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Turkish Press Review, 98-02-24
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
24.02.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] NEW VIRTUE PARTY GROUP IN PARLIAMENT
[02] ANKARA WELCOMES UN-IRAQ DEAL
[03] TURKEY EXPANDING ECONOMIC HORIZONS IN CHINA, VIETNAM
[04] FORMER RP DEPUTIES WILL FACE TRIAL
[05] MOTORWAYS DIRECTORS MEET IN ANKARA
[06] TURKISH MARKETS SHARPLY BOOSTED BY IRAQ DEAL
[07] OIL PRICES TO BE INDEXED WITH WORLD OIL PRICES
[08] THY COOPERATION BREAKTHROUGH
[09] TURKEY RANKS FIRST IN AN INCREASE IN NUMBER OF TOURISTS
[10] MALAYSIAN MINISTER IN ISTANBUL
[11] ELEKDAG IN NEW YORK TIMES
[12] TURKISH MUSICIAN NOMINEE FOR A GRAMMY
[01] NEW VIRTUE PARTY GROUP IN PARLIAMENT
Forty-one deputies of the now-defunct Welfare Party (RP) joined
the Virtue Party (FP) on Monday, thus enabling this new party to form
a parliamentary group. A Constitutional Court ruling, detailing its
justification for the closure of the Welfare Party (RP), was published
in the Official Gazette on Sunday, putting an end to the RP's
14-year-old political life. /All papers/
[02] ANKARA WELCOMES UN-IRAQ DEAL
Turkey welcomed yesterday the deal over weapons inspections which
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan closed in Baghdad, and signaled it
would engage in regional cooperation for a permanent solution to the
crisis with Iraq. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said he would visit
Jordan on Thursday to propose regional cooperation for a permanent
solution, noting: "Turkey welcomes the agreement between Iraq and UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan". In a press conference yesterday, Cem
also gave a message to the whole world, saying that it was the time to
ease the embargo on Iraq.
Cem commented that Turkey had brought its own "modest, but unique
approach to the crisis", bringing to mind his own diplomatic effort to
diffuse the crisis in Baghdad. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also
affirmed cautiously, "Turkey would be on the top of the list of
countries that would be most happy if the crisis were over", noting
that the deal was a great relief for Turkey. /Milliyet/
[03] TURKEY EXPANDING ECONOMIC HORIZONS IN CHINA, VIETNAM
In line with its Silk Road 2000 project, which aims to strengthen
Turkey's presence in the Far East, Turkey had laid the foundations for
broader cooperation with China and Vietnam. Foreign Minister Ismail
Cem, who completed a trip to China and Vietnam last week, held a press
conference on Monday, and evaluated the results of the high-level
contacts he made in the two countries. Emphasizing that the political
groundwork for further improvement in economic and political ties with
China and Vietnam had been laid during his meetings, Cem said that
Turkey had decided to increase mutual imports and exports, and
undertake joint investment projects with China and Vietnam.
Cem said that these developments will enhance Turkey's role in
the international arena and help to accelerate the Foreign Ministry's
Silkroad 2000 project. Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan were
the next Far Eastern countries with which Turkey will seek more
intensive contacts, he added. /Hurriyet/
[04] FORMER RP DEPUTIES WILL FACE TRIAL
Ankara State Security Court Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel announced
yesterday that a case will be filed against former Welfare Party (RP)
deputy Sevki Yilmaz. The prosecutor will demand capital punishment
for Yilmaz for his activities against the Constitution and gainst
secular democratic order. The parliamentary status of Yilmaz has been
terminated in line with Constitutional Court decisions. /Sabah/
[05] MOTORWAYS DIRECTORS MEET IN ANKARA
President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and
Housing Minister Yasar Topcu attended a meeting of the directors of
the motorways 48th region which was held in Ankara on Monday. In his
opening speech Demirel recomended that the government prepare a master
transportation programme without delay. Housing Minister Yasar Topcu
said they were preparing a plan to rent out motorways to private
sector administration for periods of ten years, adding that the
ministry was trying to overcome the finance problem by applying the
build-operate-transfer (BOT) model to transportation projects.
/Sabah/
[06] TURKISH MARKETS SHARPLY BOOSTED BY IRAQ DEAL
Turkish shares jumped nearly 10 percent on Monday morning as the
Middle East's largest market gave an enthusiastic welcome to the new
accord between the United Nations and Baghdad on weapons inspections,
brokers said. The agreement secured by U.N. Secretary-General Kofi
Annan also sparked a buying spree on the bond market, sending yields
tumbling by more than five percentage points. The rush of optimism
was reflected in trading volume, which climbed 50 percent to 33.5
trillion lira ($ 147 million) from 22.3 trillion on Friday morning.
/Milliyet/
[07] OIL PRICES TO BE INDEXED WITH WORLD OIL PRICES
The Cabinet yesterday decided to index oil prices with world oil
prices as from May. Giving details about the decisions taken in the
cabinet, State Minister and Government Spokesman Sukru Sina Guven said
that an indexed oil price mechanism would be set up to avoid price
increases for a limited period. /Hurriyet/
[08] THY COOPERATION BREAKTHROUGH
Turkish Airlines (THY) General Director Yusuf Bolayirli noted
yesterday that following Swissair, they had signed a letter of
"strategic intent" with Belgium Airlines (Sabena) and Austrian
Airlines. Bolayirli said that their aim was to schedule flights to
more places, reduce the cost and offer more alternatives to
passengers. In a press conference, Bolayirli stated that the new
agreements were completely commercial and did not envisage
integration. /Milliyet/
[09] TURKEY RANKS FIRST IN AN INCREASE IN NUMBER OF TOURISTS
Turkey ranks first in an increase in the number of tourists
coming to Turkey, when figures for 1997 are compared to 1996 and ranks
18th in the list of tourism income increases. According to details
published in Le Figaro newspaper, Turkey earned $7 billion from
tourism last year. /Milliyet/
[10] MALAYSIAN MINISTER IN ISTANBUL
Malaysian Minister for International Trade and Industry, Seri
Rafidah Aziz, will arrive in Turkey today to make contacts. Aziz,
accompanied by a 20-person delegation, will first visit Istanbul and
then proceed on to Ankara. The Malaysian Minister is expected to meet
with Turkish businessmen and industrialists. /Milliyet/
[11] ELEKDAG IN NEW YORK TIMES
The views of Turkey's former Ambassador to Washington, Sukru
Elekdag, regarding the recent Gulf crisis, have been given wide
coverage in the New York Times newspaper. An article written by
Stephen Kinzer, New York Times correspondent in Turkey, gives coverage
to Elekdag's views on the effects of a possible operation against
Iraq. Elekdag is quoted as saying that the US should be patient, and
notes that there was no indication that the situation was urgent, or
that Saddam Hussein would use weapons. /Milliyet/
[12] TURKISH MUSICIAN NOMINEE FOR A GRAMMY
For the first time, a Turkish musician has been putforward as a
candidate for a Grammy, which is the highest music award in the world.
Mustafa Gundogdu (30) will compete with four other candidates in "Best
Remixer" sessions in New York tomorrow. /Milliyet/
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