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Turkish Press Review, 03-12-05Turkish 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 morning05.12.2003SEZER RECEIVES ROMANIAN COUNTERPART, DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS GUL: “TURKEY WILL CONTRIBUTE THREE HELICOPTERS TO THE AFGHAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE” GONUL, TOP US GENERAL REACH CONSENSUS ON ANTI-TERROR EFFORTS BAYKAL: “VERHEUGEN IS TRYING TO INTERFERE IN THE UPCOMING TRNC ELECTIONS” BILL TO END NSC SECRECY PASSES KEY HURDLE EP URGES TURKEY TO FIND SOLUTION ON CYPRUS TO BEGIN ITS ACCESSION TALKS NEW SECURITY MEASURES ANNOUNCED FOR STREET OUTSIDE BOMBED ISTANBUL SYNAGOGUE PARLIAMENT PASSES PETROLEUM MARKET BILL US EXIMBANK: “TURKEY CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN IRAQ’S RECONSTRUCTION” FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS OPPOSING OUR EU MEMBERSHIP BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)CONTENTS
[01] SEZER RECEIVES ROMANIAN COUNTERPART, DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONSPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday received his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliescu to discuss bilateral relations. Speaking afterwards, Sezer said that both Turkey and Romania would continue to play key roles in ensuring peace and stability in their region, adding that they would also play a part in integrating the region with the European Union. Touching on the recent Istanbul terrorist bombings, Iliescu called the attacks “barbaric.” He stated there was solidarity between the two nations and that international cooperation would be vital in eliminating terrorism. “Those who carry out such barbaric attacks are enemies of democracy, secularism and tolerance,” he said. Iliescu also stated that Romania supported Turkey’s EU membership bid, adding that he hoped Ankara would begin its negotiations with the EU next year. Romania itself is scheduled to join the Union in 2007. /Milliyet/[02] GUL: “TURKEY WILL CONTRIBUTE THREE HELICOPTERS TO THE AFGHAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Brussels to attend the NATO foreign ministers’ fall meetings, said yesterday that Turkey had decided to contribute three Black Hawk helicopters to the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, adding that they would be used for humanitarian aid, not military attacks. One diplomat at the meetings said the copters would be crucial in helping to fill a key gap in NATO’s mission in the country. /Cumhuriyet/[03] GONUL, TOP US GENERAL REACH CONSENSUS ON ANTI-TERROR EFFORTSUS Joint Chiefs of Staff Deputy Chairman Gen. Peter Pace, who is currently in Ankara for an official visit, yesterday met with Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. During their talks, Gonul and Pace reached a broad consensus on cooperation to fight terrorist groups and how best to wage this effort. Speaking afterwards, Pace reiterated that PKK_KADEK was a terrorist organization even it had changed its name, adding that the US would continue to seek new ways to fight terrorist groups. “We recognize that the PKK is one of Turkey’s most pressing problems,” added the top general. For his part, Gonul said that trade, diplomatic and military ties between Ankara and Washington were very important. /Cumhuriyet/[04] BAYKAL: “VERHEUGEN IS TRYING TO INTERFERE IN THE UPCOMING TRNC ELECTIONS”Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday lashed out at European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen’s recent statements on upcoming elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Following a meeting with Hak-Is Chairman Salim Uslu, Baykal told reporters that Verheugen’s comments encouraging an opposition victory clearly constituted interference in the Dec. 14 polls. “These statements were improper,” said the CHP leader. Claiming that the Republic of Turkey itself had never in its history been so wronged, Baykal charged that the government was taking too weak a stance toward these developments. “The government is only standing and watching,” he added. /Hurriyet/[05] BILL TO END NSC SECRECY PASSES KEY HURDLEParliament’s Constitutional Commission yesterday approved a bill designed to make the National Security Council (NSC) more transparent, a measure in line with political reforms for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. The bill would remove secrecy policies governing the NSC’s staff, by-laws and regulations, allowing decisions on these matters to be published in the government’s Official Gazette. /Turkiye/[06] EP URGES TURKEY TO FIND SOLUTION ON CYPRUS TO BEGIN ITS ACCESSION TALKSIn the runup to Dec. 14 elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the European Parliament is urging Turkey to find a settlement on the island. EP Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Elmar Brok warned yesterday, “If there’s no solution to the Cyprus issue, Turkey cannot begin its EU accession talks,” a decision on which is scheduled one year from now. Meanwhile, Turkey’s rapporteur at the commission stated that EP would be very firm towards Turkey regarding the Cyprus issue. In related news, the US administration has also reportedly asked Turkey to find a settlement on the island before May 1 on the basis of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan. “The elections should be fair and whoever wins, talks should begin soon in line with Annan’s plan,” said one US official. Greek Cyprus is due to join the EU next May. /Hurriyet/[07] NEW SECURITY MEASURES ANNOUNCED FOR STREET OUTSIDE BOMBED ISTANBUL SYNAGOGUEThe street adjoining Istanbul’s Beth Israel Synagogue, the site of a devastating terrorist attack last month, will be re-opened to traffic on Saturday, December 13 with bolstered security measures, announced Sisli district Mayor Mustafa Sarigul yesterday. The improved security, especially during Saturday Sabbath services, will be accompanied by new traffic arrangements, he added. Istanbul Chief Rabbi Ishak (Yitzhak) Haleva is due to attend the street’s reopening. /Star/[08] PARLIAMENT PASSES PETROLEUM MARKET BILLParliament yesterday approved a bill proposing certain reforms for Turkey’s petroleum market. If signed by the president, the measure would revise the set distances between gas stations in cities and on highways as of 2005. It would also mandate that Turkey’s petroleum prices be established by world free trade conditions. /Star/[09] US EXIMBANK: “TURKEY CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN IRAQ’S RECONSTRUCTION”The US welcomes Turkey’s economic development and privatization efforts, said a board member of the US Export-Import Bank on Tuesday, adding that Turkey had an important role to play in Iraq’s reconstruction period. Speaking to Turkish-US Economic Partnership Commission meetings in Washington, board member April Foley stated that Eximbank especially supported Turkey’s energy sector. “The Bush administration certainly wants Turkey by our side as we support Iraqi reconstruction,” said Foley, adding, “It understands Iraq as few other countries do” Meanwhile, US Deputy Secretary of State Alan Larson also called on Turkish businessmen to participate in bidding processes set to begin soon as part of the Iraq’s reconstruction. /Hurriyet, http:__www.exim.gov /[10] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS[11] OPPOSING OUR EU MEMBERSHIP BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on circles for and against Turkey’s European Union membership. A summary of his column is as follows:“In Turkey, there is a group of conservatives who are supporters of the status quo and who weild certain authority. They never miss an opportunity to say that Turkey’s European Union membership would be a prelude to disaster. In addition, there are certain scientists and scholars here who are genuinely concerned that EU membership would ruin our system. However, such feelings can guide the path of neither nations nor peoples. In addition, certain risks voiced by these people are real, but without risk, there can be no progress. Now the supporters of the status quo are trying to start arguments about the Cyprus issue, as they’re afraid it might be solved. They know that a solution would bring us closer to EU membership and that, conversely, failure to reach one would dampen our hopes. As for the Europeans, they aren’t so willing to share their comforts with us Turks. However, their rulers know the value of Turkey’s membership and even its indispensability in certain respects. At least 51% of European countries think this way. We will face problems if the remaining 49% were to grow. If we have such problems, we can forget about our EU membership. However, we cannot ignore Europe’s norms, criteria, principles, system and mentality.” 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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