Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-08-22

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AA Daily

22 August 1999 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT SAYS CELEBRATIONS OF AUGUST 30 VICTORY DAY WILL BE LIMITED

[03] CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT, CALLS PRESIDENT DEMIREL ON PHONE TO CONVEY HIS ''GET WELL SOON'' MESSAGE

[04] U.S. AND BRITISH AID TO TURKEY

[05] PREMIER ECEVIT ADDRESSES NATION : - ''WE FEEL DEEP SORROW OVER THE LOSS OF LIVES AND WE MOURN FOR THE DEADS''

[06] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT ADDRESSES TO NATION : - ''TURKEY, WITH ITS STATE AND NATION, IS STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME EVERY PROBLEM''

[07] CLINTON, THE U.S. PRESIDENT, CALLS ON HIS NATION: ''I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO RESPONSIBLE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING RELIEF EFFORTS''

[08] BAHCELI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTR: - ''ALL THE FACILITIES OF OUR STATE ARE MOBILIZED''

[09] TURKISH, AZERBAIJANI, U.S. AND PETROL CONSORTIUM OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS FINANCE ISSUE ABOUT BAKU-CEYHAN

[10] PREMIERSHIP CRISIS ADMINISTRATION CENTER STATEMENT: ''NAVAL FORCES COMMANDERSHIP STARTS SPRAYING DISINFECTANTS IN GOLCUK

[11] U.S. EXPERTS DUE IN TURKEY

[12] INTERIOR MINISTRY CIRCULAR: ''ENTERTAINMENTS AND SHOWS IN PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT PLACES SHOULD BE REDUCED TO THE MINUMUM''

[13] ONAL, STATE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMY: - ''I DO NOT ACCEPT THE CLAIMS SAYING THAT TURKEY RETARDED FIVE YEARS''

[14] AYDIN, MINISTER OF HOUSING AND SETTLEMENT - ''TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS TO BE FORMED FOR VICTIMS OF THE QUAKE''

[15] PREMIER ECEVIT RECEIVES INFORMATION FROM A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

CLINTON: ''LET US BE GENEROUS TO TURKEY''
Bill Clinton, the U.S. President, told his people to be generous to Turkey and the victims of the quake. The U.S. President, who issues a statement in very important situations when he was on holiday, addressed to his people for Turkey this time. Pointing out that more than one million people remained houseless, Clinton said ''I am calling on my people to make important financial contributions.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

ONLY TWO PERCENT OF CONSTRUCTIONS IN TURKEY HAVE EARTHQUAKE-RESISTENCE
LICENCE
Prof. Ahmet Ercan, a lecturer in Istanbul Technical University, said that the observation concerning the earthquake in the process of construction of a building will cost only one thousand part of the whole of the cost of the construction. Ercan noted that only two percent of the constructions in Turkey have the earthquake-resistence licence.

SABAH (LIBERAL) THREE CIRCULARS FROM GOVERNMENT
Saadettin Tantan, the Interior Minister, issued three circulars concerning the quake disaster. The circulars said that the work machines of the public and private sectors will be sent to the disaster area. The circulars noted that the public camp sites will be allocated to the quake victims; adding that the discos, bars and entertainment centers will stop playing music for a month. The circulars said that the discos and bars which continue to play music will be closed.

BACK TO LIVE 100 HOURS LATER
Sirin Franko, a ten-year old Israeli girl, was rescued alive under the rubble in Cinarcik county of Yalova 100 hours after the major quake. The Israeli soldiers who saved Sirin Franko also saved her mother a day ago.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

FIRE IN TUPRAS EXTINGUISHED
The fire which broke out in Izmit refinery of the Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corp. (TUPRAS), was totally put out on Saturday. Efforts will immediately be launched to determine the situation and loss to activate the refinery.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

DISCUSSION OF VOLCANO IN EARTHQUAKE
Some particles like frozen magma hit the nets of the fishermen, burning the nets offshore Yalova a day before the earthquake. The same day, the sea whose heat increased became rough. A redness occured in the horizon at the night time of the day when the quake shook Marmara Region. Marmara is not in the volcanic zone but that these symptoms caused the doubt that this quake can be a volcanic movement.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

THE HIGHEST HARVEST OF LAST 12 YEARS EXPECTED THIS YEAR
The highest dry fig harvest of the last 12 years is expected this year.The quality of the dry fig increased by the ''conscious vaccination'' of the fig trees, the harvest of the dry fig is expected to reach 52,684 this year.

The fig which is defined as ''one of the fruit of the heaven'', has become one of the favourite fruit of the last years because the people understood that the fig is very important for the health and that the production of dry fig increased.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

THE JAPANESE: ''WE EARLIER WARNED BUT THEY DID NOT LISTEN''
Tatsuo Yonebayashi, Local Representative of Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to Turkey, said that they earlier made a warning that Turkey is on one of the most important fault lines in the world. Yonebayashi noted that they feel sad about the death of many people and the injure of many others in the disaster area and that the high rate of mortality in this quake disaster indicated that the control mechanism of the local administrations do not work properly.

[02] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT SAYS CELEBRATIONS OF AUGUST 30 VICTORY DAY WILL BE LIMITED

When journalists recalled the news reports, given basing on the U.N. sources, saying that the death toll was 35,000, Ecevit said official figures can not be determined before efforts to shift the debris are completed.

When asked if cancellation of August 30 Victory Day celebrations was in question, Ecevit said ''as far as I know the celebrations will be limited. All military celebrations are limited.''

Responding to a question if several regions will be put in quarantine to prevent the spreading of epidemics, Ecevit said ''we are taking all required measures to this end.''

Answering another question Ecevit said the situation in the region was taken under control to a great extend, adding that efforts are underway as there was not any obstacle.

[03] CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT, CALLS PRESIDENT DEMIREL ON PHONE TO CONVEY HIS ''GET WELL SOON'' MESSAGE

The Presidential Press Center statement said that Chirac told Demirel on the phone that French people felt very sad about the earthquake disaster which occured in Turkey.

The statement quoted Chirac as saying that France is ready to make any kind of aid to Turkey and conveyed ''get well soon'' message and condolence to Demirel.

The statement noted that Chirac said that he launched initiatives in some international organizations to provide the necessary aid to Turkey and that within this framework, he met with the Term President of the European Union, the Chairman of the Commission and the Directors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

[04] U.S. AND BRITISH AID TO TURKEY

A statement of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara said that the U.S. sent many aid to Turkey after the quake. The U.S. Embassy listed the facilities of the U.S.:

-A U.S. team of 195 people who are experts on medical intervention and technical issues, search and rescue operations are carrying out efforts in the disaster area.

-A total of 25,000 U.S. dollar aid to Turkish Red Crescent.

-A total of 10,000 blankets and plastic canvas

-A water purification unit which has the capacity to meet the water need of 28,000 people.

-A total of 4,500 corpse bags, 10,000 surgeon gloves and masks.

-A total of three ships, 2100 sailors, 22 helicopters, 631 hospital beds, 6 operation rooms, 5 x-ray rooms, 8 doctors, 88 medical aid official will come to Turkey to assist the quake victims.

The British Embassy in Ankara statement also listed the aid of Britain to Turkey as follows:

-A total of four rescue teams including 90 people.

-Two more planes carrying humanitarian aid was expected to arrive in Turkey on Saturday. Britain earlier sent five planes carrying aid.

-Medical materials and tents worth of 650,000 pounds were expected to arrive in Turkey on Saturday.

-Britain donated 500,000 pounds to International Red Cross, 185,000 pounds to United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF), 32,000 pound to the United Nations (U.N.) humanitarian aid coordination office.

The statement said that the British Thames Water company continue its efforts to repair the water network of Izmit province and that the British aid to Turkey reached 1.5 million pounds.

[05] PREMIER ECEVIT ADDRESSES NATION : - ''WE FEEL DEEP SORROW OVER THE LOSS OF LIVES AND WE MOURN FOR THE DEADS''

Addressing the nation through the state-run TRT channel and the private channels, Ecevit noted that all the facilities of the state were mobilized for the quake disaster and that everybody runs to help those who are trapped under the rubble.

Ecevit stated that the quake which shook many provinces of Turkey early on August 17, 1999 was ''one of the biggest natural disasters in Turkey's history.''

Noting that many buildings in various provinces and counties were so much destroyed that nobody can restart living in those buildings, Ecevit said, ''there are many deads. According to the lastest news which reached to the Prime Ministry Crisis Administration Center, the number of the damaged and collapsed houses are 60,000. Since the quakes continue, it is hard to say a definite number. Also, the last figures indicated that the death toll is 11, 115 and the number of injuries are 39,038. As long as the shifting of debris continue, we feel concern that the death toll will increase more and more.''

''I wish God's Mercy to those who lost their lives in the quake disaster. We feel great sorrow over the loss of lives and we mourn for the deads. I wish condolence to our nation and those who lost their relatives. I wish quick recovery to the injured people,'' Ecevit added.

Ecevit continued, ''our nation has mobilized all its facilities for the quake disaster area and everybody runs to help those who are trapped under the rubble since early on August 17, 1999.''

Stating that to this end, the Prime Ministry Crisis Administration Center started initiatives immediately, Ecevit stressed that the crisis desks were set up in the cities and counties which were damaged by the quake.

Stressing that Yalova, Sakarya, Kocaeli, Istanbul, Bolu and Bursa are the provinces which had the biggest damage due to the quake, Ecevit emphasized that there are big damages in some parts of Eskisehir and Zonguldak but that the loss of lives in these two cities is not so much.

Ecevit said, ''the public institutions, the private sector organizations, the voluntary people, the youth organizations and the search and health teams which rushed from many foreign countries to Turkey to help our nation are making efficient contributions to the efforts. I would like to say that our government is very grateful to them.''

Recalling that the New York Times daily said in its editorial that limiting the death toll in such a destroying quake which occured near an intensive settlement center passes over the stregth of any government, Ecevit said, ''to this end, we think that it is our responsibility to mobilize all the power of our nation, all the public institutions, to provide all the necessary facilities for those who rush to help and to work in solidarity and cooperation with them. But, when we were rushing to assist the centers which had the biggest damage from the quake, we had two big obstacles in the first two days.''

''These were the obstacles which occured in communication and transportation. The quake collapsed the bridges in some parts, lead to cracks in some highways and led to damages in the railways. According to the results of the evaluations of the Istanbul Technical University just after the quake, the Istanbul-Ankara Motarway had three significant cracks. The bridges on this motorway collapsed and became unable to be used. The railway between Izmit and Arifiye also became unable for transportation for the same reason. To this end, we had difficulty in sending the work machines, the aid teams and some tools and equipments to the region in the first two days. These were the obstacles we faced,'' Ecevit added.

Ecevit continued, ''the second obstacle is the cut of the telephone connection with the centers which were rocked by the quake. We could not have connection with these centers through the mobile phones, either. For this reason, we could not receive information from Sakarya, Kocaeli and Yalova in the first two days. These cities could not have communication among themselves in these days. I could receive some information when I went to the region. But, I had very big difficulty in telling Ankara those information and the measures to be taken from there. I even came across with some impossibilities.''

Emphasizing that the difficulties faced in the first two days were not limited with only these, Ecevit noted that the electricity and the water were cut, thus that the bakeries could not work and that there was the shortage of bread.

Ecevit said, ''but, as all the facilities of the state are mobilized, all the obstacles were overcome in two days. The work machines and the aid materials and equipments can reach everywhere today. Thus, the search and rescue efforts and the efforts of shifting the rubble were accelerated. The work machines and cranes of the public and private sectors are working day and night in the disaster area since Thursday.''

''The Turkish and foreign voluntary people are participating in these efforts. By these initiatives, some of our citizens and children could be rescued alive from the rubble. We are closely dealing with the injured people,'' Ecevit added.

[06] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT ADDRESSES TO NATION : - ''TURKEY, WITH ITS STATE AND NATION, IS STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME EVERY PROBLEM''

Ecevit, who addressed to nation through TRT and private television channels due to the quake disaster, said numberless ambulances and sea buses, helicopters of Turkish Armed Forces, gendarme and police transported the wounded ones to health centers.

Ecevit said health officials worked hardly in hospitals day and night, adding that health teams coming from abroad held valuable contributions to these efforts.

''Yet, as aftershocks followed the major quake, several hospitals had to be evacuated and health services had to be continued in open air, gardens of hospitals and in stadiums'' Ecevit pointed out and noted that several sahra hospitals are established in various places by making use of foreign aid in order to solve this problem.

Ecevit said many families have to pass the night in open air as their houses are totally damaged, ''these families had the problem of foodstuff and cleanness. Now these problems are solved one by one.''

