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Turkish Press Review, 08-01-24Turkish 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 morning24.01.2008FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] GREEK PM VISITS TURKEYGreek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis yesterday arrived in Ankara, the first such visit by a Greek premier in almost 50 years. Karamanlis first met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis and her Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan also in attendance. “I want to consider the era ahead of us a window of opportunities,” Erdogan told reporters afterwards. “I believe that we’ll develop political, military, economic and cultural relations. We have to move forward fast in problem-free areas, and on the other hand we have to solve our problems.” For his part, Karamanlis said, “I am here to get through the difficulties of the past and to look ahead.” He added, “The Greek nation wants to turn a new page.” /Milliyet/[02] ERDOGAN: “MY PARTY AND THE MHP ARE WORKING SINCERELY TO SOLVE THE HEADSCARF ISSUE”The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has prepared a package of constitutional amendments meant to solve the headscarf issue. AK Party group deputy leader Sadullah Ergin yesterday submitted this package to the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which has supported ending the headscarf ban at universities, ahead of sending it to the full Parliament. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday told reporters that both his party and the AKP are sincere in their efforts to solve the headscarf issue. Asked if they will wait for a new Constitution to tackle the problem, Erdogan said preparing a new Constitution is a long- term process and so they don’t intend to wait. /Turkiye-Hurriyet/[03] BAYKAL: “BEHIND THE HEADSCARF DEBATE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM”Questions about the future of the constitutional system lie behind current debates over the headscarf issue, said main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. Speaking to CNN Turk, Baykal said, “There are efforts to solve the issue through changing the Constitution. The Constitution is a whole, so one can’t accomplish something incompatible with the whole by changing just one article.” /Turkiye/[04] FINANCE MINISTER: “THERE’S NO NEED FOR PANIC ABOUT GLOBAL FLUCTUATIONS”There’s no need for financial actors in Turkey to panic due to current global fluctuations, but the private sector also should not act recklessly, said Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan yesterday. He added that Turkey’s economy is sounder and more shock-resistant than it has ever been. Urging the private sector to be careful, Unakitan said, “Nobody should get into debt in dollars or euros if they don’t earn in dollars or euros. Nobody should endanger themselves.” Unakitan also promoted a controversial government plan to move the Central Bank to Istanbul. “The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) and the Capital Markets Board (SPK) will also be moved,” he added. “Istanbul is our financial center.” /Star/[05] TURKEY, FRANCE TO ORGANIZE DAVOS CLOSING GALAAt the current 2008 Davos Economic Forum, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan is set tomorrow to address a panel on military power in the 21st century. Additionally, Turkey’s Dogus Group will host a reception with guests including Lloyd C. Blankfein of Goldman Sachs, Ibrahim Dabdoub of the Kuwait National Bank, Allessandro Profumo of Unicredit Group, Beth A. Brooke of Ernst and Young, Daniel Yergin of Cera, Muhtar Kent of Coca-Cola and Robert Webb of British Airways. On Saturday, Turkey and France will organized the forum’s closing gala spotlighting Turkey’s cultural heritage. /Aksam/[06] HISARCIKLIOGLU ELECTED TO EUROCHAMBERS BOARDRifat Hisarciklioglu, chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), yesterday was elected to the presidential board of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Eurochambers). Hisarciklioglu will serve a two-year term on Eurochambers board as the first representative from a non-European Union member state. /Turkish Daily News/FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... [07] FIRST IN A HALF-CENTURYBY HADI ULUENGIN (HURRIYET)Columnist Hadi Uluengin comments on Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis’ current official visit to Ankara. A summary of his column is as follows: “Firstly, I would like to welcome Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, who’s currently paying an official visit to Turkey, the first from a Greek premier in nearly a half-century, and salute our friendly neighbors. Of course, for neighboring countries like Turkey and Greece, such a contact after such a long time is hailed in line with its importance and meaning. It’s no exaggeration to call Karamanlis’ visit historic. Now let me write about a more serious and particularly humane dimension of bilateral relations. Yes, it’s humane, because, besides the similarities between our culture and food, a humanitarian disaster was key in our nations rediscovering each other and so advancing towards a peaceful atmosphere in order to end former conflicts. Of course I mean the August 1999 earthquake in Turkey’s Marmara region. This event was many times more historic than Karamanlis’ current visit. It was a harsh road to reunite two nations and peoples. Similarly, the Davos process, whose architect was our late President Turgut Ozal, and friendship initiatives carried out by a few civilians are nothing compared to the dynamic of rapprochement coming from the Marmara disaster, which immediately took on a collective dimension. None were even close to what happened following the earthquake. The Greek people weren’t insensitive about the disaster we suffered, but sent help very sincerely. They also saw through modern means of communication that Turks aren’t so very ‘other.’ And from their help and sensitivity, we in turn learned that they aren’t ‘the other’ either. Thus, in a sense, we returned to the old era of ‘normality.’ In other words, we’re back to the friendship of not only the good days, but also the bad days that we went through in the Great Hunger of World War II. Alas! The history of humanity is sometimes this way. People wait for a disaster to make peace. Enmities can be ended only through disasters, and friendships rise on their ruins. In addition, as the dust settled following the earthquake, our mutual basis is now more solid than before. The Turkish- Greek friendship has been strengthened so much that we can process Karamanlis’ visit to Ankara. So let’s give him a hearty welcome to our country.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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