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Turkish Press Review, 02-03-19
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Turkish
Press Review >>
Foreign
Press Guide
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
19.03.2002
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER: "TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION IS A MUST"
[02] SEZER SENDS REAL ESTATE BILL BACK TO PARLIAMENT
[03] BAHCELI VISITS KAZAKHSTAN
[04] BUSH: "TURKEY IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR GROWTH"
[05] US VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY VISITS TURKEY
[06] BULGARIAN VICE PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR COMMUNIST-ERA ASSIMILATION CAMPAIGN
[07] PERLE: "TURKEY WOULD SUPPORT THE US DURING AN OPERATION IN IRAQ"
[08] IMF'S KAHKONEN: "WE ARE SATISFIED WITH THE TURKISH ECONOMIC PROGRAM"
[09] KARZAI'S VISIT POSTPONED
[10] UZBEK OFFICIALS RECEIVE KIVRIKOGLU
[11] 87TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALLIPOLI COMMEMORATED
[12] OGER TOURS RECOGNIZED FOR SPURRING TURKISH TOURISM
[13] TRAVEL EXECUTIVE: "TURKEY WILL BE AT THE HEAD OF WORLD TOURISM"
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS IS ONLY A MEANS BY SEMIH IDIZ (STAR)
[16] WHO WILL CONVINCE WHOM? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] SEZER: "TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION IS A MUST"
The Third World Telecommunications Development Conference organized by the
Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Turkish Telecommunications Council
began yesterday in Istanbul. Government ministers from 30 countries as well
as 1,200 delegates are attending the conference, which will run through
March 27. In the opening speech of the conference yesterday, Turkish
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer stressed the necessity to prepare a strategic
action plan to narrow the huge gap between the developed and developing
countries concerning technological advances. Remarking that technological
advances had brought about negative consequences as well as positive
developments, Sezer stated that the conference was a great opportunity for
both countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to discuss their
common problems concerning technology. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] SEZER SENDS REAL ESTATE BILL BACK TO PARLIAMENT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday sent a bill containing changes to
real estate tax law back to the Parliament to be debated once more. /All
Papers/
[03] BAHCELI VISITS KAZAKHSTAN
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet
Bahceli yesterday traveled to Kazakhstan to pay an official visit. Speaking
to the press prior to his departure, Bahceli stated that Turkey wanted to
join the European Union regardless of recent disputes over the issue.
/Cumhuriyet/
[04] BUSH: "TURKEY IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR GROWTH"
In a message sent yesterday to the American-Turkish Council, US President
George W. Bush expressed gratitude to Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and to the Turkish people for their support
for the fight against terrorism after last September's attacks on the US.
Bush also said that Turkey exemplified an alternative to radicalism and
religious intolerance. "Turkey has stood with the US for a half-century,"
Bush added. Bush also praised Turkey's efforts regarding its economy and
said that the nation was laying the groundwork for growth. President Sezer
also sent a message to the council saying that the friendship between
Turkey and the US had been upgraded to that of strategic partnership. Sezer
added that this relationship was the work of not just the countries
governments but also of private groups as the American-Turkish Council.
/Hurriyet/
[05] US VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY VISITS TURKEY
US Vice President Dick Cheney is arriving in Ankara today for the last stop
on his 10-day tour of the Middle East region. The main topics expected to
be discussed between Cheney and Turkish government officials are the threat
of international terrorism, a possible US intervention in Iraq, Israel and
the Palestinians, and bilateral topics, including energy projects as well
as Turkey's possible command of the peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. /All
Papers/
[06] BULGARIAN VICE PRESIDENT APOLOGIZES FOR COMMUNIST-ERA ASSIMILATION
CAMPAIGN
Bulgarian Vice President Angel Marin yesterday apologized to the ethnic
Turks living in Bulgaria for an assimilation campaign carried out against
them during the communist era. He made the remarks at a gathering held in
the village of Barutin in the Rodop Mountains to mark the 30th anniversary
of the assimilation campaign. Speaking to the nearly 2,000 people assembled,
Marin said, "I feel ashamed that such a cruelty was carried out in my
country." He added, "I did not personally participate in the assimilation
campaign in an active way. But those who govern the country and those who
personally carried out this cruelty aren't the only ones responsible for
this unfair treatment of Turks and Muslims living in Bulgaria." /Aksam/
[07] PERLE: "TURKEY WOULD SUPPORT THE US DURING AN OPERATION IN IRAQ"
Pentagon advisor Richard Perle stated yesterday in an address to a
conference entitled "Global Effects of Terrorism" that he strongly believed
that Turkey would support the US if a military operation was held in Iraq.
Perle, who is reportedly close to US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld,
chairs the Defense Policy Board, a Pentagon advisory panel charged with
overseeing military preparedness. The conference was organized as a part of
the current American-Turkish Council meeting in Washington. Stating that
toppling Saddam Hussein would bring peace and stability to the region,
Perle argued that such a development would be beneficial to all countries,
including Turkey and the US. "If Saddam administration is toppled, then
Turkey's losses due to the current embargo on Iraq might be recovered,"
said Perle, a former deputy defense secretary under President Reagan. He
also added that a free trade agreement must be signed between Turkey and
the US to improve bilateral economic relations, stressing the necessity to
preserve the current close relations between the two countries.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] IMF'S KAHKONEN: "WE ARE SATISFIED WITH THE TURKISH ECONOMIC PROGRAM"
International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen said yesterday
that the departing IMF delegation was satisfied with the first review for
this year but that some steps were still needed for the IMF Executive Board
to approve additional financing. If all these measures are taken, the
Executive Board could meet in early April and approve the $1.1 billion in
additional funds for Turkey. /Hurriyet/
[09] KARZAI'S VISIT POSTPONED
Afghan interim government Prime Minister Hamid Karzai's visit to Ankara
scheduled for March 21 has been postponed to the end of this month. Afghan
Embassy officials that Karzai is to attend the Nevruz celebrations in Mazar-
e Sharif on the date originally planned for his visit. /Turkiye/
[10] UZBEK OFFICIALS RECEIVE KIVRIKOGLU
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, who is currently
touring Central Asian region countries, began his official meetings with
Uzbek authorities yesterday. Gen. Kivrikoglu met with Uzbek Defense
Minister Kadir Gulamov and they signed a military aid agreement worth some
$ 1.2 million. The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with recent
developments in bilateral relations. Kivrikoglu also met with Uzbek Foreign
Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and was then received by President Islam
Kerimov. During their meeting Turkey's possible command of the peacekeeping
force in Afghanistan was discussed, and Kerimov reportedly said, "Balances
are very sensitive and delicate in Afghanistan. If Turkey undertakes the
force's command, it should proceed very carefully." /Turkiye/
[11] 87TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALLIPOLI COMMEMORATED
The 87th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli, a victory by Turkish
troops defending the Dardanelles during World War I, was commemorated with
a number ceremonies yesterday. Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, other
government ministers, deputies, military officials and citizens attended
ceremonies in Canakkale. Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime
Minister Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli and Felicity
Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan issued messages to mark the occasion.
"Humanity should learn lessons from history and stop fighting. A world full
of peace and prosperity should be the main goal of us all," Sezer said in
his message. /Turkiye/
[12] OGER TOURS RECOGNIZED FOR SPURRING TURKISH TOURISM
In the current issue of German magazine Focus, Oger Tours Chairman Vural
Oger is ranked number six among the 12 top German tour operators. Focus
reported that last year for the first time Oger had served over 1 million
clients and earned revenues to totaling 574 million euros. It said that
Oger's 12,000 beds in the Bosphorus region made it a major force to be
reckoned with. Meanwhile, at the current International Tourism Stock
Exchange Fair in Berlin, the Turkish stands are receiving great attention.
Speaking at the fair to a Turkish Union of Travel Agencies (TURSAB)
delegation, Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar said that Oger Tours' recent
Aegean initiative had resulted with an increase in bookings of 40%. /Aksam/
[13] TRAVEL EXECUTIVE: "TURKEY WILL BE AT THE HEAD OF WORLD TOURISM"
World Travel and Tourism Cancel (WTTC) Chairman Jean-Claude Baumgarten
estimated yesterday that global tourism could grow by as much as 6% in the
year 2003. Stating that growing markets would be the locomotive for growth
in the tourism sector, Baumgarten added, "Turkey will be at the head of the
world tourism market in the next 10 years, and Turkish tourism will grow
more than twofold when compared to the rest of the world." /Turkiye/
[14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[15] EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS IS ONLY A MEANS BY SEMIH IDIZ (STAR)
Columnist Semih Idiz comments on Turkey's efforts to get its accession
negotiations to the EU started. A summary of his column is as follows:
"We are completing the first year following the declaration of our National
Programme. As those concerned with the issue are underlining, we cannot
underestimate the steps taken by the government during the previous year.
As we all know the dimensions of resistance to change in Turkey, we cannot
underrate these steps. However, no one can claim that the government
deserves a gold medal in carrying out these steps. In hindsight, no matter
how important these measures are, they still remain insufficient when
assessed within the whole context of the issue. In short, Turkey has not
been able to reach the target it set for March 19 in the National
Programme. Our officials are now saying that such a deadline was never set.
'Europe did not set such a date, it was a psychological mark we put forth
in order to encourage the public.' It is true that we have shown the carrot
and stick to ourselves. But this has helped only to a certain extent. The
same officials are stating that the real deadline is in mid-April. As a
country which could not reach the date it set for itself, we shall see if
we will be able to accomplish the requirements of EU by this deadline. I am
rather skeptical, but I would be delighted to be proven wrong. We must
evaluate the situation in line with our own standards rather than those of
the EU. This has nothing to do with the EU and concerns the reforms we must
carry out for ourselves. Speaking optimistically we can say that during the
last year some monolithic moulds began to crack. For example, the issue of
broadcasting in Kurdish, which could hardly be spoken of only two weeks ago
is being debated. Not only that, we are discussing whether it should be
aired through private channels or through state radio and TV channels. This
must be regarded as a significant step forward, even though we still have
not fulfilled the requirements of the EU Accession Partnership Document. We
have indexed our reforms to the EU. This is because some believe that we
are not able to do certain things unless there is the pressure from abroad.
Although this may be true in part, it is an approach which draws the anger
of the resistance front in our country. In fact, this suits the purposes of
those opposed to the EU. Resistance to foreign pressure is a stance which
finds favor in Turkey, even though it may reach to nonsensical dimensions
at times. We must comprehend that the reforms which are far beyond the
requirements of the National Programme should be fulfilled not for the EU
but for ourselves. EU membership for Turkey after we fulfill the Copenhagen
and Maastricht criteria may in fact be a limited development. As a country
which has advanced both economically and democratically, membership in the
EU may not be important for Turkey. In such a situation the EU countries
will get in line to form relations with Turkey. This is not a fantasy, but
a consequence of realpolitik. The EU is not an institution for which me
must change our culture, character or religion. It is a series of laws we
will adopt. These laws concern the elevation of the standard of living of
the citizens within the integrity of the state. The EU membership process
is a train which will take us to a station we want to get to. It is only a
means. We must be able to realize this."
[16] WHO WILL CONVINCE WHOM? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the US Vice President Cheney's visit to
Turkey today. A summary of his column is as follows:
"The broad outline of the issues which will be discussed during the talks
over Iraq and the Middle East in the course of US Vice President Dick
Cheney's visit, who is expected in Ankara today, is known even beforehand.
The Turkish side will request from the US that it give priority to the
Israeli-Palestinian issue and press for a solution. Regarding the Iraqi
issue, Turks will point out the possible negative consequences of a
military operation both for Turkey and the region. The government will
signal out that Ankara cannot actively support such an operation but will
rather contribute to a political solution. The US delegation will tell in
detail how the Saddam administration poses a threat for the countries in
the region and the world with its weapons of mass destruction and inquire
into how much support it can get to change the regime in Baghdad. Details
will make up the crucial point of the talks which will be conducted within
this general framework. Turks will try to learn what the US is planning to
do to topple the Saddam regime, how determined they are for a military
operation against Iraq and how they plan to accomplish this. For its part,
the US delegation will try to determine the extent to which Turkey can
participate within these plans. The aim of the US vice president in his 12
day-tour which covered 11 countries was to determine the extent to which
Bush's plans were supported by the international community and in the
Mideast region and convince the friendly countries if possible on the
issue. Cheney must have seen that support for a military operation is
minimal. In fact, support for a military operation against Iraq is not
supported by the international community covering countries from Europe, as
well as Russia and China, in addition to the Arab world. How much will this
determination affect the final decision of the US administration? Will the
administration, contrary to the international mood act unilaterally? If so,
what purpose do Cheney's consultations serve? Such an action would shake
the trust felt for the US and the solidarity formed after the Sept.11
attacks. According to reports coming from Washington for some time, if a
military operation is in the cards, it will be carried out in the second
half of the year. If the time in between is used productively, it is
possible to avert a war. Therefore, the international community, which is
against a military solution, must actively contribute to developments in
the meantime. Saddam must be prevented from daring and playing with fire as
much as Bush must be held from entering an adventure. Together with the
countries in the region which share the same concerns, Turkey may take on
an active role."
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