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Turkish Press Review, 97-05-21
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY INVITED TO MEETING OF EU CANDIDATE COUNTRIES
[02] MILITARY CONTINUES TO HIT PKK
[03] REACTIONS TO CROSS-BORDER OPERATION
[04] TURKEY-GREECE RELATIONS BETTER
[05] UN UNDERSECRETARY IN ANKARA
[06] TAYAN RENEWS CALLS FOR PROSECUTION OF BOSNIAN WAR CRIMINALS
[07] TURKEY TOP FOR GERMANS
[08] SYRIA SETS UP BORDER EXERCISES
[09] DRAFT LAW ON MONEY LAUNDERING
[10] NO TO CYANIDE
[11] TV STATION ATTACKED BY GUNMEN
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
MAY 21, 1997
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this
morning.
[01] TURKEY INVITED TO MEETING OF EU CANDIDATE COUNTRIES
Turkey has been officially invited by EU Term President Holland to
attend a briefing for the prospective EU member countries on June 27.
The meeting will be held in the aftermath of an intergovernmental
conference of EU members. Germany and Greece, opposing Turkey's
integration with Europe, have been disturbed by the invitation.
/Cumhuriyet/
[02] MILITARY CONTINUES TO HIT PKK
Turkish security forces have reportedly killed more than 1,300 PKK
terrorists and captured nearly 200 in clashes in Northern Iraq. The
Turkish Security Forces launched a massive operation last Wednesday to
demolish PKK camps. The terrorists surrounded by the Turkish security
forces, are reportedly trying to flee towards towns close to the
Iranian border under the control of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
(PUK), the Anatolia news agency reported. Fierce battles between the
PKK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) are continuing.
[03] REACTIONS TO CROSS-BORDER OPERATION
Iraq has asked the UN to exert pressure on Ankara to reconsider its
"aggressive policies" in Northern Iraq. Foreign Minister Mohammed
Saeed al-Sahaf reportedly sent letters to UN officials urging them to
"persuade Turkey to reconsider its hostile policies with regard to the
situation in northern Iraq".
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Tuesday criticized the Turkish
incursion into northern Iraq, saying that Turkey should immediately
withdraw its forces from the region. /All papers/
[04] TURKEY-GREECE RELATIONS BETTER
The noted Washington Post newspaper claims that relations between
Turkey and Greece are getting better and moving into a more positive
period. The Washington Post suggests that there is a new feeling of
cooperation in the Aegean region. Washington Post writer Jonathan
Randal quotes Greek officials as saying that Greece needs to stop
thinking that Turkey contemplates nothing but bad against Greece, and
start to think more about ways of how to work together more.
/Hurriyet/
[05] UN UNDERSECRETARY IN ANKARA
UN Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Sir Kieran Prendergast
met Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen on Tuesday in Ankara to
discuss steps for resolving the Cyprus question. Prendergast said
they hoped that direct talks would begin by the end of June or the
beginning of July. Oymen said that Prendergast came to inform Ankara
about the results of his visit to Cyprus, and added that Turkey
welcomed UN efforts to enhance dialogue between the two communities on
the island. /All papers/
[06] TAYAN RENEWS CALLS FOR PROSECUTION OF BOSNIAN WAR CRIMINALS
In a meeting on Tuesday with Bosnian Deputy Defence Minister and an
accompanying delegation, Defence Minister Turhan Tayan said that
Turkey will continue to demand the prosecution of war criminals in
Bosnia and the establishment of a war crimes tribunal in Yugoslavia.
Tayan pointed out the importance of the international peace force in
Bosnia and said that Turkey was attaching special importance to
training and equipping the Bosnian army to put it on equal terms with
Serbian forces. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] TURKEY TOP FOR GERMANS
According to the German "Focus" magazine, Turkey will be the top
country for Mediterranean tourism this year. The latest issue of
Focus notes that last year for the first time more than two million
Germans visited Turkey as tourists. The magazine reckons that this
year there will be a 20% increase in the number of German tourists
coming to Turkey.
Although growing Islamic radicalism does not appear to affect Turkish
tourism, poor traffic conditions do, notes one of the leading agencies
bringing German tourists to Turkey. /Sabah/
[08] SYRIA SETS UP BORDER EXERCISES
Syria is carrying out military exercises in the regions around the
Habur border gate. According to deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman
Sermet Atacanli, the exercises have nothing to do with Turkey's recent
incursions into northern Iraq. Foreign Ministry officials noted that
there has been no complaint from the UN either about the Syrian
exercises. /Sabah/
[09] DRAFT LAW ON MONEY LAUNDERING
Finance Minister Abdullatif Sener said yesterday that a new draft
regulation against money laundering had been submitted to the Council
of Ministers. The new draft law will open the way to new control over
large money deposits and the movement of large sums of money. /All
papers/
[10] NO TO CYANIDE
The Council of State has banned the use of cyanide in gold mining
operations. This latest ruling by the Council particularly affects
operations in Kaymaz near Eskisehir. /All papers/
[11] TV STATION ATTACKED BY GUNMEN
Two gunmen in an unidentified automobile raked with gunfire the
private TV channel ATV compound in Gunesli, Istanbul. The attackers
escaped and police investigations are continuing. /All papers/
END
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