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Turkish Press Review, 97-01-16Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning. [01] TURKEY UNMOVED BY DELAY IN DEPLOYMENT OF CYPRUS MISSILESTurkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said on Wednesday that the announcement of a 16-month delay in deploying long-range Russian-made anti-craft missiles on Cyprus was nothing more than an empty gesture on the part of the Greek Cypriot administration. Akbel noted that deployment of the missiles on the island would normally take up to 16 months due to technical reasons. Akbel reaffirmed that unless the purchase of the missiles was cancelled Turkey would keep to its firm stance. Turkish government and military officials have threatened to hit the missiles if they are deployed.US State Department official Carey Cavanaugh, who has arrived in Turkey to cool down Turkish tempers after talks in Nicosia and Athens, said he did not believe the Greek Cypriots will carry out their decision to acquire the S-300 missiles. Cavanaugh said that the agreement for the purchase of the missiles, said to be capable of downing Turkish jets over Turkey, was seen as a mistake by the US from the beginning of the crisis. Cavanaugh conferred yesterday with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen and other senior ministry officials. Ankara has made known its position also to a Russian Foreign Ministry delegation led by Russian Foreign Ministry Legal Department Chairman Alexander Hodakov. The Russian delegation is reportedly on a visit to negotiate details of a protocol for cooperation against terrorism signed by Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller during her visit to Moscow last month. Akbel also announced that due to the crisis, Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas will pay an official visit to Turkey on January 20-22, upon the official invitation of President Demirel. Turkish Chief of General Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi has just returned from a visit to Northern Cyprus to confirm Ankara's determination to oppose the missile purchase. At the same time, Turkish Ambassador to Britain Ozdem Sanberk made a statement to the Independent daily, inviting the UN to intervene by imposing an embargo on arms purchases by the Greek Cypriot community, similar to the embargo previously imposed on Bosnia. /All papers/ [02] GREEK-CYPRIOTS UNDER PRESSUREGreek Cypriot moves on Cyprus to set-up Russian made S-300 missile sales are not going down too well in the international community. The European Union (EU) has also begun to voice its disapproval of the way the Greek Cypriots are trying to force the issue of one government rule for the island.Term President of the EU, Dutch Foreign Minister Van Mierlo has again noted that until a satisfactory solution to the island's problem is found, there is no way that the Greek Cypriot community can get into the EU. Van Mierlo has declared that enlarging the spheres of activity of both the EU and NATO depends a lot on what happens on Cyprus. This means that the Greek Cypriot community has got to toe the line and submit to growing pressure to cancel its orders for the Russian-made missile systems. In the meantime, diplomatic efforts by the US and other countries involved in Cyprus have increased. Talks in Ankara with top US negotiator Cavanaugh have started. But there are also other developments: One story coming out of Britain suggests that the Greek Cypriots have resorted to trickery to try and fabricate a case against Turkey. British parliamentarian Paul Flynn claims that in October last year, the Greek Cypriots forged his signature on documents purporting to prove more human rights abuses by Turkey. Despite efforts to cool the situation on Cyprus, reports from the island say that military activity has increased-especially along the border between the two communities. /All papers/ [03] GREEK GENERAL IN CYPRUSAfter the visit of the Turkish Chief of Staff, General Ismail Hakki Karadayi to Cyprus, the Greek Land Forces Deputy Commander General Andonis Dalamangas went to Greek Cyprus. According to the Athens news agency, Dalamangas visited Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides and the commander of the Greek troops in southern Cyprus, Colonnel Athanasios Galanis. After the visit Dalamangis said that it would be possible to solve the Cyprus issue only by a "Greek and Greek Cyprus Common Policy". /Cumhuriyet/[04] KURDISH SUMMIT ENDS WITH MAIN ISSUES STILL UNRESOLVEDThe third round of the northern Iraqi peace talks ended Wednesday in Ankara, but the major issues under discussion remained unresolved. The two opposing parties, the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) and the Kurdish Patriotic Front (KPF) made no progress with respect to the distribution of Habur border gate revenues, the rates of representation in local administrations, election dates and the disarmament of Erbil. At the same time, the KDP representatives announced that they opposed the joint statement issued at the end of the meeting stating that the parties would make commitments to the struggle against the PKK terrorist organization and to the closing of the PKK-controlled Atrush Camp. /Milliyet/[05] PKK SIGNS DEAL WITH DHKP_C FOR URBAN ATTACKSTwo outlawed organizations, the PKK and DHKP_C, signed a protocol on December 22, 1996 under which they pledged to act together as a Revolutionary Front. Security sources say that receiving one blow after another, the two organizations have become disorganized with a defeatist mood prevailing. As a result, the PKK and DHKP_C have been pushed closer to one another and forced to cooperate. As a practical consequence of the protocol, joint action in metropolitan cities may be expected, that is joint demonstrations, protests and perhaps bomb attacks may be staged in big cities. /All papers/[06] SECURITY FORCES KILL 27 SEPARATISTS IN SOUTHEASTClashes between terrorists and security forces in the southeast of Turkey have left 27 PKK terrorists dead, while six surrendered and 15 others were captured. A camp used by the terrorists has been destroyed. /All papers/[07] TURKEY SEEKS TO REASSURE US OVER TIES WITH IRAQCentral Bank governor Gazi Ercel has defended Turkey's increased trade with Iran and Iraq and has sought to reassure the US that these developments do not mean that Turkey was turning away from the West. "We intend to increase our trade relations with neighbouring countries, not only with Iran and Iraq, but also all over the region, as well as with the EU and US," Ercel said.Ercel is accompanying State Minister Fehim Adak in his visit to the US. Washington has been concerned by Turkey's increased ties with Iran, Iraq and Libya, fearing that they could signal a shift away from the West. US officials were said to be particularly annoyed by Turkey's recent $23 billion agreement to buy natural gas from Iran, a country seen as a major threat by the US. Ercel though, argued that Turkey's trade with Iran paled in comparison with that of some European countries, including France and Italy. Ercel also said that Turkey was preparing an ambitious plan aimed at driving down inflation and would welcome international support in this area, including loans from the IMF. /All papers/ [08] US MISSILES FOR TURKEYAccording to American and Turkish diplomatic sources, objections in the U.S. congress against the decision to sell land-to-land (ATMC) missiles to Turkey, approved by the Clinton administration in 1995, have been drawn back. The ATMC systems will be tranferred to Turkey next month. Turkish authorities have noted that the systems will be used for defence purpose only./Milliyet/[09] NEW PEAK IN IMKB INDEXThe combined Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) index reached a record high of 1,172 points yesterday, increasing seven points over Tuesday's close. The Finance Index increased to 1,140 points, the Industry Index to 1,229 points and the Service Index to 1,206 points. The most active stocks of the day were Madia Holding, Izmir Demir Celik, Yapı Kredi Bank, Dogan Holding and Machine Set. /All papers/[10] GREENHOUSE FROM TURKS TO TURKMENISTANA greenhouse project, which has been offered by the Public Opinion Research (KAMAR) firm to Turkmenistan, has been approved by Turkmen Head of State Saparmurat Turkmenbasi. According to the project plans, a huge greenhouse will be set up on an area of 23 hectares and that the first harvest of the greenhouse produce will be on the market by January 1998. It is planned that vegetables and flowers produced in the greenhouse will be sold to Russian Federation and European countries. /Hurriyet/[11] AIRBUS TO INVEST IN TURKEYPrime Minister Necmettin Erbakan announced that the leading airplane producer in Europe, Air Bus Company would invest in Turkey. He added that the Chairman of the Executive Board of the company came to Ankara to discuss a joint airplane project with Turkey. Erbakan pointed out that Turkey would like to produce planes with the Air Bus company./Milliyet/[12] JAPANESE LOAN FOR TURKEYThe Japan Export Import Bank announced on January 13 that it had agreed to a loan contract with an upper limit of 352 million yen with the Turkish government. The funds will be allocated to state-of-the-art medical equipment such as X-ray diagnostic scanners for the National Akdeniz University and the National Osmangazi University. /All papers/[13] KOC HOLDING PURCHASES FACTORY IN ITALYThe Beko company, affiliated to Koc Holding, has begun initiatives to purchase Seleco, one of the leading TV producers in Italy. It is reported that Koc Holding has begun negotiations with Seleco Director Marco Romani. /Hurriyet/[14] TWO AWARDS FOR A TURKISH PROFESSORNoted Turkish scientist, Prof.Erol Gelenbe, has been presented with two awards abroad. Prof.Gelenbe, head of the electronics and computer department at the American Duke University, has been presented with the prestigious French "Grand Prix France Telecom" award during a ceremony held in Paris. Later, Prof.Gelenbe received the title of "honorary doctorate" during a ceremony at Rome University, Italy. Turkish Ambassador to Rome, Umut Arik and his wife, Ilknur Arik, were also present at the ceremony. /Hurriyet/[15] KARPOV BEATEN BY 15 YEAR OLDA fifteen year old Turkish student beat he former chess champion Anatoli Karpov in a simultaneous multi-game chess exhibition on January 5 involving 20 players against Karpov. At a press conference on Wednesday, Umut gave details on his match against Karpov. He emphasized Karpov's disadvantaged situation when playing against 20 people simultaneously, "but nevertheless, I am happy," he said. /All papers/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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