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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (29 Nov 95)From: TRKNWS-L@MIT.EDU (trh@aimnet.com)Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] CILLER VISITS SARAJEVO[02] TURKISH POLICE GOING TO BOSNIA[03] EU-MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE STUMBLES ON TERRORISM[04] BEATTIE TO TRAVEL TO CYPRUS ON DECEMBER 4[05] CUSTOMS UNION GOING PRO-TURKEY[06] DEMIREL TO ADDRESS AZERI PARLIAMENT[07] TURKEY SENDS AID TO TURKMENS IN N.IRAQ[08] TURKEY AND RUSSIA CLASH OVER ARMS TREATY[09] PKK SUPPLIES SEIZED[10] FOUR PKK MILITANTS KILLED, NINE CAUGHTTURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish pressthis morning[01] CILLER VISITS SARAJEVOPrime Minister Tansu Ciller visited the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo yesterday, in a move to support the post-war reconstruction of the Balkan state. Ciller is the first prime minister to visit the city since the signing of a peace agreement in Dayton, Ohio. Ciller met with Bosnian President Alija Izzetbegovic and other officials during her one-day visit. She also visited the martyrs' memorial. After her meeting with President Izzetbegovic, Ciller told reporters that Turkey was ready to participate in training soldiers of the Bosnian army under the provisions of the Dayton peace agreement. Noting that Turkey would not let Islamic fundamentalists be dominant in Bosnia, Ciller said: "In the Islamic world, there is the Turkey model and the radical Islamic model. The Islamic world and Bosnia should adopt the Turkey model". Ciller stressed that Turkey would pioneer in Bosnia's economic development.During her meetings with Bosnian officials, an air transportation agreement was signed between the two countries. Ciller later opened the office of the Turkish International Cooperation Agency (TICA) in Sarajevo. According to another agreement signed, Turkey will extend $80 million in Eximbank credits to Bosnia. Ciller was accompanied on her trip by a number of Turkish businessmen, as well as by Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen, her chief advisor Murat Sungar, and the chairman of TICA, Umut Arik. Speaking at a press conference before her departure from Sarajevo, Ciller described the Dayton agreement as an important step. "We welcome this agreement. However, the process is not finished. We cannot be sure of the achievement of the initial agreement that will be signed in mid-December in Paris" Ciller said. French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette said all countries deploying troops for peace-monitoring Bosnia will attend the Paris meeting, which is to be held in mid-December. Turkey will also attend a conference in Brussels on economic aid to Bosnia. The Bosnians want Turkey to be a coordinator and a bridge in lending aid and support by Islamic and Western countries. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet-Sabah-Milliyet/
[02] TURKISH POLICE GOING TO BOSNIAFollowing a last minute decision by the Cabinet, fifty Turkish police officials will go to Bosnia for special police duties following the recent US engineered peace agreement.Following talks between Prime Minister Ciller and Interior Minister Teoman Unusan, the Cabinet agreed to send the fifty policemen to Bosnia in line with recent agreements between Turkish and Bosnian officials. Fifty suitable candidates are now being selected from individuals who can speak English, or one of the regional languages. After a weeks training, those selected can expect to be in Bosnia by December 5. /Hurriyet/
[03] EU-MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE STUMBLES ON TERRORISMForeign ministers from the 27 participating countries held three round table debates on the main themes of the EU and Mediterranean countries conference -politics and security, the economy, and cultural relations. The 15 EU ministers and 12 ministers from 11 Mediterranean states and the Palestinian Authority on Monday worked out a framework for building a free trade zone by the year 2010. They also agreed to a formula on the tricky issue of repatriating illegal immigrants from Mediterranean countries. But differences persisted on Syria's insistence on watering down references to terrorism in the final Barcelona declaration.The Euro-Mediterranean ministerial conference ended yesterday with the adoption of a Barcelona Declaration pledging a new era of peace and prosperity, Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales announced. An EU diplomat said Syria made the only reservation on the final document concerning an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Other disputes over the definition of terrorism, the Palestinians' right to self-determination and Israel's stance on nuclear non-proliferation were resolved by consensus. The declaration called for a political dialogue, enhanced EU economic aid to east and south Mediterranean states, cooperation to control migration, crime and drugs trafficking and the prospect of a free trade area for industrial goods by the year 2010. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal, attending the conference, met with his Irish and Portuguese counterparts yesterday in order to request their support for Turkey's customs union deal. Baykal also lobbied for Turkey's participation in the EU summit meeting that will be held in Barcelona on December 16. Baykal stated that Ireland had pledged support for Turkey in the upcoming CU vote. Recalling his meetings with the Swedish and Finnish foreign ministers on Monday, Baykal said that the message from both countries was positive. During talks with his Swedish counterpart, Lena Hjelm-Wallen, Baykal complained about the opening of a bureau of the National Front for the Liberation of Kurdistan (ERNK) -a front organization of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)- in Sweden. Wallen said that they were aware of ERNK's links with the PKK, and stressed that they supported Turkey's fight against terrorism. Baykal also told the ministers that 124 people had been freed after the recent amendment to Article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law. Baykal said that he would meet with British Labour Party leader, Tony Blair, on Dec.4, and would attend a European Socialist Party leaders' meeting in Brussels on Dec.6, to seek support for the CU. Baykal noted that Turkey would attend preparatory meetings for the reconstruction of Bosnia, to be held on Dec.8-9 in London. Baykal returned home yesterday afternoon. In a press conference after his arrival at Ankara-Esenboga Airport, Baykal indicated that the Irish Foreign Minister would go to Cyprus in the forthcoming days. Pointing out that the Irish Minister would be the first EU minister to visit the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Baykal said: "This is an important event". Ireland will be the EU term-president in the second half of 1996 after Italy. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/
[04] BEATTIE TO TRAVEL TO CYPRUS ON DECEMBER 4Richard Beattie, US President Bill Clinton's Special Envoy to Cyprus, will be visiting the island from December 4 to 6, according to the US State Department. Nicholas Burns, the department spokesman, said: "Beattie's trip to Cyprus is a manifestation of the Administration's interest in and commitment to helping resolve the Cyprus problem". /Hurriyet/
[05] CUSTOMS UNION GOING PRO-TURKEYAll the indications from Brussels are that members of the European Parliament (EP) Foreign Affairs Commission will tell EP members to vote in favour of Turkey when they vote on December 11. The December vote is an important vote leading to final decisiona at the end of the month prior to Turkey joining the union on January 1, 1996.Leaders of the Liberal and other groups in the EP, including Willy de Clercq and Konrad Schwaiger, have all indicated that they will vote positively. With so many EP leaders on Turkey's side, there is every reason to believe that Turkey will indeed be in the EU customs union at the start of the new year. /Hurriyet/
[06] DEMIREL TO ADDRESS AZERI PARLIAMENTPresident Suleyman Demirel will be the first foreign president to give a speech at the Azeri Parliament. President Demirel will leave for Baku on Dec.7 for a two-day visit, his second to that country. Demirel's speech to the deputies of the Azeri parliament will be about democracy, explaining that the concept of democracy is ever-evolving and will also propose unity and solidarity. He will also be awarded an honorary doctorate by the Azerbaijan Academy of Science. Among the topics expected to be discussed are the political and economic relations between the two countries, Turkish investments in Azerbaijan, and Azeri-Armenian relations. /All papers/
[07] TURKEY SENDS AID TO TURKMENS IN N.IRAQThe Religious Affairs Foundation and the Red Crescent will send TL 6 billion worth of clothing and school supplies to the Turkmens of northern Iraq. Mehmet Kervanca, Director-General of the Foundation, said Turkmens were living in a state of starvation and misery. /All papers/
[08] TURKEY AND RUSSIA CLASH OVER ARMS TREATYTurkish and Russian officials have again reached a stand-off after strong words of disagreement in Brussels about the European Treaty for Conventional Arms Reductions.Turkey supports the agreement and wants the European balance maintained primarily to protect its own security. Russia on the other hand, disagrees and is defying the Europeans. Representing Turkey at continuing talks in Brussels, Defence Minister Vefa Tanir has warned the Russians that the European balance must be maintained. Turkey has also declared that compromise with Russian demands could lead to future problems-especially in connection with security in the Balkan regions. /All papers/
[09] PKK SUPPLIES SEIZEDActing on information given by a PKK terrorist arrested in Diyarbakir, Istanbul security forces raided a known militant cell and seized radio communications equipment and spares on the way to PKK terrorist units in the southeast of the country.Police officials said after the operation that the PKK had been dealt a severe blow and had lost equipment vital to their campaign in the rural areas of the southeast. /Hurriyet/
[10] FOUR PKK MILITANTS KILLED, NINE CAUGHTFour militants of the PKK terrorist organization were killed during military operations and nine militants were caught in Mardin, Diyarbakir, Siirt, Bitlis-Tatvan and Mus-Varto districts in the southeast. Officials from the Diyarbakir-based emergency rule region said that three militants were killed in Mardin's Mazidagi district and that a PKK commander, Kemal Simsek, code named "Zinnar", was killed in Igdir. Officials said that weapons were seized and another militant was arrested in Batman. /Hurriyet/
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