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Turkish Press Review, 02-03-11

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

<LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> <_map> Press &amp; Information Turkish Press Turkish Press Review &gt;&gt; Foreign Press Guide Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

11.03.2002


CONTENTS

  • [01] ECEVIT: "THE WORLD CANNOT REMAIN SILENT IN THE FACE OF MIDEAST VIOLENCE"
  • [02] CILLER: "TURKEY CANNOT FORSAKE ITS EU MEMBERSHIP BID"
  • [03] BAYKAL: "NOBODY CAN PREVENT TURKEY FROM JOINING THE EU"
  • [04] DOGAN: "KILINC'S REMARKS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD"
  • [05] CHENEY TOURS REGION TO DRUM UP SUPPORT
  • [06] WOLFOWITZ: "TURKEY COULD BE A MODEL FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD"
  • [07] PAPANDREOU EVALUATES TURKISH-EU RELATIONS
  • [08] TURKEY TO OVERHAUL FISCAL SYSTEM
  • [09] BLUE STREAM SECOND PIPELINE SLATED FOR COMPLETION IN MAY
  • [10] NEW PRIVATIZATION BOARD TO BE ESTABLISHED
  • [11] AKCAN: "JAPAN WILL ACCELERATE ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR TURKEY"
  • [12] ISRAEL TO MODERNIZE TURKISH TANKS
  • [13] NY TIMES FEATURES ARTICLE ON OTTOMAN JANISSARY MUSIC
  • [14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
  • [15] NEW INITIATIVES, NEW TRUTHS BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
  • [16] NOT ALTERNATIVES, BUT COMPLEMENTS BY MUSTAFA BALBAY (CUMHURIYET)

  • [01] ECEVIT: "THE WORLD CANNOT REMAIN SILENT IN THE FACE OF MIDEAST VIOLENCE"

    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that the world was remaining too silent in the face of escalating violence in the Middle East. Appearing on TRT-1 on Sunday, Ecevit called upon the US to pressure both sides to calm the situation in the region. He remarked that Israel's stance had become more rigid under Ariel Sharon's prime ministry. Speaking on a possible intervention in Iraq, Ecevit said, "The Turkish economy is still in a very sensitive phase, and any such operation could do it great harm." Regarding the recent disputes between Turkey's coalition partners, the prime minister said, "We are aware that the Nationalist Action Party [MHP] is sensitive on certain topics. However, we expect to overcome this difficulty given time. At our leaders' meetings, we can solve every problem among us. But later conflicting expressions may come out in the public, as it is nature of politics." /All Papers/

    [02] CILLER: "TURKEY CANNOT FORSAKE ITS EU MEMBERSHIP BID"

    True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that Turkey could not forsake its EU membership bid and that no one had the right to sabotage the bid by making naked political ploys. Addressing her party's meeting in Mersin, Ciller said, "Turkey has gone a long way on its road towards EU membership. This bid has become official state policy. Previously, while we were struggling to integrate with the EU, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Motherland Party [ANAP] leader Mesut Yilmaz, and the Nationalist Action Party [MHP] and the Welfare Party [RP] were against the idea. Now, a consensus has been reached, it is satisfactory." Ciller also added, "However, at the same time Turkey should improve its relations with its other neighbors and not neglect them." /Turkiye/

    [03] BAYKAL: "NOBODY CAN PREVENT TURKEY FROM JOINING THE EU"

    Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal yesterday stated that no European country had the right to hamper Turkey's bid for EU membership and added that since Turkey deserved to join the Union, Turkey's admittance should not be seen as a "favor" to be granted by the European countries. Reiterating that Turkey was the only Muslim member of NATO and the OECD as well as one of the founding members of the European Council, Baykal said, "I have no doubt that Turkey will join the EU. There are 4 million Turks living in Europe today. We have geographical, cultural and historical ties with Europe. Nobody can prevent Turkey from joining the EU." /Star/

    [04] DOGAN: "KILINC'S REMARKS WERE MISUNDERSTOOD"

    Commander of the 1st Army, Gen. Cetin Dogan said yesterday that remarks made last week by National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General Gen. Turcer Kilinc had been misunderstood. Dogan told reporters that Kilinc was in favour of modernism and that his comments were a reflection of Turkey's displeasure that the terrorist group PKK had not been included in the European Union's recent list of terrorist groups. There was no need to look for another meaning behind his words, Dogan added. /Sabah/

    [05] CHENEY TOURS REGION TO DRUM UP SUPPORT

    US Vice President Dick Cheney began his tour of 12 Middle Eastern and European countries, including Turkey yesterday. During his tour, Cheney will discuss the struggle against terrorism as well as the troubled Middle Eastern situation with regional authorities. Additionally, Cheney is expected to seek support for a possible US intervention in Iraq. As his first stop, he will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair today. Besides Turkey and Great Britain, Cheney is scheduled to visit Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. /Turkiye/

    [06] WOLFOWITZ: "TURKEY COULD BE A MODEL FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD"

    US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said yesterday that the world should support moderate Muslim countries in order to ensure victory in the war against terrorism. Wolfowitz also said that Turkey, as a moderate Muslim country which has successfully synthesized Islam and liberal democracy, could be a model for the Muslim world in the fight against terrorism. /Milliyet/

    [07] PAPANDREOU EVALUATES TURKISH-EU RELATIONS

    Appearing on Greek state TV channel ERT 1 yesterday, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou offered his evaluations of recent developments in Turkish-EU relations, the Cyprus issue and Turkish-Greek relations. Papandreou stated that it was normal for Turkey to face certain problems on its path towards the EU. He argued that there were certain circles in Turkey which were trying to hamper Turkey's bid for EU membership. /Star/

    [08] TURKEY TO OVERHAUL FISCAL SYSTEM

    The government is preparing to effect a complete overhaul of its fiscal system, under which it will require watchdogs to report to Parliament and will make budgets for three-years instead of one. The Finance Ministry has completed work on planned amendments to General Accounting Law No. 1050. The new legislation containing 100 clauses will sweep away the existing law almost entirely while at the same time aligning Turkey's fiscal system to that of the European Union. The Finance Ministry will circulate the draft to concerned public agencies for consultation in the coming weeks and it plans to submit it to the Prime Ministry in May and to Parliament in June. The draft proposes drastic changes to the state's fiscal system, including extension of the central government budget to public institutions with special budgets other than social security agencies and local administrations. /Turkish Daily News/

    [09] BLUE STREAM SECOND PIPELINE SLATED FOR COMPLETION IN MAY

    Work has now begun on the second line in the Blue Stream natural gas pipeline project. Project manager Guido Bressani said yesterday that the line would be completed in May. Stressing that there were no delays in the project, Bressani said that 11,500 12-meter pipes had been welded, and that 2,500 pipes were still in the factory waiting to be welded. "When the project is finished some 60,000 pipes will have been welded," he added. /Turkiye/

    [10] NEW PRIVATIZATION BOARD TO BE ESTABLISHED

    The Turkish government is preparing to establish a new independent privatization board. The rights and authority of the Privatization Administration (OIB) and the Privatization High Council (OYK) will be made null and void and handed over to a new board to consist of seven members. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] AKCAN: "JAPAN WILL ACCELERATE ADDITIONAL CREDITS FOR TURKEY"

    Speaking upon his return to Turkey after an official visit to Japan concerning $100 billion additional in credits for the strengthening of bridges and viaducts in the Marmara region, Public Works and Housing Minister Abdulkadir Akcan said that the Japanese authorities had told him that they would accelerate delivery of the credits to Turkey. /Hurriyet/

    [12] ISRAEL TO MODERNIZE TURKISH TANKS

    Turkey and Israel have decided to sign an agreement under which Israeli company IMI will modernize 170 M-60 Turkish tanks. The ASELSAN and MKEK companies will also contribute to the modernization process. /Star/

    [13] NY TIMES FEATURES ARTICLE ON OTTOMAN JANISSARY MUSIC

    Prominent US daily New York Times recently featured an article on the Ottoman janissary music style or "Mehter." The piece argued that the music of Mehter had inspired such great Western composers as Mozart and Beethoven. /Star/

    [14] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS

    [15] NEW INITIATIVES, NEW TRUTHS BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)

    Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on recent developments concerning Turkey's bid for European Union membership. A summary of his columns is as follows: "The recently heightened discussions between Turkey and the EU have revealed a number of truths. Those who are against Turkey's integration with the EU do not see this issue in terms of EU membership. The discussion is not about possible economic results of this membership in Turkey. Nor this is not about what sorts of responsibilities and authority that the Turkish nation will have. The essence of the discussion is focused on the Cyprus and Kurdish issues. Turkey had been looking for solutions to these problems even before it became a EU candidate. As our political tradition is based on the view that the demands of the people and the state's safety priorities conflict with each other, the wish that a solution be found to these two problems has been interpreted as an "insistence" on the EU's part. Some have tried to create the impression that if Turkey gives up its EU membership goal, it will be freed from its obligation to solve these problems. This is clearly impossible. But is there an alternative? National Security Council (MGK) Secretary-General Gen. Tuncer Kilinc's recent comments about Iran and Russia point to an important issue. Gen. Kilinc says that Turkey should focus itself towards forging new ties with Iran and Russia. This would be a wise move. In any case, Turkey is carrying out its policy of developing relations not only with Russia and Iran, but also with all its neighbors. Turkish foreign policy is shaping up to be a Turkey at peace with its neighbors. During the United Nations' General Assembly meeting late last year, the Turkish and Russian foreign ministers signed a very important agreement to deepen cooperation between the two states. Although Turkey has certain problems with Iran concerning the PKK terrorist organization, it has signed agreements on security and natural gas with that country as well. The latter is a very important development in terms of economic relations. Of course these relations should be developed much more. It is more to Turkey's advantage to form cooperative agreements in Central Asia and the Caucasus rather than trying to compete with Russia and Iran. Such cooperation is very important in terms of regional stability as well, and could guarantee energy security. But can such cooperation be an alternative to the EU? Even if we give up our EU membership, Turkey can never forsake its focus on the Kurdish and Cyprus issues, nor can new ties with Russia and Iran be an alternative to Turkey's EU membership. A secret report prepared by the US Pentagon was leaked to the press last week. The report says that the US will develop new nuclear weapons to be used against Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and North Korea. Turkey's neighbors are thus in the crosshairs of US nuclear weapons."

    [16] NOT ALTERNATIVES, BUT COMPLEMENTS BY MUSTAFA BALBAY (CUMHURIYET)

    Columnist Mustafa Balbay comments on Turkey's multifaceted foreign relations. A summary of his columns is as follows: "It was at the end of the 1990s. While talking with a Georgian at the banks of the Kura River, which bisects Tbilisi, I asked him what he hoped to do in life. He told me, 'I want to be able to live in Turkey. Sooner or later Turkey will be part of Europe." Now, we Turks always point to our problems. And our problems fester, we criticize them in the harshest way, but we should not forget that the countries around us consider Turkey a "great nation." Based on my observations from official and private travels to neighboring countries, Turkey's success in becoming a member of the EU will strengthen its relations with its neighbors, and Turkey's friendly relations with its neighbors will strengthen its bid for EU membership. One goal is not an alternative to the other, but rather they complement each other. Let us enumerate Turkey's various relations; the European Union: Our discussions for full membership are under way. The Customs Union is continuing, although it works against us. Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): Turkey continues to take an active role in this tent group spanning more than 50 Islamic countries with a population of one billion people. Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC): This is one of the new alliances formed in the post-Soviet geography. We are one of the leaders of this group. Balkan cooperation: The common summits and various bilateral relations in the Balkans that were remade after the collapse of Yugoslavia. Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): This was founded between Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in 1985. The Central Asian republics came into in it in the 1990s. This seems to be dead. Central Asian institutions: There are many common forums, including the Turkic-speaking countries summit and the summit of the Turkic-speaking head of states. Caucasus: The US has decided to participate in the common area between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan as well. The Eurasian Agreement: This was signed between Turkey and Russia. It is up to our mutual will to implement it. Mediterranean pacts: The name of many initiatives in which northern Africa and southern Europe meet. Turkish-Israeli relations: These are improving in every area, including agriculture and defense. Now I've just rattled off ten fields of relations. Let we reiterate; the strongest of these links is the EU. However, if Turkey can establish firm relations with its neighbors and succeeds in becoming a regional power, it will be able to strengthen the EU link. Looking at the other side of the coin, we can see that the EU member countries do not ignore the links deriving from their own individual structures. For example, Britain has not break off its relations with the Commonwealth and other English-speaking countries. France has tried to forge ties with Canada's French speakers. Germany is trying to fulfill its desire to gain a foothold in Mesopotamia by leaning on the EU. Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania have established cooperations beyond their common EU membership goal. While other nations are busy establishing ties based on their own region and culture, Turkey cannot just twiddle its thumbs and wait for EU membership!"

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