SERDENGECTI: “CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS PREVENTED FURTHER INFLATION REDUCTIONS”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Gaziantep yesterday to attend a series of opening ceremonies, said that he was responsible for marketing Turkey, which meant promotion of the country abroad. Erdogan also criticized the opposition parties for belittling this role, saying that there was marketing in politics. “There are some leaders unaware of this fact,” said Erdogan. “I think they should ask academics and learn about this.” The premier added that he was also marketing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is now an observer at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). “The future of the TRNC will be very different,” added Erdogan. /Cumhuriyet/
Cabinet Spokesman Cemil Cicek yesterday criticized Belgium’s decision that terrorist Fehriye Erdal cannot be judged in Belgium for crimes she committed in Turkey. Cicek said necessary actions will be taken by the authorities. He also accused European Union countries of failing to take enough action against terrorism. Cicek said there are ample international agreements against terrorism but a lack of cooperation between countries, adding that the Erdal case is a critical example of this. Previously Turkish authorities asked Erdal to be extradited to the country, but Belgian authorities refused, citing Turkey’s death penalty. But even after Turkey lifted the death penalty the murder suspect has still not been extradited. /Star/
The United Nations investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the report accusing Syria over the assassination has been carefully monitored by the Foreign Ministry. Ankara will reportedly take a stance on the report after its final version is released on Dec. 15. While the UN, Washington and the European Union hold Syria responsible for the killing, Ankara, which has had good relations with Damascus of late, expects the part of the report indicating that Syria did not cooperate with UN officials during the investigation to be reviewed. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in London yesterday, “Despite a lack of real evidence, the report contains some serious allegations.” In related news the UN Security Council adopted a resolution warning of unspecified further action unless Syria unconditionally helps with the probe. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa criticized the decision, which accused some high Syrian officials of being involved with the assassination. /Star/
After seeing a Malatya childcare center and orphanage racked by a recent scandal, Mehmet Elkatmis, the head of Parliament’s Human Rights Commission, yesterday said that the facility had not been inspected since 2000. Elkatmis also said that torture marks were found on 32 children out of 40 at the center. He charged that officials had neglected their duties, adding, “That was an unacceptable situation. The governor should have inspected the facility.” Elkatmis said that five people had been arrested over the abuse, and stated, “One of the officials torturing children had been on guard duty for 48 hours. This is inhuman. That person also needs rehabilitation and a psychologist. The permanent staff didn’t do their duties and it all fell on contract workers.” The commission was told that the children were subject to torture and beatings during holidays. /Aksam/
True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday called on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help inspect childcare centers. During a visit to a childcare center in Adapazari, Agar commented on the scandal last week at a Malatya childcare center. Urging people to take an interest in children staying at such centers, the DYP leader stated that that was one of the duties of NGOs. /Turkiye/
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat yesterday met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at UN headquarters in New York. After their talks, Talat told a press conference, “During the meeting we stressed that the only ground for a solution in Cyprus was the UN. We also expressed that ending the isolation of the TRNC would help efforts for a solution.” Talat noted that the UN secretary-general would like to achieve success with the new initiative, adding, “The initiative will be taken. But the time, the method and the place aren’t known, at least by me.” Talat also stressed that the European Union wasn’t the place to find a solution to the Cyprus issue, adding, “Because the EU isn’t an impartial organization.” /Cumhuriyet/
After an official visit to Washington at the invitation of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat is expected to travel to Britain this month to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Diplomatic sources stated that Britain, a guarantor power on Cyprus and the European Union’s current term president, planned to take steps to seek a settlement to the Cyprus issue. /Turkiye/
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said yesterday that Turkey had taken historic steps in human rights and democracy, adding that it had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria of the European Union. “We’ve begun to see the practical results of these reforms,” he said. “Turkey should continue this stable trend.” Balkenende further stated that the EU would keep its promises on Turkey’s EU bid. /Sabah/
US Charge d’Affaires Nancy McEldowney yesterday stressed the importance of strong relations between Turkey and Iraq, and added, “All the existing problems, including the one related to the terrorist PKK, can be resolved only this way.” Speaking to reporters after visiting the Anatolia Contemporary Education Foundation (ANACEV), McEldowney said that when U.S. President George Bush received Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Massoud Barzani last week the president reiterated the U.S. position on action to be taken against the terrorist PKK. She said President Bush told Barzani that Iraq should remain a democratic and federal entity, and reiterated the importance of strong and positive relations between Turkey and Iraq. McEldowney said, “I would like to mention a very important aspect. The establishment of democracy and stability in the region is what we want here. This can only be attained through strong relations between Iraq and Turkey.” /Cumhuriyet/
British Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday received Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani. After completing his contacts in the US, on his home way, Barzani held talks with the British premier. Speaking to reporters, Blair said that the coalition forces in Iraq would leave the country whenever the violence and terror there end. Expressing his grief over the deaths of Iraqi civilians, the premier said that terrorists were the responsible for this tragedy. For his part, Barzani said that the Kurds could cooperate with Shiite groups in Iraq’s December elections, adding that the Kurds were 15-20% of Iraq’s population, and together with the Shiites had been under the pressure of Sunni Arabs for decades. /Hurriyet/
Addressing the Parliament in Athens yesterday, Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis commented on a number of issues, including Turkey’s European Union membership, Turkish-Greek relations, and Cyprus. Karamanlis stated that Turkey’s EU bid would be evaluated not only by criteria in terms of reforms, but also by foreign policy stances. “Turkey can join the EU when it fully adopts the principles and values of the Union,” he said. “There is a process of 35 chapters before Turkey joins the EU. Each step of Ankara in this process will be checked by the 25 EU members.” /Cumhuriyet/
Briefing the Cabinet yesterday on the economy, Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti said that certain developments had prevented further inflation reductions. Serdengecti stated that there had a rapid rise in consumer loans, adding that the highest increase was in housing loans. He stressed that this housing demand put pressure on housing prices and rents, adding that there were rigidities in the service sector which kept inflation from falling further. “The increase in rents is higher than last year,” he said. “If this trend continues, then the service sector will adversely affect 2006 inflation.” /Aksam/
