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Turkish Press Review, 05-07-28
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
28.07.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER, ARINC ATTEND GRADUATION CEREMONY AT WAR ACADEMY
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BLAIR, DISCUSSES TERRORISM
[03] TRNC’S TALAT TO MEET WITH SEZER
[04] ERDOGAN: “RECOGNIZING GREEK CYPRUS BEFORE A RESOLUTION IS OUT OF THE QUESTION”
[05] SPANISH PM REITERATES SUPPORT FOR ANKARA’S EU BID
[06] KRETSCHMER: “THE EU HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR THE PKK”
[07] MHP’S BAHCELI PROPOSES STATE SUMMIT TO DISCUSS TERRORISM
[08] BAYKAL WARNS AGAINST SIGNING ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL
[09] AGAR CRITICIZES PROTOCOL
[10] TURKEY PROTESTS SWITZERLAND’S DETENTION OF PERINCEK
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[12] A MATTER OF RECOGNITION BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
[01] SEZER, ARINC ATTEND GRADUATION CEREMONY AT WAR ACADEMY
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday
attended a graduation ceremony at the War Academy. Also present at the
ceremony were Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Defense Minister
Vecdi Gonul, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler and Istanbul Mayor Kadir
Topbas. Addressing the gathering, War Academy Commander Gen. Faruk Comert
said that the academy would determinedly continue to work for the Turkish
Republic to take its deserved place in the international community.
/Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH BLAIR, DISCUSSES TERRORISM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in Britain for an
official visit, yesterday met with his British counterpart Tony Blair to
discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations and Turkey’s
European Union membership bid. Speaking afterwards, Blair said that he was
pleased to receive Erdogan and that their meeting had been a friendly one.
Blair stated that they had discussed terrorism and that he appreciated
Ankara’s support for London following the recent attacks. “The cooperation
we have had from Turkey [in anti-terrorist efforts] has been excellent both
in terms of intelligence and the exchange of information,” said Blair,
adding that they wouldn’t let terrorism divide people of different faiths.
Touching on Turkey’s EU bid, Blair said that he hoped Turkey’s EU
membership process would continue with the beginning of accession talks on
Oct. 3. “I know there are many uncertainties in Europe at the present time,
” said Blair. “But the prospect of Turkey’s membership, though obviously
some time in the future, I think would be important for Europe and for its
security.” Blair further stated that Ankara signing the additional Customs
Union protocol would not mean it recognizing Greek Cyprus. Later, Erdogan
met with British investors and attended an economic conference. /Turkiye/
[03] TRNC’S TALAT TO MEET WITH SEZER
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat is
due to arrive in Ankara on Monday to meet with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
to discuss a number of issues, including the island itself. During his
short stay in Ankara, Talat will also meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] ERDOGAN: “RECOGNIZING GREEK CYPRUS BEFORE A RESOLUTION IS OUT OF THE
QUESTION”
Speaking at a press conference in Britain, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said that Turkey signing the additional Customs Union protocol,
expected this week, wouldn’t mean the recognition of Greek Cyprus. “There
will be no change on the recognition question until there is a settlement”
on the island, said Erdogan. Briefing the reporters on his meeting with
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Erdogan said that they had mainly
discussed the importance of fighting terrorism and what needs to be done in
this fight. “We also discussed Ankara’s European Union membership bid,”
said Erdogan, adding that putting the membership framework document in
front of Turkey before Oct. 3, when Ankara’s accession talks are expected
to begin, wouldn’t be appropriate. Erdogan reiterated that the EU should
keep its promise to Turkey and begin the accession talks on Oct. 3.
/Turkiye/
[05] SPANISH PM REITERATES SUPPORT FOR ANKARA’S EU BID
Speaking yesterday following his meeting with British Prime Minister Tony
Blair, Spanish Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero reiterated his support
for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Zapatero said that Turkey’s EU
membership would be in the best interests of the EU, adding, however, that
Ankara needed to implement the Union’s criteria. /Turkiye/
[06] KRETSCHMER: “THE EU HAS NO SYMPATHY FOR THE PKK”
European Union Commission Turkey Representative Hansjoerg Kretschmer said
yesterday that the EU had no sympathy for the terrorist group PKK, adding
that the EU wouldn’t ask for the release of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.
“There are speculations over this, but the EU will make no such request,”
he said. “Ocalan was put into prison for being a terrorist and there is
nothing more to say about it.” Kretschmer reiterated that the PKK was on
the EU’s list of terrorist groups. Touching on recently rising terrorist
attacks in southeastern Turkey, Kretschmer said that these were a source of
concern. /Aksam/
[07] MHP’S BAHCELI PROPOSES STATE SUMMIT TO DISCUSS TERRORISM
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said yesterday that
Ankara should hold a comprehensive summit to discuss a recent wave of
terrorist attacks of the PKK. Speaking at a press conference, Bahceli said
that such a meeting would be beneficial. Touching on Turkey’s European
Union membership bid, Bahceli complained that the EU was still considering
“privileged partnership” proposals, adding that the EU wasn’t acting in
good will. /Aksam/
[08] BAYKAL WARNS AGAINST SIGNING ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that if
Turkey signs the additional Customs Union protocol, Turkey will also end up
imposing an economic embargo on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC). Baykal said that the additional protocol should never be signed and
that if the government does so, Parliament shouldn’t approve it. The Greek
Cypriot administration will get economic privileges after the protocol is
signed and the TRNC will be isolated, he warned. /Sabah/
[09] AGAR CRITICIZES PROTOCOL
In a written statement, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday
criticized the additional Customs Union protocol which is set to be signed
by Turkey soon. Stating that the government shouldn’t consider itself the
only authority concerning the issue, Agar said that actually the government
had accepted and burdened this historically important responsibility during
last December’s Brussels European Union summit. /Star/
[10] TURKEY PROTESTS SWITZERLAND’S DETENTION OF PERINCEK
Turkey yesterday filed an official protest of Switzerland’s detention last
week of Turkish Worker’s Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek for denying the so-
called Armenian genocide. Turkey filed the protest in both Ankara and Bern.
Swiss Ambassador to Ankara Waltre Gyger was summoned by Foreign Ministry
Deputy Undersecretary Nabi Sensoy to the ministry to receive Ankara’s
protest. In addition, Turkish Ambassador to Bern Alev Kilic went to the
Swiss Foreign Ministry to deliver the protest. “Saying that the incidents
of 1915 were not genocide is not a crime,” said the protest. “If it was,
Switzerland’s stance would violate the freedom of expression, one of our
bedrock rights and freedoms. Such deplorable treatment of a Turkish citizen
threatens to seriously damage relations between our countries.” /Hurriyet/
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…
[12] A MATTER OF RECOGNITION BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkey’s signing the additional Customs
Union protocol. A summary of his column is as follows:
“One of the most important results of yesterday’s meeting between Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his British counterpart Tony Blair is
that Blair said that signing the additional Customs Union protocol wouldn’t
mean recognizing the Greek Cypriot administration. Thus, Britain put forth
a clear stance on this critical issue. Actually the EU Commission’s legal
officials agree with this. Therefore, the declaration, in which Turkey will
state clearly that signing the additional protocol doesn’t mean recognizing
the Greek Cypriot administration as the ‘Cyprus Republic,’ should not be
rejected. Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos, who met with Blair in
London two days ago and got more advice than support, might create
difficulties until the last moment. However, what we heard yesterday gives
hope that the additional protocol will be signed mutually and the
declaration will be noted with Britain’s support as well. Turkey has to
sign the additional protocol, which adds 10 new European Union members to
the Customs Union, so that its membership talks with the EU can start on
Oct. 3. It’s natural that Cyprus, one of the new members, is considered
part of this. However, what is meant by ‘Cyprus’ isn’t a ‘Cyprus Republic’
representing the entire island, but only Southern Cyprus dominating the
Greek Cypriot section. Even if the Papadopoulos administration claims that
it represents the ‘Cyprus Republic,’ this isn’t so.
Turkey has to sign the additional protocol as a condition of starting
membership talks with the EU as scheduled. But it doesn’t have to recognize
the Greek Cypriot administration as a state representing the entire island.
Some circles within the EU think that there is no such legal necessity.
Papadopoulos said that it’s impossible for a country seeking to become an
EU member to not recognize one of the current members of the EU. If that
administration is dominant on only one section of a country and doesn’t
represent the entire country, it’s its own preference not to get legal
recognition. It would be wrong for the EU to insist on just the opposite.
The only way to solve this abnormality is to help to solve the problem
which caused the divided situation of the island. There is also this
possibility: in spite of the reservations to be voiced by Turkey in the
declaration after signing the protocol, it might face Greek Cypriot
pressure. In addition, the claim that the additional protocol would mean
Ankara’s rejection of the TRNC isn’t valid. Firstly, Turkey gives the
message in the declaration that it doesn’t legally recognize the Greek
Cypriot administration. Turkey’s sitting at the table with the Greek
Cypriot administration as one of 25 EU members during the process of
membership talks wouldn’t cast a shadow over the TRNC’s existence. Turkey
will continue to recognize and support the TRNC. As long as a solution
isn’t found, other countries will establish relations with the TRNC and
accept its existence. Such developments are already happening. Signing the
additional protocol would make it easier for the EU to end the isolation of
the TRNC.”
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