Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-03-19

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[01] AA News

19 March 2000 Sunday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

IMPLEMENTATION OF BLUE STREAM PROJECT ADVANCES
The construction of the Blue Stream pipeline which aims at meeting Turkey's increasing natural gas demand continues rapidly. Sources said that the workstation in Haymana township of Ankara constructed 60 kilometers of pipeline. Aslan Kaya, the General Coordinator of the OHS consortium that undertook the project's part between Samsun and Ankara, said that their works, which started on February 10, continued rapidly, the length of the completed line reached 60 kilometers and the canals for 45-50 kilometers line were dug. Turkish Hazinedaroglu and Oztas companies and Russian Gazprom's Stroytransgaz company undertook the construction of the project which was foreseen to be completed in February 2001.

THREE MILD EARTHQUAKES SHAKE ERZURUM
Three mild earthquakes ranging from 2.1 to 3.9 on the Richter scale, occurred in Senkaya township of eastern Erzurum province. Officials at the Ataturk University Seismology Institute said that three earthquakes which were centered on Senkaya township of Erzurum province, were recorded between 06:10 a.m. and 07:40 a.m. No casualties and financial damages were reported in the quakes. Number of quakes which rocked Erzurum in the last two days, increased to 10.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

FEAST WITHOUT BORDER
A total of 573 families proceeded to Syria to exchange greetings with their relatives during the religious holiday, Eid Al-Adha.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

TURKISH AND GREEK SONGS IN NEW YORK
Zulfu Livaneli and Maria Farandouri gave a concert named ''Peace Songs'' at the Town Hall in New York. Nearly, 1,500 people watched the concert. Two leading singers reached a standing applause from audience. Earlier, Livaneli, and Farandouri gave a concert in Greek capital of Athens.

A BRITISH DRUG COURIER CAPTURED
Alison Mary McKinnon, 37, was captured at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul as she was trying to smuggle 3 kg of heroin to Britain. In her testimony, McKinnon said that she was forced to smuggle illicit drug by her lover. Three Turkish people were also captured in accordance with McKinnon's testimony.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

JET-PA IN CRISIS
The letter of Fadil Akgunduz, the owner of Jet-Pa Holding, explains the latest situation of the Jet-Pa which totally cut payments. The letter he sent to the divident sharers from Geneva couldn't keep secret the collapse of the Jet-Pa, and put forth that they were planning a great profiteering just before leaving. Jet-Pa, which has collected millions of German marks and U.S. dollars from the Turkish citizenz living in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Britain, and Denmark since it was established in January 21, 1998, is now in panic. The number of denouncements made to the Fraknfurt Criminal Police Financial Department by the dividend sharers increased to four.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

NSC TO CONVENE ON MONDAY
The National Security Council (NSC) will convene at 03:00 p.m. on Monday under the chairmanship of President Suleyman Demirel. Prior to montly meeting, commanders of land, air and naval forces will hold a preliminary meeting which will be presided by General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff. The NSC's monthly meeting is expected to focus on terrorism and its international links.

YENIBINYIL (LIBERAL)

DIRT-CHEAP FACTORY OPPORTUNITY
Privatization boomed in Romania. The Romanian state targets to sale everyting it posseses this year. Volkan Bozkir, the Turkish Ambassador to Bucharest, said the factories were sold for one-twentieth of their prices, calling the Turkish companies to purchase those factories.

ERBAKAN: ''SUPREME COURT WILL REVERSE THE IMPRISONMENT SENTENCE''
Necmettin Erbakan, former leader of the closed Welfare Party (RP), made statemnts for the first after he was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the Diyarbakir State Security Court. Noting that the accusations were based on a video-tape, Erbakan said, ''this video-tape can't be an evidence. The Chief Judge will refuse this video-tape, and the Supreme Court will reverse the sentence.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

ECEVIT'S MESSAGE FOR 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF CANAKKALE NAVAL VICTORY
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''Canakkale Naval Victory which was one of the most important milestones of history of the world, is a meaningful indicator of solidarity and unity of the Turkish nation.'' Prime Minister Ecevit issued a message to mark the 85th anniversary of the Canakkale Naval Victory. ''Our nation had resisted against the most powerful armies of the time, and won a great victory. Today, the Turkish nation together with the Turkish Armed Forces continue to be an element of power and stability in its region,'' he said. ''The Turkish nation which is determined to realize its ideal of a powerful Turkey, will convey Ataturk's dignified heritage to the next generations. We remember Ataturk, the Great Founder of modern Republic of Turkey, his brothers in arms and overall martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the sake of Turkey, with gratitude and respect. We implore God's mercy and grace upon all of them,'' he stated.

