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Turkish Press Review, 97-03-03Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWMARCH 3, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.[01] DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE WITH IRANPresident Suleyman Demirel has urged Iran not to interfere with Turkey's regime or its domestic affairs and voiced concern over the recent controversy that has resulted in the recalling of two Iranian diplomats and the expulsion of another. Demirel has sent Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali Tuygan as an envoy to Tehran where he will meet today with Iranian President Hashimi Rafsanjani and hand over a letter from Demirel concerning the latest diplomatic row.In retaliation, Iran has expelled the Turkish ambassador to Tehran and the Turkish consul in Orumieh. Ankara has dismissed Iranian initiatives as "lacking any solid reasoning". The crisis began in early February when the Iranian Ambassdor to Ankara, Muhammed Reza Bagheri, was involved in a religious celebration in the Ankara suburb of Sincan where he was reported to have urged Turkey to abandon secularism and base its state system on the Islamic Shariah law. /Cumhuriyet/ [02] ANKARA UNDERSCORES EU COMMITMENTDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller held telephone conversations with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Saturday to inform them that one of Turkey's main objectives for 1997 would be to be put on the list of nations vying for early full membership in the European Union. These conversations came after Friday's National Security Council (MGK) meeting in which Turkey's secular Western orientation and drive for eventual membership in the EU was underscored.A communique released by the MGK following the Friday meeting contains some important references to Turkish foreign policy objectives. Evaluating the communique, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen said that statements describing integration of Turkey with Europe were official foreign policy of the Turkish state, and not only the policy pursued by the present government, and should be interpreted as a message to Europe. /All papers/ [03] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGThe National Security Council convened on Friday to evaluate recent domestic developments and foreign policy trends. Following the meeting, a communique was released stating that Turkey would remain committed to "the contemporary and democratic values of the Turkish Republic set up by Ataturk." The Council made a recommendation for extending emergency rule in nine southeastern provinces for a further four months to facilitate combat with the terrorist PKK organization. /All papers/[04] HELICOPTER BIDDING THIS WEEKThis week bidding for the purchase of four cargo helicopters for the Turkish Land Forces is expected to go ahead. Turkey will pay about $120 million for the helicopters. Skorsky's CH-53 Super Stallion, Boeing's CH-47 Chinook and the Russian Mi-26 Halo will offer tenders. /All papers/[05] ANKARA SENDS CONDOLENCES TO IRAN AND PAKISTANPresident Suleyman Demirel sent a message to President Faroog Ahmad Khan Leghari of Pakistan expressing his condolences for those killed in an earthquake there on saturday, the Anatolia news agency reported. Prime Minister Erbakan sent similar messages to Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani and the president of Pakistan.Turkey is reportedly ready to provide assistance through the Red Crescent. The earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan both happened on Saturday and caused many casualties. [06] US PLEASED WITH TURKISH DELEGATION VISITIn its first official reaction to the visit to Washington of a large Turkish delegation, including representatives of the two coalition parties, the Turkish General Staff, Ministry of Defence, economy experts and businessmen, during the annual conference of Turkish-American Council, the US State Department said meetings with Turkish officials on a wide range of topics were "pleasing". "We had the opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues, including security in Europe, Turkey's role in Europe, arms transfers, trade relations, Turkey's energy needs, regional issues and many other issues. We are very pleased with them," State Department Spokesman Nicolas Burns said.[07] KAZAKH PRIME MINISTER VISITS TURKEYKazakh Prime Minister Aksejan Kajigeldin is paying an official visit to Turkey upon the invitation of Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan. During the visit, special emphasis will be given to possibilities for bilateral cooperation in the transportation and marketing of Kazakh oil. The Kazakh Prime Minister urged Turkish businessmen to increase their investment in Kazakhstan which presently amounts to $1.5 billion. /Cumhuriyet/[08] US ADMINISTRATION UNDER PRESSURE TO DELIVER FRIGATESThe US administration is coming under domestic pressure to speed up the delivery of three frigates to Turkey which has been blocked in Congress since last year because of strong Greek lobbying. President of the American-Turkish Council, Fred Haynes, and President of the American Export and Security Aid Agency, Richard Milburn, have sent a letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright asking her to throw her weight behind Congress to get the ships delivered, the Anatolian news agency reported.[09] A YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CYPRUSIn a special interview with Milliyet newspaper, Britain's Foreign Minister Malcolm Rifkind said that this year could be a year of historical opportunity for Cyprus. He noted that initial moves for talks on the future of Cyprus in connection with membership in the European Union (EU) had already been made. He stressed that current efforts to involve Cyprus more in European development would lead to stable solutions to problems on the island itself.Minister Rifkind said that despite some recent setbacks he was still optimistic about the future of the island and the two communities living there, and felt that a foundation on which to build better relations was actually in place. Rifkind added that both sides, however, were expected to give something-make positive contributions, to finding a lasting solution. [10] MEMBERSHIP IN EU WILL BE DIFFICULTMembers of the Union of European Democrats have voiced doubts about the early full membership of Turkey in the EU, saying that "it will not be easy" for Turkey to win member status in the time hoped for.Attending a meeting of the Union in Paris, opposition leader Mesut Yilmaz defended Turkey's position and declared that the legal structure of the country was strong enough to deal with current problems and preserve a democratic and secular regime. /Sabah/ [11] ARMENIA SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO TURKEYDuring a New York conference on the "History of Relations between Turkey and Armenia" a speaker of Armenian origin, Edward Tasci said that Armenia should apologize to Turkey for all the lies about the so-called massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces about the time of the first World war.Speaker Tasci commented on the vindictive nature of the Armanian lies about Turkey's role in events at the turn of the century, and said that rather than Turkey having to exonerate itself, Armenia should set the record straight. /Sabah/ [12] BELGIAN BUSINESSMEN ON THE WAYA large delegation of 120 businessman from Belgium is about to arrive in Turkey. Led by Prince Philippe, the delegation will look for ways to increase trade between Belgium and Turkey. Delegation members will make both official contacts and hold meetings with private sector representatives. /Cumhuriyet/[13] CALL FROM PKK LEADER OCALANThe leader of the PKK terrorist organisation Abdullah Ocalan has sent a letter to Danish Helsinki Watch Committee Chairman to seek his help in achieving peace in the problem-plagued region of Norther Iraq. It has been learned that a European delegation of 20 will also go to Damascus within this framework. The delegation will search for possibilities to resolve the Kurdish problem.As its bank accounts in Belgium have been confiscated, the PKK is currently trying to lodge its money in the European Union countries to Swiss banks. It was also learned that the PKK was using banks in the island of Jersey,England, and the Greek Cypriot Administration to launder dirty money./Sabah/ [14] MZ MOTORCYCLES TO INVEST IN EGYPTKombassan Motorized Vehicles is to estalish a motorcycles production plant in Egypt. A licence agreement has been signed for the plant to produce all types of MZ motorcycles in Egypt. In line with the agreement signed with Engineering Industrial Co. in Egypt, at first 30 thousand motorcycles will be produced by the plant. Initially production will start as assembly of parts sent from Turkey for export to North African countries./Hürriyet/[15] TED ANKARA COLLEGE HOSTS MATHS CONTESTTED Ankara College is the proud champion in an ECIS-sponsored International Maths Contest. In the contesthosted by TED Ankara College the runners up were Izmir American College and Robert College of Istanbul. Among the schools participating in the contest, American School of Paris, the International School of Brussels and the International School of Geneve which came in first, second and third respectively./Milliyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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