Ecevit said Istanbul Trade and Industry Chambers and Istanbul Trade Stock Exchange rented four ferryboats under the coordination of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges and presented it to the residence of the people who could not take shelter in their houses.

Ecevit pointed out that another serious problem was the decaying dead bodies, adding that ''identities of the dead ones can not be determined now. Making them to wait till their identities are determined would cause epidemics, we are taking the photographs of the victims of the quake to prevent this danger. Thus, identities of these people can be determined afterwards.''

Ecevit said the problem related with the dead bodies who are still under the debris is more serious. Ecevit said there is the danger of epidemics, adding that they were seeking ways of a solution to this problems by spraying disinfectants.

''Another serious problem we met was the fire in TUPRAS'' Ecevit said, adding that ''this fire threatened Kocaeli and Izmit Gulf.'' He said ''the fire is taken under control with the efforts of our own experts and workers and with the contribution of experienced teams coming from other countries. The danger is over.''

Noting that Turkish Armed Forces suffered a great loss in the quake, and that Fleet Installations in Golcuk was totally destroyed, and that many members of Turkish Armed Forces died under the debris, Ecevit said ''despite all these Turkish Armed Forces, on the one hand try to heal their wounds and on the other hand contribute to the efforts of rescue and shifting of the debris.''

Ecevit said the financial contribution of the citizens will be collected in a fund and will be evaluated for the urgent and long term needs of the victims of the quake.

Ecevit said several negative and consciousless broadcastings of several media organizations offended public officials and Armed Forces who work hardly, adding that ''our government is in an intense effort to solve the problems of people to this end.''

Ecevit said the government quickly gets the required measures for the solution of settlement problem in the possible shortest time, noting that tent cities, ferry boats and other facilities are evaluated at the first stage and healthy sheltering facilities are provided to the victims of the quake.

Prime Minister Ecevit pointed out that prefabricated residences will be provided in the shortest time afterwards, and added that new and more secure dwellings will be constructed.

Ecevit said High Planning Committee Decree, which is required to implement ''Istanbul Quake Early Warning and Emergency Intervention Project'' immediately, was put into effect on Friday. Ecevit said also macro plan preparations against quake in Istanbul and other cities will be speeded up soon.

[07] CLINTON, THE U.S. PRESIDENT, CALLS ON HIS NATION: ''I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW CITIZENS TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO RESPONSIBLE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING RELIEF EFFORTS''

''Turkey is our longtime ally and the people of Turkey are our friends,'' the vacationing U.S. President said in a statement. ''Now with many of them in desperate need, we must do all we can to help, and we will.''

Clinton stressed that more than one million people who remained houseless had to live in the open air and was in need of potable water and that the danger of epidemics was increasing, adding that ''we have an important duty in front of us.''

The U.S president said it was clear that many Americans will want to help relieve the suffering and restore hope to victims of the quake. ''So I encourage my fellow citizens to give generously to responsible charitable organizations that are supporting relief efforts,'' he said.

Clinton, who staged a news conference on Tuesday immediately after the quake, said the U.S. will immedıately send help to Turkey.

Military and civilian personnel are helping with search and rescue efforts, assessing emergency needs, providing medical services, delivering medicines, blankets and tents and helping to coordinate an outpouring of aid from around the world.

U.S. officials said cash donations will enable relief organizations to purchase exactly the supplies they need and speed up the delivery of assistance.

The White House said the USS Kearsarge will arrive later in the week, bringing substantial medical support, while the USS Gunston Hall and USS Ponce are to arrive shortly thereafter. The three ships will contribute 2, 200 Marines and 22 helicopters to the relief effort.

Officials said U.S. relief agencies already have delivered 30,000 blankets, 500 rolls of plastic sheeting and medicine for

10,000 people. Water purification units capable of meeting the needs of 28, 000 people also are on the way.

[08] BAHCELI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTR: - ''ALL THE FACILITIES OF OUR STATE ARE MOBILIZED''

Visiting the Karamursel county of Kocaeli province, Bahceli wished ''get well soon'' to all the citizens.

Bahceli said, ''this disaster which we experienced in a period when we have economic problems, made all of us very upset. But, all the facilities of our state are mobilized. We will ease the pains of our nation. The related ministry is carrying out its efforts for the determination of damages.''

Bahceli left for Yalova after he observed the rescue operations and the efforts to shift the rubble.

Meanwhile, the preevaluations after the quake in Karamursel indicated that 60 percent of the houses were rendered uninhabitable and that 10,000 of the 30,000 population of Karamursel were left homeless.

The efforts to set up tent-sites for 500 families in Derekoy region of Karamursel were launched.

The officials said that the tents are not given to the families and that the families will be settled in the tents after the tent-site is totally constructed.

The last figures indicate that the death toll rose to 148 and the number of injuries increased to 311 in Karamursel.

[09] TURKISH, AZERBAIJANI, U.S. AND PETROL CONSORTIUM OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS FINANCE ISSUE ABOUT BAKU-CEYHAN

The officials told A.A correspondent that Turkey will be represented by a delegation headed by Metin Eral, the Deputy Undersecretary of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, and that this delegation will include the officials of state-run pipeline company BOTAS and Treasury Undersecretariat.

The Turkish delegation will meet with the officials of the World Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Eximbank and the other organizations, and John Wolf, the special envoy of U.S. President Bill Clinton for Caspian Basin energy.

The Azerbaijani petroleum working group will include Valek Aleskerov, on behalf of Azerbaijani oil company SOCAR, and Wrief Diggings, on behalf of AIOC.

The meetings are expected to last for a week.

[10] PREMIERSHIP CRISIS ADMINISTRATION CENTER STATEMENT: ''NAVAL FORCES COMMANDERSHIP STARTS SPRAYING DISINFECTANTS IN GOLCUK

Premiership Crisis Administration Center statement said the reasons of damages and demolition in the buildings in quake zone will be determined.

The statement said maintenance of energy networks in Yalova, Sakarya, Izmit, Golcuk and Bolu was concluded to a great extend, adding that energy is given to 90 percent.

The statement said three separate teams, composed of town planners, cartographers and geologists will determine transitory settling areas in Sakarya, Kocaeli and Yalova provinces.

Research and investigation studies related with water and sewer system also continue. Drilling machines left for the disaster region to provide water to the tent-sites that will be established.

LPG and fuel oil companies were given the permission to import oil to compensate 350,000 tonnes of deficit expected to appear in time that Izmit Refinery would not work.

Telephone equipments are provided to be used in disaster regions and all telephone lines began to work. Yet, the networks are negatively effected due to intense telephone traffic.

A total of 9,325 deads and 25,080 injured ones were removed from the debris by Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) research-rescue teams.

It has been determined that 404 people from TSK died and 886 others were wounded. Currently, 101 TSK personnel are under the debris.

[11] U.S. EXPERTS DUE IN TURKEY

The officials said that a U.S. delegation including 20 experts who work in Golden and Menlo Park geological observation centers in Colorado and California, will collect information from the disaster area in the Marmara Region of Turkey and will apply the experiences they got from Turkey in San Fransisco which is situated on San Andreas fault line.

The officials noted that the U.S. delegation will carry out observations about the geology of the Northern Anatolia fault line, the kind of tremor and the civil engineering issues.

The officials stated that the Northern Anatolia and San Andreas fault lines are similar to each other.

David Schwartz, a geology expert from the Menlo Park Observatory Center, said that there are many lessons to be learned from such big quakes and that they will try to gain more healthy data about the formation of the quakes by the information they received from Turkey and by their former information.

Nano Seeber, one of the researches in New York Columbia University Earth Observatory Center, said that all the observations and researches aim at understanding how the quakes occur and determining the physical conditions which lead to quakes.

[12] INTERIOR MINISTRY CIRCULAR: ''ENTERTAINMENTS AND SHOWS IN PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT PLACES SHOULD BE REDUCED TO THE MINUMUM''

The circular also wanted the governors of Kocaeli, Sakarya and Yalova to make the business vehicles to work for 24 hours.

The circular wanted contacts to be provided with the bus companies to coordinate required organization to transport the victims of the quake to the regions they want to go without money.

The circular wanted official ceremonies to be implemented as commemoration program.

Meanwhile, Sadettin Tantan, Minister of Interior, wanted the governors of 80 provinces to take measures against the ones who steal the aid equipment and against the black marketeers.

[13] ONAL, STATE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMY: - ''I DO NOT ACCEPT THE CLAIMS SAYING THAT TURKEY RETARDED FIVE YEARS''

Onal responded the questions of A.A correspondent about the latest developments in economy and the effects of the quake on Turkey's economy.

Onal said, ''it will take some time to ease the pains but retard in macro- economic balances is out of question. What we have lost is the qualified people. It will take long time to have new qualified people but we can overcome this.''

Stressing that they will continue to realize economic reforms as was earlier targeted, Onal said, ''the parliament will convene on Tuesday. Our parliament will continue to discuss the reforms. We will pass Social Security Reform, Privatization and Agriculture Reform. These are the most important issues of Turkey and we have to solve these as soon as possible.''

Noting that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) made positive statements about Turkey's economy, Onal stated that the contacts with the IMF will resume next month and that the possibilty of a stand-by agreement is high in the end of the contacts.

Onal added that an IMF delegation will come to Turkey to hold observations next month.

Emphasizing that the contacts with the World Bank to get a financial aid in higher limits continue, Onal stressed that this issue will become more definite in the following weeks and that there was a green light that Turkey can get high amount of monetary aid from the World Bank before the quake disaster.

Stating that they will evaluate the proposal of Zafer Caglayan, Chairman of Ankara Chamber of Industry (ATO), saying that the state should issue ''Quake Bond'', Onal said, ''we can think about the Quake Bond issue. Everybody produces solutions for the country's problems. We had received a fax about this issue. We consider this issue within the framework of good will. We will do our best.''

Pointing out that the tender programmes will continue within the framework of the domestic borrowing programme, Onal emphasized that there will not be a change in the tender programme, that they did not intervene the markets about the high rate of interests and that the interests occur within the scope of free market conditions.

Onal said that Turkey does not have any problems in paying back the domestic and foreign borrowings.

Stressing that they will try to take the inflation under control, Onal noted that the Central Bank will continue its liquidity management programme and that there will be a small amount of activity required by the revival.

[14] AYDIN, MINISTER OF HOUSING AND SETTLEMENT - ''TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS TO BE FORMED FOR VICTIMS OF THE QUAKE''

Addressing a news conference in the ministry, Aydin said ''temporary housing places will be set up, taking into account the links between our homeless citizens and the areas where they lived.'' Aydin said studies to select the settlement area will be concluded urgently, adding that teams, which will be formed to this end, will determine transitory housing areas primarily in Sakarya, Kocaeli and Yalova provinces.

Aydin said damage assessment work had already begun in the less affected provinces of Eskisehir and Bolu and would begin in Istanbul, on Monday. He said similar work would start in the harder hit provinces of Kocaeli, Yalova and Sakarya once rescue operations end. Aydin said transitory ''Coordination Centers'' were formed within the body of the ministry to help crisis desks. He said they will develop a planning and application process in the disaster zone in the most effective section of Northern Anatolia Fault line and that ''Disaster Management Works'' will be carried out meticulously.

Aydin said water network, water depots, and sewer systems will be repaired according to the assessments.

The homeless would then be able to apply to courts to seek compensation, the minister said.

The collapse of many buildings was likely to have been a consequence more of the choice of ground than construction faults, according to Aydin. He said building permission would in future only be granted once a study of the underlying ground is completed.

Minister Aydin said prefabricated cities will be established in temporary settlement places, and that the citizens will be able to pass the winter in those places.

Aydin's ministry will take over responsibility for issuing housing licences for the next five months in the seven provinces most affected by the quake.

[15] PREMIER ECEVIT RECEIVES INFORMATION FROM A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS

Speaking to the journalists when leaving the Prime Ministry, Saglamer noted that the ITU convened the related scientists and started studies and observations about the quake which occured early on August 17,. 1999.

Emphasizing that they can submit a report to Ecevit on Tuesday, Saglamer noted that to this end, they had a pre-meeting with Ecevit today.

Saglamer said, ''we have informed Ecevit about the occurrence of the quake, the studies to assess the damages, what can be done from now on, how to re- construct the region which is under quake threat.''

Stressing that she requested to hold a meeting with Ecevit, Saglamer stated that a quake is expected in Istanbul, that the officials of ITU told about this possibility but that it is very difficult to guess when this quake will occur.

Saglamer said, ''the important point is that people should be ready for the quake when it occurs rather than the timing of the quake.''

Noting that the ITU has many units related with the earthquake, Saglamer stressed that they are working seriously and quickly and wished not experiencing such a disaster again.

A.A

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