NEWS SCAN for Turkey – April 30th, 2013
Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.
Turkish delegation to travel to Israel for second compensation talks
It is reported that a Turkish delegation is planning to travel to Israel next week to have the second leg of compensation talks as part of normalization between the two former allies.
Last week the first round of compensation talks had taken place in Ankara on which occasion the sides had agreed on basic principles of a possible accord.
It is noted that this will be the first high-level visit to Israel in two years after ties between the two countries deteriorated due to a raid by Israeli armed forces.
Turkey receives about 250,000 foreign patients for medical treatment
It is reported that health tourism industry has become an important source of revenue for Turkey. Thanks to the incentives implemented by the administration patients from over 100 different countries have visited the country with the hope of becoming healthy again.
It is also reported that Turkey is now among top 10 countries in health sector and offers services in variety of medical branches to including optical, hair implant, corrective surgery, orthopedics, cervical disk hernias and herniated discs, gynecological, urological and ear-nose and throat treatments.
It is noted that the number of foreign patients in Turkey has been on a consistent rise over the past four years and this figure was only 74,000 (patients) in 2008.
Court authorizes 5 media establishments from Turkey to attend neo-Nazi trial
It is reported that three Turkish dailies, a news agency and Al Jazeera Istanbul were selected in a to attend court hearings in the NSU case.
On Monday, 50 media outlets were authorized to cover court hearings in a trial on a neo-Nazi terrorist group in Germany that allegedly killed 10 people to include 8 Turks, over the past ten years.
Among these establishments are Ihlas News Agency, dailies Hurriyet, Sabah and Evrensel and Al Jazeera Istanbul the ones chosen from Turkey. The draw to decide which outlets would attend hearings was held at the Regional Superior Court of Munich which will hear the trials. The trial is set to begin on May 6.
Davutoğlu receives Kuwaiti Deputy PM and FM al-Sabah
It is reported that Turkish FM Davutoglu met al-Sabah at the Turkish Presidential Palace after accompanying Turkish President and Kuwaiti Amir earlier in the day. The meeting on Monday was reported to be part of developing bilateral relations as well as an occasion to exchange views over Syria issue.
Both parties have recently shown willingness of cooperation in international organizations. At the meeting, the message that Turkey wished for more cooperation in economic and financial matters and wanted to see more Turkish businesspeople and contractors in more projects was also conveyed to al-Sabah.
Turkey receives harsh criticism over Syria from Int’l Group
The International Crisis Group has prepared a report in which Turkey is slammed for betting its reputation on a quick resolution of the Syria crisis.
The reports titled “Blurring the Borders: Syrian Spillover Risks for Turkey” says, “Turkey has struggled to find the right response to the Syrian civil war and must stop betting its reputation on a quick resolution of the crisis”.
One can notice an ironic language which goes “the conflict symbolizes how Turkey’s zero problems policy has developed into multiple problems”. On the other hand the report also praises Turkey’s efforts to provide shelter for Syrian refugees.
Surveys reveal public’s perception about settlement process
Some surveys about the continuing talks between state authorities and Ocalan ( jailed terrorist leader) has shown that the public largely supports the process although some factors have caused confusion and hesitation about its eventual success.
Surveys say “demands coming from the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Kurdish nationalists about schooling in the Kurdish language and the release of the terrorist group’s leader, Abdullah Öcalan, from prison” are among most debated points.
It is observed that there is a strong opinion that the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, conducting talks with Öcalan, has failed in winning the full support of the people for the settlement process.
30.04.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.
