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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (February 28, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] DEMIREL'S HEAVY DIPLOMATIC SCHEDULE[02] ANKARA PLEASED, GREECE ANGRY WITH EU ATTITUDE[03] CLINTON PRODS EU[04] DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE AGAINST ATHENS[05] ITALIAN SUPPORT FOR TURKEY[06] VEHBI KOC LAID TO REST[07] A HISTORICAL DAY FOR MOTHERPATH[08] DEMIREL: "TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ABROAD SHOULD PROMOTE TURKEY"[09] US INCLUDES SYRIA ON LIST OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS[10] PKK MILITANTS CAPTURED IN ANTALYA[11] GAP CHAIRMAN SELECTED AS BOARD MEMBER OF WORLD WATER COUNCIL[12] A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN TURKISH AND US MUNICIPALITIESTURKISH PRESS REVIEWWEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] DEMIREL'S HEAVY DIPLOMATIC SCHEDULEPresident Suleyman Demirel and Chairman of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) Bulent Ecevit will visit Israel separately. Demirel will be in Israel on 11-14 March and then will proceed to Palestine. Ecevit will take the floor at an International Press Institute meeting in Israel. Ecevit, who will go to Israel on 26 March, will deliver a speech after the opening speech by Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Ecevit's visit will last two days.Demirel's visit to Washington, which was to be held in October, 1995, but was postponed due to government studies, will be at the end of March and last four days. It is reported that US President Bill Clinton gave an appointment but no certain reply was sent because of the government crisis. If Demirel pays a visit to the US, he will take up important items on Turkish-US relations with Clinton. Prior to his US visit, Demirel will attend a ceremony due to be held in Lisbon for the Portuguese President's start in office on 8-9 March. Demirel is also expected to visit Iran in May for the opening of a major railway that will be part of a 10,000 km route that will link Turkey to China. Demirel will be present at the opening of the 380 km railway link between Iran and Turkmenistan, to be opened on May 12-13. Demirel will attend the opening ceremony after attending an Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) meeting in Ashkabad. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[02] ANKARA PLEASED, GREECE ANGRY WITH EU ATTITUDETurkey yesterday welcomed the defeat of Greek attempts to adopt a common condemnation of Turkey during an EU foreign ministers' meeting. "Turkey welcomes the reaffirmation of the EU's fourteen members to carry out their obligations toward Turkey within the framework of customs union" a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said. However, Ankara also maintains that the EU's financial assistance to Turkey -which still runs the risk of being blocked by Greece- should be released as soon as possible. "We expect the EU to take the decision for the implementation of the financial assistance, an indispensable factor in the customs union, as soon as possible" the statement said. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[03] CLINTON PRODS EUIn a letter he sent to Prime Minister Ciller over the weekend, President Clinton noted that the European Union (EU) should stick to its promises to Turkey. He also said that he was glad that both Turkey and Greece had stayed cool during and after the Kardak rocks crisis.Clinton wrote too that whatever the outcome of future legal action might be, he believed that resorting to the mechanisms for dialogue would lead to a solution. He added that just as the US had supported customs union between Turkey and the EU, so it now agreed with Turkey that the EU should pay out its promised financial aid to Turkey-despite dispute with fellow NATO member Greece. The letter also strongly supports Turkey's initiatives to resolve the Aegean issue through dialogue. Turkey has consistently called for talks between Ankara and Athens, but so far there has been little or no response from Athens. The US however, confirms that this is the only way out of the situation. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
[04] DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE AGAINST ATHENSThe Turkish government is readying to increase diplomatic pressure against Athens in response to Greek efforts to line-up the European Union against Turkey. Greece is still smarting after losing face over the Kardak rocks affair, and is now seeking revenge through the EU. Greece wants the EU to postpone financial aid to Turkey, promised on the basis of customs union with the EU.Ankara is now debating its alternatives-even considering taking the issue to the International Court of the Hague. Ankara is also taking the first steps towards increasing pressure by using the excuse of joint military exercises with Macedonia and Albania. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] ITALIAN SUPPORT FOR TURKEYDuring a high-speed working visit to Italy, top Italian officials confirmed to Prime Minister Ciller that Rome supported customs union and closer ties with Turkey.During her visit, Ciller spoke with the Italian president and with Prime Minister Dini. Ciller also reviewed during a TV interview the domestic political situation in Turkey. She intimated that a coalition between the Motherland Party (ANAP), and the True Path Party (DYP) was on the horizon. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/
