Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
TURKISH PRESIDENT TO VISIT BOSNIA
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel will visit Sarajevo this month. President Demirel has postponed his visit twice due to security reasons during the Bosnian war. Rehabilitation of Sarajevo and Turkish support for Bosnia will be discussed during the official visit on 17-18 June. Turkey pledges $80 million in project credits for the Bosnia-Herzegovina Rehabilitation Plan. /Hurriyet/
YILMAZ REMINDS EU OF ITS OBLIGATIONS TO TURKEY
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who in Brussels, yesterday urged the European Commission to carry out its contractual obligations toward Turkey, despite the obstacle created by Athens. Yilmaz gave two main messages to European Commission President Jacques Santer on Turkey's links with the EU. The first of these messages was Turkey's desire to achieve step-by-step integration with the EU. The second message was that the customs union, which suffered a blow due to the Greek blockade of financial funds, should be implemented fully, with the Fourteen taking a clear stand on this matter. To both of those messages, Santer had the same answer. "We are committed to the customs union package, which was accepted on March 6. We hope we can release the package" he said at a joint press conference with Yilmaz. He added: "It will be right to solve the problem between Turkey and Greece at the Court of Justice in The Hague". Meanwhile, Term-President Italy invited Turkey to the summit which will be held in Florence on 22-23 June at the level of EU heads of state and prime ministers. Turkey was also invited to the conference to be held between governments in Luxembourg on 11 June. Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay will attend this meeting.
Yilmaz began his contacts in the Belgian capital by visiting Klaus Haensch, president of the European Parliament, in the morning. Yilmaz and Haensch made brief statements after their meeting, both underlining the need to have more dialogue between Turkey and the European Parliament. Pointing out that some of the EP resolutions stemmed from lack of information about Turkey, Yilmaz stressed that he hoped the revitalization of the joint parliamentary commission would prevent the recurrence of such events. Haensch, in return, said: "Our aim is to get closer to Turkey, not get further away" he said. He also underlined that the EP considered the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a terrorist organization and condemned terrorism. Yilmaz later attended a reception which Turkish Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Uluc Ozulker give in his honour. Late on Tuesday, Yilmaz opened the Brussels office of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD. /Sabah-Milliyet-Cumhuriyet/
BIR MEETS HIS ISRAELI COUNTERPART
Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Cevik Bir, met his Israeli counterpart Major General Matan Vilnai in Ankara yesterday. Bir said that the Turkish Armed Forces were developing foreign relations in line with new developments in the Middle East, and added that this was the context of the relationship with the Israeli Armed Forces. Cevik Bir recalled that a "memorandum on Military Aircraft and Training" had been concluded with Israel on September 18, 1995, and that on February 23, 1996 "The Agreement on Military Training Cooperation" was signed. He said that both agreements had been approved by the Council of Ministers.
Armed Forces General Secretary Erol Ozkasnak, also present during the meeting, tried to clarify to journalists aspects of the military cooperation agreements between Israel and Turkey. He said that Turkey had to date signed similar agreements with 27 countries other than Israel. He also added that none of these accords represented any hostility towards any third country. Vilnai was also received by Turkish Chief of General Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi and Land Forces Commander General Dogu Aktulga. /Sabah-Milliyet-Cumhuriyet/
HABITAT II TAKES OFF
The Second UN Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II, is going on at full speed. In opening the conference, UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali described the Habitat Agenda to be approved by the delegates as a "global plan of action that embodies our vision of human settlements, our vision of the common future." Participants at the conference amount to 15 thousand, including 8,500 foreign guests. This figure is about half the number realistically expected to come to Istanbul. However, Ayman El-Amir, the UN Secretary General's Spokesman, pointed out that the figure excluded those involved in "parallel activities" outside the "conference valley", including many NGO representatives, delegates still to arrive (including those coming to the three-day "high-level segment" of heads of state and government next Wednesday), and family members staying as tourists in Istanbul. /All papers/
SLOVAKIA'S INTERIOR MINISTER ARRIVES IN ANKARA
Ludovit Hudek, Slovakia's interior minister, has arrived in Ankara as the official guest of Interior Minister Ulku Guney. Hudek will pay a visit to Guney this evening, and will attend a meeting at the General Directorate of Security after his visit to Anitkabir, the Ataturk Mausoleum, on Thursday. Hudek will visit the president of the Police Academy on June 7 and depart from Turkey the same day. /All papers/
INTENSE CONTACTS UNDERWAY FOR OPERATION PROVIDE COMFORT
Following Defence Minister Oltan Sungurlu's visit to the US, US Ambassador Marc Grossman paid a call on opposition Democratic Left Party (DSP) Chairman Bulent Ecevit yesterday. Before the government takes a final decision on the Operation Provide Comfort (OPC), the Turkey-based multinational relief force for the northern Iraqi Kurds, the mandate for which expires at the end of the current month, Sungurlu will reportedly have another meeting with US Defence Secretary William Perry at the NATO Defence Planning Committee meeting scheduled to take place on June 13.
Accompanied by two diplomats, one of them the embassy counsellor, Ambassador Grossman had a 75-minute meeting with Ecevit at the latter's office in Parliament at noon yesterday. Assessed at the meeting was the "regional security plan" recently proposed by the DSP. The US ambassador reportedly referred to certain steps taken in the direction sought by Turkey, and asked the DSP to agree to a further renewal of the OPC mandate. /All papers/
10 PKK MILITANTS KILLED IN SOUTHEAST
Security forces have killed 10 PKK militants and captured three alive in operations in Southeast Anatolia. Five other militants surrendered to the security forces. Meanwhile four militants, one a woman, members of an illegal organization, were also captured. Weapons, bullets, a cordless telephone, counterfeit identity cards and other documents were found in locations revealed by the terrorists. The security forces also captured three people who had supplied the PKK with weapons in Mardin's Midyat district. Meanwhile, 20 supporters of the PKK terrorist organization have been arrested in Brussels. /Sabah/
AEROSPORTS '97 TO BE HELD IN TURKEY
The first World Aviation Games, organized by the Turkish Aviation Institute (THK) and Federation of Aviation International (FAI), will be held in Turkey on September 13-21, 1997, the Anatolia news agency reported. About 4,000 sportsmen from 75 countries are expected to participate in Aerosports '97. It is reported that Professor Atilla Tacoy, chairman of THK, has been named as the head of the organization committee. /All papers/
MAGAZINE FOR TURKS IN EUROPE PUBLISHED
The first issue of Anadolu, a monthly magazine published by a group of journalists living in Europe and Turkey which will be distributed especially in Western Europe, has gone on sale this week in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Dolunay Uluc, editor of Anadolu magazine, said that they had planned to present the first issue to Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who is in Brussels, and added: "We have published, with great effort, a magazine which will reflect Turkish-EU relations, which will establish communication between European Turks and Turkey, and which is devoted to Ataturk's principles". /All papers/
TURK MARITIME TRADE GROWING
During the last ten years Turkish maritime trade has grown 2.5 times over. During the same period Turkey's place in world listings has gone up from 27th to 16th. Representatives in the shipping sector say that by the year 2000 they want to be 10th in the list.
During 1995, the Turkish shipping sector secured five billion dollars in foreign exchange with a maritime fleet of eighteen cargo vessels. Sector leaders said yesterday that they were exerting every effort to boost Turkey's place in international shipping markets and that new markets in luxury yacht production were being developed. /Sabah/
GREECE STIRS UP ANOTHER ISLAND CONTROVERSY
In what looks at first like a storm in a teacup, Greece has taken issue over the small island of Gavdos, just off the southern end of Crete. Greece now wants to involve this small island, with a population of only three hundred, in a battle over whose sovereignty it lies underjust like the still unresolved question regarding the Kardak islets in the Aegean Sea.
Turkey is already involved in sovereignty issues with the Greeks and sees this latest ploy by Athens as a continuation of the Kardak dispute. Turkey has been obliged to voice its opinions over Greek claims of sovereignty over Gavdos because of the NATO "Dynamic Mixed" exercises planned for September in the area around Crete. /Milliyet/
MOVES TO BEEF UP LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
Steps are being taken to present to the Interior Ministry and the Cabinet draft bills on seven new regional administrations and the funding needed to support them. The idea is to reinforce local administration in
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Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
DEMIREL WARNS AGAINST 'POLITICS IN THE MOSQUE OR BARRACKS'
President Suleyman Demirel warned yesterday that politics and religion were different things, and that politics should not be permitted to "enter the mosque or the barracks". "If you spill politics into the mosques you would be dividing the Muslims. You would be dividing the people of this country. No one should come between God and believers" Demirel said. But he underlined the importance of "fredom of belief and conscience, the most valuable of all the freedoms in Turkey. If Turkey managed to ensure that differentation it would be able protect its secular republic and its "indivisible unity" he stressed.
Speaking at the general assembly of the Journalists' Association yesterday, at a meeting held to mark the 50th anniversary of the association, Demirel summed up the history of the Turkish Republic. /Sabah/
TURKEY SAYS ACCORD WITH ISRAEL THREATENS NO ONE
Turkey has repeated that the accord it concluded with Israel last February for cooperation between the two countries in the area of military training is not directed against any other country. Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Omer Akbel said yesterday that the accord, which has caused so much controversy in the Arab world as well as Turkey's Islamist circles, was merely a "routine agreement". Akbel was responding to questions during a regular press briefing on the call by the leaders of Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to review the accord.
Akbel said during his briefing for foreign media that the accord with Israel was similar to accords Turkey had concluded with Arab countries such as Egypt. He also confirmed Israeli reports that Turkish air force pilots had been receiving training in Israel under the framework of this agreement. He said 12 Turkish planes had flown in Israel and had since returned. Israeli President Ezer Weizman might meet his Turkish counterpart, Suleyman Demirel, during a visit to Turkey on Tuesday, Akbel added. Weizman will be in Istanbul today to attend a UN conference on human settlements. He is also expected to meet Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. Akbel noted that nearly 30 heads of state and government, including Palestinian Head of State Yasser Arafat, would attend the Habitat Leaders Summit. /Cumhuriyet-Hurriyet/
TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN SIGN MILITARY AGREEMENT
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Major General Sefer Abiyev and Turkish Chief of General Staff General Ismail Hakki Karadayi yesterday signed a military agreement in Ankara. The agreement calls for technical, scientific and educational cooperation between the military establishments of the two countries. Under the agreement, the two countries will also cooperate with each other with respect to the social, medical and cultural aspects of the military.
Abiyev said that the agreement marked a historic event for his country and that he believed the agreement would create a strong foundation for the further development of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Karadayi, in return, stressed that Turkey wanted Azerbaijan, which speaks the same language as Turkey and shares a similar culture, to be successful in every field. "Azerbaijan, with its strategic location, oil reserves and pipelines, has emerged as a very important country in recent years" Karadayi emphasized.
Sungurlu, who received his Azerbaijani counterpart earlier in the day, noted that Turkey wanted to see peace and stability in the Caucasus and Azerbaijan. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKEY ELECTED TO ILO BOARD
Elections to the board of the International Labour Organization (ILO) were held yesterday as part of the 83rd ILO International Labour Conference in Geneva. The Turkish government has been elected a titular member of the ILO Board for the first time since 1957. Bayram Meral, chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is), has been elected a reserve member while Kubilay Atasayar, general-secretary of the Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions (TISK), has also been elected to the board.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Emin Kul said that the elections to the board of such a significant organization showed the importance attached to Turkey on the international level. Meral and Atasayar said that it was an important development that Turkey would now be represented at the ILO both as government and as organizations of employees and employers. Turkey will serve on the board until 1999. /Hurriyet/
TURKISH TREASURY SIGNS $500 MILLION BOND ISSUE
The Turkish Treasury signed an agreement in London on June 7 with the US finance house J.P.Morgan and the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS) whereby its bonds can be sold to European and Far Eastern investors. Speaking at the signing ceremony the general director of the foreign trade department of the Turkish Treasury, Aydin Karaoz, said that due to the sound borrowing policies followed by the Turkish Treasury, foreign entrepreneurs were confident about Turkey, and that the June agreement on bond sales was an indication of this confidence.
"With this sale of bonds, Turkey will have a financial capability worth $500 million in the Far East and in Europe. What is more important is that we have three years to pay it back, and the interest we got is the lowest ever, at 6.25 %" he added. Karaoz, speaking later at a luncheon, said that the structure of the Turkish economy had unique features and potentials which were hardly shared by any other country. Anthony Best from J.P.Morgan said that they had chosen Turkey this year beacuse of the developments it had achieved in the region, which he described as increasing the trustworthiness of Turkey from the financial institutions' point of view. /All papers/
TURKEY SUBMITS NATIONAL REPORT TO HABITAT II
Yesterday, Turkey's National Committee presented its national report and plan of action to the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements Habitat II, the head of Turkey's Mass Housing Administration (TOKI) declared at a press conference in Istanbul. Flanked by conference secretary general Wally N'Dow and National Advisory Board president Ilhan Tekeli, TOKI president Yigit Guloksuz declared that the 155-page report aimed at "finding good solutions" to Turkey's settlements issues. N'Dow described the report as "one of the most thorough" submitted to the conference. Each of the nearly 140 countries participating in the conference will present a national report to Habitat II that will serve as raw material for a global plan of action.
The recommendations of the National report reflected the expertise of nearly 300 organizations, three-quarters of which were non-governmental bodies or civic societies. Top officials of national and local governments, senior members of the academic and scientific world, representatives of trade unions, public institutions and professional associations and NGOs comprise the Turkish National Committee. /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/
ILO: UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER ONE PROBLEM FOR WORLD'S CITIES
In its new report for Habitat II, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has claimed that urban unemployment will be the number one problem facing the world's cities next century. The ILO estimates that 1.2 billion job seekers will come on the world labour market by the year 2025, and most of these jobs will have to be created in cities, as the share of nonagricultural employment has grown by 93 % in the last four decades and now accounts for 40 % of all employment in developing countries - a trend that means that by the year 2000, "one-half of humanity will be living and working in cities, with developing countries accounting for the major share of the world's new urban population" according to ILO Deputy Director general, Katherine Hagen.
To formalize the ILO's thoughts on the unemployment crisis, the organization is presenting to Habitat II an "Urban Employment Charter", which has been prepared by worker, employer and government organizations from 20 different countries. The Charter calls for the mobilization of additional financial resources at local, national and international levels, and for municipal authorities to evaluate policies with a view to maximizing their impact on employment, while responding to social needs and improving the urban environment, for, as Katherine Hagen states, "only the generation of productive employment can break the vicious circle of urban poverty that is taking root in cities worldwide". /Cumhuriyet/
HERITAGE FOUNDATION WARNS TURKEY ABOUT RUSSIA
The American Heritage Foundation has reported that Gennady Zyuganov and Vladimir Jirinovsky, hard-line Russian leaders, see Turkey as the enemy of Russia. In a report by the Foundation, details of a report prepared for the Nationalist-Communist alliance which supports communist leader Gennady Zyuganov in the Russian presidential election to be held on June 16 are given.
The foundation says that the report was prepared by prominent defence and security experts including Boris Yeltsin's advisers. The foundation has stated that the report, noting that the Turkish naval fleet is stronger than the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, says that Turkey threatens Russian interests by unilaterally changing the status of the Bosphorus straits. The report claims that Turkey tries to influence Central Asian countries by using various threats against Armenia. The report also claims that Turkey supports Chechnya, Azerbaijan and military-nationalist organizations in other countries, the foundation claims. The Heritage Foundation has stated that the report calls on Russia to increase nuclear deterrent power and to give priority to developing strategic nuclear power. /Hurriyet/
TURKEY LIKELY TO ATTEND EU SUMMIT
Reports say that Turkey is planning to attend an upcoming EU Summit on June 22 in Florance, Italy. Turkey will meet with
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Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
DEMIREL AND WEIZMAN DISCUSS PEACE PROCESS
President Suleyman Demirel and visiting Israeli President Ezer Weizman met in Istanbul yesterday and discussed the Middle East peace process in the wake of Israel's general elections. Israeli Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu said that under his leadership Israel's policy toward Turkey would continue unchanged, and gave this message to Weizman to extend to Demirel. It is reported that after visiting the US in the near future, Netanyahu will also pay a visit to Turkey.
Weizman, in Turkey for Habitat II, told reporters after the one-hour meeting at the Lutfi Kirdar Congress Centre that the peace process would continue, despite the election of Likud bloc leader Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel's new prime minister. Weizman also said the Arab nations need not fear an Israeli military agreement with Turkey. "This is a military training agreement not a military pact. If they, the Arab nations, believe the two countries will stage a grand attack on Syria, this is absolutely stupid" he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto arrived in Istanbul yesterday to attend the Habitat II City Summit. Bhutto met President Demirel and will meet Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. She said: "We will exchange views regarding bilateral, regional and international problems".
While the Tanzanian Deputy Head of State came to Istanbul the previous day, heads of state of Albania, Kenya, Uganda, Bulgaria, prime ministers of Burundi, Gine Bissau, Cibuti and Armenia and deputy prime ministers of Lesotho, Turkmenistan, Moldova and the People's Republic of China arrived in Istanbul yesterday.
Istanbul has been included in the Mega-Cities project which aims to bring common solutions to common problems by an exchange of experience among big cities of the world. The Mega-Cities project, which was drawn up by Dr.Janice Perlman in 1986, celebrated its 10th anniversary in Habitat and included Istanbul as the 19th Mega-City. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
DEFENCE MINISTER SUNGURLU VISITS BELGIUM
Defence Minister Oltan Sungurlu is going to Brussels to attend NATO meetings there and a dinner in which the defence ministers of the European countries will participate. Sungurlu will attend meetings of the Defence Planning Committee, the Nuclear Planning Group and the North Atlantic Council on June 13. On June 14, Sungurlu will attend a meeting of defence ministers, and return on June 15. /All papers/
GERMANY WARNS GREECE ABOUT ANTI-TURKEY VETO
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, speaking to his Greek counterpart Theodoros Pangalos, warned that Greece should stop trying to block the road to customs union with Turkey.
Talking with Pangalos in Berlin, Kinkel said that Germany did not want to see the present tension between Turkey and Greece continue. In order to put relations on a better footing, Kinkel recommended that Greece review its stance about its veto against European Union (EU) financial aid to Turkey through the customs union agreement. Hurriyet/
ARMENIA SUPPORTS FULL EU MEMBERSHIP FOR TURKEY
Just prior to making a three day official visit to France, Armenian Head of State Levon Ter Petrosyan said that his country would welcome Turkey's full membership in the European Union. Petrosyan said that Armenia too would benefit from Turkey's inclusion in the Union. /Hurriyet/
GONENSAY COMMENTS ON AEGEAN SITUATION
Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay, commenting on the Aegean Sea situation, said that problems in the region stemmed from uncertainties. He noted that Turkey had not given way in the region, but rather, was still open to dialogue and was ready to reach a compromise agreement. Stressing this point, Gonensay said that "this was the only way to solve the problem."
