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Turkish Press Review, 98-08-07Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>07.08.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING CONCLUDESA four-day-long Supreme Military Council (YAS) meeting concluded on Thursday, after announcing the new line-up for the influential Turkish military which will take effect following the retirement of Chief of General Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi in late August. Karadayi's post is being filled by Land Forces Commander General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, while he will be succeeded by 1st Army Commander General Atilla Ates. The council members decided that Deputy Chief of General Staff General Cevik Bir be appointed as the 1st Army Commander and his vacant post will be filled by General Hilmi Ozkok, the current commander of the NATO Allied Land Forces in Southeastern Europe based in Izmir.The decisions made in the August phase of the routine biannual YAS meeting will take effect by August 30, the 76th anniversary of Victory Day. /All papers/ [02] CABINET NAMES GOVERNORSFive new governors were appointed in Cabinet meetings yesterday. According to the decisions of the cabinet, former Izmir governor Erol Cakir was appointed governor of Istanbul. Former Amasya governor Kemal Nehrozoglu was appointed to Izmir. State Minister Cavit Kavak said after the announcement that the appointments had already been approved by President Suleyman Demirel. /All papers/[03] PKK KIDNAPS MAYOR IN SOUTHEASTArmed members of the PKK terrorist organization have kidnapped the mayor of Bahcesaray district in the Southeastern province of Van, along with three other people. Mayor Naci Orhan's car was stopped last night by roadblocks set up by the PKK along an isolated road outside the district. He and three others were abducted by the terrorists, who also stole valuables from the passengers of other cars they stopped.An extensive search operation was launched later by the security forces to find the abductors and the four missing people. Troops tracking down the terrorists killed two PKK members during an exchange of gunfire. /Cumhuriyet/ [04] IMF: "TURKEY SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING STAFF MONITORING AGREEMENT"Willy Kiekens, International Monetary Fund (IMF) executive director responsible for European affairs, has indicated that Turkey has successfully implemented the Staff Monitoring Agreement without any deviations from the original plan. In a press release, Kiekens said that Turkey and the IMF signed the agreement for a period of 18 months. "Turkey has been implementing the programme in full compliance with the agreement," underlined Kiekens, adding: "Turkey had maintained a stable growth rate. Due to the credible policies adopted, the adverse affects of the crisis experienced in Asian countries did not reach Turkey. Among the developing countries, Turkey is a country that does not need financial aid from the IMF." /Milliyet-Hurriyet/[05] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UPCentral Bank foreign exchange reserves increased by $163 million between 24-31 July and reached $25.7 billion. Foreign exchange reserves, which totalled $25.548 billion on July 24, rose to $25.711 on July 31. According to data dated July 17, 1998, Turkey's international reserves amounted to $36.1 billion.Turkey repaid $75.8 million in foreign debts between 3-5 August. Foreign debts paid off since the beginning of this year totalled $6.920 billion as of August 5. /Milliyet/ [06] SCHRODER OFFERS A NEW TURKISH POLICYThe nominee for prime minister from the Social Democrat Party (SDP) for the general elections to be held in Germany on September 27 put forward a new "Turkish policy". Gerhard Schroder says that he is committed to improving Turkish-German and Turkish-EU relations. He supports "dual citizenship" rights for Turkish workers living in Germany and has criticized German xenophobia.Visiting Washington within the framework of an international tour prior to the general elections, Schroder was received by US President Bill Clinton two days ago. During the meeting at the White House, Clinton suggested that Turkey should not be excluded from the EU expansion and it is reported that Schroder noted that he would do his best regarding this issue. Schroder later delivered a speech at Georgetown University and pointed out the importance of NATO and EU expansion for European stability, and noted that Turkey was an important European partner. /Milliyet/ [07] ARMS BUILD-UP BY GREEK CYPRIOTSThe Greek Cypriot Assembly approved yesterday a draft law which increases the defense tax rate from 3 % to 4 %. The increase in the tax rate will make a contribution worth $80 million to the defense budget. It is reported that it is a message to Turkey that the Greek Cypriot Administration is determined to defend the island.Meanwhile, EU special envoy for Cyprus Sir David Hannay yesterday warned the Greek Cypriot Administration and said that they should re-consider the purchase of Russian-made S-300 missiles. Hannay made a statement on London Greek Cypriot radio yesterday and said that Britain was against the deployment of S-300 missiles on the island. Hannay noted that he did not believe that the missiles would provide security on the island and that the real way to ensure security in Cyprus was to sit at the negotiation table. Hannay stressed that an arms build-up on the island could cause a Greek-Turkish conflict. /Cumhuriyet/ [08] TURKISH FIRM WINS KAZAKH GMS LICENCETurkish Rumeli Telekom said yesterday that it had brought the licence to operate Kazakhstan's first GMS (Global System for Mobile Communications). "With a bid of $ 67.5 million, Rumeli Telekom has taken over operation of Kazakhstan's GMS network for 15 years," said Rumeli Telekom representatives. /Sabah/[09] AFSIN-ELBISTAN-B POWER STATION CONTRACT SIGNEDA contract for the construction of one of Turkey's largest energy projects, Afsin-Elbistan-B thermic power plant was signed yesterday. When it is completed it will make a 7.5 % contribution to national power needs.The power plant will be constructed by a consortium comprising the Japan Mitsubishi and Turkish GAMA and ENKA firms and will cost $1.6 billion. The power plant is expected to be completed in four years. Prime Minister Yilmaz who signed the construction contract, stated that the 55th government was taking the necessary measures to meet infrastructural needs. Construction of the power plant will start in three months. /Sabah/[10] FOREST FIRESIn a fire which broke out near Salur village in Manavgat, Antalya, 135 hectares of forest has been burnt down. Officials from the Regional Directorate for Forests said that the fire, the cause of which remains unknown, was completely put out by late evening. /Cumhuriyet/[11] TURKEY CAUTIONS US AGAINST MISSILES SALE TO GREECETurkey opposes the Pentagon's decision to sell more than one thousand Stinger missiles to Greece on the grounds that Athens has forged links with the PKK terrorist organization and that therefore these missiles could be handed over to the PKK.At the order of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkey's Washington Embassy will start contacts with US officials to halt the sale. During contacts in the Congress, the State Department and the Defense Department, Turkish officials will draw attention to relations between Athens and the PKK and formally request the US not to hand over the missiles. A high level Turkish diplomat said yesterday that there were hundres of PKK militants in a PKK camp near Athens, which has been reported by many press members. He added that no one could assure Turkey that the missiles would not be used somehow in their training sessions. /Hurriyet/ [12] TURKISH-AUSTRALIAN COOPERATION IN AWACS PURCHASETurkey and Australia will act jointly in the purchase of AWAC early warning planes. Joint bargaining will reduce the cost of the planes, experts note. Turkey has put out a bid for buying four AWACS planes, the cost of which is estimated at nearly 800 million dollars. Boeing, Northrop-Grumman, Lockheed and Raytheon are participating in the bidding. /Hurriyet/[13] TURKISH EXPORTS UPThe Turkish Exporters' Board announced yesterday that exports in July increased by 3 % when compared to the same month in 1997. Exports totalled $2 billion 350.6 million in July 1998, while it amounted $2 billion and 281 million in July 1997. Increase in the period from January to July runs at 6.2 % when compared to the corresponding period last year. Over the past seven months exports total $15 billion 984.1 million. Leading export industries include textiles, automotives and electrics-electronics. /Hurriyet/[14] AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY EXPORTSExports by the Turkish automotives sector and related industries increased 13.7 % during the January-July 1998 over the previous year, reaching a total of $996.2 million, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Tyres and spare parts accounted for $618.8 million of the sector's total exports, according to a report published by the Uludag Exporters' Association. The report further indicates that exports of tractors doubled during the same period.[15] VALUE ADDED TAX REDUCED FOR TOURISM SECTORThe Council of Ministers has agreed that value added tax will be fixed at 15 % for the tourism sector. Previously, various rates of up to 23 %, have been applied in the tourism sector. /Hurriyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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