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Turkish Press Review, 02-10-04Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: 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 & Information Turkish Press Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning04.10.2002ECEVIT MEETS WITH BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: “TURKEY WILL DO WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO KEEP NORTHERN IRAQI ASSEMBLY IN LINE” YILMAZ MEETS WITH HIGH REPRESENTATIVE SOLANA VERHEUGEN: “THE US HAS INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE EU FOR TURKEY” TURKER: “AN OPERATION IN IRAQ WOULD HARM TURKEY” DENKTAS MEETS WITH CLERIDES, ANNAN IN NEW YORK CILLER: “RATHER THAN FORMING A COALITION WITH THE AKP, WE WOULD PREFER NEW ELECTIONS” TURKEY TO PARTICIPATE IN NATO MANEUVERS IN ITALY TERRORIST OCALAN’S DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE IN PRISON TUSIAD: “THE IMF IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE ELECTIONS” HISARCIKLIOGLU: “THE POLITICAL PARTIES OWE THE PEOPLE THE DETAILS OF THEIR PROGRAMS” BAYKAL: “THESE ELECTIONS WILL DETERMINE TURKEY’S FUTURE” SEPTEMBER INFLATION IN LINE WITH TARGETS DEMIREL: “THE IRAQ SITUATION IS COMPLEX” TAYLAN TAKES CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN’S WEIGHTLIFTING FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS… TOWARDS A KURDISH STATE BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR) MHP, CHP AT LOGGERHEADS OVER EU BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT MEETS WITH BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTERPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Sakskoburgotski, currently making an official visit to Turkey, to discuss issues of bilateral relations. At a press conference after their meeting, Ecevit stated that relations between the two countries had developed over the last few years and had in turn contributed to stability in the Balkans region, adding that Turkey would give full support to Bulgaria’s NATO membership bid. Ecevit also told reporters that at the meeting he had thanked the Bulgarian premier for having taken decisive steps to prevent terrorists groups, active in Turkey, from finding safe haven in Bulgaria. Commenting on problems between the two countries, Ecevit remarked that the two neighbors had no political problems and what problems did exist were of a merely bureaucratic nature. /Cumhuriyet/[02] ECEVIT: “TURKEY WILL DO WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO KEEP NORTHERN IRAQI ASSEMBLY IN LINE”Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pledged that should a regional Parliament convening this week step beyond acceptable limits, Turkey was ready to do whatever was necessary to counter this. “If this Parliament goes too far, Turkey will take any needed action,” stressed Ecevit. “There have long been efforts to establish an independent Kurdish state in the region. Actually, a de facto state has already been founded there, but Turkey has kept it under control. But if this regional assembly tries to pass itself off as a bona fide state parliament and so move to a more official status, Turkey will intervene with all its weight.” The regional Parliament convened under northern Iraq’s two main leaders, Jalal Talabani, leader of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK), and Massoud Barzani, leader of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP). /Aksam/[03] YILMAZ MEETS WITH HIGH REPRESENTATIVE SOLANADeputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who is currently in Brussels to represent Turkey at the European Convention, met yesterday with the high representative of the European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), Javier Solana. At a press conference after their meeting, Yilmaz stated that they had discussed the European Union Security and Defense Policy (ESDP), developments in Iraq and Turkey’s EU membership bid. /Cumhuriyet/[04] VERHEUGEN: “THE US HAS INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE EU FOR TURKEY”At yesterday’s regular weekly meeting of the European Commission, Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen reportedly stated that the United States had increased pressure on the European Union to give a date to Turkey, at December’s Copenhagen summit, for the start of its accession negotiations. Verheugen also reportedly have told his fellow commissioners that he didn’t believe Turkey had fulfilled all the EU’s political criteria and that getting a date at the summit didn’t look likely. /Cumhuriyet/[05] TURKER: “AN OPERATION IN IRAQ WOULD HARM TURKEY”Speaking to reporters yesterday at Istanbul University’s new academic year opening ceremony, State Minister for the Economy Masum Turker said that a possible operation in Iraq would harm Turkey. “The most important issue would be over 2 million refugees seeking shelter in Turkey,” stated Turker. “Such a situation would cause social and economic problems.” He also remarked that Turkey’s production, tourism revenues and many other areas would be badly affected by such an operation. /Turkiye/[06] DENKTAS MEETS WITH CLERIDES, ANNAN IN NEW YORKTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday met with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at United Nations headquarters in New York. Denktas told reporters before the meeting that if the European Union admits Greek Cyprus into its ranks in December, then the Cypriot negotiations process would end and the island remain divided. In related news, Denktas is to have an operation next Monday on his aortic valve at New York’s Columbia Presbyterian Health Center. /Hurriyet/[07] CILLER: “RATHER THAN FORMING A COALITION WITH THE AKP, WE WOULD PREFER NEW ELECTIONS”Speaking to reporters during her visit to the Aegean town of Urla yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller said that if her party were presented the opportunity to form a government coalition with the Justice and Development Party (AKP), she would reject it, preferring instead to go to new elections. Ciller also said that if her party comes to power, their first order of business would be to amend the Elections Law, specifically in order to establish a two-round election system in Turkey. /Sabah/[08] TURKEY TO PARTICIPATE IN NATO MANEUVERS IN ITALYThe Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) Navy and Air Force are set to participate in NATO’s Destined Glory-2 amphibious maneuvers, taking place on Oct. 5-15 in Italy, the Turkish General Staff announced yesterday. Also slated to participate in the exercises are fellow NATO members Greece, the United States, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Spain, Italy, Canada and Norway. /Star/[09] TERRORIST OCALAN’S DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE IN PRISONThe death sentence passed three years ago on terrorist Abdullah Ocalan was yesterday commuted to life in prison without parole, under a decision by Ankara’s State Security Court (DGM) No. 2. Before his capture in 1999, the 15-year terrorist campaign of Ocalan and his terrorist PKK group was responsible for the loss of 30,000 lives. The DGM ruled yesterday that the death penalty abolition passed by Parliament as a part of this summer’s European Union accession package was applicable to Ocalan’s case. Under the terms of the legislation, Ocalan’s life sentence will be ineligible for parole or any future amnesty programs. /Hurriyet/[10] TUSIAD: “THE IMF IS WAITING TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE ELECTIONS”An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonnen yesterday arrived in Turkey and met with the Foreign Investors’ Association (YASED), the Turkish Banks Union (TBB), the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) and the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM). Speaking after meeting the delegation, TUSIAD Board of Directors member Cem Duna stated that the IMF was waiting to see the results of elections in Turkey set for Nov. 3. /Hurriyet/[11] HISARCIKLIOGLU: “THE POLITICAL PARTIES OWE THE PEOPLE THE DETAILS OF THEIR PROGRAMS”Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said yesterday that the nation needed to know details of the programs of the various political parties before voting in the Nov. 3 elections. “The parties should explain how they will roll over Turkey’s debts and shrink the public sector,” said Hisarciklioglu. “The most important thing now is for the parties, before elections, to present their economic programs and explain how they intend to raise Turkey’s standards of living.” Asked about the International Monetary Fund, he stated that Turkey wouldn’t be able to meet some of its commitments to the IMF because Parliment had decided to go on recess until next month’s elections. /Turkiye/[12] BAYKAL: “THESE ELECTIONS WILL DETERMINE TURKEY’S FUTURE”Speaking at a ceremony to introduce his party’s candidates for deputy, Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the Nov. 3 elections would be no ordinary elections, that instead they carried great importance since they would determine Turkey’s future course. “Turkey has recently experienced what life without the CHP is like, and now they can see that it isn’t good,” said Baykal, whose party, Turkey’s oldest, failed to meet the representation threshold in the last elections. Also touching on the “call to prayer” issue, which had reportedly riven his party over whether it should be issued in Arabic or Turkish, Baykal suggested the issue was moot, that the party was more focused on the “people factor” and that all Turks could be proud of the call. Baykal added that his party had projects which would raise the standards of living of Turkey’s farmers and tradesmen. /Turkiye/[13] SEPTEMBER INFLATION IN LINE WITH TARGETSThe State Institute of Statistics (DIE) yesterday released month-on-month inflation figures for September. Inflation in September was 3.1% on the wholesale price index (WPI) and 3.5% on the consumer price index (CPI). In the first nine months of the year, cumulative inflation was 21.7% and 20.1% on the WPI and CPI, respectively. With these new figures, Turkey seems to be on track to meet the annual inflation rate targeted under its economic program for this year, namely 35%. /All Papers/[14] DEMIREL: “THE IRAQ SITUATION IS COMPLEX”Former President Suleyman Demirel yesterday attended a ceremony to mark the opening of Kadir Has University’s new academic year. Speaking to reporters about a possible operation in Iraq, Demirel said that the situation was very complex. Asked about rumors that the United States’ ultimate aim was to control oil resources in the region, Demirel stated, “In my opinion, the first aim is to rid the region of weapons of mass destruction.” He also added that recent developments in northern Iraq were under control and that there was no need for worry. /Turkiye/[15] TAYLAN TAKES CHAMPIONSHIP IN WOMEN’S WEIGHTLIFTINGAt the Fifth European Young Women’s Weightlifting Championship in Rome yesterday, Turkish lifter Nurcan Taylan, 48 kilograms, took home three gold medals, two for lifting 80 and 95 kg in the snatch and clean-jerk categories, and a third for 175 kg, taking the overall crown. Additionally, at the parallel 28th European Young Men’s Championship in the same city, lifter Ertan Isbasaran, 56 kilograms, scored the gold medal with a 110-kg lift in the category. /All Papers/[16] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…[17] TOWARDS A KURDISH STATE BY ZEYNEP GURCANLI (STAR)Columnist Zeynep Gurcanli writes on the latest developments in northern Iraq. A summary of her column is as follows:“No matter what US officials say, there is clear evidence that a Kurdish formation is gradually being institutionalized in northern Iraq. First, schools and universities, and then TV stations, the Kurdish National Bank and a customs administration ... Finally a supreme formation which will govern all these institutions, in other words, an assembly ... In northern Iraq, the Kurdish Parliament will re-open today after a lengthy hiatus. Furthermore, this Parliament is to gather not only to make decisions on day-to-day life in the region, but also to determine the future status of northern Iraq. In line with a recent agreement signed between the two main leaders of northern Iraq, Jalal Talabani, leader of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK), and Massoud Barzani, leader of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP), the first issue to be discussed at the Kurdish Parliament is Iraq’s future political structure. The Kurdish people are to vote on the constitution prepared by these two leaders, a document proposing the establishment of a federation in the post-Saddam period. The draft constitution suggests establishing an Arab federal state in the south, and a Kurdish federal state in the north. In other words, this document is the first step towards the establishment of a Kurdish state, an idea which positively terrifies Turkey. Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz also made significant pronouncements on the issue during his recent visit to Turkey. “If Iraq is divided, Turkey will also a face serious threat to its territorial integrity,” said Aziz. He clearly meant that an independent Kurdish state formed in northern Iraq would likely make future territorial demands on Turkey. Ankara is well aware of this threat, one which Aziz clearly expressed. However, in the hurly-burly atmosphere of the elections, one unfortunately searches in vain for politicians to deal with this problem. The only figures to address the issue are soldiers and bureaucrats. As a matter of fact, a recent visit of Turkish commanders to military facilities in Diyarbakir, a southeastern Anatolian province, was no coincidence. This visit was very important because of its flawless timing. In addition, let’s not forget Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s statement warning the relevant parties that if they crossed the line, Turkey would do whatever was necessary to stop them. There is also another matter that Turkey can trust to be a sensitive issue: the divergences of opinion among senior Bush administration officials on the Iraqi opposition groups. There are serious splits between the US Defense and State Departments. The fiercest debates revolve around the role to be played by the Iraqi National Congress, which was created in 1992 as an umbrella organization representing the major Iraqi opposition groups. Washington is for some reason or another unable to reach an agreement on this issue, which is why the Bush administration has as yet failed to take any concrete steps to establish an ‘interim Iraqi government’ similar to the Afghan administration. However, both Ankara’s preoccupation with early elections and Washington’s hesitations are working in the Iraqi Kurdish groups’ favor. There is no doubt that the Kurdish Parliament will very soon be one of the top issues on the Turkish political scene, no matter how busy our politicians are.” [18] MHP, CHP AT LOGGERHEADS OVER EU BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on the differences of opinion between the Nationalist Action Party and the Motherland Party in terms of Turkey’s European Union membership. A summary of his column is as follows:“When Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli presented his party’s 124-page election manifesto, he reiterated his standard line on the European Union: ‘The issue of Turkey’s EU membership has been presented as a matter of life or death. No effort was spared to seduce Turkish citizens into EU membership, and so Turkey submitted her fate. Only the MHP has stood firm against the EU’s capricious and insistent demands.’ So goes the MHP’s stance on the EU issue, as spelled out in the foreign policy section of its ‘Turkey’s Honorable Future’ manifesto. Bahceli’s latest pronouncements show that even in the closing days of the coalition, the MHP will not be swayed from its course. Its manifesto clearly indicates that its foreign policy won’t prioritize the EU, and will focus instead on becoming a ‘leader country’ through a ‘multilateral strategy.’ Thus the foreign policy section carries on about the Turkish world, Turkey’s Islamic neighbors, rapprochement with the Central Asian countries vis-a-vis language and culture, and the establishment of a ‘Turkish World Ministry’ should the MHP come to power. The manifesto also speaks about a partnership on Cyprus between two sovereign states, and declares that Turkey won’t just stand idly by if Greek Cyprus gets into the EU. The Motherland Party’s (ANAP) manifesto stance on the EU and the latest statements by its leader Mesut Yilmaz are just the opposite of the MHP’s. The first lines of ANAP’s manifesto emphasize Turkey’s EU membership, stating, ‘Turkey is now at a crossroads. One of these roads leads to a rich, free, peaceful and strong Turkey, one integrated with the EU. The other leads to a poor country, one undeveloped in terms of democracy. When we set our priorities, we considered this truth. This is one of the reasons why we insist on Turkey’s EU membership.’ ANAP’s declaration explains the political, economic and social benefits that Turkey will gain thanks to its EU membership, stating, ‘Our having a political staff with a claim on the future government, so as not to again miss this opportunity, to push open fully the cracked EU door, this is indispensable.’ This implies that only ANAP can accomplish such a feat. Concerning the Cyprus issue, the manifesto says that ANAP ‘has the obligation to pursue a policy which protects the existence and rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC].’ It adds that the Aegean problems will be solved through dialogue with Athens. On the Iraq issue, the manifesto makes the case for a non-military solution, adding that Turkey must prevent the formation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq while also protecting the Turkmens there. So we can see that excepting certain issues, most notably the EU, there isn’t much difference in the foreign policy stances of the MHP and ANAP, among other parties. Or, at least, judging by their election manifestoes. When the candidates hit the campaign trail and open up on the issues, we’ll have a better idea.” ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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