Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-07-05

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

05 JULY 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TPAO AND AMOCO SET UP CORPORATION TO EXPLORE OIL IN KAZAKHSTAN

[02] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES PROTOCOL FORESEEING COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND TRNC IN FIELDS OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

[03] CORDOVEZ, THE UN SPECIAL CONSULTANT LEAVES CYPRUS - CORDOVEZ TO INFORM THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

[04] TURKISH-GERMAN RELATIONS - GUTHER REXRODT, GERMAN MINISTER OF ECONOMY, PRAISES TURKISH ENTERPRISES: ''THEY BECAME INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE GERMAN ECONOMY''

[05] FM CEM: ''THE EU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GREECE''

[06] NAMI CAGAN, LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER, IN NAKHICHEVAN

[07] TURKEY AND MACEDONIA WILL SIGN A SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT

[08] EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR STRUGGLE AGAINST BLACK MONEY - TURKEY TO BE SUBJECTED TO GENERAL INSPECTION BY OECD

[09] COMMANDERS' MEETING - GEN. KARADAYI, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF: ''TURKISH ARMED FORCES IS OBLIGED NOT TO HESITATE WHEN PROTECTING OUR REPUBLIC AGAINST THREATS DIRECTED AT THE EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE''

[10] PROBABLE EFFECTS OF EURO ON TURKISH FOREIGN TRADE - YAVUZ EGE, THE FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY: - ''EURO WILL ENABLE TURKEY TO REALIZE MORE EXPORTS TO THE EU''

[11] EROGLU, THE TRNC PRIME MINISTER: ''WE EXPECT THE TURKISH REPUBLICS TO APPROACH MORE FRIENDLY TO TRNC''

[12] EXPORTS OF DENIM FROM CENTRAL KAYSERI PROVINCE - 38.5 MILLION DOLLARS OF DENIM EXPORTED IN FIRST HALF

[13] TURKEY IN BRIEF - JULY 5, 1998

[01] TPAO AND AMOCO SET UP CORPORATION TO EXPLORE OIL IN KAZAKHSTAN

AMOCO said in its written statement that the Aktubinsk, Kazakhstan-based corporation named ''TEPCO LLC'' would carry out oil and natural gas research etudes in northern Kazakhstan.

Sitki Sancar, the Chairman of the TPAO'S Executive Board, said that they were pleased with the TEPCO's carrying out oil exploration studies in Kazakhstan.

Pointing out that he hopes the joint venture will be beneficial for both sides, Sancar said, ''the TPAO has been realizing research and production investments in Kazakhstan since 1993. The TEPCO will make considerable contributions to the existing operations.''

Charles Pitman, the Chairman of the AMOCO Euroasia Oil Company, said that the TEPCO project represents the first joint research project of the AMOCO in Kazakhstan.

[02] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS APPROVES PROTOCOL FORESEEING COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND TRNC IN FIELDS OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The protocol, which was signed on 23 May 1998 in Lefkosa by Hikmet Ulugbay, the Minister of National Education, and by Gunay Caymaz, the TRNC Minister of National Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, aims at strengthening the existing cooperation in education in long-term and at realizing this cooperation within the framework of the principles and reforms of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey.

Turkey and the TRNC will provide mutual education of youth in kindergartens, primary schools, high schools and vocational high schools. The two countries will invite each other to several activities like courses, seminars, panel discussions and congresses related to education.

Turkey will supply the education equipments for the vocational and technical schools in the TRNC.

[03] CORDOVEZ, THE UN SPECIAL CONSULTANT LEAVES CYPRUS - CORDOVEZ TO INFORM THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

Cordovez, who met with Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot side on Thursday and Friday in order to resume the negotiations between the two sides on the island, met with Ann Hercus, the newly appointed UN Deputy Special Representative to Cyprus before leaving the island.

Meanwhile, Cordovez will inform the UN Security Council about his contacts on the island on Monday.

Cordovez said that he would visit the island in September. The UN Security Council had stressed in its two draft resolutions, which were adopted last week that the delivery of advanced weaponry systems to the island will increase the tension in the region and the number foreign soldiers should be decreased in order to find a solution.

The UN Security Council, which wished Denktas and Clerides to have a dialogue between them and to help the UN Secretary General concerning this issue, also asked the TRNC not to refrain from intercommunal talks.

[04] TURKISH-GERMAN RELATIONS - GUTHER REXRODT, GERMAN MINISTER OF ECONOMY, PRAISES TURKISH ENTERPRISES: ''THEY BECAME INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE GERMAN ECONOMY''

Pointing out that a total of 800 thousand Turkish citizens living in Germany have the right to establish an enterprise, Rexrodt stressed that this potential is an inactive power, adding that he wants the number of the Turkish enterprises, which is now 45 thousand, to increase more.

Addressing the meeting named ''Economic Policy on the Brink of the 21st Century and the Role of the Turkish Enterprises in Germany'' organized by the Turkish-German Businessmen Association in Berlin, Rexrodt said, ''the medium-scale enterprises are the locomotive of the German economy. I wish the Turkish enterpreneurs to establish medium-scale enterprises based on service, production and exports.''

Noting that the globalization necessitates accommodation and adaptation, Rexrodt stated that the economies, which fail to keep up with this principle, stay behind the competition atmosphere.

[05] FM CEM: ''THE EU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GREECE''

Responding to questions of journalists after an international meeting namely ''Bertelsmann Forum'' held in Berlin, Ismail Cem stated that ''Turkey is never afraid of talking about her problems,'' adding that he told his European counterparts that he does not talk about the Cyprus question because he respects the principle of his government not to talk political issues with the EU.

Addressing the discussion part of the meeting, Foreign Minister Cem said that the EU is not an obsession for Turkey, adding that ''the EU should do what is necessary and we will help it. We'll not wait for the train in the station. Our growth rate was 8 percent in 1997, I guess that we'll decrease the inflation rate and have a growth rate of 8 percent again this year. We wish to have good relations with the EU.''

Totally nine presidents, seven prime ministers and 15 foreign ministers from 36 countries participated in the meeting, which ended the same day.

[06] NAMI CAGAN, LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER, IN NAKHICHEVAN

Cagan and the accompanying delegation including Semsettin Uzun, the Governor of Igdir; Cetin Birgil, the Democratic Leftist Party (DSP) Kars Deputy; Ahmet Sagar, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and Kemal Kiliclaroglu, the General Director of the Social Security Authority (SSK) delivered the aid equipment to the officials in Nakhichevan.

Cagan and the delegation with him, who were welcome by Vahit Aga Hasanov, the Deputy Speaker of the Upper Chamber of Nakhichevan; Ali Nagiyev, the Minister of Labour of Azerbaijan; and Yavuz Aktas, the Acting Consul General of Turkey, were received by Vasif Talipov, the Speaker of the Upper Chamber of Nakhichevan.

Stressing that the relations between Turkey and Nakhichevan will be further developed, Cagan said, ''we've always supported you. Our assistance will continue.''

Talipov said, ''this assistance shows the value Turkey attributes to us .''

[07] TURKEY AND MACEDONIA WILL SIGN A SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT

Ministry of Labour and Social Security said that the citizens of the two countries will have equal transactions in respect of social security rights under the agreement, which will be signed during Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz's visit to Macedonia.

The agreement foresees that if people, who had a salary in one country, leaves that country for the other country and resides there, their salaries will be paid in the country where they reside.

If those insured people or their family members get sick in the other country, they will benefit from the health services in that country.

The agreement, which will be signed by Nami Cagan, the Minister of Labour and Social Security and Naser Ziberi, the Macedonian Minister of Labour and Social Politics, also urges the social security institutions of the both countries to assist each other.

[08] EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR STRUGGLE AGAINST BLACK MONEY - TURKEY TO BE SUBJECTED TO GENERAL INSPECTION BY OECD

The report said that Turkey and some countries struggled against casinos, which constitute the best places to launder black money and imposed some sanctions on casinos.

''The closure of casinos in countries like Turkey was perceived as the part of activities to prevent laundering of black money,'' the report said.

The evaluation report stressed that countries like the Netherlands and Britain implemented measures to take the gambling sector under control, aiming at struggling against black money.

Meanwhile, the OECD Financial Act Mission Group will have Turkey undergo general inspection in November. This second control will be carried out by three OECD experts. The OECD made its first control in 1994. The OECD experts will hold contacts in Turkey with Committee for Investigation of Financial Crimes, the Directorate General of Security, the Undersecretariat of Customs and other concerned organizations and institutions. Later, the OECD experts will prepare a report on Turkey.

This report will be taken up in the next general assembly of the Group in 1999.

Turkey, which started to implement the regulation concerning the struggle against black money, will set up the technical infrastructure and expert- personnel before the Group's inspection in Turkey.

The Committe for Investigation of Financial Crimes will move in early August into its new building equipped with hi-tech computers.

Meanwhile, the staff of the Committee will be trained abroad on the struggle against black money. Britain and the US informed Turkey that they can give the required assistance in that training.

[09] COMMANDERS' MEETING - GEN. KARADAYI, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF: ''TURKISH ARMED FORCES IS OBLIGED NOT TO HESITATE WHEN PROTECTING OUR REPUBLIC AGAINST THREATS DIRECTED AT THE EXISTING CONSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE''

General Karadayı met with the commanders of the Turkish Armed Forces the same day and took up the various news and interpretations published nowadays, which concern the Turkish Armed Forces.

Gen. Karadayı said in a written statement that ''a part of these news and interpretations include speculative evaluations, which do not reflect the truth and create wrong impressions for the public opinion. The Turkish Armed Forces has always clearly displayed its attitude regarding the issues about the security of our country. The Turkish Armed Forces attributes great importance to supremacy of law when it takes decisions and undertakes activities. This is an obligation and it is a dispensable condition for us.''

