Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-09-04

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

AA Daily

04 Sept 1999 Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] U.S. PRESIDENT CLINTON APPOINTS ALFRED MOSES AS THE NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUS

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[03] MELUNCAN SOCIETY WANTS TO ADOPT CHILD VICTIMS QUAKE

[04] TURKEY-EU - EU SHOULD PAY MORE THAN 2 BILLION EURO TO TURKEY WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF FINANCIAL COOPERATION WITH TURKEY

[05] PRIME MINISTRY CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTER: - ''83 COUNTRIES HAVE SENT HUMANITARIAN AND FINANCIAL AID TO TURKEY SINCE AUGUST 17''

[06] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING - DRAFT DOCUMENTS INCLUDE ''PROCESS OF TURKEY'S CANDIDACY''

[07] AKINCI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF TRNC, CONCLUDES HIS VISIT TO NORWAY

[08] PRESIDENT DEMIREL ADDRESSES TO BULGARIAN TV: ''TURKEY HAS THE POWER OF NOT BEING DEFEATED BY THIS GRIEF''

[09] SAGAR, UNDERSECRETARY OF PRIME MINISTRY : - ''IT IS NECESSARY TO SET UP A SPECIAL ORGANIZATION WELL-EQUIPPED WITH ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND PERSONNEL''

[10] SAGAR, UNDERSECRETARY OF PRIME MINISTRY : - ''ALSO THE U.S. AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT WILL SEND AID TO DISASTER AREA''

[11] ECEVIT: ''SOME CIRCLES, WHO EXPLOIT RELIGION, HAVE MADE VERY UNJUST ACCUSATIONS ON THE TURKISH ARMED FORCES SINCE THE QUAKE''

[12] PRESIDENT DENKTAS OF THE TRNC: - ''AT THIS POINT, WE WANT A NEW PROCESS AND A NEW BEGINNING''

[01] U.S. PRESIDENT CLINTON APPOINTS ALFRED MOSES AS THE NEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO CYPRUS

Moses, a prominent lawyer who has served as president of the American Jewish Committee and was an advisor of President Jimmy Carter, will replace Richard Holbrooke, who has taken over as the U.S. Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations.

By naming Moses as the new special representative to Cyprus, the Washington Administration has finalized all high-level appointments to Cyprus.

In last weeks, Donald Bandler was named as the new U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus, and Tom Weston was appointed as the new Coordinator of the U.S. State Department to Cyprus.

The U.S. officials told the A.A correspondent that the Washington Administration is expected to accelerate its initiatives on the island in coming days.

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL) THE U.S. TO DECREASE TURKEY'S MILITARY DEBT
Issue of decreasing Turkey's military debt of 6 billion U.S. dollars, will be brought onto agenda during Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the U.S., which he will pay at the end of this month. The U.S. officials said they plan to discuss Foreign Military Sales (FMS) credit debts, as the plans of the U.S. gets shape for the aid which the U.S. would extend to Turkey following the major earthquake in Marmara region.

CEM: ''TURKEY WILL BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTOR OF NEXT DECADE''
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said that Turkey aims at being the most significant actor of the next decades. Cem who is paying an official visit to Britain, addressed a seminar on ''Capital Markets and Investment in Turkey'' which was organized by the Turkish-British Business Council.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

AN AID CAMPAIGN
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak met in a television programme broadcast by the Israeli Channel-1. Donations worth of 1.3 million U.S. dollars have been collected in the programme for the quake victims. Prime Minister Ecevit who joined the programme through satellite, thanked Israeli people for their contribution.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

50 THOUSAND PEOPLE LEAVE DISASTER AREA
Suayip Usenmez, State Minister, said that almost 50 thousand people left Kocaeli, Yalova, Adapazari, and Bolu provinces, and Avcilar district of Istanbul province which were devastated by a 7.4-magnitude eartquake, and migrated to other provinces.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

AMNESTY LAW TO BE DISCUSSED AGAIN IN OCTOBER
After President Suleyman Demirel vetoed the Amnesty Law and returned it to the Parliament, the leaders of the coalition-partner political parties convened yesterday. They decided to once again take up the law in the new legislative year. Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said, ''the drama of the people to benefit from the law is not taken into consideration. The expectation at the prisons changed into disappointment.''

STRUGGLE AGAINST FUNDAMENTALISM WILL CONTINUE
Stressing that the struggle against fundamentalism started in 1923, General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, said they will continue struggling even if it takes 1,000 years. Evaluating the PKK decision to lay down arms, General Kivrikoglu said, ''they may resort to violence. They have to hand over their arms.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)

HUNGER STRIKE STARTS FOR AMNESTY
A total of 352 prisoners in Erzurum and Bursa prisons have begun a hunger strike after President Suleyman Demirel vetoed the Amnesty Law.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

INCREASING TREND IN INFLATION CONTINUES
The wholesale prices increased 3.3 percent and the consumer prices rose 4.2 percent in August compared with previous month.

The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that the last one-year inflation as of August 1999 was 53.7 percent in the wholesale prices, and 65.4 percent in the consumer prices.

As of August, the eight-month inflation became 32.2 percent in wholesale prices, and 35.7 percent in consumer prices.

According to 12-month averages as of August, the annual inflation was 53.1 percent in wholesale prices, and 67.1 percent in consumer prices.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

STRICT SUPERVISION ON AID
Repeating his promise of transparency in quake aid, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said the aid accounts will be supervised by a delegation including the Prime Ministry and Finance Ministry inspectors, and the results of the control will be publicly announced.

POWER WAS CUT
It has been revealed that there had been serious negligence in the Koran larceny from the Topkapi Palace. The electricity wiring in the Palace was partly out of order in the night of robbery and so were the cameras and alarm system. The suspicion that the stealing of Koran which belongs to Seljuk era and was written by Osman bin el-Husseini el-Gaznevi was made upon ''an order'' as the two priceless Korans exhibited just near the stolen Koran are still at the Palace.

[03] MELUNCAN SOCIETY WANTS TO ADOPT CHILD VICTIMS QUAKE

Dr. Brent Kennedy, the leader of the Meluncan society, sent a letter to Vural Cengiz, the Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of the Turkish-American Associations, and to Guler Koknar, the Executive Director of the Assembly, conveying the request of some Meluncan families to adopt some children who lost their parents in the quake.

Brent Kennedy, in his letter, stated that adoptation of some orphan children by Meluncan families would improve the Turkish-American-Meluncan friendship.

Meluncans accept themselves as a society of Turkish origin who immigrated to the U.S. from Anatolia in the 16th century and defend that they were considered as a second-class citizens in the U.S. till the end of the previous century.

Dr. Kennedy wrote a book titled: ''Meluncans: The Non-Explained Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America''.

Pointing out that they have similar blood characteristcs with the Turkish nation, Meluncans use some Turkish words in their daily life.

The Meluncan society participated effectively in the efforts for aid to Turkey after the earthquake.

[04] TURKEY-EU - EU SHOULD PAY MORE THAN 2 BILLION EURO TO TURKEY WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF FINANCIAL COOPERATION WITH TURKEY

Turkey can not make use of most of this money, whıch she should take from EU, because of the Greek veto.

Financial committments of EU to Turkey are as follows:

''-600 million Euro, within the framework of 4th Financial Protocol, which can not be operated since 1981 due to Greek veto.

-Within framework of EU's statement regarded with the financial cooperation with Turkey after the decision concerning Customs Union was taken at the Partnership Council on March 6, 1995:

*375 million Euros, and to benefit from budget sources for a five-year period beginning from 1996.

*300-400 million Euros within framework of benefiting from the infrastructure projects within scope of the EU's new Mediterranean policy for 1992-96 period. The EU has fulfilled this commitment, and paid the amount mentioned above, to Turkey.

*750 million Euros within framework of benefiting from the European Investment Bank's loans for a five-year period beginning from 1996.

*375 million Euros which was also mentioned as MEDA Funds, within framework of the benefiting from the European Investment Bank's loans and the EU's budget for Mediterranean countries as from 1996. Greece cannot veto these funds.

-150 million Euros which the Commission envisages to give within scope of the ''European Strategy for Turkey''.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources stressed that Turkey was the country receiving highest amount of financial aid among the Mediterranean countries including Greece, Portugal and Spain, which were not members of the EU till 1981.

The same sources added that Greece which has become a full member of the EU in 1981, blocked the financial aid to Turkey.

Noting that the financial aid to Turkey mostly comprises of bank loans, the same sources pointed out that an official decision regarded with possible aid to Turkey, is not expected to be taken at the unofficial meeting which will be held in Finland tomorrow with the participation of the EU foreign ministers.

An official decision can only be taken at the General Affairs Council meeting on September 13, 1999.

[05] PRIME MINISTRY CRISIS MANAGEMENT CENTER: - ''83 COUNTRIES HAVE SENT HUMANITARIAN AND FINANCIAL AID TO TURKEY SINCE AUGUST 17''

The statement noted that foreign aid teams including 412 experts have been continuing search and rescue operations and health services in the disaster area.

Transportation of 580 thousand barrels of crude oil worth of 10 million U.S. dollars which Iraq dispatched Turkey in a bid to heal wounds of the quake disaster, to Tupras Kirikkale refinery, has been finalized.

According to the damage assessment works, damages were determined in a total of 55,264 dwellings and business places. 15,376 buildings were seriously damaged by the quake while medium scale damage were determined in 17,451 others.

The Prime Ministry Management Center stated that vaccination services have been continuing in the disaster area within framework of national vaccination programme.

To meet quake victims' need for makeshift shelters, a total of 1,397 beds are being kept ready in current 294 units in 12 training centers in various provinces.

Meanwhile, 13,923 tents have been handed over to the Red Crescent by different countries.

[06] EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING - DRAFT DOCUMENTS INCLUDE ''PROCESS OF TURKEY'S CANDIDACY''

The draft documents also include ''Process of Turkey's Candidacy''.

The draft documents, which were prepared by the Permanent Representatives Council (COREPER) and submitted to ministers for signature, reflect the opinions about the agenda issues. In accordance with general procedure, the ministers make changes in the statements in the draft documents if necessary.

The Saariselka meeting's draft document states that ''Turkey has had partnership connection with the EU since 1964; Turkey entered Customs Union on December 31, 1995 and the possibility of Turkey's full-membership to the EU was confirmed at the Luxembourg Summit, and Turkey should be judged with same criteria as other candidates.''

Noting that the EU determined a strategy for Turkey and conveyed that strategy, the document says democratic reforms, human rights, Cyprus issue and relations with Greece were the factors that the EU attaches importance.

The document states that Turkey is expecting a clear ''candidate'' status, and in return for this, Turkey is giving the guarantee that she will respect the Coppenhagen criteria, stressing that the ministers now have to respond to these issues.

''Under today's conditions, we have to determine a clear attitude towards the issue of calling Turkey candidate, and have to answer the question that what will the EU's interests necessitate about this issue?'', said the document, requesting the ministers to shed light on the concrete earnings of the concept of ''candidate'' to the interlocutor.

The EU Council will start its meetings today and discuss Turkey issue tomorrow.

The Council is expected to take up also the aid proposals for the earthquake disaster in Turkey.

[07] AKINCI, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF TRNC, CONCLUDES HIS VISIT TO NORWAY

Akinci who paid an official visit to Norway as the guest of Jagrant Thorbjorn, the Leader of the Social Democrat Labour Party, returned to the TRNC.

Staging a press conference, Akinci stressed that Norway does not deny the existence of the TRNC, and added, ''Norway believes that no progress can be recorded on the island by ignoring existence of the TRNC.''

Noting that he had held very useful and productive contacts in Norway, Akinci recalled that he had come together with Haakon Blankenborg, Norwegian Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission.

Akinci told the reporters that he had attended a conference on the Cyprus question at the International Peace and Transportation

Institute as speaker.

Akinci reminded that he had also met with Norwegian Prime Minister Magne K. Bondevik, and Aslavg Haga, Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister. He said that Norway is interested in the Cyprus question although she does not recognize the TRNC officially.

Meanwhile, a Norwegian delegation will visit the TRNC on March 8 World Women's Day.

[08] PRESIDENT DEMIREL ADDRESSES TO BULGARIAN TV: ''TURKEY HAS THE POWER OF NOT BEING DEFEATED BY THIS GRIEF''

The Bulgarian State Television BNT-1 broadcast a one-hour programme late on Friday on the earthquake disaster in the Marmara Region. The programme also gave place to a statement of President Suleyman Demirel.

Addressing the BNT-1, the President said the earthquake, which hit a region where almost 20 million people live, caused them suffer and feel grief. Noting that Turkey is a powerful country and she can meet the economic damage within two years, Suleyman Demirel said the important thing is to heal and recover moral and social wounds.

''Getting back on their feet for the people who lost their relatives and all their goods and properties will take long time. These people are mourning and feeling a grief that is beyond any evaluation. Turkey and the whole world are sharing this grief,'' he said.

Pointing out despite everything, the quake strengthened the unity in the Turkish society, Demirel said Turkey feels the great need for this solidarity and unity, and with the help of this power, every problem will be overcome.

Stating that the quake shocked every individual in Turkey and it is a lesson for everybody, Demirel said, ''from now on we have to construct resistant houses and cities.''

President Suleyman Demirel thanked to all of the neighbouring countries especially Greece and Bulgaria who lended their helping hands to Turkey after the quake.

[09] SAGAR, UNDERSECRETARY OF PRIME MINISTRY : - ''IT IS NECESSARY TO SET UP A SPECIAL ORGANIZATION WELL-EQUIPPED WITH ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND PERSONNEL''

Staging a press conference, Sagar stressed that their works are continuing to set up such an organization, and added that they will finalize the works within a few days.

Recalling that 15.5 million people living in Kocaeli, Sakarya, Yalova, Bolu, Istanbul, Bursa, Eskisehir, Zonguldak and Tekirdag provinces have been affected in the 7.4-magnitude earthquake which struck nortwestern Turkey on August 17, Sagar underlined that the quake was described as one of the biggest quakes in the 20th century, and hit a huge area.

Pointing out that the Prime Ministry Crisis Management Center had begun its works at 04:30 local time just after the predawn quake,

Sagar recalled that the Crisis Assessment and Supervision Council had convened 06:30 local time the same day.

Noting that urgent aid teams were set up, and they had held contacts with the governers of the affected provinces, Sagar told the reporters that they had also given directions to the related units for search and rescue operations.

Recalling that the quake also damaged main highways connecting the disaster area with the rest of Turkey, Sagar noted that the traffic was closed to the vehicles except for the vehicles carrying aid to the disaster zone.

Noting that 15 temporary coordination centers were set up to carry out search and rescue operations, Sakar stressed that a number of personnel were charged in these centers to serve 24 hours a day.

Sakar added that the overall related ministries, institutes and organizations including the Turkish Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry, had started works just after the quake, Sagar also reminded that units had taken urgent actions to quell the fire at the TUPRAS oil refinery.

Emphasizing that it should be taken into consideration that the quake had struck a populous and huge area, to evaluate the search and rescue operations, Sagar continued, ''quake hit nine provinces having a population more than 15 million. It also cut power and telephone lines, and also damaged highways and railways. Thousands of buildings collapsed in the quake which also claimed many lives.''

Sagar thanked all press members for their understanding of responsible broadcast.

Noting that there are 65 thousands soldiers in the disaster area for the time being, Sagar added, ''the number of tents which were distributed in the region has surpassed 100 thousand. In the first day of the quake, 47 helicopters, 2 ambulance planes, and 17 planes carried more than 1,000 injured people to the neighbouring provinces. Nearly 80 thousand people have been provided shelters in 150 tent-cities.''

[10] SAGAR, UNDERSECRETARY OF PRIME MINISTRY : - ''ALSO THE U.S. AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT WILL SEND AID TO DISASTER AREA''

Staging a press conference, Sagar noted that 1,868 beds in the several training facilities of the Turkish Armed Forces, are being kept ready for those who were left homeless.

At the end of the press conference, journalist were given a written statement about the activities of the Office of General Staff, the Red Crescent, and the other related institutions in the disaster area.

Brief information in the statement is as follows:

- There are 64,312 personnel of the Turkish Armed Forces in the disaster area. Meanwhile, 1,868 beds in the several training facilities of the Turkish Armed Forces, are being kept ready for those who were left homeless.

- A total of 36 ships entered into ports in disaster area between August 17 and September 2.

- The Justice Ministry has prepared a draft decree having the force of law, to accelerate the solution of legal conflicts in the disaster area.

- A total of 18 trillion Turkish Liras is required for repair of the schools which were damaged in the quake disaster.

- A three-member delegation from the U.S. Agriculture Department is making observations in the disaster area. After the delegation concludes its observations, the U.S. Agriculture Department will determine its aid programme for the quake victims.

[11] ECEVIT: ''SOME CIRCLES, WHO EXPLOIT RELIGION, HAVE MADE VERY UNJUST ACCUSATIONS ON THE TURKISH ARMED FORCES SINCE THE QUAKE''

Ecevit answered the questions of journalists about the statements of General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff.

Responding to a question, ''Mr. General Kivrikoglu stated that other laws should be put into effect for struggle against fundamentalism. What kind of a way will the government follow regarding these laws when the Parliament restarts its performances?'', the Prime Minister said, ''the current government has a great majority at the parliament and concordance within itself. Thus the necessary laws, which couldn't be adopted up until now, can easily be ratified during the next legislative year. The preparations for them are also continuing. Not only the laws mentioned by Mr. Chief of General Staff but also the laws on areas of population, supervision of buldings, tenders and municipalities have to be reviewed.''

Stressing that some circles, who have exploited the region since the earthquake disaster, made very unjust accusations on the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Ecevit said, ''this had aimed at harming an institution for which people attach great importance. Reaction of Mr. Chief of General Staff was very rightful.''

Stating that the TSK contributed to search-rescue operations and works to haul away the rubble with a great force shortly after the earthquake, Ecevit said the TSK also contributed to providing security and erecting tent-cities in the disaster area.

''The unjust allegations of some circles exploiting the religion make the soldiers and officers, who participate in the efforts, feel uneasy. I evaluated the statements of Mr. Chief of General Staff as a reaction to this,'' he added.

[12] PRESIDENT DENKTAS OF THE TRNC: - ''AT THIS POINT, WE WANT A NEW PROCESS AND A NEW BEGINNING''

Addressing journalists, Denktas stressed that he will also come together with the newly appointed mediator in the U.S. during his contacts.

Stressing that restarting tested processes once again is useless now, Denktas said that these will be beneficial only for the Greek Cypriot side.

Denktas told reporters, ''They have been tricking us for years. At this point, we want a new process, and a new beginning because we defend reconciliation on the island. The old process which did not envisage compromise, is useless. Whereas, the U.S., Britain, and the United Nations Security Council want the old process to continue.

We have been trying it for 26 years. How long we will continue to try such a useless process? I will hold contacts both in Washington D.C., and in New York to this end. I am scheduled to meet with Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, on September 9. Then, I will come to Turkey again to scrutinize the developments with the government.''

When asked about the possible reaction of the Greek Cypriot side to the new process, Denktas emphasized that it is not appropriate to compare their rightful case with the Greek Cypriot side's reaction.

When recalled Greece's aid to Turkey in the wake of the quake disaster, Denktas said, ''this aid created a nice atmosphere between Turkey and Greece. I hope that it will also be helpful to solve all problems. No country sacrifices its national case to receive aid. If you expect Greece to abandon her rights in the Aegean Sea and on Cyprus, you make a big mistake. If Greece expects Turkey to abandon her rights in the Aegean Sea and on Cyprus, they consider the aid as a bribe.''

A.A

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article