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Turkish Press Review, 04-08-24Turkish 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 morning24.08.2004RESHUFFLE RUMORS BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)CONTENTS
[01] NEWSWEEK: “ERDOGAN AND KARAMANLIS, EUROPE’S ODDEST COUPLE”They're Europe's “oddest couple”: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim with a background in political Islam, and his Greek counterpart Kostas Karamanlis, an Orthodox Christian from Greece's traditionally anti-Turkish right, writes Newsweek International correspondent Owen Matthews in the magazine’s current edition. “Yet despite their countries' age-old enmity, the pair have forged a surprising political and personal friendship,” says Matthews in the piece co-written with Sami Kohen, a columnist for Turkish daily Milliyet. “In July, Karamanlis was the chief witness at the lavish Istanbul wedding of Erdogan's daughter, Esra. This month Erdogan attended the opening of the Olympic Games in Athens as Karamanlis' honored guest, and there are rumors that Karamanlis will be making a return visit in September to stay at Erdogan's Black Sea summer house. ‘They joke around like Gorby and Reagan,’ says a Western diplomat who has witnessed the chemistry at first hand.” The piece also stresses Karamanlis’ support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid, arguing that the premiers’ friendship will be tested in the months to come as Turkey’s bid faces a watershed. /All Papers/[02] OZKOK: “ALL TURKISH SOLDIERS ARE NATIONALISTIC, PROGRESSIVE AND[03] RESPECTFUL OF SPIRITUAL VALUES”Members of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) are fully devoted to the nationalism of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, declared Chief of General Staff Hilmi Ozkok yesterday. Ozkok made the remarks in a speech at the General Staff Headquarters, during a medal ceremony attended by Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and many high-ranking officers. “Soldiers are obliged to adopt the same philosophical stance, just as they wear the same uniforms,” said Gen. Ozkok. “No TSK member can adopt an attitude other than Ataturk’s nationalism, and our soldiers cannot be rightists or leftists or from any other political faction. No one can monopolize progressiveness or nationalism or religious values. All TSK soldiers are nationalistic, progressive and respectful of religious values.” /Hurriyet/[04] NSC TO CONVENE TOMORROWThe National Security Council (NSC) is due to convene tomorrow to discuss recent developments both at home and abroad. The meeting will be chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Land Forces Commander Gen. For Aytac Yalman and NSC Secretary-General Sukru Sariisik, whose posts are due to end next week, this will be their final NSC meeting. /Cumhuriyet/[05] AKP SEEKS EXTRAORDINARY SESSION TO CONSIDER PENAL CODE AMENDMENTSThe ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday decided to seek an extraordinary session of Parliament on Sept. 15 in order to debate a bill containing amendments to the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The AKP’s Central Executive Council yesterday discussed Parliament’s agenda as well as recent domestic and foreign developments. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the meeting where the ruling party unanimously agreed to seek the extraordinary session. The president, Cabinet and Parliament speaker have the power to formally call such a session. /Sabah/[06] BDDK HOLDS SYMPOSIUM ON NEW BANKING LAWThe Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) yesterday held a symposium in Ankara to discuss the details of a new Banking Law. Answering reporters’ questions at the event, State Minister Abdullatif Sener called banking one of the economy’s most crucial sectors. Sener stressed that he expected all relevant parties to offer their views on the draft so as to help the government prepare a more efficient and effective law. For his part, BDDK head Tevfik Bilgin said that the body was currently preparing additional measures to regulate the credit card market. /Star/[07] PAPADOPOULOS: “WE WON’T BLOCK THE EU FROM SETTING A DATE FOR TURKEY’S TALKS”Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that Greek Cyprus wouldn’t block a possible decision by its fellow European Union members this December to give Turkey a date to begin its accession talks. “We don’t want to veto Turkey’s EU membership,” said Papadopoulos, adding however that Ankara should exert more efforts to reach a resolution on the island. He added that Turkey’s EU membership would be a step forward towards ending the 30-year division of the island. /Milliyet/[08] CYPRUS GREEN LINE REGULATIONS COME INTO FORCEGreen Line regulation prepared by the European Commission concerning the flow of goods from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) into Greek Cyprus yesterday came into force after being published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Under the regulations, the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce, as authorized by the EU, is due to begin today giving necessary certificates of origin. In accordance with the regulations, goods to be sent to the Greek Cypriot side or to other countries via Greek Cyprus must have been completely produced in the TRNC. Exports of livestock, animal products and animal feed are forbidden. Those wishing to export goods to the Greek Cypriot side or to a third country via Greek Cyprus must obtain certificates of origin from the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce. In related news, TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said that Greek Cypriots, despite the regulations, weren’t yet ready to buy Turkish Cypriot goods. /Turkiye/[09] PUTIN DUE IN TURKEY NEXT WEEKRussian President Vladimir Putin is due to arrive in Turkey on next Thursday, Sept. 2 for an official visit. He will be the first Russian president to visit Turkey in three decades. During his stay, Putin will meet separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul to discuss bilateral relations, regional and international issues, opportunities for cooperation between the two countries, and energy ýssues. The Turkish officials will also seek Putin’s support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. /Turkiye/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS[11] RESHUFFLE RUMORS BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on the Parliament’s new legislative term. A summary of his column is as follows:“Various rumors are making the rounds of the capital, including ones of a Cabinet reshuffle. A new Parliament speaker and commission chairmen will be elected and people are also saying that a reshuffle will displace seven or eight ministers. I wrote previously that only three ministers would be left out in the cold. A major reshuffle doesn’t seem to be in the cards for now. The change would not come before the New Year, and if it happens, three ministers would be dismissed and two would change seats. I don’t think there will be unexpected changes. Reshuffle rumors first started when Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took over the Cabinet from now Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. People predicted that Erdogan would establish his own Cabinet, but in fact he only replaced two ministers and switched two others. These reports were also discussed before the local elections this March. Some ministers have even worked harder out of fear of losing their posts. Thus, the ministers were doing their jobs better. As for today, the rumors favor Erdogan. The ministers’ performances are getting better. On the other hand, deputies hoping to become ministers are coming up with new projects and trying to get into the leadership’s good graces. There is also the issue of balances within the party. A fundamental change would shake up the ruling party and Erdogan wouldn’t allow this to happen, but one day a change in balances will be needed, and leadership will be seen then.” 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 |