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Turkish Press Review, 08-03-10Turkish 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 morning10.03.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] IN IZMIR, ERDOGAN REJECTS OPPOSITION PARTIES’ CRITICISMS OVER END TO CROSS-BORDER OPAddressing the women’s branch of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Izmir yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected opposition parties’ criticisms that Turkey’s recent cross-border operation into northern Iraq had ended prematurely. In related news, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis delivered a speech at a meeting arranged by the ruling AKP to mark International Women’s Day on Saturday. The AKP’s fourth Women in Local Administration Meeting brought together a group of women politicians in Ankara. /Aksam-Today’s Zaman/[02] CICEK: “TURKEY AND THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS BOTH WANT A SOLUTION ON CYPRUS”Both Turkey and Turkish Cypriots favor a resolution on Cyprus, often in the face of longstanding Greek Cypriot intransigence, said State Minister Cemil Cicek yesterday. Speaking at the groundbreaking for a new medical school and hospital in Lefkosha, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Cicek criticized countries that have yet to recognize the TRNC. Underlining that Turkey and Turkish Cypriots both favor a just settlement on the decades-long divided island, Cicek pointed to the Greek Cypriots as being responsible for the deadlock on the island. He also urged the Turkish Cypriots to act in unity to work to further develop their country. Cicek was accompanied on his visit by Board of Higher Education (YOK) head Yusuf Ziya Ozcan and fellow parliamentarians./Turkiye/[03] TOPTAN TO RECEIVE DEMOCRATIC TURKEY PARTY DEPUTIESParliament Speaker Koksal Toptan today will meet with the deputies from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Turkey Party (DTP). DTP Deputy Sirri Sakik said that the meeting would focus on finding a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, stressing that Parliament should deal with this as soon as possible. /Cumhuriyet/[04] BABACAN TO VISIT SENEGALForeign Minister Ali Babacan is scheduled to arrive in Senegal today to attend a meeting of his counterparts from Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) countries. Babacan will also attend the 11th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference on Thursday and Friday. Before traveling to Senegal, Babacan yesterday visited Mauritania and held talks with his counterpart there, Mohammed Saleh Ould Lemine. /Turkish Daily News/[05] OZCELIK NAMED SPECIAL ENVOY TO IRAQThe Foreign Ministry’s Murat Ozcelik has been named Turkey’s new special envoy to Iraq. Under the appointment, made official in yesterday’s Official Gazette, Ozcelik will be responsible for coordinating activities concerning Turkey’s contributions to improving Turkish-Iraqi relations and also efforts for Iraq’s reconstruction. Along these lines, Ozcelik will carry out necessary contacts with foreign countries and international organizations. /Star/[06] IN WAKE OF VISIT, TALABANI SENDS MESSAGE OF THANKS TO GULIn the wake of his visit last week to Turkey, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani reportedly sent a telegraph thanking his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul for both his invitation and hospitality. The message said that the visit turned a new page in the two countries’ relations and showed the importance of developing bilateral ties. /Sabah/[07] ANKARA HOSTING INTL SYMPOSIUM ON TERRORISMThe second international symposium on Global Terrorism and International Cooperation, organized by the Ankara-based Centre of Excellence Defense Against Terrorism (TMMM), will begin today in the capital. Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit will deliver the opening speech at the symposium. Experts from China, Egypt, Pakistan, Spain, Mexico and Russia are expected to present papers at the two-day gathering. /Cumhuriyet/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [08] RUSSIA’S STEP ON ABKHAZIA CALLS FOR CONSISTENCYBY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)Columnist Semih Idiz comments on Russia lifting the embargo on the autonomous Georgian province of Abkhazia. A summary of his column is as follows. “As a new process is starting on Cyprus, I wonder what the role of Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, will be in all this. You may remember that a year or two ago a report on Cyprus by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan about the reasons for the failure of efforts to find a solution there was blocked by Moscow. It’s clear why Russia did this: it’s the Greek Cypriots which ruined the process for a solution, and the Russians don’t want Annan to make this official. This is concrete evidence that Moscow isn’t impartial on the Cyprus issue. So how will Moscow act in the wake of the election of new Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias? If the Soviets Union hadn’t ended, obviously, it would have coordinated with Christofias, who is a communist. But those days are over. Will it be able to be neutral in this new era? Or will it continue its partiality, as revealed by Annan’s report? Actually Russia has a golden opportunity now to prove its impartiality and good will. Even if we share the same border and the same blood, we have failed to follow events in one region, namely, the Caucasus. So a development there last week was largely ignored. Moscow lifted an embargo on Georgia’s ‘separatist’ province of Abkhazia imposed in 1996 at Georgia’s request as part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Of course, this step by Russia is related to Kosovo. Moscow, after failing to block Kosovo’s independence, is trying to take revenge against the West this way. Obviously, whatever the reason, this step by Moscow made Abkhazian Turks living in Turkey very happy. Similarly, Irfan Argun, head of the Istanbul-based Caucasian-Abkhazia Solidarity Committee, expressed his happiness with a written statement. The statement showed the connection between Kosovo and Abkhazia as well. Argun wrote that they hope the gesture is a sign that a process recognizing Abkhazia’s independence will start soon. Argun added that the biggest obstacle to the freedom of Abkhazians and their relatives abroad was removed this way. Argun said he hoped this would be good for their community. Ankara, stuck between the Georgian and Caucasian_Abkhazian lobbies and also fighting its own separatists, isn’t expected to say much on this issue. Actually if there had been a chance to say something, Russia could have been told that to be consistent it should also work to lift the international embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). So I’d like to mention things Turkey can’t say, as Turkey has to protect its regional interests. Meanwhile, by taking this step, Moscow will be serving its own citizens as well. Today many Russians visit our southern shores and Cyprus. Each impartial and positive step by Russia on the Cyprus issue will help promote a solution and expand investment possibilities and other opportunities for its own citizens. But if Russia is set on continuing its current pro-Greek Cypriot stance, based on very different political and economic interests, in other words, if it lacks an impartial stance on this issue, I think it would be better if it stayed out of the Cyprus issue entirely.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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