TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review

From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)

Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review

CONTENTS

  • [01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO ATTEND GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CEREMONY

  • [02] REBEL LOSSES MOUNT IN NORTHERN IRAQ, TGS SAYS

  • [03] PRESIDENT CLINTON TO APPOINT SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH

  • [04] NEW ZEALAND OPENS CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL

  • [05] CONFERENCE ON TURKEY IN BRUSSELS

  • [06] INONU TO VISIT SLOVAKIA

  • [07] EU DECIDES TO TRANSLATE NAZIM HIKMET'S POEMS

  • [08] KARAKAS: "TURKEY WELL PROMOTED IN THE US"

  • [09] CEMENT EXPORTS INCREASE

  • [10] YOUTH MEETS FOR PEACE

  • [11] REACTIONS AGAINST KURDISH PARLIAMENT-IN-EXILE

  • [12] TURKEY ASKS NETHERLANDS TO BAN PKK

  • [13] DOGAN: "NO NEED FOR FOREIGN DEPT"

  • [14] TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO BAKU RETURNS HOME

  • [15] HOLLAND IGNORES WARNINGS

  • [16] BAKU : YEREVAN OUGHT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS

  • [17] CONFIDENCE LETTER TO PRESIDENT DEMIREL

  • [18] GORBACHEV FULL OF ADMIRATION FOR TURKEY

  • [19] NEWSWEEK REVIEWS TURKEY-US RELATIONS

  • [20] MOVES TO BLOCK PKK ABROAD

    •

    WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF

    DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

    TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

    APRIL 25, 1995

    Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish

    press this morning.

    [01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO ATTEND GALLIPOLI MEMORIAL CEREMONY

    The 80th anniversary of the allied landings at Gallipoli, which started one of the First World War's bloodiest campaigns, is to be commemorated today at a ceremony to be attended by President Suleyman Demirel as well as dignitaries representing the defeated allied expenditionary force. Bill Hayden, governor general of Australia, will represent his nation at the ceremony while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Donald Charles McKinnon will head the New Zealand delegation. Soldiers from the two countries, which were British dominions at the time, made up the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who distinguished themselves in the fighting and sowed the seeds of nationhood for their peoples. /All papers/

    [02] REBEL LOSSES MOUNT IN NORTHERN IRAQ, TGS SAYS

    Turkish troops continuing their search for PKK separatists in northern Iraq in the second month of their cross-border military operation killed 26 rebels in an overnight engagement, the Anatolia news agency said yesterday, quoting a communique by the Turkish General Staff. The report did not say where the clash occured inside the 220 km-long, 40 km-deep strip where the troops are operating. The latest figures have raised PKK losses to 490 killed and 13 captured since the start of the massive incursion. Turkey puts its own losses at around 50. /All papers/

    [03] PRESIDENT CLINTON TO APPOINT SPECIAL ENVOY FOR

    NAGORNO-KARABAKH

    US President Bill Clinton said that he will appoint a special envoy to the Nagorno-Karakakh talks to seek a peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. On April 21, technical teams from Turkey and Armenia finalized a protocol for the reopening of the corridor.

    Meanwhile, Turkey, by its decision to open its air territory to flights from Armenia, has taken a step that will contribute to peace in the region, Georgian Parliament Speaker Vakhtang Goguadze said.

    [04] NEW ZEALAND OPENS CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL

    New Zealand officially opened an honorary consulate in Istanbul yesterday. Honorary Consul General Murat Demirel, who is also a businessman and owner of the Demyon Group of companies said at the opening that however high the current level of trade between Turkey and New Zealand might be, when one thinks of the potential of both countries, it is clear that there is still very much to do. New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don McKinnon attended the ceremony. /Hurriyet/

    [05] CONFERENCE ON TURKEY IN BRUSSELS

    A conference about the business possibilities, which Turkey-EU relations and customs union will bring about, as organized by the "Forum Europe" lobbying company, started in Brussels yesterday. Former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Murat Karayalcin made the opening speech. Noting that customs union would be important and useful for both sides, Karayalcin stated that customs union had not only economic dimensions but also a political dimension. Economic Development Foundation Chairman Sedat Aloglu, Prime Ministry Advisor Ali Tigrel, Turkish Permanent Representative to the EU, Uluc Ozulker, EU Comission Mediterranean countries Department Chief Serge Abou and Turkish Ambassador to the OECD Orhan Guvenen were among yesterday's speakers. /Hurriyet/

    [06] INONU TO VISIT SLOVAKIA

    Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu will visit Slovakia between April 27 and 28, as the official guest of his Slovakian counterpart Juraj Suhenk, the Foreign Ministry stated yesterday. This visit will be the first made by a high ranking Turkish official to Slovakia after the disintegration of Czechoslovakia. Inonu and Suhenk are expected to discuss ways of boosting relations between the two countries. A cooperation agreement on science, education, culture and sports will be signed during the visit. /All papers/

    [07] EU DECIDES TO TRANSLATE NAZIM HIKMET'S POEMS

    The EU has decided to translate Nazim Hikmet's poems into various European languages, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The EU, which wants the European public to be able to read literary works of art published in languages that are not widely spoken, has incorporated Hikmet's "Views of Humans from my Country" into this plan. The program's objective is to create solidarity among European cultures.

    [08] KARAKAS: "TURKEY WELL PROMOTED IN THE US"

    Culture Minister Ercan Karakas returned to Turkey yesterday from the US, the Anatolia news agency reported. Speaking at a press conference, Karakas said he felt Turkey was being well promoted in the US by students and Turkish organizations. He added that 10,000 books on Turkey had been distributed to schools. An exhibition of pictures, statues, traditional crafts and works of art from the Topkapi Palace will be open until June 21.

    [09] CEMENT EXPORTS INCREASE

    Cement exports in the first three-month this year increased by 98.9 % in comparison to the same period last year. According to Turkish Cement Producers' Union officials, cement exports increased from 356,000 tons to 708,000 tons. /Cumhuriyet/

    [10] YOUTH MEETS FOR PEACE

    Marmara University Management Students' Club brought together students from various countries to contribute to world peace. Twenty-two university students from Austria, France, Greece, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and Holland, besides students from Marmara, Istanbul, Middle East Technical, Bilkent and Dokuz Eylul universities attended the 3-day meeting on "World Youth Meets for Peace" organized with the support of Construction and Credit Bank and Istanbul Chambers of Trade. It is reported that joint decisions will be taken on contributions to world peace and these will be conveyed to NATO, the UN and the EU. /Sabah/

    [11] REACTIONS AGAINST KURDISH PARLIAMENT-IN-EXILE

    One of the strongest reactions against the Kurdish Parliament in-exile established in The Hague last week came from the European Council Parliamentarians Assembly. Term president of the assembly, Spanish parliamentarian Miguel Angel Martinez said that the Kurdish parliament-in-exile, which had received strong reactions not only from Turkish citizens in Turkey but also from abroad, could not be recognized as an official body. Martinez said: "Our official address is the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)". /Sabah/

    [12] TURKEY ASKS NETHERLANDS TO BAN PKK

    Turkey, continuing contacts with the Netherlands over the issue of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PPK) "Parliament-in-exile" set up in The Hague, has asked the Netherlands to declare a ban on the parliament and the activities of the PKK.

    Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin, yesterday conveyed Turkey's views to Dick Deef, Deputy Speaker of the Dutch Parliament.

    Cetin, who met with Deef at a reception given by the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Turkish Parliament (TGNA), said Deef had agreed that the Netherlands should take some firm measures in order not to damage relations between the two countries. /Milliyet/

    [13] DOGAN: "NO NEED FOR FOREIGN DEPT"

    State Minister responsible for the Economy Aykon Dogan, has gone to Washington to attend mid-term meetings of the World Bank and IMF.

    Before leaving Turkey, Dogan said that the economy was on the up-turn and there was no need to ask for news credit because of increases in Central Bank foreign currency reserves. /Milliyet/

    [14] TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO BAKU RETURNS HOME

    Turkish Ambassador to Baku, Altan Karamanoglu, has returned home on completing his tour of duty. Rejecting claims that Turkey had supported the "Cevadov Coup", Karamanoglu said: "There are hidden powers which want to damage Turco-Azeri relations. In fact, we have tried to ensure peace between the opposing sides in Azerbaijan."

    It is expected that Karamanoglu's successor, Omur Orhun, will be at his new post within a month. /Hurriyet/

    [15] HOLLAND IGNORES WARNINGS

    It is understood that Federal Germany has exerted great effort in order to prevent the establishment of a "Kurdish parliament-in-exile" in Holland, but could not persuade the Dutch government. In correspondence sent to the Turkish government by the Federal Germany Foreign Ministry on 12 April, 1995, it was noted that Germany's efforts to persuade her Dutch and Belgian partners that overlooking an initiative openly directed by the PKK terrorist organization was against international laws, had been unsuccessful. Later it was also clear from negotiations with other European Union member countries that Federal Germany had drawn attention to the principles in the decision of United Nations decree number 2625 of the 'Friendly Relations Declaration'. In a report from the Federal Germany Foreign Ministry, it has been also stated that "a Kurdish parliament-in-exile" activities should not be permitted within the borders of Federal Germany and that no contacts should be made with the members of that parliament. /Hurriyet/

    [16] BAKU : YEREVAN OUGHT TO MAKE CONCESSIONS

    Azeri Foreign Minister Hasan Hasanov has made a follow up statement about Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's decision to re-open the H-50 air corridor. Hasanov said that the US and Armenia should now make some concessions in return for the opening up of the air corridor which goes through to Armenia from Turkey. Hasanov agreed that Turkey had the right to open or close the corridor as an independent state. /Cumhuriyet/

    [17] CONFIDENCE LETTER TO PRESIDENT DEMIREL

    Dimitrios Nezeritis, new Greek Ambassador to Ankara yesterday presented his credentials to President Demirel. Nezeritis has previously served in New Delhi, Cyprus, Vienna and Bonn. /Cumhuriyet/

    [18] GORBACHEV FULL OF ADMIRATION FOR TURKEY

    Mihail Gorbachev and his wife, now in Turkey at the invitaion of the Construction and Credit Bank, say that they admire the Turks. After his arrival at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, former Soviet leader Gorbachev said that he admired Turkish workers for the wonderful buildings they have built in Russia.

    Saying that the buildings were architectural master- pieces, Gorbachev added that he admired both Turkish workers and Turks as a whole. He told the Turkish officials and bank representatives who met him at the airport that he was full of curiosity about Istanbul and the monuments and buildings it con- tained.

    During his six day stay in Turkey, Gorbachev has a heavy schedule to keep up with. Apart from dinners in his honour and similar functions, he will be giving talks and attending conferences on Turkey- Russian relations at universities and media organizations. /All papers/

    [19] NEWSWEEK REVIEWS TURKEY-US RELATIONS

    Following Prime Minister Ciller's visit to the US, the latest issue of the international weekly news magazine, "Newsweek" reviews some of the things Ciller said while making her contacts in New York and Washington.

    In an interview with Newsweek, Ciller said that Turkey was "important" for both the US and Europe, and that good relations with these countries were historically and traditionally essential to the wellbeing of all the sides involved.

    In a leading editorial yesterday, the Washington Post also said that Turkey was vital to US inter- ests, and that Turkey must be supported financially and recompensed for its losses stemming from the UN economic embargo against Iraq. /Hurriyet/

    [20] MOVES TO BLOCK PKK ABROAD

    The Turkish Foreign Ministry has begun initiatives to have the "Med TV" channel taken off the satellite services. Med TV operates out of Britain with PKK financial support, and talks have begun with the British government to have the TV station closed down.

    The contract terms of Med TV are for music broad- casts only, but more and more PKK propaganda has been creeping into programmes. The Turkish Foreign Ministry is asking for the contract to be cancelled.

    Over in the US, Turkish Ambassador Nuzhet Kandemir is applying pressure to have PKK accounts frozen in the same way that US legal departments have blocked accounts belonging to the Hizbullah and Hamas terror groups.

    There are also Turkish government moves to get Moscow to ban new Kurdish initiatives in connection with the Kurdish parliament-in-exile. Turkey wants Russian support in connection with getting the parliament, set up in Holland, stopped before its gets too far. /All papers/

    END

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