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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-24
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Turkish
Press Review >>
Foreign
Press Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
24.12.2001
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER, ECEVIT HONOR REPUBLICAN HERO
[02] MGK TO MEET THIS WEEK
[03] TURKEY TO COOPERATE WITH GREECE AND BULGARIA
[04] TURKEY TO HOST EU-IOC CONFERENCE
[05] PROPOSAL FOR FOREIGN SUFFRAGE SHAKES BELGIAN
GOVERNMENT
[06] TURKEY IS SECOND ONLY TO US IN NATO IN NUMBER OF
SOLDIERS
[07] PAPANDREOU PRAISES CEM
[08] EU TELLS TURKISH PUBLIC ABOUT LAEKEN SUMMIT
[09] GREECE TO COMPENSATE TURKS FOR SEIZED TERRITORY
[10] BAYDUR RE-ELECTED AS TISK CHAIRMAN
[11] STATE MINISTER KECECILER ATTENDS IRANIAN ECONOMIC
CONFERENCE
[12] DERVIS PRESENTS PACKAGE OF NEW AUSTERITY MEASURES TO
GOVERNMENT
[13] CAKMAKOGLU: "NO POSSIBILITY OF TURKEY BECOMING
ANOTHER ARGENTINA"
[14] CETIN: "TURKEY CAN BE THE ITALY OF THE FASHION
WORLD"
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS
[16] TURKEY'S EU PERSECTIVE BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (SABAH)
[17] FRIENDS IN NEED...... BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
[01] SEZER, ECEVIT HONOR REPUBLICAN HERO
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday issued a
message to mark the 71st anniversary of the death of Republican martyr
Kubilay. He said in his message that Kubilay was a symbol of Turkey's
aim of modernization."We are determined to protect and preserve
our democracy forever," declared Sezer. Stressing that Republic
was a method of administration which depends on national sovereignty,
he added, "With the approval of the Republic, foundation of the
new social, economic and political construction of the Turkish state
were laid." Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Chief of General
Staff Gen. Huseyin Kıvrıkoglu also issued statements to mark the
anniversary. /Milliyet/
[02] MGK TO MEET THIS WEEK
The National Security Board (MGK) chaired by
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will convene on Friday, Dec. 28. During
the meeting, domestic and foreign development will be discussed.
/Turkiye/
[03] TURKEY TO COOPERATE WITH GREECE AND BULGARIA
Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece have resolved to
bolster cooperation between the three nations. Diplomats of all three
countries held a recent meeting in Ankara where they decided to
improve their cooperation on commercial, economic, environmental and
educational issues. The European Union is expected to support
financially possible projects to be developed jointly by these
countries. Despite their recent disagreement over the European
Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), Greece and Turkey have never
swerved from the path of taking further steps to improve bilateral
dialogue between them. The Turkish, Bulgarian and Greek committees at
the meeting identified a number of issues on which cooperation is to
be improved. 1) Commerce and the economy: Local administrative bodies
of the three countries will hold meetings to discuss possible
opportunities for improving their relations. Exchanges of information
will be ensured by bilateral commercial fairs and seminars. 2)
Infrastructure and transportation: Conditions for transportation over
borders will be made better. 3)Environmental issues: European Union
member Greece will share its experiences with prospective members
Turkey and Bulgaria on adjustment to the Union's environmental
criteria. 4) Education and youth programs: The governments of the
three countries will put more emphasis on youth exchange programs.
/Cumhuriyet/
[04] TURKEY TO HOST EU-IOC CONFERENCE
Reports yesterday said that a joint European
Union-Organisation for the Islamic Conference meeting to discuss the
world in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks would go forward early next
year. The meeting is slated for the Feb.12 in Ankara and will
reportedly be hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. The IOC
agreed to send to the meeting three representatives from Africa, Asia
and Europe if the EU sent the same number. International scholars Amin
Maalouf, Bernard Lewis and Samuel Huntington will reportedly attend
the conference along with Turkish writers Yasar Kemal and Serif
Mardin. /Hürriyet/
[05] PROPOSAL FOR FOREIGN SUFFRAGE SHAKES BELGIAN
GOVERNMENT
A bill introduced by a Turkish-origin member of the
Belgian Parliament has shaken the body and is threatening the topple
of the coalition government. Parliamentarian Fatma Pehlivan's bill
makes the controversial proposal that resident aliens in Belgium be
granted the right to vote. Coalition member the Belgian Liberal Party
(VLD) has signalled its opposition to the move and is warning it could
withdraw if the measure passes, which would threaten the government's
survival. /Hürriyet/
[06] TURKEY IS SECOND ONLY TO US IN NATO IN NUMBER OF
SOLDIERS
While the vast majority of NATO member countries
decreased the number of soldiers, Turkey and Greece increased their
armed forces from 1994 to 1999 according to a study just released by
the Britain-based International Institute of Strategic Studies.
According to the study, among 19 NATO member countries, the US is the
country with the highest number of soldiers, namely 1.4 million. It is
followed by Turkey with 639,000 soldiers and Germany with 332,800 and
then France with 317,300 soldiers. Among NATO member countries,
Luxembourg has the smallest number of soldiers, namely 800. According
to the study, Turkey is the country with the highest military
expenditures. /Turkiye/
[07] PAPANDREOU PRAISES CEM
Speaking to Greek daily To Vima Greek Foreign
Minister George Papandreou yesterday said that Turkish Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem had made several important accomplishments in his
nation's foreign policy. Papandreou also remarked "We have a
special relationship with Cem which facilitates cooperation."
Papandreou praised Cem at length, commenting that he had achieved
something very difficult in Turkey that no other country could have
done in the same position, and had linked his country to Europe. /Türkiye/
[08] EU TELLS TURKISH PUBLIC ABOUT LAEKEN SUMMIT
The decisions taken at the Laeken summit, during
which important developments in favor of Turkey occurred in terms of
EU integration, have been announced to the Turkish public, as in other
European countries. EU Term President Belgian took out full-page
announcements in Turkish newspapers outlining the decisions taken at
the Nov. 15 Summit. The announcement, which features excerpts from the
summit's final declaration, was presented under the headings of
"Europe at the Crossroads" and "Expectations of
European Citizens," and it states that European integration would
be completed soon. It also states, "The EU will be able to
include 10 more countries -- mostly Central and Eastern European
countries -- and close the chapter on the artificial division which
emerged in the wake of World War II. After such a long period of time,
Europe is about to become a big family without shedding a single drop
of blood, thanks to a real change involving an approach vastly
different from that of 50 years ago, when Europe was led by six
countries." /Milliyet/
[09] GREECE TO COMPENSATE TURKS FOR SEIZED TERRITORY
Turkey has won an important case against Greece in
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).Yesterday the ECHR approved
the financial compensation sought by 10 Turkish citizens who appealed
to the court in 1998. The Greek government was sentenced to pay $170
billion to the citizens to compensate 1925 seizure of Turkish
territory in the Khalkidiki Peninsula. /Milliyet/
[10] BAYDUR RE-ELECTED AS TISK CHAIRMAN
Refik Baydur was re-elected yesterday to the
Turkish Confederation of Employer's Unions (TISK) chairmanship. During
TISK's 21st Ordinary General Assembly Meeting, Baydur won 89 out of
170 votes, thereby extending his 12-year service as head of the group.
/Turkiye/
[11] STATE MINISTER KECECILER ATTENDS IRANIAN ECONOMIC
CONFERENCE
State Minister Mehmet Kececiler traveled to the
Iranian capital of Tehran yesterday to attend a seminar entitled
"Improving Turkish-Iranian Economic Relations". In his
speech at the seminar, Kececiler remarked that as two of the region's
premier powers, Turkey and Iran, must improve their bilateral
relations. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] DERVIS PRESENTS PACKAGE OF NEW AUSTERITY MEASURES TO
GOVERNMENT
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis
presented a package to the government on Dec. 21 which includes
additional austerity measures for the public sector. The package
proposes new measures such as restricting appointments to public
institutions, limiting the activities of public foundations,
abolishing the use of the bids in the purchase of certain services,
and the closing of airports which do not serve a sufficient number of
passengers. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] CAKMAKOGLU: "NO POSSIBILITY OF TURKEY BECOMING
ANOTHER ARGENTINA"
Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said
yesterday that there was no possibility at present that anything like
the recent events in Argentina could also happen in Turkey, adding
that the conditions and policies pursued in the two countries were not
at all comparable. Asked by reporters whether the social unrest seen
in Argentina could be repeated in Turkey, Cakmakoglu said, "Some
circles in the media are becoming tools for such views in order to
serve a certain aim. The conditions and solutions offered in Argentina
cannot be compared with those in Turkey. Turkey has already entered an
era of economic improvement. I believe that the upcoming year will see
us overcome our problems." /Turkish Daily News/
[14] CETIN: "TURKEY CAN BE THE ITALY OF THE FASHION
WORLD"
The representative in Turkey of Gap Inc., one of
the world's largest clothing retailers, said yesterday that the
Turkish textile and ready-to-wear sector could fill the role that had
once been played by Italy. In an interview, Gap representative Gunsan
Cetin said that Turkey was a strong country in terms of the quality of
its textile and ready-to-wear sector as well as its experience in
fashion and quick service. She added, "Turkey can carve out a
very desirable place in the European and American market thanks to its
enviable fashion and marketing infrastructure, but it's not yet where
it deserves to be due to political and marketing mistakes. Turkey
should be the leader in terms of fashion. Let's realize our capacity,
have a look at our position, determine our goal and then reach
it." /Sabah/
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE
COLUMNS
[16] TURKEY'S EU PERSECTIVE BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (SABAH)
Retired Ambassador Sukru Elekdag comments on the
repercussions of the Laeken summit for Turkey. A summary of his column
is as follows: "The Laeken Summit declaration which praises
Turkey and its statement saying 'Negotiations for the accession of
Turkey into the EU have come closer' is included, are an important
advance for our country. For the first time, Turkey has been given a
clear perspective on the path to its EU membership, and this has been
registered with an EU document. What happened to change the stance of
the EU in Laeken? The steps taken by Turkey on the ESDP and
constructive developments seen concerning Cyprus have a share in this
change. However, the real reason is the increase in Turkey's
importance in terms of the fight against international terrorism
following the Sept. 11 attacks. The IMF, which has signed a new
'stand-by' agreement with Turkey under US pressure, has not only
declared to the world that it was guaranteeing that the county would
emerge from its economic crisis but also tied its prestige to the
success of the program in Turkey. This is the basic reason deeply
influencing the EU's view of Turkey and leading the organization to
give a clear prespective our Turkey. Ankara must take advantage of the
unprecedented situation and aim to begin accession negotiations by the
end of next year. This can be carried out by a strategy in two stages.
In the first stage, a recommendation decision to begin accession talks
with Turkey must be taken at the EU Seville summit to take place in
June. It is of utmost importance to benefit from the stance of Spain,
the incoming term president, which has pursued a policy in favor of
Turkey. At the Copenhagen summit which will be held at the end of the
Danish term presidency in the seond half of next year, a decision will
be taken whether or not to admit the Greek Cypriot administration
together with nine other candidate states. Ankara must aim to have a
decision taken on beginning accession negotiations at this summit as a
second stage. In order to achieve this, Turkey has to fulfil its
obligations stemming from the Copenhagen criteria and complete the
short-term priorities appearing in the Accession Partnership Document,
and expedite its medium-term obligations. As 70% of our population
supports Turkey's EU membership, Ankara must focus on achieving this
aim."
[17] FRIENDS IN NEED...... BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Tufan Turenc writes on the friendship
demonstrated by the nine important Jewish organizations in the US. A
summary of his column is as follows: "A friend in need is a
friend indeed. Turks forever remember the friendship to shown them and
go on to relate it to future generations. Therefore a recent
initiative launched by the influential Jewish-American lobby on US
President George W. Bush has deeply impressed me. During the lifetime
of our late President Turgut Ozal, the Jewish lobby in the US worked
hard to blocking the passage of the bills concerning the so-called
Armenian genocide by the US Congress, and it succeeded. Therefore, I
believe that during these times when we are dealing with the heaviest
economic crisis in our history, the letter sent by nine Jewish
organizations to President Bush is meaningful. In the letter, the
Jewish groups stated that during all international crises in the last
50 years, Turkey has never wavered from its principled stance
regarding its strategic partnership with the US. The letter also
stated that standing by Turkey in these hard times was the duty of the
US and would show a sense of loyalty. The Jewish organizations called
for erasing Turkey's debt, more contributions from the IMF to the
country and, most important of all, increasing commercial
opportunities. I believe the American administration will take into
consideration this initative launched by the Jewish organizations.
Turkey's importance for world peace was recognized by the US following
the Sept. 11 attacks. I believe this letter willl be instrumental in
providing opportunities. It would be an economic revolution for us if
the US opens its doors to Turkish products by listening to the wise
suggestion of the Jewish lobby."
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