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Turkish Press Review, 98-12-22
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
22.12.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL TO DESIGNATE A SECOND CANDIDATE
[02] FIRST PRIVATE WIND ENERGY PLANT IN TURKEY
[03] TURKISH MEDAL TO ITALIAN SINAGRA
[04] DINI: "OCALAN ISSUE IS BEING SOLVED"
[05] 'OCALAN SHOULD BE ARRESTED"
[06] BARGAINING OVER OCALAN
[07] YILMAZ: "ITALY MOVES IN ZIGZAGS"
[08] PISAPIA: "OCALAN IS READY TO LEAVE"
[09] BERSANI VISITS TURKEY
[10] LEGAL COMPLAINT AGAINST OCALAN FROM KURDS
[11] ITALIAN PRESS DAMNS OCALAN
[12] ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT AWAITS EXTRADITION
[13] TURKISH CONCERN OVER DEATHS IN IRAQ
[14] NO PETROL FROM IRAQ FOR ONE MONTH
[15] TURKISH GROWTH RATE 2.9 % IN 1999
[16] RUSSIAN CRISIS AND TURKEY
[17] 133-DAY BOND EXPORTS FROM TREASURY
[18] WHO CAN BE? ---BY RAUF TAMER (SABAH)
[19] SUBMERGED SUBMARINE FOUND IN MARMARA
[20] CENTRAL BANK STARTS FOREIGN EXHANGE ACCOUNTS OVER EURO
[21] HUGE INVESTMENT BY PETKIM
[22] 120 HADEP MEMBERS ARE UNDER ARREST
[23] ATATURK PANEL IN SOFIA
[24] EFFORTS TO ENLIVEN TOURISM IN AEGEAN
[25] A NEW THERMAL POWER PLANT IN ZONGULDAK
[01] DEMIREL TO DESIGNATE A SECOND CANDIDATE
President Suleyman Demirel started his second round of
consultations with party leaders after Democratic Left Party
(DSP) leader Bulent Ecevit returned the mandate to form Turkey's
new government. Virtue Party (FP) leader Recai Kutan said that
his conversation with Demirel left him with the impression that
the President was leaning towards naming a Parliamentary member
who is not a party leader to form the new government. Republican
People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal and Democratic Turkey
Party (DTP) leader Husamettin Cindoruk said that they would
support such a government formula under the leadership of a
deputy from Parliament, though the deputy would need to have the
support of most of the parties in Parliament. On the other hand,
True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller, claiming that she
should be in charge of forming a new government that would carry
the nation to the upcoming elections, said that if Demirel
appoints a deputy from Parliament, her party would not support
the resulting government. Meanwhile, Ecevit said that his party
would refuse any alliance with the FP. /All papers/
[02] FIRST PRIVATE WIND ENERGY PLANT IN TURKEY
Turkey's first private wind energy power plant was completed in
Cesme, Izmir. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday opened the
power plant, which belongs to Gucbirligi Corp. and cost $ 8.7
million. In the opening ceremony Yilmaz said that the State's
conditions were not enough to meet the energy need of Turkey and
that they should attract the attention of more private and
foreign capital to invest in energy.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday also attended a
foundation-laying ceremony at Yalova State Hospital. /Aksam/
[03] TURKISH MEDAL TO ITALIAN SINAGRA
Italian Augusto Sinagra, Honorary Representative of the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), was given the Merit Award of
the Republic of Turkey in return for his fruitful efforts for the
TRNC. The award was presented to Sinagra by the Turkish
Ambassador to Rome, Inal Batu, in the name of President Suleyman
Demirel. At the ceremony Batu said that Prof. Sinagra was one of
the few people who supported the just cause of Turkish-Cypriots
without expecting any advantage for himself. /Aksam/
[04] DINI: "OCALAN ISSUE IS BEING SOLVED"
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lamberto Dini, said that
the Abdullah Ocalan issue was being solved. Dini noted that if
Ocalan was not given political asylum by Italian judicial
authorities, he would be immediately expelled. /Turkiye/
[05] 'OCALAN SHOULD BE ARRESTED"
The Public Prosecutor of the Italian Republic in Rome, Giovanni
Malerba, said that there was the risk of Abdullah Ocalan fleeing
away and that he should be arrested. He added that Ocalan could
be handed over to Turkey depending on the crimes that he had
committed in the past. Malerba officially asked the Rome Court of
Justice to take the necessary measures due to the possibility of
Ocalan's escape. He noted that there were six arrest warrant for
Ocalan and some trials in Turkey. Malerba pointed out that Ocalan
could be handed over to Turkey depending on three investigations
which do not foresee the application of the death penalty.
/Aksam-Cumhuriyet/
[06] BARGAINING OVER OCALAN
The Secretary-General of the Italian Foreign Ministry Umberto
Vattani and Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary
Ambassador Faruk Logoglu, held a meeting yesterday at the Turkish
Embassy in Rome. During the meeting, the extradition of the PKK
leader Abdullah Ocalan to a third country and the recent
statements by Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema were
discussed. The Turkish Ambassador to Rome, Inal Batu, and
Minister Counsellor Ahmet Gurkan were also present at the
meeting. No detailed information was given about the meeting.
/Sabah/
[07] YILMAZ: "ITALY MOVES IN ZIGZAGS"
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that Italy should stop moving in
zigzags and should act as a state of law. Yilmaz replied to
questions from Italian journalists at Ankara's Esenboga Airport
and said that no response to Turkey's demand for the extradition
of the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan has been yet received. Yilmaz
pointed out that before receiving an official reply to Turkey's
demand, it would be illegal to discuss other alternatives.
/Sabah/
[08] PISAPIA: "OCALAN IS READY TO LEAVE"
Giuliano Pisapia, the lawyer of the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan,
said that Ocalan understood that his presence in Italy was
creating problems and therefore if the possibility of the
establishment of an international tribunal is not forthcoming, he
was ready to leave Italy. Delivering a speech on RAI 3 Radio
yesterday morning, Pisapia noted that Ocalan came to Italy to
demand political asylum and he was ready to be tried at an
international tribunal. /Sabah/
[09] BERSANI VISITS TURKEY
The Italian Minister of Industry, Pierluigi Bersani, who visited
Ankara yesterday for talks regarding the ongoing commercial
crisis between Turkey and Italy, failed to achieve a common
understanding for the solution of the crisis. Following his
meetings with Turkish Ministers in Ankara, Bersani went to
Istanbul for meetings with the representatives of the Italian
companies in Istanbul and with the members of the Turkish
Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD). Italian
ENI company representative Alessandro Guerrera accompanied the
Italian Minister.
Bersani met the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Cumhur
Ersumer, and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Yalim Erez.
Ersumer said, following his meeting with the Italian Minister,
that Turkey is not willing to cooperate any further with Italy.
"Our attitude will not change regardless of the economic risks"
Ersumer said, in response to economic concerns voiced by Bersani.
Erez made a more moderate statement following his meeting with
Bersani. "The Turkish government has made no decision to boycott
Italian goods, although we have the right to do so set out in
government protocol" Erez said. "On the contrary, we want to
boost our economic ties with Italy" he added. Erez said that
Bersani assured him that Italy would not grant political asylum
to Ocalan and was considering whether to seek his trial in Europe
or expel him to a third country. /All papers/
[10] LEGAL COMPLAINT AGAINST OCALAN FROM KURDS
Two Kurdish families in Sweden made a legal complaint against
Ocalan and demanded that the members of the "Commission for the
Investigation of Olof Palme Assassination" cross-examine Ocalan
in Rome. Mahmut (Kurdo) Baksi, a citizen of Sweden and the
founder of the Stockholm office of the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP), declared that Lamia Baksi, his nephew, had been murdered
on Ocalan's orders while she was working for the PKK. Baksi also
claimed that in Sweden alone there are at least 30 families whose
relatives had been murdered while working for the PKK. Meanwhile,
another family argued that one of their relatives had been killed
on Ocalan's orders in Syria in 1990 and a great deal of evidence
could be found on this incidence in the media sponsored by the
PKK. Jan Daielsson, the Chief Public Prosecutor, said that the
decision concerning Ocalan's cross-examination by the members of
the Palme Commission would be given in the new year. /Hurriyet/
[11] ITALIAN PRESS DAMNS OCALAN
Il Borghese and L'Expresso, the leading Italian magazines, wrote
that Ocalan is an outrageous baby-killer. Displaying the
photograph of a shot baby on the cover, Il Borghese asked the
Italian government whether they were still considering "giving
the right to political asylum to this murderer", whereas
L'Expresso noted that it was then publicly known that Ocalan is a
baby-killer. /Hurriyet/
[12] ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT AWAITS EXTRADITION
While legal attempts are being made to find a third country for
the PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been released by the
Court of Appeals in Rome, Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No 2
is awaiting his extradition. Ocalan is being tried in absentia at
Ankara DGM for treachery and crimes against the country and its
sovereignty. The judge of the court postponed the hearing
yesterday to wait for the conclusion of the procedures regarding
the extradition of Ocalan. /Milliyet/
[13] TURKISH CONCERN OVER DEATHS IN IRAQ
Turkey has stated it is pleased that the air operation carried
out by the US against Iraq is over and expressed its deep concern
over the loss of lives in Iraq during the operation. According to
a statement made by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkey attached
great importance to the territorial integrity and political unity
of Iraq. The statement said: "Turkey believes that Iraq will
abide by UN Security Council resolutions and thus sanctions
against Iraq will end, and Iraq, as an important country in the
region, will take its place on the international platform", the
Anatolia news agency reports.
[14] NO PETROL FROM IRAQ FOR ONE MONTH
There will no trade in petrol from the Habur Border Gate because
the Basra Filling Station was bombed during the air strike
against Iraq. Silopi District Governor Mustafa Demir recalled
that the Habur Border Gate had been closed and said that,
following the end of the air strike, no crude oil would enter via
the border gate because Iraq does not carry its oil into Northern
Iraq. Demir noted that the restoration of the station would take
at least one month. He said that if petrol was provided by other
cities, the trade in petrol could resume. /Sabah/
[15] TURKISH GROWTH RATE 2.9 % IN 1999
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its 1998
economic growth rate for Turkey and increased it from 3.7 % to
4.4 %. In a report, 'Appearance of the World Economy', published
by the IMF yesterday, Turkey's growth rate would be 2.9 % in
1999. The report noted that Turkey was the country most affected
by the crisis in Russia since there were close commercial
relations between Turkey and this country. The report said that
great efforts were on-going in Turkey to reduce the inflation
rate. /Milliyet/
[16] RUSSIAN CRISIS AND TURKEY
The Regional Coordinator of the Foreign Economic Relations
Council (DEIK), Turan Aydin, said that Russia's decision to form
a reserve stock of consumption goods such as food, medicine and
clothing would be an opportunity for Turkey's export market.
Aydin added that the Commomwealth of Independent States (CIS)
would pay their natural gas debts to Russia in food, medicine and
clothing and that regional countries were applying encouragement
policies for the production of these goods. In addition, Turkey's
food production and textile machines would be increased, Aydin
noted. /Turkiye-Cumhuriyet/
[17] 133-DAY BOND EXPORTS FROM TREASURY
The Treasury will export 133-day (nearly 4.5 months) bonds on
December 23. The repayment of the bonds will be on May 5, 1999.
It is foreseen that net borrowing worth Tl 100-200 trillion will
be achieved. /Milliyet/
[18] WHO CAN BE? ---BY RAUF TAMER (SABAH)
Rauf Tamer, a journalist from the daily Sabah newspaper, says in
his article today: "The situation is clear. The duty to form a
new government will be given either to one of the leaders or to a
deputy. If it is given to a leader, will it be given to Recai
Kutan or to Ciller? If traditions are put aside, these two have
little chance. Then who can it be? Mesut Yilmaz? No, he has been
recently relieved of his duties. Ecevit? No. He tried for 24 days
but he could not form the new government. Cindoruk? No. He is not
a deputy. Then who can it be? Baykal? This means that the
premiership of a leader is hard.
Another alternative is a deputy. Any deputy. Who can it be? I am
absolutely convinced that the President has a name in his mind.
However he does not say. When the time comes, he will call him
on, and appoint him. I personally think it will be a surprising
name. If 45 days is over, what can be done? Nothing. The
Constitution has limited the period with the threat of an
election. The election decision has already been taken. Then
there is nothing to fear.
We are not waiting for miracles from the new government. The
anonymous heroes of bureaucracy have already carried the burden.
Again they will. Maybe new leaders will be able to emerge.
/Sabah/
[19] SUBMERGED SUBMARINE FOUND IN MARMARA
The wreck of AE2, the Australian submarine which had been the
first to pass up the Dardanelles during the First World War but
was sunk by the gunfire of a Turkish destroyer immediately after
her entrance into the Marmara, was found at a depth of 72 meters
after 83 years. It is reported that it will cost $600 thousand to
take the wreck out of the sea. /Hurriyet/
[20] CENTRAL BANK STARTS FOREIGN EXHANGE ACCOUNTS OVER EURO
The Central Bank announced that, for Turkish citizens living
abroad, it will begin to open "foreign exchange accounts with a
cash letter of credit" (KMDTH) and "super foreign exchange
accounts" in terms of Euro as well by the new financial year. The
limit for the KMDTH will be 1,000 Euro while it will be 15,000
Euro for super foreign exchange accounts. /Hurriyet/
[21] HUGE INVESTMENT BY PETKIM
The Petkim Petro-chemical Corporation will achieve three
investments at a cost of TL 354.6 trillion. Petkim will make an
TL 6.7 trillion investment in Aliaga to increase calor gas
production by 10,000 tons. The firm will also invest in a TL 550
billion completion project and finally a TL 126 billion
modernization project with the aim of chemical refining in
Aliaga. /Aksam/
[22] 120 HADEP MEMBERS ARE UNDER ARREST
120 HADEP militants held a demonstration yesterday in Bagcilar,
Istanbul to support the chief of the separatist terrorist
organization. The police asked them to end the demonstration;
however, they started to attack police by throwing stones. At
that, the police placed the militants under arrest. /Turkiye/
[23] ATATURK PANEL IN SOFIA
As part of the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of the
Republic of Turkey and the 60th anniversary of the death of
Ataturk, a conference on "Contemporary Turkey and Ataturk" was
organized in Sofia. The Turkish Ambassador to Sofia, Tahsin
Burcuoglu, gave the opening speech of the conference. In his
speech Burcuoglu said that Turkey and Bulgaria were always allied
and friendly to each other. /Cumhuriyet/
[24] EFFORTS TO ENLIVEN TOURISM IN AEGEAN
Important steps are beginning to be taken as part of the efforts
in the tourism sector between Greece and Turkey. Turkey and
Greece mutually decided to increase their maritime schedules. It
is noted that such an increase in schedules would contribute to
the shore trade. Representatives of the Greek and Turkish tourism
sector said that daily voyages would increase between the islands
of the two countries. They added that festivals and youth camps
should be organized to increase the tourism potential between
Turkey and Greece. /Cumhuriyet/
[25] A NEW THERMAL POWER PLANT IN ZONGULDAK
The US CMS firm is seeking an advantageous region in the
Catalagzi district of Zonguldak in order to construct a thermal
power plant with a capacity of 700 megawatts. The representatives
of CMS said that they also wanted to buy shares in CATES within
the scope of the privatization. /Cumhuriyet/
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