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Turkish Press Review, 02-07-17
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
17.07.2002
FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] LEADERS AGREE TO HOLD ELECTIONS ON NOV. 3
[02] GOVERNMENT LOSES ITS MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT
[03] YILMAZ MEETS WITH SLOVAKIAN PRESIDENT
[04] YILMAZ: “EUROPE CANNOT LEAVE US OUT”
[05] HIGHER BOARD OF ELECTIONS: “NOVEMBER ELECTIONS WOULD STRAIN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE LIMIT”
[06] DERVIS: “THERE IS NO PROBLEM, THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE”
[07] WOLFOWITZ SPEAKS ABOUT A STRIKE ON IRAQ
[08] TOSKAY MEETS WITH IMF OFFICIALS
[09] TOBB CHAIRMAN: “TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP IS IMPORTANT FOR THE EU”
[10] CILLER CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN
[11] AKP SECONDS CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY SESSION ON MONDAY
[12] ERDOGAN: “I AM NO ISLAMIST”
[13] OPPOSITION PARTIES WELCOME EARLY ELECTIONS
[14] BAYKAL: “NOW PARLIAMENT SHOULD SET A DATE FOR EARLY ELECTIONS”
[15] WORLD BANK TO RELEASE EDUCATION LOAN TO TURKEY
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[17] FOREIGN POLICY WON’T CHANGE, BUT ... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[18] ALLIES OF THE UNITED STATES BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)
[19] IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY BY SEDAT SERTOGLU (SABAH)
[01] LEADERS AGREE TO HOLD ELECTIONS ON NOV. 3
At a gathering chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit at the residence of
the Prime Ministry yesterday morning, Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli
and Mesut Yilmaz, leaders of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and the
Motherland Party (ANAP) respectively, reached a consensus to hold early
elections on Nov. 3, as previously proposed by the MHP. The leaders
reportedly agreed to discuss the topic at their parties’ councils.
Meanwhile, recently appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Sukru Sina Gurel attended the leaders’ meeting for the first time. /All
Papers/
[02] GOVERNMENT LOSES ITS MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT
With six additional defections yesterday from the Democratic Left Party
(DSP), the coalition government lost its majority in Parliament. The DSP
fell to become the fourth-largest party in Parliament with 69 seats, while
the number of coalition government deputies has fallen to 275. Under the
Constitution, governments may face a vote of confidence when their seats
fall below 276 in the 550-seat Parliament. However, as there are currently
13 vacant positions in Parliament, in practical terms the present
government still holds the majority. Opposition party deputies yesterday
made calls on the government to resign, recalling Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit’s previous statements that the government might withdraw if its
votes fell below 276. /Turkiye/
[03] YILMAZ MEETS WITH SLOVAKIAN PRESIDENT
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
yesterday met with Slovakian Deputy Prime Minister Responsible for the
European Union Maria Kadlecikova. Before the meeting, Yilmaz said, “At the
meeting we will exchange views on EU issues such as the efforts of both
Slovakia and Turkey to join the EU.” Yilmaz said that they would also
discuss relations between the two countries. /Turkiye/
[04] YILMAZ: “EUROPE CANNOT LEAVE US OUT”
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz told a gathering of his party
yesterday that under the present circumstances the Greek Cypriot
administration being admitted to European Union had become inevitable, and
that in such a case Turkey could not be excluded from the Union. Yilmaz
said that Turkey had no alternative other than making the necessary
arrangements and conforming with the EU’s Copenhagen criteria. He added
that if Turkey could achieve this, the EU would set a schedule for it so
that direct talks could begin for its full membership. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] HIGHER BOARD OF ELECTIONS: “NOVEMBER ELECTIONS WOULD STRAIN OUR
ADMINISTRATIVE LIMIT”
Tufan Algan, chairman of the Higher Elections Board, said yesterday that if
Parliament convenes in September and decides to hold elections on Nov. 3,
completing the necessary procedures for elections before that date would be
next to impossible. Remarking on a date for elections, Algan told reporters
that in order to revise the voters’ registration lists, at least three-and-
a-half months were needed to prepare after the declaration of such a
decision. Pointing to the cost of early elections, Algan said, “Elections
would cost at least TL 45-50 trillion, but, we have no money in our budget
to allocate.” He stated that if the goal is to hold elections in November,
a decision should be made by July at the latest. “Next spring would be more
appropriate for proper elections,” Algan added. /Turkiye/
[06] DERVIS: “THERE IS NO PROBLEM, THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE”
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis yesterday met with
International Monetary Fund Executive Director for Europe Willy Kiekens and
IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen. After the meeting, Dervis said that
the work on the economic program was proceeding smoothly and that the
program would continue. Dervis also said that there was no problem
regarding Turkey’s economic policy commitments to the IMF. Dervis called on
everybody to be patient, because the work is going well. “Everyone is
worried about the coming four to five months, and alternatives are being
weighed at the moment, but we have promised that all the alternatives would
involve continued implementation of the program,” Dervis added. Dervis also
met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to discuss recent development in the
economy. /Hurriyet/
[07] WOLFOWITZ SPEAKS ABOUT A STRIKE ON IRAQ
The US’ Bush administration told Ankara yesterday that it was determined to
carry out a military attack on Iraq in any case, with or without Turkey’s
active support. Yesterday the US delegation headed by Deputy Defense
Secretary Paul Wolfowitz along with Deputy Secretary of State Marc Grossman
and Commander in Chief of US European Forces Gen. Joseph Ralston held a
series of meetings with Turkish Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu,
Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
After the meetings, Wolfowitz told reporters that the US knew that Turkey
had some very important and legitimate concerns about Iraq, adding that the
Iraq issue was a very complex one to which there were no simple solutions.
“I came here to learn Turkey’s views on Iraq,” he said. “We will assess and
discuss this opinion when I get back to Washington.” Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit reiterated Turkey’s position that whatever the circumstances, it
could not accept any compromise of Iraq’s territorial integrity, the
establishment of a Kurdish state, or any harm coming to Iraq’s Turkmen
population. Wolfowitz stated that the US administration recognized Turkey’s
sensitivities on the issue and it would take them into consideration, but
also that it was determined to strike at Iraq to bring down Saddam
Hussein’s regime and there was no way it would alter its decision.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] TOSKAY MEETS WITH IMF OFFICIALS
State Minister Tunca Toskay yesterday met with International Monetary Fund
Executive Director for Europe Willy Kiekens and IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha
Kahkonen in order to discuss the effect of the current political atmosphere
on Turkey’s economic program. After the meeting, Toskay told reporters that
high interest rates had been hurting the economy. Toskay also said that the
first five months’ indicators were better that anticipated and the IMF too
accepts the government’s economic projections for the future. /Hurriyet/
[09] TOBB CHAIRMAN: “TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP IS IMPORTANT FOR THE EU”
Speaking at a conference in Spain, Turkish Union of Chambers and
Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said yesterday
that Turkey’s full European Union membership was also important for the EU
itself. “If Turkey obtains EU membership, then the EU markets would enjoy
growth of 9%,” Hisarciklioglu added. Hisarciklioglu called on Spanish
businessmen to support Turkey’s membership bid. The TOBB is visiting EU
member Spain in order to get support for its membership efforts. /Hurriyet/
[10] CILLER CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said yesterday that she welcomed
the idea that early elections would be held on Nov. 3. Ciller called on the
government to convene Parliament for an extraordinary meeting next Monday
and said that if this doesn’t happen, then the DYP would agree with the
date the government partners reach a consensus on. Following a DYP
Chairmanship Council meeting, Ciller said that since the government’s
number of seats in Parliament had fallen below 276, the government had
effectively ended already. Stating that Parliament didn’t have the power to
represent the nation anymore, Ciller added, “It is impossible for
Parliament to work with such a government. We call on the government to
resign.” Ciller suggested that after EU accession laws and revisions to the
Elections and Political Parties Laws were enacted, then elections should be
held. /Aksam/
[11] AKP SECONDS CALL FOR EXTRAORDINARY SESSION ON MONDAY
Leaders of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) stated yesterday that
the AKP would sign onto the True Path Party’s (DYP) proposal that
Parliament should convene next Monday. AKP deputy leader Abdullah Gul said
that the AKP’s idea had been to convene Parliament next Tuesday, but that
it would support the AKP’s proposal so as not to exacerbate the current
political chaos. Following his party’s chairmanship council meeting, Gul
said, “The agenda should be focused on making a decision to hold early
elections. After such a decision is reached, then the EU laws can be
enacted by Parliament.” /Milliyet/
[12] ERDOGAN: “I AM NO ISLAMIST”
In an interview with British daily the Financial Times yesterday, Justice
and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted that he
was not an Islamist. “In my whole political career I never chose the label
Islamist,” he said. “I'm only a Muslim, trying to do what the religion
says.” The newspaper wrote that Erdogan was trying to win back the Turkish
nation’s confidence and given that the Turkish Constitution draws a thick
line between religion and state, it is “hardly surprising” that Erdogan,
the popular ex-mayor of Istanbul, is at pains to make such a distinction.
The newspaper added that Erdogan saw himself as the solution to the
country's current political and economic turmoil. The actual performance of
the AKP, a party still mistrusted by Turkey's secular political
establishment, would depend on whether a new reformist movement could offer
voters an appealing new alternative, the paper predicted. In the interview,
Mr. Erdogan dismissed both his emerging political competition and
suggestions that he may not be eligible to run in elections that could be
held as early as this fall. /Milliyet/
[13] OPPOSITION PARTIES WELCOME EARLY ELECTIONS
Parliament’s opposition parties reacted positively yesterday to coalition
parties’ decision to hold early elections on Nov. 3. Evaluating the early
election date, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan said that it would be
dangerous to topple the current coalition government before a new
government is in the offing. “Turkey is at a critical stage and faces
significant issues such as its European Union accession process and a
possible operation against Iraq,” he said. Justice and Development Party
(AKP) Deputy Group Chairman Mehmet Sahin said that the party would also
support a decision to hold early elections before Nov. 3. True Path Party
(DYP) Group Chairman Turhan Guven said that the party had no issue with a
November election. /Turkiye/
[14] BAYKAL: “NOW PARLIAMENT SHOULD SET A DATE FOR EARLY ELECTIONS”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that now
that the coalition parties had decided on a date for early elections,
Parliament should be convened to make this decision official. Baykal also
stated that current political developments made early elections inevitable
and added, “The opposition parties should also support this decision.”
/Star/
[15] WORLD BANK TO RELEASE EDUCATION LOAN TO TURKEY
The World Bank Executive Board yesterday approved the release of an
educational loan totaling $300 million to Turkey as part of its second 2nd
Adaptable Program Loan (APL II). The World Bank’s Turkey Representative
stated that preschool education and special education were integral parts
of basic education, and that they would be developed thanks to this loan.
Implementation within the first basic education program will be expanded,
and the government’s basic education program for this year through 2005
will also be supported, the WB added. /Aksam/
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[17] FOREIGN POLICY WON’T CHANGE, BUT ... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes about changes that may or may not occur in
Turkish foreign policy due to the recent change of ministers.
“Newly appointed Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said on his first day in
office that no matter who the foreign minister was, Turkish foreign policy
would be carried out unchanged and in a consistent manner, and that the
only changes would be in the details. This applies to all democracies,
including Turkey. There has never been a significant change in Turkish
foreign policy due to the appointment of a new minister and there’s no
indication to suggest that such a change will occur under Gurel. Turkish
foreign policy is based on fundamental principles that no minister can
single-handedly change. Having said this, however, it is true that Gurel’s
appointment as foreign minister was met with concern, especially abroad.
This can be explained by the hard-line stance he had previously taken when
state minister on issues ranging from Cyprus to the European Union.
Naturally, it would be good if he tried to alter his image of being a bit
of a ‘hawk.’ As Gurel said yesterday, the only difference that might occur
would be in the details of how foreign policy is carried out. There might
be a change in the flexible approach that his predecessor Ismail Cem used
to have. Nevertheless it must not be forgotten that even while Cem was at
the post, Turkey’s Cyprus policy, largely formulated by Ecevit, was not
much different than previous policies on Cyprus. The ‘no-concession’
approach to the Cyprus issue is more or less the approach Gurel will take.
The same thing can be said of Turkey’s EU policy. Of course the new
minister wants Turkey to become a member of the EU, and there is no doubt
that he will do all that he can to get a date for the start of accession
negotiations. The key issue, however, is how he will go about doing this.
Ecevit wants to pass the necessary legislation to fulfill the Copenhagen
criteria. The Nationalist Action Party (MHP) has reservations on this
matter. Judging by Gurel’s previous statements, it seems that he has
similar worries. Now, however, he is the foreign minister and has the
responsibility to work to get Turkey into the EU. There are also other
critical matters, such as a possible US intervention in Iraq, that require
fast decision-making on Turkey’s part. So the really important question for
Gurel is whether the government is going to stay in power long enough for
these decisions to be made.”
[18] ALLIES OF THE UNITED STATES BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)
Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on what US Deputy Defense Secretary Paul
Wolfowitz’s recent visit to Turkey actually means in terms of US plans to
launch a military operation against Saddam Hussein. A summary of her column
is as follows:
“The United States has a two-pronged strategy concerning the operation it
is planning to launch against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein: US Deputy
Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz’s recent visit to Turkey on the one
hand, and the recent meeting of Iraqi opposition leaders in London on the
other. Wolfowitz’s visit has demonstrated that the US is trying to persuade
Turkey, a neighbor of Iraq, to support the operation. In addition, a number
of Iraqi opposition leaders met in London to discuss ways of toppling
Saddam and how to run the country after he is out of the picture. The
opposition leaders agreed upon establishing a council which will work as an
extension of the US forces. The council is also expected to try to stir
into action other opposition groups in order to deal a domestic blow to
Saddam’s administration. According to the information recently leaked, the
operation is expected to begin in November, which is also the month for
congressional elections in the US. What is on Bush’s mind is neither his
‘sacred war against terrorism’ nor ‘the welfare of the Iraqi people.’
Instead, he seems to be focused on the polls to be held this fall. The
polls might provide the Bush administration with a tremendous opportunity
to change the disaster of Sept. 11 into a victory for his Republican Party.
Bush’s tool to use the campaign season to boost his votes has already been
selected: the issue of Iraq. The US president has failed so far to capture
Osama bin Laden, but he’s planning to serve Saddam’s head on a platter to
the American people as compensation. Meanwhile, Turkey has already been
working for a long time on various scenarios concerning the operation and
the post-Saddam period. One of the expected scenarios is as follows: Saddam
will be overthrown by his closest compatriots, which means a coup d’état by
his domestic allies. The other scenario is based on stories of espionage.
The CIA might launch a covert operation in Iraq. Despite these alternative
theories, the story which Turkey is mostly focused on goes as follows:
Public riots break out in the country and the Iraqi people themselves
topple Saddam. However, both Ankara and Washington are aware that an Iraqi
opposition needs to be supported by foreign powers in order to be
successful in organizing such riots. That’s why Wolfowitz is not traveling
alone but has been accompanied by US Assistant Secretary of State Marc
Grossman -- a former ambassador to Ankara -- and Commander in Chief of the
US European Command Joseph Ralston on his visit to Turkey. The US is
determined to persuade the Turkish government. Wolfowitz, Grossman and
Ralston are something like an ‘advance guard’ in Turkey, but soon they may
be joined by thousands of American soldiers in their wake.”
[19] IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY BY SEDAT SERTOGLU (SABAH)
Columnist Sedat Sertoglu writes on recent political developments in Turkey.
A summary of his column is as follows:
“In politics, a thick cloud of uncertainty hangs in the air. The number of
deputies in the coalition parties taken together fell below the critical
number of 276. This is a situation where the government should resign in
accordance with the rules of democracy, and what is more, wit the rule of
ethics. However, there are those who silently continue their work within
this turbulent atmosphere. One of them is the Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation Committee... Turkish and Armenian specialists who had
stopped their meetings for a while due to a conflict, met in Bodrum last
week away from curious eyes... We believe that they have made important
decisions in the meeting which took place in a very positive atmosphere.
The request for the meeting had come from the Armenian side. Leaving this
issue aside and returning to Ankara, we see that the Motherland Party
(ANAP) claims that it is sincere on the EU and election issues. An official
from ANAP stated that Nejat Arseven, who is the chairman of the
Reconciliation Committee Interparties, has begun to visit all political
parties with a text prepared on EU issues. He is asking their views, and
next week ANAP will be in the Parliament as the party which undertook the
responsibility of the EU issue. If the other parties accept the text
prepared as it is, the Parliament can convene on July 22, and if they ask
to work on it a little more, on Aug. 1. If they are sincere in the opinions
they have expressed, these bills will be passed. It is interesting for ANAP
to begin working by undertaking political responsibility. It is
praiseworthy behavior. The only party whose stance is clear is the
Nationalist Action Party (MHP). The others all seem to be in favor of
Turkey’s entrance into the EU. One must, wonder what will they do under
these circumstances? Who will have what kind of conditions to vote in favor
of the EU bills?”
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