Shortly after making his comments, Gonensay set off for Luxembourg preparatory to attending an EU meeting in Florence, Italy, where it appears that the Greek veto against Turkey will be taken up at higher levels. Gonensay has already informed the EU meeting that Greece has done its best to foment problems with Turkey-first by creating the Kardak islets problem and then by raising the question of sovereignty over the Gavdos island near Crete. /All papers/
RED CERSCENT CELEBRATES 129TH ANNIVERSARY
Kemal Demir, chairman of the Red Crescent, said that the number of blood donations is rising but the organization needs more. At a press conference called on the occasion of the 129th anniversary of the Red Crescent, Demir said that the organization was working on establishing a site from where the whole country's blood product needs could be met. Demir said that a medical centre would be opened in Istanbul in one or two months time and that the Red Crescent had sent medical materials, in the range of 12,850 tons, to 15 countries since the beginning of 1995 and added that they had sent about 10,000 tons of food, medicine, medical materials and clothing to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
President Suleyman Demirel sent a celebratory message to Demir in which he said that the Red Crescent carried out its services not only in Turkey but also abroad giving help to anybody, no matter what nationality or religion they were. "The Red Crescent has given aid worth over $200 million to 42 different countries in the last five years. It has also given money aid, in different amounts, to 24 other countries" Demirel said. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz also sent a congratulatory message to Demir. "The Red Crescent is a symbol of solidarity, equality and kindness. We are proud of it due to its efforts to improve tolerance, friendship, respect and peace between people" Yilmaz said. /All papers/
AUTO INDUSTRY EXPORTS UP 48 % IN JANUARY-MAY
Exports by Turkish motor vehicle and parts producers rose by 48 % in January-May 1996 to $575 million from $387.38 million in the same 1995 period, the Association of Turkish Automotive Industry (OSD) said in a statement. Exports of motor vehicles made up $244.05 million of the total amount, up 132 % from January-May 1995. Automotive parts exports increased by 17 % to $330.96 million over the same period.
Bus exports boomed by 179 % up to $82.47 million in the first five months of 1996 from a previous $29.59 million. Car exports leapt by 169 % to $141.3 million from $52.6 million in the first five months of last year. Turkish automotive exports rose sharply to $1.19 billion in 1995 from $750.3 million in 1994. /All papers/
AZERI PRESIDENT ALIYEV LAUDS ANKARA-BAKU TIES
President of Azerbaijan, Haydar Aliyev, said yesterday that relations between his country and Turkey were unique in the world and added that these relations were based on "special factors". Aliyev made these remarks while receiving a delegation from the Turkish Parliament which is in Baku to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC). Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan had been trying over the past five years under very tough conditions to preserve its independence. He said that the biggest obstacle facing them today was the dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian enclave within Azerbaijan. Aliyev stated that his country obtained the most support for its position vis-a-vis this problem from Turkey.
Speaking on behalf of the Turkish delegation, Kamer Genc, a deputy speaker for the Parliament, said that Turkey considered Azerbaijan's problems as if they were its own problems. Genc said that the two countries had to support each other in every international forum. /All papers/
12 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
Turkish security forces killed 12 militants of the PKK terrorist organization during separate clashes in the southeast of Turkey, security officials said yesterday. The emergency rule regional governor's office said in a statement that 12 PKK terrorists were killed in Bitlis, Hakkari, Diyarbakir and Tunceli provinces. The statement did not say when the clashes took place but one PKK would-be bomber was killed in Tunceli on Monday when a crude device she was carrying exploded. /All papers/
TURKISH NAVAL FORCES STAGE EXERCISES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Reports say that the area of the Turkish Naval Forces' "Sea Wolf-2/96" military exercises in international waters of the east Mediterranean has been extended.
"Saa Wolf" exercises, which started under the command of Admiral Salim Dervisoglu, the fleet commander, on June 6, are planned to continue for three weeks contrary to the previous years' two-week period. The "Sea Wolf" war games will end on June 28. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH - WORKING LANGUAGE OF BSECO
Turkish has been accepted as the working language of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSECO). Prior to the meeting of the BSECO Parliamentary Assembly that will start tomorrow in Baku, the Permanent Committee has convened to discuss organizational issues. During the meeting, the Permanent Committee accepted Russian, French and Turkish as the organization's working languages. English is the official language of BSECO. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKEY ELECTED MEMBER OF ILO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
During the 83rd General Assembly meeting of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Turkey was elected to membership in the Organization's Board of Directors. Labour Minister Emin Kul noted that this was an indication of Turkey's prestige in the international arena. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH TELECOM BREAKS OFF RELATIONS WITH FRENCH TELECOM
Turkish Telecom has broken off relations with its French counterpart on the grounds that the French company has continued its cooperation with MED TV owned by the PKK terrorist organization. Following warnings by Turkey, French Telecom did not renew its agreement with MED TV, but rented a Portuguese transponder for the same channel instead.
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
TURKEY UNDER WEAPONS THREAT
As officials from NATO member countries meet in Brussels, a new NATO report shows how Turkey is one of the most threatened countries in the region-living under the shadow of weapons of mass destruction in surrounding countries.
The NATO report notes that Turkey is actually threatened on all sides, with Syria, Iran and Iraq posing the biggest threats. The report is mainly about containing the spread of nuclear, chemical, biological and other weapons of mass destruction, but mentions Turkey as being one of the countries in the world facing a serious threat from the use of these weapons. /Sabah/
US VOTE ON FOREIGN AID
The US House of Representatives has voted through proposals on which countries will benefit from the US Economic Support Fund (ESF). Israel and Egypt again figure prominently, but because of the issues created by the Armenian and Greek lobbies in Washington, Turkey has been given a package that has been reduced by 25 million dollars.
Turkish Ambassador to Washington, Nuzhet Kandemir, has already sent a note of protest to top US officials including Warren Christopher and Newt Gingrich, which says that Turkey is not prepared to accept the aid package on the terms that Washington is offering it. /Cumhuriyet/
DEMIREL SENDS SHARP NOTE TO SAUDIS
In answer to criticisms from Saudi Arabia about the military training agreement between Turkey and Israel, President Suleyman Demirel has sent a sharply worded note to the Saudis. The note makes it clear that the Saudis have missed the point of the agreement, and that if they want to do something about saving the situation in the Middle East, then they would be better occupied with complaining about Syrian connections with the PKK terrorist organization, instead of objecting to normal procedures between Turkey and Israel. /Milliyet/
GREECE TRIES TO TAKE GAVDOS ISLAND ISSUE TO US
Greek Defence Minister Gerassimos Arsenis said that they would complain to US Secretary of Defence William Perry about Gavdos island over which Ankara and Athens are at odds. The crisis over Gavdos island arose when Turkish military officials asked during the planning of a NATO exercise two weeks ago that the inhabited island of Gavdos south of Crete should not be included in the maneuvers because it was disputed territory.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has found out that there are many islands in the Aegean that are "no man's land". Along with islands, to which Greek nationality has been apportioned through bilateral or international agreements, there are many other islands, islets and rocks belonging to no one, but which are seen by Greece as being part of its own territory. Foreign Ministry officials have noted that Turkey was willing to resort to the jurisdiction of a third party to decide the sovereignty of the islands in question. Turkey is refraining from announcing the names of the problem islands. Nevertheless, Foreign Ministry officials have pointed out that in case of extreme Greek attitudes, such as adopting a 12-mile limit, Turkey reserves the right to make known the names of these islands.
Athens is trying to reduce the escalating tension in its relations with Turkey. Taking a step back, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said that the "modernization" programme in the Greek army was not aimed at touching off a war with Turkey, but at deterring possible aggression. Commenting on the statement of Turkish Foreign Minister Emre Gonensay, Reppas said that Turkey should support its good intentions with acts. "We are willing to develop friendly relations with Turkey, but Turkey should abandon policies threatening Greek security. We have proposed improving Turco-Greek dialogue step by step, and we expect Turkey to accept our proposal" Reppas noted. /Milliyet-Sabah/
TURKEY DISAPPOINTED BY CHINESE NUCLEAR TESTS
Turkey is disappointed by the recent nuclear tests carried out by China, a written statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. The statement says that at the UN Disarmament Conference discussion of the banning of nuclear testing is gaining speed. "While international public opinion is looking for the conclusion of this agreement, the nuclear tests of China disappoint us" the statement said. "We hope that these tests will not harm the discussion process and we are expecting China's support for the banning of nuclear testing". /All papers/
HABITAT II CONFERENCE
During its first seven days, participants in the second UN Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II, statements made by officials from 140 nations and representatives of public and private organizations, all aimed at coming up with answers to the manifold problems of urbanization. However, Wednesday morning, in his keynote speech at the first session of the conference's "high-level segment" with heads of state and government and cabinet ministers participating, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali rose not to suggest solutions but to raise questions. "How do we improve the governance and financing of human settlements?" Ghali asked. "Which policies can improve the living and working conditions of the poor, of families and communities? How can economic growth and employment opportunities be greatly expanded in cities without long-term environmental damage and waste of the planet's natural resources? How do we provide both town and countryside with scarce resources? How do we provide affordable housing and services to the world's growing population?". Ghali added: "The decisions taken at the Istanbul Conference should be implemented in the coming conferences".
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, in welcoming the delegates, said the previous seven days had "plainly revealed" four points: *The issues related to human settlements lie at the very core of both economic growth and sustainable development. *The problems associated with 'adequate shelter for all' and 'sustainable human settlements' in a rapidly urbanizing and globalizing world are common challenges faced by all countries, in varying degrees. *There remains much ground that needs to be covered, both at the national and international levels, in order to resolve these problems. It is imperative that existing policies are reviewed and new ones formulated and implemented at the national levels and that effective cooperation, collaboration and solidarity are enhanced at the international level. *It is essential to mobilize all available resources and exert every effort, taking into account the needs of all groups, including those of women, children and the elderly, as well as to incorporate as broadly as possible every component of society, ranging from parliaments to the private sector and local administrations to non-governmental organizations, in the activities aimed at redressing these problems.
Meanwhile, Head of State of Cuba, Fidel Castro will come to Turkey to attend the Habitat II City Summit. He will deliver a speech at the Habitat II General Council. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Abbas Cumagulov and Burundi Prime Minister Antone Nduwayo arrived in Istanbul yesterday to attend the Habitat II Conference Leaders Summit. President Demirel gave a banquet in honour of guest leaders at the Dolmabahce Palace yesterday. /Hurriyet-Cumhuriyet/
WEIZMAN LAUDS TURKISH-ISRAELI TIES
Israeli President Ezer Weizman began his speech at the Habitat II Conference by referring to "my dear friend, President Suleyman Demirel" (as head of state of the host country, Demirel was chairing the session). Then, after reviewing his country's urban progammes and efforts to absorb immigrants, the Israeli President noted that he had "come to know, appreciate and admire the Turkish state, the Turkish people and the leader of these people, President Demirel".
