TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (July 24, 1995)
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review (July 24, 1995)
CONTENTS
[01] CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
[02] TURKEY'S DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE ON BOSNIA
[03] BULGARIA CRACKS DOWN ON PKK
[04] MORE CASUALTIES IN THE SOUTHEAST
[05] RSF DEMANDS GREECE PROTECT REPORTER
[06] THIRD GATE ON THE BULGARIAN BORDER
[07] DEPUTIES ARE OFF
[08] NEW FACILITIES FOR FOREIGN CAPITAL
[09] LETTER TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
[10] KLERIDES TURNS DOWN PROPOSALS FOR MEETING
[11] WORLD BANK AID IN THE FIGHT AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT
[12] HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE FOR BOSNIA
[13] MALAYSIA WILL SELL ARMS TO BOSNIA
[14] TURKISH SOLDIERS SHOULD REMAIN IN BOSNIA
[15] IRAN: "NO PKK CAMPS IN IRAN"
[16] GERMANS PREFER TURKEY FOR HOLIDAYS
[17] TURKEY'S NEW GUESTS: CANADIANS
[18] TURKISH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
WITH THE COMPLIMENT OF
DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
JULY 24, 1995
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish
press this morning.
[01] CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES
The Turkish Parliament approved yesterday the first ever
package of amendments to the 1980 military-era Constitution.
The constitutional debates which have been going on since
mid-June ended with the casting of 360 "yes" votes in the
early hours of Sunday. Since the votes in favour exceed
300, a referendum is not mandatory. If the president does
not call for a referendum or sends the package back to
Parliament for reconsideration, the amendments will become
effective after they are published in the Official Gazette.
-What the Parliament changed: *The part of the preamble of
the Constitution which praises the September 12, 1980
military takeover has been removed. *Trade unions and
associations may now be politically active *Civil servants
will now be able to form trade unions *Voting age was
lowered from 20 to 18. Parliament agreed to pass a special
law granting citizens abroad the right to vote. Also
detainees and inmates will have the right to vote under the
supervision of judges. *The age requirement to be a
political party member reduced from 21 to 18. *The number
of parliamentary seats raised from 450 to 550. *The
beginning of the new legislative year is now October. *The
condition requiring an absolute majority to accept the
resignation of a deputy was removed. Also the provision
which causes a deputy to lose his membership if he resigns
from his party to join another was removed. Furthermore, a
deputy whose party is ordered dissolved by the
Constitutional Court will be able to maintain his
parliamentary membership provided that he has not caused the
banning of his party by his statements or activities. *It
will be possible to hold local elections at the same time as
general or by-elections in the event that only one year is
left between them. *The ban against professional public
organizations becoming involved in politics was removed.
-What the Parliament rejected: *The proposed elimination of
the clause barring people from claiming that laws and
decrees passed during the Sept. 12, 1980 military era are
unconstitutional. This proposal also called for elimination
of the clause barring prosecution of the administrators of
that era on charges of corruption, bribery, theft, smuggling
and other such ordinary crimes. *The proposal to reduce the
minimum age of Parliamentary deputies from 30 to 25. *The
proposal to allow deputies to take trade unions posts *The
proposal to remove the ban on strikes and lock-outs with
political intentions. /Hurriyet/
[02] TURKEY'S DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE ON BOSNIA
Turkey has launched a massive diplomatic effort to help
Bosnia-Herzegovina against Bosnian Serbs attacks. On
Friday, Turkish President Suleyman Demirel visited Bosnia
and Croatia and held extensive talks with the leaders of
these two countries. The same day, Foreign Minister Erdal
Inonu, Defence Minister Mehmet Golhan and Deputy Chief of
General Staff Ahmet Corekci were in London attending the
Bosnia contact group meeting where Western powers threatened
military action against the Serbs if they attacked the safe
area of Gorazde. Another Turkish delegation was in Geneva
attending the Islamic contact group meeting on Bosnia.
During his discussions with Demirel, Bosnian President Alia
Izzetbegovic said that he was shocked to see the West had
written off Zepa as a city fallen into Serbian hands.
Izzetbegovic said this is not the case and that people of
Zepa are putting up a brave resistance and are still holding
on. He said it would be crucial for the Western powers to
launch their air raids to save Zepa instead of threatening
the Serbs in case they attack Gorazde. Demirel also
discussed at length forms of cooperation between Bosnia and
Turkey and also encouraged Izzetbegovic to meet and
establish meaningful dialogue with Croatian President Franco
Tudjman. Later, Demirel travelled to Croatia and held
extensive talks with Tudjman. Meanwhile, the Turkish
delegates in London told the meeting the the UN should
either take effective measures to protect the safe areas or
should lift the amrs embargo on Bosnia so that the Muslims
can also acquire arms to protect themselves against the
well-armed Serbs. /All papers/
[03] BULGARIA CRACKS DOWN ON PKK
Bulgarian security officials continued over the weekend a
crackdown on the activities in their country of Turkey's
separatist PKK organization, the Anatolia news agency said.
After the extradition to Turkey of two PKK militants
detained last week, the Bulgarian police arrested Seyfettin
Cil, a Turkish citizen, and charged him with heading a
racket smuggling PKK sympathizers illegally to European
countries. The report quoted Sofia police officials as
saying that Cil had been found directing the operation for
ten years from his base in the Bulgarian capital. The
report said the Bulgarian police were also searching for
some 60 people believed to have come from Turkey and hiding
near Sofia as they waited to be transported to Western
Europe.
[04] MORE CASUALTIES IN THE SOUTHEAST
Sixteen PKK militants were killed during military operations
in the southeast; two soldiers and a village guard were
killed in action and three other people were injured, the
Anatolia news agency reported on Saturday. Security
officials said that troops had killed fourteen PKK militants
in clashes in the Sisik and Pertek districts of Tunceli.
Two militants were killed in Mardin's Yesilli district and
Malatya's Dogansehir district. Two soldiers were killed in
action during the clashes, officials said. Elsewhere, a
village guard was killed and three people were injured in an
attack by PKK militants in Diyarbakir's Kulp district.
[05] RSF DEMANDS GREECE PROTECT REPORTER
Reporters-sans-Frontiers (RSF), an international
organization defending freedom of press, demanded that the
Greek government begin an investigation of the extreme-right
daily news paper, Stohos. For the past decade, Stohos has
singled out politicians and media figures and branded them
traitors, and many so- identified have been killed soon
after. The paper recently published a photograph and
indictment of Taki Berberakis, a Greek working for Milliyet.
The RSF believes this makes him a target, and has demanded
that everything be done to ensure the reporter's life.
/Cumhuriyet/
[06] THIRD GATE ON THE BULGARIAN BORDER
A new border gate will be set up between Bulgaria's Lesova
city and Edirne's Lalapasa district-Hamzabeyli village.
Edirne Customs General Director, Faruk Kilic stated that at
the Hamzabeyli border gate, which will be put into serice
next year, there would be customs guards, police and health
units. Pointing out that they expected mostly passengers
from the former Eastern Block countries via the new border
gate, Kilic said: "Hamzabeyli will be the third border gate
to Bulgaria following Kapikule and Derekoy". /Sabah/
[07] DEPUTIES ARE OFF
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) General Council
will be off after tomorrow. Chairing the session of
yesterday's General Council, Deputy Speaker Kamer Genc noted
that after President Suleyman Demirel ratified the
constitutional amendments, they would become effective, and
the TGNA would begin its legislative year on 1 October 1995.
Otherwise, the date will be 1 September 1995. Meanwhile,
the Planning and Budget Commission of Parliament agreed to a
bill foreseeing aid to victims of natural disasters.
