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Turkish Press Review, 98-08-31
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
31.08.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] VICTORY DAY CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE
[02] CEM VISITING TRNC
[03] TURKEY PLEDGES $29.5 MLN IN LOANS, GRANTS TO BOSNIA
[04] BILISIM '98 FAIR
[05] SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENTS IN TRNC
[06] KINKEL CANCELS HIS VISIT TO TURKEY
[07] FOREST FIRE IN BLACK SEA REGION
[08] SECURITY FORCES CLASH WITH PKK
[09] BARZANI FORCES ATTACK PKK
[10] CIS BUSINESSMEN IN TURKEY
[11] A DRASTIC FALL IN STOCK EXCHANGE
[12] GAZIANTEP FRIGATE IN PORTSMOUTH
[13] UN REPORT ON 'GIVING BIRTH AT AN EARLY AGE'
[14] TURKS, ENGINE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY
[15] GERMANY TO BE OBSERVER IN BSEC
[01] VICTORY DAY CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE
Victory Day and Turkish Armed Forces Day were celebrated
nationwide, in embassies abroad and in the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday. The official ceremonies began
yesterday with the laying of a wreath at Ataturk's Mausoleum in
Anitkabir. Chief of General Staff Gen.Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Land
Forces Commander Gen.Atilla Ates, Naval Forces Commander Admiral
Salim Dervisoglu, Air Forces Commander Gen.Ilhan Kilic,
Gendarmery Forces Commander Gen.Rasim Betir, General Secretary
of the National Security Council (NSC) Gen.Ergin Celasin and
other top generals and military school students attended the
ceremony in Anitkabir.
The Chief of General Staff and the three commanders received
politicians in their offices. Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin,
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Chairman of Virtue Party (FP) Recai
Kutan, Head of the Constitutional Court Necdet Sezer, chiefs of
the higher judicial organs, Deputy Prime Minister Ismet Sezgin
and other representatives from the political parties visited the
General Staff headquarters yesterday.
President Suleyman Demirel, in his Victory Day message, stated
that whatever the conditions, the Turkish nation would work
miracles and write the legends of history whenever the
liberation, freedom and unification of its lands were in danger.
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz in his message described the August
30 victory as a monument to the freedom and sovereignty of the
Turkish nation.
[02] CEM VISITING TRNC
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is paying a one-day official visit to
the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) today. Cem will
take part in a joint press conference with TRNC President Rauf
Denktas. Representatives of the local and foreign press will be
able to cover the meeting, the Anatolia news agency reported. The
Greek Cypriot press claimed that Cem's visit was closely linked
to the current dispute on the island, just as political attempts
to solve the dispute will intensify in the coming days. The visit
follows a statement by Cem that Turkey would not change its
attitude on the upcoming delivery of the Russian-made long-range
anti-aircraft missiles to the Greek Cypriot Administration.
Meanwhile, a ship towing a 20,000 cubic-meter water balloon set
out on Sunday for the TRNC, arriving there on Monday. The water
is expected to meet the drinking water needs of the city of
Famagusta (Gazimagosa) as well as the Turkish section of Nicosia
(Lefkosa).
[03] TURKEY PLEDGES $29.5 MLN IN LOANS, GRANTS TO BOSNIA
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who returned from his one-day
Bosnia-Herzegovina trip on Sunday promised a total of $29.5
million to Bosnian authorities in loans and grants, the Anatolia
news agency reported. Ecevit also attended a ceremony marking the
Victory Day celebrations held by the Turkish brigade stationed in
the town of Zenica as part of the multi-national peacekeeping
force. Ecevit, who met in Sarajevo with President Alija
Izzetbegovic and Muslim-Croat Federation President Ejup Ganic,
held a press conference with co-premier Haris Sladzic over the
weekend. Ecevit told reporters that Ankara prepared an aid
package to help to heal the wounds of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
which survived a three-year-long bloody civil war in late 1995. A
$4 million portion of the package will be used as a loan to
improve the federation's aircraft carrier, the Airbosnia.
In addition, $10 million will be granted to the government for
reconstruction of damaged buildings in various populated areas.
The grant will be used to repair the Mostar Bridge, a remnant of
Ottoman-era architecture that was shelled during the civil war,
as well as for the repair and reconstruction of 850 residences
damaged in the war.
Ecevit attended Turkich Victory Day celebrations in Zenica
yesterday, the last day of his trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The celebrations were held by the Turkish peacekeeping forces
stationed in the town.
[04] BILISIM '98 FAIR
More than 100,000 people are expected to attend one of the most
exciting and challenging events to be held in Istanbul in
September. It is the Bilisim '98 Fair, opening on September 2 and
ending on September 6. This is an exhibition that includes
displays of the latest communications products, educational
seminars, speeches by leaders in the communications and cyber
fields and demonstrations of the latest equipment and software.
Bilisim '98 is the eighth largest information and communications
technology fair in Europe and the biggest in the Middle East.
/All papers/
[05] SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENTS IN TRNC
Economy Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) Erdal Onurhan said yesterday that a series of agreements
signed between Turkey and the TRNC would establish structural
balance in TRNC economy. Noting that half of TRNC imports were
from Turkey, Onurhan noted that there was a union of monetary and
trade between the two countries and added that they aimed to
integrate the two markets at the first stage. He stated that an
agreement signed between Turkey and the TRNC would provide state
incentives for entrepreneurs, who will make investments in the
TRNC. /Milliyet/
[06] KINKEL CANCELS HIS VISIT TO TURKEY
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel noted that he would not be
able to pay a visit to Turkey because of his intensive election
campaign programme. General elections will be held on September
27 in Germany. Kinkel pointed out the importance of voters of
Turkish origin living in Germany and added that they exerted
great efforts to gain their votes. /Milliyet/
[07] FOREST FIRE IN BLACK SEA REGION
130 hectares of forest near Sinop in the Western Black Sea
region, burned up following a fire which started three days ago
and was extinguished yesterday. /Sabah/
[08] SECURITY FORCES CLASH WITH PKK
One soldier died over the weekend during a clash with PKK
terrorists near the southeastern city of Bayburt. PKK terrorists
also launched rockets into a village near Saray, a district in
the eastern Anatolia the previous night, wounding two village
guards. /Sabah/
[09] BARZANI FORCES ATTACK PKK
The Voice of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party broadcast that
the forces belong to Mesut Barzani had launched a cleansing
operation against the PKK in northern Iraq. 15 PKK terrorists
have so far been killed during the operation. /Sabah/
[10] CIS BUSINESSMEN IN TURKEY
Solutions are searched for the recently decreasing suitcase trade
which entered an uncertain period with the devaluation of ruble
in Russia. Businessmen from Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) have been invited to Istanbul within the framework of a
promotion campaign started by Ileri Marketing and Fair
organization. The first delegation came from Kazakhstan.
Bilateral meetings are being held with businessmen dealing in
various fields differing from textiles to foodstuff, computers to
jewelry. Ileri marketing is organizing Expo-98 Turkish Export
Products' Fair in the bonded warehouses belonging to Turkish
Maritime Management. /Sabah/
[11] A DRASTIC FALL IN STOCK EXCHANGE
The Istanbul Stock Exchange index which has recently been in a
downward trend is entering the week with new great losses. News
coming from Russia and domestic market dynamics will determine
the direction of monetary markets this week. It will be seen how
effective the measures announced by the government to counter the
crisis will be. The government will take additional measures if
necessary, so it could be considered as a guarantee for
investors. /Sabah/
[12] GAZIANTEP FRIGATE IN PORTSMOUTH
Gaziantep Frigate which attended the International Naval Festival
in Portsmouth, Britain was the centre of attention of the
visitors because it was equipped with modern war technology and
distinguished crew. Commander of the Royal Navy Forces Admiral
Jock Slater was among those visiting the frigate. Admiral Slater
praised the discipline of the crew and journalists were surprised
to find all crew members speaking another language fluently other
than their own. /Sabah/
[13] UN REPORT ON 'GIVING BIRTH AT AN EARLY AGE'
A UN report on "Giving Birth at an Early Age" stated that
throughout the world, birth rate among women 15-19 years of age
was 0.65%, whereas this figure fell to 0.43% in Turkey. According
to these figures Turkey is one of the states placing below
average. /Sabah/
[14] TURKS, ENGINE OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY
According to a report of the Turkish Research Centre, the total
investments made by Turkish enterprises have reached DM 11.8
billion within the European Union countries. Within the borders
of the EU countries their total endorsement is announced as DM 50
billion. The report revealed that Turks were the most important
economic power of the union. As of the end of 1997 the number of
employers working in Turkish companies have increased to 257,000.
It is also reported that Turks contributed with an average of DM
33,000 to the Gross National Product (GNP) of Germany, the
Netherlands, France, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Austria and
Sweden. /Hurriyet/
[15] GERMANY TO BE OBSERVER IN BSEC
Germany wants to be an observer in the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC). According to a bulletin issued by the German
Embassy in Ankara, it is reported that Turkey supported Germany's
request. It is also announced that the BSEC would vote for
Germany's request in October. /Hurriyet/
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