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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (24 Nov 95)From: TRKNWS-L@MIT.EDU (trh@netcom.com)Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] PARLIAMENT CLEARS LAST HURDLE FOR ELECTION[02] BIG SUPPORT FOR TURKEY-EU CUSTOMS UNION[03] TURKISH, ROMANIAN PRESIDENTS PLEDGE CLOSER TIES[04] DEMIREL: "TURKS HAVE ELECTION HOPES"[05] DEMIREL CONGRATULATES ZEROUNAL[06] CILLER'S LONDON VISIT YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS[07] FIREBOMBERS AGAIN HIT TURKISH TARGETS IN GERMANY[08] DENKTAS: "WE WILL FOLLOW THE LESSONS OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE"[09] TURKISH WORLD SYMPOSIUM IN ISTANBUL[10] AMENDED ARTICLE 8 FREES 123 PRISONERS[11] INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS CROATIA[12] NO DEAL IN NORTHERN IRAQ[13] US CRITICIZES HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT[14] TURCO-INDIAN COOPERATIONTURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish pressthis morning[01] PARLIAMENT CLEARS LAST HURDLE FOR ELECTIONThe last obstacle regarding the December 24 election, which was created by the Constitutional Court's cancellation of some articles of the Electoral Law, has been eliminated. With a bill passed in Parliament yesterday, parties will be required to pass the 10 % district threshold in order to be eligible to win a parliamentary seat. Despite the Constitutional Court ruling baring inclusion of the district threshold because the d'Hondt system itself contains a threshold provision, a new district threshold has been introduced with the agreement of the coalition partners. Under this system, besides the requirement of obtaining a 10 % nationwide threshold, parties will also be required to surpass the 10 % district threshold in order to win seats. Following Prime Minister and True Path Party (DY) Chairperson Tansu Ciller's opposition, DYP deputies have not brought up a motion regarding the preference system.After the candidate lists are made public, the issue of filing a case against the new 10 % election threshold may reportedly come up for debate. However, this provision has been added as a temporary article to the law. Even if the Constitutional Court cancels this provision on a possible appeal, the Dec.24 election will be held in any case. If the appeal is made after the election, this would not affect the election results since Constitutional Court decisions are not retroactive. /Hurriyet/
[02] BIG SUPPORT FOR TURKEY-EU CUSTOMS UNIONAlthough the overall picture looks good for the customs union between Turkey and the European Union, there are mixed reports coming in about the attitude of Greece. Some reports say that Greece is still trying to block the union -or at least delay it- while other reports suggest that Greece too is looking with favour at the inevitable agreement.Most Greek newspapers report that the Europeans have opened the door to Turkey and that there is nothing that Greece can do now to stop the final process leading to customs union on January 1, 1996. /Milliyet-Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
[03] TURKISH, ROMANIAN PRESIDENTS PLEDGE CLOSER TIESRomanian President Ion Iliescu visited Istanbul yesterday as an official guest of President Suleyman Demirel. The visiting delegation included Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu, Transport Minister Aurel Novak and Trade Minister Petru Crisan. After a working conference, the delegations held a joint press conference, at which Demirel welcomed the end of war in Bosnia, and expressed both Turkey's and Romania's wishes to start a Balkans-wide cooperation to begin rebuilding the Balkans, particularly regarding sea and land transport and telecommunications. Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal, Public Works and Housing Minister Adnan Keskin, Industry and Trade Minister Fuat Cay also attended the meeting.Demirel said they would work to boost trade between their countries, noting that the two countries were preparing a free trade deal that could be signed next year with the aim of boosting business relations. Bilateral trade, which will total about $750 million in 1995, has the potential to reach $1 billion, Demirel said. "We are very happy that our bilateral relations have expanded recently...Turkey is a very important economic partner for Romania" Iliescu said. He added that they wanted Turkey to make investments in Romania in the fields of telecommunications and infrastructure and that Turkey's experience in free trade zones would be of great use for Romania's own planned projects. Both presidents expressed their desire to improve the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and contribute to the process of peace, stabilization and cooperation in the Balkans. Following the negotiations, Iliescu left Turkey from Ataturk Airport. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
[04] DEMIREL: "TURKS HAVE ELECTION HOPES"Commenting on the December 24 elections at a meeting with journalists, President Suleyman Demirel said the Turkish people were hopeful that the coming elections would improve the economic and political situation in the country, and added that a high rate of participation in the elections was expected. He said that Turkish institutions and rules were of a democratic character, and emphasized that democracy was a guarantee for the stable functioning of the state and for the realization of the people's will.Dwelling on the Bosnian issue, the president stressed that the agreement signed was a very important achievement on the way to finding a solution to the conflict. Turkey had laid the ground for these recent developments, Demirel said. /Milliyet/
[05] DEMIREL CONGRATULATES ZEROUNALPresident Suleyman Demirel on Tuesday sent a message to Liamine Zerounal who was re-elected as the Algerian President. The Presidential Press Centre quoted Demirel as saying in the message that "I am happy to convey my sincere congratulations on your re-election as President. I convey my best wishes for the improvement and welfare of the Algerian people and for your own health and happiness". /All papers/
[06] CILLER'S LONDON VISIT YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTSSpeaking at a True Path Party (DYP) group meeting, Party Chairperson and Prime Minister Tansu Ciller evaluated her visit to Britain as "very successful". During her visit, Prime Minister Ciller kept the focus on Turkey-EU relations and on the customs union with Turkey. "The meetings gave positive results. We have now surpassed Hungary," Ciller noted. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] FIREBOMBERS AGAIN HIT TURKISH TARGETS IN GERMANYFirebombers attacked Turkish targets in Germany for a second consecutive night, damaging property but causing no injuries, police said yesterday. In the western town of Ahlen, unidentified vandals set on fire to two cars and a Turkish tea house on Wednesday night, causing about 100,000 marks ($70,000) worth of damage. In the nearby city of Dortmund, the front of a Turkish cultural centre was set fire but the blaze was quickly discovered and extinguished before it could do any damage. Unknown attackers had firebombed the headquarters of a Turkish football club in the western town of Hagen the previous night. No one was hurt in that incident either. /Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
[08] DENKTAS: "WE WILL FOLLOW THE LESSONS OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas said that there were lessons to be learned from the Bosnian peace accord which could be applied to the dispute in Cyprus. Asked whether the solution in the Balkan enclave could intensify the initiatives for an accord in Cyprus, Denktas said: "People say peace in Bosnia appears fixed and Cyprus is next. However, imposed initiatives will only be fruitful if both parties agree". Denktas explained that the reason for the stalemate in Cyprus negotiations was the recognition of Greek Cyprus as the legitimate Cyprus government. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] TURKISH WORLD SYMPOSIUM IN ISTANBULThe "Socioeconomic Problems of the Turkish World and the Turkey Experience" symposium began on Wednesday in Istanbul. In the keynote address, State Minister Ali Dincer said the Republic of Turkey's experience was significant for all Turkish-speaking republics. Dincer hailed the end of Turks' centuries-old longing for a Turkish empire, and expressed his hopes for joining with the people of "Eastern Turkistan" through the democratization in China. As an example for other Turkish republics, Dincer said, the Republic of Turkey was unique with its experience of being founded through a war of independence and having a secular, pluralistic democratic system. He said that with her pending admission to the CU, and her possible subsequent full membership in the EU, Turkey would contribute her dynamism to Europe.Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Crimea, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Uzbekistan, the Tatar region and Turkmenistan sent representatives to the symposium, which will end on November 26. Topics for discussion include relations within Turkish world, education and culture, tourism, transportation, foreign trade, banking, investments, communications and privatization. /All papers/
[10] AMENDED ARTICLE 8 FREES 123 PRISONERSThe number of the prisoners released under the amendments to Articles 8 and 13 of the Anti-Terrorism Law is growing every day, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, the State Security Court, has to date, released 123 prisoners. /All papers/
[11] INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS CROATIAInterior Minister Teoman Unusan was scheduled to fly to Croatia yesterday night to sign an agreement on the "Joint Police Force" formed by Turkey, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Minister Unusan will return to Turkey on November 26. /All papers/
[12] NO DEAL IN NORTHERN IRAQNo agreement has been reached following week long talks between a special US delegation and Kurdish leaders about resolving the problems of northern Iraq. The US wants a local, regional security plan to stop factions and the terrorist PKK organization from taking advantage of the situation and gaining control.The two major Kurdish leaders, Mesut Barzani and Celal Talabani however, are at disagreement between themselves and the US delegation. Although they deny any connection with the PKK, they are not ready either to take any combined action to oust the PKK and secure the region. Back in Ankara, there have been messages between officials and Iraqi state minister Dr.Ahmet Celebi who has condemned PKK terrorism in northern Iraq. He noted too, that Turkey's own security was very much dependent on security in the disputed regions of northern Iraq. Ankara police and security units have also arrested a six man team of PKK enforcers who have been extorting money under the guise of "taxes" from businesses in and around Ankara. The team hoped to extort at least thirty billion TL to support the PKK terrorist campaign. /All papers/
[13] US CRITICIZES HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTThe US administration has sharply commented on a human rights report that claims weapons sold to Turkey are used against civilians in the southeast of the country where terrorism is a serious problem.US State department officials said that the claims were "nonsense" and out of touch with the realities of the situation. Top official Nicholas Burns added that in this area relations between Turkey and the US were "wonderful" and went on to say that the report was groundless. /Sabah/
[14] TURCO-INDIAN COOPERATIONIndian Minister of Culture and Education Kumari Selja paid an official visit to Turkey upon the official invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal and Culture Minister Fikri Saglar. Minister Selja met Higher Education Council (YOK) Chairman Prof.Dr.Mehmet Ali Kisakurek and Middle East Technical University Rector Prof.Dr.Suha Sevuk. Selja guest also took part in the signing ceremony of a Cultural Exchange Program foreseeing Turco-Indian cooperation in the fields of education, science, art, culture, archeology, sports and media. /Cumhuriyet/
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