04
Koch, president-minister of the
German state of Hesse: Let's not
harm accession process any further
Your Way of Understandng Turkey
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page07 Doan Yayn posts huge loss for first nine months of 2009
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PHOTO
Fethi
imek
Justice Ministry,
TB strongly deny
wiretapping claims
BETÜL AKKAYA DEMRBA, STANBUL
The Justice Ministry and the
Telecommunications Directorate (TB)
have released separate statements strongly de-
nying allegations that the telephones of a chief
public prosecutor and some members of the
Supreme Court of Appeals have been wire-
tapped for a long time as part of an ongoing
probe into a clandestine organization.
Observers, however, believe the claims were
put forward in an attempt to remove from the
agenda the recent arrest of Col. Dursun Çiçek,
who was put behind bars for drafting an action
plan aimed at discrediting the ruling party.
The Justice Ministry stressed that telephones
belonging to members of the Supreme Court of
Appeals and stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor
Aykut Cengiz Engin were in no way being wire-
tapped. "Inspectors affiliated with the ministry
demanded that the relevant courts issue orders
for the wiretapping of the telephones of 56 judg-
es and prosecutors as part of probes they were
conducting. Hereupon, the courts ruled that
the telephones of those judges and prosecutors
be wiretapped [in 2008]. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
Minority leader hit
list found on major's
computer
A list of 10 people to be assassinated has
been found on the computer of a major
arrested as part of the probe into weapons dis-
covered in April during excavations launched
as part of the investigation into Ergenekon, a
clandestine group that allegedly plotted to
overthrow the government.
Retired naval Maj. Levent Bekta was ar-
rested on Friday in connection to weapons
found on land owned by the stek Foundation
in stanbul's Poyrazköy district in April. The
stek Foundation is owned by Ergenekon sus-
pect and former stanbul Mayor Bedrettin
Dalan, who is currently at large and believed to
be abroad. The weapons at the site were regis-
tered in the inventory of the Turkish Armed
Forces (TSK), according to a report from
Turkey's sole weapons manufacturer, the state-
owned Turkish Mechanical and Chemical
Industry Corporation (MKE). CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
04
Philip Gordon: US closely follows
Ergenekon trial and supports
Turkey's democratization process
SOLUTION PROCESS OFFICIALLY BEGINS
Gov’t unvels detals
of democratzaton
ntatve at Parlament
The ruling Justice and Development
Party (AK Party) on Friday submitted
to Parliament long-awaited details of
its democratization initiative to solve the de-
cades-long Kurdish problem.
The details, disclosed in a special session
of Parliament, envisage more freedom for ev-
eryone, Interior Minister Beir Atalay, the co-
ordinator of the initiative, which was
launched in mid-July, informed deputies. The
plan drew strong criticism from the main-op-
Alevi groups in Tunceli, stanbul and Ankara continued holding protests yesterday to condemn CHP Deputy Chairman Onur Öymen's
controversial remarks about the 1937 Dersim incidents, in which thousands of Alevis were killed in a military campaign to suppress a rebellion.
Öymen's remarks
spark comparisons
to Hitler in Tunceli
TELEVISION WATCHDOG ABOLISHES TIME LIMITS FOR NON-TURKISH BROADCASTS PAGE 06
position Republican People's Party (CHP) and
the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP),
whose leaders criticized the government's ef-
forts for peace with harsh remarks yesterday.
According to Atalay, obstacles before using
languages other than Turkish in “social and reli-
gious” services will be removed, former Kurdish
names of settlements and geographical places
will be restored and political campaigns in lan-
guages other than Turkish will be allowed.
As part of the democratization process, in-
Alevis continue to lash out against Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Onur
Öymen, who on Tuesday referred to the Turkish government's response to a 1937 rebellion
in the predominantly Alevi city of Tunceli, then known as Dersim, as an example of fighting
terrorism. Tunceli residents have put up posters throughout the city showing Öymen with a
Hitler-like toothbrush moustache. Meanwhile, civil society organizations, the municipality, the
local university's rector's office and Alevi associations in the city have plans to march to the
CHP's local office and lay a black wreath in front of the building. CONTINUED ON PAGE 06
Featuring news and articles from
‘2012’: the
end of the world
as we know it
PLOT
COL. ÇÇEK INTERROGATED
ABOUT FIGURES BEHIND
ACTION PLAN
Col. Dursun Çiçek, who was arrest-
ed on Wednesday for drafting an ac-
tion plan to destroy the ruling party, was
interrogated by civilian prosecutors about
dependent bodies will be established to pro-
the members of the military who gave
him the order to prepare the plan.
The colonel arrived at the Beikta court-
house in stanbul on Wednesday to testify to
mote and ensure human rights. For example, prosecutors conducting the ongoing investi-
a law seeking to establish an independent gation into a criminal organization known as
body to work to eliminate discrimination will Ergenekon. He was interrogated for approxi-
be brought before Parliament soon. mately five hours about his role in the action
The structure of the Prime Ministry's plan and other figures behind the plan. Çiçek
Human Rights Directorate will be changed; it
will be made independent. As a follow up to the
is believed to have prepared a document that
details a Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) plan
approval of United Nations protocols on the
prevention of torture, a national mechanism will
to destroy the reputation of the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) and the
be established to implement them. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 faith-based Gülen movement. CONTINUED ON PAGE 05
DIPLOMACY
TODAY'S ZAMAN, ONUR ÇOBAN
TURKEY SAYS IT MAY STORE
LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM
FROM IRAN
Energy Minister Taner Yldz said on
Friday that Turkey was ready to store
low-enriched uranium from Iran and that
there were no technical obstacles in the
PHOTO
way of such storage. Yldz's remarks came
in response to questions concerning a pro-
posal by the head of the United Nations'
nuclear watchdog, who suggested Turkey
as a third-country destination for Iran's en-
riched uranium. Turkey would not say no if
both Iran and the five permanent members
of the UN Security Council plus Germany
make an official request on the issue, Yldz
told reporters, noting that there has not yet
been such request, but the issue is still be-
ing discussed. There will be no technical
problem in storing low-level enriched
uranium here, he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
REFUGEES
WINTER PRESENTS EXTRA
HARDSHIP FOR GAZIANTEP
ASYLUM SEEKERS
ROBERTA DAVENPORT, STANBUL
There are nearly 1,000 asylum seekers
living in Gaziantep, many among
them the most destitute in the already pov-
erty-stricken Turkish province. As violent
conflicts and adverse conditions persist in
Turkey's neighborhood and beyond, refu-
gees and asylum seekers continue to flow
over the country's borders. The nation's po-
sition presents unique challenges, as it
shares land borders with refugee and mi-
grant-producing areas and countries such as
Iran. Individuals from as near as Iraq and as
far as Africa are smuggled in through entry
points along Turkey's Mediterranean and
Aegean coasts, sneaking over Turkey's east-
ern land borders or simply flying in legally
and overstaying their visas. CONTINUED ON PAGE 06
‘ 02 TODAY’S ZAMAN
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
‘ Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
The American godfather needs to
draw up a plan of action and take his
own initiative, not wait for others.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
A poltcan who loves mothers’ tears
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Onur Öymen drew
widespread criticism when he made remarks in defense of the suppres-
sion of the Dersim Rebellion of 1937 while voicing his opposition to the
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government’s Kurdish initia-
tive, which seeks to expand the rights of Kurds. The rebellion took place in
1937 in Dersim, which had historically been a semi-autonomous region.
Dersim was renamed Tunceli after the rebellion. The rebellion was led by
Seyyid Riza, the chief of a Zaza tribe in the region. The Turkish govern-
ment of the time, led by smet nönü, responded with air strikes against
the rebels. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, the day when the Kurd-
ish initiative rst came to the oor for debate, Öymen said the Turkish
government’s response to the Dersim Rebellion was a good example of
ghting terrorism. “Didn’t mothers also cry at the time of the Sheikh Said
Rebellion? Didn’t mothers also cry at the time of the Dersim Rebellion?”
he said in response to the phrase “Let no more mothers cry,” frequently
used by the government as part of its efforts to end the Kurdistan Work-
ers’ Party’s (PKK) campaign of terrorism. Öymen, along with his support-
ers, was at the center of heavy criticism for proposing the brutal policies
of the past as a solution for today regardless of the mourning mothers.
Expressing his horror over Öymen’s remarks, Star’s Mehmet
Metiner says he wonders how a politician can be so merciless and
heartless just for the sake of making politics. “While I was listening
press roundup
A musical group
established by
six secondary
school students
in Diyarbakr’s
Bahiler village
who use bottles,
sticks and metal
containers as
instruments has
drawn a great
deal of interest
from locals.
habertürk: In a front-page story yesterday the daily
reported that the son of Col. Dursun Çiçek, who was arrested
on Wednesday on charges of being a member of a terrorist
organization, is one of the founders of nongovernmental
organization the Young Civilians, a group which strongly
opposes the military’s influence in politics. Çiçek is the figure
who undersigned a recently discovered military action plan
which aims to destroy the government. Çiçek’s son, Deniz
Çiçek (25) thinks his father is innocent, the daily said.
sabah: “30,000 infected with H1N1 virus,” read the
t u r k e y n t he for egn pr ess
The Sydney Mornng Herald
Uproar at Turkish plan to woo Kurds
There were ery scenes in Turkey’s parliament Turkey’s attempt to join the European Union.
as the government announced its intention In a speech on Tuesday often interrupted by
to broaden democratic rights for the coun- shouts from opposition benches, the Interior
try’s Kurdish minority. The government said Minister, Beir Atalay, set out a general over-
its plan to end a 25-year Kurdish insurgency view of the government’s initiative. “We be-
would focus on democratic rights. Opponents lieve that democratization will resolve a terror-
accused it of giving in to terrorists and under- ism problem that has ethnic nationalism at its
mining national unity. The debate over the root,” Atalay told MPs. “This means an envi-
democratization measures will formally be- ronment where everyone feels as an equal citi-
gin on Friday.. The move is a central plank in zen of the state and is not seen as the ‘other’.”
To our veterans, to the fallen and to their families -- there
is no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly
match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice.
US President Barack Obama
CROSS READER
FATMA DÝÞLÝ ZIBAK
f.zibak@todayszaman.com
to him, I felt ashamed of my humanity and my face went red,” says
Metiner, explaining his dismay over Öymen’s remarks. According
to Metiner, if suppressing the Dersim Rebellion with blood and tyr-
anny had been a solution, we would not still be experiencing this
problem today and would not be faced with the PKK problem. “Who
knows, perhaps the way the Sheikh Said and Dersim rebellions were
suppressed paved the way for the emergence of the PKK. And the
wrongness of trying to suppress the PKK with the same method
caused Turkey to waste a quarter of a century. Everyone lost during
this process. Turkey lost. Enough is enough. I know grieving mothers
are of no interest to you, esteemed Öymen, because you are a mem-
ber of a party which knows very well how to make mothers cry. But
it is not your fault. The real fault belongs to those Alevis and those
from Dersim who are still behind you. As long as there are some who
applaud you [like the CHP’s Kemal Klçdarolu who is also from
headline of a front-page article in the daily yesterday, which
quoted remarks from an expert at the Health Ministry.
Professor Ercan Bal said the ministry has made its
preparations according to a scenario which foresees 30 out
of every 100 people in Turkey being infected with the H1N1
virus. Professor Gaye Usluer, another expert from the
ministry, said 40 people are being treated for the virus in
intensive care units at the moment. In the meantime, in
stanbul a 7-year-old girl, Duru B., who splashed hand
sanitizer in her eye, which her mother bought for her as a
measure against swine flu, lost her eyesight.
Tme
Behind Turkey’s new friendship with Iran
In a development that has raised Western eye-
brows, relations between Turkey’s Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoan and Iran’s President Mah-
moud Ahmadinejad have lately become almost
cozy. Erdoan recently dismissed Western anxiety
over Iran’s nuclear ambitions as based on “gos-
sip.” Besides, he has implied, if Israel is allowed
nuclear weapons, why not Iran? Erdoan was the
rst world leader to congratulate Ahmedinejad
on his re-election in June, even as demonstrators
CMYK
‘ S A T U R D A Y, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9
WORDS OF WISDOM
PRESS REVIEW
colu m ns
Feeling gratitude and not All eyes on Parliament
ZAMAN MUSTAFA ÜNAL
expressing it is like wrapping
Today Parliament will set the
a present and not giving it. stage for perhaps one of the most
historically important sessions we
William A. Ward
have seen in the past few years.
This session has been anticipat-
ed for months on end now. All
eyes will be on the speech that will be made by
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan. Today, it
is the Turkish public’s right to expect more bal-
anced discussions and softer tones from everyone,
from leaders to party heads. And Prime Minister
Erdoan must, when speaking about the content
of the democratic initiative, explain in a persuasive
Tunceli (Dersim)], you can say whatever you want,” says Metiner.
manner why it is necessary. For while it is true that
Yeni afak’s Fehmi Koru says Öymen’s remarks reveal the meth-
he has spoken with “everyone” on this topic, the
od the CHP proposes for the solution of the Kurdish problem in the
wake of the government’s democratization initiative: elimination,
fact remains that the topic itself has yet to be ad-
equately explained. There has been no move be-
deportation and suppression with bombs. Koru says it is actually the
yond the words “Blood will stop owing, mothers
idea that past policies peculiar to history’s circumstances would work
shall stop crying.” And it must be accepted that
today, which makes Turkey’s ght against terrorism difcult. In Koru’s
concerning this topic, the voice of the opposi-
view, the CHP will sooner or later understand that the policies which
tion has been greater and louder, and as such, it
were resorted to in past situations without heeding mothers’ tears will
has had more of an effect on the “streets.” And
not be a solution for today’s problems. “As a former diplomat, Öymen
so today is a historic date, for both the adminis-
speaks after weighing his remarks. What if a more straightforward
tration and the opposition. And now, what the
politician had spoken, then you would have been completely sur-
people of Turkey want to hear is not more traded
prised. No matter what the CHP does, don’t be surprised,” says Koru.
slurs or reciprocal insults but some real facts about
As a journalist who interviewed two people who had witnessed
the roadmap for the initiative in general and any
the Dersim tragedy, Sabah’s Mahmut Övür says the terrible memo-
handicaps that may arise along the way.
ries of those people are still fresh in his mind. What surprised Övür
most is the fact that the CHP’s Klçdarolu, who was born in Dersim
and is supposed to know the tragedies left behind the rebellion, ap-
plauded Övür’s statements. Recalling Klçdarolu’s statement which Can our universities
said, “If Kurdish citizens in this country have a problem, they should
come and tell us about it and we will take the necessary action,” Övür
study Kurdish issue?
SABAH EMRE AKÖZ
says Klçdarolu actually acted in line with his attitude.
Can Turkish universities research the Kurdish
issues in our country? From one of my readers
who is working on her Ph.D. thesis in the US, I
received a “not surprising message” recently on
this matter. In short, she said: “At two different
universities in Turkey, I wanted to do my Ph.D.
thesis on the relations between the state and
AA, ÖZGÜR AYAYDIN
Kurds. But neither of these universities would
grant me permission for this. In Turkey, the uni-
versity as an institution sees itself as a servant of
the state when it comes to matters of social sci-
ence and the law. And Turkish academics show
special care in not straying outside the ofcial
ideology on these matters. Some academics be-
have this way because they truly believe in the of-
PHOTO
cial ideology, while others do it because they are
afraid of what might happen to them if they don’t.
And so, here is ofcial ideology: to look at every-
thing with a political eye and to either block or
censure everything that doesn’t serve Kemalism!”
Wiretapping is horrible, as
is ‘coup plan’ incident!
MLLYET HASAN CEMAL
Newspaper headlines are lled
with news about tapped tele-
phones as well as stories about
the signed “coup plan” docu-
ment. It’s not surprising, and,
in fact, it’s appropriate that the
papers are covering these stories, as they directly
concern levels of freedom in our nation. If democ-
racy and the rule of law are to actually take root in
Turkey, if people are to actually be able to protect
their own arenas of freedom and if such things
as “privacy” and “condentiality” are to actually
exist, then both of these matters must be claried
as soon as possible, and solutions must start to be
implemented. Otherwise, “justice” will be only a
word. As will “democracy” and “condentiality.”
bugün: Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy
Chairman Onur Öymen, who angered Turkey’s Alevi
community by referring to the Turkish government’s response to
a 1937 rebellion in the predominantly Alevi city of Tunceli -- then
Pulling the high
known as Dersim -- as an example of fighting terrorism, refused courts on the mat
to withdraw his remarks, the daily reported in its main story BUGÜN ADEM YAVUZ ARSLAN
yesterday. “Will I be ashamed of Atatürk’s actions?” asked Every year in Turkey there are around 5,000 com-
Öymen, saying those who criticized his statements should plaints, criminal charges and allegations made
actually criticize Atatürk if they have the courage to do so. Not about the more than 11,000 judges and prosecu-
heeding the growing anger surrounding his statements, Öymen tors in the nation. Some of these are quite seri-
said he even received congratulations from people in Tunceli. ous. Only yesterday, we read about legal charges
concerning judges and prosecutors who had con-
tact with a prostitution ring. This being the case,
using technology to follow the actions of certain
judges and prosecutors is quite normal. These
are procedures taken by a court order; without
concrete evidence and documents in hand, no
one’s phone can be ordered to be tapped. What’s
more, wiretapping happens only in three-month
periods and cannot be extended over one year.
A court order allowing phone wiretapping en-
compasses home, work and cell phone lines. The
picture we see before us is like a battle scene.
One section of the justice system is clashing
protesting fraud were being pummeled on the with another section of the justice system. And
streets of Tehran. The two leaders have met twice it is certain that nothing beneting the nation
this month to sign a raft of energy cooperation and will emerge from these clashes, which is why it
business deals, including a decision to conduct bi- is absolutely necessity for the Justice Ministry to
lateral trade using their own currencies, rather than reveal every dimension of this topic to the pub-
dollars or Euros. Turkey appears to be strengthen- lic. Every dimension that remains secret will only
ing its economic ties with Iran precisely at a mo- serve to damage our institutions as a whole. One
ment when Western powers are trying to isolate last note with regards to phone tapping: All gov-
Tehran and muster support for tougher economic ernment ministers have begun using encrypted
sanctions aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program. cell phones as a precaution against being tapped.
 NATIONAL S A T U R D A Y, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9 TODAY’S ZAMAN 03

STANBUL 14° KONYA 11°

ANKARA 12° ÇANAKKALE 16°
ZMR 18° DYARBAKIR 17°
ANTALYA 22° SAMSUN 14°
ADANA 22° BURSA 16°
ERZURUM 7° GAZANTEP 17°
EDRNE 16° ESKEHR 11°
TRABZON 13° MALATYA 11°
KAYSER 11° KOCAEL 14°

WWF campaign to ‘brighten

ABDULLAH
BOZKURT
a.bozkurt@todayszaman.com

the future with lanterns’ Meda freedom n

Georga and Turkey

WWF, ÖNDER YILDIZ

A World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proj-
ect aims to give children a voice at the United TBILISI -- It seems that Turkey and Georgia not only
Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 15) share a border but are also close in their unsurprisingly
meetings in Copenhagen in December. Organized as low scores in media freedom indexes issued by leading
part of the WWF’s Earth Hour campaign, the “Lanterns press watchdogs around the world.
to Brighten the Future” project invites children to down- In its Freedom of the Press 2009 rankings, Washington-
load paper lantern designs from www.wwf.org.tr. based Freedom House describes both Turkey and Georgia
The idea is for children to draw pictures on the lanterns as “partly free” on the media freedom scale, with the former

PHOTO
of the kind of world they want to have in the future and send ranked 101st and the latter at 128th. In the latest report from
them to their local WWF ofce. WWF-Turkey is running the Reporters without Borders, a Paris-based international organi-
campaign in this country, but children from all over the world zation that advocates press freedom, the rankings are reversed,
are expected to participate through the activities of other yet still lock both countries in the partially free category, with
WWF branches. Families whose children are participating in Turkey ranked 122nd and Georgia at 81st place in the index.
the project have noted that it is a unique way to encourage The opportunity for comparative analysis presented itself
environmental awareness in young people, a WWF press re- when I was invited to a seminar in Tbilisi last week on media
lease this week said. Submissions to the WWF-Turkey ofce freedom in Georgia which was sponsored by the European
must be received by Nov. 25; thousands of submissions have Commission. For me, it felt as though a two-week workshop
been received by WWF ofces worldwide already. had been squeezed into a two-day crash course covering pret-
“The leaders who will make decisions regarding the ty much all of the issues confronting the Georgian print, online
planet’s future at Copenhagen must take notice of the and broadcast media, both regionally and nationally.
expectations they’ll see exhibited by these lanterns. For It was certainly interesting and educational to nd out how
these lanterns represent the world that children want similar so many issues facing the Georgian and Turkish media
us to leave behind for them,” WWF-Turkey head Filiz are. The problem of media owners acting like editors-in-chief
Demirayak said in the statement. stanbul Today’s Zaman As part of the WWF’s project, children will draw pictures of the kind of world they would like to see in the future on lanterns. who are trying to advance other business interests through the
media arm of their corporate conglomerates apparently poses
major challenges in both Turkey and Georgia.
The questionable relationship between media owners and
political actors and advertisers obviously casts a shadow of
doubt over the independence and impartiality of editorial con-
High-speed tent in the eyes of the audience, all participants agreed. This
concern has certainly been one of the main issues raising the
train derails eyebrows of many in Turkey for a long time. Media groups
in Eskiehir: No used to position themselves as either for or against the govern-
ment according to a set of predened relations, sometimes to
casualties the benet of business interests in other ventures or to deny
A high-speed train derailed favorable treatment altogether in some cases.
in the Central Anatolian The Turkish public was awakened to this hard and bit-
province of Eskiehir on Friday, ter fact when powerful media mogul Aydn Doan’s tax eva-
with no reported casualties. Two sion and accounting irregularity case resulted in a hefty ne
cars of the high-speed train, trav- against the group by Turkey’s tax collection authority. Al-
eling from Ankara to Eskiehir, though Doan’s shady business practices have been known
derailed near Eskiehir’s Hasan- by media professionals and government ofcials for quite
bey village some 10 kilometers some time, over a span of governments on both sides of the
from the provincial capital. Am- political spectrum, only the Justice and Development Party
bulances were dispatched to (AK Party) had enough courage to step up and throw much
the area, and passengers were needed political support behind the tax agency so it could
evacuated before being taken to go after the books doctored by the group’s management.
downtown Eskiehir. The group’s long-sustained impunity seems to be over, and
There were 245 passengers on the case is pending in the Turkish courts, though Doan has
the train. Ofcials from Turkish sought a settlement with the agency.
State Railways (TCDD) say the train Setting an example does help to promote media freedom
derailed while switching tracks. in this case, but it is certainly far from satisfying the need for
Transportation Minister Binali structural change in the media landscape. Firstly, we have to
Yldrm said it was a minor inci- adopt strong laws to ensure the corporate side of the business
dent and that there was no need to does not affect the editorial independence of the media, some-
worry. Eskiehir Governor Mehmet thing the current government has failed to do so far. For exam-
Klçlar visited the site of the acci- ple, we need a law severely limiting or banning media owners
dent. stanbul Today’s Zaman from entering public tenders. Secondly, we should have strong
trade union laws for members of the press, providing better
protection against possible interference from the management
Rumors of 2nd through the use of threats of layoffs or rings.
I should note, however, that there is an important differ-
missing Erzurum ence between the Turkish case and the Georgian experience,
child turn out which at times confuses foreigners. There are multiple players
in the governance of Turkey to a varying degree. Unfortunate-
to be false ly, the government, which has the mandate from the people,
Scattered news reports alleg- and Parliament, which is the representative body of the public,
ing that a second elementary fall short of invoking their executive and legislative powers ful-
school student had gone missing ly. The Turkish military, which sees itself as the guardian of the
in Erzurum are false, the Erzurum vague concept of the regime, still exerts considerable inuence
Governor’s Ofce has said. over Turkish politics. It is no secret that it tried to manipulate
Following the emergence of last the press and pressure media owners into ring columnists
week’s kidnapping and murder of who wrote critical articles about the role of the military in the
13-year-old Musa Kang in Erzurum, past. There is an abundance of evidence regarding the various
some news agencies reported yes- schemes employed by factions in the military, most of which
terday that a second elementary has come to light during the Ergenekon investigation.
schooler had gone missing in the Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that the military still
eastern province. According to a uses accreditation as a tool to deny information to media out-
written statement released by the lets with no justiable reason whatsoever. For example, it bars
governor’s ofce, Miraç Akda, a reporters from the Zaman Media Group, which publishes both
fourth-grader at Haim can El- Zaman and Today’s Zaman, the largest dailies in Turkey in
ementary School, has not been kid- Turkish and English, respectively, from attending weekly press
napped or lost. News stories saying briengs or covering military-run programs. By denying access
that the boy had gone missing and to information controlled by the military, it is actually doing a
that his parents had notied the po- great disservice to a large portion of taxpayers in this country.
lice are not true. The boy is safe and I learned a lot about the Georgian experiment from this
sound at a relative’s home, the state- seminar and had a chance to make my own contribution to the
ment said. stanbul Today’s Zaman well-attended audience on the Turkish media outlook as well.

CMYK
 04 TODAY’S ZAMAN S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9
NATIONAL

Koch insists on EU stance, but says talks should go on AL

ASLAN

MEHMET AL POYRAZ

A German conservative politician reiter- tionship that Turkey and Germany enjoy.
ated his country’s skeptical position toward Koch said the Turkish community in Germany a.aslan@todayszaman.com
Turkey’s accession to the European Union yes- closely follows Turkish newspapers and televi-
terday but said accession talks should go on as sion programs and therefore developments in the
agreed and that rhetoric must not be allowed to
harm Turkish-German bilateral ties.
Turkish media interest Germany as well. Major
Turkish newspapers and television corporations
The Hasan
Roland Koch, the minister-president of the
German state of Hesse, said it was a mistake on
have special editions and stations for the Turkish
audience in Germany. “Zaman’s editorial policy
murders and the
US mmune system

the part of EU leaders to let people in Turkey be-
lieve that their country could join the EU in a few
years’ time, accusing the European politicians who
agreed to open accession talks with Turkey in 2005
of creating an “illusion” that also affected Turkey’s
policies in the following years.
According to the German politician, EU mem-
bership will not be possible for Turkey until at
least a decade from now, and no one can say for
sure that the country will join the EU because of
the changed global and strategic circumstances.
“Maybe Turkey will say it is no longer interested,”
he said during a meeting with Zaman, Today’s
Zaman and Cihan news agency executives at a
breakfast at the Zaman headquarters.
What should be done, he said, is to let the ac-
cession talks continue and accept that the process
Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanl (R) and Cihan news agency Director-General Abdülhamit Bilici
(L) accompany Hesse Minister-President Roland Koch as he leaves the Zaman building after a meeting.
will take a long time, with no automatic guarantee
of membership. Koch, a politician from Chancel-
lor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union,
is a supporter of his party’s proposal of “privileged
partnership,” which calls for special relations with
Turkey that fall short of membership in the EU.
He said the debate over Turkey’s EU membership
should not be allowed to harm Turkish-German
PHOTO
bilateral relations, which he described as “special.”
Koch, who sparked a deep controversy when
he said that Germany has “too many criminal
young foreigners” and that immigrants must
stick to Germany’s “Christian-Occidental” cul-
ture during his campaign for re-election in 2008,
said the 2.7-million-strong Turkish community
in Germany further strengthens the special rela-
is guided by its respect for pluralism, democrati-
zation and support for Turkey’s accession to the
EU,” Zaman Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanl said.
Today’s Zaman Editor-in-Chief Bülent
Kene warned that Germany’s image has dete-
riorated in Turkey in recent years, noting that
this is linked to Germany’s stance regarding
political polarization in Turkish society. Abdül-
hamit Bilici, general director of Cihan, noted that
although bilateral relations between Turkey and
Germany are strong, Berlin’s position on Turkey’s
EU accession process has had a negative impact
on Turks’ perception of Germany.
Koch visited stanbul after a series of talks with
top Turkish ofcials, including Prime Minister Re-
cep Tayyip Erdoan and Turkey’s chief negotiator
for EU affairs, Egemen Ba. stanbul Today’s Zaman
President Barack Obama was right when he chose
not to use the words Islam, Muslim or terrorism
during his remarks at the ceremony for the Fort
Hood shooting victims. Had an incident like this
happened during the early Bush-Cheney years, it
could have been used as a pretext for another war.
Now, that’s quite a change, isn’t it?
What Maj. Nidal Hasan did to his fellow soldiers
was a horrible thing. And I join the president in his wish
that the killer meets with justice “in this world and the
next.” The suspect’s state of mind and motives are not
yet clear. However, it’s tough for any politician to re-
sist emotional sentiments that arise in the aftermath of
such incidents, especially in the post-9/11 world. By not
choosing the cheap and irresponsible option -- that is,
pointing the nger -- Obama has demonstrated he can
be a wise and calm leader during heated times.
I must also give huge credit to Gen. George
Casey, the US army chief of staff. Consistent with
his civilian commander-in-chief’s line, Gen. Casey
said the following during an interview with NBC

US follows Ergenekon tral, last Sunday: “Our diversity, not only in our army,
but in our country, is a strength. And as horric as
this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty,
I think that’s worse.” Armies basically exist and ght

backs democratzaton process to defend the values and lifestyle of a nation. What’s
the point of having an army, then, if a prominent Amer-
ican value such as diversity were to be undermined by
excluding Muslims from the government and society?

T O D AY ’ S Z A M A N , A L  Ü N A L
ABDULLAH BOZKURT ANKARA Gen. Casey’s remarks came when he was asked
about concerns regarding a possible backlash against
Muslim soldiers in the US military. He conrmed
A senior US ofcial said on Thursday that
those concerns are “real.” Especially when one sees
the United States is closely monitoring
some extremist and racist views emanating from cer-
developments in the Ergenekon case, an
tain groups in the US, you better understand why.
investigation into factions in the military that alleg-
Just check what the American Family Association
edly conspired with others in the bureaucracy and
(AFA), retired Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, New York
judiciary to topple a democratically elected govern-
University (NYU) Professor Tunku Varadarajan,
ment by creating havoc in the country.
television evangelist Pat Robertson and others have
Philip Gordon, the assistant secretary of

state for Europe and Eurasian affairs, told re-
porters that the Obama administration is “very
interested in things that dominate the headlines
in Turkey.” Though he declined to comment
on the specics of the case, saying that “when
you have judicial and internal political develop-
ments, they are not for us [to comment on],”
Gordon said, “We watch it closely because it has
an impact on one of our key partners.”
Commenting on the Turkish government’s
democratization initiative to solve a long-stand-
ing Kurdish problem in the country, Gordon
said the US administration supports the process.
“We believe it will increase internal stability,” he
said. “It [the initiative] does seem to be an op-
portunity to not only fully integrate all of Tur-
key’s citizens but to get beyond the conict that
has been devastating Turkey for many years. …
Obviously that is something the US supports.”
Gordon acknowledged that the issue is
very controversial in Turkey and said the US
steers clear of interference because the issue is
an internal matter. “It is for Turks to decide,” he
said. “We are not inuencing it [the process].”
He also dismissed conspiracy theories that the
initiative is in fact a US plan and the Turk-
ish government is simply implementing what
Washington dictates. “In general, the role of the
US is often exaggerated. I wish we were as in-
uential as people tried to portray us,” he said.
‘Turkey not changing axis’
The US assistant secretary of state also dismissed
rumors that Turkey is moving away from the
West. “I think talk of a change of axis is a very
signicant exaggeration of what is going on in
Turkey,” he said. “We are neither surprised nor
worried about Turkey’s engagement in the East.”
Gordon said Turkey has legitimate reasons for
engaging with neighbors in the East. “Turkey re-
Philip Gordon, the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, spoke to a group of journalists at the US Embassy in Ankara on Thursday.
mains a country with strong and close ties with the
West; it’s certainly a close partner to us,” he added.
During his rst ofcial visit to Turkey since
he was conrmed by the US Senate, Gordon has
discussed a range of issues with Turkish ofcials in
Ankara. He listed those issues as Afghanistan, the
Iranian nuclear program, Iraq, Middle East peace,
Cyprus, normalization with Armenia and energy.
“The prime minister and president’s agenda will
bear all of these critical issues I mention and some
more,” he said, signaling that he was in Ankara
for advanced consultations ahead of Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan’s upcom-
ing visit to Washington in early December.
Gordon said the US would welcome Turkey’s
support in getting low-enriched uranium from Iran.
“If Iran is prepared to send it to Turkey, that is some-
thing we would be happy to explore because what
matters to us is to get the low-enriched uranium
out of Iran so that Iran would not have the oppor-
tunity to use it for a nuclear weapons program.
Turkey would be a secure place, we believe, and
we welcome Turkish support,” he added.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the director-general of
the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA), said he ofcially proposed Turkey
as a third-country destination after Iran failed to
agree to a Western plan for its enriched uranium to
be sent to Russia for further enrichment to reactor-
grade fuel. Tehran has yet to give a full official reply to
the proposal, which was drafted three weeks ago after
consultations with Iran, France, Russia and the US.
Gordon acknowledged that the US and Tur-
key do not see eye-to-eye when it comes to deal-
ing with Iran. “On Iran, we do believe it is time for
the international community to be sticking to one
voice,” he said. “That is why we have open dialogue
with our Turkish friends.” He noted that the Iranian
problem requires international cooperation, and
said, “We believe that Turkey shares our concerns
about the Iranian nuclear weapons program.”
The US diplomat remarked that Iran needs to pro-
PHOTO
said. On the other hand, it’s heartening that those
views constitute only a minority. And that keeps me
still optimistic about the future of this nation.
While most mainstream political and commu-
nity leaders refrained from jumping to conclusions,
there were also those who could not resist the temp-
tation. Senator Joe Lieberman, who heads the Sen-
ate Committee on Homeland Security and Govern-
mental Affairs, said initial evidence suggested that
the suspect was a “self-radicalized, home-grown”
terrorist who had turned to “Islamic extremism”
while under personal stress. Paradoxically, he
also said it’s “too early” to make any definitive
conclusions, as if he wasn’t the one who was just
speculating. Senator John McCain followed him,
calling the incident an “act of terror,” as if he is
part of the investigation. Why the rush, gentlemen,
don’t you have any patience with due process?
When asked whether he thinks having Muslims
in the army puts them in a very difcult position of
vide reassurances to the international community to allay
ghting a war against Muslims in Afghanistan or Iraq,
concerns over its suspected nuclear weapons program
Gen. Casey replied, “I think that’s something that they
and warned that engagement and dialogue can’t
have to look at on an individual basis.” Again, that’s
go on forever and there will be consequences if Iran
the right approach. Even if eventually religiosity turns
does not cooperate. He declined to specify, however,
out to be a factor in Nidal’s actions, that’s his individual
what those consequences will be. There are some measures
and obviously distorted interpretation. It does not bind
already in place against Iran as adopted by the UN Secu-
Islam and other Muslims, just as one cannot blame all
rity Council resolutions. “Further ones we have not
Christians and Christianity as a religion because some
spelled out in detail because we do not want go
individuals are bombing abortion clinics in their name.
there. We want the engagement to work, and we
That said, I must also note when somebody
want to succeed in dialogue,” Gordon said.
commits a crime, it also means there has been a fail-
He called the signing of protocols between Turkey
ure in control mechanisms. Some people are trying
and Armenia a historic process that will benefit both
to put the blame on such institutions as the military
sides immensely. He dismissed the linking of ratifica-
or the FBI, as if there were security lapses that led to
tion in the Turkish Parliament to the resolution of the
this incident. They question the effectiveness of early
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “We think that normal-
detection mechanisms designed to identify people
ization is important. It should not be linked to any-
who might be inclined to violence and terrorism.
thing else,” he said, stressing, however, that the US
I would argue that societal gaps are worth more
is working hard to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh
attention than security gaps because had we not
issue and is actively engaged in bringing about
so many societal gaps in the first place, most se-
reconciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
curity problems would not arise at all.
Here is what I mean by that. Maj. Hasan did
not go nuts, nor did he become an alleged ter-
rorist in a second. Society failed to prevent or at
least detect him earlier. That certainly includes

Davutolu begins visit to Spain, Italy’s Napolitano to pay official the Muslim community as well. I don’t know if
his e-mail correspondence with the former radical

EU’s next term president
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutolu is
scheduled to commence an ofcial three-
day visit to Spain today at the invitation of his
Spanish counterpart, Miguel Angel Moratinos,
the Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.
Davutolu, who has already declared that November
will be “the month of Europe,” visited France earlier this
month. Spain will take over the six-month rotating presi-
dency of the European Union from Sweden as of January.
Davutolu and Moratinos will hold bilat-
eral talks on Sunday in Cordoba, with discus-
sions focusing on Turkey’s EU membership
process. The Cyprus issue is expected to be
another major item on agenda of the talks as
an EU summit in December will review Tur-
key’s refusal to open its ports and airports to
Greek Cypriot trafc in line with its decision in
2006. The Middle East peace process is, mean-
while, an issue of interest for both Davutolu
and Moratinos. On Monday Davutolu will
deliver a speech titled “Turkey and Spain, Two
Sides of Mediterranean: Joint Contributions
to Global Peace and Security” at a breakfast
meeting to be held at the Madrid-based Nueva
Economía Fórum. Members of the media, opinion
leaders, business leaders and diplomats are expected
to attend the meeting at Spain’s leading debating orga-
nization. While in Spain, Davutolu will also officially
inaugurate Turkey’s consulate general in Barcelona,
which is already in operation. Ankara Today’s Zaman
visit to Turkey next week
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano
will arrive in Turkey on Monday for an
official four-day visit at the invitation of his
Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gül, the Pres-
idential Press Office announced Friday.
In addition to Foreign Secretary Alfredo
Mantica, senior ofcials from the Italian Pres-
idency and Foreign Ministry will accompany
Napolitano on the visit, Gül’s ofce said in a
written statement.
On the occasion of the visit, Italy and Turkey
will exchange views on Turkey’s European Union
membership process and global affairs, while also
seeking diversication and a strengthening of
elds of cooperation, the statement said.
imam of the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque played a fac-
tor. What I do know is that his religious mentors,
“The visit is expected to serve to further mosque and family should have done a better job
develop deeply rooted relations between our of detecting and helping with his problems. And
[two] friendly and [allied] countries, which I’m sure a middle ground could have been found
have united around joint democratic values in if Hasan really had an ongoing conflict between
Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, and to his religious/ideological and national allegiances.
offer the opportunity to solidify strategic coopera- Instead of adopting the easy and lazy task of point-
tion and dialogue between Turkey and Italy,” it said. ing out his religion or ethnic background and so forth,
Following their talks in Ankara, Napolitano Hasan should be treated as a troubled individual who
and the accompanying delegation will proceed is a product of a society (and a world) with a weakened
to the Aegean city of zmir and will meet with immune system. Evidently, wars are not good for the
Italian citizens living in Turkey there. health of the societal immune system. And sticking
The last presidential visit from Italy to Turkey to admirable values such as diversity, religious under-
was paid in November 2005 by then-Italian President standing and tolerance has a vitamin effect. Maybe one
Carlo Azeglio. Italy is among the rm supporters of needs to look from this perspective for a more thorough
Turkey’s EU accession. Ankara Today’s Zaman preventive diagnosis and cure for this kind of violence.

CMYK
 NATIONAL
Minority leader hit list
found on major’s computer
contnued from page 1
Investigators cracked the code of an encrypted le
on Bekta’s computer, revealing a list of names of people
who subscribe to the Agos daily, a Turkish-Armenian
biweekly whose editor-in-chief, Hrant Dink, was shot
dead in 2007, and names of 10 prominent representa-
tives of minority groups to be assassinated.
So far eight members of the military, including a
naval major and two non-commissioned ofcers, have
testied to prosecutor Murat Yönder, one of the pros-
ecutors conducting the investigation into Ergenekon.
Five of them were arrested on April 25 on charges of
“membership in an armed organization” and “illegal
possession of arms and explosives.” Yesterday, four
more members of the military arrived at the Beikta
courthouse to testify to the prosecutor. Three of them
were released, while one was referred to a court after
Plot colonel interrogated about
figures behind action plan
contnued from page 1
“You indicated that the signature on the
Action Plan to Fight Reactionaryism, a
photocopy of which was seized at the ofce of
Ergenekon suspect Serdar Öztürk, does not be-
long to you. However, a forensic examination
established that the signature is a product of
your hand. From whom did you receive an or-
der to prepare such a plan and who coordinated
the implementation of the plan?” the colonel
was reportedly asked. Çiçek, however, denied
knowledge of the action plan and responsibility
for the signature on the document.
The colonel was also questioned about an
alleged smear campaign directed at the Educa-
tion Ministry in which news stories were fabri-
cated reporting that children were pressured to
pray at state schools. Prosecutors asked Çiçek
whether he directed TV stations to air such news
Col. Dursun Çiçek was interrogated by civilian prosecutors at the Beikta courthouse on Wednesday about a document outlining a plot to defame the ruling AK Party and the Gülen movement.
General Staff receives signature report from ATK
The General Staff has received a copy of a
Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK) report
conrming that a signature found on a military
document detailing a plot to illegally undermine
the governing Justice and Development Party (AK
Party) belongs to Col. Dursun Çiçek.
Speaking to journalists at a weekly information-
al meeting yesterday, General Staff Judicial Under-
secretary Gen. Hfz Çubuklu said the document,
which bears a “wet signature,” has not yet reached
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
the prosecution demanded his arrest. The names of the
military personnel who testied yesterday were not re-
leased. Members of the press were not allowed to take
photos as the three soldiers were released through the
back door of the courthouse.
Ten light anti-tank weapons, 20 percussion bombs,
three other bombs, 250 grams of C4 explosive, 19 emer-
gency ares, 10 hand grenades, 800 G3 bullets and a large
number of cartridges for revolvers were found on the stek
Foundation land. The discovery followed the unearthing
of similar underground weapons caches in January dur-
ing digs based on maps found in the homes of two sus-
pects -- former Deputy Police Chief brahim ahin and
Mustafa Dönmez, a lieutenant colonel who turned him-
self in a few days after a warrant for his arrest was issued.
Dalan was in the US during this wave of detentions and
discoveries, which began on Jan. 7. stanbul Today’s Zaman
and whether he had any links with Star TV, its
anchorman Uur Dündar or the Hürriyet daily.
The colonel was also asked about his re-
lationship with Ergin Geldikaya, the security
director of Reina nightclub, who was detained
in May for suspected ties with the Ergenekon
terrorist organization. Ergenekon is accused of
plotting to topple the government. Dozens of
suspected members of Ergenekon, including
military ofcers, journalists and businessmen,
are currently under arrest.
Çiçek also faced a question about a TSK
psychological warfare program against civilian
groups. The program was rst revealed early
this month after an unnamed military of-
cer claimed that the armed forces established
42 Web sites to back its ght against civilian
groups it termed “reactionary,” “separatist,”
“pro-government” or “anti-TSK.”
the Military Prosecutor’s Ofce, but a report con-
rming its authenticity has.
Col. Çiçek, whose name appears on the military
action plan against the government, was arrested
Wednesday night as a suspect in the case against
Ergenekon, a clandestine network accused of plot-
ting to overthrow the government.
Çubuklu said yesterday that the Military Pros-
ecutor’s Ofce had requested the original document
-- which he said was allegedly in the hands of civil-
Ammunition was found on land owned by the stek Foundation in stanbul’s Poyrazköy district in April during the
investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine organization that allegedly plotted to overthrow the government.
The TSK also monitored the activities
of more than 400 Turkish and foreign lan-
guage Web sites. In line with questions on
the armed forces’ program, the colonel was
interrogated over the activities of the Third
Information Support Unit.
Ergenekon prosecutors asked Çiçek whether
evidence related to the notorious action plan was
destroyed at the General Staff after the exposure
of the plan. The unnamed military ofcer had
claimed that members of the military destroyed
more than 40 sacks of documents related to the
plan after it made its way into the news.
Another question directed at the colonel
was regarding four failed military coup at-
tempts. The attempts were codenamed Ay
(Moonlight), Sarkz (Blonde Girl), Yakamoz
(Sea Sparkle) and Eldiven (Glove).
One last question was over a note penned by
ian prosecutors -- in writing four times. He said no
reply has yet been sent to the Military Prosecutor’s
Ofce. Gen. Çubuklu said they instead received the
ATK report, which noted that the “necessary tests
were run” on the document.
Çubuklu said a probe into the document was
under way at the Military Prosecutor’s Ofce.
In response to a question on claims that the
General Staff had not sent some of the documents
demanded by civilian prosecutors, Çubuklu said the
CMYK
TODAY’S ZAMAN 05
C  H AN
Judcal
operatons
PHOTO
n the meda
spotlght
ANALYSIS
AL AKKU
TODAY’S ZAMAN
There are a few ndings in common in the inves-
tigations into Judges and Prosecutors Association
(YARSAV) President Ömer Faruk Eminaaolu
and Sincan 1st High Criminal Court Chief Justice
Osman Kaçmaz Osman Kaçmaz.
Both men call journalists to provide informa-
tion on cases they are closely following and in so
doing direct public opinion through the resulting
news reports. For example, Eminaaolu says he
might even meet with the executives of a newspa-
per to ensure that news stories on cases of interest
to him are covered better in the newspaper.
We learned about this and a dozen other
similar scandals after an inspection board inves-
tigation. Following an audit at the Telecommu-
nications Directorate (TB) that was conducted
through the joint efforts of the two men, another
manipulative tactic was employed by way of the
same journalists. Journalists, especially those at
NTV who are disturbed by the investigation into
Ergenekon, a clandestine network accused of at-
tempting to overthrow the government, are busy
working long and hard again.
YARSAV President Eminaaolu wanted it, and
the Sincan chief justice granted it. An investigation
was launched at the TB, the center where legal tele-
phone interceptions are conducted. TB President
Fethi imek, who is also an experienced public
Çiçek that was seized in the ofce of the security prosecutor, said the investigation would endanger
chief of Ulusal TV, Ufuk Akkaya. The chief was investigations that are in progress. He rejected the
detained last Saturday as part of the Ergenekon investigation on the grounds that it was illegal, but
case and was accused of illegally wiretapping the to no avail. In the end, however, imek was right.
prime minister’s telephone. In the note, Çiçek Reports on the audits at the TB were leaked to the
wrote: “I knew I would be arrested. So did the media, and the names of many people in ongoing
General Staff. … However, they did not calculate cases as well as the names of judges that ordered
that it [investigation] would extend to the head- the monitoring of telephone conversations were
quarters [the General Staff]. [Chief of General exposed. A witch hunt started for these judges. A
Staff Gen.] lker Babu is aware of everything. lynch campaign was launched against people who
The July decree on the appointment of judges had acted within the scope of their powers as if they
and prosecutors is very important. Gen. Babu had engaged in illegal activities. It must have had the
anticipated effect because Kaçmaz called for an even
had meetings with members of the high judiciary.
broader investigation.
There may be a change in Ergenekon prosecutors.
There is a serious level of disinformation.
Gen. Babu will appoint Gen. [Hasan] Isz to
These situations cannot be called “wiretapping
the 1st Army Corps Command. Isz will follow
scandals.” When some police chiefs illegally wire-
developments in the Ergenekon case.” The pros- tapped telephone conversations on the eighth oor
ecutors interrogated Çiçek about the information of the Ankara Security Directorate, we called that
in the note. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires a wiretapping scandal. But the wiretaps currently
in question were conducted at the direction of
TO D AY ’S Z A MA N, SE L MA N E TÜ R K L E R
judges. Judges would not permit the monitoring of
telephone conversations if they did not have con-
crete evidence in their hands. Less than a year ago,
Ergenekon supporters obtained a CD numbered
51 that featured private images and information
about dozens of judges and prosecutors. The court
of appeals president directly informed the ofcials
concerned about these individuals. Isn’t it possible
that Ergenekon may have used some of these indi-
viduals to serve their own interests? More than 50
members of the judiciary were involved in wiretaps
ordered for Ergenekon suspects. Is the relationship
P H OT O
between a lawyer who is a suspect in a case and a
judge who says to him “Do you have any orders for
me?” not going to be investigated?
Take, for example, Ergenekon suspect Engin
Aydn, who attracted attention when pictures of
him eating at a restaurant with a Supreme Board
of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) member were
published in the media. He saw in himself the
power to be able to interfere in the Supreme Court
of Appeals elections. Should Aydn working be-
hind the scenes for some people at appeals court
be ignored? When retired chief prosecutor of the
Supreme Court of Appeals Sabih Kanadolu,
whose home was searched within the scope of the
same case, said prosecutors leading the investi-
gation would suffer the same fate as those in the
emdinli case, in which a prosecutor in Turkey’s
East was disbarred due to an indictment he pre-
sented to the court, whom did he trust?
Interestingly, yesterday the Milliyet daily com-
mented on the wiretapping issue as “preposter-
ous.” But immediately under that headline it cov-
ered the story titled “Six judges, three prosecutors
in prostitution case,” in which it indicated that the
HSYK had been informed about these individu-
als. In other words, we need to bear in mind that
there is a chance that members of the judiciary can
commit a crime as well. It’s hard to understand why
some institutions hastily make statements. HSYK
Deputy President Kadir Özbek made such a state-
ment about a matter that did not yet involve them,
which brought many judges under suspicion. He
claimed that some judges cringed when inspectors
made requests and issued warrants for wiretapping.
Inspectors just conduct inspections, but the
HSYK not only discharges people from their jobs,
General Staff sent every document requested by it doesn’t even allow lawyers to do their jobs. If
public prosecutors as long as the information de- only Özbek had taken a look at a relevant report
released by the Turkish Economic and Social Stud-
manded fell within the scope of legal regulations.
ies Foundation (TESEV) and realized how HSYK
In response to a question on whether the military
decisions affect members of the judiciary.
prosecutor conducting the investigation into the docu-
Italian prosecutor Felice Casson said he
ment had led a criminal complaint against the public
was inhibited by the higher judiciary when
prosecutor’s ofce that had not sent the original docu- conducting an investigation into Gladio. Over
ment, Çubuklu said: “It wouldn’t be proper at this time the last year Turkey has been witnessing events
to say anything about that. What must be done will be similar to those experienced in Italy, and this
done within the scope of the law.” stanbul Today’s Zaman does not take anyone by surprise.
 06 TODAY’S ZAMAN
Winter presents extra hardship for Gaziantep asylum seekers
contnued from page 1
With chaos in neighboring Iraq on the rise
with the withdrawal of US troops from urban ar-
eas, the number of Iraqis eeing over the border
only stands to rise.
“There are nearly 1,000 refugees and asylum
seekers in Gaziantep, with most of them hav-
ing come to Turkey from Afghanistan and Iraq,”
Selma evkli, a psychologist and social worker
at the newly launched Gaziantep branch of the
Ankara-based Association for Solidarity with
Asylum Seekers and Migrants (ASAM). “As Tur-
key does not accept [non-European] refugees on
a permanent basis, asylum seekers are in Turkey
only temporarily until they can be placed in an-
other country. In 2009, 17,500 people applied for
refugee status in Turkey; each year, only an aver-
age of 25 percent have their applications accepted
by another country. As for the rest, after a waiting
period of two to three years, they are deported.”
Those applying for refugee status with the
Öymen’s remarks spark Htler
comparsons n Tunceli
contnued from page 1
During a speech in Parliament on Tues-
day criticizing the government’s Kurd-
ish initiative, which seeks to extend the rights of
Kurds in Turkey to alleviate and ultimately end
the separatist terrorism of the Kurdistan Work-
ers’ Party (PKK), Öymen said: “Didn’t mothers
also cry at the time of the Sheikh Said Rebellion?
Didn’t mothers also cry at the time of the Dersim
Rebellion?” in response to the government’s used
of the phrase “Let no more mothers cry” as part of
its efforts to end the PKK’s campaign of terrorism.
The rebellion took place in 1937 in Dersim,
which had historically been a semi-autonomous
region. Dersim was renamed Tunceli after the
rebellion. The rebellion was led by Seyyid Riza,
the chief of a Zaza tribe in the region. The Turk-
ish government at the time, led by smet nönü,
responded with air strikes against the rebels.
Thousands were killed in the campaign.
There were also protests by Alevi groups in
stanbul and Ankara yesterday condemning Öy-
men’s controversial remarks.
Öymen hasn’t apologized
Despite widespread public outrage, the CHP
deputy chairman stood by his words, telling mem-
bers of the press on Thursday, “In no part of my
speech can expressions that might offend our citi-
zens of different ethnic, religious or sectarian roots
be found.” He blamed the media for twisting his
words, accusing “some columnists and TV com-
mentators” of making interpretations that would
be misunderstood by the public. Öymen also stated
that he would not apologize for his remarks.
Tunceli deputy erafettin Halis from the
Democratic Society Party (DTP) said: “With this
speech, Öymen points out the idea that killing
is a good solution to the Kurdish problem. What
Öymen said is equal to saying, ‘The CHP’s blood-
drenched bayonet in Tunceli shall never dry’,”
Independent deputy Ufuk Uras dared Öy-
men to make a similar speech in Tunceli before
the province’s residents.
Hubyar Sultan Alevi Cultural Association
President Ali Kenanolu said: “The Dersim
massacre is a shame for humanity. Offering such
a crime against humanity as a model for the
settlement of the Kurdish question is being part
of that crime. Öymen should apologize to the
people of Dersim in particular and to the entire
H1N1 vaccine a matter of health, not politics, Akda says
ASLIHAN AYDIN ANKARA
Health Minister Recep Akda has warned that
debates over the H1N1 vaccine should not be
exploited for political gains since the matter is of
critical importance to the nation’s health.
Speaking at a Parliamentary Planning and
Budgetary Commission meeting yesterday, Akda
said some people have commented on the vaccine
against the H1N1 strain of inuenza, also known as
swine u, without enough knowledge on the topic.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Os-
man Durmu, a former health minister, has accused
the Health Ministry of unnecessarily urging people
to get the shot and of having purchased excessive
doses of vaccine for the nancial benet of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) Turkey Ofce are provided protection
under the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention to
which Turkey is a party. But the period between
their application and their interview date in An-
kara can stretch out for months, a period of time
during which they are not allowed to work --
which is where groups like ASAM step in. While
their applications are evaluated, asylum seekers
must stay in a province designated to them by
the Interior Ministry. Gaziantep is one of these
provinces. ASAM was founded in Ankara in 1995
and is an NGO that works to increase aware-
ness of the plight of asylum seekers and refugees
and alleviate their problems. It recently founded
a branch in Gaziantep. evkli explained that the
winter season presents a particular hardship for
asylum seekers, who are often destitute to begin
with and experience difculty in nding employ-
ment due to both their legal status and their lack
of Turkish language abilities.
Tunceli residents put up posters throughout the city showing Öymen with a Hitler-like toothbrush moustache in protest to comments he made condon-
ing the government’s violent response to the 1937 Dersim Rebellion.
Alevi community in general.”
Tunceli University Rector Durmu Boztu
said Öymen’s statement was unfortunate, not-
ing, “Such a statement is really saddening when
people should be trying to understand the pains
of the Tunceli people.”
Seher Dilovan, an Ankara-born folk singer
whose parents are from Tunceli, said: “Does he
approve of what was done? This statement is the
product of a backward mind.”
companies that produced it. Akda denied these
claims. “You know I have tried to pay attention to
the words I’ve used so far. But I call these comments
slander. This is dirty politics,” he said.
Stating that Turkey’s swine u vaccines are
supplied by two companies and that the swine u
vaccine has been conrmed to be safe in many
countries, Akda said the adverse effects of the
swine u vaccine can be discussed but the issue
should not be made into a political instrument.
“I did not decide to purchase the swine u vac-
cine and administer it in Turkey. It was a decision
made by our scientic board of 40 experts, with-
out any objections. They decided to administer
the swine u vaccine to those in high-risk groups.
Only 10 of these 40 experts are from the Health
Resources limited for charities
to help asylum seekers
“These [asylum seekers] have left half of their hearts
behind in their home countries, but they themselves
are here,” evkli said. “The story of each person
seeking refuge in Turkey is more dramatic than the
last; their experiences read like a novel.” The psy-
chologist explained that asylum seekers escaping
conict in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq
generally go through a great deal of trauma before
reaching Turkey. “There are people whose lives are
in danger for political reasons, who are threatened
by gangs and factions. Others are in danger and
have reason to fear for their lives for changing their
religion; others still faced sexual abuse in addition to
violence and peril to their lives,” she said.
The skeleton staff of four at ASAM’s Gaziantep
branch -- two translators who speak Kurdish, Ara-
bic, English and Turkish, one psychologist and one
social worker -- have their hands full, evkli says.
ASAM works closely with the UNHCR but has lim-
Fermani Altun, head of the World Ehl-i Beyt
Foundation, an Alevi association, said: “The
statement is completely scandalous. It is a most
unfortunate declaration. They [the CHP] are not
only blocking the country’s movement away
from the ofcial ideology to a democratic system
but are also showing the same mentality as the
ofcial ideology with such statements.”
“This means that if they had the chance, they
would carry out similar massacres. Those who
Ministry; the rest are distinguished scientists in
Turkey,” he said.
Noting that 250,000 people have received
shots thus far, he said all of them are in good
health and continuing their daily lives.
Akda also said a swine u vaccine speci-
cally for pregnant women is set to arrive in Tur-
key in late November.
Swine u cases estimated
to be over 30,000 in Turkey
Although records show that the number of people car-
rying the H1N1 virus is around 3,000, it is estimated
that there are at least 30,000 swine u cases across Tur-
key, a Health Ministry scientic board member said.
Professor Gaye Usluer, a member of the
CMYK
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
ited funding, a problem common to all area NGOs
that include aid to asylum seekers in their activities.
ASAM is accepting donations to aid asylum
seekers living in Gaziantep. Top needs include coal
(TL 430 covers the cost of coal for a family for the
winter), clothing, household furnishings, medicine
such as pain and fever relievers, canned food, health
services, children’s books and accommodation and
monetary aid. ASAM can be reached at (342) 230 33
45 or online at www.sgdd.org.tr
Remzi Kaçar from the Gaziantep branch of the
charitable foundation Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody
There) explained that the association provides sup-
port within its means to asylum seekers, services
including on-site evaluations of the status of such
persons and aid in the form of food, clothing and fur-
niture. “We have les on a total of 34 individuals, and
so far have completed on-site evaluations with 14 of
them. For those 14 people, we regularly provide peri-
odic food and clothing aid and also help them furnish
their homes for those who need it,” Kaçar said.
C HA N, A L  HA Y DA R GÖZL Ü
P HOTO
are afraid of democracy resort to massacres,”
said Metin Tarhan, head of the Erikli Baba Ce-
mevi and Cultural Association.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Associa-
tion (HD) yesterday led a criminal complaint
against Öymen, stating that his speech was in
violation of a number of legal regulations includ-
ing Article 215 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK),
which criminalizes “praising a crime and its per-
petrator.” stanbul Today’s Zaman
Health Ministry’s scientic board and chair-
woman of the Infectious Diseases and Clinical
Microbiology Specialty Society of Turkey, told the
Anatolia news agency that the ministry does not
currently know the exact number of swine u cas-
es as diagnoses have increased recently. “It is said
that swine u cases are around 3,000 across Tur-
key. According to our estimations, the real gure
is at least 10 times more than 3,000. We should
pay attention to the rapid spread of the virus.
There was only one fatality as of Oct. 8. Fatalities
increased to 40 in under one month,” she said.
Meanwhile, stanbul Governor Muammer
Güler announced on Thursday that nine pa-
tients in stanbul are being treated for swine u
at intensive care units.
NATIONAL
Turkish vice
chancellor honored
in Turkmenistan
International Turkmen-Turkish Univer-
sity Vice Chancellor Zeki Pekta was hon-
ored with the Gayrat award for his commitment
to and services in the eld of education by the
president of Turkmenistan this week.
“That was a surprise,” said Pekta after be-
ing informed that he had received the award.
“The award is a testimony to the importance
President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov
attaches to Turkmen universities,” he said. He
also pointed out that the award is a sign of the
friendship between Turkey and Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan’s president recognizes nu-
merous Turkmen citizens and foreigners in
various walks of life for their services to rapidly
developing Turkmenistan every year.
This year’s award ceremony was held on the
eve of Turkmenistan’s Independence Day. Four
foreigners were also honored during the ceremo-
ny. Russian scholar Professor Viktor Sarianidi,
Alexei Tikhomirov from the UN and Counselor
of the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan
Vahdet Sultanzade were among the awardees
along with Vice Chancellor Pekta.
The International Turkmen-Turkish Uni-
versity is a 15-year-old university established to
contribute to Turkmenistan’s growing eld of
education following the chaotic collapse of the
Soviet Union. The university has many successes
to its credit, and according to observers, it pro-
vides a quality education for Turkmen students.
Built on a plot of 110 acres, the International
Turkmen-Turkish University was established in
1994 by Turkish businessmen and education vol-
unteers. There are three faculties, including educa-
tion and engineering, and 11 departments in the
university. More than 1,500 students have gradu-
ated from the university so far. Currently, there are
more than 1,000 local and foreign students study-
ing at the university. Cemil Yldz Ashgabat
RTÜK abolishes
time limits for non-
Turkish broadcasts
A recent change in broadcasting regulations
has opened the door for private TV and ra-
dio stations to air programs in non-Turkish lan-
guages and dialects without any time restrictions.
With the new regulation, time constraints on
programs aired in non-Turkish languages and
dialects spoken in Turkey have been abolished,
the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.
TV and radio stations that wish to air pro-
grams in these languages must, however, seek
permission from the Radio and Television Su-
preme Council (RTÜK). The RTÜK will then
evaluate the station’s programming, and if it
nds it appropriate, it will grant permission for
daily broadcasts and monthly programs.
The previous regulation limited radio
programming in non-Turkish languages to
a total of ve hours per week per station for
programs lasting 60 minute or less whereas TV
stations were allowed four hours per week for
programs that last 45 minutes of less. Further-
more, the old regulation made it obligatory for
TV stations to broadcast all non-Turkish pro-
grams with Turkish subtitles or air the Turkish-
version of the program after its original.
A ban on programs teaching these lan-
guages and dialects to viewers was also elimi-
nated. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
TRT 6 to offer
more diverse
programming
The broadcasting coordinator of the state-
sponsored Kurdish channel TRT 6 has said
the channel will offer more varied programs,
promising that the network will have more
shows that discuss developments in Turkey’s
relations with its Middle Eastern neighbors.
“Our aim is to bring a dynamic perspec-
tive to the channel’s reporting. We will not
just watch the agenda; we will determine the
agenda. TRT 6 will not only produce music
and cultural shows; we will also be interested
in more serious programs,” said Fethullah
Kran, speaking to Today’s Zaman yesterday.
The newly appointed broadcast coordinator
for TRT 6 explained his plans for the channel.
Noting that the state-sponsored Kurdish channel
has many viewers in Syria, Iraq and Iran, Kran
pledged that they will increase the number of
programs closely related to the people in these
countries. “Our aim is to unite the cultures of the
region,” added Kran. Kran plans also include
switching from pre-recorded news programs to
live broadcasts and offering more programs on
the socioeconomic development of the region.
He also noted that TRT will launch chan-
nels in languages other than Kurdish and Turk-
ish, saying TRT will launch Arabic and Persian
channels in early 2010. Fatma Turan stanbul
 BUSINESS
Saran, Fersa partnership brings $1 billion for renewable energy
Saran Energy, a subsidiary of Saran Holding,
and the Spanish rm Fersa signed a partners-
hip agreement yesterday, marking an investment
of $1 billion for renewable energy in Turkey.
A signing ceremony for the partnership was atten-
ded by Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çalayan, Minister
of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yldz, Energy
Market Regulatory Agency (EPDK) President Hasan
Kökta and Spanish Ambassador to Turkey Joan Klos,
along with other politicians and businessmen.
Çalayan, speaking at the ceremony about the
importance of energy for the future of the world,
noted that $26 trillion will be invested worldwide in
renewable energy by 2023, while $125 billion will be
invested within the next 10 years in Turkey. He conti-
nued by noting the importance of the $1 billion invest-
ment that this partnership will bring in achieving this.
Trade Minister Nihat Ergün (L) had talks with Moroccan Industry, Commerce and New Technologies Minister Ahmed Reda Chami during the Trade and Investment Bridge between Turkey and Morocco, organized by TUSKON.
Ergün: Turkey to be industry hub in
Europe producing advanced technologies
Industry and Trade Minister Nihat Ergün
has called on Turkish and Moroccan com-
panies to establish cooperation and make
joint investments in third countries, saying they aim
to make Turkey an industry hub in Europe produ-
cing high technology.
Speaking at a meeting on Friday during the
Trade and Investment Bridge between Turkey
and Morocco in Casablanca, organized by the
Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and In-
dustrialists (TUSKON) in a bid to boost commer-
ce between the two countries, Ergün said there
are a great deal of things the two countries could
do together. The minister said Turkey has made
signicant progress in industrialization and that
Turkish businessmen can carry out operations
around the world. Cooperation between the two
countries’ governments and rms is of great im-
portance because Morocco has signicant advan-
tages, having ties with countries in Europe, Ame-
rica and Africa, and for this reason, he continued,
Doan Yayn posts 242 percent more loss in first nine months of 2009
Doan Yayn Holding, Turkey’s largest media
company, which was ned TL 4.8 billion for al-
leged tax fraud, on Thursday reported a TL 147.14 mil-
lion consolidated net loss for the rst nine months of
the year, a gure 242 percent higher than that posted
for the rst three quarters of 2008.
The company suffered a TL 43.04
million loss in 2008. According to the
company’s nancial statement, relea-
sed on Thursday, the company posted
TL 19.5 million in losses in the third
quarter of this year. This gure was TL
12.3 million in the same three-month
period of last year. Doan Yayn had TL 1.7 billion
in sales in the January-September period this year,
a gure which was TL 2.2 billion in the same peri-
od of 2008, accounting for a decline of 23 percent.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
The partnership between Saran Energy, which
has investments in solar, hydroelectric, and wind po-
wer, and Fersa, a publicly traded Spanish renewable
energy rm and one of the biggest forces in the Euro-
pean energy sector, will invest $1 billion in renewable
energy in Turkey, with equal contributions by both
parties. Speaking at the ceremony, Yldz stressed the
signicance of this investment in attracting other in-
vestments in renewable energy in Turkey. Yldz also
highlighted the importance of this partnership for do-
ubling the 44,000 megawatts (MW) of electrical pro-
duction capacity currently installed by 2023.
Revealing that the ministry had set a goal
of 20,000 MW of electricity derived from wind
by 2020, Yldz stated that “we’ve been mo-
ving at a slow pace in doling out wind farm
licenses. We have to speed up this process.”
investing in Morocco should be encouraged.
“Our aim is to turn Turkey into an industry hub
in Europe producing advanced technologies. In this
regard we attach great importance to research and
development. We are establishing techno parks
and encouraging cooperation between universities
and industry. Turkey and Morocco should work to-
gether in these elds,” Ergün said.
The minister said the meeting, which was at-
tended by a trade delegation of more than 70 bu-
sinessmen from Turkey along with more than 400
Moroccan businessmen, gave company represen-
tatives from both countries the chance to discuss
opportunities for cooperation and added that as the
government, they would give the required support
to further boost combined efforts. Ergün said they
had set their target to increase trade volume betwe-
en the two countries to $50 billion within the next
few years. The Turkish economy is among the top
15 economies in the world, he stated, stressing that
that the Turkish economy will be one of the top 10
Revenue from sales decreased by 19 percent in the
third quarter of 2009 over the same period of last
year, falling from TL 710 million to TL 577 million.
The company’s equity capitals totaled TL 1.52 billi-
on, and its subscribed capital amounted to TL 802
million at the end of rst nine months
of 2009, according to the statement.
Doan Yayn posted TL 100 million in
operating prots between the months
of January and September last year;
the company reported TL 152 million
in operating losses in the same period
of this year. Short-term liabilities of the
company were also reported to have reached TL 1.4
billion in the rst nine months of this year, increa-
sing by 47 percent over the same period last year.
Hürriyet Gazetecilik, a subsidiary of Doan Yayn,
Minister Yldz also stressed that nuclear power
plants and renewable energy sources are a source
of energy security, underlining that these different
renewable energy options complemented one anot-
her: “By 2023, energy from natural gas plants, nuclear
power plants, coal from domestic sources, thermal
power plants and renewable energy sources will to-
gether create a strong and stable energy framework.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Saran Holding CEO
Sadettin Saran noted that this was an important
rst step in attracting renewable energy invest-
ments to Turkey. He continued by stating that the
partnership hoped to build 350 MW of capacity by
2015 using renewable energy sources.
Fersa CEO Jose Maria Roger expressed his faith
in the partnership by recommending that Sadettin
Saran become CEO of the partnership company.
by 2023. “Turkey exports to more than 200 count-
ries around the world. More than 90 percent of ex-
ports are made up of industrial products, and 60
percent of exports go to EU countries. Turkey pro-
duces goods to European standards,” he said, ad-
ding that Turkey’s foreign trade volume exceeds
$300 billion. Trade between Turkey and African co-
untries is increasing and has risen from $5 billion
to $17 billion within the last few years, the minis-
ter said. The free trade agreement between Turkey
and Morocco, which has been in effect since 2006,
has contributed to the rise in trade volume betwe-
en the two countries. However, Ergün continued, it
should be broadened, enabling more businessmen
to take advantage of the agreement.
Giving the automotive industry as an example
of one of the developed sectors in Turkey, Ergün
explained that annual vehicle output in is approxi-
mately 1.5 million and that the aim is to increase
this gure to 2 million in the coming years. Eighty
percent of vehicle production is exported overseas.
posted a 91 percent lower prot for the rs three quar-
ters of 2009 over the same period in 2008 on Thursday.
The net prot of Hürriyet Gazeticilik fell from TL 57
million in the January-September period of last year to
TL 4.9 million in the same period of this year.
Dou Otomotiv posts impressive
prot despite crisis
Dou Otomotiv, which celebrated its 15th an-
niversary in 2009, announced in its third quarter
scal report that it had sold 38,120 cars for a prot
of TL 40 million. Last year, the company posted TL 32
million in losses in the same period.
The company noted that despite the econo-
mic crisis, they were able to increase their ope-
rating income by a factor of 2.2. Dou’s gross
revenues were TL 1.6 billion in the same period.
CMYK
TODAY’S ZAMAN 07
Ministry will not appeal nuclear
energy clauses
Speaking to press before the event, Yldz announced
that his ministry would not be appealing three clauses
which the Council of State recently rejected regarding
regulations for nuclear power plants.
Answering questions about why the ministry
had decided not to appeal the three rejected clauses,
the minister said: “In order to bring nuclear energy
to our country, we need to work together with le-
gislators, enforcement and the judiciary when draf-
ting legislation. Instead of trying to prove that our
ministry or the Council of State is right, we thought
we could use our time more wisely by re-evaluating
the situation. … We want to reach a conclusion re-
garding the situation as soon as possible so we can
issue calls for a tender.” Ankara Today’s Zaman with wires
AA, RECEP DEMR
PHOTO
Turkish automotive rms are ready to make invest-
ments in Morocco, too, he said.
“We would like to take advantage of Turkey’s
experience, especially in the automotive industry,
along with textiles and the white goods sector,” said
Moroccan Industry, Commerce and New Technolo-
gies Minister Ahmed Reda Chami. Turkey and Mo-
rocco could make joint investments in southern Eu-
ropean countries which offer lucrative opportunities
in the auto market, he said. “We are the only country
that has free trade with America, Europe and Africa.
I believe this will encourage Turkish businessmen to
invest in Morocco,” he said, noting that they would
like to establish a joint committee to outline oppor-
tunities for cooperation and investment.
Rzanur Meral, head of TUSKON, cited
Morocco as the gateway to North Africa and
said trade volume between the two countri-
es had increased tenfold in last seven years,
and added that they hope this gure will
continue to rise. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
Kuveyt Türk net prots soar 26.7
percent in the rst nine months
The net prots of the participation bank Kuveyt Türk
increased to TL 107 million in the rst nine months
of the year, growing 26.7 percent compared to the
same period last year. According to the nancial sta-
tements in the bank’s independent auditor’s report
the bank’s total assets rose 30 percent in the rst nine
months, to TL 6.2 billion from TL 4.95 billion a year
ago. Total cash loans, on the other hand, were TL
4.96 billion, marking a 19.8 percent increase from last
year’s TL 4.14 billion. Kuveyt Türk’s funds, including
both time deposits and current accounts, reached
TL 4.99 billion in the rst nine months of this year,
40.7 percent more than the same period in 2008. Its
equities rose by 18.2 percent to TL 787 million in the
given period. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
Çalayan: Exports
to exceed $100 bln
by year’s end
Turkish exports are expected to exce-
ed $100 billion by the end of the year, a
psychological threshold for the country, Foreign
Trade Minister Zafer Çalayan said on Friday.
Delivering a speech at Parliament’s Plan-
ning and Budget Commission, Çalayan noted
that Turkish exports had slumped by 29.5 per-
cent in the rst 10 months of 2009 when com-
pared to the same period of last year.
Turkey ranked 32nd among exporting count-
ries with an export vo-
lume of $132 billion, the
minister said, adding that
Turkey also had $202 bil-
lion in imports last year,
which made the country
the 20th top importer.
Following a lower
year-on-year contrac-
tion rate as seen in the
Zefer Çalayan
second quarter of this
year compared to the
rst quarter, exports are also on the rise, signa-
ling an economic recovery, the minister said. Ex-
ports increased by 4.6 percent in October over
the same month of last year, he noted. “Turkey
can go beyond its 2009 target of $98.5 billion in
exports under the Middle-term Economic Prog-
ram and exceed $100 billion by the end of this
year, which is also a psychological barrier.”
Çalayan, noting that Turkey’s growth rate
is below its potential, stated that an export-
oriented growth model was adopted in order to
accelerate growth. Turkey’s economy is expec-
ted to contract by 6 percent this year, however,
the minister said, the target for 2010 is set at 3.5
percent, above the average global projection of
3.1 percent. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
TÜSAD: Micro
reforms needed for
sustained growth
Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s
Association (TÜSAD) President Arzuhan
Doan Yalçnda has stressed the importance
of micro-structural reforms to achieve sustained
growth after the crisis period.
Speaking yesterday at the 5th Competition
Congress, organized by the TÜSAD-Sabanc
University Competition Forum (REF) and the Fe-
deration of Industrial Associations (SEDEFED),
Yalçnda said TÜSAD estimates see the Turkish
economy shrinking by 6 percent.
Speaking on how Turkey can grow faster than
its competitors, Yalçnda, who is also the co-
president of the REF board, noted the importance
of increasing efciency in production and streng-
thening competitiveness.
Making mention of economic policies
enacted during the economic crisis, Yalçnda
reminded everyone of their transient nature.
“In 2010, the entire world will have to tighten
its scal and monetary belts. It will be difcult
to reach high growth rates in this environment.
To ease this process, it is important to make the
necessary micro structural reforms now so that
we are better t for an economy without large
government support.”
During her speech, Yalçnda said that in
order to achieve sustainable growth in the post-
crisis period, Turkey needs to double its total fac-
tor productivity. Otherwise, she said, “It will not
be possible to achieve fast growth rates or protect
our competitiveness.” stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
Western Black Sea
region to be center
for seniors
The International Centre on Aging, part of
the stanbul-based World Aging Council,
plans to turn Turkey’s western Black Sea region
into an international center of life for seniors.
Following a summit on global aging in stanbul
in February, the World Aging Council has been re-
searching the possibility of building senior centers in
the western parts of Turkey’s Black Sea region.
Members of the World Aging Council,
including architect and healthy cities planner
Colin Mosher, life coach and project director
John Dunlop, alternative medicine and eco-
logy consultant Tsahai Ungar and coordinator
of active aging smail Oyank, met with health
ofcials and mayors of districts in Kastamonu
province on a six-day trip to Bolu, Karabük
and Kastamonu. World Aging Council Cha-
irman Kemal Aydn noted that the mayors of
Devrekan and Bozkurt were especially interes-
ted in their senior center projects. The council
will present a report on the places where they
conducted research to the Secretariat Gene-
ral of the United Nations. Yaar Kuru Kastamonu
 08 TODAY’S ZAMAN S A T U R D A Y, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9
BUSINESS

OPEC president expects no change
in production level for December
OPEC should keep oil production un-
changed at its last meeting of the year
in December due to high oil stocks and
weak fundamentals in the global economy,
the group’s president said on Friday.
Jose Botelho de Vasconcelos, who is also An-
gola’s oil minister, told journalists that although
many in the group were inclined to maintain the
current levels of production, OPEC had the capac-
ity to increase production at any time. “We know
that there are still some stocks in the market and
the economic fundamentals are still not being felt,”
Botelho de Vasconcelos said on the sidelines of a
session in parliament. Asked if he expected a deci-
sion by OPEC to change output in December, he
IMF chief does not see double-dip
US recession, sees recovery in 2010
replied: “I don’t believe so. But it’s an issue that The International Monetary Fund’s
could be raised, although that is currently not the managing director, Dominique Strauss-
sentiment in the group. Kahn, said on Friday the pace of the recovery
“If there is a need to [raise production], yes, in the US economy remains sluggish but he
but the sentiment indicates we will maintain pro- does not believe there will be a double-dip re-
duction.” OPEC will meet in Luanda, Angola on cession. He also said China’s economic stim-
Dec. 22 to decide on its oil production policy. ulus is helping to rebalance its economy to-
OPEC has kept ofcial output targets un- wards relying more on domestic demand but
changed at meetings this year, after it agreed to
curb output by 4.2 million barrels per day last
it still needs to let its currency rise over time.
In October, the IMF raised its US growth
year. Botelho de Vasconcelos also said he hoped
Angola would hold a new tender for oil explora-
outlook to 1.5 percent in 2010 but Strauss-
Kahn said that forecast could be on the pes-
tion licenses in 2010 after it suspended a tender
in the rst half of 2008 before the country’s rst
simistic side.
“Our forecast has that, not only in the
post-war parliamentary elections. Luanda Reuters United States but also for the rest of the world,
2010 will be a year of recovery,” Strauss-Kahn
told a news conference in Singapore where
he was attending an Asia Pacic Economic
Cooperation (APEC) meeting.
“I must say, in some respects, we had
been a little pessimistic because growth has
resumed a little earlier than expected, by one
quarter or so.” He said the dollar had re-
mained resilient throughout the global crisis
but most Asian currencies were undervalued
Ford says it sold
and reiterated calls for the Chinese yuan to
be revalued. “China’s economy in the com-
record number of
ing years will be focused on domestic growth
and the value of renminbi will have to be in-
Fusion sedans
creased,” he said. Singapore Reuters Ford Motor Co. said Thursday that its Fusion
midsize sedan has already broken the model’s
annual sales record even though US auto sales have
dropped 25 percent.
Ford sold 151,137 Fusions through Wednesday,
beating the full-year sales record of 149,552 set in 2007,
the company said in a statement. Fusion sales through

Leaders warn aganst pullng the rst 10 months of the year were up 15 percent from
the same period in 2008, according to Autodata Corp.
The Fusion was the top-selling car made by a
Detroit automaker through October. The Fusion is

stmulus packages too quckly made at Ford’s factory in Hermosillo, Mexico. It gets
up to 34 miles per gallon (14.5 kilometers per liter)
on the highway when equipped with a four-cylinder
engine and six-speed automatic transmission.

AP, NG HAN GUAN

Government and business leaders warned
Friday against withdrawing stimulus pro-
grams too quickly amid a growing recog-
nition the global economic recovery will be led by
China, India and other Asian countries.
The biggest economic crisis since the 1930s has
been the focus of this year’s Asia-Pacic Economic
But the general consensus was the balance
A gas-electric hybrid version gets up to 41 miles per
of global growth has shifted to Asia, with China,
gallon (17.5 kilometers per liter) in the city. The car’s
India and to some extent Indonesia leading as the
base price is just under $20,000 including shipping.
global economy emerges from recession.
Even at record levels, the Fusion’s sales num-
The “world needs China for development,”
bers still lag behind the top-selling midsize cars
China’s President Hu Jintao said at the conference.
in the US Through October, Toyota Motor Corp.
Asia’s economies are expected to grow 2.75
sold 294,493 Camry and Solara cars, while Honda

PHOTO
Cooperation forum, an annual gathering of 21 percent in 2009 and 5.75 percent in 2010, far out-
Motor Co. sold 244,579 Accords.
member economies from Asia and the Pacic Rim. pacing the West, according to International Mon-
The Fusion and its Mercury twin, the Milan,
“The measures the governments will take in a etary Fund. “So we are in the right region of the
have received good quality rankings from outside
few months ... will determine how quickly we can world. But risks still remain,” Lee said.
ratings groups. Four-cylinder versions of the cars
recover and whether we can sustain our growth,” But many say stable growth hinges on the suc-
nished second in the family car category, beaten
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said cess of government measures to increase spending
only by Toyota’s Prius gas-electric hybrid, in Con-
in a keynote speech at a conference of business and by Asian consumers, who whose high savings and
sumer Reports magazine’s auto rankings. Detroit AP
state leaders on the sidelines of APEC. low consumption reects a lack of retirement sys-
An electronic poll of the audience -- made up tems and affordable health insurance.
of top business executives -- showed that a major- “Our focus in countering the crisis is to
ity thought the worst of the crisis was over but ma-
jor challenges to stable growth remained.
expand domestic demand, especially con-
sumer demand,” Hu said, promising to make
British Airways
Following the crisis, governments across
the world pumped huge amounts of money
China less reliant on exports. Lee noted that
Americans, whose big-spending consumer-
confirms board
into the system to promote economic growth.
A large part went to provide liquidity to banks
ism has traditionally driven the global econ-
omy, are now saving 3 percent to 5 percent of
talks on Iberia deal
and major companies facing bankruptcy. their income, which he called sensible. British Airways PLC and Spanish airline Ibe-
Money was also given directly to households, “But if Americans are saving, somebody else ria SA conrmed they are holding separate
sometimes in the form of shopping vouchers. has to spend more somewhere else in the world. board meetings Thursday about a long-awaited
Rebates were paid for car purchases. This has to be in Asia. How this is achieved is not merger, responding to feverish speculation that
The United States injected $787 billion in stim- just a matter of printing [shopping] vouchers,” he has sent the companies’ shares soaring.
ulus plans. Asia, led by China’s $586 billion pack- said. Not everybody agreed that Asia will be the BA, the third largest airline in Europe, said the
age, pumped in more than $1 trillion. Policy mak- world’s savior. Victor Fung, chairman of Hong meetings would consider a “potential transaction”
ers worry that a sudden reduction of such spending Kong-based trading company Li & Fung, said the and that no deal has yet been reached. It declined
will destroy consumer and business condence. whole world has to pull together. to provide any further information.
“There must not be any premature with- “In order for this recovery to be sustainable, we The two airlines’ shares surged Thursday on spec-
drawal of scal incentives or scal packages really have to actually think about how we generate ulation that a deal announcement is imminent, pos-
until there is real recovery led by the private global demand,” said Fung, noting that 60 percent sibly on Friday, when Iberia announces nancial re-
sector,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib of global consumption comes from the West. sults that are expected to show an operating loss over
Razak said during a panel discussion later. “Fixing the nancial system stops the bleed- the rst nine months of the year. An announcement
Singapore’s leader said governments world- ing,” he said. “The body needs a fundamental re- would end more than a year of difcult negotiations
wide must coordinate the timing of withdrawal building, and that’s rebuilding domestic demand.” between BA and Iberia. The pair began talks about a
of their stimulus packages. Deferring the with- The nancial crisis resulted in a loss of about possible tie-up back in July 2008 in response to slow-
drawal for too long risks creating asset bubbles $1 trillion in US demand alone -- equivalent to the ing passenger demand, but discussions have faltered
that can become a “serious problem.” entire Chinese market. “You can’t expect the Chi- over issues including BA’s large pension fund decit
“How to withdraw that in a coordinated way ... nese economy to pick up the slack,” he said. and the proposed structure of a merged company.
that’s going to be a very delicate exercise,” Lee said. The APEC forum culminates in a week- Iberia also conrmed that the deal currently being
World Bank President Robert Zoellick, end leaders’ summit that will include Presi- discussed would give the Spanish airline 45 percent
also attending the conference, noted that dent Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu of the new company, with BA taking the remaining
among the greatest threats to recovery were Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio 55 percent. Analysts view a merger -- and a proposed
protectionism, lack of private sector initiative, Hatoyama, as well as leaders from South- revenue-sharing deal with American Airlines that is
unemployment in the West and ination. east Asia and Latin America. Singapore AP China's President Hu Jintao addresses the APEC CEO Summit in Singapore on Friday. still facing antitrust barriers -- as a necessary consolida-
tion in the airline industry after rising fuel prices and
the global economic downturn hit demand.
BA’s stock was up 10 percent at 220 pence ($3.64)
in afternoon trade in London on Thursday, making it
the biggest riser in the FTSE 100, while Iberia shares
jumped 13.3 percent to 2.25 euros ($3.35) in Madrid.
BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh has been among
MCAP 1-Y Change
the most vocally pessimistic airline executives about
Daily Monthly Yearly YTD Country Level
Close Change (%) Change (%) Change (%) Change (%) (million TL) Av.Volum (%) the outlook for the sector, warning that the key pre-
İMKB-100 48.746 -0,2% 3,3% 92,4% 81,5% 278.911 1.540 Hang Seng H.Kong -1,01 22.397,6 66.34 mium market may never recover. BA last week re-
İMKB-30 61.597 -0,4% 3,4% 91,5% 76,0% 227.975 1.172 Nikkei 225 Japan -0,68 9.804,5 52.97
52.3 ported a net loss of 208 million pounds ($346 million)
İMKB-IND 35.402 0,0% 1,4% 74,3% 79,0% 73.756 469 Cac 40 France 0,37 3.828,7 47.03
İMKB-BANK 109.886 -0,7% 4,4% 124,9% 96,3% 132.497 729 DAX Germany 0,40 5.691,2 for the six months ending in September, its rst-ever
33.66
DJIMT 10,40 0,0% 1,5% 48,6% 46,5% - 0,43 FTSE 100 UK 0,46 5.291,1 26,5 loss in the period, as revenue fell 13.7 percent.
Dow USA 0,00 10.259,0 8,6 9.7 The airline has begun a drastic cost-cutting
TurkDEX NASDAQ USA 0,25 1.787,4
US$/JP¥ S&P USA -0,07 1.097,7 Native Foreign Native Foreign drive, axing meal services on short-haul ights and
61,900 -0,68%
EU€/JP¥ 1,4925 0,61% BOVESPA Brasil -0,01 66.425,1 Number of Shares M.cap Number of Shares M.cap announcing sweeping job cuts and pay curbs that
AT A GL ANCE have raised the threat of strike action by its 14,000
CALENDAR
pected cabin crew. The airline has already slashed 2,500
No data ex Daily Monthly Yearly positions between June 2008 and March 2009 and
Ticker Price (TL) Daily Change (%) Ticker Price Daily Change (%) Ticker Volumes Price (TL) Yearly Change (%)
Close Change (%) Change (%) Change (%) US$/JP¥ 90,49
ECILC 1,82 10,98% GRUND 0,52 -7,14% THYAO 229,5 4,7 338,12
TL / € 2,198 -0,1% EU/JP¥ 134,66
plans to cut another 1,700, freeze pay for current
ASELS 8,45 6,96% AEFES 16,20 -5,81% GARAN 172,6 5,9 127,75 TL / $ 1,471 0,5% EU/US$ 1,488 staff and offer lower wages for new employees.
ECZYT 4,60 5,99% CCOLA 11,80 -4,84% ECILC 140,4 1,8 123,17 Iberia, meanwhile, is also cutting costs after losing
AKSA 1,81 5,23% GUBRF 7,50 -3,85% EREGL 123,0 4,2 42,65
¤165.4 million in the rst half of the year. Its board last
EREGL 4,22 4,46% TEBNK 2,15 -3,15% KOZAA 112,5 4,8 440,91 Price ($) Way Change (%) High Low
month approved a plan to freeze hiring through 2012,
Light C. Oil 77,33 -0,8% 78,26 76,93
Gold 1116,00 0,1% 1116,00 1116,00
freeze salaries for all employees in 2010 and 2011 and
ÝMKB 100 ÝMKB 30 ÝMKB IND RETAILER BIMAS CARFA BOYNR KIPA
Copper 295,95 -0,2% 300,10 293,00 offer early retirement for ight attendants over the age
Mcap TL -- -- -- 6.882,3 4.554 1.436 99 794 P/E: Share price divided by earnings per share is a measure of the price paid for a share relative to the
of 55. The strategy also calls for creating more long-haul
income or profit earned by the firm per share. ights, in which Iberia is the leading European airline for
P/E 2006/12 14,9x 14,2x 11,7x 250,6x 63,3x -106,2x 15,6x -21,3x EV/EBITDA: Enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, tax and amortization; “t” stands for
trailer and means the data over the last four quarters.
ights to Latin America, and slash short and medium-
P/E 2007/06t 10,7x 10,1x 8,9x 310,3x 56,5x -605,2x 6,1x -11,0x
P/E 2007/09t 10,2x 9,8x 8,9x 338,9x 50,3x -230,6x 5,1x -9,5x
(*) Yesterday's closing (**) Updated at 6 p.m. by GMT+2 haul ights, and create a new company to compete
Disclaimer: The information in this report has been prepared by BMD, Bizim Securities from sources believed
EV/EBITDA 2006/12* 6,6x 5,2x 7,9x 30,5x 42,6x 18,0x 6,2x 43,3x
to be reliable. All the information, interpretations and recommendations covered herein relating to
better on such routes. The deal would form an alliance
EV/EBITDA 2007/03t* 7,3x 5,8x 7,8x 32,0x 39,6x 21,7x 5,7x 77,9x investment actions are not within the scope of investment consultancy. Therefore investment decisions on a combined route network serving 443 destinations
EV/EBITDA 2007/06t* 7,0x 5,7x 7,9x 29,2x 37,5x 22,4x 5,0x 37,2x based only on the information covered herein may not bring expected results.
in 106 countries with 6,200 daily departures. London AP

CMYK
 CINEMA SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009 TODAY’S ZAMAN 09

THIS WEEK IN THEATERS

‘The Tournament’
The Tournament is a battle among 30 of the
world’s deadliest assassins that takes place
every seven years in an unsuspecting town. The
last man standing receives a $10,000,000 cash
prize and the title of world’s No. 1 assassin (which
itself carries a legendary million-dollar-a-bullet pri-
ce tag). The Tournament is set up by a group of
sick billionaires who watch the mayhem unfold
via CCTV and bet on its outcome. Each of the as-
sassins carries a tracking device embedded un-
der their skin, allowing the observers to monitor
the tournament and the assassins to track
each other. The tournament lasts for 24 ho-
urs, and if no assassin has won, then the
tracking device under their skin will explo-
de. When a French assassin removes his
tracker and throws it into a coffee pot, a lo-
cal priest (Robert Carlyle) who inadvertently
swallows it is caught in the crossfire.
Directed by: Scott Mann
Genre: action
Cast: Robert Carlyle, Kelly Hu, Ving Rha-
mes, Sebastien Foucan, Liam Cunningham,
Ian Somerhalder

‘The Watercolor’
Twelve-year-old Marco is very good at drawing.
Seeing his talent, Marco’s father introduces him
to three street artists. Eighteen-year-old Lorella,
brought up by these artists, becomes Marco’s
art teacher. Marco falls in love with her. Howe-

AS WE
ver, Marco’s love is unrequited. Lorella is in love
with an art collector who despises watercolors.

D
Having discovered this, Marco starts collecting

L KN
every drawing he can get a hold of, with the dre-
am of becoming the greatest watercolor collector

OW
one day. The poor street artists give him all of the-
For Emmerich, what ir drawings. When Marco turns 30, he opens the
R

boxes he has been keeping in his attic. What he

the 2012 prophecy really
WO

finds in these boxes will change his life forever.

IT
Directed by: Cihat Hazardal
means is making zillions of Genre: drama
dollars at the box office to happily Cast: Sarp Alemdarolu, Haluk Bilginer, Sava
Dinçel, Cansel Elçin, Tamer Karadal
enjoy the remainder of his years by

‘2012’: TH
HE

E EN D O F T
bringing us one of the longest and
most overwrought disaster
movies ever to be made

EMNE YILDIRIM ÝSTANBUL
The “2012 prophecy” is so murky that you can
choose for yourself just what to believe in. It
could really mean the end of our planet or may-
be that we will move into a new “spiritual plane,” re-
connecting with the “universal divine light conscious-
ness.” For the life of me, I can’t fathom what that me-
ans, but if it entails my astral self moving around witho-
ut being attached to my body, then 2012, be my guest.
For Roland Emmerich and his producers, what the
2012 prophecy really means is making zillions of dol-
lars at the box office to happily enjoy the remainder
of their years by bringing us one of the longest and
most overwrought disaster movies ever to be made.
Those of you who believe the 2012 phenomenon will be
a life-changing spiritual journey, you are wrong; just like
Valentine’s Day, Christmas and New Year’s, it’s really abo-
ut squeezing out the dollars. One thing is for sure, the film is
one hell of a ride, and it isn’t a surprise after Emmerich’s pre-
vious string of disast-o-ramas “Independence Day,” “God-
zilla” and “The Day After Tomorrow,” where the most famo-
us landmarks in the world came tumbling down like a house
of cards. What is it about watching the Eiffel Tower crashing
down or the ruination of the White House that is such a huge
thrill? It’s almost like a masochistic joy rather than an inflic-
tion of terror, but maybe Emmerich has already gotten us ac-
customed to his signatory hullabaloo and involuntarily pus-
hed us into a void numbness over monumental destruction.
Nevertheless, all is in place in “2012,” and the more ridi-
culous the ride gets, the more we find ourselves getting in-
volved -- thankfully Emmerich knows how to use real cha-
racters rather than cardboard cutouts who find themselves
in the middle of force majeure, even though cheesy bits are
inevitable. Which brings me to another overused Hollywo-
od cliché: the horribly written “I love you” dialogues befo-
re someone is about to die. Aren’t we all tired of cringing
when we wish we were crying?
The film starts in 2009. Global
scientists discover the core of the
earth is shifting due to exponen-
tial heating of the sun. You know
what that means: massive eart-
hquakes, massive tidal waves and
massive volcanic eruptions. One ge-
ologist, the humanist Adrian Helmsley,
takes this up with the White House (inste-
ad of Morgan Freeman, we have Danny Glo-
ver as US president). It isn’t long before the glo-
bal leaders embark on building a handful
of massive arks in Tibet (!), kept sec-
ret from the global public. The catch
is, only the rich, the powerful, po-
litical leaders (as if we needed
them), some genetically diver-
se Homo sapiens and the ani-
mal kingdom will be included
on board: This is the future of
the human race. Well, no one
said it was democratic, so let’s
call it natural selection.
Of course, we cannot for-
get about the ordinary man, and
in comes failed novelist Jackson Cur-
tis (John Cusack), currently working as
a limo driver. He lives in California, separated
from his estranged wife (Amanda Peet) and his two kids,
Lily and Noah. The earth’s crust hits California first (a little re-
venge fantasy there?), and Jackson has little time to save his
family before the total collapse of the Golden State. We see
him driving crazily through the cracks of the earth, accessing
a small plane in the nick of time, flying it, then driving a van
through the volcanic Yellowstone Park and then trying to re-
ach a larger plane that will take them to China. Jackson finds
out about the ark and will do
anything to save his family’s
life. Wouldn’t you?
“2012,” running at 158
minutes, is a full-blown
blast of a nonstop rollerco-
aster ride where we become
the meek subjects of an audi-
ovisual abundance of CGI plane-
tary mayhem. Never do we have a
minute to breathe as we watch peop-
le trying to run away and surviving or trying
to run away and being gobbled up by
earth or just accepting their fate as
massive tides swoop them up
like shellfish. Would you beli-
eve it, there’s even a tsuna-
mi that reaches the Hima-
layas! The only consolati-
on we’re left with is the Zen
state of the Dalai Lama.
Sure there will be
survivors, those in the
ark, and guess where they
will be headed once the
earth takes its new geologi-
cal form? To Africa, which turns
out to be the only place in the world
that hasn’t been devastatingly affec-
ted. A bit of Third World tit-for-tat politics ne-
ver did anyone harm, and if you’ll remember, Emme-
rich included similar irony in “The Day After Tomor-
row” when millions of Americans were trying to get
into Mexico after their fair land’s lethal freeze out.
“2012” is the ultimate crash course in natu-
ral disasters. If you’re interested in watching our
planet’s doom, this is the film for you.
‘Bornova Bornova’
One day in the lives of three young men from the
same neighborhood in zmir’s Bornova district.
Hakan (Öner Erkan) is a young man who spends
his entire day in front of the neighborhood’s gro-
cery shop with Salih (Kadir Çermik), thinking,
“If we were just given the chance…” Salih, the
neighborhood’s psychopathic rogue, is like an
older brother to Hakan, who has just returned
home after completing his mandatory military ser-
vice. Hakan does not have a job, but he plans to
become a taxi driver to be able to realize all he
wants in this life: to earn just enough money to be
able to decently look after a small family and to
marry the girl he secretly adores. Salih is the only
person who listens to Hakan and gives him advi-
ce. Although Salih has grown up in a respectab-
le, educated family, he’s involved in every kind of
illegal business in the neighborhood. Everybody
in the neighborhood is scared of him, including
high school student Özlem (Damla Sönmez). Ha-
kan is crazy about Özlem, but he never had the
courage to talk to her in person. In the meanti-
me, Murat (Erkan Bekta), Salih’s childhood fri-
end and a doctoral student in philosophy, makes
a living through writing erotic fantasies. He tells
Hakan about an erotic fantasy that he wrote ba-
sed on an event involving Salih and Özlem. Di-
sappointed and confused, Hakan heads toward
Özlem’s house to learn about the whole thing.
Directed by: nan Temelkuran
Genre: drama
Cast: Öner Erkan, Kadir Çermik, Damla Sönmez,
Erkan Bekta

CMYK
 10 TODAY’S ZAMAN
TIES
Russia sees Lisbon
Treaty as good for ties
The European Union will be a tougher but more
predictable negotiating partner after the bloc’s
Lisbon Treaty comes into force, as it will be better
able to speak with one voice, a top Kremlin ofcial
said. The treaty, which comes into force on Dec.
1, will make the 27-member bloc more cohesive,
President Dmitry Medvedev’s foreign policy ad-
viser Sergei Prikhodko told reporters. “In many
events discussions with the European Union will
become more difcult because now they will be
speaking with one voice,” Prikhodko said in com-
ments released on Friday. The treaty streamlines
the EU’s cumbersome decision-making processes
and creates the posts of president and power-
ful foreign policy chief, jobs designed to give the
union more clout in world affairs. Russian diplo-
mats complain that rotating EU chairs with dif-
ferent agendas and personalities have made it
difcult to pursue stable relations. But many ana-
lysts say Russia will nd it harder to bypass Brus-
sels institutions and curry favor with individual
member states under the new structures. “We
need predictability, we don’t need rushing from
one side to another, politicising small technical
issues,” said Prikhodko, seen as a crucial foreign
policy gure in Moscow. Moscow Reuters
ENVIRONMENT
Rich nations’ cash
offers still not clear
Just weeks away from a major UN climate summit,
rich nations have yet to unveil specic amounts to
help poor countries ght global warming, Cana-
da’s nance minister said on Friday. Funding to
help poorer nations adapt to rising seas and more
chaotic weather is a make-or-break issue for talks
to try to seal a broader climate pact in Copenhagen
next month. The UN climate chief has called for an
initial $10 billion in funding to be offered by rich
nations in Copenhagen. EU leaders say develop-
ing countries would need 100 billion euros ($148
billion) by 2020. But Canada’s Finance Minister
Jim Flaherty said there were still no specic num-
bers on the table during high-level discussions at a
recent G20 meeting or during a gathering of Asia-
Pacic leaders, ministers and CEOs that ends on
Sunday. “At the G20 meeting in Scotland (last
week) we talked about nancing options but we
did not talk about numbers,” he told Reuters on
the sidelines of the annual Asia-Pacic Economic
Cooperation summit. Three weeks from the start
of the Dec 7-18 meeting in Denmark, that re-
mained the case, he said. Singapore Reuters
CRACKDOWN
China to boost efforts
in fighting piracy
China is expected to ramp up its naval presence
off Somalia and will co-lead the international
taskforce ghting piracy off the Horn of Africa,
naval ofcers said on Friday. Naval ofcers who
recently attended a meeting in Beijing of the
Shared Awareness and De-coniction (SHADE)
grouping which spearheads the anti-piracy ght
off Somalia, said China would become a co-chair
of the grouping along with the European Union
and the multinational Combined Maritime Forces.
“That is a leadership role in terms of making sure
that the meetings and the agendas for the meet-
ings are properly coordinated,” said Commodore
Tim Lowe, the deputy commander of the Com-
bined Maritime Forces during an international
anti-piracy conference in Hong Kong. “My hope is
that perhaps in April or May next year, we would
see China taking on that lead coordinator role for
the corridor, to provide protection in the corridor,”
Lowe told Reuters, referring to a ve-mile-wide
ocean strip which is policed by international war-
ships in the dangerous waters. Hong Kong Reuters
PLEA
Clinton pushes for
Manila-rebel deal
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged
the Philippines and the country’s largest Mus-
lim rebel group on Friday to strike a peace
deal before President Gloria Macapagal Ar-
royo steps down next June. Clinton said she
believed Arroyo, whom she met over dinner
on Thursday, was committed to ending the
decades-old Muslim conict in the south-
ern region of Mindanao and was prepared to
make tough and unpopular decisions. “I think
that the president is committed, she wants to
see this done,” Clinton said during a televised
question-and-answer session with students in
Manila, referring to reaching a peace deal with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). “In
fact, what I often found is that it is easier to
make these difcult decisions when you are on
the way out of ofce because you know what’s
at stake and you are willing to brave the politi-
cal re.” “So strike while the iron is hot, that’s
an old saying. When people are in the mood
and willing to make peace, do not sleep, do not
rest until you nally get there. Manila Reuters
British ruling Labour Party keeps seat in Scottish fiefdom
Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s ruling Labour
Party enjoyed an unexpectedly comfortable win
on Friday in a vote for a parliamentary seat in one of its
Scottish strongholds, probably the last such test of pub-
lic opinion before a national election due by next June.
Labour candidate Willie Bain polled almost three
times as many votes in Glasgow North East as second
placed candidate David Kerr from the pro-indepen-
dence Scottish National Party, maintaining Labour’s
grip on a seat it has held for 74 years.
The win, although widely predicted, gives some
welcome respite for Brown before an election which
opinion polls suggest he will lose to the opposition
center-right Conservatives.
With Labour’s share of the vote in the socially de-
prived Glasgow constituency up by six points to nearly
60 percent, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said it was
a “remarkable victory” that vindicated Brown and his
handling of the economic recovery.
“It is a really strong endorsement of Gordon Brown
and what he is doing to get the country through this
international recession,” Murphy told Sky News.
US and Japan vow to
revtalze straned tes
AP, PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS
PHOTO
President Barack Obama, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama shake hands before the start of
their bilateral meeting at Kantei, the latter’s official residence, in Tokyo, on Friday.
Israelis seen backing possible talks
with Hamas, latest poll shows
More than half of Israelis would support
peace talks with the Palestinian Hamas
group if it recognised Israel, a poll published
on Friday said. The results of the survey con-
ducted by the Israeli Dialog Institute seemed
to suggest Israelis were blaming Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas, a Hamas rival, for
a deadlock in peace talks, more than Israel’s
rightist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
the Haaretz newspaper wrote.
A peace plan oated on Sunday by a for-
mer defense chief, Shaul Mofaz, suggesting
possible talks with Hamas if the Gaza rulers
were to drop their refusal to recognize Israel,
was backed by 57 percent of Israelis, the poll
showed. It also showed an increasing major-
ity backing Netanyahu. Mofaz, number two
However, only a third of voters went to the polls,
down from nearly half at the last election in 2005,
and commentators said Labour would struggle to
repeat the success nationwide.
“It was very much a Scottish by-election fought on
local issues,” said John Curtice, politics professor at the
University of Strathclyde. “It is not a trick that can be
repeated south of the border. It doesn’t mean to say
that the Labour Party has suddenly turned the corner.”
Center-left Labour, in power since 1997, has seen its
support suffer during a deep and enduring recession and
with a rising death toll among British troops in Afghani-
stan. Bain, 36, sought to play up the vote as a spring-
board for a Labour revival across Britain. Labour trails
the Conservatives by upwards of 10 points in polls.
“The message for the general election is clear
-- game on,” Bain told cheering supporters. “It was
a resounding “No” to (Conservative leader) David
Cameron.” Analysts caution against reading too
much into one vote, but Labour needs to maintain its
strong position in Scotland if it is to cling on to pow-
er or limit the Conservative majority. Glasgow Reuters
lawmaker in Israel’s largest opposition party,
Kadima, also proposed giving Palestinians 60
percent of West Bank land for a state and com-
pensating Jewish settlers to leave these areas.
Western countries have said they would en-
gage Hamas only if it renounced violence, accept-
ed interim peace deals with Israel and recognized
its right to exist. Abbas had threatened to avoid
standing for reelection, blaming Netanyahu for a
delay in peace talks stalled since December. He
has since agreed to delay a scheduled Palestinian
poll after objections voiced by Hamas. Despite
the support for Mofaz’s ideas, Netanyahu had
also gained greater backing in recent months, the
newspaper said. The poll was taken after Netan-
yahu’s talks with U.S. President Barack Obama
in Washington on Monday. Jerusalem Reuters
CMYK
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
Scottish Labour Party candidate Willie Bain (C) gestures to photographers during the Glasgow North
East by-election vote count at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center in Glasgow, Scotland.
Washington’s relations with Hatoyama’s
government, which has promised to oversee a
diplomatic course less dependent on its long-
time ally and forge closer ties with Asia, are
frayed by a dispute over a US military base
US President Barack Obama
and Japanese Prime Minister
Yukio Hatoyama pledged on
Friday to revitalize their strained se-
curity alliance as they adapt to a rap-
idly rising China.
Washington’s relations with
Hatoyama’s government, which has
promised to oversee a diplomatic
course less dependent on its long-
time ally and forge closer ties with
Asia, are frayed by a dispute over a
US military base.
“I told him that the US-Japan
alliance is the cornerstone of every-
thing,” Hatoyama told reporters after
their summit. “But given the chang-
ing times and global environment, I
would like to deepen the alliance and
create a new US-Japan alliance that
is constructive and future-oriented.”
Obama, on his rst trip to Asia as
leader, agreed.
“Our alliance will endure and our
efforts will be focused on revitalizing
that friendship so that it’s even stron-
ger and more successful in meeting
the challenges of the 21st century.”
Tokyo is the rst stop in Obama’s
nine-day Asian tour that takes Obama
to Singapore for an Asia-Pacic sum-
mit, to China for talks on climate
change and trade imbalances, and to
South Korea, where North Korea’s
nuclear ambitions will be in focus.
Hatoyama and Obama agreed on
a plan to review their alliance over
the next year, with a view to deepen-
ing it as they celebrate the 50th an-
Saudi villages evacuated due to
violence in Yemen, UNICEF says
Some 240 villages in Saudi Arabia have been
evacuated and scores of schools closed due
to ghting which has now spilled over from Ye-
men, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNI-
CEF) said on Friday, citing local contacts. Saudi
Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, launched
an offensive last week after Yemeni rebels seized
Saudi territory along the mountainous border
from which they said the Saudis had been allow-
ing Yemeni troops to use to attack their positions.
”Fighting has now spilled into Saudi Arabia,
reportedly causing 240 villages to be evacuated
and more than 50 schools to be closed,” Sigrid
Kaag, UNICEF’s regional director for the Middle
East and North Africa, said in a statement.
The information came from UNICEF’s con-
tacts on the ground, a spokeswoman said in
WORLD
REUTERS, DAVID MOIR
PHOTO
niversary of their security treaty.
Hatoyama, whose Democratic
Party defeated its long-dominant ri-
val in an August election, repeated
his view that a row over on the US
Marines’ Futenma air base on south-
ern Okinawa island should be re-
solved as soon as possible.
On Friday, eight elderly victims
of the 1945 bombs demonstrated
along with supporters outside the U
Embassy in Tokyo calling for Obama
to push ahead towards his vision of a
nuclear-free world.
The two leaders were, however,
expected to stress the positive, agree-
ing to cooperate in ghting global
warming and promoting nuclear dis-
armament, while calling on North
Korea to rejoin stalled six-party talks
on its nuclear arms program.
“Pursuit of nuclear weapons
and missile delivery systems makes
North Korea and the region less se-
cure, whereas negotiations in the
six-party process to achieve the
peaceful denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula can bring security
and prosperity to North Korea and
the region,” Obama told South Ko-
rea’s Yonhap news service.
North Korea warned the South it
was ready for battle over a disputed sea
border with a pledge to take “merciless
military measures to defend” what it
saw as the correct line. The two Koreas
had their rst naval reght in seven
years on Tuesday, but there were no
reported casualties. Tokyo Reuters/AP
Geneva, giving no further details. A Saudi gov-
ernment adviser said on Thursday that Saudi
Arabia is using air power and artillery to enforce
a 10 kilometers (six mile) deep buffer zone inside
Yemen to keep the Shiite rebels away from its
southwestern border. Fighting between Yemeni
troops and Houthi rebels, who say Yemen’s
Zaidi Shiite minority suffers discrimination and
neglect, has ared on and off since 2004 in the
northern province of Saada.
UNICEF voiced deep concern at the escala-
tion of the conict in north Yemen, where the
United Nations now says 175,000 people have
been displaced by the ghting. More than 15,000
are staying in al-Mazraq camp in Hajjah province,
the population of which has doubled in the past
month, according to the agency. Geneva Reuters
 WORLD S A T U R D A Y, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9 TODAY’S ZAMAN 11

Global warmng’s Syrian leader Assad

REUTERS
urges firm US plan
msunderstood on Mideast peace

PHOTOS
vctms Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that
US President Barack Obama should come up
OPINION with a rm plan of action to renew peace talks be-
tween Syria and Israel. In an interview with French
Bjørn Lomborg daily Le Figaro published on Friday, Assad said the
TODAY’S ZAMAN dialogue initiated by Obama’s administration had
not gone “beyond an exchange of views.”
“There has not been an executive plan,” he
BAMAKO, MALI -- Media organizations in wealthy coun-
said. Assad is due to meet French President Nico-
tries regularly send forth reporters to nd “victims of global
las Sarkozy on Friday, hot on the heels of Israeli
warming.” In dispatches from the Pacic Islands, Bangladesh
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who was in
or Ethiopia, journalists warn of impending calamity. Global
Paris earlier this week. While Netanyahu said he
warming is the most horric challenge facing these regions,
was ready to start peace negotiations with Assad
we are told. Its resolution is vital.
immediately, the Syrian leader accused Israel of
But seldom do we hear from the local people who are
not truly wanting to relaunch talks.
said to be in danger. These people are not voiceless; we just
“But the weak point is the American spon-
pay no attention to what they say.
sor [of peace talks],” Assad told Le Figaro.
The Copenhagen Consensus Center set out to ask people in
“What Obama said about peace was a good
global-warming hot spots about their fears and hopes. In Mojo,
thing. We agree with him on the principles, but
central Ethiopia, our researchers met Tadese Denkue, a 68-year-
as I said, what’s the action plan? The sponsor
old former soldier with no regular income. “I never know when I
will be able to buy myself some food,” he said. “I only know that has to draw up an action plan,” he said.
I suffer a lot. This is not a decent life.” Assad said that while relations with the United
Tadese has never heard of global warming. When it is ex- States had improved, issues such as continued U.S.
plained to him, he is dismissive. He has more immediate con- sanctions against Syria were hindering any joint
cerns: “The rst thing I need is food, and then a job.” work towards peace in the Middle East.
Tadese is suffering from his second bout of malaria this Asked about Israel’s complaint to the United
year. He has lost count of how many times he has contracted Nations earlier this month about what it said was an
Healthcare worker Damian Blaza (bottom) passes out numbers to people waiting in line to receive a free H1N1 flu vaccine at Richard J. Daley College in Chicago. Iranian attempt to supply weapons by ship to Leba-
the disease. Our researcher accompanies him to a free clinic.
The electricity is not working. A doctor admits that most pa- nese militant group Hezbullah, Assad accused Israel
tients are sent home without testing or treatment: the clinic of lying. “What proof is there that the arms were for
has run out of medicine.
The threat of more malaria has been used to argue for
drastic carbon cuts. Warmer, wetter weather will improve
conditions for the malaria parasite. Most estimates suggest
H1N1 has klled 3,900 Hezbullah or someone else?” he said, adding that a
sovereign state had the right to buy arms. He said
Israel’s seizure of the ship amounted to “an act of pi-
racy in the middle of the Mediterranean.”
Peace talks between Israel and Syria faltered in
that global warming will put 3 percent more of the earth’s
population at risk of catching malaria by 2100.
The most efcient, global carbon cuts -- designed to
keep temperature increases under two degrees Celsius --
Amercans, US CDC says 2000 over the demand by Damascus for a full with-
drawal from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau
Israel captured in a 1967 war and later annexed.
would cost $40 trillion a year by 2100, according to research
More complete data and more comprehensive calculations than previously Turkey later mediated a limited series of con-
tacts between the two countries, which failed to re-
by Richard Tol for the Copenhagen Consensus Center. In released now show that, in the rst six months of the pandemic, H1N1 sult in any formal negotiations. Israel accuses Syria
the best-case scenario, this expenditure would reduce the
at-risk population by only 3 percent. infected an estimated 22 million Americans and put 98,000 in the hospital of helping to arm Hezbullah and Hamas, its militant
In comparison, spending $3 billion annually on mosqui- enemies in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Assad also
to nets, environmentally safe indoor DDT sprays and sub- H1N1 swine u killed an esti- said the new unity government formed in Lebanon
sidies for effective new combination therapies could halve mated 3,900 Americans from created stability and made it easier for Syria, which
the total number of those infected within one decade. For April to October, including more ended its 29-year military presence in Lebanon four
the money it takes to save one life with carbon cuts, smarter than 500 children, US health ofcials years ago, to have normal relations with its neighbor.
policies could save 78,000 lives. said on Thursday. More complete data “The formation of a unity government auto-
Of course, malaria is far from the only reason we worry about and more comprehensive calculations matically means an improvement in Syrian-Leb-
global warming. Twenty kilometers from Mojo, our researcher than previously released now show that, anese relations, with a view to their normaliza-
met Desi Koricho and her 8-month-old son, Michel. Every two in the rst six months of the pandemic, tion,” he said. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad
weeks, Desi walks four hours to take Michel to the health center. H1N1 infected an estimated 22 million al-Hariri formed a new unity government on
After two months of malnutrition treatment, Michel has grown a Americans and put 98,000 in the hospi- Monday that includes two ministers from Syr-
lot but remains half the normal size of a baby his age. tal, the US Centers for Disease Control ian- and Iranian-backed Hezbullah. Paris Reuters
Michel is not Desi’s biological child. She took him in after his and Prevention said.
father committed suicide and he was abandoned. Desi likely suf- Of these totals, children account for 8
fers from undiagnosed malnutrition herself. It is rife here. There
are no roads, electricity or other infrastructure. Conditions are
million of the infected, 36,000 of those in
hospital and 540 deaths. “I have already
Carla Bruni denies
cramped and unhygienic. “We need everything,” Desi says. Solv- seen a larger number of deaths than we
have had for several years,” the CDC’s Dr.
influencing French
ing the malnutrition challenge would be a good start.
Campaigners across Europe and the US use the threat of star- Anne Schuchat told reporters. “I do be-
lieve the pediatric death toll from this pan-
had been led to expect about 8 million
doses this week,” Schuchat said. “Based
trapolation based on detailed data from
10 states. CDC’s precise count of con-
President Sarkozy
vation to argue for drastic carbon cuts. For most regions, weather France’s rst lady, model-turned-singer Carla
changes will increase agricultural productivity. Cruelly, this is not demic will be extensive and much greater on what we have today, we aren’t ex- rmed u deaths is 1,265.
Bruni-Sarkozy, has rejected accusations of in-
the case for parts of Africa that are already suffering from hunger. than what we see with seasonal u.” pecting to meet that estimate that the “For inuenza it’s virtually impos-
uencing President Nicolas Sarkozy’s political deci-
But, as with malaria, all of the evidence shows that direct pol- In an average u season, about 82 manufacturers gave us.” Many things sible to nd every case with a lab test.
sions, saying he was “not a yes-man.”
icies are much more effective than carbon cuts. One effective, un- children die in the United States, the CDC can go wrong with u vaccine produc- So the estimation method we are using
After French media published anonymous
der-appreciated intervention is providing micronutrients to those says. But those are lab-conrmed cases, tion, Schuchat noted. now we believe gives a bigger picture, a
comments from members of Sarkozy’s center-right
who lack them. Providing vitamin A and zinc to 80 percent of the which Schuchat points out are far lower probably more accurate picture of the full
UMP party criticizing her for supposedly passing on
140 million or so undernourished children in the world would than the kinds of estimates released on Quick antivirals scope of the pandemic,” Schuchat said.
her left-leaning views, she retorted that she had no
require a commitment of just $60 million annually. For $286 mil- Thursday. For the rst six months of this The CDC said doctors need to treat In an average u season, about 36,000
interest in politics. “How can anyone imagine that
lion, we could get iron and iodine to more than 2.5 billion people. pandemic, 129 US children who died had cases of severe u quickly with the anti- Americans die and 200,000 are hospital-
my husband is a yes-man who lets himself be in-
The choice is stark: for a few hundred million dollars, lab-conrmed H1N1 u. The CDC said viral drugs Tamiu, made by Roche AG, ized. But 90 percent of these are people
uenced!” the Italian-born Bruni-Sarkozy said in an
we could help almost half of humanity now. Compare this swine u is causing the worst u season Relenza, made by GlaxoSmithKline, or over 65. With H1N1, the opposite is true
interview with Friday’s edition of Elle magazine.
to the investments to tackle climate change -- $40 trillion in the United States since 1997, when for severe hospitalized cases, peramivir, -- 90 percent of those infected and seri-
“In a couple, each partner has personal inuence
annually by the end of the century -- which would save a current measurements started. made by BioCryst. ously ill are younger adults and children.
over the other but I don’t have any political inuence
hundred times fewer starving people (and in 90 years!). For “What we are seeing in 2009 is un- But a team of CDC experts said in And Schuchat pointed out that it
on my husband. Fortunately, because that would be
every person saved from malnutrition through climate poli- precedented,” Schuchat said. “Inuenza a report released on Thursday that only is only November. “We have a long u
hell!” Media reported that UMP members were up-
cies, the same money could have saved half a million people is really serious. The vaccines we have about 75 percent of hospitalized pa- season ahead of us,” she said. The US u
set by what they saw as a liberal artist’s inuence on
from micronutrient malnutrition through direct policies. are the best way to protect patients.” tients with laboratory-conrmed pan- season usually runs from October to May.
the presidency. In particular, Bruni-Sarkozy was said
Some argue that the choice between spending money on But the vaccines are being produced demic H1N1 get them. Most of the conrmed u cases are
to have persuaded the president to appoint Frederic
carbon cuts and on direct policies is unfair. But it is a basic fact and distributed slowly. Schuchat said Schuchat stressed that the pan- H1N1 u and about 30 percent of peo-
Mitterrand, nephew of the late socialist President
that no dollar can be spent twice. Rich countries and donors have 41.6 million doses were available or had demic is not worsening but noted that ple who show up at the doctor’s ofce
Francois Mitterrand, as culture minister.
limited budgets and attention spans. If we spend vast amounts of been distributed but this is far below it takes time to gather data on u cases and are actually tested for inuenza turn
She said she had not foreseen the impact that
money on carbon cuts in the mistaken belief that we are stopping what had been expected. and deaths. Thursday’s count is not an out to have u, as opposed to some oth-
marrying the president would have on her life as
malaria and reducing malnutrition, we are less likely to put aside “Last week we did mention that we actual reckoning of deaths but is an ex- er infection. Washington Reuters
she had previously hardly known about politics, only
money for the direct policies that would help today. briey scanning the politics pages. Paris Reuters
Indeed, for every dollar spent on strong climate policies,
we will likely do about $0.02 of good for the future. If we
spent the same dollar on simple policies to help malnutrition
or malaria now, we could do $20 or more good -- 1000 times
better, when all impacts are taken into account.
On Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania -- where the effects
of global warming can already be felt -- our researcher en-
Bomber attacks Pakistani intelligence agency; 10 dead
AP, IJAZ MUHAMMAD

countered 28-year-old Rehema Ibrahim. Rehema was di- A suicide car bomber attacked an of- enclaves is vital for its Afghan effort. 1980s, but in recent years has become a target
vorced by her husband and disowned by her family after she ce used by Pakistan’s main intelligence The blast brought down the front of the of some militant factions.
failed to produce children. To nd out if she was the cause agency in the northwestern city of Peshawar three-storey building and sent a thick column Shortly after the Peshawar attack, a suicide
of the infertility, she started sleeping with other men. She is on Friday, killing 10 people and wounding 60, of smoke billowing over the city. car bomber attacked a police station near the
now HIV-positive, an outcast in a terribly poor society. ofcials said. The city, near the Afghan border, A wounded soldier said the bomber was in northwestern town of Bannu, killing seven
Rehema has noticed changes in the weather. She says has been targeted several times since the army a type of vehicle that usually delivers medical people including ve policemen.
that the snow and ice have been melting. She knows what began an offensive against the Taliban in South supplies. “All of a sudden it appeared on the Bannu is a gateway to the North Wa-
our researcher means by “global warming.” But, she says: Waziristan last month and militants stepped up wrong side of the road and began coming to- ziristan, another major militant sanctu-
PHOTO

“The issues I am experiencing have greater priority. The HIV retaliatory attacks. A military spokesman said wards the ofce,” the soldier, Nasir, told Re- ary on the Afghan border. Security is tight
and the problems it is causing are greater than the [receding] the bomber’s target was the ofce of the Inter- uters. “The guards opened re but it came to across the country with numerous checks on
ice.” Campaigners for carbon-emission reductions regularly Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. the entrance of the building as the ring went roads and it was not clear how the bomber
highlight the melting snow and ice of Mount Kilimanjaro. The attack came shortly before US National on and exploded.” It was not clear how many was able to approach the ISI ofce. Militants
But we need to pay as much attention to the people living in Security Adviser Jim Jones began a series of people were in the building when the bomber who attacked army headquarters in Rawal-
the mountain’s shadow. meetings with military and government lead- struck at about 6:40 a.m. (0140 GMT), before pindi last month were dressed in army uni-
*Bjorn Lomborg is the director of the Copenhagen Consensus Cen- ers in Islamabad. The United States, weighing the city’s rush-hour. The ISI has in the past forms and travelled in a vehicle with military
ter and author of “Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to People injured in a suicide attack on a police station in Bakakhel, options as it struggles to stabilise Afghanistan, supported extremists, beginning with guerrillas markings, reecting an increasing sophisti-
Global Warming.” © Project Syndicate 2009. near tribal region of Waziristan, arrive at a local hospital in Bannu. says Pakistani action against militants in border battling Soviet occupiers in Afghanistan in the cation in their attacks. Peshawar Reuters

CMYK
 12 TODAY’S ZAMAN S AT U R D AY , NOVEMBER 14, 2009 EXPAT ZONE

[ DIARY OF AN EXPAT BRIDE ]

CULTURAL CORNER

TODAY’S ZAMAN, TURGUT ENGIN

CHARLOTTE
McPHERSON

Move that car

Driving in stanbul requires not only skill
but character. The other day a neighbor
across the street needed to leave a parking

PHOTO
lot, but a car was parked in front of the exit,
blocking the way. Does this situation sound
familiar to you?
I think we would all agree that if you
were to park your car and block my drive-
way, I would have a right to be irritated
with you. However, more often than not
the guilty party doesn’t seem to acknowl-
edge his mistake when it is brought to
his attention. Although it is true that the
driver whose path was blocked had the
right to be more cheesed off with the other
driver, it does not always bring about the
result you want.
Often foreigners who move to Turkey
need to recognize that things are handled
differently from how they may expect or
how they would handle it back home.
The other day some cars were parked in
a no parking zone in front of a car dealer-
ship. The police came along to tow the il-
Psychologist Eda Arduman, who specializes in couples and family therapy as well as psychotherapy, notes that cross-cultural couples have the added issue of dealing with each other’s respective culture and customs. legally parked cars. The manager of the car

Therapy for cross-cultural couples

ELLE LOFTIS STANBUL
Last February I attended a speech given
by Eda Arduman, clinical psychologist,
M.A. Eda specializes in couples and family
therapy as well as psychotherapy. Born and raised in
the San Francisco Bay Area, Eda later moved to Tur-
key and attended Boaziçi University, completing
her undergraduate and graduate studies in clinical
psychology. She has worked, coached and taught at
various institutions worldwide. Her ofce is current-
ly located in the stanbul seaside district of stinye.
Can and I were not yet married when I rst
met Eda. Although my and Can’s relationship is
quite strong and secure, I felt relieved that such
a qualied therapist practiced in stanbul and we
could go to her if needed. Can and I, like most
cross-cultural couples, have a lot of extra baggage
to deal with. I liked Eda immediately because her
background is both American and Turkish, giving
her a unique understanding of cross-cultural rela-
tionships. Language can be a key point of misun-
derstanding, and Eda’s uency in both English and
Turkish is a denite plus. Knowing both cultures
intimately also puts her on safe ground with both
sides. I visited Eda recently in her spacious ofce
with a fabulous Bosporus view, and we discussed
cross-cultural therapy over coffee.
As we sat on navy blue sofas on a rainy stanbul
day, she rst stressed to me that there are several
qualied couples therapists located throughout
Turkey. She is actively involved, along with other
Turkish psychologists, in work with platforms
and associations with the European Union. She
stressed to me that while there are several great
therapists in stanbul, there is no governing body
that checks and regulates licensing, unlike the rig-
orous controls in the US and EU. It is important
to know your therapist’s background and where
they were certied before making a commitment.
Once that is established, and you nd someone
you are comfortable with, you are ready to begin.
dealership rushed out to inform the police
that they were about to tow his car. Discus-
sions looked as though they were becoming
a bit heated. And within a few minutes, the
police were on the radio calling for back up
and the manager was on the phone calling
for reinforcements.
Finding a therapist is probably the easiest part. therapy as an option. Step back from whatever ap- adult development. Changing is not giving up.
We always tell our guests if you see a
Convincing your partner to come and agree to ther- proach you have been taking and allow the other All of the same applies in regards to dealing with
crowd stay away for your own safety. I sat
apy can be quite another. Growing up in Europe person to breathe and take the lead in their ap- families. In my case, dealing with my Turkish in-laws
quietly observing from a distance and sip-
or America, the “yabanc” (foreigner) in the rela- proach to therapy. Be quietly persistent. It’s not has proved the biggest challenge to Can’s and my
ping my tea.
tionship most likely was raised without the cultural easy, as I know from personal experience. It can be relationship, as well as to my personal sanity. While
Obviously since the police called for
taboo of seeking help through therapy. TV shows done, but requires a lot of patience and should be a lot of my problems with my mother in-law tend to
more police, the manager called his close
and movies lled with psy- viewed as an opportunity be cultural, I think that it is also based on other fac-
mates or family members to come help him.
chological jargon and about for growth. Personally, I had tors. It’s sad, but I have frequently reached the point
therapists and people seek- Psychologist Eda to really watch myself and where I refuse to see things from her perspective. I
Soon two cars arrived: police jumped out of
one and from the other came Uncle Tom
ing therapy have made get- really concentrate on not feel vulnerable and constantly open to attack. While
ting help socially acceptable.
Arduman stresses pressuring Can to talk or do I think the chances of convincing my mother-in-law
Cobley and all -- who’d come as back up
for the manager.
Turkey is a bit different, that Turkish society something he didn’t want to to enter therapy with me are slim to none, I none-
My grandfather once said to one of my
however. Eda stressed to do. He had to decide it was theless can use some of the tactics that Eda suggest-
me that Turkish society
and families focus on time. When he did, the talk ed to help my individual growth. I also can try and
brothers: “Son, the heaviest thing in the world
is that chip on your shoulder. Get over it!”
and families focus on the the group rather than that we had was so open and see things from her point of view whenever possible.
Let’s go back to my rst example: The
group rather than the indi- honest it truly was a turning While dealing with my mother-in-law will continue
vidual, unlike the Western the individual, unlike point in our relationship. to be a struggle, I may consider seeing Eda sometime
majority of drivers who block the parking
lot entrance will apologize and move the
model. It can then be scary
if one person wants to seek
the Western model. According to Eda, cross-
cultural couples have the
in the future with my husband, Can, to help both of
us deal with the stresses that this fractured relation-
car so you can exit, but this is not always the
case. If the driver refuses to move the car or
therapy, and they can feel ‘It can then be scary added issue of dealing with ship is causing. Eda also does family therapy, so this
is nowhere to be found and nothing can be
intimidated, scared or pres- each other’s respective cul- is an area that she knows well. She encourages deal-
sured out of their decision
if one person wants ture and customs. Generally, ing with the problems of triangulation, between the
done, you have the right to be angry with the
person. However, rather than taking the law
easily. Recalcitrant spouses to seek therapy, the American and European three components causing the issues. This can be
into your own hands, you should call the po-
are not unique to Turkey, model raises us in a culture made up of anything from the couple, to the in-laws
and Eda gave me several and they can feel of over-individuation. We or children. In all cases, proximity management is
lice, and they should ticket the car or tow it.
This is not usually the case here.
examples of American men intimidated, scared aspire to be “solely inde- key, which I entirely agree with.
A friend was telling me about his neigh-
who showed up to therapy pendent.” This is complete- Both before and after my marriage to Can, I
with their spouse and faked or pressured out of ly counter to the Turkish was bombarded with many stereotypes and nega-
bor who went on holiday and had parked
his car in front of their building, making it
their way through the ses- standard. Cracks and trem- tive stories of why our relationship would fail. I
sions. She prefers an honest
their decision easily’ ors result in the everyday believe in my relationship, and I love my husband
hard for residents and guests to go in and
out of the front entrance. The building’s
approach, where the part- conict of these ideals. From and it saddens me that so many cross-cultural re-
tenants discussed having the car towed, but
ner stresses how they honestly feel about attend- both personal experience and from speaking with lationships are viewed as failures in Turkey. While
some neighbors warned if he came back and
ing a session. “Honesty is easier to deal with,” she other friends in cross-cultural relationships, I know I can’t single-handedly change this image, the in-
found they had had the police tow the car,
said. Couples therapy should focus on relationship that it is the little, everyday clashes resulting from formation and resources listed above can provide
he would do something terrible to them.
building, which can take away some of the scary this that caused the biggest rifts in our relationship. hope to other couples in similar situations. By
People were afraid to take action.
social stigmas of therapy. Trying to nd middle ground, without feeling like sharing my story and struggles, I want to illustrate
Naturally, when the neighbor returned a
Still, according to Eda, there are many ways either person is giving in too much, is critical. This that a cross-cultural relationship can work de-
week later, other tenants in the building re-
that you can present the option of therapy to your is why I believe that Eda can help couples navigate spite the odds. There are resources available, and
fused to say hello to this family and in their
partner in a non-threatening way. First, be aware these tricky waters. She advocates the importance people willing to help. Please don’t give up hope,
own way hassled him about his mistake.
of the potential cultural, social and personal op- of listening to each other, while also challenging and ask for help if you need it. More information
They were carrying a grudge, and they did
position. Try and get an ally that he or she trusts, stereotypes that deserve challenging. Both sides about Eda can be found on her Web site in both
not let go of it very quickly.
such as a close friend or relative, who can suggest need to view things differently, which is a part of Turkish and English at www.edaarduman.com.
Grudges come in many shapes and siz-
es: Large grudges often are a result of ma-
jor conicts, and one person, often the one
who feels scorned, won’t allow the conict
to be forgotten.
Some large grudges focus on the family.
TODAY’S ZAMAN, MEHMET DEMIRC

You may know of a family situation where

‘Publc Places, Prvate Spaces’
KATHY HAMILTON ISTANBUL
In a metropolis the size of stanbul, how do
we dene and create our own personal space
amidst millions of other inhabitants? Where can
we go to have a sense of privacy when we live in
a city that spans two continents and never seems
to sleep? The Photography Club of stanbul Inter-
national Women (PCIIW) has a new exhibition
that examines some of the ways people attempt
a grudge has split the family. Also grudges
between business partners and colleagues
lika Kemmler, Annabel Pattullo, Elaine Graham, at work are common. The drive to get even
Jennifer Odlum, Linda Caldwell, Margie Lambert- is a strong force. Grudges can make you feel
en, Mariette Rijnsdorp, Mojca Androjna, Shona miserable. They certainly don’t help you
Schneider, Sibylle Giraud and Sophie Greiveld- feel good about others, either.
inger are featured in the exhibition. Each photog- I was inspired to write my piece yes-
rapher brings her own unique style and interpre- terday “What do you mean by the ‘real’
tation of the subject matter to the show. The result words?” because of things readers have
is a creative, personal view of how we all relate to shared with me. You’d be surprised at
the world around us. As with the photography the number of apartment buildings where
club’s previous exhibits around town, this show- neighbors live in such close proximity and
PHOTO

to carve out their own private spaces, nding ways
to be alone, yet never lonely, within a city teeming
with others also seeking their personal space.
Twelve women from around the world of-
fer intimate glimpses of private moments forged
in public places. The show, titled “Public Places,
Private Spaces,” is brilliantly illustrated through
mesmerizing color and black-and-white photo-
graphs. Works from Andrea Durchankova, Ange-
ing of photographs will have viewers leaving with
a different outlook on their own lives and how
they too create their own personal sense of space.
“Public Places, Private Spaces” runs through
Nov. 26 at Arnavutköy Art Gallery.
Address: Arnavutköy Art Gallery, Arnavutköy
Cad. 75, Arnavutköy, stanbul
Phone: 0 212 257 06 67
Web site: www.arnavutkoyartgallery.com
yet are not on speaking terms because of
a grudge.
Life is too short to feel wronged or short-
changed in life. Deal with it and move on.
“Resentment or grudges do no harm to the per-
son against whom you hold these feelings but
‘Public Places, Private Spaces’ aims to share photographers’ perspectives of how we define and cre- every day and every night of your life, they are
ate our own personal space and how we all relate to the world around us in a city the size of stanbul. eating at you.” -- Norman Vincent Peale

Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart:

Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations
coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s
NOTE: Today’s Zaman intends to provide a lively forum for expatriates living in Turkey. We encourage you to contact us at voice@todayszaman.com and share your experiences, questions and problems in all walks of life for publication in Today’s Zaman. Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com

CMYK
CULTURE&ARTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
RICHARD PRICE:
A real writer wants to write novels
AHSEN UTKU STANBUL
“Screenwriting is not healthy writing,” says
Richard Price, an acclaimed American novelist-
screenwriter who was in stanbul last weekend
to speak in a panel discussion as part of this year’s stan-
bul Book Fair, which wrapped up last Sunday.
Born in New York City, Price grew up in a
working-class housing project in the Bronx. Early in
his life, Price was taken with the fact that his factory-
worker grandfather was writing poetry. “I don’t
know if it was good or bad -- I was too young --
but it made an impression on me. So, I had it in my
mind, I wanted to be a writer. I didn’t know if I had
anything to write about, but it stayed within. And
in my 20s, I nally had my story to tell,” he recalls.
Price graduated from Cornell University and
also did graduate work at Stanford University. Te-
aching writing at Columbia, Yale University and
New York University, he received an Academy
Award for Literature from the American Academy
of Arts and Letters Awards in 1999. Among Price’s
novels are “The Wanderers,” “Clockers” (later
made into a movie by Spike Lee), “Freedomland,”
“Samaritan” and “Lush Life,” which will be publis-
hed in Turkey in January by Alfa Publishing.
The 60-year-old author has also penned nu-
merous screenplays, including 1986’s “The Color of
Money,” for which he was nominated for an Os-
car, as well as “Life Lessons” (1989), “Mad Dog
and Glory” (1992), “Ransom” (1996) and “Shaft”
(2000). During his stay in stanbul, Price spoke to
Sunday’s Zaman about his career.
Your rst novel was published when you
were 24, and it was made into a movie. It must
have been a good beginning.
It made a little bit of a splash because I was so yo-
ung and that became a kind of interest to the book
world because at that time, 1974, people did not pub-
lish at that age. It didn’t sell incredibly well and the mo-
vie didn’t do particularly well, but it established a name.
Did you start writing screenplays after your
novels were made into movies?
Two of my novels were made into movies wit-
hout my participation. They had screenwriters to do
it, which was probably a good idea. But because pe-
ople saw how I wrote in the books, they thought it
was very cinematic, so I just had offers such as if you
ever want to try screenwriting, and after a couple of
books, I just felt I had nothing else to write about,
so I decided to take them up on it and see what was
it like to be a screenwriter so I kept writing at least.
Can you foresee whether a work will succe-
ed or not?
I’m nervous about everything I do. All I can do is
complete it … I can’t think about anything else but
nishing the work.
You say that you need psychiatric nursing
while you write. What do you mean?
For me it takes a few years to write a book. I
feel so anxious about “was this a good idea?” It just
American novelist-screenwriter Richard Price speaks during a panel discussion at last week’s stanbul Book Fair.
means that someone has to calm me down, like an
editor; he should convince me that it’s worth wor-
king on so that I’ll go on. It’s like temperamental.
It’s a sort of a joke. ... Familiarity is important beca-
use I realize that I go through this with every book.
But the minute I nish that book, I forget and then
I go through it again. Someone has to tell me, “This
is the seventh time you’re going through this,” and
somebody has to be around me enough to know.
Which is more essential for you, novels or
screenwriting?
Novel writing. You don’t have to get anybody’s
permission to do it. You can’t write a screenplay un-
less somebody gives you a job. It’s like you can’t be
an actor unless someone gives you a job. But you
write a novel, or you paint a picture; all you need is
the material and whether the item is good enough
to be published or not. It seems like a simple decisi-
on; there’s nobody involved.
You say that writing novels and screenplays
at the same time hurts you.
It’s like playing two different sports at the same
time such as playing European football and one hour
later playing American football. I have only one brain,
and I can’t multi-task because there’s such a big diffe-
rence of sensibility between novel writing and screen
writing. They rely on different instincts, and if you try to
do them at the same time, they will cross over. If you’re
writing a script, it’s for the screen; people watch it so
the writing is supercial. When you’re writing a novel,
you’re multi-dimensional because you’re plunging in-
side a character; you’re narrating a world around. And if
you try to write a novel with a screenwriting sensibility,
it would be very supercial. And if you write a screenp-
lay with a novel writing sense, it would be too heavy.
While writing scripts, do you imagine the cha-
racters as certain people, like specic actors?
No, I don’t think about that. I put all my energy into
making the novel. If I tried to write creatively and at
the same time thought about a movie, it takes away the
concentration of the task. The task is to write the novel.
Once you’re done, there’s no harm in having conver-
sations, wouldn’t this actor be good, etc., but I can’t do
that while writing; I have to do the work.
How would you feel if your novels were adap-
ted for the cinema by different directors from Tur-
key or Europe?
That would be very interesting. It depends on the
people and on the situation. Another dilemma is that
I don’t speak any other language than English. So,
when the translations are made, I can’t tell if it’s good
or bad. But it would be interesting to see how some-
body from Turkey would interpret my story because I
nd people in this part of the world much more invol-
ved in the life of the family. That is not necessarily the
case in the United States. The generations live toget-
her in the same house; the grandmother lives in the
same house; the bride moves into the groom’s house.
I didn’t have that experience. This is a sensibility that
might be Turkish or anything not American. I would
like to see my script ltered through what’s important
to other cultures in my story. It might be something
that I don’t think is particularly important, so it might
be interesting to see how somebody would interpret it.
“The sin wasn’t to write the screenplays. The
sin was to write them well.” What do you mean
by these words?
Writing novels is a very solitary occupation. When
you’re done, it’s all yours. Screenwriting is anything
but solitary, you’re working with directors, actors, stu-
dios, agents and you have no control over that. You
have a social world; you have a connection with ot-
CMYK
TODAY’S ZAMAN 13
FESTIVAL
Moscow Virtuosi Quintet
at Antalya Culture Center
The Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra, the
TODAY’S ZAMAN, HÜSEYN SARI
orchestra in residence at the annual Antal-
ya International Piano Festival, will be onsta-
ge this weekend in the southern holiday re-
sort city for this year’s event. The orchestra is
taking part in this year’s festival as a quintet.
Under the baton of revered maestro Vladimir
Spivakov, the Moscow Virtuosi Quintet will
accompany pianist Olga Kern in a program of
pieces by Russian composers in Sunday’s con-
cert, which will take place at 8:30 p.m. at the
Antalya Culture Center (AKM).
PHOTO
DANCE SHOW
her people that writing novels won’t allow you. Scre- ‘Troya’ to hit the road
enwriting is not healthy writing. You don’t control
what you’re trying to say about the world; other peop-
for four-date Ankara run
le do it for you. So, for a real writer, I think you want “Troya,” the critically acclaimed dance pro-
to be a novelist because it’s you and nobody can affect duction by Anadolu Atei, the world-famous
that. The problem in screenwriting is that there’s al- Turkish folk dance company also known as
ways people that want to talk to you about your work. the Fire of Anatolia, will travel to Ankara next
When the product is nished, you feel a little cheated month for its rst ever performance there. The
because all you did was to write it on paper, and it’s up show, featuring a score composed by Yücel
to everyone to put it up on the screen. You think that Arzen and performed by the Prague Philhar-
what they did is not what you exactly think, but you monic Orchestra, recounts a 3,000-year seg-
can’t do anything about it. But you do it again becau- ment of Anatolia’s history, taking Homer’s
se this actor’s name is involved, or it’s a location to be legend of Troy as its starting point. Its four-
excited about, but I think it hurts seriously. night run in the Turkish capital is scheduled
Is there any specic person that you want to for Dec. 23-26 at the Anadolu Show Center.
work with? Tickets, priced between TL 40 and 120, can be
I worked with many different people; I think the purchased at Biletix sales points.
most creatively successful stuff was done by Martin
Scorsese. In terms of actors, I don’t think that any
actor is consistently excellent. Even the great actors
have bad roles, even the great directors have bad
lms, even the great writers write bad books.
What do you read, and what do you watch?
I read a lot of history and any ction. I don’t watch
too much. I worked on a TV series called “The Wire.”
I watch that, but I’m not much for TV. And I don’t go
to the cinema much. As for authors, I like Robert Sto-
ne, Richard Yates, but I like books too because nobody
consistently writes excellent books. But there are wri-
ters that I automatically buy a book of theirs. And I’d
like to know what these writers are going to write abo- BLOCKBUSTER
ut next. But it’s kind of random.
You’ve seen the stanbul Book Fair. What do
‘Iron Man’ sequel to get
you think about the literary sphere in Turkey? May release in Turkey
The only Turkish writer [I know] is Orhan Pamuk. “Iron Man 2,” the eagerly anticipated sequ-
I don’t know if Turkish writers have broken into the el to last year’s superhero blockbuster “Iron
American sensibility. Only 3 percent of all the books Man,” will open in Turkish theaters on May 7,
in America are translated from another language. And 2010, the same date as its US theatrical rele-
that includes countries culturally close to America like ase, the Turkish movie Web site sadibey.com
France, Germany, England and so on. I don’t know any has reported. “Iron Man 2,” directed by Jon
Dutch writers; I don’t know any Turkish writers; now Favreau with Robert Downey, Jr. reprising the
I’m meeting Turkish writers. But I’m trying to get a sen- title role as billionaire industrialist Tony Stark,
se by meeting writers, of what the work is about, but is to be released in the UK on April 30. The
I’m not there yet. I’m not qualied. sequel is set six months after the events of
One of your works was related to Michael “Iron Man” and follows how Stark’s revealing
Jackson’s video “Bad.” of his identity is taking its toll on him.
It’s embarrassing.
But don’t you think it’s more signicant to-
day after Jackson’s death?
No, but ... the funny thing is that I live in Har-
lem in New York, which is a predominantly black,
historically black neighborhood. And I was on the
street when Michael Jackson died. And it was like
every person on the street started talking, it was like
George Washington died, like Atatürk died. The
entire neighborhood, everybody was on the cell
phone; it was like a phenomena. I didn’t know how
important he was to the culture. He just seemed so
weird to me. When I worked with him, it was just
a music video; I just met him once, years ago. They FESTIVAL
treated him like a God died. It’s a little bizarre.
If they offered to remake the video would Chano Dominguez to
you accept? close Pera Fest 2009
Probably not. The older I get, the more I want to Latin jazz, post-bop and amenco jazz pia-
do what I really want to do. And that’s writing novels. nist Chano Domínguez today performs the -
Are you working on something at the moment? nal concert of this year’s Pera Fest in stanbul.
I’m writing a novel about Harlem. It’s a slow pro- Domínguez, known for his ability to perform
cess. It takes a few years, but it depends on how familiar almost all modes of amenco on the piano, will
I am with what I’m going to write about. It takes about be onstage at Bahçeehir University’s Fazl Say
three years. I try to observe the community, and I have Hall to present a selection of pieces from his
to change all this into a ction. I have to write a story, wide-ranging repertoire, which blends amen-
but the rst part is learning what I need to learn. co with jazz in his own unique style. The con-
cert will start at 8 p.m. Tickets, priced at TL 45,
can be purchased at Biletix sales points.
 14 TODAY’S ZAMAN
‘RED LINES’ OF THE
DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVE
Inside the
wide-ranging
spectrum, where the
PKK together with
the pro-Kurdish
Democratic
Society Party and the
Nationalist Movement
Party are two opposite
ends, the government
should try to focus
on maintaining
negotiations,
instead
of bargaining
Scenes from yesterday’s meeting in Parliament show that there is much progress that must be made before this calm settles with regard to the AK Party’s democratic initiative.
“Red lines” is a military term referring to the borders of the
“forbidden zone.” The military tends to set certain red lines
beyond which it allows no one to pass, thereby declaring that
zone to be forbidden. What if anyone crosses those lines? The
answer to this question is still determined by military means.
Any breach of these red lines is sufficient reason to start a war.
This phrase, however, has over the last several years frequently
been used by politicians, who employ it without paying much atten-
tion to its proper usage. By referring to this phrase, they try to state the
principles or issues about which they will not make any concession or
which they will not open to discussion. This expression adds some
harshness to the political discourse. When you sit at the bargaining
table, you use this phrase to put pressure on your opponent.
In an à la turca political debate, this harshness is particularly sig-
nicant because the debates relating to an issue are conducted with
an emphasis on bargaining. In the East, bargaining is commonly used
to settle on the price of a particular product, and is a considerably
open-ended process. Tourists visiting the Grand Bazaar in stanbul
are frequently exposed to this form of bargaining. The important
thing is to know how to bargain. A vendor may say that the price
of a souvenir is TL 500 while the real value of that product might
be, say, TL 50. Thus, if you don’t have an idea about the cost of
that souvenir, it is virtually impossible for you to nd its real price.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is trying to
solve the Kurdish problem by resorting to methods of deliberative de-
mocracy. When transferred to Turkish politics, this technique, devel-
oped in Anglo-Saxon democracies, is translated into an environment
of debates conducted via bargaining. In this bargaining method, there
is a great abyss between the real intentions and how much compromise
can be made. Standing on one side of this abyss, a politician
makes his “no bargain” warning by referring to “red lines.”
CHP’s red lines
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) joined the
debate conducted in Parliament about the government’s demo-
cratic initiative by drawing its red lines even with greater em-
phasis. The CHP has five main red lines: (1) No constitutional
amendment can be made on an ethnic basis; (2) The definition
of the nation cannot be changed; (3) Education in the Kurdish
language cannot be allowed; (4) Separation projects cannot
be implemented; and (5) Counterterrorism efforts cannot be
abandoned and no concession can be made in this regard.
The rst item concerns the constitutional denition of citi-
zenship and the inclusion of the words “Kurd[s]” or “Kurdish”
in the Constitution. The third item clearly rejects education in the
mother tongue. The last item refuses any bargaining with the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The second and fourth items
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are nothing but abstract expressions. The important thing about
these lines is that they are characterized by a prevailing military
approach. The CHP does not offer any solution to the Kurdish
issue, but only talks about prohibitions. Let us return to the mili-
tary’s denition of “red lines.” Faced with a complex problem
which they cannot solve, the military simply opts to set pro-
hibitions about it. That is why the military dictatorial rules
impose a plentitude of bans and prohibitions and turn the
country into a prison.
The CHP does not have any project to solve the Kurdish issue. It
only wants to say, “You cannot enter these zones,” while the govern-
ment lists its proposals or Kurds make demands. It makes no expla-
nation about the reasons or justications or rational consequences
of these items. It just defines them as red lines.
OK, but what are their margins set for bargaining purposes?
The government’s red lines
The government does not have any openly declared red lines. Back
from the start, the government has always refrained from announc-
ing any red line. Also, it has not made any clear commitment about
the positive content of the initiative. Looking at the matter from the
outside, we can still explain this picture by referring to the analogy
of bargaining in an Eastern marketplace. Two opponents -- one a
potential buyer and the other a seller -- shake hands, and keeping
their hands in this state and shaking them aggressively, they try to in-
timidate each other, thereby convincing the other of the seriousness
of their bid. The seller asks, “How much money will you give for it?”
Eyes xed on the commodity in question, the potential buyer gives a
similar response, “How much money do you want for it?” In short,
the price is not yet set, i.e., there is uncertainty as to the situation.
So far the government has not made any explanation about the
content of the initiative. Instead, it has made an interesting move
which the opposition cannot comprehend. It just implemented the
initiative. Signicant advances have been made. Almost all this prog-
ress has been made while opposition parties were chanting criticisms
of “we do not know anything about the content of the initiative.”
What was done, then?
With an amendment to prison regulations, the ban on speak-
ing in one’s mother tongue during visits paid to prison in-
CMYK
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009 OPINION
GÜRKAN
ZENGN
g.zengin@todayszaman.com
Why s the
chef prosecutor
TODAY’S ZAMAN , AL ÜNAL
beng montored?
Exempting judges and prosecutors from being asked
questions is out of the question. If they abuse their pow-
ers or do not comply with their responsibilities it is very
normal that action is taken against them according to
standard procedures. If necessary, their telephone con-
versations can be lawfully monitored as well. There is no
doubt about that. But the written statement released by
PHOTO
the Justice Ministry in the aftermath of reports on the
issue reveals that there are some questions that need
immediate clarication. The Justice Ministry statement
noted that the phone conversations of 56 judges and
prosecutors were monitored and read “after the exami-
nation by the Supervisory Board, it was suggested that
there was no need to launch an investigation against 46
of the judges and prosecutors including stanbul Chief
Public Prosecutor.”
The statement shows that stanbul Chief Public
Prosecutor Aykut Cengiz Engin’s telephone conversa-
tions were also monitored. The stanbul Chief Public
Prosecutor is not an ordinary prosecutor. He is the su-
pervisor of prosecutors leading the most critical investi-
gation of Turkey’s recent past. Why did Justice Ministry
inspectors feel the need to monitor the telephone con-
versation of Ergenekon prosecutors’ supervisor? Based
on what suspicion or reason did the court approve the
inspectors’ permission for wiretapping?
The statement reveals that it was determined that
mates by their relatives was abolished, which was a big prob-
there was no need to launch an investigation against
lem. State TV started broadcasting programs in Kurdish for
stanbul Chief Public Prosecutor after the wiretaps.
24 hours a day. The establishment of private TV stations that
will air Kurdish programs was allowed. Civil registers started
Okay but why were the prosecutor’s telephone conver-
sations intercepted for four and a half months?
to accept Kurdish names in their records. Recently, a citi- It wouldn’t surprise anyone if Ergenekon had con-
zen named his child “Kurdistan.” The reverting of names of nections to the highest levels of the judiciary however
geographical locations to their originals is making quite a the Justice Ministry’s statements has created serious
progress quietly. It is now possible to establish Kurdish questions on whether these connections have extended
language and Kurdish literature departments. to include the prosecutors that are directly leading the
The progress the democratic initiative contains is obvious to investigation? There are two basic questions that have
a certain extent: the re-naturalization of people who committed formed about Engin. Is he under suspicion in connec-
political crimes but were not involved in armed conict, the non- tion with the Ergenekon investigation? Is there suspi-
imprisonment of children who throw stones at security authorities, cion that the Ergenekon organization has reached the
the evacuation of the Makhmour camp, the possibility of holding highest ofcials leading the investigation?
retrials, the strengthening of local administrations, the expansion of The Susurluk Commission set up in parliament
freedom of expression, the introduction of elective courses in Kurd- ten years ago was also in charge of investigating “gangs
ish, and the wide usage of Kurdish as the mother tongue. within the state.” It later emerged that some of the in-
Are there any red lines the government has specied for the spectors assigned to the commission were connected to
initiative? There are boundaries -- instead of red lines -- which go the deep organizations that the commission was inves-
beyond the government’s power and which seem impossible to tigating.
surmount. First and foremost, none of the constitutional amend- The Ergenekon case is the most important case in
ments can be made by the government. This automatically con- Turkey’s recent political history. We are facing a situa-
cerns the denition of citizenship and education in one’s mother tion in which prosecutors leading the Ergenekon in-
tongue. Inserting addition letters into the alphabet in order to bet- vestigation are also under suspicion. The suspicion and
ter represent Kurdish words or utterances is an articial problem reason for wiretapping Engin, the chief proseuctor of
because there is no actual obstacle to the use of these letters. prosecutors must be explained.
The AK Party is losing votes in western Turkey. Thus, we The government must clarify the issue in a way that
can say that the real red lines are set by the balance of votes. will satisfy the people. Moreover, aside from Judges and
While managing the initiative, the government is required to Prosecutors Association (YARSAV) President Ömer Fa-
remain balanced. According to bargaining conventions, the ruk Eminaaolu and Sincan 1st High Criminal Court
government is to keep its word when it gives one. This is be- Chief Justice Osman Kaçmaz the names of the other
cause where it now stands is not suitable for bargaining. eight prosecutors and judges for whom it was decided
Inside the wide-ranging spectrum, where the PKK together that an investigation should be launched after monitor-
with the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and the ing their phone calls has not been revealed yet. Do these
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) are two opposite ends, the judges and prosecutors have anything to do with the
government should try to focus on maintaining negotiations, in- Ergenekon investigation? The answer to the question
stead of bargaining. The PKK’s only wish is to make sure that the must be urgently offered to the public.
democratic initiative accepts it as a legitimate side. It thinks that if it We need to know if we should trust Engin or not.
can do this, the organization and its policies will be legitimized in the Not just the public but the prosecutors heading the Er-
eyes of the Kurdish people. This PKK expectation is a red line of the genekon investigation are going to ask the same ques-
government. A government that negotiates with the PKK has no tion following the ministry’s statement. In fact, they are
chance of staying in office. gong to be doing the actual questioning. After all these
Debates delineated by red lines lead nowhere. In order for bar- prosecutors now know that suspicions have emerged
gaining to be replaced by negotiations, debates should rst spring up, about their supervisors and that their telephone con-
and then everything should be calm. The recent unpleasant scene in versations were monitored upon ministry approval and
Parliament wherein the initiative was discussed means that there is court order.
much progress that must be made before this calm settles in. If you were an Ergenekon prosecutor, what would
you think? If answers to these questions are delayed the
soundness of the investigation could be jeopardized.
Daðýstan Çetinkaya
dagistancetinkaya@todayszaman.com.tr
 COLUMNS S AT U R D AY , NOVEMBER 14, 2009 TODAY’S ZAMAN 15

Could the road to reunfyng Cyprus perhaps go through Westmnster?

Some months ago, I wrote about Cyprus and whether it would
be possible to overcome the impasse with regards to nding a
lasting and above all peaceful solution for the divided island;
I may have sounded overly optimistic at the time, but if every
commentator lost hope, there would be no more need to follow
developments in this part of the Mediterranean. Hence, I am
still optimistic about the possibility that some time soon a solu-
tion will be found. Where does my steadfastness come from?
Let us rst talk about the key actors involved in solving the
conict by starting with the international community, which
adds a fair dose of doubt to my optimistic outlook as the UN
is understandably less than enthusiastic as it cannot afford a
second no vote of any dimension. The UN is proactive on the
island but only to a certain extent.
Approaching Brussels and the European Union, we must
acknowledge that it is in the middle of redening itself, com-
plete with its rst-ever full-time president. Will it be Tony Blair
or someone else? Will it be a true leader or a leading bureau-
crat? We do not know. Putting Lisbon into practice will keep
the EU busy for months to come -- if not longer -- hence em-
barking on any “risky” Cyprus-related venture seems highly
unlikely. The question would be whether it is an issue for com-
mon foreign and security policy or whether it has become an
KLAUS
JURGENS
k.jurgens@todayszaman.com
“internal” matter involving one member state and one candi-
date country in the rst place.
With neither the UN nor the EU in the driver’s seat or even
certain whether it is one of their areas of concern, we come to
the level of individual states and the northern part of the di-
vided island, the sovereignty of which, except for Turkey, is not
recognized by the international community. And employing the
support of individual states explains my great hope that some
time soon a solution will indeed be found.
Learning from best practices is something that requires
great courage as you basically acknowledge that a certain poli-
cy-making area is in need of an overhaul. Finding lasting peace
for Cyprus is one such area where external help needs be sought
and cleverly employed. I suggest looking westward to London.
Let me come to my key point by mentioning another con-
ict rst. The United Kingdom has managed to nd peace in
Northern Ireland. I am fully aware of the fact that this process
was difcult and not awless as up until today splinter groups
exist that aim to destroy all that was achieved with even more
bloodshed. In general terms, though, it has been a huge success
as the alternative -- continuous mayhem -- would not have
helped the mainland or northern part of Ireland (an integral
part of the UK) either. I also know that members of families
who lost loved ones in this conict may not necessarily agree
with what I just said, but this is where leadership and political
wisdom must replace personal feelings, and that is the strategy
consecutive British governments nally employed: working for
the bigger picture for the benet of the entire nation.
London and its governments, regardless of their political
color, came to terms with the fact that a former empire had been
reduced to a modern nation-state, a frontrunner nation-state
though and very experienced in international relations.
Cyprus would benet quite signicantly from the same ap-
proach. First: Working for the common good, which in the case
of the divided island can only mean putting individual concerns
behind defending the wellbeing of the entire island. My per-
sonal viewpoint is that a two-state solution would not work out
well, neither politically or economically. Hence unifying it is --
or if argued differently, not accepting a permanent division.
Second: Accepting history as what it is and looking forward.
If a country like the UK managed a successful transition from
empire to single nation-state, Cyprus should be able to leave
the past (atrocities) behind and move on. This only works if
both negotiating teams act as honest brokers and do not try to
dominate or sideline the other side.
Third: Sharing best practices and listening to friendly advice
is required and would benet both the north and the south. The
UK, as a former colonial power on the island, could become a role
model for how to deal with conict and then turn it into peace.
The process of nding lasting peace on Cyprus puts many
matters into a proper, more modest context. It shows that the
UN’s inuence on people and nations has (logical) limitations.
It underlines the fact that the EU is light-years away from a co-
herent set of “foreign” policies. It asks Turkey to act as region-
al power with enough clout and wisdom alike to not let past
events block future developments. It gives the south and the
north the historic chance to negotiate according to their own
people’s devices. If the examples I gave above (working for
the common good, accepting history as what it is and learning
from best practices) are added onto that formula, my optimism
may very well last until the item “Solution for Cyprus” can be
taken off the international policy-making agenda.

EMRE ÖZDEMR
BERL No Comment e.ozdemir@todayszaman.com ABDÜLHAMT
DEDEOLU BLC
b.dedeoglu@todayszaman.com a.bilici@todayszaman.com

There are many Confesson

more walls to fall
The construction and the fall of the Berlin Wall has
many aspects of historical and sociological signi-
cance. The wall has proven how people can be kept
separated by material walls but also how it is im-
possible to resist peoples’ hopes and expectations.
The construction of the wall launched a new kind
of international system, and its fall launched an-
other one. Its construction was about ideological
antagonism, alienation and dichotomies imposed
by weapons threatening the very existence of na-
tions. Its destruction was about the reunication of
peoples, cooperation, human rights and stability.
The fall of the wall didn’t save East Germans or
many other people in eastern and central Europe
from remaining “Eastern Europeans,” but it helped
them leave the vicious circle they were in and con-
tributed to their efforts to become “Westerners.”
Invisible walls still exist, but at least there is hope of
seeing their destruction, too. Besides, the wall’s fall
has proven that states and regimes are not able to
resist their people’s will forever.
When you look at this event from a European
perspective, the fall of the Berlin Wall has increased
hopes about the future. It also allows us to discuss
invisible walls that have appeared since then in
Europe. It would be better for countries who don’t
want to see Turkey within the European Union but
who joyfully celebrate the anniversary of the wall’s
fall to keep in mind that a wall still exists within Eu-
rope’s borders. When we see the term “the fortress
of Europe” in certain European documents, it’s justi-
ed to suspect the presence of new visible and invis-
ible walls in the European geography. But again, the
Berlin Wall reminds us that there is no wall capable
of resisting global transformations, social changes
and the people’s will.
The fall of the wall is celebrated as the reunica-
tion of two separate worlds. It may be true in a Euro-
pean context, but it would be a mistake to generalize
it to the whole of humanity because in many parts of
the world, remnants of the “old” system are percep-
tible and they don’t give the impression that they are
about to disappear. Despite the people’s will, obstacles
remain. A “two-state solution” is yet to be reached in
Cyprus where the Green Line is still there. The Kore-
ans are still divided by a border full of land mines. Pal-
estinians can’t come together because there is a wall
there, too. Is it necessary to repeat that there are also
many people who benet from these walls?
In some particular cases, the efforts to bring
these walls down are criticized. As an example, Tur-
key is trying break down the physical and emotional
barriers with Armenia, but people who have made
these barriers a part of their identity are raising their
voices; there is a heated debate about Ankara’s hy-
pothetical U-turn toward the Middle East when Tur-
key decided to change its visa regime toward Syria
and to clear the border of land mines; when Ankara
criticizes the Gaza Strip’s isolation, some people
conclude that Turkey has become an anti-Israeli
country; and when Turkey doesn’t join the chorus
against Iran, it is accused of favoring the Muslim
world over its traditional allies.
As long as people use double standards when
determining their policies, the walls will persist.
Thanks to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germany had
the opportunity to pursue its Eastern policy through
pacist means, and that’s worth celebrating. Why be
stressed then, when another state tries to destroy its
own walls? Maybe some players’ stress is justied
because when walls come down, a new system starts,
and each new system means change and different
approaches. It’s not easy for everyone to admit that.
Understandng the Mddle East n Antakya
HASAN
KANBOLAT
h.kanbolat@todayszaman.com
An international symposium on friendship and coopera-
tion between the Middle East and Turkey was held in An-
takya on Nov. 3-5. The event was sponsored by the Hatay
Governor’s Ofce, the Atatürk Research Center Directorate
(ATAM), the Middle East Strategic Research Center (ORS-
AM) and the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEK).
For this reason, this symposium, where the economic, so-
cial, political and historical issues surrounding the Middle
East were extensively discussed, was an example of good
collaborative work attracting the contribution and partici-
pation of some 30 academics known for their expertise on
the Middle East. Hatay, home to different cultures and to
peaceful coexistence of people from different backgrounds,
is Turkey’s gate to the Middle East due to two border gates:
Cilvegözü with Syria and the Port of Iskenderun.
Professor Ali Arslan from stanbul University, who de-
livered the opening speech at the event, noted that there
are long-standing ties of brotherhood between Turks, Ar-
abs and Persians, adding that the conicts between these
communities have never been signicant or noteworthy. To
him, cooperation between these nations has always been
against a common enemy. For this reason, they should re-
consider cooperation for the prosperity and happiness of
the peoples in the region. The current Islamic identity of
the region is owed to the Ottoman Empire. Without the
Ottoman era, Christianity could have been the dominant
religion because of the impact and inuence of the Portu-
guese and the Venetians. Ruhsar Pekcan from DEK noted
that the total volume of bilateral foreign trade between
Turkey and Syria was $200 million when the Turkish-Syr-
ian Business Council was rst launched, adding that the
current gure exceeds $3 billion. Çetin Gürcün from the
Turkish Association of Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) recalled
that about 500,000 Syrians visit Turkey every year for tour-
ism purposes. He further noted that the number of Turks
visiting Syria is on the rise since the lifting of visa require-
ments between the two countries; however, he underlines
that the visitors still have some minor problems at the
gates. Dr. Muhammad Adil, chair of the Turkish-Arab Sci-
ence, Culture and Arts Association (TASCA), stressed that
the recent Turkish-Arabic rapprochement in political and
economic elds should be followed and backed by strategic
cooperation. Oytun Orhan from ORSAM said border dis-
putes are no longer serious problems for Turkey, whereas
Assistant Professor Veysel Ayhan from Abant zzet Baysal
University and ORSAM described Lebanon’s political in-
frastructure, which is determined by religious sect. Asso-
ciate Professor Özlem Tür from ORSAM and Middle East
Technical University (ODTÜ) noted that the ongoing crisis
in Turkish-Israeli relations is not healthy. The histories of
Iraq, Hatay and Antakya were also discussed at the sympo-
sium in separate sessions.
The symposium held in Antakya shows that we need
additional mechanisms for further cooperation in the
region. For this reason, we may apply the model of the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
(BSEC) in the region as well. An eastern Mediterranean
economic cooperation organization may be created; this
organization may have close ties with the Arab League.
Moreover, Middle Eastern intellectuals may pioneer an
endeavor by which a Middle Eastern house is created to
maintain dialogue between intellectuals in the region.
Bringing together intellectuals concerned about local
problems and issues may prevent further conicts and
disputes and contribute to the resolution of existing ones.
Dialogue between politicians and businessmen is based
on observance of interests. Dialogue between intellectu-
als, on the other hand, is focused on achievement of last-
ing and viable peace and friendship between peoples.
The press conference held on behalf of the General Staff to announce ac-
credited journalists revealed some very important facts. One of these un-
doubtedly is the General Staff’s confession that the whistle-blowing ofcer
-- who sent the original of the controversial conspiracy document to pros-
ecutors -- is a source that deserves to be taken very seriously.
Indeed, we soon found out that the information given by the whis-
tleblower about the Web sites that were labeled by the General Staff
and the Web sites created by the General Staff for psychological warfare
purposes was accurate. This informant had sent condential documents
titled “Web sites’ plan” and “List of psychological warfare Web sites”
attached to his second letter to the prosecutors.
A legal advisor to the General Staff, Hfz Çubuklu, ofcially conrmed
these documents, but he claimed that these Web sites were established
upon the instruction of the Prime Ministry. While his claim was soon refut-
ed, the General Staff’s conrmation about the plans attached to the whistle-
blower’s last letter can be seen as another conrmation about the original
of the conspiracy document fastened to his rst letter. So we can conclude
that this whistleblower is not a military ofcer who would eternally produce
fantasies in his mind. If the Web sites’ plan he disclosed in his second let-
ter can be substantiated, then the original of “The plan to nish off the AK
Party [Justice and Development Party] and [Fethullah] Gülen,” signed by
Col. Dursun Çiçek, attached to his rst letter, cannot be ignored.
Upon these developments, Çiçek, who signed the conspiracy docu-
ment that targeted the AK Party government and the faith-based Gülen
movement, was referred to the court for the second time, and he was
arrested and sent to jail. He still does not admit liability despite the
forensic reports. In this regard, the truth will come out at the end of the
trial process. But one thing is certain: The General Staff had established
some Web sites to manipulate the general public by way of defamations
and had labeled certain Web sites. This is what the people speaking on
behalf of the General Staff confessed.
I looked a little closer at the Web sites labeled by the General Staff.
The list is an exhaustive one: The English news sites, the national and
international sites where strategic issues are discussed. Every Web site
in the list was labeled with such attributes as “nationalist,” “anti-TSK
[Turkish Armed Forces],” “separatist,” “reactionary,” “pro-Jewish,”
“Atatürkist,” “news site,” etc.
Some of the Web sites are really those that the General Staff is sup-
posed to monitor with a security-oriented perspective. For example, the
Web sites that are known to be connected to terrorist organization Kurdis-
tan Workers’ Party (PKK) fall into this category.
However, the adjectives used to describe these Web sites give us hints
about how those who prepared the list, if not the General Staff, view the
world and developments. In this context, the Web sites labeled “pro-EU”
are of special concern. One of the Web sites that is labeled as such is the
Bianet Web site that reports on human rights violations in Turkey.
As far as we know, membership in the European Union is a state poli-
cy. All ofcial statements specically stress this. However, in this Web site’s
plan, the “pro-EU” label is used in such a manner that it seems as if it is a
group collaborating with the enemy.
It is not difcult to understand that the kind of minds that prepare
Web Sites under fake names and conduct psychological warfare, seeing
no harm in labeling people or groups with various denominations, would
be bothered by Turkey’s EU bid.
Indeed, the critical role of the EU cannot be overlooked in today’s Tur-
key, where we question the coup plans in which certain civilian and mili-
tary circles have been deeply involved.
Even if we are critical of the slow progress and of the double standards
applied against Turkey, this process has made great contributions to the
current state of affairs in which we can openly discuss yesterday’s taboos.
If the legal arrangements required for the Copenhagen criteria, a
prerequisite for membership negotiations, had not been implemented,
most of the columnists who wrote about these matters would have been
arrested. If it were not for this legal and psychological environment,
those who question the junta’s activities would be subject to interroga-
tion, not those who question them.
Without the EU process and the diverse contacts established with
Europe during it, it would be much easier to label the AK Party govern-
ment “pro-Islamic” and convince the West as such. For this reason, in any
comparison between the post-modern coup of Feb. 28 and the midnight
memorandum of April 27, we need to refer to the EU process. In 1997,
Turkish-EU relations were frozen. In 2007, Turkey was a country that start-
ed membership negotiations with the EU. Can you see how the West’s
reactions to these two coups differed? For this reason, it is no wonder that
the pro-coup mentality treats “pro-EU” people or groups as enemies.

CMYK
 16 TODAY’S ZAMAN S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9
LEISURE

Gregorian Calendar: 14 November 2009 C.E. Hijri Calendar: 27 Dhul-Qadah 1430 A.H. Hebrew Calendar: 27 Cheshvan 5770
calendar@todayszaman.com
Today is World Diabetes Day. This day was proclaimed in
1991 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the In-
move gude ternational Diabetes Federation. Nov. 14 was chosen because it is
the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best,
first conceived the idea that led to the discovery of insulin in 1922.
World Diabetes Day is also observed by the UN in accordance
with a Dec. 20, 2006 resolution of the UN General Assembly.
Today is Readjustment Movement Day in Guinea-Bissau.
This national holiday commemorates the day in 2002 when the
president of the country dismissed the government of Prime
Minister Alamara Nhasse, dissolved the national assembly and
called for legislative elections.
“2012” Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Jawaharlal Neh-
ru (1908-1964), the Indian leader of the independence move-
tv gude
E2
08:00 The Rachael Ray Show
a game against England at the nönü Stadium in stanbul with Duke of Edinburgh. He has held the title of Prince of Wales since 10:00 The Martha Stewart Show
12:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show
a score of 0-8. The sorrow and humiliation caused by this defeat 1958 and is styled “His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales,” 14:00 The Jay Leno Show
was cured only 15 years later when Galatasaray became UEFA except in Scotland, where he is styled “His Royal Highness The 16:00 Umutsuz Evkadnlar
18:00 Dedikoducu Kz
champion after winning against Leeds United in the semi-finals Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay.” 20:00 Later With Jools Holland
and against Arsenal in the finals. Today is King Hussein Day in Jordan. King Hussein Day cel- 21:00 Breaking Bad
22:00 Mad Men
On this day in 1985, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) of Tur- ebrates the birthday of King Hussein. Hussein bin Talal, King 23:00 Hung
key was founded by Rahan Ecevit, the wife of Bülent Ecevit, who of Jordan, was the ruler of Jordan from the time his father, King 24:00 Breaking Bad
01:00 Eastbound & Down
had been banned from political life in the wake of the 1980 coup. Talal, abdicated in 1952, until his death. Hussein guided his 01:30 It's Always Sunny In
Philadelphia
Soon after the ban on former Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit was country through the Cold War and through four decades of Ar- 02:00 Breaking Bad
lifted, the DSP became a major player in Turkish politics, win- ab-Israeli conflict, balancing the pressures of Arab nationalism, 03:00 Later With Jools Holland
04:00 Mad Men
ning 22.19 percent of the vote and 136 seats in Parliament in the the burdens of sheltering a large Palestinian refugee population 05:00 Eastbound & Down
1999 elections, becoming the largest partner of the ruling coali- and the allure of Western-style development against the stark
tion. After the death of Ecevit in 2006, the party formed an elec- reality of Jordan’s geographic location. CNBC-E
07:30 The Mighty B!
tion alliance with the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and man- Today is the liberation day of Aralk (Idr), Idr, Hayrabo- 08:00 Dora The Explorer

2012
08:30 Go, Diego! Go!
ment and the first prime minister of the country after partition. aged to win 13 seats in Parliament in the July 22, 2007 elections. lu (Tekirda) and Malkara (Tekirda). Aralk and Idr were 09:00 The Fairly Oddparents
STANBUL: BEYOLU AFM FTA 11:00 Nehru’s birthday is observed as Children’s Day in today’s India. Today is the birthday of the prince of Wales. The British liberated on this day in 1920 from a unified Russian and Arme- 09:30 Back At The Barnyard
12:50 14:30 16:20 18:00 19:45 21:30 10:00 iCarly
23:30 MAÇKA CNEBONUS 11:30 12:15 Today is the anniversary of the darkest day in Turkish soccer Virgin Islands celebrate the birthday of Prince Charles. Charles, nian occupation force. Hayrabolu and Malkara were liberated 10:30 Spongebob Squarepants
14:45 15:30 18:00 18:45 21:15 22:00 00:15 history. On this day in 1984, the Turkish national soccer team lost Prince of Wales, is the eldest son of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, on this day in 1922 from Greek occupation. 11:00 Two And A Half Men
CADDEBOSTAN AFM 10:30 12:15 14:00 12:00 The Big Bang Theory
12:30 One Tree Hill
15:50 17:40 19:30 21:20 23:10 ANKARA:
13:30 Gossip Girl
ATA ON TOWER 11:00 12:30 14:00 15:30 14:30 Merlin
17:15 18:45 20:30 22:00 23:00 00:00 15:30 Leverage
BLKENT CNEBONUS 10:45 12:15 13:55 16:30 Scrubs
15:30 17:10 18:45 20:25 22:00 00:00 17:00 The Jay Leno Show
ZMR: CNEBONUS KONAK PER 10:30 19:00 Doctor Who
12:00 13:45 15:15 17:00 18:30 20:15 21:45
23:45 ANTALYA: CNEBONUS MGROS
10:45 12:15 14:00 15:30 17:30 19:00 20:45
22:15 00:00 14:45 18:15 21:45
Tormented Caravaggo and 20:00 Cold Case
21:00 Without A Trace
22:00 The Closer
23:00 Ghost Whisperer
00:00 South Park

BORNOVA BORNOVA
STANBUL: ATAKÖY GALLERA PRESTGE
11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 22:00
Bacon connect n Rome show 00:30 Two And A Half Men
01:00 Doctor Who
02:00 Merlin
03:00 Leverage
04:00 Cold Case

REUTERS, MAX ROSSI

00:00 BEYOLU ALKAZAR 12:00 14:00 Portraits by Italian master to death after killing a man -- are echoed
16:15 18:45 21:00 MAÇKA CNEBONUS Caravaggio and Irish-born in their works. “They were both conscious GOLDMAX
09:00 Kekexili
11:00 13:00 15:15 17:30 19:45 22:00 00:15
ALTUNZADE CAPTOL 11:00 15:30 17:40 20th-century painter Francis of the shortness of life and of the fragility 10:35 Coneheads
19:50 22:00 00:10 ANKARA: BLKENT Bacon stand side-by-side in a new of humanity, and each powerfully conveys 12:05 As Good As It Gets
14:25 Sideways
CNEBONUS 11:00 13:10 15:20 17:30 19:40 exhibition connecting their tormented this consciousness through his art,” said 16:35 Interview
21:50 00:00 CNEBONUS PANORA 11:00 18:00 The People vs. Larry Flynt
13:00 15:15 17:30 19:45 22:00 ZMR: AFM views of humanity despite contrasting Peppiatt in a statement. 20:15 He Was a Quiet Man
FORUM BORNOVA 11:00 13:10 15:50 18:30 approaches to realism. Seventeen works by Bacon are fea- 21:55 Film Noir

PHOTO
21:00 23:45 CNECTY KPA ÇL 11:15 23:35 Stigmata
13:15 15:15 17:15 19:15 21:15 23:45 The show at Rome’s Galleria Bor- tured alongside 14 paintings by Cara- 01:25 Cheech & Chong's Still
ghese marks 400 years since Caravaggio’s vaggio, six of which, including the “Ma- Smokin'
THE WATERCOLOR death and 100 years since Bacon’s birth donna with the Serpent” and the “Sick
03:00 The Wedding Director
STANBUL: ESENTEPE CNEBONUS 04:45 Interview
ASTORA 11:00 12:45 14:30 16:15 18:00 and at its heart lies their shared fascination Bacchus,” belong to the Borghese’s
19:45 21:45 23:45 MAÇKA CNEBONUS with the human form and their predilec- permanent collection. Many of the
MOVIEMAX
07:05 Nancy Drew
11:30 13:30 15:30 17:30 19:30 21:30 23:30
KOZYATAI CNEBONUS PALLADUM
tion for the expressive portrait. works by Bacon, including “Head VI,” 08:50 The Mermaid Chair
10:25 The Water Horse
11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 Both were radicals of their times: the result of his studies of Velazquez’s 12:20 Le Concile de pierre
ANKARA: BLKENT CNEBONUS 11:30 against the distorted idealism of high portrait of Pope Innocent X, are on loan 14:10 Impostor
13:30 15:30 17:30 19:30 21:30 23:45 15:55 21x
CNEBONUS GORDON 11:00 13:00 mannerism, Caravaggio was driven by ob- from London’s Tate Gallery. 18:10 The Seeker: The Dark is
15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 ZMR: BALÇOVA sessive attention to the real, while Bacon The lavish entrance to the Galleria Rising
CNEBONUS KPA 11:00 12:45 14:30 16:15 20:00 Ripley's Game
was derided for his refusal to relinquish Borghese is devoted to Bacon’s triptychs, 22:05 40 Days and 40 Nights
18:00 19:45 21:30 23:15
the human figure in favor of abstraction. painted after the suicide of his lover George 23:50 Wild Things: Diamonds in
THE TOURNAMENT “Bacon can be compared to Caravag- Dyer, with chilling scenes of distorted,
The Rough
01:20 The House Next Door
STANBUL: BAKIRKÖY CNEBONUS 02:50 21x
CAPACTY 11:00 13:00 15:15 17:30 gio above all in terms of intensity,” said semi-naked male figures whose life oozes
19:45 22:00 ESENTEPE CNEBONUS art historian Michael Peppiatt, co-curator from them to form flesh-colored puddles. MGM MOVIES
ASTORA 11:15 13:15 15:15 17:15 19:15 of the exhibition and Bacon’s close friend The show runs until Jan. 24, 2010 and 06:10 Girl With Green Eyes
21:15 23:15 KADIKÖY CNEBONUS 11:00 07:45 Network
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seen as icons of gay, tormented genius tors, with the record numbers forcing the 13:10 The Happy Thieves
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suicide and Caravaggio was condemned the daily tours by 30 percent. Rome Reuters A Francis Bacon painting (L) and a Caravaggio painting displayed at the Galleria Borghese in Rome. 18:15 Birdman of Alcatraz
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CMYK
 CONTINUATION
Justice Ministry, TB strongly deny wiretapping claims
contnued from page 1
However, the Justice Ministry Inspection
Committee subsequently decided that there was no
need for the wiretapping of 46 of those judges and
prosecutors. Deliberations over the remaining jud-
ges and prosecutors are ongoing,” read the state-
ment. TB President Fethi imek also denied the
claims, stressing that a directive from an stanbul
high criminal court calling for a chief public prosecu-
tor and members of the Supreme Court of Appeals
to be wiretapped had not been followed.
The wiretap controversy emerged late on Wed-
nesday after claims that the telephones of stanbul
Chief Public Prosecutor Engin had been wiretapped
since 2008 as part of a probe into a criminal organi-
zation known as Ergenekon. Then came allegations
that the telephones of some members of the Supre-
me Court of Appeals had also been wiretapped sin-
ce 2008. The TB’s imek also complained that Pri-
me Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoan’s telephone was
illegally wiretapped for six years by Ergenekon sus-
pects. “The point we have arrived at is thought pro-
voking. We did not witness a single debate over the
illegal wiretapping of the prime minister. This is a
double standard. TB wiretaps are done in line with
court decisions,” he stated.
Aydnlk Editor-in-Chief Deniz Yldrm and the
security chief of the Ulusal TV station, Ufuk Akkaya,
were arrested recently on grounds that they had wi-
retapped the prime minister’s telephone.
According to most observers, a heated deba-
te over wiretaps was part of a systematic campaign
to remove the arrest of Col. Çiçek from the agenda.
“The other evening, Col. Çiçek, who has his sig-
nature on an action plan that is deemed to be plot
against the nation, was arrested for a second time.
The extension of the junta at the General Staff was
expected to be the order of the day, but the country’s
Government unveils details of
democratization initiative
contnued from page 1
Another independent body will be set
up to monitor all complaints about se-
curity forces, especially as concerns violations of
human rights. The interior minister also added
that the government is working to remove check-
points on roads in southeastern and eastern Ana-
tolia and to ease traveling conditions in the re-
gion. “Amendments and mechanisms to be es-
tablished aim to prevent any infringement on
the freedoms of all our citizens, regardless of the-
ir ethnic origin, sex or political orientation,” Ata-
lay told deputies. He emphasized that these me-
asures are not everything and that more will fol-
low because the government perceives the initi-
ative as a dynamic process. Atalay also underli-
ned that the Constitution has to be changed as it
is out of touch with the people. “Our people do
not deserve such a constitution. A new pluralistic
constitution must be prepared with the broadest
participation,” Atalay stressed.
‘Initiative has two aims’
Atalay underlined that the initiative has two goals
-- to end terror and to improve democracy. Both
are intertwined, he said.
Atalay further argued that the AK Party go-
vernment has been working toward democra-
tization due to its respect for humanity since it
came to power and will continue to do so. He no-
ted, however, that they will never change the ba-
sic principles of the state, which are listed in the
rst three articles of the Constitution -- namely,
that Turkey is a secular, democratic and social
state based on the principles of Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk, the founder of the republic, and that its
language is Turkish.
‘Guns could be silenced
in three months’
Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) le-
ader Ahmet Türk urged the government to state
its intentions clearly and as soon as possible and
explain how it will implement them. He signa-
led that if the process is approached in a serious
manner, guns will fall silent within three months.
Türk, who spoke in Parliament right after
Atalay, underlined that Turkey’s Kurdish questi-
on should be solved inside Turkey and with its
own dynamics. The lack of democracy and the
denial of the existence of differences have made
the problem open to the exploitation of foreign
powers, he said.
He claimed that the country’s non-Kurdish
citizens were denied access to accurate informati-
on about the pain and suffering of people in pre-
dominantly Kurdish regions as part of a campa-
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
TB President Fethi imek said on Thursday that a directive from an stanbul high criminal court calling for a chief
public prosecutor and members of the Supreme Court of Appeals to be wiretapped had not been followed.
agenda totally changed with wiretaps. What fortui-
tous timing!” exclaimed Adem Yavuz Arslan, a co-
lumnist for the Bugün daily.
Arslan also expressed the view that the wiretap
controversy revealed a war within the judiciary.
“The telephones of individuals are wiretapped
in line with court decisions. This means that courts
will not issue a decision for a wiretap if they do not
have sound evidence or documents at hand. … Ho-
wever, there is a chaotic situation before us. This is
almost a war. One part of the judiciary is at war with
another part of the judiciary. This war will certainly
not yield any benets for the country,” Arslan ad-
ded. With the heated debate on wiretaps, Çiçek’s ar-
rest fell to second place in the country’s top develop-
ments. The colonel was arrested and sent to Hasdal
Prison in stanbul on suspicion of “membership in a
terrorist group.” He is believed to have prepared a
document that details a Turkish Armed Forces (TSK)
plan to destroy the image of the Justice and Deve-
According to Interior Minister Beir Atalay, who is the coordinator of the Kurdish initiative, the government’s peace plans aim to provide broader freedoms to the
country’s citizens. DTP leader Ahmet Türk indicated that guns would fall silent within three months if the government managed to implement its Kurdish plan.
ign of psychological warfare. “This situation has
created an enormous difference in perception and
sentiment. The only way to ll this gap is to expla-
in the realities of the Kurdish question to the pub-
lic. Stopping ofcial history is a must,” he said.
Türk said the existence of the outlawed Kur-
distan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a
terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the
US, is a result of the faulty policies pursued by the
state and previous governments.
The DTP leader also asked deputies to em-
pathize. “Think for a moment if people tell you
there is no language called Turkish. Try educa-
ting your child in Kurdish despite him or her not
knowing even one word of it. Will you be able to
feel like an equal and respected citizen of the co-
untry?” he asked the deputies.
He stressed that even today state ofcials do
not apologize for mistakes of the past. Türk ad-
ded that the dispute is not between Kurds and
Turks and that all Turkish citizens are in despera-
te need of democracy. “The problem is the ofci-
al ideology of the state, which prevents its citizens
from enjoying democracy and freedom,” he said.
Kurds do not have any problem with the
country’s ag and border, he said, adding that
there are many common values which keep the
society united. “Our common language is Tur-
kish. Even those who will be educated in the-
ir mother tongue will use Turkish as a common
language of communication.”
He recommended a committee be establis-
lopment Party (AK Party) and the faith-based Gü-
len movement. Though Col. Çiçek is a key gure in
the plot row, the plot is not believed to be solely the
work of the colonel. Prosecutors are expected to ex-
pand the scope of the investigation and nd out who
gave the Çiçek the order to prepare the plan.
According to Alper Görmü, a Taraf daily co-
lumnist, the Turkish media is “divided into different
camps,” which means that it cannot produce “ob-
jective journalism” on various issues. “What we are
witnessing is that while a party in the media high-
lights certain developments in line with its ‘beliefs’
[views], another party either minimizes or ignores
them. While one party criticizes this move, it does
the very same a few days later and is subjected to si-
milar criticism,” he added.
Görmü said the same paradox exists in state
institutions. “While one part of the state seeks the
continuation of the status quo, including military tu-
telage, another part seeks the normalization and de-
hed in Parliament with representatives from all
political parties in order to nd a democratic solu-
tion to the problem. “If this problem is the prob-
lem of all of us, if we have to nd a solution, then
the government, instead of trying to manage the
process behind closed doors, should bring it to
Parliament,” Türk suggested.
Bahçeli: This is an initiative
for destruction
Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Mo-
vement Party (MHP), claimed that terrorism was
about to come to an end in 2002, when the ruling
AK Party came to power, but after seven years,
instead of the elimination of terror, the elimina-
tion of the nation-state has come to the agenda.
“Parliament is talking about a plan of dest-
ruction today. What we are witnessing is the rea-
lization of a desire for terror on the part of politici-
ans. The desire is not for individual rights and de-
mocratization but to create a minority,” he said.
Bahçeli claimed that the government is buil-
ding its efforts around the demands of the PKK
and said this attitude is leading to the wrong per-
ception, that is, is to think that the PKK is repre-
sentative of all Kurds.
“This is a plot against our citizens and a seri-
ous threat. This is why the AK Party’s attitude has
been wrong from the very beginning,” he said.
Bahçeli suggested that the owner of the country is
the Turkish nation and that it has unity. “Whate-
ver the language of our mothers, our name is the
CMYK
AA, VOLKAN FURUNCU
mocratization of the country. … Instead of engaging
in theatrics, we should acknowledge one fact, which
is that it would be a dream to expect the media to
be ‘objective’ in extremely polarized societies. We
need to read many sources to understand what re-
ally is going on in the country. This is what I do per-
sonally,” the columnist stated.
Council of State President Mustafa Birden joi-
ned the wiretapping debate on Friday. Speaking to
PHOTO
reporters, he said: “The wiretapping of telephones
belonging to members of the judiciary and this being
given frequent place in news reports is nothing but
an attempt to take full control of the judiciary.” He
also made a statement against wiretapping activiti-
es and said everyone should refrain from any act that
would destroy the independence of the judiciary and
contravene the principle of separation of powers.
Jurists emphasize right to privacy
in wiretapping debates
According to jurists, inspectors need to present so-
und evidence to courts in order for them to issue a
decision to wiretap individuals’ telephones.
“If it is a judge or prosecutor whose telephone
will be wiretapped, then inspectors need to be more
careful. We cannot voice any objection to wiretaps
that have been approved by court decision. The re-
cent debate over wiretaps results from an ongoing
political wrangle,” stated Yakup Erikel, the chairman
of the Legal Research Association (HUDER).
Erikel also emphasized that wiretaps should not
be aimed at violating the right to privacy of indivi-
duals. “We should not forget that this right is gua-
ranteed by the Constitution,” he added. Reat Pe-
tek, a former public prosecutor, said every individu-
al is equal before the law and that debates over wi-
retaps should not focus on the status or position of
the individual whose telephone is being wiretapped.
TODAY’S ZAMAN, AL ÜNAL
PHOTO
Turkish nation,” he said. He claimed that for cen-
turies there has been a plan to remove the Tur-
kish nation from those lands and that this can be
summarized as the mentality of crusaders; this
problem is called the “East question.” “Whatever
its name, opportunity or initiative, it is an extensi-
on of the East question,” he said.
“In our country, who can claim that ethnic
origin is an obstacle to entering into trade, burea-
ucracy or administration? If there is a problem of
expression, it is not because of the Constitution
but because of the economic structure,” he said.
Baykal: Government
negotiating with PKK
Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz
Baykal claimed the government’s initiative is a
process of deception and that it is not clear who it
has taken on as a partner in this process.
Baykal added that the government is taking
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah
Öcalan, who is serving a life sentence on mral
Island in the Sea of Marmara, as an interlocutor.
“The government is talking to mral in sec-
recy. There is cooperation going on between the
government and the PKK. But even laying down
arms was not put forth as a precondition for this
cooperation,” he said.
Baykal said the government’s fatal mistake in
the process was to negotiate with an armed or-
ganization. “You don’t negotiate with terror, you
ght with it,” he said.
TODAY’S ZAMAN 17
Turkey says
it may store
uranium from Iran
contnued from page 1
“Storage is technically not a problem. What mat-
ters is the decision that will be made during meetings
with our president and prime minister,” he said, wit-
hout elaborating further. Mohamed ElBaradei, the di-
rector general of the Vienna-based International Ato-
mic Energy Agency (IAEA), said he proposed Turkey as
a third-country destination after Iran failed to agree to
a Western plan where its enriched uranium would be
sent to Russia for further enrichment to reactor-grade
fuel. Tehran has yet to give a full ofcial reply to the
proposal, which was drafted three weeks ago after con-
sultations with Iran, France, Russia and the US.
The plan requires that Tehran send 1.2 tons (1,100
kilograms) -- around 70 percent of its stockpile -- of
low-enriched uranium to Russia in one batch by the
end of the year for further enrichment, a move that
would ease international concerns that the material
could be processed for a bomb. After further enrich-
ment in Russia, France would then convert the ura-
nium into fuel rods that would be returned to Iran
for use in a reactor in Tehran that produces medical
isotopes. Fuel rods cannot be further enriched into
weapons-grade material.
On Thursday, ElBaradei initiated a telephone con-
versation with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davu-
tolu, during which ElBaradei offered “some techni-
cal details” concerning the proposal. Diplomatic sour-
ces approached by Today’s Zaman admitted that the
technical details were about Turkey’s possible role in
shipping Iran’s enriched uranium. Yet the same sour-
ces declined to give further details on the content of
those technical talks, pointing to the sensitivity of the
ongoing process.
Thus, there is still no clarication by the UN or
Turkey as to whether ElBaradei’s proposal is solely
about storing Iran’s uranium in Turkey or whether
it also involves a role similar to the one which wo-
uld have been played by Russia and France. The is-
sue was discussed during talks between senior Irani-
an and Turkish leaders on the sidelines of an econo-
mic summit of the Organization of the Islamic Confe-
rence (OIC) held in stanbul earlier this week.
Speaking to reporters before departing from s-
tanbul late on Monday, Iranian President Mahmo-
ud Ahmadinejad declined to comment directly on
ElBaradei’s offer for Turkey to play a role, but said Iran
had much trust in Turkey. “We have very good relati-
ons with Turkey. We trust each other,” Ahmadinejad
was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.
He avoided giving a direct answer when persistently
asked about Iranian media reports that said Tehran
had rejected the offer. Ankara Today’s Zaman
‘Malatya killings
could be linked to
Ergenekon’
Lawyer Erdal Doan has voiced serious concerns
that the 2007 Zirve Publishing House murders, in
which three people who sold Christian literature were
killed, may be related to Ergenekon, a clandestine ter-
rorist organization charged with plotting to overthrow
the government. Doan, a lawyer for a co-plaintiff in
the case, made the claim during the 22nd hearing of
the trial of the murder suspects. The defendants in the
case include Emre Günaydn, Salih Gürler, Cuma Öz-
demir, Hamit Çeker and Abuzer Yldrm, who are cur-
rently under arrest, as well as Varol Bülent Aral and
Hüseyin Yelki, the alleged instigators of the murder,
who were arrested but later released.
The court adjourned the trial to Dec. 25 since the s-
tanbul 13th HighCriminal Court has not responded to an
inquiry over whether the Malatya killings have any link to
the Ergenekon case. On April 18, 2006, Christians Neca-
ti Aydn (35), Uur Yüksel and German national Tilman
Ekkehart Geske (46) were tied to their chairs, stabbed
and tortured at the Zirve Publishing House in the eastern
Anatolian city of Malatya before their throats were slit.
The publishing house they worked for printed Bibles and
Christian literature. stanbul Today’s Zaman with wires
President Gül receives
Chilean ambassador
President Abdullah Gül received Chilean Am-
bassador to Turkey Luis Palma Castillo, who pre-
sented his letter of credence to Gül, at the Çankara
presidential palace yesterday. Ankara Today’s Zaman
 SPORTS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
GOLF
Woods takes
lead in Australia
Tiger Woods opened with two bird-
ies, saved his round with two pars and
wound up with a 4-under 68 on Friday
to build a three-shot lead going into the
weekend of the Australian Masters. It
was the fourth straight tournament in
which Woods has had the 36-hole lead,
although his only victory during that
stretch came at the BMW Champion-
ship outside Chicago in September.
He lost the last two times, including
last week in Shanghai at the HSBC
Champions. Woods was at 10-under
134, three shots clear of an American
-- Jason Dufner -- and a pair of Aus-
tralians in Greg Chalmers and James
Nitties, both of whom dropped shots
on the 17th hole that cost them a spot
in the nal group Saturday with Woods.
Before another enthusiastic crowd that
topped 24,000 people who endured hot
sunshine and dust from so much trafc
along sandy paths at Kingston Heath,
Woods quickly regained the lead from
Dufner, who shot his 67 in the morning
to nish at 7-under 137. Melbourne AP
MOTOR RACING
Lotus F1 looks
to GLCs for cash
Lotus Formula One is still seeking
sponsorship to help the new Ma-
laysian team survive in its rst sea-
son in 2010 despite a tight budget.
Launched two months ago as a col-
laboration between the Malaysian
government, who hold no equity in
the team, and a trio of entrepreneurs,
Lotus insisted it had the means to
compete. A team director told Ma-
laysia’s Bernama news agency the
company would look to attract in-
vestors from various corporate bod-
ies, including government-linked
companies (GLCs). “What is wrong
with asking for sponsors from
GLCs like Petronas?” said Kama-
rudin Meranun. Kuala Lumpur Reuters
ATHLETICS
Liu wins third
Asian title
China’s former world and Olympic
champion high hurdler Liu Xiang con-
tinued his comeback from injury by
winning his third continental title at the
18th Asian Athletics Championships in
Guangzhou. The 26-year-old cruised
to victory in the 110-meter hurdles -
nal in 13.50 seconds, well outside the
12.88 he ran to claim the then world
record in 2006 before an Achilles in-
jury ended his Beijing Olympic dream.
Liu, who also won the regional title in
2002 and 2005 but skipped the 2007
version in favor of the world cham-
pionships, ran for the rst time since
the heats of the Beijing Games in his
home city of Shanghai in September.
The championships conclude today
in Guangzhou, the host city of next
year’s Asian Games. Beijing Reuters/AP
SOCCER
Real inks deal
with Saudis
Real Madrid have agreed a four-year
sponsorship deal with Saudi Telecom
(STC) that will give STC clients ac-
cess to news, photos, video and video
games linked to the La Liga giants.
The deal was announced at a presen-
tation at Real’s Bernabeu Stadium
with club president Florentino Perez,
STC chairman Muhammad bin Suli-
man Al Jasser and Portuguese for-
ward Cristiano Ronaldo, Real said
on their Web site (www.realmadrid.
com). “The deal will benet the nu-
merous fans that Real Madrid have
in the Middle East and Asia,” Perez
said. The club gave no nancial de-
tails about the deal. Madrid Reuters
Bolt handed diplomatic passport
Triple world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt received a diplomatic passport
from Jamaica’s Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Thursday. The 23-year-old
received the document, which allows him to travel overseas as an ambassador-at-
large, during a brief ceremony at Golding’s Jamaica House office. Kingston Reuters
REUTERS, STEVE MARCUS
FRANCE BATTLES IRELAND TODAY,
PORTUGAL WITHOUT RONALDO
PHOTO
The French, 1998 world champions and runners-up in 2006, were beaten to automatic
qualication by Serbia and must now take their chances along with seven other European
Manny
sides hoping to take a second chance at qualifying for next year’s World Cup nals Pacquiao
AP, FRANCOIS MORI
French national soccer
team players jog during a
Pacquiao set for
training session at Claire-
fontaine, south of Paris, on his biggest test
Wednesday, ahead of their
2010 World Cup playoff
qualifying match today.
against Cotto
Manny Pacquiao, the biggest drawcard in con-
temporary boxing, will face the toughest chal-
PHOTO
lenge of his career when he takes on holder Miguel
Cotto for the WBO welterweight title today.
Although Filipino Pacquiao is widely viewed
as the favorite in his bid to win a seventh world
title in an unprecedented seventh weight class,
the scheduled 12-round bout has whet the ap-
petite of fans and boxing insiders alike.
Renowned trainer Angelo Dundee predicts
“a great, great ght” at the MGM Grand Garden
Arena while former heavyweight champion George
Foreman has backed the bigger and more powerful
Puerto Rican to win on a split decision.
“You have a perfect blending of style in this
ght,” Dundee told reporters in the build-up to this
clash. “If I ever had a ghter ghting Pacquiao, I
would implement the things that Cotto brings to
the table. “Cotto is a pressure ghter and he’s going
to be on Pacquiao from the get-go. He’s got a great
left hook and he’s a good body puncher.
“I see a very tough distance ght, and there is go-
ing to be blood,” added Dundee, who has trained Mu-
hammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Foreman. “Pac-
quiao takes it to you all the time but in this ght he is
going to have to back up. He’s smart, slick, and has
great hand speed, but Cotto counters those things.”
Pacquiao, regarded by many as the best pound-
for-pound ghter in the world, has a glittering
record of 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts but Foreman
REUTERS
believes he could fall victim to complacency. “Pac-
quiao has been riding high and has beaten some of
the best in the world,” Foreman said. “And it leaves
you kind of complacent when you’re winning.
PHOTO
France faces a severe test The Irish were impressive in
“Even if you don’t want it to, sometimes you
of its resolve in Dub- their qualifying campaign and
lin on Saturday when pushed Italy hard to the top
can’t get up for a big ght -- and that’s a plus for
Cotto. I think Cotto wins in a 12-round decision.”
Raymond Domenech’s under- spot. Defender Richard Dunne
Cotto, who has won a world title every year
achieving side takes on Ireland believes they can break French
since 2004, has an enviable career record of
in the rst leg of their World Cup hearts.
34-1 featuring 27 knockouts. Las Vegas Reuters/AP
playoff at what will be a raucous “I think over the last World
Croke Park. Cups and Euros, they haven’t
The 1998 world champion run smoothly for France but
and runner-up in 2006 was
beaten to automatic qualication
they’ve always got through and
maybe it’s time we put a stop to
49ers punish
by Serbia and must now take its
chances along with seven other
that,” the Aston Villa player said.
Portugal would be more com-
sloppy Cutler to
European sides hoping to take a
second chance at qualifying for
fortable taking on Bosnia, which
is bidding to qualify for their rst
grind down Bears
The San Francisco 49ers intercepted Chicago
next year’s nals. major nals, had Cristiano Ron-
quarterback Jay Cutler ve times on the way to
Failure to overcome the Irish aldo been declared t. However,
a 10-6 victory over the Bears on Thursday.
would leave Domenech almost the Portuguese will have to do
San Francisco safety Michael Lewis made the
certainly looking for a new job. without the Real Madrid winger
nal interception in his own endzone with less than
Portugal, another glam- after he was ruled out of both
10 seconds remaining after Cutler had driven the
our nation in danger of missing legs with an ankle injury.
Bears to the 49ers’ 12-yard line. The victory snapped
out, must get past Bosnia and Even so they will start big
a four-game losing streak for San Francisco (4-5)
will look for a healthy lead from favorites. “I’ve never been more
and gave coach Mike Singletary a win over the team
today’s rst leg to take to the worried in my life because this is
where he had a successful playing career.
Balkans for the second leg on the biggest test of my career and
Wednesday. it will take a world class perfor- “It was a big relief,” 49ers tight end Vernon Da-
Russia hosts Slovenia today mance over two legs to eliminate vis told reporters. “It’s truly a blessing to be able to
while Euro 2004 champion Greece Portugal,” Bosnia coach Miro- get this. We just have to keep winning.” San Fran-
starts at home against Ukraine. slav Blazevic said. London Reuters Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo undergoing a medical inspection in Lisbon. cisco running back Frank Gore opened the scoring
with a 14-yard touchdown in the second quarter
and tallied 104 yards on the ground.
Gore has scored in his last three games and
Bahrain set to build on lessons Costa Rica-Uruguay clash today was a steady presence for the 49ers, who gained
just 216 total yards. Chicago made it 7-3 just be-
Bahrain will be hoping to build on a dominant second-half display Costa Rica and Uruguay waged a war of silence rather than fore the end of the half with a 50-yard eld goal
in last month’s scoreless draw with New Zealand as the platform words as they prepared for the rst leg of their 2010 World by Robbie Gould, who added a 38-yarder in the
for a better result in today’s Asia/Oceania World Cup qualier second leg. Cup playoff at the Saprissa Stadium today (0200 GMT on Sunday). third as the Bears pulled within one.
The winner of the match at a sold-out Westpac Stadium in “Today I’m not saying anything, like (Uruguay’s Oscar) Tabarez,” Home kicker Joe Nedney made a 21-yard eld
Wellington will advance to the 2010 World Cup nals after the Costa Rica’s Brazilian coach Rene Simoes said. “He’s not talking goal with 10:11 left to cap the scoring as the 49ers
side’s battled out a 0-0 draw in Manama, with Bahrain failing to either, he’s not saying if he’s going with three or four defenders.” took advantage of Cutler’s career-high ve intercep-
convert several clear-cut chances. Despite the stalemate, Bah- Costa Rica is hoping to reach their fourth World Cup and third tions. Acquired in a trade with the Denver Broncos
rain coach Milan Macala said the match had been a tremendous in a row, while twice winner Uruguay, which last played in the in the offseason, Cutler has struggled with his con-
learning experience for his side as they had only previously seen nals in 2002, is in its third successive playoff. Simoes looks set to sistency and has a league-high 17 interceptions.
the All Whites on television. New Zealand trained all week with eld three central defenders and two wing backs as he seeks an Cutler drove Chicago 68 yards in the last
the 3-4-3 formation they used in Manama, and Rory Fallon is advantage to take to next Wednesday’s second leg at the Centena- 2:47 before surrendering another turnover. He
likely again to join Killen and Smeltz up front. Wellington Reuters rio, where Uruguay won the rst World Cup in 1930. San Jose Reuters nished 29-for-52 passing for 307 yards as the
Bears (4-5) lost their second in a row and fourth
in the last ve games. San Francisco Reuters/AP
CMYK
 SPORTS S AT U R D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 0 9 TODAY’S ZAMAN 19

No Turkish winners

AA, SELÇUK KILIÇ

in Euroleague as
Efes Pilsen beaten
A day after Fenerbahçe Ülker was beaten at
home by undefeated Italian side Montepaschi
Siena, Turkish champion Efes Pilsen also suffered

PHOTOS
defeat as it was downed 105-90 by Olympiakos of
Greece in game four of their Euroleague Group B
basketball match in Piraeus on Thursday night.
Olympiakos, 3-1, now shares second place
with Lietuvos Rytas of Lithuania behind unbeaten
Unicaja, while Efes dropped to 1-3. Mario Kasun
and Igor Rakocevic banged in 15 points for Efes,
Kerem Tunceri and Bootsy Thornton added 13
each and Bostjan Nachbar scored 10 in the high-
scoring and thrilling encounter, but that was not
enough to save the stanbul side from defeat.
The Greek side had several sharpshooters on
the score sheet: Linas Kleiza scored 20, Panos
Vasilopoulos 18, Sofoklis Schortsianitis 11 and
Nikola Vujcic 10. This in fact was Efes Pilsen’s
third consecutive loss in as many road matches.
But there is no cause for alarm because the Turk-
ish champion will be hosting four of its six re-
maining matches. With the backing of its fans
at stanbul’s Abdi pekçi Sports Arena, Efes is
expected to rebound when Euroleague play re-
sumes after the break week. stanbul Today’s Zaman

LA Lakers eclipse
Phoenix Suns in
The Turkish U-21 national soccer team during their final training session in Trabzon ahead of today’s 2010 European Championship Group Two qualifying match against Switzerland at Trabzon’s Hüseyin Avni Aker.
one-sided match
The Los Angeles Lakers routed Phoenix
121-102 on Thursday to cool off the Suns’
sizzling start to the NBA season. Phoenix had
won four in a row coming into the contest to
sit atop the Western Conference standings but
found the Lakers in top form.
Turkish U-21s face Swiss in
Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 29 points
and center Andrew Bynum returned to the
lineup with 26 and 15 rebounds for the Lakers
(7-1), who won their sixth in a row. Phoenix (8-
2) reserve Jared Dudley had 14 points and Steve
Nash had 13 as the Suns struggled to nd the
crucial Euro 2010 qualifier OKAN UDO BASSEY ÝSTANBUL overtake them,” Mandral said.
mark, shooting 36 percent from the eld. GROUP TWO STANDINGS
In Miami, LeBron James scored 34 points as “Estonia will be the next in the line after
he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to 111-104 victory The Turkish U-21 national team will be TEAMS P W D L GF GA PTS Switzerland, and if we win these two matches,
over the Miami Heat, despite Dwyane Wade’s hosting Switzerland in their 2010 Eu- Switzerland 5 3 1 1 10 5 10 then we will have covered a great distance on
36-point effort for the hosts. Miami had won six of ropean Soccer Championship Group Turkey 4 3 0 1 9 6 9 our journey toward the Euro nals [next year].
seven to start the season and while Wade was able Two qualifying match at Trabzon’s Hüseyin Estonia 4 2 1 1 5 5 7 And this will also be a test to prove to every-
Avni Aker Stadium this evening and Estonia at Georgia 3 1 1 1 5 3 4 one what Turkish youngsters are capable of
to win the points duel between him and James, Rep. of Ireland 4 0 3 1 3 6 3
Rize’s Yeni Stadium next Wednesday. doing on the pitch,” he further stated.
Cleveland’s extra class showed through. Armenia 4 0 0 4 4 11 0
These are indeed very crucial matches be- Mandral, a Trabzon native, also said he
Speculation surrounds the futures of both
cause they could determine whether Turkey was very happy that this evening’s game is
Wade and James, who are both able to opt out of
qualies for next year’s nals. As a result, all smail Köyba and Bar Bada trained taking place in Trabzon. “Let Avni Aker be
their contracts next year and the prospect of the duo
Turkcell Super League and Bank Asya League separately, while the rest of the team fo- full to the brim and that will make me very
teaming up in Miami next year was described as
1 (second division) matches this weekend cused on tactics and collective teamwork. happy indeed. In our match at Eskiehir, the
“improbable but not impossible” by Wade prior to
have been canceled because several junior Switzerland leads the group with 10 stadium was full, and we also got full support
the game. “I enjoy playing LeBron probably more
internationals play in these leagues. points from ve matches; Turkey is second from the fans. I expect similar support from
than anyone else in the league,” Wade said of his
The national team, under the supervi- with nine points from four games, so the our Trabzon fans this evening and our sup-
good friend. “Over the course of our careers we are
sion of coach Hami Mandral, trained at Turks could topple the Swiss if they win. porters in Rize next Wednesday,” he added.
going to continue to have those battles.”
the Haluk Ulusoy facilities in Trabzon on “We are going to play a very important
Wade followed up on two recent 40-point per- Turkish U-21
Thursday and at Avni Aker -- where today’s match against our archrival Switzerland at
formances against Washington with another prolic coach Hami
Avni Aker and if we win, we will turn the
Live on NTV Spor
Mandiral match will be played -- on Friday. Slightly
display; including a devastating rst quarter dunk 19:00 Turkey vs. Switzerland
injured Serdar Kesimal, Abdullah Karmil, tide in our favor. In other words, we will
that left Cleveland’s Brazilian center Anderson Va-
rejao sitting on the oor. Los Angeles Reuters/AP

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CMYK

WWW.TODAYSZAMAN.COM SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2009
‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CHAMP ALLEN’S
CD REFLECTS LIFE ON THE ROAD
“American Idol” champion Kris
The album,
Allen, who once traveled the
Allen’s rst since world on church missionary
trips, took an equally wayfaring approach
winning top-rated to record his new album, working in stu-
TV signing show dios across the United States. “Name a
big city and I probably recorded a song
‘American Idol,’ there,” Allen told Reuters ahead of the
self-titled “Kris Allen” release on Nov. 17.
was mostly writ- The album, Allen’s rst since win-
ten and produced ning top-rated TV signing show “Ameri-
can Idol,” was mostly written and pro-
while he toured duced while he toured the US this past
the US this past summer with “Idol” runner-up Adam
Lambert and the other 10 nalists from
summer with the show. The Arkansas native recorded
songs in Boston, Los Angeles, New York,
‘Idol’ runner-up Milwaukee and other cities.
Adam Lambert “It was pretty crazy, and kind of
weird switching your mind from tour
and the other mode to writing and recording mode,”
10 nalists from he said. The 24-year-old Allen was the
center of a carousel of songwriters who
the show included “Idol” alumnus Chris Daugh-
try and Joe King of rock band The Fray,
but Allen was instrumental in penning
“American Idol” winner Kris Allen performs with Minnie Mouse in front of The American
Idol Experience attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
nine of the record’s 12 tracks.
One single, “Live Like We’re Dying,”
was released in September and is cur-
rently ranked 39th in airplay on radio sta-
tions playing Top 40 music, said tracking
rm Mediabase. “It’s got a really jumpy
chorus that I feel people can really get
King to replace CNN’s departing Dobbs
CNN reporter John King will replace controversial departing host
Lou Dobbs in a new weeknight political program on the 24-hour
cable news network, CNN has said. The appointment of King fol-
lows the abrupt resignation one day earlier of Dobbs. LA, Reuters
AP, MARK ASHMAN
PHOTO
into, turn the windows down in their car
and sing along with it,” he said.
When Allen was still a college stu-
dent in 2007, he made a low budget,
self-released album called “Brand New
Shoes,” but he said making his latest EP
through 19 Recordings, a record compa-
CMYK
ny run by “American Idol” creator Simon
Fuller, was a completely different expe-
rience. Allen had the luxury of time, for
one thing, unlike when he booked the
studio himself on his rst album and had
only a few days to record. This time, he
also included exotic instruments, includ-
ing a sitar, and experimented with differ-
ent styles, from pop to the blues.
Allen’s “Idol” fans will recognize his
cover version of rap star Kanye West’s song
“Heartless,” which Allen performed on
the show and also recorded for the album.
Another track, “Red Guitar,” predates Al-
len’s “Idol” run and is the only song on the
album he wrote on his own. Before joining
“American Idol,” Allen traveled widely on
church missionary trips, touching down in
such countries as Thailand and Mozam-
bique. Even though he said his faith is im-
portant to him, he has no plans to release
an album of Christian songs. As for the
future, the singer said he hopes to go back
on the road -- on an international tour. “I
have always wanted to go to Australia,”
he said. Los Angeles Reuters
Michael Jackson’s
‘This Is It’ movie
earns $200 mln
around the world
Michael Jackson’s concert movie
“This Is It” has taken in more
than $200 million at box ofces world-
wide in the rst two weeks of release,
the studio behind the movie has said.
Sony Pictures Entertainment said
the movie had grossed $61 million in
North America and more than $140
million internationally. Japan ($27.2
million) and the UK ($14.3 million)
were particularly strong markets.
The movie is now the 22nd big-
gest grossing movie worldwide of
2009, according to industry tracker
boxofcemojo.com. “This Is It,” dis-
tributed by Sony Corp-owned Co-
lumbia Pictures, was compiled from
footage of Jackson rehearsing for a
series of planned comeback concerts
before his sudden death in June.
Sony paid concert promoters AEG
and Jackson’s estate about $60 million
for the right to make and distribute the
movie. The $200 million plus gross is
almost three times more than 2008’s
“Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of
Both Worlds Concert Tour” -- a movie
some box ofce watchers had used as a
benchmark for “This Is It.” The Jackson
lm opened on October 28 for a planned
two week run but has since been extend-
ed until early December. LA Reuters