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Turkish Press Review, 03-08-29

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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

29.08.2003

AUG. 30 VICTORY DAY TO BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT TURKEY AND THE TRNC ERDOGAN RECEIVES FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH BARTOLOMEOS VICE ADM. ALPKAYA HANDS OVER NAVY HELM TO OZDEN ORNEK US AMBASSADOR EDELMAN: “LOAN IS UNRELATED TO TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE” DENKTAS MEETS WITH ISTANBUL DISTRICT MAYOR SARIGUL COLLECTIVE BARGAINING MEETINGS TO CONTINUE GOVT REPORTEDLY SEEKING TO CURB PRESIDENTIAL POWERS IN BID TO BYPASS REFERENDUM ON FORMER FORESTLAND MEASURE RTUK SUBMITS THREE CANDIDATES FOR TRT HELM TURKEY TO SELL ELECTRICITY TO IRAQ CELIK: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESUBMIT BILL ON PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE POOR” TURKEY TAKES GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS… WHY SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ? BY H. BULENT KAHRAMAN (RADIKAL) WHAT ISSUES IS TURKEY DEALING WITH? BY IRFAN SAPMAZ (STAR)

CONTENTS

  • [01] AUG. 30 VICTORY DAY TO BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT TURKEY AND THE TRNC
  • [02] ERDOGAN RECEIVES FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH BARTOLOMEOS
  • [03] VICE ADM. ALPKAYA HANDS OVER NAVY HELM TO OZDEN ORNEK
  • [04] US AMBASSADOR EDELMAN: “LOAN IS UNRELATED TO TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE”
  • [05] DENKTAS MEETS WITH ISTANBUL DISTRICT MAYOR SARIGUL
  • [06] COLLECTIVE BARGAINING MEETINGS TO CONTINUE
  • [07] GOVT REPORTEDLY SEEKING TO CURB PRESIDENTIAL POWERS IN BID TO BYPASS REFERENDUM ON FORMER FORESTLAND MEASURE
  • [08] RTUK SUBMITS THREE CANDIDATES FOR TRT HELM
  • [09] TURKEY TO SELL ELECTRICITY TO IRAQ
  • [10] CELIK: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESUBMIT BILL ON PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE POOR”
  • [11] TURKEY TAKES GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
  • [12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
  • [13] WHY SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ? BY H. BULENT KAHRAMAN (RADIKAL)
  • [14] WHAT ISSUES IS TURKEY DEALING WITH? BY IRFAN SAPMAZ (STAR)

  • [01] AUG. 30 VICTORY DAY TO BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT TURKEY AND THE TRNC

    Aug. 30 Victory and Turkish Armed Forces Day is set to be celebrated tomorrow throughout Turkey and also in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The day’s first ceremony will take place at Anitkabir, the Ankara mausoleum of Republic of Turkey founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and the commanders of Turkey’s air, naval and gendarmerie forces will attend the ceremony. Later, Ozkok along with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will witness ceremonies to be held at Ankara's Ataturk Culture Center. The commemorative events will end with a reception hosted by Ozkok. /All papers/

    [02] ERDOGAN RECEIVES FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH BARTOLOMEOS

    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Istanbul Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomeos. Speaking after their meeting, Bartholomeos said that he had the opportunity to brief Erdogan on problems facing the patriarchate. “Our problems are both political and legal,” he said. He stated that Erdogan had told him that their problems would be considered with good will, adding that he was sure that Turkey would soon find a solution to their differences. /All papers/

    [03] VICE ADM. ALPKAYA HANDS OVER NAVY HELM TO OZDEN ORNEK

    Vice Adm. Bulent Alpkaya, the retiring Turkish Naval Forces commander, yesterday handed over the navy’s helm to Adm. Ozden Ornek in a ceremony attended by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, among others. Speaking at the ceremony, Alpkaya said that Ataturk's principles and reforms and the secular and democratic framework of the Turkish Republic had been his guide throughout his assignment, adding that his steadfast aim has always been protecting the secular, democratic Turkish Republic. Alpkaya said that over the past two years the Turkish Naval Forces had participated in 66 military exercises and has also expanded its assistance to other countries’ navies in addition to activities carried out under the aegis of NATO and regional alliances. The need for shipments of oil and natural gas from the Middle East and the Caucasus has increased the importance of harbors, said the admiral, and such responsibilities will require an even more skillful navy. /All papers/

    [04] US AMBASSADOR EDELMAN: “LOAN IS UNRELATED TO TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE”

    There is no relation between the extension of an $8.5 billion US loan to Turkey and Ankara possibly sending troops to Iraq, US Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman said yesterday. At a reception in honor of a visiting US delegation, Edelman commented on recent press comments by Treasury Undersecretary John Taylor interpreted by some to mean Ankara can only receive the loan if it sends troops to Iraq. “I haven’t seen the full text of the interview,” said Edelmen. “However, I don’t think that’s what he meant. The only possible condition for the loan would be continued cooperation between our countries. These two matters shouldn’t be linked.” The ambassador also stated that in his view, Ankara’s sending troops to Iraq would serve Turkey’s own national interests. “But of course the final decision rests with you government,” he added. _Turkiye

    [05] DENKTAS MEETS WITH ISTANBUL DISTRICT MAYOR SARIGUL

    Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday met Mustafa Sarigul, the mayor of Istanbul’s Sisli district. During their talks, Sarigul praised Denktas’s continuing defense of the TRNC and his sacrifices for that cause. Later, asked his views on possible Turkish troop deployment to Iraq, Denktas said commenting on the issue would be inappropriate, as he was not part of Ankara’s decision-making establishment. “Turkey will make the best decision,” he added confidently. “I hope the United Nations Security Council also passes a resolution on the issue.” He said international legitimacy would smooth the way for deployment. /Anatolia News Agency/

    [06] COLLECTIVE BARGAINING MEETINGS TO CONTINUE

    Representatives of the government and civil servants’ unions are scheduled to gather today for the fourth time under collective bargaining meetings which began on Aug. 15. During the meetings headed by State Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin, salary increases for next year will be discussed. If today’s meetings prove inconclusive, the sides will continue their meetings tomorrow. If an agreement still remains out of reach, new meetings will be held under a Reconciliation Council with four scholars and the head of the Higher Judge’s Council. /Turkiye/

    [07] GOVT REPORTEDLY SEEKING TO CURB PRESIDENTIAL POWERS IN BID TO BYPASS REFERENDUM ON FORMER FORESTLAND MEASURE

    The Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is reportedly exploring ways to limit presidential powers before re-passing a constitutional amendment on the sale of former forestland. The amendment was vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer earlier this month and sent back to Parliament for reconsideration. The Constitution grants the president the right to call for a national referendum if Parliament passes the amendment without making any changes. With this in mind, the government is reportedly working a formula which would deny the president the referendum option on a previously vetoed amendment provided the amendment is reapproved by Parliament with more than 367 votes, a two-thirds majority which the AKP holds. /Sabah/

    [08] RTUK SUBMITS THREE CANDIDATES FOR TRT HELM

    The Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) yesterday nominated three contenders from an initial field of 114 as final candidates for the directorship of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT). The three figures nominated were Senol Demiroz, Mustafa Ruhi Sirin and Sacettin Gurbuz. The Cabinet will choose one of the three candidates, and then submit that name to the president for his approval. /All Papers/

    [09] TURKEY TO SELL ELECTRICITY TO IRAQ

    Turkey will sign an electricity sale deal with Iraq next month, said a statement issued yesterday by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry. The statement added that Turkey’s electricity sales to Iraq are expected to begin with an initial 50 megawatts per year and eventually grow to 200 megawatts. /Cumhuriyet/

    [10] CELIK: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL RESUBMIT BILL ON PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION FOR THE POOR”

    Education Minister Huseyin Celik said yesterday that the government would resubmit to Parliament a bill to make private school education available to poor children. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the bill earlier this month, arguing that it would pave the way for students to be educated with a mentality contradicting the basic principles of the secular, democratic Republic in schools founded by certain circles. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] TURKEY TAKES GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

    Turkey’s team yesterday took the crown of world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Junior Wrestling Championship held in Istanbul. Both Seref Tufenk, competing in the men's 66 kg category, and Yavuz Guvendi, competing in men's 120 kg category, won gold medals. /Anatolia News Agency/

    [12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…

    [13] WHY SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ? BY H. BULENT KAHRAMAN (RADIKAL)

    Columnist H. Bulent Kahraman writes on possible Turkish troop deployments in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows: “Today I’d like to tell you what I think about the Turkish troop deployment issue. Let’s not mince words: Under the present circumstances, there is no good reason for Turkey to send its troops to Iraq. Sending our soldiers there would be sheer insanity. Here are my reasons for thinking so: There’s only one reason why our government is evidently so willing to deploy troops in Iraq, but the prime minister is being coy about it. Whenever Erdogan talks about the issue, he makes vague and confusing statements. As a matter of fact, he made promises to Washington even before becoming prime minister that Turkey would do whatever the Bush administration wanted if the US gave full support to our European Union membership bid. However, due to greater-than-expected domestic opposition, Erdogan failed to keep his promise during the Iraq war. Now he wants to change all this. In addition, we don’t know what was discussed and agreed upon between the IMF and our government during their latest meetings. My point is that the only reason why Erdogan’s government wants to send troops to Iraq is to mend strained relations with Washington. But as the government feels it can’t be straightforward on this issue, when asked about it AKP officials are often reduced to making ridiculous statements. The other significant point is that our country wants to prevent the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq. However, Washington has already decided to handle this problem on its own, cutting Ankara out. We all know that the Bush administration wants Turkish troops deployed in Baghdad. Our soldiers’ mission will be exclusively restricted to the Iraqi capital. (But maybe our government doesn’t know that!) Under these circumstances, the US will use our soldiers as a tool for its selfish purposes, in other words, as collaborators for its dirty and difficult jobs in Baghdad. It’s also clear that this time it’s the US alone against the whole world. However, Washington will sooner or later have to sit at the table with other countries to fix the mess it made in the Middle East. When the negotiations begin, no one will remember Turkey and its national interests. Let’s recall the US plans for the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq, a well-known project which is also supported by France and Britain. If Turkey gets involved in this war, we’ll have to content ourselves with minor and secondary benefits. Nobody should expect more. The last point is the problems of Iraq’s Turkmen groups and the issues of Mosul and Kirkuk, two favorite subjects of our ‘old ultra-nationalists.’ It’s true that the Ottoman Empire once held these territories, and it’s again true that these lands were taken from us by using unjust methods. These are both historical facts. However, these facts do not give us the right to pursue imperialistic policies today. I wonder what our government will say on this issue?”

    [14] WHAT ISSUES IS TURKEY DEALING WITH? BY IRFAN SAPMAZ (STAR)

    Columnist Irfan Sapmaz comments on the issues Turkey is dealing with and which it should deal with. A summary of his column is as follows: “Speaking at the Turkish Air Forces command handover ceremony yesterday, retiring Gen. Cumhur Asparuk said, ‘While other nations control the world from outer space, unfortunately we’re still caught up in a destructive cycle of preoccupation with the Blue Stream Project, religious schools, women wearing headscarves, religious sects, and clothes worn in other cultures. We live in the information age. Those who have information and can use it wisely will be victorious on the world stage. In the future, you will witness Turkish scientists and businessmen’s work on radar, something which the world has yet to discover. We should support them. We should deal with these issues. Such discoveries will make us respectable and help us prevail.’ When a great many third world countries which take Turkey as their model see us dealing with these issues, they make fun of us, saying, ‘Look at Great Ataturk’s Turkey!’ However, unfortunately Turkey really is preoccupied with such issues as Gen. Asparuk mentioned. Mostly the media is responsible. Our columnists try and act like intellectuals, but they fail to see Turkey as it really is. In addition, certain forces claiming to protect Turkey’s values have harmed the country greatly as well. However, the blameless Anatolian people have remained mute through all this. In other words, only the ‘reasonable majority’ speaks and makes decisions, with the ‘reasonable minority’ surfacing only now and again to vote. As Gen. Asparuk said, Turkey should open doors for our gifted scientists and young people. Unfortunately our truly valuable people aren’t in the places they deserve. Ataturk’s Turkey doesn’t deserve this situation. We lack a government policy, not to mention statesmen who can look ahead and plan for the decade to come. The only institution projecting itself into our nation’s future is the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). However, we must continue to develop not only our military, but also our civilian assets.”

    ARCHIVE

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