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Turkish Press Review, 04-01-22Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: 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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning22.01.2004FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FISCHER MEETS WITH GULGerman Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer yesterday met with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. In a joint press conference, Fischer praised Turkey’s recent reforms, but pointed to the need for further progress on human rights. Underlining that a resolution of the Cyprus issue would positively influence Turkey’s European Union membership bid, the visiting top diplomat pledged that Germany would do whatever it could to help Ankara’s efforts. For his part, Gul said that after this Friday’s National Security Council (NSC) meeting, the government would put the final touches on its Cyprus plan. Stressing that Ankara supported UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s goodwill mission and that his plan had been used by Turkish officials as a basis during their work on the issue, Gul expressed his desire to begin talks over the island soon. Fischer is set to return to Berlin today, where he is expected to meet with Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou. /All Papers/[02] WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM BEGINS IN DAVOS; BABACAN, ERDOGAN SET TO ATTENDState Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday flew to Davos, Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum, which is scheduled to last through this weekend. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also to travel to Davos tomorrow to attend the meeting and to address its participants. Talks at Davos are set to focus on a number of issues, including Greek Cyprus’s upcoming European Union accession and the island’s future, world trade, Iraq, and measures to fight famine. Some 30 heads of state, 75 state ministers and 28 religious leaders are expected to attend the meeting. In related news, following the summit’s end on Sunday, Erdogan is set to travel to the United States for a five-day official visit. /Turkiye/[03] ARINC: “AUSTRIA VIEWS TURKEY’S EU BID POSITIVELY”On the third day of his visit to Austria, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday met with President Thomas Klestil. Speaking to reporters later, Arinc said that in talks with him Austrian officials had shown a positive stance towards Turkey’s European Union membership bid. He added that the two sides had worked to strengthen bilateral relations. After completing his official contacts, Arinc and his accompanying delegation visited the nation’s Military Museum and National Library and then attended a performance at the Vienna Opera House. /Turkiye/[04] US CYPRUS ENVOY WESTON VISITS ANKARAUS State Department Cyprus Envoy Thomas Weston accompanied by US Ambassador to Ankara Eric Edelman met yesterday with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. Afterwards, Weston said that their talks had helped to lay the groundwork for a series of upcoming meetings on the Cyprus issue. Ziyal reportedly conveyed Ankara’s determination to resolve the issue, adding that sacrifices towards this end should not be expected from Turkish Cyprus alone. /Turkiye/[05] DENKTAS: “THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS WANT A RESOLUTION, BUT THE GREEK CYPRIOTS MUST FEEL THE SAME”Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that the Turkish Cypriots clearly wanted a resolution on the island, adding however that the Greek Cypriots also needed to want this. In related news, TRNC Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat said yesterday that his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is to travel to Washington on Sunday for an official visit, would seek US President George W. Bush’s support for restarting negotiations over the island. /Aksam/[06] PAKISTAN’S MUSHARRAF: “THE OIC SHOULD SPEARHEAD REFORMS IN THE MUSLIM WORLD”Speaking yesterday at an Istanbul luncheon in his honor sponsored by the Turkish-Pakistani Business Council, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stated that the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) should work to spearhead reforms in the Muslim world, which he said itself needed to undergo radical changes in order to catch up with the West. Pointing out that Istanbul is scheduled to host an OIC foreign ministers’ meeting this May, Musharraff suggested forming a committee at that gathering to govern reform efforts inside the OIC. He added that the trade volume between Turkey and Pakistan was not up to its potential. Saying that Ankara and Islamabad enjoyed historical and cultural ties, he urged a strengthening of commercial relations. “My government has tried to facilitate investments, but the main role in this regard has been played by the private sector of both countries,” added Musharraf, issuing a call for Turkish businessmen to take advantage of the opportunities his country offers. /Sabah/[07] IMF: “ANKARA HAS PLEDGED TO COVER THE BUDGETARY COSTS OF PENSION AND MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES”An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam yesterday completed the first stage of the seventh review of the nation’s economic program. The delegation assessed the budgetary outlook as well as the measures needed to cover the cost to the budget of recent pension and minimum wages increases. Ankara stressed that it remains committed to the 6.5% of gross national product (GNP) primary surplus target and is furthermore ready to take all necessary steps to achieve this goal. “The government has decided to cut discretionary spending by 10% to broadly cover the budgetary costs of pension and minimum wage increases and is reviewing a range of options to address the projected revenue shortfall, ” said IMF Turkey Representative Turkey Representative Odd Per Brekk in a written statement. “In this regard, attention is being paid to the quality and sustainability of fiscal adjustment.” Discussions with the delegation also focused on the financial sector supervisory and legal framework as well as steps needed to further improve government expenditure management and revenue collection, and to accelerate privatization. Moghadam yesterday left Turkey, but a follow-up delegation is expected to return to the country next month. /Sabah/[08] FINANCE MINISTER: “WE WILL BOTH CUT TAXES AND BOOST BUDGET REVENUES”Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that the government was doing its best to avoid imposing new taxes and price increases. “We will both reduce taxes and increase budget revenues,” pledged Unakitan. He stated that the government’s policy was aimed at achieving a 6.5% primary surplus. Touching on the nation’s economic program with the International Monetary Fund, Unakitan said that the IMF’s reviews would continue through year’s-end. /Milliyet//[09] IRISH FOREIGN MINISTER: “AFTER TURKEY COMPLETES THE COPENHAGEN CRITERIA, IT COULD JOIN THE EU”Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen said yesterday that Turkey could join the European Union after it has fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria. Ireland currently holds the EU’s term presidency. Also touching on the Cyprus issue, Cowen stated that United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is to decide when new negotiations over the island would begin. /Turkiye/[10] AGAR: “A SOLUTION PROCESS HAS BEGUN FOR CYPRUS”True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar accompanied by a party delegation yesterday visited the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO). Following his meeting with ITO Chair Mehmet Yildirim, Agar criticized the government, charging that it was waiting until after the spring local elections to impose price increases. “Everybody knows that following the local elections, we will see huge increases in prices and taxes,” claimed Agar. Stressing that a process to resolve the Cyprus issue had begun, Agar warned the government that it must protect Turkey’s rights and interests. /Turkiye/[11] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS[12] DIPLOMACY IN ANKARABY YILMAZ OZTUNA (AKSAM)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkish diplomacy. A summary of his column is as follows: “Pakistan has long been our friend and it will continue to be. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf also loves Turkey personally and speaks of us often. His short visit to Ankara this week pleased us greatly. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is also in Ankara. His recent remarks have echoed those of German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder, who of late has been emphasizing Turkey’s importance for the European Union. French President Jacques Chirac, who is also aware of Turkey’s importance, is a very experienced statesman. If he favors our bid, we can start membership negotiations with Brussels at the beginning of 2005. In addition, Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou – no enemy of Turkey, in fact a personal friend of our former Foreign Minister Ismail Cem – is continuing his policy of rapprochement with Ankara. If he can boost the sorry Turkish schools in western Thrace to the level of the Greek schools in Istanbul, as per the Lausanne Agreement, we would open schools for clergy in Heybeli because Turkish-speaking Orthodox priests would benefit us. We might even discuss the issue of cutting both countries’ defense budgets, something which might be suggested by Papandreou, who is expected to replace Costas Simitis as prime minister if Greece’s ruling Socialist Party (PASOK) wins the elections set for March. Of course the situation of Greece, whose borders are vouchsafed thanks to its EU membership, and the situation of Turkey are very different. When we join the EU, our borders will enjoy the same protection. Turkish-Greek rapprochement will relieve both the EU and the US. Of course there is also the Cyprus issue. Over three-fourths of the Turkish people favor our Turkey’s EU membership. When they are told what the Union actually is, this figure rises to 90%. This is quite enough, because 10% opposition is normal. When we start our membership negotiations, we’ll be relieved greatly. Our great weariness with dealing with the status quo is weighing heavily on the Turkish nation.” [13] OUR IRAQ POLICY BECOMES CLEARERBY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkey’s policy on Iraq. A summary of his column is as follows: “Everyone is in agreement over the general principles we should pursue vis- a-vis Iraq. Once we turn to the details, however, differences arise. For example the principle that Turkey set from the beginning is preserving Iraq’s territorial integrity, national unity and stability. These are the basic pillars put forward for Iraq’s reconstruction in the post-Saddam period. The United States, the United Nations and Iraq’s neighbors have agreed on this. Turkey’s policy from this angle is consistent and valid. But in the face of what’s actually happening now in Iraq, these principles fall far short. For example, what kind of a political structure will bring Iraq’s various ethnic groups with their different interests together? How will the federal system function? How will a balance be established between the Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Sunnis and Shiites? How will this balance and stability be preserved during elections set for this June? This is the main issue, and here there is no consensus either among the various groups in Iraq or among the countries involved. The basic elements of Turkey’s policy became clearer in this respect. Ankara has declared that it is against a Kurdish formation that could lead to a division of Iraq and even noted that this could be a ‘casus belli.’ Now will Turkey counter such a formation? The current voices out of Ankara show that Turkey is against a federation based on ethnicity, but would not oppose a multi-regional federal system. This is an important development. Actually this attitude is also shared by the groups in Iraq (except the Kurds) as well as countries in the region and the US. If a consensus is reached on this, and if the Kurdish leaders favoring a federal system paving the way for the establishment of an independent ‘Kurdistan’ with Kirkuk as its center are convinced that this won’t happen, a serious crisis could then be averted. Of course, the US will have the main responsibility in this issue. Recently a Shiite presence asserted itself in Iraq. In the past Turkey has been more distant towards the Iraqi Shiites, but now Ankara’s tune has changed. This is because the Shiites are opposed to an ethnic federation. But one cannot ignore the increasing influence of the Shiites (and their role in Iraq’s administration), as they constitute 60% of the Iraqi population. How large a role will the US and UN give to the Shiites in Iraq’s reconstruction process? Is Ayatollah Sistani’s main goal to establish a theocratic state in Iraq dominated by Shiites, as in Iran? Can Iraq establish a democratic regime which will not be anti-Western and can integrate with the world (unlike Iran) if the US reaches an agreement with Sistani? It is of concern to Turkey what kind of facilities the Shiites will obtain and how they will position the county. This is one of the basic elements that will determine what kind of an Iraq will emerge.” ARCHIVE <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js"> </script> Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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