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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-11Turkish 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 morning11.09.2003FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] AT RACETRACK GROUNDBREAKING, ERDOGAN HAILS ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF FORMULA ONESpeaking yesterday at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new $100 million Formula One Grand Prix racetrack in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that while the government had laid out $27 million to bring the circuit to Turkey, it expected this economic investment to be returned many times over. “This track should be completed by March 2005,” said Erdogan. He recounted how since 1950, Formula One racing had turned into a giant, multi-nation dollar industry, with over 200 countries broadcasting the popular competitions. “These widely-watched shows could greatly bolster Turkey’s image and its drawing power as a tourist destination,” said the premier. “If only 0.2 percent of Formula One’s 1.5 billion fans decide to holiday in Turkey, this means a boost of 3 million tourists, which would send our tourism revenues soaring 30%.” Also speaking at the ceremony, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said he looked forward to Istanbul hosting an F1 race in 2005, adding that the races should help Turkey’s economy. The new track, designed to hold 60,00 spectators, came after years of talks between F1 and the Turkish Automobile and Motor Sports Federation. /All papers/[02] GUL: “THE GOVERNMENT WILL TRACK AND PROMOTE OUR EU REFORMS”Speaking at an Ankara press conference yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the government would establish two new task forces on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, one to monitor EU reforms and the other for public relations. Stressing that this fall Turkey was in a critical period in the runup to its latest European Union Progress Report, Gul said that one of the task forces would track the implementation of the EU accession reforms while the other would promote Turkey to the general public of EU member countries. “Parliament has fulfilled its duty,” said Gul. “Now it’s the government’s turn to implement these reforms. If this progress report is positive, the EU will likely decide in favor of beginning accession talks with Turkey at the end of 2004. Our government will strive towards this end.” After the press conference, Gul hosted a luncheon of the ambassadors of EU member countries serving in Ankara. /Turkiye/[03] EDELMAN: “THE US WILL RID NORTHERN IRAQ OF THE PKK_KADEK THREAT”A US delegation will arrive in Turkey this week to discuss all aspects of terrorism in northern Iraq with Turkish officials, said US Ambassador in Ankara Eric Edelman yesterday. After visiting Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Edelman spoke to reporters about the continued presence of the PKK_KADEK terrorist group in northern Iraq. “President George W. Bush has clearly stated that the terrorist threat in northern Iraq needs to be quickly eliminated,” said Edelman. “The coming delegation will discuss with Turkish officials how to fight this threat.” The delegation headed by Lynn Pascoe from the US State Department is also expected to include officials from the Pentagon. /Turkiye/[04] TURKISH-US DEPLOYMENT TALKS DECIDE FIVE HEADQUARTERS TO BE ESTABLISHED IN IRAQDuring recent talks between Turkish and US officials over a possible troop deployment in Iraq, a plan was reportedly reached entailing the establishment of five military headquarters for Turkish troops there. Sources stated that four of them would satellite HQs, while one would be a central HQ to ensure coordination among the others. Regarding the number of soldiers in the possible deployment, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul recently spoke of some 10,000 troops, a number also heard elsewhere, at a cost of $20 million a month. Meanwhile, Ankara has stressed it doesn’t want its presence in Iraq to be only military in nature, but should also be in order to improve living conditions there. Turkish troops will undertake the job of renovating hospitals, schools, public buildings, etc. which were damaged or destroyed during the war, as well as work to ensure a steady water and power supply for the Iraqi people. /Turkiye/[05] GOVERNING COUNCIL HEAD CHALABI REVERSES COURSE, CALLS MORE FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ “UNWELCOME”Ahmad Chalabi, the current president of Iraq’s Governing Council, yesterday told a press conference that the council was unhappy about the possible arrival of more foreign troops in the country. On Tuesday, however, Chalabi's spokesman had told reporters that the president would welcome “the participation of Turkish forces under the [proposed] United Nations resolution… in the western area in Iraq under the condition that this force should not exceed 10,000.” But Chalabi himself had this to say: “Our council does not welcome receiving any troops but rather their departure… We will not invite any troops. Our ultimate aim is to restore sovereignty to our land.” At the invitation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chalabi is set to pay a visit to Turkey today to discuss Kurdish concerns about a possible Turkish troop deployment in Iraq. Chalabi said that during the visit he would not request that Turkey deploy its troops in Iraq. Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday, “If Ankara decided to offer troops, a way would be found to skirt the various obstacles,” adding that if “they wish to participate, I am quite certain that we can work out ways … in which Turkish forces can participate.” /Cumhuriyet/[06] PORTUGUESE PRESIDENT SAMPAIO DUE IN ANKARAPortuguese President Jorge Sampaio is due to arrive in Ankara on Sunday for an official visit. Sampaio is expected to be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Sampaio will also be received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. Sampaio is expected to leave Turkey on next Friday, Sept. 19. /Anatolia News Agency/[07] STATE MINISTER AKSIT TO ATTEND WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE IN ITALYState Minister Guldal Aksit is set to travel to Italy today to attend a two- day conference on “Women in the Decision-Making Process.” The conference will be a forum for women holding top decision-making positions in both the public and private sector to exchange views. In an address to the gathering, Aksit will tell her fellow participants about the social, political and economic status of Turkish women. /Anatolia News Agency/[08] AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER GULIYEV TO VISIT ANKARAAzerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliyev is due to arrive in Ankara today for a two-day official visit. Guliyev is expected to be received by his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul to discuss bilateral relations and international issues. Later, Guliyev will meet separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /Anatolia News Agency/[09] PAPANDREOU: “ANNAN’S PLAN IS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY FOR CYPRUS”Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou yesterday met in the Cyprus buffer zone with representatives of Turkish Cypriot opposition parties. He said that the plan proposed by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was a historic opportunity to reach a permanent and sustainable solution for the island. /Sabah/[10] WILLIAM SAFIRE: “IRAQ’S FM SHOULD REQUEST PEACEKEEPING TROOPS FROM TURKEY”Iraq should invite some 10,000 Turkish troops for a peacekeeping mission well outside the majority-Kurdish north, urged influential New York Times columnist William Safire yesterday. Writing from Milan, Italy, where he attended this week’s Ambrosetti conference, Safire told of his conversation with Turkey’s premier about reaction to Ankara’s stance during the Iraq war. “Because Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, knocked media types for our criticism of Turkey's noncooperation in the war against Saddam,” wrote Safire, “I asked the first victorious Islamist party leader why he thought I had been ‘aggressive’. He replied that Turkey had helped in the war by permitting overflights and the use of bases for medical treatment, and that Turks took offense at our failure to report their humanitarian aid. So, was he prepared to send troops to join the coalition to help pacify Iraq now? He said Turkey would help with natural gas and with doctors, but there were ‘ethnic issues that the US does not understand as we do.’ Erdogan was apparently irritated by the statement of Iraqi Foreign Minister [Hoshyar] Zebari that nations bordering Iraq should not send troops.” Safire added, “My advice to Hoshyar: go see your counterpart in Ankara and say that Iraq would welcome a peacekeeping force of 10,000 or so Turks, stationed far south of Kurdish areas to avert any friction. To show suspicious Turks that Kurds are Iraqi nationalists, bring along your economics sidekick to discuss Turkish investment in Iraqi industry, including pipelines.” /Hurriyet/[11] IN BOSTON, STATE MINISTER BABACAN TOUTS TURKEY’S ECONOMIC SUCCESSState Minister Ali Babacan yesterday met with representatives of a number of international finance organizations in Boston. “The nation’s macroeconomic indicators are pointing upwards,” Babacan told the gathering. “The government is determined to continue to implement our economic programs. Our policies have so far yielded positive results.” Later, at a luncheon, Babacan told a group of US businessmen that Turkey was reaching its economic targets one after another thanks to the stable atmosphere since last fall’s elections, which ushered in the current single-party government. Touting recent rapid falls in inflation, Babacan added that the Turkish economy was growing and that the government would reach its primary surplus target. New legal arrangements have made it easier than ever to make investments in Turkey, the minister said. /Anatolia News Agency/[12] IMF’S DAWSON: “WE WELCOME TURKEY’S CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC PROGRAM”The International Monetary Fund (IMF) welcomes Turkey’s continuing to fully implement the nation’s IMF-backed economic program, Tom Dawson, the Fund’s external affairs director, told a Washington press conference yesterday. “The program remains on track,” said Dawson. “The next review mission is likely to take place toward the end of this month or the beginning of October.” /Milliyet/[13] GONUL MEETS BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY HOONDefense Minister Vecdi Gonul, currently in Britain to attend an international weapons fair, yesterday met with his British counterpart Geoff Hoon. Later, at a press conference, Gonul said that Hoon had told him about the situation of British troops currently serving in Iraq. Gonul said that such fairs were important for Turkey to see new products and technological developments. He added that preparations were underway for a weapons fair to be held in Turkey later this month. /Anatolia News Agency/[14] AKDAG MEETS WITH AUSTRIAN HEALTH MINISTER RAUCH-KALLATHealth Minister Recep Akdag, who is currently in Vienna, Austria to attend the World Health Organization's (WHO) 53rd European Committee, met on Wednesday with his Austrian counterpart Maria Rauch-Kallat. During meetings between delegations from the two countries, Turkey’s Quality System Laboratory (KSL) and the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) Laboratory signed a cooperation agreement. After the signing ceremony, Akdag said that it was important that KSL had signed the agreement not only with AGES but also with the Austrian government. He added, “I believe that we will develop a good cooperation between our respective governments and the private sector.” For his part, Rauch-Kallat said, “The state used to handle food quality control, but then we turned it over to the private sector. We are very pleased with this model and I hope this cooperation agreement will be beneficial.” /Anatolia News Agency/[15] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[16] WE CANNOT FORGET SEPTEMBER 11 BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the problem of terrorism. A summary of his column is as follows:“According to the calendar, the 20th century encompassed the years 1900- 1999. However, according to history, the heart of the 20th century lies between 1918 and 1990, from the Bolshevik revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Our third millennium (between the years 2000 and 2099) started two years ago with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Obviously, this action will be pivotal in world policy in the 21st century, and actually is already. Nobody guessed that terrorism would reach such an unbelievable stage and strike at the US’ heart and soul. If the attacks two years ago had never happened, the Pax Americana would have felt secure. However, this terrorist act dealt the US a political ace, that is, the right and mission to fight terrorism in order to destroy it. Terrorism can be a job, the way for many ‘professionals’ and their families to earn a living, and an illegal war. It’s the transformation of political failure into despotism. We find terrorism not just in poor nations, but also in prosperous ones. A great many countries support terrorism against their rivals or enemies. This way huge geographies and millions of people are threatened. Billions of dollars are spent both for terrorism and the fight against it. Today the US considers itself the champion of the war against terrorism. It will take revenge for the Sept. 11 attacks throughout the 21st century. As for Turkey, we denounce all forms of terrorism.” 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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