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Turkish Press Review, 00-06-19
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
19.06.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] GUREL'S STATEMENT ABOUT HIS CONTACTS IN VIENNA, BERLIN AND
FRANKFURT
[02] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
ENTERPRISES (KOBI) LOAN
[03] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[04] DE SOTO TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA TODAY
[05] EU LEADERS TO MEET
[06] GUREL'S STATEMENT ABOUT HIS CONTACTS IN VIENNA, BERLIN AND
FRANKFURT
[07] BAHCELI RULES OUT GOVERNMENT CRISIS
[08] OYMEN RETURNS FROM CHINA
[09] BIDDING LAW TO BE HARMONIZED WITH EU
[10] TURKS OF WESTERN THRACE CONVENE
[11] PROPOSAL FOR TRAFFIC BILL
[12] POPE JEAN PAUL II'S SUPPORT TO FAITH TOURISM
[13] GENERAL CELASIN TO VISIT US
[14] TURCO-GEORGIAN JOINT MANOEUVRE
[15] ADMIRAL ERKAYA IN COMA
[16] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
ENTERPRISES (KOBI) LOAN
[17] GAP REGION'S SUCCESS
[18] SAHINLER HOLDING'S INITIATIVE ABROAD
[19] EZEN'S STATEMENT CONCERNING THE TURKISH MARKET
[20] EXAM FOR STUDENT SELECTION CARRIED OUT
[21] BOOM IN THE TURKISH TOURISM
[22] 14TH KUSADASI FESTIVAL TO BEGIN
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[24] EXPECTATIONS FROM SEZER BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
[01] GUREL'S STATEMENT ABOUT HIS CONTACTS IN VIENNA, BERLIN AND
FRANKFURT
[02] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
ENTERPRISES (KOBI) LOAN
[03] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[04] DE SOTO TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA TODAY
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special
Representative to Cyprus, Alvaro De Soto, will arrive in Ankara
today to carry out contacts. It was stated that De Soto will talk
about the disagreement stemming from the clause that the duty
period of the Peace Force in Cyprus was extended with the consent
of the Government of Cyprus. Meanwhile, Ankara will point out
that there is not a government in Cyprus which represents the
whole Cyprus and that this decision contradicts with the
principle of sovereign equality between the Turkish-Cypriots and
the Greek-Cypriots. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] EU LEADERS TO MEET
European Union (EU) member countries' leaders will meet today
within the framework of Feira Summit, during which Portugal's
current presidency will come to an end. The most important agenda
of this Summit, which will continue for two days, will be the
acceptance of the report on the European Security and Defence
Identity (ESDI), prepared by the current Portugese Presidency.
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's letter to the EU leaders
concerning the ESDI will also be discussed. /Turkiye/
[06] GUREL'S STATEMENT ABOUT HIS CONTACTS IN VIENNA, BERLIN AND
FRANKFURT
State Minister Prof. Sukru Sina Gurel, responsible for relations
with the Turkish people living abroad, made a statement after his
contacts in Vienna, Frankfurt and Berlin in one week, saying that
Europe accepted the fact that it would live closely with the
Turkish people as a settled people. Gurel added, "They welcome
the idea that the Turkish people living abroad will become
citizens of the country they are in. They also speed up this
process and there are positive steps concerning the preparations
of 'Pink Card'. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] BAHCELI RULES OUT GOVERNMENT CRISIS
The Nationalist Action Party (MHP) leader and Deputy Prime
Minister Devlet Bahceli ruled out a government crisis or "problem
of confidence" between the coalition partners. Spending the
weekend in Tokat and attending the inauguration ceremonies of
several facilities, Bahceli said political stability of the
country should be maintained. He emphasized that Turkey had
achieved important headway in fighting the chronic high inflation
that had been on the rise for the past 25 years. He added that
the government must avoid populist policies and continue to
restructure the economy of the country. /Turkish Daily News/
[08] OYMEN RETURNS FROM CHINA
The Leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Altan Oymen
stated that a new China had been created and the developments
carried out in that country should be taken as an example.
Chinese Communist Party is in contact with 340 parties from 120
countries in order to promote China's opening up abroad politics.
In addition to CHP, the Chinesee Communist Party which has held
contacts with the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party
(DYP), welcomed the CHP delegation between June 8 and 15.
/Milliyet/
[09] BIDDING LAW TO BE HARMONIZED WITH EU
The work to rearrange the State Bidding Law, no. 2886 in effect
since 1984, reached its final stage. When this law is enacted
after being sent to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)
during the new term of legislation, this will be adapted to the
conditions of the day after being revised a great deal. The final
opinion of the involved institutions and establishments
concerning the draft law, were demanded to be given by 27 June.
This draft law was jointly prepared by a commission comprising
experts from the Ministry of Finance and by the Ministry of
Public Works and Settlement. /Turkiye/
[10] TURKS OF WESTERN THRACE CONVENE
The Turks of Western Thrace have convened their fourth
international convention in London to make their voices heard all
over the world as part of their struggle for the granting of
their rights in Greece. Many associations and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) struggling for the rights of Western
Thracian Turks have come together along with Turkish deputies,
Turkey's ambassador in London, Korkmaz Haktanir and the mufti of
Xanthi (Iskece), Mehmet Emin Aga. /Turkish Daily News/
[11] PROPOSAL FOR TRAFFIC BILL
While the walk of Boray Uras to Ankara is continuing, four
Democratic Left Party (DSP)'s deputies presented a traffic bill
to the Bureau of the Turkish Grand Assembly. According to the
draft, driving licence of the drivers, who were under influence
of alcohol, will be confiscated for a year, drivers who exceed
the speed limit at a rate of 30%, will pay 250 million as fine
and the punishments for those causing death, will not be
converted into fines. /Milliyet/
[12] POPE JEAN PAUL II'S SUPPORT TO FAITH TOURISM
Chairman of the Department of Religious Affairs, Mehmet Nuri
Yilmaz, who went to Rome upon the invitation of Vatican and who
met Pope Jean Paul II and the Italian Minister of Foreign
Affairs, arrived in Turkey yesterday. Yilmaz delivered a
statement at Ataturk Airport, saying, "Pope Jean Paul II will
encourage Christians to visit the holy sites in Turkey." Yilmaz
added that the extradition of the terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca, who
attempted to assassinate Pope Jean Paul II and who killed Abdi
Ipekci, was not discussed during his visit. /Hurriyet/
[13] GENERAL CELASIN TO VISIT US
Commander of the Air Forces, General Ergin Celasin, will visit
the US between 19 and 24 June as the guest of the US Commander of
Air Forces, General Michael Ryan. During his visit to the US,
Celasin will also meet the US Deputy Chief of the General Staff,
General Richard Myers and the American Secretary of Air Forces,
Whitten Peters. /Turkiye/
[14] TURCO-GEORGIAN JOINT MANOEUVRE
The Turkish unit of 23 arrived in Georgia yesterday to attend the
training manoeuvre that will be carried out as part of an
agreement between Turkey and Georgia. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] ADMIRAL ERKAYA IN COMA
Ex-commander of the Naval Forces, Retired Admiral Guven Erkaya,
treated at Kasimpasa Naval Hospital for a few days, last night
was taken into intensive care unit due to a "pelvic infection".
/Star/
[16] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES OF THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE
ENTERPRISES (KOBI) LOAN
Council of Ministers approved of the Loan Agreement signed with
the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) in order to
reestablish the production capacities of the Small and Medium
Scale Enterprises (KOBI), destroyed during the earthquakes that
occurred on 17 August and 12 November. The agreement that was
signed between the Treasury Undersecretariat and JBIC, arranges
the structure and the conditions of the loan ensurance amounting
to 27.5 billion dollars. /Aksam/
[17] GAP REGION'S SUCCESS
It was stated that there was an increase of 60% in the industrial
facilities of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region and
that its share in the added tax of the Turkish industry increased
from 2% to 4%. Director of the Administration of GAP Region
Development, Erkan Alemdaroglu, stated that the growth due to the
increase in the value of land and the increase in the
agricultural income due to irrigation positively influenced the
capital stock. /Cumhuriyet/
[18] SAHINLER HOLDING'S INITIATIVE ABROAD
Sahinler Holding Company decided to expand to various European
cities. Chairman of Sahinler Holding Company, Kemal Sahin, said,
'We decided to grow in various European cities. We try to grow by
opening branches of Adessa Shops in France, Holland, Italy,
England, Spain and Slovenia. Our figures concerning the US are
continuing to increase in accordance with the demands of our
office in New York. 15% of our total export is being made to the
US.' /Aksam/
[19] EZEN'S STATEMENT CONCERNING THE TURKISH MARKET
Turkey's Consul-General in New York, Mehmet N. Ezen, invited
American investors to invest in Turkey, a market full of
opportunities. Ezen delivered a speech during the programme
'Turkey: Market of Opportunitites' that was presented at Hartford
Club with the contribution of The World Affaries Council, State
of Connecticut's Department of Economic Development. Ezen
addressed the administrators of the financial, construction,
production, education and service companies and called them to
benefit from the positive economic atmosphere in Turkey. Ezen
said, "The World Bank elected Turkey as the country among 10
countries that is developing best. I suggest you to invest in
Turkey and make use of this market of opportunities. /Aksam/
[20] EXAM FOR STUDENT SELECTION CARRIED OUT
Yesterday, 1,414,820 students took a three-hour test for student
selection (OSS) in 81 cities and 141 districts in Turkey as well
as in Cyprus. The results of the exam will be declared at the end
of July. Students who score between 105-119 points will be able
to attend institutions of higher education and participate in
open-education programmes, while those who receive a score of 120
or above will be eligible to apply to a university. /Milliyet/
[21] BOOM IN THE TURKISH TOURISM
Turkish tourism recovered a great deal after the great blow it
received with the earthquakes that occurred last year. While the
rate of booking is between 15% and 80% in many touristic
districts, it is likely that this rate will reach 100% in the
coasts of the Meditarrenean and the Aegean Sea in July.
/Hurriyet/
[22] 14TH KUSADASI FESTIVAL TO BEGIN
Kusadasy will welcome many famous names from the world of art due
to the 14th Kusadasi Festival and Gold Dove Music Competition
that will be organized between 24 June and 2 July. Gold Dove
Music Competition, which is the only populer music competition in
Turkey, will be held on 1st of July and sponsored by Unitel and
its awards will be given on the following branches: 'the Best
Professional Composer', 'the Most Successful Amatoeur Composer'
and 'the Most Successful Interpreter'. /Cumhuriyet/
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS... FROM THE COLUMNS...
[24] EXPECTATIONS FROM SEZER BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)
Columnist Fikret Bila writes on a panel displaying the
expectations of the public from President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. A
summary of his column is as follows:
"In a panel held in Izmir on "The New President and a New Era"
the expectations from Ahmet Necdet Sezer were discussed. The
great and disciplined interest shown for the panel was an
indication of the curiosity of the public for President Ahmet
Necdet Sezer's understanding of administration. Almost all
sections of the general public support the election of the
chairman of a high judicial organization as President. The modest
personality of Sezer, his stance taking law and the benefit of
the public into consideration before all, his pointing out to the
imbalance in the distribution of income has been received
favourably by everyone. The question marks in the minds of many
on the issue of secularism disappeared with the speeches he
delivered at the Parliament and the Presidential Palace and the
confidence in the public that he will protect the principles of
democratic and secular republic has increased.
It is expected that Sezer will act in neutrality, be a pioneer
for the reforms in law, contribute to the implementation of a
clean society by using the State Inspection Council, protect
bureaucracy, keep alive the demands which will increase the
living standards of civil servants. However, it still is a
question in the minds of many if the inexperience of Sezer in
politics and foreign policy may be a weakness for Turkey and
therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government are
expected to brief him on every issue.
In general, people seem quite satisfied with the election of
Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Presidency."
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