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Turkish Press Review, 07-10-17Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning17.10.2007CONTENTS
[01] GUL TO RECEIVE SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSADPresident Abdullah Gul today will receive Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to discuss Syria’s stance on a possible Turkish cross-border operation into northern Iraq. Gul and Assad will also discuss issues such as the Middle East problem and the terrorist PKK taking shelter in Iraq. During their meeting, Gul will also ask Assad to take a common stance with Turkey at the meeting of countries neighboring Iraq set for Istanbul later this month. Assad will also meet with Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Ergin Saygun and visit former President Ahmet Necdet Sezer at his residence in Ankara’s Golbasi district. /Milliyet/[02] TOPTAN MEETS WITH GERMAN SOCIALIST SCHULZParliament Speaker Koksal Toptan yesterday received Martin Schulz, head of the Socialist Group at the European Parliament, and his delegation in Ankara. Saying that Turkey sometimes complains of not being understood by the EU, Toptan added that Schulz’s visit could help to redress this situation. The delegation was also received by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. /The New Anatolian/[03] ERDOGAN: “IF TURKEY IS HURT, THOSE BEHIND THIS WILL SUFFER TEN TIMES MORE”Addressing the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister Erdogan made warnings apparently related to a resolution now in the US Congress concerning the Armenian allegations. "If Turkey is hurt, those behind this will suffer 10 times more. Those hostile to us will fare no better," he said. “Common sense is being displaced by petty plans.” He also said that those who make decisions believing that Turks complain for a short time before forgetting their grievance are making a grave mistake. /Sabah/[04] PM ERDOGAN MEETS WITH TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO USPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Turkish Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy, who was recalled for consultations last week after a key US House Committee passed a resolution on Armenian allegations about the incidents of 1915. During the meeting, Erdogan warned that should the resolution came to a full US House vote, this would push Turkish-US relations to the brink. Afterwards, Sensoy told reporters that the majority in the House seems to be against Turkey. He stated that during his contacts in the US he stressed that passing the resolution would damage bilateral relations. Sensoy is set to return to Washington after his consultations in Ankara. /Sabah-Turkiye/[05] PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE MOTION ON CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONAfter being sent to Parliament on Monday, a government motion seeking authorization for a period of one year for a cross-border operation into northern Iraq will face a vote in the full Parliament today. The motion will be debated and voted in an open session. In the past, similar motions were taken up in closed sessions. /Turkiye/[06] IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT VISITS TURKEYIraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is currently visiting Ankara, said yesterday that he had come to solve the terrorist PKK issue though common understanding. “There’s still a chance to solve the problem through political means,” he added. Hashimi read out a declaration which he said gave the stance of the Iraqi government. “The Turkish government should believe that the Iraqi government can stop the terrorist PKK’s activities,” it said, “The problem is the presence of the PKK. The Iraqi government admits that the PKK is a terrorist organization. There’s still an opportunity for a political solution. We should give diplomacy and policy a chance. Rather than a one-sided operation, common understanding should be stressed.” Hashimi was received by President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. /Star/[07] PARLIAMENT APPROVES CHANGES TO SUNDAY CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUMParliament yesterday approved changes to a constitutional amendment package set to go to referendum this weekend, on Oct. 21. The changes passed 386- 94. Under the changes, sections of the referendum under which Turkey’s current president might face a second, popular election, after being elected by Parliament this August, were taken out. The changes were approved by President Abdullah Gul yesterday. /Star/[08] CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT VISITS ITALIAN COUNTERPARTChief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit yesterday flew to Rome with an accompanying delegation. After landing at Ciampino Military Airport, Buyukanit attended a dinner in his honor given by his Italian counterpart. Buyukanit will proceed to Naples tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/[09] LAND FORCES COMMANDER TRAVELS TO SOUTHEASTLand Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug, accompanied by some of his top lieutenants, yesterday arrived in the southeastern city of Sirnak. Basbug and the commanders held a meeting with Governor Selahattin Apari which was closed to the press. /Hurriyet/[10] BAYKAL: “IRAQ AND THE US MUST MAKE THEIR CHOICE, EITHER TURKEY OR THE PKK”Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday urged the US and Iraq to make their choice clear: either Turkey or the PKK. “The knife has reached the bone,” said Baykal, adding that nobody has the right to ask anything more of Turkey. The CHP leader said his party would back a motion seeking authorization for a cross-border operation set to be debated in Parliament today. Stressing that terrorism is an issue transcending both political parties and governments, Baykal called for a new approach to the problem, adding that his party was ready to help towards this end. /Turkiye/[11] DTP’S TURK URGES ACTION TO AVOID NEED FOR CROSS-BORDER OPTurkey should take action so that no cross-border operation into northern Iraq is needed, said Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Ahmet Turk yesterday. "Gangs are encouraged to oppose us. Birds of prey will attack pigeons," Turk said. "The DTP has consistently made its attitude clear: A military operation is not a solution. We do not want Turkey to get caught in the Middle East quagmire. Let's take action so that no cross-border operation is necessary. We are ready for this." /Sabah/FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... [12] SUPPORTERS OF ARMENIANSBY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on countries which back the Armenian allegations. A summary of his column is as follows: “Legislatures in 20 separate countries, out of 200 independent countries worldwide, have passed resolutions claiming that the Ottomans committed genocide against the Armenians in 1915. These resolutions have no sanction, but do serve to show political stances and benefit Armenians interests. Which 20 countries? There are many kinds, let’s take a look: Our NATO allies: Belgium, France (in its lower house, but not yet the Senate), Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Italy " all also members of the European Union. Let’s add to them Canada, another NATO ally. There are other Europeans: Sweden and Switzerland … The head of the Catholic world the Vatican … Russia and its former satellites Slovakia, Lithuania and Poland … Southern Cyprus … They are very far from us, but include small Armenian communities: Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, and Venezuela … And finally, one neighboring country, Lebanon … Add to these 20 countries Scotland (in the form of the Edinburgh City Council). As if they have nothing to do besides debating Armenian issues … And to complete the picture: In the US, 38 out of 50 states have passed Armenian resolutions, at a rate of one or two each year. And now, strenuous efforts are being carried out to pass such a resolution in US House of Representatives and then the Senate. We haven’t even added up the Turks who were slaughtered in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Anatolia. We couldn’t make our kin living abroad conscious of this. We haven’t even noticed the hard efforts and victories of a handful of Armenians in so many countries … ” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |