Anadolu Agency: News in English, 97-12-20

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From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>

20 DEC 1997

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN THE US - TURKEY AND US SIGN STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN ENERGY

[03] TURKEY-HUNGARY - DEFENSE MINISTER SEZGIN RETURNS TO TURKEY

[04] TURKEY-PAKISTAN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RETURNS TO TURKEY - DEMIREL: ''TURKEY STRENGTHENS ITS RESPECTABLE SITUATION IN THE WORLD''

[05] TURKEY-OSCE - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM RETURNS TO TURKEY

[06] TURKEY-US - YILMAZ-CLINTON MEETING - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''OUR TALKS WERE COMPREHENSIVE, BENEFICIAL AND PROMISING''

[07] TURKEY-US - ''STRENGTHENED COOPERATION'' BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE US

[08] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN WASHINGTON - YILMAZ: ''I WILL NEVER IMPLEMENT POPULIST POLICIES LIKE A TRANSISTORY GOVERNMENT''

[09] TURKEY-NARCOTICS - 67.9 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN EASTERN VAN PROVINCE

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)

ISTANBUL WILLING TO NEXT OSCE SUMMIT
OSCE meeting ended in Copenhagen on Friday. Turkey lobbied to hold next OSCE summit in Istanbul.

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

FIRST REJECTION FROM TURKEY TO EU
Turkey began to implement its decision to limit political dialogue with European Union (EU). Turkey officially told European Commission which wanted to send an EU delegation to Turkey to discuss human rights and financial aid in Jan 1988 that it did not want the delegation.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

DEPUTY PREMIER ECEVIT PREVENTS DECISION TO IMPOSE EMBARGO TO EU
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz made an evaluation meeting with his partners following Luxembourg summit and wanted to impose embargo to EU countries on trade and defense industry yet, Deputy Prime Minister Ecevit made Yilmaz change his idea.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT) FULL SUPPORT FROM CLINTON
An agreement was reached between Turkey and the US. Yilmaz who met US President Bill Clinton in White House said ''I am very pleased that our views are very close.''

HERE IS FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION
Demirel laid the foundations of the 640 million dollar Islamabad-Peshavar highway, which will be built by a Turkish firm. He also signed a contract for the construction of the Pehur irrigation channel, which will also be built by a Turkish company.

RADİKAL (LEFT)

IMF: GOOK LUCK, SEE YOU IN JANUARY
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Chairman Michel Camdesus said on Friday that ''IMF is resolved to do everything to assist Turkey.'' Following his meeting with Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Camdesus told reporters that ''the biggest problem in Turkey is the inflation.

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

CLOSE RELATION WITH THE US
Yilmaz who could not get what he wanted from EU got morale and support from the US.

[02] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN THE US - TURKEY AND US SIGN STRATEGIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT IN ENERGY

The signatories of the agreement were Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Cumhur Ersumer on behalf of Turkey and Federico Pena on behalf of the US.

Pena addressing the signature ceremony said ''this agreement indicates the support of the US to Turkey which is a leader in its region.''

Pena also said Baku-Ceyhan route was very important for the opening of Caspian oil to the West.

[03] TURKEY-HUNGARY - DEFENSE MINISTER SEZGIN RETURNS TO TURKEY

Speaking to reporters in Ankara's Esenboga Airport Sezgin said with the visit Turkish-Hungarian relations gained momentum and friendship and cooperation were further improved.

Sezgin said during the visit he stressed that Turkey supported Hungary to take its place within Europe's security architecture and new defense identity.

''Hungarian officials said they supported Turkey on the issue of EU summit resolutions taken in Luxembourg. They also said Turkey's membership to EU would be beneficial both for Europe and Hungary'' Sezgin said.

Sezgin said they also agreed to increase trade volume between the two countries.

[04] TURKEY-PAKISTAN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RETURNS TO TURKEY - DEMIREL: ''TURKEY STRENGTHENS ITS RESPECTABLE SITUATION IN THE WORLD''

Demirel, who wrapped up his two-day official visit to Pakistan, returned to Turkey. Speaking to reporters in the Airport Demirel said he was proud to lay the foundation of Islamabad-Peshavar motorway project which will be contructed by a Turkish firm.

Demirel said this 640-million dollar motorway project was the biggest of the others and will be an example indicating cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan in economy field.

Demirel said Pehur irrigation channel, worth of 80 million dollar will also be done by a Turkish firm. He said the total amount of projects won by Turkish constructors reached to 1.4 million dollars.

Demirel said he had beneficial talks with Acting Pakistani President and Prime Minister on issues concerning the two countries and strengthened their determination to improve trade and economic cooperation in particular.

[05] TURKEY-OSCE - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM RETURNS TO TURKEY

Speaking to reporters in Istanbul's Ataturk Airport Cem said Turkey's reqests were recorded in final texts during NATO Foreign Ministers meeting held in Brussels and OSCE meetings held in Copenhagen.

Cem said the talks mainly focused on terrorism and drug trafficking in connection with terrorism and stressed that especially in NATO Summit several proposals which Turkey did not want were not included in resolution texts.

[06] TURKEY-US - YILMAZ-CLINTON MEETING - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''OUR TALKS WERE COMPREHENSIVE, BENEFICIAL AND PROMISING''

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Clinton Yilmaz stressed his satisfaction over the meeting adding that ''we discussed isssues concerning the two countries and international issues. We are pleased to see that our views are close to each other.''

Yilmaz said this was the first time he visit White House adding that ''Turkey and the US are two allies. Our problems never remained unsolved. We overcomed cold war ear due to our close cooperation and determination. We will further improve our relations.''

Stressing that Turkish people shared the same values with the West in the past 70 years, Yilmaz said ''we are willing to strengthen our democratic system for the benefit of our nation and we have taken important steps to this end.''

''Turkish government is resolved to improve its democratic system and human rights situation'' Yilmaz said adding that ''our relations will be improved and increased under the talented leadership of Clinton.''

Yilmaz and the US President Clinton hold a tete-a-tete meeting for 15 minutes.

Yilmaz met US Vice President Al Gore before participating in a signature ceremony staged for the purchase of planes which Turkish Air Lines will get from Boeing company.

Al Gore said this purchasing was an important step for cooperation between Turkey and the US in commercial fields.

[07] TURKEY-US - ''STRENGTHENED COOPERATION'' BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE US

It was also reported that the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will visit Turkey by mid-1998 to meet Foreign Minister Imsail Cem. US President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz are also expected to meet by the end of 1998.

High ranking officials briefed about Yilmaz-Clinton meeting saying that this meeting was a symbol of close cooperation between the two countries. They said Yilmaz and Clinton agreed to form the framework of strengthened cooperation between the two countries and named the fields as; energy, trade and investment, regional cooperation, security cooperation, Aegean and Cyprus issues.

Officials identified Yilmaz's visit as a strong step taken forward. They also said US Minister of Energy Federico Pena will visit Turkey next year.

Officials also said the US extended support to Turkey's economic stability program and underlined the importance of Turkey's strategic situation.

US officials said their country was willing to play a positive role in the Aegean and Cyprus issues and to overcome tension.

[08] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN WASHINGTON - YILMAZ: ''I WILL NEVER IMPLEMENT POPULIST POLICIES LIKE A TRANSISTORY GOVERNMENT''

Yilmaz staged a news conference for Turkish journalists in The Willard Intercontinental Hotel and briefed about his contacts carried out in the US.

Responding to a question about Turkish-EU relations Yilmaz said Turkey's expectations were determined before Luxembourg Summit and clearly conveyed to EU.

Yilmaz said ''we ask European Union if we are included in the expansion process or not? We want to take place within the expansion process with a full strategy. They say ''we think of a strategy for you but this will be different from the other 11 countries. This difference has no justified reason.''

Yilmaz szid nobody would claim that Turkey was behind Slovakia and Romania in democracy and that these 11 countries are more improved that Turkey in free market economy. He said all of these countries have deficiences due to criterion specified by EU. Yet European Union provided necessary cooperation and solidarity to overcome their deficiencies and failed to do the same to Turkey. ''There is an open discrimination against Turkey'' Yilmaz added.

Yilmaz said this discrimination was made despite the great contribution Turkey extended for the defense of Europe for 50 years.

''What we say is that there is a wrong decision taken against Turkey'' he said adding that ''our relations can not be maintained so as long as they fail to correct this decision. We do not say that we want to cut relations as we are faithful to our commitments. Customs Union Agreement and Partnership agreements are valid. Yet, we may review our application to EU for full membership and our situation related with this process.''

Yilmaz said the EU has six months to correct its decision and stressed that the injustice made to Turkey should be corrected during this six-months time that will be under Britain's leadership. Yilmaz said ''it is impossible to change a decision taken technically during the summit, so, probably coming six months will be a period frozen for our full membership.''

Prime Minister said Turkey made self criticism before the summit and that now it was time for EU to do so adding that this decision will interest the future of Europe. He said it was not necessary to change the decision if the EU would continue as a Christian Club ''yet, it aims to be a multi- national, multi-cultural, multi-identity union based on tolarance like the US, it should take this decision during the summit scheduled to take place in Britain.''

Meanwhile, Yilmaz also said he had beneficial contacts to transport Turkmen natural gas and Caspian oil to the West and noted that meetings will start to provide a final agreement on Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Yilmaz said he would go to Turkmenistan on Dec 26-27 to hold talks for the implementation of the agreements that were signed earlier.

[09] TURKEY-NARCOTICS - 67.9 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN EASTERN VAN PROVINCE

Gendarma teams, acting of a tip off, staged an operation on a house belonging to Mahmut Ozeler in Ortayol village in Baskale township and sezied 56.2 kg heroin hidden in secret parts of the wall of the house.

In another operation staged in Savas village 11.7 kg heroin was seized that was hidden in two sacks buried in a field belonging to Cemil Furat.

Mahmut Ozeler and Cemal Furat were taken under custody.

Officials said the haul, which was brought from Iran, has a market value of 1.5 trillion lira.

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