Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-02-08

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[01] AA News

08 February 2000 Tuesday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

HEZBOLLAH OPENS FIRE AGAINST POLICE
Hezbollah terrorists opened fire against policemen who attempted to stage an operation to a cell house of terrorists in Ceylanpinar county of Sanlıurfa province. Totally, six Hezbollah members were captured and one of them was killed.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

ERDOGAN AND ARINC DECLARED AS TRAITORS BY AKIT
Fundamentalist Islamist Akit newspaper harshly criticize former mayor of Istanbul Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bulent Arınc for their ''new ideas.'' Akit newspaper declared the two as traitors. Tayyip Erdogan said that ''I don't take the state based on Sharia seriously,'' meanwhile Arınc said ''there are no supporters of the Islamic movement left.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

HEZBOLLAH VIOLENCE TO BE A DOCUMENTARY
Making Hezbollah violence a documentary film was proposed during the leaders summit. Yet, the Minister of Justice Hikmet Sami Turk said that if a documentary film will be made ''in the future'' the judiciary organs should give permission to that and the opinions of sociologists and psychologists should also be taken. Turk added that the balance within the society should not be disturbed.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

POLICE RAIDS CELL HOUSE
The father of the terrorist Hezbollah organization's so-called responsible person for Ceylanpinar township of southeastern Sanliurfa province, was killed and some Hezbollah terrorists were captured in an operation of security forces against a cell house of terrorist Hezbollah. Questioning the Hezbollah terrorists, who were captured in nation-wide operations, police revealed the names of more than 2,000 people who have connection with the Hezbollah. Sources said new operations will be launched especially in Diyarbakir, Batman, Mardin, and Adiyaman. Police also found two arsenals in Batman and Hilvan.

PREMIER VOWS TO SUPPORT DUZCE
Addressing the people Duzce, which was devastated by strong quake on November 12, 1999, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said hundreds of thousands of people were affected by the two strong quakes in Marmara region. ''Earthquake is a natural disaster. If the businessmen and tradesmen of Duzce develop projects, we implement them,'' he said. Ecevit asked the people living in tents to move to holiday resorts in Mediterranean region.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

MALKI INVESTIGATION IN ISRAEL
Aykut Cengiz Engin, the Prosecutor of the State Security Court (DGM) left for Israel to question Erol Erkohen within the framework of the investigation carried out after the killing of Nesim Malki, a usurer. Erkohen is believed to know about all the debtors of Malki.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

GOOD NEWS FROM MOODY'S
Moody's, a leading rating organization of the world, announced that Turkey's rating would increase if the economic policy was carried out in the way it was undertaken.

PKK'S WEAPONS FROM IRAN
Iran became the new guardian of the terrorist PKK organization which is now at loggerheads with the Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (OUK) in Northern Iraq. The terrorist PKK organization, which can't now carry out actions like in the past in Syria and Northern Iraq, continues its terrorist trainings in the Keleresh camp in Iran. Iran not only opens its doors to PKK terrorists but also gives mortars, howitzers, and cannons to the PKK terrorists receiving ''bouncer'' type training in the Keleresh camp.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

SECOND ARSENAL
While police is searching for dead bodies in southeastern Batman province, the center of the terrorist Hezbollah organization, it revealed a new arsenal. Police confiscated plenty of weapons and ammunitions in the arsenals.

SERIOUS ACCUSATIONS
The Prosecutor of the Diyarbakir State Security Court, in his additional summing up for Necmettin Erbakan case, defended that ''Erbakan acted with the opinion that the circles except his party don't believe in faith.'' The court, which accepted Erbakan's lawyer's request for extension, adjourned the hearing.

[03] TURKISH-JAPANESE VILLAGE IN SAKARYA TO OPEN

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing said that 500 prefabricated huts donated by the Japanese government, will be given to quake survivors.

Aydın and the guest deputy minister will later visit those who stay in the prefabricated huts in the Turkish-Japanese village.

[04] FINAL STATEMENT OF TURKISH-GREEK JOURNALISTS' CONFERENCE ISSUED

The final statement said that the conference which was held by the inititiatives launched by the Press Council last October, was staged among the journalists, the administrators of the mass communication organs, and the academicians.

The participants once more reiterated that they want the communication channel which was set up in Istanbul last October between the press sectors of both countries, should be kept open; the final statement noted.

The final statement said, ''the positive atmosphere in the relations between two countries should be protected and maintained by the responsible journalism understanding. Every kind of cooperation among the Turkish and Greek media institutions are advantageous. We think that the cooperation among the communication faculties of both countries which teach journalism, should be supported. Cooperation and communication have been settled among the members of the Regular Contact Group which was set up to implement the above mentioned targets.''

''Such cooperation should also be established among the mass communication institutes of both countries. We have approved the activities of the Regular Contact Group and accepted that the activities can be widened. The understanding which was adopted in the Athens Conference should be widened systematically. The number of the members and the activities should be increased. We have decided to stage the second Turkish-Greek media conference in Istanbul in September 2000,'' the final statement added.

The final statement continued, ''the conference accepted the invitation of the Mayor of Rhodes who requested to stage the ''Round Table'' meeting in Rhodes in the end of May 2000. Besides, the participants appreciated the participation of Constantine Mitsotakis, former Greek Prime Minister; Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister; George Papandreou, the Greek Foreign Minister; and Dimitris Avramopoulos, the Athens Mayor, in the activities of the conference.''

''The participants also emphasized that the participation of many Turkish and Greek journalists and the administrators of the mass communication institutions in the conference, and their proposals carry importance for the conference. It is obvious that these proposals are very valuable for the improvement of the Turkish-Greek relations,'' the final statement added.

[05] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AKBULUT: ''WE WANT PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE CAUCASUS''

Akbulut participated in the luncheon given by the Turkish industrialists and businessmen working in Azerbaijan.

Speaking in the luncheon, Akbulut noted that Turkey feels uneasy about the conflicts in the region.

The Baku administration will make the necessary arrangements to increase the foreign investments, Akbulut stated.

Akbulut stressed that he believes that as the legal infrastructure is established in Azerbaijan, the problems that the Turkish investors face in this country will decrease.

''We will all together overcome the problems by taking into consideration that Azerbaijan is experiencing a transition period,'' Akbulut added.

Following the luncheon, Akbulut visited the Baku State University.

At the university, Akbulut was decorated by the honorary doctorate title.

Akbulut will visit the refugee camps and will meet with Haydar Aliyev, the Azerbaijani President, within the framework of his contacts in this country.

[06] COUNCIL OF STATE OVERRULES REQUEST OF KAVAKCI

The verdict will be notified to the sides in the coming days.

Kavakci has the right to appeal the verdict within 30 days after notification of the verdict.

[07] TURKISH AIR FORCE PLANES AND PERSONNEL TO RETURN HOME ON WEDNESDAY AFTER PARTICIPATING IN RED FLAG MANEOUVRE

A statement released by Air Forces Commandership said the Turkish units participated in the maneouvre with its 6 F-16 C/D's, 3 KC-135R (tanker) and 1 C-130 E plane. A total of 39 officers and 53 junior officers were in charge in the maneouvre.

The U.S. and British air forces also took part in the maneouvre.

The planes and the personnel will return to Akinci and Incirlik airports at 3.15 p.m. on Wednesday. The units will fly for over 20 hours and will stay at McGuire airport in the U.S. and Mildenhall airport in Britain for one night.

It was stated that the maneouvre was not a standard maneouvre, but a realistic rehearsal of war. There was also no pre-planned scenerio or results during it. The maneouvre aimed to test the effectiveness of arm systems and training levels of the participating units.

''Only a limited number of airforces have so far joined this maneouvre. Our units completed their mission with success after making 150 sorties in 550 hours,'' it was noted.

[08] EU COMMISSION MEMBER VERHEUGEN SAYS TURKEY MEETS SOME EXPECTATIONS OF EU FOLLOWING HELSINKI SUMMIT

Relations between Turkey and Greece are recovering and Ismail Cem's statements during his Athens visit were promising. The Aegean Sea is turning into a sea of peace and the situation is encouraging, he said.

''A window opened'' in the Cyprus problem, Verheugen said but added they did not know when a settlement would be reached. The efforts for a settlement are sufficient and Helsinki decisions also had an influence on this matter.

Verheugen said he would visit Turkey in March. He will have appointments with Turkish authorities during the period during which Turkey prepares itself for full membership.

EU enlargement will bring economic success; however, some countries can have troubles in the beginning, he said and added that he would soon start an initiative to determine EU's borders.

He also reminded that negotiations started with 5 candidate countries, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, and Greek Cypriot side. Meetings with Bulgaria, Letonia, Malta, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovakia will begin next week.

[09] TURKEY PERMITS PASSENGERS OF ITALIAN ''ALITALIA'' PLANE TO ENTER INTO TURKEY FROM ''C TERMINAL'' OF ATATURK AIRPORT

Officials of the Ataturk Airport told A.A correspondent on Tuesday that the plane belonging to Alitalia airline company landed at the Ataturk Airport at 1.35 p.m.

The airport administration did not permit the plane to park near the tube which connects the plane with the new International Flights Terminal, the officials said.

The officials noted that the plane was forced to park one kilometer away from the C Terminal where the passengers will enter into Turkey.

The officials stressed that the passports of the passengers were taken by the police and that the passengers were brought to the C Terminal which was closed a short time ago, for passport control.

The passengers, the majority of which were the Italians and Turks, had to wait at the terminal, which was opened temporarily, for the completion of passport and luggage controls.

Following the passport control, the passengers left the airport.

Meanwhile, the Turkey representatives of the ''Alitalia'' airline company distribued a statement to the passengers which were written in English, Turkish, and Italian.

The statement said, ''we apologize for the problems and discomfort that you face when you are travelling by Alitalia. Due to a governmental decision which was not caused by Alitalia but which Alitalia has to abide by, the Alitalia planes should land to the C Terminal of the Ataturk Airport and take off from this terminal. To this end, we would like you to know that we will be in service for all your requirements.''

The passengers said that nobody had earlier informed them about this issue and they suffered much from this application.

Aysen Kilic, a Turkish passenger, said that she travelled by Alitalia company because it is cheaper.

Kilic said, ''I have been living in Milano for years. I come to Turkey for four or five times a year. I always travel by THY. Nobody should be unfair to the THY.''

Later, the passengers who will fly from Istanbul to Rome by Alitalia, were taken to the C Terminal.

The Italian Civil Aviation Organization had earlier taken a decision in August 1999 that the Turkish Airlines (THY) planes, the Egyptian and Israeli planes would land at the T2 Terminal of Malpensa Airport in Milano city of Italy whose infrastructure had not been completed yet.

The organization had also decided that the airline companies of the European Union (EU) countries would land at the T1 terminal whose infrastructure had been completed.

The Egyptian and Israeli airline companies had told Italy that they would cancel their flights to Italy if such application continued.

So, Italy only forced THY planes to land at the T2 terminal.

Later, Turkey had prevented the landing of the Alitalia Airlines planes which fly from Milano to Istanbul, at the international flights terminal of the Ataturk Airport, and diverted these planes to the C Terminal as of December 20, 1999.

[10] KAPLAN'S TRIAL CONTINUES

Chief Judge Ottmar Beidling sentenced two people, who disrupted the hearing in the morning session, to two days in prison.

Later Beidling read out the indictment which said Kaplan was guilty of setting up a crime organization, trying to found a caliphate state, calling for jihad, giving fatwa for the killing of Halil Ibrahim Sofu in Berlin.

''Islam religion is both religious service and politics. It is not reconcilable with democracy,'' Kaplan said during his defense.

On Thursday, the witnesses and investigation officers will speak at the court.

Beidling had adjourned the hearing on Wednesday morning when Kaplan's supporters protested the court.

A.A

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