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Turkish Press Review, 01-06-18Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning18.06.2001CONTENTS
[01] PRESIDENT SEZER'S MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF WORLD ANTI-DESERTIFICATION DAYPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer issued a message on the occasion of the World Anti-Desertification Day stating that destroying the forests to open new lands for agriculture was the most important reason for both erosion and floods which considerably harm people and the economy of the country. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said erosion was not a natural disaster but a human-made one. Minister of Forestry Nami Cagan said that if desertification cannot be stopped, water and food will become the strategic products of the 21st century. /Cumhuriyet/[02] SEZER EMPHASIZES DIALOGUE WITH GREECEPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer visited Izmir, a fairly developed center of industry, and gave warm messages regarding Turkey's relations with Greece. "It is fortunate that our relations with Greece are enjoying a process of recovery. Turkey has always favoured dialogue with Greece because only dialogue can solve our problems" he told a group of representatives of several public and non-governmental organizations in Izmir. /All papers/[03] ECEVIT: "CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS SHOULD BE MADE ON TIME"Holding a press conference after his arrival at the Esenboga Airport from the EU Summit in Goteburg (Sweden), Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said "If the Constitutional amendments are made on time, Turkey's rapprochement with the EU would be easier." Ecevit said the amendments which will make the closure of the political parties more difficult should be handled before others. Stating the meetings which he attended together with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem were very productive, Ecevit said, "Our meetings with French President Jacques Chirac and German Prime Minister Gerhard Schroder were also very beneficial." Stating he observed an increasing harmony within the EU, Ecevit added the most important issue was not to cause a hitch in the preparations. /Cumhuriyet/[04] CEM: "PAPANDREOU IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND"In an interview with the Greek Daily "To Vima" on the occasion of Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou's birthday, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem praised his Greek counterpart. Upon a statement by the paper saying that being both intellectual and a minister is very difficult, Cem said, "I do not agree with you. George is a prominent intellectual and a very good foreign minister. He is also a very good friend. We will continue with our friendship after we withdrew from the political scene." Meanwhile, "To Vima" wrote that Cem is a photographer, writer, intellectual, and minister. /Cumhuriyet/[05] YILMAZ IN VIENNAState Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yżlmaz met with Austrian Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Freedoms Party (FPO), Susanne Riess-Passer, in Vienna yesterday. At the meeting, Yżlmaz said Turkey is trying to implement the Copenhagen criteria one by one. He added, "We expect our friends' support, especially that of Austria, for the EU membership." Riess-Passer said Turkish-Austrian ties are rooted in history and have recently developed with economic relations. Yżlmaz will attend the Turkey-Austria-Europe Conference to be held in Vienna today. /Turkiye/[06] BUSY SCHEDULE IN PARLIAMENTThe Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), scheduled to start summer holiday on July 1st, has a busy schedule this week. To enact three more bills, Arbitration Bill, State Banks Duty Losses and Certain Funds Liquidation Bill and Tobacco Bill, envisaged to be put into effect within the scope of the economic program, the Parliament will work five days this week. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is expected to make its final decision on the closure case of the Virtue Party. /Turkiye/[07] US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBER BURTON'S STATEMENT ON THE CYPRUS ISSUEThe US House of Representatives and Republican Party member Dan Burton said that everybody blames Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas concerning the Cyprus issue but nobody takes the faults of Greek Cypriots and Greece who imposed an embargo on the TRNC into consideration. /Cumhuriyet/[08] PUTIN MAY VISIT TURKEYRussian Ambassador to Ankara, Alexander Lebedev, said Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkey after the Blue Stream natural gas pipeline becomes operational. The pipeline is aimed at bringing Russian gas to Turkey under the Black Sea. Lebedev also stated that there is no serious problem between Turkey and Russia, adding that allegations concerning the so-called Armenian genocide should be left to historians. /Turkish Daily News/[09] LEADERS ISSUE MESSAGES FOR "FATHER'S DAY"On the occasion of "Father's Day" political leaders issued a series of messages to mark the event, the Anatolia News Agency reported. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said in his message that fathers had a great role in the family, and that this role was very meaningful. "A healthy and harmonious family is the basic factor in Turkish society" he stated. "Therefore, a father's duty is as important as mother's. With this thought, I wish health and happiness to all fathers, mothers and their children". /Turkish News/[10] UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM ALL OVER TURKEYThe University Entrance Examination (OSS) was held all over Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday morning. The results will be announced between August 24 and September 3. /Cumhuriyet/[11] LOGOGLU: "CHINA IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR TURKEY"Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Logolu said China was a very important country for Turkey and she placed special importance on its relations with this country. The 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and China was celebrated at a reception at the Hilton Hotel. Speaking at the reception Logoglu said Turkey and China have a common history since they were located at the beginning and end of the historical Silk Road. Both countries gave special importance to the improvement of economic relations. "China is very important not only in securing stability in its region but also world peace," stated Logoglu. /Turkish Daily News/[12] TURKEY AND TRNC: "UN DECISION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE"Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) reacted strongly against the UN Security Council's decision to extend the UN peacekeeping mission in Cyprus for another six months saying that it is not binding for the TRNC since the United Nations has not taken Turkey's and the TRNC's views into consideration when it was making the decision. The UN Security Council on Friday renewed the terms of duty of the UN peace force for six months and backed UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's efforts to settle the decades-old dispute on the divided island. In a resolution adopted unanimously, the council drew attention to a June 1999 resolution that ruled out partition of the Mediterranean island and said it should be comprised of "two politically equal communities." /Turkish Daily News/[13] TURKEY-SYRIA TO BOOST ECONOMIC COOPERATIONThe first examples of Turkish-Syrian economic cooperation are to be seen soon. The Turkish-Syrian Business Council, which was established within the Foreign Economic Relations Board, will have its first meeting on June 19 in Istanbul. State Minister Recep Onal and Syrian Minister for economics and the foreign trade Muhammed al-Imadi will attend the meeting. Representatives of Syrian companies, which are involved in the electrical-electronic machinery sector, will take part in the meeting, as well. /Turkish Daily News/[14] TURKEY SHOWS OFF HOME-BUILT TARGET DRONETurkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is to represent Turkey at the International Paris Airshow this year. According to a statement by TAI, the company, which occupies a central place in the fields of aerospace design, development, manufacture, integration, modernization, sales and aftersales services, will demonstrate its own products at the airshow, which is to take place in Paris over June 17-24. /Turkish Daily News/[15] TURK: "TRANQUIL ATMOSPHERE CAUSES THE RETURN TO THE VILLAGES"Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said during his visit to the eastern Anatolian city Van that due to the tranquil and secure atmosphere ensured the in the region people were beginning to return to their villages. He added: "The Turkish State is providing all necessary assistance to help the people who return to their villages". /Sabah/[16] TURKEY-NIGERIA MEC PROTOCOL SIGNEDThe Turkish and Nigerian Joint Economic Commission (JEC) Protocol has been signed in Ankara by State Minister Edip Safer Gaydali and Nigerian Foreign Minister Dubem Onyia. In his speech Gaydali stated that the protocol reflected the friendship between the two countries and added that protocols could only be useful if they encouraged institutions and firms. Gaydali said, "I believe that we must do our best to motivate institutions and business circles, and provide them with better conditions." Onyia said, "The protocol was a sign that mutual economic relations would intensify in the future and our joint endeavors will determine the fate of our people." /Turkish Daily News/[17] NO PERMISSION FOR THE "VARYAG"State Minister for Maritime, Ramazan Mirzaoglu, said the aircraft carrier, the Varyag, will not be permitted to pass through the Straits. Replying to questions posed by journalists regarding the travel of the Varyag aircraft carrier through the Straits, purchased by China from the Ukraine he said, "Indeed it is not a ship, but a platform without an engine and steer. The platform is 309 meter in length, it will reach 550 meters with trailers. Until today, we have not allowed ships to pass through the Straits longer than 310 meters. We cannot jeopardize a city with a 12 million population and rich in history and great nature. It is an issue between China and the Ukranie." /Turkiye/[18] COUGAR COPTERS DELIVERED ON TIME TO TSKThe production process for 30 AS-352 Cougar general purpose, search and rescue, and armed rescue helicopters is being carried out according to plan without any noticeable delays, the Anatolia News Agency reported yesterday. Under an agreement signed between France and Turkey, the first two helicopters were produced in the Eurocopter facilities in France and were delivered to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Following this, six more were assembled in TAI's facilities, and eight Cougars have been delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The Cougar program is the first helicopter project by the TAI, and the program will be completed in 2003. A total of 20 Cougars will be delivered to the Turkish Air Force, and 10 of them will be used by the Turkish Land Forces. /Turkish News/[19] QUAKE RESEARCH SHIP RETURNS FROM MARMARAEarthquake research has been carried out by the Italian Urania research ship, and the research team will announce its pre-results today. The pre-results of the research, which have been carried out by the Italian ship, will be announced by Marmara Research Centre Chairman and Turkey Sea Research Coordinator Professor Naci Gorur in Gebze. /Turkish News/[20] DERVIS' DECLARATIONS ON SWAP OPERATIONState Minister for the Economy, Kemal Dervis, said net 10.8-quadrillion TL offer has been made for the swap bidding and around 8.5 quadrillion TL has been accepted. The figure is expected to rise to 9.35 quadrillion TL with 850 trillion TL to be offered today. At a press conference organized by Dervis on the swap operation, he said, "We will meet %78.5 of the total offer. We expected the figure to be around 3-5 quadrillion TL, but it has been realized as 8.5 quadrillion TL." Dervis added ,"This operation also benefits banks. It enables the banking sector to serve the real sector in a better way. The swap will allow the banks to correct their foreign currency-TL equilibrium. This will lead to an increase in their contributions to the Turkish economy." /Turkiye/[21] ATHENS AND ISTANBUL MAY LINK THEIR BOURSESThe Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) is considering forming an alliance with the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) in a move that will give them greater weight in dealing with larger western European exchanges, Greek daily Kathimerini reported on Saturday. The intention is to create an inter-mediate joint stock exchange market, on the basis of the 20 or 30 strongest companies on each bourse, so that it can offer a broader front for cooperation with the powerful European stock market formations. /Turkish News/[22] IS BANK: A GIANT IN INDUSTRY AND FINANCE SECTORDirector General of Is Bank, Ersin Ozince, said, Is Bank owes its success to public's trust and their capitals. Evaluating Is Bank's partners and the recent economic crisis, he said the multi-partnership structure of the bank enables transparency and self-control. Ozince said, "Of course from time to time we also have difficulties which result from Turkish economy's situation. However, at the end the winners will be the establishments which believe in Turkey and in her future. Recalling their success in real sector as well as finance sector, Ozince said, "We are an examplary institution in the Turkish economy." /Turkiye/[23] NEW TOBB CHIEF SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENTIn his first remarks to the press, the new boss of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) stressed that the largest organization in the Turkish private sector has to act in cohesion with the government. Rifat Hisarciklioglu, who was elected chairman on Saturday by the TOBB board, following the resignation of Fuat Miras from the past over differences with a majority of the TOBB board members on how to deal with the government, signaled in the first remarks to the press that the TOBB will no longer call for the resignation of the government. /Turkish Daily News/SIEMENS WINS $350 MLN TURKISH MOBILE NETWORK ORDER German electronics and engineering group Siemens AG said on Friday it had won a $350 million contract to supply mobile network infrastructure to Turkish telecoms operator IS-TIM. Siemens said it would supply and install about 2,000 mobile base stations over the next two years for IS-TIM, a joint venture between Turkey's Is Bankasi and Italy's Telecom Italia Mobile. /Turkish Daily News/ [24] INVESTMENT IN EASTERN ANATOLIAA $123-billion investment has been envisaged to be made in the Eastern Anatolia and Eastern Black Sea regions in 20 years. The State Planning Organization has completed a master planning work for the Eastern Anatolia Project (DAP) and Eastern Black Sea Regional Development Plan (DOKAP). Accordingly, the projects foresee a $80-billion investment for Eastern Anatolia and $43 billion-investment for the Eastern Black Sea region for the next 20 years. /Turkiye/[25] FIRST TENDER FOLLOWING THE DEPT SWAPThe Treasury will hold its third tender in June following the dept swap on Friday. In the bidding for three-month (98 days) bonds to be held on June 19 by the Treasury Undersecretariat, a minimum borrowing worth TL 1.300 quadrillion is expected. The redemption of the bonds is scheduled for September 26. /Milliyet/[26] TOURISM RESEARCH AND STRAGEGY CENTER IN ANTALYAA "Tourism Research and Strategy Center" which will review all information and developments regarding tourism throughout the world has been set up in Antalya. Chief Adviser to the Oger Holding, Huseyin Baraner, stated that developments and investments in the tourism sectors all over the world would be reviewed in the center. /Milliyet/[27] TURKEY AMONG THE BEST HOLIDAY CENTERS"The Sun" newspaper published in Britain included Turkey in its 10 country-list for the places where the sun, the sea and sand could be enjoyed the most. The newspaper which examines the best holiday centers in the world listed Spain, Tunisia, Florida and Greek islands in addition to Turkey. /Sabah/[28] BLUE FLAG STANDARD IN TOURISMConsidering the blue flagged beaches, Turkish Environment Training Foundation Director General Erol Gungor said there will be 99 blue-flagged beaches and 11 marinas this year in Turkey. Gungor said blue flag became an indispensable part of the tourism sector. A beach has to meet 26 criteria from the quality of the water to the security of the people to receive a blue flag. /Cumhuriyet/[29] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS[30] NUCLEAR RISK ON THE STRAITS DERYA SAZAK- MILLIYETIstanbul is looking forward and trying to see its future. At a conference held recently, Professor Aykut Barka said that the possibility of an earthquake