Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
CONTENTS
President Suleyman Demirel will visit Middle Eastern countries,
initially Israel and Palestine on July 14-15. Demirel will also
visit Egypt on July 28 and will hold meetings which will further
increase Turkey's contribution to the Middle East peace process.
/Hurriyet/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will visit the US as the official
guest of US President Bill Clinton in the second half of
September. Ecevit will also send a letter of thanks to Clinton
for his invitation. Ecevit received members of the Turco-American
Association yesterday; during the meeting, Ecevit announced his
visit to the US in September. /Hurriyet/
The Minister of Defence, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, will go to France
today to attend the 'Space and Aviation Fair' in Paris.
Cakmakoglu will also meet the French Minister of Defence, Alain
Richard, on June 16. It is expected that during the official
meetings, defence industrial projects between Turkey and France,
Turkey's concerns over the European Security and Defence Identity
and the Kosovo issue will be discussed. Cakmakoglu will return to
Turkey on June 17, the Anatolia News Agency reports. Meanwhile,
great interest is being shown by the visitors in the products of
the Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) which is taking part in the
Fair.
A conference to be attended by 51 European countries, members of
the World Health Organization, will be held in London on June
16-18. Health Minister Fevzi Aytekin will represent Turkey at the
Conference, the Anatolia News Agency reports.
Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said that tourism in Turkey has
developed over the last decade despite terrorism and economic
stagnation. Mumcu stated that some groups were disseminating
anti-Turkish propaganda abroad and added: "The promotion of
Turkey to tourists will contribute to Turkey's international
relations from every standpoint". /Hurriyet/
Chairman of the Turco-German Foundation Vural Oger met German
Interior Minister Otto Schiller yesterday in Bonn. During the
Oger-Schiller meeting Turco-German and Turco-European Union (EU)
relations were discussed. Stressing that Turkey is the only
contemporary, secular, democratic Islamic country, Vural Oger
remarked that, with its dynamic economic potential and young
population, Turkey wanted to enter to the EU. Concerning the
Greek attitude towards Turkey Oger pointed out that Europe should
overcome the Greek stumbling block otherwise Turkey would be
unable to enter to EU community for thousands of years. German
Interior Minister Otto Schiller said for his part that he
believed that Turkey should become a member of the EU. He added
that Turkey would be an important door for European countries
onto to the Middle Eastern and Central Asian regions. /Aksam/
A reader's letter printed in the "Washington Post" newspaper has
praised Turkey and the Turks. American citizen Lyle Vaugh said in
her letter that she had left Turkey with some very beautiful
memories and urged U.S. citizens to visit Turkey. She added, "I
was anchanted with the beauty of the Istanbul and Aegean coasts.
Istanbul, especially, should be seen. I have never met such
hospitable people as the Turks in my life. I want to stress that
whoever wants to enjoy the perfect holiday should go to Turkey.
Go and have the best holiday of your life, returning home with
the best of memories." Sabah/
Turkey will train pilots from the Jordanian Air Forces. Turkey
has been training Jordanian officers on F-16 aircraft for a while
and now has started to give flight training on transport planes
to a group of Jordanian pilots. Jordan is also sending its
officers to the Turkish Military Academy. /Hurriyet/
Following an investigation into the Hizbullah archives seized at
a house in Mardin by security officials, a large-scale search has
begun in the region. After 1,000 people had been detained and
interrogated, 250 of them were arrested by the Court. Meanwhile,
17 people, including 13 students from some schools in Diyarbakir,
supporting the illegal fundamentalist Hizbullah organization were
also detained. /Cumhuriyet/
The Socialist Greek PASOK Party has been defeated. At the end of
the elections, the party lost its 10 members in Parliament due to
a decrease of 32.9 % in its votes. The opposition parties had
conducted a campaign against PASOK leader Kostas Simitis accusing
him of handing over Abdullah Ocalan to Turkey, giving up 12 miles
in the Aegean, removing the Greek flag from the Kardak Islets,
preventing the S-300 missiles' deployment on Southern Cyprus and
approving the NATO airstrikes in Kosovo.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that the letter written by the
Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Cem, to his Greek
counterpart, Yeorgos Papandreu, will be replied to next week. It
is expected that the reply would be positive and agree to
cooperate the struggle against terrorism. /Sabah/
Operations by security officials began against the PKK terrorist
organization in the Bestler-Dereler region of Sirnak yesterday
morning. During the operations aimed at rendering those PKK
terrorists coming from Northern Iraq ineffective, four PKK
terrorists surrendered to security officials. Officials stated
that operations would continue in the region. Meanwhile, 11
people supporting the PKK terrorist organization were seized in
Erzurum, two of whom were arrested by the State Security Court in
Erzurum. /Cumhuriyet/
Six members of the terrorist PKK organization have been arrested
in Konya. The PKK members wanted to demonstrate against Abdullah
Ocalan's forced entry into Turkey and they set four cars on fire.
According to officials, there were no wounded or dead at the end
of the demonstrations. /Aksam/
The Intelligence Service has issued a report concerning the
recent situation of the PKK. The report said that competition in
the organization for the leadership has been on the increase.
"The effect of the European wing has decreased since Ocalan's
capture. Most of the PKK members are staying in Iraq, Iran and
Syria. The organization has experienced its worst period during
recent years and there is a great demoralization within the PKK,"
said the report claiming that foreign support for the PKK had
slumped due to Ocalan's captivity. /Sabah/
The proposal to amend the Constitution with regard to putting the
State Security Courts (DGM) under civilian control was accepted
by the Turkish Grand National Assembly's (TGNA) Constitution
Commission yesterday. 367 votes 'for' are required to carry out
an amendment to the Constitution. The Minister of Justice
announced yesterday that if there were not enough votes in
Parliament to change the Law then a public referendum would be
called . /Aksam/
In the Hilvan district of Sanliurfa, 200,000 roots of Indian hemp
were seized by the gendarmerie yesterday. One person was taken
into custody regarding the incident, the Anatolia News Agency
reports.
The so-called Kurdish Parliament-in-exile is planning to convene
in Brussels on June 19. Turkey has initiated preventative tactics
to cancel the meeting. It is reported that no response has been
received from Belgian officials yet. The so-called Kurdish
Parliament-in-exile had previously convened in Holland despite
protests by the Turkish Foreign Ministry. /Cumhuriyet/
During the military operations in Kavancilar, near Elazig, 8
members of the Hizbullah Organization's "Science Group" were
seized. During their interregation they admitted that they had
educated the children of the town in favour of their organization
at 5 different mosques. / Star/
The declaration of the foreign investment figures for the first
three months of 1999 displays an interesting picture. Being in
complete harmony on international issues, especially in the last
period, US investment was showered abundantly on Turkey. In spite
of the recession US investments in Turkey broke previous records
with 178 million dollars in the first three months of this year.
In 1994 158 million dollars, in 1996 176 million dollars and in
1997 174 million dollars in capital investment had come from the
US. /Star/
Analyst to Turkey Marie Cavanaugh from the Standard and Poor's (S
& P), one of the leading credit evaluation establishments in the
world, said that in the case of an agreement being reached with
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and if the necessary
precautions were taken to cover the financial deficit of the
State Economic Enterprises, the situation of Turkey and its
credit rating could be re-evaluated. Cavanaugh, during her
evaluation of the new government and the Turkish economy, said
that high inflation was the most important issue in Turkey which
originated from the financial deficit of the State Economic
Enterprises; once this was rectified inflation would decline. She
stated that an agreement which will be signed with the IMF would
have a positive effect on Turkey's credit rating and the main
concern of the Turkish economy was to ensure public financial
equilibrium. She also added that implementing the Banking Law
would be a positive step forward. /Star/
An international conference on 'The Story of Three Seas: the
Caspian, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean' organized by the
Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEIK), the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation Business Council and the Cambridge Energy Research
Associates (CERA) will be held in Istanbul on June 21-23. In
addition to the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Egypt,
Prime Ministers from regional countries, Energy Ministers and
high-level bureaucrats will also attend the Conference.
/Cumhuriyet/
Alaattin Cakici, who is under arrest in Baumet prison in
Marseilles, will officially request through his French and
Turkish lawyers the Court extradite him to Turkey. According to
his lawyers' written statement, the request of their client
signed by himself would be passed on to the Court today and it
would be also announced to the press in front of the prison.
/Turkiye/
The Leader of the Greek-Cypriot Socialist EDEK Party , Vassos
Lissarides, said: "A confederation is on its way for Cyprus".
Lissarides said in a statement to the Simerini newspaper that he
did not think that there would be any measures suggested which
would please Greek-Cypriots in the near future. He added:
"External pressure concerning the Cyprus issue is channelling us
towards a confederation". /Cumhuriyet/
After the United Nations' (UN) Secretary-General, Kofi Annan's
report regarding Cyprus, the G-8 countries' call for a meeting
concerning on Cyprus 'without preconditions' has once more
revealed Western countries' biased attitude towards the
Greek-Cypriots. In his report Annan mentioned the Greek-Cypriot
side as the official Cypriot government. Also at the end of the
G-8 meeting, it was announced that they would watch the
developments in Cyprus more closely. Recent developments
concerning Cyprus were welcomed by the Greek administration and
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yannakis Kasulides, said that
the coming Brussels meeting would be very important for their EU
membership.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC)
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Tahsin Eroglu, said that
the G-8 countries' call for a meeting "without preconditions"
would only make the problem more difficult but it would not
contribute to the solution the issue. He added, "There are two
states on the Island. This should be accepted and later these two
independent states will sit around the negotiating table in order
to reach an agreement on the issue". /Aksam/
The 'Turkish Mining Congress' will begin today in Ankara. Nearly
750 Turkish and 100 foreign delegates will attend the Congress
during which the recent developments in mining technology,
problems in mining and the importance of the mining sector in the
development of Turkey will be discussed. Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Cumhur Ersumer, State Ministers Edip Safder
Gaydali and Sukru Sina Gurel will attend the opening ceremony of
the Congress. /Cumhuriyet/
Frank Ricciardione, the US diplomat delegated to organize Iraqi
opposition to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, recently held talks
with Turkish Foreign Ministry officials in Ankara on the future
of Iraq. Ricciardione met Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary
Faruk Logoglu over the weekend and officials from the Foreign
Ministry's Middle East Department yesterday.
During his meetings in Ankara, Ricciardione reportedly briefed
Turkish officials on recent developments in Northern Iraq,
including a meeting between Iraqi opposition representatives and
high-level US officials in Washington. He said that Wsahington
was determined to preserve the territorial integrity of Iraq.
/All papers/
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit delivered a speech at the beginning
of the Supreme Board of Privatization's (OYK) meeting in which he
remarked that this was the first OYK meeting during the 57th
government's term in office. The government will try to speed up
the privatization drive, said Ecevit, adding that many
progressive steps towards privatization had been taken during the
tenure of the 55th and 56th governments concerning privatization.
"The transparency of privatization procedures has been achieved
to a high degree, and it has been decided that State Economic
Enterprises land should be privatized separately from other
enterprises, dcelared Ecevit.
The State Minister responsible for privatization, Yuksel Yalova,
said that privatization practices will be accelerated. Yalova
stated after the OYK meeting that legal and constitutional
amendment drafts will be placed on the Cabinet's agenda as soon
as possible. /All papers/
The Turco-French Business Council met yesterday to discuss
further ways of increasing their joint investments and projects.
The Chairman of the French wing, Francois Perigot, stated that
companies in his country which had not yet benefitted from the
opportunities provided by Turkey ought to do so. Emphasizing that
French companies had great faith in Turkey's future, Perigot
pledged that they would do whatever they could to help Turkey's
integration into the EU.
Aldo Kaslowski, who heads the Turkish side of the Business
Council, declared that Turkey and France were two important
partners and although their links had reached a high level, they
could go even higher. /All papers/
The Treasury today will open two tenders, one of 434 days and the
other of 140 days. According to the 1999 April-June Term Tender
Programme, the starting day for the interest on the 434-day
tender will be 16 June 1999 and the starting day for the
repayment of the interest will be on 23 August 2000. The 140-day
interest will start on 3 November 1999. The Treasury aims to make
two quadrillion TL in revenue at the end of the tenders.
/Turkiye/
An IMF delegation headed by Turkey-Desk Chief Carlo Cotterelli is
to arrive in Turkey today for the fourth round of provisional
regular consultation talks. The delegation will hold discussions
with representatives of the Istanbul Industrial Chamber (ISO),
the Union of Banks, Turkey's private sector and financial circles
in Istanbul on June 15-16. The delegation will later proceed to
Ankara. /All papers/
A defence expert from London University, Dr.Julian
Lindley-French, said that Turco-European Union (EU) relations
were not good last year. He added: "In particular some EU member
countries have given the impression that Turkey's requirement for
Western Europe was greater than vice versa. This is right from
some standpoints, particularly from the economic point of view.
However, Turkey in a Europe surrounded by weapons and missiles of
mass annihilation is of great significance for the security of
Europe. It is time to understand this fact.
Western European politicians should give up their overwise stance
towards Turkish politicians and should approve Turkey's
greatness, geographical location and economic and military
strength. In the shortest possible time, a special relationship
should established between Turkey and the EU and Turkey's EU
membership should be achieved during the first years of the next
century". /Milliyet/
The World Music Festival will be organized in the French Culture
Centre on 19 June in Turkey. The Festival which was started by
former French Prime Minister Jacques Lang, aims to allow ake
everybody to listen to music during the longest day of the year.
/Aksam/
Columnist Sedat Ergin comments on the recent developments
concerning the Cyprus problem. A summary of his column is as
follows:
"The Cyprus problem seems to be the first serious test of its
foreign policy the new coalition government will face. As the new
coalition received a vote of confidence from the Turkish Grand
National Assembly (TGNA), a decision was taken at the meeting of
G-8 Foreign Ministers in Cologne concerning the Cyprus problem.
The G-8 countries called on UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to
invite both parties to a comprehensive meeting with no conditions
attached. This decision was signed by Canada, Germany, France,
Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. The same
call will be repeated during the G-8 Summit meeting to be held
this weekend. The proposal made to both Ankara and Lefkose calls
for the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC), Rauf Denktas, and the Greek Cypriot Administration
leader, Glafkos Klerides, to go to New York for a meeting under
the sponsorship the UN Secretary-General with an open agenda.
With the revival of the Cyprus problem on the G-8 agenda, the
United States and England, reported to have prepared a draft
constitution as a solution, lead the way. The US seems to believe
that in the autumn great progress can be achieved; the US also
makes it known that a solution to the Cyprus problem would make
it easier for President Clinton to attend the high level
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
meeting to be held in Istanbul.
As a result we can say that in the autumn the Cyprus problem will
be high on the agenda of international politics. On the other
hand, it is known that TRNC President Rauf Denktas does not
favour such soundings out of everyone's intentions. Denktas has
to take into consideration the fact that he will run for the
Presidency in the year 2000. The occupation of the Prime
Ministry by Dervis Eroglu who is known for his conservative views
should also be noted.
In Ankara, Prime Minister Ecevit's recent statement that the TRNC
was one of Turkey's achievements and was settling down with every
passing day should not be ignored. Ecevit's statement shows the
sincere belief of a politician who prefers the presence of the
TRNC to a solution based on concessions. And it is not hard to
guess that his coalition partner, the Nationalist Action Party,
would not want to start office by giving concessions. Moreover,
we are passing through a period when the EU is losing its
influence over Ankara by excluding it once more from the
organization at the Cologne Summit.
When adding all these factors together it does not seem easy for
the the political conjuncture in Turkey to meet the US impatience
over Cyprus."
Patrolling cautiously to avoid sniper fire and the ire of ethnic
Serbs, thousands of NATO troops spread out across Kosovo
yesterday and began to uncover evidence of the atrocities which
had been committed. Serb soldiers retreated and Serb civilians
fled the province even as NATO turned back refugees trying to
return to Kosovo. German and British NATO patrols returned fire
and killed two people; additionally, three journalists from a
German magazine were found dead. NATO officers, meanwhile,
continued to negotiate with Russian peacekeepers occupying the
airport of Kosovo's provincial capital, Pristina.
In the southern Kosovo town of Kacanik, British soldiers
yesterday counted 81 graves believed to hold bodies of massacre
victims. Residents in the area said the graves had recently been
dug for bodies that initially had been dumped in a mass grave.
UN refugee officials want Kosovo Albanians to remain in the camps
in Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro until NATO peacekeepers have
restored order, cleared minefields and established the conditions
needed for an orderly return. About 860,000 Kosovo Albanians fled
the province during a massive crackdown that began after NATO
launched its bombing campaign on March 24. /All papers/
The Humanitarian Aid Foundation has sent 12 trucks full of food
to Kosovar refugees; a ceremony was held in Istanbul yesterday.
The Spokesman of the Foundation, Osman Atalay, who delivered a
speech at the ceremony, said that the Humanitarian Aid Foundation
has sent a total of 134 trucks full of food and clothes to
Kosovar refugees since the beginning of the NATO air strikes
against Yugoslavia. /Cumhuriyet/
It is disclosed that Turkey has drawn NATO's attention to the
Russian units about to enter Kosovo. Turkish units stationed in
Zenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina, obtained the information that Russian
units in Bosnia-Herzegovina were in a state of preperation and
the Turkish Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Onur
Oymen, conveyed this information to NATO officials, pointing out
the possibility of Russia's entering in Kosovo. However, NATO
officials replied, saying that they had already reached an
agreement with Russia and that such an action was out of the
question. Immediately after the NATO Council meeting Russian
units entered Kosovo. /Aksam/
Columnist Hasan Cemal writes on the situation in Kosovo. A
summary of his column is as follows:
"The acceptance of defeat by Slobodan Milosevic who has committed
crimes against humanity by perpetrating a campaign of ethnic
cleansing and massacres no doubt is a victory for NATO. However,
this is only the beginning.
