Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-02-22

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

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

[01] AA News

22 February 2000 Tuesday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

FINANSBANK PURCHASES A BANK IN ROMANIA
The Finansbank purchased the majority of the shares of a bank in Romania. The Finansbank said that it purchased 50.07 percent of the total shares of the Banca de Credit Industrial si Commercial S.A which is situated in Romania. The Banca de Credit Industrial si Commercial S.A. has a principal money of 73 billion 279 million 998 thousand Leu.

BUDGET DEFICIT BECOMES 1.5 QUADRILLION TL IN JANUARY
Budget deficit became 1 quadrillion 590 trillion 867 billion Turkish liras (TL) in January 2000. Acccording to the Finance Ministry Accountancy General Directorate data, the spendings from the budget in January were 3 quadrillion 631 trillion 638 billion TL. It said personnel spendings were 799 trillion 884 billion TL, other current spendings were 15 trillion 596 billion TL and investment spendings were 222 billion TL while 2 quadrillion 815 billion TL was expended on transfers.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TRIAL OF ERBAKAN, LEADER OF WELFARE WARTY, AT DIYARBAKIR DGM
The Diyarbakir State Security Court (DGM) No: 1 decided to give Necmettin Erbakan, the leader of the Welfare Party (RP) which was closed by the Constitutional Court, additional time for summing up on merits of the case. Mehmet Ener, the lawyer of Erbakan, requested additional time to prepare his client's defense. His request was accepted by the court, and the hearing was adjourned to March 10.

Erbakan is being accused of provoking people to hatred and animosity in a speech he made in Bingol in 1994. Prosecutor requests Erbakan to be sentenced to one-year in prison in accordance with the Article 312/2 of the Turkish Penal Code.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Relations between Turkey and Switzerland have been halted since the incidents in Turkish Embassy in Bern in June, 1993. A group of supporters of terrorist organization PKK, staged an attack on the Turkish Embassy building in 1993. One of the supporters was killed when security forces in the building opened fire on the group. Following the incident, the Swiss government requested Turkey to bring those who opened fire on PKK supporters, to justice. But Turkey rejected the request. Two countries declared their ambassadors as 'persona non grata'. A Swiss foreign minister has been visiting Turkey for the first time since 1993.

MONGOLIANS DUE IN TURKEY
The Mongolian delegation will attend the Turkish Congress which will be held in Samsun on March 24, for the first time. Three-day congress will be organized by the Turkish State and Communities Foundation (TUDEV). President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Devlet Bahceli, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State, ministers and leaders of political parties are expected to attend the congress.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Prime Minister Ecevit said that reformers who want to reach a real democracy, had apparently won a great victory in elections in Iran.

''I congratulate the Iranian people, particularly young people and women. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami can now call on the powerful support of parliament for his reformist policies,'' Ecevit stressed.

RETIRED GEN. ERKAYA: ''THE BIGGEST DANGER IS FETULLAH''
Retired General Guven Erkaya, former Naval Forces Commander, one of the most important names of February 28 process, said, ''when I look at future, I see Fetullah Gulen as the biggest danger.'' Erkaya pointed out that National Intelligence Organization (MIT) has cassettes related with Gulen.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ERDIS READ OUT HIS 19 PAGE DEFENSE
Salih Izzet Erdis, having the code name Salih Mirzabeyoglu, the leader of terrorist IBDA-C organization, made his first defense in State Security Court (DGM) no:6. Erdis could be tried after he was sent to Kartal Prison from Metris Prison. Capital punishment is demanded for Erdis on grounds that he gave directives for 98 actions. Erdis claimed that, ''they have blamed me for baseless crimes, and I was arrested because of these crimes. I did not attend the hearings as a reaction to this.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO OVERCOME THE DIFFICULTIES
Leaders began to launch efforts to overcome the difficulties which erupted in constitutional change that will enable President Suleyman Demirel to be elected again. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit says it should be issued before Id al-Adha, Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), acts cautiously. Tansu Ciller, leader of the True Path Party (DYP), will go on a leaders' tour again.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

FAMILY COURTS TO BE FORMED
According to the draft resolution prepared by Hasan Gemici, Minister of State, ''family courts'' will be formed in every province, and in towships which has a population of more than 100,000, within the borders of Turkey. The courts in question will hear the cases related with Family Law and Inheritance Law which take place in Civil Code. The draft resolution foresees the formation of court delegation from different sexes in order to provide equality of sexes.

[03] GEORGIAN INTERIOR MINISTER ARRIVES IN TURKEY

Tantan welcomed Targamadze at the Esenboga Airport.

Targamadze will firstly visit mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern Republic of Turkey, and lay a wreath to the tomb of Ataturk.

He is scheduled to come together with Tantan prior to the inter- delegationary meetings.

Following the meetings, a memorandum of understanding will be signed.

Georgian delegation headed by Targamadze will visit the Police Academy on February 23.

Targamadze and accompanying delegation are expected to depart from Turkey on Thursday.

[04] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES TRAFFIC IN BOLU IN KAYSERÝ

Officials told the A.A correspondent that Kayseri-Malatya highway and a total of 86 village roads in Pinarbasi, Sariz, and Yahyali townships were closed to traffic.

Highway teams are working to clear snow on the roads with snowblowers in the province.

[05] BOSNIAN PRIME MINISTER BICAKCIC VISITS MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURK

He laid a wreath on tomb of Ataturk and visited the museum where Ataturk's personnal belongings are being displayed.

Bicakcic also signed the special notebook of the mausoleum saying, ''I am very pleased with being in Republic of Turkey which was founded by 'Father of Turks'. I believe that relations between Turkey and Bosnia-Herzegovina will further improve.''

[06] ONE PERSON DIES, 28 OTHERS INJURED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN SANLIURFA

One person died and 28 others were injured in the accident. After the collision, the coach damaged the barriers and toppled over from a cliff which has a height of 50 meters. The international Sanlýurfa E-90 highway was closed to traffic for a period.

The driver of the coach died in the hospital, while 28 wounded persons including two children were hospitalized.

[07] WORLD YACHTING CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE ORGANIZED IN CESME BETWEEN JULY 14- 29

Azat Baykal, the Chairman of Yachting Federation, told the A.A correspondent on Tuesday that nearly 2,000 sportsmen from 40 countries would participate in the championship.

Baykal stressed that the championship would be a significant opportunity to promote Turkey's natural and historical assets to the world.

He noted that they had been preparing for the championship for almost two years, adding, ''several organizations such as the Coca Cola and the Efes Pilsen will provide financial support to the championship.''

[08] 85 VILLAGE ROADS CLOSED TO TRAFFIC IN KONYA DUE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL

Officials told the A.A correspondent that a total of 85 village roads in the province were closed to the traffic.

Highway teams are working to clear snow on the roads with snowblowers.

Officials at the Provincial Directorate of Meteorology noted that they expected the snowfall to continue tomorrow.

[09] A LORRY COLLIDES WITH A COACH, INJURING 18 PEOPLE

The coach was carrying workers.

Officials told A.A correspondent that six of the injured people were in serious condition.

Injured people were taken to the hospitals for medical treatment.

[10] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES TRAFFIC AND DAILY LIFE IN CENTRAL BLACK SEA REGION

Officials told the A.A correspondent that a total of 120 village roads in Samsun, Ordu, Sinop and Amasya provinces in the Central Black Sea Region were closed to traffic.

Highway teams are working to clear snow on the roads with snowblowers.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall also damaged electricity and telephone lines in the region.

[11] FIRE BREAKS OUT IN A HUT, KILLING ONE QUAKE SURVIVOR

The fire broke out due to short-circuit in the quake hut.

Hakan Turk, 20, lost his life in the fire.

The fire was put out before it spreads to other huts.

[12] TRIAL OF 86 INMATES WHO INVOLVED IN RIOT AT ULUCANLAR PRISON IN ANKARA ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1999, OPENS

A total of 4 defendants, including two women, and a number of lawyers attended the court session at Ankara 5th High Criminal Court.

No spectators except relatives of the inmates, were allowed to enter the court hall.

A total of 2,500 policemen have been deployed and tight security measures have been taken in and around the court building.

The indictment claimes that the inmates committed crimes of homicide, rioting against the prison authorities, opposition against the Firearm Law No: 6136, and causing damage in the prison building.

One defendant faces the death penalty.

Meanwhile, a group including representatives of the Labour Platform and directors of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) and Municipality Labour Union, was not al

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