SEZER APPLIES TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT FOR CANCELLATION OF RTUK LAW
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday applied to the Constitutional Court for cancellation of the Law on the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) which was recently sent back to him by the Parliament without any changes. Stating that the new law would violate the Constitution, Sezer predicted that the law would also facilitate certain media owners putting pressure on political circles to win public bids. Sezer warned the Parliament’s deputies that monopolistic media groups cozying up with political circles constituted a threat to both Turkey’s democratic society and its national security. /Cumhuriyet/
COALITION LEADERS DECLARE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE
The coalition government leaders’ summit was held at Baskent University Hospital yesterday. Present at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit were Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, Mesut Yilmaz and Husamettin Ozkan. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his bureaucrats also attended the meeting to brief the leaders about Turkish-EU relations and other recent developments. A statement issued following the two-hour meeting said, “The current government continues to rule the country with harmony. The political parties in the coalition government are agreed that there is no need for early elections.” /All Papers/
YILMAZ: “TURKEY’S AIM IS TO INTEGRATE INTO THE EU”
Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that Turkey’s aim was integration into the European Union. Addressing a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at a MAN Turkiye factory in Ankara, whose production was just raised from 4.5 units to 8.5, Yilmaz said the government had been trying to make public institutions an encouraging factor rather than an obstacle for investors. Pointing to the importance of Turkey’s EU membership, Yilmaz remarked, “EU membership is a great opportunity for Turkey to reach a dynamic future.” Stressing that with the Customs Union Turkey had proved that it could easily integrate with the EU, Yilmaz said that Turkey would show the same accomplishment both in the democratic and social fields. Germany’s Ambassador to Turkey Rudolf Schmidt also delivered a speech at the ceremony, saying that Turkey needed foreign investors to adapt to world markets and to do so, the doors for foreign capital should be opened. /Turkiye/
PEARSON PRAISES TURKEY FOR POST-SEPT. 11 SUPPORT
Speaking in Izmir at a reopening ceremony for its US consulate there yesterday, US Ambassador to Ankara Robert Pearson praised Turkey and said that the United States appreciated the Turkish government for its firm support after last September’s terrorist attacks. “We got a great deal of support from the Turkish government,” he said. “Its level of support was truly exemplary.” /Star/
KARAKOYUNLU DISCUSSES GOOD ECONOMIC NEWS WITH IMF’S KAHKONNEN
State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu yesterday received an International Monetary Fund delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonnen. After the meeting, Karakoyunlu told reporters that the two had discussed recent positive developments in the Turkish economy, adding that talk of early elections was “irresponsible” in the midst of this recovery process. /Star/
TURK: “NO NEED FOR A CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER”
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said yesterday that discussions on appointing a caretaker for Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, or an “acting prime minister,” were pointless. Answering reporters’ questions after a ceremony presenting Turkish Standards Institute (TSE) efficiency certificate for goods produced at Ankara’s Ulucanlar Open Prison, Turk said, “I met with Democratic Left Party (DSP) Deputy Chairman Rahsan Ecevit and she told me that the prime minister was continuing his work at the hospital. Thus, these kind of speculations are meaningless.” /Turkiye/
US TERRORISM REPORT PRAISES TURKEY’S SUPPORT, BUT FAULTS IT ON CHECHEN TERROR
The US State department’s annual report on international terrorism, released this week, praised Turkey’s steadfast support for the war on terror, especially post-September 11, but also chided it for alleged softness shown towards Chechen terrorists. The report says that Chechen terrorist groups use Turkey “as a staging ground for terrorist attacks,” mentioning an Istanbul hostage-taking and a hijacking incident last year. The report alleges that Turkey’s court system has been “relatively lenient” with these terrorists, saying they were charged not under the country’s stringent antiterrorism laws but rather for less serious offenses. Also covered in the report are the terrorist groups the PKK and DHKP-C, which have been recognized as terrorists by the US for some years. Since the report covers 2001, it doesn’t address the PKK’s recent name switch to KADEK. /Hurriyet/
BUSINESS CIRCLES COME OUT AGAINST EARLY ELECTIONS
