|
|
|
Turkish Press Review, 06-08-02
From: 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 morning
02.08.2006
CONTENTS
[01]
YAS CONVENES
[02]
OIC HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FORUM PLEDGES TO HELP LEBANESE, PALESTINIAN RECONSTRUCTION
[03]
AGAR: “BOMBINGS CAN’T BRING STABILITY TO THE MIDEAST”
[04]
ISRAELI DEPUTY PM: “TURKEY IS AN EXEMPLARY COUNTRY IN THE MIDEAST WITH ITS MODERN, MUSLIM POPULATION”
[05]
IRAQI FM: “THE PKK OFFICE IN BAGHDAD WILL BE CLOSED IMMEDIATELY”
[06]
FAREWELL TO FEMINIST PIONEER ASENA
[07]
TURKEY PLANS TO PURCHASE 30 NEW F-16s
[08]
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[09]
NEW ERA FOR THE TSK BY M. ALI KISLALI (RADIKAL)
[01]
YAS CONVENES
The Supreme Military Council (YAS) convened yesterday to make decisions on
the promotion, retirement, and disciplining of members of the Turkish Armed
Forces (TSK). The council was chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and outgoing Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. Yasar
Buyukanit, the newly appointed chief of General Staff, Defense Minister
Vecdi Gonul and the naval, land, and air force commanders also attended the
meeting. The YAS meeting will end on Friday. YAS members visited Ataturk’s
mausoleum, Anitkabir, after yesterday’s meeting. /Star/
[02]
OIC HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FORUM PLEDGES TO HELP LEBANESE, PALESTINIAN
RECONSTRUCTION
The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Humanitarian Relief Forum,
composed of representatives of humanitarian aid groups operating in OIC
member countries, convened in Istanbul yesterday to discuss how to provide
assistance to the Lebanese and Palestinian nations. During the meeting, the
participants pledged to help in the reconstruction of Lebanon and
Palestine. Addressing the gathering, the OIC's secretary general, Turkish
scholar Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, said that the situation of Lebanon under the
Israel’s bombs was worsening with each passing day, adding, “Israel is
continuing to use disproportionate force in Lebanon and killing civilians.
The people there are helpless. We should provide immediate assistance to
the region. The European Union and the United Nations should work for a
cease-fire.” Also addressing the gathering, Lebanon’s Ambassador to Turkey
George Siam said that some 750 people had been killed by Israel’s attacks
and criticized the insensitivity of the world. Siam said that Turkey had
provided the enormous assistance to Lebanon and that he had appreciated
this. /Turkiye/
[03]
AGAR: “BOMBINGS CAN’T BRING STABILITY TO THE MIDEAST”
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday issued a
written statement commenting on recent conflicts in the Mideast. Agar said
that the situation of the region was growing more complex every day, adding
that such bombings couldn’t bring stability to the region. He added that
Turkey should do its utmost for a permanent solution in the region. /Sabah/
[04]
ISRAELI DEPUTY PM: “TURKEY IS AN EXEMPLARY COUNTRY IN THE MIDEAST WITH ITS
MODERN, MUSLIM POPULATION”
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said yesterday that Turkey was
an exemplary country in the Mideast with its modern, Muslim population.
Speaking at a meeting in New York, Peres said that some countries were both
Muslim and modern, and Turkey was a leading example of this. /Milliyet/
[05]
IRAQI FM: “THE PKK OFFICE IN BAGHDAD WILL BE CLOSED IMMEDIATELY”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said yesterday that the Iraq
government was serious about fighting the terrorist PKK, adding that the
PKK’s office in Baghdad would be closed immediately. Zebari stated that the
PKK couldn’t hold activities in Iraq. Saying that he had discussed the
issue with the Turkish government in detail, Zebari added that he had
proposed to establish a committee on the issue. /Cumhuriyet/
[06]
FAREWELL TO FEMINIST PIONEER ASENA
The Ataurk Culture Center’s (AKM) main hall was filed to capacity yesterday
with people paying their respects to late writer and journalist Duygu Asena,
who brought women’s struggle for a decent life to nationwide attention in
Turkey. Present at the funeral were prominent figures from the arts, media,
and academia along with Asena’s sisters in arms and her many readers from
different generations. /The New Anatolian/
[07]
TURKEY PLANS TO PURCHASE 30 NEW F-16s
Turkey plans to purchase 30 new F-16s, reported US magazine Defense News. A
Turkish official told the magazine that Ankara’s negotiations with US
company Lockheed Martin concerning the issue were continuing. The article
said that Turkey wanted to purchase the F-16 Block 52+ model, the most
modern version, at a cost of about $1.5 billion. /Turkiye/
[08]
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[09]
NEW ERA FOR THE TSK BY M. ALI KISLALI (RADIKAL)
Columnist M. Ali Kislali comments on decisions at this week’s Supreme
Military Council (YAS) meeting. A summary of his column is as follows:
“The Supreme Military Council (YAS) meeting at the Turkish Armed Forces
(TSK) guides the foreseeable future of this institution, which is a pillar
of our country. Not only current conditions, but also the duties that can
be undertaken in the TSK’s future are taken into consideration in the
appointments of generals and admirals. Decisions are taken with the votes
of generals and vice-admirals, but the weight of the chiefs of general
staff are always felt. Generally, the members take their commanders’
preferences into consideration, but their personal decisions are felt more,
as they have reached the top of their profession and so have no concern
about their futures. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who chairs these
meetings and knows how YAS decisions are taken, must have learned that the
TSK’s system of promotion is very modern and more advanced than other
civilian institutions. If this assumption is true, his respect for the TSK
must have grown. Thus, Erdogan and the defense minister who also attends
these meetings aren’t expected to attach reservation notes to YAS's
discharges of army officers and non-commissioned officers.
If the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has reached this point through
Erdogan and the defense minister, this change should be seen as a healthy
stage for the democratic regime, because if the AKP wants to rule following
the next elections, it should work to be in harmony with the TSK and act in
accordance with the basic constitutional principles to which it’s attached
for the country’s interests and welfare. The decisions to be taken at the
end of four-day YAS meetings about appointments, promotions and retirement
will be submitted to the Cankaya Presidential Palace for approval.
Meanwhile, the government decree appointing Land Forces Commander Gen.
Yasar Buyukanit to replace Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, who
will retire at the end of the month, was expected to be prepared and
submitted to the Cankaya Presidential Palace. If this was done, the problem
over the chief of General Staff succession would have been solved. A
process which required common sense was implemented. Certain politicians
from the AKP made a mistake by creating controversy over Gen. Buyukanit and
seeking to show that they can influence TSK appointments. Naturally,
Erdogan understood this mistake during the long meeting he held with him.
Taking Gen. Buyukanit’s speech into consideration, Erdogan saw that he has
the basic characteristics of the TSK. So, even if some still have their
doubts, the public was relieved to see Buyukanit appointed to Gen. Ozkok’s
place. Most of the YAS decisions will be about lower-ranking general and
vice admiral promotions, and we civilian observers can’t easily understand
this, because those appointments and retirements will establish the upper
ranks of the TSK after 2010 and this has to do with not only to the TSK’s
future, but also that of Turkish Republic. This process should be followed
carefully.”
ARCHIVE
<script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js">
</script>
|