''The fundamentalist ideology which aims to establish a state based on religious law, is the most serious threat against the democratic, secular and social legal state and this fact is not only perceived by the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish nation, the majority of the press, democratic organizations and a majority of the Turkish parliament share the same view with us. In this respect, the parliament launches efforts to form the legal basis concerning the struggle against this ideology,'' General Karadayı added.

''I would like to tell and stress once again that the Turkish Armed Forces does its mission by attributing importance to stay outside the politics and within the framework drawn by the laws and it will continue to do so,'' he added.

[10] PROBABLE EFFECTS OF EURO ON TURKISH FOREIGN TRADE - YAVUZ EGE, THE FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY: - ''EURO WILL ENABLE TURKEY TO REALIZE MORE EXPORTS TO THE EU''

Ege said in his article published in the Management and Finance Magazine that the Euro will gain value against US dollar together with the transition and thus it would cause an increase in the imports of the EU member countries and a decrease in their exports.

Stressing that Turkish companies' calculation over single currency unit for commercial activities with the EU member countries will be an advantage, Ege said, ''thus the companies can easily make decisions on prices. Also, an opportunity to realize more exports to the EU may occur when the activity increase in the EU unites with the powerful Euro factor while this powerful and stable Euro is expected to decrease the currency risk.''

''It is foreseen that Euro will bring a more internal structure within the EU. Thus it is believed that the Turkish entrepreneurs and investors will have much responsibilty to increase exports to eleven EU member countries, '' he added.

Yavuz Ege emphasized that several reforms should be realized to provide more benefit from that transition.

''The benefit will increase more if the required reforms are realized especially in the financial sector. There are several measures to increase competition power with the EU. The balance of public financing should be provided and the inflation rate should be decreased. Also, we should accelerate the reconstruction studies for the agricultural sector,'' Ege stressed.

Noting that Euro is one of the most important economic developments in the 20th century, Ege emphasized that Turkey may benefit from this development in accordance with the level of realization in the macro economics stability in the country.

[11] EROGLU, THE TRNC PRIME MINISTER: ''WE EXPECT THE TURKISH REPUBLICS TO APPROACH MORE FRIENDLY TO TRNC''

''we expect the Turkish Republics, which gained their independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, to approach more friendly to TRNC.''

Addressing a symposium in Antalya, Eroglu said that the Greek Cypriots tried to annihilate Turkish people before 1974 and the Turkish Cypriot people gained their independence after the Peace Operation was carried by the Turkish Armed Force.

''The world countries insist on not recognizing the TRNC. Peace can not be installed in Europe and in the world without the TRNC. The guarantee of TRNC is not only the Turkish army, but also the Turkish people living in Turkey. We can't live with the Greek Cypriots under a federation. We had earlied said that we can integrate with the motherland Turkey, if necessary, '' he said.

Noting that the TRNC is the second Turkish state established after the Turkish Republic, Eroglu said ''the world countries insist on not recognizing TRNC, which has difficulties due to the imposed embargoes. We can break these embargoes with the support of the Turkish Republics. However, we have difficulty in entering a dialogue with the Turkish states. The Turkish Republics and TRNC should cooperate. We expect Turkish Republics to recognize TRNC. If we don't recognize each other, the things happened to us today, can also happen to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan one day.

[12] EXPORTS OF DENIM FROM CENTRAL KAYSERI PROVINCE - 38.5 MILLION DOLLARS OF DENIM EXPORTED IN FIRST HALF

The officials from the factory told the A.A correspondent that they exported 10.4 million meters of denim to the US and the European Union (EU) member countries during January-July 1998 period for 38.5 million US dollars.

The exports of denim from the factory in the same period last year was 37 million 850 thousand US dollars.

Officials said that their target was to realize 80 million US dollars in exports of denim until the end of the year.

[13] TURKEY IN BRIEF - JULY 5, 1998

Rauf Denktas, the President of the TRNC met with Turkish Cypriot ministers in the region, where the fire broke out.

Dogan Gurgen, the Director of TRNC Forestry Administration said that approximately 5000 hectares of area have been burned so far and 1000 hectares of this area is in the buffer zone, a part of the fire is on the Greek Cypriot side, but a bigger part is in TRNC.

ISTANBUL/KADIKOY - The 25th ''Traditional Black Sea Plateau Festival'', which is held by the Eastern Black Sea Association of Culture and Assistance, was held on Sunday.

Many people from the Eastern Black Sea region who live in Istanbul came together due to the festival.

Hasan Okhan Okumus, the Chairman of the Association said that these kinds of festivals which serve the Turkish culture in general and Black Sea culture in particular, are held to bring those people who left the Black Sea region together and to transfer their cultures to new generations.

NEVSEHIR - ''The First Capadoccia Movie Festival'' which was held by the Urgup municipality, ended on Saturday night.

Kursat Numanoglu, the Urgup Mayor told A.A correspondent that they held a movie festival, which lasted for a week to inform the young generations about the natural structure of Capadoccia in the past and about the movies made around the Capadoccia region between 1960-1997.

Noting that approximately 10,000 people watched the movies during the festival, Numanoglu added that they will include the foreign movies made around the region to the programme of the coming festivals, which will have an international dimension.

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