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Turkish Press Review, 99-07-26Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>26.07.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[02] PKK WEAKENS, KURDISH PROBLEM INCREASES -BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)[03] SPECIAL KOSOVO[04] STRONG REACTION AGAINST IRANConcerning the ongoing tension between Ankara and Tehran, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Sunday that Iran has taken over the role formerly played by Syria in supporting the terrorist PKK organization. He stressed that Turkey wanted to solve the problem through diplomatic means. He was referring to allegations that Turkish aircraft have bombed Iranian border regions, that Ankara was behind the massive demonstrations against the clerical administration in Iran and that Turkish troops have crossed into Iranian territory. Mentioning the Turkish soldiers who were arrested by Iranian authorities on Thursday, Ecevit said that the soldiers crossed the border by mistake.Referring to the G-8 initiative to revive talks on Cyprus, Ecevit said that it was a grave mistake. Addressing himself particularly to the U.S., he said, 'Washington should not become involved in the Cyprus problem because Turkey will not give the slightest concession". Ecevit said that the international community should seriously evaluate the proposal for the establishment of a two-state confederation on Cyprus. Also, Ecevit evaluated the upcoming European Union (EU) Summit in Helsinki saying that he did not expect any positive outcome for Turkey. He added that Ankara would not push further to obtain candidacy status. /Sabah/Cumhuriyet/ [05] DEMIREL ATTENDS KING HASSAN'S FUNERALTurkey was represented at the highest level at the funeral of King Hassan of Morocco by President Suleyman Demirel. He said that the untimely demise of King Hassan had created great sadness in Turkey, in the whole Islamic world and in the international community. In Turkey, all flags were flown at half-mast until Sunday evening in remembrance of Hassan. /Cumhuriyet/[06] SEARCH ON IN TOKAT AND ERZURUMDuring the search of rural areas near the Karakocan township of Elazig, two soldiers were killed as a result of terrorist gun-fire and two more were wounded.On another incident, as a result of raids conducted in and around Tokat, a member of the outlawed TKP-ML TIKKO was seized. The terrorist had food, clothing and medical equipment with him to take him to his friends. Military sources stated that operations would be continued in the region. /Cumhuriyet/ [07] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO EGYPTOn the eve of his one-day official visit to Egypt, President Suleyman Demirel has highlighted the 'great importance' that Ankara attributes to relations with Egypt and stressed that the two countries were the two main pillars of stability in the region. Demirel will start his visit to Egypt today accompanied by Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Cumhur Ersumer, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem and Minister of Health Osman Durmus. It is expected that during the visit Demirel will stress the importance of cooperation against terrorism which is the most importance issue in the region. It was also announced that Demirel and his Egyptian counterpart, Husnu Mubarak, will sign ten agreements. /Milliyet/[08] TURKEY AND GREECE START DIALOGUETurkey and Greece will resume dialogue in Ankara on Monday with two-day talks on cultural and economic cooperation and the protection of the environment. The talks will continue in Athens on Thursday and Friday with discussions on joint combat against terrorism, illegal immigration and organized crime. In the Ankara round of the talks, the two delegations will tackle cultural cooperation and the protection of the environment on Monday and the improvement of bilateral trade on Tuesday. In the Athens leg of the talks the issue of terrorism will be in the spotlight.The Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Cem, and his Greek counterpart Yorgo Papandreou will meet on Friday on the sidelines of a Balkan reconstruction summit to be held in Sarajevo, Bosnia, to evaluate the preliminary results of the talks. /Milliyet/ [09] ECEVIT: WE CANNOT TAKE BACKWARD STEPIn the midst of a debate between the government and the trade unions over the Social Security Reform Bill, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that apart from the issue of retirement age, the 57th government is ready for reconciliation. He added that the workers had used their democratic right to hold a demonstration in the capital. Ecevit indicated that the government will not back down from raising the retirement age. "We have to save the future of the Social Security Authority (SSK), but we're not omitting concensus. We are looking for reconciliation," said the Prime Minister. /Cumhuriyet/[10] CLINTON: "ECEVIT'S VISIT TO THE U.S. IS IMPORTANT"Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's expected visit to the U.S. will probably be in September. Accroding to diplomatic sources in Washington, Ecevit and Clinton will meet in Washington immediately after the United Nations' (UN) General Council meeting to start on 23 September in New York. After the establishment of the 57th coalition government, the U.S. President Bill Clinton extended an invitation to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit through the U.S. Ambassador to Ankara, Mark Parris, saying that Ecevit's visit was of great importance to them. It is expected that Ecevit and Clinton will discuss mutual cooperation, the Cyprus issue, defense issues and regional issues such as Northern Iraq, the Balkans and Caucasia. /Cumhuriyet/[11] PUK: 'NO SUPPORT FOR THE PKK'The Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), under the Chairmanship of Celal Talabani, rejected the rumours that they supported the PKK and sheltered PKK members in its territories. Accroding to the "Kurdistani News", the official newspaper of the PUK, it was reported that Talabani would like to establish good neighbourly relations with Turkey and that there were no PKK bases or members in the territories under the control of the PUK. /Milliyet/[12] PKK EXTORTS MONEY IN ROMANIAThe Turkish Ambassador to Romania Volkan Bozkir declared that the PKK had set up a protection racket to exort money from Turkish businessmen in Romania. Bozkir said that Turkish businessmen did not apply to the Turkish Embassy and that they did not have enough information to take the necessary counter-measures. He noted that the PKK would take Turkish businessmen hostage if they refused to give the organization money. He also recalled Cevat Soysal's statement, who was recently seized by MIT, that important revenue-earning activities in Romania for the PKK included drug smuggling and that Romania was being used as a training base for the terrorist organization. /Sabah/[13] COMMITTEE TO IRANTurkey is sending an official committee to Iran to investigate the bombing allegations of this country. The Iranian Foreign Ministry's Spokesman, Hamit Riza Asefi, said yesterday during his declaration that they have proposed that Turkey form a joint committee to investigate the situation and to determine damage in the region. The Spokesman noted that they are pleased with the Turkish Government's decision to send an investigation committee. The Turkish Committee is expected to arrive in Urumiye on Wednesday and to cross the aforesaid region. /Star/[14] PKK MEMBERS IN IRANAccording to intelligence reports, there are two PKK camps near the Piransehir region of Iran. It is also known that there is a hospital which offers medical services to PKK members. Furthermore, it is reported that Iranian officers are training PKK terrorists. Leading PKK members Murat Karayilan and Cemil Bayik frequently travel between Iran and Celal Talabani's Northern Iraqi territories. /Hurriyet/[15] RUSSIA PRAISES MITReaction concerning the capture of the PKK number-two man in Europe, Cevat Soysal, during a successful operation carried out by the Turkish National Intelligence Service (MIT) is reverberating around the world. Russian newspapers claim that Soysal was captured in Moldova. The Russian newspaper, 'Izvestya', recalled that no intelligence service other than the KGB had carried out an operation within the former Soviet Union territories and said: "MIT is the first". /Aksam/[16] TURKS' DEMAND FOR RECOGNITION BOTHERS ATHENSAn application made by three Turkish deputies and 13 institutions to the Greek Parliament for the recognition of the Turkish and Macedonian minority in Greece has created tension in this country. One of the deputies, Galip Galip, said that their sole demand was the provision of their natural rights and the implementation of the Lausanne Treaty. Galip pointed out that there would be initiatives also in Europe for them to be officially recognized and said that no-one should doubt their determination. Articles in the Greek press claim that there are Turkish spies in the Greek Parliament and they should be expelled from Parliament as soon as possible. /Aksam/[17] EVERYTHING FOR A STRONG NAVYIt was affirmed that the Turkish Armed Forces will spend 10 billion dollars in the next 10 years to improve the capacity and ability of the Turkish Navy. The modernization process will include the following projects:* Frigate Project: 6 modern frigates costing 2 billion dollars will be constructed in Turkish shipyards. *Submarine Project: 4 submarines costing 600 million dollars and 6 mine-sweepers costing 750 million dollars will be produced jointly with a German firm. * Long Horizons Project: To improve search capabilities and intelligence, a network composed of planes and radar systems is being implemented. * Corvette Project: To supply the need for smaller warships, 12 corvettes will be jointly produced with a foreign partner. The billing procedures are expected to be organized this year. /Star/[18] DRUGS RAIDFour point three tons of hydrochloric acid in the production of heroin have been seized in a truck coming to Samsun coming from Russia's Novorossysk port on Ro-Ro ferry called 'Marmara Prince'. A statement issued by the Samsun Security Office said that an investigation into the incident was in progress. /Hurriyet/[19] THREE-YEAR TERM BONDS FROM TREASURYThe first tender for the sale of three-year term state bonds envisaged within the guidelines of the new borrowing strategy of the Treasury will be held tomorrow. The state bonds will have a variable interest rate and coupon payments once every three months. /Hurriyet/[20] BRITISH BURBERRY TO SET UP FACTORY IN TURKEYA noted British brand-name, Burberry, is preparing to produce in Turkey. Company officials said that Burberry would set up a factory in Turkey within five years. The Head of the Executive Board of Baron Clothing, the distributor of Burberry in Turkey, Ayk Gurdikyan, stated that if no crisis had been experienced in 1998, they would have opened the factory much earlier. He said that the turnover of the company in Turkey amounted to nearly 399 billion TL. /Hurriyet/[21] EL-EZHER DIPLOMAS CANCELLEDThe General Council of the Council of State has accepted a motion that those who became assc.prof. or deputy assc.prof. by obtaining licence diplomas from or by receiving postgraduate education at El-Ezher University in Egypt will not be recognized by the Higher Education Board (YOK). Therefore, their licence diplomas and postgraduate education will not be valid; from now on, only two-year pre-licence diplomas will be valid. /Hurriyet/[22] TURKISH PEPPER TO BE EXPORTED TO USFollowing news of a virus affecting peppers which has caused a decrease in production in Mexico, the country which meets the US need for peppers, hopes have arisen in Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras, the production and processing centres for chili peppers in Turkey. Gaziantep Governor Muammer Guler said that the situation in Mexico has created an important opportunity for Turkey to export peppers to the US market. /Aksam/[23] CUBA CALLS ON TURKISH BUSINESSMENThe Cuban Ambassador to Turkey, Jorge Castro Benitez, has invited Turkish businessmen to Cuba. The Ambassador who visited Izmir Mayor Ahmet Piristina said that relations between Turkey and Cuba were wonderful. Amb.Benitez remarked that there were many Turkish businessmen in Cuba and said: "We expect 7 million tourists in 2010. This figure is very high for a country with an 11-million population. We want Turkish businessmen to invest in Cuba, where there is a huge tourism potential. We also want to take advantage of Turkish experience in tourism". Ahmet Piristina gave the Ambassador a silver-embossed shield of the Clock Tower, the symbol of Izmir, as a gift. /Aksam/[24] BUOYANCY IN LEATHER SECTORLeather producers in Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, who have experienced a difficult time because of the crisis in Russia, have begin to accelerate production since demand has again increased. Officials said that orders from Europe, China, the US and Russia are hope-inspiring and stated that the State should offer loans to them in order to compete with Italian leather producers. The Head of the Leather Producers' Association, Huseyin Demirci, stressed that if they were unable to obtain $200 million in loans from the State to invest in the sector, demand will again fall. /Turkiye/[25] MUMCU: "TOURISM SECTOR HAS BECOME MORE QUALIFIED"Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said that the tourism sector has become more qualified and added: "Turkey knows what tourism is". Mumcu attended the opening of an exhibition at the Dim Cave, six kilometres from Alanya, and delivered a speech remarking that tourism should not be regarded as only hotels and holiday villages. He pointed out that tourism only meant opening places such as the Dim Cave. /Aksam/[26] TURCO-ARGENTINIAN ECONOMIC COMMISSION TO MEETThe 1st Term Meeting of the Turco-Argentinian Joint Commission will be held on 27 and 28 July in Buenos Aires. The Turkish delegation will be headed by Foreign Trade Undersecretary Yavuz Ege. Commercial and economic relations will be revised, cooperation in privatization, free trade zones, agriculture, energy, health, science, tourism, transport and communication will also be discussed. /All papers/[27] THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENTA motion for a general debate concerning the 700th anniversary of the foundation of the Ottoman Empire will be discussed in Parliament. At the same time, the Customs Law and the Law against organized crime will also be on the agenda. Meanwhile, the Social Security Reform Bill and a constitutional amendment motion concerning international arbitration will be debated by the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission. /All papers/[28] TURCO-AZERBAIJANI MILITARY COOPERATIONTurkey and Azerbaijan concluded an agreement on Sunday in the latter country's capital of Baku, in which Turkey's Office of the Chief of General Staff made a commitment to donate $ 3.4 million in aid to Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry, reported the Anatolian News Agency.[29] 13TH GIFTED CHILDREN'S CONGRESS TO BE IN ISTANBULIt is announced that the 13th Gifted Children's Congress is to be held on 2-6 August in Istanbul. The Chairwoman of the Coordination Group of the Congress, Edna McMillen, said that almost 40 countries from around the world would attend the Congress. She added that it was a great pity that there was so much anti-Turkey propaganda in Europe claiming that there are security problems in Turkey. She stressed that there was no such security problem in Turkey adding that Turkey was as safe as any other European country. /Sabah/[30] ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN GAZIANTEPDuring the archeological excavations in the ancient site of Zeugma in the Nizip township of Gaziantep, 60 thousand prints from seals of fice have been found. Head of the Gaziantep Archeology Museum, Dr. Rifat Ergec announced that it was the greatest number of official seal prints found in an archeological excavation in the world. /Sabah/[31] ICE-CREAM FROM MARAS TO AMERICAThe world-famous Maras ice-cream will be exported to the U.S. Owner of the Mado ice-cream compnay, Mehmet Kambur, said that they produced 60 tons daily. He remarked that he aimed to set up a franchising system all around the world. With this aim in mind, he added, he would export ice-cream to the huge U.S. market. He stated that he had already sold ice-cream to Romania, Germany, Arabia and Cyprus and he had received a partnership suggestion from Britain and Belgium. /Sabah/[32] FOREST FIRE IN MANISAThe fire that destroyed 60 hectares of forested land in the Sarigol province of Manisa was brought under control on Saturday night. Official sources announced that the cause of the fire has not been determined yet. /Sabah/[33] CAY IN KAZAKHSTANMehmet Cay, State Minister, left for Kazakhstan yesterday for an official visit, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Cay said in a written statement that he will hold various contacts about issues that concern his ministry in his visit to Kazakhstan which will last until July 31.[34] DELEGATION OF TURKISH DEPUTIES CONCLUDES CONTACTSA Turkish delegation of deputies who came to Washington D.C. as the guest of 'Centre for Democracy', an American institution, wrapped up its contacts and left the US on Saturday. He delegation exchanged views with the US officials about issues of foreign politics, defence, security, democracy, human rights and economic and social status of Turkey.[35] RICHARDSON: "BAKU-CEYHAN IS OUR BASIC PROJECT"Bill Richardson, the US Energy Secretary, said on Saturday that 'we will continue to support Baku-Ceyhan project. Baku-Ceyhan project is our basic target', the Anatolia News Agency reports.[36] GERMAN ORCHESTRA STAGES UNDERWATER CONCERTA 16-person German orchestra, the Alfred Lauer Big Band Orchestra, staged a concert 10 metres beneath the sea at the Robinson Club in Antalya and managed to enter the Guinness Book of Records. The concert was performed on a 48-metre stage and lasted for 20 minutes.Meanwhile, the Antalya State Symphonic Orchestra held a concert on the summit of Nemrut Mountain, known as the Eighth Scenic Wonder of the world. The concert, held as part of the 'Tut Culture and Art Festival', was also followed by Mehmet Turgut Okyay, the Head of Ankara's No.2 State Security Court (DGM). The concert was conducted by Gurer Aykal. /Aksam/ [37] 79 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED IN ALIAGAA total of 79 people, who would escape to Italy, were captured in Aliaga township of Izmir, reported the Anatolian News Agency. Acting ona tip-off, gendarmerie caught totally 79 people including 12 children and 11 women who aere hiding in a loory. 39 of the illegal immigrants are Turkish citizens who are from eastern provinces and 40 of them are Afghan. The immigrants said that they wanted to escape to Italy.[38] TURKEY BEATS VENEZUELLA BY 3-0 IN VOLLEYBALLTurkish team beat Venezuella by 3-0 in International Men's Volleyball Championship held in Istanbul, it is reported on Sunday by the Anatolian News Agency. On the third day of the championship Turkish volleyball team won the match it played with Venezualan team by getting the scores of 15-6, 15-9 and 15-3.[39] ATATURK EXHIBITION IN ISTANBULAn exhibition on 'Ataturk and the Children of Ataturk' by Uzbek painter Isfendiyar Haydar has been opened in Istanbul. Bakirkoy Deputy Mayor Sermin Kutupoglu opened the exhibition at Bakirkoy Municipality's Culture and Arts Centre. The exhibition of 66 paintings will be open until July 31. /Turkiye/[40] TRABZONSPOR DEFEATS PERUGIAIn the Inter Toto Cup, Trabzonspor defeated the Italian Perugia team and excluded the Italian team from the European Cup. Trabzonspor will play against the German Hamburg team in the semi-finals. The first match will be in Trabzon on Wednesday while the return match will be in Germany on August 4. /Hurriyet/[41] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[42] LET US TRY PEACE ONCE MORE -BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tưnc comments on the recent search for dialogue between Turkey and Greece. A summary of her column is as follows:"The first steps of the dialogue process launched by Foreign Ministers Ismail Cem and George Papandreu will be taken in Ankara today, at the negotiations between the Turkish and Greek delegations. Even though pressure from the US and the EU should be taken into account, the role of the modern, compromising personalities of the two Foreign Ministers is a contributiing factor. It is a very courageous step taken by the Athens Government to agree to a dialogue on cooperation, leaving problems aside. Greece had closed all doors to dialogue following the Kardak crisis unless Turkey went to the European Court of Justice at the Hague. However, the important point for the Simitis Government is to pursue this dialogue to the end and show the will to fight against those who which have based their political existence on animosity against Turkey. It should not be forgotten that this is also no easy decision for Turkey. Both the US and the EU believe that Ankara is in a stronger position as far as public opinion is concerned. However, it should also be remembered that the Turkish public still has its concerns and distrusts Greece due to the relations between Greece and the PKK. Furthermore, when the approaches of the two countries are compared based on their loyalty to NATO, Turkey expected a difference to be shown in NATO's stance towards her concerning Kosovo, as if Greece had not tried to weaken the Alliance from within. Therefore, she will be more sensitive to any pressure directed at herself. However, the only solution for both sides of the Aegean lies in searching for peace again and again, forever." [43] PKK WEAKENS, KURDISH PROBLEM INCREASES -BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)Former Ambassador Sukru Elekdag comments on the recent development concerning the PKK and the Kurdish problem. A summary of his column is as follows:"As I had stated that the PKK wanted Ocalan to be executed and therefore he should not be hanged, others have expressed contradictory statements to the effect that so long as he remains alive he will be used by other States against Turkey. However, this is a political decision which has to be taken by the Government in view of our national interests. Including the Office of the Chief of General Staff, this is the view prevalent among the public. The statements made by Ocalan during the trial process on Imrali have confused the PKK. The PKK's Board of Chairmen is trying to follow Ocalan's line and prevent the collapse of the organization. On the other hand, there are some leaders who are continuing their terrorist actions, stating that they will not obey Ocalan. Some in the organization want to believe that they have a dialogue with the Turkish side. Therefore, they are in a state of suspense. One thing is certain and that is that the PKK is not as strong as it was in the early 90s. However, the problems in Southeastern Turkey are increasing with every passing day. In the 18 April elections candidates from HADEP won mayorships in eight provinces. The results of the election showed the dimension the geographic base of the ethnic Kurdish nationalism has reached. The political wing of the PKK which is strongly-organized in Europe will certainly want to use this situation to politicize the Kurdish problem. The policies followed during the last 15 years by the Turkish Governments can only be described as irresponsible. As the PKK strengthened and organized itself in Europe, thus, the Kurdish problem achieved an international dimension and great neglect became evident in the policies of the Turkish State. Therefore the 57th Government has to form a comprehensive strategy to solve the Kurdish problem without leaving the matter to the military. The aim of such a strategy which should cover the economic, social, political, educational and cultural dimensions, in addition to security, should be to create an atmosphere of lasting trust, tolerance and peace, not waiting for another 15 years. " [44] WHILE THE TITLE DEED IS INTACT -BY AHMET TAN (SABAH)Columnist Ahmet Tan writes on the anniversaries of the freedom of the press and the Lausanne Treaty. A summary of his column is as follows:"Last week we commemorated two historic anniversaries. One of them was the 91st anniversary of the lifting of censure from the press and the other was the 76th anniversary of the Lausanne Treaty. The difference between the freedom of the press and defending separatism will be seen one day. Until that time, friendly European countries are looking for excuses to reject the Lausanne Treaty which they had signed. The basic reason behind the covert or open support given to the PKK lies in this fact. They are eager to add the lack of freedom in the press as an excuse. Europe is trying for excuses in all weaknesss in the country, from the limitations in the legal system to the sluggishness in the economy. Ataturk's words which state, " This agreement is a document preventing the assassination of the Turkish State which has been prepared for centuries and believed to be implemented by the Sevres Treaty." are still valid today. Therefore, every claim the Europeans bring against the basic provisions of the Lausanne Treaty can be viewed as an attempt at assassination. Among the leading claims is the violation of minority rights. At Lausanne the Europeans had stated that only Greeks, Armenians and Jews could be viewed as minorities and made special arrangements for them. Today, the same Europeans are inventing new provisions and concepts which are not a part of the Lausanne Treaty. They are trying to create a new minority from the majority Muslim population and are talking of granting them political rights and autonomy. The signatories to the Lausanne Treaty, England, France, Italy and Greece are forgetting that they are a party to it. They are trying to take decisions by themselves in the European Parliament where they are gathered to further their common interests. It is a very important coincidence for Turkey to celebrate the anniversaries of the lifting of censure from the Press and the Lausanne Treaty. Turkey should use this opportunity to improve the conditions with all her political, legal and economic organs and with the public in the future with determination." [45] SPECIAL KOSOVO[46] STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFFIn a statement issued on Sunday, the General Secretariat of the Chief of General Staff denied news reports that the Turkish peace-keeping forces in Kosovo were unhappy over their deployment. The statement said that Turkish forces participating in NATO's K-FOR mission were not unhappy wirh their transfer to the mountainous Dragas region, an area where no Turkish settlements exist. It pointed out that Turkish forces belonging to the K-FOR mission were sent to Kosovo to help all the people living there, regardless of their religion and ethnic bsckground. It noted Prizren was not the only place with a Turkish population, adding that the Mamusha province, which is inhabited by Turks, is in the sphere of responsibility of the Turkish soldiers. /Cumhuriyet/[47] A TOTAL OF 15,857 KOSOVARS LEAVE TURKEYKosovar refugees who have taken shelter in Turkey after being forced to leave their homes as a result of ethnic cleasing campaign in Kosovo, continue to return to Kosovo, it is reported on Sunday by Anatolian News Agency. The Interior Ministry Press Center released a statement and said that the number of Kosovar refugees who left Turkey for Kosovo after installation of peace, reached 15,857 as of Saturday. A total of 17,746 Kosovar refugess had escaped from Kosovo to Turkey.Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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