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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (March 28, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL BEGINS US VISIT[02] TURKEY SENDS 30 MORE POLICE TO BOSNIA[03] GERMANY DECIDES AGAINST PKK[04] TURKEY AND RUSSIA DRAWING CLOSER[05] TURKISH BUSINESS CENTERS BUILT IN RUSSIA[06] US TELECOM INTERESTED IN TURKCOM[07] US SUPPORTS TURKEY'S ECONOMIC INTEGRATION WITH EU[08] HILLARY CLINTON IN EPHESUS AND ISTANBUL[09] ANKARA WARNS BARZANI[10] TWO PILOTS DIE IN TURKISH AIR FORCE F-5 FIGHTER JET CRASH[11] REFUGEE AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND SWITZERLAND[12] VOTE ON EXTENSION TO PROVIDE COMFORT TODAY[13] US TOURISM INTEREST IN TURKEY GROWING[14] ANKARA COLLEGE EUROPEAN 3RD IN MATHSTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY MARCH 28, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL BEGINS US VISITPresident Suleyman Demirel arrived yesterday in the US capital for three days of intensive talks which include Senate majority leader, presidential candidate Robert Dole and the Washington Post editorial board. The president's contacts start with a breakfast meeting with the Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy, where he will make a speech on "Turkey's Role in the New World Order". Then he will head for interviews with the Washington Post, the Washington Times and CNN. Later, on Thursday, he will hold meetings with Dole, Democrat Party Senator Robert Byrd and House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Also on Thursday, he will participate in a luncheon with businessmen and sign an Agreement for Prevention of Double Taxation. Demirel's meeting with President Bill Clinton will be on Friday at noon. Later, he will meet Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown (who is scheduled to visit Turkey later) and Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary. The agenda of his meeting with O'Leary revolves around the Caspian oil pipeline.Friday afternoon, Demirel will make a speech at Georgetown University, where he will also be given a medal of rectorship. The same evening, he will meet with the Turkish community in the Turkish Embassy in Washington. He will mark the end of his working visit with a press conference for Turkish journalists. Demirel will leave for Turkey on Saturday, after meeting Colin Powell, former chief of staff. Addressing reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport before his departure, Demirel said that ties between the US and Turkey had moved beyond being solely concerned with security and had become a relationship of "broad-based cooperation". "In the past, our relations mostly focused on security issues; now, we are making efforts to increase our cooperation in the fields of commerce, economy, science, culture and technology". /Hurriyet/
[02] TURKEY SENDS 30 MORE POLICE TO BOSNIATurkey has sent 30 police officers to Bosnia yesterday to reinforce the UN International Police Force stationed in Sarajevo. The Turkish contingent will join the multinational 1,720-strong police force which is currently in Bosnia helping to reestablish law and order in the war ravaged country. This is the second police unit Turkey has sent to Bosnia.Nicholas Burns, US State Department Spokesman, praised Turkey for its efforts to train and arm the Bosnian army, to make them a match for Serbs. Burns harsly criticized European countries, saying that during the pledging conference for the "Train and Equip" project, held in Ankara on March 15, most European countries refused to support any of the measures decided upon. He underlined the vital importance of training the Bosnian army, saying that Bosnian forces must be trained or else when the Implementation Force leaves the area, the imbalance in military power could lead to new disputes. In another development, a meeting will be held on April 12-13 in Brussels to discuss aid for Bosnia. /All papers/
[03] GERMANY DECIDES AGAINST PKKThe German government has voted against the PKK terror organization by passing a law that will make it possible to extradite PKK terrorists. Any foreigner guilty of participating in illegal demonstrations, breaking laws on public order and committing terrorist acts will be sent out.The central German government has relayed the decision to the provincial governors who will be expected to use their powers in this area to the full. Germany as a whole has turned against the PKK terror organization following a serious increase in violence generated by the PKK and its supporters throughout Germany. /Hurriyet/
[04] TURKEY AND RUSSIA DRAWING CLOSERThe Turkish Foreign Ministry is pleased about diplomatic efforts to draw Turkey and Russia closer together. Within the framework of dual political information exchange, both sides have reached a new level of understanding and have agreed that in future twice yearly meetings will be held to benefit from mutual political updates on developments.Both top level Turkish and Russian officials hope that recent initiatives will lead to better relations between the two countries. It is further expected that in the future there will be new agreements on trade, visa requirements and aid. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] TURKISH BUSINESS CENTERS BUILT IN RUSSIATurkish Business Centers that will promote trade between Turkey and Russia, will be opened this year in Moscow and Sochi. The Business Center in Moscow will be constructed on a 5,000 square meter plot. It will offer office facilities for 200 companies. The construction of the center is speedily advancing and is almost completed. The other center in Sochi, with construction work still going on, will be constructed on a 7,000 square meter plot. The center will accommodate the representative offices of 250 Turkish companies. /Hurriyet/
[06] US TELECOM INTERESTED IN TURKCOMThe massive US telecommunications sector is still showing a lot of interest in the privatization of the Turkish telecommunications branch of the government-run PTT.The US Justice Department is studying applications from US companies interested in working a deal. Offciials from the Department say that although the legal framework is sound, "we don't want any disappointments." They also say that the right environment for development has yet to be created -both for for investment and customer growth potential. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] US SUPPORTS TURKEY'S ECONOMIC INTEGRATION WITH EUThe US supports Turkey's integration with the EU, State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns said, responding to a question concerning the recent postponement of the Turkey-EU Association Council meeting. "We want Turkey to have a close relationship and enter into a number of agreements to promote closer relations with EU" Burns said. We supported that as strongly as anyone else because we think that Turkey has got to be connected not only militarily to Western institutions but economically as well. We certainly support Turkey's growing relationship with the EU. We hope that continues".On the question whether the US would mediate between Greece and Turkey to solve as to bilateral issues, Burns told journalists on Tuesday that the US had not received any official offers as such. "We can only mediate if the both sides want us to. We have not been asked to mediate. We are going to have meetings with Greek Prime Minister Simitis and Turkish President Demirel" he said. When a Greek journalist questioned the way Burns praised on Monday the call Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz made to Greece for dialogue, Burns told the Greek journalist "you should take seriously what we said yesterday. Prime Minister Yilmaz has done a good thing here. Now, perhaps his proposal didn't deal with every issue in Greek-Turkish relations. But what he said was positive. It was constructive, and, you know, it was an offer to begin to discuss the differences between Greece and Turkey on an equitable basis. There was a spirit of reconciliation in his offer; and we think that is positive, and so we commended him for that. And I stand by everything I said yesterday on this". Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, John Shattuck, in a speech at the Human Rights Sub-Committee of the House of Representatives, evaluated how violations of human rights in various countries affected their relations with the US and excluded Turkey for the first time from the list of "The most troubled countries from the point of human rights". /Milliyet/
[08] HILLARY CLINTON IN EPHESUS AND ISTANBULUS first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, accompanied by her daughter Chelsea, was met by Izmir Governor Kutlu Aktas and Chief of Security Kemal Yazicioglu at Selcuk Airport. The Clintons visited the House of the Virgin Mary near Selcuk with a group of priests, after which they moved on to the ancient city of Ephesus. The first lady was impressed by the site and said that she was glad the restoration work had been supported by local authorities. Arriving in Istanbul, she was met on the tarmac by Foreign Ministry Protocol Chief Ataman Yalgin and Acting Istanbul Governor Ridvan Yenisen.Hillary Clinton visited the Social Security Administration's Bakirkoy Maternity Clinic and the Women and Children's Disease Education Hospital. In a brief address, she stressed how she had been affected by the progressive family planning which Turkey has been carrying out over the past 10 years. She also emphasized how very important family planning was for the whole world. Clinton then proceeded to the Ciragan Palace where she delivered an address to approximately 400 guests of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK). Before she leaves on Friday, she is expected to tour some historical places in Istanbul and visit the Islamic History, Art and Culture Reseach Center. /All papers/
[09] ANKARA WARNS BARZANIAt a press conference yesterday, Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said that Turkey had warned the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Mesut Barzani, who reportedly has reached an agreement for cooperation with the PKK terrorist organization. The warning has been submitted to KDP Ankara representative Safeen Dizayee. "Mr.Barzani should be aware of the fact that cooperation with a terrorist organization is not possible," Nurkan said and stressed that Turkey would not allow developments threatening her border security. /Hurriyet/
[10] TWO PILOTS DIE IN TURKISH AIR FORCE F-5 FIGHTER JET CRASHTwo pilots of the Turkish Air Force (TuAF) lost their lives on Monday when their Northrop F-5 fighter jet crashed shortly after take-off, a mile to the east of the central Anatolian city of Eskisehir. The cause of the crash is most likely technical, according to the office of general-secretary of the general staff. An inquiry to determine the reason for the crash has been launched. /All papers/
[11] REFUGEE AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND SWITZERLANDTurkey, Switzerland and the International Immigration Organization have agreed on a project that will facilitate the return of Turkish asylum seekers refused by Switzerland. According to the agreement, Turkey will send $432,000 in aid for the settlement of Turkish citizens seeking asylum, mainly because of economic reasons. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] VOTE ON EXTENSION TO PROVIDE COMFORT TODAYTurkish Parliament is to vote today on whether to extend for three months the mandate of the Operation Provide Comfort, a US-led air force protecting Kurds in northern Iraq. Last week, Turkish National Security Council gave its backing to an extension of the operation after its mandate expires on March 31.
[13] US TOURISM INTEREST IN TURKEY GROWINGThe giant US tourism sector is at last "discovering" Turkey according to Istanbul region tourism director Yalcin Manav, who is hosting a number of US tourism agency representatives.With a view to getting to know Turkey better, US tourism representatives are staying in Istanbul setting-up new initiatives with contacts in Turkey. The US delegation of tourism agents reckons that there is a "huge potential" for expanding tourism in Turkey. /Hurriyet/
[14] ANKARA COLLEGE EUROPEAN 3RD IN MATHSTED Ankara College teams ranked 3rd and 4th in the "Senior's Maths Competition" held by the International European Council of Schools last week. The winning students were awarded in a ceremony held by the TED Ankara College foundation yesterday. 178 students and 66 teams participated in the competition. /Cumhuriyet/ |