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Turkish Press Review, 08-09-23Turkish 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 morning23.09.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] IN NEW YORK, GUL: "AFRICAN UNION DECLARED TURKEY AS ONE OF ITS THREE STRATEGIC PARTNERS"President Abdullah Gul yesterday attended opening session of a high-level meeting on Africa's development needs at the 63th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Afterwards, Gul delivered a speech on Turkey's approach to this issue at a round table meeting. In his speech to the assembly, Gul underlined the growing trade volume between Turkey and Africa, saying that it rose to double digit figures since 2004 and that exceeded $12 billion in 2007. Stating that their target was to boost these figures up to $30 billion until 2010, Gul announced Turkey's decision to open 15 new embassies in Africa to increase its current number of embassies to 37 in the continent. Gul said that the African Union declared Turkey as one of its three strategic partners, adding that this intensified Turkey's willingness to enhance relations. Gul is set to hold bilateral talks with fellow UN members to promote Turkey's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2009-2010. Gul yesterday met with UN General Assembly President Miguel D'escoto and then Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. /Star-Aksam/[02] PRESIDENT GUL TO VISIT FINLANDPresident Abdullah Gul is reportedly scheduled to pay a visit to Finland on Oct. 7-9. In addition to talks with his Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen, Gul will meet with Finnish Premier Matti Vanhanen, and give a lecture at the University of Jyvasky. /Turkish Daily News/[03] ERDOGAN: "TURKEY WILL TURN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY"Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Deputy Prime Minister Nazim Ekren, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen, yesterday held a press conference to make evaluations on the recent US-originated global economic crisis and the government's measures against it. Stressing that Turkey will determinedly continue to make progress towards its economic goals as in the past six years, Erdogan said, "Our economy is strong enough to overcome the current global economic crisis with minimum damage. I believe that Turkey will turn it into an opportunity. To this end, we will continue to realize important investment projects such as making Istanbul a finance center, Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), and several regional development and social improvement projects." Saying that related institutions and bodies are closely and periodically monitoring banking system and financial markets' liquidity situation, Erdogan said Turkey had established a stronger financial sector thanks to the government's economic reforms.He said, "Obviously, we cannot expect Turkey to remain completely unaffected by this global crisis because our country is considerably integrated with the global economy. However, Turkey's economy is not vulnerable against global crises and fluctuations any more. On the contrary it's very resistant against these kinds of shocks." Characterizing fiscal discipline as the basic instrument of the government's economic program, Erdogan said, "Fiscal discipline is one of our most important sources of resistance against global shocks. That's why we will determinedly continue to stick to it as in the past years." Stating that the government has frustrated fear mongers' expectations for an economic crisis in the country so far, Erdogan said that everyone should avoid from undermining Turkey's atmosphere of trust and stability. /Turkiye/ [04] BABACAN MEETS WITH HIS US COUNTERPART RICEForeign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday met with his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice in New York. Afterwards, speaking to reporters, Rice said that Turkey has become an "excellent ally" for US in many crises, including the latest crisis in the Caucasus. "Turkey is a very important country to maintain peace atmosphere in the region," she added. Babacan had previously met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov. Supporting Turkey's initiative in Turkish-Armenian relations, Mammadyarov praised Turkey's role in the recent Caucasus conflict. "We are trying to solve the problems in the region through 'win-win' situation," he added. Babacan underlined Turkey and Georgia made great efforts to the normalization process, and new initiatives are essential. Babacan is expected to meet with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian on Friday. /Sabah/[05] CHP'S BAYKAL REBUFFS PM ERDOGANMain opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday responded to Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan's statements and said, "Those who accuse others of being dishonest are the ones who are in need of it." A written statement said, "Recently scandals and fraud news are brought forward and because of this the number of people who spoke about honor increased," adding, "If we didn't accuse anyone of being dishonest is just because we wanted to protect the level of discussion." /Milliyet/[06] MHP LEADER BAHCELI: "RTUK HEAD SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE"Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday said that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan should provide Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) head Zahid Akman, who is involved in a fraud case concerning the Lighthouse Foundation, a German-based charity run by Turks, being removed from office. A written statement said that the lawsuit process in Germany implicates both Erdogan and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). "Turkish judicial authorities clarifying the case by conducting an investigation without being put any pressure or influence becomes a must," it said. /Milliyet/[07] PARLIAMENT TO TAKE UP MOTION FOR NORTH IRAQA government motion asking Parliament to extend for another year the military's authorization to conduct cross-border operations into northern Iraq was submitted yesterday to the office of the Parliament Speaker. Stressing that military operations aiming to put an end to the terrorist PKK and its attacks are continuing successfully, the motion underlined that Ankara places great importance on the protection of neighbor Iraq's territorial integrity. Parliament passed a motion on Oct. 17, 2007 for a one-year period to allow the government to root out the terrorist PKK taking shelter in northern Iraq. A parliamentary debate and voting on the motion is expected to be held on Oct. 8. /Hurriyet/[08] NATIONAL LOTTERY SALE TO START IN OCTOBERTurkey will invite bids next month for a license to run the national lottery, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said at a press conference in Ankara yesterday. Companies including Athens-based Introlat and Turkey's Koc Holding have said they may bid. The country is selling a 10-year license to operate the lottery. The winner will retain 17 percent of revenue after sales and gambling taxes, according to officials at the state asset sales agency. /Turkish Daily News/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [09] VIRTUAL WORLDBY MAHIR KAYNAK (STAR)Columnist Mahir Kaynak comments on the world we live in and asks if it's a virtual or real one. A summary of her column is as follows: "We can understand how real is our life by evaluating certain incidents in the world we live in. When former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who was allegedly entered into office by the US announced his resignation last month, American soldiers entered Pakistani borders on the pretext of following Taliban militants. The al Qaeda which was claimed to be at war against the US carried out huge terrorist attacks. It can't be said that these had something to do with the US. It would be a conspiracy to ask why this organization didn't carry out such an attack when Musharraf was in power, though the US is al Qaeda's enemy. The Ergenekon probe was initiated in our country and relations between the members of this organization was determined in details. But there are still question marks about the first man and a couple of other persons in the organization's schema. Either the first man doesn't have contacts with anybody, or his communication channels are so different that the current technology can't solve it. Those who are interrogated don't know him or they don't reveal this secret. It can't be said that he's untouchable, because if this person had been a soldier, he could have been seized as well, because even generals are arrested. As nobody can reach or identify him, he's still a secret to us. The PKK organization still exists, though it's supported by the US and the place nested by it is under the US' occupation. The al Qaeda used to carry out terrorist attacks in the Western countries in the past, but now it displays activities in Islamic countries and finds a reason for these attacks. We can make a new definition for terrorist organizations, that is, terrorist organizations can take place anywhere and spoil the technology of those who oppose, their militants never betray their cases and they are formed by the people who serve none of the super powers. These organizations have a reasonable explanation for all of their attacks and also supernatural powers. Nobody can find them. Osame bin Laden lives out of sight, but makes declarations and broadcast them on television, when necessary. PKK head Abdullah Ocalan can still administer its organization comfortably, although he's in prison. There is a conflict between the media and the ruling party in our country deriving from getting unearned income. It would be absurd to think that there are political calculations behind it. Germans are honest people, who have immediately resorted to jurisdiction as a result of finding out a corruption. There might have been bigger money transfers in the past. If they had learned about it, they would have condemned it as well. The Western countries are very respectful to the democracy and the will of the people and they wouldn't make any operation against this. The will of the people is holy. The US people will elect a president through free elections. The fact that Barrack Obama is an African-American, who is considered a little Muslim, didn't prevent his candidacy. As a result, if the American people want, they can elect him president. But if military threats are brought into prominence in the world, Obama's peaceful statements cease to be important and the people elect McCain president, wouldn't it be appropriate to call those who say that this was planned as conspirators? One of us is living in a visual world. Is that me or you?" Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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