[06] VEHBI KOC LAID TO RESTVehbi Koc, founder of a giant Turkish industrial empire who died of heart failure during a vacation in Antalya, was yesterday buried in Istanbul. His funeral was attended by Turkish President Suleyman Demirel as well as many politicians, businessmen and prominent citizens. /Milliyet/
[07] A HISTORICAL DAY FOR MOTHERPATHThe preliminary protocol to ensure formation of a coalition government between the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP), publicly referred to as the Motherpath, has been prepared in a draft which also includes the sharing of ministries and affiliated organizations between the parties. During the meeting to be held today between ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz and DYP Chairwoman Tansu Ciller, the draft of the preliminary protocol will be reviewed and signed. The protocol is being drafted by a subcommittee consisting of top ANAP and DYP executives. The leaders are expected to sign the final version of the protocol tomorrow, and Yilmaz is expected to present the cabinet list for the approval of President Suleyman Demirel on Friday. /Milliyet-Hurriyet/
[08] DEMIREL: "TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ABROAD SHOULD PROMOTE TURKEY"President Suleyman Demirel yesterday urged Turkish businessmen and industrialists living abroad to promote Turkey and help attract more foreign investment. "You must explain the importance of Turkey to everyone everywhere" Demirel told an Istanbul World Turkish Businessmen's Council conference. "Turkey needs more promotion" Demirel said. "Many outside the country have distorted views of Turkey. This has to be rectified". He also urged the businessmen to help attract foreign investment, more production, more exports, more employment and more tax revenue to develop our country". When a foreigner invests in Turkey, he noted, he is investing not just in Turkey but in many neighbouring countries. "Turkey is a window, opening to a vast area with a population of 1 billion" Demirel said. He said the Turkish businessmen in Germany alone had invested more there than German firms had in Turkey. Some 700 Turkish businessmen and industrialists living in 134 countries are attending the two-day conference organized by the Turkish Foreign Trade Foundation. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] US INCLUDES SYRIA ON LIST OF DRUG TRAFFICKERSThe US State Department has included Syria on its list of countries that produce and allow the transit of illegal drugs, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. In a letter to leaders of the US Congress, President Clinton said that the State Department list named Syria, Iran and Lebanon as major illegal drug-producing and drug transit countries. Two new countries, Belize and Cambodia, were added to the list this year and no countries on the 1995 list were removed from this year's list. The US president's letter said that Turkey and its neighbouring countries play a key role as a major transit route for much of the southwest Asian heroin moving to western and central Europe along the so-called Balkan route.
[10] PKK MILITANTS CAPTURED IN ANTALYATen militants of the PKK terrorist organization, including five women, were captured in the southern city of Antalya while trying to reach Greece illegally for political and military education, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Officials of police anti-terror teams in Antalya said that the PKK had been trying to educate its separatist militants in Greece, and to recruit militants from Antalya. The captured militants said they had planned to return to Turkey after completing their education in PKK camps in Greece. They said the investigation was continuing, and after its completion the militants would be arrested.
[11] GAP CHAIRMAN SELECTED AS BOARD MEMBER OF WORLD WATER COUNCILOlcay Unver, Chairman of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), has been selected as a permanent member of the executive board of the "World Water Council", the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. The newly established council will hold its first meeting on March 22 in the French city of Marseilles. The council will prepare a strategic plan to find solutions to world water problems. The board includes experts from Turkey, the US, Great Britain, Sweden, Canada, Italy, Egypt, India, Morocco, China and Germany.
[12] A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN TURKISH AND US MUNICIPALITIESThe Marmara and Straits Municipalities' Union is organizing a "US and Turkish Municipalities Joint Meeting" to develop relations with the US. Thirty mayors from Turkey and five mayors from the US are expected to attend the seminar which will begin tomorrow. /Cumhuriyet/ |
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