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Turkish Press Review, 05-11-18
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
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Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
18.11.2005
FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN, PUTIN AND BERLUSCONI OPEN HISTORIC BLUE STREAM NATURAL GAS PIPELINE
[02] FM GUL: �I DIDN�T CARRY A MESSAGE TO SYRIA�
[03] US CHARGE D�AFFAIRES: �WE�RE TRYING TO PERSUADE EU STATES TO TAKE PKK-SYMPATHETIC TV CHANNELS OFF THE AIR�
[04] REHN: �TURKEY SHOULDN�T BE SCAPEGOAT FOR EU DISCONTENT�
[05] STATE MINISTER SAHIN TRAVELS TO PAKISTAN
[06] CICEK CALLS ON CITIZENS TO TRUST IN JUSTICE SYSTEM
[07] CHP DISSIDENTS TO BOYCOTT CONVENTION
[08] FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS
[09] BAYKAL: DEMOCRATIC WAYS NOT AT AN END BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (SABAH)
[01] ERDOGAN, PUTIN AND BERLUSCONI OPEN HISTORIC BLUE STREAM NATURAL GAS
PIPELINE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday officially opened the Blue
Stream Natural Gas Pipeline alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Addressing the opening ceremony,
Erdogan called the project �historic,� adding that the pipeline project,
which was called �Blue Dream� by some circles, has now been fulfilled. �In
order to achieve something you have to be able to dream about it,� said
Erdogan, adding that he hoped in 2010 Russian and Kazakh oil would be
delivered to consumers through the Mediterranean and that the Samsun-Ceyhan
oil pipeline project would be implemented towards this goal. For his part,
Putin stated, �We�ve waited a long time for this day. Now the pipeline has
begun to operate at full capacity.� Putin further stated that more than 100,
000 people had worked on the project, adding that it was important that the
starting point of the project was Samsun since Turkish Republic founder
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk started the national struggle in this province. Also
addressing the gathering, Berlusconi said that he was very happy that the
project was completed, adding that it was the result of cooperation between
the three countries� governments. He further thanked everyone who
contributed to the project. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] FM GUL: �I DIDN�T CARRY A MESSAGE TO SYRIA�
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday departed from Turkey to pay a four-
day visit to Germany aiming to win the support of incoming German
Chancellor Angela Merkel for Turkey�s European Union bid. Besides Merkel,
Gul is also expected to meet with his outgoing German counterpart Joschka
Fischer and will also deliver the opening speech of a meeting entitled
�European Identity.� Speaking to reporters at Esenboga Airport before his
departure, Gul said that he hadn�t conveyed a message from any third
country to Syria. �What happens in the region also concerns Turkey,� he
added. �If the climate changes in the region, this also influences Turkey.
It�s our duty to prevent problems from becoming chronic. When problems
become chronic, they can�t be solved and we all suffer. We�ve seen such
developments in the region, and it�s very important to step into these
developments at the right time. This is what Turkey does.� /Star/
[03] US CHARGE D�AFFAIRES: �WE�RE TRYING TO PERSUADE EU STATES TO TAKE PKK-
SYMPATHETIC TV CHANNELS OFF THE AIR�
Commenting on this week�s controversy about Roj-TV, which sparked a crisis
during Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan�s Denmark visit, US Charge
d�Affaires Nancy McEldowney said yesterday that the US was continuing its
efforts to persuade European Union member states to halt the broadcasts of
such television channels and other PKK sympathizers which give financial
support to the PKK terrorist group. /Milliyet/
[04] REHN: �TURKEY SHOULDN�T BE SCAPEGOAT FOR EU DISCONTENT�
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn yesterday said that
he had talked with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen following
the Turco-Danish crisis over a Roj-TV reporter taking part in a joint press
conference, and found the Danish premier, not the Turkish one, to be in the
right. Rehn�s support for Ramussen came after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan cancelled a joint press conference when he learned that a reporter
from Roj-TV, a terrorist PKK-linked station linked which Turkey has
repeatedly asked Denmark to shut down, was in the room. However, Rehn said
that he agreed with Rasmussen that the journalist couldn�t be ousted from
the room as Erdogan had asked. But the EU enlargement commissioner also
warned against Turkey being made a scapegoat following the recent riots in
France and other social discontent in Europe. These developments shouldn�t
slow the EU�s membership negotiations with Turkey, Rehn said. /The New
Anatolian/
[05] STATE MINISTER SAHIN TRAVELS TO PAKISTAN
State Minister responsible for sports Mehmet Ali Sahin yesterday flew to
Pakistan to hold official talks with Pakistani officials. Before his
departure, Sahin told reporters that he would also inspect Turkish aid to
earthquake victims in this country. In related news, the Turkish Red
Crescent (Kizilay) yesterday dispatched some 150,000 blankets to Pakistan
via ship. At a ceremony at Istanbul�s Haydarpasa Harbor, Kizilay Chairman
Tekin Kucukali said that Turkey would continue its aid to earthquake-
stricken Pakistan. Stressing that epidemic disease and cold weather were
two risks for the survivors, Kucukali stated that Kizilay was also planning
to send special prefabricated houses to provide winter shelter. /Turkiye/
[06] CICEK CALLS ON CITIZENS TO TRUST IN JUSTICE SYSTEM
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said yesterday that the recent incidents in
the southeast would completely be investigated and nothing would be covered
up. Speaking at a gathering organized by the Turkish Industrialists� and
Businessmen�s Association (TUSIAD) in Istanbul, Cicek commented on the
violent incidents in the towns of Semdinli and Yuksekova in Hakkari.
