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Turkish Press Review, 08-07-11
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
11.07.2008
CONTENTS
[01] GUL MEETS WITH FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF GEN. OZKOK
[02] ERDOGAN PAYS HISTORIC VISIT TO IRAQ
[03] TURKEY MOURNS FOR THREE POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN ATTACK ON US CONSULATE
[04] POLICE CATCH SUSPECTED TERRORIST WHO FLED SCENE OF CONSULATE ATTACK IN CAR
[05] UN SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON US CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL
[06] US STATE DEPT: "WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF TURKISH POLICEMEN"
[07] FRENCH PARLIAMENT EASES REFERENDUM REQUIREMENT FOR NEW EU MEMBERS
[01] GUL MEETS WITH FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF GEN. OZKOK
President Abdullah Gul yesterday met with former Chief of General Staff
retired Gen. Hilim Ozkok, whose call last week for "wise men" to intervene
and ease tensions in Turkey was interpreted as being meant for the
president. Following their two-and-a-half-hour meeting, Ozkok told
reporters they had exchanged views on recent domestic developments. Asked
whether that had included the controversial Ergenekon probe, which has
recently raised tensions, the retired general said that they had touched on
the issue, but not discussed it in detail. /Turkiye/
[02] ERDOGAN PAYS HISTORIC VISIT TO IRAQ
Turning a new page in post-Saddam Turkish-Iraqi relations, Prime Minister
Recep Tayip Erdogan yesterday paid a visit to Iraq �" the first by a
premier in 18 years �" and signed an agreement with his Iraqi counterpart
Nouri al-Maliki to establish a High Council for Strategic Relations. Under
the agreement, the countries' prime ministers will meet once a year,
Cabinet ministers of both countries will meet three times a year, and
various technical delegations will meet four times a year. The agreement is
also meant to facilitate training for Iraqi officers and teachers. "With
the establishment of the high-level strategic cooperation council, relevant
ministries will work on a shared future for Turkey and Iraq," Erdogan said
afterwards. "The meeting of the high-level strategic cooperation council co-
chaired by al-Maliki and myself demonstrates our will to bring Turkish-
Iraqi relations to their fullest potential." He added, "The meetings under
the strategic cooperation council will strengthen our historical and
cultural ties with Iraq. We plan to improve our relations with Iraq in the
areas of politics, security, defense, energy, the economy, culture, and
water resources. Over the next three to four years, we hope to raise our
trade volume with Iraq to $25 billion." Calling on Iraqis to maintain their
unity, Erdogan said, "The future of Iraq is the future of the region
itself." Erdogan also met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and attended
a dinner hosted by the president. /Star/
[03] TURKEY MOURNS FOR THREE POLICE OFFICERS KILLED IN ATTACK ON US
CONSULATE
A ceremony was held yesterday at Istanbul Police Headquarters to honor
three police officers who lost their lives in Wednesday's attack on the
police post in front of the US Consulate in Istanbul. Cabinet ministers,
Police Chief Celalettin Cerrah, and Sharon Wiener, the chief consul of the
US mission, attended the ceremony. "Our fight against terror will continue
with unflagging determination," said Interior Minister Besir Atalay. The
three police officers who died in the assault were all in their twenties
and new recruits to the police force. The bodies of Erdal Oztas, Mehmet
Onder Sacmalioglu and Nedim Callik were sent to their hometowns to be laid
to rest. Atalay also told reporters that four people have been detained and
are being investigated in relation to the attack. Meanwhile, there has yet
to be any official conformation of al-Qaeda involvement in the attack,
though it is widely suspected. /All Papers/
[04] POLICE CATCH SUSPECTED TERRORIST WHO FLED SCENE OF CONSULATE ATTACK IN
CAR
Police yesterday caught a suspected terrorist who drove the attackers' car
and fled the scene of Wednesday's attack on the US Consulate in Istanbul.
After the car was found abandoned in Istanbul's Ikitelli district, along
with the suspect's fingerprints, police were able to identify and apprehend
him. /Sabah/
[05] UN SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS ATTACK ON US CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL
The UN Security Council yesterday voted unanimously to condemn Wednesday's
attack on the US Consulate in Istanbul. "The members of the Security
Council expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, as well
as to the people and the governments of Turkey and the US," said a UN
statement. "All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable,
regardless of their motivation." /Milliyet/
[06] US STATE DEPT: "WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF
TURKISH POLICEMEN"
In a press briefing on Wednesday, US State Department spokesman Sean
McCormack praised Turkish policemen's courage in protecting American
diplomats from the attack on the US Consulate in Istanbul. "We express our
deepest condolences to the families of the three Turkish police officers
killed, as well as their colleagues who were wounded in the attack," said
McCormack. "We are grateful for their sacrifice and service. The Turkish
police responded quickly and effectively." Asked who was responsible for
the attack, McCormack said, "We’re continuing our efforts to work with
the Turkish government to determine who is responsible for it. It’s too
early to tell in the investigation." In related news, at a ceremony at the
Istanbul Security General Directorate honoring the policemen, US Consul
General Sharon Wiener said she was grateful to the police officers who lost
their lives in the attack, adding, "They sacrificed themselves for our
safety." /Star/
[07] FRENCH PARLIAMENT EASES REFERENDUM REQUIREMENT FOR NEW EU MEMBERS
The French Parliament yesterday voted to relax a constitutional change on
holding referendums for new EU member countries whose population exceed 5
percent of the bloc's size. Under the revised measure, the need for a
referendum could be bypassed if both the Senate and Parliament vote by a
three-fifths majority to seek the president's approval for the EU candidate
in question. The Senate is also expected to pass the change. /Sabah/
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