Browse through our Interesting Nodes on Tourism in Cyprus Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Friday, 29 March 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Turkish Press Review, 04-07-29

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> e-mail : newspot@byegm.gov.tr <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning

29.07.2004


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY, IRAN AGREE TO COOPERATE ON FIGHTING
  • [02] PKK TERRORISM, BOOSTING TRADE
  • [03] GUL: “WE EXPECT THAT THIS DECEMBER THE EU WILL MAKE A FAIR DECISION”
  • [04] ANKARA ASKS WASHINGTON ABOUT REPORTS OF ANTI-PKK OPERATIONS
  • [05] TRNC TO GO TO EARLY ELECTIONS
  • [06] IMF SEEKS DETAILS OF TURKEY’S NEW ECONOMIC PLANS
  • [07] CB GOVERNOR: “TURKEY MUST CONTINUE ITS IMF-BACKED ECONOMIC PROGRAM”
  • [08] FOREST DIRECTORATE TO HELP PORTUGAL FIGHT FIRES
  • [09] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
  • [10] THE AKP AND THE EU
  • [11] BY TOKTAMIS ATES (CUMHURIYET)

  • [01] TURKEY, IRAN AGREE TO COOPERATE ON FIGHTING

    [02] PKK TERRORISM, BOOSTING TRADE

    Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday arrived in Iran for a three- day official visit, a sign of strengthening bilateral ties between two neighbors whose relations in past years had been beset by deep-rooted ideological differences. Erdogan yesterday met with Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on the first day of his visit. Erdogan told a press conference at the Turkish Embassy in Tehran that yesterday’s tête-à-tête and inter- delegation meetings had focused on bilateral relations and covered political, economic and cultural issues. Erdogan praised the rising bilateral trade volume, expressing hope that it would more than double to $5 billion in 2004 from last year’s $2.3 billion. Underlining the two countries’ historical and cultural commonalities, the premier also called for further broadening of bilateral cooperation in the fields of gas and energy, transportation, banking and tourism. Erdogan also added that he expected Iran to add the PKK to its official list of terrorist organizations. “Terrorism is considered a serious threat to the region and the whole world,” he said. “Tomorrow we will sign a memorandum of understanding on terrorism which will include PKK_Kongra-Gel as a terrorist organization.” Erdogan underscored the need for cooperation on shared borders, calling for further expansion of security cooperation between the two sides. Both countries believe that Iraq's territorial integrity should be safeguarded, he underlined, urging further cooperation in the reconstruction of the war-damaged country as well as in Afghanistan. The premier also met with Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, where both leaders reiterated that Ankara and Tehran were as one in supporting Iraq’s territorial integrity. /All Papers/

    [03] GUL: “WE EXPECT THAT THIS DECEMBER THE EU WILL MAKE A FAIR DECISION”

    We expect that the European Union will make a fair decision on Turkey at its summit this December, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) yesterday. “I believe that the EU wouldn’t treat Turkey unfairly this December,” added Gul. “Turkey has with great resoluteness fulfilled its duties to become an EU member.” Gul said that the Union would take great strides for the meeting of civilizations. Stressing that the government had an active foreign policy, Gul said that Turkey’s domestic political stability had paved the way for this. Gul also stated that he was planning to soon visit China. /Hurriyet/

    [04] ANKARA ASKS WASHINGTON ABOUT REPORTS OF ANTI-PKK OPERATIONS

    Turkey has requested a response from Washington on recent reports that US troops are currently fighting with PKK terrorists in northern Iraq. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan yesterday stated that the ministry had yet to receive any official information confirming these reports. Tan also denied recent media speculation that Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi did not want to visit Turkey. “Allawi is expected to pay a visit to our country after the summer break,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/

    [05] TRNC TO GO TO EARLY ELECTIONS

    The Cabinet of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday decided that the nation will hold early elections on Nov. 6. In its six- hour meeting, the TRNC Cabinet’s decision was made contingent on the agreement of non-coalition political parties. /Star/

    [06] IMF SEEKS DETAILS OF TURKEY’S NEW ECONOMIC PLANS

    On his farewell visit yesterday, outgoing International Monetary Fund Turkey Representative Odd Per Brekk stated that the IMF lacks sufficient details about Turkey’s new three-year economic plans. Brekk stated that the IMF is expecting more information from Ankara. In his meetings with politicians and businessmen, Brekk said that Turkey needs measures to prevent its accelerating economy from overheating. Stressing that the banking sector is going well, but that this years’ revival had been spurred by consumer credit and credit cards, Brekk said that the question of this growth’s sustainability was key. /Sabah/

    [07] CB GOVERNOR: “TURKEY MUST CONTINUE ITS IMF-BACKED ECONOMIC PROGRAM”

    Turkey must continue working in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund under the current circumstances, said Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti yesterday. He stated that Ankara must continue pursuing the IMF- backed economic program for the sake of the country’s future. “A halted program would lead to higher inflation and an economic slump, in other words, a deeper crisis,” warned Serdengecti. The current program is set to expire at year’s end, but relations between Ankara and the IMF are expected to continue in some form. /Turkiye/

    [08] FOREST DIRECTORATE TO HELP PORTUGAL FIGHT FIRES

    As summer forest fires continue to rage across Portugal, the Portuguese government has appealed for help from its Mediterranean neighbors Spain, Greece and Turkey. In response, the Directorate General of Forests has ordered its Forest Fire Fighting, Search and Rescue Team (ORKUT) to prepare to travel to Portugal. Forest Minister Osman Pepe yesterday said that Turkey was one of the leading countries in fighting forest fires. /Aksam/

    [09] FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…

    [10] THE AKP AND THE EU

    [11] BY TOKTAMIS ATES (CUMHURIYET)

    Columnist Toktamis Ates comments on the ruling Justice and Development Party’s relations with the EU. A summary of his column is as follows:

    “The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been very lucky in its foreign policy, and both international and regional balances have tilted in its favor. Actually it hasn’t been terribly smart but outside developments have made its foreign policy successful. We can list these developments as follows: The EU was afraid of Greece’s veto over Turkey’s membership bid and so decided to make southern Cyprus an EU member representing the entire island. This situation forced UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to do something to solve this problem by preparing a plan. The outcome of this April’s referendums on Cyprus put the Greek Cypriot administration and Athens into a corner and raised the prestige of both the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Ankara. In addition, in spite of all its claims and efforts, the US was unable to capture Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Then the US experienced a similar failure in Iraq and had to rethink its plans in the region. When the US understood that trusting the Kurds in northern Iraq was counterproductive, it saw the ‘Turkish reality’ and started to support Ankara’s EU membership. The US also developed a very unfair rhetoric about the fight against terrorism when it fingered Syria and Iran as potential targets in our region, and it understood that the burgeoning cooperation between Kurds and Israel would neither endure nor meet its expectations, and thus Turkey came to the forefront again.

    Even as Turkey develops its relations with Washington and increases its influence in the region, its uncertainty at the threshold of the EU is continuing. Actually the AKP’s weak spot is relations with the EU. When I was evaluating the exaggerated optimism about the results of the Cyprus referendums, I underlined the importance of being moderate. Turkey is experiencing the same thing in terms of its expectations of getting a date for EU membership negotiations. Actually it won’t be so meaningful if we get a date for negotiations far in the future. I’m afraid they will follow such a policy to lead us on. However, they might also put forth new criteria and say, ‘If you do these things, you’ll be able to get a date.’ When things reach this point, most EU member countries’ leaders will favor giving us a date, and even making us an EU member, except giving us the right of free movement. The AKP seems to be focused on the EU and very hopeful. However, if we can’t get a date, things will get difficult for it. This problem belongs not only to the AKP, but also to all of Turkey.”

    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
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    trkpr2html v1.02a run on Thursday, 29 July 2004 - 9:51:08 UTC