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Turkish Press Review, 05-08-02
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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e-mail :
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
02.08.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “THE TSK IS OUR SAFEGUARD”
[02] US STATE DEPT OFFICIAL MEETS WITH FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY IN ANKARA
[03] ANKARA TO URGE US, IRAQ TO CLOSE PKK BUREAU IN KIRKUK
[04] TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT ARRIVES IN ANKARA
[05] REHN: “TURKEY SIGNING THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR ITS ACCESSION TALKS”
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “THE SUPPLEMENTARY DECLARATION IS NOT LEGALLY VALID”
[07] VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WON’T DIRECTLY CONCERN THE FREE CIRCULATION ISSUE”
[08] AGAR DENOUNCES PKK OPENING BUREAU IN KIRKUK
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] AN HOUR WITH TALAT BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
[01] ERDOGAN: “THE TSK IS OUR SAFEGUARD”
Speaking after yesterday’s first day of a four-day Supreme Military Council
(YAS) meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the Turkish
Armed Forces (TSK) was the safeguard of the Turkish nation. Chief of
General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and a host of
generals and admirals attended the meeting to discuss the promotion and
retirement of some 116 generals and admirals. The participants later
visited Turkish Republic founder Ataturk’s mausoleum, Anitkabir. /Turkiye/
[02] US STATE DEPT OFFICIAL MEETS WITH FOREIGN UNDERSECRETARY IN ANKARA
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza, in charge of European
and Eurasian affairs, yesterday held contacts with Turkish Foreign Ministry
officials in Ankara. Coming to the capital following visits to Baku and
Tbilisi, Bryza paid a courtesy visit to Foreign Undersecretary Ali Tuygan.
Bryza and Tuygan discussed issues of concern to both countries.
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] ANKARA TO URGE US, IRAQ TO CLOSE PKK BUREAU IN KIRKUK
During a tripartite meeting in Washington tomorrow between Turkey, the US
and Iraq, Ankara is expected to urge US and Iraqi officials to close a PKK
terrorist bureau opened recently in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. The
meeting will be the second such gathering between the countries and it will
focus on the capture of members of the terrorist PKK in Iraq. In related
news, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar criticized the
government, saying that while PKK terrorists were crossing into the country
from Iraq, the government wasn’t doing anything to prevent this.
/Cumhuriyet/
[04] TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT ARRIVES IN ANKARA
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat
yesterday came to Ankara as the official guest of President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer. Ankara’s recent signing of the Customs Union additional protocol is
due to be discussed during his stay, which is his first state visit to
Turkey. Talat and his accompanying delegation were welcomed by Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullatif Sener at Esenboga Airport. TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar
Denktas came with Talat, as did the wives of Talat and former TRNC
President Rauf Denktas. At the Presidential Palace, an official welcoming
ceremony will be held for Talat, who will begin his contacts after paying
his respects at Ataturk’s mausoleum, Anitkabir. After their talks, Talat
and Sezer will hold a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace.
Talat will also meet with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] REHN: “TURKEY SIGNING THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR
ITS ACCESSION TALKS”
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday that
Turkey’s recent signing of the additional Customs Union protocol would pave
the way for Ankara’s accession talks with the EU to start on Oct. 3 as
scheduled. “Turkey should begin its accession talks since it has signed the
document and implemented legal reforms,” said Rehn in a written statement.
“This signature expands the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU to
other EU members, including Greek Cyprus,” added Rehn, saying that the
supplementary declaration issued by Ankara would soon be examined by EU
officials. /Hurriyet/
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “THE SUPPLEMENTARY DECLARATION IS NOT LEGALLY VALID”
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos claimed yesterday that the
supplementary declaration issued by Turkey simultaneously with it signing
the additional customs protocol wasn’t legally valid, adding that the
situation would be clear after a European Union Council meeting next month.
Speaking at a commemoration ceremony for one of his predecessors,
Papadopoulos said that the EU Council’s decision would end the “confusion”
over the issue. /Hurriyet/
[07] VERHEUGEN: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WON’T DIRECTLY CONCERN THE FREE
CIRCULATION ISSUE”
European Union Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said yesterday that Turkey’s
membership would not directly include the issue of free circulation of
people in the bloc. “If Turkey’s economy continues to recover, then there
will be no reason for people to leave the country,” said Verheugen, adding
that the EU’s decision about Turkey’s membership would take a decade.
/Milliyet/
[08] AGAR DENOUNCES PKK OPENING BUREAU IN KIRKUK
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday issued a
written statement denouncing the terrorist PKK opening a bureau in the
northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Agar said that the terrorists crossing into
Turkey from Iraq were attacking civilians, adding that the government was
to blame for this. Agar further claimed that the government was turning a
blind eye to developments in Iraq and that it didn’t know what to do to
fight the recent wave of terrorist attacks. /Turkiye/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] AN HOUR WITH TALAT BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat’s current visit to Ankara. A summary of
his column is as follows:
“I had a one-hour interview with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday. Talat came to Ankara as President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s official guest. An official reception will be
organized for him. When we asked him about it, we learned that he’s very
happy because he wasn’t welcomed by Sezer during his previous visits,
something which led to much discussion and speculation. ‘This visit is the
Turkish Republic’s salutation to the TRNC,’ Talat said. ‘An era has ended.
The TRNC nation changed our leadership democratically, and now the Turkish
Republic shows that it’s welcoming not one view or person, but all views
coming democratically. I’m very happy about this.’ Talat said that a more
complex and difficult period had begun on the Cyprus issue with Ankara
signing the additional Customs Union protocol. When I asked if he’s
satisfied with the protocol signing and publication of the supplementary
declaration, he said, ‘The best solution is the solution of the Cyprus
issue and a united Cyprus’ participation in the European Union. However, we
missed this train in Copenhagen. Now we’re trying to win a case which we
lost previously.’
During the interview, Talat often said that Greek Cypriots didn’t want a
solution. He said that the TRNC would explain to the entire world both this
and the truth about the Greek Cypriots. Talat mentioned the discomfort he
feels over the EU not keeping its promises to Turkey, adding that Ankara
had a better position with the United Nations. At this point, I asked him
if the US’ stance on the Cyprus issue had moved closer to Turkey. He
replied that the US was supporting us, which is an advantage on the
international stage, but that if the Turkish-US relations deteriorate, then
Cyprus would be damaged, too.”
ARCHIVE
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