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Turkish Press Review, 02-01-15

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

15.01.2002


CONTENTS

  • [01] ECEVIT: "WE WANT TRADE, NOT AID"
  • [02] US PRESS SPOTLIGHTS TO ECEVIT'S US VISIT
  • [03] RICE: "TURKEY IS AN EXEMPLARY COUNTRY"
  • [04] IRAQ URGES TURKEY NOT TO SUPPORT THE US
  • [05] ECEVIT SENDS LETTERS TO MUSHERREF AND VAJPAYI
  • [06] DE SOTO TO MEET TWO CYPRUS LEADERS TODAY
  • [07] SAUDI ARABIA DEFENDS CASTLE DEMOLITION
  • [08] EU PUTS AID TO TURKEY IN SEPARATE CATEGORY
  • [09] RUSSIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS TURKEY
  • [10] UPI: "TURKEY, ISRAEL AND INDIA HAVE FORMED A TRIPLE ALLIANCE"
  • [11] YILMAZ: "PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EDUCATION"
  • [12] AUTO EXECUTIVE: "TURKEY HAS GREAT POTENTIAL"
  • [13] TOURISM GROUP PREDICTS 17 MILLION TOURISTS IN TURKEY IN 2010
  • [14] BRITISH MODERN MUSIC FESTIVAL BEGIN IN ISTANBUL
  • [15] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
  • [16] TURKEY AND THE US BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)
  • [17] EYES ON WASHINGTON BY FUAT BOL (TURKIYE)

  • [01] ECEVIT: "WE WANT TRADE, NOT AID"

    Speaking to reporters before departing by plane to the United States yesterday, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, "Rather than aid, we want trade and investment, and we would like to have similar privileges as those extended to the European Union." Ecevit remarked, "I am very hopeful for our economy, but we have to remember that in the US lobbies and the Congress play an important role, so we can't expect everything from the US government and the administration." US President Bush and his colleagues know the recent situation of Turkey and they have tried to do their best in our relations with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Ecevit added. Ecevit also took the opportunity to invite foreigners to invest more in Turkey. /Hürriyet/

    [02] US PRESS SPOTLIGHTS TO ECEVIT'S US VISIT

    Major US dailies the New York Times and Wall Street Journal gave wide coverage to Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the US in their Tuesday editions. The Times stated that the sensitive issue of Iraq would inevitably be a focus during Ecevit's visit. The Turkish government, which permits US planes to use Turkey's Incirlik Airbase for their armed patrols of northern Iraq's "no-fly" zone, had previously opposed U.S. intervention in Iraq. "Ankara fears that the rise of a strong independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq would strengthen ethnic Kurdish separatism in Turkey", said the paper. "Turkey believes that any US intervention in Iraq would deal a blow to the Turkish economy, which has already suffered greatly in losses due to past US policies over Iraq. Since the current Turkish government places a high premium on putting the Turkish economy back on its feet, Ecevit is expected to request that the US takes a number of economic measures to support Turkey. Among his expected requests are lifting the current quotas on Turkish textiles and taking appropriate measures to help Turkey increase its competitiveness in the world market." For its part, the Wall Street Journal stated that Ecevit would ask US President Bush questions on US' future plans concerning Iraq and would try to gauge Turkey's gains and losses should it support US military intervention in that country. "Ecevit might insist that US plans for Iraq must be prepared by taking Turkey's interests into consideration," said the paper. "Turkey's stability is very important for the Bush administration, since it is the most important US ally in the region." /Cumhuriyet/

    [03] RICE: "TURKEY IS AN EXEMPLARY COUNTRY"

    US National Security Chief Advisor Condoleezza Rice yesterday said that Turkey was an exemplary country in the fight against terrorism and in demonstrating that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. In an interview with a group of Turkish journalists at the White House, Rice said that negotiations between Turkey and the IMF were encouraging and that financial support for Turkey would continue as long as its economic reforms continue to be implemented. Regarding the Iraq issue, Rice stated that the US administration has not made any decision on how to proceed yet. /Turkiye/

    [04] IRAQ URGES TURKEY NOT TO SUPPORT THE US

    State-controlled Iraqi daily newspaper Babil urged Turkey yesterday not to support any possible US intervention in Iraq. Stating that cooperating with its neighbor Iraq would be more beneficial for the Turkish people, the paper argued that the Iraqi administration had always been careful in its relations with Turkey and that the Turkish government was well aware of this fact. /Cumhuriyet/

    [05] ECEVIT SENDS LETTERS TO MUSHERREF AND VAJPAYI

    Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit sent letters yesterday to Pakistani head of state Pervez Musherref and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayi expressing his concern about the recently increasing tension between the two countries. Ecevit remarked that any struggle between India and Pakistan would adversely affect peace and stability in the whole region./Cumhuriyet/

    [06] DE SOTO TO MEET TWO CYPRUS LEADERS TODAY

    UN Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto yesterday traveled to Cyprus in order to observe a fresh round of direct talks on the island due to begin tomorrow. De Soto was welcomed by Turkish Republic of the Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides, and he said that the procedure to be followed during the direct talks was under consideration. Commenting on Denktas' recent statement that he could not make use of de Soto's accompanying legal team, de Soto said, "I have my legal advisor with me, which is his customary place. The other people on my team are all jurists. Here they are, what can I do?" De Soto is due to meet the two leaders again today. The TRNC delegation chaired by Denktas will consist of Presidential Undersecretary Ergun Olgun and Foreign and Defense Ministry Undersecretary Resat Caglar and other staff. /Aksam/

    [07] SAUDI ARABIA DEFENDS CASTLE DEMOLITION

    Defending an action, which has outraged many Turks, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Ankara Muhammed El Bassam said yesterday that his country had been acting in the interests of Muslim pilgrims when it recently demolished a historic Ottoman fortress in Mecca. The Saudi government tore down the castle several weeks ago to make way for a trade center and hotel it said was needed to serve the millions of pilgrims who make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. "Every step taken by the Saudi government is for the benefit of the pilgrimage and for the safety and comfort of the pilgrims," said Ambassador Al Bassam, reiterating that the castle was Saudi property. He repeated Saudi government's assertion that the 200-year-old Ajyad Castle would be reassembled elsewhere. The Turkish government has labeled the Saudi action "a cultural massacre", which is contrary to Turkey's policy in favor of preserving relics of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans and the Middle East including Mecca and Medina. /Cumhuriyet/

    [08] EU PUTS AID TO TURKEY IN SEPARATE CATEGORY

    In an apparent abrogation of its own Helsinki summit recommendations regarding member candidate financial aid, the EU's European Council decided yesterday to put its aid to Turkey in an altogether separate category. Decisions taken at the summit had indicated to Turkey that all EU aid to member candidates would be treated collectively. Despite this, however, Turkish aid is being treated by the new decision as "Mediterranean" aid, separate from all other member candidates' financial aid. /Hürriyet/

    [09] RUSSIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS TURKEY

    Gen. Anatoliy Kvashnin, the Russian Federation's chief of general staff, arrived in Ankara yesterday at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu. Following meetings between the two military men and their staffs, an agreement concerning military cooperation and personnel training was signed. Gen. Kivrikoglu said that the new agreement would give momentum to relations between the two countries. Gen. Kvashnin said that the two countries were unique in the world and they both had great responsibilities both in Europe and Asia. /Turkiye/

    [10] UPI: "TURKEY, ISRAEL AND INDIA HAVE FORMED A TRIPLE ALLIANCE"

    Quoting unnamed diplomatic sources, UPI news agency reported yesterday that Turkey, Israel and India had formed a "triple alliance" in the Eurasia region. The agency also said that Turkey was acting together with Israeli security forces in operations in northern Iraq and that the two countries hoped that the United States would award a contract to produce Arrow 2 missiles to a joint Turkish-Israeli consortium. India reportedly wants to join the consortium to make the missiles. /Hürriyet/

    [11] YILMAZ: "PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EDUCATION"

    Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz attended an opening ceremony of a primary school in Bursa yesterday. Addressing the ceremony Yilmaz said, "Turkey is trying to overcome a great economic crisis. However, education always has priority above all issues in Turkey." Stressing that the government had made major initiatives in primary education since 1998, Yilmaz said, "Yet large investments in education are still needed. We have to educate our children according to world standards." He also asked that citizens support government investments in education. /Turkiye/

    [12] AUTO EXECUTIVE: "TURKEY HAS GREAT POTENTIAL"

    Mark A. Schulz, former Ford Otosan director general before his promotion to Ford Motor Company deputy director general, yesterday stated that in spite of Turkey's economic crisis, Ford had not changed its plans concerning the country. Stating that the Turkish automotive industry had begun a period of development in 1999 and had continued to grow, Schulz added, "As last year's figures for the sector show, the Turkish automotive sector's biggest opportunity lies in its potential for exports. Among the characteristics that have impressed me the most is the importance Turkish workers place on their jobs and their devotion to their work," he said. Schulz went to praise Turkey on a number of points: "Considering in particular the cost of workmanship and comparing production quality, Turkey clearly has a great potential. I think Turkey's location and its qualified workforce make it an attractive option. In the future, Turkey might be a center for European production." /Aksam/

    [13] TOURISM GROUP PREDICTS 17 MILLION TOURISTS IN TURKEY IN 2010

    A study just released by the World Tourism Organization estimates that by 2010 Turkey would see 17 million tourists visit the country annually, and that by 2020 this number would grow to a full 27 million. The study states that the 21 Mediterranean region currently enjoy some 200 million visitors per year and that this number is expected to rise to 350 million by 2020. It also predicts that Croatia and Egypt will compete with Turkey for tourists in the years to come. /Turkiye/

    [14] BRITISH MODERN MUSIC FESTIVAL BEGIN IN ISTANBUL

    The British Modern Music Festival will begin in Istanbul today. Sponsored by the British Council, the festival will feature performances by musicians in all genres from throughout Great Britain. The event will last through Jan. 19. /Turkiye/

    [15] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...

    [16] TURKEY AND THE US BY OKTAY EKSI (HURRIYET)

    Columnist Oktay Eksi comments on Prime Minister Ecevit's visit to Washington and its significance regarding Turkish-US relations. A summary of his column is as follows: "Prime Minister Ecevit's visit to the US began yesterday. There are many reasons why this visit bears significance both for the US and us. It is important for Turkey as it does not have the ability to repay the heavy bills which have piled up, as a result of years-long mistaken economic and fiscal policies b itself; it needs US support. Furthermore, it is certain that if these bills are not paid chaos in the streets, just as in Argentina, or military coups may be in the offing. Therefore, Turkey is sending its most unyielding prime minister to the US to acquiesce to most of its demands. In return, the US knows that it needs Turkey as a reliable ally in the region to help protect its strategic interests. However, there are other issues, which make this visit more interesting. During the late 1970s and during the '80s the US wanted 'moderate Islam' to be in power. A state which had abandoned Ataurk's reforms or the nation-state model was more in line with its aspirations...It would be easy to mold Turkey into a model of its choice if these two pillars were destroyed. Many supported this idea both within Turkey and abroad. However, it seems that Turkey's base was well built and strong. The actions of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Sept. 11 Twin Towers tragedy brought everyone to their senses. It was understood that Turkey as a nation-state and based on secular and democratic principles was important both for peace in the world and the Middle East, and to the advantage of the West's interests. Now, it is time to help Turkey. This is an important opportunity for Turkey. Now, Turkey has the image of a country which must not be shoved around and whose significance is well understood. Turkey must use this opportunity well and for example, take steps facilitating its membership to the EU. Therefore, the Bush administration must avoid overtures saying that they would expect Turkish military support when they attack Iraq. It should not give support to projects which would lead to the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. Otherwise, the US will draw harsh reactions from the Turkish public. If the US wants to take Turkey by its side, it must warn Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration and call on them to accept the legal rights of the Turkish Cypriots on the island."

    [17] EYES ON WASHINGTON BY FUAT BOL (TURKIYE)

    Columnist Fuat Bol writes on Prime Minister Ecevit's visit to the US and its possible consequences. A summary of his column is as follows: "Prior to Prime Minister Ecevit, Greek Prime Minister Simitis paid an official visit to Washington and returned to his country after holding talks there. Whatever has been discussed with Simitis, especially on Cyprus and the disputes between Turkey and Greece, will be understood following Ecevit's trip. The stance of the US will be understood only after his visit. It seems hard for Greece and Turkey to resolve their differences without the arbitration of the US. Although Turkey intervened in Cyprus based on its guarantorship rights recognized by international treaties, it has been unable to explain the legality of its action to the world in the years since 1974, when the intervention was made, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus established on the north of the island is not internationally recognized. From that day on, Northern Cypriots have suffered from a lack of identity. Their passports are not valid in any country besides Turkey, and they have been strangled by an incredibly harsh embargo imposed upon them. The prime minister who decided on a military intervention in Cyprus nearly two decades ago was Bulent Ecevit. Today, the same Ecevit is seeking a solution to the Cyprus problem again as the prime minister of his country. Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Turkey's significance was understood more clearly. The US knows this full well. The important thing here is for Ecevit to stay firm and defend Turkey's interests. Unfortunately Turkey has been unable to score the same successes with the US as have Jordan and Egypt. They have both been able to get their debts to the US erased, and were furthermore granted new and generous sums in loans. What's more the US gave them trade privileges. In fact, Turkey is the one country which since 1991 has born the brunt of the Gulf War and suffered great losses amounting to billions of dollars. Now a similar Gulf scenario is being discussed. Therefore, the US stance regarding Cyprus and Iraq is of crucial importance to Turkey. When the world is being shaped anew, the US needs to cooperate with Turkey as much as Turkey needs the US."

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