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Turkish Press Review, 04-07-26Turkish 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 morning26.07.2004LOYALTY TO ECEVIT BY FIKRET BILACONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN TO VISIT IRANPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accompanied by a large delegation including businessmen and reporters is set travel to Iran tomorrow to pay a three-day official visit. Erdogan is expected to discuss with Iranian leaders a number of bilateral and regional issues. During the premier’s visit, a Turkish-Iranian Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting will also be held in Tehran. Before leaving to attend that meeting, State Minister Kursad Tuzmen told reporters that Turkey hoped to raise the nations’ bilateral trade volume to $10 billion in the medium term. /Turkiye/[02] GUL MEETS WITH SPANISH FM, DISCUSSES TURKEY’S EU BID, CYPRUSForeign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his visiting Spanish counterpart Angel Moratinos to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations, Turkey’s European Union membership bid, and Cyprus. During their meeting, Gul stressed that Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria and added that Spanish support for Turkey’s EU bid was very important. Gul also briefed Moratinos on recent developments on the Cyprus issue and asked for Madrid’s support to end the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The two foreign ministers also discussed recent developments in the Middle East since Moratinos reportedly wants his country to pursue a more active policy there. After completing his contacts in Ankara, Moratinos is due to proceed to Moscow today. /Cumhuriyet/[03] NEW EP HEAD: “BOTH TURKEY AND THE EU ARE READY TO BEGIN ACCESSION TALKS”Josep Borrell, the just-elected president of the European Parliament, said yesterday that both Turkey and the European Union were ready to begin accession talks after the EU’s December summit. Speaking to Spanish daily El Periodico, Borrell said that Ankara’s democratization process should be encouraged, adding that Turkey’s EU membership would also help spur the Muslim world’s democratization. He added that Turkey’s EU membership was a process and that it wouldn’t join the Union tomorrow. /Milliyet/[04] TALAT CALLS ON INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO END[05] TRNC’S ISOLATIONIn a guest opinion column published in US daily The Washington Times late last week, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat called on the international community to take concrete steps to end the TRNC’s isolation. "International transportation, particularly direct flights, should be encouraged by governments and made possible for international air carriers," wrote Talat. "This is the only way tourism can be developed to its true potential and significantly boost the Turkish Cypriot economy. Free, direct trade between Northern Cyprus and particularly the EU, but also the US and the world at large, would be in the interest of all." Talat also lauded a recent $30.5 million US aid package. Turkish Cypriots "are a well educated, resourceful people who have demonstrated what we can do even under isolation," added the TRNC leader. "Given the opportunity [internationally], I have no doubt we will perform impressively." Pointing to Greek Cyprus' public opposition to measures to alleviate the embargo on the TRNC, Talat "call[ed] on the Greek Cypriot side to cease these counterproductive efforts in the interest of reconciliation on Cyprus, our common home, as I call on the international community, particularly the United States and the EU, to redouble their efforts to end the undeserved isolation of my people." /Turkiye, www.washingtontimes.com /[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “THE UN CYPRUS PLAN CAN BE RENEGOTIATED”Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that the UN Cyprus plan could be re-negotiated, adding that he expected certain changes to be made to it. Greek Cyprus’ rejection of that plan in an April referendum, even as Turkish Cypriots approved it, caused the collapse of efforts to reunify the island. In related news, Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Lacovou said yesterday that the European Union’s December summit, when the EU is to decide whether or not to give a date to Turkey to begin accession talks, was very important for resolving the Cyprus issue. Lacovou stressed that even if a resolution on the island is not be reached by December, efforts would continue. /Cumhuriyet/[07] ECEVIT BIDS FAREWELL TO A HALF-CENTURY IN POLITICSDemocratic Leftist Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit (79) yesterday ended his 50-year active political life. At the DSP’s weekend Sixth Ordinary Convention meeting, Zeki Sezer was elected as the successor to Ecevit, a former two-time prime minister. /Turkiye/[08] TRAIN CRASH IN AYDIN TAKES 15 LIVESFollowing last week’s train derailment disaster near Pamukova, yesterday a passenger train en route from Izmir to Denizli hit a minibus at a grade crossing in the Aegean city of Aydin. The accident killed 15 of the bus passengers and injured four others. /Hurriyet/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[10] THREE STEPS TO DEMOCRACY[11] BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkey’s democratic shortcomings as seen by the European Union. A summary of his column is as follows:“The European Commission has started to prepare its progress report on Turkey. According to this report set to be issued on Oct. 6, the 25 EU member countries will state that membership negotiations might begin with Turkey after December and even give an exact date for them to start. The EU will accept that Turkey is ready for democracy in terms of the Copenhagen criteria and that it’s time to pass to full membership negotiations. The most influential people in Europe said that we’ve quickly and determinedly arranged for modern democratic norms. However, the document will reportedly say that we have some shortcomings in terms of practice which can be categorized under three headings. For me, the most important of these are certain restrictions on our Christian citizens. Europeans are sensitive about this issue. Most of these restrictions didn’t exist during the Ottoman era, or even under Ataturk. For this reason, ending them is appropriate to our national policy of tolerance. As the voice of those who oppose tolerance is still loud, we have been unable to convince the Turkish people about the benefits of educating Orthodox priests not abroad, but in Heybeli in Istanbul. In addition, Greece should end restrictions on Turkish schools in western Thrace. The second shortcoming is the harsh treatment of our police. They should act more humanely. The third concerns how our judicial branch works. Besides its being an EU issue, this problem should be solved immediately. What will happen if our justice system doesn’t work properly?” [12] LOYALTY TO ECEVIT[13] BY FIKRET BILAColumnist Fikret Bila comments on the end of Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit’s political career. A summary of his column is as follows:“Yesterday’s Democratic Left Party (DSP) Congress could also be called a test of loyalty to longtime DSP leader Bulent Ecevit. Ecevit’s stepping down from the DSP helm was emotional for both him and his wife Rahsan as well as for party delegates. While ending his near-50-year political career, the DSP delegates showed respect and loyalty to Ecevit. Notwithstanding the November 2002 elections, which brought down the DSP-led government, the party doesn’t seem to be giving up. Ecevit’s address was not an emotional farewell speech, but mostly concerned Turkish foreign policy issues and the problems facing villages and villagers. Although Ecevit had earlier expressed his preference that Zeki Sezer succeeded him as leader, he didn’t repeat this in his speech, but only gave general wishes of success for the DSP’s new head. But Ecevit’s endorsement was Sezer’s key asset, besides his honesty and diligence. Sezer’s strongest opponent was Sukru Sina Gurel, formerly Ecevit’s deputy premier. Gurel was aware that he had a tough job in front of him after Ecevit declared his choice. The election results also showed that Ecevit’s continuing influence: Sezer was chosen the new DSP leader with 576 votes, while Gurel got only 239. These votes could also be interpreted as a sign of loyalty to Ecevit, and the votes for Gurel could be a sign of a search for a new leadership among DSP delegates. If we consider that Gurel won these votes despite Ecevit, one can say that a hard process awaits Sezer.” 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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