Turkish Press Review, 06-09-12

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

12.09.2006

CONTENTS

[01] SEZER TOUTS TURKEY'S MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS AT CONFERENCE

[01] SEZER TOUTS TURKEY'S MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS AT CONFERENCE

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will fly to New York on Sept. 29 and the next day will meet with representatives of the local Turkish community there. After meeting with US President George W. Bush on Oct. 2, Erdogan will also hold a press conference. After completing his contacts in the US, the premier will go to Britain and meet with his British counterpart Tony Blair. /Cumhuriyet/[03] CICEK: “PARLIAMENT WILL CONVENE NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS EU LAWS”

Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that the Cabinet had decided Parliament would hold an extraordinary session next Tuesday to continue to work on European Union harmonization laws. Cicek stated that the session would also be discussed at a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). /Aksam/[04] BAYKAL: “PROTESTS AGAINST ERDOGAN SHOW THAT TURKEY FACES A DANGEROUS TURNING POINT”

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday commented on recent protests against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sogut, saying that these protests showed that Turkey faces a dangerous turning point. Saying that a debate over the government's policies was beginning, Baykal added that dangerous discussions were being held. “We face this as a result of rising terror, and the government failing to take steps against terror,” said Baykal. “If this unease continues, then serious problems will arise in the country. No one feels safe here. The government can’t manage the situation, but a new government could overcome this.” /Sabah/ [05] TRNC GOVT DISSOLVED

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Premier Ferdi Sabit Soyer yesterday submitted his resignation to the president, a move which dissolved the Turkish Cypriot coalition government, leaving questions and speculation in its wake. Speaking to reporters about the dissolution of the government, TRNC President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday dismissed such speculation, saying that the government had succeeded in many areas, and added that the incident should be considered part of a relay race. “I can’t object to the resignation but if I could, I would think about it,” Talat added. /The New Anatolian/[06] UK'S EUROPEAN AFFAIRS MINISTER: “THE EU SHOULD COOPERATE WITH TURKEY AGAINST THE PKK”

Speaking at the Istanbul Conference 2006, British Minister for European Affairs Geoffrey Hoon yesterday called on the European Union to cooperate with Turkey to fight the terrorist PKK. "The EU must cooperate with Turkey against terrorism and the terrorist PKK," said Hoon, adding that not only the Kurds in northern Iraq but also the ones in Europe should understand that they were threatened by the terrorist acts of the PKK. Taking the floor at the same conference, Turkey's chief EU talks negotiator Ali Babacan said, “Terrorism and similar problems will continue to be the challenges of globalization unless welfare is ensured and employment is raised in line with economic growth.” /Star/[07] US EMBASSY GIVES SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHILDREN OF TERROR VICTIMS

In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the US Embassy in Ankara has made a donation to the Association for Aid and Solidarity with the Families of Martyrs from the Security Services (EMSAD). The $10,000 donation is to be used for scholarships for children of victims of terrorism in Turkey. In a ceremony at the US Embassy in Ankara, Ambassador Ross Wilson presented the donation to EMSAD General Director Nursen Donmez. /Hurriyet/[08] SENER: “DEVIATION FROM THE INFLATION TARGET WON’T HINDER ECONOMIC GROWTH”

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener yesterday predicted that deviation from this year's inflation target would not hinder economic growth, adding that growth figures show that the Turkish economy can continue to grow while inflation falls. “This year’s growth can surpass 5% and even reach 6%, ” said Sener. “That would put average growth rate over the last four years at 7.4%.” He stressed that Turkey had attracted $28.3 billion in foreign capital in the first half of the year despite the high current account deficit, adding that the private sector used $11.8 million in credit. /Milliyet/ [09] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...[00] SINS OF SEPTEMBERBY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)

Columnist Derya Sazak comments on Sept. 11, 2001 in the US and Sept. 12, 1980 in Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Sept. 11 and 12 are two important dates which changed the political fate of the world and Turkey. Five years ago al-Qaeda hit the Twin Towers in New York and caused the death of nearly 3,000 people working at the World Trade Center. The Bush administration has been applying its policy of global power under the name of a ‘preventive war’ against terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001. It’s continuing its policy of spreading American hegemony regardless of the number of dying people. Nobody would have thought that regional conflicts, resistance and civil wars, and terrorist attacks would take humanity to a new ‘era of fear.’ Five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the number of terrorism victims is equal to the number of people who died at the Twin Towers. The war in Iraq was a disaster, too. Reportedly, nearly 100,000 civilians have died there.

It’s not certain where the violence will end. NATO, the US and Britain started to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan again. The Iraqi resistance, Israel’s attacks against Lebanon and prospects of a military operation meant to stop Iran’s nuclear weapon program are making the future more fearsome. Before Bush’s second term ends, the possibility of ‘closing the Iranian file’ will cause certain dangers which will be felt in Turkey, too. If after the Sept. 11 attacks the US administration hadn’t turned the fight against terrorism into a policy of invading other countries but instead had developed policies addressing the social dimensions of globalization, the world wouldn’t have been so out of joint now.

We could also look at Turkey’s Sept. 12, 1980. Back then the military administration committed a coup with the justification of the violence in the country and went on to reconstruct the country politically by destroying the traditional center right and left. While doing this, it particularly crushed the left. In order to get the Constitution passed in the referendum of 1982 and open the way for Kenan Evren to become president, many concession were made to the religious community, and thus Turkey now faces the current situation. The results of the erosion of values which started with late President Turgut Ozal and the rise of political Islam in the 1990s can be seen clearly. The Sept. 12 regime weakened the social structure. The effect of torture incidents at Diyarbakir Prison during the 1980 era is undeniable as the starting point of the PKK terror which hasn't been defeated in 25 years. In the years to come we can better understand the sins of both Sept. 11 and 12."

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