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Turkish Press Review, 99-05-13Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>13.05.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS[02] SPECIAL KOSOVO[03] ELECTION FOR PARLIAMENT SPEAKERThe initial two stages of voting were held to elect the Parliament Speaker yesterday. Of the five candidates, the Democratic Left Party's (DSP) Ankara Deputy Uluc Gurkan received 141 votes, the Nationalist Action Party's (MHP) Aksaray Deputy Sadi Somuncuoglu received 137 votes, the Virtue Party's (FP) Istanbul Deputy Nevzat Yalcintas got 98, Motherland Party's (ANAP) Ankara Deputy Yildirim Akbulut received 84 and the True Path Party's (DYP) Amasya Deputy Ahmet Iyimaya received 70 votes during the second voting. A candidate should receive 367 votes in order to become the Parliament Speaker. Therefore the third round of voting will be held on May 18. If a result is not forthcoming, then the fourth round of voting will be held on May 20 when the Parliament Speaker will be determined. /Aksam/[04] CABINET TO DISCUSS FATE OF KAVAKCIThe Virtue Party's (FP) newly-elected Deputy, Merve Kavakci, is at the point of a possible revocation of her post as deputy as well as facing the possibility of losing her Turkish citizenship following the release of information by a US government agency that she is an American citizen.Prime Minister-designate Bulent Ecevit told reporters that Kavakci's status would be discussed at a Cabinet meeting. "We are facing a totally illegal situation. Even if she takes off her headscarf, it would be impossible for her to take the oath of office and legally become an official member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)" said Ecevit while answering reporters' questions about Kavakci's dual citizenship. /All papers/ [05] THE COALITION IMPASSSpeaking to the Parliamentary Group of his party, Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said the general opinion that a `Democratic Left Party (DSP)-Nationalist Action Party (MHP) coalition is OK' was incorrect. Yilmaz remarked that DSP leader Ecevit has been faced with trouble in his meetings with other parties leaders; he said, "After his second-round meetings, Ecevit may return the mandate to the President".In turn, Prime Minister and DSP leader Bulent Ecevit said, "I do not know why Mr.Yilmaz issued such a statement." Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan's visit to ANAP leader Yilmaz and ANAP MP Tasar's visit to MHP official Yahnici have been interpreted as signs that ANAP is tending to act as a negotiator between the DSP and the MHP. /Milliyet/ [06] COURT TELLS SAVAS: "SUBSTANTIATE THE CHARGES"The Constitutional Court decided yesterday to ask the Court of Appeals' Prosecutor, Vural Savas, to substantiate the charges he made in an indictment demanding the closure of the Virtue Party (FP). Completing the first evaluation of the Prosector's petition for the closure of the FP on grounds that it is a continuation of the Welfare Party (RP), which was closed down by the Constitutional Court in early 1998, that it was exploiting religion for political purposes and that it was instigating separatism by dividing the nation into believers and non-believers, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Prosecutor should provide the Court with additional information and documents. /All papers/[07] SAKIK APPLIES TO DGM FOR TESTIMONYSemdin Sakik, one of the so-called commanders of the PKK terrorist organization, has applied to the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the State Security Court (DGM) in Diyarbakir to testify during the trial of the PKK Chief Abdullah Ocalan. The Diyarbakir DGM Chief Prosecutor's Office has forwarded the application to the Ankara DGM for an evaluation. Semdin Sakik was captured during an operation in Northern Iraq and then brought to Turkey. /Aksam/[08] IRANIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE IS A PKK SUPPORTERTwo PKK terrorists who escaped from Mako training camp in Iran and yielded to Turkish security forces in Igdýr confessed that the Iranian Intelligence Service is the largest supporter of the PKK in Iran. They said, "When we arrived in Iran, we were welcomed by members of the Iranian Intelligence Service. Our wounded friends were cured by Iranian doctors. They also let me stay in Iran for one year."Meanwhile, Iran continues its positive attitude against Turkey. An Iranian female politician said in her speech that the headscarf has been shaking the secular system in Turkey. Although the Iranian Ambassador to Ankara was warned by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, demonstrations against the secular regime in Turkey have been in progress in Tehran since last week. /Hurriyet/ [09] FP DEPUTY RESIGNSIt was reported by the Anatolia News Agency that Virtue Party (FP) Van Deputy Mustafa Bayram held a press conference yesterday announcing his resignation from the party. Bayran stated that he was unhappy with the actions of Merve Kavakci, the FP deputy who entered the swearing-in ceremony in Parliament wearing a headscarf.In a related story, an unidentified person or persons broke into the Van Courthouse safe and stole Deputy Bayram's criminal file. Van Security Directorate authorities stated that the courthouse night watchman had been taken into custody and that in-depth investigation is continuing. Bayram was on trial on charges of premediated murder and faced a possible prison sentence of between 24-30 years. The trial of Mustafa Bayram, whose parliamentary immunity was terminated last year, has been in progress in Van Court. [10] DENKTAS WARNS THE EURauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC), said that they will cease talks if the EU accepts the membership application of the Greek-Cypriot Administration. Remarking that Greek-Cypriot leader Klerides is proud of achieving full integration with Greece, Denktas stated, "He says that `Turkey's guarantorship right over Cyprus will be abolished and our security will then be provided by the EU'. However, this will never come to pass." President Denktas said, "On the condition that the Greek-Cypriot Administration enters the EU, the TRNC will engage in full integration with Turkey." /Turkiye/[11] 181 DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTEDOf 193 demonstrators who were detained during the illegal protest held against the headscarf prohibition in Malatya, 181 people were arrested. Meanwhile, the Malatya Governor's Office has prohibited any meeting or demonstration in Akpinar Square. /Aksam/[12] CLASHES IN ERZURUMA group of terrorists attacked the Cat Village Affairs Office in Erzurum killing a watch-man and wounding four officials on Tuesday night. As a result of the crack-down conducted by security forces in and around the region, five terrorists were killed. Military sources announced that by the end of the clashes two soldiers had been killed and one had been wounded. /Cumhuriyet/[13] ISRAELI MISSILES TO TURKEYArrow missiles, co-produced Israel and the US, will be exported to Turkey and Jordan. Both countries, which are in alliance with Israel and the US, worry about the security of their countries in the face of the Scud type missiles of the regional countries. US national security consultants have decided to support both Israel and Turkey because of their geopolitical importance in the region. /Sabah/[14] WILSON: "TURKEY IS ONE OF THE MOST DEVELOPING MARKETS"British Trade Secretary Brian Wilson and an accompanying delegation visited the Istanbul Chamber of Trade (ITO) and the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) yesterday. The British Ambassador to Ankara, David Logan, the British Consul-General to Istanbul, Peter Hunt, and British businessmen attended the meetings. Wilson said that they viewed Turkey as one of the 10 most developing markets in the world. Wilson remarked that they were ready to work on commercial and political issues with the new Turkish government as yet to be established. Wilson also visited the British Catalogue Fair which has opened at the ISO. The Head of the ITO Executive Board, Mehmet Yildirim, and ISO Chairman Husamettin Kavi pointed out during the meetings that they would be pleased to cooperate with Britain. /Aksam/[15] REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT FROM BOSSESThe most authorized counselling organ of the Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK), the `Advisory Council', has formed up a committee to prepare the report to be presented to the new government which is likely to be established in the following weeks. Issuing a statement following the `Advisory Council' meeting, Refik Baydur, the Chairman of TISK, stated that the participants had agreed on the formation of the new government, the provision of political stability and the implementation of effective measures to transcend the economci crisis. Sakip Sabanci who attended the meeting said that the first precept of the coalition protocol for the new government should be the `amendment of the Election Law and the Law concerning Political Parties', while Okan Oguz claimed they would demand that the government establish a Ministry of Foreign Trade. It is reported that propositions for more extensive economic and social reforms will also be outlined in the report. /Milliyet/[16] TURKEY'S POWERAccording to data from the State Institute of Statistics (DIE), Turkey paid out $411.7 million in official aid or similar foreign hand-outs in 1997. Turkey assisted 67 countries financially in 1997. Among these countries, Azerbaijan, which obtained $6.217 million, received the most. Turkmenistan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina were some of the other countries assisted. /Aksam/[17] TREASURY BONDS IN EUROPEThe Treasury increased has the amount of its bond exports from 800 million Euro to 1 billion Euro. According to a statement issued by the Treasury, the five-year bonds which were exported under the leadership of Deutsche Bank and Paribas on February 24, 1999, totalling 500 million Euro, increased by 300 million Euro on April 22 and 28 and rose to 800 million Euro. The statement said that the amount of exports further increased by 200 million Euro yesterday and now totalled 1 billion Euro. /Aksam/[18] START FOR GAP HIGHWAYThe first highway project to be implemented as part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) has begun. In this respect, the transactions for the 54-million-dollar first commercial syndication loan to cover the `Gaziantep-Sanliurfa Highway Project' have been completed and contractor firm groups have actually initiated its construction. The loan has been provided by the German Deutsche Landes Bank (West LM). It is reported that the contract price of the entire project is $492 million. /Turkiye/[19] `STABLE GOVERNMENT NEEDED FOR PRIVATIZATION'The much-needed drive for privatization can only be conducted by a stable government which has three or four years in which to implement its programme, said Privatization Board (OIB) Chairman Ugur Bayar. Bayar expressed his views on privatization and his policy suggestions for the new government after making a speech at a New York seminar on Turkish financial markets. /All papers/[20] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO VISIT ROMANIABusinessmen from Elazig will invest in Romania. As part of a plan jointly organized by the Elazig Chamber of Trade and Industry (TSO) and the General Directorate of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises, businessmen from Elazig will travel to Romania. The Chairman of the Elazig TSO, Suat Ozturk, said that a visit would be paid to Romania between May 24-30. /Aksam/[21] AMERICAN PARTNER FOR TURNAKThe US company International Expeditors who specialize in logistic services and the Turkish company Turnak which specializes in transport organization have decided to merge. The International Expeditors-Turnak joint venture will provide air and naval transport and consolidation services, storage faclities, Customs' clearing facilities and insurance in Turkey. /Hurriyet/[22] FOREIGN LOAN FOR GUMUSSUYU CARPET COMPANYRepresentatives of the Gumussuyu Carpet and Floor Covers company have stated that they have obtained a $ 12 million loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). According to the statement, part of the loan, some $ 4 million and 2.8 million Euro, is foreesen to be used within this month and the remainder will be used in October. /Hurriyet/[23] NEW COMPETITION IN CEMENT SECTOROne of the leading Spanish cement companies, Cementos Mexicanos, has set up the Ucim company in Turkey. The General Director of Ucim, Abut Ozsevikli, said: "We sell white cement brought from Spain all over Turkey. Our market share has risen to 25 %". /Aksam/[24] AKBANK TO RECEIVE SYNDICATION CREDITSAkbank has authorized six banks to receive one-year syndication loans worth $130 million from international financial institutions. According to a statement sent by Akbank to the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB), Akbak has given its permission to the Banque Nationale de Paris, Commerzbank AG, Credit Agricole, Indosuez, Dresdner Bank, Luxembourg S.A., Natexis Banque and Paribas (Suisse) S.A. /Aksam/[25] TURKEY SURPASSES EMERGING MARKETSThe Deputy Head of the Executive Board of Duff and Phelps in Turkey, Selcuk Abac, said during a conference jointly organized by the Turkish Banks' Union and DCR Turkey that foreigners were looking for stability in order to make further investments in Turkey. He added: "Turkey surpasses the emerging markets". /Aksam/[26] TEMA IS THE FINALIST FOR FORD AWARDThe Turkish Foundation for Afforestation and the Anti-Erosion Measures (TEMA) will represent Turkey at the 17th annual Henry Ford European Environmental Protection Awards, which is the biggest environmental protection award in Europe. In the Turkish final held two days ago, the TEMA project came first among 153 projects. /Aksam/[27] FLIGHT SAFETYIt is reported that Turkey is among the countries which have the safest aviation standards. The Turkish Air Traffic Control System set up under a 'turn-key job' system by the Italian Alenia firm seven years ago consists of 19 PSR-SSR-type flight computers and communications systems operating in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Dalaman, Merzifon and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). /Aksam/[28] MINE EXPLODES: TWO PEOPLE DIEA mine has exploded in Osmaniye, killing two soldiers. Two other soldiers who were wounded during the explosion were taken to Osmaniye State Hospital. /Aksam/[29] INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS OF TURKISH ORCHESTRA CONDUCTORTurkish orchestra conductor Alpaslan Ertungealp has become third among two thousand competitors at the international "Prokofieff Orchestra Conductorship" contest, which is held every three years. Ertegun, who graduated from the Franz List Music Academy in Budapest, was praised by international music experts. /Sabah/[30] TARKAN IN RUSSIAAfter Europe, Tarkan becomes the favourite of Russian young people. Tarkan will stage a concert on 29 May in Moscow. He will perform with famous Russian pop singers at the concert which will be organized by the General Coordinator of Hit Fm radia station, Aleksey Astudin. He said that Tarkan was one of the most popular foreign singers in Russia so they had invited him to Russia. /Sabah/[31] FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS[32] BEHIND THE INNOCENCE - BY YAVUZ DONAT (SABAH)Columnist Yavuz Donat writes on the recent demonstrations and their purposes. A summary of his column is as follows:"During our visit to the Director General of Security Necati Bilican, the conversation turned to the recent demonstrations in Malatya. Bilican stated that there were facts unknown to the public. He claimed that the organizations of the pre-1980s were also stirring up these activities. The reason why they were aiding these demonstrations was to destabilize Turkey, to shake the public's trust in the state. He started to name these organizations by their known abbreviations, the DHKP-C, the TKP, the MLKP, the DHP and others. These organizations supported the demonstrations in Malatya, and actually were involved in them. The Security Forces are working extremely hard and there is harmony among them. Thus, the exchange of intelligence proves to be excellent. Bilican adds that the wearing of headscarves was just an excuse. There were those who wanted to keep the reactionary forces alive by using the 'headscarf' question. And again there were others who wanted to create an athmosphere of agitation within the country. They were penetrating into the demonstrations in support of headscarf-wearing. The Director General named those associations, foundations, and people who actively took part in these demonstrations. From his words, it is understood that the State is in power. Bilican has attended the meetings of the National Security Council for years, first as Regional Governor, then the Director General of Security. He states that police has no business with those who wear headscarves, or accept this as a life-style. The police is against those who want to change the structure of the State. He stated that an operation was launched against the "Hizbullah' organization, and the security forces had seized many documents, arms and explosives which showed that the "science group" of the Hizbullah was being prepared for an armed conflict. Among the provocators of the recent demonstrations, members of Hizbullah were also present. In general people live togther in peace whether they wear a headscarf or not. The problem results from exploiting religion for political purposes." [33] SPECIAL KOSOVO[34] NATO AIR BASE IN TURKEYDuring a weekly press conference at the Foreign Ministry yesterday, Spokesman Sermet Atacanli said that on-going talks are taking place at a military level between NATO and Turkish General Staff officials. The Cabinet late on Tuesday also authorized the General Staff to discuss with NATO officials the technical availability and suitability for NATO purposes of the bases in Turkey. Ankara will take its final decision after an official request is submitted by the Alliance. /All papers/[35] EU DELEGATION TO VISIT ANKARAAn EU Special Envoy will arrive in Ankara today to discuss with Turkish officials a German proposal concerning the Stability Pact for the Balkans. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters yesterday that the visit of Ambassador Wilfred Gruber and his delegation to Ankara will be carried out before the Political Directors' meeting that will be held in Bonn on May 27 under the guidelines of the German proposal for the Stability Pact. Gruber is to engage in talks today with Deputy Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, Aydin Sahinbas. /All papers/[36] "ATHENS HOBBLES, TURKEY CONTRIBUTES"Athens has announced that it will close its air space to NATO planes whereas Turkey is allowing NATO to use its present air bases and construct new ones. The Spokesman for the US Secretary of State, James Rubin, said yesterday that Turkey is allowing NATO planes to take off from its lands and added, "As NATO member countries, Turkey and Hungary are participating fully in the Allied Forces Operations. The Turkish government permits NATO planes to take off from its lands. Both countries play vital roles in the operations as NATO members."Meanwhile, Dimitris Reppas, the Spokesman for the Greek government, announced yesterday that NATO planes could not use Greek air space during their strikes against Yugoslavia. /Hurriyet/ [37] RUSSIA REPLACES SHIPRussian authorities have decided to substitute a warship that was scheduled to sail the Adriatic Sea with an intelligence vessel to monitor the crisis in Kosovo. In line with the Montreaux Convention, Moscow has informed Turkish authorities that the Kildin intelligence-gathering vessel will pass through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits instead of the previously registered Liman warship.Meanwhile, Allied warplanes pounded Yugoslav bridges and airfields in what NATO described yesterday as its busiest bombing sortie of the seven-week air war. /Aksam/ [38] TURKISH COMPANIES IN BULGARIAThe war in Kosovo has not affected Turkish investors as it has other foreign investors with business interests in Bulgaria, said Demirbank-Bulgaria's General Director Caner Celik. Celik said in a press conference held in Sofia that although the air-strikes in Kosovo have not affected Turkish companies conducting business in Bulgaria, they have damaged Bulgaria's foreign trade. However, he believes that the Bulgarian foreign trade situation will turn around as soon as the war ends.There are 2,000 Turkish companies conducting business in Bulgaria, and Turkey is the 10th-biggest investor there. The overall trade volume between the two countries was $450 million in 1998. /All papers/ [39] "WE ARE AT WAR" BY ENIS BERBEROGLU (HURRIYET)Hurriyet columnist Enis Berberoglu wrote in his article today about the NATO operations in Yugoslavia. He said that after the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Turkey would allow NATO to use air bases in Turkey, aircraft to hit Serbia would fly from Turkey. He claimed that Turkey is at war following the recent decision taken by Cabinet Ministers.Berberoglu noted, "For a long time NATO, in fact the US administration, has aimed to limit the circle around Serbia. With this aim, it is planned to hit the country with planes flying not only from Italy but also from other countries. This is because, they claim, Italian airbases cannot meet the requirements of the military strikes against Yugoslavia. Another reason is the increasing criticism of Germany and Greece directed against the NATO operations and therefore the US is looking for new allies. Only Turkey and Hungary accept the US's requirements; US F-18 aircraft will use Taszar Airbase in Hungary and, probably, F-16 and F-15 squadrons will use Corlu Airbase." He added that Kosovo was not the only region with which America was at war. It is looking for new allies, Berberoglu said, American aircraft were bombing radar bases in Iraq, that is to say there is a conflict going on in Iraq." To summarize his views Berberoglu said, "The results of the wars going on in two neighbouring regions will be as follows: While the Kosovo issue has been deepening the crack in the NATO organization, Turkey walks on the US side and is preparing to send troops for a probable land operation. On the other hand, the US is eager to use Iran in its handling of the Turkey and Middle Eastern balance of power. However, her advantages in Northern Iraq will contradict each other." Berberoglu finally asked everyone to wait and see how relations in the Washington-Ankara-Tehran triangle will develop following the Kosovo issue. /Hurriyet/ Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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