SEZER, OZKOK ATTEND CEREMONY MARKING 106TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATATURK’S ENTERING MILITARY ACADEMY

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok yesterday attended a ceremony marking the 106th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, entering the Land Military Academy. Addressing the gathering, Land Military Academy Commander Gen. Hulusi Akar said that it was an honor for the academy to have nearly a century ago graduated Ataturk, founder of secular, democratic and modern Turkey. During the ceremony, a theatrical performance was also presented to the participants. Also present at the ceremony were the Land, Naval, and Air Forces commanders, National Security Council Secretary-General Yigit Alpogan, and military attaches from 19 countries. /Cumhuriyet/
 

PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE STUDENT AMNESTY BILL TOMORROW

Parliament is scheduled tomorrow to debate a controversial student amnesty bill previously vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Parliament’s Education Commission last week again approved the bill without any changes. The bill is designed to pardon university students expelled from their schools since June 29, 2000, regardless of the reason for their expulsion. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which previously argued that the bill is not an amnesty bill but an educational arrangement, this time will seek 330 votes, a qualified majority, which the initial parliamentary vote fell short of. /Turkiye/
 

ERDOGAN: “THE AKP DOESN’T EMBRACE EXTREMIST VIEWS”

Addressing the first regular congress of his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Istanbul Women’s Branches over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the opportunity to reiterate his criticism of certain recent media reports unfavorable to the AKP. Accusing the media groups responsible of deliberately distorting the facts, Erdogan underscored that his party would continue to protect the Turkish people’s interests no matter what these groups say. Stating that no one could call his party either extreme leftist or extreme rightist, as it is strongly committed to serve the interests of the entire nation rather than specific groups, Erdogan also responded to allegations that the AKP’s party program and actions follow an extremist agenda. “We’re serving our nation,” the premier stressed. “We’re trying to establish a sound, strong rule of law in our country. The AKP is a centrist party which does not embrace any extremist political views.” He also called on women to take on a more active role in politics, and stated that without women’s participation, Turkey’s democratic ideal can never be realized. “Without women politicians, not only does the political stage become enervated, but also democracy is crippled due to insufficient representation,” he said. Erdogan also delivered a speech at the opening ceremony for Okmeydani Dental Care Hospital and a number of local clinics in Istanbul. He stressed that problems in the transfer of Social Security Authority (SSK) hospitals to the Health Ministry would soon be overcome. “Turkey is now passing through a great transformation,” he added. “We’ve made good progress in the healthcare sector as we have the brainpower and technology to export medical treatment to European countries. I believe that in the future everything will get better.” /Hurriyet / Sabah /
 

GUL VISITS BRITAIN

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul traveled to London yesterday to meet with his British counterpart Jack Straw. The two top diplomats will discuss Turkish-European Union affairs as well as bilateral relations. Speaking to reporters before leaving for London, Gul pointed out that this July Britain will take over the EU term presidency from the current president, Luxembourg. Stressing that Britain would hold this critical post as Ankara starts its crucial accession talks in October, Gul said during his meetings new steps to be taken during the country’s presidency would be reviewed. He is also expected to address the London School of Economics on the future of Turkish-EU relations. /Milliyet/
 

OPPOSITION LEADERS CRITICIZE NEW TURKISH PENAL CODE

The leaders of two minor opposition parties, the True Path Party’s (DYP) Mehmet Agar and the Democratic Left Party’s (DSP) Zeki Sezer, yesterday criticized the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) set to come into force on April 1. In a written statement, Agar said that the code reflected the government’s “hatred” of the press and called for the government to postpone the code so as to make changes to it. “There are sections of the new code which lack of legal clarity and certainty,” said Agar, adding that the government had prepared the code to stifle criticism from individuals and democratic institutions. “Especially restrictions on media institutions hinder freedom of the press,” said Agar. In related news, DSP leader Sezer charged that the new code was an attempt by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to muzzle the press. Speaking at a press conference in Eskisehir, Sezer said that Turkey would become a “prison” for journalists after April 1. “Erdogan is trying to block criticism from the press with the new code,” he stated. Sezer further predicted that the government, faced with harsh resistance, would withdraw the TCK. /Cumhuriyet/
 

EARTHQUAKE IN BINGOL INJURES 16

An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale shook eastern Turkey on Saturday morning causing damage and injuring 16 people. Visiting Bingol’s town of Karliova, the quake’s epicenter, Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu and Public Works and Housing Minister Zeki Ergezen vowed that the government would do its best to heal the wounds of the citizens in the region. /Turkiye/
 

LPG SHIPWRECK CAUSES PANIC IN ISTANBUL

A ship carrying seven tanks, each loaded with 22 tons of highly flammable liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), sank late Saturday in the Marmara Sea near Istanbul’s Zeytinburnu neighborhood due to bad weather. The tanks floated to the surface after the ship sank, and then were brought to shore by the authorities. One of them was punctured after hitting coastal rocks, but the leakage did not pose any danger as the gas evaporated. Eight crew members of the ship were also rescued, officials said. During the rescue, the Bosphorus was closed to ship and air traffic. Investigation of the incident is underway. /Turkiye/
 

COSKUN TRAVELS TO ITALY

Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun over the weekend traveled to Italy as the official guest of Italian Production Minister Antonio Marzano. Speaking to journalists at Ataturk Airport prior to his departure, Coskun said that he would have the opportunity to tell Italian officials about the Turkish privatization process. “I’ll have bilateral meetings with Italian ministers,” he added. /Star/
 

UNAKITAN: “THE RISE IN THE CURRENT ACCOUNTS DEFICIT IS A NATURAL RESULT OF OUR HIGH GROWTH”

Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said yesterday that the economy was expected to grow 8-9% by the end of this year, adding that last year the current accounts deficit rose 93% when compared to 2003, to reach $15.6 billion. “The rapid increase in the current accounts deficit is a natural result of our high growth,” he added. /Milliyet/

FRENCH BUSINESSMAN PROPOSES NEW TECHNO PARK IN ISTANBUL

Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Kadir Topbas over the weekend met with visiting Alain Andre, the director general of the Business Innovation Center of Sophia Antipolis, France, Europe’s largest technological and research park. Andre proposed to his host that Istanbul could be the site of another such park. “Show us a location and we’ll bring our technological and financial resources there,” Andre said. “Such an initiative would also help Turkey’s EU membership bid.” For his part, Topbas said that they had agreed to build such a structure in Istanbul within two years. /Hurriyet/
 

GUANTANAMO PRISONER SENT TO TURKEY

FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS…FROM THE COLUMNS

THE ARMENIAN EMIGRATION BEGAN WITH A REVOLT
BY HASAN PULUR (MILLIYET)

Columnist Hasan Pulur comments on the Armenian issue and claims of a so-called Armenian genocide. A summary of his column is as follows:

“There is an Armenian issue, nobody can deny it. But I’ll try to explain what lies behind the issue. As Russian forces made up of volunteer Russians and Ottoman Armenians entered Ottoman soil, Armenians serving in the Ottoman Army deserted to the Russians or formed guerilla bands using weapons hidden in Armenian churches and schools. Since all the men in Turkish towns and villages went to war on the western front, the Armenian guerillas started a massacre of civilian Turks in the region. They interfered in the operations of the Ottoman troops, cut their lines of reinforcement, and made the Russian invasion easier by starting revolts in the cities.

In April 1915, following the Russian decision to launch an offensive on the eastern city of Van, the Armenians started a revolt so the city would be easy pickings for Russia. On April 21, 1915 Russian Tsar Nicolas I sent a telegraph expressing his thanks to the Armenian community for their assistance to Russian troops in Van. The Armenian daily Gocnak, published in the US, proudly wrote in its issue of May 24, 1915 that there were only 1,500 Turks left in the city.

While these developments occurred in eastern Anatolia, the British and French fleet arrived at the Dardanelles and British troops attacked in Iraq. The Armenian emigration began after these developments.

Bogos Nubar, an Armenian representative attending the Lausanne Peace Conference, said that there were about 300,000 Armenians in Turkey and that 700,000 had migrated to other countries. There could have been deaths during their revolts or emigration, but the claim that 1 million Armenians were killed is sheer nonsense.”

DAMASCUS, TEHRAN AND THE REST OF THE WORLD
BY YASEMIN CONGAR (MILLIYET)

Columnist Yasemin Congar comments on recent international pressure for Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon and Iran halting its nuclear program. A summary of her column is as follows:

“We need an objective point of view to properly observe the present transition in the Middle East. An ideological or populist approach is no good for understanding the rising regional dynamics.

Turkey needs to support the assertions that Tehran should abandon its nuclear arms development and Damascus should withdraw from Lebanon. However, the ideological and populist stance taken on these issues has caused them to be regarded as purely American concerns. Some of us viewed these demands as just an excuse for a future American attack on the countries.

Two days ago, UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen announced that Syria is ready to implement UN Resolution 1559. Thus Damascus has come to see that it must take concrete steps on the issue.

The true motive behind Syria’s obedience is the pressure applied by a united international front including the US, the EU, the Arab world and Russia. The Arab world joined the West in their assertion that Syria should pull back from Lebanon as soon as possible. Even the declarations of support made by Tehran and Hezbullah’s demonstration in Beirut weren’t enough to dishearten them in their efforts.

Syria’s possible withdrawal from the region and the holding of free elections in Lebanon will surely clear the path to democracy and peace in the Middle East. Turkey should promote this process with all its heart and soul.”