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Turkish Press Review, 05-01-03
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
03.01.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “SOME CIRCLES ARE TRYING TO CAST A SHADOW OVER OUR EU SUCCESS”
[02] GUL URGES NATION TO AID TSUNAMI SURVIVORS IN SOUTH ASIA
[03] US’ ARMITAGE VISITS MIDEAST, TURKEY
[04] JORDANIAN PRINCE VISITS TURKEY
[05] GUL TO TRAVEL TO THE MIDEAST TODAY
[06] ISRAEL TO HOST JOINT MED EXERCISES WITH TURKISH, US NAVIES
[07] AKP DEPUTY CHAIR: “THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED”
[08] TUZMEN SEES SHARP RISE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS ON THE WAY
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[10] IN SHOW OF FRIENDSHIP, PUTIN WILL HOST OVER 600 IN MOSCOW BY ZULFIKAR DOGAN (AKSAM)
[01] ERDOGAN: “SOME CIRCLES ARE TRYING TO CAST A SHADOW OVER OUR EU
SUCCESS”
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for an education and sports center
in Bursa over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan charged that
some circles in Turkey were trying to cast a shadow over the government’s
winning a date from the European Union to begin its accession talks. “But
this is unimportant,” he said. “We’ll stick to our course with
determination, because we’re establishing a Turkey which is open to the
world.” Later, addressing the opening ceremony of an industrial and
vocational high school in Bursa, Erdogan touted Turkey’s economic success,
adding that the economy had grown since 2003 and would be better still in
2005. He added that he placed great importance on Turkey’s youth, as it
will carry the nation to the level of modern civilizations. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] GUL URGES NATION TO AID TSUNAMI SURVIVORS IN SOUTH ASIA
Speaking at a press conference over the weekend, Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul called on the nation to help survivors of the deadly earthquake and
tsunami in South Asia, whose death toll is expected to exceed 150,000,
adding that the impact of the catastrophe was near unimaginable. Gul
stressed that the largest loss of life had been in Indonesia, adding that
over 80 years ago the Indonesian people had supported the Turkish nation
during its War of Independence. “We, as a country which suffered a similar
disaster a few years ago, need to be particularly sensitive,” he said,
referring to the devastating 1999 Marmara earthquake. He further urged all
of Turkey’s associations, foundations, press institutions and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) to work to raise money for relief in the
region. /All papers/
[03] US’ ARMITAGE VISITS MIDEAST, TURKEY
As part of a tour of the Middle East and Turkey, US Deputy Secretary of
State Richard Armitage visited Iraq and Syria over the weekend. Armitage
first met with Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud
Barzani in the northern Iraqi city of Arbil (Erbil). He conveyed a message
of support from US President George Bush to the Kurdish people. Their two-
hour meeting took up the issue of upcoming elections in Iraq and the status
of the strategic, oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Then the US official proceeded
to Syria and met with President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Farouq
al-Sharaa. He said Syria had improved security along its border with Iraq
but needed to do more to keep armed militants from getting across. After
completing his contacts in Syria, Armitage arrived in Ankara last night.
During his two-day visit, Armitage is expected to discuss recent attacks on
Turkish officials in Mosul, the safety of Turkish truck drivers in Iraq,
and the continuing presence of terrorist PKK militants in northern Iraq, in
meetings with Turkish officials including Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. /Turkiye/
[04] JORDANIAN PRINCE VISITS TURKEY
At the invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Jordan’s Prince Hassan
bin Talal last night arrived in Ankara to pay an official visit. Following
his meeting with Sezer, the prince is expected to meet with other Turkish
officials today to discuss bilateral and regional issues. /Turkiye/
[05] GUL TO TRAVEL TO THE MIDEAST TODAY
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is set to begin a visit to Israel and
Palestine today. Gul’s visit to the region comes on the eve of Palestinian
presidential elections scheduled for Jan. 9 and are being seen as an
indication of Ankara’s willingness to play an expanded role in the region.
