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Turkish Press Review, 05-05-04Turkish 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 morning04.05.2005FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] SEZER, BULGARIAN PRESIDENT DECIDE TO OPEN NEW BORDER GATE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIESPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday received his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Parvanov to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. During their meeting, Parvanov stressed that he placed great importance on relations with Ankara and added that as close allies within NATO, he believed that Bulgaria and Turkey, both European Union candidate countries, will be future partners within the EU. Sezer and Parvanov also reached an agreement to open a new border gate between the two countries. /Cumhuriyet/[02] ERDOGAN DEFENDS HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL, PALESTINEPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday defended his recent two-day visit to Israel and Palestine in the face of certain domestic criticism. Speaking at his Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group meeting, he said his visit was aimed at developing bilateral relations, and contributing to a settlement and peace in the region. Touting his government’s foreign policy, Erdogan said Turkey should be a country contributing to peace in both its region and the world at large. The premier also addressed an AKP Central Executive Board (MYK) gathering. He said that he was aware that certain circles were bothered by Turkey’s development, adding that however, his government would continue its mission to move the country forward. Commenting on a recent dispute between Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mustafa Bumin and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, he said that Arinc’s remarks had been misunderstood. He added that Arinc made those remarks not in the name of the AKP, but as Parliament speaker. He also criticized Bumin for interfering in politics. Concerning Swiss officials’ recent legal investigation of Turkish Historical Society (TTK) head Yusuf Halacoglu over remarks on the Armenian allegations, the premier said sarcastically, “That is a good example of Swiss democracy!” /Turkiye/[03] SCHROEDER PRAISES TURKEY’S EFFORTS ON THE ROAD TO EU MEMBERSHIPGerman Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen yesterday arrived in Ankara to hold talks with Turkish officials. After being welcomed by Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Schroeder then met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his official residence. During a dinner, reportedly the two premiers focused on bilateral relations and vowed to continue cooperation in all areas. The Cyprus issue as well as Turkish-Armenian relations were also taken up. Schroeder stated that thus far Ankara had kept its promises to the European Union and added that he hoped it would to continue to do so through Oct. 3, when its accession talks are expected to begin. The German chancellor is set to be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and to meet with Erdogan again. After completing his talks in Ankara, Schroeder will proceed to Istanbul to attend the First Turkish- German Economic Forum. /Milliyet/[04] BABACAN: “WE CONSIDER THE EU A GUARANTEE OF LONG-TERM STABILITY”Speaking at the 38th meeting of the governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkey considered the European Union a long-term guarantee of stability, predicting that the EU would take note of Turkey’s reforms. Babacan stated that Ankara’s political reforms would continue, adding that its political standards were in accordance with the Union’s. “We can’t achieve economic stability without political stability,” he said. “Both this economic and political stability will help us to achieve long-term stability.” Speaking to reporters before the meeting, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said that the bank should play the role of a catalyst for regional economic development and integration. “Regional integration is very important for the future of Asia, and Turkey could be a good example of this,” he added. /Milliyet/[05] BAYKAL CRITICIZES ARINC OVER COURT DISPUTESpeaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal criticized Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who said on Tuesday that Parliament had the legislative authority and the power to abolish the Constitutional Court. Baykal said that the nation wouldn’t benefit from such arguments, adding that there was no clear social consensus on the issues at hand. “Both Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mustafa Bumin commented on the issue, but the Justice and Development Party (AKP) administration targeted Bumin’s words,” he said. “The Constitutional Court is a basic institution of our country. The Constitution took form as a result of a historical process, and it was shaped as the result of our national struggle.” /Cumhuriyet/[06] CICEK: “THE PARLIAMENT-CONSTITUTIONAL COURT ROW SHOULD END”Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) yesterday, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that dispute between Parliament and the Constitutional Court should be brought to an end. “We are facing crucial problems both at home and abroad,” said Cicek, adding that no one was saying anything new in these arguments. In related news, Board of Higher Education (YOK) head Erdogan Tezic called for Arinc to act impartially, adding that Bumin’s remarks reflected the truth. /Aksam/[07] TRNC FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS QATARTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas yesterday traveled to Qatar to pay an official visit. Denktas first met with Qatar Union of Businessmen head Bessam Messuh. During their talks, possible ways to develop bilateral relations and the recent situation on the Cyprus issue were taken up. Stressing that the TRNC’s international isolation should be ended, Denktas called on Qatari businessmen to visit and invest in the TRNC: /Star/[08] APRIL INFLATION FIGURES RELEASEDThe State Institute of Statistics (DIE) yesterday released inflation figures for April. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.71% and the wholesale price index (WPI) rose 1.21% this month, pushing year-to-year CPI to 8.18% and WPI to 10.17%. /Sabah/[09] PM, STATE MINISTERS TO TAKE UP ECONOMY NEXT WEEKPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to receive a briefing on the nation’s economy next week from top economic officials. During the gathering, Erdogan will discuss recent economic developments with the members of the Economic Coordination Council -- State Ministers Abdullatif Sener, Ali Babacan and Kursad Tuzmen, plus Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and Industry and Trade Minister Ali Coskun. /Turkiye/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[11] BOTH POLITICS AND TRADE... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen writes about Turkish-German relations and the Turkish- German Economic Forum starting today in Istanbul. A summary of his column is as follows:“Today Istanbul will host a significant conference with some 1,200 businessmen in attendance. The two-day Turkish-German Economic Forum will be the largest meeting yet organized by the Cologne-based Turkish-German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The congress will bring together representatives and investors from giant German firms and Turkish businessmen, probably paving the way for new avenues of cooperation between the two countries. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who arrived in Turkey last night, will also be there. Good economic relations between the two countries have always reinforced the political relations and friendship between Ankara and Berlin. For many years, Germany has been Turkey’s number one trade partner. Istanbul and Ankara recently hosted and will host various international economic forums, showing that Turkey is trying to follow a foreign policy- friendly economic course. Ankara is striving to make sure that its economic and foreign policies go hand in hand. In some cases, it’s no secret that bilateral commercial relations help politicians surmount their shared problems. Owing to the forum, Erdogan will have the opportunity to meet with Chancellor Schroeder, probably in face-to-face talks which will emphasize political aspects of the gathering. Schroeder is among the European leaders who have always actively supported Turkey’s European Union membership. As a matter of fact, for Schroeder and his party, supporting Turkey reaps no political gains at all. On the contrary, the leaders of his rivals, the Christian Democrats, have recently become popular for their anti-Turkish statements, which is why Schroeder’s steady support for us is a fine example of courage and good leadership. However, Schroeder will also probably offer his views on such sensitive issues as Cyrus, Armenia and the Heybeliada Seminary, including a number of recommendations which might not be welcomed by some circles. However, we should always bear in mind that at least the person saying these things is our true friend.” [12] LAWLESS EUROPE BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on Switzerland’s starting a legal investigation into Turkish Historical Society (TTK) Chairman Yusuf Halacoglu. A summary of his column is as follows:“Last year on May, Yusuf Halacoglu attended a meeting where he insisted that the Armenian ‘genocide’ claims are baseless and false. However, Swiss law considers it a crime to reject the ‘genocide’ claims. Therefore, a legal investigation was begun into Halacoglu. Assuming the reverse, what if a Turkish court had opened an investigation against a citizen of Switzerland? There’s little doubt what would happen. We’d be getting letters of protest from Europe complaining, ‘There’s still no freedom of speech in Turkey.’ The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly would condemn the decision of Turkish courts, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) would eagerly wait in line to take their shots at Turkey. We’d be listening to European Parliament members lecturing us on learning the rules of the Union, and most of us would be thinking they were right. But now, Switzerland, which often brags to be the most civilized country in the world, opened a legal investigation against a Turkish historian who merely expressed his own point of view… The reason? According to the Swiss Parliament, the Ottoman Empire is guilty of ‘genocide’ against the Armenians. Therefore, it’s a crime to reject this ‘genocide.’ However, there’s no court precedent saying that the Armenian ‘genocide’ claims are true. Without a court ruling on the Armenian ‘genocide,’ how can they ever accuse Halacoglu of rejecting a crime? That seems quite impossible. However, each day we witness another double standard in our relations with the EU, so we shouldn’t really expect Europe to come up with a fair ruling.” 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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