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Turkish Press Review, 00-06-26
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
26.06.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[02] PRESIDENT SEZER'S MESSAGE
[03] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONVENE
[04] ADMIRAL ERKAYA'S FUNERAL
[05] BALLOTINGS AT TGNA
[06] BAHCELI: "WE WILL CONTINUE OUR PATH"
[07] ISMAIL CEM ON TURKEY'S STANCE IN THE NEW MILLENIUM
[08] STATE MINISTER GUREL VISITS FRANCE
[09] GEN. CELASIN RETURNED
[10] EU INSTITUTES TO BE FORMED
[11] ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY POWER STATION
[12] WATER PIPELINE TO TRNC
[13] SECOND PICASSO PAINTING SEIZED
[14] TURKISH TROOPS KILLED 11 PKK TERRORISTS IN HAKKARI
[15] ECZACIBASI TO DELIVER SPEECH AT OECD
[16] SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE
[17] FIVE-YEAR PLAN
[18] WORLD BANK TO CONTRIBUTE $500 MILLION TO RENEWABLES FUND
[19] MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
[20] INTERNATIONAL TENDER FOR SECURITY OF TUPRAS
[21] CONSUMPTION BOOM
[22] AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR'S SUMMIT
[23] MARITIME SUMMIT
[24] KANNECI FASCINATED AUDIENCE WITH HIS "HALFETI CONCERT"
[25] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[26] OIC TO DISCUSS TURKEY'S CHAIRMANSHIP BY FERAI TINC
(HURRIYET)
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[02] PRESIDENT SEZER'S MESSAGE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer sent a congratulatory message to
Slovenian President Milan Kucan to mark the National Day of the
Republic of Slovenia. Emphasizing that Turkey attaches importance
developing cooperation and relations with Slovenia, Sezer
conveyed his and Turkish people's best wishes to the Nation of
Slovenia. /Turkiye/
[03] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONVENE
The National Security Council (MGK) is convening today at 9:30,
at the Cankaya Palace. The meeting will be presided by President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer. During the meeting, the topics on the agenda
are expected to be discussed. /Turkiye/
[04] ADMIRAL ERKAYA'S FUNERAL
One of the chief consultants of the Prime Ministry and
ex-Commander of the Naval Forces, retired Admiral Guven Erkaya
will be buried today in Istanbul after a funeral. Admiral Erkaya
died of cancer, the day before yesterday, at the age of 62.
/Turkiye/
[05] BALLOTINGS AT TGNA
Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) will vote on eight reports
of the investigation commissions on Thursday. The reports include
the GSM case which envisages to send the Motherland Party (ANAP)
leader, Mesut Yilmaz, to the Supreme Court and "slush fund" case
for the True Path Party (DYP) leader, Tansu Ciller. /Turkiye/
[06] BAHCELI: "WE WILL CONTINUE OUR PATH"
The leader of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and Deputy Prime
Minister Devlet Bahceli went to Seydisehir in order to attend
some openings and foundation laying ceremonies. Replying to
questions posed by journalists, Bahceli stated that the
government was strong and working in harmony. /Star/
[07] ISMAIL CEM ON TURKEY'S STANCE IN THE NEW MILLENIUM
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem expressed his views on
Turkey's stance in the new millenium during his contacts in
Izmir and Aydin. Attending a conference organized by the Izmir
Chamber of Commerce, Cem stated that Turkey had two aims for the
21st century. One was to enter the EU and the other was to play a
central determining role in the Eurasia region. He added that
these aims completed and strengthened one another. Turkey's
economic cooperation has increased in the Middle East because of
its relations with the Central Asian countries. He added that
these two aims were not in contrast with each other and in fact
this was a natural extension of Turkish culture and history. Cem
also stated that Turkey had to renew itself in the light of
modern values. Cem noted that Turkey's relations with the EU
should be evaluated in three categories. These included economic
issues, regulations and the formation of an EU General
Secretariat. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] STATE MINISTER GUREL VISITS FRANCE
State Minister Prof. Sukru Sina Gurel arrived in France on the
first stop of his European tour, the Anatolian News Agency
reports. Gurel stated that he will visit Belgium, Holland and
Switzerland and said he will meet with the representatives of
Turkish associations as well as the countries' officials./Turkish
Daily News/
[09] GEN. CELASIN RETURNED
The Commander of the Air Forces, General Ergin Celasin returned
Turkey. Gen. Celasin had gone to the US at the invitaion of the
US Air Force Commander, Gen. Michael E. Ryan, on June 19th.
/Turkiye/
[10] EU INSTITUTES TO BE FORMED
Europe has offered to cooperate in supplying the lack of EU
experts needed by the public and private sectors. Academicians
from the leading European universities will be coming to Istanbul
in July to discuss the formation of EU institutes and other
cooperation opportunities. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY POWER STATION
The ground of the Can power station was laid by the Minister of
Energy and Natural Resources and Deputy Prime Minister Cumhur
Ersumer in Can, Canakkale yesterday. This is the first enviroment
friendly thermic power plant to be built in Turkey. Ersumer,
speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony stated that the power
plant would be built completely with foreign loans and and would
cost $ 400 million. He also added that the construction of the
power plant would be completed in three years./Aksam/
[12] WATER PIPELINE TO TRNC
Turkey-TRNC water pipeline project, planned to bring a solution
to the shortage of water issue in the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC), will begin to be constructed in 2001,
when the required loans are found. With the $350 million credit,
first the engineering services and secondly construction
investments will be financed. Water pipeline project will carry
the waters of Dragon Stream in Anamur to TRNC. /Aksam/
[13] SECOND PICASSO PAINTING SEIZED
During the two operations carried out by the security forces in
Izmir in last month, famous Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso's
second smuggled painting, was also seized. The oil painting,
named "Dora-Maar" was painted by Picasso in 1938. Two people
captured by the police while they wanted to sell the painting to
15 million dollars. Picasso's other painting, "La Fermiere" was
also seized in Izmir on June 6th. /Sabah/
[14] TURKISH TROOPS KILLED 11 PKK TERRORISTS IN HAKKARI
Turkish troops have killed 11 PKK terrorists in recent clashes
and one soldier was killed and one soldier was wounded in the
fighting in the Southeastern province of Hakkari, close to the
borders with Iraq and Iran, the Emergency Rule Governor's Office
based in Diyarbakyr reported in a statement on Sunday. /All
papers/
[15] ECZACIBASI TO DELIVER SPEECH AT OECD
Bulent Eczacibasi, Chairman of the Executive Board of the
Eczacibasi Holding, will participate in the OECD Forum 2000. On
the first day of the three-day meeting, organized by the
Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),
Eczacibasi will deliver a speech on the "Private Sector's Role in
Developing Countries' Adoptation to Globalization". /Hurriyet/
[16] SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURE
Support to agriculture increased in 1999 among the OECD
countries. However, Turkey was the first in giving support to
agriculture according to the ratio of government's support to the
gross national income. Financial source, allocated for this
purpose, was 16.1 billion dollars in Turkey. /Sabah/
[17] FIVE-YEAR PLAN
The Eighth Five-Year Development Plan, regarding Turkey's
2001-2005 period, has begun to be discussed in the Turkish Grand
National Assembly (TGNA). Representing the plan, the Minister of
Industry and Trade, Ahmet Tanrikulu, stated that although Turkey
had certain shortcomings in economics and in the social area, it
also had many positive aspects. He emphasized that while
preparing the plan, they tried to consider Turkey's long term
strategies. /Milliyet/
[18] WORLD BANK TO CONTRIBUTE $500 MILLION TO RENEWABLES FUND
The World Bank plans to contribute some $500 million to a
proposed fund aimed at encouraging Turkey's use of renewable
energy resources, the Anatolian News Agency reports. The bank
suggested that the fund be arranged in such a way that it can not
be liquidated and within the framework of the new electricity
market law. The World Bank also urges the government to give
priority to the use of renewable energy resources instead of
natural gas. Government officials are presently working on
incentives to make the sector appealing. The bank advises the
government to resort to renewables such as hydro, wind and solar
energy, which provide solid and long-term solutions through a
country's own resources. /Turkish Daily News/
[19] MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
According to a prior decision taken by the Arbitration Committee
for Minimum Wages, the amount of minimum wages will be increased
by 7.91 percent from July on. As such, the amount of disposable
income for minimum wage is now TL 80.55 million/monthly, which
will be 86.9 million in July. /Milliyet_
[20] INTERNATIONAL TENDER FOR SECURITY OF TUPRAS
General Manager of Tupras Rafineries Corp. Hüsamettin Dani? said
that after the completion of earthquake disaster reports by the
experts in August, they will strenghten the security of the
complex against all disasters so that it will stay undamaged,
strong and secure in the face of of all hard conditions. Danis
noted that an international tender will be opened for this
purpose soon. /Milliyet/
[21] CONSUMPTION BOOM
Following a period of hard pressing stagnation during last year,
Turkey's production sector have achieved economic revival during
the first five months the year 2000. Economists point out that
tourism, automotive and textile sectors which were hit heavily
during the crisis have been gaining strength while consumption in
food and iron-steel productions are described as a `boom in
demand'. State Institute of Statistics announced that the most
positive results of this development can be seen in the
production of durable consumption goods which have increased
production by 28.6 percent at the first 4 months of the year
compared to same period of the last year. /Milliyet/
[22] AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR'S SUMMIT
An international conference, named "Turkish Automotive Industry
and Surrounding Markets" is beginning today. During the two-day
conference, the topics, such as production, export, new products,
commercial vehicles etc. will be discussed. /Hurriyet/
[23] MARITIME SUMMIT
The General Council of the International Association of Maritime
Universities (IAMU) is going to convene today in Istanbul. Prof.
Dr. Osman Kamil, Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty's
Dean and the Founder Chairman of the IAMU, stated that they will
discuss raising the standard of education in maritime. /Milliyet/
[24] KANNECI FASCINATED AUDIENCE WITH HIS "HALFETI CONCERT"
Internationally famous classical guitar soloist Ahmet Kanneci
staged a concert at his birthplace in Halfeti, Sanlyurfa Province
of Turkey, organized by the Regional Administration for the
Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) The concert, named `Sunset in
Halfeti' fascinated the ambassadors of many countries to Ankara
and Representative of European Commission, and a large gathering
of audience. /Aksam/
[25] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[26] OIC TO DISCUSS TURKEY'S CHAIRMANSHIP BY FERAI TINC
(HURRIYET)
Columnist Ferai Tinc writes on the candidacy of Turkey for the
chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). A
summary of her column is as follows:
"A meeting which holds special significance for Turkey is
beginning in Malaysia today. Foreign Ministers of the OIC member
countries will elect a new chairman for the organization in Kuala
Lumpur. The programme of the conference has important issues to
be discussed ranging from Chechnya to Cyprus but the election of
a chairman holds special importance for Turkey as it is a
candidate for the chairmanship of OIC.
Turkey's former Ambassador to Cairo, Yasar Yakis who knows the
Arab world closely is attending the meeting as the strongest
candidate for the chairmanship. This year the Chairman will be
elected from among the Asian countries of the organization.
Foreign Ministry has been lobbying for the event for months.
Turkey is supported by 10 of the 17 Asian countries. Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Pakistan, Albania, Guyana have openly expressed their support.
Turkey is casting its vote in this group. Countries in other
groups are also supporting Turkey. Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr
Musa in his call for support to Turkey, stated that the interests
of Arab and Islamic countries lie in not offending Turkey but
embracing it. He also added that they had to encourage Turkey to
stay within the Organization. Bangladesh and Morocco have shown
their own candidates. The stances of Iran and Saudi Arabia will
determine the outcome.
The participation of State Minister Mehmet Kececiler in the large
diplomatic delegation led by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem shows
the importance Turkey attaches to relations with the Islamic and
Arab worlds. Turkey is hosting many activities of the OIC or
untertaking their financing all by itself. Through Turkey the
views and demands of Islamic countries can be represented more
effectively in EU platforms. The same thing goes for the
expression of European views in the fora of Islamic
countries./Hurriyet/
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