TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (May 31, 1995)

From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)

Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (May 31, 1995)

CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY REDISCOVERS INDONESIA

  • [02] DENMARK ON TURKEY'S RED LIST

  • [03] CILLER INVITED TO THE WEU

  • [04] INONU IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR NATO MEETING

  • [05] US ASKS GREECE INFORMATION ON THE PKK

  • [06] A NEW MODEL FOR IRAQ

  • [07] TURKEY COMMEMORATES "MARTYRED DIPLOMATS"

  • [08] UN SECRETARY FEISSEL TO TALK WITH DENKTAS AND KLERIDES

  • [09] FOREIGN MEDIA SUPPORT TURKISH TOURISM

  • [10] GEORGIA INVITES TURKISH INVESTMENT

  • [11] BULGARIAN PRESS PRAISES TURKEY

  • [12] TURKSOY LEAPS FORWARD

  • [13] NEWSOM COMPLETES HIS CONTACTS IN ANKARA

  • [14] ATASOY: "GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IS FRIENDLY TO ENVIRONMENT"

  • [15] OVER 5,000 NEW FIRMS START UP IN APRIL 1995

  • [16] GERMAN AMBASSADOR VISITS HACALOGLU

  • [17] NO GREEN LIGHT FOR THE PKK IN ARMENIA

    •

    WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF

    DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION

    TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

    MAY 31, 1995

    Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish

    press this morning.

    [01] TURKEY REDISCOVERS INDONESIA

    After a visit to China, President Suleyman Demirel this week opened the door for Turkish diplomats and businessmen to Indonesia, a long-neglected Muslim country he paid a state visit to on the last leg of a Far East trip. "This country has been as close and warm to us as Pakistan, and not like some other Muslim countries who have been bearing grudges against us" Demirel said in a seeming reference to the Arab countries ruled by the Ottoman Turks until the end of the First World War. Turkey, however, has neglected to give due importance to its ties with Indonesia until now, he told reporters. Earlier, in a dinner speech, Demirel paid tribute to the rebuilding of Indonesia over the past 50 years into a "dynamic regional power of the 21st century" and called for the "transformation of the deep-rooted friendship into a comprehensive, concrete partnership". President Demirel held two meetings with his Indonesian counterpart Suharto yesterday. The first one was an "official meeting" and the second one was a "good-bye" visit. Demirel addressed Indonesian businessmen at a luncheon given in his honour in Jakarta by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and calling upon cooperation said: "Turkey is your home". Demirel said that Turkey would enter the customs union with the EU in 1996, and pointed out that this was a "very important and historical event". Recalling that Turkey was both secular and Muslim, and had a liberal economy, Demirel noted that Turkey was shown as a model by many observers for other countries. Demirel said: "We want to have closer economic and commercial relations with you and are ready to exert efforts to achieve this". He added that they agreed with Suharto over signing the agreements on "protection and encouragement of investments" and "prevention of double taxation" within a few months' time. Demirel attended a reception at the Turkish Embassy yesterday evening. At the official meetings in which State Minister Baki Atac also participated, Indonesian officials proposed a cooperation in the aircraft industry to Turkey while the Turkish side called upon Indonesia to take on the modernization of their F-16 airplanes. Demirel, who completes his 10-day visit including China, Hong Kong and Indonesia, will return to Ankara tonight. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet-Sabah/

    [02] DENMARK ON TURKEY'S RED LIST

    Following Denmark's permission for the opening of an ERNK bureau in Copenhagen, Turkey has put the country on the "red list". Stating that companies from Denmark would be excluded from bidding for any military contracts from now on an official said: "Turkey's putting Denmark on her "red list" after Holland is a proof of her determination in the struggle against terrorism. Turkey hopes that this attitude will also serve as an example for other European countries and that they will understand her attitude in not making concessions regarding this issue." Trade in the military field between Turkey and Denmark is not developed but the officials note that this determined attitude of the Ankara government was a warning to another countries which deal intensively with Turkey in this sector. The number of countries with which Turkey suspended trading in arms has increased to seven with Denmark. Turkey has put Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Holland and South Africa on her "red list". Meanwhile it has been ascertained that Germany which has imposed weapons embargo on Turkey has softened its stand. Stating that the German Foreign Ministry has decided to lift the embargo, an official said: "Germany is trying to prepare her own public opinion for this and will lift the embargo at the first suitable moment." Germany is on Turkey's "yellow list" which encompasses countries that are "risky to deal with in matters of defense". /Hurriyet/.

    [03] CILLER INVITED TO THE WEU

    Prime Minister Tansu Ciller has been invited to the general committee meeting of the Western European Union Parliamentarians Assembly to be held between 19-21 June in Paris. Giving rights to Turkish deputies to vote in the general committee will be presented for approval. The right to vote has not been given to Turkish deputies attending the Assembly on the grounds that Turkey was only an associate member to the WEU. Upon the boycott of the Turkish deputies, the right to vote has been decided upon in the meeting of the WEU Regulations Commission last week. The final decision will be given in the General Assembly in Paris next month. An absolute majority is needed for the approval. Officials however have pointed out that the voting in favour of Turkey would not be easy as the Assembly members were the same as in the European Parliamentarian Assembly. Ciller has been invited to make a speech at the session of the General Council during the Eastern Mediterranean Report which deals primarily with Turkey will be discussed. Ciller has not as yet given her decision to attend this meeting. /Milliyet/

    [04] INONU IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR NATO MEETING

    Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu is to represent Turkey at the NATO and the North Atlantic Cooperation Council Spring meetings in the Netherlands.

    Regarding the meeting Erdal Inonu said: "Serbian attacks cannot be tolerated. It is unacceptable to do anything in the face of these attacks. I explained at the meeting that the world should take a decision on the Serbs, who have started their attacks immediately after the ceasefire."

    In his speech at the meeting Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu said that a federation including Bosnian Serbs should be discussed. While evaluating the recent decision regarding Bosnia by NATO at Noordwijk Inonu said: "The result obtained is the best under these circumstances." He added that the United Nations (UN) should immediately make known its stand.

    In the Joint Comminuque of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the North Atlantic Council, it was stressed that the unity of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) should be preserved. New suggestions tolerant to international terrorism, and the Nagorno and Chechnya issues were also put forward into the communique./Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/

    [05] US ASKS GREECE INFORMATION ON THE PKK

    The US Administration anxious concerned over the possibility that the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) and other terrorist organization will open offices in Athens and Salonica, has started a wide research in Athens.

    Councilor of the US Embassy in Athens and second man, Thomas Miller, has officially asked for information on the PKK office in Athens from the Greek Foreign Ministry. The US attitude regarding PKK's activities in Athens has caused unease in Athens. /Hurriyet/

    [06] A NEW MODEL FOR IRAQ

    Turkey pointed out that a de facto Baghdad administration in northern Iraq did not mean that "it was neccessarily a Saddam domination".

    Diplomatic sources noted that Turkey insists that the territorial integrity of northern Iraq and the self-determination right of the Iraqi people be preserved.

    Sazad Saib, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Celal Talabani, said that during the meetings Turkey was for a solution through dialogue with central on a long term basis. Saib added that Turkey noted that the northern Iraqi problem must be solved within the framework of Article 688 of the UN Security Council.

    It was pointed out that the two warring sides in the region, the PUK of Celal Talabani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mesut Barzani, reached a concensus on a federal system being established in Iraq in which the "Provide Comfort" forces would act as a guarantor in the region should an agreement be reached with the Baghdad administration. /Cumhuriyet/

    [07] TURKEY COMMEMORATES "MARTYRED DIPLOMATS"

    Turkey yesterday commemorated the assassination of several of its diplomats by terrorist organizations throughout the world. "We will always keep in our hearts the memories of our diplomats and officials martyred abroad in treacherous attacks" President Suleyman Demirel said in a letter to Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu on the occasion. Demirel stated that all states should take pains to protect the officials and representatives of other countries. Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and Acting Foreign Minister Onur Kumbaracibasi also released messages on the "Martyred Diplomats Day". Since 1973, thirty-four Turkish diplomats, relatives or officials have been killed abroad, mainly by the Armenian terrorist group ASALA. In the latest fatal attack, the counselor at the Turkish Embassy in Athens, Omer Haluk Sipahioglu, was shot dead by the terrorist November 17 organization in the the Greek capital in July 1994.

    [08] UN SECRETARY FEISSEL TO TALK WITH DENKTAS AND KLERIDES

    Gustave Feissel, the UN secretary-general's Cyprus envoy, arrived on the island yesterday to meet with the leaders of both communities. Feissel's meetings with Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides and Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas were decided on during the "secret" talks in London between the delegations from the two communities. Feissel said that his priority was to get the leaders of the two communities to meet.

    [09] FOREIGN MEDIA SUPPORT TURKISH TOURISM

    Some foreign newspapers criticized Greece's stand against Turkish tourism and supported Turkish tourism. Officials from Turkish Tourism Ministry said that some English papers criticized Greece for supporting the PKK terrorist organization. The Sunday Telegraph claimed in one of its articles that PKK militants receive training in Greece. It said that Kurdish terrorists were being trained in Greece for bombing activites in the Aegean coasts and gave photos and articles regarding the illegal infiltration of separatist terrorists into Turkey and their relations with the drug smugglers. The Travel Weekly criticized Greece in one of its articles and supported Turkey. The Reisrevue magazine of the Netherlands said in its article that "Don't change your plans, go to Turkey for your holidays". /Sabah/

    [10] GEORGIA INVITES TURKISH INVESTMENT

    Georgian Economy Minister Vladimir Papava said yesterday that his country was completing a revision of its laws and regulations in a way to encourage foreign investments, Papava told a meeting in Turkey's Black Sea port of Trabzon that Georgia expects much from its Western neighbour. "We want to see Turkish businessmen investing more in Georgia at a time when we are reaching economic and financial stability" he said. Meanwhile, the "Naval Agreement" signed in Tbilisi in 1992 between Georgia and Turkey has been ratified by the Council of Ministers and published in the Official Gazette. The agreement foresees that the naval relations and security between the two countries will be developed, the best coordination will be provided in transportation, measures that will harm sea transport will not be implemented and cooperation in shipyards and repair work will be established. /Cumhuriyet/

    [11] BULGARIAN PRESS PRAISES TURKEY

    Daily Standart, a well-known Bulgarian newspaper, published an article which said that Turkey had been developing very fast for the past 15 years, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The article also mentioned that the world had a misconception of the country because of a negative propaganda campaign. The article continued with a description of Turkey's historical riches and its modern touristic complexes. The report conluded that when several new projects were completed Turkey would be an even more modern country.

    [12] TURKSOY LEAPS FORWARD

    Ercan Karakas, Culture Minister, returned to Ankara yesterday after the sixth meeting of TURKSOY (the international organization for the promotion of Turkish Culture and Arts) in Ashkabad, Turkmenistan. The Anatolia news agency reported that Karakas felt the meeting had been very fruitful and that 1996 was going to be a "year of attack" for the organization. Turkmenistan's ratification of the TURKSOY treaty is the only step left for it to be legally recognized. The Turkish Culture Ministry has taken on the chairmanship of the organization for the next period. The centre in Ankara will begin functinoning within a few months.

    [13] NEWSOM COMPLETES HIS CONTACTS IN ANKARA

    US Principal Deputy Asssistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs, Eric Newsom, who made contacts with the Turkish Foreign Ministry and General Staff on US military aid to Turkey and bilateral security relations, completed his official meetings in Ankara. Newsom and his accompanying delegation will leave Turkey today. /Cumhuriyet/

    [14] ATASOY: "GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IS FRIENDLY TO ENVIRONMENT"

    Speaking at the "Turkish-Japanese Geothermal Energy Symposium" in Ankara, Veysel Atasoy, Energy and Natural Resources Minister said that geothermal energy was the kind of energy that was cheap, clean and friendly to environment. Noting that the most important for Turkey among the alternative energy resources was geothermal energy, Atasoy stated that Turkey was among the top ten countries in the world with its 140 fields that have geothermal fluidity over 40 degrees. Japanese Ambassador to Ankara, Takehiro Togo indicated that the importance of geothermal energy was perceived after the oil crisis in 1970s, adding that cooperation between the two countries on geothermal energy had been continuing for the last 10 years. /Cumhuriyet/

    [15] OVER 5,000 NEW FIRMS START UP IN APRIL 1995

    In April alone, 5,071 new companies were established, with a total capital of TL 3.12 trillion, the State Institute of Statistics (DIE) revealed yesterday. According to the DIE statement, also in April, 578 firms increased their capital by a total of TL 37.53 trillion. /All papers/

    [16] GERMAN AMBASSADOR VISITS HACALOGLU

    German Ambassador to Ankara Dr.Hans Joachim Vergau visited Algan Hacaloglu, State Minister responsible for human rights. The ambassador said that reform endeavours in Turkey are welcomed by his country. In his interview with journalists prior to his discussions with Hacaloglu, Vergau stressed that reform efforts in Turkey were being realized in Parliament on its own initiative. Hacaloglu in his turn said that "Germany is very important for Turkey which desires to participate in the European Union (EU)". /Cumhuriyet/

    [17] NO GREEN LIGHT FOR THE PKK IN ARMENIA

    Jirayir Libaridyan, Armenian President Levon Ter Petrosyan's International Policy Adviser and architect of Turco-Armenian relations says that if relations between Turkey and Armenia improve, this in turn will help solve other existing issues inclusive of the Azeri-Armenian problem. Libaridyan denies claims to the effect that Armenia supports the PKK. He declares that "they had no dealings with the PKK". Libaridyan notes that Armenia has established a dialogue with Turkey and that this process will continue. Libaridyan says that to improve dialogue, Armenia is using its influence to stay clear of war in Karabakh. Armenia will extend support for stability in the region and the agreement process. In reply to a question whether the opening of the border gates can create a possibility for terrorists to pass through Armenia, he says that Armenia will not tolerate any acts of terrorism nor terrorists. Answering a question as to whether there is a dialogue with Baku, he states that there is a relation between the Defence Ministers of the two countries. He says: "In cases of some border problems and dangerous situations that may upset the ceasefire process, Ter Petrosyan directly calls President Aliyev. Azerbaijan, however, links the subjects of the oil pipeline, the Karabakh issue and regional relations together. Armenia considers the Karabakh issue as Azerbaijan's own domestic policy problem. If relations improve, this will help in finding a solution to the problem. Libaridyan says that Armenia has achieved a ceasefire in Karabakh. "Now priority must be given to withdrawing the troops from most of the occupied land and lifting the embargo. Withdrawing from occupied lands is to the benefit of Azerbaijan and lifting the embargo is beneficial for all" he concludes. /Hurriyet/

    END

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