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Turkish Press Review, 98-02-20
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
20.02.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL MEETS WITH CHIRAC
[02] CEM URGES KLERIDES TO BE PRUDENT
[03] ECEVIT CLARIFIES IRAQ SITUATION
[04] FOREIGN MINISTRY AND US DELEGATIONS VISIT GAP
[05] BOND EXPORTS WORTH $400 MILLION
[06] AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN TURKEY AND RUSSIA
[07] ALBRIGHT TELLS CEM: "WE WILL TAKE ACTION"
[08] NEW RUNWAY FOR ATATURK AIRPORT
[09] MINISTER BASESGIOGLU: CAKICI NOT CAUGHT
[10] TATAR DELEGATION IN TURKEY
[11] NO CHANGE IN GREEK ATTITUDES
[12] WELFARE PARTY LOSES ITS CASE
[01] DEMIREL MEETS WITH CHIRAC
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, who went to Paris yesterday for
a two-day official visit, met with his French counterpart Jacques
Chirac. Presidential spokesman Catherine Collana said after the
one-hour and 45 minute meeting of the two presidents that the main issue
of discussions had been bilateral relations as well as Turco-European
Union (EU) ties. Demirel stressed that Europe was not a geographic zone
but a combination of values in which Turkey had its place. Chirac, for
his part, indicated that the Luxembourg summit had confirmed Turkey's
eligibility to be a member of the EU. The two presidents were scheduled
to continue their talks, most notably on Iraq during their dinner, she
said.
"My conviction is that Turkey should come to the European
Conference and be an active member because this conference is the family
meeting of Europe" Chirac was quoted as saying at the start of Demirel's
visit. President Demirel, accompanied by a large delegation, was
welcomed at Orly Airport by President Chirac himself. After national
athems and military honors, Demirel, after a brief stop at his hotel,
rejoined Chirac in the Elysee Palace. For the rest of the day,
President Demirel received various French ministers -the Minister of
Economy, the Minister of Reform of State and Decentralization and the
Minister of European Affairs. He then went to the French Institute for
International Relations (IFRI) where he delivered a speech. /All
papers/
[02] CEM URGES KLERIDES TO BE PRUDENT
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who is on an official visit to
China, said yesterday that "Klerides, who is on the last leg of his
political career, may at least now be more prudent in his attitudes".
Cem stated that Turkey would maintain its current stance on the Cyprus
problem if a federation based on two equal states is not established on
the island.
He criticized the current UN solution proposals for "not being
realistic". Stressing that according to international law, a federation
cannot be formed between a state and a community, he said, "There is no
need for imaginary objectives and imaginary accusations". /Milliyet/
[03] ECEVIT CLARIFIES IRAQ SITUATION
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday that a
parliamentary decision was necessary for Turkey's support of a possible
US attack against Iraq. He continued by stating that no discussion had
taken place to date between Turkey and the US concerning Ankara's
participation in a possible military strike. "We have received no such
demand up to the present time and we hope we will not receive one in the
future" Ecevit said. /All papers/
[04] FOREIGN MINISTRY AND US DELEGATIONS VISIT GAP
An 11-member Turkish Foreign Ministry and American delegation
arrived in the southeastern Sanliurfa province on Wednesday to make
contacts and tour the Southeast Anatolia Project Region (GAP). The
five-member Foreign Ministry and the six-member American delegations
were welcomed by officials from the GAP Regional Development
Administration at Sanliurfa Airport. The Turkish-American delegations
first visited the Ataturk Dam near the Bozova district of Sanliurfa.
The delegation, which examined the irrigation tunnel and the areas under
irrigation, also visited historical and touristic sites in Sanliurfa
yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported.
[05] BOND EXPORTS WORTH $400 MILLION
Turkey has sold seven-year term bonds worth $400 million in the
Eurobond market within the framework of a foreign debt programme. The
interest rate in debts realized via JP Morgan and Salomon Smith Barney
has been put at 9.875 %. /Milliyet/
[06] AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN TURKEY AND RUSSIA
A "Blue Flow" project on Turkey's purchase of natural gas from
Russia was initialled yesterday in Moscow. An agreement was signed
between the Russian Stroytangaz and Turkish Hazinedaroglu and Oztas
firms. Turkish Energy Minister Cumhur Ersumer and State Minister Burhan
Kara also attended the signing ceremony. With the agreement signed
yesterday, the first concrete step was taken for the purchase of more
natural gas supplies, which will be transported from Russia to Turkey
through the pipelines under the Black Sea. /Milliyet/
[07] ALBRIGHT TELLS CEM: "WE WILL TAKE ACTION"
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright yesterday telephoned
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who is currently paying an official
visit to China. Albright requested details about Turkey's stance on the
Iraq problem. Albright stressed that if UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan's visit to Baghdad fails, the US will take action. Cem declared
that Turkey was doing its best to avoid a war, but added that
nevertheless Turkey was an ally of the US. Cem also said that he
trusted that Kofi Annan would find a solution to the Iraq problem. Cem
added that if conditions were suitable on 26 February, he will visit
Jordan. /Milliyet/
[08] NEW RUNWAY FOR ATATURK AIRPORT
The construction of a third runway, which will increase the
landing-departure capacity of Ataturk Airport in Istanbul was begun with
a ceremony yesterday. Minister of Communications and Transport, Necdet
Menzir, State Minister Ahad Andican, Istanbul Governor Kutlu Aktas,
Security Chief Hasan Ozdemir and high-level officials from the Airports
Administration attended the ceremony. /Sabah/
[09] MINISTER BASESGIOGLU: CAKICI NOT CAUGHT
Minister of the Interior Murat Basesgioglu said that reports about
the arrest of wanted Turkish underworld figure Alaattin Cakici on the
Spanish-French border were unfounded. Basesgioglu added that France and
Spain have officially notified Turkey that Cakici has not been caught.
/Cumhuriyet/
[10] TATAR DELEGATION IN TURKEY
A Tatar delegation headed by Tatar Parliament Speaker Mustafa
Abdulcemil Kirimoglu is paying an official visit to Turkey. The
delegation met yesterday with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent
Ecevit and National Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin. Ecevit pledged to
bring the issue of Crimean citizens' rights to the Council of Ministers.
/Cumhuriyet/
[11] NO CHANGE IN GREEK ATTITUDES
Greece has again asserted that it will not make any changes in its
current policies regarding Turkey, despite Ankara's recent initiative
for rapprochement through bilateral talks on the Aegean disputes, the
Anatolia news agency reported. "There is no reason why Greece should
change its policies regarding Turkey" Greek government spokesman Dimitri
Reppas told a press briefing on Wednesday.
[12] WELFARE PARTY LOSES ITS CASE
A Constitutional Court majority vote yesterday cancelled article
103 paragraph 2 of the law regulating the activities of political
parties, which is in contradiction to Article 69 of the Constitution
which justifies the closure of parties acting against the principles of
secular government, thereby removing the advantage of the Welfare Party
hoped to gain before making application to International Court of Human
Rights where the party plans to seek the right to political activity.
The decision will be put into effect after being published in the
Official Gazette. /Hurriyet/
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