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Turkish Press Review, 04-05-26Turkish 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 morning26.05.2004PARLIAMENT DEBATES VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EAST ARINC SEEKS MOROCCO’S SUPPORT FOR ANKARA’S OIC CHAIR CANDIDATE ERDOGAN TOUTS GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS, URGES MEDIA TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN COVERING NATO SUMMIT ERDOGAN REBUKES ISRAEL OVER VIOLENCE ERDOGAN TO ATTEND NEXT MONTH’S G-8 SUMMIT IN THE US BAYKAL CRITICIZES GOV’T OVER RISING DEBT RTUK HEAD: “THERE IS NO OBSTACLE TO BROADCASTS IN MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES” BRITAIN’S PRINCE ANDREW, DUTCH ECONOMY MINISTER BOTH LEND SUPPORT TO TURKEY’S EU BID TRNC TO BE REPRESENTED ON EUROPEAN COUNCIL SERDAR DENKTAS: “THE DP WON’T BE PART OF ANY ARTIFICIAL COALITION” GOVERNMENT AIMS FOR NEW PENAL CODE NEW MONTH NAVAL COMMANDER ORNEK MEETS WITH GERMAN ADMIRAL FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... THE WAY OUT... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET) DOES TURKEY HAVE AN IRAQ POLICY? BY CENGIZ CANDAR (TERCUMAN)CONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT DEBATES VIOLENCE IN MIDDLE EASTDuring its session yesterday, Parliament debated the recent violence in Iraq and the Middle East. Though deputies harshly criticized coalition forces’ torture of Iraqi prisoners and Israel’s recent attacks on Palestinians, an Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) proposal for a declaration denouncing the incidents was not approved. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul called on coalition forces in Iraq to keep their promises, while CHP Deputy Onur Oymen urged the government to take a firmer stance on the matter. /Hurriyet/[02] ARINC SEEKS MOROCCO’S SUPPORT FOR ANKARA’S OIC CHAIR CANDIDATEParliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, who is currently paying an official visit to Morocco, yesterday met with Moroccan Premier Driss Jettou. During their meeting, the two leaders resolved to strengthen bilateral relations. Arinc asked the Moroccan premier to lend his support to Professor Ekmelettin Ihsanoglu, Turkey’s candidate for chairmanship of the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC). Arinc then met with a group of Turkish businessmen living in Morocco. /Turkiye/[03] ERDOGAN TOUTS GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS, URGES MEDIA TO BE RESPONSIBLE IN COVERING NATO SUMMITSpeaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister and ruling Justice and Development Pary (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan touted positive domestic economic news, adding that any efforts to hinder such positive developments were in vain. “This good news is being felt across the board,” he said. Touching on certain media reports alleging insufficient security preparations for next month’s NATO summit in Istanbul, Erdogan urged the media to be responsible in the runup to the summit. “Turkey is a safe country,” said Erdogan. “I don’t know what these people are trying to do with such reports.” Erdogan added that the Turkish Consulate in Palestine would soon be upgraded to a full embassy, adding that Vehbi Dincerler would be appointed special representative to Palestine. /Hurriyet/[04] ERDOGAN REBUKES ISRAEL OVER VIOLENCEPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday received Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Joseph Paritzky. During their meeting, Erdogan reportedly said that he was deeply concerned with the recent violence in the Middle East. “I regret these developments so deeply not because I’m a Muslim, but because I’m a human being, a premier and a father,” Erdogan is reported to have said. “No government should decide to carry out assassinations. We want to warn you about this violence, as we don’t want to break off our relations with Israel.” When the Israeli official asked how Turkey might help mend the peace process, Erdogan stated that he might travel to the region after Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s visit if certain conditions are fulfilled. /Hurriyet/[05] ERDOGAN TO ATTEND NEXT MONTH’S G-8 SUMMIT IN THE US1. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to travel to London tomorrow to pay an official visit, following up on British Premier Tony Blair’s visit to Ankara just last week. In related news, Erdogan is also due to travel to the United States on June 8 to attend the G-8 summit on Sea Island, Georgia. During the summit, the US’ Greater Middle East Initiative is expected to be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/[06] BAYKAL CRITICIZES GOV’T OVER RISING DEBTOpposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s economic policies. Addressing his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Baykal said that over the last 18 months Turkey’s domestic debt had ballooned from $140 billion to $220 billion. Stressing that unemployment was also rising, Baykal charged that though Turkey has been implementing International Monetary Funds (IMF) policies for five years, satisfactory results had yet to be seen. /Sabah/[07] RTUK HEAD: “THERE IS NO OBSTACLE TO BROADCASTS IN MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES”Speaking to a group of Turkish businessmen yesterday, Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) Chairman Fatih Karaca said that there was no obstacle to broadcasting in mother tongue languages, adding that state broadcaster TRT’s infrastructure was suitable for this task. Karaca added that TRT officials had told the board that it was ready to broadcast in such languages and would begin soon after the TRT Board of Directors weighs in on the issue. /Aksam/[08] BRITAIN’S PRINCE ANDREW, DUTCH ECONOMY MINISTER BOTH LEND SUPPORT TO TURKEY’S EU BIDBritain’s Prince Andrew, who is currently in Ankara for an official visit, was received yesterday by President Ahmet Necdet, State Minister for the Economy Kursat Tuzmen, and Energy and Natural Sources Minister Hilmi Guler. Speaking after meeting with Tuzmen, Andrew stated that goal of his visit was to learn about Turkey’s business climate and to encourage more British investment. Touching on Ankara’s European Union membership bid, Andrew said that he hoped it would get a date from the EU this December to begin accession talks. In addition, Dutch Economy Minister Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, also in Ankara for a visit, reiterated his country’s continued support for Turkey’s EU bid. He further praised Turkey’s structural reforms, saying that they would ease Turkey’s getting a date from the EU. The Netherlands’ term EU presidency begins on July 1, and will last through December, when the Union is to decide whether to set a date for Turkey’s EU talks. /Cumhuriyet/[09] TRNC TO BE REPRESENTED ON EUROPEAN COUNCILThe European Council’s Local Administrations Congress Presidential Board decided yesterday to give one of its Greek Cypriot seats to a Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) representative. Sources stated that the decision was not welcomed by TRNC officials, as their representative can only work as part of the Greek Cypriot delegation. Previously, an effort to have TRNC parliamentarians attend the European Council Parliamentarians Assembly and to express their views was blocked by Greek Cyprus. /Turkiye/[10] SERDAR DENKTAS: “THE DP WON’T BE PART OF ANY ARTIFICIAL COALITION”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister and Democratic Party (DP) leader Serdar Denktas said yesterday that his party would not take part in any future coalition government set up through “artificial formations.” “If a government which cannot work harmoniously is established, then early elections will be unavoidable,” warned Denktas. /Turkiye/[11] GOVERNMENT AIMS FOR NEW PENAL CODE NEW MONTHSpeaking yesterday in Istanbul on a proposed new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Justice Minister Cemil Cicek spoke about recent work on the bill. Cicek said that after a final revision today by the Prime Ministry, the bill would be sent to Parliament. “We want to pass the bill in June,” said Cicek. Commenting on the abolition of State Security Courts (DGMs), the justice minister stated that the government had made new arrangement in line with European norms and that newly established courts would take over cases from the current DGMs. /Turkiye/[12] NAVAL COMMANDER ORNEK MEETS WITH GERMAN ADMIRALNaval Forces Commander Adm. Ozden Ornek yesterday received his German counterpart Vice Adm. Lutz Feldt to discuss a number of issues, including cooperation in the fight against terrorism and bilateral military ties. /Aksam/[13] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[14] THE WAY OUT... BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohem writes on the Iraq issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“On June 30, the coalition provisional authority will be replaced by a new interim Iraqi government billed as ‘sovereign.’ However, foreign involvement in the administration of the country will not have ceased on July 1, as huge numbers of troops and advisers will remain. The draft text presented by the US and Britain to the UN Security Council proposes a gradual transfer of sovereignty to the new interim government. In addition, six months after the transfer, general elections will be held to establish a Constitutive Assembly. Monday’s speech by US President George W. Bush did not mention how long the American troops are to stay in Iraq. This, as British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated, completely depends upon the security situation in the country. However, the coalition forces have pledged to work to transfer their security mission to the Iraqi army and police. Considering the current chaos, it’s easy to see that the foreign occupation of Iraq will be prolonged. The statements of Bush and Blair as well as the draft text they presented to the UN Security Council might be seen as positive steps aiming to help Iraq move to a normal political life. However, as both leaders underlined, the future is full of great dangers and unknowns. How will the government take over this coming sovereignty? Who will make it up? The Iraqi people are currently split up along racial, sectarian and ideological lines. Moreover, radical groups are actively fighting their country’s reconstruction in the West’s image. Under these circumstances, how will the Iraqi people react to their new government on July 1? The US has to find a way out of this chaos. Not only the Bush administration but also the international community, especially the UN, has a huge responsibility to seek a solution to these problems, which is why the draft text presented by the coalition forces to the UN Security Council is of great importance. If the coalition forces leave Iraq now, the country will likely plunge into even worse chaos. So the foreign troops can’t leave Iraq now. The best way out would be to extend the mission of foreign troops with the participation of the international community under UN mandate and also draw up an overall plan together with a timetable for the occupation.” [15] DOES TURKEY HAVE AN IRAQ POLICY? BY CENGIZ CANDAR (TERCUMAN)Columnist Cengiz Candar comments on Turkey’s Iraq policy and next month’s NATO summit in Istanbul. A summary of his column is as follows:“Everybody was waiting for US President George W. Bush’s speech to the US Army War College on Monday. According to US opinion polls, Bush’s domestic approval ratings have never been lower. While John Kerry, his rival and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, would get 47% of the vote in an election held today, only 41% of the American electorate approves of Bush’s performance in office. But of course no one can predict what will happen in November’s presidential elections. The Bush administration’s most pressing problem seems to be the Iraq issue. The economy, the hot potato of almost every US presidential election in recent memory, seems to have been supplanted by Iraq. Although recent reports show an upsurge in the US economy, Bush’s ratings continue to slide due to his performance in Iraq. Bush’s address on Monday was intended to beat back domestic and international criticism that his Iraq policy has no clothes. According to his speech: On July 30, authority will be handed over to a ‘fully sovereign’ Iraqi government. The coalition provisional authority (CPA) will cease to exist. The political responsibility for Iraq will thus belong to the Iraqi people as of July 1. 2. But just which Iraqi people will take over the authority? UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will announce the structure of the new interim government by this weekend. He will name a president, two secretaries of state, an ‘executive prime minister’ and 26 ministers. Among the major questions that spring to mind are which positions Kurdish groups will hold in the new government and who will get the ministries of foreign affairs, oil, defense and the interior. 3. An international security force should be formed under US command to establish security in the country. During next month’s NATO summit in Istanbul, certain circles are expected to try to persuade the alliance to put together such a force. However, due to France’s firm opposition, the chances of this happening are slim. Nevertheless, Bush stated that the US military mission in Iraq will last for at least one more year, implying that the occupation might end in 2006. A UN Security Council resolution is expected to be approved in the mid-June, drawing up a timetable to establish a Constitutive Assembly in Iraq no later than next January and to hold general elections in 2006 after organizing a referendum on the constitution at the end of 2005. These developments would mean the UN taking on greater responsibility in Iraq, paving the way for international legitimacy for the current occupation. It’s impossible to predict to what extent the practice on the ground will follow these plans. Although we can’t presume better developments in the short-run, at least we can hope Iraq will enter a new phase after June 30, which is expected to culminate with the establishment of a new regime. Such events will require new policies for changed circumstances. Iraq is a neighbor to Turkey, so we will be among those most affected by developments in the region. Failing to develop a sound and concrete stance other than criticizing the US is no real policy. No country, Turkey included, can design its future through discourses of protest. Besides, under the current circumstances, supporting the Iraqi resistance would only mean backing partisans of the old regime and even acts of terrorism. Mouthing once again a stance in favor of ‘the welfare of the Iraqi people’ or ‘Iraq’s territorial integrity’ cannot be regarded as a policy but only a heartfelt wish. Wishes and policies are not synonymous. In the runup to next month’s NATO summit, it’s high time for Turkey to prepare concrete plans for the future of Iraq and adopt a solid political stance. What would you say if someone asked you ‘What is Turkey’s Iraq policy?’ in such a critical period? At the moment, I’d have to answer, ‘I haven’t a clue’.” 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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