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Turkish Press Review, 96-09-19Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] CILLER, BARZANI MEET IN ANKARATurkey yesterday told Mesut Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), that it would give him its supoort, provided he cooperates with the Turkmens of northern Iraq. Barzani was in Ankara for a rare meeting with Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller and senior officials from her ministry. The talks, which focused on the future of northern Iraq, were also attended by representatives of northern Iraq's Turkmens, in whose well being Ankara is taking a special interest.Ciller told reporters after meeting the Kurdish leader that she had expressed Turkey's desire that the Turkmens should also take part in the administration of northern Iraq, and have equal rights with the Kurds there. "Turkey supports the territorial integrity of Iraq. But a regional administration is on the agenda until the power vacuum in northern Iraq is ended. We told Barzani that he should cooperate with the Turkmens. And we saw that he was in agreement with us" Ciller said. She also indicated that Turkey's priority regarding Operation Provide Comfort, the US-lead allied force in Turkey which was set up to protect the nothern Iraqi Kurds, would be that this force also protect the Turkmens from attacks by Iraqi forces. Turkey also wants the KDP to remove militants of the PKK terrorist organization from the region. Barzani stated that they would cooperate with Turkey against the PKK. It was also decided that technical meetings regarding this issue will continue. Turkey also warned the KDP not to initiate for the establishment of a Kurdish state in northern Iraq. Barzani also met with senior US officials while in the Turkish capital to settle differences that have arisen between Washington and his group due to his recent cooperation with Baghdad. /Milliyet-Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/ [02] RESUMPTION OF CYPRUS TALKS URGED BY ANKARATurkey urged UN Secretary general Boutros Boutros-Ghali yesterday to exercise his good-will mission and resume the Cyprus inter-communal talks process that aims to bring about a bi-zonal and bi-communal federal settlement to the 33-year-old Cyprus problem. A Special Cyprus Envoy of the UN secretary general, Han Soong-Joo, who was in Ankara yesterday, concentrated on the latest developments on the island rather than the substance of the Cyprus problem. /All papers/[03] SECURITY FORCES KILL 22 PKK MILITANTS IN SOUTHEASTSecurity forces killed 22 militants of the PKK terrorist organization during operations in southeastern provinces as the PKK late Tuesday attacked security forces in the town of Varto in the southeastern province of Mus. Ten militants were killed near Hakkari, six in the rural areas of Sirnak, two near Bitlis and four in Batman, Mardin, Diyarbakir and Tunceli. Two terrorists were captured in Diyarbakir's Silvan district. One surrendered to the security forces in Sirnak. Many documents, ammunition, food, different types of guns and rockets were seized during the clashes.Meanwhile, in Varto, militants opened fire from houses and shops in the town on patrolling security forces. One policeman died and four people were injured, including two policemen in the clashes. Five PKK members were killed when security forces returned fire. /Sabah/ [04] US NIX ARMENIAN AMNEDMENTS TO AID FOR TURKEYIn a meeting of the Conference Committee on Tuesday to hammer out a final text of the Senate and House versions of Foreign Aid Appropriations Act for the fiscal year '97, Armenian related amendments to the bill were removed to the dismay of the Armenian Assembly of America officials who followed the meeting and at one point conferred with pro-Armenian committee members such as Frank Wolf (R) of Virginia. In essence, the Conference Committee agreed to revert to the Senate version of the bill.The committee also agreed to allocate a cash grant of $22 million to Turkey for '97 as Economic Support Fund (ESF) and a loan of $175 million as Foreign Military Financing (FMF). Greece was given $122.5 million in FMF to satisfy the 7-to-10 ratio between military assistance amounts for Greece and Turkey. Back in June when the appropriations act was debated on the US House floor, the House accepted 301-to-118 an amendment introduced by Rep.Peter Visclosky (D) of Indiana which proposed $25 million ESF altogether unless Turkey opened the humanitarian aid corridor to Armenia. A second amendment by John Porter (R) of Ilinois was to deduct $3 million from the proposed $25 million ESF unless Turkey recognized the "Armenian Genocide" which was also accepted 268-to-153. /Milliyet/ [05] NORTHERN IRELAND TRADE DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEYA Northern Ireland trade delegation made up of representatives from eight firms will visit Turkey on September 22-26, a written statement from the Irish Consulate said yesterday. The visit was organized by the Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board (IDB), which is financed by the British government to encourage trade and industrial investments in Northern Ireland. /All papers/[06] TURKISH TRADE DELEGATION SIGNS CREDIT AGREEMENTS WITH JAPANA Turkish trade delegation made up of Deputy Foreign Trade Undersecretary Cuneyt Sel, Foreign Trade Relations General Director M.Aydin Karagoz and department head Salih Yilmaz signed three creidt agreements for two projects during the official visit they paid to Japan on September 2-7.The delegation met officials from the Japanese International Trade and Industry Ministry, the Japanese Trade Ministry and Japanese Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) and received information for further projects. /All papers/ [07] TURKISH-MOROCCAN BUSINESS COUNCIL JOINT MEETINGThe Turkish-Moroccan Business Council joint meeting will be held in Istanbul on September 30 within the framework of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). DEIK said in a written statement that at the meeting in which 35 Moroccan and 100 Turkish firms will participate, the issue of giving Turkish firms construction work in Morocco in return for phosphate imports from the country will top the agenda. /All papers/[08] DEIK HOLDS A CONFERENCE IN LONDONDEIK also organized an "Investment in Turkey" conference in London in which leading businessmen and bankers participated as well as Turkish Ambassador to London Ozdem Sanberk. Sanberk said Turkey had great potential for foreign capital. /All papers/[09] TURKEY REPAYS $2.7 BN OF ITS EXTERNAL DEBTTurkey has repaid $2.7 billion of her external debt in the first half of this year, according to the revised figures of the Turkish Central Bank. This figure stood at $2.7 billion in the same period last year. The bank's statement also said thet in the January-June period of 1996 direct foreign investment into Turkey totalled $200 million, whereas this figure was $249 million in the corresponding period of 1995. Within the same period this year, there have been $3.58 billion worth of portfolio investments in the country. This figure was $588 million in the same period of 1995. Overall, the nation's official reserves have increased by $3.98 billion in the January-June period of this year. /All papers/[10] BOOM IN NEW FIRMS IN AUGUSTA total of 4,692 new firms, with total capital of TL 8.7 trillion, started business in August this year, according to figures by the State Institute of Statistics (DIE). The DIE press release stated that 1,044 of the new firms operate in the field of wholesale and retail trade, while the rest are concentrated in the fields of repair-maintenance, manufacturing, construction, real estate and rentals. During the same month, 1,729 existing firms increased their capital by an overall total of TL 58.9 trillion, while 51 firms, with total capital of TL 213 million, closed. /All papers/[11] TRADING AT TURKISH FREE TRADE ZONES CLIMBS 34 %Trading in Turkey's six free zones jumped 33.6 % to $2.336 billion in the January-August period of the current year, the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said yesterday. The same figures showed that last year's trading volume stood at TL 1.749 billion. In sectoral distribution of the total trade volume industrial products had 78 %, agriculture 21 % and the mining sector 1 % shares. /All papers/[12] SECURITY COOPERATION WITH BULGARIAInterior Minister Mehmet Agar said that security cooperation between Turkey and Bulgaria would be developed. Bulgaria's First Deputy of Interior Minister Gueorgui Lambov visited Agar. Agar said: "During this visit, important steps will be taken for cooperation in the struggle against crimes and criminals". /Hurriyet/[13] TURKEY IS DETERMINED TO SET UP A SECURITY ZONETurkey reiterated its determination to establish a security zone in northern Iraq. At a weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Omer Akbel in reply to a question noted that "Turkey has not abandoned its intention to set up a security zone" adding that Turkey had to protect itself against terrorist attacks organized from northern Iraq. "If security considerations dictate it, such a security zone will be established," Akbel said. Commenting on the possibility of setting up a similar zone on the border with Iran, the spokesman pointed out that bilateral discussions of security issues with Iran were still continuing. /Sabah/[14] BELGIUM INTIATES OPERATION AGAINST THE PKKThe Belgian jandarmery has initiated an operation against the PKK terrorist organization and affiliated associations and establishments. The Kurdistan Committee, the bureau of the so-called Kurdish Parliament-in-exile and MED-TV studios in Denderleeuw have been closed down. About 100 persons have been arrested. Belgian Jandarmery officials stated that evidence proved that the PKK organization was involved in illegal activities like drug smuggling, slave trade and extorting money. A high level Belgian official said that outlawing the PKK organization in Belgium is on the agenda. /Sabah/[15] STATE MINISTER GUL INVITED TO THE USState Minister Abdullah Gul has been invited to attend a round-table meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations, an establishment influencial in US foreign policy formulation. The meeting scheduled for October 22 will focus on the behaviour of Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin towards the PKK separatist organization and towards the state. At the meeting, Minister Gul will give details about the Welfare Party's approach to domestic and foreign policy issues. /Sabah/[16] WORLD PHILATELISTS MEET IN ISTANBULThe Istanbul'96 Philatelic Exhibition and the International Philately Federation Congress will be held in Istanbul on September 27-October 6. Exhibitions will be opened at the Lutfi Kirdar International Convention Centre and the Harbiye Military Museum and Culture Village. About 700 philatelists from all over the world will exhibit their collections. The congress will play an important role in promoting Turkey abroad. /Cumhuriyet/[17] FIVE MORE SOLDIERS SET FREEFive more Turkish soldiers, detained as hostages for one and a half years at the PKK Zap camp in northern Iraq have been set free yesterday evening. The soldiers together with their families have been delivered to KDP officials in Zakho, and later brought to Diyarbakir. Diyarbakir State Security Court Chief Prosecutor Bekir Selcuk said that the soldiers will be questioned to find out whether they had voluntarily escaped or had been kidnapped by the PKK terrorist organization. /Cumhuriyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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