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Turkish Press Review, 04-05-13Turkish 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 morning13.05.2004FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT DEBATES YOK BILLParliament yesterday began to debate the controversial Higher Board of Education (YOK) bill submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to amend the existing law. Addressing the full Parliament, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized the bill, charging that the government was trying to use it as a tool to put graduates of religious imam hatip schools into positions of power within the state. Baykal called on the government not to “abuse religion” for political ends. Debates on the 12-article bill continued throughout the night. After its expected passage in Parliament, the bill is set to be sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to be signed into law. /All Papers/[02] ERDOGAN TO VISIT EU TERM PRESIDENT THE NETHERLANDS NEXT MONTHPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled next month to pay a visit to the Netherlands, which is set to take over the European Union term presidency on June 1. After a two-day visit to this country, Erdogan will proceed to Brussels to attend an EU summit and hold contacts with EU officials. Turkish officials place importance on relations with the Netherlands, as the December EU summit, where the Union will consider setting a date for Ankara’s membership talks, falls within Amsterdam’s tenure as president. In related news, Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander is expected to arrive in Ankara on May 26 to pay an official visit at the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Turkiye/[03] LEBANESE PM HARARI VISITS TURKEYLebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay a two-day official visit. After meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Harriri told reporters that he wanted Turkey to play a more active role in solving the problems of the Middle East. Commenting on Washington’s decision this week to impose an economic embargo on Syria due to for its alleged support for terrorism, the two leaders underlined that economic embargos had never been a good way to settle issues. The Lebanese leader was later received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Hariri is expected to proceed to Istanbul today to attend a Turkish-Lebanese Business Council meeting. /Turkiye/[04] FOREIGN MINISTRY URGES KRETSCHMER TO “OBEY RULES OF CONDUCT”The Foreign Ministry yesterday released a statement urging European Union Commission Ankara Representative Hansjoerg Kretschmer to “obey rules of conduct.” The statement was in apparent response to Kretschmer’s comments on Tuesday that recent General Staff statements concerning a controversial Board of Higher Education (YOK) bill were not in accordance with EU norms, adding that if Turkey wants to join the EU, then it should accept these norms. The ministry’s statement stressed that there were rules of conduct which representatives of foreign countries and institutions in Turkey should obey. /Cumhuriyet/[05] GEN. YALMAN MEETS WITH TRNC’S DENKTAS, TALATLand Forces Commander Gen. Aytac Yalman yesterday travelled to the Turkish Republic of Norther Cyprus (TRNC) and met with TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Speaking afterwards, Yalman praised Denktas, saying that he admired the senior Cypriot statesman for his recent contributions to Cyprus’ national cause. “Now a new page has been turned, and the interests of the Turkish Cypriots will be better protected,” he said, adding that Turkey would stand by the TRNC. Later, Yalman met with TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat and reiterated that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would always support the Turkish Cypriots. /Milliyet/[06] BABACAN: “WE WON’T TAKE ANY MEASURES TO CONTROL CAPITAL INFLOW”State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that there was no need for concern over the dollar’s recent appreciation, adding that the possibility of the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates lay behind it. “We‘re closely watching developments on consumer credit,” he added. Babacan further stated that the government would not take any measures to control capital inflow. In related news, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan pledged that the government would not abandon the floating exchange rate, calling it a form of insurance for the economy. /Aksam/[07] IMF HEAD: “WE’LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ANKARA, UNDER A NEW STANDBY AGREEMENT OR NOT”Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Rodrigo Rato, the International Monetary Fund’s new managing director, said that the IMF would continue to work with Ankara whether or not the two had a new standby agreement. “Recently Turkey has successfully implemented its economic program,” said Rato, adding that he didn’t believe that the nation would face another economic crisis. “Turkey’s macroeconomic situation is much better than in the past,” he stated. In related news, appearing on television yesterday, IMF Turkey Representative Odd Per Brekk yesterday praised the nation’s recent economic developments, saying that its economy was on the right path. “Concerns regarding Turkey’s current accounts deficit are exaggerated, ” said Per Brekk. “A high current accounts deficit is normal for the first months of the year.” Touching on Turkey’s 6.5% primary surplus target, Per Brekk praised the government’s determination on this goal, adding that Ankara needed to achieve this surplus for a few years and that there was no need to change it. /Aksam/[08] FOUR NEW EU MEMBERS STAND BEHIND TURKEY’S BIDThe prime ministers of four new inductees to the European Union – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – said yesterday that the EU’s doors should be open to Turkey. The four, whose nations just joined the Union on May 1, added that they had agreed to support Ankara’s goal to begin its EU accession talks. The Union is to decide this December whether or not to begin those negotiations. /Aksam/[09] EUROVISION FINALISTS SET FOR SATURDAYIn last night’s Eurovision semifinals, 10 countries – Serbia-Montenegro, Malta, the Netherlands, Albania, Ukraine, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Greece and Greek Cyprus – were chosen by telephone voting to advance to the finals in Istanbul on Saturday. In the finals, 24 countries, including last year’s winner Turkey, will compete. /Hurriyet/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS[11] AFTER THE EMBARGO BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). A summary of his column is as follows:“Important steps are being taken to lift the embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Actually the nation thinks that this process is going slowly and certain politicians have even asked, ‘When will the promises be kept?’ It will take time due to its complex political, legal and technical aspects, and patience will be needed. Countries committed to help the TRNC can’t revise their policies in just a few days in line with the new situation. Many important developments in the TRNC’s favor have occurred since the April 24 referendums. In this respect, Washington is one step ahead of the EU. Recently TRNC Premier Mehmet Ali Talat was received graciously by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who addressed him as ‘Mr. Prime Minister.’ These things always have political meaning. The US is looking for ways to end restrictions in both international transportation and commerce. The EU is trying hard to lift the embargo as well. Two months from now, direct commercial and tourist traffic between the TRNC and the EU countries will begin. Meanwhile, the EU, just like the US, will be represented with a new office on the Turkish side. Now the Turkish side should try hard to end its isolation and to integrate itself with the world. If the restrictions on commerce and tourism are lifted, the TRNC must quickly pass new regulations to reap the maximum benefit. In this respect, the TRNC’s Ercan Airport was recently opened to air traffic after two years’ work. However, nobody should expect a boom in commerce or tourism or have unrealistic hopes. As TRNC Chamber of Trade head Ali Erel said recently, many things need to be done about on both these issues. Even if we think that the TRNC will export goods directly from its ports, products such as citrus fruits, textiles and minerals should have a quality and price on par with foreign markets. However, costs are high, there is a lack of investment in the TRNC, and its laws and regulations aren’t in line with the EU. The total number of hotel rooms in the TRNC is 12,000. A great deal of work is necessary to raise this number and promote the TRNC abroad. In sum, neither saying ‘the embargo should be lifted’ nor even actually lifting will suffice. The actual work starts with the necessary regulations.” [12] RELEASING ZANA IN EXCHANGE FOR GUNS BY HAKKI DEVRIM (RADIKAL)Columnist Kemal Yavuz comments on the recent visit of German Human Rights Commissioner Claudia Roth to Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:“Claudia Roth is well known in Turkey. She is Germany’s Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid and is also chair of the German- Turkish Parliamentary Friendship Group. During her recent visit to Turkey, Roth met with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. She expressed her pleasure with recent developments in Turkey in its bid for European Union membership. Knowing full well that she wouldn’t be allowed in, Roth took a bouquet of flowers to Ankara’s Ulucanlar Prison. They didn’t let her in. She left the flowers at the door and told her concerns to the press, and left after the show was over. We are becoming Europeans, therefore we must get used to such things. One German parliamentarian in the visiting group headed by Roth told Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Germany could restart selling guns to Turkey, thus ending a ban imposed due to Turkey’s human rights violations. Erdogan replied by saying that he is against armaments, that the reason for terrorism is poverty, and that peace is more important. This was a good reply. Now look at the German delegation’s friendship trip to Ankara from this perspective. While the chair of the delegation offers flowers to Zana, who was sentenced for ‘staging separatist activities both in Turkey and abroad in line with orders and directives of leaders of the terrorist group PKK,’ another member says that Turkey will soon be able to buy guns from Germany. One should ask: What for? ” 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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