Turkish Press Review, 09-01-15

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From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

15.01.2009

CONTENTS

[01] PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES EU TALKS NEGOTIATOR BAGIS

[02] BABACAN MEETS WITH KOSOVAR BUSINESSMEN

[03] PUOICM: "ISRAEL SHOULD HALT ITS ATTACKS"

[04] BAYKAL: "THE AKP IS USING ERGENEKON TO MUZZLE ITS OPPONENTS"

[05] KANADOGLU: "THE ERGENEKON CASE NEEDS AN IMPARTIAL, THOROUGH INVESTIGATION"

[06] AKARCALI GETTING AKP NOD FOR ANKARA'S CANKAYA

[07] PRESENTING THE NATION-STATE

[08] EU TALKS CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

[01] PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES EU TALKS NEGOTIATOR BAGIS

No one can act to manipulate the judiciary, said Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Hasan Gerceker yesterday. Speaking to Star daily, Gerceker underlined the importance of dialogue for solving problems. Touching on critical remarks by officials of the Judges and Prosecutors Association (YARSAV) and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in the wake of recent detentions and arrests under the ongoing Ergenekon probe, he called for calm and dialogue on all sides. Discouraging any comments on the probe, he added, "Such comments can be misinterpreted. The judiciary can solve all its problems by itself." Pointing also to the court's heavy workload, he stated that the judiciary needs comprehensive reform. /Star/

[02] BABACAN MEETS WITH KOSOVAR BUSINESSMEN

[03] PUOICM: "ISRAEL SHOULD HALT ITS ATTACKS"

[04] BAYKAL: "THE AKP IS USING ERGENEKON TO MUZZLE ITS OPPONENTS"

[05] KANADOGLU: "THE ERGENEKON CASE NEEDS AN IMPARTIAL, THOROUGH INVESTIGATION"

[06] AKARCALI GETTING AKP NOD FOR ANKARA'S CANKAYA

FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…

[07] PRESENTING THE NATION-STATE

Columnist Atilgan Bayar comments on the concept of nation-state. A summary of his column is as follows:

"We've been told by academics and journalists for the last 30 years that nation-states have run out of gas. But when we look at the recent past, we can see that not nation-states, but states that aren't nations have collapsed â€" for example, the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Iraq. All these dissolved states were not nation-states, or else they started to collapse just as they lost their nation-state character.

But certain people have been trying to make us believe that nation-states are dissolving. All the foreign academics arguing this live in the nation- states which are working to strengthen their national structures in the era of the dissolution of nation-states. Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug warned of this danger in a speech he made before being appointed to his post. The National Intelligence Agency (MIT) undersecretary has also said that nation-states are under threat. In recent months, some have argued that nationalism was the product of nation-states, while others say nationalism has ended and so too would nation-states.

But it's the nature of our nation-state that it seeks nationality, but avoids nationalism. For example, our nation is called Turkish, but the Turkish nation doesn't point to a race. It covers all people attached to this state through ties of citizenship. It doesn't push citizens belonging because of their blood, but because of their will, consciousness and culture. Now Turkey is at an interesting crossroads of history and has to repair the concept of nation-state. Some have forgotten that Turks are a nation, not exclusively a race. This misunderstanding should be corrected.

Moreover, we should ensure that religious and ethnic trends are gathered together on the basis of citizenship and under the category of nation again. At such a time, it's a great advantage to have a commander like Basbug, with his great intellectual capacity and ability to analyze. It's also very appropriate that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan now makes statements defending the nation-state, when those seeking dissolution are looking out for opportunities. But the concept of nation-state should be made clear in people's minds, just like the concept of secularism. We can expect Erdogan to explain its scope and importance to the people himself."

[08] EU TALKS CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkey's new European Union talks chief negotiator, Egemen Bagis. A summary of his column is as follows:

"For years, I have said in this column that the duty of chief negotiator is too important and burdensome to fall under the Foreign Ministry.

The premier just appointed Egemen Bagis state minister responsible for Turkey's European Union membership affairs. This is also an important indicator that he will take more of an interest in the EU. The number of Cabinet ministers thereby rose by one. The European Union Secretariat General was also separated from the Foreign Ministry and attached to the Prime Ministry.

Bagis was born in 1970. When he was 32, in 2002, he became Istanbul deputy, and in 2007, he was reelected. Bagis was made Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chief advisor for foreign affairs, and the Justice and Development Party's (AKP) deputy chairman. He has spent a lot of time in New York, where he worked and went to school. He knows the US and speaks English well.

Europe has a different environment and conditions than the US. But as Bagis also served as the deputy chair of the NATO Parliamentarians Assembly's Turkish Group, he is also familiar with Europe's NATO member states.

Turkey will watch his steps closely. Bagis will work hard and well with veteran diplomats to promote Turkey's aim of full EU membership. He surely will be in close contact with Erdogan in Brussels next week.

It seems that Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and of course, Croatia, and even Serbia and Kosovo will join the EU before Turkey. Let's also not forget Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. But in the words of Republic of Turkey founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, 'This nation was not been created to be embarrassed'."

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