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Turkish Press Review, 01-11-22
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
22.11.2001
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER: "TURKEY WILL DO ITS UTMOST TO MEET THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA"
[02] YILMAZ: "EU MEMBERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TURKEY"
[03] DENKTAS'S NEW PROPOSAL
[04] DERVIS: "TURKEY WILL PAY A SERIOUS SOCIAL COST"
[05] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SEZER
[06] EU: "TURKEY WILL OVERCOME ITS CRISIS BY 2003"
[07] LOGOGLU: "EVIDENCE MUST BE GIVEN ON IRAQ"
[08] CAKMAKOGLU: "WE WILL MAKE NO CONCESSIONS ON DEFENSE POLICY"
[09] TURKISH PROPOSES EU-OIC SUMMIT
[10] GREEK VIOLATION IN THE AEGEAN
[11] MILITARY TEAM TO INSPECT GEORGIAN BASE
[12] SULUN JOINS DYP
[13] REFERENDUM CHANCES DASHED
[14] GREEK LOBBY FIGHTS US AID TO TURKEY
[15] CLOSED SESSION ON CYPRUS SLATED FOR PARLIAMENT
[16] LEADERS' TO HOLD SUMMIT ON FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
[17] AFGHANS EXPECT MEDICAL AID FROM TURKEY
[18] TURKISH BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATS BULGARIA
[19] HOLLYWOOD STARS TO VISIT TURKEY
[20] RAIN BRINGS SMILES
[21] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[22] THE COST OF THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[23] TURKEY'S MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM: DRUGS BY TUNCAY OZKAN (MILLIYET)
[01] SEZER: "TURKEY WILL DO ITS UTMOST TO MEET THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA"
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer answered reporters' questions yesterday at the
Cankaya Presidential Palace prior to receiving Yugoslavian Federal Republic
Ambassador to Turkey Zoran Popovic. President Sezer remarked that Turkey
should immediately pass adjustment laws in order to come in line with its
recent constitutional amendments. "We will eliminate our shortcomings to
meet the Copenhagen Criteria as soon as possible," he declared. Also
yesterday, Sezer received Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and AKP Executive Council members. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] YILMAZ: "EU MEMBERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TURKEY"
Stating that the EU might have certain requests which would raise Turkish
concerns, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairman Mesut
Yilmaz said yesterday, "However, nobody should try to derail the
discussions on Turkish-EU relations. No one should doubt that EU
membership is very important to Turkey's future and interests." Yilmaz
added, "International relations always require compromise between countries
which have differing and conflicting opinions. That's why Turkey should
sustain a sound discussion platform concerning its relations with the EU."
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] DENKTAS'S NEW PROPOSAL
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas has sent
a letter to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan underlining his
basic goals for Cyprus and proposing a new model of partnership on the
island. Denktas's letter proposed a model wherein two sovereign and equal
states will be established and represented by one internationally
recognized identity. The proposal states that both countries' territorial
integrity and security, as well as their national, cultural, religious,
economic and social values, must be protected by firm agreements. "Each
party shall represent itself, not the other party," Denktas's letter said.
No party shall demand sovereignty over the other. Each party has its own
sovereignty within the borders of its territory. New partnerships between
the two parties shall have one international identity and shall represent
the bi-national character of the island. The parties shall respect the
other's relations with its own motherland. The citizens of both parties
will also be the citizens of this new partnership." /Cumhuriyet/
[04] DERVIS: "TURKEY WILL PAY A SERIOUS SOCIAL COST"
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis said yesterday that Turkey's
financial performence is locked in from the additional financing which the
International Monetary Fund
(IMF) is to provide. Dervis remarked that this IMF support would lead
Turkey to pay serious social costs. "I don't think that there are any other
alternatives," he stated but went on to stress that if the loans were used
correctly then it would be easier to solve Turkey's problems. If Turkey
doesn't encounter any unexpected difficulties, our economy will start to
develop next spring, he predicted.
/Hürriyet/
[05] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SEZER
Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and members
of his party's Executive Board met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
yesterday. After the half-hour meeting, Erdogan said that they had
exchanged views on the Elections and Political Parties Law. /Turkiye/
[06] EU: "TURKEY WILL OVERCOME ITS CRISIS BY 2003"
The European Union Commision released its report yesterday on the economies
of EU candidate countries for the 2001-2003 period. According to the report,
Turkey should be able to put its economy in order by 2003. It also
recommended that Turkey stick with its economic program. The volatile
international environment has affected the economies of EU member states
and its candidate countries but Turkey's problem has been compounded by its
facing two crises at once, the report remarked.
/Hürriyet/
[07] LOGOGLU: "EVIDENCE MUST BE GIVEN ON IRAQ"
Turkey's Ambassador to Washinghton Faruk Logoglu said yesterday that Turkey
might review its position on a possible operation against Iraq if strong
evidence were provided showing that Iraq was also behind the Sept. 11
attacks on the United States. Speaking to trade journal Defense News,
Logoglu said that Turkey wouldn't be happy to see a war with its neighbor.
Logoglu added Turkey wants to upgrade its relationship with the US from
that of stategic relations to one of strategic partners. Turkey is on the
side of the US and the international coalition against terrorism and will
continue to do whatever is needed, he stressed.
/Hürriyet/
[08] CAKMAKOGLU: "WE WILL MAKE NO CONCESSIONS ON DEFENSE POLICY"
Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, in Brussels to attend European
Union Military Capability meetings, said yesterday that Turkey would make
no concession on its policy concerning the European Security and Defense
Policy (ESDP). Talking to reporters, Cakmakoglu said that during the
meetings all the participants, including the EU countries' ministers, had
agreed that international cooperation was needed in the post-Sept. 11
environment. /Turkiye/
[09] TURKISH PROPOSES EU-OIC SUMMIT
In light of new international balances in the aftermath of the Sept. 11
attack against the United States, Turkey has proposed an informal summit to
include representatives from the European Union and Organization for the
Islamic Conference (OIC) member states. The meeting is planned for next
February, and Turkey's proposal has been relayed to the proper countries in
written form. /Turkish Daily News/
[10] GREEK VIOLATION IN THE AEGEAN
The Office of the Turkish General Staff said yesterday that two F-16s
belonging to the Greek Air Force had flown two miles inside Turkish
airspace in a clear violation. Turkey issued a statement to Athens saying
that further such violations could cause dangerouos tensions in the Aegean
region.
/Hürriyet/
[11] MILITARY TEAM TO INSPECT GEORGIAN BASE
A Turkish military delegation will carry out a series of inspections at the
Vaziani base in Georgia, which was evacuated by Russian forces in line with
Russian-Georgian military agreements. Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Gela
Bejuashvili spoke about the inspection tour of the Turkish delegation,
pointing out that a modernization agreement was signed during his visit to
Ankara on Nov. 3-9. After inspections are completed at the base,
modernization studies will commence at the end of November and the Georgian
Army's 11th Motorized Infantry Division will be moved in. The Turkish
government has set aside $1 million for the modernization project, though
this fund may be increased, he added. /Turkish News/
[12] SULUN JOINS DYP
Former Motherland Party (ANAP) Tekirdag Deputy Enis Sulun joined the True
Path Party (DYP) yesterday. Including Sulun, the number of DYP deputies in
the Parliament has now increased to 84, while that of independents has
fallen to 19. /Turkiye/
[13] REFERENDUM CHANCES DASHED
A proposal amendment to the controversial Article 86 of the Constitution
passed Parliament yesterday. The proposal, which regulates deputies'
pension benefits flew through easily by a vote of 434-11, with one member
abstaining during Parliament's the plenary session. When the bill is put
into force after its approval by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, his earlier
decision in favor of a referendum will be null and void. /Turkiye/
[14] GREEK LOBBY FIGHTS US AID TO TURKEY
Greek lobbyists to the US Congress have harshly reacted to the Bush
administration's proposed aid package to Turkey for the support it
continues to give the US during the operations in Afghanistan. According to
diplomatic sources, Greek lobbyists have started a campaign against the
package before it is even presented to Congress. The lobbies object
especially to a proposal which would cancel some of Turkey's military debts
as well as deliver surplus US armaments and military equipment to Turkey.
/Cumhuriyet/
[15] CLOSED SESSION ON CYPRUS SLATED FOR PARLIAMENT
The Parliament Plenary Session has decided to hold a "closed session" prior
to a meeting to be held on Dec. 4 between Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos
Clerides. The Foreign Ministry announced that Turkey hopes that parties on
Cyprus will reach a solution which will please them both. The closed
parliamentary session is to be held tomorrow. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem remarked that he believed that the Denktas-Clerides meeting
would be productive and positive for future developments. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] LEADERS' TO HOLD SUMMIT ON FREEDOM OF THOUGHT
Government leaders are to take up a bill regarding amendments to Turkish
Penal Code (TCK) articles that restrict freedom of thought. The bill, which
proposes amendments to TCK Articles 312 and 159 and certain articles of the
Anti-terrorism Law in order to establish harmony with the Copenhagen
criteria, was submitted to the Prime Ministry last week. The coalition
leaders will take up the bill, prepared by the EU Affairs General
Secretariat and revised by the Justice Ministry, at their forthcoming
summit, and give it its final form. The bill will broaden freedom of
thought and expression through limiting and reducing sentences handed down
under the Article 159, and also by inserting the phrase "openly inciting
violence" in Article 312, and inserting this same phrase in Article 7 of
the Anti-terrorism Law. It also proposes striking the elements "fine" and
"prison sentence" from Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law. /Turkish News/
[17] AFGHANS EXPECT MEDICAL AID FROM TURKEY
The youngest victims of the conflict in Afghanistan have not escaped world
public attention. Some four to five children die every week in a hospital
in Kabul named after the founder of the Turkish Republic, Ataturk. Speaking
to reporters this week, the hospital Director Abdulkadir Ekberi said that 3,
000 children a year undergo treatment at the hospital but that a lack of
technical support, medicine and timely treatment all cause problems. He
also told of the hospital's medical aid expectations from Turkey. _Turkish
Daily News
[18] TURKISH BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATS BULGARIA
During the first match in the 33rd European Basketball Championship group
qualifications in Istanbul, the Turkish team defeated Bulgaria's by a score
of 84-79. The next match will be played in Switzerland on Nov. 24 with that
country's team.. Meanwhile, the Turkish Women Basketball team defeated the
Ukrainian team with a score of 72-71 during the 29th European Women's
Basketball Championship E Group semifinal. The second match in the group
will be against Bulgaria in Bursa on Nov. 24. /Turkiye/
[19] HOLLYWOOD STARS TO VISIT TURKEY
Hollywood stars including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy
Garcia, Brat Pitt and Don Cheadle will visit US soldiers at Incirlik
Airbase in Adana next month. The artists will be there to boost the morale
of the troops for the holiday season as well as treat them to a showing of
their "Ocean's Eleven," which opens in the US on Dec.7. _Turkiye
[20] RAIN BRINGS SMILES
Two solid weeks of rain and snow in some areas of Turkey, which had been
waiting a long time for the clouds to break, has really put a smile on
people's faces. Rainfall figures in western Turkey in particular are up
compared to last year, while figures for rainfall over the last week in the
Eastern Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean regions are also higher than
normal. Despite the increase in rain and snow in western areas, figures for
the central and eastern regions are at around seasonal norms. /Turkish
Daily News/
[21] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[22] THE COST OF THE FIGHT AGAINST TERROR BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the menace of terrorism and reactions to it
in the West. A summary of his column is as follows:
"The threat of international terrorism which has come to the forefront of
international attention with the Sept. 11 attacks has forced the Western
democracies to take some restrictive measures. Decisions bothi in the
works and already implemented on the issue in the US and in Europe have led
to intense discussion. Is it right to change the existing laws of
democracies and liberal systems due to this extraordinary situation
created by terrorism? Could not new decisions and policies endanger
democatic values, human rights and freedoms? Could not the security factor
be strengthened without damaging the democratic system? Answers to these
questions are being sought in the West.
One recent development which sparked controversy was is the decision of US
President Bush to try suspects thought to be involved in international
terrorism in US military courts. The majority of the US public supports
handing down harsh sentences to terrorists. But there are also some who
believe that such trials would contradict the Constitution as well as the
spirit of freedom. Europe has jumped on the bandwagon in the fight against
terrorism. Last week, EU Justice and Interior ministers adopted a package
of measures against terrorism.As there are no special laws against
terrorism in many European countries, these new policies seem too much for
some EU members. So the liberals and pacifists in these countries are
coming out strongly against these. It is true that Western democracies
which have encountered terrorism problems are taking restrictive measures.
This can be bothersome and worrying for countries which have been used to
enjoying wide freedom. However, these measures are not abolishing
fundamental rights and freedoms, as the widespread reactions against these
decisions clearly show."
[23] TURKEY'S MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM: DRUGS BY TUNCAY OZKAN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Tuncay Ozkan writes on the use of narcotics in Turkey and the
importance of the fight against it. A summary of his column is as follows:
"George Bush the younger is the second US president since Richard Nixon to
take Turkey to task over its drug trafficking problem. He expressed while
at the same time underlining the fact that Turkey was the US' most
important and friendliest ally in the Afghanistan issue. Turkey may
deserve Bush's criticism on drugs. However, doesn't the US have a role in
the drug problem reaching such heights and in drugs creating a dark, hidden
economy through the influence of dirty money? Although this is so, it is
also not their problem. The US is right in its statements against Turkey on
drugs, as much as Turkey is right on the issue of terrorism. Turkey should
get rid of this drug problem and the threat it presents. In fact, drugs
are the most difficult and unavoidable part of the fight against terrorism
and dirty money. According to some observers, Turkey is no longer a
waystation country for drugs. There is instead a rising tendency towards
consuming narcotics domestically. The spread of the use of narcotics to
schools is being carried out with a plan and program. Our fight against
this seems inadequate. For years the West idly stood and watched the
heroin trade, a trade which is important for the financing of terrorist
groups. However, the situation has now been altered and it is finally
learning the truth. Turkey should be able to make use of these facts. If
there is a decrease in support for the heroin trade and drug trafficking
by 50%, there would be a decline in the circulation of dirty money, and
bribes by about 60%. If the West did not sell certain chemical compounds so
freely, the production of narcotics would be reduced. The war against drugs
will save our future generations, and will also lead to our taking great
strides in the fight against decline in politics and the bureaucracy. The
menace of terrorism can be ended by the fight against drugs. This will not
going to be an easy fight, as it is not known where and when the enemy
will strike."
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