TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (June 2, 1995)
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (June 2, 1995)
CONTENTS
[01] TENSIONS RE-EMERGE IN THE AEGEAN SEA
[02] THE UN AGAINST THE EXTENSION OF GREEK TERRITORIAL WATERS
[03] WASHINGTON: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO USE US-MILITARY EQUIPMENT AGAINST TERRORISM"
[04] ASIA: NEW TARGET FOR TURKISH BUSINESSMEN
[05] GERMAN DEPUTY TO VISIT TURKEY
[06] TURKISH AND CHINESE NEWS AGENCIES TO COOPERATE
[07] RUSSIA ACCUSES TURKEY OF "SPYING" ON CHECHNYA, ANKARA REJECTS CHARGES
[08] DEMIREL TO LEAVE FOR SOFIA IN JULY
[09] 45 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
[10] CHANGE IN BOSNIAN TURKISH COMMAND
[11] GOLHAN LEAVES FOR PARIS TODAY
[12] MUNICIPALITY MAYOR TO RECEIVE AWARD FROM WEO
[13] TURKEY REPORTS $440 MILLION CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS IN FIRST QUARTER
[14] FRANCE TO GRANT 60 MILLION FRANC LOAN FOR SOUTHEAST WATER PROJECT
[15] EIZENSTAT URGES TURKEY TO FULLY INTEGRATE WITH EU
[16] VISA EXEMPTION FOR "EUROPEAN TURKS" BY ITALY
[17] BLUE FLAG TO KEMER
[18] THE WEU REPORT CAUSES REACTION
[19] THE CFE AGREEMENT INSPECTION IN ANKARA
WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
JUNE 2, 1995
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish
press this morning.
[01] TENSIONS RE-EMERGE IN THE AEGEAN SEA
Despite Turkish attempts to play down the Greek Parliament's
ratification of an accord that gives Greece the right to
extend its territorial waters to 12 miles, tensions
reemerged between the two countries when Greece accused
Turkey of "provocation" over a Turkish military exercise in
the Aegean Sea. Ankara sought yesterday to play down the
Greek Parliament's ratification, but declared that it would
go ahead with a pre-planned manoeuvre in the Aegean. "Greek
ratification of the 1982 Law of the Sea Treaty makes no
change in our previous stance" a brief statement from the
Turkish Foreign Ministry said. "We will continue to pursue
our known policy with determination". Turkey has not signed
the 1982 Treaty, which gives states the right to extend
their territorial waters to 12 miles, on the grounds that
the accord makes no reference to the special status of the
Aegean Sea. But it went into force last November, one year
after being ratified by the required 60 signatories.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu said that it would
not be correct to describe the Greek Parliament's
ratification as a cause of tension between the two
countries. Inonu said: "The thing is that the agreement
signed previously has been ratified by the Parliament. It
is not a new situation". Defence Minister Mehmet Golhan
stated that he thought that the agreement would exist only
on paper. Greek Government Spokesman Evangelos Venizelos
noted that the Greek Parliament's ratification was only a
formality and said: "Information alleging that the Greek
government decided to extend its territorial waters to 12
miles was not correct. It only ratified an existing
agreement in Parliament". On the other hand, Russia has
shown reaction against the Greek Parliament's ratification.
A Russian Foreign Ministry top-level official said that
Moscow did not support the decision. He added that Greece
had the right to extend its territorial to 12 miles in
principle, but should take its neighbours' interests into
consideration. If Greece enforces the 12 miles decision,
Moscow will have to take "permission" from Athens to launch
its trade and war vessels in the Mediterranean.
/Milliyet-Sabah/
[02] THE UN AGAINST THE EXTENSION OF GREEK TERRITORIAL WATERS
The UN Maritime Law Agreement does not give the possibility
of having her territorial waters extended. The agreement
which went into force in November does give the right for
countries to extend their territorial waters to the 12
mile-limit. However, certain limitations have been imposed
to cover specail situations. In Article 15, it is stated
that unless a mutual agreement is reached between countries
which have common borders, there can be no unilateral
extension of the territorial waters. /Cumhuriyet/
[03] WASHINGTON: "TURKEY HAS THE RIGHT TO USE US-MILITARY
EQUIPMENT AGAINST TERRORISM"
The Clinton administration told Congress on Thursday that
military equipment of US-origin had been used in Turkish
military operations against the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK)
separatists but it added that the Turkish government had the
right to use this equipment in its internal struggle against
the PKK, has been labelled "a ruthless terrorist group," the
semi-official Anatolian agency said.
The U.S. State Department report stated that the Ankara
government's military approach in combating PKK "terrorism"
had in some cases deepened political division. It said the
military approach alone "cannot succeed" and needed to be
combined with civil means.
In announcing publication of the report, State Department
spokeswoman Christine Shelly said Washington put great
importance on Turkish moves to expand democracy.
"Enhancement of democracy for all Turkish citizens will
significantly improve the human rights situation in Turkey,"
she told reporters.
The report said Turkey confronted the most serious threats
to its integrity and well-being of any Western ally.
"Continuing U.S. support for Turkey's security is
essential," it said.
Its called the PKK "a ruthless terrorist group which
receives support from Syria, Iran and some sources in
Europe" and said its guerrillas were trained in Lebanon's
Syrian-controlled Bekaa Valley.
The report said the PKK presented a major threat to Turkey's
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It also said that during Turkish-military operations in
northern Iraq against PKK separatists, Turkey exerted the
utmost care not to harm civilians.
[04] ASIA: NEW TARGET FOR TURKISH BUSINESSMEN
President Suleyman Demirel said that Turkey should enter the
Far East as well as Latin America. Businessmen, who
accompanied Demirel on his visit to Far East, aim to make
$400 billion-infrastructure investments in China and $300
billion in Indonesia by the year 2005. Port, highway and
airport constructions will lead in these investments.
Initiatives have also been started with China and Indonesia
for cooperation in the defence industry. A military
delegation is to go to China next month. Demirel said: "We
are looking for new friends, new cooperation fields and new
partners". Prime Minister Tansu Ciller will pay an official
visit to China in July. /Cumhuriyet/
[05] GERMAN DEPUTY TO VISIT TURKEY
Cem Ozdemir, the first deputy of Turkish origin in the
German Parliament, will visit Turkey as the guest of DTPA
(the Turco-German news agency based in Bonn) from June 8 to
13, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday. Ozdemir
will also visit some press foundations during his visit, the
agency reported.
[06] TURKISH AND CHINESE NEWS AGENCIES TO COOPERATE
Turkey's semiofficial Anatolia news agency and the Chinese
Xinhua news agency will exchange news in a cooperative
arrangement to be developed, the Anatolia news agency
reported yesterday. The cooperation agreement was signed by
Hilmi Bengi, deputy director of the Anatolia news agency,
and Gao Qiufu, deputy director of Xinhua news agency at the
Xinhua headquarters in Beijing yesterday. Berhan Ekinci,
Turkish Ambassador in Beijing, and Guo Chaoren, director of
the Xinhua, were present at the signing ceremony, the agency
reported.
[07] RUSSIA ACCUSES TURKEY OF "SPYING" ON CHECHNYA, ANKARA
REJECTS CHARGES
Russia has accused Turkey of spying on Chechnya, but Ankara
has rejected the charge, the Anatolia news agency reported
yesterday. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Grigory
Karasin said in a statement yesterday that Moscow had
protested against "Turkey's interference in Russia's
internal matters". But Turkish Ambassador in Moscow Bilgin
Unan responded by saying that the allegation was totally
unfounded. Unan was summoned to the Russian Foreign
Ministry on Tuesday to be informed of Moscow's verbal
protest, the Anatolia reported from Moscow. Unan rejected
the accusation.
[08] DEMIREL TO LEAVE FOR SOFIA IN JULY
President Suleyman Demirel and Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu
are scheduled to pay an official visit to Sofia at the end
of June and beginning of July with a week's interval in
between. Inonu will be the official guest of his Bulgarian
counterpart Georgi Pirinski as of June 26. He will be
received by Bulgarian President Jelu Jelev and Prime
Minister Jan Videnov. During Inonu's visit, bilateral
relations and the latest developments in the region will be
taken in hand. President Demirel's visit, on the other hand
is to start on July 4. During his two day trip in
discussions with President Jelev, an evaluation of the
relations between the two countries will be made. It is
also expected that Demirel will visit Albania and Macedonia.
Preparatory work for this is underway. /Sabah/
[09] 45 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
In clashes between the security forces and the PKK terrorist
organization in Kars Kagizman, Sarikamis, Tunceli Nazimiye,
Siirt Eruh, Hakkari Cukurca, Diyarbakir Hani and Mardin
Nusaybin, a total of 45 PKK terrorists have been killed. In
Siirt, a security personnel was martyred. /Milliyet/
[10] CHANGE IN BOSNIAN TURKISH COMMAND
Turkish troops which have been stationed for a year in
Zenica, Bosnia are in readiness to turn over their duties to
the new arrivals. The turn-over will be effected on 26-30
June. Colonel Ahmet Berberoglu has been appointed as the
new Commander. Berberoglu will take over the post from
Colonel Mehmet Ali Erdogan. Colonel Erdogan will await to
his promotion to the rank of general this year. The 1,427
Turkish troops in the region will return to Turkey on June
24-28. /Hurriyet/
[11] GOLHAN LEAVES FOR PARIS TODAY
Turkish Defence Minister Mehmet Golhan will travel to Paris
today to attend a meeting of defence ministers from EU and
NATO countries which have deployed armed forces in former
Yugoslavia, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.
Recent developments in the former Yugoslavia will be
discused at the meeting, to be held tomorrow. Defence
ministers from France, Britain, the US, Germany, Belgium,
Holland, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Finland,
Italy and Turkey will participate in the meeting. Golhan
will return to Turkey on Sunday. An "urgent intervention
force" is envisaged to pressurize the Serbs to release their
hostages and to help the UN peacekeepers. The idea was put
forward following diplomatic consultations held in London,
Paris and Washington. French Prime Minister Alain Juppe
made the respective annoucement. /Milliyet/
[12] MUNICIPALITY MAYOR TO RECEIVE AWARD FROM WEO
Abdulkadir Yuksel, municipality mayor of Sanliurfa's Birecik
district, has been awarded the World Environment
Organization's (WEO) "environment medal", the Anatolia news
agency reported yesterday. Environment Ministry officials
said Yuksel had received the award for his work at the 12th
Environment festival which was held on May 6-7. Officials
said the medal would be presented to Yuksel on June 9 in
Ankara, Anatolia reported.
[13] TURKEY REPORTS $440 MILLION CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS IN
FIRST QUARTER
Turkey has reported a $440 million surplus on its current
account in the first quarter of the current year. The
Central Bank (CB) announced yesterday that the economy's
current account moved noticeably from a deficit of $1.133
billion in the first quarter of 1994 to $440 million surplus
in the corresponding period of this year, an improvement of
138.8 %. /All papers/
[14] FRANCE TO GRANT 60 MILLION FRANC LOAN FOR SOUTHEAST WATER
PROJECT
The French government has allocated a 60-million franc loan
to finance construction of a water purification facility in
Diyarbakir province, the Housing Ministry announced. Within
the framework of the financial cooperation protocol between
the two countries, the loan repayments will begin after 15
years, with 35 annual payments and 2 % interest. The State
Water Works has received applications from both local and
foreign firms to build the water purification facility
project this February.
[15] EIZENSTAT URGES TURKEY TO FULLY INTEGRATE WITH EU
Turkey should use the upcoming customs union with the EU to
assimilate politically and economically with Europe, US
Ambassador to the European Union Stuart Eizenstat, said in
Istanbul yesterday. "The customs union should not be viewed
as another dry economic treaty, but as a major step for
Turkey to intertwine and interweave its political and
economic system with Europe, as it has integrated
militarily" Eizenstat said yesterday during a visit to
Turkey. Eizenstat, who will make contacts with government
and business circles in Istanbul and Ankara, will also meet
with Foreign Ministry Erdal Inonu. He told members of the
Association for Foreign Capital Coordination (YASED) that
the customs union would strengthen Turkey's economy, support
its ties with the West and unlock European aid to Ankara.
He said the US fully supports Turkey's efforts to become a
member of the EU. "Europe would be incomplete without
Turkey" he stressed. He also reaffirmed Turkey's importance
to the US as one of the world's Ten Emerging Markets.
/Hurriyet/
[16] VISA EXEMPTION FOR "EUROPEAN TURKS" BY ITALY
Italy disclosed that Turkish citizens living in the European
Union countries and Switzerland will be exempt from transit
visa requirements between June 1-September 30, 1995 while
passing through Italy. Italian officials stressed that this
is aimed at only facilitating formalities for those in
transit. The officials added that entrances and exits will
be strictly controlled and permission will not be given for
long stays in Italy. It was reported that to avail
themselves of this visa exemption it is necessary that
persons carry a valid passaport and a minimum six months
valid residence permit for a minimum duration of six months.
/Sabah/
[17] BLUE FLAG TO KEMER
The "Blue Flag", given by the World Environment Organization
as a symbol of cleanliness, has been raised in Kemer.
The General Director of the Foundation of the Environment
Education of Turkey said: "Tourists prefer shores with the
"Blue Flag" when they go on holiday". /Sabah/
[18] THE WEU REPORT CAUSES REACTION
In the draft report of the Western European Union (WEU)
which is a EU branch of defence, suggestion of autonomy for
Kurds in Turkey and a "Turkish minority" reference regarding
Turks in Western Thrace has caused reaction of in both
Turkey and Greece. The 100-page report prepared for
considering security and defence issues in Eastern
Mediterranean and accepted by the WEU Assembly Defence
Commission on 24 May will be voted on in the WEU Assembly
General Council on 19 June in Paris. Officials from the
Turkish Foreign Ministry have stated that although this
report was prepared for clarifying defence and security
issues, it digresses from the subject by referring to the
Kurdish problem and this could not be accepted. They also
added that statements regarding the Turkish minority in
Macedonia, Albania and Western Thrace would also bother
Greece. /Milliyet-Cumhuriyet/
[19] THE CFE AGREEMENT INSPECTION IN ANKARA
Turkey informed the US that all the articles of the
agreement of Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) should be
abided by and no other formula could be accepted. A
delegation to deal with the CFE agreement has also been
added to the delegation traffic, presently on the increase
from the US to Turkey. A delegation including a group of
generals headed by Susan Koch, the US deputy assistant
defence secretary discussed issues regarding Russia's
activities in the Caucasus, general security problems in the
Caucasus and the CFE agreement, with officials from the
Turkish Foreign Ministry and the General Staff. Turkey has
expressed her anxiety on Russia's activities in the
Caucasus. The country had its intention announced to
establish a base for the 58th division in the Caucasus.
Meanwhile, Turkey has reiterated her stand whereby the CFE
Agreement is not to be changed. Turkey has informed the US
delegation on the necessity of all member countries to the
CFE agreement limiting their weapons to the specified level
in the five conventional weapon category before 17 November
as specified in the agreement. /Cumhuriyet/
END
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