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Turkish Press Review, 07-06-19
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
19.06.2007
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER’S VETO DERAILS PLANS FOR JULY REFERENDUM
[02] CABINET CONVENES
[03] ANKARA HOSTS OICC SUMMIT
[04] TURKISH OFFICIALS CRITICIZE HUDSON MEETING
[05] IRAQI PM: “WE’LL BAN ALL PKK ACTIVITIES”
[06] RICE MEETS WITH ZEBARI, DISCUSSES PKK
[07] BAYKAL: “NORTHERN IRAQ POSES A THREAT TO TURKEY WHICH WE NEED TO HALT”
[08] TOBB HEAD: “THE MEETING OF INTL CHAMBERS WILL BRING TOGETHER BUSINESSMEN DIRECTING THE WORLD ECONOMY”
[09] DP PROMOTES ITS PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[11] THE LEFT’S NEW HOPE: BASKIN ORAN!
[01] SEZER’S VETO DERAILS PLANS FOR JULY REFERENDUM
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday vetoed a law cutting the waiting
period for holding a referendum from the current 120 days to 45, a move
that blocks the government’s intention to hold a referendum simultaneous
with next month’s general elections. In a statement accompanying his veto,
Sezer said that 12 months must pass between the approval of changes to the
election system and their enactment, adding that the public needs time to
fully digest and discuss such sweeping changes to the system. Sezer also
underlined that it is still unclear whether the constitutional amendment
package will be approved. /Milliyet/
[02] CABINET CONVENES
The Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
convened yesterday. Following the three-hour gathering, State Minister
Abdullatif Sener commented on the president’s vetoing a measure to cut
the waiting time for referenda, telling reporters that the move was normal
under the principles of the rule of law. /Turkiye/
[03] ANKARA HOSTS OICC SUMMIT
The 11th General Assembly Meeting of the Organization for the Islamic
Capitals and Cities (OICC) was held in Ankara yesterday. Speaking at the
gathering, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the violence and
wars seen in the world today threaten humanity’s very future. Decrying
the growing gulf between the rich and the poor, Erdogan said that the
existence of civilization should be determined by the presence of human
values and virtues, not high-rise buildings. The Turkish premier also
called on Islamic leaders to cooperate in all areas. Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul also addressed mayors from 54 Islamic countries at the
meeting. /Turkiye/
[04] TURKISH OFFICIALS CRITICIZE HUDSON MEETING
Imagined scenarios for Turkey recently discussed by a right-wing US think
tank were “foolish,” said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
yesterday. “Don’t bother with these absolutely foolish things,” said
Erdogan. Washington-based conservative think tank the Hudson Institute held
a workshop last week to discuss recent developments in Turkey and speculate
on what would happen if Tulay Tugcu, former head of the Constitutional
Court, were assassinated and the Turkish military launched a cross-border
operation into northern Iraq. Press reports claimed that two Turkish Armed
Forces (TSK) officers were present at the meeting. In a press conference
yesterday, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc urged the General Staff to make
a statement about the meeting and what was discussed there. In addition,
Tugcu, saying that she had devoted her life to the law, called on any Turks
who took part in the meeting to explain themselves. /Hurriyet/
[05] IRAQI PM: “WE’LL BAN ALL PKK ACTIVITIES”
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki yesterday met with Turkey’s
ambassador to Baghdad Derya Kanbay to discuss the continued presence of the
terrorist PKK in northern Iraq. Kanbay delivered an invitation from Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for Maliki to visit Turkey. During the
meeting, Maliki said that he had taken into consideration Ankara’s
concerns on the issue, adding that he would ban all activities of the PKK.
/Aksam/
[06] RICE MEETS WITH ZEBARI, DISCUSSES PKK
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday met with Iraqi Foreign
Minister Hoshyar Zebari. During their meeting, Rice said that the work of
the tripartite mechanism between the US, Turkey, and Iraq to fight the
terrorist PKK should be stepped up. Speaking at a press conference
afterwards, Rice said that they had discussed the PKK during their meeting,
adding that they had especially discussed the importance of not allowing
Iraqi soil to be used to launch terrorist attacks against neighboring
countries, especially Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] BAYKAL: “NORTHERN IRAQ POSES A THREAT TO TURKEY WHICH WE NEED TO
HALT”
Appearing on television yesterday, main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that northern Iraq poses a threat to
the nation which Turkey needs to halt. “This is our right and we need to
do this,” he said. “Turkey needs to show its power. If we can show our
determination on this, we can prevent northern Iraq from continuing its
illegal stance.” Touching on the recently aborted presidential election,
Baykal said the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP)
mismanagement of the process had prevented the election of a new president.
He stressed that if his party comes to power in next month’s general
elections, he would consult all parties about the new presidential poll.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] TOBB HEAD: “THE MEETING OF INTL CHAMBERS WILL BRING TOGETHER
BUSINESSMEN DIRECTING THE WORLD ECONOMY”
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) head Rifat
Hisarciklioglu said yesterday that the fifth World Chambers Congress set to
be held on July 4-6 would bring together businessmen who direct both
Turkey’s and the world economy. Stressing that this congress was the only
international forum which brings together the world’s businessmen,
Hisarciklioglu added that leading Turkish businessmen would attend the
gathering. /Sabah/
[09] DP PROMOTES ITS PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES
The Democrat Party (DP) yesterday held a meeting to promote its candidates
for next month’s general elections. Addressing the gathering at the Lutfi
Kirdar Congress and Exhibition Hall, DP leader Mehmet Agar said that other
party leaders had vowed to fight Turkey’s terror problem but had produced
no solutions. “We can’t solve the terror problem through such vows
alone,” added Agar. /Star/
[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[11] THE LEFT’S NEW HOPE: BASKIN ORAN!
BY MAHMUT OVUR (SABAH)
Columnist Mahmut Ovur comments on Professor Baskin Oran’s independent
candidacy. A summary of his column is as follows:
“Obviously, the most interesting characteristic of the July 22 general
elections is that independent candidates seized the opportunity. Not only
Democratic Society Party (DTP) candidates, but also other independents have
this chance. One of these is Professor Baskin Oran, an independent
candidate from Istanbul’s second district. Last week he held a press
conference which mostly brought together old school leftist intellectuals.
What was being presented by those leftists to modern society? Mine Gultekin,
my ‘young guarde’ assistant, watched this press conference. Her
impressions are as follows:
Who will people who expect minority rights to be defended, ethnic
discrimination to be stopped, and equality, individual freedoms and human
rights to be defended end up voting for? A ‘superman’ has come to the
rescue: Baskin Oran, formerly a political science lecturer at Ankara
University. Just when he was about to go to his country house to write
books, Oran became a candidate with the support of people promoting
independent candidates on the left. Acclaimed author Yasar Kemal will also
vote for Oran! After the 1980 coup, Oran was dismissed from university
three times due to his views and then taken back in. Oran stands with those
who are suppressed and unjustly treated, and faced charges under Article
301, just like peace activist Hirat Dink, who was murdered earlier this
year. He is the left’s new hope. During the meeting kicking off his
campaign, the enthusiasm in the packed hall attested to this. During the
meeting, many intellectuals and activists made speeches and so channeled
the feelings of the hundreds of people at the hall. They said that they
were happy and hopeful because for the first time they would vote willingly
and full of belief. In addition, two people got tremendous applause: Kemal
and his fellow author Adalet Agaoglu. Agaoglu said that on her way to the
meeting, she persuaded eight people more to vote for Oran. Kemal said that
in past years when people asked him for who he would vote for he had no
good answer, but now he has made up his mind to cast his ballot for Oran.
After all these speeches, a short film on Oran’s life was presented. In
the film, Oran recounted his memories with abundant humor, which made all
the people laugh. Just afterwards, when he went to the podium, he stood
with excitement. He said that he would be the voice in Parliament of those
who are suppressed, excluded, and unjustly treated. He added that he would
go to Parliament to reject the idea that only Kurds would vote for Kurds or
Alevis for Alevis and also to say that a Turk can be defended by a Kurd, a
socialist by a Circassian, etc. There is nothing we can add to these words.
I would like to say this to people who are worried about voting for
independent candidates: There is no threshold for independents, your votes
will not be wasted!”
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