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Turkish Press Review, 02-09-26
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
26.09.2002
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
WILL A US-IRAQ WAR BEGIN EARLIER THAN EXPECTED?
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
CONTENTS
[01] YILMAZ: “OUR ELECTIONS AND THE EU’S SCHEDULE ARE RUNNING TOO CLOSE TOGETHER”
[02] GUREL: “TURKEY WILL NOT ALLOW ESTABLISHMENT OF A KURDISH STATE”
[03] TURKER IN WASHINGTON FOR IMF, WORLD BANK MEETINGS
[04] GUARDED TURKISH RESPONSE TO BRITISH DOSSIER ON IRAQ
[05] IKDP, IPUK AGREE ON DRAFT CONSTITUTION FOR “FEDERAL IRAQ”
[06] BREKK: “TURKEY POSTPONING ITS IMF COMMITMENTS WOULD BE IMPROPER”
[07] FOREIGN MINISTRY: “TURKEY KNOWS WELL HOW TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS”
[08] DERVIS: “POSTPONING ELECTIONS WOULDN’T HELP TURKEY’S EU BID”
[09] DENKTAS’S NEW CYPRUS SETTLEMENT PROPOSES TRIPLE SOVEREIGNTY
[10] BUSINESS LEADERS CALL FOR ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AS SCHEDULED
[11] SP: “CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE ELECTIONS JUST AND DEMOCRATIC”
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] WILL A US-IRAQ WAR BEGIN EARLIER THAN EXPECTED?
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[14] MEETING WITH ISMAIL CEM BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
[01] YILMAZ: “OUR ELECTIONS AND THE EU’S SCHEDULE ARE RUNNING TOO CLOSE
TOGETHER”
Appearing on television yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland
Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said that if Parliament holds a vote on
delaying elections set for Nov. 3, there would be no ANAP “party-line” vote,
with the party’s deputies instead being free to vote as they see fit.
However, Yilmaz reiterated that he personally favored delay until after
December’s European Union summit since, in his view, the EU’s schedule and
Turkey’s elections were running too close each other. Postponing polls
would give Turkey time to amend the Elections Law, implement the EU
harmonization laws and bolster its lobbying efforts, added Yilmaz.
/Hurriyet/
[02] GUREL: “TURKEY WILL NOT ALLOW ESTABLISHMENT OF A KURDISH STATE”
In the midst of a three-capital European tour to promote Turkey’s European
Union membership bid, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina
Gurel this week underscored Turkey’s firm opposition to any Kurdish state
being established in northern Iraq. Speaking to Britain’s Financial Times,
while in London, Gurel stated that Turkey would not allow a Kurdish state
to emerge in the aftermath of a possible operation to topple Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein. Following his London visit, Gurel proceeded to Paris
yesterday to meet with French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin. Gurel
reportedly asked Villepin to support Turkey’s full membership bid at
December’s EU Copenhagen summit. In addition, Gurel and his accompanying
delegation also met with France’s Parliament and Senate commissioners
responsible for the European Union. /All Papers/
[03] TURKER IN WASHINGTON FOR IMF, WORLD BANK MEETINGS
State Economy Minister Masum Turker yesterday travelled to Washington to
attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World
Bank and to hold discussions as part of the fourth review of Turkey’s
economic program. Before departing, Turker told reporters that he would
meet with US Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, IMF Managing Director Horst
Koehler and WB President James Wolfensohn aw well as representatives of the
US Export-Import Bank (Eximbank) and economic officials from other
countries. During these talks, Turker said he would lay out the progress of
Turkey’s economic program. /Hurriyet/
[04] GUARDED TURKISH RESPONSE TO BRITISH DOSSIER ON IRAQ
At a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Huseyin Dirioz
gave a guarded response to Britain’s dossier on Iraq released by British
Prime Minister Tony Blair one day earlier. Dirioz said that the dossier had
confirmed the importance of Iraq’s compliance with UN Security Council
resolutions. Blair’s report, however, had underlined Britain’s support for
any United States operation in Iraq and stated that UN efforts to avoid
such intervention would be in vain. In related news, Iraqi opposition
groups are set to hold a meeting tomorrow in Nevsehir in central Anatolia.
In order not to offend the current Iraqi government, however, Turkey will
neither participate in nor be represented at the meeting. At yesterday’s
press conference Dirioz also called on the Israeli government to lift its
siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah,
adding that Turkey fully supported the recent UN Security Council
resolution passed to this end. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] IKDP, IPUK AGREE ON DRAFT CONSTITUTION FOR “FEDERAL IRAQ”
Two northern Iraq-based Kurdish groups have reportedly reached consensus on
a draft constitution for a proposed federal Iraqi republic made up of Kurds
and Arabs. The Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (IKDP) and the Iraqi
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) put final shape to the text of the
draft constitution, initially prepared by the IKDP, during roundtable
meetings in northern Iraq between representatives from the two groups on
Sept. 18-23.
In related news, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday reiterated Turkey’s
concern over the possible establishment of a Kurdish state in northern
Iraq. Referring to the IKDP and IPUK leaders, Ecevit said, “Though they say
that they are opposed to a Kurdish state, they are taking steps to advance
this end. If they make those efforts official, more serious problems could
arise.” Ecevit remarked that Turkey would not hesitate to take necessary
measures should they be called for, but added, “I hope that there will be
no need for this.” /Turkiye/
[06] BREKK: “TURKEY POSTPONING ITS IMF COMMITMENTS WOULD BE IMPROPER”
International Monetary Fund Turkey Director Odd Per Brekk yesterday came to
Turkey accompanied by an IMF delegation to conduct the fourth review of the
nation’s economic program. Speaking to reporters, Brekk brushed aside
recent indications that Turkey might postpone some of its commitments to
the IMF because of the Nov. 3 elections, calling any such move “improper”
since the elections date was known when the commitments were drawn up.
“During the third review of the program, it was known that Turkey would
hold elections in November,” stated Brekk. “We also got a letter of
commitment from the government coalition leaders.” Brekk added that Turkey
had been successfully applying the economic program and that things should
improve greatly after the elections, when political instability ends.
/Milliyet/
[07] FOREIGN MINISTRY: “TURKEY KNOWS WELL HOW TO CONDUCT ELECTIONS”
At a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz
addressed a number of current issues in Turkish-European Union relations.
Commenting on a recent Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) report on Turkey’s implementation of European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR) decisions, Dirioz said that Turkey was in full compliance with all
relevant ECHR decisions, and had also paid whatever financial penalties the
court had imposed. Asked about the Council of Europe’s stated intent to
send observers to Turkey’s Nov. 3 elections, Dirioz said that the nation
had been conducting elections for over 50 years now and had nothing to hide
or to be ashamed of. Finally responding to recent European Parliament
criticism that Turkey was not displaying a helpful attitude on the European
Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), Dirioz said that this charge was
completely groundless. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] DERVIS: “POSTPONING ELECTIONS WOULDN’T HELP TURKEY’S EU BID”
Speaking at a conference in Washington yesterday organized by the Ari
Foundation, a nongovernmental organization (NGO), former Economy Minister
Kemal Dervis said arguments that Turkey should postpone elections scheduled
for Nov. 3 due to December’s European Union summit were mistaken. Dervis
stated that postponing elections wouldn’t help Turkey’s European Union
membership bid, since the EU wanted to see a determined, powerful
government in Turkey. He added that the EU would be pleased if Turkey
overcomes its political instability after the elections. Dervis also said
that Turkey’s EU membership was achievable from the standpoints of both
politics and history as well as economics. “Both Turkey and the EU will
benefit from Turkey’s EU membership,” he said. “Turkey wants to get a date
from the EU at December’s Copenhagen summit, but it’s much more important
that the EU not treat Turkey any differently than the other 13 candidate
countries.” /Milliyet/
[09] DENKTAS’S NEW CYPRUS SETTLEMENT PROPOSES TRIPLE SOVEREIGNTY
Details of a new plan proposed by Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) President Rauf Denktas at his Sept. 11 meeting with Greek Cypriot
leader Glafcos Clerides were released yesterday. Under the plan,
sovereignty on the island would have three distinct elements. The Turkish
and Greek Cypriot founding states would transfer sovereignty on some issue
areas to a common authority, while retaining others, and that authority
would then share some of its sovereignty with the European Union, should
Cyprus becomes an EU member. For this plan to go into effect, the two
founding states would have to officially recognize each other at least 24
hours before the establishment of the common state. However, acceptance of
the plan by the Greek Cypriot administration seem unlikely, reports said
yesterday. Yet officials from certain Western states reportedly told
Denktas that the plan also contained some useful points. Meanwhile, United
Nations Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto, who has been serving as an
observer at meetings between Denktas and Clerides, will be travelling to
Ankara tomorrow to meet with Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur
Ziyal. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] BUSINESS LEADERS CALL FOR ELECTIONS TO BE HELD AS SCHEDULED
Turkey’s elections should be held as scheduled, on Nov. 3, for the good of
the country and its economic health, said a meeting of top Turkish business
leaders yesterday. Speaking to a Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s
Association’s (TUSAID) Higher Consultation Board (YIK) meeting in Istanbul,
YIK Chairman Muharrem Kayhan said that elections were one of the major
planks and expressions of democracy. Tuncay Ozilhan, TUSIAD’s chairman,
stated that he was opposed to efforts to postpone the polls since such a
delay would sow great instability. Recalling that TUSIAD had previously
proposed changes to the Political Parties and Elections Law, Ozilhan said
that the need for reform was no excuse to postpone elections. “These
matters should be discussed after the elections,” said Ozilhan. /Turkiye/
[11] SP: “CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE ELECTIONS JUST AND DEMOCRATIC”
A number of legal changes are needed to ensure that the Nov. 3 elections
are just and democratic and to avoid a great many mistakes, said Felicity
Party (SP) Deputy Chairman Mehmer Bekaroglu yesterday. Speaking to
reporters, Bekaroglu said that the SP would support whatever changes were
necessary to the Political Parties Elections Law. /Aksam/
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] WILL A US-IRAQ WAR BEGIN EARLIER THAN EXPECTED?
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on recent developments regarding the Iraq
issue. A summary of his column is as follows:
There are insistent rumors in Washington diplomatic circles that US
President George W. Bush has his mind set on striking Iraq, either sooner
or later. Until recently, diplomatic circles were predicting that Bush was
planning to go to war next January or February. However, there are now
certain signs that this date might be earlier than expected. For instance,
the US might strike Iraq soon after November’s US congressional elections
or at the beginning of December.
These predictions are based on certain observations. President Bush is
currently trying to ratchet up the threat of military action against Iraq
on both the domestic and international fronts. He on the one hand has urged
Congress to authorize him to use any means necessary to disarm and oust
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if the United Nations fails to deal with him,
and on the other accelerated US preparations for war. The US army is
continuing to get prepared stealthily. There are feverish preparations
afoot, especially in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, as well as in a number of
US bases in Europe.
Can Saddam Hussein’s recent offer to readmit UN arms inspections without
any conditions prevent the US from waging a war in Iraq?
There is now a war of words between circles supporting Bush’s doctrine
allowing for a ‘preemptive’ strike against Iraq and others strongly
opposing such action. For example, former Vice President Al Gore recently
said that any unilateral action the Bush administration might take against
Saddam could distract from the war on terrorism.
However, nobody, for the time being, seems capable of persuading Bush not
to launch a military intervention in Iraq. Washington is insistent on its
argument that Saddam’s regime should end. But will Saddam just pack his
bags and leave Iraq? No, he won’t. That’s why Bush believes that there is
no alternative besides a military strike. ‘The sooner the better,’ goes
Bush’s reasoning.
By the way, most of the US’ closest allies except for Britain disagree with
Bush. The Iraq dossier recently released by British Prime Minister Tony
Blair showed how serious the threat is. However, the world is also aware
that there is nothing new in this dossier. Military experts and former
inspectors still believe that Iraq possesses chemical and biological arms
and that it is developing nuclear weapons. The real question is whether
Iraq actually poses a serious threat to the world. Some experts claim that
international terrorists might obtain these weapons and launch attacks
which would make Sept. 11 pale in comparison. How can such a development be
prevented? Moreover, if Saddam is as ‘mad’ as people believe, what would
stop him from using these weapons during a US-Iraq war? Such a development
would be even worse for our world.”
[14] MEETING WITH ISMAIL CEM BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
Columnist Oktay Eksi writes on his conversation with New Turkey Party (YTP)
leader Ismail Cem. A summary of his column is as follows:
“I recently met with New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem. Since he was
once a journalist himself, I consider him a colleague. Although our jobs
are very different now, maintaining the distance between a politician and a
journalist determined to question him proved impossible during our
conversation. The YTP, led by Cem, was born in a very assertive way. It
enjoyed almost full media support. The atmosphere in Turkey indicated that
the nation’s anger towards the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which
seemed a hopeless case in terms of serving Turkey’s interests, would be
transformed into votes for the political party to be established by Ismail
Cem, Kemal Dervis and Husamettin Ozkan. What’s more, it was hoped that the
search for a new movement would result in a big party embracing these three
leaders. Cem is keenly aware of the wind that left the YTP’s sails after
Dervis joined the CHP and redrew the political map of the left. However, he
is acting in the knowledge that a political leader should be brave,
determined and sure of himself, and that he should prevail in even the most
difficult conditions. For example, although he saw the possibility of the
YTP’s not being able to meet the 10% threshold, he said, ‘The downside to
holding the elections as scheduled is less than what Turkey would suffer
were the elections postponed.’ However, he doesn’t pretend that postponing
the elections wouldn’t be in the YTP’s favor. We understood from Cem that
he is determined to speak to the concerns of Turkey’s women and disabled
citizens and ask for their votes. He’s taking into consideration that women
make up half of the nation’s population and that six million handicapped
persons live in Turkey. He wants to create a Turkey which respects both of
these groups. Probably you have also heard many people observe that our
nation is in a very reactive, angry mood before these elections. Cem is
saying the very same thing. ‘This anger and reaction is not unjustified,’
he observed. ‘In addition, there is a real gap between the middle class and
these reactive people, most of whom are unemployed. I find this situation
very dangerous. It’s very easy to come across the wrong way to these
people. However, we cannot act irresponsibly. For example, we cannot cross
out our signatures given to the International Monetary Fund. We have to
meet with the IMF. However, we should hold this meeting to discuss measures
to boost production.’ Cem and the YTP have other difficulties because they
have yet to receive the aid due them from the Treasury. However,
considering that in previous years Cem entered Parliament in spite of very
difficult conditions, it seems very reasonable that he might do something
unexpected in these elections, too.”
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