Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-05-18

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

18 MAY 1998

CONTENTS

[01] HAND GRENADE EXPODES KILLING 4 CHILDREN INJURING 2 OTHERS IN KULP

[02] HAND GRENADE EXPODES KILLING 4 CHILDREN INJURING 2 OTHERS IN KULP

[03] ''THE TURKISH ECONOMY IN THE 2000s'' - STATE MINISTER AHAT ANDICAN: ''TURKEY SHOULD DETERMINE THE STRATEGY OF EURASIA''

[04] ANATOLIA AIRWAYS STARTS FLIGHTS

[05] AMERICAN POPULATION BUREAU: - ''TURKEY'S POPULATION WILL BE 88 MILLION IN 2025''

[06] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

[07] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

[08] CLERIDES DOESN'T ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL WHICH FORESEES PROHIBITION OF FLIGHTS OVER CYPRUS

[09] GAP MOTORWAY - THE FIRMS WILL RENEW THEIR BIDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SANLIURFA-GAZIANTEP MOTORWAY IN JUNE - THE COST OF THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE 700 MILLION US DOLLARS

[10] DRUG CONNECTIONS OF THE SEPERATIST TERROR ORGANIZATION - 140 OF THE DRUG OPERATIONS HELD LAST YEAR WERE THE CONNECTIONS OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION - DURING THE OPPERATIONS POLICE CAPTURES 551 PEOPLE AND SEIZES 22.1 TONS OF DRUGS

[11] ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT NO. 2 ACQUITS SUKRU KARATEPE, THE EX-MAYOR OF KAYSERI

[12] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 18, 1998

[13] SABAN KARATAS, INDEPENDENT DEPUTY FROM ANKARA, JOINS THE MHP

[14] FM CEM MEETS WITH THE US SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT

[15] COOK, BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER, DUE IN TURKEY

[16] MILITARY FORCE IN NATO - GREECE: ''THE COUNTRY THAT ALLOCATES THE LARGEST PORTION FROM HER NATIONAL INCOME FOR ARMAMENTS ''

[17] DENKTAS RECEIVES CINDORUK - CINDORUK: ''WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THE CYPRUS ISSUE. THERE ARE TWO STATES ON THE ISLAND AND THIS CAN'T BE DENIED''

[18] KURDISH MEETING IN EGYPT - FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''TERRORIST PKK ORGANIZATION WON'T PARTICIPATE AT THE MEETING''

[19] GREEK AND GREEK-CYPRIOT FROGMAN COMMANDOS STAGE EXERCISES IN THE AEGEAN SEA

[20] WTO MINISTERS' CONFERENCE

[21] THE WEU ASSEMBLY - TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS REACT PAPANDREU'S STATEMENT

[22] BAUDOUIN, CHAIRMAN OF FIDH, VISITS BIRDAL

[23] EU-US SUMMIT - CLINTON URGES GREECE AND TURKEY TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS

[01] HAND GRENADE EXPODES KILLING 4 CHILDREN INJURING 2 OTHERS IN KULP

Officials told the A.A correspondent that the children found the hand grenade on the ground and took it to their home to play with, but the bomb exploded causing them to die or be wounded.

The wounded children were taken to the Diyarbakir State Hospital.

The investigation regarding the incident is underway.

[02] HAND GRENADE EXPODES KILLING 4 CHILDREN INJURING 2 OTHERS IN KULP

Officials told the A.A correspondent that the children found the hand grenade on the ground and took it to their home to play with, but the bomb exploded causing them to die or be wounded.

The wounded children were taken to the Diyarbakir State Hospital.

The investigation regarding the incident is underway.

[03] ''THE TURKISH ECONOMY IN THE 2000s'' - STATE MINISTER AHAT ANDICAN: ''TURKEY SHOULD DETERMINE THE STRATEGY OF EURASIA''

Addressing the meeting on '' the Turkish Economy in the 2000s'' organized by the Rotary Club, Andican said that an economic and political consensus was set up between Turkey and the Turkish Republics.

Noting that the Turkish Republics will open to the world with Turkey, Andican said, ''there are claims that the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline is an expensive choice. We should give priority to the long-term strategical situation of the line. If we think about our economic and political benefits, we should provide a political consensus in the region just like the European Community.''

Pointing out that the Eurasian countries need high technology and great capital to be developed, Andican said, ''Turkey started large investments in these countries and she achieved this with the private sector. The capital and technology have begun to flow to the Eurasian countries.''

Andican stressed that Turkey should find new markets other than Europe, and added, ''there are 46 thousand Turkish employers who provide job opportunities to 149 thousand people in Europe and especially in Germany. After these European Turkish businessmen, now the Eurasian Turkish businessmen are taking the stage. A total of 60 percent of Turkey's contracting activities are in Eurasia.''

Ahat Andican also stated that Turkey couldn't form a strategy concerning Eurasia between 1992 and 1997, but the 55th government realized it.

[04] ANATOLIA AIRWAYS STARTS FLIGHTS

The Anatolia Airways made its first flight by carrying members of the press and the representatives of the travel agencies in the Netherlands from Amsterdam to Istanbul.

The Anatolia Airways, which was founded by Mehmet Hasancebi, will serve with its four ''Airbus A300B4'' type passenger planes, two of them hired, mainly between the Netherlands and Turkey.

Addressing a press meeting, Hasancebi stated that they aim to increase the current seating capacity 1,500 to 2,000 next year and will start flights from Germany, Spain, Italy and Israel to Turkey.

[05] AMERICAN POPULATION BUREAU: - ''TURKEY'S POPULATION WILL BE 88 MILLION IN 2025''

In the report it is pointed out that the infant mortality rate is 42 per thousand and the average rate of fertility of women is 2.6 percent.

The teenagers under 15 form 31 percent of the population, and the persons over 65 form 5 percent of the population.

In Turkey the life expectancy for men is 66 and for women is 71.

A total of 64 percent of the population live in the urban areas.

A total of 63 percent of the female population use ''all'' methods of birth control, but just 35 percent of the women use ''modern'' ones.

According to the report the figures of the per capita Gross National Product based on the figures for 1996, is 2,830 US dollars.

[06] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

TURKISH MARCH IN NEW YORK
The 17th traditional Turkish march, which brings together Turks and those of Turkish origin living in the US, was held in New York over the weekend. Rudolf Guliani, the Mayor of New York announced 10-16 May as ''Turkish Heritage Week''. The march, organized by the Federation of the Turkish- American Associations, was attended by Baki Ilkin, the Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Volkan Vural, Turkey's UN Permanent Representative, Fuat Tanlay, the Turkish Consul-General to New York and many other high- level Turkish officials. /Milliyet/

KARADAYI VISITS MOSCOW
Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi, the Turkish Chief of General Staff, begins a five-day official visit to Moscow today with a heavy agenda of tough issues that recently have brought Turkey and Russia at odds. Gen. Karadayi's visit, designed to help thaw the current icy relations between the two countries, has focused attention on whether or not he can reach a solution with the Russians on the issue of the controversial S-300 missiles that are scheduled to be transferred by Russia to Greek Cyprus this August.

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, the US President, who attended the G-8 meetings in Britain over the weekend, expressed his concern about the deployment of the Russian-made S-300 missiles in Greek Cyprus to Boris Yeltsin, the Russian Head of State. /All papers/

ARSON IN ATHENS
The car of Anastasia Konstantinidu, who is working as a secretary at Turkey's Consulate-General in Athens-Piraeus, was set on fire yesterday morning. According to the police information, Konstantinidu's car was badly damaged. A person who phoned the SKY radio claimed that a protest organization 'Incendiaires de Conscience' was responsible for the attack. /Milliyet/

HOLBROOKE TO VISIT CYPRUS AGAIN
Richard Holbrooke, the Special Envoy to Cyprus, will visit Cyprus again in June. Holbrooke, who held contacts on Cyprus at the beginning of May, couldn't achieve any results during his shuttle diplomacy between the representatives of the two communities on the island. /Sabah/

[07] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

EGYPT TO HOST KURDISH MEETING
Egypt will host a Kurdish meeting to be held on May 27. Egypt will host the meeting via a non-governmental organization called the Africa-Asia Solidarity Organization based in Cairo. /Cumhuriyet/

MILITARY VEHICLE HITS MINE
A military vehicle hit a mine in the Catak district of Van Province yesterday and one Turkish soldier died and one soldier was wounded. It is reported that the road had been mined by members of the PKK terrorist organization. /Cumhuriyet/

OFFICIALS OF THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL SOURCES VISIT JAPAN
A delegation from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Sources went to Japan yesterday where they will examine the nuclear plants belonging to firms in a consortium which has submitted a bid for the construction of the Akkuyu Nuclear Plant. /Hurriyet/

WORLD BANK EXTENDS CREDIT FOR EDUCATION
A delegation including representatives of the Ministry of National Education and the Higher Education Council will go to Washington, D.C., next week for a meeting with the World Bank officials who will offer them 600 million US dollars in a new credit for the eight year compulsory education programme. Conditions for repayment will also be determined during the meeting. /Hurriyet/

[08] CLERIDES DOESN'T ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL WHICH FORESEES PROHIBITION OF FLIGHTS OVER CYPRUS

The state run Greek Cypriot radio announced that Theodoros Pangalos, the Greek Foreign Minister, stated the aforementioned proposal, but Clerides pointed out that he didn't share the same ideas with Pangalos.

Theodoros Pangalos offered the implementation of the prohibition of flights over Cyprus in return for the S-300 missiles not being deployed on the island.

Clerides claimed, ''if the relations between Turkey and the European Union improve, there is no guarantee on the Turkish side to change her Cyprus policy.''

Clerides also said, ''Turkey isn't ready to give anything from Cyprus to improve her relations with the EU.''

[09] GAP MOTORWAY - THE FIRMS WILL RENEW THEIR BIDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SANLIURFA-GAZIANTEP MOTORWAY IN JUNE - THE COST OF THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE 700 MILLION US DOLLARS

The companies which will provide a document of efficiency will be asked to renew their bids for the tender which was opened earlier by the General Directorate of Highways, and for which a bidding deadline of May 8 was given, and was cancelled later. The officials said that the tender will be realized within the framework of the State Tender Law.

Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Highways made some arrangements in the technical and administrative specifications, and added the construction of the Gaziantep peripheral road to the project which foresees the construction of three different routes.

Thus, the construction of the Gaziantep peripheral road which will be 27 kilometers is included in the Gaziantep-Sanlıurfa Motorway System and the firms are asked to renew their bids accordingly.

The cost of the project is expected to be 700 million US dollars. The officials said that the official announcement will be made between May 20 and 21, and the bids can possibly be received in June.

The construction, which is among the most important items of the 1998 investment program of the General Directorate of Highways, will be met by the credits provided by the companies.

The construction of the 160 km motorway is planned be completed in three years.

The routes included in the motorway and their estimated costs are as follows:

1- Gaziantep-Birecik motorway: 53.4 km. 271 million US dollars.

2- Birecik-Suru&ccedil; motorway: 41.2 km. 195 million US dollars.

3- Suruc-Sanlurfa motorway: 37 km. 200 million US dollars.

4- Gaziantep peripheral road: 27 km. 30 million US dollars.

[10] DRUG CONNECTIONS OF THE SEPERATIST TERROR ORGANIZATION - 140 OF THE DRUG OPERATIONS HELD LAST YEAR WERE THE CONNECTIONS OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION - DURING THE OPPERATIONS POLICE CAPTURES 551 PEOPLE AND SEIZES 22.1 TONS OF DRUGS

Officials from the General Directorate of Security, Department for the Struggle Against Smuggling and Organized Crimes told the A.A correspondent that in the smuggling incidents connected with the separatist organization 2.4 tons of heroin, 13.3 tons of hashish, 4.2 tons of base morphine, 2.1 tons of Indian hemp and 100 grams of cocain were seized by the security forces.

During the operations a number of shelters belonging to the illegal separatist organization were brought to light. Security forces seized weapons, munitions and equipment along with 7.2 tons of hashish, 1.4 tons of Indian hemp, 63.3 kg of heroin and 33 kg of base morphine which were found in these shelters.

According to the sources of the General Directorate of Security, the most important income source of terrorism is coming from drug smuggling. The separatist terror organization enters the drug production at particular levels such as planting hashish, transforming it into base morphine and heroin, and marketing it. All drug organizations in Turkey claim that the separatist terrorist organization cooperates with them during the smuggling activities.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the terrorist organization threatens the illegal or legal immigrants in Europe by denouncing them to the police and uses them as the street sellers. Officials say that this information is received from the testimonies of the suspects, criminal records and documents found in the shelters belonging to the organization.

[11] ANKARA STATE SECURITY COURT NO. 2 ACQUITS SUKRU KARATEPE, THE EX-MAYOR OF KAYSERI

Karatepe is currently serving a one-year term of imprisonment for criticising on November 10, 1997, the frequent commemorations of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.

[12] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MAY 18, 1998

A number of worldwide famous artists and music bands will participate at the festival. The first part of the festival will end on July 24 with the concert of the jazz musician Cassandra Wilson. The festival will restart in September and continue until the end of the year.

ISTANBUL - The famous violinist Julian Rachlin, who is described as the ''wonder child of the violin'' will give a concert in Istanbul with pianist Itamar Golan on June 22, it was reported on Sunday.

The famous musicians will interpret the works of Claude Debussy, Camile Sain-Saens, Jules Massenet and Cesar Franck at the Aya Irini in the framework of the 26th Istanbul International Music Festival.

ANKARA - General Ilhan Kilic, the Commander of the Air Forces, will join the Commanders of the Air Forces' meeting in Rome between May 19-23, it was reported on Monday.

The Secretariat General of the Air Forces Command stated that General Kilic will control the 161st Fleet Command which is deployed in Ghedi during his visit to Rome.

The Air Forces Commanders from 17 European countries, 12 of them are from the member states of the NATO, will participate at the meeting.

The meeting foresees the creation of mutual cooperation opportunities and setting up good relations between the countries.

ANKARA - The number of the new motorized vehicles on the road increased 47.9 percent to 42,842 compared with the figures of the preceding month, it was reported on Monday.

The State Institute of Statistics stated that automobiles form 61 percent of this number, and vans form 21 percent.

The number of the vehicles on the road for March increased 33.9 percent compared with the same period last year.

ANKARA - The German Credit Organization (GTZ) provides support for the solution of the problems in agricultural supports in Turkey, it was reported on Monday.

Officials told the A.A correspondent that a joint project has started in the scope of the Turkey-Germany Development Cooperation Agreement to decrease the cost of the supports in agriculture and to implement the European agriculture supports system in Turkey.

At the first step of the project, which was started in February, the current situation and problems will be determined. The GTZ will provide 900 thousand German marks for the first step.

A delegation which will be formed by the representatives from the Ministries of the Treasury, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Industry and Trade, will go to Germany in June.

The second step foresees choosing a particular product and region as a pilot and to provide direct revenue support to the producers of that product.

ANKARA - The Ministry of National Defence banned on Monday the Continental Group of Industries Corporation (CGI) company based in the US and the General Directorate of Rural Services banned Caykent Construction and Trade Company from the tenders.

The CGI and Caykent Construction and Trade Companies are banned from joining tenders for one year.

ANKARA - The famous names of the Motocross sport will come together in Ankara tomorrow for the International Motocross Ataturk Cup, it was reported on Monday.

The competitions will be held at the Middle East Technical University and last for two days in the framework of the celebrations of May 19, the Ataturk Remembrance and the Festival of Youth and Sports.

A total of 28 famous foreign names of the Motocross will join the competitions and two racers will represent Turkey.

TEKIRDAG - Police captured on Monday 33 Bangladeshi immigrants in the Susuzmusellim District at Hayrabolu County of Tekirdag Province, who wanted to proceed to Greece illegally.

Security officials told the A.A correspondent that the investigation regarding the Bangladeshi immgrants is underway.

GAZIANTEP - The International Hopes Ataturk Cup Soccer Tournament will begin in Gaziantep tomorrow with the participation of the national teams of Turkey, Morocco, Belgium and Cameroon, it was reported on Monday.

The first match will be played between the Hope National Teams of Turkey and Morocco tomorrow and the second match will be between Belgium and Cameroon.

[13] SABAN KARATAS, INDEPENDENT DEPUTY FROM ANKARA, JOINS THE MHP

Saban Karatas said that the Turkish nation should conclude the democratization movement which started in 1946.

''I joined the MHP because I believe the MHP will conclude this movement,'' he said.

With Karatas's joining the MHP, the seats of the party in the Parliament increased to three while the number of independent deputies decreased to 13.

Saban Karatas had entered the Parliament from the list of the Welfare Party (RP) which was closed by the Constitutional Court.

The most recent distribution of seats in the Parliament is as follows:

FP (Virtue Party)................: 143

ANAP(Motherland Party)............: 140

DYP (True Path Party).............: 92

DSP (Democratic Left Party).......: 62

CHP (Republican People's Party)...: 56

DTP (Democrat Turkey Party).......: 22

BBP (Grand Unity Party)...........: 8

MHP (Nationalist Movement Party)..: 3

DP (Democratic Party)............: 1

DEPAR (Changing Turkey Party).....: 1

INDEPENDENT.......................: 13
VACANT............................: 9

[14] FM CEM MEETS WITH THE US SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT

Necati Utkan, the Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said in his weekly press briefing that the bilateral and international issues were discussed in the one-hour meeting between Cem and Albright.

Utkan said that Albright and Cem also discussed the issues of ''the Balkans'', ''the US-Turkish relations'', ''energy routes'', ''economic cooperation'', ''the Middle East'' and ''Kosovo''.

Necati Utkan added that the Albright had stated that she would visit Turkey, adding that the schedule of this visit wasn't clear yet.

[15] COOK, BRITISH FOREIGN MINISTER, DUE IN TURKEY

Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman told a weekly news briefing that Cook will be received by Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz. Cook will also meet with Ismail Cem, his Turkish counterpart.

The British Foreign Ministry officials also confirmed the visit of Robin Cook, but said that the details of the visit haven't been determined yet.

Cook is expected to come to Ankara with new proposals to put into practice ''the EU Strategy for Turkey'' foreseen by the European Commission before the Turkey-EU Partnership Council convenes on May 25.

The success of Cook's visit will affect the convening of the Partnership Council. As Turkey insists on bringing functionality to the financial protocol which was vetoed by Greece; Britain, the EU term-chairman, is looking for new formulas to overcome the Greek veto.

[16] MILITARY FORCE IN NATO - GREECE: ''THE COUNTRY THAT ALLOCATES THE LARGEST PORTION FROM HER NATIONAL INCOME FOR ARMAMENTS ''

According to the statistics given in the spring issue of the NATO Magazine, some of the NATO countries between 1975 and 1997 tended to have expenditures for defense that were more than average within the NATO.

The rate of sources allocated to personnel expenditures decreased from 42 percent to 39.7 percent in the US and in Turkey it declined from 47.6 percent to 43.7 percent, while it increased from 57.6 percent to 61.2 percent in Greece during this period.

The share of expenditures for equipment in the total expenditures in Turkey increased from 19.2 percent to 32.6 percent and in the US it rose from 17 percent to 25.2 percent, while it was nearly 20 percent in Greece.

The statistics showed that the total military expenditures of the NATO countries reached 389 billion US dollars last year, while it was 91 billion 704 million US dollars in 1975.

The US spent 224 billion US dollars for defense while the total expenditures of the NATO member European countries was 155 billion 997 million US dollars.

According to the foreign exchange currency rates in 1990, Turkey realized 16 trillion 996 billion Turkish Liras (TL) in military expenditures last year, Britain spent 16 billion 302 million English pounds; Greece spent 697 billion drachmas, Germany spent 47 billion 837 million German marks and France spent 211 billion 925 million French francs for military expenditures in 1997.

The total number of troops in NATO last year decreased to 4,527,000, while it was 5,930,000 in 1985.

Turkey has the second largest armed forces with her 820 thousand soldiers after the US with 1,620,000 troops.

Meanwhile, Greece increased her troops to 206 thousand from 186 thousand in the same period.

[17] DENKTAS RECEIVES CINDORUK - CINDORUK: ''WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM LIKE THE CYPRUS ISSUE. THERE ARE TWO STATES ON THE ISLAND AND THIS CAN'T BE DENIED''

Denktas said in the meeting that the Parliament had made several important decisions during the term of office of Cindoruk as the Speaker of the Parliament.

''We don't have a problem like the Cyprus issue. The TRNC is the sister country of Turkey,'' DTP Leader Cindoruk said.

Cindoruk said that there are two different states on the island and that this cannot be denied, stressing that no other country or countries can destroy this.

Husamettin Cindoruk said that they accepted the April 23 Declaration of Turkey and the TRNC as the common policy.

Cindoruk said that the relations between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots further improved in the term of the 55th government and that this process would continue.

Stressing that the TRNC will live forever together with Turkey, Cindoruk said that Turkey was resolved to protect the territorial integrity of the TRNC until the end.

Pointing out that they want peace in the region and that they were following a successful foreign policy to secure peace, Cindoruk said that the countries should be aware of their decisions which would threaten the security of Turkey and the TRNC.

[18] KURDISH MEETING IN EGYPT - FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''TERRORIST PKK ORGANIZATION WON'T PARTICIPATE AT THE MEETING''

Responding to a question, Necati Utkan, the Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, said in his weekly press briefing that the meeting in Egypt was organized by some non-governmental organizations and some Northern Iraqi Kurdish groups.

''We were informed that the separatist terrorist PKK organization won't be included at the meeting. The participation of the terrorist PKK organization in such an activity would be a very grave mistake,'' Spokesman Utkan added.

[19] GREEK AND GREEK-CYPRIOT FROGMAN COMMANDOS STAGE EXERCISES IN THE AEGEAN SEA

The Lefkosa-based International Affairs Agency (INAF) reported that the fully-equipped Greek-Cypriot and Greek commandos staged exercises with nine boats near the disputed islands and islets three miles offshore from Turkey.

The Agency reported that the Turkish submarines and planes had monitored the exercises in the Aegean.

[20] WTO MINISTERS' CONFERENCE

The existing working programme and the future activities of the WTO is on the agenda of the conference which started on Monday.

The Ministers of the WTO member countries will convey in the conference their views about the implementation of the existing working programme, the agenda of the WTO Ministers' Conference to be held at the end of 1999 and on the scope of the new trade negotiations foreseen to start in 2000.

Meanwhile, Celebi will meet with the Ministers of the US, India, Malta, Belarus, the Ukraine, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Tunisia, and with the Moroccan officials and the Chairmen of the EU Commission delegations.

[21] THE WEU ASSEMBLY - TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS REACT PAPANDREU'S STATEMENT

Papandreu who spoke on behalf of Greece, the term chairman of the WEU, claimed that the attendance of Turkish Cypriots to the full membership talks between the Greek Cypriots and the EU is a step forward and will bring into the agenda their ''minority rights''.

These words caused harsh reaction of Turkish parliamentarians. The Virtue Party Deputy Abdullah Gül asked Papandreu, ''According to the international agreements in the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, Turkish-Cypriot and Greek-Cypriot sides put their signatures as two equal founders. How do think to solve the problem in the island, disregarding this fact and downgrading the Turkish side into a minority status?''

Papandreu then had to say that he used the word ''minority'' in general terms, not in legal terms.

[22] BAUDOUIN, CHAIRMAN OF FIDH, VISITS BIRDAL

Baudouin said that they came to Turkey to help and support Birdal and other human rights defenders and to remind the authorities their responsibilities.

Speaking to reporters at the Sevgi Hospital before meeting Birdal, Baudouin said that the IHD is a member of the federation and that they are aware of the quality of the studies of the IHD and its courage.

Pointing out that they were aware of the problems and threats the IHD had faced for years, Baudouin said,''from now on, we will not be contented with the promises of the Turkish officials. The officials should implement their promises in the field of human rights.''

[23] EU-US SUMMIT - CLINTON URGES GREECE AND TURKEY TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS

''We have got to resolve this,'' Clinton told a news conference after an EU- U.S. summit in London.

''To get there I think we will have to proceed on many fronts at once and I think both the Turks and Greeks will have to make difficult decisions which I believe the European Union and, I know, the United States will strongly support,'' he said.

Stating that the solution of problems in Cyprus and in the Aegean will positively affect the relations between Turkey and Greece, Clinton said that Turkey and Greece have great interests in solving these problems. The US and the EU also have great interests in the solution of problems between the two countries, Clinton said.

Clinton said that both countries cannot spend their energy and resources for their own people in peace due to the problems between themselves.

''I do not think we can solve one problem in isolation from the others. I think we have to move forward on all these problems, Cyprus, the Aegean jurisdictional disputes and the role of Turkey in Europe's future. All of that we have to move forward on,'' Clinton said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told the news conference that it was important to emphasise that the EU wanted a good, close relationship with Turkey.

''We want Turkey to feel included in the family of European nations. We have a deep concern over what has happened, and is happening, in Cyprus and we believe that it is essential we make progress in this area,'' he said.

Stating that they are aware of Turkey's disappointment after the Luxembourg Summit, Blair said ''I think we should and will redouble our efforts to give a very clear signal to Turkey about our proper and true intentions and also to do what we can to bring hope in the conflict in Cyprus,'' he said.

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