Tuesday, 13 October 2009
These are some of the major headlines and their summaries in Turkish press on October 13, 2009. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET
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UZAN REQUESTS ASYLUM FROM FRANCE
Cem Uzan, chairman of the Young Party (GP), requested "political asylum" from France, and this country has accepted the request. From now on, Uzan will live in this country.
His lawyer, Saylan Cigin, released a statement and said, "Cem Uzan has experienced serious problems due to political lynching campaign going on since June 2003. He has been forced to deal with artificial cases filed against himself and his children with political pressure. Cem Uzan will go on his life in France."
France has granted "three-month residence permit" to Cem Uzan, not
"political asylum."
SEVEN BROKEN RIBS AND COCAINE
The prosecutor's office closed the file regarding Behcet Oktay, head of the Special Forces Department who died in Ankara on February 25, 2009, as "he committed suicide by a gun." However, the autopsy report shocked everyone. Oktay was found wounded in Dikmen Vadisi neighborhood in Ankara at around 2 a.m. on February 25. He was hospitalized but died at the hospital. The autopsy report said Oktay had seven broken ribs and cocaine in his blood. His family says Oktay never used cocaine, and gets a medical expert view that his ribs could not have been broken during CPR. Therefore, his family will demand Oktay's file be re-opened.
MILLIYET
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SHE ALSO SCOURGED KEVIN
Former deputy chairperson of Justice & Development (AK) Party, Edibe Sozen, lost her seat at the AK Party Central Executive Board when her statement that actor Kevin Costner supported AK Party's "Democratic Move" was disproved.
Kevin Costner's scheduled concert in Istanbul was cancelled to avoid
discussions. Costner suffered a loss of 120,000 Euro.
SARGSIAN DUE IN BURSA FOR MATCH
Following the signing of the protocols in Zurich, President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia said he would come to Bursa to watch the national match on Wednesday.
YALCINDAG LEAVES OFFICE, WHO WILL BE NEW CHAIRPERSON?
The Turkish Industrialists' & Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairperson Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag said she would leave the office. Besides her aides Ferit Sahenk, Umit Boyner and Haluk Dincer, the surprising name is Hamdi Akin to replace her.
SABAH
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CHESTNUTS AND KEBAB FOR SARGSIAN
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian will be hosted with kebab and chestnuts during Wednesday's World Cup qualifying group game between Turkey and Armenia.
Sargsian announced that he would come to Turkey for the qualifier to take place in the northwestern province of Bursa on Wednesday. Police have tightened security measures around the hotel the Armenian national soccer team is staying in Bursa. 1,500 police officers, who will be on duty during the match, will intervene in anyone who will unfurl flags other than Turkish flag.
PRECAUTIONARY SEQUESTRATION FOR DOGAN HOLDING
The guarantee given by Dogan Holding for the 4.8 billion Turkish liras (TL) of tax penalty was not accepted. Precautionary sequestration was implemented for three Dogan companies, including D Yapim, Dogan Produksiyon and Alp Gorsel.
GAZA ANGER
Speaking in the Religious Council, Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "all humanity watched the phosphate bombs hurled at innocent children in Gaza as they sat on their comfortable sofas. Islam was tried to be shown responsible with 'Islamic terror' expression in international platforms."
APPOINTMENT IN FRONT OF CAMERAS
Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), responded to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan's appointment request. "We will like to host him next week, but the meeting should be recorded.
VATAN
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HE TAKES ASYLUM IN FRANCE
Saylan Ciggin, lawyer of Cem Uzan, made a brief statement on Monday evening and said, "Cem Uzan from now on will continue his living in France which granted him political asylum."
Uzan based his political asylum demand on three reasons: "A political
lynching campaign is underway against me since 2003. My assets were confiscated unjustly and I am forbidden to go abroad for 7 years."
APPOINTMENT IN FRONT OF CAMERA
Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), gave a 6-page response to the "democratic move" letter of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He said, "I will be pleased to host you in CHP HQ, but a TV camera should shoot our meeting."
GREAT EULOGY FROM EUROPE TO GUL
EU Progress Report that would be released on Wednesday includes eulogies towards President Abdullah Gul. "He tried to encourage dialogue among the political parties and NGOs in a turbulent political environment. His visit to Iraq in presidential level after 33 years contributed to a positive atmosphere for Kurdish problem."
