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Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press
July 22, 2008


OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

GUL RECEIVES NEW SPANISH AMBASSADOR MATHEU
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received Joan Clos Matheu, Spain's new ambassador to Ankara, at the Cankaya Presidential Palace. Matheu presented his letter of credentials to Gul. /Star/

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO SET DATE TO HEAR AKP CLOSURE CASE
The Constitutional Court will convene today at 1:30 pm for a regular meeting where it will set a date to discuss the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The court justices, having already examined a case report by rapporteur Osman Can, will fix a date to begin hearing the case against the AKP. According to the Constitution, in order for the court to ban the AKP, it would need the approval of a qualified majority, namely seven of its 11 members. /Sabah/

While the terrorist PKK has done some $300 billion in damage to Turkey over the last 25 years, the price tag of the Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) is only $32 billion, Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Cemil Cicek said yesterday. Speaking to reporters after a regular Cabinet meeting, he said that the Cyprus issue had been discussed at the meeting, pointing out how Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended weekend ceremonies in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) marking the 34th anniversary of the 1974 Peace and Freedom Operation on the island. Cicek said that Turkey was doing its best to promote a solution on the island, as shown through its policies. Asked about the Constitutional Court's meeting to set a date to discuss the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Cicek said that the Cabinet ministers hadn't discussed this at the meeting, adding, "We've already expressed our view on the matter." /Star/

FRENCH PARLIAMENT NARROWLY PASSES MEASURE EASING REFERENDUM CONDITION FOR NEW EU MEMBERS
The French Parliament yesterday narrowly passed a long-debated constitutional reform package, backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy, which would ease the referendum condition for the accession of European Union candidate countries. The vote was 539-357. One part of the package requires a referendum on new members whose population exceeds 5 percent of the EU's total population, but also allows the president to ask the Senate and Parliament to bypass this. To do so, a three-fifths supermajority of both houses would be needed. /Aksam/

MERKEL THANKS TURKISH SECURITY FORCES FOR SECURING HOSTAGES' RELEASE
Speaking to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan by phone yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed news of the rescue of three German mountain climbers by Turkish security forces from the terrorist PKK and thanked the Turkish government and security forces for their efforts. The mountaineers had been kidnapped by the terrorist group earlier this month near Mt. Agri (Ararat), and yesterday returned to their country. German Ambassador to Ankara Eckhart Kuntz also expressed his thanks to Turkish security forces and praised the Turkish-German friendship. In related news, two Turkish engineers kidnapped in western Afghanistan last week have been set free and were returned home yesterday. /Turkiye/

(last updated: July 22, 2008 )