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Turkish Press Review, 02-06-27
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
27.06.2002
CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY TO COMPETE FOR NO. 3 SPOT IN WORLD CUP
[02] SEZER, ALIYEV OPEN NEW AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY IN ANKARA
[03] ECEVIT TO RETURN TO WORK AFTER ONE-TWO WEEKS OF RECUPERATION
[04] TURKEY PROTESTS TERRORIST GETTING ACCESS TO YILMAZ IN BELGIUM
[05] DERVIS SPEAKS AT EIGHTH MONTREAL CONFERENCE
[06] CILLER: “ELECTIONS WON’T HARM THE ECONOMY”
[07] DYP GIVES PROPOSAL TO DSP, AKP AND SP FOR PARLIAMENT TO WORK THROUGH SUMMER
[08] CLERIDES LEAVES ONE-FOURTH OF CYPRUS TO TURKISH SIDE
[09] US SENATE QUESTIONS NEW AMBASSADOR TO GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION
[10] TOWNSHEND: “BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR”
[11] ISO: “TURKEY SHOULD CARRY ITS FOOTBALL SUCCESS TO OTHER AREAS”
[12] TASAR RAISES FUNDS TO PROMOTE TURKISH TOURISM
[13] NGOs LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO PUSH FOR EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERSHIP
[14] POLITICIANS MAKE PLANS FOR SUMMER
[15] PROTOCOL SIGNED FOR BOTAS’ OIL EXPORTS TO EASTERN EUROPE
[16] IKDP SCALES BACK DEMANDS
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[18] EU DISCUSSIONS BY TOKTAMIS ATES (CUMHURIYET)
[19] DEADLOCK BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (HURRIYET)
[01] TURKEY TO COMPETE FOR NO. 3 SPOT IN WORLD CUP
After a valiant effort, Turkey lost to four-time World Cup champion Brazil
in a heated game yesterday, by a score of 1-0. Playing in the World Cup for
the first time in nearly 50 years, the Turkish National Team advanced
further than any of its predecessors, and the nation rejoiced that the team
had played well even in defeat. But the games aren’t quite over: Turkey’s
team is set to face South Korea on Saturday to claim the World Cup’s number
three spot. /All Papers/
[02] SEZER, ALIYEV OPEN NEW AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY IN ANKARA
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his visiting Azerbaijani counterpart
Haydar Aliyev yesterday opened the new Azerbaijani Embassy building in
Ankara, constructed on a new area reserved for diplomatic buildings in the
Oran district. Speaking at the ceremony, Sezer said that the opening of the
new embassy would encourage other countries to build in this designated
area. Sezer also said that the two countries had cultural and historical
ties and added that he believes Turkish-Azerbaijani relations would
continue to develop positively. /All Papers/
[03] ECEVIT TO RETURN TO WORK AFTER ONE-TWO WEEKS OF RECUPERATION
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit underwent a comprehensive checkup at Baskent
University Hospital yesterday. While leaving the hospital, Ecevit told
reporters that he was completely recovered from his illnesses other than
damage to his vertebrae. Remarking that he was continuing to fulfill his
duties, Ecevit stated that following one or two more weeks of recuperation
he would be able to fully return to his work. The prime minister added that
Turkey’s economy was getting better and that his health situation was not
the only reason for instability in the economy. /All Papers/
[04] TURKEY PROTESTS TERRORIST GETTING ACCESS TO YILMAZ IN BELGIUM
The Turkish Foreign Ministry submitted a note of protest to the Belgium
government concerning an incident on Sunday in which a member of a
terrorist organization attempted to give a letter to Deputy Prime Minister
Mesut Yilmaz during a dinner hosted by the Union of Chambers and
Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) in Brussels. Turkey’s Ambassador to Belgium
Erkan Gezer said yesterday that after the ministry sent the note, security
measures had been strengthened. /Turkiye/
[05] DERVIS SPEAKS AT EIGHTH MONTREAL CONFERENCE
Stating that Turkey had implemented deep structural reforms after being hit
by an economic crisis last year, State Minister for the Economy Kemal
Dervis said yesterday that the implementation of these reforms, which were
too difficult to be made during periods of stability, were the crisis’
“silver lining.” Speaking at the meeting on “International Financial
Reforms” during the eighth Montreal Conference, Dervis argued that problems
in the country’s financial and banking sectors were major contributing
factors behind the economic crisis. Dervis added, “In trying to solve these
problems, we firstly worked to improve the situation of our public banks.”
/Sabah/
[06] CILLER: “ELECTIONS WON’T HARM THE ECONOMY”
Speaking to the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) yesterday, True Path Party
(DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said that holding early elections wouldn’t harm
the economy. “Fearing elections means fearing democracy,” she remarked,
adding, “The uncertainty caused by the government is harming the economy
very badly.” She also touched on the subject of the recent takeover of
Pamukbank by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), saying that
Pamukbank had more deposits covered by the TMSF than all the other banks
combined. /Aksam/
[07] DYP GIVES PROPOSAL TO DSP, AKP AND SP FOR PARLIAMENT TO WORK THROUGH
SUMMER
True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Group Chairmen Nevzat Ercan along with the
DYP’s Turhan Guven and Ali Riza Gonul yesterday gave a proposal to the
Democratic Left Party (DSP), Justice and Development Party (AKP) and
Felicity Party (SP) groups requesting that Parliament work this summer in
order to pass needed European Union accession legislation. Meeting with the
groups, Ercan said, “Parliament is the institution which should address
governmental issues.” The DYP delegation later visited the Motherland Party
(ANAP) group. ANAP Deputy Group Chairman Beyhan Aslan said that it would be
better to call Parliament to work when a consensus had been reached on
these laws. /Aksam/
[08] CLERIDES LEAVES ONE-FOURTH OF CYPRUS TO TURKISH SIDE
Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros daily reported yesterday that Greek
leader Clafcos Clerides had made a proposal to Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas on the territory issue, under which
one-fourth of the island, or 24%, would be left to the Turkish Cypriots.
Denktas said that he would give Clerides an answer after examining the
proposal. /Star/
[09] US SENATE QUESTIONS NEW AMBASSADOR TO GREEK CYPRIOT ADMINISTRATION
US President George W. Bush has appointed Michael Klosson as the new
ambassador to Greek Cypriot administration. Speaking to the US Senate
Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, Klosson said that finding a solution
to the Cyprus issue would increase Turkey’s chances of joining the European
Union. Klosson also said that there is a window of opportunity now to reach
a settlement in the direct talks between the two leaders, before the EU
makes its decision on enlargement at its Copenhagen summit in December. “It
is ultimately up to the two leaders, with the support of all in the
international community who care about the Cyprus issue, to reach an
agreement that will lead to a comprehensive settlement,” Klosson added.
Klosson stated that the United States had articulated many times over the
years that it believes that a Cyprus solution must be based on a bi-zonal,
bi-communal federation, and that it is possible to reach a settlement that
addresses the legitimate concerns of both sides and promotes regional
stability. /Star/
[10] TOWNSHEND: “BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN NEXT YEAR”
Michael Townshend, oil company BP Amoco’s project director for Baku-Tbilisi-
Ceyhan pipeline project, said yesterday that the physical construction of
the project would begin next March and that the pipeline would be fully
operational by 2005. Concerning the timetable for its construction,
Townshend said, “In the final quarter of this year, pipeline contractors
will be moved to the field. There will be personnel numbering nearly 10,
000. The pipeline will be able to transport 10 million barrels of oil.”
Stating that the cost of the project was less than $3 billion, Townshend
added that financing totaling $2 billion was necessary for its completion.
/Sabah/
[11] ISO: “TURKEY SHOULD CARRY ITS FOOTBALL SUCCESS TO OTHER AREAS”
The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) yesterday held its regular meeting
in the early afternoon, before its usual 3:00 p.m. time so there would be
no time conflict with watching Turkey’s semifinal World Cup against Brazil.
The members of the ISO Assembly Chairman commented that markets were being
affected by the World Cup matches. ISO Chairman of assembly Hüsamettin Kavi
said, “We hope that the national football team’s success will extend to
politics and the economy and that its successes will help us bring forth
the necessary change.” Board of Directors Chairman Tanil Kucuk also stated
that the team’s success had been an example for everyone in Turkey.
/Hurriyet/
[12] TASAR RAISES FUNDS TO PROMOTE TURKISH TOURISM
Speaking at a press conference at his office yesterday, Tourism Minister
Mustafa Tasar told reporters that he had started a campaign to raise funds
for promoting Turkish tourism abroad. “We will work to establish a new
strategy for Turkey’s promotion with tourism experts, universities and
tourism sector institutions,” he said. “We are laying the groundwork for
studying tourism market trends in 52 countries.” /Hurriyet/
[13] NGOs LAUNCH CAMPAIGN TO PUSH FOR EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERSHIP
A campaign calling itself “European Movement 2002” was recently launched by
a number of Turkey’s nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Economic
Development Foundation (IKV) Secretary-General Sebnem Karacak and a group
of IKV members yesterday began circulating the petition campaign among
chairmen of the nation’s chambers and commodities exchanges. The campaign
also includes 10 other NGOs. The letter calls on the Parliament to quicken
the pace of needed EU reforms, stressing that limited time was left for
Turkey to begin its EU negotiation accession process. The NGO
representatives remarked that a date for the beginning of Turkey’s
negotiation accession process must be determined by the end of this year.
/Cumhuriyet/
[14] POLITICIANS MAKE PLANS FOR SUMMER
Following Parliament’s recess for summer scheduled for July 1st, the pulse
of politics will not slow down as political parties will start to get ready
for possible elections, the date for which is not yet clear. Deputy Prime
Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli is set to
visit provinces throughout Turkey one-by-one every week through summer,
touting his parties’ views on many topics, especially a death penalty ban
and broadcasting and teaching in mother tongues. An opposition group within
the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the main partner of the coalition, will
try to convene an extraordinary party congress to select for a new leader.
Main opposition party the True Path Party (DYP) will focus on its internal
affairs as the party gets ready its general congress in November. Attending
regional party congresses in many provinces and towns throughout the
country, DYP leader Tansu Ciller will reiterate her calls for a new
government. Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz is also expected to
continue his initiatives on Turkey’s European Union membership bid and will
continue to spread the message that his party is a champion of EU
membership, while the MHP is standing in the way of it. /Turkiye/
[15] PROTOCOL SIGNED FOR BOTAS’ OIL EXPORTS TO EASTERN EUROPE
A protocol was signed yesterday concerning the BOTAS Petroleum Pipeline
Corporation’s natural gas exports to Bulgaria and Romania. Energy and
Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan said that Turkey was soon planning to
apply to the European Union to receive financial assistance for this
project. Cakan also added that public and private Turkish companies were
currently engaged in business activities such as exploration and production
in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] IKDP SCALES BACK DEMANDS
The Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (IKDP), which hopes to establish a
federation in northern Iraq after a possible US military intervention in
the country, yesterday announced that they were no longer demanding that
the cities of Kirkuk and Mosul be included in the territories of the
federation. The IKDP’s Ankara office yesterday issued a statement
underlining that the draft document prepared for the establishment of a
federation in the region had not yet been discussed with other Iraqi
Kurdish political groups and parties. “Contrary to recent media reports,
all Kurdish people, not just some minority group, want the establishment of
a federation in northern Iraq,” said the statement. Turkey had previously
stated that it would respect the decision of the Kurdish people but
emphasized that the structure of the federation should not be based on any
ethnic division. /Cumhuriyet/
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[18] EU DISCUSSIONS BY TOKTAMIS ATES (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Toktamis Ates writes on Turkish-EU relations. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“I would like to emphasize the fact that I am in favor of Turkey’s entrance
to the EU and do not want to think of Turkey being left out of the
organization. I believe that such a situation would be disaster for our
nation. But... There are two points coming after this ‘but.’ The first one
is the reluctance of an significant majority of the EU member countries to
admit Turkey into the Union in the foreseeable future. The second one is
that it is undignified to accept all the conditions put forth by the EU in
order to enter the organization. Some writers and ‘know-it-all’s are
displaying a dishonorable stand on the issue. If people merely voice the
concerns on their minds, they are immediately labeled as being against the
country’s admittance to the EU. These labelers think that no fears should
be expressed, and all concessions be made without batting an eye and no
bargaining should take place. These spineless people who see the EU as the
guarantee of rights and democracy ironically adopt an antidemocratic stand
against those who do not think in exactly as they do. In Turkey the ruling
power defends the admittance of the country into the Union. However, even
though some want it unconditionally, some others believe that necessary
bargaining should be made and some measures should be taken. In Turkey, the
circles against the EU can be found mostly among the low-income sections.
Such a discussion took place over Kemalism in Turkey some time ago. They
had claimed that those defending Kemalism had benefited the most from the
establishment. In fact, they were the ones availing themselves of the
benefits of the established order. If there had not been Kemalist
enlightenment, where would they have been? How much academic knowledge
could they have acquired? In a strange coincidence, those against Kemalism
are in favor of entering the EU unconditionally. It seems that we will
discuss this question for a long time to come.”
[19] DEADLOCK BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (HURRIYET)
Columnist Muharrem Sarikaya writes on Turkish-EU relations. A summary of
his column is as follows:
“Working on an issue to the end but not being able to finish it is a
phenomenon frequently seen in Turkey. The same thing can be said for the
Turkish football team’s success in the World Cup and Turkey’s relations
with the EU. During the visit to Brussels of a delegation from the Turkish
Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange (TOBB), a question posed by one
of its counterparts pointed to the same issue. ‘You have reached an
important phase. You even fulfilled the heavy conditions of the Customs
Union. Why are you not taking one more step forwards?’ The reply to the
question was interesting, ‘Our situation is special....’ During the two-day
talks, the answer coming from the EU officials to this reply was not much
different. ‘Stop haggling over the issues. Express yourself clearly.’ Even
though Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and State Minister Tunca Toskay
had come to Brussels with TOBB members to lobby for the EU, the government
was not clear in its stand. In all his statements, Deputy Prime Minister
Yilmaz stressed that to get a date for the beginning of accession
negotiations the death penalty should be abolished, and the issue of
teaching and broadcasting in mother tongues should be solved immediately.
On the other hand, Toskay’s view may be summarized as, ‘First give us the
negotiation date, let Turkey enter into decision-making mechanisms and then
we shall take the necessary steps while the process is going on.’ If these
were not done, Toskay said the Customs Union and trade relations with the
EU would be jeopardized. On the other hand, Yilmaz said he believed that
Turkey got certain benefits from the Customs Union. He added that the death
penalty and mother tongue issues could be solved by calling the Parliament
for an extraordinary meeting. Even though Ankara is focused on the death
penalty and mother tongue, matters Brussels attaches the most importance to
is Cyprus. As the analysts of the issue have stated, if the death penalty
and mother tongue problems constitute a barrier in front of Turkey joining
the EU around 35%, disagreement on a Cyprus solution constitutes a barrier
of 65% for the EU. If no agreement is reached in Cyprus before December,
this rate will exceed 80%. TOBB members talked of nothing but the relations
with the EU for two days, and stated that necessary steps should be taken
immediately. How this could be done brought the issue of a deadlock before
them. The disagreement within the government was proving unsolvable, the
government would not resign or a new one be formed, and the solutions
suggested from abroad are not trusted. Therefore the result does not
change.”
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