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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-14
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
14.12.2001
CONTENTS
[01] LAEKEN SUMMIT HOLDS NEW HOPES FOR ANKARA
[02] SEZER ORDERS INSPECTION OF STATE COMPETITION BOARD
[03] CEM TO VISIT AFGHANISTAN
[04] IZGI: "RELATIONS BETWEEN ROMANIA AND TURKEY ARE
PERFECT"
[05] DERVIS TELLS OPPOSITION LEADERS ABOUT ECONOMIC
PROGRAM
[06] IMF ACCEPTS NUMBER OF STATE OFFICIALS TO BE LAID OFF
[07] BDDK APPROVES BANK MERGERS
[08] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE PRAISES TURKEY'S EFFORTS TO
IMPLEMENT PRISON REFORMS
[09] YOK NOMINATES RECTORS FOR TWO UNIVERSITIES
[10] EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO HEAR RP APPEAL
[11] CONTRACT ON BOSPHORUS CROSSING SIGNED
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS... TURK'S EUROPEAN DREAM BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
[13] GOOD MORNING, GERMANY BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
[01] LAEKEN SUMMIT HOLDS NEW HOPES FOR ANKARA
Belgium is setting the stage for the Laeken summit
which is to begin today. Turkey expects significant decisions to be
made on Turkey's accession period to the European Union at the summit.
European Union members are placing a high premium on the summit since
the decisions to be made there are expected to shape the future of
Europe. Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Turkish Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem are to travel to Brussels today to attend the
summit. The EU leaders will discuss a number of sensitive issues such
as the fight against terrorist organizations. A declaration to be
released after the summit is expected to highlight significant points
for the future of Europe and to incorporate some preliminary views on
key themes for the Europe's future. Among the issues to be discussed
at Laeken are the establishment of a broad-based body called "the
Convention" comprising representatives of the European
Parliament, national parliaments, governments and the EU Commission.
Turkish officials expect the EU countries to make a pledge to boost
Ankara's status within the candidate countries to a higher level.
Since Belgium has clearly expressed its desire to include Turkey in
the Convention, the summit holds new hopes for Ankara. Meanwhile, a
meeting was held yesterday in Brussels to discuss Greece's opposition
to a recent European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) accord. Greek
Prime Minister Costas Simitis, EU Term President Belgium's Prime
Minister Guy Verhofstadt, EU High Representative for Common Foreign
and Security Policy Javier Solana and NATO Secretary-General George
Robertson all discussed the issue on Thursday night. /All Papers/
[02] SEZER ORDERS INSPECTION OF STATE COMPETITION BOARD
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday ordered the
workings of the State Competition Board be inspected. Board Chairman
Tamer Muftuoglu said that institutions with an administrative and
financial autonomy should be transparent and added, "Inspections
do not worry us." The autonomous institution administrators'
foreign travel expenses and delegation welcoming expenses have been
the subject of recent discussions at the Parliament's Planning and
Budget Commission. /Sabah/
[03] CEM TO VISIT AFGHANISTAN
Turkey is set to become the first country to send a
high-level government representatives to Afghanistan following the
collapse of the Taleban regime. Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is
reportedly planning to travel to Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, this
weekend after the European Union summit in Brussels. Cem would first
visit Pakistan. While in Kabul, Cem would participate in the official
opening of the Turkish Embassy. /Hürriyet/
[04] IZGI: "RELATIONS BETWEEN ROMANIA AND TURKEY ARE
PERFECT"
Upon returning from his official visit to Romania
yesterday, Turkish Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi characterized
relations with Turkey's Balkan neighbor as "perfect." At a
press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Izgi stated, "I
had useful meetings with the Romanian president, parliament and senate
speakers and prime minister. As two EU candidate countries, we are
resolved to support each other. I believe that our relations are
already perfect but that they will move to an even better level in the
years to come." /Turkiye/
[05] DERVIS TELLS OPPOSITION LEADERS ABOUT ECONOMIC
PROGRAM
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis
yesterday met with the leader of the right-wing True Path Party (DYP)
Tansu Ciller in order to brief her on the economic program set to be
implemented next year. Dervis then visited Republican People's Party
(CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Dervis also discussed the economic program
with Baykal and said that a forthcoming $10 billion additional aid
package would help Turkey get back on its economic feet. /Hürriyet/
[06] IMF ACCEPTS NUMBER OF STATE OFFICIALS TO BE LAID OFF
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation
currently in Turkey met with State Minister Mehmet Kececiler yesterday
and reportedly told him that the number of state workers Turkey is
planning to lay off is sufficient. During the meeting, the IMF
officials seemed to tacitly drop a demand for 100,000 lay offs. The
IMF was reportedly pleased with the domestic collective barganing
process. The retirement of 69,000 state officials in the year 2000 and
the appointment of 66,000 state officials during the last
two-and-a-half years was discussed at the meeting and the IMF
officials asked questions about how early retirements should be
handled. According to CNBC-e, the IMF delegation, chaired by its
Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen, is continuing its technical work at
the Treasury Undersecretariat. Reportedly, the delegation will leave
Ankara on Sunday at the latest. Discussions on the new Letter of
Intent will continue after the delegation leaves Ankara. If the
meetings do not come to a conclusion, the IMF delegation might come
back to Ankara by January, before the IMF's Executive Board meeting is
held. /Turkiye/
[07] BDDK APPROVES BANK MERGERS
The Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision
Board (BDDK) has approved two mergers, the first between Demirbank and
HSCB, and the second between Osmanli Bank and Garanti Bank. The BDDK's
decision taken on Dec. 11 was published in the Official Gazette
yesterday. In addition, an amendment was made to a regulation covering
the performance of hot water heaters and central heating generators.
Under the Industry and Commerce Ministry's amendment, the new
regulation will be effective as of one year from today. /Turkiye/
DENKTAS: "CYPRUS PROBLEM COULD GROW" A meeting on Cyprus was
held at the Cankaya Presidential Palace yesterday with Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas in
attendance. Recent developments in the aftermath of the Dec. 4 meeting
between Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides were
discussed there. Denktas said that the Cyprus problem could grow and
become a crisis in the future. "The ball is in the Greeks'and the
EU's court," said Denktas. "It's entirely up to them whether
the crisis will be a big one or not. If the EU approves the Greek
Cypriots' membership in the absence of a permanent solution, it will
definitely become a big crisis." /Cumhuriyet/
[08] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE PRAISES TURKEY'S EFFORTS TO
IMPLEMENT PRISON REFORMS
A just-released report issued by the European
Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) states that Turkey is
exerting significant efforts to implement prison reforms. "The
Turkish authorities are making considerable efforts to reform the
prison system and, in particular, to improve conditions of
detention," says the report. "The CPT will continue to
support those efforts, and at the same time to make constructive
remarks of a critical nature when it considers that to be necessary.
The committee also appreciates the further intensification of the
ongoing dialogue with high-level Turkish authorities which has
occurred in recent months." /Turkish News/
[09] YOK NOMINATES RECTORS FOR TWO UNIVERSITIES
The Higher Education Board (YOK) is sending a list
of rectorial candidates for Istanbul and Anadolu Universities to
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During a four- hour meeting yesterday,
YOK, headed by Prof. Kemal Guruz, prepared the lists which included
there candidates for each two posts. Prof. Dincer Ucak is the first
candidate for the Istanbul University post, Prof. Kemal Alemdaroglu
the second, while Prof. Mesut Parlak is the third. Prof. Engin Atac,
Anadolu University's current rector, is the first candidate listed for
that university. /Milliyet/
[10] EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO HEAR RP APPEAL
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) yesterday
accepted an appeal from the banned Welfare Party (RP). The court had
upheld the party's closure on July 31, saying that the decision was
not contrary to the Accord of the European Human Rights, but now it
will review the case in the 17-judge chamber. Former RP Chairman
Necmettin Erbakan, who was banned from politics for five years
following the party's closure, stated his hope that the court would
agree with the RP's arguments, said, "The decision is very
appropriate and necessary." /Milliyet/
[11] CONTRACT ON BOSPHORUS CROSSING SIGNED
Transportation Minister Oktay Vural said yesterday
that the Marmaray Tube Crossing Project at the Bosphorus would be one
of the major building projects of the new millennium. Vural made the
remarks at a contract signing ceremony for the project held in
Istanbul. The crossing will be partially financed by Japanese funds at
a cost about 198 billion Japanese yen and is expected to be completed
in seven years. The line will have 41 stations and will stretch 76
kilometers. Its foundations are due to be laid in six months following
approval by the Audit Court. /Milliyet/
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS... TURK'S EUROPEAN DREAM BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
Columnist Hasan Cemal writes on a recent survey
regarding Turkey's dream of entering the EU. A summary of his column
is as follows: "The 'European dream' of the Turks goes a long way
back. In the eyes of the Turkish people, Europe symbolizes modern
civilization. It represents prosperity, democracy, human rights and a
better standard of living. Therefore, this European dream is reflected
positively in public opinion surveys. Notwithstanding the efforts of
certain circles to the contrary, the number of our citizens who report
in surveys that they want Turkey to enter the EU always appears high.
The latest survey is no different. In a poll conducted by the European
Commission, Turks were asked how they would vote in a referendum, on
entering the EU; 68% answered that they would vote yes and only 20%
said their vote would be 'no'. The European Union goal is accepted by
the Turkish public and it must be pursued. Therefore, 2002 will be a
crucial period, as the EU will expand over the year. It will
experience tremors when taking in up to a dozen new countries. Then it
will try to remake its own identity with the new members. That is why
the EU should decide on beginning accession negotiations for Turkey's
full membership. If this can be achieved, Turkey will have passed an
important turning point. Otherwise, Turkey's European dream would be
delayed on even dealt a great blow. If we don't want to face any
disappointments we must work hard on three points. First, the
coalition government must follow up the amendments to the Constitution
and accelerate its steps to overcome deficiencies in human rights and
the rule of law in addition to continuing its efforts to help reach an
agreement in Cyprus. Second, Ankara has to apply pressure on the EU as
it did in the case of the 'European army'. Ankara must convince the EU
that not starting a negotiation process with Turkey would constitute
enormous discrimination as well as a historic blunder. Third, we must
make sure that the EU recognizes and responds to our positive domestic
developments, starting with the Laeken Summit to begin tomorrow. In
short, Turkey's candidacy process must be expedited and tied to a
calendar covering concrete steps. As Prime Minister Ecevit said, the
European Union must open up the path to Turkey."
[13] GOOD MORNING, GERMANY BY HIKMET BILA (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Hikmet Bila comments on the decision of
the German government to close the Associations of Islamic communities
(ICCB). A summary of his column is as follows: "What made the
German government see the facts? Interior Minister Schilly announced
that the activities of the Association of Islamic Communities were
henceforth banned. Schilly said, 'The so-called Caliph State is
provoking its supporters against democracy and the Turkish Republic.
It is trying to revive the Caliphate abolished by Ataturk in 1924.
Completely ignoring the German Constitution, it is trying to establish
a parallel state. This organization is trying to oppose our legal
system with fatwas (religious decrees). Therefore this ban was
necessary. The decision will benefit the Muslim community, as they
will be cleared of any wrongdoing. In Germany there are 3.2 million
Muslims, of whom only 30 000 are fundamentalists. I expect all Muslim
citizens to take a stance against fundamentalism.' The German minister
said that they could immediately extradite ICCB leader Metin Kaplan to
Turkey and added that he did not think that Kaplan would be tortured
there. Everyone knew that Germany was rife with Islamist
organizations. It was no secret that these groups were growing under
the protection of German institutions and even the state. It was
furthermore known that these organizations were widespread also in
France, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland under the guise of various
mosque associations or 'regional emirates.' The fact that these
associations received large amounts of money was no secret. Some were
officially recognized and even received monetary assistance from the
German government. They organized under the name of 'the Anatolian
Federal Islamic State' and called on everybody to engage in violent
acts. All these developments were closely followed by the German
authorities, but only followed. No steps were taken on the issue. At
he same time as Germany was protecting terrorism in the name of 'human
rights' and religious freedom', it was imposing an embargo on arms
sales to Turkey under the excuse that human rights were lacking in the
country. In 1997 intelligence services and security forces thwarted a
vicious attack plan. A group of Kaplan's supporters was going to crash
a plane loaded with explosives into Anitkabir, Ataturk's mausoleum.
However, they were caught. The suicide bombers who attacked the World
Trade Center planned their action in Germany. Germany has to take more
steps to be a convincing ally in the war on terrorism." Next
issue of the Turkish Press Review will appear on December 19, 2001 for
the Ramadan Holiday.
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