GUL URGES EGYPT TO MAKE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS A PRIORITY
During a day trip to Egypt last week, meeting with Egyptian delegates and groups, President Abdullah Gul stressed the importance of making presidential elections a priority, saying that doing so would give political parties enough time to prepare for new general elections. Gul, the first head of state to visit Egypt since a massive 18-day popular uprising forced longtime leader Hosni Mubarak to resign, emphasized the importance of a constitutional democracy and shared ideas about the reform process and its challenges in Turkey with his Egyptian peers, diplomatic sources said. Gul expressed Turkey ’s readiness to share its experience during this transition period whenever Egyptians ask. He also said establishing a solid economy and political and judicial system go hand in hand. /Today’s Zaman/
CICEK: " TURKEY SAYS WON’T SACRIFICE CYPRUS FOR EU MEMBERSHIP"
Turkey won’t sacrifice Turkish Cypriots’ rights and interests for the European Union, an institution whose future is shrouded in doubt, said Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek on Saturday. At the workshop in Ankara on Turkish Cyprus, Cicek said that the Cyprus problem is bigger than party affiliation and has been a national cause for all governments in Turkey . "If you place Turkish Cyprus on one side of a scale and EU membership on the other, Turkey would choose Turkish Cyprus a million times," Cicek stressed, adding that the EU can’t be a political force without Turkey. Cicek acknowledged the impasse in Ankara ’s EU membership talks due to Cyprus , but said Turkey is ready to pay the price. /Today’s Zaman/
FM DAVUTOGLU: " TURKEY IS A MODERATE FORCE IN THE REGION"
Touting Turkey as a "moderate force," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey doesn’t compete with any countries in the region, in remarks published yesterday. Speaking to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Davutoglu said Turkey has good neighborly relations with all countries in the region. "Our principles are clear: political dialogue with administrative offices, a peaceful security zone, economic stability, and harmony between cultures and faiths," he said. Asked why some EU countries oppose the prospect of Turkey ’s EU membership so strongly, Davutoglu said: "Actually we don’t understand why. It’s incomprehensible when you consider the EU’s basic values as well as Turkey ’s historical relations with its allies. Historically, we’re a part of Europe . There are some European countries that can’t even write their own history without using our archives. Nobody can deny Turkey ’s role in helping win the Cold War. We defended Europe during the Cold War era, but some Europeans think we should stay in NATO and not join the EU. They don’t understand Turkey : Turkey isn’t a tough power, it’s a rising moderate force." /Hurriyet Daily News/
DAVUTOGLU DECRIES "VERY SERIOUS DEADLOCK" IN EU TALKS
Calling on European Union members to find a "strategic vision" for candidate country Turkey , Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Saturday decried the "very serious deadlock" on the opening of new negotiation chapters. Davutoglu’s remarks came at a joint press conference in Istanbul with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, praising these two countries’ firm support for Turkey ’s EU accession bid. "Unfortunately, we’re facing a very serious deadlock in Turkish-EU relations on the opening of chapters," he said. "But beyond that, from now on we want a strategic vision to be sovereign in the EU’s view of Turkey ." Late last month, EU ministers approved a deal with Turkey on the readmission of illegal immigrants but declined to authorize the EU Commission to begin talks with Ankara on visa liberalization for Turkish nationals. "This is the latest in a string of negative messages from the EU," said Davutoglu. "We will maintain our insistence on this issue. Principally, we’re not asking for treatment that is different than that shown any other country. We want the same treatment; we want the same rules." /Today’s Zaman/
FM DAVUTOGLU CALLS ON ATHENS TO STOP SEEING TURKEY AS A THREAT
Expressing determination to explore all options to find a comprehensive and permanent solution to the Aegean disputes between Greece and Turkey , Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu yesterday encouraged Athens to give up its decades-old perception of Turkey as a threat. " Turkey and Greece should take advantage of the peace in our relations, but for this to happen, disagreements between the two countries should be overcome," Davutoglu told Greek daily Kathimerini, according to the Anatolia news agency. "I don’t see any reason for us not to do this. But for something like this to happen, we must first dispel the mistaken impression that Turkey poses a threat to Greece and also, of course, resolve all problems in the Aegean," he added, echoing Ankara’s stance of seeking a complete resolution to the issue, not a partial one. Davutoglu’s remarks came ahead of a three-day official visit to Athens at the invitation of his Greek counterpart Dimitris Droutsas set to start tomorrow. /Today’s Zaman/
BAGIS: "THE EU IS LOSING CREDIBILITY FOR TURKS"
The European Union is losing credibility among the Turkish public, warned State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis yesterday. Speaking with Spanish journalists at the Istanbul office of Turkey’s Secretariat General of the European Union, Bagis said that Turkey’s "plan A is full membership. But right now Turkey is implementing plan B." He added, "Turkey has certain expectations from the EU. Topping these is a fair negotiations process." Elaborating on Anara’s complaints, he said, "Out of 32 chapters, 13 have been opened for negotiations. Other chapters couldn’t be opened due to political reasons. Such an attitude makes things difficult. But Ankara is trying to bring Turkey and Europe closer to each other." /Milliyet/
TURKISH DEFENSE EXPORTS EXPECTED TO WEATHER MIDEAST UPRISINGS
As popular uprisings sweep through the Middle East and North Africa , Turkey ’s arms trade with the region will continue unabated, according to Ankara ’s export planners. Turkey ’s arms exports in 2009 totaled $832 million, according to the country’s procurement office. The agency expects up to $1.5 billion in defense exports this year. /Hurriyet Daily News/
ISTANBUL THIS WEEK HOSTING TRADE CHAMBER CONFERENCE
Istanbul this week is hosting the 25th Conference of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI). Conference organizer the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) said the gathering would bring together more than 300 businesspeople, including 150 foreigners, for face-to-face and other meetings. CACCI members represent 3 million companies from 27 countries. /Hurriyet Daily News/