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Turkish Press Review, 00-11-15Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>15.11.00Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[02] PRESIDENT SEZER HOLDS MEETINGSPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer, participating in the Islamic Countries Ninth Head of States and Governments Summit, in Doha, Qatar, held some meetings. Yesterday, Mr. Sezer met with his Indonesian Counterpart, Abdurrahman Vahid and Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Makbule Geco. During the meetings, the leaders discussed bilateral relations. In the late afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Sezer proceeded to Jordan to pay an official visit. He was welcomed at the airport by the Jordanian King and his wife. President Sezer will begin his official meetings in Jordan today. /Turkiye/[03] PRESIDENT DENKTAS ASKS FOR SUPPORTPresident of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas said recognition of sovereignty and statehood for Turkish-Cypriots will help them to reach an agreement with Greek-Cypriots. Returning from Qatar, Mr. Denktas spoke about his meetings during the Islamic Development Organization's Summit. Stressing he did not ask for recognition, but for support, Mr. Denktas pointed out that Islamic countries have strived for the sovereignty of Palestine. He asked them to display the same effort for the Turkish-Cypriots. Reiterating the desire for a solution based on equal conditions, Mr. Denktas said, "The TRNC exists and will exist forever." /Turkiye/[04] LETTERS TO EU LEADERSPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit sent letters to the EU countries' heads of state and some high level EU officials. According to diplomatic sources, Mr. Ecevit conveyed Turkey's concern over the inclusion of the Cyprus issue into the "priority targets" in the recently announced Accession Partnership Document. In his letter, Mr. Ecevit emphasized that a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus issue could only be reached through bilateral meetings between the two sides and by the recognition of the existence of two separate states on the island. Mr. Ecevit reiterated there was no connection between Turkey's EU membership and the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/[05] NATIONAL PROGRAM TO BE PREPAREDThe text of Turkey's national program in response to the Accession Partnership Document declared by the EU Commission is expected to be taken up at the National Security Council (MGK) meeting next week. The draft text of the NP will be prepared by the EU Secretariat General and discussed in the MGK and in the Council of Ministers meetings. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem traveled to Marseilles yesterday. Mr. Cem, who will attend the Europe Mediterrenean Conference, will meet with the foreign ministers of those countries making the final decision on the Accession Partnership Document. Meanwhile, EU Deputy Secretary General Ambassador, Volkan Bozkir, and EU Director General of Foreign Ministry, Metin Alanat, traveled to Brussels for official contacts. They will attend a meeting organized by EU term president France and the EU Commission for public officials of the candidate countries. The Human Rights Coordinator High Council will meet today to discuss the Accession Partnership Document. /Cumhuriyet/[06] SIMITIS' STATEMENT ON CYPRUSGreek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis met yesterday with Greek- Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides, who came to Athens after the fifth round of the Cyprus proximity talks in Geneva. Mr. Simitis claimed the solution for Cyprus should be a bi-zonal federation with one international entity and sovereignty. Speaking on Turkey's Accession Partnership Document recently declared by the EU Commission, Mr.Simitis said, "Greece was against certain approaches in the first document prepared by the EU Commission. As a result of our attempts these approaches in the document have been changed." Referring to Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's speech at the Summit of Conference of Islamic Organization discussing the possible serious problems on Cyprus, Speaker of the Greek government Dimitris Reppas said, "The problem with Cyprus is that the island is under occupation." /Cumhuriyet/[07] VERHEUGEN: "DO NOT SET CYPRUS AS A PRECONDITION TO ANKARA"At yesterday's convention of the EU parliament discussions took place regarding Turkey's full EU membership. Some Italian and French parliamentarians put the so-called Armenian genocide into the agenda saying they will support proposals regarding the inclusion of these claims into the Accession Partnership Document. EU Commissioner responsible for Enlargement, Gunter Verheugen said in response, "Putting the recognition of Armenian genocide as a precondition for Turkey's accession would negatively affect the whole process. Similarly, if you put the solution of Cyprus problem as a precondition, the whole project would fail. It is meaningless to continuously ask Ankara government for a solution to the Cyprus problem. First, steps should be taken for improving the relations with Turkey. You should decide whether you want to take these steps." /Sabah/[08] ARMENIAN LOBBIES IN EPArmenian lobbies are continuing their efforts to include allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide into the draft law up for vote today in the European Parliament (EP). French Parliamentarian Phillipee Morillon, who prepared the Turkey Report, said in a press conference, "The EP should end its hypocracy." Conveying his concern over attempts to include allegations of the so-called Armenian genocide into the draft law, Mr. Morillon said the report will be meaningless if the draft law is approved. "Turkey's participation in the EU is important for both sides.", he added. /Cumhuriyet/[09] EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION MEETS ABDULLAH OCALANA delegation from the European Court of Human Rights met with Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the terrorist organization PKK, who is under a suspended execution sentence. The delegation was brought to Imrali island yesterday where Ocalan is imprisoned. /Milliyet/[10] GUNER: "TURKISH ARMED FORCES DO NOT REJECT FULL EU MEMBERSHIP"The Secretary General of the General Staff, General Aslan Guner, gave a reception for the press yesterday. Mr. Guner said the Turkish Armed Forces(TSK) are not against Turkey's full EU membership. However, it should not be expected that TSK will accept this membership unconditionally. Mr. Guner said the Accession Partnership Document is a unilateral document, not a negotiated one. Mr. Guner said, "However, in the preparation phase of the document, negotiations were held with EU officials and TSK has explained its views regarding the discussion topics. TSK has been defending the unitary structure of the state, democratic and secular principles and these ideas have not changed with time." /Hurriyet/[11] TGNA TO BEGIN DISCUSSING THE 2001 BUDGETThe Planning and Budget Commission of the Turkish Grand National Assembly(TGNA) will begin today to discuss the 2001 budget draft. The discussions will end Dec.1. /Star/[12] AMBASSADOR JONES TO VISIT TURKEYAmbassador Elizabeth Jones, recently posted as US President Bill Clinton's advisor responsible for energy sources in the Caspian region, will visit Turkey to meet with Turkish energy authorities. She is expected to arrive in Turkey tomorrow in the company of her predecessor, Ambassador John Wolf. The Ambassadors will also visit BOTAS facilities in Ceyhan, Adana. /Turkiye/[13] TURKIOG 2000 CONGRESS IN ISTANBULThe Turkish International Oil and Gas (TURKIOG) 2000 Congress and Exhibition will be held with support from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Turkish Petroleum Joint Stock Company (TPAO) and the Pipeline Transportation Joint Stock Company (BOTAS) between November 16-18, and it will be the first international fair and congress in the energy industry. The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Cumhur Ersumer, the Director General of TPAO, Osman Demirag, Director General of BOTAS Gokhan Yardim, the Chairman of Geophysics Engineers Chamber Prof. Ahmet Ercan, and the Chairman of Turkey Oil Geologists Association, Mehmet Okkanli, will all participate in the congress. /Cumhuriyet/[14] TURKEY TO OPEN 20 OIL WELLS IN IRAQThe Turkish Petroleum International Company (TPIC), an affiliated institution of TPAO, won the bid to open 20 oil wells in Iraq. Chairman of TPIC Erdal Ahiska traveled to Baghdad to sign the post-bidding agreement. /Cumhuriyet/[15] TURCO-ROMAN COOPERATIONA cooperation agreement was signed between the Izmit Chamber of Commerce (ITO) and the Roman Prahova Chamber of Trade and Industry to improve commercial relations between Turkey and Romania. Chairman of ITO, Nihat Gurer, said Turkish businessmen had made various investments in Romania in recent years. /Cumhuriyet/[16] NEIL ARMSTRONG IN TURKEY TO PRESENT ERICSSON'S 3G TECHNOLOGYUS Astronout,the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong is in Turkey representing Ericsson's 3G Technology (Third Generation Mobile System). Mr. Armstrong will deliver both the opening and the final speeches at the 3G Summit organized by Ericsson and Turkcell, at the Lutfi Kirdar Convention Hall in Istanbul. He will explain why this technology is as important as stepping on the moon. The 3G Technology will provide access to the Internet via mobile phones and mobile multi media devices. /Aksam/[17] BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO TO ESTABLISH A CIGARETTE FACTORYBritish American Tobacco(BAT) said they applied to the Foreign Investments Department for a permission to establish a cigarette factory in Turkey. BAT sells tobacco products in 180 countries and employs 90,000 people in its 66 factories around the world. /Aksam/[18] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[19] ROAD MAPS AND TURKEY BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)Columnist Erol Manisali comments on the road map drawn up for Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:"In 1995 Brussels deceived Ankara. At that time, ruling parties and their followers in the press said Turkey would be admitted to the Union within a few years. As the politicians tried to use the blowing winds in their own favour, a circle within the press wanted to tie Turkey to Brussels, like a small boat taking shelter in a bay. Turks were not aware they were being deceived and believed Ankara would soon be admitted to the EU. The situation arising in the last five years between Turkey and the EU, has shown that Turkey was duped both economically and politically. Turkey's trade with the EU shows great deficits and is still at a loss. Capital for investments decreased, instead, all markets are overflowing with consumer goods coming from the EU. Turkish agriculture has collapsed because of the EU and small business enterprises were damaged to a great extent. Turkish industrialists attached more importance to imports instead of production and became somewhat like the 'non-muslim' importers of Ottoman times. The EU spoked about a significant amount of financial aid which never came. 'Friendly' Greece hindered aid to be given to Turkey by vetoing its release. Prime Minister Ecevit said he could not easily accept the situation, but those in his close circle forced him to do so. The second act of the play opened in Helsinki. Turkey, a candidate since 1963, became a 'candidate on condition'. Neither a calender nor a guarantee was given to Turkey. Since Helsinki, Brussels has viewed Turkey as 'the other candidate' and separated it from other candidate countries. The third deception came with the Accession Partnership Document. This time a calendar was included for the resolution of the Cyprus issue. They wanted to sever Cyprus from Turkey under the guise of a solution. Some politicians are saying the APD is no different than the Helsinki Declaration, with the exception of Cyprus. True, Turkey's conditional candidacy is continuing. Debates have begun on whether Cyprus was an offsides goal or not. What does it matter when the referee has said play-on? True, the Accession Partnership Document is a road map, not for Turkey but for those who want to use this deception in their favour. The first road map was drawn by the EU in 1995. Some businesses benefitted and others collapsed. Today, there are those who think they will benefit from the Helsinki Declaration and the APD. However, some will benefit while some will be left confused. The preface of the 1995 document states that the document is the final phase in Turco-European relations. Today, every official in Brussels knows the game saying Turkey will not be admitted into the Union in the near future, no matter how hard it tries. Political party leaders in all EU countries stand fast on the issue, and demonstrate this by their actions. 80% of the EU population is against Turkey's full EU membership and as they will soon be faced with the advent of Eastern European countries they will take a firmer stance against Turkey. The aim of the EU is to place Turkey under the thumb of the Union without offending it. Meanwhile, the EU also hopes to get more concessions from Turkey. The Armenian Bill was accepted by the French Senate with crocodile's tears. Other EU countries are waiting in line. Turkey's friend, the Vatican, after discussions with the Armenian Patriarch, supported the Armenians. The EU Parliament, with the new bill it has prepared on Kurdish, Armenian issues and the Cyprus problem, has launched an undeclared war against Turkey with the influential contribution of friendly Greece." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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