Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-05-15

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

15 MAY 1998

CONTENTS

[01] UAE DELEGATION CONTACTS IN TURKEY - EL QASSIMI, THE UAE MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND TRADE, VISITS TASAR THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

[02] TURKEY AND THE UAE SIGN JEC PROTOCOL - STATE MINISTER GURDERE: - ''PROTOCOL WILL BE THE FIRST STEP OF A NEW ERA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES''

[03] KOFI ANNAN APPOINTS ANN HERCUS TO THE POSITION OF DEPUTY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUS

[04] TURKEY'S UN REPRESENTATIVE PRESENTS HIS LETTERS OF CREDENCE

[05] FM CEM'S CONTACTS IN ROMANIA

[06] PERIOD OF RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS - DRAFT LAW INCREASING PERIOD OF RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS FROM TWO YEARS TO FIVE YEARS ADOPTED IN PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL COMMITTEE

[07] TURMOIL IN INDONESIA - TURKISH EMBASSY IN INDONESIA PREPARES AN EVACUATION PLAN

[08] SOCCER... - INTERNATIONAL U-21 TOURNAMENT ATATURK CUP TO BE HELD IN SOUTHERN ADANA AND ICEL PROVINCES BETWEEN MAY 18 AND 24

[09] JOINT PEACE FORCE IN THE BALKANS - THIRD EXPERTS' MEETING IN PLOVDIV

[10] ATATURK INTERNATIONAL PEACE AWARD - PROF. DR. LEWIS RECEIVES THE AWARD IN A CEREMONY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE

[11] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

[12] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

[13] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (3)

[14] DENKTAS RECEIVES BURHAN KARA, THE MINISTER OF STATE

[15] BELHOUADJEB, ALGERIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES VISITS TASAR, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS

[16] TRANSFER FEE PAID TO BALIC IS MORE THAN HEALTH INVESTMENTS IN THE EAST

[17] 19 IRAQIS CAPTURED IN WESTERN AYDIN PROVINCE

[18] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ TO OPEN TRABZON AIRPORT NEW TERMINAL BUILDING ON MAY 18

[19] TDHKV REQUESTS SUPPORT FROM GREENPEACE TO PREVENT POLLUTION IN THE SULTANSAZLIGI

[20] FM CEM IN ROMANIA - CEM AND PLESU, FOREIGN MINISTER OF ROMANIA, HOLD JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

[21] ''BABY CASE'' IN THE USA - GOKSOY, DTP DEPUTY GIVES SIGNATURES TO THE US EMBASSY CONDEMNING THE DECISION

[22] WEU PARLIAMENTARIANS' ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE IN PARIS

[23] FM CEM CONCLUDES CONTACTS IN ROMANIA

[01] UAE DELEGATION CONTACTS IN TURKEY - EL QASSIMI, THE UAE MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND TRADE, VISITS TASAR THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

Addressing the meeting, Tasar noted that there is no agricultural cooperation agreement between Turkey and the UAE and added that a bilateral agreement on agricultural cooperation should be signed as soon as possible by the two states. He said that a draft agreement has been prepared and if the UAE delegation finds it appropriate, then the two agriculture ministers from both countries can put their signatures on the agreement.

Tasar told the reporters that institutional cooperation can be set up with this agreement on the issues such as underground waters, irrigation and seeding.

El Qassimi, said that they will assess the draft agreement as soon as possible. He added, ''I believe that such an agreement will be very useful for both countries.''

The guest Minister El Qassimi invited Tasar to the UAE.

[02] TURKEY AND THE UAE SIGN JEC PROTOCOL - STATE MINISTER GURDERE: - ''PROTOCOL WILL BE THE FIRST STEP OF A NEW ERA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES''

Addressing the meeting Metin Gurdere said that the protocol will be the first step of a new era in the development of the bilateral relations between the two states. He added that they, as the Turkish side, will do their utmost to realize the points in the protocol.

Noting that there is a large field of cooperation between Turkey and the UAE, Gurdere pointed out that the current relations will gain a new dimension with this protocol.

El Qassimi described his contacts in Turkey as very positive and useful and added that his country will do the utmost to realize the protocol like Turkey.

In the JEC meetings which lasted for two days, it was decided that the land, air and sea transports will be developed between the two countries, the agreement of mutual encouragement and protection of investments will be concluded, the negotiations on the tourism cooperation agreement and agricultural cooperation agreement will be started.

[03] KOFI ANNAN APPOINTS ANN HERCUS TO THE POSITION OF DEPUTY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUS

Waldemar Rokoszewski, the Spokesman of the UN Peace Force on Cyprus, stated that the appointment decision was made by Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the UN.

Hercus will take over the position from Gustave Feissel whose term of duty will end on June 30.

Hercus who is 56, worked as New Zealand's Representative at the UN and served in her country as a deputy and minister.

[04] TURKEY'S UN REPRESENTATIVE PRESENTS HIS LETTERS OF CREDENCE

Vural conveyed the good intention messages of President Suleyman Demirel, Mesut Yilmaz, the Prime Minister, and Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, to Annan.

It was reported that Volkan Vural emphasized at the meeting the latest developments on Cyprus and stressed that the Cyprus problem should be taken up in a different framework because the parameters changed on the island. Vural repeated that Turkey supports Annan's good intention mission to Cyprus.

Vural also requested Annan to work at repaying Turkey's financial loss of nearly 35 billion US dollars due to the Gulf Crisis.

[05] FM CEM'S CONTACTS IN ROMANIA

Addressing the journalists, Cem said that Turkey and Romania have many parallel views and approaches on the Balkans and international issues.

Cem told the reporters that he will discuss with the Romanian officials what can be done to develop relations between the two countries.

Ismail Cem's visit to Romania is the first official visit at the foreign ministry level since 1993.

The Presidents of Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania came together in Antalya last month. Subsequently, Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Muinister and Minister of National Defence, and Murat Basesgioglu, the Minister of the Interior also visited Romania.

[06] PERIOD OF RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS - DRAFT LAW INCREASING PERIOD OF RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS FROM TWO YEARS TO FIVE YEARS ADOPTED IN PARLIAMENTARY GENERAL COMMITTEE

Under the adopted draft law, the period of residence of foreigners in Turkey will be five years. This period may be extended four times. Yet, this limit may be extended and decreased due to the principle of reciprocity.

There will no longer be any charges for obtaining the residence permits.

Foreigners who want to renew the residence permits or extend the period of residence may apply to the concerned officials within 15 days after their period of residence expires.

It was also reported that the draft law foreseeing the lifting of the visa obligation for the foreigners who go abroad and return to Turkey before their period of residence expires was adopted in the Committee.

Under the draft law, the visa obligation won't be required for the foreigners who have a residence permit in Turkey if they go abroad and return before the period expires.

This change was made to provide parallelism with the international implementations and to reduce the bureaucratic obstacles for foreigners who have a residence permit in Turkey.

[07] TURMOIL IN INDONESIA - TURKISH EMBASSY IN INDONESIA PREPARES AN EVACUATION PLAN

Mehmet Guney, the Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia, told the A.A correspondent that 65 Turkish people excluding the embassy staff, are living in Indonesia.

Noting that they are ready to evacuate the embassy, Guney said,

''the current situation doesn't force us to leave the country, we will decide whether or not to evacuate according to the developments''.

Pointing out that the Turkish Embassy is located in a relatively calm area, Guney stated that the member states of the European Union and the US didn't evacuate their embassies so far.

[08] SOCCER... - INTERNATIONAL U-21 TOURNAMENT ATATURK CUP TO BE HELD IN SOUTHERN ADANA AND ICEL PROVINCES BETWEEN MAY 18 AND 24

Teams from Belgium, Morocco, Cameroon and Turkey will participate in the tournament staged by the Soccer Federation which celebrated the 75th anniversary of its foundation.

Turkish national team will be composed of Mehmet Bolukbasi, Emre (Galatasaray), Metin, Huseyin, Erdal, Selahattin (Trabzonspor), Baris (Sekerspor), Erkan (Kardemir Karabukspor), Engin, Ahmet (Kocaelispor), Gungor (Gaziosmanpasa), Ali (Denizlispor), Ilker (Genclerbirligi), Nihat (Besiktas), Serdar, Erhan (Altay), Alparslan, Zafer, Muzaffer (Erzurumspor), Ufuk, Erman (Canakkale Dardanelspor) and Yunus (Hatayspor).

[09] JOINT PEACE FORCE IN THE BALKANS - THIRD EXPERTS' MEETING IN PLOVDIV

Officials from Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Greece and Slovenia and monitors from the US and Italy will hold talks on the location of headquarters and the missions of the joint peace force.

At the second meeting organized in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, on April 16, participants decided to name the force the ''Multinational Force for Peace in Southern Europe''.

Turkey offered Edirne Province for the construction of the headquarters at the meeting which will be concluded today.

It is expected that the next meeting will be held in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

[10] ATATURK INTERNATIONAL PEACE AWARD - PROF. DR. LEWIS RECEIVES THE AWARD IN A CEREMONY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE

Addressing the ceremony, President Suleyman Demirel described Prof. Dr. Lewis as a ''distinguished historian'' and congrulated him on behalf of the Turkish people.

Prof. Dr. Bernard Lewis said that he felt honour at being granted with this award, pointing out, ''the unique greatness of Ataturk is based on his successes not only in war time, but in peacetime as well.''

It was reported that Bernard Lewis donated 46 thousand US dollars of the 66 thousand US dollars award to the Turkish Science Academy and 10 thousand US dollars each to the activities of the Turkish- Islamic Museum and the Turkish-American Association.

Prof. Dr. Lewis, who was born in London in 1916, works at the Princeton University, Department of Near-East Affairs in the US. He was also granted with the ''Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities'' award, the most important scientific award of the US Government. He can speak 15 foreign languages including Latin, Classical Persian, Ancient Greek, the Ottoman Language and Turkish.

The Ataturk International Peace Award was previously given to Joseph Luns, the former Secretary General of the NATO, Richard Von Weizsaecker, the President of Germany; Takahito Mikasa, the Japanese Prince; Kenan Evren, the 7th President of Turkey; the Turkish Red Crescent Organization, UNICEF, and the Bosnia Herzegovina Turkish Peace Force Mission.

[11] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

FULL CONSENSUS ON BAKU-CEYHAN
Three official delegations from Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia have reached a consensus regarding implementation of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. A Baku-Ceyhan meeting, supposed to be held between May 5-6, which was suspended for various reasons, was held in Istanbul yesterday. Cumhur Ersumer, the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources said in a statement yesterday that the main principles regarding the pipeline project were put forward and added, ''We will hold a press conference on May 15. This consensus expresses the most concrete point achieved to date on the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project. If this text is initialled, an agreement between the governments will be signed''. /Hurriyet/

NEW RESIDENCE LAWS FOR FOREIGNERS IN TURKEY
The Turkish Parliament General Council yesterday approved two new laws easing residence regulations for foreigners living in Turkey. According to the new laws, residence permits for foreigners will be for five years and can be even further extended by the Ministry of the Interior if desired. Foreigners, who go abroad before their residence permits expire, won't have to renew their residence permits on their return to Turkey. /Hurriyet/

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES EXCEED 25 BILLION US DOLLARS
The Central Bank foreign exchange reserves have exceeded 25 billion US dollars. According to a Central Bank statement, foreign exchange reserves, which totalled 24,659 billion US dollars on May 1, increased by 472 million US dollars and reached 25,131 billion US dollars on May 8. Turkey's international reserves rose to 32,458 billion US dollars on April 24. Gold reserves amounted to 1,124 billion US dollars, while commercial bank foreign exchange reserves stood at 8,330 billion US dollars on April 24. Turkey has paid out 4.77 billion US dollars in foreign debt payments since the beginning of this year. /Milliyet/

ATATURK AWARD AT THE PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE
The 1998 Ataturk International Peace Award ceremony was held at the Presidential Residence yesterday. Prof. Bernard Lewis, who was presented with the award for his contributions to Turkish historical studies, praised Ataturk at the ceremony hosted by President Suleyman Demirel. Hikmet Cetin, the Turkish Speaker of the Parliament, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi, the Chief of General Staff, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court and many other high-level officials were also present at the ceremony. /Milliyet/

MEDIA BRIDGE TO PEACE
A meeting on ''Securing a peaceful future for Turkey and Greece'' prepared by Zulfu Livaneli, the UNESCO Ambassador and the French director Costa Gavras of Greek origin was held at the UNESCO General Centre in Paris between May 12-13. Federico Mayor, the UNESCO General Director delivered an opening speech at the meeting, where Turkey and Greece were each represented by 13 journalists. A communique was issued at the end of the meeting which emphasized the importance of the media in the establishment of peace between the two countries, and included many proposals for closer relations between members of the press. /Milliyet/

[12] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

45 BUSINESSMEN INVEST IN SOUTHEAST
In order to promote development and overcome the employment problem in the southeast of the country, 45 businessmen from Diyarbakir are making investments in the region, kicking-off with a prefabricated construction plant. /Milliyet/

CLINTON IN GERMANY
Bill Clinton, the US President, who has been holding contacts in Germany, said he wanted Turkey to be included in the EU expansion process. According to the British Daily Telegraph newspaper, during a ceremony attended by many high-level officials, Clinton expressed support for the EU expansion process and stressed the importance of Turkey in the process. But according to an article written by Werner Kolhof in the ''Berliner Zeitung'' newspaper, Helmut Kohl, the German Prime Minister, didn't share Clinton's sentiments regarding Turkey's inclusion in the EU expansion process. /Milliyet/

PKK DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF TURKISH EMBASSY IN LONDON
Members of the PKK terrorist organization held a demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy in London yesterday. During the demonstration, where strict security measures were taken by the British police, demonstrators waved posters of Akin Birdal, the Chairman of the Turkish Human Rights Association and Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK leader and shouted slogans supporting the PKK terrorist organization. /Hurriyet/

DIALOGUE WITH SYRIA CONTINUES
The Undersecretary of the Syrian Foreign Ministry will visit Turkey in the near future. Meanwhile, it is claimed that Syria has closed down a camp belonging to the PKK terrorist organization in the Bekaa Valley. According to an article in the El Hayat newspaper published in London, Syrian officials have detained 400 PKK sympathizers during the last few days. /Hurriyet/

CEM SLAMS PKK IN SOFIA
Ismail Cem, the Turkish Foreign Minister, on an official visit to Bulgaria, slammed yesterday the PKK terrorist organization and its recent efforts to establish itself in the Balkans. In a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart, Nadezhda Mihaylova, Ismail Cem accused Greece, without mentioning its name, of supporting the PKK. ''Another Balkan country shouldn't work against Turkey'' he said. Cem referred to the recent press reports by the Agence France Press (AFP), Time magazine and the Bulgarian daily Duma, which revealed Athens' support for the PKK. ''The AFP reports have pointed out that the PKK is seriously establishing itself in the Balkans'' he stated.

