Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-11-12

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

12 NOV 1998

CONTENTS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN LATIN AMERICA - CEM RECEIVED BY MENEM, PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA

[02] TANER, THE STATE MINISTER: ''ACCUSATIONS OF BUSINESSMAN KORKMAZ YIGIT ARE ONLY SLANDER AND AIM AT THROWING MUD AT US''

[03] HAKTANIR, THE FM UNDERSECRETARY TO LEAVE FOR INDIA

[04] SEZGIN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, COMPLETES HIS VISITS TO BULGARIA AND BELARUS

[05] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS ... ''KORKMAZ YIGIT SWORE ON HIS CHILDREN AND FAMILY SAYING THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH CAKICI''

[06] TURKISH AND AMERICAN MAYORS TO CONVENE IN SOUTHEASTERN DIYARBAKIR PROVINCE

[07] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS: ''CAKICI AND THE TEAM UNDER HIS COMMAND HAVE REACHED THE AIM OF CREATING A GOVERNMENT CRISIS''

[08] THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLES' PARTY (CHP) SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT - DENIZ BAYKAL, THE LEADER OF CHP: ''THERE IS NO OTHER WAY''

[09] TURKEY-STOCK EXCHANGE - IMKB FIRST SESSION - NATIONAL-100 INDEX REDUCES TO 1,984.39 WITH A DECREASE OF 156.70 POINTS

[10] THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLES' PARTY (CHP) SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT - THE MOTION: ''KORKMAZ YIGIT CLAIMS THAT HE WAS SUPPORTED BY MESUT YILMAZ AND GUNES TANER DURING THE TENDER OF TURKBANK''

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN LATIN AMERICA

[12] VERHEUGEN, GERMAN STATE MINISTER: - ''KOHL'S POLICY TOWARDS TUKEY WAS WRONG AND HARMFUL''

[13] RESTORATION ACTIVITIES IN CAPPADOCIA

[14] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES OF CENTRAL BANK INCREASE TO 21.3 BILLION US DOLLARS

[15] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TURKMENISTAN - DEMIREL SAYS: ''A MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN A MONTH FOR THE OIL PIPELINE THAT WILL CARRY TURKMEN NATURAL GAS''

[16] TURKISH TOURISM IN 2000 - WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL: - ''AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION TOURISTS WILL VISIT TURKEY IN 2000''

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TURKMENISTAN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL OPENS ATATURK PARK AND STATUE AND TURKMEN NATIONAL MUSEUM

[18] NUMBER OF IRISH TOURISTS INCREASES 17 PERCENT AND NUMBER OF BRITISH TOURISTS INCREASES 9 PERCENT WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN LATIN AMERICA - CEM RECEIVED BY MENEM, PRESIDENT OF ARGENTINA

The Foreign Ministry said that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem was received the same day by Carlos Menem, the President of Argentina. Cem said that Turkey desires to improve relations. Cem also conveyed to President Menem the leter of invitation of President Suleyman Demirel.

President Menem said that he is proud of his root and his Turkish passport.

Cem also met with Guido di Tella, the Foreign Minister of Argentina. The two foreign ministers signed a memorandum of understanding creating a political consultation mechanism between Turkey and Argentina. Cem and his Argentine counterpart Tella discussed the issues of ''revival of economic relations and increasing of trade volume between Turkey and Argentina''.

During the meeting, the Argentine side presented two drafts on cultural and educational exchange programme and investments in the field of energy, and the two sides exchanged opinions about the crises in Asia and Russia.

[02] TANER, THE STATE MINISTER: ''ACCUSATIONS OF BUSINESSMAN KORKMAZ YIGIT ARE ONLY SLANDER AND AIM AT THROWING MUD AT US''

State Minister Taner told a private channel that he does not think to resign, adding that ''he tells that I asked him to get out off my room.''

Noting that Korkmaz Yigit tells lies, Taner said that people desire to throw mud at him by a video-tape, which has been prepared in a hurry and which includes contradictory claims.

Taner stressed that the realities will come out as a result of the judgement process.

State Minister Taner said that the amount of credits which Yigit claimed to be opened for himself do not exist even in the Treasury. ''If I promised to Yigit to give credits, then why didn't he get any credits?'' he added.

[03] HAKTANIR, THE FM UNDERSECRETARY TO LEAVE FOR INDIA

Foreign Ministry said that Haktanır will stay India till November 18 and he will exchange views with Indian officials about bilateral relations, regional and international problems which concern the two countries.

Korkmaz Haktanır will be accompanied by a delegation from the Foreign Ministry during his visit to India.

[04] SEZGIN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, COMPLETES HIS VISITS TO BULGARIA AND BELARUS

Speaking to reporters at the Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Ismet Sezgin said that the Bulgarian officials and he realized a comprehensive exchange of opinion about the measures which can be taken to develop the relations between Turkey and Bulgaria.

Pointing out that during his official visit to Bulgaria, he held contacts covering also the regional issues and the issues concerning the international organizations, Sezgin said, ''I was pleased to see that Bulgaria shares the same views of Turkey about the continuing instability in the Balkans.''

''During my visit to Belarus, we discussed the security in Europe, regional and global issues, participation in partnership for peace and development of cooperation within the framework of mutual benefits and friendship between Turkey and Belarus in the fields of military and technics,'' he said.

''Our negotiations, which were held within the atmosphere of mutual understanding and reliance, were realized with Turkey's and Belarus' sincere confirmation of the wish for cooperation aiming at providing stability and securing peace in the European continent. Turkey and Belarus shared the opinion that the bilateral relations between the two countries in the field of military make a constructive contribution to the national and international security,'' Sezgin stated.

Recalling that the General Staff and the Belarusian Defense Ministry signed a ''Defense Industry Cooperation Agreement'', Sezgin said that the two sides mutually confirmed that Turkey and Belarus want to strengthen the relations and increase the contacts.

''During my contacts, the Belarusian officials once more stated that they are in a full consensus of opinion with Turkey about the struggle against terrorism, organized crimes, smuggling and drug trafficking, and they said that they were ready to continue the talks about these issues in next period,'' Sezgin added.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian officials informed Sezgin that the leader of the separatist terrorist PKK organization asked for asylum from Belarus but they rejected it.

[05] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS ... ''KORKMAZ YIGIT SWORE ON HIS CHILDREN AND FAMILY SAYING THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH CAKICI''

Addressing in a private television channel, Prime Minister Yılmaz stated that ''I met with Korkmaz Yigit on July 30 when Husamettin Cindoruk, the leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) asked me to give an appointment to Yigit. We met for 15 minutes. Korkmaz Yigit swore on his children and his family saying that he did not have any connection with Alaattin Cakıcı (a notorious mafia boss), except selling him a flat in the past. He told me that Cakıcı did not have any connection in the tender.''

Cefi Kamhi, a deputy from the DTP who was also present in the meeting between Prime Minister Yılmaz and Kamhi confirmed the statements of Yılmaz.

Responding to a question asking whether or not it is appropriate for a prime minister to be interested in privatization of a bank that much, Yılmaz said that ''that was a special situation. Yılmaz said that the former government tried to privatize Turkbank twice, but the tender was postponed due to threat or assasination attempt, adding that he was closely interested in privatization of the bank to prevent the sale of the bank cheaply and to prevent intervention of mafia in the tender.

Mesut Yılmaz said that he asked for the National Intelligence Service (MIT) to prove the direct connection between Cakıcı and Yigit, but such a proof could not be given to him, thus he did not prevent Korkmaz Yigit to enter into the tender of Turkbank.

Responding to another question, Prime Minister Yılmaz said that he ordered to prevent Korkmaz Yigit to get any credits or letter of guarantee from any public bank after he won the tender of Turkbank.

Yılmaz said that Alaattin Cakıcı, the mafia boss who is arrested in Nice city of France pressured Yigit to participate in the tender, but he did not know this fact before the auction.

''On August 4, the auction of Turkbank took place and Yigit gave the highest price. On August 5, I called MIT officials and asked them to sent a file about Yigit. The Undersecertary of MIT said that there was no such file,'' said Yılmaz.

Yılmaz stressed that Yigit visited Kutlu Aktas, the Minister of Interior on September 30 and he confessed that he had connection with Alaattin Cakıcı. Yılmaz said he decided to cancel all of the proceedings concerning the tender after that.

[06] TURKISH AND AMERICAN MAYORS TO CONVENE IN SOUTHEASTERN DIYARBAKIR PROVINCE

The US Embassy in Ankara issued a statement saying that the Turkish and the US mayors will discuss city development, settlement, environmental and municipal services.

The statement said the conference in Diyarbakir will be the third exchange programme of the Turkish and the US mayors. The US Embassy organized in 1997 an observation visit to the US for ten mayors from the GAP Region. In February 1998, three mayors from the US attended a conference in southeastern Sanliurfa province.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Mark Parris, the US Ambassador to Ankara, will participate in a session of the conference.

[07] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS: ''CAKICI AND THE TEAM UNDER HIS COMMAND HAVE REACHED THE AIM OF CREATING A GOVERNMENT CRISIS''

Responding to questions about the claims brought by Yigit about him, Prime Minister said that ''it is true that Yigit came to see me twice and probably he met with Taner, nevertheless he tells lies about the content of our speeches in order to create an atmosphere of crisis against the government. In my opinion the plot has reached its aim, Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) phoned me yesterday while the video-tape of Yigit was still broadcasted on TV saying that he annuled his meeting with me for Thursday. Other parties issued similar statements within one hour. Cakıcı's aim was to curtail the struggle against mafia and the collapse of the government was the only way to this end.''

Noting that he will not resign not to make the mafia be released, Yılmaz said that if he resigns, the gangs and mafia will get power and their activities will speed up.

''In my struggle with mafia, I could be guided wrongly or I could be informed not sufficiently. But I tell you the facts, cause I have never told a lie in this struggle. I have never acted by taking into consideration any political interest or by any other interest. The mafia has infiltrated into the state and they have lots of black money. They have become a power against the state, we had small mistakes in the struggle with the mafia, because we are not experts in this issue. Eight mafia bosses are in prison,'' added Yılmaz.

[08] THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLES' PARTY (CHP) SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT - DENIZ BAYKAL, THE LEADER OF CHP: ''THERE IS NO OTHER WAY''

After listening to the stataments of Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz in a private channel on Wednesday night, Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) stated that the claims of Korkmaz Yigit against Prime Minister Yılmaz and Gunes Taner, the State Minister should be taken up by the courts, but Yılmaz has to resign first.

''However Yılmaz seems not to resign and we will submit the censure motion prepared against the government to the parliament on Thursday. A prime minister has extraordinary relations concerning the sale of a bank, a prime minister should not involve in such things. Prime Minister claims that the atmosphere that will be created after the collapse of his government will be a total hotch-potch. This is not true. The struggle with mafia and gangs has a dynamic of its own and this dynamism started to operate after the Susurluk accident,'' said Baykal.

Asked whether or not the claims brought against Prime Minister Yılmaz could be slander, Deniz Baykal said that ''the claims can be lies, but there are serious claims against the government. These claims can't be ignored, prime minister has to resign and an investigation has to start.''

''This issue has to be taken up by courts, nobody should be worried about anything. The process of struggling with the gangs has started, it works and this has become a state policy. A part of politics in Turkey is connected with mafia and such a mentality saying that - if the 55th government is not in office, these problems will not be solved - is not true,'' added Baykal.

