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Turkish Press Review, 96-10-17Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY OCTOBER 17, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT IN ANKARAHungarian President Arpad Goncz arrived in Ankara yesterday as the guest of President Suleyman Demirel, for high level talks aimed at enhancing political and economic ties between the two countries. Goncz was accompanied by Hungarian businessmen and officials from the foreign and defence ministries.Welcoming Goncz at an official ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Demirel said that the two countries shared similar responsibilities in their own regions. Demirel added that Turkey and Hungary also shared similar values and referred to the shared history of the two countries. Demirel thanked Goncz for the Hungarian stance against the PKK terrorist organization and said: "The PKK, an international terrorist organization, carries out criminal activities such as drug smuggling and kidnapping people. Hungary has taken the necessary measures against the PKK. I thank you in this regard". Turkish Defence Minister Turan Tayan, who met Goncz at Ankara Airport prior to the official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, for his part said in a short address there that Turkey supported Hungary's desire for NATO membership. /Hurriyet/ [02] DEMIREL OFF TO UZBEKISTAN AND RUSSIAPresident Suleyman Demirel will go to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 20 October to attend a Turkish-speaking Republics summit there and then go to Moscow on October 23 October to attend a Black Sea Economic Cooperation summit.It is announced that during the Tashkent summit efforts will be made to improve cooperation between the Turkish speaking countries. Also, the recent developments regarding proposed oil pipelines and the fighting in Afghanistan will be discussed. /Milliyet/ [03] INTERPOL GENERAL COUNCILThe Security General Directorate yesterday briefed press members regarding the Interpol General Council meeting to be held on 23-20 October in Belek, Antalya. Head of the Interpol Department, Yusuf Vehbi Dalda, said that preparations for the 65th Interpol General Council meeting were completed. /Cumhuriyet/[04] ARMAMENTS GIANTS IN TURKEYWorld famous weapon manufacturers are preparing to invade the Turkish market. Foreign weapons industrialists are interested in 17 big defense industry projects, worth $5.5 billion. Martin Marietta, Aerospatiale, General Electric-Marconi, Sextant, CASA, Hughes, Skorsky, IAI, General Dynamics and TAI will try to grap share in $5.5 billion defense project. /Milliyet/[05] ERBAKAN PREPARES FOR EUROPE TRIPPrime Minister Necmettin Erbakan is preparing to go on a new, this time Western trip. Italy is number one on Erbakan's priority list with Germany next, since there are many Turkish workers employed in Germany. According to some observers, the aim in visiting these two European countries -leaders in the European Union- is to erase Turkey's image of being "ignorant about Europe". /All papers/[06] BORDER PROBLEMS ON CYPRUSGreek Cypriots have again tried to cross the border into the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). According to reports from the island, yesterday about three in the morning, three Greek Cypriots tried to get into the highly sensitive military zone in the Akincilar region of the TRNC.After guards fired warning shots into the air the three unidentified Greek Cypriots fled back into the Greek sector. Later, TRNC officials said that despite all the efforts being made by the TRNC- the Greek community was persisting in following a policy of trying to incite trouble between the two communities on the island. /All papers/ [07] TURKEY IN CONTROL IN NORTHERN IRAQTurkey has begun to exert its authority in the troubled region of northern Iraq by sending out clear warnings to the groups involved.Ankara has warned the Baghdad regime that it has to withdraw its troops out of the region and stop providing logistic support for the Kurdish Barzani faction. Ankara has reminded Baghdad that UN imposed sanctions and decisions still have to be observed despite the prevailing conditions in the region. Ankara has also sent messages to the opposing Kurdish factions, stressing that Ankara wants to see an immediate cease-fire. Ankara has proposed that talks should begin at once and has assured Kurdish leaders Barzani and Talabani that Turkey will take the measures needed to get the talks going. A message has also been sent to Iran calling on the government there to pull its troops out of northern Iraq. Ankara has evidence that Iran has sent military expeditions into the region, and now demands that these incursions must be stopped. There is also a message for the US: Use the means available to exert pressure against the Kurdish groups to establish a cease-fire and hold to it. /Hurriyet/ [08] TRADING IN TURKISH FREE TRADE ZONES JUMPS 30 %The trading volume in Turkey's free trade zones (FTZs) increased from $2.009 billion to $2.619 billion, or 30.3 %, in the January-September period compared to last year. According to Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (DTM) figures, Turkey exported a total of $410.4 millions worth and imported $902.3 millions worth in the free trade areas.During the above period, exports from the free trade zones totalled $419.1 million while imports were $887.4 million. Istanbul FTZ ranked first, increasing its trade volume from $44.6 million to $187.3 million, a rise of 320 %. Total trade volumes in the zones were as folllows: $1.243 million in Mersin; $632.7 million in Ege; $354.4 million in Istanbul's Ataturk airport; $104 million in the Trabzon region; and $2.8 million in East Anatolia. /All papers/ [09] TURKISH BANKING SYSTEM GROWS 15 %Turkish banks have posted larger earnings and reported 15 % growth in real terms in the first half of 1996, an official report revealed yesterday. The report released by the Turkish Banking Association showed that January-June profits increased by 102 %, from TL 2.785 quadrillion to TL 5.626 quadrillion, compared to last year.Total bank deposits reached TL 3.785 quadrillion by the end of June 1996, showing an increase of 24 % in real terms. The figure for the same period of 1995 was TL 1.780 quadrillion. The value of bank credits increased by 24 % in real terms reaching TL 2.306 trillion. /All papers/ [10] THREE TURKS DEAD IN SUSPECTED ARSON ATTACK IN GERMANYThree Turks died in a suspected arson attack on a building where two Turkish families live in Karlsruhe, Germany. One of the Turks died from jumping out of a window and the other died from burns. The fire brigade rescued a woman from the roof of the building. One person is still missing. /Cumhuriyet/[11] US FORMER SECRETARIES WARN US ADMINISTRATION REGARDING TURKEYUS Democrat and Republican experts, who recall Turkey's great strategic importance, warn that the US Administration will lose Turkey by being overly concerning about pulling in votes during domestic elections. US former Asssistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke and former Asssistant Secretary of Defence Richard Perle voiced their concern during a meeting on "Foreign Policy and Elections" in Washington. Perle said: "Turkey is a very important ally. The US is imposing an embargo on Turkey at present. Even though noone says anything regarding this issue, this is true. To date, the US has not kept its word to Turkey". Holbrooke said for his part that he agreed with Perle.Holbrooke and Perle noted that "- Nothing has been done to alleviate Turkey's losses of $30 billion during the Gulf War. -The US, World Bank and IMF always squeeze Turkey. US economic and military aid to Turkey has been greatly decreased. -Even though the US administration has promised, it has not delivered Cobra helicopters and frigates to Turkey". /Hurriyet/ [12] SEVEN MILLION TOURISTS VISIT TURKEY IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 1996Looking back on the summer season, Turkey's tourism industry is thrilled to have realized the goal of hosting seven million tourists in 1996. Officials from the Tourism Ministry said that the number of tourists who came to Turkey between January and September 1996 increased 11.26 % with respect to the previous year, while the numbers for September alone showed an increase of 5.5 %.During this year's January to September period the greatest number of tourists came from Germany -comprising 24.6 % of all foreign visitors- an increase of approximately 30 % above 1995 figures. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) came second, with an increase of 18.86 %, followed by Great Britain, Iran, the US, France, Israel and Austria. The number of Eastern European tourists -comprising 25.1 % of foreigners coming to Turkey in the first nine months of 1996 -increased by 5 %. Tourism Minister Bahattin Yucel said that the increase in visitors to Turkey indicated that tourism activities have spread to all four seasons. Noting that the number of tourists from member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) had increased 8.8 % in the first nine months of 1996, totalling 61.5 % of all visitors, Yucel said that this increase will greatly add to revenues from the tourism sector since spending by tourists from OECD countries is higher than average. /Sabah/ END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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