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Monday, 18 November 2024
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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-29Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>29.09.03Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT TO RESUME LEGISLATIVE YEAR ON WEDNESDAYFollowing two months of summer recess, Parliament is scheduled this Wednesday to begin the second half of its 22nd Legislative Year. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is expected to deliver an opening speech and later, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc is to host an evening reception to mark the occasion. Parliament is set to debate some 300 bills in this period. The government is also expected to soon present a motion regarding the possible deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq. /All Papers/[02] ERDOGAN REBUFFS CRITICS, SAYS “BAD DAYS ARE BEHIND US”Speaking in the province of Gumushane yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power 10 months ago, it was common knowledge how bad Turkey’s situation was. “But now we’ve left those bad days behind us,” said Erdogan. “We will do our best to lift obstacles blocking our investors.” Erdogan stated that nearly 50 dams would be completed by the end of this year. He also criticized the opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) stance on a possible troop deployment to Iraq, saying that being an opposition party didn’t mean opposing all the government’s policies. “Turkey can’t be a mere bystander to developments in the Middle East,” said Erdogan. Touching on a recent $8.5 billion US loan agreement, Erdogan stated that repayment would begin in four years’ time, adding that the entire sum would be repaid within a decade. He charged that when the AKP government began its anti- corruption drive, those involved had started to condemn the government. Erdogan further stated that natural gas prices would fall by 8% beginning in October, adding that there has been no natural gas prices hikes for nine months, which he called a sign of economic stability. /All papers/[03] GUL TO MEET WITH VERHEUGEN; EU APPROVES AID FOR TRNCForeign Minister Abdullah Gul is scheduled today to meet with European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen in Brussels. The main topic of the meeting will be the EU’s Progress Report on Turkey set to be released in early November. Meanwhile, the EU yesterday approved an economic aid package to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The package proposes financial aid to be used to upgrade the infrastructures of the TRNC’s three largest cities – Lefkosa (Nicosia), Magosa (Famagusta), and Girne (Kyrenia) – as well as making reforms in line with EU norms. /Turkiye/[04] FORMER GREEK CYPRIOT LEADER CLERIDES CLAIMS HAND IN SHAPING ANNAN PLANThe Greek side on Cyprus had prior knowledge of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan for the island and also a hand in shaping it, said former Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides over the weekend. “We had forewarning of what Annan’s plan would say, and we were able to head off the terms we opposed,” Clerides told Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros. “We said, ‘If the plan isn’t to our liking, we’ll reject it’.” Clerides added that only parts of the plan ruining the balance between the island’s two nations were not subject to change. The elder Greek Cypriot leader also claimed that at one time four Islamic nations had threatened to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) if the island’s issue were not solved in six months. Clerides said that he and Annan prevented this action by saying that negotiations for a settlement were “ongoing” /Hurriyet/[05] ECONOMY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS FOREIGN CURRENCY ISSUEDuring a meeting today, government officials including State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and Industry Minister Ali Coskun along with other bureaucrats are set to discuss recent developments in Turkey’s foreign currency rates and markets. Representatives of the business world will also attend the meeting. Exporters’ financial issues and export legislation will also be taken up at the gathering. /Sabah/[06] BAYKAL CRITICIZES AKP OVER $8.5 BILLION US LOANSpeaking at a regional congress of his party yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal criticized the government over the terms it accepted for a recent $8.5 billion US loan, adding that the government should submit the issue for Parliament’s approval. “The ruling Justice and Development Party [AKP] has a two-thirds majority in Parliament, yet it’s hesitating to bring the issue us,” said Baykal. “This is incomprehensible.” Also touching on a recent dispute between university rectors and the AKP government, Baykal called Prime Minister and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on the issue unacceptable. /Cumhuriyet/[07] ANAP LEADER OZDEMIR: “THE AKP SHOULD OPENLY DECLARE TERMS OF $8.5 BILLION US LOAN”Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Ali Talip Ozdemir yesterday criticized the government over its recent $8.5 billion US loan package, charging that a public disclosure of the loan’s terms would show a secret “tit-for-tat” deal over Turkish troop deployment in Iraq. “The AKP government has created nothing but artificial solutions to the nation’s problems during its 10 months in office,” stated Ozdemir. He further predicted that his party would be successful in next year’s local elections. /Cumhuriyet/[08] TURKISH WOMEN TAKE SILVER IN EUROPEAN VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPSIn yesterday’s close of the European Women’s Volleyball Championships in Ankara, the Turkish team lost out to Poland 3-0, but still took home the silver crown. Last week it beat perennial champion Russia. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his wife congratulated the team and coach Resat Yaziciogullari called the team’s success a turning point for Turkish volleyball. In overall results, Poland came in first and Germany third. /All Papers/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[10] TURKEY’S ISOLATION OVER NORTHERN IRAQ BY SEMIH IDIZ (AKSAM)Columnist Semih Idiz writes on Turkey’s northern Iraq policy. A summary of his column is as follows:“As a nation, we like to reinvent the wheel. This is one of our oddest habits. We like ‘rediscovering’ certain already known facts like they were new. Then we suddenly stir up a wave of indignation, as if we were facing these previously known facts for the first time. Such is the case on the northern Iraq issue. We’re currently ‘rediscovering’ the fact that Washington doesn’t want us to unilaterally deploy our troops to Iraq. According to Ankara’s recent agreement with the US for $8.5 billion in loans, our government must cooperate with Washington in Iraq and furthermore musn’t unilaterally deploy troops into northern Iraq. What our Economy Minister Ali Babacan recently said on this issue was correct: This conditional loan isn’t a new issue for us. Washington has been clear on it since the very beginning of negotiations on Turkish troop deployments. I’m not trying to say that the US is right in putting forward such conditions for its financial assistance. As a matter of fact, I believe that it’s very inconsistent for the US – which intervened unilaterally in Iraq heedless of worldwide opposition – to lecture Turkey on not making unilateral moves in the region. However, Washington has finally managed to cobble together a patchwork, token international coalition. But on the northern Iraq issue, our country stands completely alone. No other country believes that we have the right to unilaterally deploy our troops there. In the past, Washington turned a reluctant blind eye to Ankara’s cross-border military operations. ‘We understand your reasons, but your forces must withdraw as soon as possible,’ was what the US always said during such operations. In addition, the European Union’s stance is no secret. There are even certain EU circles which contend Brussels should completely break off relations with Ankara in case of an intervention by our forces in northern Iraq. What about the Arab countries? In the past, the Arab League was always the first to reproach Ankara whenever our military held a cross- border operation. In brief, we’re all alone on this. Under such circumstances, instead of getting angry at the world, it would be better for our government to consider the reasons behind our international isolation. Otherwise, no matter how great our indignation, eventually having to abandon our fiercely stated red lines is all but inevitable.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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