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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-04-09Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>[01] AA News09 April 2000 Sunday[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on April 9, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their occuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)REVENGE SCREAMS IN BRITAINIrresponsible British tabloid newspapers turned murder of two British soccer fans into a vendetta. Distorting the truth, the tabloid newspapers incited the British people against the Turkish people. As a result, some British soccer fans have begun to attack on business places belonged to Turkish citizens living in Britain. PALASZ, POLISH AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, COMMITS SUICIDE MILLIYET (LIBERAL)FOREIGN CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN TOURISMLothar Buss, the Vice President of Condor-Neckermann, a leading tour operator in the world, continue to hold contacts in southern Antalya province for their investments in tourism field in Turkey. Buss said, ''interest in Turkey is gradually increasing. Both political and economic stability have been settled in Turkey. Besides, Turkey gets much closer to Europe. The number of tourists visiting Turkey will increase. Turkey is the third country that German tourists prefer to visit after Spain and Greece. Turkey is the third biggest holiday country for German tourists. There are more advantages in Turkey. The relationship between quality and price is at a good point. There are many people in Turkey who speak German. If you take into consideration all of these, Turkey is advantageous,'' Buss said they wanted to invest in tourism field in every part of Turkey especially in Antalya. BEREKET TAKES SILVER MEDAL SABAH (LIBERAL)INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASESThe total industrial production increased by 6 percent in February and by 4.4 percent in first two months of 2000. The industrial production decreased by 7.1 percent in February and by 8.3 percent in first two months of 1999. 'ENVOY OF SUCCESS' DUE IN TURKEY GERMAN PRESIDENT RAU VISITS BARTHOLOMEW I CUMHURIYET (LEFT)HEZBOLLAH INSIDE THE STATEAnkara State Security Court (DGM) Republican Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel concluded his investigation into the terrorist Hezbollah organization, which aimed at setting up a state based on religious laws, and prepared an indictment. The indicment stressed that the members of the terrorist organization which got established in state institutions hadn't been identified and dispelled yet. Emphasizing that the fundamentalist activities which aimed at usurping the state were still continuing, the indictment said, ''more Hezbollahs emerge if the laws which enable the struggle against fundamentalism are abolished.'' LEADERS ARE SEEKING A ''NAME'' RADIKAL (LEFT)VILLAGE GUARDS OPEN FIRE ON A MINIBUS, KILLING TWO PEOPLEVillage guards opened fire with machine guns on a minibus carrying another group of village guards near Guzel village in Bismil township of southeastern Batman province. Two village guards were killed in the attack while six others were injured. ASSOCIATION OF STRUGGLE AGAINST ILLICIT DRUG YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)PARLIAMENT IS THE ONLY OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF DEMOCRACYNelson C. Ledsky, the U.S.'s former Ambassador responsible for Cyprus, said, ''you don't have any deficiency for democracy but the problem is the politicians.'' Ledsky who made research on the Turkish Parliament on behalf of the Washington-based National Democracy Institute made a statement to Yine Binyil newspaper. Ledsky said political immunity was abused in Turkey and that the Parliament should not be a place where the guilty persons hid themselves. Claiming that the only obstacle in front of democracy was the Turkish Parliament, Ledsky said the Turkish democracy remained behind the democracy in the Middle Eastern and Estern European countries, and that the reason for this was not the Turkish people. KAZAKH OIL TO BAKU-CEYHAN TURKIYE (RIGHT)DEMIREL BIDS FAREWELL TO TURKISH WORLDPresident Suleyman Demirel was welcomed with a great hospitality in Azerbaijani capital of Baku where he attended the Sixth Summit of Heads of State and Government of Turkish Speaking Countries for the last time as the President of Turkey. President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan said, ''I am welcoming President Demirel as the greatest politician.'' President Demirel called on the Turkish world for common language and joint ideals. DECISION WEEK 127 KG OF HEROIN CONFISCATED ON TURKISH-BULGARIAN BORDER ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)THIS SHAME IS ENOUGH FOR USThe people who joined the nation-wide public survey believe that politicians and journalists are liars. A total of 43 percent of three thousand poll participants who are of different ages, professions and gender believe that politicians are telling lies more than anyone and 19 percent of them believe that journalists are the liars. Politicians and journalists are followed by tradesmen, huntsmen, lawyers and doctors. Meanwhile, 13 percent of participants believe that the inflation will decrease, and 15 percent of them are pleased with the living standards in Turkey. DEMIREL WIND IN BAKU [03] 12 EARTHQUAKES HAPPEN IN LAST 30 HOURSISTANBUL - A total of 12 earthquakes ranging between 2.5 and 3.1 on the Richter scale, occurred in different parts of Turkey between 01:40 a.m. on Saturday and 06:31 a.m. on Sunday.According to the statement issued by Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute, the magnitude and epicenters of the earthquakes are as follows: . Date Hour Magnitude Epicenter ------------- ---------- --------- ---------- April 8, 2000 10:49 a.m. 3.4 Enez-Edirne April 8, 2000 00:39 p.m. 2.5 Adapazari-Sakarya April 8, 2000 01:14 p.m. 2.6 Gemlik-Bursa April 8, 2000 06:39 p.m. 2.6 Sile-Istanbul April 8, 2000 10:05 p.m. 3.1 Cerkes-Cankiri April 8, 2000 11:03 p.m. 2.8 Golyaka-Duzce April 9, 2000 01:52 a.m. 3.0 Golyaka-Duzce April 9, 2000 02:30 a.m. 2.8 Kusadasi-Aydin April 9, 2000 02:58 a.m. 2.7 Kutahya April 9, 2000 05:32 a.m. 3.2 Duzce April 9, 2000 06:31 a.m. 2.8 Kucukcekmece-Istanbul Meanwhile, a moderate earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, jolted the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) at 02:01 p.m. on Saturday. [04] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES TOKYO FOR TURKEYTOKYO - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem left on Sunday for Turkey after wrapping up his official visit to Japan.Before leaving Tokyo, Cem made a statement to the A.A correspondent. Responding to a question about the expectations of Japanese businessmen from Turkey for investment, Cem said, ''continuation of anti-inflation and economic stability programs with the same determination.'' Noting that Japanese businessmen stressed the importance of economic stability for investments, Cem said, ''I think that development of political unity and political relations is important for joint investments. They told me that the contacts I held with political officials in Tokyo were very important to this end.'' Stating that the issue of tourism was also taken up in his meetings, Cem said the number of Japanese tourists visiting Turkey was not sufficient. ''I told Japanese officials that they have to encourage tourism in Turkey, and that there is a serious imbalance in foreign trade against Turkey and this can be balanced in short period through the ways like tourism,'' he said. Recalling that Turkey obtained considerable amount of loan with very good conditions from Japan especially in last one year, Cem said he told the Japanese officials that Turkey was in favor of continuation of this situation. ''I had the impression that this can continue,'' he said. When asked what kind of support that Japan would extend to Turkey for economic reforms in accordance with the joint action plan between Turkey and Japan, Ismail Cem said Japan welcomed the financial reforms in Turkey and the steps taken by Turkey after the positive meetings and the stand-by deal with the IMF. Noting that the Japanese loans which were suspended started to come to Turkey one after another, Cem said that those loans were official development lons or Eximbank loans. Cem said that the will to support the economic reforms in Turkey was put forward during his contacts in Japan. Stating that the action plan and joint statment were very important than politics, Cem said such approaches were rarely put forward by both Turkey and Japan. Stressing that this proved Turkey's and Japan's seriousness and determination in improvement of their bilateral relations, Cem said, ''these joint action plans facilitate supervision and monitoring of the relations so it is a serious step in relations between Turkey and Japan.'' When asked what kind of measures the Japanese officials and he discussed to increase the number of Japanese tourists visiting Turkey, Cem said, ''in Japan, the atmosphere reflected by the Japanese government and media affects tourism. Broadcast of my statement to television channels and publishment of them in the newspapers add a momentum to tourism in Turkey. I asked them to encourage tourism in Turkey. I earlier knew that a Japanese girl got lost in Turkey and Japanese people were negatively affected by this. I explained them that our Interior Ministry is seriously carrying out an investigation.'' ''This is a very upsetting event, of course. I am sorry to say that such events can happen. Daughters of some families who put pressure on them can escape from their country to live in another country. It could be such an event,'' he said. When asked how Turkey and Japan would cooperate against earthquakes, Cem recalled that Japan had only sent emergency aid to Turkey up until now. Cem said that Japan would help Turkey in reconstruction in quake-hit areas and urban planning. ''I believe development of relations between Turkey and Japan will be beneficial to the peoples of the two countries,'' he added. [05] PRESIDENT DEMIREL: - ''THERE IS NO COMPETITION AMONG COUNTRIES FROM WHICH TURKEY PURCHASES NATURAL GAS''BAKU - President Suleyman Demirel said on Friday, ''there is no competition among countries from which Turkey purchases natural gas.''Addressing journalists in Azerbaijani capital of Baku where he attended the Sixth Summit of Heads of State and Government of Turkish Speaking Countries, President Demirel thanked President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people for their sincere hospitality. President Demirel recalled, ''the first summit was held in Ankara in 1992. It was followed by the summits in Istanbul, Bishkek, Tashkent and Astana. These meetings have got strength and turned into an institution as the summit process of heads of state and government of Turkish speaking countries. At the summit, we exchanged our views on relations and cooperation among the Turkish speaking countries together with regional and international problems. We share the same opinions about many issues. And this similarity contributes to further strengthening of our relations.'' ''All sides attending the Sixth Summit of Turkish Speaking Countries have reached consensus of opinion to cooperate against destructive elements such as international terrorism, violent activities, organized crimes, drug trafficking and weapon smuggling. Eventually, the Sixth Summit of Heads of State and Government of Turkish Speaking Countries made a valuable contribution to further consolidation of solidarity and friendly relations among the Turkish speaking countries,'' Demirel told reporters. Underlining the importance of solidarity among the Turkish speaking countries in the 21st century, President Demirel said, ''we had the opportunity to discuss future of Eurasia in the 21st century. I think that significant developments would be recorded in the region in the next decade. I believe that the region would succeed in its integration with the civilized world.'' Responding to a question about export of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey, President Demirel said, ''Turkey needs a considerable amount of natural gas. Turkey's annual consumption of natural gas is 10 billion cubic metres. We purchase 6 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Russia. Turkey needs more 25 billion cubic metres natural gas. Turkey's need will increase up to 53 billion cubic metres within the next decade and to 83 billion cubic metres within the next two decades. Turkey is ready to purchase more natural gas from Azerbaijan. Turkey has signed an agreement with Turkmenistan for the transfer of natural gas through a 30 billion cubic metres of pipeline. In accordance with it, the natural gas will be brought into Turkey with a pipeline passing under the Caspian Sea. Turkey will use 16 billion cubic metres of the natural gas for its own purposes, and the remaining 14 billion cubic metres natural gas will be transported via Turkey. In order to put this project into force, a consortium should construct the pipeline. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have agreed that 5 billion cubic metres of natural gas will be Azerbaijani origin and the remaining 25 billion cubic metres will be Turkmen origin. Turkey is purchasing natural gas also from Russia. A total of 15 billion cubic metres of natural gas will flow to Turkey through the Blue Stream Pipeline which will pass under the Black Sea. There is no competition among the countries from which Turkey purchase natural gas.'' [06] BRITISH SOCCER FANS CAUSE TROUBLE ALSO ABOARD THY PLANEISTANBUL - The British soccer fans who came to Istanbul to watch last Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final first leg between Galatasaray and Leeds United made improper overtures to hostesses and assaulted them indecently while they were returning to Britain by the Turkish Airlines (THY) plane.Speaking to the A.A correspondent, THY Deputy General Director Cetin Ozbey said that 60 British soccer fans who got into the THY plane damaged the seats and made improper remarks to the hosstesses during the flight from Istanbul to London. Recalling that the plane was also carrying bodies