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Monday, 18 November 2024 | ||
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Turkish Press Review, 98-03-24Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>24.03.98Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] ARMS BUILD-UP IN GREEK CYPRUSTurkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan told a press briefing on Monday that recent efforts to build-up weapons in Greek Cyprus would be met with "adequately serious measures."Commenting on Greek Foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos' suggestion that the deployment of Russian-made S-300 missiles could be cancelled "if Turkey were to halt military flights over Cyprus." Utkan said: "Now that developments have sparked such embarrassment, not only on the island, but in all the countries concerned, they are trying to find ways of correcting their wrong actions." /Hurriyet/ [02] CORDOVEZ IN ANKARAU.N. special coordinator for Cyprus, Diego Cordovez, is expected to arrive in Ankara today for consultations with Turkish officials. The U.N. envoy is scheduled to meet Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, State Minister responsible for Europe and Cyprus, Sukru Sina Gurel, and Foreign Ministry officials.Cordovez traveled on to Athens on Monday and met Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannos Kranidiotis. The U.N. Security Council is awaiting a report from Cordovez, who said he would ask for "guidance" on how to kick-start negotiations before returning to the eastern Mediterranean island. The U.N. is exerting efforts to revitalize bi-communal talks between the two Cypriot sides. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] CEM TO BONNTurkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will participate in "Contact Group" meeting to be held on Tuesday in Bonn regarding the troubled situation in Kosovo.Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan said in a weekly press conference on Monday that cem is expected to hold discussions with his Greek and German counterparts while in Bonn. He added that the agendas of these meetings could vary somewhat, according to the priority the individual foreign ministers place on the discussion topics. /Cumhuriyet/Sabah_ [04] ITALIANS ARRESTED IN PRO-KURDISH DEMONSTRATIONThree Italian activists were in police detention Monday, awaiting a court hearing after being arrested for taking part in pro-Kurdish celebrations in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. Noting that the Italians had displayed flags of the outlawed PKK organization and shouted slogans in support of the group, Diyarbakir Security Chief Gaffar Okan said in a press conference, "Whoever tries to violate the territorial integrity of the country, whether they be foreigners or not, will be prevented." /Sabah/[05] TURKEY, ISRAEL AIM TO BOOST TRADETurkey and Israel plan to bolster annual two-way trade from 620.7 million in 1997 to two billion dollars in the coming years, Turkish State Minister Isin Celebi and Israel's Minister for Industry and Trade Nathan Sharansky declared in Istanbul on Monday, when the two ministers met with members of the Turkish-Israeli Business Council.Celebi urged Israeli businessmen to invest in Turkey and participate in ambitious domestic privatization programmes. Sharansky said Israeli firms want to invest in Turkey's ambitious Southeastern Anatolia hydro-electric irrigation project (GAP) and also cooperate with Turkey in the former Soviet Union. /Hurriyet/Milliyet_ [06] TURKISH EXPORTERS IN CZECH REPUBLICThe Foreign Trade Undersecretariat has organized a five day visit to the Czech Republic and Hungary to which 100 Turkish exporters have been invited. The visit aims to boost Turkish exports by finding new markets. Turkish and Czech businessmen yesterday held a meeting for an exchange of edeas in the Czech capital of Prague. In the meeting, Czech and Turkish officials expressed their belief that the economic relations between the two countries can be brought to a higher level. /Hurriyet/[07] TURKISH-CHINESE BUSINESS COUNCIL ANNOUNCES NEW OPPORTUNITIESThe Turkish-Chinese Business Council during a press briefing yesterday, revealed that new Chinese investment worth 750 billion dollars will open up new business opportunities for Turkish businessmen in China. Chinese ambassador Yao Kyang Yi called on Turkish businessmen to consider enlarging their scope of activity in China. /Hurriyet/[08] INDUSTRY MINISTRY PRESSES FOR TRANSPARENCYThe Ministry of Industry and Commerce has established a new arrangement in a move to promote transparency and prevent mistakes in ministry transactions. Within this framework, the chairmen of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB), the Turkish Artisans' and Entrepreneurs Confederation (TESK), and the Turkish Union of Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB) will serve as ombudsmen in the Ministry of Industry and will be authorized to monitor services provided by the ministry. A protocol will be signed today between the ministry TOBB, TESK and TZOB. /Milliyet/[09] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETINGThe government unveiled yesterday a package of measures designed to fight growing fundamentalist trends. The package includes measures for controlling the capital of Islamic companies and keeping close watch on schools and courses run by religious sects. The package has been approved by the Council of Ministers and will be presented today to Parliament for discussion. In a meeting on 27 March, the National Security Council (NSC) is expected to tackle the issue of fundamentalism. /Milliyet/[10] GREECE TRAINS PKK MILITANTS"Time" magazine says in its latest issue that Greece is providing training for PKK terrorists in the Athens Kurdish Culture Institute. The magazine quotes Kurdistan International Liberation Front Balkans Director Roserin Laser as saying that every week five to ten militants are sent to Turkey from the Greek camp near Athens to fight for the PKK terrorist organization.Meanwhile, Milliyet daily newspaper gives details about a report about PKK activities prepared by the Directorrate General of Security. According to the report, the organization declared 1997 a "year of conquest", but suffered heavy losses in a number of wide-scale operations organized by the Turkish Armed Forces and is now splitting apart. The decision of senior PKK commander Semdin Sakik to seek refuge in Northern Iraq is evaluated within this framework. /Milliyet/ [11] TURKISH DIPLOMAT CANDIDATES FOR UNSCOMIt has announced that Turkish Ambassador to Bahrein, Engin Turker and the Undersecretary attached to Turkey's Baghdad Embassy, Ambassador A. Melih Ulueren are candidates for a Special Group responsible to check on weapons of mass destruction in line with an agreement signed on 23 February between Iraq and the United Nations. /Cumhuriyet/[12] PAKISTAN NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION IN ANKARAOn the occasion of National Day celebrations, the Pakistan Embassy held a reception in Ankara yesterday. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin, Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), Hikmet Cetin, Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Commander of the Turkish Air Forces General Ilham Kilic and Chairman of the Virtue Party (FP) Ismail Alptekin attended the reception. /Cumhuriyet/[13] NEW HYPERMARKET IN ANKARAThe German "Real" chain of hypermarkets has opened a giant market in Ankara. The market covers an area of 16,000 square meters and offers 60 thousand different products. The market is targeting to make annual sales of DM 100 million. /Milliyet/[14] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UPDuring the last week Central Bank foreign exchange reserves increased by $146 million. At the same time foreign exchange reserves in commercial banks surged by $112 million. /Milliyet/[15] AVALANCHE KILLS EIGHT SOLDIERSThe number of soldiers who have died following an avalanche in Bingol on Sunday has increased to eight. Search operations to find four soldiers who are still missing continue. /Milliyet/Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |