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Turkish Press Review, 97-04-01Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWAPRIL 1, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.[01] TURKISH FAMILY DEVASTATED BY FIRE IN GERMANYAnother Turkish family living in a foreign country has been devastated by disaster after three members of a working-class family died and three more were injured on Monday after leaping from their third floor apartment window after a fire broke out in their 13-storey building, the Anatolia news agency reported. A woman and three of her children jumped from their floor of the building, located in the center of the Lower Rhineland town of Krefeld in Germany, trying to save themselves from the flames that blocked the way to the emergency stairs. German police suspect it was an arson attack with racist motives. /Hurriyet/[02] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAYThe national Security Council (MGK) met on Monday under the leadership of President Suleyman Demirel and discussed the government's ambitious "Compassion Package" for the separatist terrorism-ridden southeastern Anatolian parts of the country, including economic and social developments in Hatay province./Milliyet/[03] FRANCE TO ASSURE TURKEY ON 'EQUAL TREATMENT' WITH OTHER CANDIDATESAmidst an all-time high in relations between Ankara and Paris due to France's support for Turkey's goal of membership in the European Union, French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette arrives in Turkey this week, not only to this country's fears of exclusion from Europe but to urge Ankara to make progress on problem areas such as democratization and relations with Greece.The French Foreign Minister's visit to Turkey will give Charette and his Turkish counterpart Tansu Ciller the opportunity to discuss the prospects of the Turco-EU Association Council that is supposed to take place at the end of April. Although the basis of the talks will be relations between the European Union and Turkey, the issue of bilateral economic relations may come on the agenda during Charette's two-day visit. France, which is the top investor in Turkey among the EU members, has an interest in energy and defense industry projects./Milliyet/ [04] BLOODY MARCH FOR PKKSecurity forces' operations in March resulted in the deaths of 127 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), many of whom were attempting to cross the border from Iraq into Turkey in preparation for spring demonstrations.During operations organized in the South Eastern Sirnak region with the support of F-4 planes and Cobra helicopters 42 militants were killed. A further 85 militants were killed in Diyarbakir, Bingol, Tunceli, Mardin and Siirt. Meanwhile, during operations throughout March, another 14 militants were arrested and 19 surrendered to security forces in the region./Milliyet/ [05] DENKTAS TO MEET KOFI ANNANTurkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas will leave the TRNC on April 6 to visit United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan in Geneva on April 9, the Anatolia news agency reported on Monday. According to the president's press office, Denktas will first go to Istanbul on April 7 for a one-day visit, then go on to Geneva. The first meeting between Denktas and Annan will include discussions on the latest situation concerning indirect talks between the parties in Cyprus.[06] TURKISH GROWTH STAYING HIGHTurkey achieved a growth rate of 7.9 percent in Gross Domestic Product for 1996, according to figures released on Monday by the State Institute of Statistics (DIE). DIE announced that for the fourth quarter of 1996, Turkey registered GNP growth of 8.8 percent compared to the final quarter of 1995. Per capita income was up 6.1 percent touching $ 2,928. The 1996 GNP amounted to a total of TL 15,125,091 billion ($ 120 billion) in current prices. Compared with the relevant 1995 figures, trade grew by 8.7 percent in 1996, the transport sector by 7.9 percent, industry by 7.1 percent, agriculture by 5.2 percent and the construction sector by 4.8 percent./All papers/[07] 300 TURKISH SOLDIERS TO ALBANIAAfter Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Palestine, Turkey proposed to send troops to Albania. The government has issued a note on the proposal which foresees sending 300 soldiers to Albania./Hurriyet/[08] 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2ND INONU VICTORYThe Chief of General Staff, Ismail Hakki Karadayi, said in his message issued to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the 2nd Inonu Victory that Turkey followed Ataturk's principles. In his written statement Karadayi said: "The Turkish Armed Forces, following Ataturk's principles, stand always ready to protect the Turkish Republic's unity and security."/Hurriyet/[09] DEMIREL TO VISIT SLOVENIAPresident Suleyman Demirel will pay an official visit to Slovenia on 3-4 April. During the visit, views regarding international and regional problems will be exchanged. It is expected that Slovenian President Milan Kucan and Demirel will also take up recent developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina. /Sabah/[10] TOURISM MINISTER YUCEL IN MOSCOWTurkey attended the fourth International Tourism Fair in Moscow on 26-29 March with 29 companies at 36 stands. Tourism Minister Bahattin Yucel also visited the fair during which Turkish stands attracted great attention. Nearly 1,500 representatives from 87 countries attended the fair. /Hurriyet/[11] CARL BILDT IN TURKEY FOR BOSNIA MEETINGA meeting of the Executive Board of the Peace Implementation and Observation Committee in Bosnia-Herzegovina will be held in Istanbul on 2 April. A high-level representative Carl Bildt, who is in Turkey for the meeting, will make contacts in Ankara today, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Omer Akbel in a press conference yesterday. /Cumhuriyet/[12] JAPAN LOOKING TO TURKEYJapanese businessmen are encouraging each other to look more closely at the opportunities in Turkey. Many Japanese companies see Turkey as a country ripe for growth and endless investment projects.During current meetings between Turkish officials and Japanese company representatives, a number of Japanese spokesmen stressed the good relations they enjoyed with Turkey and the years of profitable dealing they had experienced in Turkey. They all recommended that more Japanese businessmen should invest in Turkey. /Hurriyet/ [13] BIG PETROL CHANCES FOR TURKEYThe noted Wall Street Journal, commenting on improving conditions in the Caucasian regions said that Turkey was now placed in an ideal position to grab a major share of Azeri petrol production.The Wall Street Journal also noted however, that although Russia had lost much of its grip on the region, new games had started between the countries with an eye on the fuel resources only just being tapped in the area. Despite its long relations with the countries in the region, Turkey will nevertheless have to act to establish its influence more firmly. /Milliyet/ [14] TURKEY OPPOSED TO EU CREDIT SYSTEMTurkey has voiced a number of criticisms about the way the European Union hands out credits. To protest against the EU credit system, it is unlikely that Turkey will attend a Euro-Med meeting in Malta planned for April 15-16.Turkey was going to send a delegation led by state minister Ufuk Soylemez, but yesterday it was announced that the whole thing had been called off. /Cumhuriyet/ END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |