ERDOGAN: “THE TSK IS THE ARCHITECT OF TURKEY’S MODERNIZATION”
Parliament’s general assembly yesterday held a special session on Turkey’s European Union membership bid per a proposal from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Addressing the assembled deputies, Erdogan said that his government wanted to discuss the bid both openly and comprehensively. Stating that for the first time Turkey had come to the verge of EU membership, Erdogan said, “We have to make good use of this opportunity through working together.” Regarding the National Security Council’s (MGK) debate of the EU accession during its meeting this week, the prime minister said, “There is nothing wrong with the MGK discussing the proposed reforms.” Asserting that MGK decisions were not above those of Parliament, Erdogan said, “In the end, the final decision will belong to Parliament.” He added that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were the architect of Turkey’s modernization process. The prime minister’s address came in the wake of newspaper reports alleging that the MGK meeting had seen the military “put the brakes” to slow down the government’s reform drive. In addition, Onur Oymen, an opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy from Istanbul, stressed that Turkey had no time to waste on its road to EU membership. Stating that the issue was a national cause, Oymen pledged that the CHP would support the government’s efforts for Turkey’s EU membership bid. In addition, Oymen remarked that his party didn’t welcome “fantastic stories” claiming that the TSK was against Turkey’s EU membership. /All Papers/
GUL: “WE ARE DETERMINED TO PASS THE EU HARMONIZATION PACKAGE”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government was determined to pass the sixth European Union harmonization package. Speaking at a press conference after returning from an Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting, Gul said that all government ministries had been informed and consulted on the package. Asked about yesterday’s National Security Council (MGK) meeting where the EU package was discussed (and Gul was necessarily absent), Gul replied that he didn’t know what happened during the meeting, but added that the MGK was just an advisory institution with limited authority. He added that the Parliament would pass the EU harmonization package before the next MGK meeting scheduled for the end of June, to be followed in short order by additional packages. /Aksam/
GEN. BUYUKANIT: “THE TSK CANNOT BE AGAINST TURKEY’S EU BID”
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) cannot be against Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit told a “Globalization and International Security” symposium yesterday. “This is also primary goal of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s reforms and vision,” he said, adding that EU membership also fit in perfectly with Turkey’s social, political, and security goals. “Turkey is [effectively] a part of the EU and one day it will join the Union,” said Buyukanit. He said that in order to reap the benefits of globalization, a country needs a stable political structure, as well as social, cultural and legal cohesiveness, a good educational system, and a strong work ethic. Buyukanit remarked that not all countries were ready to implement the political, economic and security changes needed for globalization, adding that developing countries saw globalization through different lenses than developed ones. /Milliyet/
CANADIAN FM GRAHAM VISITS ANKARA
Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham yesterday paid an official visit to Ankara. Graham was first received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and then met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan and Graham conferred on a number of regional and international issues. Also attending the meeting were Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Mehmet Dulger, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Fikret Uccan and Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Baki Ilkin. Graham held a separate meeting with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul where the two ministers signed a framework conformity memorandum concerning Turkish-Canadian relations. /Anatolia News Agency/
BAYKAL: “TURKEY’S EU BID SHOULDN’T BE USED AS A POLITICAL TOOL”
Speaking at a meeting of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) yesterday, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said that politicians should resist the temptation to use Turkey’s European Union membership bid for partisan gain. “Turkey’s EU bid should be considered as a national issue, and no one should use it as a political tool,” he said. Touching on upcoming EU accession legislation, Baykal said that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government’s sixth EU harmonization package shouldn’t include any provisions not required by Turkey’s EU bid. The Parliament is expected to pass the package before the next National Security Meeting (MGK) meeting set for late June. /Aksam/
FOREIGN MINISTRY PROTESTS GERMANY’S RELEASE OF FUGITIVE EXTREMIST METIN KAPLAN
The Foreign Ministry yesterday issued a statement protesting this week’s decision by a German court to release Metin Kaplan, a.k.a. “Black Voice,” leader of the Cologne-based extremist “Islamist Society and Congregations Union,” rather than approving his extradition to Turkey. Germany’s Ambassador Rudolf Schmidt was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and reportedly told that Kaplan’s release was based on “baseless assumptions” and that the court’s decision contradicted Germany’s declared commitment to the international fight against terrorism. Kaplan’s controversial group is banned in Germany, and it seeks the formation of an Islamic regime in Turkey, in direct opposition to the nation’s officially secular character. Earlier this year, Ankara applied to the German court to extradite Kaplan to Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
TUSIAD DELEGATION MEETS DE SOTO IN NEW YORK
After completing its contacts in Washington, a delegation from the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) yesterday proceeded to New York. There the delegation met with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Cyprus Envoy Alvaro de Soto. Following their one-hour-plus meeting, de Soto told journalists, “We hope to revive Annan’s plan for Cyprus. We expect some developments on the topic in the near future.” The businessmen also met with representatives from Citibank and ratings agency Standard and Poor’s as well as editors from Forbes magazine, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. /Turkiye/
TURKEY, RUSSIA TO REVIEW GAS DEAL IN MID-JUNE
Russian company Gazprom Deputy Chairman Yuri Komarov yesterday met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to find a resolution to a gas dispute between Russia and Turkey. The sides agreed on to sit down at the table again on June 16 to discuss the gas deal involving a pipeline beneath the Black Sea, thus abandoning the idea of international arbitration. Russian natural gas delivered to Turkey through the Blue Stream pipeline is more expensive than natural gas purchased from this country as part of other deals, Turkish officials contend. “We want the sale of natural gas in line with the agreements,” Komarov told reporters. “We didn’t sign the deal to go to arbitration. I think our two countries will reach an agreement in light of real conditions.” Komarov added that he would do his best to guarantee the stable delivery of gas to Turkey. The Turkish energy minister had said on Wednesday that Turkey and Russia could go to arbitration to resolve their differences. /Turkiye/
ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL READY-WEAR FAIR SET FOR JUNE
The Istanbul International Ready-Wear Fair is set to be held on June 25-28 at Istanbul’s TUYAP Fair and Congress Center. More than 300 clothing manufacturers are expected to take part. Istanbul is also due to host the International Apparel Federation (IAF) Congress on June 24-25. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION