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Turkish Press Review, 98-01-23
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
23.01.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] IMF CONTINUES WITH CONTACTS IN ANKARA
[02] NSC MEETING
[03] THY WILL FLY TO 18 NEW DESTINATIONS
[04] OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST AGAINST PKK
[05] RIGHTS FOR TURKS IN GERMANY
[06] BOSNIA ECONOMY SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
[07] TALBOTT DEFENDS TURKEY'S EU BID
[08] RIGHTS FOR TURKISH ORIGIN IMMIGRANTS
[09] FORMER ARGENTINIAN MINISTER IN ISTANBUL
[10] RUSSIA PUTS PRESSURE ON PKK
[11] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UP
[01] IMF CONTINUES WITH CONTACTS IN ANKARA
State Minister Gunes Taner, Treasury Undersecretary Yener Dincmen
and Deputy Undersecretary Cuneyt Sel met yesterday with International
Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkish Desk Chief Martin Hardy and World Bank
Turkey Director Ajax Chibber. After the meeting Ajax Chibber said
that negotiations will continue next week and that it was now
difficult to evaluate the meetings between the delegations. Martin
Hardy also said that they would like to reach an agreement with
Turkey, adding that negotiations will continue in Washington.
/Milliyet/Sabah_
[02] NSC MEETING
The National Security Council (NSC) convened yesterday for its
first meeting in 1998. During the five-and-a-half hour meeting
chaired by President Suleyman Demirel, the success of the struggle
against the separatist PKK organization under difficult winter
conditions was assessed. The Council also discussed measures for the
transportation of Caucasian oil to world markets through Turkey.
Integration with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was another
issue high on the agenda. Relations with the EU in the aftermath of
the EU Luxemburg Summit decision to exclude Turkey from the Union
expansion process in the short term were also taken in hand.
/Milliyet/
[03] THY WILL FLY TO 18 NEW DESTINATIONS
Turkish Airlines (THY) Director General Yusuf Bolayirli said that
in the second half of 1998 the company was planning to initiate
flights to 18 new destinations. The delivery of 49 new 737-800 Boeing
aircraft to THY is instrumental for the realization of this ambitious
plan. /Hurriyet/
[04] OPERATIONS IN SOUTHEAST AGAINST PKK
Security forces continue operations against the PKK terrorist
organization in the Gabar Mountains of the southeastern province of
Sirnak. Seven terrorists were killed yesterday in the clashes.
/Hurriyet/
[05] RIGHTS FOR TURKS IN GERMANY
A symposium jointly organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation,
the Goethe Institute and the Turkish Social Economic Political
Research Foundation began yesterday in Germany.
German Prof.Hajo Funke said that especially second and third
generation Turks living in Germany should be granted dual citizenship.
Chief of the Greens Group in Berlin, Ozcan Mutlu, said: "According to
research, after 50 years the number of immigrants in Germany in
relation to German people will be just about equal. Therefore the
German government should develop new policies which give political and
educational rights to immigrants". /Cumhuriyet/
[06] BOSNIA ECONOMY SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
The economy of Bosnia-Herzegovina was discussed in Istanbul
yesterday. A meeting organized by the Foreign Economic Relations
Council (DEIK) was attended by Bosna-Herzegovina Council of Ministers
Bosnian Co-Chairman Haris Sladzic, Serbian Co-Chairman Baro Basic and
Croatian Deputy Co-Chairman Neven Tomic. Bosnia-Herzegovina Trade
Minister Mirsat Kurtovic said that legal arrangements to facilitate
the influx of foreign capital would be passed by parliament by the end
of this month. Chairman of the Turkish-Bosnian Business Council,
Faruk Berksan, noted that the Council was beneficial for both
countries. DEIK member Sarik Tara stated that the war was over and
that to attain peace in the Balkans all countries should develop
better ties. /Hurriyet/
[07] TALBOTT DEFENDS TURKEY'S EU BID
US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott defended Turkey's bid
to become a full member of the European Union (EU) in a speech he
delivered on "The New Europe" in Helsinki, Finland, on Wednesday.
Addressing the members of the Paasikivi Society, Talbott said: "The
end of the Cold War gives us an opportunity to heal old divisions. We
must be sure not to create new ones". Talbott said the US believes in
"the broadening as well as the deepening of the EU. And hence, more
specifically, our advocacy of Turkey's desire for eventual membership
in the EU". /All papers/
[08] RIGHTS FOR TURKISH ORIGIN IMMIGRANTS
State Minister Ahat Andican said yesterday that although
individuals of Turkish origin, who immigrated from Bulgaria to Turkey
are not granted full citizenship in the Turkish Republic, they will be
granted 'citizenship rights'. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] FORMER ARGENTINIAN MINISTER IN ISTANBUL
Former Argentinian Finance Minister Dr. Domingo Cavallo
yesterday gave a conference to Turkish businessmen in Istanbul. In
1992, Cavallo was selected "Finance Minister of the Year" by noted
financial magazine "Euromoney" for his success in pulling down
hyperinflation in Argentina to single-digit numbers. /Hurriyet/
[10] RUSSIA PUTS PRESSURE ON PKK
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan said that Russia had started
initiatives to close down PKK camps in Russia. Ocalan decries the
moves saying "Moscow is about to make a historical mistake."
After Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin's visit to
Ankara, relations between the Turkey and Russia have been softening,
and Russia has now announced that PKK camps in the country will be
closed down. Russia took the first step to close a PKK camp in the
Yaroslav forest, 300 kms away from Moscow, once used as a health
center to cure wounded terrorists. /Milliyet/Sabah_
[11] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UP
According to the Central Bank, foreign exchange reserves stand at
$ 19.9 billion. Between 26 December, 1997 and 16 January, 1998,
reserves increased by $ 45 million and reached $ 19.3 billion. Turkey
paid out TL 1.7 billion in foreign debts in the first twelve days of
1998. /Sabah/
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