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Turkish Press Review, 00-10-18
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
18.10.00
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
NECK TO NECK COMPETITION BY SABAHATTIN ONKIBAR
[02] (TURKIYE)
[03] KARIMOV: "I PURSUE ATATURK'S IDEALS"
[04] PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER TO BE ELECTED TODAY
[05] PRESIDENT ALIYEV CRITISES ARMENIAN BILL
[06] VERHEUGEN VISITS GREECE TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE
[07] TURKEY PLEASED WITH THE EYGPT SUMMIT
[08] PARLIAMENTARIAN GOK RESIGNS
[09] HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT INITIALED FOR BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE PROJECT
[10] YILMAZ AND VURAL TO GO TO BRUSSELS
[11] TURKEY-IRAN SECURITY COMMISSION MEETING ENDS
[12] STABILITY PACT TALKS CONTINUE
[13] IRAQI HEALTH MINISTER RECEIVES TURKISH DELEGATION
[14] TURKEY, EU DISCUSS FREEING OF SERVICES AND STATE PURCHASES
[15] IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
[16] CITES MEETING IN IZMIR
[17] DENIZBANK RECEIVES SYNDICATION CREDIT
[18] KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK OIL PIPELINE IS READY
[19] NEW ENTERPRISE OF DUPONT IN TURKEY
[20] ENERGY FINANCING SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
[21] TURKEY FAVOURED INVESTMENT MARKET
[22] AWARD FOR FAZIL SAY
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[24] NECK TO NECK COMPETITION BY SABAHATTIN ONKIBAR
(TURKIYE)
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
NECK TO NECK COMPETITION BY SABAHATTIN ONKIBAR
[02] (TURKIYE)
[03] KARIMOV: "I PURSUE ATATURK'S IDEALS"
Uzbek President Islam Karimov hosted President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
in Uzbekistan. Uzbek President Islam Karimov said, "Uzbeki
society has never been anxious about the approach and attitude of
Turkish society towards us. We are brothers." Mr. Karimov said,
"Ataturk is a great reformer and politician who transformed
Turkey into a modern society. My way is Ataturk's way and I will
not turn back. People opposing Ataturk's ideas are my enemy and
people supporting his ideas are my brothers." Mr. Karimov said he
regarded President Sezer as Turkey's guardian in pursuing
Ataturk's way of modernization. Stating that Turkish Office of
the General Staff is a very important institution paving the way
for modernization, Mr. Karimov also said he appreciated the
policies of the Turkish Office of the General Staff." Mr. Karimov
added that the establishment of schools by various societies in
Uzbekistan, apart from the ones recognized by the Turkish
Ministry of National Education, will not be allowed. /Milliyet/
[04] PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER TO BE ELECTED TODAY
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) will elect the new
speaker today. The two candidates, Murat Basesgioglu from the
Motherland Party (ANAP) and Omer Izgi from the Nationalist Action
Party (MHP) will compete in the fourth round of the votings. The
candidate obtaining the most votes will be the new Speaker of the
Parliament for a three-year term. /Turkiye/
[05] PRESIDENT ALIYEV CRITISES ARMENIAN BILL
Regarding the Armenian bill which is on US House of
Representatives' agenda, Azeri President Haydar Aliyev said it
was unfair to deal with events happened occuring 85 years ago and
that he disagreed with the discussions over the bill.
Additionally, Azeri Parliamentary Speaker Murtuz Aleskerov said
"In case the bill is approved, I will lodge my objection with the
US Congress." Stressing that the case is a work for historians,
Mr. Aleskerov said, "Both sides had losses during the events of
1915. In no way can these events be called a genocide." /Turkiye/
[06] VERHEUGEN VISITS GREECE TO DISCUSS CYPRUS ISSUE
The European Commission continues its efforts to draft the final
version of the Accession Partnership Document for Turkey.
European Union Commissar responsible for Enlargement Gunter
Verheugen will visit Greece to discuss the Cyprus issue today.
Diplomatic sources say that Cyprus talks are still ongoing and
that although the first part of the EU document contains a
reference to the Cyprus issue, it was not considered a
precondition for Turkey's full EU membership. However, the
diplomats fear that the solution of Cyprus problem will be made a
precondition for full EU membership. /Milliyet/
[07] TURKEY PLEASED WITH THE EYGPT SUMMIT
The Foreign Ministry issued a written statement noting that
Turkey was pleased with the decisions made during the Eygpt
Summit held to end the struggles between Israel and Palestine.
"The decisions must be put into effect immediately.", said the
statement. The decisions were seen as a positive step in ending
the struggles and ensuring peace in the region. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] PARLIAMENTARIAN GOK RESIGNS
A Democratic Party (DSP) Deputy from Istanbul Bulent Ersin Gok
resigned his post yesterday. Prime Minister and Democratic Party
leader Bulent Ecevit requested his resignation due to allegations
of bribery. /All Papers/
[09] HOST COUNTRY AGREEMENT INITIALED FOR BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE PROJECT
The first of the final agreements for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline
project was signed in a ceremony held in Baku yesterday. At the
ceremony, chaired by Azeri President Haydar Aliyev, the "Host
Country Agreement" and the agreement for establishing a sponsor
group were initialed. Director General of Turkish Petrolium Joint
Stock Company (TPAO), Osman Demirag, and Deputy Undersecretary of
Minister of Energy, Ali Turkoglu were there to represent Turkey.
The sponsor group agreement was signed by the investor companies.
The Host Country Agreement was signed by investor companies and
the Azeri government. Delivering a speech after the ceremony,
President Aliyev said, "With the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project,
Caucasus petrolium will be marketed all around the world by
2004." Stating that the project would be completed with the
continuous support of the US, Mr. Aliyev said a new period has
begun for the project and added, "We have undergone too many
difficulties thus far. However, we have overcome all the
difficulties through political consistency and unity."
/Cumhuriyet/
[10] YILMAZ AND VURAL TO GO TO BRUSSELS
Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and EU Secretary General
Volkan Vural will travel to Brussels today for a series of talks
with EU officials. It was reported that Mr. Yilmaz and Mr. Vural
will try to exclude sensitive issues (such as Cyprus and the
Aegean issues) from the accession partnership document to be
declared November 8. Mr. Yilmaz and Mr. Vural are expected to
meet the EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Gunter
Verheugen, EU Commissioner Responsible for Foreign Policy and
Defense Javier Solana, European Commission Deputy Chairman Loyola
De Palacia and members of the European Parliament. Meeting with
the head of the Foreign Ministry's EU Office Selim Kuneralp and
Deputy Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal yesterday, Deputy Chief of
General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit expressed the views and
concerns of the Office of the General Staff over the accession
partnership document. During the meetings, the reports of the
Office of the Genaral Staff were also taken up. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] TURKEY-IRAN SECURITY COMMISSION MEETING ENDS
The seventh Turkey-Iran High Security Commission meeting ended
yesterday. Saim Cotur, the Interior Ministry Undersecretary
heading the Turkish delegation in Tehran, said the reciprocal
friendship and understanding pervading the meeting was
influential in bringing about the positive outcome. Measures to
prevent smuggling on the Turkish-Iranian border and the illegal
border crossings by opponents of both countries across the
border, constituted the main topics of the three-round meeting,
said Deputy Interior Minister Gulamhuseyin Bolandiyan, head of
the Iranian delegation. The issue of drug smuggling was also on
the agenda. Mr. Bolandiyan said that Turkey and Iran should
cooperate closely to prevent drug smuggling, establishing a
security zone in the region. /Turkish Daily News/
[12] STABILITY PACT TALKS CONTINUE
Over 100 projects classified in two separate timetables named
"Fast Initial" and "Short Term", are being discussed at the
meeting of the Stability Pact's second desk responsible for
economic issues in Istanbul. The meeting is organized to
establish political stability in the Balkans after the break up
of Yugoslavia. The projects are aimed at reestablishing the
damaged infrastructure due to the wars in Yugoslavia. Seven
countries were directly damaged in the Balkans and Kosovo region.
Among the countries to benefit from the workings of the Stability
Pact are Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania,
Croatia and Yugoslavia Federation. The Istanbul meeting is
particularly focused on the `Fast Initial' package which consists
of projects to be completed as soon as possible. /Cumhuriyet/
[13] IRAQI HEALTH MINISTER RECEIVES TURKISH DELEGATION
Iraqi Health Minister, Umit Mithat Mubarek received a delegation
from the Altaylar Company, headed by the Chairman of Executive
Committee Muhammed Besir Altay. Altaylar is among the private
Turkish firms providing aid shipments to Iraq. Health concerns
were discussed during the meeting. Mr. Mubarek told the Turkish
delegation that the UN embargo on transfer of aid to Iraq is
meant to make the Iraqi people suffer. /Turkish Daily News/
[14] TURKEY, EU DISCUSS FREEING OF SERVICES AND STATE PURCHASES
The first round of talks between the European Commission and
Turkey regarding the freeing of services and state purchases is
continuing in Ankara. A statement from the Foreign Ministry said
the meeting was meant to be a forum to exchange information
between Turkish and European Commission delegations on the
regulations currently valid in both Turkey and the EU regulating
services and state purchases. /Turkish Daily News/
[15] IMF DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation will arrive in
Turkey on Oct. 24 and begin meetings with Turkish authorities on
Oct. 25. The delegation will examine the budget for next year and
the macro economic values used to determine the performance and
structural criteria for the year 2001. These criteria will be
placed in the third letter of intent which will be summitted to
the Executive Board of the IMF. The IMF delegation is expected to
complete its meetings in fourteen days. /Turkiye/
[16] CITES MEETING IN IZMIR
The meeting of the CITES (Convention on International Trade of
the Endangered Species) permanent committee is to begin in Izmir
tomorrow. The convention foresees international cooperation to
protect various endangered plant and animal species. /Cumhuriyet/
[17] DENIZBANK RECEIVES SYNDICATION CREDIT
Denizbank will receive $35 million syndication credit from
international financial markets to finance exports. Hypo
Vereinsbank, the Bank of New York, Alpha, Demir-Halk
(Netherland), Leonia Corporate and Standard Chartered are among
the 16 banks participating in the syndication. The maturity date
of the credit will be one year. /Aksam/
[18] KIRKUK-YUMURTALIK OIL PIPELINE IS READY
The General Manager of BOTAS Gokhan Yardim said preperations are
complete for the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik Oil Pipeline to become fully
operational. The Council of Ministers will make the decision to
open the pipeline. Mr. Yardim who attended the reception at the
Iraqi Embassy in Ankara said," When the pipeline becomes fully
operational, Turkey will receive $220-230 million. Currently,
revenues are around $175 million." /Aksam/
[19] NEW ENTERPRISE OF DUPONT IN TURKEY
Deputy Chairman of Dupont Lycra Dieter Siegel said the company
seeking new investment opportunities may chose. Mr. Siegel said
Turkey would play an important role in the future of the textile
industry and that they already had important customers in Turkey.
Marketing Manager of Dupont Lycra in Turkey, Ayfun Cicek said
that China and Turkey are the only candidates for new investment
of the company estimated at $200 million. /Sabah/
[20] ENERGY FINANCING SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL
The problems of the energy sector in Turkey and methods to
finance energy projects were discussed in the Euro Forum held in
Istanbul. Banking experts and jurists joined the Euro Forum
hosted by the Hurriyet Newspaper. Project financing, the
practical ways to sign a productive project agreement,
negotiations with public institutions and foundations, the
reality of energy projects in Turkey and their financing and
Turkish energy projects were all discussed at the meeting.
/Hurriyet/
[21] TURKEY FAVOURED INVESTMENT MARKET
Deutsche Bank, one of the worlds biggest banks, declared that
Turkey and Russia are among the top countries for investment. The
research paper called `A Look to the Developing Countries 2001',
explained that because of serious decreases in inflation, South
Africa and Poland, as well as Turkey and Russia are attractive
for ivestment. According to the research, the disinflation
programs enacted since the begining of the year are both stable
and ongoing. /Sabah/
[22] AWARD FOR FAZIL SAY
World-renowned pianist Fazil Say, received the "Diapason
D'Or-Golden Plate" Award in France for his new CD the "Spring
Ceremony" by Stravinsky. The CD was also awarded the "Plate of
the Year" by "Classica" magazine and the "Best Plate-R10" by
"Repertorie". /Turkiye/
[23] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS
[24] NECK TO NECK COMPETITION BY SABAHATTIN ONKIBAR
(TURKIYE)
Columnist Sabahattin Onkibar writes on the voting for the
Election of the TGNA Speaker. A summary of his column is as
follows:
"The results of the third round of voting to elect the TGNA
Speaker are well known. ANAP's candidate Murat Basesgioglu
received 260 votes, MHP'S candidate Omer Izgi 251. Because no
one received 276 votes in the third round, the Speaker could not
be elected. The final round will take place today.
In the final round it is not necessary to receive 276 votes. The
candidate receiving the majority of votes will be elected as TGNA
Speaker. Yesterday's results show that Murat Basesgioglu is one
step ahead. Mr.Basesgioglu, who was far behind the MHP candidade
in the first two rounds, seems to have made a come back in the
third round. Results of the third round show that ANAP-DYP-FP
votes are cast as a block. According to the figures, the
competition is continuing neck and neck.
If MHP'S candidate Omer Izgi increases his votes relative to the
second round, it will be evident that he did not get any more
than some individual votes from DYP. The combined votes of MHP
and DSP should be more than 250. Most of the votes Izgi received
came from these two parties. Can a surprise or a change be
expected? Although a long shot, it is not impossible. If a few of
the representatives voting for Mr. Basesgioglu, decide to vote
instead for Omer Izgi, the balance will change in his favor.
The decisive factor in this round will be the votes of DYP and
its leader Mrs. Ciller. Deputy Chairman of DYP, Hasan Ekinci said
that Murat Basesgioglu was the the centre-right candidate.
'Therefore, we shall vote for him. Party contacts are being made
for unity in the centre-right.' ANAP believes that it's rival is
not DYP but MHP. It is not far-fetched to think that ANAP and DYP
will come together before the elections and enter not only with
their own lists and emblems but also an agreement. The coming
days will show us a process of rapprochement between ANAP and
DYP. MHP is using DYP as a threat to ANAP, but a surprise
reversal of the situation is also possible."
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