NEW PENAL CODE GOES INTO EFFECT TODAY
One of Turkey’s major European Union harmonization efforts, the new Turkish Penal Code (TCK), will be go into effect today, notwithstanding ongoing debates over it. A two-month delay in the implementation of the TCK and subsequent changes made to it have not quelled the controversy and criticism. Meanwhile, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday approved TCK-related laws – the Criminal Procedural Code, the Criminal Records Law and changes made to the Criminal Trial Law – one day before they were to go into effect. The approved laws and the TCK are legal changes that Ankara promised the EU it would implement before beginning Union accession talks on Oct. 3. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN: “THE FRENCH REFERENDUM RESULT WON’T DETER TURKEY”
Speaking at the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) group meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that certain groups had misinterpreted the French rejection of the EU Constitution. “The French referendum’s result wouldn’t deter Turkey from its full EU membership process,” he said. Erdogan also criticized German opposition Christian Democratic leader Angela Merkel, saying that trying to use Turkey as political fodder on this issue is wrong. “The claims of certain people that the result in France will influence our full membership process are nothing but efforts to cast a shadow over our EU membership negotiations set to start on Oct. 3. We all know the efforts of particularly certain marginal groups in our country. Nobody should get stuck in this issue. I hope we will start membership negotiations on Oct. 3. The EU will work through its political and legal problems coming from the referendum. However, this should be done within the European Council. These things shouldn’t be confused with each other. Some people are still trying to play politics over Turkey. This process will continue within the negotiating process and then the decision will be made. Europe’s efforts to integrate have faced problems before. I don’t doubt that the necessary lessons will be learned from this decision of the French people. The EU is a strong bloc.” Erdogan also spoke about developments concerning a pipeline to connect Asian natural gas to Greece, saying, “We will lay a foundation at the border point of the pipeline to pass from Karacabey to Western Thrace with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis next week.” /Milliyet/
GUL: “ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE”
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that Turkey would continue to fight against “Islamophobia.” Speaking to Bahraini daily the Tribune, Gul stated that Eastern and Western civilizations were getting closer and that relations between Islam and other religions were growing more important. Stressing that Islam was a religion of peace, Gul said that extremist actions were not compatible with the principles of Islam. In addition, on the last day of his trip to Bahrain, Turkey’s top diplomat held talks with Bahraini economic circles. Gul called on Turkish contractors to take part in the country’s infrastructure and building sectors. After completing his contacts in Bahrain, Gul returned to Turkey last evening. /Turkiye/
ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO LEBANON
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to travel to Lebanon on June 15-16 in line with the government’s policy to develop dialogue with neighboring countries. Erdogan is expected to give a message to the country, which has long suffered from political instability, towards developing both political and economic cooperation. In related news, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul will represent Turkey at a European Union summit on June 16-17 in Brussels, which has a special importance for Turkey, as it will be the last summit before Oct. 3, the date Turkey’s accession talks are to begin. /Star/
CHINESE CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS TURKEY
People’s Republic of China’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Guanglie Liang arrived in Ankara yesterday as his counterpart Gen. Hilmi Ozkok’s official guest for a four-day visit. A statement made by Air Forces Command Gen. Ibrahim Firtina during a recent visit to Beijing that Ankara is interest in the transfer of China’s intermediate-range rockets to Turkey was discussed during Liang’s visit. Liang was also received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Milliyet/
GEN. BUYUKANIT TO VISIT GREECE
Land Forces Command Gen. Yasar Buyukanit will pay an official visit to Athens on June 22 in the wake of a crisis in April during Turkish students’ visit to Greece’s Land War Academy when a Greek student desecrated the Turkish flag. This crisis was largely defused after the Greek General Staff apologized to Turkey officially and thus, Buyukanit will visit Athens as part of confidence-building measures. In addition, Buyukanit will visit the Land War Academy and make a speech to Greek students. This program was suggested by the Greek Land Forces Command and Buyukanit accepted. In addition, the Greek Athens news agency stated that the Greek student responsible for the desecration had confessed his crime and that he would be tried on charges of destroying a symbol of a foreign country. /Sabah/
AFTER VISITING TRNC, US DELEGATION RECEIVED IN ANKARA
A United States congressional delegation chaired by Republican Congressman Ed Whitfield yesterday arrived in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and met with TRNC Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer and Foreign Minister Serdar Denktas. Soyer thanked the US delegation for their visit and support for the Turkish Cypriot people. “This visit is a kiss of life for us in our struggle for uniting Cyprus and solving the Cyprus issue,” Soyer said. “We are as legal as the Greek Cypriots. The illegal thing is the Papadopoulos administration, which continues the separation.” Meanwhile Whitfield called on Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos to take steps for Cyprus’ reunification and end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, arguing that people and goods should move freely on the island. After completing its contacts on the TRNC, the delegation went to Ankara, where it was received by Justice and Development Party (AKP) Istanbul Deputy Egemen Bagis. “This visit can be considered as breaking the embargo for the first time since 1974,” Bagis said. The delegation also visited Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his office yesterday. Erdogan thanked the delegation for its positive contribution to the process on Cyprus and said that the strategic partnership between Turkey and the US would continue. /Star/
BAYKAL: “THE FRENCH REFERENDUM SHOULD NOT AFFECT TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID”
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said yesterday that the French public’s rejection of the European Union Constitution should not affect Turkey’s EU membership. Speaking to his party’s parliamentary group meeting, Baykal said that the referendum in France had shown that hostility against Turkey was rising in Europe. Stressing that France had not proved itself well with respect to human rights and democracy, Baykal said that the French did not favor enlargement of the Union. Pointing to recent discussions on Turkey’s membership over “privileged/special status” proposals, Baykal said that his party would not allow anything besides full membership. He also called on the government not to make concessions on the Cyprus issue, Aegean or the Treaty of Lausanne on Turkey’s road to EU membership. /Star/
IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
An International Fund delegation is set to arrive in Turkey tomorrow for its first progress review under the country’s new $10 billion standby deal. The delegation led by Turkey Desk Chief Lorenzo Giorgianni will begin its contacts in Istanbul with meetings with representatives of the business world, and then will proceed to Ankara at the beginning of next week for talks with state officials responsible for the economy. /Turkiye/
ANKARA JOINS IN US ANTI-WMD INITIATIVE
Turkey has decided to play an active role in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) against weapons of mass destruction, a project Washington places importance on to block Iran’s nuclear program. Ankara yesterday officially stated that it had accepted US Deputy Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith’s offer to Turkey to undertake the role of regional leadership in the PSI to which 11 countries are party. Ankara emphasized that it had decided to lead and host land, air and sea maneuvers in the southern Mediterranean next year as part of its contribution to the PSI. /Milliyet/