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Turkish Press Review, 06-02-09
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
09.02.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] GUL MEETS WITH MOLDOVAN DEPUTY PM, SIGNS PACT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING
[02] FOREIGN MINISTRY: “JOINT MILITARY MANEUVERS AREN’T AIMED AT IRAN”
[03] PARLIAMENT COMMISSION CONVENES OVER CARTOON FUROR
[04] DYP LEADER AGAR: “ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR”
[05] BABACAN: “THE PUBLICATION OF MUHAMMED CARTOONS CAN’T BE CALLED FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION”
[06] IN BID TO DEFUSE CARTOON CRISIS, EU TO SEND SOLANA TO MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO DISCUSS ISSUE WITH OFFICIALS
[07] EU COMMISSION: “TURKEY’S OFFICIAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CAN BEGIN”
[08] ITALIAN PAPERS ADVANCE CONSPIRACY THEORY
[09] DEMIRALP: “INSULTING A RELIGION IS A CRIME IN DENMARK”
[10] KOIZUMI’S VISIT LEADS TO STRONGER BANKING TIES
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[12] CIVILIZATION, CONFLICT AND TURKEY’S RESPONSIBILITIES BY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)
[01] GUL MEETS WITH MOLDOVAN DEPUTY PM, SIGNS PACT AGAINST HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday discussed bilateral relations with
Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Stratan, who is currently in Ankara
for an official visit. During their meeting, Gul and Andrei signed a
protocol to advance the fight against human trafficking. Speaking
afterwards, Andrei said that he had told Gul that Moldova needs Ankara’s
support for its relations with the European Union. “Turkey is experienced
in its relations with the EU, especially on political dialogue,” said
Andrei. “Ankara has accomplished important reforms. Moldova will benefit
from Turkey’s experience in its integration with the EU.” /Milliyet/
[02] FOREIGN MINISTRY: “JOINT MILITARY MANEUVERS AREN’T AIMED AT IRAN”
During a weekly press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry spokesman
Namik Tan said that the UN Security Council had granted time to Iran until
March 6 to solve the nuclear program crisis, and added, “Turkey wants the
issue to be solved through diplomacy. We believe that Iran will take the
necessary steps.” Tan stated that Turkish and US military maneuvers set for
in May under the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) have nothing to do
with Iran. Tan said that the PSI is a legitimate legal institution, adding,
“Maneuvers to be hosted by Turkey don’t target any third country.”
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] PARLIAMENT COMMISSION CONVENES OVER CARTOON FUROR
A Parliament commission yesterday held an extraordinary meeting in order to
discuss the furor over published of the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed.
During the meeting, which was chaired by Justice and Development Party
(AKP) Nevsehir Deputy Mehmet Elkatmis, members decided to set up a
subcommission to deal with the issue. /Turkiye/
[04] DYP LEADER AGAR: “ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR”
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday said that
since the 1950s Turkey has consistently held national elections before
completion of the five-year standard term, adding that there would be
national elections this year, not in 2007 when scheduled. Speaking at DYP
headquarters, Agar said no matter what happens, elections would be held
this year. “Right now the government has a say on when to hold the
elections. Burt if it waits any longer, it will lose this right,” he added.
/The New Anatolian/
[05] BABACAN: “THE PUBLICATION OF MUHAMMED CARTOONS CAN’T BE CALLED FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION”
Delivering the opening speech at a seminar organized by the Economic
Development Foundation (IKV) yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali
Babacan said that the recent publication of cartoons of the Prophet
Muhammed in European newspapers couldn’t be described as freedom of
expression. “The cartoons of the prophet have led to indignation,” said
Babacan. “Insulting the prophet of the Muslim world can’t be excused by
freedom of expression. We respect the prophets of all religions and don’t
tolerate their being insulted.” Babacan further said that in democratic
regimes, people should know how to properly express their indignation.
/Turkiye/
[06] IN BID TO DEFUSE CARTOON CRISIS, EU TO SEND SOLANA TO MUSLIM COUNTRIES
TO DISCUSS ISSUE WITH OFFICIALS
The European Union is taking steps to defuse the crisis over the
publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed in European newspapers. EU
Term President Austria’s Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said that EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana would travel to and meet with officials
from Muslim countries. Plassnik said that Solana would first visit Saudi
Arabia. “We need a consensus of opinion in order to overcome this crisis
and end the violence,” said Plassnik. In related news, the Norwegian
government decided to send a delegation to Muslim countries, including
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, and Syria, to evaluate the issue. /Turkiye/
[07] EU COMMISSION: “TURKEY’S OFFICIAL NEGOTIATIONS ON SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY CAN BEGIN”
The European Union Commission yesterday announced that negotiations with
Turkey on the chapter on science and technology could officially begin. The
EU Commission sent a communique to all EU member states saying that the
Union could begin official negotiations with Ankara on that chapter.
Stressing that Turkey was in accordance with the EU acquis, it said that
there was no need for Ankara to fulfill additional conditions. /Sabah/
[08] ITALIAN PAPERS ADVANCE CONSPIRACY THEORY
Italian papers yesterday implied a connection between the murder Sunday in
Trabzon of Italian priest Andrea Santoro and the Tuesday crash in Italy of
a bus carrying Turks. Papers reported that both cases were being
investigated by the same prosecutor, Leonardo Frisani. Italian daily La
Repubblica touched on the conspiracy theory with the headline: “Is this
retaliation for the murder of Father Santoro?” /Aksam/
[09] DEMIRALP: “INSULTING A RELIGION IS A CRIME IN DENMARK”
Oguz Demiralp, the head of Turkey’s Secretariat-General for the European
Union, said on Tuesday that insulting a religion was a crime under the
Danish penal code. Speaking about Turkish-EU relations and the cartoon
crisis, Demiralp said that Turkey was doing its utmost within the framework
of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, and was a model for the
coexistence of different cultures. He further underlined that Denmark’s
intolerant attitude had no place in EU law. /Star/
[10] KOIZUMI’S VISIT LEADS TO STRONGER BANKING TIES
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s official visit to Turkey last
month has opened the way for Japanese loans to Turkish banks. His visit
could lead to years of cooperation between Turkish and Japanese banks. The
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) on Tuesday made a framework
agreement for credit with Finansbank and Denizbank. These banks signed the
agreement for loans of $50 million each with maturity in seven years. JBIC
made a similar agreement with Isbank in exchange for 8 billion Japanese
yen. /Star/
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[12] CIVILIZATION, CONFLICT AND TURKEY’S RESPONSIBILITIES BY SEMIH IDIZ
(MILLIYET)
Columnist Semih Idiz comments on Turkey’s responsibilities in an atmosphere
of conflict. A summary of his column is as follows:
“I ended my last piece by asking what will secular Turkey’s place be in a
world when the gulf between the secular West and the Muslim world is
growing. The ‘Call for respect and calm’ written jointly by Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodirquez
Zapatero actually answers this question. It’s understood that Ankara’s
international responsibility and importance in the world will rise with the
travails of the ‘conflict of civilizations.’ Turkey’s character as a
secular, democratic country will especially attract the attention of the
West following the cartoon crisis. Turkey will also come up as a model for
the elite circle of the Middle East, which doesn’t know what to do against
the rise of radical Islam. This general situation gives Ankara an important
opportunity to put itself forth as an international actor with a positive
role to play at a critical stage. Actually, this should be considered not
an opportunity, but an obligation, because Turkey has to play this role.
The reason for this is evident: If it can’t succeed in doing so, this will
have negative repercussions in the country.
In short, considering the West’s helplessness against rising Islamic
fanaticism, Turkey’s acting as a bridge between civilizations will bring
respect as long as it contributes to the international stability. This
success will also contribute to domestic stability. However, there’s a
precondition for this success, that is, Turkey should both maintain its
Muslim character and prove that it’s not an obstacle to democracy and human
rights. Otherwise, this will benefit neither the East nor the West. In
addition, there’s another important element which makes the issue very
critical for Turkey and which can’t be ignored. Secularism is one of the
key elements of the ‘Westernization’ route which was drawn by the
Republic’s founders 80 years ago. In other words, Turkey should follow this
route to maintain its secular character over the long term. It would be
hard for a Turkey which has gone astray from this route to continue its
secularism both politically and sociologically, because if Turkey loses the
West as a reference point, there will be no other reference point left.
Therefore, the joint call by Erdogan and Zapatero is very important,
because it indicates the direction Turkey should follow in this dangerous
atmosphere. If we squander this important opportunity, it would be a shame
not only for the world, but also for ourselves.”
ARCHIVE
The news and articles issued in the Turkish Press Review
may be quoted from provided due acknowledgement is made.
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