Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-05-23

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NEWS

23 MAY 2000 Tuesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] CAPITAL MARKET BOARD ACCEPTS TURKCELL'S OFFERING TO PUBLIC

[03] TURKEY TO BUILD SHIPS FOR CUBA

[04] TURKEY TO BE UNDER INFLUENCE OF COLD AND RAINY WEATHER

[05] AMBASSADOR ONUR OYMEN, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY TO

[06] NATO'S AND ESDI'S FUTURES TO BE DISCUSSED IN FLORENCE

[07] GALATASARAY SOCCER TEAM IN ANKARA

[08] CREDITS TO BE PROVIDED TO DAMAGED HOUSING

[09] EXCAVATIONS RE-START IN THE HOUSE IN KARTAL DISTRICT

[10] STATE MINISTER BAL STARTS OFFICE

[11] TMMOB STARTS INITIATIVE TO SAVE ZEUGMA ANCIENT CITY

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

FAKE DOLLARS WORTH TRILLIONS
Police teams seized more than 5 million fake USD banknotes worth of nearly 3 trillion Turkish liras in a surprise operation they conducted on a printing house. Zabit Birgin, caught red handed with his five men printing fake dollars confessed that they put about 1 million banknotes in circulation. Officials said that the material used in the printing was first class.

TUSIAD LOBBYING IN FRANCE
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Aykut Yucaoglu and his delegation is lobbying for Turkey in France which will become EU Term President end of June. TUSIAD delegation had a meeting on Monday with EU Ministry and Foreign Ministry undersecreteries Jean-Micheal Casa and Daniel Lequartier and asked their support for Turkey's democratic reforms. TUSIAD delegation also stressed that Turkey's participation in European Security and Defense Initiative (EDSI) is very important as well as its cooperation with EU in economic, political integration and financial areas.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

DEAD HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IDENTIFIED
The three Hezbollah terrorists, who had been killed during operations in Adana, and one other member of the terror organisation, who had been captured wounded, have been identified. The dead terrorists were identified as Selim Aydar, Abdulvahit Kara, and Rahmetullah Korkmaz. The other terrorist, who survived the operation was identified as Ali Riza Yondem. During his interrogation, Yondem confessed that he had given instructions to Ahmet Yesil, and Huseyin Atasoy, two other members of the organisation, to abduct Konca Kuris.

PEACE OPERATION IN THE AEGEAN
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is planning to prepare a 'peace plan' to settle the disputes between Turkey and Greece over the Aegean. Prime Minister's Chief Advisor retired General Guven Erkaya prepared a report and submitted it to the Prime Minister in the month of April. The report included a number of suggestions on how the problems between Turkey and Greece could be brought to a solution. The Prime Minister is most likely to choose from the suggestions brought to him by Erkaya while drafting his 'Peace Plan'. Ecevit, when asked about the report and the plan by reporters, though, refrained from giving informative replies.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

ILLEGAL WORKERS IN CUSTODY
A total of 1,122 foreign workers were detained after being caught red handed working illegally. The statement made by the Police Department said that 259 of the illegal workers were of Iranian origin. Suits were filed against 19 of them, and the others were released.

COTTARELLI: 'TURKEY'S INDUSRIAL GROWTH RATE CAN REACH 9%'
Carlo Cottarelli, Head of IMF's Turkey Desk, predicted a growth rate for the industrial sector by 9 percent, by looking at the results of his inspections and contacts in Turkey. Cottarelli, who is in Turkey carrying out another round of talks with officials, said that the initial figures for the year 2000 indicated that the industrial sector was recovering from last year's low levels in a stable manner.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

ASSURANCES FROM FM CEM
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem gave assurances that Turkey will be more interested in Central Asia and Caucasia in the new period which followed Presidential election. Cem hosted a dinner to the ambassadors of Central Asian and Caucasian countries and exchanged views regarding Turkey's regional policies.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

TURKEY TO BE SOON PRESSURED OVER ITS HUMAN RIGHTS
After Turkey was granted candidacy status by the European Union, Turkey's human rights record started to be widely discussed in the international arena. It seems like, Turkey might face serious pressure from Europe due to its human rights record which did not progress much. Mistreatment of people by the police and torture are the two issues which causes trouble for Turkey in Europe. Another source of tension is Turkey's position in front of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

IZMIR METRO OPENS TO PEOPLE
One of Turkey's biggest projects, Izmir metro opened on Monday. The project which will be a ''transportation reform'' in Izmir cost a total of 745 million U.S. dollars. The metro will provide transportation to Izmir's inhabitants between Bornova and Ucyol. It was stated that Izmir metro had a lower cost than metro systems in Ankara and Istanbul. During the construction works which lasted for five years, no accidents, water leaks or collapses occured.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Meanwhile, Iran summoned Turan Morali, Turkey's Ambassador to Iran, to Iranian Foreign Ministry related with the Iranians who were claimed to be taken into custody in Turkey.

NEW ECONOMIC PACKAGE IN TRNC
The economic package titled ''Measures To Be Taken To Overcome the Socio-Economic Problems and Structural Transformation in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)'' was made public on Monday.

The economic package was prepared by the coalition government established by the National Unity Party (UBP) and Communal Liberation Party (TKP).

The target of the economic package is fortifying the socio-economic system and preventing repetition of the crisis which was experienced recently.

The package called on non-governmental organizations, political parties, and all concerned institutions and organizations to support the program.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Following the statements of Tantan, it was reported that Zakir Selvi, Yesil's aide, was captured. The main goal of the police is to capture Yesil.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said there was no reason to be suspicious regarding the conflicts in the confessions of the people who were captured within the framework of Umut Operation.

POISONOUS GAS DANGER IN YATAGAN
The poisonous gas, which came out of the chimneys of the thermic power plant, which has a vital importance in economy of Yatagan township in Aegean Mugla province, covered the surroundings. Daily life in the township came the point of halt. Officials said there was no wind so that the gas sank, and noted that two units of the power plant were not operated.

[02] CAPITAL MARKET BOARD ACCEPTS TURKCELL'S OFFERING TO PUBLIC

A letter addressed to the Chairmanship of the Stock Exchange by Vice Chairman of SPK Sinan Alp, made reference to the application made on April 18 for the offering of GSM operator Turkcell to public.

According to the application, Turkcell's capital will be increased from 43 trillion Turkish Liras to 240 trillion, and after that, some of the partners will offer about 15 percent of their shares to the public.

The share bills to be offered directly by the shareholders, will be offered to the public by a consortium to be led by the Yapi Kredi Investment Stock Exchange Inc. at home, and by a union to be led by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter abroad.

[03] TURKEY TO BUILD SHIPS FOR CUBA

Addressing a news conference, Mirzaoglu recalled that he visited Cuba this month together with a delegation composed of ship industrialists, aiming to improve cooperation and trade with Cuba on maritime issue.

Mirzaoglu said during the visit, they held contacts regarding the construction of the ships Cuba demanded, and regarding maintenance and repair of some other ships.

Mirzaoglu said he visited shipyards in Tuzla together with Orlando Rodriguez Roman, Cuba's Fishing and Maritime Trade Minister, today, and noted that they decided for the construction of ships, which Cuba demanded, in Turkey.

Stressing that technical talks were underway positively, Mirzaoglu said, ''when we reach a concrete agreement, we will construct the ships, which Cuba demanded, in Turkish shipyards. This is a very important development about our shipyards because our shipyards work in low capacity due to the economic crisis.''

Mirzaoglu said the most modern shipyard of Europe was in Tuzla, adding that, ''private sector owns it. It is very dynamic, and has a perfect technical equipment. Our shipyards have the capacity to compete with the world and Europe.''

Mirzaoglu said during his visit to Cuba, he held contacts pertaining to the captain of Turkish ship Cemre 1, and its 22 crew who had gone to Cuban capital city on January 26, 2000 and who were kept there since then.

Cemre Navigation Firm's ship Cemre-1 and its 22 crew members were kept as hostage in Cuba as they couldn't bring the cargo to Cuba on time.

Pointing out that foreign ministry representative in this country held contacts immediately after the incident, yet could not obtain a positive result, Mirzaoglu said he launched initiatives during his visit.

Mirzaoglu said, ''we also held talks with Cuban minister and the accompanying delegation in this respect. Crew, appointed by Cuba, will go to the ship on Wednesday and our sailors will be released. They will be in Turkey on Thursday.''

Speaking about the boating diseaster in Besikduzu in the Black Sea Trabzon province, Mirzaoglu said the death toll rose to 35 and that 15 people were injured. He said there were still three people missing, adding that ships belonging to Coastal Guard Ship Rescue General Directorate were immediately sent to the spot to attend search and rescue efforts.

He said ''Sonduren 3'', and ''Sonduren 11'' ships were looking for the missing citizens, and noted that four fishing boats and a helicopter accompanied them.

When asked if he would go to Cuba again for the agreement, Mirzaoglu said, ''I will go if necessary. With the agreement, we will find a way to Central America and Carabian Sea as well as Cuba. He said, ''thus, Turkish maritime will have the facilities to open to the world. Turkish maritime will have activities and trade in international dimensions. Private sector managed to do this. As the state, we are lifting the problems in front of the initiatives.''

When asked how many ships would be constructed for Cuba and the financial cost, Mirzaoglu said 13 ships, including cargo ship, containier, tow boat, and oil tanker, and noted that the initial cost would be 200-240 million U.S. dollars.

Responding to another question about the establishment of Maritime Ministry, Mirzaoglu said, ''we will set up Maritime Ministry. There is not such a ministry in the government protocol. Yet, leaders of three coalition partner parties, upon our initiatives, ordered for the establishment of Maritime Ministry in December 1999. Efforts are under way. We planned to pass the studies from Council of Ministers at the end of July, and submit it to the Parliament. The Maritime Ministry will be established in the year 2000.''

When asked about the two Turkish fishermen who were kept in Ukraine, Mirzaoglu said Foreign Ministry was informed about the incident, and noted that Foreign Ministry carried out contacts in this respect.

[04] TURKEY TO BE UNDER INFLUENCE OF COLD AND RAINY WEATHER

General Directorate of State Meteorological Affairs pointed out that heavy rainstorm is expected in internal parts of the country. The showers will be influential particularly in Central Anatolia, western Black Sea, and internal parts of the Mediterranean. The rainy weather will be effective in eastern regions on May 26.

Temperatures will decrease 8-10 degrees throughout the country. The rainly weather will leave Turkey at the weekend, and temperatures will increase.

[05] AMBASSADOR ONUR OYMEN, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY TO NATO:

Ambassador Oymen, who made a statement to the A.A correspondent prior to the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Florence, said that this meeting carried great importance, in that the participating ministers would be taking up a number of issues of primary importance, including the latest developments in Bosnia and Kosovo, and the former Yugoslav republics, and that these discussions were highly important for Turkey, as a country attaching major importance to the Balkans.

Noting that the participants would be revising the resolutions pertaining to the ESDI, taken during the Washington Summit, Oymen added that one other topic of great significance would be the alliance's relations with Moscow.

Oymen pointed out that Turkey regarded it a priority to take up the ESDI in the first place, since ''The European Union does not yet have a definite defense and security policy'', and added that the union was most likely to have come up with a permanent system by the end of this year.

''In this regard, Turkey has certain expectations. Turkey wants, in particular, to have NATO-EU relations based on concrete, healthy grounds. We are in favor of the preservation of and compliance with the agreements reached at the Washington Summit, according to which, the non-EU member NATO allies have to be included in the security system as foreseen by the ESDI, Oymen said. ''The most important among the resolutions taken at the end of the Washington Summit is probably the one that foresees the building of a common structure between NATO and the Western European Union upon existing grounds. However, the European Union has not yet reached a position where it can display full compliance with the Washington Resolutions.''

''If an EU operation seems likely to effect one NATO ally's security, then the union will have to listen to what that ally will have to say. For the time being, it is yet impossible to say that the developments within the EU are satisfactory from this standpoint,'' he added.

Touching on the structure of the NATO troops in Kosovo and Bosnia, Oymen said that the structure of these troops could change from time to time, that the Supreme Allied Commander Europe General (SACEUR) could demand for additional troops from the participating countries when necessary, and that each and every one of the countries involved, would try and meet this demand as much as they could.

''Turkey has about one thousand soldiers functioning in Kosovo. This is a considerable military presence,'' he said, adding that, ''The government and military officials will make an assessment on the question if more turkish soldiers might be needed.''

Oymen said the positive effect of the process of rapprochement between Turkey and Greece were clearly visible within the alliance, and that Turkey and Greece were working in harmony in many different fields.

''It is hard to say that we have always been in full accord with Greece. Turkey and Greece have had different, even conflicting views and opinions in the past, and some of them remain unsettled. But a general outlook of the latest condition of Turkey's relations with Greece is an optimistic picture,'' Öymen said. ''A healthy process of dialogue has taken start. These are very hope inspiring developments. For the time being, I don't think it necessary to operate the 'Security Strengthening Measures', because the dialog ue process seems to work out fine. The relations between the two countries are warm enough not to necessitate this mechanism.''

Oymen concluded his words by saying that Turkey was one of the key countries within the alliance.

[06] NATO'S AND ESDI'S FUTURES TO BE DISCUSSED IN FLORENCE

Diplomatic sources said the two day meeting is especially important in a time in which the alliance is preparing scenerios for the future.

Starting from the first years of the Cold War, NATO guaranteed the defense and security of the West. Since the reasons for its foundation are no longer existing, NATO is now working to preserve its role in international relations through new tasks and structuring.

Turkey, which has been a NATO member for 48 years, is intensifying its political and diplomatic contacts in order to have an effective role in NATO's new missions as well as in European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI). ESDI, an issue which is widely discussed in NATO in the last decade, is expected to be the most important point of the meeting in Florence.

In fact, Europe's efforts to have more authority in its own defense has a longer history than only one decade. During the Cold War, Europe was completely dependent on the U.S. in conventional and nuclear weapons. This caused the U.S. to have authority in all security related decisions in Europe. Western Europeans whose economies suffered in the Second World War did not want to make defense expenses, therefore they transferred most of their security related rights to the U.S.

The U.S. and Europe were not always in full harmony in their military and diplomatic cooperation. European countries did not always support American policies as Washington expected them to. Europe was not active and disappointed the U.S. while the U.S. supported Israel in 1973, or when the tension between Libya and the U.S. reached its top point in 1986.

In a short time, Europeans started questioning how much risk the U.S. wants to take for their security. In the same year, American people started criticizing the expenses made by Washington, D.C. for Europe's security. The voices of rejection coming from both sides were not taken too seriously during the Cold War.

The developments which took place in the Soviet Union and East Europe showed that, for the first time since 1945, the continent has the chance to overcome political and ideological conflicts. After the Second World War, the system in Europe had to be restructured. And NATO was the leading institution which had to deal with issues such as restructuring in Europe, reviewing missions and expansion.

Expansion strategy, Peace for Partnership project, new threats directed at European continent proved that NATO was not excluded from the system and it continued to exist by adapting itself to new conditions and overtaking new missions.

Prior to Florence meeting, academic circles and diplomatic sources agree that NATO strengthenend its position in the new system. The next problem NATO has to deal with is to materialize ESDI which might help NATO, but NATO has to do this without making itself vulnerable to threats.

EDSI, following years long discussions, started to gain clarity and it began to be institutionalized. In 1992, the European Union gave new missions such as humanitarian aid and rescue missions to Western European Union (WEU) and announced that it accepts WEU as its defense wing. According to this, WEU became a leader in some operations concerning Europe's security. Strategy experts that this ''two headed'' approach in Europe's security might be dangerous.

European allies headed by France agree that they have to have more authority in their own defense issues. The U.S. administration seems to have no opposition to this initiative but insists that WEU has to remain within NATO. Diplomatic sources are saying that even the ''NATO fanatics'' who want the American influence to remain in Europe want a more ''fair'' distribution of defense expenses.

There are presently three basic obstacles in front of ESDI which will be delved deeply during Florence meeting.

The first problem is that the lack of communication and coordination among institutions. It is still not known what kind of a procedure WEU will follow with NATO and other institutions while deciding on an operation.

Meanwhile, NATO members who are not EU members such as Turkey are worried about being excluded from WEU's decision taking mechanism.

The second problem is the decreasing of defense expenses in EU countries. Academic circles claim that one of the biggest obstacles in front of EDSI is rooted from European's own policies. The drop in the defense expenses of the European continent is believed to be the biggest obstacle in front of forming a ''reliable and powerful'' European defense. Shortening of military service terms and shrinking of defense's share which is put aside from the budget in many EU countries, especially in Germany, is being debated.

Strategy experts are saying that even without the EDSI, the contribution of the U.S. in NATO's budget should be lightened by Europeans.

The third problem for ESDI is the difficulty to adopt a common attitude and take a decision among member countries in a crisis situation. EU's late response during Bosnia and Kosovo situations, differing views for a solution make it impossible to carry out a determined and fast operation during such times.

Experts are saying that WEU can gain experience within NATO by overtaking tasks regarding problems with secondary importance. They are saying that the existing problems can be solved in stages.

Under the light of all these developments, the Florence meeting will confirm that NATO is Europe's basic defense and security institution.

[07] GALATASARAY SOCCER TEAM IN ANKARA

The team, led by Faruk Suren, Chairman of the Club, included the players apart from Fatih Terim, the coach, and the foreign footballers.

The group will be received by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and Devlet Bahceli, Deputy Prime Minister.

The team will later visit Parliament.

[08] CREDITS TO BE PROVIDED TO DAMAGED HOUSING

The credit amount will be calculated by multiplying the completion rate of the construction with 6 billion Turkish Liras, which is the ceiling credit limit. The three decrees having the force of law, foreseeing amendments to the ''Law Pertaining to Measures and Aid to Compensate Natural Disaster Damage'' was published in today's edition of the Official Gazette.

[09] EXCAVATIONS RE-START IN THE HOUSE IN KARTAL DISTRICT

Police formed security chain at 10:30 local time around the house where nine dead bodies were found.

Excavations started at around 11:10 local time with vehicles.

[10] STATE MINISTER BAL STARTS OFFICE

Bal will be furnished with information from the officials of bodies and institutions under the authority of his ministry.

[11] TMMOB STARTS INITIATIVE TO SAVE ZEUGMA ANCIENT CITY

TMMOB Chairman Oktay Ekinci sent a letter to Sezer noting that the city is one of Turkey's most important historical settlements. Ekinci said Zeugma is about to remain under Birecik dam and asked Sezer to interfere in this ''unfortunate process.''

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