BABACAN PREDICTS MORE GULF INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY THIS YEAR
Turkey can expect to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) from Gulf countries this year than last, Economy Minister Ali Babacan said over the weekend after a G-20 meeting in Paris. Babacan said the government is pleased to see more entrepreneurs from Gulf countries willing to step into new investments in Turkish markets. "People are interested in investing in the media, real estate and tourism," he added. "It’s encouraging to see Gulf investors’ interest in Turkish markets turning further into real projects." On the G-20 meeting, Babacan said participants believe the US government is preparing to take steps to curb its budget deficit, much like Turkey did two years ago. "We already took these steps in 2009, and now the US sees them as necessary, too," Babacan said. /Today’s Zaman/
ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY MINISTER: "WATER WAR IS NO LONGER A POSSIBILITY IN TURKEY’S REGION"
Contrary to predictions by some international analysts that a war over water resources will inevitably erupt in the Middle East, Turkey sees no such possibility in light of recent developments, according to Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroglu. Turkey has for many years faced water-related problems with its neighbors. The Iraqi and Syrian governments have in the past criticized Turkey for failing to release sufficient water from its dams. Turkey’s construction of dams on the Tigris and Euphrates (Dicle and Firat) rivers was the major bone of contention at the time. However, Turkey’s policy of "zero problems with neighbors" has culminated in strong cooperation between the three countries for the past few years. Recent agreements between Turkey and its two southern neighbors discredit the thesis of a clash over water, Eroglu told reporters following the recent opening of five new dams in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. Eroglu charged that some Western governments tried to mislead Arab countries in the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Syria, claiming that although it has vast resources Turkey doesn’t release water to the region. On the recent United Nations Forestry Forum in New York, which concluded on Feb. 4, Eroglu said the UN accepted Turkey’s proposal to hold the next forum in Istanbul, the first time it will be held outside New York. On opening the environment chapter in Turkey’s European Union accession talks and Ankara’s 2009 ratification of the Kyoto protocol, Eroglu said these developments will strengthen Turkey’s hand on the global stage while raising the country’s environmental standards. /Today’s Zaman/
TURKEY-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE MEETING STARTS TODAY
The 66th meeting of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee is set to begin in the southern province of Hatay today. Set to attend the meeting are State Minister and European Union Talks Chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bagis, State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin, members of the European and Turkish parliaments, EU country ambassadors, nongovernmental organization representatives, and other officials. Issues set to be discussed include judicial reforms in Turkey, immigration and visas, and the customs union and free trade agreements. /Turkiye/
POLL SEES TURKEY TAKING ROLE OF REGIONAL LEADER
More and more Turkey is playing a greater political role in the Middle East, according to a new poll by the Associated Press and GfK Roper Public Affairs. After being hobbled by economic and political chaos just a decade ago, Turkey is increasingly taking on the role of regional model, mediator and leader, with a solid economy and an evolving democracy, says the poll, conducted last November and December, based on interviews with 1,200 adults. "As Egypt erupted a few weeks ago, one fellow Muslim country insistently urged President Hosni Mubarak to respond to popular demands. That country was Turkey," reported the AP. "The call was a sign of Turkey’s growing confidence and stature in the Middle East and beyond." As general elections approach in June, the poll suggests that Ankara will pursue a path of relative pragmatism, despite fears by some of the influence of Islam on the state. According to the poll, Turkey still hopes to join the European Union, but that once-strong vision appears to have faded. The poll found that 52 percent of respondents want Turkey to stay in NATO, and 50 percent want to join the European Union. /Star/
UK INVESTORS EYEING TURKEY AS RISING NEW "T-BRIC"
A plurality of around 100 investors and analysts meeting in London said they think Turkey is best-suited to join the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) grouping of rapidly developing emerging markets, according to Timothy Ash, emerging markets economist at the Royal Bank of Scotland, which convened the meeting. Thirty-five percent of the participants said Turkey is most suited to join the BRIC club, said Ash, based on factors such as improving credit fundamentals and geopolitical importance. Turkey was followed by Indonesia with 23 percent, Mexico with 16 percent, South Korea with 12 percent, and South Africa with 11 percent. /Hurriyet Daily News/
IKV HEAD CRITICIZES EU DOUBLE STANDARD ON VISAS
The European Union’s decision to lift visa requirements for Serbia and Montenegro, ignoring the fact that they are behind Turkey in their progress towards EU membership, is unacceptable, said Haluk Kabaalioglu, head of the Economic Development Foundation (IKV), over the weekend. "We protest the European Commission’s passive attitude and expect more respect," he added, saying that Turkey should push the commission to take proper action. /Turkiye/
FOREIGN MINISTRY CONCERNED OVER DEVELOPMENTS IN LIBYA
The Foreign Ministry is growing increasingly concerned about clashes between protestors and government forces in Benghazi, Libya’s second-largest city. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu convened a meeting of his staff before a trip to Tunisia this week to review arrangements to evacuate Turkish citizens if necessary and a possible regime shift in Libya. The meeting reportedly lasted well into the night. /Sabah/
TURKEY HELPS SECURE RELEASE OF GERMAN JOURNALISTS IN IRAN
Following President Abdullah Gul’s personal appeal during a visit to Tehran last week, Iran has freed two German journalists arrested four months ago in connection with a highly publicized stoning case. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle went to Tehran on Saturday to bring the reporters home, in a rare top-level visit by a Western government representative. An Iranian court threw out the journalists’ 20-month prison sentences on Saturday, commuting them to fines of $50,000 each and clearing the way for their release, state media reported. Westerwelle thanked his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Salehi, for his "commitment to the relations between our countries." Sources from Gul’s office said that German President Christian Wulff telephoned Gul before his visit to Iran last week and asked him to bring up the journalists’ release in talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. /Today’s Zaman/