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Turkish Press Review, 97-12-09Turkish 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 MINISTER09.12.97Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning [01] OIC FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN TEHRANA three-day meeting of leaders and foreign ministers from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member countries started in Tehran yesterday. Also among them was Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, who held his first talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Haydar Aliyev. The two leaders discussed the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict.Among other foreign officials, Demirel is also expected to meet with Iranian President Khatami. Demirel is also scheduled to participate in a special meeting of the Developing-Eight (D-8), an economic cooperation group, bringing together Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. /All papers/ [02] ISRAELI DEFENSE OFFICIALS IN TURKEYTurkish and Israeli defense officials yesterday agreed in principle to jointly produce defensive-oriented 500-kilometer range missiles following recent concerns that Iran and Syria's growing missile potential in the region has reached an alarming level.Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai began his visit to Turkey yesterday in Ankara with a group of high-level defense officials and journalists and said that the Jewish state's growing ties with Turkey as a strategic partner was no threat to other countries. Turkey and Israel which both have been suffering terrorism attacks have also been focusing on security affairs and exchanging intelligence on terrorism. Meanwhile, a Turkish, Israeli and US joint naval exercise is to be held between January 5-9 off the coast of Israel and in the international waters of the eastern Mediterranean. /All papers/ [03] PM YILMAZ IN BRITAINTurkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who is to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is expected to ask for a continuation of Britain's backing for Turkey's participation in the Euro conference. Cyprus and Turco-Greek relations are also on the agenda of the meeting. It is thought that Blair will reiterate his government's view on Cyprus' membership in the European Union (EU).Blair's government has been underlining the importance of including Turkey in the European family. Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said in a parliamentary committee last week that he considered Turkey's participation in the Euro-Conference as vital. /All papers/ [04] TURKEY CONTINUES N.IRAQ OPERATIONSTurkey's military operation in northern Iraq is continuing with good results, Chief of General Staff Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi told reporters yesterday. Military officials in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir said six F-16 jets hit PKK targets in the remote Khwakurk region of Iraq. Turkish troops and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), were closing in on a large group of PKK fighters in Khwakurk, the mountainous corner where Iraq, Iran and Turkey meet. The Anatolia news agency said that 30 PKK separatists had been killed.Meanwhile, currently operations continue against the PKK in southeastern areas of Turkey. Fourteen separatists were captured in the cities of Bitlis, Sirnak and Mardin and seven were killed, said the Office of Emergency Rule in a statement. [05] A CONTRACT BETWEEN TPAO AND AMOCOOne of the leading world petroleum companies, the US based AMOCO company and the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) have signed a contract to start oil-drilling operations in the gulf of Mersin. /Hurriyet/[06] ISTANBUL AFFECTED BY RAINAlarm was given at the start of the rainfall that flooded houses and offices in low-lying districts of Istanbul. The Governor's Office in Istanbul warned everyone on television and in the press that the rain will continue for one more week. Meanwhile, continuous rain turned into snow in Canakkale and schools were closed for one day by the Governor's Office. Traffic was blocked along the Dardanelles as a result of rain, snow and heavy storms. Ships were kept in port and ferries were cancelled. /All papers/[07] DEMIREL AND YILMAZ START LETTER DIPLOMACYPresident Suleyman Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz have started a "letter diplomacy" to bring the attention of Europe to the results of a possible negative decision against Turkey at the Luxemburg summit.President Suleyman Demirel has sent a letter to his German counterpart Roman Herzog saying that Turkey had contributed much to the security of Europe for 50 years and had already turned towards Europe before the establishment of the European Union (EU). He added that a negative result would be damaging to Turkey. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has also sent letters to the prime ministers of the EU countries stressing Turkey's expectations from of the Luxemburg summit. He added that a negative decision would not only damage Turkey but also Europe. /Milliyet/ [08] HAZELNUT EXPORTS UPTurkey's hazelnut exports have increased by 18.12 percent and the foreign exchange revenue is up by 60.37 percent. The Black Sea Hazelnut Exporters' Union announced yesterday that 13,732 tons more of hazelnuts were exported during the first three months of the 1997-1998 period compared to the same period last year. It is also reported that 403, 141 million dollars were earned in the same period. /Sabah/[09] CEM IN BONNForeign Minister Ismail Cem went to Bonn yesterday to attend a Bosnia-Herzegovina Peace Application Council Meeting. Before his departure, Cem said at Ankara Ataturk Airport that for a sustainable peace central administrations should be more powerful.Ismail Cem will attend NATO meetings on 16 December in Brussels and a Ministers Council Meeting of the European Security and Cooperation Organization on 18-19 December in Copenhagen. /Sabah/ END. 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