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Turkish Press Review, 03-03-10Turkish 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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning10.03.2003FOREIGN MINISTER YAKIS SAYS SENDING ANOTHER PROPOSAL TO PARLIAMENT ISN’T CLEAR YET PEARSON: “TURKEY SHOULD GIVE ITS DECISION ON IRAQ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE” US MILITARY BUILDUP IN TURKEY CONTINUES ITF ASKS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR URGENT PROTECTION FROM KURDS DENKTAS: “THE THIRD UN CYPRUS PLAN SHOULD BE REVISED BY TAKING TURKEY INTO CONSIDERATION” IMF COMPLETES FOURTH REVIEW OF THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS THREE REASONS FOR TURKEY TO FIRE ITS WEAPONS IN IRAQ BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR) US MILITARY BUILDUP’S RESULTS IN TERMS OF TURKEY BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN ELECTED TO PARLIAMENTRuling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) won all three seats in Parliament in Siirt by-elections yesterday receiving 84.8% of the votes cast. The way is now open for AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been elected to represent Siirt to become Prime Minister. In addition to Erdogan, other AK Party candidates Oner Gulyesil and Oner Ergenc will represent their party in Parliament. The number of AK Party seats in Parliament increases to 365 while opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has 177 seats, True Path Party (DYP) 2 and Independents 6. Erdogan is expected to replace Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and form a new Cabinet. Reportedly he planned to reduce the number of ministers from 24 to 20 and remove ministers who have opposed allowing the US deployment. /All Papers/[02] FOREIGN MINISTER YAKIS SAYS SENDING ANOTHER PROPOSAL TO PARLIAMENT ISN’T CLEAR YETForeign Minister Yasar Yakis said yesterday that the issue of whether another proposal on dispatch of Turkish troops abroad and deployment of foreign troops in Turkey would be sent to Parliament had not become clear yet. The Parliamentary Planning and Budgetary Commission discussed the Foreign Ministry’s budget in 2003, and Yakis answered commission members’ questions about foreign policies. Regarding the Iraq issue, Yakis said that Turkey had done its best to prevent any war. “Turkey was taking measures to protect its interests in case of a war,” said Yakis. Stressing that keeping refugees within Iraq before they came to Turkish border was possible only with a great number of military existence, the foreign minister said, “Our soldiers will try to keep refugees within Iraq and reasonable kilometers away from the border.” Noting that Turkey would prevent if some groups in northern Iraq carry out acts that may destroy Iraq’s territorial integrity and if they exert efforts with this purpose, Yakis said, “So, existence of Turkish soldiers will be a dissuasive factor.” Regarding the issue of safety of Turkmen, in northern Iraq, Yakis added that Turkey attributed same importance to safety of Turkmen, Arabs and Kurds. The foreign minister also remarked that Turkey would continue to support Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas for his efforts to find a just solution to the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/[03] PEARSON: “TURKEY SHOULD GIVE ITS DECISION ON IRAQ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”United States Ambassador to Turkey yesterday visited ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss recent developments on a possible US-led operation against Iraq. During their talks, Pearson said that the US would start the operation in 10 days and that Turkey should make its decision by March 17, deadline the US gave Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm. “Turkey’s decision is very important at this point so it should make its decision as soon as possible,” he said. Pearson also briefed Erdogan on the structure of Iraq after the operation. Erdogan said that his party was going to do what was necessary. “However, do not set deadlines for us,” he added. He also told Pearson the AKP deputies’ concerns on Iraq’s territorial integrity and northern Iraq. Speaking after their meeting, Pearson said that they had talked about all issues in detail. Also present at the meeting were State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan and Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis. /Milliyet/[04] US MILITARY BUILDUP IN TURKEY CONTINUESAhead of a possible war against Iraq, US military buildup in Turkey continued over the weekend. A Belgian-flagged cargo ship unloaded armored military vehicles and other equipment at the southern Turkish port of Iskenderun on Saturday, while previously disembarked US materiel were headed to the southeastern provinces of Batman, Silopi and Mardin as well as to the Incirlik Airbase in Adana, a NATO base mainly used by US forces. In related news, the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was reported to be preparing to file a parliamentary investigation motion concerning the issue following Parliament Spokesman Bulent Arinc’s recent statements that he had doubts that the current US military buildup in Turkey might have breached the clauses of an earlier authorization proposal approved by Parliament that allowed the US to make upgrades to Turkish airbases and ports for a possible stationing of US troops. /Cumhuriyet/[05] ITF ASKS UN SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR URGENT PROTECTION FROM KURDSIraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) had sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan asking for urgent protection from the Kurds in northern Iraq, Turkish news channel NTV said over the weekend. The letter remarked that northern Iraq’s ethnic Turkmen population was under an imminent threat of genocide and ethnic cleansing posed by the Kurdish groups mainly controlled by Jalal Talabani’s Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) and Massoud Barzani’s Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP). /Cumhuriyet/[06] DENKTAS: “THE THIRD UN CYPRUS PLAN SHOULD BE REVISED BY TAKING TURKEY INTO CONSIDERATION”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that the United Nations’ third plan should be revised by taking Turkey into consideration. “We haven’t yet discussed the plan completely,” he said. Speaking at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport before departing for Hague, where the Cyprus summit to be held, Denktas said that thousands of pages needed to be added to the plan. He stated that he could not say “yes” to the plan, since it would make Turkish Cypriots minority on the island. However, he added that he was still ready to negotiate it with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. /Aksam/[07] IMF COMPLETES FOURTH REVIEW OF THE ECONOMIC PROGRAMInternational Monetary Fund delegation yesterday completed fourth review of Turkey’s economic