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Turkish Press Review, 07-10-02
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
02.10.2007
FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES GERMAN GREENS’ ROTH
[02] NEW LEGISLATIVE YEAR BEGINS
[03] IN WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACK, THREE CABINET MINISTERS TO VISIT SOUTHEAST
[04] BUYUKANIT: “DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS, SOME FRIENDLY COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TERRORISM”
[05] US EMBASSY CONDEMNS PKK ATTACK IN SIRNAK
[06] TOP CHP OFFICIAL STEPS DOWN, REMAINS DEPUTY
[07] FORMER HEALTH MINISTER AKTUNA TO BE LAID TO REST TODAY
[08] TEEN CONFESSES IN DINK MURDER TRIAL
[09] THREE MONTHS EARLY, EXPORTS BREAK ANNUAL RECORD
[10] BLOODY TERRORISM!
[01] PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES GERMAN GREENS’ ROTH
Claudia Roth, co-chair of the German Greens Party, yesterday visited
President Abdullah Gul. Afterwards, Roth told reporters that they had had a
very open and serious meeting and that she appreciated his being so open
about Turkey’s relations with the European Union. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] NEW LEGISLATIVE YEAR BEGINS
The new legislative year began yesterday in Parliament with an address by
President Abdullah Gul. In his speech, Gul stated that efforts to draft a
new constitution should seek an inclusive approach which would strengthen
national unity and social solidarity, protect basic rights and freedoms,
and affirm the democratic, secular and social character of the state. “I
am confident that ongoing lively discussions about a new constitution will
yield the best constitutional arrangements with the contributions of
political parties and every sector of society,” he told the assembled
deputies. Following Gul, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said that under
Article 4 of the Constitution, the Constitution’s first three articles
cannot be altered. “Nobody should doubt that the Republic of Turkey will
live forever in glory,” he added, “with the same basic features that
enabled its foundation.” At a reception marking the new legislative year
held by Toptan, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there was no
need to establish a reconciliation committee for the new constitution,
saying it would serve no purpose. /All papers/
[03] IN WAKE OF TERRORIST ATTACK, THREE CABINET MINISTERS TO VISIT
SOUTHEAST
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and
government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that several subjects had been
discussed, including political issues, a new anti-terror pact with Iraq,
and recent terrorist attacks. Asked about Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar
Buyukanit’s remarks about the new draft constitution, Cicek declined to
comment. Commenting on Saturday’s PKK attack in the southeastern province
of Sirnak, which took 12 lives, Cicek said that Interior Minister Besir
Atalay, Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker, and State Minister Mehmet Simsek,
along with deputies representing the region, would visit the area. Cicek
added that fighting terrorism is always a top issue for Turkey. /Cumhuriyet-
Turkiye/
[04] BUYUKANIT: “DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS, SOME FRIENDLY COUNTRIES
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TERRORISM”
Speaking at the War Academy for the opening of the 2007-2008 school year,
Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit spoke about terrorism,
Turkey’s secular system and northern Iraq. Lamenting that some countries
continue to support terrorism, Buyukanit stressed that he had urged many
friendly countries to change their ways, but in vain. “All the countries
we warned continued to directly or indirectly support terror,” said
Buyukanit. “In the fight against terrorism, words mean nothing.”
Touching on northern Iraq, Buyukanit said that the Turkish Armed Forces
(TSK) was closely watching developments there and added that what he saw
troubled him. Buyukanit also stated that he was following the drafting of a
new draft constitution and would speak to the officials responsible after
the draft is finalized. /Sabah/
[05] US EMBASSY CONDEMNS PKK ATTACK IN SIRNAK
The US Embassy yesterday issued a statement condemning Saturday’s PKK
terrorist attack in Sirnak, which killed 12 civilians. “We were deeply
saddened and shocked to learn of Saturday’s bus attack in Sirnak and we
categorically condemn the perpetrators of this brutal act of terrorism,”
said the statement. “Our sympathies go out to the families and friends of
the 12 victims killed in the attack. The United States remains a staunch
supporter of Turkey’s efforts to combat the PKK and terrorism in all its
forms.” /Turkiye/
[06] TOP CHP OFFICIAL STEPS DOWN, REMAINS DEPUTY
Oguz Oyan, Izmir deputy of the main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP), yesterday resigned from his party posts, deputy secretary-general
and Central Executive Board (MYK) member, but retained his seat in
Parliament. In a statement, Oyan said that it was time for new things,
adding that new words from the mouths of the old were not believable.
/Sabah/
[07] FORMER HEALTH MINISTER AKTUNA TO BE LAID TO REST TODAY
Former Health Minister Yildirim Aktuna, who lost his life over the weekend
to a serious illness, will be laid to rest today in Istanbul’s
Zincirlikuyu cemetery. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] TEEN CONFESSES IN DINK MURDER TRIAL
In the second hearing in the assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink in Istanbul yesterday, the primary suspect, a juvenile
identified as O.S, confessed to the slaying. Two other suspects, Zeynel
Abidin Yavuz and Tuncay Uzundal, also testified. Tight security measures
were taken around the courthouse in the Besiktas district where the hearing
was held. The next hearing is set for next February. /Turkish Daily News/
[09] THREE MONTHS EARLY, EXPORTS BREAK ANNUAL RECORD
Three months before the New Year, for the first time ever Turkey’s annual
exports rose above the $100 billion mark, setting a new record. According
to the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM), exports so far this year total
$100 billion, an increase of over 23%. TIM head Oguz Satici and State
Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday announced the export figures at a ceremony
at the old Parliament building. Tuzmen said that when exports hit $200
billion, Turkey’s per capita income would reach $10,000. He added that 16
members of the 27-member European Union would not reach $100 billion in
exports. /Milliyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS…
[10] BLOODY TERRORISM!
BY HASAN CEMAL (MILLIYET)
Columnist Hasan Cemal comments on a conference in Diyarbakir on the Kurdish
issue and the peace process in Turkey. A summary of his column is as
follows:
“I went to a conference on ‘Kurds and the Peace Process in Turkey,’
co-organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation and the local bar association,
in Diyarbakir last weekend. I think this was the first ever meeting in
Diyarbakir whose title mentions the Kurds by name. People showed great
interest in it and filled the convention hall throughout the weekend. The
Kurdish issue, the terrorist PKK and weapons were all discussed and probed
during the meeting’s formal sessions and also on its sidelines. In the
words of one of my colleagues, ‘The Kurds not only talked, but they also
started to argue with each other.’ This is partially true. I met two
young teachers there. When I said that an atmosphere of free discussion had
shown great development and that certain taboos had been broken, one of the
teachers said that they had a friend in Iraq’s Kandil mountains (where
the terrorist PKK takes shelter) and that they even discuss (convicted PKK
terrorist leader) Abdullah Ocalan with him.
Even Ocalan, he said! This should be emphasized. So what they were
discussing and what were they fighting about? I last visited the region
before the general elections this July. Also at that time, I noticed that
people had started to discuss certain issues. But this atmosphere of
discussion grew stronger after the elections, because the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) got a lot more votes from Kurds, even more than
the Democratic Society Party (DTP) got. Now the AKP is getting ready for
next year’s local elections and wants to capture cities, especially
Diyarbakir. One hotel owner said that if the AKP candidate is good, it
would be able to win control of the city government. In short, supporters
of the DTP and PKK and Kurdish intellectuals are confused by the rise of
the AKP in the southeastern Anatolia. That’s why they talk among
themselves and even argue publicly about these issues: the PKK and armed
conflict, violence and terrorist tactics, relations with the AKP government,
a proposed new civilian constitution, the possibility of the PKK declaring
a longer cease-fire, the shadow of Ocalan and Iraq’s Mt. Kandil on the
Kurdish political movement, and how to strengthen democracy and the rule of
law in Turkey.
It’s good that these issues are being discussed openly. It’s vitally
important for this country, in terms of stability, peace and democracy,
that people have started to understand that armed conflict is a dead end
and the idea of giving up violence has been taking hold. As long as PKK
doesn’t lay down its weapons, things will continue to be hard for Turkey.
Obviously, the ruling AKP should do something about this. When the issue
was being discussed last weekend, the news of the terrible massacre came
from Diyarbakir’s Beytussebap district: the PKK opened fire at a minibus
and 12 people died. Bloody terrorism! What more can be said?”
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