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Turkish Press Review, 05-07-01

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: 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 morning

01.07.2005

ERDOGAN VISITS AZERBAIJAN ERDOGAN: “OUR PRIORITY IS TO DEAL WITH UNEMPLOYMENT” EU OFFICIALS DEBATE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID PRODI: “TURKEY IS A NEIGHBOR OF THE EU” OIC CALLS FOR END TO ISOLATION OF TURKISH CYPRUS BRUTON: “TURKEY’S TALKS AIM AT FULL EU MEMBERSHIP” FT CALLS ON EUROPE TO UPHOLD ITS COMMITMENTS TO TURKEY STRAW: “BRITAIN IS DETERMINED FOR TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP” AGAR WARNS OF DANGER IN EU FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHANGES TO PARLIAMENTARY RULES BUYUKANIT: “SOME EU COUNTRIES SUPPORT THE PKK” OZKOK MEETS WITH EU COMMANDER FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS STARTING IS IMPORTANT BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

CONTENTS

  • [01] ERDOGAN VISITS AZERBAIJAN
  • [02] ERDOGAN: “OUR PRIORITY IS TO DEAL WITH UNEMPLOYMENT”
  • [03] EU OFFICIALS DEBATE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID
  • [04] PRODI: “TURKEY IS A NEIGHBOR OF THE EU”
  • [05] OIC CALLS FOR END TO ISOLATION OF TURKISH CYPRUS
  • [06] BRUTON: “TURKEY’S TALKS AIM AT FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”
  • [07] FT CALLS ON EUROPE TO UPHOLD ITS COMMITMENTS TO TURKEY
  • [08] STRAW: “BRITAIN IS DETERMINED FOR TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”
  • [09] AGAR WARNS OF DANGER IN EU FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT
  • [10] BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHANGES TO PARLIAMENTARY RULES
  • [11] BUYUKANIT: “SOME EU COUNTRIES SUPPORT THE PKK”
  • [12] OZKOK MEETS WITH EU COMMANDER
  • [13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
  • [14] STARTING IS IMPORTANT BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

  • [01] ERDOGAN VISITS AZERBAIJAN

    As part of his two-day visit to Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. The two leaders signed a number of agreements to boost bilateral relations. Afterwards, during a joint press conference, Erdogan said that friendly relations between the two neighboring countries would continue and that bilateral ties as well as regional issues had dominated their talks. He added that Turkey would continue to lend support to Azerbaijan on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue with Armenia. Speaking to reporters, Aliyev for his part said that his country would take steps to ease the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) international isolation. “We’re planning to start charter flights to the TRNC soon,” said Aliyev. Erdogan then met with his Azeri counterpart Artur Rasizade and addressing Azeri businessmen during a luncheon, he called on them to invest in Turkey. Furthermore, the Turkish premier delivered a speech to the Azeri Parliament, and also met with Turkish businessmen in the country. After attending a dinner hosted by Aliyev in his honor, Erdogan returned to Turkey. /Star/

    [02] ERDOGAN: “OUR PRIORITY IS TO DEAL WITH UNEMPLOYMENT”

    Stating that the government’s priority is to deal with unemployment, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday remarked that he believed Turkey would make great progress in tackling economic problems, much like the government’s successful efforts to bring down inflation. “We’re leading the economy to investment, production, efficiency and quality,” Erdogan said in his monthly “Address to the Nation.” “The Turkish economy is now undergoing sweeping changes,” he said. “We are also pursuing the most active and dynamic foreign policy of our history.” /Turkiye/

    [03] EU OFFICIALS DEBATE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID

    In the wake of the European Commission adopting a draft framework on Wednesday for Turkey's EU accession talks, debates on Turkey’s membership bid have grown fiercer, with some EU officials warning that Ankara will face huge challenges in seeking entry to the bloc. "It is in Europe's interest to have a stable, democratic, prosperous Turkey that adopts and implements all EU values, policies and standards," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said yesterday. Rehn stressed that Turkey’s talks must be "open-ended.” Opening the negotiations in October does not mean that they will inevitably lead to membership for Ankara, he added. “Turkey should first of all adopt all of the European values,” Rehn underlined. “"The clear objective, the shared objective of negotiations is accession," he said. “The negotiations are open-ended. We cannot guarantee any automatic result, and, in any case, Turkey will have to be anchored to the European structures through the strongest possible bond.” In related news, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday reiterated his call for further EU expansion to be put on hold indefinitely. In addition, Austrian Prime Minister Wolfgang Schussel remarked that a new formula other than full membership should be found for Turkey. However, British officials reiterated their support for Turkey’s full membership aspirations. Britain assumes the six-month EU term presidency today. /Cumhuriyet/

    [04] PRODI: “TURKEY IS A NEIGHBOR OF THE EU”

    Italian leftist leader and former EU Commission head Romano Prodi yesterday stated that Turkey was a neighbor of the European Union. “The European Union has become a neighbor to Turkey and the Middle East as a result of the enlargement process,” he wrote in a commentary published by Italian daily La Repubblica. /Milliyet/

    [05] OIC CALLS FOR END TO ISOLATION OF TURKISH CYPRUS

    Foreign ministers and senior officials of the 57 states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday concluded their three-day meeting with a final statement in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. Turkish Cypriots were represented at the meeting as an observer, and the OIC called on the international community to take concrete steps to end the isolation of Turkish Cyprus. In addition, the OIC also approved a bill recognizing that the Turkish Muslim minority living in Western Thrace suffers mistreatment at the hands of the Greek authorities. The bill called on Greece to respect and protect the human rights of this minority. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul visited a Turkish school in Sanaa after the OIC meeting ended. /Aksam/

    [06] BRUTON: “TURKEY’S TALKS AIM AT FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”

    European Commission Ambassador to Washington John Bruton yesterday stated that the ultimate goal of Turkey’s membership talks set to begin on Oct. 3 is full membership. “Turkey’s membership talks will begin in October,” he said. “At the end of these negotiations, all of the EU member states should approve Turkey’s entry. Therefore, the enlargement process isn’t an automatic or easy process. For example, Britain could not join the bloc in the 1960s because of the French veto.” /Turkiye/

    [07] FT CALLS ON EUROPE TO UPHOLD ITS COMMITMENTS TO TURKEY

    An editorial in British daily The Financial Times yesterday hailed the European Commission’s setting a framework for Turkey’s accession talks as a welcome development. Calling on the EU to uphold its commitments to Turkey, the commentary said that it was hard to deny “an air of unreality” surrounding Ankara’s membership. Remarking that the Union might have difficulty taking in Turkey’s large population, the editorial noted that current candidate countries, including Turkey and Balkan countries, have a long period before full membership. They will be able to complete the needed reforms in that time, added the piece. /Turkiye/

    [08] STRAW: “BRITAIN IS DETERMINED FOR TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”

    Addressing the British House of Commons yesterday on the European Union budget, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said that his government’s decision and determination on Turkey’s EU membership was unflagging. Straw said that during Britain’s EU presidency, it would make efforts to overcome differences on the budget. Britain will take over the EU term presidency from Luxembourg today for a period of six months, which will include the start of Turkey’s EU talks on Oct. 3. /Turkiye/

    [09] AGAR WARNS OF DANGER IN EU FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT

    Truth Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar stated yesterday that the European Union Framework Document had created new obligations for Turkey. Agar made the remarks after Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun visited him at DYP head quarters. “Turkey is worried about falling back to where it started,” said Agar. Addressing the Cyprus problem, he said that the EU is forcing Turkey to recognize Greek Cyprus. “Turkey was driven into a corner because after signing the additional protocol [to extend its Customs Union to 10 new EU members], its declaration that is not recognizing Greek Cyprus faces official rebuttal,” added Agar. “Turkey’s international rights have become open to question.” At their meeting, ATO Chairman Aygun said that Turkey should not approach this document positively. /Cumhuriyet/

    [10] BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHANGES TO PARLIAMENTARY RULES

    Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal spoke yesterday at an extraordinary party meeting about changes to parliamentary rules that reduce opportunities for opposition parties to contribute. He decried the situation as “a tragedy,” and called on concerted action to prevent the change. “At a time in which this Parliament is under others’ control, obstructing and muzzling deputies is a great threat to democracy,” added Baykal. “Citizens should work to head off these efforts and should not leave this country’s future in their [the ruling party’s] hands, as they don’t know how to administer it. The government will damage Turkey’s interests if they continue like this.” Like Baykal, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc is also against the changes to parliamentary rules. /Hurriyet/

    [11] BUYUKANIT: “SOME EU COUNTRIES SUPPORT THE PKK”

    Land Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit said yesterday that the terrorist PKK poses a serious threat to the country’s integrity, adding that this group gets support from some European countries. He stated that the PKK is drawing strength from the situation in northern Iraq. “Some neighboring and European countries are supporting the PKK by supplying them with shelter, arms, campsites, training, financing, treatment and transportation,” charged Buyukanit. He also said that The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is closely watching developments and continuing to work to counter terrorism. /Sabah/

    [12] OZKOK MEETS WITH EU COMMANDER

    Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday held talks with European Union Military Committee head Roland Mosca Moschini at General Staff headquarters in Ankara. Moschini arrived in Turkey early this week to attend the annual Silk Road Flag Officers Seminar. /Star/

    [13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS

    [14] STARTING IS IMPORTANT BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the European Union Commission’s framework document released this week. A summary of his column is as follows:

    “The positive side of the European Union Commission’s framework document is that it doesn’t consist of negative sides. Certain members tried to change the aim of membership talks with Turkey and put in such terms as ‘special status’ or ‘privileged membership’ in the document during discussions at the commission. Doing either would mean changing the decision taken at last December’s summit and the basis of the document. However, the commission chairman, bureaucrats and representatives of certain countries rejected this. Thus, they headed off a serious crisis. At last, the document is in line with the decision taken last December. The aim of our membership talks which will start on Oct. 3 is full membership. This should be underlined. This document doesn’t guarantee our membership and it keeps the end of our talks open, but these are stipulations included in previous documents. Discussion of the framework document had bad timing. The new atmosphere in the wake of the French and Dutch rejection of the referendum on the EU Constitution doesn’t favor Turkey. This atmosphere was also reflected in the commission. This document will be voted on and an agreement will be made during the EU Council of Ministers on July 17. At that time we might face certain suggestions and speeches that we wouldn’t like. It’s very likely that Britain and some other countries will favor its approval. However, there might be some opposing voices from politicians of certain European countries and newspapers.

    Certainly, the issue of Turkey’s membership has divided the EU. Thus, we shouldn’t consider the views of some politicians and writers to be the official policies of the EU. At least the final discussions at the commission showed that the ‘roadmap’ on our membership talks is still the valid position of the EU. As I wrote previously, the important thing is to set out within the framework of last December’s decision. There will be difficult moments on this long road. Maybe we’ll decide to leave the negotiating table, but for now the important thing is to start, that is, to enter this path. Considering certain European members’ wish to erect new conditions for Turkey a reason for giving up this road or postponing this project would be very wrong. If we did this, we would lose the chance to start the process again. Each step taken on this road will benefit Turkey.”

    ARCHIVE

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