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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-25

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

<LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> <_map> Press &amp; Information Turkish Press Turkish Press Review &gt;&gt; Foreign Press Guide Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

25.12.2001


CONTENTS

  • [01] COALITION LEADERS FINALIZE EU HARMONIZATION DRAFTS
  • [02] YILMAZ: "WE WILL ESTABLISH AN AGENCY FOR THE EU"
  • [03] ECEVIT'S VISIT TO THE US
  • [04] DENKTAS-CLERIDES TO HAVE DINNER
  • [05] GUREL: "CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED ONLY BY TURKISH AND GREEK CYPRIOTS"
  • [06] YUCELEN TOUTS TURKEY'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACCORD
  • [07] TURKISH SOLDIERS TO BE IN AFGHANISTAN BY MID-JANUARY
  • [08] SEZER: "FOUNDATIONS SHOULD SERVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AIMS"
  • [09] CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM SEZER
  • [10] ISRAELI UNDERSECRETARY GIL TO VISIT TURKEY
  • [11] KECECILER: "IRAN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TURKEY"
  • [12] DAMASCUS GOVERNOR VISITS ANKARA
  • [13] WORKERS' AND EMPLOYERS' REPRESENTATIVES MEET
  • [14] ATATURK PHOTOS GET DIGITAL TREATMENT
  • [15] YILMAZ: "THE ROLE OF THE STATE IN ECONOMIC MARKETS MUST BE LIMITED"
  • [16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [17] LETTING THE STAR OF TURKEY SHINE BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
  • [18] IRAQ TEST BY SEDAT SERTOGLU (SABAH)

  • [01] COALITION LEADERS FINALIZE EU HARMONIZATION DRAFTS

    The leaders of the coalition government met yesterday to discuss draft laws to harmonize Turkey's laws to those of the EU and they finalized those drafts and resolved to send them to Parliament. During their two-hour meeting, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and deputy prime ministers Devlet Bahceli, Mesut Yilmaz and Husamettin Ozkan also evaluated the results of the recent Laeken summit and implementation of the National Program. /All Papers/

    [02] YILMAZ: "WE WILL ESTABLISH AN AGENCY FOR THE EU"

    Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that "we have many things to do besides implementing harmonization laws." Yilmaz stated that Turkey would establish a government agency to deal with the EU by Jan. 15. "If we fail to establish this agency, Turkey would be unable to make use of the EU's educational programs, because it is a country which needs such programs" Yilmaz remarked. Yilmaz also said that next year would be the turning point for Turkey in its relations with the EU and the EU's enlargement process. "Turkey is the only candidate country which hasn't started its negotiation process with the EU. Because of this, Turkey has to continue to implement its National Program," Yilmaz stressed. /Hürriyet/

    [03] ECEVIT'S VISIT TO THE US

    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will travel to Washington on Jan. 14 to pay a four-day official visit to the US. During his meetings with the US administration, the fight against terrorism, Cyprus, Turco-Greek relations, and Iraq will be the main topics to be discussed. Ecevit will reportedly place a special emphasis an economic relations and is also expected to meet with World Bank Chairman James Wolfenson and IMF Chairman Hans Koehler. State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan and a number of deputies, as well as economy bureaucrats, will accompany Ecevit. /Turkiye/

    [04] DENKTAS-CLERIDES TO HAVE DINNER

    Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas is set to visit Southern Cyprus for the first time in 26 years and have a dinner with Greek Cypriot leader Clafcos Clerides. Denktas has said that he would travel alone to the Greek dinner on Dec. 29, but United Nations representative Zbigniew Wlosevize is also scheduled to attend. /Hürriyet/

    [05] GUREL: "CYPRUS PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED ONLY BY TURKISH AND GREEK CYPRIOTS"

    State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel attended a conference titled "Judicial and Political Dimensions of Cyprus Problem" yesterday in Istanbul. Gurel remarked that a permanent solution on Cyprus could only be reached by the common efforts of both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Asserting that the European Union and the United Nations could not contribute to peace efforts without the support of the people living on the island, Gurel said, "This is a problem of Turkish-Greek relations. Other countries can't solve this problem. Labeling the idea that Greek Cypriots are "the real owners" of the island as "completely wrong and unjustifiable", Gurel stated that proponents of such ideas wanted to assimilate the Turkish identity on Cyprus. "The UN has proposed various solutions for the ethnic struggles in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ireland. However, none of these methods can be relevant for Cyprus," said Gurel. "There is a secret coalition between the EU and Greek Cypriots. If the EU admits the Greek Cypriots into the Union, that would make problems on the island only escalate." /Cumhuriyet/

    [06] YUCELEN TOUTS TURKEY'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACCORD

    Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen said yesterday that contrary to some claims, Turkey's security forces had successfully made the mark concerning human rights and added, "They are performing their duties in accordance with the rules of democratic law and human rights." While speaking at the "13th Terrorism, Organized Crime and Human Rights" seminar organized by the Directorate General of Security, Yucelen conceded that sometimes some individual personnel might make mistakes in respecting human rights. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk also spoke at the seminar, saying that another bill concerning the fight against organized crime, which was prepared in order to fill a gap until the implementations of a new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) would be presented to the Council of Ministers tomorrow. /Milliyet/

    [07] TURKISH SOLDIERS TO BE IN AFGHANISTAN BY MID-JANUARY

    A Turkish unit that is to participate in the International Security in Afghanistan Force (ISAF), which is being established in order to ensure stability in that country under UN mandate, is scheduled to be in place by the first half of January. According to the Turkish Office of General Staff, some members of the unit, which is currently in preparation with Mamak 28th Mechanized Infantryman Unit, will be sent to Afghanistan early next month. During a meeting of ISAF contributing countries in London earlier this month, Turkey had stated that it was ready to send a unit of 600 soldiers. /Milliyet/

    [08] SEZER: "FOUNDATIONS SHOULD SERVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR AIMS"

    President Ahmet Necdet Sezer issued a message yesterday to mark Foundations Week. Remarking that foundations were the best reflection of the Turkish nation's solidarity, unity and contributions, Sezer said in his message that foundations should serve in accordance with their aims and that all measures should be taken to ensure that the state's resources are not wasted. /Turkiye/

    [09] CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM SEZER

    President Ahmet Necdet Sezer issued a message yesterday to mark Dec.25, the day that Western Christians celebrate Christmas. "The importance of the secular and democratic philosophy that Turkey represents is better understood now than ever before," Sezer said. /Hürriyet/

    [10] ISRAELI UNDERSECRETARY GIL TO VISIT TURKEY

    Israeli Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Avi Gil is scheduled to visit Turkey tomorrow. Gil is expected to meet with his Turkish counterpart Ugur Ziyal to discuss recent developments in the Middle East as well as bilateral relations between Turkey and Israel. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] KECECILER: "IRAN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO TURKEY"

    State Minister Mehmet Kececiler attended a meeting of the Turkish-Iranian Joint Economic Committee (KEK) yesterday in THE Iranian capital of Tehran. Iranian daily the Tehran Times quoted him as saying that since Iran was very important to Turkey, commercial relations between the two countries should be improved. /Cumhuriyet/

    [12] DAMASCUS GOVERNOR VISITS ANKARA

    Gassan Lahham, the governor of Damascus, Syria, and an accompanying delegation came to Ankara yesterday as the official guest of Ankara Governor Yahya Gur. The delegation first visited Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Melih Gokcek and told him that cultural and commercial relations would smooth a rapprochement between the two countries. "We see that we are in a friendly country," Lahham stated. "Our two nations are not strangers to each other. The development of cultural and commercial relations is an important step for our mutual rapprochement." Then the Syrian governor and his delegation visited the Center for Child Street Workers (BELMEK) run by the Ankara Municipality's Education and Culture Department. During this visit, Education and Culture Department Chairman Hayati Kirli spoke to the delegation. Then the delegation took an inspection tour of Ankara's subway system. /Sabah/

    [13] WORKERS' AND EMPLOYERS' REPRESENTATIVES MEET

    Yesterday, the chairmen of Turk-Is, Hak-Is, the Revolutionary Workers Union (DISK), the Turkish Confederation of Employer's Unions (TISK), the Union of Turkish Commodities and Stock Exchange (TOBB) and the Turkish Traders and Small Businessmen's Confederation (TESK) convened for a gathering chaired by Labor and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan. During the meeting, which is expected to last two or three days, topics such as increasing production and employment and job security bill will be discussed. A commission, which includes workers, employers and government representatives, is expected to be established. Meanwhile, Okuyan also said that a new minimum wage might be announced today. /Turkiye/

    [14] ATATURK PHOTOS GET DIGITAL TREATMENT

    The Partnek Work Technology and Consultancy Company has finished transferring Ataturk's photograph collection into digital form, the company announced yesterday. This work was completed by transferring some 4,000 photos from the archive at Ataturk's Mausoleum, 2,100 of which belonged to the republic's founder, onto CD-ROMs using the Electronic Document Archiving System. The archive contains Ataturk's photographs taken with the public and children after 1905 and also photos taken during the construction of Anitkabir, his Mausoleum. Partnek CEO Ozgur Cakir declared, "The people will be able to choose and use these valuable photos without touching them thanks to this digital archive." The photo on the CD-ROM can be viewed while accompanied by a music score specially composed by Haluk Cevik, and the pictures can be printed as well. /Milliyet/

    [15] YILMAZ: "THE ROLE OF THE STATE IN ECONOMIC MARKETS MUST BE LIMITED"

    Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz remarked yesterday that the role of the state in economic markets should be limited and added, "The state must completely withdraw from the economic sphere and must act instead as a monitoring agency." Declaring that he opposed state intervention in economy, Yilmaz underlined the necessity for downsizing the "bloated state structure" which he called an "impediment and burden for the laissez-faire economy." /Cumhuriyet/

    [16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [17] LETTING THE STAR OF TURKEY SHINE BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Hasan Cemal writes on Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's upcoming visit to the US. A summary of his column is as follows: "Visits to Washington are always of great importance. However, Ecevit's visit to Washington holds great significance on three points: First, the world is reorganizing itself in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the main architect in this process is the US. Second, Turkey has achieved great importance in the eyes of Washington during the post-Sept. 11 period. Third, the first opportunity has come up in quite a long time to advance cooperation between the US and Turkey on convenient grounds. For years the 'Turkish-American strategic partnership' has been bandied about. However, this cooperation has never been fully developed, as Greek, Greek-Cypriot and Armenian lobbies have blocked its fulfillment. In order to achieve their goals, they have used the Cyprus, Aegean and human rights problems. These are perennial issues used against Turkey. But Turkey's coalition government is taking positive steps on these issues and working hard to translate these measures into support for the nation. For example, talks have been resumed on Cyprus. The ball is now in Athens' court on the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). A mini-democratization package is being discussed following the enactment of amendments to the Constitution. All signs point to a tight grip being held on the reins of the economy. Turkey is trying to break the vicious circle it has been caught in. Its horizons will be widened greatly if it can accomplish this, and Turkish-American relations will be improved. Undoubtedly, the Sept. 11 tragedy is a turning point, a springboard in relations between our two countries. Turkey has taken an upright stance in the fight against international terrorism as led by the US. In adopting this stance, Turkey has demonstrated what it understands about modernism, and acted in line with its own interests. Following the Sept. 11 tragedy, the US has better understood the importance of Turkey in the fight against terrorism, a menace that has been encouraged mainly in Islamic states. When talking of peace and stability in the Middle East, the Gulf region and the Caucasus and of modernism in Central Asia, the importance of Turkey as a role model can be seen more clearly. If structural changes can be continued through financial discipline, cohesion laws enacted, steps in democracy advanced and the efforts to solve the Cyprus issue exerted, 2002 will be a different year. We may put our house into order, step across the EU accession negotiations threshold, and make our strategic partnership a fully functioning reality with the US."

    [18] IRAQ TEST BY SEDAT SERTOGLU (SABAH)

    Columnist Sedat Sertoglu writes on Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the US next month and the problem of Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows: "It is clear that impending developments in Iraq will play an important role in the relations between Turkey and the US, both during 2002 and in the years to follow. Circles close to the US president say that the most important issue Prime Minister Ecevit must dwell upon during his official visit to the US is the elevation of relations between Ankara and Washington to a 'strategic level' and he must insist upon the issue. Limiting this visit to only to the loosening of textile quotas should not be the prime minister's aim, the furthering of political relations carries a greater significance. The words of prime ministers carry great importance. Therefore, Prime Minister Ecevit should not seem as the defender of Saddam during his talks. Circles close to the US president said that nothing has been asked of Turkey regarding Iraq, as yet. At this stage the US would like Turkey to keep its silence. The visit to Washington will be an important test for the Turkish Foreign Ministry as well. We shall be listening to what they are saying."

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