TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

From: tabe at newsdesk.aps.nl
Subject: TURKISH PRESS REVIEW
Reply-To: kurdeng at aps.nl


                     TURKISH  PRESS  REVIEW
                          MAY 15, 1995



Summary  of  the  political  news  in  the  Turkish  press  this
morning.


INONU IN LISBON

Foreign Minister Erdal Inonu and Defence Minister Mehmet  Golhan
left  for  Lisbon  yesterday  for a Western European Union (WEU)
conference, thus starting a week of defence-heavy diplomacy  for
Turkey.   This  WEU  meeting  in  Lisbon is important for Turkey
because Greece, a member of NATO and the EU,  will  be  formally
declared  a full member of the WEU.  Ankara, not yet a member of
the EU, is to become an associate member, although  this  status
has  not  yet  been ratified by either the Turkish Parliament or
the WEU.  "We think we are entitled to full member  status.   It
is  a  handicap  that we are not a full member of the WEU" Inonu
said before his departure to Lisbon.  The Lisbon meeting  brings
together  foreign and defence ministers from 27 western, central
and eastern  European  states.   Inonu  said  that  besides  new
security  problems in Europe, the Bosnia-Herzegovina issue would
come to the fore at the meeting, adding that  they  would  voice
their   views   for  providing  a  lasting  and  just  peace  in
Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Answering a question, Inonu and Golhan said
that  Turkey could join a 180-person WEU police force on duty in
Mostar.  Golhan indicated  that  the  issue  of  increasing  the
function of the WEU utilizing the possibilities of NATO would be
brought into the agenda at the meeting.   He  pointed  out  that
European   defence   was   a  whole,  and  that  Turkey  was  an
indispensable part of this whole.  /Sabah/


TURKEY DONATES $10,000 TO VICTIMS OF OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING

Nuzhet Kandemir, Turkey's Ambassador to the US, has presented  a
check  for  $10,000  to  the  American  Red  Cross to assist the
victims  of  the  Oklahoma  City  bombing.   Kandemir  said  the
donation  from  the Turkish Red Crescent was a token of sympathy
from the  Turkish  people  "during  this  time  of  healing  and
rebuilding"  in  the  US.   The $10,000 donation was received by
Jose  Aponte,  general  manager  for  Red  Cross   international
services.  In a letter sent yesterday to Oklahoma Governor Frank
Keating, Kandemir said "the devastating bombing  disaster  which
shocked  Oklahoma  City and forever altered the lives of so many
of your citizens has particularly touched  the  Turkish  nation"
since  the  Turks  have suffered for so long from PKK terrorism.
/All papers/


SPANISH NAVAL FORCES COMMANDER IN TURKEY

Spanish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Juan J.Romero arrived  in
Turkey   yesterday   as   the  official  guest  of  his  Turkish
counterpart, Vural Bayazit.  The Spanish commander, who will  be
in  Turkey  until  May 19, is also expected to visit the Turkish
Chief of General Staff Ismail Hakki Karadayi as well  as  senior
military officials.  /Cumhuriyet/


SEVENTY NINE MILITANTS KILLED, 105 CAPTURED IN 10 DAYS

Security forces have carried out anti-terrorism operations  both
in the Southeast and in tourist areas of western Turkey, a press
release issued  by  the  Interior  Ministry  said  on  Thursday.
Between  May  1  and 10, a total of 79 PKK militants were killed
and 107 were captured.  Heavy artillery pieces and weapons  were
also seized.  The number of militants who have surrendered since
the  beginning  of  1995  has  reached  154,  according  to  the
statistics provided by the Interior Ministry.  /All papers/


MOVES TO STRENGTHEN TURKEY-EUROPE TIES

As  the  countdown  to  the  final  signatures  on  the  customs
agreement  between  Turkey  and  the  European  Union (EU) draws
closer, Ankara has initiated a new and intense period of shuffle
diplomacy de- signed to improve Turkey's image in Europe.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Erdal  Inonu  and  Defence  Minister
Mehmet  Golhan  set  off  for  Lisbon to attend a meeting of the
Western European Union, where once again they will  explain  the
purpose  of  the  recent northern Iraq military operation to the
delegates.

In moves designed to soften the stance of the Europeans  against
Turkey,  Deputy  Prime  Minister  Hikmet Cetin will also go on a
tour of European capitals, and Turkish ambassadors in  the  main
centres  will work to enhance European understanding of Turkey's
position in the region.  Over  the  weekend,  Cetin  noted  that
although  "Europe  has begun to understand us" there was still a
need for more information about Turkey  to  be  made  available.
/Cumhuriyet/

"EUROPE SUPPORTS TURKEY"

Following  an  official  visit  to  Germany,  State  Min-  ister
responsible  for  human rights, Algan Hacal- oglu said yesterday
that  European  countries,  and  especially  Germany,  supported
Turkey's fight against terrorism.

Hacaloglu also touched on the proposed changes to  laws  related
to  terrorism and human rights, par- ticularly the controversial
change  to  article  8,  within   the   framework   of   further
democratization.  /Sabah/



UN PRAISE FOR CILLER

The  "Diplomatic  World"  newspaper,  published  by  the  United
Nations  (UN)  reported  widely  on  the  recent  visit of Prime
Minister Ciller to New York.  The Diplomatic  World  noted  that
Ciller  was  distributed  that  the Western world knew so little
about her country and people.

Moreover,  the  paper  pointed  out  that  Ciller  had   clearly
explained  the  real  reasons  for  the  northern  Iraq military
operation, and stressed that the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) was
a "merciless terrorist organization".

The journal also noted that  Prime  Minister  Tansu  Ciller  had
emphasized  Turkey  was devoted to the principles of secularism,
superiority of law, freedom and democracy.  /Sabah/

END





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 * Origin: APS Amsterdam (aps.nl), bbs +31-20-6842147 (16:31/2.0)