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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-12
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
12.09.2003
ERDOGAN PLEDGES MEASURES TO IMPROVE
EDUCATION SYSTEM
FOREIGN MINISTER GUL TO VISIT GEORGIA
FOREIGN MINISTRY MOURNS LOSS OF SWEDISH
FM LINDH
AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER GULIYEV
VISITS ANKARA
SUPREME COURT POSTPONES DEHAP ELECTION
FRAUD HEARING
US DELEGATION VISITS ANKARA TO DISCUSS
PKK_KADEK ISSUE
UNAKITAN: “FRENCH INVESTORS HAVE GREAT
INTEREST IN TURKEY’S PRIVATIZATION SLATE”
IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION MEETS
WITH TURKISH OFFICIALS
WB REVISES 2001 FIGURES, MAKING TURKEY
20TH LARGEST WORLD ECONOMY
CB HEAD SERDENGECTI: “WITH SINGLE-DIGIT
INFLATION, WE CAN STRIKE SIX ZEROS FROM THE LIRA”
STATE MINISTER BABACAN: “AMERICAN LOAN
IS UNRELATED TO OUR SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ”
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM
THE COLUMNS...
WILL THE US KEEP ITS PROMISES?
BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN PLEDGES MEASURES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION
SYSTEM
[02] FOREIGN MINISTER GUL TO VISIT GEORGIA
[03] FOREIGN MINISTRY MOURNS LOSS OF SWEDISH FM
LINDH
[04] AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER GULIYEV VISITS
ANKARA
[05] SUPREME COURT POSTPONES DEHAP ELECTION FRAUD
HEARING
[06] US DELEGATION VISITS ANKARA TO DISCUSS PKK_KADEK
ISSUE
[07] UNAKITAN: “FRENCH INVESTORS HAVE GREAT
INTEREST IN TURKEY’S PRIVATIZATION SLATE”
[08] IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION MEETS WITH
TURKISH OFFICIALS
[09] WB REVISES 2001 FIGURES, MAKING TURKEY 20TH
LARGEST WORLD ECONOMY
[10] CB HEAD SERDENGECTI: “WITH SINGLE-DIGIT
INFLATION, WE CAN STRIKE SIX ZEROS FROM THE LIRA”
[11] STATE MINISTER BABACAN: “AMERICAN LOAN IS
UNRELATED TO OUR SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ”
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM
THE COLUMNS...
[13] WILL THE US KEEP ITS PROMISES?
BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
[01] ERDOGAN PLEDGES MEASURES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION
SYSTEM
In a televised address to the nation last night, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged that in line with
Turkey’s goal of joining the ranks of modern nations, the
government and people would act together to raise the quality
of Turkey’s education system. Pointing to the new school year
starting next week, Erdogan said that Turkey had a dynamic
young population with some 19 million students. Stressing that
education was a fundamental measure of the progress and
development of nations, Erdogan underlined that his government
placed great emphasis on educating its citizens. The premier
stated that this year some 77 million books would be given to
primary school students, adding that a new state program could
see private schools teaching 10,000 poor students. He also
pledged a series of reforms to raise the quality of higher
education in the interest of building a freer and more
productive society. At the close of his speech, Erdogan called
on Turkey’s citizens to put their trust in the state and his
government. /All Papers/
[02] FOREIGN MINISTER GUL TO VISIT GEORGIA
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to travel to Georgia
next Friday to meet with his Georgian counterpart Irakli
Managharishvili as well as Georgian President Eduard
Shevardnadze. Gul is also expected to be received by State
Minister Avtandil Jorbenadze to discuss bilateral relations
and recent regional developments. /Anatolia News Agency/
[03] FOREIGN MINISTRY MOURNS LOSS OF SWEDISH FM
LINDH
The Foreign Ministry yesterday joined the ranks of shocked
European institutions and citizens alike in mourning the
sudden death of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh. In a
statement, the ministry expressed its condolences to
Stockholm, recalling the late diplomat’s work to further both
Turkish-Swedish and Turkish-European Union relations. The
statement also condemned the inexplicable attack which led to
Lindh’s death. Lindh, Sweden’s most popular politician was 46.
/Anatolia News Agency/
[04] AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER GULIYEV VISITS
ANKARA
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev yesterday
arrived in Ankara to hold meetings with Turkish officials.
Guliyev first met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul
and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where the Baku-Ceyhan
pipeline and possible Turkish troop deployments in Iraq were
among the issues discussed. Today, he is expected to be
received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] SUPREME COURT POSTPONES DEHAP ELECTION FRAUD
HEARING
Turkey’s High Court of Appeals yesterday postponed until
Sept. 29 a hearing in a case involving alleged electoral fraud
that has rattled financial markets and raised the prospect of
political instability. The court ruled in favor of a request
from the small, ethnically Kurdish Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP),
which is accused of forging electoral documents, for a delayed
start to allow more time to prepare its case. If the court
rules against DEHAP, constitutional experts say the Supreme
Board of Election (YSK) could in theory cancel last November’s
general elections which brought the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) to power. The markets fear this could jeopardize
economic and political reforms, imperil a $16 billion funding
deal with the International Monetary Fund and disrupt Turkey’s
plans to begin European Union accession talks in 2005. But
analysts say the YSK is more likely simply to cancel DEHAP’s
votes, a move which would effectively lower the 10 percent
threshold required to win seats and allow another party which
fell just short of that barrier to enter Parliament. Under
such a move, the ruling AKP would lose some seats in
Parliament but retain its overall majority. Many expect the
court to rule against DEHAP, but the administrative YSK would
have the final say on what action, if any, to take on the
election results. /Turkish Daily News/
[06] US DELEGATION VISITS ANKARA TO DISCUSS PKK_KADEK
ISSUE
A delegation from the US State Department, Pentagon and
intelligence services yesterday arrived in Ankara to discuss
the PKK_KADEK issue with Turkish officials. The seven-member
delegation led by the State Department’s Lynn Pascoe is set to
begin its meetings today at the Foreign Ministry. Ankara is
expected to make clear its concerns over the issue,
underlining that Washington should take firmer measures to
eliminate the terrorist group in northern Iraq. Turkish
officials will also brief the delegation on developments since
the recent passage of an amnesty law designed to encourage
terrorists to lay down their arms. /Sabah/
[07] UNAKITAN: “FRENCH INVESTORS HAVE GREAT
INTEREST IN TURKEY’S PRIVATIZATION SLATE”
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that French
investors were showing great interest in Turkey’s ongoing
privatization initiatives and were moreover closely following
domestic economic developments. In Paris, Unakitan told
reporters that he had briefed a group of French investors
about Turkey’s economy and privatization slate and also
answered their questions. Some of the investors were already
interested in making investments in Turkey, Unakitan noted.
“They said that they were impressed by our economy’s gradual
improvement and the establishment of economic and political
stability,” he added. /Anatolia News Agency/
[08] IRAQ GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION MEETS WITH
TURKISH OFFICIALS
Even as Ankara continues its discussions with Washington
over a possible Turkish troop deployment in Iraq, yesterday it
hosted a delegation from Iraqi’s Governing Council headed by
the body’s current President Ahmad Chalabi. Through earlier
this week Chalabi stated that the council opposed the
deployment of more foreign soldiers, he gave warmer messages
during his meetings with Turkish officials. Following talks
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other diplomats,
Chalabi said that their discussions had been fruitful and
comprehensive, adding that the council aimed to build bonds of
cooperation with Turkey concerning politics, the economy and
security issues. Regarding Turkish troop participation in an
Iraq international stabilization force, Chalabi said that
contacts and dialogue on the issue would continue. He added
that the duty of inviting soldiers to Iraq rested with the
United Nations, not the Governing Council. /Turkiye/
[09] WB REVISES 2001 FIGURES, MAKING TURKEY 20TH
LARGEST WORLD ECONOMY
In revised World Bank 2001 economic figures released
yesterday, Turkey emerged as the world’s number 20 economy in
terms of size. The WB had previously ranked Turkey’s economy
as number 18. In upcoming 2003 figures, however, the nation is
expected to climb to number 17 or 18 due to rapid economic
growth over the last two years. /Aksam/
[10] CB HEAD SERDENGECTI: “WITH SINGLE-DIGIT
INFLATION, WE CAN STRIKE SIX ZEROS FROM THE LIRA”
Speaking at a conference on monetary policy in Kayseri
yesterday, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti said that
with an expected fall in inflation to single digits by the end
of next year, the CB would move to eliminate six zeros from
the Turkish lira. Serdengecti stressed that striking the zeros
would be a delicate political process requiring careful timing.
