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Turkish Press Review, 98-10-07Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>07.10.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] "WE ARE NOT BLUFFING"During talks yesterday with Egyptian Head of State Husnu Mubarek, Turkish government officials made it clear that Turkey was not bluffing when it comes to having Syria toe the line in connection with supporting PKK terrorism. The basic message that Turkey is sending to Damascus is that Syria has the choice of handing PKK leader Abdullah "Apo" Ocalan over to Turkey, or risk getting involved in a "serious confrontation."Making it clear that Syria has to stop supporting the PKK in its efforts to destabilize the eastern regions of the country or face the consequences, Turkish government officials have warned Mubarek that Syria has been given the last warnings. Mubarek, in Turkey to try and reduce tensions, will convey Turkey's final demands to Syrian Head of State Hafiz Esad who is known to be behind many of the recent PKK sabotage attempts in Turkey. Although Syria appears to have been determined to face things out with Turkey, there are signs that cracks are appearing in the Syrian front. The Syrian Defence Minister and top military representatives have called for a "review" of Syria's ties with the PKK. In the meantime, more Turkish secret service reports demonstrate that the PKK has been heavily involved in a number of fairly recent attacks in Turkey, including the big explosion at the MKE munitions plant in Kirikkale a few months back. The Washington administration has again declared that it has warned Syria many times about its support for PKK terrorism. One US general said yesterday that Turkey has endured enough of Syrian supported terrorism and that Turkish forces could effectively wipe Syria out should push come to shove. Meanwhile Turkish military forces are active all the way from Antakya down to the borders with Syria. Today the Turkish parliament will meet to complete the process of giving the government the power to resort to acting against Syria by using whatever means it deems necessary. /All papers/ [02] WASHINGTON: "TERRORISTS ARE SHELTERED IN SYRIA"The US administration wants a diplomatic solution to the crisis between Turkey and Syria. The spokesman for US Secretary of State, James Rubin, said yesterday that they were anxious about the crisis and added that they had at various times warned Syria not to support the PKK.Deputy spokesman of the Secretary of State, James Foley, said for his part that both Turkey and Syria should allow time for a diplomatic solution. He added that Syria should not give shelter to the leaders of the PKK which America has announced it as a terrorist organization. /Sabah/Milliyet/ [03] GREECE ANXIOUS ABOUT TURCO-SYRIA CRISISThe Greek Foreign Ministry believes that a possible clash between Turkey and Syria will have great importance for them. Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said: "Turkey is our ally, Syria is our friend. Because of this we hope that the problem will be solved through peaceful means." The Greek administration stressed that a war between Turkey and Syria will negatively effect the whole region. /Sabah/[04] "TURKEY WILL BE A LEADER IN COMPETITION"In his closing speech at the 1st International Competition Symposium Chairman of the Competition Board, Prof. Aydin Ayaydin said that Turkey will start efforts to form a World Competition Board. He added that although competition laws were very new in Turkey, Turkey will be a world in this area. Ayaydin noted Turkish competition laws were in harmony with other laws of this kind in other countries.In a written message to the participants read out during closing ceremony of the meeting President Suleyman Demirel said that the more the competition with the world, the better Turkey could realise its dreams. /Sabah/ [05] EU CALLS ON TURKEY TO JOIN EUROPEAN CONFERENCEThe first gathering of the foreign ministers of the European Conference countries ended in Luxembourg on Tuesday with renewed appeals to Turkey to reconsider its decision not to take part in the conference. The European Union (EU) Commission is currently in the process of outlining new proposals aimed at thawing the chilly atmosphere between Ankara and the EU. The package of proposals is expected to be made public and presented to the EU Council shortly. Referring to this package and President Suleyman Demirel's upcoming visit to Austria, Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schussel of Austria, the EU term president, said," The commission will put forward concrete proposals to improve relations with Turkey. We hope that we will have the opportunity to discuss them with the Turkish president." He added that Turkey was seen as a full membership candidate by the Union. /Hurriyet/[06] ISTANBUL CHAMBER OF TRADE (ITO) TO BOYCOTT ITALYThe Istanbul Chamber of Trade (ITO) became has joined the many institutions reacting against the Italian government which permitted the separatist PKK terrorist organisation to hold a meeting recently under the roof of the Italian parliament. ITO has decided to boycott a trade conference in Messina,Italy on 22-23 October, although ITO representatives were invited as guest speakers at the conference./Hurriyet/[07] TURKISH ADMINISTRATOR FOR TRADE GIANTSFormer Chairman of the Turkish Foreign Trade Association (Turktrade) Onol Akalın, has been elected to the vice presidency of the International Foreign Trade Associations Confederation (CITHA).Representatives from 13 countries participated in the CITHA general council meeting in Vienna on 26-29 September and discussed improvement in trade with Central and Eastern Europe. Following the general council meeting, the CITHA Administrative Board held elections for the vacant seats. Onol Akalın and Italian Foreign Trade Association Chairman C. Rotti were elected vice-presidents./Hurriyet/[08] GREEK-CYPRIOTS TO OPEN HOSPITAL FOR PKKSyria which shelters the PKK in its territory is in close cooperation with the Greek Cypriots. Terrorists are staying at the invitation of the Greek Cypriot Administration to boost up their morale, and those wounded are given treatment. A group of Greek Cypriot physicians led by Eleni Theoharu known as PKK Leader Ocalan's close friend, have initiated the foundation of a hospital on the Syrian-Iraqi border for the terrorist organisation. The hospital will serve the militants of the terrorist organisation. /Hurriyet/[09] US FOUNDATION PREPARES REPORT ON S_300A report prepared by the world-famous US Heritage Foundation, a think-tank organization, declares that Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missiles planned to be deployed by the Greek Cyprus Administration, could threaten Turkey. It says that the tension between Greece and Turkey, which are both NATO members, was heightened by the announcement of the purchase of the missiles. The report, which underlines that Turkey has carried out trials for destroying the missiles, says that Turkey will not lessen its reaction against the Greek Cypriots. The report also calls on the US not to allow Russia to split NATO and use Cyprus as a "spy base". /Cumhuriyet/[10] ENKA, INTERGEN TO IMPLEMENT PROJECTS IN TURKEYENKA holding of Turkey and its US partner Intergen will sign an agreement on October 8, for extensive private and foreign capital investment in Turkey. The two companies will implement a project for constructing three natural gas power stations in Gebze, Adapazarı and Izmir, which will meet a high percentage of Turkey's electricity needs. Construction will be completed in four years. /Milliyet/[11] DOCUMENTARY FOR TURKEYUS film producer Richard S. Greenberg has started working on a documentary narrating how the Turkish Government and diplomats rescued Jews from the Nazi holocaust during the Second World War. Richard Greenberg who states that the documentary called "Crescent-Moon, David's Star" was being prepared with the help of many Turkish, American and Jewish historians, said, "I spoke with Teddy Kollek who was the mayor of Jerusalem for many years about this and he mentioned that he had worked in the organisation "Jewish Agency" in Istanbul. Turks and Jews were two holes in the undestructable death wall built by the Nazis." Greenberg whose documentary on the Pope, "Journey to America" was found worthy of many awards including the Emmy, has contacted with Dustin Hoffman and Jeremy Irons for the narration of the film./Hurriyet/[12] INCREASE IN IMKB TRADINGIstanbul Stock Exchange trading increased to 1.66 percent and the index jumped to 1.923 points yesterday. Daily transection volume pushed up to TL 44 trillion. Finance experts said that slight improvement in European markets was being reflected in Turkish finance circle. /Sabah/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |