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Turkish Press Review, 07-10-25Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning25.10.2007FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNSCONTENTS
[01] NSC RECOMMENDS EMBARGO ON N.IRAQI GROUPS AIDING TERRORISTSThe National Security Council (NSC), chaired by President Abdullah Gul, convened yesterday. The council decided to advise the government to impose an economic embargo on groups which lend direct or indirect support to the terrorist PKK. During its six-hour meeting, the NSC discussed the PKK terrorism issue and measures to combat the group. In addition to recommending the embargo, a statement released afterwards urged people to act with common sense and maintain the spirit of public amity. The statement also touched on the Armenian resolution before the US House of Representatives, calling it completely unacceptable. The NSC meeting was the first for both a number of Cabinet ministers of the new government and military officers who took command in August, as well as the recently elected president. /Turkiye/[02] TOPTAN: “GUL’S TERM WILL BE SHORTENED TO FIVE YEARS”Following the overwhelming passage of a package of constitutional changes in last weekend’s referendum, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan said yesterday that under the changes, the deputies currently in office will serve for four years and President Abdullah Gul will serve for five. Speaking to reporters, Toptan stated that in his legal opinion, Gul can be reelected for another five-year term if he wants one. Commenting on a possible Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq, Toptan underlined that Turkey is targeting the terrorists, not the region, adding that everything necessary will be done to end the PKK terrorist threat. /Hurriyet/[03] ERDOGAN: “IF IRAQ FAILS TO TAKE ACTION, TURKEY WILL EXERCISE ITS RIGHTS”If Iraq fails to keep its promises to fight against the PKK in northern Iraq and continues to shelter the terrorists, Turkey will definitely exercise its rights under international law, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Asked by reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport about US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent statement saying the US is ready to take immediate steps to prevent terrorists infiltrating Turkey, Erdogan said that Turkey has run out of patience and needs to see concrete steps taken. /Star/[04] US’ RICE: “WE’RE PLANNING IMMEDIATE ACTION”In the runup to attending the Iraq meeting in Istanbul on Nov. 2-3, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday said that Turkey and Iraq should make extraordinary efforts to solve the problems of cross-border terrorism. Testifying before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rice said this week has seen a difficult situation along the Turkish-Iraqi border. Citing her recent conversations with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and, separately, Iraqi Kurds, Rice said that Iraq should not be a place where terrorism can hurt Turkey. Rice also stated that Turkey, Iraq and US have a trilateral mechanism and are planning to take immediate action in order to stop terrorist attacks from coming across the border. /Aksam/[05] TALABANI: “THOUSANDS OF PKK MILITANTS ARE IN THE KANDIL MOUNTAINS”Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said yesterday that the Kandil Mountains provide shelter for thousands of PKK militants. Talabani early in the day said that the Iraqi government would hand over PKK terrorists to Turkish authorities, but later reversed this, saying that PKK leaders were not in northern Iraqi cities, but thousands of terrorists are the Kandil Mountains. “That’s why we can’t capture the terrorists and hand them over to Turkey,” said Talabani. He added that they place great importance on the Iraq summit in Istanbul next week and he could even attend it. /Türkiye/[06] DUTCH TURKEY RAPPORTEUR: “TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF”Ahead of a November report by the EU commission assessing Turkey’s progress towards full membership, lawmakers of the European Parliament yesterday discussed a report on Turkey, amid headlines about a possible cross-border operation into northern Iraq and the PKK’s latest attacks. Dutch MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten, who wrote the report, said that Turkey has the right to self-defense. Speaking to journalists, the Dutch rapporteur said that the EP can’t tell a country not to defend itself. EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn also said yesterday that Turkey has a right to protect itself. He stressed that they understand Turkey’s fight against terrorism, adding he hopes the problem can be solved through diplomatic and political means. /Sabah/[07] AYDIN: “THE WORLD NEEDS THE UN TODAY MORE THAN EVER”A reception was held yesterday in Ankara marking the United Nations 62nd anniversary. Speaking at the gathering, State Minister Mehmet Aydin said that the world needs the UN as an organization to promote peace and justice in the world today more than ever. /Milliyet/[08] CITING DOMESTIC CONDITIONS, CHIEF OF STAFF BUYUKANIT POSTPONES VISIT TO ISRAELChief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit has postponed his visit to Israel scheduled for next week. Buyukanit sent a letter to his Israeli counterpart saying that due to recent developments and exigent circumstances in Turkey, he was obliged to postpone his trip, and that he would like pay a visit in the near future. /Cumhuriyet/[09] BARZANI FAMILY SAID TO REAP BILLIONS IN OIL SMUGGLING THROUGH TURKEYKurdish leader Massoud Barzani and his family are alleged to be reaping billions through illegal oil smuggling along the Mersin-Erbil route between Turkey and northern Iraq, which has become the chief route in the Mideast for smugglers. The Barzanis are said to be reaping some $2 billion in smuggling through Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/[10] ACTOR COSTNER DUE TO VISIT ISTANBULActor Kevin Costner will come to Istanbul in his private jet this Saturday. Costner will be in Turkey for the first stage of the project “Hollywood Stars in Turkey.” Next Tuesday, Costner, accompanied by his band Modern West, will perform at Istanbul’s WOW Convention Center. /Turkish Daily News/FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS [11] CHICKEN HAWKSBY SOLI OZEL (SABAH)Columnist Soli Ozel comments on US neoconservatives and Turkey’s stance on the terrorist PKK attacks. A summary of his column is as follows: “Most of the US neoconservatives " the designers, architects and implementers of the US invasion of Iraq " never served in uniform. It’s not clear if they know the meaning of ‘war’ or ‘front.’ Few have lost relatives to war. Of course it was seen as strange that they argued for war with such enthusiasm and fervor and supported the Iraq war even after being personally reproached for its failure. There’s an epithet for people like that, who never saw battle but love sending others " mostly poor people " into arm’s way: chicken hawks. Following the great sorrows of recent weeks, Turkey has seen a boom in the number of its own chicken hawks. Particularly some reporters and columnists exploit people’s emotions and send them into a rage. It’s hard to figure out if their writing comes from their cynicism, or from their indifference about the consequences of such writing. What’s more, they argue that we should fight the Iraqi Kurds, as if the terrorist PKK isn’t enough. Turkey is suffering terribly. This sorrow isn’t limited to the families of those who died or to certain ethnic groups either. This sorrow and anger felt by the entire nation can’t guide those formulate policies. The people responsible for governing us have to avoid choices which are likely to make the nation pay a higher price in the long term. Even if politicians and the state can understand the nation’s anger, they are also responsible for preventing shockwaves from them. Yesterday Turkey answered the recent attacks with air power. Under current circumstances, this was an appropriate and measured response. Besides the air operation, there are also other steps which can be taken. Going beyond this and launching an all-out operation with the land forces would play into the political calculations of other and set in motion a process whose end is unforeseeable. As former National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Sonmez Koksal told Milliyet columnist Devrim Seminay, the Turkish people have been led to think that if a cross-border operation is carried out, terrorism will end. He added that when it becomes clear that terrorism can’t be rooted out with only one operation, the people will be disappointed. Koksal also said that an operation was only one possible tool and suggested that Turkey should produce a plan in line with the new truths in Iraq. There are also reasons for thinking that the Iraqi Kurdish leaders saw the limits of their power in the recent incidents. In addition, it’s evident that Turkey’s friendship with the US is also frayed. This is one reason why the US acted more seriously following the recent PKK attacks. Now is when we need sustained diplomacy and cool-headed politics.” Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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