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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (December 27, 1995)From: "Demetrios E. Paneras" <dep@bu.edu>Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] SECULARISTS AGREE ON COALITION DEAL[02] WEST CAUTIOUS, ISRAEL WORRIED AND ISLAMIC WORLD HAPPY[03] NEW AND OLD FACES[04] 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATATURK'S ARRIVAL IN ANKARA[05] EU TEXTILE QUOTAS LIFTED[06] NATURAL GAS FROM IRAN[07] BUSY PROMOTION MARATHON FOR 1996 BEGINS[08] BRITISH MAGAZINE PRAISES TURKISH BUSINESSMANTURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY DECEMBER 27, 1995Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] SECULARISTS AGREE ON COALITION DEALAfter an hour long meeting between True Path Party (DYP) Chairwoman Tansu Ciller and Motherland Party Chairman Mesut Yilmaz, the two rivals of the centre-right announced an early accord to set up a broad-based coalition government with the participation of the centre-left. Talking first at a joint press conference after his meeting with Ciller, Yilmaz reported an agreement in principle for a government partnership. Yilmaz said DSP leader Ecevit had also voiced support for a broadly based government. But he said the talks had been on general principles and that the details of power sharing and the division of cabinet seats had not been discussed. Yilmaz said the sides had agreed to continue the talks. He warned, however, that in working toward a conciliation, the parties had the right to propose modalities for the coalition, but had no right to insist on their own terms. "Now is not a time for polemics; it is a time for conciliation. Under the present circumstances, no political party has the right to turn its back on such a conciliation" he said.Speaking after Yilmaz, Ciller confirmed the accord, saying: "Our goal and direction is a broadly-based government". She said she had also had a telephone conversation with Deniz Baykal, Chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP). Ciller did not elaborate on the conversation however. She said the picture that emerged after the Dec.24 poll dictated the search for a compromise. She noted that the decision of appointing the prime minister lay with the president, but the DYP and negotiating partners were trying to "facilitate his task". DSP leader Bulent Ecevit, who ealier noted that the election results appeared to have given his party a role in the opposition, said after meeting with Yilmaz early Tuesday that the DSP could contribute to the formation of a "strong government". He said a government including the Welfare Party (RP) was not an absolute majority. "A party which could get just 20 % of the total votes and which, furthermore, cannot find itself partners, will have to assume the honorable role of political opposition". But RP leader Erbakan showed no intention of giving up without a fight, demanding to be given the mandate to form the new government, in line with democratic traditions, by President Suleyman Demirel. In a press conference yesterday, Erbakan stated that they were ready to make a coalition with any party in the Parliament. "Coalition means compromise" he added. /Hurriyet-Milliyet-Sabah/
[02] WEST CAUTIOUS, ISRAEL WORRIED AND ISLAMIC WORLD HAPPYFaced with the emergence of the pro-Islamist Welfare Party (RP) as the first party after Sunday's election, the Western world waited cautiously for prospects of a coalition among other parties. While Israel expressed concern over the results, Algerian fundamentalist leader and head of the FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) Parliamentary delegation, Enver Haddam rushed his congratulations to the RP.Israel, for its part, appeared to be concerned about its ties with Ankara after the rise of the Islamists. "There is concern that the results of the elections will harm ties with Israel, because secular parties and decision-makers will be more inclined to consider the new reality and incline toward religion" Israel's Haaretz newspaper quoted Ambassador Zvi Al-Peleg as saying. A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy said that Israel did not see any immediate reason for concern, but that some of the remarks, made by the RP in the past had not been very productive in terms of Turco-Israeli relations. A spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, however, said there would be no official comment on the internal affairs of another country. France said yesterday it was not worried by the victory of Turkey's Islamist party and was looking forward to strengthening its ties with Ankara. "We are not particularly worried" Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Yves Doutriaux told a news conference. "We hope to further strengthen bilateral relations with the government that will be formed. France cares a lot about its relations with Turkey" he said. He said implementing of the customs union between the EU and Turkey would proceed as planned. "The EU and Turkey will be implementing the customs accord, which we feel is very important" he added. "An international agreement binds the two parties". /Sabah/
[03] NEW AND OLD FACESSome of the familiar faces will be missing from the new parliament forming after the December 24 early general elections. Alpaslan Turkes, Aykut Edibali, Yusuf Ozal, Dogu Perincek, Cem Boyner, Murat Bozlak and Hasan Celal Guzel will be missing because their parties failed to cross the 10 percent threshold.Nevertheless, figures so far suggest that 202 former parliamentarians will be there in parliament again. There is still plenty of room for the new boys however. Although much depends on just which parties will be included in the new coalition government yet to be formed. /Cumhuriyet/
[04] 76TH ANNIVERSARY OF ATATURK'S ARRIVAL IN ANKARAToday is the 76th anniversary of founder of the Turkish Republic Ataturk's arrival in Ankara. The day will be marked with exhibitions, celebrations and ceremonial visits to to Ataturk's Mausoleum, Anitkabir. City and state officials will share in programmes throughout Ankara. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] EU TEXTILE QUOTAS LIFTEDAccording to a statement by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, European Union (EU) quotas imposed so far on Turkish textile and ready-wear imports, will be lifted on January 1, 1996 when the customs union is set to take effect. According to the new regulations, Turkish textile exporters will be not bound by the provisions of the EU quota control system any longer. EU member-countries have been notified about the changes. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
[06] NATURAL GAS FROM IRANA natural gas agreement with Iran looks as though it could come to reality. New studies for the supply of eleven billion square metres of gas a year for the next two and a half decades are going ahead. Iranian gas from Tebriz will be piped through Malatya to Ankara.Turkish cities are demanding more and more natural gas for heating and industrial uses. Air pollution is still a serious problem in some cities and natural gas is seen as the answer. During upcoming meetings in Istanbul, the natural gas project will be given final shape and finances will be sorted out. Turkey's BOTAS pipeline administration will seek funding from foreign money markets. /Milliyet/
[07] BUSY PROMOTION MARATHON FOR 1996 BEGINSA marathon promotion by Turkish tourism agency officials kicks off with the beginning of 1996, Anatolia news agency quoted Mediterranean Travel Agencies Association (AKSAD) Chairwoman Gaye Doganoglu as saying yesterday in Antalya. Officials will promote Turkey at nine fairs in six different countries between January and March. These fairs are the Utrecht Tourism Fair in the Netherlands, Stuttgart International Tourism Fair, Dusseldorf Yachting Fair, Tourism Magdeburg Fair and ITB Berlin Tourism Fair in Germany, Ferien '96 Wien Tourism Fair in Austria, Dublin Holiday World in England, BIT Milan Tourism Fair in Italy, and Fitur '96 Tourism Fair in Spain.
[08] BRITISH MAGAZINE PRAISES TURKISH BUSINESSMANA British magazine praised well-known Turkish businessman Rahmi Koc for his environmental activities, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. In the Winter-95 edition of the Network-21 magazine, which is published by the largest environmental foundation in Britain -the Conservation Foundation- there appeared an article about the activities of the Turkish Association for Sea Environment Protection, of which Koc is the founder.END |