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Turkish Press Review, 06-03-20Turkish 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 morning20.03.2006ERDOGAN: “NEVRUZ SHOULD BE CELEBRATED IN ATMOSPHERE OF PEACE” ARINC TELLS BUSINESSMEN POLITICIANS SHOULD BUILD NATION’S MORALE TENSIONS MOUNT OVER NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONS INTERIOR MINISTER AKSU TOURS FLOOD AREAS IN EDIRNE MHP LEADER BAHCELI: “THE GROUNDS FOR PROVOCATIONS WERE LAID BY THE AKP” ANAVATAN LEADER MUMCU: “I DON’T THINK YILMAZ WILL RETURNS TO POLITICS” TURKEY TO HOST BALKAN MEETING AGAINST TERRORISM EGYPTIAN NATURAL GAS TO BE MARKETED TO EUROPE THROUGH TURKEY TOBB HEAD HONORS CHAMBERS OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE OF FOUR TOP PROVINCES FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FIRST IMPRESSIONS OFGREEK CYPRUS BY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “NEVRUZ SHOULD BE CELEBRATED IN ATMOSPHERE OF PEACE”Speaking at a meeting of his party in Istanbul over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented on this week’s Nevruz celebrations, saying that he hoped these spring advent celebrations would be held in peace. “There are some circles who want to exploit this peaceful atmosphere, but we’ll never allow this,” said Erdogan. He stressed that parties in power always face criticisms, adding, however, that such criticisms should be in accordance with the nation’s common values. “Criticisms of governments are requirements of democracy,” said Erdogan. The premier touted the government’s steps taken in such fields as justice, education, health, and security, adding that these were the most successful steps in the history of the Turkish Republic. Later, Erdogan attended the opening ceremony of an oncology institute. /Turkiye/ [02] ARINC TELLS BUSINESSMEN POLITICIANS SHOULD BUILD NATION’S MORALEParliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday attended the General Assembly of the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON). Addressing the gathering, Arinc said that politicians should build the nation’s morale, not foster hopelessness. “We see the successes of our businessmen abroad,” added Arinc. He further praised TUSKON, which brings together 120 associations and 9,000 entrepreneurs and holds activities in 76 provinces in Turkey. Addressing the gathering, CHP Istanbul Deputy Sukru Elekdag commented on the high current account deficit. Great Union Party (BBP) leader Muhsin Yazicioglu said that the risks of globalization shouldn’t be disregarded. Also addressing the gathering, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar criticized the government, saying that it hasn’t done what it should to fight corruption and poverty. /Turkiye/[03] TENSIONS MOUNT OVER NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONSNevruz celebrations which started calmly on Sunday turned into altercations between police and demonstrators in Turkey’s two metropolises, and dozens of demonstrators were detained. Some stone-throwing demonstrators clashed with police in Izmir and Istanbul, but there were no injuries or deaths. The clashes erupted as demonstrators carrying signs and chanting slogans supporting imprisoned terrorist Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul threw stones at the police. Several armored personnel carriers were deployed around the meeting area, anticipating further violence. Nevruz celebrations dominated the news in Turkey over the weekend, although they were originally scheduled for Tuesday. They started in Semdinli, Hakkari on Saturday with a bonfire symbolizing the arrival of spring. /The New Anatolian/[04] INTERIOR MINISTER AKSU TOURS FLOOD AREAS IN EDIRNEInterior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu yesterday toured flood-stricken areas of Edirne in the wake of Bulgaria opening its floodgates. Aksu said that whatever is required to repair the flood damage in Edirne and Ipsala will be done. “A total of 1.25 million YTL has been allocated to the region,” he added. “Our government will immediately do what is required for this situation.” /Star/[05] MHP LEADER BAHCELI: “THE GROUNDS FOR PROVOCATIONS WERE LAID BY THE AKP”Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said over the weekend that separatist provocations had gained a new kind of boldness and that expectations over realizing their treacherous ambitions had risen. Bahceli released a statement because of Nevruz celebrations over the weekend which said, “[Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and his government opened up Turkish identity for discussion and vindicated terrorism and political separatism as an ethnic problem which aims to harm Turkey’s existsence, thus laying the groundwork for the separatist provocations. Recent news show that Nevruz celebrations will be turned into a show of muscle and a practice run for revolt which aims to challenge the state under the posters of the Imrali murderer [terrorist PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan]. Semdinli, the focus of the recent provocations, seems to be the center of these street demonstrations.” /Hurriyet/[06] ANAVATAN LEADER MUMCU: “I DON’T THINK YILMAZ WILL RETURNS TO POLITICS”Speaking at a meeting with some syndicate chairmen and representatives of newspapers in Kocaeli organized by his party, opposition Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu that he didn’t believe that the former party leader Mesut Yilmaz, who is currently being heard at the Supreme Court, would return to politics after he is cleared. Mumcu said that there’s not such a speculation about that within party ranks. /Star/[07] TURKEY TO HOST BALKAN MEETING AGAINST TERRORISMInterior ministers of eight southeast European countries have agreed to pool their efforts to prevent acts of terrorism in the region. Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said that the ministers also agreed to hold regular meetings and set the next such round of talks for October in Turkey. A joint declaration by eight ministers and a representative of Montenegro meeting in Bulgaria’s coastal town of Varna stated that Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania and Turkey had expressed their readiness not to permit any terrorist acts and to oppose organized crime and corruption. /Turkish Daily News/[08] EGYPTIAN NATURAL GAS TO BE MARKETED TO EUROPE THROUGH TURKEYEnergy Minister Hilmi Guler yesterday signed an agreement in principle with Egyptian Oil Minister Sameh Fahmy and related ministers of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and Romania to found a company for a pipeline to transfer Egyptian natural gas to Europe through Turkey. Speaking afterwards, Guler said that Turkey was an energy corridor, adding that it didn’t transfer gas from not only from Egypt, but also from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. /Turkiye/[09] TOBB HEAD HONORS CHAMBERS OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE OF FOUR TOP PROVINCESTurkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday handed out awards to the chairmen of chambers of industry and commerce of four provinces named best investment provinces. Addressing the gathering, Hisarciklioglu said that there were only 72,000 production facilities in Turkey and that half of these facilities were in the three big provinces. Stressing that about 10 million people would migrate from rural areas to big cities in the years to come, Hisarciklioglu said that 7% sustainable growth should be achieved in order not to face serious social and economic problems. “We need to improve our atmosphere of peace,” he added. /Turkiye/[10] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[11] FIRST IMPRESSIONS OFGREEK CYPRUS[12] BY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)Columnist Semih Idiz comments on his impressions of Greek Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:“I was recently in Greek Cyprus for a journalists’ symposium organized by the US Embassy there. I’ve been to Northern Cyprus, but this was my first time in the south. It’s always said that the south is better developed and richer than the north. However, when I was touring the streets of Lefkosa (Nicosia), I saw that this wealth is a bit exaggerated. Of course, it’s not a poor place, but it’s not Monaco, either. Actually, I saw something which will be missed by Turkish Cypriots if their isolation is removed and they’re treated fairly. Then, I asked myself if this is the real reason for the Greek Cypriots’ blocking a solution. Turkish Cypriots whom I talked to and who are in touch with the south told me that well-intentioned Greek Cypriots consider them a ‘minority in need of protection’ and that malevolent Greek Cypriots see them as ‘second-class citizens.’ It must be very unsettling for this mentality, which considers people on the ‘other side’ this way, to know that they will get the level of ‘this side’ once given a reasonable chance. The second impression that I had is about the Greek Cypriots’ great interest in Turkey, although they consider us ‘invaders.’ It seems that as long as steps on the humanitarian level promoting normalization rise, we will see more Greek Cypriots visiting Turkey. I got a third impression from the conversation that I had with Greek Cypriots, that is that European Union membership has started to change Greek Cyprus. People say that as the acquis communautaire starts to take hold here, Greek Cypriots will have to give up their old habits. Some people find it negative, because they think that this EU membership, which they’ve seen as a tool to be used against Turkey, will weaken the Greek Cypriot identity over time. In other words, it’s understood that Greek Cypriots are afraid of being melted and lost in a big pot, just like Turks. In addition, I was very pleased with something about huge, illustrated billboards which were placed on the border. I was pleased that they were beginning to rot. I asked a Greek Cypriot journalist if they wouldn’t be taken down. He told me that a crazy person put them there and that nobody touches them as if they’re holy. He added, ‘However, as you see, time is solving the problem naturally.’ Then I asked him if it will be the end of those who block a solution to the Cyprus issue. We laughed and went towards Ledra Palas in the buffer zone.” ARCHIVE The news and articles issued in the Turkish Press Review may be quoted from provided due acknowledgement is made. <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |