|
|
Turkish Press Review, 03-11-21
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
21.11.2003
FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS
GLOBAL COMPETITION AND SOLIDARITY
BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
CONTENTS
[01] ISTANBUL ROCKED BY TWIN
[02] TRUCK BOMBINGS
[03] SEZER: “TERRORISM CAN ACHIEVE NOTHING”
[04] ERDOGAN: “TURKEY STANDS TOGETHER IN THE FACE OF ATTACKS”
[05] GUL: “TURKEY WILL NOT BOW TO TERRORISM”
[06] BUSH, BLAIR DENOUNCE LATEST BOMBINGS
[07] STRAW: “THESE APPALLING ATTACKS BOOST OUR DETERMINATION TO SEE TURKEY IN THE EU”
[08] WORLD CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL
[09] NATO CONDEMNS ISTANBUL ATTACKS
[10] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS ATTACKS TODAY
[11] PARTY LEADERS UNITED IN CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS
[12] AKSU: “THE ATTACKS WERE ATTEMPTS TO DAMAGE TURKEY’S VALUES AND STABILITY”
[13] IMF’S DAWSON: “WE’VE SEEN PROGRESS IN TURKEY’S ECONOMY SINCE THE SIXTH REVIEW”
[14] TALABANI: “IRAQ WANTS TO SEE AN ARMY OF TURKISH BUSINESSMEN, NOT SOLDIERS”
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS
[16] GLOBAL COMPETITION AND SOLIDARITY
[17] BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
[18] TO OUR READERS
[01] ISTANBUL ROCKED BY TWIN
[02] TRUCK BOMBINGS
Two suicide bombers blew up trucks packed with explosives minutes apart in
Istanbul yesterday outside the British Consulate and the headquarters of a
London-based bank, HSBC, killing at least 27 people and injuring more than
450. The twin attacks, which coincided with US President George W. Bush's
visit to Britain, caused chaos in the city still reeling from suicide
bombings at two synagogues on Saturday. The first pickup truck exploded
outside the headquarters of HSBC, the world's second-largest bank,
destroying the facade of the 18-story building and blowing out windows.
About 10 minutes later, a second truck slammed into the gate of the British
Consulate five miles away in Beyoglu. The blast destroyed annexes to the
main building and tore apart a wall surrounding the consulate's garden.
Among the dead were British Consul-General Roger Short and his personal
assistant Lisa Hallworth. Almost 100 Turkish troops were deployed after the
blast. Turkey's stock market started falling after the attacks and was
closed minutes later after plummeting 7 percent. It is to remain closed
today. Turkish security forces have stepped up security measures both in
Istanbul and the capital, Ankara, where roads leading to the US and British
embassies were either controlled or sealed off to traffic. The country,
after being the target of the worst terrorist attacks in its history, is on
red alert. /All Papers/
[03] SEZER: “TERRORISM CAN ACHIEVE NOTHING”
Nothing can be achieved through terrorism, said President Ahmet Necdet
Sezer yesterday in a statement denouncing the latest deadly attacks in
Istanbul. The president emphasized that terrorism constitutes a crime
against humanity. “I call on our citizens to have common sense and to help
the officials in charge,” added Sezer. “The aim of terror is to create fear,
intimidation and panic. Together with our nation, our state has the power
to overcome any problem facing it. I hope the nation will be spared such
tragedies and will suffer no further causalities.” Sezer also offered his
condolences to the families and relatives of the attacks’ victims and
wished a speedy recovery to the injured. /Hurriyet/
[04] ERDOGAN: “TURKEY STANDS TOGETHER IN THE FACE OF ATTACKS”
Turkey will preserve its integrity in the face of the latest terrorist
attacks, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a press conference
last night. Stating that the aim of yesterday’s “attacks against humanity”
would not deter the will of the people or the government, Erdogan said,
“Turkey will continue its international cooperation and solidarity against
every kind of terror.” He added, “National solidarity should hold together
in this situation. The media and politicians should fulfill their
responsibilities. It is too early to tell who is behind the attacks, but
their methods resemble the attacks of five days ago.” /Sabah/
[05] GUL: “TURKEY WILL NOT BOW TO TERRORISM”
The Turkish nation will not bow to terrorism, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
vowed yesterday after hearing of the latest deadly attacks in Istanbul.
Speaking to reporters after returning from Sweden, Gul said that he didn’t
see the attacks as related to the Iraq issue. “Turkey will continue its
steadfast efforts for peace both at home and abroad,” he said. “No one
should doubt this.” He added that terrorism could strike any country and
that international cooperation in the fight against terrorism was a must.
