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Turkish Press Review, 04-01-05Turkish 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 morning05.01.2004FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] SYRIAN PRESIDENT DUE TO VISIT TURKEYSyrian President Bashar al-Assad is set to arrive in Ankara tomorrow to pay an official visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During Assad’s visit, recent developments in northern Iraq as well as the fight against terrorism are expected to be taken up. In addition, Turkey’s offer to mediate between Israel and Syria to settle the issues dividing them is also to be discussed. Assad’s visit will be the first ever from a Syrian president to Turkey. /All Papers/[02] ERDOGAN: “WE’RE WORKING TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT”Speaking yesterday in Istanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that 2003 had been a challenging year, but despite that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government had accomplished a great deal. Stressing that this spring the AKP was set to compete in local elections for the first time, Erdogan stated that local administrations and the government would work together to invest in the nation. Pointing to recent historic low inflation figures, Erdogan called these one of his government’s most important successes. He added that the government was working to reduce unemployment through creating jobs in the construction sector. /All Papers/[03] GUL: “WE WANT DENKTAS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE GREEK CYPRIOTS TOWARDS A CYPRUS RESOLUTION”Appearing on television yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Ankara deserved to begin accession talks with the European Union, adding that if Turkey didn’t get a date for these talks it would stay on its course. “If we can’t get a date, that won’t be the end of the world,” said Gul. He also stated that even through Turkey’s relations with Russia and Iran were important and would be developed, these countries couldn’t be an alternative to joining the EU. Touching on the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) stance on Turkey’s EU bid, Gul said that the TSK’s approach was realistic and that it supported the accession reforms. The foreign minister further pledged that the government would fulfill the Copenhagen political criteria by the EU summit scheduled for December and also would do its best to help reach a resolution on the Cyprus issue, adding however that the Greek Cypriots should also work for this. Gul stated that Ankara wanted Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas to negotiate with the Greek Cypriot administration to reach a resolution on the island. “We hope a government will be formed in the TRNC as soon as possible” in the wake of last month’s elections, said Gul. The TRNC’s Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat is currently negotiating with national Unity Party (UBP) leader Devis Eroglu to form a government. /Cumhuriyet/[04] BRITISH AMBASSADOR WESTMACOTT: “IF A CYPRUS RESOLUTION ISN’T REACHED BY MAY, THIS WILL COMPLICATE THINGS”Peter Westmacott, Britain’s ambassador to Ankara, said yesterday that the wave of recent terrorist attacks late last year in Istanbul had only strengthened the international community’s resolve to fight terrorism. Touching on the Cyprus issue, Westmacott said that if a resolution could not be reached on the island by May, when Greek Cyprus is set to join the European Union, then this would make things much more difficult. “A resolution on the island would also help Turkey’s own EU bid,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/[05] BABACAN: “THE CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT WILL NOT THREATEN OUR ECONOMY”State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that Turkey’s current acount deficit for the preceding year was expected to reach $7.7 billion, adding that this wouldn’t pose any problem for the economy. Babacan added that raising taxes would help to achieve this year’s 6.5% primary surplus target. /Aksam/[06] SCHROEDER: “WE CAN’T REJECT TURKEY”We can’t reject Turkey’s bid for European Union membership, said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in an interview with a leading German news magazine. “Since 1963, Europe has promised Turkey to give it full membership in the EU,” Schroeder told Der Spiegel. “It is clear that Turkey’s current Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to create a society that synthesizes Islam and Western values. If this happens, it will be an important contribution to strengthening Europe’s security,” he added. /Hurriyet/[07] SHP MAYORAL BID GETS YOUNG PARTY SUPPORTThe Young Party (GP) declared its support this weekend for another party’s candidate in Ankara mayoral elections set for this spring, namely Social Democrat People’s Party (SHP) leader Murat Karayalcin. The GP said it was ready to extend such support in other regions as well. “I know the GP supports me,” said Karayalcin. The GP barely missed the threshold for entering Parliament in the fall 2002 general elections, but since then the family identified most with the party, the Uzans, has been dogged by a web of legal problems and accusations of wrongdoing. /Sabah/[08] YTP’S CEM SEEKS SUPPORT FROM LEFTThis weekend New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem sought the support of two fellow leftist parties, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Social Democrat People’s Party (SHP), in local elections set for this spring. The YTP’s candidate for Istanbul mayor is Ercan Karatas. Cem wrote a letter to his SHP and CHP counterparts pledging that the YP would support their candidates in other regions in return. /Sabah/[09] FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY TO TRAVEL TO SYRIAForeign Trade Undersecretary Tuncer Kayalar is set to travel to Damascus, Syria today to attend the opening of the four-day “Second Machine and Machine Equipment Fair.” Some 150 Turkish firms will display their products on a 5,000-square-meter area at the fair. /Turkiye/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[11] IRAQI TURKMEN TO BE TRAINED BY EGYPTBY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Columnist Fikret Bila writes on the rebuilding of Iraq’s security forces. A summary of his column is as follows:“Turkmen and Arabs have grown closer in the wake of the Kurds’ recent attempts to establish an ethnic-based federation in Iraq. The two ethnic groups have assumed a common stance, with both arguing that Kirkuk is an Iraqi city after the Kurdish groups revealed their ambition to include the oil-rich city within their territories.The Turkmen are waiting for the support of the Arab world. Last week Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) head Faruk Abdullah held a series of meetings with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Musa and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmet Mahir. Sources say that Musa and Mahir’s stances were a relief to the ITF, and can be summarized as follows: ‘Iraq’s territorial integrity will be protected. We can’t allow one group to dominate another. Kirkuk is an Iraqi city. It can’t be left to the domination of one ethnic group. Egypt will do its utmost to protect both Iraq’s territorial integrity and the rights of every ethnic group in the country.’ The Turkmen were highly satisfied with the Egyptian politicians’ warm reception. Meanwhile, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari had met with Egyptian and Arab officials a few days before the Turkmen. Zebari requested assistance from Egyptian officials to form a new Iraqi army. As a matter of fact, both Jordan and Egyptian signed agreements with Washington to provide the Iraqis with training assistance in forming their new army and police force. Jordan has already begun training Iraqis. However, only the Arabs and Kurds have been sent to the training, which is why the ITF requested that Egypt train the Turkmen groups as well. Mahir accepted, and Egypt is currently preparing to train the Turkmen. But what is Turkey doing on this issue? Why isn’t Turkey training these people instead of Egypt and Jordan? It had previously been announced that Turkey would take an active role in rebuilding Iraq’s security forces. Does this statement still hold? ‘Turkey is now out of the picture,’ said the ITF’s Ahmed Muratli. ‘The US signed training agreements with Jordan and Egypt, not Turkey. All we want to do is to benefit from this opportunity to train ourselves.’ There’s no doubt that Turkey is one of the countries which could provide top-notch training to these people. However, Washington doesn’t want us to get involved in this business, and the same goes for the Kurdish leaders Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani. The Turkmen are striving to take advantage of this opportunity, and their hopes are depending on Egypt and Jordan.” [12] WASHINGTON ACTIVE ON CYPRUSBY SEMIH IDIZ (AKSAM)Columnist Semih Idiz comments on a letter sent recently by US President George W. Bush to Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. A summary of his column is as follows:“US President George W. Bush’s Dec. 26 letter to Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis has mostly ignored in Turkey as if it were not an important development. However, the Greek Cypriots raised hell about it and think that Bush should be scolded. When Washington was sending this letter, it was a message to Turkey as well. It aimed to put lie to the expression, ‘We shouldn’t always put pressure on the Turkish Cypriots, sometimes one must press the other side as well.’ Interestingly, following last month’s elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), not the European Union, but rather Washington became active. The day after the polls, the US sent its Special Coordinator for Cyprus Tom Weston to the island to show it wanted its presence felt on this issue. Of course this is bad news for ‘Denktas’s camp.’ Bush’s letter throws water on the Turkish Cypriots who always says ‘no’ because it shows that pressure won’t be put on the parties in Cyprus, but on Greece and Turkey. It also shows that TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos will be put on the back burner because Washington thinks that the Cypriots lack the will to solve the issue themselves. The game played by Denktas and his son in northern Cyprus to block the formation of a functional government is becoming clearer and clearer. The Greek Cypriots have also shown their insincerity. Papadopoulos has said, ‘If the Turkish side agrees to discuss Annan’s plan, I would go back to the table,’ but on the other side he also said, ‘I wouldn’t sign onto Annan’s plan.’ At this point, the Bush administration recognized that direct pressure on the sides on the island would yield nothing and also noted Erdogan government’s proactive stance for a solution. With his letter to Simitis, Bush wants to encourage Ankara before Erdogan’s visit to Washington this month and also wants Athens to discipline the Greek Cypriots into a solution. The worst development for Denktas’s camp would be the EU’s starting to put pressure on the Greek Cypriots.” 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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