TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (July 12, 1995)

From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)

CONTENTS

  • [01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL LEAVES FOR ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA

  • [02] FULL SUPPORT FROM CHIRAC

  • [03] OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ OVER

  • [04] TURKEY PROMISES SUPPORT FOR NAKHICHEVAN

  • [05] INONU RETURNS WITH SURPRISES

  • [06] US CYPRUS COORDINATOR WILLIAMS IN ANKARA

  • [07] DEMIREL SPEAKS ON WORLD POPULATION DAY

  • [08] LOCAL BY-ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5

  • [09] BULGARIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF IN ANKARA

  • [10] AGREEMENT SIGNED TO REFOREST TRNC

  • [11] AZER-TURK BANK IN BAKU

  • [12] US SUPPORT FOR PIPELINE PROJECT

  • [13] "MOST IMPORTANT LIVING TURKISH WRITER"

  • [14] GERMAN MODEL FOR BLACK SEA FORESTS

  • [15] CUSTOMS UNION TALKS IN ANKARA

    •

    WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF

    DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

    TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

    JULY 12, 1995

    Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish

    press this morning.

    [01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL LEAVES FOR ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA

    President Suleyman Demirel leaves Turkey today for a three-day visit that will cover Albania and Macedonia, which are among Ankara's closest Balkan allies by tradition as well as geopolitical considerations. Arriving first in Albania, Demirel will be met by his host Sali Berisha, the Albanian president. From Tirana, Demirel will travel to the capital of Macedonia, Skobje, where he will be met by President Kiro Gligorov. The talks between the two sides headed by Demirel and Gligorov will concentrate on developments in the Balkans, as well as bilateral ties with specific reference to developing economic and technical cooperation. Demirel will return to Turkey on July 14. /Milliyet-Sabah/

    [02] FULL SUPPORT FROM CHIRAC

    French President Jacques Chirac asked for support for Turkey in his speech at the European Parliamentary (EP) Assembly yesterday. Talking about "Enlarging the European Parliamentary's Foreign Relations", Chirac said: "Now, I want to mention Turkey and Russia. At the end of long lasting negotiations, a Customs Union protocol was signed with Turkey on 6 March. Now an agreement is being presented for your approval. You will give the final decision. However, I want to draw your attention to the fact that we must not discourage Turkey's aspirations to be associated with Europe. Customs Union should be hand-in-hand with efforts by Prime Minister Tansu Ciller to make her country democratic and improve the protection of human rights. If we turn down this appeal, we run a double risk: reinforcing the supporters of Islamic movements in Turkey, and driving Turkey, if disappointed by Europe, towards other forms of cooperation which we may later regret. I believe that Europe cannot remove its support and understanding from Turkey, which wants to move ahead towards Europe. It should be remembered that our message will be heard not only by 60 million Turks but also by 240 million Turkish-speakers in the region. We should avoid playing into the hands of the Islamic movement, which is trying to persuade Turkish people that Europe rejects them because of their Muslim religion." After Chirac, Leader of the Socialist Group, Pauline Green, gave a speech and said: "We accept Turkey's importance and my group does not see customs union just as an economic connection. However, countries that enter into customs union must share the same democratic norms and values with us." Chairman of the Christian Democrat Group, Martens said: "We want Turkey to show improvement in democratization." Finally Chirac began to speak for the second time and said: "Turkey is a Muslim country and because of its history it has not been able to apply democracy fully. There are people in Turkey who are struggling for democracy and human rights but there are also conservative and foreign-based fundemantalist groups which are getting stronger. We should help the people who are struggling for democratization, and opposing the fundemantalists to get stronger. Europe must well understand Turkey's problems before giving lesson to her." /All Papers/

    [03] OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ OVER

    The "Dragon" military operation begun in Northern Iraq on July 5 with the aim of rendering ineffective PKK terrorists in the region was brought to an end yesterday. Turkish forces penetrated 40 km into Iraq. The operation lasted 6 days. 167 terrorists were killed during the operation. /Cumhuriyet/

    [04] TURKEY PROMISES SUPPORT FOR NAKHICHEVAN

    During her visit to Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Ciller again confirmed Turkey's support for Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan. During talks with Azeri President Haydar Aliyev, Ciller was given assurances that Azerbaijan would also support Turkish oil pipeline projects.

    Ciller in a message to Nakhichevan added that Turkey would do everything possible to help resolve the situation in the region especially in connection with the Armenian occupation of regional territories. /Cumhuriyet/

    [05] INONU RETURNS WITH SURPRISES

    Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu, just back in Turkey from an official visit to Turkmenistan, has come back full of details about pipeline developments. New problems in connection with financing the Turkmenistan pipeline project have led to surprises regarding new routes and new project terms.

    Inonu pointed out on his return that noone route was under consideration, but that rather a number of pipelines were involved. "Of course we hope that Turkey gets the main share, but there is nothing certain yet" cautioned Inonu. /Cumhuriyet/

    [06] US CYPRUS COORDINATOR WILLIAMS IN ANKARA

    James Williams, the State Department's coordinator for Cyprus, paid a visit to Ankara yesterday where he discussed the Cyprus question with Turkish officials. Williams was on a tour of various European states and came to Turkey to meet the new staff members of the Foreign Ministry who are now in charge of the Cyprus question. He was due to meet with Ali Tuygan, deputy undersecretary of the ministry, and Onur Gokce, director-general in charge of Cyprus and Greece. /Cumhuriyet/

    [07] DEMIREL SPEAKS ON WORLD POPULATION DAY

    The rapid increase in world population is now a very serious problem, President Suleyman Demirel said in a message on the occasion of World Population Day. "The world population, which totalled less than 2 billion in 1990, is expected to increase up to 6.2 billion in 2000. Every year, the population increases by an average of 96 million people. 95 % of this increase takes place in developing countries where resources are scarce" Demirel said. "Every country must take precautions to decrease the pressure of population increase on resources. This can only be done by implementing successful population policies" Demirel added. /All papers/

    [08] LOCAL BY-ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5

    Local by-elections will be held on November 5 to elect mayors and provincial general and municipal deputies to posts due to be vacated on August 30. According to the Higher Election Council decision, published in the Official Gazette, the election of officials to the vacant posts -which range from mayor to village councilors- will take place on Nov.5. /Cumhuriyet/

    [09] BULGARIAN CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF IN ANKARA

    Gen.Tsevetan Mladenov Totomirov, Bulgarian chief of General Staff, arrived in Ankara for an official visit as the guest of his Turkish counterpart, Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi. Totomirov will meet with Gen.Salih Cetinkaya, commander of the Fourth Air Force base, today before returning.

    [10] AGREEMENT SIGNED TO REFOREST TRNC

    An agreement to reforest areas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) damaged in the recent fire has been signed between Turkey and TRNC, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The agreement was signed by Forestry Minister Hasan Ekinci of Turkey and Ferdi Sabit Soyer, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Minister of TRNC. Ekinci said that Turkey would provide the labour to reforest 5,800 of the 8,000 acres of forest destroyed by the blaze. He noted that the burned soil must be removed before new trees can be planted.

    [11] AZER-TURK BANK IN BAKU

    The Azer-Turk Bank set up with the participation of the Turkish Ziraat Bank was opened yesterday. General Director of the Azer- Turk Bank, Museyev Muhammet said that this bank would constitute a bridge between the two countries' economy and would greatly contribute to the development of the Azeri economy. Ziraat Bank General Director Cihan Pacaci recalled that they established the fourth bank among the Turkish-speaking republics in Azerbaijan and said: "We have provided modern banking services to Azerbaijan with this bank". The Azer-Turk Bank aims to get hold of an important share of financing trade between the two countries. /Sabah/

    [12] US SUPPORT FOR PIPELINE PROJECT

    The US says that it will lend its support to the Turkish proposal for a new pipeline running from Hazar to Turkish port outlets. According to Prime Ministry chief adviser Emre Gonensay, who has just returned from talks in the US, officials there have promised that the US administration will exert every effort to have the scheme accepted.

    Turkey wants to have a share in transporting oil and natural gas from reserves in Central Asia and the Caucasus, and has proposed pipeline routes that will lock Turkey into the new developments. Turkish officials add that the Turkish proposals will help to solve problems in the region. /Hurriyet/

    [13] "MOST IMPORTANT LIVING TURKISH WRITER"

    The leading French "Liberation" newspaper has described Yasar Kemal as the "most important living Turkish writer."

    Liberation also notes that although Kemal has Kurdish origins, he has long been known as a leading Turkish writer unafraid of letting his views be known. /Cumhuriyet/

    [14] GERMAN MODEL FOR BLACK SEA FORESTS

    Black Sea forests will be re-planned according to a new project carried out jointly by the German Technical Cooperation Institution (GTZ) and the General Directorate of Forests. Within the framework of this project, the line forests in the Black Sea will be turned into mixed tree forests by increasing the number of leafy trees. Doctor G.Von Hahn, head of the project stressed that the Black Sea forests will be re-planned by the GTZ on condition that the methods applied in the Baden-Wrutenberg/Germany and considered suitable for the Black Sea forests are followed fully. A cool glasshouse warehouse has been built in Devrek/Zonguldak with a capacity for storing 5 million "leafy saplings" to be planted according to the project. /Hurriyet/

    [15] CUSTOMS UNION TALKS IN ANKARA

    While Constitutional amendments having vital importance in connection with Turkey's customs union with the EU remain suspended, the first inspection by Brussels officials has begun in Ankara. Serge Abou, the head of the Mediterranean desk at the European Commission talked with officials from the Foreign Ministry yesterday. Technical preparations towards customs union were discussed. Many officials from the EU will check-on the preparations before October, when Turkey's customs union will be approved by the European Parliament. /Hurriyet/

    END

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