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Turkish Press Review, 07-02-08
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
08.02.2007
CONTENTS
[01] BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY AGREEMENT SIGNED
[02] FM GUL: "TURKISH-US TIES WOULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT BY PASSAGE OF ARMENIAN RESOLUTION"
[03] ETHIOPIAN PM ARRIVES IN ANKARA
[04] SWISS INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS MARDIN
[05] SARKOZY: "TURKEY COULD BE THE BACKBONE OF A MEDITERRANEAN UNION"
[06] SPECIAL ENVOY BASER: "I COULD MEET WITH IRAQI KURDISH LEADERS"
[07] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[08] THE US MIGHT DISCUSS A CROSS-BORDER OP WITH TURKEY
[01] BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY AGREEMENT SIGNED
An agreement for the landmark Baku-Tbilsi-Kars railway project was signed
yesterday in Tbilisi, Georgia by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. The
railway, which will connect Asia to Europe via Turkey, is scheduled to be
completed by 2010 at an estimated price tag of $420 million. A total of 105
kilometers of railway is to be laid for the line, including 76 kilometers
in Turkish territory. Following the signing ceremony, Erdogan said the
venture would be a model for regional cooperation, and all of its stations
would send messages of peace and friendship to the world. Stressing that
the finished railway would serve all countries' interests, Saakashvili
described it as a kind of revival of the historical Silk Road. Also
speaking at the gathering, Aliyev said that the venture would strengthen
the stability of the region and promote the resolution of issues. In
addition, the three leaders opened the Tbilisi International Airport, as
newly renovated by Turkish firms Tepe and Akfen. /Star/
[02] FM GUL: "TURKISH-US TIES WOULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT BY PASSAGE OF
ARMENIAN RESOLUTION"
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said that passage of a so-called
Armenian resolution by the US Congress would seriously damage Turkish-US
relations and entangle policy in a historical issue. In a Q&A session at
the National Press Club, when asked about Turkey maintaining ties with
countries which passed similar resolutions and whether the issue is
overblown, Gul said, "Turkey's relations with the US are different from its
relations with other countries. We deal with a lot of issues. It's not the
same as with other countries." He also said that Turkey had offered its
hand to Armenia for more dialogue and that he hoped this would lead to
normalized relations with Yerevan. /Turkiye/
[03] ETHIOPIAN PM ARRIVES IN ANKARA
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi yesterday arrived in Ankara for an
official visit. As part of his contacts, Zenawi will be received by
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and have talks with his Turkish counterpart
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other top officials. In addition to bilateral
relations, regional and international developments are expected to dominate
the talks. Furthermore, agreements proposing cooperation in agriculture and
tourism will be signed. After completing his contacts in Ankara, the
Ethiopian premier will proceed to Istanbul to meet with private sector
representatives and businessmen. /Turkiye/
[04] SWISS INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS MARDIN
Swiss Interior Minister Pascal Couchepin, in Turkey at the invitation of
Tourism Minister Atilla Koc, yesterday visited the southeastern province of
Mardin. Speaking to reporters, Couchepin said that his country was also
fighting the terrorist PKK. "We especially focus on the group's drug and
arms trafficking," said the visiting Swiss official. /Hurriyet/
[05] SARKOZY: "TURKEY COULD BE THE BACKBONE OF A MEDITERRANEAN UNION"
French Interior Minister and right-wing presidential candidate Nicholas
Sarkozy, who has spoken out against Turkey's European Union membership,
yesterday said Ankara could assume the leadership of a proposed union of
Mediterranean countries. Speaking in Toulon, France, Sarkozy said, "The
ambitious project which I will propose to Turkey would be its being the
backbone of a new alliance, the Mediterranean countries union." Sarkozy
said that this new union would have a council, just like the European Union,
consisting of the member countries' leaders. /Milliyet/
[06] SPECIAL ENVOY BASER: "I COULD MEET WITH IRAQI KURDISH LEADERS"
Turkey's Special Envoy for countering terrorism retired Gen. Edip Baser
yesterday said that if doing so is seen as having promise, he could meet
with the Kurdish leaders in Iraq. Speaking to news channel NTV, Baser said,
"This isn't a red line. If we could benefit from such a meeting, I could
talk with them. But I can't make this decision this alone. The approval of
certain high-level officials is required." In related news, US Embassy
spokesperson Kathy Schalow said that she hoped that international
operations against the terrorist PKK like recent ones in France and Belgium
would continue. "We're in close coordination with European countries in
order to encourage them to act more aggressively against the PKK network.
We hope these raids and arrests will continue." /Sabah-Aksam/
[07] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[08] THE US MIGHT DISCUSS A CROSS-BORDER OP WITH TURKEY
BY ASLI ALTINTASBAS (SABAH)
Columnist Asli Altintasbas comments on the possibility of a cross-border
operation against Iraq. A summary of her column is as follows:
"The US administration, which is preparing to receive Chief of General
Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit close on the heels of Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul, has given signals that it's ready to discuss a cross-border operation
in northern Iraq against the terrorist PKK. A high-ranking official from
the Bush administration, which has put the brakes on cross-border ops in
recent years, told Sabah that everybody understood Turkey's concerns and
that now certain figures in the administration see this request favorably.
The official said that the Bush people might discuss the request for an
operation on the condition that it's ‘limited and definite.' He said that
some in the administration were open to discussing it, but they should
firstly consider all other alternatives. He added that the territory was
very rough and it wasn't clear what would be found across the border.
American sources are ready to discuss a limited and definite operation
against PKK leaders using civilian and military officials from Turkey,
instead of a military operation using a large number of soldiers. However,
the sources who spoke to Sabah said that US Special Envoy for countering
terrorism Joseph Ralston's recent visit and the contacts held by the chief
of General Staff had both been successful. ‘Firstly, let's talk about other
alternatives,' one added. ‘There's sympathy for Turkey's position, but
there are also certain efforts to find a scapegoat in the PKK issue. Yes,
the PKK is a large problem for Turkey, but the issue doesn't end with it.'
The US administration says that the civilian and military sectors in Turkey
neglected to try non-military methods against the PKK and also stresses
that terrorism is a multidimensional problem with military, economic and
social aspects. Officials also emphasize that the recent rise of
nationalism in Turkey and the election-year atmosphere brought the military
alternative to the forefront and that there have been no concrete steps to
solve the Kurdish issue since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
landmark 2005 speech in Diyarbakir and that the issue has been stuck
between civilian and military leaders.
But the US administration, now welcoming a cross-border op against PKK
leaders more than in recent years, is only concerned with conventions.
Washington is concerned that if the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) enters
northern Iraq during hot pursuit or under an air operation, neighboring
countries such as Iran and Syria will assert their own right to hot
pursuit. The high-ranking official asked Sabah how neighboring countries
can be prevented from crossing the border if Turkey enters Iraq. Also, the
US government believes passage of the Armenian resolution would make a
cross-border op more likely. The strong support received by the US Congress
for the resolution spurred the State Department, White House and Pentagon
to prepare efforts to head it off. US officials say that even a debate of
the resolution on the US House of Representatives floor would damage
Turkish-American relations and end Washington's power to deter a cross-
border operation."
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