.
Speaking to Turkish daily Hürriyet, Woolsey also remarked that US wouldn't
need any international cooperation for such an operation, that Turkey's
support alone would be enough. The former US official said that he didn't
think a decision on the Iraq issue had been reached yet, but added that
Turkey had always stood with the US and he hoped this time would be no
different. Turkey should be supported economically, he remarked, adding,
"Turkey is the one critical country in terms of ending Saddam Hussein's
regime."
/Hürriyet/
[06] GENERAL STAFF WARNS GREECE
A statement issued by the Turkish General Staff yesterday said that an
increase had been observed in recent days of violations of Turkish airspace
by Greek fighter planes. "On Nov. 23-24 and Dec.11-20, Greek fighter planes
violated Turkish airspace a total of six times in the southern Datca region
and in all these violations they were escorted from the area by Turkish
fighter jets," the statement said. "Turkey has warned the Greek authorities
that such violations could lead to dangerous consequences." /Turkiye/
[07] TURKEY RATIFIES TWO UN CONVENTIONS
In its plenary session yesterday, the Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs
Commission ratified two United Nations conventions, namely the
International Convention for the Suppression of the Terrorist Bombings and
in the light of the recent worldwide escalation of acts of terrorism,
parties to the treaties agreed that there was an urgent need to enhance
international cooperation in taking effective and practical measures for
the prevention of acts of terrorism and for the punishment of their
perpetrators. Taking into consideration a recent spike in numbers of
terrorist bombings, the first convention calls on party states to adopt
measures to prevent terrorist bombings and to punish the perpetrators. The
convention covers the offences of placing an explosive in a public place
with the intent of killing or injuring people or wreaking major destruction
resulting in economic losses. Convention signatories are required to make
punishable the offences described and to effect the extradition when
necessary of persons who are accused of committing such offences. The
latter convention defines terrorist financing as a separate crime. The
convention calls on all UN member states to take appropriate measures to
freeze the assets of those who commit acts of terrorism. It also calls on
parties to prohibit the collection of funds for terrorist activities.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] UN PLEASED BY NEW TURKISH CIVIL CODE
The United Nations has signaled that it is pleased by the new Turkish Civil
Code (TMK). A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry yesterday said that
UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson had sent a letter dated Nov. 22
to the Turkish government lauding the new TMK. The letter, Robinson wrote
that the UN welcomed the changes in the code and that it hoped that these
changes would set an example for other countries. /Aksam/
[09] YILMAZ SENDS MESSAGES FOR CHRISTMAS
Religious Affairs Directorate head Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz sent messages marking
Christmas earlier this week to Istanbul Fener Patriarch Dimitri
Bartholomeos and Turkish Armenian Patriarch Minas Mesrob Mutafyan II as
well as to representatives of other non-Muslim communities in Turkey. In
his messages, in addition to hailing the Christmas and New Year season,
Yilmaz stressed that the world needed peace now more than ever. /Turkiye/
[10] PPK AND DHKP-C NOT INCLUDED IN EU TERRORIST LIST
The European Union has completed its new list of terrorist organizations,
which is due to be published in the EU's official gazette today. The list
reportedly includes 12 organizations and identifies 30 people as
terrorists. Despite Turkey's intensive lobbying efforts, terrorist
organizations such as the PKK and the DHKP-C have not been included in the
new list, and a result, which has caused Turkey considerable
disappointment. /Milliyet/
[11] PILGRIMAGE HIGHWAY TRAVEL BAN UP FOR EXTENSION
Recent high tensions in the Middle East are having an impact on those who
wish to drive via highway to Mecca to make their pilgrimage. The Prime
Ministry yesterday requested that the Religious Affairs Directorate
continue a ban on pilgrims taking highways out of Turkey to get to Mecca.
Such highway travel has been banned since the Gulf crisis over a decade
ago. Reportedly, the Inter-ministries Pilgrimage Commission, which convened
after the request was made, welcomed the opinion that "citizens who wish to
make pilgrimages via the highways should, in the interest of preserving
their lives, be directed to travel by air instead." A final decision
concerning the matter is due to be announced in mid-January. /Aksam/
[12] ERDOGAN TO ATTEND ECONOMIC FORUM IN US
Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been
invited to the World Economic Forum to be held on Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2002 in
New York. During the meeting, topics up for discussion include
international restructuring, world security, the fight against terrorism,
the worldwide economic recession and ways to address it. /Turkiye/
[13] ALCATEL TELETAS WINS AYCELL BID
Alcatel Teletas has won a bid to expand Aycell Communication and Marketing
Services' GSM 1800 network infrastructure, Alcatel announced yesterday. The
company said that negotiations with Aycell had been concluded earlier this
week with both parties signing a contract worth 161 million euros.
Reportedly, Aycell has the option of increasing the monetary value of the
three-year contract by 100%. /Milliyet/
[14] EGS BANK MERGED UNDER BAYINDIRBANK
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Board (BDDK) announced yesterday
that the Aegean Clothes Industrialists' Bank (EGS), the sale of which was
initiated on Nov. 27 but which had remained unsold, would be transferred to
Bayindirbank. A BDDK statement said that all the authorities of EGS Bank
would step down as of Jan. 18, 2002. "All the deposits in the merged
Bayindirbank will be fully safeguarded by the Saving Deposits Insurance
Fund, as before," the statement read. Therefore depositors have no cause
for worry about their bank assets. /Milliyet/
[15] FERZAN OZPETEK, GETS BEST DIRECTOR NOD
Turkish movie director Ferzan Ozpetek received the Best Director Award at
the Capri-Hollywood-W Film Festival. Many American movies were screened at
the festival organized by the Capri Institute. Ozpetek received the award
for his highly acclaimed Italian movie "La Fate Ignoranti" (The Ignorant
Fairies). /Cumhuriyet/
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[17] APPOINTMENT FOR FEBRUARY 12 BY ERTUGRUL OZKOK (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ertugrul Ozkok comments on an invitiation sent by Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem to the foreign ministers of over 60 countries. A
summary of his column is as follows:
"Foreign Minister Ismail Cem sent a letter of invitation to the foreign
ministers of over 60 countries for a meeting planned to be convened at the
Istanbul's Ciragan Palace on Feb. 12. This meeting will be broadcast live.
Foreign ministers from Islamic countries and EU member states will attend
this meeting. This invitation aims to bring together the Islamic and
Western worlds in a political platform in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Cem's letter says, 'In addition to the causing untold grief, the Sept.11
tragedy has demonstrated how vulnerable the understanding between different
cultures and mentalities is, and how easily the prejudices lying in the
back of people's minds can be brought to the surface. This tragedy has also
shown the importance of comprehending the point of view of the other side.'
The conference will be the first of its kind. The idea for such a meeting
was brought up at an EU candidate countries' meeting. As it was received
favorably, the same plan was brought to the recent Islamic conference in
Doha. The great support given for the meeting led to the most comprehensive
'Christian-Muslim' platform to be held post-Sept. 11. A number of prominent
thinkers and writers have also been invited to this meeting. Among them are
Samuel Huntington, who argued a thesis about the 'Clash of Civilization,'
Amin Maalouf who has analyzed the Islamic mentality, and famous historian
Bernard Lewis who is well versed in Middle Eastern history. If this meeting
is successful, the world will surely benefit from it."
[18] THE IRAQI PROBLEM BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on the Iraqi problem. A summary of his
column is as follows:
" Chief of General Staff General Kivrikoglu stated this week the dangers of
an Iraqi operation for the US, and added that the Arab states and others
would oppose it, and that it would have negative results for Turkey. All
these facts emphasized by Gen. Kivrikoglu are valid and may lead to some
changes in Washington's plans. However, the US will not waver from its
original intention of overthrowing Saddam Hussein. In such a case, if
Turkey remains neutral and doesn't enter the war, it will be ignored, and
after the war will not be regarded as an ally. It will not have any say on
a newly formed Iraqi state. America is aiming to establish a friendly
administration in Iraq after ending Saddam's regime. But democracy won't be
coming to the country; Iraqis won't be able to pass into democratic rule
for at least 50 years. However, Saddam is a resolute enemy of the US. He is
the arch-rival of the Gulf monarchies and doesn't care a hoot about Turkey.
Although he had no ties to the Sept. 11 attacks he didn't denounce them
either. He is producing biological and chemical weapons. He is threatening
Iraq's neighbors by saying he isn't afraid to use them. He should openly
declare that he won't use such weapons, and readmit UN inspectors. In that
case, Washington would have to abandon its plan to attack Iraq as no one
would support it. However, dictators are a different breed of people, a
breed which puts their own egos before the interests of their people. A war
in Iraq may not be as easy as the one in Afghanistan, as the country is a
part of the Arab world and has a regular army. In the end it may have to
surrender, but not without greatly damaging everyone involved."
The next issue of Turkish Press Review will appear on Wednesday, January 2,
2002. Happy New Year.
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