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Turkish Press Review, 05-10-31Turkish 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 morning31.10.2005FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] 82ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC CELEBRATEDTurks of all ages enthusiastically celebrated the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey on Saturday, with officials around the country, and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and foreign representations also paying their respects to the nation’s fallen and republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The first ceremony was held at Anitkabir, Ataturk’s mausoleum in Ankara, with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer leading a delegation of top state officials to the hallowed tomb. A military parade was held at the Ataturk Culture Center in Ankara on Saturday as part of the celebrations of the day. President Sezer also held a reception at the Cankaya Presidential Palace on Saturday evening. Speaking to reporters at the reception, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said that Syria’s past support for terrorism had not been forgotten, and added, “We’re closely watching Syria’s current steps. Turkey and Syria both signed the Adana Agreement. There are mutual visits. The democratization of Syria is to our benefit. It is better to have more democratic circles around Turkey.” Asked about the situation of the US in Iraq, Ozkok said, “The then commander of US operations once came and told me the situation: ‘We will spread fear and horror. The people will be afraid of this power and they will accept us.’ But it didn’t happen like that. The Iraqi people want a better life. I thought that the Sunnis would fiercely oppose the new constitution. But it didn’t happen like that. Every nation wants to live in better conditions. If a nation doesn’t have any hope for today and tomorrow, they seek hope in another world and resort to protest actions. Or become separatists. All Turkey wants is for Iraq to attain stability.” /Cumhuriyet/[02] ERDOGAN: “WE’RE LOOKING AFTER THE REPUBLIC WITH WORK, NOT SLOGANS”Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a series of openings in Gaziantep. Speaking at a ceremony marking the opening of the Kayacik Dam, Erdogan pointed to Saturday’s 82nd anniversary of the republic, adding that his government was looking after the republic not by chanting slogans but rather through work. Stressing that they had walked together with the nation on the road to further progress, the premier said the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) rule aimed at the peace and prosperity of the nation without any discrimination. Furthermore, speaking in his regular “address to the nation,” the premier called on the opposition political parties to support the government during Turkey’s European Union membership process. Stating that the Oct. 3 start of the accession talks was a milestone on the road of Turkey’s four-decade-plus EU membership efforts, Erdogan remarked that the matter was a national cause. /Turkiye/[03] CUBUKCU VISITS MALATYA CHILDCARE CENTERFollowing last week’s scandal at a Malatya childcare center involving child abuse, Nimet Cubukcu, the state minister responsible for women and social services, yesterday visited the center. Speaking to reporters, Cubukcu dismissed calls for her resignation, arguing that she had acted responsibly. “The punishment of those responsible will not be enough to satisfy our anger,” said the minister, adding, “But the necessary steps will be taken.” Then, Cubukcu, accompanied by 41 children from the center, flew to Istanbul. The children age 0-6 years old will be under care in the city for three months of rehabilitation. /Hurriyet/[04] DIFFICULT HOMEWORK TO TURKEY FROM THE EUIn the accession partnership document which will constitute the roadmap for Turkey’s negotiation process with the European Union, the EU is asking Ankara to implement the additional Customs Union protocol in the short run and to normalize its relations with Greek Cyprus. The accession partnership document, set to be published by the EU Commission on Nov. 9, states that Turkey shouldn’t block the Greek Cypriots taking part in international institutions and agreements. According to the 18-page draft document, Turkey should fulfill its short-run priorities in one or two years, and its medium-term priorities in three or four. In related news, in the EU’s progress report on Turkey, also set to be released on Nov. 9, the EU is preparing to criticize Ankara sharply. In the last draft of the 150-page report, Turkey is asked to open its ports to Greek Cyprus as soon as possible. Other sections of special interest are as follows: torture and mistreatment, the freedoms of speech and religion, the independence of the judiciary, and women’s rights. /Cumhuriyet/[05] TALAT: “THE TRNC HAS A NEW VISION THAT IS WINNING THE WORLD’S APPROVAL”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat, who last week met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during an official visit in Washington, yesterday stated that Turkish Cypriots now have a vision that is winning universal approval, adding that the invitation from Rice was a result of this new vision. “It is expected that the TRNC’s isolation will end not in a short time but definitely in the long term.” he added. Speaking in New York in an interview with news channel NTV, Talat said even if European Union Term President Britain succeeded in helping to secure the start of Turkey’s EU, as a guarantor country for the island it has fallen short. He also declared that allegations about a US military base in Turkish Cyprus are untrue. “We’re on the right track, one accepted by the world, and it will bring the country to the greater stage,” he stated. Talat is expected to have a meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan tomorrow. In related news, a commission from the TRNC headed by Parliament Speaker Fatma Ekenoglu went to US for a number of meetings. The committee will attend a conference about the Cyprus issue on Wednesday co-organized by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association’s (TUSIAD) Washington bureau and the German-based Turkish Research Center (TAM). Ekenoglu is companied by Mehmet Caglar from the TRNC’s Republican Turkish Party (CTP), Turgay Avci from the National Unity Party (UBP) and Mustafa Gokmen from the Democrat Party (DP). The TRNC Parliament committee is expected to complete its visit and return to Cyprus on Saturday. /Star/[06] STATE MINISTER TUZMEN: “WE’RE BETTERING OUR EXPORT TARGET”State Minister Kursat Tuzmen yesterday said Turkey is entering the Ramadan Seker Bayrami holiday with annual exports exceeding $60 billion. Tuzmen said that exports had soared 17% since the beginning of the year, adding, “Turkey’s export target of 2005 was $71 billion. But we’ll definitely exceed this figure. Currently, Turkey’s exports over the last 12 months total $72.5 billion.” /Cumhuriyet/[07] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS[08] 82nd ANNIVERSARY YILMAZ OZTUNA (Turkiye)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Republic of Turkey’s 82nd anniversary. A summary of his column is as follows:“I want to make a few remarks regarding the situation of Republic of Turkey on its 82nd anniversary. Where are we? Close to or far from the level of modern civilizations which is our national goal? Ataturk assumed that Turkey would become a modern civilized country soon, if he had not died early, if World War II hadn’t happened, and if we had been ruled by wiser statesmen with greater vision. But unfortunately now we are far from that level. But if we maintain our development, if we learn to avoid creating artificial problems distracting us from our real interests, we can make a great change and carry through most demanding reforms. I feel now our atmosphere is ripe for this. If Turkey reaches a level of $15,000 per capita income, a great country will emerge. Neither the Armenians, nor the Kurds, nor any others can play with Turkey. It is not unforeseeable that we will become a powerful country in Europe. If we stem our rising population, similar to that in underdeveloped countries, it will be easer to reach that goal. If not, we are sentenced to stay far from European standards. We have not done all these reforms for 200 years for such an outcome. On the 90th anniversary of our republic, we want to see our country reach the highest level. We favor all efforts and initiatives on the road to reach that target, but oppose all others keeping us from that goal.” 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 |