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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-06-19Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>ANADOLU AGENCYNEWS 19 JUNE 2000 Monday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 19, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)OUR LAST CHANCE IN EURO 2000Our national football team which was defeated by Italy and which drew with Sweden, will have a match with Belgium tonight. This match is important because it will either make Turkey qualify to the quarter finals or bid farewell to EURO 2000. Mustafa Denizli, the coach of our national team, has only one target for the match which will start at 09.45 p.m. This target is victory. 1.5 MILLION TOOK EXAM, ONLY 295,000 TO WIN IT MILLIYET (LIBERAL)TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN KAYSERIFloods triggered by torrential rains inundated a number of of dwellings and business places in central Kayseri province. Heavy rains which started at 03:40 p.m. on Sunday, lasted for 15 minutes. 120 dwellings and business places were inundated by flood waters in Kazim Karabekir, Hurriyet, Corakcilar and Serceonu districts of Kayseri. BAHCELI: ''CLEAN POLICY IS NECESSARY'' SABAH (LIBERAL)BEAU GESTE OF GREECEMutual beau gestes consolidate friendly atmosphere between Turkey and Greece. After the abolishment of the Aegean Army was brought onto agenda of Turkey, Greece stated that it would shrink its Armed Forces by 40 percent. FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER EKREM ALICAN PASSES AWAY CUMHURIYET (LEFT)THEY ARE AFRAID OF AGCASusurluk Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis said, ''it is real that Mehmet Ali Agca is a very important person but he had already said in the past what he wanted to say.'' Elkatmis said there still were some people who were worried about Agca's confessions. Defining Agca as a ''pawn'', Elkatmis said, ''there is no doubt that Agca will be freed soon.'' DEATH SENTENCE SHOULD BE ABOLISHED RADIKAL (LEFT)MINA URGAN LAID TO RESTMina Urgan, a prominent writer who passed away at the age of 85 on Thursday, was laid to rest in Asiyan Graveyard in Istanbul. A ceremony took place out of respect to Urgan who had become famous by her book titled ''Bir Dinazorun Anıları'' (The Memories of a Dinosaur), in front of the Freedom and Solidarity Party's (ODP) Headquarters in Beyoglu district of Istanbul. A number of writers, journalists and friends of Urgan paid their last tribute to her during the funeral. YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)MIT'S REPORT ON AGCAThe report that the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) prepared following the assassination attempt against Pope, was revealed. In accordance with the report, the MIT learned that the far-rightists had decided to stage a ''sensational'' attack in January 1979. The MIT had also learned that a person named ''Mehmet Ali'' would stage the attack. Despite this information, the police and the martial rule left aside the MIT in the investigation into the Ipekci assassination. The police and the soldiers made big mistakes in the investigation. The report also included the telephone calls between Musa Serdar Celebi, the Chairman of the European Far-Rightist Turkish Associations Federation, and Agca. The relationship between Celebi and Agca was brought to the agenda in the court sessions held in Rome but could not be proved. TURKIYE (RIGHT)DIFFICULT WEEKThe Parliamentary General Assembly will discuss the reports of the investigation commission this week. Five of the reports are about Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party, one of them is regarding Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP) and former Finance Minister Attila, and two of them are concerning former labour ministers Kul and Celik. TURKISH UNIT GOES TO JORDAN HEAD OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS YILMAZ RETURNS TO TURKEY ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)DRY SUMMERSoutheastern Anatolia is facing the danger of draught. The level of water at the dams in the region reduced sharply as it did not rain sufficiently. Arable fields which got dried missed water greatly as the irrigation pumping stations are out of work. Officials say that Keban and Karakaya dams don't have enough water to irrigate these lands. LAST CHANCE IN EURO-2000 BAHCELI: ''THERE IS STABILITY BUT NO POPULISM'' [02] SNOW FALLS ON ILGAZILGAZ - Snow fell on Ilgaz Mountain in central Cankiri province on Sunday night. Sources told A.A correspondent that since the temperature went below the normal seasonal temperature, snow fell on Ilgaz Mountain on Sunday night. The sources said that snow had not fallen on the Ilgaz Mountain in June for a long time.[03] CONFERENCE ON ''YOUTH IN THIRD MILLENNIUM CHURCH'' STARTSISTANBUL - The conference on ''Youth In Third Millennium Church'' started on Sunday. The conference is being held by the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate within the framework of celebrations to mark the 2000th anniversary of Jesus Christ's birth. Bartholomeos I, the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarch, said that they will discuss the youth and express their hopes for the third millenium. Bartholomeos I noted that they will ask the opinion of the youths and try to understand the future visions and hopes of the youth. The monastic life, AIDS and other contagious diseases, drugs, relationship between two genders, unemployment, social justice, human rights, war and peace, and ecology are the issues which concern the Orthodox Church, Bartholomeos I stated. Bartholomeos I stressed that churches of several countries, the international religion organizations, representatives of several youth organizations will join the conference. ''You, the young people, has come to a metropol in which east and west intermingle and join this significant conference. You are our hopes for the future,'' Bartholomeos I said. Drugs, AIDS and other contagious diseases, unemployment, human rights, environmental problems, and the effects of war and peace on the future will be discussed in the conference. Mesrob II, the Armenian Patriarch, also joined the opening session of the conference.[04] YILMAZ, HEAD OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, RETURNS TO TURKEYISTANBUL - Mehmet Nuri Yilmaz, the Head of Religious Affairs, returned to Turkey on Sunday after wrapping up his contacts in Vatican. Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul after his arrival, Yilmaz recalled that he had held a 25-minute tete-a-tete meeting with Pope Jean Paul II. He noted that he had also met with Cardinal Francis Arinze, the Chairman of Papacy Inter-religious Dialogue Council, Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, the Chairman of the Papacy Eastern Churches Congregation, and Jean-Louis Tauran, the Secretary for Relations with Other States. Yilmaz noted that all his contacts were productive and positive. ''We have agreed to maintain our relations. The world has become a global village in the 21st century. Good relations is necessary among adherents of all religions. Inter-religious dialogue became a necessity. Such a dialogue process will create an appropriate ground to remove intolerance among the faiths. We cannot provide peace in the world without setting up dialogue among the religions. Inter-religious dialogue will also play an important role in solving political disputes,'' he told reporters. He noted, ''we have launched initiatives to change negative attitude towards Muslims and Turks in school books in the Catholic world. They will support our initatives. We have also agreed to exchange experts.'' Underlining the importance of inter-religious dialogue for welfare and happiness of humanity, Yilmaz said, ''all three monotheistic faiths are based on peace and happiness of humanity. Good relations among adherents of these faiths, and their joint struggle against famine, terrorism, violence and poverty are among common orders of the three monotheistic faiths. We will prepare a draft protocol and send it to Vatican. After reaching agreement, we will sign the protocol with Vatican.'' Referring to religious belief tourism, Yilmaz told reporters, ''Pope Jean Paul II told me that he would encourage the Christians to visit holy places in Turkey.'' When asked whether or not the issue of extradition of terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca who attempted to assasinate Pope Jean Paul II in 1981, was brought onto agenda of his meeting with the Pope, Yilmaz said that the issue was not discussed during his meetings. When asked whether or not Pope Jean Paul would visit Turkey, Yilmaz said, ''Pope Jean Paul II told me that he had visited Turkey in 1979. He plans to come to Turkey next year.''[05] SIXTH INTERNATIONAL HANDBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN ALANYAADANA - Sixth International Open Handball Tournament will be held in Alanya township of southern Antalya province between June 26 and July 1. Ramazan Demirci, the Chairman of the Handball Coaches' Association and the General Coordinator of the Sixth International Alanya Open Handball Tournament, told A.A correspondent on Monday that they are very pleased that 130 teams will participate in the tournament. Demirci said that this will be the biggest organization in Turkey. ''Alanya Mayor Hasan Sipahioglu, Serhat Bilgi, the Chairman of Handball Federation, and Handball Coaches' Association supported us. We are very pleased to host 2,000 Turkish and foreign sportsmen, referees and administrators, in Alanya which is famous of its beaches, history, culture, and natural beauties,'' Demirci added.[06] IN FIRST FIVE MONTHS, 53.8 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS OF AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED TO MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES FROM GAP REGIONGAZIANTEP - The exports of agricultural and animal products to the Middle Eastern countries from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first five months of 2000 decreased 32.2 percent to 53 million 868 thousand U.S. dollars. In the same period last year, the region exported 79 million 386 thousand U.S. dollars of agricultural and animal products. Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Monday that in the first five months of the year, they exported 24 million 523 thousand U.S. dollars in textiles; 28 million 169 thousand U.S. dollars in grain-cereals; 1 million 83 thousand U.S. dollars in dried fruits and 93 thousand U.S. dollars in livestock. The Turkish goods in greatest demand were synthetic thread, cotton thread, textile products, biscuit, lentil, dried apricot, olive oil, chickpea, sugar, plastic sack and flour.[07] ENERGY PRODUCTION IN GAP REGIONSANLIURFA - The four dams and hydroelectric power plants (HPP) constructed over Firat and Dicle rivers in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region produced 166 billion 18 million kwh energy. Speaking to the A.A correspondent, GAP Regional Development Management Director Erkan Alemdaroglu said on Monday that majority of the energy which was transferred to interconnected system was produced in the GAP region. Alemdaroglu said that Karakaya Dam and its HPP near Cungus township of Diyarbakir had produced 99 billion 39 million kwh energy, and Ataturk Dam and its HPP near Bozova township of Sanliurfa had produced 66 billion 54 million kwh energy as of May 2000. ''In addition to this energy production, Kralkizi Dam and its HPP near Dicle twonship of Diyarbakir produced 10 million kwh energy and Karkamis Dam and its HPP near Karkamis township of Gaziantep produced 16 million kwh energy, totalling up to 166 billion 18 million kwh energy in GAp region,'' he added. Alemdaroglu stated that the the value of energy produced at Karakaya, Ataturk, Kralkizi anf Karkamis dams and their HPPs was equivalent to almost ten billion U.S. dollars. Alemdaroglu added that electricity energy produced at Karakaya and Ataturk dams on Firat river was equivalent to almost 41.5 million tons fuel oil or the energy supplied by imports of 32 billion cubic meters natural gas.[08] TURKEY-CANADA ECONOMIC CONSULTATION MEETING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 22ANKARA - Turkey-Canada High-Level Commercial and Economic Consultation Second Term Meeting will be held in Ottawa, Canada, on June 22. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said on Monday that Kursad Tuzmen will head the Turkish delegation and Robert G. Wright, the Canadian Deputy International Trade Minister, will head the Canadian delegation in the meeting. Tuzmen and a group of businessmen who were the members of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) left for Ottowa on Monday morning, the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat noted. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat stated that the businessmen will visit Toronto and Montreal between June 20 and 21. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said that the economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Canada will be reviewed and the measures to be taken to improve the trade between two countries will be taken up in the meeting. Organizing fairs, exhibitions and seminars and cooperation between Turkish Eximbank and Canadian export encouragement institution will be discussed in the meeting, the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat stressed. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat noted that the problems faced in trade and possible solutions will also be discussed in the meeting. The improvement of cooperation in construction, transportation, tele-communication, and mining, and joint projects that can be launched in these sectors, are the other issues that will be discussed during the meeting and contacts of the businessmen, the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat emphasized. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said that Tuzmen will hold contacts regarding the prevention of double taxation, mutual encouragement and protection of investments, and the mutual assistance of customs administrations. The Foreign Trade Undersecretariat added that a joint declaration including the issues on which two sides reach an agreement, is expected to be signed in the end of the meeting. The trading volume between Turkey and Canada was 325.3 million U.S. dollars in 1999, including 149 million 56 thousand U.S. dollars export and 176.265 thousand U.S. dollars import. Turkey exports iron-steel bars, tiles, and several textile and ready-made clothes to Canada while it imports coal, wheat, and electronic circuit from Canada.[09] WHEAT SECTOR SUFFERS CRISISGAZIANTEP - Southeastern Wheat Industrialists' Association (GUNSAD) Chairman Erhan Ozmen said on Monday that the wheat sector was currently suffering a crisis. Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Ozmen said, ''the sector which is capable of processing 30 million tons wheat annually is now working with only a 10 million tons capacity a year.'' Ozmen said that the Gulf crisis and the following global crisis had caused serious troubles for the sector. Noting that the embargo on Iraq was not lifted, and the U.S., France, and Britain were selling wheat to this market via Jordan, Ozmen said, ''the Gulf crisis put forward and increased the importance of the Iraqi market for Turkey.''[10] FORESTRY MINISTER CAGAN: ''MEDITERRANEAN, AEGEAN AND MARMARA REGIONS ARE UNDER THREAT OF FOREST FIRES DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS''ANKARA - Forestry Minister Nami Cagan said on Monday that the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Marmara regions are under threat of forest fires due to weather conditions. Cagan noted that 20 or 30 fires break out a day due to the carelessness and negligence of people and that the fire brigade faces difficulties in extinguishing the fires if wind starts to blow. Although technical and administrative measures are taken to struggle against forest fires, they need the assistance of the radio and television channels to warn the citizens living in these three regions against the forest fires, Cagan stated. Cagan called on the citizens to be careful and dial 177 when they see smoke and fire. Cagan requested the television and radio channels to include fire reports prepared by Fire Action Center in their programs and to reiterate the warnings of the Forestry Ministry especially between June 1 and October 1.[11] SIXTH INTERNATIONAL ATATURK DAM GAP WATER SPORTS FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBERSANLIURFA - The Sixth International Ataturk Dam Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Water Sports Festival will be held in Bozova township of southeastern Sanliurfa province between September 22 and 23. Erkan Alemdaroglu, the Director of the GAP Regional Development Administration, told A.A correspondent on Monday that preparations are underway for the water sports festival. Alemdaroglu said that the second meeting on this festival will be held at the GAP Regional Development Administration in Ankara on Tuesday. ''A meeting had earlier been held. There is great international interest in this year's festival. Romania, Bulgaria, Israel and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) informed us that their sportsmen would join the festival. We hope more sportsmen will join the festival,'' Alemdaroglu added. Yachting, rowing, canoe, underwater, swimming, and jet-ski races will be staged in the festival. The festival will be organized with the cooperation of Sanliurfa and Adiyaman governorships, Turkish National Olympiat Committee (TMOK), GAP Administration, Youth and Sports General Directorate, State Water Works, and Turkish Electricity Production and Transmission Inc. (TEAS).[12] TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN NURSES AND MIDWIVES' EUROPEAN REGION CONFERENCEBERLIN - Turkey participated in the Nurses and Midwives' Europe Region Conference which was held in Munich, Germany. This conference is being held every two years by the World Health Organization (WHO). Turkish delegation which participated in the conference, included Edip Semih Yalcin, the Health Ministry Deputy Undersecretary; Bulent Ulutas, the Health Services General Director; Lalezar Mursit, the Chairman of Nurses' Association; and several experts. Turkey not only adopted the recommendary decisions taken in the conference but also joined the sub-commission works. The Turkish delegation held contacts with the health experts of 51 countries during the conference. Following the conference, Turkish doctors living in and around Munich, came together in the reception hosted by Haldun Otman, Turkey's Consul-General to Munich.[13] ANKARA HAS HIGHEST NUMBER OF AUTOMOBILES PER 1,000 PEOPLEANKARA - The Automotive Industry Association (OSD) said on Monday Ankara has the higest number of automobiles per 1,000 people as of end-1999. Number of automobiles per 1,000 people is 160 in Ankara while number of automobiles per 1,000 people is 107 in Istanbul. The total number of automobiles and motor vehicles in regions and some provinces and number of automobiles per 1,000 people as of end-1999 are as follows: ---- Regions Total Number Number of Automobiles Total Number of Provinces of Automobiles per 1000 people Motor Vehicles --------- -------------- --------------------- ---------------TURKEY 4.072.326 64 5.477.484 Marmara 1.437.606 90 1.837.678 Central Anatolia 924.515 88 1.195.807 Aegean 657.601 78 894.872 Mediterranea 460.440 65 638.658 Black Sea 311.106 42 478.782 Southeast 151.116 21 240.090 Eastern Anatolia 129.942 20 191.597 Ankara 530.176 160 697.801 Istanbul 973.254 107 1.180.394 Izmir 305.364 100 399.988 Mugla 60.717 96 83.472 Antalya 139.704 95 193.532 Eskisehir 60.107 91 79.993 Balikesir 87.981 85 122.332 Denizli 67.857 83 91.714 Bursa 156.879 81 224.471 Zonguldak 49.395 80 69.581 Adana 129.450 77 170.534 Burdur 19.156 76 27.107 Kayseri 69.366 71 95.212 Aydin 64.141 71 91.934 Usak 21.428 68 28.023 Kocaeli 65.174 56 91.148 Sakarya 40.610 55 61.106 Samsun 58.510 50 87.005 Gaziantep 52.036 46 70.850 Trabzon 29.044 34 49.012 Bitlis 4.094 12 6.560 Batman 4.787 12 7.408 Diyarbakir 15.796 12 24.964 Tunceli 870 11 1.781 Bingol 2.457 11 4.294 Siirt 2.899 11 5.121 Mardin 6.404 10 16.217 Ardahan 1.188 9 2.086 Mus 2.812 7 5.006 Agri 3.769 8 5.806 Hakkari 1.284 6 2.085 Sirnak 1.418 5 18.094 ---- [14] ISRAELI DELEGATION COMES TO TURKEY TO DISCUSS WATER PURCHASETEL AVIV - A high level Israeli delegation came to Turkey on Monday to discuss with Turkish authorities Israel's purchasing Manavgat's water from Turkey. The delegation is formed by Israel Water Affairs Director Amos Epstein, representatives of Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, and Treasury as well as leading water experts of the country. Epstein, prior to his visit, spoke at the Israeli radio and said Israel is currently facing a big water shortage. ''The urgent solution is to import water. It is inevitable to purchase water from Turkey,''he said. The delegation will discuss the issue of purchasing 50 billion cubic squares of water from Turkey annually with the authorities of the State Water Works (DSI) and visit Manavgat. This time, the delegation is expected to discuss the cost and ask for a new price from Turkish authorities. Turkey is asking 23 cents for one cubic square of water; however, its purification and transfer is increasing the cost to 55-60 cents. It is stated that the cost of purifying the sea water is also the same. This is why some circles in Israel are opposing to purchase water from abroad and they want to use the money to purify sea water. Jerusalem Post Newspaper, in an article it published on Sunday, opposed to water purchase from Turkey and claimed that this was an unefficient and expensive way of solving the water problem. The only solution is to set up purification facilities, it wrote. Despite this powerful lobby, the talks with Turkey about water purchase came to its final stage. The water which will be purchased from Turkey is expected to be transported to Israeli port of Askelon with old oil tankers with a capacity of 250,000 tons. A terminal reservoir and a pipe which will take the water to the main system are needed for this. On the other hand, even if the agreement is signed immediately between Turkey and Israel, the water transfer will not start before next year due to the construction of these facilities.
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