ERDOGAN: “TURKEY CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD ON ITS ROAD TO EU MEMBERSHIP”
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that the government was not being “inactive” on its road to European Union membership. At a press conference in Brussels, speaking to reporters about his visit to attend the European People Party (EPP) summit on behalf of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan said that he had had an opportunity to review bilateral relations during last evening’s dinner with his Greek counterpart Costas Karamanlis. He remarked that no EU leaders had criticized any alleged slowdown in Ankara’s EU affairs, adding that the government was working hard to implement reforms. “We know what we are doing,” said the premier. After meeting with representatives from Turkish associations in Europe, Erdogan returned to Ankara last night. /Turkiye/
LEADERS, MILITARY CONDEMN ATTEMPT TO BURN TURKISH FLAG AT NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONS
Political and military leaders yesterday issued firm denunciations of an attempt to burn a Turkish flag at weekend Nevruz celebrations, warning that they always stand ready to do whatever is necessary to protect the country’s unity. The incident occurred in the southern city of Mersin on Sunday during a celebration marking the traditional Nevruz holiday, when a policeman grabbed the flag as it was being set ablaze by several protestors. The full spectrum of political leaders including President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) head Deniz Baykal and True Path Party (DYP) head Mehmet Agar all harshly denounced the incident, underlining that such actions are unacceptable and deserve swift punishment. Interior Minister Abdulkadur Aksu yesterday announced that the perpetrators had already been identified and would be apprehended by security forces as soon as possible. "Such a treatment of the flag of a nation... on its own soil by its own so-called citizens is both inexplicable and unacceptable,” said a statement from the General Staff. “This is treasonous action. Everyone should know that neither the indivisible unity of this country nor its flag are defenseless. To those who would attempt to test the Turkish Armed Forces’ love for the motherland and its flag, we say: Look at the pages of history." In addition, the incident was also condemned by the Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP), the pro-Kurdish political party which organized a large celebration in Istanbul to mark Nevruz. "The incident in Mersin was a provocation," DEHAP leader Tuncer Bakirhan said. "The Turkish flag is also the flag of the Kurds. We respect it as much as anyone who lives in Turkey." /All Papers/
GUL: “THE GOVT’S DETERMINATION FOR THE NATION’S EU BID IS CONTINUING”
Addressing his party’s group meeting yesterday, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the government hadn’t lost its enthusiasm for the nation’s European Union membership bid, adding that its determination for this goal continued. “We’re progressing with self-confidence no matter what,” he said. Touching on the so-called Armenian genocide claims, Gul branded the claims “sophistry and slander,” saying that those who put forth these claims should be required to prove them. He further stressed that the Turkish and Armenian nations had coexisted peacefully for a very long time, adding that Armenians even had high-level posts during the Ottoman Empire. “The Armenian church, language, and culture were formed, protected and improved during the Ottoman era,” said Gul. “This is recognized by those who examine the issue without prejudice.” /Cumhuriyet/
KRETSCHMER: “THE EU HAS CONCERNS OVER SOME PARTS OF THE NEW TCK, INCLUDING THOSE ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE PRESS”
European Commission Representative in Turkey Hansjoerg Kretschmer said yesterday that the European Union had concerns over some sections of the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) set to go into effect on April 1. “We’ve expressed our concern over some provisions of the new TCK, including ones on the freedoms of expression and the press,” he said. “These freedoms are crucial for democracy, and we may ask the Turkish Parliament to make certain changes to them.” /Milliyet/
US HISTORIAN REBUFFS SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLAIMS
Visiting Professor Prof. Justin McCarthy from the University of Louisville, an expert on the so-called Armenian genocide claims, yesterday asserted firmly that although there was a war in eastern Anatolia during World War I, the Ottomans had never pursued a genocide campaign against Armenians living in the region. McCarthy, who is currently visiting Turkey as the guest of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), yesterday told reporters that in 1915 the Ottoman Empire was only trying to suppress a revolt against the government, something which Armenians wrongly allege amounts to a genocide. “The number of Turks killed in this war far exceeded the Armenian casualties,” he added. “Nobody has ever produced proof that the Ottomans wanted to kill all of the Armenians. On the contrary, we have historic documentation that a senior Ottoman soldier supplied thousands of Armenian refugees with food at that time. Calling the 1915 incidents ‘genocide’ is nonsense. Armenians are trying to distort the facts for political ends.” /Star/
