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Turkish Press Review, 98-08-31Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>31.08.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] VICTORY DAY CELEBRATED NATIONWIDEVictory Day and Turkish Armed Forces Day were celebrated nationwide, in embassies abroad and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday. The official ceremonies began yesterday with the laying of a wreath at Ataturk's Mausoleum in Anitkabir. Chief of General Staff Gen.Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Land Forces Commander Gen.Atilla Ates, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Salim Dervisoglu, Air Forces Commander Gen.Ilhan Kilic, Gendarmery Forces Commander Gen.Rasim Betir, General Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) Gen.Ergin Celasin and other top generals and military school students attended the ceremony in Anitkabir.The Chief of General Staff and the three commanders received politicians in their offices. Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Chairman of Virtue Party (FP) Recai Kutan, Head of the Constitutional Court Necdet Sezer, chiefs of the higher judicial organs, Deputy Prime Minister Ismet Sezgin and other representatives from the political parties visited the General Staff headquarters yesterday. President Suleyman Demirel, in his Victory Day message, stated that whatever the conditions, the Turkish nation would work miracles and write the legends of history whenever the liberation, freedom and unification of its lands were in danger. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz in his message described the August 30 victory as a monument to the freedom and sovereignty of the Turkish nation. [02] CEM VISITING TRNCForeign Minister Ismail Cem is paying a one-day official visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today. Cem will take part in a joint press conference with TRNC President Rauf Denktas. Representatives of the local and foreign press will be able to cover the meeting, the Anatolia news agency reported. The Greek Cypriot press claimed that Cem's visit was closely linked to the current dispute on the island, just as political attempts to solve the dispute will intensify in the coming days. The visit follows a statement by Cem that Turkey would not change its attitude on the upcoming delivery of the Russian-made long-range anti-aircraft missiles to the Greek Cypriot Administration.Meanwhile, a ship towing a 20,000 cubic-meter water balloon set out on Sunday for the TRNC, arriving there on Monday. The water is expected to meet the drinking water needs of the city of Famagusta (Gazimagosa) as well as the Turkish section of Nicosia (Lefkosa). [03] TURKEY PLEDGES $29.5 MLN IN LOANS, GRANTS TO BOSNIADeputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who returned from his one-day Bosnia-Herzegovina trip on Sunday promised a total of $29.5 million to Bosnian authorities in loans and grants, the Anatolia news agency reported. Ecevit also attended a ceremony marking the Victory Day celebrations held by the Turkish brigade stationed in the town of Zenica as part of the multi-national peacekeeping force. Ecevit, who met in Sarajevo with President Alija Izzetbegovic and Muslim-Croat Federation President Ejup Ganic, held a press conference with co-premier Haris Sladzic over the weekend. Ecevit told reporters that Ankara prepared an aid package to help to heal the wounds of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which survived a three-year-long bloody civil war in late 1995. A $4 million portion of the package will be used as a loan to improve the federation's aircraft carrier, the Airbosnia.In addition, $10 million will be granted to the government for reconstruction of damaged buildings in various populated areas. The grant will be used to repair the Mostar Bridge, a remnant of Ottoman-era architecture that was shelled during the civil war, as well as for the repair and reconstruction of 850 residences damaged in the war. Ecevit attended Turkich Victory Day celebrations in Zenica yesterday, the last day of his trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The celebrations were held by the Turkish peacekeeping forces stationed in the town. [04] BILISIM '98 FAIRMore than 100,000 people are expected to attend one of the most exciting and challenging events to be held in Istanbul in September. It is the Bilisim '98 Fair, opening on September 2 and ending on September 6. This is an exhibition that includes displays of the latest communications products, educational seminars, speeches by leaders in the communications and cyber fields and demonstrations of the latest equipment and software. Bilisim '98 is the eighth largest information and communications technology fair in Europe and the biggest in the Middle East. /All papers/[05] SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENTS IN TRNCEconomy Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Erdal Onurhan said yesterday that a series of agreements signed between Turkey and the TRNC would establish structural balance in TRNC economy. Noting that half of TRNC imports were from Turkey, Onurhan noted that there was a union of monetary and trade between the two countries and added that they aimed to integrate the two markets at the first stage. He stated that an agreement signed between Turkey and the TRNC would provide state incentives for entrepreneurs, who will make investments in the TRNC. /Milliyet/[06] KINKEL CANCELS HIS VISIT TO TURKEYGerman Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel noted that he would not be able to pay a visit to Turkey because of his intensive election campaign programme. General elections will be held on September 27 in Germany. Kinkel pointed out the importance of voters of Turkish origin living in Germany and added that they exerted great efforts to gain their votes. /Milliyet/[07] FOREST FIRE IN BLACK SEA REGION130 hectares of forest near Sinop in the Western Black Sea region, burned up following a fire which started three days ago and was extinguished yesterday. /Sabah/[08] SECURITY FORCES CLASH WITH PKKOne soldier died over the weekend during a clash with PKK terrorists near the southeastern city of Bayburt. PKK terrorists also launched rockets into a village near Saray, a district in the eastern Anatolia the previous night, wounding two village guards. /Sabah/[09] BARZANI FORCES ATTACK PKKThe Voice of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party broadcast that the forces belong to Mesut Barzani had launched a cleansing operation against the PKK in northern Iraq. 15 PKK terrorists have so far been killed during the operation. /Sabah/[10] CIS BUSINESSMEN IN TURKEYSolutions are searched for the recently decreasing suitcase trade which entered an uncertain period with the devaluation of ruble in Russia. Businessmen from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have been invited to Istanbul within the framework of a promotion campaign started by Ileri Marketing and Fair organization. The first delegation came from Kazakhstan. Bilateral meetings are being held with businessmen dealing in various fields differing from textiles to foodstuff, computers to jewelry. Ileri marketing is organizing Expo-98 Turkish Export Products' Fair in the bonded warehouses belonging to Turkish Maritime Management. /Sabah/[11] A DRASTIC FALL IN STOCK EXCHANGEThe Istanbul Stock Exchange index which has recently been in a downward trend is entering the week with new great losses. News coming from Russia and domestic market dynamics will determine the direction of monetary markets this week. It will be seen how effective the measures announced by the government to counter the crisis will be. The government will take additional measures if necessary, so it could be considered as a guarantee for investors. /Sabah/[12] GAZIANTEP FRIGATE IN PORTSMOUTHGaziantep Frigate which attended the International Naval Festival in Portsmouth, Britain was the centre of attention of the visitors because it was equipped with modern war technology and distinguished crew. Commander of the Royal Navy Forces Admiral Jock Slater was among those visiting the frigate. Admiral Slater praised the discipline of the crew and journalists were surprised to find all crew members speaking another language fluently other than their own. /Sabah/[13] UN REPORT ON 'GIVING BIRTH AT AN EARLY AGE'A UN report on "Giving Birth at an Early Age" stated that throughout the world, birth rate among women 15-19 years of age was 0.65%, whereas this figure fell to 0.43% in Turkey. According to these figures Turkey is one of the states placing below average. /Sabah/[14] TURKS, ENGINE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMYAccording to a report of the Turkish Research Centre, the total investments made by Turkish enterprises have reached DM 11.8 billion within the European Union countries. Within the borders of the EU countries their total endorsement is announced as DM 50 billion. The report revealed that Turks were the most important economic power of the union. As of the end of 1997 the number of employers working in Turkish companies have increased to 257,000. It is also reported that Turks contributed with an average of DM 33,000 to the Gross National Product (GNP) of Germany, the Netherlands, France, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Austria and Sweden. /Hurriyet/[15] GERMANY TO BE OBSERVER IN BSECGermany wants to be an observer in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). According to a bulletin issued by the German Embassy in Ankara, it is reported that Turkey supported Germany's request. It is also announced that the BSEC would vote for Germany's request in October. /Hurriyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |