SEZER: “AN IRAQ OPERATION WOULD AFFECT TURKEY NEGATIVELY”
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday received True Path Party (DYP) leader and parliamentarian Mehmet Agar and members of the party’s Central Administration Council (GIK). During their meeting, Sezer said that a possible United States operation against Iraq would have negative effects on Turkey. Sezer stated that Turkey should try to find a way to minimize the costs to the nation of such an operation. “If the US decides to launch an operation in Iraq, the operation should be conducted within the framework of international law,” added Sezer. /Hurriyet/
ERDOGAN: “OUR GOVERNMENT ISN’T RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CYPRUS IMPASSE”
Speaking to the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ISO) yesterday, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended the government’s policy on Cyprus, saying that the less than-two-month-old administration couldn’t be blamed for the lack of a peace deal on the island. Nor is it fair to accuse the government of planning to “give away” Cyprus, he asserted. “Our policy is assured,” said Erdogan. “If the two sides on Cyprus have been unable to reach an agreement for 40 years, then responsibility for that lies on their doorstep.” /Milliyet/
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL MEETS
The Economic and Social Council chaired by Prime Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday convened to explore solutions for Turkey’s economic and social problems. During the council’s three-hour meeting, eight non-governmental organizations (NGOs) expressed their views on the Government’s program as well as its Urgent Action Plan. The council decided to meet every three months, or more often if necessary. /Turkiye/
YAKIS: “WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE NSC DECISIONS ON IRAQ”
At yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Foreign Minister Yasar Yakis reportedly stated that Turkey hadn’t yet decided the level of support it would lend to a US operation against Iraq. “Turkey hasn’t made any promises to the US yet,” said Yakis. “Our discussions on the issue are continuing. Let’s not mislead the public. We should wait for the National Security Council [NSC] decisions. Turkey can’t make any official decisions before seeing the United Nations Security Council’s resolution or UN weapons inspectors’ report on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.” /Sabah/
CB GOVERNOR CALLS ANTI-INFLATION DRIVE “SUCCESSFUL,” BUT WARNS OF DIFFICULTIES
Turkey’s war against inflation is being made more difficult by forces within the country resisting for the sake of their own interest, said Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti yesterday. Serdengecti stated that some people benefited personally from high inflation and so were taking steps against anti-inflationary measures. “We should continue our structural reforms in order to bring down inflation,” he said. “For this year, the IMF’s inflation target is 20%, and the Central Bank’s target is 35%.” He stated that Turkey’s war against high inflation was continuing successfully, but that the rate was still too high. “We should continue our efforts,” added Serdengecti. Also touching a possible Iraq operation, Serdengecti said that the CB would issue warnings as needed in case of an operation, but there were also certain factors beyond its control such as oil prices. “An operation would certainly affect our economy, but it’s vital that Turkey not forsake its targets,” added Serdengecti. “We should stay on course with our economic program.” /Milliyet/
CIVIL SERVANTS TO GET 6.5%-13.7% RAISES
Following a Cabinet meeting last night, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullatif Sener and Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan told reporters that civil servants’ salaries would be raised by 6.5%-13.7% during the first three months of next year. In a press conference, the ministers said that a 6.5% pay hike would be given to senior civil servants and a 13.7% hike for lower-ranking civil servants, with the aim of reducing the wage gap between various grades. In addition, the Cabinet decided not to raise the salaries of Parliament’s deputies for the first quarter of next year, and not to buy any vehicles in 2003 for the public sector. /Turkiye/
NEW MINIMUM WAGE TO BE SET TODAY
The Minimum Wage Establishment Commission is set to convene today for the fifth time to set a new minimum wage for the first six months of next year. After having worked on the topic since mid-October in line with reports from the Treasury, the State Planning Organization (DPT), and Hacettepe University, the commission is expected to announce the new wage to the public today. /Turkiye/
TURKISH HISTORIAN RECEIVES “KNIGHT MEDAL”
Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, director-general of the Center for Research on Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCIA), yesterday was decorated with the “Knight Medal” by Senegalese President Abdullah Wad. Senegal’s government awarded the medal to Ihsanoglu in recognition of his studies to promote Islamic culture and his efforts to spur dialogue between the East and the West. /Turkiye/
CENTER FOR EUROPEAN REFORM: “EU LEADERS ARE APPLAUDING TURKEY’S REFORMS”
The Center for European Reform (CER), a think tank devoted to improving the quality of the debate on the future of the European Union, recently issued a report on the EU’s enlargement process focusing on the decisions on candidate countries made at this month’s EU Copenhagen summit. The CER report stated that the European Council would reconsider Turkey’s progress in December 2004 on the basis of a report and recommendation from the European Commission. “If that report concludes that Turkey meets the criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations without delay, according to the presidency’s conclusions,” said the report. According to CER, this wording is a strong commitment from the EU, and effectively a conditional date for starting negotiations in 2005. The CER also underlined that Ankara had pushed very hard for a date to start accession negotiations with the EU before the Copenhagen summit and that the new government’s efforts to implement political reforms had been applauded by EU leaders. “The EU also offered an extended and deepened Customs Union, plus a substantial increase in pre-accession financial assistance,” added the report. “Significantly, the summit conclusions restated that Turkey’s candidacy depends on the same criteria as other countries. This was a clear rejection of the claims of EU politicians such as European Convention President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, who stated recently that Turkey should never join on the grounds that it is not a European country and would destroy the Union.” /Cumhuriyet/
TALABANI: “KURDISH GROUPS WON’T TRY TO TAKE MOSUL AND KIRKUK”
Speaking on news channel NTV yesterday, Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (IPUK) leader Jalal Talabani said that Kurdish groups wouldn’t try to take advantage of an war in Iraq to seize Mosul and Kirkuk, two northern Iraqi cities with large ethnic Turkmen population. Talabani made the comments in Ankara after meeting with Sanan Ahmet Aga, leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front. Also during his visit to Ankara, Talabani reportedly proposed that Turkey and the United States hold meetings with Iraqi Kurdish and Turkmen groups to discuss recent developments in northern Iraq. However, due to Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani’s cancellation of his visit to Turkey planned for this week, discussions on Talabani’s proposal are currently on hold. “The IPUK will highly appreciate Turkey’s support if the Turkish Army joins an international military coalition in a war against Saddam Hussein,” said Talabani. He also told NTV that he expected a US operation to begin at the end of February 2003, and that he thought it would be over in short order. /Cumhuriyet/
US OFFERS TURKEY $20 BLN AID PACKAGE IN RETURN FOR SUPPORT IN IRAQ OPERATION
The United States has offered Turkey an aid package of $20 billion in return for the country’s support in an operation against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, diplomatic sources stated yesterday. The sources added that the US had requested a final decision on the issue from Turkey within four days. However, the Turkish government is reportedly waiting for the UN inspectors’ report on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction due to be issued on Jan. 27. Meanwhile, Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday proposed that Parliament hold a closed session to evaluate recent developments on the issue. /Sabah/
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION