Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-01-09

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

09 JAN 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY-DRUGS - MORE THAN 480 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN SARP BORDER GATE

[03] TURKEY-IMMIGRANTS - GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER KINKEL: - ''THE PROBLEM IS NOT TURKEY BUT IRAQ''

[04] TURKEY-EU - BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: ''ALL DIPLOMATIC MEANS TO BE USED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND DURING BRITAIN'S TERM- CHAIRMANSHIP'' - ''THIS HAS VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR TURKEY AND THE EU'' - ''TURKEY REACTS AGAINST LUXEMBOURG RESOLUTIONS. HOWEVER WE BELIEVE THAT TURKEY IS A NATURAL MEMBER OF EUROPEAN FAMILY''

[05] TURKEY-ROME MEETING - ROME MEETING ENDS - TURKEY'S PROTEST TO SCHENGEN COUNTRIES - TURKISH POLICE CHIEF BILICAN: ''EU COUNTRIES SHOULD SEE THE FACT THAT THERE IS ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS AND SEPARATIST ORGANISATION BEHIND THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION'' - ''MISUSE OF RIGTH OF POLITIC ASYLUM SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED''

[06] 1997 REPORT OF EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND COURT ISSUED - GREECE IS THE COUNTRY WHICH VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTION MOST

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

[09] TURKEY-TRNC - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES TRNC PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

[10] TURKEY-FOREIGN TRADE - TURKEY MAKES 18,2 BILLION DOLLARS EXPORTATION AND 33,6 BILLION DOLLAR IMPORTATION IN JAN-SEPT PERIOD

[11] TURKEY-ECONOMY - 1998 YEAR IMPORTATION REGIME TAKES EFFECT

[12] TURKEY-GREECE - GREEK COASTGUARD BOAT OPENS FIRE ON TURKISH FISHING BOAT

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HÜRRİYET (LIBERAL)

MİLLİYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

RADİKAL (LEFT)

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

STEP BY STEP DEMOCRACY
The government will solve freedom of expression problem first of all instead of comprehensive reform.

FİNANSAL FORUM (ECONOMY)

[02] TURKEY-DRUGS - MORE THAN 480 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN SARP BORDER GATE

Police told A.A. that they found 480,6 kg of pure heroin in hidden departments in a bus coming from Azerbaijan capital Baku.

The heroine, worth of 15 trillion liras, was confiscated and bus driver Nihat Ayyildiz (38) was taken under custody.

[03] TURKEY-IMMIGRANTS - GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER KINKEL: - ''THE PROBLEM IS NOT TURKEY BUT IRAQ''

Kinkel told the reporters in Bonn that he understood the harsh reaction of German Internal Minister Manfred Kanther to Ankara and Rome after the illegal immigrants problem emerged. Italy also should be approached with understanding since it suffers from insufficient coastal security, he said.

Kinkel said that majority of the immigrants from Turkey were coming from poor districts of big cities and that they should be considered as economical refugees. Stating that number of those immigrants were decreasing in Europe, Kinkel reminded that among 16.840 Turkish refugees 11, 1 percent was given asylum.

On the other hand number of immigrants coming from Iraq doubled in the same period and reached to 14.088, he said. He added that 17 percent of them were given the right of political asylum.

Kinkel said that the main issue was not the arrival of immigrant by boats to Italy. The problem is more complicated than it is seen, he said.

Kinkel stated that it was not possible to put diplomatic pressure on Iraq to prevent illegal migration.

[04] TURKEY-EU - BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: ''ALL DIPLOMATIC MEANS TO BE USED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND DURING BRITAIN'S TERM- CHAIRMANSHIP'' - ''THIS HAS VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR TURKEY AND THE EU'' - ''TURKEY REACTS AGAINST LUXEMBOURG RESOLUTIONS. HOWEVER WE BELIEVE THAT TURKEY IS A NATURAL MEMBER OF EUROPEAN FAMILY''

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and European Commission Chairman Jacques Santer gave a joint press briefing after the first European Commission meeting under the term-chairmanship of Britain.

Blair and Santer defined next six months period as ''an active and dynamic period'' regarding to unemployment, decreasing the rate of crime, environmental and economical developments in Europe.

In response to a question on escalating tension between Turkey and the EU after the Luxembourg Summit, Blair said that they would use all diplomatic ways to improve the relations between Turkey and the EU. He added that this had a vital importance for both Turkey and the EU. Stating that they knew the reactions of Turkey after the Luxembourg Summit, Blair said that they believed that Turkey was a natural part of the European family.

In response to the same question, Santer said that they called Turkey to soften its reaction and that the decision on Turkey was the first in the history of the union.

Santer said that all 15 members of the EU were for the first time agreed on the conditions of Turkey's membership and that those conditions were the same for other candidates.

Stating that Turkey was treated equally as other candidates, Santer said that Ankara should once more review Luxembourg decisions with a positive approach.

In reponse to a question on the start of talks on Greek Cypriot's membership to the EU, Blair said that they hoped that Turkish Cypriots would participate in these talks, as stated in Luxembourg summit.

Stressing that the membership talks with Greek Cypriots will be carried out as scheduled before, Blair said that a solution to Cyprus problem would also bring success to talks in the EU.

In response to a question on illegal immigrant wave to Europe, Tony Blair underlined the importance of cooperation and he added that finding a solution was not very easy for the moment. He said that the issue would be taken up in a meeting scheduled by the end of January.

[05] TURKEY-ROME MEETING - ROME MEETING ENDS - TURKEY'S PROTEST TO SCHENGEN COUNTRIES - TURKISH POLICE CHIEF BILICAN: ''EU COUNTRIES SHOULD SEE THE FACT THAT THERE IS ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS AND SEPARATIST ORGANISATION BEHIND THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION'' - ''MISUSE OF RIGTH OF POLITIC ASYLUM SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED''

During the meeting Turkey protested that participant countries did not recognize openly the role of the separatist terrorist PKK organization and other organized crime groups on the issue of illegal immigration.

In the statement released after the meeting, Turkey raised reservations saying that it would examine the document in question and continue to struggle against organized crime.

Addressing a press briefing after the meeting in Rome, Turkish Police Chief Necati Bilican recalled that there was organized crime groups behind illegal immigration and that they were promoted by the separatist organization.

Bilican said that Turkey warned once more the participating countries on the misuse of right of political asylum.

Stating that Turkish side rejected the expressions such as ''the situation of the Kurdish immigrants in Turkey'' and ''Kurdish regions in Turkey'', Bilican said they stressed that EU countries should not fall into the mistake of definition on these issues.

Bilican said there was not a consensus of opinion between participating countries about the role of organized crime organization regarding illegal immigration, adding that after his statements on the issue, other sides partly proved Turkey right.

Recalling that custom and port officials had responsibility as much as the police and security forces on the prevention of illegal immigration, Bilican said that they wanted Europe to see the fact that poverty and economical problems also lied behind the immigration to Europe.

Italy, Greece, Belgium, Austria, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Turkey were the participating countries. Britain participated as the representative of the EU Term Presidency, as observer.

The document released after the meeting foresees:

-Increasing the precautions to observe and control the borders.

-Increasing the internal security precautions near common borders and complying with the agreements on passages from borders.

-Regular exchange of information on illegal immigration.

-Increasing the cooperation between police organizations of member countries, on the issue.

-Keeping and publishing of the information on fingerprints of the illegal immigrants.

[06] 1997 REPORT OF EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND COURT ISSUED - GREECE IS THE COUNTRY WHICH VIOLATES HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTION MOST

In the press briefing at European Commission, it was stated that 4.750 appeals to Human Rights Commission took place in 1997.

Italy is the first in number of complaints to the European Human Rights Commission in 1997, with 2.066. France is second with 1.968, then comes Poland with 1.318, Germany with 1.224 and Britain with 1.209.

There were 292 complaint files related to Turkey in the Commission in 1997. 365 applications were recorded related to Turkey and information was asked from Turkish Government for 344 of them. 34 of the complaints were not accepted in the Commission, whereas 29 were accepted.

European Court of Human Rights resolved 119 complaint applications in 1997. 53 of them showed that related member countries violated the convention. Greece is first with 10 cases, Austria and the Britain are second with 6 cases. 13 cases were resolved related to Turkey. In five of these cases, decisions were given that Turkey violated the convention.

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

EUROPEAN POLICE CHIEFS TACKLE REFUGEE CRISIS
Police chiefs and security officials from Turkey and six European Union (EU) states gathered in Rome on Thursday to outline a policy to deal with the wave of Kurdish immigration to Italy which has sparked panic throughout the EU block. Officials form Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy and Turkey were welcomed by Italian Interior Minister Giorgio Napolitano as they arrived for the talks.

Security Department Chief Necati Bilican and four other high-level officials participated on behalf of Turkey. Bilican was expected to maintain Turkey's previously announced position that the immigrants should be regarded as illegal immigrants and not political refugees. He was also expected to underline the roles of organized crime groups and the outlawed PKK terrorist organization in smuggling and to urge the revival of the implementation of the 1986 Convention on the Prevention of Organized Crime and Smuggling. The Turkish delegation was to assert Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's statement that Turkey would accept the immigrants if they are turned back. /All papers/

INTERIOR MINISTER LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION ON REFUGEE SMUGGLING
Interior Minister Murat Basesgioglu said on Thursday that he had ordered an extensive investigation into the recent wave of illegal smuggling of immigrants to Italy. He said that a number of people accused of organizing the voyages, together with ship owners, had been detained. Some of them were handed over the justice, others were still undergoing interrogation. /All papers/

BLAIR, ''TURKEY IS A NATURAL PART OF EUROPE''
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in London on Thursday that the Britain presidency would apply every diplomatic means to improve relations between Turkey and the European Union (EU) in the coming six months. Speaking together with Jacques Sanders, president of the European Commission, at a press conference organized after the first EU Commission meeting in London. Blair said it was vital both for Turkey and the EU to maintain the good relations.

Meanwhile, Santer also said the text agreed to in Luxembourg regarding Turkey had a great significance since it was the first time 15 member- states had agreed on conditions for Turkey to join the EU.

Regarding the issue of Kurdish immigration Europe, both Blair and Santer said cooperation was vital for all illegal immigration to be prevented. /Milliyet/

TURKEY-FRANCE RAPPROCHMENT
During his one-day visit to Ankara, French Foreign Minister Hubert Verdine dwelt on Turkey-EU relations. Commenting on Verdine's contacts in Ankara, Hurriyet daily newspaper notes that the French officials urged Turkey to keep cool and attend the European Conference of EU member and candidate countries scheduled for March. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, however, responded harshly to Verdine's suggestion and said that Turkey's participation in the European Conference was ''out of question''. In response to verdine's statement that the declaration that emerged from the EU Luxembourg Summit included a number of positive for Turkey details, Yilmaz stressed that this declaration has been rejected by Turkey.

During a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ismail Cem, Verdine said that Kurdish problem could not be resolved by employing merely military measures, and that cultural initiatives also needed to be undertaken. Cem said that Turkey was as sensitive as France to with respect to preserving its national values. During his meetings with Turkish officials, Verdine also discussed moves for improving bilateral relations. Within this framework, the establishment of a joint group to spot and tackle bilateral disagreements and improve Turco-French cooperation in all fields has been agreed upon. /Hurriyet and all papers/

IMF TALKS POSTPONED
The Internetional monetary Fund visit to Turkey was postponed to January 19. A technical delegation of 6 by Turkey bureau chief Martin Hardy was to arrive in Turkey on January 12 to continue the talks commenced last December. /All papers/

SIX PRISONER ON THE BRICK OF DEATH
A hunger strike by 170 convicts and prisoners in Erzurum special type and E type prisons has passed its 50th day. It was announced yesterday that six prisoners were on the brink of death and the situation of another seven was getting severe. Security measures in prisons around Erzurum have been beefed-up, and ambulances have been parked close to the prisons. /Cumhuriyet/

(contınues)

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

TURKEY PROTESTS TO SCHENGEN COUNTRIES
In a meeting on January 8 in Rome of directors of police force from seven Schengen countries and Turkey about stopping the refugee flow to Europe, Turkey protested that the PKK terrorist organization's role in illegal refugee flow to Italy was not recognized openly. General Director of Turkish Police Necati Bilican refused to be a party to the declaration of intent prepared at the end of the meeting. /Cumhuriyet/

DECISION IN RP CASE POSTPONED TO NEXT WEEK
The Constitutional Court continues to discuss the case of the Welfare Party's closure. Acting Chairman of the Constitutional Court Guven Dincer said it was impossible to conclude the case this week. /All papers/

POLITICAL IMMUNITY OF FIVE POLITICIANS LIFTED
The Constitutional-Justice Joint Commission has decided to lift the political immunity of former Welfare (RP) Party deputy Sevki Yilmaz, RP deputies Mustafa Bayram and Kahraman Emmioglu, and True Path (DYP) Party deputies Omer Bilgin and Kemal Aykurt.

The decision of the Joint Commission is not final. It has to be approved by the General Assembly to become binding. Only then can procedures for a trial be started. /All papers/

BASIC PROBLEM IS NORTHERN IRAQ
German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said yesterday that most of the Turkish refugees trying to reach European countries were coming from undeveloped districts, and that they were actually economic refugees. Kinkel noted that the basic problem was not Turkey but northern Iraq. Kinkel stated that the number of refugees coming from Turkey was decreasing, recalling that in 1997 16,840 refugees came from Turkey, however the applications of only 11.1 percent of them had been accepted. On the other hand, the number of refugees coming from Iraq was increasing, he added. /Milliyet/

JETS IN AEGEAN
While Athens claims that 32 Turkish war planes have violated Greek airspace and the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR), the Turkish Foreign Ministry has denied these claims. Foreign Ministry officials have noted that Turkish airplanes are flying only in the international airspace of the Aegean, and have stated that the Greek claims are ''groundless''. They note that the Greek claims stem from Greek declarations that Greek airspace is 10 miles, which is not accepted by any other country in the world. /Milliyet/

''TOURISM SHOULD BE A NATIONAL TARGET''
Tourism Investors' Association Chairman, Barlas Kuntay, noted yesterday that Turkish tourism had achieved international successes and that it ranked 19th in the world list. Kuntay said that a 10-year private development plan should be prepared to make sure that Turkey is not left behind in tourism competition, and added that tourism should be a national target. /Sabah/

SHOCKING REPORT FROM CIA
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said in a report that Syrian leader Hafiz Esad sent a letter to Saddam Hussein in which he offered to jointly support the leader of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan. According to the report, on November 7, 1997, a high-level Syrian delegation including military and intelligence officials visited Saddam Hussein and conveyed to him Esad's letter. Esad in his letter said that Syria and Iraq should establish an alliance against US efforts in the region. /Sabah/

SUCCESSFUL ANTI-DRUG OPERATION
Turkish security forces yesterday seized 480 kg of pure heroin about to be smuggled into Turkey by the driver of a bus travelling to Turkey from Azerbaijan. Specialists say that the haul was worth TL 150 trillion. /Cumhuriyet/

DELIVERY OF NEW US FRIGATES TO TURKEY
Formalities related to the transfer of three US-made frigates to Turkey have been completed. The General Staff announced in a statement that next Monday, the Turkish flag will be ceremoniously hoisted on the frigates, presently in the Detynes shipyard in South Carolina, US. /Cumhuriyet/

TURKEY IMPROVES HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD
The European Human Rights Court has announced that there has been a decrease in the number of cases filed against Turkey at the court. The number of the cases dropped from 562 in 1996 to 365 in 1997. Cases filed in 1997 against Germany for violations of human rights and freedoms, in turn, numbered 383. /Hurriyet/

[09] TURKEY-TRNC - PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES TRNC PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Addressing a meeting with TRNC Parliament Speaker Hakki Atun, Demirel said ''after the resolution taken in Luxembourg, seeking for a solution to this conflict is another situation that should be thought.''

''It is impossible to understand what EU expected by including a conflict like Cyprus question in its structure. Starting negotiations with Southern Cyprus, and regarding it as whole Cyprus, is not a correct attitude. Efforts will take place to find a political solution to Cyprus question after elections that will take place in Southern Cyprus in February,'' Demirel said, adding that efforts carried out so far to this end were deadlocked with EU's Luxembourg decision.

Demirel said economic relations between the two countries will continue to be improved, adding that ''if you will be able to provide stability, you will be successful in the end.''

[10] TURKEY-FOREIGN TRADE - TURKEY MAKES 18,2 BILLION DOLLARS EXPORTATION AND 33,6 BILLION DOLLAR IMPORTATION IN JAN-SEPT PERIOD

A State Statistics Institute statement said 9.9 percent increase recorded in exportation and 8.7 percent increase recorded in importation in Jan-Sept period.

In Jan-Sept period of 1996, 16,4 billion dollar exportation and 30,9 billion dollar importation was made.

Foreign trade deficit, which was 14,5 billion dollars in the first nine months of 1996, increased by 7.4 percent and increased to 15,6 billion dollars.

According to the outputs of State Statistics Institute, 2,2 billion dollar exportation and 4,2 billion dollar importation was made in September in 1997.

Exportation increased 14.9 percent in September and importation increased 31.6 percent. Foreign trade deficit increased 55.3 percent in September and increased to 2.7 billion dollars from 1.3 billion dollars.

Foreign trade prices as of Jan-Sept period and September month in 1996 and 1997 are as follows in million dollars:

                          September    change        Jan-Sept        change
                       1996     1997    perc     1996        1997    percent
                      -------  -------  ----   ---------  ---------   ---
       Exportation    1.892.7  2.175.0  14.9    16.404.2   18.020.8   9.9
       Importation    3.225.4  4.244.4  31.6    30.904.7   33.591.0   8.7
       Trade Deficit  1.332.6 -2.069.4  55.3   -14.500.5  -15.570.2   7.4
       Meeting
       ratio(perc)      58.7     51.2           53.1      53.6

[11] TURKEY-ECONOMY - 1998 YEAR IMPORTATION REGIME TAKES EFFECT

With the Importation Regime, Turkey's commitments stemming from international agreement were fulfilled and protection ratios in importation of several agriculture products were increased to protect producers.

1998 Importation Regime was prepared by Foreign Trade Undersecretariat by taking into account the demands of public and private sectors, requirements of industry, views of Agriculture and Village Affairs Ministry, Energy and Natural Resources Ministry and State Planning and Customs Undersecretaries within the framework of free trade agreements and customs union signed with European Union (EU) and foundation agreement signed with World Trade Organization.

Importation Regime consisted 10 lists arranging customs taxes.

With the new regime, protection ratio forwarded to third countries, decreased from 5.6 percent to 5.3 percent for industry products.

Protection ratio on agriculture products was 46 percent in 1996 and 45 percent in 1997.

[12] TURKEY-GREECE - GREEK COASTGUARD BOAT OPENS FIRE ON TURKISH FISHING BOAT

It was reported that Greek boat, sailing from Lesbos Island, opened gunfire on a fishing boat called Murat Reis, fishing near Günes Island.

Greek vessel sailed away when Aziz Goksin, captain of the fishing boat, called on the Turkish coastguard for help.

It was also reported that the fishing boat was taken to Lesbos Island while fishing three years ago and returned to Ayvalik after the decision of a court.

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