Anadolu Agency: News in English, 97-12-27

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From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>

27 DEC 1997

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-GREECE - TURKEY DENIES VIOLATING GREEK AIRSPACE

[03] TRNC - TRNC FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTER ETKIN: ''WE SUSPEND BI- COMMUNAL CONTACTS STARTING FROM SATURDAY''

[04] TURKEY-TURKMENISTAN - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN TURKMENISTAN - TURKMEN PRESIDENT HOSTS DINNER IN YILMAZ'S HONOR

[05] TURKEY-PRESS CONFERENCE (1) - PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S PRESS CONFERENCE

[06] TURKEY-PRESS CONFERENCE (2) - PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S PRESS CONFERENCE

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)
WAR OF RP FOR TIME
The Welfare Party is trying to stall a verdict in a bid by the chief prosecutor to have it outlawed by the constitutional court.

SCIENCE WORLD LOSE ARF
Well-known Turkish mathematician Cahit Arf has died at the age of 97.

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem encourages Turkish companies to enter the Chinese market.

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

RADİKAL (LEFT) REPORT WHICH SHAKES SUMMIT
An opinion poll shows that 51 percent of those questioned believe the government of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is a failure.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE) EU CAN NOT UNDERSTAND OUR IMPORTANCE
Richard Perle who arranged Turkish-US relations in 1980's said leaders of EU countries see EU as a Christan club. The point where they came is a mistake of EU.

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

BOOK CRISIS WITH GREECE
A new crisis erupted between Turkey and Greece. It was revealed that Greece made Paul Hidiroglu, who has links with separatist terrorist PKK organization, prepare a book about Western Thrace and distributed it to foreign diplomats in Ankara.

FİNANSAL FORUM (ECONOMY)

[02] TURKEY-GREECE - TURKEY DENIES VIOLATING GREEK AIRSPACE

A written statement of Foreign Ministry said that the Turkish warplanes were flying in international airspace on Thursday, but were intercepted by 10 Greek fighters.

"The jets were performing their routine habitual training flights" and Turkey had always abided by the agreement between the two countries, it said.

Greek Defense Ministry Thursday claimed that 12 Turkish F-16 jets violated Greek airspace, saying that Athens would not tolerate such provocations.

[03] TRNC - TRNC FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTER ETKIN: ''WE SUSPEND BI- COMMUNAL CONTACTS STARTING FROM SATURDAY''

Yetkin said independent and sovereign state TRNC felt the necessity to re- evaluate the bi-communal contacts in a situation which was revealed after the European Union (EU)'s Summit held in Luxembourg.

''This evaluation will be made under the light of our government's statement issued on Dec 14, 1997'' Etkin said adding that the suspension will continue until the studies reach an outcome.

[04] TURKEY-TURKMENISTAN - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN TURKMENISTAN - TURKMEN PRESIDENT HOSTS DINNER IN YILMAZ'S HONOR

Addressing a dinner which Turkmen President Sapharmurad Turkmenbasi hosted in his honor Yilmaz said

Yilmaz said his visit was the indication of the importance Turkey attributed to Turkmenistan and to the improvement of its relations with Turkish Republics.

Yilmaz said both Turkey and all the region gained a stable country both economically and politically after Turkmenistan gained its independence.

Stressing that existing cooperation between the two countries were not adequate, Yilmaz said ''there is a very big potential to improve our cooperation. Today, the amount of investments and commitments of Turkey reached to three billion dollars. Our reciprocal trade volume increased 300 million dollars in 1996.''

Yilmaz said Turkmenistan should set up multi-lateral relations with all its neighbours to speed up its economic development. ''We should be in solidarity and in cooperation being brotherly countries'' he added.

Yilmaz said impartiality status of Turkmenistan in international field contributed a lot to the world peace and regional stability. He also said Turkey would continue to support Turkey's impartiality status.

Turkmenbasi in his part said harmonized relations could be set up between the two countries in the past six years. Turkmenbasi said Turkish businessmen established new industries in Turkmenistan with their investments.

Turkmenbasi said Turkey and Turkmenistan acted with the same point of view in regional and international issues adding that they favored improvement of the relations without directing it to third countries.

Speaking to reporters Yilmaz said Turkey would have 15 billion cubic meter natural gas deficit in the coming 10 years process adding that transportation of Turkmen gas to Turkey was obligatory to this end. Yilmaz said one of the two alternative projects will be implemented in 1998.

Yilmaz recalled that transportation of Russian natural gas stopped for a while due to several problems created with this country.

Yilmaz also said necessary studies were about to be completed to export electricity energy from Turkmenistan.

[05] TURKEY-PRESS CONFERENCE (1) - PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S PRESS CONFERENCE

Demirel staged a news conference on Saturday briefing about ''Turkey while entering to 1998, Developments of 1997 and Targets of 1998.'' in a 113-page text Demirel distributed to press officials Demirel said 1997 was full of many internal and external incidents.

Demirel said Turkish Republic was a constitutional democracy adding that Turkey Republic aimed at making its citizens as the people of a contemporary state. Demirel also said democracy meant the sovereignity of law.

Stressing that functioning of a law state and democracy depended on the feeling of its citizens as the equal and free citizens of this country, Demirel said exhausting, pessimism and hopelessness has no place in democracies.

Demirel said primary aim of Turkey was the seeking of a democratic stability. Democracy should be a dynamic process, so basic was to get rid of a crisis was the constitutional reform. ''Such a reform should be based on civilian agreement'' Demirel added.

Speaking about problems with Greece Demirel said ''Unfortunately, Greece could not get rid of its habit creating baseless and unjust obstacles to Turkey especiall on European Union (EU) issue. This attitude of Greece is not beneficial to its own interests or the regional peace.

Demirel said ''Greece took an important part in initiatives to distance Turkey from the EU and we identify this as a grave mistake.'' He said Greece should take into consideration that this attitude would create a responsibility for itself.

Demirel said the resolutions taken during EU Luxembourg Summit indicated that leaders of the EU member countries could not understand the meaning of our justified warnings and expectation.

''Turkey will continue its efforts forwarded to the target of a democratic, integrated and welfare Europe'' Demirel said adding that ''Turkey is one of the main countries playing a determing role in structuring process of new Europe.'' Demirel said Turkey, with all its belongings, is an indispensable part of new Europe.

Demirel said Turkey was determined to maintain efforts to make the Balkans a region where cooperation and soul of solidarity would be strengthened.

Demirel said a joint decision was taken with the Balkan countries to establish a meschanism where cooperation will be made against drug trafficking and terrorism.

He said bloodshed ended in Bosnia with Dayton Peace Agreement adding that yet, it was unfortunate that committments of the agreement could not be implemented fully.

[06] TURKEY-PRESS CONFERENCE (2) - PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S PRESS CONFERENCE

President Suleyman Demirel staged a news conference in Cankaya Palace on Saturday. Mentioning about Cyprus problem Demirel said two problems in Cyprus escalated tension.

''Despite our various warnings, EU ignored international agreements and decided to initiate full membership negotiations with the Greek Cypriot Side. This will negatively affect the intercommunal talks to find a lasting, just and peaceful solution to Cyprus question. This attitude of EU encourges provocative policies of Greek Cypriot side, the issue of deployment of S-300 missiles are important to this end'' Demirel said adding that steps forwarded to change strategic balance in Eastern Mediterranean form a threat for peace and stability of the region.

Demirel stressed that Turkey and the US have similar strategic point of views on many issues adding that joint interest and action fields were strengthened after the cold war.

President Demirel said Turkey was an aspect of peace, stability and welfare in Euroasia which became a political fact and added that Turkey played the role of a bridge in Europe, Middle East, Russia, Caucasia and Central Asia.

Demirel said the oil pipeline project which was firstly called as ''Baku- Ceyhan'' that would transport Azeri oil to the Mediterranean and world markets via Turkey was improved that it included Kazakh and Turkmen oil and now called as ''Caspian-Ceyan Oil Pipeline Project.''

Mentioning about relations with Russia Demirel said Turkey regarded Russia as a partner that may be worked together on reciprocal security and interest adding that ''we are trying to improve relations with Russia within the principles of not intervening to each others' internal affairs, responsibility of good neighborhood and joint welfare perspective.''

Recalling that Turkey strongly supported the Middle East process from the very begining, Demirel said Turkey followed the developments with concern which could create a danger of halt in the process. Demirel also stressed that Turkey advised the concerned sides to abide by their committments within the framework of the process. He said Turkey believed that security crisis should be overcomed and stressed that the Middle East peace process formed a golden opportunity for the region.

Demirel said Iran could not solve the problem with the international comminity and that this negatively effected the stability of the region adding that lack of authority in Northern Iraq formed a chance for the activities of the separatist terrorist PKK organization forwarded to Turkey. Demirel called on Iraqi Administration to abide by Security Council resolutions and to make peace with the world.

Demirel said Turkey had historical and cultural ties with Arab countries ''we expect Arab countries to take into account this fact in policies they cover against Turkey.'' He said ''we pesistantly say that Turkish-Israeli relations was not an alternative to our relations with our Arab brothers, on the contrary it is a contribution to the stability of the region.

Demirel also said a strong democracy, economy and defense, which we identify as a ''golden triangle'' is the identification of Turkey's national security.

Demirel said although Turkey was located in the middle of the most senstive regions of the world and despite the problems around us, our country is calm except the terrorism of the separatist terrorist PKK organization.

Demirel said the government was successful in struggle against terrorism adding that ''we will continue to struggle against the separatist terrorism and launch efforts to reach a stable and economic structure.''

Mentioning about international terrorism Demirel said ''this is a new method of using force'' and stressed that ''today, terrorism became the most dangerous problem of the world.''

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