SEZER CRITICIZES TREND OF USING FOREIGN WORDS
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer warned yesterday that the increasing number and usage of foreign words were ruining the Turkish language. Speaking at the Fifth International Turkish Language Council, the president said the public, especially the younger generations, were more prone to use foreign words, despite the fact that the Turkish language was a rich one including innumerable words to express any action. He called upon authors, linguists and educational institutions to work to enrich the language. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also speaking at the gathering, said that Turkish was one of the fundamental elements of Turkish culture, adding that it was the only tool that could be used to transmit culture to future generations. At another gathering, the Third Religion Council hosted by the Religious Affairs Directorate, Sezer said that the application of secularism in Turkey was guided by the country’s historical and social experiences, not by reports prepared by foreigners. He added that no religion, including Islam, tolerated terrorism. In another speech, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc stated that Turkey was one of the world’s leading Muslim countries, adding that it was well equipped to tackle many problems which face the entire globe. /Milliyet/
AKP CENTRAL EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETS
The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) Central Executive Board convened yesterday under the chairmanship of Primer Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting reportedly focused on the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), including a controversial article on adultery. Erdogan told party members that during his visit to Brussels this week, he would lay out his government’s efforts on the road to European Union membership. Stressing that he would also met with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, Erdogan said that Turkey’s bid would not be jeopardized by the delay in enacting the new code. The premier added that his party would make clear its stance on adultery issue in line with its character. /Turkiye/
EU: “A POSITIVE REPORT FAVORING ACCESSION TALKS DEPENDS ON THE TCK BILL”
Jean-Christophe Filori, spokesman for European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, warned yesterday that if Parliament fails to pass a new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) bill before Oct. 6, the European Commission report on Turkey would not favor submitting a date to Ankara to begin its EU accession talks. Following a press conference, Filori issued a written statement emphasizing once more that talks with Ankara could not begin unless certain important articles in the new TCK bill were enacted. He reiterated that on Oct. 6, the commission would release its report on Turkey, including recommendations for its membership bid. /Turkiye/
GUL: “I EXPECT WE’LL GET A DATE FROM THE EU THIS YEAR TO BEGIN ACCESSION TALKS”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, currently in the US to attend a session of the UN General Assembly, said yesterday that he expected Turkey would get a date this December from the European Union to begin its accession talks. Gul touted the government’s efforts for the nation’s EU bid. “I believe we will begin negotiations with the EU,” said Gul. “First we must believe in ourselves.” Touching on the recent controversy over a proposed adultery ban, Gul said that Parliament would make a decision on the issue, adding, however, “I don’t know what kind of a decision it will be.” /Milliyet/
CICEK: “IF THE EU DOESN’T GIVE US A DATE FOR TALKS, WE’LL CONTINUE OUR PATH”
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Justice Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek said that even if the European Union doesn’t give Ankara a date at its December summit to begin accession talks, Turkey would still continue its path. “If we can’t get a date, we’ll not sit and cry, but we’ll continue our path,” said Cicek. “EU membership is important for us and that’s why we recently passed important reforms.” He stated that the EU was a union of values. “Our real goal is to guarantee all fundamental rights and freedoms and improve democratic standards in Turkey with or without the EU.” Touching on recent discussions on a new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) bill, Cicek said, “We’ve been discussing the same issue for two weeks. Saying more now would be pointless.” /Cumhuriyet/
DYP’S AGAR CRITICIZES GOVERNMENT’S EU POLICY
The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) insistence on including an anti-adultery law in new penal code legislation has proven the “insincerity” of its European Union policy, charged True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar yesterday. Speaking at a press conference, Agar criticized the government as pursuing an unstable and inconsistent foreign policy, and thus upsetting Ankara’s relations with the EU. Agar added that the government had no right to jeopardize Turkey’s EU membership bid for the sake of the AKP’s own interests. Several EU leaders have warned that delaying the new penal code or including the adultery ban could mean Ankara’s accession talks will not begin. /Star/
PRODI SEEKS RE-OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER
Romano Prodi, the top official of the European Union Commission, said yesterday that he wanted to see the long-closed Turkish-Armenian border re-opened. During a tour of southern Caucasus countries, Prodi hold a press conference alongside Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan. The EU commissioner stated he was not neglecting the issue of opening borders as a precondition for Turkey’s EU membership. “Personally, I don’t like the closed Turkish-Armenian border and the absence of political relations between these two countries,” said Prodi. He added that he was ready to contribute to efforts to open the border. /Turkiye/
GREEK FM: “EUROPE AND THE WHOLE REGION WILL BENEFIT FROM TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP”
Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis yesterday met with Foreign Minister Abdullah in the United States discuss a number of issues, including Turkey’s European Union membership bid, the international isolation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and bilateral relations. During their meeting, Moliviatis expressed support for Turkey’s EU bid. “Europe and the whole region will benefit from Turkey’s membership,” he said. /Milliyet/
IN IRAQ, RED CRESCENT CONVOY ATTACKED; TWO MORE TURKISH HOSTAGES KILLED
Iraqi militants yesterday attacked a Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) convoy in Mosul carrying humanitarian aid to ethnic Turkmen in Tal Afar. Two Turkish journalists and two Turkish aid workers were reportedly wounded after gunmen opened fire on their vehicle. “Such an attack on a humanitarian mission sent to help the people of a neighboring country has worsened the situation in Iraq,” said a Foreign Ministry statement. “According to universal rules of conduct, nobody should interfere with a humanitarian aid team under any circumstances. Turkey has begun initiatives to find those responsible for this heinous attack and to prevent any recurrence of such incidents in the future.” In related news, two more Turkish hostages have been found dead in Iraq, and are believed to have been slain by Iraqi insurgents. Moreover, militants have recently threatened to kill 10 workers from a US-Turkish firm unless their company stopped doing business in Iraq within three days. /Sabah/
IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI TO VISIT TURKEY NEXT WEEK
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is expected to pay an official visit to Turkey next week. Iranian government spokesman Abdullah Ramazanzade said that Khatami would visit Ankara on next Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 28-29. /Aksam/
NEW STANDBY NEGOTIATIONS START WITH THE IMF
State Minister Ali Babacan over the weekend met with visiting International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam in Ankara to discuss Turkey’s new standby negotiations. An IMF delegation chaired by Moghadam is currently in Turkey to work on Ankara’s new three-year economic program. Babacan conferred with economic bureaucrats before meeting the IMF delegation to discuss such economic and financial issues as the budget, balance of payments, tax reform, social security reform and monetary policies. Negotiations with the delegation are to continue until next Wednesday, Sept. 29, when there will be a break until early October due to the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in Washington. /Hurriyet/
TUZMEN: “TURKISH INVESTMENT IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES THIS YEAR TOTALS $6.5 BLN”
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday noted that Turkish business investments in foreign countries in the first half of this year amounted to approximately $6.5 billion, underlining that such investments would contribute to improving the economy in the long term. Tuzmen stated that this trend was expected to provide Turkey with an opportunity to boost its exports in the future. He also added that the rising investments were a natural and expected consequence of ever-growing globalization. Tuzmen yesterday also dispatched a humanitarian aid convoy carrying foodstuff to Turkmen living in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar. He said that Turkey was carefully monitoring the situation in Iraq. /Star/