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Turkish Press Review, 04-05-18

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: 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 morning

18.05.2004

FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS

CONTENTS

  • [01] UK PRIME MINISTER BLAIR VISITS ANKARA
  • [02] FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPRESS TURKEY’S CONCERN OVER MIDDLE EAST
  • [03] US’ RICE: “SINCE TURKEY IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ITS REGION, IT SHOULD JOIN THE EU”
  • [04] SCHEFFER: “WE’LL PRESENT A NEW NATO IN ISTANBUL”
  • [05] WB’S VORKINK: “NO NEED FOR CONCERN OVER RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TURKISH ECONOMY”
  • [06] US HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S REFORMS
  • [07] NEW COUNCIL FOUNDED TO MONITOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS
  • [08] TRNC DEPUTY CEVIKEL RESIGNS FROM PARTY
  • [09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
  • [10] TOWARDS DIVISION BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

  • [01] UK PRIME MINISTER BLAIR VISITS ANKARA

    British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday paid a six-hour visit to Ankara. Blair was first received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, and then met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During their meeting, Blair reportedly lent Britain’s support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Praising Ankara’s reforms for EU harmonization, the British premier said that Turkey was a European country. After the summit, speaking at a press conference, Erdogan said that a joint action plan had been signed proposing cooperation between Ankara and London for Turkey’s EU membership as well as steps both economic and political by Britain to end the isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Erdogan added that another agreement had been signed on cooperation in the fight against terrorism. For his part, Blair said that Turkey and Britain had a long history of relations and would do their best to strengthen bilateral ties. Reiterating British support for Ankara’s EU bid, Blair said that Turkey’s membership would serve the interests of both Turkey and Europe itself. He added that the Turkish side had taken a very positive stance during efforts to find a settlement on Cyprus and that his country would try to end the TRNC’s international isolation. Answering reporters’ questions on Iraq, Blair said that yesterday’s assassination of Izzedin Salim (Osman Muhammed), the Iraqi Governing Council head, was a reason for coalition forces “staying the course” and not “cutting and running,” adding, “We will continue until the job is done.” Commenting on the Iraq issue, Erdogan said that right now the situation in Iraq was not good, but that he hoped the coalition forces would soon take necessary steps to better the situation. “Turkey didn’t send troops to Iraq because the Iraqis didn’t want their deployment,” stated Erdogan. “However, we have been sending humanitarian aid to the country and we will continue to do so.” After attending a banquet hosted by Erdogan in his honor, the British premier left Ankara. /Hurriyet/

    [02] FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPRESS TURKEY’S CONCERN OVER MIDDLE EAST

    A Foreign Ministry statement issued yesterday said that Ankara was following developments in the Middle East with great concern and urged the sides to return to the negotiating table to resume efforts for peace. Concerning Israel’s recent crackdown in Gaza refugee camps, the statement expressed Ankara’s alarm and regret due to the loss of lives and destruction of Palestinians’ homes during the operations. However, the statement said that there had been no change in Ankara’s policy towards Israel. /Turkiye/

    [03] US’ RICE: “SINCE TURKEY IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN ITS REGION, IT SHOULD JOIN THE EU”

    Appearing on German television yesterday, US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said that Turkey was a good answer to those wondering whether or not Muslims want democracy. She stated that Turkey could constitute a bridge between the Islamic world and democracy, adding that this was a good message for Ankara’s European Union membership bid. “Since Turkey is an important power in its region, it should join the EU,” she said. Rice added that Afghanistan, Iraq and other issues would be discussed at next month’s NATO summit in Istanbul. /Turkiye/

    [04] SCHEFFER: “WE’LL PRESENT A NEW NATO IN ISTANBUL”

    A new NATO will be reflected at next month’s summit in Istanbul, said NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer yesterday at a conference in Brussels organized by non-governmental organization (NGO) the New Defense Agenda. Stressing the Istanbul summit’s importance in NATO’s development, Scheffer said that security and stability take priority and would be discussed at the summit. Stating that cooperation between countries in the Balkans, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean would be dealt with, Scheffer said that the situation in Afghanistan would also take priority, as it is important for global security, adding that he would like to announce further steps for the country during the summit. Scheffer also said that cooperation with non-NATO members would be strengthened at the meeting and stressed the importance of Russian-NATO relations for the security of Europe. Emphasizing that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the Istanbul summit, Scheffer said that the NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia would be officially handed over to the European Union. “In Istanbul, we’ll present a new NATO, one which will bring security wherever it’s needed,” said Scheffer. /Turkiye/

    [05] WB’S VORKINK: “NO NEED FOR CONCERN OVER RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TURKISH ECONOMY”

    Recent developments in the Turkish economy have not raised any alarm bells, World Bank Director Andrew Vorkink said yesterday, adding that trends affecting its currency and interest rates were coming from abroad. “Those developments are occurring as the result of expectations that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates,” said Vorkink. He stressed that the Turkish lira was expected to stand at approximately at 1,600,000 to the US dollar for the year. Touching on WB assistance to Turkey and initiatives Ankara is to take over three years under the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), Vorkink said that the Turkish government had met the WB’s criteria for the CAS. Vorkink further stated that the first year of this CAS program would be completed next month. “By the end of 2004, the WB will have extended financial assistance of more than $1.5 billion to Turkey within the framework of CAS,” said Vorkink. Also touching on Turkey’s relations with the International Monetary Fund, Vorkink said that Ankara had signalled that it would put into practice a program with the IMF next year after the completion of its current standby agreement. /Milliyet/

    [06] US HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S REFORMS

    In its 2003-2004 Human Rights Report released yesterday, the US State Department praised Turkey’s rising respect for human rights and reforms passed towards this end. The report stressed that though there were still some deficiencies in implementation, Ankara had pledged to complete these reforms by the end of this year. /Turkiye/

    [07] NEW COUNCIL FOUNDED TO MONITOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

    An Economic Coordination Council headed by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener has been founded to monitor economic developments more closely, the government announced yesterday. Also serving on the council will be Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun, and State Ministers for the Economy Ali Babacan and Kursat Tuzmen. /Milliyet/

    [08] TRNC DEPUTY CEVIKEL RESIGNS FROM PARTY

    Nuri Cevikel, a deputy from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s (TRNC) Republican Turkish Party (CTP), yesterday resigned from his party. With Cevikel’s resignation, the number of CTP deputies in Parliament fell to 18. The CTP is the senior government coalition partner. /Aksam/

    [09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS

    [10] TOWARDS DIVISION BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the possibility of Cyprus’ permanent division. A summary of his column is as follows:

    “This week the headline of a column by Lucas Haralambos published in Greek Cypriot daily the Cyprus Mail said, ‘History will judge those causing division.’ In his column blaming Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, who pushed his countrymen to reject the UN plan in last month’s referendums on Cyprus, and Communist AKEL leader Dimitris Hristofyas, who supported Papadopoulos, Haralambos wrote, ‘They both killed the opportunity for a solution on Cyprus and brought division closer with their irresponsible, erratic behavior. In the near future, Papadopoulos and Hristofyas will both shed tears on the ruins of their irresponsibility.’ The leading article of the same daily also wrote that the Papadopoulos had lost the international community’s support. These articles highlight the possibility of Cyprus’ permanent division in the wake of the referendums. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Ankara have prioritized ending the isolation and various restrictions on Turkish Cypriots. Both the European Union and the US have already started to take steps towards these goals. Although the international community hasn’t yet officially recognized the TRNC, it accepts its existence de facto. Lifting the economic embargo in particular will relieve Turkish Cypriots and ensure their integration with the world. Finally Turkish Cypriots who accepted the UN plan in referendums will be able to say, ‘Unification isn’t so important. We can go on our own way.’ Some are saying this already.

    Papadopoulos’ opponents see this and so we are harshly blaming him and his administration. So what’s Papadopoulos’ strategy? He expects that when the animus against his administration ends, the EU will start a new process of negotiation. Is this possible? The leading article in the Cyprus Mail dismisses this as ‘wishful thinking.’ It really is. The Turkish side, including Ankara, says that negotiating UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan again or even changing it in favor of the Greek Cypriots is out of the question. Papadopoulos’ game with time, that is, his notion that sooner or later the EU will intervene, won’t change the situation. On the contrary, the elapsed time will harden the fact of two states on the island. In this case, if unification happens one day, it will happen in accordance with this new fact.” TO OUR READERS In observance of the May 19 Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day holiday, the Turkish Press review will not appear tomorrow. Please join us again on Thursday.

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