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Turkish Press Review, 04-12-21Turkish 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 morning21.12.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] STATE CEREMONY HELD FOR SECURITY GUARDS SLAIN IN MOSULA state ceremony with the attendance of top state officials, including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, government leaders and military officials, was held in Ankara yesterday for five security guards murdered late last week during an attack on an official escort in Mosul, Iraq. “Turkey will demand to the very end that the coalition forces in Iraq, and the Iraqi interim government and all Iraqis find the murderers,” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said at the ceremony. For his part, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “The price for Turkey and the Turkish nation for working so hard for the integrity of the Iraqi nation should not have been the loss of some 80 of its sons.” /Hurriyet/[02] GOVT, OPPOSITION EXCHANGE WORDS OVER EU SUMMITDuring Parliament’s General Assembly session yesterday on the fiscal 2005 budget, opposition parties stepped up their criticism of the outcome of last week’s historic European Union summit. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that the deal reached in Brussels would not lead Turkey to EU membership and attacked the government for celebrating the result. “The prime minister says, ‘Happy bayram.’ We don’t see anything to celebrate,” said Baykal. “What this will lead us to is not full membership but to being a second-class country.” He claimed that the government had not returned with a victory but rather a defeat. Asserting that the government had made a commitment to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration by Oct. 3, 2005, the day its Union entry talks are to begin, Baykal stated that the EU states would urge Ankara to make concessions in a number of areas in the months and years to come, adding that the end result would not even be full membership. Also speaking at the session, junior opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar charged that the government had accepted EU demands in Brussels which it had previously called unacceptable. Addressing the Parliament, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuffed the charges, saying the opposition was misinformed on what the summit’s outcome meant. He said the Brussels summit had put Turkey’s 41-year quest to become part of Europe onto firmer ground. A clear date was submitted to Turkey to begin accession talks, stated Erdogan, adding that Ankara’s recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration before a resolution is reached on the island was out of the question. Also answering the opposition’s criticism, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul pointed to the government’s enormous efforts during the summit to protect Turkey’s interests and then called on Baykal to act more reasonably. /Turkiye/[03] EP PRESIDENT: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WOULD FOSTER NOT HOSTILITY, BUT UNDERSTANDING”Turkey’s future European Union membership would not create a conflict between civilizations, but rather contribute to their coming together, European Parliament President Josep Borrell wrote yesterday in an editorial in French daily Liberation. Borrell stressed that last week the EP had unanimously supported the beginning of Ankara’s EU accession talks, adding, “We see Turkey as a guarantor of peace.” Borrell further wrote that Turkey was a bridge between Europe and Asia and that the majority of the Turkish nation supported Ankara’s EU bid. /Aksam/[04] DENKTAS: “THE GOVT VOWED NO RECOGNITION WITHOUT A RESOLUTION”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that he appreciated Ankara’s pledge not to recognize Greek Cyprus until a resolution is reached on the island. “Cyprus is made up of two nations, and Greek Cyprus doesn’t represent the Turkish Cypriots,” he stated, adding that details of this policy were contained in a May Turkish Foreign Ministry statement. Denktas said further that conditions for new Cyprus negotiations along with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan needed to be determined. /Cumhuriyet/[05] BERLUSCONI: “WE’LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BID”Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi yesterday touted his country’s friendly relations with Turkey, adding that he would continue to support Ankara’s European Union membership bid. Berlusconi also criticized a protest yesterday by Italy’s Northern League against Ankara beginning its accession talks. “In light of our good relations, we won’t retreat on Turkey’s EU membership bid,” said Berlusconi. /Aksam/[06] FRENCH FM: “A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING THE ‘GENOCIDE’ CLAIMS, WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING TURKEY’S EU TALKS”French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said yesterday that a