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Turkish Press Review, 02-07-24Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr><LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> </map> <map name="FPMap1"></map> Press & Information Turkish Press Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning24.07.2002FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] SEZER MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF HATAY JOINING TURKISH REPUBLICPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday issued a message to mark the 63rd anniversary of Hatay’s union with Turkey. Sezer stated that this union represented a political victory for peacetime diplomacy and that the Turkish policy of “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” had served to enhance the nation’s prestige in the international community. He also pointed out that the unification had taken place as a result of a decision made freely by the people of Hatay. The statement added that the decision to join Turkey was taken unanimously by the Parliament of Hatay and that the decision showed a decisive choice by Hatay’s people to embrace their Turkish history and identity. /Cumhuriyet/[02] ECEVIT YIELDS TO EARLY ELECTIONS DEMANDSFollowing Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli’s warning earlier this week that if elections were postponed the MHP would withdraw from the government, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday dropped his opposition to early elections. In an interview on CNN Turk, Ecevit said, “There’s no point in the Democratic Left Party [DSP] opposing elections anymore as all the other parties have agreed on the date.” Ecevit denied claims that he was preparing to resign and added that if considering EU accession laws was left until after a decision on elections during Parliament’s July 29 session, then it would be very difficult to pass the necessary laws in time. Commenting on election campaigns, Ecevit said that his party, the DSP, would be working very hard to get the best results. “I am confident that we’ll do well in the elections,” he said. He stated that he would take an active part in campaigning and touring the country to meet the people. /Hurriyet/[03] BAHCELI: “ECEVIT’S REASONS ARE NOT REALISTIC”Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday characterized as “unrealistic” Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s allegations that the People’s Democracy Party (HADEP) and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) were threats for Turkey. “Ecevit’s reasons are unrealistic reasons to postpone early elections,” Bahceli told reporters. “It is impossible for the coalition government to continue its mission until 2004, and Ecevit should evaluate this situation correctly.” Bahceli also touched on the issue of Turkey’s European Union Membership bid, saying, “If the MHP comes to power in the upcoming elections, the first thing we will do is to get a date to start negotiations from the EU and then try to implement the Copenhagen criteria as well as eliminate the causes of terrorism.” He also said that his party would clearly explain to the EU Turkey’s “special conditions.” /Sabah/[04] YILMAZ SEEKS SUPPORT FOR EU HARMONIZATION LAWSWhile True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller was touring party leaders, yesterday Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz also held a series of meetings with the leaders of parties represented in Parliament. After a meeting with DYP leader Tansu Ciller, Yilmaz met with Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan, Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and New Turkey (YT) leader Ismail Cem, and presented to each of them a package of bills including 13 articles as part of European Union harmonization laws. After meetings today with his coalition government partners, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, Yilmaz is expected to make a proposal and open it for deputies’ signatures to reconvene Parliament for an extraordinary session tomorrow with an agenda of EU harmonization laws. /Turkiye/[05] CILLER TOURS PARTY LEADERSTrue Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday toured leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament. First, she visited Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit. Following a one-hour meeting, Ciller said that early elections were the DYP’s priority and then they would support debates for the European Union harmonization laws, as well as the Elections Law. Ciller stated that Ecevit told her that there was no time for any amendments to the Elections and Political Parties Law. Stressing that the DYP had proposed amendments to the law four times already, efforts that had been rejected, Ciller said that her party would not take the responsibility for this. “If a minority government needs to be established, then the DYP is ready to contribute to such a formation,” Ciller added. The DYP leader then continued her tour of leaders with Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz. Yilmaz gave Ciller a file including EU harmonization laws proposed for Turkey’s EU membership bid. Ciller is next expected to meet with Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and former President Suleyman Demirel today. /Turkiye/[06] IZGI CALLS PARLIAMENT FOR SESSION ON MONDAYParliament Speaker Omer Izgi yesterday called Parliament for an extraordinary session on next Monday upon a proposal submitted by deputies from the True Path Party (DYP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP). The written statement said that Parliament would convene on Monday at 2:00 p.m. /Milliyet/[07] TURKEY QUESTIONS GREECE ON TERRORISM ALLEGATIONS, INVESTIGATIONSThe Foreign Ministry has submitted a diplomatic note to Greece regarding allegations that terrorist organization DHKP-C head Dursun Karatas spends most of his time in Athens and that he currently resided in that city. The charge d’affaires of the Greek Embassy in Ankara was summoned to the Foreign Ministry yesterday and told of Turkey’s concern over the matter. He was also asked if there had been any progress on investigations into the November 17 terrorist organization, which is responsible for the murders of several Turkish diplomats in years past. The Greek official reportedly pledged to reply to these inquiries as soon as possible. /Turkiye/[08] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE ISSUES REPORT ON F-TYPE PRISONSThe European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CTP) yesterday issued a report growing out its visit to a number of F-type prisons in Turkey this March. While the report lauded a series of positive steps taken by Turkish authorities at the prisons, it also expressed concern about common activities and inmates convicted of terrorist offenses, saying that the prisons restricted these activities. Replying to the CTP document, Turkish officials countered that terrorist convicts’ privileges must be kept on a tight leash since during common activities the prisoners were interested in organizing ideologically, not recreation or rehabilitation. The CPT report also contended that problems existed with mistreatment, prison personnel being present during health checkups and procedures, and detainees’ lack of access to their lawyers. Turkish officials responded that these allegations were being investigated and that if necessary, new measures would be taken. /Milliyet/[09] TURK SPEAKS ON ERDOGAN’S CONVICTIONS UNDER ARTICLE 312Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said yesterday that criminal courts of first instance were authorized to overturn the previous convictions of Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was convicted under Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Turk added, however, that with a change to the third paragraph of Article 312, an aggravating reason for a crime was now considered a crime in itself. “Thus, Erdogan might be retried,” Turk stated. /Milliyet/[10] ERDOGAN: “EVEN IF I DON’T PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS I AM STILL MY PARTY’S LEADER”Appearing on Kanal D late on Monday, Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Tayyip Erdogan addressed the question of whether he could participate in early elections expected this fall. Erdogan said that no legal problems stood in his way, but that even if he were unable to take part directly in elections he would still serve his party as its leader. “AKP’s fate does not hinge on my disputed status,” he added. “It can score a great success even if I am unable to take a seat in the Parliament.” /Aksam/[11] YALOVA ADMITTED TO HEALTHY CITIES NETWORKThe World Health Organization, a UN body, announced yesterday that the Yalova Municipality near Istanbul had been chosen to join the WHO’s “Healthy Cities Network.” Under the network, over 1,000 cities and towns worldwide are targeted to promote comprehensive local strategies for health and sustainable development. The Turkish municipalities of Bartin, Eskisehir, Urgup, Cankaya, Yozgat and Yalova were considered to join the network, but only the latter was admitted. Yalova is the 46th European city to join the network. /Star/[12] UNESCO REPRESENTATIVE VISITS MARDINUNESCO representative Christopher Tound yesterday visited the southeastern city of Mardin in order to determine whether it meets the necessary criteria to be added to the World Cultural Heritage List. Tound was accompanied by the Culture Ministry’s Fusun Ersoy and Nevin Soyukaya from the Foundation to Protect and Promote Environmental and Cultural Values (CEKUL). /Star/[13] BANK CHOSEN FOR TEKEL PRIVATIZATIONThe Privatization Administration (OIB) announced yesterday that it had selected international investment bank Schroeder Salomon Smith Barney (SSSB) as a consultant for the privatization of state alcohol and tobacco monopoly TEKEL. An OIB statement said that out of a field of 15 candidates, SSSB has submitted the best proposal to reorganize TEKEL and its related corporations and enterprises, as well as its companies abroad and to create adequate alternative privatization models and strategies. /Aksam/[14] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[15] IT SHOULDN’T BE A GAMBLE BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)Columnist Gungor Mengi writes on current political developments and possible election campaign issues. A summary of his column is as follows:“The party leaders remind me of priests who spent hours discussing the sex of angels in the last days of the Byzantine Empire. Including Ecevit, there is no one denying that elections in November have come to a point of no return. From now on every politician who is a statesman in even in the smallest degree must have two aims. The first is to enact the EU adaptation laws and pave the road for Turkey and the government to be established after elections. The second one is to change the Political Parties and Election Laws in order for the elections to provide a solution. If the Parliament falls into a state of negligence which causes Turkey to miss its date with the EU at the end of the year, governments which come into power following the elections will have to grapple with problems of economic growth, unemployment, and social unrest, and the social and political tension within the country will lead Turkey to move further away from its EU membership goal. Why don’t the political parties wake up to the fact that foreign investments are directed more towards Romania and Bulgaria, which are taking bolder steps towards the EU? Yesterday Ecevit said that only elections were on the agenda. Nothing else could be discussed. His fear of being eliminated in the coming elections has made Ecevit forget his responsibility to both himself and history. He turned it into a weapon of vengeance. True Path Party (DYP) leader Ciller, fearing that a success on the road to the EU would be a plus for the Motherland Party (ANAP), can sacrifice the EU project. If the New Turkey party cannot rouse new excitement in society with new steps and new faces, only the Justice and Development Party (AKP), True Path Party (DYP) and the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) can enter the government. While The New Turkey party tries to unify the moderate majority, it can also serve as another divisive factor. Such developments can damage democracy more than extremist parties. Therefore centrist parties should work together while there is still time to legalize ‘election alliances.’ No one has the right to turn elections into a gamble, and throw the votes of the moderate majority into the trash bin. If unsuccessful and irresponsible politicians are set to commit political suicide, they must find a method which will not harm the country or society.” [16] ECEVIT TO PLAY HIS FOREIGN POLICY CARDS BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on moves Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is likely to make in the near future against political circles favoring early elections. A summary of her column is as follows:“Everybody is now well aware that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit doesn’t want polls to be held this year. Ecevit has already begun playing his strongest cards to counter political circles who favor of holding early elections this fall. Ecevit first stated that the strength of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and People’s Democracy Party (HADEP), which he labeled as two parties ‘posing a threat’ to Turkey’s democratic regime, might be increased at the conclusion of early elections. He emphasized that such a development would damage Turkey’s political stability. With elections on the horizon, the political atmosphere in Turkey is now highly charged with both new hopes and concerns for political parties. Political circles are so caught up in the current of pre-election campaigning that they failed to show much interest in Ecevit’s warnings about the AKP and HADEP. His remarks echoed in the air without anyone paying attention. After Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli’s recent statement that his Nationalist Action Party (MHP) would quit the coalition if the polls weren’t held in November, Ecevit met with his staff to size up the situation. At the end of the meeting, Ecevit seemed ready to play his foreign policy cards, telling reporters, ‘The early elections would have negative repercussions on Turkey’s foreign relations.’ That’s why it seems safe to say that in the upcoming days, disputes over early elections will probably be accompanied by discussions of Turkey’s foreign policy. According to information leaked by diplomatic sources, Ecevit holds two trump cards to play to prevent the polls being held this fall: the issues of Cyprus and Iraq. Ecevit is expected to convey a message that Greece and the Greek Cypriots will try to take advantage of Turkey’s political instability and uncertainty under the commotion of elections. He will contend that such an atmosphere in Turkey will pave the way for Greek Cypriots’ admittance to the European Union. The premier is again expected to convey similar messages concerning the issue of Iraq. He will probably stress that a Turkey without a government would suffer great economic and political losses if the United States launches a military intervention against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, which carries the risk of culminating with the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq. Here is an important point that must be underlined: Sukru Sina Gurel recently became Ecevit’s closest ally after resignation of Husamettin Ozkan. He has always been a political figure engaged mostly with foreign affairs rather than domestic events. That’s why it would be no surprise to see the prime minister putting his foreign policy cards on the table, in order to get the upper hand in political problems.” ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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