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Turkish Press Review, 05-11-25
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
25.11.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER ADDRESSES OIC COMMITTEE, CALLS FOR CONCRETE STEPS TO END TRNC’S ISOLATION
[02] ERDOGAN RECEIVES TEACHERS FROM 81 PROVINCES ON TEACHERS’ DAY, STRESSES GOVT PRIORITY ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS
[03] GUL TO ATTEND OIC MEETING NEXT MONTH
[04] AKSU MEETS WITH NEW HAKKARI GOVERNOR
[05] CHIEF OF STAFF OZKOK DENIES POLITICAL AMBITIONS
[06] TERROR SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN ANKARA
[07] ANKARA HOSTS ARMENIAN SYMPOSIUM
[08] BILL ON MORTGAGES SENT TO PARLIAMENT
[09] TUZMEN VISITS ROMANIA
[10] TURKISH-ITALIAN FORUM BEGINS
[11] IN LONDON, BABACAN SAYS BOTH EUROPE AND MIDEAST WILL BENEFIT FROM TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
[12] PICASSO EXHIBIT BEGINS IN ISTANBUL
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[14] DEC. 15 ELECTIONS TO DETERMINE NORTHERN IRAQ VISION BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
[01] SEZER ADDRESSES OIC COMMITTEE, CALLS FOR CONCRETE STEPS TO END TRNC’S
ISOLATION
Speaking at the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) Economic and
Commercial Cooperation Permanent Committee yesterday in Istanbul, President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that concrete steps should be taken in order to end
the isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Touching
on Iraq, Sezer said that Turkey shared the concerns of the Iraqi nation,
adding that Ankara was expecting a government to be founded in the country
as soon as possible which would ensure its unity, bolster the rule of law,
and be in line with both its nation and the international community. Sezer
further stated that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be solved under
the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, adding that
negotiations should begin between the two sides under the roadmap for
peace. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] ERDOGAN RECEIVES TEACHERS FROM 81 PROVINCES ON TEACHERS’ DAY, STRESSES
GOVT PRIORITY ON EDUCATIONAL REFORMS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan along with Education Minister Huseyin
Celik yesterday received teachers coming from Turkey’s 81 provinces in
observance of Teachers’ Day. Addressing the gathering, Erdogan said that it
was the government’s priority to ensure a modern working atmosphere and
enact educational reforms. The premier stated that he considered it a
priority to raise the quality of education, adding that the government had
increased education’s share of the budget towards this end. “This means a
change in mentality which is a first in the history of the Turkish Republic,
” said Erdogan. He further briefed the teachers about the government’s
efforts to help education such as providing laptop computers and housing
for teachers. /Star/
[03] GUL TO ATTEND OIC MEETING NEXT MONTH
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is due to attend the meeting of the
Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) set to be held on Dec. 7-8 in
Mecca, South Arabia. Due to his Australia and New Zealand visits, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not able to attend the meeting. /Milliyet/
[04] AKSU MEETS WITH NEW HAKKARI GOVERNOR
Newly appointed Hakkari Governor Ayhan Nasuhbeyoglu yesterday met with
Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu at Parliament. During their meeting,
Nasuhbeyoglu said that his mission was a difficult and critical one. “I
know the region’s problems and how to solve them,” he said. For his part,
Aksu said that he believed that the region would benefit from
Nasuhbeyoglu’s experience in fighting terrorism. In related news, the newly
appointed governor of Tokat said that his appointment was belated. /Sabah/
[05] CHIEF OF STAFF OZKOK DENIES POLITICAL AMBITIONS
Rumors about Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok seeking an extension
of his term are not true and he has no intention of running for president
in 2007, said a statement issued by his office yesterday. The statement
said Ozkok was not considering taking a political post after retirement,
adding that false rumors concerning him damaged the entire military. Gen.
Ozkok’s term in office is set to end next August. /Turkish Daily News/
[06] TERROR SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN ANKARA
A meeting to discuss recent terrorist incidents will be held at the Prime
Ministry today. The gathering chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan is expected to focus on the incidents in Semdinli and also social
and economic measures to be taken to counter terrorism. Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, Interior Minister Abdulkadir
Aksu and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul as well as bureaucrats and force
commanders are all set to attend the meeting. /Sabah/
[07] ANKARA HOSTS ARMENIAN SYMPOSIUM
Historical events should be comprehensively investigated with the research
findings shared with the international community, Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul yesterday told a symposium at Ankara’s Gazi University on Turkish-
Armenian relations and events in 1915. In a message sent to the meeting,
Gul stressed that Turkey had opened up its own archives to researchers in
the interests of clarifying history, adding that the results of such
research should help to dispel prejudices and forge better relations
between countries and peoples. He added that Armenians had lived in harmony
with Turkish people on this land for nearly 1,000 years and had benefited
from freedom of worship as well as economic freedom. /Turkiye/
[08] BILL ON MORTGAGES SENT TO PARLIAMENT
State Minister Abdullatif Sener said yesterday that a bill proposing the
establishment of mortgage system had been signed by Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and sent to Parliament. “I expect the bill to pass the
Planning and Budget Commission by the end of next month,” said Sener. He
added that the system would enable people to buy houses using long-term
banking credit. /Sabah/
[09] TUZMEN VISITS ROMANIA
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen accompanied by a delegation of some 100
businessmen yesterday attended a Romanian-Turkish Business Forum in the
country’s capitol Bucharest. Addressing the gathering, Tuzmen said that
Ankara wanted to boost bilateral trade relations with Romania, adding that
Turkish investment in Romania was $500 million and some 15,000 Turkish
businessmen were in the country. Also speaking at the meeting, Romanian
Economy and Trade Minister Ioan Codrut Seres stated that they aimed for $10
billion in trade with Turkey within three years. He also called on Turkish
businessmen to invest in energy and defense, and to take part in
privatization projects. /Turkiye/
[10] TURKISH-ITALIAN FORUM BEGINS
Addressing the Turkish-Italian Forum which began yesterday, Trade Minister
Ali Coskun called on Italian businessmen to put their money in Turkey and
told them the advantages of investing in the country. Coskun stated that
industries of the two countries complemented each other and added that
Turkey welcomed foreign investments. Also addressing the gathering, Italian
Trade Minister Claudio Scajola said that Italy sees Turkey like a European
Union member, reiterating their support for Turkey’s EU bid. Turkish
Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Omer
Sabanci also said that Turkey is situated at a strategic point between
Europe and Asia and that it has a large domestic market with high growth
potential. /Milliyet/
[11] IN LONDON, BABACAN SAYS BOTH EUROPE AND MIDEAST WILL BENEFIT FROM
TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
Speaking at a meeting in London on Turkey’s capital markets and its
European Union membership bid, State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan
said yesterday that both Europe and the Middle East would benefit from
Turkey’s EU membership, adding that its membership would be a peace project
of the 21st century. “We’ll prove that a secular, democratic country can
adopt international values,” said Babacan. “In the future people will see
Turkey’s EU membership as a critical turning point of the Union.” Babacan
stressed that a modern Turkey would be an example for other countries of
the region and added, “Turkey’s EU membership will change the Eastern and
Muslim worlds.” /Aksam/
[12] PICASSO EXHIBIT BEGINS IN ISTANBUL
A landmark exhibition of Picasso’s works opened yesterday at the Sakip
Sabanci Museum in Istanbul with the attendance of Sabanci Group head Guler
Sabanci and many other distinguished figures, as well as Picasso’s
grandchild Bernard Ruiz-Picasso. A total of 135 works of the master artist
including works of bronze and ceramics will be on display for four months.
/Hurriyet/
[13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[14] DEC. 15 ELECTIONS TO DETERMINE NORTHERN IRAQ VISION BY FERAI TINC
(HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on Turkey’s vision for northern Iraq. A
summary of her column is as follows:
“A meeting of a National Intelligence Agency (MIT) undersecretary with
Salahaddin Barzani at the end of last month led some people to say that
Turkey has changed its policy on northern Iraq. Is there really a change? I
asked Prime Ministry foreign policy advisor Ahmet Davutoglu this question
yesterday, and here’s what he said: ‘We made an arrangement when [Kurdish
leader] Jalal Talabani was elected president. We said we were glad about
the elections.’ For Davutoglu, the problems on our borders, including the
problems suffered by Kurds in northern Iraq and this region, can be solved
by cross-border mutual economic relations. Davutoglu explained this
approach as follows: ‘Germany’s political power had a great impact on the
collapse of the Eastern bloc. The German mark could do what tanks
couldn’t.’ Denying that the meeting with Barzani started not with
politicians, but with the MIT undersecretary, Davutoglu said that Turkey
had close contacts with all the elements in Iraq, including Shiites. The
ties between Iraqi Kurds and Turkey aren’t anything new. Iraqi Planning
Minister Bahram Salih was in Ankara a month ago. He was given messages
about Ankara’s stance. So, what was the MIT undersecretary trying to do? We
learned that the undersecretary also discussed other problems, including
the terrorist PKK, with Barzani during the meeting. The government is
planning to strengthen its relations not only with northern Iraq, but also
with northern Syria by creating a common commercial area. However, it has
certain conditions. The critical threshold is the Iraqi elections to be
held on Dec. 15. If these elections are conducted fairly and Sunnis gain
the right of representation in parliament, steps towards ‘mutual dependence
with cross-border economies’ can be taken. Turkey’s priority is ensuring
stability in Iraq. Certain interpretations based on speculations about a
possible Kurdish state are baseless.
Another outcome of the meeting was that Syria will be foreign policy issue
number one next year. Syria should send whoever is needed to Lebanon to be
questioned before Dec. 15 about former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik
Hariri’s assassination. Damascus rejected this suggestion of the probe
commission. Turkey is helping this process by taking into consideration the
calls made by British Foreign Minister Jack Straw and EU foreign policy
chief Javier Solana to Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Bahrain. Davutoglu
said, ‘We’re doing our best so the process isn’t blocked. We’re in constant
contact with Damascus and the United Nations.’ Turkey is against imposing
the punishment of a harsh, long-term embargo on Syria. Davutoglu thinks
that Turkey’s words are being listened to closely in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Manusher Mohammadi will visit Turkey
next week, which is being seen as another development showing Turkey’s
influence.”
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