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Turkish Press Review, 08-10-07
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
07.10.2008
CONTENTS
[01] GUL TO VISIT FINLAND
[02] TOPTAN: "TERRORISM CANNOT HARM THE TURKISH PEOPLE'S UNITY OR SOLIDARITY"
[03] ERDOGAN VISITS INJURED SOLDIERS
[04] DEPUTY PM YAZICI OPENS BILGE KHAN HIGHWAY IN MONGOLIA
[05] TURKISH JETS HIT PKK CAMPS
[06] BAYKAL: "NO ONE CAN EXCUSE TERRORISTS"
[07] MHP'S VURAL: "THERE IS NO NEED TO DEBATE EXTENDING AUTHORIZATION FOR CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS"
[08] ANKARA URGES STRONGER US SUPPORT AGAINST TERRORISM
[09] US COMMANDER IN N.IRAQ: "THE US WON'T INTERFERE IN CLASHES BETWEEN THE TSK AND THE PKK"
[10] CENTRAL BANK HEAD: "TURKEY'S ECONOMY IS WELL POSITIONED TO WEATHER GLOBAL CRISIS"
[11] ISTANBUL CELEBRATES 85 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
[01] GUL TO VISIT FINLAND
President Abdullah Gul, after canceling a visit to France in the wake of a
terrorist attack last week which took the lives of 17 Turkish soldiers,
will travel to Finland today for official talks. During his stay, the
president is scheduled to meet with his Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen,
Premier Matti Taneli Vanhanen, Parliament Speaker Suali Ninisto and other
top officials. He is expected to deliver a speech to the Turkish-Finnish
Business Forum. In addition, Gul will attend events marking Turkish Culture
Month in Helsinki. After completing his contacts in Finland, the president
will proceed to Estonia for a three-day official visit, before returning to
Turkey on Saturday. /Hurriyet/
[02] TOPTAN: "TERRORISM CANNOT HARM THE TURKISH PEOPLE'S UNITY OR
SOLIDARITY"
Speaking at a ceremony marking the new school year at Bartin University,
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said yesterday that terrorism cannot harm
the Turkish people's solidarity and unity. "In the past, the Turkish nation
has struggled valiantly to protect this land," he said. "Terrorism,
wherever it receives support, cannot disturb Turkey's unity or peace, or
harm Turkey's territorial integrity." In related news, the Turkish
Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) released a statement
on last week's terrorist PKK attack on a military outpost in the southeast
which left 17 soldiers dead. The statement called for unity and common
sense, warning that the terrorist group is trying to provoke ethnic
conflicts among the people. /Turkiye/
[03] ERDOGAN VISITS INJURED SOLDIERS
A preliminary meeting on anti-terrorism efforts, led by Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was held yesterday at the Prime Ministry. Among those
attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, Justice
Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin, Interior Minister Besir Atalay, Foreign Minister
Ali Babacan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul and civilian members of the
Higher Counterterrorism Board (TMYK). Following the three-hour-plus
gathering, Erdogan and five Cabinet members visited soldiers at GATA
Military Hospital who were injured in last week's terrorist PKK attack on a
military outpost in Hakkari. A summit on anti-terrorism, chaired by Erdogan,
is set to convene in Ankara on Thursday, and Chief of General Staff Gen.
Ilker Basbug is expected to attend the meeting. In related news, the
General Staff announced yesterday that the bodies of two soldiers missing
from the attack had been found, raising its death toll to 17. /Star/
[04] DEPUTY PM YAZICI OPENS BILGE KHAN HIGHWAY IN MONGOLIA
Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici and State Minister Said Yazicioglu, who
are currently paying an official visit to Mongolia, over the weekend
inaugurated the 46-kilometer long Bilge Khan Highway which was constructed
by the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA).
Speaking at the ceremony, Yazici said that the words "Turk" and "Turkish"
first appeared in the nearby Orhun Monuments, built in the late seventh and
early eighth centuries. "These monuments carry great importance for all
Turkic people living all over the world," he added. Yazicioglu said Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan laid the foundation for the highway in 2005, adding
that it would draw more visitors to the region. In addition to building the
Bilge Khan highway connecting Hoso Saydam with Karakurum, where the Orhun
Monuments are located, TIKA also constructed a museum to protect the
monuments. Yazici and Yazicioglu yesterday also inaugurated a street named
after Ankara and a bust of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the capital city
Alaanbaator in front of a school also named for Ataturk. The two officials
were also received by Mongolian Prime Minister Sanjaa Bayar and later met
with Parliament Speaker Damdin Demberel. /Turkiye/
[05] TURKISH JETS HIT PKK CAMPS
Following Friday's deadly attacks on the Aktutun military outpost in
southeastern Anatolia, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is continuing to
pursue PKK terrorists in the region. The military stated that Turkish jets
had launched their third aerial campaign against the terrorists since the
attack. In related news, nine of the bodies of 23 terrorists killed during
clashes after their attack on the soldiers were found yesterday. /Hurriyet/
[06] BAYKAL: "NO ONE CAN EXCUSE TERRORISTS"
Commenting on the terrorist PKK's attack on a military outpost last week,
main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said
yesterday that efforts to protect and excuse terrorists hinder success in
the fight against terrorism. Speaking on news channel NTV, Baykal called on
all political parties in Parliament to act together against terrorism.
Accusing the Iraqi administration of giving the PKK shelter instead of
taking necessary steps against the terrorist group, Baykal also urged the
US administration to move decisively to end terrorism in the region.
/Hurriyet/
[07] MHP'S VURAL: "THERE IS NO NEED TO DEBATE EXTENDING AUTHORIZATION FOR
CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS"
A motion extending for another year the military's authorization to conduct
cross-border operations into northern Iraq can be voted on without the need
for parliamentary debate, said opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
deputy group leader Oktay Vural yesterday. The original motion, passed in
October 2007, gave a one-year authorization to allow the government to root
out terrorist PKK forces taking shelter in northern Iraq. Stating that all
political parties in Parliament, except the Democratic Society Party (DTP),
support the motion, Vural said that it should be voted on directly without
a debate. /Sabah/
[08] ANKARA URGES STRONGER US SUPPORT AGAINST TERRORISM
Ankara, as part of diplomatic contacts following a terrorist attack last
week in Hakkari which left 17 soldiers dead, on Sunday urged the US to do
more to support Turkey's anti-terrorist efforts. Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan delivered the message during a visit to the
ministry by US Ambassador to Ankara Ross Wilson. Apakan said that the
regional administration in northern Iraq is not dealing with the terrorist
PKK effectively, adding, "Turkey is seeking more cooperation with the US in
the fight against terror." /Milliyet/
[09] US COMMANDER IN N.IRAQ: "THE US WON'T INTERFERE IN CLASHES BETWEEN THE
TSK AND THE PKK"
The US won't interfere in clashes between the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)
and the terrorist PKK, Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of US forces in
northern Iraq, said yesterday. Asked by reporters whether the US has a plan
to boost its efforts in the region after weekend clashes along the Turkish-
Iraqi border, Hertling said, "Most of these attacks occur in the Dohuk
region, and this region is controlled by the Kurdish regional
administration," and added, "We don't have power in this region." Stating
that the US is following Turkey's operations in northern Iraq, Hertling
said that Turkey has stepped up its attacks in northern Iraq over the last
13 months and added, "This is related to the targets in Turkey and the
intelligence it receives." /Cumhuriyet/
[10] CENTRAL BANK HEAD: "TURKEY'S ECONOMY IS WELL POSITIONED TO WEATHER
GLOBAL CRISIS"
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received Central Bank head Durmus Yilmaz
at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Yilmaz briefed Gul on the current US-
oriented global economic crisis and its impact on Turkey's economy. In
related news, commenting on the crisis in a televised interview, Yilmaz
said that Turkey's financial system was in good condition thanks to its
structural reforms of recent years. Stating that Turkey should maintain
strict fiscal policy, he added, "If price stability continues, the
economy's growth trend will also go on." He also said, "Any country can be
affected by a crisis taking place in the highly integrated world economy.
We will continue to supply the necessary liquidity to the markets. Everyone
should be on alert for negative effects of the crisis." Touching on
relations with the International Monetary Fund, he said Turkey no longer
needs IMF funds but that it should finalize the talks with the Fund on a
precautionary standby agreement. /Star/
[11] ISTANBUL CELEBRATES 85 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
The 85th anniversary of Istanbul's independence was celebrated in an
official ceremony yesterday. Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler, Istanbul
Mayor Kadir Topbas, 1st Army Commander Gen. Ergin Saygun and Istanbul
Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah were among those attending the ceremony,
which was held on Vatan Caddesi in the city's Fatih district. /Today's
Zaman/
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