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Turkish Press Review (96-05-09)From: TRKNWS-L <trh@aimnet.com>Turkish Press Review DirectoryCONTENTS[01] DEMIREL WARNS RUSSIA[02] OPERATION IN N.IRAQ AGAINST PKK[03] WEU MINISTERS MEETING IN BIRMINGHAM[04] AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT WITH KAZAKHSTAN APPROVED[05] EDUCATION MINISTER PRAISES UNESCO[06] ISRAELI PM PERES: "TURKEY IS MODEL OF MODERNISM"[07] TURCO-GREEK COOPERATION IN TOURISM[08] NEW CURRENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST[09] TURKEY-GREECE RELATIONS[10] FRENCH INTEREST IN TURKEY GROWING[11] TURKISH-SPEAKING REPUBLICS PEACE FORCE[12] XANTHI MUFTI CONDEMNED[13] KAREKIN I. IN ISTANBUL[14] READY WEAR INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENTSTURKISH PRESS REVIEWTHURSDAY MAY 9, 1996Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning[01] DEMIREL WARNS RUSSIATurkish President Suleyman Demirel said he hoped the agreement for economic and cultural integration signed between Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan did not constitute a step toward reviving the former Soviet Empire. President Demirel was addressing a joint press conference with Uzbek President Islam Kerimov, in Tashkent, where he is on an official visit. Demirel said it was not the official policy of Russia to revive the Soviet Empire, but added that there were moves and tendencies in Russia, particularly as the presidential elections in that country approached, which sought the revival of the collapsed empire. Terming the peaceful dissolution of the Soviet Union as "irreversible", Demirel said, not just Turkey, but the whole international community would be irritated at such an attempt of "reviving" this empire even if some of its now independent former members expressed a desire to do so. Uzbekistan is known to be a strong opponent of efforts to revive the former Soviet Union in any shape or form.Earlier, the two presidents signed three deals to strengthen economic ties. The two signed documents to avoid double taxation, protect the environment and forge "eternal friendship and cooperation". Bilateral trade rose by 75 % in 1995 to $280 million and 200 Turkish-Uzbek joint ventures have been set-up in Uzbekistan, officials said. Yesterday, Demirel also addressed the "Supreme Assembly" and visited the mausoleum of Ali Sir Nevai, a 15th century Turkish poet. On this last day in Uzbekistan, Demirel will travel today to Samarkand, the historical capital of the Timur Empire. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/ [02] OPERATION IN N.IRAQ AGAINST PKKTurkish troops have intensified their attacks on PKK terrorist organization bases since Sunday, turning their mission into a cross-border operation. Thirty-five PKK militants were killed in operations two days ago and yesterday while seven Turkish soldiers were injured. Turkish troops started their operations following a warning from intelligence units which noted that a 100-member group from Iraq and a 50-member group from Iran would try to penetrate Turkey.Meanwhile, a statement from the Office of the Emergency Rule Region said that eight PKK militants had been killed in the Hozat district of Tunceli and one terrorist killed in the Yayladere district of Bingol. Four security officials also died in operations in Hozat. /Sabah/ [03] WEU MINISTERS MEETING IN BIRMINGHAMA final declaration issued at the Western European Union (WEU) meeting in Birmingham said that the member states "welcomed" full participation of the associate members -namely, Turkey, Iceland and Norway, without offering any prospect of full membership. In a move to offer a word of praise to the three countries -all NATO members but not members of the EU- the final declaration outlined the importance of the contributions of those three countries to efforts for security and stability in Europe. The words of WEU Secretary-General Jose Cutillerio were hardly more encouraging in terms of prospects of full membership. Pointing out that Turkey already participated fully in WEU functions, Cutillerio said he was aware of the Turkish desire for full membership. "All I can say at this point is that this has to be negotiated among the member states" Cutillerio said at a press conference after the WEU ministers meeting in Birmingham. Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay said that Turkey would launch initiatives vis-a-vis the full members. /All papers/[04] AIR TRANSPORT AGREEMENT WITH KAZAKHSTAN APPROVEDAn Air Transport Agreement between Turkey and Kazakhstan has been approved by the Council of Ministers and was published in the Official Gazette. The agreement concerns air travel between the two countries who are parties to the International Air Services Transit Agreement and the International Civil Aviation Agreement. The agreement covers issues such as traffic rights, exemption from customs duty, air safety and security. /All papers/[05] EDUCATION MINISTER PRAISES UNESCOEducation Minister Turhan Tayan said that the social, cultural, economic and political changes, and the rapid progress of technology has given rise to the need for all nations to work hand in hand for the attainment of a more secure environment in the future. Tayan made his remarks at a meeting of the Turkish national Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) in Ankara. Tayan pointed out the fact that it was Turkey's proposal to adopt 1995 as the "International Year of Tolerance" and added: "It is an honour for Turkey that UNESCO has agreed to celebrate 1996 and 1997 respectively as the 700th year of the philosopher, Nasreddin Hodja's death and the 100th year since the birth of educational writer and poet, Hasan Ali Yucel, both of whom are renowned not only in Turkey but also in the far east and the Balkans, and that the regeneration of the protection and restoration campaign of Istanbul and Goreme where there are various historical works and sites which are on the World Heritage List, has been included in the UNESCO 1996-97 Programme and Budget". /Sabah/[06] ISRAELI PM PERES: "TURKEY IS MODEL OF MODERNISM"Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, during a live interview with CNN on Tuesday, praised Turkey's role in the Middle East as a model of "modernism, democracy and understanding". Peres made similar remarks last week during a presentation at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Peres also told CNN that the Cyprus issue can be solved. Talking about "two trends" in the Middle East, Peres said Iran represented one such trend in contrast to Turkey. Iran is ruled by ayatollahs "who permit acts of terror" and who are trying to get the nuclear option" Peres said. Reminding his viewers that fundamentalism "is not a country" but "a movement that overflows sovereignties" the Israeli prime minister stated: "Turkey is on the right side. It's not only Turkey, but everyone who wants to prevent terror, violence and aggression should really come together". /All papers/[07] TURCO-GREEK COOPERATION IN TOURISMTurkey and Greece have signed a protocol which foresees Turco-Greek cooperation in tourism. Turkish Travel Agencies Union (TURSAB) Chairman Talha Camas and Greek Travel Agencies Union (HATTA) Chairman Takis Antoniou signed the 10-article protocol yesterday. The protocol envisages the resolution of many issues such as lifting the Greek visa for Turks and preventing pollution in the Mediterranean. /Milliyet/[08] NEW CURRENTS IN THE MIDDLE EASTNew developments between the US and Israel could mean that Turkey and other leading regional countries like Egypt could be involved. As the US and Israel move towards what is described as an "historic" defence agreement, reports say that Washington will also want to speak with Turkey, Egypt and some of the gulf countries.The US it seems, wants to establish a defence chain throughout the Middle east regions to block those countries known to support terrorism. By setting up a "pact" with countries like Turkey, the US hopes to create a real guarantee of stability to maintain security and peace in the region. /All papers/ [09] TURKEY-GREECE RELATIONSAgain the picture regarding relations between Greece and Turkey has taken on a cloudy appearance. The bright sunshine of yesterday has given way to more clouds as the Greek government sent out pessimistic messages about pointless meetings with Turkey.In talks with officials in the Clinton administration, both Greek President Konstantin Stefanopoulos and Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos declared that Turkey's future looked dim and that the US was attaching far more importance to Turkey than the situation merited. Both affirmed that Greece was uneasy about Turkish designs on Greece, after noting Turkish action in Cyprus and claiming the same thing about the Kardak islet incident. /Milliyet/ [10] FRENCH INTEREST IN TURKEY GROWINGIn the wake of new credit deals with France it appears that French trade and commercial interest in Turkey has taken a sudden leap forward. The figures suggest that France is now the leading investor in Turkey, and that there are now some very important economic partnerships between Turkey and France.Both the French ambassador to Ankara, Francois Dopffer, and Trade Attache Benoit Battistelli, say that French investment in Turkey will increase. Along with Turkish representatives, the French agree that the upcoming "Fransa 96" fair that will be held in Istanbul will lead to more cooperation in the economy sectors. /Sabah/ [11] TURKISH-SPEAKING REPUBLICS PEACE FORCEIt has been reported that Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have reached an agreement to establish a joint peace force commissioned under the umbrella of the United Nations (UN).According to a Foreign Ministry statement Turkey, which has always encouraged cooperation between the Central Asian Republics, supported the decision of the three Central Asian Republics to form a Joint Peace Force which will contribute to regional peace and stability. /Hurriyet/ [12] XANTHI MUFTI CONDEMNEDElected Mufti (religious leader) of Xanthi, Mehmet Emin Aga, was sentenced to prison yesterday according to abusing his position as Mufti. Criticising the decision, Bedri Ucar, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Union Foundation, said that although Aga was the religious leader of 150,000 Turks living in Greece it had been impossible to squash his conviction, whereas the Greek Patriarch in Turkey freely received Turkish or foreign leaders and openly expressed his ideas. /Hurriyet/[13] KAREKIN I. IN ISTANBULYesterday, Patriarch of the World Armenian Church Karekin I. came to Istanbul as the official guest of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Barthalomeos.Arriving at Ataturk Airport, Karekin said that he was happy to be in Istanbul and added that he would attend church rites celebrating the 535th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish-Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul. /Milliyet/ [14] READY WEAR INVESTMENT DEVELOPMENTSThe 12th International Conference of Ready Wear Producers held in Istanbul is continuing in the Ciragan Palace Hotel. Representatives of various countries gave details about recent developments in the ready-wear industry in their countries. Bosnian Ambassador Hayrettin Somun invited textile producers to invest in Bosnia and noted that the construction of 45 new textile facilities was planned in 19 Bosnian cities. Turkmen Deputy Textile Minister Ahmet Calik said that new textile factories to be opened in his country would make Turkmenistan a world ready wear production center. "Our goal is exports worth $2 billion".The International Meeting of Ready Wear Producers has brought to Turkey some of the world fashion giants. Levi's Chairman Peter A.Jacobi said that the company was planning to establish a second factory in Turkey with a yearly capacity of four million jeans mainly for export. Jacobi described Turkey as a "sleeping giant" and noted that the country with its geographical location and broad domestic market was an important business partner for Levi's. Famous US ready wear producer Oscar is also planning to start sales in the Turkish market in cooperation with the Beymen company. On the other hand, ready wear producers in southeastern Anatolia have undertaken moves for establishing themselves in the European market. The Aegean Ready Wear Producers Group, jointly with the Akyil Companies Group, have begun exports to Germany and Belgium. Their goal is to realize revenues worth $30 million in 1997. /Sabah-Milliyet/ |
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