Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-04-18

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[01] AA News

18 April 2000 Tuesday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

I HAVE TWO NAMES IN MIND
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that ''it is not correct for us to propose a presidential canditate for the moment. The government does not have the right to determine a candidate, besides we shouldn't regard this issue as a party issue. There are two names in my mind. I'll tell these two names to my partners within few days.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

According to the information given by the Istanbul University's Kandilli Observatory and Seismological Research Center, the tremors were centered in Bursa, Bilecik and the Marmara Sea.

GSM 1800 LEFT UNSOLD
The tender for two more GSM licenses was left unconcluded with the withdrawal of four consortia from the bidding. The auction was started at 2, 5 billion dollars - the price offered in the previous phase of the tender by the Is Bankasi-Telecom Italia - but all four consortia refused to take part in the auction on grounds that the opening price was too high.

ORAL: WE HAVE REACHED BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS
Finance Minister Sumer Oral said that Turkey had reached far beyond her expectations for the first three months of the year by making 2,7 quadrillion Turkish Liras worth of non-interest surplus. The estimated level had been 1,3 quadrillion Turkish Liras. Oral said that the overall performance of the 1999 budget had been much better than expected, and that the budget deficit remained at a much lower level.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

EFES CAN PLAY IN FINAL
Efes Pilsen, our famous basketball team which plays in the Final Four in European League, will play with Greek team Panathinaikos in Salonica at 21.00 local time. If Efes Pilsen wins the game, it will play in the final.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

BODYGUARDS TO ESCORT GALATASARAY
The Foreign Ministry said every issue about safety of Galatasaray would be closely followed. The Interior Ministry said a 11-person special team would escort Galatasaray. Meanwhile, Kevin Speight, one of the two British soccer fans who were stabbed to death, was buried yesterday.

NEW PERIOD WITH CHINA TO START
Chinese President Jiang Zemin will pay an official visit to Turkey. This will be the first official visit paid to Turkey by a Chinese President in last 14 years. The three-day visit of Zemin is very important for the future of bilateral relations. Turkey and China will sign a cooperation agreement in field of energy.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS EXPECTED IN MAY
The tender for the infrastructure of a 40 thousand-permanent- housing-unit project in the quake stricken region will have been concluded by the end of this month. 40 percent of the project will be financed by the World Bank.

TRNC GETS READY FOR THE SECOND ROUND
President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu, none of whom has been able to surpass the fifty percent threshold in the first round of balloting in presidential elections, will face each other for a second time on April 22. The other parties, whose candidates were eliminated in the first round of voting, will have to determine their stances, and will be able to effect direcly the results of the second round.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

TERIM-FM DEBATE CONTINUES
Foreign Ministry reacted to the statement of Fatih Terim, the Galatasaray coach who said ''Foreign Ministry and Turkish Embassy in London left me alone in London.'' The Foreign Ministry said ''we did our mission. Turkish Embassy submitted official note to British authorities to provide the security of Terim.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

PROMOTION SUPPORT TO TOURISM
The new touristic season started with the beginning of the Tourism Week, on whose occasion, an inauguration ceremony was held at Istanbul's Lutfi Kirdar Congress and Exhibition Hall. Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said in his speech, that Turkey was a heaven for tourists, but that Turkey had to be promoted more extensively and comprehensively to be known to foreigners as a brilliant touristic choice.

NO MERCY FOR HEZBOLLAH
Operations against the outlawed organisation Hezbollah are continuing. One member of the terorrist organisation, who had been captured in Edirne's Kesan township was tried and put in prison. Six others were detained within the framework of the operations in Malatya. The interrogations of the said persons are underway.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

ECEVIT HAS TWO CANDIDATES
Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he was thinking of two names for presidential elections but he had not hold meetings with those two persons yet. When asked whether those two persons were from the Parliament or army Ecevit did not make a statement.

[03] IMF-WORLD BANK MEETINGS - STATE MINISTER ONAL COMPLETES HIS CONTACTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

At a press briefing held at the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C., Onal said his meetings with World Bank Chairman James Wolfenhson, Deputy Chairman Johannes Linn and IMF Acting Chairman Stanley Fischer were very positive.

Onal told reporters that he also had a meeting with the U.S. Secretary of Treasury Larry Summers on Monday who told him that he has been closely following Turkey's economic programme. During his visit, Onal briefed Summers about the latest developments in Turkish economy.

Onal said all the authorities he contacted said they hoped Turkey would continue its economic programme like it has been doing so far.

Responding to a question, Onal said leading rating institutions have not come to Turkey to study Turkish economy and added that they will announce their observations after they carry out a research in Turkey.

Onal noted that regulations over the transfer of funds and agriculture purchase cooperatives will pass from the Parliament in the shortest time possible.

The impressions of the World Bank or the IMF regarding Turkey are more important then when they will give money to Turkey, Onal also said.

Upon a question, Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp said there was no delay in the World Bank credit which will be given to Turkey. Demiralp noted that the World Bank will reach a decision about this credit in April or May.

Onal told reporters that they will intensify efforts as soon as they are back to Turkey to speed up the structural reforms in Turkey.

He noted that 33 percent of the targeted 7.6 billion U.S. dollars privatization has already been materialized and added that the privatization income could reach up to 10 billion U.S. dollars if they continue at the same pace.

Onal also stressed that the inflation can be pulled down to single digits in the next three years if the programme is faitfully followed.

Onal will have a meeting with U.S. businessmen who are interested in doing business in Turkey on Monday and later he will pass to New York to attend the United Nations' Economic and Social Council Meeting.

[04] SECOND ROUND OF ELECTIONS IN TRNC TO BE HELD ON APRIL 22

President and also an independent candidate Rauf Denktas will have a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and the leader of the Socialist Liberation Party (TKP) Mustafa Akinci who came third at the first round. Denktas will ask for TKP's support for the second round.

Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu from National Unity Party (UBP) will visit TKP and Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and ask for their support.

CTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat said it is very difficult to make a choice between the president candidates, Denktas and Eroglu, who will run at the second round. ''It is very difficult to make a choice because they have the same political ideas,'' he said.

Talat noted that they have not yet clarified their stance over the issue and said their position will be clear after they speak with the candidates.

TKP will also convene on Tuesday night to clarify their attitude over the choice of president candidates.

[05] GALATASARAY TECHNICAL DIRECTOR TERIM SAYS NO VIOLENT INCIDENTS WOULD OCCUR DURING GALATASARAY-LEEDS UNITED MATCH

At a press briefing Terim said noone even provoked him verbally in Britain and thanked the Leeds United Club for their gentlemanly behaviour. Terim also said he found the security measures adequate in Britain.

The psychology of Galatasaray football players is very important so everybody must be careful in their speeches in the next two days, Terim said. ''They are aware that a Turkish team is playing for the first time at the finals in the history. Everyone is focused on this match,'' he added.

About their game tactics, Terim said Galatasaray will play with Leeds United the same way it has played in previous away matches. When asked what makes them superior to Leeds United, Terim said they are more experienced.

Terim declined to make a comment about the refereee choice of the UEFA and said UEFA was very well aware of the tension. ''This is a final match and UEFA knows the issue very well. There is no point in making a comment,'' he said.

Terim spoke during a live programme on a tv channel before the press briefing and said diplomacy cannot stay away from an event which concerns 65 million people.

Terim said ''they did not expect anyone to throw flowers at them'' but assured that there will be no serious incidents despite the tension.

[06] TURKISH-GREEK FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION FAIR - ''FOLK SONGS FROM ISTANBUL TO ATHENS'' CDS AND CASSETTES TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT KOC'S STAND

Koc Holding issued a statement on Monday and said that those CDs and cassettes including Turkish and Greek folk songs voiced by Melihat Gulses of Turkey aimed at improving the cultural relations betwen the two nations.

Koc Holding will promote its goods and services in a 210-square meter stand during the fair which will be the first Turkish export products fair in Greece.

In the fair, Turkey will be represented by Koc's durable consumer goods group Arcelik-Beko, consumer group Sek, Tat and Pastavilla, construction and mining group Izocam, Garanti Insaat and Turk Demirdokum, energy group Gazal, tourism group Divan, Mares, Talya Hotels, Turyat Marines and RMK Marine, foreign trade group Ram.

The statement added that Koc Holding's aim in the fair was to increase the trade volume between Turkey and Greece.

[07] IMF-WORLD BANK MEETINGS

Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Fischer strassed that the program could be shown as an example to other countries if Turkey continued its economic program.

World Bank Governor James Wolfensohn said that he supported Turkey's economic policy and he would visit Turkey in May to this end.

Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Wolfensohn said that Turkey took encouraging and determined structural measures, and those measures should absolutely be continued.

Wolfensohn said that his visit to Turkey through the end of May reflected his interest in Turkey.

Meanwhile, sources said that Fischer, in his statements in last two weeks, mentioned Turkey's program which aimed at decreasing the inflation, and defined it as a ''program that must be evaluated carefully''.

[08] EXPORTS INCREASE 1,9 PERCENT IN FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR

The report said exports increased by 1.9 percent in first three months of the year while the increase in exports became 5.8 percent in January.

The report said the exports increased by 2.4 percent in February while it decreased by 4.4 percent in March.

According to the DTM's report, the exports of European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries in first quarter increased 1.9 percent to 3 billion 616 million U.S. dollars, and the exports to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and European countries (generally former Yugoslavia region) increased 31.1 percent to 153 million U.S. dollars.

The report said that exports to the Middle eastern countries in the same period rose 7.8 percent to 603 million U.S. dollars, and the exports to North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA) countries increased 18.6 percent to 759 million U.S. dollars.

[09] KARACHI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY

The KCCI delegation who will arrive in Turkey on April 30 is expected to stay in Turkey for fifteen days and hold contacts in Istanbul and Izmir.

The issue of increasing the trade volume between Turkey and pakistan including the joint investments is expected to be taken up during the KCCI delegation's contacts.

[10] ENERGY NETWORK AMONG BALKAN COUNTRIES TO BE FOUNDED

When the Middle East Joint Energy project is also taken into consideration, this shows that Turkey will be an important energy corridor.

The construction of the energy system among Balkan countries is planned to start in the coming two years. The project includes Turkey, Bulgaria, Bosnia, and Austria.

The negotiations on the project are planned to start this year in a country that will determined later.

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources carries out the joint energy system project among Balkan countries on behalf of Turkey. Firstly, the feasibility studies will start.

The Balkan Countries Interconnected System is planned to operate in 2005.

The system will be connected to the Middle East joint energy system including Turkey in the future.

Countries which need additional electricity, will be able to purchase and sell electricity among them by the two important international energy systems.

[11] GALATASARAY TO PLAY ITS TENTH MATCH WITH BRITISH TEAMS IN EURO CUPS

This match will be Galatasaray's tenth match played with British soccer teams in European cups.

Galatasaray won one out of those nine matches and got five defeats while three matches ended with a tie.

Galatasaray scored seven goals while gave away nineteen goals in those nine matches.

One of those seven goals came from Fatih Terim after a penalty kick in 1978- 79 season in Galatasaray's UEFA Cup away match with West Bromwich Albion.

Fatih Terim is now the coach of Galatasaray.

The results of Galatasaray's matches with British teams in European cups are as follows:

Season Cup Opponent Result Goals

------- ----- ------------------ ------ ------------
1978-79 UEFA West Brownic Albion 1-3 Fatih Terim (pen)

1978-79 UEFA West Brownic Albion 1-3 Turgay

1993-94 C.L.Q. Manchester United 3-3 Arif, Kubilay (2)

1993-94 C.L.Q. Manchester United 0-0 -

1994-95 C.L. Manchester United 0-0 -

1994-95 C.L. Manchester United 0-4 -

1999-00 C.L. FC Chelsea 0-1 -

1999-00 C.L. FC Chelsea 0-5 -

1999-00 UEFA Leeds United 2-0 Hakan Sukur, Capone.

*C.L.: Champions League

C.L.Q.: Champions League Qualifier

[12] ASSOCIATION OF TURKISH JOURNALISTS CALLS ON TURKISH AND BRITISH MEDIA TO ADOPT FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE

The TGC issued a written statement on Tuesday saying, ''we condemn the violent and tragic incidents in Istanbul, but a nation can't be held responsible for these events. We believe that the tension created by this tragic incident should not harm the spirit of sports and friendship between the nations.''

''The media organizations and journalists have very important responsibilities in settlement of the atmosphere of friendship and peace. We believe that both the Turkish and British journalists will fulfil their duties in accordance with this understanding. We call on all journalists to abide by the principles of journalism,'' it added.

[13] FIRST ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON APRIL 27

The Advisory Board will convene on April 25 by when the applications of candidates end, to determine the voting calendar.

Due to the draft programme prepared by the Parliament Speaker's Office, the first round of the ballot will be held on April 27.

If none of the candidates gets two-thirds of the votes of deputies in the parliament (367), the second round will take place on May 5.

If none of the candidates gains 367 votes, a third round will be staged. In that round, one candidate needs to get the simple majority which is 276 votes.

But if no candidate can reach this number, a fourth round will be held on May 9 between the two candidates who get the highest number of votes in the third round.

If no candidate gets 276 votes in this last round, new parliamentary elections will be held immediately.

[14] FAITH TOURISM - TOURISM OPERATORS OF CAPPADOCIA WANT FIVE ANCIENT CHURCHES OPENED

In the written statement he issued on Tuesday, Bayram said that the tourism sector had concentrated on faith tourism in the year 2000, and that at least five of the countless ancient churches of Cappadocia, all carved into rocks, had to be opened to attract tourists.

Noting that Cappadocia was one of Turkey's major centers of faith tourism, Bayram said:

''Turkey cannot remain indifferent to the celebrations marking the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. we have to take rapid action, and without wasting time, we have to open as many ancient churches to service as possible.''

[15] SYMPOSIUM ON ''ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION IN BALKANS'' TO BE STAGED IN SOFIA

The symposium will be staged with the contributions of Research Center of Islamic History, Arts and Culture; Islamic History, Arts and Culture Research Foundation; Sofia High Islamic Institution; Balkan Researches Institution; Sofia University's Eastern Languages Department; and Center of Minority Researches and Inter-cultural Relations.

A total of 88 scientists from Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia- Herzegovina, France, Canada, Lebanon, Macedonia, Romania, Yugoslavia, and Greece, will join the symposium.

The participants will discuss the Turkish-Islamic cultural heritage, the 550-year civilization which improved during the Ottoman era, the artistic, architectural, scientific, and literary works of arts created in this era, and the situation of today's Islamic culture heritage.

This symposium carries importance since it is the first of a series of symposium which will take up the Islam societies and minorities living outside the Islamic Conference Organization countries.

[16] COMMANDERS OF TURKISH AND FOREIGN SHIPS IN EAST MEDITERRANEAN 2000 MANOEUVRES, VISIT ANTALYA GOVERNOR DOKUZOGLU

Admiral Metin Atac, Commander-in-Chief of War Fleet and South Mission Group, said that the manoeuvres are being exercised successfully.

Atac said, ''this manoeuvres are the concerted manoeuvres of the Naval Forces Commandership and are being exercised since 1993. First three stages of the manoeuvres are fulfilled. After the ships depart from the Antalya Harbour on Thursday, the last stage of the manoeuvres will start. The manoeuvres will end as the ships visit Aksaz Harbour.''

The U.S., Spanish, Italian, and French ships join the manoeuvres, Atac noted.

The Turkish and foreign war ships will stay in Antalya Harbour until 21. The personnel of these ships will visit the historical and touristic sites of Antalya.

[17] TREASURY ARRANGES TWO TENDERS

Treasury sold 2 quadrillion 778.1 trillion Turkish liras (TL) nominal valued debenture bonds while the total bid was 4 quadrillion 383 trillion TL.

The net sale was 2 quadrillion 2.7 trillion TL.

The composite interest rate became 32.18 percent and the simple interest rate became 33.01 percent in the debenture bond tender.

In the second tender, the total bid was 808.9 trillion TL while the Treasury sold 755 trillion TL three-month bonds.

The net sale was 697 trillion TL.

The annual composite interest rate became 37.69 percent and the annual simple interest rate became 31.20 percent.

The value date of the bonds is April 19, and the maturity is June 19, 2000.

The value date of debenture bonds is April 19, the maturity is June 20, 2001.

Meanwhile, Treasury will realize 4 quadrillion 649.8 trillion TL in domestic borrowing repayment in April.

[18] TURKEY TO SELL 211 ARMOURED VEHICLES TO MALAYSIA

Officials of the National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the agreement which foresaw this sale, was signed today and that this figure is the highest export figure in the Turkish arms industry.

In the end of the contacts of the Turkish delegation in Malaysia, two countries agreed upon the sale of 211 FNSS armoured vehicles, the officials added.

Prior to his meeting with General Christian Hvidt, the Chief of General Staff of Denmark, Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, the National Defense Minister, told reporters that the negotiations on the sale of armoured vehicles were completed and the agreement on the sale of 211 armoured vehicles were signed.

Cakmakoglu said that Turkey will gain nearly 300 million U.S. dollars from this sale.

Cakmakoglu added that it is pleasing to export armoured vehicles to foreign countries.

[19] A.A

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