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Turkish Press Review, 07-01-19
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
19.01.2007
CONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT ADOPTS CHP PROPOSAL TO DISCUSS KIRKUK, IRAQ
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH PARTY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS APPROACHING GENERAL ELECTIONS
[03] IN BURSA, CHP'S BAYKAL SAYS TURKEY CAN'T BE BYSTANDER TO DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ
[04] DYP'S AGAR: "TURKEY SHOULD ACT IN UNISON AGAINST RECENT NEGATIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ"
[05] CHP'S OYMEN: "SINCE OTHERS WON'T, IT'S UP TO TURKEY TO STOP TERRORIST INFILTRATION"
[06] US DIPLOMAT BURNS SPEAKS WITH ERDOGAN ABOUT IRAQ, PKK
[07] EKER ANNOUNCES DROUGHT ACTION PLAN
[08] THE KIRKUK TRAP
[01] PARLIAMENT ADOPTS CHP PROPOSAL TO DISCUSS KIRKUK, IRAQ
Parliament yesterday adopted the proposal of the main opposition Republican
People's Party (CHP) to hold a special session to discuss Iraq and its city
of Kirkuk. The session is expected to be held next Tuesday. Addressing the
gathering, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey was concerned
about recent negative developments in northern Iraq, adding that Ankara
wasn't intervening in Iraq's internal affairs. "We're meeting with all
groups in the country to protect its territorial integrity," said Gul.
Stressing that conflict between all groups was rising in the country
despite a number of steps which have been taken, Gul stated that Ankara was
worried that ethnic conflict could soon begin. "We want an Iraq with
political and territorial integrity," he said. "Unfortunately, Iraq is now
far from this. We'll continue our efforts towards this end." /Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH PARTY MEMBERS TO DISCUSS APPROACHING GENERAL
ELECTIONS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with the members of his
party yesterday to discuss the general elections set for this fall. During
the meeting, Erdogan said that he wanted his party to boost its share of
the vote by 10%. Also commenting on May's presidential election, Erdogan
said that a candidate hasn't been determined yet by his party. "We won't
have a candidate until the official date," added Erdogan. "We'll declare
our candidate after the official application date is announced." /Turkiye/
[03] IN BURSA, CHP'S BAYKAL SAYS TURKEY CAN'T BE BYSTANDER TO DEVELOPMENTS
IN IRAQ
Speaking at Uludag University in Bursa yesterday, main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal commented on recent
developments in Iraq, saying that Turkey couldn't be only a bystander to
this situation. "The division of Iraq is in its last stage," he said.
"Terrorist attacks on Turkey are getting resources from Iraq. The terrorist
PKK has offices and training centers in Iraq. This is a violation of
international law." Baykal added that Ankara wanted the coalition forces to
stop the terrorist PKK from getting support from the country. /Turkiye/
[04] DYP'S AGAR: "TURKEY SHOULD ACT IN UNISON AGAINST RECENT NEGATIVE
DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ"
Opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said yesterday that
Turkey should act in unison against recent negative developments in Iraq,
adding that the issue should be handled with common sense. "We should be
prepared for any development," he said. Agar further stressed that the Iraq
issue is now more important than ever, but that it shouldn't be used as
political fodder in this year's elections. /Star/
[05] CHP'S OYMEN: "SINCE OTHERS WON'T, IT'S UP TO TURKEY TO STOP TERRORIST
INFILTRATION"
Speaking at discussions leading to next week's special Parliament session
on Iraq, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy group
leader Onur Oymen said that the demographic makeup of the Iraqi city of
Kirkuk was being changed and that holding a referendum under these
circumstances would be the harbinger of grave conflicts. Stating that
developments in Kirkuk shouldn't be considered a domestic issue, Oymen said,
"The issue in Kirkuk is a human rights issue, isn't it? Since when are
human rights a domestic issue?" Oymen cited UN Security Council Resolution
1723 stressing all countries' responsibility to prevent the infiltration of
terrorists from neighboring countries to Iraq, or from Iraq to other
countries. Saying that Iraq and the US haven't fulfilled this
responsibility and that it was now Turkey's responsibility to do this,
Oymen added that Turkey should send soldiers to its southern border.
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] US DIPLOMAT BURNS SPEAKS WITH ERDOGAN ABOUT IRAQ, PKK
Visiting Ankara to speak about US President George W. Bush's new Iraq plan,
US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns yesterday
met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Parliament. Burns also
heard Turkey's views on the issue from Erdogan. Erdogan told of Turkey's
concerns about developments in Kirkuk and warned that these might cause
serious problems in the region. Erdogan also spoke of Turkey's concern on
the issue of the terrorist PKK, characterizing this week's operation at the
Mahmur Camp as positive but added that Turkey was expecting further such
steps. Erdogan also warned the US administration to resist a resolution on
the so-called Armenian genocide expected to soon face a vote in the US
House of Representatives. Afterwards, Burns said that he had had a very
good meeting with Erdogan. Burns added that he had expressed Bush and US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's thanks to Erdogan for Turkey's
cooperation in Afghanistan and its support concerning Lebanon, Israel and
Palestine. Burns added that the US knew of the losses suffered by Turkey
due to terrorism and the feelings of the Turkish people. Burns added that
the US would continue to act on the PKK issue and would take certain steps
with both the Turkish and Iraqi governments. /Hurriyet, Turkiye/
[07] EKER ANNOUNCES DROUGHT ACTION PLAN
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mehdi Eker said yesterday that a
drought action plan had been prepared to prepare for long-term problems of
global warming and drought. Speaking at a press conference, Eker said that
a drought management coordination council would also be set up as part of
the plan. Eker said that the council would work on how Turkey will be
impacted by global warming and determine which regions face the greatest
risk. /Hurriyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[08] THE KIRKUK TRAP
BY DERYA SAZAK (MÝLLÝYET)
Columnist Derya Sazak comments on Turkey's policy on Kirkuk. A summary of
his column is as follows:
"The attack this week on a Turkmen district in Kirkuk which killed 30
people is matter of concern. Ankara is also about to be drawn into a trap.
The provocative referendum preparations by the US, the possibility that the
de facto Kurdish state will declare Kirkuk its capital, and the north
taking control of the oil resources in the city and turning a blind eye to
PKK activities in the region are all factors that point to a cross-border
operation. National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Emre Taner
said that in light of recent developments, Turkey's policy can't be limited
to a defensive one. Taner's warning that nation-states who can't see global
threats may not survive is an important one. But does this policy require
for Turkey to take military measures or to boost its effectiveness through
peaceful means? It's clear there are disagreements over our Iraq policy at
the state level.
There are important disagreements over northern Iraq, the terrorist PKK and
the Kurdish question among the opposition, political power and the
military. This conflict came to a peak during debate over the motion on US
troops coming to Turke prior to the Iraq invasion on March 1, 2003. The
General Staff and the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) didn't give clear
advice to the National Security Council (MGK). Four years later, the
situation is no different. Turkey wants to go back to the conditions before
2003, but the US and the Iraqi government don't like this idea. The
statements of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and main opposition
leader Deniz Baykal are aimed at gaining votes in the coming elections.
It's dangerous for the US, which is already stuck in the Iraqi quagmire, to
create more chaos in Turkey. It's also interesting that the PKK has
declared a cease-fire, and peaceful solutions to the issue are on the table
besides debates over an intervention in Iraq. The recent statements of
former MIT Deputy Undersecretary Cevat Ones also support a civil solution
to the problem. Ones said that historically, Turkey's policies on the
Kurdish question haven't been successful. What happened when Israel bombed
Lebanon?"
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