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Turkish Press Review, 98-11-16Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>16.11.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] TURKEY URGES ITALY TO EXTRADITE OCALANAnkara is deeply concerned with negative signals coming from Rome that separatist terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan will not be extradited and is in fact being treated with sympathy by the left-wing Italian government. Meanwhile, Turkish Ambassador to Rome Inal Batu disclosed that the PKK leader was in hospital and not in jail in the Italian capital. Batu said yesterday that Turkey will react at the highest level against a statement that appeared in a newspaper on Saturday made by a state secretary in the Italian Justice Ministry, Franco Corleone, who said it was 'out of the question' for Ocalan to be handed over to Turkish authorities.Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem also criticized Corleone's remark. "It does not conform with justice when a ministry of another government announces the results of a legal process that has not even started" Cem told reporters. "I believe that the head of the terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, must be extradited to Turkey. I hope Corleone's view is no that of the Italian government" Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday in Ankara. He further warned European countries, especially Italy, that any tolerance shown to the PKK would mean 'opening their doors to terrorism'. Italian newspapers said around 15,000 Kurds were expected to flock to Rome yesterday to take part in a rally of support for Ocalan. However, reports from Rome said that the Kurdish demonstrators in Rome did not number more than 2,000. The Anatolia news agency reported that the security measures taken by the Italian police officials were too lax. /All papers/ [02] WOUNDED TURKISH JOURNALISTS RETURN TO TURKEYTurkish journalists, who have been wounded by PKK members in Rome, returned to Turkey yesterday. The attacks on Turkish journalists have been condemned by the Turkish Journalists' Association, State Minister Cavit Kavak, the Contemporary Journalists' Association and the Diplomacy Correspondents' Association. The Association of European Journalists (AEJ) also denounced the attacks on Turkish journalists and called on the Italian government to take measures for the security of Turkish journalists in Italy. The AEJ, which has 2,500 members from 25 countries in Europe, said in a statement that every democratic state and government was responsible for the security of journalists and the assurance of a free atmosphere. /Sabah/[03] THE OBSERVER: 40 % OF HEROIN FROM PKKThe Observer, a leading newspaper in Britain, has described the leader of the PKK terrorist organization Abdullah Ocalan as 'the terrorist prince of Kurds'. It commented on the arrest of the PKK leader in Italy and said that Ocalan, who is responsible for the death of thousands of people, had an unbalanced character and was a merciless murderer.The newspaper noted that Ocalan was responsible for the death of many Western tourists in addition to many Turkish citizens. It stated that nearly 1,000 members of the PKK terrorist organization were living in Britain and added: "The PKK is responsible for 40 % of heroin, which has entered Europe". /Sabah/ [04] SWEDEN WANTS EXTRADITION OF OCALANIt is reported that besides Turkey and Germany, Sweden also wants the extradition of the leader of the PKK terrorist organization Abdullah Ocalan. The news has not officially been verified yet. It is also reported that Sweden wants the extradition of Ocalan because Swedish officials want to interrogate him for the death of the former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme on February 28, 1986. /Sabah/[05] SEZGIN AND CEM IN ITALYForeign Minister Ismail Cem and National Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin went to Italy yesterday to attend a meeting of the Western European Union (WEU). Strict measures have been taken for the security of the two Turkish ministers in Rome.Cem stated that he would meet with Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini. Cem said: "I will tell the Italian officials that the extradition of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan is necessary from the standpoint of international law and justice. We will also want them to assure the security of Turkish journalists and citizens in Italy". Cem noted that a file for the extradition of Ocalan was being prepared by the Turkish Justice Ministry with the support of the Foreign Ministry. Cem said that Ankara expected Italy to take a 'serious and just' approach to the possible extradition of Ocalan to Turkey. Defense Minister Sezgin said for his part that with the arrest of Ocalan, the PKK's back has been broken. Meanwhile, Turkey will remove the death sentence, which is regarded as the greatest obstacle in front of the extradition of Ocalan from Italy to Turkey, with a 14-article draft. The draft, which will be sent to the Council of Ministers this week, foresees that the death sentence will be replaced by life imprisonment. /Sabah/ [06] TURKEY TO ASK ITALY TO QUESTION OCALAN IN ROMEJustice Minister Hasan Denizkurdu will ask Italy to question PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Rome. Denizkurdu noted that the procedure they would start today had a special procedure than from extradition procedure. Denizkurdu added that a 10-member Turkish delegation including judges, prosecutors and officials of the Department of the Intelligence and Struggling Against Terrorism of the Police would go to Rome to question Ocalan.Meanwhile Denizkurdu pointed out that both Italy and Turkey were states of law and that there should not be any obstacle in front of the extradition demand of Turkey. On the other hand, 10 days of imprisonment period of Abdullah Ocalan has started on 14 November when he was arrested. If Italian Justice Ministry did not ask an additional period of time, Ocalan would be released at the end of 10 days imprisonment. /Sabah/Hurriyet/ [07] FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENTSTurkey had repaid a total of $10.193 billion in foreign debts since the beginning of this year, the Anatolia news agency reports. The Central Bank data shows the Treasury paid $8.5 billion, the Central Bank repaid $310.9 million, the National Defense Ministry and the Defense Industry paid $1.205 billion and the Defense Fund paid $175.8 million in foreign debts between January 1 and November 11.[08] NUMBER OF IRISH AND BRITISH TOURISTS INCREASESThe number of Irish tourists increased by 17 % and the number of British tourists increased by 9 % in January-August 1998 period compared with the same period of last year, the Anatolia news agency reports. The Tourism Ministry noted that a total of 970.5 thousand British tourists and 39.2 thousand Irish tourists visited Turkey within the first eight months of 1998. Officials told the Anatolia news agency correspondent that they expect the number of British tourists to increase to one million as of the end of this year.[09] EXERCISES IN MEDITERRANEANThe Turkish Armed Forces will hold two exercises, one on international airspace and waters in Eastern Mediterranean on November 16-23 and the other on the territories of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on November 18-20. With these exercises, Turkey will give a message that it guarantees the security of the TRNC. /Sabah/[10] SECURITY MEASURES INCREASE IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIAFollowing the arrest of the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Rome, security measures have been increased in many Southeastern provinces to prevent actions by the militants and sympathizers of the illegal organization in the country. The operations started by the Turkish Armed Forces in Iraq against the PKK are continuing.Security forces who believe that the PKK would initiate sensational actions which would influence the European and particularly the Italian public opinion have taken additional measures. /Cumhuriyet/ [11] DAMASCUS MAKES CONCESSIONS FOR TURKEYIt has been ascertained that Damascus has made great concessions for Turkey in an agreement signed last month. According to the text of the agreement Syria not only agreed to ban the activities of the PKK on its territory but also promised to wield its influence on Lebanon to prevent the terrorist activities of the PKK. Syria also accepted to let Turkey control whether the agreement is being carried out or not. Within the framework of the agreement Damascus had agreed to give a list of the PKK militants to Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/[12] DEMONSTRATION AGAINST OIL TANKERS IN BOSPHORUSDuring an environmental demonstration held yesterday with the participation of Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies in the Bosphorus, attention was drawn to the dangers oil traffic could lead to in the Straits. Istanbul CHP deputy Altan Oymen stated that even today the traffic in the Bosphorus had reached great dimensions and said: "It is not possible to use the Straits as an oil pipeline. The people of Istanbul will not let it. /Cumhuriyet/[13] TRNC CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDATIONThe Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) marked on Sunday the 15th anniversary of its foundation with vows not to cave into Southern Cypriot pressure and to preserve its independence. President Rauf Denktas said in a public address during the celebrations that the establishment of the TRNC was a result of the brutalities that the Greek Cypriots carried out against their Turkish Cypriots. He emphasized that the Turkish Cypriots were ready to negotiate for a solution on the divided island on a state-to-state basis.Meanwhile, Turkish President Suleyman Demirel conveyed a message to Rauf Denktas, reiterating Turkey's full support for preserving the TRNC's security, prosperity and well-being. /All papers/ [14] OIL PIPELINE SUMMIT IN BAKUTurkish and Azerbaijani officials responsible for energy will meet in Baku on 18 November to discuss the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. According to the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry the great part of the post governmental agreement had already been put into life and the remaining part of the agreement would be negotiated with Azerbaijani officials and the representatives of the consortium. /Milliyet/Hurriyet/[15] NEVSEHIR AIRPORT OPENEDPresident Suleyman Demirel opened Nevsehir Airport on Sunday with a ceremony in which Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Transportation Minister A. Ahmet Denizolgun were present. Demirel thanked the government for giving service to the country and equipping Turkey with a modern complex and facilities. He pointed out that the airport would increase the number of tourists coming to Nevsehir, enriching the province. /All papers/[16] "EUROPE SHOULD LEAVE FINANCIAL AID FREE"Chairperson of the Economic Development Foundation (IKV), Meral Gezgin Eris said that Turkey should penetrate the idea of being a partner of European Union (EU). She added that if Europe was sincere in putting the preparation strategy about Turkey's full membership into life, it should be sincere in financial aid in required areas, too. Evaluating the recent report of EU about Turkey, Eris noted that with the report Turkey was now in the expansion process of the union and that Turkey-Europe relations should be carried outside the borders of diplomacy. "European Union should approve its sincerity in financial aid in requirement in order to help Turkey to prepare for the full membership", said Eris. /Hurriyet/[17] AIRPLANE COMPONENT PRODUCTION FACILITY IS OPENEDState Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen opened the Airplane Component Production Facility yesterday in Eskisehir. Deputy chairman of the Alp Aviation Industry, Tuncer Alpata said that they reached a 25 year-technical cooperation agreement with American Sikorsky firm to produce airplane components. /Hurriyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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