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Turkish Press Review, 06-02-28Turkish 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 morning28.02.2006ERDOGAN: “OUR PRIORITY IS RAISING PER CAPITA INCOME TO $10,000” GOVT SPOKESMAN CICEK: “THE SITUATION IN IRAQ IS SERIOUS” UKRAINIAN FM TO VISIT TURKEY TO BOOST BILATERAL TIES CRITICAL VISIT FROM IRAQ TO ANKARA DYP LEADER CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR EARLY ELECTIONS TEXTILE SUMMIT TO BE CHAIRED BY ERDOGAN EU APPROVES REGULATION ON DIRECT AID TO TURKISH CYPRIOTS, RULES OUT TRADE TRNC’S TALAT HAS SUCCESSFUL HEART BYPASS IN ISTANBUL DENKTAS: “NEW CYPRUS TALKS SHOULDN’T BE BASED ON UN PLAN” FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS… HOW TO PREVENT CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “OUR PRIORITY IS RAISING PER CAPITA INCOME TO $10,000”Addressing the nation on television yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey’s per capita income was $2,500 when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power three years ago, but now it has doubled to $5,000. He stressed that the government’s priority was to double it again to $10,000. Erdogan said that Turkey had faced a serious crisis five years ago, but that owing to his government’s determined and appropriate policies it had fully overcome this crisis. “But we can’t rest on our laurels since Turkey has the potential to go much higher,” he said. “Soon all of us will see our dreams come true. The goal of our policies is the happiness of the entire nation.” The premier stated that Turkey starting its European Union accession talks last fall had cemented recent positive economic developments. Saying that Turkey has the world’s 17th largest economy, Erdogan added that this wasn’t the highest Turkey could see. “Our economy is no longer vulnerable but is instead resistant to both domestic and foreign shocks,” added Erdogan. /Turkiye/[02] GOVT SPOKESMAN CICEK: “THE SITUATION IN IRAQ IS SERIOUS”During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, recent developments in Iraq and Iran were discussed. After the meeting, government spokesman Cemil Cicek told a press conference that Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul had told Cabinet members about developments in Iraq. “Violence and horrible developments are on the rise every day. Unfavorable developments disturb Turkey,” said Cicek, who is also justice minister. “We support all efforts to establish unity and peace in Iraq. We’ve bolstered some initiatives to contribute to these efforts. Recently, our Special Representative to Iraq Ambassador Oguz Celikkol had some important contacts in Iraq. The Iraqi prime minister is coming to Turkey; other delegations will follow him. So we want developments in Iraq to come to a manageable point.” Cicek also said that Iran’s nuclear program was discussed at the meeting and added, “Certainly all countries can conduct nuclear work for peaceful purposes. But this work has to be transparent, open and above suspicion. Turkey expects Iran to be a friendly neighboring country, to have an open stance and to abide by international law.” /Star/[03] UKRAINIAN FM TO VISIT TURKEY TO BOOST BILATERAL TIESUkrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk will pay an official visit to Turkey tomorrow to boost Turkish-Ukrainian relations. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Tarasyuk will visit Turkey as the guest of his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. He will be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and meet with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and Gul in Ankara on Wednesday. Tarasyuk will visit Istanbul on Thursday to meet with Turkish businessmen. During Tarasyuk’s meetings, Turkish-Ukrainian relations and regional developments are expected to be discussed, said the Foreign Ministry. /The New Anatolian/[04] CRITICAL VISIT FROM IRAQ TO ANKARAAfter the specter of a civil war in Iraq caused by sectarian conflicts between Sunnis and Shiites raised concern in Ankara, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was invited to Ankara through a letter written by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan. It will be an official visit, but no state ceremony will be held for Jaafari. Erdogan stated a day earlier that Shiite leader Muqtada Al-Sadr will also visit Ankara. Foreign Ministry sources said that the visit request was arrived at through diplomatic channels but a date hasn’t been set yet. Jaafari will arrive in Ankara today and will meet with Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. In related news, Turkey’s Special Representative to Iraq Ambassador Oguz Celikkol reportedly gave key messages to Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Masoud Barzani when he met with him over the weekend. Celikkol conveyed Turkey’s distress over the recent incidents, saying they were a provocation to create an ethnic- and religious-based conflict. Celikkol also said that a national unity government including all Iraqi sectors should be established. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said that allegations on a big defense agreement between Turkey and Israel after the visit of the Hamas delegation were untrue, adding, “I also took part in the premier’s visit to Israel last year. No big defense agreement was signed. Nonexistent agreements can’t be cancelled.” /Cumhuriyet/[05] DYP LEADER CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR EARLY ELECTIONSOpposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday met with German Federal Parliament member Lale Akgun in Parliament. During their meeting, Agar criticized the government’s policies and continued to press for early elections. Agar added that saying there is no alternative to the government amounts to not believing in democracy. /Turkiye/[06] TEXTILE SUMMIT TO BE CHAIRED BY ERDOGANA textile summit chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to be held today. Speaking before the summit, Istanbul Ready-Wear and Confection Exporters’ Union (IHKIB) Chairman Suleyman Orakcioglu said that they would stress at the summit that no producer in the world can sell his products with an overvalued currency, adding that they would brief Erdogan on their views about the sector’s problems. In related news, Turkish Exporters’ Union (TIM) President Oguz Satici said that exporters would continue to produce and export even if the summit does not reach its goals. /Aksam/[07] EU APPROVES REGULATION ON DIRECT AID TO TURKISH CYPRIOTS, RULES OUT TRADEThe European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) yesterday approved a regulation on direct aid for the Turkish Cypriots, by decoupling it from a measure for direct trade, a move running counter to Turkish and Turkish Cypriot demands. The regulation was prepared by the EU Commission in 2004 and proposes 139 million euros in aid for the Turkish Cypriots. The approval was made in accordance with a decision by the EU’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), which agreed last Friday to decouple the two measures. In related news, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that it would be possible to provide aid in such fields as energy and the environment, adding that with the adaptation of the regulation the first step had been taken to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. “With a number of concrete projects, the Turkish Cypriots will become closer to the EU,” he added. EU Term President Austria’s Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said that the aid would raise the standards of the Turkish Cypriots. /Turkiye/[08] TRNC’S TALAT HAS SUCCESSFUL HEART BYPASS IN ISTANBULTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday underwent a successful heart bypass operation in Istanbul. Talat, 54, had the operation at Florence Nightingale hospital after an angioplasty on Sunday revealed a blockage in one of his main arteries. Talat was reported to be doing well after the surgery and is expected to return to the TRNC within 10 days. /The New Anatolian/[09] DENKTAS: “NEW CYPRUS TALKS SHOULDN’T BE BASED ON UN PLAN”Former Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas said on Monday that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan for reunification of the divided island was dead. “For us, the Annan plan is dead and buried. It’s a big mistake to ask for the resumption of negotiations within the framework of this plan,” Denktas was quoted as saying during a press conference at Suleyman Demirel University in Isparta. Denktas also said the Turkish Parliament shouldn’t approve an additional protocol extending Turkey’s Customs Union deal to the newest members of the European Union, including Greek Cyprus, and added that the protocol shouldn’t even be discussed by Parliament. /Turkish Daily News/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…[11] HOW TO PREVENT CIVIL WAR IN IRAQBY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on ways to prevent a civil war in Iraq and Turkey’s role in this. A summary of his column is as follows: “How can civil war in Iraq be prevented? Or can it be? What sort of a role can Turkey play in this? The conflicts which broke out following the bombing of the Askariya shrine in Samarra bought Iraq to the brink of war. Although the tension seems to have been calmed down a bit due to recent measures, the danger, that is, the possibility of a total war hasn’t been overcome completely yet. In addition, officials and analysts closely following developments in Iraq think that the danger of a civil war can be defused with certain initiatives and measures. One of them is Turkey’s Special Representative to Iraq Oguz Celikkol and another is International Crisis Group (ICG) Director Robert Malley. Our experienced diplomat, after meeting with all the leading Iraqi officials during his latest three-day visit to Baghdad, said, ‘Yes, our neighbor has never been so close to a civil war, but it’s still possible to get the situation under control.’ As Celikkol said, it’s hopeful that all the political and religious leaders are acting in concert to prevent a civil war. During this critical time, Turkey considers helping Iraqis on this issue a ‘historic responsibility.’ In fact, Iraqi President Ibrahim al-Jaafari is expected in Ankara today at the government’s invitation. The visit to be paid by him with a huge delegation shows the importance he attaches to Turkey. Turkish diplomacy came into action so a conference of neighboring countries can be held as soon as possible. Iraq really needs the active support of its neighbors. The final section of the ICG’s 42-page report includes a series of recommendations which can be helped by Turkey and other neighboring countries. In sum, a government of national unity should be established in Iraq as soon as possible. The constitution should be changed so that it can be considered fairer by the parties. The militia forces of various groups should be disarmed, and Iraq’s national security forces should be strengthened. The US should prepare to withdraw its soldiers. In terms of the role which Turkey wants to play, the report includes certain recommendations that concern it. The report says that neighboring countries should encourage territorial integrity in Iraq, help to change the Iraqi constitution in a way to ensure national unity, prevent the influx of dangerous elements and spearhead a national conference of consensus in Baghdad. As ICG Director Malley stated, there’s still time to prevent the division of Iraq and forge its national unity. The time for this must be now.” ARCHIVE The news and articles issued in the Turkish Press Review may be quoted from provided due acknowledgement is made. <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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