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Turkish Press Review, 96-08-22Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY AUGUST 22, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] PRO-PKK DRAFT REJECTEDA decision draft which claims that Turkey is blocking humanitarian aid to northern Iraq and is torturing Kurdish people has been rejected at the 48th term UN Human Rights Sub-Committee continuing in Geneva. Even though European countries and the US supported the draft, it has been rejected by Asian and African countries. The draft prepared by Belgian parliamentarian Marc Bossyt qualifies Turkey and the PKK as sides by drawing on the third article of the Geneva Convention.Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said in a press conference yesterday that the draft, which criticized Turkey's struggle against terrorism, was rejected by 12 votes to nine votes. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/ [02] TERRORISTS KILL TWO POLICE OFFICERS, INJURE ANOTHERMilitants of the PKK terrorist organization fired on a police checkpoint in the Beytussebap district of the southeastern city of Sirnak late Tuesday, killing two policemen and injuring another. The terrorists opened fire with long-range rifles on a police checkpoint at the edge of the town. Security forces have launched a widespread operation in the region to capture the terrorists. /Cumhuriyet/[03] MEDIATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND GREECEGreek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos has proposed that his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Velayeti should mediate between Turkey and Greece to reduce the tensions that have increased between the two countries in recent days. Velayeti held a press conference with Pangalos in Tehran where the latter was on a working visit. Greek Foreign Minister Pangalos said that his country wanted to reduce the tension with Turkey that has increased over recent incidents in Cyprus. Velayeti noted that he would start his contacts as soon as possible.Meanwhile, it is reported that the Russian administration has stated that indirect talks between the Turkish Cypriot President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Clerides should begin as soon as possible. UN sources have noted that to this end Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Sergei Lavrov said indirect talks should be initiated by UN Secretary General Boutros Ghali's new Cyprus Special Representative Han Sun-Joo. On the other hand, Turkish Permanent Representative to the UN, Huseyin Celem said that he would visit Ghali in the forthcoming days and would suggest that no result could be attained from indirect talks and would note that Turkey supported direct talks for the solution of problems. Two days ago, Greek Cypriot leader Clerides rejected a UN proposal which foresees a "bilateral meeting" with Turkish Cypriot President Denktas. However, he left the door open for a second UN proposal which envisages issuing a "joint statement" with Denktas. Political analysts in Lefkosa have stated that Clerides may hold a meeting with Denktas in October and believe that US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Beattie will visit Cyprus by the end of this month and press the sides to start negotiations. /Hurriyet-Milliyet-Sabah/ [04] BONN GUARANTEES SALE OF MILITARY VEHICLES TO TURKEYThe German government is to be a guarantor in the sale of DM 48.8 millions worth of military vehicles to Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported, quoting German media sources. According to the reports, the sale of 590 UNI-MOG heavy-duty military transport vehicles will be guaranteed by the Bonn administration. A German Economy Ministry spokesperson announced that the vehicles the Turkish Defence Ministry wants to purchase would be assembled in Turkey and that the exporting firm, Mercedes Benz, would have full payment guarantee.[05] TURKEY: US STATEMENT REGARDING MED-TV IS NOT SATISFACTORYReinforcing a statement last week by the US State Department, the US Embassy in Ankara denied yesterday any US connection with MED-TV, the television-by-satellite station known for its closeness to the PKK terrorist organization. But the Turkish Foreign Ministry implied Washington could and should stop MED-TV's broadcasts. After 45 days off the air because of its inability to rent a satellite channel over which to broadcast, MED-TV rented time on a satellite belonging to the international telecommunications organization Intelsat and began broadcasting again a week ago. MED-TV officials claimed the new arrangement had the State Department's approval. However, a State Department spokesman denied this, noting that Intelsat is "Washington-based but not a US organization".A US Embassy statement stressed that Washington "has no authority to approve or diapprove contracts signed by Intelsat with entities operating outside the US". According to the statement, Roj SA, "a private Belgian company registered in Britain" made the contract with Intelsat on behalf of MED-TV. US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Glyn Davies said: "The PKK is a terrorist organization. We are an Intelsat member just as many other countries. The US administration does not support MED-TV and is against the PKK". Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel told a press briefing yesterday: "It's not my place to comment on the authority which American laws give to the administration. As a requirement of international law (and) international cooperation against terrorism, nations must end these (MED-TV) broadcasts bu using all the means they possess". /Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/ [06] U.S. WARNS BARZANI ABOUT PKKThe U.S. has asked the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Mesut Barzani to put an end to its relations with the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK). Deputy spokesman of the the State Department, Glyn Davies said that they wanted the IKDP and regional leaders to cut off their relations with the PKK, which is a violent terrorist organization. /Milliyet/[07] BLOW TO THE PKK YOUTH WINGUniversity student Faysal Akcan and Giyasettin Mordeniz, who hung the PKK flag and poster of Abdullah Ocalan on the wall after bringing down the Turkish flag at the 2nd Congress of HADEP, have been caught in Istanbul by the Anti-Terrorism Square. Also, police put under arrest eight members of the Kurdistan Patriotic Youth Union (YKC). /Cumhuriyet/[08] U.S. TO ORGANIZE A 'KURDISH SUMMIT'The U.S. administration has called for a peace conference in London between Mesut Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Celal Talabani, leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (KYB). Sending messages to the two Kurdish leaders, Washington has asked them to stop fighting immediately and start peace process negotiations in London under the auspicies of the US.Deputy spokesman of the State Department, Glyn Davies said that the sides should accept the London Peace Conference plan, which would be very important for the peace process of the region. /Milliyet/ [09] BILD: "CYPRUS IS A DANGEROUS REGION"German daily newspaper Bild claimed that Cyprus was among the five most risky regions in the world together with Chechnya, South Korea, Algeria and Jordan. The paper stressed that these regions were threatening world peace. /Hurriyet/[10] ATTACK IN WESTERN THRACE: TWO WOUNDEDTwo Turks were beaten up in Komotini in Western Thrace and a mosque was attacked in Xanthi. Mahmut Pehlivan and Ozcan Ismail, who were beaten up by unknown attackers, are still being treated in hospital. /Hurriyet/[11] FASHION FAIRThe 5th Istanbul International Fashion Fair'96 (IMF'96) starts today. The fair will continue till 25 August at the Istanbul World Trade Center. More than 300 domestic and foreign firms are attending the most important fashion fair of Turkey. The fair is an opportunity for foreign firms which would like to enter the Turkish fashion market after the customs union.IMF aims to make Istanbul one of the biggest world fashion centers where products will be produced, exhibited and sold. Within the framework of the activities during the fair, Chairman of the Netherlands Fashion Institution, Simon Verlaat will organise a seminar on fashion trends, firms will exhibit their products with different shows and activities and 20 young stilists can demonstrate their creativities at their stands. /Sabah/ END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |