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Turkish Press Review, 04-04-19Turkish 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 morning19.04.2004FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN CALLS ON AKP DEPUTIES TO ACCEPT UN CYPRUS PLANDuring a gathering in the southern province of Antalya over the weekend, Prime Minister and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on his party’s deputies to accept the UN Cyprus plan when it faces Parliament. “I realize some deputies are dissatisfied with the plan,” said the premier. “But still I want everybody to vote for it.” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who was also present at the meeting, briefed deputies on the Cyprus issue. State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and State Minister Kursat Tuzmen also briefed the deputies on recent economic developments. /Cumhuriyet/[02] TURKEY CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF RANTISIThe Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday condemned Israel’s assassination of Palestinian Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi, just one month after the group’s previous leader, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, shared the same fate. “It is very clear that Israel’s pursuing assassinations will not help maintain its security,” said a Foreign Ministry statement. “Such actions instead exacerbate the region’s volatile atmosphere and damage efforts for peace.” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also personally condemned the assassination as an unlawful killing. “This is an assassination, and states can’t be involved in assassinations,” added Gul. “This only leads the region into dead ends and makes the peace process even more difficult.” /Star/[03] GUL: “EU LEADERS HAVE PLEDGED NOT TO PENALIZE THE TURKISH SIDE IF THE GREEKS REJECT THE CYPRUS PLAN”After attending meetings of his counterparts from European Union member and candidate countries in Tullamore, Ireland, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday returned to Turkey. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that in addition to Iraq, the Middle East and Kosovo, the Cyprus issue had also been discussed during the meetings. “We talked about all possible contingencies of the results of the April 24 referendums,” said Gul. “If the Greek side rejects the United Nations Cyprus plan, the EU leaders seemed to favor not penalizing the Turkish side.” He added that in such a scenario, the Turkish side would urge Europe to lift the economic embargo and restrictions from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Turkiye/[04] DENKTAS CAMPAIGNS AGAINST UN PLAN IN KARPAZTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday campaigned against the UN Cyprus plan in villages in Karpaz, the TRNC’s northeast “panhandle” peninsula. Pleading for Ankara not to “forsake” Cyprus, Denktas warned, “This plan would doom Turkish Cypriots.” /Hurriyet/[05] THOUSANDS OF TURKS RALLY AGAINST UN PLAN IN ANKARAThousands of Turks yesterday gathered in Sihhiye Square in Ankara to demonstrate against the UN Cyprus plan. The demonstration was organized by several minority opposition parties including the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), the True Path Party (DYP) and the Democratic Left Party (DSP), along with Istanbul University, Mustafa Kemal University, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others. /Milliyet/[06] GREEK FM: “EVEN IF GREEK CYPRUS REJECTS THE UN CYPRUS PLAN, THERE’S NO WAY THE EU CAN RECOGNIZE THE TRNC”Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis said yesterday that even if Greek Cypriots reject the UN Cyprus plan in a referendum scheduled for this Saturday, April 24, there was still no way that European Union member states could recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Moliviatis rejected the frequent assertion that the UN plan is the last opportunity to reach a resolution on the island, saying that if the plan is not accepted, there would be other opportunities later for a resolution, the scheduled May 1 European Union accession of Greek Cyprus notwithstanding. In related news, Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that he had no guilt over urging his fellow countrymen to reject the UN plan. /Aksam/[07] TALAT: “IF GREEK CYPRIOTS REJECT THE UN PLAN, THEY SHOULD PAY THE PRICE”Greek Cypriots should pay the price if they reject the United Nations Cyprus plan in April 24 referendums, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday. Speaking to a post- seminar banquet organized jointly by the Association of TRNC Businessmen and the Turkish Businessmen’s and Industrialists’ Association (TUSIAD) in Lefkosa, Talat said that he would prefer that a settlement for the island be reached through approval of the plan by both sides in referendums set for this Saturday, April 24. “However, if the Greek side rejects it, then they should pay the price for this,” said the premier. “They can’t hold us prisoner. Certain sanctions should be imposed on them.” In related news, Talat yesterday arrived in Istanbul. He is expected to address a meeting of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) in Ankara today. In addition, TRNC Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas is set to deliver a speech to the same gathering. /Turkiye/ [08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[09] WE’RE NO STRANGERS TO EUROPE BY SEMIH IDIZ (AKSAM)Columnist Semih Idiz gives impressions of his visit to Ireland accompanying Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. A summary of his column is as follows:“I spent last Friday and Saturday with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ireland, which holds the current EU presidency. This was no ordinary trip, because I spent 10 years of my life in Dublin. My professional career started there, I attended university there, met my wife there, and my child was born there. The most striking thing I remember from those years is the lack of prejudice from the Irish people against Turks. GAMA CEO Hakan Karaalioglu thinks it’s because the two nations have had little contact through the centuries. While this is true, the effect of certain historical intersections can’t be discounted. For example, during the devastating Potato Famine (Great Hunger) of 1845-50, which saw Ireland’s population fall from eight million to three, the Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecit sent three shipfulls of food relief, and this aid has never been forgotten. The coastal town of Drogheda, where these ships docked, still bears a crescent on its city emblem. It’s the expression of their gratitude to the Turks. The second example is Canakkale. Those who visit ‘British’ graveyards on the Gallipoli Peninsula can see from their names that most of the soldiers interred there are actually Irish. European Parliament President Pat Cox visited Gallipoli as well because his grandfather fought in this bloody war too. A very old Irish person once told me once that during World War I, Britain’s Irish soldiers went from Canakkale to the Iraqi and Palestinian fronts. When they were fighting there against Turks, other soldiers back home revolted for Irish independence in 1916. However, this initiative was suppressed by Britain, and Irish nationalists leaders were executed. When this news reached the front, many Irish soldiers crossed over to the Turkish side. There are other interesting incidents along these lines. I can’t share them all here, but I would like to point out that those who believe all of Europe is arrayed against us are mistaken, as these incidents show. Meanwhile, as far as I can tell from our diplomats, Gul’s meetings with his counterparts from the European Union went off without a hitch. Turkey’s honest and constructive stance on Cyprus changed the atmosphere completely. In sum, contrary to certain claims in both Europe and Turkey, we’re no strangers to Europe.” [10] CYPRUS SCENARIOS: ODDS AND CONSEQUENCES BY ISMET BERKAN (RADIKAL)Columnist Ismet Berkan writes on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“I’m sure that you’re very bored of reading columns about the Cyprus issue but now we’ve entered the final week, probably the most important one in the island’s history. The results of the referendums slated for Saturday will determine the future of the island’s people, which is why I’d like to talk about possible scenarios for the vote: 1. Yes from both sides: I think this would the best outcome. In this case, the United Nations would immediately announce the results. The parliaments of Turkey, Greece and Britain would then approve the guarantor agreements plus the plan itself. I think the possibility of such an optimistic outcome is about 30%. 2. No from both sides: This, by contrast, would be the worst outcome. In this case, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan would declare all documents pertaining to the plan ‘null and void.’ The Greek Cypriots would join the ranks of the European Union anyway, a development making the northern part a strange EU territory where Union law does not apply. The embargos on the northern part won’t be lifted, leaving the Turkish Cypriots still completely isolated from world markets. I think the possibility of this scenario is about 10%. 3. Turks No, Greeks Yes: This is another unwelcome outcome. The consequences would differ little from those spelled out above. Moreover, international pressure on the Turkish side would be stepped up due to the stubbornness shown in the Turks’ rejection. The possibility is of this is a mere 5%. 4. Turks Yes, Greeks No: If the Turkish Cypriots embrace the Annan plan, the EU will face serious problems. However, the legal situation will remain the same. While the Greek Cypriots are accepted into the EU, the Turkish Cypriots will be left alone. If this happens, the embargos on Turkish Cyprus will either be softened or lifted. However, we don’t know how this can be done since they were imposed through court rulings. Whether states even have the authority to lift them is a complex matter. Nevertheless, this scenario will damage the international prestige of the Greek side, which is why I think under such circumstances the EU is very likely to request new referendums on the island.” 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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