ERDOGAN ADDRESSES US BUSINESSMEN IN SUN VALLEY
As an honorary guest, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday addressed a conference in Sun Valley, Idaho attended by the CEOs of internationally famous businesses. Erdogan told US businessmen about Turkey’s democratic experience and his views on the relationship between religion and democratic values. “Turkey is a key actor and should play an active role in efforts to head off a clash of civilizations,” Erdogan said in his speech, which focused on Turkey’s democratic model as a synthesis of Islamic values and secularism. “If Turkey joins the European Union, it will prove to the world that the West and the East, in other words, Islam and other religions, can coexist peacefully. Turkey is aware that the Islamic world needs reforms to improve itself and often calls on Muslim countries to change so as to catch up with modern standards.” Erdogan also stressed that secularism should be considered a principle of social peace. “My country displays the best example of harmony between religion and democracy,” he said. “A Muslim nation can adopt and sustain democratic principles, because Islam embraces human rights, justice and equality.” Erdogan’s accompanying delegation included chief EU talks negotiator Ali Babacan and AKP Istanbul Deputy Egemen Bagis as translator. Bill Gates, News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch, Disney’s Michael Eisner and Ron Meyer of NBC were among business leaders at the meeting. /Hurriyet/
GUL: “TURKEY’S STATUS WILL RISE ON OCT. 3”
Appearing on news channel NTV, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday said that starting negotiations with the European Union would give Turkey an enhanced status in the eyes of the international community. “After Oct. 3, I believe that Turkey will make great progress on economy and other issues,” he said. “In addition, we will have to get used to the existence of different and contradictory views after our membership talks begin.” Speaking also to Turkish Agency-Cyprus (TAK), Gul gave an upbeat assessment of last week’s Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting in Yemen. “The OIC made important decisions on the Turkish Cypriots,” he said. “We convinced the OIC leaders that we are right in our Cyprus case. We met individually with each and every leader, and then we were able to initiate a process of recognition of Turkish Cyprus by the OIC members.” /Turkiye/
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES REPORT ON WOMEN IN TURKEY
A report entitled “The Role of Women in Turkey in Social, Economic and Political Life” prepared by Social Democrat Emine Bozkurt, a Dutch citizen of Turkish descent, was approved yesterday in the European Parliament. The report states that women should play a more active role in Turkish politics and in order to achieve this, electoral quotas should be established for women. According to the report, all marriages and births should be recorded and all citizens of both genders should be able to benefit from educational and health services equally. Turkey providing financial support to organizations that protect women’s rights, assuring educational opportunities for all women, building more women’s shelters for victims of domestic violence, and conducting women’s rights educational campaigns were other measures urged by Bozkurt’s report. In related news, the EP rejected a bill on the wearing of headscarves in public areas due to a lack of consensus on the issue. /Cumhuriyet/
DENKTAS RECEIVES STATE HONORARY MEDAL
Former Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas yesterday received a State Honorary Medal at a ceremony at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. In attendance at the ceremony were President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, former Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, True Path Party (DYP) leader Mehmet Agar and a number of deputies. Speaking at the ceremony, Sezer told Denktas, “The Turkish people will never forget your invaluable services.” /Sabah/
ERDOGAN TO MEET WITH PUTIN
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the fourth time this year in Sochi, the Black Sea at Putin’s residence. Erdogan had recently telephoned Putin to discuss the problems between Turkey and Russia concerning fruit and vegetable exports. Following this phone call, Putin invited Erdogan to his country. Therefore, Erdogan is expected to travel to Sochi in mid-July to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments with the Russian leader. /Star/
DEHAP MEMBERS MEET WITH EU ENLARGEMENT COMMISSIONER
European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn yesterday met with Diyarbakir Mayor Osman Baydemir and Democratic People’s Party (DEHAP) leader Tuncer Bakirhan at the European Parliament. During the meeting, Turkey’s EU membership process was discussed. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Baydemir said that he had held contacts at the EP in order to support Turkey’s EU membership and the process of democratization. “Clashes and deaths in Turkey’s southeastern region should end so that the nation’s democratization process is not interrupted,” he said. “During our contacts, we said that clashes should stop unconditionally. We consider such clashes the chief obstacle to democratization as well as economic and social development.” /Milliyet/
AGAR: “THE LAW ON THE HIGH BOARD OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS SHOULD BE AMENDED”
True Path Party (DYP) head Mehmet Agar yesterday criticized the government for what he called “politicization” of the judicial organs. Agar argued that the Parliament should reconvene as soon as possible to debate the issue. He also proposed that the justice minister and undersecretary should no longer be members of the High Board of Judges and Prosecutors. “The law should be amended to prevent the politicization of the judiciary,” he added. Agar also claimed that if Turkey signs the Ankara Agreement’s additional protocol, its 30-year struggle for Turkish Cypriots would lose all meaning. Yesterday, Agar also met with former President Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Dervis Eroglu. /Star/
RUSSIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER SPEAKS ON IMPORTS FROM TURKEY
Russian Agriculture Minister Aleksey Gordeev yesterday met with State Minister Kursad Tuzmen to discuss a recent ban on the import of fruit and vegetables from Turkey to Russia. Following the meeting, Gordeev said, “The ban imposed by Russia was actually beneficial for both our countries. When we gave the order to establish close cooperation in agriculture, we supposed that the mechanism was working among current institutions. However, in practice, we realized that there are many gaps in commercial relations between Turkey and Russia, particularly concerning agricultural products. For this reason, the one-month ban helped to lay out the parties’ mutual expectations. Following the ban, the Turkish side has been doing a good job and addressing our concerns.”
EURASIAN ECONOMY SUMMIT DISCUSSES SMEs
Industry and Commerce Minister Ali Coskun yesterday said that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are very important for the Turkish economy. On the second day of the Eurasian Economy Summit, SMEs were discussed. “We will solve the funding problems of SMEs by establishing SME stock markets in the organized industrial regions,” Coskun said. “People and institutions in Turkey who are authorized to found banks will also be allowed to establish these stock markets.” /Turkiye/
PAMUK: “THE EU SHOULDN’T BETRAY TURKEY”
Speaking to German daily Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung, novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was recently chosen recipient of a peace prize by the German Publishers’ and Booksellers’ Association, said that he, like all Turks would feel betrayed if “special partnership” were offered Ankara instead of full European Union membership. “Limited Turkish democracy would be reformed by EU measures,” added Pamuk. “Just the belief of membership has changed many things, but if Europe starts to have doubts about Turkey’s membership, then anti-European forces would destroy Turkish democracy.” He also said that the speech that he will deliver when receiving his price is very important to him and that he would choose his words with care. Pamuk will receive his price on Oct. 23. /Milliyet/