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Turkish Press Review, 05-08-09
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
09.08.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH US CHARGE D’AFFAIRES IN ANKARA
[02] ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH GROUP OF INTELLECTUALS TO DISCUSS TERRORISM
[03] CICEK: “THE GOVT IS DETERMINED TO TAKE NEEDED MEASURES TO COUNTER THE PKK”
[04] TAN: “TURKEY, IRAQ AND THE US HAVE A COMMON STANCE AGAINST THE PKK”
[05] DANISH PM: “THE EU SHOULD CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WHETHER TURKEY WILL GET FULL MEMBERSHIP”
[06] AGAR: “THE NATION WILL NEVER LET TERROR DIVIDE TURKEY”
[07] US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ARRIVES IN TRNC
[08] PAPADOPULOS: “I CAN MEET WITH TALAT”
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[10] A DANGEROUS PATH BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH US CHARGE D’AFFAIRES IN ANKARA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with US Embassy Charge
d’Affaires in Ankara Nancy McEldowney, who is head of the US Embassy until
a new ambassador arrives sometime this fall. McEldowney reportedly said
that the US is determined to continue helping Turkey in its fight against
PKK terrorism. The American diplomat added that the US was continuing to
help Turkish officials with concrete anti-terror measures, and that ways to
prevent attacks targeting innocents should be explored further. /Star/
[02] ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH GROUP OF INTELLECTUALS TO DISCUSS TERRORISM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will reportedly meet with a group of
intellectuals to discuss ways of countering the terrorist group PKK.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Omer Dincer
and Parliament Human Rights Commission Head Mehmet Elkatmis will also be
present at the meeting. Prime Ministry spokesman Mehmet Akif Beki said
yesterday that Erdogan believed that a social consensus was needed in order
to better fight terrorism. The premier is due to travel to Diyarbakir on
Friday to brief residents on government plans to raise the socioeconomic
level of the city. /Milliyet/
[03] CICEK: “THE GOVT IS DETERMINED TO TAKE NEEDED MEASURES TO COUNTER THE
PKK”
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, government spokesman and
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that the government was determined to
take effective and needed measures to fight the terrorist group PKK, adding
that the government never ceased seeking ways to tackle terrorism.
“Security is our priority since we live in a volatile region,” he said.
“The entire nation should be mobilized to fight the PKK, since the struggle
against terrorism is not the mission of security forces alone.” Cicek
further stated that Ankara had urged other countries to stop supporting
terrorist groups. /Sabah/
[04] TAN: “TURKEY, IRAQ AND THE US HAVE A COMMON STANCE AGAINST THE PKK”
Regarding to an official inquiry from a deputy, Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Namik Tan yesterday commented on the just-concluded tripartite security
meeting between Turkey, Iraq and the US in Washington. Tan stressed the
participants’ political determination to counter the terrorist PKK. Tan
also said that consultations between the countries would continue. /Star/
[05] DANISH PM: “THE EU SHOULD CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WHETHER TURKEY WILL GET
FULL MEMBERSHIP”
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday that the
European Union should continue to discuss whether Turkey should be granted
full membership, claiming that it would be difficult for Turkey to
harmonize with EU traditions. “We need to take the bull by the horns and
discuss how big the EU can be,” said Rasmussen. “But the EU favors Turkey’s
membership for security reasons. Ankara’s EU bid is a dilemma, but let’s
discuss it openly.” In related news, Helle Sjelle, the spokesperson for the
Dutch Conservatives, coalition partners with Rasmussen’s Liberals,
expressed support for the premier’s comments. “We should discuss how big
the EU should be,” said Sjelle, a deputy and spokesperson on EU issues. “We
have also said that initiating membership negotiations with Turkey doesn't
necessarily mean it will end up a regular member. There is also the
possibility for a privileged partnership. And if it ends up as a member, it
will be a different Turkey from the one we know today.” The Netherlands
held the EU presidency from January to June of this year. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] AGAR: “THE NATION WILL NEVER LET TERROR DIVIDE TURKEY”
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said yesterday that
though terrorism aimed to divide Turkey, the nation would never let this
happen. Agar also criticized the government’s economic and political
policies, adding that when DYP comes to power, it would end high
unemployment and create jobs. “Our guide is the nation,” added Agar.
/Turkiye/
[07] US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ARRIVES IN TRNC
A US Congressional delegation yesterday arrived in the Turkish Republic of
the Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The seven-member delegation is expected to stay
in the TRNC till Sunday. During its stay, the group is expected to meet
with TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas.
/Turkiye/
[08] PAPADOPULOS: “I CAN MEET WITH TALAT”
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopulos yesterday said that he was not
averse to a meeting focusing on social issues with Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat. But speaking on Greek
Cypriot radio, Papadopulos added, “If we are to discuss the Cyprus issue at
this meeting, it must be held under UN auspices.” /Star/
[09] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[10] A DANGEROUS PATH BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the Cyprus issue and Turkish-European
Union relations. A summary of his column is as follows:
“After Turkey signed the additional Customs Union protocol, relevant
parties made their position known, and now it’s uncertain whether or not
our membership talks will even start. The fate of these talks and Turkish-
European Union relations will be determined during two important foreign
ministerial-level meetings within a week of each other, on Aug. 25 and
Sept. 1. We can’t predict their outcome. However, there are two
possibilities: France, the Greek Cypriot administration and a few member
countries which say that membership talks can’t start unless Turkey
recognizes the Greek Cypriot administration might change their stance and
give up this condition, which is the optimistic scenario, or these
countries may insist on this stance and use their veto, which is the
pessimistic one. If the former happens, there would be no problem and our
membership talks will start on Oct. 3. We don’t know if France and its
supporters would show this flexibility and maturity, but we know what might
happen if the latter happens. If the precondition of recognizing the Greek
Cypriot administration is stipulated in the two meetings, Turkey won’t be
able to start its talks on Oct. 3. If there is a formula for postponing or
freezing the process, the government is determined not to accept this. In
addition, Britain, the EU Commission, Germany and some other member
countries say that such a precondition can’t be stipulated for Turkey.
Nobody in Turkey would accept such pressure concerning the Cyprus issue.
Now the Greek Cypriot administration is using its veto threat. If Turkey
tires of this wrangling and gives up its quest for talks and membership,
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos should know that this would be
against the Greek Cypriots’ interests. If he doesn’t know or foresee this,
then he is making some serious miscalculations. However, France’s stance
favoring the Greek Cypriots is incomprehensible. This stance is neither
rational nor beneficial. What’s more, France has been looking at the Cyprus
issue from afar for years, and now is very interested in the issue. Don’t
you find this strange? However, at this point, the most important thing is
that by championing this position, France is establishing an atmosphere
ripe with dangerous possibilities. Paris should understand that failing to
start membership talks with the EU due to the Cyprus condition might cut
off Turkish-EU relations. It shouldn’t be difficult for French diplomats to
gauge the impact of this on bilateral relations and regional strategic
interests. In addition, the stance of France and its supporters could
plunge the EU towards a deep split and crisis.”
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