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Turkish Press Review, 03-08-27Turkish 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 morning27.08.2003ANGER CAN’T CHANGE THE TRUTH BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “OUR DECISION ON TROOP DEPLOYMENT WILL FOLLOW CONSULTATIONS WITH IRAQIS”Speaking at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Board (MKYK) yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the government had decided that there was no need for an immediate decision on sending troops to Iraq. Erdogan also briefed the MKYK members on recent developments on the issue. “Negotiations with tribal leaders and other native Iraqi groups are still continuing, and the results of these talks will determine our stance on sending troops there,” said Erdogan. “There is no need to take an immediate decision before these talks are concluded.” Erdogan further stated that some of the government’s ministers were hesitant to send soldiers to Iraq. In other news, Erdogan yesterday attended ceremonies in Mus to commemorate the anniversary of the 1071 victory at Malazgirt, an event which paved the way for ethnic Turks to first enter Anatolia. Speaking to the gathering, Erdogan said that Turkey’s Anatolian homeland was very important for the nation. Erdogan further called on the nation to trust his government and it steadfast struggle against Turkey’s most pressing problems such as high inflation, unemployment, and corruption. /Aksam/[02] ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH UNIVERSITY RECTORS, DISCUSS PROPOSED CHANGES TO HIGHER EDUCATION LAWPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet today with a group of university rectors to discuss a draft law proposing rearrangements of the structure and functioning the Board of Higher Education (YOK). Education Minister Huseyin Celik is also due to attend the meeting. /Star/[03] GUL: “OUR DECISION ON IRAQ IS STILL PENDING”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said that if the government were convinced that Turkey could help bring peace and stability to Iraq, Turkish troops could well be sent there. Upon leaving the United Nations Office in Ankara, after signing a book of condolences for Sergio De Mello, the UN representative in Baghdad who lost his life during a bomb attack last week, Gul told reporters that the troop deployment issue was still under consideration. “No decision has been made yet,” said Gul. “If we believe with certainty that Turkish troops can contribute to Iraq’s prosperity, we can send them.” Regarding a parliamentary motion on the matter, the foreign minister said, “If our stance becomes clear, then we can call Parliament for an extraordinary session in September. Otherwise, Parliament will begin its work as scheduled [when it reconvenes in October].” /Turkiye/[04] IRAQI TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES DUE IN VISIT ANKARABefore making a decision on whether or not to send troops to Iraq, Turkish officials are continuing their contacts with various Iraqi groups. As part of these meetings, a group of representatives from Ubeydi Tribe, one of the most powerful tribes in northern Iraq’s Kirkuk, is set to arrive in Ankara today to hold meetings with Foreign Ministry officials. A delegation from a nationwide tribal commission is also expected to visit Ankara in the coming days. In addition, seven representatives of the 25-member Iraqi Governing Council, is scheduled to visit Turkey in mid-September. /Turkiye/[05] AKP DEPUTIES VISITS IRAQRuling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies Turhan Comez and Cevdet Erdol are currently paying a visit to Iraq to take the nation’s pulse regarding possible Turkish troop deployment there. The two deputies yesterday met with Kirkuk Mayor Abdul Rahman Mustafa and told him of Turkey’s concerns over the recent violence in northern Iraq, said Comez. The Iraqi people have a positive view of Turkey as a Muslim neighbor with historical ties, stated the deputy, one that resisted full cooperation with the US-led Iraq war and was not part of any occupying force. All the Iraqis say that if Turkish troops come, they should be kept separate from US forces,” he continued. “They can help solve our problems and protect us.” For his part, Erdol said that the Iraqi people definitely oppose the occupation and US soldiers, but could view Turkish troops differently. “Under certain conditions, they would welcome Turkish forces,” he stated. /Turkiye/[06] FALLUJAH MAYOR WARNS OF “HELL” AWAITING TURKISH SOLDIERSAnf Turkish troops setting foot in Fallujha, an Iraqi city 50 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, will face a “hell” of opposition there, warned city Mayor, Taha Badawi Hamid al-Alwani yesterday. Following a meeting with the local political and religious leaders, Alwani announced that they had unanimously rejected any Turkish troop deployment in the city, adding that the people of Fallujah would avoid cooperating with Turkish soldiers. Alwani further said that Turkey deploying forces to the area known as the Sunni triangle, a territory west and north of Baghdad where reports say Turkish troops are likely to be sent, would revive old enmities and grievances in the region. US forces opted to withdraw from Fallujah early last month after facing strong Sunni resistance. /Cumhuriyet/[07] TURKEY SIGNS EXPORTS AGREEMENT WITH CHINAState Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday met in Ankara with visiting People’s Republic of China Trade Minister Lu Fuyuan, and both signed an exports agreement between their countries. Speaking after the meeting, Tuzmen said that under the new pact, Turkey’s exports to China would grow by about $200 million by year’s end. /Milliyet/[08] 72ND IZMIR INTERNATIONAL FAIR OPENSThe Izmir International Fair (IEF) as organized by the Izmir Fair Services Culture and Art Works Trade Corp (Izfas) opened its doors for the 72nd time yesterday with a ceremony held at Lozan (Lausanne) Square yesterday. This year’s IEF will focus on technology, and in particular space technology and robots. Over 1,000 companies, including some 360 foreign firms from 64 countries, are due to participate in the fair, whose international segment closes on next Wednesday. /All papers/[09] TURKISH RUNNER IN PARIS GAMES QUALIFIES FOR WOMEN'S FINALTurkish sprinter Elvan Abeylegesse’s stellar showing in second heat competition at Paris’ World Championships yesterday has put her in the running for the finals. Abeylegesse ran the 5,000-meter heat in 14 minutes, 54.95 seconds, a personal best for her. Her teammate Sureyya Ayhan is due to compete today. /All papers/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[11] THE SOONER THE BETTERBY MURAT YETKIN (RADIKAL)Columnist Murat Yetkin comments on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on possible Turkish troop deployments in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows: “Three analysts from the Eurasian Strategic Research Center (ASAM) have put together the results of a study on postwar Iraq in a report slated to be published soon in ASAM’s journal Strategic Analysis. After laying out in detail information on the Iraqi tribes and sects dead set against US intervention in their country, the country’s authors have this to say: ‘Although Iraq’s military power does not seem capable of defeating US forces, attacks against US soldiers are very likely to bring about significant consequences in terms of the country’s reconstruction. This conflict might increase the number of people in the Middle East holding anti-US views. However, this scenario is not a foregone conclusion. The US still has the opportunity and capability to halt, reduce or cushion the blow of these attacks.’ These views are of great importance for Ankara, which is currently hesitating over deploying its troops there. As a matter of fact, it’s not so much Ankara which is reluctant about such deployment but more specifically the government. Because in saying ‘Ankara’ we’re usually referring not only to the government but also to the president, Office of the General Staff and the Parliament. Despite his disapproval of the Iraq war due to the lack of international legitimacy, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has finally adopted a more flexible stance, as he does not want to cause another disappointment with Washington. Even Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who is well known for his harsh antiwar statements, has stated that he would take a stance in line with the government’s. Former Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit has also stated that Turkey cannot remain indifferent to war in a neighboring country. Therefore, the decision whether or not to send troops to Iraq is in the hands of the government, that is to say, Prime Minister Erdogan. Here is Erdogan’s dilemma: If Turkey deploys its troops there, bilateral relations with the US would be mended but our soldiers are very likely to be seen as ‘collaborators with the foreign invaders.’ But if the troops don’t go, Turkish-US relations would worsen. Here is an important question that our government should ask to itself: ‘If the US fails in Iraq, what would Turkey do? Would the situation under such circumstances be in our favor?’ Erdogan is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder next Tuesday in Berlin, which has already stated that it would not deploy troops in Iraq. Erdogan is then to attend the Ambrosetti Forum in Italy, side-by- side with a number of prominent European Union leaders. He will thus have the opportunity to learn more about the EU countries’ stances on the matter. After his contacts in Europe, he is expected to speed up Ankara’s decision-making process on the Iraq issue. It is of course necessary to take careful steps on such a sensitive issue. However, the quicker Erdogan acts, the sooner our country can change the mistaken impression in the world’s eyes that it suffers from a serious leadership crisis.’ [12] ANGER CAN’T CHANGE THE TRUTH BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)Columnist Tufan Turenc argues for what he calls a “failure” in the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) foreign and domestic policies. A summary of his column is as follows:“The Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) anger can’t change the fact that Turkey’s lot will not improve under this administration. However, there’s no alternative to the AKP. Both the center left and the right are in disarray. Therefore Turkey is going through a critical period. If we just remain patient, we can emerge from this bottleneck relatively unscathed. Why can’t Turkey improve under this administration? Let’s explore this question. Certain developments threatening Turkey’s future are taking place in Iraq, and the government is staring at them in incomprehension. The best evidence of this is the failure back in March when Ankara rejected the deployment of US troops in Turkey. As a result, a half-century of cooperation with the US ended. The AKP government’s misguided foreign policy left Turkey on its own. If our membership negotiations with the European Union end badly, Turkey might fall into chaos. The AKP isn’t maintaining our other vitally important foreign balances either. Turkey’s relations with Russia and the Central Asian republics are also feeling chill winds. However, the more we improve our relations with them, the closer we’ll be to the West. This government lacks the foreign policy compass to comprehend it. As for domestic policy, interest rates haven’t fallen as much as expected and the stock exchange is doing poorly too. It’s Turkey’s bad luck to bring such an inexperienced party to power.” 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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