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Turkish Press Review, 97-10-14Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWDIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION,OFFICE OF PRIME MINISTER14.10.97Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] SHAHAK'S CONTACTS IN ANKARAIsraeli Defense Forces Chief of General Staff Lt.Gen.Amnon Lipkin Shahak was received at the highest level in Ankara, with President Suleyman Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz among the country's top officials who met him yesterday. Chief of General Staff Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi and Defense Minister Ismet Sezgin also met Israel's top commander Lt.Gen.Shahak yesterday afternoon.Taken up at the talks with priority were the projects and tenders aiming to carry the Turkish Armed Forces into the 21st century. Decision was reached at the talks to purchase from Israel 20 of the devices to be mounted on the 20 Eurocopter type helicopters of the Turkish Armed Forces. The device kown as PLS helps in the search_rescue operations to be conducted when the pilot of a helicopter or a plane jumps to safety in the event of a crash or a hitch. Also taken up during the talks were the joint exercises planned to be conducted between Turkey, Israel and the US. Foreign Ministry officials stated that the date of the exercises had also been set and that this would be disclosed in the forthcoming days. /All papers/ [02] HOLBROOKE IN ANKARAThe US envoy for Cyprus, Richard Holbrooke, stressed yesterday that his first visit to the Turkish capital was "not a negotiation trip", but a mission to learn the Turkish position on the long-lasting Cyprus conflict. Holbrooke started his official talk in Ankara with a breakfast yeterday morning with Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Onur Oymen, followed by meetings with President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen.Cevik Bir and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.The most significant meeting Holbrooke had, perhaps, was the one with Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Ecevit said later to reporters he attracted attention of the envoy to Turkey's fears over the tension of excessive armament in the divided island and explained that Turkey has no intention of annexing the island. Ecevit also said he criticized the EU's double standard with regard to Turkey and Greek Cyprus while talking to Holbrooke. Holbrooke's statement noting that Washington favoured the simultaneous initiation of negotiations for full EU membership of both Turkey and Southern Cyprus has also disturbed Ankara. Demirel stated that it would be wrong to consider Cyprus as an issue between Turkey and the US, adding: "Cyprus cannot apply to an international organization for membership without the consent of both Turkey and Greece". [03] TURKEY BEGINS WITHDRAWING FROM NORTHERN IRAQTurkish troops, who have completed their planned missions in the operation code-named "Dawn 97", began withdrawing from northern Iraq yesterday. The operation had accomplished all of its aims and the region was "cleared of the majority of terrorist, with only some "unimportant elements" still there, the commanders leading the operation were quoted as saying.The number of separatists killed during the operation, which started at the end of September with the aim of fighting PKK terrorists, who use the region as a base from which to strike Turkey, was put at 816. Also, 18 separatists were captured and 17 surrendered. A considerable amount of ammunition was also seized, military sources said. The number of Turkish soldiers killed in the clashes was put at 15, with 58 soldiers injured. [04] GREECE: PKK TRYING TO CREATE A VIETNAMGreece's chief of staff, in a top secret report, said that the PKK terrorist organization is trying to create a "new Vietnam" for Turkey, a report by an international relations agency based in Nicosia said. It was reported that the PKK's leader asked for Greece's help to carry out this plan during a Greek military delegation's visit. It was also reported that PKK separatists, based in Europe, have been sending communists from the former eastern bloc to northern Iraq with a salary of $300 monthly. /Milliyet/[05] RACE BEGINS TODAY IN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER ELECTIONThe first two rounds of voting to elect a new speaker will be held in Parliament today. Seven candidates will compete in the race. Four Motherland Party (ANAP) deputies are running, namely, Kamran Inan, Ekrem Pakdemirli, Hayrettin Uzun and Mustafa Kalemli. Other candidates are Welfare Party (RP) Deputy Chairman Aydin Menderes, former State Minister Ayvaz Gokdemir of the True Path Party (DYP) and Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Hikmet Cetin. According to the Constitution, a given candidate must get a minimum of 367 votes, that is, the majority of the Parliament, to be elected in the first or second rounds.[06] ANKARA MARKS 74TH ANNIVERSARY AS TURKEY'S CAPITALAnkara yesterday marked the 74th anniversary of becoming Turkey's capital with various celebrations and ceremonies commemorating the Turkish Liberation War, which culminated with the establishment of the modern Turkish Republic and Ankara being declared as its capital. In a message released on the occasion, President Demirel stated that Ankara was the symbol of the Turkish people's independence struggle and its resurrection after years of war. In a separate statement, Prime Minister Yilmaz said that the citizens of Ankara would sustain their efforts to maintain the capital as a modern and contemporary city, following Ataturk's example.[07] TURKISH JETS IN SHOW OF FORCE OVER CYPRUSTensions over alleged airspace violations, by both Greece and Turkey, are escalating as the Turkish fighters reportedly carried out at least 50 sorties, taking off from the Mediterranean air bases of Dalaman and Antalya, as a show of force over Turkish Cyprus airspace following Greece's breaking of a previously declared moratorium. Turkish Air Force officials said that this was not a violation of international rules and they are just planning to show that Turkey will guard the island's rights forever.Tensions were raised after Greek war planes violated Turkish Cypriot airspace over the weekend by taking part in the Nikiforios '97 exercises in southern Cyprus. Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas told reporters that the exercises would continue. Meanwhile, Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides said that they were that crazy to attack Turkey. /All papers/ [08] INTERNATIONAL COAL TRADE CONFERENCE BEGINSSome 1,500 delegates from 57 countries are attending the Coal Trans 1997 Conference, which President Demirel opened officially yesterday afternoon. A wide range of issues will be debated at the Monday-through-Wednesday conference including the shipment of coal worldwide and energy policies of several countries, including Turkey related to coal use.[09] ANDICAN PROMOTES ECONOMIC TIES WITH TURKISH-SPEAKING STATESState Minister Ahad Andican yesterday said that, from now on, Turkey's economic ties with the Turkish-speaking republics could be put on a wiser and more logical framework, the Anatolia news agency reported. Andican is having talks in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on the occasion of the first Joint Economic Commission meeting. Speaking about the difficulties which former Soviet Union countries- especially Kyrgyzstan- are experiencing in making the transition to a market economy, Andaican told reporters that Turkey is trying to create the best possible conditions for the Turkish-speaking states by offering them Eximbank credit. Andican will attend the closing session of the Turkish-Kyrgyz Joint Economic Cooperation on Tuesday.[10] IMF CONTINUES ITS CONTACTS IN ANKARAA delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has continued its contacts in Ankara. Head of the delegation Hardy met, yesterday, with the members of the Executive Board of the Ankara Industrialists' Chamber (ASO). The Chairman of ASO said that they discussed tax reforms with the IMF delegation. /Sabah/[11] ECEVIT: "EUROPEANS DO NOT HAVE A VISION"Before leaving Ankara for the first leg of his Scandinavian tour, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the U.S. was more receptive towards Turkey than European countries. He added that Europeans did not have a vision about international issues. Ecevit pointed out that Europe prefered to interest in their internal issues. /Sabah/[12] GERMAN NOBEL AWARD FOR YASAR KEMALGerman Republic Publishers Association's 1997 German Publication Sector Peace Award was given to world-famous author Yasar Kemal. Kemal will go to Germany on 15 October and will be given his award on 19 October during a ceremony. /Sabah/[13] TOROS 97-2 MILITARY EXERCISESThe Turkish Armed Forces will conduct Toros 97-2 military exercise on 1-8 November on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) territories and international water of the Mediterranean. Turkish navy and air forces, units of the Turkish Cyprus Peace Forces and units of the TRNC Security Commandership will attend the exercise. /Sabah/[14] FORESTRY SUMMITNearly four thousand delegates from 113 countries, including 55 ministers attend the 11th Forestry Congress held in Antalya. Forest fires are high on the agenda of discussions. During the congress a project for dealing with the issue will be taken in hand. /All papers/[15] AGREEMENT FOR IZMIT GULF BRIDGEThe government has given start to a project for the construction of bridge over the Izmit Gulf. The negotiations between the General Directorate for Roads and the Anglo-Japanese-Turkish consortium have ended. A related agreement is expected to be signed this week at a ceremony with the participation of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. /Hurriyet/[16] BIDDING FOR ATATURK AIRPORTThe Tep-Akfen-Vie consortium that won the bidding for the construction of new facilities at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul will sign today a related agreement with the State Aiports Administration. The agreement will be signed by Transport Minister Necdet Menzir with a ceremony to be held at Hotel Sheraton. The consortium will carry out the project according to the build-operate-transfer model. /Hurriyet/[17] 13 PEOPLE KILLED IN A PKK ATTACKThree soldiers and 10 village guards were killed yesterday in a PKK attack staged in Semdinli, Hakkari. Eleven other members of the security forces were wounded in the attack. At the same time, two soldiers died hitting a mine laid down by PKK terrorists in Yuksekova, Hakkari. Security forces have initiated operations backed by Super Kobra helicopters against the terrorists in the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakir and Bingol. /Milliyet/[18] PKK ON TOP OF BLACK LISTIn a report released by Belgian Justice Minister Stefaan De Clerck, the PKK terrorist organization has been described as the most dangerous criminal organization in Belgium. The report provides details about 162 investigations carried out in relation with various illegal organizations active in the country. /Milliyet/END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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