Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-07-11

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

11 JULY 1998

CONTENTS

[01] LAND MINES PLANTED BY SEPARATIST TERRORISTS EXPLODE KILLING TWO PEOPLE AND WOUNDING TWO OTHERS

[02] KILIC, TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA, IN KOSOVO - KILIC MEETS WITH RUGOVA, LEADER OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS

[03] TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT ON MAIL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES

[04] MEMBERS OF SO-CALLED ''PEACE DELEGATION'' RELEASED

[05] MOTION OF INTERROGATION FROM ITALIAN SENATORS TO ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER...

[06] AKKUYU NUCLEAR POWER STATION TO BE DISCUSSED IN LONDON

[07] TURKEY REPORT OF LAKE, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EU FOR TURKEY, IRRITATES GREECE - REPORT HOLDS GREECE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTTLENECK IN RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE EU - LAKE: ''TURKEY IS ONE OF THE MOST SECURE REGIONS OF THE WORLD''

[08] RUSSIA-TURKEY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE - INTERNATIONAL ''ITERRA'' COMPANY ASPIRES CONTRUCTION OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINE

[09] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN BULGARIA - PRESIDENT STOYANOV OF BULGARIA RECEIVES YILMAZ - TURKEY AND BULGARIA SIGN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

[10] TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA KILIC IN KOSOVO - KILIC: ''TURKEY SUPPORTS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO KOSOVO PROBLEM''

[01] LAND MINES PLANTED BY SEPARATIST TERRORISTS EXPLODE KILLING TWO PEOPLE AND WOUNDING TWO OTHERS

The first incident happened in the early hours of Friday morning when a lorry going from Baskale county to Esenyamac village crashed into a landmine planted by the separatist terrorists. The landmine exploded killing Sebahattin Akkaya, the driver and his brother Mehmet who was a soldier.

The second incident happened in the early hours of Saturday when a car going from Akilli village to Yuksekova county crashed into a landmine planted by the separatist terrorists. The land mine exploded wounding Mehmet Serif Ugras and Necmettin Ugras. The wounded ones were immediately hospitalized.

[02] KILIC, TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA, IN KOSOVO - KILIC MEETS WITH RUGOVA, LEADER OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS

Rugova told Kilic that the situation in Kosovo is worsening because of the attacks of the Serbian forces, and noted that many people living in where the clashes occur, have taken shelter in more secure places outside Kosovo.

Ibrahim Rugova requested urgent intervention of the international community in order to stop the Serbian attacks in Kosovo. He stressed that this can be helpful to create conditions in order to revive the dialogue between Pristine and Belgrade.

Alev Kilic expressed Turkey's worry with the Kosovo problem as a regional country and a member state to the NATO.

Kilic conveyed the invitation of Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, to Rugova at the meeting.

Alev Kilic also met with Velko Odalovich, the Governor of Kosovo, and Dushan Simich, the Mayor of Pristine, seperately.

[03] TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT ON MAIL AND TELEGRAPH SERVICES

The Directorate General of Postal Affairs stated that according to the agreement the friendly relations will be improved between the two directorates of postal affairs of the two countries, and that Turkey will provide necessary postal equipments for Azerbaijan.

The other issues which took part in the agreement are as follows:

-Postal stamps will be prepared on joint issues,

-Azeri postal stamps will be printed in Turkey,

-Turkish Directorate General of Postal Affairs will help Azeri Postal Administration to print stamps with Latin alphabet,

-Turkish Directorate General of Postal Affairs will help Azeri Postal Administration's automation,

-Turkish Directorate General of Postal Affairs will support Azeri

Postal Administration to become member to the international postal unions such as the South-West Asian Postal Union (SWPAU), and the Conference of Europe Post and Telecommunication Administrations (CEPT),

-Turkish Directorate General of Postal Affairs will provide Azeri staff training programmes in Turkey.

-Two post offices that will be chosen by Azeri Postal Administration, will be designed and equipped in accardance with the Turkish standarts.

[04] MEMBERS OF SO-CALLED ''PEACE DELEGATION'' RELEASED

Metin Ilis, lawyer of the defendants, speaking at the hearing said his clients did not commit the crime which was claimed adding that police took those 18 people under custody when they were chatting among themselves and called for the release of them.

Criminal Court decided for the release of the defendants as there was no element of crime.

The indictment prepared by Sisli Republican Chief Prosecutorship demanded imprisonment terms up to three years for Şanar Yurdatapan, Faruk Aktaş, Mehtap Kuruçay and Niyazi Yegen and Frederich Walter Sochan, Damiano Giovanni Frisüllo, Dien Stevianadevi Rubawa, Stephan Maurer, Maria Coronade Alvarez, Cesar Moreon Baquero, Marcos Borregon Baquero, Julia Lesley Guest, Erhard Rolf Bernhard Molwitz, Becken Andrea, Von Alvensleben Agnes, Lechleither Isgard Gertrud, Wente Britta Astrid and Charlotte Schmitz, from various countries, on grounds that they violated ''Meeting and Marching Law.''

[05] MOTION OF INTERROGATION FROM ITALIAN SENATORS TO ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER...

Cosimu Ventucci, Antonio d'Ali and Enrico Pianetta, members of Italian Senate, submitted a motion of interrogation to be responded by Foreign Minister and asked about relations with Turkey.

The motion which the senate members wanted the Foreign Minister to respond writtenly, mentioned about the importance of security of European countries, strengthening of peace in the Middle East, and importance of Turkey in economic and social development of Turkish origin Black Sea countries.

Recalling that Turkey, being a NATO member, has a vital importance to preserve peace in a region which has risk of war, the motion said Turkish people living in the Balkans were effected from the existing tension and that Turkey signed cooperation and support agreements with Bosnia, Crotia, Bulgaria, Albania, Romania and Macedonia to give a more effective support to peace.

The motion of interrogation said Turkey always stressed its willingness to provide peace and stability in the world by always expending support to the ''Peace Forces Operation'' realized by the UN adding that Turkey took part in UN Commandership in Korea, UNOSOM in Somalia, UNIKOM in Kuwait, UNPROFOR in Bosnia, IFOR in Yugoslavia, UNOMIG in Georgia.

The motion underlined that Turkey closed oil pipeline in its own borders after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait adding that Turkey actively participated in the UN resolutions and expended support to UN.

Noting that everybody should respect to human rights, the motion said Turkish minority suffered as Greece failed to abide by Laussanne Agreement and pointed out that population of Turkish minority in the region decreased to 35 percent.

The senators wanted Italian Foreign Minister to respond to these questions:

''-What kind of a study is foreseen by Italy to provide all European members the enterance of Turkey to EU officially.

-what kind of a way will be covered to mention the problems of Turkish minority living in Western Thrace in international centers.

-what kind of initiatives will be launched to preserve ethnical and cultural roots of Turkish community and to provide respect to human rights living in Cyprus following the signature of Participation Agreement which only covered Greek Cypriot side.

[06] AKKUYU NUCLEAR POWER STATION TO BE DISCUSSED IN LONDON

The Turkish Art and Literature Development Group (Fatal) which organizes activities for the Turkish people living in Britain, will take up the enviromentalist actions against the nuclear power station.

[07] TURKEY REPORT OF LAKE, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EU FOR TURKEY, IRRITATES GREECE - REPORT HOLDS GREECE RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTTLENECK IN RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE EU - LAKE: ''TURKEY IS ONE OF THE MOST SECURE REGIONS OF THE WORLD''

Lake says in his report that the membership of Greece to the EU distort the balance in the region, and adds that this instability damages the strategical and economic interests of the Western countries in the region.

Mentioning the policy of Greece at the Luxembourg Summit, Lake points out, ''Greek politicans accept in principle the agreements related with Turkey at first, but later deny or demolish them. And they put new conditions that cannot be accepted by the other participants, at the last moment.''

Lake calls the member states of the EU to re-establish strategical balance in the region.

In the chapter of the report regarding Turkey's economic situation, the financial aid that was prevented by Greece from being given to Turkey, was taken up. Lake stresses that the prevented aid caused the EU to lose several agreements. He also adds that the lost of the EU is not only financial, but it is also psychological and political at the same time, pointing out, ''Turkey lost her confidence in the EU''.

Stressing that Turkey met the conditions that were put forward by Greece to lift the veto on the financial aid, many times, Lake says that Greece's insistence to carry the Kardak rock islands problem to the International Court of Justice in the Haguei damaged the compromise that was reached by the members of the Union on the membership of Turkey to the EU.

The Cyprus problem is also discussed in the report. Lake notes that the EU push Turkey to a unreasonable policy concerning the Cyprus problem. He adds, ''It is unacceptable that the Union began to the membership negotiations with Greek Cypriot side administration that plans to deploy Russian made missiles in order to use them against one of our allies. If the Greek Cypriot side use the missiles against Turkey. Greece as a member state of the NATO will have to defend Turkey.

Mentioning the Southeastern Anatolia problem, Lake describes the policy of the EU that accepts Kurds as a a minority, as a big mistake, noting that this policy worsens the situation of Kurdish people.

The report also evaluates the political, economic and and social situations of Turkey.

Meanwhile Susurluk incident is discussed in detail in a seperate chapter of the report.

[08] RUSSIA-TURKEY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE - INTERNATIONAL ''ITERRA'' COMPANY ASPIRES CONTRUCTION OF NATURAL GAS PIPELINE

Igor Markov, Chairman of Iterra Energy Company, met Georgian President Eduard Shervadnadze.

Speaking after the meeting Markov expressed readiness to cooperate with Russia's Gazprom company on the project and stressed the importance of speeding up the contruction of the pipeline for Georgia.

Markov noted that they also aspired rehabilitation of electricity power plants and two-thousand kilometer natural gas pipeline.

[09] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN BULGARIA - PRESIDENT STOYANOV OF BULGARIA RECEIVES YILMAZ - TURKEY AND BULGARIA SIGN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

Mesut Yilmaz was received by President Peter Stoyanov of

Bulgaria. Addressing the meeting Stoyanov noted, ''I hope that Prime Minister's visit to Bulgaria will further improve the relations between the two countries.''

Stoyanov pointed out that their meeting will focus on the Kosovo problem and expressed his worry that ıt wıll spread all over the region.

Following the meeting between Stoyanov and Yilmaz, the Free Trade

Agreement was signed by Isin Celebi, the State Minister, and Valentin

Vasilev, the Bulgarian Tourism and Trade Minister.

Addressing the signature ceremony, Yilmaz pointed out that the agreement will accelerate the trade between Turkey and Bulgaria.

Ivan Kostov said that they aim the trade volume between the two countries, that is currenty 550 million US Dollars, to increase up to

2.5 billion US Dollars.

With the Free Trade Agreement 90 percent of Bulgaria's industrial exportation to Turkey, and 43 percent of Turkey's exportation will be exempt from tax. According to the agreement the customs tax for the raw materials that will be imported from Bulgaria, will be lifted in order to increase power of rivaly. It is expected that Turkey's export to Bulgaria will be increased rapidly in coming days as a result of the agreement.

Meanwhile Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, met with his Bulgarian counterpart George Anoniev. The latest developments regarded with the Southeast European Multi- national Force, were discussed at the meeting.

Describing the meeting as productive and useful, Sezgin reminded that the agreement concerning the multi-national force will be signed in Skopje in September.

[10] TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO SERBIA KILIC IN KOSOVO - KILIC: ''TURKEY SUPPORTS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO KOSOVO PROBLEM''

Kilic expressed Turkey's concerns about the Kosovo problem as a regional country and as a member state to the NATO, adding that Turkey supports diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the problem.

Alev Kilic later proceeded to Prizren that is densely populated by Turkish people, and came together with representatives of the Turkish Associations and the Turkish Democratic Union.

Representatives conveyed the Turkish people's difficulties in Kosovo, and requested Turkish businessmen to make investments in the province in order to create job opportunities for them.

Meanwhile the situation in Loca village of Ipek county, 80 km west of Pristine, is worsening. Albanian sources pointed out that Serbian forces launched an attack to the village and the villagers were forced to leave their homes. Sources noted that a number of houses were burnt down in the village and casualties were reported after the clashes.

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