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Turkish Press Review, 01-06-12
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
12.06.2001
TURK TELEKOM LAW APPROVED BY SEZERDuring the meeting of Turk Telekom's general council, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's written suggestions to the Prime Ministry when approving the bill, were accepted as provisions to the main contract. In a statement issued by the Undersecretary of Treasury, the extraordinary General Council meeting of Telekom will be held next week concerning the renewal of the members of the Executive Board of Telekom. /Hurriyet/PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT CAUTIONS ARMENIAPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit criticized Armenia at his meeting with a delegation of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA). Stating there should be cooperation in the Caucasus and that diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia should be improved, Ecevit said "Armenia should give up not just distorting historical facts but also should withdraw form the Azerbaijani lands which she occupied." The ATAA delegation was also received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Deputies of Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz and Devlet Bahceli. Ecevit said there are strong evidences proving that the cooperation between Turkey and the US were strengthening after George W. Bush's election. Ecevit said, "Turkey is not just a European country but also has ties with Central Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Balkans. Therefore, Turkey is a key country in a period when the integration process between Europe and Asia has accelerated. The US is aware of this fact."_Cumhuriyet/
ISMAIL CEM TO SPEAK AT OECD MEETINGThe Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Council meeting, headed by OECD General Secretary Donald Johnston, will be held on June 14 in Istanbul. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will make the inauguration speech of the meeting, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Ambassadors will tackle certain issues discussed by some expert committees and items concerning relations with third world countries. /Turkish Daily News/COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGCouncil of Ministers evaluated the investigation reports on the CASA planes which have recently crashed. Minister of National Defense Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said no production deficiency could be determined so far. Additionally, the security of Istanbul and Canakkale Straits was also discussed during the meeting. Minister of the the Environment Fevzi Aytekin informed the ministers about the security of the Bosphorous. Aytekin said that they would comply with the terms of the international agreements regulating the maritime traffic along the Boshporous to prevent any accidents. /Cumhuriyet_BUSY SCHEDULE FOR THE PARLIAMENTThe coalition partners aim to pass the bills at the Parliament on June 22, which are planned to be enacted before the meeting with the IMF between June 24-25. The Parliamentary Planning And Budgetary Commission is expected to approve the bill on supplementary budget. The bills on state banks and tobacco will first be discussed in the Commission and then will be debated in the Plenary Session. The bill on punishment execution institutions will also be debated in the Plenary Session. _Cumhuriyet_COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY PREPARES A REPORT ON TURKEY'The Council of Europe Parliamentarians' Committee discussed an information report which had been drawn up by Andras Barson (Hungarian Socialist Parliamentarian) and Benno Zierre (German Christian Democrat Parliamentarian) to inform the Assembly on the situation in Turkey with respect to its undertakings as a member State of the Council of Europe. The report stated that a number of steps have been taken over the last three years to amend the Turkish penal code and reform regulations on arrest, detention and release procedures. It focuses on the abolishment of death penalty, recent reforms in prisons and the right to unionize. According to the report, "although for many observers, Turkey has a negative human rights image, which seems justified by a number of facts", Turkish officials are sincere and in favor of dialogue concerning certain important issues. Barson and Zierre said the implementation of the National Programme would lessen the concerns of the Council of Europe. _Cumhuriyet_POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY'S EUROPEAN UNION ACCESSION STRATEGYThe Council of Europe has announced it is satisfied with the developments recorded in its enhanced political dialogue with Turkey, the Anatolia News Agency reported yesterday. The EU General Affairs Council running the meetings in Luxembourg has issued a statement in order to dispel the unease felt by member countries following the referendum taken in Ireland. The statement issued by the council was said to be of historical significance regarding the matter of enlargement. The part of the statement concerning Turkey touched on the importance of the developments recorded in Turkey's EU accession strategy. _Turkish Daily News_TURKEY OBSERVES THE GOTEBOURG SUMMIT CAREFULLYAt the Gotebourg Summit of the European Union and the United States, the anti-missile defense project proposed by the US, European Security and Defense Policy(ESDP), the change of plan for the implementation of sanctions on Iraq , which are extremely important issues for Turkey, will be discussed. The measures to be taken against the global warming, commercial relations, the problems in the Balkans and the Middle East are also on the agenda of the Summit. American sources said Turkey-EU relations and the issue of Cyprus may be discussed at the Summit, as secondary topics. _Milliyet_TENSION BETWEEN TURKEY AND EU CONCERNING ESDP INCREASESThe tension between Turkey and the European Union (EU) concerning the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) is increasing. The explanations made prior to the NATO Summit, which will be held tomorrow in Brussels and will be attended by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, gave the impression that there is not an atmosphere of solution concerning the ESDP. Chief of the General Staff, General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, is not participating in the meeting, which is bringing together the Chiefs of the General Staff of NATO and EU member countries for the first time in Brussels. Turkey is being represented by the Chairman of the Turkish Military Delegation, Lieutenant General Orhan Yöney in the meeting, during which other countries are attending on the level of Chiefs of the General Staff. Kivrikoglu's absence in the meeting is interpreted as Turkey will not make any concessions concerning the ESDP in Brussels. In addition, this attitude was described as Turkey's protest against the attitude of EU and NATO member countries. _Hurriyet_PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT CAUTIONS ARMENIAPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit criticized Armenia at his meeting with a delegation of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA). Stating there should be cooperation in the Caucasus and that diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia should be improved, Ecevit said "Armenia should give up not just distorting historical facts but also should withdraw form the Azerbaijani lands which she occupied." The ATAA delegation was also received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Deputies of Prime Minister, Mesut Yilmaz and Devlet Bahceli. Ecevit said there are strong evidences proving that the cooperation between Turkey and the US were strengthening after George W. Bush's election. Ecevit said, "Turkey is not just a European country but also has ties with Central Asia, Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Balkans. Therefore, Turkey is a key country in a period when the integration process between Europe and Asia has accelerated. The US is aware of this fact."_Cumhuriyet/
DE SOTO WILL BE IN CYPRUS IN JULYUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is preparing to send his special envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto at the beginning of July, despite a lack of progress in resolving the 27-year-old dispute over the Mediterranean island. Alvaro de Soto has been trying to break months of deadlock over UN-sponsored talks for the reunification of the island. De Soto is expected to meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides during his stay on the island then he will visit both Ankara and Athens. In a letter to the Security Council made public last week, Annan wrote that he intended to keep de Soto in his post, "at least through the current year." De Soto was first appointed to the position in November 1999. /Turkish Daily News/PAPANDREOU THREATENS TO USE THE VETO RIGHTGreek Foreign Minister George Papandreou implied Greece may use her right of veto in case Turkey achieves her targets regarding the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). Stressing the claims of "secret compromises" during the NATO meeting in Budapest were not right, Papandreou said, Turkey does not accept the current conditions. /Turkiye/
YILMAZ TO ADDRESS TURKEY-AUSTRIA-EUROPE CONFERENCEState Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is to address the participants of a conference called "Turkey-Austria and Europe" at an unofficial meeting before the conference, the Anatolia News Agency reported yesterday. The conference is to take place in Vienna between June 18-19. Yilmaz will fly to Vienna on the 17th and hold the unofficial meeting that evening. The meeting is expected to be attended by participants in the next day's conference as well as conference organizers and NGO supporting it. /Turkish Daily News/STATE MINISTER GUREL VISITS GERMANYState Minister Sukru Sina Gurel went to Germany yesterday for an official visit. Gurel will discuss education matters with German authorities and meet with some students and citizens. Gurel will also join the meeting of the consultative committee for citizens living abroad. Gurel is expected to return on June 18. _Turkish Daily News/COOPERATION WITH IRAQ DEVELOPSForeign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Loloğlu met with Iraqi Deputy Head of State, Taha Yasin Ramazan, and Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz as part of his visit to Iraq. Following the meetings, Loloğlu said Turkey aims at developing relation with Iraq.
Ramazan said, Turkey and Iraq have many areas to develop cooperation. /Turkiye/
TURKEY-GEORGIA JOINT TRANSPORT COMMISSION MEETINGThe Turkey-Georgia Joint Transport Commission meeting will be held today in Istanbul. Turkish Transport Minister Enis Oksuz and Georgian Transport and Communications Minister Merab Adeishvili will head the meeting, where issues including the Kars-Tbilisi railroad project and the improvement of the Batum Airport will be discussed. /Turkish Daily News/TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN NATO EXERCISES IN GEORGIASome 4,000 servicemen from 11 countries began a NATO training exercise near Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti on Monday aimed at strengthening cooperation between the military alliance and countries to the east. Soldiers from the United States, France, Italy, Turkey, Sweden and Greece were participating in the two-week exercise with others from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Romania, the Ukraine and Georgia. International Red Cross officials were also taking part. /Turkish News/
BRAZILIAN LAND FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL DOS SANTOS VISITS TURKEYBrazilian Land Forces Chief of Staff General Marcello Rufino Dos Santos visited his Turkish counterpart General M. Sener Eruygur. Dos Santos was welcomed at a ceremony by Eruygur. The two generals announced their mutual pleasure at the Land Forces Headquarter. Dos Santos will return to his country on June 15. /Turkish Daily News/KIZILAY'S 133RD ANNIVERSARYKizilay's (The Turkish Red Crescent) 133rd anniversary is being marked with ceremonies all over Turkey. Within the scope of the ceremonies, Kizilay Chairman Ertan Gonen and other officials have visited Anitkabir (Ataturk's Mausoleum). After the visit, Kizilay's new medical center was opened with a ceremony. Gonen said in his speech that Kizilay would continue to contribute to health services. _Turkish News_AYDIN DOGAN MEETS GERMAN PRESIDENTDogan Holding Chairman of the Executive Board, Aydin Dogan is currently visiting Germany upon the invitiation of German President Johannes Rau. Dogan met with German Minister of the Interior Otto Schilly yesterday. Rau will receive Dogan tomorrow. They will discuss the relations between Turkish and German societies and the role of the media in these relations. _Milliyet_TGC OBSERVES 55TH FOUNDATION ANNIVERSARYThe Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC) issued a statement on Monday on the occasion of its 55th foundation anniversary. The statement, issued by its executive board, said that the TGC had been demonstrating a determined and uncompromising stance since the beginning of the multi-party system in Turkey regarding democratization, freedom of expression, and the working conditions of journalists. "The TGC has been demonstrating an uncompromising stance regarding the democratic and professional rights of journalists ever since the opening of the multi-party period. Even in the times of democratic regression, the TGC has continued to fight against undemocratic applications and practices. Unfortunately, certain media organizations are employing journalists without registering them as such. This is an illegal practice. The TGC has applied to all the relevant bodies of the state, including the president. _Turkish News_'THE STORY OF THREE SEAS' CONFERENCE TO BE HELDThe Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEIK), Black Sea Economic Cooperation (KEI) Business Council, and Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA) will hold a conference "The Story of Three Seas: Unity with the World's Energy" on June 19-21. The conference will be sponsored by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The latest developments of the Baku-Ceyhan and Tenghiz-Novorossisk pipelines, and energy potentials of the Black Sea, Caspian Sea and east Mediterranean regions will be discussed. _Turkish News_DERVIS TO VISIT GERMANY AND THE USState Minister responsible for the Economy, Kemal Dervis, will travel to Frankfurt today to explain the economic program to international financial institutions and to attract foreign resources to Turkey and to request the renewal of the syndication credits extented to the banks. Dervis will later proceed to the US. He said official support was secured from the states, but private financial institutions and investors are required to increase their portfolios in Turkey. _Milliyet/REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IMF CREDITThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) requested the fulfilment of four requirements, which exist in the Letter of Intent given to the IMF for the release of the remaining portion of the credit worth $1.5 billion.
The IMF Chief of Turkey Desk, Juha Kahkonen, enumerated the conditions to be met: " It is a must to have a professional team be appointed to the Telekom Administration. But, we don't think market conditions would be conducive for the privatization of Telekom in a near future. Second is the ratification of the supplementary budget. Third, steps should be taken in the banking sector. The liquidation of Emlakbank and the merger of four banks in the fund under another transitional bank or their liquidation are required. Fourth, the law on Tobacco should be approved by the Parliament. These tasks are rather hard, but we are hopeful that Turkey will be successful." /Milliyet/NEW ADVISOR TO KEMAL DERVISMurat Ucer, who has worked in the IMF and Credit Suisse-First Boston Bank, began to work as advisor to the State Minister for the Economy ,Kemal Dervis. Ucer is extensively experienced on the international banking and will help Dervis on international financing. /Milliyet_THY CANCELS ITS FLIGHTS TO SKOPJEThe clashes in Macedonia have increased particularly in the regions of Kumanova and Lipkova in the north. Thus, many airlines companies, including Turkish Airlines (THY) have decided to cancel their flights to Skopje for some time due to the increase in clashes and its possibility to extend Skopje. THY will fly to Skopje for the last time from Istanbul to Skopje this evening. Similarly, the Austrian, Greek and Yugoslav airlines have also stopped their flights to Skopje as of yesterday. _Hurriyet_ BOEING WAITS FOR SALE OF THYBoeing Group of Trade Airplanes organized a meeting yesterday in Istanbul. Deputy Chairman of the Group Responsible for Asia, Pasific, Africa and the Middle East, Doug Groseclose, said, "Turkey is a very important market for us. We want to be in Turkey and serve with the best products." Regarding a question about the privatization of the THY, he said recently, many airline companies have begun to be privatized in the world and Boeing believes it is a positive development. Groseclose said, "We are looking for the privatization of the THY. This will be an opportunity for growth and development." Other authorities from the Group said, they welcome the developments in Turkey and their presence in Turkey is a proof for it. _Turkiye_SUPPLEMENTARY MEASURES FOR COMPENSATING GRAIN PRICES AND CIVIL SERVANTS WAGESDuring a press meeting yesterday, the IMF Chief of Turkey Desk, Juha Kahkonen, said before his departure from Turkey, that the government will take new measures to compensate the deviations from the economic program. Saying that the high grain prices and the wage increases of civil servants put an extra burden on the budget, Kahkonen said "Some of the compensatory measures began to be implemented and others will be taken soon." State Minister responsible for the Economy, Kemal Dervis, said before his departure to Germany, that the amount to be compensated is around $833 million, some of which will be met by the increase in tax revenues. _Milliyet/
TENDER LAW ON REVISIONRevisions planned to be made on the State Tender Law are being taken up with experts from the World Bank. A draft prepared by a commission which consists of authorities from the Ministries of Finance and Public Works and Housing has begun to be discussed with a World Bank delegation. Reportedly, EU criteria will constitute a basis for the amendments to the Law. /Turkiye/TUSIAD'S TURKEY REPORTThe Association of the Turkish Industralists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) will declare a report entitled, "Information Society on the EU Path and e-Turkey", to the public today. At a seminar organized in Istanbul the report, prepared with the contributions of Assc. Prof. Cemil Arıkan from Sabanci University and Prof. Metin Durgut from Middle East Technical University (ODTU), will be promoted. /Turkiye_ITALIANS PURCHASE CIMENTASItalian Caltagirone-Cementir company purchased 56.1% of the shares of Cimentas worth $121.3 million, which has a 4% market share in Turkish cement industry. _Milliyet_ GERMAN CITIZENS OF TURKISH ORIGIN NOW 500,000Germany-based Center for Studies on Turkey (TAM) Professor Faruk Sen said that the importance of German citizens of Turkish origin would increase for the 2002 elections in Germany. Turkish people showed great interest in staying in Germany and, therefore, they want to be German citizens, he added. According to a study of 1,000 Turkish people aged 18 or over are already German citizens. /Turkish
News/
TURKISH WOMAN RECEIVES AVIATION AWARDSpace Engineer Nilay Uzgoren Papila, who is working as a research assistant in the USA, received an "International Amelia Earhart Award" with her project on a design facilitating the rockets to carry more with less fuel. /Milliyet/
CONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
ECEVIT WILL NOT MEET WITH BUSH BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (HURRIYET)
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
ECEVIT WILL NOT MEET WITH BUSH BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (HURRIYET)
Columnist Muharrrem Sarikaya writes on the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels on June 13th. A summary of his column is as follows:"US President George W. Bush in a letter he sent to Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, by the US Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson on May 9th, expressed his hopes to see the Prime Minister in Brussels on June 13th to review the results of their common efforts. Upon these words Ankara was preparing for an appointment. Even the visit of US Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld's visit to Turkey was evaluated within this framework. However, it was reported that there would not be a meeting between the US President and the Turkish Prime Minister. The main reason being that the schedule of the US President was very busy and that he would travel to another country from Brussels the next day. Thus, the possibility of a bilateral meeting was called off. However, a meeting where they could get acquainted during the NATO Summit is still possible.Bilateral relations with the leaders of other countries do not take place in Ecevit's program.
If there is a request, and Ecevit's program is suitable there may be bilateral talks. The reason is similar to that of the US President and that Ecevit would not stay long at the Summit and therefore may not have time for talks. The main subject of the NATO Brussels Summit will be European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI), which turned into European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). The issue was first discussed during 1996 Berlin Ministerial Meeting and it was decided to develop ESDI within the framework of NATO. In time, the EU countries moved towards a different path. They accepted the policy of the participation of only the EU member countries in a decision-making mechanism during the interventions they will undertake using the capabilities and facilities of NATO in crisis regions. Turkey who has the biggest army in Europe and served in the decision mechanism of NATO for 50 years and in the military defense mechanism of the WEU for nine years, opposed this policy saying that she had every right to participate in this decision-making mechanism. She even declared that she would use her veto right in NATO. Turkey's reason for opposing this decision was based on the decision taken during the 1999 Washington Summit to improve the relations between NATO and the EU. The decision envisaged the preservation of rights achieved in the WEU by NATO countries.In fact, during the visit of US Secretary of Defense to Ankara, the Office of General Staff expressed its requests once more. These were, firstly, during EU's intervention in crisis regions by using NATO capabilities and facilities Turkey should participate in the decision-making and implementation processes. Secondly, if the EU intervenes in a crisis region vital to Turkey due to her geographic proximity and has crucial security importance for her without using NATO capabilities, it should be guaranteed that Turkey take place on the decision-making mechanisms to a certain degree to participate in the operation in line with her own evaluations. 11 of 15 EU countries are members of NATO. The other four members did not shoulder any burden of NATO. Now these countries are saying that even though they are not in NATO, they will decide on how to use its forces. This attitude offends Turkey who is in the midst of 13 out of 16 crisis regions of the world."
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