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Turkish Press Review, 01-12-11

Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

11.12.2001


CONTENTS

  • [01] MESSAGES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY
  • [02] YILMAZ WRITES FOR "ON THE PATH TO THE EU"
  • [03] EU COUNCIL'S MESSAGE TO TURKEY
  • [04] GREECE REJECTS ESDP DEAL
  • [05] SURVEY: "TURKS WANT EU MEMBERSHIP"
  • [06] TURKEY NAMES AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN
  • [07] GENEVA CANTON RECOGNIZES SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
  • [08] CAKAN: "NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NECESSARY"
  • [09] IZGI VISITS BUCHAREST
  • [10] IRANIAN NATURAL GAS DELIVERIES BEGIN
  • [11] TURKEY TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN CHINA
  • [12] DERVIS: "APPROVAL OF 2002 BUDGET WOULD BE TURKEY'S TURNING POINT"
  • [13] CHHIBBER: "STATE MUST PLAY THE ROLE OF A TRAINER"
  • [14] TREASURY SELLS 147-DAY BILLS
  • [15] 13TH ANKARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDS
  • [16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [17] THE LAST TANGO OF TWO CLEVER POLITICIANS BY OZGEN ACAR (CUMHURIYET)
  • [18] WHEN IS LAST ISLAMIC RENAISSANCE ? BY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)

  • [01] MESSAGES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

    President Ahmet Necdet Sezer remarked yesterday in his message issued in honor of World Human Rights Day that one of the main duties of a state was to protect and improve human rights. Sezer said that it was the state's responsibility to create circumstances under which people can enjoy their basic rights without fear of violation. "A number of recent constitutional amendments and our ongoing efforts to pass adjustment laws have proven Turkey's resolve to bolster human rights and freedoms," said Sezer. "Today, human rights is not just a national issue, it has become a global matter." In his commemorative message, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pointed out that Turkey was one of the first countries to ratify the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ecevit declared that Turkey espoused universal human rights with great determination. Moreover, Huseyin Akgul, chairman of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee, presented a book entitled "International Basic Human Rights Documents" at a press conference yesterday. The book was prepared by the Committee and it covers all agreements to which Turkey is a party. /Cumhuriyet/ EU-OIC SUMMIT SLATED FOR ISTANBUL An international meeting which Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is organizing in order to improve relations between the European Union and the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC) is to be held at the beginning of next February or April in Istanbul. A number of preparatory meetings before the main gathering are expected to be held in Ankara after Dec. 20. Among those expected to attend are the OIC secretary-general, representatives from the European Council and the Arab League, foreign ministers of the EU and OIC member countries. /Cumhuriyet/

    [02] YILMAZ WRITES FOR "ON THE PATH TO THE EU"

    In a breakthrough effort to spread throughout Turkey good feelings about the European Union, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz made a contribution to a new anthology. In his essay for the 300-page "On the Path to the EU," Yilmaz writes about Turkey's struggle to join in the European club and draws a profile of Turks as Europeans. Yilmaz writes, "Firstly I am a Turk, but with this identity I am also a European," and he describes Turkey's path to the EU like this: "We have left the footpath for the highway, and now must change gears." Ibrahim Halil Ozsoy, chairman of the 20 May Educational, Cultural and Social Solidarity Foundation and ANAP Afyon deputy and Aydogan Ataunal edited the book, which addresses such issues as: EU administration, the 54-article EU rights compact, the Accession Partnership Document, the national program, writers' views of the EU, the advantages of EU membership, the duties of the Turkish people and Yilmaz's hard work towards Turkey's EU accession. Plans call for the book to be sent to scores of deputies and regional organizations. /Sabah/

    [03] EU COUNCIL'S MESSAGE TO TURKEY

    A draft of a joint declaration to be published at the end of Dec. 14-15 Laeken Summit was discussed at the European Council in Brussels yesterday. The draft states that the decisions taken at 1999's Helsinki Summit created a rapprochement between the EU and Turkey, which increased Turkey's enthusiasm. The EU Council appreciates the reforms Turkey has carried towards its target of EU membership it continues. The draft reiterates the EU's support for Turkey's continued economic, social and political reforms. It also requests that Turkey work harder to improve its human rights situation and that it contribute towards solving the Cyprus problem. /Sabah/

    [04] GREECE REJECTS ESDP DEAL

    Following a months'-long delay due to Turkish concerns, a deal on the ESDP now stands stalled in due to Greek objections. During an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels yesterday, Greek Foreign Minister expressed Greece's security concerns and spoke of the EU's autonomy in the decision-making process effectively blocking a just-reached agreement on the ESDP. He added however that the issue could be solved at the upcoming Laeken Summit. /Milliyet/

    [05] SURVEY: "TURKS WANT EU MEMBERSHIP"

    A just-released survey conducted by the European Union Commission revealed that 68% of the Turkish people supports its EU membership. With this percentage, Turkey placed among the candidate countries most in favor of membership. The candidate most in favor was Romania, with 80% giving a thumbs-up to the EU membership. /Milliyet/

    [06] TURKEY NAMES AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN

    The Turkish government has chosen an experienced diplomat to fill the new ambassador's post in the Afghan capital of Kabul Ambassador Mufit Ozdes, who is currently posted in Tripoli, Libya, will be appointed to represent Turkey before Afghanistan's post-Taleban government. Ambassador Ozdes is expected to arrive in Kabul early next month. /Hurriyet/

    [07] GENEVA CANTON RECOGNIZES SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

    The new local government which came to power this month in Switzerland's Geneva Canton has voted to recognize a "genocide" which Turkey allegedly carried out against Armenians in Anatolia in 1915. Socialists, Christian Democrats, Liberals and Greens in the canton's legislature voted for the decision, which had been suspended by the previous government and chose to declare it on Dec.10, World on Human Rights Day. A canton government statement said that the aim of the recognition was to make a peace between Turks and Armenians. /Milliyet/

    [08] CAKAN: "NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE NECESSARY"

    Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan said yesterday that nuclear power plants must be constructed in Turkey. Addressing Parliament during debates on the 2002 budget, Cakan said that a speedup in energy investments in energy was necessary, and that otherwise, an energy shortage would be inevitable by 2006. Noting that Turkey could not meet its energy needs through rainfall alone, he said, "Worldwide, there are 438 nuclear power plants. We will begin a public discussion about nuclear power next year, and we will get results." /Turkiye/

    [09] IZGI VISITS BUCHAREST

    Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi and an accompanying delegation have flown to Bucharest to be the official guests of Romanian Senate Chairman Nicolae Vacariou. Speaking to the press at Ankara's Esenboga Airport prior to his departure yesterday, Izgi remarked that Turkey and Romania had always enjoyed good relations and he believed that they always would. He added that more than 20,000 Turkish people lived in Romania. /Cumhuriyet/

    [10] IRANIAN NATURAL GAS DELIVERIES BEGIN

    The first deliveries of natural gas from Iran to Turkey began Monday night. The deliveries were originally scheduled to begin in this July, but they were postponed as Iran failed to finish building a metering station which Turkey views as a must for the deliveries. Turkish Energy Minister Zeki Cakan said that 165 million cubic meters of natural gas were expected from Iran this month alone. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] TURKEY TO OPEN TOURISM OFFICE IN CHINA

    Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar stated yesterday that Turkey would open a tourism office in the People's Republic of China next year. Saying that he expected a bilateral agreement to that effect to be signed soon, Tasar added that he hoped such measures would help revive tourism and attract more foreign tourists to Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/

    [12] DERVIS: "APPROVAL OF 2002 BUDGET WOULD BE TURKEY'S TURNING POINT"

    State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis met yesterday with former Israeli Central Bank Governor Michael Bruno at a symposium and outlined for him the program that Turkey is pursuing to solve its economic crisis. "If the 2002 budget passes our Parliament, it would be a turning point for Turkey," he reportedly told Bruno. Dervis also pointed to the importance of reforms the government has made. "If Turkey didn't have a strong financial policy, it would be more difficult to get International Monetary Fund and World Bank support," he said. Dervis also stated that the IMF had proposed a new $10 billion aid package for Turkey. The most important problem that the Turkish program would face next year 2002 is inflation, Dervis stressed. /Hurriyet/

    [13] CHHIBBER: "STATE MUST PLAY THE ROLE OF A TRAINER"

    World Bank Turkey Director Ajay Chhibber said yesterday that the state should work to play the role of a "trainer" within the nation. Chhibber also recommended that the state forge closer ties with its citizens. He also highlighted the importance of the media. "With the help of the media the state could grow closer to its citizens and media could have great influence over the state," he stated. He added that since Turkey is secular and democratic, it is ahead of many other countries. /Hurriyet/

    [14] TREASURY SELLS 147-DAY BILLS

    Yesterday, the Treasury held an auction of bills with a redemption period of 147 days. The bills are value dated Dec. 12 and their redemption is scheduled for May 8, 2002. /Turkiye/

    [15] 13TH ANKARA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ENDS

    The 13th Ankara International Film Festival ended with an awards ceremony yesterday. Addressing guests during the closing ceremony at the State Opera House, Festival Chairman Cetin Oner said that the festival had reached an international level and thanked those who had contributed. Oner said that Anatolia always honored pioneers of culture and art and added that artists and scientists should be protected. Culture Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Huseyin Akbulut also spoke, saying that art enriched life and made people more sensitive. /Sabah/

    [16] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [17] THE LAST TANGO OF TWO CLEVER POLITICIANS BY OZGEN ACAR (CUMHURIYET)

    Columnist Ozgen Acar writes on recent developments on Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows: "Northern Cypriot President Denktas is getting the credit for the success of his new Cyprus policy, is coming to Turkey tomorrow to hold meetings with the Turkish government. Most probably the open-ended bilateral talks which will take place on Jan. 16 under the auspices of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will be taken up. There is a surprising optimism among many writers and in the Turkish business community, while Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is speaking of a cautious optimism. There is also a division between the Greek and Greek Cypriot press. There is a wide range of opinions, which go from lauding Clerides to accusing him of going senile. Denktas and Clerides, two clever politicians, will begin their last dance in a different atmosphere in which Denktas seems to be strong and Clerides seems to be under pressure. If Greek Cypriots don't want to miss another opportunity on Cyprus, and if the EU wants a solution to the problem, the two leaders will adopt the 'two equal states' principle based on a bi-communal and bi-zonal federation which was accepted by Archbishop Makarios and Denktas himself in 1977. Certainly, the mere adoption of this principle is not enough. Economic balances should also be taken into consideration for a secure future on the island. Northern Cyprus, whose gross national product has stalled at $4thousand per capita due to the economic embargo implemented against it, should not be a slave to Southern Cyprus. Economic aid must be given to the northern part of the Island in order to prevent rich Greek Cypriots from buying property in the hands of Turkish Cypriots, and a transition period of at least 15-20 years must be recognized. Even EU candidate state Poland is asking for a 17-year transition period in order not to be upset by imbalances in income distribution. One of the most important problems is the presence of Turkish, Greek and British troops on the island. The US, while asking for the departure of Turkish and Greek troops from the island within a five-year period, has as yet said nothing regarding the British bases that it uses."

    [18] WHEN IS LAST ISLAMIC RENAISSANCE ? BY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Derya Sazak writes on the front which should be discussed the most following the victory against the Afghanistan's Taliban regime. A summary of his column is as follows: "Reportedly, many circles in the US are busy discussing a new front to follow the war in Afghanistan, a front still largely unexplored. This will not be a battlefront against an organization or a power. This will be a "cold war" front which will direct Muslim societies to success and to accelerate their transition in overcoming poverty and their lack of democracy, ending 80 years of humiliation following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Journalist Yasemin Congar has written about an "Islamic Renaissance" discussed by intellectuals living in the West following Sept. 11 attacks. She said that the West won the Cold War because those living under socialist rules did not believe capitalism responsible for their predicament, but rather their own systems. Can Arab- Middle Eastern regimes, oil-rich monarchies and emirates conduct the same self-criticism without hiding behind Islam? Certainly it is possible to blame US administrations over the years for their biased stances in favor of Israel concerning the Palestinian issue. However, won't the real hurdle threshold be overcome when the Islamic world is able to form a harmonious unity on a global scale? On this issue, the views of Edward Said, a famous scholar from Cornell University, are courageous. He stated that even though the Islamic nations had many justified complaints against Zionism and imperialism, they must begin admitting that they themselves are also responsible for the poverty, ignorance, oppression, and viciousness they allowed to grow and choke their societies. He asked, 'How many of us have honestly supported secular policies and criticized the manipulation of religion in the Islamic world? Secular Arab policy must assert itself. It is time to be frank, review our policies and analyze them over and over again.' If only the academic circles in Turkey, the think-tanks such as TESEV and the Istanbul Policies Center, as well as intellectuals and Islamic thinkers would contribute to the Islamic Renaissance seen in the wake of Sept. 11 attacks. It is now our responsibility, for we are country which claims to be a role model."
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