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Turkish Press Review, 07-07-04Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning04.07.2007CONTENTS
[01] CAMPAIGNING IN ZONGULDAK, ERDOGAN TOUTS HIS GOVT’S RECORDAddressing a campaign rally in Zonguldak yesterday, Prime Minister and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan touted the record of his government, saying that it had worked for the good of the nation. Saying that things will improve if the AKP wins reelection on July 22, Erdogan stated that his government hadn’t forgotten the nation after coming to power in fall 2002. Erdogan further stated that during the AKP’s tenure Turkey’s gross national product (GNP) had risen and no bank had been turned over to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF). In related news, Erdogan met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During their meeting, Sezer and Erdogan reportedly discussed an escalation in terrorist attacks and a possible cross-border operation into northern Iraq. /Turkiye/[02] BAYKAL: “WE COULD SUPPORT A CROSS-BORDER MOTION, BUT THE GOVT LACKS THE POLITICAL WILL”Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday said that if the government were to seek authorization from Parliament for a cross-border operation, CHP deputies would be there in force to show their support. Speaking to news channel NTV, Baykal said, “If Turkey convenes Parliament and it makes a decision, Turkey has to use it. If it didn’t use it, Turkey would lose its power to persuade and deterrent force. The government should be more careful.” In related news, opposition Democrat Party (DP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday said that the fight against terrorism requires courage. Speaking at the opening ceremony of his party’s office in Polatli, Ankara, Agar said that the DP would first of all bring peace and safety to Turkey. /Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/[03] BUYUKANIT: “LACK OF INTERNATIONAL UNITY CRIPPLES ANTI-TERROR EFFORTS”Addressing a seminar in Antalya yesterday, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit lamented that in fighting the terrorist PKK, Turkey hasn’t gotten the support it needed from the international community. Stressing that the biggest obstacle to international cooperation in fighting terror is the lack of a common definition of terrorism, Buyukanit added that this created an atmosphere ripe for terrorist attacks. “No country can achieve peace and security at home by disregarding the terrorist threat in other countries,” added Buyukanit. /Milliyet/[04] US CONSUL IN ISTANBUL: “I HAVE NO DOUBTS ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF TURKISH-US RELATIONS”July 4, the US Independence Day, was celebrated at a reception in Istanbul yesterday. State Minister Nimet Cubukcu, former Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler, and Istanbul Greater Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas were among the attendees. Addressing the gathering, US Consul General in Istanbul Deborah Jones said that she had no doubts about the strength of Turkish-American relations. /Turkiye/[05] WILSON: “THE US ISN’T SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO THE PKK”Rebuffing recent allegations that the US is supplying weapons to the terrorist PKK, US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson yesterday posted a statement on the embassy’s official website, “The United States is not supplying weapons to the PKK,” said Wilson. “It is United States policy that we will have no contacts with the PKK. The United States was the first country, after Turkey, to designate the PKK a terrorist organization. We continue to classify it as such, and on the basis of that, we do not and will not negotiate with the PKK or its leaders, supply weapons to the organization or its personnel, or assist them in anyway. The United States strongly supports and cooperates with Turkey in combating the PKK, PKK terrorism, and other terrorist groups that threaten our interests.” /Aksam/[06] EU MILITARY COMMITTEE HEAD: “TURKEY’S WITHDRAWAL FROM THE ESDP IS REGRETTABLE”Gen. Ray Henault, chairman of the NATO Military Committee, yesterday said, “NATO condemns every kind of terrorism. Turkey participates actively in the fight against terrorism as a NATO country. Certainly Turkey faces difficulties fighting terrorist activities along its borders.” Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Henault, Gen. Henri Bentegeat, chairman of the European Union Military Committee, said that Turkey’s decision to withdraw its brigade from the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) mechanism was regrettable. “I find deeply regrettable Turkey withdrawing its soldiers from our organization, but Turkey still participates actively in EU operations,” he told reporters in Antalya for the Silk Road-2007 Flag Officers Seminar. “These are military and civilian operations and they are very important to us.” He added, “Whatever political difficulties there are, Turkey is very important for the European armed forces. It is very important for EU operations.” /Cumhuriyet/[07] JUNE INFLATION FIGURES RELEASEDThe Turkish Institute of Statistics (TUIK) yesterday released monthly inflation figures for June. The consumer price index (CPI) fell by 0.24%, while the producer price index (PPI) fell by 0.11%. These figures pushed yearly CPI to 8.6% and PPI to 2.89%. /Sabah/FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… [08] NOOSE OF SHAMEBY ISMET BERKAY (RADIKAL)Columnist Ismet Berkay comments on politicians campaigning ahead of the July 22 elections. A summary of his column is as follows: “These are the people who want to govern us: Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, who threw a noose to the public, demanding the execution of Abdullah Ocalan, and one of his opponents asking why he hadn’t done it, as the MHP was put of the ruling coalition when the death penalty was ended. It’s true that they are talking about a person who is responsible for the deaths of more than 35,000 people. There’s no doubt he’s a murderer. But the problem can’t be solved by hanging Ocalan. If this were a solution, even I would have defended this execution, although I’m opposed to the death penalty. Hanging him would be revenge, pure and simple. Only people lacking self-confidence and morality take revenge. Ocalan has been in prison for nearly eight years. Although his contact with the outside is constantly controlled and kept to a minimum, terrorism and the separatist Kurdish movement are still continuing. Bahceli can’t win votes by throwing a noose to the public. Instead, he might lose votes, because people may recall that he was one of the members of the government coalition that ended the death penalty and thus Ocalan’s execution. However, let me say that Bahceli did what was right at that time. When Turkey outlawed the death penalty in August 2002, the right thing was done again. The death penalty was removed from the Constitution and laws in subsequent reform packages, and finally the European Council’s relevant protocol was adopted. These were all the right steps. In such an atmosphere, I can’t think of any other more shameful or desperate amateur tactic than pledging to execute Ocalan as a ploy to win votes. Some people think that Turkey only has the problem of separatist terrorism and if the terrorists were defeated, support for terrorism ended and foreign support won ever, our problems would be solved. But they’re wrong. Yes, there is the problem of separatist terrorism in Turkey, but there is also a serious Kurdish issue fueling this problem. The real problem lies in distancing the Kurdish issue from the terrorist PKK. In other words, it lies in acting well towards the public, solving their problems and ensuring that they feel like equal citizens in this country, while isolating terrorism and terrorists. Maybe terrorism will never end, but it could be marginalized and isolated from the public. Today terrorism is farther away from us than during the ‘90s, but not far enough. This distance came thanks to democratic reforms and people laying down their arms. Even ending the State of Emergency (OHAL) was something. Not only the state, democracy and certain rights, but also politicians should go to the region. However, it seems that only the Justice and Development Party (AKP) is competing with the Kurdish nationalist political movement there. I wish other parties also showed their presence in the region, maded direct contact with the people and tried to bring service there. However, this can’t be done by brandishing nooses on the campaign trail.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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