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Turkish Press Review, 05-01-03Turkish 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 morning03.01.2005FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “SOME CIRCLES ARE TRYING TO CAST A SHADOW OVER OUR EU SUCCESS”Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for an education and sports center in Bursa over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan charged that some circles in Turkey were trying to cast a shadow over the government’s winning a date from the European Union to begin its accession talks. “But this is unimportant,” he said. “We’ll stick to our course with determination, because we’re establishing a Turkey which is open to the world.” Later, addressing the opening ceremony of an industrial and vocational high school in Bursa, Erdogan touted Turkey’s economic success, adding that the economy had grown since 2003 and would be better still in 2005. He added that he placed great importance on Turkey’s youth, as it will carry the nation to the level of modern civilizations. /Cumhuriyet/[02] GUL URGES NATION TO AID TSUNAMI SURVIVORS IN SOUTH ASIASpeaking at a press conference over the weekend, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on the nation to help survivors of the deadly earthquake and tsunami in South Asia, whose death toll is expected to exceed 150,000, adding that the impact of the catastrophe was near unimaginable. Gul stressed that the largest loss of life had been in Indonesia, adding that over 80 years ago the Indonesian people had supported the Turkish nation during its War of Independence. “We, as a country which suffered a similar disaster a few years ago, need to be particularly sensitive,” he said, referring to the devastating 1999 Marmara earthquake. He further urged all of Turkey’s associations, foundations, press institutions and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) to work to raise money for relief in the region. /All papers/[03] US’ ARMITAGE VISITS MIDEAST, TURKEYAs part of a tour of the Middle East and Turkey, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited Iraq and Syria over the weekend. Armitage first met with Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil (Erbil). He conveyed a message of support from US President George Bush to the Kurdish people. Their two- hour meeting took up the issue of upcoming elections in Iraq and the status of the strategic, oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Then the US official proceeded to Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa. He said Syria had improved security along its border with Iraq but needed to do more to keep armed militants from getting across. After completing his contacts in Syria, Armitage arrived in Ankara last night. During his two-day visit, Armitage is expected to discuss recent attacks on Turkish officials in Mosul, the safety of Turkish truck drivers in Iraq, and the continuing presence of terrorist PKK militants in northern Iraq, in meetings with Turkish officials including Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. /Turkiye/[04] JORDANIAN PRINCE VISITS TURKEYAt the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Jordan’s Prince Hassan bin Talal last night arrived in Ankara to pay an official visit. Following his meeting with Sezer, the prince is expected to meet with other Turkish officials today to discuss bilateral and regional issues. /Turkiye/[05] GUL TO TRAVEL TO THE MIDEAST TODAYForeign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to begin a visit to Israel and Palestine today. Gul’s visit to the region comes on the eve of Palestinian presidential elections scheduled for Jan. 9 and are being seen as an indication of Ankara’s willingness to play an expanded role in the region. Tomorrow, Gul is due to meet with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom as well as Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and opposition leader Shimon Peres. On Wednesday, he is expected to talk to Palestinian Authority interim President Rawhi Fattuh and Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath along with Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Gul will tell both parties that Ankara is ready to made concrete contribution to the peace process in the region. After his contacts in Israel and Palestine, Turkey’s top diplomat is expected to fly to Amman, Jordan for a Thursday meeting of Iraq’s neighbors to discuss the Iraq issue. /Turkiye/[06] ISRAEL TO HOST JOINT MED EXERCISES WITH TURKISH, US NAVIESIsrael is to host an annual joint search and rescue exercise with the Turkish and the United States navies off its Mediterranean coast in the middle of this month, officials said yesterday. "The objective of this exercise is to practice coordinated emergency search and rescue procedures in order to save lives in times of distress at sea," said a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in a statement. "By familiarizing themselves with each others’ capabilities and working together, elements of the three naval forces which regularly operate in the Mediterranean Sea will be able to provide humanitarian aid and more effective responses to actual maritime emergencies," it added. It is the seventh such joint exercise between Israel and two of its key allies. /Aksam/[07] AKP DEPUTY CHAIR: “THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED”Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chairman Saban Disli over the weekend said that the party is determined to solve the Cyprus problem in line with the United Nations blueprint known as the Annan plan. Disli stated that his party was pursuing a multidimensional, dynamic and balanced foreign policy based on the idea of no problems with its neighbors. “For years, the issues of inflation, Cyprus and the European Union remained unsolved, but the AKP government has found new ways to steer Turkey out of these blind alleys,” he added. “As long as political and economic stability is protected and improved, Turkey will definitely solve these problems.” /Star/[08] TUZMEN SEES SHARP RISE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS ON THE WAYState Minister Kursad Tuzmen over the weekend stated that he believed the rate of foreign investment would increase considerably this year. “We’ve already seen the first signs confirming a rise in foreign investments,” he said. “For example, an Italian state minister paid an official visit to Ankara last month together with a delegation of 100 investor businessmen, and they expressed their desire to invest in our country.” Tuzmen stressed that in the wake of Ankara winning a date for the beginning of its EU membership negotiations, economic stability in the country had already improved. “Turkey is more attractive than other European countries in terms of production costs,” he said. “We have an educated workforce. All of these factors are creating a positive business environment, one which I believe will attract more foreign investors to our country this year.” /Star/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[10] IN SHOW OF FRIENDSHIP, PUTIN WILL HOST OVER 600 IN MOSCOW BY ZULFIKAR DOGAN (AKSAM)Columnist Zulfikar Dogan comments on Turkish-Russian relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“With his visit to Turkey on the eve of the Dec. 17 European Union summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a message that Turkey doesn’t only have one choice, namely the EU, but also has other alternatives and opportunities, like Moscow. Putting also signalled that with its investments in oil and natural gas, Russia is there for Turkey and is ready for a strategic partnership. The new Moscow business center constructed jointly by the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) and the Turkish Exporters’ Union (TIM) is due to finally open. About 650 journalists and businessmen will attend next week’s opening ceremony, which will led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan alongside Putin. The image of Turkish commodities was once ruined by poor-quality products smuggled to Russia. Some shops in Moscow even announced that they wouldn’t carry Turkish products. But in recent years we’ve reclaimed our image. The new business center will be a place embodying the ‘Turquality’ which burnished the image of our products. Top Turkish firms are seeking spots in the center. Russia is preparing for investments in Turkey. They are also seeking a piece of the pie of fast train, hydroelectric power plant and helicopter projects. In sum, there are many opportunities for partnership between Turkey and Russia.” 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 |