Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-11-14

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

14 NOV 1998

CONTENTS

[01] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION TO EU COUNTRIES - IN FIRST TEN MONTHS, 89.8 MILLION US DOLLARS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED

[02] CETIN, PARLIAMENT SPEAKER: ''CAPTURE OF CHIEF OF SEPARATIST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IS A SUCCESS OF TURKEY''

[03] THE US STATE DEPARTMENT: - ''OCALAN SHOULD BE EXTRADITED AND JUDGED''

[04] YILMAZ, PRIME MINISTER: ''NO COUNTRY WILL RESPOND POSITIVELY TO DEMAND OF OCALAN TO SHELTER''

[05] WHITE HOUSE: - ''CAPTURE OF OCALAN IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN STRUGGLE AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM''

[06] TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN FETHIYE - MANY HOUSES AND BUSINESS PLACES INUNDATED

[07] CEM, FOREIGN MINISTER: ''TURKEY CARRIES OUT EFFORTS TO CONTRIBUTE PEACE AND COOPERATION OF THE WORLD''

[08] THE TRNC: A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD REPUBLIC - PRESIDENT DENKTAS OF THE TRNC: - ''THE TRNC PROGRESSES STEP BY STEP''

[09] SENSOY, TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW SPEAKS TO A.A

[10] BELGIUM EMBASSY IN TURKEY EVALUATES RELATIONS WITH TURKEY ON ACCOUNT OF ROYAL DAY: - ''BELGIUM WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TURKEY IN HER PREPARATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU''

[11] ATTACKS ON TURKISH JOURNALISTS IN ROME - CORRESPONDENTS OF TRT, SHOW TV AND NTV TAKEN TO HOSPITAL - ITALIAN POLICE REMAIN AS SPECTATOR

[01] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION TO EU COUNTRIES - IN FIRST TEN MONTHS, 89.8 MILLION US DOLLARS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED

In the same period last year, the region exported 77 million 334 thousand US dollars of agricultural and animal products to the EU countries.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent that in the first ten months of the year, they exported 1 million 565 thousand US dollars in livestock; 1 million 668 thousand US dollars in grain-cereals; 21 million 590 thousand US dollars in dried fruits and 65 million 60 thousand US dollars in textile.

''The majority of the goods were exported to Italy, Germany and France, and the Turkish goods in greatest demand were dried apricot, synthetic thread, plastic sack, pistachio, towel and macaroni'' they mentioned.

[02] CETIN, PARLIAMENT SPEAKER: ''CAPTURE OF CHIEF OF SEPARATIST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IS A SUCCESS OF TURKEY''

Responding to the questions of A.A correspondent Cetin said Turkish nation was very pleased over the capture of Ocalan, who was responsible for the killings of 30,000 people.

Cetin said ''it is impossible to reach somewhere with terrorism. Capture of Ocalan is a new stage. Now, a process will start for his extradition. Terrorism will be reduced to the minumum level from now on.''

When asked if Italy would extradite Ocalan or not, Cetin said ''a statement coming from Interpol said he was arrested on extradition purpose. Yet, there are the extradition demands of Turkey and Germany. The important thing is that he is captured.''

Stressing that countries have international obligations against terrorism, Cetin said ''I don't think Italy which is a member of Council of Europe and our ally, would allow chief of the separatist terrorist organization to take shelter.''

[03] THE US STATE DEPARTMENT: - ''OCALAN SHOULD BE EXTRADITED AND JUDGED''

Pointing out that the US officials have not received yet the detailed information about the incident, statement expressed satisfaction over the capture of Ocalan.

Reminding that the US has officially declared the PKK as an international terrorist organization before, the statement of the US State Department stressed, ''we believe that Ocalan should be extradited and judged.''

The US officials told A.A correspondent that Italian officials, unoffically informed the US Embassy in Rome about the capture of Ocalan, adding that ''they conveyed us that he was taken under custody.''

High level US officials described capture of Ocalan as ''pleasing development'' adding that ''Ocalan should be extradited within the framework of the arrest decisions taken in Turkey and Germany.''

[04] YILMAZ, PRIME MINISTER: ''NO COUNTRY WILL RESPOND POSITIVELY TO DEMAND OF OCALAN TO SHELTER''

Addressing a news conference together with Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State, Yilmaz said they did not have information why Ocalan went to Italy.

Yilmaz said ''may be he was planning to proceed to another country from Italy. The passport found with him played a determining factor in his capture.''

Yilmaz said ''it will be foolish to think that Italy, which is our ally within NATO and a democratic legal state, will shelter Ocalan, which Syria and Russia could not do.''

Prime Minister Yilmaz pointed out that Ocalan has not demanded political asylum from italy.

When asked if there is a possibility that a problem may erupt in extradition of Ocalan, Yilmaz said extradition demand requires a specific time. Yet, we don't think that Italy will accept the demand of Ocalan to take shelter in this country.''

Yilmaz pointed out that there was no need for bilateral agreements for extradition of Ocalan as the international agreements signed by the two countries envisages cooperation against terrorism. He also said it would be wrong to think that Italian Government will not abide by its international obligations.

Yilmaz said de facto links of Ocalan with the separatist terrorist organization were cut after his capture adding that this terrorist organization remained chiefless from now on.

Responding to a question about the ongoing operation in Northern Iraq, Yilmaz said the operation continues successfully adding that General Staff will issue a statement regarding the outcomes of the operation when it finishes.

[05] WHITE HOUSE: - ''CAPTURE OF OCALAN IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN STRUGGLE AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM''

Responding to the questions of the journalists about the issue, Joe Lockhart, the Whıte House Spokesman, noted, ''the US is gratificated with capture of Ocalan. The US has declared the PKK as an international terrorist organization.''

The US defines the separatist PKK as a ''merciless and bloody handed terrorist organization.''

Meanwhile the US State Department issued an official statement saying that Ocalan who is responsible from the killing of 30 thousand innocent persons, should be extradited and judged.

The US President Bill Clinton had sent a message to President Hafez al- Assad of Syria saying ''stop overall relations with PKK'' during the tension between Turkey and Syria which caused from Syria's support to the separatist terrorist organization.

The US Administration also called Russia to either expel Ocalan or extradite him.

James Rubin, the Spokesman of the US State Department, pointed out when Ocalan was in Russia, ''countries must not shelter terrorists.''

[06] TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN FETHIYE - MANY HOUSES AND BUSINESS PLACES INUNDATED

Heavy-rain affected the industrial estate and Patlangic District inundating many houses and business places.

The torrential rains also paralyzed the daily life and traffic in the county.

The municipality units continue their pumping activities.

Meanwhile, the officials from the Meteorology Regional Directorate said that the heavy-rains will continue.

[07] CEM, FOREIGN MINISTER: ''TURKEY CARRIES OUT EFFORTS TO CONTRIBUTE PEACE AND COOPERATION OF THE WORLD''

Speaking during Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission, Cem said negative developments which stemmed from Gulf crisis and war, splitting of former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, continued adding that Turkey, despite all these negative developments, try not to distort from its foreign politics targets.

''Today's international conjucture gives Turkey the responsibility to act as inter-regional actor'' Cem said adding that Turkey is equipped with required facilities and abilities to play this role.

Pointing out that Turkey attributed a great importance to the preservation of peace and stability in the Balkans, Cem said ''Turkey expresses concern over the incidents in Yugoslavia due to the danger that the incidents may spread and form a threat to regional peace.''

Cem said Turkey felt concern as nearly 60,000 national Turkish minority living in the region may be affected from the incidents and pointed out that ''Turkey, from the very begining, defended that the problem should be solved within territorial integrity of Yugoslavian Federal Republic and that legal basic rights of Turkish minority and all peoples should be taken under guarantee in accordance with the principles of UN Charter, Helsinki Final Act and OSCE documents.

Mentioning about Baku-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline project, Foreign Minister Cem said the feasibility of the pipeline which will have a capacity of 45-50 million tonnes, will be realized with the cooperation of the World Bank. Cem said regional countries and the US expends support to Turkey on the issue of Baku-Ceyhan.

Briefing about the tensed relations between Turkey and Syria, Cem recalled that Syria had expended support to the separatist terrorist organization which aimed at territorial integrity of Turkey.

Cem said ''officials of the two countries had convened between Oct 19 and 20 and held a special security meeting. With the Adana agreement signed there, Syria for the first time accepted and declared that PKK is a separatist terrorist organization. Thus, Syria said it would not allow the activities of PKK and its sub-organizations to act on its territory.''

Cem said it is very important that Syria should fulfil its obligations stemming from the signed document adding that Turkey will cover the implementation of the agreement meticulously and carefully.

Pointing out that Turkey closely covers the situation in Northern Iraq, Cem said ''we attribute importance to the groups in Northern Iraq to be in compromising process and to Ankara process which is forwareded to this end.''

Mentioning about Turkey's relations with the European Union (EU) Cem said the government came to a very sensitive period in this respect adding that ''Turkey is resolved to take steps to realize its full membership to EU within the framework of its foreign politics targets.''

[08] THE TRNC: A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD REPUBLIC - PRESIDENT DENKTAS OF THE TRNC: - ''THE TRNC PROGRESSES STEP BY STEP''

The celebration for the 15th anniversary of foundation of the TRNC has officially begun with radio and television speeches of President Denktas.

Addressing the Turkish Cypriot youth, Denktas stressed, ''this young republic is entrusted to you. You should realize the worth of having an independent, free and democratic country under the help and protection of Turkey.''

[09] SENSOY, TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW SPEAKS TO A.A

Speaking to A.A correspondent Sensoy said ''when we consider the outcomes of the incidents happened in the past one month, I want to say that our bilateral relations are very positive and stand still firmly.''

Stressing that governments of the two countries have political will to improve relations, Sensoy said arrival of chief of separatist terrorist organization to this country created a new position in bilateral relations.

Sensoy said Yevgeni Primakov, Russian Prime Minister, took this issue into consideration seriously and gave assurances to Turkey's President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister on Oct 29, during the celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Turkish Republic. ''Turkey welcomed this development'' he added.

Later, Turkey expressed regret as Duma, sub-flank of Parliament, launched initatives to grant right to shelter to the chief of the separatist terrorist organization.

Sensoy said Turkey expected Russian government to confirm its past attitude following this initiative of Duma adding that Turkey did not have any doubts that Russia would keep its promises.

Sensoy said ''we believed that Russia will act according to the friendship with Turkey and according to its international obligations. We saw that we are justified in our belief when this terrorist was sent from Russia. This country kept its promise as a big, serious and radical state.''

Meanwhile, it was also reported that Aleksander Avdayev, Russian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary, during his contacts in Ankara last week, had promised Turkey that chief of the separatist terrorist organization would not be sheltered in Russia.

[10] BELGIUM EMBASSY IN TURKEY EVALUATES RELATIONS WITH TURKEY ON ACCOUNT OF ROYAL DAY: - ''BELGIUM WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TURKEY IN HER PREPARATIONS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP TO THE EU''

Noting that historical, economic, cultural and humanitarian links make Turkey one of the most significant European partners of Belgium, officials pointed out that Belgium wants to contribute to Turkey in her preparations for the full membership to the European Union (EU). Stressing that friendship relations between the two countries began in 1837 after the Ottoman Empire recognized Belgium Monarchy, The Embassy officials reminded that Belgium opened an embassy in Istanbul in 1838.

Paul Hirsch, then Belgium Consulate General in Istanbul, provided the finance of the railway line of 1800 km between the Balkans and Istanbul in the second half of 19th century. Georges Naegelmackers designed the ''Orient Express'', thus first direct journey between Panis and Istanbul was realized in 1883.

Following the declaration of Republic of Turkey in 1923, the diplomatic relations between the two countries improved rapidly and Turkey sent a Charge d'Affaires in June 1924.

Stressing that Turkey takes part among the ten most significant commercial partners of Belgium, embassy officials pointed out that the trade volume between the two countries was 1.95 billion US dollars last year. This number increased up to 920 million US dollars in the first half of this year adding that Turkey is a prior market for Belgium exporters

Meanwhile the officials also emphasized that nearly 150 thousand Belgium tourists visit Turkey annually.

[11] ATTACKS ON TURKISH JOURNALISTS IN ROME - CORRESPONDENTS OF TRT, SHOW TV AND NTV TAKEN TO HOSPITAL - ITALIAN POLICE REMAIN AS SPECTATOR

Nearly 1500 supporters of the separatist terrorist organization who believe that Ocalan is in military Celio hospital, still hold demonstrations near hospital.

Italian security forces remained as spectator as separatist terrorists beat the Turkish correspondents. Italian security forces did not help injured correspondents to find an ambulance to be taken to hospital. Correspondents came to the Turkish Embassy by a taxi which they stopped on their own.

Eyewitnesses pointed out that Abdurrahman Keskin's face was all in blood. Correspondents were taken to the San Giovanni hospital where the other injured journalists are under medical treatment, by a embassy vehicle.

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