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Turkish Press Review, 02-01-04
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
04.01.2002
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT: "ANY OPERATION IN IRAQ WOULD AFFECT TURKEY"
[02] TURKEY TO SENT 350, THEN 1,000 SOLDIERS TO AFGHANISTAN
[03] DENKTAS AND CLERIDES MAY MEET AGAIN BEFORE NEGOTIATIONS
[04] US SENATORS VISIT ANKARA
[05] JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER TANAKA VISITING TURKEY
[06] US DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES DISCUSS TURKEY'S STANCE ON IRAQ OPERATION
[07] BAHCELI: "ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL INCREASE IN 2002"
[08] 2001 INFLATION ANNOUNCED AS 88.6%
[09] DEPUTY SPECIALISTS BEGIN THEIR DUTIES AT TREASURY UNDERSECRETARIAT
[10] TOBACCO BILL PASSES
[11] TELECOM SUMMIT SLATED FOR ISTANBUL
[12] RISING GAS PRICES CREATE CONTROVERSY
[13] NEW HEART SURGERY BUILDING OPENS
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] WHEN IT HITS HOME BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
[16] STATUS QUO - NOT GOOD BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] ECEVIT: "ANY OPERATION IN IRAQ WOULD AFFECT TURKEY"
Speaking to news channel CNN Turk yesterday, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
said that Turkey was opposed to any military intervention against Iraq and
that it also stood against taking part in any such operation. "Any
operation in Iraq would affect Turkey," Ecevit added. Ecevit also remarked
that he was not pro-Saddam Hussein and stressed that he had frequently
warned the Iraqi president about his mistakes. /Milliyet/
[02] TURKEY TO SENT 350, THEN 1,000 SOLDIERS TO AFGHANISTAN
Turkey will reportedly send 350 soldiers to the International Security
Assistance Force
(ISAF) in Afghanistan. But after Turkey takes command of the ISAF in March
this number would be increased to 1,000. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail
Cem met yesterday with Deputy Chief of the General Staff Gen. Yasar
Buyukanit and General Staff planning and principles division head Gen.
Resat Turgut to discuss the Afghanistan issue and the number of soldiers
Turkey would send.
/Hürriyet/
[03] DENKTAS AND CLERIDES MAY MEET AGAIN BEFORE NEGOTIATIONS
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek
Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides may meet again before the negotiation
process on the divided island begins officially on Jan. 16, Denktas said
yesterday. The TRNC President stated that the two might meet before mid-
month to discuss the issue of "missing people," or people lost track of in
1974 and previous years.
/Hürriyet/
[04] US SENATORS VISIT ANKARA
Nine prominent US senators are set to visit Turkey today. Turkish Foreign
Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz stated yesterday that a delegation of
nine US congressmen chaired by Senator Joseph Lieberman was scheduled to
meet with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem
today in Ankara. The senators are expected to discuss the issue of the
fight against terrorism as well as recent developments in Afghanistan.
After leaving the capital, the delegation is to travel to Istanbul.
