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Turkish Press Review, 98-07-14
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
14.07.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN ALBANIA
[02] CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS US
[03] RUGOVA WANTS TO MEET DEMIREL
[04] FIVE ARRESTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM
[05] EU AND GERMAN AID FLOWS TO PKK
[06] PKK: TRYING TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
[07] INVESTMENTS IN AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASE
[08] AUTHORITIES BLAST REPORTS OF BUILDING AIR BASE FOR ISRAEL
[09] SCHUSSEL: "RELATIONS WITH TURKEY TOPS AUSTRIA'S EU AGENDA"
[10] SONMEZ APPOINTED TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
[11] THY RANKS AMONGST EUROPEAN GIANTS
[12] EL-MASUR: "SYRIA USES PKK"
[13] DENKTAS: "S-300 MISSILES WILL GET A RESPONSE"
[14] MISSILES COVERED IN GREEK CYPRUS ADMINISTRATION PRESS
[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN ALBANIA
President Suleyman Demirel is leaving for Tirana, the capital of
Albania, to pay a two-day official visit. Demirel, who was invited by
the President of Albania Recep Meidani, will stress Turkey's influential
position in the Balkans. Demirel and an accompanying delegation will
hold various meetings and emphasize that Turkey is ready to do
everything in its power to help Albania during Albania's current
transitional period./Hurriyet/
[02] CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF VISITS US
Chief of General Staff Ismail Hakki Karadayi went yesterday to the
United States. Karadayi will visit the city of Norfolk where the US
Atlantic Fleet is based. Karadayi will also participate in meetings to
be held on Thursday at the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Defense
Department. /Milliyet/
[03] RUGOVA WANTS TO MEET DEMIREL
The leader of the ethnic Albanians in Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, has
reportedly requested a meeting with President Suleyman Demirel who is
starting a state a state visit to Albania to pave the way for a more
actives role for Turkey in the Balkans. The Anatolia news agency
reported yesterday that Rugova will ask for support from Demirel during
his tour in Albania, which starts today. A senior official from the
Foreign Ministry said that Rugova had been invited to Turkey by Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem, adding that the date for the visit had not yet been
set.
[04] FIVE ARRESTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM
Following the apprehension of a number of Hizbullah militants in
Kocaeli, a team from the security administration in Sakarya arrested
yesterday five persons allegedly involved in an Islamic fundamentalist
movement led by Metin Kaplan, who replaced his father Cemalettin "black
voice" Kaplan, known as the "black voice", after his death. After
searches in the suspects' houses and offices, the police confiscated
propaganda materials including videos, tape cassettes and illegal
publications. The police also found "letters from individuals vowing to
follow their chief, Kaplan." These letters are used to recruit new
members for the organization. /Milliyet/
[05] EU AND GERMAN AID FLOWS TO PKK
Grants worth millions of German marks, sent by the EU to Northern
Iraq as humanitarian aid, is said to be conveyed by "Medico
International" to the PKK. " Medico International" based in Göttingen,
Germany, is known for its support of anti-Turkish groups. "Medico
International"; which has been helping the PKK to organize
demonstrations under other names, after being banned in Germany, is also
seeking ways to have the ban lifted./Hurriyet/
[06] PKK: TRYING TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT
The PKK, which is on the verge of collapse due to the military
blows it has been given within Turkey, is trying to survive in the
international arena. According to intelligence sources, the PKK cells
abroad are trying for a meeting between PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, and
Human Rights Group Chairman Lord Avery of the British Parliament.
/Hurriyet/
[07] INVESTMENTS IN AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASE
Investments in the automotive sector in 1997 showed an increase of
57.2% when compared to the previous year. According to data given by
the June bulletin of the Automotives Industry Association, total
investments of $ 220 million in 1996, this year reached $ 346 million,
with an increase of $ 126 million. /Hurriyet/
[08] AUTHORITIES BLAST REPORTS OF BUILDING AIR BASE FOR ISRAEL
A weekend report in the US based Christian Science Monitor claimed
that Ankara was building an air base exclusively for Israel's use in
eastern Turkey. Turkish military and diplomatic officials as well as
their Israeli counterparts have denied the claims saying that there
would be no logic behind building an air base in Turkey specifically
designed for for excercises by Israeli aircraft. A statement from the
Foreign Ministry in Ankara said that the report in the Monitor was
deliberately aimed at disrupting ties between Turkey and Israel and
added that the military cooperation between Turkey and Israel was not
aimed against any third country. Air Force Commander Ilham Kilic also
denied the report. /Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet/
[09] SCHUSSEL: "RELATIONS WITH TURKEY TOPS AUSTRIA'S EU AGENDA"
Addressing a European Union (EU) Council meeting on Monday, current
EU term president, Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schussel, said
that Austria will put special emphasis on EU relations with Turkey. He
said that reviving the Turkish accession process and making use of the
EU's Strategy for Turkey was a priority issue for them. On the Cyprus
problem, Schussel stressed the importance of Turkish Cypriots taking
part in accession talks along with Greek Cyprus. /Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet/
[10] SONMEZ APPOINTED TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
Rustu Sonmez, a new member of the Constitutional Court, began his
official duties on Monday following a swearing-in ceremony. President
Demirel, Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin, President of the
Constitutional Court Ahmet Necdi Sezer, members of the Constitutional
Court and Justice Minister Oltan Sungurlu were present at the ceremony.
/Hurriyet/Cumhuriyet/
[11] THY RANKS AMONGST EUROPEAN GIANTS
Turkish Airlines (THY) has become the seventh biggest airline
company in Europe. According to research by the International Airline
Transportation Association (IATA) the number of passengers carried by
THY rose to 9.4 million in 1997, reported the Anatolia news agency.
[12] EL-MASUR: "SYRIA USES PKK"
Syrian Prof.Abdul Aziz El-Mansur said in an article on the
Arabicnews.com Internet site that his country uses the PKK as a
political weapon against Turkey. "Regarding the water issue Syria has
two choices; one is cooperation in trade and economy and political
pressure by establishing an Arab alliance against Turkey-Israel military
cooperation. This alliance includes strategic relations with the PKK
and Iran," said El-Mansur. /Sabah/
[13] DENKTAS: "S-300 MISSILES WILL GET A RESPONSE"
Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos
Clerides confirmed on Monday in Moscow that a controversial deal on the
transfer of Russian-made antiaircraft S-300 missiles to Greek Cyprus
will proceed as agreed.
Meanwhile President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) Rauf Denktas repeated warnings that they would retaliate if Greek
Cypriots deploy S-300 missiles on the island. "Our position today
stands at a point where you will get a response to whatever you do,"
said Denktas. /All papers/
[14] MISSILES COVERED IN GREEK CYPRUS ADMINISTRATION PRESS
Newspapers published in the Greek Cyprus administration report that
there is a possibility that Russian-made S-300 missiles will be either
sold to other countries or will be deployed outside of Cyprus. A
decision to delay or cancel the delivery of the missiles will be given
by the Greek Cyprus administration. /Milliyet/Cumhuriyet/
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