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Turkish Press Review, 97-12-11
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] ICO POURS COLD WATER ON TURKEY
[02] EU MEETING IN LUXEMBORG
[03] DEMIREL: TERRORISMIS A GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
[04] CENSURE MOTION AGAINST MINISTER TOPCU REJECTED
[05] PUBLIC SERVANTS PROTEST UNSUFFICIENT SALARY INCREASES
[06] DEVELOPMENTS IN CASE FOR RP CLOSURE
[07] MERSIN NARROWLY ESCAPES DISASTER
[08] ANOTHER AEGEAN CONFRONTATION
[09] SHIP SINKS IN THE AEGEAN
[10] AWARD TO RETIRED TURKISH AMBASSADOR
[11] THY MAKES 2 TRILLION IN PROFITS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER
11.12.97
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
[01] ICO POURS COLD WATER ON TURKEY
President Demirel, in the Iranian capital of Tehran for a summit
meeting of the Islamic Conference Organization (ICO), cut his visit
short and returned to Ankara earlier than scheduled in reaction to the
fierce criticism directed against Turkey at the summit. Demirel was
planning to stay in Tehran until Thursday evening. Nevertheless, the
tense atmosphere at the meeting and the anti-Turkish attitudes of the
member-countries forced Demirel to leave the summit without waiting
for the final session.
Demirel went to Tehran with reservations, because at a meeting
prior to the summit the ICO Council of Ministers had accepted two
drafts condemning Turco-Israeli rapprochement and the sweeping-up
operation in Northern Iraq launched by the Turkish Armed Forces
against the PKK terrorist organization. High-level Turkish officials
even discussed whether or not Demirel should attend the summit at all.
Despite all the efforts exerted by Demirel, ICO members turned a
deaf ear to Turkey's calls for cooperation in the struggle against
terrorism, and two decisions criticizing operations in Northern Iraq
and friendly relations with Israel were passed by the ICO summit, even
though Turkey's name was not explicitly mentioned. Observers say that
the final communique to be released today will harshly criticize
Turkey. /Hurriyet/
[02] EU MEETING IN LUXEMBORG
Before the European Union (EU) summit, Prime Minister Mesut
Yilmaz met with Luxemborg Prime Minister Jean Claude Juncker and
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem met his counterpart Luxembourg Foreign
Minister Jaques Poos.
Diplomatic sources later reported that Junker also met with Greek
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis in Athens before he talked with Turkish
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. It was noted that Junker suggested a
troika which would be responsible only for relations with Turkey.
With this formula, Turkey-EU relations would not be discussed on
platforms where agreement between all the member countries would be
required, noted the same sources. However, it is also reported that
Turkey does not look postively at the formula. /Cumhuriyet, Milliyet/
[03] DEMIREL: TERRORISMIS A GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
President Suleyman Demirel released yesterday a message on the
occasion of Human Rights Day. Demirel stressed that terrorism was a
gross violation of human rights. He added that no country had a
perfect human rights record and could give lessons to others on the
issue. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also released a related message
noting that attacks against Turkey under the pretext of protecting
human rights were unacceptable. /Hurriyet/
[04] CENSURE MOTION AGAINST MINISTER TOPCU REJECTED
A censure motion tabled by the opposition parties against Housing
Minister Yasar Topcu for corruption charges in the construction of a
Black Sea highway was rejected by Parliament yesterday. 464 deputies
attended yesterday's sessions, and CHP deputies left the General
Assembly when voting on the motion began. The opposition failed to
collect the majority of 276 votes necessary to pass the censure motion
and topple the minister. /All papers/
[05] PUBLIC SERVANTS PROTEST UNSUFFICIENT SALARY INCREASES
Public servants, discontented with the 30 percent salary increase
promised by the government, will go out on general strike today all
over the country despite a circular issued by Prime Minister Mesut
Yilmaz to ban the strike. Transportation, communications and health
services in the whole Turkey will be paralyzed. CHP leader Deniz
Baykal voiced support for the strike and urged the government to take
into account public servants' demands. /Hurriyet/
[06] DEVELOPMENTS IN CASE FOR RP CLOSURE
The Constitutional Court convened yesterday to render its final
decision in the case for the closure of the pro-religious Welfare
Party (RP). The court decided to review once again video tapes and
files related to the case, and postponed the final discussions on the
fate of the RP to December 16. /All papers/
[07] MERSIN NARROWLY ESCAPES DISASTER
A PKK attempt to sabotage the Atas Petrol Refinery in Mersin was
prevented at the last moment by chance, when a gas bottle bomb was
found. 900 people working in the refinery together with the 500
thousand population of Mersin were thus saved from what could have
been a terrible disaster. /Hurriyet/
[08] ANOTHER AEGEAN CONFRONTATION
It has been reported that Turkish war planes, making practice
flights, were buzzed by the Greek Air Force over international waters
in the Aegean Sea. It was claimed in a Greek television news bulletin
that twelve Turkish Air Forces F16 war planes flew over Larissa and
Thessaloniki and then over Sciros Island.This claim was denied by the
General Staff yesterday.These flights were described as usual practice
flights. /Milliyet/
[09] SHIP SINKS IN THE AEGEAN
A Turkish vessel sank in the Aegean yesterday, the Anatolia news
agency reported. Ten of the crew on board were rescued, while one
sailor is still missing.
[10] AWARD TO RETIRED TURKISH AMBASSADOR
The Chilean government has presented a special award, given only
to heads of governments and state leaders, to retired Ambassador
Ildeniz Divanlioglu, appointed to Santiago between 1993-1997. The
award will be presented to Divanlioglu by Chili Ambassador to Turkey,
Jaime Pardo, during a ceremony in Ankara. /Cumhuriyet and all papers/
[11] THY MAKES 2 TRILLION IN PROFITS
Following a 33 percent increase, Turkish Airlines (THY) reached
2.4 trillion TL in profits for the first nine months of this year.
Last year THY made 3.4 trillion TL in yearly profits. /Sabah/
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