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Turkish Press Review, 06-06-14
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
14.06.2006
FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�
CONTENTS
[01] SEZER SPEAKS AT 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANKARA UNIVERSITY
[02] ERDOGAN VISITS MACEDONIA
[03] FM GUL MAY PAY VISIT TO TEHRAN
[04] SENER: �THE GOVT IS DETERMINED ON REFORMS AND RESTRUCTURING�
[05] GUL: �THE EU SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE�
[06] BAYKAL PUSHES FOR EARLY ELECTIONS
[07] MUMCU: �THE NATION NEEDS THE MOTHERLAND PARTY�
[08] CB HEAD SPEAKS ON FINANCIAL STABILITY AND RISKS REPORT
[09] FITCH: �TURKEY�S CREDIT OUTLOOK ISN�T AS GOOD AS A FEW MONTHS AGO�
[10] UNAKITAN: �THERE'S NO NEED FOR PANIC OVER LATEST ECONOMIC FLUCTUATIONS�
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�
[12] STAYING IN THE EUROPEAN ORBIT BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
[01] SEZER SPEAKS AT 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANKARA UNIVERSITY
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundation of
Ankara University, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday asked students
not to be influenced by dogmas whose ends are known but instead to adopt
critical thinking systems. �We know that the problems which universities
are facing are large hurdles to their development,� he said. �Universities
embracing a democratic administration style based upon academic and fiscal
independence, one transparent and grounded in ethical values, is a must to
reach the standards of modern universities.� Sezer exhorted the students,
saying, �You must fight for a clean society, strive to put ethical values
before everything, and enrich society with your identity open to changes.
Furthermore and first of all, you have to learn by heart Ataturk�s
principles and reforms. You should know that a thinking system in line with
Ataturk�s policies is indispensable to the modern world and a brighter
Turkey." Ankara University Rector Nusret Aras also spoke, saying that as
national and international courts have both made final rulings on the
headscarf issue there should be no further debates on the matter. �Today
the headscarf issue, which is a matter of how women dress at universities,
should no longer be a legal problem," he said. "But certain circles are
keeping the issue in the public eye and thus creating tension; it should no
longer be an issue in Turkey.� The rector added that women can dress the
way they like and act as they wish outside of universities. /Cumhuriyet-The
New Anatolian/
[02] ERDOGAN VISITS MACEDONIA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, currently in Macedonia for an official
visit, yesterday met with his Macedonian counterpart Vlado Buckovski. After
being asked about Greek Cypriots� not only asking Turkey to open its ports
to them but also to recognize the Greek Cypriot administration, Erdogan
said, �During yesterday�s [European Union] meetings, our science and
education chapter was opened and closed, and Greek Cyprus might have had
these kinds of requests. But as we always say, it would be wrong to mix in
political principles which are outside the [accession] process. During
Turkey�s EU bid we�ll face some problems, as we have before. We know that.
What happened yesterday had been expected. But common sense won out
yesterday and finally the science and education chapter was opened and
closed.� /Star/
[03] FM GUL MAY PAY VISIT TO TEHRAN
A further stop might be added to Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul�s visits to
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan set to begin this weekend. Ankara is considering
Tehran�s repeated invitation to Gul and is planning for a possible meeting
with Iran�s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Gul yesterday confirmed that a
trip to Tehran was being considered, adding, �If it will help reach
positive results, I could surely go to Iran, but we haven�t decided yet.�
/Hurriyet/
[04] SENER: �THE GOVT IS DETERMINED ON REFORMS AND RESTRUCTURING�
Speaking at a seminar yesterday entitled �Global Trends, Expectations, and
Turkey�s Growth Performance� organized by the Turkish Industrialists� and
Businessmen�s Association (TUSIAD) and Koc University, Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullatif Sener said that the government was determined to carry
through reforms and restructuring. Addressing the gathering, TUSIAD head
Omer Sabanci said that doing nothing in the face of fluctuations in the
international markets hurting the Turkish economy was not an option.
Sabanci stressed that the economy was being greatly affected by the
fluctuations since the markets weren�t confident that political stability
and reforms would continue. Saying that meeting the 5% inflation target for
this year would be difficult, Sabanci added the Central Bank should prepare
a package of measures to help reach the target. /Sabah/
[05] GUL: �THE EU SHOULD KEEP ITS PROMISE�
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that Ankara had fulfilled its
all responsibilities on Cyprus, and that the European Union too should meet
its commitments. Speaking to reporters at Ankara�a Esenboga Airport upon
returning from his visit to Luxembourg for the historic beginning of
Turkey�s EU talks, Gul said the resolution of the decades-old Cyprus issue
should not be related to Turkey�s EU membership bid. Stressing that
negotiations on science and research, the first of the 35 chapters, had
nothing to do with the Cyprus issue, Gul said, �Turkey�s EU joining process
should not be turned into a process of Cyprus talks." Pointing to upcoming
chapters to be discussed, the foreign minister called on everybody not to
expend both Turkey�s and the EU�s energy in vain. Gul stated that the
Turkish side had introduced a number of creative proposals for a settlement
on the island. �But settlement requires compromise, not one-sided efforts,�
added Gul. He also urged the EU to make efforts to end the international
isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), as it had
promised. /Turkiye/
[06] BAYKAL PUSHES FOR EARLY ELECTIONS
Opposition Republican People�s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said
yesterday that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government
had lost its control over both the economy and politics. �The government
doesn�t favor elections anymore,� said Baykal. Addressing deputies at his
party parliamentary group meeting, Baykal said that it was time to get rid
of the AKP rule in the country. He called on all citizens who believe in
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk�s principles, and the secular and democratic republic,
to own and reconstruct Turkey. Regarding the European Union�s decision on
Monday to begin accession talks with Turkey, Baykal claimed that the Cyprus
issue had become a part of the accession, adding that the negotiations
process would be difficult. /Aksam/
[07] MUMCU: �THE NATION NEEDS THE MOTHERLAND PARTY�
Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu said yesterday that his
party wants to build the country�s future. Speaking at a meeting of the
party in Istanbul entitled, �Marching Back to Power,� Mumcu said ANAVATAN
was not only a party but also an outlook, adding that his party was founded
to serve the nation. /Turkiye/
[08] CB HEAD SPEAKS ON FINANCIAL STABILITY AND RISKS REPORT
Speaking at a press conference yesterday on a new financial stability and
risks report, Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz said that though
consumers' disposable income had risen a bit, their level of personal debt
had gone up considerably in line with increased consumption. He urged
consumers to use their credit cards wisely. Saying that recent developments
in the markets were testing the soundness of the financial sector, Yilmaz
added that he thought he was also being tested as CB head. �With the
floating exchange rate, we don�t say anything about the exchange rate and
we can�t give any guarantees about it,� he said. �The latest economic
developments will certainly have an impact. It�s clear that US Federal
Reserve will continue to raise interest rates.� Yilmaz stressed that he
didn�t think that CB�s interest hike decision had been late. �The effect of
this decision is positive for now,� he added. �However, there are important
developments on the international stage.� /Sabah/
[09] FITCH: �TURKEY�S CREDIT OUTLOOK ISN�T AS GOOD AS A FEW MONTHS AGO�
Ed Parker, credit specialist at international rating agency Fitch, said
yesterday that Turkey�s credit outlook wasn�t as good now as a few months
ago, adding that there had been some negative news from Turkey. Parker said
that the recent Central Bank interest hike decision was made amid an
atmosphere of panic, adding that Turkish authorities should act
determinedly and pursue fiscal discipline in order to prevent possible
shocks in the future. �Otherwise, a negative note could come,� he said,
adding that May inflation was 10%, above this year�s target of 5%, and as a
result of this the CB raised interest rates more than expectations. �We�ll
see if this decision is appropriate,� added Parker. /Milliyet/
[10] UNAKITAN: �THERE'S NO NEED FOR PANIC OVER LATEST ECONOMIC
FLUCTUATIONS�
Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that there was no need for
panic over the latest fluctuations in the economy. Saying that he didn�t
agree with international rating agency Fitch saying that Turkey�s economic
outlook wasn�t as sound as it was a few months ago, Unakitan stated that
many comments were made about Turkey�s economy, adding that some of these
were positive and some not. �There's no need to panic over such temporary
fluctuations,� he added. /Sabah/
[11] FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�
[12] STAYING IN THE EUROPEAN ORBIT BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)
Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on developments in Luxembourg
concerning Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:
�On Monday when we were waiting at Esenboga Airport�s VIP lounge for seven
hours and tense, hard bargaining was going on between Ankara and Brussels,
we were all sure that we would go to Luxembourg. We all thought that if we
weren't told to be prepared to fly, this would mean early elections,
because if relations with the European Union are cut in a period of
economic fluctuation, the price for this would be high. Turkey, the
European Union and even the entire Western world would face the danger of a
deep gulf between civilizations. Then we went to Luxembourg, as expected.
The seven-hour delay caused the postponement of all the programs. �We�re
late again, I hope this won�t become a tradition,� said Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul. When midnight came, everybody was sullen during the press
conference and repeated questions about Cyprus created a tense atmosphere.
Just then, Gul got a note from Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan and
started to smile. Later, we learned what was written on the note. �Sir, you
look so downbeat and nervous. Please, smile a little.' We saw once again
that we learned this technique of negotiation. Gul said so many times that
the road to the EU isn�t smooth and that we would handle the crises. Gul
wasn�t angry with the Greek Cypriots at all. On the contrary, he said,
�They will do this. I only hope that the EU won�t be the prisoner of a
single country.' We saw once again in Luxembourg the principle that in the
EU, nobody wins 100%. For two days, Gul said that even if it doesn�t admit
it, all of Europe accepts that Turkey was right on the Cyprus issue and
that the actual threat to Turkey comes from inside. He added that nobody in
Turkey should lose enthusiasm over the EU and that this responsibility
wasn�t only the government�s.�
Gul looked better at breakfast the other day. He was happy to have
successfully used the method of not making concessions. Turkey actually
started its membership talks. We stayed in the Western orbit. During the
breakfast, Gul talked proudly about the soldiers� support for Turkey�s EU
membership process and stressed that the president should act like a leader
for society and universities should have a mission to broaden the horizons
of the people. We also talked about domestic politics. He said that the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) was in a very good situation but that
the opposition party didn�t have a good position. He said he felt bad about
this. When I asked why, he said when the opposition is weak, this reflects
on us. Gul said sincerely that Turkey needs a Western-type strong social
democratic party. I�m writing this column on the plane, on our way back
from Luxembourg. Everybody on the plane is happy and I wonder what kind of
situation we�ll face this fall. We know that neither Turkey, nor the EU can
survive without each other. Maybe we won�t be together completely, but
we�ll never separate from each other. We�ll stay in the orbit.�
ARCHIVE
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