Business circles yesterday weighed in on recent discussions about possible early elections, a subject which gained prominence in light of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit’s prolonged convalescence period. Speaking to the press at the Fourth Technology Congress in Istanbul, Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan and Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Risat Hisarciklioglu stated that early elections carried no possible benefit and would in fact plunge the country into political instability. Sayng that the coming months were of great importance for the future of Turkey’s economy, Ozilhan said, “It is now high time to discuss amendments to the laws on elections and political parties, rather than expending our energies on early election talks.” For his part, Hisarciklioglu stressed the priority of economic issues over political discussions, calling on political circles to keep the current delicate balance of the Turkish economy first and foremost on their minds. /Cumhuriyet/
TALAY OPENS FAIRY TALES AND PALACES EXHIBITION
Culture Minister Istemihan Talay opened a “Fairy Tales and Palaces” exhibition at Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace yesterday. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Talay said that children should learn about art and culture so that they can appreciate these treasures for a lifetime. Stating that the Culture Ministry decided last year that teachers and children would be able to visit museums for free, Talay added that his aim was to provide teachers and children with the opportunity to see these beauties for themselves and expand their intellectual horizons. /Sabah/
TURK TELECOM MAKING BID FOR BULGARIAN TELECOM
State landline monopoly Turk Telekom is continuing its work to restructure and determine its privatization strategy, as well looking at expanding to markets abroad. Along the latter lines, it is submitting a proposal to Bulgarian Telecom, a state concern that is due to be 65% privatized through an upcoming block sale. Other bidders for the company include Turkey’s Koc Holding and the Sabanci Group. News channel CNBC-e reported yesterday that the deadline for submitting proposals for Bulgaria Telecom had been extended until June 10. Initial contacts concerning the bid for Bulgarian Telecom began with a visit to Bulgaria of Transportation Minister Oktay Vural along with officials from Turk Telekom. The company has some 3 million subscribers. /Sabah/
PACACI TO JOIN MHP
True Path Party (DYP) Ankara Deputy Cihan Pacaci is set to switch his party affiliation to the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) during latter’s group meeting today. Including Pacaci, the number of deputies in Parliament will increase to 127. /Milliyet/
ISTANBUL HOSTING STOCK TRADERS’ CONFERENCE
Istanbul is hosting this week the annual conference of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) at Lutfi Kirdar Congress and Exhibition Hall. Sessions of the conference open to members of the press begin today. Dogan Cansizlar, chairman of hosting organization the Capital Markets Board (SPK), is due to speak at the conference today, as is State Minister Kemal Dervis, Finance Minister Sumer Oral and State Minister Recep Onal. /Milliyet/
FIRST TURKISH-GREEK ALMANAC PUBLISHED
The Istanbul correspondent for Greek daily Eleftherotypia, Aris Abacis, has produced a publishing first with the recent release of a Turkish-Greek almanac. The 2001 almanac runs 163 pages and gives detailed information on Turkish-Greek relations. The almanac’s cover bears a photo of Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George Papandroeu. The new almanac was promoted by Greek former diplomat Vyron Theodorides in Athens yesterday. /Sabah/
BUS COMPANY INCREASES ITS PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN TURKEY
German company MAN Turkiye yesterday cut the ribbon on revamped facilities in Ankara that nearly double its bus and truck production capacity in Turkey. Speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the improved facility, MAN AG Board of Directors Chairman Hakan Samuelsson stated that Turkey was one of the most important markets for MAN Turkiye’s German parent company. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also spoke at the ceremony, stressing the importance of the private sector’s major role in the revitalization of Turkey’s markets and advancement of its economy. /Cumhuriyet/
FOURTH TECHNOLOGY CONGRESS IN ISTANBUL
The fourth Technology Congress organized jointly by the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’ Association (TUSIAD), the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council (TUBITAK) and The Turkish Foundation for the Advancement of Technology (TTGV) was held yesterday in Istanbul. This year, the main theme of the congress was “Innovation, Research and Development for Cultural Competition.” Scientists, businessmen and scholars stressed at the congress that Turkey must immediately develop new strategies to develop its technological infrastructure and to boost its competitiveness on international markets. /Cumhuriyet/
ISTANBUL TO HOST OMBUDSMAN CONFERENCE
The World News Ombudsman organization has decided to hold its conference in Istanbul next April, the group announced yesterday. Ombudsmans from 17 countries are expected to attend the conference. /Milliyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION