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Turkish Press Review, 97-03-04
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] DEMIREL SENDS A MESSAGE TO IRANIAN PRESIDENT
[02] EFFORTS ON EU INCLUSION INTENSIFY
[03] EU PUTTING PRESSURE ON ATHENS
[04] STRUGGLE FOR CYPRUS TURNING INTO A LEGAL BATTLE
[05] TRADE COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY
[06] STATE MINISTER TEKIR RETURNS TO TURKEY
[07] 219 SEPARATISTS KILLED IN TWO MONTHS
[08] TURKISH FIRMS DIRECTORY ON CD
[09] RENAULT: TURKEY IS THE APPLE OF OUR EYES
[10] FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON CRETE
[11] EUROPEAN CHAMBERS AND BOURSE UNION SUMMIT TO BE IN ISTANBUL
[12] NEW SPACE PROJECT
[13] CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS ASSESS TURKEY'S EU APPLICATION
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
MARCH 4, 1997
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning
[01] DEMIREL SENDS A MESSAGE TO IRANIAN PRESIDENT
Turkey wants relations with Iran to return to "normal", based on the
mutual interests and security concerns of both countries, Turkish
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters at the
Foreign Ministry's weekly press conference yesterday. Respınding to a
reporter's question on whether the Turkish consul in Tabriz will be
recalled, Atacanli said "the whole thing is over now".
Amid the dispute Turkish President Suleyman Demirel sent a message
yesterday to Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashimi Rafsanjani in Tehran.
"The message (from the president) establishes the outlines of our
approach to relations with Iran" Atacanli said discussing the recent
crisis. Demirel, who is in frequent contact with Rafsanjani,
requested Iran to respect Turkey's internal affairs in a message
delivered by Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ali
Tuygan. The deputy undersecretary also met with Iranian Deputy
Foreign Minister Alaaddin Brujerdi, who said that by sending a special
envoy to Tehran, Ankara was showing the importance of its relations
with Tehran. After delivering the message, Tuygan met with Brujerdi
once more yesterday and said that they agreed on the measures
necessary to prevent such a crisis from happening again. /Hurriyet/
[02] EFFORTS ON EU INCLUSION INTENSIFY
Turkey is embarking on a critical stage of relations with the European
Union (EU) as the enlargement process advances and the EU Foreign
Ministers' unofficial meeting in Holland on March 16 draws near.
Correspondence at the highest level between Turkey and the EU is
intensifying as President Suleyman Demirel has sent requests to French
President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl not to
exclude Turkey from the EU enlargement process this time. Turkey has
repeatedly urged EU officials to include it in the list of elevn
prospective member countries and emphasized that Turkey's request for
membership is the longest standing of all candidate countries.
Speaking at the weekly press conference yesterday, Turkish Foreign
Ministry spokesman Sermet Atacanli told reporters contact at all
levels between EU members states and Turkey is at an advanced stage
and Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller is in close contact with her foreign
colleagues. Turkey is continuing its lobbying efforts with Ciller
hosting a lunch on Thursday at the ministerial residence for
ambassadors of EU member countries in Ankara. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
[03] EU PUTTING PRESSURE ON ATHENS
The European Union (EU) has again warned Athens that Greece needs to
try harder to improve relations with Turkey.
Holland, holding the current EU term presidency has recently been in
touch with Athens by phone and told Greek Prime Minister Kostas
Simitis that Athens must build a more positive diplomatic connection
with Turkey. Athens was also told that the EU was against the Greek
effort to isolate Turkey through diplomatic means. /Sabah/
[04] STRUGGLE FOR CYPRUS TURNING INTO A LEGAL BATTLE
Greek Foreign Minister Averof has added another aspect to the
contentious Cyprus issue. He has put forward claims that legal rules
are being ignored in connection with debate over membership of Cyprus
in the EU. He claims that Turkey's demands for northern Cyprus
involvement prior to considerations of the Cyprus position as a whole
are out of order and constitute a legal impasse stemming from
different interpretations of the law. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] TRADE COOPERATION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY
A Greek company and a Turkish company have joined forces to produce
and install double-glazed doors and windows in Turkey and Greece. The
Turkish Pimas company has signed a deal with the Athens-based
Eurotrades SA group to sell Pimapen products in Greece through new
trade outlets. /Cumhuriyet/
[06] STATE MINISTER TEKIR RETURNS TO TURKEY
State Minister Sabri Tekir reported good investment opportunities in
Indonesia and Malaysia for the Turkish private sector, and good
conditions in Turkey for these countries' investors. Tekir returned
after a trip with 60 businessmen which started February 18. Speaking
at Ataturk Airport, Tekir said the journey had contributed to
developing trade in the construction, defence and automotive sectors.
Tekir also said they had met private sector representatives in
Malaysia and held a seminar on trade between Turkey and Malaysia.
Malaysian businessmen received information on the Turkish defencive
industry and automotive sector.
Tekir led the Turkish team at the fourth quarter Joint Economic
Commission (JEC) meetings in Indonesia to determine fields for
possible cooperation. Deals on encouraging and protecting investments
and preventing double taxation were discussed as well. He estimated
trade between Turkey and Indonesia could rise to $2 billion, and said
Turkey may purchase natural gas and coal from Indonesia, adding that
Indonesia had already purchased cables, defence products and
communication equipment from Turkey. /All papers/
[07] 219 SEPARATISTS KILLED IN TWO MONTHS
A total of 219 militants of the PKK terrorist organization have been
killed by security forces so far this year. The security forces also
seized 400 rifles, 49 pistols, 32 mortars and 156 kg. of hashish.
During the latest operations, 10 PKK shelters were also destroyed.
During the past two months 10 members of the outlawed Hizbullah
organization were also arrested. /All papers/
[08] TURKISH FIRMS DIRECTORY ON CD
The Administration for the Development and Support of Small and
Medium-Scale Industrial Establishments (KOSGEB) has issued an
electronic directory of the Turkish companies. An announcement by
KOSGEB said the directory, recorded on a CD that includes names,
addresses, telephone and fax numbers, area of interest of some 16,000
companies and foreign trade figures of Turkey. KOSGEB Deputy Chairman
Mahmeut East yalcin told a news conference that the electronic Turkish
Firms Directory is the first of its kind not only in Turkey but in
Europe as well. /All papers/
[09] RENAULT: TURKEY IS THE APPLE OF OUR EYES
The French Renault company is pleased with Turkey. Jacques Poisson,
an official responsible for Renault's International Relations and
Communications, noted that they attached great importance to Turkey
and Argentine because their economic development rates were high and
said: "Turkey is the apple of our eyes". He added: "We aim to
increase the sale of Renault in Turkey". /Sabah-Milliyet/
[10] FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON CRETE
Turkey denied news in The Wall Street Journal daily newspaper which
reported that Turkey had claimed rights over the Crete. Foreign
Ministry Deputy Speaker Sermet Atacanli said that the newspaper report
had nothing to do with reality. Atacanli recalled that a few days ago
the military authorities of the Turkish Chief of General Staff Office
had briefed foreign journalists on recent developments about
Turco-Greece relations./Hurriyet/
[11] EUROPEAN CHAMBERS AND BOURSE UNION SUMMIT TO BE IN ISTANBUL
The Joint Members Meeting of the European Chambers and Bourse Union
will be held on 6 March in Istanbul. Representatives of the chambers
union from 17 countries will come to Istanbul. Within the framework
of the international meeting, there will be a conference on "Economic
Integration for Permanent Development", during which Foreign Minister
Tansu Ciller will give a speech./Hurriyet/
[12] NEW SPACE PROJECT
The Turkish institute for scientific and technological research
TUBITAK has initiated a new space project. A team of 25 specialists
led by Prof.Mehmet Emin Ozel has begun observations of the sun, as
well as on various planets and nebulas. The team is also following
changes in the ozone layer of the atmosphere. A new MRT-2 radio
telescope is being utilized in the observations. /Hurriyet/
[13] CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS ASSESS TURKEY'S EU APPLICATION
Leaders of Christian Democratic parties from EU member countries will
meet today in Brussels to discuss EU expansion. The meeting is
crucial with respect to determining the Christian Democrat attitude
towards the applications of Turkey and Cyprus for membership in the
Union, and especially towards the controversial issue of including
Turkey in the "EU family photo" of EU leaders. Many leading European
figures, including German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Spanish Prime
Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi,
Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene and Irish Prime Minister John
Bretton will take part in the meeting. /Milliyet/
END
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