Turkish Press Review, 06-10-16

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From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

16.10.2006

CONTENTS

[01] ERDOGAN CALLS ON YOUNG PEOPLE TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT

[01] ERDOGAN CALLS ON YOUNG PEOPLE TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT

Parliament tomorrow will debate the passage by France's National Assembly last week of a bill to heavily penalize those who deny an Armenian “genocide.” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will speak to the parliamentarians, and then political parties will voice their concerns and opinions. Also this week the 93-article foundations bill will be assessed by Parliament as a basic law in three different sections. The bill paves the way for community foundations to officially register what they own. Under the bill, foreigners would be able to establish foundations in Turkey or sit on the administration of existing foundations. /Star/[03] EN ROUTE TO EU TROIKA MEETING IN LUXEMBOURG, GUL COMMENTS ON AGAR-BUYUKANIT DISPUTE

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday traveled to Luxembourg to attend a meeting of the European Union Troika. Speaking en route, Gul commented on the recent dispute between Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, who suggested that terrorists should be encouraged to come down from the mountains so they can take part in politics. Gul stated that Agar was experienced on the issue since he was once interior minister and so his remarks should be taken seriously. “There’s no need to engage in polemics,” he said. Also commenting on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reportedly saying that the ruling party would win 26% of the nation’s votes according to polls, Gul stressed that many polls were being done and published in newspapers, adding that Erdogan had told him about one of these. “If elections were held today I believe we would win the same majority in Parliament,” added Gul. Also commenting on last week’s passage of a bill on the so-called Armenian "genocide" by the French Parliament, the foreign minister stated that France had deeply hurt its relations with Turkey. “Turkish-Armenian relations didn’t benefit from the bill either,” he added. /Milliyet- Sabah/[04] AGAR: “I KNOW WHAT I DO AND WHAT I SAY”

Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar, currently in Germany to meet with the representatives of Turkish associations, yesterday commented on the recent dispute between himself and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, saying that he didn’t fear anything or anyone. “I know what I do and what I say,” said Agar. “There are two issues that Turkey should get past, namely terrorism and secularism. We don’t want to be part of tensions while trying to reduce them. I’m in politics to ensure peace for the nation.” Agar further stated that politics shouldn’t be conducted with soldiers, but that the state couldn’t be governed without soldiers either. /Hurriyet/[05] BARROSO: “WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT TURKEY’S REFORM PROCESS”

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday said that they were worried about Turkey’s progress in its reform process. Speaking to the BBC, Barroso said, “If Turkey fully complies with the political and economic criteria, Turkey’s membership will be good for the European Union.” He also stated that it would be a mistake to think that this will also be the case 10-15 years from now. Barroso said that Turkey’s progress report, due to be released by the European Commission on Nov. 8, will be objective and highlight the areas that Turkey needs to work on. /Star/[06] OSKANIAN: “WE WANT TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY”

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said yesterday that he would strive to normalize relations with Turkey despite deep misgivings about Turkish refusal to recognize a “genocide” of Armenians during World War I. Speaking to Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag, Oskanian said, “As foreign minister I have a duty to look to the future and to seek and establish normal relations with Turkey.” Turkey severed diplomatic relations with neighboring Armenia after Armenian troops occupied the Azeri territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The border gate between Turkey and Armenia has been closed for more than a decade. Ankara now says normalization of ties depends on Armenian withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh as well as on progress in the resolution of a series of bilateral disagreements, including Armenia ceasing support for Armenian diaspora efforts to secure international recognition for the alleged genocide. He also said the Turkish government’s offer to set up a joint commission of historians to examine the killings was “dishonest” so long as Turkey kept its border with Armenia closed and explicitly outlawed the use of the word “genocide” in the sensitive Armenian issue. /Turkish Daily News/[07] IRAQI PM IN TURKEY FOR KEY TALKS ON PKK

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today begins a two-day visit to Turkey where he will discuss with Turkish authorities ways to eliminate the terrorist PKK from Iraq and the latest developments in the country. During his crucial talks with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, the Turkish side is expected to push al-Maliki into taking concrete steps to eliminate PKK terrorists from the country and to stop the terrorist group’s activities there. /The New Anatolian/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[00] I DON’T TRUST CHIRACBY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)

Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the bill on a so-called Armenian genocide which was passed in France last week. A summary of his column is as follows:

“I want to write very harsh words about French President Jacque Chirac. I’m trying hard to stop myself. I don’t trust Chirac at all. His majesty called Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and told him that he was very sorry. He said that he understands and shares our feelings and criticism and that this development stems from the upcoming general elections. Then he promised that he would do his best to make sure the bill won’t become law. So kind of him! Where has he been until now as France’s president? I wonder if Chirac is making fun of the Turkish nation. They immediately forgot the show that he made in the Armenian capital Yerevan last week. I also wonder if he didn’t say last week that each country has to face up to its tragedies and mistakes in the past in line with its level of development and that Turkey should recognize the Armenian genocide in order to gain European Union membership. What sort of a statesmanship is this? How can the Turkish nation trust a president whose words now contradict what he said just a week before? Who can guarantee that his majesty won’t say something against Turkey tomorrow? Chirac should realize that the Turkish nation knows better than to take him seriously.

I wonder what Erdogan and the Cabinet ministers think about Chirac. I believe they don’t trust him either. Turkey should act coolly now. We should see that this nonsensical, illogical law which completely violates democratic values has damaged France’s international respectability and we should make use of it very well. We should make a dignified response to this hostile stance of France. Let’s not sully our just cause with pointless displays like throwing eggs at the doors and windows of French representatives and setting their flag on fire. Let’s not forget that trying to impose excessive sanctions on commercial interests would only harm us. The Turkish Republic is a state of law. Harming French firms which have invested in Turkey would hit us like a boomerang. Our struggle with France should be done through political and legal avenues. Turkey has the resources, experience and diplomatic culture to do this.”[09] UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHERBY ERGUN BABAHAN (SABAH)

Columnist Ergun Babahan comments on Turkish-EU relations. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Turkey is slow on its road to the European Union. There are both protesters and supporters at this point. But despite this, Turkey is on its way. In the words of late President Turgut Ozal, ‘We’re on a long, narrow road.’ Turkey’s relations as well as problems for the EU were discussed at a meeting organized by the Economic and Foreign Policy Study Center (EDAM). People from various European countries have seen that Turks can also explain their ideas without fighting. The EU project is not just a state project, but also a project for a change in society. This is the reason for the existence of groups such as EDAM. We meet new people through these meetings and they help show us how to proceed. They give examples from other countries which also had difficulties in their membership process and encourage us by saying that Turkey will ultimately be an EU member. Turkey is the successor of an empire, but it is still confused which parts it should inherit and which not. This confusion will fade away with the EU reforms.

We will also stop thinking that every reflection of people’s beliefs is fundamentalism and will learn to have tolerance for other beliefs. Muslims in this country will learn that questioning beliefs is one of the requirements of democracy. There are positive developments on this. The same goes for the EU. We will understand each other better if we invite European thinkers here and go to Europe and tell them about us.”

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