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Turkish Press Review, 97-02-06Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>CONTENTS
TURKISH PRESS REVIEWFEBRUARY 6, 1997Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning.[01] US TRUSTS DEMIRELCommenting on the current situation in Turkey, US Foreign Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said that the Washington administration was confident that civil rule would continue in Turkey, and that President Suleyman Demirel was fully trusted by the US.Top Washington officials have conveyed to Ankara the anxieties of the US administration over recent events, and noted that they were sure that principles of democracy and secularism would prevail in Turkey. Reports on Burns' speech note that Burns especially referred to President Demirel when he spoke about US trust in the Turkish regime. Also commenting on provocative events that have once again stirred up the issue of secularism in Turkey, President Demirel said yesterday that religious clashes merely delayed the full process of secularism. He noted that sixty years had passed since secularism had been made a part of the constitution, and that because of secularism every one was free to worship according to their own beliefs and rights. Demirel added that in this respect, Turkey was a model country. Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan said that Turkey was at an important turning point, with the majority choosing the civilized road of freedom of conscience and religion. His words were echoed by Foreign Minister Ciller who said that democracy was the guarantee of secularism. /All papers/ [02] SALONA ARRIVES IN ANKARANATO Secretary General Salona arrived yesterday in Turkey for a two-day official visit. In a statement to journalists, Salona said he did not expect Turkey to block the NATO allưance expansion into Eastern Europe in a move to gain closer links with the EU. "The two decisions are independent," the NATO Secretary General pointed out, adding that the expansion of the alliance was a decision taken by 16 member countries.Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller warned the West during a recent visit to Rome that Ankara would veto NATO expansion if its aspirations for closer ties with the EU remain frustrated. /Cumhuriyet/ [03] TURKEY: EU ACCEPTS THAT HONESTY IS THE BEST STRATEGYThe European Union has accepted that it must be honest with Turkey and explain why Turkey is failing to reach ita goal in its EU membership bid, but the consequences of such honesty are unknown, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said at a weekly press conference on Wednesday in response to a question concerning Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo's speech on Tuesday.Van Mierlo, speaking to a EP committee on behalf of the Dutch EU term presidency, said that Turkey, being a large Moslem state, presented a problem raising the question of whether or not this was desirable for Europe. Akbel commented on the speech saying there were no reasons why Turkey should not join the queue of candidates for membership. If the EU was to be honest, it would treat the question of Turkey's membership with directness and justice, Akbel noted. "During our talks with Europe we were told the EU was not a Christian Club. We want to believe these were sincere words," Akbel stressed. /All papers/ [04] UNHCR: NO PLANS FOR NEW TURKSIH KURD CAMPThe UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Sadako Ogata, said on Tuesday her agency had no plans to open a new camp for Turkish Kurds in northern Iraq as chances of it being taken over by political and military elements were very high. Ogata said the UNHCR could not assist the refugees in the Atrush camp - which Turkey says is a base for the outlawed PKK organization - as long as "they remained under the sway of political and military leaders."The UNHCR closed down its aid operations last month in the Atrush camp where up to 14,000 people who fled the conflict in southeast Turkey in 1994 remain in tents and makeshift huts. [05] PKK PARALYZED IN GERMANYGerman Federal Chief Prosecutor Kai Nehm said that the measures taken in 1996 by Germany against the terrorist PKK organization had been successful. Announcing the 1996 terror balance sheet, Nehm said that measures taken against PKK had paralyzed the organization. According to the German official, more than 20 so-called commanders of eight local and 25 regional terrorist organizations had been arrested. /All papers/[06] TURKEY WAITING FOR ASSURANCES FROM IRANIAN AMBASSADORTurkey is waiting for assurances from Iranian Ambassador Riza Bagheri that he will not repeat the controversial statements attributed to him concerning Turkish domestic policies, including a call for the implementation of Shariah rules in Turkey, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said on Wednesday. Bagheri caused an uproar when he spoke at the Jerusalem Night ceremony held by the Ankara Sincan municipality last Friday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a formal protest and Akbel said the government was considering whether to declare Bagheri persona non grata and expel him from Turkey./All papers/[07] KOFI ANNAN WILL PUSH CYPRUS NEGOTIATIONSUN Special Envoy Han Sung-Joo who met with Northern Cypriot President Rauf Denktas on Monday, said that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan would start a series of meetings to negotiate a solution to the Cyprus issue before the Greek Cypriot presidential elections in 1998.Sung-Joo will also meet Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller in Istanbul. During the meeting, Sung-Joo is expected to submit to Ciller a letter from Annan asking for Ankara's support in initiating talks between the leaders of the two communities on Cyprus. /Cumhuriyet/ [08] ISRAEL WANTS JOINT MILITARY MANOEUVRESTurkey and Israel are making preparations for triple military manoeuvres in the Mediterranean with the world's greatest naval power, the US. Turkey and Israel, two leading naval powers in the region, are planning the joint manoeuvres as a demonstration of the US-supported alliance that has began to be established in the Mediterranean. These joint military manoeuvres are in fact also a message to countries not willing to make compromises for establishing peace in the region.The daily newspaper Maariv published in Israel reported yesterday that Israelli Defence Minister Izak Mordehay met with Admiral Steve Abbot, commander of the Sixth US Fleet that has arrived in the Mediterranean for US-Israel joint manoeuvres. During the meeting, triple military manoeuvres between Turkey, Israel and the US were discussed. Mordehay told the US military official that joint training operations between the three countries would strengthen military cooperation. /Cumhuriyet/ [09] KINKEL: "EUROPE DID NOT KEEP ITS PROMISES TO TURKEY"German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said that Turkey was right to feel disappointed about Europe's attitude. Noting that Europe and America should help Turkey to walk along the path towards union with Europe, Kinkel stated that Europe had not kept its word following Turkey's Customs Union accord with the EU.In a statement to the German Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper, Kinkel expressed his views regarding US pressure for Turkey's full EU membership, Turco-EU relations and a "NATO veto" which Turkish Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller brought to the agenda at the recent Rome meeting. Kinkel said: "Relations between the US and Germany are extremely good. However we have dissimilar opinions over some issues such as Cuba, Iran and Turkey's full EU membership. It is very natural that these two friendly countries may a have difference of opinion in some areas. Turkey is a NATO country which has a strategic importance from the US standpoint. The road to all Central Asian and Caucasian countries is through Turkey and Iran". /Sabah/ [10] KALEMLI: "PACE LOST ITS CHANCE"Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Kalemli reacting to a decision by the Parliamentarian Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) regarding the Cyprus issue, said: "The Parliamentarian Assembly is destined to be unsuccessful unless it accepts that there are two administrations, two assemblies and two democracies in Cyprus". Kalemli has sent a letter to PACE Speaker Leni Fisher and criticized the Cyprus decision ratified by the Parliamentarian Assembly on 29 January 1997. Kalemli said: "Unfortunately with this decision, the Council of Europe has once more lost its chance to make a contribution to a lasting and just solution to the Cyprus issue". /Cumhuriyet/[11] A NEW PERIOD IN TURCO-PAKISTANI RELATIONSThe Muslim Union Party, which has won the recent general elections in Pakistan, has declared that they will open a new era in their relations with Turkey. In a statement, General Secretary of the party, Sertac Aziz said that they would deeper economic and political relations with Turkey./Hurriyet/[12] OIL DEAL WITH LIBYAPrime Ministry Undersecretary Kadri Keskin announced that it was planned that TUPRAS oil refinery would obtain oil from Libya in lien of the debts owed by the Libyan government to Turkish constractors. After a meeting of the High Coordination Board of Construction Services Abroad, Keskin said that construction services abroad had made a great contribution to the Turkish economy./Cumhuriyet/[13] RECORD IN FOREIGN EXCHANGEAccording to Treasury Undersecretariat data, foreign investment permits totalling $ 195 million were given out in January, 1997. Manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors are the most in demand by foreign investors./Cumhuriyet/[14] ALL HOPE LOST FOR THE RETURN OF THE TROJAN TREASURESThe Russian Duma approved on Wednesday a draft law which wiped out any possibility for Turkey to reclaim the Trojan Treasures. The draft law declares all historical, cultural and artistic pieces seized by the Soviet Red Army in Germany during World War II "property of the Russian Federation".The Trojan Treasures, unfortunately included within the scope of the draft law, were smuggled out of Turkey in 1879 by the German archeologist Schlieman, who was carrying out excavations at the site of Troy in the name of the Ottoman Empire. The treasure includes priceless pieces of jewellery supposedly worn by Helen of Troy. First taken to Germany , the treasure has been in storage in the Pushkin Museum for the past 51 years. Turkey is fighting for the return of the treasure, rightfully hers according to international agreements. Germany and Greece have also laid claims to the treasure. /Sabah/ END Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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