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Turkish Press Review, 98-04-28
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
28.04.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] CETIN TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE
[02] BOEING BRIEFS TURKISH AIR FORCE
[03] GOVERNMENT SUMMIT TOMORROW
[04] ADMIRAL CROWE RECEIVES ATATURK AWARD
[05] SALOMON CALLS FOR INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY
[06] CELEBI ATTENDS OECD MEETING
[07] GREECE SAYS: "NO"
[08] SAKIK DEMANDS "REPENTANCE PARDON"
[09] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CELEBRATES 36 YEARS
[10] HENRY FORD AWARD FOR TURKISH ASS.PROF.
[11] NEW AMBASSADOR OF BURKINA FASO
[12] NO GREEK PARTICIPATION IN NATO MANEUVERS
[13] TURKISH WOMAN JOINS ELECTIONS IN NETHERLANDS
[14] RIZE FREE TRADE ZONE OPENS
[15] NUMBER OF HIZBULLAH TERRORISTS DETAINED REACHES 130
[16] TENDER FOR SILKWAY
[17] MEZARCI IMPRISONED FOR ONE YEAR
[18] GAP WORKSHOP IN UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
[19] PKK OPERATION IN ANTALYA
[20] TURKEY INVITES OMAN TO SHARE IN PRIVATIZATIONIN
[21] GREEK PROVOCATION IN THE AEGEAN
[22] US GRANT TO TURKEY
[23] IMF DELEGATION COMING TO TURKEY
[24] THY BUYS TWO AIRBUSES
[25] WORLD BANK SUPPORTS TURKISH AGRICULTURE
[26] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TALKS TO TURKISH JOURNALISTS
[27] US DETERMINES TO UNTIE CYPRUS KNOT
[28] YUSUF BOZKURT OZAL LEAVES POLITICS FOR HEALTH REASONS
[29] TURKEY INVITES SEVEN ADVISERS FOR TELEKOM SELL-OFF
[01] CETIN TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE
Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Hikmet Cetin will go to the US
today. Cetin will receive the title of honorary doctorate from Florida
Atlantic University in Washington on May 5. Cetin will return to Turkey
on May 9. /Hurriyet/
[02] BOEING BRIEFS TURKISH AIR FORCE
The American Boeing firm will give a briefing to Chief of the
Turkish Air Force, General Ilhan Kilic and other high level commanders
about F-15 Eagle fighter bombers, produced by Boeing, which Turkey
intends to purchase. Greece had also made a bid to purchase F-15
fighter-bombers; one of the reasons why Turkey moved to buy them. US
Defense Secretary William Cohen, who promised to persuade the US
congress not to prevent arms sales to Turkey in his recent visit to
Ankara, wants to persuade Turkey spend its defense expenditures in the
US, and gave a permission to Boeing to give a demonstration of its
products in Turkey. /Milliyet/
[03] GOVERNMENT SUMMIT TOMORROW
Democratic Turkey Party Chairman Husamettin Cindoruk yesterday
declared that the leaders of the parties constituting the coalition
government will convene tomorrow to evaluate the latest discussions over
the suggestion of an early election. /Milliyet/
[04] ADMIRAL CROWE RECEIVES ATATURK AWARD
The American Ataturk Association has decided to give the "Ataturk
Peace and Democracy Award" to former US Chief of General Staff Admiral
William Crowe. Since its founding, the association has given this award
to US Senator Robert Byrd, US Cyprus Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke and
Turkish Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen.Cevik Bir. Admiral William
Crowe will receive his award during a ceremony to be held in May.
/Hurriyet/
[05] SALOMON CALLS FOR INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY
The Salomon Smith Barney Investment Bank has called on investors to
make further investments in countries such as Turkey, Russia and Poland,
which have attractive developing markets. Officials from Salomon Smith
Barney have noted that there are positive expectations for huge growth
rates in Turkey for 1998. /Hurriyet/
[06] CELEBI ATTENDS OECD MEETING
State Minister Isin Celebi yesterday attended a meeting of the
Council of Ministers of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). Replying to questions from Turkish journalists
during a press conference, Celebi said: "Turkey should not move into an
election economy because its economy is now picking up. Budgetary
discipline should be complied with and the programme now being
implemented should also continue in 1999".
On the second day of the OECD meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem, who is also attending the meeting, will deliver a speech.
/Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
[07] GREECE SAYS: "NO"
A meeting of Foreign Ministers from the 15 countries of European
Union (EU) was held yesterday. During the meeting, Greece noted that it
would not remove its veto on financial aid to be extended to Turkey and
refused the demands of the EU countries to that effect. Greece came to
the meeting with a 13-page document on "Turkish provocation against
Athens for 25 years" and repeated its usual claims. Greek officials
also stated that due to Turkish provocation in the Aegean, problems
between the two countries could not be solved. /Hurriyet/
[08] SAKIK DEMANDS "REPENTANCE PARDON"
It is reported that a high-level leader from the PKK terrorist
organization, Semdin Sakik, who was caught during an operation in
northern Iraq and later brought to Diyarbakir, has declared that he
wants to take advantage of the Repentance Law. It is also reported that
Sakik has given 400 pages of testimony during 10 days of questioning.
/Hurriyet/
[09] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CELEBRATES 36 YEARS
During a meeting held yesterday on the occasion of the 36th
anniversary of the founding of the Constitutional Court, President of
the Court, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, delivered a speech and noted that there
was no alternative for anti-secular parties other than closing them
down. He said: "The state and society cannot be governed with the
rules of religion. And without secularism, we cannot speak of freedom
and democracy". Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, Parliament Speaker
Hikmet Cetin, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, National Education
Minister Hikmet Ulugbay, Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin and many military
and high-level judicial members attended the meeting. /Hurriyet-Sabah/
[10] HENRY FORD AWARD FOR TURKISH ASS.PROF.
Ass.Prof.Levent Yilmaz, a lecturer from Istanbul Technical
University, has been given the "Henry Ford Conservation Award" jointly
by the Henry Ford Foundation and the Council of Europe. Yilmaz received
his award for his "International Mediterranean Project". /Hurriyet/
[11] NEW AMBASSADOR OF BURKINA FASO
Beatrice Damiba, Ambassador of Burkina Faso, presented her letter
of credentials to Turkish President Suleyman Demirel yesterday.
Ambassador Damiba was welcomed with an official ceremony at the
Presidential Palace. /Sabah/
[12] NO GREEK PARTICIPATION IN NATO MANEUVERS
Spokesman for the Greece General Staff, Commander Yannis
Papatheodosiu announced yesterday that the Greek army would not take
part in the NATO "Distant Thunder 98" exercices planned to be carried
out in the Aegean Sea and East Mediterranean between May 4-14. He noted
that this decision has been taken for reasons already stated.
/Milliyet/
[13] TURKISH WOMAN JOINS ELECTIONS IN NETHERLANDS
A young Turkish woman living in the Netherlands, Nebahat Albayrak
(29) will be one of the candidates running for the ruling party of
Netherlands, Workers' Party (PvdA), in the parliamentary elections to be
held on May 6. Albayrak, well educated and experienced in public
affairs is both favoured and praised by Prime Minister Wim Kok who says
"she will be the representative of the Turkish people living in the
Netherlands in the 'multi-coloured' Dutch democracy. /Milliyet/
[14] RIZE FREE TRADE ZONE OPENS
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Sunday that the free trade
zones were important within the framework of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC), adding: "We will increase the number of free
zones". Addressing the ceremony held upon the opening of the Rize Free
Zone, Yilmaz stated that another free zone would be opened in Samsun.
/All papers/
[15] NUMBER OF HIZBULLAH TERRORISTS DETAINED REACHES 130
The number of members of the illegal Hizbullah organization, who
were detained in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir reached 130,
the Anatolia news agency reported. During the operations launched
against the illegal Hizbullah organization, 130 out of the 1,000 wanted
members were captured and 45 of these people were arrested.
[16] TENDER FOR SILKWAY
The bids for the international tender opened for the construction
of the Kars-Tbilisi railway defined as the "Silkway" will be given
today, the Anatolia news agency reported. Meanwhile, the railway was
decided to be brought to Trabzon by expanding the construction between
Kars and Tbilisi within the framework of an agreement between the
Turkish and Georgian governments. The railway, which is planned to be
financed with 100 % foreign credit, is expected to be constructed within
30 months.
[17] MEZARCI IMPRISONED FOR ONE YEAR
The Ankara Penal Court sentenced yesterday Hasan Mezarci, former
Welfare Party (RP) deputy to one year imprisonment for insulting the
memory of Ataturk, the founder of the modern and secular Turkey, the
Anatolia news agency reported.
[18] GAP WORKSHOP IN UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
The Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) Regional Development
Administration is holding a "workshop" within the context of the sixth
term meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Commission,
reported the Anatolia news agency. The Office of the GAP Administration
Chairmanship says that workshop will be held on April 29 within the
context of the UN Sustainable Development Commission meetings that will
take place between April 20 and May 1. The workshop will examine the
importance GAP attributes to sustainable humanitarian development in the
GAP region.
Meanwhile, it is reported that during the sixth term meeting the
views of Turkey on "Water and Industry" issues will be discussed in
detail.
[19] PKK OPERATION IN ANTALYA
During operations conducted in and around Antalya, four terrorists
have been killed and four others arrested. According to the Governor of
Antalya, a considerable quantity of ammunition, documents and weapons
have also been seized. It has also been also reported that two
civilians who were backing the terrorists have been arrested.
/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet_
[20] TURKEY INVITES OMAN TO SHARE IN PRIVATIZATIONIN
Turkey has invited Oman to share in privatization in the energy and
oil sectors. Speaking at a First Joint Economic Committee meeting,
State Minister Metin Gurdere said that Oman was be interested in a $ 9
billion privatization project in the oil sector, adding that BOTAS was
ready to sign long term agreements. Gurdere noted that the Istanbul
Stock Exchange was making project facilities available to foreign
investors. /Cumhuriyet/
[21] GREEK PROVOCATION IN THE AEGEAN
Turkey has begun initiatives to prevent Greek efforts to include
the islets in the Aegean Sea in the European Union (EU) Environment
Protection Project. Briefing the EU Commission and the EU member
countries, Turkey claimed that Greece aimed to challenge Turkey and the
EU. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sermet Atacanli said in his weekly press
meeting that "Turkey wants this issue, like other Aegean issues, to be
solved through negotiations. Turkey rejects every kind of unilateral
step that Greece take within this region." /Cumhuriyet/
[22] US GRANT TO TURKEY
Turkey and the US have signed four agreements regarding a $848,000
grant for Turkey. According to the agreements, the grant will be used
for feasibility studies for a Water Control Project for Diyarbakir
Municipality, communications and energy projects, and in feasibility
studies for the construction of a cement factory. /Cumhuriyet/
[23] IMF DELEGATION COMING TO TURKEY
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation is coming to Turkey
today. The delegation, which will meet with a Turkish delegation headed
by State Minister Gunes Taner and carry out studies in Turkey for almost
two weeks, will start contacts in Istanbul to discuss the Turkish
economy with financial circles. The IMF delegation will visit to Ankara
on 30 April to meet with officials responsible for the economy.
/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet/Milliyet/
[24] THY BUYS TWO AIRBUSES
Turkish Airlines (THY) has agreed with Airbus Industrie to buy two
A340-300 airbuses which will be delivered in April 1999 and April 2000.
It is reported that Turkey will pay $ 100 million each for the airbuses.
/Cumhuriyet/
[25] WORLD BANK SUPPORTS TURKISH AGRICULTURE
The World Bank has prepared a report which envisages direct income
support for farmers. According to the report, farmers and their crops
will be registered to calculate annual income and farmers will be
encouraged to stop over production. World Bank representatives said
that Turkish tea producers will be the first to be affected by the new
subsidary project. They added that with the application "indirect
subsidies" will be lifted and that farmers will be paid directly in
cash. /Sabah/
[26] NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TALKS TO TURKISH JOURNALISTS
Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaekg, preparing to host his
Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem in Oslo next week, sais to Turkish
journalists yesterday that his government considers Turkey as a "country
with an important role to play in Europe". He said that he will discuss
human rights and Kurdish issues with Cem, but added that his government
has no intention of playing the role of mediator. Vollebaekg said he
welcomed the Turkish government's efforts to improve the Turkish
economy. /All papers/
[27] US DETERMINES TO UNTIE CYPRUS KNOT
The US is determined to solve the Cyprus issue with special
presidential envoy for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke. High level diplomatic
sources have announced that Holbrooke will go to the island on Friday
with the intention of not leaving until a breakthrough has been reached.
Holbrooke's assistant Thomas Miller, the US State Department's special
envoy for Cyprus, recently said that Holbrooke's mission was very
important and would not have any "artificial time constraints."
In Ankara, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sermet Atacanli said
yesterday that Turkey favoured an urgent solution, but emphasized that
no solution could be reached unless the existence of the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was recognized.
/Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet_
[28] YUSUF BOZKURT OZAL LEAVES POLITICS FOR HEALTH REASONS
Democratic Party (DP) Deputy Chairman Yusuf Bozkurt Ozal has
resigned from his party and quit politics. Ozal, speaking to the press
at the Ayas Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Hospital, said that he
has been suffering from health problems for some time and received
treatment in the hospital. He said that his doctors had advised him to
leave politics in order to recuperate fully. /All papers/
[29] TURKEY INVITES SEVEN ADVISERS FOR TELEKOM SELL-OFF
Turkey has sent letters of invitation to seven international
companies to tender for services as adviser for the sale of Turk
Telekom, privatization officials said on Monday.
Hakki Surel, head of the Telekom privatization unit at the
Privatization Administration, said letters had been sent to Lehman
Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley,
Rothschild, ABN Amro and Salomon Brothers. He added, "They will send us
their offers by May 26 and then the tender commission will chose the
company to act adviser by the first week of June." /Sabah/
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