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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (January 12, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] MITTERRAND FUNERAL CEREMONY[02] CILLER COLD-SHOULDERS ERBAKAN[03] MORE TALKS FOR NEW GOVERNMENT[04] TURKEY WARNS ARABS[05] WATER ON PEACE AGENDA[06] MILITARY OPERATION IN THE SOUTHEAST, 8 KILLED[07] CABINET RATIFIES TURKEY-LITHUANIA MILITARY AGREEMENT[08] DENKTAS WANTS FACE-TO-FACE TALKS[09] IRISH MINISTER IN CYPRUSTURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY JANUARY 12, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] MITTERRAND FUNERAL CEREMONYHeads of state and prime ministers from different countries attended the funeral ceremony of former French President Francois Mitterrand held in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. President Suleyman Demirel and Minister of State Abdulkadir Ates represented Turkey.Other leaders who attended the funeral ceremony of Mitterrand included US Vice President Al Gore, German Prime Minister Helmut Kohl, Britain's John Major, Russian Head of State Boris Yeltsin, Fidel Castro from Cuba, Egyptian President Husnu Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. President Chirac held a luncheon in the Elysee Palace after the funeral. President Demirel invited his French counterpart, Chirac, to Turkey and it was reported that President Chirac welcomed the invitation and expressed his wish to pay a visit to Turkey soon. /Milliyet/
[02] CILLER COLD-SHOULDERS ERBAKANWelfare Party (RP) Chairman Necmettin Erbakan yesterday received the cold shoulder from True Path Party (DYP) Chairwoman Tansu Ciller in his first attempt to form a government after President Suleyman Demirel gave him the task. Erbakan stated that he would meet Ciller once more after completing his first round with the leaders.Erbakan waited for Ciller's statement after the meeting before addressing the press himself. Both leaders stated the meeting was one where issues were taken up in general terms. However, Ciller said the DYP had "very different" views regarding social policies, foreign policy and priorities of the country when compared with those of the RP. Erbakan in his statement contradicted Ciller saying there were not any major differences. In her statement, Ciller said: "We explained that it would be very difficult to bring solutions to the country's problems where there are major differences in the approach to basic issues. We said such an effort would only waste the country's time". Erbakan, on the other hand, argued that differences could be overcome with negotiations. "We should not be prejudiced" he said. He noted that the RP was ready to form a coalition with any party, adding that they had also proposed to Ciller a coalition between three parties -the RP, the DYP and the Motherland Party (ANAP). Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal meanwhile stated that the subject of who will form the government wasn't very important. "What will be done and what will be the priorities of the government are more important issues" he said. Baykal on Tuesday chaired the CHP Party Assembly which met to assess the situation after the December 24 election. He said that the election required "real coalitions" in Turkey from now on. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[03] MORE TALKS FOR NEW GOVERNMENTIn frantic moves to block the pro-Islam Refah Party led by Necmettin Erbakan, ANAP party leader Mesut Yilmaz and DYP party leader Tansu Ciller seem ready to reach agreement at any cost.The two leaders have already met together in mild skirmishes to try and settle their differences-primarily about who will be prime minister in an ANAP-DYP coalition. Now that Erbakan has been given the task of trying to form a government, both Yilmaz and Ciller are having to come together in a united front if they are to hold off Erbakan, who anyway came first in the December elections. In the elections, Yilmaz edged in front of Ciller at the polls, thus winning him the right to be prime minister first. The two leaders appear to agree on some sort of rotating prime minister arrangement that will keep them both happy as long as their proposed coalition lasts. /Hurriyet/
[04] TURKEY WARNS ARABSTurkey has retorted to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which handed over an ultimatum to Turkey with the "Damascus Declaration". Following the water briefings to OECD and Arab countries last week, Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary responsible for the Middle East and Gulf Affairs Ambassador Ali Tuygan has cautioned the ambassadors of these countries in Ankara saying: "We are concerned that some countries have taken sides against Turkey. This will not help the solution of the water problem. If you continue with your stance, our relations will deteriorate. You will pay the price".Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen wanted to go to Syria to discuss the issues of water and PKK terror, however the Damascus government gave a negative response to this call. /Hurriyet-Milliyet-Cumhuriyet/
[05] WATER ON PEACE AGENDABoth Israel and the US have sent messages to Syrian Head of State Hafiz Esad, saying that among other issues, they will want to talk about the "water issue with Turkey" at upcoming peace talks.Turkey is concerned that issues involving Syria in water controversy and support of PKK terrorism could get lost as Syria discusses a new peace agreement with Israel, that has been largely the product of US pressure for a Middle East settlement. According to US government officials, US Secretary of State Warren Christopher has confirmed that he will be taking up the water issue with the Syrians as part of the peace package. /Milliyet/
[06] MILITARY OPERATION IN THE SOUTHEAST, 8 KILLEDEight militants of the PKK terrorist organization were killed during military operations in Hakkari's Cukurca district. Regional officials said that two militants were captured and two surrendered in Sirnak's Silopi and Tunceli's Hozat districts. Fifteen members of the PKK were arrested during operations in Diyarbakir, Mardin, Mus, Tunceli and Sirnak. /Sabah/
[07] CABINET RATIFIES TURKEY-LITHUANIA MILITARY AGREEMENTAn agreement regarding Educational, Techinal and Scientific Cooperation on Military Fields, which was signed at the end of last September between Turkey and Litnuania, was ratified by the Turkish Cabinet and was published in Thursday's edition of the Official Gazette. According to the agreement, the two countries will practice together in designated military fields. /All papers/
[08] DENKTAS WANTS FACE-TO-FACE TALKSPresident of the Turkish Republic of Nothern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf Denktas urged the Cypriot government yesterday to start talks to reach a settlement in the island before it enters the EU. "If the Greek Cypriots see as a party the Turkish Cypriots instead of calling the Americans, British and others to some and find a remedy for them, they can call on us to sit and talk face to face" Denktas told journalists after he met with Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring. "That is the way to a solution and that is what we are ready to do". Cyprus is to start accession talks with the EU six months after the end of an intergovernmental summit due to start during the Italian presidency in March. "We can talk about the EU with Klerides, but the EU comes to the agenda when we have agreed on a settlement and the status of the Turkish Cypriots is underlined and accepted by all concerned" Denktas said. /All papers/
[09] IRISH MINISTER IN CYPRUSIrish Foreign Minister Dick Spring yesterday began a round of talks in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Spring said that he wanted to see for himself what was happening on the island. TRNC officials spoke yesterday with Spring about measures for increasing security, "solutions" and membership in the European Union (EU). /Cumhuriyet/ |
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