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Turkish Press Review, 08-06-30Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning30.06.2008CONTENTS
[01] GUL RECEIVES PAKISTAN'S ZARDARIPresident Abdullah Gul on Friday received Asif Ali Zardari, the co-chair of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and widower of assassinated former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Zardari also met with Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and held talks with main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal. His meetings with Gul and Erdogan focused on strengthening the two countries' traditional friendly and cooperative ties. Zardari also met with representatives of 15 leading Turkish companies in Istanbul, and urged Turkish investment in Pakistan, especially in the tourism, construction and energy sectors. Thanks to its better relations with India, Pakistan offers great investment opportunities to foreign investors, said Zardari. He added that the Pakistani people and government are committed to improving ties with Turkey. Zardari said that his country now has a democratic government, but added that it has a long way to go to achieve its goals for development and democracy. Zardari shares the PPP chairmanship with his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. /Sabah/[02] RULING AKP TO PRESENT ORAL DEFENSE THIS WEEKThe Constitutional Court tomorrow will listen to oral arguments by Abdurrahman Yalcınkaya, the Supreme Court of Appeals chief prosecutor, in favor of closing down the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). On Thursday, the top court will hear oral arguments by AKP officials against closure. Following this process, the court's rapporteur will prepare a report on the merits of the case, which will be distributed to court members for consideration. At a later stage, the court's chief justice, Hasim Kilic, will set a date to hear the case on its merits. The AKP's Cemil Cicek and Bekir Bozdag have been selected to present the oral defense this week. /Turkiye/[03] CICEK TO BRIEF ERDOGAN ON AKP'S ORAL DEFENSEDeputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, who is set this Thursday to present the ruling Justice and Development Party's oral defense before the Constitutional Court against a closure indictment, today will brief Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on preparations for the defense. The AKP's oral defense will reportedly stress that the AKP espouses a contemporary understanding of secularism, one differing from that of Chief Prosecutor Abdurrahman Yalcinkaya, who filed the indictment. The defense will underline that a contemporary understanding of secularism requires ensuring and preserving freedom of religion and conscience as well as a separation between religion and state. The defense will also refer to the recent acquittal of Fethullah Gulen against charges that Foreign Ministry circulars on Gulen schools violate the principle of secularism. /Cumhuriyet/[04] LUXEMBOURG DEPUTY PM DUE IN TURKEYJean Asselborn, Luxembourg's deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and immigration, is scheduled to arrive in Turkey today for a two- day working visit at the invitation of Foreign Minister Ali Babacan. During Asselborn's meetings, Turkey's European Union membership negotiations and regional and international affairs will be discussed in addition to bilateral political, economic, and cultural relations between Turkey and Luxembourg, according to the Foreign Ministry. /Today's Zaman/[05] BAYKAL SKIPPING SOCIALIST CONGRESS IN ATHENSMain opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) will not attend the 23rd Congress of the Socialist International (SI) beginning in Athens, Greece today. After hearing that a number of SI member countries would take an initiative against the CHP at the gathering, the party's administration sent Deputy Chairman Onur Oymen to Athens to hold contacts and to learn more. But when the CHP reportedly failed to get reassurances from SI President and Greek opposition leader George Papandreou, to whom Oymen conveyed Baykal's message, Baykal decided not to go. Speaking to Milliyet, Oymen said, "The CHP doesn't have a problem with the SI, but we won't go there due to its views on Turkey's problems. We have to see the SI's leanings more clearly." /Milliyet/[06] USKUL TO REPRESENT TURKEY AT EU CONFERENCE IN PARISZafer Uskul, the head of Parliament's Human Rights Commission, this Thursday is set to attend a conference in Paris of the Network of Parliamentary Committees for Women and Men in the European Union. During the conference, Uskul will deliver a speech focusing on professional equality between women and men. /Turkish Daily News/[07] ISTANBUL TO HOST ENERGY FORUM THIS WEEKThe three-day Turkey Energy Forum, set to start in Istanbul tomorrow, will carry the themes "Great Innovation in Energy for Sustainable Life" and "New Regional Power." Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to open the forum, the fifth such event. /Turkish Daily News/[08] TUZMEN IN IRAQ AHEAD OF PM ERDOGAN'S TRIPState Minister Kursad Tuzmen and an accompanying delegation yesterday went to Iraq to attend a Turkish-Iraqi Business Forum ahead of an upcoming visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking at the forum, Tuzmen said that though their visit includes a limited number of businessmen, the next such trip will bring along 400-500 businessmen, just like prior to the Iraq war. "I realize things are getting better in Iraq," he added. "We hope Iraq overcomes its crisis by preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty." Stating that he believes the two countries can create a joint economic zone at their shared border, he added, "Such a zone would be a good role model for other countries." Tuzmen also met with Iraq's Oil Minister Hussein al Shahirstani, Planning Minister Ali Baban, and Trade Minister Abd al Falah al Sudani. /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… [09] DEEP CYPRUS CRISISBY SEMIH IDIZ (MILLIYET)Columnist Semih Idiz comments on the Cyprus issue. A summary of his column is as follows: "Despite being our 'national cause,' the Cyprus issue doesn't get much attention in Turkey anymore. But people who think that the current status quo will go on are mistaken. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot administration leader Dimitris Christofias will meet tomorrow, as part of efforts to find a solution. The Turkish side wants future comprehensive talks �" as opposed to open-ended ones �" to result from this meeting. The Greek Cypriots have signaled that nothing has been gained from the 'work groups' which were set up this spring, adding that the European Union should get more involved. In sum, the Turkish side showed back in 2004 that it wants a solution. Now it's Greek Cypriots' turn to prove that they want a solution too, but they have yet to do so. I was in the TRNC last week with a delegation from the Eurasian Strategic Research Center (ASAM) as Talat's guests. Among the delegation were former National Intelligence Agency (MIT) Undersecretary Sonmez Koksal, former Ambassador to Washington Faruk Logoglu, former Ambassador to the UN Umit Pamir, and retired Ambassador Tugay Ozceri, who still acts as an advisor to former TRNC President Rauf Denktas. These people have all devoted years to the Cyprus issue. As for the meetings between Talat, Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer, the Denktases (father and son, Democratic Party leader Serdar Denktas), main opposition leader Tahsin Ertugruloglu and the Greek Cypriot delegation chaired by former Greek Cypriot administration leader Galfcos Clerides' daughter Katie Clerides, I can sum them up with just one word: distrust, not only between the north and south, but among everybody. Here's what I mean: 1. According to the pro-Denktas camp, Talat and Soyer want to 'sell out Cyprus.' They don't trust our ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), either. After Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said in January that there was a new window of opportunity for a solution on Cyprus, Rauf Denktas, offended, said that this wasn't a window of opportunity, but of suicide. His son also argues that Ankara isn't making its presence felt on the island. That's why he's complaining about our Foreign Ministry. 2. Talat has to proceed cautiously, but some people say that he doesn't at all trust Christofias, who has been his 'comrade for 30 years.' He's also angry with a memorandum signed by Britain with the Greek Cypriot administration on June 5, saying that it shows Britain is taking sides against Turks and so is untrustworthy. 3. The Greek Cypriots don't trust Turkey, either. They think that even if Talat and Christofias reach an agreement, Ankara will derail it and that even if the government agrees, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) would ignore the pact. Interestingly, some people in Northern Cyprus also agree with these concerns. Similarly, Talat clearly mentioned a few times that he was concerned about political developments in Turkey. In addition, the TSK is known not to trust Talat and his Republican Turkey Party (CTP). In this atmosphere of distrust, it's a mystery how a solution to the Cyprus issue will be found. Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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