ERDOGAN: “THE TURKISH SIDE SHOULDN’T LEAVE THE CYPRUS NEGOTIATING TABLE”

Speaking at a breakfast meeting yesterday with media and newspaper representatives, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he wanted a resolution for Cyprus reached by May, when its Greek Cypriot side is scheduled to join the European Union. “Reaching a resolution by May is very important, since it would mean international recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus [TRNC],” said the premier. Erdogan further stressed the importance of such issues as accepting the existence of two equal states on the island and Turkey’s continued status as a guarantor state for Cyprus. “If we come to terms on these, then we can easily reach agreements on other issues,” said Erdogan, adding that it would be better if Cyprus’ two sides reached a resolution alone without the need for intervention from Ankara or Athens. “The Turkish side shouldn’t be the side which leaves the negotiating table,” he said. Erdogan also reiterated his call for media restraint in reporting on the Cyprus negotiating process in order not to damage it. /Aksam/
 

GUL, RUSSIA’S IVANOV VOW TO COOPERATE IN ANTI-TERROR EFFORTS

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying an official visit to Moscow, said yesterday that terrorist acts which target innocents could only be tackled through broad-based international cooperation. At a joint press conference alongside Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Gul stated that the fight against terrorism was the most important item on the international community’s agenda. For his part, Ivanov said, “Both of our countries know very well what the international fight against terrorism means.” The two ministers also signed a number of bilateral agreements. /Turkiye/
 

ERDOGAN BEGINS AKP’S LOCAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN ANATOLIA

In the kickoff to his party’s campaign for March local elections, Prime Minister and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday touted his government’s success in the central Anatolian city of Nigde. Stressing that his administration had reduced inflation from 29% to 19%, Erdogan told a crowd of citizens that the eventual goal was12 %. The prime minister also vowed not to increase the prices of basic needs or electricity, adding that the fight against corruption would continue. “We won’t allow some to reap illicit rewards,” said Erdogan. /Turkiye/
 

EMINE ERDOGAN CALLS ON WOMEN TO ENTER POLITICS

Speaking yesterday at a conference in Istanbul entitled “Woman and Politics,” Emine Erdogan, the wife of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said that women are inevitable participants in politics as in life. “Our women have to undertake responsibilities in politics just as they have at home,” said Erdogan. Commenting on the number of candidates fielded by her husband’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for upcoming local elections, Erdogan called the number regrettably inadequate, adding that the prime minister felt the same way. /Cumhuriyet/
 

DE SOTO: “THERE’S STILL TIME FOR A RESOLUTION”

UN Special Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto said yesterday that he was working harmoniously with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas during the current negotiating process. He declined to give any details about the fresh round of talks ahead of May’s scheduled Greek Cypriot EU accession, but added that there was still time to reach a resolution. In related news, Denktas is expected to meet with Greek Cyprus leader Tassos Papadopoulos today. /Aksam/
 

TALAT BLAMES GREEK CYPRIOTS FOR DELAY IN TALKS

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday complained that the Greek Cypriot side was purposefully delaying talks for a resolution on the island. “The Greek side is blocking a solution and trying to slow down the talks,” said Talat. TRNC President Rauf Denktas said yesterday that Greek Cypriot Leader Tassos Papadopoulos had delayed the talks in order to study TRNC-proposed changes to the UN plan. Denktas met with UN Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto after the break in the talks began. /Hurriyet/
 

EU’S GREEK CYPRUS REP: “IF NO RESOLUTION IS REACHED BY MAY, THE EU WON’T SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU BID”

Leopold Maurer, the European Union’s representative in Greek Cyprus, warned yesterday that the EU wouldn’t support Turkey’s membership bid if the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cyprus fail to reach a resolution for the island by May. “The negotiations’ outcome will determine Turkey’s EU bid,” he said. Maurer further claimed that in the absence of a resolution, the European Commission would not give a positive report on Turkey this fall ahead of December’s pivotal EU summit for Ankara’s candidacy. Greek Cyprus is due to join the Union on May 1. A resolution on Cyprus is not among the EU’s official Copenhagen criteria for accession. /Cumhuriyet/
 

PRESS GROUPS REJECT CALL FOR “SELF-CENSORSHIP” IN CYPRUS COVERAGE

Two prominent press groups yesterday rejected Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call for media “self-censorship” in their coverage of the current Cyprus talks. “We would like to stress that Erdogan’s call for restraint in the Cyprus talks is contradictory,” said Dogan Heper, deputy chairman of the Press Council. The Turkish Journalists’ Association voiced a similar reaction, saying, in the words of Chairman Orhan Erinc, “We think that Erdogan’s statements went too far.” The premier had said that the media should exercise restraint and “censor itself” so as not to damage the negotiation process. /Hurriyet/
 

IMF DELEGATION DUE IN TURKEY TODAY

A delegation from the International Monetary Fund led by Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam is set to arrive in Turkey today to complete the seventh review of Ankara’s IMF-supported economic program. The delegation is expected to hold a series of contacts with representatives from finance and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Istanbul and then proceed to the capital. During the meetings, minimum wage and pensions increases and how to ensure sufficient additional resources will be discussed. If a Letter of Intent prepared by the delegation is approved by the IMF Executive Board, then a tranche of $500 million will be extended to Turkey. /Turkiye/
 

CB HEAD: “INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION REMAIN TOO HIGH”

Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti cautioned yesterday that interest rates needed to be reduced further, since they remain too high. “Our International Monetary Fund-supported economic program should continue to be fully implemented,” added Serdengecti. Touching on inflation, the CB head stated that inflation too was also overly high but that single-digit inflation would be achievable next year. The 2004 inflation target is 12%. Serdengecti also urged the government not to pursue populist policies in a bid to attract votes in local elections scheduled for March 28. /Milliyet/
 

FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...

… NOT BY OIL ALONE
BY SOLI OZEL (SABAH)

Columnist Soli Ozel writes on the Middle East. A summary of his column is as follows:

“In his recent editorial ‘From Turkey to Tibet,’ Brian Whitaker, a writer for Britain’s The Guardian, tried to pin down the boundaries of the Middle East. According to Whitaker, the first person to mention ‘the Middle East’ in print seems to have been Gen. Sir Thomas Gordon, a British intelligence officer and director of the Imperial Bank of Persia, who placed the region in Persia, or present-day Iran, and Afghanistan. ‘[The Middle East] is not a region in its own right but a concept devised to suit the policies of outsiders, and it changes shape according to their strategic interests,’ added Whitaker. ‘As defined by US proposals for the forthcoming G-8 summit, the greater Middle East consists of the Arab countries plus Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Israel.’ Although the Caucasus and Central Asia are excluded from this definition, they are indirectly articulated in discussions of the Mideast region.

The Mideast has rich resources of oil and natural gas, and some believe that these assets give the region great power. However, the world’s dependence on these resources actually amounts to only relative power. Countries which fail to create economies which can stand on their own two feet are doomed to be dependent upon other countries. These nations have failed to improve in certain key areas such as education, access to the Internet, information production, per capita income, etc. In the 1980-2000 period, the region failed to develop altogether. Its income distribution is extremely uneven. In the next 30 years, its population is expected to rise from 300 million to 522 million. Its water resources are scarce. The economies of these countries are growing more dependent on foreign countries as time passes. In the years to come, the number of young people there will rise sharply, a development which will paralyze the economy of the region, as unemployment is likely to shoot up as well. Therefore, the Middle Eastern countries will probably fail in the future not only to boost their productivity but also to develop policies aiding stability in the region.

In light of this information, Turkey should immediately develop its own long-term policy for the Middle East.”
 

PUTIN AND GUL
BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)

Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on Turkish-Russian relations and the European Union. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul’s visit to Russia this week has borne excellent results, including a warm welcome from President Vladimir Putin. Although our countries have frequently been at odds, we aren’t Russia’s enemy. Long ago Russia colonized central Asian Turkic countries and although other Western powers eventually abandoned these efforts, Russia stubbornly resisted after World War II, something we always opposed. However, we have long admired Russian culture, literature, music and dance.

In 1965, I wrote three pieces arguing that the Soviet empire and Yugoslavia would disintegrate before the century’s end, without any foreign intervention. At that time, the Russian ambassador to Turkey lodged a complaint against me. However, I also wrote and now reiterate that counting Russia out would be a mistake, since it can quickly bounce back and could even join the European Union before we do. Unfortunately, Russia has stressed its unhappiness with our support for Chechnya. But millions of our people have origins in the Caucasus so Russia should forgive us. In Turkey’s exports and tourism sector, Russia ranks number two, just behind Germany. Boosting our relations with Moscow would be very beneficial. In addition, we shouldn’t forget that Russia has a very respectful place in the eyes of European countries.”