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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-11
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
11.12.2001
CONTENTS
[01] MESSAGES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
[02] YILMAZ WRITES FOR "ON THE PATH TO THE EU"
[03] EU COUNCIL'S MESSAGE TO TURKEY
[04] GREECE REJECTS ESDP DEAL
[05] SURVEY: "TURKS WANT EU MEMBERSHIP"
[06] TURKEY NAMES AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN
[07] GENEVA CANTON RECOGNIZES SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
[08] CAKAN: "NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NECESSARY"
[09] IZGI VISITS BUCHAREST
[10] IRANIAN NATURAL GAS DELIVERIES BEGIN
[11] TURKEY TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN CHINA
[12] DERVIS: "APPROVAL OF 2002 BUDGET WOULD BE
TURKEY'S TURNING POINT"
[13] CHHIBBER: "STATE MUST PLAY THE ROLE OF A
TRAINER"
[14] TREASURY SELLS 147-DAY BILLS
[15] 13TH ANKARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDS
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[17] THE LAST TANGO OF TWO CLEVER POLITICIANS BY OZGEN
ACAR (CUMHURIYET)
[18] WHEN IS LAST ISLAMIC RENAISSANCE ? BY DERYA SAZAK
(MILLIYET)
[01] MESSAGES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer remarked yesterday in
his message issued in honor of World Human Rights Day that one of the
main duties of a state was to protect and improve human rights. Sezer
said that it was the state's responsibility to create circumstances
under which people can enjoy their basic rights without fear of
violation. "A number of recent constitutional amendments and our
ongoing efforts to pass adjustment laws have proven Turkey's resolve
to bolster human rights and freedoms," said Sezer. "Today,
human rights is not just a national issue, it has become a global
matter." In his commemorative message, Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit pointed out that Turkey was one of the first countries to
ratify the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ecevit declared that
Turkey espoused universal human rights with great determination.
Moreover, Huseyin Akgul, chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights
Committee, presented a book entitled "International Basic Human
Rights Documents" at a press conference yesterday. The book was
prepared by the Committee and it covers all agreements to which Turkey
is a party. /Cumhuriyet/ EU-OIC SUMMIT SLATED FOR ISTANBUL An
international meeting which Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is
organizing in order to improve relations between the European Union
and the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) is to be held at
the beginning of next February or April in Istanbul. A number of
preparatory meetings before the main gathering are expected to be held
in Ankara after Dec. 20. Among those expected to attend are the OIC
secretary-general, representatives from the European Council and the
Arab League, foreign ministers of the EU and OIC member countries.
/Cumhuriyet/
[02] YILMAZ WRITES FOR "ON THE PATH TO THE EU"
In a breakthrough effort to spread throughout
Turkey good feelings about the European Union, Deputy Prime Minister
and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz made a contribution to
a new anthology. In his essay for the 300-page "On the Path to
the EU," Yilmaz writes about Turkey's struggle to join in the
European club and draws a profile of Turks as Europeans. Yilmaz
writes, "Firstly I am a Turk, but with this identity I am also a
European," and he describes Turkey's path to the EU like this:
"We have left the footpath for the highway, and now must change
gears." Ibrahim Halil Ozsoy, chairman of the 20 May Educational,
Cultural and Social Solidarity Foundation and ANAP Afyon deputy and
Aydogan Ataunal edited the book, which addresses such issues as: EU
administration, the 54-article EU rights compact, the Accession
Partnership Document, the national program, writers' views of the EU,
the advantages of EU membership, the duties of the Turkish people and
Yilmaz's hard work towards Turkey's EU accession. Plans call for the
book to be sent to scores of deputies and regional organizations.
/Sabah/
[03] EU COUNCIL'S MESSAGE TO TURKEY
A draft of a joint declaration to be published at
the end of Dec. 14-15 Laeken Summit was discussed at the European
Council in Brussels yesterday. The draft states that the decisions
taken at 1999's Helsinki Summit created a rapprochement between the EU
and Turkey, which increased Turkey's enthusiasm. The EU Council
appreciates the reforms Turkey has carried towards its target of EU
membership it continues. The draft reiterates the EU's support for
Turkey's continued economic, social and political reforms. It also
requests that Turkey work harder to improve its human rights situation
and that it contribute towards solving the Cyprus problem. /Sabah/
[04] GREECE REJECTS ESDP DEAL
Following a months'-long delay due to Turkish
concerns, a deal on the ESDP now stands stalled in due to Greek
objections. During an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels
yesterday, Greek Foreign Minister expressed Greece's security concerns
and spoke of the EU's autonomy in the decision-making process
effectively blocking a just-reached agreement on the ESDP. He added
however that the issue could be solved at the upcoming Laeken Summit.
/Milliyet/
[05] SURVEY: "TURKS WANT EU MEMBERSHIP"
A just-released survey conducted by the European
Union Commission revealed that 68% of the Turkish people supports its
EU membership. With this percentage, Turkey placed among the candidate
countries most in favor of membership. The candidate most in favor was
Romania, with 80% giving a thumbs-up to the EU membership. /Milliyet/
[06] TURKEY NAMES AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN
The Turkish government has chosen an experienced
diplomat to fill the new ambassador's post in the Afghan capital of
Kabul Ambassador Mufit Ozdes, who is currently posted in Tripoli,
Libya, will be appointed to represent Turkey before Afghanistan's
post-Taleban government. Ambassador Ozdes is expected to arrive in
Kabul early next month. /Hurriyet/
[07] GENEVA CANTON RECOGNIZES SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The new local government which came to power this
month in Switzerland's Geneva Canton has voted to recognize a
"genocide" which Turkey allegedly carried out against
Armenians in Anatolia in 1915. Socialists, Christian Democrats,
Liberals and Greens in the canton's legislature voted for the
decision, which had been suspended by the previous government and
chose to declare it on Dec.10, World on Human Rights Day. A canton
government statement said that the aim of the recognition was to make
a peace between Turks and Armenians. /Milliyet/
[08] CAKAN: "NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NECESSARY"
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan
said yesterday that nuclear power plants must be constructed in
Turkey. Addressing Parliament during debates on the 2002 budget, Cakan
said that a speedup in energy investments in energy was necessary, and
that otherwise, an energy shortage would be inevitable by 2006. Noting
that Turkey could not meet its energy needs through rainfall alone, he
said, "Worldwide, there are 438 nuclear power plants. We will
begin a public discussion about nuclear power next year, and we will
get results." /Turkiye/
[09] IZGI VISITS BUCHAREST
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi and an accompanying
delegation have flown to Bucharest to be the official guests of
Romanian Senate Chairman Nicolae Vacariou. Speaking to the press at
Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior to his departure yesterday, Izgi
remarked that Turkey and Romania had always enjoyed good relations and
he believed that they always would. He added that more than 20,000
Turkish people lived in Romania. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] IRANIAN NATURAL GAS DELIVERIES BEGIN
The first deliveries of natural gas from Iran to
Turkey began Monday night. The deliveries were originally scheduled to
begin in this July, but they were postponed as Iran failed to finish
building a metering station which Turkey views as a must for the
deliveries. Turkish Energy Minister Zeki Cakan said that 165 million
cubic meters of natural gas were expected from Iran this month alone.
/Cumhuriyet/
[11] TURKEY TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN CHINA
Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar stated yesterday
that Turkey would open a tourism office in the People's Republic of
China next year. Saying that he expected a bilateral agreement to that
effect to be signed soon, Tasar added that he hoped such measures
would help revive tourism and attract more foreign tourists to Turkey.
/Cumhuriyet/
[12] DERVIS: "APPROVAL OF 2002 BUDGET WOULD BE
TURKEY'S TURNING POINT"
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis met
yesterday with former Israeli Central Bank Governor Michael Bruno at a
symposium and outlined for him the program that Turkey is pursuing to
solve its economic crisis. "If the 2002 budget passes our
Parliament, it would be a turning point for Turkey," he
reportedly told Bruno. Dervis also pointed to the importance of
reforms the government has made. "If Turkey didn't have a strong
financial policy, it would be more difficult to get International
Monetary Fund and World Bank support," he said. Dervis also
stated that the IMF had proposed a new $10 billion aid package for
Turkey. The most important problem that the Turkish program would face
next year 2002 is inflation, Dervis stressed. /Hurriyet/
[13] CHHIBBER: "STATE MUST PLAY THE ROLE OF A
TRAINER"
World Bank Turkey Director Ajay Chhibber said
yesterday that the state should work to play the role of a
"trainer" within the nation. Chhibber also recommended that
the state forge closer ties with its citizens. He also highlighted the
importance of the media. "With the help of the media the state
could grow closer to its citizens and media could have great influence
over the state," he stated. He added that since Turkey is secular
and democratic, it is ahead of many other countries. /Hurriyet/
[14] TREASURY SELLS 147-DAY BILLS
Yesterday, the Treasury held an auction of bills
with a redemption period of 147 days. The bills are value dated Dec.
12 and their redemption is scheduled for May 8, 2002. /Turkiye/
[15] 13TH ANKARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDS
The 13th Ankara International Film Festival ended
with an awards ceremony yesterday. Addressing guests during the
closing ceremony at the State Opera House, Festival Chairman Cetin
Oner said that the festival had reached an international level and
thanked those who had contributed. Oner said that Anatolia always
honored pioneers of culture and art and added that artists and
scientists should be protected. Culture Ministry Deputy Undersecretary
Huseyin Akbulut also spoke, saying that art enriched life and made
people more sensitive. /Sabah/
[16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE
COLUMNS...
[17] THE LAST TANGO OF TWO CLEVER POLITICIANS BY OZGEN
ACAR (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Ozgen Acar writes on recent developments
on Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows: "Northern
Cypriot President Denktas is getting the credit for the success of his
new Cyprus policy, is coming to Turkey tomorrow to hold meetings with
the Turkish government. Most probably the open-ended bilateral talks
which will take place on Jan. 16 under the auspices of UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan will be taken up. There is a surprising optimism
among many writers and in the Turkish business community, while
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is speaking of a cautious optimism. There
is also a division between the Greek and Greek Cypriot press. There is
a wide range of opinions, which go from lauding Clerides to accusing
him of going senile. Denktas and Clerides, two clever politicians,
will begin their last dance in a different atmosphere in which Denktas
seems to be strong and Clerides seems to be under pressure. If Greek
Cypriots don't want to miss another opportunity on Cyprus, and if the
EU wants a solution to the problem, the two leaders will adopt the
'two equal states' principle based on a bi-communal and bi-zonal
federation which was accepted by Archbishop Makarios and Denktas
himself in 1977. Certainly, the mere adoption of this principle is not
enough. Economic balances should also be taken into consideration for
a secure future on the island. Northern Cyprus, whose gross national
product has stalled at $4thousand per capita due to the economic
embargo implemented against it, should not be a slave to Southern
Cyprus. Economic aid must be given to the northern part of the Island
in order to prevent rich Greek Cypriots from buying property in the
hands of Turkish Cypriots, and a transition period of at least 15-20
years must be recognized. Even EU candidate state Poland is asking for
a 17-year transition period in order not to be upset by imbalances in
income distribution. One of the most important problems is the
presence of Turkish, Greek and British troops on the island. The US,
while asking for the departure of Turkish and Greek troops from the
island within a five-year period, has as yet said nothing regarding
the British bases that it uses."
[18] WHEN IS LAST ISLAMIC RENAISSANCE ? BY DERYA SAZAK
(MILLIYET)
Columnist Derya Sazak writes on the front which
should be discussed the most following the victory against the
Afghanistan's Taliban regime. A summary of his column is as follows:
"Reportedly, many circles in the US are busy discussing a new
front to follow the war in Afghanistan, a front still largely
unexplored. This will not be a battlefront against an organization or
a power. This will be a "cold war" front which will direct
Muslim societies to success and to accelerate their transition in
overcoming poverty and their lack of democracy, ending 80 years of
humiliation following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Journalist
Yasemin Congar has written about an "Islamic Renaissance"
discussed by intellectuals living in the West following Sept. 11
attacks. She said that the West won the Cold War because those living
under socialist rules did not believe capitalism responsible for their
predicament, but rather their own systems. Can Arab- Middle Eastern
regimes, oil-rich monarchies and emirates conduct the same
self-criticism without hiding behind Islam? Certainly it is possible
to blame US administrations over the years for their biased stances in
favor of Israel concerning the Palestinian issue. However, won't the
real hurdle threshold be overcome when the Islamic world is able to
form a harmonious unity on a global scale? On this issue, the views of
Edward Said, a famous scholar from Cornell University, are courageous.
He stated that even though the Islamic nations had many justified
complaints against Zionism and imperialism, they must begin admitting
that they themselves are also responsible for the poverty, ignorance,
oppression, and viciousness they allowed to grow and choke their
societies. He asked, 'How many of us have honestly supported secular
policies and criticized the manipulation of religion in the Islamic
world? Secular Arab policy must assert itself. It is time to be frank,
review our policies and analyze them over and over again.' If only the
academic circles in Turkey, the think-tanks such as TESEV and the
Istanbul Policies Center, as well as intellectuals and Islamic
thinkers would contribute to the Islamic Renaissance seen in the wake
of Sept. 11 attacks. It is now our responsibility, for we are country
which claims to be a role model."
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