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Turkish Press Review, 02-03-05

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

05.03.2002


CONTENTS

  • [01] SEZER TO VISIT SLOVAKIA, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • [02] CEM CALLS ON COALITION PARTNERS TO ACT WITH COMMON SENSE
  • [03] IMF DELEGATION'S VISIT TO BEGIN TODAY
  • [04] KUWAITI CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS ANKARA
  • [05] TALABANI IN ANKARA
  • [06] WOMEN DEPUTIES POSTPONE TRIP TO ARMENIA
  • [07] UNIVERSITY RECTORS REPROACH EP'S DECISION
  • [08] RAMAZAN CALLS ON TURKEY NOT TO SUPPORT POSSIBLE US ATTACK
  • [09] TURKISH DEVELOPMENT BANK TO EXTEND INCENTIVE LOANS TO TRNC
  • [10] GREEK BUSNESSMEN TO TOUR ANATOLIA
  • [11] BARTHOLOMEOS LEAVES FOR US VISIT
  • [12] NAZIM HIKMET HONORED BY AMERICAN POETRY REVIEW
  • [13] RED CRESCENT SUMMIT LAYS OUT EARTHQUAKE PLANS
  • [14] FESTIVAL TO PROMOTE ISTANBUL AS SHOPPING DESTINATION
  • [15] TURKISH DOCUMENTARY AT THESSALONIKA FILM FESTIVAL
  • [16] LAZIRIS: "GREEK FIRMS' INTEREST IN TURKEY IS ON THE RISE"
  • [17] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [18] IGNORANT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS BY OZGEN ACAR (CUMHURIYET)
  • [19] DAM IS AN EXCUSE BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

  • [01] SEZER TO VISIT SLOVAKIA, CZECH REPUBLIC

    President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is to travel to Slovakia today to pay an official visit, during which he will meet Slovakian President Rudolf Schuster. Tomorrow, Sezer is scheduled to travel to the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, a meeting between Turkish and Slovakian businessmen is also expected to be held during Sezer's visit. /Cumhuriyet/

    [02] CEM CALLS ON COALITION PARTNERS TO ACT WITH COMMON SENSE

    Appearing on CNN Turk yesterday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem called on his government coalition partners to act with common sense concerning Turkey's bid for EU membership. Stating that Turkey would not benefit from recent disputes over Turkish-EU relations between coalition partners the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP), Cem offered his evaluations of certain sensitive issues such as abolition of the death penalty and the Cyprus issue. He remarked that it would be untimely for Turkey to discuss now the death penalty. Stating that there were certain circles which were doing away with trying to capitalize on recent disputes over Turkish-EU relations, Cem said that politicians should look at the issue calmly and dispassionately and should act with common sense for Turkey's future. He said that the EU would never dare to try to harm Turkey's territorial integrity, contrary to what certain politicians constantly argue. Continuing on the issue of Cyprus, Cem stated that Turkey hoped that a permanent solution for the island would be found by year's end. /Cumhuriyet/

    [03] IMF DELEGATION'S VISIT TO BEGIN TODAY

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen will arrive in Turkey today for the first review and consultation on the government's economic program. Odd Per Brekk, the IMF's representative in Turkey, will be among the group. The IMF delegation will first visit Istanbul and then Ankara. Brekk yesterday stressed the importance of the financial and real sectors and stated that that was why they were beginning their visit in Istanbul. The delegation will stay in Turkey for two weeks. Brekk said that the Turkish economic program was different from the program implemented in Argentina. Brekk also said that the Turkish economic program had a social aspect. /Milliyet/

    [04] KUWAITI CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS ANKARA

    When discussions and speculations of a possible American attack on Iraq make headlines worldwide, the chiefs of general staff of Kuwait and Turkey, two critical countries in the region, met yesterday in Ankara. Kuwaiti Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Muhammed El Mumin, on an official visit to Turkey, held talks with his Turkish counterpart Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu. Defense industry and military education topics were reportedly taken up during the meeting. In related news, Gen. Kivrikoglu is due to begin an eight-day tour of to eight Central Asian countries early next week. /Turkiye/

    [05] TALABANI IN ANKARA

    Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), arrived in Ankara yesterday. Talabani will meet with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and officials from the Office of the Chief of General Staff today. Since Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit was unable to make an appointment with Talabani due to a crowded schedule, Talabani is expected to be received by Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. Among the issues to be discussed during Talabani's meetings are expected developments in the wake of a possible US intervention in Iraq and security in northern Iraq. Ankara will also convey its concerns to Talabani about terrorist PKK's new political activities as well as recent efforts to establish an independent Kurdish state in the region. /Cumhuriyet/

    [06] WOMEN DEPUTIES POSTPONE TRIP TO ARMENIA

    A delegation of women Turkish deputies announced yesterday that they were postponing a trip to Armenia which had been scheduled for this Friday. They said that the trip, organized by the Turkish-Armenian Women Communication Group, was being delayed due to the recent decision of the European Parliament concerning the so-called Armenian genocide. /Star/

    [07] UNIVERSITY RECTORS REPROACH EP'S DECISION

    University rectors from the Marmara region yesterday released a declaration reproaching the European Parliament's recent decision concerning Armenian genocide allegations. The declaration from 23 rectors read, "We vigorously reproach the EP and call upon them to reconsider their decision." Istanbul University Rector Kemal Alemdaroglu called the EP's decision crediting the genocide claims a "meaningless and unjustifiable" imposition and said that none of the universities would allow it. He added, "Those who are trying to exclude Turkey from the European Union are capitalizing on this sort of incident." /Aksam/

    [08] RAMAZAN CALLS ON TURKEY NOT TO SUPPORT POSSIBLE US ATTACK

    Iraqi deputy head of state Taha Yasin Ramazan said yesterday that the US would use the UN inspectors' visit to Iraq as an excuse to attack his country. During a reception of the Turkish trade delegation in Baghdad, Ramazan called upon the Turkish government not to support a possible US attack on Iraq. Meanwhile, a delegation of Turkish businessmen headed by Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursat Tuzmen is holding a series of contacts with Iraqi officials to help develop bilateral economic relations with this country. /Turkiye/

    [09] TURKISH DEVELOPMENT BANK TO EXTEND INCENTIVE LOANS TO TRNC

    State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said yesterday that a system of incentives was being developed through the selfless efforts of experts from Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to encourage the private sector to encourage to invest in the TRNC. Speaking at the opening of a meeting on "Principles and Processes for Encouraging Production Growth in the TRNC Through Loans," Gurel said that the for the first time the Turkish Development Bank would extend incentive loans for all the investments in the TRNC. During the meeting, Turkish-TRNC Joint Commission Economic Committee Co-Chairman and Prime Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Selcuk Polat briefed the attenders on the system of incitement to be applied to the TRNC's economy. Polat said that the sectors to benefit from the loan would be tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, education and livestock husbandry. /Aksam/

    [10] GREEK BUSNESSMEN TO TOUR ANATOLIA

    The "Turkish-Greek Businessmen's Anatolia Tour" organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Council began yesterday in Izmir. The Greek delegation, led by Panagiotis Koutsikos, the head of the Greek-Turkish Business Council, took an inspection tour of the Aegean Free Zone. The delegation is expected to visit other provinces in Anatolia to evaluate opportunities for jobs and cooperation with Turkish firms. At the beginning of this summer, a delegation of Turkish businessmen is expected to pay a similar visit to Greece to seek ways of developing trade relations. /Turkiye/

    [11] BARTHOLOMEOS LEAVES FOR US VISIT

    Istanbul Fener Greek Partriarch Bartholomeos left for the US yesterday at the invitation of President George W. Bush. Bartholomeos is due to meet with Secretary of State Colin Powell and other high-level US administration officials. Before his departure, Bartholomeos said that the basic aim of his visit was to attend ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Orthodox Archbishop in the US. /Turkiye/

    [12] NAZIM HIKMET HONORED BY AMERICAN POETRY REVIEW

    After UNESCO declared this year the "Year of Nazim Hikmet" on the occasion of what would have been his 100th birthday, the eminent Turkish poet is enjoying worldwide recognition and honors. This month, prominent US poetry journal The American Poetry Review has put Hikmet on its cover. The journal has an important place in the world of American poetry, and so its spotlight on Hikmet is especially notable. The current issue also publishes eleven of Hikmet's poems in translation, courtesy of Randy Blasing and Professor Mutlu Konuk. /Aksam/

    [13] RED CRESCENT SUMMIT LAYS OUT EARTHQUAKE PLANS

    Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) Chairman Ertan Gonen yesterday hosted Syrian Red Crescent Chairman Abdul Rahman Attar, Syrian Red Crescent Director General Marwan Abdullah and Dutch Red Cross representative Willem Smit at Ankara's Disaster Operation Center. Speaking on the Red Crescent's disaster preparedness plans, Gonen said that estimates are calling for unpredictable earthquakes in the Marmara region in the future years. Stating that 10,000 tents for this contingency had begun to be transported to Istanbul, Gonen said that 5,000 tents would be stocked in the Red Crescent's depots in Maltepe and Trakya's region of Buyukkaristiran. /Aksam/

    [14] FESTIVAL TO PROMOTE ISTANBUL AS SHOPPING DESTINATION

    Preparations for the Istanbul Shopping Fest 2002, which is due to run March 15-April 15, are nearly completed. The event is being sponsored by the Istanbul Commerce Chamber (ITO), Turkish Travel Agencies Union (TURSAB) and Turkish Hotels Union (TUROB). Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Chairman Mehmet Yildirim said yesterday that Istanbul Shopping Fest 2002 aim was to make Istanbul a shopping Mecca like Dubai and to attract 10 million tourists to Istanbul by 2010. /Hurriyet/

    [15] TURKISH DOCUMENTARY AT THESSALONIKA FILM FESTIVAL

    An international documentary festival entitled "Visions of the 21st Century: The Fourth Thessalonika Documentary Festival" began yesterday in Thessalonika. A Turkish documentary titled "Vanished With Water" will be screened at the festival. The documentary tells of the story of the ancient city of Zeugma in the southeastern Anatolia region. /Cumhuriyet/

    [16] LAZIRIS: "GREEK FIRMS' INTEREST IN TURKEY IS ON THE RISE"

    Turkish-Greek Business Council held a meeting at the Izmir Chamber of Commerce yesterday under the auspices of Foreign Economic Relations Council. Speaking at the meeting Greek Ambassador of Ankara Christodoulos Laziris said that despite the Turkey's economic crisis, the interest of Greek firms in Turkey is set to increase. He mentioned that 40 large Greek firms are currently working in Turkey. He added that Greece's Novabank had recently bought Turkey's Sitebank and that another Greek bank was expected to buy Toprakbank. The ambassador pointed such development as signs of trust in Turkey. /Hurriyet/

    [17] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [18] IGNORANT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS BY OZGEN ACAR (CUMHURIYET)

    Columnist Ozgen Acar writes on the recent EP report on Caucasian relations. A summary of his column is as follows: "I believe for certain that the European Parliamentarians who voted in favor of the decision regarding the so-called Armenian genocide are either ignorant or acting deliberately. It is obvious that to bring up the old tragic incidents, which occurred during a war, a century ago can't possibly do any good for Turkish-Armenian-Azerbaijan relations. What is the purpose in reiterating this decision once accepted in 1987, and to whom does it serve? Aren't the European parliamentarians aware of today's facts? The European Parliament didn't take any decision regarding Armenia's occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan's territory, forcing tens of thousands of Azerbaijanis off their land. Instead of digging up old historical wounds, why aren't they concerned with the present-day drama? They are insensitive to those facts. They may think that 20% of the land may not be enough for Armenia, so it should acquire more. In fact we cannot understand why the US imposed an embargo against Azerbaijan while Armenia in fact was the occupying power. However, despite the efforts of the Armenian lobby, the US government is lifting the embargo. Independent republics formed following the disintegration of the Soviet Union had given each political note that the former borders were valid for them too. The border between Turkey and the USSR was drawn up by the Moscow and Ardahan agreements in 1921. Yerevan did not give such a note to Turkey, which was one of the first countries to recognize its independence. Why are the EP members ignoring the facts of the present day? The US and certain EU countries are launching initiatives in Ankara for the lifting of the embargo and blockade of Armenia, and for the opening of the railways and border gates in order that the poor Armenians should not starve. As if Turkey had implemented an embargo or a blockade against the 'poor' state which has occupied 20% of one of its neighbors' territories and covets the lands of the other, as if Armenian airplanes do not land at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport four times a week, as if Armenians do not benefit from the same facility recognized a US citizen by paying for their visas at the border. Furthermore, they fly through Turkey's airspace in line with the Chicago Agreement, and 60% of the goods in Yerevan markets are of Turkish origin."

    [19] DAM IS AN EXCUSE BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the construction of new dams and why international consortiums are not supporting them. A summary of his column is as follows: "Last week it was reported that the largest Swiss bank UBS had withdrawn from its financial consultancy on the Ilisu Dam. The reason the bank gave for its withdrawal hinged on the allegations of various lobbies which have launched a campaign in Europe against this important project. The decision by UBS dealt a harsh blow to the dream of the Ilisu Dam's construction following the withdrawal of British engineering firm Balfour Realty and Swedish firm Skanska before that. The Ilisu project prepared in the 1990s proposed the building of a hydroelectric power plant and a dam on the Tigris River in the Sirnak province in southeastern Anatolia. Ilisu, which is one of the key projects of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), will the second- largest dam after the Ataturk Dam. Turkish officials identified a series of problems likely to come up during the construction of this dam, worth some $1.5 billion, and they took appropriate measures to address them. For example, studies were conducted to rescue the archeological ruins of Hasankeyf which would have been inundated, and research in cooperation with foreign academic circles was conducted. However, even as the British, Swiss, Swedish and Italian firms began working with Turkish companies, an anti-Ilisu campaign began bubbling all through Europe. This campaign focused on three points. The first point was that the dam would damage the environment and historical ruins in the region and would destroy the ancient cultural legacy. Secondly, it was claimed that 60-70,000 people living in the region would have to leave their homes, and their Kurdish identity was underlined. Thirdly it was stated that the quality of water that both Syria and Iraq get from the Tigris river would suffer. This campaign waged in various European countries and most notably in Britain is led by environmentalists, Kurdish and Arab lobbies and human rights groups. This campaign has created such pressure that these firms felt forced to withdraw. For example, UBS said that it withdrew after taking social and environmental influences into consideration. We can see that the Turkish response to these allegations do not satisfy these firms. However, clearly the protests against the Ilisu Dam also have a political dimension. That is to say, the issue isn't just environmental or social. From the beginning, it was claimed that thousands of Kurds would be made homeless. In an article published in British daily 'The Guardian', the same allegations are repeated for the Yusufeli Dam to be built on the Coruh River. This time, it is claimed that the victims of the dam will be Georgians. Those who have been successful in stopping the Ilisu project in its tracks are preparing to do the same for the Yusufeli project."

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