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Turkish Press Review, 02-06-03

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

<LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> </map> <map name="FPMap1"></map> Press &amp; Information Turkish Press Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

03.06.2002


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY AND MONGOLIA SIGN TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENT
  • [02] ECEVIT MEETS WITH DSP MEMBERS
  • [03] YILMAZ BRIEFS PARLIAMENTARIANS ON DEATH PENALTY IN THE EU
  • [04] BAHCELI RETURNS FROM CHINESE VISIT
  • [05] NATIONALIST PARTIES HOLD CONGRESSES
  • [06] KUTAN: “TURKEY IS SUFFERING FROM A POWER VACUUM”
  • [07] NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ANKARA CALLS FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS
  • [08] GREEK POLICE INVITE TURKISH COUNTERPARTS FOR CONFERENCE
  • [09] TOBB: “THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST NEED AN ECONOMIC PLAN”
  • [10] ENVIRONMENTALISTS PROTEST HAZARDOUS STRAITS TRAFFIC
  • [11] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
  • [12] NATO AMBASSADORS PUTIN AND SEZER BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
  • [13] CRITICAL WEEK FOR THE EU BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)

  • [01] TURKEY AND MONGOLIA SIGN TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENT

    During his official visit to Mongolia yesterday, Prime Minister Ahmet Necdet Sezer had a one-on-one meeting with his Mongolian counterpart Natsagiin Bagabandi. Following separate meetings between Sezer’s delegation and Mongolian officials, Turkish State Minister Resat Dogu and Ayurzayn Tsanjid, Mongolia’s education, culture and science minister and Turkish-Mongolian Joint Economic Commission (KEK) chairman, signed a land transportation agreement on behalf of their countries. Then the two presidents held a joint press conference. President Sezer told reporters that he and Bagabandi had agreed that commercial and economic relations between the two countries needed improvement. “Unfortunately, the geographical distance between Turkey and Mongolia has hindered our enjoying relations at the level that that the opportunity actually exists for,” Sezer said. “And that is our major reason for putting together this agreement on land transportation.” Sezer also expressed his gratitude for Bagabandi’s support to a project to protect and restore ancient Turkic monuments in Mongolia. Bagabandi, for his part, said that he was very much satisfied with their bilateral cooperation on security matters, and added that both sides were willing to further improve relations in those areas where ties were relatively underdeveloped, such as transportation and the economy. After completing his contacts in this country, Sezer is scheduled to proceed to Kazakhstan this afternoon. /All Papers/

    [02] ECEVIT MEETS WITH DSP MEMBERS

    Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit, who declared on Saturday that he was fine and in charge, yesterday received at his office in Oran DSP parliamentary group acting Chairman Emrehan Halici and Treasurer Mecit Sekercioglu. A team of eight doctors headed by Professor Turgut Zileli from Baskent University Hospital also conducted a daily medical checkup with Ecevit. Meanwhile, a group of workers from the Meat and Fish Association visited Ecevit’s wife and DSP deputy chairwoman, Rahsan Ecevit, in order to send their best wishes to the prime minister as well as submit a file to be delivered to him. The file included a briefing on the problems of workers in the sector. /Turkiye/

    [03] YILMAZ BRIEFS PARLIAMENTARIANS ON DEATH PENALTY IN THE EU

    Responding to a censure motion submitted by Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Ramazan Toprak over the weekend, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairman Mesut Yilmaz briefed parliamentarians on the current situation concerning the death penalty in European Union member countries. Stating that no EU country had retained the death penalty, Yilmaz said that under the sixth protocol of the European Convention of Human Rights, the EU countries had abolished capital punishment except in cases of war or the risk of imminent war. “In addition, the 13th protocol, which will be opened for signing at the EU Council’s Balkans summit slated for Vilnius next year,” said Yilmaz, “proposes abolishing the death penalty in all circumstances including during times of war or imminent war.” /Cumhuriyet/

    [04] BAHCELI RETURNS FROM CHINESE VISIT

    Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday returned to Turkey from China, where for the last week he has been on an official visit. Speaking to reporters, Bahceli said that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit was doing his job and that no “power vacuum” existed. “It is wrong to call on him to resign as long as he continues to carry out his duty of coordinating the government,” Bahceli added. Bahceli also said that it was Ecevit’s decision whether to resign or not, and that trying to pressure him from outside was improper. Speaking on the issue of carrying out the death sentence on terrorist PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, Bahceli stated that the government coalition partners had decided that once a decision on Ocalan’s appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) comes through, then Parliament should proceed to a vote on the matter. /Hurriyet/

    [05] NATIONALIST PARTIES HOLD CONGRESSES

    Two nationalist-oriented political parties, the Great Union Party (BBP) and the Enlightened Turkey Party (ATP), separately held their congresses yesterday in Ankara. In his opening speech at the BBP Congress, party leader Muhsin Yazicioglu criticized the current government and called on it to hold elections as soon as possible. Yazicioglu was also re-elected to his post at the meeting. In his keynote address to the ATP Congress, party leader Tugrul Turkes called the ATP a party whose roots lie in the past but which was still squarely facing the future. /Star /

    [06] KUTAN: “TURKEY IS SUFFERING FROM A POWER VACUUM”

    Speaking at a Felicity Party (SP) provincial chairmen’s meeting yesterday in Ankara, SP leader Recai Kutan laid out his views of the performance of the 57th government over the last three years. Criticizing the coalition’s performance, Kutan said that a “power vacuum” exists due to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s health problems and that early elections were the only way to address the problem. /Turkiye/

    [07] NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO ANKARA CALLS FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS

    Speaking to Iranian official news agency IRNA over the weekend, Iran’s new Ambassador to Ankara Firuz Devletabadi called for the improvement of cultural, economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Iran. Devletabadi also expressed his satisfaction with the recent rapprochement between the two countries and requested that officials of the two countries endeavor to take further positive steps. /Cumhuriyet/

    [08] GREEK POLICE INVITE TURKISH COUNTERPARTS FOR CONFERENCE

    Greek police yesterday invited their Turkish counterparts to visit Greece to attend the International Police Union (IPA) meeting starting this Wednesday, a gathering which last year was held in Istanbul. The Greek police also said that they would like to entertain their Turkish counterparts in their country. /Aksam/

    [09] TOBB: “THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST NEED AN ECONOMIC PLAN”

    Speaking yesterday during the midst of a one-day swing tour of Elazig, Tunceli and Bingol, cities in Turkey’s east, Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said, “Perhaps an economic State of Emergency [OHAL] should be declared for eastern and southeastern Anatolia. We need to create employment here.” Last week’s National Security Council (MGK) meeting announced that the current OHAL, which was created to protect the region from terrorism, would be phased out. Speaking along with the TOBB Executive Board members, Hisarciklioglu said that the group had divided Turkey into nine regions with corresponding representative board positions. The TOBB wants to turn each region into a region of development, he said. Weighing in on current issues in the spotlight, Hisarciklioglu said that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s illness was not an obstacle to Turkey’s European Union accession process. /Milliyet/

    [10] ENVIRONMENTALISTS PROTEST HAZARDOUS STRAITS TRAFFIC

    Environmentalists yesterday staged a one-day protest in Istanbul highlighting the dangers of ships carrying hazardous materials through the Turkish Straits. Zafer Murat Cetintas, leader of environmental group National Warriors, said that the large number of vessels carrying such materials posed a grave risk to humans, animals, and the environment. “If any of the petroleum tankers in the Straits exploded for some reason, Istanbul’s historical structure would be utterly destroyed,” said Zafer. “The passage of tankers carrying hazardous materials, especially liquid petroleum gas [LPG] should be banned. A solution needs to be found on the international stage for ships passing through the Straits. We call on responsible officials to take measures to tackle this vital issue.” /Sabah/

    [11] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS

    [12] NATO AMBASSADORS PUTIN AND SEZER BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)

    Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on Turkey and Russia working as partners in Asia. A summary of her column is as follows:

    “Following the NATO summit in Rome, Prime Minister Berlusconi told a press conference that they were sending Putin and Sezer as their ambassadors to Central Asia. This statement heralded a change in mentality. NATO, trying to turn into a global security organization, charged Russia and Turkey with solving the escalating crisis between India and Pakistan. The decision was taken at a working dinner. NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson began his speech by addressing the most important security risk on the agenda. The tension between India and Pakistan which carries the threat of a nuclear clash was discussed during the banquet. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he had dispatched his foreign minister to the region. Putin, speaking after him, said that he would try to bring the leaders of the two countries to the Cooperation and Confidence Building Measures Summit Conference in Asia to begin today. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, speaking at this stage, said that he would also attend the meeting and meet with both leaders. He added that Pakistani head of state Musharraf must be seen as an encouraging example in the fight he is waging against terrorism, and India should be called on act with moderation. Following these talks, the leaders of NATO countries asked Sezer and Putin to convey NATO’s view to the Asian Security Summit to begin in Almaty. However, Sezer and Putin’s jobs won’t be that easy. India is accusing Pakistan of sheltering militants belonging to Al Qaida in Kashmir and declaring that it won’t enter into a dialogue with Pakistan unless it stops supporting the terrorists. The tension between the two neighboring countries, which have fought thrice over Kashmir since getting their independence from Britain in 1947, reached its peak with an attack on a military camp in a region under Indian control on May 14. The tension between the two countries which both have nuclear weapons carries the danger of causing great destruction in the region. Even though Pakistani head of state Musharraf says that no one could act so irresponsibly as to use nuclear weapons, the West is following the developments with concern. With a million troops are deployed on the Indian-Pakistani border, the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Korea called their citizens back to return to their countries. Japan, Belgium and France also followed suit. The day before yesterday, the UN decided to evacuate its representatives working there. The tension is escalating. The leaders of both countries state that they do not believe the events will lead to a nuclear war, but observers who are closely following the situation predict that the situation may well get out of control. We must recall the 1962 missile crisis. Neither the US, nor the Soviet Union had thought that the circumstances would quickly bring them to the brink of a nuclear war. Today, the danger of miscalculation leading Asia to face a nuclear war cannot be dismissed. Asian security is concerning NATO more now than ever before. Turkey and Russia are opening up to Asia as partners.”

    [13] CRITICAL WEEK FOR THE EU BY GUNGOR MENGI (SABAH)

    Columnist Gungor Mengi writes on Turkey’sEU membership bid. A summary of his column is as follows:

    “The US has presented itself as a prosperous free country to people coming from various cultures worldwide on the condition that they leave their reasons for conflict behind them. People coming from diverse races and cultures healed their wounds in this pluralist climate and, uniting their fate with their free will became a nation. The experience of the US has demonstrated that the best guarantee for preserving freedoms and diversities is not division but integration. It also showed that when their diversity and free expression are respected, different cultures can be the basis for loyalty and integrity. Turkey is not a country built upon a race. Different cultures which lived on this land for centuries have created a strong nation. The only exception to this is the Kurdish problem, which grew with the exploitation of the feudal structure in southeastern Anatolia by foreign powers and resulted in feeding the separatist nationalist current due to oppressive measures for security reasons. With the capture of Ocalan and the defeat of terrorism, the threat before Kurdish citizens using their free will for national unity has been eradicated. The abolition of State of Emergency Rule (OHAL) demonstrates the confidence the state has in itself and its citizens. With the guarantees Turkey will gain by becoming an EU member, our nation will turn this problem into nothing but a bitter memory. Capital punishment, which has not been implemented for 15 years, should be turned into life imprisonment with no parole. The abolition of a ban on TV and radio broadcasts in languages other than Turkish and permission for learning languages to put cultural rights under guarantee are some of the steps which should be taken to pave the way for EU membership. In Turkey, entering the EU is regarded as if we were beating the EU. This is a completely incorrect approach. What we will achieve is a free, peaceful and prosperous future. With the military overcoming its qualms, Turkey has caught a golden opportunity. The June 7 summit called by the president may be a new beginning for our future. These steps won’t be a concession to Europe, but rather important investments for our own future.”

    ARCHIVE

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