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Turkish Press Review, 04-04-20Turkish 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 morning20.04.2004FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT DISCUSSES CYPRUS ISSUE WITH SEZERDemocratic Left Party (DSP) leader and former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During their half-hour meeting, Ecevit conveyed his concerns over the Cyprus issue. Later speaking to reporters, Ecevit said that he would travel to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to pay a one-day visit to exchange views with TRNC leaders in the runup to this Saturday’s referendums on the island. In 1974, then-Premier Ecevit ordered the Cyprus Peace Operation in response to a Greek Cypriot coup and violence against Turkish Cypriots. /Turkiye/[02] ERDOGAN, BAYKAL ATTEND SOVEREIGNTY AND POLITICS SYMPOSIUMSpeaking at a National Sovereignty and Politics Symposium at Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that secularism was a product of an understanding that differences in religious beliefs and worldviews don’t damage the standing of a nation. Also present at the meeting was main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Later, Erdogan received children from 29 countries who are in Turkey to attend April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day festivities. /Milliyet/[03] GOVERNMENT PREPARES NEW CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PACKAGEJustice Minister Cemil Cicek said yesterday that the government had prepared a new reform package proposing amendments to the Constitution in line with European Union norms. During a four-hour-plus meeting, the Cabinet discussed the new 10-article package set to be presented to Parliament soon. Speaking to reporters, Cicek said time was currently lacking for the sweeping changes the Constitution would ultimately need. He added that foreign developments were also taken up at the meeting, particularly this Saturday’s referendums on Cyprus. “Our government expects approval of the UN Cyprus plan in the referendums,” said the justice minister. “The plan includes certain important developments for the Turkish side, and we consider it an acceptable one.” /Turkiye/[04] GUL: “WE’VE MAKE EFFORTS TO RESOLVE THE UPPER KARABAKH ISSUE”Commenting on recent rumors that the border between Turkey and Armenia would be opened, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that Ankara first wanted Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a settlement on the upper Karabakh issue and was making efforts towards this end. Stressing that the border would not be opened until the issue was resolved, Gul said, “We are continuing our contacts with the governments in both Baku and Yerevan.” Urging all observers to take lessons from a possible Cyprus settlement, Gul stated that Turkey didn’t want the upper Karabakh issue to remain unresolved, explaining, “There is an occupation there.” The foreign minister also added that during Istanbul’s NATO summit this June, a tripartite meeting could be held to discuss the issue. /Turkiye/[05] DENKTAS: “TURKEY IS SACRIFICING CYPRUS TO GET A DATE TO BEGIN EU ACCESSION TALKS”Turkey is sacrificing Cyprus for the European Union, claimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday. “Turkey is sacrificing Cyprus to get a date from the EU to begin accession talks,” charged Denktas. He also criticized alleged remarks by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul highlighting the TRNC’s lack of international recognition. At a weekend AKP gathering in Antalya, in response to Denktas’s argument that the UN plan for the island would end the TRNC’s sovereignty, Gul is said to have asked rhetorically, “Which sovereignty are you talking about? You can’t even export a box of oranges. You can’t host international sports matches in your country. Nobody recognizes you. Which sovereignty?” Denktas stated that if the Turkish Cypriots accept the UN Cyprus plan in referendums this Saturday, then Ankara would be responsible for this, adding that he would continue to campaign against the plan. “What we want Turkey to do is to support us,” he said. Denktas further stated that both the United States and the EU had strategic interests on Cyprus and that it was because of this that Greek Cyprus was joining the EU ranks on May 1. /Cumhuriyet/[06] TALAT URGES TURKISH CYPRIOTS TO ACCEPT UN PLANLong-running negotiations over the plan put forward by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to reunify Cyprus ended in the best possible outcome for the Turkish Cypriots, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday. Speaking at a meeting of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), Talat called on his fellow countrymen to accept “with confidence” the UN plan at this Saturday’s referendum, adding that the best solution for both sides on the island was accepting the plan in the vote. “If the Greek Cypriots reject the UN plan, then the Turkish Cypriots shouldn’t be punished,” he said, adding that reunification would bring many benefits to the Turkish Cypriots. Talat further warned that the TRNC economy would stagnate without a resolution on the island. Also speaking to the TOBB, TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas charged that the UN Cyprus plan wasn’t a compromise document, predicting direly that only five years down the line problems would crop up between the two sides. /Star/[07] UN SEEKS TO REASSURE MAIN GREEK CYPRIOT PARTY OVER ANNAN PLANUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday announced that he was seeking to reassure AKEL, Greek Cyprus’ largest political party, over the UN Cyprus plan in order to encourage the party to support it. UN officials stated that if both sides approve the plan in referendums this Saturday, amendments to the plan would be possible in line with the Greek sides’ requests for guarantees, including banning weapons sales to the island and handing over the command of Turkish and Greek troops stationed there to the UN peacekeeping force. Last week AKEL announced its opposition to the UN plan. /Turkiye/[08] ANKARA HOSTS DANISH PRINCE, OTHER INTERNATIONAL DIGNITARIESFollowing the current visit of Danish Prince Joachim to Ankara, the Turkish capital is set to host crown princes from Belgium and the Netherlands in May. In addition, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, Mongolian President Natsagiyn Bagabandi and Lebanese Prime Minister Refik Hariri are scheduled to visit Turkey on this Friday, April 29, and on May 12-13 respectively. /Turkiye/[09] OZKOK TO VISIT THE NETHERLANDSChief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok is due to travel to the Netherlands today to meet with his Dutch counterpart Gen. Luuk Kroon. During their meeting, the two generals are expected to discuss bilateral military relations. Ozkok is expected to return to Turkey tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[11] THE ECONOMICS OF CYPRUS BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on the economics of the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu has opened the economic dimension of the Cyprus issue up for discussion. While everybody else is busy focusing on politics in the countdown to this Saturday’s referendums, Hisarciklioglu yesterday organized a luncheon meeting highlighting the possible economic impact of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and Deputy Prime Minister Serdar Denktas plus scholars and journalists were all in attendance. During the meeting, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul gave a speech on the economic dimensions of the plan. As I was also among the speakers, I noticed beforehand that all the suggestions for the economic development of Northern Cyprus depend on a ‘yes’ answer in the referendums. If the Turkish side says ‘yes’ and the TRNC’s isolation is ended, even gradually, Northern Cyprus can thrive and prosper. But if the embargo continues and the TRNC isn’t recognized, this is pie in the sky. During the meeting, the disagreement between Serdar Denktas and Talat could be seen clearly, but they reached a consensus on the final aim. In his speech, Gul urged Turkish businessmen to explore avenues for investment in the TRNC. I liked these words of his the most: ‘Whatever the result of the referendums, Turkey will always stand with the TRNC.’ As for the economics of the Cyprus issue, when we look at the economy of the North, we can see the domestic Turkish economic picture of 1960-83, that is, high inflation, low productivity, lack of investment, a high foreign trade deficit, consumption but no production, inflated public expenditures, the public sector dominating employment, a broken tax system, unfair promotion, and only 30% tourism occupancy due to a lack of marketing. Things could be done to correct this picture. Structural measures can be taken and reforms done, but the embargo must be lifted and free trade agreements signed. The TRNC’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should be supported under the TOBB’s leadership and when its isolation ends, alternative funds other than those from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank should be used. In sum, the referendum’s result should be ‘yes.’ I don’t think we’ll have another chance.” [12] WHAT DOES FRANCE WANT? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the Turkey’s European Union membership bid. A summary of his column is as follows:“Every fresh news report or statement from France is confusing. What is France’s view on Turkey’s European Union membership now? Is there any change in Paris’ support? The statement of new French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier made France’s official stance clearer, but failed to dispel doubts. Barnier on the one hand said that the EU shouldn’t turn its back to Turkey, but on the other hand stated that Turkey, under ‘today’s circumstances,’ can’t join the EU. We have to consider the following elements in evaluating France’s current stance: Giving Ankara a date for EU accession talks and Turkey’s EU membership are two different issues. French officials, including Barnier, haven’t said anything against giving a date for Turkey’s accession talks. They specify that they will decide together with other members in light of this fall’s European Commission report. French President Jacques Chirac, who prefers not to talk about the issue due to domestic political concerns, will decide in December, most probably after conferring with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. And if the report is positive, the decision will be in favor of giving Ankara a date for accession talks… Turning to the issue of membership, Barnier and many other French officials don’t expect Turkey’s EU membership ‘under today’s conditions’ or are against such a decision. However, the process beginning with the accession talks with an eye to membership will be quite long (this process was 10 years for Spain and Portugal and seven for Greece). Why does Barnier then insist on saying that Turkey can’t become an EU member ‘under today’s circumstances’? There are domestic political concerns at this point. The ‘Turkish question’ is on the agenda of this June’s European Parliament elections. Extreme left- and right-wing parties are against Turkey’s EU membership. There are various reasons for this: Some are anxious about the membership of a ‘Muslim country’ like Turkey, and some are worried about Turkey’s ‘huge population’ shaking Europe’s stability… Consequently, the right wing in France doesn’t favor Turkey’s EU membership and is pressuring the government, which is center-right. But Chirac prefers to shy from these disputes and not to talk before the June elections… Turkey should take a nuanced policy at this point. France is an important country both for its position in the EU and its relations with Ankara. Bilateral relations are going well. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Chirac in Paris this July. Being skeptical about France or acting in a way that would put Chirac in a difficult position would be counterproductive. French authorities should be given time to take a more positive stance…” 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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