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Turkish Press Review, 05-01-19Turkish 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 morning19.01.2005FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN ADDRESSES AGRICULTURE MEETING, DECLARES THE GOVT SUBVENTIONS TO THE SECTORAddressing a meeting of agriculture volunteers in Ankara yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the agriculture sector carried great importance for Turkey, declaring subventions which the government would provide the sector with this year. He stated that the government’s goal was to increase the number of agricultural projects from 1,000 to 3, 000. He further stated that livestock would be very important for the future of agriculture. Erdogan stressed that during Ankara’s European Union membership process, there was need to transfer the population in the agricultural sector to the industrial sector. “Turkey is among the most developed 20 economies of the world,” said Erdogan, adding that it was continuing to grow rapidly. /Aksam/[02] ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO SOUTH ASIAPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday called for help for the victims of the southeastern Asian countries which were hit by last month’s quake and tsunamis. Erdogan yesterday said that he would travel to the disaster region on Feb. 5, adding that he wishes to take with him the aid donated by the Turkish citizens to the region. “Many people from very different religions were killed by the quake and tsunamis in the region,” he said. “We should consider this issue more sensitively and we must do our utmost to help the victims.” /Hurriyet/[03] SCREENING PROCESS TO START OCT. 4European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday that European Union would start Turkey’s screening process on Oct. 4. He remarked that screening process might last one year. The EU commissioner added that Turkey was expected to extend the Ankara Treaty to all 25 EU members before Oct. 3, and that there would be no obstacle to begin negotiations. /Aksam/[04] GREEK MAIN OPPOSITION HEAD TO VISIT ANKARAUpon the invitation of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Greek main opposition party DISI’s head Nikos Anastasiades is expected to pay an official visit to Ankara next month to discuss the Cyprus issue with Turkish officials. Anastasiades yesterday said that he wanted to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Turkish capital. Honorary chairman of the party and former Greek leader Glafcos Clerides is also expected to come to Turkey with the DISI delegation. Clerides and DISI had lent their full support to the United Nations Cyprus plan, known as the Annan plan, conflicting with Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos. /Hurriyet/[05] VAT MEETING CANCELLED, RUSSIA WANTS TO ACT AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIAThe Viennese Armenian-Turkish Platform (VAT) yesterday announced that it would not carry through its starting initiative "The First Viennese Armenian-Turkish Round Table" originally planned for spring 2005. The reason is that the Armenian side has failed to provide the platform with the necessary confirmation as agreed in August 2004. The Turkish side accepted to participate in the dialogue, in which each part was supposed to present 180 documents on the year 1915 showing their understanding of the so-called Armenian genocide. In July 2004, the first 100 documents each from the Armenian and Turkish side were exchanged to get the dialogue started. The VAT was founded by four Austrian historians as a neutral platform serving as an intermediary for Turkish and Armenian researchers scientifically investigating the Armenian-Turkish Question. In related news, the Moscow radio yesterday announced that the Russian Federation is ready to act as a mediator between Turkey and Armenia as well as the guarantor of any possible agreement to be signed between the two countries. /Hurriyet/[06] TRANSPORTATION MINISTER VISITS ETHIOPIATransportation Minister Binali Yildirim who is currently paying a visit to Ethiopia, yesterday met with Premier Meles Zenawi. Stressing his satisfaction from the recent efforts to develop bilateral relations with Turkey, Zenawi invited Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit his country in coming days. Speaking at a meeting of the Joint Economic Commission, Yildirim talked about Turkey’s GAP project and said that Turkish firms might work on building dams on Awash and Nile rivers. He added that in the near future, Turkish businessmen from different sectors would pay visits to Ethiopia to seek ways to make investments in the country. During a series of contacts with Ethiopian officials, Yildirim signed agreements proposing cooperation in air and sea transportation. /Turkiye/[07] ISLAM WORLD TO AID SOUTH ASIAAt a press conference in Istanbul, Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary- general of the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) said that the organization would aid to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami hit- south Asia. “Emergency aid will be made to some 40,000 orphan children, and $500 million will be donated to contribute to the reconstruction of the disaster region,” said Ekmeleddin. /Turkiye/[08] BAYKAL: “THOUGH THE CONGRESS IS WANTED TO BE DIRECTED, THE CHP WILL DETERMINE ITS FUTURE WITH ITS OWN PRINCIPLES AND UNDERSTANDING”In the runup to a key party congress to be held on Jan. 29, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday sought support in Nevsehir where he met with the delegates of his party. Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Baykal said that the congress would be more than a “inter-party problem,” adding that the congress was wanted to be directed by some circles but that the CHP would determine its future with its own principles and understanding. “Some circles are trying to corrupt our party, but we will protect its principles,” said Baykal, stressing that the importance of the party would further increase with the congress. Later, Baykal proceeded to Erzurum to meet with the party’s delegates. /Cumhuriyet/[09] LIVANELI: “I WILL ANNOUNCE MY FINAL DECISION ON CHP LEADERSHIP CANDIDACY NEXT WEEK”Speaking to reporters yesterday, Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy from Istanbul Zulfu Livaneli said that next week he would announce his final decision whether to be a candidate or not for the CHP leadership, adding that his possible leadership would ensure peace and integrity within the party. He further called his possible candidacy “Mevlana project.” Livaneli stressed that the left-wing wanted change, adding that even the conservative Justice and Development Party (AKP) was passing through a process of change. “I don’t believe that delegates will be against change,” added Livaneli. /Cumhuriyet/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[11] HIGH EXPECTATIONS ABOUT TRNC BY MURAT YETKIN (RADIKAL)Columnist Murat Yetkin comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“The Cyprus issue has been making Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan busy recently the most. Erdogan thinks that finding a satisfying and permanent solution to the Cyprus issue is in favor of Turkey. He considers the continuation of the current situation the waste of time and grows impatient about the solution. There might be both foreign and domestic policy reasons for this impatience. This is not a secret that there is the Cyprus lobby in Turkish politics. Erdogan and his staff might think that the continuation of the current situation in Cyprus will cause increasing problems in Turkish domestic policies. Whatever the reason is, Erdogan wants a permanent solution to the Cyprus issue as soon as the most. The Greek Cypriot main opposition Democratic Unity Party (DISI) was invited to Ankara by the Justice and Development Party (AKP). This invitation will be a first. It is understood that Foreign Ministry was informed on this invitation later. Some people consider this step wrong, some consider it risky or bold. For example, if a DISI representative says in Ankara, ‘Turkey should give up recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Turkish army should withdraw from the island immediately,’ it would be difficult for us to say, ‘This is their opinion. We don’t agree with them.’ Erdogan took step by taking all these risking all these possibilities, which can be considered an intervention into Cyprus balances. Erdogan wants to give a message to the US, Britain, Greece, the EU and even Russia with these sorts of steps. He might also make other moves in terms of the Cyprus issue because the Turkish government has the right to convince the public opinion so the TRNC government can take new steps. The TRNC government and public said ‘yes’ during last April’s referendum and thus, made the greatest and most serious declaration, showing their support for a permanent solution. However, the result of this referendum couldn’t be voted at the UN Security Council with Russia’s veto. Similarly, the EU and the US didn’t keep their promise to lift the economic isolation on the TRNC. However, the Greek Cypriot administration became an EU member last May. This way it can prevent the support programs on the TRNC. However, the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and the Democrat Party (DP) need concrete examples to be presented to voters before next month’s elections. These examples might strengthen the coalition party and influence the result of presidential elections in April. Such a situation would relieve the Turkish government as well.” [12] BUSH AND IRAN BY CUNEYT ULSEVER (HURRIYET)Columnist Cuneyt Ulsever comments on US policies in Iran. A summary of his column is as follows:“I previously wrote that the US will be more aggressive after US President George W. Bush’s reelection. The US will try to restore its relations with Turkey by supporting it in its EU membership bid and by giving an important role in the Greater Middle East Initiative (GME). I don’t think that Bush wouldn’t leave the White House before having the control of Iran. It will persuade Iran to abstain from Nuclear Weapons. Seymour M. Hersh in his article published in the New Yorker this week wrote the following: ‘Despite the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, the Bush Administration has not reconsidered its basic long-range policy goal in the Middle East: the establishment of democracy throughout the region. Bush’s re-election is regarded within the Administration as evidence of America’s support for his decision to go to war. It has reaffirmed the position of the neo-conservatives in the Pentagon’s civilian leadership. This is a war against terrorism, and Iraq is just one campaign. The Bush Administration is looking at this as a huge war zone,’ the former high- level intelligence official told me. ‘Next, we’re going to have the Iranian campaign. We’ve got four years, and want to come out of this saying we won the war on terrorism.’’ On the other hand, answering a question of how the US will react if the international community will stay indifferent towards Iran’s nuclear program, Bush told the NBC television that he hopes to solve this problem diplomatically, but he would consider every other option. Pentagon said that there are many fundamental mistakes in Hersh’s article and that these mistakes would ruin its reliability, but didn’t deny the article. Due to the strained relations between the US and Iran, Turkey will face a difficult period this year.” NOTE: THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE TURKISH PRESS REVIEW WILL APPEAR ON JAN. 24, 2005 DUE TO THE FEAST OF THE SACRIFICE HOLIDAY. 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 |