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Turkish Press Review, 01-10-30
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Foreign
Press in Turkey
Turkish
Press Review >>
Press
Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
30.10.2001
CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY MARKS 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC
[02] SEZER PROPOSES DECREASING THE NUMBER OF PARLIAMENTARIANS
[03] PARLIAMENT MOVES TO CANCEL PAY RISE
[04] KIVRIKOGLU'S STATEMENT
[05] REPUBLIC DAY MARKED IN US STATE
[06] TWO SUMMITS IN ANKARA
[07] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 7
[08] GOKALP TO RECEIVE ABDI IPEKCI PEACE AWARD
[09] AMB. BURCUOGLU GIVEN "STARA PLANINA MEDAL"
[10] POLICE DETAIN 12 TERRORISTS
[11] AFGHAN OPPOSITION MEETING IN ANKARA POSTPONED
[12] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN CITIES AND REGIONS 8TH ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE HELD IN ISTANBUL
[13] FINAL TESTS CARRIED OUT ON CHINESE BOAT
[14] DERVIS RETURNS TO TURKEY
[15] FINANCE SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
[16] SCHROEDER PRAISES TURKISH COMPANIES
[17] TURKISH-RUSSIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL TO MEET IN KAZAN
[18] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[19] ARABS, TURKS AND SOME QUESTIONS BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
[20] AN ACCOUNT OF 78 YEARS BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
[01] TURKEY MARKS 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC
The 78th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey was
celebrated all around Turkey and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC). The main ceremony was held at Anitkabir, Ataturk's Mausoleum.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and many other
high-level officials attended the ceremony Inscribing Anitkabir's Memorial
Notebook, Sezer remarked that democratic, secular and modern Turkey was the
most valuable heritage to be passed on to future generations. "The Turkish
nation is determined to preserve the republic.", he wrote /Cumhuriyet/
[02] SEZER PROPOSES DECREASING THE NUMBER OF PARLIAMENTARIANS
In his speech at the Cankaya Presidential Palace at a reception to mark
October 29, Republic Day, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer made remarks on the
subject of shrinking the size of the state. Parliament Speaker Huseyin Omer
Izgi, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin
Kivrikoglu and many other high- level officials attended the reception.
Sezer said, "There should be 300 parliamentarians in Parliament (rather
than the current 550). This would also mean a decrease in the number of
ministers." Sezer commented that nobody should be pessimistic about the
future of the Turkish economy. /Hurriyet/
[03] PARLIAMENT MOVES TO CANCEL PAY RISE
Final steps are being taken in Parliament to put an end to the political
controversy stemming from a proposed pay raise for deputies, as the
Constitutional Committee is preparing to take up a new amendment to cancel
the unpopular increase within the week. The government parties are
expending efforts to avoid a referendum and early elections that could be
entailed by this and the opposition True Path Party (DYP) will push hard
for an early election. The proposal to re-amend Article 86 is expected to
be debated in Parliament's Constitutional Committee within the week. It is
supported by coalition members, the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the
Motherland Party (ANAP), and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
Constitutional Committee Chairman Turhan Tayan said that the proposal has
not been refered to the committee as yet, and added that the committee
might be convened if the proposal is referred to it on Tuesday.
Theoretically, the number of seats of the four parties supporting the
proposal is enough for the passage of the proposal, as this number already
exceeds 400. But the coalition parties are worried the opposition parties
may act contrary to what they said prior to the secret vote./Turkish News/
[04] KIVRIKOGLU'S STATEMENT
Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu answered reporters'
questions at a reception held by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to mark
October 29, Republic Day, yesterday. Stating that the importance of
Turkey's secular regime was very well comprehended in the wake of the Sept.
11 attacks in the US, Kivrikoglu said, "Now the world is praising Turkey as
a model." Remarking that the US should not carry out a land operation in
Afghanistan, Kivrikoglu stated that supporting the Northern Alliance would
be more a rational option rather than a land operation. Additionally,
Kivrikoglu said that he was pleased with a constitutional amendment
foreseeing an increase in the civilian members of the National Security
Council (MGK). /Hurriyet/
[05] REPUBLIC DAY MARKED IN US STATE
October 29 has been declared "Republic of Turkey Day" in the US state of
Massachusetts and its capital Boston. Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift
called on all residents of the state to celebrate the day. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] TWO SUMMITS IN ANKARA
A meeting of the National Security Council's (MGK) meeting has been
delayed to 2:00 pm due to a leaders meeting which had not been programmed.
The MGK is due is to discuss the security of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles
straits./Star/
[07] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM TO VISIT ATHENS ON NOVEMBER 7
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who has helped thaw historically tense
relations with neighbouring Greece, will visit Athens on November 7, the
Foreign Ministry said on Monday. "This is a return visit following (Greek
Foreign Minister) George Papandreou's trip to Ankara in early April of this
year," a ministry spokesman told reporters. Papandreou and Cem are credited
with improving Greek-Turkish relations over the past two years. Greece and
Turkey are at odds over several territorial issues in the Aegean sea and
the divided island of Cyprus. /Turkish Daily News/
[08] GOKALP TO RECEIVE ABDI IPEKCI PEACE AWARD
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Husnu Yusuf Gokalp is to travel to Greece on Thursday Nov. 1 to receive the
Abdi Ipekci Peace and Friendship Award, the Anatolia news agency reported
yesterday. The Greek jury that decides on who is to be given the award will
present it to Minister Gokalp, who will also sign two separate agreements
envisaging cooperation in agricultural matters. Following his contacts in
Greece, Minister Gokalp is scheduled to go to Italy for the "World Food
Summit-Five Years On" meeting. He is expected to return to Turkey on Nov.
6. /Turkish Daily News/
[09] AMB. BURCUOGLU GIVEN "STARA PLANINA MEDAL"
Turkey's Sofia Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu has been honored with the
highest state medal of Bulgaria, the "Stara Planina Medal." On the occasion
of his post ending in Bulgaria, President Peter Stoyanov received Burcuoglu
in his office and stated that Burcuoglu had made great contributions to
bringing relations between the two countries to a higher level. Stoyanov
said that relations between the two countries were continuing in stability
and dynamism, and Bulgaria placed great importance on support from Turkey
for Bulgaria's membership to NATO. Stoyanov celebrated Turkey's Republic
Day and continued, "I wish great success to the Turkish state and public in
reaching their aims." After his speech Stoyanov presented the "Stara
Planina Medal" to Burcuoglu. /Turkish Daily News/
[10] POLICE DETAIN 12 TERRORISTS
Anti-Terrorist Police in Gaziantep have detained 12 people belonging to the
illegal Selefiler organization. The members of this organization had
reportedly failed to make it to Afghanistan to fight in so-called Jihad
against the allies and were detained on their return from Iran. A further
15 members are said to be still in Iran and attempting to cross into
Afghanistan. /Turkish Daily News/
[11] AFGHAN OPPOSITION MEETING IN ANKARA POSTPONED
Reportedly a Northern Alliance delegation which is to attend a meeting of
opposition to the Taleban Ankara was unable to leave Afghanistan due to bad
weather conditions. According to the embassy of the Afghan government in
exile in Dusanbe, the departure of the delegation, which had been expected
to go to Ankara yesterday, was postponed due to unfavorable weather.
Military sources at the embassy stated that the delegation of four people
would be chaired by Muhammed Yunus Kanuni. /Turkiye/
[12] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPEAN CITIES AND REGIONS 8TH ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE HELD
IN ISTANBUL
The Southeastern European Cities and Regions 8th Economic Forum will be
held in Istanbul's Cemal Resit Rey Concert Hall on November 2-3. According
to a statement released by the European Commission, of which Turkey is a
member, the forum to be organized by the Congress of Local and Regional
Administrations of Europe (CLRAE) and will be attended by officials from
the member countries' business communities and non-governmental
organizations. The forum, which is being held to encourage the cooperation
and partnership between other local and regional administrations in cities
in the southeastern European countries, will contribute to the CLRAE's
Southeastern European Year 2001 Stability Pact. /Turkiye/
[13] FINAL TESTS CARRIED OUT ON CHINESE BOAT
The Varyag, a barge without rigging, which was purchased by the People's
Republic of China from the Ukraine, is going through its final tests before
its passage through the Turkish Straits. Final preparations are being
carried out on the Varyag, which is tied to tugboats in the open seas of
the Straits. Officials stated that if no problem surfaces during the tests
and the weather conditions are favorable, Varyag will be able to to pass
through the Straits today. During its passage, 11 tugboats and 3 boats will
accompany the Varyag, which is 306 meters in length, 60 meters in height
and is 71 meters wide. /Turkiye/
[14] DERVIS RETURNS TO TURKEY
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis returned to Turkey from Italy,
where he has been to attend a conference of the European Investment Bank.
He will announce the results of the meeting he held with the Italian deputy
treasury ministers today. As part of the program, Dervis was expected to
meet Italian Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti since Tremonti was in Milan
to attend another meeting. Dervis reportedly requested the aid of officials
from the Italian Treasury Ministry for Turkey. Dervis said in a statement
that "I will hold a press conference tomorrow (today). Before that time, I
will not make any explanation." Meanwhile, a delegation to be chaired by
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen is
expected to come to Turkey today or tomorrow. Reportedly, the delegation
will complete its work as part of the 10th review meeting, and a loan
amounting to 3 billion US dollars will be given to Turkey. /Turkiye/
[15] FINANCE SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
Following his visit to Italy, State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis
has met with the Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Board, the
Turkish Bankers Union and the Public Banks Common Management in Istanbul.
In the meeting they discussed changes to be made in financing Turkey's real
sector and also providing credits to public banks./Milliyet/
[16] SCHROEDER PRAISES TURKISH COMPANIES
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder issued a message to mark 40th
anniversary of the migration of Turkish manpower to Germany, saying that
Turkish companies had enhanced German competitiveness. He added that this
activity had brought Turkey and Germany closer to each other./Star/
[17] TURKISH-RUSSIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL TO MEET IN KAZAN
The Turkish-Russian Business Council will hold its ninth meeting in the
Russian Republic of Tatarstan capital of Kazan on Oct. 31-Nov. 2. The
Foreign Economic Relations Board announced that Russian and Turkish state
official, politicians, and high-level representatives from many firms would
discuss how to develop relations between Turkey and Russia. /Turkish News/
[18] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[19] ARABS, TURKS AND SOME QUESTIONS BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
Columnist Hasan Cemal writes on the lack of self-criticism in Arab
countries and their lack of advancement compared to the West. A summary of
his column is as follows:
"Following the terrorist attacks on the US on Sept. 11, one of the most
commonly discussed issues is if the Arab world is engaging in self-
criticism because of the wave of terrorism covering the world. Is the Arab
world asking where it went wrong? Is it seeking the sources of this
terrible fanaticism in its own state and social structures or historical
failures? It should be recalled that all 19 of the suspected terrorists in
the Sept.11 tragedy were Arabs. 22 of the terrorists in FBI's most wanted
list are also Arabs. Most of the terrorist organizations are based in
Islamic countries. Who is to blame for all this state of affairs? The
tendency in the Arab world is to blame others. Their views regarding
history are no different. For example, renowned Lebanese writer Amin
Maalouf says' Why aren't we advanced? All because of the Ottoman empire.
Why haven't we made a transition to democracy? Because of the Ottoman
Empire? Why are we bickering among each other in civil wars? Because the
Ottomans pitted different groups against each other. Blaming the Ottoman
empire is an easy way out...' Certainly, Israel comes next. The
establishment of the Israeli state in 1948 and the repeated military
defeats suffered against this state shocked the Arabs. They were hugely
disappointed. Arab civilization had begun to decline towards the end of
the Middle Ages just as the West began its Renaissance and Reformation.
The Arabs did not ask why the West was advanced and they were not. They
opted for the easy way out and blamed others for their shortcomings. This
may have stemmed from being ruled by others over many centuries. In Turkey
the situation was different. As we had never been colonized, or ruled by
others, we have asked the question 'where did we go wrong' to ourselves
since the days of the Ottoman Empire. We waged the War of Independence
against the West. However, we did not renounce the West because of this.
We took the West as a role model for our project for civilization and aimed
to reach a secular democratic republic.
An Israeli historian had said that the Arabs needed a social reformist such
as Ataturk instead of idolizing failures such as Nasser. Religious
dictatorships lie at the bottom of the poverty and injustice of the Arab
world. Fanaticism and terrorist organizations are fostered in such
atmospheres. Therefore, Arabs have to ask themselves where they went
wrong. As Edward Said, who was born in Palestine, lived in the US and
defended Palestinian policies against Israel, said, " How many of us
defended secular policies and criticized the exploitation of religion in
the Islamic world? We cannot hide behind the injustices inflicted upon us.
A secular Arab policy which will ignore neither fanaticism nor the
militancy of murder and will refuse to support such activities should
emerge... It is time to be candid and review our policies with scrutiny.'
We cannot argue with such a statement."
[20] AN ACCOUNT OF 78 YEARS BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on what we has been unable to achieve in the
78 years following the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. A summary
of his column is as follows:
"Yesterday I wrote about the successes achieved in the 78 years of the
Republic. This is a correct approach. However, to discover why we have
failed in certain areas, we have to analyze them. Our lack of enthusiasm
for self-criticism has cost us dearly. This is the mentality which
separates us from the West. We fought for ten years against terrorism,
and we spent the years following by defending secularism and our style of
living. As the ex-communist-states, who had been behind us in both
democracy and economy quickly overcame their shortcomings, we were left
behind. In Turkey there are qualified personnel in every field. However,
both in politics and bureaucracy a lack of statesmen can be clearly seen.
Those governing Turkey did not seek a solution for this problem. The
romantics and opportunists who want to chain Ataturk to 1938 should not be
excused. They could not imagine what Ataturk, who managed to accomplish
radical reforms, year after year might have done had he lived. They
insisted on remembering him with a revisionist view. We are trying to cover
our gaps in democracy without daring to write a new Constitution but by
amending the old one. We pave a strangling bureaucracy and great problems
in education, higher learning and health. A high rate of population growth
and the custom of waiting for everything from the state are some of the
reasons why we have not been able to pass from collectivism to
individualism. Populism was thought to be serving the people. However, with
it a circle of poverty was created which cannot be broken. There is no
other way but to form an atmosphere in which ideas can be expressed freely
and get used to criticizing ourselves. This is the only way to reach
standards of modern civilizations."
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