NATIONAL PROGRAMME MOBILIZATION BY SAMI KOHEN (SAMI
KOHEN)
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem presented the Turkish National
Programme to the EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement,
Gunter Verheugen, yesterday. After a meeting, Cem and Verheugen
told reporters that Turkey-EU relations were continuing on a
strong basis. Thanking the EU Commission for its contributions,
Cem said the National Programme was the most comprehensive
compromising document and democratization program in Turkish
history. Stressing his pleasure for the approval of the National
Programme by the Turkish Government, Verheugen said the document
was an important turning point in Turkey`s EU membership road. He
also called on Turkey to implement the political and economic
reforms as soon as possible. /Turkiye/
The new economic program was discussed at the Council of
Ministers. It was decided to discuss the program with
non-governmental organizations. Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ismail Cem, currently in Brussels to present the EU national
programme to the EU officials, phoned Ecevit and informed him
about the reactions of the EU countries to the programme. Cem
said the reactions to the program from the EU countries were
positive. /Cumhuriyet/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit announced the decisions taken by the
United Nations (UN) Security Council concerning the Taliban
Administration in Afghanistan with a circular to the public
institutions. In the circular, which was sent to all of the
public institutions with the signature of Ecevit, it was pointed
out that the UN Security Council decided on some sanctions
against the Taliban. According to the circular, the sale and
consignment of weapons, equipment and military materials to the
region, which is controlled by the Taliban, is prohibitited. In
addition, Taliban administrators and officials will not be given
permission to enter Turkey. /Aksam/
Albanian Interior Minister Ilir Gjoni arrived in Ankara yesterday
to pay an official visit at the invitation of Interior Minister
Sadettin Tantan. After the meetings at the Interior Ministry,
Minister Gjoni and his accompanying delegation will visit Gulhane
Military Medical Academy and the Anatolia Civilizations Museum.
/Turkiye/
Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Speaker Omer Izgi began
his meetings in Uzbekistan. In the first stop of his 13-day visit
to Central Asian countries, Izgi met with Uzbek Assembly Speaker,
Erkin Halilov. Mr. Izgi was also received by President Islam
Kerimov. Reportedly, the "Turkish Speaking Countries Heads of
State Summit" was discussed during the meeting. /Turkiye/
The Democratic Leftist Party (DSP)`s Fifth Ordinary Congress will
convene on April 29th. Previously, the Congress, scheduled to be
held last December, was postponed due to weather conditions. The
fourth Ordinary Great Congress convened Dec. 7th, 1997. /Turkiye/
Minister of Justice, Hikmet Sami Turk, stated that to date, 38
convicts who are on hunger strikes, have been taken to the
hospital. Turk added that it is expected the ward system in 78
prisons will be changed to the room system. /Sabah/
Chief of the General Staff, General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, opened
the Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Center in Gulhane
Military Medical School into service. The Center, including a
intensive care unit for 18 persons, semi-intensive care unit for
9 persons, pediatric surgery, cardio transplant units and four
surgical theaters, amounted to 11.5 trillion TL. /Sabah/
A written statement issued by the Southeast Anatolia Project
(GAP) Regional Development Administration at the end of the World
Water Council (WWC) Governors Meeting held in Istanbul between
March 18-21, noted that many of the WWC members that have toured
and inspected the GAP region had been deeply impressed, even
astonished. WWC Deputy Chairman Rene Coucomb of France said, "It
was very interesting for us to stay two days in the GAP region,
in Sanliurfa, the Harran Plain and in Gaziantep because it sets
an example for many countries. Of course, there are problems, but
they are being tackled, and not just technical problems either.
The GAP administration is working to ensure development in the
region through social and economic sharing, and to find a
solution to problems of gender. These are very important."
/Turkish Daily News/
The construction of the Russian alternative Tenghiz-Novorossisk
pipeline to the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline was completed. The pipelines
connect the Tenghiz Oil reserves to the Russian Oil terminal on
the Black Sea. The operation of this pipeline will increase the
environmental and human risks in the Straits, as the oil will be
carried from Novorossisk to the world markets by tankers through
the Straits. The amount of tankers passing through the Straits
will increase from 5,000 to 8,000. /Milliyet/
The American Ambassador in Ankara, Robert Pearson, said if the US
had established a civil aviation agency in Turkey, it would have
contributed to missile production and satellite launching.
Speaking at the Turkish American Council's annual meeting,
Pearson said the US gives full support to Turkey's economic and
political reform programme. Stating they waited for the detailed
announcements on the program, Pearson said the programme
reflected the Turkish people's willingness to change. He added
they supported the idea that Turkey should take part in the
European rapid reaction force and the European Security and
Defense Identity. Praising the efforts of Turkish Foreign
minister Ismail Cem, and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou,
to improve Turco-Greek relations, Pearson said the US requests
the Cyprus problem be solved and everything be normalized on the
island. Stating the US always supported Turkey's full EU
membership, he added there was always a strategic partnership
between Turkey and the US which will continue to improve during
2001. /Milliyet/
Turkey will prepare the Pre-Accession Economic programme (KEP) to
submit to the EU within the framework of the full EU membership
process. This programme will be prepared biannually . This plan
aims at fiscal discipline and structural reforms to enhance a
stable and healthy market economy. The KEP will correspond to the
National Economic programme. The agenda includes economic reforms
and restructuring the institutions to achieve harmony with the EU
institutional and legal structures. Maastricht decisions define
the fiscal and monetary structure of the Union and foresee public
deficits do not exceed 3% and total public borrowing does not
exceed 60% of the national income. Reports to the EU will include
figures related to the public deficits and borrowing. /Milliyet/
State Minister Responsible for Economy, Kemal Dervis, began his
contacts in Washington, DC to ensure financial support for
Turkey. Yesterday morning, Mr. Dervis attended the
Turkish-American Business Council meeting. Addressing the
businessmen, Dervis explained the recent economic situation in
Turkey and the new programme prepared to overcome the crisis.
Underlying the global dimension of the crisis, Dervis said it is
a situation faced by many developing countries. He added, "As
Brazil, Korea and Mexico were aided, Turkey should also be
vigorously supported. Following the meeting, the Minister met
with IMF Chairman, Horst Kohler, World Bank Chairman, James
Wolfensohn, and US Secretary of Treasury, Paul O`Neill. During
his meetings, Mr. Dervis pointed to Turkey`s urgent need for
foreign support and said, "This support should be effected
promptly." /Turkiye/
The State Planning Organization (DPT) prepared a social package
to present at the Economic and Social Council meeting on March
31. World Bank and EU funds are to be applied to finance the
social package. $2 billion social support credit is to be
received from World Bank. The main points of the package are as
follows: financial contribution to the education of the workers
and public employees, financing the transportation costs and a
portion of rents of the public employees, and the completion of a
Farmer Registration System for a direct income support mechanism.
/Milliyet/
The US Vice Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, said the US was
fully supporting Turkey, who is suffering from an economic
crisis. Wolfowitz added, "Turkey, who is an ally of the US, is
strategically very important for the US. One person, even if he
is very intelligent, is not enough to overcome the crisis. A
strong desire is necessary to solve the problems. However, I
listened to Dervis' speech. This crisis might be an opportunity
to solve problems and the necessary reforms should be carried out
for this purpose." /Aksam/
Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen Association (TUSIAD)
Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan, stated Turkey should first find domestic
resources to support the new economic programme. Evaluating
Minister of State responsible for economy, Kemal Dervis' speech
which was delivered at the Turkish American Business Council
meeting as productive, Ozilhan said Turkey must take necessary
measures as soon as possible. He added, "Turkey should ensure
international trust for her new programme. American support would
not be enough. The TGNA must work hard in the following days.
Support will then spontaneously come from the World Bank."
/Milliyet/
It was agreed to form a joint commission at the meeting between
the representatives from the banking and real sectors. The joint
commission will begin working today. It is expected to finish its
work before the Minister of State responsible for economy Kemal
Dervis returns to Turkey. Speaking after the meeting, the
Chairman of Turkish Banks Union and Director of Ziraat Bank,
Osman Tunaboylu, said the meeting was very productive. The joint
commission will consist of seven members from the banking sector
and seven from the real sector. /Cumhuriyet/
The General Director of Is Bank, Ersin Ozince, said Turkey should
show everyone that she will recover after the economic crisis.
Ozince added, "If there is no alternative, the efforts of the
State Minister Kemal Dervis should be supported. Otherwise,
Turkey will be without a programme and support. First, we should
stabilize the situation and instill confidence in the economic
recovery program." /Sabah/
The Harvard Model World United Nations(WorldMUN) meeting which
entails the participation of 600 students from 60 countries and
organized by Harvard University was held in Istanbul. The
students discussed the main topics on the current agenda of the
UN. After their meeting, students will submit a declaration to UN
Secretary Kofi Annan. /Hurriyet/
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the National Program presented to
the European Union. A summary of his column is as follows:
"The National Programme prepared by Turkey was presented to
Gunter Verheugen, EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement by
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem officially. On this occasion
Verheugen found the opportunity to express his opinions in a few
sentences. He said in brief that the the EU supported the
National Programme, recalled that some conditions had to be
fulfilled to open the path of membership and called on Turkey to
immediately implement the reforms foreseen by the programme.
The support voiced by Verheugen is encouraging. EU officials and
diplomats who expected a more courageous, daring programme do not
withold their support. The EU preferred to stress the positive
points in the National Programme not to deepen the crisis in
Turkey. This support also gives Turkey a chance to advance on the
road to membership. However, there is an important point
Verheugen stressed in his short speech and that is, Turkey has to
spend more efforts in abolishing capital punishment and
recognizing the cultural rights of all her citizens. That is, the
EU will continue to support Turkey, but Turkey has to achieve
what is required of her as soon as possible. The message is clear
for those who want to understand it.
Turkey has to fulfil many conditions. First of al, the membership
to the EU and the National Programme should be kept alive by the
whole nation and not only by the Government. Certainly, a greater
part of the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the
Government. Making necessary decisions to carry out the
programme, and preparing bills are among the main issues. In the
words of an EU diplomat, The Ministers and ministries have to
study their homework for the EU and begin the preparations within
their own structures. Following these, the TGNA has a lot to
accomplish. All the parliamentarians must seriously take up the
issue. Finally, various proffesional institutions and
non-governmental organizations could make contributions which
would accelerate the implementation process of the National
Programme.
If we want to be a member to the EU, a national mobilization is
needed to fulfill the National Programme."
