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Turkish Press Review, 97-03-04Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWMARCH 4, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] DEMIREL SENDS A MESSAGE TO IRANIAN PRESIDENTTurkey wants relations with Iran to return to "normal", based on the mutual interests and security concerns of both countries, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters at the Foreign Ministry's weekly press conference yesterday. Respınding to a reporter's question on whether the Turkish consul in Tabriz will be recalled, Atacanli said "the whole thing is over now".Amid the dispute Turkish President Suleyman Demirel sent a message yesterday to Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani in Tehran. "The message (from the president) establishes the outlines of our approach to relations with Iran" Atacanli said discussing the recent crisis. Demirel, who is in frequent contact with Rafsanjani, requested Iran to respect Turkey's internal affairs in a message delivered by Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali Tuygan. The deputy undersecretary also met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alaaddin Brujerdi, who said that by sending a special envoy to Tehran, Ankara was showing the importance of its relations with Tehran. After delivering the message, Tuygan met with Brujerdi once more yesterday and said that they agreed on the measures necessary to prevent such a crisis from happening again. /Hurriyet/ [02] EFFORTS ON EU INCLUSION INTENSIFYTurkey is embarking on a critical stage of relations with the European Union (EU) as the enlargement process advances and the EU Foreign Ministers' unofficial meeting in Holland on March 16 draws near. Correspondence at the highest level between Turkey and the EU is intensifying as President Suleyman Demirel has sent requests to French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl not to exclude Turkey from the EU enlargement process this time. Turkey has repeatedly urged EU officials to include it in the list of elevn prospective member countries and emphasized that Turkey's request for membership is the longest standing of all candidate countries.Speaking at the weekly press conference yesterday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters contact at all levels between EU members states and Turkey is at an advanced stage and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller is in close contact with her foreign colleagues. Turkey is continuing its lobbying efforts with Ciller hosting a lunch on Thursday at the ministerial residence for ambassadors of EU member countries in Ankara. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/ [03] EU PUTTING PRESSURE ON ATHENSThe European Union (EU) has again warned Athens that Greece needs to try harder to improve relations with Turkey.Holland, holding the current EU term presidency has recently been in touch with Athens by phone and told Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis that Athens must build a more positive diplomatic connection with Turkey. Athens was also told that the EU was against the Greek effort to isolate Turkey through diplomatic means. /Sabah/ [04] STRUGGLE FOR CYPRUS TURNING INTO A LEGAL BATTLEGreek Foreign Minister Averof has added another aspect to the contentious Cyprus issue. He has put forward claims that legal rules are being ignored in connection with debate over membership of Cyprus in the EU. He claims that Turkey's demands for northern Cyprus involvement prior to considerations of the Cyprus position as a whole are out of order and constitute a legal impasse stemming from different interpretations of the law. /Cumhuriyet/[05] TRADE COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEYA Greek company and a Turkish company have joined forces to produce and install double-glazed doors and windows in Turkey and Greece. The Turkish Pimas company has signed a deal with the Athens-based Eurotrades SA group to sell Pimapen products in Greece through new trade outlets. /Cumhuriyet/[06] STATE MINISTER TEKIR RETURNS TO TURKEYState Minister Sabri Tekir reported good investment opportunities in Indonesia and Malaysia for the Turkish private sector, and good conditions in Turkey for these countries' investors. Tekir returned after a trip with 60 businessmen which started February 18. Speaking at Ataturk Airport, Tekir said the journey had contributed to developing trade in the construction, defence and automotive sectors. Tekir also said they had met private sector representatives in Malaysia and held a seminar on trade between Turkey and Malaysia. Malaysian businessmen received information on the Turkish defencive industry and automotive sector.Tekir led the Turkish team at the fourth quarter Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meetings in Indonesia to determine fields for possible cooperation. Deals on encouraging and protecting investments and preventing double taxation were discussed as well. He estimated trade between Turkey and Indonesia could rise to $2 billion, and said Turkey may purchase natural gas and coal from Indonesia, adding that Indonesia had already purchased cables, defence products and communication equipment from Turkey. /All papers/ [07] 219 SEPARATISTS KILLED IN TWO MONTHSA total of 219 militants of the PKK terrorist organization have been killed by security forces so far this year. The security forces also seized 400 rifles, 49 pistols, 32 mortars and 156 kg. of hashish. During the latest operations, 10 PKK shelters were also destroyed. During the past two months 10 members of the outlawed Hizbullah organization were also arrested. /All papers/[08] TURKISH FIRMS DIRECTORY ON CDThe Administration for the Development and Support of Small and Medium-Scale Industrial Establishments (KOSGEB) has issued an electronic directory of the Turkish companies. An announcement by KOSGEB said the directory, recorded on a CD that includes names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, area of interest of some 16,000 companies and foreign trade figures of Turkey. KOSGEB Deputy Chairman Mahmeut East yalcin told a news conference that the electronic Turkish Firms Directory is the first of its kind not only in Turkey but in Europe as well. /All papers/[09] RENAULT: TURKEY IS THE APPLE OF OUR EYESThe French Renault company is pleased with Turkey. Jacques Poisson, an official responsible for Renault's International Relations and Communications, noted that they attached great importance to Turkey and Argentine because their economic development rates were high and said: "Turkey is the apple of our eyes". He added: "We aim to increase the sale of Renault in Turkey". /Sabah-Milliyet/[10] FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON CRETETurkey denied news in The Wall Street Journal daily newspaper which reported that Turkey had claimed rights over the Crete. Foreign Ministry Deputy Speaker Sermet Atacanli said that the newspaper report had nothing to do with reality. Atacanli recalled that a few days ago the military authorities of the Turkish Chief of General Staff Office had briefed foreign journalists on recent developments about Turco-Greece relations./Hurriyet/[11] EUROPEAN CHAMBERS AND BOURSE UNION SUMMIT TO BE IN ISTANBULThe Joint Members Meeting of the European Chambers and Bourse Union will be held on 6 March in Istanbul. Representatives of the chambers union from 17 countries will come to Istanbul. Within the framework of the international meeting, there will be a conference on "Economic Integration for Permanent Development", during which Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller will give a speech./Hurriyet/[12] NEW SPACE PROJECTThe Turkish institute for scientific and technological research TUBITAK has initiated a new space project. A team of 25 specialists led by Prof.Mehmet Emin Ozel has begun observations of the sun, as well as on various planets and nebulas. The team is also following changes in the ozone layer of the atmosphere. A new MRT-2 radio telescope is being utilized in the observations. /Hurriyet/[13] CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS ASSESS TURKEY'S EU APPLICATIONLeaders of Christian Democratic parties from EU member countries will meet today in Brussels to discuss EU expansion. The meeting is crucial with respect to determining the Christian Democrat attitude towards the applications of Turkey and Cyprus for membership in the Union, and especially towards the controversial issue of including Turkey in the "EU family photo" of EU leaders. Many leading European figures, including German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene and Irish Prime Minister John Bretton will take part in the meeting. /Milliyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |