Turkish Daily News, 96-05-07
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
TURKISH DAILY NEWS
7 May 1996
CONTENTS
[01] PM Yilmaz: 'Government will go on despite problems'
[02] Above party government in the making
[03] FM Gonensay says new measures for the straits could be on the
way
[04] French chain to launch Turkish DIY store
[05] Land is primary problem for retailers in Turkey
[06] Turkey eager to help reconstruction of Tajikistan
[07] The World Western Thracians unites at a platform
[01] PM Yilmaz: 'Government will go on despite problems'
Addressing a key press conference the prime minister says Turkey
does not need an economic austerity package but structural reforms
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Monday that
he saw no reason why the present coalition government, between
his Motherland Party (ANAP) and Tansu Ciller's True Path Party
(DYP), should be spoiled before its time, despite "difficulties
between the partners from time to time." Yilmaz, who was
addressing a key press conference on his government's economic
and political plans, said that he would cast his vote "in
line with Tansu Ciller's desire" on Thursday when the TOFAS
motion is voted in Parliament.
The motion concerns irregularities into the privatization of
state shares in the auto maker TOFAS during the premiership of
Tansu Ciller.
Ciller has said she will vote for a parliamentary inquiry into
the allegations, even though DYP deputies have said they will
vote against one.
Pointing out that the Turkish economy today did not require
an austerity package to be put into force but structural reforms,
Yilmaz said that realizing these reforms would be his government's
mission.
Also promising more devolution in terms of powers vested in
central authorities in Turkey, Yilmaz went on to say that they
intended to convert the Turkish economy from a rent-based economy
to a production-based one.
Cautioning that Turkey was due to face an energy shortage by
fall, Yilmaz said "a mobilizing period has begun in terms
of energy." He also promised to raise the duration of minimum
education in Turkey to eight years.
Yilmaz also touched on foreign policy issues during his press
conference and repeated his previous strong warning to Syria about
the country's support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
[02] Above party government in the making
Turkey's notorious power circles who helped the formation of the
coalition are concerned ANAP and DYP losing while Welfare gaining
ground
These circles feel coalition is useless, should be replaced; object
to early elections
By Hayri Birler
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Turkey's ruling circles who promoted the foundation
of the minority coalition government between the Motherland Party
(ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP) are unhappy with the current
dismal performance of the government and are envisaging a new
Cabinet which is similar to the above-party, non-partisan government
formula which was used after the March 12, 1971 military coup
by memorandum.
These circles have already contacted deputies close to their
mission within ANAP and the DYP and conveyed their future political
plans. They have said no one should insist on the continuation
of the current minority coalition.
These circles have also analysed the political situation in
the past few months and have come to the conclusion that: "We
believed initially that the coalition government set up by the
two center-right parties would be able to take bold steps to ease
the mounting problems of the country, that it would be able to
implement structural changes, that it could restore peace and
calm throughout the country and could undertake the necessary
decisions to end the problems in southeastern Turkey.
However, the deep-rooted mistrust among the executives of the
two parties, the fact that they could not overcome the anger and
enmity they feel for each other, and the fact that the parliamentary
groups of the two parties cannot work in harmony have all contributed
to the failures of the coalition. Thus it has been unable to fulfill
the expectations of the public.
The public is now talking more about the failures of the coalition
than its success. Whereas this would mean the defeat of the center-
right
in Turkey. This would create serious deficiencies for our regime
and our system." The power circles in Turkey feel while
the center-right is losing power, the radicals on the left and
right wings are gaining ground. They say: "the recent public
opinion polls prove our assessment.
The votes of the (pro-Islamic) Welfare Party (RP) and the center-left
Democratic Left Party (DSP) have increased compared to the votes
they won in the parliamentary election on Dec. 24, 1995. However,
the DYP and the ANAP, which are coalition partners, have failed
to retain their popularity and are actually losing votes.
The public is aware that the DSP and the RP are gaining ground.
This will become crystal clear during the election period and
people will believe the power race is between the DSP and the
RP. We also have to draw attention to the fact that those who
previously voted for the DYP and the ANAP will switch their votes
to the RP rather than the DSP because they traditionally feel
antagonistic towards Ecevit and the left. This may push RP gains
to more than 10 percent.
It does not really matter how you mold the election system, the
party that is number one will claim the lion's share of the votes
and the increase in their number of seats in Parliament will surpass
the increase in the percentage of votes."
So these power circles who feel the RP may even be successful
enough to come to power on its own are deeply concerned and thus
do not want new elections in the near future. So these circles
who prevented the formation of a RP-ANAP coalition and who worked
hard to forge the ANAP-DYP coalition now say: "The continuation
of the ANAP-DYP or Motherpath coalition is only serving to further
strengthen the radicals outside the center-right and the center-left.
So no one should insist on the continuation of the government.
The government should remain in office as long as it can but no
extra effort should be made to allow it to survive. Once the government
collapses neither ANAP nor the DYP should form a coalition with
the RP because the RP is much better organized and much better
disciplined than the DYP and ANAP. It (the RP) will inevitably
erode the power of its coalition partner.
"If a new government is not formed in 45 days then, according
to the Constitution, the president can decide to hold new elections.
So if the president decides to hold new elections, according to
law the polls will have to be held 90 days after the decision
is announced. However this may mean the RP will have an advantage.
So the president should not announce early elections but should
name a prime minister from within Parliament who will be supported
by the other parties represented in the house. This prime minister
should draw his strength from all the parties and if necessary
name ministers from all the political groups.
Such a government should stay in power for at least two years..."
These circles say that, according to their evaluation, out of
the 550 deputies in Parliament 376 have been newly elected and
are concerned that they may not be elected again in the event
of early polls. So, excluding the RP deputies, all the other deputies
may vote for such a government, they conclude.
[03] FM Gonensay says new measures for the straits could be on the
way
Foreign minister declares that these measures are aimed at the
prospect of Russia trying to ship Kazakh oil through the Bosphorus
and Dardanelles. He also complains of lack of coordination with
Ministry for Energy on subject of pipelines
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay said on Monday
that Turkey is preparing a host of measures against the possibility
of Russia trying to transport Kazakh oil through the Turkish Straits.
Gonensay, who was talking to reporters on the plane taking him
to the British city of Birmingham for a meeting of the Western
European Union, recalled that Russia and Kazakhstan had recently
signed an agreement for transporting Kazakh oil to the Russian
Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.
Under the deal sealed on April 27 in the Kazakh capital Almaty,
the Russian Transneft company will be the operator of an as-yet
unbuilt 1,500-kilometer (940-mile) $2 billion Caspian pipeline,
which will link Kazakhstan's Tengiz oilfield to Russia's Black
Sea port of Novorossiysk.
That link will have a peak capacity of 62 million metric tons
of crude a year (1.24 million barrels per day).
Indicating that Turkey had undertaken a serious of diplomatic
initiatives in Moscow, Washington and the Kazakh capital of Almaty
with regard to this subject, Gonensay said these initiatives were
aimed at finding out where the oil goes from Novorossiysk.
Turkey introduced extra safety measures for the Bosphorus and
the Dardanelles in anticipation of attempts to ship billions of
barrels of Caspian oil through these straits.
Russia has argued that these regulations were a ploy by Turkey
to increase the prospect for an oil pipeline to carry Caspian
oil by pipe over Anatolia to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ankara, however, points to some recent major tanker accidents
in or around the Bosphorus and a stone's throw away from where
hundreds of thousands of people live.
Gonensay said that Turkey was also making enquiries with the
relevant Washington-based firms involved in Caspian oil as to
their intentions with regard to the transport of this oil.
"We in the meantime have also started work on the subject.
If this oil is to pass through the straits then there will be
measures we will be introducing within our own territorial waters,"
Gonensay said.
"If they intend to transport this oil through the straits
then we will put new measures into force before they realize this
project to prevent them from taking a wrong step," he added.
"No agreement is worth endangering the lives of 10 million
people in Istanbul," Gonensay said.
He went on to argue that it was not necessary that the Supsa
route, which runs over Georgia, be used for transporting Caspian
oil over Turkey to world markets.
Gonensay said that Russia had to also be included in projects
aimed at transporting oil by pipeline over Turkey.
He said that instead of spending time and money on a temporary
pipeline connecting Baku in Azerbaijan and Supsa in Georgia for
transporting the early oil, it would be more realistic to spend
on a a permanent pipeline between Baku and Ceyhan.
This appeared to be a change in Ankara's previous position of
supporting the transport of early Caspian oil belonging to Azerbaijan
through a pipeline connecting Baku and Supsa, on Georgia's Black
Sea coast.
The belief was that such a pipeline would enhance the prospects
for an eventual pipeline connecting Baku and Ceyhan on Turkey's
Mediterranean coast.
Turkey even offered to finance a pipeline between Baku and Supsa
in connection with this expectation, an offer that was cold-shouldered
by other members of the consortium set up for Azeri oil.
Complaining about a lack of coordination between various government
ministries on the subject of oil pipelines, Gonensay said his
ministry was not receiving any information on this subject from
the Ministry for Energy and Natural Resources.
"The subject of pipelines is a chess game that requires
a tough struggle. It is a matter of diplomacy. But they do not
give us any information about what is being done and they do not
ask us for our opinion," Gonensay said.
He said this matter should not be seen within the context of
the political rivalries that are emerging between the two coalitions
partners, his Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party
(DYP) which has the Ministry for Energy.
Gonensay said that the lack of dialogue between the two ministries
was simply the result of a lack of coordination.
[04] French chain to launch Turkish DIY store
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- The French do-it-yourself (DIY) chain Mr. Bricolage
has signed a deal with Turkish partners to launch its first DIY
store in Turkey, according to the business and finance magazine
Ekonomist.
The firm, which runs more than 250 stores worldwide, has signed
a deal with industrial goods manufacturer Makina Takim Endustrisi
and business conglomerate Transturk Holding company.
The new venture aims to form a chain of DIY stores in Turkey,
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and in the Caucasus.
The first store will be opened in the Gunesli district in Istanbul.
It will be built on an area of 6,000 square meters.
Some 40,000 items will be on sale.
Mr. Bricolage and its Turkish partners are planning to open
21 stores in Turkey and eight in the TRNC and the Caucasus in
the next five years.
There are four DIY brands currently operating in Turkey. They
are AS 2000, Gotzen, Planet and Bauhaus.
[05] Land is primary problem for retailers in Turkey
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Difficulties in access to convenient land is
the principal problem most retail chains face in Turkey, according
to a leading retail industry executive.
Tahsin Pamir, former chief executive of the German Metro chain,
said that land was a serious problem in Turkey, particularly in
the business capital, Istanbul.
"Dozens of real estate agents in Istanbul are currently
seeking land for retail investors," Pamir said in an interview
with the business and finance weekly Ekonomist.
He said (French supermarket chain) Carrefour should already
have opened its fifth store whereas it only has one in Istanbul.
"Similarly, Continent should have made progress in launching
its second store. The basic reason why those retailers are pressured
to operate with one store each is land," Pamir argued.
He said several foreign (retail) investors find the Turkish
market attractive but do not rush into investments here.
Pamir terminated his contract with Metro last summer. He recently
joined the business group Fiba Holding. He is currently in charge
of the group's hypermarket projects. Fiba is planning to launch
a hypermarket in Istanbul and then to form a chain in other Turkish
cities.
[06] Turkey eager to help reconstruction of Tajikistan
Turkish Daily News
ANKARA- Turkey signalled Monday its eagerness to help
contribute to the reconstruction of Tajikistan, the most impoverished
of the Central Asian republics.
"We consider this visit to be a good opportunity for assessing
the prospects of the reconstruction of Tajikistan," President
Suleyman Demirel said as he welcomed his Tajik counterpart Imamali
Rakhmanov. "Turkey firmly supports the efforts of Tajikistan
to restore peace and stability in its country," Demirel said.
"Turkey is ready to extend any kind of help to its Tajik
brethren to carry out the reforms they desire." During
the visit of Rakhmanov, Turkey and Tajikistan signed nine different
accords ranging from land transport to the prevention of double
taxation.
A joint communique made by the two presidents said that Turkey
supported the U.N.-sponsored talks among the conflicting groups
in Tajikistan and hoped that a national consensus would be reached
to solve the country's political and economic problems.
The communique also confirmed that "major areas of cooperation"
existed between the two countries and the cooperation was further
enhanced by the efforts of the Tajik Embassy in Ankara and the
Turkish International Cooperation Agency's office in Dushanbe.
The agreements which were signed were a legal cooperation accord,
a tourism agreement, a land transport agreement, an education
accord, a consular accord, a health cooperation accord, an agreement
for prevention of double taxation and an agreement for encouragement
and protection of investment.
Demirel had visited Dushanbe last year in a trip designed to
assure the Tajiks that Ankara was not neglecting its ties with
this country in favor of its Turkic cousins in Central Asia.
[07] The World Western Thracians unites at a platform
By M. Akif Beki
Turkish Daily News
ISTANBUL- The issue of Turks in the Greek province of
Western Thrace has received renewed attention with the forming
of the World Western Thracians' Platform, consisting of all the
Turkic Western Thracian organizations around the world. The forming
of the Platform was an outcome of the second International Western
Thracian Turks Congress.
Lawyer Burhanettin ˜smail, general secretary of the Western
Thracian Turks Solidarity Association which organized the two
day international congress, said that this decision of the congress
will be a historical turning point in the western Thrace problem.
The International Western Thracian Turks Congress, which was
held over the weekend, ended with the release of a declaration
and reports of study groups on Sunday. The congress aimed to put
the problems of Turkic people living in Western Thrace on the
public agenda and to discuss proposals for solving these problems
together with all of the Western Thracian Turkish organizations
around the world.
Taner Mustafao§lu, chairman of the Western Thracian Turks
Solidarity Association, who released the results of the study
groups reports in a press conference, said that forming the World
Western Thracian Turks Platform was decided upon to have greater
impact on the international community and increase awareness of
the problems faced by Turks living in Western Thrace and that
the congresses will become more of a regular event.
"We will organize this kind international congress periodically
after this," Mustafaoglu said.
The study groups which were formed to look at different issues
such as policy and human rights, education, economy and religion,
presented their reports, evaluating the present condition in the
Western Thrace and suggesting proposals for solving problems.
The Turkish state was called upon to play a greater role in
the Western Thrace issue by taking a more effective position and
to force the Greek State to realize its responsibilities according
to international agreements.
It was also decided upon to invite leading figures of the Western
Thrace Turkic minority to unite in a single political framework
and so better represent the community in the Greek political environment.
An important point of the reports was the recommendation that
plans be made for electing Turkic representatives to the Greek
parliament in the next general elections and working in cooperation
with other minorities if thought advisable.
Burhanettin ˜smail, general secretary of the Western Thrace
Turks Solidarity Association, evaluating the results of the congress
said that the main aim of the congress was integrating the Western
Thrace Turks who had been spread over the world.
"No one should be afraid from us, because we have no claims
on Greek lands; this is not our demand, but to win our rights
for living as first class citizens in Greece, that is all."
he stated clearly.
According to ˜smail, the congress was very successful,
so much so that it was decided to organize the next one in an
European country such as Germany and that the Platform will try
to organize a similar meeting in Western Thrace if it's possible
next year.
"We will form a congress secretariat for putting it into
a regular form and soon the international platform of Western
Thracians will form a European headquarters," he said.
The second International Western Thracian Turks' Congress opened
at the same time that Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis was
visiting the Western Thrace area. According to Burhanettin Ismailoglu,
this was not a coincidence but planned by the Greek government
as an action against their congress.
"Simitis' planned visit was on the agenda but not so soon.
And they decided on the date of this visit to the Western Thrace
according to our congress date," Ismail claimed.
After this congress it's possible to say that the dominant words
of the two day congress were three of "peace", "rights"
and "struggle". The participants are consisted many
leading figures of the Western Thracian Turks, representatives
of civilian organizations from several countries and Turkish ministers,
politicians, all expressed how much they wanted peace and brotherhood
between the two communities and what must be the rules and conditions
for peace.
"The Turkish government is most sincere and serious about
solving the Turk- Greek crisis as it has shown recently,"
stated Lutfullah Kayalar, Turkish Minister of Finance and a member
of the Motherland Party (ANAP) in the coalition government.
An politician who addressed the seminar was Health Minister
Yildirim Aktuna from True Path Party (DYP)
"We never forget the principle of the great Ataturk in
foreign affairs -- peace at home, peace in the world. That is
to say we have no claims on Greek lands," he said.
Isik Ahmet, wife of the late Western Thracian Turkish leader
Dr. Sadik Ahmet, who lost his life in a traffic accident, made
a speech expressing her husband's struggle, saying that "This
struggle will not end".
But Ismail Rodoplu, former member of parliament and member of
High Minority Council, was not optimist as well as Isik Ahmet.
"It is possible to be friend with Israel but not with Greek"
he stated.
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