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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (February 27, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] MOTHERPATH GETS REPRIEVE[02] ANKARA DEPLORES ISRAEL BOMBINGS[03] EU WARNS GREECE[04] IRAQ TO DISCUSS OIL PIPELINE REPAIR WITH TURKEY[05] TURKISH GNP 12.7 TIMES BIGGER IN 1993 THAN 1970, REPORT SAYS[06] VISITING FRENCH GENERAL SEEKS MORE COOPERATION WITH TURKISH[07] HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ISSUED BY US STATE DEPARTMENT[08] US TEAM PLANS TO VISIT NORTHERN IRAQ[09] NEW ASPECTS TO WATER DISPUTE WITH SYRIA[10] EVIDENCE OF PKK EXTORTION IN GERMANY[11] FORMER FRENCH PM TO SPEAK ON EUROPEAN-TURKISH RELATIONSTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTUESDAY FEBRUARY 27, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] MOTHERPATH GETS REPRIEVEThe "Motherpath" centre-right alliance looked finally on track yesterday with Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz announcing an "agreement in principle" for a government partnership with the True Path Party (DYP) of caretaker Prime Minister Tansu Ciller. Ciller, who had a brief telephone conversation with Yilmaz and a meeting with her party executives, confirmed the deal which, when formalized, will bar the government to Necmettin Erbakan's Welfare Party (RP).Addressing a press conference after visiting President Suleyman Demirel, the ANAP leader said he would meet with Ciller to hammer out the details on Wednesday and voiced optimism that he would be able to announce the cabinet by the weekend. He said the partnership would be based on a rotating premiership and he would take the first run. He said he could convincingly tell President Demirel -who under the Constitution has to approve the cabinet- that the projected partnership would survive the mandatory confidence vote in the Parliament after a pledge from the Democratic Left Party (DSP). /Sabah/
[02] ANKARA DEPLORES ISRAEL BOMBINGSTurkey condemned yesterday the bombers who killed 25 people and wounded 77 in two explosions in Israel, and stressed that the attack showed once more the importance of fighting terrorism. A statement by the Presidential Press Centre said that President Suleyman Demirel phoned Israeli President Ezer Weizmann yesterday expressing his sorrow and harshly condemning the attacks."Recent bombings in Israel have shown the need in the region to fight terrorism to ensure the continuation of the peace process" Foreign Ministy Spokesman Omer Akbel told a press conference yesterday. He said Turkey, which has acutely known the dangers of terrorism, condemned the attack. "We deplore terrorism whatever its source" Akbel said. Turkey has recently signed a defence cooperation agreement with Israel. The two countries also have an accord for cooperation against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] EU WARNS GREECEEU Foreign Ministers began meeting in Brussels yesterday facing the prospect of a row with Greece over funds for Turkey. Greece, in a dispute with Ankara over islands in the Aegean, is blocking the release of 375 million European currency units ($472 million) that should have been paid in January when the EU customs union with Turkey came into effect. The EU Council rejected Greek calls to issue a written statement supporting Greece. The Council noted that the EU would fulfill its financial obligations regarding Turkey and called on Greece for dialogue with Turkey.Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller left for Italy, which holds the EU's term-presidency, to counter what Ankara called Greece's "hostile moves". "Italy is a friendly country that supports not only the customs union but Turkey's full membership in the Union" Ciller said as she departed for Rome. "I will explain to the term president of the EU Turkey's position vis-a-vis Greece in various bilateral conflicts". She will first meet with Italian President Luigi Scalfaro and then with Prime Minister Lamberto Dini. She also said that she would tell Rome that the customs union, which includes the Union's financial assistance to Turkey, was a contractual agreement. "If it is not implemented fully and on time, it is a breach of an agreement (signed between Turkey and the Fifteen on March 6)" she said. Ciller said the Greek attempt to block the agreement after the crisis over the Kardak rocks in the Aegean "was unjust" and an "abuse of Greek membership in the Union". In a softer tone, Ciller said she would reaffirm the Turkish desire to start a dialogue with Greece, but added that any Greek provocation would not go unnoticed by Turkey. "We search for friends in the region but it is out of the question that Ankara will let Greece violate Turkish rights" she said. "Turkey cannot be left in the waiting room. It is time for Turkey to receive its place and status" she added. Turkey's Ambassador to Athens, Umit Pamir, held his first round of talks with Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal, Undersecretary Ambassador Onur Oymen and deputy undersecretaries Amb.Inal Batu and Amb.Gunduz Aktan late Sunday. He arrived at the Foreign Ministry again on Monday morning in direct contradiction of earlier news that he would return to Greece on Monday. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel noted that the date when Pamir will go back to Athens was unclear. Akbel said: "Greece is trying to undermine Turkish interests in a number of ways. Turkey will retaliate in a reciprocal manner". He noted that the CU was a legal obligation binding Turkey and the 15 member countries of the EU, and that it was the EU's responsibility to fulfill its obligation. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet-Sabah/
[04] IRAQ TO DISCUSS OIL PIPELINE REPAIR WITH TURKEYIraq is to send technicians to Turkey to explore ways of repairing its twin pipeline through Turkish territory, Baghdad diplomats said yesterday. They said the team was expected to leave soon pending a review by Iraqi leaders of the outcome of the first round of Iraq's talks with the UN in New York on limited sales of Iraqi oil. "The team will discuss the operation of the pipeline in the context of current oil talks with the UN" one diplomat said. /All papers/
[05] TURKISH GNP 12.7 TIMES BIGGER IN 1993 THAN 1970, REPORT SAYSTurkey's gross national product (GNP) grew an average of 12.7 times bigger between 1970 and 1993, according to a World Bank report. The report revealed that the Turkish GNP jumped from $11.4 billion, at current prices, in 1970 to $156.4 billion in 1993. It said the rise in Turkish GNP in the same period ranked third in a group of nations subject to the study. Turkish GNP in 1993 ranked 22nd. South Korea, whose GNP rose 35.8 times from $9 billion in 1970 to $330.8 billion in 1993, topped the list in terms of national income increment. /All papers/
[06] VISITING FRENCH GENERAL SEEKS MORE COOPERATION WITH TURKISH FORCESThe Second in Command of the Chief of General Staff, Gen.Cevik Bir and Gen.Henri Conze, member of the French Armament Executive Board met yesterday in Ankara to discuss cooperation in the defence field between both countries' armed forces. Bir later said that they had discussed Turkey's possible participation in some consortia in France that produce military equipment. He said that they also evaluated production projects for some military systems in Turkey. Conze said that the continuing high level talks between the two countries' armed forces further strengthened relations between both sides. During his visit Conze met with Ground Forces Commander Gen.Hikmet bayar, Air Force Commander Gen.Ahmet Corekci and high-level officials from the navy. Conze will leave Turkey tomorrow after visiting Aselsan (Military Electronics Industries), TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) and the military aviation school in Ankara. /All papers/
[07] HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ISSUED BY US STATE DEPARTMENTThe US State Department's annual report on the situation of human rights in the world reportedly calls the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) a violent terror organization that threatens the territorial integrity of Turkey. The report will be sent to Congress on March 4, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The report discusses last year's amendments to the Turkish constitution and the Anti-Terrorism Law, as well as the efforts made by the Turkish government to advance human rights, according to sources in the US. The report will also consider the strategic importance of Turkey, pointing out that the stability of this country is of critical importance to the eastern Mediterranean region, the Balkans and Europe.
[08] US TEAM PLANS TO VISIT NORTHERN IRAQA Washington-based team plans to visit north Iraq to consolidate peace initiatives designed to solve the conflicts between Kurdish factions in the region. A peace agreement prepared by Washington has already been given grudging approval by Kurdish leaders Celal Talabani and Mesut Barzani.According to Washington sources, the agreement has in general been received quite well, with both sides responding "positively" to the US proposals. Although US officials are optimistic that they can swing the deal, signals from northern Iraq suggest that it will take rather more than a visit from a US peace committee to resolve the difficulties plaguing the region. Some Kurds have voiced the opinion that there "will be no benefit" from the visit or the agreement. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel, commenting on the situation yesterday said that Turkey welcomed new initiatives to resolve the situation and benefit the region, and that for lasting peace and stability, Turkish policies needed to be applied in the area. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] NEW ASPECTS TO WATER DISPUTE WITH SYRIAAnkara government officials have noted that Syria might try to take advantage of Turkey's "water-terror" dispute with Syria and squeeze more water from its Euphrates River supplies by demanding more in exchange for handing over PKK terrorist leader Abdullah "Apo" Ocalan.Syria claims that Turkey should allow more water into Syria, and Turkey demands that Syria must stop supporting PKK terror. Turkey says that the water and terrorism issues cannot be separated, but there are signs now that Syria might try to use this policy against Turkey. In the meantime, Turkey is calling for the extradition to Turkey of Ocalan, and is waiting for developments leading up to a conference on water in the Middle East to be held in Cairo in March. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] EVIDENCE OF PKK EXTORTION IN GERMANYAccording to the weekly "Focus" magazine, there is now solid documentary evidence that the PKK terror organization does use extortion to finance its operations. According to details supplied by the Bielefeld Security Department, there is now proof that the PKK collected about 28 million DM during the last quarter of the year, using force and violence. German security officials are quoted as saying that the PKK uses threats of death and severely beats up those not inclined to pay up on demand. /Hurriyet/
[11] FORMER FRENCH PM TO SPEAK ON EUROPEAN-TURKISH RELATIONSMichel Rocard, a member of the European Parliament and a former prime minister of France, will make a speech on the relations between Turkey and EU at a conference to be held on Friday by the Turco-French Friendship Association in the French Senate building, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Rocard made great efforts during the voting of the CU agreement to have the union agreed to. |
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