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Turkish Press Review, 02-02-28
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
28.02.2002
CONTENTS
[01] MGK DISCUSSES TURKEY TAKING ISAF COMMAND
[02] GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT ECEVIT
[03] BILL ON TURKEY PRESENTED TO US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
[04] FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MUST BE ABOLISHED"
[05] TURK: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COULD BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT NEXT WEEK"
[06] NORTHERN CYPRUS ECONOMIC GROUPS ASK DENKTAS, CLERIDES TO COMPROMISE
[07] YILMAZ TRAVELS TO BRUSSELS
[08] DEVLET BAHCELI ANNOUNCES TRIPS ABROAD
[09] TURKISH-US ECONOMIC COMMISSION WRAPS UP FIRST MEETING
[10] GEORGE SOROS VISITING ISTANBUL
[11] ITALIAN BANK ACQUIRES STAKE IN ISTANBUL FIRM
[12] NAZIM HIKMET COMMEMORATED ON MT. AGRI
[13] NEW CAMPAIGN BEGINS TO PROMOTE TURKISH TOURISM
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU BY A. SAVAS AKAT (SABAH)
[16] DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSED BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
[01] MGK DISCUSSES TURKEY TAKING ISAF COMMAND
The National Security Board (MGK) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
met yesterday at the Presidential Palace. A statement released following
the regular monthly meeting, which lasted for five-and-a-half-hours, said
that recent domestic and foreign developments concerning Turkey's security
had been discussed. The MGK also decided to advise the government to extend
the State Emergency Rule (OHAL) in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakir,
Hakkari, Sirnak and Tunceli for four more months. Additionally, a proposal
for Turkey's command of the International Security and Assistance Force
(ISAF) in Afghanistan was evaluated with the board deciding to continue
examining the matter. /All Papers/
[02] GEORGIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT ECEVIT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday received a delegation from the
Georgian Parliament. Stressing that the security in the region was very
important for both countries, Georgian Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze
said that Turkey should play a more active role in the Caucasus region.
During the meeting, the Caucasus-Tbilisi railway and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline projects were taken up with a consensus that implementations
of the two would have positive effects on bilateral relations. Additionally,
problems between Georgia and Abkhazya were also discussed. /Turkiye/
[03] BILL ON TURKEY PRESENTED TO US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A bill was recently presented to the US House of Representatives proposing
measures to improve US economic relations with Turkey. The bill was
prepared by the members of a US delegation which visited Turkey earlier
this month, which included Democratic Party Representative Robert Wexler
and Republican Party Representatives Kay Granger and Edward Whitfeld. The
bill reiterated that the US should take such measures as a token of its
appreciation for Turkey's support in the war against terrorism. It
underlined that the Turkish economy could achieve recovery only by
attracting more foreign investments to the country, adding that the US
should improve its commercial relations with Turkey in this respect.
/Cumhuriyet/
[04] FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MUST BE ABOLISHED"
A delegation of French parliamentarians yesterday visited State Minister
for Human Rights Nejat Arseven. Following the one-hour-plus meeting, French
Parliament EU Commission member Pierre Brana said that the abolition of
capital punishment was a sine qua non for EU membership both for Turkey and
other candidate countries. He underlined that if the political criteria
were implemented soon and the death penalty lifted, Turkish-EU membership
negotiations might begin at the end of this year. Stressing that he would
prepare a report and present it to the French Parliament when he returned
to his country, Brana said, "The report will be positive in general.
However, uncertainty about the abolition of capital punishment may raise
question marks." /Turkiye/
[05] TURK: "CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COULD BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT NEXT WEEK"
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said yesterday that a bill dealing with
capital punishment in a manner in line with the Turkish Constitution could
be presented to Parliament next week. Turk added that Turkey's EU Accession
Partnership Document and its National Programme stipulated a suspension of
capital punishment and that its abolishing it was a medium target.
/Milliyet/
[06] NORTHERN CYPRUS ECONOMIC GROUPS ASK DENKTAS, CLERIDES TO COMPROMISE
A number of economic organizations in Northern Cyprus yesterday called on
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek
Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides to compromise on the problems of the
island. The organizations released a statement evaluating the pessimistic
atmosphere dominating both sides of the island in the period following the
first round of the recent Denktas-Clerides meetings as a "dangerous
development" for the future of the two nations. They also stressed that EU
membership was of great importance for Cyprus and that the opportunity to
join the Union should not be missed. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] YILMAZ TRAVELS TO BRUSSELS
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday traveled to Brussels to attend
the opening ceremony of a convention, which is considered a platform to
discuss the future of the EU. Yilmaz and an accompanying delegation
including Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen will represent Turkey at
the convention. Yilmaz is expected to attend a breakfast as the guest of
British Deputy Minister for European Affairs Peter Hain today. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] DEVLET BAHCELI ANNOUNCES TRIPS ABROAD
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli announced a series
of trips abroad that he will take through the end of this year. His first
such visits will be in March, to Kazakhstan, Austria, and China. He is also
expected to visit the United States near the end of year. /Star/
[09] TURKISH-US ECONOMIC COMMISSION WRAPS UP FIRST MEETING
The Turkish-US Joint Economic Commission, the foundation for which was laid
during Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to Washington last month,
yesterday completed its first meeting held at Ankara's State Guesthouse. At
a meeting, Turkey and the US reached a consensus that a Qualified
Industrial Zone (QIZ) would be established through amending an already-
existing US-Israeli QIZ agreement, and under which exports would be made to
the US tax-free. Reportedly Israeli companies will be eligible to
participate in the QIZ. The US also withdrew a request that the QIZ be
based on high-tech products. At a press conference held at the meeting's
end by Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and US Deputy
Secretary of State Alan Larson, it was announced that Turkey would
determine the locale for the QIZ, which would constitute a first step to
bring Turkish-US bilateral economic relations to the level of strategic
partnership, a status already reached in the political and security realms.
Focused, task-based sub commission meetings will be held in March in
Washington and the second official meeting of the full Joint Commission is
scheduled for this fall. Following the second meeting, issues such as the
QIZ and trade agreement are expected to be concluded. /Sabah, Milliyet/
[10] GEORGE SOROS VISITING ISTANBUL
International financier George Soros arrived in Istanbul yesterday. He is
set to attend a meeting of the Open Society Institute, a group he founded,
where the Caucasus and the Central Asian regions will be discussed. In
addition he scheduled to give speeches at Bilgi and Sabanci Universities.
/Star/
[11] ITALIAN BANK ACQUIRES STAKE IN ISTANBUL FIRM
One of Italy's largest investment banks, Meliorbanca, announced yesterday
that it had bought 7.12% of the HC Istanbul Investment Holding Company.
Speaking at a press conference in Milan, Meliorbanca Chairman Pier Domenico
Gallo said that the company had bought the minority stake since it believed
in the power of the Turkish market. Saying that Turkey had made significant
strides towards overcoming last year's economic crisis, Gallo added,
"Turkey's economy is getting well on the eve of its EU membership."
/Milliyet/
[12] NAZIM HIKMET COMMEMORATED ON MT. AGRI
Fifteen mountaineers from the Middle East Technical University (METU)
Search and Rescue, Mountaineering and Nature Sports Association (ORDOS)
recently completed an ascent of Mt. Agri in order to commemorate famous
Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet. The team started its climb in the village of
Gomuk on Feb. 15 and reached the summit five days later. The young
mountaineers left on the peak a portrait of the poet and a plaque bearing
one of his poems. /Hurriyet/
[13] NEW CAMPAIGN BEGINS TO PROMOTE TURKISH TOURISM
Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar announced yesterday in Istanbul that he was
kicking off a new campaign to promote Turkish tourism in foreign countries.
The Tourism Ministry plans to promote Turkey in over 50 countries, he said.
/Cumhuriyet/
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU BY A. SAVAS AKAT (SABAH)
Columnist A.Savas Akat writes on Turkey's goal of becoming a member of the
EU.
A summary of his column is as follows:
"It is a well-known fact that the Turkish economy is easily influenced by
political developments. It is still fresh in our memory that last
February's crisis was sparked off by politicians. The question on the minds
of the majority of the public is if the Ecevit government will be able to
continue. It is always difficult for coalition governments to carry on
without any hitches arising between the partners. Notwithstanding all
difficulties, this coalition government has been in power for three years.
Still there seem to be serious problems looming in the future. I believe
that the key to Turkey's long-term economic and political future passes
through full membership in the European Union. However, the lobby against
our EU membership is escalating its activities. My own views have not
changed since a column I wrote one a year ago, excerpts from which follow:
'It is known that those opposed Turkey's EU membership hold immense power.
This is not surprising as authoritarian regimes are built on the privileges
of its rulers. Democratization and transparency restrict arbitrary rule,
and compel those in power to account for their deeds. The freedom of the
rulers decreases as the freedom of the civil society increases when
arbitrary rule gives way to the rule of law. From the 1970s onwards, I have
strongly defended the argument that Turkey should integrate with Europe
unconditionally. If we had attained full membership in 1978, today our
national per capita income would not be languishing at a quarter of
Greece's and would have instead increased twofold or more. I believe that
the only meaningful future for a free, stable and prosperous Turkey lies in
full membership in the EU. If you don't want your children to live in
closed society perpetually at odds with the world, and in a poor
environment, you must begin to support full EU membership for Turkey.'"
[16] DEATH PENALTY DISCUSSED BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
Columnist Fikret Bila writes on the recent discussions over the abolition
of the death penalty. A summary of his column is as follows:
"In its meeting yesterday, the National Security Council (MGK) discussed
the abolition of capital punishment and the Ocalan issue. No final decision
was taken on the subjects. The civilan and military members of the Council
have repeated their well-known views regarding the issue and it has been
opened for discussion. Reportedly, Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
voiced his opinion that the death penalty should be abolished and that
Turkey had nothing to fear from this at the MGK meeting. Yilmaz noted that
Turkey was obliged to abolish this punishment during its EU accession
period and tried hard to persuade the members of the MGK. Yilmaz recalled
concerns regarding the ban on native language expression and pointed out
that no unpleasant incidents had occurred with the lifting of this ban. In
response to Yilmaz' views, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli repeated
his arguments against death penalty abolition, saying that it was
impossible for the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) to support such an
initiative. The military stated that the politicians and judiciary must
decide on the issue and that their own opinion should not be asked
regarding the subject. Education and broadcasting in Kurdish were also
taken up during the MGK meeting yesterday. It is known that Prime Minister
Ecevit, while opposing education in Kurdish, is in favor of allowing
broadcasts in that language. Yilmaz expressed views similar to that of the
prime minister, while Bahceli reiterated the concerns he had openly voiced
before. In consequence we can say that it is not realistic to expect Turkey,
which has confronted problems such as the PKK and Ocalan, to act quickly on
the subject. The issue has been opened to discussion in view of the
possible developments and Turkey's future in detail. It is clear that the
abolishing the death penalty is not confined to changing a legal rule
regarding the lives of one or two people. The issue is directly concerned
with Turkey's national security. Therefore, it must be discussed and
decided upon by taking Turkey's future into consideration within the rubric
national security. With this awareness, political parties must agree on an
meta-parties approach and must not exploit the issue for political
purposes."
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