TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on the success of the Turkish football team in the World Cup and the good news coming from the EU summit in Seville, Spain. A summary of his column is as follows:
We have all rejoiced at the success of our football team in the World Cup. All the foreign press gave the news in headlines. In the semifinals, Europe is being represented by Germany and Turkey. France, Britain, Italy and Spain all were eliminated. In fact we can achieve success in other fields as well. Our poverty prevents us from fulfilling our potential. Therefore, we are against all factors leaving Turkey in difficult circumstances. If we have learned to use our brains, we would not have to wait for the Copenhagen summit. We could have returned from Seville with solid guarantees. However, we frittered away time in meaningless discussions. In this day and age, societies which are not aware of the importance of the concept of time are bound to live in dagner. Infinite time belongs only to God. All nations, and individuals, are limited by time. If you cannot make good use of your time you are bound to lose. The Osaka victory has made us take a forward step towards the EU, in other words on the road to modern civilization, as it is built on success. Human rights and prosperity are two inseparable parts of a whole. These two factors have formed strong nations and sound states. Those who evaded them are today faced with problems. We have entered a hot summer with the joy of success in football. In the fall, we will have to face problems whiich have increased with the years. We are capable of solving most of them. It depends on our will to do so.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION