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Turkish Press Review, 07-11-16Turkish 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 morning16.11.2007FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN VISITS PRAGUEPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that he sees the Czech Republic as a friendly, reliable ally to Turkey in Europe. At a joint press conference with his Czech counterpart Mirek Topolanek in Prague, Erdogan thanked Czech authorities for their support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid, saying, “We shared our views on terrorism and saw with pleasure that we share a great many views on strengthening international peace, stability and cooperation.” For his part, Topolanek said that he would work to intensify Turkey’s EU negotiations during the Czech Republic’s EU Term Presidency in 2009. The two premiers then attended a Turkish-Czech Republic business council meeting. /Star/[02] TRNC CELEBRATES ITS 24TH ANNIVERSARYThe Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), founded in 1983, yesterday celebrated its 24th anniversary. Celebrations on Thursday began at the TRNC Presidency. TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat welcomed Turkish Presidency Secretary General Mustafa Isen, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, former TRNC President Rauf Denktas, high-level officials and foreign guests. Addressing the ceremony, Talat said that time is working against a solution on Cyprus. “The lack of solution on Cyprus is due to how the United Nations, European Union and international community see the Greek Cypriots as the sole owners of Cyprus, and the TRNC has been internationally isolated," said Talat. He then urged the international community, and Arab countries in particular, to end the TRNC’s isolation. “The Greek Cypriots have waged a fierce battle to cut off Turkish Cypriots’ commercial ties with the outside world,” Talat said. “Where else has the world witnessed such violence? What kind of an enmity is this to cut off the TRNC’s commercial ties? If our life was in their (the Greek Cypriots’) hands, would not they crush us?” A message from President Abdullah Gul was also read out at the ceremony. “Turkey and the TRNC will continue to be symbols of peace, stability, and welfare in the eastern Mediterranean,” said Gul. “Turkey will continue to support the TRNC's efforts to reach a lasting solution on Cyprus and will continue to act based on our historical and legal responsibilities." Cicek also said yesterday that no matter what happens, Turkey and the Turkish people will always stand with the TRNC and Turkish Cypriots. In related news, Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Baþbuð attended celebrations in Ankara marking the TRNC’s 24th anniversary. Referring to questions about a possible cross-border operation into Iraq, he said Parliament had approved a motion for such an operation and that they are ready to carry one out. /Turkiye-Aksam/[03] FM TO TELL OPPOSITION PARTIES ABOUT PREPARATIONS FOR CROSS-BORDER OPForeign Minister Ali Babacan is due today to brief major opposition parties about preparations for a cross-border operation into northern Iraq targeting the terrorist PKK, along with Turkish-Iraqi relations and the recent meeting in Washington between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President George W. Bush. Babacan will first visit main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, then Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Zeki Sezer. Babacan will thank the parties for their support for the motion approving a cross-border operation and ask them for continued support. /Sabah/[04] INTERIOR MINISTER ATALAY: “WE WON’T SACRIFICE DEMOCRACY TO SECURITY CONCERNS”Turkey will not sacrifice democracy and human rights to the fight against terrorism, said Interior Minister Besir Atalay yesterday. Speaking to Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission, Atalay said that the state will determinedly continue the fight against terrorism and frustrate the plans of the terrorist PKK and its supporters. Stating that one key plank of the fight against terrorism is redressing economic, social and infrastructure shortcomings in Turkey’s east and southeast, Atalay added that making concessions to the rule of law, democratization and human rights just for security reasons was out of the question. /Star/[05] UN’S BAN KI-MOON: “I FULLY UNDERSTAND TURKEY’S SECURITY CONCERNS”UN spokesperson Michele Montas yesterday released a statement about rising terrorist attacks against Turkey. “The secretary-general fully understands Turkey’s national security concerns,” said the statement. “In that regard, he continues to urge Iraqi authorities to do everything possible to curtail armed groups using Iraqi territory to launch cross- border attacks on Turkey. At the same time, he reiterates his previous appeals to Turkey to avoid any actions that might exacerbate an already tense situation in the region.” /Cumhuriyet/[06] FOUR FALLEN SOLDIERS LAID TO RESTFour soldiers recently killed at Mt. Gabar in Sirnak were laid to rest yesterday. The funerals of Lt. Gokhan Yavuz and Pvt. Gokhan Soylu were held in Istanbul, while funerals for Pvt. Erdem Yuce and Pvt. Ozkan Kilic were held in Igdir and Giresun, respectively. President Abdullah Gul attended the ceremony in Istanbul. /Sabah/[07] US STATE DEPT: “WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR TURKEY’S DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL SUPPORT”The historic visits to Ankara this week of the Israeli and Palestinian presidents were an exemplary effort to move the Middle East peace process forward, said US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack on Thursday. “We're very grateful for Turkey’s diplomatic and political support,” he said. “So we're going to be looking to Turkey to play an important role along with other members of the international community in helping the two (Israeli and Palestinian) parties move forward on the two-state solution track. That sort of support can manifest itself in a lot of different ways, political and diplomatic, economic and other kinds of support. So we'll be counting on Turkey as well as others in the months ahead.” /Turkiye/[08] SIMSEK: "TURKEY WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING BESIDES FULL EU MEMBERSHIP”Turkey will one day join the European Union as a full member, said State Minister Mehmet Simsek yesterday. He made the prediction in London in a speech to a meeting co-organized by The Financial Times and the Turkish- British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TBCCI) "Turkey will not accept any alternative or arrangement besides full EU membership," he said. "Though I can’t give a specific date, I believe that the EU will be presuaded to admit Turkey into the Union as a full member.” Touching on the reform program of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, Simsek stressed that Turkey has good momentum in bringing down inflation. “Reforms are bringing Turkey closer to the EU,” he added. “The Turkey which joins the EU will not be the same as present-day Turkey. Actually, we don’t know what the EU will be at that time either.” /Hurriyet/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [09] PKK WORKING IN THE DPTBY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)Columnist Taha Akyol comments on recent developments in the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). A summary of his column is as follows: “Much like its ideological predecessors, the DTP has two tendencies: moderate, and extreme … Also like its predecessors, the latter is moving to squelch the former. As all these parties were formed at the behest of the PKK and its political elements, moderate members haven’t been able to take the party helm or formulate policy. A recent sign of this is when Ahmet Turk recently gave up the DTP leadership to be replaced, at the PKK’s behest, by Nurettin Demirtas. Now Turk, Sirri Sakik and Aysel Tugluk have all resigned from the party’s Central Executive Board, claiming that from now on they’ll focus their efforts in Parliament. Of course they can’t admit the PKK’s hand in the party or express their opposition to the party’s move to the extreme. This statement also shows that they prefer work in Parliament to organizing efforts. ‘Things got harder’ The terrorist PKK’s political extensions depict this operation in the party as ‘restructuring under worsening conditions.’ But the party grassroots don’t approve of this tougher line. The PKK’s political extensions are trying to get people to accept the development, saying, ‘Things got harder … What could we do?’ But who made ‘things harder’? A country which holds free elections … a country implementing reforms in its European Union accession process … a country where ethnic nationalists have seats in Parliament, and have established a group, and many welcomed these developments… Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli even publicly shook the hands of Ahmet Turk and Aysel Tugluk… So who made things harder? The PKK itself! And its escalating terrorist attacks! Fostering hatred, Mahmut Alinak admitted this development is a policy of ‘deepening the crisis’! Policy of tension Ahmet Turk and his colleagues reportedly want to meet with the media. I don’t think anyone will refuse them. Of course views can differ, but talks about ‘democratic procedures’ can be held with Turk and his circle. In the past, the media met with the moderate Murat Bozlak and his colleagues of the (DTP predecessor party) HADEP, and even wrote positive articles about them! Statements and articles by Turk, Sirri Sakik and Aysel Tugluk have all appeared in the media. But, I don’t think that any rational person will meet with these extremists in top DTP positions put there by the PKK. Can a political extension of terrorism really expect to be treated in a modern way? The DPT sidelining its moderates won’t help efforts to reach a solution, but rather fuel tension and polarization. Does the public want this? Does the modern world? Why are EU organizations which in the past gave awards to Leyla Zana now warning the DTP to distance itself from the PKK?! Why did you lose votes in this year’s elections? Will you run in next year’s regional elections using slogans of ‘blood and death’? Have you ever thought about this?” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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