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Turkish Press Review, 98-07-23
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
23.07.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR SENDS LETTER TO TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS
[02] TURKEY VOICES CONCERNS OVER STRAITS
[03] TURKEY PREPARES ALTERNATIVE EU REPORT
[04] MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE GIVES WATER PRODUCTS UNDERTAKING
[05] GERMAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN ANKARA
[06] TRNC FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH HERCUS
[07] FRENCH TOURISTS VISIT TURKEY
[08] ARMENIANS ALSO CELEBRATING 75TH YEAR OF TURKISH REPUBLIC
[09] JAPANESE PRINCESS IN ANITKABIR
[10] FOUR NEW SUBMARINES FOR TURKISH NAVY
[11] TWO PKK TERRORISTS KILLED IN RIZE
[12] HEROIN OPERATION IN BOLU
[13] ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES IN AEGEAN
[14] FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR NAVAL MILITARY ACADEMY STUDENTS
[15] BOEINGS FOR THY
[16] TURKISH MEMBER FOR IPRA
[17] FOREIGN TRADE PARTNERS
[18] EXPORTS FROM SOUTHEAST TO US
[19] VESNET WINS KAZAKTELEKOM TENDER
[20] AZNAR: "EU CONDITIONS FOR TURKEY SHOULD BE EQUAL"
[21] CEM: "TURKEY SEEKING PIVOTAL ROLE IN EURASIA"
[22] "SPRING" IN TURKISH-GREEK ECONOMIC RELATIONS
[23] NSC TO MEET IN ISTANBUL
[24] BRITAIN ASKS GREEK CYPRIOTS TO CANCEL DEPLOYMENT OF MISSILES
[25] ALIYEV SUPPORTS BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE
[26] TURKISH-RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN IN ISTANBUL
[01] NEW IRANIAN AMBASSADOR SENDS LETTER TO TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS
New Iranian Ambassador to Ankara, Huseyin Lavasani states in a
letter, sent to all Turkish MPs, that Iran wants to open a new
era in Turkish-Iranian relations. In the five-page letter, which
he sent with the approval of Iranian President Muhammed Hatemi,
he asks Turkish MPs to help improve relations between Turkey and
Iran. /Hurriyet/
[02] TURKEY VOICES CONCERNS OVER STRAITS
Despite obstructive efforts by Greek and Russian officials,
Turkish officials attending a meeting of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) in London yesterday, succeeded in
including Turkish concerns over the Turkish straits in an
international report. In the current London meeting, Turkish
officials pointed out that a report on the Turkish straits must
be absolutely just and balanced. Other participants accepted the
Turkish argument that Turkish concerns on this issue must not be
ignored. _Hurriyet
[03] TURKEY PREPARES ALTERNATIVE EU REPORT
Written by a group of officials from several ministries led by
State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel and submitted to the Council of
Ministers, a report on "strategies for developing EU-Turkey
relations" criticizes a "strategy report" by the European
Commission released in March 1998. In a statement to Hurriyet
newspaper, Gurel said that their report aims to underline the
obligations of both sides. The report, which has been sent to EU
member countries, generally deals with technical and economic
issues with reference to their impact on Turkey-EU relations.
/Hurriyet/
[04] MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE GIVES WATER PRODUCTS UNDERTAKING
During a briefing about his ministry's work over the past year,
Mustafa Tasar, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said
yesterday that a file including all the details about an EU
commission's decision to stop Turkey's water products exports to
EU countries and a letter in which Turkey undertakes further
responsibilities were sent on July 17 to the EU by his ministry
which wants the EU to review its decision. /Hurriyet/
[05] GERMAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN ANKARA
German Federal Parliament Speaker Rita Sussmuth arrived yesterday
in Ankara for a two day official visit. Sussmuth met with Foreign
Minister Ismail Cem. She will also meet today with President
Suleyman Demirel and Speaker of the Turkish Grand National
Assembly, Hikmet Cetin. /Hurriyet/
[06] TRNC FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS WITH HERCUS
Foreign and Defense Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus (TRNC), Taner Etkin, met with Cyprus Special Deputy Envoy
of the UN Secretary-General, Ann Hercus, yesterday. It is
reported that during the meeting, all dimensions of the Cyprus
problem were taken up. In a statement following the meeting,
Etkin said: "We held a general exchange of views". Ann Hercus
stated that she was pleased with the meeting when she came
together with Spokesman of the UN Peace Force Waldemar
Rokozeiski, the Anatolia news agency reported.
[07] FRENCH TOURISTS VISIT TURKEY
It is reported that the number of French tourists visiting Turkey
has increased compared to previous years. According to a
statement made by the Adviser of the Paris Tourism Office, the
number of French tourists, which was 143,068 during the first six
months of 1997, increased by 29.4 % and reached 185,181 in the
corresponding period this year. The statement said that 45,000
French tourists visited Turkey only in June, an 18 % increase
when compared with the same month of last year. /Sabah/
[08] ARMENIANS ALSO CELEBRATING 75TH YEAR OF TURKISH REPUBLIC
Turkey's Armenians will also participate in celebrations
organized for the 75th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
Deputy Patriarch of Turkey's Armenian community, Archbishop
Mesrob Mutafyan, heading a meeting organized to evaluate studies
conducted by the Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey, said:
"Armenians in Turkey will certainly share in celebrations for the
75th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. We have grown up as the
children of this republic. Therefore to celebrate its foundation
is our national duty". /Sabah/
[09] JAPANESE PRINCESS IN ANITKABIR
Japanese Princess Akiko, daughter of Japanese Prince Tomohito
Mikasa, visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder
of the Turkish Republic, yesterday. Princess Akiko laid a wreath
at the Mausoleum and signed the Anitkabir Special Visitor's Book
and then toured the Anitkabir Museum. /Sabah/
[10] FOUR NEW SUBMARINES FOR TURKISH NAVY
The Turkish Naval Force will order four new submarines from the
German HDW Company. It was stated by the Navy representatives
that the Defense Ministry had reached an agreement yesterday with
the German company for four new submarines, each of them weighing
1.4 thousand tons. The agreement was signed by Undersecretary of
the National Defense Ministry, Lieutenant-General Tuncer Kilinc
and Director of HDW, Dirk Rathjens. National Defense Minister
Ismet Sezgin and Commander of the Naval Force Vice-Admiral Salim
Dervisoglu also attended the signing ceremony. /Sabah/
[11] TWO PKK TERRORISTS KILLED IN RIZE
Operations carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces against the
PKK terrorist organization are also continuing in the Black Sea
region. During operations carried out for 15 days against PKK
members in Rize, one terrorist was killed last week and one fled
wounded. During operations two days ago in the rural areas of
Kalkandere in Rize, two terrorists were killed and two others
were captured. /Sabah/
[12] HEROIN OPERATION IN BOLU
During operations carried out by the Gendarmery in Dikmeli
village, Bolu, eight grammes of heroin were seized. Follow-up
operations led, however to the discovery of 843 kilogrammes of
Indian hemp and 6.4 kilogrammes of heroin with a market value of
TL 2.5 billion. /Sabah/
[13] ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES IN AEGEAN
It is reported that following an implementation which prohibits
holding military exercises in the Aegean until August,
representatives from Turkey and Greece are expected to come
together to discuss additional "Confidence-Building Measures in
the Aegean". Turkey conveyed a note calling for peace to Greece
on February 12 proposing the implementation of the
Confidence-Building Measures which were agreed upon by Turkey and
Greece in 1988. /Sabah/
[14] FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR NAVAL MILITARY ACADEMY STUDENTS
A farewell ceremony was held yesterday for students from the
Tuzla Naval Military Academy, about to join a deep training
programme off the coasts of France, Spain, Tunisia and Portugal.
The students will return to Turkey on 20 August. /Cumhuriyet/
[15] BOEINGS FOR THY
Boeing, unable to deliver 49 Boeing 737-800 type aircraft with a
155 passenger capacity to Turkish Airlines (THY), have sent two
MD-90 aircraft for a temporary utilization. THY officials noted
yesterday that the two aircraft would be in service in two or
three days' time. /Cumhuriyet/
[16] TURKISH MEMBER FOR IPRA
Ceyda Aydede has been elected to the executive board of the
International Public Relations Association (IPRA). The election
to office was held in London last week. Aydede will carry out her
official duties for two years. /Cumhuriyet/
[17] FOREIGN TRADE PARTNERS
In Turkey's foreign trade rose to $29.537 billion during the
first five months of this year. The US, Germany, Italy, France
and Britain are the leading countries on the list. Italy's share
increased from 7.8 % to 8 %, while the US share rose from 9.6 %
to 9.7 %, France from 5.3 % to 6 %, and that of Britain from 5.5%
to 5.9 %. /Cumhuriyet/
[18] EXPORTS FROM SOUTHEAST TO US
Agricultural products worth $7.588 million were exported from the
Southeast Anatolia Region to the US, a 15.3 % increase, during
the first six months of this year. /Cumhuriyet/
[19] VESNET WINS KAZAKTELEKOM TENDER
Vesnet, a Netas joint investment company, has won the tender for
a telephone exchange in Kazakhstan, the Anatolia news agency
reported yesterday. Vesnet will get a nearly $7 million share in
the $10 million tender. Netas owns 51 % of the shares in Vesnet.
[20] AZNAR: "EU CONDITIONS FOR TURKEY SHOULD BE EQUAL"
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Anzar, on an official visit to
Turkey, stressed on Wednesday that Turkey's European Union (EU)
membership bid should not be dependent on criteria different from
the parameters applied to the other 11 aspirants. As a result of
face-to-face talks between the delegations from the two
countries, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and his Spanish
counterpart Aznar signed a joint action plan which emphasized the
intention of the two parties to boost bilateral relations,
particularly in the economic and commercial realm. The two sides
agreed that the Turco-Spanish Joint Economic Council will gather
in Madrid on October 19-20 to outline further joint economic
strategies. Commenting on the state of bilateral political
relations, both Yilmaz and Aznar expressed satisfaction and
pledged to jointly struggle against terrorism, organized crime,
drug-trafficking and illegal immigration.
The Spanish Premier was yesterday received by President Suleyman
Demirel and in the morning he visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of
Atatürk. Today he is scheduled to participate in a meeting of
Turkish and Spanish businessmen in Istanbul and then leave for
Spain. /Milliyet/Sabah/
[21] CEM: "TURKEY SEEKING PIVOTAL ROLE IN EURASIA"
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, speaking at a presentation of the
Foreign Ministry's new "Turkey and the World in 2010-2020"
report, said that Turkey would "seek a pivotal economic and
political role in Eurasia". Cem added that Turkey was no longer
confined to the outskirts of Europe, but was emerging as a global
power. Turkey aimed at being the central and determinative
country in "the emerging Eurasian reality," said Cem adding that
the new climate after the Cold War had provided Turkey with a
great number of opportunities.
The report, presented on Wednesday, draws a rosy picture with
respect to Turkey's economic development in the next two decades
and predicts that it will become one of the five major economies
within the OECD. /Sabah/Milliyet/
[22] "SPRING" IN TURKISH-GREEK ECONOMIC RELATIONS
There is "a feeling of spring" in Turkish and Greek economic
relations despite the tension between Ankara and Athens regarding
the Aegean and Cyprus issues. Turkish and Greek businessmen have
enlivened economic relations by "getting closer by cooperating".
The trade volume between the two countries was $ 308 million in
1994 whereas it reached $ 725 million at the end of 1997. It is
expected that it will have increased three-fold by the end of
1998. /Milliyet/
[23] NSC TO MEET IN ISTANBUL
An ordinary meeting of the National Security Council will be held
tomorrow in Istanbul. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Chief of
General Staff, Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Deputy Prime Minister
Bulent Ecevit, ministers and force commanders will come together
under the chairmanship of President Suleyman Demirel. It has been
announced that security at civilian airports, domestic security
and terrorism, and the Aegean and Cyprus issues are going to be
on the agenda of the meeting. After the meeting President Demirel
will attend a graduation ceremony at the Military Academy.
/Milliyet/
[24] BRITAIN ASKS GREEK CYPRIOTS TO CANCEL DEPLOYMENT OF MISSILES
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has sent a message to the
leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration, Glafkos Klerides,
calling on him to cancel the deployment of Russian-made S-300
missiles on the island in order to prevent further increase in
the tension between Ankara and Athens. British special envoy to
Cyprus, Sir David Hannay, who handed the message to Klerides,
also wants the Greek Cypriot administration to lift the embargo
imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC),
restart the Cyprus talks and Turkish Cypriots agree to attending
European Union (EU) membership talks.
Meanwhile the French daily newspaper, Le Figaro, claimed
yesterday that there would be the risk of war on the island if
S-300 missile crisis is not solved. The newspaper noted however
that both Greece and Turkey have tried hard to find a away to
solve the problem. /Mİlliyet/
[25] ALIYEV SUPPORTS BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev, who is still in Britain for
an official visit, said yesterday at the Royal International
Relations Institution that they preferred the Baku-Ceyhan oil
pipeline project to transport Caspian oil to Western markets. He
pointed out that for the transportation of early oil, the
Baku-Novorossisk pipeline was already operating, but added that
Azerbaijan accepted the Baku-Ceyhan route as the second best
alternative. He noted that they attached special importance to
ending debate on the Baku-Ceyhan route as soon as possible.
/Milliyet/
[26] TURKISH-RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN IN ISTANBUL
A Turkish-CIS Business Council Meeting was held yesterday in
Istanbul. Chairman of the Turkish-Confederation of Independent
States, Tunc Ulug, said that there was a good business
relationship between Turkey and the CIS, adding that well-known
Turkish firms had made successful investments in Russia and in
the Confederation of Independent States. Speaker of the Russian
Duma, Gennady Selezniyev said for his part that both sides shared
economic and political principles that gave direction to their
trade relations. He added that they would do their best to solve
commercial problems between Turkey and Russia. He also thanked
Turkish contractors for their efforts in Russia. /All papers/
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