|
|
TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (January 16, 1996)
From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>
CONTENTS
[01] ECEVIT TURNS DOWN ERBAKAN
[02] EU REPRESENTATIVE TO CHECK ON CYPRUS
[03] GERMAN AWARD FOR TURKISH PROFESSOR
[04] UNICE PRESIDENT VISITS TURKEY
[05] ISRAEL URGES SYRIA NOT TO SUPPORT TERRORISM
[06] COMMERCIAL TIES WITH ISRAEL
[07] TURKEY TO SUE THE EUROPEAN, SCOTTISH RECORD
[08] TURKEY, IRAN TO SIGN GAS AND PIPELINE DEAL WITHIN 10 DAYS
[09] ISTANBUL PATRIARCHATE SUPPORTS EU MEMBERSHIP FOR TURKEY
[10] WRECKAGE OF MISSING PLANE CARRYING FAMOUS COMPOSER ONNO TUNC FOUND
[11] WORLD'S FIRST AIR OLYMPICS TO BE HELD IN TURKEY NEXT YEAR
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
TUESDAY JANUARY 16, 1996
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
[01] ECEVIT TURNS DOWN ERBAKAN
Leader of the socialist DSP party, Bulent Ecevit has turned down
any kind of coalition deal with the pro-Islam Welfare Party (RP).
After talks yesterday with RP Chairman Necmettin Erbakan, Ecevit
said that he preferred to remain on the opposition side. He added
that in his opinion, the RP was not committed to secularism, and
that he was not happy about that. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] EU REPRESENTATIVE TO CHECK ON CYPRUS
European Union (EU) official in charge of EU ties with Turkey,
Sergei Abou, will be in Ankara on Wednesday to check into two
vital matters: the Cyprus issue and how the early stages of the
customs union are going.
Although the customs union between the EU and Turkey only came
into effect on January 1 of this year, already there are some
wrinkles to smooth out between the EU member countries and
Turkish customs officials. There are over 900 pages in the CU
documents that regulate the CU, and time is needed to get things
running smoothly.
The Cyprus issue is also a matter of serious concern. It has been
suggested that a neutral country could act as coordinator in a
move to try and ease both sides towards an agreement. Italy has
been put forward as a country that fits the bill, but this has
not been well received by the people on the island. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] GERMAN AWARD FOR TURKISH PROFESSOR
Formerly an undersecretary in the Tourism Ministry, Professor
Doctor Emre Kongar has been awarded the "German Cross of Merit"
for his services in connection with furthering Turkish-German
relations.
A number of Turkish officials attended the award presentation
ceremony at the German Embassy in Ankara, where German Ambassador
Dr.Hans Joachim Vergau made the award. /Sabah/
[04] UNICE PRESIDENT VISITS TURKEY
Francois Perigot, President of the Union of Industry and
Employers Confederations in Europe (UNICE), arrives today in
Turkey. During his visit, which at the same time is the first
international official visit to Turkey after the customs union
with the European Union (EU) entered into effect, Perigot will
have contacts with Turkish businessmen and will also be received
by President Suleyman Demirel. UNICE, the sole organization
authorized to represent employers in the EU, represents
industrial and employers' organizations from 25 countries, and
its president is described as the "chairman of European bosses".
/Milliyet/
[05] ISRAEL URGES SYRIA NOT TO SUPPORT TERRORISM
Israel has said that it will not sign a peace agreement with
Syria as long as that country continues its support of terrorism,
Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said
yesterday. Nurkan, describing the visit of Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Onur Oymen to Israel last week, said that Ankara
had been assured by Prime Minister Shimon Peres that a peace deal
between Syria and Israel could not be signed unless the support
of Damascus for terrorist organizations, which includes the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), was "completely cut".
"Israeli officials made it very clear that they will make no
agreement with any country that supports terrorism" Nurkan said.
Nurkan's announcement came after a report -prepared by Greece-
that Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the outlawed PKK who lives in
Damascus and Rifat Esad, brother of Syrian leader Hafiz Esad,
were ccoperating in drug smuggling. Nurkan stated that he had
seen the report, quoted in a newspaper, and could not deny or
confirm the allegation. "However, we are aware of the Syrian
support of terrorism and clearly, this must be cut in line with
Syria's international obligations" he said.
During the visit of Undersecretary Oymen, which diplomats called
"a particularly important one in bilateral ties", Oymen gave
Prime Minister Peres a message from Tansu Ciller. In the message,
Ciller said that the Turkish government was "determined to
develop" bilateral relations with Israel and regular consultation
mechanisms would contribute to the relationship. Demirel, whose
visit to Israel was cancelled because of the assassination of
Yitzhak Rabin, is due to visit Israel in March.
Meanwhile, Israel has expressed an interest in the international
marketing of the waters of the Turkish rivers Seyhan and Ceyhan.
The issue, brought on the agenda during the visit of Oymen to
Israel, will be discussed further at a technical level. The
initial Israeli proposal is to transport the water by tanker to
prospective buyers but this calls for the building of a station
in the area. The two rivers discharge into the Mediterranean,
close to the Turco-Syrian border. /All papers/
[06] COMMERCIAL TIES WITH ISRAEL
A Foreign Trade Undersecretariat delegation is preparing to pay a
visit to Israel, chosen as one of Turkey's target export markets.
According to a statement by the Undersecretariat, the delagation
consisting of businessmen headed by Foreign Trade Undersecretary
Nejat Eren will pay a visit to Israel between January 21-25 and
will open a "Turkey in Israel" exhibition of Turkish products.
/Cumhuriyet/
[07] TURKEY TO SUE THE EUROPEAN, SCOTTISH RECORD
Turkey will take legal action against the London-Based daily The
European and a Scottish newspaper for attempting to defame
Turkey, Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said
yesterday. The statement by Nurkan came after a picture in The
European last week, which showed a man in a Turkish military
uniform holding up severed heads, allegedly belonging to Kurdish
terrorists that he had killed. Turkey denied this, saying the
picture was a forgery. The Scottish newspaper, Daily Record, also
said that various Turkish diplomats were involved in drug
smuggling. "The article does not give any names. We consider the
accusation a baseless one" Nurkan said, adding that legal action
would be taken against the newspaper. "Turkey is a state of law
which would not tolerate or ignore any security official's
illegal actions. If any such action is proven, judicial
proceedings against the officer would be started immediately"
Nurkan said. He noted that the allegations in the media had been
investigated and there was no evidence of any truth in them. He
added that the two newspapers had been "tricked by the
psychological war tactics of terrorist organizations" and would
be brought to the attention of the media organizations.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] TURKEY, IRAN TO SIGN GAS AND PIPELINE DEAL WITHIN 10 DAYS
Iran and Turkey have delayed for 10 days the signing of a deal
for the sale of 10 billion cubic metres of Iranian natural gas
beginning in 1999 and the construction of a pipeline through
Tebriz-Erzurum-Erzincan-Sivas to carry it, Energy Minister Sinasi
Altiner said yesterday. Altiner told reporters in a press
conference at Ankara Esenboga Airport that Turkey would buy a
total of 10 billion cubic metres of Iranian gas from 1999 until
2020. "The final agreement will be signed within a week or 10
days at the latest" Altiner said. The minister ruled out any
technical problems in finalizing the gas deal. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] ISTANBUL PATRIARCHATE SUPPORTS EU MEMBERSHIP FOR TURKEY
Istanbul's Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartolomeos said, in a
statement to the Greek ET-1 TV channel yesterday that Turkey
should become a full member of the European Union. He said it was
not enough for Turkey just to enter the customs union. He said
that Greece would benefit due to the increase in commercial
activities and the fact that Greek businessmen would be able to
easily travel to Turkey. In his statement Bartolomeos attacked
Yakovas, Patriarch of the North and South American Orthodox
Churches, and accused him of trying to break away from the
Istanbul Patriarchate. /All papers/
[10] WRECKAGE OF MISSING PLANE CARRYING FAMOUS COMPOSER ONNO TUNC FOUND
The wreckage of the private aircraft carrying Onno Tunc, a
well-known Turkish composer, arranger and producer, was found
yesterday. The aircraft disappeared late Sunday afternoon while
flying from Bursa to Istanbul. The aircraft's wreckage was
discovered near the village of Selimiye in the region of Armutlu
in northwestern Anatolia. Deputy Governor of Bursa Hasan Tulay
said that the wreckage had been found by villagers. Reports
indicate that apart from Tunc there was only one other person in
the plane, its pilot, Hasan Kinik. /All papers/
[11] WORLD'S FIRST AIR OLYMPICS TO BE HELD IN TURKEY NEXT YEAR
The World's first Air Olympics will be held in Turkey next year.
The Turkish Aviation Society has announced that three thousand
fliers from 70 countries are expected to participate in the
Olympics in 17 different branches in various parts of Turkey in
September 1997. /All papers/
|