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Turkish Press Review, 98-06-01
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
01.06.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] INTERVIEW WITH OCALAN CONFIRMS PKK-SYRIA TIES
[02] DEMOCRATIC TURKEY PARTY CONGRESS
[03] PRIME MINISTER'S TV STATEMENT
[04] TAI F-16 AIRCRAFT PROJECT
[05] $19 BILLION FOR GAP
[06] ECEVIT VISITS CHINA
[07] 13 PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
[08] KARADAYI TO VISIT US IN JULY
[09] TOBB CONVENTION MEETS IN ANKARA
[10] PARLIAMENT'S SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
[11] BRITAIN RE-EVALUATES CYPRUS MILITARY PLANS
[12] TALABANI: "WE WANT TO REBUILD RELATIONS WITH TURKEY"
[13] BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
[14] TASAR PARTICIPATES IN FAO MEETING
[15] TURKISH PC FIRM ACCLAIMED BY US MAGAZINE
[01] INTERVIEW WITH OCALAN CONFIRMS PKK-SYRIA TIES
The latest issue of "Middle East Quarterly" covers an interview
with the leader of the PKK terrorist organization, Abtullah "Apo"
Ocalan, which indicates "organic ties" between the PKK and Syria. A
professor from Tennesee,US, Michael Gunter met Ocalan in the Syrian
capital of Damascus on March 13-14. Ocalan talked about how he
organized the PKK and the PKK's ties with Syria and the ruling party of
Greece, PASOK. It is remarkable that a part of the interview was made
in a PKK camp and that "Apo" met with two PASOK parliamentarians during
the interview. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] DEMOCRATIC TURKEY PARTY CONGRESS
At the first annual congress of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP),
held yesterday, Husamettin Cindoruk was unanimously reelected as the
party's chairman. The opposition front within the party lagged behind
and the former members of the party's ruling board were reelected.
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] PRIME MINISTER'S TV STATEMENT
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, making a statement on TV yesterday,
said that his government was determined to fight against inflation and
added that they were open to every proposal and called upon the other
parties to cooperate in the struggle. Yilmaz noted that the public
should be patient because the positive signals in the economy would be
seen soon. /Hurriyet/
[04] TAI F-16 AIRCRAFT PROJECT
The Turkish Aviation Industry (TAI) is about to complete its F-16
project to produce aircraft to meet the need of the Turkish Armed Forces
(TAF). TAI has also started studies to produce remote control aircraft.
TAI has already delivered 197 F-16 aircraft out of a first order of 243
to TAF. /Sabah/
[05] $19 BILLION FOR GAP
The Southeast Anatolian Project (GAP), which is the biggest project
in the Turkish Republic and one of the leading regional development
projects in the world, is envisaged to be finished with a further $19
billion in costs. To date, 41 % of the GAP has been completed with a
total public sector expense of almost $13 billion. According to
information of the Office of the GAP Regional Development
Administration, public sector expenditures of TL 168.5 trillion are
likely to be spent on completing the GAP project. /Hurriyet/
[06] ECEVIT VISITS CHINA
Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister Bulent Ecevit noted that
the new relations initiated by Turkey with China and the Far East would
soon be yielding results and said: "We have begun to re-discover the
roots of Turkey in Asia". Ecevit, who went to Beijing two days ago as
the guest of Deputy Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China,
Cian Chichen, visited the Great Wall of China yesterday. Turkish
Ambassador to Beijing Unal Unsal and officials from the Chinese Foreign
Ministry also accompanied Ecevit. Later Unsal gave a luncheon in
Ecevit's honour at the Turkish Embassy. Delivering a speech, Ecevit
said that Turkey's breakthrough towards China and the Far East began
during the period of Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic.
/Hurriyet/
[07] 13 PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
Two members of the PKK terrorist organization have been killed near
Kantar village in the Gercus district of Batman, one in the Seyh
Mehmetttepe region of Sirnak and 10 near Cevre village in the Semdinli
district of Hakkari. During the clashes, four members of the Turkish
security forces died. /Hurriyet/
[08] KARADAYI TO VISIT US IN JULY
Chief of General Staff Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi, whose visits
abroad have attracted attention due to their strategic impact, is now
preparing to travel to the US on July 14 for a week-long visit.
Regional strategic cooperation will be the main item on the agenda
during talks. Karadayi will voice Turkish concerns to US officials over
the planned delivery of controversial Russian-made S-300 missiles to
Greek Cyprus by Russia. Karadayi and the delegation which will
accompany him during his visit to Washington will also hold talks with
the Pentagon regarding Turkey's air defense needs. /Sabah/
[09] TOBB CONVENTION MEETS IN ANKARA
The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) held
its regular 53rd general convention in Ankara over the weekend. The
election for the Board of Directors was held yesterday. While current
TOBB chairman, Fuat Miras, received 103 votes, Cengiz Kaptanoglu
received 111 votes, the highest in the election. /Hurriyet/
[10] PARLIAMENT'S SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's expected meeting with Republican
People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal on Monday is likely to
determine Parliament's working schedule for the week. The government
will again propose to the CHP that nighttime working hours and Fridays
be added to the Parliament's official schedule. /All papers/
[11] BRITAIN RE-EVALUATES CYPRUS MILITARY PLANS
It is reported that Britain has re-evaluated its military plans for
Cyprus became of the Greek Cyprus Administration's deployment of
Russian-made S-300 missiles next month. Accordingly the British Defense
and Foreign Ministries are preparing to set-up a huge air-bridge to
evacuate 250,000 British citizens from the island. According to the
Sunday Times, the British government will also cooperate with British
airways. The paper goes on to say that at the moment the British
government will not sent additional force to the island in order to
avoid cause any further reaction. /Milliyet/
[12] TALABANI: "WE WANT TO REBUILD RELATIONS WITH TURKEY"
Leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Celal Talabani
said in a special interview with daily Milliyet newspaper that they
would like to rebuild their relations with Turkey. He continued:
"After Turkey closed its doors against us, Iran became the only
alternative for us to open up to the world. We want to rebuild our
relations with Turkey. We have started initiatives and asked the US to
help us. However, we have not got any results yet. Turkey must believe
that we did not provide any military camps for the PKK. And we do not
approve of the PKK using northern Iraq as a base from where it can
attack Turkey." /Milliyet/
[13] BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
A delegation comprised of the representatives of the Middle East
Trade Committee (COMET) in England and top British tradesmen and
investors will visit Turkey between June 7-13 , when they will meet with
Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretary officials who will inform them
about the foreign trade capacity of Turkey and the rules to which
foreign investors must conform. /Cumhuriyet/
[14] TASAR PARTICIPATES IN FAO MEETING
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Mustafa Tasar
participated in the 21st European Conference arranged by the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Estonia last week.
Tasar said yesterday that he briefed participants about Turkish
agricultural policies. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] TURKISH PC FIRM ACCLAIMED BY US MAGAZINE
Nova Computer, one of the five Turkish computer firms active in
Chicago, was evaluated as the best system producer by "PC Today", a
noted magazine on computer technology. The firm is also developing
computer systems for US Naval Forces submarines. /Cumhuriyet/
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