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Turkish Press Review, 05-12-01
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
01.12.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN CALLS ON MAYORS NOT TO TOLERATE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION
[02] SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL TO MEET
[03] ERDOGAN TO VISIT AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND TO STRENGTHEN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TIES
[04] EU PARLIAMENT TO SEND OBSERVERS TO PAMUK’S TRIAL
[05] GREEK CYPRIOT RETURNS STOLEN TURKISH FLAG
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “I BELIEVE ANNAN WILL START A NEW INITIATIVE BY SENDING HIS SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ISLAND”
[07] GERMAN CHANCELLOR MERKEL: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WON’T BE AUTOMATIC”
[08] IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISITS ANKARA
[09] TOP PROSECUTOR SEEKS WARNING FOR AKP
[10] DSP LEADER SEZER: “WE DESERVE CREDIT FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS, NOT THE AKP”
[11] ANAVATAN LEADER MUMCU CRITICIZES PM
[12] YOK REJECTS NEW UNIVERSITIES IN 15 PROVINCES, GREENLIGHTING ONLY FOUR
[13] BABACAN PREDICTS TAX CUTS WILL IMPROVE INVESTMENT CLIMATE, WARNS BUSINESSMEN ON UNREGISTERED EMPLOYMENT
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] BEING LARGE AS A PROBLEM BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] ERDOGAN CALLS ON MAYORS NOT TO TOLERATE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION
Speaking at a ceremony in Duzce yesterday marking the opening of 558 mass
housing units and the start of natural gas service to the city, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his government has been working
hard rather than just delivering speeches. “The important thing is to
completely carry through initiatives, not just begin them,” said Erdogan.
Also addressing a gathering on earthquakes held by the Turkish Red Crescent
(Kizilay), the premier called on all mayors not to tolerate illegal
construction, adding that if they did, earthquakes would inevitably result
in disaster. Furthermore, Erdogan presented plaques to businessmen and
representatives of institutions who donated aid to Pakistan’s quake
victims. In related news, last evening Erdogan delivered his regular
televised address to the nation. Commenting on recent incidents in Semdinli,
Erdogan said all illegal activities which harm the nation’s peace and unity
would be punished. /Turkiye/
[02] SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL TO MEET
The Supreme Military Council (YAS) will gather today at the General Staff
Headquarters’ Cakmak Hall for its regular December meeting. The council
chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will take up the usual
issues, namely the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) planned activities related
to its personnel, and educational and disciplinary issues. At noon council
members will first visit Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic
founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, lay a wreath at his tomb and stand at
attention. After the council’s decisions are approved by President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, they will be declared by the General Staff’s general
secretary. In attendance will be Erdogan, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi
Ozkok, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, and the force commanders, generals and
vice admirals of the TSK. Navy Commander Vice Adm. Muzaffer Metin Atac, War
Academies Commander Gen. Aydogan Babaoglu, and Land Forces Staff Commander
Gen. Ergin Saygun will attend the meeting for the first time. /Star/
[03] ERDOGAN TO VISIT AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND TO STRENGTHEN POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC TIES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due tomorrow to start nine days of
official visits to Australia and New Zealand. During his trip, Erdogan is
expected to discuss with the two countries’ officials ways to strengthen
political and economic ties. In related news, Australia’s Ambassador to
Ankara Jean Dunn said that Erdogan would be the first Turkish prime
minister to visit his country, adding that though the two countries were
enemies of the Ottoman Empire during Battle of Canakkale, they were now
Turkey’s allies. Dunn said that during Erdogan’s visit a number of issues,
including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Cyprus, would be discussed. /Star/
[04] EU PARLIAMENT TO SEND OBSERVERS TO PAMUK’S TRIAL
The European Parliament said yesterday that it would send observers to this
month’s trial of acclaimed Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, increasing
pressure on Turkey to comply with European Union human rights standards.
Pamuk is to go on trial on Dec. 16 for remarks on the deaths of Armenians
of Anatolia at the beginning of the last century. The EU assembly said that
it would send a five-member delegation to observe the proceedings and
“verify if the implementation of the constitutional reforms is compatible
with EU human rights standards.” /Turkish Daily News/
[05] GREEK CYPRIOT RETURNS STOLEN TURKISH FLAG
European Parliament Greek Cypriot Deputy Marios Matsakis yesterday returned
a Turkish flag he recently stole from the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC). After receiving the flag in Brussels, website ABHaber Editor
in Chief Vakur Kaya said that he would hand it over to TRNC officials as
soon as possible. /Milliyet/
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: “I BELIEVE ANNAN WILL START A NEW INITIATIVE BY SENDING
HIS SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE ISLAND”
Speaking at a meeting in Ireland yesterday, where he is paying an official
visit, Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said that he had many
reasons to believe United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan would start
a new initiative for resolution of the Cyprus issue by sending his special
envoy to the island. However, Papadopoulos said that he didn’t know when
the initiative would begin. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] GERMAN CHANCELLOR MERKEL: “TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP WON’T BE AUTOMATIC”
New German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that Turkey’s European
Union membership negotiations which began on Oct. 3 didn’t mean it would
automatically get full membership. Merkel made the remarks during her first
speech to the German Parliament to determine the new coalition government’s
foreign policy. “Any country hoping to join the EU must fulfill all the
conditions without restrictions,” said the chancellor. “Turkey’s EU
negotiations which began on Oct. 3 will continue in an ‘open-ended’ way. If
Turkey fails to meet those conditions or the EU is not ready to admit it,
Turkey must be bound as closely as possible to European structures in a way
that further develops its privileged relationship to the EU. Agreements are
binding. We will stick by these agreements and will carefully watch the
negotiation process.” The German leader also pledged an “open an honest”
dialogue with Islam but denounced forced marriages and so-called “honor”
killings. /Hurriyet/
[08] IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI VISITS ANKARA
Manouchehr Mottaki, onetime ambassador to Turkey in 1986-89, yesterday paid
his first official visit to Ankara in his new position as Iranian foreign
minister. Mottaki met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul and
following their meeting, he expressed his willingness to strengthen
bilateral relations with Turkey. Mottaki also said that the two big
countries in the region share common concerns and interests in regional
developments. Mottaki first met with Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the head of the
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), after which he
stressed that they had discussed the Tepe-Akfen initiative and Turkcell’s
unfavorable experience in Iran, and gave promises of support to Turkish
businessmen. Mottaki is scheduled today to meet with President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Bulent
Arinc. /Star/
[09] TOP PROSECUTOR SEEKS WARNING FOR AKP
Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Nuri Ok yesterday applied to the
Constitutional Court asking for a warning for the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) due to certain articles in its bylaws. Ok argued
that eight of the AKP’s bylaws were anti-democratic and requested that they
be amended. The Constitutional Court will decide on the matter and may
issue a warning and order the AKP to amend its bylaws within six months.
/Turkiye/
[10] DSP LEADER SEZER: “WE DESERVE CREDIT FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS, NOT THE
AKP”
In a statement yesterday, Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Zeki Sezer
said that recent positive economic developments were a result of the work
of the 1999-2002 DSP-led coalition government, not the current Justice and
Development Party (AKP) government. Sezer stated that it was proper to cut
taxes in an atmosphere of low inflation, but added that not only direct
taxes, but also indirect taxes should be brought down. /Star/
[11] ANAVATAN LEADER MUMCU CRITICIZES PM
Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Motherland Party
(ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu yesterday criticized Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and True Path Party (DYP) leader
Mehmet Agar. Mumcu again criticized the premier for saying “I’m marketing
Turkey,” saying that this amounted to “hawking Turkey.” Mumcu said, “This
can’t be called marketing. Privatization is done to open up an economic
asset to competition. The duty of the premier is to prevent competition.”
Mumcu also called on Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan to resign because of
allegations against him. /Aksam/
[12] YOK REJECTS NEW UNIVERSITIES IN 15 PROVINCES, GREENLIGHTING ONLY FOUR
The Board of Higher Education (YOK) yesterday rejected the Parliament
Education Commission proposal to found new universities in 15 provinces,
instead greenlighting only four. In a written statement, YOK stressed that
the board examined the commission’s proposal and decided that it would be
proper to establish universities in four provinces, namely Tekirdag, Duzce,
Usak, and Ordu, which meet the condition of having seven professors on the
permanent staff. /Sabah/
[13] BABACAN PREDICTS TAX CUTS WILL IMPROVE INVESTMENT CLIMATE, WARNS
BUSINESSMEN ON UNREGISTERED EMPLOYMENT
Speaking at a meeting of Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) yesterday, State
Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that the government’s recent 10%
corporate tax cut was a step to improve Turkey’s investment climate.
Babacan said that businessmen shouldn’t employ unregistered workers, adding
that now it was the turn of businessmen to take steps in order to end
unregistered employment. “Every unregistered worker is under risk,” said
Babacan. “If unregistered employment falls, then you can be sure that tax
rates will fall as well.” /Aksam/
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] BEING LARGE AS A PROBLEM BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Muharrem Sarikaya comments on Turkey’s European Union membership
path. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Every day we get more news about Turkey’s European Union membership bid.
This news is sometimes hopeful, sometimes disappointing. The statements
about the meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel in Barcelona showed that Merkel’s stance was more
positive. However, during her speech to the German Parliament yesterday
Merkel showed her old stance about Turkish-EU relations. Actually, we
shouldn’t have expected a change in her stance. The important thing is
whether these meetings will direct the behavior of the German Parliament.
So we shouldn’t let ourselves get worried. The news about a recent EU poll
is also disappointing. According to the poll, the number of people opposing
Turkey’s EU membership has risen. Some 61% said this in Germany and 57% in
France, compared to 33% in Germany and 36% in France favoring Turkey’s EU
membership. Some 46% are opposed and 40% support us in the EU overall.
Analysts of the survey said the main reason for this opposition is that
many Europeans are against the EU’s enlargement. Obviously, other reasons,
such as the prejudice of some people and the religion factor can be added
to this. However, analysts say that most Europeans don’t want the EU, which
has 25 members with a population of 450 million, to grow larger and that
they think a country like Turkey which has problems and a large population
would be a burden.
Speaking at a conference on ‘Portugal’s EU Experiences’ at Istanbul’s
Bogazici University yesterday, Former Deputy Foreign Minister Jose Lamego
said that the biggest hurdle on Turkey’s EU path was that most of the
member countries feared its large population. However, when Spain and
Portugal became EU members in 1986, Europeans had no such concern. If
Turkey had acted in a determined way with Greece about EU membership at
that time, most probably it wouldn’t have faced this problem of
‘enlargement.’ Professor Lamego called Portugal’s EU membership a ‘success
story.’ This country made its membership application after the dictatorship
of António de Oliveira Salazar collapsed and then was accepted as a
democracy following a period of transition and negotiation that lasted for
nearly a decade. Portugal moved to a free market economy with political
reforms and tripled the national per capita income within this period. Of
course, as Lamego recalled, Portugal, along with its neighbor Spain,
benefited from EU financial help as well. However, today the EU has little
money to allocate to new members. Not only the country’s conditions, but
also the EU’s situation played a great role in this success story. For this
reason, Lamego said, ‘We don’t have many suggestion for you on the issue,
except telling you to go your own way with patience without putting so much
importance on European politicians’ remarks’.”
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