GUL DECRIES "FROZEN" PROBLEMS IN THE CAUCASUS
President Abdullah Gul yesterday went to Bahrain at the invitation of Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. Speaking to reporters in Ankara before the trip, Gul called problems in the Caucasus "frozen," including the Georgia problem, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, and relations between Turkey and Armenia. "When problems remain unresolved, they can spark into conflict," he added. Stating that the sides should reach agreements to normalize relations, he pointed to the Caucasus stability and cooperation platform proposed by Turkey after last summer's conflict over Georgia. Gul said that Turkey is also working to solve issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia. After Gul was greeted by Al-Khalifa at the airport, the two held a meeting at the Gudabia Palace. Afterwards, Gul said that neither wealth nor happiness can be assured without security and stability. Al-Khalifa also hosted a dinner in Gul's honor. /Aksam/
TOP ARMY COMMANDER SAYS TSK NOT OPPOSED TO FAITH BUT TO THE USE OF RELIGION FOR POLITICAL GAIN
Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug yesterday stressed that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has never been and will never be opposed to religion, adding that certain circles are trying to smear the army as being anti-religion. "What we are against is using religion and religious feelings as tools for political and personal goals and interests," Basbug said in a speech at the War Academies Command in Istanbul. Underlining that the Republic of Turkey is a secular and social state under the rule of law, and that its secular, democratic nature makes it strong in its region, Basbug said, "Everyone has to act in a sensitive and responsible manner in order to not undermine these ideals. Secularism and democracy do not contradict each other. They complement each other." Stressing that a modern republic is possible only through democracy, Basbug said democracy cannot do without secularism, separation of powers, an independent judiciary, the rule of law, pluralism, equality of opportunity, and responsibilities. The top general said that the TSK is committed to and respects democracy, one of the pillars of the republic. Another topic of Basbug's speech focused on the unity of the Turkish people and the importance of the nation-state. Basbug said the idea of "Turkishness" is not peculiar to a certain group of people, but rather is a common name granted to all sectors within society, explicitly expressing that all Turkish citizens are united around the identity of Turkishness rather than various ethnicities. Basbug explained what he meant by "Turkish nation," saying: "We call the people who founded the Republic of Turkey the 'Turkish nation'." Opposing the idea of promoting Turkey's various ethnicities over the common supra-identity of Turkishness, Basbug said one of the fundamental reasons behind the foundation of the Republic of Turkey is the establishment of a nation-state. On the fight against the terrorist PKK, Basbug said, "We have to maintain our fight against terrorism and the separatist terrorist organization in a determined, programmed and coordinated way. Security forces have to take all necessary measures under the law by placing more importance on coordinated intelligence activities." Stressing the importance of separating terrorists from innocents, Basbug said that necessary measures should be taken to prevent people from joining terrorist groups. "The terrorist PKK has been losing blood, and northern Iraq is no longer a safe haven for the PKK," he added. "We believe that recent measures taken jointly by Turkey, the US and Iraq against the terrorist group in northern Iraq will yield more effective results in the months to come." /Sabah/
OPPOSITIONS LAMBASTES NEW ERGENEKON DETENTIONS
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday criticized this week's actions under the ongoing Ergenekon probe, including the detntion of Baskent University Rector Mehmet Haberal and a search of the offices of Support for Modern Life Association (CYDD) Chairwoman Turkan Saylan. Speaking at his party's group meeting, Baykal called the detentions a "prosecutorial coup" at the hands of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Speaking at his party's parliamentary group meeting yesterday, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said that Ergenekon probe should not be made into intimidation. "Everyone should trust the justice system," he added. /Milliyet-Star/
NAGY: "ALL EU MEMBERS AGREED TO START ACCESSION TALKS WITH TURKEY"
Accession negotiations with Turkey were started with the unanimous approval of all the EU member countries and will continue within this framework, Christina Nagy, a spokeswoman of EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn, told reporters yesterday. Nagy said that the Union would determinedly continue to support Turkey's EU accession process. At a European Commission press briefing in Brussels, Nagy commented on recent remarks by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor opposing Turkey's EU accession bid, saying, "Accession negotiations with Turkey were launched with the unanimous approval of all the EU members in 2005, and they will continue on the basis of this decision." /Turkiye/
ICG: TURKEY AND ARMENIA SHOULD SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS"
The International Crisis Group (ICG), based in Brussels, yesterday released a report entitled "Turkey and Armenia: Opening Minds, Opening Borders" calling for both countries not to lose the opportunity to normalize relations. "Turkey and Armenia are close to settling a dispute that has long roiled Caucasus politics, isolated Armenia and cast a shadow over Turkey's European Union ambition," said the report. "For a decade and a half, relations have been poisoned by disagreement about issues including how to address a common past and compensate for crimes, territorial disputes, distrust bred in Soviet times and Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani land. But recently, progressively intense official engagement, civil society interaction and public opinion change have transformed the relationship, bringing both sides to the brink of an historic agreement to open borders, establish diplomatic ties and begin joint work on reconciliation. They should seize this opportunity to normalize." It added, "Over the past decade, Turkey has moved far from its former blanket denial of any Ottoman wrongdoing. Important parts of the ruling (Justice and Development) AK Party, bureaucracy, business communities on the Armenian border and liberal elite in Western cities support normalization with Armenia and some expression of contrition." /Cumhuriyet/
IRAQI VP HASHIMI: "THE PKK HARMS RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAQ"
Iraq should put an end to the terrorist PKK, said Iraqi Vice President Tariq Hashimi yesterday. Speaking to Arab al-Hurra television, Hashimi added that if Iraq cannot end the terrorist PKK, then it should allow Turkey to set up a military base in the region to clear the mountains of the group. He underlined that the PKK harms relations between Turkey and Iraq. /Aksam/
SPEAKING IN WASHINGTON, TUSIAD HEAD EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER ERGENEKON PROBE
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag took part in a panel at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think-tank, presenting TUSIAD's report "Rebuilding a Partnership: Turkish-American Relations in a New Era, a Turkish Perspective." Speaking at the panel, Yalcindag expressed her concern over the ongoing Ergekon probe. "The government seriously misjudged the severity of the economic crisis," she added. "Its reluctance to face up to reality and expectancy of (last month's) local elections led it to postpone any serious effort to come up with an economic program. Meanwhile, industrial production has fallen dramatically, and unemployment is at historic high levels. Now we expect the government to sign a three-year agreement with the International Monetary Fund. We hope that this agreement will also demand an independent tax authority, like the IRS (US Internal Revenue Service)." /Milliyet/