Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-06-21

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

21 JUNE 1998

CONTENTS

[01] ECONA THE SECOND COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

[02] FEISSEL TO LEAVE CYPRUS ON JULY 2

[03] STATE MINISTER ANDICAN IN KOLN - ''WE SHOULD UNITE EUROPEAN TURKISH PEOPLE AND EUROASIAN TURKISH PEOPLE''

[04] TORRENTIAL RAINS IN ANKARA - 20 HOUSES AND BUSINESS PLACES IN KIZILAY AND AYRANCI DISTRICTS INUNDATED

[05] TURKISH CYPRIOT BAYRAK TELEVISION STARTS BROADCASTING THROUGH SATELLITE

[06] GULTEKIN, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF PETROL OFISI: - ''THE NEW OWNER OF THE PETROL OFISI WILL BE DETERMINED WITHIN NEXT TWO MONTHS''

[07] IBRAHIM GURDAL, MINISTER OF TOURISM: - ''IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET AND PROTECT BLUE FLAG'' - ''A TOTAL OF TWO MILLION FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITED TURKEY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR''

[08] DRUG OPERATION IN IZMIR - FOUR PEOPLE INCLUDING TWO GERMANS CAPTURED WITH 70 KG HEROIN, WORTH OF TWO TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS

[09] IMPORTANT WEEK FOR TURKEY IN COE

[10] TURKISH-FRENCH COMMERCIAL RELATIONS - COMMERCIAL RELATIONS HAVE IMPROVED IN THE THREE MONTH-PERIOD JUST BEFORE THE ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT LAW

[01] ECONA THE SECOND COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN

Ismail Bezgin, the Deputy Director General of Anadolu Ajansı (A.A) represented A.A at the meeting, which started on Friday.

Muhammed Aftap, the Director General of Pakistani News Agency (APP) became the ECONA Chairman for two years. The former ECONA Chairmanship was carried out by IRNA, the Iranian News Agency, which will be the Deputy Chairman of the ECONA in Planning and Education for the coming two years.

Anadolu Ajansı will continue to carry out ECONA Deputy Chairmanship Responsible for Technical Affairs.

The third ECONA General Committee meeting will be held in Ankara in 2000.

A.A will also host the ECONA Executive Board meeting this year.

The ECONA members will continue to exchange views by the ECONA homepage, which was opened by A.A in the Internet.

[02] FEISSEL TO LEAVE CYPRUS ON JULY 2

Ann Hercus from New Zealand, who was appointed as the new UN Secretary General's Deputy Special Representative to Cyprus will arrive in Cyprus on July 3.

Gustave Feissel has been working as the UN Secretary General's Deputy Special Representative to Cyprus since 1993.

[03] STATE MINISTER ANDICAN IN KOLN - ''WE SHOULD UNITE EUROPEAN TURKISH PEOPLE AND EUROASIAN TURKISH PEOPLE''

Adressing a meeting organized by the Turkish-German Businessmen's Associations Union in Koln, Germany, Ahat Andican gave information about the investment opportunities in the Turkish Republics.

Pointing out that they arrived in Germany for a three-day programme, State Minister Andican said that they held two meetings at the European-Turkish Businessmen's Association, stating that nearly two thousand Turkish companies engaged in business in the Turkish Republics in the Central Asia and that a total of eight billion US dollars of business capacity was created in that region.

Pointing out that they understood from the six-month evaluation that the European-Turkish businessmen were represented at a ''non-existent'' level in that region, Andican said, ''the Turkish businessmen make investments in that region. The Turkish state is supporting them politically and socially.''

Noting that the Turkish businessmen in Europe has two different power, Andican said that the first power is the Hermes funds and the European sources just like the credit loans of the European Community and the second one is their corporations with the German businessmen.

''From this perspective, we thought that the projects and investments of the Turkish businessmen in that region by getting political and social support from Turkey would considerably meet the lack of source in Turkey. This will also provide an opportunity to transfer the German capital and technology to that region. This will increase the trump cards against the European Union (EU), this means that the status of the Turkish businessmen will change and turn into a businessmen group which realizes commercial relations at a global and continental level in addition to the relations with Germany,'' he added.

Stating that they prepared a three-stage project related to that issue, Andican said that the first stage would be realized by a meeting to be held in Amsterdam with the Turkish businessmen working in the BENELUX countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg).

State Minister Andican said that if Turkish businessmen invest in the Central Asia, they will find an opportunity to easily transfer their production in that region to Germany.

State Minister Andican said that the second stage of the programme, which was prepared to increase the opportunities for investments in the Turkish Republics in the Central Asia, is to enable the European Turkish businessmen to negotiate with the economic and political circles in the meetings to be organized in several Turkish Republics.

Andican said that intense discussions concerning the projects will be held at the third stage.

[04] TORRENTIAL RAINS IN ANKARA - 20 HOUSES AND BUSINESS PLACES IN KIZILAY AND AYRANCI DISTRICTS INUNDATED

The torrential rains and hail, which continued for 20 minutes, affected the Cankaya, Ayranci and Kizilay districts.

The officials from the Directorate of Fire-Brigade in Ankara said that some business places at the Zafer and And Bazaars in the center of the Kizilay district and nearly 15 houses in the Ayranci district were flooded.

[05] TURKISH CYPRIOT BAYRAK TELEVISION STARTS BROADCASTING THROUGH SATELLITE

Addressing the ceremony held upon the occasion, Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said that every activity that shows that TRNC develops makes him happy.

Noting that the Turkish Cypriot flag will continue to fly in the air, Rauf Denktas thanked to those people who contribute to the realization of broadcast of Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation through satellite.

Ismet Kotak, the Director of the Bayrak Television said that the Bayrak television broadcasts in six languages today, adding that they aim to broadcast in eight languages and broadcast beyond oceans.

Ertugrul Apakan, the Turkish Ambassador to TRNC, said that ''the voice of Turkish Cypriots will be stronger in 2000s.''

The broadcasting through satellite, which will cover Turkey, all Europe and the Middle East will start at 00.30 (GMT 21.30) and last till 02.30 (GMT 23.30) three times a week.

[06] GULTEKIN, GENERAL DIRECTOR OF PETROL OFISI: - ''THE NEW OWNER OF THE PETROL OFISI WILL BE DETERMINED WITHIN NEXT TWO MONTHS''

Addressing the ''Regional Meeting of the Retailers of the Petrol Ofisi'' organized in southeastern Malatya province by the Oil Products Employers' Union, Gultekin said that the Petrol Ofisi concluded his public duty and mission and that a rapid study was being carried out for its privatization in accordance with the instructions given by the Privatization Administration Board.

Pointing out that the automatic pricing of fuel mechanism was put into agenda, Gultekin said, ''in order to fix the oil prices in Turkey within the same framework of the prices in the world, the automatic pricing mechanism was brought to agenda within the framework of the decree for Fuel Price Stability Fund (FPSF). When the mechanism started to be implemented, the sale prices of fuel in Turkey can be adjusted in accordance with the oil products prices in the Mediterranean oil market and with the currency rate of the US dollar.''

''Thus there will be tranquility in the oil products sector within the framework of the FPSF mechanism and the loss of the Turkish Oil and Refinery Corporation (TUPRAS) will be prevented. Besides, there will be a 40 to 131 percent increase in the dividend of the retailers by July 1, 1998, '' he added.

Noting that the etudes for the establishment of fuel depots at the Habur Border Gate were continuing, Gultekin said that the construction process would start in a short time.

[07] IBRAHIM GURDAL, MINISTER OF TOURISM: - ''IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET AND PROTECT BLUE FLAG'' - ''A TOTAL OF TWO MILLION FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITED TURKEY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR''

Adressing the ceremony held upon the ''Blue Flag'' entitlement to the Konyaalti beach in southern Antalya province, Gurdal said that now the whole world would be aware of these shores.

''The sea and the environment should be clean and have superior qualities, and should always protect their same qualities to get this Blue Flag. This flag is renewed each year. It is difficult to get and protect this flag. Thus we should keep clean the environment and the sea,'' he added.

''A total of 35 thousand beds will be added into the capacity in Turkey this year. The number of foreign tourists visited Turkey in the first half of last year was 2,831,000 while this number decreased to 2,823,000 up until now since the beginning of 1998. There was a 230 million US dollars of increase in the foreign exchange income although the number of foreign tourists decreased by eight thousand. Turkey will achieve her targets in the tourism and absolutely deserve her place among the European countries, '' Gurdal said.

A total of 46 beaches and 10 marinas in Turkey have ''Blue Flags.''

[08] DRUG OPERATION IN IZMIR - FOUR PEOPLE INCLUDING TWO GERMANS CAPTURED WITH 70 KG HEROIN, WORTH OF TWO TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS

Acting on a tip-off, narcotic officials halted a caravan at Cesme Port just before the caravan attempted to get on the ferry to leave for Italy. Police seized approximately 70 kg of heroin in secret parts of the caravan.

Two Germans namely Ray Geisler, the driver of the caravan, Christine Rubmeier and two Turkish people were taken under custody.

Ali Yılmaz, the director of Izmir Narcotic Office said that the suspects will be brought before the Chief Prosecution of Izmir State Security Court on Monday.

[09] IMPORTANT WEEK FOR TURKEY IN COE

A report concerning the situation of Turkish people in Southeastern Turkey will be discussed and voted in COE Parliamentary Assembly.

Turkish parliamentarians had reacted to the report which criticized Turkey's policy in Southeastern Turkey.

A Turkish parliamentary delegation composed of 12 deputies, which will represent Turkey, will submit many proposals foreseeing changes in the report.

The Turkish parliamentarians will launch efforts to persuade the COE Parliamentary Assembly to reject the report.

[10] TURKISH-FRENCH COMMERCIAL RELATIONS - COMMERCIAL RELATIONS HAVE IMPROVED IN THE THREE MONTH-PERIOD JUST BEFORE THE ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT LAW

Turkey sent goods worth of 1,14 billion dollars to France and imported goods worth of 2,87 billion dollars from France last year, and France comes the sixth country in respect of Turkey's exports and the fourth country in respect of her imports.

Turkey's exports to France increased by 11,1 percent, while its imports from this country also increased by 21,9 percent between January-April 1998.

Turkey's exports to this country was 398 million dollars, while her imports from France reached 985 million dollars covering the same period.

Business circles had pointed out that the commerical relations between the two countries would decrease after the adoption of the draft law on the socalled genocide on Armenians by the French parliament.

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