The "close and warm friendship" between the Demirels and Weizmans, forged during an earlier exchange of visits, "is an accurate reflection of the relations between our peoples and countries" which have recently "improved rapidly and impressively in diverse ways". He pointed to the existence of a "regular dialogue" between the two nations' political leadership and cooperation "for the economic well-being of both of our peoples". Israelis consider Turkey an "important, central, stabilizing and positive factor" Weizman stressed, mentioning support for "Turkey's wish to join the EU" and awareness of "Turkey's special relations with the new republics in Central Asia and the Caucasus". And, as a Middle Eastern nation, he continued, "we identify Turkey as a country that shares our democratic and progressive values- values that, unfortunately, have not been accepted throughout this complex region". Weizman also met with Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday.
Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Romanian President Ion Iliescu also delivered speeches at the session. /Hurriyet-Milliyet/
72 PKK MILITANTS KILLED
Turkish security forces have killed 72 militants of the PKK terrorist organization for the loss of six soldiers in separate clashes in southeast Turkey, security forces said yesterday. The regional governor's office in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir said the fighting took place in the provinces of Hakkari, Bitlis, Bingol and Sirnak. It did not say when the clashes occurred. The heaviest clashes were near the mountainous border with northern Iraq where 39 terrorists were killed, the office said in a statement. "Operations will continue until the separatist, terrorist organization is rendered completely ineffective" the statement said. /Sabah/
SEA WOLF-2/96 AND EFES-96 MILITARY EXERCISES CONTINUE
The second part of the Sea Wolf-2/96 military exercise ended with the warships' return to their ports yesterday as the armed forces' joint exercise Efes-96 completed the "Pioneer Force
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Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
HABITAT II FINISHES TODAY
Billed as the "last great conference of the century" the UN sponsored Habitat II conference on human settlements and improvement of urban living draws to a close today.
The conference will end in a fanfare of closing ceremonies in the evening that will include fireworks displays, receptions and a twenty-one gun salute. The displays and water traffic, celebrations and gatherings of top officials from many countries will close the Bosphorus Bridge to all traffic for two hours. Vehicles still on the move during the late hours of Friday evening and early Saturday morning, will have the options of using other bridges or extended ferry-boat services between Sirkeci and Harem. /All papers/
BUSY DAY FOR DEMIREL
Today will be an exceptionally busy day for President Suleyman Demirel, who has already been more than occupied with chairing large segments of the conference. As the end looms up, today will see the final plans and the Istanbul Declaration passed by the government leaders attending the vital closing sessions. President Demirel has already been involved in many talks with various heads of state and government leaders, and his programme will be just as heavy today.
One leader who arrived yesterday attracting huge attention was Cuban leader Fidel Castro. During his first visit to Istanbul, Castro has already spoken with President Demirel and Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz. During his talks with Yilmaz, Castro invited him to Cuba. Yilmaz said in turn that Turkey was ready to sign agreements to further trade ties with Cuba. Castro later attended a reception given by President Demirel. /All papers/
TURKISH BUSINESSMEN INVITED TO WEST BANK
Also attending the final segment Leaders Summit, special representative of Yasser Arafat, Marwan Abdelhamid, also spoke with President Demirel. He later spoke to the Turkish press and issued an invitation to Turkish businessmen to look more closely at Palestinian developments and share in the reconstruction work and new projects planned by his government.
Following his interviews with the press and other Turkish officials, Abdelhamid said that he would leave Turkey with hopes that Turkey would help to secure a bright future for the Palestinian people in certain vital areas. /All papers/
DEMIREL SUPPORTS YELTSIN IN RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Reports say that Turkish President Suleyman Demirel supports Yeltsin against communist leader Zuganov at the weekend Russian presidential elections. It is also reported that President Demirel, who is closely following the Russian presidential elections, discussed the elections during his contacts with leaders who are in Istanbul for the HABITAT II Conference. /Milliyet/
SUPPORT FOR BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE
Turkey, which is proposing Baku-Ceyhan overland pipeline to carry Azeri oil to world markets, will start talks with the World Bank in the middle of July for realization of the pipeline.
The World Bank plans to carry-out a feasibility study costing $5 million of the pipeline proposal, for which construction is expected to be 2.5 billion dollars.
A World Bank delegation held talks with Turkish officials and discussed construction of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline during their contacts in Ankara last week. /Cumhuriyet/
TURKISH PILOTS EXONERATED
According to a report by the US Department of Air Safety, the Turkish pilots flying a Boeing passenger plane on lease to the Turkish Birgenair air company which crashed into the sea with the loss of 189 lives, have been shown to be blameless.
