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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-03-11
11 March 2000 Saturday
[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
[03] These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in
Turkey's press on March 11, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these
stories and does not vouch for their occuracy.
[04] HURRIYET (LIBERAL) - ---------------- GULMEZ CAPTURED IN ISTANBUL Ali
Gulmez, the so-called bomb expert and secretary general of the illegal
extreme leftist TKP-ML TIKKO organization, and Ganimet Bozlu, the courier
of the illegal organization, were captured in Istanbul. Gulmez had prepared
the bomb which was used in the attack staged against Ayhan Cevik, the
Governor of Cankiri.
[05] ''LETTERS IN GOLD'' AT LOUVRE MUSEUM Worldwide famous Louvre Museum in
French capital of Paris will host priceless calligraphy collection of Sakip
Sabanci, a leading Turkish businessmen. ''Letters in Gold Exhibition'' will
be opened on March 14. The collection was displayed last year at the New
York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art, and
at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of the University of Harward. The
collection comprises of 71 works including imperial decrees, tugras
(sultan's signatures), and manuscript Korans.
[06] MILLIYET (LIBERAL) - ----------------- VERHEUGEN: ''HARMFUL POLITICAL
POLARIZATION WILL END'' Regarding the one year prison sentence given to
Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the Welfare Party (RF) which was
closed by the Constitutional Court; Guenter Verheugen, the European Union
(EU) Commissioner for enlargement, said he hoped that Turkey would overcome
the harmful political polarization after completing its reforms. Responding
to a question about Erbakan's prison sentence, Verheugen said he just heard
the news so he didn't have the chance to examine it, and therefore
refrained from making a comment. Noting that the EU needed Turkey as an
equal partner, Verheugen added that they wanted to encourage Turkey to
continue its political and economic reforms.
[07] GROSSMAN: ''TURKEY SHOULD BE GRANTED SPECIAL STATUS'' Marc Grossman,
the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, said that non-EU countries which are
members of the NATO such as the U.S. and Turkey, should be granted special
status within framework of the European Security and Defense Identity
(ESDI). Grossman stressed that non-EU NATO allies should participate in
decision-taking mechanism of the EU security.
[08] SABAH (LIBERAL) - --------------- THE U.S. EXIMBANK TO GIVE LOAN WORTH
OF 525 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS The U.S. Eximbank will give a loan worth of 525
million U.S. dollars for natural gas power plants in Gebze and Adapazari.
[09] KAYA SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS AND NINE MONTHS IN PRISON The Istanbul
State Security Court No: 3 sentenced Ahmet Kaya, a prominent singer, to
three years and nine months in prison on charges of aiding and abetting to
the terrorist organization PKK.
[10] CUMHURIYET (LEFT) - ---------------- THREE CANCELLATIONS IN ENERGY The
Council of State's Department No:10 abolished the energy tenders, which
were won by mass-media holdings, in accordance with the Law on Organization
and Broadcasts of Radios and Televisions. The Council of Ministers'
decision on transfer of operation right of Thrace distribution network,
Soma A-B thermic power plant and Catalagzi B thermic power plant was
annuled.
[11] ''PARLIAMENT WILL NOT PASS 5+5'' Prime Minister and leader of
Democratic Left Party (DSP) Bulent Ecevit and Motherland Party's (ANAP)
Mesut Yilmaz said that amendment would be accepted while groups have
different opinions. Responding to questions of journalists about the
constitutional change package, Ecevit said, ''I am very hopeful. Actually,
more than 400 deputies have signed it. So I am hopeful.'' However, Mesut
Yilmaz's senior aides Salih Yildirim and Ali Dogan said the Parliament
would not approve the proposal. Many deputies of the Nationalist Movement
Party (MHP) and DSP said they would not vote in favor in the secret voting.
[12] RADIKAL (LEFT) - ------------- HAIL OF BULLETS IN HILTON Ali Tibukoglu,
the cousin of Liberal Party's (LP) Besim Tibuk, was killed in an overnight
armed attack in Ankara Hilton Hotel. MHP's former Diyarbakir Province
Headquarter Chairman and two other people were injured in the armed attack.
[13] GUN EVIDENCE TO GANG The consultative authority's report provided one
of the most important evidence in the missing guns case. It became clear
with the report that the Baretta gun found in the car of True Path Party
(DYP) deputy Sedat Bucak after the traffic accident in Susurluk was one the
guns lost in the Security.
[14] YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL) - -------------------- INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION
DECREASES 3.9 PERCENT IN 1999 The production in the industrial sector
decreased by 3.9 percent in 1999 compared to figures for 1998. The State
Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that the production decreased 1.5
percent in the forth three-month quarter of the 1999.
[15] CEM: ''THERE IS A TV CHANNEL BROADCASTING IN KURDISH LANGUAGE''
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in an interview with Belgian Le Vif-
L'Express magazine that the inclusion of death penalty in Turkish Penal
Code constituted an impediment for Turkey's membership to the European
Union (EU), and Turkey was aware of that fact. Reminding that no death
penalty had been executed in Turkey since 1984, Cem said ''even if I cannot
say when, I am sure that we will abolish death penalty.'' Noting that the
description of minority was determined within the framework of the Lausanne
Treaty, Cem added that Kurds were not perceived as minority. ''We are not
against freedoms of cultural, democratic rights, and the right to freedom
of expression. Our Kurdish citizens can speak their own languages freely,
publish books, newspapers, and broadcast,'' Cem noted.
[16] TURKIYE (RIGHT) - --------------- ONE-YEAR TO ERBAKAN The Diyarbakir
State Security Court (DGM) made a decision about the case of Necmettin
Erbakan, former leader of closed Welfare Party (RP) who was tried with
charges of violating Article 312 of the Constitution. The Court sentenced
Erbakan to one-year imprisonment and 220 thousand Turkish Liras fine.
Erbakan was tried with charges of ''inciting hatred among people'' with the
speech he made in southeastern Bingol province in 1994. If the Supreme
Court approves the decision, Erbakan will stay in prison for 24 days, and
his political life will end.
[17] DEMIREL: ''EU IS IMPORTANT FOR EU'' Addressing the conference on
''security'', President Suleyman Demirel said Turkey welcomed the new
century with new opportunities. ''Turkey's EU candidacy is important not
only for Europe but also for the whole region,'' he said.
[18] SABANCI DRAWS ATTENTION Sabanci Holding Executive Board Chairman Sakip
Sabanci's call for marriage to Koc Holding and Dogus Holding received
positive reactions from the business world. The President of the
Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessemn (TUSIAD) stressed the
importance of the sound capital structure for the global competition,
adding, ''this is obligatory for competition.'' The Is Bank Deputy Governor
said marriage was a great advantage.
[19] ASSASINATION OF KISLALI GOING TO BE SOLVED Finally, the assasination
of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali, who was killed in a car-bomb attack in
1999, will be solved. Police revealed that the bomb was prepaed by Ali
Gulmez, who was captured in Istanbul. Gulmez is a member of the illegal
TKP/ML-TIKKO organization. Police also revealed that the bomb used in car-
bomb attack against former Cankiri Governor Ayhan Cevik was prepared by
Gulmez.
[20] ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE) - ------------------ KUTAN: ''THE DECISION IS
VERY DISTRESSING'' Recai Kutan of Virtue Party (FP) reacted to the decision
of the Diyarbakir DGM against Necmettin Erbakan. ''One-year imprisonment
sentence on a former prime minister who served the country for 50 years, is
an unbelievable consequence,'' he said.
[21] GUL: ''WE WILL BE ASHAMED'' Criticizing the imprisonment sentence on
Erbakan, Abdullah Gul, who is running for leadership in FP, said, ''this
country will experience the embarrassment of one-year imprisonment sentence
to a prime minister who expressed his thoughts.''
[22] VERHEUGEN: ''CONTINUE REFORMATION'' Evaluation the imprisonment
sentence on Erbakan, Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement,
said Turkey would overcome the political polarization which would affect
Turkey's reforms while the U.S. Government reacted to the decision.
[23] AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUE TO SHAKE MARMARA REGION
[24] ISTANBUL - Aftershocks continue to shake Marmara Region in the wake of
7.4-magnitude earthquake which devastated the region on August 17.
Officials at the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Seismology
Institute told the A.A correspondent that two aftershocks measuring 2.6 and
3.1 on the Richter scale were recorded in Karapurcek township of Adapazari
province at 05:24 p.m. and in Kocaeli province aa 10:01 p.m. on Friday.
[25] AKUT SENDS A TEAM TO MOZAMBIQUE
[26] ISTANBUL - AKUT, the Search and Rescue Association, sent on Friday a
team composed of three doctors, and medical supplies to Mozambique which
was devastated by flood disaster. Bijan Jahangiri, Galip Zihni Sanus and
Murat Ihsan Atasayan, the members of the AKUT, left for Johannesburg, South
Africa, on Friday night. The team will proceed to the Club Navala
Coordination Center in Mozambique from Johannesburg by helicopters.
Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Sarp
Yelkencioglu from the AKUT's Press and Public Relations Unit, said, ''we
decided to send a team to Mozambique, but departure of our team was delayed
after the accident in Mount Agri where Iskender Igdir died after plunging
60 meters from a peak.'' Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Red Crescent
will also send humanitarian aid to Mozambique next week. Hundreds of people
were killed while an estimated 1 million people were left homeless by
floodwaters that peaked two weeks ago in Mozambique.
[27] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION - IN FIRST TWO MONTHS, 14.3 MILLION
U.S. DOLLARS OF GRAIN-CEREALS EXPORTED
[28] GAZIANTEP - The exports of grain-cereals from the Southeastern
Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first two months of 2000 decreased 11
percent to 14 million 271 thousand U.S. dollars. In the same period last
year, the region exported 16 million 13 thousand U.S. dollars of grain-
cereals. Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union told the
A.A correspondent on Saturday that in the first two months of the year,
they exported 1 million 6 thousand U.S. dollars in lentil, chickpea and
bean; 1 million 774 thousand U.S. dollars in flour; 1 million 290 thousand
U.S. dollars in oil; 6 million 354 thousand U.S. dollars in sugar and
candies; and 3 million 847 thousand U.S. dollars in various products. The
majority of the goods were exported to Iraq, Germany, Uzbekistan,
Kazakhstan, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Romania.
[29] ROOFS OF DWELLINGS AND BUSINESS PLACES BLOWN OFF UNDER HEAVY WINDS IN
EASTERN ANATOLIA
[30] ERZURUM - A powerful storm hit Erzurum, Agri, Kars, Igdir, Ardahan and
Mus provinces in Eastern Anatolia on Saturday. Gusts of around 80
kilometers per hour tore roofs of many dwellings and business places in the
region. The storm also damaged energy and communication lines.
[31] OPERATIONS AGAINST HISTORICAL WORK SMUGGLING - EIGHT PEOPLE DETAINED
[32] BOLU - Security forces captured on Saturday eight people who were
smuggling historical works in Bolu province. Acting on a tip-off, security
forces raided a business place in the province. They confiscated 33 pieces
of historical works including coins, pistols, candlesticks, rifles, books
and manuscript Korans. A large-scale investigation into the smuggling is
underway.
[33] ''DISCIPLINED WARRIOR 2000 MANOEUVRES'' END
[34] IZMIR - The NATO Southeast European Cooperative Commandership's annual
military exercise, ''Disciplined Warrýor 2000'', in Aegean Izmir province
ended on Saturday. Releasing a written statement, the NATO Southeast
European Cooperative Commandership's Press and Public Relations Office said
that 230 personnel, along with the NATO Command, Control and Consultation
Authority; the European Strategical Commandership's Special Manoeuvres
Department; the regional headquarters of FSOUTH, NAVSOUTH, AIRSOUTH and
STRIKFORSOUTH; the Cooperative Inferior Region Commandership Headquarters;
and the European Allied Commandership Rapid Reaction Army Corps staff
participated in the manoeuvres. Also Hungary which recently became a member
of the NATO, provided reinforcement to the manoeuvres.
[35] TURKEY'S ECONOMY-FOREIGN INVESTORS - YASED SECRETARY GENERAL ARIMAN: -
''TURKISH INVESTORS' POINT OF VIEW ON TURKISH ECONOMY IS MORE PESSIMISTIC
WHILE FOREIGN INVESTORS APPROACH MORE OBJECTIVELY AND HOPEFULLY''
[36] IZMIR - Abdurrahman Ariman, the Secretary General of the Foreign
Capital Association (YASED), said on Saturday that foreign investors had
positive point of view about the Turkish economy. ''They want to invest in
Turkey. Turkish investors' point of view is much more pessimistic while
foreign investors approach more objectively and hopefully,'' he said.
Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Ariman said foreign investors' positive
approach stemmed from the positive reports of International Monetary Fund
(IMF), World Bank and international rating organizations. Ariman said many
foreign investors and multi-national companies, which want to invest in
Turkey, took into consideration economic developments rather than the
political developments. ''They find the targets of the continuing economic
program feasible. We saw that foreign investors and multi-national
companies which carry out activities in 160 countries under every regime,
do not take into consideration politics very seriously. They approach
investment with economic developments and current economic criteria or they
abstain. Many foreign investor groups approach the Turkish economy
objectively and positively. Up until now, political instability and chronic
high-inflation have constituted an obstacle in front of them. However, the
current developments inspire hope. Many foreign investors are now
discussing whether or not the inflation will decrease to 25 percent. They
say that it would be pleasing even if it will drop to about 30 percent,''
he said. Abdurrahman Ariman said Turkey had the capability to draw a 30
billion U.S. dollars foreign capital investment annually, but the annual
inflow become one billion U.S. dollars in last decade.
[37] TWO STATUES BELONGED TO PERSIAN ERA CONFISCATED
[38] GAZIANTEP - Security forces confiscated on Saturday two statues
belonged to Persian era in southeastern Gaziantep province. Staging a press
conference, Hasim Tunc, the Deputy Director of Security in Gaziantep, said
that one person was taken into custody in an operation launched in the
province. Tunc said, ''the statues dated back to fifth century B.C., were
earlier unearthed in rural area near Salkim village in Siverek township of
Gaziantep. We confiscated those statues and we will hand over the statues
to the Gaziantep Archaeology Museum.''
[39] TOURISM MINISTER MUMCU ARRIVES IN BERLIN
[40] BERLIN - Erkan Mumcu, the Minister of Tourism, arrived on Saturday in
Germany to attend ITB Tourism Fair in Berlin. After opening the Turkish
stand, Mumcu met with Eberhard Diepgen, the Prime Minister of Berlin State.
Mumcu briefed Diepgen on the Turkish stand. Later, Mumcu visited the
Turkish firms participating in the fair. Minister Mumcu said that they were
expecting ten million foreign tourists to visit Turkey this year. Mumcu
added that they were expecting a great tourism input in the year 2000.
Meanwhile, Diepgen said in his part that Turkey was a touristic country,
expressing his pleasure with the Turkish stand.
[41] NARCOTICS OFFICIALS CONFISCATE 163.2 KG OF HEROIN IN THREE SEPARATE
OPERATIONS
[42] ISTANBUL - Hasan Ozdemir, the Directore General of Provincial Security
in Istanbul, said on Saturday that narcotics officials confiscated 163.2 kg
of heroin in three separate operations in Istanbul. Staging a press
conference, Ozdemir noted that acting on a tip-off, the narcotics officials
revealed that considerable amount of heroin which was produced in a
neighbouring country, was brought to Turkey, and tried to be sold in the
market. Ozdemir told reporters, ''the narcotics officials captured 17
people and seized five pistols, three automobiles and three buses in the
operations. The market price of illicit drugs and vehicles is nearly one
trillion Turkish Liras. Meanwhile, we have launched a joint operation with
Bulgarian narcotics officials for the first time.'' Referring to 22 tonnes
of hashish and 630 kg of base morphine confiscated in southern province of
Mersin, Ozdemir said, ''we captured five people including Orfi Cetinkaya,
in Istanbul. We also confiscated 5,800 kg of sodium carbonade, one of the
raw materials in production of heroin, in a depot belonged to Cetinkaya in
Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.''
[43] U.S. DIPLOMATS DISTRIBUTE HUMANITARIAN AID IN BOLU
[44] BOLU - Two diplomats of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara distributed
humanitarian aid in quake-stricken Bolu province on Saturday. U.S.
diplomats Rosa Trainham and Dane Irwin paid a visit to Ugur Gur, the
Director of Bolu Security, and expressed their profound sorrow over loss of
lives in the quake disaster. Later, they distributed a number of blankets
and sheets to the quake survivors. Trainham said that the aid was collected
by their families.
[45] HEAVY SNOWFALL IN GUMUSHANE
[46] GUMUSHANE - The heavy snowfall paralyzes daily life and traffic in
Gumushane province in eastern Black Sea Region. Sources said a number of
village roads were closed to traffic due to snowfall continuing since
overnight. Traffic Police warned drivers to be careful because of the icy
road near Zigana Mountain. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall paralyzed daily life
and traffic also in Bayburt province in eastern Black Sea Region.
[47] GENERAL TIMUR DEPARTS FROM TRNC: - ''A BRILLIANT FUTURE IS AWAITING
THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS''
[48] LEFKOSA - General Necdet Timur, the Chief of Land Forces Staff, who
paid a working visit to the Turkish Peace-Keeping Forces Commendership in
the Trukish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), departed from the TRNC on
Saturday. Addressing journalists at the Ercan Airport, General Timur said,
''a brilliant future is awaiting the Turkish Cypriots.'' Expressing his
pleasure with visiting the TRNC, General Timur said that he had an
opportunity to hold contacts with the state and government officials of the
TRNC. Meanwhile, Ertugrul Hasipoglu, the Speaker of TRNC Parliament, said
in his part that General Timur's visit was very important for the Turkish
Cypriots and for those who were interested in the Cyprus issue. Stressing
that the Turkish Cypriots were living in peace and did not concern about
their lives, Hasipoglu noted that the Turkish Armed Forces and TRNC
Security Forces secured peace not only in the TRNC, but also on whole
island. Underlining the importance of economic development, Hasipoglu added,
''we are expending efforts to this end. I want to stress the significance
of our unity and cooperation especially in this period.''
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