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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (August 10, 1995)From: hristu@arcadia.harvard.edu (Dimitrios Hristu)CONTENTS[01] CILLER TO VISIT CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES EP MEMBERS[03] EDUCATION AND ART COOPERATION WITH PHILIPPINES[04] TURKEY CRITICIZES MOSCOW INVITATIONS FOR BOSNIA[05] SIX MILITANTS KILLED, SEVEN CAPTURED IN SOUTHEAST[06] TURKISH GRAIN BOARD TO SIGN $250 MILLION LOAN DEAL[07] TBB ON 27TH ANNIVERSARY[08] US LOOKING FOR TOLERANCE FROM KLERIDES[09] REACTION TO TOBB REPORT[10] MILITARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND BOSNIA[11] SUMMER CAMP FOR CHERNOBYL VICTIMS[12] TURKEY CONDEMNS FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS[13] PALLABICINI VISITS PRIME MINISTER[14] US PRESS PRAISES THE TURKISH ECONOMY[15] TURKEY GIVEN WELL-DESERVED "BRAVO" BY THE IMF[16] ANKARA-WASHINGTON COOPERATION AT NORTH IRAQ SUMMIT[17] TURKISH SHOP BOMBED[18] PASOK CALLS FOR TANGIBLE STEPS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH TURKEYTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY AUGUST 10, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] CILLER TO VISIT CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICSPM Tansu Ciller will visit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan between August 14 and 18, the Foreign Ministry stated yesterday. Ciller will meet the republics' officials and presidents, the statement said. Bilateral relations, cooperation opportunities and regional and international issues are expected to be discussed during the talks. Ciller will request support for the Eurasia Highway project, which she describes as the "Project of the Century". Ciller, received support for this project from Uzbek President Islam Kerimov and Azeri President Haydar Aliyev in her visit to Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. Now, she will request support from Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyz President Ashkar Akayev and Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov. If she receives support from these three leaders for the project, she will also meet Georgian Head of State Eduard Shevardnadze and will host a summit, which all presidents will attend, to discuss this giant project in Ankara in October. If the project is agreed to, a 3,000-km long highway will be constructed. /Sabah/
[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES EP MEMBERSPresident Suleyman Demirel received two European Parliament (EP) members yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported. Hans-Gert Poettering, acting chairman of the "European People's Parties- Christian Democrats" group, and Martina Gredler, executive board member of the "Liberals and Democratic Parties" group, met with Deputy Prime Minister Hikmet Cetin and Turkey's Human Rights Foundation Chairman Yavuz Onen. Cetin noted that Turkey was one of the countries which had sacrificed much for the establishment of peace, democracy and stability in Europe and would certainly enter the customs union. Cetin said: "We have struggled together for common values in NATO, the Council of Europe and other institutions for years". Pointing out that Turkey was determined to solve all its problems with respect to democracy. law and human rights, he added: "So, I believe that the EP will approve Turkey's entry into the customs union". Gredler said: "While we are in Turkey, we want to make a number of evaluations". Poettering said: "Turkey's relations with the EP will improve. I hope that other groups in the EP will also approve this, and that Turkey will join in customs union with the EU". /Cumhuriyet/
[03] EDUCATION AND ART COOPERATION WITH PHILIPPINESTurkey and the Philippines signed a cultural and education cooperative treaty on March 9. This has just been approved by the Cabinet and was published in the Official Gazette yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported. The treaty encourages cooperation in many areas including literature, the arts, music, sports, youth activities and research. The treaty also establishes a joint committee which will control and encourage cooperative educational and art activities in both countries.
[04] TURKEY CRITICIZES MOSCOW INVITATIONS FOR BOSNIATurkey yesterday criticized an initiative by Russian President Boris Yeltsin to invite only the president of Croatia Franjo Tudjman, and Serbian President, Slobodan Milosevic to Moscow for talks for a "peaceful solution to the conflicts in former Yugoslavia". "Turkey cannot understand why President Alia Izzetbegovic of Bosnia, which is the main party to the crisis in Bosnia, has not been invited to attend the planned Moscow talks" Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Nurettin Nurkan told reporters at a press conference yesterday. "The absence of Izzetbegovic will be a missing key factor in the meeting" he said. Turkey has welcomed a joint military action by Croatia and Bosnian Muslim forces last week to liberate the nothwest Bosnian Muslim enclave of Bihac from Serb attacks, Nurkan said. He added that Croatia's offensive last week against rebel Serbs in the Krajina region was aimed at preserving the country's territorial integrity. "As a result, however, Serb refugees from Krajina have entered Bosnia in masses, changing the country's demographic structure to the disadvantage of the Bosnian Muslims" he said. Also the Krajina Serb militiamen fleeing to Bosnian territory could join the Bosnian Serb forces, creating another threat against the Muslims, Nurkan warned. Meanwhile, a statement released yesterday by a group of Turkish intellectuals who plan to visit Bosnia in solidarity with the Bosnian government, said the trip, due to start on Friday, had been postponed for one week due to the ongoing clashes in the region. /Hurriyet/
[05] SIX MILITANTS KILLED, SEVEN CAPTURED IN SOUTHEASTSix militants of the PKK terrorist organization were killed and seven captured during clashes between security forces and militants in rural areas of Tunceli's Nazimiye district. In Van, seven people were arrested and charged with being PKK supporters. A terrorist, whose code name is Sevkad, has surrendered and said: "There is a panic in the organization. Everyone wants to surrender. Semdin Sakik's press representative has committed suicide."/Cumhuriyet/
[06] TURKISH GRAIN BOARD TO SIGN $250 MILLION LOAN DEALThe Turkish Grain Board (TMO) will sign a $250 million syndicated loan agreement tomorrow in London, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. TMO officials stated that the credit, provided by 29 international banks under the leadership of Citibank and with the help of a guarantee provided by the Treasury, is to be used to finance grain purchases. The signing ceremony on Friday will be attended by officials from the main creditor Citibank and other banks, Onal Ulutas, TMO general manager and Ozden Sanberk, Turkish Ambassador to London.
[07] TBB ON 27TH ANNIVERSARY"We will not give any concessions from our struggle against those whose target it is to establish a system based on religious rule, Shariah, thus turning this nation into a 'ummet' or religious community" the Turkish Bars Association (TBB) said in a press announcement marking its 27th anniversary. The release said that there were attempts to replace the rule of law with religiously-oriented trends. After noting that the anti- secular groups were being given a chance to exist by the democratic regime, it said: "Those whose existence depends on the democratic and secular system are trying to cut the tree branch they are sitting on". It also pointed out that killing individuals -Gumushane Bar Association Chairman Ali Gunday was murdered in July by a Muslim fundamentalist angry about the dismissal of two veiled female lawyers from the Gumushane Bar- cannot kill the ideas of people like Gunday. Prime Minister Tansu Ciller also sent a message to Onder Sav, Chairman of the TBB, marking the day. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] US LOOKING FOR TOLERANCE FROM KLERIDESSeeking a solution to the Cyprus issue, the US administration is trying to set up another top level meeting between the sides involved. Officials note however that they expect Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides to bend a little more in response to current developments.Washington is in fact, exerting quite some pressure on Klerides to make him assume a more tolerant attitude in connection with coming to an agreement with North Cyprus (TRNC). President of the TRNC, Rauf Denktas, has also stressed that the Greek side must be prepared to fall back on some issues and be ready for compromise. /Hurriyet/
[09] REACTION TO TOBB REPORTPublic and government reaction to the recent report on the southeast situation prepared for the Turkish Union of Chambers and Exchanges (TOBB), by professor Dogu Ergil, continues to grow.Although on holiday, professor Ergil has commented that the reaction is unjustified, and that the report does nothing but detail the position that Turkey is in regarding the southeast problem. Denying that the report suggests "CIA involvement" Ergil notes that the comments and evaluations of some political leaders, including those of opposition ANAP party leader Mesut Yilmaz, are out of order and biased. /Cumhuriyet/
[10] MILITARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND BOSNIAGovernment officials said yesterday that a new military cooperation agreement between Turkey and Bosnia will be signed today. The agreement will not break the weapons embargo against Bosnia in principle, but provide for technical cooperation and military training for officers. Bosnian Deputy Defence Minister Muhammed Lemes, presently in Turkey, will sign the agreement for his country.Diplomatic sources also note that Turkey is interested in the budding defence sector infrastructure in Bosnia, and add that Turkey anticipates helping in developing the sector once the embargo is lifted. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] SUMMER CAMP FOR CHERNOBYL VICTIMSDuring August 29-September 12, Turkey will host 85 children disabled by the Chernobyl disaster at a summer holiday camp at Pendik, near Istanbul.During his two day official visit to Belorus, Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu made arrangements for the children to come to Turkey to benefit from Red Crescent summer camp facilities. This is not the first time that unfortunate children from the Chernobyl region have been brought to Turkey for a holiday. For the past three years various organizations have cooperated with Turkish officials to provide a holiday for Belorus children who were affected the most by the nuclear power plant explosion. /Sabah/
[12] TURKEY CONDEMNS FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTSMinister for the Environment, Riza Akcali, has written a letter protesting French plans to test nuclear weapons using isolated south Pacific islands next month. Akcali sent his letter to French Minister for the Environment, Corinne LePage, and called on France to change its mind about the tests.Minister Akcali said that it was quite unacceptable that France was about to turn the region of the south Pacific into a dumping ground for nuclear waste. /Sabah/
[13] PALLABICINI VISITS PRIME MINISTERPrime Minister Tansu Ciller received J.Graham Pallabicini, the famous American film producer of Italian descent who is also Prince of Venice, the Anatolia news agency reported. Pallabicini said that he wanted Ciller's help in arranging locations and permission for the filming of "Suleyman the Magnificent". Starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep and Omar Sharif, "Suleyman the Magnificiant" will cost about $50 million and production will take about two years.
[14] US PRESS PRAISES THE TURKISH ECONOMYThe LDC Debt Report journal, published in the US, in an article titled "The return of the Turks", has reviewed the effective steps undertaken by Turkey to overcome the financial crisis of 1994. The article pointed out that the Turkish economy was reviving and noted that in September, there will be new stock issues following the success of previous fixed dollar rate stock issues for a three year medium term. "The secret of their success is the fact that they managed to repay their debts despite the budget deficit, high inflation, high interest rates, and the financial crisis in February 1994, that caused a decrease in production", the article stressed. /Sabah/
[15] TURKEY GIVEN WELL-DESERVED "BRAVO" BY THE IMFDuring the first half of 1995, the Turkish economy made remarkable achievements with respect to budget deficit, Central Bank financial indicators and foreign debt figures, all within the limits foreseen by the IMF. Having evaluated the Turkish economic as "positive" indicators, IMF officials will review once more the current stand-by agreement with Turkey at the beginning of September, and in November the regular Turkish government consultation with IMF representatives will take place. After the September talks, a new part of the stand by agreement, worth $115 million, is expected to be released. /Sabah/
[16] ANKARA-WASHINGTON COOPERATION AT NORTH IRAQ SUMMITThe Dublin Summit, during which North Iraq's future will be determined, started in Ireland yesterday. At the summit, which has been realized through the mediation of the US, both Turkey and America want an agreement between the conflicting rival Kurdish groups in north Iraq. Ugur Dogan, head of the Iran-Iraq Department of the Foreign Ministry, is attending the summit as an observer. During a press conference in Dublin, Ugur Dogan said that Turkey attached great importance to the territorial integrity of northern Iraq and wanted stability in the region as soon as possible. Dogan added: "Turkey hopes that disorder in northern Iraq will come to an end. Turkey is uneasy that the outlaw Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) finds a way to stay in the region, and benefit from the situation." Robert Deutsh, responsible for the North Gulf region and the US representative at the summit, has also tried to convince sides to reach an agreement.The summit will end on 11 August./Milliyet/
[17] TURKISH SHOP BOMBEDAccording to the German police, a bomb attack was made against a Turkish grocery shop in Oberhausen, Karlsruhe yesterday. There were no reports of ijured or death as a result of the attack. Sources said that the attackers could be Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) supporters./Cumhuriyet/
[18] PASOK CALLS FOR TANGIBLE STEPS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH TURKEYAs a result of recent dramatic developments in the Balkans, Greece has decided to re-evaluate her relations with Ankara. The Executive Board of the ruling PASOK party has asked Prime Minister Papandreu to take "tangible steps" to improve relations with Turkey.At a meeting of party members it was pointed out that Greece's tense relations with Turkey had not led to any positive results to Greece. It was also stressed that Greece would not continue with its present for relations with Turkey for much longer. It is expected that regarding this issue, Andreas Papandreu, Prime Minister and Chairman of the PASOK party will make a final decision by early September./Sabah/ END |
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