Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-04-02

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[01] AA News

02 April 2000 Sunday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Ecevit and Bahceli decided to act together till to the end for the future of the country.

WE WILL JOIN IN THE GIANT PROJECT
The U.S. officially disclosed that Turkey would join in the War Plane of the Century project which worths 200 billion U.S. dollars. William Cohen, Secretary of Defense, addressing the dinner, said ''Turkey accepted to attend the project which will be the best among the others which were produced.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL) U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: ''TURKEY IS A CITADEL IN
THE MIDDLE EAST''
U.S. Secretary of Defense, William Cohen said Turkey's partnership to the 223 billion U.S. dollar assault plane (JSF) project will contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East. During a speech he made at the 19th annual Turkish-American Council's meeting, Cohen said Turkey was at the cross-roads and he praised Turkey for its cooperation with the U.S. against Iraq and also in the Kosovo operation. The JSF project envisages the design and production of a new assault plane which will be equipped with the most advanced technology and have a wide range of military capabilities.

ECEVIT PRAISES INDIA'S SECULARISM
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit asked India not to give any concessions on secularism. On the third day of his stay in India, Ecevit received editors- in-chief of some newspapers as well as leaders of opposition parties. Responding to questions, Ecevit said ''It is sad that the democracy was interrupted in Pakistan.'' He also said he will visit Pakistan in the coming months. Ecevit praised secularism and democracy in India. ''Turkey showed to the whole world that Islam can exist together with modernism and secularims,'' Ecevit stressed.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Husnu Ozyegin, Executive Board Chairman of Fiba Holding, addressed a news conference staged due to the opening of Marks and Spencer Department Store.

Ozyegin said they wanted to add a new chain to Marks and Spencer Department Stores based in Britain, and made an application for this last year. He said, they learned that this right belonged to famous Greek Marinopoulos family.

THEY WILL BE REPLACED BY TURKISH F-16 PLANES
Allied war planes which the U.S. will produce (JSF-Joint Strike Fighter) will be replaced by F-16 planes as of 2015. Turkey gives an active support to the project. Britain, Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, and Singapore will contribute to the project upon the call of the U.S.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

INITIATIVE FOR URGENT RELEASE OF ERDAL
Lawyers of Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of the murder of Ozdemir Sabanci, applied to Ghent Court with secret initiatives and claiming that Turkey's request for extradition was invalid, they called on the suspect to be released soon. Gent Urgent Decision Court rejected this appeal. If the Court found the initiatives of the lawyers as right and took a decision in this direction, then Erdal would be released on Saturday.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

FIRST PARTNERSHIP WITH GREEKS
Following the rapproachment between Greece and Turkey, the first commercial partnership between Greek and Turkish businessmen took place in Romania. Fiba Holding and the well-known Greek family Marinapoulos opened Marks &amp; Spencer department store in Bucharest. Fiba Holding holds 25 percent and Marinapoulos family holds 75 percent of shares.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

CIVIL CODE TO BE DISCUSSED AT COMMISSION
The draft law which suggests some changes in the Turkish Civil Code will be discussed at the parliament's Justice Commission on Thursday. The draft law is formed by 1,030 articles and it proposes changes in family and inheritance laws. The most important change suggested is maybe to remove the article in the old Civil Code which states that the husband has the final word in the decisions that need to be taken in the household. The new draft law offers equal rights to both man and woman to state their opinions over the household's affairs. Secondly, the new law suggests that husband and wife will choose the place they will live together as compared to the present law which states that the husband would decide about where the couple will live.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

EYES TURNED TO THE SUMMIT
Coalition partners will convene on Monday and discuss the crisis. ''5+5'' crisis will be discussed at a summit where Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, and Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), will attend. The partners will also discuss ''Article 101'', ''bargaining with the FP'', and a ''new name.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

CLASH IN CELL HOUSE
Police raided cell house of Vasat organization in Birecik township of southeastern Sanliurfa province. A policeman died when the terrorists encountered with fire. Five members of the illegal organization were captured.

[03] ECEVIT RECEIVES HONOURARY DOCTORATE AT WISHWAR BHARATI UNIVERSITY

Ecevit who is on an official visit to India, went from Calcutta to Shantiniketan on Sunday morning where he was given an honourary doctorate at Wishwar Bharati University.

Ecevit noted that when he was young, he always dreamt of visiting Shantiniketan and Wishwar Bharati University which was set up by the great thinker, writer and poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Ecevit, in his speech, expressed his admiration to Rabindranath Tagore and the Indian culture and how and why he translated two works of Tagore into Turkish.

Ecevit also focuses on Turkish-Indian relations and their historical roots. He said the two nations shared historical roots which would enable to form closer relations than those that exist today. Indian and Turkish democracies showed that democracy does not only exist in the developed countries of the Western world.

''Turkey and India proved that the east and the west can join, and the two civilizations can come closer to each other as opposed to clashing with each other. Europe and Asia came together and formed Eurasia with the contributions of Turkey and India,'' Ecevit concluded his speech.

[04] INITIATIVE FOR URGENT RELEASE OF FEHRIYE ERDAL

Lawyers of Erdal applied to Gent Urgent Decision Court with secret initiatives, and requested the release of the suspect claiming that Turkey's request for extradition was invalid.

The Court rejected the application.

Erdal would have been released if the court had found the initative of the lawyers as right, and had taken a decision in this direction.

Gent Court of Appeals earlier approved the court decision about the trial of illegal Revolutionary People's Salvation Party-Front (DHKP-C) organization members Musa Agaoglu, Kaya Saz, and Fehriye Erdal without detention.

As Turkey requested the extradition of Erdal, her imprisonment continued till Belgium responds to Turkey's extradition request.

Both Bruges and Gent courts found Turkey's request as right and legal.

Lawyers of Erdal will oppose to these decisions and will use their last appeal right on April 4 in Brussel in the Supreme Court.

If the Supreme Court finds Turkey's request positive, Erdal will not have the right to oppose any more.

The judicial authorities will inform Marc Velwilghen, Justice Minister, about their views with a secret report.

[05] KAYSERI PRIVATE KILICASLAN HIGHSCHOOL TO HAVE A SISTER SCHOOL IN GREECE

Battalgazi Education Institutions General Director M. Yilmaz Aydin told A.A that they want to support the improving relations between the two countries by having a sister school in Greece.

They applied to the Greek Embassy in Ankara 4 months ago and later they received a positive reply, Aydin noted.

He said they prepared brochures both in Turkish and English languages and sent them to Athens to promote their school. ''Greek Foreign and National Education ministries approved our request. Soon, they will let us know about our sister school and we will go to Greece with a delegation,'' Aydin added.

He also stressed that this project will enable Turkish and Greek students to get to know each other better.

[06] TURKEY'S ADJUSTMENT PROCESS TO EU

Authorities of the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat (DTM) said the adjustment to the EU will be a long process.

In September and October, Turkey and the EU will prepare a Participation Partnership Document, and a national plan will be formed within this framework, they noted.

The same authorities said Turkey needs to produce projects in order to benefit from the financial aid which will be given for Turkey's adjustment to EU regulations.

Works have been carried out in certain fields in Turkey after it joined the Customs Union and these activities opened the way to Turkey to compete in foreign markets, they also noted.

[07] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT VISITS TAJ MAHAL

Ecevit and his wife Rahsan voiced their admirations during their visit in Taj Mahal.

Ecevit, who signed the special notebook after their visit, said, ''Taj Mahal had been constructed by the most famous architects of the world. Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, unites differences in peace and in harmonization.''

Emperor Shah Cihan ordered for the construction of Taj Mahal, which is one of the seven wonders of the world, in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who gave birth to his 14th child.

Taj Mahal was completed in 1653.

Architect of Taj Mahal was a Turkish citizen whose name is Muhammed Isa Efendi.

[08] ECEVIT VISITS TAGORE'S HOUSE

Ecevit was met by Prof. Dilip Sinha, rector of Wishwar Bharati University at the museum's door.

Ecevit said he is very pleased to be in Tagore's house which is full of his memories.

During his visits in Shantiniketan, Ecevit was accompanied by the former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral and his wife.

Gujral will host a lunch in honor of Ecevit before Ecevit and his delegation return to Calcutta from where he will leave for Turkey.

Ecevit is expected to be in Ankara's Esenboga Airport at 8.30 p.m.

[09] KUTAN, FP LEADER: ''WE WANT ARTICE 312 TO BE AMENDED, BECAUSE THERE CAN NOT BE SUCH AN ARTICLE IN A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY''

Addressing his party's Sakarya Provincial congress, Kutan said presidential elections blocked the agenda of Turkey, and noted that problems like inflation and unemployment were ignored.

Pointing out that they were insistent on amending Article 312 of the TCK, Kutan said, ''we want Article 312 to be changed. Because, there can not be such an article, which is a democracy shame, in a democratic country.''

Kutan, who mentioned presidential elections, reacted to the statements of Devlet Bahceli, Deputy Prime Minister, regarding Article 312.

Kutan also claimed that another important problem of Turkey was the declining trend in its economy.

[10] LANDSLIDE ON MAIN TRABZON-GUMUSHANE HIGHWAY

Officials of Highways 10th Regional Directorate said a landslide occurred in the 48th kilometer of the Trabzon-Gumushane highway at 11:00 local time.

Officials said efforts started to open the highway to traffic.

-<B>HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS OF TRABZON TO</B> BE PROMOTED INTERNATIONALLY

TRABZON - Trabzon Tourism Director Volkan Canalioglu said they were working to promote historical places in Trabzon in the framework of religious belief tourism.

Their works also include a series of activities to make Trabzon famous in the international platform.

Canalioglu told A.A that they prepared brochures and booklets for tourists which include information about the leading centers of belief tourism. They will send these brochures to international travel firms and also distribute them to tourists who visit Trabzon.

Semela Monastery, Ayasofya Museum, St. Anna Church, St. Maria Church, Ortahisar Fatih Mosque, Santa Churches group, Vazelon Monastery are Trabzon's main attractions, he said.

Canalioglu also added that they were planning to organize a festival to help Trabzon's promotưon ưn the world.

[12] CONTACTS OF PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT IN INDIA

Ecevit responded to the questions of representatives of Indian press within the framework of his contacts.

Question: Why didn't you go to Pakistan?

Ecevit: We wish democracy to be settled in Pakistan soon. I have an intense agenda in Turkey. I wanted to visit India for a long time. I wanted my visit to cover only India. We are friends with Pakistan, however we can not support a military regime.

Question: What are your views about terrorism?

Ecevit: We have suffered a lot from terrorism for years. We are against terrorism whereever it is.

Question:What do you think about secularism?

Ecevit: India and Turkey are secular and democratic countries. We admire secularism regime in India. Turkey showed to the whole world that Islam world can reconcile with modernism and secularism.

Question: What are your views about Afghanistan?

Ecevit: Afghanistan has an important position for the region and the world. Turkey and India should help Afghanistan, and form a politicial consultation. Yet, we should not encourage the existing regime. This will form a threat to the whole world.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also recevied Sonia Ghandi, the opposition leader and wife of Ragiv Ghandi, who was killed in an assasination. Ecevit said he admired Ghandi's policy in India regarding secularism. Pointing out that secularism was important also for Turkey, Ecevit said he admired Ghandi's sensitivity against fundamentalism.

Ghandi, in her part, said Taleban danger was still in the border of India, adding that Kashmir incident caused concern for them.

Ecevit also said army in Turkey was the defender of secularism.

[13] PATRIARCH IWAS LEADS RELIGIOUS CEREMONY AT ANTAKYA'S ST.PIERRE CHURCH

Antakya, is the second most important holy city after Jerusalem for the Syriacs, Iwas said in his speech.

Patriarch Iwas said Christianity spreaded to the world from this church, therefore they call Antakya ''the city of God''.

The ceremony ended with the reading of prayers.

[14] SECOND ROUND OF TALKS OVER ARTICLES 68, 86 AND 101 TO BE HELD ON APRIL 5

During the second round of talks, the attenders will only debate the changes proposed regarding the three articles and will not discuss the proposal as a whole.

The Parliament's Justice Commission will start discussing the draft law on the Turkish Civil Code on April 6 Thursday. The meetings are expected to have a high participation from non-governmental organizations as well as from related institutions. The draft law will be later transferred to a sub- mission which will be formed for this purpose.

[15] EIGHT NEW TRAINING BOATS TO THE NAVAL FORCES

Addressing the ceremony, Admiral Ilhami Erdil, Naval Forces Commander, said these ships were built in a civilian shipyard, adding that, ''success of this project is the success of Turkish ship construction industry.''

Admiral Erdil recalled that they began new arrangements to preserve ship construction and repair abilities following massive August 17 quake.

Erdil said, ''after these eight training boats attend our Naval Forces, abilities of our training fleet will increase. This ability is an indispensable characteristic for our Naval Forces.''

According to an agreement signed between National Defense Ministry and Bora Industry Maritime and Trade Coorp. dated December 30, 1997, the first training boat was concluded on April 15, 1998, and the last one was built on March 22, 2000.

[16] SECOND INTERNATIONAL EURASIA CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN ISTANBUL BETWEEN APRIL 5 AND 7

Editor-in-chief of Aydinlik, Turan Ozlu said delegations from 40 political parties from 25 Eurasian countries will attend the meeting. He also noted that the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Rauf Denktas has also been invited to the conference.

Ozlu said the aim of the conference was to discuss political, economical and cultural relations among Eurasian countries. ''At the conference, we will take solid steps to develop economic relations among Eurasian countries. We are also planning to form a Eurasia Conference Coordination Committee to strengthen cooperation in Eurasia,'' he explained.

The 2nd International Eurasia Conference will be organized at Macka Hotel and Labour Party leader Dogu Perincek will speak at its opening.

A.A

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