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Turkish Press Review, 98-11-20Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>20.11.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] OCALAN TO ADVERSELY AFFECT TURCO-ITALIAN TIESTurkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in remarks to the Austrian News Agency yesterday that if Italy refuses to extradite the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey, it is possible that the PKK terrorist organization will reach the point of being able to blackmail European countries.After receiving the Turkish Ambassador to Rome, Inal Batu, Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema held an unexpected press conference in response to Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's remarks to Parliament on Wednesday. D'Alema said that the Italian judicial system itself would decide on whether or not to grant Ocalan asylum, adding: "We live in a state of law, and we enforce the law". Meanwhile, the 10-day detention period of Ocalan, who was apprehended by Italian authorities at the Rome Airport on November 12, will end on November 23. According to Italian law, Ocalan's detention can be extended further. /All papers/ [02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL RETURNS HOMEPresident Suleyman Demirel returned home yesterday after completing his offical visit to Austria. Evaluating his visit Demirel said, "Austria supports Turkey's European Union (EU) membership. My Austrian counterpart will hold contacts with 14 European countries to explain Turkey's views." He pointed out that the trip was very useful in explaining the Turkish thesis on EU membership and international terrorism. /Cumhuriyet/[03] HOUSE ARREST FOR OCALANItalian Justice Minister Luciano Diliberto ratified the detention of Ocalan without waiting for the legal period to be up on November 23, but asked him not to be detained in prison. In a statement issued by the Justice Ministry, the Chairman of the Rome Court of Appeals Andrea Vella was asked to change Ocalan's detention conditions to lighter ones. As he will not escape and due to his illness, it is envisaged for him to stay under house arrest. /Hurriyet/[04] "POLITICAL ASYLUM TO OCALAN WILL INCREASE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES"The Turkish delegation at the European Council (EC) Parliament Assembly, Sukru Yurur, Suha Tanik and Lale Aytaman sent a letter to their 33 Italian counterparts saying they believed that Italian deputies would refuse to give political asylum to Abdullah Ocalan. It reminded them that Ocalan was called a leader of a terrorist organization by the countries which condem terrorism. The letter added that Turkey believed that Italy would extradite Ocalan to Turkey in line with international agreements and the strategic concept of NATO.Meanwhile State Minister and Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) deputy chairman, Yildirim Aktuna said that if Italy refused to extradite Ocalan to Turkey then Turkey had the right to judge Ocalan in Italy. True Path Party deputy chairman, Hayri Kozakcioglu also said for his part that terrorism was like a gun, one day it would kick back. The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) Turco-Italian Parliaments Friendship Group also sent a letter to the Turkish Ambassador to Italy, Inal Batu to hand over to the Italian Parliament. /Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/ [05] NO SUPPORT FOR ITALY FROM EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTThe EU has stated that granting political asylum or extraditing Ocalan to Turkey was Italy's internal affair. In a statement it issued the EU did not give any of the hope or support to Italy which it was looking for. The EU Term President added that EU countries should refrain from statements offending Turkey. The statement said that a joint stand could be taken on 'terror' but the problem would not cover individuals. /Hurriyet/[06] PROTESTS FROM JOURNALISTS TO ITALYReactions to the attacks on Turkish journalists and the negative stand taken by the Italian police are continuing. Recently, an international organization, the Committee for Protecting Journalists (CPJ) protested to the Italian Ministry of the Interior on behalf of Turkish journalists who were attacked by the PKK while covering news about Ocalan. /Hurriyet/[07] EREZ SENDS LETTERS TO FIRMSIndustry and Trade Minister Yalim Erez is launching a huge campaign against Italy, which is hosting the leader of the PKK terrorist organization Abdullah Ocalan. Erez will send letters to Turkish firms, which have export-import connections with Italy and want them to explain Turkey's just case to Italy. Erez will point out in his letters that there is no Kurdish issue in Turkey and will tell the Turkish firms: "You have to explain to Italian officials the damage caused by PKK terrorism in Turkey and tell them that the PKK is a separatist terrorist organization". /Sabah/[08] 'HEAVY LOAD FOR ITALIAN GOVERNMENT'The Times said in its latest issue that the positive stance of Italy regarding the demand of Abdullah Ocalan for political asylum was increasing the anger of Turkey. The Times recalled that the PKK leader Ocalan not only wanted political asylum from Italy but also wanted Italy to mediate for a political solution between Turkey and the PKK. The Times also noted that the Turkish people's and businessmen's boycott against Italian goods could reach dimensions which could bother Italy.The Financial Times also devoted wide coverage to the news regarding Ocalan and said under the title 'D'Alema is seeking a solution to Ocalan impasse' that the reasons why the newly-established Italian government entered such a difficult situation have not been clarified yet. The newspaper also drew attention to the threat of a boycott by the Istanbul Chamber of Trade (ITO). /Sabah/ [09] US: 'SEND OCALAN TO TURKEY'The US believes that the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan should be extradited to Turkey from Italy to face charges brought against him for terrorist activities, State Department Spokesman James Rubin said. He added that the US has encouraged Italian authorities 'to seek assurance from the Turkish government that Turkey will fulfill its obligations under international human rights treaties and that Ocalan will receive equitable treatment under the law". /Sabah/[10] FOREIGN PRESSThe La Repubblica with the heading 'Italy-Turkey: High Tension' devoted coverage to the increasing tension between Turkey and Italy. The La Stampa Newspaper said: "Relations between Rome and Ankara are at a severable point".The New York Times newspaper criticized Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema who said: "The words of Abdullah Ocalan, who said that he would renounce terrorism, are sufficient for us to grant him political asylum". The Le Monde said that since many Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin were living in Europe, the problem of Southeastern Anatolia was of concern in Europe. /Sabah/ [11] IMMIGRATION FEARItaly, which is hosting the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, has two fears: One, the economic boycott to be implemented by Turkey, second, the immigration flow. Two days ago when the discussions to grant political asylum to Ocalan by the Italian government were continuing, a ship called 'Poisk', carrying 178 immigrants, was captured near Sicily. Officials from the Italian Immigration Bureau said that because of the tolerant stance of the Italian government many northern Iraqi immigrants including some PKK members can enter the country without any hinderance and added that this would cause many great problems in the future. /Sabah/[12] FOUR PKK TERRORISTS CAPTUREDFour members of the PKK terrorist organization have been captured during operations in Mersin and Iskenderun with weapons and organizational documents. /Sabah/[13] ITALIAN SECOND SPEAKER: 'APO IS A BUTCHER'Yesterday, the Second Speaker of the Italian Assembly, Carlo Giovanardo, met the Turkish Ambassador to Rome, Inal Batu. Following the meeting, Batu said that Giovanardo had noted that the leader of the PKK separatist organization Abdullah Ocalan should be immediately ousted. Giovanardo also stated that Ocalan was a 'butcher'. /Sabah/[14] PKK 'USES' ITALIAN MPsA Greens Deputy and member of the Senate, Stefano Boco, claimed that he had written a letter of invitation to the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. In his remarks to an Italian daily, Boco said that members of National Front for the Liberation of Kurdistan (ERNK), the political arm of the PKK, had insisted on his writing the letter. After realizing that he was being used by the separatists, Boco said that he had tried to prevent the letter from being conveyed to Ocalan by not signing it, but he admitted that he failed in this attempt. The Italian deputy stated that he had also invited Kani Yilmaz, the ERNK spokesman in Europe, to Rome. /Sabah/[15] TEMPERS RUNNING HIGHFollowing statements from Italian officials that displayed a warm attitude towards the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, a nationwide campaign erupted against Italy, with mass street demonstrations and calls for a boycott of Italian goods. The nationwide wave of protests continued to gain pace and the Italian Embassy in Ankara and the Italian Consulate in Istanbul continued to be the main focus of emotional mass demonstrations. /All papers/[16] KELLY EVALUATES OCALAN ISSUEThe Spokesman of the US Embassy in Ankara, Ian Kelly said they believed a formula could be found for the extradition of Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey because Turkey was the only country which asked for Ocalan's extradition from Italy. "The greater part of the crimes which were said to be committed by Ocalan took place in Turkey and against Turkish citizens," added Kelly.One of the senior officials of the US Secretary of State claimed if Ocalan was given political asylum, he would go around the whole of Europe through the "Shengen way" and he would freely conduct new terrorist activities in European countries. /Cumhuriyet/ [17] TURSAB CANCELS TOURS TO ITALYThe Turkish Travel Agencies' Union (TURSAB) announced that travel agencies had cancelled their organized tours to Italy, which refused to extradite Abdullah Ocalan. Representatives of TURSAB sent a letter to the Italian Travelling Agencies' Union (FIAVET) to ask them to start initiatives with the Italian government for Ocalan's handing over to Turkey in order to prevent probable damage in tourism relations between the two countries.Meanwhile, the Turkish Shoe Producers' Federation deputy chairman, Celal Kilic said that they decided to stop shoe imports from Italy and would not sell Italian shoes in stores. He added that 500,000 shoe-sellers in Turkey boycotted Italy's attitude regarding the Ocalan issue. Also, the Izmir Metropolitan Munacipality excluded the Italian Pirelli company from the bid to buy two thousands bus wheels. It is announced that the cost of the bid is about TL 1 trillion. The Chairman of Migros, one of the biggest supermarket chain in Turkey, Bulent Ozaydinli said that they stopped imports of investment goods from Italy. Ozaydinli added that although an important part of their investment goods were from Italy, they decided not to sell Italian goods until Turco-Italian relations were normalized. /Milliyet/ [18] BIR: "COOPERATION IN THE BALKANS IS ESSENTIAL"The Sixth Experts Meeting of the Multi-National Peace Force of Southeastern Europe started yesterday in Istanbul. Delivering an opening speech at the meeting, First Army Commander Gen.Cevik Bir pointed out the importance of the development in cooperation among the Balkan countries. The meeting, which will also continue today, is being attended by high-level commanders from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania and Italy. Slovenian and US representatives are participating in the meeting as observers. /Sabah/[19] PROPOSAL FOR CENSURE MOTION ACCEPTEDA proposal to put a censure motion against Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and State Minister Gunes Taner on the agenda of the Parliament was accepted yesterday at the Plenary Session. 523 deputies attended the voting. While 213 deputies said 'No', 310 deputies cast their votes in favour of the censure motion, which will be discussed on November 23. No-confidence voting against the government will be held on November 25. /Sabah/[20] TURKEY RANKS AS 16TH LARGEST ECONOMYTurkey ranks as the 16th largest economy in the world when Gross National Product (GNP) is adjusted according to purchasing power parity (PPP). Turkey's GNP in 1997 was $409.7 billion when calculated according to the PPP formula. /All papers/[21] CELEBI: 'WE ARE WAITING FOR BRITAIN'"We are waiting for Britain to clarify its ideas on the transportation of oil and natural gas from the Caspian Sea" said State Minister Isin Celebi yesterday. He further said that Turkey wanted to cooperate in the evaluation of the natural resources with Britain.Celebi was speaking at a press conference he held with British Foreign Trade Minister Derek Fatchett following a meeting of the Turco-British Business Council in Istanbul. /All papers/ [22] TURKEY TACKLING DIRTY MONEYTurkey is willing and resolute to fight against money laundering, officials from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have said. The FATF has 26 member states and was founded by the G-7 countries in 1989. The FATF officials came to Turkey last week and met officials from the Finance Ministry's Investigation Board for Financial Crimes and members of the police department and banking and insurance sectors concerning steps taken by Turkey to counter money laundering, the Anatolia news agency reports. A report will be completed by the FATF by the beginning of next year. This report will be presented to the FATF General Council in June 1999.[23] PENTAGON PLANS TO SELL 11 FRIGATES TO TURKEYThe US Department of Defense has announced that it is planning to sell 11 frigates to Turkey. The surplus frigates, of which three are FFG-7 Perry-class and seven are FF 1052 Knoxx, will be sold to Turkey for $205 million. Some of the Knoxx-class frigates had earlier been leased to Turkey and are presently serving in the Turkish Navy. A statement from the Pentagon said that the frigates would be necessary for the long-term modernization of the Turkish Naval Forces and would further strengthen them against enemy submarine attacks. /Sabah/[24] TUSIAD OPENS WASHINGTON OFFICEA Washington branch of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) was opened yesterday. David Aaron, US deputy trade secretary, gave a speech as part of the "Turkey and the World" panel held to open the branch. He said that the Turkish economy has followed a successful policy line in the last 10 years. "We support the economic reform endeavours of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and the Staff Monitoring Agreement that Turkey signed with the IMF".A TUSIAD delegation composed of 50 businessmen went to Washington for the opening the TUSIAD branch office. The organization will promote Turkey in the US. /Hurriyet/ [25] TURKISH F-16S LAND IN TRNCSix Turkish F-16 fighter jets landed yesterday at the Gecitkale air base in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as part of Toros-2_98 military exercises, the Anatolia news agency reported. TRNC President Rauf Denktas enthusiastically welcomed the jets. Their arrival is a message to Greece on the dimensions of the solidarity between Turkey and the TRNC, Denktas said.[26] TURCO-AZERI COOPERATION IN STRAITSTurkish and Azerbaijani architects have started a cooperation process to protect the Straits against the harmful effects of oil tankers. The Turkish and Azerbaijani Architects' Union said that the cultural and environmental assets of the had Straits could not be turned into an "oil way". And that they started a campaign to support the transport of Black Sea Caspian oil to the Mediterranean via Anatolia through on oil pipe-line. For this purpose, the chairman of the Turkish Architects' Union, Oktay Ekinci and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev signed a protocol agreement on 16 November in Istanbul. /Cumhuriyet/[27] BEKO TO BUY FACTORY IN FRANCEBeko Electronics of the Koc Corp., one of the leading firms in the Turkish private sector, started initiatives to buy a factory in France. The Vice-President of the company, Aydin Cubukcu, said that they aimed to produce televisions in Europe. He added that Beko Electronics was the sixth biggest company selling televisions in Europe. /Milliyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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