LEADERS VOW TO CONTINUE GOVERNMENT UNTIL 2004
The coalition government leaders chaired by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit met yesterday at the Residence of the Prime Ministry. Present at the nearly three-hour meeting were Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli, Mesut Yilmaz and Husamettin Ozkan. After the meeting, Ecevit, standing with the other leaders, told reporters that they had had a very fruitful meeting and discussed Turkey’s major issues in depth. “We reiterate that our government doesn’t want early elections and that we will remain on duty until 2004,” the premier said. A joint press statement also said that the leaders were agreed on holding elections at the normally scheduled date, April 2004. Regarding Turkey’s European Union membership bid, the statement said, “The current government has implemented most of the short-term commitments to harmonize with EU laws. Preparations will be carried out speedily for the remainder. Following their completion, Parliament will be called to an extraordinary session.” /All Papers/
BAHCELI: “WE WON’T NEGOTIATE ON DEATH PENALTY”
Following yesterday’s leaders’ summit at Prime Ministry Residence, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli convened top party officials to discuss the summit. “We are all determined to maintain the coalition government, but the other coalition partners cannot count on our support for an agreement to abolish capital punishment,” said Bahceli. “The other partners must reach an arrangement with the opposition, if they can.” He added that no MHP deputies would serve on a parliamentary commission to discuss the death penalty issue. /Sabah/
YILMAZ: “TURKEY CAN BE A EU MEMBER IN 2010”
Answering a motion of a Justice and Development Party Deputy Nurettin Aktas, Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that his party and ministry were working hard for Turkey’s European Union membership. He stated, “Everyone who is in favor of Turkey’s taking steps for the EU membership should support these efforts, not hinder them.” Yilmaz also remarked that the EU accession process was obvious and that if Turkey solves its problems quickly and picks up the pace on reforms, it can be included in the EU expansion wave in 2007. He added, “In this case Turkey will be a EU member in 2010.” /Sabah/
CILLER: “A DATE FOR ELECTIONS SHOULD BE DETERMINED”
True Path (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller yesterday evaluated Monday’s leaders’ summit and stated that a date for elections should be determined. Determining a date for elections was more important than what type of government should lead the country into elections, Ciller said. Ciller also said that after determining a date for elections, study should continue for Turkey’s European Union harmonization laws. /Star/
TURKEY SUPPORTS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
An International Criminal Court (ICC) was officially established yesterday in The Hague, the Netherlands. The ICC is considered the missing link in the international legal system, as the International Court of Justice in The Hague deals only with case between states, not individuals. The ICC is designed to deal with individual responsibility for crimes against humanity such as genocide and war crimes. The ICC has essential aims in line with the United Nations’ basic goal of securing universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals throughout the world, such as ending impunity, remedying the deficiencies of ad hoc tribunals, taking over when national criminal justice institutions are unwilling or unable to act, and to deterring future war criminals. Turkey had previously announced that it supported the establishment of an international criminal court. However, due to certain domestic judiciary hitches, Turkey is late in signing the Rome Statute of the ICC. /Cumhuriyet/
DENMARK ASSUMES EU TERM PRESIDENCY
The European Union’s term presidency passed yesterday from Spain to Denmark. Denmark’s Ambassador to Turkey Christian Hoppe said that Turkey should put to good use the positive atmosphere of last month’s Seville summit, adding, “Obtaining a date from this December’s Copenhagen summit is within Turkey’s power.” Hoppe also said that Turkey had taken very important steps, but there are still some political criteria that should be fulfilled. Hoppe reiterated the European Union’s stance that abolishing the death penalty was a requirement for EU accession. /Star/
DENMARK APPOINTS CYPRUS REPRESENTATIVE
The European Union’s new Term President Denmark is preparing to establish new diplomatic contacts vis-a-vis Cyprus, one of the most debated issues for the EU. The Danish Foreign Ministry recently appointed a veteran diplomat, Knud V. Johansen, as the country’s Cyprus representative. Danish Foreign Minister Stig Moller, who is currently visiting Washington, is expected to discuss the Cyprus issue with United States officials there. He is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Colin Powell tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/
ANAP CHAIRMANSHIP BOARD TO CONVENE
The Motherland Party (ANAP) Chairmanship Board will convene today to evaluate Monday’s leaders’ summit, the “political uncertainty” issue and economic issues as well as work to enact certain European Union harmonization laws. In addition, ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz’s summer program will also be scheduled. Yilmaz is expected to tour the country through the summer and also to meet with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). /Turkiye/
VERHEUGEN: “THERE IS NO CALENDAR SPECIFIED FOR TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP”
European Union Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Guenther Verheugen said yesterday that a calendar had not yet been specified for Turkey’s EU full membership. In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Verheugen said that at this December’s Copenhagen summit, it would be out of the question to give a specific date for beginning membership negotiations with Turkey, even if it takes a positive stance on the Cyprus or NATO-European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) issues. “Our commission is against bargaining with a political aim,” said Verheugen. Stressing that the Greek Cypriot administration would join the EU whether or not a settlement was reached for the island as a whole, he claimed that the key to a solution was in Turkey’s hands. /Turkiye/
FINANCIAL TIMES REPORTS ON TURKEY’S POLITICS, ECONOMY
British daily the Financial Times reported yesterday that Turkey’s economy is in jeopardy at least partially due to political uncertainty centered around the health problems of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The newspaper quoted Economy Minister Kemal Dervis as saying that early elections would not be a “misfortune,” but could instead solve the nation’s uncertainty. The daily also reported that most of Turkey’s political and business leaders wanted Ecevit to step down, pointing to Foreign Minister Ismail Cem as the best candidate to replace him. /Turkiye/
SOKMENOGLU: “MOTHER TONGUES ISSUE COULD SPLIT THE COALITION”
During a visit yesterday to Social Democratic Peoples’ Party (SHP) leader Murat Karayalcin, acting Parliament Speaker Murat Sökmenoglu said that if the coalition partners came to an agreement on abolishing capital punishment, then Parliament could hold an extraordinary session this summer. But Sokmenoglu, a member of coalition party the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), added that if a deal were reached to allow teaching and broadcasting in mother tongues, the MHP could leave the coalition. /Sabah/
NUMBER OF TOURISTS IN TURKEY, TOURISM REVENUES ON THE RISE
According to a recent report prepared by the Turkish Union of Travel Agencies (TURSAB), the number of foreign tourists who visited Turkey in the first five months of this year, reached some 3.5 million, an increase of 3.59% compared to the same period in 2001. The report also noted that tourism revenues had also increased by 15% when compared to last year. /Cumhuriyet/
TURSAB: “OUR WORLD CUP VICTORY PROMOTED TURKEY IN JAPAN”
Turkish Association of Travel Agencies (TURSAB) Chairman Basaran Ulusoy, currently visiting Japan in the leadup to 2003’s “Year of Turks” in that country, said yesterday that Japanese tourists loved cultural tourism and that they spent an average of $1,500 every year on travel. “Turkey’s success in the World Cup was a big boost for Turkey in Japan,” he added. “They aren’t even sorry that the Turkish National Football Team beat their national team. We are holding very fruitful meetings with Japanese travel agencies, the media and Parliament members.” Stating that he would go travel to South Korea, China and Australia in 10 days, Ulusoy added, “Other teams established by the TURSAB administration have started to work in Europe and Iran. Talha Gorgulu from TURSAB went to Poland as well. We are working as a team in Poland, Germany and the Netherlands. Mustafa Kutluoglu is continuing his efforts in Iran. In addition, additional meetings have started in France and Belgium. We are aiming to boost the number of last-minute reservations in Europe to visit Turkey.” /Hurriyet/
TIM CHAIRMAN: “OUR FOOTBALL TEAM CAN SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE ECONOMY”
Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici said yesterday that the nation’s economic leaders and institutions should take the Turkish National Football Team’s World Cup success as a model. Recalling how the team had placed number three last week in the prestigious international competition, Satici said that people could succeed in anything so long as they work in unity and cooperation. “Our national football team could have won the World Cup overall, but the important thing here is that it showed us what a team can accomplish,” he added. “This attitude should set an example for THE economic leaders and institutions in Turkey.” /Aksam/
FEDEX CONTRIBUTES TO TURKISH TOURISM
The Turkish office of leading international package delivery company Federal Express has begun a program to put stickers promoting Turkey on packages it carries, then delivering them to points worldwide and raising the nation’s profile. FedEx Turkey head Serdar Yanasan said that state authorities had given a great deal of support to the program aimed at promoting Turkey. Yanasan added, “The Tourism Ministry opened its photo archives to us so we can use these for the stickers. We also received a special award for contributions to tourism.” /Hurriyet/
News: SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION