<<>><<>><<>><<>>----------------------------------------<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>.....TURKISTAN NEWSLETTER...ISSN:--1386-6265....<<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>--------------------------------------------<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>........Editor/Manager: Mehmet Tutuncu......<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>......Business:S.Bogut,H.Savas..............<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>...Features: I. Noyan-Izmirli,Y. Puersuen...<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>......Technical: T. Ates, K. Cagiltay.......<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>>......Associate Editors: A.Baguirov, A. Eren,Z.Kadir....<<>><<>>
<<>><<>>....Editorial Board:Dr.Robert M.Cutler, Dr.H.M.Hubey....<<>><<>>
<<>><<>>........Dr.T.Kocaoglu, Dr.N.Sariahmetoglu...............<<>><<>>
<<>><<>>--------------------------------------------------------<<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>><<>>.....Volume:97-1:18---2--July--1997.....<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>>----------------------------------------------------------------<<>>
<>Uze kok tengri asra yagiz yer kilintukta ekin ara kisi ogli kilinmis<>
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<<>><<>>_______Archives of the Turkistan Newsletter are at:_____<<>><<>>
<<>><<>>___<http://www.euronet.nl/users/sota/turkistan.htm>_____<<>><<>>
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________1. Kyrgyz News -- Naryn Aiyp
Saga of the Russian language's official status--continued, Upcoming
visits from Japan, Russia, Germany, Press fights continue.
Yntymak pickets increase to 1,000 persons, Akaev's visit to the USA,
Otunbayeva dismissed as Foreign Minister, Parliament in recess.
Jangaracheva meets with Yntymak, New ethics code for journalists by
the Journalists Union.
________2. RFE/RL News and More -- Yanki Puersuen
Azeri agriculture, UN Aid to Nakhchivan, Dental prothesis to be
jointly produced in Turkmenistan, Azeri-Kazak cooperation, Turcology
conference in Ufa, Kazak economic stats, Turkish investments in
Turkish/Turkic republics, Azeri attempt at privatization, Daewoo in
Kazakstan, Russia objects to US survey plane in Kazakstan.
________3. TRH News -- Ahmet Toprak
Yilmaz forms new government, France and Turkey to enhance military
cooperation, Moratorium in the Aegean Sea, Growth rate of 5.7 %,
Turkey wants to be treated equally by the EU.
Story: Ciller's future -- Alistair Bell
________4. WWW site of the week-- Turkic and Germanic Runes
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#1
KYRGYZ NEWS - 29 JUNE 1997
1. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyz Parliament, Usup Mukambayev,
announced in Bishkek on 28 June that the issue on the Russian language in
Kyrgyzstan would be discussed in the Assembly on 30 June. 30 June will be both
the last day of the Parliament's session and the last day when the amendment
on the Russian could be made to the Constitution.
Constitutional court ruled on 30 December, 1996, that an amendment to the
Constitution, making the Russain an official language, could be made. To make
this decision valid, both Houses of the Parliament must approved it in
following 6 months - till 1 July, when the parliamentarian vacation begins.
People's Assembly (the other House of the Parliament) rejected the decision on
24 June: only 40 deputies voted for it. According to the Constitution,
amendmendts to it required 2/3 (47 votes) of the total numbers of the
Assembly (70 deputies). But government papers last week quoted Almambet
Matubraimov, speaker of the People's Assembly, saying that the amentdment
passed "in the first reading". ITAR TASS reported several times that the
Russian became the official language in Kyrgyzstan. Gennadiy Seleznev, speaker
of the Russian State Duma, said in Bishkek on 25 June Kyrgyz authorities had
promised him that the Russian would be an official language in any case.
Jamin Akimaliev, member of the People's Assembly, told in an interview, goven
to the RFE/RL on 27 June, that the decision did not pass the Parliament and
there could not be "the second reading" if the decision would not have passed
in "the first reading". Omurbek Tekebayev, member of the Legislative Assembly
and chairman of the Ata-Meken party, told our correspondent last week that
Legislative Assmbly might not consider the case, because it had not passed
through the other House.
President Askar Akayev has declared several times before that the Russian
would be an official language in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz language has been the
state language since 1989. Legislative Assembly asked the Constitutional court
in Februry to give an official explanatuion what is the difference between
state language and the official one. The Court answered this question should
be resolved by the State terminology commission. According to the local
observers, the Terminology commission has not gatheres last 1-1.5 years.
2. Parliament press service announced on 28 June that Japanese parliamentarian
delegation would visit Kyrgyzstan on 3 July. It will be led by Keizo Obuchi,
head of the committee on economics of the Japanese pariament. Japanese
deputies will meet with President Akayav, Prime minister Apas Joumagulov,
speakers of the both Houses of Kyrgyz Parliament.
3. Felix Kulov, Security minister, announced on 28 June that General Andrei
Nikolaev, director of the Russian Federal border guard service, will visit
Kyrgyzstan on 5-6 July. Frontier between Kyrgyzstan and China are guarded by
Kyrgyz and Russian border guards jointly. According to Kulov, the issue on
tensions between Russian border guards and residents of the Chong-Alai
district in the Osh region will be also discussed
4. An official from the Pervomai district court of the Bishkek city told our
correspoondent on 27 June that the trial against the editorial board of the
semi-governmental Kyrgyz Madaniyaty weekly, set for 27 June, was postponed for
3 July. Plaintiff in the case is Zamira Sydykova, chief editor of the
independent Res Publica weekly, who was accused of libeling and insulting
state company manager and convicted in May. She is serving 18 months of forced
labour in Bishkek.
Zydykova published a book, titled Democracy in the Kyrgyz Manner, early this
year and the Kyrgyz Madaniyaty reacted that the book had been written by
imbecile person. Sydykova accuses the paper of insulting her and demands a
compensation. Kyrgyz Madaniyatu attacked the Soros Foundation-Kyrgyzstan in
April, printing an open letter to George Soros and asking him whether he
supported democratic government of Kyrgyzstan or the opposition.
5. Interior ministry press service announced in Bishkek on 28 June that
several reporters with the German Spiegel magazine would come to Bishkek on 29
June. German journalists are interested in the drug traffic from Afghanistan
to the West through Kyrgyz territory. They will be received by Mukambetkalyi
Konkoshev, deputy Interior minister.
KYRGYZ NEWS - 30 JUNE 1997
1. About 1,000 people picketted the government building in Bishkek today. They
gathered in the Kyzyl-Asker outskirt of the city and marshed to the center.
Demonstration was organized by the Yntymak movement, which unites young
people, moved to the capital from countryside. Most of them are homeless
people, but, according to Nurlan Alymkulov, leader of the Movement, they work
in the city and pay taxes.
The movement organized two other pickets in front of the government building
on 2 and 5 June, demanding to resolve their erconomical problems. 300 to 500
people gathered on the central square at that time. Prime minister Apas
Joumagulov received their represenatives on 5 June and promised to help.
Joumagulov charged city administration with the problem and asked to give
homeless people plots on the vacant land outside of the city. Deputy mayor,
Abduraim Kulbayev, was appointed as executive for the issue.
Picketters declared today the city administration had sabotaged the Prime
minister's decision and demanded the resignation of the mayor, Boris Silayev.
According to them, city administration deceived the government, saying almost
nobody wanted to receive plots.
14 representatives of the demonstrators were invited into the government
building in the evening and vice prime minister, Mira Jangaracheva, holds a
meeting with them now.
2. Legislative Assembly decided today to postpone for the fall the
consideration of the issue on the status to the Russian in the country. The
issue was considerated at the Assembly this afternoon behind the closed doors.
No details of the discussuion has been announced yet.
According to the Cionstitution, the amendments to the Constitution on it must
be made untill 1 July. Constitutional Court ruled on 30 December, 1996, that
the amendment could be made. To make the decision valid, both Houses of the
Parliament must to approved it in following 6 months. The other House of the
Parliament, People's Assembly, rejected to give the Russian an official status
on 24 June, but some authorities and Russian-language papers declared last
week that the decision was passed in the Parliament "in the first reading".
Speaker of the People's Assembly, Almambet Matubraimov, stated on 25 June
there would be "second reading", but did not elaborated, when. According to
some members of Parliament, there could not be "second reading" if the
decision would not have passed in "first reading".
According to the Constitution, all constitutional amendments are required 2/3
of the total Parliament members' votes. There are 70 members in the People's
Assembly and only 40 of them supported the decision on giving the Russian an
official status. 47 (two thirds of the 70) were required. The Kyrgyz has been
a state language in Kyrgyzstan since 1989. According to the 5th clause of the
Constitution, any restriction of the citizens' rights, based on not-speaking
the state language, is prohibited. About 600,000 Russians (13% of the total
population of 4.5 million) live in Kyrgyzstan now.
3. President press secretary, Kanybek Imanaliev, announced in Bishkek today
President Askar Akayev will visit the U.S. on 9-15 July. Delegation, led by
the President, will arrive to New York on 9 June. President Akayev will meet
U.N. Secretary General, Kofi Annan; World Bank president James Wolfensohn; IMF
executive secretary Michael Camdessus. In Washington, Akayev will meet with
the U.S. President Bill Clinton, vice president Al Gore, State secretary
Madeline Albright.
Agreements on cooperation between U.S. and Kyrgyz government, between
Kyrgyzstan and the U.S. Eximbank will be signed.
4. President press service announced in Bishkek on 30 June that President
Akayev will meet with the chief editors of the all papers, published in
Bishkek, on 2 July.
5. Foreign minister, Roza Otunbayeva, announced in Bishkek today the issue on
return of all Tajik refugees on the Kyrgyz territory to Tajikistan would be
considered by a special joint commission, formed by Kyrgyz and Tajik
governments. Peace accord between the Tajik government and opposition was
signed in Moscow on 27 June and Otunbayeva took part in the final session of
the negotiations as observer. Otunbayeva mentioned today that Kyrgyz
ambassador to Tajikistan, Erik Asanaliev, has been included in the Tajik
reconciliation commission.
There are about 15,000 registered refugees from Tajikistan in the country.
Total number of them is estimated as about 60,000.
6. Legislative Aseembly of the Parliament postponed the decision on the
activity of the government till the autumn session today, Parliament press
service announced. It discussed the issue on 27-30 June and some deputies
found the government activity as unsatisfactory. 30 June was the last working
day for the Kyrgyz Parliament. Next session will be opened late in September
or in October. The other House, People's Assembly, might work for additional
1-2 days this week.
7. Prime minister, Joumagulov, held a government meeting today, devoted to the
fight against crime in the country, government press service announced.
According to Joumagulov, there were 182 murders and 1,200 crimes, linked with
drugs, in the 5 months of 1997. Wild marihuana grows on 60,000 hectares of
Kyrgyz territory.
KYRGYZ NEWS - 1 JULY 1997
1. President Askar Akayev dissmissed Roza Otunbayev from the post of the
Foreign minister today. According to the peresident press service, he signed a
decree on it on 1 July. Otunbayeva is replaced by Muratbek Imanaliev, head of
the international departlemt of the President administration. No reason of it
has been announced in Bishkek.
Otunbayeva, 47, was foreign minister and vice prime minister of Kyrgyzstan in
soviet period, then worked as a chairwoman of the UNESCO commission in the
Foreign ministry of the USSR in Moscow. She was appointed again as foreign
minister, replacing Imanaliev, in 1992. Then she was dismissed the same year
and appointed as Kyrgyz ambassador to the U.S. and Canada. In May, 1994, she
was appointed as Foreign minister again.
Imanaliyev, 41, was the first Kyrgyz foreign minister after Independence in
1991. He was replaced by Otunbayeva and then was appointed as Kyrgyz
ambassador to China in 1994. In december, 1996, he was appointed as head of
the international department of the president administration, replacing Bakyt
Abdrisayev, who is Kyrgyz Ambassador to the U.S. now. Imanaliev will be
presented to the Ministry staff tomorrow, on 2 July. There is no Kyrgyz
embassy in London yet.
2. Mira Jangaracheva, vice prime minister, took part today in the meeting of
the Bishkek city administration, devoted to the problems of homeless people in
the capital. Yntymak movement, united the homeless people, held a
demonstration in Bishkek on 30 June and Jangaracheva had a meeting with their
representatives the same day.
Kengesh Apilov, official in the city administration, made a report at the
meeting today. He said, that according to Kyrgyz laws, plots of land could be
given to somebody, if he had lived in the city at least for 3 years.
Jangaracheva agreed. Majority of the protested young people have lived in the
capital less than 3 years.
More than 1,000 people gathered outside of the government building on 30 June.
Tursunbek Akunov, chairman of the Human Rights Movement of Kyrgyzstan, told
RFE/RL on 30 June, that policemen had opressed the members of the Yntymak
movement for a long time. For example, Anara Isagalieva was beaten by 4
policemen (surname of one of them is Ergeshev) on 25 June. The other group of
polecemen detained Nadir Nusubaliyev, activist of the Movement, on 27 June and
this case was the cause of the demonstartion on 30 June.
3. Talant Kushchubekov, deputy foreign minister, gave Kyrgyz consul patents in
Bishkek today to Al Ibrashi, citizen of Egypt, and to Onprakash Mudra, Indian
citizen. Al Ibrashi will be Kyrgyz honorary counsul in Egypt, and Onprakash
Mudra, a businessman, will be honorary consul in India. Al Ibrashi, a career
diplomat, is a dean of the diplomatic college in Egypt.
4. Parliament vacation began in Kyrgyzstan today. Spokeswoman for the
Legislative Assembly, Yrys Osmonaliyeva, told our correspondent in Bishkek
today that the Assembly will convene on 1 September. Two main questions will
be on the agenda: activity of the government and official status to the
Russian. According to the Constitution, Parliament must make a decision on the
Russian language in Kyrgyzstan before 1 July.
5. State co-ordination council on introducing compulsory medical insurance
held its meeting in Bishkek today. Health minister, Naken Kasiev, addressed
the meeting. Begimkan Kalieva, director of the Medical insurance fund, told
the meeting that only 5 million som had been collected to the fund. It was
planned that introducing of the new system would be implemented this year and
97 million som (about $6 million) would be collected to the end of 1997.
6. New ethic code of journalists is published in local press in Bishkek today.
It contains 8 clauses, and has been signed by authorities of the Journalistic
union of the country, chief editors of the 15 papers and president of the
State TV and Radio. Editors of the most popular independent weeklies, Res
Publica and Asaba, had not signed it.
7. June issue of the Ogonyek magazine, published in Moscow, is devoted to Kyrgyzstan.
It contains interview with President Akayev, articles by Kyrgyz government
members.
8. Parliament press service announced in Bishkek today that Usup Mukambayev,
speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament, will visit India late
in July.
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#2
RFE/RL News and MOre -- Yanki Puersuen
AGRICULTURE
Azerbaijan is to allocate 219 thousand hectares of land for cotton
production in 1997 which means an increase of 9 thousand hectares compared
with the previous year. Experts from the Ministry of Agriculture estimate
1997 production as 320 thousand tons. Cotton production in 1997 was 274
thousand. TICA Eurasian File
AID
United Nations Development Programme UNDP is to allocate USD 1.2 mln within
the frame of Nakhichevan Regional Development Agreement. USD 1 mln is
destined for agricultural development and USD 200 thousand for the
construction of a computer centre in Nakhichevan which will be linked with
the internet. TICA Eurasian File
The United States plans to increase its aid to the five Central Asian
Republics in 1998. TICA Eurasian File
AVIATION
A memorandum was signed between the Azerbaijan Airlines State Concern AZAL
and Air France. AZAL will organise two flights a week to Paris, according to
the agreement. TICA Eurasian File
BUSINESS
Prothesis Production Plant and Dental CIinic, jointly established by Turkish
entrepreneurs and the Turkmenistan Ministry of Health, has been inaugurated
with a ceremony participated by the Turkmenistan Minister of Health, Cagri
Kuliev, and the Turkish Ambassador Yigit Alpogan.
The said plant is to produce 200 thousand ceramic and acrilic protheses per
year and comes second within the CIS after the one in Ukraine. The capacity
is enough to export after meeting the domestic demand. The dental clinic
within the same facility where Turkish doctors are to be employed will be
the first private clinic in the country. The cost of the project is
$500,000. Mr. Kuliev, Minister of Health, expressed his gratitude to Turkish
businessmen for enabling Turkmenistan to have such a modern facility and
pointed out that it complemented the Health Reform programme, to which TICA
has also contributed through the Lokman Hekim Project launched by President
Turkmenbashi. Mr. Kuliev also said that his government was delighted by the
endeavour of Turkish businessmen to extend their operations and range of
their services. TICA Eurasian File
COOPERATION
Azerbeycan, Kazakistan ve Kirgizistandan tarim sektorunun bazi ust duzey
yoneticileri, tarim konusunda cesitli inceleme ve temaslarda bulunmak uzere
Turkiyeye geldi. Turk Isbirligi ve Kalkinma Ajansindan (TIKA) yapilan yazili
aciklamada, Tarim Isletmeleri Genel Mudurlugu (TIGEM) ile TIKAnin ortak
davetlisi olarak Turkiyeye gelen yetkililer arasinda, Azerbeycan Tarim Bakan
Yardimcisi Giyas Nesibov, Zirai Reform Dairesi Genel Muduru Islam Ibrahimov,
Kazakistan heyetinde Kucuk ve Orta Isletmelere Yardim Danisma Sirketi Muduru
Salimgereyev Musagil Sayhovic ile Agrohimservis Anonim Sirketi Baskani Rauf
Zeidoglu Bavjiyev, Kirgizistan heyetinde Maliye Bakanligi Agro-Endustriyel
Bolumu Baskani Narina Tasbulatkizi Atabaeva ve Ekonomi Dairesi Baskani
Cumabaev yer aliyor. DUNYA
A Technical Cooperation Meeting on Forestry, organised by the Ministry of
Forestry in Ankara between May 26 and June 6, was held at the facilities of
the Ministry in gazi with the participacition of officials from Albania,
Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistana nd Turkmenistan.
TICA Eurasian File
The International Turcology Congress was held in Ufa from June 10 to June
13. More than 500 specialists participated from Bashkortostan, Tatarstan,
Sakha-Yakutia, Chuvashia, Tuvi, Khakassia, Dagestan, Udmurtia, Mari El,
Azerbaijan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, France,
Germany, USA, Italy, Japan and Hungary. ZAMAN/Izvestiya Bashkortostana
FIGURES
The number of sheep in Kazakstan dropped sharply from 36 mln in 1991 to 13.9
mln in 1997. About six mln belong to the state.
Kazak GDP increased by 0,5 percent and agricultural production by 7 percent
in 1996. Foreign trade turnover amounted to USD 1,8 bln. Average monthly
wage was 7.600 Kazak Tenge which is slightly more than USD 100. Pensions
will be 3.700 Tenge in 1997 against 2.700 Tenge last year.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Simferopol Airport in Crimea is to be modernized. The first phase, which
includes the establishment of an infrastructure for passenger services, of a
departure zone, and the installation of equipment, is expected to cost USD
300 thousand. A terminal complex with a restaurant, hotel and passenger
terminal with its surrounding area will cost USD 18,5 mln. TICA Eurasian File
INVESTMENTS
The number of partnerships established in Turkey by entrepreneurs from
Turkish republics reached to 61 and the capital flow from these countries to
807 billion Turkish Liras. Azerbaijan was the number one country with the
highest number of companies and the highest amount of capital. 42 companies
from Azerbaijan have now been operating in Turkey. 87 percent of their total
capital, which amounts to 865 billion Turkish Liras, has been from
Azerbaijan. Seven companies operating in Turkey have a 23 billion 600
million Turkish Liras share of Kazak capital, and six others have a 21
billion 500 million Turkish Liras share of Turkmen capital. Kyrgyz, Uzbek
and Tatar companies, two from each, have also been operating in Turkey. The
amount of Kyrgyz capital is 5 billion 900 million Turkish Liras, of Uzbek
capital 1 billion 500 million Turkish Liras, and of Tatar capital 5 billion
300 million Turkish Liras. TICA Eurasian File
PRIVATIZATION
5 mln 750 USD have been earned in Azerbaijan by the privatization of small
scale enterprises. According to the State Property Commitee, 6500
enterprises have been sold in 1996 and another 4000 in the first five months
of 1997. The Commitee earned 15 bln Azeri Manat in 1996 and 8 bln Manat in
1997. The total of 23 blm Manat is approximately 5.75 mln USD. A certain
amount of shares of the privatized enterprises have been given to the
employees. The privatization of small scale enterprises shall be finished
this year. DUNYA
TELECOMMUNICATION
South Korean company Daewoo has become the new partner of Kazaktelecom. Last
year 40 percent of Kazaktelecoms shares had been won by Deutsche Telekom
through a contract, but the company had to be auctioned again as a result of
a disagreement between the two companies. Daewoo has to invest USD 1 bln and
increase the number of telephone lines in the country to 3,3 lmn by the year
2000, according to the agreement. TICA Eurasian File
TRANSPORTATION
The Karaganda Province Transport Department (Kazakstan) will gradually renew
its fleet. 48 buses have been bought in Turkey with the support of the
Worldbank. To improve traffic control in the province, the department is
supplied with computer equipment worth 50 thousand USD.
RUSSIA OBJECTS TO KAZAK SURVEY BY U.S. PLANE. Kazak President Nursultan
Nazarbayev on 30 June responded to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Gennadii
Tarasov's statement that Russian security is threatened by a survey being
carried out in Kazakstan by a U.S. Orion P-30 aircraft, RFE/RL correspondents
in Kazakstan and the Russian press reported. The U.S. plane is surveying
regions in Kazakstan to identify areas of possible agricultural development or
mineral exploitation. When the plane began flying over the Semipalatinsk
region, near the Kazak-Russian border, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed
its alarm. Nazarbayev said surveys in that area were needed to assess damage
caused by nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk site during the Soviet era and
to see "what sort of economic activity can be pursued" there. He added that
the surveys would not be necessary if Moscow had been more willing to share
its information on nuclear tests at the site.
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#3 TRH News -- Ahmet Toprak
TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
JULY 1, 1997
YILMAZ FORMS GOVERNMENT
Mesut Yilmaz announced yesterday that Turkey's 55th government, which
he leads, will be a government of reconciliation that will solve
pressing problems and stage an election. He noted that as soon as he
had become prime minister designate the "system and state crisis" in
the country had started to ease, and that the public had felt this
change. It will be a task for the government to bolster that easing
process. The new government has been formed by the Motherland Party
(ANAP), the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Democratic Turkey
Party (DTP), with the outside support of the Republican People's Party
(CHP). After President Suleyman Demirel approved the new Cabinet
list, Yilmaz told a press conference they wanted to take the country
out of the crisis it had been pushed into by the 54th government.A
vote of confidence will be held in Parliament on 12 July. On the
other hand, Afyon deputy from the True Path Party (DYP) Nuri Yabuz
resigned from his party yesterday. The number of DYP deputies has
thus decreased to 103 and the number of independent deputies has
reached 20.
Cabinet list of the 55th government: Prime Minister: Mesut Yilmaz
(ANAP), Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit (DSP), Deputy Prime
Minister and Defence Minister Ismet Sezgin (DTP), State Ministers
Gunes Taner (ANAP), Husamettin Ozkan (DSP), Yucel Seckiner (ANAP),
Isilay Saygin (ANAP), Sami Turk (DSP), Salih Yildirim (ANAP), Rifat
Serdaroglu (DTP), Metin Gurdere (ANAP), Sukru Sina Gurel (DSP), Ahat
Andican (ANAP), Isin Celebi (ANAP), Mustafa Yilmaz (DSP), Refaettin
Sahin (DTP), Burhan Kara (ANAP), Cavit Kavak (ANAP), Eyup Asik (ANAP),
Kazim Yucelen (ANAP), Hasan Gemici (DSP), Mehmet Batalli (DTP),
Justice Minister Oltan Sungurlu (ANAP), Foreign Minister Ismail Cem
(DSP), Interior Minister Murat Baseskioglu (ANAP), Finance and Customs
Zekeriya Temizel (DSP), Education Hikmet Ulugbay (DSP), Public Works
and Housing Yasar Topcu (ANAP), Health Ibrahim Ozsoy (ANAP), Transport
Necdet Menzir (DTP), Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mustafa Tasar
(ANAP), Labour and Social Security Nami Cagan (DSP), Industry and
Trade Yalim Erez (Independent), Energy and Natural Resources Cumhur
Ersumer (ANAP), Culture Istemihan Talay (DSP), Tourism Ibrahim Gurdal
(ANAP), Forestry Ersin Taranoglu (ANAP) and Environment Minister Imren
Aykut (ANAP). /Sabah-Cumhuriyet/
FRANCE AND TURKEY ENHANCE MILITARY COOPERATION
Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen.Cevik Bir received President of
France's General Directorate for Armament Jean-Yves Helmer in Ankara
yesterday. Speaking at the reception for Helmer, Gen.Bir said that
studies for the modernization of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF)
planned for the next 15-20 years, included helicopter and front-line
battle tank projects. Bir also added that he and Helmer had agreed
that other projects and joint studies with France should be
considered. Helmer said France and Turkey already have cooperated
both militarily and industrially and hoped that joint projects and
cooperation between the two nations would continue. /All papers/
TOWARDS MORATORIUM IN AEGEAN SEA
It is expected that a moratorium for suspending military exercises and
limiting flights in the Aegean Sea during the summer will be announced
within two days. On the occasion of the implementation of the
moratorium, Turkish and Greek Armed Forces will not be able to hold
exercises in the Aegean Sea between 1 July and 1 September. Foreign
Ministry spokesman Omer Akbel said at a press conference yesterday
that Turkey viewed the decision positively and said: "We expect that
Greece will do the same".
