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Turkish Press Review, 09-06-02
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
02.06.2009
CONTENTS
[01] GUL: "THE KEY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TURKEY AND USA IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER"
[02] WORLD TRADE MINISTERS CONVENE IN ISTANBUL
[03] TURKS SHOWN AS CANDIDATES FOR EP ELECTIONS
[04] CUBAN ENVOY VISITS TRABZON
[05] KAZAK PRESIDENT ENDS VACATION IN ANTALYA
[06] TURKISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VISIT EDUCATION MINISTER
[07] N. IRAQI OIL EXPORTS TO WORLD MARKETS VIA TURKEY START
[01] GUL: "THE KEY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TURKEY AND USA IS MORE IMPORTANT
THAN EVER"
The 28th Annual Conference on US-Turkish Relations, jointly organized by
the American-Turkish Council and Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board's
(DEIK) Turkish-US Business Council was yesterday held in Washington.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul,
Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker
Basbug and Turkish Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy were among who
attended the meeting. Participants will discuss the issues such as
business opportunities for corporations in the US, Turkey and the region,
regional security issues, bilateral trade, energy security and development
and developments in Science, Technology and Research. President Abdullah
Gul also sent a message to the gathering, saying, "US President Barack
Obama's paying his first overseas visit to Turkey is a sign that Turkey and
the US have a vital partnership between them." Stating that the relation
between the two countries has been strengthened in due course, he
underlined that the two countries, as the representatives of the democratic
and free world, stood side by side in different regions in an effort to
contribute to global prosperity, peace, stability and security. "Today, the
key partnership between Turkey and USA is more important than ever," Gul
added. Gul said that Obama's visit also reiterated the two countries'
determination to strengthen economic and commercial ties, as well as to
improve bilateral investments and technological cooperation. /Star/
[02] WORLD TRADE MINISTERS CONVENE IN ISTANBUL
Trade ministers from across the world gathered in Istanbul yesterday in a
preliminary meeting ahead of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and
Industrialists' (TUSKON) Turkey-World Trade Bridge 2009, which is set to
start today and will continue through June 7. A total of four deputy prime
ministers, 20 state ministers and nine deputy ministers from 33 countries
came together to discuss business opportunities. With the addition of six
ambassadors, the number of countries represented at the Istanbul World
Trade Ministers Summit reached 39. Speaking at the opening of the meeting,
State Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan said the trade bridge event
offers a great opportunity in the midst of the ongoing global economic
crisis. Stating that the participant ministers will exchange views on ways
to weather the harmful effects of the crisis, Caglayan said, "Twelve
percent of total global trade volume is represented at this discussion
table today." Caglayan also stressed the state's mission to clear the path
of the private sector, adding that the summit was one of the most
meaningful examples of cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Also speaking at the meeting, TUSKON head Rizanur Meral said the Turkey-
World Trade Bridge Summit 2009 was the product of eight months of
relentless work. Nearly 55,000 business meetings will be held in the course
of the three-day event, he added. Caglayan also hosted a reception for the
visiting trade ministers. TUSKON has previously organized eight other trade
bridge summits, each of which has remarkably helped Turkish businessmen
access new markets and diversify Turkey's foreign trade. Nearly 3, 200
businessmen from Turkey and 2,300 others from 135 countries around the
world are expected to attend this year's foreign trade bridge summit to
discuss mutual business opportunities. The event is expected to highly
contribute to Turkey's economy with an increase of more than $7 billion in
trade. /Star/
[03] TURKS SHOWN AS CANDIDATES FOR EP ELECTIONS
There's an increase on the candidates of Turkish origin for the European
Parliament (EP) elections set to begin this Thursday. The candidates of
Turkish origin, including Ismail Ertug, Hidir Karademir, Macit
Karaahmetoglu from the Social Democratic party (SDP), Sidar Aydinlik,
Kadriye Karci and Songul Karabulut are shown as candidates from Leftist
Party and Dr. Yasar Bilgin is Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) candidate,
are from Germany at most. Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and
Bulgaria follow Germany. /Milliyet/
[04] CUBAN ENVOY VISITS TRABZON
Turkish-Cuban relations are at an excellent level, Cuban Ambassador to
Ankara Ernesto Gomez Abascal said yesterday. Abascal, who is on a tourist
visit to the northern Black Sea town of Trabzon, met with Nuri Okutan, the
governor of the province. Talking about improving relations between the two
countries, the governor said they want to reflect the relations in Trabzon,
too. /Hurriyet Daily News/
[05] KAZAK PRESIDENT ENDS VACATION IN ANTALYA
Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was in Antalya on a vacation,
yesterday left Turkey. Nazabayev arrived in Turkey on May 22 to attend the
opening of a hotel in Antalya owned by Telman Ismailov, a Russian
businessman of Azerbaijani decent. The opening ceremony of the hotel was
attended by world celebrities, such as Sharon Stone and Richard Gere.
Nazarbayev often comes to Turkey to spend his vacations. /Hurriyet Daily
News/
[06] TURKISH-SPEAKING STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VISIT EDUCATION
MINISTER
A group of students who are in Turkey to attend the 7th International
Turkish Olympiads yesterday paid a visit to Education Minister Nimet
Cubukcu. Dressed in their countries' traditional attire, they sang songs
and read poems during the visit. Speaking at the gathering, Cubukcu said,
"I take great pride in being able to address to you in my own language and
know that you understand me. I am very much impressed watching you on TV as
you sing songs, perform dances and read poems." Cubukcu expressed her
satisfaction and thanked the students. The students then presented gifts
from their respective countries to her. /Today's Zaman/
[07] N. IRAQI OIL EXPORTS TO WORLD MARKETS VIA TURKEY START
With an official ceremony attended by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani,
Massoud Barzani, the leader of the regional administration in northern Iraq,
and Nehchirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the regional administration,
in Arbil, the exportation of northern Iraqi crude oil to the European and
the world markets through Turkey's Kirkuk-Yumurtalik oil pipeline started
yesterday, marking a historic moment for regional economic cooperation. The
exported crude oil is drilled from the two important oil fields of the
northern Iraq: Taq Taq and Tawke. Turkey's Genel Enerji, a Cukurova Holding
subsidiary, is jointly developing the Taq Taq oil field with oil and gas
company Addax Petroleum. Tawke is being developed by Norway's DNO
International. Speaking at the ceremony to mark the official start of
northern Iraqi oil exports via Turkey, which was also attended by Cukurova
Holding head Mehmet Emin Karamehmet, Genel Enerji CEO Mehmet Sepil, DNO
representative Herge Edel and Khalid Salih, the energy minister of the
regional administration, Talabani stressed that they will use the income
from the oil for the prosperity of the whole nation. Barzani said the
commencement of oil exports from the region was very important for the
development of the entire country. “This is a gift for the entire Iraqi
people,” he noted. Also speaking at the ceremony, Nechirvan Barzani said
the launch of oil exports from northern Iraq through Turkey marked a
dramatic departure from Iraq's recent past. "Economic cooperation within
Iraq and across its borders will lay the foundation for a brighter
collective future," he said. Salih said they expected to enhance Iraq's oil
production and that they were proud to contribute to the reconstruction of
the war-torn country by providing extra revenue following six years of
conflict. Salih also expressed his pleasure at seeing a Turkish firm being
included in such a process. “This is another milestone for future
regional economic cooperation,” he stressed. Ashti Hawrami, natural
resources minister of the regional administration, said, "Turkey is our
economic partner. We are in a new era of friendship and cooperation, on the
right path." Exports from Taq Taq will stand at 40,000 barrels per day and
from Tawke at 60,000 barrels per day, and bring a total revenue stream of
$5 million per day on the basis of per-barrel price of $50. Within a year,
oil exports from the two fields are expected to reach 250,000 barrels per
day. /Sabah/
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