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Turkish Press Review, 06-01-18
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
18.01.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “THE GOVERNMENT TOOK ALL MEASURES TO COPE WITH BIRD FLU”
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BULGARIAN PM
[03] NEW REGULATIONS SET FOR PARLIAMENT
[04] GUL: “TURKISH PARAGLIDERS ARE RELEASED IN IRAN”
[05] CICEK REQUESTS FOR AGCA’S ARREST
[06] US DELEGATION IN TURKEY TO EVALUATE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE BIRD FLU
[07] BAYKAL: “THE GOVERNMENT ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY”
[08] MUMCU CRITICIZES THE GOVT ON BIRD FLU, SAYING IT ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY
[09] VORKINK: “WE’RE READY TO HELP TURKEY REDUCE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF BIRD FLU ON THE ECONOMY”
[10] TURKEY: “WE HOPE NORWAY CONTINUES TO COMBAT TERROR”
[11] EUCOM’S GEN. WALD VISITS GEN. KOSANER
[12] AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: “EXERT PRESSURE ON TURKEY”
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[14] AGCA DESERVES CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
[01] ERDOGAN: “THE GOVERNMENT TOOK ALL MEASURES TO COPE WITH BIRD FLU”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that his government had
taken all measures to combat bird flu from the very beginning. Speaking at
the Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group meeting, the
premier focused on the bird flu disease. Stressing that one million poultry
had been slaughtered until now, Erdogan said compensation was paid for
them. He added that four of 21 patients had died. “We always tried to be
transparent. This is our principle. The ministers of agriculture, health
and forestry have been engaged in the matter since the first case was
reported,” said the premier. In addition, Erdogan also commented on
Turkey’s foreign policy. He stressed that Turkey was a country not only
watching incidents around it, but rather a country developing policies and
taking actively part in them. Erdogan noted that Turkey was closely
pursuing developments in its neighbors, adding that justice, democracy and
law should be dominant in international relations instead of the use of
force. /Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BULGARIAN PM
Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev, who yesterday arrived in Ankara
for an official visit, met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to
discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Speaking at a
joint press conference afterwards, Erdogan said that the two countries
could cooperate in the infrastructure and highway tenders in Bulgaria.
Erdogan stated that the Turkish citizens in Bulgaria and Bulgarian citizens
in Turkey strengthened relationship between the two countries. Erdogan also
stressed that there were no political problems between Ankara and Sofia and
this further strengthened relations. Erdogan said that trade volume between
the two countries tripled in the last five years and reached $2.3 billion
last year. For his part, Stanishev said that Bulgaria was ready to
cooperate with Turkey in the energy field, adding that it should share its
experiences on the European Union with Turkey. /Milliyet/
[03] NEW REGULATIONS SET FOR PARLIAMENT
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday visited Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to present a draft proposing new regulations for Parliament.
The draft aimed Parliament to work more actively and more effectively in
line with the European Union norms. Erdogan stated that radical amendments
to Parliament’s regulations would enable it to make quicker decisions.
/Turkiye/
[04] GUL: “TURKISH PARAGLIDERS ARE RELEASED IN IRAN”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the three Turkish
paragliders who were kidnapped by Sunni Muslim rebels in Iran’s
southeastern borderlands have been released and they would arrive in Turkey
on Wednesday. Serdar Durna, Yurdaer Etike and Avni Ozan were on their way
when they were kidnapped last month by the group Jundallah. Gul also
thanked the Iranian government and the Iranian Foreign Ministry for helping
secure their release. /Turkish Daily News/
[05] CICEK REQUESTS FOR AGCA’S ARREST
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek applied to the Court of Appeals via a ‘written
order’ to appeal Mehmet Ali Agca’s release. The result is expected to be
announced within 10 days. If the court finds any deficiency in the previous
decision, Agca will be arrested again. Cicek’s application noted that the
penalty given in Italy could not be deducted from the punishment given by
Turkey. Cicek emphasized that Article 16 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK),
which envisages the deduction of the penalty given for committing the same
crime out of Turkey’s borders, could not be applied in this case. Cicek
also stated that even though Article 16 will be applied, Agca has 11 more
months to get released. /Star/
[06] US DELEGATION IN TURKEY TO EVALUATE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE BIRD FLU
The US administration yesterday announced that a delegation was sent to
Turkey to make examinations and negotiations on the recent bird flu issue.
