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Turkish Press Review, 08-09-19Turkish 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 morning19.09.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS Directorate General of Press and Information Summary of the news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] GUL RECEIVES FORMER FRENCH PMPresident Abdullah Gul yesterday attended the opening reception of a landmark Salvador Dali exhibition at Istanbul's Sakip Sabanci Museum. Gul also met with members of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency's Coordination Committee and learned about work on the project. Gul also received former French Prime Minister Dominique Villepin. "The European Union's views on Turkey have changed, and Turkey is an important country contributing to peace and stability in the region," said Villepin. Gul also stated that Turkey will continue to play that constructive role. /Star/[02] ERDOGAN URGES SUPPORTERS NOT TO BUY OPPOSITION NEWSPAPERSPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended an iftar fast- breaking dinner given by his Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Ankara branch. Speaking at the dinner, Erdogan continued to sharply criticize the media, especially the Dogan media group, accusing it of waging a smear campaign against the government and the AKP. Stressing that recent false claims against the government and the AKP have dramatically damaged trust in the media, Erdogan said that they would continue to respond to groundless and malevolent media claims. He also called on all AKP members and sympathizers to boycott newspapers which print falsehoods about the government. /Turkiye/[03] BABACAN: "TURKEY IS A KEY COUNTRY BETWEEN THE EU AND CENTRAL ASIA"Turkey is a key country between the European Union and Central Asia, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday told the First EU-Central Asia Ministerial Forum in Paris. Addressing the forum, Babacan stressed the importance of the security of energy supplies and the diversification of energy resources. Saying that the Nabucco project will transport natural gas from Central Asia to Europe via Turkey, he also stressed Turkey's key role for energy security and the diversification of energy resources. The forum also dealt with ways to fight illicit drugs and terrorism and prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. /Turkiye/[04] TOPTAN: "TURKEY CAN'T IGNORE THE GERMAN COURT VERDICT IN LIGHTHOUSE CASE"Turkey cannot ignore this week's German court verdict in a fraud case involving the Lighthouse Foundation, a German-based Turkish charity group, said Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday. "Following the end of the German trial, our prosecutors should move quickly and do whatever is necessary to expose the Turkish side of the case," he told CNN Turk. Stating that the people's religious feelings were exploited, he commented on the name of Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) head Zahit Akman coming up in the case. "They have no authority to dismiss Akman, (so) everyone should make their own evaluation according to their circumstances, " he said. "If everybody acts with the administrative responsibilities they have, everything will go smoothly." In related news, speaking at an iftar dinner, Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici said that if the case reaches into Turkey, officials should do whatever is necessary. /Cumhuriyet-Star/[05] 17 DETAINED IN NEW WAVE OF ERGENEKON PROBESeventeen people, including five active army lieutenants and a military academy student, were detained yesterday in police raids in five cities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as part of the ongoing Ergenekon probe. Nearly 50 suspects already under arrest, including retired army generals, will start appearing before the court on Oct. 20 to face accusations that include membership in an armed terrorist group, attempting to bring down the government, inciting people to rebel against the Republic of Turkey, and similar crimes. In related news, Ergenekon suspect retired Gen. Sener Eruygur, who was hospitalized on Wednesday due to a cerebral hemorrhage caused by a fall in prison, is currently under sedation in intensive care. /Hurriyet/[06] MEDVEDEV: "RUSSIAN-TURKISH COOPERATION BENEFITS THE ENTIRE REGION"Turkey's new Ambassador to Moscow Halil Akinci yesterday presented his credentials to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, along with 12 other new ambassadors. During the ceremony at the Kremlin, Medvedev said that Russian- Turkish cooperation is an important factor for providing peace and security in the Caucasus and Black Sea regions. Medvedev said that improving political, economic and human ties between the two counties will enhance their multifaceted cooperation. /Milliyet/[07] TRNC'S TALAT MEETS WITH CHRISTOFIASTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot administration leader Demetris Christofias yesterday met for the third time as part of new talks to resolve the island's problems. During the five-hour meeting, Talat and Christofias discussed administrative and power-sharing issues. /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [08] THE MILITARY'S OPENINGBY MEHMET ALI KISLALI (RADIKAL)Columnist Mehmet Ali Kislali comments on military-media relations. A summary of his column is as follows: "For years I've been criticizing the way the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) handles communications. Commanders generally told me I was right, but that the TSK's general approach wouldn't change. But now I guess we'll see serious changes at the General Staff under its new head, Gen. Ilker Basbug. We can see that some problems in this area, such as certain institutions not being accredited by the General Staff, will now be easily solved, and that the media will be able to find people to answer its questions. It seems Basbug made this new approach an essential one, with his experience of successful meetings with the media under one of his predecessors as chief of General Staff, Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. He took some initial steps during two days of meetings using his three years working as vice general secretary of the National Security Council (NSC). It's not easy for the military to base its relations with the media on firm grounds in a country ruled by democracy. It's especially hard in a country like Turkey, where military-civilian relations are quite unique. I believe the main reason commanders have avoided contact with the media is that their relations have lacked a modern foundation. Some media organs have failed to cover the TSK objectively for various reasons, and so the military suffered and these organs were branded 'anti- military.' This played the major role in the lack of a healthy relationship between the two institutions, but there's no need to rediscover America. As a first step, the General Staff should open its doors to the entire media. Rules should be mutually determined, and if they are violated, only then should limitations be imposed. I think the most important step that Basbug decided to take concerns ensuring our colleagues' ready access to the General Staff and getting quick, accurate information on issues that they cover. The TSK is important for Turkey, and so it gets a lot of varied media attention. But our colleagues' areas of interest aren't always shared by the military, and frictions between the two mostly come up here. After years of neglect, it's not easy to give this relationship a foundation that satisfies everybody. Media expectations from the military and the military's goals in this relationship should be determined very clearly. The General Staff shouldn't forget that there are certain media outlets which have internalized almost all differences of colors in our country, where freedoms, particularly freedom of expression, are applied almost without limitation. So it should start by not discriminating against the media and by educating itself about explanations and briefings to be made to the media in order not to create general problems. The priority should be dispelling the tension and making an immediate response to applications from my colleagues. Then the aim should be training journalists who are specialized in reporting on the military, much as the Foreign Ministry did a half-century ago by training diplomatic correspondents. For now, we seem to be experiencing a hopeful beginning." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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