PARLIAMENT SET TO RECONSIDER CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE
Parliament is set today to begin reconsidering a three-article amendment package that was vetoed last week by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The package’s proposed amendments to Articles 67, 76 and 78 of the Constitution were expected to allow ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to become a deputy, and thus prime minister. After the Constitutional Commission discusses the package today, the full Parliament will likely vote on the package on Friday, where it is expected to pass easily. /Aksam/
BAYKAL: “THE AMENDMENT PACKAGE IS GENERAL, NOT SUBJECTIVE”
Opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal yesterday defended a recently vetoed constitutional amendment package, saying that its provisions were general in nature, not subjective. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer last week vetoed the bill proposing changes to Articles 67, 76 and 78 of the Constitution, arguing that it was meant to benefit just one individual, meaning Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader who would gain eligibility to hold public office under its provisions. “We deeply respect Sezer, and feel that his presidency is a safeguard to the nation,” said Baykal. “However, the package in question is in fact objective and general. On the contrary, trying to block such an objective, general law would be overly subjective.” /Aksam/
GUL, OZKOK, FOREIGN MINISTRY TO HOLD IRAQ SUMMIT TODAY
Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, and Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis and other Foreign Ministry officials are set to hold a summit today to discuss Turkey’s role in a possible United States operation against Iraq. During the meeting, the participants will also evaluate the assistance and access the US is seeking from Turkey in the leadup to such an operation. /Milliyet/
GUL: “TURKEY WILL DO WHAT NATO DECISIONS REQUIRE”
Speaking to daily Aksam yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey could be included in a possible Iraq operation within the framework of its NATO membership. “We will do what NATO decisions require,” said Gul. “Using Turkey’s bases in such an operation, and sending in Turkish soldiers, would be done in accordance with a NATO decision.” /Aksam/
ERDOGAN TRAVELING TO RUSSIA TO MEET PUTIN
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan is flying to Moscow today accompanied by a delegation upon the invitation of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. During the two leaders’ meeting, the Iraq issue and bilateral trade relations, including the terms of Russia’s gas sales to Turkey, are expected to be discussed. Erdogan will also attend the opening ceremony of a Ramstore complex built in Moscow by the ENKA and Koc groups, two Turkish companies. /Turkiye/
RUSSIA DENOUNCES KADEK STATEMENT AS TERRORISM
Russia’s Foreign Ministry yesterday issued a statement in response to threats made by terrorist organization KADEK against Turkey during a recent press conference in Moscow. KADEK is the label the terrorist PKK adopted earlier this year. Ministry spokesman Aleksandir Yakovenko said that KADEK’s so-called Russian representative Halit Cudi’s statement that the organization might resume armed attacks in Turkey was an exemplification of terrorism. Stressing that Russia was opposed to all kinds of terrorism, Yakovenko said that his country wanted to develop relations with Turkey in all areas and that KADEK’s statements did not reflect the Russian government’s policy towards Turkey. /Turkiye/
MENDERES QUITS DYP, PROTESTING MEHMET AGAR’S LEADERSHIP
Former Deputy Aydin Menderes yesterday tendered his resignation from the True Path Party (DYP), announcing at a press conference that he was leaving in protest of Mehmet Agar taking the party helm. Menderes, also an ex-member of the closed Virtue Party (FP), said that the cloud of allegations hanging over Agar would damage the DYP and made working with him impossible. “Agar will end up dragging the party down,” predicted Menderes. Agar, the DYP’s sole deputy in Parliament, was unofficially implicated in the wake of the 1996 Susurluk incident, when he was interior minister. He resigned soon thereafter, but has been protected from prosecution by his parliamentary immunity. Agar was elected DYP leader, succeeding Tansu Ciller, at an extraordinary party conference earlier this month. /Cumhuriyet/
VERHEUGEN: “AS A PART OF THE EU, TURKEY WILL BECOME A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COUNTRY”
Speaking to Greek newspaper Katimerini yesterday, European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that once Turkey had entered the EU it would undergo a thorough transformation. Verheugen stated that Turkey had recently taken enormous strides towards compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, stressing that the nation’s expectations to join the EU’s ranks were based in reality. Verheugen added that he found it hard to understand why certain circles in Europe were still debating whether or not Turkey could ever be an EU member. “Turkey will become an EU member, and once this is achieved, it will become a completely different country,” said Verheugen. “Yet Turkey must still convince the Union that the country has completely eradicated the practice of torture.” /Hurriyet/
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE HEAD YILMAZ TO VISIT AFGHANISTAN
Religious Affairs Directorate head Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz and an accompanying delegation are set to begin a visit to Afghanistan today. During the trip, Yilmaz is set to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and other Afghan government officials as well as Gen. Aki Zorlu, the Turkish leader of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) protecting Kabul and its environs. Yilmaz and the delegation will return to Turkey on Thursday. /Turkiye/
JOURNALIST GROUPS URGE REJECTION OF PRESS LAW
Twenty-five journalist groups released a joint declaration over the weekend denouncing a press bill popularly known as the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) law, and urging that the Constitutional Court rule its provisions null and void. The law was passed last summer under the Bulent Ecevit-led government, but was sent to the court by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer for review and so has never gone into effect. “The proposed press law is contrary to human rights and freedoms” and poses a grave threat to freedom of the press, said the declaration. The bill’s provisions setting large fines for certain violations and prison sentences for those who fail to pay the fines have drawn harsh criticism. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKEY, US, ISRAEL TO HOLD MILITARY MANEUVERS IN THE MED
Turkey, the United States and Israel are set to hold joint military maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea beginning on Jan. 1, 2003, next Wednesday, according to Israeli radio news reports. The three countries’ naval and air forces will participate in two days of maneuvers to improve joint defense tactics. /Cumhuriyet/
TUZMEN: “TURKEY HOPES TO FURTHER DEVELOP TRADE RELATIONS WITH THE UAE”
State Minister Kursad Tuzmen yesterday held a press conference telling about his recent two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates as part of the Islamic Countries’ Ninth Private Sector meetings and the Ninth Islamic Countries’ Fair. Stating that the Islamic joint market was discussed at his bilateral meetings, Tuzmen said that a possible Iraqi operation was causing anxiety among Arab countries. Pointing out that the current trade volume between Turkey and the UAE was $150 billion, the minister said with the contributions of 60 Turkish firms based in the UAE, this volume had increased by 20% in recent years. He stated that Turkey hoped to further develop trade relations with the UAE. “Islamic countries have relatively weak trade ties, and we must work to change this,” added Tuzmen. /Turkiye/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION