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Turkish Press Review, 04-09-21Turkish 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 morning21.09.2004FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] SEZER CRITICIZES TREND OF USING FOREIGN WORDSPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer warned yesterday that the increasing number and usage of foreign words were ruining the Turkish language. Speaking at the Fifth International Turkish Language Council, the president said the public, especially the younger generations, were more prone to use foreign words, despite the fact that the Turkish language was a rich one including innumerable words to express any action. He called upon authors, linguists and educational institutions to work to enrich the language. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also speaking at the gathering, said that Turkish was one of the fundamental elements of Turkish culture, adding that it was the only tool that could be used to transmit culture to future generations. At another gathering, the Third Religion Council hosted by the Religious Affairs Directorate, Sezer said that the application of secularism in Turkey was guided by the country’s historical and social experiences, not by reports prepared by foreigners. He added that no religion, including Islam, tolerated terrorism. In another speech, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc stated that Turkey was one of the world’s leading Muslim countries, adding that it was well equipped to tackle many problems which face the entire globe. /Milliyet/[02] AKP CENTRAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETSThe ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Board convened yesterday under the chairmanship of Primer Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting reportedly focused on the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), including a controversial article on adultery. Erdogan told party members that during his visit to Brussels this week, he would lay out his government’s efforts on the road to European Union membership. Stressing that he would also met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, Erdogan said that Turkey’s bid would not be jeopardized by the delay in enacting the new code. The premier added that his party would make clear its stance on adultery issue in line with its character. /Turkiye/[03] EU: “A POSITIVE REPORT FAVORING ACCESSION TALKS DEPENDS ON THE TCK BILL”Jean-Christophe Filori, spokesman for European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, warned yesterday that if Parliament fails to pass a new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) bill before Oct. 6, the European Commission report on Turkey would not favor submitting a date to Ankara to begin its EU accession talks. Following a press conference, Filori issued a written statement emphasizing once more that talks with Ankara could not begin unless certain important articles in the new TCK bill were enacted. He reiterated that on Oct. 6, the commission would release its report on Turkey, including recommendations for its membership bid. /Turkiye/[04] GUL: “I EXPECT WE’LL GET A DATE FROM THE EU THIS YEAR TO BEGIN ACCESSION TALKS”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, currently in the US to attend a session of the UN General Assembly, said yesterday that he expected Turkey would get a date this December from the European Union to begin its accession talks. Gul touted the government’s efforts for the nation’s EU bid. “I believe we will begin negotiations with the EU,” said Gul. “First we must believe in ourselves.” Touching on the recent controversy over a proposed adultery ban, Gul said that Parliament would make a decision on the issue, adding, however, “I don’t know what kind of a decision it will be.” /Milliyet/[05] CICEK: “IF THE EU DOESN’T GIVE US A DATE FOR TALKS, WE’LL CONTINUE OUR PATH”Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that even if the European Union doesn’t give Ankara a date at its December summit to begin accession talks, Turkey would still continue its path. “If we can’t get a date, we’ll not sit and cry, but we’ll continue our path,” said Cicek. “EU membership is important for us and that’s why we recently passed important reforms.” He stated that the EU was a union of values. “Our real goal is to guarantee all fundamental rights and freedoms and improve democratic standards in Turkey with or without the EU.” Touching on recent discussions on a new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) bill, Cicek said, “We’ve been discussing the same issue for two weeks. Saying more now would be pointless.” /Cumhuriyet/[06] DYP’S AGAR CRITICIZES GOVERNMENT’S EU POLICYThe ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) insistence on including an anti-adultery law in new penal code legislation has proven the “insincerity” of its European Union policy, charged True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday. Speaking at a press conference, Agar criticized the government as pursuing an unstable and inconsistent foreign policy, and thus upsetting Ankara’s relations with the EU. Agar added that the government had no right to jeopardize Turkey’s EU membership bid for the sake of the AKP’s own interests. Several EU leaders have warned that delaying the new penal code or including the adultery ban could mean Ankara’s accession talks will not begin. /Star/[07] PRODI SEEKS RE-OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDERRomano Prodi, the top official of the European Union Commission, said yesterday that he wanted to see the long-closed Turkish-Armenian border re- opened. During a tour of southern Caucasus countries, Prodi hold a press conference alongside Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan. The EU commissioner stated he was not neglecting the issue of opening borders as a precondition for Turkey’s EU membership. “Personally, I don’t like the closed Turkish-Armenian border and the absence of political relations between these two countries,” said Prodi. He added that he was ready to contribute to efforts to open the border. /Turkiye/[08] GREEK FM: “EUROPE AND THE WHOLE REGION WILL BENEFIT FROM TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis yesterday met with Foreign Minister Abdullah in the United States discuss a number of issues, including Turkey’s European Union membership bid, the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and bilateral relations. During their meeting, Moliviatis expressed support for Turkey’s EU bid. “Europe and the whole region will benefit from Turkey’s membership, ” he said. /Milliyet/[09] IN IRAQ, RED CRESCENT CONVOY ATTACKED; TWO MORE TURKISH HOSTAGES KILLEDIraqi militants yesterday attacked a Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) convoy in Mosul carrying humanitarian aid to ethnic Turkmen in Tal Afar. Two Turkish journalists and two Turkish aid workers were reportedly wounded after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle. “Such an attack on a humanitarian mission sent to help the people of a neighboring country has worsened the situation in Iraq,” said a Foreign Ministry statement. “According to universal rules of conduct, nobody should interfere with a humanitarian aid team under any circumstances. Turkey has begun initiatives to find those responsible for this heinous attack and to prevent any recurrence of such incidents in the future.” In related news, two more Turkish hostages have been found dead in Iraq, and are believed to have been slain by Iraqi insurgents. Moreover, militants have recently threatened to kill 10 workers from a US-Turkish firm unless their company stopped doing business in Iraq within three days. /Sabah/[10] IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI TO VISIT TURKEY NEXT WEEKIranian President Mohammad Khatami is expected to pay an official visit to Turkey next week. Iranian government spokesman Abdullah Ramazanzade said that Khatami would visit Ankara on next Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 28-29. /Aksam/[11] NEW STANDBY NEGOTIATIONS START WITH THE IMFState Minister Ali Babacan over the weekend met with visiting International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam in Ankara to discuss Turkey’s new standby negotiations. An IMF delegation chaired by Moghadam is currently in Turkey to work on Ankara’s new three-year economic program. Babacan conferred with economic bureaucrats before meeting the IMF delegation to discuss such economic and financial issues as the budget, balance of payments, tax reform, social security reform and monetary policies. Negotiations with the delegation are to continue until next Wednesday, Sept. 29, when there will be a break until early October due to the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Washington. /Hurriyet/[12] TUZMEN: “TURKISH INVESTMENT IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES THIS YEAR TOTALS $6.5 BLN”State Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday noted that Turkish business investments in foreign countries in the first half of this year amounted to approximately $6.5 billion, underlining that such investments would contribute to improving the economy in the long term. Tuzmen stated that this trend was expected to provide Turkey with an opportunity to boost its exports in the future. He also added that the rising investments were a natural and expected consequence of ever-growing globalization. Tuzmen yesterday also dispatched a humanitarian aid convoy carrying foodstuff to Turkmen living in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar. He said that Turkey was carefully monitoring the situation in Iraq. /Star/[13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[14] LAST CHANCE? BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkish-EU relations. A summary of his column is as follows:“How will the adultery crisis will be solved, or will it even be solved? Nobody in Ankara or Brussels can answer this question now. Only officials speak of hope for a solution. These hopes are dependent on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Brussels this week. Of course their realization chiefly depends on the views Erdogan expresses during his meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen and his speech to the European Parliament. Actually EU officials’ reply to Erdogan’s statements last Friday shows that the European Commission will make changes to its progress report on Turkey. In other words, it will stipulate that Turkish Penal Code (TCK) reforms are enacted and that adultery not be considered a crime. How will Erdogan react? Will he relent and accept this? Or stand firm? Or will both parties find a formula to solve this crisis? Just when everything looked perfect, work on the TCK reforms was suspended and Erdogan’s challenge to the EU seriously damaged Turkish-EU relations seriously. The Parliament and the government were adept at the most sensitive problems, but Turkey stumbled on this issue, something which is very surprising. Something else which surprised and confused everybody is Erdogan’s rhetoric on the issue. For example, he stated that Turkey had its own conditions and values and that the EU cannot intervene in our domestic affairs. These statements, which surprised political circles in Europe and the media, and put Turkey’s supporters into a tight spot while heartening those opposing Turkey, now constitute the essence of the crisis. Now Europeans accuse Erdogan of not knowing or understanding the EU. They call his stance a ‘deception’ because such arguments were never made during the implementation of previous reforms. This is the true negative development. In other words, the Europeans’ confidence in Turkey was shaken. However, we should take advantage of this window of opportunity to solve the crisis. Turkey should take the initiative and the EU should keep Turkey’s path open. This might be the final chance for both parties, so let’s not pass it up.” [15] THE MOST RIDICULOUS STATEMENT IN THE WORLD BY YALCIN DOGAN (HURRIYET)Columnist Yalcin Dogan comments on Turkey’s European Union membership bid. A summary of his column is as follows:“The progress report paving the way for our European Union membership was all right! The report was fine! It was appropriate! There was no problem giving Turkey a date for accession talks! Now these words have become past tense! Counting adultery as an offense in the penal code pushes the positive tone of the report into the dustbin. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew into a rage after the EU’s reaction, saying: ‘This is our internal policy, the EU can’t get involved in this.’ Now this is one of the most ridiculous statements in the world. Erdogan meets with EU countries almost every week, but this show that he has never understood the Union. For two years, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has, in the name of democratization, enacted social and legal reforms in the Parliament. Who wants these packages? Who is carefully observing those reforms? Isn’t it the EU? Though such regulations should be part of every modern democracy, they weren’t included in ours until now. Excluding military judges from state security courts and military representatives from the Board of Higher Education, transparent police affairs, more civilian authority on the National Security Council (NSC), ending the state of emergency, broadcasts in native languages, and so on. Weren’t they approved under EU pressure? So the EU doesn’t interfere in our internal policies on these issues, but on the issue of adultery? Moreover, who is praising himself about doing something which no government has done before? What about Cyprus? Cyprus isn’t among the Copenhagen criteria, but didn’t the AKP bargain over Cyprus for months? Didn’t it accept the Annan plan with EU and US pressure? Isn’t this interfering in our internal policies? What about the International Monetary Fund? The IMF is now in Ankara inspecting our economy. The IMF has done economically what the EU did politically. Therefore doesn’t the IMF interfere in our internal policies? Relations with IMF are going well, but what if it said that the economy can’t recover with these interest rates, tax revenues and monetary supply? Will the government again say that the IMF is interfering in our internal affairs? The AKP government’s existence is dependent on Turkey’s EU bid. If the government doesn’t get a date for accession talks, then it will have neither internal authority nor respect from other countries. Keeping adultery out of the penal code is a mark of secularism.” 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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