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Turkish Press Review, 06-07-06
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
06.07.2006
ERDOGAN MEETS WITH PAKISTANI PM
AZIZ
ERDOGAN: “INFLATION TARGETS
WILL BE MET”
IN WASHINGTON, GUL MEETS WITH
RICE TO DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
YAS TO CONVENE ON AUG. 1
ELBARADEI TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA
TODAY
FINNISH PM: “TURKEY’S
MEMBERSHIP WILL STRENGTHEN THE EU”
MUSIC PRODUCER ARIF MARDIN LAID
TO REST
GULER: “ENERGY PRICE HIKES OUT
OF THE QUESTION FOR NOW”
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
IRAN’S FUTURE
BY SOLI OZEL (SABAH)
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH PAKISTANI PM
AZIZ
[02] ERDOGAN: “INFLATION TARGETS WILL BE
MET”
[03] IN WASHINGTON, GUL MEETS WITH RICE
TO DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
[04] YAS TO CONVENE ON AUG. 1
[05] ELBARADEI TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA TODAY
[06] FINNISH PM: “TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP
WILL STRENGTHEN THE EU”
[07] MUSIC PRODUCER ARIF MARDIN LAID TO
REST
[08] GULER: “ENERGY PRICE HIKES OUT OF
THE QUESTION FOR NOW”
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] IRAN’S FUTUREBY SOLI OZEL (SABAH)
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH PAKISTANI PM
AZIZ
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan yesterday met with his Pakistani
counterpart Shaukat Aziz. During the meeting at
the Prime Ministry residence in Ankara, the two
premiers reportedly discussed regional issues as
wells as bilateral political and commercial
relations. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] ERDOGAN: “INFLATION TARGETS WILL BE
MET”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said yesterday that the government’s
fight with inflation was continuing, and they
believed that the economic targets set for the
mid and long terms would be met. Addressing a
meeting of the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM)
in Ankara, Erdogan said that his government had
taken important steps to establish reliability
and stability in the country. Commenting on
recent economic volatility, Erdogan said that
fluctuations and movements were possible in
economies, adding that this was a reality of the
world. In addition to Cabinet ministers,
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP)
leader Deniz Baykal, Motherland Party (ANAVATAN)
leader Erkan Mumcu, Democratic Left Party (DSP)
leader Zeki Sezer, and bureaucrats as well as
businessmen were also present at the gathering.
Also speaking at the meeting, Baykal criticized
the government’s economic policies, warning that
the country was at great risk for a new crisis.
He added that Turkey could stand on its own two
feet only through a large rise in exports.
/Turkiye/
[03] IN WASHINGTON, GUL MEETS WITH RICE
TO DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, currently in
Washington for an official visit, yesterday met
with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to
discuss a number of issues, including bilateral
relations and a new strategic vision document.
During their meeting, Gul briefed Rice on his
recent contacts with the Iranian government
concerning its nuclear program. Gul and Rice
also discussed Iraq, the terrorist PKK, Cyprus,
Turkey’s European Union membership bid, and
energy cooperation. Speaking at a joint press
conference afterwards, Rice said that sometimes
it was important to look at relations between
the two countries from a general point of view
and consider the broad, deep values and
strategic interests their relations are based
on, adding that the strategic vision document
would help underline this. Asked about the
terrorist PKK, Rice said that the US
administration would work actively with Ankara
and Baghdad to overcome this problem, adding
that Washington didn’t want the PKK to attack
Turkey from anywhere, and especially not from
northern Iraq. For his part, Gul said that
presence of a terrorist group in a friendly
country such as Iraq was inexplicable. Later,
Gul met with US Treasury Undersecretary for
International Affairs Tim Adams. During their
meeting, they discussed the situation of the
Turkish economy and recent market fluctuations.
Adams said that the fluctuations were due to
international developments, adding that he had
confidence in the structure of the Turkish
economy. Afterwards, Gul said that Turkey wasn’t
considered the “weak link” in the chain.
/Milliyet/
[04] YAS TO CONVENE ON AUG. 1
The
Supreme Military Council (YAS) is set to convene
for its annual meeting on Aug. 1. The four-day
gathering chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan will discuss the promotions of military
personnel. Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi
Ozkok and Gendarmerie Chief Commander Gen. Fevzi
Turkeri are both expected to retire as they have
reached mandatory retirement age. /Turkiye/
[05] ELBARADEI TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA TODAY
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Mohamed ElBaradei is set to arrive in Ankara
today at the invitation of Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Hilmi Guler. During his
three-day stay in Turkey, ElBaradei is expected
to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. He is also
scheduled to address a conference in Ankara held
by the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency (TAEK) on
the use and efficiency of nuclear energy. He
will proceed to Istanbul after completing his
contacts in Ankara. /Turkiye/
[06] FINNISH PM: “TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP
WILL STRENGTHEN THE EU”
European Union Term President
Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
yesterday said, “Turkey’s future European Union
membership would strengthen the EU.” Speaking at
the European Parliament about his country’s
priorities during its six-month presidency,
Vanhanen said that Turkey’s membership would
bring stability to the region. Stating that the
realization of full membership depends on
Turkey’s efforts and that the criteria for
membership must be fulfilled, Vanhanen said,
“Turkey’s membership will be a long process,”
and added, “It’s early to speak of a timetable,
but it’s not going to happen in six months.”
Meanwhile, European Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso on Wednesday underlined Turkey’s
obligation to open its harbors and airports to
Greek Cypriots before it can move ahead with its
entry talks. In a speech at the EP, Barroso
underlined the importance for both Turkey and
the Union to fulfill their responsibilities
towards each other, saying, “What matters is
that we are open, honest and fair. Turkey must
fulfill its commitments, just as the EU must
fulfill its commitments. Turkey’s commitments
include respect for the Ankara Protocol.”
/Hurriyet-The New Anatolian/
[07] MUSIC PRODUCER ARIF MARDIN LAID TO
REST
Arif Mardin, a legendary Grammy
Award-winning producer who died at age 74 last
week in New York, was laid to rest in Istanbul
yesterday. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler,
Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbas, businessmen,
artists, musicians, and politicians attended the
funeral. Mardin’s daughter Nazan Mardin said
that she was touched during memorial ceremonies
held in the US, adding that there was great love
for his father there. “We lost our father, and
we thank everyone who stood by us,” she added.
/Aksam/
[08] GULER: “ENERGY PRICE HIKES OUT OF
THE QUESTION FOR NOW”
Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Hlimi Guler said yesterday that energy
price increases were out of the question for
now. Speaking at a Turkish Exporters’ Assembly
(TIM) meeting, Guler said that they would do
what the economy necessitates. “An electricity
price hike is out of the question,” he said.
Stressing that blackouts in 13 provinces last
weekend were being investigated, Guler said that
efforts were being exerted to overcome the
underlying problem. He added that he would meet
with visiting International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) head Mohamed ElBaradei this week to
discuss nuclear energy. /Sabah/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] IRAN’S FUTUREBY SOLI OZEL (SABAH)
Columnist Soli Ozel comments on Iran’s future. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“Recent developments are making Turkey’s
neighborhood more and more dangerous and
complicated. Here it’s important to discuss
foreign policy issues without confusing
intentions with reality. Developments in the
region will have an impact on Turkey’s domestic
politics, economy and security. It’s getting
more difficult for the government in Turkey to
produce policies despite public opinion, so now
governments are responsible for keeping the
public properly informed. In addition, it should
be accepted that foreign policy and security
officials’ monopoly on information and strategic
thought is now over. From now on, it will be
possible to reach a consensus on such policies
in line with national interests by cooperating
with non-governmental organizations. One of the
top issues is Iran. Turkey will play a part in
concluding the Iranian crisis. However, as the
US secretary of state indicated yesterday,
Turkey won’t be the central figure in solving
this crisis. All the possibilities for solving
the Iran issue have certain aspects which could
impact Turkey negatively. So, it’s important to
start to think about them and concentrate on how
to manage the crisis.
A
report prepared by terrorism expert Ali Nihat
Ozcan on the future of the Iran issue contains
valuable observations and suggestions. Ozcan
summarizes the characteristics of US-Iranian
relations and the parties’ strategic aims and
writes about four possible scenarios. They are
as follows: Regime guarantee; Iran with nuclear
weapons; unexpected change of regime; and change
of regime scenarios with military intervention.
Ozcan’s presentation shows that the second and
third scenarios are the strongest ones. Even if
the US and countries in the region look for ways
to live peacefully with Iran in the second
scenario, all the countries in the region will
enter a period shaped on the basis of tension
and lack of confidence. If the US intervenes
using only air power, Ozcan foresees that the
regime won’t change overnight. Iran will fight
the interests of the US and its allies with such
tools as terrorism, oil prices and more
confusion in Iraq. If the regime collapses,
three separate conclusions can be foreseen. Iran
would become a liberal democratic country which
protects its territorial integrity, without
nuclear weapons. The second possibility is Iran
breaking up along ethnic lines. Under the third
possibility, Iran might take on a federal
character. When the US-Iran crisis escalates,
Turkey will have difficulty choosing sides.
According to Ozcan, for historical and
structural reasons we can’t support Iran. If we
support the US, the public would hardly accept
this. In each case, there will be a large, deep
impact on Turkey. Soaring oil prices, cutting
off trade with Iran, and terrorist attacks urged
by Iran would cause us great problems. In
addition, the Kurdish issue will take on an
international dimension. It’s time for a
serious, honest, realistic and comprehensive
discussion of the Iran issue.”
ARCHIVE
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