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Turkish Press Review, 04-05-04
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
04.05.04
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning
CONTENTS
[01] REFORM PACKAGE FACES DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT TODAY
[02] KRETSCHMER: “ANKARA SHOULD COMPLETE ITS REFORMS BEFORE DECEMBER’S EU SUMMIT”
[03] CABINET DISCUSSES CHANGES TO YOK LAW
[04] 25 TERRORISTS ARRESTED IN BURSA, ISTANBUL
[05] TALAT: “I’LL TRY TO END THE TRNC’S ISOLATION”
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE GREEK CYPRUS”
[07] APRIL INFLATION BEATS TARGETS
[08] TURKEY ECONOMICS CONGRESS TO BEGIN TOMORROW
[09] PRINCE PHILIPPE TOUTS BELGIUM TO TURKISH INVESTORS
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[11] WILL EVERYONE GO THEIR OWN WAY? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[12] A SOLUTION FOR GEORGIA BY NURAY BASARAN (AKSAM)
[01] REFORM PACKAGE FACES DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT TODAY
The full Parliament’s first round of debates on a new 10-article package
proposing amendments to the Constitution in line with European Union norms
is set to be held today. While the minor opposition True Path Party (DYP)
has announced its support for the measures, the main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) has said it will propose changes to the package on
matters such as gender equality. The second round of debates is to be held
on Friday. /Turkiye/
[02] KRETSCHMER: “ANKARA SHOULD COMPLETE ITS REFORMS BEFORE DECEMBER’S EU
SUMMIT”
European Commission Turkey Representative Hansjoerg Kretschmer yesterday
urged Ankara to complete its reforms for European Union accession before
the December EU summit in order to get a date to begin accession talks. The
European Commission is to decide at that summit whether or not to begin
Ankara’s membership negotiations. /Milliyet/
[03] CABINET DISCUSSES CHANGES TO YOK LAW
During a six-hour meeting yesterday, the Cabinet discussed a number of
controversial changes proposed for the Board of Higher Education (YOK).
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that
the government would soon send to Parliament an 8- or 10-article bill
proposing amendments to the YOK Law. He added that the ministers had also
focused on next week’s Eurovision Song Context hosted by Istanbul and next
month’s NATO Summit there as well as other developments. In addition, the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Central Executive Board (MYK)
chaired by AKP leader and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened last
evening. /Turkiye/
[04] 25 TERRORISTS ARRESTED IN BURSA, ISTANBUL
In operations yesterday in Bursa and Istanbul, security forces arrested 25
members of the terrorist organization Ansar al-Islam believed to be
planning terrorist attacks against next month’s NATO summit in Istanbul.
Officials later stated that all measures were being taken for the security
of the summit and its participants. In related news, NATO sources said that
the gathering would not be postponed or canceled due to terrorist threats.
/Turkiye/
[05] TALAT: “I’LL TRY TO END THE TRNC’S ISOLATION”
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat
yesterday flew to New York to hold a series of historic contacts with both
American and UN officials. Before his departure, Talat told reporters at
Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport that during his meetings in the US, he would
make clear the difficulties faced by Turkish Cypriots due to the embargo on
their nation. Stressing that the TRNC had been grappling with a very
unusual and unfair situation, Talat pointed out that Turkish Cypriots had
voted in favor of Cyprus’ unification in last month’s referendums while the
Greek side rejected it. “The TRNC cannot be isolated due to the Greek
Cypriots’ separatist policy,” said Talat. After arriving in the New York
last night, Talat met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Talat is
scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Colin Powell today and to
address a meeting of the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS), a Washington think tank. /Aksam/
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE GREEK CYPRUS”
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that Turkey should
recognize Greek Cyprus. “We are a member of the European Union and have the
same privileges as other EU members,” said Papadopoulos. In related news,
Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Yorgos Yakovu said that he believed Ankara
would soon re-evaluate the recognition issue. “Due to the Customs Union
between Turkey and the EU, Turkey should recognize us. Not doing so will
create problems,” he added. /Hurriyet/
[07] APRIL INFLATION BEATS TARGETS
The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) yesterday released month-on-month
inflation figures for April. Inflation last month was 0.59% on the consumer
price index (CPI) and 2.65% on the wholesale price index (WPI), pushing
year-to-year WPI to 8.91% and CPI to 10.18%. The last figure was well below
the government’s 12% year-end target. /All papers/
[08] TURKEY ECONOMICS CONGRESS TO BEGIN TOMORROW
The Fourth Turkey Economics Congress is due to begin tomorrow in Izmir.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc are expected to attend the five-day
congress. Anne Krueger, the International Monetary Fund’s first deputy
managing director, as well as officials from the World Bank and the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are also
expected to attend the meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] PRINCE PHILIPPE TOUTS BELGIUM TO TURKISH INVESTORS
Speaking at a conference in Istanbul yesterday, visiting Belgian Prince
Philippe touted investment opportunities in his country and urged Turkish
investors to see this for themselves. In related news, Philippe’s wife
Princess Mathilde yesterday visited the Association for Supporting Modern
Life. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[11] WILL EVERYONE GO THEIR OWN WAY? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Cyprus in the aftermath of the Greek
side’s EU accession. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Now will everyone go their own way? In other words, will the de facto
division on Cyprus become official? At first sight, it seems the paths of
the Greek Cypriots and Turks are separating. The Greek Cypriot side, after
rejecting the UN reunification plan, is now a European Union member. On the
other hand, the Turkish side embraced the plan but is excluded from the EU.
However, Washington and the EU have pledged certain important steps to help
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) continued existence. For
example, Turkish Cypriots will be able to sell some of their goods to
foreign markets, foreign tourists will be able to cross into the North from
the Greek Cypriot side, and the EU will open a representative office in the
TRNC. Obviously none of these mean that the international community intends
to recognize the TRNC as an independent state. In addition, loosening
certain economic restrictions doesn’t mean lifting the embargo. Just after
the referendums, certain statements and published news stories predicting
that the TRNC would be recognized and the embargo lifted raised hopes
unnecessarily. These wishes were presented to the public as facts. When
they failed to materialize, the resulting disappointment caused anger
against the government, the EU and other countries. However, it had been
known for years that the Greek Cypriots would become an EU member. If the
Turkish side had rejected the UN plan, the situation would have been worse.
As for the embargo, certain steps are being taken on it and more will
follow. However, careful preparations are needed for this. For example,
access to markets abroad can’t be ensured merely by lifting the embargo;
certain strategies taking into account such economic realities as
manufacturing, investment and competition should be developed as well.
If the TRNC can stand on its own two feet with the international
community’s support, the TRNC’s regret at not becoming an EU member with
the Greek Cypriots will be eased. Many Greek Cypriots who rejected the UN
plan might have thought, ‘Reunification isn’t very necessary since we’re
prosperous anyway, and will join the EU and can continue our high standard
of living without the Turkish Cypriots.’ If this opinion triumphs, there
will never be a reunification. Then both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots
will go their own way. However, it’s most likely that this won’t happen
because the international community doesn’t want the island to stay divided
and is looking for a new opportunity to forge a solution. The Greek Cypriot
administration also hopes that new initiatives will start in the future and
is making its plans with this in mind. Thus, although it seems that
everybody is going their own way now, the work isn’t over yet.”
[12] A SOLUTION FOR GEORGIA BY NURAY BASARAN (AKSAM)
Columnist Nuray Basaran comments on the conflict between the Georgian
central government and the Georgian province of Adzharia (Adjaria). A
summary of her column is as follows:
“Tension is rising between the Georgian central government and Adzharia.
This problem has no immediate solution. The situation is this: Georgia is
trying to distance itself from Russia in favor of closer ties with the West
and NATO. Georgia is formed by federal autonomous republics, and it has
problems with each of them. For instance, Abkhazia has claimed independence
since 1992, and Southern Ossetia and Adzharia don’t recognize the central
government in Tbilisi. While closing Russian bases, Georgia is offering
bases to the United States. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline’s construction
is also continuing and is expected to be completed at the end of this year.
About 250 km of the 1,767-km pipeline goes through the borders of Georgia
and Armenia. Last year Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey signed an agreement
to protect the pipeline, so Tbilisi has to do its part.
Then there’s Russian President Vladimir Putin. After gradually losing his
influence in the Caucasus, Putin was recently reelected with 72% of the
vote and is planning a more active role for Russia’s foreign policy. Moscow
has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the pipeline. It even tried to
join the project, but this offer was rebuffed. It’s clear that Moscow is
supporting Adzharia. A hot conflict in the region would derail the pipeline
and serve as punishment for Georgia’s move away from Russia as well as an
obstacle to its relations with the West. Russia says that it’s in the game
too. But let’s ask ourselves the same question: Where is Turkey in this
game? Shouldn’t we be more active in solving regional problems? The
prospect of a damaging civil war in Georgia is not so remote. Ankara must
get engaged in this issue and offer mediation before the problem grows more
serious. We would be the loser in any power struggle with Russia in the
region. Therefore shouldn’t we work to solve the problem together?”
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