Anadolu Agency: News in English, 97-12-25

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

25 DEC 1997

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-POLITICS - PREPARATION COMMISSION DECIDES TO LIFT THE IMMUNITY OF RIZE DEPUTY SEVKI YILMAZ

[03] TURKEY-VATICAN - POPE DUE TO TURKEY FOR PILGRIMAGE - TOURISM MINISTER GURDAL: - ''POPE INFORMED US THAT HE WELCOMED OUR OFFICIAL INVITATION THROUGH TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO VATICAN AND HE WILL COME TO TURKEY FOR PILGRIMAGE''

[04] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

[05] TURKEY-EXPORTATION - GAP REGION REALIZES USD 348 MILLION OF EXPORTATION TO MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES IN FIRST 11 MONTHS OF 1997

[06] TURKEY-INTERNAL - COAL MINE COLLAPSES IN BARTIN - 4 MINE WORKERS WHO WERE TRAPPED UNDER DEBRIS RESCUED

[07] CYPRUS - CUSTODY PERIOD OF GREEK SALESMAN SPIROS LILLES WHO VIOLATED TRNC MILITARY ZONE EXTENDED BY 8 DAYS

[08] TURKEY-EXPORTATION - DAIB EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIRMAN OKUR: ''OUR EXPORTATION THIS YEAR ROSE BY 45 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR''

[09] TURKEY-ECONOMY - CENTRAL BANK'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES REDUCE TO 18.6 BILLION DOLLAR

[10] TURKEY-ECONOMY - TOTAL AMOUNT OF STATE DOMESTIC DEBT INSTRUMENTS IN BANKS REDUCES BY 7,9 TRILLION LIRA BETWEEN NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 5 - BANKS' REPURCHASE TRANSACTIONS RISE BY 71.9 TRILLION LIRA

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)

EIGHT BILLION DOLLAR SUPPORT TO EXPORTATION
State Minister Isin Celebi said Turkish Eximbank will reach to a capacity to finance eight billion dollar exportation in 1998.

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

SUPPORT FROM GREECE AND IRAN TO PKK
PKK terrorist Seref Kilic who surrendered to Turkish Chief Consulate in Iran said Greece and Iran extended support to the separatist terrorist organization.

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

DENKTAS: ''EU TOOK THE BURDEN FROM OUR BACK''
Decisions of European Union (EU) taken during Luxembourg Summit made Turkey angry but ruling circles in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) became relaxed. Denktas said the decision formed a new base to strengthen relations between Turkey and TRNC.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT) YILMAZ DUE TO ASKHABAD ON FRIDAY
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will pay an official visit to brotherly country Turkmenistan between Dec 26 and 28. The most important issue Yilmaz will discuss with Niyazov will be the route of Turkmen natural gas.

RADİKAL (LEFT) ''ELECTION'' UNDERSTOOD FROM THE SITUATION
Republican Peoples Party (CHP) says the government wants to go to elections but will will not give up.

ANKARA: ''GREECE SHOULD CONDEMN PKK TERRORISM BY GIVING NAME''
Turkish-Greece tension escalated. Bomber of the separatist terrorist organization confused everything after EU discussion and spy crisis.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPLODES TO ATHENS
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Necati Utkan told a weekly news conference that ''if it is also true that terrorist Esref Kilic received training in Greece, this will be an evidence of the support Greece extended to the separatist terrorist PKK organization.''

FİNANSAL FORUM (ECONOMY)

[02] TURKEY-POLITICS - PREPARATION COMMISSION DECIDES TO LIFT THE IMMUNITY OF RIZE DEPUTY SEVKI YILMAZ

The Commission, headed by Republican Peoples Party (CHP) Mugla Deputy Zeki Cakiroglu, investigated six separate files about Sevki Yilmaz. The Commission then decided to lift the immunity of Yilmaz due to five files, opening the way for Yılmaz to be judged in the court. The commmission also decided to postpone the lifting of immunity about the sixth file.

The decision about Yilmaz will be taken up in Parliamentary General Assembly after being discussed in Joint Commission.

Yilmaz's immunity will be lifted due to the accusations about insult to military powers of the state, government and Parliament and counterfeiting in official document.

The Commission also investigated two files about Sanliurfa deputy Ibrahim Halil Celik who resigned from Welfare Party (RP) and became an Independent deputy.

[03] TURKEY-VATICAN - POPE DUE TO TURKEY FOR PILGRIMAGE - TOURISM MINISTER GURDAL: - ''POPE INFORMED US THAT HE WELCOMED OUR OFFICIAL INVITATION THROUGH TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO VATICAN AND HE WILL COME TO TURKEY FOR PILGRIMAGE''

Stressing the considerable improvement in the ''Anatolia 2000'' project, Gürdal said ''Pope showed a sensible approach to our willingness to host Christian world in Turkey on grounds of Jesus Christ's 2000th birthday anniversary and said that he will perform the rites of pilgrimage in Turkey. This is a very important and pleasant development for us,'' he said.

Pointing out that Pope's decision will have a positive effect over Christian world, Gurdal said that he expects lots of Christian people to be pilgrim in Turkey in the year 2000.

There are several important historical and religious Christian sites in Turkey like St. Paul Church in Tarsus, the place where St. Paul lived; Holy Virgin House in Ephesus; St. Pierre Church in Antakya, and St. Paul Church in Isparta-Yalvac, the place where St. Paul performed his first sermon.

[04] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW

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

YILMAZ TO VISIT TURKMENISTAN
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will visit Turkmenistan, the second largest natural gas producer in the world, between January 26 and 28, with a large delegation including key cabinet ministers and businessmen, on the invitation of Turkmen President Saparmurad Turkmenbasi, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. Turkey and US companies are working together in the natural gas fields in Turkmenistan, as in the case of the joint study being carried out by the American firm Unocal and the state- owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). /Milliyet/

ISMET INONU COMMEMORATED
The second president and former prime minister of the Turkish Republic, Ismet Inonu, will be commemorated today at the 25th anniversary of his death. Inonu was born in Izmir in 1884. He has also been chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP) for 33 years. /Milliyet/

REPORTS OF GREEK AND IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR PKK
Reports of Greek support for the PKK terrorist organization continue to irk Ankara. Asked about the reported arrest of a PKK bomber who had been trained in Greece, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Necati Utkan told journalists during a weekly press briefing that this incident once more verified Greek support for the PKK. In a story published on Wednesday by the daily Hurriyet, it was reported that Esref Kilic, a PKK bomber, was abducted by Turkish intelligence agents from Tehran, where he was being employed by SAVAMA (Iranian intelligence) officers. Kilic later confessed that officials from the Greek Secret Service gave him training in Greece in the use of explosives, according to the Hurriyet report. An operation similar to the one reported in Hurriyet, was performed by Turkish Intelligence last year to bring Mustafa Duyar, one of the suspected executioners of Ozdemir Sabanci, back to Turkey. /All papers/

TURKISH-ISRAELI MILITARY COOPERATION
Turkey is seriously planning to buy at least ten unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). The sides discussed the issue during Defense Ministry Undersecretary Lt.Gen.Ilhan Kilic's visit to Tel Aviv this week. The strategic talks had a very broad perspective -from evaluating threats against both countries, in an effort to prepare for and initiate joint measures in the event of future instability in the Middle East, to join defense industry venture opportunities. Turkish and Israeli officials also agreed in principle to jointly produce, for defense purposes, 500-kilometer-range Arrow missiles, while Ankara decided to increase its Popeye missile order from 100 to 200. /Milliyet/

ANKARA'S METRO OPENS ON SUNDAY
Ankara's Metro, operating between Kizilay and Batikent, will open this Sunday, December 28. Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek said that all technical problems have been resolved with the final testing of the Metro, and a provisional acceptance contract has been signed between the city and the Metro's construction consortium. According to the contract, Ankara's Metro will start service on December 28. /Hurriyet/

NORTHERN WATCH MANDATE TO BE EXTENDED FOR SIX MONTHS
The mandate of Northern Watch, a multinational force consisting of US, British and Turkish air force units operating over northern Iraq, is to be extended for another six months. The government has urged Parliament to debate its proposal to this effect today following the vote on the budget bill. /All papers/

'SCHENGEN FORMULA FOR TURKS' TO BE HANDLED AT JAN.15 EU MEETING
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ambassador Necati Utkan said yesterday that the formula for Turks regarding the Schengen visa will be negotiated during a meeting scheduled to take place on January 15 between the interior ministers of the European Union (EU) members states. /All papers/

EXIMBANK PLANS 500 MLN MARK BOND ISSUE IN 1998
Turkey's Export-Import Bank (Eximbank) is planning to issue 500 million marks (USD 280 million) of bonds in early 1998 to finance its export credits, State Minister Isin Celebi said yesterday. Celebi told a news conference that Eximbank would raise its lending limit to 1,000 trillion lira in 1998 from 450 trillion lira this year to support exporters.

''WE HAVE NEVER WITNESSED SUCH LOVE''
Walter Isaacson, Time Magazine Editor in Chief, commented in a programme broadcast on US third-largest channel ABC, on a survey carried out by the Time magazine to find out the 100 most prominent figures of the 20th century. ''We have seen what Ataturk means to Turks. We have never witnessed such love,'' Isaakson said. Votes in support of Ataturk have neared 2.5 million. /Hurriyet/

EGYPT AND JORDAN INVITED TO ''RELIANT MERMAID'' MANEUVRES
Egypt and Jordan have been invited to participate as observers in the ''Reliant Mermaid'' joint military maneuvres to be staged by Turkey, the US and Israel on January 5-9. The invitation aims to ease Arab anxiety about the maneuvres. /Milliyet/

[05] TURKEY-EXPORTATION - GAP REGION REALIZES USD 348 MILLION OF EXPORTATION TO MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES IN FIRST 11 MONTHS OF 1997

That exportation was USD 209.2 million in the same period last year.

Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union officials told A.A correspondent that they exported USD 44.5 million of live-stock, USD 231 million of cereals, USD 4.7 million of dried fruits and USD 67.6 million of textile products to Middle East countries in first eleven months of this year.

Officials said exportation to Iraq rose 119 percent to USD 228 million; exportation to Syria increased 67 percent to USD 57 million while exportation to Saudi Arabia decreased 23 percent to USD 29.1 million during January-November 1997 period compared to same period last year.

Officials said GAP region exported especially red lentil, vegetable liquid oil, biscuit, cake, chocalate, candied fruits, navy beans, synthetical yarn, cotton thread, pinenuts, plastic sack, green pistachio, sheep, olive oil, chick-pea, dried apricot, carpet, macaroni and sugar to Middle East countries.

[06] TURKEY-INTERNAL - COAL MINE COLLAPSES IN BARTIN - 4 MINE WORKERS WHO WERE TRAPPED UNDER DEBRIS RESCUED

Four mine workers Rifat Gul (aged 19), Ilker Gul (aged 16), Huseyin Gul (aged 19) and Erhan Akdogan (aged 22), who were trapped beneath the debris, were rescued after three and half an hour-rescue studies.

The owner of the coal mine Muhittin Gul said the central ornament of the mine-heading's ceiling collapsed due to torrential rain on early Thursday.

The rescued mine workers were taken under medical treatment in Kurucasile Hospital.

[07] CYPRUS - CUSTODY PERIOD OF GREEK SALESMAN SPIROS LILLES WHO VIOLATED TRNC MILITARY ZONE EXTENDED BY 8 DAYS

Police had requested an additional time to finalize the investigation into the case of Lilles.

Thus Ilker Sertbay, a judge of Military Court, ruled to extend Spiros Lilles's three-day custody period by eight days.

After the investigation, Spiros Lilles will be judged by Military Court.

[08] TURKEY-EXPORTATION - DAIB EXECUTIVE BOARD CHAIRMAN OKUR: ''OUR EXPORTATION THIS YEAR ROSE BY 45 PERCENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR''

Okur told A.A correspondent that the number of importing countries this year increased to 52 from 45 in 1996.

Stating that they exported various goods to especially Russia, Georgia and Ukraine, Okur said, ''our target is to increase our exportation to 500 million dollar next year and one billion dollar in the year 2000.''

Okur said that nearly 2,500 different products are exported from the region.

[09] TURKEY-ECONOMY - CENTRAL BANK'S FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES REDUCE TO 18.6 BILLION DOLLAR

Foreign exchange reserves decreased 64 million dollar to 18.6 billion dollar on December 19 from 18.7 billion dollar on December 12, according to Cenral Bank's statistics.

Meanwhile, Turkey's international reserves decreased 27 million dollar to 29.7 billion dollar on November 28, according to December 5-based statistics.

International reserves were constituted of USD 1.4 billion of gold, USD 19.3 billion of Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves and USD 9 billion of commercial banks' foreign exchange reserves, according to December 5- based statistics.

[10] TURKEY-ECONOMY - TOTAL AMOUNT OF STATE DOMESTIC DEBT INSTRUMENTS IN BANKS REDUCES BY 7,9 TRILLION LIRA BETWEEN NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 5 - BANKS' REPURCHASE TRANSACTIONS RISE BY 71.9 TRILLION LIRA

Central Bank officials told A.A correspondent that the state domestic debt instruments decreased 7.9 trillion lira to 1,731 trillion lira on December 5 from 1,739 trillion lira on November 28, 1997.

Officials said that the state bonds in banks reduced 23.7 trillion lira to 973.9 trillion lira on December 5 from 997.6 trillion lira on November 28.

In the same period, the treasury bonds in banks increased 16.1 trillion lira to 757.1 trillion lira on December 5 from 741 trillion lira on November 28, 1997.

Meanwhile, banks' repurchase transactions during November 28-December 5, 1997 period rose 71.9 trillion to 2,540 trillion lira from 2,468 trillion lira on November 28.

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