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Turkish Press Review, 04-12-07Turkish 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 morning07.12.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] LEADERS’ MEETING TO DISCUSS NEXT WEEK’S EU SUMMITPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abullah Gul will meet today to discuss recent developments on Turkey’s EU membership bid in the runup to next week’s pivotal EU summit. The leaders will also determine strategies for possible outcomes of the summit. In related news, Erdogan will invite main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal to accompany him on his visit to Brussels this Friday. /Star/[02] ERDOGAN, PUTIN ADDRESS TURKISH-RUSSIAN BUSINESS FORUMPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday attended a Turkish-Russian Business Forum organized by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB). Addressing the gathering, Putin predicted that trade volume between the two countries would reach $10 billion by year’s end, adding that there was a need for new regulations governing the suitcase trade. Putin stressed that he hoped to see more Russian firms invest in Turkey. The Russian leader further stated that cooperation between the two countries should not be limited to Iraq and that he supported Ankara’s European Union membership bid. For his part, Erdogan said that Putin’s visit would strengthen relations between the two countries, and echoed Putin’s call for more Russian investment in Turkey. /Turkiye/[03] PUTIN VOWS TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION WITH TURKEYVladimir Putin, the first Russian president to visit Turkey since the end of the Cold War, yesterday visited Ataturk’s mausoleum, Anitkabir. He then met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The two leaders signed a symbolic declaration on the “enhancement of friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation” and oversaw the signing of six agreements committing the two countries to cooperate in a number of fields, including defense, finance and energy. During a joint press conference, the leaders said that the agreements would accelerate the strengthening and development of bilateral cooperation. Putin also visited Parliament and met with Speaker Bulent Arinc. In the evening, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted a banquet in the honor of Putin and Russian First Lady Ludmila Putina, where privatization and defense tenders, terrorism, foreign politics and trade were reportedly taken up. Afterwards, Putin and his delegation left Turkey. /All Papers/[04] TURKEY, RUSSIA TO ESTABLISH JOINT ENERGY TRACKING GROUPTurkey and Russia on Sunday agreed to form a joint tracking group focusing on energy and energy ventures. Under the decision made during a meeting of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Russian Energy and Industry Minister Victor Khristenko, the group will include six experts from both sides and is set to hold its first meeting in February. Khristenko presented Guler with a file on nuclear energy and Russian’s work on the topic. During his contacts in Ankara, the Russian official was also briefed on tanker traffic in the Bosphorus. /Turkiye/[05] BALKANENDE TO TOUR EUROPE ON THE EVE OF KEY EU SUMMITLaying the groundwork for next week’s pivotal EU summit, European Union Term President the Netherlands’ Premier Jan Peter Balkenende is set today to begin a tour of European countries. First he will travel to Greece and then to Greek Cyprus. On Thursday, he is set to meet with Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Brussels, and early next week he will meet with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin, then proceed to Paris to see President Jacques Chirac. The Dutch leader have talks with the Hungarian and Danish premiers at The Hague, and with other EU leaders he plans to make phone calls to clarify their final decision on Turkey’s EU membership expected at the summit. In related news, a second draft statement prepared by the Netherlands proposes that Ankara begin its accession talks with the EU in October 2005, with the legislative scanning process starting in April. The draft reportedly omits mention of the “privileged partnership” proposals for Turkey which were sought by France and Austria. /Turkiye/[06] EU ENLARGEMENT CHIEF: “IF ANKARA BEGINS EU TALKS, THEIR ONLY GOAL WILL BE FULL MEMBERSHIP”New European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday that if Ankara begins its accession talks with the European Union, then their only goal would be full EU membership, adding that there was no other plan. “Naturally, EU negotiations are always open-ended,” he cautioned. “Ankara’s negotiations will be difficult and no one can guarantee their outcome.” /Milliyet/[07] MERKEL ACCUSES SCHROEDER OF “DECEPTION” ON TURKEY’S EU BIDGerman Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is not being honest about the risks for the European Union of Turkey’s membership, German opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel charged yesterday. Accusing Schroeder of “self-deception” on his Turkey policy, Merkel told a CDU gathering, “A Europe with Turkey as a full-fledged member won’t be a Europe that is fully integrated.” Merkel also reiterated that her party opposes giving EU membership to Turkey, favoring instead a “privileged partnership” status. Claiming that Berlin’s statements in support of Turkey’s EU bid were dishonest, Merkel continued: “Turkey's geopolitical position is very important; however, this isn’t a reason for it to be admitted to the EU.” /Hurriyet/[08] FORMER EU COMMISSIONER PREDICTS QUICKER PATH FOR TURKEY’S EU ACCESSIONFrits Bolkestein, a former member of the European Union Commission, yesterday predicted that if the EU decides at its Dec. 17 summit to begin Ankara’s accession talks, then Turkey’s negotiations could be concluded before the prevailing estimate of 10-15 years. “Turkey can be an EU member in a short period,” he added. In related news, European Parliament Liberal Group Chairman Graham Watson warned that failing to start Ankara’s EU talks would usher in a new “dark age”. /Aksam/[09] BORRELL: “THE ONLY GOAL FOR TURKEY IS FULL MEMBERSHIP”The draft resolution to be approved by the European Parliament on Dec. 14 doesn’t include alternatives for Turkey besides full membership, said EP President Josep Borrell yesterday. Speaking to reporters in Istanbul before ending a visit to Turkey, Borrell said that the nation’s EU bid would be on the top of his agenda. /Sabah/[10] BABACAN: “WE’RE CLOSE TO REACHING A NEW IMF STANDBY”State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that a new standby agreement between Turkey and the International Monetary Fund would soon be reached. Addressing Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, Babacan said that under the new standby, Turkey’s debt stock would be reduced. Stressing that the current accounts deficit was too large due to high domestic demand and growth, he added that as a result of powerful exports performance, tourism revenue and other measures, this deficit could be brought down. For his part, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that prudent fiscal policies were helping to bring down the state’s budget deficit. /Milliyet/[11] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[12] ARE WE READY FOR 2006? BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on Turkey’s European Union membership bid. A summary of her column is as follows:“The European Union is to decide on Dec. 17 whether to open Turkey’s membership talks. We were hoping that our talks could begin in the first half of 2005. However, now Brussels is pressing for the implementation of certain legislative reforms, including an overhaul of our penal code. Therefore, we should steel ourselves for a disappointment. At the last meeting of the EU Troika and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in The Hague, EU Term President the Netherlands’ Foreign Minister Bernard Bot stated that Turkey would first have to pass ‘six currently suspended laws’ in order to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria, the key to starting our membership negotiations. Among these laws, the most important is our antiquated penal code, which needs to be modified in line with EU norms. In addition, new EU Commissioner for Enlargement Rehn said that a process of scanning our laws must be completed before beginning the membership talks, which means that Turkey’s legislation must be compared with the EU’s. The EU Commission is looking at a process which will last for at least six months. Ankara will firmly reject any formula proposing something other than full membership. If ‘privileged partnership’ or the like is offered, Turkey will then re-evaluate its relations with the EU, a process which could produce a chill. However, for the time being, the government is electing to stay silent on the issue, as our leaders don’t want Europeans to think that they’re trying to bully the EU. Moreover, Ankara doesn’t favor starting its membership talks as late as 2006. However, if this is what’s offered, we might accept it. Ankara wants an impressive ceremony held where EU leaders and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stand together to send the world a message that Turkey is making good progress on its path towards full membership. This ceremony will also mark the beginning of the scanning process. In brief, at this point it’s near illusory to think that our membership negotiations will begin next year. The most optimistic prediction is the closing months of 2005. The realistic prediction set by the EU is the first half of 2006. So get ready for 2006…” [13] PUTIN’S VISIT BY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)Columnist Derya Sazak comments on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey this week. A summary of his column is as follows:“Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Turkey was a historic one. His trip came at a time when Turkey is waiting for the European Union to make a decision on starting our membership talks. He’s the first Russian president to visit Turkey throughout the problematic history of ties between Ankara and Moscow. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were certain intersections in the political fate of our two countries, similar to today. In this period, the Ottoman Empire was disintegrating, culminating with the founding of the Turkish Republic, and in Russia the Czar’s regime was ended by the Soviet Revolution. In the 1920s, there were friendly relations between Ankara and Moscow. Following World War II, the Turkish Straits issue emerged with the Cold War era, and we were pushed into the role of the West’s bulwark against communism. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, huge improvements were seen in Turkish-Russian relations, especially in terms of commerce. There was no serious tension between Moscow and Ankara, except over Chechnya. Could Putin’s visit be the beginning of a strategic opening in relations between the two countries in the first quarter of the 21st century? How will our countries relate in the years to come? Both have established strong centralized leadership over time and now they are appropriate for the role of ‘countries being directed.’ Former Russian President Yevgeniy Primakov made this definition for his country, which accepted its own role in the unipolar world as of the 1990s. Russia played this role without objection until the Sept. 11 attacks in the US. However, then it became impossible to block the US’ ambitions to establish world domination with its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Putin searched for a policy of balance. Primakov thinks that Russia shouldn’t be a country which is being directed anymore. Will Russia be able to become an active player on the world stage again? In addition, there is the EU membership bid on Turkey’s road map. However, even if the Union decides to start our talks in late 2005, the EU is leaving the full membership aim open ended and thus, our tie with Europe could be loose. Nobody can see what will come in 10-15 years. The third road for Turkey besides Europe and the US is to develop new multidimensional strategies with Russia and Eurasia. In this respect, messages of strengthened partnership from Moscow coming with Putin’s visit are meaningful.” 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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