Turkish Press Review, 06-10-19

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

19.10.2006

CONTENTS

[01] FINNISH FM: “THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT MADE A BAD MISTAKE”

[01] FINNISH FM: “THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT MADE A BAD MISTAKE”

European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said yesterday that Turkey’s EU accession would serve both sides’ interests. Speaking in Berlin, Rehn said the EU had decided to begin accession talks with both Turkey and Croatia in October 2005, adding that the talks were aimed at full membership. Stressing that the bloc should not forget its responsibilities to Turkey, Rehn said the EU needed a modern, stable and prosperous Turkey for its own interests, adding that Turkey had showed its strategic importance through its decision to send peacekeeping troops to Lebanon. On the other hand, after meeting with Greek Cypriot administration Foreign Minister George Lillikas, Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik told reporters that breaking off accession talks with Turkey was possible, claiming that Turkey had made very little progress. /Turkiye/[03] KRETSCHMER: “IF TURKEY DOESN’T OPEN ITS PORTS, THIS WON’T CAUSE A BIG CRISIS”

Hansjoerg Kretschmer, outgoing head of the European Commission Delegation to Turkey, yesterday said that he didn’t think that a big crisis would ensue if Turkey doesn’t open its ports and harbors to Greek Cyprus before Turkey’s European Union Council meeting to be held in December. Speaking to the BBC Turkish service, Kretschmer said that active efforts were being made to find a solution before the meeting and that neither Turkey nor the European Union would benefit from halting the membership process. Kretschmer also said that the EU Council’s statement on helping to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots was political and had no legal meaning. /Cumhuriyet/[04] US CONGRESSWOMAN: “TURKISH SOLDIERS SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM CYPRUS”

Three weeks before the US Congressional elections, a resolution submitted to Congress by a sole representative calls on Turkish soldiers to withdrawn from Cyprus. The bill, submitted by New York Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, says that Turkey should abide by the European Union criteria, recognize the Greek Cypriot administration and open its ports and harbors. The bill, which was submitted to the Congress on the last working day before it went on recess for campaigning, also asks the Bush administration to put pressure on Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/[05] PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEOS CALLS FOR GREECE TO SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BID

In a visit to Athens, Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos yesterday met with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis. During their meeting, Bartholomeus said that Greece should support Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Later, Bartholomeos met with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and reiterated his call, saying that both Greece and the EU would benefit from Turkey’s membership. /Sabah/ [06] CHINESE AIR FORCE COMMANDER VISITS TURKEY

Gen. Qiao Qingchen, Air Force commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, yesterday came to Turkey as the official guest of Turkish Air Forces Commander Gen. Faruk Comert. Gen. Qingchen was welcomed with a military ceremony. Gen. Comert said that Turkey wanted to benefit from China’s experience in the space field. According to the meetings, China will supplement Turkey’s National Space Research Program starting next year. /Aksam/[07] BABACAN: “TURKEY’S EU BID IS CLOSELY TIED TO ITS ECONOMIC SITUATION”

Speaking at a conference organized by The British daily Financial Times in London yesterday, State Minister for the Economy and European Union chief negotiator Ali Babacan said that Turkey’s EU membership bid was closely tied to its economic situation, adding that Europe was having difficulty getting used to the idea of Turkey’s membership. “This mental shift will take time,” said Babacan. “Turkey will join the EU in the future, not today. We’ve changed one-third of our Constitution. We’re not saying that Turkey is perfect, but economic development in other EU countries is slower than ours.” Stressing that Turkey has gone a long way in its reforms, Babacan added that the reforms were being carried out for the Turkish nation. /Sabah/[08] OECD PRAISES TURKEY’S PERFORMANCE

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Secretary- General Jose Angel Gurria said yesterday that Turkey had recently shown a great performance in its economy. Following talks with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, the visiting Gurria gave a briefing on the OECD’s 2006 Turkish Economy Report. Stressing that Turkey had quickly recovered after the 2001 economic crisis and displayed an impressive economic performance, Gurria said Turkey has become the most rapidly growing country among OECD states. Furthermore, the secretary-general met with State Minister and Turkey’s European Union talks chief negotiator Ali Babacan at the Ankara Palace for a dinner. Babacan said that they would exchange views on the OECD’s Turkey report and Ankara’s relations with the organization. /Turkiye/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[00] PAYING THE PRICEBY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)

Columnist Semih Idiz comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:

“None of the relevant parties have rejected the proposals made by EU Term President Finland to solve the deadlock over the Cyprus issue. However, they haven’t accepted them either. Everybody only says that they’re examining the proposals constructively. But it's not certain if they’re saying this so as not to be the spoilsport or to actually seek a solution to the problem. When I recently spoke with a high-ranking source from the EU Commission, he told me the party which rejects the proposals would pay a high price. In addition, EU officials are saying that this is the last chance for the Cyprus issue and no opportunity like this will be come along again. Our Foreign Ministry sources say that they’re examining the proposals and discussing opinions but that nothing’s been written down yet. What are these opinions? Opening Famagusta Harbor for trade between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the EU under the Union's control and transferring Maras to the UN are the basics of the proposal. Finnish diplomats I spoke to say the aim is ‘lifting the economic isolation on the Turkish Cypriots and preventing the end of Turkish-EU relations.’ Meanwhile, they stress that no EU step towards recognizing the TRNC should be expected.

These diplomats also said that Turkey wouldn’t be recognizing the Greeks’ ‘Cyprus Republic’ by opening its harbors to Greek Cypriot ships and that they only want to solve the problem without any headaches. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in Luxembourg recently that the important thing for the two nations was to reach a consensus. We can see that now there are efforts to convince both the Turkish and Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriot side says, understandably, that the tourism sector should be protected and its Ercan Airport should be included in the package, otherwise Finland’s proposal would be meaningless. Actually, the Greek Cypriot administration welcomes none of the proposals made by Finland. However, it’s not talking too much at this stage in order not to give the impression that it’s the spoilsport. However, we’ll soon see who rejects and accepts what. We’ll also see the price that the EU claimed to make the other party pay. If the Greek Cypriot administration acts like a spoilsport again, we’ll see if it will be forced to pay the price. In other words, the trustworthiness of the EU is at stake. Obviously, a negative outcome will take a toll on the EU as well.”[10] HOW WOULD TURKEY BE AFFECTED IF OUR ACCESSION TALKS STOP?BY AYDIN AYAYDIN (SABAH)

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

“It seems that Turkey’s European Union membership will be on the mind of the financial markets until the end of the year. The markets are also concerned about a lack of a long-term solution for Cyprus. The proposals of EU Term President Finland are short term. The point where the discussions are stuck is Turkey’s not opening its ports for Greek Cyprus. The EU insists on opening them and Turkey, deservedly, brings up the unfair isolation of the TRNC. As a result, no progress is made, and so Turkey’s EU path gets rockier.

EU bureaucrats who claim that not opening the ports violates the Customs Union are talking about suspending related chapters for accession talks. This means that there’s the danger of suspending 12 chapters (of 35) of the accession talks with Turkey. This means suspending almost one-third of the accession talks. I think EU officials can now see better that accepting Greek Cyprus to the EU as the representative of the whole island brought problems. But Turkey is footing the bill.

What concerns me is how the markets would be affected if so many chapters were suspended. Up to now everyone was talking about the flow of money to Turkey as a result of our EU membership process. Elections are also coming next year, which makes a solution for Cyprus more difficult. Every step for a solution on the island could be wrongly perceived even if it’s wel- intentioned.”

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