GUL: "TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO RESOLVE THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR ISSUE"
Turkey is ready to continue its hard work to reach a solution to Iran’s nuclear issue through diplomacy and dialogue, said President Abdullah Gul on Wednesday as he returned from a four-day visit to the Islamic republic. Gul told reporters in Ankara that he had agreed with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to work on a new road map on Iran’s nuclear energy program. "We came to a decision at our meeting" with Ahmadinejad, Gul said. "We agreed to assign our foreign ministers and Saeed Jalili [Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator] to come together and work on a new road map on nuclear energy. They worked on it for a long time, and work is still underway on this matter. Turkey will continue to make all facilitating efforts to solve this matter through diplomacy and dialogue." /Hurriyet Daily News/
ERDOGAN TO VISIT BRUSSELS AMID STALEMATE IN TURKEY’S EU BID
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will have talks with top European Union officials during a visit to Brussels early next month, which comes as Turkey’s accession process faces a deadlock over the Cyprus dispute and some member states’ reluctance to let in a Muslim country. Erdogan will speak with EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the EU Council. His visit on March 1, at Barroso’s invitation, is the first since June 2009. Erdogan will travel to Brussels from Germany, where he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will open an international computer and electronics fair. While in Brussels, he is also expected to have talks with Belgium’s prime minister. /Today’s Zaman/
US’ RICCIARDONE RETREATS ON TURKISH PRESS REMARKS, BUT IS BACKED BY STATE DEPT
New US ambassador to Ankara Francis Ricciardone yesterday backtracked from comments on press freedom following criticism from Turkish officials, who had rebuffed him by saying that the media is freer in Turkey than in the United States. Ricciardone made his initial remarks when asked by reporters about his opinion on a recent raid on Oda TV, an anti-government online news portal, but added yesterday that he didn’t mean to comment on a particular case. "When there are things that seem odd and when things come up that are hard to understand, we hope Turks will help us understand," he said, speaking at a meeting organized at the Sabanci Business Center in Istanbul by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the Turkish-American Business Council. On a visit to Nepal, meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters that it’s not right for an ambassador to pass judgment on an ongoing criminal investigation. According to Davutoglu, Ricciardone said that he had no intention of interfering in Turkey’s domestic affairs and that he as yet lacks sufficient experience on such matters. Asked to comment on Ricciardone’s initial statement, Interior Minister Besir Atalay told reporters yesterday, "With regard to press freedom, it’s much better in Turkey than in the United States." On Wednesday, the US State Department gave Ricciardone its support. "We stand by the ambassador’s statement," US State Department Philip J. Crowley told reporters in Washington. "We do have broad concerns about trends involving intimidation of journalists in Turkey, and we have raised that directly with the Turkish government and we’ll continue to do so." /Hurriyet Daily News/
ISRAEL TEMPORARILY CLOSES DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN TURKEY
Due to security concerns, as of today Israel has temporarily closed some of its diplomatic missions abroad, including its embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul. The functions of the Israeli missions are temporarily suspended, while their diplomats are still working from home, according to diplomatic sources. Diplomatic operations continue, but the embassy has suspended such functions as visa applications. It’s unclear when the closure order will be lifted. Officials from the Israeli Embassy in Ankara, when contacted, declined to comment on the issue. Israel’s National Security Council warned Israeli and Jewish travelers today that they could be targets in Turkey, Egypt, Georgia, Venezuela, Armenia, the Ivory Coast, Mali and Mauritania. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TURKISH OFFICIAL CALLS EU VISA REGIME "UNJUST AND UNLAWFUL"
The unfair system under which Turks are forced to apply for visas for European Union countries constitutes a violation of community law, according to a top Turkish official. "The application of the visa [regime] is inconsistent with community rights. It is unjust and unlawful," said Deputy Interior Undersecretary Zekeriya Sarbak, speaking yesterday at a seminar in Istanbul on human rights and migration in Europe, organized by the Council of Europe. "We hope the [regime] will be removed as soon as possible." Sarbak said security concerns are often used politically to restrict migrants’ rights, adding that while dealing with migration issues states also have to address human rights. As a Mediterranean country, and an EU neighbor, Turkey is often confronted with illegal migration concerns, especially smuggling, according to Sarbak, who called on all countries in Europe to cooperate with each other and international organizations to design coherent migration policies. Representatives of governments, international organizations and civil society organizations, as well as academics, are participating in the seminar, which ends today. /Hurriyet Daily News/
