NEWS SCAN for Turkey – July 4th, 2013
Down below you will find a summary of topics from major Turkish papers and internet sites.
Turkey condemns military coup in Egypt
Military coup in Egypt was condemned by Turkish parliament’s “Human Rights Committee” which urged reinstating powers to the ousted government.
The joint statement which was made by Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) said “the well-known characteristics of military coups embodying execution, torture, lengthy detention, false imprisonment and other violations of human rights and the fact that elected governance in democracies could only change hands with the pre-set rules. All other types of intervention are against democracy, law, and human rights. The coup witnessed in Egypt is just like several others that have disregarded democracy, rule of law and human rights. The government seized in an unauthorized manner should be granted back its powers immediately. All democratic institutions and individuals in the world must take a clear stand against such initiatives harboring potential human rights violations.
“As the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Human Rights Committee, we condemn the military coup in Egypt, hope the government to return to power and such incidents would never happen again.”
Turkey expects explanation from US over spying claims
Turkey has made clear that it expects to receive an explanation from the USA regarding claims that US intelligence agencies have spied on Turkish diplomats. It was reported by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday that US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Jess Baily had been summoned to restate Ankara’s demand on which occasion he met with Ömer Önhon, the Turkish ambassador for political affairs.
On the other hand FM Ahmet Davutoğlu said that he asked US Secretary of State John Kerry to provide an explanation regarding the alleged spying. The minister also said the request was made in a “friendly fashion” during a meeting on the sidelines of a regional summit in Brunei.
The Guardian had published an article on Sunday alleging US National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance of EU offices, citing classified documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The report said one document lists 38 NSA “targets,” including embassies and missions of US allies like France, Italy, Greece, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, India and Turkey.
Controversial Taksim Artillery Barracks project cancelled by court law
An administration court has cancelled Taksim Gezi project that triggered countrywide Gezi protests a a short while ago. The Artillery Barracks was planned to be built on the site of Gezi Park. Thus the project has lost its legal ground according to said decision by the court. The court decided to cancel the changes over the 1/5000 scale and 1/1000 scale construction plans for Beyoğlu, which automatically cancelled the pedestrianization and the Artillery Barracks projects. Countrywide protests against the Artillery Barracks project started in Taksim Square late May and spread across the country, leading to the deaths of three protesters and one policeman.
The complaint about the changes was filed by the Istanbul Chambers of Architecture and Istanbul Chamber of City Planners. The court’s decision, revealed a day after the Istanbul sixth Regional Court, which had suspended the redevelopment plans of Gezi Park late May, has rejected the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s appeal against the ruling. The court’s decision, based on the definitive ruling of the Istanbul first Regional Court, canceled the pedestrianization project altogether.
Kurdish –language television station ROJ TV banned by Danish appeals court
It is reported that a Danish appeals court has found Kurdish-language television station Roj TV and its parent company guilty of inciting terrorism and ordered them to stop broadcasts. The court sentenced them to a fine of to 5 million kroner each.
The Turkish government had filed many petitions over a number of years and in August 2010 Denmark’s public prosecution had opened a court case against Roj TV – which Turkey says is a mouthpiece for the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), charging it with helping to promote the terrorist group. Thus a lower court had ruled last year and fined them 2.6 million kroner each without revoking their broadcast licenses. The Copenhagen City Court had said in January 2012 that Roj TV could continue broadcasting, sparking celebrations among Kurds in Denmark and sharp protests from Turkey.
The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and the European Union. Roj TV has a Danish broadcasting license, but has no studios in Denmark.
Turkey receives harsh objection from German Finance Minister regarding EU membership
German Finance Minister is reported to have commented that Turkey should not join the European Union as it is not part of Europe. The tough objection from the minister has not been a surprise for Turkey which has been pushed around by the EU for almost 50 years.
Germany had spent much effort to influence the 28-member bloc to delay a new round of membership talks last week, in response to Ankara’s crackdown on anti-government protesters. Within this context Schauble said at an election rally by his and Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat (CDU) party in the western German city of Düsseldorf “We should not accept Turkey as a full member … Turkey is not part of Europe,”
It is no secret that Germany and France have always had concerns about allowing a largely Muslim country of 76 million people into the bloc, fearing that Turkey’s cultural differences and its size will make it too difficult to integrate.
04.07.2013
SOURCE: MEDIA
We do not verify above stories neither do we vouch for their accuracy.
