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Turkish Press Review, 97-10-03
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL TO VISIT KUWAIT
[02] OPERATION CONTINUES IN NORTHERN IRAQ
[03] US CONCERN OVER PKK
[04] PARLIAMENT LIFTS EMERGENCY RULE IN THREE PROVINCES
[05] TURKEY TO TAKE PART IN 2000TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHRIST'S BIRTH
[06] TURKEY'S FIRST WOMEN'S HOSPITAL OPENED IN ANKARA
[07] IMF OFFICIALS TO ARRIVE ON OCTOBER 6
[08] PRIVATIZATION OF ETIBANK
[09] TURKISH PRIVATE SECTOR TO ATTEND MEDITERRANEAN SUMMIT
[10] TURCO-CHINESE BUSINESS COUNCIL MEETING
[11] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UP
[12] ANKARA ANXIOUS ABOUT ISRAEL'S PEACE PROCESS DECISIONS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER
03.10.97
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning
[01] DEMIREL TO VISIT KUWAIT
President Suleyman Demirel will pay an official visit to Kuwait on
October 6-7, where he will sign an agreement preventing double
taxation and one launching a two-year cultural exchange programme.
Demirel will meet high-ranking Kuwaiti officials in order to enhance
bilateral relations. Demirel will give an address on Kuwaiti
television and meet businessmen on the second day of his stay. /All
papers/
[02] OPERATION CONTINUES IN NORTHERN IRAQ
The Turkish Army's cross-border operation is into its second week.
361 separatists of the PKK terrorist organization have been killed or
injured during clashes with the security forces. Iran and the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Celal Talabani, have been
accused of supporting the PKK. "Iran has sold the PKK Katyusha
rockets" claimed some PKK terrorists who surrendered to security
forces. In addition, according to information received, nearly 300
terrorists infiltrated northern Iraq from Iran. "Escaping PKK
terrorists are getting into the PUK-controlled area and are being
protected there", the surrendered terrorists added. Terrorists, who
attacked the Kosk village in Mus yesterday night, escaped after
seizing the weapons of 40 village guards while another group of PKK
militants attacked the Kersen village in Erzincan yesterday and
damaged the electric and telephone lines.
Meanwhile, Fred Eckhard, a spokesman of UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, has advised Ankara to withdraw its troops from northern Iraq.
On the other hand, Huseyin Celem, Turkey's permanent representative in
the UN, declared that Turkish troops would leave northern Iraq after
completing their task. "The operation in northern Iraq is being
undertaken because the situation requires intervention" said Celem,
speaking in New York. Commenting that the instability in Iraq is
because of wrong policies pursued by Baghdad, Celem said that if the
Baghdad administration had had control of northern Iraq, then the PKK
terrorist organization would not have had a chance to settle in that
area. Celem also added that Turkey would take all necessary measures
to protect its citizens. /Milliyet-Sabah/
[03] US CONCERN OVER PKK
US State Department deputy spokesman Jim Foley confirmed the US
administration's view that the Greek government tolerates the presence
of terrorist groups in Athens. "As the April 1997 edition of our
publication, "Global Patterns of Terrorism" noted, the Greek
government continues to tolerate the official presence in Athens of
offices of two terrorist groups, the PKK's ERNK political wing and the
revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front, formerly known as
Devsol. The latter group is responsible for the murder of two US
government contractors in Turkey" Foley said. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
[04] PARLIAMENT LIFTS EMERGENCY RULE IN THREE PROVINCES
Parliament passed yesterday the motion requesting the lifting of the
emergency rule in three provinces as of October 6. Thus as next week,
the emergency rule in Batman, Bitlis and Bingol has been lifted.
/Milliyet/
[05] TURKEY TO TAKE PART IN 2000TH ANNIVERSARY OF CHRIST'S BIRTH
Turkey will participate in the 2000th anniversary celebrations of the
birth of Jesus, by offering a wide range of faith tours of early
Christian sites, Tourism Minister Ibrahim Gurdal said yesterday.
Gurdal, in a news conference in Istanbul, also extended the
government's invitation to Pope John Paul to Turkey during the
worldwide celebrations to commemorate the anniversary of Christ's
birth. Gurdal said special "tours of faith" would be offered by
Turkish travel agencies before and during the celebrations to well
known Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites. A group of 40 travel
writers, reporters and television journalists and priests from the US
and 16 countries are taking part in a nine-day visit of religious
sites in western Turkey, as a part of a faith tour arranged by the
Tourism Ministry. /Milliyet/
[06] TURKEY'S FIRST WOMEN'S HOSPITAL OPENED IN ANKARA
Turkey's first women's hospital, the City Hospital Women's Health
Centre, was opened in Ankara yesterday with a ceremony attended by
Parliament Speaker Mustafa Kalemli and State Minister Isilay Saygin.
/All papers/
[07] IMF OFFICIALS TO ARRIVE ON OCTOBER 6
An IMF delegation headed by Martin Hardy will come to Turkey on
October 6 to hold meetings with the public and private sectors. IMF
officials will also meet officials from the Treasury, the State
Planning Organization (DPT), the Central Bank, the Privatization
Administration Board and the Finance Ministry. /Milliyet/
[08] PRIVATIZATION OF ETIBANK
The sale of Etibank is to be carried out through the bargaining
method, a statement from the Privatization Administration Board said
yesterday. Interested bidders would submit sealed bids and that if
the Privatization Commission deems it necessary they would come
together in order to offer further bids. The deadline for bidders has
been set as November 3 and detailed information and bidding forms will
be available for TL 75 million as of October 15. /All papers/
[09] TURKISH PRIVATE SECTOR TO ATTEND MEDITERRANEAN SUMMIT
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and
Turkish Employers' Confederation (TISK) will represent Turkey in the
third European-Mediterranean Business World Summit. The Mediterranean
Summit will be organized by the European Union (EU) Commission and the
European Industry and Employer Confederation Union (UNICE) on 6-7
October in Athens. During the meeting, the MEDA programme and
economic problems will be discussed. /Hurriyet/
[10] TURCO-CHINESE BUSINESS COUNCIL MEETING
The fourth Turco-Chinese Business Council meeting started in Istanbul
yesterday. At the opening of the meeting, the chairman of the
Council, Asaf Guneri, said that Turkey wanted to make joint
investments with China in energy, chemistry, food, defense, textile
and construction. Head of the Chinese delegation, Zhong Min said, for
his part, that China could reach European markets via Turkey. He
added that Turkey had an important location between Asia and Europe
and that China desired to increase the trade volume between the two
countries. /Hurriyet/
[11] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UP
The Central Bank foreign exchange stocks reached almost $20 billion.
According to the Central Bank officials, foreign exchange stocks were
$19.8 billion at the end of September 1997; whereas it had been $16.3
billion as of 1996. Meanwhile foreign exchange stocks of commercial
banks were announced as $8.4 billion. /Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/
[12] ANKARA ANXIOUS ABOUT ISRAEL'S PEACE PROCESS DECISIONS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent decision which
destroys the Middle East Peace Process caused uneasiness in Ankara.
Insisting on its settlement policies, Israel puts Ankara in a
difficult position who would like to improve its relations with this
country. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on the issue that
Turkey-Israel cooperation was a must in the region but Netanyahu
government's settlement policies would cause problems. Ecevit noted
that Turkish public opinion was very sensitive about the Palestine
issue. /Milliyet/ END
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