JORDAN SIGNS NUCLEAR POWER COOPERATION PACT WITH TURKEY
Jordan, which plans to build its first nuclear reactor later this decade, yesterday signed an agreement with Turkey on cooperating to develop atomic energy. "Jordan will benefit from Turkey’s distinguished experience in developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," Jordan’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Khalid Touqan said in the capital, Amman. Touqan signed the accord with Zafer Alper, the head of the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority. Jordan relies almost entirely on imported energy and is turning to nuclear power to meet rising electricity demand. /Hurriyet Daily News/
BRITISH, TURKISH POLICE JOIN FORCES TO FIGHT DRUG SMUGGLING GANGS
British anti-drug authorities have teamed up with their Turkish counterparts to stanch the flow of drugs to Britain. "Eighty percent of the 18 to 23 tons of smuggled drugs coming into Britain every year comes via Turkish gangs," said Steve Coates, deputy head of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). "We’re carrying out operations with efficient, professional, and talented Turkish officials to take down these gangs." Coates said SOCA presently has eight officers in Istanbul and Ankara and is conducting joint operations with the Turkish police to take down five top heroin gangs. /Hurriyet Daily News/
TURKEY RETURNS SELAMET HAN TO ARMENIAN FOUNDATION
The Selamet Han in Istanbul’s Eminonu area, which was among properties confiscated from non-Muslim minority religious foundations in Turkey in 1974, has been returned to the Surp Pirgic Ermeni Hastanesi Vakfi (Armenian Surp Pirgic Hospital Foundation) thanks to the recently revised Foundations Law. The 2008 legal revisions paved the way for the return of assets and property previously seized from non-Muslim foundations by the state. Minority foundations have thus far applied for the return of 410 assets, of which 96 have been given back. Surp Pirgic’s Bedros Sirinoglu said after the law went into effect the foundation applied for the return of 19 assets, and seven have been approved so far, including the Selamet Han. /Today’s Zaman/
TURKEY, AFGHANISTAN TO COOPERATE IN ENERGY, MINING
Turkey and Afghanistan yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding concerning cooperation in energy and mineral resources, the first of its kind Afghanistan has signed in the field of mining. The pact was signed in Ankara by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz and Afghan Minister of Mines Wanidullah Shahrani. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Yildiz said the agreement aims to train Afghan officials in energy legislation and that the two countries will establish a working group on energy to seek opportunities for cooperation between the two nations. Shahrani said the Afghan government is hoping to benefit from Turkey’s experience in the management of resources, adding that the agreement will pave the way for fresh Turkish investment in his country. /Today’s Zaman/
TURKEY MULLS MERGING TWO MAJOR NATURAL GAS PIPELINES
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz yesterday said parties involved in the Nabucco pipeline project and its smaller Italian rival ITGI are having talks about merging the two strategic gas pipelines. After receiving Richard Morningstar, special envoy of the US secretary of state for Eurasian energy, in his office, Yildiz told reporters they assessed recent energy developments in Eurasia and world, and touched on the recent issue of the two natural gas pipeline projects being integrated. "Representatives from both parties [Nabucco and ITGI] had several talks," Yildiz said. "Both views were espoused – that a merger could take place and that it would be better to keep it as is. Whether a merger takes place or not, we believe Turkey could contribute to the European Union’s natural gas security. Again, in both cases, Turkey will play an active role in this issue." Morningstar also said the US supports integration of the Nabucco and ITGI pipelines, adding that he has also participated in other talks on such a merger. /Today’s Zaman/
TURKISH DEFENSE EXPORTS SET TO DOUBLE BY 2016
Turkish defense industry exports are expected to double to $2 billion by 2016, the Defense Industry Undersecretariat’s (SSM) Lutfi Varoglu told reporters yesterday. He said the SSM currently meets 47.5 percent of Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) needs, adding that they want to boost this share to 50 percent by the end of the year. Asked about SSM export projections, Varoglu said, "The SSM is expected to double its exports by 2016. Our export projection for this year is to reach $1 billion, while in five years we hope to reach $2 billion." /Today’s Zaman/