THE EU’S SO-CALLED ‘TO-DO’ LIST
BY MURAT YETKIN (RADIKAL)
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday approved a new law on the
Turkish Straits. The law is designed to reduce the risk of
pollution in the Straits by not allowing the passage of
uninsured ships in Turkish territorial waters. In addition,
ships which fail to meet world environmental standards won’t
be allowed to pass through the straits. Turkish vessels
which don’t meet these standards will also be barred. All
ships except warships and official government vessels
(Turkish and otherwise) will have to submit information on
their cargo to the Undersecretariat of Navigation.
/Hurriyet/
Speaking at a press conference yesterday before flying to Spain to
attend a security summit, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan charged that the media had served foreign interests
by exaggerating Sunday’s police crackdown on an unauthorized
International Women’s Day demonstration in Istanbul, adding
that the incident had been blown out of proportion. The
media effectively denounced Turkey to the world, he said,
adding, “The police may sometimes act in the heat of
emotion, but this incident wasn’t serious.” Erdogan added
that the Interior Ministry was investigating the incident
and that such things also happen in Western countries.
/Aksam/
Speaking at a meeting of the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research
Council (TUBITAK) yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan stressed the importance of achieving progress in
science and technology. Erdogan stated that the defense
industry and space work were Turkey’s priorities, adding
that the government had prepared a strategic framework
document to coordinate science and technology with research
and development (R&D) efforts. “This document will lay out
our objectives through 2010,” he said. The premier also
lamented that the resources currently allocated to science
and technology were insufficient for the country’s goals,
but urged the need for patience. /Milliyet/
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his visiting Georgian
counterpart Salome Zurabisvili in Ankara. At a joint press
conference, Gul said that Turkey and Georgia were not only
neighbors but also friendly countries, adding that Ankara
backed peaceful solutions to conflicts in the country’s
South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions in line with political
and territorial integrity. Touching on a number of joint
ventures with Caucasian countries, Gul said that the
long-awaited opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
was expected later this year. For his part, Zurabisvili
stated that Tbilisi attached importance to Turkey’s
political support in its relations with Russia. She also
remarked that Turkey’s European Union membership was needed
for the region. Meanwhile, the two ministers signed a joint
protocol on cooperation against human trafficking. /Star/
At the invitation of his British counterpart Jack Straw, Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul is scheduled to travel to London for
an official working visit over the weekend. The talks of the
two top diplomats will focus on Turkish-European Union
relations and the Cyprus issue. In addition, political,
economic, cultural relations, as well as the Mideast issue,
are expected to be taken up. During his stay, the Turkish
foreign minister will also visit an exhibition entitled
“Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600-1600” at the
Royal Academy of Arts. /Turkiye/
Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok accompanied by his wife
yesterday flew to Kabul, Afghanistan to pay an official
visit. On his first day, Ozkok met with Vice President Ahmed
Ziya Massoud, and then officials from the country’s General
Staff and Defense Ministry. He also met with Turkish
soldiers serving in the country’s stabilization force, which
Turkey currently commands. Pointing to a history of good
relations between Ankara and Kabul, Ozkok pledged that
Turkey would do its best to promote peace and stability in
the country. /Turkiye/
There are still many PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey, warned Land
Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit at the International
Defense Fair at Ankara’s Sheraton Hotel yesterday. “The
number of terrorists in Turkey equals the number at the time
of PKK head Abdullah Ocalan’s 1999 capture,” added
Buyukanit. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and US Ambassador
Eric Edelman also attended the fair. /Star/
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas
yesterday visited First Army Commander Gen. Hursit Tolon to
discuss a number of issues. During their meeting, Denktas
said that the additional Customs Union protocol, an
agreement including Greek Cyprus which Turkey is obliged to
sign before its European Union accession talks begin, would
not amount to recognition of the Greek Cypriot
administration. /Cumhuriyet/
Speaking at a meeting of his party yesterday, True Path Party (DYP)
leader Mehmet Agar criticized Sunday’s police crackdown on
an unauthorized International Women’s Day demonstration in
Istanbul, adding that the government’s actions in the
incident had been “clumsy.” Agar stated that the government
was responsible for the safety of women. Touching on women’s
rights, Agar said that Political Parties Law needed to be
changed in order to facilitate more political participation
by women. /Cumhuriyet/
Sait Armagan, an Isparta Deputy from the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP), yesterday resigned from his party. In a written
statement, Armagan claimed that the AKP’s policies fell
short of serving the nation’s interests. With his
resignation, the ruling party’s number of seats in
Parliament fell to 361. /Milliyet/
Today is the last day for presidential candidates in the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to apply to the Supreme
Board of Elections to run during the April 17 elections. The
Democrat Party (DP), the junior partner of the newly
established coalition government, yesterday declared Mustafa
Arabacioglu as its candidate. With his candidacy, the number
of nominees reached seven, including Prime Minister Mehmet
Ali Talat, leader of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP), the
winner of last month’s general elections. /Turkiye/
Turkish Journalists’ Association head Orhan Erinc yesterday criticized
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent accusations
that the media had aired “exaggerated stories” concerning
police actions against Women’s Day protesters last weekend.
“While trying to defend the police, the prime minister is
being unfair to publishers who value their independence,”
said Erinc. /Sabah/
The government yesterday successfully proposed that SEKA’s Izmit paper
factory be transferred to the Greater Izmit Municipality.
After Turkish Labor Union (Turk-Is) head Salih Kilic
suggested that SEKA workers should have the last word, the
workers voted in favor of the transfer, and a protocol to
that end was signed. /Star/
Columnist Sedat Ergin comments on Greek-Turkish relations and disputes
over the Aegean Sea. A summary of his column is as follows:
“The 29th ‘exploratory’ meeting between Turkey and Greece
was held in Ankara last month.
The most comprehensive mechanism of negotiations between
Turkey and Greece is now three years old.
The negations were previously conducted by then Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and then Greek Foreign
Ministry Undersecretary Anastese Skopelitis.
While Skopelitis still represents the Greeks, Ambassador
Ali Tuygan has succeeded Ugur Ziyal as Turkey’s
representative.
So, how far have we come after 29 rounds of talks with
Athens?
The series of negotiations aims at settling disputes over
the Aegean Sea. Since the talks are not yet over, it can be
said that the disagreements have endured.
In recent years, we’ve seen a shift in the policies of
both countries. In the past, Athens would demand that all
disputes be resolved at The Hague, because it believed that
mechanisms of international law would work in its favor.
Meanwhile, Turkey would act in an irresolute manner.
In 1996, when then Prime Minister Mesut Yýlmaz made a
number of proposals including applying to The Hague
Tribunal, a shift in our foreign policy became obvious.
Ankara has been following the same flexible policy since
the beginning of the exploratory talks. This time, Athens is
the one dragging its feet on the matter.
According to the European Union’s official document
Agenda-2000, border disputes involving EU candidates are to
be solved by The Hague Tribunal. At last December’s EU
summit in Brussels, Greece demanded that unsolved disputes
be carried to The Hague only ‘if necessary.’ Thus Greece
revealed its reluctance to carry matters to the tribunal.
Results of the exploratory talks will also be made known
to the EU. This way, the EU will have an idea of what was
discussed in the meetings.
Contrary to all expectations, Turkey didn’t face any
difficulties on the Aegean issue during last December’s EU
summit. The ‘exploratory’ mechanism initiated by Ambassador
Ziyal in 2002 has clearly neutralized all our troubles over
the Aegean and smoothed Turkey’s way to the EU.”
Columnist Murat Yetkin comments on Turkish-European Union relations and
Ankara’s shortcomings in the implementation of new reforms.
A summary of his column is as follows:
“This week’s Turkish-EU Troika meeting focused on not
only the ‘disproportionate’ violence by Turkish police
towards women protesters on March 6, but also the EU
leaders’ demands that Ankara act in line with the recent
reforms passed by our Parliament. In short, the EU wants us
to conform with its acquis.
What do the EU leaders mean by ‘implementation’ anyway?
It’s nothing but a clear demand that Ankara act in line with
its new legislation. Brussels is demanding that Ankara take
action and make moves in step with its own reforms. It must
be disheartening for a government to hear this but still be
unable to do anything about it. The EU’s so-called ‘to-do’
list’ is full of issues which are directly under the
jurisdiction of the Interior and Justice Ministries.
Earlier this week, the government discussed the new Penal
Code and Criminal Procedural Code. Prosecutors and judges
should get special training on these issues. There’s nothing
much to say about police practices. We all know that our
Interior Ministry has little in the way of real power and
control over its own organization. If the current negative
atmosphere changes, it will be Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul
who will be the most relieved, because it’s always the
Foreign Ministry which takes the blame the mistakes and
missteps of the Interior Ministry on the international
stage.
What does this so-called ‘to-do’ list cover?
Our government’s failure to find the perpetrators of a
number of murders, particularly in provinces in southeastern
Anatolia. * The charges against publisher Ragip Zarakolu,
which were filed because he criticized Turkey’s policy
towards the Kurds. * The case of Ibrahim Kaboglu and Baskin
Oran, which springs from the report on minorities they
prepared under the Human Rights Consultation Board. * The
case of writer Orhan Pamuk and our government’s failure to
investigate death threats against him. * Why Turkey’s Alawis
aren’t allowed to establish their own houses of worship. *
Why the government doesn’t let the Heybeliada Seminary
re-open. Gul’s commitment to call the perpetrators of (what
the EU termed) ‘brutality’ to account for their actions
against women protesters in Istanbul over the weekend.
Turkey needs to shift its policy on just two of the above
subjects, the issues of the seminary and the Alawis.
However, the rest are matters of implementation. If the
current laws are implemented smoothly, these problems will
be easily resolved. Our government should require that
prosecutors and judges understand the new legislation
backwards and forwards and implement it without any hitches.
This is the duty of our government.”
