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Turkish Press Review, 98-01-21
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
21.01.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] US WILL LAUNCH INVESTMENT DRIVE IN TURKEY
[02] FM CEM MEETS COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL
[03] TOBACCO-TEKEL PARTNERSHIP
[04] DENKTAS PROTESTS VISA APPLICATION
[05] ALBRIGHT VOWS TO PRESS AHEAD WITH CYPRUS EFFORTS
[06] IMF, TURKISH OFFICIALS DISCUSS BUDGET AND STRUCTURAL REFORMS
[07] MILLIYET: KRAMER, "COMPLY WITH EU CONDITIONS"
[08] TURKISH-GERMAN JOURNALISTS' DIALOGUE SYMPOSIUM
[09] CONTRACTORS BRING IN $2 BILLION
[10] FIVE DISTRIBUTION TENDERS COMPLETED
[11] TURKEY EXPORTS BONDS BASED ON GERMAN MARK
[12] TURKISH AIRLINES EXPANDS ITS FLEET
[13] GREEK MANEUVERS IN THE AEGEAN
[01] US WILL LAUNCH INVESTMENT DRIVE IN TURKEY
US Secretary of Commerce William Daley accompanied by a delagtion
of 60 US businessmen completed his visit to Turkey. Daley promised
that US entrepreneurs will make new investments worth $50 billion in
Turkey. Nevertheless, he said that the materialization of this
promise depended on Turkey's willingness to accept international
arbitration on the issue.
In meetings with Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and President
Suleyman Demirel yesterday, Daley dwelt on the transportation of
Central Asian oil and natural gas to world markets. The US Secretary
of Commerce said that Washington would not back the Iranian
involvement in upcoming pipeline project. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
in turn said that feasibility studies on the various alternatives were
continuing. Yilmaz noted that the government was working on legal
measures that will help overcome bottlenecks in the realization of
energy projects. /Hurriyet/
[02] FM CEM MEETS COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL
Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Hans Christian Kruger,
paying an official visit to Turkey on the official invitation of
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Korkmaz Haktanir, met yesterday with
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and State Minister responsible for human
rights Hikmet Sami Turk. Minister Turk gave Kruger details about
moves to improve Turkey's human rights record, and Kruger pointed out
that the Council of Europe was ready to support Turkey's efforts in
this respect. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] TOBACCO-TEKEL PARTNERSHIP
The State-owned Tekel tobacco monopoly Tekel and the
British-American Tobacco (BAT) Company signed yesterday an agreement
for the establishment of a joint stock company that will operate the
Akhisar factory producing "Samsun" and "Yeni Harman" brand cigarettes.
Tekel's share in the new concern is 48 percent, and BAT's share is 52
percent. State Minister Eyub Asik said that the partnership will help
increase further the quality of Tekel products. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] DENKTAS PROTESTS VISA APPLICATION
President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf
Denktas said that they would reevaluate their relations with Britain
following Britain's recent decision to apply visa restrictions to TRNC
citizens. Denktas added that European Union special envoy to Cyprus
David Hannay had the responsibility of solving the problem.
Denktas noted that if Hanny wanted to contribute to solving the
Cyprus issue, he would have to prevent this "unjust" application.
Rauf Denktas discussed the recent decision during a weekend press
briefing. /Milliyet/
[05] ALBRIGHT VOWS TO PRESS AHEAD WITH CYPRUS EFFORTS
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stressed that
Washington will intensify efforts for solving continuing disputes in
the Aegean and Cyprus. Expressing her concern about the tensions that
might develop in these areas if the conflicts remain unresolved,
Albright described the region as "one of the world's power stops,"
adding that Dayton-broker Richard Holbrooke would continue to work on
resolving Cyprus conflict. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] IMF, TURKISH OFFICIALS DISCUSS BUDGET AND STRUCTURAL REFORMS
Turkish officials planned to explain to a delegation from the IMF
their plans for structural reforms intended to fix the economy. The
IMF delegation started talks with government officials on Monday. The
first meeting would focus on Turkey's 1998 budget, as approved by
Parliament, said Treasury Chief Yener Dincmen.
The IMF delegation was expected to spend two weeks in Turkey
holding talks with various officials. A World Bank mission was in the
capital, Ankara, holding separate meetings over the same issue.
/Hurriyet/
[07] MILLIYET: KRAMER, "COMPLY WITH EU CONDITIONS"
Researcher from the German Science and Politics Foundation and
Turkish expert, Dr. Heinz Kramer said that there was prejudice
between Germany and Turkey. He added, "The European Union door is
neither closed nor opened to Turkey. The Turkish economy is developed
but macro-economic balances have not developed enough. Now, Turkey
should understand what the EU wants. If Turkey wants to enter the EU,
she should comply with their conditions." /Milliyet/
[08] TURKISH-GERMAN JOURNALISTS' DIALOGUE SYMPOSIUM
Turkish and German jounalists convened yesterday in Istanbul for
a symposium organized jointly by the Frederich Ebert Foundation and
Aydin Dogan Foundation, and mostly the stance assumed by Germany
during the EU meeting in Luxembourg towards Turkey was criticized.
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem also participated in the symposium.
Turkish and German journalists agreed during the symposium that it
would be useful to develop the dialogue between the two sides.
/Hurriyet/
[09] CONTRACTORS BRING IN $2 BILLION
State Minister Mehmet Batalli said that transfers due to
contracting services abroad in 1997 exceeded $2 billion. Batalli
noted that contracting services abroad were among the most important
sectors earning foreign exchange for Turkey. Batalli recalled that
the number of countries in which Turkish firms are active had reached
39. /Hurriyet/
[10] FIVE DISTRIBUTION TENDERS COMPLETED
The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry has announced the
results of the tenders put out for the transfer of seven B group
energy distribution networks to the private sector. It was reported
that the tenders in the regions of Diyarbakir-Mardin and
Van-Hakkari-Mus-Bitlis-Sirnak-Siirt-Batman were cancelled because
there was no acceptable proposal. The total value of tenders for five
regions amounted to $275 million. /Hurriyet/
[11] TURKEY EXPORTS BONDS BASED ON GERMAN MARK
Turkey has become the first country to export bonds based on the
German Mark among the developing countries. Turkey began to export
bonds worth DM 1 billion with a five-year term this week. It was
notable that interest was 2.84 points more than that of German state
bonds. Following Turkey, Hungary began to export bonds worth DM 500
million yesterday. /Sabah/
[12] TURKISH AIRLINES EXPANDS ITS FLEET
Representatives of Turkish Airlines(THY) , Boeing and Eximbank
will sign a contract today, for the purchase of new planes for Turkish
Airlines. Turkish Airlines will buy top model 737 or 800 Boeing
planes in order to expandits fleet. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] GREEK MANEUVERS IN THE AEGEAN
It was stated yesterday in Greek press that a series of maneuvers
will be held by the Greek military forces in the Aegean Sea according
Defence Ministry sources. /Cumhuriyet/
END
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