Turkish Press Review, 05-11-09

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From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>

09.11.2005

CONTENTS

[01] ERDOGAN CALLS FOR TURKS IN FRANCE TO STAY CALM AND ACT WITH COMMON SENSE

[01] ERDOGAN CALLS FOR TURKS IN FRANCE TO STAY CALM AND ACT WITH COMMON SENSE

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, is due to be commemorated tomorrow on the 67th anniversary of his death throughout the country and at Turkey’s embassies abroad. The first ceremony is expected to be held at Anitkabir, where President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and an accompanying delegation will lay a wreath at Ataturk’s mausoleum. /All papers/[03] CHP LEADER BAYKAL: “VIOLENCE IN FRANCE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HEADSCARVES”

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s performance over its three years in power. Addressing the CHP group meeting, Baykal said that the next general elections would be Turkey’s second-biggest test after the elections of 1950, and added, “There’s no other solution. A military coup isn’t a solution anymore, there’s only one solution: the common sense of our people, the democratic consciousness of our nation. We will show that a ruling party based on the exploitation of religion will be rejected by the votes of the people.” Baykal also criticized the premier’s linking the recent violence in France to a school headscarf ban there, calling this an off-the-mark assessment. /Cumhuriyet/[04] EU COMMISSION DELEGATION HEAD: “HARMONIZATION TO ENVIRONMENT ACQUIS WILL TAKE 20 YEARS IN TURKEY”

At the last meeting of the “Planning of Major-Budget Environment Investments in Turkey” project, European Union Commission Delegation in Turkey head Hansjoerg Kretschmer yesterday stated that Turkey had to reflect the European Union’s acquis communautaire completely in its legal system in order to reach its goal. Kretschmer said, “It will take 20 years to implement the EU’s environment acquis in Turkey.” /Cumhuriyet/[05] ECONOMY MINISTER BABACAN: “LET’S NOT SCARE OFF FOREIGN CAPITAL”

Speaking at a conference yesterday sponsored by the Foreign Capital Association (YASED) on “New Favorite Destination for Foreign Investments: Turkey, Where Opportunities Abound,” Economy Minister Ali Babacan said, “Turkey has become a more stable country since the opening of our entry talks with the European Union on Oct. 3,” and added, “Turkey will attract much more foreign capital in the wake of Oct. 3 and become a base for investments. Turkey’s potential growth rate is 6-7%. Turkey has an economy which can develop much faster than the EU average. If we don’t block them, investments will absolutely come to this country. Statements which could hurt the atmosphere of confidence should be avoided.” World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink also delivered a speech at the conference saying that Turkey has gone a long way in recent years in towards attracting foreign direct investments, but added that there was fierce competition for foreign capital worldwide and that Turkey still faces some difficulties. Vorkink added, “The amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) this year may equal 2-3% of the gross domestic product. If the payments for privatizations made this year are completed, the FDI could be two- or threefold this year.” /Star/[06] TALABANI: “KURDS IN N.IRAQ HAVE NO INTENTION OF FOUNDING AN INDEPENDENT STATE”

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, currently in Italy for an official visit, yesterday said that the Kurds in northern Iraq had no intention of establishing an independent state. Speaking to Italian daily La Repubblica, Talabani stated that an independent Kurdistan was a dream, adding that violence couldn’t solve the Kurdish problem. Talabani stressed that nothing beyond a federation under a democratic, united Iraq is possible. He further stated that the Kurds in Iraq should benefit from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s policy on the issue. “They should condemn terrorism, stop armed attacks and adopt a process of peace,” added Talabani. /Turkiye/ [07] UNAKITAN: “THE 2006 BUDGET IS THE BEST IN THE LAST TWO DECADES”

Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that the 2006 budget was the best in the last two decades, adding that the era of public sector squandering was history. Testifying about the new budget before Parliament’s Planning and Budgeting Commission, Unakitan said that the government would not allow any expenditure for which means are lacking. “There’s a fiscal balance in the economy,” said Unakitan. The budgets for Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Court of Accounts were passed by the commission. /Turkiye/[08] FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…[00] PRIME MINISTER’S BLUNDER BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)

Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks about the incidents in France. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s linking the incidents in France with France’s ban on wearing headscarves at schools with shallow remarks is a serious diplomatic blunder. We’ve seen many times in history that such statesmen’s blunders can damage relations between countries. Then French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said that he didn’t agree with Erdogan’s remarks and that the headscarf problem had nothing to do with these incidents. Erdogan is the prime minister of a secular country. Naturally, all of his statements bind the state. It was mistaken and dangerous for him to link the events in France, which are an expression of economic and social inequality, with a religious problem that’s on his mind. Erdogan’s faith may tell him that women should cover their heads. However, it’s not reasonable for him to try to sway leaders of modern countries to agree with him. He must have understood the size and gravity of his blunder, because he claimed yesterday during the Justice and Development Party (AKP) group meeting that the media had misinterpreted his remarks. However, his remarks were clear and unambiguous. What’s more, among the reporters who wrote down his remarks, were very close to him.

Turkey is worried about the incidents which started in Paris and then spread to other provinces in France, Belgium and Germany. Everybody knows that the majority of European public opinion is against Turkey’s European Union membership, and the reason for that is that most of the Turkish population is Muslim. Similarly, the insurgents who turned France into a hell are Muslims. Considering the situation from this point of view, obviously these unpleasant incidents will have a negative impact on the anti-Turkey approach in Europe. The only thing that we’re glad about is that the Turkish people living in France are acting coolly and aren’t getting involved in the violence. Some Turkish associations even tried to suppress the incidents. I hope the violence in France will be extinguished without spreading to the entire continent and that France, which is always trying to teach us lessons and enjoys accusing Turkey, will learn something from these incidents.”

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