NORWEGIAN AMBASSADOR: “I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE TURKISH POLICE’S PROFESSIONALISM AT NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONS”
Norwegian Ambassador to Turkey Hans Wilhelm Longva yesterday said that he had been impressed by the professionalism and discipline of Turkish policemen during the recent Nevruz celebrations in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. “This was an instructive experience for me,” he told Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir. “Turkish policemen’s success during the celebrations will hearten everyone who wants to see Turkey as a member of the European Union.” /Star/
DERVIS NOMINATED TO HEAD UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan this week released a short list of six candidates for a key UN job, including candidates from Turkey, Kuwait, Britain, Japan, Norway and the Netherland, all in the running to head the UN Development Program (UNDP). The candidates are: Kemal Dervis of Turkey, currently a deputy, and a former economy minister and World Bank vice president; Fawaz al-Sultan of Kuwait, head of the Rome-based International Fund for Agricultural Development; Kaoru Ishikawa of Japan, director-general of Tokyo's economic affairs bureau; Valerie Amos, Britain's leader of the House of Lords and former secretary of state for international development; Hilde Johnson, Norway's minister for international development; and Ad Melkert, the Netherlands’ former minister of social affairs and executive director at the World Bank. Said one UN official, “Candidates will be expected to possess strong diplomatic, political and resource mobilization skills; vision and proven interpersonal skills to lead overall UN development efforts; thorough knowledge of development issues; proven skills in the management of complex organizations and good knowledge of UN reform issues.” Annan will consult with the UNDP executive board before forwarding his choice to the General Assembly, which must ratify the final candidate. /Sabah/
BAYKAL DECRIES RISING CRIME RATE, PROPOSES COMMISSION TO ADDRESS PROBLEM
Addressing his party’s group meeting yesterday, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal decried the recent increasing crime rate in Turkey, adding that a Parliament commission should be formed to address the problem. Baykal also said that the issue of Islamic holdings should be considered by Parliament, but that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had tried to block this. Touching on the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Baykal said that his party would fully support changes to the TCK to protect the freedom of the press. /Cumuriyet/
PARLIAMENT’S JUSTICE COMMISSION APPROVES AMENDMENTS TO NEW TCK
Parliament’s Justice Commission has approved an amendment proposal to the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK) set to come into force on April 1. The bill is scheduled to be debated in Parliament’s General Assembly on Thursday. /Turkiye/
SENER: “A NEW IMF STANDBY WILL BE SIGNED IN APRIL”
Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener yesterday said that new banking reform legislation on was almost ready to be put to the Cabinet, adding that the government would soon meet the International Monetary Fund’s requirements on banking and social security issues. “There are three laws that should be passed by the Parliament to fulfill the IMF’s requirements,” he said. “First, the Law on Revenues Management Authority, which is currently being discussed by Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission. The second is the Banking Law, which is about to be completed and will be soon ready to be submitted to the Parliament. And finally, the Law on Social Security, which has already been examined and will be sent to Parliament in a very short period of time. Therefore, the standby is expected to be signed with the IMF in April, as previously stated.” /Star/
WB’S VORKINK: “I DON’T SEE CRISIS IN TURKEY’S FUTURE”
Addressing the fourth Information Economy Forum in Istanbul yesterday, World Bank Turkey Director Andrew Vorkink said that Turkey adopting the floating exchange rate following the 2001 economic crisis had helped it to harmonize with international norms. Vorkink said that US interest rates might go up, adding that this could directly affect Turkey. “The depreciation of the YTL will boost Turkey’s exports in the mid- and long-term,” he said. Vorkink further predicted that Turkey wouldn’t face another economic crisis in the near future, or at least none before its EU membership. /Milliyet/
FORMER MINISTERS’ TRIAL CONTINUES
The trial of former State Ministers Husamettin Ozkan and Recep Onal continued yesterday at State Supreme Court. At the second hearing, both of the accused denied allegations of misconduct during their terms in office. Witnesses are expected to testify at the next hearing to be held on April 19. /Turkiye/