Anadolu Agency: News in English, 97-12-15

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From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>

15 DEC 1997

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-FOREIGN POLICY - FM CEM TO LEAVE FOR BRUSSELS - CEM TO PARTICIPATE IN AUTUMN TERM MEETING OF NATO COUNCIL

[03] TURKEY-RUSSIA - RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN ARRIVES IN ANKARA

[04] TRNC-EU - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''EU'S DECISION IS THE LATEST MOVE OF GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE AND GREECE WHICH TRY TO TRANSFORM TURKISH CYPRIOTS' STATUS INTO A MINORITY STATUS FOR 34 YEARS''

[05] TURKEY-TERRORISM - TERRORIST ATTACK IN NIKSAR

[06] TURKEY-TRNC - PRIME MINISTRY CONSULTANT FOR CYPRUS AFFAIRS KARACA IN TRNC

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

[08] TURKEY-INTERNAL - CLOSURE CASE OF WELFARE PARTY - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING CLOSURE CASE OF RP ON TUESDAY

[09] TURKEY-TERRORISM - CROSS-BORDER OPERATION - OPERATION STAGED AGAINST TERRORISTS WHO RUN AWAY TO CUDI MOUNTAIN FROM SINATH REGION

[10] TURKEY-POPULATION - ISTANBUL, THE MOST CROWDED CITY OF TURKEY

[11] TURKEY-NATO - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES FOR BRUSSELS

[12] TURKEY-EU - FM: ''IF EU DOES NOT CHANGE ITS APPROACH AND OPINION, NO PROGRESS CAN BE EXPECTED IN OUR RELATIONS''

[13] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ'S VISIT TO USA

[14] TURKEY-RUSSIA - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN - DEMIREL: ''TURKEY ATTRIBUTES IMPORTANCE TO ITS RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA''

[15] TURKEY IN BRIEF - DECEMBER 15, 1997

[16] TRNC-EU - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''INTERCOMMUNAL TALKS HAVE BEEN KILLED, THERE IS NO FEDERATION AT THE AGENDA TODAY''

[17] TURKEY-EU - EU COMMISSION: ''TURKEY SHOULD REVIEW ITS DECISION''

[18] TURKEY-RUSSIA - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ MEETS RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN

[19] TURKEY IN BRIEF (2) - DECEMBER 15, 1997

[20] TURKEY-EU - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ ADDRESSES TO NEW YORK TIMES: ''EUROPE CONSTRUCTED A NEW BERLIN WALL''

[21] TURKEY-TERRORISM - LANDMINE EXPLOSION IN DARGECIT - 12 PEOPLE DIE, 12 OTHERS WOUNDED

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

PARTY INTERPRETATION BY ERBAKAN
The leader of Welfare Party (RP) and other leading members determined on a new party strategy. This week a new party named ''Yeniden Buyuk Turkiye'' (Again Grand Turkey) is expected to be set up. If RP is closed, the party members who are not prohibited from politics will join this new party.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

ERBAKAN: RP IS ENOUGH FOR US
The leader of Welfare Party (RP) Necmettin Erbakan, who did not confirm the news claiming that a new party named ''Again Grand Turkey Party'' will be established, said that ''Our party is Welfare Party.''

RADİKAL (LEFT)

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

FİNANSAL FORUM (ECONOMY)

[02] TURKEY-FOREIGN POLICY - FM CEM TO LEAVE FOR BRUSSELS - CEM TO PARTICIPATE IN AUTUMN TERM MEETING OF NATO COUNCIL

Especially the issue of ''NATO's expansion process'' will be taken up in the two-day meeting to which NATO ally countries' Foreign Ministers will attend.

The Foreign Ministers of NATO ally-candidate countries Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic will also hold meetings with NATO Foreign Ministers.

[03] TURKEY-RUSSIA - RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN ARRIVES IN ANKARA

Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin will meet Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz and President Suleyman Demirel the same day and return to Russia on Tuesday.

[04] TRNC-EU - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''EU'S DECISION IS THE LATEST MOVE OF GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE AND GREECE WHICH TRY TO TRANSFORM TURKISH CYPRIOTS' STATUS INTO A MINORITY STATUS FOR 34 YEARS''

Noting that it is a waste of time to negotiate Cyprus question with those people who do not take the existance of TRNC into consideration, TRNC President Denktas said that ''Turkish Cypriots will not be submissive to injustice.''

''They let the Greek Cypriots to claim responsibility over Cyprus under the name of 'legitimate government.' The result is obvious. As we will not accept that, they are the ones who have curtailed the intercommunal negotiation process in the island,'' Rauf Denktas said.

TRNC President Denktas stressed that all kinds of efforts will be launched for a while, adding that ''if they wish unification of Cyprus, they can not ignore us.''

[05] TURKEY-TERRORISM - TERRORIST ATTACK IN NIKSAR

Eught terrorists, including three women, came to Niksan Lime Factory on Sunday evening and rendered two guardians of the factory ineffective.

Terrorists then burned three lorries and broke one computer and fascimile machine in the factory.

Operations are underway to capture the terrorists who run away.

[06] TURKEY-TRNC - PRIME MINISTRY CONSULTANT FOR CYPRUS AFFAIRS KARACA IN TRNC

Karaca said they will also sign an agreement to prepare the legal infrastructure of USD 80 million of Turkey's financial support's second bracket.

Pointing out that TRNC will take some measures to repay that loan, Karaca said, ''everybody knows these. We prepared a programme regarding the structural reform to make TRNC's economy be self-sufficient.''

Noting that Turkey will do its utmost to improve TRNC's economy, Salih Zeki Karaca said, ''we never take into consideration external influences. There is a legal government in northern part of Cyprus and we will do our utmost to improve TRNC's economy and we will achieve this.''

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

(Derived from Newsspot of Turkish Directorate of General Press and Information)

STRONG REACTION TO EU DECISION
Reaction in Ankara and throughout Turkey to the Luxemburg European Union (EU) summit decision to preclude Turkey in connection with current growth processes, grows stronger by the hour.

Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz has made it clear that although Turkey will continue to move towards full membership in the EU, it will not be according to present conditions as specified by the EU especially in connection with Turkey. Yilmaz said over the weekend that Turkey will not attend a March EU conference because anyway Turkey rejected the conditions imposed against Turkey by the EU. Further, applications for membership in the EU will no longer top the agenda and will revert to the status of the 1963 Ankara Agreement. Thus the later application put forward by Turgut Ozal in 1987 will no longer be considered as effective.

Political dialogue will be vastly reduced. Turkey will not discuss matters like human rights, Cyprus and relations with Greece with the EU as a whole, but only on a one-to-one basis with other EU member countries should the situation arise. In line with this decision, the Customs Agreement to boost bilateral trade between Turkey and the EU will not be developed to previously planned potential levels.

As proposed by Turkey, integration with northern Cyprus will now be speeded up and a common defence policy will be developed. Although there will be sweeping changes in connection with NATO relations and in other areas, Ankara has not shut the door entirely. There will be a six-month cooling down period, during which Ankara will wait to see if the EU makes a new approach.

The EU anyway has not shut out Turkey. EU leaders have again declared that Turkey's membership is only a matter of time. But quite how the two sides will now reconcile differences is a matter of intense debate in the capital and will continue to be so for weeks to come. /All papers/

RUSSIAN PM CHERNOMYRDIN IN ANKARA
Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin arrives today in Ankara for an official visit. Chernomyrdin is expected to sign seven agreements with his Turkish counterpart Yilmaz, including an agreement for the construction of a natural gas pipeline under the Black Sea. Attention is drawn to the fact that the visit of the Russian Prime Minister came just as Ankara was considering distancing itself from the European Union. /Hurriyet/

CEM TO BRUSSELS
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will go to Brussels today to attend a two-day NATO Council Autumn Term meeting. At the meeting foreign ministers of the NATO member countries will discuss the expansion process of the organization. /Sabah/

TERRORISTS ATTACK FACTORY
Last night eight terrorists attacked a factory in Niksar, Tokat, setting on fire three lorries and smashing computers. Security sources later reported that wide-scope operations had been started to capture the terrorists. /Milliyet/Sabah/

TURCO-FRENCH JOINT INVESTMENT IN DIYARBAKIR
Turkish Dogu Holding Corp. and the French Pieri Sa company will make a joint investment in Diyarbakir. Mehmet Yildirim, chairman of the Dogu Holding Corp., said that a news factory will produce chemicals used in prefabricated concretes. He added that they had already started feasibility studies and that total capital investment was TL 11.5 billion /Hurriyet/

TURCO-IMF MEETING IN WASHINGTON
The most critical negotiations between Turkey and the IMF will start today in Washington. A Turkish delegation, led by Yener Dicmen, Undersecretary of the Treasury; Cuneyet Sel, Deputy of the Treasury Undersecretary; Sukru Binay, Vice-President of the Central Bank went yesterday to Washington. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, State Minister Gunes Taner and Central Bank President Gazi Ercel will attend the meetings on Thursday. /Sabah/

PM YILMAZ: GAP PLAYS HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE FOR TURKEY
In a statement to the GAP magazine published by the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) administration, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz points out that the Southeastern Anatolia Project is playing an important role in the development of Turkey. He stressed that thanks to the project, socio- economic indicators for Southeastern Anatolia were speedily improving and catching up with national standards. /Cumhuriyet/

POPULATION CENSUS RESULTS
The temporary results of the recent population census are contradictory to previous estimates.The first important conclusion is that Turkey`s population increase is much lower than predicted.The increase in population between 1990-1997 is 14.73 per thousand and this is less than the State Statistics Institute(DIE)`s forecast of 18.04 per thousand.Therefore Turkey`s population is being calculated as 62,606,000 as opposed to the DIE`s inference suggesting 64,606,000./Cumhuriyet/

[08] TURKEY-INTERNAL - CLOSURE CASE OF WELFARE PARTY - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING CLOSURE CASE OF RP ON TUESDAY

The Constitutional Court delegation had earlier decided to postpone the meeting in order to ''deepen the examination.''

The delegation can watch again the video-tapes and review the magazines or books which were brought by the defendant and the plaintiff if the delegation members wish to do so, after the delegation starts to read the report of the rapporteur. The delegation can decide to listen to the views of those people who have ''information and interest'' regarding the case.

Rapporteur Yusuf Ozturk had said in his report that the Welfare Party should be closed due to Articles 68-69 of the Constitution and also to the concerned articles of the Political Parties Code, but his opinions were not binding for the court.

Chief Prosecutor Vural Savas filed a case before the Constitutional Court on May 21 1997 and called for the closure of RP under Articles 68/4 and 69/6 of the Constitution. The concerned articles foresee the closure of a political party, if it becomes focus of all anti-secular activities.

[09] TURKEY-TERRORISM - CROSS-BORDER OPERATION - OPERATION STAGED AGAINST TERRORISTS WHO RUN AWAY TO CUDI MOUNTAIN FROM SINATH REGION

Turkish Armed Forces destroyed separatist terrorist organization's Hakurk camp and the other camps located near Iranian border. Security forces encircled the terrorists in that region, preventing the entrance of logistic support into the region. All stores of the terrorists in that region were seized.

Meanwhile, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) radio said that nine terrorists were killed by KDP forces near Mangesh village.

The radio said early on Monday that separatist terrorists continue their attacks in border regions.

The radio said that separatist terrorists attacked to a civilian motor- vehicle near Baneka village in Northern Iraq, killing six Christian Kurds. It said that Peshmergas led by Barzani, staged an operation after the attack and killed nine terrorists.

[10] TURKEY-POPULATION - ISTANBUL, THE MOST CROWDED CITY OF TURKEY

Istanbul, which constitutes a bridge between Asia and Europe, became again the biggest province of Turkey according to the data gained from the census held on November 30. The share of Istanbul's population in Turkey's population increased to 14,69 percent.

The population of Istanbul was approximately 700,000 in the first years of the Republic, now it reached 9,198,229 and it is even more than the sum of the other big cities' populations namely Ankara, Izmir and Bursa.

While the rate of population increase decreased generally in Turkey from 2, 17 percent to 1,47; the rate of population increase in Istanbul only decreased from 4,47 to 3,5.

The share of Istanbul's population in Turkey's population was 5,57 percent in 1950, it reached 13 percent in 1990s and 14,69 percent in 1997.

Experts told A.A correspondent that this increase is due to its fast development and migration to this city.

State Statistics Institute (DIE) data below shows the population of Turkey and Istanbul since the census held in 1950:

       YEARS    TURKEY'S           ISTANBUL'S       ISTANBUL/TURKEY
                POPULATION         POPULATION            RATE
    ----------  --------------     ---------------  -----------------
      1950      20.947.188         1.166.477          5.57
      1955      24.064.763         1.533.822          6.37
      1960      27.754.820         1.882.092          6.78
      1965      31.391.421         2.293.823          7.31
      1970      35.605.176         3.019.032          8.48
      1975      40.347.719         3.904.588          9.68
      1980      44.736.957         4.741.890         10.60
      1985      50.664.458         5.842.985         11.53
      1990      56.473.035         7.196.753         12.74
      1997 (*)  62.606.157         9.198.229         14.69

      (*)= Temporary Data of 1997 Census

[11] TURKEY-NATO - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES FOR BRUSSELS

Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the accession protocols of Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland to NATO will be signed during NATO meetings.

Noting that the first meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission will be held in Brussels, the statement pointed out that Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and NATO-Russian Permanent Partnership Council of Ministers meeting will be held on Wednesday.

The statement went on saying that the Turkish delegation which is headed by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will proceed to Copengahen to participate in Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Council of Ministers meeting.

Foreign Minister Cem is expected to address OSCE Council of Ministers meeting and a declaration is expected to be published regarding the security model of the 21st century at the end of the meeting.

''During the meeting various decisions are expected to be taken concerning Norwegian term presidency in 1999, appointment to OSCE Special Representation of Media, improvement of OSCE humanitarian dimension meetings and finance of OSCE mission and projects,'' the statement added.

[12] TURKEY-EU - FM: ''IF EU DOES NOT CHANGE ITS APPROACH AND OPINION, NO PROGRESS CAN BE EXPECTED IN OUR RELATIONS''

Addressing a weekly press briefing to foreign press members, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan recalled that Turkey rejected the conditions which were put forward by EU, adding that ''we told EU everything that we could say.''

Responding to a question, Utkan pointed out that bilateral relations will continue with EU countries and at the moment Turkey does not think of imposing embargoes or other limitations concerning the purchase of aircrafts and other commercial issues with EU countries.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan added that Turkey does not ignore the possibility that a positive development can take place in the new EU term presidency.

[13] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ'S VISIT TO USA

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan said in a press briefing that Prime Minister Yılmaz will meet US President Clinton on December 19 in White House.

Noting that this meeting will give an opportunity to confirm the friendly relations between Turkey and US, Utkan pointed out that the two leaders will take up improvement of cooperation in the fields which concern both countries and exchange views concerning regional and international issues.

Utkan added that Prime Minister Yılmaz will also meet Former US President George Bush, IMF Chairman and US State Secretary during his stay in US.

[14] TURKEY-RUSSIA - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN - DEMIREL: ''TURKEY ATTRIBUTES IMPORTANCE TO ITS RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA''

President Demirel received Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, who is currently in Ankara for a two-day official visit.

Addressing a statement at the meeting, Demirel said that ''Turkey and Russia are the two important countries in the region.''

Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin in his part said that ''we have to develop our relations in a constructive way.''

Noting that Demirel is known as a ''very constructive leader'' in Russia, Chernomyrdin pointed out that Russia wishes to benefit from the experiences of both Turkey and President Demirel concerning economic and political reforms.

Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin will meet Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz the same day and they are expected to sign 10 agreements including the issues of pipelines, juridicial assistance and cooperation in the field of energy.

The Guest Prime Minister will also visit Parliament Speaker Hikmet Cetin and participate in the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Yılmaz.

Viktor Chernomyrdin will proceed to Istanbul on Tuesday morning and return to his country the same day.

[15] TURKEY IN BRIEF - DECEMBER 15, 1997

Gen. Karadayi will hold several contacts in Egypt as the official guest of Egyptian Chief of General Staff Gen. Mecdi Hatate.

KAYSERI - Turkish Zinc, Lead and Metal Industry and Trade Inc. (CINKUR), which is set up in central Kayseri province, realized 20 million dollars of exportation in last eleven months of this year, it was reported on Monday.

CINKUR General Director Hassan Khosroshahi told A.A correspondent that they managed to increase their production capacity to 37 thousand tonnes from 18 thousand tonnes by the revision studies they gave start last year, adding that they exported 43 percent of their total production.

Khosroshahi said that they exported 15 tonnes of zinc in return for USD 20 million to Japan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Italy, Greece, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Tanzania, Philippines and Vietnam during January-November 1997 period.

Khosroshahi finally said their target is to export 22 million dollars of zinc till the end of 1997.

ISTANBUL - Ukranian 26-businessmen delegation including representatives of biggest Ukranian companies on Tuesday will meet Turkish businessmen in Istanbul to discuss further cooperation and corporation opoortunities.

A seminar titled ''Turkey's exportation potential and general position'' will be given to Ukranian importers by Central Anatolia Exporters' Union (OAIB) within the framework of Foreign Trade Undersecretariat's ''Increase of Exportation Project''.

Ukranian delegation members will hold bilateral contacts with Turkish exporters during their visit to Turkey.

Ukranian importers will leave Turkey on December 18.

ISTANBUL - The ''First Istanbul Display of World Underwater Films'', which was organized by Turkish Deniztemiz Association, will take place in Galatasaray High-School in Istanbul between December 20-21, it was reported on Monday.

Daniel Mercier, Pierre Coton and Andre Laban will participate in the display as guests.

ANKARA - State Minister Mehmet Batalli, who is in Ethiopia on an official visit, continues his contacts in that country, it was reported on Monday.

Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said in a written statement that the delegation led by State Minister Batalli continues to hold contacts with high-ranking officials in Ethiopia where they left for on December 12.

[16] TRNC-EU - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''INTERCOMMUNAL TALKS HAVE BEEN KILLED, THERE IS NO FEDERATION AT THE AGENDA TODAY''

Noting that TRNC will not hold contacts with the United Nations (UN) regarding the intercommunal talks between the two sides in Cyprus, TRNC President Denktas said that ''EU Representative to Cyprus Jilles Anouil's mission has ended in TRNC.''

President Denktas and Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu held a meeting and evaluated the decision taken in EU summit regarding Cyprus.

Addressing a statement after the meeting, Denktas stated that

''The Greek Cypriot side tries to claim responsibility over Cyprus by ignoring the rights of Turkey. There are two states in Cyprus and they have to set up good neighbourhood relations and respect each other's rights, so that they can open the way for re-unificiaton.''

Responding to a question, TRNC President Denktas pointed out that ''those who accept our state will come and meet us, and it is just a waste of time to meet those who do not recognize our state.''

TRNC President stressed that the government will prepare a protocol within this framework which regulates all kinds of issues between the two sides in Cyprus.

Rauf Denktas said that he sent a letter to UN Secretary General's Special Consultant to Cyprus Diego Cordovez regarding this issue.

TRNC Prime Minister Eroglu in his part said that ''negotiations regarding Cyprus question will be based on two states from now on.

The details will be declared within 3-5 days.''

[17] TURKEY-EU - EU COMMISSION: ''TURKEY SHOULD REVIEW ITS DECISION''

EU Commission Speaker said that ''we have taken the first and unfortunately negative reactions from Turkey. If Turkey reviews its decision, it will recognize that the EU decision includes concrete steps about Turkey's full membership in the future.''

Noting that the conditions which are put forward for Turkey are also same for other candidate states, the spokesman added that EU determined a strategy which is convenient for Turkish-EU relations.

