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Turkish Press Review, 99-06-21Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>21.06.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[02] SPECIAL KOSOVO[03] 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF KEBAN DAMA ceremony attended by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel was held yesterday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Keban Dam. The foundation of the Keban Dam and Hydroelectricity Power Plant was laid on June 12, 1966, and went into operation in 1974. The Dam has produced 147.9 billion kwh of energy since its beginning and contributed $7.5 billion to the economy. /Cumhuriyet/[04] BLACK SEA TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT BANKThe official opening ceremony of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank based in Thessalonica will be held today. High-level delegations from 11 countries, the members of the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank including Turkey, are expected to participate in the ceremony. The foundation of the Bank, which went into operation on June 1, 1999, was laid during the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Summit six years ago in Istanbul, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[05] EUROPEAN BUSINESSMEN TO COME TO TURKEYA delegation from UNICE which consists of European businessmen and industrialists will arrive in Turkey tomorrow. The Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) is also a member of UNICE, which will visit Turkey for the first time since 1995. The delegation will be received by President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and TUSIAD officials. During the visit, the UNICE Chairman Baron Georges Jacobs will give a message saying "We support Turkey's EU membership". /Turkiye/[06] CEM: "IF EU WANTS, TURKEY IS READY"Foreign Minister Ismail Cem made a statement to the daily 'Turkiye' newspaper and said that there had been no change in Turkish policy towards Europe and added that the EU was a target and not an obsession. Intense rounds of meetings will be held between Ankara and Brussels prior to the Helsinki Summit. Cem remarked that Germany had made great strides to overcome the obstacles put in front of Turkey by Greece during the Cologne Summit. /Turkiye/[07] DGM DRAFT PRESENTED TO TGNAA draft law which envisages a change in the Law on the Foundation and Judiciary Procedures of the State Security Courts (DGMs) and the Law on Military Judges was presented to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) on Friday. The draft law will be discussed at the Justice Commission today and at the General Council tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/[08] SOMUNCUOGLU IN BOSNIAState Minister Sadi Somuncuoglu said that the Republic of Turkey was determined to further contribute to the re-construction of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Somuncuoglu, who made a statement prior to his departure from Ankara's Esenboga Airport, remarked that with an agreement signed on August 28, 1996 between Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina, a donation worth $20 million was decided to be given to this country. Somuncuoglu stated that he would participate in the opening of some facilities and hold meetings. /Turkiye/[09] NURI YILMAZ CONDEMNS TERRORISMThe Head of the Religious Affairs Directorate, Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz, said that 48 religious officials have died during the struggle against terrorism and added that terrorists were trying to divide Turkey through Turkish-Kurdish-Circassian discrimination. He remarked that seven families of those religious officials who had lost their lives would go to Imrali Island to follow the trial of the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan. /Turkiye/[10] RUSSELL-JOHNSTON: "EXECUTION OF OCALAN WILL SEVER RELATIONS"The Head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Lord Russell-Johnston, made a statement to the daily 'Hurriyet' newspaper, and said that the execution of the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, would sever parliamentary relations between Turkey and the Council of Europe. /Hurriyet/[11] CTV PREPARED LONG AGOIt is reported that several months ago before the pro-PKK MED TV station was closed down, the PKK was in search of a new TV channel. It has been discovered that PKK members had reached an agreement with the British CTV in order not to cause any upheaval in their propaganda activities. /Hurriyet/[12] "TO VIMA": TURKEY AND GREECE ARE DRAWING CLOSERIt is reported that the Greek government is in search of drawing closer to Turkey. According to an article published in the "To Vima" newspaper yesterday, Greek Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and Foreign Minister George Papandreu are in consensus to launch initiatives to draw closer to Turkey. The article said that Simitis wanted cooperation with Turkey in order to reduce the tension between Turkey and Greece and to re-construct the Balkans. The article added that good relations between Papandreu and Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem would contribute to the development of relations between the two countries, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[13] CYPRUS AT G-8 SUMMITIn the final declaration of the G-8 Summit held in Cologne, Germany, it was decided that the G-8 countries would offer their full and continuous support to the negotiation process concerning a solution to the Cyprus problem as part of the related UN Security Council resolutions. The declaration stressed that the solution of the Cyprus problem would not only be beneficial for the nations on the Island but also would positively affect peace and stability in the region, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[14] ANKARA REACTS TO G-8 CALLAnkara has reacted to the G-8 countries' call to the UN Secretary-General for an unconditional negotiation process concerning Cyprus. Turkish officials said that the achievement of a solution to the Cyprus problem before the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Summit in November was impossible. Turkish officials added: "Conditions which enable the negotiation are not available. The UN says: 'two society-two side federation'. However, following the application of Southern Cyprus for full membership of the EU, the conditions have changed. The recognition of the two sides is essential". It is expected that a press conference will be held at the Foreign Ministry today and Turkey's dissatisfaction will be expressed to the Ambassadors of the G-8 countries in Ankara. /Milliyet/[15] SOROS: "USE YOUR POTENTIAL"An international investor, George Soros, stated that Turkey has not used its economic potential in the best way. Soros arrived in Turkey to deliver a speech during a seminar to be held today within the guidelines of the cooperation agreement between Sabanci University and the Central European University, held a press conference yesterday and replied to questions posed by journalists remarking he believed that Turkey-IMF meetings which started last week would yield positive results. Soros added that some legal arrangements should be made in order to attract more foreign capital. /Aksam/[16] MUMCU: "TOURISM WILL DEVELOP"Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said that the basic conditions in the promotion of tourism and tourist activities in Turkey are quality and stability. Erkan Mumcu held a press conference at Antalya Airport yesterday and stated that some important decisions had been taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on June 18. He remarked that the government would pursue a stable promotion policy as far as tourism revenues were concerned and added that the government would also extend the implementation of cheap fuel sales for charter aircraft. He added that financial sources worth 14 trillion TL had been transferred to Eximbank in order to assist tourist companies. /Aksam/[17] INDIAN HEMP SEIZED IN KOYCEGIZDuring raids in the Koycegiz district of Mugla, 4,244 Indian hemps were seized by Gendarmerie teams yesterday. Five people were taken into custody regarding the incident, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[18] IRANIAN GAS IN TURKEY IN 2001The General Director of the Iranian National Gas Company, Muhammed Muhammednejad, said that natural gas exports from Iran to Turkey would begin in 2001. According to news published in the 'Cihan-i Islam', due to a 23-year term agreement signed in 1996, initially 3.5 billion cubic metres of natural gas will be exported annually from Iran to Turkey. /Aksam/[19] US TOURISTS PRAISE TURKEYDonald Petito and 14 of his friends wrote a letter to the "New York Times" newspaper and said that alhtough American tourists who spend their holidays in Turkey can feel safe, they feel concern in Greece. Petito and his friends who had visited both Turkey and Greece conveyed their feelings to the newspaper concerning Turkey and stated that they felt as if they were at home while in Turkey. /Aksam/[20] SEDCO 700 PASSES THROUGH THE BOSPHORUSThe drilling platform 'SEDCO 700' leased by the Turkish Petroleum Board (TPAO) in order to explore for oil in the Black Sea passed through the Bosphorus Straits yesterday. During its passage, traffic was halted in the Bosphorus. The 812-ton platform will explore for oil and natural gas in Igneada for three months. /Aksam/[21] PARTNERSHIP WITH BAT IS SUSPENDEDThe General Director of the State Monopolies (TEKEL), Mehmet Akbay, stated that government strategy concerning privatization for Tekel-private sector partnerships should be determined as soon as possible. Akbay remarked that since no decision had been taken on privatizations, the partnership between the Akhisar Cigarette Factory and British American Tobacco (BAT) had been suspended. /Milliyet/[22] KOC OPENS MIGROS STORE IN CHINARepresentatives from 29 companies, including huge companies such as the Koc Conglomerate, Kale Seramik, Toprak Holdings and Hema, have paid a visit to the Far East. During the visit organized by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (DTM), the Koc Conglomerate decided to open a Migros shopping centre in China. The Chairman of the Strategic Planning Group, Necati Arikan, said that they were planning to open Ramstore shops in the year 2000 and added that Koc System, a computer firm owned by Koc, had established a new company using a $6 million capital investment in Beijing. During the visit, the Turkish delegation held very beneficial meetings and great interest on the part of Chinese businessmen was felt. /Milliyet/[23] THREE TURKS ON "FORBES" LISTThree Turkish businessmen, Sakip Sabanci, Rahmi Koc and Ayhan Sahank, have been placed on the list of dollar billionaires announced by the "Forbes" Magazine. While the wealth of the Sabanci family was declared as $4.5 billion, the wealth of the Koc family was announced as $2.8 billion in this year's list. /Milliyet/[24] INTERESTING INVENTIONS BY TURKISH INVENTORSInteresting inventions by 40 inventors are being exhibited at the Kocaeli Industrial Products' Fair organized by the Inventors' and Researchers' Association (MAD). Inventors from various cultural and vocational groups are looking for sponsors. /Cumhuriyet/[25] FOOD EMBARGO AGAINST BELGIUMTurkey has stopped the import of Belgian goods since the risk of 'Dioksin', found in milk, chocolate, egg and meat products which usually fill the shelves of luxury stores, was announced. Since then, an army of food hygiene experts has descended on Customs. The Agricultural Ministry has banned food imports from Belgium since June 2. Those goods which arrived prior to this have been waiting inspection in Customs. Depending on the results of the inspection, they will be imported; if they contain dioksin or any other harmful substance they will be destroyed. The Ministry is also carring out an analysis into those goods already on the shelves. /Star/[26] ENVIROMENTAL INVESTMENT BY PETKIMThe Petroleum Chemistry Company (PETKIM) intends to lower the percentage of mercury used in the production of chlorine to 0 percent, while in Europe the aim is to decrease it from 61 percent to 58 percent. By abandoning the mercury technology which threatens both the environment and human health and using membrane-cell technology instead, PETKIM will save about 11 million dollars in energy. The project will be implemented by a Japanese Company at the end of this year. /Star/[27] TRAITOROUS ATTACK IN MARDINSeperatist terrorists attacked Kiziltepe near Mardin yesterday night with heavy missiles. During the attack seven security members who were on duty at the District Head Office were wounded. Also several buildings near the office building were damaged. A wide-spread crack-down has been begun by military forces in the area to seize the escaped terrorists. /Star/[28] EXPORTS TO USExports worth $10.4 million were sent from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region to the US during the January-May 1999 period, enjoying a 49.6 % increase when compared to last year. Exports worth $6.9 million were achieved during the same period last year. /Cumhuriyet/[29] US LOANS TO TURKEYThe US will provide $1.5 billion in loans for the construction of three natural gas power plants in Gebze, Adapazari and Izmir. High-level representatives from the US Eximbank and OPIC, an organization which supports private sector investments in overseas countries, have visited Ankara and met Turkish officials concerning these three projects. Turkish officials said that the meetings had been very beneficial and added that the total cost of the projects would be $2.2 billion. /Hurriyet/[30] COMPUTER SALES IN TURKEYA total of 520,000 PC computers were sold in Turkey in 1998. Turkey is among the candidates to enter the top 10 countries in Europe in 1999. This year at least, 675,000 PCs are expected to be sold in Turkey. /Sabah/[31] TRANSACTION VOLUME IN 1998A transaction volume of shares worth 22.9 trillion TL was realized in 1998 on the stock market. However, it is reported that this figure is lower than that of 1997. /Sabah/[32] ITALIANS TO SELL MISSILES TO SOUTHERN CYPRUSThe Italian government, which embraced the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, is continuing with its anti-Turkish stance. Italy will sell Aspide missiles to the Greek-Cypriots, to which, Ankara has conveyed its dissatisfaction to Italy via the Turkish Foreign Ministry. /Hurriyet/[33] 1998 REPORT ON SMUGGLED HISTORICAL PIECESMore than 10,000 old coins and 5,459 various antique pieces were seized during operations that were carried out in 1998 against smugglers of historical pieces, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[34] RESTORATION OF SUMELA MONASTERYIt was reported that the restoration of the world famous Sumela Monastery in Trabzon will be completed in 2000. The restoration of the Sumela Monastery will cost 100 billion TL, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[35] VIDEO TAPE OF FETHULLAH GULENAnkara State Security Court (DGM) Prosecutor's Office started an investigation against the statements of Fethullah Gulen which were broadcast on a TV channel on Friday evening. Responding to the questions of reporters related with the incident, Nuh Mete Yuksel, DGM Prosecutor, said that they have started an investigation yet he could not give information due to the secrecy of the investigation, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[36] EU-TURKEY JOURNALISTS CONFERENCE IN GAZIANTEPEU-Turkey Journalists Conference will be organized in Gaziantep on June 21 and 22. Mesut Olcal, the General Director of Gaziantep Trade Chamber (GTO) said the Conference will have an important contribution to EU-Turkey relations, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[37] EXCAVATIONS START IN CANAKKALEExcavations started in four different regions in Canakkale, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Mustafa Sevim, the Province Culture Director, said that the excavations in Troy, Asssos, Gulpinar and Gokceada mainly aim to restore the pieces excavated in previous years.[38] 12 PROPOSALS FOR PRIVATIZATION POLICIESDuring a meeting arranged by "The Foundation to Strengthen the Aegean Economy" (EGEV) proposals concerning Privatization Policies in Turkey were gathered under 12 headings. The State Minister, Yuksel Yalova, and the Head of the Privatization Board, Ugur Bayar, also attended the meeting. The Head of EGEV, Ugur Yuce, cited their suggestions: privatization must be accelerated; the price should not be the main preference criteria; and the State Railway (DDY) and State Airport Organizations should be included in the privatization drive. /Sabah/[39] GREAT SUCCESSThe Minister of Culture, Istemihan Talay, will give a shield to Alpaslan Ertungealp who became 3rd in the Prokofiev Orchestra Director's Competition in Hungary. The award ceremony will be held tomorrow at the Hacettepe University State Concert Hall. Still living in Budapest, Ertungealp took the 3rd place after two Russian artists. He was also awarded during the Janos Frencsick Director of Orchestra Competition last year in Budapest. /Sabah/[40] EUROPEAN MUSIC FESTIVAL IN TURKEYThe 'European Music Festival' which has been held in various European cities for 16 years as part of the '21 June World Music Day' is being held in Turkey for the first time. The Festival is held in more than 100 cities in Europe at the same time. Open-air concerts will be held as part of the Festival. /Cumhuriyet/[41] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[42] CYPRUS AT THE COLOGNE SUMMIT -BY YASEMIN CONGAR (MILLIYET)Columnist Yasemin Congar comments on the developments concerning Cyprus at the Cologne Summit in 'Milliyet'. A summary of her column is as follows:"The G-8 Summit in Cologne ended with an unexpected intiative on Cyprus. In the G-8 communique entitled "Regional Issues" it was stated that the Cyprus problem had remained unsolved for a very long time, in other words that it had to be solved once and for all. Certainly it is of great significance to see that the US, England, Russia, France, Canada, Italy, Germany and Japan have agreed on a joint text concerning Cyprus at a very high level. Even though the G-8 does not have any power over the UN Secretary- General to implement heir desires and even though the parties in Cyprus do not have any obligation to comply with the call of either the G-8 or the UN, the joint suggestion by eight influential states place the weight of responsibility on Turkish and Greek-Cypriot leaders. However, it should also be noted that Ankara and Athens are concerned indirectly with the matter. The leaders who met on June 19 were aware of the Turkish reaction which could be summarized thus: 'There is no problem in Cyprus". Despite this knowledge, they did not hesitate to widen the scope of the draft prepared by the Foreign Ministers of the G-8 and to set the problem in a framework which did not in any way coincide with the Turkish view. Insisting on this approach the leaders meant to say that they did not agree with the view that 'there was no problem', they did not accept the status quo in Cyprus and wanted there to be a change and that the UN Security Council resolutions on a bi-communal, bizonal federal state were still valid. Moreover, by suggesting that the results of the negotiations on Cyprus, which they wanted to be started in the Autumn, should be conveyed to the meeting in Istanbul of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), sent a message to Turkey. The message is that if the Turkish side does not participate in the negotiations Cyprus will be discussed as a problem during the OSCE meeting. London, which hosted the Greek and Greek-Cypriot leaders in recent weeks, and Moscow were influential in the writing of the text. The Clinton Administration wanted to see some action on Cyprus and accepted the decision even though it was aware of the Turkish point of view. The US officials are aware that the presidential elections to be held in the TRNC next year make it harder for the Turkish side to accept comprise. However, Washington does not want the Turkish side to insist on an impossible demand, i.e. the recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), nor put forward the "confederation" idea which seems to block all roads as a pre-condition. The Clinton Administration views Rauf Denktas and the hawks supporting him in Ankara as the main obstacle before negotiations for a solution. Nevertheless, among the messages sent by the US Administration to the new Government, are those concerning Cyprus. US officials believe that the Cyprus problem is no more difficult to solve than the Irish or Bosnian issues. When these were tackled with determination the way to a solution was opened up. The reply to statements that no incident has happened on Cyprus lately, and that the separation of the communities is established is this: "There could not be any talk of Turkey's integration with Europe, a real Turco-Greek solidarity, nor peace in the Eastern Mediterranean before the Cyprus problem is solved. " Following the statement issued at Cologne it is expected that the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will invite the Cypriot leaders to New York. It is certain that the Clinton Administration will support this invitation and try to persuade Ankara to convince the TRNC President to accept this invitation. It is believed that the Greek side will view this call positively. Western diplomats in Cologne state clearly that the Turkish side will be defined as the "uncompromising party" if it does not accept the invitation. The same diplomats are also concerned that, in order to prevent negotiations, Turkey could stir up military tension in Cyprus. " [43] ERASING OF $70 BILLION -BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on the economic results of the G-8 Summit in Cologne. A summary of his column is as follows:"The Summit meeting in Cologne attended by the Heads of State of the seven richest countries in the world ended yesterday. These States are the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and the UK. For some time they have been inviting the President of the Russian Federation to their meetings. Certainly, Russia is a great state, however, concerning wealth and prosperity it is among the poor countries. Nevertheless, we all know Russian history. Russians have problems, export these problems, in other words are known for creating problems. The Western States prefer to take her to their bosom instead of excluding her; this is the correct choice. According to the G-8 meeting which ended yesterday, poor countries had foreign debts of close to $200 billion. The G-8 decided to erase $70 billion of this foreign debt. The seven rich states of the world will not ask for the repayment of this $70 billion. It is a decision befitting humanity since great differences are seen in the per capita income among the 200 States existing in the world. The difference is getting wider everyday. On the one hand there are States where the per capita income is $300 to $800 and on the other hand there are those where these figures reach $20,000 to 30,000. Turkey is in between these States; per capita income in Turkey is $3,500. There is almost an international effort to hamper the establishment of perfect democracy in Turkey and thus her exceeding these figures. Seventy years ago the World population was two billion; these days this number has reached six billion. The Turkish population has risen from 15 million to 65 million. It is a huge problem to bring health, education services, work and prosperity to such a large population. The main issue in the 21st century will be to provide this." [44] SPECIAL KOSOVO[45] TURKISH SOLDIERS ARE GUARANTEE FOR TURKS IN KOSOVOTurkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit stated that the Turkish unit in Kosovo would be deployed in the Prizren region where mostly Turks are living. Ecevit said that meetings and negotiations concerning this issue had been held and added: "We have never discriminated between Turks and Albanians. Turkish citizens of Albanian origin live in Turkey, with no discrimination against them, as part of the Turkish nation. However, during the chaos in Kosovo, Turks may have been neglected. Now there will be a military unit as a guarantee for Turks in Kosovo". /Aksam/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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