Turkish Press Review, 06-10-30

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

30.10.2006

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY CELEBRATES 83RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC

[01] TURKEY CELEBRATES 83RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony of a new building for the Constitutional Court over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the government sets the basic values of the republic above all kinds of social and political arguments, adding that secularism was a guarantee for various lifestyles. “In our Constitution the Turkish Republic is defined as a democratic, secular, welfare state under the rule of law,” said Erdogan. “We can’t separate these four qualities from each other. We must protect our republic and democracy. ” The premier stated that thanks to recent political and economic stability, Turkey has become a country which exports stability and welfare. Also speaking at the ceremony, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Tulay Tugcu said that the court's old building no longer met its needs. /Milliyet/[03] GONUL VISITING THE US THIS WEEK, AND NEXT WEEK BUYUKANIT IN GREECE

Turkey’s top two defense officials are set to pay key visits to two important countries, Greece and the United States, this week. Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul left over the weekend for an official visit to the United States, where he will be until the end of the week. Gonul is scheduled to meet today with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England. He will also visit defense industry giant Lockheed Martin and Forth Worth, Texas tomorrow. Meanwhile, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit will pay a visit to Greece next week upon the invitation of Greek Chief of General Staff Adm. Panagiotis Chinofotis. /The New Anatolian/ [04] NSC TO DISCUSS REACTIONARY MOVEMENTS

The National Security Council is due to convene this week with new members, including Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit. The members are expected to discuss a number of issues such as reactionary movements. The meeting will be chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Cumhuriyet/[05] PAPADOPOULOS: “WITHOUT CERTAIN PROVISIONS, FINLAND’S PROPOSALS WON’T BE BALANCED”

Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that the proposals of Finland, the European Union term president, wouldn’t be "balanced" if they don’t include such provisions as handing over Maras (Varosa) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to Greek Cyprus. “The Turkish Cypriots should give Maras to the Greek Cypriots for negotiations to resume between the two sides,” said Papadopoulos, adding that he had briefed the Finnish government on their proposals to open the Gazimagusa Port to direct trade. /Cumhuriyet/[06] EU'S REHN: “WE’RE SHOOTING OURSELVES IN THE FOOT”

European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday that divisive debates in Europe over Turkey’s EU membership were weakening both the Union’s image and reform efforts in Turkey. Speaking to Finnish state TV, Rehn said that although the EU had offered Turkey full membership when it fulfills the EU's commitments, some were continuing to question whether the country is suitable for membership. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Rehn, adding that the EU should be fair in meeting its commitments to Turkey, as well as urging it to implement harmonization reforms. Furthermore, Rehn said that after implementing the EU criteria, Turkey would be in better position in 10-20 years, which would make a decision on its membership easier. /Turkiye/[07] BELGIAN FM TO VISIT TURKEY

Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht is expected to arrive in Ankara today for an official two-day visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul. Relations between Ankara and the European Union as well as the Cyprus issue, bilateral relations and issues related to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will be up for discussion. The two ministers will also meet in December in Brussels when Gul participates in the 14th Ministerial Council of the OSCE, hosted by Belgium. /Turkish Daily News/ [08] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[00] SECRET AND OPEN AGENDASBY NASUHI GUNGOR (STAR)

Columnist Nasuhi Gungor comments on the situation in the region and Turkey's role in it. A summary of his column is as follows:

“The temperature in our region is gradually rising. The situation in Iraq concerns everybody. The pressure on the US to withdraw, the civil war due to different religious sects and such problems as Kirkuk are growing. As the problems and uncertainty concerning the Iraq issue grow, diplomatic traffic is also intensifying. Certain concerns cause the countries in the region to meet in different platforms, most of which are done behind closed doors. Such a meeting was held in Istanbul last week. Important think-tanks from Turkey, Israel and Jordan held a meeting which was closed to the press. Developments in our region and possible outcomes of the civil war in Iraq were discussed. Although it didn’t attend the meeting on a formal level, the Turkish Foreign Ministry followed the meeting carefully. The number of think-tanks in our country is rising. Obviously, not only these meetings, but also the participating countries are interesting. It’s very important who you share the table with. In an equation including Jordan and Israel, one cannot exclude the US and Britain. Israel and Jordan are trying to give us the message that they share the same concerns as us. As an expert who participated in the meeting said, this is a sort of trial balloon so that Israeli-Turkish relations, which seem to be very cool, won’t get worse due to the picture in Iraq. In the same direction, another message that should be highlighted is a change of route in Ankara’s efforts to sow rapprochement with the countries in the region, mostly Iran. Obviously, the issue concerns Israel directly.

Of course, the problem looks different from everybody’s point of view. Certain countries are concerned about a division of Iraq, and others with how to divide it. There are great differences between these two. Turkey has always been disturbed by the fact that the current structure and unity in Iraq was spoiled. However, it’s slowly accepting that nothing will be the same. The question of what will happen to Iraq will be one of the important issues to be discussed at tomorrow's National Security Council (NSC) meeting. In sum, Ankara is following the current situation in Iraq closely and with concern. The conflict of religious sects in Iraq can’t be solved overnight. The parties’ plans for the future can be discussed at length. However, the danger seen by Turkey is appearing on the horizon. If this conflict can’t be stopped in Iraq, new troubles might start over an even larger area.”[09] IF ATATURK HAD LIVEDBY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)

Columnist Taha Akyol comments on the policies of Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Ataturk was the one who published a declaration to the Islamic world before the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM, Parliament) opened in an Islamic style. He was the leader who wrote a letter to Lenin saying that Turkey would establish an economic order much like the Bolsheviks. Ataturk also said that nations in the east will fight for the survival of non- aggressive states against imperialism and capitalism. It is again Ataturk who told the Izmir Economic Congress that we are against capitulations but open to foreign capital even as the diplomatic war at Lausanne went on. He told French journalist Maurice Pernot that we were always oriented to the West and that his aim is a European Turkey or, more precisely, a Turkey oriented to the West.

In politics, Ataturk once said that we remained backward because we didn’t obey Allah’s instructions on working and later he said that we couldn’t establish strong bonds with Europe due to the sultans. Ataturk was once for a one-party system, but later saw things going sour and said that there is a need for an opposition party. He branded liberal economies 'colonialist,' but he kept Ismet Inonu, a statist, from being prime minister and gave Celal Bayar, a liberal, the post of prime minister. By asking how many millionaires we have, Ataturk sought to have more capitalists. And as World War II was looming, he insisted on a meeting with British Ambassador Percy Loraine.

Ataturk lived through three different eras of world history: the Great War, the complex and revolutionary world after this war, and the collapse of the world economy in 1929. He didn’t get stuck in any of these periods. Ataturk’s most important feature is his pragmatism, not dogmatism. He was a genius who could analyze the many conditions he lived in and develop new policies accordingly. How would he act in today’s globalized world, and what would he think about the problems and dynamics of today? This is a misguided question. Ataturk didn’t allow his opinions and actions to become a system. For example, he closed down a journal which tried to do this. What we have to look at to understand today’s problems is the time in which we live. Of course Ataturk had basic principles. They are patriotism and the aim at reaching contemporary civilization. The sub-headings of these two can vary according to the time. That’s way Turkey was able to make a transition from a one-party system to democracy, from statism to a market economy.”

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