Tomorrow, Gul is due to meet with Israeli President Moshe Katsav, Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom as well as Deputy
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and opposition leader Shimon Peres. On Wednesday,
he is expected to talk to Palestinian Authority interim President Rawhi
Fattuh and Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath along with Palestinian Liberation
Organization (PLO) leader Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. Gul
will tell both parties that Ankara is ready to made concrete contribution
to the peace process in the region. After his contacts in Israel and
Palestine, Turkey’s top diplomat is expected to fly to Amman, Jordan for a
Thursday meeting of Iraq’s neighbors to discuss the Iraq issue. /Turkiye/
[06] ISRAEL TO HOST JOINT MED EXERCISES WITH TURKISH, US NAVIES
Israel is to host an annual joint search and rescue exercise with the
Turkish and the United States navies off its Mediterranean coast in the
middle of this month, officials said yesterday. "The objective of this
exercise is to practice coordinated emergency search and rescue procedures
in order to save lives in times of distress at sea," said a spokesman for
the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in a statement. "By familiarizing
themselves with each others’ capabilities and working together, elements of
the three naval forces which regularly operate in the Mediterranean Sea
will be able to provide humanitarian aid and more effective responses to
actual maritime emergencies," it added. It is the seventh such joint
exercise between Israel and two of its key allies. /Aksam/
[07] AKP DEPUTY CHAIR: “THE CYPRUS PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED”
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chairman Saban Disli over
the weekend said that the party is determined to solve the Cyprus problem
in line with the United Nations blueprint known as the Annan plan. Disli
stated that his party was pursuing a multidimensional, dynamic and balanced
foreign policy based on the idea of no problems with its neighbors. “For
years, the issues of inflation, Cyprus and the European Union remained
unsolved, but the AKP government has found new ways to steer Turkey out of
these blind alleys,” he added. “As long as political and economic stability
is protected and improved, Turkey will definitely solve these problems.”
/Star/
[08] TUZMEN SEES SHARP RISE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS ON THE WAY
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen over the weekend stated that he believed the
rate of foreign investment would increase considerably this year. “We’ve
already seen the first signs confirming a rise in foreign investments,” he
said. “For example, an Italian state minister paid an official visit to
Ankara last month together with a delegation of 100 investor businessmen,
and they expressed their desire to invest in our country.” Tuzmen stressed
that in the wake of Ankara winning a date for the beginning of its EU
membership negotiations, economic stability in the country had already
improved. “Turkey is more attractive than other European countries in terms
of production costs,” he said. “We have an educated workforce. All of these
factors are creating a positive business environment, one which I believe
will attract more foreign investors to our country this year.” /Star/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[10] IN SHOW OF FRIENDSHIP, PUTIN WILL HOST OVER 600 IN MOSCOW BY ZULFIKAR
DOGAN (AKSAM)
Columnist Zulfikar Dogan comments on Turkish-Russian relations. A summary
of his column is as follows:
“With his visit to Turkey on the eve of the Dec. 17 European Union summit,
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a message that Turkey doesn’t only
have one choice, namely the EU, but also has other alternatives and
opportunities, like Moscow. Putting also signalled that with its
investments in oil and natural gas, Russia is there for Turkey and is ready
for a strategic partnership.
The new Moscow business center constructed jointly by the Turkish Union of
Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) and the Turkish Exporters’ Union
(TIM) is due to finally open. About 650 journalists and businessmen will
attend next week’s opening ceremony, which will led by Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan alongside Putin.
The image of Turkish commodities was once ruined by poor-quality products
smuggled to Russia. Some shops in Moscow even announced that they wouldn’t
carry Turkish products. But in recent years we’ve reclaimed our image. The
new business center will be a place embodying the ‘Turquality’ which
burnished the image of our products. Top Turkish firms are seeking spots in
the center. Russia is preparing for investments in Turkey. They are also
seeking a piece of the pie of fast train, hydroelectric power plant and
helicopter projects. In sum, there are many opportunities for partnership
between Turkey and Russia.”
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