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Turkish Press Review, 04-06-01Turkish 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 morning01.06.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] SEZER TRAVELS TO POLAND TO PROMOTE TURKEY’S EU BIDPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday travelled to Warsaw at the invitation of his Polish counterpart Aleksander Kwasniewski. Speaking before his departure, Sezer said that he believed that strengthened cooperation between Turkey and Poland would boost Ankara’s chances of getting a date this December to begin its European Union accession talks. “I hope that Poland will support Ankara getting a date,” Sezer added. /Cumhuriyet/[02] ERDOGAN TO ANNOUNCE GOVT PLANS ON YOK BILLJustice Minister Cemil Cicek said yesterday that Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan would make a final announcement on the future of the Board of Higher Education (YOK) bill today during his party’s parliamentary group meeting. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the controversial measure last Friday. Speaking to reporters after a five-hour Cabinet meeting, Cicek said that with its Constitution, government bodies and rules Turkey was a democratic country, adding that there was no need for public tension. Stressing that he did not share the president’s view of the bill, Cicek said, “Turkey has problems having to do with education, and we can’t solve them by sweeping them under the carpet.” He stated that new Organized Crime Major Sanction Courts would be established to replace the recently abolished State Security Courts (DGMs), adding that a bill on the matter would be sent to Parliament to be considered. “We’ll try to pass the bill in Parliament next week,” said Cicek. /Sabah/[03] ERDOGAN SEEKS EUROPEAN MEDIA SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION TALKSSpeaking at the 57th World Association of Newspapers (WAN) Congress yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the world media, and especially the European media, to support Turkey getting a date this December to begin its European Union accession talks. “Turkish-EU relations are in the midst of a critical process,” said Erdogan, adding that completing Ankara’s EU harmonization reforms would take time. Also present at the congress were Communications Minister Binali Yildirim, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu, and other officials. The congress is expected to end tomorrow. /Milliyet/[04] ERDOGAN PLANS TO VISIT TEHRANPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning to pay an official visit to Iran late this month. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, and State Minister Kursad Tuzmen have both previously visited Iran, but despite a heavy diplomatic schedule this month, including two summits, Erdogan is to visit Iran probably on June 21-22. His visit is expected to focus on the issues of the terrorist PKK, trade relations and the Iraq issue. Erdogan is to also seek Tehran’s support to end the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Turkiye/[05] “DON’T MAKE TURKEY A MODEL FOR GME,” ANKARA OFFICIALS URGE WASHINGTONAnkara has conveyed to Washington its view on the United States’ Greater Middle East Initiative, diplomatic sources said yesterday. Turkey has often been cited as a “model nation” by US politicians, but while stating that it can contribute to the project, Ankara officials are urging that it not be held up as such a model. Turkish officials said that countries should contribute to the project under their own conditions, adding that the adoption of the project by countries in the region was very important. Ankara also said that it could lend support in economic areas. The initiative reportedly aims at bringing democracy, modernization, transparency and open economies to the Mideast region. /Turkiye/[06] GUL SEEKS SAUDI SUPPORT TO END TRNC’S ISOLATIONForeign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday met with his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Speaking afterwards, Gul said that they had discussed the Cyprus issue in detail and that Faisal had expressed his support to end the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). “I told him that the TRNC deserves this support,” added Gul. The foreign minister is also expected to visit Eygpt and other regional countries in the coming days to seek their support to bring TRNC into the international community. /Milliyet/[07] SENER: “A FINAL DECISION ON THE YOK BILL WILL BE MADE BY THE AKP BOARD AND THE CABINET”Speaking in Istanbul yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said that a final decision on the Board of Higher Education (YOK) bill would be made by the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Board (MYK) and the Cabinet, adding that he didn’t believe that the government would draft a new bill. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the bill in question last Friday. /Aksam/[08] BAYKAL: “THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT INSIST ON THE YOK BILL”President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's recent veto of the Board of Higher Education (YOK) bill presented an opportunity for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to discontinue efforts for its passage, said opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. Speaking to reporters, Baykal said that the CHP had already voiced its objections that the bill was both misguided and unconstitutional. “I hope that the government will act with common sense and avoid another tense period for Turkey,” said the CHP leader. /Turkiye/[09] IPUK’S SALIH VISITS ANKARA, DUE TO MEET WITH ZIYALIraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) official Barham Saleh yesterday arrived in Ankara to discuss a number of issues with Turkish officials. Speaking before his arrival, Saleh said that Iraqi Kurds wanted to develop relations with Ankara. He is expected to meet today with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and other Turkish officials. Saleh is considered a candidate to become foreign minister in Iraq’s new interim government expected to be announced in June. IPUK leader Jalal Talabani is also expected to visit Ankara soon. /Cumhuriyet/[10] IMF DELEGATION TO ARRIVE ON THURSDAYAn International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam is set to arrive in Turkey on Thursday for work on the eight review of Ankara’s economic program. After completing its contacts in Istanbul with business and finance world representatives, the delegation will proceed to the capital to hold meetings with the officials from the Treasury Undersecretariat, Finance Ministry, Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK), Central Bank and State Planning Organization (DPT). /Hurriyet/[11] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[12] NATO SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on the NATO summit in Istanbul this month. A summary of his column is as follows:“This month Istanbul will become one of the centers of world politics. There might be certain developments re-setting the great balances for the future, and important decisions may be taken. The Islamic world will also have to evaluate the US’ Greater Middle East Initiative (GME). However, nobody will be able to ask the US what it has to do with the region. Middle Eastern nations which consider democracy a tool of Western imperialism, and even a means of exploitation, will be disturbed by Washington’s push for democracy. In addition, if they believe they are hearing the argument, ‘Take Turkey as a model, be like it,’ they will hate us. Moreover, Middle Eastern people aren’t so naïve as to miss the shadow of Pax Americana in this push, i.e. the focus on petroleum, Israel and terrorism. The most important summit to be held this month in Istanbul will be NATO’s. The US will request NATO support for the GME. Obviously it will especially seek Turkey’s support. Washington will promise Ankara historic opportunities in return for its support. This is nothing but a strategic alliance. Turkey has a key position in the Asian plank of the GME. It can open a great many doors or keep them closed. It’s a wise policy to act together with the US without being swayed from our aim of EU membership as well as dealing with other nations we’ve have been living with for centuries. Turkey can gain much from this policy. If we fail, it will lead to problems.” [13] SUMMIT PREPARATIONS BY MUSTAFA BALBAY (CUMHURIYET)Columnist Mustafa Balbay comments on this month’s summits and Turkey’s preparations for them. A summary of his column is as follows:“This month will be full of important dates and definitions in terms of our relations with both the US and the European Union. The G-8 Summit will be held on June 8-10, the EU-US Summit on June 25-26 and NATO summit on June 28-29. It seems that more will be asked of Turkey than will be given it. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was invited to the G-8 to be held in the US as a ‘democratic ally.’ Washington also sent a list to Turkey before the summit, asking it to look at the list and what it can do about each item. The list constitutes the smiling face of the Greater Middle East (GME) Initiative. The US wants to change the nations extending from Jordan to Afghanistan and create new political weaknesses, sorry, political powers through weapons of mass destruction. Among its aims are restructuring the media, expanding women’s rights, turning the economic structure into free markets and making parliaments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) more influential in the countries within the GME. The G-8 countries want to keep Erdogan with them as a witness and announce that they hold up Turkey as a ‘model’ to reach their aims. Erdogan will see everything as it is and maybe have new homework. Will the Middle Eastern countries take Turkey as a model and want to copy it? As we see from Egypt, very few are likely to. During the EU summit to be held in Dublin on June 17-18, internal Union issues will be discussed. Following that, during the EU-US summit also in Dublin, the role to be given to Turkey will take on more shape. The US’ ‘Greater Europe’ plans cover the GME countries to some extent. At the end of this summit, the US and the EU might have the same stance towards the region. US President George W. Bush will pay an official visit to Ankara before the month-end NATO summit in Istanbul. The agenda of his visit is as follows: 1. Turkey’s support for the GME. 2. Privileges to be granted by Ankara for the US on its own soil. 3. What Turkey can do in Afghanistan under the NATO umbrella and in Iraq under the UN umbrella. We have been dealing with number two since mid-May. It’s expected that the US requests will be met before Bush’s visit. These requests, which caused disagreement between Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, are on Turkey’s agenda, and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) doesn’t like that at all. So it said this: ‘Yes, the US requested certain things from us, which depend on the 1980’s Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement. However, we haven’t agreed to anything yet.’ But the US expects that its requests will be fulfilled by Bush’s visit. Bush will end his visit with the NATO summit, which will be important for NATO’s role as well. How to implement the GME will be decided there. It seems Turkey favors boosting the importance of the alliance.” 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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