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Turkish Press Review, 08-02-15Turkish 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 morning15.02.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT GUL TELEPHONES SYRIA’S ASSADPresident Abdullah Gul yesterday made an effort to ease escalating tensions between Syria and Israel. On the heels of this week’s visit by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to Ankara, Gul made a telephone call to Syrian President Bashar Assad. According to Sana, Syria’s official news agency, Gul emphasized the importance of finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue. /Sabah/[02] GUL TO VISIT TANZANIAPresident Abdullah Gul will pay an official visit to Tanzania on Feb. 26. During his two-day stay, Gul will hold talks with Tanzanian officials focusing on economic ties between the two countries. Although Gul’s itinerary has yet to be finalized, he is also expected to next proceed to a visit to Ghana. Before Gul’s visit, US President George W. Bush is also set to tour African countries, including Tanzania, some of which are going through difficult periods. Since taking office last summer, Gul has visited 12 foreign countries. /Aksam/[03] ERDOGAN: “CREATING BRANDS WILL SHARPEN OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE”Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended the Turkish Patent Institute’s (TPE) 2007 Patent Awards ceremony. Addressing the gathering, Erdogan said, "We should focus on brand development and creating brands to compete internationally." Stressing that creating brands will sharpen Turkey’s competitive edge, Erdogan said the government puts great emphasis on research and development and will keep assisting such projects. He also pointed out that by seeking some 72,000 patents last year, Turkey was among the top three European countries for patent applications. Also addressing the meeting, Industry Minister Zafer Caglayan said that the technological advances of Turkey’s industry together with the creativity and intelligence of its people will propel the country to an important position in world trade and industry. /Star/[04] BABACAN: “COOPERATION BETWEEN THE EU AND BSEC WILL BEAR FRUIT”Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said yesterday that cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) represents great potential and opportunities. Addressing the first-ever joint meeting of foreign ministers of both BSEC and EU member states in Kiev, Ukraine, Babacan said that the BSEC is the most inclusive organization in its region, adding that institutionalized relations between it and the EU will bring beneficial results to all involved. /Turkiye/[05] PALESTINIAN FM IN TURKEY FOR DIPLOMATS’ MEETINGPalestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki yesterday arrived in Istanbul to attend a meeting of Palestinian ambassadors to European countries set for Ankara today. During the three-day gathering, the diplomats will discuss Palestine's foreign policy and regional developments. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will deliver opening remarks to the meeting. Al- Maliki’s delegation will also be received by President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Ankara, which closely follows the Middle East peace process, brought the Israeli and Palestinian presidents together for a historic meeting in Turkey last November. /Turkiye/[06] US ATTORNEY GENERAL VISITS ANKARAUS Attorney General Michael Mukasey yesterday arrived in Ankara. Mukasey is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Mehmet Ali Sahin and other officials to discuss cooperation against the terrorist PKK. /Cumhuriyet/[07] FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR SCHROEDER ATTENDS EXPO 2015 IZMIR SYMPOSIUMThe second Expo 2015 Izmir International Symposium started yesterday with the participation of members and representatives of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), the group which will decide if the Aegean city will host the 2015 Expo. Speaking at the opening of the gathering, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed his support for Turkey and Izmir, saying, “Expo 15 would be an important milestone in Turkey’s road to the European Union.” President Abdullah Gul also came to support Izmir’s bid, and attended a dinner hosted for the BIE delegates and participants. Speaking to the gathering, Gul said, “We believe that holding Expo 2015 in Izmir would be a great success and fulfill all your expectations.” He added, “This Expo, with its strong humanitarian dimension, will be long remembered. If you give us the chance, we’ll stage a world-class event.” /Milliyet/[08] PUTIN ACCUSES EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OF DOUBLE STANDARD AGAINST THE TRNCRussian President Vladimir Putin yesterday accused European countries who support independence for Kosovo of having double standards against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).. “I don’t want to say anything that would offend anyone, but for 40 years the TRNC has practically had independence,” he told a press conference. “Why aren’t you recognizing that?” /Sabah/[09] MIGROS SELLS MAJORITY STAKE TO BRITISH BUYOUT FIRMBC Partners Ltd. has agreed to buy Migros Turk, Turkish largest supermarket chain, for about $3.2 billion, in the country’s biggest-ever leveraged buyout. The London-based buyout firm will acquire 51 percent of Migros Turk for YTL 1.98 billion from Koc Holding. Through the takeover, BC Partners will gain 961 stores in Turkey and nearby countries. /Turkish Daily News/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [10] BAHCELI WEIGHS INBY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and the headscarf issue. A summary of his column is as follows: “When I met with Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli this week, I asked him if the recent rumors were true. Following the recently passed constitutional changes to end the university headscarf ban and stern words from the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, rumors spread of a case to shut down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Bahceli declined to comment on the rumors, as there has been no official application yet. But he said that he had been thinking about the possibilities and then shared his thoughts. Out of respect for the law, which Bahceli is very careful about, I would like to leave aside anything he said which might affect such a case and instead focus on his interpretation of the political aspecst of the issue. Firstly, Bahceli reiterated that he’s firmly opposed to interventions against the normal course of politics. Citing historical examples, he said such interventions always do the opposite of their intention, and mentioned last year’s presidential and general elections in this regard. He stressed the importance of fighting political parties only through political means. When I asked Bahceli if the judiciary would decide to close such a strong ruling party, Bahceli told me that it could, as it has happened before in Turkey. Then Bahceli brought up the case to close the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), which is linked in his view with the separatist Kurdish threat. ‘There’s another political institution which was recently asked to defend itself against a case for closure,’ said Bahceli. He asked me what could be the political calculations behind bringing another closure case when one party is already facing such a case before the Constitutional Court. Bahceli stressed the political impact if two parties were to face closure cases. Bahceli also wondered if a decision would be made not to close either. He added that great care is called for and that the people are very sensitive about the issue as well. Bahceli said we should imagine that the AKP wasn’t closed and then asked, in such a situation, how would you explain the DPT’s closure? He also asked what kind of timing this was. At the beginning of our conversation, Bahceli was very relaxed. He believes the MHP acted well as an opposition party both during last year’s presidential elections and arrangements to lift the university headscarf ban. He thinks the party heeded its grassroots, and successfully passed a test on solving a social problem. Thus the MHP took the AKP’s arguments on the presidency and the headscarf issue off its hands and so prevented the use of these issues as political bludgeons. I asked him how his support for the AKP on the headscarf issue was being seen by the public. He told me that reports were very positive, including ones from Anatolia. When I told him that the MHP was being criticized by another sector which supports it against the AKP, he admitted this was true, saying that the MHP had acted on the headscarf issue without regard for political calculations. Bahceli also called on everybody to be respectful in the current situation.. He said that if the headscarf issue is brought to the Constitutional Court, all sectors of society should respect the court’s ruling, no matter what it is.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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