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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (January 26, 1996)
From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>
CONTENTS
[01] KALEMLI IS ELECTED PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
[02] TURKEY, BULGARIA SIGN MILITARY AGREEMENT
[03] TURKEY MADE NO COMPROMISE ON CYPRUS, SAYS ABOU
[04] KOREAN WAR MARTYRS COMMEMORATED
[05] BRITAIN SENDS ENVOY TO CYPRUS
[06] YUMURTALIK PIPELINE OPENS
[07] TURKISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN ZENICA
[08] NEW HOPES FOR CYPRUS
[09] GREEK TERRORISTS GOING FOR TURKS
[10] CONDITIONAL "YES" TO EU ON CYPRUS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
FRIDAY JANUARY 26, 1996
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
[01] KALEMLI IS ELECTED PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
Motherland Party (ANAP) Deputy Mustafa Kalemli was elected
Parliament Speaker yesterday in the fourth round of voting in the
legislature after Prime Minister Tansu Ciller's True Path Party
(DYP) decided to back him. The 343 votes cast for Kalemli were
almost double those cast for his principle opponent, Aydin
Menderes from the pro-Islamic Welfare Party who managed to garner
the votes of only 196 deputies. Also supporting Kalemli's bid for
Parliament speaker, apart from the DYP, were the Democratic Left
Party (DSP) and the Republican People's Party (CHP).
Although the speaker has now been elected, his aides have not.
These will be elected starting from next Tuesday and the number
of candidates from the various parties will be proportionate to
the number of seats they hold in Parliament. No party has shown
any candidates as yet. It is expected that the full compliment of
aides will be elected by Thursday at the latest. The election of
these aides is essential as it marks the start of the 45-day
period during which a government has to be formed.
Who is Kalemli?
Kalemli was born in 1943 in the town of Tavsanli in Kutahya. In
1967, he graduated from Ankara University's Faculty of Medicine.
In 1972, he became a urologist and chief research assistant at
this faculty. After conducting special studies on kidney
transplantation at Hamburg University in 1978, Kalemli became
assistant professor at the Urology Clinic of Ankara University.
In 1983, he was elected to Parliament. On December 13, 1983,
Kalemli was appointed labour minister, and on December 14, 1983
he became labour and social security minister, holding this post
until October 17, 1986, when he was appointed health minister. He
held this post until December 21, 1987. Kalemli was re-elected
Kutahya deputy in the general election on November 29, 1987 and
appointed interior minister, holding this post until March 31,
1989. On June 21, 1991, Kalemli was appointed interior minister
in the Mesut Yilmaz led government. On August 26, 1991, he was
appointed forestry minister. Between November 12, 1991 and August
23, 1993, he served as ANAP parliamentary group deputy chairman.
Kalemli was re-elected deputy in the December 24 election. He is
married with two children. He speaks English.
/Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
[02] TURKEY, BULGARIA SIGN MILITARY AGREEMENT
Turkey and Bulgaria signed a military agreement for 1996 on
Wednesday in Sofia. The cooperation agreement was signed by
Deputy Chief of the Bulgarian General Staff, Gen.Petko Prokopiyev
and Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff, Gen.Cevik Bir, who
was invited to Sofia by his counterpart. The agreement calls for
Turkey and Bulgaria to participate in joint military exercises in
1996 and for the exchange of military advisors. Bir said that the
agreement, which also covers security measures, was the best
example of developing military relations between the two
countries. Bir, commenting on Turkish troops who flew to Bosnia
on Thursday, said that Turkey's aim was to provide peace and
security in the region where it has international peacekeeping
duties. /All papers/
[03] TURKEY MADE NO COMPROMISE ON CYPRUS, SAYS ABOU
A senior European Commission official denied yesterday claims
that Turkey had made a "compromise" on Cyprus for the realization
of the customs union (CU). Serge Abou, the European Commission's
Head of the unit responsible for Cyprus, Malta, Turkey and
Slovenia, said that the Cyprus question and the CU belonged to
separate platforms altogether. "Turkey did not achieve CU by
giving up Cyprus" Abou said, in reference to claims that
have been made in the media and in political circles. "The Cyprus
question is a political one and the CU is an economic deal. The
solution to the Cyprus problem can only be realized through
dialogue, it cannot find a solution within the framework of an
economic deal" Abou said. Accusing those who are against the CU
of never reading the agreement, he pointed out that there could
be no turning back from the CU. He said that the EU hoped that
the new Turkish government would be formed as soon as possible.
/Cumhuriyet/
[04] KOREAN WAR MARTYRS COMMEMORATED
The 45th anniversary of a Turkish brigade's victory at the battle
of Kuyangjang-ni during the Korean War was celebrated with a
ceremony at the Korean Martyrs' Monument in Ankara. Following the
national anthem and a minute's silence, speeches were given by
Ahmet Arican, a retired colonel and chairman of the Turkish
Veterans' Association, by Korean Ambassador Byun Woon Yu and by
Maj.Gen.John L.Welde, chairman of the Office of Defence
Cooperation. Turkey sent soldiers to Korea in support of a UN
resolution calling for the protection of the South against
invasion by the communist North of the peninsula. Korean war
veterans, relatives of martyrs and high-ranking officers
participated in the ceremony. /All papers/
[05] BRITAIN SENDS ENVOY TO CYPRUS
Following Ireland, Britain is sending a top official to Cyprus at
the end of February for consultations. Britain's Ambassador to
Greek Cyprus, David Madden, told reporters in Nicosia yesterday
that 1996 offered prospects towards ending the division of
Cyprus, echoing sentiments expressed by US Assistant Secretary of
State Richard Holbrooke who has said a "big push" would be made
this year. "Everyone is doing their bit in a coordinated way to
make that prediction come true" said Madden, adding that Britain
believed it was time for greater efforts on the Cyprus problem.
Foreign office political director Jeremy Greenstock will be
visiting the island on February 22, he said. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] YUMURTALIK PIPELINE OPENS
Iraq's corroding trans-Turkey pipeline can easily handle 700,000
barrels of oil per day (bpd), the amount Baghdad is permitted to
export under a UN oil offer. The offer, which Turkey and Iraq are
set to negotiate next week, allows Iraq to conduct oil exports
worth $2 billion over six months, at current prices that would
amount to approximately 700,000 bpd. The twin 1,049 kilometre
(655 mile) Kirkuk-Yumurtalik line has a maximum capacity of 2
million bpd. Iraq used to export about 1.6 million bpd before
Ankara shut down the line in compliance with the trade sanctions
the UN imposed on Iraq for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
/Cumhuriyet/
[07] TURKISH TROOPS ARRIVE IN ZENICA
Turkish troops who are to reinforce the Turkish contingent
currently stationed at Zenica military base as a part of the
International Implementation Force (IFOR) arrived at the Croatian
capital of Split yesterday. The reinforcement troops, travelling
in two Turkish Airlines (THY) planes, consist of artillery units,
a mechanized infantry company, a tank company and a bomb disposal
team. Gen.Ayhan Tas, commander of the 28th Mechanized Infantry
Company, which will provide security at the IFOR headquarters in
the US command area, spoke at the sending off ceremony at
Ankara's Esenboga Airport. Tas said that with the arrival of the
reinforcements, the number of Turkish troops will be enough for
the contingent to be called a brigade.
Capt.Vahit Ocalan, the reinforcements' commander, said that their
password would be "charity" and their hearts were full of
feelings of peace and friendsip. He pointed out that their
assignment was a difficult one, and they were determined to do
their best to be successful. The Turkish Land Forces' Chief of
Staff, Gen.Dogu Aktulga and Bosnia-Herzegovina's Ambassador to
Ankara, Hayrettin Somun, also participated in the sending off
ceremony. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/
[08] NEW HOPES FOR CYPRUS
Top US negotiator Richard Holbrooke said that he was not going to
visit Cyprus just for talks, but that rather he was visiting the
island to solve the problems there. The US administration has
already told him that whether or not he retires, he is still
responsible for finding a solution to the decades old problems
between the two communities on the island.
Commenting on the situation, Holbrooke said that 1996 would be
known as "Cyprus Year" -the year that all the problems were
solved. He added that he was optimistic about finding a way that
would please both sides and restore stability to the island.
/Cumhuriyet/
[09] GREEK TERRORISTS GOING FOR TURKS
According to the claims coming from a certain Balkan country, the
Greek terrorist group 17 November, is planning to hit Turks,
Americans and Greek diplomats in a new wave of politically
oriented violence. As a result of the claim, security has
tightened up in Greece and around foreign diplomatic facilities.
/Hurriyet/
[10] CONDITIONAL "YES" TO EU ON CYPRUS
During a meeting in Rome on January 29, the European Union (EU)
will appoint a "Presidential Representive" for Cyprus instead of
a "coordinator" in line with Turkish proposals. The EU is trying
to have an equal status with the US as a key player in the talks
to find a Cyprus solution. Showing the green light for the EU to
take part in the Cyprus talks through the Customs Union Agreement
signed in March 6, 1995, Ankara reportedly agrees with the
conditional appointment of a presidential representive by the EU.
Ankara will not oppose the EU appointment of such a representive
on condition that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
enjoys the same status as the Greek-Cypriot government and there
will be no full membership of Cyprus in the EU without first
finding a solution and reviving the confidence building measures.
/Cumhuriyet/
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