ERDOGAN, ASSAD PLEDGE JOINT EFFORTS TO MEET EGYPTIAN PEOPLE’S DEMANDS
Attending a groundbreaking ceremony for a "friendship dam" to be jointly built by Turkey and Syria over the Orontes (Asi) River along their shared border, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday also met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Aleppo. Regional and international developments, especially ongoing political upheaval against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule, topped the agenda of the meeting between the two leaders. In a joint statement released afterwards, Erdogan and Assad pledged joint efforts to ensure the fulfillment of the Egyptian people’s demands and expectations and to prevent "new sorrows." A Prime Ministry statement said Erdogan and Assad also discussed recent developments in Lebanon, which is seeking a way out of its political stalemate caused by the collapse of Saad al-Hariri government, and pledged to work to help restore security, stability and prosperity there. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Erdogan said that the construction of the main dam is planned to take one year, and that its electricity generating and irrigation sections would be operational the following year. /Turkiye/
ARINC: "TURKS ABROAD SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE VIA E-MAIL"
The voting rights of expatriate Turks in this year’s general elections hinge on the positive response of the German government, State Minister Faruk Celik said over the weekend. Ankara has asked for Germany’s assistance in setting up voting booths at embassies and consulates there, said Celik, adding that he hopes to get a positive response from Berlin within days. "My impression is that the German government is warm to the idea, and I’m hopeful," he told a group of reporters aboard a plane en route from Ankara to Sudan. According to government estimates, there are some 2.5 million Turkish expatriates who are eligible to cast a vote in elections, and 60 percent of them reside in Germany. Celik is the state minister responsible for Turks living in other countries and is in charge of a new agency set up to deal with the problems of Turks living abroad. It is estimated that allowed to vote at embassies and consulates, European Turks could put as many as 24 deputies in Parliament. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, in Germany on Saturday for official talks, called it unacceptable that currently the only way Turkish citizens living abroad can vote in domestic elections is by traveling to the border. "We won’t settle for this," he said. "We have work underway to enable citizens to vote at embassies and consulates or at least through mail and e-mail." In these efforts, security regulations and laws in Turks’ adopted countries must be considered, he said, adding that within this framework Turkish citizens may be able to vote via e-mail. "This is what we’re working for," he said. "We care about this issue very much. It is very important that each and every one of our citizens is able to express their political preferences. I hope that Turkish politics will be able to benefit from this in the June elections." /Today’s Zaman/
TURKEY, US ALIGNED ON STRATEGY FOR EGYPT’S TRANSITION
Following his phone conversation with US President Barack Obama over the weekend, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his support for the US strategy of having a "transitional government" in Egypt to carry the country to elections. "A democratic transition should be ensured in the shortest possible time ... If this is achieved, I believe the people will definitely accept such an outcome," Erdogan told reporters yesterday before leaving for groundbreaking ceremony for a dam to be built jointly by Turkey and Syria over the Orontes River. Saying he had not changed his view that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should leave office, Erdogan emphasized that the groundwork should be laid be prepared for that outcome. "An administration of confidence that gives an opportunity for such a groundwork – and this could be an interim election administration – will ensure everything," he said. Speaking to his party’s parliamentary group last week, Erdogan said Mubarak’s pledge to step down in September was not enough, and that the embattled Egyptian president should go immediately. Stressing that Turkey has no intention of meddling with Egypt’s internal affairs, Erdogan yesterday added, "We hope the Egyptian people’s democratic desire for rights and freedoms will be met. This is very important for peace and prosperity in the region, since the results Egypt would get from this would have a very positive impact on the region." Stating that the upheaval in Egypt matters not only to its own people there but also to the whole region, Erdogan said, "Turkey only wants peace, stability and prosperity in this region. We also want this region to economically develop, as Turkey develops." Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday stressed that a reasonable transition period is needed in Egypt to allow a political scene to take shape and political actors to ready themselves for full-fledged multiparty elections. "Once this is done, elections can be scheduled for a reasonable date," he told reporters ahead of his talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. "If healthy elections are to be held, political parties and actors should be allowed to make preparations. If new political parties are to be formed, time should be allowed." He added, "Such a dynamic multiparty election has not been seen in Egypt of late. A reasonable amount of time needs to be allowed for that." Citing the phone conversation between Erdogan and Obama, Davutoglu also reaffirmed that Turkey and the US are on the same page concerning Egypt. "The good side is the views are 100 percent identical; the regional perspective, the worries, the concerns are also the same," he said. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TURKEY STARTS BUILDING "FRIENDSHIP DAM" WITH SYRIA
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a long-delayed dam on a river that flows from Syria to Turkey, promising that it will help strengthen bilateral cooperation. Erdogan, speaking at the ceremony held in the border province of Hatay, said Turkey is also working on other cooperation projects such as building a high-speed rail line between the two countries, establishing a joint Turkish-Syrian bank, and linking the countries’ natural gas networks. "Turkey and Syria are brothers, and friendly ties between us will continue forever," said Erdogan. The beginning of the dam’s construction, dubbed a "friendship dam," was long delayed due to technical disagreements. Erdogan said Turkey and Syria will also jointly use the electricity produced by the dam, which is also supposed to promote fishing, water sports and other recreational activities. The costs of the dam’s operation and maintenance will be covered by both countries, with each taking an equal share of the responsibility. /Today’s Zaman/
PUNDITS TELL EGYPT TO EMULATE TURKISH MODEL MARRYING ISLAM WITH DEMOCRACY, VIBRANT ECONOMY
Turkey may serve as a model for Egypt struggling to emerge from a political upheaval against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule, suggested a weekend news analysis in the News York Times. Calling Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan probably the most influential political figure in the region, it said, "As Egypt struggles to reinvent itself, many experts in the region say that it might look to Turkey for some valuable lessons." Stressing that Egypt’s inability to accommodate Islam, democracy and vibrant economics lies at the root of its current plight, it added, "But no country in the region has come closer to accomplishing this trick, warts and all, than Turkey. As a result, diplomats and analysts have begun to present the still-incomplete Turkish experiment as a possible road map for Egypt." A report prepared for the NATO Defense College also called Turkey the model best suited for Egypt. Stating that the Arab public sees Turkey as a possible model, the report said, "The regime in Turkey is no doubt a democratic republic, and the military is no longer trying to seize power but is instead playing the role of referee so that some lines are not overstepped." Turkey is open to the outside world, and the growth in its strong economy based on solid foundations is remarkable, it said. "Above all, Turkey is proud of its balanced foreign policy," it added. /Turkiye/
TURKEY TO BUILT LARGEST HOSPITAL IN DARFUR
Turkey will build a 150-bed hospital in Nyala, South Darfur’s capital, in a bid to help the Sudanese people in the poverty-stricken Darfur region. State Minister Faruk Celik led an official delegation for ground-breaking ceremony for the $30 million hospital, which is expected to be completed within a year. Celik said development aid to Sudan would continue, with further projects on the way. "We’ve had a relationship with Sudan since the 17th century," he said. "There are still many historic buildings built by our grandfathers in this country, which has seen internal fighting and tribal quarrels. We’re supporting Sudan through development assistance and capacity-building initiatives." The hospital will replace a field hospital set up by Turkey following a 2006 visit by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. To date, Erdogan is the only Muslim leader to have paid a visit to the war-torn Darfur region, where years of conflict have displaced millions of people. /Sabah/
MHP’S SANDIR: "TURKEY’S TIES WITH SYRIA GO BEYOND FELLOWSHIP"
Ties between Turkey and Syria, countries once rocked by regional disputes, now transcend those of mere fellowship, said Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy Chairman Mehmet Sandir. Sandir, who also co-chairs the Turkish-Syrian Interparliamentary Friendship Group along with Syrian Deputy Ismet Mahli, said these relations will also "significantly" contribute to peace and prosperity in the Middle East. Sandir and a number of other Turkish lawmakers welcomed their Syrian counterparts from the group last week in Istanbul, Bursa, and Ankara. "For four centuries, the people of the two countries lived as citizens" together in the Ottoman Empire, he said. Turkey and Syria reciprocally lifted visa requirements in September 2009 in one of the strongest signs of growing relations between the two countries. As a result, last year some 2 million Turkish citizens visited Syria and around 1 million Syrians came to Turkey for tourist and commercial purposes. /Today’s Zaman/
MAJOR TOURISM PUSH PLANNED FOR EASTERN TURKEY, BLACK SEA REGION
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the 25th Winter Universiade Games in the eastern Anatolia province of Erzurum, Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay said over the weekend that Turkey is working on a comprehensive tourism development plan focusing on the eastern provinces and the Black Sea region. "Under a three-prong strategy involving Trabzon, Erzurum and Van, we’re set to start a tourism push in Turkey’s east and north," he said, citing the earlier 1980s tourism drive for Mugla, Antalya and Istanbul. "Turkey is now the world’s number seven tourism destination," he said. "Even during times of economic crisis, the number of tourists visiting Turkey remains undiminished. Now we want to spread this success throughout Turkey." /Turkiye/