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Turkish Press Review, 02-02-19
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
19.02.2002
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER RATIFIES ADJUSTMENT BILL
[02] ECEVIT: “TERRORISM STILL A THREAT”
[03] US AND IRAQI DELEGATIONS VISIT ANKARA
[04] DISPUTES IN PARLIAMENT ON DEATH PENALTY
[05] JUSTICE MINISTRY PRESENTS FIVE BILLS TO COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
[06] YILMAZ: “THERE IS NO NEED TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION”
[07] PKK WANTS TO DECEIVE EU
[08] MARMARA UNIVERSITY TO INFORM WOMEN ON EU
[09] DERVIS: “NO TAX REDUCTION IN 2002”
[10] TURKISH KITCHEN PROMOTED
[11] VÝZONTELE SCREENED IN AUSTRALIA
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] EU DELUSION AND REALITY BY ENGIN GUNER (AKSAM)
[01] SEZER RATIFIES ADJUSTMENT BILL
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer ratified the adjustment bill, which proposes
amendments to the Article 159 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The
amendments are part of recent reform policies, which Turkey is currently
pursuing in order to fulfill EU political criteria. Under the revised
Article 159, the punishments are amended. The heaviest punishment was
reduced from six years to three, and all fines were lifted. In addition,
under the revised Article 312, prison terms of 1-3 years will be given to
individuals who incite people to hostility or hatred by dwelling on
differences based on social class, race, religion or region and in a way
which can endanger public order. A person who insults a certain sector of
society or harms human dignity will receive the same punishment. /Sabah/
[02] ECEVIT: “TERRORISM STILL A THREAT”
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that terrorism, ethnic fighting,
mass emigration, drug and arms trafficking, internal disorders and spread
of weapons of mass destruction are still a threat in European-Atlantic
region. Ecevit released a statement on the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s
NATO membership and said that “Turkey with its well educated and
disciplined Armed Forces had earned the respect of its allies in defending
free and democratic societies as a staunch ally during the Cold War.”
/Hurriyet/
[03] US AND IRAQI DELEGATIONS VISIT ANKARA
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal yesterday received a US House of
Representatives delegation consisting of five members of the US-Turkish
Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group. US Congressman Robert Wexler chaired
the delegation. Stating that the delegation did not arrive in Turkey to
convey a message on Iraq, Wexler remarked that since the US understood
Turkey’s concerns about Iraq, Bush administration would hold consultations
with Turkish officials whenever the US policy over Iraq changed.
Reiterating that the US learned which countries are its allies in the post-
Sept. 11 period, Wexler said, “Turkey lent its full support to the US in
the wake of the terrorist attacks. We appreciate its support. We’re also
aware of the losses Turkey suffered during the Gulf War. That’s why we’re
here to improve our economic cooperation.” Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign
Ambassador for Turkey Muhammed Ahmed also visited Turkish Foreign Ministry
yesterday and met with Director-General of the Middle East Department
Turkekul Kurttekin. Ahmed stated that Iraq did not change its policy over
the UN inspectors. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] DISPUTES IN PARLIAMENT ON DEATH PENALTY
Disputes on the constitutional amendment to lift the death penalty in
Turkey in line with the EU request are continuing between coalition
partners, as well as opposition parties. The Nationalist Action Party (MHP)
is against complete abolition of death penalty while the two other
coalition partners the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the Democratic Left
Party (DSP) are in favor. Although Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has
declared that they would search for a solution in parliament, opposition
parties announced that capital punishment might be lifted excluding crimes
of terrorism and war. For the lift of the penalty, an amendment to the
Penal Code and the Constitution is a must. Otherwise, referendum will be
inevitable. /All Papers/
[05] JUSTICE MINISTRY PRESENTS FIVE BILLS TO COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
During the meeting of the Council of Ministers yesterday, Justice Minister
Hikmet Sami Turk presented five draft bills. The first bill that was
discussed yesterday considered the human smuggling as “crime” for the first
time. As part of the bill, not only the prostitutes who enter Turkey
through illegal ways, but also those who bring them to Turkey will be
punished. In addition, those who leave or attempt to leave Turkey through
illegal ways to work abroad and those who take these people to other
countries will be punished with the crime of “human smuggling.” If gangs
commit these crimes, punishment will be increased. It will be possible to
follow people suspected of being gang members with a camera. The bill about
the abolition of death sentence includes some arrangements made taking into
consideration the Nationalist Action Party’s sensitivity. As part of it,
the death sentence could be passed only in situations due to war, close war
and terrorism. As part of the bill envisaging a change in the laws
regarding those who pass dishonored cheque will not be sentenced to prison
immediately. The bill envisages that the person who gives a dishonored
cheque will pay heavy fines of 50 billion TL. However, if she/he does not
pay the fine, she/he will be imprisoned for three years. Finally, the bill
about the amnesty law gives the people the right not to take advantage of
the amnesty law if they so desire. /Milliyet/
[06] YILMAZ: “THERE IS NO NEED TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION”
Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut
Yilmaz said yesterday that there is no need to amend the constitution for
the abolition of death penalty. Yilmaz also said that President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer and the Constitutional Court were of the same opinion.
“According to Turkish laws there is no need to hold a referendum for the
European Union membership, the decision of the Assembly is enough,” Yilmaz
added. /Hurriyet/
[07] PKK WANTS TO DECEIVE EU
Reportedly, the separatist organization PKK is maintaining contacts with
the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament (EP) so they will
pressure Turkey. The PKK, which requested that a delegation be sent to
Turkey through its subsidiary institution, Kurdistan National Congress
(KUK), aims to bring the Kurdish education campaign to the international
platform. A couple of members of the KUK held meetings with the EP’s member
parliamentarians in January and requested their support. Reportedly,
members of the European Council and members of the Socialist and Communist
Group, which support the activities of the KUK, said that they would bring
the issue before the EU, the EP and their parliaments, that Kurds wanted to
defend their right to govern themselves and that they would carry out
initiatives to send a delegation to Turkey in order to maintain contacts
and investigations. /Turkiye/
[08] MARMARA UNIVERSITY TO INFORM WOMEN ON EU
European Community Institute of Marmara University and Female Employment
Center will hold a seminar in order to brief women on the European Union
(EU). Prof. Necla Pur said, “The public does not know what Turkey stands to
gain or lose if Turkey becomes a member of the EU. The EU-Turkey relations
will be explained with simple expressions during this seminar.” 150 women
applied to attend the seminar, which will start on March 2 at Marmara
University’s Goztepe campus, Ibrahim Uzumcu Conference Hall. At the end of
the courses that will last for a month, the participants will get a
certificate. /Aksam/
[09] DERVIS: “NO TAX REDUCTION IN 2002”
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis during his visit to Tofas
Automobile Factory in Bursa yesterday said that there would be no tax
reduction in 2002. Dervis also said that tax rates in Turkey were too high
but it looks impossible to lower them in 2002. “We started to work on a
more effective and healthy tax system in order to reduce tax for the next
year,” Dervis added. /Hurriyet/
[10] TURKISH KITCHEN PROMOTED
Turkish fashion designer Ece Ege promoted the Turkish cuisine to France.
Ege gave recipes to the weekend magazine of the French daily “Le Figaro”
this week. The magazine with a circulation of 700,000 published five pages,
including the recipes of the most delicious meals of the Turkish cuisine
and photographs. /Aksam/
[11] VÝZONTELE SCREENED IN AUSTRALIA
Vizontele, a box-office hit in Turkey, is the first Turkish film screened
in Australia. Vizontele, attracted the great interest of Australians.
Besides, Vizontele had been a box-office hit in Germany where it was
screened. /Sabah/
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] EU DELUSION AND REALITY BY ENGIN GUNER (AKSAM)
Columnist Engin Guner writes on Turkey-EU relations and the chances of
Turkey to be admitted into the EU. A summary of his column is as follows:
“It seems that we will miss the Europe train which we have not been able to
catch up until now, despite 43 years of efforts to do so. In the EU of
2008, there is no place for Turkey. When the time comes, it will be very
hard for the EU to take Turkey in as the Union would need time to absorb
the expansion process and would have spent its funds over the new members.
Therefore, it would think twice before admitting a country as big as Turkey
just as we will have to review our desire to be an EU member state. I do
not believe that we are able to see the complex and multidimensional
picture very clearly. As the process is continuously influenced by the
changes in both the EU and Turkey, and has a dynamic structure, it
gradually becomes very difficult to evaluate the situation. However, the
excitement of former premier Menderes and his friends, who applied for
membership as soon as the Community was formed, cannot be seen today. Even
though there may be reasons stemming from the EU, it is not possible to be
a member before discussing and accepting what the membership will bring or
take, or feel the excitement of it. Today, the stances towards the EU are
not sincere. In fact, the EU wants to keep Turkey close by but not within
the organization. Therefore taking into consideration Turkey’s geopolitical
location and importance has thrown the ball into Turkey’s quarters and told
it to come after completing its homework. However, the list of things to do
will not be completed very easily. Starting with death penalty, education
in mother tongue, Cyprus, Turkish-Greek problems this list could go on
forever if desired. It is wrong to turn each and every one of them into
bargaining points. Other countries solved the problem with the transition
to democracy quickly. The only point, which seems in our favor is the
special location of Turkey at the crossroads of civilizations which is
recalled once more with the successful Istanbul Forum. Recognizing the
importance of Turkey’s role in the dialogue between the EU and the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which achieved great importance
following the Sept. 11 attacks, the EU may favorably approach towards our
membership. We must start restructuring immediately, and must be a fully
democratic country respecting human rights. Only then the EU membership
which seems impossible today may be realized.”
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