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Turkish Press Review, 99-01-15Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>15.01.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] "SECOND CLASS CITIZENSHIP OF TURKS IN GERMANY" - BY HASAN CEMAL (MİLLİYET)[02] TURKEY TO DEPLOY PATRIOTSTurkey has asked the US to deploy Patriot missiles in Turkey as a precaution in view of the increased tension in the no-fly zone in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said yesterday. "In this context, it is felt that Patriot missiles could have a useful role to play" Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan said in a written statement. The statement was seen as a counter-balance to recent statements by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit over the use of Incirlik base.The Foreign Ministry Spokesman referred to the growing number of incidents in which US planes have fired on Iraqi air defences after pilots reported being tracked by radar, saying "the US response has been positive". Turkey has expressed concern at the incidents and called on Baghdad to avoid such actions for the sake of regional stability. Neither the number of the missiles nor the place of deployment have been decided yet, the Anatolia news agency reports. [03] US-TURKISH DELEGATION MEETS BARZANIA US delegation headed by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US State Department, Elizabeth Johns, the successor to David Welch- accompanied by officials from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, met Mesud Barzani, the Leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the Kurdish leader's headquarters in Salahaddin. The delegation is expected to arrive in Suleymaniye controlled by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to meet the Leader of the Party, Celal Talabani. The delegation is expected to arrive in Ankara following talks with the Kurdish leaders. /All papers/[04] CHP CRITICIZES THE ECEVIT GOVERNMENTAdnan Keskin, the General Secretary of the Republican People`s Party (CHP), criticized Bulent Ecevit who formed the 56th government for "engaging intermediaries to cover up some dirty business."[05] GENERAL STAFF: "PKK IS A HEROIN NETWORK"A report prepared by the Office of the General Staff, concerning the drug smuggling activities of the terrorist PKK, gives a detailed account of this most important financial resource of the illegal organization. Drawing attention to the fact that the PKK adopts the methods followed by Latin American drug cartels, the report notes that the organization obtains an annual revenue of at least $500 million from the drug business.Accordingly, the PKK distributes drugs via its 302 associations abroad and handles the drug-trafficking both through Turkey and via the North and South of Turkey. The report reads: "Northern Iraq and Lebanon are among the most important fields of drug production. A large amount of drugs is transported to Europe and North America through Turkey via both the highways and the sea." /Cumhuriyet/ [06] 1998: THE YEAR WHEN THE PKK AND OCALAN COLLAPSEDCemil Bayık, code-named 'Cuma',whose name is cited among those to become the new leader of the terrorist organization, said that 1998 had been the year of the collapse of the PKK and Ocalan. The fight for the leadership is going on within the PKK, which entered a process of disintegration due to the resolute stance of Turkey towards Syria and the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces. The statement by Bayık, dated 5 January 1999, was found on a terrorist of Syrian nationality, killed during an armed conflict in Tunceli. In the statement Bayık said," It cannot be denied that panic has been experienced within the organization following Ocalan's arrival in Rome. The organization was left without a leader. The militants, who were left to their own devices, began to disband and return to their homes. Logistic support was completely wiped out. The PKK is up against the danger of losing its armed forces and fighters. Therefore 1998 has seen the collapse of the PKK and Ocalan". /Hurriyet/[07] CRISIS WITHIN PKK TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONThe Leader of the so called Kurdish parliament-in-exile, Yasar Kaya, has started a campaign against Abdullah Ocalan. It is reported that Kaya had extended his efforts against Ocalan so that he would not be sheltered either in Italy or in any other European country. Kaya said to Italian members of Parliament that Ocalan had attracted the reaction of every circle in Turkey and that it would better if he were excluded from Italy in order to aid the success of the activities of the Kurdish parliament-in-exile. /Aksam/[08] SPAIN'S BASQUE REGION: A NEW DESTINATION FOR KURDISH MEETING?Following reports that the so-called Kurdish Parliament-in-exile wants to hold its next meeting in Spain's Basque region, Turkey has intensified its contacts with the Spanish authorities. Turkey's Ambassador in Madrid, Gun Gur, told the Anatolia news agency that Turkish diplomats were making strenuous efforts to prevent Kurdish separatists from carrying out a political campaign in Spain.Gur said that he had been assured by the Spanish authorities that the so-called Parliament of the Kurdish separatists would never be permitted to meet there. Gur added that Spain had terrible experience of terrorism, and that the Spanish authorities considered the PKK a terrorist group. [09] TASDELEN: "BAYKAL LEFT ME ALONE"Dogan Tasdelen, the current Cankaya Mayor who recently passed from the Republican`s People Party (CHP) to the Democratic Left Party (DSP)and who will run as the Candidate of the DSP in the forthcoming elections for the mayor of Ankara, criticized Deniz Baykal, his former leader, for abandoning him in his struggle against antisecular fundamentalist forces. Emphasizing that Murat Karayalcin, the candidate of the CHP for Ankara, is not a rival but a friend of his, Tasdelen held Baykal responsible for the polarization of the left-wing in Ankara which creates, it is argued, an advantage for the candidate of the Virtue Party (FP). /Cumhuriyet/[10] RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL INVENTORY WILL BE TAKENFollowing the Cobalt-60 accident in Istanbul last week, no results have been achieved from the ongoing efforts to discover the second radioactive nucleus yet. Meanwhile, the Turkish Nuclear Energy Institution (TAEK) decided to scan all foundries throughout Turkey. In addition, the TAEK decided to take an inventory of all radioactive materials and nuclear-based medical equipment used in public and private hospitals. /Cumhuriyet/[11] BOOK ON PKK TERRORISMThe Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepared a book about PKK terrorism. The book asked European countries not to give shelter to the chief of the terrorist organization. The first part of the book comprises the full text of the advertisement prepared by five non-governmental organizations in Turkey (TURK-IS, DISK, TESK, TOBB and TISK) about the extradition of the chief of the PKK and which had been issued in Italian newspapers. The Ministry official noted that the book would be sent to foreign missions in Turkey and Turkish Embassies abroad. /Aksam/[12] IMF DELEGATION IN TURKEYThe International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief, Martin Hardy, examining Turkey's current economic situation, stated that a stand-by agreement, which includes financial aid, could be signed between the IMF and Turkey; the most formidable obstacle to such an agreement is early elections, leaving a very short period in which to implement the agreement. Hardy is due to come to Turkey on January 27 to assess the Staff Monitoring Agreement signed between the IMF and Turkey. Hardy, speaking to the Anatolia news agency, said that the establishment of a new government is a positive development.He was quoted as saying: "During our visit we will look at the projects of the new government and its 1999 economic forecasts. We will approach the new government's proposals positively". He said that they will examine the progress of the Staff Monitoring Agreement, stressing that Turkey had achieved its earlier objectives. [13] KLERIDES OFFERS TEMPORARY FREEZE OF WEAPONS PURCHASESThe Leader of the Greek Cypriot Administration, Glafkos Klerides, has agreed to a UN demand to freeze weapons purchases if Turkey accepts UN resolutions on Cyprus, a newspaper reported yesterday. Klerides has sent a letter to UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, informing him of his acceptance of last month's two Security Council resolutions. The resolutions called the current unofficial division of the island 'unacceptable'. They demanded compliance with UN resolutions that call for a reduction of troops and weapons and the resumption of talks concerning the island's reunification on the basis of earlier resolutions. Both Ankara and Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas rejected the latest UN resolutions, as well as earlier ones that call for the withdrawal of foreign troops from the island and the return of all refugees. /All papers/[14] DENKTAS: "CONFEDERATION IS THE ONLY FORMULA"The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that they were discussing the confederation formula. TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu said that they were determined to continue talks on the Nation of Cyprus issue together with Turkey. Eroglu noted that they would meet the representatives of Turkey's 56th government to improve on the confederation formula. /Aksam/[15] TGNA DELEGATION TO ATTEND A MEETING IN ATHENSA delegation of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) which will attend a 'Meeting of the Young Politicians of the Southeastern European Countries' went to Athens yesterday. The Turkish Parliamentary delegation and the Parliamentarians from other countries will be received by the Greek President, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Prime Minister and the leaders of the political parties today, the Anatolia news agency reports.[16] GAMBIAN FM IN TURKEYMamadou Lamin Sedat Jobe, the Gambian Foreign Minister, is holding contacts in Ankara. The Foreign Ministry said its statement yesterday that Jobe was received by President Suleyman Demirel and met Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. The relations between Turkey and Gambia and the cooperation between the two countries are discussed in Jobe's meetings, the statement added.[17] SEKER RESIGNS FROM PARLIAMENTUpon the announcement of the final decision by the military board regarding his military service, True Path Party (DYP) Bilecik Deputy Bahattin Seker resigned yesterday from Parliament. During a press conference Seker stated he had completed two months of military service by paying to opt out of the remainder of it. He also stated that the Supreme Military Administrative Court had decided that the papers documenting his service abroad were false. Seker emphasized that he would consider the decision but because he felt it was wrong and unfair, he would protest against it. Seker will begin his mandatory 16-month military service after his resignation from Parliament is approved. /All papers/[18] TURKISH TYCOONS CONTENT WITH NEW GOVERNMENTRahmi Koc, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Koc Holding, indicated that the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) was content with the government formed under the Prime Ministry of Democratic Left Party (DSP) Leader Bulent Ecevit, the Anatolia news agency reports. "I am also happy that the government is made up of only one party. I hope they take the required course of action as soon as possible" Koc said during a TUSIAD meeting held yesterday.While answering questions about the new government, Koc said that its programme was 'modest, simple and suitable for today's conditions'. Sakip Sananci, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sabanci Holding, also congratulated the new government. [19] TUSIAD SAYS TURKEY NEEDS STANDBY AGREEMENT WITH IMFTurkey needs to get a stand-by loan from the IMF to restore confidence among its foreign creditors, the Head of the Advisory Council of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) said. "A stand-by agreement will not just mean loans from the IMF but will be viewed in international markets as a green light for Turkey" Bulent Eczacibasi, Chief of the Advisory Council of TUSIAD, declared. Speaking at TUSIAD's Annual General Meeting in Istanbul, Eczacibasi said an emergency loan from the IMF would give Turkey breathing space and allow it to pay its $97 billion foreign debt and $35 billion domestic debt.In yesterday's session, TUSIAD elected US-educated and trained businessman Erkut Yucaoglu, as its new President. He became a new board member and replaced Muharrem Kayhan as President of the Association. TUSIAD accepted 43 new members, including Ertugrul Ozkok, Editor-In-Chief of Hurriyet, and Ersin Ozince, General Manager of Turkiye Is Bankasi and President of the Association of Banks in Turkey. /All papers/ [20] NEW MINE-SWEEPERS FOR NAVAL FORCESThe last of the five mine-sweepers which were purchased from France, will be handed over to the Turkish Naval Forces on January 15, the Anatolia news agency reports. The Secretariat-General of the General Staff issued a statement saying that the mine-sweeper will be brought to Turkey in February after its port and marine training schedule is completed in France.[21] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES UPCentral Bank foreign exchange reserves exceeded $20 billion during the first week of January 1999. According to Central Bank data, foreign exchange reserves, which were $19.718 billion on January 1, increased by $1.372 billion and reached $21.090 billion on January 8, the Anatolia news agency reports. Meanwhile, international reserves, which amounted to $31.229 billion on December 18, 1998, increased by $143 million and reached $31.372 billion on December 25, 1998.