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Turkish Press Review, 02-02-01
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
01.02.2002
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT RATIFIES BANKING LAW
[02] ECEVIT: "PEACEFUL DIVERSITY IN THE BALKANS MUST
BE PROTECTED"
[03] COALITION PARTNERS AT LOGGERHEADS OVER HARMONIZATION
LAWS
[04] YILMAZ: "COMPROMISE ON ARTICLE 312 IS
POSSIBLE"
[05] DENKTAS, CLERIDES DISCUSS PROPOSALS FOR NEW CYPRIOT
REPUBLIC
[06] PKK BANNED IN AUSTRALIA
[07] REPORT: "BELGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MET WITH PKK
MILITANTS"
[08] TRT OPENS NEW STUDIO IN ISTANBUL
[09] MERAL COULD GO INTO POLITICS WITH NEW PARTY
[10] MGK: "IMPROVED TRADE RELATIONS HELP FOREIGN
POLICY"
[11] ENVIRONMENT MINISTER PUSHES ITALY TO TAKE BACK WASTE
BARRELS
[12] CAPA AND CERRAHPASA HOSPITALS TO BE MODERNIZED
[13] WORLD BANK TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL LOAN
[14] LEBANESE ECONOMIC DELEGATION VISITS TURKEY
[15] IMF TO HOLD MEETING ON TURKEY
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[17] TURKEY IN BETWEEN EAST AND WEST BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)
[18] FRIGHTENING SPRING BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
[19] ERDOGAN'S MESSAGES IN WASHINGTON HASAN MESUT HAZAR (TURKIYE)
[01] PRESIDENT RATIFIES BANKING LAW
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday ratified the
banking law after having vetoed last month, but attached a series of
warnings and advisement, which he wants to be considered in the
implementation of the key legislation. The president suggested that
the government should work to recapitalize the banks using an approach
stressing transparency. /Sabah/
[02] ECEVIT: "PEACEFUL DIVERSITY IN THE BALKANS MUST
BE PROTECTED"
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday made
a speech at a conference held by the Bulgarian-Atlantic Club in Sofia.
Remarking that huge socioeconomic differences between rich and poor
might lead to new global crises, Ecevit expressed his wish for peace
and stability in the Balkans. "Positive developments such as
globalization and technological advances promise a better future for
the whole world," said Ecevit. "Today the winds of democracy
are sweeping across a number of countries which have been long
deprived of human rights and freedoms many years. However, humanity
still faces complex problems. As income remains unequally distributed
across the nations and as the gap in income between rich and poor
countries has recently widened, new threats to world peace are likely
to emerge in the future." Stating that most countries faced some
problems of ethnic violence, Ecevit said that the Balkans was one
region in particular which had been forced to stare down this specter
from the past. "However, today the situation is changing.
Multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-religious structure of the
Balkans must be protected at all costs." After completing his
meetings in Bulgaria, Ecevit returned to Turkey yesterday. Speaking to
the media at Esenboga Airport, Ecevit underlined how Turkey and
Bulgaria had managed to achieve a firm cooperation in the interests of
the long-term peace and stability in the Balkans. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] COALITION PARTNERS AT LOGGERHEADS OVER HARMONIZATION
LAWS
Yesterday, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader
and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said that the MHP would not
allow any changes to controversial new amendments to Articles 312 and
159 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Speaking at his party's
parliamentary group meeting, Bahceli criticized the stance of another
government coalition partner the Motherland Party (ANAP), on Article
312. Although Turkey has recently seen several positive developments
towards democracy, Bahceli said, certain circles have gotten fixated
on these amendments. Claiming that all countries had similar articles
in their penal codes, Bahceli stated that the MHP's aim was not to
limit freedom but rather to discourage hatred and provocation among
the public. "No one should try to benefit from Turkey's goal of
gaining EU membership for his or her own interests," he added.
/All Papers/
[04] YILMAZ: "COMPROMISE ON ARTICLE 312 IS
POSSIBLE"
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that the proposed EU
harmonization laws should be revised and that a compromise between the
government coalition partners could be reached on the matter. Talking
to the reporters following an Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ASO)
meeting, Yilmaz said that he wanted to avoid overheated rhetoric on
the issue adding, however, he said, "EU membership is the most
important goal both for Turkey and the present government."
Stressing that final text of the amendments to Article 312 didn't
fulfill the requirements needed for that target, he declared that
instead of arguments, Turkey needs to look at the situation in light
of its EU goal. /Turkiye/
[05] DENKTAS, CLERIDES DISCUSS PROPOSALS FOR NEW CYPRIOT
REPUBLIC
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides
yesterday met again in Lefkosha as part of the direct talks process
begun last month to find a settlement for the island. The two leaders
reportedly discussed the structure of a proposed joint republic and
its functions. /Turkiye/
[06] PKK BANNED IN AUSTRALIA
The Australian government yesterday took measures
to ban the activities of the terrorist PKK and other similar
organizations, which target Turkey. The government also moved to
freeze the assets of the PKK and its supporters. A full list of banned
terrorist organizations was published in the Australian Official
Gazette yesterday. Australian officials stated that the government was
taking action against international terrorism, in line with UN
resolutions, which urge its member countries to cut off the financial
resources of terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] REPORT: "BELGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MET WITH PKK
MILITANTS"
Three Belgian parliamentarians reportedly traveled
to northern Iraq on Jan. 6-10 to meet with terrorist PKK leader
Abdullah Ocalan's brother, Osman Ocalan. Belgium has been in the news
as the country which played the most active role when the EU was
preparing a list of terrorist organizations failed to include the DHKP-C
and PKK, two groups which threaten Turkey. Meanwhile, allegations have
surfaced that Fehriye Erdal, an accused assassin of Ozdemir Sabanci
whom Belgium has refused to extradite, has disappeared. /Hurriyet/
[08] TRT OPENS NEW STUDIO IN ISTANBUL
On the occasion of its 34th anniversary of serving
the Turkish public, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT)
yesterday officially opened its new studio in Tepebasi district in
Istanbul. Speaking at the opening ceremony, TRT Director General Yucel
Yener emphasized that TRT would continue to improve itself without
changing its responsible and systematic approach to broadcasting. He
added, "Thanks to our diligent TRT workers, our new Tepebasi
studio was outfitted with the latest high-tech equipment in record
time. It is a perfect place." At the ceremony's conclusion, a
chorus of 250 singers gave a two-hour performance. Yilmaz and State
Minister Karakoyunlu were among those who enjoyed the concert. /Aksam/
[09] MERAL COULD GO INTO POLITICS WITH NEW PARTY
Turkish Confederation of Labor Unions (Turk-Is)
Chairman Bayram Meral said yesterday that nothing could be gained for
Turkey merely by complaining about politics and politicians, then
signaled his intent to enter the political arena. Speaking to
reporters after a press conference to promote the New Consumer Law,
Meral said, "Recently our country has been preoccupied with
complaining about politicians. However, time for complaints is now
over. I intend to go into politics under the roof of a party to carry
out vital work to solve our country's pressing problems. As to whether
he would work under the wing of an existing party or form a new one,
Meral said that he was currently looking into the latter. /Turkiye/
[10] MGK: "IMPROVED TRADE RELATIONS HELP FOREIGN
POLICY"
During this week's National Security Council (MGK)
meeting, it was resolved that this year Turkey would strive to expand
and improve its foreign trade. Turkey's targets and expectations for
foreign trade were set out in an MGK declaration. According to the
statement, Ankara will place more importance on its bordering
neighbors in terms of foreign trade. In addition, one of Turkey's
prime targets will be to emphasize industrial goods and act in
accordance with the principle of "trade develops foreign
policy." State Minister for Foreign Trade Tunca Toskay, who
attended the MGK meeting, stressed that Turkey is the least active
country in its region in terms of local trade. Toskay said, "One
of our targets this year is to increase Turkey's trade with its
neighbors, because better economic relations will help our foreign
policy as well. Another of our targets is to place more importance on
trading industrial goods. During the meeting, we discussed possible
ways to increase sales of industrial goods." /Hurriyet/
[11] ENVIRONMENT MINISTER PUSHES ITALY TO TAKE BACK WASTE
BARRELS
Spurred on by protests by environmental group
Greenpeace over "poisonous barrels" dumped by Italy in the
Black Sea, Turkish Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin has taken action
to resolve the situation. Aytekin stated yesterday that he would send
a letter to the Italian Environment Ministry and the BASEL Convention
on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and
their Disposal Secretariat in order to get 400 poisonous barrels
currently near Samsun and Sinop in the Black Sea sent back to Italy.
Aytekin said, "I directed the bureaucrats that we must get rid of
these barrels. Under the BASEL Agreement, Italy is responsible for
taking necessary measures to stop the illegal export of waste
materials. The convention says that the barrels are defined as illegal
traffic. In addition, the export of illegal waste is forbidden under
Turkish law." Stating that it had been 13 years since Italy
abandoned the waste barrels in the Black Sea, Aytekin added, "I
will find financing so that the barrels can be disposed of in a better
way. However, we would like Italy to accept its fault and dispose of
the barrels because it is their humanitarian responsibility." /Aksam/
[12] CAPA AND CERRAHPASA HOSPITALS TO BE MODERNIZED
It was announced yesterday that Istanbul's Capa and
Cerrahpasa hospitals, which treat nearly 100,000 patients each day,
would be modernized with an investment of $100 million. Istanbul
University Rector Kemal Alemdaroglu said that the university had
received permission from the State Planning Organization (DPT) and
Finance Ministry for the modernization project. "These
skyscraper-type hospitals will be strengthened to be earthquake
resistant in a planned five-year project. Of course during this period
we will continue to provide service. In preparation for this
undertaking, we've held meetings with creditors and exchanged opinions
with officials from famous hospitals all over the world." /Sabah/
[13] WORLD BANK TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL LOAN
The World Bank's Executive Board will meet next
Tuesday to discuss granting a $1.3 billion loan to Turkey. If the loan
is approved, the funds are expected to be in Turkey by next weekend.
Meanwhile, additional financial resources of $1-1.5 billion to support
Turkey's banking sector are reportedly also on the WB's agenda. The
loan in question is expected to be transferred to Turkey in tranches
over three years beginning from June 2002. /Turkiye/
[14] LEBANESE ECONOMIC DELEGATION VISITS TURKEY
Association of Turkish Chambers and Stock Exchanges
(TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu, Association of Lebanese
Industrialists Chairman Jacques Sarraf and Lebanese Economic Forum
Chairman Wajih Bizri held a press conference yesterday on the meetings
that 25 businessmen from the Forum and the Association of Lebanese
Industrialists are currently holding in Istanbul through Feb. 4. They
emphasized that there was a great deal of opportunity for bilateral
cooperation in commerce, mutual investment and contracting services.
Hisarciklioglu said, "Turkey is key in terms of opening the doors
to Central Asia and Europe. We have high hopes for the project
proposing the transportation of Egyptian natural gas from Lebanon to
Europe and Turkey. Turkish contractors can have important duties in
building the infrastructure in Lebanon. We are determined to improve
our bilateral industrial and commercial relations." Bizri stated,
"The relations between Lebanon and Turkey are rooted and
historical. We are trying to strengthen these relations." /Hurriyet/
[15] IMF TO HOLD MEETING ON TURKEY
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Foreign Relations
Director Tom Dawson stated yesterday that Fund's Executive Board was
scheduled to hold a meeting on Feb. 4 where the first agenda item
would be recent developments in Turkey. Dawson reiterated that the IMF
placed a high premium on the nation's new Banking Law and other
reforms which the Turkish government is expected to make. /Hurriyet/
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[17] TURKEY IN BETWEEN EAST AND WEST BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Erol Manisali writes on Turkey's searche
for a new balance in foreign affairs. A summary of his column is as
follows: "The new demands of the West have inevitably led Turkey
to a search for a new balance in foreign affairs. While Turkey's
interests are coming in conflict with those of the West, they become
more in harmony with those of Asia. Both Russia and China strongly
opposed the US military presence in Asia. Both of them are against US
intervention in Iraq and defend the territorial integrity of that
country. European Union countries are putting obstacles in front of
Turkey's active participation in Afghanistan. In a way, they are
excluding Turkey. They don't want Turkey in Afghanistan despite the
fact that they accepted it as a candidate country and are supposed to
admit into the Union. Their desire to exclude Turks from the Aegean
and Cyprus is a matter of discussion today. The US is pursuing a
policy completely at odds with Turkey's strategic interests regarding
intervention in Iraq and northern Iraq. This has gone on for more than
ten years, since the beginning of the Gulf War. When we take a look at
the US and EU demands from Turkey regarding the region, we see that
they are in conflict with Turkish national interests. In fact,
disagreements go far beyond those conflicts. For example, theUS and
Britain would like to divide Iraq and form a puppet government in
northern Iraq. The puppet government is ready with all its
institutions, save a proclamation. The infrastructure of this state
was formed in detail following the Gulf War. Turkey, Syria and Iran
are opposed to the division of Iraq, as are Russia and China. Turkey's
interests are not in line with those of the West but with those of its
regional neighbours. On the other hand, Continental Europe would like
to draw the PKK into the legitimate political arena, and hold a
bridgehead in southeastern Turkey versus the northern Iraqi Kurdish
card played by the US and Britain. It is believed that Germany leads
the other countries on the issue as the potential boss of the EU. The
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) signed a framework agreement with Russia on
Jan. 12, 2002 regarding the PKK. Both the PKK and Chechen separatists
are recgnized as terrorists. However, the EU refuses to accept that
the PKK is a terrorist organization and would like it to enter the
political arena. This puts Turkey and Europe at loggerheads.
Furthermore, the EU would like to take Cyprus and with it the Aegean
into the organization so that it will not have to admit Turkey into
the Union as a full-member. The US seems to be more moderate on the
Cyprus issue and closer to Greece regarding the Aegean. On Armenia,
both the US and the EU are pressuring Turkey. There is the resolution
accepted by the EU Parliament, and also decisions by the local state
legislatures in America. Turkey and the West are on opposite sides on
this issue as well. All these problems show that the increasing
demands of the West over Turkey can only be balanced by good relations
with Asian and other countries in our region. The balances which began
to be altered towards the end of 1990 are leading Turkey to seek new
avenues in foreign affairs. Turkey has to balance the demands and
pressures coming from the West with its new policies pursued in Asia.
There is no other way out."
[18] FRIGHTENING SPRING BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Hikmet Bila writes on the improving
climate between Turkey and its Western neighbours. A summary of his
column is as follows: "Spring breezes are blowing in Turkey's
eastern borders even in the middle of winter. Reportedly, the ice
between Greece and Turkey began to melt just after the earthquake
disasters hitting both countries. But the key event was when the
stupid move of kidnapping Ocalan by Greece was uncovered, and then the
climate changed all at once. The conversations between Clerides and
Denktas in Cyprus are going well. They began to meet four times a
week. Both of them are all smiles. It has emerged that there has been
an ongoing dialogue over the Aegean between Turkey and Greece. The
foreign ministers of both countries, Ismail Cem and George Papandreou,
are on the verge of going open with their secret talks. We should not
be surprised if we soon hear announcements on an accord regarding the
Aegean. With Bulgaria our relations are improving so much that me may
sign an alliance agreement. Bulgaria is trying to enter NATO with the
support of Turkey. Both countries are exchanging military training
courses, sweeping the mines on the border. However, while spring has
come to the western borders, winter is still ruling on our eastern
borders. Rapprochement was the condition Europe put forth for Turkey.
It said Turkey had to solve its problems with Greece - both the Aegean
and Cyprus issues- and then ask for admittance. The process developed
far more rapidly than expected. Is it possible to explain this sudden
spring climate on our western borders with Turkey's promises to the
European Union? In his 'State of Union' address, President Bush
clearly specified his targets and said that North Korea, Iraq and Iran
formed an axis of evil. Two of these countries are Turkey's neighburs.
If Syria had weapons of mass destruction, it would have been among
them too. It still holds its place on the list of countries which
support terrorism and it is still our neighbour. All of a sudden, Bush
fingered Iran as another target. There is confusion on the eastern
borders. Will the improvement of relations with our western neighbours
allow us to turn our attention to our eastern borders?"
[19] ERDOGAN'S MESSAGES IN WASHINGTON HASAN MESUT HAZAR (TURKIYE)
Columnist Hasan Mesut Hazar comments on Justice and
Development Party (AKP) Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit
to the US. A summary of his column is as follows: "Both US
officials and the press closely followed Erdogan's meetings in
Washington. In the wake of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the US has
often stated that Turkey should be considered a model for Muslim world
since it demonstrated the compatibility of Islam, democracy and
secularism. During his meetings in Washington, Erdogan gave
intelligent answers to questions about Turkey's special status in the
Muslim world. The most important message Erdogan conveyed in the US
capital was that the relation between Islam and democracy must be
properly defined. He stressed the dangers inherent in radical Islam
and radical secularism. "It is not enough to condemn
terrorism," said Erdogan. "We have to form a common platform
to fight against it. Terror has no religion or race. We can't protect
world peace without cooperating with each other. That's why today
clarifying the relation between Islam and democracy is very
important." Stating that religious values were neither an
impediment nor a burden to democracy, Erdogan said that the AKP
adhered to the basic values set out in the Turkish Constitution. He
also emphasized that the globalization of democracy and human rights
was very important for the future of humanity. This is the gist of
Erdogan's messages in the US capital. I believe that the US will
continue to follow him very closely."
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