/Sabah/
[08] NEW FACILITIES FOR FOREIGN CAPITAL
According to a new decree passed by the Council of Ministers
and published in the Official Gazette, foreign exchange
brought into the country as capital increase and funds for
the purchase of shares, will be kept in foreign currency
without the necessity of changing it into Turkish liras.
The regulations are to be implemented by the
Undersecretariat of Treasury. Furthermore, in the case of
additional partners from abroad and the establishment of new
branches, the amount to be bought into the country as
foreign capital for each person will be $50,000.
/Cumhuriyet/
[09] LETTER TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) has sent a letter
to the Chairman of the Council of Europe Parliamentary
Assembly Miguel Angel Martinez, relaying the reaction of the
Turkish community to the latest Serbian attacks in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The letter written by Sait Kemal
Mimaroglu, Chairman of the Turkish delegation in the (CEPA)
emphasizes the fact that the lack of action on the part of
the international community has encouraged the Serbs.
Mimaroglu futher wrote that the situation in Bosnia was
reminiscent of the Gulf War, and the world should display
the same sensitivity in Bosnia as it did in the Gulf for the
preservation of oil. Mimaroglu requested that this subject
be taken up at the European Parliament during its meeting on
September 25-29. /Milliyet/
[10] KLERIDES TURNS DOWN PROPOSALS FOR MEETING
Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides has turned down
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf
Denktas' proposal for a face-to-face meeting. In a
statement said such a meeting would not give a positive
result due to the unconciliatory attitude of the Turkish
side. He also said that the Turkish helicopters and navy
vessels had violated Cypriot air space and waters during the
peace and freedom day celebrations on July 20 and would
lodge a complaint with the UN. /Hurriyet/
[11] WORLD BANK AID IN THE FIGHT AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT
The World Bank has initiated steps to help Turkey solve the
problem of unemployment. Thanks to the World Bank aid
amounting to $107 million, last year 15 thousand people were
provided with jobs. $40 million of the aid will be utilized
for job training. According to officials from the
Employment Agency, a research into jobs with the highest
market demand is conducted. According to results obtained,
training courses are organized. The sector with the highest
demand for employees is tourism, followed by the textile
sector. It has been pointed out that graduates of the
courses organized primarily in Izmir, Bursa, Adana and
Gaziantep have no problems finding a job. According to a
project undertaken by the Employment Agency, jobs for 72,500
people will be created by the year 2000. /Cumhuriyet/
[12] HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE FOR BOSNIA
Turkish intellectuals have started the greatest campaign
initiated so far against the genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The goal of the campaign is to bring intellectuals and
members of various civil organizations from Turkey and
Western Europe to the regions under fire in Bosnia.
Responding to a proclamation published by politician
Ertugrul Gunay, intellectuals have started a "Humanitarian
Initiative for Bosnia" campaign. A committee established
within the framework of the initiative had its first meeting
met in Ankara on Saturday. The committee is planning to
bring together people from a wide range of sectors in Bosnia
during the first half of next month. Many professors,
writers, politicians, businessmen, journalists, doctors and
lawyers have volunteered in support of the campaign.
/Milliyet/
[13] MALAYSIA WILL SELL ARMS TO BOSNIA
Malaysian government has decided to sell arms to Bosnia.
Thus, Malaysia has become the first country to implement the
decision for non-compliance with the UN arms embargo on
Bosnia. The decision for non-compliance was taken by the
Bosnia contact group of the Organization for Islamic
Conference (OIC). Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Ekber
Velayeti said that defence ministers and chiefs of the
general staff would come together within the framework of
the Bosnia contact group of the OIC to estimate the needs of
Bosnia for military equipment. /Hurriyet/
[14] TURKISH SOLDIERS SHOULD REMAIN IN BOSNIA
The Turkish Grand National Assembly published a proclamation
against the genocide in Bosnia signed by representatives of
all political parties. According to the proclamation,
Turkish parliamentarians demand that a decision of the UN
Security Council be issued to end the tragedy in Bosnia,
similar to the decision taken for liberating Kuwait from
Iraqi occupation. The arms embargo against
Bosnia-Herzegovina should be lifted, and urgent measures for
ending the war and helping the Bosnian people should be
undertaken, the proclamation says. Punishment for war
criminals is demanded. /Hurriyet/
[15] IRAN: "NO PKK CAMPS IN IRAN"
Gholam Huseyin Bolendiyan, First Deputy of Iranian Interior
Minister Ali Muhammed Beshareti said that despite Turkey's
recent statements regarding PKK camps in Iran, the Turkish
officials who had been invited to Iran, could not find any
terrorist hide-outs or camps. Bolendiyan claimed that
anybody could come to his country without any notice and
could inspect any place of their choice. Bolendiyan, in
reply to Turkish claims that Turkey had established a wall
of men on the 500 km. long Turco-Iranian border and still
could not prevent infiltrations through the border, said
that this was inexplicable. He went on to say: "We are so
much in close contact with Turkey that we have the
possibility to have instant telephone connections with the
Interior Ministry Undersecretary Bekir Aksoy and Director
General of Security Mehmet Agar, which means that we are
having a golden period of mutual contacts and cooperation
with Turkey. Iran has handed over the PKK terrorists who
were caught in the Iranian border region and Turkey, in
return, has returned the terrorists which we name "double
dealers" to Iran. In clashes with the PKK, 4 Iranian
soldiers were killed." /Milliyet/
[16] GERMANS PREFER TURKEY FOR HOLIDAYS
According to statistics from the tourism ministry, most
Germans prefer Turkey to other countries as a holiday
destination, the Anatolia news agency reported on Saturday.
Tourism Ministry officials said that travel agencies were
surprised by the level of Turkey's popularity. Officials
added that Turkey was one of the cheapiest countries for
holidays in Europe and that 650,000 German tourists are
expected this year. Officials noted that this was a big
development for Turkish tourism. The Frankfurt tourism
magazine FVW said that Turkey is one of the cheapiest
countries in which to holiday and that the service in hotels
is first class, the agency reported.
[17] TURKEY'S NEW GUESTS: CANADIANS
Turkish travel agencies, which have started focusing on
overseas markets, are now trying to attract Canadian
tourists, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.
Agencies have already established themselves in Israel and
Russia, but in addition to the classic European markets,
wish to market in the Americas. here, they focus on hunting
and Anatolia tours geared toward the wealthy. The number of
Canadian tourists in Turkey, 2,000 to 3,000 increases every
day.
[18] TURKISH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
A package of 17 amendments to Turkey's Constitution were approved
by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in the early hours of
Sunday, July 23.
The changes scrap restrictions introduced under a military
government in Turkey in the early 1980s and expand the freedom to
organise or belong to associations such as trade unions,
foundations, cooperatives. Civil servants regain the right to
collective bargaining. The right to vote has been lowered from
age 21 to age 18.
University students and academic teachers will also be given the
right to join political parties after new legislation.
The amendments were approved by 360 votes to 32 the 450-member
Grand National Assembly (opposed by the Welfare Party). The size
of the majority marks a triumphant conclusion to weeks of work
and lobbying by Turkey's Prime Minister, Prof. Dr. Tansu Ciller,
to persuade members of opposition parties to support the changes.
The Prime Minister said:
"These amendments were achieved by a broad coalition of almost
all political parties. It clearly reflects the strong sentiments
of the Turkish people. It is a great triumph for the Turkish
nation and the Turkish democracy."
Sunday's majority was well above the 300 votes (two thirds of the
members) needed for the change. This is the second step of further
strengthening the Turkish democracy, following the acceptance last
week by the Parliament a new legislation transferring more powers
from the central government to the local government.
Turkey's Parliament now goes into summer recess. It will debate an
amendment to a controversial clause in Turkey's anti-terrorism
legislation when it resumes in the autumn.
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