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Turkish Press Review, 00-12-11
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
11.12.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[02] SEZER'S MESSAGE ON 52ND ANNIVERSARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION
[03] HARMONIZATION WITH EU TO LAST THREE YEARS
[04] PAPANDREOU'S SUPPORT TO TURKEY
[05] UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CYPRUS THIS WEEK
[06] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE EXAMINES PRISONS
[07] AZERBAIJANI NATURAL GAS
[08] G-20 MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[09] TALAY IN FRANCE
[10] ERCEL AND BAYAR TO ATTEND MEETINGS
[11] FP CLOSURE TRIAL STARTS TOMORROW
[12] DEMIREL TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST
[13] ANNUAL TARGETS ARE REACHED IN TOURISM
[14] TURKSAT 2-A TO BE LAUNCHED TOMORROW
[15] GRAVEYARDS FOR TURKISH MARTYRS
[16] INTERNATIONAL MEVLANA INFORMATION FESTIVAL
[17] POPE RONCALLI STREET IN SISLI
[18] BYZANTINE EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK
[19] THE GREAT FLOOD IN WORLD PRESS
[20] TURKISH AIRPLANE IN IRAQ
[21] ERSU ESTABLISHES A FRUIT JUICE FACTORY IN CHINA
[22] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[23] THE MILITARY AND THE EU BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[02] SEZER'S MESSAGE ON 52ND ANNIVERSARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARATION
Issuing a message on the 52nd anniversary of Human Rights Day and
the Human Rights Declaration, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said,
"Acceptance of the Human Rights Declaration is a turning point in
the history of humanity. Personal rights, equality before the law
and supremacy of law are indispensable in a democratic society.
The Republic of Turkey's basic objective is to enlarge the domain
of personal rights. While realizing this objective, our state, of
course, will be careful to protect its unity, security and
independence." Recalling that Turkey was one of the first
countries to accept the Human Rights Declaration after the World
War II, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem said, "Turkey,
believing it is necessary to see every step in human rights as a
new starting point, and being a party to international monitoring
mechanisms from the beginning, will continue its contribution to
strengthening of solidarity among constitutional democracies.
Turkey has contributed significantly to the improvement of
international human rights law in the post world war period."
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] HARMONIZATION WITH EU TO LAST THREE YEARS
Following the ratification of Turkey's Accession Partnership
Document (APD) during the EU Nice Summit, the draft Harmonization
Programme, prepared by the State Planning Organization, is
expected to be granted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly
(TGNA) next week. The draft envisions realizing short-term
priorities by Dec. 31st 2001 and mid-term priorities by Dec. 31st
2003. It includes 28 sections and 1,028 pages of comprehensive
explanations of revisions. /Turkiye/
[04] PAPANDREOU'S SUPPORT TO TURKEY
Speaking at the EU leaders summit in Nice, Greek Foreign Minister
George Papandreou said Turkey had to be included in Europe's
future plans. Sweden also supported Turkey's admittance into the
EU. Germany, Italy, Sweden and Belgium presented a proposal
yesterday regarding a new meeting titled "Declaration of Future
in the EU" in 2004 to reevaluate EU reforms. This proposal was
accepted after a discussion. /Hurriyet/
[05] UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CYPRUS THIS WEEK
The UN Security Council, responsible for maintaining peace and
security in the world, will discuss the Cyprus issue this week.
UN Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro de Soto, will give a
briefing to members of the Council about his contacts in Ankara,
Athens, the TRNC and Southern Cyprus. Then, the Council will
discuss the latest developments and determine the last form of
the draft bill on extending the term of the UN peace force
(UNFICYP) on the island. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] EUROPEAN COMMITTEE EXAMINES PRISONS
European Chairman for the Prevention of Torture Committee, Silvia
Casala, and Executive Secretary, Traver Stevens, met with
authorities from the Ministries of Justice and Health. It was
stated Casala and Stevens will examine prisons with Turkish
officials. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] AZERBAIJANI NATURAL GAS
Following the Baku-Supsa-Ceyhan crude oil project enabling Turkey
to become an important regional energy center, a new project to
carry natural gas from Azerbaijan Shah Sea to Turkey will
commence. Negotiations regarding the project are expected to
begin next week in Ankara. The plan calls for the gas pipeline to
be constructed parallel to the Baku-Supsa-Ceyhan pipeline.
/Turkiye/
[08] G-20 MEETING IN ISTANBUL
A meeting of the G-20 Platform's minister and governor of Central
Bank deputies which includes Turkey, will be held in Istanbul the
end of February next year. The meeting aims to make necessary
preparations for the meeting of the Ministers and Governors of
the Central Banks. /Turkiye/
[09] TALAY IN FRANCE
Minister of Culture Istemihan Talay travelled yesterday to France
to attend round table meetings with the culture ministers of
other UNESCO member countries and to attend the Support for
Transformation of Art in Greater Europe (STAGE) meetings. Mr.
Talay will deliver a speech at UNESCO's "2000-2010: Obstacles In
the Way of Cultural Diversity" meeting. Noting relations between
Turkey and UNESCO had shown recent improvement, Mr. Talay said,
"We proposed Turkey to be the host country for the third UNESCO
round table meetings. We have learned that our proposal was
accepted and the meeting will be held in Istanbul in 2001. This
meeting is very important for the promotion of Turkey."
/Cumhuriyet/
[10] ERCEL AND BAYAR TO ATTEND MEETINGS
The Governor of Central Bank, Gazi Ercel, and Chairman of the
Privatization Administration, Ugur Bayar, will participate in a
series of meetings abroad. The first meeting will be held in
Frankfurt tomorrow with the participation of about 15 bank
representatives. The second meeting will be held Dec. 13 in New
York. The IMF First Deputy Chairman, Stanley Fischer, is also
expected to attend the meeting and to call on the participants to
support Turkey. Additionally, the Turkish Union of Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) will organize a meeting in Ankara
tomorrow. During the meeting, problems of the real sector will be
discussed. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and State Minister and
Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan will attend the meeting. A
report including the views of the business world on the economy
will be presented to the government. /Turkiye/
[11] FP CLOSURE TRIAL STARTS TOMORROW
On Dec. 12 the Constitutional Court will hear the case requesting
the disbandment of the Virtue Party (FP). Prior to the case, the
court will review the second paragraph of Article 103 of the
political parties law on anti-secular and reactionary
activities." If the Supreme Court decides the paragraph is in
contradiction with the Constitution, the case will be postponed
until a decision, with written justification, is issued in the
official gazette. The court will not only decide on the
disbandment of the FP, but also on the annulment of deputy status
for some deputies. Chief Public Prosecutor, Vural Savas, had
stated the criteria for "being a center of anti-state or
reactionary activities" could be determined by the court, and
added the authority of the court was shadowed with the latest
arrangement. Savas had initiated a lawsuit against the FP May 7,
on the grounds that the FP was "the continuation of the closed
Welfare Party (RP)" and had "become the center of anti-secular
and reactionary activities." /Turkish Daily News/
[12] DEMIREL TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST
Former President Suleyman Demirel begins a Middle East tour today
to convene the Fact-Finding Committee investigating the
Israeli-Palestinian clashes. Mr. Demirel will meet with officials
in Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Jordan during his two-day visit
to the region. /Milliyet/
[13] ANNUAL TARGETS ARE REACHED IN TOURISM
The Tourism Ministry announced the yearly figures related to
touristic activities. According to the figures, in eleven months
the number of foreign tourists visiting Turkey increased by 40%
compared to the last year, reaching 10 million. /Milliyet/
[14] TURKSAT 2-A TO BE LAUNCHED TOMORROW
Turkey's third satellite, Turksat 2-A, will be launched tomorrow.
The launching of Turksat 2-A was delayed last week to complete
the last technical checks. It will be launched from the French
Kourou Space Base. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] GRAVEYARDS FOR TURKISH MARTYRS
According to the book "Turkish Military, prepared by the Turkish
Graveyards and Monuments Foundation with the support of the
Ministry of Culture, there are graveyards for Turkish martyrs in
21 countries. Certain institutions, organizations and people
living in the region take care of the graveyards and monuments.
/Cumhuriyet/
[16] INTERNATIONAL MEVLANA INFORMATION FESTIVAL
The International Mevlana Information Festival will be held
between December 15-17 with the cooperation of the Ministry of
Culture and the Konya Culture and Tourism Association. Mevlana
and Mevlevi philosophy will be discussed in detail during the
festival. /Cumhuriyet/
[17] POPE RONCALLI STREET IN SISLI
Olcek Sokak, the street where the Vatican Istanbul Embassy is
located, was renamed "Pope Roncalli Street". Pope Jean Roncalli,
the Vatican Representative between 1935-1945 in Istanbul, was
canonized last month. /Cumhuriyet/
[18] BYZANTINE EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK
The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art will begin its exhibition
of Byzantine works Thursday. The exhibition called "Mary-Micheal
Jaharis Byzantine Art Gallery" will first be presented to the
world press on Wednesday. Chairman of the Museum, Phillippe de
Montebello said, "We are honoured to present our Byzantine works
to art lovers." /Cumhuriyet/
[19] THE GREAT FLOOD IN WORLD PRESS
The German journal, Der Spiegel put the Great Flood on its cover.
Noah's Ark and Great Flood were researched by a German geologist,
Prof. Burkhard Flemming. Mr. Flemming described a flood which
took place along the Black Sea coast. He outlined the scientific
proofs for the flood, such as the ruins of a house 100 meters
beneath the current sea level. /Aksam/
[20] TURKISH AIRPLANE IN IRAQ
A Turkish private airplane landed yesterday at Saddam
International Airport in Baghdad. The plane brought medicine and
medical equipment as a part of humanitarian aid assistance. Four
businessmen, two doctors and two nurses arrived in Iraq with the
plane. /Star/
[21] ERSU ESTABLISHES A FRUIT JUICE FACTORY IN CHINA
The fruit juice producing company, Ersu, established a factory in
Hancheng, China with the Chinese Agriculture Ministry and a
Korean company, Dongji. The Ersu trademark will be used for the
products having annual 10,000 ton capacity. Ersu invested $1.2
million in the factory which is worth around $20 million.
/Milliyet/
[22] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
[23] THE MILITARY AND THE EU BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)
Former Ambassador Sukru Elekdag comments on the statement
recently issued by the military. A summary of his column is as
follows:
"Can it be said that the timing of the statement titled 'Internal
Security Evaluation of the year 2000' is condusive to the
commonsense and responsibility becoming this respected state
institution? The statement, assessing the struggle with the PKK
terrorist organisation and giving information on the the strategy
to be followed, stresses that the Turkish Armed Forces do not
agree with some of the conditions EU has placed before Turkey.
Therefore, it has projected abroad the image of a country under
the supervision of the military. Additionally the statement's
timing puts Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in a hard spot, as it
was released during the hours Ecevit attended the EU Nice summit.
European states can interpret this statement, as the desire by
the Armed forces to give a direct message to the EU, by-passing
the civil administration where it believes to hold an important
position. We must note that such circumstances lead to the
tearing down of both the Armed Forces and the civilian goverment
in the public eye. Therefore, harmony and peace should be
instituted at the state summit. It would be beneficial to hold a
weekly coordination meeting between the Chief of Staff and the
Prime Minister. This would strengthen the dialogue between
civilian and military officials.
The interesting characteristic of the statement is that it is
built upon the presumption that entering the EU would lead to
catastrophical results for the national unity and territorial
integrity of the country. This is not openly expressed in the
statement but the criticisms regarding the EU show that such an
underlying idea exists...
The discussion between the National Intelligence Service (MIT)
and the Chief of Staff over ways to conduct the fight against
Kurdish ethnic nationalism and separatism, reveal there is no
agreement on strategy at the higher levels of the State. This has
to be corrected as soon as possible. Otherwise, Turkey will lose
its chance to catch up with the times by entering the EU, and
will face the danger of sinking into a mire in trying to kill the
flies rather than improving the conditions in the region."
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