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Turkish Press Review, 04-01-28Turkish 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 morning28.01.2004ERDOGAN VISITS TURKISH HOUSE IN THE US, SPEAKS AT THE TURKISH-AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL ERDOGAN SCHEDULED TO MEET BUSH TODAY TALAT: “FINDING A SETTLEMENT TO THE CYPRUS ISSUE SERVES TURKEY’S INTERESTS” US VICE-PRESIDENT CHENEY: “TURKEY DESERVES TO BE SUPPORTED ON ITS PATH TOWARDS THE EU” GREEK CYPRUS LEADER: “WE WILL BE PLEASED IF TURKEY PUTS FORTH POLITICAL STANCE TO HELP A RESOLUTION ON THE ISLAND” BAYKAL EXPRESSES HIS SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT’S CYPRUS EFFORTS FINANCE MINISTER UNAKITAN ANNOUNCES LAST YEAR’S BUDGET FIGURES FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS MEDIATOR BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET) STRATEGIC POLICY OF APPEASEMENT BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (CUMHURIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN VISITS TURKISH HOUSE IN THE US, SPEAKS AT THE TURKISH-AMERICAN BUSINESS COUNCILPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in the United States for an official visit, yesterday visited the Turkish House. Erdogan said that he wanted Turkish people living in the US to lobby for Turkey and be more active in politics. Touching on the Cyprus issue, Erdogan said that the Turkish Cypriots would never avoid negotiating with the Greek side for a resolution on the island. Later, speaking at the Turkish-American Business Council, Erdogan called on the American businessmen to invest in Turkey, adding that the US administration should encourage its businessmen to invest more in Turkey. “We know the problems of the American businessmen investing in Turkey and we’re determined to solve their problems,” he said. Touching on the Iraq issue, Erdogan said that founding a federation in Iraq wouldn’t be healthy, adding that such an act would hurt Iraq’s territorial integrity. The premier stated that Turkey expected the US to impose sanction on the PKK_KADEK terrorist organization, the presence of which was still continuing. Erdogan is set to meet with US President George W. Bush today to discuss a number of issues including Turkey’s European Union membership bid, the Cyprus issue and a possible federation in Iraq. /All papers/[02] ERDOGAN SCHEDULED TO MEET BUSH TODAYPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet with US President George W. Bush today at the White House. Five ministers will accompany Erdogan at the meeting, where the premier is expected to focus on the Cyprus issue. Erdogan is to request the support and active participation of the Bush administration regarding the Cyprus peace process. The premier is expected to ask Bush to persuade US Secretary of State Colin Powell to act as a mediator between the Turkish and Greek sides. /Sabah/[03] GUL TRAVELS TO THE USForeign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday traveled to the US to accompany Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his current visit to this country. Before his departure, Gul commented on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas’ recent statement pointing to the fact that finding a settlement to the Cyprus issue by May 1 would be difficult. He said, “Everybody knows that it was a difficult period, however, theTurkish side, for its part, would do everything to reach a solution.” Regarding Greek officials’ critics about Turkish approach on the Cyprus issue, Gul said that Turkish side’s stance was very clear and definite. Concerning Ankara’s desire for a new mediator, the foreign minister said that the person should be trustable and an important one with political power. /Turkiye/[04] TALAT: “FINDING A SETTLEMENT TO THE CYPRUS ISSUE SERVES TURKEY’S INTERESTS”Speaking at Ankara Chamber of Industry’s Assembly meeting, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that a settlement reached before May 1 on the Cyprus would serve Turkey’s interests. He claimed that on the other hand, Greek side was holding maneuvers to postpone solution after that date. Stressing that a solution to issue before May 1 would ensure Turkish Cypriots to be included in European Union acquis communautaire, the premier said this opportunity should be put to use. /Turkiye/[05] US VICE-PRESIDENT CHENEY: “TURKEY DESERVES TO BE SUPPORTED ON ITS PATH TOWARDS THE EU”United States Vice-President Dick Cheney, who is on a tour of Europe to ease tensions caused by the Iraq war, yesterday met with a number of columnists and editors from 10 prominent European dailies. Urging the EU to admit Turkey, Cheney said, “Turkey is a very important ally, not only to the US, but also to NATO.” Recalling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s current visit to the US as an example of close and sincere bilateral relations, Cheney added, “Turkey is located in a very strategic region. We’re very well aware of this fact. Turkey has boundaries not only with the Middle East but also with Europe. Our administration wants to continue working hand in hand with the Turkish government.” Cheney had also previously stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Turkey must be supported on its path towards the EU membership. /Hurriyet/[06] GREEK CYPRUS LEADER: “WE WILL BE PLEASED IF TURKEY PUTS FORTH POLITICAL STANCE TO HELP A RESOLUTION ON THE ISLAND”Greek Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that he would be pleased if Turkey puts forth political stance to help a resolution on the island. Papadopoulos, who flew to Strasbourg to attend a European Council meeting, reiterated that Greek Cyprus was ready to begin negotiations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) within the framework of the United Nations plan. He added that it was known that the United States supported Turkey’s European Union membership bid. In related news, Greek Cyprus Foreign Minister George Yakovu said that Ankara’s stance on the Cyprus issue was not clear yet. /Aksam/[07] BARZANI THREATENS TURKEYNechirvan Barzani, a top official of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) said yesterday that Turkish troops in northern Iraq deployed to prevent any clashes between Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) and IKDP should be retreated. Speaking to AP, Barzani said that if needed, demonstrations would be hold and Turkish military officials’ bureaus in the region would be closed. Stressing that Kurdish parliament sent a letter both to London and Ankara in last October asking for Turkish troops’ retreat, the Kurdish leader said that if their demands were not obeyed, then they would dare everything. In related news, US official served in the region James Bullion stated that there was no probability that Kurdish groups would use force to expel Turkish troops. /Turkiye/[08] BAYKAL EXPRESSES HIS SUPPORT TO GOVERNMENT’S CYPRUS EFFORTSMain opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal yesterday expressed his support to government’s Cyprus efforts. Stating that the government recently launched a good-will campaign on the Cyprus issue, Baykal said he wished success to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently paying an official visit to the US, in his contacts with the American officials. “The Cyprus issue is very important for Turkey’s future,” added Baykal. “The government has displayed its goodwill with its latest efforts to reach a permanent solution on the island. The Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) efforts are satisfactory, trying to change certain points in the Annan plan which are unacceptable to Turkey. The solution to be found must recognize the existence of two nations on the island, without restricting the status of the Turkish Cypriots to a minority. I hope prime minister will manage to positively contribute to the Cyprus peace process, a development which would make us very happy.” /Hurriyet/[09] FINANCE MINISTER UNAKITAN ANNOUNCES LAST YEAR’S BUDGET FIGURESSpeaking at a press conference yesterday to announce budget figures, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that last year Turkey’s budget deficit fell to 11.2% of the gross national product (GNP), which was 14.7% in 2002. “Last year’s budget deficit was $30 billion, below our target of $40 billion,” he said. He said that last year the government reached 5.03% primary surplus, above the target of 5%. The finance minister stated that the government was doing its best not to increase prices and impose new taxes, adding however that it would decide whether or not to increase prices after negotiating with an International Monetary Fund delegation next month. /Milliyet/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS[11] MEDIATOR BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Columnist Fikret Bila comments on the mediation in the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“Considering Greek Cypriot administration’s reactions, Turkey’s breakthrough is compressing Athens and Greek Cypriot administration. Answers given by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statements are the signs that a response can’t be made to the step taken by Ankara easily. Greek Cypriot administration is against the two new proposals made by the Turkish side. These two new proposals are the determination of a new mediator and reaching a consensus through the narrowed document. Erdogan’s statements and stance put forth that Turkey wants the US to be a mediator. This request shows that the government has the impression that the Turkish side’s interests will be protected more if the US weighs heavily rather than the EU. However, there is one thing to be careful about. If we want to see a mediator from the US, we should be careful. There will be elections in the US this year and the Greek Cypriot lobby’s influence and importance in these elections can’t be denied. In such an atmosphere, it would be difficult for the mediator to be determined by the White House to protect the Turkish side’s interests. The Bush administration might feel the obligation of protecting the Greek Cypriot side’s interests in the solution of the Cyprus issue with the concern for winning the elections. Such a mediation system can’t meet the Turkish side’s expectations. Another thing which we should understand well is that it’s becoming more difficult to stand firmly behind the proposals of change in UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan. One of the conditions put forth by Annan is that a change in the essence of the plan can’t be proposed. However, it’s clear that the Turkish side will sit at the table with a serious proposal of change. The Turkish side’s bargaining power and area shouldn’t be narrowed in order to prove that it’s serious and sincere about solving the Cyprus issue. The Turkish side doesn’t request a kindness from the EU, the US or Greek Cypriots, but a right.” [12] STRATEGIC POLICY OF APPEASEMENT BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (CUMHURIYET)Columnist Mumtaz Soysal comments on Northern Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows:“The word referendum was days long on Turkey’s agenda on the account of Cyprus. The public opinion didn’t somehow realize the word’s importance in northern Iraq. A campaign is carried on, disguising its initiators or claiming that ordinary people started the move: A signature campaign asking for a referendum to determine the future of the ‘country.’ The point at issue is actually more a plebiscite than a referendum: That means that people will be asked to choose from two or more alternatives instead of voting for or against a single text. Full independence would also be among the alternatives in any case. Thus the Kurdish people will use their self-determination and form the legal foundation of a state. Official voices of the Kurdish administration in northern Iraq on the other hand, are stating that general elections will be held in March 2005. All these are the signs of an independent Kurdish state. In Iraq, which goes through a chaos after the war, forming the legal construction for the future is one of the most difficult problems that the international society faces: What kind of a structure? Will it be formed according to a controversial concept of ‘Iraqi nation’ based on ethnic and religious diversity? The aftermath of a war, which began with a big lie, about ‘weapons of mass destruction’ but was nothing more that an ‘oil imperialism,’ is much more difficult then the war itself. The United States is aware of that, but it is too late. Moreover, its utterances and attitudes are not consistent. As everyone does, Washington does also talk about Iraq’s ‘territorial integrity’ and a political structure based on this integrity. But even the governing council that they have formed is based on ethnic diversity and religious sects. This kind of a development will definitely reach a political structure without a national unity. Could the US not be aware of the dangers that this approach implies for the countries in the region? Especially if the region in question, shelters the remaining of a terror that lasted for years in at least one of those countries like Turkey. Is it possible that a Kurdish state would abstain from being the core of some separatist movements in Iran, Turkey and in some extend Syria? What is the meaning of insensitivity of the US, who claims that it has a ‘strategic partnership’ with Turkey, towards the Kurdish movement and PKK’s existence in northern Iraq? Partnership, especially ‘strategic partnership’ requires self-existence and forthright. For example, Washington, before becoming a supporter for Turkey in its European Union membership bid, should explicitly state what it wants to do in northern Iraq.“ 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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