Month: May 2009

BNP candidate faces sack

Eddy O'Sullivan

A CANDIDATE standing in the European election for the extremist right wing British National Party has posted racist comments on the internet.

Eddy O’Sullivan, the Salford organiser of the BNP, wrote a series of offensive comments about non-white people on his Facebook profile.

Party bosses are now investigating the statements on the social networking site and say he could face disciplinary action, including suspension and deselection.

Mr O’Sullivan, 49, who is fourth on the BNP’s north west list for Euro candidates, admitted making the comments on the website but denied they were racist.

He said: “It was supposed to be a private conversation between individuals. I also may have had a drink at the time. I don’t believe those comments are racist. I’m not a racist and that is that. I don’t regret saying anything because it was a private conversation.”

His Facebook profile was publicly viewable, which meant it was accessible to anyone on the site, but it has since been taken down. Last night Mr O’Sullivan’s details had been removed from the BNP’s website.

In recent years the BNP has attempted to change its image as a racist party. However, it still allows only white people to become members and has a policy of demanding that non-white British people leave the country.

Clive Jefferson, north west organiser of the BNP, said if the allegations were proved Mr O’Sullivan would be suspended from the BNP in Salford.

He said: “That is unacceptable and I’m going to suspend him from the party and from the European candidacy.

“There’s freedom of speech and there is unacceptable language and I think this is unacceptable.”

Simon Darby, deputy leader of the party, said: “We will have an investigation and we will take disciplinary action if we find he has posted the comments. If he has made these comments on a public website then it is a serious matter.”

Mr O’Sullivan, a driving instructor, came third earlier this year in a by-election in Pendlebury. In the run-up to the vote Mr O’Sullivan also made disparaging comments about Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Cooke on his website.

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk, May 22, 2009

May 22, 2009
Putin: Russia becomes Turkey’s leading economic partner

MOSCOW, May 16 (Xinhua) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that his country has become Turkey’s leading trade partner.

Trade turnover between Russia and Turkey reached a record 35 billion U.S. dollars, making Russia one of the most important trade and economic partners of Turkey, Putin said during talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Black Searesort of Sochi.

The heads of government hailed the cooperation between the two countries. “If several years ago we talked mostly about cooperation in the construction sector, now diversification is very broad,” Putin was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency.

The premiers agreed to immediately start talks on extending two agreements under which Russia delivered natural gas to Turkey, the third largest consumer of Russian gas after Germany and Italy. Meanwhile, Russian companies are expected to participate in building four nuclear power plants in Turkey.

Erdogan told reporters after their meeting that Putin would visit Turkey soon.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Source: news.xinhuanet.com, 17.05.2009

May 22, 2009
ACTION ALERT – UNITED KINGDOM

Vote to keep the BNP out

DISTURBING leaflets sent out by the British National Party

By Suzan Nuri

DISTURBING leaflets sent out by the British National Party ahead of the 4 June Euro elections, has warned that the UK will be ‘swamped’ by Muslim Turks.

The offensive leaflet, sent out to people in the north of the country and the Midlands, says the BNP “Oppose the dangerous drive to give 80 million low-wage, Muslim Turks the right to swamp Britain”.

The BNP, already under fire for using foreign models in the pictures on campaign leaflets, now seem to be targeting the Muslim communities in what can only be described as racist rants.

Fevzi Hussein who works for trade union CWU, was told of the offensive leaflets this week.

He said “A UNISON member alerted us to the latest BNP leaflet which amongst other things, makes reference to a pledge to ‘oppose the dangerous drive to give 80 million low-wage Muslim Turks the right to swamp Britain’.

“The tone of the leaflet is disgusting and no-one should be fooled by the smart suits and nice hair-cuts of these far-right fascists. Their rhetoric is the same – they are just targeting Muslims more now than Blacks and Asians, which used to be their more traditional targets back in the 70’s and 80’s.

“The BNP will do everything in their power to de-stabilise Turkey’s efforts to get into the EU – messages like this are also deliberately pumped out to instil a negative perception of Turkish people.

“It is essential everyone gets out and uses their vote – vote for anyone BUT the BNP. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Equality & Human Rights Commission made it their business to investigate this lot and at the very least demand an explanation as to why they seek to demonise Turks as part of their electioneering campaign?”

Nilgun Canver, who is a Labour London candidate in the Euro elections strongly condemned the BNP, saying they should be banned.

“It would be a disaster if the BNP were able to send an MEP to the European Parliament as they would be able to link up with facists from France and Italy, with all the resources that is available to them in Parliament.

“People must realise that the EU is entirely relevant to us here in the UK and is a way of us supporting increased dialogue regarding Cyprus and also Turkey’s EU accession.

“Voting is extremely important and with the voting system of PR, every vote does count. A low turn out will benefit the far right parties and we must oppose the idea of fascists legitimising themselves through election to the EU Parliament.”

Sener Saglam, chairman of the Turkish Federation told London Turkish Gazette that as a community we must take a stand against racist comments.

“We strongly criticise these comments by the BNP and will always challenge their right to spread such comments. This is why it is important that people do go out and vote in the Euro elections on 4 June. Some in our community say we should boycott the elections as a way of protesting against the EU’s reluctance in accepting Turkey. However, I say if we fail to turn up and vote, it opens the way for parties such as the BNP to get elected.”

Mr Saglam added that the Turkish community should be more united and also put forward candidates for elections.

“We need to get more involved politically and put forward people we can support in elections, no matter which mainstream party they are from and this is an idea the Federation fully supports.”

In another twist, some postal workers have protested at having to distribute election leaflets they find offensive or which customers might find offensive.

Their union, the CWU, has an agreement with Royal Mail which protects postal workers’ right to refuse to deliver such election.

Bob Gibson, CWU national official, said: “We have a national agreement with Royal Mail with a conscience clause which allows individuals to exercise their right to not deliver material which they find offensive or believe their customers may find offensive.

“It is not specific to any political party. We are protecting the rights of our members to be safe at work. Royal Mail has a responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees.

“We have had instances of delivery workers being threatened, chased and spat at for delivering some election leaflets. We will support individuals who feel strongly about delivering these items.

“Postal workers are well within their rights to refuse to deliver offensive material.”

Source: www.londragazete.com, 21 May 2009

May 22, 2009
Controversy Erupts over Proposed De-Mining of the Turkish-Syrian Border

Controversy Erupts over Proposed De-Mining of the Turkish-Syrian Border

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 6 Issue: 98

May 21, 2009

By: Saban Kardas

The Turkish parliament began debating a controversial bill last week to clear and destroy mines along the border with Syria. A private contractor plans to carry out the de-mining and secure the allocation of the cleared area for its agricultural use. The bill once again exposed divisions between the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition parties, as well as within the ruling party. The prospects that the tender might be awarded to foreign and especially Israeli companies, alarmed opposition parties, which have argued that the proposed legislation is another indication that the AKP is betraying Turkish national interests.

Following its ratification of the Ottawa Convention on the destruction of anti-personnel mines (APM’s) in 2003, Turkey pledged to destroy its existing stockpiles and those already placed along its borders. According to the Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Turkey has since destroyed 43 percent of its 2,690,929 APM’s and plans to remove the remainder by 2010. Moreover, there are currently around 981,790 APM’s deployed along its borders and in strategic locations. The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has started mine-clearing operations within some provinces (ANKA, May 17).

Around two-thirds of the 900,000 APM’s on Turkey’s borders are located on the Turkish-Syrian border. The finance and defense ministries supported the view of the Turkish military authorities that the best option was to sub-contract the de-mining of the border. Under that tender, to be conducted in accordance with the Public Procurement Law, the company awarded the mine-clearing rights will be required to complete its work within five years. Moreover, it will have the right to lease cleared areas belonging to the treasury for agricultural use for up to 44 years (Today’s Zaman, June 24, 2008; www.cnnturk.com, May 3). The management of underground resources, such as oil and minerals, is not covered by the tender. The Turkish petroleum company TPAO plans to explore drilling for oil in this area (Cihan Haber Ajansi, May 18).

The plan to sub-contract the clean-up project to private companies has long been featured on the government’s agenda. The MHP and CHP opposition parties expressed concern that foreign companies, especially Israeli firms, might become involved in the project. An earlier tender was canceled by the council of state owing to such objections. The government has delayed parliamentary discussions on a revised bill, which is intended to provide a more solid legal framework to conduct the project (www.rotahaber.com, March 17, 2008). Since it has also come under increasing pressure to meet the deadline set by the Ottawa Convention, the bill was finally presented to parliament last week, prompting heated discussion.

The opposition parties raised several objections. They claimed that allowing foreign companies to operate on Turkey’s borders might pose a threat to its national security. Consequently, they demanded that the TSK should be given the sole responsibility for mine-clearing. Moreover, they alleged that the TSK also harbored reservations over the bill. In their defense, government officials referred to “classified” correspondence with the TSK in which the latter expressed a preference for sub-contracting to private companies. Equally, they noted the military’s concerns had been incorporated into the draft bill. According to the government, land required for ensuring border security will not be leased to the contractor (Anadolu Ajansi, May 14). However, those statements failed to satisfy the opposition, who argued that the government had misled the public. One CHP representative invited the TSK to issue a statement clarifying its stance on the bill. He also called for its withdrawal, saying that if approved in parliament, the party will refer the issue to the constitutional court (Anadolu Ajansi, May 18).

Moreover, some opposition deputies claimed that the wording within the bill indicates it was drafted to favor awarding the tender to Israeli companies. They alleged that this proved the hypocrisy of the AKP’s foreign policy, given Erdogan’s earlier anti-Israeli rhetoric (ANKA, May 16). In response, the Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek denied that this was intended, and said fourteen companies were currently in competition for the tender. He added that although there are no Turkish companies specializing both in mine-clearance and agriculture, some might consider forming consortiums with foreign partners to compete for the tender (www.cnnturk.com, May 13). Although Simsek did not disclose the identity of any company involved, one Turkish daily said that it had obtained the list of contenders which included companies from Britain, Croatia, Denmark, France, Israel, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United States (Today’s Zaman, May 17).

In addition, many opposition deputies, including those from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society, demanded that the areas designated for mine-clearance should be distributed locally, in order to benefit the rural economy. Simsek, however, contends that such redistribution might result in the inefficient use of agricultural land, and therefore the government prefers to lease it en masse. Many AKP parliamentarians also share the opposition’s concerns (www.nethaber.com, May 16). Owing to these objections, the government has been unable to rapidly pass the bill in parliament.

Moreover, given the continued controversy over the possible involvement of Israeli firms, the conservative press favoring the AKP has also joined the rising criticism of the bill (Yeni Safak, May 20). Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a hastily convened closed door meeting to allay the concerns of the AKP deputies. In a bid to reassure them that bill adequately protected Turkish national interests, Erdogan allegedly claimed that “the controversy was a product of the opposition parties, trying to wear us down through their unfair accusations” (Hurriyet Daily News, May 20).

The heated discussion surrounding the bill reveals that concern over national security remains high on the domestic political agenda. Across the political spectrum there is sensitivity to any initiative that might imply an infringement of the country’s territorial integrity. The presence on Turkish soil of foreign capital or troops, can easily be manipulated to garner opposition against any effort to develop closer ties with the outside world.

https://jamestown.org/program/controversy-erupts-over-proposed-de-mining-of-the-turkish-syrian-border/

May 22, 2009
Italy and Turkey: A strategic alliance

An article by Hon. Ignazio La Russa, Italian Minister of Defence

The friendship and the solid alliance between Italy and Turkey have deep roots. The Mediterranean is definitely one of the elements which bring our two countries nearer. It makes our peoples, cultures and politics so similar to each other. For decades, as members of the Atlantic Alliance, Turkey and Italy always shared the burdens and the risks linked to the need to keep a stable and fair international order.

In the Balkans, in Lebanon, in the Middle East, in Afghanistan, the Armed Forces of our two countries work side by side, relieving each other in the hardest tasks, to defend a precious and indivisible good: international security.

This common action marks not only the identity of our interests, but first and foremost the values that we share. Because our countries believe in peace, abroad and at home.

Our countries are equally and hardly struggling to consolidate an international order based on the principle of a fair and efficient multilateralism.

It must be fair, because all communities and all identities must be equally represented and capable to make their voices heard.

It must be efficient and able to give an answer to collective needs, avoiding that single vetoes could block the whole international community.

Together we fight to defeat terrorism, which threatens our nations and the stability of our democratic systems.

Italy and Turkey share a common vision and a common action strategy. The deep friendship between our countries which has been reaffirmed in the first Intergovernmental Summit held in ?zmir in November 2008, is not the final result of our relations but the point of departure for further joint actions in diplomacy, economy, culture and also to military operations aimed at the maintaining of peace.

At the beginning of 2009, Turkey took over Italy?s non-permanent membership under the Security Council of the UN. After two years of permanence in the Council, Italy can now fully rely on the action the Turkish government will take to affirm once again the same values and principles which were the basis of Italian action.

Italy supports Turkey’s aspirations in its path towards the European Union. The EU membership will be the final step of a difficult process which is anyway coherent with the ambitions and capabilities of Turkey.

Turkey may give a new decisive impetus to the action of the EU, particularly in areas where Turkey has strong and deep cultural and historical ties, such as Eastern Mediterranean, Caucasus and Central Asia.

I deem it is important to stress, last but not least, the extraordinary importance of Turkey for energy security not only for Italy, but for Europe as a whole. Because of its strategic position and above all for its stabilizing functions, Turkey is the strategic partner for all energy resources coming from the Caspian Region and “later on” the Persian Gulf.

Within this close cooperation framework between Italy and Turkey, we must underline the important role played by the cooperation in weapon systems production.

In both our countries defense industry plays a crucial role due to its valuable high technology features. It also works as an “innovation engine” for the entire production system, thanks to spin-offs linked to the high investments in R&D, typical of the defense industry.

In Italy defense industry employs 51.000 workers, a high percentage of which is composed by highly qualified people, particularly in engineering and IT (information technology). As far as turnover of the defense industry is concerned, it accounts for the 1% of the total Italian GNP. Furthermore, our defense industry is one of the most dynamic and outward looking sectors in the whole Italian production system.

In last years, due to significant international buyouts of important foreign firms, Italian defense industry saw a considerable increase in its turnover, production range and R&D investments.

The buyouts of British Westland, American DRS Technologies and of US Manitowoc Marine Group have been great operations of industrial politics aiming to further strengthen Italian defense industry which has now strong transnational characteristics.

Today, and even more so in the future, defense industry is going to be one of the strongest elements in our country system. It is a huge legacy of top level knowledge and skills, which Italy wants to share with friends and allies.
Collaboration in defense industry between Turkey and Italy has proved itself through the decades as one of the most vital components of the strategic partnership between our countries.

In recent years, the level of our collaboration reached new peaks, in particular in helicopters and shipyards sectors. We have now established a real partnership, with an exchange of technologies and know-how enriching both countries.

Looking into the future and always keeping in mind our historical, cultural and political ties, I am sure that all conditions we may need in order to further enhance the cooperation between our countries in this crucial technological and industrial sector are already here.

Company or Organisation Portrait:

Ayse AKALIN
Publisher and Editor in Chief
DEFENCE TURKEY MAGAZINE

Defence Turkey Magazine
Mahatma Gandhi Cad. 33/7
GOP ANKARA TURKEY
Phone: 0090 312 4471320
www.defence-turkey.com
[email protected]

Source: www.defpro.com, May 21 2009

May 22, 2009
UK falls out of premier league of economies

By Sean O’Grady, Economics Editor

In a humiliating move, Britain has been relegated from the premier league of international economies by one of the world’s leading credit agencies.

Standard & Poor’s’ concerns about government borrowing and the potential cost of rescuing the UK’s rickety banking system – as much as £145bn – are so serious that the agency has taken the unprecedented step of downgrading the creditworthiness of the British Government. The UK has lost its cherished AAA rating with a “stable outlook”, the highest possible, to a triple-A rating with a “negative outlook”. Worse could follow. The agency said that “UK public finances are deteriorating rapidly” and warned about a further downgrade: “The rating could be lowered if we conclude that, following the election, the next government’s fiscal consolidation plans are unlikely to put the UK debt burden on a secure downward trajectory over the medium term.”

While only one word of the formal S&P rating has been altered, the implications of the change could hardly be more momentous. Sterling, the gilts market and the FTSE 100 index all fell sharply on the news, which came shortly after the Office for National Statistics announced the latest figures for government borrowing – £85bn in April alone, four times the level this time last year and described by one City analyst as “awful”.

The lower S&P rating means the national debt will be more expensive to service and generally add to the growing pressure on public spending. And the economy may not return quickly to the sort of growth that would restore tax revenues and prevent unemployment climbing to about 3 million by this time next year.

The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Charlie Bean, reminded the nation in a speech last night that “we are still some way from having banks that feel sufficiently secure that they can lend normally, and investors that have enough confidence in the banks to provide them with sufficient funds”. He acknowledged signs of recovery but, “unfortunately these encouraging signs – I hesitate to identify them as ‘green shoots’ – do not tell us much about the strength and durability of the subsequent recovery”.

With government borrowing of about £350bn scheduled over the next two years and a total national debt approaching £1.5 trillion – £1,500,000,000,000 – S&P voiced concerns that no government would be able to tackle the issue: “Even assuming additional fiscal tightening, the net general government debt burden could approach 100 per cent of GDP and remain near that level in the medium term… These projections reflect our more cautious view of how quickly the erosion in the Government’s revenue base may be repaired, the extent to which the growth in government spending can be curtailed, and consequently the pace at which historically high fiscal deficits are likely to narrow.”

The immediate concern is how the downgrade will affect the cost of servicing Britain’s burgeoning public debt. Robert Stheeman, chief executive of the Debt Management Office, the government agency responsible for financing the deficit, admitted in an interview for Channel 4 News that the cost of paying the interest on government debts was rising: “I don’t see it turning into spiral, but it is getting significant, a significant part of government spending.”

The shadow Chancellor, George Osborne, said “Labour is putting our economic stability at risk by refusing to face up to the debt crisis it has created”. His Liberal Democrat counterpart, Vincent Cable, called on ministers to “come clean about how it intends to pay back its debt”.

The Treasury minister Stephen Timms replied that the Treasury had “set out plans in the Budget to halve the deficit over the next four years and to bring the public finances back into balance in the medium term”.

The downgrade represents a historic moment, as it leaves the UK on an inferior credit rating to France, the US, German, Sweden, the Netherlands and even Guernsey. Spain and Ireland both lost their triple-A ratings in recent weeks. Japan lost its AAA rating in 2001. Ministers will hope that the UK does not follow them further down to join Greece and Portugal in the international finance equivalent of the Championship, or even League One.

Source: www.independent.co.uk, 22 May 2009

May 22, 2009