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Turkish Press Review, 96-10-14Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWMONDAY OCTOBER 14, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] CONGRESS MARKS TRANSFORMED REFAHThe pro-Islamist Welfare Party's (RP) fifth congress yesterday was witness to the historic transformation of the party's political line from radical Islamic to moderate centre. Chairman Necmettin Erbakan, during his keynote speech expressed the RP's support for secularism, democracy, the armed forces and privatization, trying to erase the party's past radical image. Aiming to include younger party members, the RP congress decided to expand the Central Executive Board (MKYK) to 50 members.The congress started early on Sunday in the packed Ataturk Sports Hall, in Ankara. The hall was decorated with large Turkish flags and with a large portrait of Ataturk. In his speech, Erbakan spoke at great length about the party's success in the local levels of government as well as praising RP deputies. Erbakan thanked coalition partner True Path Party (DYP) and its Chairwoman Tansu Ciller in five separate instances during the course of his speech. He said that terror in the southeastern provinces would be promptly ended by "our heroic army" and that emergency rule would be gradually lifted in the region. Erbakan said big changes would be seen in the upcoming budget and promised a balanced budget. He said civil servant pay raises would be higher than the inflation rate, investments and productivity would be increased. He said education, health, justice and security would be given priority, research-and-development spending would be increased. Erbakan said relations with the EU and the US would be stepped up and importance be given to Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Organization countries. /All papers/ [02] TURKISH CYPRIOT SENTRIES SHOOT DEAD GREEK CYPRIOT INFILTRATORTurkish Cypriot forces yesterday shot and killed a Greek Cypriot who had crossed into the north of the divided island, British and Turkish officials said. The incident happened at 7.35 a.m. near the eastern end of the zone, close to a British Sovereign Base Area. "Sovereign base police attended the scene of an alleged shooting" base spokesman Mervyn Wynne-Jones told Reuters. "We can confirm the body of a man was found lying on the northern side of the boundary" he said, referring to the Turkish-held areas.Turkish Cypriot security forces said the man was asked to stop three times, shots were fired in the air, but when he attempted to escape, he was shot. "He was repeatedly asked to stop. He did not. Three warning shots were fired into the air. He attempted to escape. Shots were fired and he was hit" the sources said. The official said the Greek Cypriot had "passed through the buffer zone and intruded on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) territory". Meanwhile, a statement has been issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry regarding the incident on the TRNC border. The statement expressed sorrow and said: "It is the result of the provocative acts which Greece-Greek Cypriots have been carrying out for a while". The statement pointed out that Turkey wishes that the tension between the two communities in Cyprus will be alleviated soon. On the other hand, British Special Envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay arrived in southern Cyprus yesterday to make contacts regarding the Cyprus problem. Hannay, who will stay in Cyprus for six days, will meet Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Clerides and TRNC President Rauf Denktas. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] GREEK ARMAMENTS OUT PACED TURKEY'S THREE-FOLD IN 1995, SAYS UN REPORTA United Nations report indicates that Greece has armed itself three times more heavily than Turkey has over the past year. The report, which is said to have been commissioned by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali with a view to being presented to the world body's General Assembly, Turkey purchased only one battleship from Germany and 70 armoured personnel carriers from Russia during the period concerned.Greece, on the other hand, purchased 100 M-113 type armoured personnel carriers from Germany, and five battle ships -one from Germany, two from Holland and two from the US. It also purchased 24 A-7 type fighter jets, 20 Apache type assault helicopters, 16 Harpoon missile systems, and nine Multi-Launch Rocket Systems from the US during this period. The Secretary-General, according to a resolution adopted by the general Assembly in 1992, prepares an annual report on conventional weapons which is based on data provided by member nations. /Cumhuriyet/ [04] FOUR PKK MILITANTS KILLEDFour militants were killed and one young girl died in a clash between village guards and members of the PKK terrorist organization in Erzurum's Hinis district. A local person and one guard were also wounded. The violence occurred in the early morning hours of October 12 at the village of Ulucayir. PKK equipment including assault weapons, hand grenades, anti-personnel mines and a wireless were recovered after the fight. /Sabah/[05] CITY OF ANKARA CELEBRATES 73 YEARS AS TURKEY'S CAPITALThe 73rd anniversary of Ankara being made the capital of the young republic of Turkey was celebrated throughout Turkey yesterday. President of the Republic Suleyman Demirel said that Ankara, among the most modern cities of the world, would be the capital of a secular and democractic Turkish Republic forever. "Once Ankara was named capital, a new page in the economic social and political development of Turkey was opened and Turkey found its place as a world state" Demirel said. He congratulated all the citizens of Ankara on their city's anniversary.Meanwhile, Ankara's governor Erdogan Sahinoglu and Metropolitan Mayor Melih Gokcek visited Ataturk's Mausoleum during the celebration ceremonies. Gokcek signed the ceremonial register and wrote that the Metropolitan Municipality was working hard to further modernize Ankara with several projects. The celebration ceremonies continued all the day with several activities such as concerts, exhibitions and performances of plays. /Cumhuriyet/ [06] IMF VISITAn IMF delegation arrived today in Turkey for research related to the 1997 budget. The visit, scheduled to last two weeks, will evaluate measures to handle financial problems undertaken by the Turkish government. In November, taking into account also the results of research undertaken by World Bank officials in relation to privatization in Turkey, the IMF will determine the future content of Turkey-IMF cooperation. /Milliyet/[07] YAPI KREDI SUCCESSAccording to a recent report published by the Nilson Report research company, Yapi Kredi Bank was ranked 160th among 9,100 banks from all over the world with respect to credit card usage. The first 300 banks in the list hold 80 percent of the world credit card market. Yapi Kredi Bank was ranked 51st among the European banks. /Hurriyet/[08] "BLACK SEA IN CRISIS" SYMPOSIUMAn environment symposium taking in hand Black Sea pollution issues will be held in September, 1997, under the auspices of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomeos and European Council Chairman Jacques Santer. The symposium will be held on a ship that will sail from Trabzon to Thessalonica. More than 150 scientists, philosophers and men of religion are expected to participate in the symposium. /Cumhuriyet/[09] BUSINESSMEN TO GERMANYHalk Bank was organised a chain of contacts in Turkey for Turkish businessmen living in Germany to inquire about investment opportunities in Turkey. State Minister Ufuk Soylemez, Halk Bank General Director Yenal Ansen, Chairman of Privatization Administration Ismail Karaman and Turkish businessmen will participate between 17-20 October./Hurriyet/[10] TURKEY PAID HIGH PRICECross-border operations in northern Iraq launched by the Turkish Arm Forces between 1990 and 1996 have cost $ 680 million.After the Gulf crisis in 1990, Turkey spent $ 330 million to ensure border security and compensate for the power-vacuum in the region. As the power-vacuum has not been filled and the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) has since opened camps in the region, the Turkish Arm Forces were forced to launch cross-border operations. In 1992 it launched the first operation which cost $ 100 million and the second biggest operation was launched in 1995 which cost $ 200 million. A report prepared by the Turkish Foreign Ministry and Foreign Trade Undersecretariat to be given to the US administration by Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller during her recent America visit, said that since the first six months of 1996 the Gulf crisis had cost Turkey $ 27 billion. The report said: "The power-vacuum happened after the Gulf crisis ensured a suitable atmosphere for the activation terrorist elements in the region, forcing the Turkish Armed Forces to take necessary measures which cost $ 330 million in additional expenditure." The report examines the cost of the Gulf crisis to Turkey under various headings; Transportation, Oil Pipelines, Communications, Tourism, Exports, Responsibilities, Imports, Banking, the Central Bank, Losses in Regional Trade, Refugees and Military Expenditures. /Cumhuriyet/ END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |