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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (August 18, 1995)From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] CILLER ON LAST LEG OF CENTRAL ASIA TOUR[02] CILLER SENDS ENVOY TO KING FAHD[03] AMNESTY CONDEMNS SAUDI EXECUTIONS[04] TURKEY GETTING TOUGHER WITH SAUDIS[05] US OFFICIAL TO COME TO TURKEY[06] PRESIDENT DEMIREL COMMEMORATES INDONESIAN NATIONAL DAY[07] CINDORUK MEETS HIS TATAR COUNTERPART[08] TWELVE PKK MILITANTS KILLED[09] THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING[10] IMKB BECOMES WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM MEMBER[11] PARLIAMENTARIAN LIBRARIES CONFERENCE BEGINS[12] PLANS TO INCLUDE RUSSIA IN PETROL DEAL[13] TOURISM LOOKING GOOD[14] DELEGATION OFF TO BOSNIA[15] FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY IN CYPRUS[16] RECORD HIGH GROSS RESERVES[17] COOPERATION WITH KAZAKHSTAN
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY AUGUST 18, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish pressthis morning[01] CILLER ON LAST LEG OF CENTRAL ASIA TOURYesterday, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller travelled from Kyrgyzstan to Turkmenistan on the last leg of her five-day Central Asian tour. During Ciller's visit, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan signed three agreements on Wednesday. The agreements covered environmental cooperation, the establishment of a joint economic commission and cooperation on banking. At a joint press conference with Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, Ciller also disclosed that the two countries would cooperate on a number of projects related to energy, defence, electronics and animal husbandry.Ciller was met by Turkmen President Saparmurad Turkmenbasi at Askhabad airport. Following the talks between the two presidents, meetings were held between the delegations. At a press conference later, Ciller stated that meetings were continuing with the Turkmen Gas and Oil Ministry and that Turkmenistan had given permission to the Turkish Petroleum Board (TPAO) for exploring for natural gas in four regions. A verbal agreement was reached on purchasing natural gas from Turkmenistan. Agreements were signed for prevention of double taxation and the establishment of a Joint Economic Commission. Ciller said that they had decided to increase the number of Turkmen students in Turkey. Ciller was then presented with an honorary doctorate by the Mahdum Kulu State University. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[02] CILLER SENDS ENVOY TO KING FAHDPrime Minister Tansu Ciller announced yesterday she had appointed a special envoy to travel to Riyadh to intercede on behalf of the other Turks awaiting execution. Ciller said that she had asked Professor Nevzat Yalcintas, a well known academic and public figure in Turkey to travel to Saudi Arabia as her personal envoy to seek clemency for the other Turks. Ciller said she was deeply saddened by the beheading of Turkish citizens and warned this could be detrimental to relations between the two countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Hikmet Cetin also joined the general chorus condemning Saudi Arabia yesterday, calling the beheading of the Turks "anachronistic" and wild". "This practice (of beheading) has nothing to do with Islam, which is the religion of tolerance and forgiveness, human rights or contemporary law" Cetin said. Pointing out that he found the public outcry in Turkey over the beheadings "wholly justified", Cetin said: "This wild practice has also shown us how important the secular republic established by Ataturk is". /Hurriyet/
[03] AMNESTY CONDEMNS SAUDI EXECUTIONSA spokesman for the London-based Amnesty International Organization, said yesterday that the organization condemned the spate of executions in Saudi Arabia involving Turkish lorry drivers accused of drug smuggling.In a statement to Hurriyet newspaper, Dbrian Dave said that Amnesty International wanted to see an "immediate halt" to the executions-beheading according to Saudi law- and that others accused of involvement in drug smuggling and waiting for the death sentence should be shown more clemency.
[04] TURKEY GETTING TOUGHER WITH SAUDISDiplomatic pressure against the Saudi Arabians over the issue of beheading four Turks condemned to death for smuggling drugs into Saudi Arabia, has intensified rapidly over the past few days.Saudi King Fahd has been sent a number of strongly worded diplomatic notes calling on him to stop the executions before relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia deteriorate beyond repair. The seriousness of the situation is underlined by the fact that at least twenty more Turkish nationals also face beheading for the same reasons. Back in Turkey, public reaction to the executions has deepened, and there are fears that following Friday prayers in the mosques there could be violent protest, especially in Ankara. Despite the fact that President Demirel has become personally involved and that a Foreign Ministry "rescue operation" has been set up, people in Turkey want to see some positive results. Response from the Saudis remains unaltered with officials saying that the executions were carried out according to Saudi law. Noting that no exceptions were made for any foreigner accused of illicit drug trafficking, Saudi officials added yesterday that "we treat our own people the same way when it comes to crimes of this nature." Chairman of the pro-moslem Refah (Welfare) Party, Necmettin Erbakan, has also promised to exert pressure where he can against the Saudi decision to carry on with the executions. Noting that more than just relations with Turkey was involved, Erbakan added that the whole Islamic world was concerned about the issue. /All papers/
[05] US OFFICIAL TO COME TO TURKEYGeorge Stephanopoulos, adviser to US President Bill Clinton, is expected to come to Turkey today to have talks with Turkish officials on the Cyprus issue. It is reported that Stephanopoulos will inform Ankara about Washington's efforts to reduce tension between Turkey and Greece. The US official will go on to Cyprus on Monday after visiting Athens to have separate meetings with Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] PRESIDENT DEMIREL COMMEMORATES INDONESIAN NATIONAL DAYPresident Suleyman Demirel sent a congratulatory message to Indonesian President Suharto on the occasion of the national day of the Republic of Indonesia. "I send you my heartfelt congratulations on behalf of myself and the Turkish nation" said the president in his message. "I sincerely hope that present friendly relations continue and increase in the coming years". The president also expressed his hope that the Indonesian president would come to Turkey as his guest as soon as possible.
[07] CINDORUK MEETS HIS TATAR COUNTERPARTVasili Lihackev, Parliament Speaker of Tatarstan, visited Turkish Parliament Speaker Husamettin Cindoruk at his parliament office. Lihackev said that relations between Tatarstan and Turkey will be developed. Cindoruk said that the Turkish and Tatar Parliaments will continue to support each other. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] TWELVE PKK MILITANTS KILLEDTwelve militants of the PKK terrorist organization, including one woman, were killed during military operations and two militants surrendered in the Southeast, officials from the emergency rule region said. Meanwhile, PKK militants killed two civilians and injured nine when they raked a psssanger bus with automatic gun fire along the highway between Diyarbakir and Elazig. PKK militants ambushed the bus -on its way to Istanbul- late on Wednesday.
[09] THE RUSSIANS ARE COMINGThe weekly tourism magazine Intur East, published in Russia, expressed admiration for Turkey and its holiday resorts in an article covering tourism. According to the article, Turkey is the preferred destination for Russian sun-seekers and is highly recommended by all who have visited. Tourism Ministry officials said that this was a big development for Turkish tourism.
[10] IMKB BECOMES WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM MEMBERIstanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) President Tuncay Artun will attend the "1995 Europe/East Asia Economic Summit" of the World Economic Forum (WEF), known as the Davos Group, to be held in Singapore. WEF, under the presidency of Dr.Klaus Schwabb, proposed membership to the IMKB in July, due to its European level of development, developing relations with the Turkish- speaking republics and increasing activities in that region.
[11] PARLIAMENTARIAN LIBRARIES CONFERENCE BEGINSThe International Parliamentarian Libraries Conference began yesterday in Ankara. "All principles, institutions, and laws necessary for democratic rule are present in Turkey" Mustafa Kalemli, Parliament Deputy Speaker, said in his opening speech. "Ataturk was able to take sovereignty from the sultan and give it to the people in spite of the difficult situation at that time. Turkey is now the guarantor of peace and stability in its region" he added. The globalization process in the world necessitates international cooperation in every field, Kalemli stated, and expressed his hope that relations between parliamentary information units would improve.
[12] PLANS TO INCLUDE RUSSIA IN PETROL DEALPrime Ministry Adviser, Emre Gonensay, responsible for the pipeline project for Azeri early petrol, said yesterday that Ankara wanted to include Russia in current plans to bring the petrol through Turkey to Mediterranean port facilities. /Milliyet/
[13] TOURISM LOOKING GOODMinister for Tourism, Irfan Gurpinar, has again recorded his view that tourism this year was looking better than ever. Noting that Antalya was bursting with tourists this summer and was the recognized centre for Turkish tourism, minister Gurpinar said that by the end of the year 7.5 million tourists will have brought in 4.6 billion dollars.Reporting that 1.8 million tourists came to Turkey in July alone, Gurpinar said that this was a pretty sure indication that there would be at least a 25 percent increase in the number of tourists this year. /Milliyet/
[14] DELEGATION OFF TO BOSNIAA group of Turkish academics, teachers, artists, businessmen and journalists involved in the "Humanitarian Initiatives for Bosnia" programme started by Republican People's Party (CHP) ex-secretary general Ertugrul Gunay will shortly be setting off from Istanbul.Benefiting from certain provisions extended by the government, the delegation wants to examine aspects of the Bosnia war. It has already declared that because Britain is the most reprehensible foreign government involved in the Bosnia debacle, the delegation wants to call a stop to using British made products. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY IN CYPRUSForeign Trade Undersecretary Nejat Eren, accompanied by a delegation of representatives from the public and private sector, will visit Northern Cyprus on August 22, to attend a meeting on the improvement of bilateral economic and trade relations. During the meeting, possibilities for joint investment and cooperation will be discussed. The delegation will be received by Northern Cyprus President Rauf Denktas and Prime Minister Hakki Atun. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] RECORD HIGH GROSS RESERVESTurkish gold and foreign currency gross reserves exceeded $25 billion at the end of July 1995. During the January-July period of the current year, Turkish gross reserves have increased by $8.5 billion, reaching $25.013 billion on July 28. At the end of 1994, gross reserves amounted to $16.5 billion. Gross reserves cover Central Bank gold and foreign currency reserves and foreign currency reserves accumulated in the commercial banks. /Hurriyet/
[17] COOPERATION WITH KAZAKHSTANCentral Bank Chairman Yaman Toruner has invited Kazakh banks to deal in the Istanbul Gold Market. Toruner, accompanying Prime Minister Ciller in her visit to Kazakhstan, signed an agreement for cooperation with the Kazakh Central Bank. /Hurriyet/END |
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