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Turkish Press Review, 02-04-10
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Foreign
Press Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
10.04.2002
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER VISITS MALATYA
[02] CEM, PAPANDREOU PLAN JOINT MIDEAST TRIP TO PUSH PEACE
[03] BAHCELI: “PROSPECTS FOR PEACE DIM WITHOUT CEASEFIRE”
[04] TURKISH ARMENIAN PATRIARCH: “MAY GOD HELP THE MIDDLE EAST”
[05] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[06] YILMAZ: “EU MEMBERSHIP WILL HELP TURKEY OVERCOME ITS PROBLEMS”
[07] EU URGES GREECE TO SETTLE ON ESDP
[08] TURKEY, GREECE TO DISCUSS AEGEAN ISSUES
[09] CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION APPROVES RTUK BILL
[10] HISARCIKLIOGLU: “EU DEVELOPMENT AID IS ALLOCATED UNEQUALLY”
[11] EX-DPT CHIEF CHOSEN TO HEAD EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
[12] ALGERIA HOSTS TURKISH PRODUCTS FAIR
[13] NEW LAW ENDS TREASURY GUARANTEES ON LOANS
[14] TURKISH PAINTERS SPOTLIGHTED IN AUCTION
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[16] CEM AND PAPANDREOU TO GO TOGETHER TO MIDDLE EAST
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[17] SADDAM CRITICIZES ECEVIT BY YALCIN DOGAN (CUMHURIYET)
[18] SADDAM’S INITATIVE BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
[01] SEZER VISITS MALATYA
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer arrived in the eastern Anatolia province of
Malatya yesterday. Speaking at a meeting with businessmen in the Malatya
Organized Industrial Region, Sezer called the province one of Turkey’s most
important, both economically and socially as well as culturally. Sezer
alluded to the economic crisis which began in Turkey last year, saying that
positive steps had been taken in overcoming the crisis. The president is
set to proceed to Elazig today. /Turkiye/
[02] CEM, PAPANDREOU PLAN JOINT MIDEAST TRIP TO PUSH PEACE
The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece yesterday agreed on a historic
joint initiative to help end the turmoil and bloodshed in the Middle East.
Following Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou’s visit to Egypt last
week, he phoned his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem to discuss the
deteriorating situation. Both men agreed that action was needed, and soon,
and so they resolved to work together. Cem and Papandreou then separately
made calls to Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian
officials proposing that the two men make a joint trip to the region.
Israel’s response to the proposal was generally positive. One firm
condition for the visit is that we must be able to meet with Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat, said Cem. Plans call for the joint trip to take place
following US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit later this week, but
no definite date has been set. /Hurriyet/
[03] BAHCELI: “PROSPECTS FOR PEACE DIM WITHOUT CEASEFIRE”
Speaking to his group meeting yesterday, Nationalist Action Party leader
(MHP) and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said that the hopes for
establishing peace in the Middle East were decreasing every day that a
ceasefire was not established. Bahceli also proposed that the United
Nations convene a conference to address the subject of “The Struggle
Against International Terrorism.” There are many Western countries which
support terrorism directly or indirectly, Bahceli added. /Star/
[04] TURKISH ARMENIAN PATRIARCH: “MAY GOD HELP THE MIDDLE EAST”
Speaking at the Armenian Church of Kumkapi in Istanbul yesterday, Turkish
Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II yesterday expressed his deep sorrow and regret
over the ongoing violence in the Middle East, adding that the two peoples
living in the Holy Land had been struggling for many years. The patriarch
said that he hoped that the bloodshed and violence would end as soon as
possible and that God would place love, tolerance and understanding in the
hearts of both sides. /Aksam/
[05] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen is scheduled to pay a one-day
official visit to Turkey tomorrow. Petersen is expected to be received by
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. He will discuss recent regional and
international developments with Turkish officials. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] YILMAZ: “EU MEMBERSHIP WILL HELP TURKEY OVERCOME ITS PROBLEMS”
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairman Mesut Yilmaz
yesterday spoke on recent developments concerning Turkey’s bid for European
Union membership at a panel entitled “The Impact of Turkey’s Full EU
Membership on the Turkish Economy and Business World” hosted by the Turkish
Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) in Ankara. Remarking
that EU membership for Turkey would greatly help the nation greatly in
overcoming its economic problems, Yilmaz said that accession negotiation
process should begin as soon as possible in order to attract more foreign
investment in Turkey. “Contrary to allegations from certain circles that
the EU is demanding that Turkey make concessions on its national interests,
I believe that our nation will grow more powerful both economically and
politically if it takes the steps to fulfill the EU criteria,” said Yilmaz.
