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Turkish Press Review, 99-07-27Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>27.07.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[02] SPECIAL KOSOVO[03] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN EGYPTPresident Suleyman Demirel arrived in Alexandria, Egypt for a one-day official visit on the invitation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Demirel was cordially received by the Egyptian President at Nusha Airport. The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Musa, and the Turkish Ambassador to Egypt, Aykut Cetirge, were also present at the airport. Following an official ceremony at the Ras El Tin Palace, Demirel and Mubarak came together for talks. Completing his talks in Egypt Demirel returned home last night.It is announced that Turkey and Egypt have signed 12 agreements aimed at boosting bilateral political, economic, cultural and health ties during Demirel's visit yesterday to this country. After the Demirel-Mubarak meeting, the two Presidents held a joint conference during which Demirel said, for his part, that they agree that their goal should be more extensive political ties, broader economic cooperation and commercial relations. "We aim to increase our bilateral trade volume to $ 1 billion in 2000 and to $ 2 billion in 2002," Demirel said. Mubarak announced that Turkey and Egypt had signed a declaration affirming their determination to set up a free trade zone between the two countries. The negotiations concerning the establishment of the zone, which started last year, are still underway, added Mabarak. Before his departure, Demirel also visited Iskenderiye Library, which has been recently restored, and donated 2,000 books saying that the Library was a magnificiant monument, erected in the past but which would also serve the future. /Milliyet/Turkiye/ [04] ANKARA-ATHENS FIRST ROUND OF TALKSTurkish and Greek Representatives of the Ministeries of Foreign Affairs met yesterday in Ankara. The talks are based on two rounds as was previously determined. The Director of the Greek Foreign Ministry, Anastasyos Skopelitis, headed the Greek delegation and the Deputy Undersecretary Responsible for Economic Relations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mithat Balkan, chaired the Turkish delegation during the talks.During the morning session of the talks the issue of tourism issue was discussed and in the afternoon the two delegations had the chance to negotiate on environmental issues. It is announced that both sides agreed on updating the tourism agreement signed in 1979, directing tourists from other countries from the one to the other and increasing links between public and private sectors related to tourism. In the afternoon, they decided to increase their mutual cooperation in the fight against environmental pollution. For the second and final leg of the talks, the Turco-Greek delegation will meet today to discuss trade and economic relations. It is also expected that the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ismail Cem will receive the Greek delegation. The same group of delegations, which has also been preparing the background of the Ismail Cem-Yorgo Papandreu meeting, will come together on Thursday and Friday in Athens. /Milliyet/Turkiye/ [05] ANKARA-TEHRAN TENSION INCREASESPresident Suleyman Demirel said on Monday that the ongoing tension between Turkey and Iran could not be defined as a crisis 'for the time being' and expressed his desire for that problems be solved through diplomatic means. Demirel emphasized the great importance Turkey attributed to relations with Iran and said that he expected a diplomatic solution to the problems.Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also stood firm behind his accusations regarding the support provided by Iran to the PKK and said that the Iranian allegations targetting Turkey aimed to divert attention from the country's internal turmoil. "We are having talks with Iranian officials and there is a need to further substantiate these talks. I hope that as soon as possible Iran will get back on the track of positive relations and cooperation with Turkey," said Ecevit. He restressed that Turkey was not interfering in the domestic affairs of anycountry. Meanwhile, the Iranian Ambassador to Ankara was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be told that there was no correlation between the bombing allegations of last week and the two Turkish soldiers that Iran had detained by force. He was also asked to have the Turkish soldiers set free very soon. Furthermore, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Spokesman, Hamid Riza Asefi, said that the PKK was Turkey's domestic issue and involving Iran in this issue wouldn't serve to the benefit of good neighbourly relations. "We are ready to start a dialogue with Turkey in order to eliminate misunderstandings between the two countries," said Asefi. /Sabah/Milliyet/ [06] KILIC: "WE DO NOT MISS OUR TARGET"The Commander of the Air Forces, General Ilhan Kilic, announced that Turkish aircraft had hit a PKK camp in Northern Iraq but not Iranian territories. "Turkish aircraft hit a PKK camp among the triangle of territories of Turkey, Iran and Northern Iraq. It is said that there were Iranian military officials in the camp who died during the bombing. What can we do? We have received information that Iranian military officials train PKK terrorists. Our pilots cannot miss their targets; our aircraft are equipped with the latest technology and we don't make mistake when we hit our targets," samid Kilic. /Milliyet/[07] SOCIAL SECURITY REFORMConcerning the Social Security Reform Bill, Prime Minister Ecevit stated that negotiations to find a compromise to the problem were in progress still. He expressed his belief that apart from the age limit, a compromise could be found. In answer to a reporter reminding him of the possibility of a general strike, Ecevit stated that he could not think of any unionist who would resort to such a path. Noting that the Turkish economy was currently at an impasse, the Prime Minister said that they were doing everything in their power to steer it into calmer waters and could not conceive of anyone jeopardizing it. Ecevit also repeated that they were determined to introduce unemployment insurance with this Bill.Ecevit stated that the measures taken would revive the economy and this in turn was to the benefit of the workers. Saying that the problem of the workers and employers could not be separated, Ecevit stated that the measures taken would be to the advantage of artisans, small businessmen and all entrepreneurs. The Prime Minister also added that psychology was an important factor in getting out of the crisis and it was wrong even to mention the possibility of a general strike. /Milliyet/ [08] CUSTOMS REFORM TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 1-2 YEARSA modern Customs system that will eradicate all problems in the system will be completed within 1-2 years, said State Minister Mehmet Kececiler. Kececiler made his remark during a joint press conference with the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Turkey, Karen Fogg, whom he received on Monday. Kececiler met Fogg to inform her on the proposed changes to Turkish Customs regulations included in a new draft law. Ambassador Fogg said for her part that the European Commission is willing to work with Turkey on reforming Customs regulations and expressed her pleasure at Kececiler's efforts to transform Turkey's Customs administration and regulations. She added that the Commission would do its best to further develop the Customs Union with Turkey. /Sabah/Milliyet/[09] TAKING EUROPE TO COURTThe Motherland Party (ANAP) has made Turkish and foreign lawyers prepare a report concerning Turkish families who lost a relative such as their sons, husbands, etc., in the struggle against the PKK. ANAP will launch a court case against those European countries which support the PKK at the European Court of Justice. Deputy Chairman of ANAP Bulent Akarcali said, "Both Turkish and foreign lawyers claim that if the relatives of people who died or were wounded in the fight against terrorism go to Court, countries supporting terrorism will be fined and forced to pay a huge amount of compensation." Stressing that it was important to reveal the countries which were supporting terrorism to world public opinion, Akarcali noted that Turkey should use this chance. According to the statements of the terrorists, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Greece and Southern Cyprus are sympathetic towards the PKK. /Sabah/[10] YILDIRIM FRIGATE ON BALTIC SHORESAfter visiting France, the Turkish Yildirim Frigate is on the Baltic shores. It is the first Turkish frigate to visit the Baltic shores. Departing from France on 18 July, the Yildirim Frigate first anchored in Helsinki Harbour, Finland. The Finnish Naval Forces' Commander, Admiral Esko Illi, gave a reception in honour of the Turkish Frigate on 22 July. On 22 and 23 July the Frigate held an open day for the Finnish people. Late last night the Frigate departed from Helsinki Harbour and arrived in Tallinn Harbour in Estonia. /Turkiye/[11] INFORMATION FAIR IN SEPTEMBERThe Information and Communication Technologies Fair '99 in to be opened in September attended by companies from India, Norway, Austria and the United Arab Emirates. Foreign investors will also have the chance to sign agreements with Turkish companies. It is announced that the Fair will be open during 1-5 September in the Beylikduzu Tuyap Fair and Congress Centre in Istanbul. /Turkiye/[12] FOREIGN CREDITSPositive results of the package of economic measures announced last week by the government have started to bear fruit. In line with the stand-by agreement to be signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in October, a $ 6-7 billion loan will be set up by the World Bank; $ 3-4 billion of the total amount is to be used in loans to different sectors and $ 3 billion is to be used in the Country Aid Strategy (CAS) Programme. /Turkiye/[13] JUDGEMENT IN DEFAULTThe State Security Court's (DGM) Republican Chief Prosecutor's Office had started an investigation into the members of the so-called Kurdish Parliament-in-exile suspected of setting up an armed gang against the State's security. It is reported that the Republican Prosecutor of the Ankara DGM, Nuh Mete Yuksel, has issued a judgement in default for the arrest of 33 out of 65 people including the former Chairman of the defunct Democracy Party (DEP), Yasar Kaya. Information about the addresses and identities of 32 people have been gathered. The 168th Article of the Turkish Penal Code envisages imprisonment for at least 15 years for those who set up an armed gang against the State's security.Meanwhile, an indictment concerning Mehmet Ozdemir and Cemal Ozdemir who were wounded when a bomb they planted exploded on a minibus in the Yenibosna district of Istanbul on July 12, 1999, has been completed. Imprisonment for 34 years has been requested for the accused for 'being members of a separatist organization'. /Star/ [14] HIZBULLAH DISSEMINATES PROPAGANDA ON CASSETTECassettes sent from Iran to Turkey are being distributed in Southeastern Anatolia. On these cassettes which are in Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic, the method for organizing groups and acts devised by the illegal fundamentalist and terrorist Hizbullah organization is explained in detail. Officials remarked that operations in search of Hizbullah members are underway. /Cumhuriyet/[15] OCALAN'S LAWYERS RETURN FROM IMRALIDogan Erbas, Irfan Dundar and Aysel Tugluk, the lawyers of the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, who was sentenced to death for treason by Ankara's No.2 State Security Court (DGM) returned from Imrali Island to Gemlik yesterday. /Cumhuriyet/[16] ZANA SENDS A LETTER TO OCALANLeyla Zana, the former deputy of the defunct Democracy Party (DEP) and her friends who are currently imprisoned in the Ankara Central Prison sent a letter to the head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan, who was sentenced to death during his trial on Imrali Island on June 29. Ocalan's lawyers have issued no information concerning the content of the letter.Meanwhile, it is reported that since the PKK is preparing to launch new terrorist actions and suicide attacks, it is looking for new members. However, nearly 1,000 people escaped from the Mahmuran PKK camp near Mosul and were sheltered by the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) headed by Mesut Barzani. /Hurriyet/ [17] KOH IS COMING TO TURKEYThe Clinton Administration sees human rights in Turkey as being of great importance and is sending its highest-ranking competent official to Ankara. The Assistant to the Secretary of State, Harold Koh, responsible for human rights, is expected to come to Turkey on Friday to touch on certain subjects. Koh will discuss these things not only in Ankara, but also in Istanbul and Diyarbakir. /Hurriyet/[18] NAVAL OFFICERS PUTTING OUT TO SEAThe Naval High School's third year students are beginning to receive their seafaring education today. Students will be seen off on the school ship, called TCG Cezayirli Hasan Pasha, at 13.30 from Tuzla. During their seafaring education, the school ship will visit Toulon Harbour in France, Barcelona Harbour in Spain and Algiers Harbour in Algiers. /Hurriyet/[19] CPJ DELEGATION IN ANKARAThe Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Ann K.Cooper, and an official responsible for the Middle East, Joel Cammpagne, visited Ankara yesterday. The Committee presented a report concerning 'Journalists being tried in Turkey' to the Turkish State Minister responsible for Human Rights, Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik. Irtemcelik said: "We know that there are some inadequacies regarding standards for human rights and press freedom in Turkey. However we have the determination to make the necessary improvements". /Cumhuriyet/[20] KOHL SPOILED U.S.A'S CYPRUS PLANIt was unveiled that the U.S.A's Cyprus plan which was made to solve the Cyprus issue in 1996 had been spoiled by the German Chancellor of the time, Helmut Kohl. According to diplomatic sources in Strasbourg, the U.S.A, at the beginning of 1996 following the implementation of the Customs Union, planned to approve the EU's nomination of both Turkey and Cyprus. The U.S.A had initiated plans to open the way for the nomination of Turkey and Cyprus during the Luxembourg Summit which was held in December 1997. The U.S.A also got the support of the UN for the plan. However, the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, although pressured by Clinton's personal insistance, did not give the green light to EU membership for Turkey. Thanks to Kolh's resistance, the path of full membership of the EU has been closed to Turkey and since Germany was out on a limb from the expanding EU, the USA's plan on Cyprus also reached an impasse. Turkey has reacted strongly to the decision that she be left off the list of 11 nominee countries and to begin negotiations concerning full-membership of the EU for Southern Cyprus. /Hurriyet/[21] FIRST AMERICAN-BASED INTERMEDIARY INSTITUTIONThe first intermediary institution in Turkey with American roots, the Park-Raymond James Investment Securities Company has been established. It has the authority to engage in transactions in the Istanbul Stock Exchange. The company aims to mediate between foreign investors wishing to buy and sell Turkish shares. The main objective of the company was declared as serving as a bridge enabling the flow of capital between Turkey and the U.S.A. /Hurriyet/[22] HONORARY MEDAL FOR PROF.TUGLACIThe 'International Art and Communications Congress' organized by the American Biography Institute and the British Cambridge International Biography Centre was held in Lisbon, Portugal, between July 11-18, 1999. The historian and author Prof.Pars Tuglaci and Prof.Heyecan Veziroglu from the Culture Ministry represented Turkey during the Congress attended by 147 artists, authors and scientists from 42 countries. During the Congress, issues such as the environment, culture, education, literature and music were discussed while Prof.Tuglaci received an honorary medal. /Cumhuriyet/[23] EXPORTS FAIR IN IRAQThe '32nd Baghdad International Fair' will be held on November 1-10, 1999. It is reported that the Fair will be an important opportunity for Turkish firms which want to export their products to Iraq which was a significant commercial partner of Turkey before the Gulf War. /Cumhuriyet/[24] HACI SAKIR SOAP IN USThe 110-year-old Turkish brand-name for soap, Haci Sakir, has become completely American from now on. The US Colgate-Palmolive Group made an announcement yesterday and said that Colgate had bought up the shares of the Ozsuer family, previously the Turkish partner of the Company. Thus, the Colgate-Ozsuer family partnership in Haci Sakir which began in 1991 has ended. The foundation registration of the Haci Sakir Company was approved by the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. /Star/[25] DPT EVALUATION REPORTThe State Planning Organization (DPT) issued a financial markets report concerning the first six months of the year. According to the report, inflation in wholesale prices was 23.1 %, the TL deposits increased by 39.3 % and loans increased by 23.4 %. /Star/[26] OVAAKCA POWER PLANT READY IN AUGUSTFrom the Ovaakca Natural Gas Combined Power Plant, the biggest power plant in Turkey following the Ataturk Dam concerning the production of electricity, a total of 1.5 billion kwh of electricity was produced during the last eight months. According to information received from the Director of the Power Plant, Tahsin Kosem, it started test productions on June 19, after being opened last November. He added that in two months' time, the power plant would begin its main production. /Cumhuriyet/[27] DEFENCE INDUSTRY IS FOLLOWING TEXTILE SECTORThe Minister of National Defence, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, stated that Turkish textiles, glass-ware and ceramics were of exceptionally high quality and said that they would achieve the same quality also in the defence industry. Cakmakoglu remarked that the defence industry was in need of strengthening through new facilities consisting of consortiums and Turkish-foreign partnerships. /Aksam/[28] LAST STEP IN DIGITAL BROADCASTTurkish Telekom, which has made a breakthrough in establishing an interactive communications service network to Western standards and in achieving quality TV and radio broadcasts in Turkey, will put out a tender in order to bring digital broadcast quality to Turkey. The tender aims at spreading interactive communications. With the implementation of this tender, 'Pay TV' systems which broadcast in return for a certain amount of money from their subscribers will be set up. The date of the tender will be announced by Turk Telekom in the upcoming days. The system will be initially implemented in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. /Aksam/[29] BUSINESS WORLD CONVENES IN A TBWA SEMINARThe 11th greatest advertising agency in the world, TBWA Worldwide, has begun to offer its advertisement services in Turkey. Two high-level officials from the Company held a conference in Istanbul yesterday. During the conference, the Head of the Executive Board of Select_TBWA, Cem Topcuoglu, said that these exchanges of success stories would be beneficial for everyone. He added that such meetings would continue to be organized. /Aksam/[30] SELAMIS BAY HOTEL OPENSThe Selamis Bay Hotel in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will be opened again on August 1. It is reported that $20 million was spent on the restoration of the Hotel which has 369 rooms and 1,000 beds. /Aksam/[31] TAI TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRODUCTION OF BOEING 737-800The Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) will participate in the production of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. An agreement worth $30 million was signed between the TAI and Boeing in February 1999. As part of this agreement, TAI will produce the flight control panels and wing tips of new Boeing 737 aircraft. The initial panels produced by TAI have been delivered to Boeing. /Hurriyet/[32] RENGIM GOKMEN TO CONDUCT A CONCERT IN PARISConductor Rengim Gokmen will conduct a concert at the Madeleine Church in Paris today. Gokmen will conduct concerts also in Italy next week. /Cumhuriyet/[33] WORLD'S YOUTH IN CAPPADOCIAUniversity students who are members of 'AIESEC', which is also known as the 'Independent Student Organization' and is active in 87 countries throughout the world, visited the historic and tourist centres in the Cappadocia region. There are eight branches consisting of AIESEC member students throughout Turkey. This year, 60 students from 33 countries are visiting Turkey. Three hundred students from Turkey are AIESEC members. /Cumhuriyet/[34] KURE MOUNTAINS TO BECOME NATIONAL PARKThe Kure Mountains have been selected as the hottest spot in Turkey as part of the 'Hot Spot Campaign' launched by the Association to Protect Natural Life and the World Protection Foundation. In order to promote them, a visit will be organized on August 10-13, during which interesting natural and cultural assets of the region will be promoted. At the end of the visit, the Minister of Forestry, Nami Cagan, will announce the Kure Mountains as a National Park. /Cumhuriyet/[35] MEETING OF CERAMICS ARTISTSFirst Istanbul, then Izmir will play host to ceramics artists. The International Ceramics Symposium will begin on 1st August, which is being organized by Mimar Sinan University's Ceramics Department for the first time. It will last up to 10th August. Also Izmir's September Ninth University's Academy of Fine Arts will establish the 'International Ceramics Symposium' on 10th September in Izmir. /Hurriyet/[36] ISRAELI FOLK DANCE GROUP TO COME TO ISTANBULThe Israeli Ismail Hebrew University Folk Dance Group will stage two performances on 6 and 8 August in Istanbul. The Group, which last performed four years ago in Istanbul, will show the best examples of the characteristics of the folklore of ethnic Jewish societies in Iran, Turkey, Northern Africa, Romania, Poland and Russia. Following the performances Turkish and Israeli representatives will sow flowers in the 'tolerance' corner of the Darulaceze garden, where the group will stage its performances. /Sabah/[37] RECORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR DERYADerya Buyukuncu, who broke the Turkish record with 56.52 seconds in the 100-metres' backstroke heats in the European Championship, swam in the semi-final but came fifteenth. Derya Erke broke the Turkish record with 2:22.54 in the ladies' 200-metres' backstroke but she was eliminated.Buyukuncu is in the semi-final Among our 10 sportsmen who took part in the European Swimming Championship's heats, only Derya Buyukuncu was able to make it to the semi-finals but our sportsmen broke two Turkish records. In the men's 100-meters' backstroke, Buyukuncu came third with 56.52 seconds in his heat and was eighth among thirty-two sportsmen, thus he went on to the semi-finals and established a record for Turkey. Records are not enough for Erke Buyukuncu was seventh in his group in the semi-final and fifteenth among sixteen sportsmen. In the ladies' 200-metres' backstroke heat, Derya Erke established a record for Turkey and was selected but she was twentieth among twenty-four sportswomen. In the men's 100-metres backstroke heats, Orela Oral was twenty-eighth and could not make it to the semi-final. They were eliminated In the 400-metres' free-style swimming heats Aytekin Mindan was twenty-fifth; in the 100-metres' breaststroke heats Hakan Kiper was twenty-eighth and Suha Akman was the thirty-fourth. In the 50-metres' butterfly heats Oguz Cetin came the thirty-third among thirty-six sportsmen and Onur Tarlabas� came last and was eliminated. In the ladies' 50- metres' butterfly heats Ayse Diker was fourtieth among fourty-one sportswomen and Tugce Mimgoksel came last. /Hurriyet/ [38] FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...[39] ATTENTION TURNS TO RUSSIA -BY SEMIH IDIZ (STAR)Columnist Semih Idiz writes on the relations between Turkey and Russia. A summary of his column is as follows:"Due to her geographic location, one of the leading countries Turkey has to watch closely is Russia. As if difficulties in relations between the two countries are not enough, Russia has taken on the responsibility of protecting all states in the region Turkey has problems with. In short, it can be said that Russia is trying to revive its global role which came out during the Kosovo crisis, within the context of East-West tension. A report prepared by English experts, among whom we can cite Paul Beaver, discusses this matter. According to the report, Russia is trying to exert pressure on the Caspian States among which are its former satellite States such as the Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In other words Russia is trying to extend its military presence from Armenia to the Caucasus and the Caspian Basin. The report also mentions a covert Russification campaign directed against the States constituting the Russian Federation. According to Beaver, Russia is doing everything in her power to prevent independence movements gaining a footing in regions like Osetia and Daghestan. However, it has also been pointed out that resistance is growing proportional to the amount of pressure applied. The experts believe that Russia will not be able to establish the sovereignty it desires in the long run. Today it is known that Russia is trying to do what it could not do openly in a covert way. While Azerbaijan or Georgia are insisting on not granting bases to the Russians, coups or assassination attempts are seen. For Turkey who is affected by these incidents, the dilemma lies in the fact that the "Pax Russicana"(Russian sovereignty) means stability in the region and Ankara is seeking stability more than anything else in the region. However, the countries and nations in the region also want to be independent. Some of them look on Turkey as a role model due to historical, cultural or religious reasons. To turn her back on these countries would result in political problems in Turkey. On the other hand, Turkey's interest in these States is being interpreted as "Turkish imperialism" in Russia. Turkey has difficult and complex relations with Russia. It is clear that they will not be overcome in the short run. Therefore, we repeat our view that Russia is our most important neighbour to watch." [40] IRAN:A REPETITION OF SYRIA? -BY YALCIN DOGAN (MILLIYET)Columnist Yalcin Dogan writes on the statements by President Suleyman Demirel on relations with Iran. A summary of his column is as follows:"As President Demirel was flying to Egypt to hold a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, reporters asked his views on many subjects. In answer to a question on the tension between Turkey and Iran President Demirel gave the classic answer that Turkey and Iran had solved all their problems through peaceful means. However, he adds that nothing may happen for the time being. Iran has taken the place of Syria in sheltering terrorism. This fact disturbs Turkey. Therefore, President Demirel's statement "for the time being" heralds black clouds over relations between Ankara and Tehran. On the subject of Northern Iraq, Demirel stated that everyone was playing a game according to his or her own rules. However, he added that it was impossible for Barzani, Talabani and the PKK to come together. He went on to say that the West was trying to establish a State in Northern Iraq and if they wanted to found a State why did not they themselves allot land for it? This goes for all the Western States such as France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. On Turkey's role in the Middle East, Demirel said that Turkey wanted to contribute to peace in the Middle East. The country may not be a mediator but may undertake a constructive role and have an important place in the peace process in the region. The key to such a role lies in the meetings with Egypt and, therefore, the negotiation with Hosni Mubarak is important. Demirel has visited Israel and Palestine and now Egypt. In a way the triangle desired by the US for years is complete. However, while trying to achieve peace through this triangle, the US is hampering peace in Northern Iraq." [41] SPECIAL KOSOVO[42] KIZILAY WORKS TO PROVIDE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR KOSOVARSEfforts to meet the urgent needs of the refugees returning to Kosovo are underway, along with reconstruction and repair work, reported the Anatolian News Agency. As part of this effort, the Kizilay (Turkish Red Crescent) team in Prizren has delivered an aid package of 235 tents, 35 tons of flour and 17 tons of food so far. The Head of the Kizilay team in Prizren, Taskin Hosver, explained that Kizilay's aid to Kosovo had began on June 26 with the visit of a Turkish delegation to the region headed by Ambassador Sukru Tufan. Kizilay deliveries are concentrated in those regions which fall under the responsibility of the Turkish Forces in Kosovo, and Kizilay teams and Turkish soldiers determine the areas most in need together, declared Hosver.Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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