Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-11-02

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

02 NOV 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN

[03] ANKARA TO BE THE CAPITAL OF THE CONGRESS TOURISM

[04] GREAT LEAP FORWARD BY STATE RAILWAYS

[05] TREASURY TO ARRANGE SIX-MONTH TERM BOND TENDER ON TUESDAY

[06] BARZANI, THE LEADER OF KDP DUE IN TURKEY ON TUESDAY - KDP LEADER TO BE WARNED ABOUT THE TERRORIST PKK AND THE ISSUE OF FEDERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ

[07] INSPECTION OF BLACK MONEY IN TURKEY

[08] REWARD CEREMONY AT BURSA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

[09] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ DUE IN TRNC ON TUESDAY

[10] ENVIRONMENTALISTS PUBLISH ''RIZE DECLARATION''

[11] TURKEY-STOCK EXCHANGE - IMKB FIRST SESSION - NATIONAL-100 INDEX RISES TO 2,259.65 WITH AN INCREASE OF 63.27 POINTS

[12] THE FIRST SUPREME CONGRESS OF AVIATION STARTS - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''TURKEY HAS A STRONG AND DETERRENT ARMED FORCES AND A MODERN INDUSTRY WHICH PRODUCES HER OWN AIRCRAFT''

[13] THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE TURKISH-GERMAN COOPERATION COUNCIL TO BE HELD IN GERMANY

[14] TUSIAD SENDS A STATEMENT TO EU - ''EU'S TURKEY POLICY IS IMPERFECT AND CONTRADICTORY''

[15] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS IS PLEASED WITH THE STATEMENT OF FM CEM, WHO TOLD CNN THAT ''THE TWO PARLIAMENTS ON CYPRUS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED''

[16] KIRCA, THE FAMOUS COMEDIAN AND HIS TEAM IN ANKARA - TALAY, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE EXTENDS SUPPORT TO PROTEST OF KIRCA

[17] CAKIR, THE GOVERNOR OF ISTANBUL SAYS THAT 23 MEMBERS OF THE ILLEGAL ''AFID'' ORGANIZATION WHICH PLANNED TO ATTACK THE MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURK CAPTURED

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL) THE PLAN WHICH CHANGED AT THE LAST MINUTE
The leader of the operation team which rendered the hijacker, who hijacked a plane belonging to the Turkish Airlines on October 29, ineffective by killing him, told the story of the operation to the newspaper. The speacial team of the operation which is composed of 45 people were chosen among 1500 police officers.

NOW AN ARTIFICIAL FINGER WAS MADE
American doctors were successful to make an artificial finger in a laboratory from real flesh, bone and human tissue.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

KIRCA IN PARLIAMENT TODAY
Levent Kırca, a famous comedian, who protests the Supreme Radio and Television Board (RTUK) will meet with Hikmet Cetin, the Parliament Speaker today and submit a petition for a change in the law concerning RTUK. Kırca said that ''RTUK has to be made civilian and be rescued from politicians. If our request is rejected, we will go on a hunger strike.''

OCALAN LOOKS FOR A PLACE TO HIDE
Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of the separatist terrorist organization (PKK) will leave Russia tonight if Russia fulfills her promise. Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz said in central province of Kayseri that they are the ones who forced Ocalan to leave the place where he was hiding, adding that ''Ocalan looks for a place in the world where he can hide.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

DISGUSTING PLANS OF ''BLACK VOICE''
Police detain 24 members of a militant Islamic group led by Metin Kaplan known as ''Black Voice'' and uncover their plans to send a suicide bomber to Ataturk's mausoleum during Republic Day celebrations on October 29.

CUMHURİYET (LEFT)

The meeting with Barzani and Talabani will be held in the second half of November. Barzani is expected to arrive in Ankara on Tuesday.

BANKS EXPLOITS THE STATE
Bulent Ecevit, the Deputy Prime Minister, defined the developments in privatization as ''weakness'', stressing that further measures will be taken.

Noting that the system should absolutely be taken under control, Ecevit said, ''unfortunately, the banks exploits the state. They look after ther own comfort by purchasing state bonds. The profit and payment are guaranteed, There cannot be such a thing.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)

VIRTUE PARTY TO WARN ERBAKAN
Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP) who was also banned from politics told a conference that people should vote for the Virtue Party, the successor of the RP without giving its name. The Virtue Party, which held a meeting, decided to warn its ''natural leader.''

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

Pointing out that he was prevented by some circles in Ankara from struggling against gangs and terrorism, Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said, ''we will eradicate the gangs and illegal organizations. For this, I want authorization.''

PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE
THE GENERAL ELECTIONS BEFORE APRIL''
Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said that they were planning to have the general elections before April 1999 if the opposition will prevent their services.

Noting that the most important service for the Republic was to conclude the half-finished investments, Prime Minister Yilmaz said, ''we will have the general elections in April, but if our activities are prevented, we will bring the ballot box before April.''

YENI YUZYIL

SIGNS OF CRISIS IN LOCOMOTIVE SECTORS
TEXTILE: The demand decreases but the production level is very high. There is financing problems and the exportation decreases. AUTOMOTIVE: The capacity is below 50 percent. The investments stopped. And the sales decreased 30 percent.

DURABLE CONSUMER GOODS: The sales are behind the targets. The last hope is the campaigns and the exportation.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

DENIZKURDU: 2400 CASES PENDING BEFORE ECHR
IS A BIG PROBLEM
Hasan Denizkurdu, the Minister of Justice said that there are 2400 cases against Turkey which are pending before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg. Noting that Turkey has fully abided by the verdicts of the European Court of Human Rights, Denizkurdu stated that Turkey has problems with the European Union (EU) due to her problems in the field of human rights.

[02] FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN KAZAKHSTAN

Anuar Saydenov, the Executive Director of Kazakhstan State Investment Committee, said that the Turkish etrepreneurs, who made a total of 65 million US dollars of investment in Kazakhstan in 1997, increased their direct investments to 65.6 million US dollars in the first half of 1998.

Saydenov said thus Turkey became one of the two countries which increased their direct investments in Kazakhstan.

Stating that Canada was the other country which increased its average of investment in Kazakhstan, Saydenov said that the Canadian entrepreneurs, who made 22.8 million US dollars of investment last year, realized 25.6 million US dollars in investment in Kazakhstan in the first six months of 1998.

[03] ANKARA TO BE THE CAPITAL OF THE CONGRESS TOURISM

Dogan Acar told A.A correspondent that Ankara has to be the capital of the congress tourism because it is the centre of international political communication.

Noting that the income gained from congress tourism constitutes 25 percent of the tourism income in the world, Acar recalled that Turkey has broad economic and socio-political relations with the Middle Eastern countries, the Balkans, the Black Sea and Turkish Republics. Acar stressed that Turkey creates a big demand potential concerning congress tourism even with her mere regional status.

Pointing out that the Habitat II Summit showed that Turkey has the capacity to organize a big congress in world standarts, Acar stated that Ankara has been the cradle of various civilizations for ages and it is situationed in the main routes of tourism.

Acar stressed that ''Congress Tourism'' is one of the important projects in the plan namely ''Improving Tourism in Ankara,'' and the congress centre which will be constructed in Ankara will meet an important need.

[04] GREAT LEAP FORWARD BY STATE RAILWAYS

Within the scope of the modernization and rehabilitation project of the TCDD, all of 300 each diesel railway engines, which have lost their economic productivity but still give low-capacity service in several main and secondary routes, will be renewed.

In this context, the tender for ''60 each main route railway engines'', which the TCDD planned to purchase at the first phase, is expected to be concluded in near future.

Officials said that the railway engines, which will probably be purchased from the French GEC Alsthom company, will be included in the TCDD fleet by next year.

The TCDD is getting prepared for an international tender for the purchase of 74 diesel railway engines, which was included to the 1998 purchase programme.

Officials said the TCDD can receive in near future the bids for those railway engines to give service in Istanbul-Ankara and Edirne-Istanbul routes.

[05] TREASURY TO ARRANGE SIX-MONTH TERM BOND TENDER ON TUESDAY

The net borrowing is expected to be between 370-470 trillion Turkish Liras (TL) in the six-month term bond tender.

The repayment will be made on 5 May 1999 and the issue date is specified to be 4 November 1998.

Meanwhile, the Treasury will realize 857 trillion 51.8 billion TL in domestic borrowing repayment in November.

[06] BARZANI, THE LEADER OF KDP DUE IN TURKEY ON TUESDAY - KDP LEADER TO BE WARNED ABOUT THE TERRORIST PKK AND THE ISSUE OF FEDERATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ

A high ranking official from the Foreign Ministry told A.A that Barzani will arrive in Ankara on Tuesday and he is expected to be received by Bulent Ecevit, the Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister and meet with Foreign Ministry officials. Korkmaz Haktanır, the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary is expected to host a dinner in the honour of Barzani.

