ECEVIT: “THE US WILL NOT GIVE UP MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ”
Appearing on news channel NTV, Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit yesterday offered his evaluations of US Vice President Dick Cheney’s recent visit to Turkey. Ecevit remarked that Turkey was pleased with Cheney’s statement stressing that there was no imminent US military action planned against Iraq. “The US will not give up its plans of military operation against Iraq,” said Ecevit. “However, I don’t believe that this operation will occur within the foreseeable future. Cheney’s statement is very important for Turkish tourism and our economy. I believe that it will also positively influence foreign investors.” Ecevit also reiterated Cheney’s concerns that Saddam Hussein had not yet ended his program to develop weapons of mass destruction. Stressing that Iraq’s allegations accusing UN inspectors of espionage were baseless and untrue, Ecevit said, “The US has clearly expressed its resolve to topple Saddam Hussein. Since Iraq has well-organized and powerful military forces, a military operation against this country would not be easy.” Ecevit warned Saddam once again that there was no need to develop or possess weapons of mass destruction since none of Iraq’s neighboring countries posed a threat to the region’s peace and stability. /Cumhuriyet/
CHENEY: “TURKEY’S IMPORTANCE HAS BEEN IGNORED”
Briefing White House aides who had accompanied him on his trip to Ankara this week, US Vice President Dick Cheney reportedly stated yesterday that prior to last September the US had lost sight of Turkey’s importance as a close ally and partner in the fight against terrorism. Cheney said that he had discussed with Turkish officials not only the subject of terrorism but also other significant issues, such as the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project and economic matters. Stating that the US was currently helping Turkey’s economy recovery in league with the International Monetary Fund, Cheney remarked that Turkey was likely to take over the command of the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. /Cumhuriyet/
SEZER VISITS RETIREMENT HOME TO MARK ELDERLY WEEK
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and his wife yesterday visited a retirement home in Ankara’s Umitkoy district as part of his observance of Elderly Week. Sezer spoke with the home’s residents and listened to their requests. Before leaving, the president answered reporters’ questions on US Vice President Dick Cheney’s visit which ended yesterday, saying, “Cheney did not ask anything specific of Turkey.” Sezer added said that a statement would be released today concerning the visit. /All Papers/
YILMAZ: “UNDER THE STATUS QUO, WE WON’T BE ABLE TO JOIN THE EU”
Speaking at his party’s group meeting yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said that the weeks and months to come would be very important for Turkey on such issues as the European Union, foreign policy and economics. “Turkey should determine its interests in both the short and long term,” Yilmaz added. Yilmaz also stated that if Turkey’s status quo remains unchanged, it would not be able to join the EU. /Hurriyet/
TURKEY IS LIKELY TO TAKE OVER ISAF COMMAND
Turkey is more likely to take over the command of the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan (ISAF) following discussions over the issue during US Vice President Dick Cheney’s visit to Ankara earlier this week. The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that negotiations were continuing over details such as the timing of the command handover and other issues including communications and intelligence support, financial support and how the forces would be transported. Cheney said that the Bush administration would propose $228 million in aid for Turkey. While $28 million would go directly to help pay for Turkish command of the force, the remaining $200 million would be economic assistance. The United States and Turkey will reportedly hold consultations in the coming weeks over the logistics of the force, which Cheney announced that the US wants to keep confined to the Afghan capital Kabul, as Turkey had previously demanded. Meanwhile, Turkey is seeking assurances that other NATO countries would maintain their presence in Afghanistan and that it would receive adequate logistic support in the operations. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Tuesday that a positive atmosphere was prevailing over the meetings on the ISAF and that political officials would give the final word on the mission after being briefed on the results of these meetings. /Cumhuriyet/
FOREIGN MINISTRY BRIEFS TALABANI ON CHENEY’S VISIT
The Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday briefed the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani on US Vice President Dick Cheney’s visit to Turkey earlier this week. Talabani yesterday met with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal to tell of his recent visit to Syria. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Talabani said that he wanted more Turkish businessmen to invest in northern Iraq. /Cumhuriyet/
CIA: “TURKEY SHOULD BE ON ALERT FOR AL QAIDA ATTACKS”
Speaking to the US Senate yesterday, CIA Director George Tenet said that Turkey should be on alert for possible Al Qaida attacks. Tenet also said that the group’s terrorist cells in Europe and the Middle East remain capable of such attacks. “Al Qaida leaders still at large are working to reconstitute the organization and resume its terrorist operations,” Tenet added. /Sabah/
LE FIGARO ALLEGES THAT TURKEY AND US BARGAINED ON IRAQ
French daily Le Figaro yesterday claimed that Bush administration had asked for Turkey’s support for a possible operation in Iraq in return for a share of northern Iraqi oil. The paper’s news analysis alleged that Turkey had bargained with the US administration on a possible intervention in Iraq. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz denied the allegations during a weekly press conference yesterday, saying, “From time to time such rumors have been heard in the foreign press. However, they are baseless and untrue.” /Turkiye/
ISRAELI ECONOMIC MINISTERS DECIDE TO BUY TURKISH WATER
At a meeting in Tel Aviv yesterday, Israel’s economic ministers decided to begin buying 50-100 million cubic meters of water per year from Turkey as soon as possible. The ministers also appointed a special commission to prepare a report in two weeks’ time outlining the measures necessary for the water purchase. In an international bid recently held by Israel for the transportation of Manavgat water, the two winning companies’ proposals were rejected for as not fitting the rules of the bid, thus, endangering the purchase of Turkish water. The Israeli press hailed yesterday’s decision as “historic.” /Aksam/
INTERNATIONAL SECURITIES COMMISSIONS MEETING SLATED FOR ISTANBUL
Turkey’s Capital Markets Board (SPK) will host the 27th annual conference of the International Organization of Securities Commissions Organizations (IOSCO) in Istanbul on May 18-24. SPK Chairman Dogan Cansizlar said yesterday that nearly 600 foreign delegates including capital markets boards chairmen, stock exchanges chairmen, and representatives of financial circles from more than 100 countries would attend the meeting. He added that Germany, Austria, China, the Czech Republic and Jordan had vied to host the IOSCO meeting, but that Turkey had prevailed in a vote on the matter. /Aksam/
MORGAN STANLEY ECONOMIST PRAISES TURKISH ECONOMY
Speaking at an American-Turkish Council panel on banking and finance in Washington yesterday, Morgan Stanley senior economist for European emerging markets Riccardo Barbieri said that Turkey’s economic outlook was becoming more and more positive. Morgan Stanley is one of the world’s leading financial institutions. Barbieri said, “We do not want what happened in Argentina to be repeated in Turkey. We are more optimistic about your country. Turkey has taken very encouraging steps to reform its monetary policy. The most important issue in terms of the Turkish economy is implementing its reforms, rather than just giving them lip service.” Stating that attracting foreign investors would be critical for Turkey, he added that those who invest in the country would earn money this year. /Milliyet/
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: “TOXIC WASTE BARRELS WILL BE SENT BACK TO ITALY”
Turkish Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin said yesterday that over 350 barrels of toxic waste that ended up on Turkey’s Black Sea coast would be sent back to Italy, where they came from. He made the pledge in response to Democratic Left Party (DSP) Giresun Deputy Hasan Akgun’s remarks in Parliament that environmental pollution in Turkey was increasing with each passing day. Replying to Akgun, Aytekin said, “We have reexamined the 367 waste barrels stored in Samsun and Sinop along with the environmental group Greenpeace and resolved that the barrels will be returned to their place of origin, which we have determined is Italy.” /Milliyet/
ARIA GSM CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY
Aria, Turkey’s third GSM operator and a joint investment by Turkey’s Is Bank and Telecom Italia Mobile, is celebrating its first anniversary today. After beginning operations last March 21 with an investment of $3 billion, as of February 2002 Aria had reached more than 750,000 subcribers. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION