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Turkish Press Review, 96-12-23
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] PARTY LEADERS AT CANKAYA SUMMIT
[02] RAFSANJANI: "WE DISCUSSED NATO POWERS"
[03] TIES WILL DEVELOP DESPITE LEADERS, SAYS ISRAELI ENVOY
[04] FAO DIRECTOR SAYS TURKISH AGRICULTURE IS A MODEL FOR DEVELOPING
NATIONS
[05] TURKEY ACCEPTS LEASES FOR THE OPERATION OF SEVEN PORTS
[06] ERBAKAN: TURKEY NOT ALLOW ANY DISTURBANCES ON ISLAND OF CYPRUS
[07] ISIK AHMET CHOSEN AS NEW CHAIRWOMAN OF DEB
[08] US FORMER SECRETARY PRAISES TURKEY
[09] GREEK EXTREMISTS COOPERATE WITH PKK
[10] TOURISTS RECOMMEND TURKEY TO THEIR FRIENDS
[11] 2,600 PKK TERORISTS KILLED
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DECEMBER 23, 1996
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning
[01] PARTY LEADERS AT CANKAYA SUMMIT
President Suleyman Demirel brought party leaders to a round table
discussion yesterday. The Cankaya Summit followed Demirel's
tete-a-tete meetings with each party leader. Prime Minister Necmettin
Erbakan, coalition junior partner True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu
Ciller, main opposition Motherland Party (ANAP) leader Mesut Yilmaz,
Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit, Republican People's
Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Grand Unity Party (BBP) leader
Muhsin Yazicioglu were all present at the summit. /All papers/
[02] RAFSANJANI: "WE DISCUSSED NATO POWERS"
Iranian President Ali Ekber Hashemi Rafsanjani and his accompanying
delegation left Turkey yesterday morning. In a statement to reporters
in Tehran, Rafsanjani said: "We discussed the presence of NATO powers
in Turkey. Turkey wants to continue with Iran-Turkey-Syria tripartite
meetings".
Noting that Turkey had problems with Greece and Syria, Rafsanjani
said: "Since we have good relations with Greece and Syria, we agreed
that we would help find a solution to these problems. We have not
assumed special responsibilities. However, we are determined to work
to ease the tension". /Sabah/
[03] TIES WILL DEVELOP DESPITE LEADERS, SAYS ISRAELI ENVOY
Israel's ambasasdor to Ankara, Zvi Elpeleg has expressed his belief
that his country's ties with Turkey will continue to develop
regardless of the fact that there are "arch-conservative" governments
in power in the two countries who do not necessarily harbor the best
sentiments for each other.
Elpeleg indicated that the driving force in these developing ties is
the existence of pervasive mutual interest which has nothing to do
with leaders or changes in government. /All papers/
[04] FAO DIRECTOR SAYS TURKISH AGRICULTURE IS A MODEL FOR DEVELOPING
NATIONS
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director
Jacques Diouf said Turkish agriculture provided a model for many
developing nations. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency, Diouf
praised Turkish agricultural technology which enabled Turkey to expand
its output yearly to feed its rapidly increasing population. The FAO
chief pointed out that Turkey was among the few countries in the world
able to feed its people from its own resources and, thus, provided an
example for developing nations suffering food shortages. He said the
FAO wanted closer cooperation with Turkey to enable it to lend a hand
to neighbouring countries.
[05] TURKEY ACCEPTS LEASES FOR THE OPERATION OF SEVEN PORTS
Turkey has accepted leases for the operation of seven Turkish ports
over a 30-year period for a total $252.3 million, the Privatization
Administration (OIB) has announced. The final decisions on the
leasing of the seven ports, currently run by Turkey's shipping
authority, will be presented to the High Privatization Board for
approval. /All papers/
[06] ERBAKAN: TURKEY NOT ALLOW ANY DISTURBANCES ON ISLAND OF CYPRUS
Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan said the Greek Cypriots cannot enter
the EU without Turkey's consent and added that should that happen then
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would integrate with
Turkey with great speed. Erbakan, speaking before a briefing on
Cyprus at the Prime Ministry said as a Cyprus guarantor state, Turkey
would never allow any kind of disturbances on the island. "It is
Turkey's duty to help the Turkish Cypriots to make the year 1997 a
year of economic revival" Erbakan declared. Erbakan also said that
irrespective of the conditions Turkey will always stand by its
brothers on Cyprus.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ambassador
Inal Batu has stated that the US and Britain have a tendency to act
without considering other countries in solving the Cyprus problem.
Batu said: "Therefore 1997 will be a critical year both for Turkey
and the TRNC. The EU will begin full membership negotiations with the
Greek Cypriots after six months following an international
conference". Batu pointed out that Turkey and the TRNC could face
"pressures" as seen in the visit of British Foreign Minister Malcolm
Rifkind to Cyprus. /Milliyet/
[07] ISIK AHMET CHOSEN AS NEW CHAIRWOMAN OF DEB
Isik Ahmet was elected chairwoman of the Friendship-Equality-Peace
Party (DEB) -a party based in Western Thrace, Greece- at an
extraordinary congress held in the town of Komotini (Gumulcine) on
Friday, the Anatolia news agency reported. The post became vacant
when the former chairman, Sadik Ahmet- Isik Ahmet's husband- was
killed when his car collided with a tractor in 1995. Isik Ahmet was
then chosen to be acting chairman by the extraordinary congress.
[08] US FORMER SECRETARY PRAISES TURKEY
US former Secretary of State James Baker has noted that Turkey is an
indispensable partner in US foreign policy and recommended to the Bill
Clinton administration that "Relations with Turkey should be given
priority regarding the agenda of US foreign policy". Baker stated
that a Turkey based on Ataturk's secular and democratic principles was
a model for Muslim countries. In a statement to the "Washington
Times" newspaper, Baker indicated that Turkey was a key NATO partner
and said: "If for example Iran, Iraq and Libya could achieve only
half of the path Turkey has covered, the Middle East would be a more
secure and calm region". Baker recalled that Turkey had experienced a
year full of important reforms regarding human rights. /Milliyet/
[09] GREEK EXTREMISTS COOPERATE WITH PKK
According to the Greek daily newspaper Eleftherotypia, Kurdish Workers
Party (PKK) members cooperate with ultra-nationalist Greek groups. It
was reported that PKK members also wrote articles to the Stohos,
Politics and Hronos newspapers published in Athens and Mytelene. In
their articles PKK terrorists writers are noted for their untrue
claims. /Sabah/
[10] TOURISTS RECOMMEND TURKEY TO THEIR FRIENDS
According to surveys conducted by different tourism companies in
Antalya, tourists visit Turkey upon their friends recommendations.
Surveys including 3,000 tourists showed that they believed what they
saw instead of what they heard. 69 % of the tourists visiting Turkey
came to Turkey upon their friends recommendation following visits to
Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] 2,600 PKK TERORISTS KILLED
As a result of the struggle against Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
terrorists within the southeastern emergency rule region, 2,306 PKK
terorist were killed during the first eleven months of 1996. During
the clashes 236 security members and 23 civilians were also killed.
Necati Bilican, Governor of the Emergency Rule, said that they would
continue their struggle against the terrorist organization which
threatens the lives of civilians. He said operations would be
continued non-stop during the winter. /Milliyet/
END
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