number of issues, including the so-called Armenian genocide, would come up for discussion during Ankara’s European Union accession talks. Speaking to French radio, Barnier said that the negotiations would be difficult and could last for years. In related news, France’s Parliament is expected today to discuss Turkey’s EU membership bid. /Cumhuriyet/[07] GREEK CYPRUS CALLS OCT. 2005 A “TURNING POINT,” RENEWS VETO THREATGreek Cypriot government spokesman Kipros Hrisostomidis said yesterday that Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos had sent a letter to the leaders of fellow European Union member states warning that if Ankara doesn’t recognize Greek Cyprus by Oct. 3, 2005, when it is to begin its EU accession talks, then he could veto those talks. Hrisostomidis added that Oct. 3 would be a turning point for Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/[08] BLAIR REITERATES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BIDSetting a definite date for starting Turkey’s European Union accession talks was a hugely important and welcome moment, said British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday. Speaking to Britain’s Parliament, Blair told the MPs that Turkey lay in a vital strategic area encompassing the Middle East, the Balkans and Central Asia, and that it was in Britain’s interests to have a “stable and democratic Turkey.” Blair also said those fearing a clash between Christian and Muslim countries would be proven wrong by Turkey’s new status within Europe. “Turkey’s membership of the European Union is fundamental to the future peace and security of Britain, Europe and the wider world,” he added. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a telephone call to Blair thanking him for Britain’s support. For his part, Blair congratulated Erdogan for getting a date for EU accession talks. /Turkiye/[09] CHIRAC CONGRATULATES ERDOGANFrench President Jacques Chirac yesterday telephoned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to express his congratulations on Turkey receiving a date for its European Union accession talks. Chirac reportedly expressed his pleasure about Ankara getting a date and his belief that it will successfully see through this process. Erdogan, for his part, thanked Chirac for his support. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat also contacted Erdogan to give their congratulations. /Hurriyet/[10] MIDEAST COUNTRIES CONGRATULATE, SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BIDIsrael yesterday congratulated Turkey for the green light it received last week to start membership talks with the European Union. “Israel congratulated the Turkish government and people on the European Council’s decision to start accession talks,” said a statement released by the Israeli Embassy in Ankara. “Israel sees in the EU’s enlargement and Turkey’s accession to the EU a contribution to strengthening regional stability, democracy, cooperation and socio-economic prosperity,” the statement added. In related news, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ebul Geyt welcomed Turkey’s move forward in its EU membership bid saying, “Turkey’s EU membership will bring the borders of Europe to Arab countries, and it will be the only Muslim country in the Union.” Iranian Foreign Minister Hamid Riza Asefi also hailed Turkey’s EU bid, stating, “We are pleased with every development serving the interest of our neighbor.” /Hurriyet/[11] ERDOGAN TO VISIT SYRIA TO DISCUSS IRAQPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is heading this week to Syria for talks expected to focus on the situation in Iraq. His visit follows a landmark January trip by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Ankara that cemented a rapprochement in ties dominated for decades by hostility. /Turkish Daily news/[12] DEBATES OVER 2005 BUDGET BEGIN IN PARLIAMENTDebates over the 2005 budget began yesterday in Parliament. Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan presented the fiscal year 2005 budget draft to the General Assembly for its approval. Unakitan stated that the basic priority of the government’s budgetary policy was bringing the public debt stock to a reasonable level by ensuring fiscal discipline and creating an environment for stable growth. He stressed that the government was determined to further bring down inflation and the public debt stock, maintain increased production and exports, boost employment and maintain stable growth. The budget, with expenditures set at YTL 155.6 billion and revenues at YTL 126.5 billion, will allocate more resources to education, health, the judiciary and infrastructure needs in comparison to previous years’ budgets, added the finance minister. /Turkish Daily News/[13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[14] HOPE IT GOES SMOOTHLY BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkish-European Union relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“Now we should consider these issues: How can we benefit from the decision made at last week’s EU summit? How can we overcome hurdles during the process of our membership talks? Turkey faced quite a few difficulties before last week’s summit. It wasn’t easy for us to implement so many reforms in such a short period of time. However, we’ll see even greater difficulties in the months and years to come. The government, Parliament and bureaucracy have especially suffered from having to enact harmonization laws so quickly. From now on, such difficulties and problems will shift more onto society and even individuals. In other words, these changes will influence and sometimes hurt the Turkish people. Are we ready for this? Most importantly, do we know exactly what awaits us? Now let’s consider the decisions made last week and start to accommodate ourselves to them. We can summarize the difficulties Turkey will face as follows: * Oct. 3 was set as the date to start membership talks, but it’s uncertain if this will happen due to the Cyprus issue. If a consensus can be reached on recognizing Greek Cypriots, the talks might start. But this won’t be easy. The outcome of the negotiations process isn’t certain either. If such countries as France and Austria hold referendums on our membership, there is the risk of rejection. The majority of the public in many countries still oppose our membership. We have a lot of time – 10 years until such referendums – but we have to build public support and turn the atmosphere into one favoring us. * After the talks start, Turkey will work hard to harmonize with the EU acquis communautaire in various areas. This will cause a great transformation which directly concerns society and people and will be felt in daily life. However, this transformation will force various sectors of society to make concessions. * During the negotiations process, many issues from Cyprus to the Armenian and Kurdish issues will be in the spotlight. This will disturb Turkey and Ankara, and the Turkish public should be ready for this. Obviously, the most urgent issue is the problem of recognizing Cyprus. Turkey thinks that recognition is possible only after the island’s problems are solved. Ankara is preparing to take the initiative on this. It’s expected that the UN will get involved in the issue, and the EU will force Greek Cypriots to sit at the table again. Could the 40-year-old Cyprus issue be solved in nine months? It’s worth it to try again, but of course there’s no guarantee. In sum, a new and difficult era is awaiting Turkey. This is the price of integrating with Europe and carrying out a true transformation. Let’s hope it goes smoothly!” [15] THE BRIDGE IS BEING BUILT BY TULIN DALOGLU (STAR)Columnist Tulin Daloglu writes about Turkey’s relations with the Islamic world. A summary of her column is as follows:“One day before the European Union was set to decide on opening our membership talks, Iraqi Finance Minister Adil Abd-al-Mahdi addressed a think-thank in Washington. ‘Turkey is making good progress,’ he said. ‘Instead of France and Britain, we’d like to send our children to Turkey for the best education. Since we emerged from a common history, culture and religion, we’d prefer to see our own children go to Turkey.’ This is why we say so insistently that Turkey is a very important country serving as a bridge between the West and the Islamic world. If we join the EU, this bridging role will grow in importance that much more. Abd-al-Mahdi, who is a Shiite, believes that Turkey and Iraq’s Kurds want to improve their commercial ties despite a history of hostility and problems. ‘We must build confidence between Sunni Turkey and Shiite Iraq,’ he added. ‘We should be able to overcome all of our past problems.’ The finance minister emphasized that Turkey had no reason for concern about a Shiite Iraqi administration, saying that the Shiite leaders do not want to see a religion-based administration in Iraq. ‘Instead, they’d prefer to follow Turkey’s model,’ he added. Clearly change is afoot in our region! It may take a very long time to build an Iraq which will send its students to Turkey for their education, but the situation has already started improving. Abd-al-Mahdi said the current violence is expected to abate in the wake of January’s elections, paving the way for the improvement of the country and its markets. Turkey must boost its relations with particularly the southern part of the country in order to carve out a bigger share of the Iraqi market. Such a bridge with the Eastern world cannot be built only with Iraq. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to pay an official visit to Damascus soon. Turkey is turning a new page not only with the EU, but also with other Muslim countries. The Islamic world is preparing to embrace Turkey as a country which will convey their problems and concerns to the West. Next year may be a difficult one, but if we succeed in our plans, it will then be the first year of our bright future.” 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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