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Turkish Press Review, 06-06-29
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
29.06.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER’S LANDMARK VISIT TO RUSSIA BEGINS
[02] PRESIDENT SEZER: “WE’RE PROUD OF OUR LAND FORCES”
[03] ERDOGAN ADDRESSES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THOUGHT
[04] GUL: “BLACKMAIL DOESN’T SUIT THE EU”
[05] EU’S KRETSCHMER IN HAKKARI
[06] EU POSTPONES CUSTOMS UNION CHAPTER
[07] TURKEY’S US AMBASSADOR SENSOY: “WASHINGTON’S KURDISH ALLIES PROVIDE ARMS TO THE PKK”
[08] LE MONDE POINTS TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION ON CYPRUS
[09] BABACAN: “THE ECONOMY AND NATION ARE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TEST”
[10] TUZMEN: “WE MAY REVISE EXPORT FIGURES IN LIGHT OF CURRENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS”
[11] S&P CHANGES TURKEY’S OUTLOOK NOTE FROM “POSITIVE” TO “STABLE”
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] THE GREATEST POLITICAL MATCH BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
[01] SEZER’S LANDMARK VISIT TO RUSSIA BEGINS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, accompanied by his wife, yesterday flew to
Moscow, Russia to pay an official visit at the presidential level, the
first ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, at the invitation of his
Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Sezer is expected to have a face-to-
face meeting with Putin today, and then they will attend inter-delegation
talks. He will also receive Boris Gryzlov, speaker of the Russian Duma’s
lower house. Bilateral relations, including energy and economic cooperation,
as well as the Iraq and Iran issues, are expected to dominate the talks
with Russian officials. /Milliyet//
[02] PRESIDENT SEZER: “WE’RE PROUD OF OUR LAND FORCES”
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday sent a message to Land Forces
Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit to mark the anniversary of the Land Forces.
Sezer stated that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), one of the basic pillars
of the Turkish Republic, had provided pride and security to citizens
through its praiseworthy services for the nation’s unity, security and well-
being, adding, “The place of the Land Forces within the TSK, one of the
strongest armies of the world which takes deterrence as a basic principle,
is truly great.” /Cumhuriyet/
[03] ERDOGAN ADDRESSES EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
AND THOUGHT
Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on
freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs yesterday, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented on the recent cartoon crisis,
saying that insulting a religion shouldn’t be considered freedom of
expression. “Criticism and insult are different from each other,” said
Erdogan. Stressing that it should be seriously considered whether freedom
of expression was being abused as freedom to insult, Erdogan stated that
freedom of expression and thought were indispensable factors of common
values. “Our system of values shapes our identity,” he said. “Islamophobia
should be considered a crime against humanity.” He stressed that the main
problem was a dangerous polarization in the international community on the
basis of cultural and religious values. “Democracy is a regime of
compromise and patience as well as freedom,” said Erdogan. Touching on the
so-called Armenian genocide, Erdogan said that Ankara had proposed that
historians should research the issue. Speaking afterwards, Erdogan said
that the government wouldn’t take any more steps on Cyprus for its European
Union membership. “We’ve taken 11 steps, and we won’t take any more until
those who need to take steps do so,” added the premier. /Milliyet/
[04] GUL: “BLACKMAIL DOESN’T SUIT THE EU”
In Moscow, where he participated in a ministerial-level conference of the
Pact of Paris and is to accompany President Ahmet Necdet Sezer during his
current official visit to Russia, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said
yesterday that blackmail would not help to reach a Cyprus resolution.
Speaking to reporters, Gul said that Turkey’s European Union membership
process was a bumpy road, adding that Ankara was aware of its
responsibilities. Stressing that a number of reforms for EU harmonization
had been implemented and certain of them are already underway, Gul said
that the Cyprus issue should not be used to block Ankara’s EU process.
Pointing to the Turkish side’s efforts for a settlement on the island, the
foreign minister stated that the issue could not be resolved through
blackmail, but rather with measures strengthening confidence. Asked whether
Ankara intends to open its airports and harbors to Greek Cypriots, Gul said
it was not fair to expect the lifting of an embargo on one side while
keeping the other. Meanwhile, as part of Ankara’s efforts to facilitate
finding a resolution to the Iran issue through diplomatic means, Gul met
with his Russian counterpart. During their talks, Gul reportedly spoke
about his recent visit to Tehran. Furthermore, Gul had a meeting with EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who arrived in Moscow late in the
afternoon, and exchanged views on the matter. /Turkiye/
[05] EU’S KRETSCHMER IN HAKKARI
Hansjoerg Kretschmer, head of the European Commission Representation in
Ankara, yesterday held contacts in the southeastern Anatolian city of
Hakkari. Kretschmer and his delegation visited Hakkari Mayor Metin Tekce,
who later said that he had addressed some questions about the dimensions of
political criteria within the context of Turkey’s European Union bid. He
also said that he had told Kretschmer that some steps should be taken in
order to get through the EU process more quickly so Turkey can be a member.
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] EU POSTPONES CUSTOMS UNION CHAPTER
The starting of actual negotiations on the Customs Union, which constitutes
one of the 35 chapters of Turkey’s European Union negotiations, has been
postponed. The EU defended the decision by saying that by not opening its
airports and harbors to EU member Greek Cyprus, Turkey had failed to
fulfill one of its Customs Union obligations. This decision of the EU,
which has conducted negotiations with Turkey along with Croatia since last
October, caused Croatia to move one step ahead. The EU will start Customs
Union negotiations with Croatia. The Union could also reportedly postpone
chapters on access and free movement of services by citing the airports and
harbors issue. /Hurriyet/
[07] TURKEY’S US AMBASSADOR SENSOY: “WASHINGTON’S KURDISH ALLIES PROVIDE
ARMS TO THE PKK”
Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy said on Tuesday that the US’
Kurdish allies in northern Iraq provide arms, shelter and equipment to the
terrorist PKK and that the US government should do more to disrupt these
links. Sensoy said that Ankara had evidence that as many as 3,000 PKK
militants had recently moved from positions in northern Iraq to the Turkish
border to carry out operations inside Turkey. In a meeting with editors and
reporters at right-wing daily The Washington Times, Sensoy said the units
of the PKK, which is also considered a terrorist group by the US government,
had received arms, safe passage and other logistical help from the two
leading Iraqi Kurdish parties, both of which are strongly allied with
Washington. Sensoy said Washington should at least use its influence on its
Iraqi Kurdish allies to end their links to the PKK, and to disrupt the
militants’ command-and-control networks. “You have great influence over
these people,” he said, “Average Turks are increasingly frustrated by the
apparent inability to contain the PKK threat from Iraq.” /Hurriyet/
[08] LE MONDE POINTS TO TWO-STATE SOLUTION ON CYPRUS
French daily Le Monde said yesterday that the Cyprus issue was continuing
to poison relations between the European Union and Turkey, adding that the
issue could only be resolved through forming a two-state Cyprus. Stressing
that the two peoples on the island do not want to live together after a
division of three decades, the daily said that despite this fact, no Greek
politician could dare to say that a two-state Cyprus should be part of the
EU. Claiming that not only the Greek side, but also the Turkish side was
responsible for the deepening of the problem, it said Turkey did not take
an equal stance towards the Greek Cypriot administration as towards the
other EU states in order to ensure the end of the international embargo on
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), adding that that stance was
bringing the problem to a deadlock too. /Turkiye/
[09] BABACAN: “THE ECONOMY AND NATION ARE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TEST”
Speaking at a conference organized by the Turkish Banks Association (TBB)
yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan responded to
criticisms of the government about recent fluctuations in the markets,
saying that the economy and the Turkish nation were going through a
difficult test. Babacan stated that all economic institutions and units
were acting with common sense and taking necessary measures. He further
stressed that fiscal discipline and a determined monetary policy would
continue to be the main approach in bringing down inflation. /Aksam/
[10] TUZMEN: “WE MAY REVISE EXPORT FIGURES IN LIGHT OF CURRENT ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENTS”
Speaking to reporters yesterday before flying to Geneva to attend a meeting
of the World Trade Organization, State Minister Kursat Tuzmen commented on
the effects of recent exchange rate fluctuations, adding that there had
been a slowdown in the rise of imports. “There is a slowdown especially on
the basis of quantity,” said Tuzmen. “We see considerable falls in raw
material imports.” He said that the export figures would be revised if
current economic developments continue. Tuzmen stated that exports,
targeted as $79 billion, would instead reach $84 billion by the end of this
year. /Sabah/
[11] S&P CHANGES TURKEY’S OUTLOOK NOTE FROM “POSITIVE” TO “STABLE”
International credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s yesterday changed
Turkey’s outlook note from “positive” to “stable” after the expectations
for better economic indicators in the Turkish economy, affected by recent
fluctuations, worsened. The agency didn’t change Turkey’s short-term and
long-term credit notes. /Milliyet/
[12] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[13] THE GREATEST POLITICAL MATCH BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on Turkey’s political situation. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“Let’s imagine that we’re facing a cup final like in football. Let’s make
it a final consisting of two matches. I’m talking about a great derby.
Maybe the current picture of politics can be summed up by such a metaphor.
All these developments center around two axes. The first leg of the final
is next year’s presidential election, and the second is next year’s general
elections, that is, a new five-year period of political power. The ruling
Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) leadership and the opposition are now
working strategy for this cup final. The AKP is planning to win the two
matches, and the opposition is pursuing a victory of 2-0. However, the
unchangeable rules of derby matches will apply: Such matches have no
favorite and there’s usually the strong likelihood of a draw. I believe
both parties will determine their sine qua non, indispensable and vital
interests and bargain for them.
From what I can tell, rather than the presidential election, the general
elections will stand in the forefront for the AKP and it will try to come
to power single-handedly. What’s more, they’re lucky here with the players
they have on the field. However, the presidential election requires a very
risky gambit. If they exert all their efforts, their strength might not
last until the general elections. Meanwhile, the presidential election is
the most critical final for its rivals. They don’t want to lose this game
and they will fight as much as they can. They are motivated for this final.
Obviously, they want to win the general elections as well.
This is the teams’ psychology towards a final series consisting of two
matches. I think these matches will end in a draw. That unique rule of
football and life will apply: Whoever wants something more will win. Of
course, the element of chance will be a determining factor. However, the
system will win the presidential finals and the AKP will win the game of
coming to power. Then this match would end in a draw. However, each will
win the points he desires. At least, nobody would lose what he can’t risk.
Viva football…”
ARCHIVE
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