MGK TO CONVENE TODAY
The National Security Board (MGK) chaired by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will convene today at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli will not be at the meeting since he is currently paying an official visit to China. However, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who is in the process of recuperation after leaving the hospital on Monday, said previously that he would be able to attend if he feels well. During the meeting, topics to be taken up include such issues as capital punishment, education and broadcasting in mother tongues –- both obstacles before Turkey in its EU membership bid -- as well as abolition of Emergency Rule (OHAL) in southeastern Anatolia. The Cyprus issue is also expected to be taken up at the meeting. /All Papers/
TURKISH TROOPS TO TRAVEL TO AFGHANISTAN ON JUNE 2
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), which sent 269 soldiers this February to Afghanistan, is getting ready to sent a much larger group which will push the total Turkish contribution to about 1,400. The first contingent will travel to the country on June 2. Addressing a sending-off ceremony held in Mamak, Ankara yesterday, Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kivrikoglu declared that the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) on duty in Afghanistan was a part of the international fight against terrorism. Reiterating Turkey’s pledge to command the ISAF for the next six months, Gen. Kivrikoglu stated, “Turkey, a country which has suffered greatly from terrorism and struggled with it for years, will take over the ISAF command on June 20, 2002 from Britain.” He also made remarks that Turkish troops numbering some 2,000 had contributed to peacekeeping in various regions in the world including Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. /Turkiye/
DERVIS: “EARLY ELECTIONS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A DISASTER”
State Minister for the Economy Kemal Dervis, Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak and Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti yesterday attended a meeting in London organized by global financial services firm Morgan Stanley. During the meeting, the three bureaucrats briefed some 50 foreign investors on recent economic developments in Turkey. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Dervis stated that foreign investors had full confidence in Turkey’s resolve to continue its economic stabilization program. Remarking that Turkey had undergone significant changes over the last 16 months, Dervis said, “Like all other democratic countries, there might be changes in Turkey’s state structure. What is important is not to deviate from the economic program. It’s incorrect to consider elections a disaster and also unfair to assert that early elections would definitely mess everything up and deal a great blow to the current economic balances.” /Cumhuriyet/
TURKEY HAILS NATO-RUSSIA PACT WITH CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
Turkey has hailed the recent signing of a partnership deal between NATO and Russia with a cautious optimism. The Rome Declaration, which was signed two days ago in Italy, shows NATO entering a new phase during which its relations with its former foes will be reshaped. Turkey’s evaluation of the issue can be summarized as follows: 1) Russia’s cooperation with NATO will greatly contribute to peace and stability in Europe. 2) NATO’s new nemesis has already been defined as international terrorism. 3) Turkey was the first country to bring to NATO’s agenda the necessity of forming an international front against terrorism. However, sometimes NATO itself applies double standards on this issue. 4) The Russian Federation is well known for its policy of trying to weaken the structures of certain Western organizations by participating in their inner structures. This might cause problems for some countries such as Turkey, which is part of a less stable region than Europe. /Cumhuriyet/
CHINESE PM PRESENTS THREE GIFTS TO BAHCELI AND TURKEY
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli yesterday was on the receiving end of three warm gestures from Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji: one, China promised to work to sent more tourists to Turkey and thanked Bahceli for his consistent policy on the Xinjiang-Uighur region; two, China pledged to increase its annual 1,000-vehicle import quota from Turkey to 1,250 vehicles; and three, as Bahceli had requested, China will name a street in Shanghai “Ataturk Street” in honor of the founder of the Turkish Republic. Bahceli is in the midst of an eight-day official visit to China. /Hurriyet/
SCHILLY: “GERMANY OWES TURKEY A GREAT DEAL”
German Interior Minister Otto Schilly yesterday attended an awards ceremony organized by the Federation of German-Turkish Friendship Associations and gave important messages about relations between Turkey, Germany and Europe. Stating that Europe and Turkey were tied to each other with unbreakable bonds and that they shared the same culture, Schilly said, “Turkey will serve as a bridge in the dialogue between cultures and religions and form a basic column in the architecture of the EU. I know I’m speaking a bit emotionally, but we must open up the EU’s door to Turkey. This will be a hard path for Turkey, but Europe needs Turkey urgently.” Saying that Turkey was undergoing a difficult process which Germany too had once experienced, Schilly added, “In addition, during the dark years of Nazi rule, Turkey embraced and saved the lives of many German Jews. As a person who knows this period well, I believe that we owe Turkey a great deal indeed.” /Milliyet/
TRNC TO INCREASE ITS TERRITORIAL WATERS
The government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has decided to increase its territorial waters from three miles to 12. A bill regarding the topic was approved at the TRNC Cabinet meeting yesterday and sent to Parliament to be debated with priority. Pointing out that TRNC’s closest neighbor, the Greek Cypriot administration, had increased its territorial waters to 12 miles, TRNC Public Works and Housing Minister Salih Miroglu said that the decision was made within the framework of “justice and equity.” /Turkiye/
TUSIAD: “THE DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH LIFE IMPRISONMENT”
The Turkish Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) yesterday proposed that the death penalty should be replaced with life prison sentences. The proposal came on the heels of Deputy Prime Minister and Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader’s Devlet Bahceli’s declarations on the same subjects earlier this week. TUSIAD called for urgent steps to meet European Union criteria for Turkey’s membership by taking out full-page ads in Turkish newspapers. TUSIAD presented a 15-article law draft meant as an alternative to the death penalty clauses in the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), saying that they should be replaced with life imprisonment with no possibility of parole. /Hurriyet/
US OFFICIAL: “TURKEY SHOULD COMPLETE ITS EU REFORMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”
A high-level US official reportedly stated yesterday that the US expected Turkey to fulfill the European Union’s Copenhagen criteria as soon as possible. Remarking that Turkey should immediately complete its reforms concerning democratization and human rights, the official said, “Turkey has a very successful economic program. The Turkish government has to display great determination to continue this program in order to overcome all the negative consequences of its recent financial crisis.” /Cumhuriyet/
MRS. SEZER SUPPORTS EDUCATION IN BEYPAZARI
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer’s wife Semra Sezer yesterday lent her name to the National Education Support Campaign by attending a graduation ceremony for 128 students who had completed reading and writing courses given by the Directorate of Public Education Center in the township of Beypazari near Ankara. Mrs. Sezer told the successful students, “In learning how to read and write, you have taken an important step in the path towards enlightenment. Being a literate person will give you new responsibilities.” Then Mrs. Sezer opened the Public Education Center’s end-of--year exhibit, toured local historical houses, and gave plaques to the mothers and families of martyrs in Beypazari. /Aksam/
GOMEZ: “THE EU SHOULD GIVE TURKEY A DATE”
Renault International Operations Director and Oyak Renault Board of Directors Chairman Manuel Gomez said yesterday that Turkey was “waiting for a sign” from the European Union, namely a calendar that the EU should give to Turkey to start its full membership process. “The EU should give Turkey a date to start its full membership negotiations,” Gomez stated. Gomez added that Turkey should be given time and opportunity to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria /Hurriyet/
SPACE TURK GROUP STARTS SATELLITE PROJECT
Space Turk Group, a joint endeavor of space scientists and research group ATA-1 under the guidance of the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), announced yesterday that it planned to launch a 10-kg “mini satellite” in five years’ time. The launch date for the $10 million satellite is scheduled for August 30, 2007, and it is planned to orbit the earth for three years. /Aksam/
THY IMPROVES ITS MENU
Turkish Airlines (THY) yesterday began to publicize its new and improved menu selections, which it has already been serving on many flights since the year began. Choices for diet-restricted passengers include choices such as religious, medical, vegetarian and special meals. With these selections, THY is now able to serve the needs of its kosher Jewish and Hindu passengers. /Aksam/
TURKISH-GERMAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATIONS HAND OUT HONORS
The Federation of German-Turkish Friendship Associations (DTF) yesterday handed out a series of awards to individuals and institutions who have furthered Turco-German ties. At the ceremony in Munich, DTF Chairman gave German Interior Minister Otto Schilly the Award for Political Achievement for his crafting of Germany’s immigration law and his efforts against radical fundamentalism. Turkey’s Dogan Holding Chairman Aydin Dogan received the press award for his international publications encouraging bilateral rapprochement. Other award winners were the tourism award to Oger Tours Chairman Vural Oger, for familiarizing the two cultures through tourism; the culture award to Erkan Aki, a famous tenor living in Switzerland; the humanity award to Thomas Neumann, who saved a Turkish woman from committing suicide; and the sports award to football team Cottbus Energie, for its efforts in eastern Germany to combat racism. Finally, the jury’s Special Honor Award was given to Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) Germany representative Cagatay Ozkan on behalf of TRT. /Hurriyet/
DANISH DIRECTOR’S FILM PAYS TRIBUTE TO TURKISH CULTURE
A movie entitled “Omfavn mig Maane” (Gonlumdeki Kosk Olmasa, or the Riches of My Heart) shot by Danish movie director Elisabeth Rygaard will be released on June 7 in Denmark and soon thereafter in Turkey. The movie tells the story of a Turkish family which migrated to Denmark. Expressing her admiration for Turkish culture, Rygaard said, “When I first visited Turkey seven years ago, I was fascinated by a multicultural society and a different understanding of Islam. I wanted to show everybody that Turkey has a very unique and rich culture, so that’s why my movie focuses on the enriching aspects of the Turkish culture such as minstrels, traditional songs and poems.” /Cumhuriyet/
ISTANBUL TO HOST INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
The sixth international environmental film festival organized by the Turkish Cinema and Audiovisual Culture Foundation (TURSAK) will take place on June 5-13 in Istanbul. Some 60 features films and documentaries from a host of countries will be screened during the festival. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION