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Turkish Press Review, 02-08-23
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
23.08.2002
PRESIDENT SEZER TO ATTEND WORLD SUMMIT ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
MGK CONVENES FOR GEN. KIVRIKOGLU’S
VALEDICTORY MEETING
GUREL TO SPEARHEAD EU BID PUSH IN
BRUSSELS, STRASBOURG
TURKER: “SPECULATION WON’T DERAIL THE
ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
DERVIS MEETS WITH CHP ADMINISTRATION
YTP LEADER CEM PLEDGES TO TACKLE MAJOR
PROBLEMS
SHP LEADER KARAYALCIN TO MEET WITH CEM
ZEBARI: “BARZANI’S WORDS ARE NOT OFFICIAL
IKDP POLICY”
MORE RESIGNATIONS SHAKE DSP, ANAP
SCHROEDER HOSTS TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN
BERLIN
REPORT PREDICTS ROSY FUTURE FOR TURKISH
TOURISM
GOLD MEDALIST AYHAN TO REPRESENT EUROPE
AT WORLD COMPETITION
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM
THE COLUMNS…
COMPETITION OVER THE EUROPEAN UNION BY
FERAI TUNC (HURRIYET)
A COUNTRY’S SUICIDE BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
(STAR)
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT SEZER TO ATTEND WORLD SUMMIT ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
[02] MGK CONVENES FOR GEN. KIVRIKOGLU’S
VALEDICTORY MEETING
[03] GUREL TO SPEARHEAD EU BID PUSH IN BRUSSELS,
STRASBOURG
[04] TURKER: “SPECULATION WON’T DERAIL THE
ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
[05] DERVIS MEETS WITH CHP ADMINISTRATION
[06] YTP LEADER CEM PLEDGES TO TACKLE MAJOR
PROBLEMS
[07] SHP LEADER KARAYALCIN TO MEET WITH CEM
[08] ZEBARI: “BARZANI’S WORDS ARE NOT OFFICIAL
IKDP POLICY”
[09] MORE RESIGNATIONS SHAKE DSP, ANAP
[10] SCHROEDER HOSTS TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN BERLIN
[11] REPORT PREDICTS ROSY FUTURE FOR TURKISH
TOURISM
[12] GOLD MEDALIST AYHAN TO REPRESENT EUROPE AT
WORLD COMPETITION
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE
COLUMNS…
[14] COMPETITION OVER THE EUROPEAN UNION BY FERAI
TUNC (HURRIYET)
[15] A COUNTRY’S SUICIDE BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
(STAR)
[01] PRESIDENT SEZER TO ATTEND WORLD SUMMIT ON
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is scheduled to attend the 10-day
United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in
Johannesburg, South Africa due to begin on Monday. Environment
Minister Fevzi Aytekin is expected to accompany President
Sezer. The Johannesburg Summit 2002 will bring together tens
of thousands of participants, including heads of state and
government, national delegates and leaders from non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) to focus the world's attention on a
number of vital issues, including improving people's lives and
conserving our natural resources in a world with a fast
growing population. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, the
international community adopted Agenda 21, a global action
plan for sustainable development. The Johannesburg Summit
presents an opportunity for today's world leaders to adopt
concrete steps and identify quantifiable targets for better
implementing Agenda 21. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] MGK CONVENES FOR GEN. KIVRIKOGLU’S
VALEDICTORY MEETING
The National Security Council (MGK) headed by President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer convened yesterday. Chief of General Staff
Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu participated in an MGK meeting for the
last time, and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit both made speeches expressing gratitude to the
general, who is set to retire at the end of this month. At the
meeting, important issues such as problems at Turkey’s
universities and recent Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP)
threats were disscussed. Interior Minister Muzaffer Ecemis and
Justice Minister Aysel Celikel, both newly appointed
independent ministers, participated in an MGK meeting for the
first time. /Milliyet/
[03] GUREL TO SPEARHEAD EU BID PUSH IN BRUSSELS,
STRASBOURG
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sukru Sina Gurel
is scheduled to visit Brussels and Strasbourg at the beginning
of next month. The Turkish government is working to boost its
diplomatic efforts at the international level in order to tell
European Union countries about the steps it has recently taken
on its path towards full EU membership. Gurel’s visit to the
EU countries is of great importance for the Turkish government
since it will take place in the run-up to December’s
Copenhagen summit where Turkey’s performance will be discussed.
Turkey is requesting from the EU that it immediately determine
a specific date for the beginning of Turkey’s accession
negotiation process. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] TURKER: “SPECULATION WON’T DERAIL THE
ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
State Minister for the Economy Masum Turker charged
yesterday that certain speculative interests were trying to
foment uncertainty, but pledged that these efforts would not
hurt Turkey’s economic program. “The decision to hold
elections in November was taken to head off a damaging
uncertainty, but today some circles are trying to sow
uncertainty anew to reap speculative benefits,” said Turker.
“The same circles had said in the past that setting a date for
elections would end this political and economic uncertainty.”
/Aksam/
[05] DERVIS MEETS WITH CHP ADMINISTRATION
Former Economy Minister Kemal Dervis met yesterday with the
Executive Board of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the
party he has pledged to join. CHP Deputy Chairman Esref Erdem
told reporters that at the meeting, Dervis briefed board
members on the state of Turkey’s economy. Dervis is expected
to officially join the CHP today. /Turkiye/
[06] YTP LEADER CEM PLEDGES TO TACKLE MAJOR
PROBLEMS
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul yesterday after
returning from Germany, New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail
Cem said that Turkey’s major problems were unemployment, low
productivity and income inequality. “We will try to overcome
these problems through our nation’s creativity and brainpower,”
he said. “That’s why we are working with young people.” Cem
also said that besides youth, the YTP would also be a party of
villagers, women and families. Milliyet_
[07] SHP LEADER KARAYALCIN TO MEET WITH CEM
New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem and Social
Democratic People’s Party (SHP) leader Murat Karayalcin are
expected to meet this weekend in Istanbul to discuss the
possibility of an alliance between the two parties before the
Nov. 3 elections. Last week, Karayalcin met twice with
Husamettin Ozkan, one the YTP’s founding members, to exchange
views on the likelihood of such an alliance. It was reported
that Karayalcin was in favour of an institutional and
structural alliance with the YTP, as opposed to one based on
common candidate lists.
[08] ZEBARI: “BARZANI’S WORDS ARE NOT OFFICIAL
IKDP POLICY”
Hoshyar Zebari, foreign policy chief of the Iraqi Kurdistan
Democratic Party (IKDP), tried yesterday to distance the party
from IKDP leader Massoud Barzani’s threat earlier this week to
“bury the Turkish Armed Forces [TSK]” if they entered northern
Iraq. Zebari asserted that Barzani’s words did not represent
the official stance of the IKDP. “The IKDP doesn’t want to be
in an antagonistic relationship with Turkey,” he stated.
“Turkey is an important country for northern Iraq, so we want
to have good relations with it.” He added that Brayati, the
newspaper which published the statement containing Barzani’s
threats, was a semi-official IKDP publication which was also
open to the views of non-members. /Aksam/
[09] MORE RESIGNATIONS SHAKE DSP, ANAP
Resignations from both the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and
the Motherland Party (ANAP) continued yesterday. Ankara Deputy
Yücel Seckiner resigned from ANAP, bringing down the total
number of ANAP deputies to 74. Additionally, six deputies
tendered their resignations from the DSP -- Ali Arabci from
Bursa, Uluc Gurkan from Ankara, Emin Karaa from Kutahya, Sadik
Kirbas from Canakkale, Ertugrul Kumcuoglu from Aydin and Ahmet
Arkan from Kocaeli –- leaving the onetime dominant party in
Parliament holding 54 seats. /Turkiye/
[10] SCHROEDER HOSTS TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN BERLIN
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hosted a delegation
from the European Turkish Businessmen’s and Industrialists’
Association (ATIAD) at a banquet held in Berlin yesterday.
Schroeder acknowledged the difficulties Turkish businessmen
face in Germany and said that a number of measures had
recently been taken to address these. He then asked the
businessmen to be patient and give time for these measures to
work. When reminded of German Interior Minister Otto Schily’s
assertion that assimilation was the best method for non-Europeans
to harmonize with Europe, Schroeder stated that Germany was a
democratic country. “Everyone has the right to live with their
own culture,” he added. /Sabah/
[11] REPORT PREDICTS ROSY FUTURE FOR TURKISH
TOURISM
Turkey will enjoy the highest rate of development in its
tourism sector over the next decade among all the nations of
the world, predicted a report released yesterday by the World
Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The report painted a future
picture of many more tourists visiting Turkey’s shores amid a
10.2% annual tourism growth rate. Commenting on the report,
Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar said that last year Turkey had
bucked the global economic woes and the post-Sept. 11 slump to
post record rates of tourism sector growth. This was
accomplished, he added, in part through the success of the
Tourism Ministry’s promotional campaigns. /Hurriyet/
[12] GOLD MEDALIST AYHAN TO REPRESENT EUROPE AT
WORLD COMPETITION
Turkish athlete Sureyya Ayhan, who earlier this month
scored Turkey’s first-ever gold medal at the European
Athletics Championship in Munich, Germany, is now set to
represent all of Europe in a world competition. Ayhan will
compete in her signature event, the women’s 1,500-meter sprint,
at the Ninth World Athletics Cup in Madrid, Spain on Sept.
20-21. Ayhan had previously made history in 2000 by becoming
the first Turkish athlete, male or female, to reach an Olympic
track semifinal. /Aksam/
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE
COLUMNS…
[14] COMPETITION OVER THE EUROPEAN UNION BY FERAI
TUNC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tunc writes about the renewed enthusiasm
for and competition between certain political parties in
Turkey on the issue of the European Union. A summary of her
column is as follows:
“As the date for elections draws closer, competition
between political parties about our European Union membership
bid is beginning to heat up. However, no matter the reason for
such renewed enthusiasm, the fact that parties are embracing
the objective of full membership is very positive. Deputy
Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz
travelled to EU Term President Denmark earlier this week to
tell officials there of the need to set a date, at the
Copenhagen summit this December, for the beginning of
accession negotiations with Turkey. New Turkey Party (YTP)
leader Ismail Cem just returned from Germany yesterday after
having asked for German support. In addition, Foreign Minister
Sukru Sina Gurel from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) called
for a meeting with representatives of media and civil
organisations to discuss their possible contributions to the
EU process. At these meetings, Gurel spoke of the pivotal role
of civil movements in promoting the harmonisation laws in EU
member countries, adding that such efforts would boost
Turkey’s chances of getting a date. While Cem and Yilmaz have
chosen the direct diplomatic road to convince the EU, Gurel
has opted to work with civil society. This may demonstrate a
difference in political mentality; nevertheless it is a step
in the right direction. The success of this civil movement,
however, will depend on how non-governmental it really is.
Wouldn’t it be a better move for the foreign minister to urge
deputies to get in touch with their counterparts in Europe?
Also, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the most important part
of the reforms is how they are actually implemented. Gurel
made several interesting remarks at the meeting with civil
organisations on Wednesday. He said that Turkey had fulfilled
its commitments towards the EU, and had even gone beyond them.
He also pointed out that the scanning process had already been
unofficially launched six months ago. Gurel also remarked that
the EU’s ‘well done, now let’s see the implementation’
attitude was unacceptable. The reason for Gurel’s reaction is
the possibility that the EU might use poor implementation as a
pretext to exclude Turkey from the integration process.
Justified as his concerns may be, we have to admit that the
only way civil society movements can be effective in
persuading the EU is if the reforms are implemented and
accepted by the people.”
[15] A COUNTRY’S SUICIDE BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI
(STAR)
Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli writes on Syrian Information
Minister Adnan Umran’s recent statements on a possible United
States intervention in Iraq. A summary of her column is as
follows:
“ ‘If the Turkish government backs a US intervention in
Iraq and permits the US to deploy troops at bases within
Turkey’s territories, that would mean suicide for the whole
Turkish nation.’ These words belong to Syrian Information
Minister Adnan Umran, one of the country’s most prominent
politicians. In fact, these weren’t the only significant words
that issued from his mouth when I interviewed him in Damascus
this week. ‘The Turkish economy, which is already suffering
from a serious crisis, would collapse utterly due to the heavy
cost of the intervention,’ warned the Syrian minister. ‘Turkey
shouldn’t take such a risk which would cause irreparable harm
to the country.’ Umran is aware that no country in the region
will be able to resist the Bush administration on its own.
That’s why he underlined that the Middle Eastern countries
must come together and form an alliance to head off a US
intervention. He recalled the post-Gulf War alliance
previously formed by Turkey, Iran and Syria in order to
prevent the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in
the region. ‘We’re all aware that the US is currently putting
great pressure on Turkey,’ said Umran. ‘However, we also know
that the Bush administration at the same time gave promises to
the Iraqi Kurds for the establishment of an independent
Kurdish state in northern Iraq. If such a Kurdish state is
established, there is no doubt that the Iraqi Kurds would
demand territories from both Turkey and Syria.’ I believe that
these are not merely Umran’s personal views but that they also
represent the ideas of the whole Arab world. So, then, what
should Turkey do under such circumstances? It’s very clear
that relations between Turkey and Arab countries world be
greatly hurt if Turkey supports a US intervention opposed by
all of these countries. ‘Since US President Bush recently made
hostile statements against Saudi Arabia, Saudi investors
closed their accounts in the US banks and withdrew their money,’
said Suheyl Zakkar, a professor at the University of Syria’s
History Department. ‘Billions of US dollars flew towards other
regions of the world. Why wouldn’t such great sums of money be
invested in Turkish banks?’ This is a small example of the
possible advantages that Turkey might win if the Turkish
government improved its relations with Arab countries. In
short, looking from Damascus, the Middle East’s political
landscape looks very different.”
ARCHIVE
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