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Turkish Press Review, 03-10-30Turkish 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 morning30.10.2003FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] TURKISH REPUBLIC CELEBRATES ITS 80th ANNIVERSARYTurkey yesterday celebrated the 80th anniversary of its founding as a secular republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer began the day by visiting Anitkabir, Ataturk’s mausoleum, in Ankara. “Our nation is committed to strengthening this secular and democratic republic, our most precious heritage, so that it endures forever,” wrote Sezer in Anitkabir’s commemorative guest book. Many other celebrations were also held throughout the country. A giant national flag measuring nearly 4,000 square meters was paraded through Istanbul, and a huge airborne flag was literally flown above celebrations in Ankara. The official celebrations ended with a state reception hosted by Sezer at Ankara’s Presidential Palace. /All papers/[02] IN MIDST OF CELEBRATIONS, LEADERS COMMENT ON DEPLOYMENT ISSUEDuring last evening’s Presidential Palace reception marking the Turkish Republic’s 80th anniversary, various political and military leaders took time out from the celebration to comment on the Iraq troop deployment issue. Arranging necessary conditions for deployment seems difficult, said President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, adding, “For me the question is closed.” For his part, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “There has been nothing definitive on the issue. We had a request a request from the United States. But since there’s still no agreement, we’re not keen to send troops to the country.” Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok echoed these sentiments, saying, “We’re not eager to send troops.” Speaking on Turkish troops currently serving in northern Iraq, Ozkok added, “It would be difficult to pull back our troops from the region as long as the terrorist group PKK/KADEK remains a threat.” /Sabah/[03] BAYKAL: “THE UN HAS LOST GROUND IN IRAQ”Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the Socialist International’s policy on Iraq reached during its January meeting in Rome was appropriate. At the current Socialist International meeting in San Paulo, Brazil, Baykal yesterday was elected its deputy chairman. Speaking at the gathering, Baykal claimed that the United Nations had lost its efficacy in Iraq. Concerning recent violence in the Middle East, Baykal said the situation was deteriorating, adding that the basic causes underlying the disputes needed to be resolved. On the Cyprus issue, the CHP leader said the European Union should not put pressure on the sides to reach a hasty settlement that would not ease the 30-year-old issue but rather complicate it. /Turkiye/[04] BOUCHER: “TURKEY SHOULD TALK WITH IRAQ’S GOVERNING COUNCIL”A dialogue between Turkey and Iraq’s Governing Council is important, said US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on Tuesday. Asked by a reporter about Turkey’s relationship with Iraq, Boucher said, "I do believe that Turkish government has met with ... members of the Iraqi Governing Council, that they have met with the foreign minister appointed by the ... council. We do think it's important for them to have a dialogue with the Iraqis. There are many issues involved, not just deployment of Turkish troops, but the whole question of relationships with their neighbors; that it's important for Iraq to explore in this fashion through having their own direct contacts." On yesterday, he expanded on these comments, saying, "We still care about Turkish forces. We care about the relationship between Iraq and her neighbors, and we care about our relationship and our cooperation with Turkey against terrorism." /Turkiye/[05] DENKTAS: “WE WANT THE TRNC TO JOIN THE EU ALONGSIDE TURKEY”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that he wanted his nation to join the European Union alongside Turkey. Next May, Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU erroneously on behalf of the whole island, unless a resolution with the TRNC is reached before that time. /Milliyet/[06] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN VISIT MEXICOA group of Turkish businessmen led by Turkish Confederation of Employer’s Unions (TISK) Chairman Refik Baydur is currently paying a visit to Mexico, and yesterday they met with that nation’s economy and industry ministers. During the meetings, both sides pledged to strengthen bilateral trade relations, and the Turkish businessmen requested an agreement to lower trade barriers. /Turkiye/[07] EU PROGRESS REPORT REPORTEDLY PRAISES TURKEY’S REFORMS, URGES IMPLEMENTATIONThe annual European Union progress report on Turkey scheduled to be released next week reportedly praises the nation’s recent reforms, but adds that these must also be implemented, sources familiar with the document said yesterday. It also reportedly states that obstacles to education and broadcasts in mother tongue languages should be lifted. The report is said to decry that though the National Security Council (MGK) has taken on a more advisory role, it still has a political influence. The document also reportedly states that more efforts are needed to end torture and that the EU welcomes Turkey’s support for the United Nations Cyprus plan. /Aksam/[08] EU COMMISSION ROSY ON TURKEY’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, PREDICTS 2004 INFLATION BELOW 20%The European Union Commission yesterday released its annual report on EU candidate countries’ economic outlook. The report praised the economic stability Turkey has achieved this year, adding that all indicators were positive. The report predicted this year’s inflation at 26% and next year’s rate below 20%, further projecting single-digit inflation in the near future. The report also predicted that Turkey would achieve balanced growth next year, adding that interest rates would fall even as investments and exports rise. “Implementation of sound budgetary and monetary policies would help achieve these,” the report added. However, the report decried that unemployment remained too high, saying it would be 11.2% this year, 10.9% in 2004 and 10.4% in 2005. The report also emphasized that there has been little economic fallout in Turkey from the war in Iraq. /All papers/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[10] A DISTURBING UNITED STATES BY CUNEYT ULSEVER (HURRIYET)Columnist Cuneyt Ulsever comments on Turkey, the US and recent developments on the Iraq issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“Washington has accused Turkey of being indecisive between this March and last month’s passage of a measure for Turkish troop deployment in Iraq, but actually it is more indecisive than Ankara and moreover stupefied. Instead of ensuring peace and order, the US has ceded the streets of Iraq to professional terrorists. In addition, now the Kurdish and Baghdad administrations have control there, instead of the US. Germany, France and even Russia and China can only stare at the US’ confusion. We are also angry with the US, and some of us even have good reason to make fun it. Our government seems to be bothered but actually it’s glad. However, I’m actually very worried because the mounting chaos in Iraq disturbs me greatly. Now the current confusion shows that the US will either have to withdraw from Iraq in embarrassment or agree to let in certain unavoidable elements. The most important of these include Shiite leaders, Baath Party supporters, Kurdish religious sects, the terrorist PKK_KADEK and al Qaeda. Enmity towards Turks is one of the rare issues on which these groups all agree. Almost all of them consider Turkey a clear and potential danger both for themselves and the region. Obviously some of these elements are just waiting for an opportunity to get Turkey into trouble. If the United Nations decides to intervene in this chaos, this time imperialist countries will work hard to divvy up Iraq economically by cutting out Ankara. So Turkey will once again be left out of the equation. In short, I’m really worried on Turkey’s behalf about the carelessness of the US.” [11] SAY PLAINLY WHAT’S GOING ON IN IRAQ BY TURGUT TARHANLI (RADIKAL)Columnist Turgut Tarhanli comments on Turkey’s Iraq policy. A summary of his column is as follows:“Paul Bremer, the civilian administrator of the American-led occupation in Iraq, on Sunday stated that the introduction of Turkish troops remained a sensitive matter in the country, claiming that Iraqis felt understandably sensitive since Turks were in Iraq during the Ottoman Empire era for 400 years [Note: Please see the correction below]. According to Bremer, Turkey and Iraq’s Governing Council must sit down and discuss the troop deployment issue in order to reach a solution. Our politicians reacted harshly to Bremer’s words implying that the Ottoman Empire practiced colonialist rule. Bremer is known to be highly experienced in the area of crisis management. However, this time he seems to have forgotten what he learned. Meanwhile, I don’t understand why our people immediately rushed in to defend the history of the Ottoman Empire, especially right now as we’re all celebrating the 80th anniversary of our republic. In addition, after Bremer’s remarks, certain members of our government branded the coalition forces as ‘occupying powers.’ Now I don’t deny that this is in fact true. The American and British forces are nothing but occupiers, which is why we can’t currently speak of a legitimate administration in Iraq, notwithstanding the various efforts to form an Iraqi government representing all the country’s ethnic groups. Under these circumstances, saying that the US is currently the only authority to determine Iraq’s administrators is no mistake. Even the UN Security Council resolution passed earlier this month, which provided a framework for UN participation in the country’s postwar reconstruction, cannot legitimize the US’ position in the region. This resolution might only be interpreted as a road map for the international community to establish a more democratic regime there. However, Turkey doesn’t seem to grasp this reality. Last week our prime minister stated that the UN resolution had provided his government with the necessary international legitimacy, paving the way for the deployment of our troops in Iraq. If our government meets such legitimacy with approval, then I believe there’s no point in reacting to Bremer’s words by underlining that what’s currently going on in Iraq is clearly an occupation. Turkey needs to straightforwardly name what’s going on in Iraq now, rather than harping on the issue of the fairness of Ottoman rule.” CORRECTION The Tuesday edition of the Turkish Press Review quoted US civilian Iraq administrator Paul Bremer as characterizing the former Ottoman presence in Iraq as "colonialist" or "imperialistic." Our news was based on domestic Turkish press accounts, which however misquoted Bremer. When Bremer spoke to US-based Fox News on Sunday, his actual words were: "What [the Iraqi Governing Council has] done is suggested that they should have a dialogue with the Turks directly, so the Turks can sit directly with the Governing Council and they can go over it [the troop deployment issue]. This is a sensitive subject for the Iraqis. The Turks were there from 1533 to the end of the First World War, 400 years, and so it's sensitive, understandably. And I think we need to have a dialogue together, and see if they can find some way to take everybody's sensitivities and interests into account. We think we should have Turkish troops there, but we obviously have to pay some attention to what the Iraqis think" (from the full transcript at http:/_www.foxnews.com_story/0,2933,101252,00.html). While the Turkish Press Review is based on domestic media accounts, it normally tries to confirm words spoken originally in English whenever possible. The Press Review regrets misquoting Mr. Bremer. 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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