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Turkish Press Review, 04-07-14Turkish 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 morning14.07.2004ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SYRIAN PM, DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, REGIONAL CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OZKOK MEETS WITH ERDOGAN ISRAELI DEPUTY PM VISITS ANKARA BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHP DEFECTORS TO AKP TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER ATTENDS OPENING CEREMONY OF TURKISH-GREEK BUSINESS CENTER IN GERMANY INCOMING EC CHIEF BARROSO: “I’M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF TURKEY JOINING THE EU, PROVIDED IT MEETS THE CRITERIA” YILMAZ TO FACE SUPREME COURT PROSECUTION TURKISH-IRANIAN JOINT SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS IN ANKARA FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... NEAR FUTURE SCENARIOS BY Y. GOKALP YILDIZ (AKSAM) THE APPOINTMENT AND BEYOND… BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH SYRIAN PM, DISCUSSES BILATERAL RELATIONS, REGIONAL ISSUESPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his visiting Syrian counterpart Mohammed Naji al-Otari to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. This is al-Otari’s first ever official visit to Turkey. Later, speaking at a press conference, Erdogan said that the two had discussed regional issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. He called their meeting very positive, adding that he believed economic and trade ties between the two countries would be further developed. Erdogan added that Ankara and Damascus could make joint investments. Following the meeting, the two premiers signed a cooperation agreement concerning communications, highways and bridges. Later, al-Otari met with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister Abdulah Gul, and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. /Turkiye/[02] CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OZKOK MEETS WITH ERDOGANChief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting, which was not scheduled, lasted for about two hours. Ozkok reportedly briefed Erdogan on the fight against terrorism in southeastern Turkey. Developments in Afghanistan and Iraq and on Cyprus, and decisions taken at last month’s NATO summit in Istanbul were also reportedly discussed. /Aksam/[03] ISRAELI DEPUTY PM VISITS ANKARAIsraeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday arrived in Ankara to hold contacts with Turkish officials. During his visit, Olmert is expected to meet today with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Ministers Kursat Tuzmen and Ali Babacan, Agriculture Minister Sami Guclu, and Communications Minister Binali Yildirim. Olmert is not expected to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan due to a scheduling conflict. /Cumhuriyet/[04] BAYKAL CRITICIZES CHP DEFECTORS TO AKPMain opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday harshly criticized two deputies, Atilla Basoglu and Necdet Budak, who this week resigned from the CHP and moved to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). “They were pioneers in leading the CHP to power, but now they’ve brought themselves to power,” said Baykal. /Hurriyet/[05] TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER ATTENDS OPENING CEREMONY OF TURKISH-GREEK BUSINESS CENTER IN GERMANYTrade and Industry Minister Ali Coskun yesterday attended the opening ceremony of a Turkish-German Business Center in Stuttgart, Germany. Touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Coskun said that Ankara had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria and predicted that it would begin its accession talks with the Union after December, when the EU’s year-end summit will be held. Coskun stated that Turkey had overcome its economic crisis and achieved macroeconomic balance and sustainable growth. The minister further said that he appreciated Germany’s support for Turkey’s EU bid. /Turkiye/[06] INCOMING EC CHIEF BARROSO: “I’M PERSONALLY IN FAVOR OF TURKEY JOINING THE EU, PROVIDED IT MEETS THE CRITERIA”The future head of the European Commission, Portuguese Premier Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, said yesterday that he was personally in favor of Turkey joining the European Union, provided it had met all the necessary criteria. The commission is expected to release a progress report on Turkey before the EU’s December summit, when the Union is due to decide whether or not to begin accession talks with Ankara. “It will be a precise and fair report as far as I am aware,” said Barroso. “Turkey will be assessed on its merits. But it’s too early to predict what will be in the report.” /Turkiye/[07] YILMAZ TO FACE SUPREME COURT PROSECUTIONParliament yesterday voted by an overwhelming margin to allow the Supreme Court to prosecute former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz on corruption charges. Yilmaz and his former Cabinet members Gunes Taner, Cumhur Ersumer and Zeki Cakan are charged with rigging the privatization of state-owned Turkbank. The scandal resulted in the collapse of Yilmaz’s government in 1998, but he was never charged. He has repeatedly denied the accusations. The case is part of a wider parliamentary investigation of corruption. /Sabah/[08] TURKISH-IRANIAN JOINT SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS IN ANKARAThe Turkish-Iranian Joint Security Council yesterday met in Ankara. During the meeting, the Iranian delegation was led by Deputy Interior Minister Ali Ashgar Ahmedi, and the Turkish contingent by Interior Undersecretary Sahabettin Harput. The two delegations decided to sign an agreement on security cooperation. /Turkiye/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[10] NEAR FUTURE SCENARIOS BY Y. GOKALP YILDIZ (AKSAM)Columnist Gokalp Yildiz comments on near future scenarios for Turkey, the EU and the US. A summary of his column is as follows:“Our process of EU harmonization is continuing to shift the balances of domestic politics. This process will accelerate when Turkey gets a date for EU membership negotiations. Foreign factors will weigh more, and the US-EU rivalry will grow sharper. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will be the institution most influenced by this process. Its function will be gradually limited to security only, and its influence on the decision-making process will shrink. The interests and aims of the US and the EU meet in wanting to exclude the TSK from the decision-making process. The US considers the TSK an obstacle to the role of ‘moderate Islam.’ The US thinks it can more easily direct an army which is excluded from the decision-making process. The EU has also stated that it considers nationalism an obstacle to bringing Turkey into the Union. It prefers and supports political and social organizations which further its goals. These approaches agree with the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) policies towards the TSK. However, the US and EU viewpoints on the ‘Islamic identity’ issue differ. The US is emphasizing this identity, but the EU doesn’t care for it. The European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) recent decision on headscarves is based on this view. In other words, the EU doesn’t consider the strengthening of a political movement with religious leanings favorable to its interests. On the basis of the EU’s support for the AKP, there’s no point in laying a religious groundwork for the ‘reconciliation of civilizations,’ but rather only limiting the TSK’s function and role with the AKP’s political power. Turkish-EU relations shouldn’t suffer so these things can happen. Europe thinks that if a date for membership negotiations isn’t given to Ankara, the process will be delayed and Turkey will drift away from the EU. The AKP’s future also depends on getting a date. If Turkey gets a date, there will be celebrations here as if we had already joined the EU. The AKP’s massive support will balloon. Early elections could follow. More importantly, such steps as comprehensive constitutional amendments limiting further the TSK’s functions and presidential power will accelerate with this massive AKP support. Relevant institutions will be able to do nothing due to domestic and foreign support for this. However, the EU will make the AKP do these things, but then cut off its support for the party after it’s fulfilled the EU’s purpose.” [11] THE APPOINTMENT AND BEYOND… BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen writes on Turkish-Israeli relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday arrived in Turkey following the recent war of words between the two countries over the Sharon government’s bloody operations against Palestinians. Olmert is set to begin his meetings today in Ankara but will not be able to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan due to the premier’s busy schedule. I wonder whether this ‘appointment crisis’ really erupted due to Erdogan’s busy program or is it a result of his political stance? Even if Olmert won’t meet with Erdogan, his visit is still important to Turkey, as he’s expected to have contacts with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and many other ministers. In fact, Erdogan’s harsh criticisms of Israel shouldn’t be seen as the only factor in the recent chill between our countries. Erdogan isn’t the first Turkish premier to rebuke Israel’s attitude towards the Palestinians. Let’s not forget how a couple of years ago then Premier Bulent Ecevit accused Israelis of committing genocide in the Palestinian territories. However, such words can’t alter the course of Turkish-Israeli relations, because the principal factor setting this common path is the countries’ shared interests. The reason why our bilateral relations have strengthened significantly over the last 10 years is that both sides are well aware of their common interests in the region. Therefore, I believe that it’s not the statements of both sides’ politicians but their actions regarding these common interests which will steer the course of Turkish-Israeli relations. In this context, the northern Iraq issue is key. Olmert’s words on this issue will be of great significance for the Erdogan administration, as both countries need to fine tune their stances to overcome this crisis. If necessary mechanisms are established and bilateral confidence restored, I believe that our countries will be able to sweep aside other factors threatening to damage relations.” 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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