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Turkish Press Review, 96-12-27
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW
[02] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL CONVENES
[03] PARTNERS AGREE ON PRINCIPLES OF NEW OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT
[04] SADDAM HUSSEIN SENDS MESSAGE TO PM ERBAKAN
[05] TURKEY'S EU ENVOY ANXIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CUSTOMS UNION
[06] A NEW DATE FOR ATRUSH REFUGEE CAMP
[07] DRUGS SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1996
[08] BILKENT UNIVERSITY ONE OF THE LARGEST US CONGRESSIONAL TRIP SPONSORS
[09] TRALLES RE-EXCAVATED AFTER 94-YEAR BREAK
[10] TURKEY THE MOST POPULAR HOLIDAY COUNTRY IN SWEDEN
[11] TURKISH NATIONAL POET COMMEMORATED
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
DECEMBER 27, 1996, FRIDAY
Summary of the economic and political news in the Turkish press this
morning.
[01] DEMIREL TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW
President Suleyman Demirel will hold a press conference tomorrow and
evaluate the year 1996. During the conference, Demirel will express
his views regarding developments, foreign policy and economy in
Turkey. /Cumhuriyet/
[02] NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL CONVENES
The National Security Council (NSC) held its last ordinary meeting for
1996 yesterday. At the meeting headed by President Suleyman Demirel,
the Chief of General Staff furnished information regarding mass
annihilation weapons and their effects in the world. Prime Minister
Necmettin Erbakan, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Tansu
Ciller, National Defence Minister Turhan Tayan, Interior Minister
Meral Aksener, the NSC secretary-general, secretary-general of the
Presidency Necdet Seckinoz and other officials attended the meeting.
/Cumhuriyet/
[03] PARTNERS AGREE ON PRINCIPLES OF NEW OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT
As the Operation Provide Comfort comes to an end, US, Turkey and
Britain, the three members of the multinational force patrolling
Northern Iraq, have agreed on Wednesday on the principles of a new
operation which will do almost the same job. The parties exchanges
letters and agreed on new governing principles consisting of 15
articles. There is a clear reference to the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Iraq, but no reference to the 36th parallel.
According to the governing principles, the multinational force will be
co-commanded by Americans and Turks, and its aim will be to undertake
only reconnaissance, although in case of serious incidents, the new
force may be involved in preventative action. US officials have
expressed their satisfaction over the fact that an agreement regarding
the multinational force has been reached. /Milliyet/
[04] SADDAM HUSSEIN SENDS MESSAGE TO PM ERBAKAN
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has sent a message to Prime Minister
Necmettin Erbakan that the bilateral relations between the two
countries should be improved as soon as possible. The message has
been conveyed by Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Muhammed Rasheed, who is in
Ankara for joint economic commission meeting and who met with Prime
Minister Erbakan on Thursday. Erbakan expressed his wish that the
embargo imposed against Iraq is lifted and noted that Turkey was
willing to make use of UN Article 50 which allows trade with third
countries who suffer excessive negative effects as a result of an
embargo situation. "The Turco-Iraqi joint economic commission meeting
agreement will be prepared according to these elements," Erbakan said.
/All papers/
[05] TURKEY'S EU ENVOY ANXIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE CUSTOMS UNION
Uluc Ozulker, Turkey's ambassador to the European Union, has warned
that the customs union between Turkey and the EU cannot continue under
the prevailing circumstances. He noted that the customs union was not
merely a "mathematical model" for reducing customs tariffs, but a
model for securing broader integration between Turkey and the EU.
Ozulker said that the trade deficit between Turkey and the EU was
expected to rise to $10 billion to Turkey's disadvantage for 1996. He
accused the union of seeking a solution to its present problems
throught Turkey without fulfilling any of its own obligations, adding
that the "Greek factor" could not be considered the sole obstacle on
Turkey's path to Europe. /All papers/
[06] A NEW DATE FOR ATRUSH REFUGEE CAMP
It is reported that the United Nations Refugees High Commissioner
(UNRHC) stopped extending food aid to the Atrush refugee camp in
northern Iraq on 15 December and indicated that the statutes of
international protection for the camp would be lifted by 21 January
1997. Turkey has wanted the camp to be closed as it started to be
controlled by the PKK terrorist organization. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] DRUGS SEIZED IN TURKEY IN 1996
During 2,059 operations carried out within the framework of the
struggle against drug smuggling by Turkish police in 1996, seven tons
of hashish, three tons of heroin and 12 kilograms of cocaine were
seized. During the operations, 3,934 people, including 142 women,
were captured and 136 foreigners were taken into custody because of
drug smuggling. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] BILKENT UNIVERSITY ONE OF THE LARGEST US CONGRESSIONAL TRIP SPONSORS
Bilkent University in Ankara quietly shouldered its way to the top
ranks of Washington's lobbying "foreign special interest groups" by
financing 12 trips for members of the US Congress in 1996. The
lobbying effort has cost the university $68,388. During such trips
the organizing special interest group finds the opportunity to discuss
with US lawmakers issues of importance to them within the relaxed
atmosphere of a pleasure trip. /All papers/
[09] TRALLES RE-EXCAVATED AFTER 94-YEAR BREAK
The ancient city of Tralles in Aydın is being excavated again, after a
break of 94 years, revealing relics of a marble bath decorated with
mythological scenes, the Anatolia news agency reported. Assistant
Professor Rafet Dinc, who is in charge of the excavations, said they
had dug up the bath's caldarium belonging to the late Roman period.
He said that they had found 20 coins from the Ottoman period at an
excavation to the north of the bath. /All papers/
[10] TURKEY THE MOST POPULAR HOLIDAY COUNTRY IN SWEDEN
A magazine dubbed "Allas Veckoditning" published in Sweden has listed
Turkey at the top among the countries preffered by Swedish people for
their holidays in 1997. The magazine devoted two and a half pages to
Turkey. Pointing out that Turkey is a popular country for holiday,
the magazine said: "In Turkey, service is cheap, there is sunlight,
the sea is clean and there are many historical assets". /Sabah/
[11] TURKISH NATIONAL POET COMMEMORATED
The well-known Islamist poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who wrote the Turkish
National Anthem "Istiklal Marsi", was commemorated on the 60th
anniversary of his death. The ceremony was held on Thursday in
Ersoy's house, now a museum. /All papers/
Note: The Turkish Press Review will be not published from December 28
to January 2 because of the New Year five day holiday.
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