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Turkish Press Review, 98-10-13
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
13.10.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] "A CONCRETE MESSAGE FROM DAMASCUS"
[02] "TURKEY IS DETERMINED"
[03] BALKAN LEADERS IN ANTALYA
[04] YILMAZ-SIMITIS MEETING IN ANTALYA
[05] DRUG OPERATION
[06] TURKISH-FRENCH COOPERATION FOR GAP
[07] TURKEY: A SHOPPING CENTRE
[08] IMF DELEGATION IN ANKARA
[09] TURKISH-IRISH BUSINESSS COUNCIL
[10] FIRST TURKISH MAYOR IN WESTERN THRACE
[11] FOREIGN PRESS INTERESTED IN TURKEY
[12] CONFERENCE IN LAUSANNE
[13] TURKISH STRAITS NOT TO BE USED FOR OIL TRANSPORTATION
[14] COOPERATION IN HEALTH
[15] SAYGIN AND AYKUT IN SOFIA
[16] FRENCH CAMPANIES IN ISTANBUL
[17] INCREASE IN STOCK EXCHANGE
[18] FRENCH SHIP IN ANTALYA
[19] "APO IS NOT IN ARMENIA"
[01] "A CONCRETE MESSAGE FROM DAMASCUS"
Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa came yesterday to Ankara to
convey a message from Syria. President Suleyman Demirel, who
received Moussa at the Cankaya Palace, said that Egyptian Foreign
Minister had brought a "concrete message from Damascus" adding
that Ankara would consider the message.
Later on in the day, Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem met with
his Egyptian counterpart in Ankara. Cem expressed his thanks to
Egypt for her efforts to defuse the ongoing crisis between Turkey
and Syria. After the three-hour meeting foreign ministers gave a
joint press brief. Cem said that Ankara was in favour of peace
with Damascus. He added that Syria had begun acting in line with
Turkey's sensitivities on Damascus' links with Kurdish
separatists. Moussa said for his part that he hoped Ankara would
be satisfied with the talks. /All papers/
[02] "TURKEY IS DETERMINED"
London-based MBC television channel which is broadcasting in
Arabic reported depending on Egyptian Foreign Ministry that
Turkey's determination forced Syria to meet the requests of
Ankara. Egyptian Foreign Ministry officials said that Damascus
was ready to give information to Ankara about the terrorist
activities along the Turco-Syrian border and start diplomatic
talks with Ankara. The report added that Damascus also wanted a
Turco-Syrian summit to be organized at the end of this year.
/Sabah/
[03] BALKAN LEADERS IN ANTALYA
The leaders of the Balkan countries gathered yesterday in
Antalya. Speaking at the opening session of the summit Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz expressed deep concern with the situation
in Kosovo. Stressing that he was personally in contact with
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Yilmaz called on the
Serbian leader to clear the obstacles in the way of dialogue
between the parties in Kosovo conflict and abide by the UN
Security Council resolutions on the issue.
Today the seven participant countries - Turkey, Macedonia,
Albania, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece - are expected
to adopt a joint decleration on the results of the summit. /All
papers/
[04] YILMAZ-SIMITIS MEETING IN ANTALYA
Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Greek Prime Minister
Costas Simitis, who are attending Balkan summit in Antalya, had a
face-to-face meeting yesterday. Turkey's concern with the support
given to terrorist activities, Cyprus issue and other regional
problems were some of the topics discussed by Turkish and Greek
prime ministers. Yilmaz stressed at the meeting that PKK was a
separatist terrorist organizations and asked Greece not to
support and give shelter to PKK. Yilmaz also suggested that a
dialogue process be started between Turkey and Greece which was
refused by Simitis. /Hurriyet/
[05] DRUG OPERATION
During operations carried out by security forces in the
Gogsuguzel village of Aksaray, 5.5 kilograms of hashish were
seized yesterday. One person was arrested regarding the incident,
the Anatolia news agency reports.
[06] TURKISH-FRENCH COOPERATION FOR GAP
A delegation headed by Cyrille Van Bouyeure, Director of the
Rural Areas and Forests of the Agriculture and Fishing Ministry
of France arrived in Sanliurfa yesterday to make observations in
the Southeast Anatolian Project (GAP). The French delegation and
Hasan Sahin Cengiz, Deputy Undersecretary of Turkish Agriculture
and Village Affairs Ministry were welcomed by officials from the
Regional Directorate of GAP Development Administration.
/Hurriyet/
[07] TURKEY: A SHOPPING CENTRE
Head of the International Shopping Centres' Association, John
Riordan, said yesterday that Istanbul was like the US from the
standpoint of shopping centres. Riordan added: "There are many
shopping centres in the Middle East and Balkan countries. However
Turkey and especially Istanbul is highly developed regarding this
issue". Riordan noted that the shopping centres he visited in
Turkey were very successful. /Hurriyet/
[08] IMF DELEGATION IN ANKARA
An International Monetary Fund (IMF)-delegation headed by chief
of Turkey-Desk Martin Hardy arrived in Ankara yesterday. The
delegation will meet with high-level bureaucrats related to the
Turkish economy. IMF Executive Director Willy Kiekens is expected
to participate in the second part of the meetings to be held by
the IMF delegation in Ankara. It is reported that the delegation
will leave Turkey on October 26. /Hurriyet/
[09] TURKISH-IRISH BUSINESSS COUNCIL
The Turkish-Irish Business Council evaluated bilateral relations
between the two countries during a meeting in Istanbul yesterday.
It was pointed out during the meeting that economic and political
relations between Turkey and Ireland were further increasing. It
is also reported that the Irish Republic will open an Embassy in
Ankara. In addition to co-chairmen of the Council, Dr.Celik Arsel
and Michael Hannon, Irish State Minister responsible for
agriculture and food, Noel Davern, and Turkish Ambassador to
Dublin, Murat Ersavci, delivered speeches during the meeting.
/Hurriyet/
[10] FIRST TURKISH MAYOR IN WESTERN THRACE
During local elections in Greece, one of the nominees competing
to be a mayor in four regions in Western Thrace received more
than 50 % of the votes and won the election. Thus a Turk became a
mayor for the first time. Hasan Hakki Kasif, who received more
than 50 % of the votes in Sirkeli of the Komotini (Gumulcine)
district of Greece, won the election and became the mayor. Other
Turkish nominees competing in three regions will attend the
second round of the elections to be held on Sunday. /Hurriyet/
[11] FOREIGN PRESS INTERESTED IN TURKEY
The foreign press was highly interested in Turkey during the
January-September period of this year. According to information
obtained from the promotion bureaus of the Tourism Ministry,
while a total 989 foreign newspapers and magazines devoted 1,501
pages to Turkey during the January-September period, foreign
radio and television stations broadcast nine programmes regarding
Turkey during the same period this year. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] CONFERENCE IN LAUSANNE
A conference on the "Turkish Republic from 1923 to 2023: Our
Heritage, Our Today and Future" organized by the European
Association of Turkish Academics (EATA) within the framework of
the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the foundation of
the Turkish Republic will be held on October 16-17 in Lausanne.
Many noted people in politics, science, business and media from
Turkey and Eastern European countries are expected to attend the
conference during which perspectives regarding the future of
Turkey will be evaluated. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] TURKISH STRAITS NOT TO BE USED FOR OIL TRANSPORTATION
President Suleyman Demirel yesterday stated that the only secure
way to transport Caspian oil was through Baku-Ceyhan pipeline and
Turkey would not allow Straits to be used as a passage way for
oil. Replying to criticisms against the Turkish stance, President
Demirel said: "There is no alternative to Baku-Ceyhan pipeline.
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey are determined on this point.
Caspian oil cannot pass through the Bosphorous, it is impossible.
Let us use Turkey's ports in the Mediterranean. The world has to
accept this proposal."
Speaking at the "12th International Petroleum Council", Demirel
said that the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline was one of the leading
projects for peace and prosperity. Demirel added that it was
virtually impossible to carry 50 million tonnes of oil through
the Straits. Therefore the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline would replace the
Straits, he noted. /Cumhuriyet/
[14] COOPERATION IN HEALTH
To include other countries to the cooperation between Turkey and
Japan in the fields of information, education and communications
carried out for 10 years, a programme on "Audio-Visiual
Communication" has been started. Minister of Health Halil Ibrahim
Ozsoy noted that Turkey had begun to extend aid to other
countries although it was the one getting it a short time ago.
Ozsoy said that this was a good development. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] SAYGIN AND AYKUT IN SOFIA
State Minister Isilay Saygin and Environment Minister Imren Aykut
attended working-group meetings held within the framework of
the conference titled "Woman in the 21st Century" in Sofia.
Saygin said at the meeting that women should be organized to be
effective in the administration of their countries. Aykut made a
peace call asking women to prevent arms sales to the regions
where clashes were going on. /Sabah/
[16] FRENCH CAMPANIES IN ISTANBUL
French Foreign Trade Minister, M.Jacques Dondoux and a French
delegation including representatives of French firms and
journalists visited the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's
Association (TUSIAD) yesterday. Chairman of TUSIAD, Muharrem
Kayhan said that they exchanged views on recent economic,
political and social developments in the world with their guests
from France. /Sabah/
[17] INCREASE IN STOCK EXCHANGE
Istanbul Stock Exchange started the week with an increase.
Positive atmosphere in American, European and Far Eastern stock
exchanges stimulated Istanbul stock exchange. With an 214 point
increase as for last Friday the stock exchange increased to
2.160. Daily transaction volume was increased to TL 76.5
trillion. /Sabah/
[18] FRENCH SHIP IN ANTALYA
French airplane ship, Foch anchored Antalya harbour. French
officials said that the ship would stay in Turkey for four days
and according to a possible intervention in Kosovo under the
umbrella of NATO, 33 jets were ready to participate in NATO
forces. /Sabah/
[19] "APO IS NOT IN ARMENIA"
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan denied the claims that
PKK leader Abdullan Ocalan (Apo) was in Armenia saying that they
did not have any connection with the issue. Oskanyan added that
such misleading claims were aimed to cause problems between the
two countries. /Sabah/
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