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Turkish Press Review, 04-01-13Turkish 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 morning13.01.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] ANKARA CREDITED FOR ISRAELI-SYRIAN PUSH FOR PEACEIsrael's president, Moshe Katsav, yesterday invited his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to Israel for peace talks. However, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who under the law holds more clout than Katsav, said that Syria’s aims were not clear. “One day we received a message from Assad, during his visit to Turkey, that Syria is ready to give up its claims to the Red Sea coasts,” said Sharon. “The other day Syrian newspapers claim that talks between Israel and Syria should start where they broke out.” Prominent New York Times columnist William Safire commented that talks on peace negotiations had begun through Turkey. “Dictator Bashar al-Assad is nervously seeking to re-open negotiations with Israel to regain strategic heights [the Golan Heights] his father lost in the last Syrian aggression,” wrote Safire in his Monday column. “Secret talks have already begun (I suspect through Turkey, Israel's Muslim friend, rather than the unfriendly European Union).” /Sabah/[02] PAKISTANI PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF TO VISIT TURKEYPakistani President Pervez Musharraf is set to arrive in Ankara next Tuesday for an official visit. Musharraf is expected to meet separately with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. Their talks are expected to focus on Afghanistan, Iraq and the fight against terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/[03] IPUK OFFICIAL SALIH TO VISIT ANKARABehram Salih, a top official of the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK), is set to visit Ankara on Friday. Salih is expected to meet with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Ugur Ziyal and tell him about Kurdish groups’ recent proposal to Iraq’s Governing Council for “autonomy” for Iraq’s Kurds. Conversely, Turkish officials are expected to convey Ankara’s firm opposition to any ethnic division of Iraq. /Aksam/[04] IRAQI SHIITE GROUP ARIVES IN ANKARAA delegation from the Shiite Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution for Iraq (SCIRI) headed by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the current president of Iraq’s Governing Council, arrived yesterday in Ankara to pay an official visit. Upon his arrival, al-Hakim said that during his contacts in Ankara, he hoped to discuss recent developments in Iraq and Turkey’s role in its reconstruction process. Stressing that Turkey had always supported the Iraqi people, the Shiite leader said that it should also take part in Iraq’s reconstruction process. /Aksam/[05] PRODI, VERHEUGEN PRAISE TURKEY IN ADVANCE OF VISITTurkey’s rapid progress has surprised us all, European Union Commission President Romano Prodi told CNN-Turk yesterday in the runup to his Ankara visit set to begin on Thursday. “We see important advances by Turkey compared to a year ago,” said Prodi, adding, however, that an upcoming commission report would reflect this progress but not tie down a decision on Ankara’s candidacy. The EU is set to decide this December on whether to start membership negotiations with Turkey. “A solution for Cyprus is not a condition, but we would prefer a solution by May 1 [when Greek Cyprus is set to join the EU],” commented the EU leader. “This would also make thing easier for Turkey.” Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, also set to visit Ankara on Thursday, said that Turkey would not be able to be a full member before 2010 but also praised the recent progress in its harmonization. /Hurriyet/[06] NEW TRNC GOVERNMENT TO BE PRESENTED TO DENKTASThe Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)’s new coalition government is set to be presented today to President Rauf Denktas by its proposed prime minister, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat. Yesterday, the CTP Council approved a protocol of the CTP-Democratic Party (DP) coalition. Talat told reporters that the Cabinet slate would be announced after getting Denktas’s approval. The coalition protocol focused especially on beginning a process of talks in line with UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan to solve the island’s issues by May and a later public referendum on a resolution. Greek Cyprus is due to join the European Union in May. The protocol also pointed to the need for coordination between the president and the government during the talks. /Turkiye/[07] DENKTAS: “WE’RE WAITING FOR TURKEY’S NSC MEETING”After completing his contacts in Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday returned to Cyprus. Speaking to reporters, Denktas reiterated that there was no disagreement between himself and the Turkish government. He stated that the framework of Turkish officials’ recent work on the Cyprus issue is set to be taken up following its discussion at Ankara’s upcoming National Security Council (NSC) meeting. In addition, a group of Turkish Cypriots living in Great Britain met Denktas and told him that they would apply to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for recompense or repossession of their assets damaged in Southern Cyprus. /Turkiye/[08] ANKARA HAILS POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN TRNCFollowing a nearly five-hour Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters yesterday that the government welcomed the success of recent efforts to form a new government in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Stressing that both Turkish and Turkish Cypriot leaders were trying hard to find a just and permanent settlement to the Cyprus issue, Cicek said, “We hope by May 1 [when Greek Cyprus is due to join the European Union], more progress will have been made.” Commenting on the use of Incirlik Airbase by the United States for rotating its troop into and out of Iraq, Cicek said that Foreign Ministry officials had closely looked into the situation and determined that there was no need for a decision by either Parliament or the Cabinet. /Turkiye/[09] INVESTMENT INCENTIVES TO BE OFFERED FOR 36 PROVINCESA government bill offering investment incentives for 36 underdeveloped provinces was presented yesterday to the Parliament Speaker’s Office. Under the bill, businessmen investing in these provinces where per capita income is less than $1,500 would be offered tax and insurance premium breaks, energy support, and the use of land free of charge. /Turkiye/[10] IMF DELEGATION VISITS TIM, TUSIADAn International Monetary Fund delegation in Ankara for the seventh review of the nation’s economic program yesterday visited the Turkish Exporters’ Union (TIM) to discuss recent economic developments. Speaking afterwards, TIM Chairman Oguz Satici said that the economic program needed to be revised according to current conditions, adding that the government was determined to continue faithfully implementing it. For his part, IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam said that the program aimed to boost the productivity of both the private and public sectors. Later, the IMF delegation visited the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD). Speaking afterwards, TUSIAD Deputy Chairman Omer Sabanci stated that last year had been a successful one, saying that he too favored continued implementation of the economic program. “We have no reservations about the program,” he said, adding that he hoped the government wouldn’t deviate from tight budget discipline this year. /Milliyet/[11] OECD HEAD: “TURKEY NO LONGER HAS ANY PROBLEM ATTRACTING FOREIGN INVESTMENTS”Donald J. Johnston, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), yesterday met with private sector representatives in Istanbul. Speaking afterwards, Johnston said that for many years Turkey had had difficulty attracting foreign investments, but that those days were now history. He pointed out that last year Turkey had achieved its primary surplus target of 6.5% and predicted that recently passed European Union harmonization reforms would pave the way for Turkey’s membership in the Union. /Aksam/[12] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[13] HOW STRONG IS THE HARMONY? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“A few days ago the Turkish side had certain questions to answer on the Cyprus issue: Will Ankara manage to overcome the disagreements between the government and other institutions? Will Ankara and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) manage to form a common policy? Will those who are authorized to form a new government in the TRNC manage to reach agreement with President Rauf Denktas? After intense efforts, all involved parties seem to reach answers to these questions. Ankara has at last settled on the official Cyprus policy it will pursue. A coalition government will be set up in the TRNC, and Denktas will continue to act as negotiator. But how strong is the harmony in Ankara and Lefkosa? Will the Turkish side be able to sustain this united front during the negotiations? Will this harmony also bring about reconciliation with the Greek side and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan? Ankara and Lefkosa have overcome disagreements by adopting flexible stances. Now the question is how this harmony will be maintained in practice. Many questions spring to mind: What kind of a proposal will the Turkish side submit to Annan? What will the UN head say about proposals to radically change his own plan? Is Denktas, who has always harshly opposed the Annan plan, really ready to negotiate? Is he truly ready to act in line with Ankara’s new Cyprus policy? Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is soon to meet with Annan and US President Bush as well as EU Commission Chairman Prodi, who is due to pay a visit to Ankara starting on Thursday. Erdogan is expected to tell them that Ankara is ready to begin negotiations on the Annan plan, a move which will persuade the world that Turkey is resolved to do its best to help reach a settlement on the island. Now it’s high time for Denktas to persuade the world that he’s also ready to cooperate. He must adopt a convincing stance in the eyes of the world.” [14] OUR FOREIGN POLICY BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkey’s foreign policy. A summary of his column is as follows:“Our strategic ally the US is rotating almost its entire Iraq occupation force. It will gradually send 13,000 soldiers stationed in Iraq back to the US through Incirlik Airbase. It will also deliver its 110,000 new soldiers from the US to Iraq, again through Incirlik. This way some quarter-million foreign soldiers will set foot on Turkish soil. This is a huge operation emphasizing the strategic aspect of our alliance with the US, one of the most comprehensive military rotations in world military history. It will help our relations with the US recover considerably. However, going back to the days of 2002 isn’t possible yet. Strong relations with the US will boost our importance for the European Union. In addition, this will provide us with a stronger position for our Middle East policy. Syria and Iran are speaking kindly to Ankara. Turkey is warning these two countries against actions that might provoke the US. Will Washington waver from its attitude towards those two countries? Obviously not! Because then Pax Americana’s initiatives would be weakened. We should formulate our policy around this fact. Our foreign policy in the coming months will be dominated by the Cyprus issue. The lack of a solution in Cyprus is so dangerous that it might change the balances in Turkey, spoil stability and even cause regime speculations. If failure to reach a solution is caused by the Greek Cypriots, we can do nothing. But If we can solve the Cyprus problem, neither our position as the US’ strategic ally nor our EU candidacy will be up in the air any longer. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the US next week will make both parties’ views about Cyprus and Kirkuk [in northern Iraq] clear.” 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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