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Turkish Press Review, 99-04-06Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>06.04.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND KOSOVARS ARE ALREADY IN TURKEYMore than six thousand Kosovars have come to Turkey up to today. Turkey opened Corlu Airport yesterday in order to receive more refugees. At the airport there are medical equipment and medical personnel ready to give first aid to the refugees. Tekirdag Governor Zeki Sanal, Commander of the 5th Brigade General Tuncer Kilinc, Corlu Governor Sebahattin Yucel, Corlu Mayor Unal Baysan, and other officials yesterday welcomed the first plane carrying Kosovars to Corlu Airport. It was announced that 1,138 Kosovars arrived at Corlu yesterday by plane. Officials announced that refugees have been settled in Gaziosmanpasa Refugee Hostels in Kirklareli.Meanwhile, it was announced that Turkey was ready to receive 20,000 Kosovar refugees. Following a Cabinet decision to accept 20,000 more Kosovar refugees, on Monday Turkey started intensive preparations to accomodate them. Red Crescent General Director Fatih Evren reported that a team of experts had carried out preliminary work on Monday in the border province of Kirklareli where a camp will be established for 20,000 Kosovars. He said that in the refugee camp the Kosovars will receive food and medical aide; a school would be opened there as well, Evren added. In addition, a coordination board has been established to manage the reception and accomodation of the refugees in Turkey. The board headed by Interior Minister Cahit Bayar, includes officials from the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Transport, Finance and Health Ministries as well as representatives of Kizilay and the National Intelligence Service (MIT). President Suleyman Demirel, meanwhile, declared that the NATO operation ought to be successful and it will have to reach a solution. Demirel remarked that Kosovars who had been forced to leave their hometowns would be guaranteed the right to return to their homes. Demirel added that Turkey and other NATO member countries had ensured the temporary settlement of the refugees. Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem, talking about the passing of Russian warships through the Dardanelles, said that Russia's decision would not help peace but serve to increase tension. /Sabah - All papers/ [02] PARRIS: "TURKEY HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP"The US administration welcomed Turkey's decision to host 20,000 Kosovar refugees. In his special statement to the "Sabah" newspaper the US Ambassador to Ankara, Mark Parris, said that Washington welcomed Turkey's sharing of the refugee problem as well as her taking on the responsibility of a leadership role in the issue. He added that with its brave and determined decisions Turkey had proved to international society how to behave in the face of such a humanitarian tragedy. Parris stated that, as in all other areas, Turkey and the US were working in great harmony to contribute to the solution of the Kosovo issue. /Sabah/[03] TURKISH SOLDIERS IN BUFFER ZONENATO has decided to establish a buffer zone to ensure the security of the Albanian-Kosovar border. The buffer zone will be guarded by a special mission to be formed under the name 'NATO-Land' which will consist of US and Turkish soldiers. If Serbian forces open fire in the region, US and Turkish soldiers will retaliate. /Hurriyet/[04] RUSSIAN VESSELS TO PASS THROUGH STRAITS ON APRIL 10-13Seven Russian reconnaissance vessels which were supposed to go to the Mediterranean via the Turkish Straits could not weigh anchor because of fuel shortages in Russia. Russia had earlier announced that the vessels would complete their passage through Turkish territorial waters on April 8. However, this has been postponed until April 10-13. /Hurriyet/[05] ARAFAT IN ANKARAThe Chairman of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat, arrived in Ankara early on Monday. He met President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and attended a meeting of delegations of Turkish and Palestinian officials. At a joint press conference with Arafat following the meeting, Demirel said that Turkey had always backed the Palestinian cause and was ready to improve its bilateral ties to the extent desired by the Palestinians.Both Demirel and Arafat later attended a state luncheon before Arafat briefly met with Prime Minister Ecevit at the Presidential Guest House. Following his talks with Ecevit, Arafat left Ankara for Moscow. /Sabah/ [06] SIMITIS' TURCOPHOBIAIn order to counteract the overwhelming opposition of Greek public opinion to the NATO operation against Yugoslavia, Greek Prime Minister Simitis issued anti-Turkish statements emphasizing alleged Turkish aggression in the Aegean. Simitis said, "Now that Turks have invaded a large portion of Cyprus, we have to maintain our full cooperation with NATO in order to overcome the peril to ourselves." Reiterating the Greek stance against any military operation on behalf of political and diplomatic negotiations, however, Simitis stated for the first time that the Greek government "condemn the ethnic `liquidation' by Serbs in Kosovo." /Milliyet/[07] SUICIDE ATTACK AGAINST BINGOL GOVERNORThe PKK targetted Bingol Governor Suleyman Kamci yesterday. A PKK member blew himself up just outside the governor's office in Bingol, killing himself and a passing teenager. Twelve people, including Kamci's driver, were injured by the explosion. None of them was in a critical condition, said Governor Kamci, who escaped unhurt. The authorities launched an immediate investigation into the incident. /Sabah/[08] OCALAN TO MAKE POLITICAL PLEAOne of the prosecutors of Ankara State Security Court (DGM), Talat Salk, who has interrogated the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, for the second time, said that Ocalan had remaked that he had 'no regrets' and he would make a political plea at the hearing to be held on April 30 on Imrali Island. /Cumhuriyet/[09] OSMAN OCALAN HAS GIVEN THE ORDER FOR SACRIFICEOsman Ocalan, the brother of the PKK chief, Abdullah Ocalan, claimed in a statement on Med-TV in early March that almost all of the armed terrorists wanted to be a 'living bomb'. Osman Ocalan said: "A spirit of self-sacrifice has been developing among the Kurdish nation". Meanwhile, it is reported that Abdullah Ocalan has called on PKK terrorists to not carry out further activities because of his capture. He repeated his call during his second interrogation. It has been claimed that Abdullah Ocalan has given a message to his lawyers to this effect. On the other hand, the Kurdistan Free Women's Union (YAJK), which was previously established by Abdullah Ocalan and has been carrying out suicide attacks, has decided to found a party apart from the PKK. /Hurriyet/[10] TERRORISTS KILL TWO FARMERSTwo farmers, Celil Gur and Bayram Acar, who were living in Aksu village in the Susehri district of Sivas, have been killed by members of the PKK terrorist organization. Meanwhile, a bomb was placed near Gazi Primary School in the Yuksekova district of Hakkari. Students informed school administrators that there was a small bag in the garden and they called the police who rendered the bomb ineffective. /Hurriyet/[11] MED TV ENGAGES IN CHRISTIAN PROPAGANDAFollowing the suspension of its broadcasts by the British ITC for 21 days, the pro-PKK Med-TV has hired a satellite for three hours a day from Vatican CTV in order to continue its broadcasts. However, it is reported that the tacit condition of this contract is that Med-TV has agreed to broadcast Christian programmes during its broadcast. /Milliyet/[12] HADEP LAWYERS PRESENT THEIR DEFENCEThe People's Democracy Party (HADEP) submitted its preliminary defence statement in the case concerning a possible closure of the party that is currently being tried at the Constitutional Court. HADEP's lawyer, Yusuf Alatas, submitted a 32-page preliminary defence statement to Said Buyukergen, the General Secretary of the Constitutional Court. Alatas stated that they wanted the court to reject the indictment submitted by the prosecuting councel, which he claimed was prepared in violation of the Political Parties Law and the law concerning trial procedures (CMUK).[13] 12 DAYS TO GENERAL ELECTIONSWhile merely 12 days are left before the Parliamentary Elections, political party leaders are continuing their propaganda campaigns. In this respect, Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP) stated that their projects have been completed and they are ready to become government in the forthcoming elections. Whereas Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP) demanded that the voters not vote for the Motherland Party (ANAP), ANAP leader Yilmaz criticized the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Deniz Baykal, stating that Baykal's party can hardly enter Parliament. /Turkiye/[14] DERVISOGLU TO VISIT JORDANVice-Admiral Salim Dervisoglu, the Commander of the Navy, will go to Jordan on April 9 on an official visit. According to a statement made by the Naval Forces Command, the TGC Oruc Reis frigate sailed for Jordan-Akabe port stopping at the ports of Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Chibuto. As a result of the increasing defence cooperation and neighbourly relations between Turkey and Jordan, the TGC Oruc Reis will pay a visit to Akabe on April 8-12. /Cumhuriyet/[15] HAKTANIR TO VISIT WARSAWThe Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, Korkmaz Haktanir, will go to Warsaw today to attend the fifth meeting of the Turco-Polish High-Level Permanent Solidarity Committee on April 6-9. According to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, during the meetings to be co-chaired by Haktanir and the Polish President's Undersecretary, Andrzej Majkovski, bilateral relations, international and regional problems will be deliberated, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Haktanir is also expected to meet Polish President Alexander Kiasniewski and Foreign Minister Bronislaw Geremek.[16] GUREL TO REPRESENT TURKEY AT KYRGYZ FUNERALState Minister and Government Spokesman Sukru Sina Gurel will represent Turkey at the funeral of Kyrgyz Prime Minister Zumabek Ibraimov. According to information received from the State Ministry, State Minister Gurel went to Bishkek last night. Gurel is expected to return home tomorrow, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[17] RUSSIA SUPPORTS A FEDERATION IN CYPRUSRussian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Artayev said that they would support every initiative for a federal solution to the Cyprus problem within the guidelines of UN resolutions. Artayev claimed that a proposal made by the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas, for a confederation on Cyprus, went against the decision of the international community and would cause the collapse of the state. /Aksam/[18] NOTED MUSIC DIRECTOR IN TURKEYThe Music Director and Conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Benjamin Zander, will visit Turkey on May 20 as part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Castrol Mineral Oils Joint Industry and Trade Stock Company. Benjamin Zander is renowned for his conferences on management as well as for his expertise on the piano. /Cumhuriyet/[19] DEVELOPMENT BREAKTHROUGHThe region which will be affected by the Birecik Dam, the construction of which is part of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), will be further developed with new economic activities. According to information received from officials of the GAP's Regional Development Administration, a series of measures has been taken for those citizens who will be affected by the Birecik Dam, the construction of which is being carried out by a consortium consisting of Turkish and foreign companies along the lines of a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model. /Cumhuriyet/[20] FOREIGN JOURNALISTS IN TURKEYForeign journalists from German ZDF, ARD, SAT 1, DW, RTL and British BBC TV stations participated in a meeting in Alanya yesterday. Representatives of local institutions in Alanya also attended the meeting. The Deputy Chairman of the Turco-German Friendship Association, Thomas Ozkoylu, said in a speech that he has been living in Alanya for 12 years. He added: "We have not experienced any problems with terrorism. We are very happy to live in Turkey. Foul play is being committed against Turkey in Europe. Germans can visit Turkey without any fear". /Hurriyet/[21] TURKEY'S HIDDEN WEALTH: HYDROGENTurkey, which has no rich underground resources, has a huge hydrogen fuel reserve. There are hydrogen reserves chemically stored beneath the Black Sea. It has been estimated that Turkey will produce an amount of hydrogen equivalent to 290 million tons of oil by the year 2065. /Aksam/[22] CERAMICS TO BE PROMOTEDThe editors of various magazines on ceramics and construction materials from different countries have been invited to Turkey in order to promote the Turkish ceramics sector, and will arrive today. A written statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Central Anatolian Exporters' Union said: "Editors will hold meetings with representatives of various companies in this sector. They will be informed about the Turkish ceramics sector". /Aksam/[23] REPUBLIC TRAIN SETS OFF FROM KAPIKULE TRAIN STATIONThe "Republic Train" set off from Edirne's Kapikule train station on Monday on the first leg of an itinerary which will cover every kilometre of railway throughout the country. The Republic Train is a joint project by the State Railway Company and the Turkish Radio and Television Children's and Youth Foundation. The train has been constructed as a copy of the train in which Ataturk used to travel around the country. The first stage of the trip takes the train through Istanbul to Ankara. From there it will proceed to Kayseri, Sivas and Samsun. It is expected to return to Ankara at the end of December. /Sabah/[24] ANATOLIA NEWS AGENCY CELEBRATES 79TH ANNIVERSARYThe Anatolia News Agency is very proud to be celebrating its 79th anniversary. Turkey's semi-official news agency was established to let the country and the world know about the Turkish nation's struggle for national independence. The agency was established on April 6, 1920 following the initiatives of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in a country that was under occupation and was fighting for its national independence. /Hurriyet/[25] RICHARD CLAYDERMAN IN TURKEYWorld-renowned pianist Richard Clayderman will present a concert on April 12th in Istanbul. The revenue from the concert will be donated to charity organizations. Clayderman held his last concert in Turkey as part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. /Milliyet/[26] ASPENDOS IS READY FOR FESTIVALThe schedule of the 6th Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival has been announced. The Festival, which will be organized in the historic Aspendos Theatre between June 12th and July 10th 1999, will start with Bizet's `Carmen' and Verdi's `Aida' to be presented by the State Opera and Ballet. Some of the works to be performed during the festival are as follows: Verdi's `Othello' by the Bulgarian Varna Opera and Ballet, Orff's `Carmina Burana' and Offenbach's `Hoffmann's Tales' by Istanbul State Opera and Ballet, and a special `Johann Strauss Night' by the Vienna Philarmonic Orchestra. /Turkiye/[27] FROM THE COLUMNS....FROM THE COLUMNS....FROM THE COLUMNS....[28] `COME ON ISTANBUL!' - BY RAUF TAMER (SABAH)Rauf Tamer, a columnist in the `Sabah' daily, reflects on the Russian warships passing through the Straits towards the Adriatic in order to support the Yugoslavian forces. Tamer writes:"Russian ships are passing through the Bosphorus. Where are they going? They will not help those hundreds of thousands of Kosovars who left their homeland. They are not carrying medicine, food or clothing to them. They are going to the Adriatic in order to support the Serbs, or at least in order to encourage them. The first ship passed through. Interestingly, nothing happened in the Bosphorus. Apparently, we could not have prevented it for there is a certain status quo. Yet we could have protested against it. We could have condemned Russian support for the Serbian atrocities through filotillas of small boats, meetings on the coast and demonstrations against the ships. We could have brought the question to the attention of the international community. Obviously our people do not have such a social reflex. However, the political parties and civil society organizations also remain silent.Where are the sailors? Where are the Greens? Where are the champions of human rights? Is it that these ships are on the way to fulfill a sacred mission? We could not do anything against the first ship. Yet there are the second, third and fourth ones which will sail at the weekend. A firm, a corporation, an organization or a political party should call for urgent social action against those warships. In my opinion, the Russian soldiers do not know where and why they are going. Perhaps they are totally ignorant of the ethnic massacre in Kosovo. It is our humanitarian duty to remind them of the Serbian outrage. Here and now we are in need of a collective humane spirit. Come on Istanbul!" [29] "A LIVING BOMB" -BY FIKRET BILA (MILLIYET)Fikret Bila wrote in his article today in Milliyet newsapaper about the recent attack against the Bingol Governor. Bila said that after Ocalan's capture "living bombs" have become a new dimension of terrorism in Turkey."There are 'living bombs' aimed at a mass massacre but which have blown up without reaching their target. We can accept these suicide bombers only because we are greatful that they do not cause a huge loss of life. Human beings can harmonize themselves with every situation, and even envisage the risk of death. However, everyone has the hope of continuing to live even when he meets death face to face, that is the hope of rescue. This is the same for a terrorist. It is part of human nature. Well, how does a person accept becoming a suicide bomber?, How does he decide?, What is the aim of a young woman in blowing herself in two? What kind of pyschology is this? A child... How can he say he will become a suicide bomber when he grows up? Is this fear? Is this a threat? Is this a drug? Maybe one of the vital points in the struggle against terrorism is to find answers to these questions in our struggle to understand psychology...;" Bila concludes. /Milliyet/ [30] WARM PRAISES FROM THE US AMBASSADOR -BY SEDAT ERGIN (HURRIYET)Columnist Sedat Ergin writes about the reactions received following the decision taken by the Turkish Government to accept 20,000 refugees. A summary of his column is as follows:"The decision of the Ecevit Government to receive 20 thousand Kosovar refugees in Turkey was applauded by the US Administration. The American Ambassador to Ankara, Mark Parris, stated, "The US Government appreciates the Turkish decision to receive such a high number of Kosovar refugees as a determined and courageous act which should be an example to the countries in the region." Parris also remarked that this decision was taken and put into effect despite coinciding with a religious holiday and alection campaigning. He added that the US Administration would do everything in its power to help the Turkish Government transport the Kosovar refugees to Turkey. Parris also said that this was a success story for Turco-American cooperation which was highly valued by the US."This shows us that Turkey is playing a constructive and stabilizing role in the region, acts as a responsible member of the Western community and NATO when the need arises and does not hesitate to come forward once more," Parris said. This evaluation by the US Ambassador shows that the decision taken by the Government over the Kosovar refugees will in effect strengthen Turkey's position in the Western community. Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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