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Turkish Press Review, 05-06-29
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
29.06.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “TURKEY WILL CONTINUE ITS REFORMS”
[02] GUL DELIVERS ADDRESS AT OIC MEETING IN SANAA
[03] ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO BAKU TODAY
[04] EU COMMISSION SPOKESMAN: “THE ENLARGEMENT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE”
[05] OZKOK: “TURKEY IS A GUARANTOR FOR PEACE”
[06] BAYKAL: “THE AKP IS CHANGING TURKEY INTO AN ISLAMIC REGIME”
[07] CHP LOSES ANOTHER DEPUTY
[08] OECD: TURKEY HAS THE FIFTH-HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] WAIT-AND-SEE PERIOD IN IRAN
[01] ERDOGAN: “TURKEY WILL CONTINUE ITS REFORMS”
Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary
group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at
recent remarks over Turkey made by some European Union member countries.
“Our view on the EU is clear and definite. We’ll continue our efforts on
the road to democratization,” said the premier. Stressing that Turkey’s EU
membership would contribute to the development of democracy and
civilization, Erdogan said a powerful Turkey would be a great opportunity
for the world. /Turkiye/
[02] GUL DELIVERS ADDRESS AT OIC MEETING IN SANAA
The foreign ministers meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) yesterday started in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. On the first day of
the conference, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul delivered two speeches as the
OIC’s term president. He called on Islamic countries to develop a roadmap
for future reforms. Remarking that the OIC should lend more support to
economic, social and political reforms in its member countries, Gul laid
out several principles which, in his opinion, should be adopted by the
Muslim world to catch up with modern standards. Stressing that these
reforms deserved state support, Gul urged the OIC members to develop a
legal framework for reforms and improve gender equality, the rule of law
and transparency in state administration. Gul also underlined that the
reform process should be gradual and designed in line with the particular
conditions of each country. “Islamic countries should move more actively in
the international community to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots,”
he added. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) attended the
meeting as “Turkish Cyprus” for the first time in the OIC’s history.
/Sabah/
[03] ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO BAKU TODAY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to pay his first official visit
to Azerbaijan today as the premier of the Republic. Erdogan is expected to
be received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and then will meet with
Turkish businessmen in Baku. He will also address the Azerbaijani
Parliament. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] EU COMMISSION SPOKESMAN: “THE ENLARGEMENT PROCESS WILL CONTINUE”
The enlargement process is continuing as planned and it can’t be stopped, a
spokesman for the European Commission said yesterday. “The enlargement
process is continuing in line with the resolutions which were previously
approved by the highest organs of the bloc, so it is impossible to stop
this process,” the spokesman added, rebuffing recent calls by some
politicians to halt enlargement. In related news, the framework document
for Turkey’s membership negotiations will be discussed by the EU Commission
today. /Aksam/
[05] OZKOK: “TURKEY IS A GUARANTOR FOR PEACE”
Turkey is an important country promoting peace both in its region and NATO,
said Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday during the
opening of a seminar of the Silk Road-2005 Flag Officers. Stressing that
Turkey serves as a bridge between NATO and crisis regions, Ozkok said that
it would continue to contribute to efforts for global peace. NATO’s senior
civilian representative in Afghanistan Hikmet Cetin and NATO Military
Committee Chairman Gen. Ray Henault of Canada also attended the three-day
seminar in addition to 85 generals, admirals and civilian leaders from NATO
and Partnership for Peace (PfP) countries. /Turkiye/
[06] BAYKAL: “THE AKP IS CHANGING TURKEY INTO AN ISLAMIC REGIME”
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal charged
yesterday that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trying to
insert religion into education, law and politics. “They are trying to
change Turkey’s vision to an Islamic way,” added Baykal. He also cited
Prime Minister Undersecretary Omer Dincer’s words saying that nationalism,
secularism and the republic need to be rearranged along religious lines.
Baykal said that people like Dincer are trying to alter the balances in
Turkey by, for instance, championing efforts to lower the age of students
in Koran courses and by supporting these courses. Also they are trying to
change imam hatip schools into university preparation schools and have more
imam hatip graduates in universities, he said. By doing such things they
are planning to first allow headscarves in universities and then in other
public areas, he alleged. /Hurriyet/
[07] CHP LOSES ANOTHER DEPUTY
Opposition Republican People’s Party CHP Mersin Deputy Huseyin Guler
yesterday quit the party. Criticizing the party administration, Guler
claimed that it had failed to produce policies to address the nation’s
problems. On the other hand, Hatay independent Deputy Zuheyir Amber
yesterday joined the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN). The new distribution of
seats in Parliament is as follows: Justice and Development Party: 356,
Republican People’s Party (CHP): 158, Motherland Party (ANAVATAN): 14, True
Path Party (DYP): 4, Social Democrat People’s Party (SHP): 4, People’s
Ascent Party (HYP): 1, independent: 10, vacant: 3. /Star/
[08] OECD: TURKEY HAS THE FIFTH-HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
According to Employment Outlook 2005 report of the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Turkey has the fifth-highest
unemployment rate among OECD member states with 10.2%, after the top four,
namely Poland, Slovenia, Spain and Greece. The OECD predicts that the
Turkish economy will develop at a rate of 6.3% this year and continue
developing with a ratio of 6.15% in the coming year but that unemployment
will also continue to rise and reach 10.4% this year and 10.5% the next.
The report adds that Turkey has the lowest rate of employment compared to
its adult population which is able to work. Turkey’s employment rate last
year was 45.5%, but it has been falling since 1999, when it was 54.5%.
/Cumhuriyet/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[10] WAIT-AND-SEE PERIOD IN IRAN
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on newly elected Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. A summary of his column is as follows:
“How will the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the new Iranian president
influence Turkish-Iranian relations? Ankara officially thinks that this is
Iran’s internal affairs and the Iranian people’s choice. However, Turkish
officials and analysts don’t help things by saying, ‘If Rafsanjani had won
the elections, it would have been better.’ The reason is that Turkey knows
Rafsanjani well. He valued relations with Turkey and when necessary, had
talked with the radical establishment led by Ayatollah Khamenei. However,
how Ahmadinejad will act in domestic and foreign affairs and in relations
with Turkey is uncertain. As one official said, ‘Now we’re facing a new
situation. We need to follow a wait-and-see policy.’ Official circles in
Turkey hope that the recently improved bilateral relations will continue in
this direction during the new era.
Will the new president be brave enough to make certain openings in foreign
relations or will he choose to stand with the radicals? There are two
opinions about this. Taking into account his background and character, some
people think that he will radicalize Iran both at home and abroad. Others
think that he will make certain realistic openings in order to keep the
economic promises he made to the Iranian people. Now there are certain
arguments for and against these two views. However, we shouldn’t forget
that incidents in Iran develop not according to the logic of analyses, but
in accordance to the ‘reality of Iran.’ Therefore, the best thing to do now
is to wait for him to send his first clear signals.
Ahmadinejad’s statements during his first post-election press conference
didn’t offer any clues. Actually he doesn’t have much experience or
knowledge in foreign policy. His remarks at the press conference reflect
Tehran’s usual position. For example, there’s nothing new in Iran’s stance
towards the US or its nuclear program. According to certain official
circles in Washington, Iran might take a harder line and the US would then
take such firm measures as economic sanctions to rein it in. discipline
Iran. Meanwhile, some people think that Ahmadinejad might show his
revolutionary stance in foreign policy, ushering in a new period of tension
in the region. We hope this won’t happen. Such stances don’t solve
problems. We hope that Ahmadinejad’s election will open a new page in
Iran’s actions and foreign policy. Even if this is unlikely to happen,
let’s wait and see.”
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