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TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (March 5, 1996)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT PORTUGAL[02] GOVERNMENT TIMETABLE[03] FOREIGN INTEREST IN THE NEW COALITION[04] US WELCOMES MOTHERPATH[05] IRAQI OIL MINISTER IN TURKEY[06] TURKEY SENDS AID TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA[07] TWO PKK MILITANTS KILLED IN THE SOUTHEAST[08] TURKEY GIVES DIPLOMATIC 'NO' TO IRANIAN PARTICIPATION[09] US NETWORK APOLOGIZES TO TURKEY[10] TURKEY PROTESTS TO GREECE OVER NAVAL INCIDENT[11] US MORATORIUM ON THE AEGEAN SEA ISSUE[12] NO OPERATION IN N.IRAQ[13] AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION WITH ISRAELTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTUESDAY MARCH 5, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO VISIT PORTUGALPresident Suleyman Demirel will fly to Lisbon on Friday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Portugal's newly elected President Jorge Sampaio. Demirel, who is expected to have talks with the presidents of a number of countries who will also take part at the ceremony on Saturday morning, will attend a luncheon which will be given in honour of guest heads of state and prime ministers. Demirel is expected to return to Turkey on Saturday evening. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] GOVERNMENT TIMETABLEFollowing the signing of the coalition protocol on Sunday, the process regarding the formation of the government is expected to be completed early next week. March 6 or March 7: Yilmaz will present the cabinet list to the President for approval. March 7: The coalition program will be read out to Parliament, most likely by Yilmaz. March 10: Party groups will start debating the program. March 17: Vote of confidence on the new government. A simple majority vote is all that is needed for the vote of confidence to succeed. With the Democratic Left Party (DSP) indicating that they will abstain from the vote, the coalition easily has enough deputies to ensure success. As soon as the Motherpath government receives a vote of confidence, the most pressing issue will be the 1996 fiscal year budget. The temporary budget, which was passed at the end of 1995, will expire in April and so a new budget must be prepared by March 15, at the latest. /Milliyet/
[03] FOREIGN INTEREST IN THE NEW COALITIONAccording to reports, Prime Minister Ciller has received large numbers of congratulatory letters and other communications after agreeing to hand over the top government position to her coalition partner for one year.Ciller will hand over her post to ANAP (Motherland Party) chairman Mesut Yilmaz for one year according to the ANAP-DYP program. Noting this, Spain's "El Pais" has covered the coalition talks in detail, as have a number of other foreign newspapers. Ciller will also speak at an upcoming conference on the "Future of Europe" planned for May 23-24, in Madrid. Although Ciller will not be sitting in the coveted prime minister's chair for twelve months, she will nevertheless be busy dealing with many international engagements, including visits to Norway, Kyrgyzstan and other places depending on her program. /Sabah/
[04] US WELCOMES MOTHERPATHThe US Administration has stated that the coalition protocol signed between the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP) is "pleasing". US State Department Deputy Spokesman Glyn Davies said: "We are very pleased with the agreement reached regarding the establishment of a coalition government between DYP and ANAP. We congratulate both party leaders". The US had previously said that it was ready to work with any government which would be set up in Turkey within the Constitutional framework. /Hurriyet/
[05] IRAQI OIL MINISTER IN TURKEYIraqi Oil Minister Amir Muhammad Rasheed said yesterday he was very positive about the progress of talks with the UN on an oil-for-food deal but points of discussion remained. "We are very positive about the talks with the UN. There is good will on both sides" Rasheed told a news conference in the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, terminal for the Turkish end of a pipeline to Iraq. "There are points which need further discussion" he added, without elaborating, Rasheed said the Iraqi part of the twin oil pipeline from Kirkuk to Ceyhan could be ready to reopen "in a few days". Turkish officials said that the Turkish side was also technically ready to reopen the pipeline."We would welcome the opening of the pipeline in line with UN Security Council resolutions" Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said at yesterday's press conference, adding that this was an issue between the UN and Iraq; and that Turkey was not a party. The minister will arrive in Ankara today and participate in talks with Energy Minister Sinasi Altiner. On Thursday, he plans to pay a courtesy visit to Turkish Foreign Minister Deniz Baykal. "The issues to be taken up are technical" Ambassador Akbel said. /Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
[06] TURKEY SENDS AID TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINATurkey is sending humanitarian aid worth TL 21 billion to Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a brief statement yesterday. The aid consists of packaged foods, sugar, jam and milk powder provided by Kizilay (the Turkish Red Crescent) and a communication cable provided by a Turkish company. Six trucks will carry the aid to Sarajevo and the aid will be, for the first time, distributed directly to the Bosnians. /All papers/
[07] TWO PKK MILITANTS KILLED IN THE SOUTHEASTSecurity forces have killed two militants of the PKK terrorist organization and captured one in two separate clashes in rural areas near the Southeastern cities of Diyarbakir and Sirnak. According to the office of the emergency rule region's governor, one militant was captured in Van and one each surrendered in Sirnak and Hakkari. In addition, 20 militants were detained after questioning at various locations in the Southeast. /All papers/
[08] TURKEY GIVES DIPLOMATIC 'NO' TO IRANIAN PARTICIPATIONTurkey said yesterday that only the participants of a previous London conference would be invited to a donors' conference on Bosnia on March 15, thus closing the door to Iran. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said yesterday that the conference guest list, which Turkey will host, consisted of "countries which participated in the London Conference for Bosnia". Iran is thus excluded from the conference. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] US NETWORK APOLOGIZES TO TURKEYThe American CBS television network apologized for its depiction of the Turkish flag in its January 14 edition of "Sixty Minutes". Ed Bradley, who anchored the segment of the program concerning Turkey's "Southeast" problem, appeared at the end of program on Sunday to report that CBS had received much negative reaction from Turks living in the US. He specifically mentioned criticism of the display of the Turkish flag with a skull. "We understand very well and accept these viewers' views" Bradley said, acknowledging that CBS should have acted with more sensitivity regarding the Turkish flag. CBS also aired a brief portion of a letter by Talat Halman, former Turkish Culture Minister, which condemned the program. /Milliyet/
[10] TURKEY PROTESTS TO GREECE OVER NAVAL INCIDENTTurkey yesterday protested to Greece for its violation of the right of innocent passage through Turkish territorial waters last week. The protest was made to the Greek Embassy's undersecretary, a brief statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. The move comes after Greece protested to Turkey last Friday, saying a Greek missile boat and a Turkish coast guard vessel had collided near a disputed islet in the eastern Aegean Sea. Greece also claims that the vessel was violating Greek national waters. A Greek statement said the Greek ship was trying to chase off the Turkish boat when the bow of the Turkish ship touched the stern of the Greek vessel. Ankara, for its part, blamed the Greek ship for "faulty maneuvering". There was minor damage which has already been repaired.In a press conference yesterday, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said: "If they approach us in a friendly manner, then we will be friends. However, if they block Turkey's interests, then we will retaliate". Greece, which in vain tried to block EU financial aid to Turkey, is now trying to obstruct financial aid to Turkey from the European Bank. Akbel said: "We expect the EU to carry out its obligations fully and in time regarding financial cooperation within the framework of the customs union". /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
[11] US MORATORIUM ON THE AEGEAN SEA ISSUEThe Aegean Sea crisis between Turkey and Greece involving the Kardak rocks not far off the Turkish coast, is still creating unease in US and European Union (EU) diplomatic and political circles. According to a new Pentagon report however, Greece is primarily to blame for creating tension with Turkey over demands for increasing coastal limits to twelve miles.The US wants to see the issues resolved through dialogue, but has in the meantime recommended a moratorium during which certain rules would be observed. The moratorium suggestions calls first for Turkey and Greece to freeze their dispute and avoid further inflammatory propaganda and activities. The US also wants the two sides to come together and talk, and in an effort to consolidate conciliatory initiatives, to apply to the International Court of the Hague. Other conditions attached to the moratorium proposal include no weapons in the Aegean region, Greece must make a detailed statement on its demands for new twelve mile limits in the Aegean, a new agreement stressing respect for coastal limits and the sovereignty of both countries in the region, a new direct telephone connection between the defence ministries of both countries and that Greece should end its efforts to block Turkey's customs union with the EU. /Sabah/
[12] NO OPERATION IN N.IRAQThe Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that there was no military operation in northern Iraq at present. Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel, in a press conference yesterday, recalled that Turkish security forces were continuously active on the Turkish side of the border, and said that these forces were serving for the security of the region. Pointing out that there could be limited defensive operations carried out in the region in the event of certain incidents, however, Akbel stressed: "There is no military operation in northern Iraq at present". /Hurriyet/
[13] AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION WITH ISRAELTurkey, Israel and the US are going to cooperate in new Central Asia agricultural development programs. According to Turkish and Israeli diplomatic sources, the first concrete steps in this direction were made two weeks ago. The program will include countries like Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.The program will establish "agro-centers" that will help to bring in new technology to lift Central Asian countries out of the agricultural doldrums. Following initial development, the agro-partners will move on to more advanced techniques designed to increase productivity to the highest levels. Turkey already has in motion military and free trade agreements with Israel due for signing in the near future. /Sabah/ |
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