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Turkish Press Review, 08-03-17Turkish 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 morning17.03.2008FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS RECENT TSK GROUND OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN IRAQParliament is set to hold a session this Thursday in response to a call by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for a special debate on the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) recent operation into northern Iraq. The session will be closed, and no one except parliamentary deputies will be allowed in. The government is expected to reply to opposition criticisms on the timing of the cross-border ground operation. The minutes of closed sessions can only be released after 10 years have elapsed. /Aksam/[02] CHIEF PROSECUTOR FILES CASE SEEKING CLOSURE OF RULING AKPThe chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals applied to the Constitutional Court on Friday for the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on charges of anti-secular activities. Shortly after news of the prosecutor’s move came out, Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan convened his party’s Central Executive Board (MYK) to decide on a course of action in response to the charges. Senior party members with legal backgrounds led by State Minister Cemil Cicek were named to a committee to fight the closure case. The indictment of Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya demanded that 71 senior party members, including founders Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, and President Abdullah Gul, be barred from engaging in political activity for the next five years. /All Papers/[03] LEGAL PROCESS OF AKP CLOSURE CASE TO BEGIN TODAYConstitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic told reporters yesterday that after copies of Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya’s indictment seeking closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are handed out to his colleagues, the legal process will officially begin today. After an initial assessment by the top court’s members, a legal process that could last months or even years could begin. After the indictment is forwarded to the AKP, the party must prepare a preliminary defense within one month. Under the Constitution, seven of the court’s 11 members would need to approve the indictment for the closure to take effect. /Aksam/[04] SPURNING CLOSURE CASE, ERDOGAN PLEDGES AKP WILL CONTINUE ITS WORKPrime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan yesterday lashed out at a new prosecutor’s case seeking the closure of his party. “Is it only the AKP’s duty to think of this nation’s future, international stature, and democratic and economic gains?” he asked at a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Women’s Branch Congress in Sanliurfa. “Our statements and acts are clear. Our path and policy are quite clear. Just as we have done so far, we will continue to work to achieve the ideals of the republic, which is a democratic, secular, social state ruled by the law.” Erdogan reiterated that his party is opposed to extremism, violence and fanaticism, and added that they have fought and will continue to fight such extremism everywhere. “Someone who hails anti- democratic tendencies may think that Turkey deserves a third-class democracy,” he added. Erdogan dismissed efforts to link the AKP to fundamentalism, fanaticism, terrorism or violence as “not serious.” /Hurriyet-Sabah/[05] BAYKAL: “THE CHP OPPOSES PARTY CLOSURES, BUT WE ALSO RESPECT THE LAW”The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) opposes party closures, but it also respects the law, said CHP leader Deniz Baykal yesterday. “When a party gets 47% of the votes, doesn’t the law still apply?” he asked at a meeting in Istanbul. “I said that the AKP shouldn’t interfere with the republic’s values. They denied that had any such aim. The current situation is clear.” /Sabah/[06] BABACAN: “THE CLOSURE CASE AGAINST THE AKP IS AN ANACHRONISM”The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power with the people’s support, and that cannot support be ignored, said Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday of the new prosecutor’s case to close down the AKP. In a TV interview, Babacan warned that bringing the ruling party representing the people into conflict with the judiciary could end up damaging Turkey. Calling the case an “anachronism,” he added, “This case doesn’t fit in with Turkey, which has been showing great progress in democracy in our time.” /Milliyet/[07] TUSIAD CALLS CASE TO CLOSE AKP “UNACCEPTABLE”The Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) yesterday denounced a new prosecutor’s case seeking the closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). “It is unacceptable for Turkish democracy that political parties which are indispensable to democratic life come to face demands for closure, regardless of the size of their public mandate,” said a TUSIAD statement. /Sabah/[08] BRITAIN’S MILIBAND: “THE AKP CLOSURE CASE VIOLATES EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS”British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband yesterday said a new case seeking closure of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) violates European democratic standards and the principle of the separation of powers. “We are very concerned about the case, and hope that it will end in line with the highest norms of democracy, ” said Miliband. /Star/[09] LAGENDIJK BLASTS CLOSURE CASE AS ATTEMPTED “JUDICIAL COUP”Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk said yesterday that he don’t believe claims that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is harming the principle of secularism, warning further that Turkish-EU relations could be harmed by the new case seeking the AKP’s closure. “In Europe, nobody accepts the idea that closing a political party is the solution,” said Lagendijk. “Those who have a problem with AKP should fight it democratically. Using the power of the judiciary against the AKP with false claims could be called a judicial coup.” /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [10] TOUGH TIMES FOR FOREIGN POLICYBY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on the timing of recent developments in Turkey. A summary of her column is as follows. “The new case seeking to close down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) comes at a time when Turkey is facing serious foreign policy challenges. Meanwhile, Cyprus is coming out of its stagnant period. A meeting between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias this Friday is expected to start a new process to resolve the Cyprus issue. The talks process will need constant attention along with thorough preparation, flexibility and creativity. Cyprus is the biggest hurdle to Turkey’s European Union membership. Obviously, this problem will affect our EU negotiations. But how? In the months to come, all actors in Turkey connected to the Cyprus issue will face pressure from the US, EU and UN. Unfortunately, this will coincide with a time when the winds of political crisis are blowing. Not only in Turkey, but also in the TRNC, the situation isn’t bright. A visit this week by US Vice President Dick Cheney to Turkey comes at this time as well. Rising oil prices, peace in the Middle East, and of course Iran will be on his agenda. Cheney will reportedly signal during his visit that US support in the fight against the terrorist PKK will continue. In addition, he’ll reiterate the US position on a political solution to the Kurdish issue. But Cheney, who also wants to meet with the military, cannot help but also discuss the Iran issue. Will a missile shield plan also be up for discussion? Nothing has been said so far, but everybody’s expecting it. These critical issues are being raised during a time of domestic political fluctuations in Turkey, which risk improvements in relations thanks to cooperation against the PKK. Energy is another issue in itself. The foreign policy dimension of this issue isn’t taken seriously enough, but this should change. Diplomats are scrambling the whole world over in reaction to rising oil prices. Turkey has to do better at determining the role that it will play in diversifying energy resources in Europe. What will happen to Nabucco, the natural gas pipeline project to Europe? Everybody has something to say. Some claim that certain demands from Turkey angered Azerbaijan and the EU. We should also consider the foreign policy repercussions of this as well. During this time, Turkey will keep to itself and the opposition, which should focus what the government has and hasn’t done, will deal with other things. What a shame! But good things are also happening in Turkey. An international symposium on peace journalism was organized last Friday as the first project of Bogazici University’s Peace Education, Application and Research Center. During this meeting, the alternative understanding of journalism brought by peace journalism was discussed. Participants discussed how negative examples of some journalists from Turkey and other places can be overcome through responsible, human-oriented journalism. During a time when newspapers are cited in areas as varied as academic research and court cases, the responsibility of journalists is rising. Peace journalism is a method that we should keep in mind, including in the language we use, our news and interpretations, and the very layout of newspaper pages.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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