|
|
|
Turkish Press Review, 00-11-08
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
08.11.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT PRESENTS AWARDS TURKISH SPORTMEN RECEIVING MEDALS IN
OLYMPICS
[02] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS.. FROM THE COLUMNS...
NO RED LIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE BY DOGAN HEPER
[03] (MILLIYET)
[04] TURKEY-EUROPE FOUNDATION TO BE ESTABLISHED
[05] ATHENS OBJECTS TO THE ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP DOCUMENT
[06] ARMENIAN BILL IN FRENCH SENATE
[07] ECEVIT PRESENTS AWARDS TURKISH SPORTMEN RECEIVING MEDALS IN
OLYMPICS
[08] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN STRASBOURG
[09] SEVARDNADZE'S VISIT POSTPONED
[10] DEMIREL IN THE MIDDLE EAST COMMISSION
[11] NORWAY TO BUILD POWER STATION IN ARHAVI
[12] KEGAK TEAMS FORMED
[13] TURKEY SENDS A TROOP TO GEORGIA
[14] WARNING TO GERMANY
[15] BUDGET TO BE DISCUSSED
[16] YALOVA'S STATEMENT
[17] PROPOSAL REGARDING SEIZED BANKS WAS REJECTED
[18] TURCO-RUSSIAN BUSINESS MEETING
[19] THE ECONOMIST GLANCES TO TURKEY
[20] SCHEELE AND THURSFIELD'S VISIT
[21] CULTURE TRAIN IN BALKANS
[22] GALATASARAY IN THE SECOND ROUND OF EUROPEAN LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS.. FROM THE COLUMNS...
[24] NO RED LIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE BY DOGAN HEPER
(MILLIYET)
[01] ECEVIT PRESENTS AWARDS TURKISH SPORTMEN RECEIVING MEDALS IN
OLYMPICS
[02] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS.. FROM THE COLUMNS...
NO RED LIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE BY DOGAN HEPER
[03] (MILLIYET)
[04] TURKEY-EUROPE FOUNDATION TO BE ESTABLISHED
A non-governmental organization, the Turkey-Europe Foundation, is
to be established. The foundation will contribute to the
integration process of Turkey by ensuring Turkey has an equal
footing and equal relations with the EU. Ziya Muezzinoglu will be
the chairman of the foundation. Other members of the executive
board are as follows: Atilla Coskun, Prof.Tugrul Arat, Can
Baydarol, Sukru Elekdag, Resat Kadaifciler, Prof.Atilla Eralp,
Prof.Mukerrem Hic and Aysel Celikel. /Hurriyet/
[05] ATHENS OBJECTS TO THE ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP DOCUMENT
Greece is continuing to object to the exclusion of the Cyprus and
Aegean issues from Turkey's short and long term homework in the
conclusion part of the Accession Partnership Document (APD). The
Greek member of the European Council asked that the Greek and
Cyprus issues be added to the conclusion section of the document
instead of the introduction section. The EU Commissioners will
convene today, and give the final word on the APD. The EU
Commissioner Gunter Verhuegen's explainations that Turkey will
object and not accept the Document if those issues are included
in the "homework" section comprising political criteria, have not
convinced the Greek side. Mr. Verheugen recalled that Turkish
Minister Mesut Yilmaz had emphasized Turkey would not accept the
Document if the Cyprus and Aegean issues were included into the
political criteria during their meeting in Brussels. Mr.
Verheugen reportedly said, "If Turkey does not accept the APD, a
new crisis may emerge." Diplomatic sources point to a Greek veto
of the APD as highly possible during the EU Foreign Ministers
meeting to be held Nov. 20-21. /Turkiye/
[06] ARMENIAN BILL IN FRENCH SENATE
62 senators approved the so-called Armenian genocide bill,
prepared by Armenian lobbies in the French Senate, to be
discussed in an urgent issues session. For the bill to be brought
to an urgent issues session required 30 votes. The Turkish Grand
National Assembly (TGNA) delegation, which went to Paris to
prevent the bill from being brought to the Senate's agenda, met
with Head of the French Senate's Turkey Friendship Group Jacques
Richard Delong. It was stated that the Turkish delegation
conveyed Turkey's concern over the bill at the meeting. Meanwhile
the delegation sent letters to all members of the Senate stating
that approval of the bill would seriously damage bilateral
relations between Turkey and France. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] ECEVIT PRESENTS AWARDS TURKISH SPORTMEN RECEIVING MEDALS IN
OLYMPICS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit presented awards to the Turkish
sportsmen who received medals in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics.
In the ceremony, five sportsmen, 17 trainers and one sports club
received awards. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN STRASBOURG
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem left for Strasbourg yesterday to
attend the Council of Europe Fall-Winter Committee of Ministers
Meeting. Before his departuree, Mr. Cem answered questions posed
by journalists on the Accesssion Partnership Document (APD).
Stressing the Foreign Ministry's efforts to protect Turkey's
interests at a maximum level, he said "We will continue to tell
the truths." Mr. Cem said, "This document may be revised up to
its submission. It is a document by a commission. It will be
official after acceptance by the Ministers Council in December."
/Turkiye/
[09] SEVARDNADZE'S VISIT POSTPONED
Georgian President Eduard Sevardnadze's visit, exptected to take
place today, was postponed due the passing of Mr. Sevardnadze's
elder sister. According to the statement of the Foreign Ministry,
Mr.Sevardnadze phoned President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to postpone
the visit. The Foreign Ministry conveyed its condolences to Mr.
Sevrdnadze and his family in the statement. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] DEMIREL IN THE MIDDLE EAST COMMISSION
The US Administration officially announced a commission would be
formed to investigate the violence in the Middle East. The White
House statement said the commission will be formed by five people
under the chairmanship of former American Senator, George
Mitchell. It also noted that Turkish former President Suleyman
Demirel, another former American Senator, Warren Rudman, EU
Defence and Foreign Policy Higher Representative, Javier Solana
and Norweigan Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland will be other
commission members. The commission will work independently and
objectively to prevent clashes in the Middle East. /Turkiye/
[11] NORWAY TO BUILD POWER STATION IN ARHAVI
The Minister of Energy and Natural Sources Cumhur Ersumer stated
the Norwegian public company, Statkraft, was willing to build a
150 megawatt hydroelectric power station in Arhavi. Minister
Ersumer met with Norwegian Petroleum and Energy Minister Olav
Akselsen. Bilateral meetings were held between the delegations
chaired by the two ministers. Minister Ersumer said that the
Norwegian companies were also interested in a water project in
the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). /Aksam/
[12] KEGAK TEAMS FORMED
The 'Security and Investigation of the Coastal Seas' (KEGAK)
formed as a part of the Naval Security Command began duty during
a ceremony attended by the Minister of the Interior Saadettin
Tantan. Naval Security Commander Vice Admiral Yalcin Ertuna
delivered a speech during the ceremony organized at the Naval
Security Marmara and the Straits Region Command. He said, "The
boats attached to the Ministry of the Interior are carrying out
their duties at 48 headquarters, harbours and gulfs along the
shores of Turkey. These boats carry out their duties in the
shallow seas." Vice Admiral Ertuna added that 9 search and rescue
helicopters, 3 discovery planes and 4 search and rescue ships
with helicopters would be added to the system by 2005. /Aksam/
[13] TURKEY SENDS A TROOP TO GEORGIA
After Russia moved part of its conventional weapons from Georgia
to Armenia, Turkish air forces sent military troops to Georgia
for the renovation of the Marneuli Airport. According to a
statement by the General Secretariat of the Office of General
Staff, the Marneuli Military Airport, south of Tbilisi, will be
restorated by the Turkish Air Forces. The statement said, "This
effort will consolidate our friendly ties and develop of our
cooperation, as well as contribute to peace and stability."
/Milliyet/
[14] WARNING TO GERMANY
Minister of National Defence Sabahattin Cakmakoglu sent a warning
to Germany, which has created a problem concerning Turkey's
modern tank producing project of 7 billion US dollars.
Cakmakoglu, making the opening speech of the symposium entitled
'Past, Today and the Present of the Turkish Defence Industry',
organized for the 15th anniversary of Defence Industry
Undersecretariat, said, "Foreign pressures cannot be accepted
concerning equipment usage. When Turkey purchases technology
through an export licence, it aims to develop and nationalize.
Countries that accept this can enter into our area of purchase.
If they do not give an export licence, then I will ignore that
country." Thus, Cakmakoglu criticized Germany without uttering
its name. /Aksam/
[15] BUDGET TO BE DISCUSSED
Minister of Finance Sumer Oral said the 2001 Financial Budget
would be presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly's
(TGNA) Plan and Budget Commission Friday. The Commission is then
expected to have a break until the middle of next week. The
budget discussions are expected to begin within as part of a
programme to be formed later. Meanwhile, the public works draft
law about Ziraat Bank, Halk Bank and Emlak Bank will be discussed
at the Plan and Budget Commission tomorrow. /Star/
[16] YALOVA'S STATEMENT
State Minister Yuksel Yalova said income that once took 15 years
to earn was now earned within one year. Yalova attended a
conference organized by Euromoney and said, "Turkey is less
improved than former East Block countries and the capitalist
countries as far as the privatization is concerned due to some
mistaken policies." Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the
Privatization Board Adminsitration (OIB) Fevzi Aricioglu said
that 51% of the Turkish Airlines would be launched for tender by
the end of this month. /Star/
[17] PROPOSAL REGARDING SEIZED BANKS WAS REJECTED
The proposal, submitted by deputies from the Virtue Party (FP)
and the True Path Party(DYP) regarding the banks controlled by
the Deposit Insurance Fund (MSF), was rejected by a vote of the
parties in power in the general convention of the National
Assembly. /Milliyet/
[18] TURCO-RUSSIAN BUSINESS MEETING
The Eighth Joint Turco-Russia Business Meeting will be held in
Istanbul October 22-26. Headed by the Russian Federation's First
Deputy, Ilya Klebhanov, about 400 Russian businessmen are
expected to join the meeting. Additionally, the Russian Exports
Fair will open Nov. 23 in Istanbul. Russia is organizing an
export fair abroad for the first time in a decade. /Turkiye/
[19] THE ECONOMIST GLANCES TO TURKEY
The Economist evaluated the latest banking operations and the
latest developments on human rights in Turkey. Stating that the
latest banking operations were hopeful for Turkey's future, the
Economist said that the IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Carlo Cottarelli,
was also happy with the developments. Concerning human rights,
The Economist sees Ahmet Necdet Sezer's election as President as
a positive development since Mr. Sezer is in favour of certain
structural changes and constitutional amendments. /Cumhuriyet/
[20] SCHEELE AND THURSFIELD'S VISIT
Ford Motor Company Europan Chairman, Nick Scheele, and his
Assistant David Thursfield, will attend the delivery ceremony on
November 11 of the houses built in Golcuk by Ford Motor Company
and Ford Otosan. Chairman of Koc Holding Company Rahmi Koc will
also attend the ceremony. /Star/
[21] CULTURE TRAIN IN BALKANS
The `Culture Train', which will to travel various cities in
Greece, Bulgaria and Macedonia in order to help strengthen
friendship among the Balkan countries, departed from Sirkeci
Railway Station for Bulgaria the day before yesterday. Delivering
a speech before the train's departure, the Chairman of TGNA
Turkey-Macedonia Interparliamentary Friendship Group, DSP Izmir
Deputy Kemal Vatan said various Turkish folk music concerts will
be organized in Skopje, Komotini and Plovdiv. Stating they would
also visit the school Ataturk attended in Greece, Mr. Vatan said
Ataturk's special wagon, to be added to the train would be open
for the visiters. /Cumhuriyet/
[22] GALATASARAY IN THE SECOND ROUND OF EUROPEAN LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS
Galatasaray tied a 2-2 in the match with Sturm Graz yesterday
and qualified for the second round of the European League of
Champions. /Sabah/
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS.. FROM THE COLUMNS...
[24] NO RED LIGHTS ON THE ROAD TO EUROPE BY DOGAN HEPER
(MILLIYET)
Columnist Dogan Heper comments on the contents of the Accession
Partnership Document for Turkey. A summary of his column is as
follows:
"In Turkey people complain of news leakage, however this is not a
situation peculiar to Turkey alone. It happens everywhere. For
example, the 'Accession Partnership Document' believed to be EU's
road map for Turkey was leaked to the press before being
published. It has been noted there are no articles offensive to
Turkey in the document. This can be seen as an effort to
facilitate Turkey's harmonization with the Union as certain
events and speeches reveal there are two differing opinions
concerning Turkey.
There are some Europeans, like former German Chancellor Schmidt
who claim Turkey can never enter the EU. On the other hand, there
are others who sincerely would like to see Turkey in the Union.
Schmidt briefly stated that Turkey was not within the European
cultural sphere. 'Although European heads of state and government
describe Turkey as a candidate member of the future, such an
enlargement seems deceptive to me. I support former French
Foreign Minister Andre Francois-Poncet's opinion on the cultural
differences and geopolitical considerations and suggest not
taking Turkey in the EU.'
The 'Accession Partnership Document' announced today shows the
sincerity of those who support Turkey and the defeat of others
like Mr. Schmidt who do not. If entrance to the EU requires all
members to adhere to the Copenhagen criteria, then Turkey will
comply. Turkey's efforts to comform to them was mentioned in the
EU's Accession Partnership Document. The EU's expectations of
Turkey are reasonable. There are no articles in the document
regarding the minority issue, education in Kurdish, the Cyprus
problem, Turco-Greek relations. It is even interesting to note
that on the Cyprus issue and the conflict with Greece, there are
articles which may be disturbing for Greece and pleasing to
Turkey without any names mentioned. The Court of Justice at the
Hague is seen as the final authority for the solution of the
Cyprus issue and Turco-Greek disagreements.
If Turkey is to become a respected part of Europe some day, it
has to follow this road map during the membership process. The
strengthening of legal and constitutional methods for the freedom
of expression; eradication of torture; stays of execution,
improving the situation in the Southeast; bringing the role of
the National Security Council in parallel with the implementation
as seen in the EU, are among the conditions which should be
carried out for the Turkish people and democracy whether or not
Turkey enters the EU."
|
