Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
The sanctions against France were enacted to protest the passage
of the so-called Armenian genocide bill by the French National
Assembly. Minister of National Defence, Sabahattin Kivrikoglu,
stated the bidding for the intelligence satellite project,
amounting to 149 US dollars, won by the French Alcatel Company,
was cancelled. Cakmakoglu in a statement to journalists at the
Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) said, the vote taken by
the French Assembly on the so-called genocide bill, is the basis
for the sanctions. Cakmakoglu added, "However, this will damage
the relations between Turkey and France, which have a long
history. There is the possibility for cooperation between the two
countries concerning the defence industry and weapon projects,
but the latest decision will seriously affect these relations
seriously." /Turkiye/
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem said Turkey would
use her right to defend herself against the decision by the
French Assembly concerning claims about the Armenian genocide.
Cem said, "We do not and will not make the French nation a
target." Cem mentioned initiatives Turkey would take in response
to the French Assembly's Armenian claims at the Plenary Session
of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA). Cem said, "Such
developments, which have been occurring in France for a long
time, gained momentum in the last two years. This mistaken
situation was mentioned during official contacts at the
Presidential, Prime Ministerial and the Ministerial levels.
Turkey said all that could be said on the issue. Of course, we
will not leave the most important elements of our economic growth
and our communication systems to the hands of those who act in a
hostile manner, who do not prevent this hostility and whose acts
in the future cannot be predicted. Naturally we will use our
right to self defence until this issue ends." /Turkiye/
Member of the Christian Democrat Group of the European Parliament
and the Reporter for Turkey, French General Philippe Morillon,
said Europe's involvement in the current escapades would only
bring new problems, and he considered the so-called Armenian
genocide bill meaningless and unneccessary. Morillon added, "The
Armenian issue should be examined not by the politicians, but by
the historians. This issue cannot be an additional condition in
Turkey's relations with the European Union (EU). Placing this
issue on the agenda would be a mistake." Morillon recalled that
he was against adding the Armenian issue to the Turkish report,
and that the action would increase tension and not be good for
anyone as the European continent needed stability, cooperation
and peace. Morillon added, "There are those who want to sabotage
Turkey's EU membership process. This law does not mean anything,
because Turkey needs the EU and the EU needs Turkey." /Turkiye/
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, in Paris as the official
guest of French President Jacques Chirac, said they stand-by
Turkey against the so-called Armenian genocide bill until the
very end. Aliyev in a statement to the press at Bine Airport in
Baku said, "Chirac does not support this bill. Turkey is a big
state, a member of the Council of Europe and NATO. What can
Azerbaijan do beside support the sanctions Turkey will put in
place against France? Azerbaijan is a state that looks like a
district of Turkey." Aliyev added they were against the so-called
Armenian genocide bill and would give their support to Turkey
till the end. /Turkiye/
The Armenian daily Avarot, stated the issue of so-called Armenian
genocide was being used by circles who opposed Turkey's entrance
into the EU. Avarot stated, "It was France's interests which the
French National Assembly took into consideration when deciding to
approve the so-called Armenian genocide bill. There is a strong
opposition group in France who do not want Turkey to enter the
EU. Other European countries who also do not want Turkey in the
EU might follow France." /Hurriyet/
The British Interior Ministry announced that Armenian
representatives would also attend the January 28 Holocaust
Commemoration Day ceremony. Interior Minister Jack Straw said,
"The Jews were not the only victims of the Nazi terror.
Therefore, we will allow all ethnic groups to take part in the
ceremony." Meanwhile, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
citizens, who are exposed to torture by Greeks, will protest the
decision as they were not allowed to attend the ceremony. /Aksam/
The manager of the Anatolian Culture Center Francoise Onger in
Paris said, "France has shown that she still lives in the Middle
Ages and in the Crusades period by approving the so-called
Armenian genocide bill." Onger previously sent e-mails to all
French parliamentarians to prevent them from approving the bill.
He asked in his e-mails, "Does France, known as a colonizing
country, have the right to bring such an issue into the agenda?
Doesn't everbody know what France did in Maras, Turkey during the
World War I?" /Aksam/
Virtue Party (FP) Deputy Mahmut Goksu proposed a bill whereby
Turkey would recognize the Algerian genocide by France. The bill
contains the following statement: "Turkey clearly recognizes the
Algerian genocide carried out by France." The reason for the bill
was explained as follows: "France occuppied and exploited Algeria
for 150 years and carried out a genocide there." It is high time
for France to face the crimes against humanity she committed in
her colonies." /Aksam/
Chairman of the Istanbul Trade Chamber, Mehmet Yildirim, sent
letters to the Paris, Nice, Lion and Marseilles Trade Chambers
protesting the approval of the so-called Armenian genocide bill
by the French National Assembly. In his letter, he demanded they
try and correct the mistake. /Hurriyet/
It was reported that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy
Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli and Mesut Yilmaz, who met the day
before yesterday, decided to suspend and not to rush the
constitutional amendment package. They agreed to wait for the
Virtue Party (FP) case to end in the Constitutional Court.
/Hurriyet/
The censure motion presented by the True Path Party (DYP) against
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Cumhur Ersumer was
rejected by 312 votes. The issue was discussed among Nationalist
Action Party (MHP), Virtue Party (FP) and Motherland Party (ANAP)
groups before the meeting. Stating that they were against using
the monitoring function of the Turkish Grand National Assembly
(TGNA) as a means for political abuse and manipulation, Deputy
Prime Minister and Chairman of Nationalist Action Party Devlet
Bahceli said, "Everybody should know that we would not hesitate
to judge anybody, a minister or a deputy, here." /Cumhuriyet/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit attended the reception given by the
US Ambassador to Ankara, Robert Pearson, on the occassion of
George Bush's swearing in as the American President. During the
reception, Ecevit spoke with Pearson in a private room. After
Ecevit's atttendence at the reception, Pearson thanked those who
attended the reception and added, "We are now celebrating not
only a new leader beginning his term, but also the peaceful
transfer of the US Administration. This transfer has always been
an historic issue, but this latest transfer is special because
this time the son of a former President is the newly elected
President. The Bush Administration promises that cooperation
between Turkey and the US will increase." /Turkiye/
The Democratic Left Party (DSP) deputy Uluc Gurkan was appointed
as the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamanterian Assembly to the
Council of Europe (PACE). Meanwhile, DSP deputy to Adana, Tayyibe
Gulek, was elected as the Deputy Chairman of Legal Affairs.
Turkey's report, which will be discussed in April at the PACE
Chairmanship Council held in Turkey 21-23 May. /Turkiye/
The Foreign Minister of Sweden and the European Union's (EU)
current chairman, Anna Lindh, said the EU's intervention in
negotiations concerning the Cyprus issue would be a mistake.
Lindh, made a speech before the European Parliament's Foreign
Affairs Commission (APFAC) and answering questions on the Cyprus
issue, said, "If the European Union (EU) shows any reaction
concerning the issue, it will be a mistake. The negotiations to
find a solution to the Cyprus issue continue within the United
Nations (UN) framework, and Denktas' leaving the table is a
temporary situation. We should not make any proposals. Instead,
we should watch the developments and wait for Turkey to keep her
promises." Meanhile, the General Council meeting of the APFAC
will be held in February. The Accession Partnership Document is
expected to be approved during this meeting. /Turkiye/
American President George Bush thanked Egemen Bagis, the society
leader of the Turkish people living in New York and its environs,
for their support during his election campaigns. Bush sent a
message to the Chairman of the Turco-American Associations'
Federation (TAAF), Egemen Bagis, saying, "Dick Cheney (the
Vice-President) and I thank you for all that you have done. The
leadership role that you played and the energy and time you
expended played a vital role in the success of our campaign."
Bush added that he was honored by Bagis' support for him.
/Turkiye/
Italian Interior Minister, Enzo Bianco, in Turkey as the official
guest of the Turkish Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan, started
his contacts in Ankara yesterday. Firstly, Bianco met with Tantan
at his office. Then, Bianco and the accompanying delegation went
to the Directorate General of Security with Tantan. The guest
Minister was welcomed with a ceremony and met with the General
Director of Security, Turan Genc, at his office. After this
meeting, the inter-delegational contacts started. The first hour
of these meetings were co-chaired by Tantan and Bianco. The guest
Minister, who also visited the Turkish Anti-Drug Trafficking and
Organized Crimes Academy and at Police Criminal Laboratory, left
Ankara. /Turkiye/
Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk said 23,314 prisoners and
immates were included in the amnesty law which provides parole
and reduction of punishment. He added, if the ongoing hunger
strikes and death fasts ended in the prisons, they would open the
F-type issue for discussion by inviting foreign observers.
/Cumhuriyet/
A memorandum related to the INNOGATE Project, designed to
transfer Central Asian natural resources to Europe via Turkey and
Greece, was signed between the Turkish company, BOTAS, and the
Greek natural gas company DEPA. According to the Foreign Ministry
statement, Turco-Greek economic cooperation will significantly
improve with this project, which will also accelarate the
development in the region. /Cumhuriyet/
The agreement to accept Plovdiv as Istanbul's sister city was
signed between Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor, Ali Mufit Gurtuna,
and Plovdiv Mayor Ivan Chamakov. Plovdiv is Istanbul's 27th
sister city. /Cumhuriyet/
Relations between Turkey and Syria are developing in every area.
The political rapprochement between the two countries has led to
an improvement of both countries' Offices of the Chiefs of the
General Staff. Syrian Chairman of the Political Administration
Department at the Office of the Chief of the General Staff,
General Mahmut Ammar and an accompanying delegation, are
continuing their contacts in Turkey. Meanwhile, it was stated
Gendarmarie General Commander General Aytac Yalman would travel
to Syria. /Cumhuriyet/
The Treasury borrows by 57.88 totalling TL 388 trillion in the
bond with 3-month term bidding. During the bidding the interest
rates decreased 10 points compared to last year. /Cumhuriyet/
TOFAS's Chief Executive Officer, Jan Nahum, said TOFAS's turnover
target in 2001 is $ 1.2 billion with a production of 170 thousand
cars. /Hurriyet/
The Istanbul Home Textile Fair, the fourth biggest home textile
fair in Europe, will be open May 23-27 with the joint
participation of Home Textile Industrialists Association and Home
Textile Association. The aim of the fair is to gather the home
textile industry together under one roof. /Hurriyet/
Gaziantep carpet weaving company, Net-Desen established a
partnership with the American Covtex firm. The Deputy Chairman of
the newly established Covtex-Feizy Carpet Industry and Trade
Joint Stock Company, Asim Balat, said the partnership would help
solve the problems in the carpet weaving industry. /Aksam/
It was revealed that big investment advisory institutions, as
well as Deutsche Telecom were interested in the block sale of 35%
of Turk Telecommunications. It was stated that the investment
advisory institutions in England were not only interested in Turk
Telecom on behalf of the telecommunication operators, which are
active on the international platform, but they also wanted to
receive detailed information on the issue. Within the framework
of Turk Telecom's advisory institution, Merrill Lynch's
organizations, officials from the Turkish Privatization Board
(OIB) might go to England following their visit to Germany. The
OIB officials will go to Germany upon the invitation of Deutsche
Telecom this weekend or next week. /Turkiye/
Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp stated the three-year
economic stability program signed with the International Monetary
Fund (IMF) was being implemented as planned and that the whole
team was working day and night to this end. Demiralp, saying the
problems occurring in the financial sector were impossible to
solve immediately, added, "We need some time. I guess the balance
will be ensured in the first three months. There will be an
important decrease in the inflation rate and we will be able to
reach the targeted figure." /Turkiye/
The International Izmir Festival will take place between June 10
and July 16. Chairman of the Izmir Culture, Art and Education
Foundation (IKSEV) Filiz Eczacibasi Sarper said, "Paco de Lucia,
the twin-sister pianists Guher-Suher Pekinel and the Vienna Child
Chorus will give concerts at the festival this year. The biggest
surprise of all is Sting. He will give a concert at the Antique
Ephesus Theatre." /Hurriyet/
Support in the form of credits have been extended to 26 cities
for investments which otherwise could not have been completed due
to the lack of capital. The investment credits will have a
five-year term including two years without any payment and the
operational credits will have a three-year term including one
year without any payment. /Milliyet/
A vote in the Foreign Affairs Commission of the European
Parliament created a Framework Regulation to organize all
financial assistance to Turkey under one umbrella. Turkey, which
has received assistance from three different branches within the
context of MEDA, the Customs Union and Partnership Strategy, will
take assistance from one branch with the approval of the
Framework Regulation by the Council. Thus, some technical
difficulties will be removed. The Framework Regulation will be
voted on in the Plenary Session of the European Parliament at the
middle of February. However, the last word will be uttered by the
EU Council. /Milliyet/
Zorlu Holding and Denizbank, partners of Zorlu Energy, have
applied to the Capital Market Council (SPK) to sell a total of
900 million shares constituting 1 % of the company to the Merill
Lynch International. /Milliyet/
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Logoglu went to Germany to
meet the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Cyprus, Alvaro
De Soto. Logoglu, who is expected to meet De Soto in Frankfurt,
will discuss conditions for the return of the Turkish-Cypriots to
the negotiation table. Even though the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has previously stated that the proximity
talks had ended, the UN Secretary-General noted that he would
call on both two sides for the sixth round in Geneva at the end
of January. However a specific date has not been set. /Milliyet/
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that Fatih Terim, the coach of
Fiorentina AC, has prevented an initiative by the Fiorentina
Municipality to extend the honorary title of "fellow countryman"
to terrorist Abdullah Ocalan. Cem said: "They were supposed to
take a nonsense decision on December 12, 2000 however, Terim
exerted great effort and prevented its approval". /Milliyet/
US chemicals giant DuPont's President and Chief Executive Officer
Chad Holliday is scheduled to arrive in Turkey on January 25,
Sabanci Holding announced yesterday. DuPont and Sabanci have
established two global industrial nylon manufacturing firms on an
equal share basis. /Turkish Daily News/
Yesterday, Istanbul Police Department officials said that they
had arrested eight suspected members of a far-left terrorist
group responsible for one murder and a number of attacks. The
Anatolia News Agency quoted police as saying the arrests took
place in Istanbul over the past week. The eight were believed to
be members of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Fornt
(DHKP/C), a militant leftist group that claimed responsibility
for a suicide attack which killed a policeman earlier this month.
/All papers/
Turkish State Railways (TCDD) officials said that the
Nusaybin-Baghdad railway, closed by Syria during the Iraq-Iran
war in 1982, was to be reopened. TCDD officials stated that
repairs and maintenance needed to be completed in Iran, Iraq and
Syria prior to activation of the railway. However, railway
officials estimate a reopening in one month's time. /Turkish
Daily News/
Columnist Erol Manisali writes on the recent developments in
France and how Turkey is viewed by France. A summary of his
column is as follows:
"The passage of the bill by the French National Assembly is not
just a simple case of balloting. In a way, it is an indication of
how France views Turkey and, as a result displays the weaknesses
and inabilities of the country. For years, Turkey through either
her governments or other institutions, felt herself inferior to
Europe. Following the 1990s, Turkey began to be viewed
unfavorably in Europe. This is a result of the emergance of new
balances and developments in Europe and the world.
- Following 1990, the idea and culture of a 'Europe for
Europeans' began to take hold. This point was first penned by the
French. - In many European countries conservative parties against
foreigners increased their votes during election periods. -
During the past 12 years, the Church has increased its influence
in European countries. As a consequence, the following
developments were noticed in the policies of the EU towards
Turkey: First, the EU Parliament and the Council Of Europe have
adopted decisions previously unimaginable favoring Kurds and
Armenians. They acted as if Turkey was an enemy. Secondly, the
PKK has been supported by many European countries and this
support is still ongoing. Thirdly, on the questions between
Greece and Turkey, the European Union, particularly after 1993,
took Greece'side against Turkey. Even on individual issues like
the Ozdemir Sabanci case, they held a biased stance unfavorable
to Turkey. During the last 5-7 years, there has been an increase
in the number of racial attacks against the Turks in Europe. Even
the Vatican, took a stance on the issue supporting the Armenian
Patriarch.
Therefore, Yerevan has raised the bar and leaving its old line,
launched a frontal attack on Turkey. The Armenian President
Robert Kocharian, in his address tothe United Nations, attacked
Turkey. He then went to Athens and signed an agreement with
Greece against Turkey. Recently, he gave open support to French
National Assembly decision.
Meanwhile, new US President Bush has taken some radical
conservatives hostile to Turkey into his circle and given them
important positions. When all these are added up, it can be seen
that the decision passed in France is not temporary or
accidental.
On the other hand, Turkey opened the door herself to such attacks
by signing an agreement binding the country unilaterally six
years ago in Brussels. In December 1999, we accepted the
conditional candidacy for EU even though we did not like the
wording of the agreement. This was a candidacy not to admit
Turkey into the Union but to apply pressure on her. We did not
want to see that for what it was.
In the year 2000, we first rejected the impositions of the
Accession Partnership Document, but later changed our minds.
Viewing all these developments, will the French not think, 'How
much can Turkey, who accepted everything up till now, oppose the
passage of a bill on the so-called Armenian genocide.' The
decision adopted in France is but a small part of a whole
picture. We have to leave momentary reactions aside and think
hard over new policies. Turkey cannot stop the operation against
herself by accepting all the decisions of the EU. "
THE SANCTION BY THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCE
CEM'S STATEMENT
MORILLON: "PARIS LOOKS FOR ADVENTURE"
ALIYEV SUPPORTS TURKEY CONCERNING THE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
BILL
ARMENIAN DAILY AVAROT ON THE SO-CALLED ARNENIAN GENOCIDE
ARMENIAN REPRESENTAIVES IN THE CEREMONY OF HOLOCAUST
COMMEMORATION DAY
ONGER DEFENDS TURKEY IN FRANCE
FP DEPUTY GOKSU'S BILL ON ALGERIAN GENOCIDE BY FRANCE
ITO PROTESTS APPROVAL OF THE SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PACKAGE TO BE SUSPENDED UNTIL FP CASE
ENDS
CENSURE MOTION AGAINST ERSUMER REJECTED
PEARSON'S SPEECH DURING THE RECEPTION
GURKAN ELECTED AS DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF PACE
LINDH'S STATEMENT
BUSH THANKS BAGIS
ITALIAN MINISTER MEETS WITH TANTAN
TURK'S STATEMENT ON THE AMNESTY LAW
ENERGY COOPERATION WITH ATHENS
ISTANBUL'S NEW SISTER CITY: PLOVDIV
TURCO-SYRIAN RELATIONS
TREASURY BORROWS BY 57.3 %
TOFAS'S TURNOVER TARGET: $ 1.2 BILLION
HOME TEXTILE FAIR
AMERICAN PARTNER TO GAZIANTEP CARPET WEAVING
ENGLAND INTERESTED IN TURK TELECOM
DEMIRALP'S STATEMENT
STING IN INTERNATIONAL IZMIR FESTIVAL
SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENTS
FIRST GREEN LIGHT FROM THE EU TO TURKEY
MERILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL BECOMES PARTNER WITH ZORLU ENERGY
LOGOGLU TO MEET DE SOTO
TERIM PREVENTS A DIPLOMATIC SCANDAL
DUPONT PRESIDENT SET FOR TURKEY
TURKISH POLICE ARREST EIGHT LEFTIST TERRORISTS
NUSAYBIN-BAGHDAD RAILWAY TO BE OPENED
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
LOOKING AT TURKEY FROM FRANCE BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)