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Turkish Press Review, 97-07-31Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning. [01] TURKEY AND TRNC TO TAKE CONCRETE STEPS FOR INTEGRATIONThe development of Turkish Cyprus and Turkey's relations with the Turkish community was the subject of the State Minister responsible for Cyprus and European affairs Sukru Sina Gurel's detailed talks in northern Cyprus on Monday. Economic developments and structural changes were also discussed, said Gurel on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday after his northern Cyprus visit, Gurel said that Turkey considers Turkish Cyprus as a guarantee for its security, and said that Turkey is clear in its intention to do all it can to bring about giant economic and social developments. /Cumhuriyet/[02] BULGARIA AND TURKEY SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENTOn the second day of Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov's three-day visit to Turkey on Tuesday, the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement covering defense and security, training, medicine, public relations and sports activities. Chief of General Staff Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi said at the signing ceremony that the agreement would improve relations between the two countries and would contribute to peace in Europe. Bulgarian Chief of General Staff Miho Mihov said that the agreement was a first step towards continuing good relations along with Turkey's support for Bulgaria's bid for NATO membership. Meanwhile, President Stoyanov met with Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Welfare Party leader Necmettin Erbakan. /Cumhuriyet/[03] STATE DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS TURKMEN-IRAN-TURKISH GAS LINEThe U.S. State Department reconfirmed on Monday what was already been made explicit by the White House over the weekend: The U.S. supports the gas pipeline between Turkmenistan and Turkey, even though it crosses through Iran.Deputy spokesman for the State Department, Jim Foley, said on Monday that Turkey was going to receive Turkmen, not Iranian, gas in accordance with the Turkish-Turkmen agreement signed in May 1997. It is social that the Turkish military is not comfortable at all with a pipeline that would be passing through Iran and, as an option, wants to see a trans-Caspian underwater line instead. A second alternative that the Turkish military favors is the use of an existing natural gas pipeline that detours from north of the Caspian Sea and extends all the way down to Georgia. /Milliyet/ [04] US CONGRESS GREENLIGHTS FRIGATES DELIVERYThe US Congress has given the go ahead the delivery of thres frigates which Turkey has paid for, but which by reason of the covert embargo imposed by Washington hadve not been handed over. The US State Department has declared that members of Congress who were previously opposed to the delivery of the frigates to Turkey, spoke positively when the issue came up anew on the agenda.State Department spokesman James Foley indicated that the US administration had taken the issue of handing over frigates to Congress, adding, "following intense negotiations with Congress, we have decided to take a stride forward on the transfer of the warships to Turkey". /Cumhuriyet/ [05] PROTOCOL TO CONTROL MONEY FLOWCentral Bank Chairman Gazi Ercel and Treasury Undersecretary Mafhi Egilmez will sign today a protocol to shape monetary programmes for 1998. The protocol will contain measures to control the Central bank in fresh money issues. At the same time, according to the protocol, the Treasury will agree to use credits from the Central Bank only within the framework of existing credit accounts. /Sabah/[06] GERMANY: CYPRUS' EU ACCESSION PROBLEMATICGerman Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said he thought Greek Cypriot accession to the European Union (EU) as a full member would be difficult without there being any solution to the Cyprus conflict.Kinkel said that the EU will start accession negotiations with Greek Cyprus as promised. However, Kinkel pointed out that without solving the Cyprus conflict, full membership for Greek Cyprus would be unlikely. Kinkel said that they were very pleased about Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's upcoming visit to Germany to meet Chancellor Helmut Kohl when it was expected that German-Turkish relations would be addressed. /Cumhuriyet/ [07] PROTESTS AGAINST 8-YEAR EDUCATIONWhile protests rage against the draft bill on educational reform prepared by the coalition government, political party leaders are confronting one another in Parliament over the issue.Thousands of right-wing demonstrators gathered in downtown Ankara starting early Tuesday morning to protest the new extension of the education period to eight years on a continuous basis. Many of them were criticising the new minority coalition government that will allow the closure of the secondary segments of the religious high schools, as well as other middle range schools. The demonstrators were protesting the new education law, believing that it would cause the 'closing down' of the religious schools if it is approved by the Parliament. Several thousand people came to Ankara, some even a day before the demostrations, from Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bursa and Konya provinces and gathered in Kizilay Square early in the morning, delaying tens of thousands of Ankara residents driving to work who were unable to use the main thoroughfares. The police, who blocked the streets of nearby districts as well as the downtown's main artery, arrested 55 people who demonstrated in front of the General Staff headquarters. [08] PARLIAMENT TAKES IN HAND RELATIONS WITH THE EUParliament has agreed to set up a commission to develop new policies and strategies in Turkey's relations with the EU. During the discussions, DYP deputy Cihan Pacaci said that one of the main policies to be followed by Turkey was raprrochment with the EU, geographically situated so close to Turkey and a symbol of development. /Cumhuriyet/[09] TURKISH TROOPS RETURN FROM ALBANIATurkish troops sent to Albania to help restore calm after recently being split apart by domestic turmoil, have started to return to Turkey after completing their duties. Yesterday 149 officers and soldiers came back to Turkey from Albania. Turkey deployed 781 troops in the Balkan country. /Sabah/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |