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Turkish Press Review, 96-05-14Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWMAY 14, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.[01] SILK ROAD REVIVESIranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani yesterday inaugurated a new rail link between Iran and Central Asia which he said revived the old Silk Road as a symbol of East-West relations. The Iranian president and 11 heads of state later flew to Sarakhs, on the border with Turkmenistan. Other dignitaries and officials boarded the train, dubbed "Pride", making its first journey from Mashhad to Sarakhs.Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, who attended the meeting, said that the route would be tied to Turkey, thus linking Turkey with Central Asia. "It is not only a railway being inaugurated today, but continents and peoples of various continents are being connected" Demirel added. The heads of state were to go later to Tedzhen in Turkmenistan. The Mashhad-Sarakhs-Tedzhen railway link has cost $116 million. Transport capacity initially will be 500,000 passengers a year and 2 million metric tons of goods, rising eventually to 1 million passengers and 8 million tons. Demirel had bilateral contacts with Rafsanjani and other guest presidents. During the Demirel-Rafsanjani meeting, PKK terror, Turkey's military cooperation agreement with Israel and regional issues were discussed. It is reported that Demirel requested Rafsanjani not to neglect PKK activities in Iranian territory. Heads of state will hold the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)'s fourth summit on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Turkmen capital Ashkabad and are expected to agree to a redrafting of the ECO founding treaty hammered out by foreign ministers. At the same meeting, Turkey will take over for four years the permanent secretariat of the organization. ECO was founded by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey and later expanded in 1992 to include the five former Soviet Central Asian states -Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan- plus Azerbaijan and Afghanistan. /Hurriyet-Sabah/ [02] IMF DELEGATION ARRIVES IN TURKEYThe Turkish government is trying to persuade the IMF to agree to a new stand-by credit agreement. Giving details about the stability measures planned by the government that include tax amendments and steps towards privatization, economy bureaucrats will try to win the trust of the IMF delegation arriving tomorrow in Turkey. During a recent US visit of a Turkish delegation headed by State Minister Ufuk Soylemez, IMF officials gave no guarantees for a new agreement and expressed their suspicions about whether or not the Yilmaz government would succeed in the implementation of hard economic measures.The IMF cancelled a previous stand-by agreement as a result of the negative economic results after the then DYP-CHP coalition government used resources for election investments and made concessions on stability measures on the eve of the December 24 elections. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] NO TURKISH ARMS FOR BOSNIAGovernment officials deny that Turkey supplied arms or military equipments to Bosnia-Herzegovina during the 3.5-year long Bosnian war. Turkish President Suleyman Demirel will visit Bosnia in June and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will visit on May 24.Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Ambassador Nurettin Nurkan, in a press conference yesterday, said that Turkey did not supply arms to Bosnia during the war. Reminding his listeners that a military training agreement between Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina for training Bosnian forces was signed after the Dayton Agreement, Ambassador Nurkan said that Turkey had done this within the framework of international efforts to strengthen the Bosnian army. /Cumhuriyet/ [04] ISEDAK OBSERVING COMMITTEE HOLDS TWELFTH MEETINGThe 12th ISEDAK (Permanent Committee of Economic and Trade Cooperation of the Islamic Conference Organization) Observing Committee, organized by the State Planning Office Foreign Economic Relations General Directorate, held a three day ministerial level meeting in Istanbul that concluded yesterday. A total of 63 representatives of various international organizations from 11 countries attended the meeting. Lead by Turkey, the Observing Committee is made up of Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Kuwait, Indonesia, Uganda, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran and Cameroon. The main concepts of the meeting which were agreed upon were announced in a report. The report provides for the establishment of an Islamic Nations Standards and Measurements Organization, coordinated by the Turkish Standards Institute, which will be unveiled at the next ISEDAK meeting. The meeting discussed new measures for the Economic Cooperation Activity Plan to be put in place.The report noted that the third Islamic Nations Private Sectors Meeting will be held between 21 and 23 October, 1996, in Jakarta together with the 6th Islamic Trade Fair. The report also noted that preparations for the meetings on subjects like privatization practices of the member countries and many other alternative subjects were completed during the meeting and added that one of the organization's aims was to make ISEDAK a forum at which global and regional economic problems could be discussed. /All papers/ [05] STATE MINISTER AYKUT RECEIVES DANISH MAYOR BRIXFORTEState Minister Imren Aykut, during a recent meeting with Peter Brixforte, Mayor of Farum, Denmark, noted that Turkish families living in foreign countries find it difficult to give sufficient care to their children's education due to the difficulties they face in their working lives. The minister pointed out that Turks living in Denmark face fewer problems and thanked Denmark for its concern for the education of foreign students. Aykut said: "When families living in foreign countries cannot integrate into their new society they have to face unemployment, which in turn results in the child's failure to adapt to his environment. These children often end up joining illegal organizations. This is particularly true for Turkish families in Germany. However, the government of Germany is negligent about the issue". Mayor Brixforte pointed out that Danish schools place great importance on the education of all children. /All papers/[06] CONFERENCE ON PIPELINE PROJECTSThe Adam Smith Institute is holding a conference on the Central Asian pipeline projects that will carry petrol and natural gas from the Central Asian republics to world markets.The two-day conference will begin today in Istanbul and and will examine the projects from an economic standpoint -especially in connection with the central Asian republics. Turkey will be represented along with Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan. Issues involving the status of these countries and geopolitical matters will also be taken up. /Sabah/ [07] KING HUSSEIN TO VISIT ANKARAKing Hussein of Jordan will be in Ankara tomorrow to discuss Middle East issues -especially the signing of military cooperation agreements between Turkey and Israel. Officials say that one of the matters that will be given first importance is a regional defence pact.The one day working visit of King Hussein to Ankara reflects the importance being given to regional developments. King Hussein says that he wants to preserve and develop close and friendly ties with other countries in the region. While in Ankara King Hussein will have talks with President Suleyman Demirel. /Cumhuriyet/ [08] TU RKEY NOT WITHOLDING WATER FROM IRAQAccording to American professor Joseph Delapenna, Turkey is giving the right amount to water to Iraq. During a talk yesterday at the Turkish-American Association (TAA), Delappena said that Turkey was keeping to its promises regarding the amount of water being allowed to flow from Turkey into Iraq.Noting that Iraq was one of the world's worst users of water, the professor from Villanova University said that Iraq had no right according to international law to demand more water supplies from Turkey. Delapenna said that the worsening problem over water supplies in the region would be best solved by applying the logical use of water principle in talks to deal with the issue. /Cumhuriyet/ [09] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN IN VIENNATurkish businessmen in Vienna have organized themselves under the name of the Austria Turkish Businessmen's and Industrialists' Foundation (ATIS) and launched the body at a ceremony held on May 13. Turkish Foreign Trade Foundation Chairman Ertugrul Onen and European Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists Foundation (ATIAD) Chairman Kemal Sahin attended the ceremony. Sahin said during his speech that ATIS was a member of ATIAD and emphasized that they were trying hard to gather all Turkish businessmen in various European countries under the ATIAD roof. ATIS Chairman Sadik Ozgul said that Turkish businessmen in Austria now have a powerful and strong organization. /All papers/[10] TURKEY LAUNCHES EUROBOND ISSUEThe Turkish Treasury launched yesterday a 30-billion-yen six year Eurobond issue under a $1.5 billion medium term note (MTN) programme. Officials said that the six-year Eurobonds, with a coupon of 6 %, were underwritten by Yamaichi. With the issue, Turkey completed the MTN programme set up last year. Turkey has also mandated J.P.Morgan and UBS for a three-year Eurodollar issue worth some $300 to $500 million, officials said. /All papers/[11] THAMES VALLEY MISSION TO SEEK FRESH DEALS IN TURKEYRepresentatives of six British companies will participate in a trade mission to Turkey from May 12-17 organized by the Thames Valley Group Chamber of Commerce and Industry and sponsored by the Overseas Trade Services of the British Department of Trade and Industry. Members of the Thames Valley Group Chamber form an important and successful business community in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire Surrey, Oxfordshire and the Heathrow Airport area in the south of England, thanks to the area's excellent business and communications facilities and close proximity to London Heathrow Airport. /All papers/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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