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Turkish Press Review, 06-11-06Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning06.11.2006FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] FORMER PM ECEVIT PASSES AWAYFive-time Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit died last night at Gulhane Military Hospital (GATA), where he had been in a coma undergoing treatment for nearly six months following a stroke. Ecevit, 81, had been a key figure in Turkish politics for nearly a half-century. In a message of condolences, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, "The Turkish nation will remember Bulent Ecevit's services to Turkey with respect." Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "I leaned with great despair and sorrow of the death Bulent Ecevit, who rendered important services to Turkey for many years as a politician and a statesman. Turkish political life has lost an important figure." Zeki Sezer, who succeeded Ecevit as leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), said, "Our grief is truly endless. Yet at the same time, I feel pride that I had the opportunity to work with Ecevit for a long time. We have lost a great statesman and a leader. Yet his light will continue to shine over this country forever." Deniz Baykal, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), a party once headed by Ecevit, said, "He was a leader who was set on practicing politics through principles, and he was our teacher. His loss means the end of an historical era." /All papers/[02] GOVT DISCUSSES ARTICLE 301 WITH NGOsPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by State Minister and Turkey 's chief negotiator for EU accession talks Ali Babacan and Justice Minister Cemil Cicek and bureaucrats, yesterday met with representatives of major trade unions and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to exchange views on Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). Speaking to the gathering, Erdogan said that the problems did not arise from the article itself, but with the way it has been interpreted by some prosecutors. Erdogan also asked the participants to put their proposals for changes to Article 301 in writing so they can be discussed in another meeting. The gathering came on the eve of this Wednesday's release of the European Union Commission's report on Turkey , which is expected to criticize Ankara for insufficient progress on freedom of /expression. /Aksam_[03] GUL: "SADDAM'S SENTENCE IS IRAQ 'S BUSINESS"Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, on a visit to his central Anatolian hometown of Kayseri , yesterday declined to comment on the death sentence passed on former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, saying that it was a domestic concern of Iraq . Speaking to reporters, Gul said, "It's up to them. We don't interfere in other countries' affairs." He stressed that Iraq is an independent country which has territorial integrity and political unity, adding that Turkey places great importance on this unity and integrity continuing to serve the welfare of the Iraqi people. Hussein yesterday was convicted of crimes against humanity in a Baghdad court and sentenced to death by hanging. /Turkiye/[04] PARLIAMENT GETS READY FOR A BUSY WEEKParliament is set to start a busy week to discuss two important issues, the 2007 budget and the controversial foundations bill. The debates on the controversial foundations bill, also part of the ninth European Union harmonization package, will continue this week. Another important issue before Parliament is the 2007 budget. Officials said the busy working schedule of Parliament will start on Tuesday and continue until late Friday. /The New Anatolian/[05] CRITICAL WEEK BEGINS IN THE EUThis is a critical week with far-reaching effects on the progress of Turkish-European Union relations for the foreseeable future. The European Union Commission will gather today and finalize its progress report on Turkey and strategy paper, both to be released on Wednesday. After the release of the documents, there is the possibility of a suspension of Turkey 's EU negotiations or the imposition of restrictions on the Customs Union and free movement of goods. In related news, disagreement continues in the EU Commission over Turkey 's refusing to open its ports and harbors to Greek Cypriot vessels without a corresponding end to the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriot administration is the only EU country seeking a halt to the negotiation process overall. A group of member states including France reportedly believes eight chapters should be suspended, while Britain and Sweden are said to propose the suspension of only three chapters. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso reportedly favors not making any proposal on the strategy paper but leaving the decision to December's EU leaders summit. /Cumhuriyet/[06] AT SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL MEETING IN CHILE , BAYKAL CRITICIZES PMMain opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, who is currently in Chile to attend a meeting of the Socialist International, yesterday commented on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks that news reports about last week's floods had been exaggerated, saying that about 40 people has perished in those floods. "The premier should have stood with the people instead of complaining about the news," said Baykal, adding that Erdogan was accusing the media again, after complaining about allegations of ties between his party and controversial holding Yimpas. "About 10,000 people are facing difficult conditions due to the floods." Also commenting on next year's presidential election, Baykal stated that the election would be historic and that it wouldn't be appropriate for Parliament to elect the president when it will have less than six months left in its term. /Sabah/[07] AGAR: "SOME AKP MEMBERS ARE IMPROPERLY TRYING TO ORGANIZE RED CRESCENT ASSISTANCE IN FLOOD AREAS"Speaking at a press conference at his party's headquarters over the weekend, opposition Republican People's Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar commented on last week's floods in the southeastern Anatolia region in which 40 people lost their lives, claiming that some Justice and Development Party (AKP) members in flood areas had tried to organize Red Crescent assistance. "This is unacceptable," said Agar. "No one has such an authority except for governors." Agar further criticized the Red Crescent, saying that the assistance sent to flood areas was insufficient. He added that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had provided considerable assistance for victims of the floods. /Milliyet/[08] HISARCIKLIOGLU: "OUR ECONOMY NEEDS TO BE SOUND FOR IT TO BE STRONG INTERNATIONALLY"Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat Hisarciklioglu met with members of the Elazig Chamber of Trade and Industry over the weekend. Hisarciklioglu said that the Turkish economy needed to be sound in order to for it to be strong in the international arena. "A strong economy means an economy at a point where it doesn't need to borrow money," said Hisarciklioglu. "If we borrow money, we start to make concessions, even if we're just." He further stressed that communications and public relations were important in the international arena, adding that Europe was pressuring Turkey over the so-called Armenian genocide. /Sabah/FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... [09] HE WAS A COURAGEOUS STATESMANBY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on the death of senior staesman Bulent Ecevit. A summary of his column is as follows: "A legend of Turkish politics passed away last night. Former Prime minister Bulent Ecevit died at the age of 81. He spent 49 years of his life serving his nation. He was an honest politician. He is one of the few who didn't give up even when facing the most desperate conditions. Ecevit was a man who could risk his life for his beliefs. There was once an assassination attempt on Ecevit when he was campaigning in Izmir . Another attempt took place in the US when he visited the country as prime minister. A radical Greek tried to kill him. In 1977 when he was leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), then Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel warned him of an assassination plot in Istanbul 's Taksim Square . Ecevit went there despite the warnings, and nobody could dissuade him. It was a very serious issue to intervene in Cyprus in 1974, and he made this decision and carried it through. Later, after the 1971 military intervention in the administration, Ecevit said that he wouldn't cooperate with this and resigned from his post as CHP secretary general. He was against the military government after the Sept. 12, 1980 coup and put out a magazine to express his view. He was put in prison twice due to his statements, but he never gave up defending his position. His Democratic Left Party (DSP), which he founded with the help of his wife when he was barred from public life, ended up bringing him to power again as party leader between 1999 and 2002. He was not only a courageous and patient man, but also a man of great abilities. That's why we'll continue to talk about him. I'd like to be one of the first to express my condolences and pay my respects to him." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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