Turkish Press Review, 06-09-19

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From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

19.09.2006

CONTENTS

[01] TURKISH TROOPS TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON NEXT MONTH

[01] TURKISH TROOPS TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON NEXT MONTH

Parliament is set to begin an extraordinary session today to debate and pass a package of European Union-backed reforms before the release of the EU Commission’s key progress report on Turkey next month. The ninth harmonization package includes a series of bills on foundations, a new ombudsman mechanism and the Supreme Court of Public Accounts. /Star/[03] GEN. BASBUG VISITS HAKKARI

Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug, accompanied by other top-level military officials, yesterday visited the southeastern province of Hakkari. After visiting the governor, Basbug went around the city and spoke with people. Stressing that the residents of the region suffer the most from the terrorists, Basbug vowed to continue to the fight against terrorists to the very end. /Hurriyet/[04] GUL: “IF IRAQ IS DIVIDED, CIVIL WAR WILL BREAK OUT”

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday began his contacts in New York. Gul first attended a meeting of the American-Turkish Society. Addressing the gathering, the foreign minister said that Turkey was a stable country in the Mideast, a region like a bomb ready to explode. Touting democracy and recent positive economic figures in Turkey, Gul said that Turkey’s foreign policy placed great importance on its alliance with the US. Commenting on the situation in Iraq, Gul warned that a civil war would break out if Iraq were divided. He stated that Turkey didn’t want nuclear weapons in the region and that it favored a resolution to the Iran issue through diplomatic means. Afterwards, Gul attended a United Nations meeting on underdeveloped countries. Following a speech to the gathering, Gul held bilateral meetings with Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, his Greek counterpart Dora Bakoyannis and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa. Gul is set to hold contacts in New York through the end of this month, and then is to proceed to Washington to accompany Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his stay in the city. /Turkiye/[05] TURKEY’S IMF VOTING SHARE RAISED

The 184-nation International Monetary Fund on Monday approved reforms to increase the voice of emerging economies China, South Korea, Turkey and Mexico to reflect their growing economic clout. Thus, the voting share and quota or financial commitment has been increased for the four countries. /Turkish Daily News/ [06] BABACAN: “TURKEY DESERVES FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”

State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, also Ankara’s chief negotiator for its European Union talks, yesterday addressed an International Monetary Fund meeting in Singapore. Babacan said that Turkey was an exemplary country in the region, and that its EU membership would boost the bloc’s strategic power. Stressing that Turkey aimed at full EU membership and wasn’t considering any alternative besides that, Babacan pointed out that Ankara has implemented a number of reforms and deserved full membership. Furthermore, former Turkish Economy Minister Kemal Dervis, now head of the UN Development Program (UNDP), said that countries including Turkey, with high debt and current account deficits, could be more fragile. /Sabah/[07] 10TH TURKIC FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION CONGRESS HELD IN KEMER

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called on the Turkic world to unite in solidarity during the 10th Turkic States and Communities Friendship and Cooperation Congress in Kemer, Antalya, with more than 1,000 guests from eight countries, six federated states, two autonomous republics and 11 communities. Speaking at the congress, which was also attended by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat, Kazakh State Secretary Oralbay Abdikarimov, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov, Turkish State Ministers Mehmet Aydin, Huseyin Celik, Atilla Koc, Osman Pepe, Hilmi Guler, Cemil Cicek and many deputies, Erdogan cited late Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev’s remark that we are two states and one nation and said, “Our nation has written history.” Stating that countries were either global or regional actors, Erdogan said that they should be divided into transitory and historic actors as well. Erdogan said that actors in the spotlight from the conditions of the present period would lose their influence when conditions change. “However, we’re not elements resulting from passing conditions,” he added. "Therefore, we are a historic actor. Our weakness is transitory. The possibilities and opportunities which emerged after the end of the Cold War are a signal of a bright new era for us. Our relations with the Turkic world have a very special place in our foreign policy. We don’t and can’t see military, political and economic interests as a determining parameter in these relations.” Meanwhile, as part of the 43rd Antalya Golden Orange and Second Eurasia Film Festivals, the Great Eurasia Night was organized at the Antalya Cultural Center. Speaking at the event, Erdogan said that Turkey was open to art and the world and thanked participants for their contributions to international peace, friendship and love. /Turkiye/ [08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[00] STORMY WEATHER WITH THE EU

Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkey’s relations with the EU. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Following the summer, the European Union stage is active again. Now the issues which will determine the future of membership talks with the EU are on the table. It seems it will be a busy and probably stormy fall. The extraordinary meeting of Parliament starting today comes first. The incident which has rushed the deputies back to Parliament is the ninth EU harmonization package. The aim of the ‘extraordinary’ effort on this issue is to pass the reforms or harmonization laws before Oct. 24, when the EU Commission will issue its next progress report. Can Parliament do it? This package includes harmonization laws in many areas from education to foundations and from agriculture to settlement. It seems that some of these laws will lead to arguments and objections in Parliament. However, the government thinks that it can pass them with its Parliament majority. 0n the other hand, this package is not the only important thing in terms of the progress report. It seems inevitable that there will be certain negative aspects in the report, including problems in freedom of expression and human rights and opening our harbors and airports to the Greek Cypriots.

In spite of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) determination to reach a compromise with the EU, there’s no way it can take certain steps to meet all the expectations so close to elections and in an atmosphere in which people believe that concessions are being made for the EU. So, it’s hard for the government and Turkish diplomacy. The EU’s official positions seem to be shifting. For example, on the issue of the additional protocol concerning Greek Cyprus, considered a determining factor for our continued membership talks, EU officials tell us that we must open up our harbors. Some even mention the possibility of suspending our talks if we don’t do this. However, EU officials who came back to Brussels after the summer break evaluated the issue more coolly and started to think about a solution to this difficult position. Many diplomats signalled that a practical formula would be found. The Term President Finland and Britain, which always uses its diplomatic skill behind the scenes, are still active. Many countries think that ending the process which has started with Turkey wouldn’t be good for the EU, either. Even EU Commission President Jose Manuel Borrosso thinks that the price of losing Turkey would be heavy. German Chancellor Angela Merkel also argues for the continuation of the process. Even Segolene Royal, one of the leading members of the Socialist Party in France, said that it would be a mistake to lose Turkey. In short, there are both negative and positive voices from the EU. British Special Representative for Cyprus Lord David Hannay, in Istanbul to attend an EU conference last week, told me that the EU had rejected Britain twice but that Britain always said that it didn’t take no as an answer and continued its path.”

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