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Turkish Press Review, 04-02-16Turkish 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 morning16.02.2004FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] IRAQ’S NEIGHBORS CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF COALITION FORCESA two-day summit in Kuwait of Iraq’s neighbors yesterday concluded with a final declaration calling for a central postwar role for the United Nations in Iraq, including the supervision of elections and the transfer of power to the Iraqis. The statement reaffirmed the importance of enhancing the role of the UN so that it can assume central responsibilities throughout the transitional process in Iraq including preparing the ground for the withdrawal of occupying powers as soon as possible, and providing advice and technical expertise for drafting a constitution, holding elections, and expediting the transfer of power. During the gathering, foreign ministers of the countries neighboring Iraq – Kuwait, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and politically influential Egypt – plus representatives from Iraq, the Arab League and the UN exchanged views on the recent situation in Iraq. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul represented Turkey at the meeting. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that Iraq and its neighboring countries would form security commissions to prevent terrorist groups from entering Iraq to carry out terrorist attacks. He also asked neighboring countries to control their borders more effectively in order to prevent such initiatives. The next such gathering of Iraq’s neighbors is expected to be held in Egypt. /Turkiye/[02] GUL: “HARD WORK ON CYPRUS LIES AHEAD”After representing Turkey at a summit on Iraq in Kuwait, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul returned yesterday to Ankara. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that the meeting had been very fruitful. He said that he had spoken to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari about Turkey’s concerns over ethnic Turkmen living in Kirkuk. Regarding the new Cyprus talks set to begin this Thursday, Feb. 19, Gul said the Turkish side would do its best to resolve the issue. “We’ll work hard. A difficult period awaits us,” said the foreign minister. /Turkiye/[03] D-8 SUMMIT TO BEGIN TOMORROW IN TEHRANTurkey is due to take part in a two-day D-8 summit gathering bringing together eight developing Muslim countries beginning tomorrow in the Iranian capital of Tehran. The summit will be held with the participation of the heads of state or government of Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and Nigeria. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener will represent Turkey at the summit. The summit will focus on increasing both the activity of the organization and economic cooperation among Muslim countries as well as on regional and international issues. /Turkish Daily News/[04] DENKTAS: “GOOD WILL ON BOTH SIDES CAN LEAD TO RESULTS ON CYPRUS”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that a new negotiating process had begun on Cyprus, adding that time was running out to reach a resolution since Greek Cyprus is scheduled to join the European Union in May. “We can get results if both sides work with good will,” he told a press conference in Istanbul. “Of course, the fundamental rights of Turkish Cypriots should be protected. There are two safety valves during this process. The first one is holding a referendum on any agreement that we reach. If our people don’t like the result, they have the right to say so in the referendum.” He stated that the second safety valve was the presentation of the agreement to Ankara’s Parliament. “It should be a balanced, durable agreement which the Turkish nation can accept, ” said Denktas. “We have proposed that Turkey and Greece serve as guarantor states for a resolution.” Asked about UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s stance on Cyprus during last week’s meetings, Denktas stated that Annan had tried to be objective. The new negotiations over the island are set to begin Thursday in the Cypriot border zone. /Cumhuriyet/[05] ARINC: “PARLIAMENT WON’T REJECT A SUITABLE CYPRUS AGREEMENT”Appearing on television yesterday, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) administration had scored a diplomatic success during last week’s discussions over the island, but cautioned that this process had yet to bear any concrete fruit. Asked how Parliament would weigh in on any agreement from the new talks, Arinc said that he believed it would consider the issue carefully. “There is no reason for Parliament to reject a suitable agreement,” he added. The new negotiations are expected to begin in the Cypriot border zone on Thursday. /Aksam/[06] BAYKAL: “DESPITE LIMITED PROGRESS, SOME ARE ALREADY CLAIMING VICTORY OVER CYPRUS”Appearing on television yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal charged that the UN plan for Cyprus was “lopsided” and failed to take into consideration the Turkish Cypriots’ rights on the island, adding that it would require the settlement of 80,000 Greek Cypriots in the TRNC. “The only progress made on the Cyprus issue so far is that Turkey and Greece will also participate in the talks,” he said, adding that despite this some circles were already trying to create an atmosphere of victory on the issue. /Aksam/[07] DE SOTO: “NOW CYPRUS’ TWO SIDES WILL NEGOTIATE WITH EACH OTHER”The two sides on Cyprus will negotiate with each other now, United Nations Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro de Soto told CNN Turk in an interview over the weekend. “For the first time since last March, both parties have said what they want to change in the UN plan,” he added. “Both parties know what is being aimed at.” De Soto stated that Turkey’s efforts for a resolution were both surprising and impressive. “There is a very intensive agenda. We’ve prepared a list laying out to the parties what to do and when. It’s a kind of a road map,” said de Soto. He added that the list was relatively short and not overly specific about the steps to be taken. “There is a provision in the agreement that it will be a part of EU law,” said de Soto. “That is, the agreement itself will be a part of the EU acquis communautaire.” /Sabah/[08] CITING LACK OF COOPERATION ON DEBT, GOVERNMENT SEIZES 200-PLUS UZAN GROUP COMPANIESTurkish authorities on Saturday took over the management of over 200 companies owned by the controversial Uzan Group in order to collect on the group’s estimated $6 billion in debt to financial authorities. A written statement issued by the Turkish Savings and Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) said that the Uzans had been siphoning their capital and assets outside the country in order to escape paying the TL 7.5 quadrillion they owe the state for Imar Bank fraud. The TMSF said that despite repeated requests, the controlling shareholders of the Imar Bank had refused to present a payment plan or even to meet to discuss the issue. They also launched a public campaign against the fund in order to get public support, said the TMSF. /All Papers/[09] VISITING GERMAN OPPOSITION LEADER SET TO PROPOSE “SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP” FOR TURKEY IN LIEU OF EU MEMBERSHIPGerman opposition Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel is set to arrive in Ankara today to discuss Turkey’s European Union membership bid with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Merkel is reportedly set to propose to Turkey a “special partnership” rather then full EU membership. “The doors shouldn’t be closed to Turkey, but a third way should be offered,” Merkel told reporters before departing for the trip. German news weekly Der Spiegel reported that Merkel opposed Turkey’s membership in the Union. /Sabah/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[11] COUNTING OUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on what is needed in order to solve the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“Instead of cheering for a hollow victory, we should think of what still needs to be done. The Cyprus issue hasn’t been solved yet, there’s only an agreement to sit at the table now. What’s more, Turkey gave up on most of the conditions it stipulated before. We’ll have a very difficult negotiating process. The important thing is to stand firm against the Greek Cypriot administration and make them accept amendments which will guarantee the continuation of the Turkish presence on the island. We should discuss the negative elements of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s plan in terms of the security of the Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish people. We should make them accept our objections concerning sovereignty, guarantorship, ownership, the sharing of territory and the number of Greek Cypriots to be settled on the island. In addition, we should ensure the acceptance of the agreement reached as a basic part of the EU acquis communaitaire. In other words, we should reach a just and permanent solution protecting the Turks’ sovereignty and presence. In addition, after the Cyprus problem is resolved, we shouldn’t imagine that everything will be all right and the EU will give us a date to begin negotiations. More obstacles lie ahead. Let’s be realistic and deal our cards in a way to fight these obstacles. We should boost our efforts to solve the problems with Greece without waiting for the EU’s insistence. The West will place some obstacles before us, so we should be ready for this. Otherwise all our efforts for EU membership might be in vain.” [12] THE FEB. 13 TEXT GUNDUZ AKTAN (RADIKAL)Columnist Gunduz Aktan writes about recent developments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows:“The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have accepted UN Secretary- General Kofi Annan's plan for unifying Cyprus before its May 1 entry into the European Union. With the revival of peace negotiations, Turkey has scored a major diplomatic victory. Following his meetings with Annan in Davos and US President George W. Bush in Washington, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey had accepted the secretary-general’s preconditions for resuming the peace talks. However, the first move made by the Turkish mission chaired by Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas in Washington was to open Annan’s preconditions up for discussion. Denktas’s delegation prevented most of these preconditions from being added to the text of Feb. 13. Let’s forget that the text accepts May 1 as a deadline but still puts all federal laws and cooperative agreements onto the table, obviously throwing this timetable into doubt! The most important victory of the Turkish side is that all the points that it opposes in the Annan plan will be discussed one by one. Another important development is that on March 22-29, the Cyprus sides together with Turkey and Greece as guarantor states are set to hold a meeting chaired by Annan in order to re-discuss any points on which they fail to reach an agreement during the peace talks. Furthermore, Annan cannot ‘fill in any of the blanks’ in his plan without consulting with both Turkey and Greece. If these two guarantor states see their objections being ignored by the UN, then they can refuse to hold a referendum on the plan. According to Annan’s letter of invitation dated Feb. 4, the authority to hold a referendum belongs to the guarantor states, not the UN. The guarantor states will take on a historic responsibility by either accepting or refusing to hold a referendum. That was what Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul underlined when he said the ultimate responsibility on the referendum issue belongs to the Turkish Parliament.” 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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