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Turkish Press Review, 97-09-29Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWDIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER29.09.97Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] PM YILMAZ VISITS GERMANYPrime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will start today an official visit to Germany. The visit has been initiated in response to an EU message that Turkey should seek German support in its drive for integration with Europe. Observers note that this visit is of special importance, even though Yilmaz is not expected to achieve a miracle in changing German attitudes. The Turkish prime minister will stress that Turkey has abandoned the previous government's policy of threatening to veto NATO eastwards expansion if Turkey is not accepted into the EU. /All papers/[02] TURKEY TIGHTENS OPERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQTurkish troops continue with their cross-border operation against PKK terrorist organization camps in northern Iraq. After a week of air raids and operations by the Turkish army backed by village guards and peshmergas of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), many PKK camps have been destroyed and operations are still continuing in twelve regions of northern Iraq. Fighting is continuing in the Kani Mazi, Ekmal, Bervari, Meti, Carcel, Dergele, Irkan and Haciumran regions where, according to KDP radio, 13 separatists have been killed.Meanwhile, the Syrian Kurdistan Unity Party has called on the PKK to withdraw from northern Iraq, while Mesud Barzani of the KDP urged the PKK to stop its attacks in one month's time. "If not, we will have to make some facts public", said Barzani, who also described PKK atttacks against civilians. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] CEM RETURNS HOMEForeign Minister Ismail Cem said on his return on Sunday from a UN General Assembly meeting in New York that the Greek side had reduced the entire Aegean conflict to the Kardak issue. During the General Assembly, Cem met with many of his counterparts, including the Greek Foreign Minister. "They insist that the problem should be taken to the International Court of Justice. We have emphasized that we want to discuss the Aegean problem as a whole. We have been trying to explain our ideas to the US, the European Union and other countries for three years now" Cem told reporters.Cem said Turkey wants to discuss certain practices on the 12 islands, as well as Kardak, which are in violation of the Lausanne Treaty. Cem noted that they had also discussed the deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles purchased by the Greek Cypriots. Cem also condemned the comments made by Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos against Turkey in an interview broadcast by a Greek TV station. In a statement issued by Turkey's permanent mission to the UN on Thursday, Omer Akbel, spokesman for the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that Pangalos' remarks were not only impertinent and far beyond the realm of politeness, but also reflected a psychopathological state of mind. Akbel said: "The Greek nation does not deserve such shame committed on its behalf and in its name". /Cumhuriyet/ [04] NATO EXERCISE IN DARDANELLES STRAITThe "Damsel Fair-97" mine battle maneuvers planned by NATO has begun in the Dardanelles Strait and the Sarosa Gulf with the participation of Turkish, French, Italian, US and British navy forces and will last until October 5. /Cumhuriyet/[05] TATARISTAN PRESIDENT IN TURKEYTurkish President Suleyman Demirel gave a luncheon at the Presidential Palace in honour of Tataristan President Shaipovich Shaymiev yesterday. Tataristan President Shaymiev will hold contacts with many Turkish officials during his visit to Turkey. /Sabah/[06] CULTURE MINISTER IN KAZAKHSTANTurkish Culture Minister Istemihan Talay went to Kazakhstan yesterday to attend the Culture Ministers' Permanent Council meeting of the Turkish-speaking countries. /All papers/[07] KORKUT OZAL NEW LEADER OF DEMOCRAT PARTYKorkut Ozal was elected as the new leader of the Democrat Party (DP) yesterday. Ozal, who was the only candidate for the leadership, won the total votes of the voters at the end of the 11th Extraordinary Congress of the DP. /Cumhuriyet/[08] PKK TERRORIST REVEALS OUTRAGEOUS SECRETSA terrorist of the PKK separatist organization has revealed that the group was protected and aided by Greek security services while preparing terrorist attacks in Turkey and in London. Seydo Hazar, living in Germany, gave an interview to the mainstream British newspaper "The Observer", where he said the PKK plans to use chemical bombs against civilians and to poison beaches and city water supplies.According to The Observer's major news story, the plans also involve targeting British interests in Turkey and in Britain itself, in revenge for the British government's extradition of Kani Yilmaz, alleged head of the political wing of the PKK, the ERNK. Hazar has detailed the descriptions of at least 12 powerful bombs disguised variously in Nesquik boxes, video cassettes, shampoo and ketchup containers and designed to cause maximum civilian casualties. He said the bombs also contained rat poison. Hazar claimed that the PKK had sold Stringer missiles manufactured under licence in Greece, to the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the newspaper revealed. /Milliyet/ [09] AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN ISTANBULAn international conference will be held in Istanbul between September 30-October 1, attended by President Suleyman Demirel, to discuss international projects and water issues. Sermet Atacanli, deputy spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said that Turkey was not about to sell water from its transboundary rivers. Asked about the issue, Atacanli pointed out that Turkey had proposed a three-stage plan to its southern neighbours.Stating that the only project on the agenda -regarding national waters- is the "Manavgat Water Supply Project", Atacanli said that the project concerns only those interested in it. /Hurriyet/ [10] UK WISHES TO SEE TURKEY AT EUROPE CONFERENCEThe British Foreign Office confirmed on Friday that they wish to see Turkey at the Europe Conference, which will launch negotiations with five Central and Eastern European countries along with Cyprus to join the European Union (EU), due to be held next February. Quoting the foreign affairs minister for Europe, Doug Henderson, who reassured Turkey about its future prospects in the European Union, the Foreign Office stated that they wouldn't like to see Turkey excluded from the European family. "We certainly would welcome Turkey's attendance at the conference", a Foreign Office spokesman stated, adding that the decision to invite Turkey rested with the European Council. /All papers/[11] SUMMIT IN BULGARIAThe next few months will witness intensive diplomatic traffic in the Balkans. The presidents of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania will meet in Varna, Bulgaria, on October 3, in a move to enhance stability in the region. Another meeting of defense ministers from six Balkan countries designed to set up a joint cooperation mechanism will take place next month. Foreign ministers from the countries that contributed to calming down domestic turmoil in Albania will meet on October 17 in Rome. In November, Balkan heads of state and government will come together in Crete. /Milliyet/[12] IMF AND WORLD BANK DELEGATIONS TO VISIT TURKEYInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank delegations will visit Turkey in October. An IMF delegation will come to Turkey on 6 October under the chairmanship of the Head of the Turkish Desk, Martin Hardy. The delegation will meet with Central Bank, Treasury, State Planning Organization (DPT) and Finance Ministry senior officials to discuss the 1998 budget, inflation, privatization, and tax reform package issues. /Hurriyet/[13] TURKISH EXPORTERS TO VISIT MALAYSIA AND INDONESIAUnder the coordination of the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat and Istanbul Mine and Metals Exporters Union, Turkish exporters will visit Malaysia and Indonesia on 17-21 October to promote Turkish export goods. The aim of the visit is to increase Turkey's share in of Malaysian and Indonesian imports. Turkish businessmen in iron-steel, construction, automotives, textiles, electric-electronics, medicine, packing, cosmetics and food industries will share in the visit. /Hurriyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |