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Turkish Press Review, 06-07-18Turkish 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> <style type="text_css"> <!-- .baslik { margin-right:0cm; margin-left:0cm; margin-top:1cm; font-size:12.0pt; color:#000099; text-align: justify; } --> <_style> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning18.07.2006PRESIDENT PARTIALLY APPROVES ANTI-TERROR LAW ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO TRNC FOR CEREMONIES MARKING 32ND ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE OPERATION FM GUL: “WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO FIGHT TERRORISM WILL BE DONE BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD” CABINET DISCUSSES RISING TERRORIST ATTACKS, CICEK DECLARES GOVT WON’T FORSAKE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC: “KURDISH CITIZENS SHOULD DECLARE THAT THEY OPPOSE THE TERRORIST PKK” FM UNDERSECRETARY TUYGAN: “THE NORTHERN IRAQ MILITARY OPTION IS ON THE TABLE” US’ BRYZA TO MEET WITH TALAT TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE AGAR: “THE NATION IS READY TO DO ITS BEST TO END TERRORISM” 5,000 MOURNERS PAY THEIR RESPECTS AS 7 SOLDIERS AND 1 POLICEMAN LAID TO REST FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... AN AKP CLASSIC BY TURKER ALKAN (RADIKAL) A CLEAR-HEADED LOOK AT THE MIDEAST BY CUNEYT ULSEVER (HURRIYET)CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT PARTIALLY APPROVES ANTI-TERROR LAWPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday “partially” approved a law amending the controversial Anti-Terror Law, but will apply to the Constitutional Court for the cancellation of certain articles, a statement from the Presidential Press Office said yesterday. The controversial bill was passed at the end of last month just before Parliament went on recess on July 1, and the government was awaiting Sezer’s decision. The law proposes significant changes to the Anti-Terror Law. The law earlier attracted criticism from human rights organizations and intellectuals. /The New Anatolian/[02] ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO TRNC FOR CEREMONIES MARKING 32ND ANNIVERSARY OF PEACE OPERATIONPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to travel to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to attend ceremonies on Thursday marking the 32nd anniversary of the Cyprus Peace Operation. During his two-day stay on the island, Erdogan will also attend some groundbreaking ceremonies. He is expected to criticize the European Union’s Cyprus policy and the Greek Cypriots’ uncompromising stance on the issue and reiterate that Ankara will not forsake the Cyprus cause. Erdogan will also meet with TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat, former TRNC President Rauf Denktas, and party leaders. /Sabah/[03] FM GUL: “WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO FIGHT TERRORISM WILL BE DONE BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the government was determined to fight terrorism, adding that it will do what is necessary both at home and abroad. Before his departure to London, Gul took reporters’ questions at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport on anti-terror efforts. Stating that they were determined to fight terrorism, Gul said that they were expecting cooperation from the international community. Gul said that all necessary preparations were being taken on this issue and that whatever was required would be done both in and outside Turkey’s borders. /Aksam/[04] CABINET DISCUSSES RISING TERRORIST ATTACKS, CICEK DECLARES GOVT WON’T FORSAKE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISMThe Cabinet yesterday convened under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss a number of issues, including recently stepped-up terrorist attacks. Also present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, and Finance Minister Kemal Unakita. Speaking afterwards, Cicek said that the government would never forsake the fight against terrorism. “We’ll continue to support our armed forces in this fight,” said Cicek. Stressing that fight against the terrorist group PKK wasn’t seasonal, Cicek added it was above governments and parties. “Each measure is examined by the related institution and than carried out,” said Cicek. “It should be known that the target of this fight is the terrorist group PKK and other terrorists. Turkey is taking all measures against the PKK and it will continue to do so.” /Milliyet/[05] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC: “KURDISH CITIZENS SHOULD DECLARE THAT THEY OPPOSE THE TERRORIST PKK”Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday called for Kurdish citizens to openly declare that they oppose the terrorist PKK. Speaking on state broadcaster TRT-2, Arinc said, “The public’s opposition and rejection of the terrorist group is the most important support in the fight against terrorism,” adding, “Therefore I call on the Kurds to openly declare that they oppose the terrorist group. We expect them to declare that they won’t be involved with the terrorist group anymore, as they haven’t been so far.” /Hurriyet/[06] FM UNDERSECRETARY TUYGAN: “THE NORTHERN IRAQ MILITARY OPTION IS ON THE TABLE”While new measures to be taken against terrorism were being discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, US Ambassador to Turkey Ross Wilson and Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey Sabah Umran were summoned to the Foreign Ministry. The message “If you don’t organize an operation against the PKK presence in northern Iraq, we will” was conveyed to the ambassadors. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan stated that the military option was on the table. In the wake of stepped-up deadly terrorist attacks, Turkey is preparing to take measures about northern Iraq, where most of the terrorist PKK’s members are based. After the meeting with the ambassadors, Tuygan told a press conference, “I told the two ambassadors that more determined steps should be taken on this issue,” and added, “I emphasized that the current situation was unacceptable for Turkey. I declared to them that we were expecting steps to change the current situation to be taken in the shortest possible time.” In related news, US Ambassador Wilson said that Turkey shouldn’t act unilaterally in northern Iraq, adding, “The next step should be the continuation of trilateral meetings. Meetings between Turkey, the US and Iraq should be continued.” After his visit to the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), Wilson told reporters that he felt sorrow over Turkish security forces losing their lives to PKK terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/[07] US’ BRYZA TO MEET WITH TALAT TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUEUS Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza is due to pay an official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today. During his short stay on the island, Bryza is expected to meet separately with TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas to discuss the Cyprus issue. In related news, Greek Cypriot newspapers were displeased with the visit and claimed that Bryza wasn’t a reliable mediator. /Turkiye/[08] AGAR: “THE NATION IS READY TO DO ITS BEST TO END TERRORISM”In a written statement, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat commented on a recent rise in terrorist attacks, saying that the nation was ready to do its best to end terrorism in the country. “Recent attacks show that terrorism shouldn’t be seen as unimportant,” said the statement. Agar stressed that the terror problem couldn’t be solved with ad hoc policies and criticized the government, saying that it had no plan to fight the terrorist PKK. “The resources, links, and supporters of terror are clear,” he said. “Turkey has a great deal of experience in fighting terrorism.” /Cumhuriyet/[09] 5,000 MOURNERS PAY THEIR RESPECTS AS 7 SOLDIERS AND 1 POLICEMAN LAID TO RESTSeven soldiers who were killed by the terrorist PKK in Siirt’s Eruh district and one policeman who was killed in Van were laid to rest yesterday. Some 5,000 mourners attended the funeral ceremonies in Izmir, Ankara, Konya, Kirikkale, and other provinces. Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu, and National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan attended the ceremony in Ankara, Polatli. During the funerals, the families of the fallen soldiers and other mourners condemned the terrorist PKK. /All papers/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[11] AN AKP CLASSIC BY TURKER ALKAN (RADIKAL)Columnist Turker Alkan comments on Turkey’s foreign policy towards the Middle East. A summary of his column is as follows:“Turkey’s foreign policy which has been followed up to now aimed to stay outside the quagmire of the Middle East. It took pains over not taking sides in conflicts among Arabs or the Arab-Israeli conflicts directly and openly. Maybe due to this policy we have no firm friends in the Middle East, but we haven’t had fierce enemies either and we managed to stay out of war. However, during the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) term in office we've started to get signals that we could abandon this traditional policy. At least, now there is the impression that the government has adopted a two-prong policy for the Middle East. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be favoring Arabs in terms of Arab-Israeli relations, which is a more hawkish stance than the Foreign Ministry. For example, Hamas’ leader was invited to Ankara, leaving the Foreign Ministry out of the loop, Erdogan’s advisor met with the Hamas leader in Damascus secretly, and Erdogan started to criticize Israel openly, whereas the Foreign Ministry has been silent of late. Erdogan said that if Israel wants to invade Palestine, it will see the response for this. As he’s no an ordinary citizen, his words should be taken seriously. Then one would ask if Turkey is threatening Israel. This is a very serious step. It’s difficult to understand what Erdogan is planning by taking sides openly in a war that it has no direct stake in. In addition, it’s strange that many Arab states didn’t protest Israel as much as Erdogan did due to latest developments but instead said that Hamas, which was embraced by Erdogan, was responsible for the war. It’s just like Saudi Arabia’s freezing the property holdings of the terrorist-businessman Yasin El Kadi, who is backed by Erdogan. Why is Erdogan adopting a stance with his own advisors like a second foreign minister and making initiatives that might cause serious foreign policy reversals? A few reason come to mind. Firstly, Turkey might have thought that it could establish relations with different forces in our region by following a two-prong foreign policy. Actually, I don’t think that it’s possible. No state can conduct foreign policy alternatives which contradict each other. Secondly, Erdogan and the Foreign Ministry might have different views. As one cannot make the Foreign Ministry passive in short order, it seems that Erdogan decided to set up his own Foreign Ministry. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul evaluated these strange developments by saying that Erdogan could do whatever he wants, even without informing him. When the Foreign Ministry says something, Erdogan denies it. There’s a very serious fissure in our foreign policy. In addition, there’s no unity of understanding which shows the interests of the state and the policy to be followed. This is an AKP classic.” [12] A CLEAR-HEADED LOOK AT THE MIDEAST BY CUNEYT ULSEVER (HURRIYET)Columnist Cuneyt Ulsever comments on the Middle East. A summary of his column is as follows:“Israel’s disproportionate use of force against Hezbollah and its attacks against civilians offend moral values. Our people feel distant from the US because of the Iraq war and are also against Israel, whom they see as the unfair side. It seems that our anti-American feelings are being strengthened with anti-Israel feelings. But I believe that somebody has to try to understand what’s going on without being clouded by emotionalism. I earlier stated that the US and its close ally Israel are in an aggressive mood out of fear that they will lose their sphere of influence in the Middle East in the 21st century. But we also have to see the situation from another angle. Hezbollah also hits northern Israel. Civilian Israelis are dying in northern Israel and some are living in shelters. Like Beirut, Haifa also looks like a ghost town. The missiles which Hezbollah is using against Israel are made in Iran. Iran gives these missiles to Hezbollah. Besides the US and Israel, one also has to understand Iran’s aims in the Middle East for the 21st century. I insist on claiming that Iran is preparing to be to be the strongest imperial power in the Middle East in the 21st century. It is very difficult to understand events in the Middle East without understanding that Iran’s intentions in the region aren’t different from those of other countries. 1. As a Shiite country, Iran sees all Sunni countries as enemies and tries to put pressure on despotic countries in the region by financing organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas. 2. The chaos in Iraq created by the US and the American government being stuck in Iraq mostly benefits Iran. 3. The fastest-growing groups in Iraq are allied to Iran. 4. Soon we’ll see Hezbollah start to be active in Iraq. 5. With its increased oil revenues, Iran sees this period as one that brings great opportunities for it. 6. Iran is also aware that its imperial policy in the Middle East will make it the natural ally of Russia and China. 7. Israel was provoked by the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Hezbollah and Hamas, and thus the world’s focus changed (like the agenda of the G8 summit) and attention shifted to ‘Israel’s attacks’ rather on worries about Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s being closer to developing nuclear arms and filling the power vacuum created by the US with its allied groups plus its aim at destroying Israel are policies that makes Turkey less influential in the region, and these should bother Turkey as much as the Israeli attacks.” ARCHIVE <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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