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Turkish Press Review, 98-08-19
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
19.08.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] MILLER IN ANKARA
[02] US DELEGATION VISITS TRNC
[03] MERRILL LYNCH EVALUATES TURKISH ECONOMY
[04] CONFLICT ALONG TURKISH-IRAQI BORDER
[05] YILMAZ: "TURKEY IS READY TO HELP RUSSIA"
[06] BAYKAL TO KOSOVO
[07] 22 FUGITIVES SENT BACK
[08] FRENCH GALA MAGAZINE PRAISES TURKISH COASTS
[09] STOCK EXCHANGE UP
[10] MORE SUPPORT FOR REGIONS HIT BY FLOODS
[01] MILLER IN ANKARA
US State Department Special Coordinator for Cyprus Thomas Miller
arrived in Ankara yesterday for talks with high-level officials.
Speaking to reporters at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, Miller said
that he did not bring any specific plan for the resolution of the
Cyprus problem but just wanted to speak with Turkish officials.
Today, Miller is scheduled to have talks with Foreign Minister
Ismail Cem, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and State
Minister Sukru Sina Gurel. After completing his meetings in
Ankara, Miller is expected to travel on to Athens. He will pay a
visit to Cyprus in September.
Commenting on Miller's mediation efforts, President of the
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas said
yesterday that "the US aimed at preserving the balance in the
region". Denktas called on Greek Cypriot Leader Glafkos Klerides
to act with prudence and give up "this mad eagerness" to deploy
the S-300 missiles on the island.
Meanwhile, having come under strong international pressure to
cancel the planned deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles on
Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot Administration may postpone the
weaponry's arrival for nine months, Greek Cypriot press reports
claimed. The Mahi daily reported yesterday that Klerides would
announce the postponement in his speech at the upcoming UN
General Assembly session in New York, according to the Anatolia
news agency.
[02] US DELEGATION VISITS TRNC
A group of advisers to American congressmen and senators arrived
in the TRNC yesterday to monitor first-hand the realities in
Cyprus. Mike Delph, David Silverstein, Charrisse Glassman, Tev
Thomson and Blake Gable were received by TRNC President Rauf
Denktas and Parliamentary Speaker Hakki Atun, who explained in
detail the historic and contemporary facts regarding the Cyprus
problem.
The American delegation will stay in the TRNC until Friday and
then cross to the Greek Cypriot side for similar meetings. /All
papers/
[03] MERRILL LYNCH EVALUATES TURKISH ECONOMY
Leading international consulting firm Merrill Lynch said that if
Turkey refrains from implementing pre-election populist policies,
the downward trend in inflation will continue. Merrill Lynch, a
consultant for Turk Telekom, said if the government were to limit
public sector hikes and maintain its anti-inflation programme,
economic stability could be achieved. It further noted that the
government was successful adhering to its Staff Monitoring
Programme signed with the IMF but that additional raises promised
to public sector workers could harm the credibility of the
programme, the Anatolia news agency reported. In its report on
Turkey, Merrill Lynch praised Turkey's privatization efforts and
the newly enacted tax law.
[04] CONFLICT ALONG TURKISH-IRAQI BORDER
During a conflict between Turkish security forces and members of
the PKK terrorist organization along the Turkish-Iraqi border,
three Turkish soldiers and one village guard died while another
village guard was wounded. /Sabah/
[05] YILMAZ: "TURKEY IS READY TO HELP RUSSIA"
Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz announced that Turkey was
ready to help Russia within her limits. Yilmaz answered
journalists' questions before the Cabinet meeting yesterday
saying: "Russia is the second biggest trade partner of Turkey.
And that the economic crisis which Russia has been experiencing
will negatively affect Turkey. So we should take the necessary
precautions in order not to suffer from negative results of the
crisis." /Milliyet/
[06] BAYKAL TO KOSOVO
Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz Baykal,
will go to Kosovo to observe the recent developments in the
region where there has been a conflict between Albanians and
Serbs and also Serbian massacre over civilian people of Kosovo.
Baykal will be accompanied by CHP deputies Bulent Tanla, Mehmet
Sevigen and Irfan Gurpinar. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] 22 FUGITIVES SENT BACK
As a result of the applications made by the Turkish Justice
Ministry to various countries for the last one year, 22
fugitives, who are presumed to live abroad and are being sought
for juridical crimes, have been sent to Turkey. Among the
countries, which gave positive replies to Turkey's applications,
Germany (9) ranks first. The Netherlands (3), France, Belgium,
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (2), Iran, Pakistan,
Romania and Monaco (1) come after Germany. However the US
rejected all applications made by Turkey. Meanwhile, 18 of the
applications made by European countries to Turkey have been
approved. /Sabah/
[08] FRENCH GALA MAGAZINE PRAISES TURKISH COASTS
The French Gala magazine devoted four pages to Turkey's coasts in
its recent issue. The magazine praised the coasts extending from
Bodrum to Antalya. An article written by Gala correspondent
Pascale Desclos noted that Turkey was full of wonderful histocial
assests and natural beauties. /Sabah/
[09] STOCK EXCHANGE UP
Just as stock exchanges the world over rise, the Istanbul Stock
Exchange rose yesterday by 1.9%, with a 60 points increase in
index. Transaction volume, however, decreased by 27%. /Hurriyet/
[10] MORE SUPPORT FOR REGIONS HIT BY FLOODS
The Council of Ministers declared yesterday that the Black Sea
regions of Trabzon, Rize and Sakarya which have been hit by
floods will get more financial support and, that farmers and
tradesmen in the region will be given new loans. Calling the
region as "disaster area" the council increased their shares from
the budget to recover the people in the region. /Hurriyet/
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