Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-06-03

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

03 JUNE 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TRABZONSPOR'S FORWARD HAMI SIGNS 3-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SCHALKE 04

[02] FOURTH SUMMIT OF BSEC TO TAKE PLACE IN YALTA, THE UKRAINE BETWEEN JUNE 4-5

[03] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER CETIN RETURNS FROM ITALY - CETIN: ''DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS CAN CAUSE REVIVAL OF ARMENIAN TERRORISM''

[04] AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT REACTS TO THE FRENCH DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS: ''THE DRAFT LAW CAN CAUSE NEW DISASTERS IN CAUCASIA'' - DEMONSTRATIONS HELD IN FRONT OF FRENCH EMBASSY IN BAKU

[05] TURKEY IN BRIEF - JUNE 3, 1998

[06] TENDER FROM TREASURY - INTEREST RATE FOR THE SIX-MONTH TERM BOND TENDER IS 81.35 PERCENT

[07] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

[08] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

[09] OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION OF PRIME MINISTRY SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT CONCERNING THE ABOLISHMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY OF SIX DEPUTIES

[10] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (3)

[11] HACIBEGIC, UNDERSECRETARY OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINAN EMBASSY: - ''EDUCATION IS THE GREATEST SUPPORT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA''

[12] PARLIAMENT TAKES UP THE REPORT PREPARED BY THE COMMISSION SET UP TO EXAMINE PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRANTS - BASESGIOGLU, THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR: ''THERE IS NO DARK POINT DURING THE TERM OFFICE OF THE 55TH GOVERNMENT''

[13] ERDENGIZ, THE TRNC REPRESENTATIVE TO WASHINGTON, D.C., SENDS A LETTER TO WASHINGTON TIMES: ''MEMBERSHIP OF CYPRUS IN EU IS CONTRARY TO AGREEMENTS''

[14] SEAWOLF-98 EXERCISE - ADMIRAL ERDIL, THE COMMANDER OF THE FLEET: ''GREECE WON'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXERCISE''

[15] 43 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED IN GURBULAK

[16] EGS IN CANADA - ANDICAN, MINISTER OF STATE: ''I REGARD OPENING OF THIS SHOP AS A TURNING POINT IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS''

[17] NEW BUILDING OF A.A HAS BEEN OPENED: - GULER, THE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF A.A: ''A.A DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONCERN OTHER THAN NEWS AND JOURNALISM'' - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''A.A ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT TO THE WHOLE WORLD ON APRIL 23''

[18] AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS MINISTER TASAR: - ''WE WILL DO WHATEVER NECCESSARY UNTIL SEPTEMBER WHEN THE EU CONVEYS ITS DECISION CONCERNING AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS TO THE MINISTRY''

[19] DRAFT RESOLUTION CONCERNING SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - ZAKIRI, IRANIAN CONSUL GENERAL IN ERZURUM: - ''THIS DECISION IS NOT A DECISION WITH GOOD INTENTIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE HISTORICAL FACTS''

[20] DRAFT RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - ALIYEV PROTESTS DECISION OF FRENCH NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

[01] TRABZONSPOR'S FORWARD HAMI SIGNS 3-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SCHALKE 04

Schalke 04 officials said they would give a 1.5 million German marks transfer fee for Mandirali and will pay 5.5 million German marks to Trabzonspor for this transfer.

Adressing the signing ceremony at the club center in Gersenkirchen, Mandirali said, ''I want to play at Schalke 04, this is my own choice. I belive I will be successful here. I expect the Turkish people living in Germany won't leave me alone.''

[02] FOURTH SUMMIT OF BSEC TO TAKE PLACE IN YALTA, THE UKRAINE BETWEEN JUNE 4-5

The Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that the main topic of the agenda would be the signing of the ''BSEC Provision'', which will turn the BSEC into a regional economic organization. The Heads of the States or Governments of the BSEC member countries, Turkey, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, the Ukraine and Greece will attend the Fourth Summit of the BSEC.

The statement recalled that the BSEC, for which the foundation was laid when the Heads of States or Governments of the 11 BSEC member countries convened in Istanbul on June 25, 1992, upon an invitation from Turkey, had successively formed all of the mechanisms required for a regional economic organization and that in the nearly last six years, several concrete projects in the fields of finance and communications in particular, were implemented.

The BSEC, for which financial support was formed with the establishment of the ''Black Sea Trade and Development Bank'' in March 1998, will attain a legal identity at the international level when the ''BSEC Provision'' is signed and will enter the 2000s as a regional economic organization.

[03] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER CETIN RETURNS FROM ITALY - CETIN: ''DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS CAN CAUSE REVIVAL OF ARMENIAN TERRORISM''

Addressing a statement at the Ataturk Airport upon his arrival, Cetin stated that the meeting, which was held between the Parliament Speakers of the Mediterranean countries in Palermo, aimed at improving the cultural, economic, social and political relations between these countries.

Noting that the meeting has also the aim of strengthening the European Union (EU) and the NATO and providing equality between the north-south countries within the framework of the ''Barcelona Process'' which started in 1995, Cetin said ''I stressed the importance of cooperation in the struggle against terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, adding that the basic motive behind the migration to Western countries is economic.''

Pointing out that the Greek and Greek Cypriot speakers of the parliament brought the Cyprus question onto the agenda of the meeting, Cetin stressed that he separately met with the French Speaker of the Parliament and the Assistant Floor Leader of the French Senate and discussed the draft law on the so-called genocide on Armenians adopted by the French Parliament.

''I told the French officials that it is a big mistake to bring an issue which concerns historians to political platforms, adding that this issue doesn't directly concern the relations between France and Turkey and this step can cause serious damage in the relations between the two countries,'' said Cetin.

Stressing that Turkey attributes great importance to her relations with France, Cetin stressed that he asked the French officials to prevent the approval of the draft law in the French Senate.

[04] AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT REACTS TO THE FRENCH DRAFT LAW ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS: ''THE DRAFT LAW CAN CAUSE NEW DISASTERS IN CAUCASIA'' - DEMONSTRATIONS HELD IN FRONT OF FRENCH EMBASSY IN BAKU

The Azerbaijani Parliament issued a proclamation, which said that the Azerbaijani Parliament is seriously concerned about the adoption of the draft law. Noting that Armenians, who benefitted from the support of Russia, killed more than two million Turkish and Azerbaijani people in the Turkish Republic and Caucasia starting from the end of the 19th century, the proclamation recalled the Armenian violence in Yerevan, Zengezur, Tbilisi, Baku, Nakhichevan, Gence and Nagorno Karabakh between 1905-1907, in Eastern Anatolia in 1914 and in Azerbaijan between 1918-1920, 1948-1953 and 1988- 1989.

The proclamation stressed that no historical source, including the leading political scientists of France, had proved that a genocide was committed against Armenians and called the French Parliament not to make an urgent decision about the issue.

Meanwhile, the youth branches of the Azerbaijani People's Party Front and other opposition parties held a demonstration in front of the French Embassy in Baku and protested the French draft law on the so-called genocide on Armenians.

Issuing a statement, the demonstrators asked Azerbaijan to curtail all of her economic relations with France and expulsion of her from the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group which acts as a mediator concerning the solution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani problem.

More than 200 Azerbaijani journalists signed a statement protesting the French draft law the same day.

[05] TURKEY IN BRIEF - JUNE 3, 1998

Seckiner, who proceeded to Bratislava via Vienna on Monday, attended the opening of the Turkish-Slovakian Joint Economic Commission (JEC) Meeting.

Pointing out that Turkey and Slovakia don't have any political or economic problem between them, Seckiner said that Turkey targets to realize more joint projects with Slovakia and to increase the trade volume with that country.

Addressing the JEC Meeting, Milan Cagala said that Turkey and Slovakia have a potential to realize joint projects in Slovakia, Turkey and in third countries.

Later, Seckiner met with Jan Mraz, the Slovakian Minister of Public Works and Housing. Seckiner said in the meeting that Turkey has a great potential for realizing contracting activities with the Slovakian companies in third countries.

Seckiner, who is expected to be received by Vladimir Mechiar, the Prime Minister of Slovakia on Wednesday or Thursday, will attend the opening of the Turkish-Slovakian Business Council on Wednesday.

ANKARA - Gen. Ilhan Kilic, the Chief Commander of the Air Forces, left on Tuesday for Jordan to pay an official visit upon an invitation from Gen. Mohammed Kababneh, the Chief Commander of the Jordanese Air Forces.

Gen. Kilic will return to Turkey on June 6.

ANKARA - Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz received on Tuesday Nguyen Phuck Thanh, the Vietnamese Acting Speaker of the Parliament, and the delegation accompanying him.

Nguyen Phuck Thanh is paying an official visit to Turkey as the guest of Hikmet Cetin, the Speaker of the Parliament.

ANKARA - The Secretariat of the Black Sea Environmental Programme Turkish National Non-Governmental Organizations' Forum will draw the attention of the world to the environmental disaster in the Black Sea region by participating in the activities to be held in the flood-affected region in Zonguldak on the World Environment Day on June 5.

Gul Goktepe, an official from the Forum, said that they would participate in the activities to give support to the non-governmental organizations in the Western Black Sea region affected by the flood disaster.

ANKARA - Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense, received on Tuesday the Russian General Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman cosmonaut in the world.

General Tereshkova, the Chairman of the Turkish-Russian Cooperation Association, came to Turkey upon an invitation from the Turkish Democracy Foundation.

ZONGULDAK - A landslide occurred in Yenice County of Karabuk Province in the Black Sea region on Tuesday.

Two houses were evacuated after the landslide occurred following the flood disaster.

ANKARA - Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defense, attended on Tuesday a reception held for the National Day of Italy.

Hikmet Sami Turk, the Minister of State Responsible for Human Rights; Mumtaz Soysal, the Deputy from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and high- level officials from the Foreign Ministry also attended the reception organized at the Italian Embassy.

[06] TENDER FROM TREASURY - INTEREST RATE FOR THE SIX-MONTH TERM BOND TENDER IS 81.35 PERCENT

A total of 602 trillion 38.4 billion Turkish Liras (TL) in sales were realized in the tender.

The repayment of the bonds for which the date of exports was specified to be June 4, 1998, will be made on December 2, 1998.

The interest rate was 93.80 percent and the amount of sales was 511.6 trillion TL in the Treasury's previous six-month term bond tender on March 31, 1998.
Meanwhile, the Trasury will repay 511.6 trillion TL in domestic borrowing on June 4, 1998.

The Treasury will also open a nine-month term bond tender on June 9; a one- year term bond tender indexed to the Consumer Prices Index on June 12 and a one-year term bond tender on June 16.

[07] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

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

YILMAZ AND BAYKAL MEET TODAY
A critical summit will be held between Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and the Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Deniz Baykal today. During the summit, it is expected that the leaders will discuss the date of early elections and the government's need for CHP support for its new reform proposals awaiting parliamentary approval. /All papers/

RUSSIAN GUARANTEE FOR THE S-300 MISSILES
Russia has given guarantees for the delivery of the Russian-made S-300 missiles to the Greek Cypriot Administration in spite of possible serious increases in tension in the Eastern Mediterranean. Georgi Muratov, the Russian Representative to Southern Cyprus, said in a statement to the AFP news agency yesterday that the two countries had committed themselves to agreements that the S-300 missiles would certainly be deployed in southern Cyprus. /Sabah/

PANGALOS TO VISIT TURKEY
Theodoros Pangalos, the Greek Foreign Minister, has stated that he is ready to meet with Ismail Cem, his Turkish counterpart, during a meeting of the Foreign Ministers from the Balkan countries to be held in Istanbul between 8-9 June. /Sabah/

ANKARA: WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE
In response to a New York Times report on the controversy about Nazi gold, Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, stressed yesterday that Turkey had nothing to hide. ''Turkey is very open and ready to cooperate,'' Utkan said. Utkan stated that Turkey had given the necessary response to a previous report, which alleged that she had been involved in the transfer of Nazi gold during World War II. ''Currently a team headed by Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State, is carrying out very serious work in response to these new claims,'' he added. /All papers/

TURKEY CRITICIZES FRENCH 'GENOCIDE' BILL
Turkey is continuing intensive protests days after a bill recognizing the historic claims of a so-called Armenian genocide by Turks in 1915 was passed in the French National Assembly. Sonmez Koksal, Turkey's Ambassador to France, handed a protest letter to the French Foreign Ministry yesterday. In the written note, Turkey requested better protection for her diplomats in the country, arguing that the bill might provoke racist attacks against Turkish diplomats and families and staff, who have suffered 31 deaths at the hands of Armenian terrorists.

Ankara continued to urge France not to further harm bilateral relations with the genocide bill. ''France isn't a foe of Turkey. It is a country with which Turkey has an economic, political and cultural partnership. However, the negative impact that this decision will have on Turco-French relations is inevitable,'' Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said in his weekly press conference yesterday. /All papers/

DEFENSE WEEKLY REPORT
Turkish and Greek military officers have begun meeting secretly in recent months in an attempt to ease longstanding tensions between the two NATO allies, the magazine Defense Weekly reported yesterday. In its June 3 issue, the military affairs magazine said that the NATO sources had confirmed that talks had taken place, mainly in Brussels, at the initiative of Javier Solana, the NATO Secretary-General, the Associated Press reported. By mid- year, Solana hopes to announce that both countries will have agreed to a series of confidence-building measures on sharing the Aegean Sea, the report said.

These measures will be based on two memoranda of understanding which Greece and Turkey signed in 1988 that were never implemented, except for a provision to halt military exercises during the summer, the magazine was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. /All papers/

[08] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

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

TURKEY PUTS TRUST IN AUSTRIA
Turkey yesterday urged Austria, the upcoming holder of the European Union's (EU) rotating term presidency, to take Turkish concerns into account when it inherits a row between the EU and its southeastern neighbour. ''We hope that the new presidency will come closer to the realities and have a more realistic evaluation of the prevailing situation,'' Necati Utkan, the Foreign Ministry Spokesman told a weekly press briefing yesterday. /All papers/

7,000 RUSSIAN TOURISTS IN ONE WEEK
The interest of Russian tourists in Turkey is increasing day by day. In May, 7,000 Russian tourists visited Antalya in one week. According to the 1997 statistics issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry, 930,000 Russian tourists visited Turkey last year. /Sabah/

MIGROS TO SET UP KAZAKH VENTURE
Turkey's leading supermarket chain Migros Turk T.A.S. said yesterday it had signed an agreement to set up a joint venture supermarket firm in Kazakhstan with 9,619,250 US dollars in capital. Migros, controlled by the Turkish industrial conglomerate Koc, will hold a 42 percent stake in the joint venture, Koc's foreign trade arm Ram Dis Ticaret will own 28 percent and the Kazakh Butya Holding will have the remaining 30 percent. The accord was signed on Monday, Migros said in a statement sent to the Istanbul Stock Exchange. Migros operates around 180 supermarkets, including five big stores in Azerbaijan and one in Moscow under the name of Ramstore. /All papers/

SEVEN FIRMS BID FOR ADVISER ROLE IN THY SALE
Seven international companies have bid for a tender under which Turkey's Privatization Administration (OIB) will pick out an adviser to carry out a partial privatization of the Turkish Airlines (THY). The OIB will sell up to 25 percent of its total stake of 98.17 percent in the national carrier through international and local public offerings. The remaining stake is listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. The statement said that the bidders were invited to give oral offers to be held between June 8-9. /All papers/

AWARD TO SARTEN PACKING INDUSTRY
Turkey's Sarten Packing Industry Co. has won the ''World Star Award'' for tinned food packaging. At the end of the international competition held in Mexico City, Mexico, Sarten Packing Industry came in first among the 137 firms from 24 countries. /Milliyet/

NEIGHBOUR'S SUPPORT FOR PKK
According to a recent report by the Turkish intelligence services Turkey's neighbours, Iran, Syria, Greece and Armenia, have all recently increased their support for the terrorist PKK organization. The report said that Iran provides arms for the organization, whereas Greece trains PKK members at camps in her territories. It is claimed in the report that the Syrian government hasn't been honest in its statements that it had closed down the PKK camps in Syria. /Milliyet/

[09] OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION OF PRIME MINISTRY SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT CONCERNING THE ABOLISHMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY IMMUNITY OF SIX DEPUTIES

The official communication aims to lift the parliamentary immunities of Mahmut Sonmez, from the Motherland Party (ANAP) for the claims of ''theft, '' Omer Bilgin, from the True Path Party (DYP) for ''misusing his authority in office'', Naim Geylani, from the ANAP for ''insulting the military forces,'' Abdullah Akarsu from the ANAP for ''negligent homicide'' and Ufuk Soylemez from the DYP for ''breach of trust.''

The official notification foresees the lifting of the parliamentary immunity of Omer Vehbi Hatipoglu from the Virtue Party (FP) claiming that he provocated people for ''emnity and hatred.''

The official notification was submitted to the Joint Constitutional and Justice Commission.

[10] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (3)

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

SEA-WOLF '98 EXERCISES
The Sea Wolf '98 exercises which are among the planned exercises of the Naval Forces Commander will start today in the Marmara Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. Air Force units will share in the exercises. /Cumhuriyet/

14 PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
During current operations in the southeastern regions of Turkey 14 PKK terrorists have been killed. According to the Regional Emergency Administration 12 terrorists were killed in Semdinli, near Hakkari, and two in Bingol. It was also added that three terrorists had surrendered to security forces in Siirt and Sirnak. /Cumhuriyet/

OPPOSITION TO GREEK CYPRIOT EU MEMBERSHIP
It has been noted that five powers of the European Union (EU) have decided, ''Greek Cyprus shouldn't be a member of the EU''. According to news from Athens senior officials of the British, French, German, Spanish and Italian foreign ministries held a secret meeting in Paris to evaluate the current EU situation before the Cardiff Summit to be held in June. At the meeting it was decided ''to block'' the EU membership of Greek Cyprus if the process should have a negative impact on the EU-Turkey relations.

Meanwhile, Yanos Kranidiotis, the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister, evaluated the meeting as a ''secret matter'' which was against the EU Charter. /Milliyet/

POLICE APPREHEND ORGANIZER OF ATTACK ON BIRDAL
Police teams have apprehended Semih Tufan Gulaltay, who has been accused of being the chief planner of the assassination attempt against Akin Birdal, the Chairman of the Turkish Human Rights Association. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz yesterday announced the arrest in a group meeting of his Motherland Party (ANAP), stressing the swiftness of the police in operations against the assassins. /Hurriyet

STOCK EXCHANGE RECOVERS
After a downward trend in recent days, the Istanbul Stock Exchange has started to recover with an avarage rise of 4.1 percent in shares, while there has been a notable increase in the volume of transactions which has reached over 88 trillion TL.

Meanwhile interest rates have started to decrease due to a recent decision made by the Central Bank concerning the Turkish Lira. /Hurriyet/

SALOMON SMITH BARNEY APPROVES INVESTMENTS IN TURKEY
One of the leading investment consultancy firms, Salomon Smith Barney (SSB) has declared that Turkey is in a secure position for investors, and sressed the recent improvements and stability in the Turkish economy. /Hurriyet/

GERMAN COMPANY INVESTING IN SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA
"Man", a German technology company is planning to make investments in southeastern Anatolia. The company will establish an integrated energy producing plant at the free trade area near Mardin. The board director of Man's Turkey department, Faik Hamidi said yesterday that the company had received approval for the project from the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. /Hurriyet/

[11] HACIBEGIC, UNDERSECRETARY OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINAN EMBASSY: - ''EDUCATION IS THE GREATEST SUPPORT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA''

Meeting with the Bosnian students studying at the Kayseri Office of the Turkish Language Education Center (TOMER), Faruk Hacıbegic said, ''a total of 130 Bosnian students are studying at several schools in Turkey and 14 of our students are studying at the TOMER Kayseri Office.''

''The most important support to our country is education after the war. The number of students studying in Bosnia-Herzegovina is limited due to loss of our economic power following the war, although we have a university. Turkey gave the most important support to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the field of education. The Bosnian students are also studying at the Turkish Fatih College in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We also want to open a secondary school in Turkey, but our economic power is insufficient for opening a school in Turkey, so we want the Turkish government to help us to this end,'' he added.

The Bosnian students said that the Turkish government was giving them 13 million Turkish Liras in scholarships, but this amount was insufficient and they asked the government to increase the amount of this scholarship.

[12] PARLIAMENT TAKES UP THE REPORT PREPARED BY THE COMMISSION SET UP TO EXAMINE PROBLEMS OF IMMIGRANTS - BASESGIOGLU, THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR: ''THERE IS NO DARK POINT DURING THE TERM OFFICE OF THE 55TH GOVERNMENT''

Addressing the Parliament, Hacaoglu said that there are several human rights violations in Turkey, including the evacuation of villages. Noting that 3,428 villages were evacuated in 20 provinces, particularly in Tunceli and Diyarbakır Provinces, Hacaloglu added that more than 400,000 citizens left their villages.

Responding to criticism in the report, Basesgioglu stated ''there is no dark point during the term of office of the 55th government. All incidents including the attack on Akın Birdal, the Chairman of the Human Rights Association, was clarified and 99 percent of the assailants who are responsible for the attacks have been captured.''

Basesgioglu stated that there has been an atmosphere of terrorism in eastern and southeastern Anatolia ever since 1984 and the separatist terrorist PKK organization has killed thousands of people and burned hundreds of villages in the region.

Stressing that several parts of the report can't be accepted, Basesgioglu added that the statement claiming, ''people in the region were forced to migrate'' means serving the interests of those countries which are hostile to Turkey.

[13] ERDENGIZ, THE TRNC REPRESENTATIVE TO WASHINGTON, D.C., SENDS A LETTER TO WASHINGTON TIMES: ''MEMBERSHIP OF CYPRUS IN EU IS CONTRARY TO AGREEMENTS''

Responding to the statements of Yannis Casulides, the Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister published in the same newspaper, Erdengiz quoted the words of Casulides who said that they aim to ''distort the balance in Cyprus against the interests of Turkey'' by being a member of the EU.

''The application to EU for membership belongs to the Greek Cypriot side, not to Cyprus,'' said Erdengiz, adding that the London and Zurich Agreements impeded Cyprus from becoming members of institutions to which Turkey and Greece aren't members.

Noting that the application of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU is an unilateral and illegal application, Erdengiz pointed out that the 1959-1960 Agreements are still valid. ''These are the basic rights which have been defended by the Turkish Cypriot side for years. The Greek Cypriot side wants to abolish all of these rights,'' said Erdengiz.

[14] SEAWOLF-98 EXERCISE - ADMIRAL ERDIL, THE COMMANDER OF THE FLEET: ''GREECE WON'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXERCISE''

The exercise, which will be carried out in the international waters and airspace of the Marmara, Aegean, Central and Eastern Mediterranean and which will be directed by Admiral Erdil, started the same day.

