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Turkish Press Review, 06-12-18
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
18.12.2006
CONTENTS
[01] ERDOGAN, BAYKAL ATTEND MEVLANA RUMI MEMORIAL CELEBRATIONS
[02] ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO NEW YORK FOR ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS MEETING
[03] BAYKAL VISITS TURKISH TROOPS IN LEBANON
[04] TALAT: "DIRECT FLIGHTS, NOT PROMISES, ARE NEEDED"
[05] PAPADOPOULOS ANGRY WITH BLAIR'S REMARKS OVER TRNC
[06] COREPER TO DISCUSS TURKEY
[07] DID BLAIR COME FOR THE EU?
[01] ERDOGAN, BAYKAL ATTEND MEVLANA RUMI MEMORIAL CELEBRATIONS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition Republican People's
Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday attended Shebi Arus ceremonies in
Konya marking the 733rd anniversary of Mevlana Rumi's Vuslat (reunion with
the beloved). Addressing the ceremony, both leaders issued a call for peace,
friendship and love of Mevlana Rumi, the founder of Islam's Sufi order,
adding that Mevlana Rumi's ideas have enlightened people through the ages.
UNESCO declared 2007 the Year of Rumi to mark his 800th birthday. In
related news, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and True Path Party (DYP) leader
Mehmet Agar issued messages marking the occasion. /Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN TRAVELS TO NEW YORK FOR ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS MEETING
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday evening traveled to New York
to attend a meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative carried
out with the support of the United Nations, and under the co-leadership of
Turkey and Spain. As part of the gathering, Erdogan is scheduled to meet
with outgoing UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his successor Ban Ki-
Moon. Furthermore, he is also expected to have talks with former US
President Bill Clinton. During its gathering today, the Alliance of
Civilizations Initiative, which proposes cooperation and tolerance between
different religions and cultures, will make public a new report. /Turkiye/
[03] BAYKAL VISITS TURKISH TROOPS IN LEBANON
Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal traveled to
Lebanon on Saturday to participate in a meeting of the Socialist
International (SI) to address an urgent action plan concerning the
political crisis in Lebanon. Baykal, vice president of the SI, also visited
Turkish troops deployed in southern Lebanon. The CHP leader told reporters
that Turkish troops were fulfilling their mission with a sense of great
responsibility. After completing his contacts, in the afternoon, Baykal
flew to Konya to attend ceremonies marking Mevlana Rumi's 733rd Vuslat
anniversary. /Sabah-Turkish Daily News/
[04] TALAT: "DIRECT FLIGHTS, NOT PROMISES, ARE NEEDED"
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat
stated yesterday that British Prime Minister Tony Blair's recent visit to
Ankara was only meant to soothe Turkey's anger at the European Union and
said, "Blair gave promises about direct flights to TRNC. But he didn't do
anything. All flights to Ercan are through Turkey. We want direct flights."
Talat, currently in Antalya, told a press conference, "Freezing Turkey's
negotiating on eight chapters and connecting the closure of other chapters
to the condition of opening ports and airports to Greek Cypriot vessels is
a punishment for Turkey. Blair's visit to Turkey is in a sense to soothe
hurt feelings in Turkey. All of his statements show this." /Hurriyet/
[05] PAPADOPOULOS ANGRY WITH BLAIR'S REMARKS OVER TRNC
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's statements in Ankara didn't satisfy
Athens or the Greek Cypriot administration. While Greek Foreign Minister
Dora Bakoyannis couched her reaction diplomatically, Greek Cyprus
administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos didn't hide his anger. "Blair's
statements may carry a political importance," said Bakoyannis. "But the
important thing is the decision taken by the European Union foreign
ministers." Papadopoulos said, "Britain's attitudes supporting Turkey is
usual." When asked about Blair's comments on beginning direct flights to
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Papadopoulos said, "If it
can start, if... They've been struggling for three years, and it's come to
nothing." /Hurriyet/
[06] COREPER TO DISCUSS TURKEY
COREPER, made up of the European Union countries' permanent representatives
in Brussels, will decide on Wednesday how many negotiation chapters will be
opened on Turkey. The general tendency is to open negotiation on eight
chapters to make up for the eight suspended chapters. EU Term President
Finland, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn and many countries
including Britain, Spain and Italy favor opening as many chapters as
possible before the New Year to give a positive message to Ankara. But
countries such as the Greek Cypriot administration, France and the
Netherlands argue that suspending eight chapters would be a "soft" decision
and opening one chapter would be enough. How many chapters will be opened
will emerge through bargains to continue until the last minute. /Star/
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[07] DID BLAIR COME FOR THE EU?
BY NASUHI GUNGOR (STAR)
Columnist Nasuhi Gungor comments on British Prime Minister Tony Blair's
recent visit to Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows:
"British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit was of course important, but
thinking that this visit aimed at supporting our EU bid might mislead us.
In sum, Tony Blair said that they would like to send direct flights to
Ercan Airport, if there is no impediment. We can think that he made these
remarks in order to contribute to the EU process which is caught in the
Cyprus dilemma. However, considering Blair's visit to the Middle East as a
whole, a different picture emerges. Let's look at his program following
Ankara: A Middle East tour covering Egypt, Israel, Palestine and the United
Arab Emirates. As you may remember, after the Iraq Study Group's report was
published, US President George W. Bush and Blair met and this visit was
shaped there. Likewise, although it wasn't on his schedule, Blair made a
surprise visit to Iraq. Generally, these comprehensive visits made by
Britain give us the news of a new policy's cornerstones. Ankara is the
first link of the chain, not because of a geographical obligation, but
because Turkey is the most important part of the equation. This might seem
strange, but Iran isn't included in the tour because Iran is also important
and Tehran is being forced to be the other side of the balance.
Now, let's look at British-Iranian relations. For example, after the 1979
revolution, the EU Embassy in Tehran has always been a target. However,
interestingly, Britain didn't have the same reaction. Britain preferred the
Shiite region in the south in the invasion of Iraq. Do you think that the
reason for it is its traditional desire for oil? Or does this preference
come from knowing each other better historically? Probably the latter is
true and maybe it would be better to open a topic not on British-Iranian
relations, but on British-Shiite relations. Blair's visits aim to ensure
certain diplomatic flexibilities that the US can't ensure. Don't let me be
misunderstood. This formation doesn't aim to ensure peace, but to make the
ranks clear and take the initiative about who will be where in the new
era's conflicts. Remarks made by Blair in Ankara about the European Union
are directed towards ensuring Turkey's surviving these kinds of debates
without any bruises. Obviously, a Turkey whose domestic balances are turned
upside down wouldn't be useful for anybody. Meanwhile, Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani said that Turkey's gathering Iraqi Sunni groups together in
Istanbul was �dangerous and provocative' and that death and violence were
encouraged and action plans against the Shiites and Kurds were discussed
during that meeting. When the �big brother' is touring the Middle East,
these words are very meaningful. However, Turkey hasn't set to play the
role that was expected. This situation could boost Ankara's importance and
value, if it can take certain shifts in its domestic policies without any
damage."
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