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Turkish Press Review, 02-04-12

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

12.04.2002


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS IN MIDEAST LAY FLOWERS FOR TOYTUNC
  • [02] US GEN. FRANKS: "WE TRUST TURKEY'S ARMY TO LEAD THE ISAF WELL"
  • [03] ECEVIT: "THE TARGET IS NOT BOSTANCIOGLU, BUT THE SECULAR REPUBLIC"
  • [04] ANKARA TO HOST ARMENIAN RESEARCH CONVENTION
  • [05] US DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
  • [06] YILMAZ: "THE EU'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY IS INSUFFICIENT"
  • [07] RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL FOR PEACE IN MIDEAST
  • [08] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ANKARA
  • [09] IRAQ, SYRIA CALL FOR NEW MEETINGS ON TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES
  • [10] TOURISM MINISTRY EARNS INTERNATIONAL QUALITY CERTIFICATE
  • [11] CONFERENCE HOPES TO BOOST TURKEY'S SLICE OF TOURISM PIE
  • [12] RATING AGENCY BOOSTS TURKEY'S OUTLOOK
  • [13] ISTANBUL, DIYARBAKIR HOST FILM AND THEATER FESTIVALS
  • [14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [15] PEACE HOPES IN PALESTINE BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
  • [16] THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PALESTINE AND CYPRUS BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

  • [01] TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS IN MIDEAST LAY FLOWERS FOR TOYTUNC

    A delegation of Turkish parliamentarians is continuing its contacts in the Middle East in the interests of promoting peace in the region. Yesterday, they visited the spot where Turkish Maj. Cengiz Toytunc was shot to death in an attack on the West Bank on March 28 and laid flowers there in his honor. Maj. Toytunc had been serving in an unarmed Mideast observer mission, and his assailants have yet to be identified. The parliamentary delegation is expected to proceed to Tel Aviv today and from there to return Turkey. /Turkiye/

    [02] US GEN. FRANKS: "WE TRUST TURKEY'S ARMY TO LEAD THE ISAF WELL"

    The senior military official in charge of United States operations in Afghanistan expressed full confidence yesterday in Turkey's ability to command the peacekeeping force there. Gen. Tommy Franks, head of US Central Command in Afghanistan, made the remarks when asked if he had any doubts about Turkey's ability to head the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), the Washington Times reported. "We have full confidence in the Turkish Army Forces [TSK]," he said. "I have been familiar with Turkish forces for many years. They are both well trained and extremely capable. I have no doubt whatsoever that they will prove their worth yet again in ably commanding the ISAF." Pointing out that a Turkish military delegation was already in the region, Gen. Franks said that discussions on transferring the command to Turkey were underway. /Aksam/

    [03] ECEVIT: "THE TARGET IS NOT BOSTANCIOGLU, BUT THE SECULAR REPUBLIC"

    Addressing his party's parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said that the main target of an inquiry motion against Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu was not the minister himself but rather the secular Turkish Republic. "The education reform program began in the second half of 1997 and has continued under the current government," Ecevit stated. "Certain circles opposed to the reform policies are now trying to take revenge on the government and Bostancioglu. But they will not be able to make our modernized educational system or the secular republic waver from the path of reform." Last Tuesday deputies from the Justice and Development Party (AKP) filed a censure motion against Education Minister Bostancioglu on charges of increasing tension between the public and the state by impeding children's right to education, and of causing the Turkish educational system to deviate from EU and international standards. The main impetus for the censure motion was the ministry's policy of not allowing students to wear headscarves into Imam-hatip schools. Under the current dress code, those who wear headscarves are not allowed into state offices or schools. Meanwhile, AKP Group Deputy Chairman Huseyin Celik yesterday called for Bostancioglu's resignation, saying, "The Parliament has shown that it has no faith in the education minister. He cannot continue to serve under such conditions, and so he should resign." /Turkiye/

    [04] ANKARA TO HOST ARMENIAN RESEARCH CONVENTION

    The Armenian Research Institute is set to hold its Armenian Research Turkey Convention at the National Library in Ankara on April 20-21. The institute, which was established by the Eurasian Research Center, will bring together at the convention over 100 Turkish scholars and writers who study Armenia. The convention will feature presentations on Armenia and the Armenians in their historical, legal, religious, cultural and psychological aspects, as well as explore the nation's place in the world arena and in international terrorism. At the end of the two-day gathering, the participants will release a declaration of consensus. The Armenian Research Institute publishes a quarterly journal in Turkish and English called Armenian Studies. /Anatolia News Agency/

    [05] US DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY

    A United States delegation chaired by Marc Grossman, assistant secretary of state for European affairs and former ambassador in Ankara, is scheduled to pay an official visit to Turkey on April 16. Among the issues to be addressed during the delegation's meetings with Turkish officials are international terrorism, the future of NATO and improving cooperation among NATO member countries. /Cumhuriyet/

    [06] YILMAZ: "THE EU'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY IS INSUFFICIENT"

    Turkey's Secretary-General for European Union Affairs Volkan Vural yesterday briefed journalists on a recent working lunch attended by Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and the EU countries' ambassadors to Ankara. Vural said that Yilmaz had told the ambassadors of Turkey's recent efforts to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria and stressed Turkey's resolve to join the EU. Vural also stated that Yilmaz had criticized the EU's policy on Cyprus, reiterating that Greek Cypriots should not be admitted to the Union without a permanent solution on the island having first been reached. "Yilmaz conveyed Turkey's dissatisfaction with the insufficiency of EU financial assistance to Turkey," said Vural. "He also reiterated that the terrorist groups PKK and DHKP-C must be added to a revised EU list of terrorist organizations." /Cumhuriyet/

    [07] RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL FOR PEACE IN MIDEAST

    Leaders from the three monotheistic religions in Turkey met yesterday in Istanbul in a gathering hosted by Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate head Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz. The leaders released a joint statement after the meeting expressing the urgent need for a solution to the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. The leaders also condemned the use of violence both in the Mideast and worldwide. /Hurriyet/

    [08] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ANKARA

    Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Peterson traveled to Ankara yesterday and met with his Turkish colleague Ismail Cem. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Peterson said that he and Cem had consulted each other on the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, both in the expectation that Turkey would soon assume the peacekeeping force's command. Cem also told reporters that Norway and Turkey enjoyed cooperation as fellow members of NATO. /Sabah/

    [09] IRAQ, SYRIA CALL FOR NEW MEETINGS ON TIGRIS AND EUPHRATES

    Syria and Iraq have recently conveyed a call to Turkey to hold new meetings to discuss common problems regarding the Tigris and Euphrates (Firat and Dicle) rivers. Iraqi Irrigation Minister Resul Abdul Huseyin Svadi and Syrian Water Minister Muhammed Radvan Maeteni, who recently signed an agreement proposing more cooperation between their two countries on issues concerning irrigation, called on Turkey to resume the trilateral talks which began in 1992 but were cut off due to failure to make progress on certain issues. Turkish officials are currently evaluating their neighbor's proposal. /Cumhuriyet/

    [10] TOURISM MINISTRY EARNS INTERNATIONAL QUALITY CERTIFICATE

    The Tourism Ministry scored a coup yesterday by becoming Turkey's first government ministry to qualify for the ISO 9001:2000 international quality certification. Ramazan Mirzaoglu, the state minister responsible for the Turkish Standards Institute (TSE), presented the ISO certificate to Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar. The proud Tasar pointed out to a recent increase in the tourists visiting Turkey and predicted that this trend would continue. "This increase lends our economy a great hope," said Tasar. "Turkey's economy needs a healthy tourism sector, so these developments are promising. I'm heartened that our efforts to get Turkish tourism the attention they deserve have borne fruit." /Aksam/

    [11] CONFERENCE HOPES TO BOOST TURKEY'S SLICE OF TOURISM PIE

    The second annual Turkish Tourism Conference begins today in Ankara presided over by Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar. Speaking in the leadup to the three-day event, Tasar confidently predicted that the nation was entering a prosperous new era for domestic tourism. "This year for the first time the conference is being opened by the president himself," said Tasar. "We have invited along all the active and knowledgeable players in the sector. Our aim this time around is to settle on a consistent national tourism policy that will be free from the whims of political change. Towards this end, we want to formulate short-, medium- and long-term operational plans. From now on our tourism policy must stand above petty politics. The total world tourism trade is worth some $500 billion. Right now Turkey's take from this is only $8 billion, but with a good strategy we can boost our share to 10%." Tasar said that he had put together a Tourism Coordination Committee to put together such a strategy, chiefly by making sure that the various state organs work together and cooperate. He stated that another new body, the Tourism Application Committee, had been charged with making sure that state tourism policy is well implemented. Tasar added that a modern art center was planned for Istanbul, one that would rival Paris' Georges Pompidou Centre and Amsterdam's Van Gogh museum. /Hurriyet/

    [12] RATING AGENCY BOOSTS TURKEY'S OUTLOOK

    Paul Taylor, the head of international rating agency Fitch, said yesterday that Turkey's outlook had improved with the government's ongoing implementation of its economic program. /Sabah/

    [13] ISTANBUL, DIYARBAKIR HOST FILM AND THEATER FESTIVALS

    The International Istanbul Film Festival sponsored by the Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation begins tomorrow and will run through April 23. The festival's program includes both long and short films as well as documentaries. Festival organizers say they hope to present an outstanding selection of unforgettable films. Next Monday, April 15, will also see the beginning of the "Orhan Asena Theater and Film Festival" held in the memory of renowned playwright Asena in Diyarbakir. The festival will spotlight plays from throughout Turkey as well as a selection of distinguished domestic films. The Diyarbakir Governor's Office and the State Theater are co-sponsoring the event, which runs through April 30. /Sabah, Cumhuriyet/

    [14] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [15] PEACE HOPES IN PALESTINE BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)

    Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on the initiatives for Middle East peace. A summary of his column is as follows:

    "I personally was afraid of Turkey's getting involved in the Palestinian issue, and my fears have proven true. My concern stemmed from the fact that the Palestinian issue goes back some 50 years, and I believe that it will go on for at least for another 50. I never believed that this dispute, which has become an Arab rallyingory, would be solved in the near future. Such dreams have renewed adherents even today. The last chance for such a dream to come true was US President Clinton's initiative to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. It ended in failure, as Arafat feared organizations such as Hamas, Hizbullah and Islamic Jihad, groups which believe in expelling the Jews wholesale. In fact, even if Arafat and the organizations which can survive only with the continuance of the struggle had accepted the Clinton plan, Israel would have found an excuse to avoid signing it. Today, the entire world, including the US as well as Turkey as a Middle Eastern state, have called for Israeli withdrawal from the territories it occupies. Even if Sharon balks, there are Israeli politicians who agree with this point of view. However, the explosion of another bomb by a suicide bomber on a bus postponed these ceasefire dreams indefinitely. Turkey already has considerable problems of its own. It can hardly address all of them, and it certainly doesn't need to import new ones. Ismail Cem can go to the Holy Lands with his Greek counterpart. I do not believe that either the Jews or the Arabs will listen to any advice. However, the call to peace is the duty of every state. Certainly, peace will be achieved one day, but no one can even guess at when."

    [16] THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PALESTINE AND CYPRUS BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

    Columnist Sami Kohen compares the situation in Palestine with that of Cyprus. A summary of his column is as follows:

    "Is there a similarity between the Palestinian problem and the Cyprus issue? What lessons can be learned for Cyprus from the clashes between Israel and Palestine? TRNC President Rauf Denktas' statement on the issue before beginning face-to-face negotiations with Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides brought these issues to mind. Denktas said that Israel and Palestine had concluded 'half an agreement' under pressure and that now civilians were suffering because of it. The Turkish Cypriot leader wanted to issue this message to the world, which has been stepping up its pressure on the issue, 'Don't pressure us, or set a deadline for us, or try to impose your own solutions formulas on us.' This was the message Denktas tried to convey to the EU officials who stated that they expected the negotiations to bear some results by this June. Despite the parallel Denktas is trying to draw, there are not many similarities between the Palestinian and Cyprus issues. The most important is that both issues have resisted solution for many long, busy years at the hands of the international community. However, there are striking differences between the two issues. The clashes between Israel and Palestine have continued for a long time and eventually escalated into a war, whereas there have been no violent clashes in Cyprus since 1974. There is calm on the island, and trust and peace in the north. Another aspect distinguishing it from the Middle East concerns the status of the Palestine. Many countries, including the Arab world in general as well as Turkey, recognize Palestine as a state. Various UN resolutions and the Oslo Agreement foresee the establishment of a Palestinian state on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, the situation regarding Cyprus is different. The TRNC is not recognized by any other state besides Turkey, and the official policies of various countries and the UN resolutions do not envisage the establishment of Northern Cyprus as an independent state. The Greek Cypriot side is trying to draw a parallel between the two issues to show the situation on the island as an example for its own argument. For example, Greek Cypriot officials are talking of the 'Turkish occupation' and 'Greek Cypriot refugees' right to return their homes.' In international disputes, even though there may be similarities, every issue has its own distinctive characteristics. A formula for a solution and the method pursued in solving one issue cannot be expected to yield the same results for another."

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