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Turkish Press Review, 06-04-03Turkish 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 morning03.04.2006FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “ALL COUNTRIES SHOULD COOPERATE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM”Addressing the Fourth World Democracy Movement Congress at Lutfi Kirdar Congress Salon in Istanbul over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the gravest threat facing the world was terrorism and that the whole world should work to defeat it. “This terrorism struck the US, the largest power in the world,” said Erdogan. “Terror is a phenomenon which doesn’t have any particular religion, language, race or nation. All countries should cooperate in this fight.” Stressing that the non- governmental organizations (NGOs) had important roles in fighting terrorism and ensuring an alliance of civilizations, he added, “Sometimes these civil groups can solve problems which can’t be solved by governments.” Touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Erdogan said that Ankara placed importance on the bid in order to better assimilate democratic standards. “We’re in a process of freedom of thought and democracy,” he said. Also present at the congress were Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan, State Minister Besir Atalay, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler, and Greater Istanbul Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbas. /Turkiye/[02] AGAR DECRIES “GAMES” PLAYED ON TURKEY, VOWS “OUR FLAG WILL CONTINUE TO FLY”Speaking at a meeting of his party over the weekend, opposition True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar commented on recent incidents in Diyarbakir, saying that “games” were being played on Turkey’s southeastern region, but that the Turkish Republic’s flag would continue to fly. “Our nation will be free,” he said. Stressing that some regions of world conflict were close to Turkey’s borders, Agar said that this showed that yesterday, today, and tomorrow were all important in the region. “Lines of energy, raw materials, and natural resources pass through Turkey,” said Agar, adding that because of this the games played on Turkey wouldn’t end. However, Agar added that everybody should stay calm since Turkey is large, powerful country. /Turkiye/[03] PARLIAMENT TO BE BRIEFED ON SOUTHEAST UNRESTThe government will hold a session tomorrow to brief Parliament’s General Assembly on recent unrest in the southeast, with all parties with a parliamentary group – the Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) – being allowed a say after Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul presents the government’s assessment of the violence. The General Assembly will also debate a bill allowing elderly convicts to serve out their prison sentences at home, a measure previously vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who argued that the bill was intended to benefit only former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan. /Turkish Daily News-Aksam/[04] GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS: “THE ANNAN PLAN IS HISTORY”Greece Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said yesterday said that the Annan plan became history after the Greek Cypriots rejected it in a referendum held in April 2004. Speaking to Greek Cypriot daily Fileleftheros ahead of her three-day scheduled visit to southern Cyprus beginning tomorrow, Bakoyannis said, “Adaptation to EU norms and recognition of all EU member states are both crucial for Turkey to become a member.” The Greek foreign minister went on to list Ankara’s homework to join the bloc, stating that Ankara needs to make contributions to efforts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem, solve the continental shelf dispute with Athens, refrain from all kind of violence and recognize the cultural and religious rights of all minorities. /Star/[05] BRITISH MEDIA: “WASHINGTON FEARS IRANIAN NUKES COULD BE USED AGAINST INCIRLIK AIRBASE”The British Government is reportedly to hold secret talks with its defense chiefs today to discuss possible military strikes against Iran. According to Britain’s Sunday Telegraph, a high-level meeting will take place in the Ministry of Defence at which senior defense chiefs and government officials will consider the consequences of an attack on Iran. At the center of the crisis is Washington's fear that an Iranian nuclear weapon could be used against Israel or US forces in the region, such as Incirlik Airbase in Turkey. It is believed that an American-led attack, designed to destroy Iran's ability to develop a nuclear bomb, is “inevitable” if Teheran's leaders fail to comply with United Nations demands to freeze their uranium enrichment program, said the Telegraph. The paper added, “The United States government is hopeful that the military operation will be a multinational mission, but defence chiefs believe that the Bush administration is prepared to launch the attack on its own or with the assistance of Israel, if there is little international support. British military chiefs believe an attack would be limited to a series of air strikes against nuclear plants -- a land assault is not being considered at the moment.” /Cumhuriyet/[06] BASCI: “COMPETITION WILL PUSH CREDIT CARD INTEREST DOWN”Credit card interest rates will go down with competition in the Turkish market, predicted acting Central Bank Governor Erdem Basci yesterday. Speaking to the Economic Correspondents’ Association (EMD) at a breakfast in Ankara, Basci stressed that the CB can’t change the interest rates that private banks charge on their credit cards. “What it can do is to set the maximum interest rate that banks can implement,” noted Basci. This interest rate ceiling will be effective starting in June. /The New Anatolian/[07] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[08] DTP LEADER TURK’S REMARKS BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) Co-Chair Ahmet Turk’s remarks. A summary of his column is as follows:“Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) Co-Chair Ahmet Turk appeared on CNN Turk yesterday. Speaking on the incidents in southeastern Anatolia, he stated that he considered the process turning into an ethnic conflict to be the greatest danger. In this respect, he stressed that ethnic nationalism was the greatest factor sowing grievances and hatred among the nation and so asked the nation to steer clear of hostility. Following the program, Turk said that he hadn’t had time to mention it during the program, but that he appreciated the remarks and stance of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli concerning the latest incidents. ‘Bahceli made the most reasonable remarks concerning the incidents. We appreciate his stance. He acted with more common sense than Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. As a social democratic leader, we expected more constructive remarks with more common sense.’ Bahceli has called on Turkish nationalists to maintain their silent, proud stance under every condition and no matter what serious provocations they face. He also said that nothing could bring Turkish nationalists to the streets to take part in a bloodbath against their brothers. And while Bahceli was saying this, terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan told his lawyers in Imrali that if it was up to the MHP, they would have killed him in two hours. Turk also criticized the 10% election threshold and accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and CHP of trying to block independent deputies by imposing thresholds on regions. He said, ‘If we want, we can be elected independent deputies. The voters want this as well. They say that they vote for us but that others are selected. They want us to hold elections. Other party candidates who got 4,500 votes were elected deputies due to the threshold. I can get 4,500 votes just from the villages supporting me. If we become independent deputies, 20-25 deputies would be elected among us.’ Turk called on the people to find solutions to problems in peace, brotherhood, unity, solidarity and within a unitary state structure, but actions in public squares contradict these words. He emphasized this contradiction and said, ‘Not the symbols of a unitary state, but other symbols are used in the demonstrations and actions in the southeast. PKK flags and Ocalan’s posters are in the foreground. We don’t represent or control everything and everybody. We’ve always tried to calm down the people and prevent events from escalating’.” 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 |
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