A TOTAL OF 27 TURKISH HADJIS DIE
Number of Turkish hadjis who lost their lives as they were performing their religious rites in Saudi Arabia, increased to 27. Meanwhile, Turkish hadjis will begin to return to Turkey today. Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz, the Chairman of Directorate General of Religious Affairs, staged a press conference in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He said this year's hajj organization was very successful.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

PRISONS POOR OF INVESTMENT
Turkey has been struggling against terrorism for long years. However, the necessary importance is not attached to the prisons which constitute one of the most important phases of this struggle. Prisons General Director Ali Suat Ertosun said, ''we requested 42 trillion Turkish Liras for investment in 1999 but they gave 18 trillion TL. Problems of prisons have increased. We are trying to administer the prisons in aacordance with a law which was issued in 1930.''

[03] TURKISH CYPRIOTS WHO VISITED HALA SULTAN SHRINE IN LARNACA, RETURN TO TRNC

They returned to the TRNC by 26 passenger busses provided by the Greek Cypriot oficials.

A total of 1,369 Turkish Cypriots visited Hala Sultan Shrine which was built in memory of Um Haram, an aunt of the Prophet Mohammed, who is said to be buried in the shrine.

[04] UKRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ANKARA ON MONDAY

Tarasyuk, who will pay his first official visit to Turkey, is expected to meet with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, and be received by President Suleyman Demirel, Parliament Speaker Yildirim Akbulut and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

The Guest Foreign Minister will also meet with State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu.

Tarasyuk, who will proceed to Istanbul on Tuesday, will attend the meeting of the Turkish-Ukranian Business Council, and visit the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Secretariat.

The bilateral relations between Turkey and the Ukraine recorded a rapid progress after the Ukraine won its independency in 1991.

The two countries signed nearly sixty agreements in last eight years.

The Ukranian Embassy in Ankara said the trade volume between the two countries reached 1.2 billion U.S. dollars but decreased to 1 billion U.S. dollars in 1999 due to the Asia and Russia crises.

The Ukraine is one of the countries that strongly supported Turkey's initiative for the establishment of the BSEC.

[05] ''GAP'' WAS INTRODUCED IN WORLD WATER FORUM

More than one thousand representatives of 100 countries are participating in the Forum which started on Friday in the Congress building and will last one week.

A meeting was held on Saturday to introduce Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP).

Addressing the meeting on ''Water and Life in 21st Century'', Olcay Unver, the General Director of GAP Administration, said that GAP was one of the most important sustainable development projects based on water.

Unver said the GAP targeted not only energy production, irrigation, and economic development but also it was a huge integrated project which included all factors aimed at social, cultural, and environmental development.

Recalling that the project was planned to be completed in 2010, and 45 percent of the project had been concluded, Olcay Unver stressed that the development provided by the GAP would be beneficial for not only Turkey but also all countries in the region and whole world.

Meanwhile, Cumhur Ersumer, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, will arrive in the Netherlands and attend the Forum by Monday.

[06] TRANSPORTATION MINISTER OKSUZ RETURNS TO TURKEY

Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Oksuz said that his visits were very positive and productive.

Noting that the world was interested in new infrastructure works in railway projects, Oksuz enumerated these projects as ''Istanbul Tube Passage Project'', ''Kars-Tbilisi Railway Project'', ''Ankara-Istanbul Fast Railway Project''.

He added, ''Turkey cannot waste its oil it imported from foreign countries in return for considerable amount of money, to highway transportation which claims tens of lives every day. Turkey should further improve railway transportation which is considered as one of the most safe and economic transportation systems of the world. We aim at making great investments in railway transportation. New lines of 2 thousand kilometres will be added to the current railways. The Kars-Tbilisi Railway is the most important project.''

[07] JUSTICE MINISTER: ''AT LEAST 10-12 PRISONS SHOULD BE CONSTRUCTED IN PLACE OF THE BAYRAMPASA PRISON''

Responding to a question, Turk said there was not any building around the Bayrampasa Prion when it was constructed but later it was surrounded by block of flats and business places.

''Almost 3,250 inmates are staying in this prison. It is actually a big prison and it was the biggest prison in the Balkans when it was constructed. However, big prisons encounter big problems. So this prison should be transferred to other places because now it became situated in the city-center. We have to construct at least 10-12 prisons in place of it, and we need free areas for these constructions,'' he said.

[08] DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME TO START AT THE END OF MARCH

The standart time will be advanced by one hour at 01.00 a.m. on March 26. The summer-time will last till October 29, 2000.

The summer-time which will be adopted together with the European countries, will last for seven months. More than 12 trillion Turkish liras are expected to be gained by energy saving.

Nearly, 390 million kilowatt hours of energy, which will be saved by daylight savings, is equal to one-year capacity of a middle-size thermic power station.

[09] KONYA TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL AGRICULTURE FAIR

Officials at the Konya Agriculture Provincial Directorate said on Sunday that they expected may Turkish and foreign companies to take part the fair.

Noting that the fair was very important for introduction of the agriculture and animal husbandry in Turkey, officials said they believed the fair would contribute to agriculture in Turkey and the countries in the region.

[10] 131 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED

Sources said gendarme teams patrolling around the border captured 131 people of Iranian, Iraqi, Palestinian, Bangladeshi, Romanian, Afghan, Moroccan, Syrian and Lebanese origin in Meric and Ipsala townships of northwestern Edirne province.

Questioning the foreigners, officials said those immigrants came to the region to proceed to Greece illegally.

Officials said those illegal immigrants would be deported.

[11] IN FIRST TWO MONTHS, GAP REGION REALIZES 5.6 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN EXPORTS TO AMERICAN CONTINENT

The region realized 4 million 301 thousand U.S. dollars in exports to the U.S.

In the same period last year, the region exported 3 million 131 thousand U.S. dollars of agricultural products.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Sunday that in the first two months of the year, they exported 2 million 851 thousand U.S. dollars in textiles; 33 thousand U.S. dollars in grain-cereals; and 1 million 417 thousand U.S. dollars in dried fruits.

Meanwhile, the region realized 180 thousand U.S. dollars in exports to Argentina; 603 thousand U.S. dollars in exports to Canada; 481 thousand U.S. dollars in exports to Mexico; and 35 thousand thousand U.S. dollars in exports to Uruguay.

The Turkish goods in greatest demand were cotton thread, dried apricot, synthetic thread and pistachio, officials added.

[12] TURKEY-FRANCE COOPERATION IN RAPID POSTAL SERVICE

Dursun Dagasan, the Director General of the PTT, told the A.A on Sunday, ''the project will cost five trillion Turkish Liras (TL). France will donate four trillion TL for the project. PTT will cover the rest of the amount.''

He added that French technical delegations would come to Turkey in May to hold contacts regarding the project.

[13] IN FIRST TWO MONTHS, TURKEY REALIZES 2.3 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN EXPORT TO EU COUNTRIES

In the January-February period of 1999, Turkey realized 2 billion 150 million 628 thousand U.S. dollars in exports to the EU countries.

Officials at the Exporters' Unions, told the A.A correspondent on Sunday that in the first two months of the year, they exported 858 million 902 thousand U.S. dollars in textiles; 255 million 572 thousand U.S. dollars in automotive; 255 million 834 thousand U.S. dollars in electronics; 253 million 668 thousand U.S. dollars in textile raw materials; 203 million 79 thousand U.S. dollars in iron; 3 million 814 thousand U.S. dollars in olive and olive oil; 7 million 569 thousand U.S. dollars in carpet; and 12 million 570 thousand U.S. dollars in fruits and vegetables.

[14] ENERGY MINISTER ERSUMER DUE TO NETHERLANDS

Ersumer will attend the Second World Water Forum and the Ministers' Conference which was organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in The Hague.

Ersumer is expected to return to Turkey on Thursday.

[15] YILMAZ, LEADER OF ANAP: - ''I DO NOT CONSIDER IT RIGHT TO BAN SOMEBODY FROM POLITICS''

When reminded of the discussions on Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) after Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the closed Welfare Party (RP) was sentenced to imprisonment, Yilmaz stressed, ''the Article 312 should be taken up within the content of whole judicial system. Because several laws together with the Political Parties Law and the law arranging parliamentary elections refer to the Article 312. Therefore, similar arrangements should be made in all relevant laws.''

He noted, ''there should be no restriction in freedom of expression. But at the same time necessary guarantees should take place in the judicial system against actions jeopardizing democratic system. It is a matter of balance to protect these two principles together. It is a matter of social evolution. The latest developments in Turkey are very useful. Self- criticism in political parties is a sign of it. If all political parties abandon their custom to use democracy as an instrument to reach different targets, obstacles in front of the freedom of expression will be removed.''

When asked whether or not he would be a candidate for presidency, Yilmaz said, ''No. I expressed my opinion on numerous occasions. The coalition partners and a part of the opposition have reached comprimise on a constitutional amendment to Article 69. It is not clear yet whether or not parliament would adopt the amendment.''

When reminded of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's statement saying, ''there'll be a serious uneasiness if the Presidential election issue can't be overcome'', Yilmaz said, ''yes, of course. Actually, the reason for our agreement on such an extraordinary solution was not to allow occurrence of an uneasiness.''

Noting that the easiest solution was the acceptance of an amendment to the Constitution, Yilmaz said, ''otherwise, overcoming the problem is also the government's duty.''

When asked whether he agreed with the opinion to suspend the second round to prevent referendum in case enough number of votes couldn't be collected in the first round of voting for an amendment to the Constitution, Yilmaz said, ''yes, we expressed this before. Actually, we now do not think a referendum appropriate to political stability. So our target is to make these amandments approved by the Parliament with a majority which won't necessitate a referendum.''

When asked whether he thought that the Justice Minister could use his authority of making an application to reverse the imprisonment sentence on Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the closed Welfare Party (RP), Yilmaz said, ''I don't want to comment on the judicial verdict against Erbakan.''

''I think it inappropriate to ban a person from politics. What we all have to pay attention is the protection of democracy and reinforcement of the judicial system with the necessary measures against any act that can threat democracy. The judicial system in Turkey failed to carry out this,'' he said.

[16] RELIGIOUS CEREMONY PERFORMED IN FENER GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE

Whole Orthodox world celebrates the religious holiday five weeks before the Easter.

The religious ceremony was performed by Bartholomew I, the Fener-Greek Orthodox Patriarch.

Fotios Ksiolas, the Greek Consul General in Istanbul, was in attendance at the religious ceremony.

[17] ADMIRAL MURPHY, COMMANDER OF U.S. 6TH FLEET, DUE IN TURKEY

Admiral Murphy is scheduled to meet with Admiral Bulent Alpkaya, the Commander of Fleet later on the same day.

After visiting the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern Republic of Turkey, Admiral Murphy will come together with Admiral Erdil on Tuesday.

He is expected to depart from Turkey on Wednesday.

[18] INTENSE MEASURES TAKEN IN SOUTHEAST BEFORE NEWROZ

Security forces took intense measures in Diyarbakir, Mardin, Sirnak, Siirt and Batman provinces and searched the motor vehicles in the check-points on motorways.

Meanwhile, the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) Diyarbakir Provincial Headquarters was allowed to organize ''Newroz'' celebrations.

Sources said Ahmet Turan Demir, the leader of HADEP, would attend the celebrations that would take place in the ''fair area'' near the motorway between Diyarbakir and Elazig provinces.

A group of singers will give a concert in the celebrations.

[19] UKRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: - ''UKRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TARASYUK WILL LAUNCH INITIATIVES TO PERSUADE TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO MAKE MORE INVESTMENTS IN UKRAINE''

Tarasyuk who will come to Ankara on Monday for a two-day official visit will meet with Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, and will be received by President Suleyman Demirel, Parliament Speaker Yildirim Akbulut and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

His meetings are expected to focus on commercial cooperation, security and integration.

Tarasyuk and accompanying businessmen delegation who will proceed to Istanbul on Tuesday, will attend meeting of the Turkish-Ukranian Business Council, and visit the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Secretariat.

[20] MILD EARTHQUAKE SHAKES KAYNASLI

Officials at the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute told the A.A correspondent that the earthquake was centered on rural area near Kaynasli township.

[21] CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN TRNC ANNOUNCED

It said eight people including four independent candidates would run for the President.

The candidates are as follows:

''TRNC President Rauf Denktas (independent); National Unity Party (UBP) leader and TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu; Socialist Liberation Party (TKP) leader, TRNC State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Akinci; Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Mehmet Ali Talat; Patriotic Unit Movement's (YBH) candidate Arif Hasan Tahsin; Ayhan Kaymak (independent); Turgut Afsaroglu (independent); and Sener Levent (independent).''

The election campaigns will start on Monday and continue until April 14.

A.A

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