Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-01-24

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

AA Daily

24 January 1999 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO LEAVE FOR ALGERIA ON MONDAY

[03] FIRE ON TURKISH TANKER EXTINGUISHED - EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO FIND THE MISSING CREW MEMBERS

[04] ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY ADDRESSES TO A.A: ''WE OFFICIALY ANNOUNCE THAT OCALAN HAS NEVEN BEEN TO OUR COUNTRY''

[05] PREMIER ECEVIT: ''THE RECENT TANKER FIRE SHOWED ONCE AGAIN THAT WE ARE RIGHT TO BE SENSITIVE ABOUT THE PASSAGES THROUGH THE STRAITS''

[06] UGUR MUMCU, A FAMOUS JOURNALIST IS COMMEMORATED - PREMIER ECEVIT: ''MUMCU WAS A FEARLESS DEFENDER OF SECULARISM, DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL UNITY''

[07] UGUR MUMCU, A FAMOUS JOURNALIST IS COMMEMORATED - PRESIDENT DEMIREL ISSUES A MESSAGE

[08] TURKEY AND FOREIGN CAPITAL - THE NETHERLANDS COMES THE FIRST COUNTRY IN FOREIGN CAPITAL OF TURKEY WITH 352 MILLION DOLLARS

[09] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT : ''WE ARE THE COUNTRY WHICH ADVERSELY EFFECTED FROM THE IRAQI CRISIS''

[10] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT : ''IT HAS BEEN UNDERSTOOD THAT PARTIES CAN'T DEAL WITH POLITICS BY HAVING AN ANTI-SECULARIST ATTITUDE'' - ''EXPECTING AN URGENT ASSISTANCE FROM IMF IS NOT REALISTIC''

[11] COEPA TO TAKE UP THE REPORT ABOUT TURKEY ON MONDAY

[12] GAP REGION REALIZES CANDIES EXPORT OF 29.1 MILLION DOLLARS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL) LESSON TO KURDISH PEOPLE FROM AMERICAN EXPERT
Addressing a ceremony held upon the introduction of his book namely ''Turkey and the Heritage of Ataturk,'' Paul Henze, the former member of the US intelligence service said that people of Kurdish origin are not under pressure in Turkey and they should give up this propoganda. The Voice of America covered this news broadly. Henze pointed out that ''Kurdish people are free in Turkey and the Kurdish movement is very active in Europe and this shows that there is freedom in Turkey.''

DEMIREL:I WARN FOR THE LAST TIME
President Suleyman Demirel said that two-round elections are necessary for the local elections, adding that ''a mayor should get the support of at least half of the people, as this will bring people close to the administration.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

LIFE ENDS IN TANKER
An explosion and fire aboard a tanker killed two of the 13 crews and injured eight others. Three crew members are missing.

The tanker ''Marmara'' was about 15 miles off Armutlu in the Marmara Sea when the explosion occurred. The captain did not leave the tanker to the last minute and he died in the tanker.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

ECEVIT:WE ARE TRYING TO PREVENT IRAQI WAR
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that Turkey is uneasy about the possibility of a clash between the US and Iraq, adding that ''we are trying to prevent the occurance of a war.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

ECEVIT'S PLAN ON IRAQ
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the policy of the US to overthrow Saddam Hussein in Iraq does not depend on a strong plan, adding that Turkey develops an alternative plan for the region. The plan proposed by Ecevit for the solution of Iraqi problem is as follows: the territorial integrity of Iraq has to be protected and to this end a determination has to be pursued in order to satisfy the Iraqi administration. The supervision of the UN Resolutions should be clear. In parallel with the UN Resolutions, the embargo on Iraq has to be lifted. Lastly a dialogue has to be provided between Northern Iraq and the Iraqi administration.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

DON'T TALK ABOUT OCALAN
Bulent Ecevit, the Prime Minister said that the issue of Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of the separatist terrorist organization PKK should not remain on the top of Turkey's agenda. ''He can't not find a place in the world to take shelter. The separatist terrorist organization is about to dissolve.''

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

LESSON NOT TAKEN
In spite of the tanker accidents that frequently take place in Marmara Sea and the Straits, serious measures are not still taken.

[02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO LEAVE FOR ALGERIA ON MONDAY

Presidential Press Center said in a written statement that a delegation including Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, Murat Karayalcın, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission, high ranking officials, academicians, businessmen and press members will accompany President Demirel in his visit.

The statement pointed out that President Demirel's visit to Algeria will be the first visit that will be realized to Algeria from Turkey during the last ten years, noting that the visit aims at further improvement of bilateral relations in all fields.

President Demirel will meet with his Algerian counterpart Zeroual, Senate Speaker, Parliament Speaker, Prime Minister and receive the representatives of Turkish community living there.

President Demirel will address the Turkish-Algerian Business Council meeting together with Algerian Prime Minister and during the visit several documents will be signed which will provide the completion of contractual framework of the bilateral relations between Turkey and Algeria.

[03] FIRE ON TURKISH TANKER EXTINGUISHED - EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO FIND THE MISSING CREW MEMBERS

Orhan Barda, the Deputy Director General of Coast Security and Ship Rescue Enterprises (KEGKI) told A.A correspondent that the fire on the tanker was put out at 21.30 local time on Saturday. The tanker was taken away to a safe place on Sunday morning.

Barda said that the decision concerning to make inquiries in the tanker was postponed and such a decision can only be given within the framework of the report that will be prepared by a technical delegation coming from Istanbul.

Noting that the cooling efforts have been completed, Barda said ''we wait for the technical team from Istanbul. Approximately 2000 tonnes of fuel is in the tanker. We've taken the necessary measures to prevent the spreading of the fuel oil in the tanker. Besides three other tankers surrounded the 'Marmara' tanker.''

Orhan Barda pointed out that helicopters and hunter boats belonging to the Naval Forces re-started to look for the missing three crew members.

The blaze on the 3,500-gross tonne ''Marmara'' belonging to Telliler Denizcilik Enterprise broke out on Friday. The ship was returning to Istanbul after unloading at a BP unit in the Marmara port of Yarimca when the fire broke out.

[04] ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY ADDRESSES TO A.A: ''WE OFFICIALY ANNOUNCE THAT OCALAN HAS NEVEN BEEN TO OUR COUNTRY''

Responding to questions of A.A correspondent in written form, Ara Papyan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesman stressed that ''Armenian officials including the Armenian Foreign Ministry officials have many times announced that Ocalan is not in Armenia. In spite of that, press organs of some countries continue to publish news claiming that Ocalan is in Armenia or he has used Armenia for a transit passage. For that reason, we consider it necessary to officialy announce that Ocalan has never been to Armenia and he is not in Armenia at the moment.''

''Armenia does not have the intention to intervene with the internal affairs of any country or take parts in existing international clashes,'' said Papyan.

When asked whether or not he finds the relations between Turkey and Armenia satisfying, Papyan stated that there is not a complete dialogue between the two countries which is necessary to solve their bilateral problems.

[05] PREMIER ECEVIT: ''THE RECENT TANKER FIRE SHOWED ONCE AGAIN THAT WE ARE RIGHT TO BE SENSITIVE ABOUT THE PASSAGES THROUGH THE STRAITS''

Responding to questions of journalists about the blaze that occured in ''Marmara'' tanker carrying fuel oil, Ecevit said that measures will be taken to prevent the occurance of such accidents.

When asked about the whereabouts of Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of the separatist terrorist organization PKK, Ecevit said there was no new development concerning this issue, adding Armenian officials stated that Abdullah Ocalan was not in their territories and they won't permit him to take shelter in Armenia.

[06] UGUR MUMCU, A FAMOUS JOURNALIST IS COMMEMORATED - PREMIER ECEVIT: ''MUMCU WAS A FEARLESS DEFENDER OF SECULARISM, DEMOCRACY AND NATIONAL UNITY''

In his message issued upon the sixth anniversary of the assassination of Mumcu, Prime Minister Ecevit stated that Mumcu was a great journalist and a brave researcher.

Premier Ecevit said Mumcu's contributions to the republic will always be remembered with gratitude.

[07] UGUR MUMCU, A FAMOUS JOURNALIST IS COMMEMORATED - PRESIDENT DEMIREL ISSUES A MESSAGE

Presidential Press Centre quoted in a written statement the words of President Demirel as ''I commemorate Ugur Mumcu, a writer and a journalist with God's mercy and grace who was killed due to a dreadful murder six years ago.''

Meanwhile a ceremony was held in the street which was given the name of ''Ugur Mumcu'' after Mumcu was killed in a car bomb on January 24, 1993 there.

[08] TURKEY AND FOREIGN CAPITAL - THE NETHERLANDS COMES THE FIRST COUNTRY IN FOREIGN CAPITAL OF TURKEY WITH 352 MILLION DOLLARS

According to the data of the Undersecretariat of Treasury, Germany followed the Netherlands with 329.9 million dollars, while the US came the third with 297.2 million dollars.

Within the European Union (EU) countries, the Netherlands came the first with 32.3 percent, Germany came the second with 30.7 percent, France came the third with 12.4 percent, Italy followed France with 11.8 percent, Britain followed Italy with 4 percent and Luxembourg followed them with 2.2 percent concerning the foreign capital permitted to be realized in Turkey.

Meanwhile the US (18 percent), Switzerland (6.17 percent) and Bahrain (1.5 percent) also took share in foreign capital list of Turkey.

Last year totally 1224 foreign capital permissions were granted and the EU countries got the highest number of permissions with 650.

[09] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT : ''WE ARE THE COUNTRY WHICH ADVERSELY EFFECTED FROM THE IRAQI CRISIS''

Responding to questions in a private television channel, Prime Minister Ecevit said that he liked and respected Ugur Mumcu very much who died in a car bomb six years ago on January 24, adding Mumcu contributed to journalism and clarification of many dark incidents in Turkey. ''I believe and hope that those who killed Mumcu will be captured sooner or later,'' Ecevit said.

Noting that the government gives priority to economy as being one of the most important problem of the country, Bulent Ecevit said ''we focus on measures which will diminish the economic difficulties rapidly, we will also convene the Economic and Social Council in the coming days.''

''The issue of Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of the separatist terrorist organization PKK has become a puzzle. It is not known where he is. But the thing that matters is the fact that Ocalan won't be able to find a place easily to take shelter. His terrorist identity and the heaviness of the murders committed by his terorist organization have started to be known by the whole world,'' said Ecevit, noting that differences of opinion and clashes within the terrorist organization started and even the chief of the terrorist organization is not hopeful about his organization anymore.

Prime Minister Ecevit stressed that the terrorist chief will spend his life by hiding and using fake names.

Responding to a question about the Iraqi crisis, Bulent Ecevit said he is concerned about the possibility of a war in Iraq, noting the main reason of his concern is the ambiguity in the US policy towards Iraq.

Pointing out that the necessary measures have to be taken concerning the dangerous armament efforts of Iraq and the Iraqi administration has to be more tolerant concerning this issue, Ecevit said ''the escalation of the situation by both sides can cause a war although their intention is not to start a fight.''

Prime Minister Ecevit said that they have applied to the UN Security Council to make the latter take up the Kosovo issue and determine effective measures after the increase in the Serbian attacks in Kosovo, adding Turkey has also conveyed this issue to NATO.

''If Milosevic and the Serbian administration does not give up their cruel attitude, NATO has to take effective measures including military ones,'' Ecevit added.

[10] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT : ''IT HAS BEEN UNDERSTOOD THAT PARTIES CAN'T DEAL WITH POLITICS BY HAVING AN ANTI-SECULARIST ATTITUDE'' - ''EXPECTING AN URGENT ASSISTANCE FROM IMF IS NOT REALISTIC''

Responding to questions in a private television channel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that serious measures were taken against anti-secularist movements, adding the education reform is a new guarantee of secularism.

''There is a small minority in Turkey which is not used to secularism, but these people have also started to acknowledge that they can't be effective in Turkey by such an attitude,'' Prime Minister Ecevit said.

When asked whether or not there exists a possibility of postponement of the elections, Ecevit said ''I don't see such a possibility. There is no turning back as there is the decision of the parliament.''

Ecevit pointed out that the Democratic Left Party (DSP) will get the highest number of votes in the coming elections, adding it has been seen that coalitions or minority governments have been able to solve problems which could not even be solved by one party governments.

Responding to a question about the future of the relations with IMF, Ecevit said an IMF delegation will come to Turkey on January 27 and the statements of IMF officials are promising. ''However it will be unrealistic to expect an urgent assistance from IMF. Nevertheless their positive statements about Turkish economy will also increase our possibility of getting credits abroad,'' said Prime Minister Ecevit.

Noting that the first three months of the year will be difficult in respect of economy, Premier Ecevit said Turkey will pay 24 billion dollars of internal and external debts during this period.

[11] COEPA TO TAKE UP THE REPORT ABOUT TURKEY ON MONDAY

The meetings will last for one week and the COEPA will also take up the report prepared by Andreas Barsony, the Hungarian parliamentarian and Walter Schimmer, the Austrian parliamentarian about Turkey.

The report will be taken up by the COEPA general council on Monday. The report, which uneasies Turkey, won't be voted, however the parliamentarians will explain their own personal views during the meetings.

The report suggests Turkey to continue undertaking reforms in the field of democracy and human rights and make cooperation with Venice Commission, which acts within the framework of COE regarding the changes that are foreseen to be made in the Turkish Constitution.

The report includes expressions like ''Turkish officials should accept the necessary dialogue to give cultural autonomy to Kurdish origin people in Turkey.''

[12] GAP REGION REALIZES CANDIES EXPORT OF 29.1 MILLION DOLLARS

In 1997, GAP exported 21.36 thousand tonnes of candies, thus the export decreased by 11.8 percent in 1998.

Sahin Batallı, the Chairman of Southeastern Anatolian Exporters Union said that GAP exported candies to Iraq, Germany, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Romania and Turkmenistan in 1998.

Battalı said that during the same period 38.4 thousand tonnes of sugar were exported to Iraq and an income of 12.9 million dollars were earned in return.

A.A

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