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Turkish Press Review, 99-04-14Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs <http://www.mfa.gov.tr>14.04.99Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morningCONTENTS
[01] FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS COUNTRY IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE: TURKEY - BY EROL MANISALI[02] (CUMHURIYET)[03] DIFFICULT DECISION IN ANKARAIt is reported that Ankara only wants her F-16 aircrafts to be used for air defence. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has contradicted the claims that Turkey, in answer to NATO's request for more aircraft, replied that Turkish war planes could also be used `in attacks'.Meanwhile, news about the Serbian attacks against Albanian villages yesterday caused reactions in diplomatic and military circles. It is reported that in case of a Serbian attack against Albania, Turkish support will be within the guidelines of its mission as part of NATO. Due to an agreement signed with Albania, it is out of the question for Turkey to intervene in this country. However, Turkey has been training Albanian soldiers, and repairing and constructing military facilities under this agreement. /Cumhuriyet/ [04] KOSOVARS IN TURKEYThe recent number of Kosovars arriving in Turkey has reached 9,128. Turkish officials announced that every step had been taken to meet the food, clothing and medical needs of refugees in the camp. They added that 334 primary school students and 92 high school students had already started their education in the camp. There are 700 empty tents to shelter 8,000 more refugees, said the officials adding that they had given free telephone cards to refugees to enable them to call their relatives in Kosovo. /Turkiye/[05] `REFUGEES SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO TURKEY'The EU Commmissioner on Humanitarian Aid, Emma Bonino, said that 800,000 Albanians have escaped from Kosovo and 400,000 Albanians out of 1 million who stayed in Kosovo have left their homes and are trying to live without any help. Bonino stated that it was better for Kosovar refugees to be hosted in Turkey rather than being sent to other foreign countries. /Cumhuriyet/[06] DEMIREL, "TURKEY WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE"President Suleyman Demirel in an interview with the NATO Magazine's special issue for the 50th anniversary of the organization said: "Turkey will play a key role in the solution of regional and global issues. In a globalizing world, the effective and trustworthy presence of NATO will be more essential then ever. Turkey is not only a strong ally of NATO but she will also play a key role in contributing to the solution of regional and global problems." /Turkiye/[07] `SPEED PROTOCOL' FOR BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINEEfforts towards implementing the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Project, which is very likely to become the main route conveying Caspian oil to the West, is being expedited through the Istanbul Protocol for the Azerbaijan Main Export Pipeline (Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan), signed yesterday in Istanbul between the Turkish and Azeri parties. According to the Protocol, both parties assured that the maximum of initiatives will be launched in order to fulfill their commitments due to previous agreements, namely Intergovernmental Transit Country Agreement and the Turn-Key Job and Government Guarantee Agreement, in three months' time. In addition to that, the parties agreed to appoint BOTAS (the Turkish Pipeline Transportation Company) as the contractor for the Main Export Pipeline system. Ziya Aktas, the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said that the ongoing efforts to fulfill the Project have reached this latest stage and, by means of the present Protocol, a very substantial step has been taken towards the realization of the Project. Meanwhile, Ismail Cem, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, remarked that it is likely that more determining steps will be taken in a few days in support of the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Project. The Protocol was also endorsed by US Ambassador Richard Morningstar, Special Advisor to the President and Secretary of State for Caspian Basin energy diplomacy, who signed it as the `observer'. /Aksam/[08] BAKU-SUPSA EARLY OIL PIPELINE OPENEDPresident Suleyman Demirel sent a message to Georgian President Eduard Shervardnadze due to the opening of the Baku-Supsa Early Oil Pipeline, the Anatolia News Agency reports. "Our joint initiatives about the energy transfer line projects, which will contribute to peace and stability in our region and to the strengthening of Georgia's independence and increase of her prosperity, will be crowned in near future with the implementation of the Baku-Ceyhan Project as the main oil pipeline. The determined atttitude you have shown up until now to this end deserves every kind of appreciation" Demirel said in his message.[09] ATATURK AWARD GRANTED TO HAYDAR ALIYEVIt is reported that the Ataturk Peace Award, granted annually to those political figures who are active in the preservation of world peace, will be given to Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev this year. Aliyev will receive his award from President Demirel on May 19. /Aksam/[10] ECEVIT: "DO NOT FEEL COMPASSION FOR ANY PARTY"Bulent Ecevit, the Prime Minister and the leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), demanded that the voters should not feel compassion for any party in the Elections. Ecevit remarked that nobody should let his or her vote be affected by any party's possible failure to exceed the 10% national threshold. Ecevit said, "If this compassion is not tolerated, the DSP's votes may easily exceed 30%. Otherwise, a new period of instability may occur following the Elections." Repudiating the notion of a `DSP wind in Turkish politics', Ecevit argued that his party has had the opportunity to display their real capabilities and that they are currently enjoying the fruits of their successful policies in Government. /Aksam/[11] SECURITY MEASURES STEPPED UP FOR ELECTIONSCahit Bayar, the Minister of the Interior, said that they have taken every measure for the General and Local Elections to be held without fear of violence. Bayar held meetings with the Governors of 14 cities, Security Chief Necati Bilican, the heads of some departments and officials from the General Command of the Gendarmerie to discuss the security issues in place during the election period. /Cumhuriyet/[12] SEPARATISTS ARE FLEEING TO IRANTurkish Armed Forces' operations against separatist terrorists continue in Northern Iraq. Since the beginning of the operation, camps and shelters belonging to terrorists have been damaged. Land forces have been conducting land reconnaissance operations. Military sources reported that terrorists have fled to the Iranian border region which is under the control of the leader of the Iraqi Kurdistan Patriotic Union (IKYP), Celal Talabani; forces controlled by the leader of the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader, Mesud Barzani, have given their support to the operations. /Turkiye/[13] TURKEY CRITICIZES IRANIt is understood that Iran has played a role in the recent suicide attacks in Turkey, at which both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Chief of General Staff criticized Iran. Turkey's Ambassador to Tehran, Sencar Ozsoy, presented Ankara's criticism to the Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, General Staff Officials expressed their uneasiness to their Iranian counterparts. /Sabah/[14] EDUCATION MINISTER VISITS KIRKLARELI REFUGEE CAMPNational Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu said that Kosovar children can go to any school anywhere in Turkey. Bostancioglu on an observation tour of Kirklareli Refugee Camp met the Kosovar refugees and remarked that the right to education was the right of everyone and no one could be deprived of it. /Milliyet/[15] CONCERT FOR KOVOSOOne of the renowned Turkish pop music groups, Mazhar-Fuat-Ozkan, will stage a concert in New York for Kosovar refugees. The income to be received from the concert, to be held on May 15 at the Life Club, will be sent to refugees living in the tent city established by the Turkish government near the Bulgarian border. Tickets for the concert will cost $40; a discount means students pay $35. /Cumhuriyet/[16] FILE FOR BINGOL'S EXTRADITIONThe Justice Ministry's General Directorate of International Law and Foreign Relations is preparing a file for the extradition of Ibrahim Bingol, who has been captured in Brussels. Ministry officials also pointed out that the file prepared regarding Metin Kaplan, the son of Kemalettin Kaplan who had been captured in Germany, has been translated. Officials said that they expected that Alaattin Cakici, who is under arrest in France, and Kursat Yilmaz, who is under arrest in Bulgaria, will be extradited to Turkey in August at the latest. /Cumhuriyet/[17] TURKEY WILL BUY ANTI-BALLISTICS MISSILESHikmet Sami Turk, the Minister of National Defence, said that Turkey must be prepared against the improvement of her Southern and Southeastern neighbours' defence systems, in particular with regard to their increased ballistic missile capability. Turk said, "Our short-term goal is to purchase defence systems, and this necessity has been met by the Patriots." Yet it is reported that Arrow and Popeye II missiles are still regarded as serious alternatives for Turkey. /Aksam/[18] FRENCH GREENS SUPPORT PKKIt has been ascertained that the Greens in France have submitted Musa Kaval, a member of the so-called Kurdish Parliament-in-exile supported by the PKK terrorist organization to the list of election candidates for the European Parliament. It has also been reported that an Albanian Kosovar has also been put forward to be included on Greene's election list. In the Elections in 1994, the French Greens were unable to send any representative to the European Parliament with its 626 members. /Hurriyet/[19] DEMIREL RECEIVES NEW DUTCH AMBASSADOR TO ANKARAPresident Suleyman Demirel received the new Dutch Ambassador to Ankara, Sjoerd Izaak Hendrik Gosses yesterday; Ambassador Gosses presented his letter of credentials to Demirel. The Turkish Foreign Ministry's Undersecretary, Ambassador Korkmaz Haktanir, was also present at the reception, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[20] GERMANY OPPOSES TO SPORTS EMBARGO IMPOSED ON TRNCGermany becomes the second country which opposes to the sports embargo imposed on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), following Turkey, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Germany showed that it did not impose a sports embargo on the TRNC by participating in the First International Swimming Tournament which was held in Lefkosa on April 2-4 with its SSF Bonn swimming club. SSF Bonn club became the champion in the tournament.[21] FOREIGN MINISTRY DELEGATION VISITS ETHIOPIAA Turkish delegation headed by Ambassador Numan Hazar visited the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and held various contacts, the Anatolia News Agency reports. According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, the visit was held on April 3-8 and the delegation was received by Ethiopian President Negasso Gidada. At the of the meetings, a consensus was reached for a closer cooperation in every field between Turkey and Ethiopia. The meetings mainly focused on the issues such as the establishment of a friendship group between the parliaments of the two countries, establishment of business councils, scholarships to be extended by Turkey and technical assistance in various areas.[22] TURKISH FOODSTUFF INTRODUCED TO 20,000 BUYERSAn official from Ege Exporters' Union said yesterday that the Turkish foodstuff was introduced to 20,000 buyers in the International Fancy Food and Confection Show Fair which was held in Chicago, the US, on March 21-23, 1999. Issuing a written statement, the official noted that the Fair had important role in introducing the Turkish foodstuff in the US markets and that the business contracts between the Turkish companies and the US buyers led to successful results. The official stated that these positive results make them prepare more willingly for the foodstuff fair which will be held in New York, the US, on July 11-14, 1999, the Anatolia News Agency reports.[23] DIE OPENS INTERNATIONAL TENDERThe State Institute of Statistics (DIE) opend an international tender to purchase computers, printers, data processing and other equipment related with computer, the Anatolia News Agency reports. The announcement concerning the issue was published yesterday in the Official Gazette. In accordance with the announcement, the DIE will use one part of the loan it obtained from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for the purchase of the electronic equipment in question.[24] TURKISH AUTHORITIES SET UP SIX UNIVERSITIES AND SEVEN FACULTIESTurkish authorities set up six universities and seven faculties in many foreign countries, especially in the Turkish-Speaking Republics, the Anatolia Nesw Agency reports. The Board of Higher Education (YOK) said that the number of universities which were set up in foreign countries by the various countries, associations, foundations and persons in Turkey reached six while the number of faculties in these countries reached seven.[25] GERMAN FIRMS SEEK TURKISH PARTNERSGerman Trade and Industry establishments are seeking Turkish partners. The Chairman of the Germano-Turkish Society and Germano-Turkish Academic's Association, Dr.M. Ali Karademir, said because of the high costs of production in their country, German firms wanted to turn their investments towards Turkey. Noting that Turco-German cooperation would bring cheap sources of finance to Turkey, Karademir said that the German Economy Ministry would financially support the marriage between Turkish and German firms. The Ministry has spared 10 billion DM in order to contribute to the Turco-German partnership. /Sabah/Turkiye/[26] FOREIGN INVESMENTS IN BURSAForeign companies have a share of 37.9 trillion TL in 111 companies in Bursa, the Anatolia News Agency reports. The automotive industry and its sub-industry are the sectors which are invested most frequently by the foreign companies. Germany is on the top of the list of foreign companies with partnership with 25 Turkish companies. Germany is followed by 15 French, 12 Italian, 10 Swedish and five British partnerships.[27] HEROIN SEIZED IN ISTANBULIstanbul's Drug Squad has seized 73 kgs heroin belonging to the PKK. Five members of the PKK who were to send the heroin to Europe were also seized. Officials announced that the terrorists planned to sell the drug in Germany and buy weapons with the money theyr earned. /Turkiye/[28] MORE THAN 20 KILOS OF HEROIN SEIZED IN ADANAThe Adana Narcotics Department teams seized 24 kilos of heroin and 500 grams of hashish in Adana's provincial centre yesterday, the Anatolia News Agency reports. The drugs were prepared to be sent to Germany. Seven people were arrested regarding the incident.[29] ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION REACHES 110.9 BILLION KILOWATT-HOURSTurkey's electricity production increased from 73.8 billion kilowatt-hours in 1993 to 110.9 billion in 1998. While 68.7 billion kilowatt-hours of this energy came from thermal power plants, 42.2 billion were produced in hydroelectric power plants, according to the data the Anatolia News Agency obtained from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.[30] EXPO TO ESTABLISH A BASE IN MOSCOWEXPO Turkish Export Products Permanent Exhibition, which has been the centre of exports to the Independent Commonwealth Countries (CIS) since 1995, will transfer its potential to Moscow. By means of the Turco-Russian Trade Improvement Centre to be opened at the end of April in Moscow, Turkey aims to increase its exports to Russia. The exhibition will be opened on an areas of six thousand square metres and Turkish firms will have the opportunity to sell their goods. /Sabah/[31] SUCCESS OF TURKISH PROFESSORProf. Omer Kucuk, working at Karmanos Cancer Institution in Detroit, America, has discovered that "lycopene", the pigment in tomatoes cures prostate cancer. Kucuk announced the results of his study at the meeting of the American Cancer Research Union on 12 April. /Sabah/[32] NEW FACE TO MOUNT NEMRUTThe Eight Wonder of the World, Mount Nemrut, which was also announced as one of the most valuable of historical heritage items in the world by UNESCO in the "UNESCO World Culture Heritage" list, will be repaired and maintenanced. Domestic and foreign scientists will excavate the region on 5 June to start the "Adiyaman- Kahta: Mount Nemrut and its Evironment" project. As part of the project to protect the monuments on Mount Nemrut, underground galleries will be constructed. /Turkiye/[33] FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS ... FROM THE COLUMNS[34] COUNTRY IN THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE: TURKEY - BY EROL MANISALI (CUMHURIYET)Columnist Erol Manisali comments on the strategic location of Turkey, bordering the Middle East, Caucasia and the Balkans. A summary of his column is as follows:"The Middle East, Caucasia and the Balkans are the most sensitive regions in the world; in two of these regions wars are going on. Turkey is located just in the centre of these three regions; it has frontiers with all these regions and at the same time is a part of them. The US, the EU, Russia and Turkey all have interests in these regions. In Caucasia and the Middle East the reasons for conflict can be clearly seen, that is, the presence of petroleum, natural gas reserves, and the gates leading to those Asian countries which want to be integrated into the international economy. In the Balkans a finer game is being played. Future gains are being calculated. The US does not want to leave the Balkans to the future European State. An integrated European State with the Aegean, the Black Sea, and the Eastern Mediterranean as part of itself would harm the long-term strategic interests of the US. In the Balkans, the US wants to take its place as a military and economic power. Therefore, it is insisting on bringing Bulgaria and Romania into NATO. In the near future it may also think of admitting Macedonia into the organization. If it does not do so, the EU would dominate the Black Sea, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean by bringing Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and even Yugoslavia into the Union. These regions hold the paths leading to the energy and trade routes of Caucasia. The Caspian Sea and its environs are also of great importance; Petroleum and natural gas increase this importance. If Russia does not reverse its policy of integration with the international system, the US will be the dominant power in the region. The EU and Russia are also trying to enter the region. The conflict in the Middle East is not new; it mainly stems from the presence of 56% of the world petroleum reserves in the Middle East. At present, excepting Iraq, Arab countries can be said to be controlled by the US. The exclusion of Turkey by the EU makes it necessary for Turkey to cooperate with the US in Caucasia and the Balkans. In the past it was the "Soviet threat", today it is "exclusion from the EU". There is complete harmony concerning Caucasia and the Balkans between Turkey and the US. However, there are some problems in the Middle East, regarding Iraq and Northern Iraq. Turkey's place in Middle