Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-02-20

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[01] AA News

20 February 2000 Sunday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

RODRIK, NEW CONSULTANT OF CENTRAL BANK:
''DON'T BE EXTREMELY OPTIMISTIC''
Dani Rodrik, the new consultant of the Central Bank, said that Turkey has being implementing the most pretentious and the most consistent program since 1980. Rodrik noted that despite this, Turkey should not be extremely optimistic. Rodrik added that the extreme optimism can turn into an extreme pessimism and that people should be careful about this.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

COMMANDERS WATCH VIDEO CASSETTES OF VIOLENCE
The General Directorate of Security gave a briefing to the high-ranking commanders of the Office of General Staff. The commanders watched the video cassettes of torture and violence that the terrorist Hezbollah organization made.

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AKBULUT GOES TO BEIJING
Yildirim Akbulut, the Parliament Speaker, went to China. Turkey wants to improve the relations with China as she realized the political importance of China and the significance of the Chinese market. Akbulut's visit became the best example of the change experienced in Turkish-Chinese relations.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

JANE'S DEFENSE: ''MIT IS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN MOSSAD''
The ''Jane's Defense'', the famous defense and intelligence magazine, said that the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has become one of the leading intelligence units of the world. The magazine said that the MIT's reputation started to promote as Senkal Atasagun became the MIT Chairman. The magazine noted that the MIT learned how to collect intelligence from Israli MOSSAD organization but that MIT became more successful than MOSSAD.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before his departure, Kececiler said Turkish-Oman trade relations will be reviewed during the visit.

HEZBOLLAH SUMMIT IN EASTERN VAN PROVINCE
Domestic security meeting, led by Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan, took place in eastern Van province. Struggle against terrorist PKK organization and terrorist Hezbollah organization in the region was taken up during the meeting.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Turk said, ''this is an issue which create problem each time. We don't want this to be used politically by the foreigners. We have got the views of foreign ministry. Because, this is an issue concerning foreign policy. We have told them that we have doubt that this may be exploited within the politicization process of the terrorist PKK. To this end, we have refused their request. It is impossible to accept that they connected postponement of the visit to this condition. Apart from this, there is no limitation to visit Zana within the framework of laws.''

HEROIN WORTH OF ONE TRILLION LIRA
Narcotics officials confiscated around 75 kg heroin in a truck which was about to go abroad.

Acting on a tip off, narcotics officials, blocked road and stopped the truck on main Turkish-Europe Motorway (TEM). The haul was seized in the truck having Turkish registration plate. The truck was loaded with tomatoes. Officials said market value of the drug was approximately one trillion lira.

TURKIYE (RIGHT) PROTESTS CONTINUE INCREASINGLY
Turkey reacted against the efforts of Armenian lobby, which tries to hamper Turkish-French relations. Armenian lobby tries to bring ''genocide'' allegations to the French Senate. Citizens, who have common sense, faxed or send through internet the letter which was written to the French Senate Speaker. The citizens said, ''these baseless allegations are brought to the agenda in every period. We don't want France to be a tool of this game. Armenian game will fail.''

ECEVIT: ''I RELY ON THE WORDS OF YILMAZ''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he believed that Constitutional change will take place regarding presidential elections. About the presidential elections, Ecevit noted that he believed that Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) was sincere about his comments about 5 plus 5 solution. ''When he says a word, I believe it,'' Ecevit showed his confidence in Yilmaz.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

CHAIN ACCIDENT: FOUR DIE
Four people died and more than 30 others were injured in traffic accident in Pinarbasi Uzunyayla region on main Kayseri-Malatya highway on Saturday.

One of the passenger buses plunged into the shoulder of the road, yet the bus did not overturn. Three passengers and the driver of the bus got out of the bus in panic. Another bus going in the same direction hit the passengers and the driver killing them.

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER TANTAN: ''WE WILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISM WITH DETERMINATION''

Following the ''Internal Security and Anti-Terrorism Struggle'' meeting which was staged in eastern Van province and which lasted for eight hours, Tantan noted that the meeting was very useful.

Such meetings will continue, Tantan stated.

Tantan continued as saying, ''struggle against the PKK, Hezbollah and the other terrorist organizations continue under discipline and we became successful in our operations. We will continue to struggle against terrorism with determination.''

Responding a question about the arrest of the mayors of Diyarbakir and Siirt, Tantan said, ''the Emergency Rule Regional Governorship made the necessary statement about this issue.''

Responding another question, Tantan said that they have not received any information that Dursun Karatas, the leader of the illegal extreme leftist terrorist Dev-Sol organization, was captured.

Turan Genc, the Director General of Security; Gokhan Aydiner, the Emergency Rule Regional Governor; Kemal Yilmaz, the Public Order Regional Commander; Mehmet Cavdaroglu, an official of the Gendarme General Commandership, 11 governors, the gendarme commanders and the chiefs of police organizations, participated in the meeting.

The latest developments regarding the operations against the terrorist organizations PKK and Hezbollah were discussed in the meeting.

[04] A TOTAL OF 2276 PREFABRICATED HUTS SENT TO BOLU UNTIL TODAY

The Center noted that 894 people were killed while 4,948 others were injured in the quake.

A total of 12,941 dwellings and 2,450 business places collapsed or suffered heavy damage in the quake, the Center stated.

The Center stressed that 2,276 prefabricated huts, two prefabricated canteens and a prefabricated school having eight classrooms have been assembled in Bolu until today.

The prefabricated huts which were completed, have been handed over to the quake survivors, the Center emphasized.

The Red Crescent and the Turkish Armed Forces have dispatched 198 mobile kitchens, 173 mobile baths, 2 mobile bakeries, 14 laundries, a number of beds, sleeping bags, blankets, duvets, stoves, and foodstuff to the quake- stricken area, the Center pointed out.

The Center said that food is given to the quake survivors three times a day.

In the disaster area, 273 doctors, 194 nurses, and 918 health staff are working, the Center added.

[05] 1,757 PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN 54 PROVINCES DURING OPERATIONS AGAINST TERRORIST HEZBOLLAH ORGANIZATION

The Interior Ministry noted that the interrogation of 192 persons continue and 858 persons were imprisoned until today.

A total of 707 persons were released, the Interior Ministry stated.

The Interior Ministry stressed that seven terrorists were killed during the operations while five policemen died.

A total of 59 dead bodies were unearthed until today, the Interior Ministry emphasized.

The Ministry pointed out that 469 weapons, 14 rifles, 48,404 cartridges, 933 hand grenades, 31 dynamites, explosives, 31 rocket launchers, one mortar, 642 rocket launcher bullets, and three land mines were confiscated during the operations.

The operations will continue, the Ministry added.

[06] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AKBULUT IN BEIJING

Akbulut is accompanied by Ahmet Iyimaya, a deputy of the True Path Party (DLP); Halit Dikmen, a deputy of the Democratic Left Party (DSP); Mehmet Sandir, a deputy of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); Ilhan Akuzum, a deputy of the Motherland Party (ANAP); and Abdullatif Sener, a deputy of the Virtue Party (FP).

He Luli, the Deputy Chairman of Chinese Parliament Permanent Committee, will host a dinner in honour of Turkish delegation headed by Akbulut tonight.

Akbulut and the accompanying delegation will visit the Great Wall of China on Monday morning.

He will meet with Peng on Monday afternoon and participate in the dinner given in his honour by Peng on Monday evening.

Akbulut and the accompanying delegation will visit Shenzhen city on Tuesday.

He will meet with Jiang Zemin, the Chinese President, in this city.

Later, Akbulut and the accompanying delegation will proceed to Shangai.

Akbulut and the delegation will depart China on Thursday.

[07] GREEK PM SIMITIS: ''WE HOPE WE WILL WALK IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH TURKEY''

Simitis noted that significant steps have been taken for improving the Turkish-Greek relations in the recent days.

The regional peace is in the interest of both Turkey and Greece, Simitis stated.

Simitis stressed that Greece's attitude at the Helsinki Summit supported Turkey's expectations from Europe.

They hope that Turkey will benefit from this opportunity and that Turkey and Greece can walk in the same direction, Simitis emphasized.

Simitis pointed out that the regional peace also depends on the establishment of a lasting and fair peace on Cyprus within the framework of the United Nations (U.N.) resolutions.

Greece took under guarantee the EU membership process of Cyprus without any obstacles, Simitis said.

Simitis noted that the Common Europe framework aims at facilitating the bi- communal and bi-zonal federation and that it also supports the equal state structure.

Referring to the Turkish minority in the Western Thrace, Simitis said that all the citizens living in this region are equal under the laws and in respect of rights.

[08] TURKEY IS IN 14TH PLACE IN WORLD IN RESPECT OF MINE RESERVES

In accordance with the research titled ''Mine Reserves in Turkey and in the World'' which was conducted by Prof. Sedat Temur, Selcuk University Geology Engineering Department lecturer, Turkey has a mine reserve of 13 billion 990 million tons.

The research indicated that the U.S. is in the first place in respect of the amount of mine reserves while Russia became the first in respect of the value of the mine reserves.

Turkey is in the first place in reserves of boron, cobalt, corundum and perlite, the research showed.

The research also indicated that Turkey is the first in the world in respect of the boron and pumice stocks, fourth in chrome, and fifth in sodium carbonate stocks.

Turkey is the first in boron, pumice, cobalt, corondum and perlite reserves, second in bentonite and sodium carbonate, and fifth in antimony reserves, the research also showed.

The research indicated that Turkey has 4.5 billion tons of perlite, 2.2 billion tons of boron, 2 billion tons of marble, 935 million tons of pumice, 2 billion tons of charcoal, 625 million tons of sodium carbonate stocks.

Turkey draws the attention with 10,000 tons of uranium which is a strategic mine.

T

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