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Turkish Press Review, 03-09-18Turkish 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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning18.09.2003FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN DISCUSSES IRAQ TROOP DEPLOYMENT ISSUE WITH INDIAN PREMIER VAJPAYEEPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his visiting Indian counterpart Atal Behari Vajpayee to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations and possible Iraq troop deployments from both countries. During their talks, Vajpayee said that a UN resolution would be needed for India to deploy its troops, adding that New Delhi’s decision would follow such a resolution. For his part, Erdogan said that in considering the issue Turkey was thinking of Iraq’s future stability, adding that other countries in the region should do the same. /All papers/[02] GUL: “AFTER AIRSPACE PERMIT EXPIRES, COALITION FLIGHTS COULD PROCEED UNDER NORMAL PROCEDURES”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that when a parliamentary motion allowing coalition forces the use of Turkish airspace expires this weekend, if need be the flights could continue through normal permission procedures as with planes from other countries. In related news, the Foreign Ministry has appointed Ambassador Osman Koruturk as special envoy to Iraq. From Ankara, and with frequent trips to Baghdad, Koruturk is to coordinate work over a possible Iraq troop deployment. In addition, reports from fact-finding missions which recently visited Iraq to test the mood towards possible Turkish deployment are reportedly still under consideration pending review of a comprehensive analysis. /Turkiye/[03] PORTUGUESE PRESIDENT SAMPIO: “LISBON SUPPORTS TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”Visiting Portuguese President Jorge Sampio yesterday met with a group of Turkish and Portuguese businessmen in Istanbul. Stating that Lisbon had long supported Ankara’s EU membership bid, Sampio said, “Turkey has always been and will always be very important to Europe since it lies on strategically critical territory, in the midst of one of the world’s most troubled regions.” He also visited historic Istanbul sites such as Topkapi Palace and the Sultanahmet Mosque. /Sabah/[04] US COMMANDER SAYS NO NEED FOR TURKISH TROOPS IN NORTHERN IRAQThere should be no need for Turkish troops to deploy to northern Iraq, said the commander of United States forces in the region yesterday. “In my opinion, the best thing for [the northern Iraqi city of] Kirkuk would be a speedy withdrawal of the coalition forces from the region when the conditions are suitable,” Col. William Mayville told a reporter. “We should step back further every day, and we’re working with the people towards that end. That way they’ll learn to exercise authority on their own soil.” Commenting on a controversial incident this summer between US troops and Turkish special forces in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq, the US commander called the events “a thing of the past,” adding that now US troops had better relations with local Turkish officials. “Without the help of Turkish special forces in northern Iraq, our success in the region would not have been possible,” said Mayville. /Turkiye/[05] TURKISH-US TALKS ON PKK IN N. IRAQ BREAK OFF UNTIL NEXT MONTHTalks between Turkish and US officials focusing on how to deal with the continued presence of PKK_KADEK terrorists in northern Iraq have broken off, reportedly without any progress. During the talks, Turkish officials showed the US side, led by Ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman, hard evidence of the presence of PKK_KADEK camps in the region, but the US reportedly failed to respond. Underlining the need for Turkish soldiers in Iraq, US officials stated that the issue might be discussed after Ankara’s decision on such deployment. As the first round of talks ended without any progress on the matter, a US delegation is expected to arrive in Ankara next month to resume discussions. /Turkiye/[06] BABACAN: “OUR RELATIONS WITH THE IMF WILL NOT END NEXT YEAR”Speaking at a press conference at the Treasury Undersecretariat yesterday, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said that Turkey’s relations with the International Monetary Fund would not cease at the end of 2004, when Turkey’s IMF-supported economic program is due to conclude. The shape of future Turkish-IMF ties will be determined later, he said, adding that the program’s sixth review would begin next Thursday. Babacan also stated that negotiations with Washington on an $8.5 billion US loan were still continuing. Also touching on the future elimination of zeros from the lira, he said that characterized the move as “no longer a dream.” Later, speaking on television, Babacan said that today he would travel to Dubai to attend a joint meeting of the IMF and the World Bank, the first such meeting to take place in the Middle East. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also travel to Dubai to speak to an Institute of International Finance meeting, Babacan added. /All papers/[07] STATE MINISTER TUZMEN MEETS WITH IMF TECHNICAL DELEGATIONState Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday met with a technical delegation from the International Monetary Fund in the runup to the sixth review of Turley’s IMF-supported economic program set to begin next week. Speaking afterwards, Tuzmen said that the delegation was working to make the Turkey’s taxation system more efficient, adding that the delegation had visited the Aegean Free Zone and found it very impressive. /Anatolia News Agency/[08] DENKTAS: “NEW INITIATIVES TO SOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE ARE ON THE WAY”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday briefed reporters on new initiatives to reach a resolution on the island. Denktas said that the opening of Maras to settlement under joint TRNC- United Nations control was being considered, but gave no details about the contents or timing of the initiative. He also stated that under the 1960 Constitution Maronites living in the TRNC were part of the Greek Cypriot community, but that any discrimination toward this community was out of question. Speaking about Greek Cypriot demands for a new Greek junior high school in Dipkarpaz, Denktas said, “When in the world has a school ever been opened for only seven children? This is just politics.” Denktas added that more details of his initiatives would come at a later date. /Anatolia News Agency/[09] CHP LEADER BAYKAL MEETS WITH US AMBASSADOR EDELMANRepublican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal met yesterday with US ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman. Speaking afterwards, Edelman told reporters that the meeting had been very fruitful. For his part, Baykal said that he had told Edelman of his party’s views and concerns over a possible Turkish troop deployment to Iraq. Baykal added that Ankara’s relations with Washington were very important and that bilateral contacts should be characterized by clear dialogue and accurate information. /All papers/[10] PAPANDREOU: “THE CONTINENTAL SHELF ISSUE CAN ONLY BE SOLVED AT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE”Turkey and Greece began the 14th meeting on their common Aegean issues yesterday in Athens, with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal heading the Turkish delegation. Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is currently paying a visit to Washington, yesterday met with US Special Cyprus Envoy Thomas Weston. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Papandreou asserted that the continental shelf problem between Turkey and Greece could only be solved at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. “We’re not seeing any real progress on this issue since both sides are just holding fast to their own positions,” said the Greek foreign minister. Turkey has long maintained that the issues should be dealt with bilaterally, not on an international platform. /Cumhuriyet/[11] TURKEY JOINS ANTI-CORRUPTION PACTAnkara yesterday ratified the Civil Law Convention on Corruption due to enter into force next November. Under this convention, Turkey becomes a member of the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), an organization designed to help its members fight corruption by monitoring the compliance of states with their initiatives in this cause. GRECO helps to identify deficiencies and insufficiencies of national mechanisms against corruption and to prompt the necessary legislative, institutional and practical reforms in order to better prevent and combat corruption. According to government sources, by joining GRECO’s ranks, Turkey has taken another historic step in improving its democracy. /Cumhuriyet/[12] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…[13] METIN KAPLAN AND THE LAW BY TAHA AKYOL (MILLIYET)Columnist Taha Akyol comments on the issue of wanted militant Metin Kaplan’s extradition by Germany. A summary of his column is as follows:“The German Court will not extradite Metin Kaplan to Turkey to let him be tried here on the grounds that there’s no guarantee of a fair trail, but rather possible torture in Turkey. During his meeting this week with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan insisted on Kaplan’s extradition and personally guaranteed that he wouldn’t be tortured. Interior Minister Abdullah Aksu also told German Interior Minister Otto Schily, ‘Extradite Kaplan and I guarantee he won’t be tortured.’ However, all these efforts were in vain. Why is Turkey so insistent on getting Kaplan and putting him on trial? Kaplan and his gang can’t be a threat because they’re just a small, marginal, groups of psychopaths. Ankara is insistent on the issue both because the state should follow the trail of crimes and for the sake of Turkey’s international stature. Some members of Kaplan’s gang were tried and convicted in Turkey, and there are statements in his file which were obtained through torture. More importantly, our courts considered these statements admissible in court. Kaplan’s lawyers brought these files to German courts, charging that there’s torture in Turkey. Then the German court refused to extradite Kaplan on the grounds that there’s no guarantee of a fair trial in Turkey. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek prepared a file presenting our anti-torture laws. The file also contains Constitutional Court and appeals court rulings stating that evidence obtained illegally, such as through torture, is inadmissible. When I spoke with him, Cicek said, ‘Our government can’t give a guarantee on behalf of the judiciary, but we’ll point Germany to our laws and court rulings, and we’ll tell them that Kaplan should certainly be extradited.’ If German courts accept that ‘illegal evidence isn’t accepted in our judicial system, Kaplan will be extradited here, thus raising the stature of our judicial system in European legal and judicial circles. This would facilitate the extradition of other criminals to Turkey. If Ankara can strengthen our appearance of a ‘state of law,’ this would help our EU membership bid. What’s more, people will cease to imagine they can escape justice by fleeing abroad.” 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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