Turkish Press Review

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

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                   WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 1, 1995
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Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press
this morning

CILLER TO VISIT BRUSSELS

Prime Minister Ciller has accepted an invitation to  attend a
conference on energy in Brussels on November 24. Ciller also has
in mind that the EU will be voting on customs union with Turkey
on December 14. During her visit she wants to disperse any
negative feelings that might be evident prior to the vote.

Ciller will go to Brussels with chief advisor Emre Gonensay and
minister responsible for human rights, Adnan Ekmen. /Sabah/


ANKARA CONDEMNS RUSSIA FOR KURDISH MEETING

Turkey handed a protest note to the Russian Ambassador in Ankara
yesterday, following a meeting of the so-called Kurdish
"parliament-in-exile" in Moscow. Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Omer Akbel described the meeting as "seriously overshadowing
and damaging to Turco-Russian relations". "We have learned
with deep sorrow that the meeting started on Monday, despite
our earlier expectations that Russia would act with determination
in accordance with our mutual relations" Akbel said in a written
statement. Akbel noted that Turkey had warned Russia before the
meeting of the Kurdish "parliament-in-exile".

Meanwhile, in a written statement yesterday evening, the Russian
Foreign Ministry condemned the meeting of the "parliament-in-
exile". The statement said: "The Russian Foreign Ministry
condemns such activities and notes that it has no relation with
them. Russia wants to develop its bilateral and multilateral
relations with the friendly country, Turkey, and never
acknowledges such separatist trends whatever their source is".
However, the statement noted that the Parliament's Geopolitic
Issues Committee and International Union of Kurdish Society
Organizations held a "seminar" on the problems of Kurdish
society. Some participants tried to attribute the meeting to the
third General Council of the Kurdish parliament-in-exile, it
added.

Nevertheless, Russian Ambassador in Ankara Vadim Igorevic
Kuznetsov was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry yesterday
afternoon and handed a protest note. The note stated that
the meeting should be stopped, or otherwise relations would
be reviewed. /Cumhuriyet-Milliyet-Hurriyet/

US: "PKK IS INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING"

Ambassador Robert Gelbard, Assistant Secretary of State for
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, during a
briefing at the Foreign Press Centre said: "We are concerned
about the dramatic flow of drug trafficking through Turkey and
other nations in the region, some of which has been associated
with some individuals who are members of the PKK terrorist
organization". "Another problem which concerns the US
Administration is money laundering in Turkey. I understand
and have been told that the Turkish government has intended to
move forward with legislation ratifying the 1988 Vienna
Convention when a government is formed, just as I understand
that's the case in Austria. I think that would be appropriate
seven years after the agreement was approved" Gelbard added.
/Hurriyet/


STATE OFFICIALS RESIGN TO RUN IN DEC.24 EARLY ELECTIONS

Unal Erkan, emergency rule region governor and Mehmet Agar,
general director of police, resigned from their positions
yesterday to run as candidates in the upcoming election.
Both officials will run on the True Path Party (DYP) ticket.

Meanwhile, Orhan Tasanlar, chief of the Ankara police general
directorate, has been appointed chief of the Istanbul police
general directorate. Tasanlar became the chief of the general
directorate due to the resignation of Necdet Menzir. /All papers/


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