Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-11-29

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

29 NOV 1998

CONTENTS

[01] EVALUATION MEETING AT FOREIGN MINISTER'S RESIDENCE

[02] WEU TAKES UP THE TURKISH-ITALIAN CRISIS - ISMAIL CEM, THE FOREIGN MINISTER TO ADDRESS THE WEU ASSEMBLY

[03] PREMIER YILMAZ OPENS TURKEY'S FIRST METHANE POWER PLANT

[04] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ ADDRESSES TO PRIVATE TELEVISION CHANNEL: ''POLITICS IS BEYOND LAW IN ITALY JUST LIKE IN GERMANY''

[05] THOUSANDS OF TURKISH PEOPLE MARCH IN GERMANY TO CONDEMN ITALY

[06] MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHES - SECRETARIAT GENERAL OF GENERAL STAFF: - ''HELICOPTER CRASHED WHEN THE PILOT WAS SHOT DEAD BY FIRE OPENED FROM THE GROUND''

[07] MOVEMENT OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS REQUESTS BULGARIA TO BAN ACTIVITIES OF PKK IN HER TERRITORIES

[08] GUEST WORKERS WORKERS'S REMITTANCES INCREASE TO 3.9 BILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR

[09] SEN, THE CHAIRMAN OF TURKEY RESEARCH CENTRE: ''NINE PERCENT OF GERMANS WHO TRAVEL COME TO TURKEY''

[01] EVALUATION MEETING AT FOREIGN MINISTER'S RESIDENCE

The ''evaluation meeting'', at which the last external developments and the relations with Italy were discussed'', was held the same day. Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister; Sukru Sina Gurel, the Minister of State; Husamettin Ozkan, the Minister of State; and Korkmaz Haktanir, the Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry, attended the meeting which was presided by Bulent Ecevit.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''we evaluated the latest external developments. We exchanged opinions with the Foreign Ministry officials epecially about the relations with Italy and our initiatives about the extradition of Ocalan.''

Pointing out that some EU members can increase their unjust pressures on Turkey with the thought that the government problem in Turkey may be prolonged, Ecevit said, ''as a matter of fact, two EU member countries have entered into a preparation to this end. These two EU member countries have adopted a tendency of distorting and extremely politicizing Abdullah Ocalan issue and the separatist terrorist PKK issue through an invented court. Turkey's accepting this or getting deceived by such tricks are out of question.''

When asked what kind of a strategy Turkey will pursue against the EU, Ecevit said, ''this was the effort of two EU member countries, it was not a EU effort. I don't even want to deem likely the EU will support such a nonsense effort.''

[02] WEU TAKES UP THE TURKISH-ITALIAN CRISIS - ISMAIL CEM, THE FOREIGN MINISTER TO ADDRESS THE WEU ASSEMBLY

Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister will address the general council on Tuesday and respond to questions of parliamentarians.

Cem is expected to take up the crisis that erupted between Italy and Turkey and inform the European parliamentarians about the activities of the separatist terrorist organization PKK.

Meanwhile, the Turkish parliamentarians, who participate in the WEU Parliamentary Assembly will bring the Turkish-Italian crisis during the political and defense commission meetings and ask the support of their European counterparts to Turkey.

Carlo Scognamiglio, the Italian Defense Minister will address the WEU General Council on Monday and Lamberto Dini, the Italian Foreign Minister will speak in the general council on Wednesday.

Turkey which is an associate partner of WEU Parliamentary Assembly has a right to vote in commission meetings, but she does not have the right to full vote in the general council meetings.

[03] PREMIER YILMAZ OPENS TURKEY'S FIRST METHANE POWER PLANT

Addressing the ceremony held upon the opening of the Methane Power Plant, which was built on a field that has been used as a dumpsite for 30 years, Prime Minister Yilmaz said Turkey has to continue energy investments.

Pointing out that energy investments had been neglected in Turkey in recent years and energy was the sine qua non for the development of the country, Yilmaz stated that the amount of electricity capacity, which was created in the history of the Republic, was 115 billion kwh.

''Turkey is obliged to continue her investment advance in the field of energy. The realization of this only with the budget and state facilities is impossible. Thus we should carry out together the privatization leap in the energy sector,'' Prime Minister Yilmaz noted.

''We have to draw more foreign capital into the energy sector. Besides, we have to create further capacities by encouraging the investments of autoproductor companies. We should enable the local administrations to get their shares from this investment mobilization,'' Yilmaz stressed.

[04] PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ ADDRESSES TO PRIVATE TELEVISION CHANNEL: ''POLITICS IS BEYOND LAW IN ITALY JUST LIKE IN GERMANY''

Responding to questions in a private television channel, Mesut Yżlmaz stated that the statements issued by German Chancellor on Friday brought serious concerns to the agenda concerning this issue.

Noting that the German government gives up law for public order, Premier Yżlmaz said that the German government will take initiatives to ''find an international solution to the socalled Kurdish problem, in order to camouflage this. First of all Germany does not have such a right. Secondly the only solution place of such a problem is Turkey and the only legitimate organ is Turkish competent organs. In one way Germany has such an attitiude to hide her own weakness. While Turkey's official extradition request has not been officialy convened, the Italian politicians had earlier expressed their views concerning the decisions that would be given by the Italian courts. This has showed that the Italian judiciary is tried to be kept under pressure. And these are the weaknesses that Italy would be uneasy to explain as being a state of law.''

Stressing that Turkey's attitude is very clear, Premier Yżlmaz stated that the extradition file has been completed and it will be conveyed to Italian officials as soon as possible.

Noting that the priority of Turkey is extradition of the chief of the separatist terrorist organization PKK to Turkey, Premier Yżlmaz said that ''neither Italy is brave enough to try this person according to her law nor Germany can do it.''

Stressing that the idea of international court for Ocalan, the terorist chief is nonsence, Prime Minister Yżlmaz said that this does not have a place either in international conventions or it is possible under the internal laws of Turkey.

''I don't want to mention this, but there is a longing in Europe for the Sevres Treaty which was torn out by the declaration of the Turkish Republic. These are all useless efforts,'' said Premier Yżlmaz, adding that the entrance of Turkey to the EU is being used as a tool.

''It is impossible to evaluate these two issues together. This struggle is one of survival for us. We can't be flexible about the separatist terrorist organization PKK,'' added Yżlmaz.

Premier Yżlmaz said that the goal of the government to decrease the inflation rate to 50 percent will be realized by the end of December.

[05] THOUSANDS OF TURKISH PEOPLE MARCH IN GERMANY TO CONDEMN ITALY

More than 30 thousand Turkish citizens, who marched in Bonn carrying Turkish flags and many banners shouting slogans condemning Italy and separatist terrorist PKK organization, held a demonstration in front of the Italian Embassy in Bonn.

A four-member delegation from the Platform of the Turkish Society in Europe, which organized the demonstration, laid a black wreath in front of the Italian Embassy with a note on as saying, ''defend the rights of the oppressed, not the rights of killers'', and presented to Italian officials a three-page letter.

Pierluigu Squillante, the Undersecretary of the Italian Embassy in Bonn, said after reading the letter that they can once again think of the extradition of Ocalan to Turkey, if Turkey annuls capital punishment.

Celal Ozturk, an official from the Platform, said, ''spoiling historical and friendly relations for a separatist terrorist is not in favor of any country. We, as the Turks, believe our European friends will not protect the world's bloodiest terrorist. Our NATO-ally and friend Italy should not forget Aldo Moro, a victim of terrorism and should remember the activities of the Red Brigade. Don't protect the killer of 30 thousand people.''

Nearly 10 thousand Turkish people marched in Nurnberg to protest Italy. The Turkish people, who attended the demonstration organized by the Coordination Committee for Turkish Associations, chanted the slogans; ''PKK is terrorist and Ocalan is murderer'', ''Italy, don't overshadow the peace'', ''where are the human rights?''.

Ali Caglar, an official from the Committee, said, ''separatist terrorist Ocalan has to be extradited to Turkey. We damn every kind of terrorism and warn the supporters of terrorism. The ones, who embrace the terrorism, can't be saved from this trouble.''

More than 15 Turkish people marched to the Italian Consulate in Munich, protesting the attitude of Italy, while almost 10 thousand Turkish people held a demonstration in the capital Berlin, condemning Italy.

[06] MILITARY HELICOPTER CRASHES - SECRETARIAT GENERAL OF GENERAL STAFF: - ''HELICOPTER CRASHED WHEN THE PILOT WAS SHOT DEAD BY FIRE OPENED FROM THE GROUND''

The Secretariat General issued a written statement saying, ''the general- purpose helicopter, which was carrying 18 personnel, crashed on 27 November 1998 at about 12:30 local time as its control was lost when the pilot was shot by light guns fire opened from the ground by separatist terrorists while it was staging its reconnaissance, monitoring, patrolling and urgent support mission over a region neighbouring the Turkish-Iranian border.''

''The necessary military units were transferred to the scene and they started the search-rescue activities. They brought 16 personnel, who died in the crash, and one soldier, who was injured, into southeastern Hakkari province. One private was reported missing and the activities to rescue him still continue,'' the statement added.

[07] MOVEMENT OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS REQUESTS BULGARIA TO BAN ACTIVITIES OF PKK IN HER TERRITORIES

Kemal Eyup, the deputy leader of the HOH, said that they desire the chief terrorist to be extradited to Turkey and be tried immediately.

Eyup said that they will submit a draft law to the Bulgarian Parliament next week requesting an absolute ban on every activity of educational, cultural and other organizations supporting the seperatist terrorism.

Meanwhile, the HOH Supreme Committee issued a special communique, saying, ''the HOH strongly condemns all kinds of terrorism and the activities of the people, who urge the people on terrorism.''

Requesting the extradition of Ocalan to Turkey and his trial immediately, the HOH said in its communique, ''also, the Bulgarian government should ban all structures of the PKK carrying out activities in her territories.''

Stressing that the separatist terrorist organization was also responsible for the murders of Bulgarian citizens in the past, the HOH said, ''chief terrorist Ocalan should be tried as he killed thousands of innocent people.''

[08] GUEST WORKERS WORKERS'S REMITTANCES INCREASE TO 3.9 BILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR

According to the data of the Central Bank, the workers' remittances increased by 26.8 percent in Turkey's balance of payments between January- September this year. During the same period last year; 3.7 million dollars were gained from Turkish workers in 1997.

Meanwhile, the qualifications of Turkish people who go abroad to work have changed a lot. The Turkish workers who went abroad as workers in 1960s, own their own professions nowadays.

According to a research of the Association of the European Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists, the number of Turkish entrepreneurs in Germany whose number is around 45,000 will exceed 100,000 in 2010.

Thus the percent of Turkish entrepreneurs who were 1 percent in 1970s in Germany will increase to 9 percent in 2010.

The number of offices of Turkish entrepreneurs abroad are expected to reach 650,000 in 2010 and the annual endorsement of them is expected to reach 192 billion marks.

[09] SEN, THE CHAIRMAN OF TURKEY RESEARCH CENTRE: ''NINE PERCENT OF GERMANS WHO TRAVEL COME TO TURKEY''

Noting that 616 million people travel for touristic purposes every year in the world, Prof. Dr. Sen pointed out that ''twenty countries host 445 millions of them. The tourism incomes of these twenty countries is more than 320 billion dollars.''

''Unfortunately 91 percent of German people have never come to Turkey, if we can succeed to bring 10 percent of this 91 percent, there won't be any problems. Two thirds of German population is getting rich, but the German people who come and stay in Turkey are from the poor part in Germany. Turkey has to find the ways to attract German people to come to Turkey,'' said Sen.

Sen stated that Turkey comes the 19th among the countries which host the greatest number of tourists in the world and she comes the 15th in respect of tourism incomes.

Noting that tourists who stayed in Turkey in 1997 spent 3.5 billion dollars in Turkey except accommodation, Sen added that more than 62 percent of the tourists who come to Turkey are from the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OECD) countries. This shows that tourism has an important place in Turkey's relations with Europe, he added.

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