Eastern policy will be clarified within three to five years. Turkey has important trump cards to play. No one can continue their policies in Caucasia, the Middle East and the Balkans without Turkey. However, those ruling Turkey should be aware of them. The voters should cast their votes bearing these questions in mind." [35] "LEADER TOURISM CO." - DERYA SAZAK (MILLIYET)Derya Sazak, a columnist in the `Milliyet' daily, criticizes the `leader democracy' in Turkey and reflects on the repercussions of this phenomena during the current election campaign pariod. Sazak writes:"Indeed, the Member of Parliament is an insignificant man in Turkey. On those `election buses' which we are used to seeing nowadays, our future MPs who will lead Turkey into the 21st century are placed behind the singer who promotes the party's election campaign, the policeman who guards the party leader, or the wife of the leader who `assists' her husband on the bus. In this Election there are candidates for the mayorships, for village headmen, for municipal councillors but no MPs. However, there are two very important tasks awaiting our future MPs: they will vote for the new President in the year 2000 and they will enact the approval of the possible death sentence for Ocalan. Would our leaders not have received more support from our people if they had presented the `intellectwith which they would cooperate to govern Turkey in the new Millenium' rather than lobbying on a number of TV channels on a single night and thus becoming `rating' victims? How will the citizen recognize his or her representative? If her MP was also in Parliament during the previous term, there is no problem. Whether she saw him speaking in the session or not, she must have recognized him sleeping during a session or beating other MPs in the midst of a fervent fight. The `disgruntled' movement had at least such a use as far as publicity is concerned. When those 166 MPs started a `mutiny' against the Elections, our citizens were given an invaluable opportunity to see their representatives for the first time since they had voted for them. The main reason behind this pathology is the `leader democracy' in Turkey. Given the absence of a well-operating inter-party pre-election mechanism, the MPs remain dependent upon the leader due to the requirements of the prevailing system. Furthermore, those who strive for independence are `liquidated' immediately in the next congress or elections. Inter-party democracy in Turkey has been receding in recent years. Even during the 1983 Elections held under the conditions of a post-coup d`etat period, the leaders were giving more importance to their `staff'. We will cast our votes on Sunday.Since there is no `preference' system in these Elections as there was in 1991, one will automatically adopt the list of MPs of the particular party one votes for. For the leaders have already made the `best choice' on your behalf! If you want to know for whom you are voting while pressing the seal, look at those people on the campaign bus carefully. Do not take your eyes off the television. For instance, the person on the right hand side of the folk singer Mahsun Kirmizigul may well be your future MP. Do not miss him!" [36] FIRST THREE, SECOND THREE -BY ERTUGRUL OZKOK (HURRIYET)Ertugrul Ozkok, a columnist in the daily 'Hurriyet' newspaper, says the following in his article today: "There are four surveys which have been conducted during the last two weeks, undertaken by four different companies: Verso, Strateji, Mulkiyeliler Birligi and Yonelim. According to Verso, 29,000 people participated in their opinion poll. While evaluating the results, the companies also have considered their oversight in the 1995 elections. For instance, Strateji made an error of only two points in the votes of the True Path Party (DYP) in the 1995 Elections. Now, what are the results? I cannot announce the results because unofficial public surveys on Elections are prohibited. However these four polls have some points in common, for instance, the first three parties: the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Virtue Party (FP) and the Mortherland Party (ANAP). In all four of these polls, the DSP ranks first. There are some differences in the second and third ranks. Another common factor is that there are at least three points between the first three parties and the rest of the field.In the second group of three, there are the DYP, Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). There are also some differences on whether which of the parties will rank fourth. However, the common factor in the four surveys is that the CHP exceeds the 10 % threshold. Another common factor is the upward trend of the MHP. These show that Turkey will be governed by a bi- or tri-partite coalition following April 19". /Hurriyet/ Turkish Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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