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Turkish Press Review, 02-06-28
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
28.06.2002
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT ATTENDS DSP GROUP MEETING
[02] PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS FOR THREE-MONTH SUMMER
RECESS
[03] MGK TO DISCUSS BORDER TRADE
[04] EU’S IMPORTANT MESSAGES TO TURKEY
[05] INCOMING EU TERM PRESIDENT DENMARK’S
ENCOURAGING WORDS
[06] OSKANYAN: “TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS SHOULD
BE NORMALIZED”
[07] ATHENS CLAIMS “VICTORY” AT SEVILLE ON ESDP
ISSUE
[08] KIVRIKOGLU RECEIVES MEDAL OF HONOR
[09] FOGG PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO DTP LEADER BAYAR
[10] TURKISH DATA PROCESSING COMPANY TO PARTNER
WITH GREEK CONCERN
[11] INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE MINISTER TANRIKULU
SPEAKS ON IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMER RIGHTS
[12] CILLER: “IT’S TIME FOR ECEVIT TO RESIGN”
[13] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS DEPUTIES’
CHALLENGE OF RTUK LAW
[14] NEW DAYS TO HONOR GALLIPOLI VICTORY, ATATURK
[15] TSK BEACH RECEIVES “BLUE FLAG” CLEAN BEACH
AWARD
[16] WINNERS OF AYDIN DOGAN CARTOON AWARDS
ANNOUNCED
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM
THE COLUMNS...
[18] ARMENIAN MINISTER’S DIASPORA COMMENT BY
FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
[19] WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CYPRUS? BY ORHAN BIRGIT
(CUMHURIYET)
[01] ECEVIT ATTENDS DSP GROUP MEETING
Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader
Bulent Ecevit yesterday attended his party’s Parliament group
meeting for the first time in two months. After ascending to
the podium to the applause of the DSP deputies, Ecevit said
that he wasn’t in favor of early elections. He also commented
that most of the figures calling for early elections were not
sincere in their wishes and that they really couldn’t dare to
participate in early elections. Also at the DSP meeting, he
asked deputies to spend Parliament’s summer recess keeping in
contact with citizens throughout the country as well as
working together with other party representatives to put
together a formula for the EU harmonization laws. Regarding
the recent disputes between coalition partners concerning
certain European Union harmonization laws, the prime minister
said, “I regret those disputes and the tension they have
caused. Up to now, the coalition government has exhibited a
harmony not seen in any other country in the world. The
continuation of this is vital for Turkey. I request that my
friends both from the Motherland Party [ANAP] and the
Nationalist Action Party [MHP] reestablish the harmony among
us.” Ecevit also added that his health was improving, but he
needed two or three more weeks of recuperation for a complete
recovery upon the recommendation of his doctors. Following his
speech at the DSP group meeting, Ecevit proceeded to the
Cankaya Presidential Palace and met with President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer for half an hour. Then Ecevit received Pakistani
head of state Pervez Musharraf’s representative Wasim Sajjand
at his working office in Oran. Sajjand reportedly delivered a
letter from Musharraf to Ecevit. /All Papers/
[02] PARLIAMENT ADJOURNS FOR THREE-MONTH SUMMER
RECESS
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) yesterday began
its recess for summer. If it is not called back to Ankara for
an extraordinary session, Parliament will resume its work this
Oct. 1. /Turkiye/
[03] MGK TO DISCUSS BORDER TRADE
The National Security Council (MGK) is to discuss a number
of sensitive issues during its June meeting such as border
trade and energy policy. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will not
be able to attend the gathering. The council is to convene
under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and
with the attendance of Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin
Kivrikoglu, Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli, Mesut
Yilmaz, and Husamettin Ozkan along with the foreign minister,
interior minister and defense minister. Other issues to be
discussed at the MGK meeting are the Cyprus issue and Turkish-EU
relations. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] EU’S IMPORTANT MESSAGES TO TURKEY
The European Union has conveyed important messages to the
Turkish government, which is currently discussing the steps
which need to be taken in the country’s bid for full EU
membership. Speaking to Turkish daily Cumhuriyet yesterday, a
high-level European Union Commission official remarked that
Turkey’s accession negotiation process could not begin before
the Turkish government succeeded in fulfilling all of the
Copenhagen criteria. Stating that the EU was satisfied with
recent discussions on a number of sensitive issues in Turkey,
the anonymous EU official added that the Union was placing a
high premium on the continuation of reforms, decreasing the
role of military in politics, abolishing the death penalty,
allowing education in mother tongues and advancing the freedom
of thought and expression. The EU official also stated that
the main document for Turkey’s bid for EU membership was the
Accession Partnership Document (KOB), which explains all the
necessary criteria Turkey needs to fulfill. He added that
there were no additional criteria for Turkey other than the
ones set out in the KOB. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] INCOMING EU TERM PRESIDENT DENMARK’S
ENCOURAGING WORDS
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the prime minister of incoming EU
Term President Denmark, yesterday gave important and positive
signals concerning Turkey’s EU membership bid. Speaking to the
Turkish and European press in Copenhagen, Rasmussen said, “We
can give a date to Turkey at December’s Copenhagen summit to
begin negotiations, but it depends on their carrying out the
Copenhagen criteria.” He added, “Turkey can start negotiations
as soon as possible when it implements its homework.” The
Cyprus issue is among the priorities of Denmark’s term
presidency and Rasmussen remarked that to find a solution for
the island would be advantageous but wasn’t a precondition for
Turkey’s membership, adding, “We are in favor of the
membership of the whole island.” Rasmussen stressed that the
EU was treating Turkey like all the other candidates and
wasn’t discriminating among them. Denmark will take over the
EU term presidency from Spain next week. /Milliyet/
[06] OSKANYAN: “TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS SHOULD
BE NORMALIZED”
In a speech at a conference organized by the Turkish
Foundation of Economic and Social Studies (TESEV), Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan stated that Armenia was
closely following recent political discussions in Turkey,
stressing that despite a number of disputes Turkey and Armenia
had much in common in terms of their history and culture.
Stating that Armenia was ready to improve its diplomatic
relations with Turkey without putting forward any
preconditions, Oskanyan said that Turkey and Armenia were the
two countries which could greatly contribute to peace and
stability in their region. Asked how he evaluated his recent
meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Oskanyan
said that their dialogue had been very positive and
constructive during all of their three meetings. “By taking
further positive steps, I believe that Turkey and Armenia can
find solutions to all common problems such as Azerbaijan and
Upper Karabakh,” said Oskanyan. “However, Turkey and Armenia
should first normalize their diplomatic relations.”
/Cumhuriyet/
[07] ATHENS CLAIMS “VICTORY” AT SEVILLE ON ESDP
ISSUE
Greek Defense Minister Yanos Papaandoniou stated yesterday
that Greece’s national interests concerning the European
Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) had been completely ensured
under the latest decisions made at last weekend’s European
Union Seville summit. Papaandoniou also said that during its
EU term presidency early next year, it would deal with the
ESDP issue. “We won a victory at the Seville summit,”
Papaandoniou remarked. Echoing this view, Greek Prime Minister
Costas Simitis stated that Greece had completely turned the
situation on the ESDP issue inside out during the Seville
summit. “The 15 members of the EU determined the general
framework of the ESDP through their decisions unanimously
accepted,” Simitis added. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman
Huseyin Diriöz said he could not confirm what the Greek
officials were claiming, but added that their statements
amounted to unnecessary polemics. Turkish Defense Minister
Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said the Turkish government hadn’t
obtained any official information on the establishment of
European army. “We would not accept an planned EU intervention
force being used against Turkey, and our meetings on this
issue will continue,” Cakmakoglu added. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] KIVRIKOGLU RECEIVES MEDAL OF HONOR
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev yesterday visited
Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu in
order to present him the medal of honor of the Republic of
Azerbaijan. Speaking after the ceremony, Aliyev said that
Kivrikoglu was one of the most important generals fulfilling
the legacy of Ataturk. Aliyev also said that with the support
of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the Azerbaijani Army had
become strong. /Sabah/
[09] FOGG PAYS FAREWELL VISIT TO DTP LEADER BAYAR
European Union Commission’s Turkey Representative Karen
Fogg is continuing her round of farewell visits before leaving
her post in Turkey. Yesterday, she visited Democratic Turkey
Party (DTP) leader Mehmet Ali Bayar at his office. Stating
that Fogg had served during an important, pivotal period of
Turkish-EU relations, Bayar said, “These relations have
history of 40 years. Full EU membership is Turkey’s national
goal.” Criticizing Parliament’s action in taking a recess for
the summer, Bayar remarked that work to deal with many of the
most important topics on Turkey’s agenda was being postponed.
“When Parliament resumes its work in October, there will be
little time before the EU summit in Copenhagen. This recess is
unfortunate,” Bayar added. /Turkiye/
[10] TURKISH DATA PROCESSING COMPANY TO PARTNER
WITH GREEK CONCERN
Leading Turkish data processing company Meteksan Systems
yesterday signed a preliminary agreement to work with Intracom,
a large European concern backed by Greek capital, and with
Gantek Technologies, a joint Intracom-Turkish capital venture.
Under the deal, Intracom is to invest $20 million in Meteksan,
making the deal the largest injection of foreign capital in
the history of the Turkish data processing sector. The deal
also represents the second Turkish-Greek data processing
partnership, after the partnership of Index and Greece’s
Pouliadis. Meteksan Systems CEO Alper Kostem said that the
meetings between the companies since the beginning of this
year had been very fruitful, as proved by the signing of the
preliminary agreement, and that the companies’ partnership
efforts would be completed by the end of October. /Hurriyet/
[11] INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE MINISTER TANRIKULU
SPEAKS ON IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMER RIGHTS
Industry and Commerce Minister Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu said
yesterday that a consumer could be considered conscious and
aware if he uses his legal rights and protects his economic
rights and Turkey’s economic health. Speaking at the Fifth
Traditional Consumer Awards meeting, Tanrikulu said that the
ministry was acting determinedly in imposing punitive fines on
businesses that violate its regulations, and that it had
handed out fines totaling 19 trillion TL over the last seven
years. He stated that the consumer awards had two basic
messages: firstly, encouraging companies to fulfill their
legal responsibilities and take consumers’ requests and
preferences into consideration; secondly, developing awareness
among consumers and encouraging them to exercise their legal
rights. /Aksam/
[12] CILLER: “IT’S TIME FOR ECEVIT TO RESIGN”
Speaking at her party’s parliamentary group meeting
yesterday, main opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu
Ciller said that it was time for Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
to resign. Ciller stated that Ecevit’s political life was at
an end and that tripartite coalition government was unable to
carry out its duties as a whole. / Star/
[13] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS DEPUTIES’
CHALLENGE OF RTUK LAW
The Constitutional Court yesterday rejected an appeal by
119 deputies to annul 12 articles of the recently passed RTUK
law. The court said that annulling the article would be
superfluous since it already was effectively cancelled. The
court has yet to rule on President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s
challenge of the RTUK law. /Star/
[14] NEW DAYS TO HONOR GALLIPOLI VICTORY, ATATURK
Parliament yesterday passed a resolution designating March
18, the date of Turkey’s 1915 victory at Gallipoli, as
“Martyrs’ Day.” In addition, Parliament decided that September
19, the day Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
achieved the rank of “Marshal,” will be heretofore celebrated
as “Veterans’ Day.” /Star/
[15] TSK BEACH RECEIVES “BLUE FLAG” CLEAN BEACH
AWARD
The Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) Karpuzkaldiran Special
Training Central Commanding beach in Antalya yesterday
received the international “Blue Flag” clean beach award.
During the award ceremony held at Karpuzkaldiran’s military
facilities, Muratpasa Mayor Suleyman Evcilmen gave the Blue
Flag to Karpuzkaldiran Special Training Central Commander
Engineer Col. Recep Kilic. Stating that the award was an
international honor, Evcilmen said, “The Blue Flag prize has a
great importance for protecting and raising awareness of the
environment, and it is an international award. It’s difficult
to deserve this award in the first place, but keeping the
award is more difficult. In addition, it pleases us greatly
that a military facility has received the Blue Flag.” Col.
Kilic also spoke, saying that the beach had met all the
criteria necessary for the Blue Flag. Following the ceremony,
the flag was hoisted over the beach. The Blue Flag is an eco-label
handed out by the international nonprofit Foundation for
Environment Education (FEE) to beaches worldwide for having
high environmental standards and safety facilities. Turkey has
127 Blue Flag-designated beaches. /Aksam/
[16] WINNERS OF AYDIN DOGAN CARTOON AWARDS
ANNOUNCED
The 19th Aydin Dogan International Cartoon Competition,
which this year had the theme of “terrorism” to commemorate
last September’s terrorist attacks, ended yesterday with the
participation of 3,157 cartoons by 1,360 artists from 90
countries. The competition’s Preliminary Council presented 386
cartoons by 330 artists to the jury. The jury, chaired by
Czech artist Miroslav Bartak in Antalya, then made its
evaluation and announced the results. The jury rewarded first
prize to Turkish artist Mehmet Ates Gulcugil, second prize to
Icelandic artist Eythor Stefansson, and third prize to Cuban
artist Alberto Morales Ajubel. A selection of winning and
distinguished cartoons will be exhibited at Antalya’s Falez
Hotel through July 5. The winning artists will be officially
given their awards at a ceremony to be held at the Ankara
State Painting and Sculpture Museum on November 5. /Hurriyet/
[17] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM
THE COLUMNS...
[18] ARMENIAN MINISTER’S DIASPORA COMMENT BY
FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc writes on Turkish-Armenian relations.
A summary of her column is as follows:
“There is a newspaper called Agos published for citizens of
Armenian descent living in Istanbul. An important article by
the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Hrant Dink, was published on
June 21. In his article, ‘Armenia in a Squeeze’ Dink said,
‘Armenian foreign policy, which over the last 10 years was
based on the disputes between the US and Russia, and trying to
carve a place between the balances of interest is now nearing
collapse as there is no US-Russian tension or a conflict of
powers in sight.’ Following this analysis, Dink said that
Armenia used to index its foreign policy on Russia’s power in
the region and so had grown troubled and confused in
determining a new stance to pursue. In fact, Russia’s
rapprochement with NATO, signing a strategic agreement with
the US and deciding to cooperate in the energy field instead
of competing has led to radical changes in the Caucasus.
Armenian Foreign Minister Minister Vartan Oskanyan was in
Istanbul on the occasion of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
(BSEC)’s 10th anniversary meeting. Oskanyan met with Turkish
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. This was the third meeting of the
foreign ministers. The first meeting took place during the
Davos meetings in New York, and the second was held in
Rejkjavik, Iceland. Both ministers are evaluating these
meetings cautiously, but it is certain that a rapprochement
process has begun. The changing balances in the region
following the Sept. 11 attacks and Washington’s influence play
an important role in this process. Oskanyan spoke at a panel
meeting jointly organized by the TESEV and AVRASYA
associations. His statement was an interesting to listen. He
said that Turkey should not exclude Armenia as a regional
power. It wasn’t possible for Armenia to harm Turkey anyway,
as it didn’t have the power to do so. Oskanyan said, ‘We are
reaching out hand to Turkey, take it.’ He added that they
wanted to enter into a dialogue with Turkey wth no
preconditions and stressed that problems could be solved more
easily in a climate of dialogue and mutual confidence. Four
months ago, Oskanyan told said in the Armenian Parliament that
relations with Turkey must be improved and called on the
Parliament to launch new initiatives. However, it is not that
easy. What would they do regarding the diaspora Armenians? The
diaspora did not allow anyone to speak of an unconditional
agreement or a dialogue for that matter. Everyone knows what
happened to Ter Pertrosyan. His answer was, ‘If a dialogue
between Turkey and Armenia begins, then we can say to those in
the diaspora to mind their own business and not to disrupt our
relations, and silence them.’ Is it not worth thinking on the
issue?”
[19] WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CYPRUS? BY ORHAN BIRGIT
(CUMHURIYET)
Columnist Orhan Birgit comments on the outcome of recent
talks between Denktas and Clerides in Cyprus. A summary of his
column is as follows:
“The successes of the Turkish football team in the World
Cup must have hampered the public’s keeping up with the
developments taking place in the talks between Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Denktas and Greek
Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides. Both sides are
trying hard not to leave the impression that they are the one
who has left the table. The new formula the TRNC brought to
the table through consulting with Turkey has left the Greek
Cypriot side in a tight spot. Turkish Cypriots are adopting
the living example of an EU country, Belgium, for the island.
Denktas, who tailored to Cyprus’ conditions the model ensuring
that both the Flemish and the Walloons live in peace together
in Belgium, is presenting a structural formula abolishing the
state presumed to exist today and instead proposing a republic
based on partnership. This new ‘Partnership Republic,’ which
will have a new name, a new flag and a new anthem will be
formed by the Greek Cypriot state in the south and Turkish
Cypriot state in the north. These two states will grant
restricted authority to the new Partnership Republic they will
form, and yield their own power. In the Partnership Republic,
which will have a tri-partite sovereignty right, the main two
legs will not interfere in the other’s affairs, nor will they
claim that they are superior to the other. Furthermore they
will carry out the work of a joint police force, judiciary,
education and other functions they will agree upon in a
democratic structure. Certainly, both partners will enter the
EU. The European Union cannot in principle oppose the
implementation of a system existing in one of its members in
Cyprus. The US seems to support this initiative. There has
been no opposing view from the UN yet as the sides are
expected to reach an agreement on certain principles. Since
the joint republic to be formed by Denktas’ proposal will
accept the 1960 Agreement as valid, Britain one of the
guarantor powers supports the initiative and this achieved a
new significance following the statements of Cyprus Special
Representative David Hannay on CNN-Turk. When Greek Cypriot
leader Glafcos Clerides found himself in a squeeze, he wanted
to bring the security issue to the table. He suggested that
the European army to come to the island be responsible for
security. In addition to Turkey, both the US and the UK
rejected this offer as they knew that the underlying reason
for such a suggestion was to dress the EU member Greek Cypriot
national guards and the Greek army corps on the island in EU
uniforms. This time Clerides asked for an increase in the
number of UN troops on the island and to arm them with new
authorities. Denktas opposed this suggestion by listing the
incidents the UN force was involved in before 1974 one by one.
He recalled that the UN peace force troops on the island had
occasionally supplied the gangs of Sampson with intelligence
and weapons during the June 20 operation. This time, the
reactions of the opposition on the island came to the help of
Clerides. They claimed that the Greek Cypriot administration
did not have the power to negotiate a Partnership Republic
which was not approved by the Greek Cypriot National Council.
The Greek Cypriots said that only Magosa should be left in the
Turkish side in the east, and asked for Lefke and Yesilyurt to
be joined to the Greek Cypriot territory in the west and the
north. Denktas is playing a chess game with his diplomatic
attacks. Prime Minister Ecevit has said frequently that Cyprus
was not a European issue but one that concerned the Near East
and added that the EU should not be concerned with the problem
there. He reiterated that the solution of the issue must be
left to the two communities on the island and to thee three
states party to the agreements guaranteeing the communities’
survival.”
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