TWO PROJECTS
BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
In the runup to Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s visit this week to Ankara, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the Interfax
news agency that Ankara favored a peaceful
resolution to the Chechen issue within the
framework of Russia’s territorial integrity.
Stressing that Putin would be the first Russian
President to visit Turkey in more than three
decades, Erdogan said that that visit would
strengthen bilateral relations. He said that
during Putin’s trip, various issues, including
Cyprus, the Middle East, Iraq and the Caucasus,
would be taken up, plus certain agreements were
expected to be signed. “We want to develop joint
ventures with Russia in military matters,” added
the premier. In addition, commenting on the
Cyprus issue, he stated that there would be no
cut in the number of Turkish soldiers on the
island before a permanent settlement is reached.
/Turkiye/
Appearing on television yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said
that Turkey could tackle terrorism by itself.
Stressing that the US was not nearing any
crackdown on the terrorist group PKK/Kongra-Gel
in northern Iraq, Gul said that Turkey could
ensure its own security. Pointing to recent
increase in terrorist attacks, the foreign
minister described the terrorist group as
panicked and close to a breakdown. Commenting on
the Middle East issue, Gul said that Ankara
supported the peace process in the region and
continued to hold contacts with both sides.
/Turkiye/
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday received Germany’s visiting
Minister for the European Union Hans Martin Bury
to discuss a number of issues, including Cyprus.
During their talks, Gul complained that planned
EU measures to end the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC) international isolation
had been blocked by Greek Cypriots. “You should
keep your promises,” urged Gul. Touching on
Turkey’s EU bid, Bury said that he believed that
Ankara would get a date this December from the
Union to begin its accession talks. /Milliyet/
Following recent contacts between the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) and the opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP), the two have reached a
consensus on controversial articles of the
proposed new Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The
350-article bill is expected to be debated in
Parliament on Sept. 14 during an extraordinary
session. /Turkiye/
Appearing on CNN Turk in the leadup to his arrival in Ankara tomorrow
for an official visit, Russian President
Vladimir Putin described Turkey and Russia as
neighbors sharing common interests. “I believe
that with more cooperation we can reach our
goals together,” said Putin, adding that in the
first half of this year Turkish-Russian
bilateral trade had risen 60%. “Our companies
are ready to participate in Turkey’s
privatization process,” he added. /Cumhuriyet/
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan said yesterday that Turkey’s
rising current accounts deficit didn’t pose a
threat to its economy, adding that there was no
need to take measures to counter it. Speaking
before leaving for a meeting in the Netherlands,
Babacan said that the nation’s economy was in
the midst of a radical change. Babacan further
touted Turkey’s accomplishments in inflation,
growth, and the primary surplus, adding that the
government had surpassed its goals regarding
these indicators. Touching on a foreseen new
standby pact between Ankara and the
International Monetary Fund, Babacan said that
trust in fulfilling the new program was very
important. Asked about whether credit cards
constituted a problem, Babacan said that they
did not, but added that a draft bill on the
issue would soon be on Parliament’s agenda.
/Aksam/
A new Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB)
project entitled “Political, Social and Cultural
Dimensions of Turkey’s European Union Membership
Bid” is being launched in order to promote the
country’s efforts to join the Union’s ranks. The
project, under which work by 22 scholars will be
discussed at an Istanbul conference on Sept.
19-23, aims to strengthen scholarly ties between
Turkey and EU member states. In addition, the
scholars’ research will be collected into a book
which will be sent to the EU decision-making
organs to help lobby for Ankara’s membership
bid. Stating that the objective of the project
was touting Turkey’s EU aspirations, TOBB
Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that a great
many scholars from EU countries as well as the
United States and Israel had expressed interest
in the project, which is expected to have a
positive effect on European public opinion.
/Hurriyet – Star/
Speaking in Brussels to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee yesterday, European Union Commissioner
for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that if
the EP’s fall progress report on Turkey is
positive, then accession talks could begin
within four or six months. “Several months of
preparation would be needed, so they would be
after four or six months,” said the
soon-to-be-retiring Verheugen, adding that
Ankara was working hard to overcome its
shortcomings for its EU bid. He stressed that
Turkey could begin its accession talks as early
as next April should the EU decide that the
country is up to the EU's economic and
democratic standards. Verheugen stated that the
progress report would be fair and objective,
adding that the cost of Turkey’s membership
would be discussed in a report set for release
soon. /Milliyet/
A “Wise Men Commission” established by the Open Society Institute has
prepared a report urging the European Union to
start Turkey’s membership negotiations
immediately. The commission made up of former EU
leaders, including former Finnish President
Martti Ahtisaari and former French Premier
Michel Rocard, is to officially release the
report next week in Belgium. Underlining the
inevitability of Turkey’s EU membership, the
report argues that Ankara’s membership talks
must begin as soon as possible. Furthermore, the
former EU leaders express their belief that
Turkey’s membership would help greatly to head
off any future “clash of civilizations.” /Sabah/
Turkey should be allowed to open membership talks with the European
Union, since isolating the country would not
serve anyone's interests, British Foreign
Secretary Jack Straw said yesterday during an
official visit to Prague. “I know that views
differ on this but people need to think very
carefully about the strategic implications of
pushing Turkey away, of pushing Turkey to the
east and to the south,” added Straw. “I don't
think that's in anybody's interests in Europe.
We have long supported Turkey's membership of
the European Union. Turkey is a European nation
and part of Europe's history, it is entitled as
a member of the Council of Europe and NATO to
make an application for membership of the
European Union and I hope a decision will be
made in December for a start to negotiations.
There would be no better signal of Europe's wish
to support the spread of the universal values of
freedom, tolerance and democracy than a positive
decision to open accession negotiations with
Turkey this December.” EU leaders are due to
decide in December whether or not to begin
accession negotiations with Ankara based on its
progress in fulfilling the Union’s Copenhagen
criteria. /Star/
Turkey is scheduled to take over the command of NATO forces in
Afghanistan next February. Turkey is expected to
send some 1,000 soldiers, including supporting
units, and to lead the troops for six months.
/Turkiye/
Columnist Y. Gokalp Yildiz comments on relations between Turkey and
Russia in the leadup to Russian President
Vladimir Putin’s visit to Ankara. A summary of
his column is as follows:
“Unilateral policies have always put Turkey
into a corner. In spite of our booming economic
ties, Turkey has never seen Russia as a
strategic partner but instead has kept a
suspicious eye on it. Many Western countries
have declared Russia their strategic partner,
but continued to inveigh against Turkey. Then
Russia approached and is still approaching
Turkey in the post-Cold War era. Our countries’
coming into sync is inevitable. Firstly we
should both define issues correctly. However,
neither does. Turkey is very important for
Russia, and it seems this importance will rise.
And Russia knows it. Particularly developments
in the Caucasus and the Turkic world make for an
anxious atmosphere. Russia doesn’t want to lose
its control over the region, and so wants to
draw the Turkic world into Eurasia. In other
words, we continue to walk on the road drawn by
others in the East as well. Russia should take
concrete steps so our relations can develop.
Moscow is still holding the PKK terrorist group
as a trump card. It also sold S-300 missiles to
Greek Cyprus, supported the Cyprus policy of
Athens and the Greek Cypriot administration, was
at odds with Turkey over incidents in the
Caucasus, and tried to block Turkey in the
Turkic world. These issues persist.
We can see something similar in energy
issues. As long as Russia tries to consign the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to irrelevance, it
can’t meet Turkey on realistic grounds. Russia
also belittled Turkey’s environmental and
humanitarian concerns about oil transports
through the Straits. The Justice and Development
Party (AKP) can’t choose Russia in the rivalry
between Washington and Moscow.”
Columnist Fikret Bila comments on Turkey’s European Union membership
bid and the US’ Greater Middle East Initiative.
A summary of his column is as follows:
“On Monday’s August 30 Victory Day, officials
from both the government and the military gave
their views on Turkey’s future. While some
problems were stressed, the evaluations were
generally optimistic, especially if we compare
today’s developments with the early years of the
Turkish Republic. Turkey’s path to modernization
could be an example to the Islamic world. Chief
of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok stressed this
by saying that establishing a modern Turkish
state with Ataturk’s principles and revolution
was as important as the French Revolution.
If we look to the future, we can say that two
projects will be key factors for Turkey. The
first is the European Union, and the second is
the US’ Greater Middle East Initiative (GME).
Turkey’s role in these projects will determine
the country’s future. The question whether
Ankara will be swept by the tide or else assume
a place with its own privileges and power is
important. From the EU perspective, Turkey, as a
country which has fulfilled even its special
conditions and the Copenhagen criteria, deserves
to get a date for accession talks. Turkey is
determined in its EU bid. Now it’s the EU’s
turn. We’ll soon see whether the EU will treat
Turkey fairly or whether it will impose other
heavy conditions while giving a date. This will
also show whether or not the EU is ready to
accept Turkey or whether it’s thinking of a
‘special relationship’ with Ankara. Then it will
be clear whether the EU has good intentions or
not.
About the GME, it’s not clear exactly what
the US wants to do. It’s too early to predict
what its proposals will be. However, there are
also some questions about giving Turkey a new
mission or trying to change its regime.
How these two projects will be shaped is very
important for Turkey. In both, Turkey shouldn’t
be a walk-on (bit player) which fulfils its
assigned missions, and it shouldn’t allow its
future to be determined by outside actors.”
