ERDOGAN SETS SIGHTS ON EARLY 2005 FOR TALKS, REJECTS “IMPOSITION” OF RECOGNIZING CYPRUS
Appearing on television yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey had taken the steps necessary for a Cyprus resolution, adding, however, that it was impossible for Turkey to recognize Greek Cyprus before this month’s European Union summit. “The EU cannot impose this on us,” he said. Erdogan stressed that he hoped Ankara’s accession talks with the EU would begin in the first half of next year and reiterated that proposals for “privileged partnership” were unacceptable. /Cumhuriyet/
PRIME MINISTER MEETS WITH IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday met with Iraqi Vice President Ibrahim al-Jafari. During their one-hour-plus meeting, al-Jafari said that his country wanted to strengthen ties with Turkey. He added that during its reconstruction process, Iraq hoped to learn from Erdogan’s experience in both politics and democracy. For his part, Erdogan stressed the importance of all sectors of Iraqi society having a seat at the country’s political table, adding that he hoped to see more action to end deadly attacks on Turkish truck drivers doing cross-border business. In related news, two more Turkish truck drivers in Iraq were reportedly killed this week. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN HONORED AS “EUROPEAN OF THE YEAR” IN BRUSSELS
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday was honored with the “European of the Year” award presented by Brussels-based weekly newspaper European Voice. The accolade was received in Erdogan’s stead by Saban Disli, the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) deputy chairman. Speaking at the ceremony, EU officials praised Erdogan’s accomplishments and leadership. /Turkiye/
GUL VISITS SLOVENIA
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently paying a visit to Slovenia, yesterday met with his counterpart Ivo Vajgel in Jubljana. Asked afterwards by reporters whether Turkey would recognize Greek Cyprus, Gul said that in the absence of a settlement on the island, Ankara did not favor doing so. Gul reiterated that Turkey had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria and that no hurdles remained to Turkey beginning its European Union accession talks. Stressing that Ankara would not accept any “special status” with the EU short of membership, Gul said, “We already have a special status; we are in the Customs Union, although we’re not a full EU member.” For his part, Vajgel stated that his country would continue to push for a specific date being given for Turkey starting its accession talks. In addition, Gul addressed a conference at Ljubljana University on Ankara’s EU membership process. /Turkiye/
SCHROEDER, BELGIAN PM PLEDGE COORDINATED EFFORTS FOR TURKEY’S EU TALKS
In Berlin yesterday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and visiting Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt pledged to coordinate their support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid. The two leaders stated that Turkey should start its membership talks in 2005, stressing that the talks’ ultimate goal should be the country’s full membership. Alternate arrangements such as a “privileged partnership” are unacceptable, they added. /Hurriyet/
SPAIN, ITALY THROW THEIR WEIGH BEHIND TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION TALKS
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish Prime Jose Luis Rodriguez yesterday both expressed their support for Turkey beginning its accession talks with the European Union. Speaking at a joint press conference, Berlusconi said that they had agreed to support Ankara beginning its EU talks. “We should encourage Turkey’s desire to integrate with the EU,” added Berlusconi. /Cumhuriyet/
DUTCH, DANISH PREMIERS: “FALTERING REFORMS COULD LEAD TO SUSPENDED TALKS”
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and his Danish counterpart Anders Fogh Rasmussen yesterday declared that if Turkey doesn’t faithfully follow its European Union accession reform program, then its expected membership talks should be suspended. Beginning Ankara’s talks doesn’t mean that the country can automatically join the EU, they added, predicting further that the talks could last for 10-15 years. /Aksam/
EP HEAD CALLS REPORT ON TURKEY “POSITIVE,” SAYS GREEK CYPRUS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED
European Parliament President Josep Borrell yesterday characterized an EP report on Turkey adopted earlier this week as “positive.” Speaking to Turkish reporters in Brussels, Borrell said that the report also underlined the continued failure to solve the Cyprus issue, adding that Turkey should recognize Greek Cyprus in order to start its accession talks. “You can’t sit at the table with a country which you don’t recognize,” he added. /Aksam/
PRE-ACCESSION ECONOMIC PROGRAM UNVEILED
At a joint press conference yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener, Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan and State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday unveiled a new pre-European Union accession economic program (KEP) meant to push Turkey’s EU bid. Speaking to reporters, Sener said that the KEP would be a basic reference document for Ankara’s medium-term program with the International Monetary Fund. Asked whether the KEP had been prepared on the assumption that Ankara’s EU accession talks would begin, Sener said that the Turkish economy was ready to face a range of contingencies. For his part, Babacan said that negotiations on a new standby agreement with the IMF were nearing completion, adding, however, there was not yet a firm signing date. “The standby will be limited compared to the KEP,” added Babacan. Also addressing the gathering, Unakitan said that the privatization of state oil company TUPRAS would be raised again soon. /Milliyet/
TURKISH LEADERS TO HOLD EU SUMMIT NEXT WEEK
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is set to chair a special meeting next week with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ali Tuygan, as well as Murat Sungar, Turkey’s European Union secretary-general. Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal is also expected to be invited to the gathering, which will focus on Turkey’s European Union membership prospects on the eve of the Dec. 17 EU summit. /Turkiye/
ANKARA SHOCKED BY SLOVAKIA’S “GENOCIDE” RESOLUTION
Shocked on Tuesday by a surprise Slovakian Parliament resolution urging recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide, the Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation from Slovakia’s Embassy in Ankara. Embassy officials replied that they were also shocked by the development, adding that it is not a binding resolution. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is expected to summon the Slovakian ambassador for a more in-depth briefing after returning to Turkey from his current visit to Slovenia. The decision is entirely ignorant of history, charged Foreign Ministry officials. /Hurriyet/
ANKARA READY FOR PUTIN’S VISIT
Ankara is ready to welcome Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin for a two-day visit beginning this Sunday. Security forces will take unprecedented measures to protect the Russian leader, as with 3,000 policemen deployed in the city. Putin’s wife Ludmila Putina is expected to accompany him. In related news, Moscow has filed a complaint with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) charging that Russian ships were held up by Turkish officials during a recent passage through the Bosphorus. The complaint was discussed yesterday during an IMO meeting in London, and is due to be taken up again next week. Turkey is defending its measures to regulate and protect the straits. /Hurriyet/
GREEK CYPRIOT FM: “RECOGNITION IS NOT A PRECONDITION”
Greek Cyprus yesterday objected to a leaked section of a draft statement on Turkey prepared by European Union Term President the Netherlands saying that Ankara needed to recognize Greek Cyprus for its EU bid to go forward. Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister George Yakovu, visiting The Hague, said yesterday that his government would not make solving the Cyprus issue a precondition for Ankara to begin its EU negotiations. “On the contrary, we want to help Turkey enter the Union. But, in order to do that, they should first help us,” said Yakovu. /Turkiye/
BABACAN MEETS IMF’S MOGHADAM TO DISCUSS STANDBY TIMELINE, REFORMS
State Minister for the Economy Ali Babacan yesterday met with International Monetary Fund Turkey Desk Chief Reza Moghadam to discuss a proposed new standby agreement with Ankara. Among other issues they discussed were recent reforms on taxes, social security and banking law as well as changes in health insurance and retirement. /Star/
TURKEY, RUSSIA SIGN INVESTMENT PROTOCOL
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen and Russian Energy and Industry Minister Victor Hristenko yesterday signed an investment protocol at a Turkish-Russian Joint Economic Commission (KEK) meeting in Moscow. While in the capital, Tuzmen also visited the Russian-Turkish Businessmen’s Union. “We want to boost our investments in Turkey, particularly in the fields of oil, natural gas and aluminum,” said Hristenko. Praising the Turkish companies doing business in his country, Hristenko underlined that Russian firms want to take part in Turkey’s privatization process. For his part, Tuzmen noted that a Turkish Commerce and Investment Zone is soon to be established on Russian soil. /Star/