''EU Commission attributes great importance to its dialogue with Turkey and hopes that this dialogue will continue after Turkey reviews its decision. We note that Turkey continues its will for incorporation in the EU and we welcome this part of the statement,'' said the spokesman.

Responding to a question, spokesman added that ''EU said that it will start full membership negotiations. The chance which is given to Turkey is very important and it should not be wasted.''

Noting that negotiations with Cyprus will begin, but it will take a long time, the spokesman added that ''we attribute great importance to participation of Turkish community in these negotiations, as this is to their benefit.''

''Everybody knows that European Conference will be formed and the participation of Turkey is necessary,'' said EU Commission spokesman.

[18] TURKEY-RUSSIA - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ MEETS RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN

Interdelegationary meetings between the two countries started, following a tete-a-tete meeting between two prime ministers.

Prime Minister Yılmaz and Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin are expected to issue statements after the signature ceremony.

Officials of Russian Embassy in Ankara said that the two countries will sign 20 billion dollars of natural gas agreement and a cooperation agreement in the field of energy, adding that Eximbank and Russian Foreign Economy Bank will also sign three agreements regarding investments which will be made in various regions of Russia.

Turkey and Russia will sign other agreements on prevention of double taxation, encouragement of investments and cooperation agreements in the field of commerce, economics, science, technology and industry.

Russian sources added that Turkey and Russia will sign memorandums on juridicial assistance and high technology.

[19] TURKEY IN BRIEF (2) - DECEMBER 15, 1997

Romanian Defense Minister Babiuc, who is in Turkey on an official visit, and the accompanying delegation's meeting with Sezgin lasted for nearly one hour.

ANKARA - President Suleyman Demirel on Monday received Ecuadorian Acredited Ambassador to Turkey Marcelo Fernandez De Cordoba, who is living in Rome, at Presidential House in Cankaya district in Ankara.

Ambassador Marcelo Fernandez De Cordoba presented his credentials to President Demirel in the meeting.

ANKARA - Turkish-Macedonian Interparliamentary Friendship Group's Macedonian members, who came to Turkey as the official guests of Turkish Parliament, on Monday visited Foreign Affairs Commission.

Macedonian delegation members met Commission Chairman Murat Karayalcin and other commission members.

ANKARA - The cooperation between Turkish Exportation Development Center (IGEME) and Moroccan Exportation Development Center (CMPE) has been further improved in recent years, it was reported on Monday.

Two institutions' experts continue to make market-researches within the framework of cooperation agreement between IGEME and CMPE.

IGEME stated that one expert from CMPE will come to Turkey to make several observations in Ankara and Istanbul between December 15-20.

It stated that Turkey's importation from Morocco was USD 80 million and exportation to that country was USD 50 million in 1996.

[20] TURKEY-EU - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ ADDRESSES TO NEW YORK TIMES: ''EUROPE CONSTRUCTED A NEW BERLIN WALL''

Addressing a statement to New York Times, Prime Minister Yılmaz said that ''even if we fulfil all conditions that have been put forward by European Union, (EU) we understood that the attitute regarding our membership will not change.''

Noting that ''Europe clearly implements a discriminatory attitute against Turkey,'' Prime Minister Yılmaz pointed out that ''the reasons that are put forward by EU do not reflect the real reason, which is obviously religious discrimination.''

Yılmaz stressed that EU shows an unacceptable attitute regarding the Cyprus issue and Turkish-Greek relations, adding that ''EU will be the one which will be responsible for the negative developments in Cyprus from now on.''

[21] TURKEY-TERRORISM - LANDMINE EXPLOSION IN DARGECIT - 12 PEOPLE DIE, 12 OTHERS WOUNDED

The minibus, which was carrying passangers between Yoncali-Karabayir and Temelli villages in Dargecit township, hit a mine believed to have earlier planted by separatist terrorists.

Twelve people including one child and one woman died and twelve were wounded in the explosion. The wounded passangers were taken under medical treatment in Mardin, Midyat and Diyarbakir State Hospitals.

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