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Turkish Press Review, 04-05-14
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
14.05.2004
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING TURKISH LANGUAGE
[02] PARLIAMENT PASSES YOK BILL
[03] LEBANESE PREMIER HARIRI: “IN TIME THE TRNC WILL BE RECOGNIZED”
[04] ERDOGAN, GUL CONSIDER NATO’S AFGHAN TROOP REQUEST
[05] REGIONAL PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS URGE PUNISHMENT FOR PRISON TORTURERS
[06] DENKTAS PROPOSES BROAD-BASED TRNC GOVERNMENT
[07] VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY CAN’T BE CHEATED OUT OF A DECISION”
[08] PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE SWEEPING PENAL CODE REVISIONS
[09] YILMAZ TESTIFIES AT PARLIAMENT CORRUPTION COMMISSION
[10] MARDIN HOSTS ABRAHAMIC RELIGION AND PEACE SYMPOSIUM
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[12] BLAIR’S VISIT BY NURAY BASARAN (AKSAM)
[01] SEZER STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING TURKISH LANGUAGE
Speaking yesterday in Karaman at the 44th Turkish Language Festival and
ceremonies honoring legendary 13th century poet Yunus Emre, President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer stressed the need for sensitivity and care in the use of the
pure Turkish tongue. “We should always remember that by continuing the
development of Turkish, we can raise our nation’s stature and stress our
culture’s universal character,” said the president. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] PARLIAMENT PASSES YOK BILL
After 18 hours of debate, a controversial bill proposing amendments to the
Board of Higher Education (YOK) law was approved yesterday by Parliament.
The bill was sent to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in the late afternoon to
be signed into law. However, political circles are expecting Sezer to veto
the bill and send it back to Parliament to be re-debated. If the bill is re-
approved by Parliament without any change, then the president is obliged to
sign it, but he also has the right to send it to the Constitutional Court
for review. /Aksam/
[03] LEBANESE PREMIER HARIRI: “IN TIME THE TRNC WILL BE RECOGNIZED”
Lebanese Prime Minister Refik Hariri, who is currently paying a visit to
Turkey at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
yesterday completed his contacts in Ankara and proceeded to Istanbul. In a
press conference, commenting on the push for recognition of the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Hariri said, “After conferring with
other Arab nations, in the coming days Lebanon will take necessary steps on
Cyprus.” Stressing that Turkish side had done its best to reach a
settlement on the island, Hariri said that his country would follow up
Ankara’s efforts on the matter. He added that Turkish-Lebanese political
relations were continuing at their high level and that both sides would
also try to strengthen trade ties. /Turkiye/
[04] ERDOGAN, GUL CONSIDER NATO’S AFGHAN TROOP REQUEST
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Foreign Ministry bureaucrats yesterday
discussed with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan several current issues,
including Cyprus, Afghanistan, Iraq and the European Union. NATO’s request
for Turkish troops in Afghanistan was also considered. A decision was
reportedly reached that Turkey could send 100 military and civilian forces
on the condition that they be based in Takhar in the Afghan northeast.
