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Turkish Press Review, 98-05-05
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
05.05.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TUNISIA
[02] YILMAZ CALLS FOR JAPANESE CAPITAL
[03] CEM ARRIVES IN STRASBOURG
[04] KLERIDES CANNOT REPRESENT TURKISH CYPRIOTS
[05] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
[06] MASSIVE BLOW AGAINST PKK
[07] AGAR AND BUCAK FACE HIGH COURT ACTION
[08] OCIFT FOUNDED TO PROMOTE TURCO-FRENCH COOPERATION
[09] INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP
[10] SACIRBEY: "TURKEY SHOULD BE IN CONTACT GROUP"
[11] TURKEY SENDS NOTE TO GREECE
[12] STATE MINISTER ANDICAN IN TATARSTAN
[13] HARMONIZATION COMMISSION TO VISIT FRANCE AND GERMANY
[14] WORLD'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN KUSADASI
[15] PATARA: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD
[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TUNISIA
President Suleyman Demirel went to Tunisia yesterday for a two-day
visit as the official guest of his Tunisian counterpart Zeynel Abidin
Ali. After a welcoming ceremony at Kartaca Airport, Demirel and Ali
held a meeting at the Kartaca Palace. Bin Ali decorated Demirel with "7
November 1987 Medal", the highest Tunisian award. Bin Ali also gave a
dinner in honour of Demirel. In his speech at the dinner, Demirel
warned countries supporting terrorism of the consequences of their
actions.
State Minister Isin Celebi and Culture Minister Istemihan Talay,
who are accompanying Demirel during the visit met yesterday with their
Tunisian counterparts and signed cultural and tourism agreements.
/Cumhuriyet/Sabah/
[02] YILMAZ CALLS FOR JAPANESE CAPITAL
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz called on Japan to continue trusting
Turkey as a safe place for investments and to work with the country for
regional cooperation. He stressed that Turkey was determined to
institute healthy and stable economic policies. The 11th joint meeting
of the Turkish-Japanese Business Council was held at the
Turkish-Japanese Cultural Centre yesterday morning. In the opening
speech of the meeting, Yilmaz said that in spite of the huge geographic
distance between the two countries the Japanese share in foreign
investment in Turkey was rising.
State Minister Gunes Taner also made a speech at the meeting,
saying that the Turkish stock exchange was both stable and profitable
and that everyone investing in it would see profits. Taner noted that
the Turkish economy was strong, alive and transparent. Taner added that
he would fly to Japan on May 18 and would invite Japanese investors to
Turkey. /All papers/
[03] CEM ARRIVES IN STRASBOURG
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem arrived in Strasbourg yesterday
to participate in a conference on "Turkey, France and the EU" chaired by
France's European Affairs Minister Pierre Moscovici. The
conference-debate is organized by the French-Turkish Parliamentary
Friendship Group and the Turkey-France Committee.
Yesterday evening, Cem attended a banquet given in his honour by
General Secretary of the Council of Europe Daniel Tarchys and made some
bilateral contacts. Cem will participate in a meeting of the Committee
of Ministers of the Council of Europe today. /Hurriyet/
[04] KLERIDES CANNOT REPRESENT TURKISH CYPRIOTS
US Special Cyprus Envoy Richard Holbrooke made a statement
yesterday and declared that Greek Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides was
not in a position to represent Turkish Cypriots. This statement caused
joy in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). No result has
been achieved from Holbrooke's contacts in Cyprus to date, however
Holbrooke added that he would continue with his efforts to find a
solution to the problems on the island. Prior to his departure from the
island, Holbrooke held a press conference and pointed out that the
positions of the two communities on the island should be re-evaluated.
Holbrooke said that US State Department Coordinator Thomas Miller would
visit the island again at the end of this month. He added that he would
also visit Cyprus if he received an invitation to do so and if he
believed that it would be useful.
Meanwhile, TRNC President Rauf Denktas held Greek Cyprus and Greece
responsible for the inconclusive efforts of Holbrooke. Denktas thanked
Holbrooke and said: "Holbrooke's visit gave an important message to
Greek Cyprus. This message states that Turkish Cyprus will not accept
any view imposed by force". /Hurriyet/
[05] MEETING OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
A meeting of the Council of Ministers headed by Prime Minister
Mesut Yilmaz convened yesterday. During the meeting, the Cyprus issue
was especially taken up. State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel made a
statement to the press and said that Greek Cyprus' unilateral
negotiations with the EU had deteriorated the balance in the Cyprus
issue. /Hurriyet/
[06] MASSIVE BLOW AGAINST PKK
As a result of the "Murat", "Cudi Mountain" and "Panther" military
operations carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces in Southeastern
Anatolia to eradicate the PKK terrorist organization, 115 terrorists
have been either killed or wounded. During the operations, much
ammunition has also been confiscated. /Hurriyet/
[07] AGAR AND BUCAK FACE HIGH COURT ACTION
Istanbul State Security Court No.six (DGM) decided yesterday that
former Interior Minister and Elazig True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Mehmet
Agar should be tried in the Constitutional Court, and that his case
should be tried separately from the main Susurluk court case. Agar's
file will be forwarded to the Constitutional Court because he was the
interior minister during part of the time period being investigated.
The court announced that Sirnak DYP Deputy Sedat Bucak's case would be
combined with the main Susurluk court case being tried in the Istanbul
DGM. In that case, 12 individuals, eight of whom are members of the
special police forces are being tried on charges ranging from murder to
money laundering. /All papers/
[08] OCIFT FOUNDED TO PROMOTE TURCO-FRENCH COOPERATION
The Turco-French Organization for Developing Cooperation and
Investment (OCIFT), will try to improve commercial, industrial and
technological cooperation between Turkish and French companies. OCIFT
will cooperate with the Board of the Administration for Developing and
Supporting Small and Medium-Scale Industries (KOSGEB) and with the
International Promotion Agency for French Companies and Technologies
(CFME ACTIM). The OCIFT will provide Turkish and French companies with
basic information concerning financial and legal issues. It will also
organize meetings between the two countries for technology development
and transfer. /Hurriyet/
[09] INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION UP
Production in industry increased by 6 % in March. According to the
State Institute of Statistics (SIS), the biggest increase was realised
in mining with 17.2 % in March compared to the same period of last year.
During the first three months of 1998 increase in industry was 8.1 %
compared to the same period of 1997. /Sabah/
[10] SACIRBEY: "TURKEY SHOULD BE IN CONTACT GROUP"
Bosnia-Herzegovinian UN Representative, Muhammed Sacirbey, who
attended the New Atlantic Initiatives meeting in Istanbul, said in a
special report to Cumhuriyet daily newspaper that there were
similarities in the EU member countries' attitudes toward Turkey and
Bosnia, both of which were Muslim countries. He added that Turkey was a
part of Europe and it was an important country in its region so that it
should have a place in the Contact Group. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] TURKEY SENDS NOTE TO GREECE
Turkey has sent a protest note to Greece, following Greek
permission to the PKK terrorist organization to open an office in
Athens. In the note Turkey stressed that it was against the principles
of the United Nations (UN) to support terrorism. Greek Ambassador to
Ankara, Dimitrios Nezeritis was summoned to the Foreign Ministry
yesterday and given the protest note. The note said that Greece has
acted against both UN and NATO principles.
Meanwhile, Greek daily newspaper Eksusia claimed yesterday that
Prime Minister Kostas Simitis had not been informed about the matter,
and had since shown strong great reaction asking the responsible
authorities to ban the activities of the office. Dimitris Reppas,
government speaker also said that they would not allow the office to be
active in Athens. /Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/
[12] STATE MINISTER ANDICAN IN TATARSTAN
According to a statement issued by government, State Minister, Ahad
Andican, is visiting Tatarstan between 4-7 May as the official guest of
Tatarstan Prime Minister Farid Mehammet Sin, reported the Anatolian news
agency. Andican is accompanied by a delegation including businessmen.
This visit is the first official visit between the two countries at
ministerial level.
[13] HARMONIZATION COMMISSION TO VISIT FRANCE AND GERMANY
A delegation, headed by Hasan Korkmazcan, Chairman of Harmonization
Commission acting between the parties of the Parliament, went to France
on May 3 and will proceed to Germany on May 6 to examine the voting
facilities available to Turkish citizens living abroad, reported the
Anatolia news agency. The delegation is scheduled to hold contacts with
Parliament administrators, friendship group members and Turkish
associations administrators. The delegation aims to obtain details
about the election systems in France and Germany.
[14] WORLD'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN KUSADASI
The Kusadasi district of Izmir will host the fifth International
Faith Tourism Congress organized by the Vatican prior to the 2000th
anniversary of Jesus Christ. The Congress will last until May 7.
During the congress, attended by many religious leaders from 46
countries, celebrations to be held in 2000 and visits to holy places by
Christians will be discussed. /Hurriyet/
[15] PATARA: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD
A British newspaper, The Sunday Times, elected Patara near the
Kalkan district of Antalya, as the "most beautiful beach in the world".
Patara beach received more than half of the votes in a survey made by
The Sunday Times among over 100 travel agencies. France's La Baule
beach ranked second while Greece's Koukounaries ranked third.
/Hurriyet/
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