Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-03-18

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

18 MARCH 1998

CONTENTS

[01] POLITICS - CENSURE MOTION AGAINST ULUGBAY REJECTED IN PARLIAMENT

[02] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

[03] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

[04] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 18, 1998

[05] TURKEY-BAD WEATHER - SNOWFALL CAUSES PROBLEMS IN MANY PARTS OF TURKEY

[06] TURKEY-DEMONSTRATION - POLICE INTERVENES IN A GROUP OF STUDENTS GATHERED AT THE KIZILAY SQUARE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE APPEALED TO THE HIGH COURT OF APPEALS - SOME PEOPLE INJURED, MOST OF THE DEMONSTRATORS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

[07] TURKEY IN BRIEF (2)- MARCH 18, 1998

[08] UN-CYPRUS - CORDOVEZ ON CYPRUS

[09] TURKEY-ECONOMY - GENERAL DIRECTOR OF BOTAS ARSEVEN: - ''THE FINAL DECISION CONCERNING THE BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER''

[10] TURKMENISTAN NATURAL GAS - FIRMS SUBMIT THEIR BIDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOUR PIPELINE ROUTES

[11] TURKEY-EU - SANTER: ''TURKEY'S ABSENCE PRODUCES SORROW''

[01] POLITICS - CENSURE MOTION AGAINST ULUGBAY REJECTED IN PARLIAMENT

According to the Parliamentary documents 479 deputies participated in the voting with 267 votes against the censure and 211 in favor. One of the votes was invalid and 63 deputies did not participate in the voting.

Meanwhile, Ulugbay responding to the criticism directed at him said that the head covering issue turned into a problem as several politicians used it and turned it into a symbol of an ideology. Ulugbay also said that he did not make any illegal assignments and appointments.

[02] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

OIC SUMMIT ENDS
The Foreign Ministers attending the Qatar meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), ended the meeting on Tuesday by issuing a final communique. A draft resolution also ''condemns strongly the large- scale repression, measures of discrimination and violations of human rights" in Yugoslavia's Kosovo region. The resolution also urges an immediate dialogue between the parties without preconditions. Ismail Cem, the Turkish Foreign Minister, who returned to Turkey yesterday, said that the suggestions put forward at the gathering were of great importance for the future of the region and the world. /Sabah/

'HONORARY DOCTORATE' TO BAGABANDI
The Mongolian President Natsagiin Babagandi was presented with an honorary doctorate yesterday with the approval of the Ankara University Senate for his contributions to improving political and cultural relations between Turkey and Mongolia. The Turkish President Suleyman Demirel also attended the ceremony and conveyed his thanks and appreciation for all that his Mongolian counterpart was doing to further Turkish-Mongolian relations. On Tuesday, Bagabandi visited the Turkish Aviation Industries (TAI) plant near Ankara and attended a briefing by the TAI representatives./Sabah/

PRESIDENT DEMIREL BRIEFED BY THE GENERAL STAFF
The General Staff yesterday gave President Suleyman Demirel an annual briefing on national security. The military pointed out that fundamentalist trends were the greatest threat to the Turkish security and stressed their determination to fight against religious reactionism. Demirel was also given details about the struggle against the PKK terrorist organization. The General Staff representatives noted that the organization has suffered heavy blows as the result of successful operations by the Turkish security forces, and discussed with Demirel reports about the support of foreign countries to the organization. After the briefing, President Demirel received Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Husamettin Cindoruk, coalition partner and leader of the DTP. /Cumhuriyet/

83rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE CANAKKALE VICTORY

The upcoming 83rd anniversary of the Canakkale Victory, a turning point in the War of Independence, will be marked with nationwide celebrations. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will also participate in the celebrations. (Cumhuriyet)

GREEK OPPOSITION TO BALKAN PEACE FORCE
The Cumhuriyet daily newspaper reports that last month the Greek Minister of Defense Akis Cohacopulos sent letters to his counterparts in the US, Italy, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Albania, and Slovenia suggesting that the Balkan Peace Force to protect peace and security in the Balkans, as suggested by Turkey, should be based in Greece and that Turkey should be excluded from the initiative. Turkey in turn, continues to press for the establishment of a multi-national peace force in the Balkans empowered to intervene in cases of emergency. A related meeting with officials from the Balkan countries has been discussing for three days details related to the establishment of the Peace Force. (Cumhuriyet)

PAPANDREAU: TURKEY SHOULD JOIN EUROPE
The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yorgo Papandreu said that Turkey should join the European Union. According to the Greek Minister, Turkey should exert efforts to meet the requirements for the EU full membership and should accept the jurisdiction of the Hague International Court of Justice in disagreements with Greece. Papandreu blamed Turkey for increases in tensions in the Turco-Greek relations. /Cumhuriyet/

'THE EUROPEAN' PRAISES TURKEY
The European, one of the leading British newspapers, said that Turkey had the only dynamic economy in the region, and compared the Turkish economy to the economy of Sweden. The paper noted that the EU should exert every effort to have Turkey join the Union and said that Ankara was right in reacting strongly to the EU decisions to exclude Turkey from the EU expansion process. /Hurriyet/

BRITAIN: TURKS SHOULD ATTEND CYPRUS-EU TALKS
David Madden, the British Ambassador to Southern Cyprus said that the Turkish Cypriots should participate in the discussions for EU membership scheduled to begin between the representatives of the Union and the Greek Cypriot officials on March 31. He added that all the EU member countries wanted to see the Turkish Cypriots participate in the talks and added that there must be a way for reaching a compromise with the Turkish Cypriots. /Milliyet/

(To be continued)

[03] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

GERMAN STATE MINISTER: ''TURKEY CANNOT BE IGNORED''
Helmut Schaefer, the German Minister of State, said that Turkey should be included in the European Union. In a conference on ''Cooperation in the Mediterranean Region'', organized by the Bertelsmann Group, one of the press giants of Europe, Schaefer held private talks yesterday with M. Ali Yalcındag, Head of the Dogan Media Group. Schaefer told Yalcındag that he believed that the current unease created by the remarks of Prime Minister Yılmaz, would soon be forgotten because the long-standing friendly ties between Germany and Turkey could not easily be broken by diplomatic strains of this nature. He also added, ''Turkey is a part of Europe. It is not possible to leave Turkey out.'' /Milliyet/

MESSAGE OF PEACE FROM ARMENIA
Robert Kocharian, a front runner in the Armenia general elections and expected to win the second round of elections to be held in Armenia on 30 March, has sent warm messages from the Armenian capital of Yerevan to Turkey. Kocharian, after meeting with Jefi Kamhi, the DTP deputy who is in Yerevan with other observers from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, sent a message through Kamhi that he was in favour of dialogue. Kocharian, who is expected to win the second round of elections following his 40 percent victory in the first round, made unexpectedly positive statements on relations with Turkey and the Karabagh problem. / Hurriyet/

'ATATURK AND TURKISH REPUBLIC INFORMATION BANK' OPENS
The 'Ataturk and Turkish Republic Information Bank,' established by the Turkish Democracy Foundation in cooperation with the Turkey Promotion Fund and Forsnet, opens on March 19 on the Internet. Bulent Akarcali, Chairman of the Turkish Democracy Foundation, stated that the bank, which will offer services via the Internet, is the largest, most informative and comprehensive information bank in Turkey. He added that the information services, which are currently presented only in Turkish and English, will be available in other languages and Turkish dialects in the future.

TURKISH EXPORTS TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND HUNGARY
Nearly 100 exporters will go to the Czech Republic and Hungary to promote Turkish export products after the signing of free trade agreements. This visit, staged with the coordination of the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade and organized by the Aegean Exporters' Union will be realized between March 22 and 27. Yavuz Ege, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade will head the delegation. Seminars on trade relations and business and investment facilities will be held and businessmen will hold bilateral contacts within the context of the visit programme.

EU SUPPORT FOR EIGHT YEAR COMPULSORY EDUCATION
The European Union (EU) has offered support for Turkey's eight year compulsory education project, to which Turkey attributes great importance. The EU is extending 80 million ECU out of the 272 million ECU MEDA fund, allocated to Turkey for the 1998-1999 period, to be used for projects contributing to the eight year compulsory education programme. It is also reported that there will be no regional limitations and that investments will be made to further extend the benefits of the 80 million ECU (86 million US dollars) which will be given as a grant. Officials stress that this 80 million ECU will be used for the purchasing of school equipment and computers rather than the construction of schools.

''CRISEX-98'' MANEUVERS TO BE HELD IN ANTALYA
There will be a Western European Union (WEU) meeting held between March 23 and 27 in preparation for the WEU ''Crisex-98'' maneuvers planned between November 20 and 26, 1998, in Antalya. The General Staff General Secretariat said yesterday that ''Crisex-98'' will be the second ''crisis administration'' maneuver held by the WEU headquarters. Turkey will participate in this maneuver on an equal footing with the other WEU countries. Representatives from Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Spain, Sweden, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Greece will participate in the opening meetings.

[04] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 18, 1998

The General Staff said that Gen. Ralston had informed last week that he would visit Adana to make observations at the Incirlik Base and that Cevik Bir, the Second Chief of General Staff had invited Ralston to the Gulhane Military Medical Academy's (GATA) medical ball in Ankara before his visit to Adana.

Gen. Ralston had attended the Medical Ball at the Bilkent Hotel in Ankara on March 14 and then proceeded to Adana-Incirlik on March 15.

MUGLA - Officials of the Mugla Chamber of Commerce and the Provincial General Directorate of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Control in Mugla said that a total of 15 thousand tonnes of aquaculture was exported to the European Union (EU) countries in particular last year in return for 96.5 million US dollars.

Officials said that they exported seven thousand tonnes of seabreams and seabasses; 1.5 thousand tonnes of trouts and 6.5 thousand tonnes of other fish to Italy and Greece and the other EU countries.

BRUSSELS - One of the Belgian giant construction equipment production companies Koramic Building Products (KBP) announced on Tuesday that it would start to produce adhesives to be used in the construction sector in Istanbul in accordance with an agreement between the KBP and the Eczacibasi Group.

The KBP said in a written statement that the Eczacibasi and KBP set up an Istanbul-based corporation named ''Eczacibasi-Koramic Construction Industrial Chemistry and Trade Co.''.

The statement said that both the Eczacibasi and the KBP had a 50 percent share in the new corporation which would include Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in its field of activity, production and sphere of influence.

ISTANBUL - The Toyota's ''Avensis'' model was introduced at a meeting at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul on Tuesday. The ''Avensis'' model will be put on the market for sale on March 18.

Addressing the promotion meeting, Hazim Kantarci, the Director General of the Toyotosa Corp., said that the Toyota Avensis brought new dimensions to Toyota's reliability and quality with its design, technology and security.

Later, the Avensis series ''Sedan, Liftback and Station Wagon'' models were introduced.

ANKARA - The Italian Naval Forces Commandership's ''Mibelli'' destroyer and ''Aviere'' frigate will visit Istanbul on March 19 during their return from a training trip in the Black Sea, it was reported on Tuesday.

The Italian Embassy said in a written statement that these two ships, which departed from the Palermo Harbour on February 23, would visit the harbours of Piraeus, Constanta, Novorossiysk and Istanbul followed by the harbours of Alexandria, Jaffa, Tunisia, Valencia and Casablanca.

[05] TURKEY-BAD WEATHER - SNOWFALL CAUSES PROBLEMS IN MANY PARTS OF TURKEY

Officials from the General Directorate of Highways told the A.A correspondent that the snowfall which began last night affected the highways and vehicles without chains caused delays on the highways.

In the meantime the snowfall which began at 02:00 p.m. in Ankara last night is continuing.

The highway teams are continuing efforts to keep the roads open to traffic.

[06] TURKEY-DEMONSTRATION - POLICE INTERVENES IN A GROUP OF STUDENTS GATHERED AT THE KIZILAY SQUARE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE APPEALED TO THE HIGH COURT OF APPEALS - SOME PEOPLE INJURED, MOST OF THE DEMONSTRATORS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

The Police intervened in the demonstration, but did not use billy clubs. The students threw stones at the police. During the demonstration some people were injured and most of the demonstrators were taken into custody.

The university students gathered at the Kizilay Square in Ankara at 12:30 p.m.

The demonstrators protested the verdict of the Ankara State Security Court for the eight students imprisoned for up to 96 years, chanting the slogan ''students are jailed while the gangs are in the Parliament.''

The rapid deployment force surrounded the protesters, ordering the demonstrators to disperse peacefully.

However, the demonstrators did not disperse and the rapid deployment force intervened in the group with their shields, but did not use billy clubs. Then the demonstrators began to disperse, but started to throw stones at the police. Some of the people, journalists and police were injured.

Police took most of the demonstrators into custody.

The square was closed to traffic during the demonstration, but was later reopened to traffic.

[07] TURKEY IN BRIEF (2)- MARCH 18, 1998

The TOBB said in a written statement that the arbitration system of the International Chamber of Commerce and the arbitration rules would be included in the seminar at The Marmara Hotel.

TRABZON - Turkey has obtained 705.7 million US dollars in foreign exchange income from the exports of hazelnuts during the 1997-1998 export season started on September 1, 1997, it was reported on Wednesday.

Officials of the General Secretariat of the Black Sea Exporters' Unions told the A.A correspondent that Turkey exported 155 thousand tonnes of hazelnuts.

ANKARA - The new foreign terminal at the Antalya Airport will be in service on March 31, it was reported on Wednesday.

Ibrahim Gurdal, the Minister of Tourism, will hold a press briefing for foreign reporters following the opening ceremony.

ANKARA - Ismail Alptekin, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP) received Jose Vilella, the Portuguese Ambassador to Turkey on Wednesday.

The FP Parliamentary Group Chairman Recai Kutan said that Vilella paid a courtesy visit.

ISTANBUL - The German parliamentarians, who are holding contacts in Turkey as the guest of the Turkish Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Foundation of Independent Workers and Administrators, visited the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) on Wednesday.

Bahar Sahin, the Secretary General of the ISO, said at the meeting that the greatest physical obstacle for the Turkish-German commercial relations was the visa requirement.

ANKARA - The tobacco purchases in the Marmara, Aegean and Black Sea regions will start by March 20, it was reported on Wednesday.

The tobacco harvest for 1997 is expected to be 300 thousand tonnes and the tobacco production quota for 1998 was specified to be 235 thousand tonnes.

ANKARA - A total of 100 Turkish exporters will visit the Czech Republic and Hungary for the promotion of Turkish goods, it was reported on Wednesday.

The visit, which was organized by the Aegean Exporters' Union, is coordinated by the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade.

The exporters will hold several contacts in the Czech Republic until March 25 and then proceed to Hungary.

LEFKOSA - The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas received on Wednesday the Swedish delegation led by Gunnar Lund, the Undersecretary of the Swedish Foreign Ministry.

The Swedish delegation is holding contacts in Cyprus to convince the Greek- Cypriot administration not to purchase the S-300 missiles.

ISTANBUL - Narcotics officials seized on Wednesday two kg of heroin having a market price of six billion Turkish Liras.

Narcotics officials found the haul in the bags of the English baby-sitter Claire Benjamin (aged 25) born in Jamaica and Greek student Samouil Syrris (aged 14) born in Ethiopia.

Benjamin and Syrris were taken into custody in connection with the drug smuggling.

[08] UN-CYPRUS - CORDOVEZ ON CYPRUS

Cordovez first met with David Madden, the British High Commissioner to Lefkosa. After that Cordovez met with Yorgo Vasiliu, the chairman of the Greek Cypriot delegation which will negotiate with the European Union and the Leader of the United Democrats Movement (EDI).

In the meantime Cordovez brought the letters of Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations, addressed to Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and to Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration. Annan stated in his letters that he wants the negotiation process which began in Troutbeck to be continued.

Cordovez will meet with Rauf Denktas and the officials from the UN Security Council's five permanent members tomorrow and will leave the island for Athens after meeting with Clerides on Friday.

[09] TURKEY-ECONOMY - GENERAL DIRECTOR OF BOTAS ARSEVEN: - ''THE FINAL DECISION CONCERNING THE BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINES WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN SEPTEMBER''

Responding to the questions of the A.A correspondent, Arseven said that the maintanence and restoration works are continuing periodically, and added, ''the geographical and climatic conditions of the region are very positive. Our only problem is the electric power blackouts and we will hold talks with the Ministry of Energy to solve them. In the meantime the United Nations support Turkey for the pipelines. We believe that the Baku-Ceyhan pipelines will be very beneficial for Turkey.''

[10] TURKMENISTAN NATURAL GAS - FIRMS SUBMIT THEIR BIDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOUR PIPELINE ROUTES

BOTAS, the Turkish state-run oil transportation firm, received bids for four natural gas pipeline routes which will be connected to each other within the borders of Turkey.

A total of 20 bids were submitted for the Erzurum-Imranlı section, 21 bids for the Imranlı-Kayseri section, 20 bids for the Kayseri-Konya section, and 18 bids for the Kayseri-Ankara section.

The bids will be evaluated in a month, and the firms will be chosen.

The Turkey section of the natural gas pipeline is expected to be completed and start operations in 19 months.

The construction activities are still continuing on the Dogu Beyazıt- Erzurum section of the pipeline.

[11] TURKEY-EU - SANTER: ''TURKEY'S ABSENCE PRODUCES SORROW''

Addressing a press conference in Brussels to give information about the budget plans and the reforms, Santer said, ''the EU's expansion process has been started with the Luxembourg Summit in December and the European Conference in London last week.''

Santer also said that the efforts concerning expansion and reforms should be completed in the spring of 1999.

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