Barzani will be warned by Turkey not to extend support to the separatist terrorist organization PKK and Turkish officials will tell him that a formation like a ''federation'' in Northern Iraq can not be realized in spite of the opposition by Turkey. Moreover the Kurdish leader is expected to inform Turkish officials about the agreement reached in Washington D.C., the US.

The visit of Jalal Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (PUK) to Ankara will be determined nowadays. Noting that Talabani, the leader of PUK will visit Ankara after Barzani, the high ranking official said that the meeting which has to be held between the two Kurdish leaders according to the Washington Agreement can be held at the second half of November.

According to the agremeent signed between the two Kurdish leaders in Washington D.C. on 17 September 1998, Barzani and Talabani were foreseen to come together by the beginning of November in Ankara.

Turkish side had criticized the agreement, recalled that she did not participate in the preparations of the agreement and stressed that one should take into account the fact that Turkey wouldn't absolutely give positive respond to the requests demanded from her during the implementation of the agreement. Later Turkey decided to upgrade her relations with Iraq.

Meanwhile, The Turcomen Front's Representation in Ankara launches efforts to meet with Barzani.

[07] INSPECTION OF BLACK MONEY IN TURKEY

Patrick Moulette told the A.A correspondent that a delegation including the FATF experts will arrive in Ankara on Tuesday to meet with the officials from the Finance Ministry's Committee for Investigation Into Financial Crimes, the Directorate General of Security and the banking circles.

Noting that they will examine the measures taken by Turkey and evaluate the developments, Moulette said that they will later proceed to Istanbul and meet with the representatives of the financial and private sectors.

''Our aim is to inspect whether or not Turkey took measures in accordance with the recommendations of the FATF and to examine whether or not those measures are carried out effectively,'' Moulette said.

''Within the framework of these implementations, we will seek answers for several questions like how and how many investigations were launched into laundering of black money, what was the amount of laundered black money, what kind of dissuasive punishments were given at such ivestigations, how many people were punished and what were the files, which were prepared concerning the issue of struggle against black money,'' Moulette added.

Recalling that the FATF delegation will prepare a report concerning the developments in Turkey after leaving this country, Moulette said that the draft report, which will be concluded at the beginning of 1999, will be discussed at the FATF General Assembly in June 1999.

Turkey, which has a membership to the FATF, promised to make and implement the necessary legal arrangements for the struggle against international black money laundering operations.

[08] REWARD CEREMONY AT BURSA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

The Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) issued a statement saying that Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and his Bulgarian counterpart Ivan Kostov will attend the ceremony to be held on 6 November at the BTSO.

The guest Prime Minister Kostov will address a speech on ''Economic Situation In Bulgaria and the New Joint Investment Opportunities between Turkey and Bulgaria'' during the ceremony.

[09] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ DUE IN TRNC ON TUESDAY

The Foreign Ministry issued a written statement saying that Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will be received by Rauf Denktas, the President of the TRNC, and will meet with the members of the TRNC government during his one-day visit to the TRNC.

Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will be accompanied by Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State responsible for Cyprus and the relations with the European Union.

[10] ENVIRONMENTALISTS PUBLISH ''RIZE DECLARATION''

Barbaros Gonencgil, the Deputy Chairman of Turkish Organization for Protecting the Environment and Gul Goktepe, the Secretary General of Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations announced the ''Rize Declaration'' which is composed of seven articles.

Goktepe said that they prepared such a declaration thinking that the natural beauties that have been lost can't be seen in the future once again and she listed the articles of the declaration as follows:

-the urgent measures that have to be taken to protect the Black Sea and to prevent the destruction of the environment.

-the prevention of the shores and small bays from being destroyed.

-realization of projects aming at solving the problem of solid waste products.

-prevention of irregular settlement in plateaus.

-determination of the principles regarding the use of land for prevention of floods.

-making transparent all the new energy investments in the region and the reports prepared on environment.

-implementation of the decisions taken at international conventions concerning the Black Sea.

Recalling the 1998 was declared as the year of ''International Ocean Year, '' in the world, Goktepe said that 1998 has been declared as the Black Sea Year in Turkey. ''Within this frameworrk we open this declaration for signature of the 60 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Our aim is to attract the attention of our people to this place, which has a beautiful nature,'' Goktepe added.

[11] TURKEY-STOCK EXCHANGE - IMKB FIRST SESSION - NATIONAL-100 INDEX RISES TO 2,259.65 WITH AN INCREASE OF 63.27 POINTS

At the close of the first session, the financial index increased 111.47 points to 2,813.94 and the services index rose 99.17 points to 3,335.56 while the industrial index dropped 2.87 points to 1,704.06.

The financial shares gained 4.12 percent in value and the services shares gained 3.06 percent in value while the industrial shares lost 0.17 percent in value compared with last Wednesday's first session close.

A total of 106 of the 276 shares gained in value, 124 shares lost in value while the prices of 46 shares didn't change.

The trading volume in the morning session was 25.8 trillion Turkish Liras.

[12] THE FIRST SUPREME CONGRESS OF AVIATION STARTS - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''TURKEY HAS A STRONG AND DETERRENT ARMED FORCES AND A MODERN INDUSTRY WHICH PRODUCES HER OWN AIRCRAFT''

Addressing the opening of the First Supreme Congress of Aviation held in Istanbul, President Demirel stated that ''our target is formation of an air force which abides by the international standarts and rules, which is independent, well-educated, has sufficient infrastructure and equipment.''

Noting that the potential of the Turkish aviation has to be improved in such a way which will respond to the internal and foreign needs in a more modern way, President Demirel said that the existing problems of the aviation sector have to be solved.

''I would like to point out to the need to conclude the Master Plan studies which will decide on the issues of planning of Turkish aviation, personnel and construction of infrastructure. Improvement of Turkish aviation depends on the integration and cooperation between civilians and the military. Improvement of the aviation sector is related with the national security of the country, its economic development and improvement of tourism,'' President Demirel added.

[13] THE FIFTH MEETING OF THE TURKISH-GERMAN COOPERATION COUNCIL TO BE HELD IN GERMANY

Foreign Ministry said in a written statement that representatives from the concerned official institutions and private sector will participate in the fifth meeting of the Council, which was established in 1993.

The statement noted that the Council has a functional importance for revising the cooperation opportunities in the economic field and taking the necessary measures.

Meanwhile, political consultations will be held between the two countries headed by the Undersecretaries of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries on November 6.

The officials of the two countires will take up bilateral relations and international and regional issues at this meeting.

Korkmaz Haktanır, the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary and Hans Friedrich von Ploetz, the German Foreign Ministry State Secretary will lead the meeting.

[14] TUSIAD SENDS A STATEMENT TO EU - ''EU'S TURKEY POLICY IS IMPERFECT AND CONTRADICTORY''

The statement, which aimed at openly putting forward the TUSIAD's attitude about the Turkish-EU relations, said, ''Turkey needs to be a part of Europe, which has become a united whole as a peaceful and economic dynamism area, and Europe needs Turkey, which was included in the full-membership perspective and which makes important contribution to the international political and economic competition power of Europe.''

Mentioning that the Turkish private sector supports the harmonization process of the Turkish regulations and foreign trade regime to the acquirements of the European Single Market, the statement said, ''the EU Commission's report on 4 March 1998 aiming at preparing Turkey for the EU membership, and Turkey's strategy proposals on 22 July 1998 aiming at improving the Turkish-EU relations were the consistent steps which were taken correctly. However, the contradiction and defectiveness of the EU's Turkey policy have once more expressed themselves recently. In the ''rules and regulations'' proposals submitted to the EU Ministers' Council by the EU Commission on 21 October 1998, the EU Commission considered as sufficient the allocation of 150 million ECUs to Turkey for the implementation of the European Strategy between 1999-2001. But, the European Parliament annulled the financial assistance reserve of 50 million ECUs to Turkey on 22 October 1998. Besides, a total of 375 million ECUs for a five-year period between 1996-2000 is still being blocked by the Council of Ministers. Also, Turkey can make a limited use of MEDA funds.''

''TUSIAD believes the major mistake in the EU's Turkey policy was the ignorance of the basic principles of the European Single Market and the common values of the European integration process. Turkey has opened her economy to the EU and she is in a process of integration into the Single Market. The EU has many times promised politically to support this process and to abide by the full-membership principle which is the final target of Turkey's Partnership Agreement,'' the statement emphasized.

''The European Strategy should include the solidarity principle, which constitutes the basis for the Single Market, and should include the economic and social integrity policy. It is wrong for the EU to perform a different attitude against Turkey than other candidate countries about financial assistances and cooperation programmes,'' the communique stated.

''Blocking the financial cooperation with Turkey, restricting the fields where this cooperation can be realized partly and offering financial means, which remain very insufficient for the targets contradict with Europe's common values and interests,'' it added.

''In order to prove their sincerities in their efforts to improve the relations with Turkey, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers should adopt an approach, which will contribute to the solution of Turkey's problems within the European integration process. Providing mutual understanding, expanding the cooperation, accelarating the intercommunal approach, supporting the initiatives which aim at bringing the business atmosphere into the same level in the EU and strengthening the social standards and economic concordance are the common interests of Turkey and the EU. The preliminary condition for providing these is the implementation of a comprehensive financial cooperation programme for Turkey,'' the statement said.

Pointing out that the problems in Turkey were known, the TUSIAD stressed that the EU should make a constructive and creative contribution to Turkey's efforts for taking her own responsibilities.

[15] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS IS PLEASED WITH THE STATEMENT OF FM CEM, WHO TOLD CNN THAT ''THE TWO PARLIAMENTS ON CYPRUS SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED''

Denktas told journalists that ''if Europe and the world think that the will of the people, justice and equity are important, they have to accept that there are two democracies and two peoples on Cyprus. The 1960 Treaties foresee that the two sides have the right to elect their own administrators.''

Noting that the world does not have the right to ignore TRNC, TRNC President Denktas said that ''the recognition of TRNC by Turkey is very important.''

Stressing that the TRNC has plans and programmes concerning the membership negotiations that will start between the European Union (EU) and the Greek Cypriot administration on November 10, Denktas said that the necessary statement concerning these negotiations will be issued in the coming days.

Pointing out that TRNC is not concerned about the negotiation between the EU and the Greek Cypriot side, TRNC President Denktas said that ''EU has to accept the fact that they meet with the Greek Cypriot side, they don't meet with the whole Cyprus. Europe has an hostile attitude towards us. They have to give up this hostile and unfair attitude. There are two owners of Cyprus, the 1960 treaties were signed upon this basis. As long as the EU continues to walk on this wrong track, the walls between the Greek Cypriot side and TRNC will rise. They should listen to the both sides on Cyprus equally and give their decision later.''

[16] KIRCA, THE FAMOUS COMEDIAN AND HIS TEAM IN ANKARA - TALAY, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE EXTENDS SUPPORT TO PROTEST OF KIRCA

Levent Kırca and his team arrived in Ankara on Monday afternoon and they were welcomed by Rahmi Dilligil, the Chairman of the Association of Solidarity among State Conservatories and by other artists.

Dilligil said that they oppose to pressure, cencor and other kinds of fines on television broadcasts, adding that he supports Kırca and his team.

Later, Kırca and his friends met with Istemihan Talay, the Minister of Culture, who said that he supports the demonstration that is going on, adding that ''I belive that Kırca and his friends will get the necessary support in the parliament.''

[17] CAKIR, THE GOVERNOR OF ISTANBUL SAYS THAT 23 MEMBERS OF THE ILLEGAL ''AFID'' ORGANIZATION WHICH PLANNED TO ATTACK THE MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURK CAPTURED

Addressing a press briefing, Erol Cakir said the suicide attack had been planned to coincide with the celebrations held upon the 75th foundation anniversary of the Turkish Republic on October 29. A second operation, to seize Fatih mosque, in Istanbul had been planned for October 30.

Cakır noted that the attack was delayed to November 10, the 60th aniversary of Ataturk's death, when four people who would commit the suicide attack said that they could not take off the plane from Bursa airport due to bad wheather conditions.

Cakır said that the terrorists, who postponed the attack, buried part of the explosives near Bolu motorway and the remaining part in the garden of Fatih Mosque.

Police displayed sticks of dynamite, rifles, revolvers, ammunition and Islamic green flags seized at Cakir's news conference.

''This last incident is important in showing that there are people who plan dreadful things against the country, state, the Republic and the people. We have to take lessons from that,'' said Cakır.

Giving details about the operation launched to capture the members of the illegal AFID organization, Cakır stated that 23 members of AFID including the ones responsible from Sivas and Agrı provinces and Frankfurt and Hannover states in Germany were taken into custody on October 29. The members of the illegal organization confessed that Metin Kaplan, the leader of the illegal organization in May 1998 started ''a holy war due to oppression towards moslems in Turkey'' and he also said that ''members of the organization have to sacrifice themselves to this end.''

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