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Turkish Press Review, 07-11-27Turkish 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 morning27.11.2007FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] GUL: “TURKEY AND IZMIR DESERVE TO HOST EXPO 2015”President Abdullah Gul, accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen, journalists and bureaucrats, yesterday went to Paris to give support to Turkey’s bid to host Expo 2015. “I strongly believe that Turkey and Izmir deserve to host Expo 2015,” he said in an address to the Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE), which is deciding who will host Expo. He also met with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who is in Paris to promote Milan’s candidacy to host the event, which is held every five years. /Cumhuriyet/[02] PRINCE CHARLES VISITS RUMI CENTER IN KONYABritain’s Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, and an accompanying delegation yesterday visited Konya. Charles was welcomed by Konya Governor Osman Aydin and Greater Municipality Mayor Tahir Akyurek. Charles visited the Mevlana Rumi Museum and then the Mevlana Rumi Culture Center to watch a sema or whirling dervish ceremony. Afterwards, Charles said in a speech, “Although there are differences between the three Abrahamic faiths, they also share similar messages.” /Hurriyet/[03] CABINET CONVENESThe Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened yesterday. No statement was made to the press following the four- hour gathering. /Star/[04] GOVT HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMENOn the heels on Sunday, the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women, the government is highlighting its efforts to improve the status of women and combat domestic violence. Interior Minister Besir Atalay, State Minister Nimet Cubukcu, Police Department Chief Oguz Kagan Koksal and other officials came together yesterday to mark a project to train police in handling domestic violence. Saying that the state’s most important mission is to provide safety for its citizens and protect their basic rights, Atalay stated that the training of 40,000 police will be completed by year’s end. Also addressing the gathering, Cubukcu called on victims of domestic violence not to stay silent but raise their voices. /The New Anatolian/[05] SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL TO MEET THIS WEEKThe Supreme Military Council chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet on Thursday. During the two-day gathering, personnel, training and disciplinary issues of the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) will be discussed. Decisions made at the meeting will then be presented for the president’s approval. /Turkiye/[06] INDUSTRIALISTS HOLD SIXTH CONGRESS IN ISTANBULIndustrialists gathered yesterday in Istanbul at the Sixth Industry Congress organized by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO). ISO Chairman Tanil Kucuk, Industry and Trade Minister Zafer Caglayan and Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), addressed the gathering, where the problems of industrialists were taken up. /Milliyet/[07] TUSIAD OPENS OFFICE IN BEIJINGThe Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) yesterday opened an office in the Chinese capital Beijing, pushing the number of TUSIAD’s offices abroad to five. Speaking at the opening, TUSIAD Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said that for 38 years the group has been serving the country in all areas, including the economy, social matters and politics. She said that the office would help Turkish businessmen to further develop relations with China. State Minister Mehmet Simsek also attended the opening. /Milliyet/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [08] GUL’S VISIONBY ERGUN BABAHAN (SABAH)Columnist Ergun Babahan comments on President Abdullah Gul’s efforts to support Turkey’s candidacy to host Expo 2015. A summary of her column is as follows: “Izmir is our dream city. Wherever we go, we see a piece of Izmir. Izmir is both peace and rebellion. So it has been the same for 30 years, because Izmir is the opposition. But it seems that its fate is about to change thanks to the leading role played by President Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Paris to boost Turkey’s candidacy to host Expo 2015. The government has also brought forward certain projects to make Turkey an important transportation hub. A planned highway from Edirne to Izmir via Canakkale is like a fast train project which will link the Aydin-Izmir highway to these three metropolises. But Expo 2015 is something completely different. It’s not really on the national radar yet, but if Izmir wins, both this beautiful city and Turkey will be set to gain important advantages. As Gul said, it’s a historic opportunity for Izmir and if it wins, it will rise to the occasion. So what is Expo 2015? It’s actually a fair which is held every five years. In a vote set for next March, nearly 130 representatives from the Paris-based Bureau of International Exhibitions (BIE) will choose the city where Expo will be held. Izmir is vying with Milan to host Expo. As Milan has hosted Expo before, Izmir’s chances are rising. But Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi heard that Gul was in Paris and so broke his schedule to rush there too. This shows how determined the Italians are on this. Expo is an important project, because it could inject investments totaling at least $15 billion into the winning city. If Izmir wins, it will see huge investments like the fast train, five-star hotels, airports, hospitals and even new paving for all the roads. Expo’s most famous product in the 160 years of its existence is the Eiffel Tower, which was built thanks to it. The 2005 Expo in Japan attracted 25 million tourists. Izmir’s main theme for its Expo bid is health for everybody. Meanwhile, Milan is focusing on food. Food is the subheading of Izmir’s bid. The current meeting in Paris is very important, because to a great extent the decision will be made there. That’s why Gul is in Paris despite his busy schedule. If Izmir wins, a special law will be immediately passed to facilitate investments. This issue is so important for Gul that every 10 days he holds a meeting at the Presidential Palace on it and he constantly follows the process. Gul explained his goal by saying that as president, he wasn’t dealing with daily projects but with those having a grand vision. Expo is one of these, he added. Gul has been working for this project for many years in cooperation with politicians, businessmen and representatives of non- governmental organizations in Izmir. We hope that these efforts will bear fruit and Izmir will rise to the occasion.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |