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Turkish Press Review, 08-01-28Turkish 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 morning28.01.2008CONTENTS
[01] PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILS IN KUTAHYAA passenger train traveling from Istanbul to Denizli yesterday derailed near the Aegean province of Kutahya, killing nine people and injuring 50 others. Transportation Ministry Undersecretary Habip Soluk said yesterday that according to preliminary assessments, the accident was caused by a broken seal on the railway track. /Aksam/[02] TOPTAN: “ANY PROPOSED FIX TO THE HEADSCARF ISSUE WILL BE ASSESSED IN LIGHT OF THE REPUBLIC’S BASIC PRINCIPLES”Speaking to Kanal 7, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday said that a package of constitutional amendments meant to solve the headscarf issue will be evaluated in terms of the basic principles of the republic. Toptan said that Parliament’s leadership cannot put into process amendments to change Article 2 of the Constitution. He added that proposing a motion which is against the law and internal regulations is forbidden. /Milliyet/[03] AKP, MHP TO DISCUSS CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TO END HEADSCARF BAN AT UNIVERSITIESOfficials of the Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) will meet today to discuss a package of constitutional changes to end the headscarf ban at universities. If the two parties reach an agreement on the package, it will be sent to the full Parliament. /Turkiye/[04] GONUL TOUTS IMPLEMENTATION OF CROSS-BORDER OPSDefense Minister Vecdi Gonul said over the weekend that Turkey’s recent cross-border operations into northern Iraq have gone off flawlessly, something few countries are capable of, through the superb training of its soldiers and Parliament’s financial support. At a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in Izmir, Gonul said that the government’s financial support to the military has been unwavering, adding, “Domestically manufactured plane equipment was used for the first time.” He added, “We had an unmanned air operation. The only US support was for the intelligence. No targets were hit by mistake, and no civilians suffered harm.” /Turkiye/[05] GUNAY VOWS TO MAKE ISTANBUL 2010 EUROPEAN CULTURE CAPITALCulture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay yesterday reiterated his determination to make Istanbul the 2010 European Capital of Culture, saying that the utmost efforts would be exerted towards this end. Speaking at an Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Advisory Board meeting, Gunay said they are working hard to ensure Istanbul’s success, adding that restoration and conservation are underway in several parts of the city. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler also said that plans are being implemented to protect Istanbul’s cultural and artistic heritage. /Today’s Zaman/[06] BAYKAL: “EVERYONE’S BELIEFS AND IDENTITY DESERVE RESPECT”In apparent reference to the headscarf issue, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said over the weekend, “Everyone’s beliefs and identity deserve respect.” He added, “The state belongs to all of us. So putting the state into a uniform and making it a symbol of a belief would be wrong.” /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... [07] NOTES FROM DAVOSBY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)Columnist Taha Akyol comments on the 2008 Davos Economic Forum. A summary of his column is as follows: “I was in Davos for the Turkish Night on Saturday. Victor Halsberstadt, an international relations expert, compared Turkey and Russia, saying both used to be empires, both countries are nationalistic, the economies of both are rapidly growing, the strategic positions and roles of both are impressive, and they’re both modern countries. He said by ‘modern’ he meant they are governed by elected politicians with a central, rational bureaucracy. Despite this comparison, he said Turkey is on better ground, because it’s open to postmodernism. In other words, Turkey is ahead of Russia on such issues as the development of civil society, decentralized administration gradually gaining ground, pluralism, openness to the world, and a dynamic entrepreneurial class. Hanzade Dogan Boyner of the Dogan Group touted Turkey’s role as a strategic corridor by citing figures on international oil and gas production and consumption. As a banker, Suzan Sabanci stressed Turkey’s economic dynamism in the eyes of finance. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan got positive reviews for his speech full of detailed economic data and covering such issues as Armenia, the Kurds, Article 301, the military and democracy. Then I ran into UN Development Program head and former Economy Minister Kemal Dervis and told him Bill Gates’ ‘humane capitalism’ was like his ‘social-liberal synthesis.’ ‘Yes, it’s like that in terms of humane pursuit and sensitivity towards poverty,’ Dervis said. He added that but he wouldn’t use the term capitalism, because, as its name indicates, it’s pro-capital. Dervis also said that it’s something good that this humane need is felt in the capitalist world. According to Dervis, no economic crisis should be expected either in the world or Turkey, but stagnancy will create problems. Meanwhile, Sedat Ergin, the Ankara bureau chief of Milliyet daily, was talking to Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Behram Salih. I joined in their conversation and heard that they met each other when Ergin was a correspondent in Washington. Salih told me that Iraq’s Kurds are becoming more Iraqi and terrorism is on the wane. I told him that this was a good development and that Turkey should support this process, and he agreed. He believes relations between Ankara and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will develop. Babacan and the businessmen also showed great interest in Israeli President Shimon Peres. I also joined them and told Peres his presence shows the Turkish-Israeli friendship. He told me he shared those feelings. There was a French Night in the hall upstairs at the same time. Everybody was going there as well and wondering which event was better. There was French wine and music at the French Night. At the Turkish Night, besides drinks, there was Turkish food, a whirling dervish performance, a tabor concert by Burhan Ocal and songs by Demet Tuncer and Kenan Dogulu. The guests flocked to scarves and ties given out by Vakko as party favors. As the issue of religion was also discussed in Davos this year, Protestant and Catholic clergymen from France, whose secularism is mature, got a lot of attention. What would happen if the head of our Religious Affairs Directorate or high-ranking imams had come? I don’t know if our young secularists would be angry. Maybe I’m speaking too emotionally, I don’t know, but I think the more colorful and lively Turkish night was better than the French night, and our businessmen paid $3 million to make it happen!” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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