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Turkish Press Review, 98-12-29Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>29.12.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] US POLICY OF IRAQ AND TURKEY'S DILEMMA - BY ERGUN BALCI (CUMHURIYET)[02] WILL CYPRUS BE THE NEXT CRISIS AFTER IRAQ? - BY NECATI OZFATURA (TURKIYE)[03] EREZ: "MY HOPES ARE FLOURISHING"The Minister of Trade and Industry, Yalim Erez, yesterday received backing from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP). Erez, who last Wednesday was given the mandate to attempt to form a a government by President Suleyman Demirel was given full support by both the ANAP and the DSP but the intentions of the Virtue Party (FP) are still unclear. The prime minister-designate began his rounds today by meeting with FP leader Recai Kutan. Kutan, however, refused to make any decision on whether to join in Erez's coalition building, merely stating that if he was given a concrete proposal by Erez he would take that back to his party and that any decision would be made there. Erez's meeting with Kutan lasted 20 minutes. After Kutan, Erez visited ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz for 35 minutes after which Yilmaz said the most important matter was getting a vote of confidence for a government.DSP leader Bulent Ecevit also said his party would support Erez, saying that if Erez was sensitive to the DSP's concerns over secularism. Erez is set to meet True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal today. As Erez did the rounds yesterday, he said that his main aim would be to form a broad-based government that would have a Cabinet comprised of deputies from all parties that form a parliamentary group. He added that the exact nature of the government structure will be decided after his meetings with the party leaders. /All papers/ [04] DYP AND FP EXCHANGE INFORMATIONIn a visit with Virtue Party (FP) leader Recai Kutan, True Path Party (DYP) Deputy General-Secretary Riza Akcali received information about Kutan's talk with Yalim Erez, the Anatolia news agency reports. After his talk with Erez yesterday, Kutan evaluated the current situation with the FP party members and then accepted a visit from Akcali. Akcali answered questions from journalists after his 45-minute meeting with Kutan. Akcali said that DYP leader Tansu Ciller would accept a meeting with Erez only as a 'courtesy visit'.[05] TURKEY'S REQUEST REJECTEDThe Court of Appeals in Rome yesterday took up a recommendation by Italy's justice minister, ruling against a Turkish request to order the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan back to jail. Turkey wants Ocalan jailed to prevent him from fleeing the country while Italy is considering Ankara's request to extradite Ocalan on charges that do not carry the death penalty. Italy has so far refused to extradite Ocalan to Turkey for trial on terrorism charges, citing laws that prevent it from extraditing suspects to countries where they face the death penalty. Italy's justice minister last week rejected Turkey's request to jail Ocalan, but the final say rested with Rome's appeal court. Ocalan is reportedly negotiating with a number of governments outside the European Union (EU) to take him in. /All papers/[06] OCALAN NOT WANTED IN BELGIUMBelgium, which was mentioned among the countries Ocalan would be sent to, has sent him a message asking him not to come to Belgium through various channels. On the other hand it was claimed that Felemez Basboga, a member of the so-called parliament was holding talks to prepare the grounds for Ocalan's stay in one of the Scandinavian countries. A member of Christian Democrat Party, Baccini said that the hospitality Italy has shown to Ocalan must come to an end. In another development, Ocalan who showed every effort to stay in Europe wants to use his chance to the last point. Sources in Rome say that US stand on the matter has left Italy in a tight spot and add, "No other European country would easily welcome Ocalan who became a problem for Russia, Italy and Germany."/Turkiye/[07] LEADERSHIP CRISIS IN PKKAfter Abdullah Ocalan seized in Italy the leadership crisis in the terrorist organization is increasing. It is pointed out that there are serious clashes in the organization and there will be breakings inside the organization. It is learned that Ocalan's recent statements insulting members of the organization caused great reactions and there are two different groups against Ocalan. /Aksam/[08] CEASE-FIRE TO ITALIAN GOODSTurkish consumers' boycott against Italian goods due to the Ocalan crisis between Turkey and Italy alleviates. There is a remarkable recovery in the sales of the Italian goods, whereas it was reported that Turkish-Pirelli minimized its loss even under 2-3 percent. However, Vahit Erdem, the Chairman of the Turkish-Italian Business Council, noted that they were expecting a 15 percent annual decrease in the imports from Italy, which corresponds to a trade volume of $600 million. /Milliyet/[09] US OPERATION AGAINST IRAQ FROM INCIRLI: 4 DEADNine days after the completion of the "Desert Fox" operation against Iraq, yesterday, a new combat between Iraqi forces and the US forces from Incirli, the US base in the southeast Anatolia, took place. It is reported that following the Iraqi "missiles" attack against the US airfighters that had been on their ordinary control flights over the "no flight zone",the US forces attacked some military facilities in the northern Musul with HARM missiles and bombs. According to the statmement of Iraqi officials, 4 Iraqi soldiers died and 7 were wounded in the attack."In order to defend themselves," said President Clinton, "our airfighters counterattacked the Iraqi targets and turned back to their base in Turkey." Clinton also emphasized that they would continue the observation flights over Northern Iraq without interruption. Meanwhile, in a statement by Turkish Ministry of Foreign affairs, it was said: "It is necessary for the stability in the region that any attempts to impede the ordinary practices of the Observation Operation towards Northern Iraq must be avoided." /Milliyet/ [10] TURCO-AMERICAN RELATIONSTurco-American relations will gain acceleration by mutual visits of presidents of the two countries. During these visits, icy political relations between Turkey and the US will be melted. Within the next year, Turkish and American policy planners will establish the basic policies of the next century. During 1999, subjects which have priority in Turco-American relations are as follows; the relations between the two countries will enter into a new way with the NATO Summit next April; the US President Bill Clinton will come to Istanbul to attend the European Security and Cooperation Conference to be organized at the end of the 1999; America will try to prevent tension in Cyprus issue; and America will also help Turkey regarding international pressures, especially from Russia, about using the Starits. /Sabah/[11] S-300 FATE TO BE ANNONCEDGreek Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides went to Greece yesterday, possibly to discuss the fate of the controversial Russian-made S-300 missiles. Klerides' visit to Athens follows the meeting of the Greek Cypriot National Council last Friday, when it reportedly decided to store the missiles on the Mediterranean Greek island of Crete, instead of deploying them in Cyprus.Greek Cypriot Administration Spokesman Christos Stilianides said that Klerides would not make any statement during his one-night stay in Athens, but will speak when he comes back on Tuesday. Klerides will also have talks with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis today. /All papers/ [12] OIL TALKS TO BE HELD ON JAN.11-13A new round of talks between Turkish and Azeri delegations over the planned Baku-Ceyhan pipeline will be held in Ankara between January 11-13. Officials from the Azerbaijani International Operating Company (AIOC) will also be present at the meeting. From January 13-18, the talks will shift to Istanbul for more detailed discussions between the key staff of each side. /All papers/[13] BEKIR YILDIZ CAPTUREDFormer Sincan Mayor Bekir Yildiz, who was trying to cross into Romania from the Ruse district of Bulgaria with a fake passport, has been captured. According to information furnished by the Ruse Regional Public Prosecutor's Office and the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, Yilmaz was taken into custody while he was trying to enter Romania with a fake passport from the Ruse border gate of Bulgaria on November 18, 1998. It is reported that following the first interrogation, Yildiz was released on bail and it is not known if he is still in the country. Yildiz was sought after for organizing an anti-secular, Shariah demonstration in Sincan. /Cumhuriyet/[14] DEMIREL, "I WILL EXTEND THE NECESSARY SUPPORT"President Suleyman Demirel visited yesterday the Ivedik Organized Small Industry Site in Ankara in order to get information. At the visit Demirel said: "The site with its 12,000 workshops in which 200,000 people will work is a suitable site for Turkey towards 2000. I ask the representatives to finish the construction of the site as soon as possible. If there are any problems I will personally be ready to give every support to solve them." /Aksam/[15] DINCMEN: "THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MARKET"The Treasury Undersectray, Yener Dincmen, said that if political stability was ensured, there would be no problem in finding foreign debts. He added that structural reforms and political stability would increase Turkey's credibility. Dincmen noted that it was a great chance that Yalim Erez had said that he would give priority to structural reforms. These reforms would have positive effects on Turkey's foreign debt programme, said Dincmen. He pointed out that their policy depended on sustainability and that the close watch agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be followed whichever goverment would come to power. /Sabah/[16] "TURKEY WILL BE A STAR MARKET"Dan Peirce, an expert of the Bancboston Robertson Stephens, one of the investment banks of the US, said that if Yalim Erez established the new government, Turkey would be star among the emerging markets. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Federated Investors' International High Income Fund, Robert Kowit, noted that if there was a good news about the establishment of the new government, then Turkey would highly attracted the attention of foreign investors. /Sabah/[17] TURKEY GIVES HOPE FOR THE FUTUREDirector of the Turkey and Macedonia Desk of the World Bank, Ajay Chhibber, said that Turkey had a special place among developing countries and evaluated Turkey for giving hope to the future. Chhibber prepared a report, "Emerging Markets - Does Turkey Different?", in order to extend to the World Bank. The report said that Turkey should increase the quality of its institutions in order to overcome its economic problems. Turkey had got the least damage by the global crisis because of the macro-economic policies she applied, said the report. It noted that the tax refom which was newly accepted by the Parliament would be very effective in decreasing inflation and public deficits in 2000. /Aksam/[18] GAP REGION REALIZES $16.5 MILLION EXPORTSExports from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region to the US in the first 11 months of 1998 increased by 7.8 % to $16.5 million, the Anatolia news agency reports. Officials at the Southeast Anatolian Exporters' Union said that they also realized $128 thousand in exports to Brazil, $15 thousand in exports to Honduras, $220 thousand in exports to Mexico and $56 thousand in exports to Uruguay between January-November 1998. Officials noted that they exported mostly dried apricots, cotton thread, pistachio, woven and cotton textiles and towels to those countries.Meanwhile, the exports from the Aegean Region increased by 10 % between January 1-December 15, 1998, compared to same period last year, the Anatolia news agency reports. The officials from the Aegean Exporters' Union told the Anatolia news agency correspondent that they realized a total of $2.8 billion in exports until December 15. In the same period last year, a total of $2.5 worth of goods was exported from the region. [19] "CASH TAX" IS SOFTENEDGovernment's new temporary tax enaction is softened due to the complaints of the businessmen. In the Ministry of Finance bulletin promulgated yesterday, futures sales, to which businessmen were most sensitive, were exempted from the scope of the temporary tax application via discount. /Milliyet/[20] STUDIES FOR TUBED PASSAGEWAYAn important step has been taken to bring a lasting solution to the traffic problem of Istanbul, which is the biggest industrial, cultural, trade, education and settlement center of Turkey, by taking Istanbul Tubed Passageway project into investment program. The meetings to acquire the required credits for the passageway which will be called "Marmaray" and completed in two stages, will be concluded in January. The leading Japanese firm OECF which will give the necessary credit for the project has asked for feasibility studies. Officials from OECF and Pacific Consultancy firm will come to Ankara on January 5 for official meetings. The international tender will be held in 1999. /Turkiye/[21] RUSSIAN AWARD TO ALARKO-ALSIMAlarko-Alsim got the "The Best Architect and Construction" award in Russia. The award is given every year in Russia. This year, Alarko-Alsim won the second best project award by "Nevsky 25" project, which is an office and trade center project in St. Petersburg. 100 construction companies from the world attend the competition. Russian architect Bokov won the first prize at the end of the competition. /Aksam/[22] SAGRA SPECIAL OPENS OFFICE IN TURKMENISTANSagra opened its third Sagra Special Shop abroad in Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan Ministers of Textile, Food, Customs and Railroads, Ashkabat Mayor and high level representatives of Sagra were attended the openeing ceremong of the shop. Sagra has already shops also in Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan. /Aksam/[23] NYLON BAG FACTORY IN BATMANChairman of the Tugsan Nylon Bag Factory, Ziver Ozdemir, announced that they would open a nylon bag factory in Batman with a daily capacity of two thousand. He added that they important machines from South Korea for the production. Total 35,000 people would be employed in the factory, said Ozdemir. He finally added that the factory would cost TL 100 billion. /Aksam/[24] ECONOMIC CRISIS DOES NOT HIT HARRANI TEXTILEVice-President of the Harrani Textile, Nihat Sahin, said that they did not effect by the global crisis as they had already solved the market problem. Sahin noted that they were working with full capacity with their 300 employers and 190 machines and they planned to hire 350 more employers to increase their capacity next three months. He added that the US was their biggest market but after the global crisis they directed towards the German and the Netherlands markets to overcome the crisis with least damage. /Aksam/[25] ATLANTIS IS IN CANAKKALE (TROY)German scientists, who believe that the `lost continent' is under Troy, are coming to Turkey for one of the most comprehensive scientific investigations of the century. Swiss geoarcheologist Eberhard Zangger, who argues that the legendary `lost continent' Atlantis is under Troy, recently set the Geoscientific Research Office in action. Accordingly, the research team coming to Turkey in March will bring together the most developed geological research technology of the world and scan the underground of Troy with electromagnetic equipments with the hope of finding the remnants of Atlantis. /Milliyet/[26] FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS ... FORM THE COLUMNS...NOT COALITION BUT CONSENSUS - By GUNERI CIVAOGLU (MILLIYET)Guneri Civaoglu, a columnist in the Milliyet daily, evaluates Yalim Erez's attempts to form a government from the viewpoint of various parties. Civaoglu writes: "There are no eternal hostilities in politics. On the contrary, there are common benefits and mutual interests. These common benefits unify the politicians and political parties. Indeed, the efforts to form a government are also directed to this end. Yalim Erez, who was given the mandate to form the new government, is trying to establish a "common denominator of interests". He repeated his quest for consensus in his meetings with the leaders of the Virtue Party (FP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) yesterday.In line with his impressions in this meetings, he will prepare a preliminary feasibility report for a new government and meet the leaders once again to negotiate on a model. The True Path Party (DYP) has certain reservations for Erez. It fears from being deceived by him. However, FP's positive attitude to Erez's prime ministry impedes DYP's possible claims for this alternative. FP may have adventages in being involved in the new government since it has in mind the example of communist parties in Europe. Nevertheless, it will not take part in the government on every condition. Currently, there is the question that how many ministries will FP be given in a new government. This problem may be overcome by a reduction in the number of ministers in the cabinet. On the other hand, CHP is against FP's existence in the government. If FP does not enter the government, CHP may also give a conditioned support to the new government. Consequently, given that no other appointments will be made by the President, the only alternatives in front of Turkey are either an election government by Erez, or another government which, due to its lack of a vote of confidence, will not have any responsibility to the Parliament and any necessity regarding elections." [27] US POLICY OF IRAQ AND TURKEY'S DILEMMA - BY ERGUN BALCI (CUMHURIYET)Turkey should carry out her relations with the US in a careful and rationalist way. Some times, Turkey's interests are in line with those of the US, however, some other times, they are opposite to each other. The US wants the energy lines from Caucasia and Central Asia to pass via Turkey to the West. The realization of this project will enable Turkey to become one of the most important energy centres of the world in the 2000s. In line with this strategy, the US also exerts great efforts for Turkey's entry in the European Union (EU). However the US is a super power. Even though one leg of the global strategy is the energy lines of Eurasia and Turkey, another leg is the Gulf and Iraq. At this point, US interests are not in line with those of Turkey. Why? Because, the US has no rationalist policy regarding Iraq. Its policy is full of uncertainties and may cause the division of Iraq and a great conflict in the region. The US policy on Iraq seems to be the containment of Saddam Hussein and the change of the regime in Iraq.If we speak honestly, the US stance looks like a gambling rather than a policy. If the opposition powers are strengthened, if the sanctions imposed on Iraq create a reaction in the Iraqi nation against Saddam Hussein and if a pro-Western General appears on the stage in Baghdad, we hope that the regime in Iraq will change. However if those hopes cannot be reached, then the clamp in Iraq will continue and Turkey will continue to lose billions of dollars because of the sanctions on Iraq. The most important thing is that the Kurdish Federated State to be set up in Northern Iraq may turn into an independent state. Even though the US says that she does not aim at dividing Iraq, this wrong policy may yield this result. We believe that Turkey should explain her ally the dangerous developments that may emerge in the region because of US policy regarding Iraq without causing a tension in the relations between Turkey and the US but in a determined way. /Cumhuriyet/ [28] WILL CYPRUS BE THE NEXT CRISIS AFTER IRAQ? - BY NECATI OZFATURA (TURKIYE)In his column Necati Ozfatura analyzes the recent developments concerning the Cyprus problem. A summary of his column is as follows:"Not long after the US and British air strikes to Iraq, the UN Security Council has adopted two resolutions concerning Cyprus. Both of the resolutions call for end of the division of the island and demilitarization of the island in time. The next day after the adoption of these resoultions, in his speech the US President Clinton has said that they were determined to end the division of 'Cyprus'. This is an indication that storm clouds will be gathering over Cyprus in 1999 and urgent measures should be taken to avert dangers. The resolution adopted by the UN Security Council is in full contrast to Turkish demands and in harmony with Klerides' viewpoint. One of the resolutions was written by Russia and shows the Greek Cypriot Administration as the only legal government on the island. TRNC President Rauf Denktas has rejected these resolutions saying that they were void of legal foundations. The Five Members of the Security Council (US, UK, Russia, France and China) say that the present statusquo could not be accepted. Although they state that the union of the island with another state, partition or separation are not among the formulas suggested for solution, it should not be forgotten that they had said the same for Crete before and that Greek Cypriot Administration had usurped the powers of the government in 1964. Greek Cypriots cannot represent the whole island as it is against the London, Zurich Agreements and the 1960 Cypriot Constitution." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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