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Turkish Press Review, 02-09-23Turkish 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 morning23.09.2002EU WORRIES ABOUT FORMATION OF ANTI-WESTERN TURKISH GOVERNMENT BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT CRITICIZES EFFORTS TO DELAY ELECTIONSIn his first campaign rally in the Aegean region ahead of Nov. 3 polls, Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit yesterday criticized efforts to delay the nationwide elections. “Certain political parties have long called for early elections, yet these selfsame parties are now looking to the DSP to support efforts at postponement,” said Ecevit. “But we want to hold election as scheduled.” After the rally, Ecevit then visited Denizli’s mayor to be briefed on the province’s problems. /Turkiye/[02] KUTAN: “THE HEADSCARF ISSUE IS OUR PRIORITY”Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan yesterday said that disputes over headscarf usage were his party’s primary issue. Speaking at a meeting in Konya, Kutan said that the SP was a party which respected human rights. “Wearing a headscarf is an exercise of human rights and so should be respected,” Kutan said. Criticizing all other political parties’ policies vis-a-vis the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kutan stated, “When we come to power, we will carry out our own policies, not the IMF’s.” _Turkiye[03] ASPARUK: “ERDOGAN, ERBAKAN RECEIVED EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW”Gen. Cumhur Asparuk, commander of the Turkish Air Forces, yesterday expressed support for last week’s rulings barring Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Tayyip Erdogan and Necmettin Erbakan, former leader of the Welfare Party (RP), from running for seats in this fall’s elections. Referring to a Turkish idiom, Asparuk said that when the law casts off a finger, that finger doesn’t hurt. “Turkey’s laws are applied equally to everyone without discrimination,” he added. In line with Turkey’s anti- sedition laws, last Friday the Supreme Election Board (YSK) disqualified Erdogan and Erbakan from running in the Nov. 3 elections. /Milliyet/[04] ERDOGAN: “WHEN SEVERED, A SOUND LIMB WILL FEEL PAIN”Tayyip Erdogan, leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), yesterday responded to Air Forces Commander Gen. Cumhur Asparuk’s defense of a ruling barring Erdogan from running in this fall’s elections. Asparuk said that a finger cast off by the law doesn’t hurt, stated Erdogan, but if that finger is sound in fact it does hurt. Both were referring to a Turkish idiom. “The Supreme Election Board [YSK] decision was unfair,” added Erdogan. /Milliyet/[05] GUREL: “UNILATERAL US ACTION IN IRAQ WOULD HAVE NO LEGITIMACY”Following his official visit to the United States last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel told daily Sabah yesterday that he didn’t expect the US to launch an operation in Iraq in the near future. Commenting on meetings during his visit with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, US Vice President Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice, the US national security advisor, Gurel stated that US officials were determined to overthrow the Iraqi regime and were furthermore in the process of considering unilateral action. However, Gurel added that unilateral action by the US would lack international legitimacy and would not be in the best interests of either the region or the US. Regarding Turkey’s views on the matter, Gurel stated that Turkish efforts to convince the Iraqi government to comply with all relevant UN Security Council resolutions had paid off last week with Iraq’s pledge to allow the return of UN weapon inspectors. Gurel also said that Turkey would definitely be adversely affected were an operation launched in Iraq, recalling that the Gulf War of the early 1990s had cost Turkey at least $200 billion in trade losses and security expenses. /Sabah/[06] CEM: “THE YTP WILL COME TO POWER WITH PUBLIC SUPPORT”Speaking at the opening ceremony for his party’s Istanbul office, New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem said yesterday that unique among Turkey’s parties, the YTP guarantee was to come to power with public support. Cem stated that the YTP had been founded this summer in order to end Turkey’s loud, divisive political struggles in favor of establishing unity and peace. Turkey’s economy is not made up of mere numbers and statistics, added Cem, rather it should exist to serve the people. /Aksam/[07] CILLER CALLS ON TURKISH YOUTH TO EMULATE NATIONAL TEAM SPIRITSpeaking to her party’s Youth Committee, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday called on Turkey’s young people to wage a new “War of Independence” by emulating the spirit and drive of Turkey’s successful National Football Team. By doing so, added Ciller, we can solve Turkey’s problems. Also present at the meeting was Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar, whose party is allied with the DYP in this fall’s elections. /Hurriyet/[08] GUREL MAKES CALL TO BESIEGED ARAFATDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel yesterday made a phone call to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is currently under siege by Israeli forces at his headquarters in Ramallah, in the West Bank. Arafat reportedly lamented his situation and requested Gurel’s help in convincing Israel, via the United States, to end the siege. Israel has asked for the handover of 20 Palestians it accuses of terrorist offenses as well as Arafat’s departure from the West Bank. Turkey, unique in the region, enjoys good relations with the Palestinian and Israeli governments as well as the United States. /Turkiye/[09] DERVIS: “TURKEY CAN BE A WORLD CHAMPION”Former Economy Minister and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy candidate for Istanbul Kemal Dervis yesterday visited his party’s district organizations in Kartal and Maltepe, Istanbul. Dervis visited the CHP’s Kartal headquarters alongside Kadikoy Mayor Selami Ozturk and CHP deputy candidates Hasan Aydin and Sirri Ozbek. Addressing CHP supporters thronged outside the building, Dervis said, “We can usher in happy days together. Our athlete Sureyya Ayhan just became world champion. If we believe in our cause as she did, we can succeed at whatever we try. We should love each other greatly, strive together mightily, and create a beautiful Turkey hand- in-hand.” /Cumhuriyet/[10] NAZIM HIKMET STATUE UNVEILED IN IZMIRA massive new statue of famous poet Nazim Hikmet was unveiled at Izmir’s Arts Center this weekend. The statue, sculpted by artist Tankut Oktem, stands at over six meters tall and is cast in bronze. At the statue’s unveiling ceremony, Istanbul’s State Modern Folk Music Group performed and actors gave readings of Hikmet’s poetry. Speaking at the ceremony, Culture Minister Suat Caglayan said, “Today Nazim Hikmet is where he belongs, a truly fitting place. He is our poet of the War of Independence, which serves as an inspiration to all nations struggling in chains. Now he stands in the city where that same war reached its end. Nazim Hikmet, we welcome you!” Kiymet Coskun, secretary-general of the Nazim Hikmet Culture and Art Foundation, then thanked those who made possible the statue’s construction and transportation to Izmir. /Cumhuriyet/[11] ISTANBUL HOSTS COASTAL CLEANUPThis weekend saw the International Coastal Cleanup Campaign hit the shores of Caddebostan, Istanbul, courtesy of the Kadikoy Municipality in league with the Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association (Deniztemiz/TURMEPA). Aziz Duman, secretary-general of Deniztemiz/TURMEPA’s, said that the campaign took place every year during the third week of September. This year, he added, 77 countries were expected to participate to collect over 6.5 million kilograms of waste, with 50 locales participating in Turkey alone. The varieties of waste collected will be reported to the International Coastal Cleanup and the Ocean Conservancy. /Cumhuriyet/[12] AYHAN SCORES GOLD IN WORLD ATHLETIC CUPTurkish athlete Sureyya Ayhan, running on behalf of the European team, came in first in the women’s 1500-meter run in the Ninth IAAF World Cup in Madrid, Spain on Saturday, thus becoming the world champion in the event. Ayhan, a previous winner at the European Championship and two Grand Prix competitions, scored the gold medal with a finish of 4.02.57, far ahead of her closest competitor. /All Papers/[13] MEHMET OZAL RECEIVES GOLD MEDALTurkish wrestler Mehmet Ozal (96 kg) scored the gold medal yesterday in the 47th World Greco-Roman Style Championship in Moscow, defeating his Bulgarian rival in the finals. /All Papers/[14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[15] EU WORRIES ABOUT FORMATION OF ANTI-WESTERN TURKISH GOVERNMENT BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on Turkish-EU relations and Turkey’s EU membership bid. A summary of her column is as follows:“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel recently spent 10 intense days in Washington discussing a number of sensitive matters such as the Iraq issue with US officials. He also held a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from European, Middle Eastern and Arab countries as well as United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He also met with US Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Defense Undersecretary Paul Wolfowitz. Although he exchanged views with these prominent figures on very different matters, there were two main issues at the top of his Washington agenda: a possible US intervention in Iraq and Turkey’s EU membership bid. Discussions on the latter focused especially on European Commission’s Progress Report to be released on Oct. 9. The report is expected to influence discussions to be held at December’s Copenhagen summit on setting a date for the beginning of Turkey’s membership negotiations. That’s why Gurel conveyed the same message to all European ministers with whom he held meetings in Washington: ‘Please try to persuade the commission not to release a report which downplays Turkey’s recent successful efforts on its path towards EU membership.’ The European ministers’ reactions to the reform package passed this summer by the Turkish Parliament have been all similar. Spanish Foreign Minister Ana de Palacio openly expressed her ideas on the issue: ‘All the EU countries were very surprised to see the Turkish Parliament pass a constitutional reform package so quickly. After Turkey’s successful move, the European countries immediately realized that they had no “plan B.” It was a pleasing but still shocking development since, speaking frankly, in all its plans concerning Turkey’s membership bid the EU had taken it for granted that the Turkish government would be unable to take such significant moves concerning human rights and democracy.’ As a matter of fact, the EU officials’ recent statements stressing that the commission wanted to study the actual implementation of the reforms in Turkey before announcing a date for the country's negotiations should be considered the EU’s aftershock reaction. Let me put it this way: This is another pretext for anti-Turkey circles within the EU. However, Gurel didn’t hesitate to respond to such attempts, underlining that implementation of these reforms shouldn’t be seen as a pre-condition for Turkey’s membership negotiations. Not only the Europeans, but also US officials understood this message very well. ‘I discussed this issue with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenther Verheugen,’ said, Marc Grossman, US assistant secretary of state and a former ambassador to Ankara. ‘The Bush administration believes that the EU should adopt a more positive attitude towards Turkey.” By the way, we also need to take a hard look at our country’s domestic problems. The European ministers clearly expressed their concerns over Turkey’s early elections, and the prospect that they might culminate with the victory of anti-Western parties. They see the possible formation of such an anti-EU government as a negative development which would deal a great blow to Turkish-EU relations. The Europeans at last understand that each step they take against Turkey’s membership bid will only boost the votes for Turkey’s anti-EU parties. In fact, they want to see neither the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) nor the Justice and Development Party (AKP) take a place within Turkey’s new government.” [16] COVERT GOAL OF A KURDISH STATE BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (SABAH)Columnist Sukru Elekdag writes on recent developments in northern Iraq and certain political groups hoping to form a Kurdish state in the region. A summary of his column is as follows:“Even if they don’t say so aloud, Kurdish leaders and authorities in northern Iraq have the dream and goal of forming a Kurdish state in the region. Journalist Tim Judah, in an article in the current New York Review of Books, wrote on this issue in detail after interviewing several prominent Kurdish figures in northern Iraq. The outline of the article is as follows: If the Kurds can play their cards wisely, they will take full advantage of a possible US attack on Iraq. If a federal, democratic regime is founded in Iraq, the Kurds will both have the chance to be represented in Baghdad and an autonomous administration in regions under their control. However, they are also pursuing another goal which goes far beyond the one spelled out above. Namely, they want to use a federal Kurdish state as a stepping-stone towards an independent state under which they plan to unite the Kurdish populations in Turkey, Iran and Syria. However, they are also hesitating to declare this openly, since they know that the neighboring countries in their wider region will immediately react against it and take very strict measures, such as closing down border gates, which will serve to isolate and kill trade with northern Iraq. Judah’s interviewees asked him to keep these hopes confidential and not publish them. One of them also told him why: ‘If you are sick you visit the doctor. He prescribes the medicine. You take a spoonful three times a day and eventually you are better, you are free. However, if you drank the whole bottle at once, it would kill you.’ This is why Iraqi Kurdish leaders Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani say again and again that they are not after independence and try to give the impression that they are not taking positions against Turkey. Actually, they both know that a tiny Kurdish state wholly lacking economic resources and access to waterways cannot last long. However, it is certain that the two leaders can form an independent state if they can take full control of the oil-rich the Mosul and Kirkuk regions and get support from the United States. Nevertheless, this is impossible. Turkey will, in no way, let Turkmen-populated Mosul and Kirkuk go under the exclusive sway of the Kurds. Washington is quite aware of Turkey’s sensitivities on the issue. Moreover, the US knows very well that supporting a Kurdish state -- one completely under its responsibility in terms of economy and security -- at the expense of losing a close, important ally like Turkey will certainly not serve its interests in the Middle East.” 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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