Anadolu Agency: News in English, 97-12-22

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

22 DEC 1997

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-TERRORISM -SECURITY FORCES KILL 5 TERRORISTS INFILTRATING FROM SYRIA BORDER

[03] TURKEY-ISRAEL-US -''RELIANT MERMAID'' EXERCISE TO BE OPEN TO PRESS ON JAN 7

[04] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

[05] TURKEY-US -YILMAZ: ''US SEES TURKEY AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER'' -''WE DECIDED TO SET UP A WIDE-SCALE POLITICAL CONSULTATION MECHANISM''

[06] TURKEY-STOCK-EXCHANGE IMKB FIRST SESSION IMKB NATIONAL-100 INDEX RISES TO 3,220 WITH 75 POINTS INCREASE

[07] TURKEY-GREECE -FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL IN GREEK CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL WAS ASKED TO LEAVE TURKEY'' -''HE WAS ENGAGED IN INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING OPERATIONS''

[08] TURKEY-EU-CU -FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY YAVUZ EGE: ''EXCLUSION OF OUR COUNTRY FROM FULL-MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE WILL BADLY AFFECT NOT ONL TURKEY BUT ALSO EU'' -''CU IS NOT OUR FINAL TARGET IN TURKEY-EU RELATIONS''

[09] TURKEY-TURKMENISTAN -CONSTRUCTION OF ERZURUM-ANKARA PIPELINE, WHICH WILL TRANSFER TURKMEN NATURAL GAS, WAS PUT OUT TO INTERNATIONAL TENDER -CONSTRUCTION OF 1,285-KM-PIPELINE TO BE REALIZED BY CREDIT UNDER TURKISH- FOREIGN COMPANIES' CONSORTIUM

[10] TURKEY IN BRIEF - DECEMBER 22, 1997

[11] TURKEY-GREECE-SCHENGEN VISA -FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''NEW SYSTEM CAN CAUSE UNNECESSARY DELAYS FOR OUR CITIZENS AS THEY GET VISA'' -''SOME EU COUNTRIES ARE DISTURBED BY GREEK DEMAND'' -EU INTERIOR MINISTERS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE

[12] TURKEY-TERRORISM -INTERIOR MINISTER BASESGIOGLU: -''1201 TERRORIST ATTACKS OCCURED SINCE FOUNDATION OF 55TH GOVERNMENT'' -''1551 TERRORISTS WERE KILLED IN THOSE CLASHES'' -''86 FUNDAMENTALIST ATTACKS WERE OCCURED''

[13] TURKEY-INTERNAL -DOMESTIC DEBT STOCK REACHES TO 5.8 QUADRILLION LIRA AT THE END OF NOVEMBER

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

Following the approval of the 1998 budget, new reforms will be made concerning local administrations, justice, social security and taxes.

RADİKAL (LEFT)

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

FİNANSAL FORUM (ECONOMY)

[02] TURKEY-TERRORISM -SECURITY FORCES KILL 5 TERRORISTS INFILTRATING FROM SYRIA BORDER

The terrorists were killed in a clash after they were spotted by a thermal camera while crossing a minefield at Turkey-Syria border near Turkey's Ceylanpinar and Akcakale districts.

[03] TURKEY-ISRAEL-US -''RELIANT MERMAID'' EXERCISE TO BE OPEN TO PRESS ON JAN 7

The office of General Chief of Staff said in a written statement that the exercise aims to provide required coordination for search and rescue missions between three countries.

Stating that the exercise aims more effective and speedy action in humanitary missions by the navies of three countries, the statement said:

''According to the scenario of Reliant Mermaid exercise, naval forces of three countries try to search and rescue the survivors following the S.O.S. signals of a sinking fishing boat in the international waters of Mediterranean.''

The statement said Turkey will join the exercise with two frigates, and one helicopter. Five ships and various aircrafts build for search and rescue missions will take part in the exercise.

[04] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

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

YILMAZ-CLINTON MEETING
Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's visit to the White House on Friday was followed by more of the same high-level meetings. Talking to the press after his meetings at the White House with President Bill Clinton as well as Vice President Al Gore, Yilmaz said he found his counterparts ''very well prepared''. Added that it had been very comprehensive, useful and promising meeting, Yilmaz said, ''I had the most fruitful and comprehensive discussion on issues of mutual interest. They range from bilateral relations to all the relevant international developments.''

During the White House visit Turkish delegation also signed a USD 2.5 billion agreement for the purchase of 49 Boeing-737 model civilian passanger planes as well. Yilmaz and the Turkish delegation accompanying him will return home today. /All papers/

FRESH TURCO-GREEK CRISIS
An administrative attache from the Greek Chief Consulate in Athens was caught last week as he was trying to find out secret information about Turkish military facilities in the southeastern parts of the country. The attache has been expelled from Turkey.

Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos rejected the accusations directed against the Greek official and threatened with retaliation. He said that Turkish moves could result in a deterioration in bilateral relations between the two neighbour countries. /Hurriyet/

TURKEY WILL TRAIN SLOVAK SOLDIERS
Turkish military cooperation with Eastern European countries intensifies. Within this framework, Turkey and Slovakia have signed an agreement for cooperating in military training. The agreement signed on October 27, in the Slovak capital of Bratislava was published in the Official Gazette last week. /Hurriyet/

TURKEY EMERGES AS TOURISM GIANT
A research of the Turkish Union of Travel Agencies revealed that Turkey has marked a notable progress in tourism during the last 25 years. Over this 25- year period, Turkey's tourism revenue has increased 25 times, and the number of foreign tourists coming to Turkey has surged eightfold. This growth rate is much higher than the tourism growth rate in the other Mediterranean countries. /Hurriyet/

TURKEY IN CHARGE OF MOSCOW FREE TRADE ZONE
Turkey will undertake the management of a free trade zone to be set up in Moscow. The zone will be administered by the same company that is in charge of the Istanbul Airport Free Trade Zone. The Moscow Free Trade Zone will be opened in February. The Turkish company will make investments worth USD 50 million in Moscow. /Hurriyet/

[05] TURKEY-US -YILMAZ: ''US SEES TURKEY AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER'' -''WE DECIDED TO SET UP A WIDE-SCALE POLITICAL CONSULTATION MECHANISM''

Yılmaz, who wrapped up his contacts in the US and returned to Ankara, told reporters that they succeeded to further improve Turkish-US strategic cooperation.

''The US, which is the sole super power today, clearly expressed that it regards Turkey as a strategic partner and is aware of Turkey's importance in every aspect during my visit,'' he said, ''as a result of this approach, US administration expressed its will to cooperate in the fields of economy, trade, politics, and defence, mainly on energy issues and transportation of Caspian oil and natural gas to the West.''

Yılmaz said a wide scale political consultation mechanism which deals with bilateral, regional, and international issues at the level of Foreign Ministry Undersecretaries is set up between Turkey and US.

Stating that the Energy Ministers of two countries signed a memorandum of understanding which foresees cooperation on energy issues, Yılmaz said the text includes issues such as Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, feasibility etudes of a possible natural gas pipeline which passes under the Caspian Sea, the concerns caused by intense maritime traffic in the Boshporus and Dardanelles Straits, and efforts to ease Turkey's sufferings caused by the situation in Iraq.

Yılmaz said US Deputy Secretary of Trade will pay a visit to Turkey in January, pointing out that US officials promised to extend efforts to take steps to ease the problems caused by textile quotas.

[06] TURKEY-STOCK-EXCHANGE IMKB FIRST SESSION IMKB NATIONAL-100 INDEX RISES TO 3,220 WITH 75 POINTS INCREASE

After 87 points of increase at Friday's second close, today's first session was opened with share-based buys. The index saw 3,173 points in first ten minutes. The index however was loosened to 3,141 points due to profit sellings. The index initially fluctuated between 3,160-3,185 points. The index was closed at 3,188 points at the end of first half of the first session.

In the second half, the intense buyings continued. The index broke 3,200 mark and rose to 3,240 points. The index was closed on 3,220 points at the end of today's first session.

At the close of the first session, the financial index rose 115 points to 4, 048, the industrial index rose 40 points to 2,618 and the services index increased 38 points to 3,384. Financial shares gained nearly 2,92 percent in value, industrial shares gained 1,55 percent in value and services shares gained 1,14 percent in value when compared to prices at the close of Friday's 2nd session.

In the first session, 133 of 260 shares gained in value, 59 shares lost value while the prices of 68 shares did not change.

The trading volume in the morning session was 42.7 trillion Turkish Liras.

[07] TURKEY-GREECE -FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''AN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL IN GREEK CONSULATE IN ISTANBUL WAS ASKED TO LEAVE TURKEY'' -''HE WAS ENGAGED IN INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING OPERATIONS''

''One of the administrative officials in the Greek consulate in Istanbul was found engaged in activities incompatible with his status and was asked to leave Turkey within seven days,'' Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sermet Atacanli said in a weekly press briefing.

''He was engaged in intelligence-gathering operations,'' he said.

Atacanlı said Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Inal Batu had summoned the Greek Ambassador Dimitrios Nezeritis last week and asked him to withdraw the diplomat. Atacanlı said he had no information if the diplomat had yet left the country.

Responding to a question if Greek Military Attache in Ankara is also involved in spying, Atacanlı said he had no information whether someone in Ankara Embassy of Greece is involved or not.

[08] TURKEY-EU-CU -FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY YAVUZ EGE: ''EXCLUSION OF OUR COUNTRY FROM FULL-MEMBERSHIP PERSPECTIVE WILL BADLY AFFECT NOT ONL TURKEY BUT ALSO EU'' -''CU IS NOT OUR FINAL TARGET IN TURKEY-EU RELATIONS''

Yavuz Ege said in his article published in the monthly periodical ''Economic Forum'' of Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) that Customs Union (CU) is not the final target of Turkey in its relations with EU.

Pointing out that exclusion of Turkey in Luxembourg summit should be evaluated as an attitude which was against Turkey-EU relations that have been continued for nearly 35 years, Ege said, ''consequently, CU is a considerable integration. The competition power of Turkish strengthened industry sector rapidly improves. Turkey has experienced in international trade in recent years. Turkey has strategical importance in energy and communication lines between Europe and Asia.''

Stating that the most important effect of CU in foreign trade was the considerable increase in favour of EU countries' importation, Ege said, ''our importation from EU countries has increased by over five percent in last one year.''

''We could not increase our exportation to EU countries in 1996 because EU continued to implement anti-damping to our goods in spite of the CU,'' he said, emphasizing that the increase in Turkey's exportation was mainly to non-EU countries.

[09] TURKEY-TURKMENISTAN -CONSTRUCTION OF ERZURUM-ANKARA PIPELINE, WHICH WILL TRANSFER TURKMEN NATURAL GAS, WAS PUT OUT TO INTERNATIONAL TENDER -CONSTRUCTION OF 1,285-KM-PIPELINE TO BE REALIZED BY CREDIT UNDER TURKISH- FOREIGN COMPANIES' CONSORTIUM

General Directorate of BOTAS opened an international tender regarding the construction of pipeline which will be used for the transfer of Turkmenistan natural gas to Ankara from eastern Erzurum province.

BOTAS foresees a Turkish-foreign companies' consortium for the construction of the pipeline which will be realized by credit. BOTAS is planning to construct the 1,285-km-pipeline with four seperate phases.

The companies can submit their biddings after setting up their consortium. The consortium will be liable of providing pipes including all equipment and construction and mounting process.

The due date for submitting tenders of which provisional warrant is five million dollar will be March 2, 1998. The documents regarding the application will be available in General Directorate of BOTAS between December 31, 1997- January 12, 1998.

Consortium's foreign credit will meet 85 percent of financing the total cost of the project.

The four phases of the project are as follows:

-''Erzurum-Imranli (Sivas) Natural Gas Pipeline Project'': Legth: 325 kilometres, diameter of pipe: 48 inches...

-''Imranli-Kayseri Natural Gas Pipeline Project'': Length: 260 kilometres, diameter of pipe: 40 inches...

-''Kayseri-Ankara Natural Gas Pipeline Project'': Legth: 320 kilometres, diameter of pipe: 40 inches...

-''Kayseri-Konya-Seydisehir Natural Gas Pipeline System Project'': Length: 380 kilometres, (diameter of pipe for first 200 kilometres: 40 inches; diameter of pipe for 120 kilometres: 16 inches...)

[10] TURKEY IN BRIEF - DECEMBER 22, 1997

Atacanli pointed out that Prime Minister Yilmaz's visit to that country in September was delayed due to health problems of Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Turkmenbasi.

JERUSALEM - A high-ranking Israeli military-delegation on Monday left for Ankara while National Defense Ministry Undersecretary General Tuncer Kilinc currently holds contacts in Israel.

General Kilinc met Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai in Israeli capital of Tel-Aviv.

Kilinc yesterday visited Israeli Aviation Industry's factory in Tel-Aviv and was briefed on modernization studies of F-4 war planes.

Israeli military-delegation led by Israeli Defense Ministry Chief Consultant David Ivri will meet Second Chief of General Staff Gen. Cevik Bir in Ankara.

The issue of ''Military Traning Cooperation Agreement'' is expected to be taken up during the meeting.

[11] TURKEY-GREECE-SCHENGEN VISA -FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''NEW SYSTEM CAN CAUSE UNNECESSARY DELAYS FOR OUR CITIZENS AS THEY GET VISA'' -''SOME EU COUNTRIES ARE DISTURBED BY GREEK DEMAND'' -EU INTERIOR MINISTERS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE

Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Sermet Atacanlı told a weekly press briefing that they contacted several Shengen member countries concerning the issue.

Stating that the new system can cause unnecessary delays in issuing visa to Turkish citizens, Atacanlı said the new system can affect Turkish citizens who will go to Europe as tourists and businessmen.

Schengen visa also includes residence permit in issuing country. Belgium, one of the signatories of Schengen Agreement, asked other Schengen countries to consult to Brussels when they issue visa to citizens of its ex- commonwealth Kongo to prevent them settle in Belgium. Following this, countries which signed Schengen Agreement started to inform a data center in Brussels about names whom they consider suspicious.

When Portugal started to follow a similar procedure, Greece asked other Schengen states to inform Athens about Turkish citizens who want to get Schengen visa. This demand caused concern in several EU countries, saying that this will cause unnecessary delays in issuing visa.

Foreign Ministry officials said Italy suspended a similar application after Turkey's initiations.

The EU Interior Ministers will meet in January and discuss the issue.

[12] TURKEY-TERRORISM -INTERIOR MINISTER BASESGIOGLU: -''1201 TERRORIST ATTACKS OCCURED SINCE FOUNDATION OF 55TH GOVERNMENT'' -''1551 TERRORISTS WERE KILLED IN THOSE CLASHES'' -''86 FUNDAMENTALIST ATTACKS WERE OCCURED''

Basesgioglu said 264 security forces and nine public officials were killed in the attacks in last 5,5-month-period. Interior Minister Basesgioglu said that 84 citizens were killed and 554 security forces were wounded in those attacks, adding that 286 seperatist terrorists were captured.

Pointing out that 86 fundamentalist terrorist attacks occured during the same period, Basesgioglu said that 13 citizens were wounded; one fundamentalist terrorist was killed and 17 fundamentalist terrorists surrendered in those attacks.

[13] TURKEY-INTERNAL -DOMESTIC DEBT STOCK REACHES TO 5.8 QUADRILLION LIRA AT THE END OF NOVEMBER

Turkey's domestic debt stock rose by 217 trillion lira at the end of November compared to previous month, according to temporary statistics of Treasury Undersecretariat.

Turkey's domestic debt stock was 5.6 quadrillion lira in October.

Meanwhile, domestic debt stock at the and of 1996 had increased 83,5 percent to 3.1 quadrillion lira.

Domestic debt stock as of the end of November was consist of 3.2 quadrillion lira of bills, 2.2 quadrillion lira of bonds and 337.6 trillion lira of short-term advances.

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