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Turkish Press Review, 04-02-12Turkish 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 morning12.02.2004ERDOGAN: “GOVERNMENT’S DOING ITS BEST ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE” DENKTAS PROPOSES TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND TO CONTINUE UNTIL MARCH 31 VERHEUGEN: “IF TURKEY JOINS THE EU, THE UNION WILL BE SUPERPOWER” LUXEMBOURG’S PREMIER JUNCKER: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS MUST START” GREEK MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY THE WB TURKEY DIRECTOR URGES CONTINUATION OF TURKEY’S STRUCTURAL REFORMS FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... CAPTAIN AND CREW BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM) ADVICE FOR THE TURKMEN BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “GOVERNMENT’S DOING ITS BEST ON THE CYPRUS ISSUE”Stating that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was doing its best to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has certain sensitive points which are indispensable. If this fact is recognized, then the problem can be solved.” Addressing the deputies at his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Erdogan also commented on opposition parties’ harsh criticisms on the government’s Cyprus policy. “People who haven’t done anything on the issue up to now, is now using the topic as a material for their election campaigns,” said Erdogan. He called on all political parties to express their views and offers on the matter. Meanwhile, a session that was set to be held yesterday on the Cyprus issue in Parliament was postponed due to the ongoing talks in New York. /Turkiye/[02] DENKTAS PROPOSES TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND TO CONTINUE UNTIL MARCH 31Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Greek Cyprus leader Tassos Papadopoulos yesterday met again in New York for the second-tour of negotiations. During the meeting, Denktas stated that the TRNC would accept Annan to fill in the blanks under certain conditions such as to begin negotiations as soon as possible and to continue them until March 31, adding that if both sides agree the talks could also continue by March 20. “If we fail to reach an agreement by March, then Ankara and Athens would also participate in the negotiations,” said Denktas. He added that if sides could not still reach an agreement, then Annan should fill in the blanks to reach a resolution on the island. The sides are expected to meet again today for the third tour of negotiations. In related news, TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas said yesterday that the negotiations were continuing under the UN Cyprus plan, adding that the Turkish Cypriot side was pleased with the negotiations. “The meeting was very positive,” he said. “It seems that the meetings will continue next week.” /Aksam/[03] VERHEUGEN: “IF TURKEY JOINS THE EU, THE UNION WILL BE SUPERPOWER”Speaking to German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen stated that if Turkey joined the ranks of the EU, the Union would then become a superpower. Stressing that the EU and Turkey should develop common defense and foreign policies, Verheugen argued that after Turkey’s participation Europe would be able to sustain stability in the global level as a superpower. “Turkey must be accepted into the EU,” said the EU commissioner. “It’s in favor of Europeans to accept Turkey, which will also show that Islam and democracy are compatible.” /Hurriyet/[04] LUXEMBOURG’S PREMIER JUNCKER: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP TALKS MUST START”Jean-Claude Juncker, the long-serving prime minister of Luxembourg, who is also well known for his opposition to Turkey’s EU membership, yesterday changed sides by making a surprising statement that Turkey’s membership negotiations must begin. Recalling that Turkey made significant progress in human rights in the last three years, Juncker said, “After contemplating on this issue, I’ve decided that Turkey’s EU membership will greatly contribute to desired cooperation between the Christianity and Islam.” /Hurriyet/[05] GREEK MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEYGreece is currently seeking security support from its neighbors for the 2004 Olympic Games. Greek State Minister for Public Order George Florides is scheduled to visit Turkey in the following days. Florides is to discuss with the Turkish officials the measures to be taken to crack down on terrorist organizations. He is expected to propose the Turkish authorities to improve bilateral cooperation to fight against cross border terrorism and to hold joint security operations if necessary. /Sabah/[06] MUBARAK VISITS ANKARAEgyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday arrived in Ankara to pay an official visit. Mubarak met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The two leaders agreed to boost bilateral cooperation by working to realize a venture on the transfer of Egyptian natural gas to Turkey and declared consensus that Iraq’s territorial integrity and unity must be protected. Then, Mubarak met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. /Turkiye/[07] THE WB TURKEY DIRECTOR URGES CONTINUATION OF TURKEY’S STRUCTURAL REFORMSTurkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday met with visiting World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink to discuss recent economic developments and structural reforms. During their talks, Vorkink urged continuation of Turkey’s structural reforms, adding that if Turkey fails to implement them as soon as possible, then it could be difficult to implement them later. He praised the government’s efforts to maintan the economic stability during the first year of its term office. “First, the government aimed to achieve the economic stability which was a right choice,” added Vorkink. /Milliyet/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[09] CAPTAIN AND CREW BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on Prime Minister and Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A summary of his column is as follows:“Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues his visits abroad. Probably any other leader hasn’t had such a busy agenda abroad in such a short period of time. He sometimes visited 3-4 European capital cities, the US, People’s Republic of China, etc. Obviously, these visits and the meetings held with leaders provided him experienced greatly. Erdogan not only works hard for our EU membership bid, but also trying to be known and accepted in Turkey and abroad. He’s trying to be slip out of the title of mayor and reach the position of the leader of a middle-scaled important country. I had the opportunity of observing him closely during his visits abroad. Erdogan follows a balanced policy concerning the press. In spite of all initiatives, he doesn’t make private interviews. He’s different from other leaders with this characteristic. He maintains the same distance against the business world as well. Of course certain corruptions and irregularities occur in every government and country. However, there was a strong belief in the public that there won’t be corruption in the AKP government. On the other hand, the business world thinks ‘let’s wait and see.’ Although the stabilization in the economy gives hope, the lack of investments are worrying. However, the attitude of expectancy is continuing. The AKP received the support of wide masses because it’s completely ‘different.’ If the AKP starts to looks like other parties and Erdogan resembles other leaders, there would be the collapse. Erdogan was defining himself the ‘captain transporting the ship to secure harbors.’ It’s a correct definition but there is a problem with the crew.” [10] ADVICE FOR THE TURKMEN BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Columnist Fikret Bila comments on the recent developments in Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows:“Turkey is focused on the news from New York and Ankara does also follow the developments in Iraq as well as in Cyprus. In his return from Poland, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul evaluated the developments in Iraq. Gul first talked about the Turkmen. He gave some advisory messages to the Turkmen in Iraq. Gul wanted the Turkmen to engage in politics, become more active and be more effective in the reconstruction of Iraq. Gul is in the opinion that it would be more effective for the Turkmen to have well educated and more weighty people engaged in politics. His advises are as follows: ‘take the Turks in Western Thrace as a sample. They became more effective in politics. They joined the administration and gave efforts for this purpose. The Turkmen in Iraq should take them as a sample. They should claim Iraq. They have sufficient number of people and adequate number of well-educated persons for that. Their level of education is considerably high. They can reflect it to their policies.’ Foreign Minister Gul emphasized that Turkey is not only concerned in northern Iraq but also in Iraq as a whole. Meanwhile, Gul gave also some messages to the Kurds in Iraq. ‘We will again protect the Kurds in the future as we did in the past,’ said Gul. Foreign Minister Gul reminded of Turkey’s act of bringing the seriously wounded to Ankara right after the recent attacks in Erbil and said, ‘The turn of mind of these attacks are the same as those terrorists who attacked us. We gave every kind of support concerning these issues and will continue to give more support. It will again be the Turks who will protect the Kurds. Some developments which seem to be in favor of the Kurds could harm them in the future. Therefore, Iraq’s integrity and stability should be preserved.’ Reminding of the summit to which the neighbors of Iraq will attend, Gul made the following evaluations: ‘I will attend this summit. We have made it in Damascus before. It was said that such meetings could not take place again after the summit in Damascus. It was also claimed that the summit couldn’t continue after the war and that the United Stated doesn’t want them to take place. The summits however do take place. These summits, initiated with the efforts of Turkey now will take place in Kuwait. We believe in its effectiveness. This year’s summit is special in the sense that Iraq will also attend the meetings. The developments in the region will be evaluated.’” 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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