Selections From Todays Turkish Press
Reportedly, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the decree concerning the governors of six provinces, which was sent to the Presidential Palace by the Interior Ministry. Mugla Gov. Lutfi Yigenoglu, and the Icel Gov. Senol Engin were appointed to Ankara. Under the decree, the Interior Ministry Deputy General Director of Personnel Mustafa Yigit has been appointed as the Governor of Ardahan; the Interior First Undersecretary of Law Atif Tig as the Governor of Icel; Deputy Undersecretary of Ministry of the Interior Rasih Ozbek as the Governor of Manisa; Rize Gov. Erdal Ata as the Governor of Kocaeli; Deputy Governor of Istanbul Bulent Karagol to the Rize Governorship and the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior, Huseyin Aksoy, to the Mugla Governorship. /Cumhuriyet/
WORK ON NEW CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE
A sub commission formed by the Interparties Advisory Council, has begun its studies on the new constitutional package. The sub commission headed by Constitutional Commission Chairman Turhan Tayan convened yesterday and discussed new proposals other than 14 articles slated for amendment. The group's work is scheduled to be completed in one month, and it will submit its proposals to the Commission. /Turkiye/
MGK TO CONVENE ON OCTOBER 30
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is to chair this month's meeting of the National Security Council(MGK), which will be held on Tuesday 30 Oct. The meeting will start at 2.00 p.m. and will discuss both domestic and foreign developments will be discussed./Turkish Daily News/
AFGHAN SUMMIT IN TURKEY
Turkey is planning to bring together former leaders of Afghanistan in order to decide on an alternative government after the eclipse of the Taleban regime. Turkish Foreign Ministry has stated that this idea belongs to Afghanistan, not Turkey. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that he would be pleased to see the Afghan opposition coming together in Turkey./Hürriyet/
PARRIS: TURKEY SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE OPERATION
Former US Ambassador to Turkey Mark Parris said that Turkey should not participate in the Afghanistan operations conducted from air and land. Parris pointed out that the US had not requested such participation. He said that Turkey's support should be limited to logistic, intelligence and operational experiences. /Turkiye/
TURKISH ARMED FORCES TO PURCHASE UNMANNED PLANES
In the midst of the military campaign in Afghanistan, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have speeded up six large arms purchase projects. Reportedly, the TSK will purchase unmanned planes which have been used effectively in Afghanistan operations. The projects, estimated to cost about six billion dollars, are scheduled to be completed by the beginning of 2002. /Turkiye/
US CONGRESS EXPECTED TO APPROVE SALE OF AWACS
An American magazine, Defense News, said that the US Congress would easily approve the sale of AWACS planes to Turkey. An authority from the Pentagon stated that Turkey's importance had increased following the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the US and that there would be no problem in the approval of the planes' sale. A Turkish authority also said, "Turkey stands with the US during the fight against terrorism. Strengthening the Turkish Armed Forces is parallel to US interests and the US administration is also aware of this fact." /Turkiye/
US CYPRUS COORDINATOR HOLDS TALKS IN ANKARA
US State Department Cyprus coordinator Thomas Weston met a Turkish delegation under the chairmanship of Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal at the Foreign Ministry, the Anatolia news agency reported Tuesday. After a two-hour meeting, Weston said that he had discussed Cyprus with the Turkish delegation. "We talked about the United Nations and the UN Secretary-General's efforts regarding Cyprus," he stated. He did not answer journalists' questions after the meeting. Sources indicated that the United States is anxious to start a new process leading to a solution to the Cyprus problem, but Weston did not make any concrete suggestions. Weston's tour will include Athens and Nicosia, and US State Department Cyprus Board Director James Sivers is accompanying him. He will depart for Athens today after visiting President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. /Turkish News/
PRODI ASSURES TURKEY OF EQUAL FOOTING
European Union Commission Chairman Romano Prodi has assured Turkey that no discrimination would made against Turkey in terms of its membership when the future of the EU will be discussed at a coming summit, Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday. In his meeting with Turkey's permanent EU representative Nihat Akyol, Prodi said that they had not reached a decision on how the summit would be formed, and assured Turkey that it would be given equal treatment with other candidate countries. In addition, Prodi said that the disagreements on the shape of the summit and decision-making mechanisms between the member countries still persist, and that he believed that this problem would not be solved before the Laeken Summit. /Turkish News/
BAHCELI: "EU SHOULD END ITS HYPOCRITICAL POLICIES"
