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Turkish Press Review, 98-03-03Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>03.03.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT DEMIREL OFF TO SPAINPresident Suleyman Demirel, started today a visit to Madrid as the guest of Spain's King Juan Carlos which was scheduled a year ago. Turkey, which is seeking full membership in the European Union (EU) wants to strengthen ties with some of the EU member countries. /Cumhuriyet/[02] TURKEY DISCUSSES CASPIAN OIL TRANSPORTThe Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhistan and Turkmenistan confirmed on Monday the need for the safe transport of Caspian basin oil and gas resources to international markets at the end of a two-day Istanbul meeting held at the Ciragan Palace Hotel."The ministers confirmed the need for of transporting these resources to international markets in safety through economically and commercially feasible multiple oil and natural gas pipelines," a comminuque issued at the end of the meeting declared. The communique added: "The ministers jointly expressed their conviction that the construction of an east-west corridor for the transportation of oil and natural gas from Central Asia, the Caspian basin and the Caucasus to the West through multiple pipelines, particularly through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, shall meet not only the national expectations of the energy-supplying states, but shall also address the requirements of the transit and consumer countries," the communuqie read. Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that during the multilateral meeting held with the participation of five countries, support was given to the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project. He added that an invitation from the Georgian Foreign Minister to hold the next foreign ministers meeting in Georgia will be evaluated. /Cumhuriyet/Milliyet_ [03] TURKEY-SYRIA RELATIONSTurkey said on Monday that it was seeking to launch a fresh dialogue with Syria in a bid to restore ties battered by a series of disputes."We are hoping that we will make a new start in our relations with Syria," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sermet Atacanli told a news briefing. Atacanli said that a Syrian delegation might visit Turkey soon, following last week's visit to Damascus by a Turkish delegation led by Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Aykut Cetirge. Atacanli said that while in Damascus Cetirge had discussed Turkey's relations with Israel. Atacanli said the Turkey's delegation had once more assured the Syrian side that the developing ties with Israel did not target any third country and that Turkey remained committed to the Middle East peace process. /Cumhuriyet/Hurriyet_ [04] DENKTAS: "NO EU WITHOUT TURKEY"Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), asserted once again on Monday that Turkish Cypriots would never agree to join a European Union (EU) which excludes Turkey. Denktas further told reporters that the TRNC does not want to be alone in the political arena.President Denktas said that the doors for negotiations will be open if Clerides invites him as the President of the TRNC. /Hurriyet/ [05] TURKEY-LITHUANIA AGREEMENTA "Free Trade Agreement" between Turkey and Lithuania has been accepted by the Cabinet. The agreement aims to improve trade conditions and increase cooperation between the two countries. It also seeks ways to participate actively in the Europwan economic integration process. /Cumhuriyet/[06] TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO TRNCChairman of both the Democrat Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (DEMSIAD) and the Turkish Exporters' and Importers' Association (TIDER), Fermani Altun, and an accompanying delegation will pay a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) tomorrow. The delegation will discuss export, import and investment projects between the two countries. /Cumhuriyet/[07] 108 FUGITIVES DETAINED108 fugitives from eight countries, waiting to illegally cross the Greek border in efforts to reach European countries, have been detained. It is reported that Albanians, Egyptians and many Asians were among the fugitives. /Milliyet/[08] $234 MILLION FROM PRIVATIZATIONIt is reported that during the first two months of 1998, privatization projects worth $234 million were finalized. Meanwhile, 10 more public institutions are about to be put on the block. /Milliyet/[09] DINI MAKES BRIEF VISIT TO TURKEYItalian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini visited Turkey while journeying to Iran for an official visit there. Dini met with Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ambassador Korkmaz Haktanir. It is reported that during the meeting, initiatives taken developed by Turkey for the solution of the Iraq problem, the new Iranian administration and European Union (EU) issues were taken up. /Milliyet/[10] TAX NUMBER FOR EVERYONEFrom now on, everyone who wants to purchase and sell vehicles will have to have a tax number. Those who do not have a tax number must apply to the tax administration with their birth certificate, when they will be given a number. Finance Minister Temizel said in a statement to Milliyet newspaper that after 1 May, tax numbers will also be required during the buying and selling of property. /Milliyet/[11] DEMIREL RECEIVES FP DELEGATIONRepresentatives of the newly established Virtue Party (FP) were received yesterday by President Suleyman Demirel. The Virtue Party was established after the Constitutional Court decision to ban the Welfare Party (RP) entered into effect. FP has managed to attract many former RP deputies, and ensured more than 130 seats in Parliament, in a short time emerging as the biggest opposition party. During his meeting with FP leader Ismail Alptekin and FP Parliamentary Group Chairman Recai Kutan, President Demirel said that from the legal point of view the FP was as a continuation of the outlawed RP. /Sabah/[12] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGFollowing a meeting of the Turkish government coalition partners and a subsequent Council of Ministers meeting, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz announced yesterday that girls studying at religious schools were free to wear head coverings. This statement aims to ease a recent escalation of tensions caused by Education Minister Hikmet Ulugbay's decision to stick to clothing regulations banning head scarves. /Sabah/[13] NEW TERM IN NATIONAL SECURITY ACADEMYThe 1998 term of the National Security Academy (MGA) started yesterday with an opening ceremony which Deputy Chief of the General Staff, General Cevik Bir, attended. Describing the purposes of the National Security Academy, General Kemal Yżlmaz stressed the necessity for the preventing the growth of Islamic fundementalism by informing administrators and advancing new ideas on this issue. Yżlmaz also noted that out of the 1211 individuals given special training in the academy so far, 750 were civilians. /Hurriyet/[14] SPECIAL STAMPS TO COMMEMORATE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLICCelebratory stamps will be issued for the upcoming 75th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. The Directorate General of the Postal Services has arranged a competition in order to select the stamp designs. Designs must be related to the principles of Ataturk. /Cumhuriyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |