TURKISH RADIO HOUR NEWS

[root at newsdesk.aps.nl]

From: newsdesk at newsdesk.aps.nl (Newsdesk Amsterdam)
Subject: Re: TURKISH RADIO HOUR NEWS
Reply-To: root at newsdesk.aps.nl

------------------ Forwarded from : trh at netcom.com (trh trh) -------------------
************************
Today's news was edited by Ahmet Toprak
************************

VIOLENCE IN ISTANBUL 
    03/17/95, TRH--Turkey was shook with violence last week 
after the shooting death of an individual and wounding of 
several people at a cafe in a district of Istanbul mainly 
inhabited by Alevis. In the ensuing riots that mainly 
erupted in Istanbul dozens of people got killed or wounded, 
mainly by gunfire from the security forces fending off the 
attackers. 
    The exact motive and the whereabouts of the assailants 
at the cafe is still unknown, but the consensus is that the 
goal was to create anarchy and violence by provoking 
sectarian strife. 
    Almost every Turk of varying political affiliation 
condemned the attack. 
    Although there were two phone calls which alleged that 
the attack was  carried out by a fundamentalist Moslem 
group, there was speculation that the attack could be the 
work of the separatist Kurdish Workers Party. 
    Some members of the Turkish media even went further to 
allege that the attack was masterminded by Turkey's foreign 
enemies, and this claim was reiterated by the some of the 
cabinet members. 
    On Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Minister went one step 
further and warned Greece about infiltrations of terrorists 
to Turkey from Greece. The previous day Greek officials 
refused and protested the Turkish prime and defense 
ministers similar accusations, and said that Turkey has 
always been blaming its internal politics on Greece. 

21 PERCENT OF  TURKS ILLITERATE 
    03/17/95, TRH--In a report given to the Turkish 
president, the Ministry of National Education said that 21 
percent of the Turks are still illiterate. 
    The bitter report mentioned also the following: 
    * The compulsory education in Turkey is still 5 years 
whereas in Europe it is 9 to 12 years. A European youth 
starts choosing a vocational path at the age of 14, but in 
Turkey a youth dreams of attending a university until 18 to 
get into a profession. 
    * 10 percent of the male and 31 percent of the female 
population are illiterate. 
    * Turkey is behind its neighbor Syria in literacy, a 
much poorer nation. 
    * Budgetary constraints in education is preventing even 
the day-to-day functioning of schools. Utilities of some 
schools are cut off due to inadequate funds. 
    * $740 million more in funds are needed to improve the 
educational system. 

NATO AWARDS TURKISH PROFESSOR 
    03/14/95, HURRIYET--Prof.  Ahmet Ucer, the head of the 
Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, has 
been awarded the Science Award 1995 presented by the NATO 
Aviation and Space Research Counsel, for his studies in 
aerodynamics and turbulence system as they affect aircraft. 

ECONOMIC BRIEFS 
    * France is extending credit to Turkey for joint 
projects. 
    * Textile exports from the Southeastern Anatolia Project 
region dropped by  6% to $16 million in 1994. 
    * Foreign capital investments break new records, $235 
million approved in February. 
    * Exchange rate for the U.S. dollar was TL 41.706 when 
bought 41.916 when sold by banks. 
    * The state-run Development Bank of Turkey (TKB) during 
1994 made loans worth $35 million to 120 tourism companies.  
    * International banks have given undertakings to provide 
$500 million in new credits to Turkey.  
    * The T-1 irrigation tunnel, one of the most important 
investment projects within the Southeastern Anatolia Project 
(GAP), is to start operations on April 11. 
    * The Turco-American joint economic commission will have 
talks in Washington between 29-30 March. 

ATTACKS ON TURKISH INSTITUTIONS IN GERMANY CONTINUE 
    03/17/95, TRH--Throughout the last week several attacks 
were reported on Turkish-owned businesses, establishments 
and a mosque in German cities. The attacks were blamed on 
separatist Kurds' anger at German government's decision to 
ban their activities, and allowing the deportation of their 
members to Turkey. 
    Violence engulfing the Alevi community in Istanbul also 
sparked an excuse for more attacks in Germany. Elsewhere in 
Athens, Greece Kurdish separatist militants burned Turkish 
flags in front of the Turkish Embassy purportedly protesting 
the events in Istanbul and Turkish policies in the Southeast 
of Turkey. 

RELATIONS WITH EU 
    03/17/95, TRH--After the signing of the agreement to 
include Turkey in a customs union with Europe on March 6, 
there seems to be still some rough sees ahead between Turkey 
and the EU. 
    Last week a Greek initiative to postpone the custom 
union was rejected in the European Parliament. Another 
proposal by the Socialist group for alleged human rights 
abuses in Turkey was also defeated. 
    Next week the three European leaders in the so-called 
troika will come together in Ankara to discuss the further 
development of political dialogue with Turkey.  In the wake 
of the Ankara meeting, the EU Commissioner Hans Van Den 
Broek will have talks with Prime Minister Ciller that will 
include issues like Balkan developments, Bosnia, Armenia and 
Azerbaijan and regional stability. 

        -------------------------------------------------------
                * Activists Press Service (Newsdesk) *
                          newsdesk at aps.nl
                       !Power to the people!
         -------------------------------------------------------