TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (May 23, 1995)
From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (May 23, 1995)
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL VISITS THE FAR EAST
[02] MAJOR OIL AND GAS FAIR OPENS IN BAKU
[03] COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO TAKE UP ISSUE OF TURKEY
[04] TURKEY TO EXTRACT NATURAL GAS FROM MARMARA SEA
[05] TURKEY, RUSSIA TO OPEN STATE ARCHIVES TO RESEARCHERS
[06] TURKEY PUTS HOLD ON IMPORTS FROM ZAIRE
[07] TURKISH URANIUM INFO TO GERMANS WELL-TIMED
[08] TURKEY: A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION
[09] SYMPOSIUM ON NATURAL DISASTERS OPENS
[10] EXPORTS INCREASE IN PARALLEL WITH IMPORTS
[11] TURKISH TEXTILE THE BEST IN EUROPE
[12] DENKTAS EVALUATES THE RECENT EU EFFORTS
[13] PKK KIDNAPPS A TEACHER
[14] TURCO-AZERI BANK TO BE ESTABLISHED
[15] TURKISH REPRESENTATION IN TATARSTAN
WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
MAY 23, 1995
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish
press this morning.
[01] DEMIREL VISITS THE FAR EAST
President Suleyman Demirel, accompanied by Foreign Minister
Erdal Inonu and a 135-person delegation, began his Far East
tour covering China, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Aside from
official contacts, Demirel will also hold meetings with
officials from commercial and industrial institutions.
Stating that Turkey exerted efforts to enhance its relations
with Far and South Asiatic countries in the last decade,
President Demirel said: "I want to bring a new dynamism to
our relations with my visit". Demirel decided to make the
trip last April, but an austerity package which called on
all state officials to limit their trips caused the
president to cancel his visit. "I see great benefit in
improving our relations with China, which is an important
power centre in its region and the world" Demirel said,
adding "Our trade ties with this country have improved
considerably and there is a great potential that needs to be
exploited". Turkish Parliament Speaker Husamettin Cindoruk,
Prime Minister Tansu Ciller and Chief of the General Staff
Ismail Hakki Karadayi were present at the seeing-off
ceremony at Ankara Esenboga Airport. While in China,
Demirel will sign an economic accord for prevention of
double taxation and a cultural exchange programme. After
completing his China visit, Demirel will pass on to Hong
Kong on May 27 and address business circles at a meeting
organized by the "Trade Development Council". He will pay a
visit to Indonesia on May 29-31. Demirel drew attention to
the importance of Indonesia, which is the fourth largest
country in the world with its population of 190 million.
Turkey and Indonesia will sign an agricultural cooperation
protocol and an accord on scientific cooperation between
universities. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
[02] MAJOR OIL AND GAS FAIR OPENS IN BAKU
Following the Azeri Petroleum Consortium meeting in Istanbul
the previous day, the International Caspian Oil and Natural
Gas Fair-95 opening in Azerbaijan's capital Baku today
brings together experts and industrialists from several
major oil-producing countries. Energy Minister, Veysel
Atasoy, accompanied by a delegation, represents Turkey at
the fair in which the US, Britain, Norway, Russia and
Kazakhstan are also taking part at a ministerial level.
Over 160 oil and gas companies from 13 countries are
represented at the fair, displaying the latest technologies
in the petrol and natural gas field. Azeri President,
Haydar Aliyev, will inaugurate the fair, the first of its
kind being organized in Baku, which will be open to the
public until Saturday. During the fair, Baku will be the
scene of several conferences, demonstrations and talks aimed
at improving cooperation among companies and countries
mainly regarding the vast oil reserves of the Caspian Sea
region. /Milliyet/
[03] COUNCIL OF EUROPE TO TAKE UP ISSUE OF TURKEY
The Council of Europe's permanent representatives committee
started yesterday its three-day session in which the
situation in Turkey would be discussed. The permanent
representatives committee will prepare a response to the
Council's Parliamentary Assembly resolution on Turkey, which
called on the Council to freeze Turkey's membership if
Turkey did not end its incursion into northern Iraq and
bring its democracy and human rights record up to standard.
The decision to freeze a state's membership can only be done
by the Council of Europe ministers. /All papers/
[04] TURKEY TO EXTRACT NATURAL GAS FROM MARMARA SEA
Turkey will start extracting natural gas from the Marmara
Sea in late 1996, Energy Minister Veysel Atasoy said on
Monday. A joint venture set up by Turkish Petroleum and
Romanian Orizon company has signed an agreement for the $35
million deal. Speaking to reporters at a ceremony at the
drilling platform situated 2.5 kilometres to the south of
Marmara's northern coast, Atasoy said recoverable gas
reserves 1,200 metres under this sea were estimated at 2
billion cubic metres. He said the gas to be extracted at
this platform from three wells will be pumped to the shore
via pipeline. /Hurriyet/
[05] TURKEY, RUSSIA TO OPEN STATE ARCHIVES TO RESEARCHERS
Turkey and Russia have signed a protocol to mutually open
their state archives to researchers from both countries. It
said Turkish and Russian experts and academicians would be
able to conduct research on classified materials in both
archives. A Turkish team headed by prominent historian
Ilber Ortayli has already traveled to Russia to work on
several documents in the Russian archives regarding ties
with Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] TURKEY PUTS HOLD ON IMPORTS FROM ZAIRE
Health Minister Dr.Dogan Baran announced that all imports
coming from Zaire have been suspended due to the outbreak of
the deadly Ebola virus. Baran, who pointed out the fact
that there were no direct flights from Zaire to Turkey,
added that this latest decision diminished the risks of
spreading the virus to Turkey, "which were already very
little". Baran said that food imports have been suspended
also from the African countries which might have the virus,
adding that all measures have been taken in 11 border gates
and 45 shore health control stations. /Hurriyet/
[07] TURKISH URANIUM INFO TO GERMANS WELL-TIMED
Information provided to the German police by the Turkish
police on uranium smuggling was well-timed, according to an
article in the weekly "Focus" magazine, the Anatolia news
agency reported yesterday. Two Iranian uranium smugglers
were captured by the German police, and 2.5 kilograms of
uranium-238 were confiscated, according to the article.
[08] TURKEY: A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION
Turkey is reported to have become one of the most popular
destinations for foreign tourists in recent years, the
Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Quoting tourism
officials, the agency said foreign tourists were bored of
visiting Spain, Greece and Italy and were increasingly
attracted to Turkey. The officials also pointed out that
Turkey's clean coasts and the traditional hospitality of its
people were major advantages as far as tourists were
concerned.
[09] SYMPOSIUM ON NATURAL DISASTERS OPENS
A symposium on "International Cooperation Against Natural
Disasters" has begun in Ankara, the Anatolia news agency
reported yesterday. Representatives from the Netherlands,
Switzerland, Canada, England, Japan, France and the US are
participating in the symposium, the agency reported.
[10] EXPORTS INCREASE IN PARALLEL WITH IMPORTS
Exports worth $1.6 billion and imports worth $2.5 billion
were effected during March 1995. An increase of 25.8 % in
exports and 25 % in imports were seen in March 1995 compared
with the same month of the previous year. The Directorate
of State Statistical Institute (DIE) has announced the
temporary figures for Turkey's exports and imports in 1995.
Turkey's foreign trade deficit has reached $816.2 million
with an increase of 23.4 % in March 1995. The ratio of
export/import has risen from 66.6 % to 67 % in March 1995.
Export of agricultural products decreased by 24.9 % while
exports of industrial products increased by 37.6 % and
exports of minerals and stone quarrying increased by 23.8 %
in March 1995 compared with the same month of the previous
year. Exports have totalled $4.7 billion with an increase
of 24.4 % and imports have amounted to $6.8 billion with an
increase of 16.5 % during the first three months of 1995
compared with the same period of last year. According to
DIE, foreign trade deficit during the first three months
averaged $2.9 billion with an increase of 1.7 % compared
with $60.7 million in 1994. The ratio of export/import has
increased from 65 % to 69.4 % during the first three months
of 1995. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] TURKISH TEXTILE THE BEST IN EUROPE
In his opening speech at the 76th World Textile Conference
which began in Istanbul yesterday with the participation of
150 experts from 20 countries, Stephen Rubin, president of
the Britain-based World Textile Institute said that Turkish
textile products were candidates for becoming number one in
Europe following Turkey's customs union with the EU. Rubin
said that as a first step Turkey's yearly cotton production
should be increased and secondly worker's productivity
should be raised by increasing salaries to European
standards. Hayri Kozakcioglu, Governor of Istanbul and Lale
Aytaman, Governor of Mugla have also attended the conference
where the present and future of the World Textiles were
debated. Speaking at the conference, Nur Ger, president of
the Turkish Clothing Industrialists Association (TGSD) said
that developed countries should lift quotas. Ger called
upon developed countries to welcome competition in their
economies and open up their domestic markets gradually.
Exhibitions were also opened in the Swissotel in which those
of various firms participated. /Hurriyet/
[12] DENKTAS EVALUATES THE RECENT EU EFFORTS
In his press conference, yesterday, Rauf Denktas, President
of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, said that Prime
Minister Tansu Ciller evaluates the Cyprus problem as
"Turkey's national issue".
Denktas pointed out that the Cyprus issue and Turkey's
European Union membership and customs union were two
different issues and they should not be mixed. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] PKK KIDNAPPS A TEACHER
The Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) terrorists kidnapped a
primary school teacher in the Bingollu township of Erzurum.
During clashes between PKK militants and security forces in
Diyarbakir and Sirnak, 14 terrorists were killed.
Last night, PKK terrorists attacked the Payas district in
Iskenderun. Officials stated that during the attack three
civilians were massacred and two wounded.
/Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/
[14] TURCO-AZERI BANK TO BE ESTABLISHED
The partnership agreement between the Ziraat Bank and the
Azerbaijan Agrar Sanaye Bank for the establishment of an
Azeri- Turkish Bank will be signed on May 25 in Ankara.
According to a statement issued by the Ziraat Bank, the
Azeri- Turkish Bank is to be established in Azerbaijan's
capital city Baku. The partnership agreement of the bank
will be signed by Cihan Pacaci, General Director of Ziraat
Bank and Musaev Muhammed Kurbanoglu, General Director of
Azerbaijan Agrar Sanaye Bank. /Hurriyet/
[15] TURKISH REPRESENTATION IN TATARSTAN
Turkey will open a consulate in Kazan, capital city of
Tatarstan, one of the autonomous republics in the Russian
Federation. Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin said that an
agreement has been reached between Ankara and Moscow to open
the consulate. He added that they were waiting for the note
of approval from Moscow to undertake respective action.
Cetin signed a "Commercial, Economic, Scientific-Technical
and Cultural Cooperation Agreement" with Tatar Prime
Minister Farid Hyrullovic Muhametshin who has come to Ankara
as his official guest. Cetin said that Tatarstan has rich
natural resources and Turkish businessmen are ready to make
investments and give all possible support to this country.
Cetin reported that this agreement was important for Turkey
not only from the point of developing relations with
Tatarstan but with the Russian Federation as well.
/Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
END
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