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Turkish Press Review, 98-06-15
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
15.06.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] NAZARBAYEV IN TURKEY
[02] THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
[03] HISTORICAL SIGNING TODAY
[04] 'SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL WILL NOT PASS'
[05] BRITAIN: DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE SUMMIT
[06] TURKISH-BRITISH TRADE MISSION LEAVES TURKEY
[07] HARDY TO VISIT TURKEY TOMORROW
[08] SOLANA: "S-300 MISSILES ARE A GREAT MISTAKE"
[09] HIGH MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING
[10] ARAB CONCERN OVER TURKISH-JORDANIAN-ISRAELI COOPERATION
[11] IBCA TO UPRATE TURKEY
[12] GERMANY GIVES GUARANTEES REGARDING PKK
[13] 18 TERRORISTS KILLED IN S.EAST
[14] FIFTH PATRIARCHAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMER SEMINAR
[15] GROWING TOURISM COUNTRY: TURKEY
[16] LESS FOREIGN EXCHANGE PAID FOR OIL
[17] ATHENS TO EMBARGO FRANCE
[18] FLOODS CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE
[01] NAZARBAYEV IN TURKEY
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev arrived in Turkey
yesterday evening as the guest of Turkish President Suleyman Demirel.
Nazarbayev was welcomed with an official ceremony at Ankara's Esenboga
Airport by Demirel. Nazarbayev and Demirel will hold meetings on
various issues including the development of economic relations between
the two countries and finding solutions to regional problems.
Nazarbayev, who will leave Turkey on June 18, will also meet with
Turkish businessmen. /Hurriyet/
[02] THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is expected to meet the Motherland
Party's (ANAP) Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairmen on Monday and
determine the drafts to be discussed in Parliament. The government's
coalition partners and then the Republican People's Party (CHP) will be
informed as to which draft laws have been given priority. Tax draft
law, drafts concerning customs, the prevention of unfair competition in
importation and the formation of an Accreditation Council are likely to
be discussed and voted on. Reforms dealing with local administrations
are also likely to be enacted in Parliament. /All papers/
[03] HISTORICAL SIGNING TODAY
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that an early election protocol
prepared with Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) Deniz
Baykal will be signed today. /Sabah/
[04] 'SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL WILL NOT PASS'
Turkish Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin, who met with Deputy
Speaker of the French Assembly Gilles Robien and Deputy Chairman of of
the Senate Jean Delaneau, said that he had gained the impression during
his meetings that the French Senate would not pass the controversial
Armenian genocide bill. After attending a meeting of European
Parliament Speakers held in Stockholm, Cetin proceeded on to Oslo,
Norway. /Hurriyet/
[05] BRITAIN: DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE SUMMIT
EU Term-President Britain said in a statement prior to the Cardiff
summit to begin today that Britain had exerted great efforts for the
recovery of Turkish-EU relations. However, there should not be too high
expectations regarding this issue. /Hurriyet/
[06] TURKISH-BRITISH TRADE MISSION LEAVES TURKEY
The Turkish-British Trade and Investment Mission is pleased with
its visit to Turkey. Chairman of the Mission Sir Jeremy Hanley said
that their meetings in Turkey had been very beneficial and
representatives of 25 accompanying firms had made serious business
contracts in Turkey. Hanley noted that he would come to Turkey again in
July and August to complete the projects which they had started with
this visit. /Hurriyet/
[07] HARDY TO VISIT TURKEY TOMORROW
Chief of the IMF-Turkey Desk, Martin Hardy, will come to Turkey
tomorrow to make contacts regarding a special agreement to be made
between the IMF and Turkey. Turkish Treasury Deputy Undersecretary,
Cuneyt Sel, who delivered a speech at a meeting of the Advisory Council
for Domestic Debts on Friday, said that the agreement to be made with
IMF was a 'Staff Monitored Programme'. Sel noted that the IMF would
monitor Turkey once every three months in compliance with the programme.
Meanwhile, OECD Secretary-General Donald Johston arrived in Turkey
yesterday to examine private and public sector developments.
/Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
[08] SOLANA: "S-300 MISSILES ARE A GREAT MISTAKE"
NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana has warned both the Russians
and the Greek Cypriots regarding the deployment of Russian-made S-300
missiles in the Greek Cypriot Administration. In a statement to the UBA
news agency, Solana noted that this initiative was a "very great
mistake" and said: "The S-300 missiles will increase the tension in the
region and cause new problems". Upon a question from a journalist,
Solana stated that a no-flight zone over Cyprus was not on the agenda.
/Hurriyet/
[09] HIGH MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING
The High Military Councill will hold an extra-ordinary meeting
tomorrow, during which officers and non-commissioned officers, who are
supposed to have contacts with illegal and fundamentalist organizations
will be expelled from the military. The meeting will be headed by Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz. /Hurriyet/
[10] ARAB CONCERN OVER TURKISH-JORDANIAN-ISRAELI COOPERATION
The recent military strategic cooperation agreements between
Turkey, Jordan and Israel are causing concern in the Arab world
especially in Egypt. Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister Fathi Al-Shazli
will visit Turkey on June 24 to convey the concern of his government
regarding these regional developments. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] IBCA TO UPRATE TURKEY
Turkish representative of the third biggest rating firm in the
world Fitch IBCA, Paul Rawkins, noted that they would now include Turkey
in the "positive status" bracket. He noted that there were many
positive developments in the Turkish economy, and that especially
privatization was further advancing. Rawkins stated that a committee
meeting would be held regarding Turkey's rating credit in two weeks time
and that IBCA would then issue an evaluation regarding Turkey.
Meanwhile, officials from Moody's and Standard and Poor's will
visit Turkey in the second half of July. Rating institutions which will
receive the results of the IMF-Turkey report will also be given detailed
information about developments in the Turkish economy. /Sabah/
[12] GERMANY GIVES GUARANTEES REGARDING PKK
Germany's First Deputy Interior Minister, Prof.Kurt Schelten, has
given guarantees to Turkey by saying that the PKK is an illegal
terrorist organization, and that German policy regarding the PKK will
not change. Schelten also invited a delegation from Turkey to Germany.
/Sabah/
[13] 18 TERRORISTS KILLED IN S.EAST
In operations carried out by security forces in the Southeastern
provinces of Hakkari, Sirnak, Diyarbakir (Lice district) and Tunceli
(Cemisgezek district)), 18 terrorists were killed, five terrorists were
captured and two terrorists surrendered. Weapons were also seized by
the security forces. /All papers/
[14] FIFTH PATRIARCHAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMER SEMINAR
The Fifth Environmental Summer Seminar was officiallly opened
yesterday evening at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity on Heybeliada by
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew. The seminar is being sponsored by
the Patriarch Bartholomew and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburg, in his
capacity of president of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The
theme of this year's seminar is "The Environment and Poverty" and among
those attending are expert environmentalists, wild life scientists,
legal experts and politicians. Greek Archbishop Hristodoulos arrived in
Istanbul on Saturday to attend the seminar, which continues until June
20. /All papers/
[15] GROWING TOURISM COUNTRY: TURKEY
According to a report published by the World Tourism Organization,
Turkey earned $7 billion from tourism last year. Turkey ranked 17th
among the countries earning the highest income from tourism. France,
the US, Spain, Italy and Britain were the first five countries to profit
the most from tourism in 1997. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] LESS FOREIGN EXCHANGE PAID FOR OIL
Turkey has paid less this year in foreign exchange than last year
for crude oil supplies, the price of which fell in international
markets. Although in 1997 the import of crude oil increased by 2.4%
when compared to the previous year, foreign exchange paid for this
amount actually dropped by 6.5%. According to Undersecretariat of
Foreign Trade, last year 23 million 324.3 thousand tons of crude oil was
imported in exchange for $3,194,145,200. /Milliyet/
[17] ATHENS TO EMBARGO FRANCE
The Greek govenment has reacted strongly against France which has
opened up for debate the subject of full membership of the Greek Cypriot
Administration in the EU. Greek Foreign Minister Pangalos has stated
that they could apply commercial pressures against France to protest
this 'contentious' approach. /Milliyet/
[18] FLOODS CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE
In Pervari, Siirt, two people have lost their lives in floods
following torrential rains. Heavy rain has also caused great damage in
Ardahan. In Pervari rains caused floods and besides the loss of human
life nearly 50 sheep was lost in the flood waters. In Ardahan people
whose houses were damaged are being temporarily housed in schools and
small hotels. Teams from the Directorates of Village Services and
Highways are working non-stop to the repair village roads. /Milliyet/
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