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Turkish Press Review, 04-12-14Turkish 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 morning14.12.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT PASSES PENAL ENFORCEMENT BILLParliament’s General Assembly yesterday approved a 124-article Penal Enforcement Bill as a final legal adjustment before the crucial end-week European Union summit where EU leaders are set to decide whether Ankara is ready to begin its membership talks. The new Penal Enforcement Law, set to take effect on April 1, 2005, governs technical issues such as the length of prison sentences and releases on probation. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that Turkey had now fulfilled all the necessary criteria to join the Union’s ranks. /Star/[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH EDELMAN, DISCUSSES TURKEY’S EU BID, IRAQ, PKK_KADEKPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with US Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman to discuss a number of issues, including Turkey’s European Union membership bid, recent developments in Iraq, and the terrorist group PKK_KADEK. During their meeting, Erdogan reiterated Ankara’s sensitivities about the terrorists, and Edelman proposed concrete steps to end the PKK_KADEK presence in northern Iraq, beginning with a tripartite meeting between Ankara, Washington and Baghdad. “Following these preparations, we can decide what steps to take,” he said. Touching on Turkey’s EU bid, Edelman stressed that the US had supported Ankara’s EU aspirations for some four decades, adding that he hoped the Union would make a positive decision at Friday’s pivotal EU summit in Brussels. /Milliyet/[03] ERDOGAN: “BY THE END OF EU TALKS, ANKARA WILL ACCEPT EITHER FULL MEMBERSHIP OR NOTHING”In an interview published yesterday in the Times of London, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that by the end of its accession talks with the European Union, Ankara would either be a full EU member or nothing. “Accepting a country that has brought together Islam and democracy will bring about harmony between civilizations," he said. "If, on the other hand, it is not welcomed, the world will have to put up with the present situation,” he added, in remarks The Times said referred to waves of terrorism worldwide. Commenting on France’s “special partnership” proposal in lieu of EU membership for Turkey, Erdogan said that it was difficult to understand France’s hesitations. Speaking on the same day to British daily The Independent, Erdogan said that Turkey had four expectations from the Union, beginning with starting Ankara’s talks unconditionally. "Two is having the exact date of the start of negotiations without having the need to have a second meeting to get that," he continued. "Three and four go together: no political criteria that are not included in the Copenhagen political criteria should be pressed upon Turkey. These are permanent limitations [on areas such as the free movement of workers], [recognition of] Greek Cyprus, other things. There can be some temporary limitations [on workers] but having permanent limitations is against the [EU law]." /Cumhuriyet/[04] AGAR CRITICIZES GOVT’S EU EFFORTSTrue Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, charging that its efforts for Turkey’s European Union membership bid had been “weak and clumsy.” /Aksam/[05] ON EVE OF SUMMIT, EU LEADERS FOCUS ON TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP BIDJust days prior to the European Union’s historic year-end summit and a turning point for Turkey’s EU membership bid, EU leaders yesterday continued their contacts to clarify the Union’s decision on the future path of Ankara’s membership. EU Term President the Netherlands’ Premier Jan Peter Balkenende yesterday met with the leaders of Germany and France, while in Brussels, the EU General Affairs Council made up of the member states’ foreign ministers discussed a draft statement on Turkey for the crucial summit. Following his meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Berlin, Balkanende said that they were trying to prepare a statement which would be acceptable to all sides. He underlined three major points: Turkey would get a date to begin accession talks, the talks would be aimed at full membership, and they would be open ended. Later, Balkanende proceed to Paris to see French President Jacques Chirac. Afterwards, he told reporters that Chirac had expressed France’s anxieties about Turkey’s EU membership. Balkanende said that target of the talks would be full membership, “However,” he added, “we should also consider a possibility of not getting a positive result.” The Dutch premier stated that he would continue his contacts with other EU leaders. In related news, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to hold separate meetings with his Italian and German counterparts on the matter in London today. Meanwhile, at the EU General Affairs Council meeting, the EU foreign ministers tried to hammer out a final version of the statement on Turkey. Before the meeting, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot told reporters that he hoped EU leaders would agree to give Ankara a date for its accession talks. In addition, the European Parliament last night discussed a Turkey report prepared by Dutch Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings. The report and its recommendation call on EU leaders to begin accession talks with Turkey without delay. A vote on a decision is expected at the EP’s General Assembly tomorrow. /Turkiye/[06] FORMER UN HEAD BOUTROS-GALI: “TURKS ARE EUROPEAN, AND TURKEY BELONGS IN EUROPE”Addressing a Paris conference entitled “The Future of Europe Is in the Mediterranean,” former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros- Gali yesterday argued that in the future Europe would have to reinforce its ever-aging population with young people from Mediterranean countries. “Old Europe needs a boost from young Mediterraneans,” he said. “Turkey is European, as much as the Greek Cypriots are. Turkey belongs in Europe.” /Star/[07] FRENCH FM URGES TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDEFrench Foreign Minister Michel Barnier yesterday asked Ankara to recognize so-called Armenian genocide in return for the European Union beginning its accession talks. At a press conference, Barnier said that there was no consensus yet on the statement on Turkey for this week’s historic EU summit, adding that negotiations could begin at earliest in the second half of 2005. Stressing that there was no guarantee of a positive result and that steps should be patiently taken one at a time, Barnier said talks might be suspended at any point and that the French people would say the final word through a referendum. He added that during the accession talks, France would also urge Ankara to recognize the past Armenian tragedy. /Turkiye/[08] PAPADOPULOS: “THE CYPRUS ISSUE WILL ALWAYS BE BEFORE TURKEY DURING ITS EU TALKS”Greek Cypriot leader Tasos Papadopulos said yesterday that this Friday, Dec. 17’s European Union summit would usher in a new era for Turkey’s EU aspirations and that during that period, the Cyprus issue would always be before it. Speaking to fellow Democratic Party members, Papadopulos said the summit marked a beginning, not an end, and that during the years to come Turkey and its stance on the Cyprus issue would be under close watch. /Turkiye/[09] ANKARA, IMF AGREE ON NEW ECONOMIC PROGRAMTurkey and the International Monetary Fund have reportedly reached agreement on the country’s new economic program. State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan and IMF Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam are expected to hold a joint press conference today to brief reporters on the details of the program, which will cover 2005-2007. Ensuring sustainable economic development and maintaining single-digit inflation are reportedly the program’s two main objectives. In the coming three years, Turkey will also exert efforts to fulfill the EU’s Maastrich criteria, the Union’s economic constitution. /Sabah/[10] OLIVER STONE ARRIVES IN TURKEY IN BID TO MEND FENCESOscar-winning director and screenwriter Oliver Stone yesterday arrived in Turkey in a bid to mend fences with the Turkish people, many of whom accuse him of dealing a blow to the country’s image abroad with the controversial 1978 movie “Midnight Express.” Stone is expected to meet with Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu and prominent figures from both the media and movie sectors. "Stone has already apologized and there’s no sense in fanning again this 'Midnight Express' syndrome," said Mumcu. "What we’ll discuss with Stone are joint projects we can undertake in the future." Many Turks believe that "Midnight Express" remains a symbol of hatred against their country, as the movie presents a dreadful picture of life in a Turkish prison with appalling scenes of torture and rape. Stone, one of the film’s screenwriters, has been criticized for taking questionable liberties with the original text, purportedly a true memoir, and the film has also attracted criticism for its harsh anti-Turkish rhetoric. The movie was banned in Turkey after its release and was only shown on TV in the 1990s. /Star/[11] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[12] WHY DO WE WANT THE EU? BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on Turkish-EU relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“If we look at our move towards Westernization as a very long marathon, now we find ourselves near the beginning of a new and special stage. We’ll be able to finish the marathon if we can get accepted as a full European Union member. Not just any result would be success, only this one. Just after the fall 2002 general elections, when Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul served as caretaker prime minister for ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan took a tour of European countries plus the US, China, Russia and Japan. Those visits marked a historic period. The government put priority on our EU bid as its top project. Now we will watch the countdown in Brussels. We’re seeing a busy traffic of negotiations and shuttle diplomacy across European capitals. Everyday there are new drafts whose only aim is finding a middle ground for Turkey and the EU. You can rest assured it will be found. There’s no problem with Friday’s EU summit. It’s the day after which is key. In order to see this, we should grasp the real character of Turkey’s love for the EU. Why does Turkey want this EU membership? We’re not looking for our identity, as some people, even most Europeans, seem to think. We’re knocking on the doors of the EU only to catch up to European standards, improve our quality of life and become modern and civilized. We want to join the EU in order to raise our educational level, ensure equal opportunities and cultivate a better citizenry. We already have an identity. Turkey is a young but strong democratic republic with a population of 70 million on a large geography. We’ve been making efforts to become an EU member for 40 years now, enacting reform packages for five years, and experiencing an extraordinary process of change for two years. Of course we’ve made some mistakes. For example, we’re trying to effect change through politics while ignoring mentalities and culture. We consider Westernization a means of escape. The process of our EU membership talks won’t be easy.” [13] EAST AND WEST BY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)Columnist Taha Akyol comments on Turkey’s European Union membership bid and Turkish-US relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“Abraham Foxman, director of the US’ Anti-Defamation League (ADL), one of America’s largest Jewish groups, is currently visiting Turkey. Today Foxman will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek and Religious Affairs Directorate head Ali Bardakoglu. I was able to speak with him in Istanbul. Foxman emphasized to me how both the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic had helped Jews who faced anti-Semitic oppression in other countries to settle in Turkey. Foxman also told how the US Jewish lobby supports Turkey against those who oppose it. Even if there is a disagreement about the Palestinian issue, the friendship of this lobby is invaluable for Turkey. Foxman said that the lobby supports Turkey’s European Union membership bid and emphasized a very important issue: There are considerable disagreements between the US and Europe. Turkey could have difficulties in policy making if tension rises on these issues. This is true. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul recently said that Turkey may have neglected its relations with Washington due to its emphasis on the EU. On the other hand, some Europeans are anxious about Turkey being a trustworthy US ally, and this is one reason for their opposition to Turkey’s EU bid. Countries like Britain, Spain, Italy and Poland which support Turkey are also close to the US. France and Germany (except their social democrats) stand against the US and are skeptical about Ankara’s bid. What Foxman said is a proper warning. Turkey must develop consistent policies and weigh in on events. How could we do this? Turkey has to have a stable government and economy as well as strong and stable relations with the US, the EU and the countries of Eurasia and the Islamic world. Turkey’s power in the West is dependent on its power in the East, and vice versa. Explaining why American Jews value Turkey, Foxman emphasized Turkey’s geopolitical situation. Turkey’s good relations with both the Arabs and Israel are a model for doing the same with the US and the EU. Turkey has an important function in the age of globalization. It is a harmony of civilizations standing against the clash of civilizations.” 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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