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Turkish Press Review, 08-10-16
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
16.10.2008
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] GUL: "THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR WILL HELP BURNISH TURKEY'S IMAGE"
[02] ERDOGAN USHERS IN SCHOOL YEAR AT FATIH UNIVERSITY
[03] BABACAN: "THE N.IRAQI REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION MUST TAKE A TOUGHER STANCE AGAINST THE PKK"
[04] BAYKAL GIVES NOD TO KARAYALCIN'S RUN FOR GREATER ANKARA MAYOR
[05] MGK TO CONVENE NEXT WEEK
[06] BASBUG LASHES OUT AT MEDIA CLAIMS OF MILITARY NEGLIGENCE
[07] YAZICIOGLU: "TURKEY WILL BE A GLOBAL ACTOR"
[08] FINANCE MINISTER URGES CONCERTED ACTION AGAINST GLOBAL CRISIS
[09] EPIC POET DAGLARCA PASSES AWAY
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[11] A MISTAKE STEMMING FROM ANGER
[01] GUL: "THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR WILL HELP BURNISH TURKEY'S IMAGE"
There will be a new positive image for Turkey in the world, and especially
in Europe, following Germany's 60th Frankfurt Book Fair, said President
Abdullah Gul yesterday. At a press conference before leaving Germany, Gul
added that Turkish culture will be seen and understood better in Europe
through new book translations and concerts. Adding that he met with his
German counterpart Horst Kohler and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier, he said that they had talked about bilateral relations. Gul
later returned to Turkey. /Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN USHERS IN SCHOOL YEAR AT FATIH UNIVERSITY
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a ceremony ushering
in the 2008-2009 school year at Istanbul's Fatih University, where he
received an honorary doctorate. In a speech, Erdogan criticized the
attitude of some, including some media sources, towards the global
financial crisis. Stating that whole world is feeling the crisis, including
the US, the European Union, and Japan, Erdogan said, "Turkey will be
influenced by the crisis, but less so than others are." Erdogan also spoke
at a similar ceremony at Kadir Has University. /Milliyet/
[03] BABACAN: "THE N.IRAQI REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION MUST TAKE A TOUGHER
STANCE AGAINST THE PKK"
Turkey expects the local administration in northern Iraq to change its
course to take tougher action against the terrorist PKK, said Foreign
Minister Ali Babacan yesterday. Babacan is currently in New York promoting
Turkey's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2009-
2010. Speaking to the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation
(TRT), he assessed the government's new talks with the regional northern
Iraqi administration on fighting the terrorist PKK. Stating that the
administration should take additional concrete measures against the PKK, he
added, "The regional administration must take a more serious stance against
the PKK." /Star/
[04] BAYKAL GIVES NOD TO KARAYALCIN'S RUN FOR GREATER ANKARA MAYOR
Meeting yesterday with Social Democratic People's Party (SHP) leader Murat
Karayalcin, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz
Baykal agreed Karayalcin could run for Ankara Metropolitan Municipality
mayor under the CHP banner next March. "The people of Ankara still fondly
remember when Karayalcin was mayor (in 1989-1993)," Baykal later told
reporters. "I hope this fondness will bear fruit." /Cumhuriyet/
[05] MGK TO CONVENE NEXT WEEK
The National Security Council (MGK), chaired by President Abdullah Gul, is
set to convene next week at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Among those at
the meeting will be Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, Land Forces
Commander Gen. Isik Kosaner, and Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Atila Işik,
all three attending for the first time in their new posts. Issues to be
discussed at the gathering include the fight against the terrorist PKK at
home and abroad and recent global developments. /Aksam/
[06] BASBUG LASHES OUT AT MEDIA CLAIMS OF MILITARY NEGLIGENCE
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, alongside other high-level
commanders, held a press conference yesterday lashing out at media claims
of military negligence in the recent terrorist PKK attack on the Aktutun
military outpost in the southeastern province of Hakkari, which left 17
soldiers dead. Charging that anyone who presents the actions of the
terrorist group as successful is responsible for this and future bloodshed,
Basbug said that the incident, while he said was a near-suicide attack for
the terrorist group, showed the heroism of Turkish soldiers. Basbug's
remarks followed a lead story in a national newspaper claiming that
intelligence reports on the PKK prior to the attack had been ignored.
Stating that a systematic attack against the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)
began in the wake of the Aktutun attack, Basbug stressed that that attack
would do nothing but strengthen the TSK's determination and power. "The TSK
is stronger, more determined and more decided than ever today." Basbug said,
"An investigation into the attack is underway, and the army will share the
results with the public as any institution with full self-confidence." He
also said that the army was taking legal action against those who leaked
secret military intelligence and information on the PKK attack and added,
"The response any army would give to such systematic attacks, and
groundless and excessive claims, is obvious. So I call on everyone to act
carefully and take the right stance." /Turkiye/
[07] YAZICIOGLU: "TURKEY WILL BE A GLOBAL ACTOR"
State Minister Said Yazicioglu yesterday attended a congress in Istanbul
held by the Turkish-Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM). The meeting
focused on Turkey's strategic vision for the 2023 centenary of the Turkish
Republic to become a global and regional power. Addressing the congress,
attended by strategic analysts and former diplomats, Yazicioglu said, "In
the centenary of the republic, thanks to its cultural and historical legacy,
Turkey should be a power which helps to broker solutions to regional issues,
as a democratic and technology-producing global actor with its well-
educated young population and high standards of living in an increasingly
unstable region." /Turkiye/
[08] FINANCE MINISTER URGES CONCERTED ACTION AGAINST GLOBAL CRISIS
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that economic officials are
working hard to take necessary measures to minimize the impact on Turkey of
the global crisis. Speaking in Istanbul at the Funds World Turkey
conference, Unakitan said the crisis will reduce the flow of foreign direct
investment to Turkey. He called on Turks living abroad to shift their
overseas assets to Turkey. Unakitan underlined that they will be not be
taxed or face disclosure requirements, adding that work on this arrangement
will be completed soon. "There is no one in the world who will not feel the
current crisis," said the finance minister. "The impact will be felt even
among tribes in Africa." He also urged banks not to try to pressure people
to pay back their loans early, which he said would cause trouble in the
real sector. The banking and real sectors depend on each other, said
Unakitan, urging concerted action against the crisis. /Hurriyet/
[09] EPIC POET DAGLARCA PASSES AWAY
Fazil Husnu Daglarca, one of the most prolific poets of the republican era
and a pioneer of epic Turkish poetry, died yesterday in Istanbul at the age
of 94. Baskent University İstanbul Hospital Chief of Medicine Kursad Tokel
told reporters that Daglica died following treatment for chronic renal
failure. /Today's Zaman/
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[11] A MISTAKE STEMMING FROM ANGER
BY TARHAN ERDEM (RADIKAL)
Columnist Tarhan Erdem comments on a statement by Chief of General Staff
Gen. Ilker Basbug. A summary of his column is as follows:
"Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday read out a statement in
Balikesir, and his anger was evident. In reviewing this statement, let's
review the news that spurred it. Citing a leaked intelligence document,
Taraf daily carried a banner story charging that the military command was
negligent in the recent PKK attack on a military outpost in Aktutun and
that General Staff statements following the incident were contradictory.
Any journalist with access to the source cited by Taraf would have also
carried such a story.
Nobody could be indifferent to documents indicating official negligence on
an issue which has gotten so much public interest. The way the story was
written gives the impression that it was meant specifically to criticize
the military. In sum, a newspaper turned a document into news by
criticizing the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), and then the chief of General
Staff rebuffed this story. So far there's nothing wrong. The newspaper did
its job as it sees fit and left its readers to judge the situation. The
other side of the story is the style and content of the General Staff's
statement.
What level of which institution should have the role of rebuffing news
stories about the military? What official should be the spokesman for this?
Could the duty of disciplining and teaching good manners be done by an
authority other than the judiciary? Newspapers are products for public
consumption. Institutions established by the people also evaluate the
quality of this product. If a correction about the state is necessary, the
newspaper addresses those who govern the state and the statesmen on behalf
of the nation. In other words, the defense minister or an official
appointed by him should give or respond to news about the army. In addition,
it's natural for a commander or unit which governs an operation to provide
information about a small or large operation.
I don't think many people believe the chief of General Staff should respond
to every news story about the military. It would be appropriate for the
ministry or the General Staff spokesperson to respond to the questions
raised by Taraf. What's perhaps unacceptable about Basbug's statement are
his feelings, which he didn't try to hide. I think showing so much anger
ill fits Basbug's duty. People who find mistakes in any army operation
naturally praise critics of the operation. People who argue that mistakes
were made about Aktutun naturally praise the critics. But it would be
grossly unfair to paint those who take this position as somehow giving
psychological aid to the PKK. They're not praising the PKK, but trying to
avoid mistakes in the fight against it. But Basbug is arguing that people
who say PKK attacks were successful are partially responsibility for the
bloodshed. Let me say outright that I don't understand this. If someone
says that any action taken by the army is right and can't be criticized,
let's talk about this. As the army isn't immune to criticism, such
criticism shouldn't be seen as sacrilege."
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