stronger than seven on the Richter scale striking Istanbul in the forthcoming 30 years was 60 percent. Barka explains the meaning of this warning by referring to the famous Japanese example: "If the weather forecaster gives a 30 percent possibility of precipitation, people don't leave their houses the next day without their umbrellas." This percentage brings to our minds, on the other hand, a possible drizzle, which doesn't require an umbrella or raincoat. The following is a simple calculation he made about Istanbul's future: "If the earthquake strikes at the estimated magnitude, there will be a 4.7 meter forward movement of the plate. A 7.2-strong earthquake could cause $50-100 billion in damage to Istanbul. If we spend $1 billion on the other hand, we would not suffer as much extensive damage. Without wasting a minute, we should get started right away with ground studies and construction improvements and safety."We're running out of time. And apart form the seismological threat, Istanbul is also faced with a nuclear threat. The Duma's decision to store nuclear waste on Russian territory added more to the risks that the Straits are faced with already. As anti-globalization protestors give Western leaders a hard time, Turkey doesn't even raise her voice in the face of the increasing likelihood of new Chernobyl disasters. Thank God, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) realized the extent and gravity of the situation and sent out a warning to Ankara about this, and so people started to question the extent to which the Montreaux Treaty could safeguard the Turkish Straits and protect them from turning into a waste route. Had officials taken the warnings of environmentalists, that nukes bring death, into serious consideration, they would have long been aware of the fact that radiation does not recognize the national borders of our country. Let's see how and if we will be able to prevent nuclear waste from passing through our Straits. The number of oil tankers passing through our Straits have already multiplied the number of those passing through the Panama and Suez canals by three, even four times already. Soon, Kazakh oil, too, will be transported through our Straits. And a collision involving a nuclear waste loaded tanker, would mean death. Russia, a candidate to become the future nuclear waste dump of the world, is threatening all its Black Sea neighbors and, in particular, Turkey. Unfortunately, Parliament is still idle and mute in the face of these developments. Istanbul is looking towards its future. And on the horizon is seen a nuclear disaster. (From Turkish News) [31] THE STRAITS BY FERAI TINC (HURRIYET)Columnist Ferai Tinc writes on the possibility of the transportation of Russian, Kazakh and Azerbaijani oil through the Straits and how to attract world attention to the dangers waiting it."If there had not been such great demonstrations would the European Union Summit take place in the headlines of the newspapers and televisions? Would scenes of violence taking place in a carnival atmosphere, attract the attention of international views hunters to a small city in Sweden? It is not my intention to discuss the rough control efforts of the Swedish police. I would like to invite all the citizens living in Istanbul for a demonstration taking the one in Goteburg as an example. I would like everyone living in Istanbul to defend the Straits. These days, when Russian, Kazakh and Azerbaijani oil are lining up to pass through the Straits, another issue of carrying nuclear waste material through the same route has come up. The risks of the ships carrying hazardous material have been added up to the dangers of collision as a consequence of the increase in the traffic in the Bosphorus. It should be clearly known that the destructive power of these dangers is more severe than the economic crisis, and as grave as that of the earthquake. Tomorrow, an international energy congress will be convened in Istanbul. This conference, which will be attended by the representatives of various countries, is an ideal opportunity for the people of Istanbul to show their sensitivity on the issue. Foreign oil companies believe but do not express the idea that The Straits can be used as an alternative oil pipeline. They are stating that for a long time they have been conducting studies on the issue and the amount of oil to pass from The Straits will not exceed one or two more tankers per day. They are recalling that Turkey cannot prevent the passage of these ships through the Bosphorus in accordance with the Montreux Treaty in various international platforms. Naturally, schemes are being set to break the unity on the Straits, divide the fight of the citizens of Istanbul, to stiffen the rifts between non-governmental organizations and increase the fights of interests. What does Istanbul say? 'We do not have to wait for a disaster to occur. We shall demonstrate with hundreds of boats in the Istanbul Straits' says Association for Peace with Nature (Doga ile Baris Dernegi). It gives two dates for demonstrations. The first is on June 21st, at 04.30 p.m. and the second is June 24th, at 11.30 a.m. Istanbul's voice will be heard with these boats sailing off from the Beylerbeyi Bay to the Bosphorus Straits and attention will be drawn to the danger. Let us support this protest either with boats or on land. Let us make Istanbul's voice, concern and fear be heard. I hope the municipalities around the Straits will end their silence this week. Istanbul has put its stamp on our life with its culture and the Bosphorus is its and our heart. Let us protect it." Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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