|
|
|
Turkish Press Review, 98-10-19
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
19.10.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] TURKISH-SYRIAN OFFICIALS TO MEET
[02] IPI MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[03] TURKISH WORKERS ABROAD SUPPORT TURKISH ECONOMY
[04] IMF DELEGATION CONTINUES ITS CONTACTS IN TURKEY
[05] MAGNIFICIENT 29 OCTOBER CELEBRATION PROGRAMME
[06] TURKISH TRADE DELEGATION VISITS EGYPT
[07] CELEBI IN BRUSSELS
[08] DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS ON OCTOBER 25
[09] TL 19 TRILLION FOR HIHGWAY PROJECTS
[10] TOURISM COUNCIL CONVENES
[11] DEMIREL AND YILMAZ LAY FOUNDATIONS
[12] PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS EARLY ELECTIONS
[13] 'US WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM BAKU-CEYHAN'
[14] PROBLEMS IN WESTERN THRACE SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO EUROPE
[15] PRESIDENT OF ESTONIA RETURNS HOME
[16] HANDCRAFTS FAIR GOING ON
[01] TURKISH-SYRIAN OFFICIALS TO MEET
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkish and Syrian
officials will meet today at the border. Same sources noted that
terrorism will be the only topic of the agenda. Turkey will not
accept any other issues brought to the agenda by Syria, said
Foreign Ministry officials adding that a Syrian delegation
consisting of 10 Syrian officials headed by the chairman of the
Foreign Relations Division of the Syrian Interior Ministry and
Syrian intelligence officials will be in Turkey to attend the
meeting. The Turkish side will be represented by officials from
the Foreign Ministry, the Office of the General Staff and
Interior Ministry. /Sabah/
[02] IPI MEETING IN ISTANBUL
The Executive Board of the International Press Institution (IPI)
has called on governments worldwide to release journalists
currently being held in prison and to make the necessary changes
in the laws that prevent freedom of media. The decleration was
made after a two-day conference in Istanbul over the weekend, in
which the current situation of the Turkish media was also
evaluated. /Hurriyet/Sabah/
[03] TURKISH WORKERS ABROAD SUPPORT TURKISH ECONOMY
Foreign exchange brought to Turkey by Turkish workers who work in
foreign countries will reach $ 4.350 billion this year, exceeding
the previously estimated amount of $ 3.5 billion. The Finance
Ministry's expectations for foreign exchange coming from these
workers in 1999 is about $ 4.5 billion. /Hurriyet/Sabah/
[04] IMF DELEGATION CONTINUES ITS CONTACTS IN TURKEY
Chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Martin Hardy,
who came to Turkey on 12 October, said that they discussed
Turkey's 1999 budget with Turkish officials responsible for
economy. Hardy noted that Turkey had met the requirements of the
first quarter of the Staff Monitoring Agreement signed on July
between IMF and Turkey. He stressed that IMF technical delegation
was satisfied with the economic performance of Turkey in 1998 and
that IMF would extend support in 1999. Martin Hardy, however,
pointed out that Turkey should take concrete steps in order to
apply social security reforms. /Sabah/
[05] MAGNIFICIENT 29 OCTOBER CELEBRATION PROGRAMME
Presidents and prime ministers from 169 countries are invited to
Ankara on 29 October to attend the celebrations of the 75th
anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic. President
Suleyman Demirel will welcome the guests at Ankara's Esenboga
Airport during an official ceremony on 28 October. At the same
date a banquet will be given at the Cankaya Presidential Palace.
On 29 October, an official ceremony will be held at Ataturk's
Mausoleum, Anitkabir in the morning and later in the afternoon
there will be an official parade at Hippodrome. Presidential
Symphony Orchestra, Culture Ministry Chorus and TRT Chorus will
give a "Respect for Ataturk" concert. President Suleyman Demirel
will give a reception at the Cankaya Palace. /Sabah/
[06] TURKISH TRADE DELEGATION VISITS EGYPT
A cooperation protocol between the export development centres of
Turkey and Egypt was signed yesterday in Cairo. General Director
of Exports of the Turkish Foreign Trade Centre Omer Berki and
Egyptian Co-Chairman Muhammed Hamdy Selam signed the protocol.
Delivering a speech prior to the signing ceremony, Egyptian Trade
Minister Ahmed Gayeli said that there were initiatives to
establish free trade zones with Arab and African countries and
added that Turkey could make exports to Middle East and African
countries via Egypt and Egypt could make exports to
Turkish-Speaking Republics.
Foreign Trade Undersecretary Yavuz Ege said for his part that
there were historical ties and friendly relations between the two
countries and noted that they aimed to increase the trade volume
between Turkey and Egypt by two or three-fold, the Anatolia news
agency reports.
[07] CELEBI IN BRUSSELS
State Minister Isin Celebi went to Brussels yesterday to
represent Turkey during a meeting to be attended by ministers of
European Union (EU) member countries and EU nominees. The meeting
on "Trade, Enlargement and Multi-Lateral System" will be held
today. Celebi will return to Turkey on Tuesday, the Anatolia news
agency reports.
[08] DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS ON OCTOBER 25
Daylight saving time implementation, which started on March 29
for energy savings, will end on October 25. The clocks will be
set back one hour at 02.00 a.m. With the summer time
implementation, 550 million kilowatt/hours of energy worth TL 7.5
trillion have been saved. /Hurriyet_
[09] TL 19 TRILLION FOR HIHGWAY PROJECTS
It is reported that TL 19.890 trillion has been allocated for
highway projects. According to a Report of Public Investments
published by the State Planning Organization, there are currently
21 highway projects financed by the Public Partnership Fund.
/Hurriyet/
[10] TOURISM COUNCIL CONVENES
The First Tourism Council, which has been established by the
Tourism Ministry and is the highest advisory council, will
convene in Ankara tomorrow. President Suleyman Demirel and Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz will open the council during which Turkey's
tourism strategy in 2000s will be determined. A total of 580
people will present 56 bulletins during the council. Tourism
Minister Ibrahim Gurdal said that measures would be determined
for the further development of the Turkish tourism. /Hurriyet/
[11] DEMIREL AND YILMAZ LAY FOUNDATIONS
President Suleyman Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz laid
the foundations of Aksaray Sugar Plant, which will be the first
private sugar plant of Turkey, Aksaray Airport and some
educational and industrial facilities in Aksaray yesterday.
Demirel said in his speech that the Republic of Turkey, which
celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, will continue to
present benefits for citizens together with further efforts.
Yilmaz said for his part that no one would be able to darken
Turkey's future. /Hurriyet/
[12] PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS EARLY ELECTIONS
The Turkish Parliament will mainly discuss a proposal made by
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to hold general elections in
December. The Motherland Party (ANAP) will first discuss the
proposal at the Bureau of Assembly and then during a Parliament
Group Meeting. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Chairman of the
Republican People's Party (CHP) Deniz Baykal will meet on
Wednesday or on Thursday and once again discuss the issue of the
promulgation of laws which take place in the early elections
accord. /Hurriyet/
[13] 'US WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM BAKU-CEYHAN'
According to a report published by the noted Heritage Foundation,
the US government should increase its political support for the
Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. The report noted that wrong
policies to be pursued by the US in Caucasus would negatively
affect Turkey's and Israel's interests. The report written by
Ariel Cohen said that Caucasus was of great importance for the
development of new Silk Road and added that energy resources
would be conveyed to world markets via this region. The report
pointed out that the US would also benefit from the Baku-Ceyhan
oil pipeline project. /Milliyet/
[14] PROBLEMS IN WESTERN THRACE SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO EUROPE
State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel stated that Turks living in
Western Thrace were working hard to continue their future on
their own land. State Minister Gurel who spoke at the 45th
general council meeting of the Solidarity Association of Western
Thracian Turks (SAWTT), said: "We are trying to form a belt of
peace and cooperation. However, when we see hostile stands
against Turks patience wears thin."
State Minister Ahad Andican responsible for Turkish-Speaking
Republics, pointed out that the problem of Western Thrace
continued even from the time Lausanne Treaty was signed. The
chairman of SAWTT Taner Mustafaoglu stressed that mayors who will
be elected in the elections in Western Thrace should explain
these problems to Europe. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] PRESIDENT OF ESTONIA RETURNS HOME
President of Estonia Lennart Meri who came to Turkey upon an
invitation of President Suleyman Demirel was seen off yesterday
by Governor of Istanbul Erol Cakir, Istanbul Director of Security
Hasan Ozdemir and other dignitaries at the airport on his return
to his country. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] HANDCRAFTS FAIR GOING ON
The Fourth International Arts and Handcrafts Fair wherein 500
artists from 28 countries participated is going on with various
activities. The Fair which is taking place at Ataturk Cultural
Centre is the scene of many activities among which we can cite
musical and dance performances, demonstration of slides.
/Cumhuriyet/
|
