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Turkish Press Review, 06-11-03
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
03.11.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH MONGOLIAN PM
[02] GUL: "FINLAND TRIED TO BRING THE 2 SIDES ON CYPRUS TOGETHER, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO ATTEND"
[03] CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT MEETS WITH TOP GREEK OFFICIALS
[04] MURDERER OF TURKISH DIPLOMATS FREED IN GREECE
[05] FINLAND CANCELS CYPRUS SUMMIT
[06] KARAMANLIS: "TURKEY SHOULD FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS"
[07] EDUCATION MINISTER CELIK VISITS BAKU
[08] ISRAEL'S FIRST VISIT TO THE NSC
[09] SCHROEDER: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS"
[10] IN DUBLIN, BABACAN SAYS ANKARA FAVORS CYPRUS RESOLUTION
[11] FLOODS KILLS 12 IN BATMAN; DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 39
[12] THE VICTORY OF SCIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP AND MUAZZEZ ILMIYE CIG
[01] ERDOGAN MEETS WITH MONGOLIAN PM
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with his Mongolian
counterpart Miyekombo Enkhbold, who is currently paying an official visit
to Ankara. During their meeting, Enkhbold requested $20 billion in credits
through Eximbank. The visiting premier also suggested a Lenin museum with
displays on common history and culture, and Erdogan said State Minister
Besir Atalay would look into the proposal. Speaking to reporters afterwards,
Erdogan commented on the cancellation of this weekend's planned Cyprus
meeting by Finland, saying that the Cyprus issue could be solved by the UN.
"You can only bring together the foreign ministers of both sides," said
Erdogan. "This would prove good will." /Milliyet-Sabah/
[02] GUL: "FINLAND TRIED TO BRING THE 2 SIDES ON CYPRUS TOGETHER, BUT THEY
DIDN'T WANT TO ATTEND"
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said that European Union Term
President Finland had cancelled the Cyprus meeting which was scheduled to
be held this weekend. "Finland tried to bring the two sides together with
good will," said Gul after returning from a meeting in Moscow. "But the
sides don't want to attend this meeting. We prefer a comprehensive
resolution." He added, "This mission belongs to the UN, but if the EU helps,
this would please us." Commenting on claims that the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) had acted to help Yimpas Holding, currently under a
legal cloud, Gul decried efforts by some to link the company to his party.
/Aksam/
[03] CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT MEETS WITH TOP GREEK OFFICIALS
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, on a four-day visit to Athens,
yesterday met with his Greek counterpart Adm. Panagiotis Chinofotis and
Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis. Speaking to reporters afterwards,
Buyukanit said that he was the first Turkish chief of General Staff to
visit this neighboring country. Stressing that he had held very fruitful
talks with top Greek officials, Buyukanit stated that most problems could
be resolved through discussion. Meanwhile, the US State Department praised
the top Turkish commander's trip to Greece, adding that it was a positive
step to further develop bilateral ties. /Hurriyet/
[04] MURDERER OF TURKISH DIPLOMATS FREED IN GREECE
Dionisis Yorgiyadis, a member of the Greek terrorist group November 17 with
the codename "Alexis," was released on probation yesterday. The terrorist
reportedly was released for good behavior during his time in jail, about
half of his nine-year sentence. He was involved in a number of murders,
including the assassinations of Turkey's Athens Embassy Press Secretary
Cetin Gorgu in 1991 and Undersecretariat Haluk Sipahioglu in 1994. /Star/
[05] FINLAND CANCELS CYPRUS SUMMIT
European Union Term President Finland yesterday stated that it had decided
not to convene a Cyprus summit in Helsinki. Finland's Foreign Minister
Erkki Tuomioja's spokesperson Susanna Parkonnen said, "There's no chance of
a meeting in Helsinki," adding that from now on they would continue
negotiations on the political level. Parkonnen also confirmed that Tuomioja
would today meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President
Mehmet Ali Talat. After learning of the summit's cancellation, Talat said,
"The failure of this initiative doesn't please me." /Star/
[06] KARAMANLIS: "TURKEY SHOULD FULFILL ITS OBLIGATIONS"
Speaking to the Greek Parliament, Greek Foreign Minister Kostas Karamanlis
yesterday stated that while Turkey's implementing the Ankara Protocol was a
commitment it made to the European Union, the EU's pledge to enable trade
with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was a Union "internal
affair" and had nothing to do with the protocol issue. Karamanlis further
claimed that Turkey had failed to take certain steps in its EU bid, and
that its moves on religious freedom and human rights remained mere efforts,
adding, "Europeans understand Turkey's domestic affairs, but Turkey's not
fulfilling its obligations is inconceivable." /Hurriyet/
[07] EDUCATION MINISTER CELIK VISITS BAKU
Education Minister Huseyin, visiting Azerbaijan, yesterday met with
President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. He also visited Turkish schools in the
capital and had talks with Turkish students at Baku State University.
/Turkish Daily News/
[08] ISRAEL'S FIRST VISIT TO THE NSC
On his first official visit to Turkey Ilan Mizrahi, the head of Israel's
National Security Council, yesterday met with National Security Secretary-
General Yigit Alpogan. Mizrahi and Alpogan exchanged views on Turkish-
Israeli security cooperation and discussed regional and international
developments affecting the two countries. /Star/
[09] SCHROEDER: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO REQUEST IMPROVEMENTS FOR TURKISH
CYPRIOTS"
Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said yesterday that Turkey has
the right to ask for improvements in the Turkish Cypriots' situation in
return for implementation of the Ankara Protocol. Speaking in Berlin,
Schroeder said that recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration was not
among the criteria for Turkey in its European Union membership bid. He
stressed that on the other hand, ending the isolation of the Turkish
Cypriots had not been promised, but following talks with Turkish Premier
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, certain head of state and government of EU countries
had agreed on the need to end this isolation. /Turkiye/
[10] IN DUBLIN, BABACAN SAYS ANKARA FAVORS CYPRUS RESOLUTION
Speaking at a forum in Dublin, Ireland yesterday, Turkey's chief European
Union negotiator Ali Babacan said that Ankara has always favored a
resolution on Cyprus. "We're again ready to be constructive," he said.
"However, the Turkish Cypriots are facing an embargo." Commenting on
Turkey's EU bid, Babacan stated that while there had been no slowdown in
Turkey's reforms, there may be a slowdown in implementation. "Correcting
this requires a revolutionary change in mentalities," added Babacan.
/Sabah/
[11] FLOODS KILLS 12 IN BATMAN; DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 39
Some 12 people died in Batman yesterday after the Iluh Stream overflowed
its banks due to heavy rain. The death toll from flash floods sweeping
through impoverished southeastern Turkey rose to 39 upon news that 12
people, including children, had died in Batman, said officials yesterday.
Many more missing are feared dead. State meteorologists warned that the
southeastern Anatolia region would again face heavy rain today. /Milliyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS…
[12] THE VICTORY OF SCIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP AND MUAZZEZ ILMIYE CIG
BY DOGAN HIZLAN (HURRIYET)
Columnist Dogab Hizlan comments on the recently ended trial against retired
archeologist Muazzez Ilmiye Cig. A summary of his column is as follows:
"I think you all watched the news on the trial against science and
scholarship with your mouths hanging open. Archeologist Muazzez Ilmiye Cig,
whose books we all read, was charged for his scholarly, scientific
findings. Cig is 93 years old, but still has a brilliant creative mind. As
I learned that she started to learn how to use a computer when she was 85,
I realized that technology can only be accepted with a mind as young like
hers. I think trials like this give Turkey a terrible image. In other
countries Cig would be hailed at awards ceremonies instead of facing
charges. We should thank the public prosecutor and the judge who acquitted
her. History will remembered them as jurists with respect for science and
scholarship.
What was the trial for? In her book ‘My Reactions as a Citizen,' Cig wrote
letters to people in various fields. She explained her thoughts about
recent developments in society from a republican viewpoint. She wrote about
many things, from language to headscarves. In addition to ‘My Reactions as
a Citizen,' she also wrote ‘The Babylonian Roots of the Koran, the Bible
and the Torah,' among other books. I wish no intellectual would ever face
such trials, no matter their views. This is about the expression of views
based on science and scholarship. The support of those who came to the
court was very important, because she needed it. I hope Cig will be able to
write more books and her spirit won't be broken."
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