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Turkish Press Review, 00-10-23Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>23.10.00Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL CALLS FOR BOOSTING BORDER TRADE WITH SYRIA[02] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[03] TURKEY HOLDS CENSUSTurkey carried out its 14th census yesterday. During a curfew from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Turkish people were counted in their homes answering 43 questions posed by 950,000 census officials throughout the country. The complete evaluation of the census is expected to take eighteen months. /All papers/[04] TGNA'S INTENSE SCHEDULEFollowing the election of the new Parliamentary Speaker, the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) is begining the new legislative year with a heavy schedule. Next week the TGNA will select the members of the Bureau of the Assembly and the commissions who will be in charge for three years. The Government is expected to send the decrees with the power of law (KHK) vetoed by President Sezer to the TGNA in the form of bill urgently. The budget for the 2001 fiscal year presented to the office of the TGNA Speaker on Oct. 17, 2000 will be taken up in the Planning and Budget Commission next month. Additionally, in the Assembly's agenda, 152 draft laws and proposals from the last legislative year are waiting to be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/[05] RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEYThe Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mihail Kasyanov, will arrive in Ankara today for an official visit. The major topics of discussion between Turkish authorities and the Russian Prime Minister will be cooperation in the energy and defence industries. Mr. Kasyanov will be received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and he is also expected to meet with Turkish businessmen in Istanbul. /Cumhuriyet/[06] GREECE TO VETO TURKEYGreece will veto the document enabling non-EU NATO members countries (like Turkey) to participate in the works on European security and defense issues. Athens officially declared it would veto the document to be discussed in the EU Council's meeting today. /Sabah/[07] GREECE WITHDRAWS FROM NATO'S DESTINED GLORY 2000 EXERCISESYesterday Greece declared that it would withdraw from NATO's Destined Glory 2000 exercises. The Greek Ministry of Defense stated that the decision was a response to the latest crisis over the Limni Air Corridor. Turkey had prohibited the entrance of Greece planes to Turkish airspace ever since Greece used new military technologies on Limni Island situated in the disarmament region. The Greece Ministry of Defense declaring Turkey's stance as illegal and provocative, withdrew their troops in response. /Sabah/[08] UN REPRESENTATIVE DE SOTO IN CYPRUSUN Special Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro De Soto, traveled to Cyprus to prepare for the fifth round of the proximity talks. Speaking at the Larnaka Airport, Mr. De Soto said the recent discussions on the Cyprus problem were beneficial and aimed at getting to the heart of the issue. Mr. De Soto is expected to meet Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides separately. /Aksam/[09] IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEYThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation will come to Turkey tomorrow. The Chief of IMF's Turkey desk Carlo Cottarelli is expected to arrive in Turkey October 28. The IMF delegation begin meeting with economy bureaucrats in the Undersecratariat of Treasury on October 25. The additional letter of intention, to be prepared after the meetings between the IMF delegation and Turkish economy bureaucrats, is expected to be presented to the IMF's Executive Council in December. /Sabah/[10] FINANCE MINISTER ORAL IN CANADAFinance Minister Sumer Oral left for Canada to participate in the G-20's Second Financial Ministers' meeting which will be held on Oct. 24-25 in Montreal. Before his departure, Mr. Oral said, "During the meeting, problems stemming from globalization and their solutions will be discussed." /Cumhuriyet/[11] AYTEKIN SIGNS EUROPEAN LANDSCAPE CONVENTIONThe Minister of Environment, who attended a conference organized by the "Europe: A Common Heritage" Campaign in Italy, signed the "European Landscape Convention" on behalf of Turkey. /Sabah/[12] STATE MINISTER USENMEZ VISITS CHINAState Minister Suayip Usenmez went to China as the official guest of the Chinese state personnel affairs minister. Mr. Suayip said that China was important regarding its economic, cultural and political relations with Turkey. Mr. Usenmez is scheduled to visit Beijing and Shanghai. /Turkish Daily News/[13] C-130 CARGO PLANES TO BE RENOVATEDThe Defence Industry Undersecretariat (SSM) has taken the first step in modernizing the C-130 cargo planes in the Turkish Air Force. Firms submitted their proposals on Oct. 16. The programme, which has an estimated cost of $25 million, will be financed by the Defence Industry Development and Support Fund. The project envisages modernizing the planes to make them capable of intercontinental flights. /Cumhuriyet/[14] TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL CALLS FOR BOOSTING BORDER TRADE WITH SYRIAOn Sunday Hulusi Kilic, the Turkish Consul to Aleppo and Damascus, said border trade with Syria should be supported and called for further progress in bilateral relations between Turkey and Syria. Stating that Turkey had eight border entry points with Syria, and mentioning the history of warm ties between the two countries, Mr. Kilic encouraged investors to boost trade with Syria. /Turkish Daily News/[15] RAPID TRAIN IN ANKARA-ISTANBUL ROUTEDirectorate General of State Railways(TCDD) will put out to tender the rapid train project. The offers for 5 rapid trains each with 500 passenger carrying capacity will be received on Dec.20. These trains will be in use on the Ankara-Istanbul route and will reach its destination in four hours. /Milliyet/[16] CONFERENCE ON "PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY"A conference is organized with the participation of Turkish speaking countries to establish multilateral technical cooperation for the peaceful application of nuclear energy will commence in today in Izmir. The conference will last until Oct.27 and is organized by the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority(TAEK). State Minister Edip Safter Gaydali will deliver the opening speech at the conference and various specialists and academicians from institutions and universities will attend the conference. /Milliyet/[17] $131.3 MILLION FOREIGN DEPT REPAYMENTThe Treasury will pay $131.3 million of the foreign debt this week. The total debt repayment for this month including this week's amount, will reach $388.7 million. By the end of this month, the repayments will have reached $494.3 million. /Milliyet/[18] NEW BOND BIDS BY TREASURYThe Treasury will organize two domestic borrowing bids this week. The treasury will borrow $228 million by selling three month treasury bonds and $400-500 million by selling state bonds. /Milliyet/[19] NEW TURKISH SHOPPING CENTER IN BISHKEKYimpas Holding will construct a hotel and shopping center in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The chairman of the Executive Board of Yimpas, Abdullah Ornek, at a foundation laying ceremony said Yimpas Holding has investments in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. They will finish the construction of the hotel and the center within a year. Kyrgyz Ambassador to Turkey and some Turkish deputies also attended the ceremony. /Milliyet/[20] FOREIGN FUNDS PLEASE INVESTORSTurkish investors are happy with the foreign funds offered in August. Out of 20 foreign funds, only one brought a loss to investors. The fund, US Large Company Equities, pleased investors the most, with a 5.5 % return in US dollars. American Growth Portfolio (A) and American Growth Portfolio (B) followed, with 4.8 % returns. Global Bonds, the only fund to take a loss was 0.9 %. /Turkish Daily News/[21] SUMMER TIME ENDS NEXT WEEKDay light savings will end next week. The clocks will be adjusted to the real time on 29th October at 02:00. Day light savings have provided for more than 15 trillion TL in energy savings. The 390 million kilowatt hour energy saved is equal to the production of a middle sized hydroelectric power station. /Hurriyet/[22] SAY IS NUMBER ONE IN JAPANAfter his tour to the USA and Europe, Fazil Say, gained the appreciation of the audience in Japan. His interpretation of Stravinsky's works took The `Golden Plate' in France last week. 8 thousand copies of the same CD were sold in Japan and reached number one in Japan music list Tower Records. Mr.Say said a new CD containing the works of Mozart will be released in December. /Hurriyet/[23] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[24] INTERESTING SURPRISE IN GERMANY BY TUFAN TURENC (HURRIYET)Columnist Tufan Turenc comments on the closing of a political party in Germany. A summary of his column is as follows:"Upon our arrival in Berlin, we learned that the Federal Minister of Interior Affairs and the state Interior Minister would hold an important meeting. The decision to close the extreme racist German Nationalist Party (NPD) was the subject of the meeting. It is an interesting situation for a country believing itself to be a champion of democracy and using every opportunity to stress importance of democracy to Turkey. (as the closing of a party was considered anti-democratic by Western States.) In order to adhere to the busy program prepared by the Turkish Research Center organizing the trip, we went directly from the airport to the Federal Ministry of the Interior Affairs. We were received by the Undersecretary Cornelie Sonntag-Wolgast. The first question directed to her concerned the closure of the NPD. She answered they had important evidence to justify closing the party. She added that the case had been meticulously studied. Naturally, questions about the issue came one after another. Responding to a question coming from a Turkish reporter, she said that from documents and evidence it was understood that the aim of the 36 year old party was to change the system. This would not be condoned. When asked why it took so long to close the party down she replied that the NPD began taking action in the last 4-5 years. "The party was attracting skinheads and using them as militants who attacked foreigners, and killed them. They have worn thin our patience and therefore we decided to close the party. The party-members do not know that human dignity is indivisible." They want to change the system and attacking people, even killing them and therefore deserve to be closed. (This brings to mind the incidents in Sivas.) Militants from NPD recently attacked Jews and rumours has it that this is the reason for such a decision.) Look at the statements and actions of those who decry the closing of a party in a democracy and use this rationalization against party closures in Turkey. When asked what steps should be taken against a party which damages democracy the Undersecretary answered:'First, the Minister of Interiors of 16 states and the Federal Minister of the Interior should meet, as they did today. Second, the Prime Ministers should meet. When they agree the decisions would be approved by both federal and state parliaments. Finally, the Government would hold a meeting and apply to the Constitutional Court.' Then the NPD will be closed. Therefore, I request that Erbakan desist from defending himself in Europe. Europeans are closing parties intent upon changing the system?" [25] AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION BY SUKRU ELEKDAG (MILLIYET)Former Ambassador Sukru Elekdag comments on the withdrawal of the the so-called Armenian Genocide Resolution . A summary of his column is as follows:"The main reason for the withdrawal of the so-called Armenian Genocide Resolution in the US House of Representatives is the blowing winds of war in the Middle East. When the situation did not calm down following the Summit in Sharm Al Sheikh, and even flared up again, and the Arab World united in a front against Israel and America. It was evident that if Turkish public opinion was also lost, the balance in the Middle East would be upset leading to developments threatening the interests of the US and Israel in a wider strategic area. This gave President Clinton the reason and opportunity to write the well-known letter to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. In fact, the determination shown by Mr.Clinton stems from the fact that he is not up for re-election. The Constitution restricts the presidency to two terms. If Mr. Clinton could run for re-election there would be a different result. In that case, despite all his good intentions, we could not have expected Mr. Clinton to fight energetically and sincerely against the Armenian lobby, in addition to the Greek lobby. We have to mention that the Armenian, Greek, and Greek-Cypriot lobbies are working together to tear away Turkey from the US. This time it is no different. In short, the Resolution's dismissal stems from the potential escalation of a crisis in the Middle East and that the sitting President cannot run for re-election. It is a bitter and shocking pill to swallow when realizing that only by coincidence strategic partnership between Turkey and the US, which forms an important part of our foreign policy was not broken. In the meantime, hostile lobbies are issuing signals that they would start to work on passing this resolution at the first opportunity. Turkey must act with the awareness of these facts and give importance to the following measures in order not to fall into these traps: First, Turkey has to initiate a fact finding project so historical facts can be revealed by the research process. This will show that Turkey does not fear facing its past. The project to be undertaken by non-governmental organizations and by researches in the archives of all concerned states, should be implemented through earnestly. Then history will not be a burden Turkey and could not be used as a political weapon against the country. The propaganda campaign is waged by hostile lobbies throughout the United States and is aimed at the legislative organs, administrations, institutions of the press, non-governmental organizations and educational institutions. That resolutions on the so-called Armenian genocide have passed in legislatures of 24 states, and inclusion of the subject in school text-books, is an indication campaign's effectiveness. Therefore, the organization of four Consul Generals in addition to their Consulate duties, to work effectively against anti-Turkish activities and form a favourable opinion of Turkey in the world community is of utmost importance. They should be given the opportunity to make use of local lobbying firms. Furthermore, new Consul-Generals should be appointed for this purpose. Today, they are needed in Miami and Boston." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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