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Turkish Press Review, 04-12-06Turkish 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 morning06.12.2004FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] PUTIN ARRIVES IN ANKARA FOR HISTORIC VISITRussian President Vladimir Putin yesterday arrived in Ankara for a three- day official visit, the first by a Russian leader in some three decades. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday hosted a state banquet where Putin sought support in Russia’s fight against Chechen rebels. Speaking at the occasion, Sezer said that existing cooperative mechanisms between Turkey and Russia could be used in fighting terrorism. He stressed the importance of improving bilateral relations, hailing Putin’s visit as a turning point in efforts toward this end. Sezer also said that Russia has become the Turkey’s second biggest trade partner, adding that he hoped economic ties would be further strengthened and bilateral investments would rise. For his part, Putin stated that he was sure that his visit would break new ground in Turkish-Russian cooperation, adding, “We’re determined to upgrade relations to the highest level.” He said that the two countries were linked by longstanding commercial, economic and political ties and that their fates were closely interconnected. On his visit, Putin is accompanied by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko. /All papers/[02] BOOSTING TURKISH-RUSSIAN ENERGY TIES ON AGENDA OF PUTIN’S VISITRussian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko, currently accompanying Russian President Vladimir Putin on his historic visit to Turkey, over the weekend visited Energy and Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler to discuss ways to boost Turkish-Russian cooperation on energy issues. “Russia is interested in cooperating with Turkey in the areas of natural gas, oil, privatization of energy agencies, and electric and natural gas distribution,” said Guler. ''We will soon sign a protocol for improving our energy cooperation with Russia. We discussed such issues as natural gas pipelines, the construction of a natural gas reserve area under our Tuz Golu, and the distribution of natural gas in Turkish cities.” For his part, Kristenko said, ''Russia has extensive experience in the construction of nuclear power stations which it wants to share with Turkey.'' In addition, Russian officials have offered Turkey their expertise and advice for optimizing traffic through the Bosphorus. "Russia has offered assistance to Turkey to optimize navigation in the Straits, based on our navigation expertise in the Baltic Sea,” said Kristenko. “We have no doubts concerning our Turkish partners, but we do believe that our experience will be useful. We believe transit fees must not be higher than the charges for oil transportation through the straits. However, I want to emphasize that we do want to ensure the Straits’ safety.” Moscow has complained that Turkey’s current Straits traffic regulations are too restrictive. /Sabah/[03] ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS, PUSH EU BIDAccompanied by a delegation, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to travel to Brussels next week to attend a meeting of the “Turkey Platform.” On the eve of the European Union’s Dec. 17 summit, Erdogan will seek support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. During his one-day visit, Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Jan Peter Balkanende, his counterpart from EU term President the Netherlands, to make a final push for the EU to give Ankara a date to begin accession talks. /Turkiye/[04] ERDOGAN OPENS ARMENIAN MUSEUMPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday officially opened an Armenian museum in Istanbul. Speaking at its opening, Erdogan said that Turks and Armenians had lived together in peace for centuries. Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II was also present at the gathering. /Turkiye/[05] GUL: “EVEN IF THE EU ISN’T, WE ARE READY FOR THE DEC. 17 SUMMIT”Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned yesterday that it was possible that at its Dec. 17 summit, the European Union could decide against beginning Ankara’s accession talks, adding, however, that Turkey had fulfilled the requirements for its bid to go forward. “We’re ready for the EU summit, even if the EU isn’t,” said Gul. He said that having mistakenly believed Turkey would not meet its membership criteria, the EU had been caught unawares when Ankara determinedly adopted EU reforms, fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria and surprised everyone with its Cyprus policy. In related news, Gul is due to fly to Brussels on Wednesday to attend a NATO meeting where he is expected to push the EU members present to change a draft statement on Turkey for the upcoming summit. /Aksam/[06] EP PRESIDENT BORRELL VISITS DIYARBAKIREuropean Parliament President Josep Borrell over the weekend visited the southeastern province of Diyarbakir where he held talks with local officials, including the governor. Jacques Nancy, Borrell’s spokesman, told reporters that the visit was intended to gather additional information about the region for European Union officials. Nancy said that Borrell wanted to give his impressions of the regional capital of southeastern Anatolia to the EP and his fellow Europeans. "It is politically important for an EP president to come to this city at such a critical phase in Turkish-EU relations," Borrell told reporters. "It’s an indication of the importance the European Union gives to more peace, more economic development and the protection of cultural identities both for Turkey and the EU," he said after talks with Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir. Borrell, the first-ever EP head to visit the city, was greeted with flowers and a poster saying in Turkish, Kurdish and English: "Diyarbakir's historic city walls are 12 meters high and only 12 days are left to the EU," referring to the pivotal Dec. 17 Union summit. Borrell, who also held talks with human rights activists, businessmen and religious leaders, is scheduled to leave Turkey today. /Hurriyet/[07] PARLIAMENT APPROVES CMUK BILLParliament’s General Assembly passed the 333-article Penal Procedural Law (CMUK) bill in a two-day session on Friday and Saturday. The measure is among the bills that Turkey is working to pass before the Dec. 17 European Union summit, where the Union will decide whether or not to give Ankara a date to begin its accession talks. The new CMUK includes important changes to the penal code to be made official after President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s approval. /Turkish Daily News/[08] DYP HEAD AGAR: “BE READY FOR AN UNEXPECTED AND UNDESERVED RESULT FROM THE EU SUMMIT”True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar over the weekend warned that Turkey should be ready for an unexpected decision from the Dec. 17 EU summit where EU leaders are set to decide on the future of Turkey’s membership bid. “We have a government which is ready to accept any precondition at any cost whatsoever,” alleged the minority opposition leader in an address to a provincial DYP congress in Eskisehir. “We should be ready for a Dec. 17 decision which will be both disturbing and undeserved.” /Hurriyet/[09] DUTCH EU MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEYAtzo Nikolai, the minister for European Union affairs for EU Term President the Netherlands, is due to arrive in Ankara today to pay an official visit. During his stay, Nikolai is expected to discuss with Turkish officials the prospects for Ankara’s EU accession talks and the Union’s recent draft statement on Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[11] PUTIN IN ANKARA BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s historic visit to Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:“Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently paying an official visit to Ankara. Putin will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other officials before departing tonight, because he has a full slate awaiting him in Moscow. We would have liked him to stay one more day, visit Istanbul and see the traffic on the Bosphorus. Maybe next time… Once we competed with Russia over Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Black Sea states, but now we are neighbors. The passage of oil and gas through Turkey is the most important issue of his visit, because the Turkish Straits won’t be able to bear heavier traffic. We’ll find better ways to deliver Russian gas to Europe. During his visit, Putin will discuss Turkish investments in Russia and vice versa, as well as boosting trade, political and economic ties, Iraq, Caucasia, and maybe the US’ Greater Middle East Project. Putin’s visit has been eased by recent developments in Ukraine. The second round of presidential elections there was annulled by their Supreme Court and will be re-held on Dec. 26. Now the world is expecting no election fraud. Everyone will be watching to see whether those favoring the European Union or supporters of an alliance with Moscow will win. For me, even if the current political leadership wins, Ukraine will be close to Europe and start reforms to grow even closer. If supporters of the West win, these reforms will be accelerated and probably it will request EU membership in a few years. However, Ukraine will get on well with Russia in spite of this possibility. In any case, Putin’s visit to Turkey is an important event. From this pint forward, Turkish-Russian relations will grow stronger.” [12] PUTIN BYPASSES TURKEY BY GUNTAY SIMSEK (SABAH)Columnist Guntay Simsek comments on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s historic visit to Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:“Before coming to Turkey, Russian President Vladimir Putin took some important steps on issues important to us. On one, Russia will reject moves to make traffic in the Straits heavier. Turkey’s close relations, cooperation, and mutual trust with Russia are to our benefit. Let’s talk more about reports of Russia bypassing Turkey and how Putin will reply when Turkey says the Straits can’t deal with the existing traffic. ‘You’re right,’ he’ll say. ‘Therefore, we recently agreed with Bulgaria and Greece on a Trans-Thrace Oil Pipeline. So you needn’t worry about the Straits.’ Russia knew that Turkey was worrying about oil tankers from the port of Novorossisk and was working on projects to bypass the straits. Thus Turkey and Russia could have worked on this project together, but Ankara didn’t like Russia’s Trans-Thrace Project and was developing alternatives to it. Ankara favored a pipeline through Samsun and Kirikkale to Ceyhan. But Ankara obviously didn’t have enough time to persuade Moscow. Russia bypassed both the Straits and Turkey. Will the project turn to Turkey’s favor after some hard bargaining with Russia? This will be seen in two days.” 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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