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Turkish Press Review, 05-10-04Turkish 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 morning04.10.2005FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] SEZER: “AT UNIVERSITIES, IDEAS SHOULD BE FREELY EXCHANGED”President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said yesterday that universities were institutions not for defending dogmatic thoughts but rather free exchanges of ideas. Speaking at a ceremony marking the opening of the new academic year at Hatay’s Mustafa Kemal University, Sezer said that universities should aim at raising well-educated people. He also urged officials to accelerate work to raise standards of instruction at universities. /Milliyet/[02] TURKEY OFFICIALLY BEGINS MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EUHard-fought disputes over Turkey’s European Union accession talks framework document continued through last evening. The first four drafts forwarded to Ankara were rejected, but then Britain’s issuing a declaration taking into consideration Turkey’s reservation on Greek Cyprus’ participation in NATO activities placated Turkey. After the intense discussions between Ankara and Luxembourg, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul flew there to meet with his EU counterparts at 9:45 p.m. from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport. /Cumhuriyet/[03] ERDOGAN HAILS “GIANT STEP FOR TURKEY”Turkey has taken a giant step appropriate to its historic march, said Prime Minister Erdogan last night on the long-awaited start to Turkey’s European Union membership talks. “We have passed through the most important phase with the founding values of our republic and our 40-year EU goal,” Erdogan told a press conference. “We have progressed to the negotiations stage after numerous long, tiring, and difficult discussions. Our aim was to protect the sensitivities we announced after last December’s summit. We insisted on this. This is Turkey’s success, our success, our nation’s success.” /Aksam/[04] GUL: “WE HAVE ENTERED A NEW ERA”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that a new era had begun for Turkey. Speaking to reporters before leaving for Luxembourg last night after a compromise was reached on Ankara’s European Union accession talks framework document, Gul, accompanied by Economy Minister and chief EU talks negotiator Ali Babacan, said that Turkey had been on the road to EU membership for more than 40 years. Stressing that as a Muslim country Turkey was unique among other EU members, Gul said that Turkey would greatly contribute to the Union. Furthermore, he said that there was no other alternative other than full membership. Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal were briefed on the historic developments. /Turkiye/[05] BRITAIN’S STRAW CALLS BEGINNING OF ANKARA’S EU TALKS “HISTORIC DAY” FOR BOTH EU AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITYSpeaking at a press conference yesterday alongside European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw called the beginning of Ankara’s talks a “historic day” for both the EU and the international community. “"When Western Europe needed defense, along with the United States, it looked to Turkey for that defense on its eastern flank against the then-Soviet Union... No issues were then raised that it had an Islamic majority,” he said. “We’ll be stronger and larger with Turkey. The EU, Turkey, and the international community will benefit from Ankara’s EU talks officially beginning today.” Straw added that both the EU and Turkey had contributed to reaching a compromise, adding that each negotiation to join the EU has passed through a difficult process. For his part, Rehn said that the EU needed a stable and democratic Turkey, adding that in the last 30 hours everyone’s limits had been tested. “Ankara played the game fairly,” he said. “We have reason to be satisfied within this result. The negotiations began without additional conditions.” He added, however, that the talks would be long and the process difficult. /Sabah/[06] AUSTRIAN FM: “THE FINAL AIM OF TALKS IS ANKARA’S FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said yesterday that there was a need to make clear some points in Turkey’s negotiation framework, adding that now what needed to be done was to work professionally. She stressed that the final target of Turkey’s talks would be its full European membership, predicting that at the end of the process there would be strong relations between Turkey and the EU. In related news, French Foreign Minister Philpe Douste-Blazy said that France had supported Ankara’s EU bid from the beginning, but believed that conditions for these needed to be determined. He added, however, that if Turkey doesn’t adopt EU values during the negotiation process, it couldn’t join the Union. “If it fulfills reforms within our values, then the result will be positive,” added Douste- Blazy. /Sabah/[07] RICE GIVES GUARANTEE TO ANKARA OVER NATOUS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reportedly had a role in breaking a logjam in reaching a deal on Turkey’s European Union accession talks. Rice called Prime Minister Erdogan after a party retreat in Kizilcahamam of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Rice assured Erdogan that U.S. support for Turkey would continue, and added that the proposed negotiation framework document wouldn’t affect Turkey’s relations with NATO. According to one European diplomat, Rice gave a guarantee to Erdogan that the Article 5, concerning Greek Cyprus’ joining international groups, wouldn’t affect NATO. /Aksam/[08] US WELCOMES EU DECISIONThe US State Department said yesterday that Turkey’s beginning European Union accession talks would contribute Turkey’s peace, prosperity and democracy. Edgar Vazquez, a State Department spokesman, told reporters that his country was closely following developments in the EU and lending support to Turkey’s EU membership bid. /Turkiye/[09] BABACAN: “DISCIPLINED BUDGET AND MONETARY POLICIES HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR ECONOMY”State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that the effect of possible adverse developments in Turkey’s European Union accession talks on the markets and the economy would be limited. “Our economy isn’t vulnerable anymore,” he said, adding that the institutions were better coordinated now than they used to be. Babacan stressed that the nation’s disciplined budget and monetary policies and structural reforms had increased the strength of the economy. /Hurriyet/[10] WB’S VORKINK: “TURKEY HAS CROSSED THE EUROPEAN BRIDGE”Speaking after Turkey officially began its European Union accession talks, World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said that Turkey had crossed the European bridge, adding that in the future Oct. 3 would be remembered as a historic date. Vorkink stated that Turkey had achieved a very important change and entered a new era. He further hailed the beginning of the accession talks as a “historic moment” both for Ankara and the EU, adding that though the negotiation period would be long and would address a number of difficult issues, beginning talks was an important stage. “Not only Turkey, but also the EU will benefit from the outcome of the talks,” he said, predicting that Turkey would be a developed country when the talks are completed. Vorkink added that the WB would support the EU and Turkey in the negotiation process. /Hurriyet/[11] EP HEAD BORELL TO VISIT TRNC TOMORROWEuropean Parliament President Josep Borrell travelled to Greek Cyprus yesterday. After meeting with United Nation officials he also spoke with representatives of non-governmental organization (NGOs). He will reportedly go to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) tomorrow. Borrell will first see TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat and later have a meeting with Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas. Borrel may also arrange a press conference in the buffer zone on Thursday. /Star/[12] DECISION DAY FOR NEW LEFT-WING PARTYFormer Gaziantep Mayor Celal Dogan has started work on forming a new party on the left wing, reports said yesterday. Dogan has a meeting with members of the defunct Democracy Party (DP) today. It is expected that some members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) might join the formation as well. Reportedly CHP leader Deniz Baykal’s unopposed candidacy for reelection at the CHP’s Nov. 12 congress might be a catalyst for party dissidents. Therefore the meeting is seen as a turning point for both the CHP and the new left-wing group. Dogan previously met with some well-known figures before, such as former Deputies Leyla Zana, Selim Sadak and Hatip Dicle. If Dogan’s meeting ends with an agreement today, the new party will be formed shortly. Dogan could be the new party’s leader, according to some sources. /Star/[13] SEPTEMBER INFLATION FIGURES RELEASEDThe State Institute of Statistics (DIE) yesterday released inflation figures for September. Last month’s increase in the consumer price index (CPI) was 1.2%, while the producer price index (PPI) was 0.78%, pushing the yearly CPI to 7.99 and PPI to 4.39. /Turkiye/[14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[15] ABSORPTION DIFFICULTY BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on developments in relations between Turkey and the European Union. A summary of his column is as follows:“The last 36 hours were very tense. Not only Ankara, but also Europeans have been anxious over the last two years. Government officials from a great many countries have been following the developments closely. Difficulties on starting our European Union membership talks weren’t the only problem. The stance of certain countries, particularly that of Austria, showed that we’re facing an ‘EU problem’ of global dimensions. How can ‘small’ Austria or ‘tiny’ Greek Cyprus shake the ‘very big’ EU? Even if Turkey’s EU bid is at stake, the actual issue is the weakness of the EU. If the EU doesn’t set its house in order, it’s likely to suffer more such crises. The last-minute consensus reached yesterday will be discussed both in Turkey and relevant EU countries in detail. Some people will consider this a success and others a defeat. However, it should be said that the incidents of the last 36 hours had a negative impact on Turkey’s willingness and enthusiasm concerning the EU. Of course, there were criticisms by leaders of various member countries and commentators. However, recent efforts to hinder Turkey’s EU membership and make us accept certain conditions caused serious doubts and suspense at the EU Commission. Now, the responsibility of taking such steps to make people forget these feelings and ensure mutual confidence and rapprochement belongs to the EU. A term which was recently pushed by Austria insistently is ‘absorption.’ Some were willing to turn the EU’s capacity of ‘absorbing’ Turkey into a new criteria or precondition. A milder expression appeared in the decision taken last Dec. 17. However, this time it was put forth that the EU would have absorption difficulties concerning Turkey and thus this should be taken into consideration at the end of the process of membership talks. At the end of the talks, which are expected to last for 10 years or more, it’s a small possibility that the EU’s absorbing a very different and developed Turkey will create difficulties. Actually, it’s not easy to ‘absorb’ the fact that this word was put forth as a condition.” 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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