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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-09Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: 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 morning09.09.2003FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] NEW JUDICIAL YEAR BEGINSThe new judicial year began yesterday with a ceremony at Ankara’s Court of Appeals headquarters. Attending the ceremony were President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and several Cabinet members. Speaking to the gathering, High Court of Appeals head Eraslan Ozkaya said, “People seeking unlimited freedom of belief and conscience share the selfsame aim as those wanting to establish an Islamic state.” Turkish Bar Association (TBB) Chairman Ozdemir Ozok, meaniwhile, stressed the need for reform of the judicial system and decried the judiciary’s inadequate share of the national budget. Commenting on Eraslan’s speech, Erdogan told reporters that his remarks had shown “an ugly and negative stance.” Meanwhile, Sezer, a former Constitutional Court chief justice, sent a message to the Court of Appeals to mark the new judicial year. Remarking that the rule of law along with its organizations and regulations was a pillar of today’s modern democratic regimes. Sezer pointed to the importance of a free and independent judiciary. “Judicial decisions are binding not only on the people but also on the rulers and administrative organs,” added the president. /All Papers/[02] GUL SET TO VISIT ATHENS, PAPANDREOU TO VISIT CYPRUSForeign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to visit Athens in October to discuss the Aegean and Cyprus issues with Greek officials. Sources stated that Turkish and Greek officials might find new avenues to solve their common problems in the wake of promising contacts between Gul and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou at last week’s EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Italy. Meanwhile, Papandreou is also set to soon visit Greek Cyprus to urge its government to once again work on the plan proposed by UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan. He has called Annan’s plan the only path for a permanent solution on the island. /Cumhuriyet/[03] ILHAM ALIYEV MEETS WITH SEZER, ERDOGAN AND GULIlhan Aliyev, the son of ailing Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, yesterday arrived in Ankara to meet separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Aliyev is a candidate in Azerbaijan’s presidential elections scheduled for Oct. 15. Speaking after his meeting with Erdogan, Aliyev said that he expected Turkey’s support to help ensure stability in Azerbaijan. Touching on the upcoming polls, Erdogan called for the elections to be conducted fairly and transparently. “Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan and it will continue to do so in the future,” he added. /Aksam/[04] WASHINGTON OFFERS ANKARA THREE PROPOSALS ON TURKISH TROOP DEPLOYMENTSThe Bush administration has reportedly offered Ankara three proposals concerning possible Turkish troop deployments in Iraq. These proposals lay out three alternate missions for Turkish troops, with distinct numbers and locations for each mission. Diplomatic sources stated that the General Staff Office and Foreign Ministry will discuss these alternatives this week and are expected to begin negotiations with Washington next week. Representatives from the US State Department, the Pentagon and the CIA are also set to visit Ankara next week to discuss Washington’s plans on the fight against the terrorist group PKK_KADEK. In addition, delegations from nine major Iraqi tribes as well as Iraq’s Governing Council are also to visit Ankara this week. /Cumhuriyet/[05] DENIZLI GOVERNOR YAZICIOGLU PASSES AWAYRecep Yazicioglu, the governor of the western Anatolian province of Denizli, passed away yesterday from severe injuries incurred in a recent car accident. He was 55. Doctors confirmed Yazicioglu's brain death last week, but he continued to live with the help of a respirator. Doctors said that Yazicioglu’s battle for life ended after his other organs stopped functioning. /All papers/[06] BUSH REMARK ON NORTHERN IRAQ STOKES CONCERN IN ANKARAUS President George W. Bush’s recent public declaration that northern Iraq is moving towards “self-government” has renewed concerns in Ankara over the key region, government sources said yesterday. “The north of Iraq is generally stable and is moving forward with reconstruction and self- government,” said Bush in a major televised policy address on Iraq to both the public and Congress on Sunday. Diplomatic sources stated that Ankara is planning to convey its concern over Bush’s remarks as soon as possible. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that his government was steering clear of heated emotion on the issue and further underlined that Iraq’s Governing Council is meant to govern all of Iraq, including the north. “We’re closely following developments,” added Erdogan. “Iraqi representatives’ statements on the issue so far have been contradictory. They’re letting emotionalism carry them away. However, experience has taught us that now is the time for all parties to stay rational and calm, which is why I’m holding back comment on the issue. Let’s just wait and see.” Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul remarked that Bush’s statement had been misunderstood by certain circles. “He meant that new sectors would be established in northern Iraq,” said Gul. “I don’t think his speech had anything to do with the establishment of an independent Kurdish state in the region.” /Sabah/[07] IPUK HEAD CLAIMS ISKENDERUN HARBOR BELONGS TO SYRIAIn the course of reiterating that he opposes Turkey’s involvement in northern Iraq, Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani yesterday claimed that Turkey’s Iskenderun Harbor, a Mediterranean part in the province of Hatay, belonged to neighboring Syria. “If Turkey doesn’t cease interfering in Kirkuk, the Iraqi Kurds will support Syrians’ attempts to seize Iskenderun Harbor,” said Talabani. Hatay has been a Turkish province since the early days of modern Turkey, when its residents freely voted to join the Turkish Republic. /Hurriyet/[08] TURKISH OFFICIALS COMPLAIN OF PKK_KADEK BUREAU IN TOKYOTurkish officials yesterday conveyed to a Japanese delegation visiting Ankara their concern over a bureau of the PKK_KADEK terrorist group recently opening in Tokyo. Deputy Parliament Speaker Yilmaz Ates told delegation head Shoji Motooka that Turkey had been greatly distressed to hear of the terrorist PKK opening the office three months ago, adding that that Ankara expected Japan to show proper consideration concerning the PKK, which took thousands of lives in Turkey. Motooka said in response that Japanese law allowed the opening of such offices and foundations. “However, ” he added, “I’ll take care of the matter when I return to my country.” /Hurriyet/[09] INTERIOR MINISTER AKSU LEAVES FOR ISRAELInterior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu yesterday flew to Israel for an official visit. Speaking before leaving, Aksu said his visit was meant to further cooperation under a 1994 Turkish-Israeli pact to combat narcotic and drug smuggling as well as terrorism and organized crime. Aksu stated that Turkey was party to security cooperation agreements with 62 countries, adding that Ankara placed great importance on world peace /Anatolia News Agency/[10] ISRAELI COMMANDER VISITS ANKARAIsraeli Land Forces Commander Gen. Yiftach Ron Tal yesterday visited his Turkish counterpart Gen. Aytac Yalman. Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Gen. Yalman stated that their relations were rooted in the history built up between the land forces of Turkey and Israel, two powerful Middle Eastern countries. He noted that there was continued cooperation between the two land forces in the areas of military training, the defense industry, science and technology. “I believe that Gen. Tal’s visit will further improve our current level of cooperation,” added Gen. Yalman. “This meeting will also provide us with an opportunity to discuss regional problems and possible solutions.” /Cumhuriyet/[11] DEFENSE MINISTER GONUL TO ATTEND WEAPONS FAIR IN LONDONDefense Minister Vecdi Gonul yesterday flew to London to meet with Geoff Hoon, Britain’s secretary of defense, and to attend the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI) weapons fair, Europe’s largest. Gonul is expected to return to Ankara on Thursday. /Anatolia News Agency/[12] STATE MINISTER TUZMEN TO ATTEND WTO MEETING IN MEXICOState Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday left for Mexico to attend the fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Speaking before his departure, Tuzmen said that state ministers from 147 countries would attend the conference in Cancun. He added that during the meeting, he would have the opportunity to seek solutions to problems faced by Turkish exporters. /Anatolia News Agency/[13] IMF’S BREKK TOUTS POSITIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTSAfter arriving in Ankara yesterday, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey representative Odd Per Brekk praised the nation’s recent positive economic developments. He said that chronic high inflation was on the wane and called Turkey’s 20% inflation target for this year achievable, adding that the 5% growth target was also feasible. Brekk also praised Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s commitment to continue to fully implement the IMF-supported economic program. He also urged the government to stick with this year’s 6.5% primary surplus target, adding that he would discuss with officials certain assertive budget measures needed to achieve this. /Milliyet/[14] BAYKAL ATTENDS REOPENING CEREMONY OF KONAK SQUARE IN IZMIROpposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday attended the reopening ceremony for historic Konak Square in Izmir. The gala showed off the Izmir Municipality’s work in restoring the 210,000 square meters of historic Konak Square and its surrounding buildings over a one-year period. /Turkish Daily News/[15] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[16] IN SUM... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on three important issues in Turkey’s foreign policy. A summary of his column is as follows:“Last week, when I took a break in my columns, we saw interesting developments in three perennial issues in Turkish foreign policy, namely Iraq, the European Union and Cyprus. As for the Iraq issue, the government is continuing to mull over sending soldiers to Iraq in the light of multilateral contacts and controversial statements by Hoshyar Zebari, Iraq’s new foreign minister under the temporary Governing Council in Baghdad, who got a rebuke from Ankara over his unwillingness to see our soldiers in his country. Actually Zebari wants to make his Kurdish-oriented position the dominant one, and there are others in the 25-person council of the same mind, just as there are certain circles who don’t want to see Turkish soldiers in Iraq. Ankara tried to discipline Zebari by putting the US in the loop. As a matter of fact, Zebari then backtracked. However, the feelings and views of those of like mind might not have changed. In making the final decision, our decision-makers should consider this fact. As for the EU issue, the upshot of the latest visits to the continent by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was this: ‘The leaders of the top tier EU member countries are voicing support for Turkey’s membership, but there are still certain European leaders who consider the Union a ‘Christian club.’ Gul’s words aimed at disproving this are welcome, but his arguments need to reach the opposing circles and spur them to think more deeply. Actually does the EU want to remain a ‘compact Europe’ within its narrow borders or would it prefer to become a multicultural, strong and wider Europe? Its stance on the membership of Turkey, which has done its homework quickly and remained steadfast in its EU quest, is a test which will determine the EU’s future. The Cyprus issue is stuck in its deadlock, with the only movement being seen in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) domestic policy. In the leadup to TRNC general elections set for December, three opposition parties have joined forces to declare that if they win a majority in Parliament, they will oust President Rauf Denktas from his post as negotiator. This is a major development. Ankara was shocked when an angry Denktas lashed out at the opposition parties and said that he would continue his struggle with Anatolia’s support if necessary. But as Gul rejoined, the important thing is Denktas’ ability to ensure his own people’s support. Obviously this can’t be done with words that are both harsh and inappropriate to current conditions. Consensus is necessary not only between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, but also within the TRNC itself.” ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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