/Turkiye/
[06] BUSH, BLAIR DENOUNCE LATEST BOMBINGS
US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair denounced
yesterday’s bombings in Istanbul, calling them the latest attacks in the
war on terrorism. On his second day in Britain, the terrorist attacks
against the British Consulate and a London-based bank overshadowed Bush’s
first state visit to the country. Speaking at a joint press conference,
both leaders said the Istanbul attacks would not deter them from completing
the job of transforming Iraq into a free, democratic nation run by its
people. Both leaders vowed to crush global terrorists, stating that the
attacks showed how important it is for coalition forces to continue their
mission in Iraq. Bush said the attacks show the “utter contempt” of
terrorists for innocent life and for the religions of those they kill.
“These are al Qaeda killers killing Muslims,” added Bush. “They need to be
stopped… They have demonstrated their ambitions for murder… They hate
freedom. They hate free countries… The terrorists hope to intimidate. They
hope to demoralize. They particularly want to intimidate free nations. They
are not going to succeed. We are united in our determination to fight this
evil wherever it is found." For his part, Blair stated, “Once again we must
affirm that in the face of this terrorism there must be no holding back, no
compromise, no hesitation in confronting this menace, in attacking it,
wherever and whenever we can, and in defeating it utterly. There must be no
holding back, no compromise, no hesitation in confronting this menace [of
terrorism], in attacking it wherever and whenever we can and in defeating
it completely." Both leaders also expressed their deepest condolences to
the Turkish government and the families of the victims, which include
British Consul-General Roger Short. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council also
condemned the attacks and adopted a resolution calling on all nations to
work together to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. /All
Papers/
[07] STRAW: “THESE APPALLING ATTACKS BOOST OUR DETERMINATION TO SEE TURKEY
IN THE EU”
After yesterday’s terrorist bomb attacks against the British Consulate and
London-based HSBC Bank in Istanbul, slaying at least 27 people, including
Consul-General Roger Short, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flew to
Istanbul to survey the damage. Straw later told reporters that the bombings
were attacks against civilization itself. "Far from this hurting Turkey's
application to join the European Union, [these attacks] will increase the
determination of all of us to see Turkey a full member," he added. Straw is
expected to meet later today with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul.
/Milliyet/
[08] WORLD CONDEMNS ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL
Leaders worldwide yesterday spoke as one in their condemnation the latest
terrorist attacks in Istanbul. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called the
attacks inhumane, adding that those responsible clearly lacked respect for
humanity. The European Parliament observed a moment of silence for victims
of he attacks, while the European Commission blasted the “evil”
perpetrators behind the bombings. “I condemn with the utmost vigor the new
terrorist attacks in Istanbul that hit a country that is close to us, and
in that country, the representation of a member state of the EU,” said EU
foreign policy chief Javier Solana, referring to the death of British
Consul-General Roger Short. EU term President Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi also condemned the attacks, saying, "The ferocious attacks that
have yet again hit Istanbul and Turkey leave us shocked and indignant. I
express my personal condolences, as well as those of the Italian government
and people, to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and the victims' family
members." In a letter to his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer, French
President Jacques Chirac said he was "dismayed by the terrorist violence
that has once again hit" Turkey, conveying France's solidarity and his
condolences to the victim's families. "You can be assured of our full
support in your unceasing efforts in the fight against terrorism," the
French leader said. German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder also offered his
condolences to Prime Minister Erdogan. “This criminal attack shows once
again that the fight against terrorism hasn't been won, and that it must be
continued decisively and consistently” Schroeder told a press conference.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer also called his Turkish counterpart
Abdullah Gul to say that he shared the pain of the Turkish people. Greek
Prime Minister Costas Simitis also sent a letter of condolences to his
Turkish counterpart Erdogan condemning the attacks. "The tragic events in
Turkey have proved once again that international terrorism is not reducing
its activities," said Russian President Vladimir Putin. “It can strike in
virtually any place in the world.” Putin also called Erdogan to offer his
condolences. /All papers/
[09] NATO CONDEMNS ISTANBUL ATTACKS
NATO Secretary-General George Robertson yesterday condemned the latest
attacks in Istanbul as “an outrageous attack on democratic values,” vowing
the alliance's solidarity “in the face of the scourge of terrorism.” NATO
yesterday stated that it has no plans to change the venue of an alliance
summit scheduled for Istanbul next year. “We are not going to be
intimidated; the summit continues as planned,” NATO spokesman Jamie Shea
told reporters after a meeting of the alliance's decision-making North
Atlantic Council (NAC), which condemned the attacks as outrageous and
barbaric. “The perpetrators have a clear goal: to sow fear among innocent
civilians,” Robertson said. “They constitute an attack on the democratic
values that NATO stands for and I condemn this action in the strongest
terms. The terrorists who carry out such barbarities will receive the
contempt of all civilized people… Our solidarity is only reinforced by the
latest tragic events.” Meanwhile the NATO-Russia Council also denounced the
Istanbul blasts, saying, “NATO allies, Russia and all civilized peoples
will stand together, determined to work shoulder-to-shoulder in eradicating
the scourge of terrorism, which is a threat to us all regardless of
religion, culture or nationality.” /All Papers/
[10] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS ATTACKS TODAY
Yesterday’s deadly terrorist attacks in Istanbul will be discussed under a
“special agenda” at the National Security Council (MGK) today. A
comprehensive report on fundamentalist religious organizations will be
discussed. Reportedly the activities of religious terrorist groups in
Turkey supporting al Qaeda and their training of militants are covered in
this report. In related news, following yesterday’s deadly terrorist
bombings in Istanbul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and the
General Staff office both condemned the attacks. A General Staff statement
vowed it would continue to do its utmost to protect the nation’s unity.
/Hurriyet/
[11] PARTY LEADERS UNITED IN CONDEMNATION OF TERRORIST ATTACKS
Leaders of parties across Turkey’s political spectrum yesterday united to
condemn the latest terrorist attacks in Istanbul. While denouncing the
deadly bombings, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader
Deniz Baykal also criticized the government, saying it had ignored his own
warnings that new attacks were likely after Saturday’s synagogue bombings.
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar said the attacks proved that
Turkey was facing an organized opponent with deadly intent. Motherland
Party (ANAP) leader Ali Talip Ozdemir called on the nation to unite against
the threat of terrorism. “Everybody should be very cautious, since Turkey
is passing through a vulnerable period,” added Ozdemir. /All papers/
[12] AKSU: “THE ATTACKS WERE ATTEMPTS TO DAMAGE TURKEY’S VALUES AND
STABILITY”
The latest suicide terrorist bombings in Istanbul were attacks against
Turkey’s very values and stability, said Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu
yesterday. “Those trying to send a message through such attacks should know
that they will never win,” he stated. Aksu added that there were clear
parallels between yesterday’s attacks and last weekend’s deadly bombings of
synagogues, also in Istanbul. /Turkiye/
[13] IMF’S DAWSON: “WE’VE SEEN PROGRESS IN TURKEY’S ECONOMY SINCE THE SIXTH
REVIEW”
Tom Dawson, the International Monetary Fund’s external affairs director,
said yesterday that Turkey was continuing to implement the nation’s
economic program successfully as sHown by progress in its economic
indicators since the completion of the sixth review. “Recent positive
developments in the economic indicators show the successful implementation
of the program,” he said. Asked about the possible effects of the recent
terrorist attacks on the economy, Dawson declined comment, but remarked
that the Turkish economy was sound. /Turkiye/
[14] TALABANI: “IRAQ WANTS TO SEE AN ARMY OF TURKISH BUSINESSMEN, NOT
SOLDIERS”
Iraq’s current Governing Council President Jalal Talabani discussed
economic issues with Turkish officials yesterday on the second day of his
visit to Ankara. A protocol to improve economic cooperation between Turkey
and Iraq’s Governing Council was given its final form during yesterday’s
gatherings, which State Minister Kursat Tuzmen attended. Talabani also met
with a number of EU representatives at the Italian Embassy in Ankara. Italy
currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency. “We want to see an army of
Turkish businessmen in Iraq,” Talabani said. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS … FROM THE COLUMNS
[16] GLOBAL COMPETITION AND SOLIDARITY
[17] BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
Columnist Fikret Bila comments on yesterday’s bomb attacks in Istanbul and
global terrorism. A summary of his column is as follows:
“A few days after the weekend bomb attacks in Istanbul, terrorist attacks
struck Istanbul again yesterday, which shows that these attacks will
continue. It was obvious that nothing would be the same and the world was
facing a new era after the Sept. 11 attacks. After those attacks, US
President George W. Bush and British Foreign Minister Tony Blair’s policy
of invasion was unlikely to halt terrorism. Clearly terrorist actions are a
challenge to the hold of the global superpowers. No matter how great are
our military forces, terrorism is a threat against all countries and
nations. The similarity between the methods of these attacks, the equipment
used and the targets chosen show the existence of an organization which has
the ability to take movement and action on the international level.
Turkey should deal with this situation internationally, as international
cooperation against international terrorism is a must. In this process, the
US and Britain should be open to suggestions from the world, in particular
from experienced countries like Turkey, and show the flexibility to review
their policies if necessary. As for Turkey, it’s a country which for 20
years had been mostly left alone in its fight against terrorism, and
ensuring our domestic solidarity and cooperation with all people from all
walks of life seems to be the first requirement of protecting ourselves. We
should do this regardless of our political efforts against terrorism.
First of all, it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure this
atmosphere of solidarity. The best way forward seems to be moving towards
cooperation on the national and international levels without ignoring the
facts or hiding them from the nation due to politics. I extend my
condolences to those who lost their loved ones and my get-well soon wishes
for those injured by yesterday’s attacks.”
[18] TO OUR READERS
In observance of the Seker Bayram Holiday, the Turkish Press Review will
not appear next week. Please join us again on Monday, December 1.
ARCHIVE
<script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="http:/_www.byegm.gov.tr_statistic/countcode.js">
</script>
|