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Turkish Press Review, 02-04-25
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
25.04.2002
CONTENTS
[01] CEM AND PAPANDREOU PUSH FOR PEACE IN JERUSALEM
[02] DENKTAS REJECTS EU TIMETABLE FOR CYPRUS SETTLEMENT
[03] US CYPRUS COORDINATOR MEETS TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS
[04] DUTCH INTERIOR MINISTER: “WE WON’T BLOCK ADDING THE PKK TO EU TERRORIST LIST”
[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: “TURKEY POSES A MAJOR THREAT TO GREECE”
[06] “EU COMMISSION: “TURKEY IS ON THE RIGHT PATH”
[07] NEW CONDITIONAL RELEASE BILL APPROVED AT JUSTICE COMMISSION
[08] US SCHOLAR: “VIOLENT ARMENIAN ATTACKS LED TURKS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES”
[09] IRAQI TURKOMAN FRONT CELEBRATES 7TH ANNIVERSARY
[10] REMARKS SPARK DISCUSSION OF TWO-ROUND ELECTION SYSTEM
[11] TOSKAY CRITICIZES JOB SECURITY MEASURES
[12] MONETARY COUNCIL MEMBER GIVES OK ON EXCHANGE RATES
[13] WORLD TURKISH BUSINESSMEN GATHER IN ISTANBUL
[14] RED CRESCENT AID ARRIVES IN JENIN AND RAMALLAH
[15] AMSTERDAM HOSTS TURKISH THEATRE FESTIVAL
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[17] NO MAGIC WAND, BUT...... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[18] WAS IT WORTH IT? BY SEMIH IDIZ (STAR)
[01] CEM AND PAPANDREOU PUSH FOR PEACE IN JERUSALEM
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George
Papandreou met yesterday in Jerusalem in a “Peace Coalition” meeting
organized jointly by Israeli and Palestinian peace supporters. Speaking at
the gathering, Cem said that the two ministers’ historic visit had only
came about through his and Papandreou’s cooperative efforts. “We would like
to contribute to decreasing tensions in the Middle East,” Cem added.
Suggesting that turmoil in the Mideast could spill over to cause wider
conflicts, Cem said that their visit hoped to bring a new point of view and
approach to both sides. Papandreou added, “We haven’t come here to lecture
you, rather we want to raise hopes and lend our support.” /Hurriyet/
[02] DENKTAS REJECTS EU TIMETABLE FOR CYPRUS SETTLEMENT
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas met
yesterday with officials from the Council of Europe and the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Denktas rejected demands to find a solution
for Cyprus problem before December’s EU summit in Copenhagen, calling such
demands reflective of “an EU timetable, not ours.” He added darkly, “If no
solution is reached to bring about a partnership, we could be delivered to
a Greek slaughterhouse.” /Hurriyet/
[03] US CYPRUS COORDINATOR MEETS TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS
United States State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Tom Weston
yesterday met with Turkish Foreign Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and other
Foreign Ministry officials. Turkish diplomatic circles characterized
Weston’s visit as a sign of more US involvement in the current round of
talks between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Rauf Denktas
and Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides. However, Turkish
officials conveyed the message to Weston that they did not support the US
interceding on the issue since Turkey believes that the two parties on the
island will be able to overcome their problems by themselves. Meanwhile,
Weston stated that the US administration has asked Turkey to increase its
efforts to contribute to the peace talks. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] DUTCH INTERIOR MINISTER: “WE WON’T BLOCK ADDING THE PKK TO EU
TERRORIST LIST”
Speaking at the Dutch Parliament yesterday, Dutch Interior Minister Klaas
de Vries said the Netherlands would not veto adding the terrorist group PKK
to the European Union’s official list of such groups, as it had previously
done along with other EU members. De Vries also said that he didn’t want
his country to stand alone in opposing adding the PKK terrorist group to
the list. /Sabah/
[05] GREEK DEFENSE MINISTER: “TURKEY POSES A MAJOR THREAT TO GREECE”
In an interview in the current issue of defense community newsweekly
Defense News, Greek Defense Minister Yannos Papantoniou makes aggressive
remarks about Turkish-Greek relations, arguing that Turkey poses a major
threat towards Greek territories. Papantoniou also states that Greece will
purchase new weapons as part of its new defense policy. “Turkey is the
biggest threat to Greece,” says Papantoniou. “Under our new defense policy,
Greece will purchase new tanks and planes as well as many other pieces of
defense equipment. Greece spends 5% of its gross national product [GNP] on
defense.” Meanwhile, Turkish Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu stated
that Turkey would respond to Papantoniopu’s remarks in the future should
the need arise. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] “EU COMMISSION: “TURKEY IS ON THE RIGHT PATH”
The European Union Commission recently released its spring 2002 report
evaluating the economies of EU member and candidate countries. The
Commission states in its report that Turkey suffered from a major economic
crisis last year but had done its utmost to overcome the crisis, and had
emerged as remarkably successful in its economic and financial policies.
The report voices the EU’s belief that just as Turkey’s inflation rate will
soon begin to fall, the growth of the Turkish economy will move upward
significantly as well. The report also adds that positive developments
expected within the structure of the EU will positively influence the
Turkish economy. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] NEW CONDITIONAL RELEASE BILL APPROVED AT JUSTICE COMMISSION
A bill proposing amendments to the Conditional Release Law was yesterday
approved at the parliamentary Justice Commission. The bill was then sent to
the full Parliament to be debated. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said
that some 3-5,000 people could be released under the new arrangements.
/Turkiye/
[08] US SCHOLAR: “VIOLENT ARMENIAN ATTACKS LED TURKS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES”
Istanbul Yeditepe University yesterday hosted a conference on “The Facts
About Armenian Genocide Allegations.” Speaking at the conference, US
scholar Professor Justin McCarthy of Louisville University in Kentucky
issued a stinging rebuke of the Armenian “genocide” allegations. McCarthy
contended that the facts proved that no “genocide” had ever occurred, that
on the contrary, Turks had been forced to defend themselves from violent
unprovoked Armenian attacks during wartime. He went on to stress that the
Armenian allegations were prompted by a desire to claim financial
compensation and territorial concessions and that Turks would never give
into these false and malicious claims. /Hurriyet/
[09] IRAQI TURKOMAN FRONT CELEBRATES 7TH ANNIVERSARY
The seventh anniversary of the Iraqi Turkoman Front was celebrated in
Ankara yesterday. Cabinet ministers and parliamentarians attended the
reception hosted by Iraqi Turkoman Front representative in Turkey Dr.
Mustafa Ziya, and they discussed a possible US operation in Iraq and the
Iraqi Turkoman’s situation. Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu remarked
that Turkey’s policy on Iraq aimed to protect and preserve the existence of
the Iraqi Turkomans. /Turkiye/
[10] REMARKS SPARK DISCUSSION OF TWO-ROUND ELECTION SYSTEM
Remarks made by Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu during a
Parliament reception for April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
regarding the possibility of a two-round election system in Turkey made
waves in political circles yesterday. Pointing to the success of extreme
right-wing politician Jean Marie Le Pen in last Sunday’s French elections,
adding that Le Pen then faced another election round, Gen. Kivrikoglu said
that a two-round election system would better serve Turkey in blocking
marginal parties from coming to power. True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu
Ciller also said that she favored a two-round election system. Speaking at
her party’s parliamentary group meeting, Ciller said, “While retaining the
10% threshold, let’s implement a two-round election system, which would
serve to unite the center-right and center-left and ensure stability in our
political life.” In addition, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi weighed in on
the idea, remarking that the system in question had not been implemented in
Turkey because it carried certain disadvantages. When Kivrikoglu spoke he
was speaking for himself, Izgi added. /Turkiye/
[11] TOSKAY CRITICIZES JOB SECURITY MEASURES
State Minister Tunca Toskay spoke out yesterday on measures to increase job
security in Turkey, saying that policies that would raise labor costs
immediately after a 9.4% economic contraction “don’t make economic sense.”
Addressing a chemical industry sector meeting in Istanbul, Toskay recounted
how the industry had only recently emerged from two crises over the last
two years and that the sector still faced serious problems ahead. While
unemployment remains high, he continued, the government must be cautious
about job security measures, which he said should be implemented at the
proper time. “If the economy grows by 7% or more for three, four or five
years in a row, and everyone is in good spririts,” he argued, “then we can
address the issues of social security. But just after Turkey’s economy
contracted 9.4%, I cannot approve of steps which would increase labor
costs. They don’t make economic sense, nor are they compatible with social
justice.” Elaborating on this last point, Toskay said that the government
had a social responsibility to provide jobs to the unemployed, even at
minimum wage. He said that he wanted private sector players to unite to
voice their opposition to such job security measures. /Turkish Daily News/
[12] MONETARY COUNCIL MEMBER GIVES OK ON EXCHANGE RATES
A key member of the Turkish Council on Monetary Policy yesterday expressed
disapproval of recent statements concerning exchange rates between the
Turkish lira and foreign currency made by State Economy Minister Kemal
Dervis as well as International Monetary Fund and World Bank officials.
Professor Guven Sak, a founding member of the independent body founded last
year to establish monetary policies with the Turkish government, called
such statements an “interference in the market.” History shows us, he said,
that the pattern in such crises is a sharp initial rise in exchange rates
followed by a slowing of this trend and then movement in the opposite
direction. Therefore, he cautioned, economic growth cannot be achieved by
increasing exports but rather by boosting domestic demand. Sak also warned
the private sector not to pursue unwise pricing policies. He added that he
would ask World Bank Turkey representative Ajay Chibber why he had made
such statements. /Milliyet/
[13] WORLD TURKISH BUSINESSMEN GATHER IN ISTANBUL
Some 2,000 Turkish businessmen converging from countries around the world
will meet today in Istanbul as part of the Fourth World Turkish
Businessmen’s Convention. The convention, organized jointly by the World
Turkish Businessmen’s and Turkish Foreign Trade Foundation, as well as the
Foreign Ministry and Foreign Trade Undersecretariat will last through April
27. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit are both
expected to address the meeting. /Turkiye/
[14] RED CRESCENT AID ARRIVES IN JENIN AND RAMALLAH
Aid sent by Kizilay (the Turkish Red Crescent) to the Palestinians arrived
yesterday in the Jenin refugee camp and Ramallah. Four large truckloads of
food and medical aid were distributed by a nine-person Kizilay staff sent
to the region. /Turkiye/
[15] AMSTERDAM HOSTS TURKISH THEATRE FESTIVAL
This year’s Turkish Theatre Festival, the fifth staging of the annual event,
is slated for May 1-12 in Amsterdam. The festival is organized through the
joint efforts of the Dutch Culture Ministry, the Turkish-Dutch Theatre
Foundation and the Amsterdam Municipality with the aim of promoting
bilateral cultural relations. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[17] NO MAGIC WAND, BUT...... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek
counterpart George Papandreou’s visit to the Middle East. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“What can be expected from Cem and Papandreou’s Middle East mission? The
answer is clear: not much. The Turkish and Greek foreign ministers are also
saying that no concrete immediate results should be expected from the
visit. Neither Papandreou nor Cem is carrying a magic wand which could
straighten out the situation in the Middle East. US Secretary of State
Powell lacked such a wand when he embarked on his visit to the Middle East
on which all hopes were pinned. If he had, he would not have returned to
Washington empty-handed. So why then did Cem and Papandreou undertake the
responsibility for such an impossible mission? Both sides believe that
stopping the clashes in the region and establishing peace are in the
advantage of their own countries. Up to now, neither the US nor the EU has
been able to solve the crisis, but efforts are continuing. Therefore,
whoever is in a position to have his voice heard and whose location is
convenient must help with these efforts. Turkish and Greek diplomatic
circles, even though limited, do have such a potential. In the words of one
Turkish official, ‘If we do not hold the standard for expectations high,
even a modest result from this mission will carry importance.’ Moreover, no
harm will come from such a mission. No one will blame Ankara or Athens if
the mission fails. On the contrary, everyone will congratulate both
countries for exerting efforts with good will. In fact, at the beginning of
the mission the US, the EU and Egypt, one of the leading Arab countries,
all expressed their support for the trip. What is more, Turkey and Greece’s
getting together hand-in-hand for such a mission has surprised the
international community. The two rival states, even though they have some
serious questions among themselves waiting solutions, have established a
constructive dialogue for such a good cause. This has a symbolic
significance. Such a common initiative could not be dreamed of even a few
years ago. While they are holding talks in the most complicated region of
the world, Cem and Papandreou will say, ‘Do as we did. Establish a dialogue
and try to solve your problems by talking.’ Certainly both sides are trying
to gain from this mission. Turkey will have entered the scene in the Middle
East in line with the desires of the public. Launching such an initiative
with EU member Greece sends a message to the EU on the importance of
Turkey’s location and role. In short, this mission is serving as a public
relations mission. There is no peace plan Cem and Papandreou will present
to both sides. However, they have some recommendations such as suggesting
to them to begin negotiations immediately. Certainly, it will not be easy.
However, what is important is somehow beginning an Israeli-Palestinian
dialogue and searching for a solution to the problems having priority in
parallel with the negotiations process aimed at a political solution. Just
as in Turkish-Greek relations...
Certainly, Turkish-Greek disputes are different in nature than those
between Israel and Palestine. However, in crisis management and methods for
seeking a solution, everyone has lessons to learn and benefit from others.”
[18] WAS IT WORTH IT? BY SEMIH IDIZ (STAR)
Columnist Semih Idiz writes on the Middle East problem. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“It seems as if the suicide bombings have stopped following the operation
Israel launched on the Palestinian territories. Only time will tell if they
will start again in the future. However, these attacks are not taking place
nowadays, when they are expected the most. Certainly, everyone and common
sense would dictate it to continue this way. This state of affairs has
encouraged all the hawks, namely Ariel Sharon. They may say that the
Palestinians are now cowering in fear after they acted determinedly and
harshly. Israelis did not care a whit about the anger of the international
community, and many unpleasant metaphors and harsh labels were attached to
them in recent weeks. In other words, they could not care less. Israel does
not attach importance to the UN or the EU. Certainly, it empowers them to
take the support of the US. However, even if the US administration changed
its pro-Israeli policy, it would not result in a significant change in
Israel. In other words, if necessary, the Israeli government would have
defied even the US. Here it is not important what foreign countries say,
but what happens within the country. Terrorist attacks resulting in the
death of increasing number of innocent civilians had become ordinary
occurrences. These attacks had led the Israeli in the street to cry out,
‘Stop this violence, no matter the cost.’ I won’t dwell on the history of
the suicide bombings, their political or sociological causes and whether
the savage Israeli operations against them are right or wrong. My question
is to Arafat: Was it worth approving of the terror campaign if the
Palestinian administration and its infrastructure built after long, hard
efforts would be destroyed? From whom did the Palestinians expect any help?
From the UN, which could muster neither the strength nor the will in the
face of the incidents in Bosnia? From the EU, which is unreliable in such
issues, or from the Arab World, which I believe has done nothing but shed
crocodile’s tears for the Palestinians? What exactly did Arafat gain?
Sharon has been squeezed into a corner. He now has to accept concepts such
as an ‘independent Palestine’ or ‘halting Jewish settlements.’ This is
Sharon’s blunder. He stirred up the conflict just to prevent the peace
process covering these matters, and the situation has led to a point he
least wanted. What Arafat gained from this conflict was the support of the
Palestinian people. Formerly, there were groups espousing different views
such as Hamas, Hizbullah and many other factions. This may be an
achievement. But when its cost to the Palestinian people is considered, one
cannot help but asking, was it worth it? Is it leadership?”
ARCHIVE
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