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Turkish Press Review, 05-11-01
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
01.11.2005
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR MARKETING TURKEY”
[02] CICEK OBJECTS TO BELGIUM’S DECISION ON ERDAL TRIAL
[03] ANKARA’S STANCE ON UN HARIRI REPORT TO COME AFTER DEC. 15
[04] PARLIAMENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HEAD: “MALATYA WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR FIVE YEARS”
[05] AGAR: “NGOs SHOULD TAKE AN INTEREST IN CHILDCARE CENTERS”
[06] TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT: “ANNAN IS SEEKING THE PROPER GROUNDWORK FOR SUCCESS”
[07] TRNC’S TALAT TO MEET WITH BLAIR
[08] DUTCH PM HAILS TURKEY’S STEPS IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
[09] US’ MCELDOWNEY: “REGIONAL DEMOCRACY AND STABILITY IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH STRONG TURKISH-IRAQI RELATIONS”
[10] BARZANI MEETS WITH BLAIR
[11] KARAMANLIS: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED THROUGH ITS FOREIGN POLICY STANCES”
[12] SERDENGECTI: “CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS PREVENTED FURTHER INFLATION REDUCTIONS”
[01] ERDOGAN: “I’M RESPONSIBLE FOR MARKETING TURKEY”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Gaziantep yesterday to attend a
series of opening ceremonies, said that he was responsible for marketing
Turkey, which meant promotion of the country abroad. Erdogan also
criticized the opposition parties for belittling this role, saying that
there was marketing in politics. “There are some leaders unaware of this
fact,” said Erdogan. “I think they should ask academics and learn about
this.” The premier added that he was also marketing the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is now an observer at the Organization of the
Islamic Conference (OIC). “The future of the TRNC will be very different,”
added Erdogan. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] CICEK OBJECTS TO BELGIUM’S DECISION ON ERDAL TRIAL
Cabinet Spokesman Cemil Cicek yesterday criticized Belgium’s decision that
terrorist Fehriye Erdal cannot be judged in Belgium for crimes she
committed in Turkey. Cicek said necessary actions will be taken by the
authorities. He also accused European Union countries of failing to take
enough action against terrorism. Cicek said there are ample international
agreements against terrorism but a lack of cooperation between countries,
adding that the Erdal case is a critical example of this. Previously
Turkish authorities asked Erdal to be extradited to the country, but
Belgian authorities refused, citing Turkey’s death penalty. But even after
Turkey lifted the death penalty the murder suspect has still not been
extradited. /Star/
[03] ANKARA’S STANCE ON UN HARIRI REPORT TO COME AFTER DEC. 15
The United Nations investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri and the report accusing Syria over the assassination
has been carefully monitored by the Foreign Ministry. Ankara will
reportedly take a stance on the report after its final version is released
on Dec. 15. While the UN, Washington and the European Union hold Syria
responsible for the killing, Ankara, which has had good relations with
Damascus of late, expects the part of the report indicating that Syria did
not cooperate with UN officials during the investigation to be reviewed.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in London yesterday, “Despite a
lack of real evidence, the report contains some serious allegations.” In
related news the UN Security Council adopted a resolution warning of
unspecified further action unless Syria unconditionally helps with the
probe. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa criticized the decision,
which accused some high Syrian officials of being involved with the
assassination. /Star/
[04] PARLIAMENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HEAD: “MALATYA WAS NOT INSPECTED
FOR FIVE YEARS”
After seeing a Malatya childcare center and orphanage racked by a recent
scandal, Mehmet Elkatmis, the head of Parliament’s Human Rights Commission,
yesterday said that the facility had not been inspected since 2000.
Elkatmis also said that torture marks were found on 32 children out of 40
at the center. He charged that officials had neglected their duties, adding,
“That was an unacceptable situation. The governor should have inspected the
facility.” Elkatmis said that five people had been arrested over the abuse,
and stated, “One of the officials torturing children had been on guard duty
for 48 hours. This is inhuman. That person also needs rehabilitation and a
psychologist. The permanent staff didn’t do their duties and it all fell on
contract workers.” The commission was told that the children were subject
to torture and beatings during holidays. /Aksam/
[05] AGAR: “NGOs SHOULD TAKE AN INTEREST IN CHILDCARE CENTERS”
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday called on non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) to help inspect childcare centers. During
a visit to a childcare center in Adapazari, Agar commented on the scandal
last week at a Malatya childcare center. Urging people to take an interest
in children staying at such centers, the DYP leader stated that that was
one of the duties of NGOs. /Turkiye/
[06] TRNC PRESIDENT TALAT: “ANNAN IS SEEKING THE PROPER GROUNDWORK FOR
SUCCESS”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat
yesterday met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at UN headquarters in
New York. After their talks, Talat told a press conference, “During the
meeting we stressed that the only ground for a solution in Cyprus was the
UN. We also expressed that ending the isolation of the TRNC would help
efforts for a solution.” Talat noted that the UN secretary-general would
like to achieve success with the new initiative, adding, “The initiative
will be taken. But the time, the method and the place aren’t known, at
least by me.” Talat also stressed that the European Union wasn’t the place
to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, adding, “Because the EU isn’t an
impartial organization.” /Cumhuriyet/
[07] TRNC’S TALAT TO MEET WITH BLAIR
After an official visit to Washington at the invitation of Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
President Mehmet Ali Talat is expected to travel to Britain this month to
meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Diplomatic sources stated that
Britain, a guarantor power on Cyprus and the European Union’s current term
president, planned to take steps to seek a settlement to the Cyprus issue.
/Turkiye/
[08] DUTCH PM HAILS TURKEY’S STEPS IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said yesterday that Turkey had
taken historic steps in human rights and democracy, adding that it had
fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria of the European Union. “We’ve begun to
see the practical results of these reforms,” he said. “Turkey should
continue this stable trend.” Balkenende further stated that the EU would
keep its promises on Turkey’s EU bid. /Sabah/
[09] US’ MCELDOWNEY: “REGIONAL DEMOCRACY AND STABILITY IS POSSIBLE ONLY
THROUGH STRONG TURKISH-IRAQI RELATIONS”
US Charge d’Affaires Nancy McEldowney yesterday stressed the importance of
strong relations between Turkey and Iraq, and added, “All the existing
problems, including the one related to the terrorist PKK, can be resolved
only this way.” Speaking to reporters after visiting the Anatolia
Contemporary Education Foundation (ANACEV), McEldowney said that when U.S.
President George Bush received Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
leader Massoud Barzani last week the president reiterated the U.S. position
on action to be taken against the terrorist PKK. She said President Bush
told Barzani that Iraq should remain a democratic and federal entity, and
reiterated the importance of strong and positive relations between Turkey
and Iraq. McEldowney said, “I would like to mention a very important
aspect. The establishment of democracy and stability in the region is what
we want here. This can only be attained through strong relations between
Iraq and Turkey.” /Cumhuriyet/
[10] BARZANI MEETS WITH BLAIR
British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday received Iraqi Kurdish leader
Massoud Barzani. After completing his contacts in the US, on his home way,
Barzani held talks with the British premier. Speaking to reporters, Blair
said that the coalition forces in Iraq would leave the country whenever the
violence and terror there end. Expressing his grief over the deaths of
Iraqi civilians, the premier said that terrorists were the responsible for
this tragedy. For his part, Barzani said that the Kurds could cooperate
with Shiite groups in Iraq’s December elections, adding that the Kurds were
15-20% of Iraq’s population, and together with the Shiites had been under
the pressure of Sunni Arabs for decades. /Hurriyet/
[11] KARAMANLIS: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED THROUGH ITS
FOREIGN POLICY STANCES”
Addressing the Parliament in Athens yesterday, Greek Prime Minister Costas
Karamanlis commented on a number of issues, including Turkey’s European
Union membership, Turkish-Greek relations, and Cyprus. Karamanlis stated
that Turkey’s EU bid would be evaluated not only by criteria in terms of
reforms, but also by foreign policy stances. “Turkey can join the EU when
it fully adopts the principles and values of the Union,” he said. “There is
a process of 35 chapters before Turkey joins the EU. Each step of Ankara in
this process will be checked by the 25 EU members.” /Cumhuriyet/
[12] SERDENGECTI: “CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS PREVENTED FURTHER INFLATION
REDUCTIONS”
Briefing the Cabinet yesterday on the economy, Central Bank Governor
Sureyya Serdengecti said that certain developments had prevented further
inflation reductions. Serdengecti stated that there had a rapid rise in
consumer loans, adding that the highest increase was in housing loans. He
stressed that this housing demand put pressure on housing prices and rents,
adding that there were rigidities in the service sector which kept
inflation from falling further. “The increase in rents is higher than last
year,” he said. “If this trend continues, then the service sector will
adversely affect 2006 inflation.” /Aksam/
ARCHIVE
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