Calling the EU policy toward Turkey a hypocritical one, Deputy Prime Minister and National Action Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli said that it was high time for the EU to give up its two-faced and obscure policies towards Turkey and instead clarify them. Speaking at the MHP group meeting, Bahceli said that the EU countries showed with their policies that they were nothing but Turkey's pseudo-friends. Bahceli denounced a recent statement by the Belgian Prime Minister, which was made as the EU Term President, arguing that constitutional amendments in Turkey were not clear enough. He added, "The EU should decide what it wants to do. The EU should see that it is high time for them to clarify their hypocritical policies which lead to the application of double standards. That's what the Turkish nation wants from the EU." Speaking also on recent discussions on the 2002 budget, Bahceli said "The budget was prepared using realistic methods. We should accept that certain criticisms against the government were correct. However, we cannot say that the IMF is acting with good will concerning Turkey's economic program." /Milliyet/
TURKEY HARSHLY REACTS TO EP
Turkey has harshly reacted to a proposal prepared by certain European Parliament (EP) members which include their allegations concerning the so-called Armenian genocide. The proposal was presented to change EP's Turkey report. Turkey's EU Representative Ambassador Nihat Akyol said in the letter he sent to EP members that if the proposal in question were approved, relations between Turkey and the EP would seriously be damaged. /Star/
UGSAD TO EXAMINE POST SEPT. 11
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath will be discussed in a panel named "Turkey's role in the world after Sept. 11," which is being organized by the National Security and Strategic Research Association (UGSAD). The panel discussion will be held at the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) Conference Hall today at 6:00 p.m. It will be chaired by Professor Hasan Koni. The participants included retired Gen. Kemal Yavuz, Journalist- Author Mehmet Ali Kislali and retired Gen. Inal Batu. /Turkish News/
EDUCATION MINISTRY GIVES CHANCE TO ADULTS
The Education Ministry will accept adults who did not receive an elementary school diploma in a program for them to attend open learning elementary schools. The Ministry's decree was issued in the Official Gazette on Tuesday. Under the decree, adults may attend open learning elementary schools, and courses will be supported with the latest educational technology, such as computers, CD-ROMs and radio and TV programs. /Turkish News/
TASAR RECEIVES ROMANIAN AND DUTCH REPS
Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar received Romanian Ambassador to Turkey George Ciamba and his Dutch counterpart Iznak Hendrik Gosses at his office, the Anatolia news agency reported Tuesday. Tasar said that Turkey placed importance on improving social and cultural relations via tourism and that cooperation between private companies was very important. The Romanian and Turkish Travel Agents' Unions will hold a joint workshop November 22-25 in Istanbul and Turkey will participate in a tourism fair in Romania in the forthcoming days, Tasar added. /Turkish News/
FINANCIAL TIMES: TURKEY WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG
An article written by Judy Dempsey in Financial Times said, "Turkey wants to pursue a more active foreign policy." Dempsey quoted a high level EU authority's statement, saying, "For years Turkey has been talking about the threat of terrorism and accusing Europe of not taking its warnings seriously. Now Turkey has been proven right." He added that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem had evaluated Turkey's role in the process of the establishment of the new Afghan regime during his recent tour of Central Asian countries. /Turkiye/
GEN. BIR WARNS
Retired Gen. Cevik Bir said that those who govern Turkey should take all necessary precautions to keep the country from war and added, "Turkey should be excluded from this war." Bir remarked that a common definition of terrorism should be made and that this definition should be accepted by the great majority of the world. He further stated, "This kind of definition can be made only by the United Nations (UN). The definition of terror to be made by the European Union (EU) would stab Turkey in the back." /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH RED CRESCENT PLANE IN ISLAMABAD TODAY
Turkey is sending a plane belonging to the Turkish Red Crescent carrying aid supplies in the lead up to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's visit to Pakistan. With this visit Ankara is planning to display its full support for Pakistan. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will visit Pakistan on 25-26 Oct. in response to Pervez Musharraf's visit./Turkiye/
12 HIZBULLAH MEMBERS CAPTURED
During operations against the Hizbullah organization in Icel, 12 of its members were captured along with a gun and two hand grenades. According to the Security Directorate General of Icel, Hizbullah has recently initiated propaganda efforts in order to regain prestige that it had lost among its grassroots. It was further stated that a total of 12 Hizbullah members, six in Mersin and the others in Tarsus, were captured and were determined as being involved in its activities. /Cumhuriyet/
PKK OPERATION
According to a statement released by the Emergency Rule Governorship, during operations carried out by the security forces in the rural area of Sirnak and Van, four PKK members were killed and two members were captured. /Cumhuriyet/
EUROPEAN STUDENTS TO GATHER IN ANKARA
Autumn Agora 2001, the General Assembly of the "Association des Etats Generaux des Etudiants de l'Europe" (AEGEE-The European Students Forum), will be held in Ankara on October 25-28. This year, nearly 600 students from all over Europe will gather at the Middle East Technical University (METU) to take part in Autumn Agora 2001, organized by AEGEE-Ankara. The main topic of the discussions will be terrorism and the war in Afghanistan. There will also be panel discussions, workshops, seminars, conferences and many other activities as part of the Agora. /Turkish News/
VARYAG WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT
Coastal Safety and Salvage Services Director Hücum Tulgar has announced that as of Thursday the order for former Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag to move through the Turkish Straits could come at any time. Tulgar told reporters that all necessary preparations had been completed and that they were expecting the go-ahead any time after Thursday. He noted that both foreign and Turkish tug captains had been going over the technical details and putting the final touches on their plans. Two tugs will be at the Varyag's prow, two each on the port(left) and starboard(right) flanks and two to the stern, and there will also be an escort tug, a fire-fighting tug, three rescue boats, three rapid intervention boats and an 80-strong shore complement. The most treacherous part of the journey will be the 80 degree course change needed Kandilli and this could take up to 20 heart-stopping minutes./Turkish Daily News/
THINK TANK TO DEBATE "POST 11 SEPTEMBER"
The National Security and Strategic Studies Association (USGAD) is to debate developments following the terrorist attacks on the United States and their effects on Turkey. The debate will be titled "Turkey's Role in the Changing World Order Following 11 Sept." and will be held at the Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges (TOBB) conference hall tonight. Speaking at the panel will be retired General Kemal Yavuz, newspaper columnist Mehmet Ali Kışlalı and retired Ambassador İnal Batu./Turkish Daily News/
DERVIS MEETS WITH CAKAN
Minister of Energy Zeki Cakan and Minister of State responsible for the Economy Kemal Dervis will meet today. They are to discuss financing and privatization of the energy sector. They are expected to take up 25 build-operate-transfer projects and transfers of management rights for power plants and electricity distribution facilities. Following the meeting, they are to hold a joint meeting to announce their decisions after the meeting. /Star/
DEPECHE MODE IN TURKEY
Following the release of their latest album this May, world famous music group Depeche Mode will come to Turkey as part of its "Exciter" world tour. The concert will be held at Abdi Ipekci Sport Hall on October 30 at 9:00 p.m. and will be sponsored by MTV. /Cumhuriyet/
THE GAME OF DELAYING TURKS BY MUMTAZ SOYSAL (HURRIYET)
Columnist Mumtaz Soysal commented on the European Union meeting concerning Turkey. A summary of his column is as follows: "As the Government was busy armwrestling with the Presidency in sending a message to the printing house, it missed the opportunity to react to a game played in another part of Europe. The game was declared by the current president of the European Union, Belgian Prime Minister Verhofstadt: Turkey was not going to be invited to the planned 'convention' following the Laeken Summit where the future of the EU will be discussed with the participation of its member candidates. The reason given is that Turkey's full-membership negotiations with the EU have not started. The same reasoning was given at the time when explaining the distribution of the seats when the members would become candidates. The threadbare excuse of delaying tactics is once more repeated. One of the aims behind these delaying tactics is to dissuade Turkey from opposing Geek-Cypriot membership for beginning its own membership negotiations and even try to get it make some concessions and then exclude it anyhow. However Ankara had a great opportunity to expose this hyprocritical approach when a joint war against terrorism was very much on the agenda. It is the time to turn to Brussels and ask a question which would embarass everyone: 'Aren't you ashamed to embrace an administration which has founded itself on the blood shed by terrorism, excluded the Turkish population by oppressing them with terrorist activities, and sheltered scores of terrorist organizations ranging from ASALA to PKK and Bin Laden?' The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' representative in the US capital, Ahmet Erdengiz, recently wrote a letter to 'The Washington Times'. which was published on October 8 was penned upon the publication of an article by Greek Cypriot representative Marcoulis, who holds the title of ambassador. After introducing Marcoulis, who expressed his regrets after the Sep. 11 attacks as the representative of a regime which dared to change the date of the foundation of the republic from the date of its establishment on Aug. 16 to the EOKA terrorist organization's foundation day on Oct. 1, Erdengiz went on to cite the other activities of that 'state'. These activities include embracing the PKK with open arm, and giving them permission for fundraising, providing a passport for PKK terrorist organization leader Ocalan, enabling him to enter Athens and Nairobi, laundering money for Milosevic, and providing banking services for Bin Laden... The letter also mentioned former NATO commander, Gen. Wesley Clark's statement to CNN on Sep. 14: 'The south of the island is one of the main transit centers used by terrorists in passing to Europe and the US.' Furthermore, the letter also quoted former CIA Chief James Woolsey's statement published in the Italian daily 'La Repubblica' on Sept 19.: 'The most notorious country in laundering the finances of terrorists is the Greek Cypriot Administration. We told our friends in Brussels to tell the Greek Cypriots that as long as they do not reveal information concerning Bin Laden's finances to us, they will not be able to enter the EU even if they waited for 400 hundred years more."