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Turkish Press Review, 07-09-07Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning07.09.2007FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] NEW JUDICIAL YEAR BEGINSThe new judicial year began yesterday with a ceremony in Ankara at the Supreme Court of Appeals. Speaking at the gathering, attended by President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, and main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Justice Osman Arslan called on everyone to be loyal to the basic principles of the republic. Stressing that terrorism is a crime against humanity, Arslan urged countries not to lend support to terrorists, whether direct or indirect. He added that the trustworthiness of the judiciary is a prerequisite for ensuring public peace and order. Later, Arslan hosted top officials at an evening reception at the State Guest House. In related news, Erdogan sent Arslan a message of congratulations stressing the vital importance of the rule of law. /Cumhuriyet/[02] GUL MAKES FIRST TWO APPOINTMENTSPresident Abdullah Gul yesterday made his first appointments in his new position. Gul approved the Cabinet’s appointment of Professor Yunus Soylet to a vacant position on the Higher Board of Education (YOK), and appointed Professor Fazil Tekin as the rector of Osmangazi University in Eskisehir. In related news, Gul will host a second reception at the Cankaya Presidential Palace today for representatives from the media, the business and art worlds. /Star/[03] IN WAKE OF ELECTIONS, ERDOGAN RESUMES VISITS ABROADAfter focusing on the recently concluded general and presidential elections, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is resuming a series of contacts abroad. Erdogan will first go to the US on Sept. 24 to attend the UN General Assembly meeting, and there he will meet with many leaders, including US President George W. Bush. Next month Erdogan will go to Britain to meet with new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. After those trips, Erdogan will travel to Romania at the end of October and the following month to the Czech Republic. /Star/[04] PM ERDOGAN MEETS WITH GULPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was received yesterday by new President Abdullah Gul for a regular weekly meeting. Following their 70-minute meeting, no statement was released to the press. /Hurriyet/[05] WASHINGTON URGES RESOLUTION ON CYPRUSThe Bush administration backs efforts towards finding a settlement on Cyprus, US State Department spokesman Tom Casey told a daily press briefing yesterday. Asked about this week’s meeting between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulus, Casey said the US always welcomes contacts between the two leaders, adding that it is hoping for a settlement on the island. /Turkiye/[06] PARLIAMENT NAMES DEPUTIES ON COMMISSIONSA few weeks before the beginning of the new legislative year, Parliament has determined which deputies will serve on its 16 commissions. Thirty-five female lawmakers will sit on various commissions, but none have been named to be the Defense Commission. Traditionally, heads of commissions are appointed by ruling party, in this case the Justice and Development Party (AKP). Burhan Kuzu has been named to lead the Constitutional Commission, which will review a proposed new constitution in the near future, and Sait Acba is to head the Planning and Budget Commission, which is set to begin to work on the 2008 budget. /Milliyet/[07] DIYARBAKIR GOVERNOR TO BECOME PRIME MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARYDiyarbakir Governor Efkan Ala will be appointed Prime Ministry undersecretary. Ala, the successor to Omer Dincer and one of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s most trusted bureaucrats, will be the new administrator of the Prime Ministry bureaucracy. His appointment is expected to be approved today by President Abdullah Gul. /Milliyet/[08] ARMENIAN SCHOLARS TO ATTEND CONGRESS IN ANKARATurkey next week will host the International Congress for Asia and North Africa Studies (ICANAS 38). Speaking to reporters, Sadik Tural, head of the Ataturk High Board of Culture, Language and History, said that 800 scholars from 67 countries would attend the gathering in Ankara. Stressing that the gathering marks the first time ever that some 20 Armenian scholars from Armenia will participate in a congress in Turkey, Turol added that the meeting will have two panels on the Armenian issue, but that the Armenian scholars are not slated to speak there. /Milliyet/[09] TUZMEN PUSHES IMPORTS IN CHINAState Minister Kursad Tuzmen said yesterday that nearly 60 projects in Turkey worth over $15 billion will be promoted starting tomorrow at the four-day 11th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT). Tuzmen yesterday traveled to China with Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM) head Oguz Satici and a 150-member delegation. Stating that Turkey’s exports to China have been rising nearly 50% each month, Tuzmen added, “By the end of this year, for the first time we will have done $1.2 billion in exports to China.” /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [10] GOVT PROGRAM AND THE EU GOALBY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on the government program and its section on EU affairs. A summary of her column is as follows: “The new government program is meant as a takeoff in order to bring Turkey to a safe speed and altitude, and is being called a jumping-off point. This program, which is dominated by a list of the ruling party’s first-term successes, clearly sets out where this jumping-off will take place, but where it will end up is a bit unclear. The economic section of the program was drawn up with detailed examples, but in some parts there are ambiguous expressions in which some basic facts are reiterated. Such a document listing the government’s goals shouldn’t have included such ambiguity. Transparency is stressed in the program, but there’s no clarity. Can one be transparent without being clear? Women’s rights are explored under the family matters umbrella. It’s very important that combating domestic violence is among the government’s goals and that ‘honor killing’ is addressed in the program. But while nursing homes are mentioned, shelters for battered women are absent. Do they prefer nursing homes to shelters? But clearly the structure and conditions of these two institutions are completely different. There are a lot more issues which aren’t clear. For instance, the greening and forestation of the suburbs of cities is listed as one of the goals, but there isn’t a clear approach on other issues such as encouraging clean energy and limiting the production of polluting and greenhouse gases, all of which are of top international concern right now. The EU goal has priority in the foreign policy section of the program. But in order to achieve this goal, the mentality of the ruling party’s first term " ‘We’ll do what’s necessary and move along even if the EU doesn’t open the negotiating chapters’ " should be abandoned. Because our relations with the EU are by no means one-sided. But if you want to seem to be keeping alive the negotiation process in order to give foreign markets a message of stability, that’s different! We must do what we should, accelerate the negotiations, try to make it possible for the chapters to be opened, and get back on the EU’s agenda so as to ensure normalization of the process. In order to achieve this, reviving public support for the EU goal is necessary. Because this goal can’t be limited to just the government program. It’s a pipe dream to take on this target without proper, sufficient staffing. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan being the chief negotiator for our EU talks means that he’ll spend most of his time in Brussels. Strengthening and revamping our Secretariat General for EU Affairs is also crucial, but it won’t easy for the foreign minister to also be the chief negotiator while tacking such a busy foreign policy plate. What has the EU got to say about this? Nothing, of course, as it serves the EU’s purposes if Turkey messes around.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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