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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (April 19, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] DEMIREL HERALDS 'MODERN SILK ROAD' IN ROMANIA[02] TURKEY HOPES WASHINGTON WILL CLOSE PKK FRONT ORGANIZATION[03] FIRST TALKS WITH GREECE[04] DEEP CONCERN IN ANKARA OVER LEBANON[05] TEXTILE GIANTS COMING TO TURKEYTURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY APRIL 19, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] DEMIREL HERALDS 'MODERN SILK ROAD' IN ROMANIAPresident Suleyman Demirel, who went to Romania yesterday for a one-day working visit, heralded the "new Silk Road" that started at the Black Sea port of Kostanza (Kostence). "The port of Kostanza is one of the most important in the world" he said. "It is the gateway from where European goods can be transported to Central Asia and China. This is a kind of Silk Road. There are boat tours between Kostanza-Samsun and Kostanza-Istanbul. This is an important international project" he said. After visiting the port, President Demirel and his Romanian counterpart Ion Iliescu went to Site Neptune, 45 kilometres away from the city, where they held bilateral talks."The high level meetings between Turkey and Romania contribute to the understanding between the two peoples and Turco-Romanian ties, which provide a model to the whole world" Demirel said before he left for Romania. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay and State Minister Yaman Toruner. Demirel said that the Turkish minority in Romania was the best treated minority in the Balkans, according to Turkish diplomats and provided a bridge between the two countries. Demirel opened the Mecidiye School, a historical building, which named after the Turkish village of Mecidiyekoy near Kostanza. "This opening is a display of Turco-Romanian friendship, as well as a sign of respect for the right to education of minorities" Demirel said. He added that the two Balkan countries, Romania and Turkey, would intensify contacts for peace and stability in their region. President Demirel gave a file to Iliescu regarding the activities of the PKK terrorist organization in Romania and said: "If you do not take measures now, the same things that have happened in Germany will happen here". Expressing thanks to Romania for its support in security cooperation, Demirel noted that a free trade regime was envisaged between the two countries as of January 1, 1997. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] TURKEY HOPES WASHINGTON WILL CLOSE PKK FRONT ORGANIZATIONTurkey hopes Washington will close the US offices of the Kurdish terror groups, Turkish Ambassador to Washington Nuzhet Kandemir said on Wednesday. Kandemir's remarks at a lunch with reporters in Washington came after US authorities arrested Kani Xulam, an alleged leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), on charges of passport fraud. Xulam, whose real name is believed to be Namet Gunduz, and who was arrested following a tip-off from the Turkish Embassy in Washington, was ordered on Wednesday to be held in a D.C. jail without bond.At the lunch, Kandemir said that the Washington-based American Kurdish Information Network (AKIN) which Xulam heads was a front for the PKK which the US considers a terrorist organization. He noted that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan had publicly identified the Washington AKIN office as part of the PKK network and he acknowledged that Turkey had alerted US authorities to Xulam's presence. Kandemir said that Turkey had not specifically asked Washington to shut down AKIN. But "PKK offices are operating under the name of cultural associations or information networks" and the US argument at the recent anti-terrorism meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for shutting down offices and funding of the radical Islamic group Hamas should apply also to the PKK, he said. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] FIRST TALKS WITH GREECEAccording to some observers, a meeting between Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay and his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos will be the first step in the right direction.Commenting on the situation while making a one day working visit to Romania with President Suleyman Demirel yesterday, Gonensay said that his meeting with Pangalos would be informal, without an agenda, just a preliminary step perhaps towards new dialogue with Greece. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] DEEP CONCERN IN ANKARA OVER LEBANONAnkara has expressed deep concern over the course the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon is taking. The government has declared that increasing loss of civilian life is to be deplored.In a statement from the Foreign Ministry yesterday it was noted that Israel should give more consideration to the life and property of innocent civilians caught up in the fight against terrorism. The statement added that the rights of the people in Lebanon were being ignored. /Milliyet/
[05] TEXTILE GIANTS COMING TO TURKEYThe giants of the world textile sector are coming to Istanbul for a conference of the International Ready Clothing Federation. Big names like Hugo Boss, Levi's, Aquascutum, and the big outlets like Sears and Karstadt will also participate. In other words, the biggest producers and the biggest clothing and textile sellers will be in Istanbul. Turkish representative of the federation, Hasan Arat, said that the meeting was important and pleasing that it was being held in Turkey. /Sabah/ |