Calling on citizens not to encourage provocative incidents, he asked people
to act with calm and common sense. /Sabah/
[07] CHP DISSIDENTS TO BOYCOTT CONVENTION
Main opposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) Istanbul Deputy Hasan Aydin
and Ankara Deputy Mehmet Tomanbay, who were dismissed from the party and
later reinstated by court order, announced yesterday that they won�t attend
this weekend�s CHP general convention. �As we�ve had all our democratic
rights taken from us, sadly we won�t be at the anti-democratic and illegal
convention,� said Tomanbay, speaking for Aydin and Adiyaman Deputy Celal
Topkan at a press conference in Parliament. �As there were instances of
illegality in the runup to the convention,� alleged Tomanbay, �the
convention won�t be legal either. Since the nation is aware of this, the
public will have no interest or curiosity about the convention, the leader
and the party administration.� /Cumhuriyet/
[08] FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS
[09] BAYKAL: DEMOCRATIC WAYS NOT AT AN END BY MUHARREM SARIKAYA (SABAH)
Columnist Muharrem Sarikaya comments on Republican People�s Party (CHP)
leader Deniz Baykal�s remarks. A summary of his column is as follows:
�The main opposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) this weekend will hold
its calmest convention since its reopening in 1992. Actually the CHP is
discussing not the convention, but the period after that. CHP leader Deniz
Baykal said that Turkish democracy is undergoing a test. The reason for
these remarks was Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan�s criticism of the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) having ruled on the headscarf issue
without consulting ulama (Muslim scholars). Then he said that Erdogan had
linked the recent violence in France with the ban on wearing headscarves at
French schools and added, �These words are against not only the secular
state, but also the deputies� oath. The prime minister�s stance will harm
the democratic order in the medium term. The only way to avoid this is for
Turkey to solve the problem in a democratic way.� As to whether there�s a
threat to democracy or not, he said, �If we�re trapped in believing such a
problem doesn�t exist, the consequences will be grave. Everybody in Turkey,
including employers, employees, media and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) should show their determination.�
At this point, he recalled how the political power was turned over to the
opposition during the 1950 elections and added, �We need a new breakthrough
of democracy and we need to experience this. We�ll tell Turkey this
following the convention and point to the threat against our country.�
According to Baykal, the source of the threat against the country is the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Stating that three years have
passed since the elections, Baykal said, �Elections are held once every
four years in Europe. The government wants to shorten the election term to
four years with a constitutional change. If elections aren�t held next year,
the political power should pay the political and democratic price for
this.� Stating that the president should be elected by a new Parliament,
Baykal also said that democratic ways in Turkey hadn�t come to an end and
that the path to ensure this is to hold elections next year. When he was
asked what the CHP would do if the AKP hold elections, Baykal just said
that everybody should assess the situation then. CHP deputy group leader
Haluk Koc was able to say what Baykal couldn�t: �An old Parliament
shouldn�t elect the president. If the AKP attempts to do such a thing with
its majority, we wouldn�t provide them the legitimacy.� In sum, if the CHP
can find public support, it�s ready to try all sorts of strategies. Certain
political parties within Parliament are even talking about acting together
with the CHP on this issue. Now the CHP is preparing to lead the social
opposition.�
ARCHIVE
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