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Turkish Press Review, 07-06-20
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
20.06.2007
CONTENTS
[01] LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES CONTINUE TO TOUR PROVINCES
[02] GENDARMERIE PRIVATE KILLED IN GUMUSHANE
[03] NSC TO DISCUSS TERROR
[04] US ANKARA EMBASSY: “COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY IN FIGHTING AGAINST TERRORIST PKK”
[05] YSK TO RELEASE DEFINITE CANDIDATE LISTS TODAY
[06] DUTCH ING BANK BUYS OYAKBANK FOR $2.7 BILLION
[07] FENERBAHCE TRANSFERS CARLOS
[08] SCENARIO
[01] LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES CONTINUE TO TOUR PROVINCES
Leaders of political parties continued to tour provinces yesterday as part
of their campaign ahead of next month’s general elections. Prime Minister
and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan
yesterday visited eastern Anatolian provinces of Agri and Igdir. Speaking
to crowds, Erdogan promoted his party’s regional candidates, and asked
citizen to vote for the AKP in the elections. Stressing that the upcoming
elections had a great importance for a stronger Turkey, the premier said
that coalitions couldn’t serve the country properly. He also called on
citizens not to waste their votes for independent candidates, adding that
ballots should not be cast only for ideological purposes, but considering
service to the country. Furthermore, Democratic Party (DP) leader Mehmet
Agar launched his election campaign in Aegean city of Aydin yesterday.
Addressing the crowds, Agar said that the country needed his party’s rule
more than ever. Stressing that the DP would serve the whole country,
especially farmers suffering under AKP’s rule, Agar said that they would
make efforts to end terrorism. In related news, Republican People’s Party
CHP) leader Deniz Baykal today is expected to issue his party’s election
declaration including CHP’s promises to the public to realize if they
come to power following next month’s elections. /Turkiye-Milliyet/
[02] GENDARMERIE PRIVATE KILLED IN GUMUSHANE
Gendarmerie private Basri Aslan was killed in Gumushane in a conflict
against PKK terrorists. Another gendarmerie private Muhammet Karaman was
wounded. Speaking yesterday after the event, Gumushane governor Enver
Salihoglu said that all security forces were trying to capture the
terrorists who escaped. /Aksam/
[03] NSC TO DISCUSS TERROR
The National Security Council (NSC) is due to convene today under the
chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The council is expected to
discuss especially the escalating terrorist attacks and the latest
evaluation reports prepared by the security forces on terrorist PKK. The
support which the PKK receives from abroad, the support given by the
Kurdish groups, and the measures to be taken by Ankara are also expected to
be handled by the participants. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] US ANKARA EMBASSY: “COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ IS THE MOST
EFFICIENT WAY IN FIGHTING AGAINST TERRORIST PKK”
US Embassy Spokesperson Kathy Schallow said yesterday that she believed
that the most efficient way in fighting against terrorist PKK was the
cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, adding that the US was working to
develop views about concrete steps which the US, Turkey, and Iraq would
agree on. Schallow further stressed that it was important that the efforts
were continuing. She added that US special envoy to counter terrorist PKK
Joseph Ralston held contact with his Turkish counterpart Rafet Akgunay, who
has been recently appointed. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] YSK TO RELEASE DEFINITE CANDIDATE LISTS TODAY
The Supreme Board of Election (YSK) has completed its examination of
candidates from political parties and independents who have applied to run
in the next month’s general elections. The board is expected to declare
the definite candidate lists today. /Turkiye/
[06] DUTCH ING BANK BUYS OYAKBANK FOR $2.7 BILLION
ING, the Netherlands’s largest financial services company, has reached an
agreement with OYAK, the Turkish Armed Forces Pension Fund to acquire its
subsidiary Oyakbank for $2.67 billion in cash. The deal is expected to
close in the second half of 2007. The deal is yet another purchase in the
Turkish banking sector, which in recent years has become increasingly
popular among foreign investors. By the deal, ING joins Citigroup, Fortis
and Dexia and the National Bank of Greece, in expanding in Turkey, where
annual economic growth has averaged more than 7% since 2002. /All papers/
[07] FENERBAHCE TRANSFERS CARLOS
Brazilian world famous football player Roberto Carlos yesterday signed a
contract with Fenerbahce. Carlos was transferred from Spain’s Real Madrid
football team. Fenerbahce reportedly will pay Carlos 4 million Euro
annually. Speaking to fans, Carlos said that Fenerbahce will get all cups
this season. /Hurriyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[08] SCENARIO
BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Hikmet Bila comments on imagined scenarios for Turkey discussed
by the US’ Hudson Institute recently. A summary of his column is as
follows:
“There are many scenarios these days. It is said that a think-tank in the
US talked about a scenario about Turkey, according to which a bombed attack
will be made in Istanbul to kill 50 people, Constitutional Court head will
be assassinated and the Turkish army will enter northern Iraq. Certain
politicians and parties thought that now they have a good material. However,
the truth has nothing to do with this scenario; it is not on the table, but
on the field.
Let me write a scenario based on not dreams, but truths. The forces using a
terrorist organization has reached the final stage of their plan aiming to
separate Turkey. This organization, which is nested in northern Iraq and
armed and supported by the administration there, is also protected by
certain Americans and Europeans. Certain European countries support the
organization with money, aid and mine. As part of the plan, again, certain
Americans and Europeans conduct ‘human rights’ campaigns in Turkey and
try to camouflage and grow terrorism under the shadow of these campaigns.
It is written on the western press that the most effective way to prevent
terrorism is to ‘grant more rights’ and collaborators who are active in
Turkey under the name of non-governmental organizations systemize and
spread these views. In addition, parallel campaigns are carried out in
order to make the Turkish Armed Forces inactive and weak of purpose. The
Bush administration, which invaded Iraq and depends on Kurdish tribes in
northern Iraq in order to continue with the invasion, is making Kurdish
tribes, which are said to be supporting the terrorist organization openly,
against Turkey. The Bush administration is depending on a calculation that
Turkey won’t be able to be courageous enough to enter Iraq. It is dragged
into a swamp in the Middle East, where it entered in order to ‘bring
peace and democracy,’ became dazed by the blows of Iraqi resistance
groups, Hamas militants, Iran and Syria, but it keeps on acting stubbornly.
It intimidates, but actually it is afraid. It has neither the political,
nor the military power to prevent the Turkish army from entering Iraq. The
public opinion in Turkey has seen that attacks which have been defined as
‘terrorism’ for many years are actually more comprehensive, systematic
and planned ones. In spite of all the contrary propaganda campaigns, the
public opinion started to turn its back to the US due to the Bush
administration and to the European Union due to its hypocritical stance. As
the domestic and foreign campaigns against the Turkish Armed Forces are
being intensified, the people’s support for the army increases.
This is such a scenario. It is not hard to guess how it will end.”
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