PRESS ROUNDUP
Today’s Zaman
13 October 2009, Tuesday
Press Roundup – Environmental protestors are seen on the roof of the
Palace of Westminster in London. Police arrested 20 protesters who
climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament, the latest in a
series of security breaches at the London landmark.
Taraf: "PKK to lay down weapons in 6 months," read the headline of a
front-page article in the newspaper yesterday, which quoted remarks
from Cevat OneÅ~_, a former deputy undersecretary at the National
Intelligence Organization (MÄ°T). Speaking to the daily’s NeÅ~_e Duzel,
he said the recent developments in Turkey (the government’s Kurdish
initiative) show that the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
will lay down weapons within six months. "Both the internal dynamics
of Turkey as well as regional dynamics make it essential for Turkey to
have the PKK lay down weapons so that the path to democratization can
be opened. The PKK has no chance of continuing its armed battle from
now on," said OneÅ~_, adding that when the PKK lays down its weapons,
the politics of Turkey will change.
Milliyet: "Turkey to go to polls in 2010," the daily said in the
headline of a page one article yesterday, quoting remarks from pollster
Adil Gur, who said Turkey will most likely hold an early election
in 2010. He said the party best prepared for the elections will be
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). "I have been
conducting research since 2002. There was a break in the trend of the
AK Party in January 2008 [its popularity started to decline]. This
trend is continuing. Despite this, it is the AK Party that is most
prepared for an early election," he said.
Yenicag: In its main story yesterday, the paper reported that an
agreement signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia
on Saturday to restore diplomatic ties has cast a shadow over
Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood and has led to disappointment among
Azerbaijanis. It said the government signing a "surrender" agr old
shower effect" for the Baku administration. The Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry delivered a statement saying the move, which was made before
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, cast a shadow over
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, which have their roots in history.