Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-03-21

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

AA Daily

21 March 1999 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] VISIT OF PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO BULGARIA TO START ON MONDAY

[03] NEWROZ WEEK - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''NEWROZ HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED WITHIN ITS SPECIALITY AND THE ONES WHO WANT TO SPOIL THIS ATMOSPHERE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED''

[04] NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS - PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''NEWROZ IS CELEBRATED IN CENTRAL ASIA, CAUCASIA AND IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS BY MANY COMMUNITIES AS THE SYMBOL OF PEACE, TOLERANCE AND FRIENDSHIP

[05] TEKEL REACHES 654 TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS IN SALES OF CIGARETTES AND RAKI LAST YEAR

[06] ENERGY BRIDGE TO TRNC

[07] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - A PERSON SHOT IN THE HEAD DURING FIRST INTERVENTION OF POLICE IN DEMONSTRATION IN GAZIOSMANPASA

[08] NEWROZ IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA - CELEBRATIONS HELD IN PEACE

[09] NEWROZ IN TURKEY - DEMONSTRATORS DISPERSED IN ADANA WHEN POLICE SHOOT IN AIR - 50 PEOPLE INCLUDING 19 WOMEN DETAINED IN KONYA - 150 PEOPLE INCLUDING HADEP ADMINISTRATORS AND CANDIDATES TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN GAZIANTEP

[10] NEWROZ FESTIVAL - PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS MESSAGES TO PRESIDENTS OF IRAN AND TURKISH REPUBLICS CELEBRATING NEWROZ

[11] NEWROZ IN IZMIR AND TRNC - WINDOWS OF A SHOPPING CENTER AND POLICE CAR BROKEN IN IZMIR - CYPRUS TURKISH AVIATION AUTHORITY ORGANIZES AVIATION FESTIVAL

[12] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - ALMOST 80 DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED IN UMRANIYE

[13] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - POLICE OPEN FIRE IN THE AIR TO DISPERSE DEMONSTRATORS - MANY OF DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED

[14] NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS IN SOUTHEAST

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

MED-TV LOOKS FOR A NEW COUNTRY
Belgium began to cover closely the broadcastings of Med-tv due to the pressures coming from Turkey. Foreign Ministry officials said translation of all the programs of Med-tv is conveyed to a special unit formed in Belgian Interior Ministry. This special unit will inspect wheter or not MED- TV gives terrorist attack orders in its broadcastings. Belgian Interior Ministry will immediately launch initiatives to close MED-TV in Brussels if a terrorist activity call comes.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

NEWROZ MOBILIZATION
Security measures increased thoughout the whole country against possible activities due to Newroz Celebrations. Security measures were taken to prevent Newroz celebration to deviate from its goal. Leaves of the officials working in Emergency Rule Region are cancelled.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Security forces warned to ''stop'' a person who approached to the Regional Traffic Directorship Building causing suspicion.

Later, the terrorist, who got excited, detonated the bomb he wrapped up, blewing himself up.

22.5 YEARS IMPRISONMENT TERMS WANTED FOR DEP DEPUTY
Ankara State Security Court (DGM) Republican Chief Prosecutorship on Saturday filed a suit against Naif Gunes, former deputy of Democracy Party (DEP), which was closed by the Constitutional Court, calling for imprisonment terms up to 22.5 years, on grounds that he made separatism propoganda in his press releases in 1991-1992-1994 and that he was a ''travelling member of the armed gang PKK.''

The indictment said Ocalan specified the deputy candidates who will enter the Parliament and that he met Leyla Zana, Ahmet Turk, Sedat Yurttas, Zubeyir Aydar, Sirri Sakik face to face before the elections and by telephone with the other candidates and confirmed that candidacy after the information given about them.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

YILMAZ: DISPUTE STEMS FROM ERBAKAN
Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), critized the disgruntleds in the Parliament who wanted to postpone the elections. He said ''the ones who wanted elections, now in an effort to postpone elections. Yilmaz said the dispute in the country stemmed from Erbakan and that this did not bring tranquility. Yilmaz also noted that the elections were a golden opportunity to provide stability in the country.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

The total number of shanties bulit in Istanbul between 1994 ano 1997 is 85 thousand.

LAST TRICK OF ERBAKAN
Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP), accepted the disgruntled deputies' offer that ''firstly, we will postpone the elections, and later we will lift off the ban on you.''

Erbakan, who concluded negotiations with the disgruntleds, accepted this formula when Husamettin Cindoruk, the leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP), mediated.

The disgruntled deputies gave assurance to Erbakan of 150 signatures.

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

The FP based its election campaign on the theme of bread. The Fp, which promises to give five million free breads a day throughout Turkey, aims at collecting the votes of poor people in shanty towns.

Meanwhile, Melih Gokcek built a ''Statue of Bread'' in the Altinpark in Ankara.

DINCMEN: ''ANKARA WAS PROVED TO BE RIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME''
Yener Dincmen, the Undersecretary of Treasury, said that the economy administration was very successful desqite the crisis in 1998 and Ankara for the first time was proved to be right about economic targets.

Dincmen said the reas sector is facing a trouble as it doesn't rely on Ankara.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

ECEVIT: TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IS ALSO NOT A FRIEND OF KURDS
Addressing the people in his party meeting in Corlu, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said ''PKK is not a friend of our Kurdish brothers, it is their enemy. Terrorists tried to prevent every kind of investment that will bring welfare to the region.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

The live bomb male terrorist unpinned the bomb with panic in Baskale county of eastern Van province but he failed to reach his target. In this suicide bombing, the male terrorist blew himself up while two policeman and one passer-by person were slightly injured.

In Silopi county of southeastern Sirnak province, a female terrorist was captured before she was to detonate a bomb on herself.

In Istanbul, a total of 300 people were taken into custody in sudden raids to buildings of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP).

[02] VISIT OF PRESIDENT DEMIREL TO BULGARIA TO START ON MONDAY

The Bulgarian Interior Ministry took large-scale security measures. Bulgarian police intensified its checks and controls especially in the capital Sofia and Plovdiv.

During the visit of President Suleyman Demirel, who will arrive in Bulgaria as the official guest of Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, an agreement foreseeing the prohibition of the use of land mines will be signed between the two countries by the Foreign Ministers Ismail Cem and Nadejda Mihailova.

The agreement foresees banning of the use of land mines on the Turkish- Bulgarian border and sweeping of the earlier planted land mines.

Bulgaria, in accordance with a decision she made last year, started to sweep off the land mines on her borders with Turkey and Greece.

During his visit, President Suleyman Demirel will also open the ''Demirbank Bulgaria A.D'' which was established with 15 million German Marks capital and of which 99.9 percent stake belongs to Turkish businesmen Halit Cingillioglu.

Demirbank will be the second Turkish bank carrying out business in Bulgaria after the Ziraat Bank. The Ziraat Bank opened a branch office in Sofia last year.

In the first day of his official visit to Bulgaria, President Suleyman Demirel will meet with Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov and receive Prime Minister Ivan Kostov and Parliament Speaker Yordan Sokolov and exchange opinion about the bilateral relations and the recent developments in the region including especially the Kosovo issue.

Demirel, who will attend the Turkish-Bulgarian Business Forum, will meet with the Mufti of Bulgaria and the board of the Rights and Freedoms Movement (HOH) composed of mostly Turkish members to get information about the problems of the Turks and muslims living in Bulgaria.

In the second day of his visit, President Demirel will meet at breakfast with Zhelu Zhelev, the former President of Bulgaria.

Demirel, who will proceed to Plovdiv following the breakfast, will open the supplementary facilities of the pasteboard factory of Turkish Isiklar Holding in Stamboliyiski county.

Suleyman Demirel will address the kinsmen at the Opera Hall in Plovdiv. Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov will also attend that meeting.

President Suleyman Demirel will leave Bulgaria for Turkey late on 23 March after concluding his contacts in Plovdiv.

President Demirel and his wife Nazmiye Demirel will accompany by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, high-level bureaucrats and more than 30 businessmen.

[03] NEWROZ WEEK - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''NEWROZ HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED WITHIN ITS SPECIALITY AND THE ONES WHO WANT TO SPOIL THIS ATMOSPHERE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED''

President Suleyman Demirel issued a message due to Newroz week and in the message noted that Newroz which expresses harmony of people with people and people with nature, rapproached people and installated love, peace and tolarance atmosphere. Demirel said ''Newroz has to be exprienced within this speciality and the ones who want to spoil this atmosphere should not be allowed.''

Presidential Press Center statement said in the message Demirel said Newroz is accepted as the first day of the new year and the starting of spring.

Demirel said for centuries the differences between the communities were accepted as richness and a unity atmosphere was provided in which global values like peace, friendship and brotherhood are shared.

Demirel said foundations of culture were laid between the communities and a peace and love bridge was formed, adding that Newroz is a festival still celebrated with enthusiasm in Anatolia, Central Asia, Caucasia and the Middle East and that this is an example of historical and cultural partnership between the communities.

Demirel said making synthesis with the differences and global values and laying the foundations of a world in which peace and tolerance will be experienced should be the main goal of humanity. He said such festivals should be carried out forever and should be celebrated with enthusiasm and hapiness.

[04] NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS - PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''NEWROZ IS CELEBRATED IN CENTRAL ASIA, CAUCASIA AND IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS BY MANY COMMUNITIES AS THE SYMBOL OF PEACE, TOLERANCE AND FRIENDSHIP

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit issued a message due to Newroz Festival and said ''we wish that Newroz festival which is celebrated in our country will strengthen and keep alive the peace, love, unity and integrity. I celebrate Newroz Festival with the belief that it will contribute to the improvement of love, solidarity, tolerance and peace atmosphere within the structure of a pluralist society equipped with a rich culture composition.''

[05] TEKEL REACHES 654 TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS IN SALES OF CIGARETTES AND RAKI LAST YEAR

TEKEL will pay 208.5 trillion TL to the Treasury in its legal responsibilities like tax and funds.

The data of the Directorate General of TEKEL shows that a total of 121 million 117 thousand litres of TEKEL production drinks worth 143 trillion 547 billion TL were consumed in 1998.

The best-known drink of TEKEL ''raki'' protected its top-seeded in demand rank among other alcoholic drinks with its 74 million 277 thousand liters of consumption worth 113 trillion 215 billion TL.

[06] ENERGY BRIDGE TO TRNC

Huseyin Arabul, World Energy Council Turkish National Committee Chairman, who is the head of the delegation which carry out studies related with the project, said with the energy bridge in question, they aimed at taking humanitarian benefit to Cyprus.

Noting that energy was one of the long term problems of Cyprus, Arabul said with the energy project to Cyprus, an important service will be made, adding that energy should involve whole of Cyprus not only TRNC.

Arabul said the project was in study stage and added that they thought of making Southern Cyprus benefit from the energy. He said if energy is brought to Southern Cyprus, they will not take the money from them but get energy to Turkey with interconnection systems that will be made with Greece and that this will be a peace energy bridge.

Noting that the energy will be given with cables that will be installed under the sea, Arabul said the cables will be installed to the base under 1000 meters dept and its length will be approximately 100 kilometers.

Arabul said similar projects were realized in European, Scandinavian and South American countries.

[07] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - A PERSON SHOT IN THE HEAD DURING FIRST INTERVENTION OF POLICE IN DEMONSTRATION IN GAZIOSMANPASA

The person, whose identity has still not been announced, was taken to the Private safak Hospital. Officials said this person is in critical condition.

Following the police intervention, fire was opened on the police unit and two policemen were also shot in the belly and leg during the harassment fire opened from the surrounding buildings.

[08] NEWROZ IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA - CELEBRATIONS HELD IN PEACE

The fires set by children in the places for which there is not a permission are extinguished by police and fire brigades.

The strict and intense security measures taken since late on Saturday still continue to prevent illegal demonstrations could be staged with the pretext of Newroz.

In Cizre county of southeastern Sirnak province where the terrorist attacks and activities were intensely staged in the past, the Newroz Festival is celebrated in peaceful atmosphere.

Many residents of Cizre attended the celebrations held at the Main Republic Square. They sang songs and performed Anatolian Folk Dances around the fire set at the Square.

Addressing the people at the Square, Kamil Atak, the Mayor of Cizre, said, ''they, as the residents of Cizre, caught peaceful atmosphere. We are living within the atmosphere of brotherhood and peace. Nobody has the right to destroy this atmosphere and can't achieve it. There is not a Turkish- Kurdish separation, we are brothers and sisters. The people who try to destroy this are only called as the traitors.''

It was seen that broad security measures were taken against possible provocations and illegal demonstrations while security forces extinguished the burning tyres set fire on by groups including children and women in the city centers of eastern Elazig and southeastern Batman provinces, and Kiziltepe and Nusaybin counties of southeastern Mardin province.

Meanwhile, the Newroz Festival was being celebrated with several conferences, folk dances, concerts and several activities in eastern Erzurum, Bingol, Kars, Tunceli, Ardahan and Igdir provinces.

Security forces will continue their measures in the region for another 24 hours.

[09] NEWROZ IN TURKEY - DEMONSTRATORS DISPERSED IN ADANA WHEN POLICE SHOOT IN AIR - 50 PEOPLE INCLUDING 19 WOMEN DETAINED IN KONYA - 150 PEOPLE INCLUDING HADEP ADMINISTRATORS AND CANDIDATES TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN GAZIANTEP

A group of people, who burned tyres and threw stones at police showing Newroz celebrations as a pretext in southern Adana province, were dispersed when police shot in the air and used tear bombs.

In these demonstrations in Adana, seven policemen were injured while the demonstrators were detained.

The celebrations in southern Icel province continue in peace with slogans in kurdish codemning the terrorist PKK organization and its chief Abdullah Ocalan.

Security forces didn't allow any illegal demonstrations in southern Hatay province while the celebrations were held in southern Iskenderun province despite heavy rain.

In Konya province in the Central Anatolia, a group of almost 300 demonstrators was dispersed by security forces. Security forces detained nearly 50 demonstrators including a lawyer and ten women.

In southeastern Gaziantep province, police took into custody almost 150 people including the administrators and mayor and deputy candidates of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) who attempted to hold an illegal demonstration.

Any illegal demonstration didn't occur in eastern Kahramanmaras and its Elbistan county, and southeastern Adiyaman and Kilis provinces, and Samsun and Kayseri provinces.

Meanwhile, police detained the people who tried to hold an illegal demonstration in Mamak county of Ankara with the pretext of Newroz celebrations.

[10] NEWROZ FESTIVAL - PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS MESSAGES TO PRESIDENTS OF IRAN AND TURKISH REPUBLICS CELEBRATING NEWROZ

The Presidential Press Center said that President Suleyman Demirel sent messages to the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to celebrate their Newroz Festival.

[11] NEWROZ IN IZMIR AND TRNC - WINDOWS OF A SHOPPING CENTER AND POLICE CAR BROKEN IN IZMIR - CYPRUS TURKISH AVIATION AUTHORITY ORGANIZES AVIATION FESTIVAL

Almost two thousand people carrying clubs with yellow-red-green ribbons chanted slogans.

Meanwhile, children of between 5 and 12 ages carrying banners of People's Democracy Party (HADEP) approached the police units and chanted slogans.

In Karsiyaka county of Izmir, some demonstrators broke the windows of the TANSAS Yamanlar Shopping Center, armoured police vehicle and a police car, and fled away.

Meanwhile, an aviation festival was held at the Yavrukus Facilities in the Gecitkale Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) within the framework of Newroz celebrations.

[12] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - ALMOST 80 DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED IN UMRANIYE

Nearly 150 people convened on an empty area in Esensehir district at about 13:30 local time. The demonstrators burned car tyres and chanted slogans. Security forces intervened in the group which didn't obey the warnings to disperse.

Security forces took into custody almost 80 demonstrators trying to escape following the intervention.

[13] NEWROZ IN ISTANBUL - POLICE OPEN FIRE IN THE AIR TO DISPERSE DEMONSTRATORS - MANY OF DEMONSTRATORS DETAINED

A group of people, who attempted to change the Newroz celebrations into illegal demonstrations, convened on the Mendere Street in Hurriyet District in Yenibosna county of Istanbul. Security forces, who arrived the place, warned the demonstrators to disperse who set fires by burning car tyres and were chanting slogans in kurdish.

The group, who didn't disperse and insisted on continuing their illegal demonstration they held with the pretext of Newroz, attacked on the securtiy forces with clubs and threw stones.

Later, security forces, who opened fire into the air to disperse the demonstrators, took into custody many of them who tried to fled away.

During the incidents, some of the demonstrators and a policeman were slightly injured.

Meanwhile, another group of people, who convened at about 13:00 local time in Gazi district in Gaziosmanpasa county of Istanbul, resisted against security forces by throwing clubs and stones.

The security forces in the region are being reinforced to intervene in that group.

[14] NEWROZ CELEBRATIONS IN SOUTHEAST

Speaking to A.A correspondent, Nafiz Kayali, the Governor of southeastern Diyarbakir province, said that Newroz is a festival which is the herald of spring but it is impossible to understand its aim of celebration as a day to attack on police and security forces.

''Diyarbakir is now in peace. Even a single incident hasn't been happened up until now. Everybody is celebrating their festival within peace and security,'' he said.

The strict measures of police, gendarmerie and special forces continue in Diyarbakir.

Within this framework, the people, who tried to stage illegal demonstrations by burning car tyres in Sehitlik, Baglar and Huzurevleri districts in Diyarbakir, were detained while the fires were immediately put out.

Meanwhile, the celebration programme, which was organized by the southeastern Siirt Governorship, took place at the Stadium No:2.

Addressing the ceremony, Siirt Governor Osman Acar said that Newroz Festival should be celebrated within unity and solidarity.

Later, Governor acar, who set the festival fire, performed the Anatolian Folk Dance together with people around the fire.

A.A

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