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Turkish Press Review, 05-10-12Turkish 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 morning12.10.2005FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN DECRIES “CAPITAL RACISTS”Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday charged that there are “capital racists” in Turkey, comparing them to the people who centuries ago delayed the arrival of the printing press in Turkey. Focusing on their criticism of the investments of Israel’s Ofer Group and Al Maktum, the sheikh of Dubai, Erdogan lashed out at the opposition, saying, “You can’t sell investors to these people,” and added, “The negotiating process with the European Union will strengthen and expand Turkey and multiply investments in the country.” /Hurriyet/[02] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH ISRAELI ENERGY MINISTER, DISCUSSES WATER PIPELINE PROJECTPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Ben Eliezer to discuss bilateral economic ties. During their meeting, they also discussed projects for a water pipeline and energy distribution from Turkey to Israel. Energy Minister Hilmi Guler and Zorlu Holding Board Chairman Nazif Zorlu were also present at the meeting. For his part, Eliezer praised Turkish businessmen who invest in Israel, adding that they had seen great success. Touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Eliezer hailed the beginning of Ankara’s EU talks last week. For his part, Erdogan said that he appreciated Israel not wavering from its recent withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. /Star/[03] FOREIGN MINISTER GUL VISITS KOSOVOVisiting Kosovo yesterday, Foreign Minister Gul said, “Our European Union journey has concluded a stage and now we are turning to the Balkans. We are traveling by plane to regions our ancestors went to on horse.” The timing of his visit is also very important, added Gul, noting that the UN secretary-general will present a report with proposals for Kosovo’s future status later this month. He emphasized Ankara’s interest in the future of the region, saying that currently there were more Kosovo-origin Turks in Turkey than Turks residing in Kosovo. /Star/[04] CHIEF NEGOTIATOR BABACAN CONTINUES BRIEFINGS ON EU PROCESSTurkey’s chief European Union talks negotiator Ali Babacan, after briefing President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on the EU accession process with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, yesterday continued his informational meetings with actors of the state and government. Babacan first met with Osman Arslan, head of the Court of Appeals, and then with Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc. “Turkey’s relations with the EU have been continuing for 40 years, but the highest point yet is becoming a negotiating country,” said Arinc. Afterwards Babacan met with the head of the Council of State, Ender Cetinkaya, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok. /Star/[05] BAYKAL: “THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL SHOULD BE DEBATED BY PARLIAMENT”Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the additional Customs Union protocol signed by Turkey this summer should be debated in Parliament. Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Baykal evaluated recent developments on Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Stressing that Turkey had entered a period of engagement which would not end happily in marriage, Baykal said that the nation would never welcome anything but full European Union membership. Furthermore, claiming that early elections were inevitable, the CHP leader urged the government to hold such polls next year. /Turkiye/[06] WRITER ATILLA ILHAN PASSES AWAYProminent Turkish author, poet and columnist Atilla Ilhan yesterday passed away at age 80 due to a heart attack. Ilhan’s funeral will be held tomorrow in Istanbul. /Milliyet/[07] EU PROGRESS REPORT TO CLAIM NEGLECT OF SOUTHEASTERN REGIONIn its next progress report due to be released on Nov. 9, the European Union is expected to claim that Ankara has been neglecting its duties in southeastern Anatolia. The report is expected to point to lagging development in the region and the wide income gap between it and other regions. However, the report is expected to praise Turkey’s progress in human rights, the economy and the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). /Sabah/[08] SCHROEDER TO VISIT ANKARAOutgoing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is due to arrive in Istanbul today for a one-day official visit. During his short stay, Schroeder is expected to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul to discuss a number of issues, including bilateral relations. Schroeder, soon to be succeeded by Angela Merkel, is expected to return to Germany tomorrow. /Star/[09] TURKEY SENDS MORE AID TO QUAKE-STRICKEN PAKISTANPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Muserref to reiterate his condolences and goodwill. In addition, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey would continue to lend support to its fellow country to cope with the disaster. He remarked that yesterday a military plane carrying 40 doctors, an ambulance, a jeep and medical equipment left for Pakistan, and that another plane was scheduled to take off today with food and humanitarian aid on board. /Milliyet/[10] TUSIAD HEAD: “THE PACE OF ANKARA’S EU TALKS DEPENDS ON CONTINUED POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORMS”Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Omer Sabanci yesterday said that pace of Turkey’s negotiations with the European Union, which began last week, would depend on the continuation of its political and economic reform process. Addressing a conference, Sabanci said that the negotiating process would boost Turkey’s prestige in the international arena and its success in harmonizing with EU legislation. “Comprehensive public reform, determined efforts against the unregistered economy, implementing democratic reforms as well as reforms in such fields as agriculture, education and social security will all strengthen Turkey’s situation,” he said, adding that Turkey also would benefit from the negotiations being open-ended. “Within seven or eight years, we will be ready for EU membership with a stronger economy, democracy and law.” /Aksam/[11] IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEYAn International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chairman Lorenzo Giorgianni is set to arrive in Turkey today to review the nation’s economy in line with Ankara’s IMF standby deal. /Turkiye/[12] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[13] FROM DISASTER, OPPORTUNITY BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on last week’s devastating South Asia earthquake and ensuing rapprochement. A summary of his column is as follows:“One of the leading Pakistani dailies, The Dawn, wrote yesterday that Muzaffarabad was no longer a city of the living, but almost like a huge cemetery. The daily added that corpses were everywhere and survivors were sleeping outside and that there were no tents, food, water or medicine. According to The Dawn, 80% of Muzaffarabad has been destroyed, and officials say not even 40 years would be enough to restore the city. We’ve been watching this terrible disaster on our TV screens. Kashmir is truly experiencing a catastrophe, and officials say that the death toll has reached 30,000-40,000. Kashmir is one of the poorest places in the world. The public buildings and houses which collapsed weren’t earthquake resistant, local officials and the government weren’t prepared for such a possibility, and the poor people who were rescued haven’t gotten aid in time. All of these factors are exacerbating the disaster. Actually sometimes even developed countries become desperate in such situations. The recent New Orleans hurricane disaster is an example of this. However, as The Dawn daily stated, Pakistan should learn lessons from this incident, from building stronger buildings to coordinating aid better. Isn’t this reminiscent of the situation in our country? The entire world is helping Pakistan now. Turkey is one of the first countries to send aid. The Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) is doing this. There are also non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Turkey which want to participate in this campaign. The Search, Rescue and Research Association (AKA) complained in a declaration yesterday that its aid was being held back by red tape and that it couldn’t sent its team for this reason. Can’t these things be better coordinated? This situation reminds us of our obligation to think about how to act and then make necessary arrangements beforehand. One of the countries helping Pakistan in this difficult situation is its neighbor and ‘enemy’ due to the Kashmir issue, India. India offered help just after the disaster and Pakistan accepted. Then the hotline started to work between the two countries. Three years ago these countries were on the verge of war over Kashmir. After they overcome that crisis, a dialogue was established between the two countries, mutual contacts started, and confidence-increasing measures were taken. Will the disaster in Kashmir cause a new process of peace between Pakistan and India, just like the Turkish-Greek rapprochement which followed our 1999 Marmara earthquake? This is an historic opportunity which shouldn’t be missed.” 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 |