“The CB’s most important aim is to ensure domestic price
stability,” Serdengecti told the gathering. “I believe that
inflation will fall next year and then we can get rid of zeros.”
He chracterized the move as a decade in the making, adding
that he was keeping Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan informed about the issue.
/Milliyet/
[11] STATE MINISTER BABACAN: “AMERICAN LOAN IS
UNRELATED TO OUR SENDING SOLDIERS TO IRAQ”
The issue of Turkey sending troops to Iraq is not related
to a likely $8.5 billion US loan, said State Minister for the
Economy Ali Babacan yesterday. Speaking to a conference,
Babacan said that the loan was tied to Turkey’s continuing
economic reform process and its general cooperation in Iraq’s
reconstruction. “But the deployment issue is a separate matter,”
stated Babacan. Though the exact date for signing the loan
agreement has yet to be set, added Babacan, it will follow a
15-day waiting period to allow any objections. Citing unnamed
sources close to the matter, a Reuters report yesterday said
the loan would likely be signed later this month during
meetings in Dubai. /Anatolia News Agency/
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM
THE COLUMNS...
[13] WILL THE US KEEP ITS PROMISES?
BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
Columnist Hasan Cemal comments on promises made by the US
to secure Turkey’s sending soldiers to Iraq. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“Will the US keep its promises to Turkey? Will it stop the
PKK from using northern Iraq as a base against Turkey? Will it
render the PKK powerless and deliver the terrorists to Turkey?
For its part, Ankara has kept all its promises. Parliament
passed the repentance law and democratization reforms. Now
it’s the US’ turn. ‘During my visit to Washington, I told the
US our expectations,’ said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. ‘I
gave this example: If you said there were 100 al Qaeda members
in Turkey, what would you expect from us? Now since you’re the
force power in Iraq, this is what we expect from you.’ These
fair expectations are continuing. During a conversation with a
fellow government minister, Gul said, ‘To date, the US hasn’t
delivered a single terrorist from northern Iraq to us. I don’t
know why. However, I’ve gotten the impression from unofficial
meetings that if we don’t accept the proposal to send our
soldiers to Iraq, the US won’t deliver any terrorists. It’s
waiting for our decision to send soldiers.’
Reliable sources from the Foreign Ministry told me that the
US is leaving the PKK terrorists in northern Iraq’s Mt. Kandil
region untouched. It thinks moving against them might cause
more problems. However, it’s also made promises to Turkey. It
knows that sooner or later it must do something. Clearly it
wants to send Ankara the following message: ‘We’re very busy
in Iraq and we don’t have enough soldiers there. But if you
send your soldiers in, we’ll use our troops to attack the
PKK.’ The conditions set up by the US are crystal clear, that
is, send your soldiers so we can fight against the PKK.
Politics is cruel. Balances are based on interests, and
sometimes double standards leave their marks on international
relations.
Should we send soldiers to Iraq? And if we send them, what
conditions should we demand? If we don’t, how can we handle
being excluded from the postwar Iraq table? How would spoiled
relations with the US affect our security and economy?
Obviously it wouldn’t help. In addition, if we help to
establish stability to Iraq, both our future regional position
and bilateral relations with Iraq would improve. Ankara is now
discussing the pros and cons of all these questions. However,
most probably the final decision will be in favor of sending
our soldiers to Iraq.”
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