/Cumhuriyet/
[05] JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER TANAKA VISITING TURKEY
Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka arrived in Istanbul yesterday for
several days of meetings with Turkish officials. Among the issues to be
discussed during her visit are the restructuring of Afghanistan's social
and political fabric and recent developments in the region as well as
Turkish-Japanese relations. She is set to meet with Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem in Ankara and to leave Turkey on
Jan. 6. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] US DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES DISCUSS TURKEY'S STANCE ON IRAQ OPERATION
Disappointed by numerous statements in recent weeks from Turkish officials
voicing their opposition to US intervention in Iraq, the Bush
administration has conveyed its discontent to Turkey via diplomatic
circles. The administration had previously stated that Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit should not attempt to act as a mediator between the US and
Iraq. For his part, Ecevit has remarked that he hoped the issue of Iraq
would not be spotlighted during his US visit. American diplomatic sources
are continuing to discuss the issue through the mass media. Graham Fuller,
former vice chairman of national intelligence at the CIA, remarked that
Iraqi leader Saddam should be removed from power. But, he continued, "I
think right now it would be very difficult and undesirable to move against
Saddam Hussein directly. Many preparations, diplomatic and political, have
to take place long before any action is taken against him. The preparations
include rallying the support of Iraq's neighboring countries, especially
Turkey, but also Iran and Saudi Arabia." Remarking that Turkey is afraid
that toppling Saddam's regime would endanger its own territorial integrity,
Fuller said, "Turkey for example, has always opposed efforts to overthrow
Saddam because they are afraid that Iraq might break up. This would lead to
instability in Iraq and to the creation of a Kurdish independent state,
perhaps in the north." Additionally, Professor Edmond Ghareeb, an expert in
Kurdish studies at the American University in Washington, said, "I think
that Turkish support is very important. Actually, it is going to be very
difficult for the United States to move into the area without it. If it
wants to bring down the regime, it is going to be impossible without the
support of Iraq's neighbors." /Cumhuriyet/
[07] BAHCELI: "ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL INCREASE IN 2002"
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet
Bahceli said yesterday that Turkey would start recovering from its economic
crisis in 2002 and that economic growth would speed up by the second half
of the year. Addressing MHP deputies at their parliamentary group meeting,
Bahceli also criticized the EU's recent terrorist list for excluding the
separatist Kurdistan's Workers' Party (PKK) and other anti-Turkish groups
such as the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) and the
Turkish Hizbullah. Bahceli remarked that it would be difficult to be
satisfied with the EU's progress in clarifying its stance against
terrorism. /Turkiye/
[08] 2001 INFLATION ANNOUNCED AS 88.6%
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) released yesterday inflation
figures for the year 2001. The year-on-year inflation rate for the
wholesale price index (WPI) was 88.6% and 68.5% for the consumer price
index (CPI). The month-on-month WPI for last December was announced as 4.1
% and 3.2 % for the CPI. /Turkiye/
[09] DEPUTY SPECIALISTS BEGIN THEIR DUTIES AT TREASURY UNDERSECRETARIAT
Twenty-five people, who successfully passed exams to be deputy specialists
at the Treasury Undersecretariat, officially took up their duties yesterday
during a ceremony attended by State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis
and Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak. Dervis spoke during the ceremony
held at the Treasury Undersecretariat to celebrate the beginning of the
deputy specialists' posting, pointing out that newly trained state
officials should have high qualifications and emphasizing the importance of
coordination between institutions. /Aksam/
[10] TOBACCO BILL PASSES
The controversial Tobacco Bill which had been sent back to Parliament by
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer for reconsideration was approved in
Parliament's yesterday plenary session without any amendment. The bill
enables competition in the tobacco market and includes new arrangements for
the privatization of TEKEL, the state alcohol and tobacco monopoly.
Following the bill's re-approval in Parliament, the president is obliged to
sign it into law. However, he still has the right to appeal to the
Constitutional Court for nullification of the law. /Turkiye/
[11] TELECOM SUMMIT SLATED FOR ISTANBUL
Developments in the telecommunications sector will be discussed at the
upcoming World Telecommunications Development Conference 2002 (WTDC-02).
Reportedly, this conference, the first of which was held in Buenos Aires,
Argentina in 1994 and the second in Valetta, Malta in 1998, will be held
for the third time in Istanbul's Lutfi Kirdar Congress and Exhibition Hall
on March 18-27. The gathering will be sponsored by Vakifbank, Siemens,
Ericsson, Tekofaks and Corning. /Aksam/
[12] RISING GAS PRICES CREATE CONTROVERSY
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan said at a press conference
in Ankara yesterday that natural gas was too expensive in Turkey and
accused the municipalities of earning excess profits on the gas. He said,
"The expensive gas problem is rooted in the municipalities, not state
pipeline company BOTAS." Cakan said that Turkey buys gas from five separate
countries at low prices and tries not to be dependent on any one source. He
added that he would meet with the mayors of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmit,
Eskisehir and Bursa in an effect to reduce gas prices. He said that the
government would take additional measures to reduce the prices, if no
result came about from the mayoral meeting. /All Papers-Turkish News/
[13] NEW HEART SURGERY BUILDING OPENS
A new 22-floor building for the Dr. Siyami Ersek Cardiovascular Surgery
Center was officially opened yesterday during a ceremony attended by Health
Minister Osman Durmus yesterday. Durmus said the newly opened building made
the center the biggest branch hospital in Turkey, but added that the
building contractors had not fully met their obligations and so the
hospital was lacking certain equipment. He stated that the legal
proceedings had been initiated against the Belgian contractor and that the
Health Ministry would make up for the building's deficiencies. /Sabah/
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] WHEN IT HITS HOME BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
Columnist Oktay Eksi writes on the debates concerning terrorism throughout
the world. A summary Of his column is as follows:
"In 1997, I couldn't manage to convince an official in the United States
that a person could be defined as terrorist even though he, himself was not
involved in a terrorist activity. Today, all countries, including the US
are defending this view. Now, let alone being involved in a terrorist act,
even standing close to a terrorist is considered to be a crime. An
international agreement will come into force asking for an explanation from
any person exchanging greetings with a terrorist. The Convention on
Preventing Financing of Terrorism no longer considers the actions of
persons or entities financing terrorist groups as 'political crimes'. Under
the convention, money or properties collected by such groups can be frozen
and seized by countries which have suffered harm. The issue of combatting
terrorism has been debated on international platforms for over 30-40 years.
Many agreements have been made on the subject within the framework of the
United Nations. The European Union has passed many conventions and
countries have promised to join in the fight to combat terrorism through
bilateral or multilateral agreements. However, no action was taken until
the US lived through the Sept. 11 tragedy. No one changed his mind from
saying that 'one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter.' For example,
a hero for a Palestinian is a terrorist for an Israeli. The same applies to
all others. When the murder network ASALA was killing Turkish diplomats,
France protected the murderers until ASALA exploded a bomb at Orly Airport
which led to the deaths of Frenchmen. Germany, Austria, Italy and Sweden
were in competition as to who could better protect the PKK terrorists.
However, Germany was champion by a wide margin. What is more dangerous than
a terrorist is a country which protects terrorists. You cannot wage war
against a state protecting terrorists. It is reported that Prime Minister
Ecevit will effect passage of the International Convention in the
Parliament before going to the US later this month Ecevit is correct in
doing so, as Turkey has nothing to be ashamed of regarding these issues."
[16] STATUS QUO - NOT GOOD BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on protecting the status quo in Iraq. A
summary of his column is as follows:
"Turkey's view regarding Iraq as voiced by official circles is that any
operation directed against overthrowing Saddam Hussein will upset the
balances in the region. This may lead to the division of Iraq and the
establishment of a Kurdish state in the north. If there is to be a military
intervention, our attempted revival of trade with Iraq will come to a
standstill and our losses incurred during recent years will be deepened.
The current government policy in a way seems to protect the status quo in
Iraq. The officials view the status quo as a lesser of two evils even if it
isn't the ideal solution. In fact, how protecting the status quo in Iraq
falls in line with Turkey's interests must be evaluated through objective
criteria. It is known by everyone that today there is a de facto
administrative Kurdish entity in northern Iraq. If the Gulf War had not
taken place, this would not be the case. And if Saddam had not invaded
Kuwait, there would not have been a Gulf War. If Saddam had formed normal
relations with the international community and made peace with people from
different origins living in his country, this entity in the north would not
have formed. Today Baghdad has no sovereignty over this region. Even
though they may be divided amongst themselves, Iraqi Kurds have established
an autonomous administration in the region. This has moved the people of
the region farther from Iraq each and with every passing day. For example,
children in the north who start school today do not learn Arabic. To
protect his own seat in Baghdad, Saddam Hussein seems to ignore these
developments. At this stage, the status quo has not created a suitable
climate for the territorial integrity of Iraq or a national union. The
continuance of economic sanctions, which has lead to the suffering of the
Iraqi people and inflicted losses on countries like Turkey, stems from
Saddam Hussein's obstinacy.
If he had complied with the UN resolutions, these sanctions would have been
lifted long ago and he could have formed normal economic relations with
Iraq's neighbors and the rest of the world. The main reason why this
obstacle can't be overcome is the Iraqi government is refused to allow the
international control of its weapons of mass destruction weapons. The US
may use this as an excuse to strike Iraq, but if Saddam Hussein is clever
enough he won't let such an opportunity fall into his enemy's hands. In
short, the continuation of the status quo in Iraq cannot be regarded as
being in line with Turkey's economic and strategic interests. In fact,
Turkey must prefer a democratic Iraq which is at peace at peace with the
world. Possible ways to achieve this should be discussed."
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