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Turkish Press Review, 05-11-21
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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e-mail :
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
21.11.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER URGES COOPERATION TO PROTECT STREET CHILDREN
[02] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC: “ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD IN 2007”
[03] ERDOGAN: “THE AKP GOVT IS WORKING FOR THE ENTIRE NATION”
[04] QATARI DEPUTY PREMIER VISITS ERDOGAN
[05] PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS INCIDENTS IN SEMDINLI
[06] GUL SUPPORTS ERDOGAN ON ROJ-TV ISSUE
[07] BAYKAL REELECTED TO CHP HELM
[08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[09] NO LIGHT ON THE HORIZON BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
[01] SEZER URGES COOPERATION TO PROTECT STREET CHILDREN
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said yesterday that the state and the people
should act together to protect street children. In a message to mark World
Children’s Right Day, Sezer expressed both his own and the nation’s grief
over the recent child abuse incident in a childcare center in Malatya. The
president noted that children were the country’s future, adding that they
should be raised with love and educated well. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ARINC: “ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD IN 2007”
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday said that the next presidential
elections would be held one-and-a-half years from now, adding that at that
time the current Parliament would also still be on duty. Speaking to
reporters in Kayseri, Arinc commented on opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal’s remarks on presidential elections.
Stressing that under the Constitution general elections are held every five
years, meaning November 2007, the Parliament speaker said that the 22nd
term (current) Parliament would elect the next president in May 2007.
/Star/
[03] ERDOGAN: “THE AKP GOVT IS WORKING FOR THE ENTIRE NATION”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday addressed a gathering in
Ankara of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) provincial
chairmen. Describing the accomplishments of his government during its three
years in power, Erdogan said that they were not working for a particular
social group or class but the entire nation. Commenting on his busy travel
schedule abroad, Erdogan said the country should promote itself to foreign
investors not in order to “sell off” the country, but as part of
“marketing.” He stressed that thanks to global investment, Turkey’s
unemployment problem would be alleviated, adding however that certain
groups were bothered by that development. Furthermore, the premier
underlined that the next general elections would be held as scheduled, and
not earlier. “The nation brought us to power for a period of five years.
We’ll serve to the conclusion of that,” added Erdogan. In related news,
Erdogan last night traveled to the eastern Anatolian city of Van. He is
expected to proceed to Hakkari today and to tour Semdinli and Yuksekova,
which recently saw violent protests. /Turkiye/
[04] QATARI DEPUTY PREMIER VISITS ERDOGAN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Qatari Deputy Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al Thani at
his official residence. Following the meeting, Erdogan hosted a banquet in
his honor. /Star/
[05] PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS INCIDENTS IN SEMDINLI
Parliament is set to tomorrow discuss the recent violent incidents in the
Semdinli town of Hakkari upon motions submitted by deputies from the
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Motherland Party
(ANAVATAN), as well as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu is expected to brief deputies on the
matter. The country saw a wave of demonstrations following the bombing of a
bookstore in Semdinli run by a former member of the terrorist PKK. In
related news, Newsweek magazine says in its current issue that after the
bombing and subsequent incidents, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan could
“be on a collision course” with the “deep state.” /Aksam/
[06] GUL SUPPORTS ERDOGAN ON ROJ-TV ISSUE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the Turkish nation would
make the final decision concerning the European Union. Speaking on his
visit to Germany, Gul said that the new German social democrat-Christian
democrat coalition government was carrying out decisions which were
previously made. “Turkey initiated the process of participation with the
decision of Oct. 3” to start its EU negotiations, he added. “There is no
new decision to be made. This process can’t be hindered by Germany. Our aim
is to ensure Turkey reaches EU standards. The EU is important for us
towards this end.” Gul also expressed support for Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s refusal last week to take part in a press conference with
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. “This highlighted the
seriousness of the issue,” he said. “What was Mr. Erdogan supposed to do
there? If he had been at that press conference, all the newspapers would
have said that the Turkish premier held a press conference in a place where
the terrorist organization [Roj-TV, an affiliate of the terrorist PKK] was
present. Particularly Denmark should have known this.” /Turkiye/
[07] BAYKAL REELECTED TO CHP HELM
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) held its 31st general
congress over the weekend. Deniz Baykal was reelected CHP leader for the
seventh time, winning 1,158 votes of the 1,223 delegates present.
Addressing the gathering, Baykal called for early elections to be held next
year. Speaking about the upcoming presidential elections in 2007, Baykal
claimed that ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) aimed at one of
their own occupying the Cankaya Presidential Palace, warning that such a of
development could cause major changes in Turkey. /Turkiye/
[08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[09] NO LIGHT ON THE HORIZON BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the Justice and Development Party (AKP)
and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A summary of his column is as
follows:
“Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan supports restrictions on alcohol
imposed by municipalities under his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP)
control. Not his support, but his reason for this is surprising: ‘We are
carrying out our duty under the Constitution to protect young people from
alcohol,’ Erdogan said. In other words, Erdogan and the AKP mayors aren’t
restricting alcohol due to their religious beliefs, but in order to protect
young people. Those who know the views of the AKP can only laugh at this.
We have no suspicion that Erdogan and his colleagues are very respectful of
the law (!) They proved this with their criticism of the European Court of
Human Rights’ (ECHR) latest ruling. As you remember, when he was elected
mayor of Istanbul back in the ‘90s, Erdogan didn’t even enter places where
alcoholic drinks were served. However, now he has to offer alcohol to his
foreign guests during official dinners and even toasts them with a glass
full of water. The AKP thinks that the people are blind to the anti-secular
steps it’s taking in order to mold society to its own views.
This political power can’t give up such obsessions as headscarves, alcohol
and religious high schools. They spend most of their energy resolving these
issues. However, now Turkey is going through a very critical period.
Unfortunately, Erdogan and his colleagues have certain problems seeing the
dangers that Turkey faces. All of our red lines on northern Iraq have faded
away. A Kurdish state was established there in all but name. Even the red
carpet laid out by Washington for Jalal Talabani and then Massoud Barzani
didn’t rouse the AKP government. This lack of interest on Erdogan’s part is
symptomatic, isn’t it?
Turkey doesn’t know when and how its European Union accession will end.
This process of the next 15-20 years is full of dangers for Turkey, because
Ankara will have difficulties defending itself during it. For example, when
Cyprus and then the Aegean issue are brought to the table, what we will do?
How will we protect our national rights on this issue? If we’re asked to
accept the so-called Armenian genocide, how will we react? Meanwhile, we
recently saw that this political power has no strategy to counter the PKK
campaign and ethnic rebellions. Tensions are simmering in the country due
to the political power’s stance and obsessions concerning the issue of
secularism. This situation is turning into a crisis of regimes. And to this,
let’s not forget the fragile economic situation… As many analysts say,
Turkey can’t be governed with such a political power. Failures abroad are
being marketed to the nation as victories. We need a secular, democratic
leadership which can see our problems and defend our country against them.
Otherwise, our situation is bleak indeed.”
ARCHIVE
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