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Turkish Press Review, 04-04-06Turkish 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 morning06.04.2004NSC DISCUSSES CYPRUS PLAN ERDOGAN: “THE CYPRUS ISSUE SHOULD BE SETTLED” RAUF DENKTAS: “THE UN CYPRUS PLAN SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE” SERDAR DENKTAS: “TURKISH CYPRIOTS NEED TO BE TOLD MORE ABOUT THE CYPRUS PLAN” BAYKAL DEFENDS ELECTION PERFORMANCE, VOWS TO STAY AT CHP HELM AGAR WARNS UN CYPRUS PLAN MAY “TRIGGER CONFLICTS” BUSH TO VISIT ANKARA, ISTANBUL NATO SUMMIT IN JUNE; TIGHT SECURITY EXPECTED US AIR FORCE COMMANDER VISITS TURKEY PKK’S LATEST GUISES ADDED TO EU TERRORIST LIST FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... EU CITIZENSHIP BY GUNERI CIVAOGLU (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] NSC DISCUSSES CYPRUS PLANThe National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday reconvened to discuss the Cyprus plan in the runup to referendums on the island set for April 24. After the four-and-a-half-hour meeting, a statement was released saying that the United Nations plan included certain positive articles for Turkey, but that certain other requests of the Turkish side had not been met. Pointing to the importance of the agreement being included in the European Union’s primary law, the council stated that the assurances given to the Turkish side should be followed closely. It added that whether or not the plan and its provisions would go forward were up to the government. /Sabah/[02] ERDOGAN: “THE CYPRUS ISSUE SHOULD BE SETTLED”The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met yesterday. During the meeting, the United Nations Cyprus plan was discussed comprehensively. Commenting on the plan, the premier reportedly stated that although the plan was not truly optimal, it was acceptable. “Under this plan, in my opinion, neither the Turkish side nor the Greek Cypriots are losers,” said Erdogan. Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that Erdogan and Gul were expected to brief the Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group and Parliament on the Cyprus plan today. Stressing that the Cyprus issue was a national cause, Cicek added, “The final decision will be made by the Cypriots themselves.” /Turkiye/[03] RAUF DENKTAS: “THE UN CYPRUS PLAN SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO THE PEOPLE”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that the 220-page United Nations Cyprus plan, plus 9,000 pages of appendices, could not be properly explained to the people before referendums scheduled for April 24, and so called for their postponement. Speaking in Bursa, Denktas charged that the plan was in line with Greek Cypriot demands, adding that under it most Turkish soldiers would have to gradually to leave the island. “We can’t give up our rights just to pave the way for the Greek side’s EU accession,” said the president. He claimed that the issues of land, immigration and property would plague the Turkish side for years to come. Greek Cyprus is set to join the EU on May 1. /Sabah/[04] SERDAR DENKTAS: “TURKISH CYPRIOTS NEED TO BE TOLD MORE ABOUT THE CYPRUS PLAN”Turkish Cypriots need to be told more about the Cyprus issue and referendums on the UN Cyprus plan scheduled for April 24, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas told the TRNC Parliament yesterday. “All Turkish Cypriots will consider their own interests while voting in the referendum,” said Denktas. “All our political parties include some who support the plan and others who don’t. My own party [senior coalition partner Democrat Party (DP)] is evenly split on the issue.” /Sabah/[05] BAYKAL DEFENDS ELECTION PERFORMANCE, VOWS TO STAY AT CHP HELMSpeaking at a meeting of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) to evaluate the results of last month’s local elections, CHP leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that criticisms his party has been unsuccessful in the polls were unfair. Baykal stated that his only aim was to protect the CHP and, brushing aside suggestions that the CHP needs a change of leadership, added that he would stay at the party helm as there were still things he wanted to do for the party. In related news, CHP Izmir Deputy Hakki Akalin yesterday resigned from his seat, saying that radical changes were needed in the party’s administration. /Aksam/[06] AGAR WARNS UN CYPRUS PLAN MAY “TRIGGER CONFLICTS”Speaking at a press conference yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar charged that the UN Cyprus plan due to be voted on in April 24 referendums was no true compromise, adding that the plan could trigger conflicts between the two sides on the island. “Under the plan, nearly 30,000 Greek Cypriots will settle in TRNC territory, and the number of Turkish soldiers on the island will fall to 6,000,” said Agar, in further criticisms of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s approach (AKP) to the issue. /Turkiye/[07] BUSH TO VISIT ANKARA, ISTANBUL NATO SUMMIT IN JUNE; TIGHT SECURITY EXPECTEDUS President George W. Bush is scheduled to visit Turkey in June to attend a NATO summit. After arriving in Ankara on June 26, he is to proceed to the NATO summit in Istanbul on June 28-29. The president is expected to be accompanied by a delegation numbering 1,000, and tight security measures are expected. In related news, Bush sent a message to yesterday’s 23rd annual American-Turkish Council Conference in Washington saying that the US welcomed Turkey’s friendship and that the two countries would continue to cooperate in their fight against terrorism. /Aksam/[08] US AIR FORCE COMMANDER VISITS TURKEYAir Forces Commander Gen. Halil Ibrahim Firtina yesterday received visiting US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper. During their meeting, the generals discussed a number of issues, including bilateral relations between their air forces, modernization work, and NATO’s restructuring in the wake of seven new members joining this week. Jumper reportedly stated that the US appreciated Turkey allowing the rotation of its soldiers from Iraq through Incirlik Airbase near Adana. /Cumhuriyet/[09] PKK’S LATEST GUISES ADDED TO EU TERRORIST LISTThe European Union has finally recognized KADEK and KONGRA-GEL, two recent guises of the PKK, as terrorist groups by adding them to its official list of such groups. The EU’s Official Gazette released over the weekend recognized that the two groups were continuations of the terrorist PKK. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the EU decided to draw up a list of terrorist groups. In 2002, the PKK and DHKP-C terrorist groups were included on the list, but the former almost immediately assumed a new name. Ankara has been lobbying the EU ever since not to reward the terrorist group’s game of musical names. /Sabah/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[11] EU CITIZENSHIP BY GUNERI CIVAOGLU (MILLIYET)Columnist Guneri Civaoglu comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“The morning after the Cyprus summit ended in Buergenstock, Switzerland, two British investment firms made inquiries about the island, said Hasan Hasturer, one of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) leading journalists. Investment interest came right after the decision to hold referendums. Foreign investment is looking for stability and legal guarantees. The TRNC’s looming European Union membership could be the signal that these two conditions will be fulfilled. One of the important factors that led to a rise in southern Cyprus is that its EU membership is seen as certain. Foreign investment feels more secure. Another factor is that the model for Germany and Korea is also being applied to Cyprus. After World War II, the West concentrated on raising standards of living in West Germany, and the same in South Korea after the Korean War. The success of these models depended on a collapse in East Germany and North Korea, and they were successful. Without getting involved in an armed conflict with Turkey, the West boosted the economy of the southern part of the island in order to cause a collapse in the TRNC, which was crippled by embargos. On the one hand there is the TRNC, whose citizens are stateless under international law, and whose per capita income is $3,000, and on the other the hand there is southern Cyprus, which is about to receive EU citizenship and has about $20,000 per capita income. Everything was reflected in last December TRNC elections. If worries about returning immovable properties had been eased, now Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat’s party would have gotten more votes. On the other hand if the UN plan, which suggests a united Cyprus, is accepted, then a change in direction is likely. Even if the Greek partisans try to stop it, the EU’s principle of balanced development among regions will help the TRNC. A third EU country is being formed on Turkey’s borders. Cyprus will be on our southern frontier, after Greece and Bulgaria to the west. Council of Europe (CoE) members Georgia and Russia are no longer threats. There’s only Iran, Iraq and Syria which could cause problems. Turkey’s borders are being surrounded by EU and CoE member countries.” 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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