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Turkish Press Review, 08-05-30
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
30.05.2008
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN RECEIVES US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DELEGATION
[02] ERDOGAN: "TURKEY IS DETERMINED ON ITS EU BID"
[03] ATALAY: "BUGGING IS A SEVERE BLOW TO FREEDOM AND UNACCEPTABLE"
[04] CHP LEADER BAYKAL: "FARMERS ARE SUFFERING"
[05] MHP WANTS PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION FOR BUGGING INCIDENT
[06] TURKEY, GREECE TO FORM JOINT HEADQUARTERS AND GROUND FORCES
[07] TRT TO BROADCAST IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL LANGUAGES
[08] AKP DEPUTIES TO MEET IN KIZILCAHAMAM
[09] THIS IS THE LIMIT!
[01] ERDOGAN RECEIVES US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DELEGATION
Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan yesterday received a delegation of US
deputies headed by John Tanner, chairperson of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly (NATOPA) group of the US House of Representatives. US Ambassador
to Ankara Ross Wilson also attended the meeting. Afterwards, asked about
the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP),
Tanner said, "One should respect the operation of institutions of democracy,
this is all I will say" adding, "We want institutions of democracy to
operate in Turkey. We respect Turkey as a democracy in this part of the
world." /Milliyet/
[02] ERDOGAN: "TURKEY IS DETERMINED ON ITS EU BID"
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that the government and
the Turkish nation were working determinedly on Turkey's EU bid and
criticized political impediments before Turkey, saying that the government
will continue reforms. At the 19th European Foundation Centre (EFC) Annual
General Assembly, Erdogan spoke about Turkey's EU accession process.
Stating that there's not a skeptic stance about EU membership, Erdogan said
that Turkey was continuing its reform process independently from its
negotiation process and closely following their implementation in the
proper sense. /Star/
[03] ATALAY: "BUGGING IS A SEVERE BLOW TO FREEDOM AND UNACCEPTABLE"
During a meeting of Parliament's Planning and Budget Commission yesterday,
Interior Minister Besir Atalay touched on the claims that headquarters of
the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) had been bugged and
said, "The bugging severely violates individual freedom and this is
unacceptable." Atalay also suggested opposition parties to establish a
joint parliamentary commission to thoroughly investigate the allegations.
The CHP accused the government of trying to blanket the incident and urged
the government to expose those who are responsible for the bugging as soon
as possible. The opposition National Movement Party (MHP) Secretary-General
Cihan Pacaci said that his party supported the government's suggestion but
that the commission should be impartial. Commenting on the claims by the
CHP, Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek reiterated the government's
suggestion to set up a parliamentary commission to probe the claims and
said, "The government is determined to do whatever necessary to detect
those who are involved in the incident." /Sabah/
[04] CHP LEADER BAYKAL: "FARMERS ARE SUFFERING"
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal
yesterday visited Luleburgaz, a town in the Thracian province of
Kirklareli. Attending an opening ceremony, Baykal said that Thrace had
considerably fertile lands, but farmers were suffering due to improper
policies of the government. Stressing that Turkey was at crossroads for a
new future, Baykal said that by preserving the national unity, his party
would do its best to meet the country with a rule respectful to the
principles of the republic. /Hurriyet/
[05] MHP WANTS PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION FOR BUGGING INCIDENT
Concerning recent allegations that main opposition Republican People's
Party (CHP) Secretary-General Onder Sav was bugged by security forces,
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday urged the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government to back a
parliamentary investigation on the matter. In a written statement, calling
the allegations as a scandal, Bahceli said that bugging of constitutional
organs and political parties was threatening parliamentary regime and
future of the state ruled by laws. "AKP is intending to establish a
dictatorship of fear," said the MHP leader. Stressing that a parliamentary
investigation should be launched, Bahceli asked the AKP to back this
proposal. "It will be a test of sincerity for the AKP," he added.
/Hurriyet/
[06] TURKEY, GREECE TO FORM JOINT HEADQUARTERS AND GROUND FORCES
General Staff yesterday issued a written statement on Greek Chief of
General Staff Gen. Dimitrios Grapsas' recent official visit to Turkey upon
the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Yasar Buyukanit. According to the
statement, Buyukanit and Grapsas discussed the ways to deepen the strength
of confidence-building measures, and Turkey and Greece decided to extend
cooperation possibilities to international level. Two countries will join
together military operations led by NATO to boost the peace as a part of
confidence-building measures package which came into force two years ago.
The statement also said that Turkey and Greece were set to form joint
headquarters and ground forces and that they would work on which regions or
areas they will boost cooperation possibilities, according to the project
to be implemented by two countries' General Staffs. /Aksam/
[07] TRT TO BROADCAST IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL LANGUAGES
Parliament yesterday adopted a bill which made changes to the Turkish Radio
and Television Corporation (TRT) law. With these changes, TRT will be
allowed to broadcast in local and regional languages and dialects,
including Kurdish, Arabic and Persian. /Sabah/
[08] AKP DEPUTIES TO MEET IN KIZILCAHAMAM
Ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) 12th Consultation Meeting will
begin tomorrow in Kizilcahamam, Ankara. During the two-day gathering, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to evaluate developments for the
party's closure case and deputies will exchange views on the issue. State
Minister Mehmet Simsek will also provide information on recent economic
developments. /Cumhuriyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[09] THIS IS THE LIMIT!
BY GUNGOR MENGI (VATAN)
Columnist Gungor Mengi comments on Foreign Minister Ali Babacan's recent
statements on religious freedoms in Turkey. A summary of her column is as
follows:
"A foreign minister is a country's face looking at the international
society. A good foreign minister might present a bad regime as a likeable
one, but an inexpert foreign minister might cause his country to lose so
many things. Ali Babacan is the foreign minister in Turkey, which loses so
many things. Speaking at the European Parliament, Babacan recently said
that not only non-Muslim minorities, but also the Muslim majority faced
certain problems concerning freedoms of religion. The Justice and
Development Party (AKP) introduced us to a type of politician who complains
about his country abroad. We have become familiar with certain ministers
who score an own-goal, but Babacan is above all of them.
Even foreign ministers of military regimes used to do their best to
overcome the criticisms against Turkey, let alone dispraising Turkey on the
international arena, because what's important is the state's honor and
continuity and the state will always remain, even if administrators change.
A foreign minister can't dispraise his country, even if his criticisms are
based on justifications. Babacan's qualified educational background wasn't
enough for making him a good foreign minister. As he wasn't trained in line
with the state's traditions and decency, he couldn't have understood the
responsibility required by his post. What's more, his statements aren't
even incriminating information, but straightforward smear words! What he
has done must have embraced supporters of the AKP as well. If a foreigner
listening to him had asked what he had done to solve these problems in the
last six years of the government, what he would have said?
In this country, all the people worship freely. Nobody can claim the
opposite. I wonder what are the problems of freedom suffered by the Muslim
minority â€" not being able to marry four women, inability to ban alcohol
or cut a thief's hands or the incapacity of making women wear headscarves
or legalizing religious orders? Babacan might be using foxiness to protect
his party or trying to make people think that statements against secularism
which are mentioned in the closure case against the AKP were actually made
in order to defend freedoms of religion, because he also stated that he
believed that courts would make a decision in line with the Copenhagen
criteria and principles of the Venice Commission and maintain their
honorableness. It's like he's cheating a child. In other words, it means
that if the court decides to close the AKP, the court won't be honorable
anymore. The ruling AKP is making mistakes continuously and what Babacan
has done is an embarrassing backbite which can be an additional indictment
to the closure case!"
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