Turkish Press

[kurdeng at aps.nl]

          id VT21235; Sat, 30 Sep 1995 18:27:56 -0800


TURKEY SLAMS US SENATE DECISION ON FOREIGN AID

Turkey expressed its uneasiness over a US Senate decision
which imposes conditions on Turkey regarding the use of US
foreign aid. "This is a very unfortunate development while
the two countries' bilateral relations are rapidly improving
in all aspects and in a period when the US and Turkey have
common strategic interests" Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman
Nurettin Nurkan said. Nurkan warned that the attitude of the
US on foreign aid credits would hurt the Turkish people who had
national pride. "Some Congress members, who are acting according
to some lobbies with short-term political concerns, are also
harming US national interests" Nurkan added. He said it had been
expected that the foreign aid draft would be reviewed by the
Conference Committee on Thursday. "We hope that the members of
this committee will act with responsibility and prevent these
amendments from negatively impacting our bilateral relations"
he concluded. (Cumhuriyet 29 September)

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES N.IRAQ

The National Security Council (MGK), Turkey's highest advisory
body, discussed yesterday several domestic and foreign issues
related to the country's security, and particularly the
situation in northern Iraq. An MGK statement released after
the four-hour meeting, chaired by President Suleyman Demirel,
said foreign and domestic developments affecting Turkey's
security were reviewed. Prime Minister-designate Tansu Ciller,
Chief of the General Staff Gen.Ismail Hakki Karadayi, Deputy
Premier Hikmet Cetin, some ministers, commanders of the forces
and other top civilian and military officials attended
Thursday's MGK meeting.


STRONG ELECTION WINDS BLOWING

In another surprise move Prime Minister-designate Tansu Ciller
spoke on the phone yesterday with Chairman of the Supreme
Election Board, Nihat Yavuz. The main point of the conversation
was that Ciller told Yavuz that he should get things ready for
a December election.

Preparations for a general election can be completed within
sixty days, but now the parties have to come up with the cash.
Yavuz has already told Ciller that she will have to cough up 2.8
trillion TL.

The prospect of a December vote has again thrown the political
scene into confusion. Most parties were getting ready for Ciller
to set up a minority government after the DYP-ANAP coalition
debacle. Now the field is wide open, with a whole new target to
reach-3.5 million new young voters. /Hurriyet/

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