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Turkish Press Review, 07-03-26
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
26.03.2007
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: "WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE"
[02] GUL OPENS DAM IN KAYSERI
[03] BAYKAL: "IF THE AKP SEEKS A COMPROMISE, WE CAN DISCUSS THEIR CANDIDATE"
[04] DSP LEADER SEZER: "THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PROVIDE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE STATE"
[05] BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER DUE IN ANKARA
[06] GREEN MEP COHN-BENDIT: "TURKEY WILL BECOME AN EU MEMBER IN 2022"
[07] MIRONOV: "THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS' ISOLATION IS UNACCEPTABLE"
[08] ONE OF LAST TWO SURVIVING WAR OF INDEPENDENCE VETERANS DIES
[09] TURKISH NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM DEFEATS GREEKS
[10] WOULD 35 PARTIES WITH 100 DJS BE ENOUGH FOR THE EUROPEAN IDEAL?
[01] ERDOGAN: "WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE CAN BE NO PEACE"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Interior Minister
Abdulkadir Aksu, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek and Public Works and Housing
Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak, yesterday opened a modern courthouse in
Istanbul's Bakirkoy district. Addressing a crowd at the opening ceremony,
Erdogan said that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government had
made the greatest investment in the history of the Republic of Turkey in
justice and the judiciary. "We built 76 court houses and service buildings,
" said the premier. Stressing that his government has done its best to
better Turkey in terms of four fundamentals they made pledges on when they
came to power -- namely education, health, justice and security -- Erdogan
said that if there is no justice then there is no development or peace.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Cicek lashed out at allegations that the
judiciary has become politicized. "What has this government done to
politicize the judiciary?" asked Cicek. "It is the same judges, and the
same laws have been in place since the government came to power." Cicek
also underlined that such a politicization would be an unprecedented
disaster. Cicek has been accused by the judiciary of blocking appointments
to the Court of Appeals and the Council of State. The premier and his
fellow Cabinet ministers also laid the foundation for a future courthouse
in Istanbul's Kartal district. /Hurriyet-Turkiye/
[02] GUL OPENS DAM IN KAYSERI
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Energy and Natural Resources Minister
Hilmi Guler yesterday attended a series of openings in Kayseri. Speaking at
an opening ceremony of the Sarioglan Dam, Gul said that after construction
lasting 17 years, the dam has finally been completed and put into service
during his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) rule. Touting the
government's accomplishments, Gul compared Turkey to one huge construction
site. Gul added that they were working hard to further develop the country.
/Aksam/
[03] BAYKAL: "IF THE AKP SEEKS A COMPROMISE, WE CAN DISCUSS THEIR
CANDIDATE"
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal over
the weekend criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over May's
presidential election, saying, "Different names came up the in the (ruling
Justice and Development Party, AKP) in-house surveys because they could see
that Erdogan insisting (on running for president) would upset Turkey."
Baykal said that if the AKP seeks a compromise, they could discuss who the
party could field as a candidate. Stating that he expects Erdogan not to
seek the presidency, Baykal said that he wasn't awaiting a loud statement
from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). He said that he didn't mean to provoke
the military and wasn't expecting a statement from the National Security
Council (NSC) either. /Milliyet/
[04] DSP LEADER SEZER: "THE PRESIDENT SHOULD PROVIDE COORDINATION BETWEEN
THE PUBLIC AND THE STATE"
Speaking to a weekend meeting of his Democratic Left Part (DSP) in Edirne,
Zeki Sezer said that Turkey should get through May's presidential election
without any tensions. He also said that the person to be elected president
should provide proper coordination between the public and the state.
/Cumhuriyet/
[05] BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER DUE IN ANKARA
British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett will pay an official visit to
Turkey beginning tomorrow. During her stay, Beckett is expected to meet
with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and also be received by Premier Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. Furthermore, Beckett is set to meet in Istanbul with Ali
Babacan, the state minister and chief negotiator for European Union talks.
Her talks with officials are expected to focus on the Iraq and Iran issues,
and Turkey's EU membership process. The Cyprus issue will also be one of
the main topics of the talks. /Aksam/
[06] GREEN MEP COHN-BENDIT: "TURKEY WILL BECOME AN EU MEMBER IN 2022"
In an interview with French daily Le Figaro last week, European Union Term
President Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said, "There's no hope for
Turkey's EU membership even 50 years from now." In response to her
statement, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a Green MEP, wrote a column for German daily
Frankfurter Rundschau arguing to the contrary that Turkey would be a full
EU member in 2022. He said that the hurdles put before Turkey, which lies
along natural gas and oil transportation lines, had caused pain over the
entire continent and that it was difficult to reach an agreement on Turkey.
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin also said that he supported
Turkey's EU bid. /Sabah/
[07] MIRONOV: "THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS' ISOLATION IS UNACCEPTABLE"
Sergey Mironov, speaker of the Federation Council of Russia, said over the
weekend that he wouldn't accept any approaches such as an embargo or
isolation in the 21st century, referring to the embargo on the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Speaking to reporters prior to his
visit to Turkey set for today, Mironov said imposing an embargo or
isolation on a nation was senseless. Mironov said the Turkish Cypriots
should have the same rights as their Greek neighbors, particularly the
right of free movement and doing business, adding that these rights should
be regulated by international law and rules. Noting that he would arrive in
capital Ankara today at the invitation of Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent
Arinc, Mironov said that issues such as the situation in Iraq and steps to
be taken in order to provide stability in this country would be discussed
during his talks in Turkey. /The New Anatolian/
[08] ONE OF LAST TWO SURVIVING WAR OF INDEPENDENCE VETERANS DIES
One of Turkey's two surviving veterans from the War of Independence lost
his life in Konya late last week. Veysel Turan, who was 107, was buried
yesterday in a military funeral. The last living veteran of the War of
Independence, 112-year-old Yakup Satar, currently lives in the central
Anatolian city of Eskisehir. /Star/
[09] TURKISH NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM DEFEATS GREEKS
During a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying soccer match in Athens on Saturday, the
Turkish national team defeated Greece with a score of 4-1. The Turkish team
stands at the top of its group C and will play Norway in Frankfurt on
Wednesday. /All Papers/
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[10] WOULD 35 PARTIES WITH 100 DJS BE ENOUGH FOR THE EUROPEAN IDEAL?
BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on Turkish-European Union relations. A
summary of her column is as follows:
"The European Union is celebrating its 50th anniversary by pandering to the
public. Even if 100 DJs gave European young people an unforgettable weekend
at the parties in 35 discotheques in Berlin, trying to enjoy the European
ideal, it's still uncertain how the last half-century will act to guarantee
the next. The EU yesterday tried to explain the most critical step to the
public, but without using the word ‘constitution.' It was weird. It was
also strange that Europe, which invited Turkey to Rome when the
constitution was being signed and gave the message that we have a common
future, this time around excluded Turkey in order not to scare the public
on the 50th anniversary. Thus it neither followed the European ideal, nor
was it equal to the will and courage of the founders who had laid the EU's
foundation.
I would expect more meaningful celebration from the EU during its 50th
anniversary, instead of ignoring the issues facing it and brushing aside
the day with concerts, dances and parties costing millions of euro from the
EU's coffers. What a shame! It's a shame, because it shows the great
difference between 1957 in terms of political will, when the Treaty of Rome
was signed. Unless Europe regains this will, it can never find good answers
to such issues and questions as Turkey's membership, how the enlargement
process will continue, Europe's integration with its non-Christian
population, whether it will be a regional power and of course if it will be
able to make institutional changes in order to do all this. The European
ideal can't be passed down to future generations by hiding Turkey in the
closet. You can't stop the intertwining of fate between Turkey and Europe.
Sooner or later somebody will need to say that all the promises, decisions
and agreements were lies.
Sunday will be evaluated as a point of confrontation not only in Turkish-EU
relations, but also in European history. Its political reflections are at
odds with Europe's ideals. I'd like to ask some questions to those who
prepared the Berlin declaration, which starts by saying we EU citizens love
each other today as never before and are united for our future, and which
ends with a statement against racism and xenophobia. Excluding Turkey is
supporting the Turcophobia and racism and xenophobia which has developed in
recent years, isn't it? How can cozying up to xenophobia pass on the
European ideal to future generations? Ties with Turkey and insistence on
the process of unification are the best way to combat racism and
xenophobia. Deepening these relations will unify the people around real
European ideals and make peace, democracy and a harmonious life of
differences possible. Otherwise, even if everybody dances at parties with a
thousand DJs every night, enthusiasm for peace and a new world will always
remain elusive."
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