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Turkish Press Review, 98-11-12Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>12.11.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL BEGINS CENTRAL ASIAN TOURPresident Suleyman Demirel yesterday began a visit to the Central Asian Republics of Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. The president is being accompanied by State Minister Ahad Andican, Energy Minister Cumhur Ersumer, Culture Minister Istemihan Talay, Parliamentary Foreign Relations Commission Chairman Murat Karayalcin and a number of high-level bureaucrats, scientists and businessmen.Demirel is expected to attend the official openings of a number of new buildings erected by Turkish contracting firms in these countries. After returning to Turkey, Demirel will leave for Austria on an official visit on November 17-19. /All papers/ [02] TURKEY, BELARUS SIGN DEFENSE INDUSTRY DEALDefense Minister Ismet Sezgin yesterday left Minsk, the last leg of his five-day tour covering Bulgaria and Belarus. During his talks in Minsk, Sezgin met with his Belorussian counterpart Alexander Chumakov and delegations from both countries signed a defense industry cooperation agreement. Both Turkey and Belarus confirmed their determination to start the practical implementation of a bilateral military training and cooperation agreement signed last November.The sides also approved a plan for joint activities in 1999 between the Turkish General Staff and Belorussian Defense Ministry. The sides also exchanged views on issues of strengthening European security, disarmament and arms control, the Partnership For Peace programme and prospects of further development of bilateral cooperation on military and defense industry areas. /All papers/ [03] ECEVIT VISITS BULGARIADeputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit held official meetings in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he arrived yesterday morning as the official guest of his Bulgarian counterpart and Education Minister Veselin Metodiev. After meeting with Metodiev, Ecevit came together with Deputy Prime Minister Evgeni Bakirciev.Ecevit is scheduled to travel to Kircaali today to meet with ethnic Turks and attend a meeting organized by the Movement of Rights and Freedoms (HOH). Ecevit will meet with regional municipal leaders before the meeting and receive a report that cites the expectations from Turkey of the ethnic Turks living in Bulgaria, the Anatolia news agency reports. [04] THAILAND DEPUTY HOUSE SPEAKER IN TURKEYSophon Phetsawang, the first deputy speaker of the Thai Parliament's House of Representatives is in Turkey for an official four-day visit. The Thai official will begin his contacts today. He will hold talks with Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin, his deputy Kamer Genc, State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin. /All papers/[05] LEGAL REFORM TOPS TUSIAD-KALDER AGENDALegal reform tops the list of reforms requested by the Turkish Industralists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), said TUSIAD Chairman Muharrem Kayhan yesterday. Speaking at the opening session of the 7th National Quality Congress in Istanbul, Kayhan pointed out that the way to democratization, human rights and freedom and modernization is through having the greatest trust in the laws.The two-day congress includes such topics as leadership and quality in management, strategic planning, information technologies, the office of ombudsman, economic laws, benchmarking and quality in the services sector. /All papers/ [06] CEM MEETS WITH MENEMForeign Minister Ismail Cem, who has gone to Argentina the last leg of his Latin American tour, made contacts for the development of bilateral relations. Cem met with Argentine President Carlos Menem yesterday. Cem noted that Turkey wished to further develop bilateral relations and conveyed an invitation letter from Turkish President Suleyman Demirel to Menem.Cem also met with Argentine Foreign Minister Guido di Tella and signed a memorandum of accord for the establishment of a political negotiation mechanism between Turkey and Argentina. During the meeting, the issues such the improvement of economic relations and trade volume were taken up, the Anatolia news agency reports. [07] TURKISH-UZBEK RELATIONSCumhur Ersumer, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said that the Directorate General of State Water Works (DSI) was carrying out etudes and activities for the development of water sources in Uzbekistan. Ersumer received Abdulahat Calilov, Uzbek Ambassador to Ankara on Tuesday. Ersumer said that they discussed the cooperation opportunities to operate underground riches of Uzbekistan, the Anatolia news agency reports. Ersumer stated that the talks about the purchase of three billion cubic metres of natural gas from Georgia continue.[08] HAZELNUT EXPORTSTurkey obtained $319.643 million from her exports of hazelnuts in September-October period, the Anatolia news agency reports. Officials at the Black Sea Union of Hazelnut Exporters told the Anatolia news agency correspondent that Turkey exported 79.3 tonnes of hazelnuts and obtained an income of $319.643 million. Turkey exported hazelnuts mainly to European countries.[09] FOREIGN MINISTRY DELEGATION MAKES OBSERVATIONSA delegation that was charged by the Foreign Ministry's Directorate General of the Consulate Law and Social Affairs, makes observations on border with Bulgaria and Greece, the Anatolia news agency reports. Erkan Gezer, Chairman of the delegation, told the Anatolia news agency correspondent that they will check the border stones and border lines during their activities in Edirne and Kirklareli. Gezer said: "We observe whether the border line is distorted by the natural reasons or not. Merich River forms the border between Turkey and Greece, but the border can sometimes changes because of the streams in the river". Border delegation will complete its studies on November 13.[10] DERVISOGLU IN ROMENaval Forces Commander Admiral Salim Dervisoglu arrived in Rome, Italy yesterday to meet with Italian Naval Forces Commander Vice-Admiral Umberto Guarnieri and to receive an honorary medal to be presented to him by the Republic of Italy, the Anatolia news agency reports. Admiral Dervisoglu was welcomed by Turkish Ambassador to Rome Inal Batu and many military officials at Rome's Fiumicino Airport yesterday. After making high-level contacts in Italy, Admiral Dervisoglu will return to Turkey on November 15.[11] BILICAN IN GERMANYTurkish Chief of Security Necati Bilican, who has gone to Germany as the official guest of head of Federal German Criminal Department Ulrich Kersten, met with his German counterpart Kersten yesterday in Wiesbaden. Bilican and his accompanying delegation furnished information from the officials of the Federal German Criminal Department. During the meeting between the two delegations, struggle against organized crime and internatinal judiciary assistance were taken up. /Cumhuriyet/[12] SOLUTION, INTEGRATION WITH TRNCAccording to a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday, an application of the Greek Cypriot Administration for full EU membership on behalf of the whole island is against international law. The statement noted that full membership negotiations between the Greek Cypriot Administration and the EU would mean turning a green light to Greek dreams to make Cyprus a Hellenic island. The statement said that the integration process between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would continue.The TRNC government described the start of the EU membership talks between the EU and southern Cyprus a 'negative development'. A statement by the TRNC government held the EU responsible for prolonging the division on the island and accused Greek Cypriots of being the 'non-negotiable side'. It also said that the government is determined to integrate with Turkey. The statement, which also supported reasons given in the aforementioned Turkish Foreign Ministry statement, said the only solution for the island can be a confederation between the Turkish and Greek commmunities in Cyprus. /Cumhuriyet/ [13] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S TURKEY REPORTRegarding Turkey's demand for a reaffirmation of its EU candidacy in a European Parliament report, the report's author Hannes Swoboda said: "I do not see a real difference between referring to Turkey's eligibility for membership and saying it is a candidate. "But, frankly, I want this report to pass and there are different views in the Parliament as to whether Turkey is a candidate" he added. He noted that Turkey was a 'de facto' candidate and that he, personally, was happy to see that the Commission had treated Turkey with the same criteria as the other eleven candidates.Swoboda said that he believed, after several meetings with Greek officials, that Greece would be 'more positive towards the question of financial aid to Turkey' if it believed some of the issues it saw as vital -such as the accession of Cyprus and the Aegean problem- would get more support from the other EU allies. /All papers/ [14] "MULTIETHNIC FORM IN THE STRUCTURE OF EUROPE"During a meeting held in Paris last weekend by joint efforts of Galatasaray University and Sorbonne University, the recent report of the European Union (EU) and Turkey-EU relations were discussed. EU Parliamentarian, Bernard Castagnede said in his speech at the meeting that Turkey's cultural differences should not cause problems for the EU membership. Turkey's Ambassador to Brussels, Nihat Akyol said for his part that EU should carefully evaluate Turkey's present and future potential. Turkish businessmen Uzeyir Garih also said that Turkey was an indespensible partner for the EU. /Milliyet/[15] 24 PKK TERRORISTS KILLEDOperations of the Turkish Armed Forces against PKK terrorists who tried to flee away to northern Iraq over Syria is continuing in the region from Semdinli-Cukurca line to Iran-Iraq boder. Military sources announced that since the begining of the operations 24 terrorists were killed. "Operations is comprising the region from Semdinli-Cukurca line to It was reported that there were intense clashes between terrorists and security forces at the Turkey-Iran-Iraq triangle. Local sources reported that 24 PKK terrorists were killed but there were more casualties as a result of heavy bombardment of security forces to the region. /Sabah/[16] TERRORIST OPERATION IN TARSUSAt the end of the security forces operations in Icel, Tarsus 10 members of the outlawed DHKP_C terrorist organization were seized. After the first trial five of the terrorists were arrested and five of them were released. Official announced that leaders of the organization responsible from Tarsus region were also arrested. /Sabah/[17] TURSAB TO JOIN ECTAATurkish Travelling Agencies Union (TURSAB) was invited to join to the European Union Travelling Agencies Union (ECTAA), which is an effective international organization. Officials evaluate the invitation as an important development in EU-Turkey relations in private sector. Talha Camas, chairman of TURSAB, said that they were welcomed the invitation of ECTAA, which has still 50 members. /Sabah/[18] CREDIT TO TURKISH FIRMSTurkish Young Businessmen Assocation (TUGIAD) gave a luncheon to a 30-member delegation of the international companies yesterday in Istanbul. Representative of the American Patton Boggs company said that they raised a $ 1.5 billion fund in London to be used in energy, infrustructure, and hospital projects in Turkey. Jim Davine, the European-Asian Director of the American Dayton Hudson Corporation, said that they bought especially textile productions from Turkey and they evaluated new investment opportunities in Turkey. Davine added that they were increasing their trade volume with Turkey which had high quality productions. High rank official of the Rand Merchant Bank, J.K. Coetzee said for his part that they would apply a $ 100 million project in Turkey without giving detailed information.The foreign businessmen delegation also visited the Sanliurfa to examine the Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP). /Sabah/ [19] TANER TO USState Minister responsible for economy, Gunes Taner, will go to the US on 16 November to meet with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international finance institutions. It is expected that Taner will discuss a $ 10-15 billion stand-by agreement with IMF representatives. A Turkish economy delegation will join Taner on 20 November to attend the meetings in New York and Washington. /Sabah/[20] "TURKEY AND EU NEEDS EACH OTHER"Chairman of the Radical Union Group of the European Union (EU), Catherine Lalumiere said that both Turkey and EU needed each other. She added that Turkey and Europe had common elements in completing each other in geography, culture, history, security and regional stability. Lalumiere noted that the customs union had not given sufficient results yet and Turkish foreign trade had been developing in favour of EU. Pointing out that Europe should open its doors to Turkey, Lalumiere congratulated Turkish firms which won quality awards in Europe. /Sabah/[21] BYELORUSSIA SLAMS DOOR ON APOThe leader of the PKK terrorist group Abdullah Ocalan who had to leave Syria due to increasing Turkish pressure, is looking for a country to take shelter. In a recent development high level PKK officials contacted Byelorussia and asked political asylum for Ocalan. However, this request was turned down by the Byelorussians. Deputy Prime Minister, Ismet Sezgin, who is on an official visit to Byelorussia thanked the officials for the stand taken against the PKK. /Hurriyet/[22] TALABANI WARNED ON PKKPrime Minister Mesut Yilmaz warned the leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Celal Talabani voicing his expectation to the effect that PKK should be expelled from Northern Iraq. Yżlmaz said, "We believe that stability in Northern Iraq depends on cleaning the area from separatist terrorists." Prime Minister Yilmaz expressed his firm belief that stability in Northern Iraq could be reached within the framework of Ankara process. /Hurriyet/[23] INVITATION TO APO FROM ENGLANDA group of prominent artists and politicians among whom are famous playwrights Harold Pinter, Antonia Fraser, a member of the Chamber of Lords Lord Rea, members of the House of Commons Tony Benn, Rudi Vis, Cyno Dafis, lawyers from the English Bar Association Gareth Pierce and Frances Weber, sent a letter to PKK leader Ocalan inviting him to their country. In the letter they stated that PKK leader and the organisation should be a party for the solution for the Kurdish problem. /Hurriyet/[24] LIVE PKK BOMB BLOWN INTO PIECESLive PKK bomb, 25 year old Nezir Ercin, who was preparing to kill the passengers in the bus going from Agri to Dogubeyazit by a suicide bomb attack was blown into pieces when the bomb blew up before the time it was set for. Ercin who went to a separate area during a coffee break to check the bomb, was blown into pieces when the bomb exploded. /Hurriyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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