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Turkish Press Review, 07-08-28
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
28.08.2007
FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] NEW PRESIDENT TO BE ELECTED TODAY
[02] SEZER PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO TOPTAN
[03] TAN: “ ISRAEL SHOULD CONVINCE US JEWISH GROUP TO CHANGE COURSE ON ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS”
[04] BUYUKANIT: “SECRET PLANS ARE BEING DRAWN UP TO DAMAGE TURKEY ’S SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE”
[05] AKP’S FIRAT: “11-PERSON AKP GROUP WILL START WORKING ON NEW CONSTITUTION ON THURSDAY”
[06] EDUCATION MINISTER ATTENDS BSEC MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[07] JOURNALIST SUTER PASSES AWAY
[08] SARKOZY SOFTENS OPPOSITION TO TURKEY ’S EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS
[09] MT. ARARAT VICTORY CLIMB SET TO START
[10] DTP SEEKS HAND IN MAKING CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
[11] KAPIKULE BORDER GATE TO BE RENOVATED
[12] A FOND FAREWELL TO SEZER
[01] NEW PRESIDENT TO BE ELECTED TODAY
Turkey’s new president will be elected today by a vote in Parliament. The
candidate who gets 276 votes will be elected president. Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, whose election is considered certain, will take over the post
from outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer following the vote. Other
candidates are Sabahattin Cakmakoglu from the Nationalist Movement Party
(MHP) and Tayfun Icli from the Democratic Left Party (DSP). Gul is expected
to take over the post from Sezer at a ceremony closed to the press.
/Turkiye/
[02] SEZER PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO TOPTAN
Outgoing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday paid a farewell visit to
new Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan. Speaking before meeting with Sezer,
Toptan said that the new president would take over the post on the same day
he is elected. Toptan further stated that the new government would be
founded as soon as possible and the government’s program would be read
out on this Friday. /Sabah/
[03] TAN: “ ISRAEL SHOULD CONVINCE US JEWISH GROUP TO CHANGE COURSE ON
ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS”
Turkey’s Ambassador to Israel Namik Tan said yesterday that he expects
Israel to lead American Jews to reverse the stance of the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL), which recently decided to recognize the Armenian
“genocide” allegations. Tan said that Israel , whose stance concerning
the incidents hasn’t changed, shouldn’t let US Jewish groups change
their stance like this. Tan said that Turkey expects Israel to make US
Jewish groups listen to it and ensure that a resolution in the US Congress
characterizing the incidents of World War I as “genocide” is not
passed. /Star/
[04] BUYUKANIT: “SECRET PLANS ARE BEING DRAWN UP TO DAMAGE TURKEY ’S
SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURE”
In a message marking Aug. 30 Victory Day, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar
Buyukanit warned that clandestine plans are being prepared to hurt the
nation’s unity and its secular, democratic structure. Stressing that the
Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) faces attacks both at home and abroad, Buyukanit
stated that they know what’s behind these assaults. He stated that the
nation should know that such attacks won’t intimidate the TSK. Buyukanit
further stated that the TSK would never forsake its determination to
protect the secular and social rule of law in Turkey under Ataturk’s
worldview system. /Milliyet/
[05] AKP’S FIRAT: “11-PERSON AKP GROUP WILL START WORKING ON NEW
CONSTITUTION ON THURSDAY”
Speaking at a press conference following a meeting with new Constitutional
Commission members yesterday, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP)
deputy leader Dengir Mir Mehmet Rifat said that Turkey would soon have a
civilian constitution. Stating that an 11-member AKP group would start
working on a new constitution on Thursday, Firat said that this group’s
work, proceeding article by article, would continue for a week. “After
work on the draft constitution is over, we’ll seek out the views of
academics,” said Firat, adding that the draft would be ready sometime
next month. /Turkiye/
[06] EDUCATION MINISTER ATTENDS BSEC MEETING IN ISTANBUL
Education Minister Huseyin Celik yesterday attended a meeting of education
ministers of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul . In his
opening speech, Celik said that the government places great importance on
international relations. Celik further stated that one can build bridges
and roads to travel to other countries, but the better and more lasting way
to do this was to build bridges between hearts. He added that the
government, aware of the international importance of education, is sending
more than 1,000 students abroad with state scholarships. “Moreover, the
business world has given $2 million to education over the last three years,
” added Celik. /Turkiye/
[07] JOURNALIST SUTER PASSES AWAY
Writer Sakir Suter, who wrote columns for Aksam daily, yesterday passed
away at the age of 57. Suter had been undergoing treatment for lung cancer.
Speaking to reporters, surviving son Baris Suter said that his late father
loved his job very much. Suter will be laid to rest tomorrow. /Milliyet/
[08] SARKOZY SOFTENS OPPOSITION TO TURKEY ’S EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS
French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday softened his opposition to
Turkey ’s European Union membership talks. During an annual meeting at
the Champs Elysees of French ambassadors working in various countries
worldwide, Sarkozy laid out his foreign policy priorities. His directives
communicated at the meeting are to be a guide for the ambassadors in their
work. “If the 27 (EU members) undertake this crucial discussion about the
future of our Union,” Sarkozy said, “France won't object to opening new
chapters in negotiations between the Union and Turkey in the coming months
and years, provided these chapters are compatible with both possible
visions of the future of relations: either accession or very close
association” without membership. /Hurriyet/
[09] MT. ARARAT VICTORY CLIMB SET TO START
Mountaineers set to ascend in the Mt. Ararat ’s “Victory Climb”
yesterday laid a wreath at the Ataturk Monument in Igdir. Mountaineering
Federation head Alaattin Karaca said that they would be climbing Mt. Ararat
for the first time starting from Agri. Stating that the climb would end on
Saturday, Karaca said that over 150 mountaineers from Macedonia , Romania ,
Hungary , Iran , Britain and India would participate in the climb.
Following the ceremony, the mountaineers went towards the Korhan Plateau,
where the ascent is set to start. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] DTP SEEKS HAND IN MAKING CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
The Democratic Society Party (DTP) is preparing for a package of
constitutional changes, much like the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP). DTP deputy leader Selahattin Demirtas said yesterday a commission
had been established within the party to consider constitutional changes
and that its work is underway. He added that after the AKP delivers its
draft changes to fellow political parties, the DTP would announce its
proposals to the public. Stating that the DTP’s aim was to help prepare a
civilian constitution, Demirtas said that the way to democracy should be
opened and that a new arrangements were needed to protect people of
different ethnic and cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs. He added
that Turkish should remain Turkey ’s official language but that different
ethnic groups should be allowed to be educated in their own mother tongues.
Demirtas also said that people with different religious beliefs should be
able to express their views freely. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] KAPIKULE BORDER GATE TO BE RENOVATED
Management of the Kapikule border gate, the world’s second-largest
customs gate in terms of both vehicle traffic and the number of passing
people, yesterday was turned over to Customs and Tourism Enterprises, Inc.,
a subsidiary of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges
(TOBB), under a new agreement. Speaking at the handover ceremony, State
Minister Kursad Tuzmen said that four years ago they worked with the
Bulgarian Foreign Ministry to end long queues, adding that in an atmosphere
in which Turkey ’s foreign trade is worth $250 billion, it’s important
to have border gates up to the task. Also speaking at the ceremony, TOBB
head Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that 53% of exports in Turkey and 40% of the
foreign trade volume goes through the border gates. Hisarciklioglu added
that under its new management, Kapikule would be renovated for YTL 131
million and that long queues at border gates would end. /Aksam/
FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS
[12] A FOND FAREWELL TO SEZER
BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
Columnist Fikret Bila comments on outgoing president Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s
term in office. A summary of his column is as follows:
“We’re seeing the 10th president of the Republic of Turkey , Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, off from Cankaya today. In his seven years and three months
in office, he took a stance appropriate to Ataturk’s positions. In this
respect, he’ll take his place in the annals of history. He has been a
statesman with a strong personality. He hasn’t shifted with the political
winds. He has grounded himself in the Constitution and Ataturk. He has
safeguarded the founding philosophy and fundamental values of the republic.
He has been loyal to his oath. His understanding of secularism and nation
has proved that he understood Ataturk very well. He has been aware that the
modern republic of Turkey is based on these two principles. He has been
very careful to protect secularism and national unity. He hasn’t let
these two principles be damaged. He has never allowed these two values to
be questioned by populism and has resisted both external and internal
pressures without making concessions.
Recently, Sezer has mostly been criticized for supposedly not being
impartial. The reason for these criticisms has been his stance on
headscarves, the Board of Higher Education (YOK), rectors and appointments,
which resulted from secularism, and the principles and revolutions of
Ataturk. How should we see the impartiality of the president? In what
issues is he impartial, and in which is he partial? The president is
partial in issues included in his oath, carrying out the Constitution and
Ataturk’s principles and revolutions, which the Constitution is based on.
It’s his duty to be partial on these issues. This is what Sezer has done.
He examined the laws and appointments according to the Constitution and the
principle of secularism. He hasn’t blocked the government and has taken
great care to protect the principle of division of powers. He hasn’t
interfered in the government’s policymaking within its sphere of power.
He hasn’t intervened in the government’s actions unless they would have
violated the Constitution. Another criticism of Sezer, that he didn’t let
businessmen on board his plane to fly abroad to seek new markets, he
believes that such things should be done by the government and prime
minister. He thinks that the president only has a role and duty in national
initiatives, either in the economy or politics. He has behaved properly, as
a matter of fact.
President Sezer and his family set good examples for society with their
moderation. Neither Sezer nor members of his family have a soft spot. They
haven’t lived in luxury. They haven’t sought out any privilege. They
have led their lives as members of the society at the Cankaya Palace . His
children have continued their work. They have neither gone into business to
make use of this position, nor appeared in the media. They have always
acted with the responsibility and awareness of being the president’s
children. His wife Semra Sezer has also won approval for her actions
setting good examples. As a teacher of the republic, she has spearheaded
important initiatives in education and training, especially in poor
regions. But she hasn’t done it in front of the TV cameras just for show.
She hasn’t expected applause. Sezer and his family are leaving Cankaya
with good remarks about not only Cankaya but also people’s minds and
hearts. We wish Sezer and his family a healthy life full of happiness.”
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