In a written statement, Washington said that the delegation would meet with
Turkish officials in order to evaluate the current situation of the disease,
discuss ways for the US to help Turkey prevent dissemination of the
disease. /Star/
[07] BAYKAL: “THE GOVERNMENT ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY”
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal
criticized the government policies on bird flu, Mehmet Ali Agca, elections
of the Football Federation and natural gas at the Turkish Grand National
Assembly (TGNA) group meeting. Baykal said that when bird flu was first
seen in October 2005, the CHP sent specialists to the region for research
and prepared a report but the government didn’t take the report into
consideration. In his speech, Baykal said: “Turkey is paying the bill for
these irresponsible approaches and realities. Integrated institutions are
desolated and the loss is over 500,000 YTL only in Çorum.” Baykal also
condemned the government which showed the natural gas price in Turkey as
the cheapest in Europe while it is the most expensive one with 260$. CHP
leader said that they handed a motion at the TGNA but it was rejected. On
the other hand, Baykal underlined the effect of politics on the judicial
body and cited the amnesty law as an example. Baykal also accused the
government for threatening people concerning the elections by using their
political power. /Star/
[08] MUMCU CRITICIZES THE GOVT ON BIRD FLU, SAYING IT ACTED IRRESPONSIBLY
Speaking at a meeting of his party yesterday, opposition Motherland Party
(ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu criticized the government on the recent bird
flu issue, saying that the government acted irresponsibly and didn’t take
necessary measures. “The government further made the issue a political tool,
” said Mumcu. Also touching on the release of Mehmet Ali Agca, the murderer
of journalist Abdi Ipekci and assassin of Pope John Paul II, Mumcu said
that the murder of Ipekci should be revealed and added, “We need to learn
how and by whom the murder was planned.” /Aksam/
[09] VORKINK: “WE’RE READY TO HELP TURKEY REDUCE POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECTS
OF BIRD FLU ON THE ECONOMY”
World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said yesterday that Turkey had
taken the proper steps in fighting bird flu, adding that the WB was ready
to help Turkey reduce the possible negative effects of the disease on the
economy. “We’re continuing to negotiate with the Turkish government,” he
said. Vorkink stated that the WB had initiated a global program in fighting
bird flu, adding that it gave priority to Turkey within this program.
/Turkiye/
[10] TURKEY: “WE HOPE NORWAY CONTINUES TO COMBAT TERROR”
Following Norway’s decision to reject the European Union’s list of
terrorist organizations, which includes the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK),
the Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday expressed hope that Norway would not
change its commitment to responsibilities to combat terrorist
organizations. “We hope that Norway’s decision won’t change its policy
towards fighting against terrorist organizations as the PKK. Indeed, all
the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) related to
combating terrorism and particularly that of No. 1373, place many
international obligations on member states asking them to take measures to
end support for terrorism and to prevent terrorist activities,” Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Namik Tan said. Tan also stated that Norway has
assured Turkey that its decision would not change its fight against
terrorism and its policy towards the terrorist PKK or other terrorist
organizations. /The New Anatolian/
[11] EUCOM’S GEN. WALD VISITS GEN. KOSANER
General Charles Wald, Deputy Commander for the European Command (EUCOM), US
Air Force yesterday visited Deputy Chief of the General Staff Gen. Isik
Kosaner. According to a statement released at the official website of the
General Staff, the meeting took place at Kosaner’s office at the General
Staff Headquarters. Sources at the US Embassy in Ankara stated that Gen.
Wald was in Turkey for a routine visit and that the meeting should be
evaluated within the context of military relations between the two
countries. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: “EXERT PRESSURE ON TURKEY”
The Amnesty International asked European Union Term President Austria to
exert pressure by using politic dialogue methods on Turkey to carry out
more advanced reforms on human rights, and especially on freedom of thought
and expression and to implement them. The organization stated that judges
and prosecutors should closely observe whether Article 301 of the New
Turkish Penal Code (TCK) was construed appropriate to the European
Convention on Human Rights. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[14] AGCA DESERVES CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on Mehmet Ali Agca’s recent release. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“The decision for the release of Mehmet Ali Agca surprised everybody,
including Justice Minister Cemil Cicek. When he was released from prison,
he got on a luxurious car and people welcomed him with flowers. Then he was
examined medically and diagnosed the antisocial personality disorder in 3.5
hours. Thus, he was exempted from military service. The only thing that we
failed to do is to present a congressional medal to him in a glorious
ceremony, because he shot the Turkish journalist Abdi Ipekci and destroyed
Turkey’s image by assassinating Pope John Paul II. Thus, we could have
proven that Turkey was proud of him.
I never have seen that a person could receive a report of antisocial
personality disorder in such a short period at a hospital in Turkey. I saw
how skilled our psychiatrists were, because they could diagnose Ipekci’s
murderer as soon as they saw him. They should be congratulated, because I
think it’s a world record to determine and diagnose such a complicated
disease in such a short period of time. Obviously, if the Court of Appeals
overrules the decision of release and the way to prison is opened, Agca
would be kidnapped abroad. Meanwhile, Justice and Development Party (AKP)
Group Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz should be congratulated, because he
said, ‘Agca was released from the prison with a court decision. He served
his time, long or short. This issue concerns the jurisdiction.’ However,
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said, ‘This is
certainly corruption. This incident is a scandal. The jurisdiction in
Turkey started to be in a miserable state.’ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said a few words upon the insistence of journalists. He just said,
‘This would be evaluated when the time comes’.”
ARCHIVE
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