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Turkish Press Review, 97-09-10
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] YILMAZ IN KAZAKHSTAN
[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT EGYPT
[03] TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN WASHINGTON
[04] GREECE PUTTING ON THE PRESSURE
[05] WASHINGTON REACTS TO GREECE
[06] ROMANIA AND BULGARIA WILL MEDIATE FOR EASING TURCO-GREEK TENSIONS
[07] KARADAYI TO VISIT US
[08] US COORDINATOR IN TURKEY
[09] BELGIAN POLICE SEEK TURKISH CANDIDATES
[10] TURKEY TO BUY MORE SEA HAWK NAVY HELICOPTERS
[11] NEW BOSPHORUS BRIDGE OR TUNNEL MUST START SOON
[12] CHP CELEBRATES 74TH ANNIVERSARY
[13] GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES NEW MEASURES TO FIGHT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
[14] DEMIREL AWARDS TOP ISTANBUL INDUSTRIAL EXPORTERS, TAX PAYERS
[15] FOREIGN SCHOOLS TO ABIDE BY THE COMPULSORY EDUCATION LAW
[16] WORLD YOUTH IN ESKISEHIR
[17] ANTALYA FREE ZONE TURNS TO PRODUCTION
[18] 30 PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
[19] BILISIM'97 FAIR ENDS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER
10.09.97
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
[01] YILMAZ IN KAZAKHSTAN
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz began his official visit to
Kazakhstan, his first visit abroad, yesterday. Speaking to reporters
before his departure from Ankara's Esenboga Airport, Yilmaz said that
his visit represented an historic opportunity to further improve
relations between Turkey and Kazakhstan. Yilmaz said he was visiting
Kazakhstan in response to an invitation from the country's president,
Nursultan Nazarbayev. During his three-day visit, Yilmaz will hold
talks with Kazakh President Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Akejan
Kajigeldin and other officials in Almati on bilateral, regional and
international topics.
Yilmaz noted that he would be accompanied by State Ministers Ahad
Andican and Cavit Kavak, Energy Minister Cumhur Ersumer, various
parliamentarians, businessmen and journalists. He added that the
Turkish businessmen would discuss ways of increasing their involvement
in public and private enterprises there. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT EGYPT
President Suleyman Demirel will visit Cairo on 16 September.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the bill of lading of the "Al Quasry" a
vessel flying the Egyptian flag, which passed through the Bosphorus
Straits, has been checked, and that the vessel was found to be
carrying 30 missiles. At a meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister
Mesut Yilmaz tomorrow, the General Staff will give comprehensive
information to members of the government regarding the crisis between
Turkey and Greece triggered by Russia's selling S-300 missiles to the
Greek Cypriot administration. It is expected that during Demirel's
visit to Egypt, developments regarding the missile crisis will be
taken up. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN WASHINGTON
Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Mustafa Kalemli who is paying an
official visit to the US on the invitation of US House of
Representatives Chairman Newt Gingrich, is testing the ground for
setting up direct ties between the legislative organs of the two
countries. According to Kalemli, the parliaments of the two countries
should focus on new issues in their relations and break the vicious
circle of discussing every year whether or nor military and economic
aid should be extended to Turkey. Kalemli suggested that a joint
working group should be established with the participation of the US
Congress and the Turkish Parliament, adding that such a move would
contribute to improving cooperation between Turkey and the US.
/Milliyet/
[04] GREECE PUTTING ON THE PRESSURE
Greece is trying to put pressure on Turkey by threatening to
create issues over Turkish controls on vessels using the Bosphorus and
Canakkale straits. Greek Defence Minister Akis Chohacopulos said
yesterday that in response to Turkey's demands that islands in the
Aegean should be totally disarmed, Greece will insist that Turkey's
control of vessels with suspect cargo is not in line with agreements
and should be taken up internationally.
Greek Defense Minister Chohacopulos also declared that much of
the coolness between Turkey and Greece stemmed from Turkish
convictions that Turkey was a super power in the region. /All papers/
[05] WASHINGTON REACTS TO GREECE
The US has reacted harshly to a statement by Greek Prime Minister
Kostas Simitis that a Turkish attack against the S-300 missiles to be
deployed in Southern Cyprus would be interpreted by Greece as a
"justification for war". US State Department Spokesman James Folley
reiterated that the deployment of the controversial missiles on Cyprus
will not help ease tensions in the Mediterranean. The spokesman
invited both Turkey and Greece to be more careful in their statements
about the issue and to abstain from resorting to threats of war.
/Milliyet/
[06] ROMANIA AND BULGARIA WILL MEDIATE FOR EASING TURCO-GREEK TENSIONS
The presidents of Bulgaria and Romania are planning to undertake
steps that will help Turkey and Greece resolve bilateral problems
through dialogue. Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov and Romanian
President Emil Konstantinescu will try to convince the presidents of
Turkey and Greece, Suleyman Demirel and Konstantin Stafanapulos to
come together for a summit meeting. During the meeting, disagreements
between Turkey and Greece will be taken in hand, and efforts will be
exerted to work out a compromise. /Milliyet/
[07] KARADAYI TO VISIT US
Following his official visit to Brussels, Chief of General Staff
General Ismail Hakki Karadayi will journey on to the US for further
talks and meetings. It is anticipated that Karadayi will return to
Turkey around September 20, routing his journey through Canada.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] US COORDINATOR IN TURKEY
Thomas Miller, the US State Department's Special Cyprus
Coordinator, met with leading military and diplomatic officials in
Ankara yesterday. Before his meeting with Ambassador Inal Batu,
deputy undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, Miller spoke with
Deputy Chief of Staff Gen.Cevik Bir. Following discussions with the
top military officials, Miller and the senior US diplomats
accompanying him had a long meeting with Batu.
The US envoy repeated his country's well-known opposition to the
militarization of the island, including the deployment of Russian-made
S-300 missiles. Miller said that a more open diplomatic dialogue was
necessary between Athens and Ankara instead of the current public
argument. Miller, who works closely with Special Presidential Envoy
Richard Holbrooke and Asssistant Secretary of State Marc Grossman,
also met yesterday afternoon with Onur Oymen, the Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary. Miller will travel to Athens from Istanbul today.
/Milliyet/
[09] BELGIAN POLICE SEEK TURKISH CANDIDATES
The Belgian Gendarmerie has announced it will hire a number of
citizens of Turkish or Arab origin among the 1,000 new gendarmes it
plans to employ, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Acting
on a programme initiated by the Interior Ministry and the military,
the Gendarmerie is distributing brochures in Turkish and Arabic
detailing the newly available positions.
[10] TURKEY TO BUY MORE SEA HAWK NAVY HELICOPTERS
The Turkish Navy is preparing to buy four more Sea Hawk
helicopters to boost its aviation fleet following the US Congress'
recent approval of a long-stalled transfer of arms to Turkey, that
included three frigates and four Sea Hawks, according to military
sources. It is expected that the finalization of talks between
American and Turkish officials, currently being held at the General
Staff headquarters and Defense Industry Undersecretariat between
American and Turkish officials, will take the number of Turkish Navy
advanced S-70B-28 Sikorsky-made navy helicopters to eight. The
$115-million agreement for the first four Sea Hawks was signed in
February 1997. The first Sea Hawk chopper will be delivered in 33
months. /Milliyet/
[11] NEW BOSPHORUS BRIDGE OR TUNNEL MUST START SOON
Housing Minister Yasar Topcu, who was previously transport
minister, said that a tunnel under the Bosphorus is not an alternative
to a proposed third Bosphorus bridge and they have to be considered
separately. Topcu said that the bridge will be built on the
"build-operate-transfer" model and it was also possible to use the
same model to finance a tunnel project. He added that, considering
Istanbul's needs -a city of high economic potential and growing
population- a decision about the new projects was urgent.
/Cumhuriyet/
[12] CHP CELEBRATES 74TH ANNIVERSARY
Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal said that
his party supported the government becuase it did not want Turkey to
enter another crisis and that it had not struck any deals while doing
so. Baykal made his remarks at a ceremony jointly celebrating the
74th anniversary of the founding of the party and the opening of
Ankara's Sincan district branch of the CHP. Baykal added that his
party demanded that everything be done to solve the problems of
society. On Tuesday, Baykal, party executives and members of the
public visited Ataturk's mausoleum as well as the grave of Ismet
Inonu, the second president of the Turkish Republic. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES NEW MEASURES TO FIGHT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
New regulations have been made to tighten the control of
commercial passanger and freight transport with devices to record the
vehicles' speed during the course of its journey made mandatory.
According to amnedments made in the Motorway Traffic Regulations which
were published in Tuesday's Official Gazette, managers of commercial
transport companies are now obliged to have these digital devices
installed in buses, trucks and tow trucks and ensure that they are
utilized.
Company managers are obliged to keep records of the type and
license plate numbers of the vehicles, names of the drivers, the
locations, dates and hours of departure, and the destinations. Under
the new regulations, company officials are required to supervise the
activities of drivers and are responsible if drivers break the law
while driving. /Cumhuriyet/
[14] DEMIREL AWARDS TOP ISTANBUL INDUSTRIAL EXPORTERS, TAX PAYERS
President Suleyman Demirel on Monday presented awards to last
year's top industrial exporters and tax payers among members of the
Istanbul Chamber of Industry, in ceremonies held in the city
yesterday. Gold, silver and bronze plaques along with medals and
certificates were given to the top exporters and tax payers, all
members of the Chamber. Some 777 companies were cited. Demirel
appealed to businessmen to make further investments. He said: "There
are at present 2.5 million Turkish nationals and 50 thousand
entrepreneurs in Europe. We must have confidence in ourselves".
/Milliyet/
[15] FOREIGN SCHOOLS TO ABIDE BY THE COMPULSORY EDUCATION LAW
National Education Minister Hikmet Ulugbay has stated that
foreign schools as well as those attended by minorities will have to
abide by the compulsory education law, adding: "Foreign schools will
gradually close down their secondary sections and maintain only their
high schools. It is impossible for them to open primary schools".
/Sabah/
[16] WORLD YOUTH IN ESKISEHIR
Youth for Habitat, set up to translate into life the decisions
reached at Habitat II and Agenda 21 is to meet in Eskisehir. The
summit scheduled to take place on September 14-21 is expected to bring
together 400 youngsters from 158 countries. The summit, to convene
with the aim of finding solutions to human settlements and
environmental issues, will continue its deliberations under the
auspices of the UN Human Settlements and Environmental Programmes.
/Radikal/
[17] ANTALYA FREE ZONE TURNS TO PRODUCTION
It has been announced that the Antalya Free Trade Zone, opened in
1991 for commercial activities, has, in the last two years, been
giving more emphasis to production than to commerce. In his
announcement, Antalya Free Trade Zone Director Tugrul Yalciner stated
that the total trade volume of the eight free zones in Turkey was 12
billion dollars and that Antalya was in fourth place amongst these.
Yalciner pointed out that WEPZA (the World Export and Production Zones
Association) would hold its 17th International Conference on 5-9
October in Istanbul under the general title "the Global Movement of
Free Zones in the 21st Century". /All papers/
[18] 30 PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
The security forces have initiated operations against the PKK
terrorist organization in the Bingol, Siirt and Sirnak provinces of
southeastern Turkey. In clashes so far, thirty PKK terrorists have
been killed. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
[19] BILISIM'97 FAIR ENDS
The Bilisim'97 Information and Communications Technologies Fair
ended last week. 426 Turkish and foreign companies participated in
the fair that was visited by more than 52 thousand visitors.
/Milliyet/
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