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Turkish Press Review, 01-01-05Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>05.01.01Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] HENZE:"ARMENIA BENEFITS MORE FROM NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY"[02] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[03] HENZE:"ARMENIA BENEFITS MORE FROM NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY"CIA former Turkey chief Paul Henze gave an interview to the Orbis magazine. He said Turkey's relations with the Caucasian states has developed especially after the disintegration of the Soviet Union due to the importance given by former presidents Turgut Ozal and Suleyman Demirel. Henze said Turks and Armenians did not have negative relations until 1960, but later Armenian Diaspora provoked hatred against Turkey. Moscow also helped the Armenians within the Union to destabilize Turkey and gave covered support to Armenian terrorist organization ASALA. Henze said Armenia will benefit the most from the normalization of relations with Turkey. Henze said he regards Turkey as a model for Caucasian people and states. He said Turkey will build strong relations with the regional states, when the construction of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline is completed. /Hurriyet/[04] SUB-COMMISSION FOR PRISONS ESTABLISHEDThe parliamentary Human Rights Commission established a sub-commission that will investigate both the prison raids and the F-type prisons. Commission Chairman Huseyin Akgul of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) stated that the sub-commission would conduct investigations on all claims about the prisons. Akgul added that the sub-commission would deal with the ongoing death fasts too. /Turkish Daily News/[05] ATATURK, MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE OF 2OTH CENTURYWeekly Turkistan published in Kazakhstan has chosen the most important seven figures of the 20th century. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, placed first in the list. /Cumhuriyet/[06] IRAN WARNS PKKIranian high-level security officials lately laid down certain conditions in a list to the so-called leaders of the PKK, living on its territory. The terrorist organization will lose great power, in case they fulfill the Iranian requirements. Keeping away from the Kurds in Iran, closing the camps along the Turkish border, not demanding cultural rights from Turkey and not carrying out armed attacks in Turkey were among the conditions demanded by the Iranian authorities. /Turkiye/[07] KAVAK IS CHAIRMAN OF THE UIP TURKISH GROUPA parliamentary representative of the Motherland Party (ANAP) from Istanbul, Cavit Kavak, was re-elected as the Chairman of the Union of the Interparliaments (UIP)' Turkish Group unanimously for a new three-year term. Before chairing the UIP's Turkish Group for two years, Kavak has also chaired the Northern Atlantic Assembly's Turkish Group for ten years. Additionally, a Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Parliamentary Representative from Igdir, Abbas Bozyel, assumed the post of the Deputy Chairmanship of the UIP's Turkish Group. /Turkiye/[08] NO RETURN FROM BAKU-CEYHAN PROJECTThe reports regarding the US intentions to prefer the Iranian route rather than the Baku-Ceyhan project have been closely followed by Ankara recently. After analyzing the reports prepared by Carnegie Endowment and CATO Institute, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the mentality behind Bush-Cheney policy foreseeing a rapprochement between Iran and the US is the desire of the US companies to make use of new investment opportunities in Southern Iran. The Foreign Ministry stated that those reports are only certain circles' expression of their intention to draw advantage from recent political gap due to presidential elections. Stating that nonone from the Bush administration has expressed his opposition to the Baku-Ceyhan project so far, the Foreign Ministry said, the US administration comprehends how detrimental the cancellation of the project would be to the bilateral relations between the US and Turkey." Meanwhile BP-Amoco, the most important partner of the project said, "We have spent 3-4 years on the project. A new bargaining with Iran would cost another 3-4 years. We think it`s too late for bargaining with Iran as our petroleum will be ready to flow by 2004." Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Cumhur Ersumer will travel to the US either at the end of next month or at the beginning of March. /Cumhuriyet/[09] NO TURKISH PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO RADIATIONOffice of the Chief of the General Staff said that there was no Turkish personnel exposed to radiation because of the ammunition containing depleted uranium (DU) NATO used in Kosovo. It was stated that ammunition containing DU were found and given to Dutch units for investigation. "In Southern Kosovo where Turkish forces were deployed, a small amount of ammunition containing DU was used. There are 17 areas which were affected by the DU and these areas were marked by the ammunition expert destruction teams. Public and military personnel are not allowed to enter these areas."said the statement. /Cumhuriyet/[10] SECURITY FORCES ALLOW NO RESPITE FOR ILLEGAL MIGRANTSTurkish police successfully combatted human smuggling in 2000, one of the major problems in European countries and one which usually ends rather tragically as in the recent example in Antalya early this week. Illegal migrants numbering 2,799 were captured in operations mounted by Turkish security forces last year. According to information from the Police Directorate and a report prepared by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crimes Department, a total of 155 operations were mounted against the smuggling ring leaders who chose Turkey as the route on to other European countries. /Turkish Daily News/[11] SUB-COMMISSION FOR PRISONS ESTABLISHEDThe parliamentary Human Rights Commission established a sub-commission that will investigate both the prison raids and the F-type prisons. Commission Chairman Huseyin Akgul of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) stated that the sub-commission would conduct investigations on all claims about the prisons. Akgul added that the sub-commission would deal with the ongoing death fasts too. /Turkish Daily News/[12] TURKISH NAVY TO EXERCISE WITH US AND ISRAELI FORCESThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Thursday they would hold search-and-rescue manoeuvres with the US and Turkish navies in the Mediterranean sea, off the coast of Israel on January 17. It said the Reliant Mermaid exercises had nothing to do with any type of combat activities. "The only aim is to practice emergency procedures for search-and-rescue of people in distress in the ocean, the army said. It said ships, helicopters and planes from the three navies would participate in the exercise. /Turkish Daily News/[13] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS' DECISION CONCERNING FOREIGN INVESTMENTThe government is taking a series of radical measures to remove the obstacles before the foreign investors. The bill concerning the Industrial Regions was discussed during the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday. It was adopted that the concerned Ministers will express their opinion concerning the bill and the law will be enacted immediately. In brief, the bill is as follows: the permission to foreign investors will be given by the Directorate General of Foreign Investment (YSGM); the transactions such as approval and licence will be completed within 15 days, the demands that were not answered within this period of time will be considered to be approved; Council of Encouraging Investors, Coordination and Advisory will be established; the incentive measures that were envisaged for the investments in the Emergency State Region will be applied to the industrial regions as well; institutions with foreign investments, which fulfilled the conditions for permission, will deposit 1% of the amount that will be invested in an account of Ziraat Bank; all kinds of applications made by the YSGM on behalf of the investor institutions will be resulted within a maximum of 10 work days by the concerned public institutions. During the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday, it was decided to determine the place for the industrial regions that will be planned in order to faciliate the investment for the foreign investors. /Aksam/[14] TURKEY'S GOLD RESERVE: 6,000 TONSDeputy Undersecretary of the Prime Ministry, Fusun Koroglu, who gave a briefing concerning the gold mine reserves in Turkey during the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday, said that Turkey's gold reserves amounted to 6,000 tons. Koroglu suggested that exports totalling 180 million dollars could be reached with an investment of 250 million US dollars. In Koroglu's report, it was written, "The value of 6,500 tons of gold totals 70 billion dollars. An additional value amounting to 300 billion dollars can be received if this gold mine is processed. If the gold is processed, 6,500 people directly and 105,000 people will be indirectly employed." /Hurriyet/[15] YUCAOGLU: "2001 INFLATION MAY BE 15 %"The chairman of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), Erkut Yucaoglu, said in order to decrease the inflation rate in 2001, a healthy economic growth should be sustained especially in the second quarter of the year. Mr. Yucaoglu said the inflation decreased by a considerable rate in the first year of the disinflation program. He said recent fiscal crisis stopped the growth in the real sector. Yucaoglu said, "The growth rate in first three months will be zero or negative causing the inflation rate to decline". "A healthy growth rate around 4 % is required, therefore, the inflow of foreign capital and the decrease in the interest rates should be obtained. The support for exports is a must, because exports will consolidate the economic growth. Second precaution should be to lift the obstacles for the foreign investments in Turkey," said Yucaoglu. /Sabah/[16] TURKSAT 2A TO BE LAUNCHED NEXT WEEKTurkey's third communication satellite Turksat 2A will be launched on Jan.8. The launching has been previously postponed three times due to technical reasons. /Milliyet/[17] 135 MILLION EURO FROM THE EUThe European Union Council of Ministers has ratified a donation of 135 million Euro to Turkey. According to the Representative of the EU Commission to Turkey, the donation will be granted between 2001 and 2003 to which support Turkey's economic and social developments. /Turkiye/[18] IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEYAn IMF delegation headed by Carlo Cottarelli will pay its first visit to Turkey in 2001 on Jan. 12. The delegation will hold a series of meetings with Turkish authorities for a week and mainly discuss the developments on banking sector. /Turkiye/[19] ABN AMRO BANK RECOMMENDS TURKEY TO ITS INVESTORSNetherland-based ABN Amro Bank has prepared a report for its customers. The report said Turkey has nothing to do apart from implementing the conditions it stated in the letter of intent given to the IMF. Therefore the bank recommends its customers to invest in Turkish bonds. The report said the probability of a devaluation is rather low and a foreign exchange outflow as occurred in December is very unlikely in the next period. /Sabah/[20] STOCK EXCHANGE AFFECTED BY LOW INFLATION RATEThe stock exchange was positively affected by the low inflation rate of December announced lower than expected and as the banks' continuous selling of foreign exchange. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) index increased by 11.61 % yesterday. /Cumhuriyet/[21] NO TREASURY INTERVENTION IN INTEREST RATESThe Treasury Undersecretariat stated it would not intervene in the interest rates at the meeting it held with prominent banks. Authorities stated the rates regarding domestic borrowings are expected to be high during February. However, they are expected to decrease after GSM revenues and foreign exchange influx to the economy. /Cumhuriyet/[22] SALOMON BARNEY: "DEVELOPMENTS ARE POSITIVE"One of the international investment consultancy institutions, Schroder Salomon Smith Barney (SSSB), declared that recent developments in Turkey on inflation and international reserves were positive. Pointing out the announced inflation rates for the year 2000- 32.7% for whole sale prices and 39% for consumer prices- the SSSB's analysis said the inflation is showing a downward trend. /Turkiye/[23] ELECTRICITY MARKET BILL DISCUSSEDElectricity Market Bill is discussed by the Turkish National Grand Assembly's (TGNA) Commission of Industry. Minister of Energy, Cumhur Ersumer, said, "The legal period of the transfer of the right to manage electricity distribution biddings and the transfer of the right to manage thermic power stations biddings will come to an end by 31 March. /Aksam/[24] ANADOLU GROUP TO INVEST IN VARIOUS COUNTRIESAnadolu Efes Group has factories in Russia, Romania and Kazakhstan. Beer producing company will invest in Ukraine and in the region stretching from the Adriatic Sea to China. The group will open a new factory in Bulgaria in 2001. /Hurriyet/[25] 'HURRIYET' DAILY BECOMES THE 19TH IN EUROPE'Hurriyet' daily became the 19th among all the newspapers in Europe and the 9th in its own category. As a result of a survey carried out among 1,133 newspapers published in Europe, the biggest 100 newspapers in terms of the number of circulation and readers were determined. According to these results, the German 'Bild-Zeitung' became the first, the British 'The Sun' became the second and the British 'Daily Mail' third. 10 newspapers from Turkey took place among the best 100 newspapers in Europe. /Hurriyet/[26] SABANCI'S EXHIBITON TO BE OPENED IN BERLINChairman of the Executive Board of Sabanci Holding Company, Sakip Sabanci, went to Berlin, Germany to attend the signing ceremony of the protocol concerning the exhibition including the works belonging to the Sabanci Calligraphy and Painting Collection that will be opened in Berlin Guggenheim Museum on 2 February 2001. Sabanci paid a visit of courtesy to the Prime Minister of Berlin State, Eberhard Diepgen, and said, "We will build a bridge of culture between Turkey and Berlin through this visit and exhibition." Sabanci invited Diepgen to the opening of the exhibition and said that the fourth of this exhibition would be displayed in Berlin. /Hurriyet/[27] PLATINI PRAISES TURKEYVisiting Turkey to attend the "Sports Journalism in the New Millennium" seminar organized by the Turkish Sports Writers' Association in Antalya, a legendary name from the French football, Micheal Platini said that Turkey was the country which improved most regarding football in Europe. Mr. Platini said, "When we look at the successes of Galatasaray and the scores of the Turkish National Team, the improvement of the Turkish football is clearly observed." /Cumhuriyet/[28] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[29] JUDICIAL REFORM BY YILMAZ OZFATURA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Ozfatura comments on the need for a judicial reform. A summary of his column is as follows:"The report presented on prisons to the Justice Ministry by Ugur Ibrahimhakkioglu, Secretary General of Higher Court of Appeals while he was the public prosecutor in Eskisehir in 1989, has been published by the press. According to the report, even at that time the prisons were ruled by terror and organized crime gangs. The prisons served as training centers for these organizations. The ward system will be completely abolished. However this is not enough. The inmates have to work. They have to receive training and gain skills while in prison. However, this requires financial support. The budgets of the Justice and Culture Ministries are far from satisfactory. The salaries of judges and prosecutors are not sufficient. Those working in the prisons have to be paid handsomely in order to elevate their standards and to avoid their becoming captive in the hands of the inmates. Otherwise networks of corruption will be formed within the F-type prisons in no time. Certainly a new criminal law is necessary. Turkish criminal laws were either taken from France during the Reformation Period, or from Italy during the Republican era. Many ordinary and non-violent crimes get prison terms. They should be commuted to fines. The amount of the fines in Turkey incites others to commit crimes. It should be avoided to sentence writers,politicians and intellectuals to prison terms. To impose monetary fines and restraints on them is a more modern method. Judiciary police system should be installed. Handcuffing while the media is present is against the dignity of legal system. Capital sentence should be commuted to severe prison terms and solitary confinement. Amnesty should not be granted unless there are exceptional, personal situations. Turkish Grand National Assembly should relinquish its authority on the issue. Whatever the politicians may say, the recent 'Release on Parole' law has no other aim than vacating the prisons. The promises made by the Justice Minister on judicial reform are of utmost importance. What is more such a reform is a must for a European State. We have begun the week hopeful of the future as the rate of inflation has fallen, the Government seems to have understood the importance of economy, and as there is a rise in the Stock Exchange index. Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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