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Turkish Press Review, 98-11-02
From: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>
02.11.98
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
[01] CEM TO VISIT LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
[02] US CALLS ON ARMENIA TO MEND TIES WITH TURKEY
[03] DENIZKURDU IN FRANCE
[04] INTERNATIONAL BAGHDAD FAIR
[05] DIALOGUE BETWEEN DAMASCUS AND ANKARA
[06] ALIYEV SIDES WITH BAKU-CEYHAN PROJECT
[07] 19 % OF TURKEY'S ENERGY FROM GAP
[08] DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES FOR NORTHERN IRAQ
[09] BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
[10] COMCEC MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[11] INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS THE BIGGEST CONSUMER OF ENERGY
[12] FIRST DOMESTIC COUGAR HELICOPTER IN 1999
[13] TURKMENISTAN NATURAL GAS
[14] BRIGHT FUTURE IN TURKISH TOURISM SECTOR
[15] EIGHT TURKS DIE IN DISCOTHEQUE FIRE IN SWEDEN
[16] PRIME MINSTER YILMAZ IN KAYSERI
[01] CEM TO VISIT LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
According to a statement made by the Turkish Foreign Ministry
yesterday, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will pay official visits
to Brazil, Chile and Argentina between 2-11 November. It is
reported that during his official meetings in these countries,
Cem will once again point out the importance attached by Turkey
for the UN Security Council membership for the years 2001-2002.
Foreign Minister Cem departed from Turkey for Brazil, the first
leg of his Latin America visit, the Anatolia news agency reported
yesterday.
Turkey belives that establishing close economic ties with Latin
American countries will lay the necessary groundwork for
productive political cooperation.
[02] US CALLS ON ARMENIA TO MEND TIES WITH TURKEY
The US has urged the Armenian government, led by Prime Minister
Robert Kocharyan, to mend fences with Turkey. American Ambassador
to Armenia Michael Lemmon confirmed at a press conference in
Yerevan that US Assistant Secretary of State Strobe Talbott had
conveyed a message to the Armenian government urging it to mend
ties with Turkey.
Emphasizing the importance that the American administration
attributed to cooperation in the region, Ambassador Lemmon said:
"Turkey is at the same time a Caucasian state. Armenia should
mend its ties with this country". /Cumhuriyet/
[03] DENIZKURDU IN FRANCE
Justice Minister Hasan Denizkurdu arrived in Strasbourg, France
yesterday to hold various contacts. Denizkurdu will meet with the
Chairman of the European Court of Human Rights and the
Secretary-General of the Council of Europe today. He will also
participate in a symposium on human rights, the Anatolia news
agency reports.
[04] INTERNATIONAL BAGHDAD FAIR
The 31st International Baghdad Fair was opened by Iraqi Deputy
Head of State Taha Yasin Ramazan yesterday. During the fair
attended by US, British and Canadian firms, Turkey is being
represented by State Minister Mehmet Batalli, the Anatolia news
agency reports. The fair will last for 10 days.
[05] DIALOGUE BETWEEN DAMASCUS AND ANKARA
Following an agreement signed between Ankara and Damascus, the
Syrian government has stated that it wishes that other problems
between Turkey and Syria will also be solved. After a meeting
headed by Deputy Head of State Zuheyir Masarka was held two days
ago, it was pointed out that problems between Turkey and Syria
could be solved through dialogue and diplomatic means.
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] ALIYEV SIDES WITH BAKU-CEYHAN PROJECT
Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev stated yesterday that he had
given instructions to the State Petroleum Company SOCAR to
investigate whether the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project to transport
Caspian oils was $1 billion more expensive than the alternative
proposed by the international consortium. Aliyev, who
participated in the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the
foundation of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, made a statement
to journalists upon his return to Baku and said that he did not
believe that the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project was $1 billion more
expensive than the alternative proposed by the international
consortium. Aliyev noted that meetings between the delegations of
Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia and the international consortium on
the project would begin on November 5.
During the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Republic
of Turkey, two declarations for the transportation of Turkmen gas
to Turkey and the realization of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
were signed with Central Asian leaders. /Cumhuriyet/
[07] 19 % OF TURKEY'S ENERGY FROM GAP
It is reported that a total of 141.08 billion kwh of energy has
been produced until 1991 to October 1998 at the Karakaya and
Ataturk dams within the framework of the Southeastern Anatolia
Project (GAP). During the first six months of 1998, 53,706 gwh
(million kilowatt hour) of energy was produced throughout Turkey
while 18.5 % of this energy was provided from the GAP region.
/Cumhuriyet/
[08] DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES FOR NORTHERN IRAQ
A meeting between the Chairman of the Kurdistan Democratic Party
(KDP) Mesud Barzani and the Chairman of the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK) Celal Talabani will be held in the second half of
November. Meanwhile, Barzani is expected to visit Turkey
tomorrow. Turkey, which has cut Syrian logistic support for the
PKK terrorist organization, now will explain its determination to
Barzani and Talabani. During his visit to Ankara, Barzani will
inform Turkey on a joint declaration signed between the two Iraqi
Kurdish groups under the auspices of the US at the level of the
Secretary of State. /Cumhuriyet/
[09] BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT TURKEY
Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov, due to pay an official
visit to Turkey on November 4-6, has expressed concern over the
clandestine immigration of Bulgarian Turks to Turkey, saying that
it is harming both countries. Kostov said that the main reason
for the wave of illicit migration was economic and maintained
that migration would halt when the economic situation in Bulgaria
improves, according to the Anatolia news agency.
[10] COMCEC MEETING IN ISTANBUL
The 14th meeting of the Permanent Committee of Islamic Conference
Organization Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) started
yesterday in Istanbul under the chairmanship of President
Suleyman Demirel. 56 ministers responsible for economy of the
member countries, representatives of the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC) and the World Bank officials are attending the
meeting. Application of the economic cooperation action plan,
relations with the World Bank, economic and trade relations
between Islamic countries have been discussed during the 14th
meeting of the Committee. /Hurriyet/
[11] INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS THE BIGGEST CONSUMER OF ENERGY
It was reported that more than half of the energy produced in
Turkey is consumed by industrial sector. According to the 1997
energy report prepared by Turkish National Committee of the World
Energy Council, industry is the biggest energy consumer in
Turkey. 44.7 million kwh energy out of the total 82.3 million kwh
was used by industry last year. /Hurriyet/
[12] FIRST DOMESTIC COUGAR HELICOPTER IN 1999
An important project which will strenght the present defense
structure of the Turkish Defense Industry had gained
acceleration. According to an agreement between Defense Industry
Undersecretariat, Turkish Aviation and Space Industry (TAI) and
French Eurocopter Corp. The production of the first of the 30
As-532 Cougar helicopter has started at the end of September in
TAI facilities. According to the EUROTAI consortium formed by TAI
and French Eurocopter Corp. two helicopters which are still being
produced in French by Eurocopter Corp. will be delivered in
Turkey in 1999. The remaining part of the helicopters will be
produced by TAI in Turkey. Within the scope of the agreement
between Turkey and France, TAI engineer will be trained in French
Eurocopter Corp. for two years. /Hurriyet/
[13] TURKMENISTAN NATURAL GAS
Preparations for the construction of the pipeline to carry
Turkmen natural gas to Turkey was concluded. According to the
BOTAS Transportation Company, credit agreements between the
related firms and BOTAS officials were signed and private lands
on the way through the pipeline have been nationalized. The 1285
kms long pipeline will be constructed in four parts by four
companies. /Milliyet/
[14] BRIGHT FUTURE IN TURKISH TOURISM SECTOR
According to a survey, "Tourism Vision in 2020", of the World
Trade Organization (WTO), Turkey will be among the first ten
countries in gaining revenue in tourism sector in 2000 whereas it
is still among the first twenty in regard with tourism revenues.
It is reported that Turkey aims 25 million tourists and $ 20
billion revenue in 2010. /Sabah/
[15] EIGHT TURKS DIE IN DISCOTHEQUE FIRE IN SWEDEN
Eight Turkish citizens died at the end of the fire in the
discotheque of the Macedonians Association in Gotebourg, Sweden.
Officials said that investigation about the fire had been
conducted and they were suspected about a sabotage. /Sabah/
[16] PRIME MINSTER YILMAZ IN KAYSERI
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz laid foundation of the 7th dam on the
Kizilirmak river, Yamula Dam, yesterday in Kayseri. In his speech
at the ceremony, Yilmaz said that after the construction of
Yamula and other dams in the region would be completed, there
would be a second GAP in the middle of Anatolia. He added that he
would come to Kayseri fifteen days later, this time, to lay the
foundation of the construction of an airport.
Yilmaz pointed out that they would continue their struggle
against PKK terrorists and their leader Abdullah Ocalan and they
would not let the Republic of Turkey be damaged by terrorist
activities.
Meanwhile, if Russia keeps its promise, PKK leader Abdullah
Ocalan should leave Russia today. According to a message brought
to Turkey on 29 October, Moscow had given Ocalan a period of time
to leave the country until on 2 October. /Milliyet/
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