CUMHURIYET
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BAYKAL ACCEPTS ON CONDITION
Deniz Baykal, chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) who has
regarded the democratic move process "dangerous" and refrained from supporting it, responded to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for a meeting. The CHP leader responded Erdogan's letter with a six-page letter, and said he did not agree with the move however he was ready for a tete-a-tete and bilateral meeting with Erdogan at the CHP headquarters to discuss the issue in a comprehensive and detailed way.
GVT SPOKESMAN CICEK: MEETING, NEXT WEEK
State Minister Cemil Cicek said that CHP leader Deniz Baykal and Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan would meet next week "on a day appropriate for both leaders." Cicek also said the protocols signed with Armenia would be submitted to the parliament in the following week. "No process is more important for us than Turkish-Azerbaijani friendship," he also said.
"BALL IS IN TURKEY'S COURT"
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian announced that he accepted President Abdullah Gul's invitation to watch a World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia in the Turkish city of Bursa. Responding to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said that the protocols signed with Armenia would not be passed from the parliament before the Upper Karabakh dispute was solved, Sargsian said, "it would be weird for them to sign the protocols they would not implement. The ball is now in Turkey's court."
RADIKAL
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A BRAND-NEW MOVE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "of course, religion is absolute however, what we perceive from religion has to be developed. We should review and update what we know." Erdogan said, "it is time to review and update what is known in religious science, and to find solutions according to daily conditions.
What I am saying is not a religious reform. But, a reform is needed in the
language of science of theology."
EXERCISE CANCELLED DUE TO GAZA
A NATO exercise to be staged in the central city of Konya was cancelled, which brought to daylight the tension between Turkey and Israel. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said this development was related with Gaza. The problem is failure in dispatching of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
TURKIYE
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RESTING ON OUR LAURELS IS RISKY
President Abdullah Gul warned businessmen. "We should be careful in a period when everything is very fragile. Some good news may cause us to rest on our laurels. We should not forget that countries which caused the crisis have not yet relieved."
YARSAV IS LIKE POLITICAL PARTY
European Union (EU) in its Progress Report which would be released on
Wednesday criticized the Association of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV).
Referring to Ergenekon case the report said, high level members of
jurisdiction and army and association of judges and prosecutors risk impartiality of jurisdiction.
ANATOLIAN EAGLE MILITARY EXERCISE LEADS TO CRISIS IN ISRAEL
Israel reacted to cancellation of Anatolian Eagle military exercise.
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned the Israeli newspapers which reported that sale of weapons to Turkey would be annulled. He said, "don't harm relations".
ZAMAN
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"COMMON SENSE" WARNING FROM ANKARA TO ISRAEL
Anatolian Eagle military exercise which Turkish Armed Forces has been
fulfilling since 2001 led to crisis between Turkey and Israel.
Israel linked postponement of the military exercise, planned to take place between October 12 and 23, to the incidents in Gaza.
Tel Aviv administration defended that Ankara took the decision in question as a reaction. Messages of the Tel Aviv administration including threats made Ankara angry.
Foreign Ministry gave a strong reply to Israel and said it was wrong to take a political meaning and consequence from postponement of international part of the military exercise.
VICTORY OF SOCCER DIPLOMACY
President Serzh Sargsian of Armenia responded affirmatively to the
invitation of President Abdullah Gul. Armenian leader said, "I did not see a
reason to refuse the invitation of Mr. Gul," and noted that he would watch the match that would be played on Wednesday from the stands together with Gul.
President Gul, who will meet the guest President over meal, will relay the message to Sargsian that "Upper Karabakh is not a pre-condition, but a fact."
YENI SAFAK
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COLD WAR ENDED, EVERY ONE IN PICTURE
The architect of the photograph taken after the signing ceremony of historic protocols between Turkey and Armenia in Zurich, was Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. After the signing ceremony, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said participation of only U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the picture would be sufficient. Davutoglu smiled at this proposal, and said, "cold war era has ended, and every one here should take his/her place in the picture."
SHOCKING REPORT FOR SECRET SUICIDE
A Forensic Medicine's report regarding the shocking death of Behcet Oktay, the 13-year head of the Special Operations Department, strengthened assassination claims. Oktay was a left-handed but he was shot from the right side. He had seven broken ribs and cocaine in his urine.
ARMENIAN MONUMENT STAKE
Israel panicked as it was not invited to a military exercise of war planes in the central Turkish city of Konya. Israeli executives discussed whether or not to sell weapons to Turkey in top secret meetings, and launched "genocide" blackmail when it did not work. The municipal assembly of the Petach Tikva city decided to "build an Armenian genocide monument." Turkey called on Israeli executives to behave with "common sense."
