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Turkish Press Review, 03-07-23Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: 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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning23.07.2003FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… CLASH OF THE HAWKS BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN HAILS POSITIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTSSpeaking at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed a number of positive economic indicators seen in recent weeks, adding that he saw no problem in reaching this year’s 6.5% primary surplus target. He continued, however, that interest rates were still too high and were holding back economic growth. Erdogan stated that the nation needed new resources and that towards this end, the government was determined to legalize the sale of former public forestland, even if a public referendum is needed to do so. A re-introduced constitutional amendment allowing such sales was recently withdrawn by the government after having been vetoed, making a referendum on the issue more likely. /Sabah/[02] GUL TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE IRAQ TROOP DEPLOYMENT DURING WASHINGTON VISITForeign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday left for Washington, DC to pay a four-day visit at the invitation of his US counterpart Colin Powell. Before his departure from Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Gul told reporters that his visit would be the first high-level visit under the present government. Gul added that during their visit to Ankara last week, high-level US military officials had requested that Turkey send troops to Iraq. Stating that this matter would be clarified during his visit and the final decision made within the framework of the Constitution along with the UN, NATO as well as regional and allied relations, Gul said, “We are trying to serve Turkey’s interests.” In addition to Secretary of State Powell, the foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice during his visit. /All Papers/[03] CABINET TO HOLD SPECIAL MEETING IN ERZURUMThe Cabinet is set today to convene in the eastern Anatolia city of Erzurum to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the Erzurum Congress, a precursor to Turkey’s Ankara Parliament founded four years later. All the Cabinet ministers, excepting Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul who is currently visiting the US, are expected to attend the special meeting. /Turkiye/[04] BAYKAL: “PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL IS NEEDED TO SEND OUR TROOPS TO IRAQ”Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that Turkey could only send troops to Iraq with the express approval of Parliament. “If the government sends our troops into Iraq without obtaining such approval, then it could never justýfy such a policy to the nation,” stated Baykal. /Aksam/[05] DEPARTING AMBASSADOR PEARSON VISITS BABACAN, LAUDS TURKEY’S ECONOMIC PERFORMANCEUS Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson, whose tenure in Ankara is fast drawing to a close, yesterday visited State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan. During their talks, Pearson praised Babacan for the successful completion of discussions for the fifth review of the nation’s International Monetary Fund-supported economic program. “But providing jobs for the nation is even more important,” he added. Speaking afterwards, Pearson said that Turkey’s economy was greatly improved as compared to three years ago, when he began serving in Ankara. “It is vital that Turkey complete its privatization process as soon as possible,” urged the ambassador. For his part, Babacan said that the Iraq war had raised certain sensitivities in Turkish-US relations, adding that economic ties between the two countries should be strengthened. /Milliyet/[06] KILINC: “THE NATION NEEDS THE NSC NOW AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO”Turkey needs the National Security Council (NSC) now and will continue to do so in the future, said NSC Secretary-General Tuncer Kilinc yesterday. Criticizing government plans to change the role or structure of the NSC in its upcoming seventh European Union harmonization package, Kilinc stated, “Every nation has its own distinctive needs, and the NSC was developed with the Turkish nation’s needs in mind.” /Aksam/[07] TURKMEN REPRESENTATIVE CABUK: “WE NEED TURKISH TROOPS IN IRAQ”Turkey sending troops to serve in Iraq’s stabilization force would be a welcome development, said an Iraqi Turkmen member of Iraq’s interim Governing Council yesterday. Omer Cabuk, the only Turkmen on the 25-member council, stated that he was closely following Turkish-US contacts concerning the possible troop deployment. Stressing that he wanted Iraq to become a free, democratic country, Cabuk said, “Security in the country has yet to be established. We need to get help from others.” He added, “Turkey is the primary country we’re looking to make contributions. If it sends troops, it means that Turkey recognizes the new Governing Council, something which would please me.” /Turkiye/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[09] CLASH OF THE HAWKS[10] BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli comments on the US administration’s views on the Turkish military. A summary of her column is as follows:“Public opinion here is focused on whether Turkey will send troops to Iraq as part of international stabilization force there. This issue will no doubt be high on the agenda of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s five-day visit to Washington, but it won’t be at the very top. Besides Turkish troop deployments, there is yet another issue the US administration is much more concerned about: The Supreme Military Council (YAS) meeting scheduled for this Friday. Those in Washington who keep a close eye on Turkey’s domestic politics keep asking this question: ‘What will happen at the YAS meeting?’ This question is quite important, as it covers the entire background of the ups and downs in Turkish-US relations since the onset of the Iraq war. In review: the criticisms of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, a leading hawk who accused the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) of ‘remaining silent’ during the debate over US troop deployments for Iraq; the detention of 11 Turkish soldiers in Sulaimaniya earlier this month; and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, one alleging ‘disturbing’ activities of Turkish personnel in northern Iraq – all these contributed to Washington’s question mark concerning our military. The more the Washington people talk, the move they reveal their views of the Turkish military. Apparently, Washington’s hawks are unhappy with a certain quarter within the TSK, a circle which they criticize for allegedly acting ‘suspicious’ towards Turkey’s relations with the West. Ironically, Washington’s hawks are unhappy with the TSK’s own ‘hawks.’ The Bush administration is putting the blame on this circle for our Parliament’s rejection of US troop deployments as well as out failure to fully comply with the EU’s Copenhagen criteria and the Cyprus deadlock, and so has branded it ‘the biggest obstacle’ to Turkey’s good relations with the West in general and the US in particular. That’s why the US administration is so curious about the YAS meeting, seeing it as an opportunity to assess the strength of the TSK’s ‘hawk wing’. During his Washington visit, Gul is very likely to face questions about the YAS, and his answers will probably top the agenda of his contacts.” ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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