Turkish Press Review, 07-04-19

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

19.04.2007

CONTENTS

[01] AAAAAAA

[02] REACTIONS TO MURDERS OF BIBLE PUBLISHERS IN MALATYA

[03] DEPUTY PARLIAMENT SPEAKER DINCER PASSES AWAY

[04] AKP’S MKYK GIVES FULL AUTHORITY TO ERDOGAN TO MANAGE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCESS

[05] TODAY’S CABINET MEETING CANCELLED

[06] GUL TO MEET WITH GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS IN BELGRADE

[07] BUYUKANIT: “TURKISH AIR FORCES NEVER VIOLATE GREEK AIRSPACE”

[08] MUMCU MEETS WITH SEZER TO SEEK WAYS FOR JOINING FORCES BEFORE GENERAL ELECTIONS

[09] US’ MCCORMACK OPPOSES TURKISH CROSS-BORDER OPERATION

[10] TUSIAD TO MEET REHN

[11] DEMOCRACY IS SOLUTION

[12] TURKEY MAY GO TO ELECTIONS WITHOUT ELECTING ITS PRESIDENT

[01] AAAAAAA

Assailants yesterday killed three people, including a German citizen, at a publishing house distributing Bibles in the eastern province of Malatya. Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu said, “No matter what the reason is, we hatefully condemn this savagery.” Aksu called the attack an “attempt to deal a blow to the atmosphere of peace, stability, and tolerance.” The initial official statement concerning the attack came from Malatya Governor H. Ibrahim Dasoz, who said both the judiciary and the police were working on the case. In related news, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the attack in Malatya “savagery,” adding that some were caught as suspects but the real murderers were trying to be found. Stressing that a German citizen was also killed in the attack, Erdogan said that this expanded the aspects of the event. The premier added that all efforts aimed at finding the murderers as soon as possible. /All papers/

[02] REACTIONS TO MURDERS OF BIBLE PUBLISHERS IN MALATYA

[03] DEPUTY PARLIAMENT SPEAKER DINCER PASSES AWAY

[04] AKP’S MKYK GIVES FULL AUTHORITY TO ERDOGAN TO MANAGE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCESS

[05] TODAY’S CABINET MEETING CANCELLED

[06] GUL TO MEET WITH GREEK FM BAKOYANNIS IN BELGRADE

[07] BUYUKANIT: “TURKISH AIR FORCES NEVER VIOLATE GREEK AIRSPACE”

[08] MUMCU MEETS WITH SEZER TO SEEK WAYS FOR JOINING FORCES BEFORE GENERAL ELECTIONS

[09] US’ MCCORMACK OPPOSES TURKISH CROSS-BORDER OPERATION

[10] TUSIAD TO MEET REHN

FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

[11] DEMOCRACY IS SOLUTION

Columnist Ergun Babahan comments on the concept of democracy and yesterday’s attacks in Malatya. A summary of his column is as follows:

“When Turkey was waiting for the result of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) Central Decision Board, news of massacre came from Malatya yesterday. We have witnessed a mistreatment which would feed the fear in Turkey and increase the discomfort in Europe. The people, whose hands and foot were tied, were killed yesterday. This massacre occurred on the day when the reasoned decision on the murder of former Diyarbakir Security Director Gaffar Okkan was reflected on media. It looks like a killing in Hizbullah’s style. The fact that those who were killed were dealing with missionary work makes such a link reasonable. However, as the court emphasized in its decision on the murder of Okkar, it’s hard to find who has really pulled the trigger in such attacks. Clearly, the attack has only one target; increasing the tension in the country and raising the people’s concerns over future.

Those who made the young people slaughter each other in the past are now making others kill Hrant Dink or murdering the people in Malatya. Even if those who have used the knife and killed those people are caught, the real perpetrator of this murder won’t be found. Allowing political atmosphere in Turkey to get dirty with such bloody attacks would mean contributing to real killers’ reaching their goals. However, I believe that our democracy has become mature enough to overcome such incidents. Actually, efforts made by the True Path Party (DYP) and the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) to get united are the indication of this. Nobody should be disturbed by the initiatives of those, who want to dissent on a stronger basis, to come together transparently and create a new movement. The real problem in Turkey is now the opposition. Therefore, the ruling party shouldn’t be disturbed by this initiative aiming to strengthen the legal opposition. Actually, it’s not so meaningful that two parties in Turkey which are nourished from the same sources are active under different roofs. Therefore, efforts for a union should be evaluated separately from the efforts of those who support them. A similar initiative on the left wing will be the guarantee of a strong democratic atmosphere. After all, all the parties are a kind of coalition. The emergence of strong structures as a result of such initiatives will weaken the hands of those who have bad intentions, because strong political parties are the biggest guarantee of democracy.”

[12] TURKEY MAY GO TO ELECTIONS WITHOUT ELECTING ITS PRESIDENT

Columnist Mehmet Tezkan comments on next month’s presidential election and the recent political developments in Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:

“What I wrote in the title is not a wish. The general atmosphere of politics is in that direction. Both Agar,the leader of True Path Party (DYP) and Mumcu, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) say that 184 votes are enough to start the elections. They also note that the problem should be solved at the ballot boxes not at the court but they don’t declare whether or not they are going to participate in the voting. Should Erdogan announce his candidacy in the following days, both parties will clearly regard this is an imposition but they won’t have another choice. When the plenary session starts, 367 votes will be provided. In other words Agar and Mumcu will be those who will lead Erdogan to Cankaya.

Let’s think now… Won’t that be a political suicide for them? They will first support Erdogan’s presidency and then speak ill of their rival to request ballots. Won’t voters ask them why they helped him to become president if they didn’t like him? So what is going to happen? I think Agar and Mumcu won’t get involved… They will just watch-by. The struggle for presidency will be held between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). The Constitutional Court will rule after the first round. Should it rule that there is no need for 367 votes, the following rounds will follow but should it rule that 367 votes are necessary, the parliament will start the general elections.

Then what will happen? The elections will be held three months later and the secound round of the settling will take place before the public. The voters will make the decision. Will a crisis take place? Will the markets fluctuate? I believe that only a tremor, not an earthquake will occur because Turkey is already proceeding to the election. That will be better, in fact. Turkey will be at ease as for several aspects. First of all, the discussions to avail for years will end. People will vote regarding the presidential elections. Thus they themselves elect the president, in a way. Isn’t that what the politicians want? Secondly, like the presidential elections in 1950, 1954, 1957 and 1966, the immediate decision of the ballots will set both the president and the prime minister. Thirdly, the seeds of a culture of compromise between the political parties will unavoidably be sown after the elections. The parties can’t avoid it after they saw the choices of the voters.

You may ask whether all these are possible. My answer is in the affirmative. But the AKP thinks it is just imagination because they think that this duty was given to them four and a half years ago.”

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