GUL URGES UNIVERSITIES TO PRIORITIZE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOT PARTISAN POLITICS
Turkey`s universities should focus their energy on their primary duties of producing knowledge and technology rather than getting involved in partisan political debates, President Abdullah Gul yesterday told a ceremony at Istanbul`s Yildiz Technical University marking the new 2010-2011 academic year. Urging Turkey`s universities to invest in science and scholarship, Gul said, "We should produce knowledge and technology and pass this on to other countries." Admitting that Turkey is coming out of a long period of inaction in this area, Gul said universities had focused their energies on areas outside their essential duties. Though universities cannot be indifferent to the issues facing the country, he said, academics should discuss these issues in a scholarly way and not get bogged down in partisanship. Highlighting that a new world order is being forged, Gul said, "As the world is taking on new shape, Turkey should contribute to this process." /Star/
ERDOGAN: "THE EU SHOULD MAKE UP ITS MIND ON TURKEY`S ADMISSION"
The European Union must clearly set forth its stance regarding Turkey`s full membership bid, said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday. Speaking at the 14th International Business Forum organized by the Independent Industrialist and Businessmen`s Association (MUSIAD) in Istanbul, Erdogan touted Turkey`s steps in recent years to strengthen Turkey`s democracy. "The EU should explain if they are going to admit Turkey to the EU or not," he continued. "If they aren`t, we expect them to announce this and not keep us waiting. But relationships Turkey has established with countries in the region have put Turkey in an important position." On Turkey`s good economic performance, Erdogan added that structural reforms made Turkey one of the countries least affected by the global financial crisis. /Today`s Zaman/
DAVUTOGLU STRESSES THE NEED FOR REVAMPED GLOBAL POLITICAL ORDER
The global political system, especially the United Nations, needs to be redefined in line with changes in the global political balances and the positions of regional players, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said yesterday. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Rafi al-Issawi in Ankara, Davutoglu underlined the need to restructure the UN. Stating that the body`s current structure, and particularly the hierarchical UN Security Council, is a relic of the postwar years, Davutoglu said, "Global political balances and the positions of the regional players have changed. It is very natural that a global order unable to manage regional crises now faces deadlocks on many global fronts. Now we face the need to restructure the global political system and particularly the UN." Many of the small ethnic crises of the 1990s flared into global crises in the new millennium, Davutoglu said, urging all global actors to make plans for the decades to come. /Sabah/
CHINESE PM JIABAO DUE IN TURKEY TODAY SEEKING STRONGER TIES
As part of his Europe tour, Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is set to arrive in Ankara today for an official visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Bilateral relations and a number of regional and international issues of common concern are expected to dominate their talks. During Jiabao`s visit, 10 agreements are expected to be signed for increased cooperation in such areas as cultural exchange programs, energy, telecommunications, transportation, and health care. Additional measures to boost bilateral ties will also be reviewed, as well as ways to improve the bilateral trade volume, which currently stands at $18 billion. Erdogan will reportedly reiterate Turkey`s offer to China that the two countries make joint investments in third countries. Visiting Turkey earlier this year, Chinese Foreign Trade Minister Chen Deming said that his country is looking for investment opportunities in Turkey. Deming also said that Chinese investors are interested in the construction of a third bridge over the Bosporus, and that the Bank of China, the world`s fifth-biggest bank, has plans to open a branch in Istanbul. During his stay in Turkey, Jiabao will also be received by President Abdullah Gul, and hold talks in Istanbul. /Sabah/
FM DAVUTOGLU: "FORMING AN IRAQI GOVT IS UP TO THE IRAQIS"
While expressing concern over the seven-month delay in the formation of a new government in neighboring Iraq, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday stressed that forming a government is a task solely for the Iraqis themselves. Davutoglu`s remarks at a joint press conference with Iraq`s visiting Deputy Prime Minister Rafi Al-Issawi came following Issawi`s complaints over foreign meddling in Iraq`s internal affairs, which he said was the main reason for the delay. Relations between Iraq and Turkey are healthy because Turkey doesn`t intervene in Iraq`s internal affairs and keeps an equal distance from all sectors of Iraqi society, Issawi said. For his part, Davutoglu said that the absence of a powerful, stable administration in Iraq weakens Turkey`s fight against the terrorist PKK, which has bases in northern Iraq. "Turkey has been conveying the same message to all neighboring countries," Davutoglu added. "Forming a government in Iraq is a mission for our Iraqi cousins." He added, "Let a powerful and vigorous government be formed based on the culture of reconciliation, and let all our cousins find the opportunity for representation within this government. We place particular importance to the active involvement of al-Iraqiya - established together by our Sunni and Shiite cousins - in this process." He also said, "Our consultations on this issue are continuing with friendly and neighboring countries. During the UN General Assembly meeting (last month in New York), we spoke with officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq. Iraq`s stability is very important for the region, and regional stability is currently dependent on stability in Iraq." Regional countries` interest in Iraq is normal, but "this interest should be constructive," he added. /Today`s Zaman/
IN NEW STRATEGY FOR EU BID, TURKEY APPEALING TO INDIVIDUAL STATES
Turkey is proactively attempting to speed up stalled negotiations with the European Union by taking the initiative to negotiate with individual member states. Yesterday`s visit by Poland`s foreign minister will quickly be followed by visits from his counterparts from Austria (today) and France (next week), two countries in the 27-nation EU that are especially cool towards Turkey`s membership. Poland will hold the EU`s rotating term presidency in the second half of next year. "We`re sure that Turkish-EU relations will gain momentum in this period," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski. "Poland is a country which can well understand Turkey regarding the Cyprus issue, the EU and NATO, and technical matters," he added. "We have high expectations from Poland and have full confidence." Turkey has so far opened 13 out of 33 negotiating chapters in the accession process, which is moving slowly for a number of reasons, including a row over Ankara`s refusal to open its ports to EU member Greek Cyprus, and the blunt opposition of some states to Turkish membership. Sikorski voiced full support to Turkish membership, saying they would do their best to open at least one negotiation chapter when they are at the EU`s helm next year, as well as try to resolve the conflict between NATO and the EU stemming from the lack of a solution to the Cyprus problem. "We`ll be working to solve the problem so Turkey`s EU way is clear," he said. Davutoglu also denied claims that flying the Turkish flag had been banned in Azerbaijan. "There is no crisis in Turkish-Azeri ties," he said. "Nobody should ever try to give the impression that there is a problem in our relationship." /Hurriyet Daily News/
GOVT PROPOSES EXTENDING MANDATE ON CROSS-BORDER OPS AGAINST TERRORIST PKK
The government yesterday submitted a motion to Parliament to extend a mandate for military strikes against terrorist PKK bases in northern Iraq. "Turkey is continuing to successfully execute its military activities along with political and diplomatic moves to end the presence and terrorist activities of PKK terrorists in northern Iraq," said the motion, ahead of the current mandate`s expiration on Sunday. The motion is likely to be easily approved by Parliament, where the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) holds a comfortable majority. The mandate authorizes the government to order cross-border military action against PKK hideouts in northern Iraq that the group`s members use as a launching pad for strikes on Turkish targets across the border. Parliament has already twice extended the mandate, which was first approved in 2007. Using intelligence supplied by the United States, the Turkish military has staged a series of air raids against PKK targets in the region and carried out a number of ground incursions. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. /Hurriyet Daily News/
FIRST LADY HAYRUNNISA GUL TO ADDRESS PACE SESSION ON EDUCATION
First lady Hayrunnisa Gul is due today to address a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting in Strasbourg. The gathering will discuss a report prepared by PACE member Lokman Ayva, a ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy, on guaranteeing ill and disabled children`s right to an education. Gul, the first Turkish first lady to address PACE, will deliver her speech as the leader of the Education Enables campaign. /Today`s Zaman/
ISTANBUL PREPPING TO CONCLUDE REIGN AS EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE
Ahead of the end of Istanbul reign as European Capital of Culture later this year, officials in charge of its performing arts, music and opera, museums, visual arts, classical Turkish music and urban transformation looked back over the year at a press conference Tuesday at the Pera Palas Hotel. Sekip Avdagic, chairman of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, said this was the first time Turkey saw such a large number of public institutions, private companies, nongovernmental organizations and artists collaborating on a single goal. He said the collaboration showed that Istanbul has many features befitting a European cultural capital. "Of course there were some mistakes, but we learned lessons from them and fixed them," he said. On the year`s conclusion, Avdagic said, "The agency will finish its culture and art events on Dec. 31. There will be a completion process between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2011. We won`t do anything new in the field of culture and arts during this process. We will complete our ongoing projects, restorations, and renovations." Avdagic said even though the events would end, the agency`s 80-member staff gained important experience to use in Istanbul`s and Turkey`s culture economy in the future. /Hurriyet Daily News/
IMF RAISES TURKISH GROWTH FORECAST
Turkey`s economy may expand 7.8 percent this year, more than double the pace of Europe`s other emerging markets, the International Monetary Fund said yesterday, raising its forecast on stronger-than-expected consumer spending. The IMF`s previous growth forecast for Turkey, published a month ago, was 6.1 percent. Its prediction for overall expansion in emerging Europe, which includes Turkey and excludes Russia, was 3.7 percent, according to the IMF`s new World Economic Outlook. The Washington-based lender expects Turkish growth to slow to 3.6 percent next year. Turkey is rebounding from the global financial crisis faster than many peers in emerging Europe thanks to "relatively strong household and bank balance sheets" and the normalization of global trade and capital flows, the IMF said. Gross domestic product grew an annual 10.3 percent in the second quarter, after expanding 11.7 percent in the first three months. The economy won`t sustain that pace in the second half of the year, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said last month, forecasting full-year growth of 6-7 percent. Turkey broke off loan talks with the IMF in March. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who faces elections next year, says the economy doesn`t need IMF money and has dropped plans for legislation to limit the budget deficit. Inflation will average 8.7 percent this year and slow to an average of 5.7 percent next year, the IMF said. The Central Bank has held the benchmark interest rate unchanged at a record low of 7 percent for 10 months. In recent months it has begun to withdraw the additional liquidity it provided the banking system during the 2009 economic crisis. Inflation was 9.2 percent in September and will "gradually slow" in the rest of the year, the CB said Tuesday. Its year-end target is 6.5 percent. The current-account deficit will widen to 5.2 percent of GDP this year and to 5.4 percent of GDP in 2011, the IMF said. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TOP BUSINESS LEADER: "TURKEY IS RAPIDLY RISING TO THE ECONOMIC MAJOR LEAGUES"
Turkey is on the verge of a new era in terms of economic development in which it will take its place in the major leagues, Ferit Sahenk, the head of Turkey`s Dogus Holding and chairman of the Turkish-German Business Council, said yesterday. Speaking at the first Turkish-German conference on investment and cooperation in Istanbul, Sahnek stressed the features Turkey and Germany share in common. "We`re talking about the partnership of a country which made major contributions to reducing tension over the Eurozone in a critical period with its key role in policy coordination, namely Germany, with a country that recently emerged as a regional power both economically and politically, namely Turkey," he said. Considering the new dynamics of globalization, we can see how Turkey repositioned itself, Sahenk said, calling it one of the key players in the new global paradigm. Speaking at the same meeting, Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Egemen Bagis slammed what he called the unfair treatment of Turkey`s EU bid by some member countries. Stating that 17 out of a total of 33 chapters in accession talks between Turkey and the EU are currently blocked over political reasons, Bagis said, "Not to open the energy chapter in talks with Turkey, which is a key country in terms of energy in its region, is a double standard in itself." Only one EU member has lived up to a pledge to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots who supported a UN plan to solve the Cyprus issue, Bagis said, and added, "While the Greek Cypriot administration is doing trade with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), 26 EU member countries acting on the contrary and trying to block trade with the TRNC is another double standard." Bagis also made it clear that Turkey will open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot traffic only when the TRNC`s isolation is ended. /Hurriyet/