[22] HEAVY BLOW FOR ILLEGAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN ISTANBULIstanbul Police Force has dealth a heavy blow to an illegal terrorist organization, the MLKP. During the operations raids carried out in Istanbul yesterday, the police team seized a lorry which was full of weapons and caught seven members of the organization. The Police Intelligence Office, the Anti-Terrorist Squad's Office and the National Intelligence Service (MIT) undertook a combined operation to flush out the cells of the MLKP in the Umraniye, Pendik and Sakarya districts of Istanbul. The Chief of the Istanbul Police Force, Hasan Ozdemir, said that the terrorist organization had launched various attacks on the offices of political parties and police headquarters. Ozdemir added that they had seized numerous weapons which would be enough to meet the requirements of a small scale military operation. /Aksam/[23] TURKISH TOURISM REVENUES REACH $2.4 BILLIONTurkey' revenues from tourism reached $2.4 billion in the first six months of 1998, the Anatolia news agency reports. A total of 3,362,115 foreign tourists who came to Turkey in the same period purchased goods worth $1.8 billion.[24] ATATURK'S MOTHER COMMEMORATEDAtaturk's mother, Zubeyde Hanım, was commemorated on the 76th anniversary of her death with a ceremony in the cemetery at Karsıyaka where she lies. The Governor of Izmıir, Kemal Nehrozoglu, Karsıyaka Security Director Unsal Kaya, Colonel Mustafa Unal of the Second Main Jet Base Flight Training Commandership, Mayor Kemal Baysak and representatives of non-governmental organizations attended the ceremony. /Hurriyet/[25] HAZELNUT EXPORTSTurkey, one of the biggest hazelnut producers and exporters in the world, has obtained $3.9 billion from her exports of hazelnuts within the last five years, the Anatolia news agency reports. Officials of the Black Sea Union of Hazelnut Exporters said that Turkey exported 202.9 thousand tonnes of hazelnuts and obtained an income of $925.6 million in 1997. In 1998, Turkey exported 201.8 thousand tonnes of hazelnuts and obtained $866.3 million.[26] JUVENTUS GAVE UP HAKAN AT LASTCelalettin Bilgiç, the Turkish representative of the Italian club, declared that Juventus had decided not to transfer Hakan Sukur after nearly a month's bargaining. It is reported that underlying this decision was the reluctant attitude of Hakan on the one hand, and Juventus' assertion of new conditions on the other. It was declared last week that Juventus and Hakan had reached a preliminary agreement of $9 million plus extras over 4 years. Meanwhile, Corriere Della Sport reported that AC Milan had invited Sergen Yalcin from Istanbulspor to come to Milano for transfer meetings. /Cumhuriyet/[27] TURKISH YOUTH ON EUROPEAN TOURHacettepe University State Conservatoire Great Symphony Orchestra will give performances between 17 and 24 January in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. During the concerts, the orchestra will play the compositions of contemporary Turkish composers as well as world-famous foreign composers. /Aksam/[28] IF I WERE... - BY ORHAN BIRGIT (CUMHURIYET)Orhan Birgit, a columnist from the `Cumhuriyet' daily, reflects on the relations between the two left-wing parties in Parliament, the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Democratic Left Party (DSP) within the context of the new DSP minority government. Birgit writes:"The discussions on the concise programme of the 56th government will be held today and the government vote of confidence will be on Sunday. The attitudes of the two right-wing parties, the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the True Path Party (DYP), towards the government is already known since they declared their explicit support for the Ecevit government long before. Similarly, we know that the Virtue Party (FP) will continue its opposing attitude towards the new government. However, the CHP can hardly explain the logic on which rests the reason for its binding group decision not to give a vote of confidence to the Ecevit government. Some of the MPs from the CHP still have reservations about this decision because, despite the regular confrontations between the CHP and DSP, they think it will still be hard to explain to the voters why the CHP gives a "NO", in advance, to the first left-wing government in Turkey for 20 years. No one can expect this government, which has just 86 days ahead of it, to resolve Turkey's major problems; the man in the street also demonsterates that he has no expectations of this sort as well. In turn, Prime Minister Ecevit meets some small expectations of the public via his own natural attitudes. He avoids using luxury cars and showing off with mobile phones; he never makes concessions to his modesty. He does not want prime-ministerial convoy to violate the regular flow of traffic; his wife refuses to be treated as the "First Lady" and sends back the guards posted to protect her. None of these constitute criteria for the projected success of a government, of course. However, I think even these small examples which have been tried to be injected into the state for the last four days, are consistent steps towards preventing the immoral prodigality which permeated society, beginning with the state organizations, after 1980. If I were the leader of the CHP, I would give the white vote to the 56th government, even though for the above mentioned apparently small reasons. And I would add, another reason for this effort concerns the future of the left. " [29] OCALAN BECOMES AN S-300 FOR D'ALEMA -BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Ferai Tinc, a columnist from the daily 'Hurriyet' newspaper, says the following in her article today: "When the Labour Law, newly on Italy's agenda, eclipsed the Ocalan issue, the D'Alema government made it through January 13 without any difficulty. Two days ago, opposition parties, supported by firms which had lost millions of Italian Lira, were unable to vote for a draft regarding the deportation of Ocalan, but they managed to write it onto the agenda. Either today or tomorrow at the latest, this draft will enter Parliament. Italian Prime Minister D'Alema made a breakthrough on Tuesday to block the draft law and stated that they were unable to get rid of Ocalan; Ocalan became the 'S-300 missiles' of D'Alema. The Greek Cypriots rid themselves of the S-300 missiles eventually, and now they are relaxed. Now, D'Alema is faced with a similar issue to that of the S-300s. He does not have an Athens to support him; this is his greatest dilemma.What is going to happen now? According to D'Alema, Ocalan can be tried in Italy because of the crimes he has committed in Turkey. However, initially, a response should be given to the extradition file sent by Turkey. Later on, the Italian Public Prosecutor will prepare the indictment. Therefore, either the Prosecutor will come to Turkey, see the witnesses and examine the proof, or these will have to be sent to Italy. For Ocalan's trial to be held in Italy, Turkey should accept a certain level of cooperation; on this issue, Turkey's reply is uncertain. There are some people who are concerned that, during the court process to be launched in Italy, Turkey may sometimes come under accusations herself. There is also the opposite view; some people suggest that the trial of the terrorist leader in Italy will not create any problems for Turkey. I support the second view; I hope that cooperation will be the best solution instead of creating new crises between Turkey and Italy, two allies within NATO and the EU. There is the example of Orly before us; the Orly case, during which Armenian terrorists were tried, was held in France and Turkey's claims were strongly voiced. The result was not negative; it was actually of real help in many ways to shed light on many realities". /Hurriyet/ [30] "SECOND CLASS CITIZENSHIP OF TURKS IN GERMANY" - BY HASAN CEMAL (MİLLİYET)Milliyet columnist Hasan Cemal wrote about the citizenship problem of Turkish citizens living in Germany in today's column. Cemal started his article by recalling the arson attack against three Turks, a mother and two daughters, who were killed in 1992 in Molln, Germany. Cemal said that following the attack, the leader of the German Social Democratic Party (SDP) of the day, Engholm, said that Turkey should hold all Germans responsible for the incident; it was only a small group of people who had carried the attacks. Maybe Engholm, said Cemal, had been correct but he had forgotten that the environment nourished the idea of "unwanted foreigners". It was a pity that sympathy had never been part of the German national identity; there was always the concept of "foreign", which produced enmity towards foreigners among German citizens, claimed Hasan Cemal.Cemal added: "According to the 1913 Citizenship Law, the "blood connection" is the principle of German citizenship. That is to say, a Turkish citizen, born in Germany and living in Germany for 30 years, working in Germany and paying his taxes just the same as a German citizen; does not have the right to vote, although he meets every other responsibility of the law like any other German citizen. A Turkish doctor in Germany is unemployed because first a German doctor is employed; preferably, a German doctor is employed and if this is not possible then a doctor who is a citizen of a member country of the European Union will find a job. Finally, it is the turn of the Turkish doctor, born in and living in Germany for the past 30 years, to find a job. The German coalition government of Social Democrats and Greens has tried to change the 1913 Citizenship Law. If they are successful, dual citizenship will be possible. For the population of the 1,700,000 citizens of Turkish origin in Germany. The old-fashioned point of view, which views people, who have lived in Germany for generations, as second class citizens and foreigners, should be changed, otherwise claims about the spirit of Hitler will be true. NOTE: Turkish Press Review will not be published until January 25, 1999, on the occasion of the Ramadan Holiday. Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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