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Turkish Press Review, 96-08-16Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning. [01] REACTIONS TO RECENT EVENTS IN CYPRUSActing Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller on Thursday warned that Turks would "break the hands" of anyone who insulted their flag. She said: "We want peace. We do not want to quarrel with anyone. On the other hand there are requirements of peace." Ciller called for an end to "provocative acts" of protest in Cyprus in a statement released on Wednesday after the second death resulting from Greek-Cypriot violence.President Suleyman Demirel said that the latest events in Cyprus were provocations that had no benefit for anyone. He added that those kinds of agitation would not destroy the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and that they were wrong. The Clinton administration, on the other hand, emphasized that the Greek -Cypriot victims were reportedly not armed and did not pose a threat of immediate harm to anybody. [02] KINKEL WARNS AGAINST ISOLATING TURKEYGerman Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel warned on Thursday against isolating Turkey and said that Turkey's recent oil and gas deal with Iran should not be over interpreted as a sign that Ankara was edging closer to Islam."Europe must do its utmost to show Turkey it belongs to Europe. Turkey is a close ally and after the fall of the Iron Curtain an important bridge between Europe, the Islamic world and the Asian world. The gas and oil deal concluded by Turkish Prime Minister Erbakan in Tehran should not be overestimated. It was a matter of normal diplomatic relations between the neighbouring countries and we should not interfere," said Kinkel. "We must avoid a rift or battle of cultures coming about between the Islamic world and the rest of the world. It is extremely important for us to understand Islam better. I am in favour of making it possible for children in German schools to learn Islam," he said./All Papers/ [03] TENSION STILL HIGH ON CYPRUSAlthough Cyprus is still seething with tensions, there are indications that the Greek-Cypriot community could be backing off. The Greek-Cypriot leadership has warned agitators about continuing with provocative action, and said that no permission will be given for further demonstrations.Ankara too has sent out warnings to the UN Security Council stressing that if talks between the two sides on the island are not renewed quickly, then clashes could severely worsen. Turkish government spokesmen have declared that a third death would be a "nightmare" and that the Greek-Cypriots must stop the provocative demonstrations. Yesterday a briefing was held at the Turkish Foreign Ministry to state Turkey's position to members of foreign delegations and embassies. Spokesman Inal Batu stressed Turkey's desire for a lasting solution through talks between the communities on the island. Yet the Greek and Greek-Cypriot people living in other countries seem determined to vent their anti-Turkish feelings. In London Greek-Cypriots held a demonstration outside the Turkish Embassy there. London police provided tight security and there was no damage. Demonstrators shouted slogans and waved flags. On the island Greek-Cypriots still continue to attack moslem places of worship. Fanatical Greek-Cypriots have fire-bombed a number of mosques in the larger towns in the border areas. Damage however has been small, with fires quickly contained. Yet in Black Sea Trabzon, a meeting of Greek tourists there yesterday passed without any problem at all. Both the local Turks and the Greeks showed warmth and friendship towards each other, in a fine example of good neighbourly relations. /All Papers/ [04] TURKISH RAKS TO BUY BASF MAGNETIC MEDIA BUSINESSRaks Holding, Turkey's only manufacturer of audio and video tapes and compact discs, announced Thursday it was acquiring the magnetic media business of Germany's BASF A.G. The aquisition is designed to make Raks Holding one of the world's biggest producers and sellers of audio and video tapes. It will also make the Raks group the biggest Turkish investor abroad./All Papers/[05] ERBAKAN TO MALAYSIAPrime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was in Singapore on Thursday where he met his counterpart Goh Chok Tong. After attending a Singapore-Turkey business forum today to promote trade, he will fly to Malaysia.Turkish Ambassador to Malaysia, Ferhat Ataman, said on Thursday that there are talks underway between Ankara and Kuala Lumpur for the sale of Turkish Navy submarines to the Malaysian navy./All Papers/ [06] TURKEY ISSUES CALL FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS TEST BANAs Turkey considers plans to build its first nuclear power plant, the country is also keen to see the nuclear test ban treaty signed as soon as possible.Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Nurettin Nurkan at the weekly press briefing on Wednesday said that Turkey, along with other members of the Conference on Disarmament, was aiming to conclude the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) which would prohibit nuclear testing, as soon as possible. "Turkey aims to submit the draft to the United Nations as a part of its policy. Turkey considers that this target is also a duty for the members of the Conference of Disarmament," Nurkan said. /All Papers/ [07] MED-TV BACK ON AIR AFTER 45-DAY BREAKMED-TV, known for its closeness to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), started broadcasting again yesterday by means of the American Intelsat channel, and with the alleged support of the U.S. administration, after a break of 45 days following the cancellation of its Polish Satellite contract on July 1.On the other hand, regarding the MED-TV broadcasting, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying: "Intelsat is not an American company although its head office is in Washington. It is an intergovernmental satellite company. It has 139 members including Turkey and the U.S. administration does not have any authority to approve or not the contracts it signs." Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Nurettin Nurkan said that Turkey has started initiatives to ban the MED-TV broadcasts. /All Papers/ [08] ANOTHER 25 PKK TERRORISTS KILLEDIn clashes with Turkish security forces in regions throughout the southeast of Turkey, twenty-five PKK terrorists have been killed during current operations. Seven members of the security forces have also been killed.Operations to clear village roads of PKK mines are also going ahead. Later the roads will be asphalted to block further PKK mine laying in the region. /All papers/ [09] FIRST CIVIL FLIGHT TO SARAJEVO FROM TURKEYThe civilian airport in Sarajevo, closed for two and a half years, was re-opened to civilian flights yesterday after the Istanbul-Sarajevo flight of a Bosnian Airlines plane. The plane was welcomed by President Alia Izzetbegovic and top U.S. State Department representative Warren Christopher./Millyet/[10] INCREASE IN NUMBER OF TOURISTSThere was an immense increase in the number of tourists visiting Turkey in July. According to the Ministry of Tourism, 1,106,177 tourists visited Turkey in July especially from Germany, the Independent Common Wealth countries, Britain, the Netherlands, Austria and America./Cumhuriyet/[11] IRAN ELECTRICITY IN TURKEYAs a result of an agreement, signed during Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan's Tehran visit, Iran electricity is now in Ankara. Energy Minister Recai Kutan said that the line between Turkey and Iran was linked yesterday and the first Iranian electricity was in Turkey within the same day./Hurriyet/[12] ARSON ATTACK IN GERMANYA Turkish shop in Oldenburg, Germany, was set on fire by unknown attackers last night. According to local police, there were no deaths or injuries. It was reported that the attack might have beenmade because of the 15th anniversary of the date on which PKK terrorists started their campaign./Cumhuriyet/[13] TURCO-ITALIAN COOPERATION IN CHEMISTRYThe Turkish and Italian private sectors have established a joint corporation in chemistry in Mersin. The Oxyvit Corp., which is a Turco-Italian partnership, will produce Vitamin K, animal feed and materials for chemistry./Sabah/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |