Turkish Press Review, 07-11-09

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

09.11.2007

CONTENTS

[01] GUL RETURNS FROM AZERBAIJANI VISIT

[02] ERDOGAN: “ TURKEY WILL CONTINUE ITS PATH TO THE EU”

[03] SAUDI KING DUE IN ANKARA TODAY

[04] ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN ANKARA FOR VISIT

[05] DTP ELECTS NEW LEADER

[06] MILITARY PLANE CRASHES IN IZMIR

[07] IN BELGIUM , GULER SABANCI HONORED WITH ORDER OF LEOPOLD

[08] CARRYING A BIG STICK

[09] BAD TIMING

[01] GUL RETURNS FROM AZERBAIJANI VISIT

[02] ERDOGAN: “ TURKEY WILL CONTINUE ITS PATH TO THE EU”

[03] SAUDI KING DUE IN ANKARA TODAY

[04] ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN ANKARA FOR VISIT

[05] DTP ELECTS NEW LEADER

[06] MILITARY PLANE CRASHES IN IZMIR

[07] IN BELGIUM , GULER SABANCI HONORED WITH ORDER OF LEOPOLD

FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…

[08] CARRYING A BIG STICK

Columnist Samil Tayyar comments on Abdullah Gul’s visit this week to Azerbaijan. A summary of his column is as follows:

“President Abdullah Gul’s three-day visit to Azerbaijan ended yesterday. The call made by Gul to Armenia during the visit was very important. Some in Armenia might believe he was carrying a big stick, but his visit was important for reflecting the real political situation in the region. In addition to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, taken together the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas line, the railway extending to Kars and the forthcoming Marmaray connecting the European and Asian sides of Istanbul under the Bosporus will constitute a strategic energy, transportation and communication corridor from China to Europe . In Gul’s words, you could get on a train in China , enter Turkey from Kars and then, after passing under the Bosporus, proceed to Europe , also on train. In addition, oil and gas from the Caucasus will be able to be transported to Europe via Turkey . Let’s add Turkey ’s possible European Union membership to this as well. These huge projects will have a big impact on the entire region, but an atmosphere of peace and stability is necessary towards this end. Those who can’t accept the key role to be played by Turkey in the years to come might want to sabotage this atmosphere. Terrorist attacks and the so-called Armenian genocide claims can be seen as part of this.

Gul said this to Armenia : If you want to take your share in the region, then you have to join this caravan. In other words, either stay poor or get rich. But throughout the long history of the Caucasus region, not even the most steadfast ruler has reigned for more than 50 years. This is a region that has seen fierce clashes. The 70 years of the Soviet Union was an exception. When Gul put Sheikh Shamil’s sword in his hand at the Gence Art Museum , he said, ‘As this is the Caucasus , the sword should always rest ready in its scabbard.’ In other words, you could face a threat anytime, so you should be careful. Turkey is aware of this, and the world is aware of Turkey . Particularly after the option of a cross-border operation by Turkey into Iraq came up, people are paying more attention to Turkey . Moreover, Turkey has made its power felt on the international stage as a global actor.

The Saudi king will arrive in Turkey today. In addition, the Jordanian king, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will all visit Ankara next week. Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora is also due to visit. During the upcoming Middle East conference, regional problems will be discussed but these bilateral contacts in Ankara are important for evaluating regional problems from a different perspective. Meanwhile, Gul says that everybody knows the importance placed on Turkey . But Turkey isn’t watching on the sidelines from Ankara . The fact that during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to the US this week Gul also paid his first official visit to Azerbaijan , and even visited Gence �"the first such visit for a Turkish statesmen to this place, just 60 kilometers from Armenia -- is rich with meaning.

Gul will visit Turkmenistan early next month. In addition, there are plans for visits to Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan as well. We used to call these regions our brothers, but then a new concept of relationship was developed. Gul defined it by saying that if you act only with excitement, you won’t accomplish anything, and so you must fuse enthusiasm and pragmatism. Meanwhile, Turkey ’s EU membership bid hasn’t been forgotten. On this issue, Gul said that the important thing for Turkey to know its needs and implement reforms. He added that if only this had been done and membership talks had started earlier, the situation would have been different. He’s quite right, but we should stop being mired in the past. If Turkey can continue this vision, Turkey will become a global country with a huge impact on world politics. Imagine you’re a country in the middle of a strategic corridor extending from China to Europe, an EU member, and the Caucasus is the EU’s neighbor. Some people might call this a dream. But today such huge projects as the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which yesterday was only a dream, are a reality. The foundation of the Baku- Tbilisi-Kars railway will be laid next year. As Gul said, if we can cast away the shackles in our minds, new dreams will come true in the years to come.”

[09] BAD TIMING

Columnist Okay Gonensin comments on yesterday’s DTP congress. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Like all minority questions concerning the Kurdish question, the issue of administrative autonomy has been discussed many times. But this is the first time a political party has asked for this using the term ‘provincial system.’

The Democratic Society Party’s (DTP) new political program proposes cities being brought together to form groups named after their biggest city and local parliaments being formed in each group with autonomy over educational and cultural issues.

In fact, the DTP proposal wasn’t well thought through, as details about how powers would be divided between the central and regional administrations are lacking. It’s clear that this proposal was brought forth for discussion.

It should be said at the outset that Turkey may discuss this but not accept it. We shouldn’t fear discussing it.

The DTP was founded with the aim of doing politics on an ethnic basis. It’s a pro-Kurdish party, which suggests that it’s the mouthpiece of Turkish Kurds. It’s by no means a national party, as it doesn’t aim to do nationwide politics or take a close interest in the national economy.

In the past, similar parties have been closed down. But the Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP), the DTP’s predecessor, abolished itself, and then became the DTP.

Such a party may be included in our political life and should practice politics and freely argue for its own ideas unless it breaks the law.

In this respect, looking at the latest legal initiatives about this party, it’s clear that closing it down would do great harm.

In one recent example, the courts were asked to look at how the husband of one DTP deputy is a member of the terrorist PKK.

Of course a person being a deputy if their spouse is among the terrorists may lead to protests, and this person may become a political pariah, but we can’t expect them to face trial due to the actions of a spouse.

Some may greet the DTP’s provincial system proposal harshly. We should take this for granted.

But as we’re going through a sensitive period about PKK terrorism and the DTP’s relations with it are being questioned, this offer was ill-timed.

Some in the DTP and people influencing them may want to make things tenser still. But this is a trap for everyone, especially for democracy, and we should take this into account.

Terrorism is now Turkey ’s top problem, and the DTP must do a lot to end this terror. For its proposal to be convincing, it should do its part to help Turkey end the current atmosphere.

Only after the bloodshed has ended can people evaluate issues and discuss things in a productive way.”

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