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Turkish Press Review, 97-06-30
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] COALITION LIST AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
[02] SECURITY COUNCIL URGES DENKTAS AND CLERIDES TO COMMIT TO PROCESS
[03] LANDMINE KILLS NINE TURKISH SOLDIERS
[04] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES HIT $16 BILLLION
[05] TURKEY MAKES CLEAR IT WANTS TO BE TREATED EQUALLY BY EU
[06] INVESTMENT MOVES BY TEXTILE AND READY WEAR PRODUCERS
[07] TURKEY RANKS HIGH IN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
MONDAY JUNE 30, 1997
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
[01] COALITION LIST AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
Prime Minister-designate Mesut Yilmaz met yesterday with President
Suleyman Demirel and briefed the president on the new government
programme and the Cabinet list. Yilmaz is expected to officially
present the new government list to President Demirel today at 10:00 a.m.
The Motherleft (Anasol) government based on the Motherland Party (ANAP),
Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP)
partnership completed its programme and the Cabinet list on Sunday
during an almost five-hour meeting of the leaders of the three parties
at the residence of Yilmaz. DTP leader Husamettin Cindoruk disclosed
that the Motherleft coalition partners have established full accord on
the government programme and Cabinet list.
The Motherleft government, which will be the 55th government of the
Republic, seemed guaranteed yesterday to receive a vote of confidence
from the Parliament after a series of resignations from the True Path
Party (DYP) in the last three days. Istanbul deputy Bahattin Yucel,
Edirne deputy Evren Bulut and Konya deputy Ali Gunaydin have resigned
from the DYP. With these resignations, the number of ANAP deputies has
reached 133 and the number of DYP deputies has decreased to 104.
The responsibility for the economy in the 55th government will be
given to Gunes Taner. According to the new programme, privatization
will be accelerated, $2.5 billion in foreign resources such as the IMF
and World Bank will be provided and foreign capital will be invited to
invest in Turkey. A message saying "There is no fundamentalism in
Turkey and Turkey will not separate from the West" will be given.
Income worth $4 billion is expected from privatization by the end of
this year. There will be no tax changes, however with a stability in
the economy, an increase in tax income is expected. All tax rates
including the Value Added Tax (KDV) will be reviewed and tax reform is
anticipated. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[02] SECURITY COUNCIL URGES DENKTAS AND CLERIDES TO COMMIT TO PROCESS
The UN Security Council has called on the leaders of the Greek and
Turkish Cypriot communities to commit themselves to a sustained process
of direct negotiations, beginning with a session in New York on July
9-13. The Security Council resolution reaffirmed that a settlement must
be based on a state of Cyprus "with a single sovereignty and
international personality and a single citizenship, with its
independence and territorial integrity safeguarded, and comprising two
politically equal communities in a bi-communal and bizonal federation".
/All papers/
[03] LANDMINE KILLS NINE TURKISH SOLDIERS
Nine Turkish soldiers and a village guard were killed when their
vehicle hit a landmine in the southeastern town of Midyat, the Anatolian
news agency reported on Saturday. The agency said the military patrol
vehicle hit the landmine late on Friday.
[04] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES HIT $16 BILLLION
Central Bank foreign exchange reserves have increased to $16.025
billion, the Anatolian news agency reported. According to information
released by the Central Bank, foreign exchange reserves increased from
$15.196 billion on June 20 to $16.025 on June 24, an increase of $829
million in four days. According to the latest data available, June 6,
the foreign currency reserves held by private banks reached $8.711
billion, while gold reserves were put at $1.383 billion. Turkey's
foreign currency reserves after taking into account both private and
state reserves stood at $26.022 billion as of June 6. /All papers/
[05] TURKEY MAKES CLEAR IT WANTS TO BE TREATED EQUALLY BY EU
The European Union meeting for Turkey to brief "all applicant
states" about the conclusions of the intergovernmental conference did
not present much cause for optimism as it ended in the Dutch capital,
Amsterdam, on Friday. The meeting, chaired by term president Dutch
Premier Wim Kok, and Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo and European
Commission President Jacques Santer, was held with the participation of
the leaders from 12 applicant states, including Turkey. Foreign
Minister Tansu Ciller, heading the Turkish delegation in the meeting,
said at a press conference for foreign journalists, that the EU's policy
of treating all the applicant states equally is pleasing in this period
of expansion.
Because of the problem in Cyprus, Ciller maintained that Turkey has
reservations about Southern Cyprus' accession to the EU. "Turkey also
wants a solution to the Cyprus conflict and the solution everyone agrees
on is a 'bi-communal, bizonal federal state without which the Greek
Cypriot accession to the union cannot be accepted by Turkey" Ciller
said. When asked about Turkey's views on NATO enlargement, Ciller told
reporters "Ankara is not against NATO enlargement and the connection
between both EU and NATO expansion appears even in NATO documents".
/All papers/
[06] INVESTMENT MOVES BY TEXTILE AND READY WEAR PRODUCERS
The Union of Textile and Ready Wear Exporters is examining
investment opportunities in the Anatolian provinces of Turkey. The
Union is planning to publish the results of its research a book that
will facilitate investors. /Hurriyet/
[07] TURKEY RANKS HIGH IN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
According to a World Bank report, Turkey ranks 49th among 133
countries with respect to development. Turkey is placed in the
lower-middle income bracket, and ranks sixth among the 40 countries
included in this group. The report indicats that in the 1985-95 period,
per capita national income in Turkey increased by 2.2 percent, and per
capita purchasing power surged to $5,580. /Hurriyet/
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