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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (February 6, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] HOLBROOKE CALLS OFF AEGEAN TRIP[02] SYRIA CONTINUES WATER LOBBY AGAINST TURKEY[03] US MILITARY INTELLIGENCE REPORT[04] TEXTILE INVESTMENTS EXPAND IN ANATOLIA[05] TURKEY WELCOMES END OF FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTING[06] WORLD BANK TO FINANCE FEASIBILITY STUDY OF BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE[07] DENMARK DECLINES TO REPLY TO APO'S LETTER[08] AEGEAN PROBLEMS STILL NOT OVER[09] TENSION ON THE AEGEAN GOES ON[10] TURKEY TAKING MED-TV DISPUTE TO EUROPEAN COUNCIL[11] SYRIA AND IRAN AVOIDING THE ISSUE[12] GERMANY HONOURS TURKISH MOTHER OF SOLINGEN VICTIMS[13] CRITICAL HAMMER FORCE SUMMITTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTUESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] HOLBROOKE CALLS OFF AEGEAN TRIPUS envoy Richard Holbrooke has called off visits planned for the next few days to Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, the State Department said yesterday. Holbrooke made the decision after Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis snubbed him, saying his schedule did not coincide with the Greek government's and so his visit to Greece was not possible.Asked if Holbrooke would cancel visits to Turkey and Cyprus as well as Greece, State Department Spokesman Glyn Davies said: "My understanding is that he will not be going to any of those capitals at this stage". He told a news briefing that Holbrooke, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs, would instead "pursue a rather full schedule of calls" in Central and Western Europe. Holbrooke, who is resigning his post on February 21, is currently on a farewell tour of Europe. /Milliyet/
[02] SYRIA CONTINUES WATER LOBBY AGAINST TURKEYAs Syria continues its search for Arab backing for its water dispute with Turkey, Ankara's "technical approach toward water" has received support from Jordan. "While in Ankara, Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan discussed with President Suleyman Demirel the general water question in the region" Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said yesterday. "He said that technical studies must be made in the whole region. This, as you know, is the crux of our attitude on water. We also advocate the same technical approach to our water question" Akbel said.Ankara is urging its two downstream neighbours, Iraq and Syria, to negotiate on a three-staged plan which proposes "a technical approach" to the water question by formulating water and land inventories for the three countries, then comparing them for optimal use of water resources. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] US MILITARY INTELLIGENCE REPORTA new report released by the US Joint Military Intelligence College (JMIC) concluded that the Southeast Anatolia Project, known as "GAP", will have a stabilizing effect on the Southeast when it is completed. The introduction to the report emphasizes that the views expressed belongs to its author "and do not reflect the official policy or position of the US Department of Defence or the US government".The unclassified report, entitled "Guarded Expectations" and written by JMIC faculty member Carl Nestor on the basis of research he did in Turkey in the summer of 1994, says GAP will stabilize the Southeast in a number of ways. /All papers/
[04] TEXTILE INVESTMENTS EXPAND IN ANATOLIAThe textile sector greatly increased investments throughout Anatolia last year and the expansion is continuing this year as well. Following Turkey's joining the customs union, and with the lifting of the series of quotas, regulations and customs barriers formerly governing the textile industry, many investors are aiming to boost their investments even more in the years to come. Financial support provided by the state for the textile sector in Turkey -where thousands of small and middle-scale entrepreneurs are involved- was over TL 299.4 trillion during the first 11 months of 1995, of which some 20 % went to the Kahramanmaras province.1995 was the most successful year for the industry, with a 38 % increase in exports over the previous year. This brought to Turkey $9 billion in income from textile production. /All papers/
[05] TURKEY WELCOMES END OF FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTINGTurkey, which has carefully refrained from any public criticism of French nuclear tests, welcomed yesterday the declaration of President Jacques Chirac to end nuclear testing. "We welcome the French declaration to end nuclear testing and to pledge efforts to conclude the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which is being negotiated in Geneva, in 1996" Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said in a press conference."Nuclear testing is hazardous to the environment, public health and security- all of which are areas of vital importance for the common future of mankind" Akbel said. "We consider the treaty to be not only a safeguard that would protect the world against these hazards, but also a step forward for disarmament negotiations". Akbel stressed the importance Turkey placed on nuclear non-proliferation and said that Ankara believed the French declaration would make an important contribution to the speedy conclusion of the treaty within this year. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] WORLD BANK TO FINANCE FEASIBILITY STUDY OF BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINEA senior Turkish official has announced that the World Bank has agreed to finance the feasibility study of a proposed oil pipeline that will run from Baku in Azerbaijan to Ceyhan on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Temel Iskit said yesterday that the World Bank's decision had demonstrated "just how valid this proposed project was and the degree to which it was getting international support". Iskit headed a team of Turkish officials who held talks in Washington on the proposed pipeline last week. /All papers/
[07] DENMARK DECLINES TO REPLY TO APO'S LETTERA letter sent by Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the PKK terrorist organization, received no reply from Copenhagen, according to Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. "It is the Danish policy not to answer letters from the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization" the prime minister replied to a question from Soren Sondergaard, a fellow deputy from the Unity List. "This also covers the PKK's letter of December 26, 1995. This also corresponds to the attitude of our EU partners and other close countries" he said.Last week a leading Danish daily, Jyllands-Posten, published a compilation article entitled "New terrorism". It refers to the PKK, calling it "a Syrian instrument to destroy Turkey, the only secular, pro-Western democracy in the region". /All papers/
[08] AEGEAN PROBLEMS STILL NOT OVERTension in the Aegean Sea is once again growing as Greece carries out naval and military exercises in the region around the Kardak island hotspot. Only a week ago the tiny rocky islet was the focal point of tensions between Greece and Turkey, and a serious confrontation was only averted with the intervention of the US.Turkish government officials are trying to keep the situation cool by playing down Greek efforts to build tension once again. Speaking to foreign journalists yesterday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said that as far as Turkey knew, the present situation was "not serious." Chief of General Staff representatives said that to avoid another crisis, the area was being very closely watched and measures were being taken to keep the situation in check. Turkey has declared a number of times that dialogue is the way to resolve problems in the Aegean. Ankara government officials have said that they are ready at any time to open the way to a solution by talks rather than by a show of military strength. /All papers/
[09] ENSION ON THE AEGEAN GOES ONThe strained atmosphere prevailing in Athens shows that for Greek officials the Kardak crisis is still not over. Greek naval vessels in the Aegean have been ordered by the Greek General Staff to attack Turkish forces landing on Greek islands and islets. The Greek Defence Council has further decided to prolong the alert situation of the Greek army. Greek vessels searching for a helicopter, lost last week, have violated Turkish territorial waters, and Turkish naval vessels have retaliated by entering Greek territorial waters.On the other hand, two Greek fishing-boats unlawfully fishing in Turkish territorial waters, reported by Turkish patrols, after returning to Dedeagac claimed that Turkish soldiers opened fire on them. The Greek Foreign Ministry has brought the matter to the attention of the Turkish Embassy in Athens. /Milliyet/
[10] TURKEY TAKING MED-TV DISPUTE TO EUROPEAN COUNCILSteps are being taken to bring up the matter of the pro-PKK MED-TV channel in the European Council. Turkey wants to find a way to stop MED-TV broadcasting anti-Turkey pro-PKK propaganda, by taking the matter to international arbitration. Turkey has already taken the matter up with British government officials, but so far nothing has been done to stop MED-TV following its anti-Turkey course of action. MED-TV broadcasts from London, and even PKK terrorist leader Ab- dullah Ocalan has used MED-TV to speak against Turkey. Now Ankara hopes that if the European Council takes the matter up, a committee of international judges will be appointed to resolve the issue. /Cumhuriyet/
[11] SYRIA AND IRAN AVOIDING THE ISSUEAlthough Turkey has requested again more details about six TIR trucks loaded with guns and ammunition stopped at a border customs point, Syria and Iran are being slow about giving an answer.Turkish officials know that Syria and Iran are involved in the affair, and want to fill in the missing details of the shipment with the help of Iran and Syria. Turkey has more than once called on Syria to cooperate, but Syrian officials -as do Iranian officials-remain silent. Loading details, other names and addresses of the consignee and receiver of the goods have all been shown to be false. Officials are convinced that the consignment of guns and ammunition was destined for the PKK terrorist organization. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] GERMANY HONOURS TURKISH MOTHER OF SOLINGEN VICTIMSMevlude Genc, the Turkish mother who lost five relatives in a 1993 racist firebomb attack, is to receive Germany's Cross of Merit for her commitment to understanding between Turks and Germans, the government said yesterday. Despite losing two daughters, two granddaughters and a niece in the firebomb attack on her family house in Solingen, Genc said she never felt hate or enmity for the perpetrators, and continued to call for tolerance between Turks and Germans.President Roman Herzog awarded Genc the honour for her "unswerving commitment to understanding and tolerance between Germans and Turks", the government's ombudswoman for foreigners' affairs said in a statement. /All papers/
[13] CRITICAL HAMMER FORCE SUMMITHigh military officials from England, France and the US at the request of Turkey will today discuss the future of the Provide Comfort international strike force based in Turkey. The Provide Comfort mandate expires at the end of March and the officials will propose the following points during their talks in Ankara:Comprehensive changes must be made to the status of Provide Comfort in accordance with Turkish public opinion, thus easing extension of the Provide Comfort Mandate. Turkish control over Provide Comfort activities, including flights of Provide Comfort planes over northern Iraq must be increased to bring Provide Comfort over-flights into conformity with Turkish Air Force deployments. Articles related to the common usage of Turkey-US bases in Turkey could provide a basis for changes to the Provide Comfort Mandate. /Hurriyet/
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