Akbel added, however, that Greece was backing the outlawed separatist
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and that documents, video tapes and
photographs demonstrating this fact had been given to international
organizations. Answering a question regarding whether Turkey planned
to take any action against Greece in this regard, Akbel said that they
had already several times supplied such evidence to international
authorities. He also recalled that Greek deputies had invited PKK
leader Abdullah Ocalan to Greece and noted that the deputy speaker of
the Greek parliament had visited Ocalan. /Cumhuriyet/
GROWTH RATE OF 5.7 PERCENT
During the first three months of the year, gross national income
increased by 5.7 percent in comparison to the same period last year.
According to State Statistics Institute figures, the industry sector
grew by 9.5 percent, and commerce by 10.1 percent. Imports increased
by 11.6 percent. /Cumhuriyet/
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CILLER'S FUTURE IN DOUBT IN TURKISH SHAKEUP
By Alistair Bell
ANKARA, June 29 (Reuter) - Turkey's pro-Western foreign minister,
Tansu Ciller, lost more blood on Sunday in a political shake-up that
threatens to leave her on the sidelines after she used the "Islamist
card" in a gamble for power.
Two more deputies from the conservative True Path Party resigned in
anger at their leader Ciller's attempts to defy the influential army
and become prime minister again as head of a pro-Islamist coalition.
The MPs were expected to defect to Mesut Yilmaz, who is close to
setting up a secularist government and thus winning a major battle in
the war with Ciller for leadership of the Turkish right.
.....
Ciller, fluent in English with an American accent, irritated European
capitals earlier this year with a threat to block the expansion of
NATO if Turkey were not guaranteed entry to the European Union. The
threat was later quietly dropped.
......
It would be premature to write off Ciller, a clever operator who has
outlived many political obituaries.
....
Critics, including Yilmaz, have dubbed Ciller's wealthy friends and
relatives the "Waterside Gang" after her family's luxury mansion on
the banks of Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait. She has other property in
Turkey and the United States.
.....
The Turkish press, once taken by the novelty of Ciller and government
financial aid she gave to newspapers, has turned on her with a
vengeance in recent days.
-------------------------------------------------
TURKEY MAKES CLEAR IT WANTS TO BE TREATED EQUALLY BY EU
The European Union meeting for
Turkey to brief "all applicant states" about the conclusions of the
intergovernmental conference did not present much cause for optimism
as it ended in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, on Friday. The meeting,
chaired by term president Dutch Premier Wim Kok, and Foreign Minister
Hans van Mierlo and European Commission President Jacques Santer, was
held with the participation of the leaders from 12 applicant states,
including Turkey. Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller, heading the Turkish
delegation in the meeting, said at a press conference for foreign
journalists, that the EU's policy of treating all the applicant states
equally is pleasing in this period of expansion. Because of the
problem in Cyprus, Ciller maintained that Turkey has reservations
about Southern Cyprus' accession to the EU. "Turkey also wants a
solution to the Cyprus conflict and the solution everyone agrees on is
a 'bi-communal, bizonal federal state without which the Greek Cypriot
accession to the union cannot be accepted by Turkey" Ciller said. When
asked about Turkey's views on NATO enlargement, Ciller told reporters
"Ankara is not against NATO enlargement and the connection between
both EU and NATO expansion appears even in NATO documents". /All
papers/
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#4
Interesting site of this isssue:
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Mark Hubey ---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.csam.montclair.edu/Faculty/Hubey.html
hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu hubeyh@alpha.montclair.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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