“The ideals of freedom and security are not incompatible. The EU’s demands
shouldn’t be considered sacrifices or concessions.” At the same panel, EU
Term President Spain’s Ambassador to Ankara Manuel De La Camara stressed
the importance of the Copenhagen criteria, adding that the EU expected
Turkey to make further reforms to advance human rights and democratization.
/Cumhuriyet/
[07] EU URGES GREECE TO SETTLE ON ESDP
European Union’s Term President Spain has urged Greece to come to terms
with EU’s deal on the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), a deal
on which Greece is the only holdout. Spanish Defense Minister Trillo
Figuero said yesterday that Athens should bring itself around by the end of
Spain’s tenure at the rotating post, which ends on June 30. Speaking at a
press conference at the European Parliament, Figuero said that Ankara had
worked hard to help reach the London agreement and that now it was Athens’
turn. /Aksam/
[08] TURKEY, GREECE TO DISCUSS AEGEAN ISSUES
Turkey and Greece are to hold a joint meeting this week to discuss their
disputes in the Aegean region and to propose possible solutions. Turkish
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Greek Political Director
Anastasias Skopelitis will represent the two countries at the meeting in
Athens on Friday, as the second round of a series of talks which began last
month. Among the subjects to be discussed at the talks are territorial
waters of the two countries, the armament of eastern Aegean islands and the
issue of the continental shelf. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] CONSTITUTIONAL COMMISSION APPROVES RTUK BILL
A bill containing amendments to the Supreme Board of Radio and Television
(RTUK) Law which had been previously vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
was approved without changes yesterday by Parliament’s Constitutional
Commission. During debates on the bill, RTUK Chairman Nuri Kayis criticized
it as overly broad and ambiguous. “The bill says that the RTUK can ban a
broadcast if it causes ‘bad feelings’ among the public,” he said. “That
means that if a station reports on an inflation increases or unfavorable
exchange rates, or even on a possible earthquake in Istanbul, that could be
grounds for a temporary blackout.” The bill would also give the owners of
radio and television stations the right to enter state tenders. /Turkiye/
[10] HISARCIKLIOGLU: “EU DEVELOPMENT AID IS ALLOCATED UNEQUALLY”
One of Turkey’s top business leaders yesterday pushed the European Union to
give Turkey a more concrete accession timetable, while also charging that
the Union was not doing its fair share financially to move the process
along. Speaking at a panel on “The Impact of Turkey’s Full EU Membership on
the Turkish Economy and Business World” held in Ankara by the Turkish
Association of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB), TOBB Chairman
Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that the EU should give Turkey an accession
negotiations timetable by the year-end Copenhagen summit. At the same time,
he charged that the paltry amount of EU aid granted Turkey was making its
accession only more difficult. “On paper, Turkey’s membership in the
Customs Union should make things easier,” he stated. “But while the EU is
giving accession aid in Eastern and Central European countries of about 30
euros per capita, its proposed per capita aid to Turkey amounts to only 2.8
euros. Clearly this situation doesn’t represent a fair or equal approach to
the membership process.” /Cumhuriyet/
[11] EX-DPT CHIEF CHOSEN TO HEAD EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Orhan Guvenen, a former chairman of the State Planning Organization (DPT),
has been chosen as the new president of the European Development Bank, it
was announced yesterday. Guvenen’s candidacy for the post was supported by
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. /Hurriyet/
[12] ALGERIA HOSTS TURKISH PRODUCTS FAIR
The weeklong third annual Turkish Products Fair in Algeria came to a
successful close yesterday. At the fair some 125 Turkish companies
exhibited their wares, including auto parts and accessories, industrial
machinery and equipment, electronics, construction materials, food,
textiles and durable consumer goods. /Turkiye/
[13] NEW LAW ENDS TREASURY GUARANTEES ON LOANS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer signed into law on Monday a bill concerning
the government’s relationship with loans and debts. Under the legislation,
the Treasury will no longer automatically issue guarantees for loans taken
by public or private institutions from domestic or foreign sources, but
will instead do so only at its discretion. Government ministers responsible
for the Treasury will have the authority to issue such guarantees and to
accept donations, as well as to allow the use or allocation of foreign
financial resources, debt transfers or the taking on of additional
financial liabilities. /Turkiye/
[14] TURKISH PAINTERS SPOTLIGHTED IN AUCTION
Istanbul’s Hotel Ceylan InterContinental will host an art auction next week
centering on the theme “Natura Magistra Artis,” a Latin phrase meaning
“Nature, Art’s Master” or “Nature is the Greatest Artist.” Works by Turkish
painters as well as Eastern-themed work by Western artists will be for
sale. A preview exhibit of the works for sale begins tomorrow and will last
through next Monday, and the auction itself is scheduled for next Tuesday,
April 16. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[16] CEM AND PAPANDREOU TO GO TOGETHER TO MIDDLE EAST
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the joint initiative taken by the Greek and
Turkish foreign ministers to help the Middle East. A summary of his column
is as follows:
“The idea to travel to the Middle East together came from Greek Foreign
Minister Papandreou. On Saturday he asked Cem if the two countries could
not jointly launch a peace initiative to end the clashes between Israel and
Palestine. On the same day, Cem called his Israeli colleague Shimon Peres
and expressed that together with Papandreou they would like to visit the
region and meet with Yassar Arafat, who was under siege in Ramallah. Peres
was in favor of this visit, but he had to check the views of the wider
Israeli leadership. Yesterday Peres called Cem and expressed the approval
of his government. The Israeli foreign minister informed the Turkish
parliamentarians who were visiting Jerusalem of the new development.
Barring any last-minute obstacles, Cem and Papandreou will begin their
joint peace mission next week. This welcome event is quite significant, as
just a few days ago EU current Term President Spain’s Foreign Minister
Pique and EU Foreign Relations Commissioner Javier Solana proposed making a
similar visit, but their request was rejected. The approval of an
initiative launched by Cem and Papandreou is a success. As Cem has pointed
out, this initiative has a symbolic meaning. The two neighboring countries,
notwithstanding their longstanding disputes, recently have entered an era
of rapprochement. Now, they are going to act in unison in the Middle East.
This shows that these two countries have vital common interests in the
region. Both countries believe in working together on the issue. Some may
ask if Turkey could not have acted alone. Maybe the Greeks are asking
themselves the same question. However, the importance of the mission comes
from the partnership of these two states. The first aim of Cem and
Papandreou is to end all the hostilities on both sides. If there is a
ceasefire in advance of their visit and Israeli forces pull back, the
ground will be more fertile for further steps. Ankara hopes that such a
promising atmosphere will be created following the visit of US Secretary of
State Colin Powell. In that case, Cem and Papandreou will discuss how to
carry out the recent UN Security Council resolutions and the Tenet and
Mitchell plans both with Israel and Palestine. Arafat represents the
Palestinian side. Both for Turkey and Greece, Arafat is the legal leader of
Palestine. In his latest statement at the Knesset Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon lashed out at Arafat and said that he did not accept him as
his counterpart. However, the international community and even the US,
which does not trust him, both say that Arafat cannot be excluded from any
negotiations and that the restrictions over him must be lifted without
delay. No one expects miracles from the Cem-Papandreou mission. Turkish
diplomats are cautious about the results. However, the aim of Turkish
diplomacy is to initiate a concerted action and include the US, the EU, the
UN, Russia and the OIC into the process. If this is accomplished, the
mission will have achieved success.”
[17] SADDAM CRITICIZES ECEVIT BY YALCIN DOGAN (CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Yalcin Dogan writes on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s policies. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“The message Saddam sent to Prime Minister Ecevit last week demonstrated
that he was going to launch new initiatives at any time, and he warned
Turkey thusly. Even though the letter was written in a diplomatic style,
Saddam meant to say that the US planes taking off from the Incirlik Airbase
were striking Iraq. He indicated that he was not sure how informed the
prime minister was as to when they took off from Incirlik or where they
went. ‘You are defending the territorial integrity of Iraq, but first you
have to put a stop to the flights of the US planes.’ The words may not be
the same, but the message is. Saddam is criticizing Ecevit for cooperating
with the US. This is the view he has of Turkey. With regards to the world
at large, he is halting oil exports for a month. Saddam sees that the
circle around him is getting tighter. He is breaking his long silence by
cutting off oil exports. Stopping oil exports has nothing to do with the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Rather, it concerns Saddam himself. He is
trying to loosen the circle tightening around him by imposing the halt on
oil exports. However, he doesn’t seem to have received the support he
wanted, not even from the Arab world. In fact, during US Vice President
Cheney’s visit to the Middle East last month, none of the Arab countries
supported US intervention in Iraq. There they stood by Iraq. But now
regarding its decision on oil, the Arab countries have left Iraq standing
alone. However, the same Arabs may at some later point decide to support
him. The Arab world is evaluating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without
taking this prospective war in Iraq into consideration. They believe that
this is in fact a US operation aimed at dividing the Arabs. Therefore, it
will not be surprising if the Arabs support Saddam’s decision regarding
oil. That is to say, it may be an equation, as opposing Cheney means
supporting the oil decision. Halting oil exports will increase the oil
prices around the world by a few dollars. This brings some cost to Turkey
too, but what is important for Turkey is not the cost but the timing.
Turkey’s problems are expected to be solved within the coming three months.
The first optimistic indication of this expectation came with the recent
Treasury sales. Demand for the Treasury bonds exceeded expectations twofold,
and then the interest rate fell to a record low. The optimistic economic
picture is colored with a political injection, that of the joint visit by
Cem and Papandreou to Sharon and Arafat. However harshly Saddam may
criticize Ecevit, both the US and EU are assigning the Cem-Papandreou
twosome wih mediation. If it is successful, everyone will get some credit.
There is no failure, as Sharon is already withdrawing Israel’s forces. The
military operation is ending, and it is time for diplomacy.”
[18] SADDAM’S INITATIVE BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on Saddam’s decision to halt oil exports. A
summary of his column is as follows:
“After being humiliated by the US and President Bush, Iraqi dictator Saddam
Hussein made his move. He acted to halt oil exports until Israel vacates
the territories it has occupied over the last two weeks. Oil prices
increased by a dollar a barrel. If Libya and Iran follow suit in this
boycott, the price per barrel of oil could reach $30. President Bush, the
UN, the EU, and NATO have already called for Israel to pull back from the
Palestinian lands... When this evacuation begins, Saddam will brag in
Baghdad. He will say that he was the one who towed Israel to line, he was
the one who saved Palestine, he did what the monarchies in the Gulf, all US
satellites, did not dare, and took his revenge on Bush. When he makes these
claims, Washington will toughen its stance towards Iraq. At present US
Secretary of State Colin Powell is visiting the Middle East. He started his
visit in Morocco. He will meet with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, who had
presented a proposal for peace. From there he will proceed to other
countries. In fact he is taking the pulses of many other countries as well.
At the moment, the world’s focus is slipping from Palestine to Iraq.”
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