program. Speaking at a press conference before leaving Turkey, IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen said that they agreed on main issues such as 6.5% primary surplus, growth, and inflation targets. “We will continue to work on details in Washington,” said Kahkonen. State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan is expected to go to Washington on March 15. During his visit, Babacan and IMF officials would discuss details on pre-conditions. /Milliyet/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[09] THREE REASONS FOR TURKEY TO FIRE ITS WEAPONS IN IRAQ BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on Turkey’s stance on the Iraq crisis. A summary of her column is as follows:“Negotiations on the Iraq crisis between Turkey and the United States are still continuing although the Turkish Parliament recently rejected a proposal authorizing US troops to be stationed at Turkey’s military facilities. In fact, recent provocative protests of Kurdish groups in northern Iraq against Turkey changed the atmosphere of these negotiations. Last week, the conditions for Turkey’s entrance into northern Iraq were clarified during the negotiations between the two countries. First condition is that Turkish Army will enter the region to provide Iraqi people humanitarian aid, and will not fire its weapons unless it is inevitable to do so. Turkey is fearful of possible conflicts with Kurdish groups or even US troops in the region. That’s why Turkish Army will definitely act very carefully. However, there are a number of incidents which are likely to occur which would force Turkey to use its weapons. Here are these three reasons: - If Kurdish groups attack ethnic Turkmen groups in the region, - If Kurdish groups attempt to establish an independent Kurdish state in the region, taking advantage of the turmoil due to a war, Again, if Kurdish groups attempt to occupy the cities of strategically important Mosul and oil-rich Kirkuk. Iraqi Turkmen Front recently sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan indicating that Iraqi Turkmen groups currently face with a serious threat due to a looming war. The Bush administration has accepted Turkey’s requests and guaranteed that the Turkish Army will not come face to face with the US troops if the above-mentioned conditions emerge. However, the US also set out a condition of its own in return for Turkey’s requests. The Bush administration wants Turkey to change its Iraq policy insisting that any administrative structure other than a federation is unacceptable. The US requests Turkey to count on the Bush administration considering the political restructuring of post-Saddam period. In fact, the US might accept any administrative solution which would keep Iraq’s territorial integrity. I believe that we should expect that another proposal authorizing US troops to be deployed in Turkey would be presented to the Parliament this week.” [10] US MILITARY BUILDUP’S RESULTS IN TERMS OF TURKEY BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on the US military buildup’s results for Turkey. A summary of her column is as follows:“Those who think that Turkey will be able to escape the Kurdish issue without taking any steps thanks to the Turkish soldiers’ acting together with the US soldiers in Iraq are wrong. The Pentagon administration stated last week that the post-Saddam period in Iraq would be governed by three US governors. Two retired generals will work on the north and south and a female governor in Baghdad and around. However, until all the regional arrangements, envisaged by Bush, including the reformation of the political institutions of the country, ensuring the stability and the solution of the Middle East problem are made, the power of the US and British soldiers will continue their military existence. Some part of this power will be within the country and the some will be in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. How long this power will stay isn’t certain. Concerning the issue, the US says, ‘Not a single day more than necessary.’ In other words, the region will be under a broad US umbrella until Washington determines its policies. Taking Iraq and around under the US’ umbrella doesn’t mean that a Kurdish state will be established absolutely. However, it doesn’t guarantee that it won’t be established, either. This umbrella will prevent the regional forces’ acting unilaterally. It doesn’t seem to be possible that Kurds, who want to establish an independent state and those who are against the Kurds’ independent state will carry out a long-term armed operation ‘against each other’ or ‘alone.’ The US’ political existence based on the military force in the region will get such a thing difficult, even impossible. This is valid for Turkey, as well as for the terrorist organizations which want to make Turkey accept their requests despotically. However, we must note that Washington, which considers ensuring stability in the Middle East among the US national security’s important matters in priority, has to take the will of the regional nations into consideration because there will be a process of creating a new nation in Iraq, which will be ensured by the political consensus to be reached by Kurds, Arabs, Turkmens and other ethnic groups. This is the good scenario. However, Turkey’s political contribution will be necessary in the pessimistic scenario, envisaging that the country will be divided ethnically. An armed conflict between Turks and Kurds will be given permission only for deepening the crisis in the region, marginalizing the parties and creating a more effective opportunity of operation. Should permission be given for the US buildup in Turkey? This isn’t so important for Turkey. Yes, it might be given. Then the process that has already begun would be accelerated. It’s important that everybody should burden the responsibility of what he defends. It’s not suitable to connect the proposal to preventing the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. The political words except for the economic compensation and bilateral military agreements don’t have a legal value and binding characteristic in the long term. We should be careful about the Turkish soldiers’ entrance into northern Iraq. Certain circles say that if the proposal isn’t passed, permission won’t be given to the Turkish soldiers for an operation alone. If it’s passed, will the Turkish soldiers be able to carry out an operation as it wishes? No. At this point, only Turkey’s cross-border existence will increase and the flow of refugees will be controlled at the border. Turkish soldiers will be in ‘cooperation’ with the US soldiers there. The framework of this cooperation isn’t known yet. However, the cooperation doesn’t present any alternative of military ‘solution’ in any issue. The US’ military existence doesn’t provide Turkey with any other alternative.” 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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