Addressing a press briefing on the ''Oruc Reis'' frigate, Admiral Erdil recalled that the Seawolf-98 is one of the planned exercises of the Naval Forces.

Noting that the naval forces won't act in such a way which will cause escalation of tension in the relations between Turkey and Greece, Admiral Erdil pointed out that Turkey hopes to protect her interests while improving her friendly relations with Greece.

A total of 52 ships, 7 helicopters and 6,959 personnel will participate in the Seawolf'98, in addition to the warplanes belonging to the Air Forces.

The aim of the naval exercise is ''to increase and perpetuate the preparations for war of units and ships to the desired level.''

The targets of the exercise are to test the joint activity methods of the reconnaissance and monitoring elements having missions in the sea, air and land for reconnaissance and monitoring activities, to improve assault and defense tactics related to every kind of weapon and to test the training levels by carrying out active firings.

The exercise will be concluded when the ships arrive at their bases in Istanbul, Golcuk and Erdek on June 26, 1998.

The ships, which will participate in the exercise, will visit the Mersin and Iskenderun seaports in Turkey, the Girne and Gazimagosa seaports in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the Augusto Harbour in Italy and the Bizerte Seaport in Tunisia.

[15] 43 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED IN GURBULAK

Security forces controlling the motorways captured 29 Pakistanis, 13 Bangledishis and one Iranian trying to enter Turkey illegally in a lorry from the Gurbulak region near the Turkish-Iranian border.

Officials said that one of these illegal immigrants sought asylum while the interrogations were continuing.

These illegal immigrants will be deported after their questioning.

[16] EGS IN CANADA - ANDICAN, MINISTER OF STATE: ''I REGARD OPENING OF THIS SHOP AS A TURNING POINT IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS''

The EGS Group took the first step for its shopkeeping project abroad with ''The Strand'' shop opened in Toronto, Canada, which it initiated for ready- to-wear exports.

Addressing the opening of the shop, Andican said that Turkey is located at a point where Europe and Asia are united with each other and in the center of Eurasia, adding that according to the OECD data, Turkey has the 17th largest economy in the world.

Andican said that the Turkish businessmen were active in 41 countries in the world.

Mentioning the developments in the Turkish economy and Turkish-Canadian relations, Andican said that relations between the two countries weren't at a satisfactory level adding '' a trade volume of 350 million US dollars was realized between the two countries in 1997. This figure fails to reach one percent of Canada's foreign trade which is 385 billion US dollars.

Andican said that the globalization process presents new opportunities and new horizons, adding that the most active actors in the globalization process were the businessmen.

Andican expressed hope that this shop would be followed by others and that a chain of shops will be established. He said that these shops will give the Canadian consumers a chance to become acquainted with Turkish products and that it will provide a contribution to the development of Turkish- Canadian economic relations.

The Strand, the shop opened by the EGS group within the framework of the new model which took effect in ready-to-wear exports, presents the products of the partners directly to the consumers.

An investment for a total of 2.5 million US dollars was made for The Strand at which a sales of eight million US dollars is targetted.

[17] NEW BUILDING OF A.A HAS BEEN OPENED: - GULER, THE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF A.A: ''A.A DOESN'T HAVE ANY CONCERN OTHER THAN NEWS AND JOURNALISM'' - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''A.A ANNOUNCED THE OPENING OF THE PARLIAMENT TO THE WHOLE WORLD ON APRIL 23''

Addressing the ceremony, Mehmet Guler said that the A.A is the first and only national agency of Turkey, adding ''the agency continues to broadcast by maintaining her national interests for the further improvement and promotion of Turkey.''

Guler said the Agency has 20 directorates, and an organized structure in 80 provinces and counties and a journalism network abroad in 34 locations, 21 of which are offices. He said that the Agency was trying to compete with the world agencies with its limited personnel.

Guler said that the Anadolu Agency sends its news reports to Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East via satellite and that London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Strasbourg, Bonn, Sofia, Baku and Tel Aviv were the centers to which the agency sends its news reports.

Guler said that the media groups in Sofia and Baku, following the promotion meetings of the Anadolu Agency, said ''You have saved us from the biased news bombings of the TASS and IRNA.'' Guler pointed out that these words clarified the importance of opening to the world at a national level. He said that the Anadolu Agency not only announced the voice of Turkey, but also the voice of the Turkish world to the world.

Guler said that within two months the agency will send its photographs via satellite.

Guler said that the Anadolu Agency never gave concessions from correct, impartial and rapid journalism and pointed out that the agency always broadcasted supporting national interests and will continue to do this.

General Director Guler said that the number of news articles the agency broadcasts per day has reached the same level with the other agencies and pointed out that the English News Desk broadcasts very important news reports to the world.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yilmaz said that the Anadolu Agency had its first assignment on April 23, 1920, and announced the opening of the Turkish Parliament to the whole world.

Yilmaz said that the agency is a national news agency, founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, adding that the A.A succeeded in the great mobilization period.

[18] AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS MINISTER TASAR: - ''WE WILL DO WHATEVER NECCESSARY UNTIL SEPTEMBER WHEN THE EU CONVEYS ITS DECISION CONCERNING AQUACULTURE PRODUCTS TO THE MINISTRY''

Addressing the symposium on Ostrich Cultivation in Turkey, Tasar noted that they haven't gotten the EU's decision yet and will do whatever necessary up until September. He reminded that 75 of the 162 companies which have a working licence from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, were closed because their health conditions aren't suitable.

Tasar noted that he had an opportunity to taste ostrich meat, and asked the Turkish people to try it. He stressed, ''the Ministry doesn't receive customs taxes for imports of breeding ostriches importation to help spread ostrich cultivation and to become an alternative field of production.''

Pointing out that they provided sources of 457 trillion Turkish Liras for the project for the development the livestock cultivation in Turkey. He added that they can permit animal imports in case the production of breeding animals isn't sufficient.

[19] DRAFT RESOLUTION CONCERNING SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - ZAKIRI, IRANIAN CONSUL GENERAL IN ERZURUM: - ''THIS DECISION IS NOT A DECISION WITH GOOD INTENTIONS AND DOES NOT REFLECT THE HISTORICAL FACTS''

Addressing the journalists during his visit to the Motherland Party's (ANAP) headquarters in Erzurum, Zakiri pointed out, ''This decision isn't a decision with good intentions. It doesn't reflect the historical facts. The European countries try to show Turkey as a murderer by showing the draft resolution concerning the so-called genocide on Armenians as an excuse; that is, they try to use the draft resolution as a trump card not to include Turkey in the EU.''

[20] DRAFT RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS - ALIYEV PROTESTS DECISION OF FRENCH NATIONAL PARLIAMENT

Addressing a meeting with Christian Pierret, the French Minister of Industry, currently in Baku to participate at the ''Caspian-Oil-Gas-98'' International fair, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan reacted and expressed concern about the decision of the French Parliament.

Aliyev said that a delegation, composed of deputies will go to France related to the question, adding that throughout history, the Armenians committed genocide against the Turks and Azerbaijanis and that all these were forgotton and the incidents which happened in 1915 were exaggerated and was turned into a resolution.

Recalling that France was one of the Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, which acted as a mediator on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict, Aliyev said that the decision of the National Parliament couldn't be understand due to this.

Pierret said that he brought a very serious and difficult issue onto the agenda, adding that the decision of the National Parliament didn't mean that the foreign policy of France would change.

Pierret said that the government didn't take responsibility for the parliament's decision and pointed out that they knew very well what happened throughout history of the region. He said that they knew that the Azerbaijani people suffered a lot during the incidents.

Pierret said that the decision in question was made with the initiative of a very small group, adding the ''French administration is of the opinion that these incidents have nothing to do with the Republic of Turkey, so Turkey isn't responsible for these. France does her best to establish relations between Turkey and Armenia and believes that this will contribute to the stability and provision of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.''

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