At present an atmosphere of chaos can be felt on the long and
winding road towards peace. Those who said that air strikes would
not be enough were proven wrong. Certainly, to state that no
ground troops would be used at the beginning of the operation was
a mistake. However, the Belgrade Administration yielded to these
air strikes.
Their aim was the withdrawal of Serbian forces and this has
started. The entrance of NATO forces was another condition and at
the moment 14,000 NATO troops are in Kosovo. On the other hand,
the return of the refugees is taking some time. First of all, the
problem of safety has to be solved. There is another problem and
that is homelessness. During the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo the
houses of tens of thousands of Albanians were burnt or destroyed.
To provide new shelter for many refugees before the winter is
another problem. It will not be easy for a million people to
return to their homes and live in peace and tranquility.
However, there is another significant problem and that is the
situation of Russia; the Russian unit of 200 men which took
control of Pristina airport has surprised everyone.
Russia had promised that she would not send troops to Kosovo, but
reneged on this. Then she said that this was a misunderstanding
and she would withdraw her troops, but she has failed to keep her
promise. Some say that this is due to the multi-headed leadership
in Moscow. It seems that Russia wants a special part for herself
in Kosovo but NATO is against the idea. Particularly the US and
the UK believe that such a development would lead to a partition
in Kosovo. They do not want to backdown from holding control in
one hand and are saying that if Russia accepts this condition she
is welcome to do so.
Whatever both parties say, there is talk about secret diplomacy
and new scenarios have begun to be prepared. One of those is the
partition of Kosovo, that is, to gather Kosovar Serbians together
in the north of Kosovo at the Serbian frontier and then leave it
to Russian control. Can this be implemented?
Some recall Bosnia. The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina consists
of three ethnic parts: Bosnians, Croatians and Serbians. The
Serbians' part is called the Serbian Republic. More than 1/3 of
the whole of Bosnia belongs to the Serbs and, if not officially,
Belgrade in fact is dominant over this area. Can the same
scenario be repeated in Kosovo? Will a new partition lead the
Balkans into new chaos?
To achieve a lasting peace in the Balkans, Milosevic has to go
and an administration based on democracy and the rule of law
should be established in Belgrade. There are many problems facing
Kosovo."
END
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
SPECIAL KOSOVO
DEMIREL TO VISIT MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES
ECEVIT TO MEET CLINTON IN SEPTEMBER
MINISTER OF DEFENCE TO VISIT FRANCE
MINISTER OF HEALTH TO LONDON
MUMCU: "TOURISM IN TURKEY HAS DEVELOPED"
"WE WANT TO SEE TURKEY IN EU"
A LETTER FROM THE U.S.
TRAINING FOR JORDANIAN PILOTS
HIZBULLAH ARCHIVES FOUND
OCALAN EQUALS DEFEAT FOR SIMITIS
OPERATIONS AGAINST PKK
PKK DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED IN KONYA
DEMORALIZATION WITHIN PKK
DGM LAW PASSED THROUGH THE COMMISSION
INDIAN HEMP SEIZED
SO-CALLED KURDISH PARLIAMENT-IN-EXILE
8 HIZBULLAH MILITANTS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
SUPRISE INVESTMENT BY AMERICA
STANDARD AND POOR'S WINKS TO TURKEY
ENERGY CONFERENCE
CAKICI TO APPLY TO HAND OVER TO TURKEY
GREEK-CYPRIOTS' FEAR
NEW TRAP AGAINST CYPRUS
TURKISH MINING CONGRESS
RICCIARDIONE MEETS TURKISH OFFICIALS
OYK MEETS TO SPEED UP PRIVATIZATION
TURCO-FRENCH BUSINESS COUNCIL
TREASURY TO OPEN BIDDING
IMF TEAM COMING TO TURKEY
DR.LINDLEY-FRENCH: "TURKEY SHOULD BE WELCOMED INTO EU"
WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL ON 19 JUNE
FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...FROM THE COLUMNS...
WARMING UP THE CYPRUS PROBLEM -BY SEDAT ERGIN (HURRIYET)
SPECIAL KOSOVO
NATO FORCES UNDER FIRE
12 TRUCKS OF FOOD FOR KOSOVO
TURKEY TRIES TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF NATO
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD TOWARDS PEACE IN KOSOVO -BY HASAN CEMAL
(MILLIYET)