|
|
|
Turkish Press Review, 07-01-04
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
04.01.2007
BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
CONTENTS
[01] PM ERDOGAN VISITS LEBANON
[02] ERDOGAN: "THE US APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL ENVOY TO COUNTER THE PKK HAS FAILED"
[03] D'ALEMA: "TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL BE NECESSARY"
[04] EU TO CONVENE TO CONSIDER CYPRUS
[05] TURKISH CYPRIOTS APPLY TO ECHR TO REGAIN PROPERTY
[06] THE OPPOSITION AT THE DAWN OF 2007
[00]
[01] PM ERDOGAN VISITS LEBANON
After meeting in Beirut with his Lebanese counterpart Fouad Siniora, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that the risk of conflicts
between religious groups in the country is growing. Stating that he
attaches great importance to Lebanon's political unity and domestic order,
Erdogan expressed Turkey's readiness to mediate to solve Lebanon's ongoing
political crisis. "If the political parties want us to mediate, we're ready
to do so," said Erdogan. He also underlined the importance of dialogue
among the parties. "Our priority is to preserve the political unity in
Lebanon and the international security ... This can be achieved through
national dialogue," he said. Following his meetings in Beirut, Erdogan
visited Turkish troops serving with the UN peacekeeping force known as
UNIFIL. /Star/
[02] ERDOGAN: "THE US APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL ENVOY TO COUNTER THE PKK HAS
FAILED"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday strongly criticized the US
and Iraqi administrators for not keeping their promises to take concrete
steps to counter the terrorist PKK. Erdogan made his critical remarks
during a conversation with journalists en route to Lebanon for a one-day
official visit. He underlined that the US move to appoint a special envoy
to counter the PKK has so far failed to bring about any positive results.
"We were waiting for serious steps, but this hasn't happened," Erdogan
said. In response, US Embassy spokesperson Kathy Schalow said, "We attach
great importance to the fight against the PKK." /All papers/
[03] D'ALEMA: "TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP WILL BE NECESSARY"
Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema implied in a message sent to the
Vatican to mark World Peace Day 2007 that Turkish membership in the
European Union will be needed in the future. D'Alema said, according to a
Monday Anatolian news agency report from Rome, that a decision would be
needed on how far the borders of Europe would extend and also suggested
that the bloc determine a common horizon that could encompass Turkey,
something the pope also made encouraging remarks on during his visit to
Turkey late last year. /Turkish Daily News/
[04] EU TO CONVENE TO CONSIDER CYPRUS
The first issue concerning Turkey on the EU's plate will be regulations
aiming to ease the economic isolation on the Turkish Cypriot of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC). The direct trade regulations are expected to be discussed
during the EU Foreign Ministers Council to be held in Brussels on Jan. 22.
/Aksam/
[05] TURKISH CYPRIOTS APPLY TO ECHR TO REGAIN PROPERTY
Four Turkish Cypriot siblings have applied to the European Court of Human
Rights (ECHR) complaining of being denied access to their property in
Limasol, which is now under Greek Cypriot rule. The Turkish Cypriots are
claiming restitution and compensation for their property, which they
inherited from their father, who has been missing since 1964, during the
Greek Cypriot suppression against Turks. The case constitutes the first
example of such a legal move by Turkish Cypriots, hundreds of whom left
their property in the Greek Cypriot south, following the inter-ethnic
conflict on the island during the 1960s. /The New Anatolian/
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[06] THE OPPOSITION AT THE DAWN OF 2007
Columnist Fikret Bila comments on the November general elections and May
presidential election. A summary of his column is as follows:
"2007 is an important year for politics, because a presidential election
and general elections will be held. The first months of the new year will
be spent thinking about the Presidential Palace. There's no way general
elections can be held before the presidential election in Parliament. The
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) resisted calls for this. It
wants to elect the president without losing its current parliamentary
majority. In addition, the opposition parties lack a common stance. Also
they are already talking about how they will react if Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan is elected president, which shows that they don't believe
early general elections will be held.
Erdogan wants to be elected president. A decision on his candidacy hasn't
been announced yet. He won't speak on this issue until April. This shows
that Erdogan is playing his cards close to the chest. Erdogan's decision
will have an impact on the presidential election and also the general
elections. Each party has a different strategy on the Presidential Palace.
As for the calculations on the general elections, there are various and
even contradictory tendencies about general electionson the center left and
center right. Looking at the left, the main opposition Republican People's
Party (CHP) is planning to work for the general elections set for November.
If Erdogan is elected president, it's planning to win more votes by calling
on people to vote for the CHP to strike a balance between the Presidential
Palace and Parliament. It's not thinking of forging an alliance with other
leftist parties for elections. However, it's open to merging with the
Democratic Left Party (DSP). However, the DSP wants an alliance, not a
merger.
On the center right, the tendency is just the opposite. The True Path Party
(DYP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) claim they can win power
single-handedly. Of course, each party claims this, but this aim isn't
realistic under current conditions. Does the DYP want an alliance or
merger? DYP leader Mehmet Agar emphasizes at every opportunity that the DYP
is the only party on the center right. Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Erkan
Mumcu also signalled a possible merger during the Feast of the Sacrifice
holiday. People are wondering how Agar will respond to this. It seems that
the opposition is letting the presidential election take its course and is
looking ahead to November."
|
