Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-01-04

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

04 JAN 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-TREMOR - EARTHQUAKE SLIGTHLY SHAKES DENIZLI

[03] TURKEY-ITALY - FM CEM RESPONDES TO HIS ITALIAN COUNTERPART: ''OFFICIAL AND MINISTERIAL STATEMENS REPORTED BY ITALIAN PRESS WOULD PROBABLY ENCOURAGE AND TRIGGER NEW WAVES OF IMMIGRATION'' ''WE ARE READY TO COOPERATE WITH OUR ITALIAN COUNTERPARTS ON ALL POSSIBLE JOINT EFFORTS,''

[04] TURKEY-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - 14 IRAQI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND 3 TURKS ARRESTED

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL) TEN RADICAL DECISIONS
Ten radical reform measures came out of the summit of coalition leaders. They include extending compulsory education to 11 years, stopping the death penalty and improving human rights.

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

RADİKAL (LEFT)

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL) YEARLY INFLATION 99.1 PERCENT
Year-on-year inflation in December reached 99.1 percent.

[02] TURKEY-TREMOR - EARTHQUAKE SLIGTHLY SHAKES DENIZLI

Kandilli Observatory said that epicenter of the earthquake which occured at 21.52 was Buldan township of Denizli.

There were no reported casualties.

[03] TURKEY-ITALY - FM CEM RESPONDES TO HIS ITALIAN COUNTERPART: ''OFFICIAL AND MINISTERIAL STATEMENS REPORTED BY ITALIAN PRESS WOULD PROBABLY ENCOURAGE AND TRIGGER NEW WAVES OF IMMIGRATION'' ''WE ARE READY TO COOPERATE WITH OUR ITALIAN COUNTERPARTS ON ALL POSSIBLE JOINT EFFORTS,''

Cem, responded to his Italian counterpart Lamberto Dini's letter concerning latest illegal immigrations.

Stating that they have been following the repercussions of the attempted illegal immigration to Italy, Cem said Turkey understood Italy's concerns and symphatize with them.

Cem stressed that he does not agree with the repeated analogy made with ''exodus'' in Dini's letter, pointing out that ''I am sensitive on this terminology for Turkey has both historically and contemporarily constituted a safe heaven, a country which 'sheltered the exodist'.''

''Let me recall that in 1988 and in 1991, more than half a million asylum seekers from Northern Iraq have found shelter and assistance in Turkey. Iranian masses fleeing the newly founded radical regime, Bulgarian Turks, and Bosnians were welcomed in our country, as this was the case in our history, when tens of thousand of persecuted Jews from Spain, Portugal and Germany found tolerance and a home in Turkey,'' Cem said.

Emphasizing that the current problem is a case of illegal human smuggling which is an extremely serious form of organized crime, Cem said, ''this criminal activity is based on the exploitation of the understandable desire to have a better life. To present this basic cause as a romanticized human rights problem deviates from reality, and encourages those who organized illegal immigration and serves their interest. It provides the traffickers with a moral justification.''

Cem also warned that ''official and ministerial statements reported by Italian press and which are perceived as promises to grant political asylum to illegal immigrants would probably encourage and trigger new waves of migration.''

Stating that Turkey have consistently sought multilateral cooperation against all forms of organized crime and international terrorism, Cem said that he hoped concerned countries will be more receptive to their calls for combatting these crimes. Cem said Turkey's calls remained inconclusive due to the ''false analyses or miscalculation prevailing in some Western countries.''

Pointing out that illegal human trafficking has been a subject of consideration between Italy and Turkey and it has recently been agreed to make use of and develop the provisions of existing agreements, Cem said Turkey remain committed to such cooperation with Italy and to work for its refinement.

''We are ready to cooperate with our Italian counterparts on all possible joint efforts,'' Cem said.

Stating that Turkey proposed the meeting of Turkish-Italian Joint Committee to look for enhanced cooperation against organized crime and for joint initiatives, but Italy has not yet responded to this proposal, Cem said, ''we are taking all measures needed to stem illegal immigration as an organized crime, through or from Turkey. But I would underline as well the need for dealing effectivily with its connections in the favorable environment that it generally finds in its host West-European countries.''

[04] TURKEY-ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - 14 IRAQI ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND 3 TURKS ARRESTED

The Iraqis, including 2 women and 3 children, were intending to make their way to Greece and from there to western Europe when police arrested them in Turgutreis region of Bodrum.

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