Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-03-05

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

05 MARCH 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-KOSOVO - TURKEY CONTRIBUTES TO THE ''KOSOVO DECLARATION'' PREPARED BY THE BALKAN COUNTRIES

[02] TURKEY-UN - TURKEY PAYS ITS DEBT TO THE UN IMMEDIATELY

[03] TURKEY-QUAKE - EARTHQUAKE SHAKES BAYRAMIC

[04] TURKEY-PROTEST - POLICE BREAKS UP PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS' PROTEST BY USING TEAR GAS BOMBS AND WATER CANNON

[05] TURKEY-AZARBAIJAN - AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV: ''INITIATIVES FOR BLOCKING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN WILL FAIL''

[06] TURKEY-RUSSIA - RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY IS BRIEFED BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY CONCERNING THE MEETING ON CASPIAN OIL HELD IN ISTANBUL

[07] TURKEY-INVESTIGATION - ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT NOT TO INITIATE INVESTIGATION AGAINST NECMETTIN ERBAKAN

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

[09] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

[10] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (3)

[11] TURKEY-TEMA - AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD TO THE TEMA FOUNDATION - THE GREEN GLOBE GIVES TEMA THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD

[12] TURKEY-NARCOTICS - 54,660 KG OF HEROIN SEIZED IN ERZURUM

[13] TURKEY-''MARCH 8, WOMEN'S DAY'' - STATE MINISTER SAYGIN: ''TURKISH WOMEN GAVE UP THEMSELVES TO THEIR DESTINY'' - 45 PERCENT OF THE TURKISH MEN BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAT WOMEN

[14] US-TURKEY - US SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT: ''TURKEY'S BEING A PART OF THE EU IS VERY IMPORTANT''

[15] TURKEY-POLICY - THE PLACE OF TURKISH WOMEN IN POLITICS

[16] TURKEY-GREECE - TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS - BRAIN STORMING TITLED ''TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS WHEN APPROACHING THE 21ST CENTURY'' TO TAKE PLACE IN LONDON BETWEEN MARCH 13 AND 15

[17] TURKEY-SATELLITE - METU TO CONSTRUCT TURKEY'S FIRST ''PORTABLE SATELLITE-GROUND TERMINAL''

[18] CYPRUS - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''HANNAY'S THREAT CAN NOT MAKE AN ILLEGAL APPLICATION LEGAL AND VALID''

[19] TURKEY-PROTEST - PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PROTEST LABOUR UNION DRAFT LAW

[20] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE U.S. JEWISH ASSOCIATIONS - YILMAZ: ''TURKEY ATTRIBUTES VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF IRAQ''

[21] TURKEY-INTERNAL - FIVE DEPUTIES JOIN THE VIRTUE PARTY (FP) AND THE NUMBER OF FP DEPUTIES REACHES 139

[22] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 5, 1998

[23] TURKEY-CENSURE MOTION - CENSURE MOTION BROUGHT AGAINST ULUGBAY, THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL EDUCATION

[24] TRNC-EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT GREENS GROUP: - ''THE PROBLEM ON CYPRUS CANNOT BE SOLVED UNLESS EQUAL TREATMENT IS DONE FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS'' - GREENS WANT A SERIOUS AND ESTEEMED ATTITUDE FOR ANKARA REGARDING TURKEY'S FULL-MEMBERSHIP TO EU

[25] TURKEY-EU - EU INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN DEVELLENNES: ''TURKEY IS ON THE RIGHT WAY''

[26] TURKEY-ISRAEL - FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''MILITARY RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL ARE LIMITED TO EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION AS IN THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE ARAB STATES''

[01] TURKEY-KOSOVO - TURKEY CONTRIBUTES TO THE ''KOSOVO DECLARATION'' PREPARED BY THE BALKAN COUNTRIES

Radko Vlaykov, Spokesman of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said that the preparations are continuing on the Kosovo Declaration and four Balkan countries including Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, will undertake a joint activity on the declaration.

The declaration will be ready by the weekend.

[02] TURKEY-UN - TURKEY PAYS ITS DEBT TO THE UN IMMEDIATELY

Turkey's New York Permanent Representation sent a cheque worth 4,467,738 million US dollars to the UN General Secretariat.

The UN Spokesman said that the number of countries paying their debts in full to the UN this year had increased to 40.

The US, with a debt of more than two billion US dollars, is one of the major countries having the largest debt to the UN. Bill Clinton, the US President earlier promised that Washington will pay its debt to the organization soon.

Countries who do not pay their debts to the UN for two years would not be able to use their voting rights in the General Assembly.

[03] TURKEY-QUAKE - EARTHQUAKE SHAKES BAYRAMIC

Officials from the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory told the A.A correspondent that the epicenter of the first earthquake was at Bayramic and it occurred at 03:45 p.m. The second earthquake occurred at 03:55 p.m.

No casualities or financial damages have been reported.

[04] TURKEY-PROTEST - POLICE BREAKS UP PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS' PROTEST BY USING TEAR GAS BOMBS AND WATER CANNON

Police had ordered the members of the Confederation of Public Employees' Unions (KESK) to disperse in five minutes for half an hour before they used the water cannons and tear gas bombs on the protesters, who were staging a sit-down protest.

However, the protesters continued to chant the slogan ''collective bargaining is our right, strikes are our weapon''.

Then the police used tear gas bombs to push back the demonstrators, part of a crowd of up to 7,000 who had gathered earlier in the day.

The protesters fled the square, leaving their banners behind.

The 28 demonstrators and 21 policemen who were injured were taken for medical treatment at several hospitals.

[05] TURKEY-AZARBAIJAN - AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV: ''INITIATIVES FOR BLOCKING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN WILL FAIL''

Receiving Nami Cagan, the Minister of Turkish Labour and Social Security who is in Baku on a formal visit, Aliyev stressed that the relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries should be improved. Aliyev said that Turkey is a strong state and Turkey's experience is very important for Azerbaijan. Aliyev also said that he found Cagan's visit to Baku useful for the cooperation on social security.

Cagan said that Aliyev's productive and peaceful approaches are known not only in Turkey but throughout the world. Cagan stressed that the relations between the two countries are based on cooperation and the Turkish entrepreneurs are willing to make investments in banking and other sectors in Azerbaijan. Cagan said that he hopes Azerbaijan will give priority to the Turkish entrepreneurs. Cagan also stated that Turkey will pleased to be given a share of the oil projects at the Caspian.

[06] TURKEY-RUSSIA - RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY IS BRIEFED BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY CONCERNING THE MEETING ON CASPIAN OIL HELD IN ISTANBUL

Kuznetsov told reporters on Wednesday evening in a reception given on the occasion of Bosnia Herzegovina National Day that they did not understand why Russia was not invited to the meeting, saying that Russia is a country which is directly involved in the Caspian oil.

''Even though Turkey and Georgia which do not have shores on the Caspian Sea took part in the meeting, Russia and Iran were not invited. This is clearly not understandable,'' he said.

[07] TURKEY-INVESTIGATION - ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT NOT TO INITIATE INVESTIGATION AGAINST NECMETTIN ERBAKAN

Cevdet Volkan, the Chief Prosecutor of the Ankara DGM, decided to investigate the summary of the proceedings prepared after Erbakan's statements in the Parliamentary Group meeting on April 13, 1994, in which he said, ''will the transition period be easy or tough, sweet or bloody?''.

Volkan decided not to launch an investigation against Erbakan after evaluating Erbakan's statement within the scope of ''legislative immunity''.

The decision made was sent to the Ministry of Justice the same day.

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

TURKEY SEEKS SPANISH PUSH FOR TIES WITH EU
Turkish President Suleyman Demirel, who is paying an official visit to Spain, delivered a speech at the Spanish Parliament yesterday. He reminded his audience of the difficulties and osbtacles faced by Spain when joining the EU, and he expressed appreciation for Spain's support for Turkey's bid for EU membership, which entails similar struggles and similar problems. Demirel called for enhanced ties between the two parliaments. At a luncheon held in his honour by Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Demirel emphasized Turkey's strategic importance as a bridge to the world's richest oil reserves, such as the Caspian basin and the need for the cooperation of both countries in the Mediterranean. Demirel will continue his visit today with a trip to the northeastern region of Catalonia, where he will meet Barcelona's Mayor, Joan Clos, and Catalonia regional party leader Jordi Pujol. /All papers/

EQUAL STATUS FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS AT THE EU MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS
The European Union has made a surprising proposal in order to persuade the Turkish Cypriots to participate in the EU membership negotiations. What this proposal includes is a formula giving equal status to both sides in the negotiations, proposing that both sides be represented in a common delegation without having to recognize each other. The proposal, called the "Sovereign Umbrella Formula" was developed by Hans Van den Broek, the European Union Foreign Relations Commissioner and Sir David Hannay, Britain's Special Envoy to Cyprus, who yesterday arrived on Cyprus. The proposal will be presented to the Greek Cypriots for their approval. Details of the formula, as published in the Greek newspapers, have not been fully explained yet. Meanwhile, Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), has announced that he will not receive Hannay or Van den Broek, both of whom are meeting with the Greek Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides today. /Hurriyet/

KARADAYI GOES TO KAZAKHSTAN
According to a representative of the General Staff, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi went to Kazakhstan yesterday for official contacts. /Hurriyet/

KOSOVO APPEALS FOR TURKISH SUPPORT
Yesterday, State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said that in addition to contributing to the peace efforts in Kosovo, Turkey aimed at having a leading role in the solution process. Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport on his way to Bosnia for a meeting of the Turco-Bosnian Joint Economic Council, Gurel stressed that "Finding a democratic solution to the democratic demands of the Kosovo people should be a priority in the international efforts to resolve the issue". /Cumhuriyet/

EU COMMISSION REPORT
The European Commission, asked by the European Union (EU) at the Luxembourg summit to prepare a "European Strategy for Turkey", presented yesterday its "Customs Union Plus" proposal to Ankara. The proposals still have to be agreed upon by both the EU and Turkey. The commission, adopting a set of operational proposals for Turkey, argues that the move aims at "strengthening relations between the EU and Ankara". The "European Strategy for Turkey" was adopted along with the Commission's annual report to the European Parliament on the Customs Union. "The Customs Union makes an important contribution to our ties which should be supported by healthy macro-economic policies, a reinforcement of the protection of human rights and an improvement in relations between the two Aegean neighbours, Turkey and Greece. The Customs Union is functioning in a satisfactory way" concluded the Commission. /All papers/

(To be continued)

[09] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

ANKARA: RUSSIA NOT EXCLUDED FROM CASPIAN OIL DEAL
Sermet Atacanli, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman told a news briefing yesterday, "We reminded the Russians that it is out of the question for Turkey to exclude Russia from the Caspian Sea projects". Atacanli said that Russia would be invited to a more comprehensive meeting later and that the Istanbul meeting focused mainly on the countries that would be selling oil and those that the pipeline would pass through. Moscow argued that all states around the Caspian Sea should take part in discussions on the oil projects in the region. Russia on Tuesday expressed surprise at having been excluded from talks on March 1-2 between Turkey and four ex-Soviet republics for a proposed pipeline that will carry oil from the Caspian in an $8 billion international project. /All papers/

CLERIDES: "WE WANT THE MISSILES"

Greek Cypriot Leader Glafcos Clerides has thanked Russia for the supply of the S-300 missiles. Clerides said in a statement to the Kommersant daily published in Moscow, that the Greek Cypriots absolutely would not give up the missile agreement. Noting that a solution to the Cyprus problem could not be achieved only through the United Nations, Clerides stated that the permanent members of the Security Council along with the European Union (EU) should also be kept in the picture and exert pressure against Turkey to assume a more flexible stance. /Milliyet/

CZECH PARLIAMENTARIANS TO VISIT TURKEY
A delegation headed by Vilem Holan, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Czech Republic, will arrive in Ankara tomorrow evening. The Czech Parliamentarians will meet with Hikmet Cetin, the Turkish Speaker of the Parliament, Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister and Ismet Sezgin, the Minister of National Defense. /Cumhuriyet/

ENVIRONMENT AWARD FOR TEMA
The TEMA Foundation has been awarded with an environment prize given by the Green Globe, which has members in 100 countries. The Green Globe, which is based in Britain and aims at the prevention of damage to the environment because of tourism, will make its awards this year during a Tourism Fair to be held in Berlin on 11 March./Cumhuriyet/

TASAR IN FRANCE
Mustafa Tasar, the Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, left on Tuesday for France to attend a meeting on "Agriculture in the Changing World: The Policies of Tomorrow" organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Tasar said that during his visit the French Agriculture Minister and himself had re-evaluated activities made up until now within the framework of agricultural cooperation between Turkey and France. Tasar will return to Turkey on March 9. /Hurriyet/

(To be continued)

[10] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (3)

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

CIVIL SERVANTS PROTEST
Police dispersed thousands of civil servants in Ankara's central Kizilay Square who were protesting a government draft on trade union rights that falls short of recognizing collective bargaining and the right to strike for blue collar workers. The demonstration that brought together civil servants from all across the country, started at the Hippodrome and continued with a march to Kizilay Square. All participating civil servants, members of the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK), gathered at Ankara's Hippodrome and marched towards the Kizilay Square, chanting slogans and carrying banners. /All papers/

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY BEING ORGANIZED
The Liberal Democrat Party, headed by Besim Tibuk, has completed the process of organization in 50 provinces of Turkey and gained the right to participate in elections. /Hurriyet/

EXPORTS UP IN FEBRUARY
According to the the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) there was a 13 percent increase in exports in February. Okan Oguz, the Chairman of TIM, said that exports reached 2.2 billion US dollars at the end of February. /Sabah/

ACTIVITIES OF THE PRIVATIZATION ADMINISTRATION EXTENDED
The activities of the Privatization Administration (OI) have been extended by the Privatization High Board. According to new regulations, privatization activities up to 232 billion TL can now be approved by the (OI), whereas this amount was previously pegged at only 75 billion TL. With the new application the OI will also be able to export Treasury guaranteed stock worth up to 35 trillion TL; it will approve final transfer operations for up to 100 trillion TL in buying-selling operations and it will sell and buy shares in companies' activities within the framework of the Istanbul Stock Exchange privatization programme. /Sabah/

US CRITICIZES GREEK MINISTER
Both the American administration and the American Jewish lobby have reacted strongly to Greek Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos' criticism of the Turkish-Israeli cooperation. The American Jewish Congress (AJC) based in New York has sent a letter to the Greek Ambassador to Washington, Loucaf Tsilas, saying that it was a serious mistake to evaluate military cooperation between Turkey and Israel as a development which would begin a new Cold War period. James Rubin, the Spokesman for US Secretary of State, said that the American administration supported the defense cooperation between the two regional democratic countries. He added that although there were countries which did not approve of the cooperation process, the US administration however, did not share their views. /Sabah/

FUTURE OF THE BALKANS
A meeting on the "Future of the Balkans" organized by the Aspen Institution in Berlin has begun in Istanbul. Academicians, scientists, representatives of non-governmental organizations, businessmen and press members are attending the meeting which started yesterday morning. The recent developments in Kosovo, the future of the Balkans and Turkey's role in securing a long-lasting peace in the Balkans are the topics of the meeting. President Suleyman Demirel will make the closing speech of the meeting on 7 March. At the end of the meeting a report of the Balkans International Commission will be submitted and foreign and domestic representatives will discuss their views. /Sabah/

[11] TURKEY-TEMA - AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD TO THE TEMA FOUNDATION - THE GREEN GLOBE GIVES TEMA THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD

The awards of the Green Globe which aims ''to ensure tourism without damage to the environment,'' will be given at the international tourism fair in Berlin on March 11.

Nihat Gokyigit, the deputy chairman of the TEMA Foundation, will attend the fair to receive the award.

The award will be shared between the TEMA Foundation and the Turkish Foundation for Education and Improvement of Tourism.

[12] TURKEY-NARCOTICS - 54,660 KG OF HEROIN SEIZED IN ERZURUM

The security forces seized the haul hidden in honey packs when they searched a passenger bus under suspicion in the Karskapı region.

Two passengers, Nurettin Aras and Kocak Yarul, were taken into custody.

The security forces said that the market value of the haul is 55 billion Turkish Liras, and this figure can increase more than 20 fold in case it is smuggled abroad.

[13] TURKEY-''MARCH 8, WOMEN'S DAY'' - STATE MINISTER SAYGIN: ''TURKISH WOMEN GAVE UP THEMSELVES TO THEIR DESTINY'' - 45 PERCENT OF THE TURKISH MEN BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BEAT WOMEN

Responding to the questions of the A.A correspondent, Saygin said, ''We are using all our opportunities to improve the situation of women. We are working for women to gain the rights as a human being.''

Ayseli Goksoy, the Acting Leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), said that their law draft concerning new arrangements on woman rights, is still waiting in the Parliament. Goksoy said that just 13 of the total 550 deputies are women and criticized women deputies who do not work together.

In the meantime polls show that 45 percent of the Turkish men believe that they have the right to beat women who do not obey their husbands.

[14] US-TURKEY - US SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT: ''TURKEY'S BEING A PART OF THE EU IS VERY IMPORTANT''

Responding to questions in the US House of Representatives sub-commitee session, Albright said, ''we strongly support the readiness of Turkey to be a part of the EU's expansion process.''

Albright especially emphasized that Turkey should remain ''turned to the West'' and stated that she talked with the Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem about the human rights issue.

Albright said, ''we encourage the Turkish Government to make systematic reforms in this field. The Turkish government has taken significant steps in the field of human rights in 1997, but there is also a distance to be taken.''

The US Secretary of State said she believed that Turkey's failure to become a full member of the EU stemmed from ''several'' other issues apart from human rights.

Albright said expending active efforts for solution on Cyprus was important for the entire US administration, including Bill Clinton, the President. She said elections has ended on the Greek Cypriot side and that they would be more active now.

Albright defended the US's ''pincers'' policy towards Iraq, adding that Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi Head of State was squeezed in a strategic box and could not threaten his surroundings.

[15] TURKEY-POLICY - THE PLACE OF TURKISH WOMEN IN POLITICS

The Turkish women received the right to vote and be elected on December 5, 1934, with the initiative of Ataturk.

According to the report prepared by Prime Ministry General Directorate for the Status and Problems of Women, the greatest number of the women deputies in the assembly was in 1935. In this period 18 women were elected as deputies and the rate of the women deputies in the assembly was 4,6 percent. The rate today is only 2.4 percent.

Some of the political parties put a special ''quota for women'' to encourage Turkish women to participate in politics. It was discussed for a long time that the Welfare Party, which won the 1995 elections and was closed by the Constitutional Court, did not include women in its list of canditates.

[16] TURKEY-GREECE - TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS - BRAIN STORMING TITLED ''TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS WHEN APPROACHING THE 21ST CENTURY'' TO TAKE PLACE IN LONDON BETWEEN MARCH 13 AND 15

Suleyman Gencel, the Spokesman for Turkey of the Journalists' Platform for Peace in the Aegean and Thrace told the A.A correspondent that in this brain storming, many ideas regarding the future of Turkish-Greek relations would be revealed.

The meeting will be chaired by Dan Smith, the Chairman of the International Peace Research Institute, based in Oslo. Mehmet Ali Birand, the author- journalist from Turkey, Cem Duna, the former TRT General Director, Professor Hasan Unal from Bilkent University, Department of International Relations and Gencel will participate in the brain storming.

Several Greek officials will also participate in the meeting.

Gencel said during the brain storming the sides will argue how the Turkish- Greek relations will be when approaching the 21st century.

[17] TURKEY-SATELLITE - METU TO CONSTRUCT TURKEY'S FIRST ''PORTABLE SATELLITE-GROUND TERMINAL''

The terminal, which will have the ability of connecting to the European satellite Etelsat and Turksat satellite, will provide the transmission of voices, images and data by interlocking with the satellites even from planes and ships.

Prof. Dr. Altunkan Hizal, the person responsible for the project being implemented by the METU Electrical Engineering Department, told the A.A correspondent that the construction of the satellite would finish by next year if the funding is provided.

[18] CYPRUS - TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''HANNAY'S THREAT CAN NOT MAKE AN ILLEGAL APPLICATION LEGAL AND VALID''

Denktas who made a written statement to the A.A said this threat of Hannay would not affect the decision of the TRNC people that ''we will not participate in the EU negotiations before the solution of the issue and before the gate of the EU is opened to Turkey.''

Pointing out that Hannay knew very well that the full membership application to the EU was not made as ''Cyprus'', but only by the Greek Cypriot side, Denktas said it was in vain to expect the participation of the Turkish Cypriot people in a process which was initiated to own Cyprus by spoiling the Turkish-Greek balance on the Island.

Denktas wanted Hannay to request the EU member countries to abide by the supremacy of law and added, ''we expect them to say that they do not accept the Greek Cypriot side's application as the application made on behalf of Cyprus and want them not to be beaten by Greek blackmail.''

Sir David Hannay earlier said that full membership negotiations between the EU and the Greek Cypriot side may start without the Turkish Cypriots.

[19] TURKEY-PROTEST - PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PROTEST LABOUR UNION DRAFT LAW

The employees of the Turkish Telekom Inc. gathered early in the day at the Directorate General of the company in the Gayrettepe District of Istanbul. They chanted slogans and carried banners.

They gave a statement to the press, demanding cancellation of the fixed- price implementation and an additional 18 percent increase in wages for the Post, Telegraph, Telephone (PTT) workers.

Meanwhile, the hospitals in Istanbul were providing only emergency and intensive care services. Telecommunications employees halted most work in the city.

Toll collection workers on the Bosphorus and Fatih bridges, which connect the European and Asian sides of Istanbul, staged a go-slow protest, causing intense traffic jams.

The public rail service was limited in solidarity with the protests and rail workers said the slowdown protest would continue until the draft law was withdrawn.

Approximately 3,000 labour union members, from the health, education, finance and transportation sectors held a protest rally.

[20] TURKEY-US - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE U.S. JEWISH ASSOCIATIONS - YILMAZ: ''TURKEY ATTRIBUTES VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF IRAQ''

In his speech before the luncheon, Prime Minister Yılmaz stated that Turkish-American relations should be discussed within the framework of a ''broadened partnership'', adding that the Turkish and American firms can cooperate in Central Asia.

Noting that Turkey is pleased with the support of the US administration to the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Yılmaz stressed that ''the cooperation in the field of energy is an important dimension of the economic relations between the two countries.''

Emphasizing the fact that there are several ''sensitive'' points concerning Turkish-US relations, Yılmaz pointed out that this sensitivity arises from the initiatives of several ethnic lobbies in the US Congress.

Yılmaz stated that the main target of these lobbies is to prevent the adoption of laws on the annual assistance that is promised to Turkey and the sales of weapons.

Yılmaz called on the concerned sides to fulfill their promises regarding the Middle East Peace Process, adding that Turkey favours a lasting peace and stability in the region.

Mentioning the Iraq-UN-US tension, Yılmaz said that Iraq has to abide by the UN Resolutions regarding the gradual lift of the embargo imposed on Iraq.

''Turkey suffered a lot because of the Gulf Crisis between 1990-1991 and the economy was also negatively affected by the embargo imposed on Iraq. Turkey still could not compensate for these losses and the related Resolutions of the UN cannot compensate for them either.''

Mel Salberg, speaking on behalf of the Representatives of the Jewish Association, said that Turkey is an important country for the US and Israel and he thanked the Turkish people due to the hospitality shown towards the Jews who had taken refuge Turkey in the past.

[21] TURKEY-INTERNAL - FIVE DEPUTIES JOIN THE VIRTUE PARTY (FP) AND THE NUMBER OF FP DEPUTIES REACHES 139

Former deputies of the Welfare Party (RP) namely Hasim Hasimi, Nurettin Aktas, Lutfu Dogan, Suleyman Arif Emre and Mukadder Basegmez who became independent with the closure of the RP by the Constitutional Court, joined the FP.

The number of independent deputies in the parliament decreased to 20.

The names of the deputies who were the members of the Welfare Party which was closed by the Constitutional Court and have not joined the FP so far are as follows: Oguzhan Asilturk, Fehim Adak, Goksal Kucukali, Cevdet Akcalı, Ahmet Denizolgun, Mehmet Fuat Fırat, Abdulillah Fırat and Hasan Belhan.

[22] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 5, 1998

Mustafa Tasar met with Luis Le Pensec, French Minister of Agriculture and Fishery in Paris where he had gone to attend the meeting of the Agriculture Ministers Committee of the OECD.

ANKARA - The Turkish International High School in Britain, will register 40 Turkish students this year, it was reported on Thursday.

The high school was opened in Sawston district in Cambridge, England by Dr. Sinan Bayraktaroglu and Dr. Arin Bayraktaroglu, former professors at the Cambridge University and managers of the Cambridge Foreign Languages Center.

ANKARA - Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, received Jozsef Feher, the Hungarian Undersecretary of the Defense Ministry and the accompanying delegation on Thursday.

Sezgin said in the meeting that Hungary had been included in NATO's expansion process after the Madrid Summit and Turkey gave every support to that country.

ANKARA - The Welfare Party (RP) closed by the Constitutional Court will present its written application to the European Court of Human Rights next week, it was reported on Thursday.

The Virtue Party (FP) Trabzon Deputy Seref Malkoc told the A.A correspondent that they were planning to conclude the preparations for the written application this week, but the translations into English and French of the written application had not been concluded yet.

ANKARA - The enforcement policies for the 1998-1999 hunting season which arrange commercial aquaculture hunting on the high seas and continental seas, were specified on Thursday.

The circular of the Directorate General for Protection and Control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs was published in the Official Gazette the same day.

The circular includes the bans, limitations and responsibilities to be valid during the hunting season between April 1, 1998-March 31, 1999.

The circular bans hunting and collection of dolphins, seals, sea turtles, sea trout, croakers, sturgeons, sponges, mussels, red starfishes, tritons, sea horses, abalones and red and black corals in both the high seas and the continental seas.

ANKARA - Ahat Andican, the Minister of State and Government Spokesman, received on Thursday Humayun Han Bangash, the Pakistani Ambassador to Turkey.

Andican said in the meeting that Bangash and he would discuss the situation in Afghanistan and seek methods of cooperation.

ANKARA - The letters of the Anzac soldiers surrendered to the Turkish Forces at the Battle of the Dardanelles (Canakkale) will be collected in a book by the Ministry of Culture.

ANKARA - The ''Turkish-Azerbaijani Expo 98, Commercial and Industrial Products Fair'' will be held in the Aerbaijani capital of Baku between May 9 and 13, it was reported on Thursday.

Haydar Aliyev, the Azerbajani President is expected to open the fair.

ISTANBUL - The ''Second Turkey Communication Fair (TURKOM'98)'' and the ''14th Office Machinery, Equipment and Furniture Fair (OFISTEK'98)'' were opened at the Tepebasi Tuyap Fair Centre on Thursday.

A total of 90 companies from 15 countries have stands at the TURKOM'98 and 67 companies from 15 countries are participating in the OFISTEK'98.

The fairs will remain open until March 8.

ISTANBUL - Necdet Menzir, the Minister of Transportation, who attended the annual conference of the Turkish-American Business Council, returned to Turkey on Thursday.

Menzir said at the Ataturk Airport that during his visit to the US, he presented and explained the infrastructure projects and telecommunications services to the business circles and to the American officials.

ANKARA - Hikmet Cetin, the Acting President and Speaker of the Parliament received on Thursday the Chairmen of the Associations of the American Jews.

Cetin said in the meeting that Turkey has choosen a democratic and secular regime although 99 percent of her people are Muslim.

ALMATI - Gen Ismail Hakki Karadayi, the Chief of General Staff said on Thursday that the peaceful solution of the Iraq crisis pleased the world, stressing that Turkey played an important role in that solution.

Karadayi, who arrived in Almati yesterday to pay a three-day visit to Kazakhstan, met with the Kazakh Defense Minister Muhtar Altinbayev.

Karadayi said after the meeting that Turkey had always complied with the UN decisions and will continue to do so.

ISTANBUL - Schumel Schnitzer, the Deputy Chairman of the Israeli Diamond Exchange, said on Thursday that the strengthening of the relations between the Turkish jewellery sector and the Israeli diamond sector will contribute to the richness of the economies of the two countries.

The officials of the Israeli Institute of Diamonds came to Turkey to visit the ''13th International Jewellery Fair''.

[23] TURKEY-CENSURE MOTION - CENSURE MOTION BROUGHT AGAINST ULUGBAY, THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL EDUCATION

The censure motion claims that Ulugbay has appointed people in the ministry according to their political party affiliations, adding that he tried to remove the national-spiritual elements from school books on purpose.

''His applications concerning religious head covers at the imam-hatip (religious) schools and other schools and universites are contrary to the freedom of religion and conscience.

[24] TRNC-EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT - EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT GREENS GROUP: - ''THE PROBLEM ON CYPRUS CANNOT BE SOLVED UNLESS EQUAL TREATMENT IS DONE FOR TURKISH CYPRIOTS'' - GREENS WANT A SERIOUS AND ESTEEMED ATTITUDE FOR ANKARA REGARDING TURKEY'S FULL-MEMBERSHIP TO EU

Aelvoet and Roth evaluated the results of the panel discussion titled ''Cyprus'' held in Brussels.

The Greens said in their press release that the ways to end the division on the island and the ways to provide agreement between the two nations in the island were discussed in the panel discussion.

Pointing out that they were the first political group that launched such an initiative within the structure of the European Union (EU), Greens said that they wanted to act as an mediator who wants to provide an agreement between the Turkish Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots.

Stating that the key for peace on the island was in the hands of Ankara and Athens, Greens said that the EU's giving start to full-membership negotiations with the Greek-Cypriot side would not reduce the tension and that the ways to find a political solution to the problem should continue.

Greens also criticized the EU's attitude against Turkey in the Luxembourg Summit and wanted EU to show a serious and esteemed attitude for Ankara in Turkey's full-membership bid.

Greens stated that Greece should end up to block the financial protocol with Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots should be included in the full- membership negotiations.

[25] TURKEY-EU - EU INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT CHAIRMAN DEVELLENNES: ''TURKEY IS ON THE RIGHT WAY''

Addressing a speech in a panel namely ''Implementations of Turkish-EU Competition Institution'' which is held to congradulate the first year of the establishment of Competition Council, Devellennes said that Turkey has to fulfill several other obligations in order to harmonize the policies of transportation and monopolization with EU.

Noting that the policies of competition bring economic richness to countries, Devellennes stressed that competition plays a key role in industry.

''Open market economy is in fact a policy of competition. Competition policies provide transparity in markets. The Competion

Council should be independent and it needs political support and encouragement,'' he said.

[26] TURKEY-ISRAEL - FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''MILITARY RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL ARE LIMITED TO EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION AS IN THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE ARAB STATES''

A written statement from the Foreign Ministry pointed out that Turkish- Israeli military cooperation is reflected as an ''allience, pact, strategic cooperation and a security cooperation against the dangers in the region'' which does not reflect the truth in the statements by some country's officials and in the foreign press.

Stating that Turkey has close and friendly relations with the Arab countries, the statement said Turkey aims to further improve these relations, reminding that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem recently visited Amman and Bagdat to this end.

The statement said that Turkey wants to improve her bilateral relations with Israel along with other states in the region as well, stressing that the agreements signed with Israel are mainly on economic and technical cooperation.

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