Instead, the report actually blames Boeing for failing to provide proper warning systems in the pilot's cabin and flight deck. The recent plane crash happened because the pilots were misinformed about flight conditions the report claims. /Hurriyet/
CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN TO VISIT ANKARA
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman will visit Ankara at the invitation of Turkish President Suleyman Demirel and the two countries will sign a military cooperation agreement as well as tourism, technology and science cooperation agreements. Croatia considers a military cooperation agreement with Turkey very important to its goal of becoming a member of NATO, particularly because Turkey has a lot of experience as a NATO member.
President Tudjman will visit Ankara for two days on June 19-20 with Defence Minister Gojko Susak and Foreign Minister Mate Granic. During the visit, a protocol will also be signed, which will enable the Turkish International Cooperation Agency to open a bureau in Zagreb. Recent developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina will be discussed during the talks where the Turkish side will reportedly try to promote the importance of strengthening the Bosnian-Croat Federation. /Cumhuriyet/
STATE DEPARTMENT GRATEFUL FOR TURKISH TRAINING OF BOSNIANS
The US State Department praised Turkish efforts to train Bosnians in Turkey and denied that Washington had told Ankara to stop its training programme. Ideally, "we would have preferred that the training would have been delayed until the last foreign fighter left Bosnia" admitted State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns. But now that "the Turks had started", the US was determined "to accentuate the positive" he said. "Turkey is a major supporter of the US initiative. Once the last foreign fighter leaves, then we will initiate our programme. The Turks will be a great part of that" he said.
"We are grateful for the support of the Turks" Burns added. "Turks are acting consistently with European values. I think that some of the other European countries want to emulate Turkey in this regard". "However, we would appreciate no further initiatives by the Turks until the last foreign fighter has left" he said. /Sabah/
LABOUR MINISTER PROMOTES ILO
Labour Minister Emin Kul said fighting against unemployment and inequalities is the first and foremost mission of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Speaking at the ILO's 83rd plenary session in Geneva yesterday, Kul focused upon the cooperation between Turkey and the ILO; in this respect he indicated improvements had occurred putting Turkey in a bridge position between the newly independent Central Asian Republics and the ILO. He stated Turkey strongly desired that an ILO Information Centre project in Turkey should be completed as soon as possible.
Kul also pointed out Turkey's efforts to make working conditions and social rights compatible with the ILO's standards, not only by accepting the ILO's contract, but also by reflecting it in internal law. He commented on Turkey's ongoing projects to achieve employment security and unemployment insurance. A reform of the public personnel system and the clarification of public officials' union rights have already been completed, Kul said at the end of his speech. /All papers/
CLINTON CONCERNED ABOUT TURKISH-GREEK TENSION
US President Bill Clinton, appearing on Wednesday at a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and European Commission President Jacques Santer, was asked a question on the "heightened tension between Greece and Turkey". After saying that he had not discussed the matter with Santer or Prodi, Clinton added: "But I can tell you that I am very concerned about it. Both those nations are our allies and Europe's allies through NATO, and I believe that the future of the region which they both occupy would be immeasurably brighter if they can resolve their problems, and would be immeasurably darker if they cannot". "And so it's a source of great concern to me, and we have invested quite a bit of time on it in the last few months, and I expect to invest even more time on it in the months ahead, and if the people decide (on reelecting Clinton), in the years ahead. The resolution of the difficulties between Greece and Turkey is central to having the kind of future for Europe and particularly for the Mediterranean region that we want".
Meanwhile, commenting on the Greek TV channel ET-1 broadcast, US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns said on Wednesday: "I don't think there is a heightened prospect of any altercation or confrontation between Greece and Turkey". Burns noted that working out their problems was completely up to Turkey and Greece. He said that the US would help if it was asked to, "They know our address".
Turco-Greek tension also has angered NATO-member countries. Defence ministers of Canada, Germany, France and Portugal have given a message to Athens and Ankara saying: "You must solve your problems as soon as possible". The German Minister proposed mediation for the solution of problems between Turkey and Greece. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet/
ISRAEL DENIES ANTI-RP COMMENTS
Israel declared yesterday that the "internal affairs of Turkey interests only Turkey". A written statement from the Israeli Embassy in Ankara denied press reports that quoted Israeli President Ezer Weizman as saying that Israel wants the Islamist Welfare Party (RP) prevented from coming to power in Turkey. The statement added: "Israel is sure that a solution will be found (to the current political problem in Turkey) within the democratic process and is ready to cooperate with all the political parties".
Commenting on the alleged remark of Weizman, RP leader Necmettin Erbakan said he believed the words attributed to Weizman did not reflect the truth. He recalled that Weizman was a veteran politician who knew that he should not make such comments. /Cumhuriyet/
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASES BY 8.4 %
Production in the Turkish industrial sector increased by 8.4 % during the first three months of 1996 compared to the same period last year. According to a statement issued by the State Institute of Statistics (DIE) yesterday, industrial production increased by 12.1 % in the private sector and 1.4 % in the public sector,
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