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Turkish Press Review, 97-09-11Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWDIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER11.09.97Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.[01] YILMAZ CEMENTS TURCO-KAZAKH COOPERATIONTurkey's efforts to assure the transportation of Kazakh oil to world markets via the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline have begun to yield results. An accord for the establishment of a Turco-Kazakh Joint Working Group ha emerged as a result of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's contacts in Kazakhstan yesterday. The group will concentrate especially on moves related to the materialization of the pipeline project. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev voiced support for the Baku-Ceyhan pipelene which is expected to carry a considerable amount of Kazakh oil to world markets, and stressed the importance of ensuring Russian support for this formula. /Milliyet/[02] FM CEM IN GERMANYForeign Minister Ismail Cem will pay an official visit to Germany starting today. During his contacts with German officials, Cem will stress that Turkey is a part of Europe and should not be estranged. In a move to change Germany's negative attitudes towards Turkey's efforts to join the EU, Cem will give German representatives details about recent improvements in Turkey's democratization and human rights record to both which Germany attaches great importance. Developments in relations with Cyprus and Greece, another issue to which Germany gives priority, will also be discussed in detail. Cem's contacts in Bonn will at the same time prepare the ground for Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's visit scheduled for September 30. /Sabah/[03] MILLER-AKBEL MEETINGForeign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Omer Akbel met with EU Special Coordinator to Cyprus Thomas Miller, who is in Turkey to make official contacts. Akbel held a press conference after the meeting yesterday. Noting that he had furnished detailed information to Miller regarding the Cyprus problem, which dates back to 1963, Akbel said that they had exchanged views regarding the initiatives aimed at alleviating the tension surrounding the planned deployment by the Greek Cypriot community of S-300 missiles on the island.Akbel also noted that Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ambassador Ali Tuygan would pay a visit to Moscow today. Akbel said that this would be a routine meeting between the foreign political directors of Russia and Turkey and added: "Tuygan's visit will be made within this framework. It is not aimed at any special agenda". Akbel also stated that the deployment of S-300 missiles on the Greek Cypriot side of the island would not contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem or to regional stability. /Cumhuriyet/ [04] RUSSIA CHALLENGES TURKEY OVER S-300 MISSILESAmidst increasing tensions over Russian-made S-300 missiles to be deployed in Southern Cyprus, Russia joined the verbal duel on Wednesday, saying that the transfer of Russian-made missiles to the Greek Cypriots cannot be prevented. Sergey Yastrembski, Russian President Boris Yeltsin's press representative, said in a press conference yesterday that Russia could easily transfer the missiles by sea and would fulfill its commitments to Southern Cyprus.The US in turn called upon the parties involved in the crisis to lower the temperature of their rhetoric concerning the escalating verbal battle over the deployment of the missiles in Southern Cyprus. /Cumhuriyet/ [05] "MISSILE BRIEFING" POSTPONEDThe top level military briefing to government leaders planned for today has been postponed until next week, the Chief of Staff announced yesterday. The briefing, mainly about developments involving the deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles in southern Cyprus, has been put off because Defence Minister Ismet Sezgin is currently abroad.Because of the nature of the briefing, the presence of Sezgin at the meeting is vital. The Chief of Staff has however, made it clear that in the meantime, all necessary precautions have been taken to preserve the security of Turkey. /Sabah/ [06] DEFENCE MINISTER SEZGIN TOURS BALKAN COUNTRIESNational Defence Minister Ismet Sezgin who yesterday began a four-day visit to Macedonia and Albania, has arrived in the Macedonian capital of Skopje. Sezgin was welcomed at the airport by his Macedonian counterpart Lazar Kitanoski. Both ministers had a one-hour meeting. Sezgin described Macedonia as the heart of the Balkans and added that stability in that country was of great importance for Turkey. Kitanoski in turn said that improving relations with Turkey was a top Macedonian priority. Sezgin will also have a meeting with the Macedonian prime minister. /Sabah/[07] KALEMLI-GINGRICH MEETINGParliamentary Speaker Mustafa Kalemli, who is paying an official visit to the US, met yesterday his American counterpart Newt Gingrich. Gingrich voiced support for Turkey's drive for integration with Europe. Kalemli suggested that interparliamentary contacts be started between Ankara and Washington, and Gingrich going one step further proposed to establish an Internet site for parliamentarians from the two countries. At the end of their meetings, Gingrich gave Kalemli an autographed color photograph of himself, signed "Your friend, Newt Gingrich." /Milliyet/[08] CZECH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER IN ANKARACzech Deputy Foreign Minister Karel Kovanda met Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen on Tuesday. Addressing a statement after the meeting, Oymen said that a decision had been taken to improve bilateral relations and that a "Free Trade Agreement" could be signed with the Czech Republic soon.Noting that the NATO expansion process and the European Union (EU) were also taken up during the bilateral meetings, Oymen stressed that "the views of Turkey and the Czech Republic are very similar to each other". Responding to a question, Kovanda said: "We think that every country which has applied for full membership in the EU, should be evaluated within the framework of the objective criteria of the EU. We support Turkey's membership in the EU". Kovanda added that he would continue his contacts with Turkish officials in Brussels, Ankara and Prague regarding the NATO expansion process. /All papers/ [09] ADVISOR TO JOSPIN TO VISIT TURKEYAdvisor to French Prime Minister Jospin and Foreign Minister Vedrine, Pascal Boniface will visit Turkey. He will hold conferences in Istanbul on 7 October and in Ankara on 9 October. During his visit, Boniface will meet officials of the Foreign Ministry and Prime Ministry. /Milliyet/[10] PRESIDENT DEMIREL MEETS HADEP, BP AND DBP LEADERSOn his return from Bodrum to Ankara, President Demirel received Peace Party (BP) leader Abidin Ozguney, People's Democracy Party (HADEP) Murat Bozlak and Democracy and Peace Party (DBP) leader Refik Karakoc. In response to complaints lodged by HADEP and BBP that they were facing many obstacles, Demirel said that they would have no problems if they "do not isolate themselves from society, and respect laws." During the meeting HADEP leader Bozlak claimed that Turkey's principle problem was the Kurdish issue, but Demirel stressed: "I cannot accept your view that there exists a Kurdish problem in Turkey and that it is the country's principle problem. There is a problem of terrorism in Turkey." /All papers/[11] TAX PRIVILEGES FOR SOUTHEASTERN INVESTORSThe Eastern and Southeastern Anatolian Provinces Coordination Council chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit convened yesterday. The Council agreed on a number of moves designed to turn Southeastern Anatolia into a paradise for investors. A number of tax reductions and tax exemptions for entrepreneurs providing employment opportunities to a certain number of workers were envisaged. At yesterday's meeting measures to improve education and health services in the region by opening new boarding schools and attracting qualified health personnel were also taken in hand. /Cumhuriyet/[12] IMPORT REGULATIONS WILL FIT EU STANDARDSThe government has agreed on a plan designed to harmonize import regulations in Turkey with those in EU countries by the year 2001. With a previous decision issued at the establishment of the customs union, a special tax was imposed on imports of "sensitive" goods. The tax will be gradually lifted in the next four years in accordance with EU Joint Customs Regulations. /All papers/[13] EURO-DOLLAR BONDSTurkey will sell 10-year term bonds in Europe and the US. The Treasury will begin to sell 10-year term bonds in Euro-Dollars for the first time next week. To date, the Treasury has been exporting Yen and Mark bonds. The bond sales, which are expected to surpass $500 million, in Euro-Dollars will be realized via the Morgan Stanley and Salomon Brothers companies. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank "autumn term" meetings will be held in Hong Kong in the second half of September. A delegation headed by State Minister responsible for the economy, Gunes Taner, will represent Turkey at the meetings. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/[14] PRESIDENT DEMIREL OPENS MUSEUM IN BODRUMPresident Suleyman Demirel has opened a museum in which there is a sunken ship which has lain at the bottom of the sea since the time of the Eastern Roman Empire and which is now being exhibited in a chapel in Bodrum castle. Delivering an opening speech, Demirel called on neighbouring countries to make the Mediterranean a sea of peace, love and friendship. /Sabah-Milliyet/[15] TURSAB REPRESENTATIVE OFFICEChairman of the Turkish Travel Agencies Union (TURSAB) Talha Camas said that a TURSAB representative office would be opened in Brussels on 7 October. Delivering a speech at a meeting for the promotion of a book "European Union Tourism Policies and Turkey" published by TURSAB, Camas noted that it was necessary for Turkey to turn its face to Europe. /Cumhuriyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |