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Turkish Press Review, 07-08-03Turkish 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 morning03.08.2007CONTENTS
[01] SEZER BOWS OUT OF PARLIAMENT’S SWEARING-IN CEREMONYParliament Secretary General Ali Osman Koca yesterday stated that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer won’t attend the swearing-in ceremony of Parliament’s new deputies this Saturday. Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and force commanders are also expected not to be at the ceremony due to this week’s Supreme Military Council (YAS) meetings. Saying that after the swearing-in ceremony, there will be a five-day recess to prepare for the election of a new Parliament speaker, Koca said that first round of that election is expected to be held next Thursday. /Cumhuriyet/[02] BAYKAL: “NO PARTY SHOULD MONOPOLIZE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION”Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday said it was “meaningful” that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has yet to announce what candidate it will field for president, and added, “The ruling party is in the midst of a search. We’re all waiting for the premier’s views on this issue to become clear.” At a press conference before the CHP’s Party Assembly, Baykal said, “The presidential election can’t be anybody’s private affair, it’s an issue concerning 72 million people. We’re ready for meetings. If this would mean seeking contributions in line with the understanding of compromise, we’ll evaluate this with good will. It would be best for the parties not to exploit conditions to monopolize the presidential election. If this happens Turkey will calm down, if not it will be dragged into an atmosphere of conflict and tension. I’m calling on the ruling party to use common sense.” /Aksam/[03] DEMIREL DENIES CALLING ON CHP’S BAYKAL TO STEP DOWNFormer President Suleyman Demirel yesterday denied that he had privately urged Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal to step down in the wake of his party’s disappointing showing in the July 22 elections. Asked by journalists about reports he had telephoned Baykal to urge his resignation, Demirel said the reports were mistaken. He added that it would be a great loss if Baykal were to leave politics. /Sabah/[04] APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DROPPING CHARGES AGAINST ORHAN PAMUKThe Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit yesterday upheld a lower court decision to drop charges of “denigrating Turkishness” filed against author and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk. The ruling stated that the Justice Ministry didn’t authorize Pamuk’s prosecution and so the trial can’t go forward. /Milliyet/[05] CHINA HAILS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ANKARA, IZMIR AND ISTANBULIn line with decisions taken at June’s Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting between Turkey and China and the consensus reached by State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and Chinese Trade Ministry Bo Xilai during their recent meetings, Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir have been included on a list of the “Best Cities of the World for Making Investments” drawn up for Chinese firms by the International Institute of Chinese Multinational Managements (CIMMC). As part of the work of this institution, which is supported by the Chinese government, the mayors of Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul have been invited to visit Beijing on Nov. 16-18. /Turkiye/[06] TURKISH AIR FORCE PLANES RETURN FROM ALASKA EXERCISESTurkish Air Force planes which participated in this month’s Red Flag 2007 exercises in Alaska have successfully returned to the 3rd Main Jet Headquarters in Konya. Taking part in Red Flag for the first time, the Air Force made more than 100 sorties with six F-16s and two KC-135R Stratotankers and was praised for its performance. /Sabah/[07] EU’S LAGENDIJK: “DON’T RAISE TENSIONS”Speaking yesterday at Istanbul’s Yeditepe University, Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chair Joost Lagendijk said that recent remarks by Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan have been interpreted as meaning he won’t create tension during the upcoming presidential election process, adding that people should wait and see. “I don’t like to give advice to anyone, but don’t let tension mount,” he said. “Everything is stable now. Everybody is watching to see what the ruling Justice and Development Party will do.” /Star/FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… FROM THE COLUMNS… [08] THE DTP’S TESTBY DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)Columnist Derya Sazak comments on independent candidates winning seats in Parliament in the July 22 elections. A summary of his column is as follows: “One of the most important outcomes of the July 22 elections is independent candidates winning seats in Parliament in sufficient numbers to form a group under the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) banner. It’s expected that the DTP will work to find a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue, benefiting from the lessons learned from previous (now defunct) Kurdish-leaning parties in the early ‘90s. The way to achieve this is ending terrorism in southeastern Turkey. If the terrorist PKK stops shedding blood, normalization will be available to fight the real problems of the people of the region, namely poverty and unemployment. Unfortunately, tension, conflict and expectations of an operation into northern Iraq have reached a peak. The recent death of three soldiers in the eastern city of Tunceli signals that this extraordinary situation in the region will continue for a while longer. I had the chance to see the situation in Tunceli before the July 22 elections. Security forces stated after a raid in Tunceli’s Pulumur district that there were almost 450 terrorists in the mountains. Groups of three or five who can move easier at night were planting mines. They were hoping to boost cross-border security and prevent the PKK from crossing the northern Iraqi border to render it ineffective. But the government didn’t choose this. The Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) campaign against northern Iraq’s Massoud Barzani (suspected of aiding the PKK) shifted the votes in southeastern Turkey to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) The AKP’s boosting its votes to close the gap with the DTP is said to be a result of both the religion factor and the policies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Believing that a possible CHP-Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) ruling coalition would boost the chances of an operation into northern Iraq, Kurds voted for the AKP. Then this week a piece by Washington Post columnist Robert Novak exposed a plan for US Special Forces to capture PKK leaders in lieu of an Iraq intervention by Turkey. It was no accident that this information was leaked to the media after the July 22 elections. The US wants to stop a new wave coming from a military operation into northern Iraq. The PKK, on the other hand, is fuelling military conflicts in the region due to the vote shift to the AKP and feelings of being besieged in northern Iraq.” Now it’s the DTP’s turn. If independent Deputies Ahmet Turk, Aysel Tuğluk and their colleagues can follow an effective policy which inspires confidence throughout Turkey, the PKK will see that it can gain nothing. Not leaving the DTP alone is the responsibility of the AKP, CHP and MHP. “ Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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