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Turkish Press Review, 02-06-10
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Press
& Information
Turkish
Press
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
10.06.2002
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT: “THE DEATH PENALTY PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED IN PARLIAMENT”
[02] TURK: “DEATH PENALTY CAN BE ABOLISHED THROUGH PARLIAMENT”
[03] US CYPRUS REPRESENTATIVE WESTON VISITS ANKARA
[04] SATICI: “CONGRATULATIONS TO ECEVIT FOR PRESS CONFERENCE”
[05] BAHCELI TO CHAIR CABINET MEETING
[06] ERDOGAN: “WE WOULD SUPPORT A DSP-ANAP GOVERNMENT FROM THE SIDELINES”
[07] KUTAN: “WE ARE NOT LIKE THE AKP”
[08] DERVIS: “POLITICIANS SHOULDN’T CAST SHADOW OVER THE MARKETS”
[09] TURKISH, US COMPANIES TO PURSUE JOINT PROJECTS FOR AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION
[10] TURKISH-GREEK ECONOMIC SUMMIT VOICES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BID
[11] TUROB AND SERVUS HOLD HOTEL TOURISM SEMINAR
[12] NEW YORK TIMES TRAVEL FEATURE TOUTS “TWO FACES OF ISTANBUL”
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[14] ECEVIT RELIEVES TENSION BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
[15] GREEK BARRIER TO EU DEFENCE BY IZZET SEDES (AKSAM)
[01] ECEVIT: “THE DEATH PENALTY PROBLEM WILL BE SOLVED IN PARLIAMENT”
Speaking to reporters yesterday in the garden of his office, Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit said, “I am carrying out my governmental duties by working at
home and my illness is not hampering the work of the government.” The
government is on its mission, and it is in harmony, Ecevit added. Answering
questions concerning disputes with Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader
Devlet Bahceli, Ecevit stated, “I hope that there will be no problems
between the government partners besides the death penalty.” He dismissed,
however, prospects of a government crisis and remarked that he agreed with
Bahceli’s concern that the practice of allying with the opposition against
one government partner should not turn into a habit. The MHP’s views on the
death penalty are clear and I hope we can come to agreement on this problem,
Ecevit added. Ecevit also said that the Cyprus issue was not a matter to be
dealt with by the European Union, but rather one for Turkey, the Turkish
Cypriots and Greece. Lastly, Ecevit said that, the MHP aside, if the needed
votes are obtained from opposition parties, then the EU and the death
penalty problem will be solved in the Parliament. Ecevit also said that he
would not attend the Seville summit later this month. /Hurriyet/
[02] TURK: “DEATH PENALTY CAN BE ABOLISHED THROUGH PARLIAMENT”
Speaking to reporters yesterday in Ankara Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk
said that the death penalty could be abolished by a motion at Parliament’s
Plenary Session without having to amend the Constitution. He also added
that there was no need to prepare a new bill for abolishing the death
penalty and that he hoped opposition parties such as the Felicity Party
(SP) and Justice and Development Party (AKP) would agree to support the
government on this issue. /Aksam/
[03] US CYPRUS REPRESENTATIVE WESTON VISITS ANKARA
United States State Department Special Representative for Cyprus Thomas
Weston is to visit Ankara today to discuss with Turkish officials recent
developments concerning the ongoing peace talks between Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader
Glafcos Clerides. Weston is also scheduled to pay an official visit to
Cyprus in the coming days to hold separate meetings with the two leaders.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend, Weston stated that he believed
the parties could reach an agreement on the basic issues by the end of this
month and that his visits to Turkey and Cyprus could contribute to this
peace process. However, he added, “The end of June should be regarded
neither as a target or nor a final date. The peace talks must continue
whatever the results are on that date.” /Cumhuriyet/
[04] SATICI: “CONGRATULATIONS TO ECEVIT FOR PRESS CONFERENCE”
Turkish Association of Exporters Chairman Oguz Satici said yesterday that
the weekend press conference held by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
constituted clear evidence that Turkey indeed had a prime minister at the
helm. Echoing Ecevit’s remarks that the government was continuing to work,
Satici commented that the timing of the press conference was good. Satici
added, “Mr. Ecevit should be congratulated for holding the press
conference. All of us will go to our offices on Monday feeling more secure.
Turkey needs a government coalition but the coalition parties don’t have to
agree on each and every issue. If there are 65 million people in Turkey,
there will be 65 million different opinions. The important thing is to
convince the majority to act in agreement on basic issues for Turkey’s
benefit.” /Sabah/
[05] BAHCELI TO CHAIR CABINET MEETING
The Cabinet is scheduled to meet today at 11:00 a.m. at the Prime Ministry
Building. Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister
Devlet Bahceli will chair the meeting due to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s
illness. /Star/
[06] ERDOGAN: “WE WOULD SUPPORT A DSP-ANAP GOVERNMENT FROM THE SIDELINES”
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader
Tayyip Erdogan addressed the possibility of early elections being held
later this year. Should the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) withdraw from
the coalition in such circumstances, then the AKP would support the
formation of an Democratic Left Party (DSP)-Motherland Party (ANAP)
coalition government from the sidelines. /Hurriyet/
[07] KUTAN: “WE ARE NOT LIKE THE AKP”
Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan told reporters in Malatya yesterday
that his party did not share the same views as the Justice and Development
Party (AKP). He added that the SP was the only true representative of the
nation’s views and did not stand with the AKP. /Aksam/
[08] DERVIS: “POLITICIANS SHOULDN’T CAST SHADOW OVER THE MARKETS”
In a speech at the Economy Policies Summit organized by the Economists’
Platform in Istanbul over the weekend, State Minister for the Economy Kemal
Dervis stated that economy policies should be properly implemented in order
to increase the nation’s welfare. Remarking that politicians should respect
the markets by taking into account the possible adverse effects of their
moves on the economy, Dervis said, “Political power should not be used for
private interests but should be instead employed to establish strong
institutions which facilitate the smooth operations of the financial
markets. Names aren’t important at all. We shouldn’t forget that the system
itself and its institutions should be respected. That’s why societies which
pin their hopes on only one name are bound to face great dangers concerning
their futures.” Stating that a lack of coordination between institutions
was holding Turkey back, Dervis also remarked that macro balances had
recently been established along with certain positive developments such as
a gradually decreasing inflation rate and a calm atmosphere dominating the
markets. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] TURKISH, US COMPANIES TO PURSUE JOINT PROJECTS FOR AFGHAN
RECONSTRUCTION
The Turkish-US economic meetings that were held in Ankara this February
bore their first fruit yesterday. Turkey’s Foreign Trade Undersecretariat
and the US Department of Commerce brought together Turkish and US companies
to discuss tourism investments in Eurasia and projects to reconstruct
Afghanistan in a meeting called “Target: Eurasia” held in Istanbul. In
addition to Turkish and US representatives, the meeting was attended by
Afghan, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Moldovan, Russian,
Tajik, Turkmen, Ukrainian and Uzbek representatives. The main aim of the
meeting was to encourage Turkish and US businessmen to undertake common
projects. The most concrete result of the meeting was that Turkish and US
companies showed their desire to carry out work to help rebuild Afghanistan
together. The companies decided to work together by establishing
partnerships in Afghanistan. Saying that the result of the Afghan
traditional assembly, Loya Jirga, which begins this week in order to
determine the new administration in Afghanistan, was the basic element that
would determine the Turkish and US companies’ visit to the country,
officials stated, “The timing of our planned exploratory visit to
Afghanistan is very important. A new government will be established in
Afghanistan on June 22. Although the temporary government has prepared
draft laws, it left their approval up to the new government. For example,
if a fundamentalist government comes to power following Loya Jirga, it
would be beneficial for neither the Turkish nor US businessmen. We think
that July is early; August would be better as the balances will be settled
by that time.” /Milliyet/
[10] TURKISH-GREEK ECONOMIC SUMMIT VOICES SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU BID
The fourth Turkish-Greek Economic Summit held yesterday in Istanbul issued
a declaration supporting Turkey’s European Union membership bid. After the
summit the participants released a declaration voicing their views and
proposals reached at the summit. In addition to showing Greece’s support
for Turkey’s EU membership, the declaration also resolved that next year’s
meeting would be held on the island of Crete in Greece. /Aksam/
[11] TUROB AND SERVUS HOLD HOTEL TOURISM SEMINAR
The Turkish Hotels Association (TUROB) and the Servus Hotel Development and
Administration Company held a joint seminar yesterday in Istanbul in order
to take the first step towards comprehensive cooperation for better and
more profitable in hotels in Turkey. The seminar was the first in a series
that later this month will travel to Ankara, Izmir, Marmara, and Bodrum.
The seminars are intended to host informative briefings for 400 high-level
administrators in Turkey concerning hotel standards, the use of strategic
technology and new developments in the tourism sector. /Sabah/
[12] NEW YORK TIMES TRAVEL FEATURE TOUTS “TWO FACES OF ISTANBUL”
Prominent US daily the New York Times on Sunday featured an article written
by Douglas Frantz on the two faces of Istanbul. “There are two Istanbuls,”
said Frantz. “One is historic, an ancient city where Byzantine churches,
Roman walls and Ottoman monuments constantly remind visitors that this was
the capital of three great empires. Then there is modern Istanbul, a
vibrant metropolis of 15 million where traffic is controlled chaos, five-
star hotels offer sumptuous accommodations and ambitious restaurants
compare with the best of New York or London.” The paper emphasized that
Istanbul today was “a hybrid city, a beguiling conjunction of old and new,
Asian and European, a place with options to fit the interests and budget of
any traveler.” /Cumhuriyet/
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[14] ECEVIT RELIEVES TENSION BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Prime Minister Ecevit’s press conference
on Sunday. A summary of his column is as follows:
“The heightening political tension following Deputy Prime Minister Devlet
Bahceli’s statement after the Cankaya summit was relieved to a great extent
with yesterday’s press conference of Prime Minister Ecevit. While
interpreting Bahceli’s statement that he would withdraw from the government
if necessary, the prime minister termed this remark ‘conditional’ and said
that the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader’s stance had not changed.
Ecevit pointed out that Bahceli would decide to withdraw from the
government only if the two other partners make a habit of going into
cooperation with the opposition and that he would be right in such a case.
With this message, Prime Minister Ecevit is saying that Bahceli will not
break the coalition if the death penalty is abolished with the support of
the opposition parties. However, if this cooperation with the opposition is
seen more frequently on issues other than the death penalty, the MHP’s
withdrawal from the government may be an issue. Noting that Bahceli had
chosen his words very carefully, Ecevit said he didn’t believe the MHP
leader’s statement was aimed at creating a government problem. Therefore,
Prime Minister Ecevit is inclined to ask for support regarding the
abolition of capital punishment in the Parliament. However, it seems that
he will ask for this support on one issue only. The prime minister took
stock in Bahceli’s previous statement saying that the MHP would not create
an issue for the government if certain decisions were taken by the
Parliament. Ecevit’s approach relieved the tension which had heightened
with Bahceli’s statement. It seems that an increase of tension between the
MHP and the Motherland Party (ANAP) has been headed off for the time being
with this approach. Ecevit’s experience and compromising stance has averted
a crisis for the three-party coalition.”
[15] GREEK BARRIER TO EU DEFENCE BY IZZET SEDES (AKSAM)
Columnist Izzet Sedes writes on the military agreement between the EU and
NATO and the obstacles put on its way by Greece. A summary of his column is
as follows:
“Ten days before the ‘EU Summit meeting’ to be held in Seville, Spain,
Greece’s European partners are increasing their pressure on the Simitis
government. Since the Laeken Summit in November 2001 up to today, very
little distance has been covered in the defense force the EU is trying to
put together. Athens is obstructing the ‘continual preparations’ required
to be held between the EU and NATO. It is trying to reject the agreement
reached between Ankara, NATO and the EU as invalid. Spanish Foreign
Minister Josep Pique, who will hand over the EU’s term presidency at the
end of the month to Denmark, is shuttling back and forth to Athens to find
a solution but has been unable to get any results. Under normal
circumstances Greece will take over the presidency in January 2003. Both as
a ‘side’ to the issue and in the place of the ‘judge,’ Greece is not
expected to take a stance which would facilitate an agreement with Ankara
as the EU forces will take the place of NATO forces during the ‘Red Fox’
operations to be held in Macedonia. This force, which will protect civilian
observers in the region, will not be able to take over the post if the
‘continued agreement’ doesn’t go into force. The Allied Forces Command in
Europe (SHAPE) can only hand over the post of ensuring security to the EU
general staff after an agreement is reached. A delay on the issue is
preventing the fulfillment of 15 countries’ wishes in foreign policy as the
Macedonian operation would have been EU’s first show of its military
defense force. The Greek stance is not regarded unfavorably by the US. It
cannot be said that Washington welcomes the formation of a separate EU
defense force and achieving a sort of freedom. The Balkan countries, on the
other hand, would like the situation to be corrected as soon as possible
and a decision taken in order to ensure security in the region. At this
point the burden of responsibility is on Greek Prime Minister Costas
Simitis’ shoulders. The prime minister may have just reasons for resisting
the issue as local elections will be held in Greece in September. According
to the polls, Simitis’ PASOK party seems to be lagging 6-10 points behind
the rightist parties. The most important issue of the elections is
‘relations with Turkey’. This is restricting Simitis’ latitude. As the
agreement reached between Ankara, Washington and London was not debated
within the EU, Athens sees it as a ‘fait accompli’ against itself. Athens
would like the general principles of the EU defense policy to be announced
with a declaration and the addition of Greek reservations even if the
Ankara agreement emerges unchanged.”
ARCHIVE
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