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Turkish Press Review, 06-08-11
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
11.08.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
ONE MONTH LATER
BY HUSNU MAHALLI (AKSAM)
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “IF WE CAN’T OVERCOME VISA PROBLEM, WE CAN’T REALIZE OUR TARGETS”
[02] SAUDI ARABIA: “WE’RE ESTABLISHING A HEALTH CITY WORTH ABOUT $1.3 BILLION”
[03] GUL DISCUSSES PKK WITH FINNISH FM
[04] GUL MEETS WITH TURKMEN DEPUTIES AT CIRAGAN PALACE
[05] VECDI GONUL: “THE ARMY CAN SHRINK WITH A LAW”
[06] US SEEKS RIGHT PERSON AS ANTI-PKK COORDINATOR
[07] IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO VISIT TURKEY
[08] GEN. SARIISIK: “WEST SUPPORTS THE TERRORIST PKK”
[09] PROSECUTOR SEEKS LIFE SENTENCE FOR HIGH COURT SHOOTER
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[11] ONE MONTH LATER
BY HUSNU MAHALLI (AKSAM)
[01] ERDOGAN: “IF WE CAN’T OVERCOME VISA PROBLEM, WE CAN’T REALIZE OUR
TARGETS”
Speaking at a meeting organized jointly by the Turkish Union of Chambers
and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK),
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that the Turkish-Saudi
Business Council, established in 2003, was conducting beneficial work and
that they desired the third meeting of the council to take place before the
end of the year. Erdogan pointed to the different legal structures of the
two countries and added that there were ongoing problems in this field.
Erdogan said that through the steps taken by both countries some of these
problems were surmounted and also touched on the agreements signed by
Turkey and Saudi Arabia. “If we can’t overcome visa problem, we can’t
realize our targets precisely. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian King Abdullah
called on Turkish and Saudi businessmen to make joint
investments. King Abdullah said that there were developments between Turkey
and Saudi Arabia not only in the political field but also in economy,
commerce, social communications and other fields. In related news, Turkish-
Saudi Business Council Chairman Ali Bayramoglu said that there were issues
under dispute between the two countries and they had started to establish
an arbitration unit in order to solve these issues. /Hurriyet/
[02] SAUDI ARABIA: “WE’RE ESTABLISHING A HEALTH CITY WORTH ABOUT $1.3
BILLION”
The CEO of Saudi German Hospital, Makarem S. Batterjee yesterday noted that
they were planning to establish a health city in Istanbul, worth about $1.3
billion. Speaking to reporters after the working dinner organized by the
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and Foreign
Economic Relations Board (DEIK), Batterjee said the health city to be
constructed will be a mega-city that will bring Europe and Middle East
together, and added, “It will have a very competitive understanding of
service and will be very comfortable. We believe that this health city will
be a great success around the world.” /Hurriyet/
[03] GUL DISCUSSES PKK WITH FINNISH FM
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Finnish counterpart
Erkki Tuomioja, who is currently in Ankara to pay an official visit. During
their meeting, Gul said that the European Union should be more active
against the terrorist PKK. “We’re pleased that PKK is included in the
terrorist list of the EU,” said Gul. “However, we want the EU to give more
concrete reaction to the recent attacks of the PKK. Fight against terrorism
is gaining importance all over the world.” Commenting on Turkey’s European
Union membership bid, Gul stated that Turkey was determined to complete EU
harmonization reforms. The foreign minister further stressed that Turkey’s
EU bid and Cyprus were separate issues. /Milliyet/
[04] GUL MEETS WITH TURKMEN DEPUTIES AT CIRAGAN PALACE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with seven Turkmen deputies,
who are currently in Turkey, at Ciragan Palace. The delegation is headed by
Saadettin Ergec, the leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF). Speaking
afterwards, Gul said that the meeting was very important since Shiite and
Sunni Muslims were coming together for the first time, adding that this
should be an example to end Shiite-Sunni conflict. Gul stated that
conflicts in Iraq weakened the country and innocent people died. “People
from different religions should cooperate to reconstruct Iraq,” said Gul,
adding that bilateral consensus was more important than holding a
referendum. /Turkiye/
[05] VECDI GONUL: “THE ARMY CAN SHRINK WITH A LAW”
Speaking to reporters in Erzincan yesterday, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul
commented on Land Forces Commander Yasar Buyukanit’s remarks that the army
could shrink by 30% within the context of modernization, saying that a law
was needed to shrink the army. “The General Staff is carrying out a work on
the issue within NATO principles,” said Gonul. “The government will make
whatever necessary, when the work is presented by the General Staff.”
/Aksam/
[06] US SEEKS RIGHT PERSON AS ANTI-PKK COORDINATOR
The United States on Wednesday formally confirmed reports that it was
planning to appoint a State Department coordinator on efforts to fight
against the terrorist PKK, saying it was trying to find the “right person”
for the job. “What we want to do is make that trilateral mechanism
involving the US, Turkey, and Iraq an effective mechanism,” State
Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters here. /Turkish Daily
News/
[07] IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO VISIT TURKEY
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki will pay a surprising visit to
Turkey today. Mottaki and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul are expected
to discuss recent developments in the Middle East and its influence on
Turkey and Iran’s nuclear dispute. /Sabah/
[08] GEN. SARIISIK: “WEST SUPPORTS THE TERRORIST PKK”
Second Army Commander Gen. Sukru Sariisik yesterday stated that the
terrorist PKK was Turkey’s biggest problem and added, “Some Western
countries and internal segments support this under the guise of democracy.”
Gen. Sariisik said that there was a structure based on religious groundwork
which wants to take Turkey to the totalitarian darkness of middle age and
added that problems can be surmounted by sticking to Ataturk’s principles
and reforms with guidance of wisdom and science.” /Cumhuriyet/
[09] PROSECUTOR SEEKS LIFE SENTENCE FOR HIGH COURT SHOOTER
The case of May’s high court shooting, which put the government in the hot
seat, will begin today at Ankara’s High Criminal Court. Reports say the
prime suspect of the attack, Alparslan Arslan, and the other suspects are
accused of attempting to eradicate the constitutional order of the regime
through force. In his indictment, Ankara Public Prosecutor Semsettin Ozcan
seeks a life sentence for Arslan on the grounds of attempting to eradicate
the state’s constitutional order, first degree murder and injuring four
people. /The New Anatolian/
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[11] ONE MONTH LATER
BY HUSNU MAHALLI (AKSAM)
Columnist Husnu Mahalli comments on the Israeli attacks against Lebanon and
Turkey’s stance on it. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Israel attacked Lebanon one month ago and killed 1,100 and injured nearly
4,000 Lebanese people. The UN Security Council even doesn’t or can’t make
the call for ceasefire and the Israeli government ordered to continue
attacks for one more month. It seems that the US is aiming to establish the
new Middle East on the ruins of the old one destroyed by itself and Israel,
after killing all the people living here! Will it be able to succeed in
this? Despite its advantage on air, land and sea, Israel can’t dominate,
because the war is won on the land. However, Hezbollah militants cause
almost 15-20 Israeli soldiers killed and tanks and armored vehicles are
destroyed everyday. The Israeli people and army aren’t used to this
situation and they can’t accept it easily. Now Israelis know the meaning of
fear and Israel might attempt at madness soon. It might even use chemical
and biological weapons. The US and its allies which are planning to invade
Lebanon are aiming to get rid of Hezbollah at all costs. As long as
Hezbollah exists at any place in Lebanon, the US and Israel won’t end their
calculations with Syria and Iran. The US couldn’t get a result with Israel
and Syria won’t be able to reach its goals concerning the Iraq and
Palestine issues.
Turkey and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government should be
very careful. For example, they shouldn’t let Incirlik Headquarters to be
used against Lebanon. Ankara shouldn’t believe in Israel or the US. While
everybody was dealing with Lebanon, Ankara had to deal with the terrorist
PKK last week. Unlike the expectations, an important development didn’t
occur in issues of military buildup on the border, dialogue with Baghdad
and Washington and possibilities of operation in northern Iraq. Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said to
Ankara that they would take a stance against the PKK. As art of this,
offices of PKK and the parties supporting it in Baghdad and other cities
will be closed and PKK militants’ armed and political actions against
Turkey won’t be permitted. However, Barzani and Talabani will have no armed
attack against the PKK. Kurds won’t fight among themselves, because making
war with the PKK would cause great and complicated problems for Iraqi
Kurds. Meanwhile, Ankara’s policies don’t satisfy these Kurdish leaders. I
don’t know why, but the AKP government which requested help from Talabani
and Barzani on the PKK issue doesn’t recognize these two leaders
officially. The government which has hosted Iraqi Deputy President Tarek al-
Hashimi at the highest level doesn’t invite Talabani or Barzani to Ankara.
This situation is strengthening the situation of anti-Turkey Kurds.
According to these circles, Turkey is unreliable and it’s the national duty
of each Iraqi or Kurd living in the region to support the PKK. Meanwhile,
the US says that it would appoint a coordinator about this issue. Americans
seem to be making fun of Turkey. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
that our patience was exhausting and the US responded that the coordinator
would work as a mediator between Turkey and the PKK. In addition,
discussions on the election threshold started. Kurds say that Turkey can’t
stand the entrance of a Kurdish person into the parliament and do
everything to prevent this. There’s something strange about it. I hope
Ankara and the Turkish state and government know what they’re doing.”
ARCHIVE
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