ERDOGAN: “OUR COUNTRY IS ACCOMPLISHING HISTORIC REFORMS”
Turkey is accomplishing great reforms, ones unprecedented in the republic’s history, declared Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Speaking at the re-opening ceremony for a glass factory in Istanbul, Erdogan said that even while the government was making decisions to ensure the nation’s macroeconomic stability in its European Union accession process and end its chronic high inflation, it was also making legal changes to ease Turkey’s socio-economic and cultural harmonization with world markets. Erdogan noted that such great changes were no easy thing and that he was proud of these achievements. The government is well aware of the nation’s problems and is doing its best to solve them, pledged Erdogan. The premier also said that his administration was trying to restructure the country, deal with problems in industry and revamp the investment climate. “Our guiding principle is to remove obstacles to entrepreneurs and create equal conditions for them on international markets,” said Erdogan, adding that work to eliminate infrastructure deficiencies in the nation’s industry was also continuing. /Aksam/
GUL: “THE US MADE A HUGE MISTAKE IN SULAIMANIYAH, BUT OUR DIFFICULTIES CAN BE OVERCOME”
The United States made a “huge mistake” in detaining Turkish special forces troops in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq earlier this month, but new bilateral mechanism can help Ankara and Washington bridge their difficulties, said Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday. “The conclusion that has emerged is this: a huge mistake was made,” Gul told the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group meeting. Gul was referring to a joint Turkish-US statement from an inquiry over the Sulaimaniyah incident, a statement released yesterday by the Turkish General Staff but called still “subject to review” by Washington. Gul then added that “permanent committees are being formed to improve the health of Turkish-US relations and make Turkey’s contributions to Iraq’s reconstruction more meaningful.” Also touching on Turkey’s European Union membership bid, Gul reiterated that the upcoming seventh EU harmonization package would be the last. /Milliyet/
JOINT TURKISH-US STATEMENT EXPRESSES REGRET OVER SULAIMANIYAH INCIDENT
The General Staff yesterday released a statement on behalf of the Turkish-US joint inquiry set up to investigate the detention of Turkish soldiers by US forces in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq earlier this month, saying that both sides regretted the unfortunate incident between the two allies. “Both sides regret the incident which occurred between two allies and the treatment to which the Turkish soldiers were subjected while in custody," said the statement. While the statement was signed by both Turkish and US generals serving on the inquiry, Washington has yet to make an official announcement on the issue, and the US State Department yesterday called the final statement “still under review.” “We expect that approval [of the statement] to come shortly,” said State spokesman Richard Boucher, adding that it “was no big deal.” The joint statement said that both sides had agreed to rapidly and extensively share information regarding security and stability in the region through appropriate channels before taking any action. “Our countries have decided to ensure better cooperation and coordination in Iraq and have agreed to take all measures required to prevent the repetition of such incidents in the future.” It also referred to unspecified "additional measures" to develop US-Turkish cooperation, though Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul later said that “permanent committees” would be established to improve Turkish-US relations and boost Ankara’s role in Iraq’s reconstruction process. Although the statement did not shed any light on reasons for the controversial detention, it pointed out that both sides had "noted" concerns over each other's activities in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, sources stated that US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sent a letter to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan 24 hours before the release of the joint statement, declaring that the Bush administration was certain about the credibility of its evidence concerning alleged “suspicious” activities of Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq. Rumsfeld reportedly requested that Turkey restrict its military activities in the region to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Turkish officials reportedly characterized Rumsfeld’s letter as “unusual” in terms of international diplomatic procedures, adding that it had apparently been written on behalf of President George W. Bush. /All Papers, http://www.state.gov /
CHAIRS OF US TURKEY CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS TELL RUMSFELD OF THEIR “DEEP CONCERN” OVER SULAYMANIYAH INCIDENT
US Congressmen Robert Wexler, Ed Whitfield and Kay Granger, co-chairs of the US Congress’ Turkey friendship group, have sent a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld expressing “deep concern” about the July 4 detention of 11 Turkish soldiers by US forces in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq and calling for a full Defense Department/US Army probe into the incident. Lamenting the “first time in NATO’s history one member nation has detained military personnel of another,” the letter sent Tuesday warned that “if this incident is not dealt with immediately and openly, it could lead to further disintegration of the US-Turkish strategic partnership and … weaken the institution of NATO.” The report further decried the use during the detention of “hoods and handcuffs, similar to the methods used with Al Qaeda and other suspected terrorists,” adding that determining “whether the situation could have been avoided by alerting Turkish authorities … prior to the US military operation” was vitally important. It also urged “confidence-building measures … on both sides to ensure that over 50 years of US-Turkish relations do not disintegrate – [as] this would not be in the interests of either nation.” “We are mindful of the dangerous military operation being conducted by our troops in Iraq and believe it is critical to the success of our military mission in the region to work cooperatively with our longstanding ally, Turkey,” wrote the three congressmen. “It is clear that the incident on July 4 has shaken the foundation of US-Turkish bilateral relations and has undermined current cooperation between our two countries in northern Iraq. In order for both nations to move forward and to make certain that another dangerous incident does not occur, both the United States and Turkey must receive a complete and accurate account of the events of July 4. We are hopeful that the ongoing joint investigation in Ankara and additional review by the Department of Defense will provide both the US and Turkey a forum and means to address issues of concern and interest to both nations,” such as Iraq’s reconstruction, the war against terrorism, NATO and the Middle East peace process, said the letter. /Cumhuriyet, http://www.house.gov/wexler /
SIXTH HARMONIZATION PACKAGE RE-APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT WITHOUT ANY CHANGES
Articles 19 and 21 of the sixth European Union harmonization package proposing the abolition of Article 8 of the anti-Terror Law were debated in Parliament yesterday and then re-approved without any modifications. The package will now be sent back to the Cankaya Presidential Palace for the president’s signature. Earlier this month President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the articles, arguing that they should be amended rather than abolished in the interests of the country’s national integrity. Sezer cannot veto them a second time, but can recommend them for constitutional review. Meanwhile, the government is preparing the seventh EU harmonization package to be presented to the Parliament next week. The new package deals with other controversial issues such as modifications to the structure of the National Security Council (NSC). /Sabah/
TALABANI: “THE IPUK HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SULAIMANIYAH INCIDENT”
Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani yesterday said that he had postponed his scheduled visit to Turkey last week due to a recent anti-IPUK campaign , one he claimed been started by certain circles in Turkey. Talabani also denied reports that the IPUK had any connection to the July 4-6 detention of Turkish soldiers in Sulaimaniyah, northern Iraq. He stated that the IPUK welcomed Turkish soldiers in the region as its “guests” and expressed regret that the incident had ever occurred. /Sabah/
MUMCU: “CULTURAL COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND KOSOVO SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED”
Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu yesterday received a delegation from Kosovo headed by Kosovar Youth and Sports Minister Behxhet Brajshori. During their meeting, the officials discussed cultural cooperation and the restoration of Ottoman historical sites in Kosovo. Mumcu said that Turkish-Kosovar cultural cooperation should be further developed, calling culture the best means to strengthen bilateral ties. For his part, Brajshori said that Kosovo hoped to cooperate with Turkey in many areas. Nominally an autonomous region of the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo has been governed separately under NATO protection since 1999. The former Ottoman Empire province is majority Muslim. /Turkish Daily News/
BODRUM FOREST FIRE THREATENS AREA HOMES
A forest fire broke out yesterday in the Konacik district of Bodrum for reasons unknown. As of last night, the fire was spreading towards homes in the area. Ibrahim Ciftci, the administrator for the Mugla forest district, said that fire was spreading swiftly due to winds, adding that it currently affected an area of 20-25 hectares. /All papers/
TOBB HEAD HISARCIKLIOGLU: “NEITHER THE PRIVATE SECTOR NOR THE NATION CAN ENDURE NEW TAXES”
An International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Riza Moghadam yesterday visited Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchange (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu to discuss recent economic developments and the IMF-supported economic program. Speaking afterwards, responding to reports that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was planning to levy new taxes in order to create additional revenue streams, Hisarciklioglu said the TOBB would oppose any such move. “The TOBB, speaking for the private sector, is definitely against new taxes,” stated Hisarciklioglu. “I told the IMF delegation that the Turkish private sector and the nation absolutely cannot endure new taxes.” /Turkiye/
TUZMEN TRAVELS TO PAKISTAN FOR MEETING ON TRADE
State Minister Kursat Tuzmen yesterday flew to Pakistan to attend a meeting of foreign trade ministers. Speaking before his departure, Tuzmen said that Turkey’s exports for the first half of the year had climbed to $21 billion. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION