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Turkish Press Review, 06-08-29Turkish 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 morning29.08.2006CONTENTS
[01] CABINET DECIDES IN PRINCIPLE TO JOIN UN FORCE IN LEBANONThe Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. After a three-and-a-half-hour meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters that the ministers had agreed in principle to send troops to Lebanon in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Stressing that Ankara was closely following developments in the Mideast, Cicek said that Turkey was a country in the region and cannot be indifferent to events nearby. The justice minister stated that before now Turkey has sent troops to 28 different regions of the world to help ensure peace, adding that Turkey’s public order and security would never be weakened by its contributing to the UN force as claimed by some. Commenting on President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s recent remarks that he opposed such a mission, Cicek said the president had declared his own views, and that the government respects that, but it sees the matter differently with an eye on national interests. Cicek added that a final evaluation on the matter would be done today and the Parliament, currently in recess, would be summoned for an extraordinary session as soon as possible to debate the matter. /Hurriyet/[02] AKP CENTRAL BOARD DISCUSSES SENDING TURKISH TROOPS TO LEBANONPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Central Executive Board (MYK). During a five- hour meeting, Erdogan told the board members that Turkish troops would not take part in clashes in Lebanon, but rather would be there to keep the peace. Recalling that Turkey had sent troops to a number of countries for help, Erdogan said that Turkey was a powerful country and was acting in line with that. Furthermore, Erdogan said that the AKP group would be informed on the matter and a group decision would not be made, adding that the final decision would be made by Parliament. /Turkiye/[03] UN’S ANNAN TOURS THE MIDEASTAs part of his tour of the Mideast, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday visited Lebanon. During his talks with Lebanese officials, UN forces to be deployed in the country were discussed. Annan called on Israel to lift its embargo on Lebanon, and also urged Hezbollah to release the Israeli soldiers it abducted. The secretary-general is set to pay a visit to Egypt today, Syria on Thursday and then Iran on Saturday. Furthermore, Annan is expected to arrive in Ankara in the middle of next week to exchange views with Turkish officials. /Turkiye/[04] NEW CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT: “PROTECTING THE REPUBLIC ISN’T DOMESTIC POLITICS”Taking the helm of the General Staff from Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said that protecting the basic values of the republic, secularism and the unitary structure of the state shouldn’t be seen as intervening in domestic politics. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Buyukanit referred to the domestic threats of terrorism and fundamentalism. “These have been present since the founding of the republic, but I have to say that never before have they been so strong,” said Buyukanit. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and high-ranking military officials attended the ceremony, in which retiring Chief of General Staff Gen. Ozkok and Gen. Buyukanit both delivered speeches. /Milliyet/[05] FOREIGN MINISTRY REPORT: “HEZBOLLAH SHOULD SIT AT THE TABLE IN LEBANON”In a comprehensive new report in the wake of developments in Lebanon and visits to the region, the Foreign Ministry said that Turkey had assumed a mediator role and also underlined that Hezbollah’s situation could cause trouble. “To achieve peace in Lebanon, Hezbollah should sit at the table,” said the report. About Turkey joining a peacekeeping force in Lebanon, the ministry expressed reservations about the lack of clarity over the framework of the force and its size, how long it will stay in the country, and whether there will be clashes with Hezbollah. /Aksam/[06] TWO TURKISH WORKERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTANA Turkish road worker was murdered yesterday in an armed attack on a key highway in southern Afghanistan and a Turkish citizen working for a security firm was abducted in the same attack, said Turkish Foreign Ministry officials. Furthermore, another Turk working at a construction company was also killed in the country. /Turkish Daily News/[07] EXPLOSION IN ANTALYA KILLS THREEAfter Sunday’s explosions in Marmaris, a blast in Antalya yesterday killed three people and injured 20 others. “The explosion occurred between motorcycles that had parked in front of a business center,” said Antalya Police Department spokesman Akif Aktug. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, and security forces cordoned off the area for investigation. Aktug said that efforts were underway to arrest two people in connection with the explosion, adding that its cause was still unknown. Meanwhile, European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn released a statement condemning the attacks. In related news, British Ambassador to Turkey Peter Westmacott yesterday thanked doctors and other officials for their steadfast efforts after attacks Sunday in the resort town of Marmaris. Westmacott visited the British citizens in hospital yesterday, and also set up a temporary office there to convey information about the condition of patients to the government. /Cumhuriyet-The New Anatolian/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[09] HANDOVER FULL OF SURPRISES BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on outgoing Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok’s passing the baton at the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) yesterday. A summary of his column is as follows:“Yesterday’s command handover ceremony at the Chief of General Staff was full of surprises. At 4:30 pm, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s name was announced. While everybody was waiting for him, two presidents entered. Sezer was accompanied by Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and his wife. The military invited former TRNC President Rauf Denktas as well. Thus, the importance that Turkey gives to the TRNC was highlighted. The government was well represented. Besides Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, there were State Ministers Mehmet Ali Sahin and Abdullatif Sener, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul as well. The speech made by Gen. Hilmi Ozkok touched many people’s hearts in the hall. Commanders and their wives couldn’t hold back their tears. At the end of his speech, he got enthusiastic applause. Buyukanit also said that it was very hard to make such a speech. While the General Staff’s symbol of unity was put on, Ozkok applauded Buyukanit. Then Buyukanit said that he wasn’t used to such ceremonies and expressed his gladness that his commander had hugged him. Meanwhile, the ice between Sezer and Gen. Ozkok melted. Sezer put the State Medal of Honor on Ozkok and said farewell to the retired commander. There was also a warm dialogue between Sezer, Arinc, Erdogan and Cabinet ministers. The long talk between Erdogan and Buyukanit made everybody curious. In addition, the children and grandchildren of Ozkok and Buyukanit came and the families had their photos taken. Concerning Buyukanit, Ozkok said that being fellow soldiers was important and that he was proud to have served with him. Meanwhile, we asked Buyukanit what he meant by saying to those who have slandered him that ‘focuses of evil will be punished.’ He said that they have committed illegal acts and that they would be punished not by him, but by the justice system.” [10] TO GET A RESULTBY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on dialogue between civilizations. A summary of his column is as follows:“The question of whether we are entering a clash of civilizations has been on people's minds in recent years. As you know, this idea was put forward by Samuel Huntington. Huntington claimed that conflict will arise between Islam, Christianity and Confucianism. And there is no sign that he has given up his claims about a clash of civilizations. On the other hand a movement was started by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. This movement says that a clash of civilizations isn’t inevitable. ‘On the contrary, it is possible to reach a compromise and cooperation between civilizations,’ it says. The ‘Ernst Reuter Manifesto’ which is expected to be released by the Turkish and German foreign ministers is the first step of this compromise movement. It is reported that this manifesto, to be presented by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, rests on a ‘dialogue between cultures’. It seems that a joint call by Turkish daily Hurriyet and German daily Bild last year encouraged this manifesto. After the Mouhammed cartoon crisis, Hurriyet and Bild published a joint text on tolerance and common sense. The manifesto aims at realizing the call by these newspapers. The manifesto underlines the belief that people from different cultures and religion can live together in a peaceful environment. It also envisages cooperation between publishers and revising school textbooks. These are all good ideas, but I have one question: Wouldn’t it be better if the Spanish foreign minister and other states also signed this text? It would also be better if there were a permanent official to realize the visions of this manifesto. Otherwise it could be forgotten.” The Turkish Press Review will not be published tomorrow in observance of the Aug. 30 Victory Day holiday. 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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