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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-20

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

<LINK href="http://www.byegm.gov.tr_yayinlarimiz_chr_pics_css/tpr.css" rel=STYLESHEET type=text/css> <map name="FPMap1"> <_map> Press &amp; Information Turkish Press Turkish Press Review &gt;&gt; Foreign Press Guide Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

20.12.2001


CONTENTS

  • [01] ECEVIT: "I WILL ADDRESS IRAQ ISSUE IN THE US"
  • [02] ECEVIT AND BUSH TO MEET ON JAN. 16
  • [03] TURKEY TO SEND A 1,000 PEACEKEEPING SOLDIERS TO AFGHANISTAN
  • [04] TURKISH-EU RELATIONS GAIN MOMENTUM AT LAEKEN
  • [05] COALITION LEADERS TO DISCUSS EU HARMONIZATION
  • [06] SEZER APPOINTS RECTORS FOR ISTANBUL AND ANADOLU UNIVERSITIES
  • [07] YUCELEN MEETS WITH GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER
  • [08] TURKEY TO BUY MILITARY CARGO PLANES
  • [09] BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE FINANCING BRIGHTENS
  • [10] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO VISIT IRAN
  • [11] SSSB: "STRENGTHEN YOUR TURKISH BOND PORTFOLIO"
  • [12] YASAR PAINT TO COOPERATE WITH FRENCH CONCERN
  • [13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [14] THE BUSH-ECEVIT SUMMIT BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)

  • [01] ECEVIT: "I WILL ADDRESS IRAQ ISSUE IN THE US"

    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that the main reason for his visit to the US in January was to address the issue of Iraq adding that whatever happens in that country would both affect and interest Turkey. Ecevit also stated that Turkish soldiers could help to establish a new national force to keep order in Afghanistan, saying "We must do all we can as quickly as possible to help establish a national army and police force." There is no national army in Afghanistan, he pointed out, but there are various armies clashing with one another. In such a state Afghanistan will not be able to establish its independence and could lose its statehood, Ecevit stressed. Declaring that Turkish soldiers may be the world's most experienced armed force, he said that accordingly they must be given an important role in paving the future of Afghanistan. Ecevit said that Turkish soldiers would be sent to Afghanistan, but he did not specify how many. /Hürriyet/

    [02] ECEVIT AND BUSH TO MEET ON JAN. 16

    During a press conference held yesterday, Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer said that US President George Bush and Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would meet in the White House on Jan. 16 and added, "This visit will be a good opportunity to strengthen Turkish-American cooperation." US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher had previously said that the main topic of Ecevit's visit would be Afghanistan, among other issues such as NATO and the Middle East situation. /Sabah/

    [03] TURKEY TO SEND A 1,000 PEACEKEEPING SOLDIERS TO AFGHANISTAN

    Turkey will participate in an international peacekeeping force to be established in Afghanistan with a unit of 1,000 soldiers. Ankara pronounced this decision during a meeting held in London yesterday. Turkey, which was represented at the meeting by the Chief of General Staff's Strategy Department Chairman Maj. Gen. Nusret Tasdeler and Col. Süleyman Er, emphasized that it wanted to be in a position to positively influence the restructuring of Afghanistan. Reportedly, a colonel from the Chief of General Staff will command this unit. Most of the soldiers, who are scheduled to be sent soon after the New Year, were selected from the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Command. Fifteen engineers and a technical team on the commissioned and non-commissioned officer level from the Air Force will also take part in this unit. /Sabah/

    [04] TURKISH-EU RELATIONS GAIN MOMENTUM AT LAEKEN

    The Laeken summit has lent Turkish-European Union relations considerable momentum with both parties emerging more optimistic in improving relations than they were before. Spain, which is to take over the EU term presidency in January, will hold meetings first with Turkey among the candidate countries. The EU troika consisting of Belgium, Spain and the EU Commission will meet with Turkey in Madrid on Jan. 8, with Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Akin Alptuna heading the domestic delegation. The international community places a high premium on the meeting since it shows the importance which Spain places on its relations with Turkey. Among issues to be discussed during the meeting are the steps Turkey should take in order to be able to sit at the negotiating table with the EU as soon as possible, certain joint studies to be carried out over the next six months, and a meeting between the EU and the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) which is slated to be held in Istanbul in February. Furthermore, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has recently phoned his Belgian counterpart Louis Michel and congratulated him on the success of the Laeken summit. Cem also conveyed his appraisal of the situation in Afghanistan. /Cumhuriyet/

    [05] COALITION LEADERS TO DISCUSS EU HARMONIZATION

    The leaders of the coalition government will meet this week to discuss measures to harmonize Turkey's laws with those of the EU. Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that the work on the harmonization laws was at the final stage. /Turkiye/

    [06] SEZER APPOINTS RECTORS FOR ISTANBUL AND ANADOLU UNIVERSITIES

    President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday re-appointed Prof. Kemal Alemdaroglu as rector of Istanbul University. Alemdaroglu had been given second place in a list of rectorial candidates sent by the Higher Education Board (YOK), although he garnered most of the votes in balloting at the university itself. Prof. Engin Atac who was on the list of that university's candidates, was also re-appointed to his post as rector of Anadolu University. /Milliyet/

    [07] YUCELEN MEETS WITH GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER

    Turkish Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen met with his German counterpart Otto Schilly yesterday in Germany. During the meeting main issue addressed was the possibility of extraditing Union of Islamic Communities leader Metin Kaplan. At a post-meeting joint press conference Yucelen said, "German officials are seeking assurances that Kaplan would not face the death penalty if handed over. I will convey their views to the Turkish government." For his part, Schilly stated that if Turkey assured Germany that Kaplan would not face the death penalty if tried there, Germany might extradite him. Yucelen also said that there was evidence proving that Kaplan was linked to Osama Bin Laden and terrorist group Hizbullah and he reiterated that Germany was keeping a close watch on the Union of Islamic Communities. /Cumhuriyet/

    [08] TURKEY TO BUY MILITARY CARGO PLANES

    Turkish Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, who is currently in Brussels to attend NATO meetings, signed a contract yesterday on behalf of Turkey to purchase 10 Airbus A400M military cargo planes. The German, Belgian, British, Spanish, French, Luxemburg, Portuguese and Turkish defense ministers signed contracts with the Airbus Company for the purchase of nearly 200 military planes. Meanwhile, addressing the NATO meetings, Cakmakoglu stated, "If terrorists are active in a certain country, then another country must be supporting them. It is vital that this fact be understood." /Turkiye/

    [09] BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE FINANCING BRIGHTENS

    The financing problems of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline are nearing a solution, with a host of international concerns lining up to foot the bill. Michael Townshend, administrator of the pipeline's managing consortium, said Tuesday that he was in touch with companies from Europe, the US and Japan in order to obtain credit for this project. US oil company Chevron Texaco, reportedly wants to become a partner with a share of 20%. /Milliyet/

    [10] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO VISIT IRAN

    A group of Turkish businessmen is set to visit Iran on Dec. 23-27. A number of private sector representatives are expected to accompany an official delegation scheduled to attend a Turkish-Iranian Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting in Tehran. State Minister Mehmet Kececiler is expected to chair the delegation. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] SSSB: "STRENGTHEN YOUR TURKISH BOND PORTFOLIO"

    Prominent international portfolio manager Schroder Salomon Smith Barney (SSSB) declared yesterday that it was seeing the Turkish economy in a more positive light. A press release from SSSB stated, "Turkey's geopolitical importance, signals of a revival in its economy, better capacity for debt repayment and a healthier banking structure are all increasing the likelihood of continuing confidence in this country." SSSB thus advised its investors to strengthen their Turkish bond portfolios. /Sabah/

    [12] YASAR PAINT TO COOPERATE WITH FRENCH CONCERN

    The Yasar Paint Group has begun talks with French company Sigma Kalon, which is active in the same area, to pursue cooperation and partnership, Yasar announced yesterday. Yasar Holding Paint Group Chairman Ahmet Yigitbasi said that the Yasar Boya Group of companies was number 30 in the world, and number 10 in Europe in terms of size, with annual revenues of $328 million. He added, "The Yasar Group will grow much more through international cooperation, and it is open to any foreign partnership that will open up markets and provide new technologies." /Milliyet/

    [13] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [14] THE BUSH-ECEVIT SUMMIT BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Fikret Bila comments on the preparations for the Bush-Ecevit summit to take place in mid-January. A summary of his column is as follows:

    "Ankara is preparing for the Bush-Ecevit summit expected to be held soon after the new year. The invitation extended to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit by the US President George W. Bush is viewed as recognition of Turkey's importance abroad. The invitation is being viewed as a reflection of Turkey's international stature as realized by Washington due to the policies it is pursuing concerning issues in Iraq, the Middle East, the Caucasus, the Balkans, the EU and Cyprus. Ecevit believes that Bush has understood the importance of Turkey. The prime minister remarked that it was clear that Iraq would be an important topic during the talks. He said, 'We will express our views, as we attach great importance to the territorial integrity of Iraq. We shall relate our policies on the issue.' Ecevit will tell Bush and the US administration what a serious mistake it would be to intervene in Iraq and the problems such and intervention could lead to. Regarding Afghanistan, Ecevit believes that the most important issue is the quick establishment of security in the country and the formation of an Afghan national army and police force with this aim. Ecevit said that in Afghanistan there were armies but as yet no national army. He believes there is urgent need it to bring together the commanders who disagree with each other in order to form a national army. He also pointed out that Turkey was ready to help Afghanistan on the issue. In addition to Afghanistan, Iraq and the EU and economic matters Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that the Cyprus problem would also be discussed at length. 'We will try to change their opinions regarding the issue' he said. 'We have worked hard on the issue and have started to see results. For example, the European Union is not repeating its usual stance. We still cannot say that their basic views have changed, but they are not viewing the issue as before. We will try to get the same results in Washington. We will ask what they expect from the Cyprus dialogue process and what they want to see there. We will brief them on the facts regarding Cyprus, facts this time from our point of view.' On Iraq, both Prime Minister Ecevit and Foreign Minister Cem have repeatedly said that Turkey was opposed to a foreign intervention. Discussion on economy will focus on loosening quotas and, if possible, lifting them altogether. Ankara is hopeful about the Bush-Ecevit summit."

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