ECEVIT: “PARLIAMENT SHOULD GO ON RECESS UNTIL ELECTIONS”
Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit met with his party’s staff yesterday to evaluate ongoing efforts to postpone elections scheduled for Nov. 3. Following the meeting, Ecevit told reporters that they had discussed possible developments after Parliament reconvenes today. He said, “We are in favor of Parliament’s going on recess until the elections.” Stressing that they had not made a decision binding the DSP’s group, Ecevit said, “There is a great solidarity in our group. The overall consensus is to go on a recess until the elections.” /Turkiye/
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES IRAQ SITUATION
The National Security Council’s (MGK) regular monthly meeting was held at the Presidential Palace yesterday under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. At the gathering, Foreign Ministry officials briefed the other participants, including Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, on the latest developments concerning United States plans to intervene in Iraq and what Turkey’s response should be. Other issues on the agenda included the possibility of mass immigration to Turkey in case of an Iraqi war and measures to be taken to prevent the formation of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq.
TURKER: “NOT GETTING INTO THE EU WOULDN’T HURT TURKEY’S ECONOMY”
Economy Minister Masum Turker, who is currently in Washington to attend the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, yesterday said that Turkey’s not getting European Union membership would not damage its economy. Speaking at the Strategic and International Studies Center, Turker added, however, that EU membership for Turkey would strengthen dialogue and cooperation between the West and East. “We hope that the EU member states appreciate Turkey’s key role,” stated Turker. The EU is expected to make a decision on membership negotiations for Turkey at its Copenhagen summit in December. After meeting yesterday with United States Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, Turker said that O’Neill was pleased with the improvement he had seen in Turkey’s economy. /Milliyet/
CILLER TO TELL PARTY LEADERS SHE OPPOSES POSTPONEMENT
In a whirlwind tour of party leaders in Parliament today, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller is expected to voice her opposition to election postponement efforts. Over a one-hour period, Ciller is to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan, and Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit, and to speak with other party leaders shortly thereafter. Ciller is expected to say postponing elections would harm democracy, and that Parliament should go on recess until elections are held on Nov. 3 as scheduled. In addition, Ciller is expected to convene her DYP deputies to make a group decision in favor of going on recess. /Hurriyet/
TUSIAD GETS GREEK SUPPORT FOR TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP
Seeking support from European Union member states for Turkey’s EU bid before December’s Copenhagen summit, a delegation from the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) travelled to Athens yesterday. The TUSIAD delegation first met with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. During their talks, Simitis stated that he considered Turkey a part of Europe and that he supported it getting a date in December to start membership negotiations with the EU. Simitis also said that Greece supported the continuation of the direct talks process in Cyprus. Odiseas Kiryakopulos, chairman of the Greek Bussinessmen’s Association, told the delegation that his group also supported Turkey’s EU membership. /Milliyet/
TURKISH-IRAQ BUSINESS COUNCIL REPORT: “TURKEY WOULD LOSE $150 BILLION IN US-IRAQ CONFLICT”
According to a new report prepared by the Turkish-Iraq Business Council, a possible US military intervention in Iraq would cause Turkey to suffer some $150 billion in economic loses. Speaking to journalists at a press conference yesterday, council Chairman Mehmet Ali Neyzi recalled that Turkey had lost its second-biggest commercial partner in the post-Gulf War period, with a resulting economic toll amounting to approximately $100 billion. Neyzi stated that Turkish-Iraqi economic relations had already begun deteriorating due to the recent tense situation in the region, stressing that businessmen always wanted and supported peace. /Aksam/
BUSINESS CIRCLES PROMOTE TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP BID
Turkish business circles have recently stepped up their efforts to promote Turkey’s European Union membership bid. Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu yesterday met in Ankara with ambassadors from the EU countries. Stating that Turkey had recently taken significant steps on its path towards EU membership, Hisarciklioglu remarked that he expected the EU to set a specific date at December’s Copenhagen summit for the beginning of Turkey’s accession negotiations. Warning that should the EU fail to announce a date for Turkey’s accession talks, the Turkish government would then be highly suspicious of the Union’s political impartiality, Hisarciklioglu added that Turkey needed the EU countries’ full support for future economic and political reform. /Cumhuriyet/
HISTORIC SESSION OF PARLIAMENT
The Turkish Parliament is set to begin a new judicial year today with a historic session where parliamentarians will discuss early elections. If various efforts aimed at delaying elections prove unsuccessful, Parliament will go on recess once again. In that case, a number of deputies fearful of losing their seats are expected to call for Parliament to hold an extraordinary session starting next Tuesday, Oct. 8. /Aksam/
AZIZ: “IRAQ DOESN’T THREATEN ANY COUNTRY”
Iraqi’s Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz arrived in Ankara yesterday to hold a series of meetings with Turkish officials. Answering reporters’ questions at Esenboga Airport, Aziz said that he had come to a “friend and neighbor” country, Turkey, as the representative of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Stressing that he intended to talk and exchange views with Turkish officials regarding Iraq and its recent situation, Aziz said that the US’ “aggressive stance” threatened not only Iraq but also the entire region. “Iraq doesn’t threaten any country, it has good relations with its neighbors,” said the Iraqi minister. He added that a possible operation in Iraq would harm Turkey’s interests. /Turkiye/
TURKEY GETS NO GUARANTEE OF US HELP TO MINIMIZE FINANCIAL FALLOUT OVER IRAQ
United States Assistant Secretary of State for Eurasian Affairs A. Elizabeth Jones, who is currently visiting Ankara, yesterday held separate meetings with Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel, Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and other senior Foreign Ministry officials to discuss the possibility of US intervention in Iraq and hear Turkey’s views on the matter. At these meetings, Jones was told that any war in Iraq would have severe negative repercussions on the Turkish economy and that Turkey would like to receive guarantees in compensation for the losses it would surely suffer. However, while Jones acknowledged Turkey’s request, she reportedly did not present it with any concrete guarantees. Turkish officials also brought up the subject of Turkey’s European Union membership bid and briefed Jones on the latest reforms to this end adopted by the Parliament in early August. Jones reportedly reassured Turkey that the US would continue to support Turkey’s EU membership bid. Additionally, the officials reminded Jones of the importance Turkey places on the preservation of Iraq’s territorial integrity and of its sensitivity towards the possibility of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. /Cumhuriyet/
ANNAN: “EU MEMBERSHIP WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO SOLVE THE CYPRUS ISSUE”
In the leadup to a New York meeting of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides set to begin on Thursday, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said yesterday that Greek Cyprus gaining European Union membership would not solve the island’s problems. There is a divided island in question, added Annan, and negotiations between both sides will continue even if Greek Cyprus joins the EU. In related news, Denktas left the TRNC yesterday to attend the two-day meeting. /Hurriyet/
VOTING FOR EXPATRIATE TURKS TO BEGIN
Voting booths for expatriate Turks to cast ballots in the Nov. 3 elections are set to open tomorrow at several customs gates, largely at airports. Turkish citizens living abroad will be able to vote at the Ataturk, Esenboga, Antalya, Adnan Menderes and Sakirpasa Airports’ customs gates and the Kapikule gate at the Turkish-Bulgarian border as of 7:00 a.m. The booths will be open continuously through the end of voting on Nov. 3. Citizens over 18 who have resided for over six months abroad and who are not included on voting registration lists will be eligible to cast ballots at the gates. /Turkiye/
TURKEY TO BOOST COOPERATION WITH TRNC
Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel told reporters yesterday that a decision was made at the fifth meeting of the Turkey-Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Association Council to boost bilateral cooperation in the fields of justice and internal affairs and to establish a joint parliamentary council between the two countries. Salih Cosar, the association council’s co-chairman, yesterday called the decision to intensify relations “important,” adding that the next step would be to achieve economic integration. He also called on Turkish businessmen to increase investment in the TRNC. A joint declaration issued at the end of the meeting stated that both countries were in agreement on the desirability of achieving full financial integration and partial integration in the fields of defense, security and foreign affairs. The declaration also said that Greek Cypriot efforts to gain membership in the European Union would only serve to deepen the existing split on the island. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION