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Turkish Press Review, 96-07-24Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY JULY 24, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] TURKEY'S FIVE TERMS FOR CONTINUATION OF OPCThe US, British and French ambassadors on Tuesday briefed the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee in a bid to address reservations about a prolonged stay for the Western planes protecting Iraqi Kurds. The legislature later held a closed-door meeting called by the Islamist-led government in a bid to elicit backing for a new mandate extension of the Operation Provide Comfort (OPC) but the opposition boycotted the session.After the meeting with Western envoys, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Sedat Aloglu said US Ambassador Marc Grosssman, British Ambassador Sir Kieran Prendergast and French Ambassador Francois Dopfer had listened to Turkey's requests regarding OPC and had replied to queries. Aloglu listed Turkey's five conditions for the continuation of the five-year-old operation as follows: -The recognition of the importance Turkey attaches to Iraq's territorial unity. -The recognition of Turkey's concerns about the exploitation of the power vacuum in northern Iraq by (separatist) terrorist forces. -Concerns about the activities of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the area. -The addressing of concerns regarding military operations and rules governing them. -Redressing of Turkey's economic losses because of the Gulf War. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/ [02] BELARUS PRESIDENT TO VISIT TURKEYPresident of Belarus, Alexander Lukasenko will pay Turkish President Suleyman Demirel his first official visit on Wednesday with the aim of developing mutual relations. During the visit, the presidents will sign a Friendship and Collaboration Agreement, which was initiated by the foreign ministers of both countries on August 8, 1995. Lukasenko will also visit Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan and Parliament Speaker Mustafa Kalemli. Lukasenko will then go to Istanbul and have meetings with Turkish businessmen. /All papers/[03] ERCAN OFF TO ISLAMIC MEETING IN EGYPTNevzat Ercan, state minister responsible for religious affairs, has gone to Egypt to participate in the 8th Islamic Affairs Superior Council meeting. Ercan will make a speech entitled "Cooperation with Religion for Solving the Problems of Our Age". The general theme of this year's meeting is "Islam and the Future of Cultural Dialogue". Approximately 100 ministers and high officials from predominantly Islamic countries will attend the meeting. /All papers/[04] CULTURE MINISTER VISITS JAPANIsmail Kahraman, Culture Minister, is visiting Japan to attend the opening of the Kashiwasaki Turkish village. The minister will also pay a visit to the construction company which built a new mosque in Tokyo and to various Turkish associations. Kahraman is expected to return to Turkey on 28 July. /All papers/[05] TURKISH RED CRESCENT SENT $23 MILLION IN AIDThe Turkish Red Crescent has sent $23.5 millions worth of food, medicine and school equipment to northern Iraq in the past three years. The organization reported that 268,574 families were helped in 1993, nearly 20,000 more than expected. Last year, the Turkish Red Crescent gave $10 million in humanitarian aid to 212,176 families. So far this year, the group has sent 8,500 tons of food aid. /All papers/[06] ISRAEL PROMISES $600 MILLION CREDIT FOR F4 UPGRADESAn Israeli delegation, including the head of that country's defence ministry, will visit Turkey to discuss a project to modernize 54 F4 fighter airplanes, financed by $600 million in credit from Israel. Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) will carry out the project. The Israel Knesset has assured IAI that the project will receive the promised credits. /All papers/[07] TURKEY IMPOSES IMPORT TAX ON FOREIGN LOANSA Turkish Central Bank decree said on Monday that a six percent charge would be imposed on foreign loans to finance imports. The bank said in a statement that the decree had re-imposed the Resource Utilization and Support Fund (KKDF) charge, abolished in January when Turkey entered its customs union with the 15-nation European Union and aimed at balancing the cost of import financing between foreign and domestic loans. The bank said importers had to pay the KKDF charge on lira-termed (import) loans but did not have to pay any such tax on foreign currency loans.State Minister Ufuk Soylemez said on Monday imports of investment goods and those for re-export purposes would be exempt from the import charge. /Milliyet/ [08] COURT ORDERS SHUTDOWN OF POLLUTING POWER PLANTSA court in Aydin has ordered the shutdown of power stations in Gokova, Yenikoy and Yatagan because of the pollution they are producing. Lawyers from the Izmir Environmental Movement have sued the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Mugla Governorship and the Turkish Electricity Board, presenting as evidence a 600-page report produced by environmental experts. The lawyers argued that the power stations were operating in violation of the laws set up to protect the environment. The Court in Aydin recently demanded the shutdown of the power station in Yatagan, but despite the adverse judgement, the station continued to opetare.The decisions have been welcomed by the environmentalists. The lawyers for the environmental group said that the decree was the fruit of a ten-year struggle and a clear sign that an independent judicial system still exists in Turkey. /Hurriyet/ [09] KOC IS 22ND IN THE WORLD AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRYThe American "Fortune" magazine has determined the 500th biggest firms in the world. The Turkish Koc Corporation is 376th among companies and 22nd among the giant automobile firms in the world. The Koc Corp., which has increased its revenues by 40 % last year, is also 30th among the companies which showed the highest yearly increase last year. /Sabah/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |