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Turkish Press Review, 96-07-12Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWFRIDAY JULY 12, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] MUBARAK IN TURKEYTurkish President Suleyman Demirel yesterday persuaded visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the Turco-Israeli military accord posed no threat to any third country. Addressing a press conference after his official talks with Demirel, the Egyptian President said the accord only dealt with military training and did not signal a new bloc in the Middle East. "No country should be uncomfortable because of this agreement" Mubarak said, indicating his satisfaction with Turkish explanations. Mubarak said he was satisfied with the state of relations between Turkey and his country, adding that the talks also covered a review of the Middle East peace process. He stressed the sides' commitment to respect international accords.Demirel stressed his country's role in the Mideast peace process. Addressing the joint press conference, Demirel urged players to continue the peace efforts and offered Turkey's help. "Peace in the Middle East is a golden opportunity" he said. "If we miss this opportunity, we cannot know what will happen in the region". Turkey, Demirel said, also wanted to establish good relations with Syria but could only do so if Damascus withdrew its support to terrorism. Demirel spoke of international solidarity against terrorism and called on Syria to join the effort. "Terrorism in Turkey is supported by Syria" Demirel said. "The chief terrorist can be found in Syria, he lives there". Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan is known to reside in Damascus. Demirel said Turkey and Egypt had agreed to sign a good neighbour, friendship and cooperation agreement. Demirel indicated that both foreign ministers would start the preparation of this agreement and that at their next neeting he and Mubarak would sign the accord. /Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/ [02] WORLD POPULATION DAY CELEBRATEDPresident Suleyman Demirel issued a message for World Population Day stating that that rapid population growth was one of the most important problems facing both Turkey and the rest of the world. Demirel pointed out that the world's limited natural resources and industrial output were insufficient to meet the increasing needs of the growing population."In the modern world, the quality of life for the population is increasingly important. The opportunities available and the quality of people's lives have become the criteria to identify the development level of that country. Although economic developments leads to the wealth and welfare of a country, there are long-term and short-term limitations to it. Turkey has used its potential in the best way possible and has kept the annual average rate of economic development at 5 % for the last three decades. However, it is not possible to maintain the development rate at the same level after a certain threshold". The president concluded by emphasizing the importance of maintaining the balance between natural and human resources, and the rate of population growth. "This balance should be around 1-1.5 % for Turkey" he said. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] VILLAGERS RETURN HOMEPrime Minister Necmettin Erbakan announced the hamlets in the Southeast which were evacuated due to security considerations in the past would be reopened to settlement. The prime minister said the former inhabitants of these hamlets would be allowed to return to their homes. In addition to this, the state will operate all the idle meat processing plants in the region, buying all the livestock the region's farmers are prepared to sell. The hamlets were evacuated after military officials felt they had become a security hazard. They said the separatist terrorists of the PKK organization used these hamlets to obtain food or for other logistic purposes. The PKK also raided some of these hamlets killing men, women and even children.Erbakan made the announcement at the end of a 90-minute meeting with Chief of General Staff Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi. He stressed that Gen.Karadayi, too, favoured the resettling of the hamlets, and that the general said explicitly that the people in the Southeast could be assured that the hamlets were now secure. After his talks with Demirel, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who paid a visit to Turkey yesterday, also conferred with Prime Minister Erbakan who said they had discussed ways and means of boosting bilateral cooperation, furthering the peace process in the region and coordinating the two countries' stances in the international arena. Asked whether Mubarak had offered to mediate in Turkey's security and water disputes with Syria, Erbakan replied evasively, saying: "We noted our common views regarding the need for brotherly ties between Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey with none of the sides allowing any activity against the others, and decided to cooperate to achieve that". /All papers/ [04] US PROPOSES BOSNIA DEAL TO TURKEYThe US has proposed a military deal to Turkey for the formation of a Croat-Moslem army in Bosnia. The US idea is that Turkey could play a supportive coordination role in a "training and equipment supply" programme.Special US representative for the Balkans, James Pardew, in Ankara yesterday for talks on the region, made the proposal and also said that the US would provide material aid to the programme worth up to 100 million dollars and financial support for training programmes in Turkey. /Hurriyet/ [05] ECONOMIC SECTOR GREETS NEW GOVERNMENTThe economic sector as represented by the Economic Development Foundation has made its approaches to the Welfare Party and stressed again that Turkey must become a full member of the European Union (EU).Representatives of the foundation have called upon the new government to initiate steps to complete Turkey's moves towards membership in the EU. During the foundation's 33rd general meeting yesterday, speakers noted developments between Turkey and the EU and said that customs union agreements must be applied. Foundation members stressed that new rules must be made for the customs union to be fully effective and that to increase competitivity new legislation was required. /Milliyet/ [06] EUROPE DISCUSSES TURKEYEuropean Term president Ireland's John Bruton and French President Jacques Chirac both agreed yesterday that the new pro-Islam coalition government should be given a fair crack of the whip. Both sides looked positively at the new developments in Turkey. /Milliyet/[07] GERMAN SUPPORT FOR TURKEY FOR EU MEMBERSHIPSpeaking in a conference on "Political Parties in Turkish Democracy" held by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, representative of the Foundation in Turkey, Dr.Max George Meier stated that Germany would give every support to Turkey for its acceptance into the European Union. Meier also pointed out that relationships between MPs paved the way for stronger ties in international relations. /Cumhuriyet/[08] SECOND PHASE OF DISPUTE BETWEEN IRAN AND TURKEYThe Iranian government has stopped bringing the claim that some civilians were wounded and killed as a result of Turkish helicopter border incursions to international organizations. Speaking to the Iranian newspaper, Ahbar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs responsible for the Asian-Pacific region, Alaaddin Burujerdi said that Iran and Turkey could solve their problems through mutual contacts. /Cumhuriyet/[09] PKK CAMP IN BOTE DESTROYEDDuring a military operation in Northern Iraq, a PKK camp in Bote has been destoyed and a high number of terrorists have been killed. Upon reports that about 750 PKK terrorists were gathered in Bote, Northern Iraq, and were preparing attacks against Turkey, the General Staff ordered an air attack. During the attack initiated on July 10, PKK training facilities together with a large amount of food and weapons were destroyed.On the other hand, during a operation in the environments of Diyarbakir on Wednesday, a military vehicle hit a PKK mine and as a result six members of the security forces were killed, two others were wounded. /Milliyet/ [10] SYRIA PROMISES UNLIMITED COOPERATIONThe official "Tehri" newspaper published in Syria, noted that a period of warming in Turco-Syrian relations could start with the new coalition government that has come to power in Turkey. The newspaper condemned the agreement for military training cooperation recently signed between Turkey and Israel, and noted that if Turkey withdraws from the agreement and if Turkey exerts efforts to improve its relations with Syria, Syria was ready for "unlimited cooperation". Diplomatic observers draw attention to the fact that the major coalition partner, the Welfare Party, has still not defined an open policy course on the water issue, and add that Erbakan needs time to declare his view on the issue. /Milliyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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