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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (March 7, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] YILMAZ NAMES CABINET[02] BAYKAL: "BAGHDAD SHOULD ABIDE BY UN RESOLUTIONS"[03] SHEVARDNADZE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF BAKU-SUPSA PIPELINE[04] INDUSTRY GREW 12 % IN JANUARY[05] BRITAIN AND US CONCERNED ABOUT AEGEAN[06] MORE PROBLEMS IN THRACE[07] NOTHING TO BLOCK TURKEY'S FULL MEMBERSHIP IN EU[08] NEW STATUS FOR PROVIDE COMFORT[09] HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVE IN '95 -US REPORT[10] AMBASSADOR PAMIR RETURNS TO ATHENS[11] SMITHSONIAN SINGS PRAISES OF ATATURK[12] STATE DEPT.REPORT ON CYPRUS DEATHS[13] TURKISH, GERMAN CARICATURISTS TO COME TOGETHER THIS MONTH[14] WORLD TEXTILE GIANTS MEET IN TURKEY[15] TURKEY - THE HOLIDAY PLACE OF EUROPETURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY MARCH 7, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] YILMAZ NAMES CABINETPrime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday announced his cabinet approved by President Suleyman Demirel, clinching a five-year coalition partnership between his Motherland Party (ANAP) and Tansu Ciller's True Path Party (DYP). The 33-person cabinet has been made up from top aides of both leaders. Addressing a news conference before reading out the cabinet list, Yilmaz stressed that being a minority government, the coalition would inevitably be in closer touch with Parliament than its predecessors and this, in turn, would ensure a better functioning of democracy. He said the coalition would carry out sweeping reforms and pledged an open and honest government. The government list and program will be read out at the Turkish Parliament General Council today and will be discussed on 10 March. A vote of confidence will be held on 12 March.Cabinet List of the 53rd government: Prime Minister: Mesut Yilmaz (ANAP Rize Deputy); Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister: Nahit Mentese (DYP Aydin Deputy); State Ministers: Rusdu Saracoglu (ANAP Izmir), Ayfer Yilmaz (DYP Icel), Abdulkadir Aksu (ANAP Bursa), Ufuk Soylemez (DYP Izmir), Eyup Asik (DYP Trabzon), Yaman Toruner (DYP Afyon), Imren Aykut (ANAP Adana), Ayvaz Gokdemir (DYP Kayseri), Cemil Cicek (ANAP Ankara), Yasar Dedelek (DYP Eskisehir), A.Talip Ozdemir (ANAP Izmir) Unal Erkan (DYP Elazig), Ersin Taranoglu (ANAP Sakarya) and Halit Dagli (DYP Istanbul); Justice Minister: Mehmet Agar (DYP Elazig); Foreign Affairs: Emre Gonensay (DYP Antalya); Defence: Oltan Sungurlu (ANAP Gumushane); Interior: Ulku Guney (ANAP Bayburt); Finance and Customs: Lutfullah Kayalar (ANAP Yozgat); Education: Turan Tayan (DYP Bursa); Public Works and Housing: Mehmet Kececiler (ANAP Konya); Health: Yildirim Aktuna (DYP Istanbul); Transport: Omer Barutcu (DYP Zonguldak); Agriculture and Rural Affairs: Ismet Attila (DYP Afyon); Labour and Social Security: Emin Kul (ANAP Istanbul); Industry and Trade: Yalim Erez (DYP Istanbul); Energy and Natural Resources: Husnu Dogan (ANAP Istanbul); Culture: A.Oktay Guner (ANAP Ankara); Tourism: Isilay Saygin (DYP Izmir); Forestry: Nevzat Ercan (DYP Sakarya); Environment: Mustafa Tasar (ANAP Gaziantep). /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[02] BAYKAL: "BAGHDAD SHOULD ABIDE BY UN RESOLUTIONS"Turkey hopes to see Iraq back in the international community and will do its best to help, Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal told reporters yesterday. "We hope Iraq will have a chance to boost its international relations and in the long term become a respected member of the international community" Baykal told reporters. "Turkey will do its best to contribute to this" he said after meeting Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Muhammad Rasheed. Rasheed said Iraq would buy food and medicine from Turkey, if Baghdad agrees to implement Security Council resolution 986. "The Turkish market has always been a prior market for the supply of food. Apart from economic and political considerations, the Turkish market is the foremost of the markets which will supply food to Iraq" he told reporters. Baykal said Turkey had also suffered economic losses, nearly $2 billion, as a result of the sanctions on Iraq, a leading former trade partner. "I hope, parallel to the removal of the embargo against Iraq, that Iraqi-Turkish relations will be boosted to compensate the loss in the past" he said. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] SHEVARDNADZE STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF BAKU-SUPSA PIPELINEGeorgian President Eduard Shevardnadze has said that a proposed pipeline for early Caspian oil between the Azeri capital Baku and Supsa on Georgia's Black Sea coast, would also constitute the foundation of another proposed pipeline between Baku and Ceyhan on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Shevardnadze said President Suleyman Demirel and Prime Minister Tansu Ciller have made great efforts for a decision in favour of the Baku-Supsa line. Shevardnadze said that the international agreement for this pipeline would be signed during a visit by Azeri President, Haydar Aliyev, to Tbilisi on March 8. He added, however, that no final decision had been arrived at on the question of the financing of the project.Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Kalemli had just paid a two-day visit to Georgia. He conveyed a letter from Turkish President Demirel to Shevardnadze inviting him to Turkey. Shevardnadze said that he was very pleased to have received the letter. He indicated that this visit would further contribute to the growing ties between the two countries. /All papers/
[04] INDUSTRY GREW 12 % IN JANUARYTurkey's industrial production rose 12 % in January after an eight percent decline in the same 1995 month and a 15.7 % growth in December, the State Institute of Statistics said yesterday. It said the manufacturing sector grew 12.2 % in January after a 15.8 % rise a month ago and a 10.5 % fall in the same 1995 month. Mining sector growth slowed to 10.9 % in January from 30.4 % a month ago. /All papers/
[05] BRITAIN AND US CONCERNED ABOUT AEGEANInitiatives from Britain and the US continue in connection with the stand-off between Turkey and Greece over the Kardak rocks issue. Both Britain and the US, along with some of the leading European Union (EU) member countries, have warned Greece and Turkey that use of force to solve the problem must be avoided at all costs.The tension between Turkey and Greece over who has sovereignty over the rocks seems to be reaching a climax, and the EU countries and the US fear that something could give-to the detriment of the region. In communications to both countries, it has again been stated clearly that the Kardak rocks issue has no bearing at all on Turkey's customs union with the EU. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] MORE PROBLEMS IN THRACEGreeks have attacked a Turkish-owned local radio station in Thrace in yet another move against the Turkish minority living there. The radio station, "Tele Radyo" run by Ramazan Omeroglu, was set on fire. Damage has been put at over 1.5 billion TL.Since the attack, owner Omeroglu has tried to reach a solution with the Greek authorities, but so far has failed to reach a satisfactory conclusion. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] NOTHING TO BLOCK TURKEY'S FULL MEMBERSHIP IN EUAccording to German Ambassador to Ankara, Dr.Hans Joachim Vergau, there is "nothing to stop Turkey becoming a full member of the European Union." Speaking at Ankara University yesterday, on the subject of "Europe, Germany and Turkey" the Ambassador said that Turkey had shown itself to be democratic and part of the European fabric. He noted too, that no single member of the EU could block either Turkey's full membership or financial aid to Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] NEW STATUS FOR PROVIDE COMFORTThe status of the "Provide Comfort" multinational strike force stationed in Turkey at Incirlik base near Adana is being reviewed according to government sources. Top military and government officials will be holding talks with US government representatives down at the base to decide on a new formula that will satisfy all sides involved in the operations of the force.Turkey wants the force to have a more influential yet more appropriate role to play in the region. The question of the future of the force is a sensitive one, a matter that the new coalition government will have to tackle in the very near future, as the current term of deployment ends this month. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVE IN '95 -US REPORTWashington has signalled improvement in the overall Turkish human rights situation in 1995, but admitted that problems remained, particularly as far as the situation in the Southeast was concerned. The report, released late on Wednesday, said that the US welcomed the amendment of Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism law. The report also made a point of briefly mentioning two journalists who were kidnapped by the PKK in 1995. The report mentions the responsibility of the PKK in village burnings, the murder of non-combatants and committing random murders. However, Turkish diplomats have categorically said in previous reports that the criticism directed toward the PKK is disproportionate to the graveness of PKK atrocities. /All papers/
[10] AMBASSADOR PAMIR RETURNS TO ATHENSUmit Pamir, Turkish Ambassador to Athens, returned to Athens yesterday. He had been recalled to Ankara for consultations on February 24 due to the crisis over the onwnership of the Kardak rocks. Whilst in Ankara, Pamir participated in many meetings with the Foreign Ministry and was also received by President Suleyman Demirel. /All papers/
[11] SMITHSONIAN SINGS PRAISES OF ATATURKIn an article reflecting the achievements of Ataturk in his comparatively short life, the Smithsonian magazine (March 1996 issue) praised modern Turkey's founder as a "benevolent reformer". The Smithsonian is America's largest humanities foundation and supports a large number of museums, research institutions and publications. "Almost overnight Kemal Ataturk banned the fez, secularized the state, gave women the vote and set Turkey on a course toward the West" Eric Lawlor wrote in his comprehensive biographical essay. "He wanted to make the country as liberal as he could; he wanted to make it 'modern', a word he used often. One day an exasperated cleric demanded to know exactly what the word meant. "It means being a human being" said Ataturk". /All papers/
[12] STATE DEPT.REPORT ON CYPRUS DEATHSThe US State Department on Tuesday, in response to a question concerning Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Rauf Denktas' comments on "the missing in Cyprus", issued a statement which said that civilians on both sides died in Cyprus. Hundreds of Turkish-Cypriots died during attacks on Turkish villages between 1963 and 1974 by Greek national guards and paramilitary forces. The State Department acknowledged these attacks as "earlier flare ups". Almost 900 Turkish-Cypriots are still missing from those days, according to the records of the UN committee investigating those missing in Cyprus.The State Department statement read as follows: "Civilians on both sides lost their lives in the bloody events of 1974, and in earlier flare ups of the Cyprus problem. Since 1983, the Tripartite Missing Persons Committee has been working to determine the fate of missing Cypriots from both communities. We support its efforts and we encourage both sides to cooperate with the UN Committee. Our own investigation into the fate of the five missing Americans continues" the statement added. /All papers/
[13] TURKISH, GERMAN CARICATURISTS TO COME TOGETHER THIS MONTHTen Turkish and German caricaturists will come together in Ankara for a meeting organized by the Goethe Institute and the Turkish Caricaturists Foundation, between March 15 and 18, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The caricaturists, five Turkish and five German, will open a caricature exhibition at the fine arts gallery of the Culture Ministry. A panel discussion, called "The World in 2000", will be held on March 16./a/
[14] WORLD TEXTILE GIANTS MEET IN TURKEYThe 12th Congress of World Ready-Wear Producers will be held in Istanbul on May 5-9. The theme of the congress, organized under the auspices of President Suleyman Demirel, will be "Cooperation in Developing Markets". The giants of the world ready-wear industry will come to Turkey for the congress. Representatives of the Turkish Association of Ready-Wear Producers note that this congress will provide a great ooportunity for Turkish producers to grab a share of the huge world market. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] TURKEY - THE HOLIDAY PLACE OF EUROPETurkey is Europe's favourite tourism country. During the first month of the new year, 280 thousand tourists visited Turkey. This figure represents a 3.13 percent increase in comparison to the same period last year. 38.5 thousand of the tourists were Germans (a 141 percent increase over 1995). Specialists evaluate this positive development as an indication of German preferences for 1996 and note that the trend is expected to continue also in the coming months. /Sabah/ |