ECEVIT: “AFTER THE ELECTIONS, I MAY STEP DOWN FROM THE DSP LEADERSHIP”
Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that after next month’s elections he might relinquish the DSP’s helm, but not leave politics altogether. “As I said several weeks ago, I may step down from the DSP’s leadership after November’s elections,” stated Ecevit. “I believe that the remaining deputies of the DSP can steer the party successfully after I step down.” Though leaving the helm, Ecevit added, he might continue to serve the DSP in another capacity. Asked about a possible United States operation against Iraq, Ecevit said that there were no new developments regarding such an operation. /Turkiye/
IMMIGRATION MEETING HELD AT PRIME MINISTRY
A meeting to discuss a possible wave of immigrant refugees from northern Iraq in case of a military operation in that country was held at the Prime Ministry yesterday. Prime Ministry Undersecretary Fusun Koroglu chaired the gathering, and officials from ministries and institutions related to the topic were in attendance. During the meeting, an action plan detailing measures designed to deal with such an immigration wave was discussed. Some 20,000-250,000 immigrants are expected to flee to Turkey following a possible operation in Iraq. /Turkiye/
EU COMMISSION TO RELEASE PROGRESS REPORT TODAY
The European Commission is set to issue today its annual Progress Report, a document laying out how the European Union assesses the progress of its candidate countries in meeting the Union’s accession criteria. According to press leaks of the document, the report will imply in its sections on Turkey that reforms passed this summer by Parliament are insufficient to secure a date for the beginning of accession negotiations. Turkey had hoped to get a date at this December’s EU summit in Copenhagen, where the report is expected to be influential. The report apparently says that the August reforms, while constituting a step in the right direction, fall short of fulfilling the EU political criteria and that further reforms need to be both adopted and implemented to achieve “true democracy.” /Cumhuriyet/
GUREL: “THE EU PROGRESS REPORT IS UNACCEPTABLE”
Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel told reporters yesterday that the European Commission’s Progress Report on Turkey for this year, due to be released today, was unacceptable, adding that were the commission to release the report in its current form, this would cause a great public backlash in Turkey. He based his remarks on preliminary information on the report, which is said to criticize Turkey. Gurel is expected to make a fuller statement today on the issue. In related news, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal invited a group of ambassadors from EU member countries to the ministry yesterday to tell them of Turkey’s concerns regarding some of the points in the commission’s report. At the meeting, Ziyal called “unfair” the report’s criticism of recent Supreme Election Board (YSK) rulings barring a number of politicians from participating in elections, as similar decisions had been taken in EU members Spain and Austria. Ziyal also pointed out that criticisms regarding the State of Emergency (OHAL) in some eastern Anatolian provinces of Turkey failed to take into consideration that this arrangement is currently being phased out. /Cumhuriyet/
YILMAZ TO CALL FOR ALL-PARTY UNITY ON EU BID
Deputy Prime Minister and Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz is scheduled to hold a press conference following today’s much-awaited release of the European Union’s Progress Report on Turkey. Yilmaz is expected to call on all political parties to issue a common declaration pledging that whoever comes to power after next month’s elections would continue to fulfill the EU’s economic and political criteria, and that Turkey would not diverge from its path to the EU. /Hurriyet/
FOREIGN MINISTRY GIVES BRIEFING ON CYPRUS
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Baki Ilkin yesterday briefed a group of ambassadors from non-European Union member countries in Ankara on the Cyprus issue. Ilkin told them about the recent situation, the Turkish sides’ views and all the proposals and reports presented to date during direct talks between the two sides. In related news, in the leadup to a scheduled meeting in New York between United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides, representatives from 88 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) based in the TRNC yesterday held a press conference in Ankara. Ahmet Akcin, chairman of the Cyprus Confederation of Unions, told the gathering, “We support the process of dialogue to find a settlement to the Cyprus issue, as well as European Union membership for a new partnership government to be established following the talks.” Stressing that the unsolved issues on the island were causing problems and spurring emigration among its Turkish Cypriots, Akcin said, “The EU’s Copenhagen summit in December will determine Cyprus’ destiny.” That summit is set to discuss the membership bid of Southern Cyprus, excluding the TRNC though claiming erroneously to represent the entire island. /Turkiye/
IMF DELEGATION MEETS WITH PRIVATIZATION MINISTER KARAKOYUNLU
An International Monetary Fund delegation visiting Ankara as part of its fourth review of the economic program yesterday met with Yilmaz Karakoyunlu, the state minister for privatization, to discuss the latest developments concerning Turkey’s privatization efforts. Briefing the IMF delegation led by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen on current privatization law, Karakoyunlu stated that the procedures for privatization of the Turkish Corporation of Oil Refineries (TUPRAS) were expected to be completed by the end of the year. The IMF delegation also met with State Minister Tunca Toskay and discussed the details of Turkey’s budget plans. The delegation is expected to leave the country tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/
CILLER: “THE DYP IS THE ONLY PARTY READY TO GOVERN TURKEY”
Appearing on television yesterday, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller asserted that her party was the only one ready to govern the nation. Ciller said that the DYP was different from other parties and that it was preparing for what it would do if it comes to power in next month’s elections. She added that her party would solve Turkey’s problems in the areas of education, health and other fields. /Milliyet/
IRAQI TURKMEN REPRESENTATIVE ZIYA: “DIVIDING IRAQ WOULD PLUNGE THE REGION INTO CHAOS”
Speaking to daily Turkiye yesterday, Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) Turkey representative Mustafa Ziya predicted that should Iraq be divided, the entire Middle Eastern region would be plunged into chaos. The specter of division has often been raised as a possible aftermath to a US military operation there. Commenting on the northern Iraqi regional Kurdish Parliament, which reconvened last week after a hiatus of several years, Ziya remarked that decisions taken there could not stand for all of Iraq since it represented just two opposition groups. Ziya criticized the assembly for treating northern Iraq’s 20% Turkmen population as a “minority.” Turkmen groups have already told Washington of their concern over the plans of some Iraqi opposition groups to establish a federation, Ziya added. /Turkiye/
ASPARUK VISITS AFGHANISTAN
Air Force Commander Gen. Cumhur Asparuk, who is currently paying a visit to Afghanistan, yesterday met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. During their meeting, Asparuk said that the Turkish Army was ready to help in establishing an Afghan national army and training Afghan officials. After the meeting, Asparuk attended the re-opening ceremony of a high school which Turkish soldiers renovated. Turkey currently leads the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. /Turkiye/
UNAL, DIKMEN RESIGN FROM THEIR PARTIES
Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Antalya Deputy Nesrin Unal resigned from her party yesterday. With this resignation, the MHP’s seats in Parliament have fallen to 124, and those of independents rose to 23. In addition, New Turkey Party (YTP) Mugla Deputy Tunay Dikmen yesterday also resigned from the party in favor of returning to his previous affiliation, the Democratic Left Party (DSP). In his statement of resignation, Dikmen apologized to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and the Democratic Left Party (DSP) organization. /Hurriyet/
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS MHP APPEAL
The Constitutional Court announced yesterday that it was rejecting an appeal filed by the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) to annul certain of the European Union harmonization laws passed by Parliament this summer. Deputy Chief Justice Hasim Kilic said that members of the court had discussed the issue and unanimously ruled that the articles weren’t contrary to the Constitution. /Milliyet/
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION RISES IN AUGUST
Year-to-year industrial production continued to move up in August, posting a rise of 7.2%, according to State Institute of Statistics (DIE) data released this week. Among major industrial sectors, manufacturing recorded the largest increase at 8.7%, with the electricity, gas, and water industry coming in second at 4.8%. /Cumhuriyet/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION