|
|
|
Turkish Press Review, 98-10-23
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
23.10.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] AGREEMENT WITH DAMASCUS SATISFIES YILMAZ
[02] NATURAL GAS POWER PLANTS TO EREGLI AND ESKISEHIR
[03] "TURKEY'S EU POLICY PRODUCES RESULTS"
[04] DEMIREL: "TURKEY WILL BE DE FACTO MEMBER OF EU"
[05] BLACK SEA COUNTRIES AGREE TO FORM JOINT TASK FORCE
[06] YILMAZ AND BAYKAL MEET TO DISCUSS ELECTION
[07] RUSSIA WILL NOT SHELTER APO
[08] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ SEEKS SUPPORT FOR BAKU-CEYHAN
[09] OFFICIALS OF MOODY IN TURKEY
[10] PRIVATIZATION MUST GO ON
[11] QUALITY OF TURKISH GOODS
[12] BULGARIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER COMES TO TURKEY
[13] THY WINTER SCHEDULE TO START OCTOBER 23
[14] A TURKISH SCIENTIST TO WAITRO
[01] AGREEMENT WITH DAMASCUS SATISFIES YILMAZ
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Thursday that Turkey had
reaped the products of the recent pressure it imposed on Syria to
cut off the international support provided to PKK terrorist
organization. Yilmaz added that Turkish intelligence service
confirmed that PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan was in "Russia. He
also pointed out that Turkey had initiated the necessary
diplomatic efforts for the extradition of Ocalan. "We hope that
Moscow will prevent Ocalan from pursuing anti-Turkish activities
in Russia and hand him over to Turkish authorities as soon as
possible," said Yilmaz.
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said the lack of an agreement
between Turkey and Russia on the extradition of criminals would
not constitute any problem for Ankara to apply to Moscow for the
extradition of Ocalan.
In addition, Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin said he did not
believe the Turco-Russian relations would deteriorate becasue of
PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. He added that Russia was a friendly
country with which Turkey had positive trade relationship. /All
papers/
[02] NATURAL GAS POWER PLANTS TO EREGLI AND ESKISEHIR
The contracts for the construction of the natural gas power
plants at Black Sea-Eregli and Eskisehir were signed on Wednesday
in Ankara, Anatolia news agency reported. Cumhur Ersumer, the
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, met with Stuart
Eizenstat, the Undersecretary for Economic, Business and
Agricultural Affairs of the US Department of State. Addressing at
the signing ceremony for the Black Sea-Eregli and Eskisehir
Natural gas Power Plants Construction Contracts, Ersumer said
that the power plants would be constructed with the
build-operate-transfer model.
[03] "TURKEY'S EU POLICY PRODUCES RESULTS"
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that Turkey's adamant
policy towards the European Union (EU) had started to produce
results - a reference to a EU Commission approval on Wednesday of
a formula to overcome the Greek veto and release financial aid to
Turkey. "We have carried out a very determined and bold policy.
This attitude of ours has started to bear positive results,"
Yilmaz said after a Cabinet meeting. /Milliyet/
[04] DEMIREL: "TURKEY WILL BE DE FACTO MEMBER OF EU"
President Suleyman Demirel said once Turkey had completed its
economic, social and democratization reforms, it will be a de
facto member of the European Union (EU). Speaking at the opening
session of the 8th Annual EU-Turkey Conference of Journalists in
Antalya, President Demirel stressed that none of the other EU
membership candidate countries has a more dynamic and encouraging
economy than that of the Turkey.
The conference brings together top journalists from Turkey and
the EU countries. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] BLACK SEA COUNTRIES AGREE TO FORM JOINT TASK FORCE
Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia and the Ukraine have
agreed in principle to form a Black Sea task force (Blackseafor),
Anatolia news agency reported depending on a Foreign Ministry
statement on Thursday. The participants of the meeting held on
October 20-22 agreed that the inauguration of such a cooperation
will contribute to the security and stability in the Black Sea
region. Before the end of this year, a second meeting will be
held to discuss the new force. The first activities of Blakseafor
will be carried out on April 14-16, 1999 at the Black Sea
Countries Sea Forces Commanders' Meeting.
[06] YILMAZ AND BAYKAL MEET TO DISCUSS ELECTION
Motherland Party Chairman and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and
Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal will meet
today to discuss the amendment of various articles in the
protocol they signed earlier this year. It is also announced that
Yilmaz and Baykal will discuss a date for the election and the
formation of an election government. /All papers/
[07] RUSSIA WILL NOT SHELTER APO
Russian Ambassador in Ankara, Alexander Lebedev said that Russia
would not provide shelter for terrorists. He stated that he was
certain that the PKK was a terror organisation and Abdullah
Ocalan was a terrorist. Lebedev who added that at present he was
waiting for information from Moscow but went on to say, "Russian
Government will not provide shelter for a terrorist working
against Turkey. However every government needs time to clarify
this kind of information. The policy of Russian government is
clear. No terrorist can expect support or shelter from Russia."
/Milliyet/
[08] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ SEEKS SUPPORT FOR BAKU-CEYHAN
Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz met with the US Ambassador
Mark Parris and asked for more influential support. Stressing
that the concerns of the US firms about the region were
groundless, Yilmaz said: "This project should not be left just as
a theory. Turkey is determined to realize this project." At the
meeting, to convey Turkey's point of view and determination to
the US officials, before the briefing in Washington organised for
the companies to bring this project to life, was also taken up.
In another development, US Vice President Al Gore sent a message
to Azerbaijani President Haidar Aliyev saying that they preferred
the transfer of oil belonging to the countries to the east of the
Caspian through Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. In the message conveyed by
the US Ambassador Stanley Escudaro, it was stated that the US
supported Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project. /Milliyet, Sabah/
[09] OFFICIALS OF MOODY IN TURKEY
The representatives of one of the leading US rating firms Moody's
came yesterday to Ankara and started meetings with Turkish
officials. The officials from Moody who will get detailed
information on the realization of the 1988 budget and 1999 budget
bill, will leave Turkey after meeting with Turkish high ranking
economy officials this weekend or at the beginning of next week.
Moody's will evaluate Turkey's standing and is expected to
declare the rating in New York towards the end of the
year./Sabah/
[10] PRIVATIZATION MUST GO ON
Inernational Monetary Fund (IMF), Head of Turkish Desk Martin
Hardy yesterday stated that the latest developments in
privatization were unfortunate which would influence the process.
Hardy, who attended the conference, "Problems on Decreasing
Inflation in Turkey" answered the questions of reporters. In
answer to a question Hardy noted that privatization was
beneficial for the country in all respects and should be done
openly. In answer to a question on inflation, Hardy said:"The
circumstances are hard and different. That is why it is not easy
to reach the target set for inflation. Reforms are needed for
this purpose." /Sabah/
[11] QUALITY OF TURKISH GOODS
Turkish firms succeeded in getting their place among the best
firms of Europe and proved that Turkish goods are of good
quality. Yesterday, the best firms of Europe were chosen in Paris
and of the three Turkish firms qualifying for the finals Netas
and Beko Ticaret earned awards. The greatest award was presented
to English TNT company. /Milliyet/
[12] BULGARIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER COMES TO TURKEY
Bulgarian Transport Minister Krenus Wilhelm was in Istanbul for
the 16th Turkey-Bulgarian Joint Transportation Commission
Meeting, Anatolia news agency reported. Transportation Minister
Ahmet Denizongun said before the meeting that they would discuss
to ease the problems in trade relations between the two
countries. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] THY WINTER SCHEDULE TO START OCTOBER 23
Turkish Airlines (THY) has announced that its winter schedule
will begun on October 25. According to officials THY will
increase a number of flights on domestic and international
routes. On international routes additional flights will be
available between Istanbul and Frankfurt and Istanbul and
Stuttgart. /Hurriyet/
[14] A TURKISH SCIENTIST TO WAITRO
Omer Kaymakcalan, Chairman of the Marmara Research Center of
TUBITAK, was elected as the new president of the World Industrial
and Technological Research Organizations Union (WAITRO). At the
end of the General Council meeting of WAITRO on Thursday in
Warsaw, Kaymakcalan was elected to the post for two years.
/Cumhuriyet/
|
