Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-05-09

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

AA Daily

09 May 1999 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] EUROPEAN INVESTOR AND TURKEY - YARDIMCI, HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ASSOCIATIONS EUROPEAN FEDERATION: ''EUROPEAN INVESTORS AND TURKISH BUSINESSMEN WILLING TO INVEST IN TURKEY''

[03] INTERNATIONAL MEETING TO BE ORGANIZED IN SANLIURFA

[04] MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION TOURISTS VISIT TURKEY IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1999

[05] TURKEY'S ANTHRACITE EXPORT RISES EVERY YEAR

[06] TURK, MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, LEAVES FOR GERMANY - TURK TO PARTICIPATE IN WEU MINISTERS COUNCIL SPRING MEETINGS

[07] DR. SIDDIKI, THEOLOGIST FROM ISNA: ''MUSLIMS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM WEARING OUTFITS THAT MIGHT HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON SOCIETY''

[08] STATE MINISTER GEMICI: ''IT MAKES YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE PALESTINIAN AND IRANIAN WOMEN CARRYING PICTURES OF KAVAKCI NEXT TO HOMEYNI'S''

[09] GENERAL STAFF CHAIRMANSHIP DELEGATION IN TBILISI

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

NICE STARTING
Bulent Ecevit, Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) held his first tours for the formation of the new government and met with Devlet Bahceli, leader of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) first of all. The two leaders, in the meeting, agreed on the idea that there is an expectation in the society for a government including MHP and DSP.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

CILLER: FIRST OF ALL PROPOSAL SHOULD COME
Tansu Ciller, leader of True Path Party (DYP), during her meeting with Bulent Ecevit, said they wanted trial process to Abdullah Ocalan, terrorist chief, to be speeded up. Speaking about Repentence Law, Ciller said ''if Ocalan makes use of Repentence Law, we will not support this.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

DIGNIFIED DECISION
Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), speaking during a meeting with Bulent Ecevit, Prime Minister and leader of Democratic Left Party (DSP), said ''sent me to Supreme Court. I want to be judged in the Supreme Court.'' Yilmaz said he will not be included in the cabinet even if ANAP enters the coalition government. Yilmaz said it will not be right for him to take place in the government before being tried and being acquitted.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT) ''GET LOST'' ORDER TO KAVAKCi

The Virtue Party (FP) administration asked Kavakci not to appear in the media for a period of time. Kavakci, after the forming of the Parliamentary Chairmanship Court, will go to the Parliament and ask to be permitted to take oath wearing a headscarf. If her request is declined, she is expected to take her two daughters with her and go abroad. Because of Kavakci's U.S. citizenship, she could be stripped of her deputyship.

SUPPORT PROTEST FOR KAVAKCI IN IRAN
Protests took place in Iran to support Merve Kavakci who paved the way for the headscarf crisis. A total of 250 Palestinian women in Nablus city of West Bank marched to show their support for Kavakci. The protestors who were students of En-Necah University chanted slogans. In an interview with the weekly German magazine, Der Spiegel, Kavakci stated that ''she wore her headscarf in the Parliament to test the deputies' tolerance''.

RADIKAL (LEFT) ANKARA SECRETS
According to an allegation which was told in the backstages said military students would stage a march if Merve Kavakci, Istanbul Deputy of Virtue Party (FP) had taken an oath in the Parliament. Another allegation said Gen. Kivrikoglu told Ecevit that even attempting to take an oath wearing headscarf was unacceptable.

WIND BLOWS ''WARM''
Harmonized messages were given during a meeting held between Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Devlet Bahceli, leader of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) for the formation of a new government. Ecevit, during the meetings gave a green light to a government with MHP and the Motherland Party (ANAP).

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

FOREiGN PARTNER A MUST

Ahmet Tan, the Tourism Minister in an interview said ''it is wrong to depend merely on Europe and summer. We must take foreign partners in the tourism facilities. Foreign capital will bring with itself foreign tourists as well. Foreign capital should be encouraged.''

''We mustn't regard tourism only as a flow of foreign money. We must also consider our own people. Turkish people started going abroad in increasing numbers. Unfortunately many of our hotels have different fees for local and foreign tourists. They charge local tourist three times more. This makes our people turn to foreign countries to spend their vacations,'' Tan added.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

REACTIONS TO VURAL SAVAS, CHIEF PROSECUTOR
Mustafa Erdogan, Professor of constitutional law, criticized Savas by saying Savas' attitute reflects his political tendencises. Erdogan stated the chances are slim for the Constitutional Court to take Savas' application seriously. Phrases like ''vampires which suck blood'' or ''a malignant tumor'' in Savas' indictment caused reactions.

[02] EUROPEAN INVESTOR AND TURKEY - YARDIMCI, HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ASSOCIATIONS EUROPEAN FEDERATION: ''EUROPEAN INVESTORS AND TURKISH BUSINESSMEN WILLING TO INVEST IN TURKEY''

Responding to the questions of A.A correspondent Yardimci said the atmosphere established following the elections gave the message of stability, adding that the expectation was the formation of the government.

Yardimci said according to the results of researches and surveys of Turkish and foreign entrepreneurs in Europe, serious activations will be seen in Turkish economy and market as of summer.

Noting that German businessmen were willing to invest in Turkey in case political and economic stability are formed, Yardimci said ''the mutual view of the European investors is that Turkey is a speedily developing good market.''

Yardimci said ''with the government and government program that will be formed, may be Turkey will catch the advantage of the century. Increase of investments will prevent unemployment and social problems. It will contribute support to the just sharing of national income. We are willing to turn our earnings to investments in our country. Capitals in the world search for a calm and stable country for itself. Turkey should evaluate this.''

[03] INTERNATIONAL MEETING TO BE ORGANIZED IN SANLIURFA

Erkan Alemdaroglu, GAP Development Administration Regional Director told A.A that sustainable agricultural production is becoming important as the need for food keeps threatening the world.

It is highly important to make natural resources sustainable to meet the food need of future generations, stated Alemdaroglu.

Authorities from the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry, the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), the Agricultural Reform and Rural Services General Directorate, scientists from several universities, representatives from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and International Irrigation Methods Institute (IIMI) will also attend the conference.

[04] MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION TOURISTS VISIT TURKEY IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1999

''This number is expected to rise as the weather gets warmer,'' said Ahmet Tan, the Minister of Tourism.

However, there has been a 14.7 percent drop in the number of tourists who visited Turkey in the first four months of 1999 compared to the same period of 1998.

A total of one million 563 thousand 446 tourists visited Turkey this year between January and April. Last year, during the same period one million 836 thousand 797 tourists came to Turkey.

About 50 percent of this year's tourists came from OECD countries. More than 161 thousand tourists were from Eastern Europe.

Number of German tourists who visited Turkey in the beginning of this year is the highest. Commomwealth of Independent States (CIS), Romania, Iran, U.S., France, Britain and Bulgaria follow Germany on the list.

The Ministry of Tourism is continuing promotional activities to overcome the problems experienced in the tourism sector. After the discussions at the National Security Council, one trillion Turkish Liras which was taken from the Ministry of Finance was used for ads and posters abroad. Turkey started a promotional campaign all around the world through commercials and ads. Posters of Turkey cover the windows of five thousand tourism agencies in Britain. Some billboards in Russia carry similar messages. A total of 35 thousand German travel agencies opened webpages giving assurance to its citizens about Turkey's security.

The Ministry of Tourism also hosted 280 tour operators, members of press or other people who hold important positions in their countries in 1999 in an attempt to erase negative impressions of Turkey.

[05] TURKEY'S ANTHRACITE EXPORT RISES EVERY YEAR

In Turkey, anthracite is still considered the most common fossil energy resource and Turkey currently exports eight million 311 thousand tons of it. This number is expected to reach 148.9 million tons in 2020.

Turkey's anthracite basin starts in Eregli and stretches to Sogutozu in the Black Sea region covering an area of 200 kilometers. It was also reported that there are two more anthracite reserves in Antalya-Kemer and Diyarbakir- Hazro areas.

''The production failed to meet the need since 1970's. Anthracite production in Turkey is not economical and it has turned into a black hole causing an increase in the inflation. Its export is increasing every year. It was 8 million 311 tons by the end of 1997. Our calculations expect it to reach 148.9 million tons in 2020,'' the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources stated.

Prof. Ozcan Ultanir, on the other hand, pointed out that the present fossil energy resources were insufficient and added that the existing resources were not expanded because of limited research done in this field. Ultanir stressed that new anthracite basins must be discovered and its production must be increased.

[06] TURK, MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, LEAVES FOR GERMANY - TURK TO PARTICIPATE IN WEU MINISTERS COUNCIL SPRING MEETINGS

Addressing a news conference he staged in Esenboga Airport, Turk said defense ministers of countries who are members of European Union (EU) and NATO will convene unofficially between May 10 and 11 in Germany.

Pointing out that European security and defense and crisis issues experienced in the Balkans will be discussed in the meeting, Turk noted that joint session of foreign and defense ministers of WEU will take place with the participation of full and associate partners and the ones who are in observer status.

Turk said during the meeting he will disclose the views of Turkey related with implementation of EU Amsterdam Agreement and on the issue of European defense and security obtained under the light of NATO summit, adding that issues related with defense policy will be discussed during the defense ministers meeting in which he will participate in. Turk said Ambassador Guner Oztek, Turkey's Permanent Representative to Western European Union (WEU) will participate in Foreign Ministers meeting.

Turk said WEU Bremen meetings will take place at a period in which Kosovo crisis continued on the one side and and important steps are taken related with European security and defense on the other side, adding that the meetings have a special importance.

Turk said ''Turkey supports development of European Security and Defense Identity to be improved and Europe's undertaking more responsibility on issues related with its own security. ''We, as Turkey, take place within this process on condition that gainings in WEU to be preserved and developed.

Turk said Turkey, which has been a reliable and inseparable part of security and defense of Europe as a NATO member since 1952, and has been an associate partner of WEU since 1992, adding that ''as you know our studies to improve status in WEU continue in appropriate basis.''

[07] DR. SIDDIKI, THEOLOGIST FROM ISNA: ''MUSLIMS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM WEARING OUTFITS THAT MIGHT HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON SOCIETY''

Dr. Siddiki who answered questions through his website said Muslims should not wear outfits that are found inappropriate by the society and pointed out young gang members who wear baggy jeans as an example.

''I don't approve wearing those baggy jeans not because they are baggy but because they are worn by young gang members. Those who wear them look like gang members,'' Dr. Siddiki explaıned.

[08] STATE MINISTER GEMICI: ''IT MAKES YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE PALESTINIAN AND IRANIAN WOMEN CARRYING PICTURES OF KAVAKCI NEXT TO HOMEYNI'S''

''Merve Kavakci acted against the principles of the Republic and the traditions of the Parliament on May 2,'' Gemici said and continued: ''Everyone who lives in Turkey must obey Ataturk's principles and his reforms. Kavakci's real face and intentions surfaced since this incident. It makes you think when you see veiled Iranian and Palestinian women carrying her pictures next to Homeyni's.''

Touching government formation efforts, Gemici stressed that they wanted to set up the government as soon as possible to remove the uncertainity that occured after the elections.

Budget, banks law, laws related to democratization, and repentence law need urgent attention, Gemici added.

[09] GENERAL STAFF CHAIRMANSHIP DELEGATION IN TBILISI

Gela Hutsisvili, Deputy Commander of Georgian Border Forces, said the team will stay in Tbilisi for two months and will give training to the units deployed in Lilo base.

The experts team is also expected to meet with David Tevsadze, Georgian Defense Minister and Coni Pirtikalasvili, Chief of General Staff.

According to an agreement which was signed last year between Gen. Ismail Hakki Karadayi, former Chief of General Staff and Valeri Ckeidze, Georgian Border Forces Commander, the two months training will continue in Turkey afterwards.

A.A

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