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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (November 1, 1995)
From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (November 1, 1995)
CONTENTS
[01] INDEPENDENT MINISTERS APPOINTED
[02] GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED
[03] EU DEBATES UNION WITH TURKEY
[04] CILLER TO VISIT BRUSSELS
[05] ANKARA CONDEMNS RUSSIA FOR KURDISH MEETING
[06] US: "PKK IS INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING"
[07] GONENSAY: "TURKEY WANTS TO HEAD PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION"
[08] DEMIREL INAUGURATES GLAXO PHARMACEUTICALS PLANT
[09] STATE OFFICIALS RESIGN TO RUN IN DEC.24 EARLY ELECTIONS
[10] PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION APPROVES TL 380 TN SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET
[11] TURKISH FOREIGH TRADE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED
[12] PKK TERRORISTS KILL FOUR CHILDREN
[13] TURKISH CANDIDATES WIN IN BULGARIAN ELECTIONS
[14] ISRAELI NAVAL COMMANDER VISITING TURKEY
[15] GAS ATTACK INVOLVES TURKS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 1995
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press
this morning
[01] INDEPENDENT MINISTERS APPOINTED
As the DYP-CHP coalition government struggles to get on its
feet, developments happen quickly as the election calender gets
started. Prime Minister Ciller yesterday announced the three
independents appointed to three vital ministries.
Minister for the Interior will be Teoman Unusan, Justice
Minister will be Firuz Cilingiroglu and the Minister for
Transport and Communications will be Oguz Tezmen.
According to article 114 of the constitution, those
appointed to these positions have to independent and
placed in their ministries at the start of the election
calender. President Suleyman Demirel has approved the
appointments. /All papers/
[02] GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED
Prime Minister Ciller yesterday announced the DYP-CHP coalition
government programme to the cabinet, and again confirmed that
the general election would be held on December 24.
Noting that the coalition was more than just an election
government, Ciller added that it would be a government ready and
able to solve the nation's problems. Speaking on behalf of the
CHP, chairman Deniz Baykal noted that the December election was
fully in harmony with the election laws, and that he had no
doubts at all that the election would be held on the date
planned. /All papers/
[03] EU DEBATES UNION WITH TURKEY
The Foreign Relations Commission of the European Parliament
spent the day yesterday debating the final points of bringing
Turkey into the European Union (EU) customs union.
EU Rapporteur Carlos Carnero Gonzales said later that discussion
centred on November 22 as a key date for announcing the calender
of the countdown to membership. Although certain groups led by
the socialists are pressing for a postponement, the general view
in the EP is that Turkey should be a member. /Sabah/
[04] CILLER TO VISIT BRUSSELS
Prime Minister Ciller has accepted an invitation to attend a
conference on energy in Brussels on November 24. Ciller also has
in mind that the EU will be voting on customs union with Turkey
on December 14. During her visit she wants to disperse any
negative feelings that might be evident prior to the vote.
Ciller will go to Brussels with chief advisor Emre Gonensay and
minister responsible for human rights, Adnan Ekmen. /Sabah/
[05] ANKARA CONDEMNS RUSSIA FOR KURDISH MEETING
Turkey handed a protest note to the Russian Ambassador in Ankara
yesterday, following a meeting of the so-called Kurdish
"parliament-in-exile" in Moscow. Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Omer Akbel described the meeting as "seriously overshadowing
and damaging to Turco-Russian relations". "We have learned
with deep sorrow that the meeting started on Monday, despite
our earlier expectations that Russia would act with determination
in accordance with our mutual relations" Akbel said in a written
statement. Akbel noted that Turkey had warned Russia before the
meeting of the Kurdish "parliament-in-exile".
Meanwhile, in a written statement yesterday evening, the Russian
Foreign Ministry condemned the meeting of the "parliament-in-
exile". The statement said: "The Russian Foreign Ministry
condemns such activities and notes that it has no relation with
them. Russia wants to develop its bilateral and multilateral
relations with the friendly country, Turkey, and never
acknowledges such separatist trends whatever their source is".
However, the statement noted that the Parliament's Geopolitic
Issues Committee and International Union of Kurdish Society
Organizations held a "seminar" on the problems of Kurdish
society. Some participants tried to attribute the meeting to the
third General Council of the Kurdish parliament-in-exile, it
added.
Nevertheless, Russian Ambassador in Ankara Vadim Igorevic
Kuznetsov was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday
afternoon and handed a protest note. The note stated that
the meeting should be stopped, or otherwise relations would
be reviewed. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet-Hurriyet/
[06] US: "PKK IS INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING"
Ambassador Robert Gelbard, Assistant Secretary of State for
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, during a
briefing at the Foreign Press Centre said: "We are concerned
about the dramatic flow of drug trafficking through Turkey and
other nations in the region, some of which has been associated
with some individuals who are members of the PKK terrorist
organization". "Another problem which concerns the US
Administration is money laundering in Turkey. I understand
and have been told that the Turkish government has intended to
move forward with legislation ratifying the 1988 Vienna
Convention when a government is formed, just as I understand
that's the case in Austria. I think that would be appropriate
seven years after the agreement was approved" Gelbard added.
/Hurriyet/
[07] GONENSAY: "TURKEY WANTS TO HEAD PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION"
Turkey wants to construct the Baku-Soupsa pipeline, which will
carry the early output from Azerbaijan's rich Caspian Sea
oilfields, according to Emre Gonensay, Turkey's chief negotiator
on the Azeri oil pipeline deal and Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's
top advisor. Gonensay stated that after determining the
pipeline route, the next important step was to obtain the right
to construct part of the Georgian route. He added that Turkey
wants to reach agreement with Azerbaijan and Georgia in
particular, on construction of the pipeline. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] DEMIREL INAUGURATES GLAXO PHARMACEUTICALS PLANT
President Suleyman Demirel yesterday inaugurated a Glaxo
Wellcome plant in Turkey near Gebze in the Marmara region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the president said the
Glaxo investment was the outcome of foreign business
confidence in the Turkish economy. "No foreign investor
has felt regret so far, none will" Demirel said.
He also said that the customs union process with the EU
would begin in January 1996 meaning that Turkey would
have a strong economy ready to compete with its rivals.
Demirel, in his speech, invited Turkish entrepreneurs abroad
to make investments in Turkey. The British pharmaceuticals
giant Glaxo has invested $13.4 million in its Turkish
plant. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] STATE OFFICIALS RESIGN TO RUN IN DEC.24 EARLY ELECTIONS
Unal Erkan, emergency rule region governor and Mehmet Agar,
general director of police, resigned from their positions
yesterday to run as candidates in the upcoming election.
Both officials will run on the True Path Party (DYP) ticket.
Meanwhile, Orhan Tasanlar, chief of the Ankara police general
directorate, has been appointed chief of the Istanbul police
general directorate. Tasanlar became the chief of the general
directorate due to the resignation of Necdet Menzir. /All papers/
[10] PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION APPROVES TL 380 TN SUPPLEMENTARY
BUDGET
A Parliamentary commission on Monday endorsed draft laws for
a supplementary budget of TL 380 trillion for the current fiscal
year and a provisional budget to cover the first months of next
year. /All papers/
[11] TURKISH FOREIGH TRADE FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED
A Turkish Foundation for Foreign Trade has been established
with the aim of supporting domestic and foreign trade policies
based on free competition. The foundation will work for
elaborating long term foreign trade policies with emphasize on
stability and liberalism, and will undertake steps leading to
Turkey's full membership in the European Union. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] PKK TERRORISTS KILL FOUR CHILDREN
According to the Voice of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party
radio station, PKK terrorists have killed four children and
their mother in Northern Iraq. The radio noted that the PKK has
began to attack civilians because of the recent heavy losses
the organization has suffered. /Sabah/
[13] TURKISH CANDIDATES WIN IN BULGARIAN ELECTIONS
The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), the current form of the
old Communist Party, is leading the first round of local
elections in Bulgaria. The Socialist Party's lead is concentrated
in rural areas, while in the big cities the main opposition
Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) is ahead. In areas of high
Turkish population, meanwhile, the Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (HOH), which has a mainly Turkish membership, led in
the first round of the polls. HOH candidates took five out of
seven municipalities in the Kircali district where many Turks
live. /All papers/
[14] ISRAELI NAVAL COMMANDER VISITING TURKEY
Adm.Ami Ayalon, the commander of Israel's naval forces, arrived
in Turkey yesterday for an official visit as the guest of
Adm.Guven Erkaya, commander of the Turkish naval forces.
Officials from the headquarters of the general staff said that
Adm.Ayalon will visit Adm.Erkaya and Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi,
chief of the general staff today, and he will visit Adm.Salim
Dervisoglu, commander of the Navy and Adm.Alper Tezeren,
commander of the Naval Academy on Thursday. Adm.Ayalon will
leave Turkey on Friday.
Meanwhile, Marshal Sir Richard Vincent, chief of NATO's military
committee arrived in Turkey yesterday as the guest of
Gen.Karadayi. A spokesman for the general staff said that the
guest commander visited Gen.Karadayi yesterday and will leave
Turkey today. /All papers/
[15] GAS ATTACK INVOLVES TURKS
Sixty Turks were involved in a gas attack against 72 foreigners
living in a twelve floor apartment building owned by the
Geisslingen city authorities.
According to individuals caught up in the gas attack, racist
neo-nazis used the ventilation and heating systems to spread
poisonous gas throughout the building in the small German town.
Thirty-eight of the Turks in the building were taken to
hospital for treatment. Some of the local people are against
having foreigners living in the apartments, and the question of
how to improve the situation is growing into a local issue.
/Hurriyet/
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