[09] TURKEY-STOCK EXCHANGE - IMKB FIRST SESSION - NATIONAL-100 INDEX REDUCES TO 1,984.39 WITH A DECREASE OF 156.70 POINTS

At the close of the first session, the financial index decreased 188.34 points to 2,487.03, the industrial index reduced 116.63 points to 1,503.54 and the services index dropped 271.84 points to 2,810.60.

The financial shares lost 7.04 percent in value, the industrial shares lost 7.20 percent in value and the services shares lost 8.82 percent in value compared with Wednesday's second session close.

A total of 8 of the 280 shares gained in value, 263 shares lost in value while the prices of 9 shares didn't change.

The trading volume in the morning session was 23.1 trillion Turkish Liras.

[10] THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLES' PARTY (CHP) SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT - THE MOTION: ''KORKMAZ YIGIT CLAIMS THAT HE WAS SUPPORTED BY MESUT YILMAZ AND GUNES TANER DURING THE TENDER OF TURKBANK''

The censure motion notes that the claims brought forward cause such an impression that the 55th government was not successful in solving the Susurluk scandal, the incidents in Budapest and Malki murder as they had close connection with mafia.

''In this respect, CHP requests bringing an interpellation against Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz under Article 99 of the Counstitution and Article 106 of the Statute of the Parliament,'' stated the censure motion.

Article 99 of the Constitution notes that the motion for independent shall be circulated in printed form to the members within three days of its being tabled, and inclusion of a motion of interpellation in the agenda shall be debated within ten days of its circulation. Together with the decision to include the motion of interpellation on the agenda, the date for debating it will also be decided, however the debate shall not take place less than two days after the decision to include it on the agenda and shall not be deferred more than seven days.

In order to unseat the cabinet, an absolute majority of the total number of members (276) shall be required in the voting.

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN LATIN AMERICA

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that the meeting focused on further improvement of the inter-parliamentary relations between Turkey and Argentina.

Cem also held talks with the Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Argentine Congress, Lopez Arias, Chairman of the Turkish Friendship Group in the Parliament, and other members of the group.

Ismail Cem is expected to return to Turkey later today.

[12] VERHEUGEN, GERMAN STATE MINISTER: - ''KOHL'S POLICY TOWARDS TUKEY WAS WRONG AND HARMFUL''

Describing former Chancellor Helmuth Kohl's and his government' policy towards Turkey as ''wrong and harmful'', Verheugen underlined that deep links between Turkey and the Western democracies will also be beneficial for Germany.

Verheugen emphasized that closing the doors of the Union to a country because it has no Christian culture will be great mistake. ''We should offer Turkey a perspective, if we want her to make some basic changes,'' he said.

Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, previously noted that they would not block Turkey's way to the EU. He also had criticized former government's efforts aiming at preventing Turkey's membership to the EU.

[13] RESTORATION ACTIVITIES IN CAPPADOCIA

Mehmet Demir, the Director of Culture in Nevsehir Province, told the A.A correspondent that restoration activities which began two years ago, in Elmali and Carikli Churches, El Nazar Church, St. Jean Church, Belhe Monastery and Keslik Monastry were completed.

Demir added, ''Kursunlu Mosque, Sucuoglu Mansion, Haci Nuribey Mansion, Cansever Mansion and Taskinpasha Madrasah were also restored. The Culture Ministry has contributed 100 billion Turkish Liras to the activities and we covered the 300 billion Turkish Liras from the incomes of the museums and ruins in the region.''

[14] FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES OF CENTRAL BANK INCREASE TO 21.3 BILLION US DOLLARS

The Central Bank data shows that the foreign exchange reserves, which climbed by 428 million US dollars between 30 October and 6 November, increased to 21 billion 393 million US dollars as of 6 November.

The Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves were 20 billion 965 million US dollars on 30 October.

Meanwhile, according to the 23 October-based statistics, Turkey's total international gross reserves decreased 389 million US dollars to 34 billion 48 million US dollars in a week.

The international gross reserves of Turkey were 34 billion 437 million US dollars on 16 October.

As of 23 October, Turkey's international reserves were composed of 1 billion 125 million US dollars in gold reserves; 22 billion 60 million US dollars in the Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves; and 10 billion 863 million US dollars in the commercial banks' foreign exchange reserves.

[15] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TURKMENISTAN - DEMIREL SAYS: ''A MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE WITHIN A MONTH FOR THE OIL PIPELINE THAT WILL CARRY TURKMEN NATURAL GAS''

Demirel, currently holding contacts in Turkmenistan, made observations in regions in which Turkish companies invested.

Responding to a question, Demirel said that the meeting will take place within a month and the company which will realize the pipeline will be specified.

''Later, this consortium will begin to construct the pipeline. I think the pipeline will be constructed in two years,'' he said.

Recalling that Turkey established natural gas power plants, Demirel said ''Turkey also needs natural gas.''

[16] TURKISH TOURISM IN 2000 - WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL: - ''AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION TOURISTS WILL VISIT TURKEY IN 2000''

The WTO stressed that Turkey will succeed in taking part among the ten countries which provide the highest revenue from tourism. Turkey's tourism revenue will increase up to 10.06 billion US Dollars in 2000.

Officials at the Tourism Ministry told the A.A correspondent that the Ministry prepares new targets and strategies which will make the Turkish tourism united with the changing world. The new principles and policies of the Minisrty to improve Turkish tourism are as follows:

- to improve a tourism economy for competing with the world,

- to meet domestic and foreign tourists' expectations,

- to protect Turkey's historical, cultural and natural assets,

- to increase tourism revenue,

- to intensify on the overseas markets including the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL IN TURKMENISTAN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL OPENS ATATURK PARK AND STATUE AND TURKMEN NATIONAL MUSEUM

On the second day of his official visit, Demirel participated in the opening ceremonies of Ataturk park and statue and Turkmen national museum.

Demirel later visited Quake Monument and laid a wreath. The monument was erected on the memory of a quake which happened in 1948 in Turkmenistan and which claimed the lives of 160,000 people. The monument symbolizes the position of the world between the horns of ox. The giant bronze monument was constructed by a Turkish company named ''Polemiks.''

Demirel later participated in the opening ceremony of Turkmen National Museum which was constructed by Turkish company Ucgen Construction.

Addressing the ceremony Demirel said the only word that identifies his visit to Turkmenistan is the ''culture'' and added that ''if I was to find another word for my visit, it would be 'present' as Ataturk park is a present of Turkmenistan to Turkey and the mosque is the present of Turkey to Turkmenistan.

Sapharmurad Turkmenbasi in his part said they spent 40 million dollars for the museum, adding that with the construction of the museum, a very important step towards cooperation was taken in the field of culture.

Also, addressing the Turkish-Turkmen Business Council Meeting, Demirel said Turkey is the most strong supporter of the efforts expended for Turkmenistan's development.

Demirel said the Business Council, founded in 1991, formed a platform contributing to the trade and economic cooperation of the two countries.

Demirel said Turkey appreciated the efforts of Turkmenistan, maintained under the determined leadership of Sapharmurad Turkmenbasi, towards re- structuring.

President Demirel pointed out that ''it is our biggest desire to see a developed and strong Turkmenistan,'' adding that the success Turkmenistan recorded within six years is glorious.

Demirel said 52 million US dollars trade realized between Turkmenistan and free zones in the year 1997 and added that Turkey is ready to cooperate for the establishment of free zone in Turkmenistan.

[18] NUMBER OF IRISH TOURISTS INCREASES 17 PERCENT AND NUMBER OF BRITISH TOURISTS INCREASES 9 PERCENT WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS

Tourism Ministry noted that a total of 970.5 thousand British tourists and 39.2 thousand Irish tourists visited Turkey within the first eight month of 1998.

Officials told the A.A correspondent that they expect the number of British tourists to increase to one million as of the end of this year.

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