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Turkish Press Review, 06-04-26
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
26.04.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CELEBRATES 44TH ANNIVERSARY
[02] US SECRETARY OF STATE VISITS ANKARA
[03] ERDOGAN VOWS FULL SUPPORT TO PALESTINE
[04] ERDOGAN: “THE STATE SHOULD SERVE THE NATION”
[05] FM SPOKESMAN TAN: “NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR VISIT OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR NEGOTIATOR”
[06] NSC TO MEET TOMORROW
[07] CHP LEADER BAYKAL CRITICIZES PARLIAMENT SPEAKER’S REMARKS
[08] TURKEY CONDEMNS CANADIAN PM’S REMARKS ON 1915 INCIDENTS
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[10] EMIGRATION BY TURKER ALKAN (RADIKAL)
[01] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CELEBRATES 44TH ANNIVERSARY
Constitutional Court Chief Judge Tulay Tugcu said yesterday that
interference in judicial decisions under the guise of protecting freedom of
expression could not be tolerated. Addressing a ceremony marking the 44th
anniversary of the Constitutional Court, Tugcu said that claims of
politicization were weakening the judiciary. Furthermore, she gave thanks
to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, as he enabled
women to take part in the top levels of the state through the secular,
democratic and modern republic. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Parliament
Speaker Bulent Arinc were also present at the gathering. When leaving the
meeting, Arinc told reporters that Turkey needed social peace in certain
matters. “No one can have any objection to secularism,” he said, but added
that the principle should be discussed. A strict interpretation of
secularism is turning private life into a prison, said the speaker.
/Milliyet/
[02] US SECRETARY OF STATE VISITS ANKARA
Answering reporters’ questions en route to Athens, where she paid a visit
before coming to Ankara, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said
yesterday, “We’re aware of the importance attached to the terrorist PKK by
Turkey. We need to reinvigorate those trilateral mechanisms between Turkey,
the US and Iraq to deal with the PKK problem. We want to do it in a way
that doesn’t cause greater instability in the north (of Iraq).” Rice said
that Turkey was the most important supporter of the Greater Middle East
Initiative (GME), adding that this is “because Turks openly express that
they don’t see a conflict between Islam and democracy, and Turkey is a very
good example of this.” Rice arrived in Ankara in the afternoon and met
first with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and then with Prime Minister
Erdogan. Rice was also received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During the
talks, the two sides agreed to adopt a “common vision” paper and a new
permanent mechanism to develop “strategic partnership,” Gul announced at
the joint press conference. He also said that the two countries will boost
bilateral visits and exchanges at all levels. The US secretary of state
praised Turkey’s efforts, including a recent initiative to convince Sunni
Arab groups to join the Iraqi government, and said that both countries will
work with the Iraqis to avoid Iraq becoming a base for any terrorist
organization or group threatening its neighbors. /Star/
[03] ERDOGAN VOWS FULL SUPPORT TO PALESTINE
After a meeting with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday
in Ankara, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would
continue its support to the Palestinians for their just cause. Pointing to
the importance of the solidarity and unity of the Palestinians, Erdogan
said that the sides in the Mideast should try to solve their problems at
the negotiating table, adding that the region was tired of violence. The
Turkish premier also stated that Ankara didn’t welcome the US and European
countries’ cutting off financial support to Palestine. /Turkiye/
[04] ERDOGAN: “THE STATE SHOULD SERVE THE NATION”
Speaking at a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary
group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the
state should exist for the good of the nation and serve the people. Erdogan,
who chaired the meeting after resting at home for a back ailment last week,
stated that sovereignty would belong unconditionally to the nation. He
added that the government was determined to protect the republic together
with democracy. /Turkiye/
[05] FM SPOKESMAN TAN: “NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR VISIT OF IRANIAN NUCLEAR
NEGOTIATOR”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Namik Tan yesterday said that a date hadn’t
been determined for the visit to Turkey of Ali Larijani, Iran’s top nuclear
negotiator. Tan said, “Larijani’s wish to visit Turkey was forwarded to the
Foreign Ministry through the Iranian Embassy in Ankara, but a date couldn’t
be agreed on due to the busy schedules of the related authorities.”
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] NSC TO MEET TOMORROW
The National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
will meet tomorrow. This year’s second NSC meeting will be held at the
Cankaya Palace at 1:30 p.m., and domestic and foreign developments will be
discussed. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] CHP LEADER BAYKAL CRITICIZES PARLIAMENT SPEAKER’S REMARKS
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal
yesterday criticized Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc’s remarks on National
Sovereignty and Children’s Day. Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group
meeting, Baykal said that the Parliament Speaker’s Office should stand
above political parties, and went on to describe Arinc’s conflicting
approach to the constitutional system, of which he is part, as “odd.”
Baykal called on Arinc to express and explain his opinions before the end
of his term in office. /Aksam/
[08] TURKEY CONDEMNS CANADIAN PM’S REMARKS ON 1915 INCIDENTS
Turkish Foreign Ministry officials are protesting the Canadian government
over Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s remarks last week describing the
events of 1915 as an “Armenian genocide.” Turkish diplomats described
Harper’s remarks as grossly prejudiced, since the allegations have not been
proven by unbiased historical studies. According to ministry officials,
such remarks do not contribute to a dialogue between Turkey and Armenia,
and have a negative impact on Turkish-Canadian relations. In related news,
in his annual message to mark the tragic events of 1915, US President
George W. Bush on Monday called on Turks and Armenians to forge a dialogue
in order to normalize their relations. As expected, resisting Armenian
pressure in his annual speech to mark April 24, the date claimed as a
commemoration of the genocide claims, he didn’t use the term “genocide,”
and said, “Today we’re remembering one of the horrible tragedies of the
20th century.” /The New Anatolian/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[10] EMIGRATION BY TURKER ALKAN (RADIKAL)
Columnist Turker Alkan comments on the conflict between Armenia and Turkey.
A summary of his column is as follows.
“Almost everybody I met in Armenia has a relation with Anatolia. I heard
such words from many Armenians: ‘My grandfather was from Kayseri’ or ‘My
mother was from Sivas.’ Another April 24 has come and gone. Armenians held
demonstrations which showed that they hadn’t forgotten their sorrow and
which were against Turks. Nothing has changed. They insist that we confess
and accept that we committed a genocide against them. The Turkish side is
suspicious and asks, ‘If we were to accept the genocide now, would there be
other demands tomorrow?’ When the issue is brought up, we discuss the legal
meaning of the term ‘genocide’ and say, ‘No, this wasn’t genocide.’ Even if
we don’t justify ourselves, we have certain explanations to excuse
ourselves: ‘A mutual massacre happened in 1915, and the Armenians started
it as supported by Russians.’ All this is true to a great extent, but Turks
suffered greatly during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire as well.
Millions of Turks who had to escape from Crete, Western Thrace, Pristina,
Greece and Bulgaria were killed and they suffered pain and hunger. The
world looked on and did nothing. After all, we were Muslims. We even forgot
it. Almost everybody who is close to me (including my family) has
emigration stories, which carry the traces of blood and tears. However, we
forgot them a long time ago. We’re forgetting them rapidly as well.
However, all these things neither justify, nor excuse the sad incidents
which were experienced with the Armenian emigration. Even if calling this
‘emigration’ instead of ‘genocide’ has a legal meaning, it doesn’t change
anything in terms of conscience. Journalist Murat Bardakci has been writing
for a few days about the sad incidents that the Armenians suffered.
Whatever you call them, these incidents are shameful. Some 141,000
Armenians were living in Sivas in 1914, but after 1915 there were only 8,
100. Nearly 472,000 Armenians in Erzurum, Bitlis, Van, Diyarbakir, Trabzon
and Elaizg were exiled to other places. Even if those who took this
decision to exile them had no intention of killing or destroying the
Armenians, the result which emerged was this.
It’s very natural for states to develop a thesis and determine a stance to
benefit themselves. It seems Turkey and Armenia won’t change their ideas
anytime soon. However, the important thing was the people who suffered and
who were killed. Not the states, but academics, historians and artists can
put forth this dimension of the issue. They have great duties, and
individual efforts can create an atmosphere which can change the stance of
states. Fortunately, Mr. Bardakci tried to do this.”
ARCHIVE
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