Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-03-13

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

13 MARCH 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA - CULTURE MINISTER TALAY IN MOSTAR - TALAY VISITS THE MOSTAR BRIDGE WHICH WAS DESTROYED DURING THE WAR

[02] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ LEAVES FOR GEORGIA

[03] TERRORISM - 30 TERRORISTS KILLED, THREE OTHERS SURRENDERED

[04] TURKEY-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - CHIRAC: ''BOTH SIDES ON CYPRUS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU

[05] RELATIONS WITH CROATIA - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM MEETS HIS CROATIAN COUNTERPART GRANIC

[06] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (3)

[09] EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR: ''TURKEY KNOWS THAT THE EU'S DOORS ARE OPEN TO HER'' - FOREIGN MINISTER COOK: ''WE WANT A DEEPENED DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY'' - SIMITIS: ''WE FEEL REGRET AT TURKEY'S DECISION NOT TO PARTICIPATE AT THE CONFERENCE''

[10] US STATE DEPARTMENT UNDERSECRETARY TALBOTT: ''IF THE EU OPENLY SAYS IT HAS A PLACE FOR TURKEY, THEN IT WILL BE EASIER FOR TURKEY TO MAKE THE CORRECT CHOICES FOR HER FUTURE''

[11] TAX REFORM - FIRST 23 ARTICLES OF TAX REFORM DRAFT LAW APPROVED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION

[01] TURKEY-BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA - CULTURE MINISTER TALAY IN MOSTAR - TALAY VISITS THE MOSTAR BRIDGE WHICH WAS DESTROYED DURING THE WAR

Addressing the journalists, Talay said that the Mostar Bridge is very significant for Turkey. Pointing out that the Turkish

Government contributed one million US dollars for the repair of the bridge, Talay said that the reconstruction of the bridge has not started yet. Noting that the Turkish contracting companies can participate in the activities on the bridge, Talay said that Turkey will continue to support the activities after the reconstruction begins.

Talay also visited the Koskę Mehmet Pasha Mosque near the Mostar

Bridge. Talay said that many historical buildings were also destroyed and Turkish companies can also initiate reconstruction studies for those historical monuments and buildings.

Talay will return to Turkey on Friday after meeting with Midhat Haracic, the Chairman of the Canton of Sarajevo.

[02] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ LEAVES FOR GEORGIA

Husamettin Cindoruk, the leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), Ministers of State Refaiddin Sahin, Yucel Seckiner, Rifat Serdaroglu, Eyup Isik; Murat Basesgioglu, the Minister of the Interior, and Cumhur Ersumer, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources will accompany Yilmaz during the visit.

Yilmaz is also being accompanied by businessmen and members of the press.

Speaking before his departure, Yilmaz said that Georgia is an important neighbor having joint interests with Turkey.

Yilmaz identified Georgia as a country with which Turkey has joint interests and with which Turkey was willing to strengthen cooperation in every field, being an independent and sovereign country which favors ensuring peace and stability in the Caucasus.

Yilmaz said that he will discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues concerning the two countries during his visit and added that he will also sign several bilateral agreements.

The Prime Minister said that he would attend the opening of a branch of the Emlakbank in Tbilisi noting that ''I believe that our trade and economic relations will gain a new dynamism due to the talks which our businessmen will hold and due to the bank branch which will be opened in Tbilisi. Also, during the visit, the new Turkish Air Lines office in Tbilisi will be opened. The issue of opening Batumi Airport for mutual usage will also be discussed. We will also discuss the construction of the Kars-Tbilisi railway that will link Turkey to the Central Asian Republics.''

Yilmaz said that he hopes this visit will be a step taken to improve Turkish-Georgian relations in every field.

[03] TERRORISM - 30 TERRORISTS KILLED, THREE OTHERS SURRENDERED

The Emergency Regional Governor's Office gave a statement that 23 terrorists had been killed during operations carried out in the Besteler and Dereler regions of Sirnak Province. Two people from the security forces died during the clashes.

Meanwhile, four terrorists were killed in Yedisu region in Genc County of Bingol Province, two killed in Lice County of Diyarbakir Province and another one was killed in Hozat County of Tunceli Province.

It was also reported that three terrorists who fled from the separatist terrorist organization surrendered to security forces in Tunceli, Sirnak and Silopi Counties.

Operations are continuing in the region.

[04] TURKEY-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - CHIRAC: ''BOTH SIDES ON CYPRUS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EU

Reminding that they wanted the Turkish Cypriot representatives to join the delegation which will participate in the full membership negotiations, Chirac offered to wait until both sides take their places in the same delegation.

Responding to a question on whether France will prevent negotiations with the Greek Cypriot side, Chirac told the reporters that France is waiting for the Britain's attitude concerning the issue.

Pointing out that they felt regret because Turkey did not participate at the European Conference, Chirac said, ''Turkey misunderstood the results of the Luxembourg Summit. Turkey's existence in Europe is very significant for us.''

[05] RELATIONS WITH CROATIA - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM MEETS HIS CROATIAN COUNTERPART GRANIC

Interdelegational talks took place following a tete-a-tete meeting of the two foreign ministers.

Croatian officials said developments regarding implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement will be discussed. The same sources also said that Granic will call for support from Turkey for the construction of a motorway that will encompass the Bosnia-Herzegovina Federation starting from Zagreb.

The two foreign ministers will sign two protocols arranged between Turkey and Croatia and will make a joint press release.

Granic earlier said that he would discuss cooperation facilities in the fields of the economy and culture with the Turkish officials.

Granic stressed the constructive role which Turkey played for the establishment of peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina and also said that he would exchange views with the Turkish officials about the preservation of peace in Europe.

The guest minister is expected to depart from Turkey on March 15.

[06] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN GEORGIA
During his contacts in Georgia, scheduled to begin today, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will dwell mainly on energy projects, including the Baku- Ceyhan pipeline project, dams to be constructed on the Coruh River and electricity imported from Georgia to Turkey. /Hurriyet/

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN DISPUTE OVER CYPRUS
The London European Conference has ended in a disagreement over Cyprus. England and France differed in their opinions about meetings with the Greek Cypriot Administration, one of the candidates for full membership in the European Union. France suggested that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) should also be represented in meetings for membership, whereas England was close to the Greek thesis that demands continuation of the membership process whether the TRNC participates in the meetings or not. However, Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister sent encouraging messages to Turkey at the end of the conference, saying, ''Turkey knows that the gates of the European Union are open to Turkey''. French President Jacques Chirac told a press conference, ''Turkey misunderstood the results of the Luxembourg Summit. We are in favour of Turkey's presence in Europe.'' /Cumhuriyet/

77th ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Hikmet Cetin, the Speaker of the Parliament yesterday sent out a message commemorating the 77th anniversary of the Turkish National Anthem, and said, ''The National Anthem is the glorious epic of our nation and a source of confidence for us. It represents our independence and loyalty to our country.'' /Cumhuriyet/

WORDS OF CAUTION FOR ARMENIA
President Suleyman Demirel has cautioned Armenia about the upcoming elections there. Referring to the March 16 elections, Demirel said yesterday that they could influence developments in the region for good or bad and said that he hoped that the new administration would approach regional problems rationally and logically. ''Armenia can be sure of Turkey's support just so long as efforts are made to keep the situation in the Caucasus under control'' noted Demirel. /Cumhuriyet/

SIMITIS TURNS DOWN SECOND PROPOSAL FROM ANKARA
Kostas Simitis, the Greek Prime Minister has turned down a second proposal from Ankara to start direct talks to iron out differences between Greece and Turkey. ''Turkey's proposals are irrelevant regarding the essence of the problems'' Simitis told reporters in London yesterday. He criticized Ankara for remaining silent on Greek suggestions for a step-by-step approach, which proposed that both sides should discuss the problem of the continental shelf as an initial step, and then bring it before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

CENTRAL BANK FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES REACH 19.8 BILLION USD
The Central Bank foreign exchange reserves have increased by 440 million USD and reached 19.862 billion USD. According to the Central Bank data, the foreign exchange reserves stood at 19.422 billion USD on 27 February. Turkey paid out 188 million USD in foreign debts via the Central Bank between 2-11 March. The total foreign debt paid out since the beginning of this year amounts to 2.450 billion USD. /Sabah-Milliyet/

(To be continued)

[07] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

TURKEY-TRNC MEETINGS
During a meeting at the Foreign Ministry yesterday, views were exchanged on an ''Association Council Agreement'' signed on August 6, 1997, between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) by Ismail Cem, the Turkish Foreign Minister and Taner Etkin, the TRNC Foreign and Defense Minister. Commenting on the agreement, Cem said, ''The duty of the Association Council is to bring closer the relations between the two countries''. Etkin said that their doors were open to meetings and negotiations which would resolve the Cyprus problem through good neigbourly relations based on an equal status between Northern and Southern Cyprus. /Milliyet/

MILLER MEETS GUREL
Thomas Miller, the US Special Coordinator for Cyprus, continued with his contacts in Ankara yesterday. Miller had talks with Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State who is responsible for Europe and Cyprus, and Foreign Ministry officials. Speaking after his meeting with the US envoy, Gurel said that it had not been a meeting aimed at concrete results, but rather had been an exchange of views. ''We will continue to share our views in the future'' he said. Miller said that Gurel's approach to the issue had been ''very constructive'' and he expressed a readiness to meet with Gurel again.

Commenting on the deadlock on Cyprus, Miller stressed that both sides should be realistic, but was pessimistic about any imminent final solution. He also said that he had not conveyed any special message from the US administration. /All papers/

YILMAZ'S ATTACKER EXTRADITED TO TURKEY
Veysel Ozerdem, who attacked Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, has been brought back to Turkey by Hungarian policemen. Ozerdem was handed over to the officials of Istanbul's anti- terrorism branch of the Security Department. Ozerdem refused to reply to the journalists' questions. /All papers/

YILMAZ-MERAL MEETING
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said yesterday that it was impossible to give civil servants the right to strike and the right to collective bargaining before individual rights were re-evaluated and a constitutional amendment was formulated. He added that they would not withdraw the draft bill on the issue, which is currently being discussed in the Parliament and noted that neither his party nor he himself had ever defended the right to strike for civil servants.

Yilmaz received Bayram Meral, the Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) and members of the Board of Directors of Turk-Is. Meral said that the aim of their visit was to have their demands met by the government. /All papers/

TURKEY, FRANCE SIGN JOINT ANTITANK PRODUCTION DEAL
In Ankara yesterday, the Turkish Defense Ministry officials signed an initial deal with the French Aerospatiale company, to jointly produce short- range ERYX antitank missiles. Undersecretary of the Defense Ministry Lt.gen.Yuncer Kilinc and Pierre Dubois of Aerospatiale signed the agreement at the Defense Ministry in Ankara following a short ceremony. The missile deal is worth 441 million USD and proposes the joint production of the antitank missiles in facilities to be built in Turkey. /Sabah/

(To be continued)

[08] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (3)

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

GAZI NEIGHBOURHOOD VIOLENCE PROTESTED
A crowd of 10,000 people, chanting anti-government slogans and carrying huge banners, marched through an Istanbul neighbourhood yesterday to protest the third anniversary of clashes between police and Alewite Muslims. /All papers/

MIDDLE EAST JOURNALISTS IN ANKARA
Journalists from a number of Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Oman are in Ankara to learn more about Turkey's policies for the region. The journalists are following developments in relations between Turkey and the Middle Eastern countries, and have visited Istanbul and been taken on a tour of the GAP southeastern Turkey development region. The journalists have been briefed on the current situation by officials at the Foreign Ministry. /Cumhuriyet/

MINISTER OF CULTURE IN MOSTAR
Istemihan Talay, the Minister of Culture, has visited the Mostar bridge damaged during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Bosnian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Fahrudin Rizvanbegovic, and the Turkish Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Mehmet Gorkay accompanied Istemihan Talay during his visit. Talay said that the Turkish government had contributed one million US dollars for the reconstruction of the historic bridge. /Sabah/

PKK ATTACK IN OSMANIYE
PKK terrorists, trying to infiltrate into Turkey through Northern Iraq and short of food, have attacked homes in the villages of Urun, Zorkun and Kureci in the Osmaniye region. Osmaniye Mayor Umit Karahan said that a wide ranging operation had been started to capture the terrorists.

The ''Spring Operation'' being carried out in the southeast regions by the Turkish Armed Forces is continuing to block the infiltration of PKK terrorists into Turkey. The General of the 2nd Command, Rasim Batum, said that Turkish helicopters were flying over the region throughout the day to ensure a tight control. /Sabah/

TURKISH YACHT CONSTRUCTION SECTOR EMERGES AS RISING STAR
According to Show Boat International, a leading international yachting magazine, Turkish-made yachts are becoming more and more popular. Last year demand for yachts produced in Turkey increased by 147 percent. The magazine ranked Turkey seventh in a list of leading yacht producers. /Hurriyet/

[09] EUROPEAN CONFERENCE - BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR: ''TURKEY KNOWS THAT THE EU'S DOORS ARE OPEN TO HER'' - FOREIGN MINISTER COOK: ''WE WANT A DEEPENED DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY'' - SIMITIS: ''WE FEEL REGRET AT TURKEY'S DECISION NOT TO PARTICIPATE AT THE CONFERENCE''

Addressing the journalist with Jacques Santer, the President of the European Union Commission and Robin Cook, the British Foreign Minister at the end of the Conference, Blair said that the countries who joined the Conference had an opportunity to discuss joint values. Responding to a journalist who reminded that Glafcos Clerides, the Leader of the Greek Cypriot side, had prepared an offer package for the Turkish Cypriot side, Cook said that they found the offer to be satisfactory and added, ''we prefer a joint delegation which represent both sides. In the meantime we want both sides to obtain benefits from the EU's offers. We hope Rauf Denktas węll find this decision to be positive.''

Blair said, ''we want to set up close relations between Turkey and the EU.'' Reminding that the European Commission has an offer to improve relations between Turkey and the Customs Union, Cook said, ''Turkey can still join us. We will welcome her participation.'' Santer said that Turkey is a part of the European family and did not join the conference because she misunderstood the decisions taken at the Luxembourg Summit.

Addressing a press conference, Kostas Simitis, the Greek Prime Minister, said that they felt regret at Turkey's decision not to join the Conference. Simitis pointed out that all countries who join the Conference apply the decisions taken at the Luxembourg Summit, but Turkey refuses to apply them. Simitis said that they invited the Turkish Cypriots to join the full membership negotiations along with the Greek Cypriot side. Simitis also added that Clerides' last approach showed that he applies the decisions concerning Cyprus taken in the Luxembourg Summit and said, ''Denktas will say the last word.''

A journalist reminded him that France and some of the other countries criticise the full membership negotiations to be started without the Turkish Cypriot side, and Simitis replied, ''we did not feel an attitude against the Greek Cypriot side for the negotiations to be started for full membership in the EU.''

[10] US STATE DEPARTMENT UNDERSECRETARY TALBOTT: ''IF THE EU OPENLY SAYS IT HAS A PLACE FOR TURKEY, THEN IT WILL BE EASIER FOR TURKEY TO MAKE THE CORRECT CHOICES FOR HER FUTURE''

Addressing a meeting titled ''European Conference'' staged by the British Embassy, Strobe Talbott said that the US was a defender and supporter of integration in Europe and enlargement of the NATO and the EU. Stressing that the doors of the EU should be open, Talbott said nobody thought that the integration of Turkey with Europe would be easy.

Talbott said that Turkey herself created the obstacles preventing her integration with Europe and listed them as the files on human rights, and her share of the responsibility on the inability to solve the Cyprus question. However, he added, ''on the other hand, Turkey has been a part of the European system for 400 years.'' He said that Turkey strategically turned her direction to the West and at the same time still improves her democratic institutions and tries to find a balance between the beliefs of her citizens and secularism and between values of tolerance and order.

He said that they are both the friends of Turkey and the EU and the fates of both of them interest us. Tension and uncertainity which I tried to mention requires the EU to stress that Turkey will be a part of the new Europe.

Talbott noted that solution on Cyprus was a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation which its citizens having equal rights.

Meanwhile, Jamie Rubin, the US State Department Spokesman, responding to a question about Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit rejection of a meeting with the US's Special Coordinator to Cyprus Thomas Miller, said ''Miller had benefical contacts on Cyprus.''

Rubin said Miller was welcomed warmly in Ankara at was always the case. He also said that Miller met with Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, Gen. Cevik Bir, the Deputy Chief of General Staff and Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State.

He said ''the news reports which are reflected to the press are not true. Thomas Miller did not request a meeting with Prime Minister Yilmaz and his meeting with Ecevit could not be realized although it was on the program.'' Rubin identified Miller's contacts in Ankara as ''comprehensive and beneficial.

[11] TAX REFORM - FIRST 23 ARTICLES OF TAX REFORM DRAFT LAW APPROVED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION

The Parliament Planning and Budget Commission approved the first 23 Articles of the Tax Reform Draft Law. These articles include the ''Changes in the Taxation Procedure Law'' and the ''Changes in the Law for the Method of Collection of Public Receivables''.

The Commission started to discuss the draft law's third part foreseeing the ''Changes in the Income Tax Law''.

The Commission also approved Article 18 that arranges the topic and the context of the agreement for the Administration of Taxes. In accordance with this Article, the tax fines will be removed from the context of the agreement and the fines will be decreased by a ratio in the tax deduction if there is an agreement about the amount of tax. Article 19 foresees ''the decreasing of the effective limits and amounts related to tax to the legal levels'' while Article 20, which includes several temporary articles, obliges the taxpayers, who do bookkeeping in accordance with the principles of the operations account, no matter what the amount, to do bookkeeping on that principle for three years. Following the approval of Article 20 of the draft, Biltekin Ozdemir, the Chairman of the Parliament Planning and Budget Commission, said that the discussions on the first part of the draft regarding the ''Changes in the Taxation Procedure Law'', were concluded.

Then the Commission started to deliberte the second part of the draft, ''Changes in the Law for the Method of Collection of Public Receivables''.

Articles 21, 22 and 23, which were approved within the framework of the draft's second part, rearrange the ''public debts of the limited companies'' and the ''calculated queue of the public receivables''.

Responding to the question of Cevat Ayhan, the Sakarya Deputy of the Virtue Party (FP), Zekeriya Temizel, the Minister of Finance, said that the public debts of the limited companies were nearly 250 trillion Turkish Liras.

The Commission later started to discuss the third part of the draft including the ''Changes in the Income Tax Law''.

Briefing the Commission on Article 24 that arranges the definition of the income and targets to expand the tax base, Temizel said that Article 24 was one of the most important Articles of the draft.

Recalling that the claim ''tax will be collected on wealth'' was also one of the criticisms brought into the scope of the draft, Temizel said, ''in this draft, the collection of tax on wealth is out of the question.''

Stating that the amount of tax revenues would be 9.8 quadrillion Turkish Liras in the 1998 budget, Temizel said, ''an additional 4.5 quadrillion Turkish Liras in taxes can be collected if every income is taxed and if there is not any tax evasion.''

Article 24 was approved after the debates.

The Parliament Planning and Budget Commission continues to discuss the Tax Reform Draft Law.

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