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Turkish Press Review, 02-05-22
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
22.05.2002
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER APPLIES TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT FOR CANCELLATION OF RTUK LAW
[02] COALITION LEADERS DECLARE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE
[03] YILMAZ: “TURKEY’S AIM IS TO INTEGRATE INTO THE EU”
[04] PEARSON PRAISES TURKEY FOR POST-SEPT. 11 SUPPORT
[05] KARAKOYUNLU DISCUSSES GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS WITH IMF’S KAHKONNEN
[06] TURK: “NO NEED FOR A CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER”
[07] US TERRORISM REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S SUPPORT, BUT FAULTS IT ON CHECHEN TERROR
[08] BUSINESS CIRCLES COME OUT AGAINST EARLY ELECTIONS
[09] TALAY OPENS FAIRY TALES AND PALACES EXHIBITION
[10] TURK TELECOM MAKING BID FOR BULGARIAN TELECOM
[11] PACACI TO JOIN MHP
[12] ISTANBUL HOSTING STOCK TRADERS’ CONFERENCE
[13] FIRST TURKISH-GREEK ALMANAC PUBLISHED
[14] BUS COMPANY INCREASES ITS PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN TURKEY
[15] FOURTH TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS IN ISTANBUL
[16] ISTANBUL TO HOST OMBUDSMAN CONFERENCE
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[18] CRISIS OVER PRIME MINISTER’S HEALTH BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
[19] WHAT ABOUT OTHER EU CANDIDATES? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] SEZER APPLIES TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT FOR CANCELLATION OF RTUK LAW
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday applied to the Constitutional Court
for cancellation of the Law on the Supreme Board of Radio and Television
(RTUK) which was recently sent back to him by the Parliament without any
changes. Stating that the new law would violate the Constitution, Sezer
predicted that the law would also facilitate certain media owners putting
pressure on political circles to win public bids. Sezer warned the
Parliament’s deputies that monopolistic media groups cozying up with
political circles constituted a threat to both Turkey’s democratic society
and its national security. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] COALITION LEADERS DECLARE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE
The coalition government leaders’ summit was held at Baskent University
Hospital yesterday. Present at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit were Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, Mesut Yilmaz and
Husamettin Ozkan. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his bureaucrats also
attended the meeting to brief the leaders about Turkish-EU relations and
other recent developments. A statement issued following the two-hour
meeting said, “The current government continues to rule the country with
harmony. The political parties in the coalition government are agreed that
there is no need for early elections.” /All Papers/
[03] YILMAZ: “TURKEY’S AIM IS TO INTEGRATE INTO THE EU”
Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that
Turkey’s aim was integration into the European Union. Addressing a ribbon-
cutting ceremony held at a MAN Turkiye factory in Ankara, whose production
was just raised from 4.5 units to 8.5, Yilmaz said the government had been
trying to make public institutions an encouraging factor rather than an
obstacle for investors. Pointing to the importance of Turkey’s EU
membership, Yilmaz remarked, “EU membership is a great opportunity for
Turkey to reach a dynamic future.” Stressing that with the Customs Union
Turkey had proved that it could easily integrate with the EU, Yilmaz said
that Turkey would show the same accomplishment both in the democratic and
social fields. Germany’s Ambassador to Turkey Rudolf Schmidt also delivered
a speech at the ceremony, saying that Turkey needed foreign investors to
adapt to world markets and to do so, the doors for foreign capital should
be opened. /Turkiye/
[04] PEARSON PRAISES TURKEY FOR POST-SEPT. 11 SUPPORT
Speaking in Izmir at a reopening ceremony for its US consulate there
yesterday, US Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson praised Turkey and said
that the United States appreciated the Turkish government for its firm
support after last September’s terrorist attacks. “We got a great deal of
support from the Turkish government,” he said. “Its level of support was
truly exemplary.” /Star/
[05] KARAKOYUNLU DISCUSSES GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS WITH IMF’S KAHKONNEN
State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu yesterday received an International
Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonnen. After
the meeting, Karakoyunlu told reporters that the two had discussed recent
positive developments in the Turkish economy, adding that talk of early
elections was “irresponsible” in the midst of this recovery process. /Star/
[06] TURK: “NO NEED FOR A CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER”
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said yesterday that discussions on
appointing a caretaker for Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, or an “acting
prime minister,” were pointless. Answering reporters’ questions after a
ceremony presenting Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) efficiency
certificate for goods produced at Ankara’s Ulucanlar Open Prison, Turk said,
“I met with Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Chairman Rahsan Ecevit and
she told me that the prime minister was continuing his work at the
hospital. Thus, these kind of speculations are meaningless.” /Turkiye/
[07] US TERRORISM REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S SUPPORT, BUT FAULTS IT ON CHECHEN
TERROR
The US State department’s annual report on international terrorism,
released this week, praised Turkey’s steadfast support for the war on
terror, especially post-September 11, but also chided it for alleged
softness shown towards Chechen terrorists. The report says that Chechen
terrorist groups use Turkey “as a staging ground for terrorist attacks,”
mentioning an Istanbul hostage-taking and a hijacking incident last year.
The report alleges that Turkey’s court system has been “relatively lenient”
with these terrorists, saying they were charged not under the country’s
stringent antiterrorism laws but rather for less serious offenses. Also
covered in the report are the terrorist groups the PKK and DHKP-C, which
have been recognized as terrorists by the US for some years. Since the
report covers 2001, it doesn’t address the PKK’s recent name switch to
KADEK. /Hurriyet/
[08] BUSINESS CIRCLES COME OUT AGAINST EARLY ELECTIONS
Business circles yesterday weighed in on recent discussions about possible
early elections, a subject which gained prominence in light of Prime
Minister Bulent Ecevit’s prolonged convalescence period. Speaking to the
press at the Fourth Technology Congress in Istanbul, Turkish
Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay
Ozilhan and Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB)
Chairman Risat Hisarciklioglu stated that early elections carried no
possible benefit and would in fact plunge the country into political
instability. Sayng that the coming months were of great importance for the
future of Turkey’s economy, Ozilhan said, “It is now high time to discuss
amendments to the laws on elections and political parties, rather than
expending our energies on early election talks.” For his part,
Hisarciklioglu stressed the priority of economic issues over political
discussions, calling on political circles to keep the current delicate
balance of the Turkish economy first and foremost on their minds.
/Cumhuriyet/
[09] TALAY OPENS FAIRY TALES AND PALACES EXHIBITION
Culture Minister Istemihan Talay opened a “Fairy Tales and Palaces”
exhibition at Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace yesterday. Speaking at the opening
ceremony, Talay said that children should learn about art and culture so
that they can appreciate these treasures for a lifetime. Stating that the
Culture Ministry decided last year that teachers and children would be able
to visit museums for free, Talay added that his aim was to provide teachers
and children with the opportunity to see these beauties for themselves and
expand their intellectual horizons. /Sabah/
[10] TURK TELECOM MAKING BID FOR BULGARIAN TELECOM
State landline monopoly Turk Telekom is continuing its work to restructure
and determine its privatization strategy, as well looking at expanding to
markets abroad. Along the latter lines, it is submitting a proposal to
Bulgarian Telecom, a state concern that is due to be 65% privatized through
an upcoming block sale. Other bidders for the company include Turkey’s Koc
Holding and the Sabanci Group. News channel CNBC-e reported yesterday that
the deadline for submitting proposals for Bulgaria Telecom had been
extended until June 10. Initial contacts concerning the bid for Bulgarian
Telecom began with a visit to Bulgaria of Transportation Minister Oktay
Vural along with officials from Turk Telekom. The company has some 3
million subscribers. /Sabah/
[11] PACACI TO JOIN MHP
True Path Party (DYP) Ankara Deputy Cihan Pacaci is set to switch his party
affiliation to the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) during latter’s group
meeting today. Including Pacaci, the number of deputies in Parliament will
increase to 127. /Milliyet/
[12] ISTANBUL HOSTING STOCK TRADERS’ CONFERENCE
Istanbul is hosting this week the annual conference of the International
Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) at Lutfi Kirdar Congress and
Exhibition Hall. Sessions of the conference open to members of the press
begin today. Dogan Cansizlar, chairman of hosting organization the Capital
Markets Board (SPK), is due to speak at the conference today, as is State
Minister Kemal Dervis, Finance Minister Sumer Oral and State Minister Recep
Onal. /Milliyet/
[13] FIRST TURKISH-GREEK ALMANAC PUBLISHED
The Istanbul correspondent for Greek daily Eleftherotypia, Aris Abacis, has
produced a publishing first with the recent release of a Turkish-Greek
almanac. The 2001 almanac runs 163 pages and gives detailed information on
Turkish-Greek relations. The almanac’s cover bears a photo of Turkish
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George Papandroeu.
The new almanac was promoted by Greek former diplomat Vyron Theodorides in
Athens yesterday. /Sabah/
[14] BUS COMPANY INCREASES ITS PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN TURKEY
German company MAN Turkiye yesterday cut the ribbon on revamped facilities
in Ankara that nearly double its bus and truck production capacity in
Turkey. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the improved facility,
MAN AG Board of Directors Chairman Hakan Samuelsson stated that Turkey was
one of the most important markets for MAN Turkiye’s German parent company.
In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also spoke at the ceremony,
stressing the importance of the private sector’s major role in the
revitalization of Turkey’s markets and advancement of its economy.
/Cumhuriyet/
[15] FOURTH TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS IN ISTANBUL
The fourth Technology Congress organized jointly by the Turkish
Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association (TUSIAD), the Turkish
Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK) and The Turkish
Foundation for the Advancement of Technology (TTGV) was held yesterday in
Istanbul. This year, the main theme of the congress was “Innovation,
Research and Development for Cultural Competition.” Scientists, businessmen
and scholars stressed at the congress that Turkey must immediately develop
new strategies to develop its technological infrastructure and to boost its
competitiveness on international markets. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] ISTANBUL TO HOST OMBUDSMAN CONFERENCE
The World News Ombudsman organization has decided to hold its conference in
Istanbul next April, the group announced yesterday. Ombudsmans from 17
countries are expected to attend the conference. /Milliyet/
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[18] CRISIS OVER PRIME MINISTER’S HEALTH BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on the adverse effects of the illness of the
prime minister. A summary of his column is as follows:
“The prime minister’s illness carries a great danger, namely the settling
in of a lassitude in our EU admittance bid. Time is of the essence. Deputy
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who is responsible for the issue, should not
let his interparty problems stand in the way of his fulfilling his duties.
If Turkey is accused of not doing its homework to catch up with modern
Europe at the Copenhagen summit at the end of the year, there will be a far
greater chaos in domestic politics. Falling ill is most natural and it can
happen to anyone. It is not proper to criticize a prime minister simply
because he falls ill. However, national interests take priority above all.
The prime minister and his wife should not be the focus of attention. The
claims that Mrs. Ecevit is the one who really holds the reins in her hands
is absurd. It cannot be accepted. A new government will be formed if the
prime minister resigns. It may take weeks to form a government. If the
prime minister appoints a caretaker (and it could be none other than
Bahceli), only some time will be gained. In fact, as it is a coalition
government, it is difficult even to appoint an acting prime minister. The
calm of both Mr. Bahceli and Mr. Ecevit should be appreciated, as even a
small negative action will upset the balances. Certainly, solutions are
limitless in democracies. We shall overcome this political crisis as well.
It seems that Ecevit era is coming to an end, and everyone should base his
or her own calculations by taking this into consideration. We must be
against every stance which will hurt our fragile democracy.”
[19] WHAT ABOUT OTHER EU CANDIDATES? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the experiences of the other candidate
countries for EU membership. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Some nine years ago, when the Czechs and Slovaks decided to part their
ways, a cartoon appeared in one of the Prague newspapers. The cartoon
showed the representative of the Czechs telling his Slovak counterpart not
to worry as they would come together again within the EU. In fact both
these countries are on their way to becoming EU members. The message of the
cartoon was clear: The two nations had decided to go their own ways as two
separate states but had adopted the EU vision even at that time and
believed their future lay in integration with Europe. At an international
conference in Slovenia, it was impossible for us not to compare Turkey with
them while listening to those whose candidacies were regarded as certain.
The views and experiences they related showed that these countries
understood it was a long, hard road and had prepared themselves
accordingly. They enthusiastically started their journey with a European
vision and were prepared to make sacrifices for the cause. They made the
reforms required as quickly as possible on a timetable they set for
themselves. And now, the countries which have completed all the
requirements have gone to the front of the queue in the EU’s enlargement
process. Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland are among these
countries. During the conference, it was noted that these countries were in
harmony with the economic and political criteria of the EU due to their
long, hard preparations. For example, Slovenia has completed 27 chapters up
to now and is trying to complete its preparations in three more fields,
agriculture, local administration and finances. The Copenhagen criteria
were fulfilled at the beginning of its accession negotiations. The analysis
of the representatives of these countries were interesting. In brief, they
said that EU membership would facilitate their countries’ political and
economic integration with Europe. This in turn will lead to democracy
taking root and the development of the economy. Furthermore, being within
the EU fold will result in their leaving old frictions behind. Another
interesting element is that Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and even Montenegro
are all seeing the EU as a solution to their problems. They believe that
old ethnic frictions and animosities will evaporate within the EU. Turkey
is following the same path. Therefore, it will be beneficial to analyze the
experiences of other candidates which have traveled a great distance along
this road already.”
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