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Turkish Press Review, 98-05-25
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
25.05.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] FLOODS CAUSE ENORMOUS DAMAGE
[02] ROMANIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[03] HRA CHAIRMAN BIRDAL IDENTIFIES ASSAILANTS
[04] ECEVIT VISITS SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA
[05] SECURITY FORCES KILL 23 PKK TERRORISTS
[06] ENERGY CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
[07] TURKISH-KAZAKH COOPERATION
[08] MILLER IN CYPRUS
[09] SEAWOLF EXERCISE IN AEGEAN
[10] ATV REPORTER ATTACKED
[11] INCREASE IN FOREIGN TRADE
[12] TURKISH-ISRAELI AGREEMENT
[13] STATE ALLOCATIONS FOR THE SOUTHEAST
[14] TURKEY REPORT TO IPI
[15] BIR IN ISRAEL
[16] KUANGYI: "TURCO-CHINESE RELATIONS ARE AT A GOOD LEVEL"
[17] ERDOGAN IN TOKYO
[18] TURKISH BOXERS RANK THIRD
[01] FLOODS CAUSE ENORMOUS DAMAGE
Recent heavy rain fall has caused flooding in several western Black
Sea towns, killing 16 people over the past three days. Troops used
rubber boats and helicopters to evacuate 953 people from outlying
villages in the region. Moreover, the rising waters flooded thousands
of houses and destroyed bridges, roads and railway lines. As a result
of the floods, eight people are still missing. President Suleyman
Demirel, who visited the flood areas in the western Black Sea region,
said that trust in the state should be secured. Demirel noted that the
flooding had caused material damage worth TL 200 trillion in the region.
Demirel, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, State Minister Hasan Gemici and
Minister of Public Works Yasar Topcu visited Karabuk and Bartin and were
briefed by Karabuk Governor Cemal Ayman and Bartin Governor Fatih
Eryilmaz.
Eryilmaz said that they had warned the local people of more heavy
rain fall, and added, that 78 % of Bartin was flooded with water levels
reaching four meters at one point. Telephone communications with nearby
cities was cut off and transportation was impossible. Military units,
officials and volunteers are working in the area. /All papers/
[02] ROMANIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile will attend a conference with
Cambridge Energy Reserve Associates (CERA), the private energy
think-tank which is hosting the "Tale of Two Seas" meeting on Caspian
Sea and the Black Sea in Istanbul. He will meet with President Suleyman
Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. /Hurriyet/
[03] HRA CHAIRMAN BIRDAL IDENTIFIES ASSAILANTS
Following the arrest of six suspects who allegedly attacked the
Human Rights Association (HRA) Chairman, Akin Birdal, who is still in
hospital, has identified the suspects, Bahri Eken and Kerem Deretarla,
who attacked him. They were later taken to the site of the incident to
reenact the assault in the HRA offices in Ankara. The suspects will be
questioned further by the police in Ankara on May 25. Meanwhile, Voice
of Germany (VOG) radio said that the capture of the assailants who
attacked HRA Chairman Akin Birdal in 10 days' time, was of great
importance for Turkey's image. /All papers/
[04] ECEVIT VISITS SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA
Deputy Prime Minister and Democratic Left Party (DSP) Chairman
Bulent Ecevit said that there were obstacles to directing investments
into southeast Anatolia's most needy regions and that the state should
overcome these difficulties by taking additional measures. Ecevit is
continuing his visit to the Southeast with the aim of examining the
implementation of investment incentives. Ecevit said a six-hour meeting
with the region's governors had been very helpful in determining what
hardships are faced in implementing measures taken by the government.
Ecevit noted that regional governors viewed the government's incentives
measures as "very positive". /All papers/
[05] SECURITY FORCES KILL 23 PKK TERRORISTS
Turkish security forces killed at least 23 members of the PKK
terrorist organization in several clashes near the eastern town of Van
and the southeastern towns of Tunceli and Siirt over the weekend. A
written statement from the Emergency Rule Region said that a terrorist
also surrendered to security forces near Van. According to the
statement, security forces killed 11 PKK terrorists in outlying regions
of Van, Siirt and Tunceli provinces yesterday. On Saturday, the deaths
of an additional 12 PKK terrorists -killed in a three-hour firefight
with security forces in Van- were also reported. /All papers/
[06] ENERGY CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL
Istanbul will host an important conference on energy between 27-29
May. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will deliver an opening speech at the
conference to be attended by many high-level officials from Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Russia,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan and the US including
US Energy Secretary Federic Pena, Senator Chuck Hagel. During the
conference, important issues such as the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline and
Turkmen natural gas pipeline will be discussed. /Sabah/
[07] TURKISH-KAZAKH COOPERATION
Ilhan Ildeniz has been elected the chairman of the Kazakh-Turkish
Businessmen's Association, which aims to bring together Turkish
businessmen in Kazakhstan, contribute to the development of the
economies of both countries and to provide professional, technical and
social cooperation between the businessmen of the two countries. Ilhan
Ildeniz said in a speech that the Turkish visa department will assist
Turkish companies bringing to investments and trade which will help
Kazakhstan with visa formalities. /Sabah/
[08] MILLER IN CYPRUS
US Cyprus Special Coordinator Thomas Miller will visit Cyprus
today. Miller, who will meet with Turkish Cypriot President Rauf
Denktas and Greek Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides, will mainly discuss
Russian-made S-300 missiles to be deployed by the Greek Cypriot
Administration. /Sabah/
[09] SEAWOLF EXERCISE IN AEGEAN
Turkish Naval Forces will hold SeaWolf'98 (Denizkurdu), one of the
year's biggest annual naval exercises, in the international waters of
the Aegean Sea and the eastern Medittrranean between June 3 and 26. A
written statement from the Turkish General Staff over the weekend said
that a briefing will be given on May 28 in the Navy's Golcuk
headquarters. /All papers/
[10] ATV REPORTER ATTACKED
Adnan Gerger, a reporter from the private television channel, ATV,
was attacked and beaten-up by three unidentified assailants and was
hospitalized due to serious injuries on to face received during the
attack. The reporters was cornered by the attackers who pursued him
with a car and broke his nose. /All papers/
[11] INCREASE IN FOREIGN TRADE
According to the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade, Turkey has
realised $380.2 in imports and $627.4 in exports with the US during the
first two months of this year. It has also been announced that there
was a 9.2 % increase in trade volume between the two countries in the
same period of last year. Textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, tobacco,
food-stuffs, iron and steel are some of the goods that the US imported
from Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] TURKISH-ISRAELI AGREEMENT
A new agreement which foresees the prevention of double taxation
and tax evasion between Turkey and Israel was published yesterday in the
Official Gazette following approval by the Council of Ministers.
/Cumhuriyet/
[13] STATE ALLOCATIONS FOR THE SOUTHEAST
The state has allocated almost one quadrillon TL for investments in
east and southeast Anatolia over the last five years. According to the
State Planning Department, the total for investments in 27 districts in
east and southeast Anatolia comes to $1.9 billion. It has also been
announced that the biggest share of new investments has gone to
Diyarbakir. /Hurriyet/
[14] TURKEY REPORT TO IPI
The 47th meeting of the General Council of the International Press
Institution (IPI) will be held today in Moscow. Chairman of the
National Committee, Sami Kohen presented a report on Turkey at the
Executive Board meeting held on Saturday. The report, which was the
most detailed national committee report presented at the meeting,
revealed recent developments in the Turkish press and gave a general
overview of the country. At the end of the meeting it was decided to
set up a fund to help journalists facing legal action in different parts
of the world. /Milliyet/
[15] BIR IN ISRAEL
Deputy Chief of General Staff, Cevik Bir went to Israel on Saturday
to hold contacts within the framework of bilateral military agreements
between Turkey and Israel. Bir, who will start his official contacts
today, is expected to meet with the Israeli Defense Minister, the Chief
of General Staff and other senior military officials. /Milliyet/
[16] KUANGYI: "TURCO-CHINESE RELATIONS ARE AT A GOOD LEVEL"
In a special report to Milliyet daily newspaper, Chinese Ambassador
to Ankara, Yao Kuangyi said that although political relations between
Turkey and China were at "very good levels", economic relations were
only increasing slowly. He added: "The trade volume between the two
countries is very unsatisfactory compared with political relations.
China is a huge market and Turkey has only a 2 % share in the market.
We want more Turkish businessmen to go China. There will be more
cooperation between Turkey and China especially in three sectors;
energy, construction and textiles." /Milliyet/
[17] ERDOGAN IN TOKYO
Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan went yesterday
to Tokyo. Erdogan will attend a World Metropolitans Forum which will
start today. /Milliyet/
[18] TURKISH BOXERS RANK THIRD
During the 32nd Boxing Championship held in Belarus, Ramazan
Phaliani, won a gold medal, while Nurhan Suleymanoglu and Ercument
Arslan won silver medals. As a team, Turkish boxers ranked third during
the championship. /Hurriyet/
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