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Turkish Press Review, 02-03-25
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Turkish
Press Review >>
Foreign
Press Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
25.03.2002
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT TO ATTEND NATO SUMMIT
[02] CEM: “TURKEY HAS TWO GOALS”
[03] KARZAI TO VISIT TURKEY
[04] UK EXTENDS ITS COMMAND OF PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN
[05] TURK: “CAPITAL PUNISHMENT PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED WITHIN THREE YEARS”
[06] YILMAZ TO VISIT CUBA
[07] GREEK ENERGY MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[08] TURKEY EARNED $7.4 BILLION FROM PRIVATIZATION OVER 17 YEARS
[09] OECD: “THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS RECOVERING”
[10] EU GRANT TO SUPPORT TURKISH SMALL BUSINESSES
[11] MEETINGS TO DEVELOP TURKISH CYPRIOT ECONOMY
[12] WOOLSEY: “TURKEY’S SUPPORT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT”
[13] SIMGE PAPER CO. MERGES WITH FRENCH CONCERN
[14] “FORUM ISTANBUL” TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S FUTURE
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[16] CLARITY BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (CUMHURIYET)
[17] POST-SADDAM PERIOD BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (SABAH)
[01] ECEVIT TO ATTEND NATO SUMMIT
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will leave for Bucharest, the capital of
Romania today for a one-day trip to attend the NATO Candidate Countries’
Heads of State and Government Summit. Ecevit is expected to attend the
opening of the summit and address the meeting. He is also scheduled to meet
with Romanian President Ion Iliescu and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, as
well as his Croatian counterpart Ivica Racan and US Deputy Secretary of
State Richard Armitage. /All Papers/
[02] CEM: “TURKEY HAS TWO GOALS”
Speaking at an East-West Institute meeting organized by the Eurasia
Strategy Group yesterday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that
Turkey had two goals, namely to obtain European Union membership and to
become a center in Eurasia. Cem also said, “I believe that as long as
Turkey has good relations with the EU, this will positively affect Turkey’s
relations with the Balkans and Eurasia, and that while Turkey maintains
good relations with the Middle East and Eurasia, Turkey’s image in the
European Union will improve.” /Hurriyet/
[03] KARZAI TO VISIT TURKEY
On the heels of last week’s visit from US Vice President Dick Cheney, this
week Ankara will be the scene of busy diplomatic traffic. Afghan interim
government Prime Minister Hamid Karzai, UN Special Envoy for Cyprus Alvaro
de Soto and Macedonian President Boris Traykovski are all expected to visit
Ankara. During his visit on March 27-29, Karzai is scheduled to meet with
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem. Major topics on the agenda are recent developments in
the command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan and Turkey’s possible
contributions to restructuring the Afghan military and economy, as well as
education and humanitarian aid. /Turkiye/
[04] UK EXTENDS ITS COMMAND OF PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN
British Foreign Minister Jack Straw stated over the weekend that the UK
would continue to lead the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan beyond next
month. Straw remarked that he did not expect British troops to remain in
the country for "very long." Stating that Turkey’s possible future command
of the force had been thrown into doubt, Straw said, “We said we'd be there
for a matter of months, as a lead authority it's going to be extended for a
little while, but in the long march of history this is a limited
operation.” Straw also recalled that Turkey had concerns on the financial
burden of leading the forces due to its domestic economic crisis, adding,
“I’m not absolutely certain Turkey would be willing to take over the role.”
/Cumhuriyet/
[05] TURK: “CAPITAL PUNISHMENT PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED WITHIN THREE YEARS”
While touring a prison in Bartin yesterday, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami
Turk told reporters that Turkey’s problem concerning the abolition of
capital punishment, a pressing issue for its EU membership, would be solved
in three years’ time. Turk said, “Even if Turkey no longer actually carries
out capital punishment, it is the only country in Europe with this sanction
still on its books,” Turk said. “The problem of capital punishment will be
solved within three years. There is an exception in the European Convention
of Human Rights supplementary protocol no. 6 saying that capital punishment
is allowable for crimes committed during war or threat of war. Now there is
a drive to abolish capital punishment in these cases as well. Turkey cannot
stand outside these developments, as it wants to become an EU member. The
existence of capital punishment is in some cases preventing the extradition
of people who have committed crimes in Turkey and then taken refuge in
European countries. This is hindering our anti-crime efforts.” /Sabah/
[06] YILMAZ TO VISIT CUBA
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will travel to Cuba on March 31 to pay a
five-day visit to the Caribbean nation. Yilmaz will be accompanied by State
Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu and Cavit Kavak, Yilmaz’s foreign affairs
advisor. Yilmaz is scheduled to meet with Cuban leader Fidel Castro and
other officials to discuss ship construction as well as cigar production.
/Aksam/
[07] GREEK ENERGY MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Greek Energy Minister Akis Cohacopulos will travel to Turkey on Thursday to
meet with his Turkish counterpart Zeki Cakan. He is to hold negotiations
concerning a project to transport Iranian and Siberian gas from Turkey to
Greece. According to Cohacopulos the realization of this project could do a
great deal to resolve problems between Turkey and Greece and to facilitate
bilateral rapprochement. The project’s estimated price tag is $300 million.
/Sabah/
[08] TURKEY EARNED $7.4 BILLION FROM PRIVATIZATION OVER 17 YEARS
State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu said yesterday that since 1985, Turkey
had earned revenues of $7.4 billion from its privatization program.
Answering an interrogation motion by Felicity Party (SP) Ankara Deputy Zeki
Celik, Karakoyunlu said that over the last 15 years privatization had not
been realized at the desired level due to a lack of technological knowledge
as well as political instability. He stressed, however, 1998-2000 had seen
the pace of developments pick up with 30 public organizations privatized
and 118 facilities and estates sold. The state minister also stated that
privatizations worth some $1.5 billion were planned for this year. “If the
privatization process is carried out by a fully authorized, independent and
legally empowered organization, it will be done more efficiently and
quickly,” he added. /Turkiye/
[09] OECD: “THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS RECOVERING”
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Turkey Desk Chief
Alexandra Bibbee said yesterday that the Turkish economy was recovering.
Alexandra also said that the organization was working to gauge the growth
of the Turkish economy for the current year. “An economic program supported
by the International Monetary Fund can be successful if the proper measures
are taken beforehand, but for this success the passage of time is also
needed,” Alexandra added. /Star/
[10] EU GRANT TO SUPPORT TURKISH SMALL BUSINESSES
Turkish Union of Chambers and Stock Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat
Hisarciklioglu held a press conference yesterday to introduce a new program
entitled “Development Program for Turkish Chambers.” Stating that the EU
would grant one million Euros to the program, Hisarciklioglu said that the
program’s aim was to improve the quality of the services which Turkish
small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) provide. Oskar Benedikt, economic
counselor of the European Commission Representation to Turkey, stated at
the press conference that the EU was working in collaboration with the EU
Investment Bank to support Turkish SMEs. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] MEETINGS TO DEVELOP TURKISH CYPRIOT ECONOMY
A number of development models for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) were discussed at meetings jointly organized by the Turkish
Democracy Foundation (TDV) and the Turkish Cypriot Association of
Development Platform (KTKP-D) over the weekend. Bulent Akarcali, Motherland
Party deputy chairman as well as TDV chairman, presented a model proposing
to establish a technology center on the island much like the US’ famed
Silicon Valley. Akarcali stated that the island might become a center for
scientific studies using advanced computer technology. Furthermore, TRNC
Deputy Prime Minister Salih Cosar stated that the TRNC would always stand
by Turkey and that the two countries would accompany each other on their
paths towards the EU. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] WOOLSEY: “TURKEY’S SUPPORT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT”
Speaking to CNN yesterday, former CIA Director James Woolsey said that
Turkey’s support would be vitally important for any military operation
against Iraq. Saying that the US wouldn’t need the support of any country
besides Turkey for such an operation, he added, “But to get this support,
the US needs to have serious consultations with Turkey.” On the same
program, he also asserted that Iraq had connections which lay behind last
September’s attacks on the US. /Hurriyet/
[13] SIMGE PAPER CO. MERGES WITH FRENCH CONCERN
Antalis, one of Europe’s largest paper companies, announced over the
weekend that it was merging with Turkish paper company Simge. Paris-based
Antalis is active in 34 countries with annual revenues of 2.5 billion euros
and sales of 2 million tons. Speaking of the merger, Simge Board of
Directors Chairman Ibrahim Sisman said, “With Simge’s experience and
Antalis’ know-how, our aim will be to elevate the standards in the paper
industry.” /Aksam/
[14] “FORUM ISTANBUL” TO DISCUSS TURKEY’S FUTURE
In the leadup to the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish
Republic, Turkey’s future concerning such issues as democracy, politics,
law and economics will be discussed during the “Forum Istanbul” to be held
in Istanbul on Tuesday and Wednesday. At the forum, experts will discuss
Turkey’s place in the world from 1923 to 2003, and attendees will include
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz, State Economy Minister Kemal Dervis, Harvard
University’s Benjamin Friedman and Dani Rodrik and Yale University’s Oktay
Sinanoglu as well as internationally prestigious figures from the economic,
scientific and political worlds, including Fatih Terim, Cem Kozlu and Vural
Oger. /Aksam/
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[16] CLARITY BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist and constitutional scholar Mumtaz Soysal writes on EU-Turkish
relations regarding Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Last week’s developments have brought a new clarity to the Cyprus
dimension of Turkish-EU relations which was not recognized due to
groundless expectations. This clarity emergede as a consequence in search
of a solution. The basic factor which was influential and still continues
to be so, is not accepting the facts of the island. Far beyond the
discussions of legality and recognition, the reality experienced is that
there are two separate states existing on the south and north of Cyprus.
Whatever others may believe the state on the north may be, whether it is
the result of a military operation, is ‘under occupation,’ or is kept alive
due to Turkey’s protection, it is uundeniably there. Whatever we may think
about the state in the south, whether it was formed by excluding Turks from
partnership, a product of Hellenistic imperialism, or a deception of the
whole world, it still exists. The fact that one of them is recognized only
by Turkey and the other by all the world except Turkey does not alter this
fact. On the other hand, it is clear that a solution can only be achieved
with a new partnership they will jointly form. In this state of affairs, it
is expected that the European Union, which is searching for a solution,
should set aside all the matters of legality and recognition and treat both
of them as states, and cease recognizing the state in the south as the only
state on the island in spite of the facts, and should not admit it as a
full member to the organization. But the stance taken is contrary to this
view and the South, with the full support of the EU and the confidence it
has due to the promise of EU full membership, isn’t moving toward a just
partnership. It is a well-known fact that the embargo implemented on the
North is sustained not by the South, but by other states which are afraid
of its crying foul. That is why an exclusion of the South in the fields of
transport, communications, trade and sports is going on. This is one of the
reasons why a solution cannot be reached on the island. No one can expect
that it is a fair contribution to a solution to say to a society suffering
under an embargo, ‘Either you accept the solution the South wants or your
exclusion from the outer world will continue.’ However, the European Union,
which says it is in favor of a solution on the island isn’t lifting a
finger on the issue and hasn’t budged from its stance excluding the North.
In such a situation it is hard to stay put without asking these questions.
Does the EU want a fair solution to the problem on the island or to sever
Turkey’s ties with Cyprus? More importantly, does it intend to close the
doors of the EU to Turkey by accusing it of not aiding the search for a
solution?”
[17] POST-SADDAM PERIOD BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (SABAH)
Retired Ambassador Sukru Elekdag writes on Turkish-Iraqi relations and what
may be done in case of an operation against Iraq. A summary of his column
is as follows:
“Even as Turkey’s strategy towards Iraq should be focused on the post-
Saddam period, we see that it is benig bogged down in dealing with issues
saving the day. With this near-sighted approach, it is impossible for
Turkey to defend its national interests in the post-Saddam period when the
cards will be dealt anew. In fact, just like the other states in the region,
Turkey has also pointed out to the US the dangers of a military operation
and asked Bush to solve the feud between him and Saddam within the
framework of the UN. However, if despite all warnings, the US insists on
toppling Saddam, Turkey has three alternatives to choose from. First, it
may decline participate in any way in a military operation. Second, it may
open up Incirlik and other bases for the use of the US and help in
supplying logistical support. Third, it may not limit its contributions to
the operation to bases and logistical support but actually participate in
the military operation. Reportedly, both civilian and military officials
are both a taking realpolitik appproach in not dwelling on the first option,
but instead are in favor of limiting Turkey’s contribution in line with the
second. I believe that such a line of action would create serious threats
for Turkey’s national interests as a war against Saddam will lead to a
natural alliance between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by
Barzani, the Kurdistan Patriotic Union (KPU) led by Talabani and the United
States. Thus, when new political restructuring and arrangements are taken
up, Barzani and Talabani will have a say on the matter, and opportunities
will be created for the establishment of a Kurdish state. That is why
Turkey has to take its place in the operation against Iraq to protect its
vital interests and not leave the field in northern Iraq to Barzani,
Talabani or other opposition leaders. However, if Turkey actively
participates in an operation against Iraq, it has to reach an accord with
the US on the following issues apart from the compensation of the financial
losses it may suffer: In the post-Saddam period, Ankara must have a say in
the new Iraqi political restructuring on constitutional arrangements and
all doors for the establishment of a Kurdish state should be closed. Musul
and Kirkuk, where Turkmens live, should be left in an autonomous Turkmen
region and the rights and security of Turkmens should be constitutionally
guaranteed on an equal basis with Arabs and Kurds. In addition, the US must
be able to end Israel’s stance regarding Palestine and gather the sides
around a negotiation table. Thus it will soften the opposition in the Arab
world against a military operation and reduce the tension in the region. In
such a climate some Arab states may participate in the operation and the
problems which could emerge on Turkey’s participation as the only Muslim
state will be averted.”
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