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Turkish Press Review, 04-11-12Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: 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 : [email protected] <caption> <_caption> Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning12.11.2004FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY MOURNS YASSER ARAFATTurkish leaders issued messages yesterday expressing their deep sorrow over the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian leader, 75, who passed away yesterday in France after 10-plus days of medical treatment, was one of the Turkish public�s favorite world leaders and had enjoyed decades of warm relations with Turkish politicians. �I learned with deep sorrow of the passing away of Yasser Arafat, the esteemed statesman, leader of the Palestinian people, my friend and brother,� President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said in a message of condolences to Palestinian Parliament Speaker Rawhi Fattuh. Sezer praised Arafat�s efforts to make peace in the Middle East and said that his death would not sway the Palestinian quest for statehood. Also issuing messages of regret at the Palestinian leader�s loss were Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, and political party leaders, including opposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, as well as former President Suleyman Demirel, who had a close relationship with Arafat during his terms both as prime minister and president of Turkey. Furthermore, Erdogan, Gul and Baykal will represent Turkey today at Arafat�s funeral in Cairo, Egypt. /All Papers/[02] ERDOGAN CONTINUES EU VISITS TO PROMOTE TURKEY�S BIDPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is continuing his visits to European Union countries to drum up support for Turkey�s EU membership bid. This weekend, Erdogan is set to hold a series of contacts in Luxembourg, which is due to become EU president on Jan. 1. At the end of next week, Erdogan is expected to attend the two-day 10th European Forum in Berlin. In addition, the premier has reportedly ordered state ministries to make an all-out effort on Turkey�s EU membership bid in the runup to next month�s EU summit, where Ankara expects a date to begin its accession talks./Turkiye/[03] BAYKAL IN SOUTH AFRICA NEXT WEEK TO ATTEND SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL MEETINGOpposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal is due to travel to Johannesburg on Monday to attend a meeting of the Socialist International. South African President Mvuyelva Thabo will chair the meeting, which will focus on the priorities of the Socialist International, sustainable growth and the African Union. During his short stay, Baykal will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of European Union member states. /Milliyet/[04] OZKOK: �THE MOST SERIOUS THREAT TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS TERRORISM�Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok said yesterday that Turkey believes that countries no longer pose a threat to each other, rather they all face the common grave threat of terrorism. Speaking at a luncheon, Ozkok lamented the great costs borne by the Turkish nation due to terrorism, adding that terrorism would continue to be one of its chief concerns. /Milliyet/[05] CHP SENDS SARIGUL TO DISCIPLINARY BOARDThe opposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) Central Executive Board (MYK) decided yesterday to send Mustafa Sarigol, the mayor of Istanbul�s Sisli district, to the party�s Higher Disciplinary Board. After a MYK meeting chaired by leader Deniz Baykal, Deputy Chairman Esref Erdem told reporters that a three-deputy investigative commission had presented a 60- page report on Sarigul. Stressing that the mayor faced serious charges, Erdem said that the MYK had decided to send him to the CHP Disciplinary Board with a recommendation that he be expelled from the party. /Turkiye/[06] TALAT: �OUR EFFORTS TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE EU WILL NOT FLAG�We won�t let up on efforts to end our isolation and eventually enter the European Union, said Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday in a televised address to the nation. �Even if it is difficult, we are moving towards ending our isolation, establishing free trade with the EU, and free movement,� said Talat. /Star/[07] BABACAN: �TURKEY WILL SIGN A NEW IMF DEAL NEXT MONTH�The government will sign a new letter of intent (LOI) with the International Monetary Fund next month, said Economy Minister Ali Babacan at a Wednesday dinner with journalists. �We will sign a letter of intent after Dec. 1, but how long after I cannot say at the moment,� Babacan added. �We will do it as soon as we finish our work.� According to Babacan, Turkey will see inflation fall to 5% by 2006 as well as economic growth of 5% in both 2006 and 2007. /Aksam/[08] IMF�S DAWSON: �DISCUSSIONS ON A NEW STANDBY ARE CONTINUING�Tom Dawson, the external affairs director for the International Monetary Fund, said Tuesday that the Turkish government had made progress on a number of key issues, including the 2005 budget, monetary policy and the medium-term macroeconomic framework. Addressing a press conference, Dawson stressed that negotiations on a new standby agreement were continuing. �The [Ankara] government is now finalizing the details of their policies to ensure their effective implementation and working to flesh out the specifics of structural reforms," he said, adding that its work focused especially on taxes, social security and on a new banking law, the latter with the help of an IMF technical team. /Hurriyet/[09] FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�[10] A NEW ERA BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat�s death and the transition period in Palestine. A summary of his column is as follows:�Following Palestinian President Yasser Arafat�s death, the transition period is moving calmly, at least for now. There were concerns that a great political power vacuum would emerge and cause quarrels and confusion, but they proved baseless. Likewise, Rawhi Fattuh has sat in Arafat�s place for 60 days. Meanwhile, the problem of where to bury Arafat was solved calmly. In short, the transition period is moving with the seriousness and responsibility of a state. However, we shouldn�t forget that this is a temporary transition and that the actual new administration will start in two months. Now there are two problems. Firstly, will elections be held? Secondly, if yes, who will win them? The ability to hold regular democratic elections depends upon Israel. The Sharon government might hinder these elections for security reasons. Accordingly, the international community should ensure that the Palestinian polls are carried at lawfully and fairly. Who wins the elections is important as well. If the new leader favors solutions and is a realistic politician, jump-starting the peace process will be easier. In addition, reforming the Palestinian administration democratically and reopening the way to peace depends on brave steps from both Israel and Palestine. Israel is expected to release Palestinian prisoners, and Palestine should enforce a cease-fire and end the violence. If this can be done, a new peace process might be started by the US, European Union, Russia and the United Nations. Turkey can have a constructive role in this period. We have always supported Palestine, and Turkish leaders had good relations with Arafat. Of course these relations and support will continue. Turkey�s geographical and political position gives it an opening to actively contribute to this critical transition period. Indeed, Turkish diplomacy can make it easier to hold elections, establish security and start a new peace initiative. Now we have such an opportunity.� TO OUR READERS In observance of the Ramadan Holiday (Seker Bayrami), the Turkish Press Review will not appear until Nov. 17. 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