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Turkish Press Review, 01-08-03Turkish 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 morning03.08.2001CONTENTS
[01] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGAfter the Council of Ministers meeting, the Minister of State and Speaker for the Government, Tunca Toskay gave information about the meeting to the reporters. Stating that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit gave information about the flood disaster which took place in Izmir, Toskay said the Council of Ministers expressed its concerns over the issue. Toskay added that Ecevit shared his ideas on the IMF Deputy Chairman Stanley Fischer's Turkey visit with the members of the Cabinet. /Turkiye/[02] CEM'S CONCERN OVER STATEMENTS ABOUT WORLD BANK LOANMinister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem said that he was uneasy with certain statements on the World Bank's $500 million loan at the Council of Ministers meeting. Cem said, "Certain people name the loan as if it was an aid. These statements damages Turkey's image in the international arena." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bulent Ecvit said, "The World Bank is an international financial institution. Since Turkey's is a member of the Bank, there is nothing to be worried about. We cannot consider it as a foreign state." /Milliyet/[03] DERVIS: "THERE WILL BE NO SOCIAL CHAOS"The Minister of State responsible for Economy Kemal Dervis, gave detailed information about Turkey's current economic situation at the Council of Ministers meeting. Dervis expressed his discontent over the comparisons made between Turkey's and Argentina's economic situations. He argued that there could never be a comparison between the two countries' economies and added that he was uneasy with the statements which mention two countries' economies as if they were in the same situation in the international arena. Emphasizing that the two countries were implementing two very different economic programs, Dervis said the program being pursued in Turkey, was more realistic than Argentina's. Reminding that while a decrease in the salaries of the public workers was implemented in Argentina, the ones in Turkey received an increase of $15, Dervis said he had no concern for a social chaos. He said after the IMF Executive Council's release of the third portion of the loan to be delivered to Turkey, more positive economic developments would be observed. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that, as the previous problems were overcome, Turkey would also manage to cope with the current problems. /Turkiye/[04] DERVIS TO MEET EMD MEMBERS TODAYThe Economy Minister Kemal Dervis and Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak will meet today with the Economy Reporters Association (EMD) members. They will discuss structural reforms being made in the economy. /Milliyet/[05] BUMIN: PARTY CLOSURES SHOULD BE MADE HARDERConstitutional Court President Mustafa Bumin said judges would welcome amendments to the Constitution to make party closures more difficult, but provided only that these changes are made very carefully. Responding to journalists' questions during a visit to Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, Bumin said that Felicity Party (SP) Chairman Recai Kutan's remarks that a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upholding the Constitutional Court decision to ban the Welfare Party (RP) was political would not be useful for everyone. "The ECHR's jurisdiction is recognized by Turkey, and therefore its decisions have become a part of our domestic law.", Bumin said. /Turkish News/[06] FRIENDSHIP PROTOCOL BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY TO BE SIGNEDSyrian Deputy Foreign Minister Seba Nasir said that a "Friendship Cooperation Document," that will replace a Declaration of Principles between the two nations, would be finalized after the official visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem to Damascus. The Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Nasir spent two hours together in a private meeting held in Ankara. Afterwards, the Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister said that they had discussed bilateral relations during Wednesday's session and focused on other issues concerning the Middle East and Iraq during Thurday's meetings. /Turkish News/[07] TURKEY'S PROMISE ON HUMAN RIGHTSDelivering a speech at the 53rd meeting of the UN Human Rights Sub-Commission in Geneva, Turkey's Permanent Representative to the UN, Erdogan Iscan, said Turkey's determined efforts to improve human rights and accelerate the democratization process are continuing. /Cumhuriyet/[08] LAST AGREEMENTS ON SHAHDENIZ PROJECT TO BE SIGNED NEXT WEEKLast agreements on the Shahdeniz Project through which the Azerbaijani natural gas will be transported to Turkey are expected to be signed next week. According to diplomatic sources, the last agreements on the project are expected to be signed by the Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze's visit to Baku on August 7th. /Turkiye/[09] ANOTHER BLOW ON PKKMany armaments were caught by the security forces in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regions. Additionally, four PKK terrorists surrendered to the security forces. Operations are continuing non-stop. /Turkiye/[10] YILMAZ FACES FOUR CHALLENGESThe Motherland Party (ANAP) Congress is due to be held this weekend at the ASKI (Ankara Municipality Waterworks) Sports Center in Yenimahalle, and will see four challengers standing against Mesut Yilmaz for party leadership. Final presentations are being overseen by ANAP deputy leaders Mustafa Tasar and Selcuk Pehlivanoglu and Secretary General Abdulkadir Bas. The challengers to Mesut Yilaz for party leadership are deputy for Yozgat, Lufullah Kayalar, deputy for Ttabzon Eyup Asik, Central Executive Committee (MKYK) member Vehbi Dincer and former MKYK member Ms. Necla Akben. /Turkish Daily News/[11] AN ADDITIONAL WORLD BANK LOAN TO TURKEYA World Bank delegation will visit Turkey on Sunday to discuss an additional $1 billion loan to be delivered to Turkey besides the $6 billion loan to be received within three years. The delegation will hold consultations with the Turkish officials about the measures to be taken to overcome the social damage on the poor caused by the economic stability program. The additional loan is considered for countering "getting poorer" and for supporting manufacturing industry. /Milliyet/[12] BDDK REPORT: "THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN PARTNERS WILL INCREASE"The Banking Regulation and Supervision Board (BDDK) prepared a report on the reforms in banking evaluating the current developments in the sector. According to the report the number of foreign partners in the banking sector are expected to rise dramatically. /Cumhuriyet/[13] LOAN FOR EXPORTERSA protocol, concerning the $100 million loan to be delivered to Small and Medium Scale Industries (KOBIs) engaged in exportation, was signed among Minister of State Tunca Toskay, Eximbank Director General Ahmet Kiliclioglu and Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu. Speaking to reporters after the signing of the protocol, Toskay said that since acting in harmony and cooperation among the sectors were very important in the current crisis Turkey was suffering, TOBB set a very good example in supporting KOBIs. Toskay said the loan would be transferred to the manufacturing industry as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Hisarciklioglu said it was high time for the private sector in Turkey to find their resources themselves. /Turkiye/TURKEY'S REVENUE FROM TOURISM REACHED $ 3 BILLION The Minister of Tourism Erkan Mumcu said between January and July in the year, 2001 6,650,000 foreign tourists visited Turkey. Stating Turkey gained $ 3 billion in the first six months of the year, Mumcu said, "We are expecting more tourists between June-November. Turkey's tourism revenue will reach $ 10 billion." /Turkiye/ [14] TREASURY TO ISSUE ONE-YEAR FX BONDSThe Turkish Treasury will issue one-year US dollar-denominated bonds Friday, the Treasury announced yesterday. The Treasury said the amount of the issue would be decided according to the size of the bid for papers. /Turkish Daily News/BUDGET SHOWS TL 664.5 TRLN JULY PRIMARY SURPLUS The consolidated government budget showed a primary surplus of TL 664.5 trillion in July, according to provisional figures revealed by the Treasury yesterday. In the said month the budget produced a cash deficit of TL 2,464 trillion, which revenues of TL 3,823 trillion, non-interest spending of TL 3i158 trillion and interest payments of TL 3,129 trillion. /Turkish Daily News/ [15] IMF SET TO APPROVE NEW CREDIT TRANCHE TODAYThe Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are scheduled today to discuss the next tranche of Turkey's stand-by loan expected to approve the disbursement of approximately $1.5 billion. The credit should then reach Central Bank accounts by next week. /Turkish Daily News/[16] US COMPANY WINS LIGHT HELICOPTER TENDERThe Security Department's $24 million 10 unit light weight helicopter tender, which was first launched by the Defense Industry Undersecretary and later was turned over to the Security Department, was won by the US M.D. Helicopter Inc. The entire project will cost $270 million and include a total of 48 helicopters of various types and sizes. /Turkish News/[17] HUNGARY PONDERS TURKISH FIGHTER PLANE PROPOSALThe Hungarian Government will announce its decision for fighter plane purchases at the end of August. Hungarian Defense Minister Janos Szabo has issued a statement saying they received many proposals from various countries but they are only holding discussions with the US, Turkey and Sweden. The US AND Turkey proposed the sale of 24 F-16 fighters, and Sweden had offered its JAS-39 Grippen planes. Prime Minister Victor Orban stated that Turkey's offer was the best among those submitted. /Turkish News/[18] INTERNATIONAL UFO MUSEUM TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ISTANBULThe Sirius UFO Space Sciences Earthwatch will establish its fourth "International UFO Museum" in Istanbul. The museum is expected to be open at the end of October. /Cumhuriyet/[19] ANTALYA BREAKS ANOTHER RECORDDuring the first seven months of the year, 2.5 million foreign tourists were reported to arrive at Antalya Airport. During the month of July, 688,884 foreign tourists visited Antalya. During last year's first seven months, the number had been 1,720,000. /Cumhuriyet/[20] ISTANBUL'S CULTURAL HERITAGE TO BE RESTOREDIstanbul Municipality has decided to restore some of Istanbul's historical ruins which are in bad condition. A fund of TL 1.5 billion will be provided for the restoration. Mayor of Istanbul Erol Cakir launched the project for repairing the historical ruins which have been in bad condition. /Turkish Daily News/[21] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[22] DECISION RELIEVING EUROPE BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the closure case of the Welfare Party. A summary of her column is as follows:"The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on the Welfare Party closure case is a turning point not only for Turkey but also for Europe. The impact of the ruling was felt in the news coming from Germany only a day after it was released. The State of Berlin rejected the request of the pro- National View Islamic Federation to teach religion to Muslim students following a court decision allowing communities and organizations to do so. A year ago, the Islamic Federation requested the Berlin Higher Administrative Court to grant permission to teach religion to Moslem students and the Court had granted this request. This decision had led to great discussions in Germany. It was a right to be instructed in religious principles but to leave children at the age of adolescence in the hands of organizations defending shariat laws were causing concern not only for the Turkish families but also for the administrators in Berlin. The discussion went on until the ruling of the Berlin Education Ministry. The Berlin Education Minister Klaus Boger announced a day after the ECHR decision that Islamic Federation cannot give religious instructions in schools. The reason given for the decision was that it was not clearly explained how the constitutional facts and the curriculum given to them would be compatible. Furthermore, there was no equality between men and women in the program presented to them. Education Minister Klaus Boger said, ' The Islamic Federation has to accept the values which are the requisites for the age of enlightenment. There can be no restrictions on democratic values.' A Western diplomat stated that Europe would begin to evaluate the developments more clearly following this ruling. The statement saying that the closure of the Welfare Party is not a violation of human rights will be a reference for Europe from now on." [23] EXPECTATIONS FOR SEPTEMBER BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna lists the expectations of the public for September when the Turkish Grand National Assembly opens. A summary of his column is as follows:The Turkish Grand National Assembly will open on 17 September. Great changes are expected to take place during the next 45 days in the parties and movements both within and outside the parliament. In September, the Turkish Grand National Assembly will begin to discuss the amendment of 37 articles to the Constitution at the Constitutional Commission. This is an issue of vital significance for Turkey. It is important because, it will enable us to adapt to the Copenhagen criteria we had accepted for the most part by putting down our signature. We will show that we are a European State and do not belong among the third world countries. With these amendments, the Turkish Grand National Assembly will display its absolute will bestowed upon it by the people and which any office, person or institution cannot share. The first Constitution of the Republic to be prepared by the civilians will be taking shape. This is an important step towards democracy. Our only fear is that, one of the parties may disrupt the agreement reached so far by putting down conditions, or wanting concessions. If such a group, which is not able to defend the rights of the public, comes up it is the duty of every citizen to work against it. In that case, it will be very hard to defend the credibility of the TGNA. All political parties are in the same boat. They have to restrain themselves from entering quarrels inflicting irreversible damage on them. In fact, the voters are punishing quarrelsome parties and leaders. There is also the fact that whenever an election takes place, parties will enter them with alliances. The coming autumn will determine not only our economic but also political future." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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