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Turkish Press Review, 06-03-10
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
10.03.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] THREE DEAD IN BOMB BLAST IN VAN
[02] ERDOGAN CHAIRS FUEL SUMMIT
[03] GUL MEETS WITH IAEA HEAD ELBARADEI AND DISCUSSES IRAN STANDOFF AND TURKEY’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
[04] SENER: “WE HAVEN’T SETTLED ON NEW CB HEAD, BUT WE WILL IN A FEW DAYS”
[05] TOURISM MINISTER TOUTS REBOUND FROM BIRD FLU
[06] AGAR: “ALL PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED BY THE JUDICIARY AND DEMOCRACY”
[07] EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER REHN: “TURKEY IS A STRONG, RELIABLE ALLY”
[08] FT: “TURKEY’S MARKET CORRECTION HIGHLIGHTS ITS EXTERNAL VULNERABILITY”
[09] BAYKAL, MUMCU ACCUSED BY BOOKSTORE OWNER OF MEDDLING IN JUDICIARY
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[11] CYPRUS REPORT AND REALISTIC SUGGESTIONS BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
[01] THREE DEAD IN BOMB BLAST IN VAN
A bomb set off by suspected PKK members killed three people and injured 18
others yesterday in the eastern province of Van. Police Chief Tacettin Kurt
and Mustafa Yavuz, the deputy governor of Van, said they both suspected a
suicide bomber was behind the attack. Kurt said that four of the 18 injured
were in serious conditions, adding that a municipal officer, a civilian and
an unidentified man had been killed in the blast. The explosion also
shattered the windows of several other vehicles and nearby houses and
businesses. /All papers/
[02] ERDOGAN CHAIRS FUEL SUMMIT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday chaired a summit to discuss
the problems of the fuel industry following last week’s textile summit.
During the summit, Erdogan said that the government would do its best to
prevent fuel smuggling. State Minister Kursat Tuzmen, Interior Minister
Abdulkadir Aksu, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Hilmi Guler, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and Transportation
Minister Binali Yildirim were all present at the meeting. At the summit,
security measures to prevent illegal fuel from entering Turkey via
waterways were discussed. Erdogan is expected to announce measures to
overcome the sector’s problems after the Finance Ministry and other
institutions complete their work on the issue. /Turkiye/
[03] GUL MEETS WITH IAEA HEAD ELBARADEI AND DISCUSSES IRAN STANDOFF AND
TURKEY’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, in Vienna for talks with the European Union
Troika, met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Mohammed
ElBaradei yesterday and discussed the nuclear standoff with Iran. ElBaradei
said that he hoped Turkey would redouble its efforts to find a diplomatic
solution to the standoff between the West and Iran, stressing that Ankara
has the confidence of both parties. “There are only a few countries which
understand the issue and at the same time have the confidence of both
Western actors and Iran,” ElBaradei reportedly told Gul. In his meeting
with ElBaradei, Gul also said that Turkey will announce its own civilian
nuclear program soon, underlining that Ankara’s will be transparent and in
full cooperation with the IAEA. /Star/
[04] SENER: “WE HAVEN’T SETTLED ON NEW CB HEAD, BUT WE WILL IN A FEW DAYS”
Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Caucasus Businessmen’s
Association yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener said
yesterday that the new Central Bank governor hadn’t been decided yet, but
that this would become clear in a few days. Saying that the economy was on
track, Sener said that there would be no negative change in economic
indicators. “There is no need to expect such changes in a sound and healthy
economy,” he added. /Turkiye/
[05] TOURISM MINISTER TOUTS REBOUND FROM BIRD FLU
Tourism Minister Atilla Koc, who is currently in Germany to attend an
international tourism fair, said that Turkish tourism was overcoming the
after-effects of the bird flu. “We’ve used our opportunities to solve the
issue,” he said, adding that migrating birds weren’t only flying through
Turkey. Guler predicted that tourism would rebound this year, adding that
bookings had fallen in Germany and Britain over the issue. /Turkiye/
[06] AGAR: “ALL PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED BY THE JUDICIARY AND DEMOCRACY”
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday commented on
accusations that Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit had tried to
interfere in the judicial process over last November’s Semdinli incidents,
saying that all of the problems in Turkey would be solved by the judiciary
and democracy. “The issue will be solved within common law and the Turkish
Armed Forces’ (TSK) domestic legal regulations,” he said. Agar stated that
everybody should be sensitive about the judiciary’s independence and that
the issue should be solved before becoming fodder for debate. /Hurriyet/
[07] EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER REHN: “TURKEY IS A STRONG, RELIABLE ALLY”
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn yesterday met with
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bayonnakis in Athens while there to take part
in a conference. Touching on Turkey’s EU bid, Rehn said, “The commission
will carefully evaluate Turkey’s progress in its 2006 report,” adding that
Turkey is a strong, reliable ally and has an important role in the region.
Stating that Turkey’s EU bid would be long and difficult, Rehn said,
“Turkey, at this time, has all the prospects of avoiding bad developments.”
/Star/
[08] FT: “TURKEY’S MARKET CORRECTION HIGHLIGHTS ITS EXTERNAL VULNERABILITY”
British daily the Financial Times, which generally praises the Turkish
government’s performance, in an article published yesterday said that the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is showing a “tired and divided”
outlook. “Since Tuesday, Turkish stocks have fallen by about 8 percent,
giving up much of the gains they had achieved in the past few weeks,” said
the article by Vincent Boland. “The lira has also slid against the euro and
the US dollar, and yields on Turkish bonds have risen by about 25 basis
points… Industrialists are unhappy with monetary policy, complaining that
interest rates are far too high. This is a sensitive issue for the
government, because much of its core support comes from owners of small
enterprises. Although the opposition is weak and has failed to impress the
public, the government's popularity is declining, posing a dilemma for
[Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan over the timing of the next election.
If a worsening in the domestic environment is accompanied by a shift in
investor sentiment externally, Turkey may be in for a bumpy ride in the
next few months, analysts agree.” /Milliyet/
[09] BAYKAL, MUMCU ACCUSED BY BOOKSTORE OWNER OF MEDDLING IN JUDICIARY
Two political party leaders yesterday found themselves the targets of legal
challenges over their statements about the Semdinli incidents and their
“interference” in legal proceedings. Lawyers for the owner of a Semdinli,
Hakkari bookstore which was bombed last November filed the complaint with
the public prosecutor against main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) party leader
Erkan Mumcu for interfering in the judiciary. The complaint cited the
statements of CHP leader Baykal saying that “this indictment is a coup
against the armed forces,” and ANAVATAN leader Mumcu, who called the
indictment a “political and legal manifesto where the crime of interfering
in the judiciary is evident.” /The New Anatolian/
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[11] CYPRUS REPORT AND REALISTIC SUGGESTIONS BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on a report on Cyprus published by the
International Crisis Group. A summary of her column is as follows:
“There might be hundreds of reports, but the new Cyprus report published by
the International Crisis Group this week isn’t like the others. While
tension occurred during this week’s first official meeting between Turkey
and the European Union since last October, this report put forth a new
opening. The report isn’t limited to blaming the Greek Cypriots and Greek
Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. It also underlines that a solution is
only possible with the contribution of all relevant parties and
simultaneous steps. In Vienna this week the EU asked Turkey to implement
the additional protocol immediately. The insistence on starting direct
trade with the Greek Cypriot administration and opening harbors and
airports was reiterated. Some say membership talks with the EU wouldn’t
continue unless these steps are taken. It’s a vexing situation. The
principle of equality and confidence which was violated by Europe in the
Cyprus issue is a must so Turkey can take a step on the issue. Europe’s
suggestions are useless as long as Brussels is being dragged by the Greek
Cypriots’ tactics or else following them on purpose. No government in
Turkey would take a step concerning the Cyprus issue unless the public
believes that a fair process had started. Therefore, the crisis group’s
report and its stance are important.
Firstly, the composition of this group should be examined closely. It’s
chaired by former European Commissioner for Foreign Relations Lord Chris
Patten and former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. Patten was also
the last British governor of Hong Kong. His friendship with Evans is based
on those days. Among the resources of the crisis group, which is an
independent non-governmental organization (NGO), are the foreign ministries
of EU member countries, including that of Turkey. In other words, this
report can influence political lobbies and it was also written with them in
mind. The report’s most important and delicate part is very important in
this respect. The report says an equation needing all the relevant parties,
including the Greek and Turkish Cypriots, Turkey, Greece, EU, the US and
United Nations, to make efforts simultaneously is needed for a solution of
the Cyprus issue. Turkey is also called on to keep the promises it gave to
the EU, and Brussels is invited to keep the promises it gave to Turkish
Cypriots in 2004 and find a way for direct trade and aid for Turkish
Cypriots’ integration in the EU. It also requests that the European
Commission open an office in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
and include ‘northern Cyprus’ in the EU’s Customs Union agreement with
Turkey. This is only one example. All of the suggestions reflect the
understanding that a solution is possible through mutual openings. This is
the report’s realism. The EU should see that all the steps damaging
equality on Cyprus hold back a solution and that it can’t overcome the
issue if Turkey loses its enthusiasm for EU membership talks. If this
equality is ensured, even Parliament’s approval of the additional protocol
and opening harbors and airports might not create problems, because they
can be justified.”
ARCHIVE
The news and articles issued in the Turkish Press Review
may be quoted from provided due acknowledgement is made.
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