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Turkish Press Review, 07-10-31Turkish 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 morning31.10.2007CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN: “THE TERRORIST PKK IS A TEST OF EVERYBODY’S SINCERITY”Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) group meeting at Parliament, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday spoke about his meeting next Monday with US President George W. Bush in Washington. “I will openly tell him that we expect concrete, immediate steps against the terrorists,” said Erdogan. “The problem of the terrorist PKK is a test of sincerity for everybody.” He added, “I will tell him that this test carries great importance for the region and in determining the fate of our future relations.” The premier also spoke about his administration’s diplomatic efforts on the issue over the past 10 days. Saying that Foreign Minister Ali Babacan had visited 11 countries, the prime minister also pointed to the meeting in Istanbul starting Friday of Iraq’s neighbors and other relevant parties. /Aksam/[02] PM ERDOGAN TO VISIT WASHINGTONPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to fly to the US on Saturday for official talks with top US officials, talks expected to focus on PKK terrorism. During his three-day stay, the premier, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, as well as high- level military officials, will also meet with President George W. Bush. /Milliyet/[03] NSC TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE EMBARGO ON NORTHERN IRAQThe Cabinet, chaired by Premier Recep Tayip Erdogan, is set to convene today to discuss possible sanctions against Iraq. Ankara, frustrated by a lack of concrete steps against PKK terrorists by both the US and Iraq, is ready to take measures on its own. In line with the recent National Security Council (NSC) recommendation that the government impose economic sanctions on Iraq to pressure it to fight the terrorist PKK, the Cabinet ministers will decide on a possible economic embargo of the country. /Turkiye/[04] MHP LEADER BAHCELI: “THE PM VISITING WASHINGTON WILL ACCOMPLISH NOTHING”Speaking at his party’s group meeting, opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli yesterday said that the prime minister’s visit to the US next week would serve no good purpose but would only delay Turkey taking military action against the PKK in Iraq. Decrying US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s description of northern Iraq as “Kurdistan,” Bahceli called on Erdogan to cancel his US visit. “With a motion, the Turkish nation gave Parliament the authorization to take a cross-border operation,” said Bahceli. “There’s no need to seek authorization anywhere else. Now it’s time to use this authorization.” /Cumhuriyet/[05] BAYKAL: “NOW IS THE TIME FOR TURKEY TO DECIDE”Speaking at his party’s group meeting, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday said that Turkey now stands at a decisive moment. “A cross-border operation would show that Turkey is a serious country that deserves respect,” he said. Baykal added that what is at stake is the prestige and respect of the Turkish Republic. /Hurriyet/[06] EU’S VERHEUGEN: “NO ONE CAN IGNORE TURKEY”European Commission Vice President Guenter Verheugen said yesterday that considering its importance for world history, he cannot believe any politician in Europe wants to take responsibility for halting Turkey’s European Union membership process. Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Verheugen said he still backs Turkey’s EU membership bid. I support it more and more each day, said the vice president. Verheugen said Turkey’s EU membership process would continue and a political decision would be made one day on Turkey’s membership. The issue of Turkish membership is important for global politics, Verheugen added. /Milliyet/[07] EU URGES ANKARA TO CONTINUE REFORMSThe European Union’s new draft Accession Partnership Document calls on Turkey to continue its reforms to harmonize with the Union. It urges Ankara to end the military’s involvement in politics, recognize Greek Cyprus, lift Article 301 and give the right to education in Kurdish. The 81-page document to be officially released next week, together with the progress report on Turkey, lays out steps for Turkey to take on its road to full EU membership. /Cumhuriyet/[08] US SENATORS PRESENTS RESOLUTION CONDEMNING PKK TERRORISTSTwo US senators, the Democrats’ Robert Byrd and the Republicans’ Gordon Smith, yesterday submitted a Senate resolution both highlighting the importance of the Turkish-US friendship and cooperation and condemning PKK terrorism. The resolution said Ankara has proven its anti-terror credentials and called on the international community to stand against the terrorist threat. Pointing to the important ties between Turkey and Israel, the resolution stressed that Ankara has worked to play a constructive role in the Mideast peace talks. It also condemned over two decades of terrorist PKK violence in the country. /Turkiye/[09] AHEAD OF KEY VISITS, US OFFICIALS STRESS STRONG TIESSpeaking to reporters yesterday, US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said that the US and Turkey enjoy good, strong relations. Addressing the perception of tense relations, McCormack said, “These perceptions of public strains emanate from what is very sensitive topic for the Turkish people and Turkish government, and that is the continuing violence and terrorist attacks by the PKK.” He stressed that first the terrorist PKK should stop its attacks and then urged a wider, more permanent, durable solution to eliminate the terrorist group. He added that during her visit to Ankara tomorrow, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will underline the good state of relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also set to meet next week with US President George W. Bush. /Turkiye/[10] ISRAELI PRESIDENT PERES: “TURKEY IS A MODEL COUNTRY”Turkey’s Republic Day was also celebrated abroad this week. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other high-level diplomats attended a reception at the Turkish Embassy in Washington. Another reception was hosted by Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan in Tel Aviv. Attending the reception, Israeli President Shimon Peres praised Turkey as a model country, adding, “Turkey is the only Muslim country that actively works for peace in the Middle East.” /Star/[11] NORTHERN IRAQI OFFICIALS VOICE READINESS FOR JOINT MEASURES AGAINST PKKRepresentatives from the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) and the Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK), chaired by regional Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani, convened yesterday in Erbil to discuss Turkey’s possible military incursion into northern Iraq. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Barzani said that they want a peaceful solution to the problem. If Turkey wants to combat the PKK, they can do it on the other side of the border, he said. We don’t want them to clash in northern Iraq, he added. He stated that they had reached out to Turkey for peace, saying, “We can solve all problems through friendship, not threats.” An IKDP- IPUK statement released after the gathering said they were ready to act with both the Iraqi administration and US forces to stop all activities threatening peace in neighboring countries. /Sabah/[12] TUSIAD DELEGATION MEETS WITH ITALIAN PMIn Rome, a Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) delegation yesterday asked for Italy’s support for Turkey’s fight against terrorism. The TUSIAD delegation, led by Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag, yesterday met with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. “We asked him to support us as our ally in our fight against terrorism, ” she said. “Prodi told us he understood our anger very well.” Prodi also expressed concern over a possible cross-border operation into northern Iraq by Turkey, hinting that Turkey shouldn’t act in haste. The TUSIAD delegation told Prodi that rather than mere verbal support to Turkey’s fight against terrorism, what is vitally needed is cutting EU countries’ financial support to the terrorist organization as well as making sure no terrorists can seek shelter in the EU but are instead arrested. /Hurriyet/FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... [13] THE DTP’S GREY AREABY ERDAL SAFAK (SABAH)Columnist Erdal Safak comments on the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP). A summary of his column is as follows: “We believe that all the political parties which respect the republic’s basic values as laid out in the Constitution serve to enrich our democracy. Similarly, we believe that all non-violent views will help foster freedom of thought and expression. But one point should be stressed: Not rejecting violence and even refusing to condemn a bloody actions of the terrorist separatist group means passive or indirect support for violence, doesn’t it? I’m talking about the Democratic Society Party (DTP), whose representation in Parliament I sincerely see as a chance for our democracy. DTP group leader Mardin Deputy Ahmet Turk yesterday rejected calls to condemn the terrorist PKK attacks, saying that such a thing would amount to ‘shrinking them to nullity’ and even ‘making a concession from personality and honor.’ Since their party’s foundation, Turk and his colleagues have insisted on sticking to this line. They say that everybody only wants them to condemn the PKK and that others are trying to dictate their role. They also say that if they condemn the PKK, then their public effectiveness would weaken. Even the suggestions made by European Union member countries’ ambassadors in Ankara last week to put a distance between themselves and the PKK didn’t work. European Parliament Turkey Rapporteur Ria Oomen Rujiten promised women DSP deputies who visited her in Strasbourg two weeks ago that they would be nominated for the Sakharov Human Rights Award, if only they put a distance between themselves and the PKK, but this didn’t work either. I’ll leave aside the fact that Ahmet Turk inadvertently made a mistake by assuming that all Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin are at least sympathizers of the terrorist group, on the grounds that if they condemn the PKK, they would lose public support. But we can’t help questioning his call to take a general stance against violence and weapons, because the DTP idea that all the weapons should be laid down also includes the request that the 23-year fight against separatist terrorism be finished with a solution, without any loser or winner. In other words, it expects the separatist terrorist group to quit its low-intensity war without being defeated. Putting it mildly, doesn’t that mean passive support for terrorism, as I said above? During the three-day Democratic Society Congress in Diyarbakir, the DTP proposed a model inspired by Spain. But he disregards one reality about Spain: Political parties which emerge as fronts for terrorist groups or are seen that way are immediately closed, and politicians who don’t keep a distance from terrorist groups and fail to clearly condemn terrorist attacks are sent to prison, regardless of their age. The European Union also fully supports Spain’s policies. We would never expect or wish such a thing to happen to the DTP. But it must be our right to expect them not to push the legal limits and not pour fuel on the fire, especially now when we’re walking on the knife’s edge...” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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