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Turkish Press Review, 09-03-19Turkish 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 morning19.03.2009CONTENTS
[01] TURKISH NATION PAYS TRIBUTE TO ITS MARTYRS ON 94TH ANNIVERSARY OF CANAKKALE NAVAL VICTORYThe 94th anniversary of the Canakkale Naval Victory and Martyrs' Day were commemorated across Turkey yesterday with official ceremonies. In a written statement, President Abdullah Gul said, "Turkey will never forget its martyrs who turned into symbols of self-sacrifice and become immortalized in the hearts of the Turkish nation." The Turkish nation and its people did the impossible, forsaking their own lives in the process, said Gul. He added, "Canakkale is a monument of honor, pride, glory and liberty with our thousands of martyrs lying in the heart of the city." Speaking at a ceremony marking the victory at the Canakkale Martyrs' Monument, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the victory one of the greatest acts of heroism witnessed by Anatolia. "Never in the past has this nation been dominated by any other nation, and it will stay independent forever," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey should keep the spirit of the victory alive. Stating that without understanding the Turkish nation's past struggle for independence there can be no success in efforts for the county's future, Erdogan said if Turks keep alive the solidarity, patience and wisdom which martyrs showed at Canakkale, anything is possible. Erdogan said that the victory proved that high spirits and firm belief could triumph over hardships and long odds. Erdogan also said Turkey's foreign policy is based on peace, dialogue and consensus, which is why its firm determination to enter the European Union is unwavering, and it seeks peace in the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Africa. Also attending the ceremony were Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, many Cabinet ministers and top military commanders. Afterwards, Erdogan, along with Basbug and other top officials, laid flowers at tombs of the Canakkale martyrs. On March 18, 1915, the Battle of Gallipoli (also known as the Gallipoli or Dardanelles Campaign, and in Turkish "Çanakkale Savasları") was won by the defending Turkish armies. The battle laid the groundwork for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of the Turkish Republic eight years later. /Turkiye/[02] GUL, YSK HEAD YILMAZ DISCUSS LOCAL ELECTIONS PROCEDURESPresident Abdullah Gul yesterday received Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) head Muammer Aydin to discuss a regulation requiring voters to have an ID number on their identity card to cast ballots in the March 29 local elections. Underlining the importance of respecting YSK rules, Gul also expressed concern that the election not harm Turkey's international image. Representatives from parliamentary parties proposed to Aydin that certified identity documents also be accepted on election day. In related news, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan yesterday met with his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo. /Star/[03] ERDOGAN: "THE WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RISING UNEMPLOYMENT"Campaigning in Canakkale yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan again criticized opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli. Saying that rising unemployment figures recently released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) are a result of the global economic crisis, Erdogan added, "Some tell us to print money … But we aren't dishonest people. We can't print money without backing. This would be a new kind of burglary." /Cumhuriyet/[04] BAYKAL AGAIN URGES PM ERDOGAN TO MAKE JOINT TV APPEARANCE AHEAD OF LOCAL ELECTIONSCampaigning in Usak yesterday, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal reiterated his call for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to appear with him on a public affairs television program ahead of the local elections just 10 days away. Afterwards, Baykal went to Bursa to attend another campaign rally. /Milliyet/[05] BAHCELI CRITICIZES ERDOGAN'S CAMPAIGN RHETORICAddressing an opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) campaign rally in the central Anatolian province of Nevsehir ahead of the March 29 local elections, MHP leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday charged that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "aggressive" rhetoric on the campaign trail was poisoning politics. Stating that Erdogan has been dragging Turkey into chaos, he called this unacceptable. "Turkey cannot tolerate being dragged into polarization or conflict," he added. /Aksam/FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… [06] TALABANI SAYS THE PKK SHOULD SEE THE REALITYBY MEHMET ALI BIRAND (MILLIYET)Columnist Mehmet Ali Birand comments on the Kurdish issue. A summary of his column is as follows: "President Abdullah Gul recently told journalists that this year would see positive developments on the Kurdish issue. I wondered what he meant by these words. A small group of journalists, including me, later got a better idea of their meaning when he spoke with his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani. Turkey is getting ready to begin a brand new order of relations with both Baghdad and Erbil , or in other words is preparing for a new breakthrough both regionally and in Turkish-Iraqi relations. Talabani reflected the developments so colorfully and joyfully that the meaning of 'positive developments' was made very clear. Let's start with the road map. Next week Gul will pay an official visit to Baghdad. Talabani described this visit as a very important one, saying that Turkey would show its support for the new government this way. Listening to him, I thought he was speaking like a wise man, not a leader of the Kurdish resistance. He said that the terrorist PKK is living in the past and that most of its members are unable to see that they can't solve any problems through weapons. Now problems are solved through politics, he added, and if the PKK lays down its weapons, the problems of the people that it represents would be more easily solved. Talabani also said that soon the PKK factor will be reduced to an 'acceptable' point by close economic and political cooperation between Turkey and Iraq and most importantly, relations between Ankara and Erbil will be put on the right track. This process to make this a reality will be a long one requiring both coordination and bold steps. So Gul's visit to Baghdad is important, because it will make put relations between Ankara and Baghdad on stronger footing, to be followed by a huge step, namely the Kurdish conference. The northern Iraqi administration will take an unprecedented step by holding a huge conference to be attended by all the parties of Kurdish origin. The Kurdish parties meeting in late April_early May in Erbil will call on the PKK to lay down its weapons. Just who will be there is not yet clear, but I can tell you that the conference will be open to any party which would join in the call for to the PKK to disarm. Turkey's Democratic Society Party (DTP) will also have to accept this condition beforehand. This is considered a historic step. As you can guess, it's not easy, because Kurds are very split within their own bodies. Both Talabani and Massoud Barzani, the head of the autonomous Kurdish government in Iraq, will have to work hard. If they emerge successful, Ankara will be expected to take action through certain steps on the Kurdish issue. Certain reforms amounting to a quasi-amnesty â€" though not in name â€"and the protection of Kurdish identity are being discussed. As usual, Talabani is hopeful. He believes that the PKK will be demobilized, though it will be hard. He said that if the PKK fails to heed the conference's call to disarm, he would put more pressure. Indeed, the PKK's day of decision is approaching. The problem is the group's lack of a central organization. The most powerful center is still Imrali, but the terrorists in the mountains are split. After the conference both Nachirvan Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government, and Massoud Barzani will visit Ankara in order to continue the process without any hitches. This is what Gul meant when spoke of positive developments this year." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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