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Turkish Press Review, 06-11-02
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
02.11.2006
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN DENIES AKP FAVORING YIMPAS HOLDING
[02] AFRICAN MUSLIM LEADERS MEET IN ISTANBUL
[03] GUL MEETS WITH RUSSIAN FM
[04] CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT VISITS ATHENS
[05] FLOODS TAKE LIVES, CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE
[06] REHN CALLS TURKISH-EU RELATIONS "SCHIZOPHRENIC"
[07] MEP WIERSMA: "ARTICLE 301 NEEDS TO BE CHANGED"
[08] IMF'S LIPSKY: "TURKEY SHOULD MAINTAIN FISCAL DISCIPLINE, STRUCTURAL REFORMS, AND LOW INFLATION FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS"
[09] COSKUN: "RED TAPE AND INDUSTRIALISTS PROBLEMS' HAVE PERSISTED UNDER THIS GOVT"
[10] TURKS PROTECT BULGARIA FROM FASCISM
[01] ERDOGAN DENIES AKP FAVORING YIMPAS HOLDING
Speaking at a meeting of his party yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan strongly denied recent claims that the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) had benefited from the resources of YIMPAS Holding
and that company officials were being protected by the government, saying
that the media was smearing the AKP. "Such claims cannot be made without
proof," said Erdogan, adding that the allegations can't hurt his party.
Also commenting on arguments over next year's presidential election,
Erdogan said that the current Parliament would elect the president when the
time comes, meaning next June. /Aksam/
[02] AFRICAN MUSLIM LEADERS MEET IN ISTANBUL
A meeting of religious leaders of Muslim countries and communities in
Africa began yesterday with a ceremony held at Istanbul's Dolmabahce
Palace. Addressing the opening of the three-day gathering, Turkish
Religious Affairs head Ali Bardakoglu said that Islam had made great
contributions to the history and civilization of humanity. It is our duty
to explore Islam's thought and cultural richness and to convey this to
societies worldwide to improve the image of Islam, said Bardakoglu.
/Turkiye/
[03] GUL MEETS WITH RUSSIAN FM
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, on a visit to Moscow to attend a Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) meeting, yesterday met with his Russian
counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Following the talks, Gul told reporters that two
countries' ties in a number of areas were getting stronger. Gul also said
that Russia shared Ankara's view that a resolution of the Cyprus issue
should be sought through the United Nations. "We never accept Greek
maneuvers to shift the issue from the UN to the European Union platform,"
said Gul. He also stated that he had observed the great willingness of top
Russian officials to develop trade ties with the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Gul stressed that trade volume between Turkey and
Russia this year so far was over $15 billion and was expected to reach $20
billion by year's-end, adding that the target for 2008 was $25 billion.
Furthermore, he added that in the course of hisvisit, he had had the
opportunity to have fruitful talks with his Georgian, Romanian and Albanian
counterparts. /Turkiye/
[04] CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT VISITS ATHENS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit arrived in Athens yesterday as
the official guest of his Greek Counterpart Gen. Panayotis Hinofotis.
Buyukanit will begin his official contacts today and meet with Greek
Defense Minister Evangelos Meymarakis. After the official meetings,
Buyukanit will visit a monument to Turkish martyrs in the port city of
Piraeus. Buyukanit will also host Hinofotis at a dinner at the Turkish
Embassy in Athens before leaving Greece on Saturday. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] FLOODS TAKE LIVES, CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE
Heavy rain and storms and their subsequent floods have caused serious
damage around the country, both in terms of causalities and property damage,
resulting in more than 20 deaths in the southeast. Authorities said troops
supported by helicopters were searching yesterday for several people who
were reported missing across the region. Floodwaters have also killed
hundreds of animals and caused widespread damage to houses in several
villages. Heavy rainfall and flooding were also affecting Istanbul and the
Mediterranean coast. /All Papers/
European Parliament President Josep Borrell, currently in Athens, yesterday
spoke at the Greek Parliament's European Affairs Committee. Touching on the
Cyprus issue and Turkey's European Union membership bid, Borrell said, "The
European Parliament insists on respect for the basic principles, criteria
and values of the European Union. A candidate country which doesn't accept
these conditions can't be an EU member." Stating that this had been clearly
conveyed to Turkey, Borrell noted EU Term President Finland's efforts and
added, "The European Parliament wants a united Cyprus." /Star/
[06] REHN CALLS TURKISH-EU RELATIONS "SCHIZOPHRENIC"
Speaking to French daily Liberation yesterday, European Union Commissioner
for Enlargement Olli Rehn called relations between the EU and Ankara
"schizophrenic." Decrying a "vicious cycle" in these relations, Rehn
stressed that if Ankara's accession negotiations were suspended, this
wouldn't end the cycle. Asked whether Turkey's accession talks should be
suspended, Rehn stated that they shouldn't if Ankara fulfills the necessary
criteria. He also stressed that the EU should be fair towards Turkey's EU
bid. "While we expect Turkey to respect the criteria on freedom of
expression and thought, we should keep our promises to Ankara." Rehn added
that EU Term President Finland was working hard to implement the Ankara
Protocol and end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. /Milliyet/
[07] MEP WIERSMA: "ARTICLE 301 NEEDS TO BE CHANGED"
Jan Marinus Wiersma, a member of the Socialist group in the European
Parliament visiting Turkey to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan, yesterday said that his
most important message was to tell why Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK) should be changed. "There are articles like 301 in many EU
countries, but they don't use these laws like Turkey does," he said.
"Turkey has two options before it: Either change the mentality of
prosecutors and judges, or the law itself. Even if you educate judges and
prosecutors, there will be people who want to use Article 301 for bad
ends." Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Wiersma said that they were
trying to find a formula to open the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus'
(TRNC) Ercan Airport at least to tourist flights. /Star/
[08] IMF'S LIPSKY: "TURKEY SHOULD MAINTAIN FISCAL DISCIPLINE, STRUCTURAL
REFORMS, AND LOW INFLATION FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS"
After completing his contacts in Istanbul yesterday, International Monetary
Fund First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky told reporters that 1.5
points of the 6.5% primary surplus would be obtained from government
participation, which is financially weak. He further stressed that Turkey
should maintain fiscal discipline, structural reforms, and its low
inflation target in order to sustain its economic success. Commenting on
the high current account deficit, Lipsky said that the deficit would be
sustainable as long as Turkey continues its fiscal discipline. "Fiscal
discipline, structural reforms, and the low inflation target are important,
" added Lipsky. /Milliyet/
[09] COSKUN: "RED TAPE AND INDUSTRIALISTS PROBLEMS' HAVE PERSISTED UNDER
THIS GOVT"
Speaking at the Fifth Industry Conference yesterday, Industry and Trade
Minister Ali Coskun said that over the last four years the government has
been unsuccessful in cutting red tape and ending the problems of
industrialists, adding that industrialists' competitive edge has also not
improved very much. "The bureaucratic hurdles should be eliminated," added
Coskun. /Sabah/
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[10] TURKS PROTECT BULGARIA FROM FASCISM
BY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)
Columnist Semih Idiz comments on last Sunday's presidential election in
Bulgaria and Turks' impact on it. A summary of his column is as follows:
"The second round of Bulgaria's presidential election was held last Sunday.
I expected these elections to attract more attention in Turkey, because
Volen Siderov, leader of the fascist, racist Ataka (Attack) Party, was on
the ballot. Siderov devoted himself to fighting the Turkish minority and
used degrading, racist language. He said openly that if he was elected
president, he would work hard to end the rights won by Turks. In addition,
Siderov is opposed to the European Union. For example, he says that the
rights won by the Turkish minority, which constitutes 9.4% of the
population, had emerged because of the EU process. He said all this, but he
was beaten by his socialist competitor Georgi Parvanov, who is still
president. Parvanov won 75% of the votes, while Siderov got just 25%. In
sum, the racist extreme-right rhetoric against Turks and the EU didn't have
much impact on Bulgarian voters -- the voter turnout stayed steady at 41%.
Siderov blames the countries' Turks and Romanians for this outcome, saying
that Parvanov won thanks to them. Maybe he's right about just this issue to
some extent, because the voter turnout of Bulgarian Turks was higher than
that of ethnic Bulgarians. Almost all these voters voted for Parvanov.
Even more interestingly, Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey -- most of
whom are Turks -- rushed to the ballot boxes at the embassy and consulates.
According to Bulgarian officials, almost 90% of these expats voted, or
nearly 55,000 of them. It's not hard to guess why the voter turnout was
high and who they voted for. Personally I love Bulgarians. They're moderate
people. I was among the first Turkish reporters to enter Bulgarian Turkish
villages during the outrageous 'Bulgarification' campaign initiated by
communist leader Todor Zhivkov at the end of 1980s. We had trying moments
which I'll never forget. We published our interviews with Bulgarian
villagers in newspapers. I remember with appreciation that particularly old
and religious Bulgarians said without fear that they didn't approve of
Jivkov's assimilation campaign, even though they know that we were being
followed by the secret police. At length Zhivkov was gone, and now Bulgaria
is preparing to join the EU. Most of the people favor this as well. Not
only the people who support the EU, but also the Turkish minority oppose
Siderov. So we can say that Turks are clearly an important element which
protects Bulgaria from fascism. Last Sunday proved this."
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