|
|
Turkish Press Review, 00-11-03
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
03.11.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] CELIKKOL: "TURKEY SHOULD CHARGE FEE FOR PRVENTION OF POLLUTION IN
THE STRAITS"
[02] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[03] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING
[04] YILMAZ IN ATHENS
[05] GREEK-CYPRIOTS DEMAND LAND
[06] EU TROIKA IN ANKARA
[07] ANOTHER DECREE ANNULLED
[08] PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES ECO GENERAL SECRETARY
[09] SESTANOVICH IN ANKARA
[10] HADDAM VISITS ANKARA
[11] CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[12] EURASIA ECONOMY SUMMIT
[13] CAKMAKOGLU'S GUEST FROM JORDAN
[14] ERSUMER'S STATEMENT ON BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE PROJECT
[15] NORWEGIAN ENERGY MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[16] DALLARA HOPEFUL ABOUT TURKISH BANKING
[17] COTTARELLI'S PRAISES THE BANKING REGULATION AND SUPERVISION BOARD
[18] FOREIGN RESOURCE OF 461 MILLION US DOLLARS FOR THE TREASURY
[19] AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKCELL AND MOTOROLA
[20] DISBANK ISSUES BONDS TOTALING 100 MILLION EURO
[21] TUPRAS THE GREATEST IN EAST EUROPE AND BALKANS
[22] NUH GROUP INVESTS IN SPAIN
[23] MATTHYSEN'S STATEMENT CONCERNING ERDAL
[24] TCG GEDIZ LEAVES SAN DIEGO FOR TURKEY
[25] OCALAN: "PROTECT TURKISH FLAG"
[26] CELIKKOL: "TURKEY SHOULD CHARGE FEE FOR PRVENTION OF POLLUTION IN
THE STRAITS"
[27] ANOTHER HUGE STEP FOR MARMARAY
[28] SPECIAL JURY AWARD TO TURKISH FILM IN BEIJING
[29] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[30] YILMAZ OPTIMISTIC BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
[01] CELIKKOL: "TURKEY SHOULD CHARGE FEE FOR PRVENTION OF POLLUTION IN
THE STRAITS"
[02] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[03] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING
The Council of Ministers met yesterday under the chairmanship of
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. During the meeting, defense
industry projects were discussed. Minister of National Defense
Sabahattin Cakmakoglu and the Undersecretary of Ministry of
Defense, Dursun Ali Ercan, informed members of the Cabinet of
on-going projects. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] YILMAZ IN ATHENS
Yesterday, Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister
Responsible for EU Affairs, in Athens to participate in the
Turco-Greek Business Council's Congress, met with Former Premier
Konstantinos Mitsotakis and Athens Mayor Dimitri Avramopulos.
Stressing Athens support for Turkey's full EU membership,
Mitsotakis said, however, Turkey should compromise with Europe's
conditions. He emphasized that Turco-Greek rapprochement is the
right policy and added the need to respect each other's
sensitivities. During a dinner hosted by the Turco-Greek Business
Council, Mr. Yilmaz met with Greek Foreign Minister George
Papandreou. The two ministers discussed the EU and Cyprus issues.
Mr. and Mrs. Yilmaz also visited the Acropolis in Athens.
/Turkiye/
[05] GREEK-CYPRIOTS DEMAND LAND
During the fifth round of the proximity talks on the Cyprus issue
held in Geneva under UN supervision, it was reported that
Greek-Cypriots brought in a land-demand, including the Guzelyurt
area. The UN asked for land and map experts to be brought in
Geneva. Although the Turkish Cypriots' viewpoint is that main
topics can only be discussed on an equal footing, the Greek
Cypriot side asked for land from the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC). They also want 65,000 Greek-Cypriots return to the
north of Cyprus. However, political observers state that the
demands on returning a significant number of Greek-Cypriots to
the north and important amount of land are against to "two
regions" principle, supported by the UN and the US
Administration. /Turkiye/
[06] EU TROIKA IN ANKARA
One week before Turkey's accession partnership document is to be
declared by the EU, the EU troika will meet today with Turkish
officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The troika is
expected to discuss the latest deveopments on the accession
partnership document with Turkish officials. The representatives
of the EU troika, including EU Term President France, next term
president Sweden, the EU Commission and Secretary-General of EU
Council will meet today with the Turkish delegation chaired by
Deputy Undersecretary Akin Alptuna. The last draft of the
accession partnership document will be taken up during the
meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] ANOTHER DECREE ANNULLED
The Anatolia News Agency reported the Constitutional Court has
annulled government decree with the power of law number 615 after
the Authorization Law, under which the decree was issued, was
annulled by the court. The Authorization Law was annulled after
the Virtue Party (FP) appealed to the Constitutional Court on
grounds that the law was unconstitutional. Once the court found
in favor of the FP, the party then applied to have 16 decrees
issued under said law annulled also. Number 615 pertained to
amendments to the decree on State Economic Enterprises (SES)
which itself amended decree number 233. Although the decree has
been annulled, no effective date was given for the annulment
order. /Turkish Daily News/
[08] PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES ECO GENERAL SECRETARY
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit received Economic Cooperation
Organization (ECO) General-Secretary Abdulrahim Gavahi at the
Prime Ministry yesterday. The meeting lasted 20 minutes. Gavahi,
who is Iranian, was paying a courtesy visit to Turkey now that
the general-secretary's position has been transferred from Turkey
to Iran. /Turkish Daily News/
[09] SESTANOVICH IN ANKARA
Amabassador to the Commonwealth of Independent States in the US
State Department, Stephan Sestanovich, arrived in Ankara
yesterday. Meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem
and Deputy Undersecretary Yigit Alpogan, Mr. Sestannovich stated
US demands for the improvement of the bilateral relations between
Turkey and Armenia. Reminding that he met with Armenian Head of
State Robert Kocaryan in Yerevan, Mr. Sestanovich said, "Armenia
wants to improve its relations with Turkey and to establish a
friendly dialogue." He also stated that Turkey and the US had
common policies and interests in Central Asia, adding the US
Administration found President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's visit to the
Central Asia beneficial. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] HADDAM VISITS ANKARA
Abdulhalim Haddam, the first assistant of Syrian President Besir
Esad, arrived in Ankara to hold official contacts. Mr. Haddam,
who brought a special message from Syrian President Esad to
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, will begin his meetings today.
Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli welcome Mr. Haddam at the
airport. He is expected to meet President Ahmet Necdet Sezer,
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ismail Cem. Mr. Haddam`s visit is seen by diplomatic sources as a
positive develoment for the newly improving relations between
Turkey and Syria. The two countries are about to prepare a
"principles declaration" determining a route for bilateral
relation between them. After completing the declaration, Mr. Cem
is expected to visit Syria. Water problems and certain issues on
security cooperation between the two countries are among the
subjects to be mentioned in the declaration. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan will come to Turkey for an
official visit, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Racan will take part
in official meetings in Ankara between 5 and 7 November, as the
official guest of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. It was announced
that Racan and Ecevit were to consult on such issues as the
recent developments in the Balkans and continuing good relations
between Turkey and Croatia. /Turkish Daily News/
[12] EURASIA ECONOMY SUMMIT
Eurasia Economy Summit, organized by the Marmara Group Foundation
in Istanbul, yesterday brought Eurasia's women together.
Businesswomen and female deputies from Turkey,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Tataristan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Kyrgyzstan, Japan, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia
and Israel attended the summit. After the State Minister Hasan
Gemici's opening speech, Berna Yilmaz, wife of Deputy Prime
Minister Mesut Yilmaz, addressed the meeting. Semra Sezer, the
President's wife sent a message to the summit saying Turkey
differs from the other countries in broking down barriers many
years ago enabling Turkish women to participate actively in
society. The Eurasia Economy Summit which began on Nov. 1, is
ending today after a session on the "Economic Developments and
Cooperation in Eurasia in the 21st Century." /Turkiye/
[13] CAKMAKOGLU'S GUEST FROM JORDAN
Minister of National Defence Sabahattin Cakmakoglu received the
Jordanian Chief of the General Staff Lietuenant General Muhammad
Yusuf Al-Malkawi, who arrived in Turkey for official visits.
Before the meeting, Cakmakoglu briefed Al-Malkawi about the
defence industry at the Council of Ministers. Cakmakoglu said the
expenses of the defence industry were on a 'reasonable level'.
Undersecretary of Defence Industry, Ali Ercan, said while the new
world order is being formed, economic problems, ethnic and
religious tensions, and historical land claims have gained
importance. Ercan added that countries neighbouring Turkey are
arming themselves and in contrast the Turkish Armed Forces
equipment is 30-40 years old. /Aksam/
[14] ERSUMER'S STATEMENT ON BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE PROJECT
Minister of Energy and Natural Sources Cumhur Ersumer attended
the "International Energy Conference" organized as a part of the
third Eurasia Economy Meeting. Mr. Ersumer said the Baku-Ceyhan
pipeline is essential to the region's economy its economic
benefits and is being constructed according to sound ecological
practices. Stating that Baku petroleum would be transferred to
Ceyhan in 2004 and a new market would emerge in the
Mediterranean, Mr. Ersumer said, "Eurasia should be the owner of
the rich oil reserves, not just the policeman." Azerbaijani
Minister of Energy Islam Tagaiyev also delivered a speech at the
meeting. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] NORWEGIAN ENERGY MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Norwegian Petroleum and Energy Minister Olav Akselsen will pay an
official visit to Turkey between 6 and 8 November at the
invitation of Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister
Cumhur Ersumer. A written statement from the Norwegian Embassy in
Ankara said the visit would reflect the increased cooperation
between Norwegian and Turkish companies in the energy sector and
the political will of both governments is to faciliate and
further strengthen that cooperation. A protocol on energy
cooperation between Norway and Turkey was signed during Ersumer's
visit to Norway last May. Ersumer and Akselsen are scheduled to
attend a conference in Istanbul organized jointly by the Turkish
Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and the
Norwegian Business and Industry Confederation (NHO) on "Business,
Globalization and Corporate Responsibility". Akselsen will meet
with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and members of the
Parliamentery Energy Commission. He will also meet with officials
from the state-owned Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTAS), the
Turkish Petroleum Company(TPAO) and the State Waterworks
Authority (DSI). /Turkish Daily News/
[16] DALLARA HOPEFUL ABOUT TURKISH BANKING
Director of the Institute of International Finance (IIF) Charles
Dallara meeting with Turkish economy bureaucrats in Ankara and
bankers in Istanbul, the success of the Banking Regulation and
Supervision Board. Stating the current economic program in Turkey
was successful in decreasing the inflation rate, Mr. Dallara
said, "The lower the inflation rate is, the more investments are
made." He added, "As long as the inflation rate keeps decreasing
and political stability is maintained, foreign banks will invest
in Turkey." /Cumhuriyet/
[17] COTTARELLI'S PRAISES THE BANKING REGULATION AND SUPERVISION BOARD
Carlo Cottarelli, Chief of IMF Turkey Desk, visited Zekeriya
Temizel, Chairman of the Banking Regulation and Supervision
Board, to gather information about the operation of the committee
in the banking sector. Cottarelli expressed his appreciation for
the preparations of the Operation Plan. The IMF will evaluate the
High Committee's Operation Plan. The authorities point out that a
positive sign from the IMF will effect the decisions of the
foreign banks willing to buy the Banks under the control of the
Deposit Account Insurance Fund(MSF). /Hurriyet/
[18] FOREIGN RESOURCE OF 461 MILLION US DOLLARS FOR THE TREASURY
As a part of its 2000 borrowing programme, the Treasury exported
three-year-term bond totalling 50 billion Japanese Yens in the
Samurai market. The bond export was carried out under the
leadership of Nomura Securities and Daiwa Securities SB Capital
Markets. /Aksam/
[19] AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKCELL AND MOTOROLA
Telsim and Motorola signed an agreement of mutual good will to
establish the 3rd Generation (3G) GSM network ensuring an
advanced multimedia service. Motorola estimates that the
potential value of the agreement will surprass 2 billion US
dollars. 3G GSM phones, IMT2000 family's European member is
called Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). Leading
GSM operator, Telsim, will use UMTS's analyses first in Ankara
and then in Istanbul. Telsim's customers will be able to benefit
from the completely interactive services thanks to the GSM
phones. /Star/
[20] DISBANK ISSUES BONDS TOTALING 100 MILLION EURO
Disbank issued five-year bonds totaling 100 million Euro to be
sold in international financial markets. The related agreement
was signed yesterday. The bond issue was organized by
transforming the foreign currency into securities dependant upon
assets (VDMK). Dresdner Kleinwort Benson Investment Bank
underwrote the issuing of the bonds. The buyers of bonds include
insurance companies, investment funds and banks based in Europe.
Disbank announced its nine-month profit as $63 million. Last year
during the same period, Disbank showed $56 million net profit.
/Milliyet/
[21] TUPRAS THE GREATEST IN EAST EUROPE AND BALKANS
General Director of Turkish Petroleum Refineries Company(Tupras),
Husamettin Danis, said Tupras has a 86 percent share in Turkey's
total refinery capacity. It has the eigth biggest potential in
Europe. Tupras is the largest refinery company in Eastern Europe
and the Balkans. Mr. Danis, in a speech he delivered at the
Energy Conference, said Tupras had a loss totaling $1 billion in
1994-1997, but the implementation of the automatic pricing system
started last year, paved the way for a $471,4 million profit.
/Sabah/
[22] NUH GROUP INVESTS IN SPAIN
Nuh Group's General Coordinator Atalay Sahinoglu held a press
conference and gave information on the targets of Nuh Cement
Joint Stock Company, which became the partner of Spanish Cementos
Esfera Sa Company. Sahinoglu said they were planning to make an
investment of 5 million US dollars. He added that the partners
would establish a grinding mill facility in the city of Traggona.
/Aksam/
[23] MATTHYSEN'S STATEMENT CONCERNING ERDAL
Belgian Ambassador to Ankara, Jan Matthysen, stated that Fehriye
Erdal, who assassinated Ozdemir Sabanci and then took shelter in
Belgium, was a danger for Belgium. Ambassador Matthysen answered
questions from the press during the visit of Antalya Governor
Ertugrul Dokuzoglu. He said, "Fehriye Erdal is being kept in a
secret place in Belgium now. Her actions are monitored at all
times and she cannot act independently. Certainly, Belgium does
not protect Fehriye Erdal. We have to protect ourselves from
Erdal and her organization. We cannot extradite Erdal. Turkey is
our friend and ally. Even if we make changes in our law, nothing
we do now will change the past." /Aksam/
[24] TCG GEDIZ LEAVES SAN DIEGO FOR TURKEY
The frigate TCG Gediz, recently decommissioned by the United
States Navy and transferred to the Turkish Naval Forces, will
leave San Diego Naval Base today. According to the Naval Forces
Command, the Gediz, which raised the Turkish flag on 1 September,
will visit Acapulco, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Ponto Delgada on
its way to Turkey. The frigate will reach Aksaz Harbor on 6
December after its trip, which will last about a month. /Turkish
Daily News/
[25] OCALAN: "PROTECT TURKISH FLAG"
Abdullah Ocalan, head of the terrorist PKK organization and
sentenced to death published an article in the organizations
periodical, Serxwebun.In his article, Ocalan said "Our ancestors,
as well, fought for this flag. Protect this flag and have respect
for Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic." /Hurriyet/
[26] CELIKKOL: "TURKEY SHOULD CHARGE FEE FOR PRVENTION OF POLLUTION IN
THE STRAITS"
Head of the Machine and Maritime Technologies Department in New
Hampshire University, Prof. Barbaros Celikkol, said in the
Conference on Pollution in the Black Sea and Mediterranean due to
Petroleum, that a fund should be established to prevent pollution
in the straits. Prof. Celikkol said each tanker entering the New
Hampshire estuary pays 25 cents per ton on the petroleum it
carries. Mr. Celikkol said, "If Turkey charged this amount of
money to the tankers passing through the straits, the annual
revenue would reach $20 million. This fund would provide enough
resources for environmental protection, planning and operation.
Pollution is caused by ships during their passage as well as by
the tanker accidents. A traffic control system to be made
operational in the straits will ensure prevention of the
accidents." Prof. Celikkol also said services of tugboats and
guiding captain should be compulsory for a safe passage of ships
through the straits. /Hurriyet/
[27] ANOTHER HUGE STEP FOR MARMARAY
An important step was taken concerning the Marmaray project, a
construction and tube passage plan aimed at finding a radical
solution for innercity traffic. The Ministry of Communication
completed the system's technical marking in the engineering and
advisory services and sent it to the Japanese rating company,
JBIC. The company that will undertake the system's engineering
and advisory services is expected to be chosen soon. The system
will begin construction in 2001. /Aksam/
[28] SPECIAL JURY AWARD TO TURKISH FILM IN BEIJING
A Turkish film named "Bir Golge Gecti (A Shadow Passed)" received
the special jury award in the Beijing International Scientific
Films Festival. In the film, directed by Tulin Sertoz, incidents
observed in Elazig, Amasya and Osmancik after the eclipse of the
sun in 1999 are narrated. The film was dedicated to the people
who died in the August 17 Marmara eartquake. /Cumhuriyet/
[29] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[30] YILMAZ OPTIMISTIC BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc comments on Turco-EU relations. A summary of
her column is as follows:
"Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has taken an important role
in Turco-EU relations. Years after the Davos process launched by
Prime Ministers Mitsotakis and Ozal ended in disappointment,
Yilmaz is taking responsibility for the rapprochement process
between Turkey and Greece. Yilmaz, whose words created a stir
during the critical period in the rapprochement, has calmed down
the climate in Athens yesterday.
Despite the crisis over Limnos and the negative atmosphere of the
meeting between Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Greek Prime
Minister Kostas Simitis in Skopje, Deputy Prime Minister Yilmaz
believes the point reached in Turco-Greek relations during this
past year is the closest since the 1950s. According to Yilmaz,
who said dialogue requires patience, Greece sees dialogue as a
unilateral taking process. Yilmaz said, "We want a real dialogue.
The problem is we do not agree on the concept of dialogue." He
also mentioned he was optimistic about the outcome.
Yilmaz met with Mitsotakis for the first time after Yilmaz had
cut off all relations at the 1991 Paris meeting. Mitsotakis has
not changed his position. He stated that unless the Cyprus
problem is solved, there will not be a rapprochement between
Turkey and Greece. However, Yilmaz left the meeting in a
different frame of mind. Although he believes the necessary
climate for a dialogue was not there, he said, "We have to
continue the dialogue as we have no other choice." However, he
also stressed that there won't be a radical change in Greek
public opinion and it would be incorrect to expect such a change.
The Turco-Greek Business Council meets at at time when the
dispute between the hawks and those supporting dialogue has
reached its peak. However, this time however, there is a
different picture. Those supporting dialogue seem to be stronger.
Prime Minister Simitis said the dialogue would continue despite
verbal attacks by the opposition. Two Foreign Ministers agreed to
carry out confidence-building-measures in Budapest. A decision
was made for a dialogue between the military of both countries
to parallel the political dialogue. Despite ups and downs, the
rapprochement process is continuing. Mesut Yilmaz believes he
views the situation realistically.
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also sent the message saying
Turkey's problems on the road to full EU membership will be
overcome. He added that Turkey should take steps regarding the
issue. He stated that in the wake of the declaration of Accession
Partnership Document, on November 9, there will be a Government
meeting. Turkey's answer will be shaped in this meeting and the
Accession Partnership Document will be evaluated."
|