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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-30Turkish 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 morning30.09.2003<brCONTENTS
[01] VERHEUGEN TELLS GUL TO EXPECT POSITIVE PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEYForeign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen in Brussels. After their meeting, Verheugen said that he expected the EU Commission’s progress report due to be released Nov. 5 would be a positive and encouraging one. Praising Turkey’s recent reform process, Verheugen said that Gul had pledged to him the reforms would be implemented fully. Regarding yesterday’s Turkish court verdict on election fraud, the commissioner said, “I hope the verdict doesn’t affect Turkey’s political stability.” Also speaking to reporters on the matter, Gul said that he didn’t think the verdict would affect the results of the elections, adding that possible new polls held no fear for the Justice and Development Party (AKP). “The AKP could even increase its majority in Parliament,” predicted the foreign minister. /Turkiye/[02] APPEALS COURT FINDS DEHAP GUILTY OF ELECTION FRAUD; EFFECT OF RULING UNCERTAINThe High Court of Appeals yesterday ruled that the Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) was guilty of committing forgery in last fall’s parliamentary elections, a decision that could affect the distribution of seats in Parliament or even bring early elections as soon as next April. Former DEHAP leader Mehmet Abbasoglu and three officials of the pro-Kurdish party were sentenced in June to just under two years in prison for submitting forged documents to falsely establish that their new DEHAP party had completed organizing in at least 63 provinces, a requirement for participating in national elections. DEHAP officials had appealed the verdict, but the High Court of Appeals’ ruling upholding the lower court decision has thrown the country into an atmosphere of political uncertainty, as, although the pro-Kurdish party holds no seats in Parliament, the effects of the ruling could be large. The Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) now has to decide whether DEHAP’s participation in last November’s polls with forged documents significantly affected the results of the elections, which produced a two-party Parliament for the first time since the 1950s. The YSK may now have three options: 1) It may rule that the election results are final and that 10 months after the Nov. 3 polls, nothing can be done to rectify the election fraud. 2) It may rule to throw out DEHAP’s votes and reallocate the distribution of seats in Parliament according to remaining valid votes. 3) It may rule that throwing out DEHAP’s votes could affect vote results nationwide and thus new polls should be held. Justice and Development Party (AKP) figures said yesterday they oppose new polls, but added that in case of new elections they are confident of returning to Parliament with even a larger majority. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) also says that new polls would be a grave error. Meanwhile, DEHAP charged that the court’s verdict was “political.” The party’s leader said that after exhausting all domestic legal channels, if need be they would take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights. /All Papers/[03] IMF DELEGATION BEGINS CONTACTS IN ANKARAAfter completing its contacts in Istanbul last weekend, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam yesterday began a series of meetings with officials in Ankara. As part of the sixth review of Turkey’s IMF-supported economic program, the delegation met with Treasury Undersecretariat officials to discuss this year’s economic policies as well as budget targets for 2004. The delegation is expected to meet this week with State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan and Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan as well as officials from the Central Bank, State Planning Organization (DPT), Banking Supervision and Regulation Agency (BDDK), the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), and Eximbank. Following the review, the IMF is expected to extend a $500 million credit tranche to Turkey. /Turkiye/[04] EDELMAN: “DENKTAS SHOULDN’T BLOCK PROGRESS TOWARDS A CYPRUS SETTLEMENT”Turkish-US relations have recently undergone a “troubled period” but now both sides are working hard to rebuild a half-century of trust, said US Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman yesterday. “As Turkey examines its own national interests and pursues its internal economic and political reform process, we are confident it will conclude that strong cooperative engagement alongside the US to create a peaceful, stable and prosperous region supporting those interests,” Edelman told an audience at Ankara’s Bilkent University. He said that Turkey itself would decide whether or not to send troops to Iraq, adding that the nation could play an important role in Iraq’s reconstruction. “The president's commitment to ridding Iraq of the terrorist threat includes the PKK_KADEK,” stated the ambassador. “The US has been and will continue to be Turkey's strongest partner in its efforts to eradicate terrorism.” Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Edelman said that last spring’s collapse of talks over the United Nations plan had meant a missed opportunity to reach a historic resolution on the island. “The plan put forth by UN Secretary-General [Kofi] Annan provides for the safety and continuing security of the Turkish Cypriot community and the security interests of Turkey, and remains the best basis for a satisfactory solution for all parties,” he said, adding that Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas shouldn’t stand in the way of a resolution for the island. /Cumhuriyet/[05] CICEK: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE NEXT WEEK”Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that next week the government’s decision on whether or not to send Turkish troops to Iraq would be clear. Touching on a recent $8.5 billion US loan agreement, Cicek reiterated that the loan didn’t require Turkey to send troops to Iraq, as these were separate issues. “Next week, guided by our nation’s best interests, we will make a final decision on the issue,” said Cicek. He further stated that the government had not taken the loan into account in preparing next year’s budget. “Whether we make use of the loan is up to us,” said Cicek, adding that the loan deal didn’t require parliamentary approval. /All papers/[06] BABACAN: “OUR COMPANIES ARE READY TO WORK WITH AMERICAN FIRMS IN IRAQ’S RECONSTRUCTION”In an address to the Turkish-American Business Council yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkish companies were ready to work with US firms in Iraq’s reconstruction process. “Potential alliances between Turkish and US firms will depend on the interests of both countries,” he said. He stated that importance of bilateral economic ties was on the rise, adding that Ankara expected an influx of more capital from the US. Also touching on a just-approved $8.5 billion US loan, Babacan said that the funds would support Turkey’s reform process. /Aksam/[07] OZILHAN: “NEW POLLS WOULD THREATEN OUR NATION’S STABILITY”New elections would threaten Turkey’s hard-won stability, warned Turkish Businessmen’s and Industrialists’ Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan yesterday. “If early elections are called for we will respect them, ” he added, commenting on yesterday’s court ruling upholding election fraud convictions and raising the specter of early polls. Also speaking on the ruling, Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun said he hoped the issue would not distract the nation from its larger agenda. “We need to keep our focus on the economy, production, growth and employment,” added Aygun. “I hope we won’t lose this.” /Turkiye/[08] DEMIREL LEAVES FOR US VISITYesterday former President Suleyman Demirel flew to the United States to attend the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Eisenhower Foundation, named for the late US president. Demirel will also meet with former US President George H. W. Bush. Before leaving Turkey, Demirel said that during his contacts he would express his views on Turkish-US relations, political developments in the Middle East as well as issues concerning Iraq and the European Union. Emphasizing that Turkey must consider carefully its stance on Iraq, Demirel stated, “Iraq is our neighbor but it’s currently under US occupation, so both nations are our neighbors now. The US can’t stay in the region forever. We can’t be indifferent to events in Iraq, because events there concern us. Turkey has to help bring stability to Iraq.” /Aksam/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[10] A COURSE CHANGE FOR WASHINGTON’S IRAQ POLICY?BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen writes on Washington’s Iraq policy. A summary of his column is as follows: “Is there any chance that the United States will change course on its Iraq policy? The Bush administration recently indicated that it wanted to cooperate with the international community on Iraq’s reconstruction. Due to the unexpected serious problems it’s facing there, Washington is now apparently more willing to give a greater role to the international community. However, President Bush is clearly not leaning towards changing the main pillars of his Iraq policy, which one might summarize as follows: ‘The US was justified in attacking Iraq to overthrow the undemocratic dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Washington is now determined to continue its occupation so as to establish peace and stability in the region as well as to reconstruct the country. Willing states might contribute to this process. However, even if left alone by the international community, the US is determined to carry through its plans in the region. There’s no turning back from this path.’ This policy is a reflection of President Bush’s ‘unilateral’ and ‘preemptive strike’ doctrine, as well as his arrogant and overconfident personal attitude. So, we have sufficient evidence to believe that the Bush administration has no plans to change its Iraq policy as long as it holds onto power. But what happens if the US’ ruling party were to change? My personal view is that if the Democrats win in next year’s elections, Washington still won’t change the main principles of its Middle East policy, but it’s very likely to revise it with certain modifications in terms of methods and style. Last Friday, I had the opportunity to discuss this issue with Democratic Congressman Alcee L. Hastings, one of the harsher American critics of Bush’s Iraq policy, who was in Istanbul for a conference organized by the Turkish-US Business Council. Hastings claimed that if the Democratic Party wins next fall, Bush’s preemptive doctrine would be abandoned immediately. However, my impression from our conversation is that the Democrats wouldn’t withdraw from Iraq even if they get the reins of power in Washington. They would, however, immediately take more effective measures to establish solid international cooperation on the issue so as to facilitate Iraq’s reconstruction. No matter how contradictory their political views are, Americans have similar ideas when it comes to their country’s strategic and economic interests. Therefore, even if the Bush administration loses the elections, the US policy on the Middle East won’t be altered significantly. Any difference will lie in its methods and attitudes.” 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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