/Milliyet/
[05] REGIONAL PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS URGE PUNISHMENT FOR PRISON TORTURERS
Yesterday’s final declaration of the meeting of parliament speakers from
countries bordering Iraq urged that the perpetrators of the recent Iraqi
prison torture scandal face punishment. The declaration, which was signed
by Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc among others, also expressed
support for continued anti-terrorist efforts. /Milliyet/
[06] DENKTAS PROPOSES BROAD-BASED TRNC GOVERNMENT
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday
suggested that the government be re-formed with a tripartite coalition, one
adding in the National Unity Party (UBP) to the current Republican Turkish
Party (CTP) and Democratic Party (DP) coalition. “A triple coalition is
better than a double one,” he said. “It would be good if we can achieve
this.” /Turkiye/
[07] VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY CAN’T BE CHEATED OUT OF A DECISION”
Speaking at a panel in Brussels yesterday, European Union Commissioner for
Enlargement Guenter Verheugen warned against any delay in a decision
expected later this year on whether to start membership negotiations with
Turkey. Ankara should not be "cheated," said Verheugen, adding, "I strongly
warn against the idea that [the EU] could postpone the decision ... You
cannot tell the Turks for 40 years: 'You have a European vocation but
unfortunately, you are not a democracy... do that and we will warmly
welcome you.' And now they are doing it and we now we tell them: 'We're
very sorry. We did not believe you could do that and therefore we have to
change our policy'." He also stated that there was an inseparable link
between Ankara’s EU membership and the development of the Turkish
democracy. The EU is set to decide at its December summit whether or not to
begin membership talks with Ankara. /Turkiye/
[08] PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE SWEEPING PENAL CODE REVISIONS
Parliament is set to debate a drastic revision of the Turkish Penal Code
(TCK) in the coming days. A Parliament Justice Commission sub-group has
completed some nine months of work on the bill and reduced its size from
500 articles to 350. Speaking to reporters, Commission head Koksal Toptan
said that the new code would be the most modern in Europe. Stressing that
the commission would press the full Parliament to consider the bill this
year, Toptan stated that he hoped that cooperation between the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AKP) and opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) would ensure smooth passage for the measure. The bill proposing
sweeping changes to the current code, which has remained largely unchanged
for 78 years, is set to be discussed in the public for one month and then
taken up at the Justice Commission in mid-June. /Turkiye/
[09] YILMAZ TESTIFIES AT PARLIAMENT CORRUPTION COMMISSION
Former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday testified at a Parliament
commission investigating charges of corruption in TURKBANK bids during his
term of office. In addition, the commission decided to send former
government Ministers Husamettin Ozkan and Recep Onal to the Supreme Court
with charges of misconduct in office. /Star/
[10] MARDIN HOSTS ABRAHAMIC RELIGION AND PEACE SYMPOSIUM
Mardin yesterday hosted a seminar on “Religion and Peace in Light of the
Prophet Abraham” organized by the Intercultural Dialogue Platform. Among
those attending were Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Fener Greek
Patriarch Bartholomeos, Istanbul Chief Rabbi Ishak (Yitzhak) Haleva,
Eastern Orthodox Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, Turkish Armenian Patriarch
Mesrob II and Religious Affairs Directorate deputy head Muhammed Sevki
Aydin. The symposium started with the Muslim call to prayer and continued
with hymns sung by a chorus with Muslim, Jewish and Christian members.
/Cumhuriyet/
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[12] BLAIR’S VISIT BY NURAY BASARAN (AKSAM)
Columnist Nuray Basaran comments British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit
to Turkey next week. A summary of her column is as follows:
“British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to Turkey will come at a very
important time. Britain is certainly still one of the most influential
actors in international relations. This visit should be seen through the
lens of discussions on the European Union’s Constitution, a looming
possible decision on a NATO role in the Middle East and Iraq, the fallout
from the photos of torture in Iraqi prisons, and Britain’s role.
Britain is one of the key countries paving the way for Turkey’s EU
accession talks, but unfortunately it’s not on the front lines. Its efforts
to put the Iraq coalition under a NATO umbrella are not limited to Blair.
Britain, like the US, isn’t ready to consider an Iraq exit strategy and so
is planning to take an extensive role in Iraq’s reconstruction. Will
Britain, with its historical experience of a presence on Arab soil, be able
to achieve more success than the US? Britain’s place in our own history and
politics was always unique. It had influential trade platforms and an
important role behind the scenes in revolts against the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey’s position and approach to regional issues is the most important
concern for Britain now.
Thing are changing in Iraq nowadays. The instability in southern Iraq has
spread to the north. That means that the security of the Kurds is also
threatened. Turkmen are also being threatened by Arabs. Anger in the
country is on the rise as the June 30 sovereignty handover and the NATO
summit near. Britain has important, dangerous and risky ideas that also
include opportunities for Turkey, and sees it as a powerful partner in the
region. What kind of a plan does Turkey have for the meetings next month,
which could determine our country’s destiny? ”
ARCHIVE
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