SEZER APPROVES NEW TCK

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday approved the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) and sent it to the Prime Ministry for approval. The recently passed code includes sweeping reforms to the previous, 78-year-old one. /Turkiye/

ERDOGAN HERALDS “NEW BEGINNING” FOR THE NATION

The nation stands on the threshold of a new beginning, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday at a conference on “Turkish Local Administrations and the EU” organized by the Ankara Greater Municipality. “We want the European Union to consider Turkey a future member, not a burden,” Erdogan added. “We believe the EU’s December summit will be a beginning not only for Turkish-EU relations, but also for a new world.” Erdogan stressed that some elements in the European Commission’s Progress Report on Turkey violate the principle of equal treatment of candidate states. “We expect the EU to correct those elements in its decision in December, and we want to believe that Turkey will not face any discrimination,” he added. /Hurriyet/

CICEK: “WE’VE FULFILLED THE EU POLITICAL CRITERIA AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR NOT BEGINNING OUR TALKS”

Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said that since Turkey had fulfilled all of the political criteria of the European Union, there was no reason for the EU not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. /Turkiye/

BAYKAL: “BEFORE THE DECEMBER EU SUMMIT, THE GOVT AND OPPOSITION SHOULD WORK HARD AND HAVE A SERIOUS PLAN”

Speaking in Trabzon yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that before the December European Union summit, where it is to decide on starting Turkey’s accession talks, the government and the opposition should work very hard and formulate a serious plan. Last week Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed that Baykal accompany him to the Brussels summit, a proposal which the CHP leader welcomed. “Everyone should do their best for Turkey’s EU bid,” said Baykal. He stressed that he believed they should work to change certain EU positions intended to stifle Turkey’s bid. /Milliyet/

BRITISH EU MINISTER: “I’M SURE THE EU WILL DECIDE THIS DECEMBER TO BEGIN ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS”

British Minister for European Affairs Dennis MacShane said yesterday that he was sure that the European Union would decide at its December summit to begin Ankara’s accession talks. “Our government has no doubt that Turkey will be given a date to begin talks,” said MacShane, adding that the atmosphere concerning Turkey’s EU bid was positive. /Milliyet/

CHIRAC PREDICTS TURKEY WILL JOIN THE EU WITHIN 10-15 YEARS

French President Jacques Chirac Jacques Chirac yesterday predicted that Turkey would join the European Union within 10 or 15 years, adding that the EU Commission’s recent progress report would weigh heavily on the December decision whether or not to begin Ankara’s accession talks. Chirac added, however, that the French nation would weigh in on Turkey’s EU bid in a referendum. /Turkiye/

EU’S PATTEN: “I WELCOME THE EU REPORT PROPOSING BEGINNING ANKARA’S ACCESSION TALKS”

Chris Patten, the commissioner for external relations of the European Union, said yesterday that he had welcomed last week’s historic European Union Commission report proposing beginning Ankara’s accession talks. He predicted that with Turkey’s membership, Europe would become more influential in the Middle East and Asia. Patten also criticized French proposals to subject Turkey’s bid to a referendum. /Turkiye/

ANKARA WARNS BARZANI

Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara. Gul and Erdogan cautioned Barzani to be more careful what he says, citing in particular his statements that he believes the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk is the heart of “Kurdistan” and that he is ready to contend over this. The Turkish side also reiterated warnings over attempts to upset the delicate demography of Kirkuk. During the meetings, Turkish officials also warned Barzani not to give shelter to the terrorist group PKK in northern Iraq and not to prevent the opening of a second Turkish-Iraqi border gate. /Hurriyet/

ANOTHER TURKISH WORKER SLAIN IN IRAQ

An Iraqi group with ties to Al Qaeda yesterday killed a Turkish worker, Mahir Kemal, who was kidnapped last week in Iraq. In addition, another group calling itself Tawhid and Jihad threatened yesterday to behead a Turkish hostage unless the United States releases all Iraqi prisoners and all Turkish nationals leave Iraq. /Turkiye/

PEKER SURRENDERS

CEM UZAN SENTENCED TO PRISON

TURKISH BUSINESSMEN VISIT TRNC

IMF DELEGATION ARRIVES IN ANKARA TO DISCUSS TAX REFORM, BUDGET, AND STANDBY AGREEMENT

A visiting delegation from the International Monetary Fund led by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam arrived in Ankara over the weekend to discuss a number of issues, including next year’s budget, tax reform and a possible standby agreement between Turkey and the Fund. The delegation yesterday met with Finance Ministry Undersecretary Hasan Basri Aktan and State Planning Organization (DPT) Undersecretary Ahmet Tiktik and discussed a number of issues. The delegation is expected to leave Turkey on Oct. 26. /Aksam/
 

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

THE MORE WE GO INTO DETAILS...
BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)

Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkish-European Union relations. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Just after setting down in Beijing, where he is now paying an official visit to forge better French-Sino relations, French President Jacques Chirac was asked by a reporter from French state television a very critical question on a timely issue. Which issue? France’s stance on Turkey’s possible entry into the European Union!

That the French media raised the issue to Chirac even in the midst of a visit on the other side of the world shows how sensitive the ‘Turkish issue’ is to France’s domestic politics. As our Ambassador to Paris Uluc Ozulker commented, the French are now debating their own identity by using the Turkish entry issue as a catalyst for discussion.

France is completely free, Chirac told the TV reporter, to either withdraw or use its veto during the EU’s negotiations with Turkey. Moreover, both Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin have asserted that Paris would be open to debate the matter in its Parliament before EU leaders gather in December to decide whether or not to open membership negotiations with Turkey. Chirac also said that the French public might vote in a referendum whether to allow Turkey in.

We’re expecting the French Parliament to discuss the issue before the EU’s December summit. But what would happen if the majority of French deputies express opposition to our entry? What would Chirac say at the summit? Would he ask his fellow EU leaders not to set a date for Turkey’s membership talks?

The reason Chirac’s administration behaves like this can unfortunately be chalked up to French public opinion, which largely opposes Turkey’s entry. Moreover, public opinion in other EU countries (even Germany) is leaning the same way.

However, it’s dishonest to adopt such a ‘populist’ standing, saying, ‘What can we do? This is what the public wants,’ and in the process forgetting about their commitments and responsibilities in line with EU rules. What will happen to the promises made to Turkey or the written engagements undertaken by EU leaders then? The European Commission’s recommendation unfortunately includes a number of clauses ignoring these promises and commitments such as the one stating that the negotiations would be open-ended.

EU leaders are currently telling Turkey not to let itself be distracted by such details. ‘What’s important now is to start the membership talks, the rest are details which should be dealt with in the future,’ they argue. I wish things were that simple. However, it’s diplomats who know the following saying the best: ‘The devil lies in the details’.”
 

FOR TURKEY, IS IT BUSH OR KERRY?
BY ISMAIL KUCUKKAYA (AKSAM)

Columnist Ismail Kucukkaya comments on the looming US presidential elections. A summary of his column is as follows:

“Turkey is enjoying a period of unique opportunities. The US and the European Union both support Turkey’s integration with the EU. When we joined NATO and the UN, there were such determining elements as the shaping of the Middle East, oil policies and relations with the Islamic world and the West. But now, how will the US presidential elections influence Turkey? Would it better if George W. Bush wins, or Senator John Kerry? Recently CNN International reported on a public opinion survey conducted in European countries. According to the survey, all European countries want Kerry to be the next president. The situation is the same outside Europe. However, many US citizens don’t agree. On Sky Turk a few days ago, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was asked whether a victory for Bush or Kerry would be better for Turkey. ‘How would you reply if you were in my shoes?’ he answered.

The situation is complex, but good analyses indicate that there would be no difference for Turkey. Just looking at the US system shows this. The really important thing is how Turkey will experience its EU membership process. Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting that work and problems concerning the EU were being discussed. ‘The most important issue on our agenda is our harmonization with the EU,’ said Sahin. ‘Our hardest-working institution in this is the Justice Ministry. The Agriculture Ministry has a great many difficulties. It needs to make radical changes to its regulations.’ A mentality revolution is needed in all our life and sectors. The future is planned through a consideration of history. There are many signals and lessons in the 18th and 19th centuries for our own time.”