of the two British soccer fans who were stabbed to death, Ozbey said the British soccer fans caused trouble in the plane by drinking alcoholic beverages they were carrying although the pilot of the plane banned alcoholic beverage service. Ozbey said the pilot informed the tower in London and called police to the ariport, and that the British police took into custody those British fans shortly after the plane landed at the airport. [07] BRITAIN WARNED ABOUT ATTACKS ON TURKSLONDON - Turkey warned Britain about the recently increasing tension and attacks on Turkish people living in Britain.The Turkish Embassy in London prepared a list of incriminating information against it and the tensions, and submitted this list to the British Foreign Ministry officials late on Saturday. Recalling that undesirable events might occur in Britain where plenty of alcoholic beverages were consumed at weekends, the Embassy requested ''protection of places densely populated by Turks, Turkish business places and generally interests of Turks.'' Sources said the British Foreign Ministry conveyed the warning in question to the Scotland Yard. Sources said the British police increased security measures in those regions, and the Scotland Yard's Football Intelligence Department started to closely follow the soccer fans who had bad records as of late Saturday. The Turkish Embassy in London received incriminating information that a Turkish restaurant in Leeds faced an attack, Turks living in Enfield district in Northern London were annoyed and harrassed and some night clubs and pubs in this district faced attacks. Officials at the Turkish Embassy said British fans who flew to London from Istanbul with a Turkish Airlines plane caused trouble in the plane and damaged the plane's seats, and that one of them was detained by British police. Sources said that a British person who insulted the policemen standing guard in front of the Turkish Embassy in London was detained with charges of ''racist attack''. [08] TURKEY'S POPULATION TO INCREASE TO 70 MILLION IH 2005ANKARA - Turkey's population is expected to increase to 66 million 213 thousand in mid 2000 and to 70 million in 2005.According to the data given by the State Institute of Statistics (DIE), Turkey's population is expected to increase 8.7 percent to 71 million 944 thousand in 2007. Antalya is expected to record the highest increase in population in coming years. Antalya's population which is currently 1 million 661 thousand, is expected to increase 26.8 percent to 2 million 105 thousand in 2007. Istanbul's population which is currently 9 million 998 thousand, will increase 23.3 percent to 12 million 324 thousand in 2007. The name of provinces, their estimated population in 2000 and 2007, and their differences are as follows: </pre> POPULATION INCREASE/ DIFFERENCE --------- --------- --------- -------- ---------- [09] SPORTS - WRESTLING - YILDIRIM TAKES BRONZE MEDAL IN 43RD EUROPEAN FREE STYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSBUDAPEST - Zarife Yildirim of Turkey competing in the women's 75 kg category, beat her Hungarian opponent Timea Balint, and won bronze medal.Meanwhile, Arif Kama of Turkey competing in the men's 58 kg category, beat Andrej Fasanek of Slovakia in the semi-final match, and qualified to final. Kama will vie for the gold medal in his final with Murad Ramazanov of Russia. [10] DEMISE OF POLISH AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY - BODY OF PALASZ SENT TO POLANDANKARA - Body of Miroslaw Palasz, the Polish Ambassador to Turkey, who committed suicide by jumping out of the window of his room at the nineth floor of the Bayindir Medical Center in Ankara, was sent to Poland on Sunday by a military airplane.A military ceremony was held at the Esenboga Airport in Ankara out of respect to Palasz. Addressing the ceremony, Faruk Logoglu, the Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry, said, ''we have gathered here to pay our last tribute to Palasz. He was a genuine gentleman. He was a man of art and literature. And he was a friend of Turkey. He had made a valuable contribution to further improvement of relations between Turkey and Poland. As a distinguished diplomat, we thank him for his contributions. Farewell to you, our beloved friend. Rest in peace.'' Fuad Yasin, the Palestinian Ambassador to Turkey, said, ''it is too difficult and too sad to bid farewell to a distinguished colleague.'' Grezegor Michaski, the Charge d'Affaires of Polish Embassy in Ankara, ''it is a grave pain to sent Palasz from his second homeland. He liked Turkey. We will be loyal to his heritage.'' Abdulhaluk Cay, the State Minister; Marc Parris, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Ioannis Korantis, the Greek Ambassador to Turkey; and a number of representatives of foreign missions in Turkey were in attendance at the ceremony. Meanwhile, President Suleyman Demirel, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem sent wreaths to the funeral of Palasz. [11] TURKEY-WORLD BANK-CAS LOANANKARA - The 2 billion 250 million U.S. dollars (nearly 1.3 quadrillion Turkish Liras) loan that Turkey would obtain from the World Bank within the framework of Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) will be used in financing of structural reforms like agricultural and social reforms.Sources said Sunday that the loan would be used to finance the projects for restructuring of agriculture, and in the training of work force reform and similar secondary reforms regarding the social security reform. Within the framework of CAS, Turkey will obtain 2 billion 250 million U.S. dollars loan from the World Bank in three years. Officials said the talks held with the World Bank within the framework of CAS were concluded, and that the World Bank officials would submit the project proposal to the Executive Board. Officials said the amount of loan could be increased to 2.5 billion U.S. dollars according to increasing demands. The total amount of loan given to Turkey by the World Bank together with the last CAS loan has increased to 5 billion 250 million U.S. dollars. [12] PRESIDENT ALIYEV OF AZERBAIJAN PRESENTS PRESIDENT DEMIREL WITH HONORARY AZERBAIJANI CITIZENSHIPBAKU - President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan presented President Suleyman Demirel with honorary Azerbaijani citizenship on Sunday.Addressing the ceremony, President Aliyev said, ''I issued a decree yesterday to present President Demirel with the honorary Azerbaijani citizenship. Republic of Turkey founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is a great model for whole Turkish communities and for the Azerbaijani people. The honorary Azerbaijani citizenship has not been given to anyone so far. But we want to present Suleyman Demirel, a friend of the Azerbaijani people, with the honorary citizenship.'' President Demirel said in his part, ''the honorary citizenship given to me is a sign of deep relations between the Turkish and Azerbaijani peoples. I am very proud of being an honorary Azerbaijani citizen. I always considered myself as one of you. I am aware of true significance of this citizenship and its responsibilities. I want to thank you once again.'' President Demirel received a standing ovation. Meanwhile, President Demirel issued a written message through the Presidential Press Center, saying, ''news reports claiming that I said, 'they deceived me' by constitutional amendment are completely wrong and baseless. I have never made such a statement to anyone.'' [13] TURKS LIVING IN EU COUNTRIESANKARA - The number of Turkish people living in European Union (EU) countries is 3.4 million which is more than eight-fold of the 400 thousand population in EU member Luxembourg.The data of the Turkey Researches Center shows that 70 percent of those Turkish people was living in Germany. It said 9 percent of them were living in Netherlands, 8.7 percent of them were living in France and 4.4 percent of them were living in Austria. The total Turkish population in 15 EU member countries reached the 3.5 million population in Ireland, and is equivalent to two-thirds of population in Denmark and Finland. Almost 1 million 178 thousand of them are working in EU countries and the number of Turkish entrepreneurs reached 73,200. A total of 832 thousand of them are working in Germany, 105 thousand of them are working in the Netherlands and the number of Turkish workers in France is 101 thousand. Meanwhile, the average of entrepreneurs among the Turkish people working in EU countries is 6.2 percent and their annual sales is 61.2 billion German marks. A total of 366 thousand people were employed by Turkish entrepreneurs, and the amount of total investments made by Turkish entrepreneurs is 15.4 billion German marks. Between 1995 and 1999, the number of Turkish entrepreneurs increased 34.8 percent, their sales rose by 45 percent and the number of people employed climbed by by 72.6 percent. The 1.2 million Turkish people constitute 75 percent of people working in EU countries, and they made nearly 107.8 billion German marks contribution to EU's gross national product in 1998. This amount is 2.5-fold of Luxembourg's GNP and is equivalent to 51 percent of Greece's GNP. It is estimated that Turkish people make a 78.6 billion German marks contribution to Germany's gross domestic product; 8.5 billion German marks contribution to Netherlands' GDP; and 7.8 billion German marks contribution to France's GDP. [14] A.AAnadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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