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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (August 21, 1995)From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] HOPE FOR FORTY FACING EXECUTION[02] DEFENCE MINISTER VISITS MOLDOVA[03] TURKEY'S RESERVES AT FRESH PEAK[04] TREASURY SIGNS FOR THIRD FOREIGN LOAN THIS YEAR[05] GONENSAY MEETS STEPHANOPULOS[06] 3,000 LIBRARIANS IN ISTANBUL[07] TURKEY FRONT RUNNER FOR AZERI PETROL[08] INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE COMPETITION IN BURSA[09] TURKISH INTELLECTUALS VISIT REFUGEE CAMPS[10] CREDIT TO EAST AND SOUTHEAST[11] APO SEEKS DEAL WITH GERMANY
WITH THE COMPLIMENT OFDIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATIONTURKISH PRESS REVIEWAUGUST 21, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkishpress this morning[01] HOPE FOR FORTY FACING EXECUTIONAfter a week of intensive diplomatic activity, Prime Minister Ciller announced over the weekend that there was every reason to think that the forty Turks facing execution for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia could be saved.After a period of anguished waiting for a Saudi reply, government officials said that Saudi King Fahd had finally responded to Turkish diplomatic pressures by saying that the death sentence for the forty Turks would be lifted. Special Envoy professor Nevzat Yalcintas, sent to Saudi Arabia by Prime Minister Ciller, reported on his return that "a door of hope had been opened." Although Saudi leaders have pointed to a way out, Saudi religious leader Abdul Aziz bin Baz has declared that the executions must be carried out "according to the religious laws." However, Turkish officials are hopeful that once the legal requirements for release have been met, the forty Turks will get away with their lives. Although there is still some doubt about the final outcome, Ciller and other top officials including Special Envoy Yalcintas are quite optimistic. /All papers/
[02] DEFENCE MINISTER VISITS MOLDOVADefence Minister Mehmet Golhan is visiting Moldova as the guest of Gen.Pavel Creanga, Defence Minister of Moldova. Golhan will meet with Foreign Minister Mihal Popov and will be received by President Mircea Snegur and Prime Minister Andrei Sangheli.
[03] TURKEY'S RESERVES AT FRESH PEAKTurkey's gross international reserves -the gold and foreign currency in the Central Bank (CB) and the commercial banks- exceeded the $25 billion mark at the end of July, CB officials announced. At the end of 1994, international reserves stood at $16.5 billion. Central Bank reserves doubled in seven months and reached $14.8 billion, according to August 11 figures.
[04] TREASURY SIGNS FOR THIRD FOREIGN LOAN THIS YEARThe Turkish Treasury on Friday signed for its third foreign loan this year, raising around $362 million in Euro-mark loans in its first appearance on German markets after 19 months. The agreement for the DM 500 million loan was signed in Frankfurt between the Turkish Treasury and a group of foreign lenders, led by Germany's Commerzbank. There are 21 banks, including Commerzbank, in the consortium of lenders. Turkish officials said the cost of the loan will be LIBOR (London Interbank Offering Rate) plus a spread of 2.95 percent, down on 3.20 percent on the previous loan, and the 3.50 percent on the year's first foreign borrowing. Turkey has raised 1.662 billion from international markets this year.
[05] GONENSAY MEETS STEPHANOPULOSAdviser to the Prime Ministry, Emre Gonensay met with Adviser to US President Bill Clinton, George Stephanopulos on the Caspian oil issue. Following the meeting, Stephanopulos stated that the US administration wanted no country to get a monopoly on the Caspian oil. Stephanopulos said: "Cooperation between Turkey-US-Russia will contribute to peace in the region". Gonensay said: "The US administration supports us over the pipeline issue. I expressed my pleasure over their support. I also noted that if we achieved Turkish-Russian-US cooperation, it would be very useful for peace". /Hurriyet/
[06] 3,000 LIBRARIANS IN ISTANBULThe 61st General Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has begun in Istanbul. The congress has been organized under the auspices of the Culture Ministry and will continue until 26 August. There are nearly 3,000 delegates from 135 countries who came to Turkey to attend the congress. The theme of this year's congress will be "Libraries of the Future". IFLA Chairman Robert Wedgeworth, noted that Istanbul was the ideal place for such a conference because it was unique with a historical, artistic, architectural and cultural composition. "There is nowhere the same as Istanbul. It is a wonderful place to cement new ties - place where different continents and traditions meet". The official opening of the IFLA Congress will be held today at the Istanbul Ataturk Culture Centre. /Hurriyet/
[07] TURKEY FRONT RUNNER FOR AZERI PETROLAccording to deputy chairman of the international consortium for the exploitation of Azeri oil reserves, Art McHaffie, Turkey is the only serious contender for shares in the early Azeri petrol projects that include extraction and overland pipeline transportation to port facilities in Turkey.Although a final decision on routes and costs has yet to be made, McHaffie reckoned that a firm decision could be made as early as the first week in September. /Sabah/
[08] INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE COMPETITION IN BURSAThe Third Interschool Folklore Competition will be held in Bursa on September 6-11. The competition is organized by the Bursa Directorate for National Education and will be held at the Bursa Open Air Theatre. High school students from 23 countries will participate in the competition. /Sabah/
[09] TURKISH INTELLECTUALS VISIT REFUGEE CAMPSA group of 58 Turkish intellectuals, sharing in a "Humanitarian Initiative for Bosnia" campaign, are continuing their contacts in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The group visited hospitals and refugee camps in Tuzla yesterday and today they will try to enter Sarajevo. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] CREDIT TO EAST AND SOUTHEASTYenal Ansen, General Director of Halkbank, said that within the framework of an "urgent support programme" for 22 provinces in the east and southeast, TL 500 billion in additional credit had been opened. Ansen added that in order to encourage enterpreneurship among women and youth of the region, they were going to hold a one-week seminar in Diyarbakir. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] APO SEEKS DEAL WITH GERMANYAbdullah Ocalan, Apo, leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), asked Germany not to go along with Turkey and lift current bans against the PKK during his interview on ARD TV channel. Ocalan added that they did not intend to interfere in Germany's foreign policy but they would start a Kurdish people's struggle against Germany, if Germany continued to support Turkish policy against PKK. /Milliyet/END |