Selections From Todays Turkish Press
Prior to receiving Irish Ambassador to Turkey Sean Whelan yesterday, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer answered reporters' questions. Asked whether he was hopeful about the economy, Sezer said, "Of course I'm optimistic. Turkey will definitely overcome the current crisis." Commenting on the EU's recent Turkey Progress Report, Sezer remarked that despite same charges that the report was prejudiced, he considered it an objectively prepared document. "However, the EU should not put forth certain conditions which are peculiar to Turkey. Turkey will do its utmost to comply with the EU criteria which are supposed to be met by all membership candidates." /All Papers/
DENKTAS AND CLERIDES TO MEET
Reportedly, Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafkos Clerides will reply in the affirmative Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas' call for direct talks with no agenda. An UN representative is also expected to attend the meeting. Denktas had previously sent three letters to Clerides proposing that they hold a face-to-face meeting sometime between Dec. 1-10, but Clerides had given him no answer. /Turkiye/
TURKEY INSISTS ON GREATER ESDP ROLE
Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said yesterday that the role being given to Turkey in the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) mechanism was inadequate. "Turkey is being flexible in this matter and is trying to reach a solution, but all European countries should also have the necessary political will to bring about such a solution," Cakmakoglu told reporters before his departure for Brussels, where European foreign and defense ministers are to meet to discuss the proposed European force. Turkey will attend the meeting to discuss its possible contributions to the force. Turkey, the second-biggest military power in NATO, says it wouıld veto the EU's assured access to assets unless it is granted right to participate in the decision-making of the European force. The EU, on the other hand, has refused Turkey's demand as it is not an EU member, and says that Turkey, together with other non-EU, NATO members, could be granted a consultative right. /Turkish News/
YILMAZ MEETS MUMCU
Motherland Party (ANAP) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz met yesterday with Erkan Mumcu in Istanbul. Reportedly, Yilmaz brought up Mumcu's recent controversial public statements criticizing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, asking Mumcu to watch his words carefully and to refrain from making satements which could hurt the coalition government. Meanwhile, a number of ANAP deputies said that the statements were Mumcu's alone, not expressions of ANAP's. /Turkiye/
TURKISH AIR FORCE PREPARING FOR ROLE IN CENTRAL ASIA
Due to its cultural and historical ties in the region, Turkey is expected to play a major role in the future of Afghanistan, and for this reason the Turkish Air Force is now preparing to make itself felt in Central Asia. The Turkish Air Force has been given the m Due to its cultural and historical ties in the region, Turkey is expected to play a major ission of bringing Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan's air defense systems, military bases and air zone up to NATO standards. Air Brigadier Gen. Hasan Kabas has prepared an initial report after visiting the Central Asian countries. In the first phase of the project, the report said, Turkey would send in military personel to outline steps the countries should take to bring their air military infrastructure up to NATO standards. Turkey has already played a major role in building Georgia's air bases. By bringing Central Asian countries air bases up to NATO standards, Turkey could eclipse the sphere of Russian aviation influence in the region. /Hürriyet/
EU CONFERENCE COULD INCLUDE TURKEY
Today Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel told reporters that a final decision on whether or not to include Turkey in an upcoming conference on the future of the European Union had not yet been made, but he added that the winds were blowing in Turkey's favor. Last month Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstad has first said that no decision had yet been reached on including Turkey in the conference of EU heads of state. Michel also remarked that there might be differences of opinion on the subject because Turkey hasn't started its accession talks, but we want Turkey to be included in this conference, it should not be seperated from the other candidate countries, he stressed. Belgium is the current EU Term President. /Hürriyet/
AFGHAN SUMMIT SLATED FOR EUROPE
It has been decided that a summit to lay the ground work for a future Afghan government will be held in Europe, rather than Ankara a site that has been previously mentioned. Under US pressure, the Afghan Northern Alliance has agreed to such a summit in order to form a broad- based government. The exact site of the summit to be held in one week's time, has not yet been decided, but it is widely expected to be in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. /Hürriyet/
TURKEY TO ATTEND SUMMIT ON AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE IN WASHINGTON
Turkey is to attend a summit in Washington where significant decisions on Afghanistan's future are expected to be taken. During the summit which is expected to be held today, Turkey will stress the necessity to establish a broad-based transitional government for Afghanistan following the removal of the Taleban from power in Kabul. A delegation chaired by Ambassador Turkekul Kurttekin, the Turkish Foreign Ministry's Middle East Department director-general, will represent Turkey at the summit. Turkey is expected to warn the attendees not to privilege their own private interests while taking decisions on Afghanistan's future. Among the attendees are G-7 countries and representatives of the Organization for the Islamic Conference (OIC). Turkey will stress the following points: 1) There is a political vacuum which has to be filled as soon as possible in Afghanistan. 2) Moderate Pashtuns should take part in this new government. 3) Any UN peacekeeping force should be supported by all countries. 4) Humanitarian aid must be delivered throughout Afghanistan and economic aid will be necessary for re-building the country. /Cumhuriyet/
IZGI REPORTS CYPRUS SPAT IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi returned to Turkey on Sunday from a meeting at the European Parliament. "The meeting was extremely useful," he said, except for a small incident over the Cyprus issue. Izgi said his meetings with parliamentary speakers of the participating countries revealed that these countries were in consensus with Turkey that it should be accepted as an EU member. /Turkish News/
STATE MINISTER CAY GOES TO BASHKURDISTAN
State Minister Abdulhaluk Mehmet Cay has gone to Bashkurdistan on an official visit. He told reporters before departing that bilateral relations would be discussed and impetus added to existing agreements. He is going as the official guest of Deputy Prime Minister R.H. Garifullin and will visit the Krasnousolsk Sanatorium currently under construction. /Turkish Daily News/
DERVIS: "WE'VE PARTIALLY OVERCOME OUR PROBLEMS"
State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis said yesterday that Turkey was nearly recovered from the shock of Sept. 11 and that its economic problems had been mostly overcome. After the G-20 summit in Ottowa, Dervis told reporters that this year had not been a good one generally, but that a certain stability was still reachable. Dervis is expected to meet with international finance and investment circles today in Washington and to brief them on recent developments in the Turkish economy. /Turkiye/
IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
Speaking from an international finance meeting in Ottawa, Canada, Anna Krueger, International Monetary Fund (IMF) First Deputy Chairman, said that an IMF delegation was scheduled to be sent to Turkey at the beginning of December to discuss its financial support. The delegation is expected to hold meetings in Ankara concerning a new standby agreement and its final review this year. /Turkiye/
COAST GUARD BEEFS UP BOSPHORUS SECURITY
The Coast Guard Command has now established "Coast Guard and Security Teams" (SAGET) for the Bosphorus Straits. The SAGET teams will accompany tankers carrying LNG, LPG and ammonia during their passage through the Bosphorus and will guard the foreign military ships. The SAGET teams are expected to begin their duty today with a ceremony to be attended by Interior Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen. /Cumhuriyet/
OPTIMISM BOOSTS TURKISH MARKETS
Turkish financial markets rallied higher yesterday on the back of optimism created by the prospects of a new IMF rescue. In the wake of IMF Director Horst Koehler's statement last week that he would recommend to the board that the Fund cover Turkey's financing needs for next year, a highly optimistic mood has been dominating the markets. Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) shares increased by an average 7.85 %. The IMKB national-100 index rose 892 points throughout two sessions to close the day at 12,263 points amid the strongest trading volume since February. /All Papers/
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER TELLS OF MED CONFERENCE
Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin has returned to Turkey after attending the Mediterranean Action Plan 12th Contract Signatories Conference in Monaco. Aytekin told reporters upon returning yesterday that the conference had been attended by the environment ministers of Mediterranean countries and had discussed such topics as biological diversity, preservation of plant life, prevention of sea pollution and the protection of marine mammals. He said that he had dwelt at length on threats to the Bosphourus and that a protocol on pollution in the Bosphorus had been agreed upon. /Turkish Daily News/
WHO FALL MEETING BEGINS IN ISTANBUL
The World Health Organization (WHO) Environment and Health Committee has started its Fall 2001 Meeting in Istanbul. Representing Turkey in the opening address yesterday, Health Ministry Undersecretary Sefer Aycan said the meeting would discuss the National Environmental Health Action Plan. The meeting will also cover the "European Tourism, Environment and Health Program" for those countries for whom tourism is important. /Turkish Daily News/
SECOND NATIONAL CHILDREN FORUM BEGINS
The problems of children in Turkey are being discussed during the Second National Children Forum which began in Ankara yesterday. Addressing the meeting, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk took note of Nov. 20 World Children's Rights Day and said that legal measures would be taken to halt child abuse. "Children's problems will not end unless poverty and ignorance are defeated in Turkey and worldwide," he said. State Minister Hasan Gemici also noted that the meeting had convened to discuss problems concerning the problems of implementation of the Children's Rights Contract. /Turkiye/
SYMPOSIUM TO DISCUSS TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS
Turkish-Armenian relations throughout history will be discussed at a symposium in Ankara next week. The symposium entitled "Turkish-Armenian History and Culture" will be held at the National Library Auditorium on Nov. 27-28. /Cumhuriyet
UNPRECEDENTED PROBLEMS BY HULKI CEVIZOGLU (SABAH)
Columnist Hulki Cevizoglu writes on the Cyprus problem. A summary of his column is as follows: "As the attention of the entire wold is turned towards Afghanistan, we should foregt the important developments in Cyprus. It seems that the issue of Greek Cypriot administration's EU membership will put the political problems on the island in a lock. The EU membership of the Greek Cypriot administration will increase the large gap between the two communties, which is already high. The most important part of this membership is implementing an economic embargo on Northern Cyprus which is already suffering from the present one. In other words, this would amount to an economic enosis (union with Greece). Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cypus (TRNC) are fervently defending their arguments but have been unable to convince anyone. International law expert, Prof. Maurice H. Mendelson has prepared a report on the solution to political problems in Cyprus, explaining the problems which would be created by granting EU membership to the Greek Cypriot administration. He stated that that the admittance of Southern Cyprus to the EU would create serious and unprecedented problems. He states that EU membership for the Greek Cypriot administration should not be even mentioned before the island's political problems are solved. The Greek Cypriots know full well that the present Constitution and the Guarantee Agreement which keep the peace on the island are closing the doors of EU membership. But they advance another argument, are involving the 1955 treaty concerning the foundation of the Austrian state. The countries which were party to the agreement did not use their right to veto even though they could have, and they admitted Austria to the EU. The Greek Cypriots want to use this example and bypass the prohibiting provisions of the Guarantee Agreement. Prof. Mendelson, makes other legal points as well. For example, when the Greek Cypriot administration becomes an EU member, EU law should be implemented on the island. However, this is not possible as the Greek Cypriot administration does not have authority over the TRNC. Even if the Greek Cypriots are admitted to the Union, neither the EU nor the Greek Cypriot administration can fulfil their obligations towards each other. Furthermore, the Guarantee Agreement -which is still valid- forbids the entrance of the Greek Cypriot administration to the Union. In such a case, the Cypriot Constitution which is guaranteed internationally would be violated. Therefore the Turkish diplomats have to work hard not to be faced with unprecedented problems."
THE TURKISH MODEL BY SAMI KOHEN (MILLIYET)
Columnist Sami Kohen writes on the feasibility of imposing the Turkish model on other Islamic countries. A summary of his column is as follows: "In the West and particularlyi in the US, both diplomats, and the press began to talk about the Turkish model. In evaluations made following the Sept. 11 incidents and the changes in Afghanistan, Turkey is pointed to as an example to Islamic world. The reason why Turkey has achieved such an importance in the eyes of the West is its secular state structure. This characteristic is considered to be an alternative to the Islamic radicalism as carried to the extremes by theTaleban. This also shows an important change in US strategy. The US, which durign the Cold War supported Islam and even Taleban ideology against the Soviets within the framework of the 'green belt', is today supporting moderate Islam. Former diplomat Nelson Ledsky, a leader at the National Democracy Institute, stated that Turkey could be an attractive model for the Islamic world in the post-Sept. 11 era and that Ankara could use this as an opportunity and launch an initative to benefit from it. At present, the US is working on this theme and stressing that there cannot be a better model than Turkey in the Islamic world. As Ledsky underlined, the reforms carried out in Turkey and particularly secularism can be a source of inspiration for other predominantly Muslim countries. Turkey's democratic evolution and its free market economy together with initatives for development are among the several encouraging factors. The only thing Ankara has to do is to explain this structure better to the Islamic world, and establish closer contacts with these countries in the fields of education, commerce, and so on. It certainly is encouraging for Turkey to be accepted as a role model. However, at the moment, it seems that only the US and the West desire such a role and support it, more so than the Islamic countries. We have yet to see articles on the issue in Arab or Islamic newspapers. In fact, the wish to accept Turkey as a role model should come from them. Some countries may be ruled by authoritarian regimes, there may be fundamentalist groups which are loud in expressing their views, and they may be opposed to the Turkish model. The intelligentsia who favor democracy and a secular state structure cannot raise their voices due to oppression. We must remember also that there are waves in the Turkish system from time to time. These political, social and economic tremors cast a shadow on the image we are trying to create. Therefore, first and foremost, the Turkish model has to be implemented soundly and developed right here, in Turkey itself."