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Turkish Press Review, 96-08-29Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY AUGUST 29, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] TURKEY DONATES $20 MILLION TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINATurkey has donated $20 million to Bosnia-Herzegovina and will also open a $60 million Eximbank credit account for it. Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan and his Bosnian counterpart, Hasan Muratovic, signed the donation agreement on August 28. The donation funds will be used for war veterans and emergencies in the war-torn country.Later, Erbakan and Muratovic held a joint press conference. Muratovic called upon Turkish businessmen to invest in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also met with State Minister Abdullah Gul, who said that Turkey had an important duty to contribute to the reconstruction of Bosnia. The Bosnian prime minister's visit also included meetings with President Suleyman Demirel and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller. Meanwhile, it is reported that Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan will visit Sudan, Egypt and Nigeria in September. Energy Minister Recai Kutan will go to Libya also in September. /Cumhuriyet-Sabah-Hurriyet/ [02] CILLER TO VISIT JORDANDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller will visit Jordan, an important ally for Turkey in the Middle East, next month. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel yesterday told the weekly press briefing that Turco-Jordanian friendship was not directed against any third country. On the contrary, he said, this friendship would be beneficial for the Middle East peace process.Akbel said Ciller's two-day working visit would start on September 3. She will be accompanied by Energy Minister Recai Kutan and Trade Minister Yalim Erez. Ciller will also meet King Hussein. Meanwhile, it is reported that Ciller will hold a meeting with Turkish Ambassadors in the Middle East today. Recent developments in the Middle East will be taken up at the meeting. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER ON HIS WAY TO ANKARAItalian Prime Minister Roman Prodi is to visit Turkey on September 1, marking the first visit by an Italian prime minister to Turkey for 25 years. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said that both governments, in Italy and Turkey, were newly established and that the broad aim of this one-day visit was for the officials on both sides to get to know each other. /Cumhuriyet/[04] SECURITY FORCES KILL 25 MILITANTS IN SOUTHEASTSecurity forces killed 25 militants and captured five during operations in the Southeast. According to the office of the emergency rule region, in the operations to sweep militants of the PKK terrorist organization from the region, 10 militants were killed in the Kildere district of Tunceli, nine in the Sirnak province countryside and six near Hakkari. Five militants were captured in Hakkari and Sirnak provinces.In other developments, four militants gave themselves up to security forces, one each in the provinces of Hakkari and Tunceli, and two in Sirnak. The militants who surrendered to the police in Sivas' Koyulhisar district, Kemal Demirtas, voiced his regret about having joined the PKK. Demirtas called on his friends in the PKK to surrender saying that nothing could be obtained by fighting against the state. /Hurriyet/ [05] TURKEY AND ISRAEL SIGN SECOND DEFENCE AGREEMENTTurkey and Israel yesterday signed another defence cooperation agreement, boosting relations in the defence industry field. Israeli Defence Undersecretary David Invry arrived in Turkey for a one-day visit yesterday in order to sign the accord.Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel during his weekly press conference confirmed the agreement between the two countries. Akbel said that Turkey had earlier signed such defence industry agreements with around 20 countries and that it was a standard framework agreement, adding that Turkey had also such accords with some Muslim countries. /Cumhuriyet/ [06] TURKEY AND CUBA TO SIGN ECONOMIC COOPERATION PACTTalks between Cuba and Turkey which began in September last year are to be finalized with a trade, economic and industrial cooperation agreement scheduled to be signed. The agreement will be signed by Cuba's Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Deputy Minister Octavio Castella and Turkish Foreign Trade Undersecretary Nejat Eren, according to information obtained from Foreign Trade Undersecretariat officials.Turkey and Cuba will mutually accept "most favoured nation" status in export-import customs duties within the framework of GATT and commitments to the World Trade Organization. With the agreement the two countries are expected to cooperate in economy, trade, banking, finance, industry, transport, communications, agriculture, energy as well as other fields to be agreed later. The agreement also foresees encouragement of the investors from both sides to participate in trade fairs, exhibitions and other economic activities. The two countries are also expected to form a joint economic council to develop cooperation. /All papers/ [07] TURKEY CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE IN NORTHERN IRAQTurkey yesterday called for an immediate cease-fire between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patricotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in their fighting in northern Iraq which began on August 17 and has left scores dead. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel told a weekly news briefing in Ankara that Turkey opposed any developments which cause further instability in northern Iraq.Responding to a question about a US initiative whereby the warring groups would meet in London to trash out a cease-fire, Akbel said that Turkey would like to participate in such a meeting. /All papers/ [08] TURKISH AUTOMOTIVE OUTPUT INCREASES BY 14 %The total production of Turkey's automotive sector for July increased to 29,566, from 25,858 in the same month last year, a 14 % jump, according to a report from the Automotive Industry Association (OSD). The production total of 167,285 in the first seven months of 1996 also increased, to 193,532, a 16 % increase over the same period of last year. The highest percentage rise was seen in the manufacture of buses: from 111 last July, the figure rose 68 % to 197 in the same month this year. Truck production also saw a dramatic increase, with a 40 % rise on last year's figures. The third largest increase was in midibuses, with a 24 % rise.A 184 % rise for buses, a 58 % rise for trucks, and a 55 % rise in midibus production has been recorded in seven months. The rise in car production was 6 %. the total car production was 124,960 in the first seven months of last year, and 132,727 this year. /All papers/ [09] CHINA OPENS DOORS TO TURKISH BUSINESSMENThe Union of Turkish Chambers and Stock Exchanges has arranged a seminar on "Business opportunities in China" to be held in Istanbul on September 4. The foreign trade secretary, Nejat Eren, and the Chinese foreign trade and economics deputy minister, M.Li, will attend the seminar. M.Li and his accompanying team, who came to Turkey for a meeting entitled "The Republic of China and the Turkish Mixed Economy Commission" will meet Eren and Turkish businessmen at the seminar. Information about the Chinese foreign trade situation, foreign capital, foreign trade laws, Chinese money and foreign exchange will be given by officials of the Chinese foreign trade and economics ministry. /All papers/[10] PEACE ATTEMPTS FROM ARMENIAArmenian President Levon Ter Petrosyan sent his Chief Advisor Jirair Libaretyan as a "peace mediator" to Ankara.A peaceful solution to the Karabakh dispute, and projects to improve economic and social relations between Turkey and Armenia are the most important issues on the agenda. It is expected that, during his contacts, Libaretyan will suggest Turkish side to form a tripartite dialogue mechanism between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. He will also ask for Armenia-Turkey border gate, which is a passage way to the West for Armenia, to be opened. Libaretyan said: "We are ready to solve disputes with Azerbaijan. However, we ask Turkey to take necessary steps to ensure rail-road and high-way transportation for the improvement of the trade volume between Turkey and Armenia." /Hurriyet/ [11] INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTSThe General Council of the Turkish Grand National Assembly has approved 12 international agreements which comprise cooperation and friendship agreements between Turkey and Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania; agreements for prevention of double taxation and tax smuggling between Turkey and Poland, Algeria, Malaysia, Egypt, Bulgaria, Mongolia, China and India. Also, a draft bill which foresees the approval of the protocol about forming a high level consultation committee between Turkey and Poland has been approved. /Cumhuriyet/[12] TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO TURCO-RUSSIAN EXPORTATIONTension between Turkey and Russia regarding the highway transportation is temporarily solved. The Russian Federation, who had rejected Turkey's application for 25,000 permission licence, gave Turkey 4,000 additional permission licence till upcoming meetings.Attending the Meeting of the Joint Commission of the Highway Transportation at the International Transporters' Association, a delegation of the Russian Federation stressed that 4,000 additional licence would be enough for two months. /Cumhuriyet/ [13] TURKEY ATTRACTS HALF A MILLION MORE VISITORSThe number of visitors to Turkey in the first seven months of this year was up by close on 50,000 compared to the same period last year according to figures released by the State Statistics Institute (DIE). The total number of visitors to the country between January and July this year was 4,501,648, compared to 4,045,931 for January to July 1995. This represents an increase of a little over 11 %. Nearly 72 % of this year's 1996 visitors came by air, 17 % by road and 10 % by sea, according to the DIE statistics. Only 1 % arrived by rail. /All papers/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |