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Turkish Press Review, 08-06-09
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
09.06.2008
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] GUL HAILS VISIT TO JAPAN AS TURNING POINT FOR TURKEY
[02] ERDOGAN: "THE AKP WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE ITS COURSE"
[03] TOPTAN IN ATHENS FOR BSEC GATHERING
[04] THIRD TURKISH-ARAB FORUM IN ISTANBUL THIS WEEK
[05] DSP'S SEZER: "THE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SHOULD UNBIASED"
[06] IMF: "TURKEY WILL BECOME THE WORLD'S 16TH-LARGEST ECONOMY"
[07] "SONBAHAR" GETS TOP NOD AT ADANA GOLDEN COCOON FILM FESTIVAL
[08] EVEN THEY CALL THE DECISION AN INSULT
[01] GUL HAILS VISIT TO JAPAN AS TURNING POINT FOR TURKEY
President Abdullah Gul yesterday returned to Turkey after completing a four-
day visit to Japan. Speaking to reporters, Gul said that his talks in Japan
had been friendly, reflecting the traditional good relations between the
two countries. Stating that both sides had worked on the ways to boost
bilateral cooperation, Gul called the visit a turning point for Turkey's
policy of reaching out towards the eastern Asia and Pacific region. Saying
that Japan and other Far Eastern countries see Turkey as an influential and
important country in its region, the president reiterated that Turkey is
also an important trade partner for them due to its close relations with
the Europe, the Middle East, and the Balkans. /Star-Cumhuriyet/
[02] ERDOGAN: "THE AKP WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE ITS COURSE"
Speaking at a meeting of his party's women branch yesterday, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP) would continue to follow the course it had laid
out. Referring to last week's Constitutional Court ruling overturning
constitutional changes to lift the headscarf ban at universities, and
claims that the ruling had strengthened chances the court would also decide
in favor of closing down the AKP, Erdogan said, "Don't let anything
discourage you. The AKP will determinedly continue to pursue its goals. No
power can deter us from our course. Don't let yourself be demoralized by
such developments." /Milliyet/
[03] TOPTAN IN ATHENS FOR BSEC GATHERING
Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, accompanied by his wife, yesterday
traveled to Athens to attend a meeting today of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) Parliamentary Assembly. While there, Toptan is also due
to hold bilateral meetings with top Greek officials, among other
appointments. /Turkiye/
[04] THIRD TURKISH-ARAB FORUM IN ISTANBUL THIS WEEK
The Third Turkish-Arab Forum, led by Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations
Board (DEIK), will start in Istanbul this week. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan will give the opening the speech at the forum, which will also be
attended by his Syrian counterpart Naji Otri, his Palestinian counterpart
Salam Fayyad, and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa. Banking and
finance will be discussed at the meeting, which nearly 400 foreign
investors and businessmen are expected to attend. Rifat Hisarciklioglu,
chairman of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB),
yesterday said he expects the meeting to do much to promote Turkish-Arab
cooperation. /Star/
[05] DSP'S SEZER: "THE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER SHOULD UNBIASED"
It is improper for the Parliament speaker to criticize top court decisions,
said opposition Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Zeki Sezer yesterday.
Speaking at a meeting of his party in Edremit, Balikesir, Sezer said that
no one has the right to increase tension in Turkey. Addressing Parliament
Speaker Koksal Toptan's remarks criticizing a Constitutional Court ruling
upholding the headscarf ban at universities, Sezer accused Toptan of not
acting impartially, adding that Toptan had been a consensus candidate for
the post. He should defend the judicial branch as much as the legislative,
Sezer added. /Hurriyet/
[06] IMF: "TURKEY WILL BECOME THE WORLD'S 16TH-LARGEST ECONOMY"
Five years from now, Turkey will have the world's 16th-largest economy,
according to the International Monetary Fund. Under IMF projections for
2008-20013, Turkey's gross domestic product (GDP) in terms of purchasing
power parity will increase to $942 billion by year's-end, and reach $1.3
trillion by 2013. /Milliyet/
[07] "SONBAHAR" GETS TOP NOD AT ADANA GOLDEN COCOON FILM FESTIVAL
At its concluding awards ceremony yesterday, the Fifth Adana Golden Cocoon
Film Festival gave director Ozcan Alper's "Sonbahar" (Autumn) the award for
best film. Many actors, directors, reporters and producers attended the
gala event. /Hurriyet/
FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS
[08] EVEN THEY CALL THE DECISION AN INSULT
BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on France's stance on Turkey's EU membership
bid. A summary of her column is as follows:
"For the first time, senators from France's ruling party have cried foul at
the position of their leader and the party itself. Senators from President
Nicholas Sarkozy's Union for a Secular Movement (UMP) stated that they
would object to a constitutional amendment to make Turkey's European Union
membership subject to a referendum. The package of constitutional changes
in question was passed by parliamentarians last week, and a final vote by
deputies and senators is due on July 7. Former French Prime Minister Jean
Pierre Raffarin stated that he was against holding a referendum on Turkey.
According to Raffarin, pointing specifically to one country in the
Constitution is improper. The same point was brought up by the party's
minister responsible for European affairs. But Sarkozy isn't forsaking a
political leadership based on fear and reluctance about Turkey's membership,
something which already exists in France and the European public.
His stance didn't soften during his recent visit to Greece, either. During
the visit, Sarkozy got a great deal of support from Athens. Speaking at the
Greek Parliament, he said he stood with Greece and advocated that the
separation on Cyprus be ended completely. These remarks got hearty applause,
but they couldn't reach an agreement on the Turkey issue. Athens wants to
avoid anything which might hinder Turkey's full membership bid. During the
visit, opposition leader George Papandreou gave Sarkozy a letter saying
that the promises which were made to Turkey about full membership should be
kept and that Turkey should also fulfill all its responsibilities.
This whole debate has avoided one issue. Sarkozy is considered the leader
of the campaign against Turkey's EU membership, but actually this is
France's position. Sarkozy's policies shape France's stance on Turkey.
Obviously, this situation has made relations between the two countries
suffer. So is all this something new? No, of course not. It actually began
with debate over the EU constitution and elections in France - in short,
after Turkey's candidacy was officially accepted. But Turkey never too it
seriously enough. Ankara says that it favors the EU, but it does nothing to
develop innovative policies to overcome the biggest hurdles on this road.
Some may call this characterization unfair. The government might ague that
it has tried hard to reverse this situation, but to little avail. If it had
been effective, results would have been seen. I don't mean boycotting
French products or provoking crises. This is something which could get back
on track by a proper determination of priorities. If your priority isn't
supporting your domestic policies, but becoming a full EU member, then the
policies and results you promote will be different. At a time when even
French politicians call this decision isolating Turkey in the French
Constitution an insult, feelings on this issue should have been expressed
more effectively."
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