The two ministers also expressed their belief that the efforts of the international community should be concentrated on preparing the ground and formulating a framework for future talks between the conflicting parties in Kosovo. Both ministers confirmed support for initiatives to find a solution in Kosovo through NATO and the Balkan countries. Cem expressed his satisfaction with the increasing Turkish investment in Bulgaria. A delegation of 100 Turkish businessmen will visit Bulgaria in the upcoming days, he added, inviting Bulgarian businessmen to Turkey. /All papers/

[13] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (3)

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

FP REFORMISTS' SUCCESS
The chairman of the Virtue Party (FP), which was established after the Constitutional Court closed the Welfare Party (RP), has been replaced following pressure from the reformists within the party. The last RP leader, Necmettin Erbakan, supported the conservative wing in the new party. However, the reformists succeeded in ousting the former chairman. Recai Kutan has been selected as the FP chairman. /All papers/

WORLD BANK PLANS NEW LOANS TO TURKEY
The World Bank expects to extend 605.8 million US dollars in new loans to Turkey in 1998 under a three-year Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) project, an official for the bank said yesterday. Ajay Chhibber, director of the World Bank's Turkey programme, told a news conference yesterday that the funds were part of a previously announced project to loan 1.5 billion US dollars by 2000. /Hurriyet/

ANKARA: TURKS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN KOSOVO TALKS
Turkey has welcomed the agreement between the Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and the political leader of the ethnic Albanian majority in Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, to meet without preconditions, urging that ethnic Turks in the region should be included in the talks. ''Turkey believes that this dialogue will contribute to peace and the stability of the region and hopes it will bear fruit in a short time'' a statement from the Foreign Ministry said yesterday. /All papers/

WTO SUMMIT IN GENEVA
A World Trade Organization Ministers' summit will be held in Geneva between 18-20 May. Isin Celebi, the Minister of State, will represent Turkey in the summit during which the effects of multinational trade systems on the world economy, globalization and countries' development will be discussed. Diplomatic sources have noted that issues such as quotas on agricultural products and electronic trade, on which the United States and the European Union clash, would also be on the agenda. /Cumhuriyet-Sabah/

IMF REPORT ON TURKISH ECONOMY
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation left Turkey yesterday, submitting a 12 page-report on the Turkish economy which covers contacts in Turkey and evaluates economic developments achieved in the last three months with a view to future economic growth. The report, repeating previous advice, claims that the inflation rate can be reduced to 50 percent by the end of the year as long as the Turkish government implements structural reforms immediately. /Sabah/

TURKISH ADVERTISER HEADS INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
A top Turkish advertiser, Pinar Kilic, chairman of the Pars McCann- Erickson's company in Turkey, has been unanimously elected as the president of the International Advertiser Association's Europe division in a congress held in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. /Hurriyet/

BRITISH AIRWAYS TOURISM GUIDE FOR TURKISH TOURISTS
British Airways has prepared a guide for Turkish tourists who intend to visit Britain, Scotland, the USA and Canada. /Hurriyet/

[14] DENKTAS RECEIVES BURHAN KARA, THE MINISTER OF STATE

Addressing the meeting, Denktas said, ''We need Turkey's support and understanding. Therefore we want all the obstacles between Turkey and the TRNC to be lifted.''

Stressing that transportation and communications are significant for them, Denktas said that they requested the ''Mediterranean'' ship to go on a trip once again.

Burhan Kara said that the Maritime Board will be the beginning of the TRNC's process in maritime affairs. Kara told the reporters that the contribution of maritime affairs to the economy will be discussed at the Board.

[15] BELHOUADJEB, ALGERIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES VISITS TASAR, MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Addressing the meeting Belhouadjeb said that his visit to Turkey aims at developing agricultural relations between Turkey and Algeria.

He added that the agreements which will be signed during his visit, will provide official support for the agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Mustafa Tasar said that the historical, cultural and friendly relations between Turkey and Algeria create the ground for development of the cooperation in every field.

Belhouadjeb will also meet with Husamettin Ozkan, the Minister of State, Mustafa Yilmaz, the Minister of State, and Imren Aykut, the Minister of the Environment.

It is expected that a cooperation agreement on veterinary medicine and health and cooperation agreement on protection of plants and quarantines will be signed between Turkey and Algeria during the guest minister's visit to Turkey.

[16] TRANSFER FEE PAID TO BALIC IS MORE THAN HEALTH INVESTMENTS IN THE EAST

It was reported that the total of appropriation allocated to 17 health investments and projects in Erzurum is 4.1 million US dollars, 344,000 US dollars for nine health projects in Bingol Province, 853,288 US dollars for five projects in Mus Province and 884,000 US dollars for eight projects in Agri Province.

[17] 19 IRAQIS CAPTURED IN WESTERN AYDIN PROVINCE

Traffic police teams, being suspicious of a minubus, checked the identities of the passengers and specified that 19 of the 21 passengers were Iraqis who wanted to flee to Greece. The Iraqis were taken into custody.

The names of the Iraqis are as follows:

Sherwan A. Fatah, Jwan J. Mahmood, Fahmeh Salih, Abdulkadir K. Rashed, Nazire N. Ali, Serwan M. Abdullah, Kawthar M. Hama, Yaseen H. Ali Hama, Danaj Faraj, Ramazan Ali Muhammed, Husamaddin M. Rasnad, Amin R. Amin, Abdulkadir Ahmad Omar. The names of the six children who were in the group weren't specified.

The investigation of the incident is underway.

[18] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ TO OPEN TRABZON AIRPORT NEW TERMINAL BUILDING ON MAY 18

The Prime Ministry Press Center statement said that Yilmaz will first of all participate in the opening ceremony of the Trabzon Airport New Terminal Building, adding that he would also participate in the Black Sea Development Convention organized by a Club established to preserve the riches of the Black Sea.

Yilmaz will also lay the foundation of 964 houses and the Samsun-Bafra Yakakent Road before returning to Ankara.

[19] TDHKV REQUESTS SUPPORT FROM GREENPEACE TO PREVENT POLLUTION IN THE SULTANSAZLIGI

Mehmet Yakuter, the Chairman of the TDHKV and SUSA told the A.A. correspondent that carpet and leather factories discharge their paints and leather waste into the Soysalli springs which are the vital veins of the Sultansazligi Kuscenneti (Bird Paradise).

Yakuter said that sewerage and every kind of wastes from the Yahyali Provincial center and sewerage from the Sindelhoyuk region were deposited into the Sultansazligi and Yay lakes, adding ''the wastes of industrial organizations and settlement units threaten the Sultansazligi Kuscenneti, which shelters more than 700,000 birds from 301 species.

''Besides our personal studies, we have asked the Greecepeace to the bird paradise and they have responded positively to our request,'' he added.

[20] FM CEM IN ROMANIA - CEM AND PLESU, FOREIGN MINISTER OF ROMANIA, HOLD JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE

Following the interdelegationary meetings, Ismail Cem, who is paying an official visit to Romania, said in the joint press conference with Andrei Plesu, the Foreign Minister of Romania, that they came to an agreement on an approach trying to find solutions and trying to reach the source of the issues.

Pointing out that the political relations between the two countries and the thoughts concerning the region would be determined permanently within this framework, Cem said that Plesu and he decided to hold at least one meeting per annum, adding that they would invite the Bulgarian Foreign Minister to one of these meetings.

Hoping the process started in Kosovo would be successful, Ismail Cem said that they improved some proposals which will strengthen the political solidarity among the Balkan countries in the event of probable problems which may emerge in southeastern Europe and if the problems aren't solved.

Stating that the trade volume between Turkey and Romania was 750 million US dollars last year and it was expected to reach one billion US dollars this year, Cem said that the total investments of Turkey in Romania reached 300 million US dollars and a total of five Turkish banks had branch offices in this country.

Noting that the two countries, within next two months, would bring new proposals to improve the economic relations, Cem said, ''within this framework, the Turkish and Romanian Foreign Ministries will organize the studies of a joint commission regarding the transports of energy, gas and oil.''

Cem said that Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria would prepare new proposals to improve the cooperation in the field of tourism by the contributions of the concerned ministries within a specified schedule.

Responding to a question, Cem said that Romania conveyed her views on the energy transfer routes that would pass via the Black Sea to Europe and asked for technical aid regarding the issues of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the transfer of Turkmen gas to Eastern Europe via Turkey.

The Romanian Foreign Minister Plesu said that the issue of energy was very important for the countries in the region and the countries that would participate in the projects should realize a concrete cooperation, adding that Romania was ready to make every contribution to the construction of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline.

Responding to a question related to the Balkan Peace Force, Cem said that the place of its general headquarters was a technical issue that can only be solved by the military officials.

Giving response to the questions regarding the separatist terrorist PKK organization, the Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu said that they took concrete measures against terrorism and organized crimes, stressing that his country condemned every form of terrorism.

[21] ''BABY CASE'' IN THE USA - GOKSOY, DTP DEPUTY GIVES SIGNATURES TO THE US EMBASSY CONDEMNING THE DECISION

Ayseli Goksoy, the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) Deputy collected signatures condemning the decision and handed them to the US Embassy.

Responding to the questions of reporters Goksoy said ''If we act in complete unity, then we'll overcome every kind of problem.'' She also requested more sensitivity on the issue.

Recalling that Gulertekin was imprisoned in her house with a schackle tied to her leg, adding ''as Turkish women, we don't accept such an insult as schackles.'' She stressed that Gulertekin saved the life of the child and that the decision was wrong and unjust.

The case was opened against the Turkish kindergarten owner by the Lape family, the owner of a TV channel in Columbus city. The bail the Court demanded in the case was never seen before in Ohio history. It was set at 10 million US dollars and gave an eight year term of imprisonment to Gulertekin.

Christina, the mother of the baby and Steve Lape, father of the baby claim that a crack was formed in the head of the baby during the artificial respiration.

[22] WEU PARLIAMENTARIANS' ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE IN PARIS

Europe's security, developments in the Balkans and cooperation between naval forces of the member countries will be discussed during the meetings that will last for three days.

Yorgo Papandreu, the Greek Minister Responsible for European Affairs, Akis Cohacopulos, the Greek Minister of Defense and Romano Prodi, Italian Prime Minister are scheduled to give addresses at the meeting. Greece is the Term President of the WEU.

A parliamentarian delegation from the Turkish Grand National Assembly will represent Turkey at the WEU Assembly.

[23] FM CEM CONCLUDES CONTACTS IN ROMANIA

Cem, who met with Emil Constantinescu, the Romanian President, Radu Vasile, the Prime Minister, Ion Diaconescu, the Romanian Speaker of the Parliament and Petre Roman, the Senate Chairman, evaluated his visit to the Turkish reporters.

Cem said ''there is a road which was opened by the presidents of the two countries. We have decided to improve economic and political relations to this end. We also decided to establish a continuous negotiation mechanism in the Balkan policies.''

Cem said that Romania was deeply interested in the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project, natural gas projects, methods to transport oil and natural gas to Europe and pointed out that a special working group will be established in the direction of the views of the concerned energy ministries.

Cem said ''Turkey is now on the way to becoming an economic and political actor in the Balkans and Center Europe. What I want to achieve is this. We consider Turkey's power in Eurasia and her attribute of being a central country. Turkey's aim is to become the center of Eurasia.''

Cem will later proceed to Bilderberg, Scotland, to participate in an unofficial meeting. Cem is expected to meet with Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Representative to Cyprus and discuss the Cyprus question.

Cem is scheduled to make a speech on ''Turkey's Long-Term Relations with the European Union (EU) and NATO'' at the Bilderberg meeting.

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