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Turkish Press Review, 97-08-29
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY TO SEEK FRENCH SUPPORT ON CYPRUS, EU
[02] GREEK CYPRUS' MILITARY SPENDING REACHES ALARMING LEVEL
[03] NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR PREVENTING TORTURE PLANNED
[04] ASIK: 'TURKEY SUFFERING DUE TO LACK OF TRADE WITH ARMENIA'
[05] NEW TOP MILITARY COMMENDERS BEGIN TO ASSUME OFFICE
[06] NEW COUNCIL SET UP TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY
[07] IRAQ FUEL SMUGGLING COSTS TURKEY $ 750 MILLION A YEAR IN TAXES
[08] DEMIREL TO VISIT HUNGARY
[09] AGREEMENTS BETWEEN TURKEY AND GERMANY
[10] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES INCREASE
[11] DRUG MATERIALS SEIZED
[12] WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL TO CONVENE IN TURKEY
[13] EVERYONE WILL HAVE A NUMBER
[14] TERROR TRIANGLE IN BLACK SEA
[15] AIR GAMES IN TURKEY
[16] FOREIGN CAPITAL FLOWS TO TURKEY
[17] RUSSIA SELLING S-300 MISSILES TO TURKEY'S NEIGHBOURS
[18] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN INVITED TO INVEST IN THE CRIMEAN
[19] TURKEY A LEADING POWER IN WATER PRODUCTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER
29.08.97
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning.
[01] TURKEY TO SEEK FRENCH SUPPORT ON CYPRUS, EU
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem heads for Paris next week for a working
visit which will seek to obtain the support of France for Turkey's
accession to the European Union (EU) as well as on the Cyprus
question. Like his visit to Rome, the Paris visit will concentrate on
those two questions, as well as on bilateral issues between the two
countries. The visit, which begins on Monday, will enable Cem to
check the pulse of the three-month-old Socialist government. The two
questions - particularly on the accession of Turkey to the EU, about
which France, after the vocal support of the previous government, now
keeps a low profile.
[02] GREEK CYPRUS' MILITARY SPENDING REACHES ALARMING LEVEL
As Greek Cyprus prepares to buy Russian-made long-range S-300
missiles, U.N. statistics indicate that Greek Cypriot armament
spending has reached an alarming level. The U.N.'s 1997 Development
Report said that the Greek Cypriot side has spent five times more on
armaments than Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported. The
statistics show that the average distribution of armament expenditures
per person in Turkey is around $ 98, while in Greek Cyprus it is $
477. The statistics also reveal a trend of increasing armaments
purchases in recent years. The average distribution of armaments
expenditure per person was $ 62 in 1985. This distribution rate has
increased by 150 percent to reach $ 98. For Greek Cyprus, the rates
were $ 179 in 1985 and $ 477 in 1995.
[03] NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR PREVENTING TORTURE PLANNED
Hikmet Sami Turk, Minister of State responsible for human rights,
declared on Thursday that they have decided on a 'friendly settlement'
in the cases against Turkey opened by the European Court of Human
Rights. Turkey, talking to the press after the weekly meeting of the
Coordination Board of Human Rights, said that they aimed to prevent
human rights violations as a necessary show of respect for the public.
In that framework, Turk said, a national committee for preventing
torture may be established in the very near future. "The measures
taken against torture are not suffiecient in Turkey," commented Turk.
/Sabah/
[04] ASIK: 'TURKEY SUFFERING DUE TO LACK OF TRADE WITH ARMENIA'
State Minister Eyup Asik pointed out on Thursday that Turkey wants to
initiate social and economic relations with Armenia. Meeting in
Trabzon with businessmen who have demanded that the border crossing
between Turkey and Armenia be opened, Asik said that Turkey has been
suffering due to the lack of direct trade between Turkey and Armenia,
the Anatolia news agency reported. "Turkey is a country which has to
have real trade ties with Armenia. Although Georgia has problems with
Armenia, they have trade ties, which includes selling our goods
indirectly," said Asik.
In addition, Mehmet Novruzoglu Aliyev, the Azerbaijani ambassador to
Ankara, has responded to press reports about the possibility of the
closed trade border crossing between Turkey and Armenia being opened.
He added that because of the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial dispute
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, not only do the two countries not have
any ties with each other, but also, Turkey should keep its border
crossing with Armenia closed.
[05] NEW TOP MILITARY COMMENDERS BEGIN TO ASSUME OFFICE
The upper military echelons, who are to retire in a few days,
following the recent decisions of the Supreme Military Council (YAS)
of the Turkish Armed Forces, have begun to leave their posts. Air
Force Commander Gen. Ahmet Corekci, and Land Forces Commander Hikmet
Koksal handed over their posts to their successors on Thursday in a
ceremony. Two other commanders, Naval Forces Commander Adm. Guven
Erkaya and Gendarmarie Forces Commander Gen. Teoman Koman, are to
leave their offices on Friday.
The handing over ceremonies were attended by the heavyweights of the
state, including Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit and defense Minister Ismet Sezgin.
President Suleyman Demirel on Wednesday participated in the handing
over ceremony to the MGK. Ergin Celasin, who was appointed to the
rank of general at the last meeting of YAS, will become the new MGK
secretary-general. The ceremony marking the changeover from gen.
Kilic to Gen. Celasin was held on Wednesday afternoon.
/Milliyet/Hurriyet_
[06] NEW COUNCIL SET UP TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY
The Treasury on Thursday set up a Domestic Borrowing Consultancy
Council in order to carry out the government's plans for more
transparency, according to a statement released by the Treasury. The
Treasury undersecretary responsible for monetary transactions will
head the council the statement said. The Domestic Borrowing
Consultancy Council will meet each month under the direction of the
Treasury. The council will hold its first meeting in September. /All
papers/
[07] IRAQ FUEL SMUGGLING COSTS TURKEY $ 750 MILLION A YEAR IN TAXES
Turkey's failure to regulate the illicit trade in diesel fuel across
the border from Iraq is costing the state $ 750 million annually in
lost revenues, according to an official report. The report shows that
trucks bringing 1.5 million tons of smuggled diesel a year, 30,000
barrels a day, from Iraq into Turkey for sale at prices far below the
official Turkish level. The report, prepared by the General
Directorate of Petroleum Operations and Customs, said the failure to
impose tax and duties on the fuel accounted for the $ 750 million
loss. /Sabah/
[08] DEMIREL TO VISIT HUNGARY
President Suleyman Demirel will pay an official visit to Hungary on 3
September. During his visit, Demirel will open the Gulbaba Tomb
restored by the Turkish Culture Ministry. With the opening of the
tomb, the Culture Ministry will also organize a painting exhibition in
Budapest. Gulbaba was a poet and Bektashi dervish who died in the
battles during the Suleyman the Magnificent period. /Sabah/
[09] AGREEMENTS BETWEEN TURKEY AND GERMANY
Agreements for credit worth DM 365 million and grants for DM 50.5
million provided by the German government were signed yesterday.
According to a Treasury statement, the agreements signed within the
framework of a financial cooperation protocol between Turkey and
Federal Germany, additional resources are ensured for many projects in
Turkey. /Sabah-Milliyet/
[10] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES INCREASE
Foreign exchange reserves in the Central Bank (CB) reached $17.4
billion. According to Central Bank data, CB foreign exchange
reserves, which totalled $17.199 billion on 15 August, increased by
$241 million and rose to $17.440 billion on 22 August. Meanwhile,
according to data released on 8 August, foreign exchange reserves in
commercial banks amounted to $7.973 billion and gold reserves stood at
$1.384 billion. /Sabah-Milliyet/
[11] DRUG MATERIALS SEIZED
In a truck which entered Turkey through the Kapikule border gate,
1.060 kilograms of acetic acid anhydride used in the production of
drugs were seized yesterday. The driver of the truck is being
questioned. /Sabah/
[12] WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL TO CONVENE IN TURKEY
The Turkish National Committee of the World Energy Council will meet
today in the Silifke district of Mersin for a meeting of the executive
board to discuss a nuclear plant planned to be built in Akkuyu.
/Sabah/
[13] EVERYONE WILL HAVE A NUMBER
Interior Minister Murat Basesgioglu said that the "MERNIS Project"
started in 1980 for the modernization of identification and
citizenship proceedings would be put into implementation. He noted
that the project to be carried out within the framework of a World
Bank credit and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would cost
$5.5 million. According to the project, every citizen will be given
an identification number. /Sabah/
[14] TERROR TRIANGLE IN BLACK SEA
The PKK terrorist organization, which is trying to spread its
activities first started along the Hatay-Iskenderun line into the
northern regions of Turkey, is cooperating with the illegal
organizations DHKP-C and ML TIKKO in the Sivas-Tokat and Ordu
triangle. Security General Director Necati Bilican said: "The PKK is
trying to move via Armenia to the Black Sea regions" and added that
they were taking necessary measures to prevent terrorist activities.
/Milliyet/
[15] AIR GAMES IN TURKEY
A promotion meeting for the First World Air Games, which will begin in
Ankara on 13 September with a glorious ceremony, was held yesterday at
the Cankaya Palace. President Suleyman Demirel said at the meeting
that they were expecting material and spiritual support from the
business and tourism sectors which are expected to benefit from the
Games. /Milliyet/
[16] FOREIGN CAPITAL FLOWS TO TURKEY
According to World Bank figures, Turkey was one of the most popular
developing countries among foreign investors. Turkey is ranked ninth
in the list of developing countries with respect to foreign capital
flow. /Cumhuriyet/
[17] RUSSIA SELLING S-300 MISSILES TO TURKEY'S NEIGHBOURS
Greek Chief of the General Staff, Afanasisos Tsoganis, has begun
contacts with Russia for the purchase of S-300 "Favorite" missile
systems. Last year, tensions escalated when the Southern Cypriot
administration announced its decision to purchase S-300 missiles from
Moscow. There are reports that Russia has sold similar systems also
to Iran, and that a related deal was being negotiated with Syrian
officials. Observers stress that Turkey is facing the danger of being
surrounded by S-300 systems.
Foreign Ministry officials announced that vessels passing through the
Bosphorus Straits will be carefully checked to prevent a possible
smuggling of parts for the S-300 missiles sold by Russia to Southern
Cyprus despite all the objections of Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[18] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN INVITED TO INVEST IN THE CRIMEAN
Cemil Kirimoglu, who arrived in Izmir to attend an Assembly of
Turkish-speaking countries, meeting, invited Turkish businessmen to
invest in the Crimean. Kirimoglu said that houses and employment
opportunities needed to be created in the Crimean to facilitate the
return to their homeland of Crimean Tartars now in exile. /Hurriyet/
[19] TURKEY A LEADING POWER IN WATER PRODUCTS
According to statistics provided by the National Productivity Centre,
Turkey has emerged as a giant in the production of water products.
Turkey is ranked 30th among 161 countries from all over the world, 5th
among EU countries and third among Mediterranean countries.
/Hurriyet/
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