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Turkish Press Review, 98-06-05
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
05.06.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL WRITES TO WARN CHIRAC
[02] TURKEY AWAITS DECISION OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT
[03] US: "WAIT AND SEE IN CYPRUS"
[04] TURKISH INTERIOR MINISTER TAKES PART IN UN MEETING AGAINST DRUGS
[05] WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY MARKED IN TURKEY
[06] YILMAZ-BAYKAL MEETING REDUCES UNCERTAINTY
[07] TURKEY AND GREECE TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY MEASURES
[08] MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[09] FOURTH SUMMIT OF BSEC IN YALTA
[10] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN
[11] BULGARIAN-TURKISH BUSINESS COUNCIL
[12] UN AWARD FOR TURKISH PROFESSOR
[13] ISTANBUL STOCK EXCHANGE TRADING UP
[14] COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
[15] DTP DEPUTY ISIK JOINS DYP
[16] EUROPEAN AWARD FOR TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION
[17] EURO-MED SUMMIT
[18] ECEVIT CALLS FOR CLOSER RELATIONS WITH CHINA
[19] OPERATIONS AGAINST PKK
[20] JEC MEETING BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAN
[21] OPENING OF NEW CONCERT HALL IN ANKARA
[22] OPERATIONS AGAINST HIZBULLAH
[01] DEMIREL WRITES TO WARN CHIRAC
Turkey is continuing with its efforts to halt the approval of a
draft resolution about an alleged turn of the century Armenian
massacre by Turks, which is being discussed in the French Senate
following initial approval by the French Parliament. President
Suleyman Demirel of Turkey yesterday sent a letter to his French
counterpart, Jacques Chirac. Calling on him to use his influence on
the senate, Demirel states, in this letter, that approval of the draft
resolution will encourage ultra-nationalist Armenian terrorists who
formerly executed many attacks on Turkish diplomats especially in
France. With the intention of halting the draft, Turkish members of
the Turco-French Friendship Group will go to France on Monday.
Democratic Left Party deputy Mumtaz Soysal will lead the group.
/Cumhuriyet/
[02] TURKEY AWAITS DECISION OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT
Defense Industry Undersecretary, Yalcin Burcak said if the draft
bill about a so-called Armenian massacre was legalized by being
approved by the French Parliament, French companies would be excluded
from biding for Turkish defense industry projects. Burcak noted that
the French GIAT company had already put in a bid for a tank project
and that Aerospatiale was showing interest in a helicopter production
project. But, he added, before announcing bid results they would wait
for the final decision of the French Parliament. /Milliyet/
[03] US: "WAIT AND SEE IN CYPRUS"
US special representative to Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke and Cyprus
coordinator for the Secretary of State, Tom Miller, yesterday gave a
briefing to the members of the US Congress about recent developments
in Cyprus. Holbrooke said that it would be difficult to reach a long
lasting solution in the region if the sides did not have the will to
do so. Holbrooke and Miller noted that at the moment there was no
improvement in the direction of a federal solution and that they had
to 'wait and see' what would happen. /Milliyet/
[04] TURKISH INTERIOR MINISTER TAKES PART IN UN MEETING AGAINST DRUGS
The United Nations will organize a conference on the "struggle
against drugs" between January 8-10. During the conference, where
Interior Minister Murat Basesgioglu will represent Turkey, countries
will be called on take the necessary measures in their banking systems
to prevent drug smugglers from laundering dirty money. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY MARKED IN TURKEY
The second Bodrum Environmental Films Festival started in Bodrum
yesterday when a foreign film, "Microcosmos" was screened. The
festival has also organized a film contest in which ten full-length
films will be shown. Shared in by some Turkish parliamentarians, a
panel on "politics and the environment" will be held today.
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] YILMAZ-BAYKAL MEETING REDUCES UNCERTAINTY
A key meeting between Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and
Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal has reduced
uncertainty in the country's financial markets, ING Barings Turkey
country manager said yesterday. Yilmaz said after Wednesday's meeting
that he would step down at the end of this year, making way for an
interim government to take the country to early elections in April
1999.
Country manager John McCarthy told Reuters in an interview that
the decline in the inflation rate was encouraging and would be a
positive signal to foreign investors. ING Barings opened a branch in
Istanbul in October after operating in Turkey for six years with only
a representative office. /All papers/
[07] TURKEY AND GREECE TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY MEASURES
Turkey and Greece have agreed to fully implement the
Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) agreed to in 1988, which aim at
reducing tension between the two countries and avoiding dangerous
accidents in the Aegean, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana
announced yesterday. A press release from NATO headquarters in
Brussels said: "Both sides have informed (Solana) of their intention
to implement fully the agreements reached in 1988 between the then
foreign ministers Papoulas and Yilmaz. The NATO statement also said
that the two sides have declared their willingness to continue talks
with Solana in order to clarify and strengthen the CBM
implementations. The secretary-general and the two countries intend
to explore opportunities for greater mutual information exchange and
coordination, offered by the emerging NATO air command and control
system (ACCS), it added.
Following Solana's announcement, Turkey expressed optimism that
by implementing the CBMs, the incidents and obstructions in the Aegean
would come to an end and that this step would create a positive
atmosphere where all bilateral problems could be settled through
peaceful means. "The upcoming military exercises in the Aegean will
constitute an opportunity to measure to what extent the obligations
will be accomplished" a Foreign Ministry statement said. /Milliyet/
[08] MEETING IN ISTANBUL
The Foreign Ministry of Russia has stated that it has evaluated
the "Third Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Southeast European
Countries" scheduled to take place in Istanbul on June 8-9 as a very
useful forum for regional cooperation and stability, the Anatolia news
agency reported.
Valeri Nesterushkin, Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of
Russia, said that his country would continue to participate in this
process upon an invitation from Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, adding
that the Russian delegation would be led by Nikolay Afanasyevski,
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia.
[09] FOURTH SUMMIT OF BSEC IN YALTA
The Fourth Summit of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) is
taking place in Yalta, Ukraine, the Anatolia news agency reported
yesterday. The Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the
main topic of the agenda was the signing of the "BSEC Provision",
which will turn the BSEC into a regional economic organization.
President Suleyman Demirel went to the Ukraine yesterday to
attend the summit. The presidents and prime ministers of the 11
member states of the BSEC will join the summit.
[10] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT KAZAKHSTAN
President Suleyman Demirel will go to Kazakhstan to attend the
Fifth Summit of the Presidents of the Turkish-Speaking Republics on
June 8, the Anatolia news agency reported. The Foreign Ministry said
in a written statement that the summit will be organized in Astana,
the capital of Kazakhstan, on June 9 and will focus on the
developments of the bilateral relations between the Turkish-Speaking
States. Demirel will return to Turkey after he attends international
ceremonies to promote Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, on June
10.
[11] BULGARIAN-TURKISH BUSINESS COUNCIL
A Turkish-Bulgarian Joint Business Council Meeting started
yesterday in Istanbul with the participation of State Minister Isin
Celebi and Bulgarian Tourism Minister Valentin Vassilev. The Ministry
of State said in a written statement yesterday that the talks will
focus on trade and economic relations between the two countries,
adding that these meetings will help to facilitate the flow of trade
information and create new fields of cooperation. /Milliyet/
[12] UN AWARD FOR TURKISH PROFESSOR
President of the Forestry Faculty of Istanbul University,
Prof.Melih Boydak has been presented with the UN Global 500
Environment Award and will receive his award during a ceremony to be
held in Moscow today. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Russian
Head of State Boris Yeltsin will also attend the ceremony. /Hurriyet/
[13] ISTANBUL STOCK EXCHANGE TRADING UP
As a result of an agreement reached between Prime Minister Mesut
Yilmaz and Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal
yesterday, shares in the Istanbul Stock Exchange increased by 6.3 %.
In line with this increase, the rate of inflation and and interest is
decreasing. The index in the stock exchange totalled over 4,000
points while the transaction volume reached TL 150 trillion.
/Hurriyet/
[14] COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
A World Radiocommunications Conference during which the World
Telecommunications' Union will determine the communications
infrastructure of the 21st century will be held in Istanbul in 2000.
During the conference, which will last for five weeks, Turkey will
find the opportunity to market Turksat satellites and technical
criteria for the best services in communications will be determined.
/Hurriyet/
[15] DTP DEPUTY ISIK JOINS DYP
Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) Istanbul Deputy Metin Isik joined
the True Path Party (DYP) yesterday. The DYP seats increased to 93
with the addition of Isik, while the number of DTP seats dropped to
21. /All papers/
[16] EUROPEAN AWARD FOR TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION
The seventh European Human Rights Award is to be given to the
Human Rights Foundation (IHV) in Turkey. The Ministers Committee of
the Council of Europe released a written statement yesterday saying
that this year the award will be given to the IHV and to Clara Lubich,
who is the founder of the Focolare Movement in Italy, as well as to
the Committee for the Administration of Justice in Northern Ireland.
The statement said the IHV deserved the award because of its prominent
efforts for the protection of human rights. /All papers/
[17] EURO-MED SUMMIT
A summit of foreign ministers from the European-Mediterranean
countries in Palermo, Italy, turned out to be a futile effort for
Turkey and all the other participants, Foreign Ministry Deputy
Undersecretary Ambassador Uluc Ozulker, who represented Turkey at the
gathering, said yesterday.
Ozulker emphasized that, in accordance with the spirit of the
Euro-Med Partnership Conference, the meeting was supposed to focus on
developing a regional free trade and security zone by the year 2010,
but it had become an Arab-Israeli summit, the Anatolia news agency
reported. He also stated that no issue closely relating to Turkey had
been discussed on Wednesday, the first day of the two-day summit, and
no bilateral meetings had taken place between the delegations.
[18] ECEVIT CALLS FOR CLOSER RELATIONS WITH CHINA
Turkish investors should not miss the huge economic opportunities
in China, a country which is becoming an economic giant, Deputy Prime
Minister Bulent Ecevit said yesterday at the end of his six-day
official visit to China. Visiting Shanghai, Ecevit underlined that
Turkey should enter into close cooperation with China on economic and
trade relations, in which fields the country is becoming a major power
player, he said. /All papers/
[19] OPERATIONS AGAINST PKK
Eight PKK terrorists were killed yesterday in operations carried
out within the state of emergency region, while five village guards
were injured in a rocket attack by PKK terrorists. The security
forces also found yesterday two German tourists who had been kidnapped
by PKK terrorists near Agri. Meanwhile many alleged militants of
illegal organizations were apprehended yesterday during operations by
anti-terrorist forces in various parts of the country. /Sabah/
[20] JEC MEETING BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAN
Turkish-Iranian Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meetings will be
held on June 8-12 in Tehran, with the participation of State Minister
Rifat Serdaroglu. It is expected that a memorandum of understanding
will be signed during the meeting. /All papers/
[21] OPENING OF NEW CONCERT HALL IN ANKARA
Built on the Middle East Technical University (METU) campus, a
new concert hall will be opened in Ankara tonight when the
Presidential Symphony Orchestra will stage the first concert conducted
by Gurer Aykal, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Artists
from the Bolshoi Opera will join the orchestra as soloists. According
to a statement by the university, the concert hall, embodied in the
Culture and Convention Centre on the campus, can host 850 persons and
is also suitable for theatre, opera and ballet productions.
[22] OPERATIONS AGAINST HIZBULLAH
Security forces continue their operations against Hizbullah
members in the Batman region in Central Anatolia. During recent
operations arms and bombs belonging to the organization have been
seized. Military sources have announced that the organization, which
aims to establish a state system based on religious law, was
responsible for recent seriels of killings in the region. The
Hizbullah organization has been conducting illegal activies in
Turkey's southeast region since 1980. /Milliyet/
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