Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-06-24

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NEWS

22 JUNE 2000 Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] PAKISTANI LAND FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF TO VISIT TURKEY

[03] LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER OKUYAN IN KAZAKHSTAN

[04] AMBASSADOR OF REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS DINNER IN HONOUR OF DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER PAHAD

[05] SECURITY FORCES SEIZE 40 KILOS OF HEROIN IN HAKKARI

[06] DRAFT LAW ON TRANSIT PASSAGE OF OIL THROUGH PIPELINES ADOPTED

[07] AGRICULTURE MINISTER GOKALP TO GO TO UNITED STATES

[08] CIVIL SERVANTS PROTEST GOVERNMENT'S WAGE INCREASE AT ANKARA'S GUVENPARK

[09] MOGAN AND EYMIR LAKES TO BE CLEANED

[10] ANKARA MAYOR GOKCEK: ''WE'LL RESULT BATIKENT-SINCAN SUBWAY TENDER IN JULY''

[11] ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND RUINS OF OTTOMAN MOSQUE IN EXCAVATIONS AT GAZIANTEP CITADEL

[12] STATE MINISTER GUREL LEAVES FOR FRANCE

[13] GAZIANTEP GOVERNOR GULER SAYS RETURN OF SMUGGLED MOSAIC PIECE SHOWS TURKEY'S DETERMINISM TO PROTECT ITS CULTURAL ASSETS

[14] ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND RUINS OF OTTOMAN MOSQUE IN EXCAVATIONS AT GAZIANTEP CITADEL

[15] FP LEADER KUTAN: ''UNCLEAR AND CONTRADICTORY ATTITUDE OF MHP HAS CREATED A COLDNESS AMONG COALITION PARTNERS''

[16] FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM SAYS TURKEY IS NOT GOOD AT MAKING ITS PROPAGANDA IN FRONT OF WORLD

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

EVERYBODY HURT
There is no party which gained any benefit from the crisis that took place among the coalition parties. Mesut Yılmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) was acquitted but his political career suffered from the ballot that took place in the parliament to vote for his referring to the Constitutional Court for prosecution.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

SEZER:''GREEK CYPRIOTS HAVE A DISTORTED MENTALITY''
President Sezer during his first visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) harshly criticized the uncompromising attitude of the Greek Cypriot side. ''Distorted mentality of the Greek Cypriots prevented the solution while the solution was so obvious,'' he said. ''As long as the Greek Cypriot side continue to see themselves as the sole owner of the island and regard Turkish Cypriots as minority, no solution will emerge. The only solution is a confederation with two states,'' Sezer said.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

GOOD NEWS FOR TURKS WHO PLAN TO GO TO UNITED STATES
Turkish passenger who are going to the United States will not have to wait to go through the customs in this country anymore. Their passport information will be conveyed to the customs employees before they arrive to the country according to the recent agreement signed between Turkish Airlines and the U.S. Customs Administration.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

SIX CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ARRESTED
Six of the sixteen customs officials who were taken into custody within the framework of the operation staged due to ''Altınbas Holding's fictitious exports'' were arrested.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ADMINISTRATION ON THE WAY TO EU
While discussions on the Copenhagen criteria continues, the administration wanted the road map drawn for it to be implemented immediately without waiting for legal amendments. The Supreme Board of Human Rights decided to inspect the police stations frequently and to train personnel who will teach human rights.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

DENIZ GECMIS' FATHER DIES
The father of Deniz Gecmis, one of the left wing leaders of university students in 1968 who was executed, died because of cancer. ''Uncle Cemil'' who was a symbol in 1970s when he tried to prevent the death sentence given to his soon and two of his friends, was a teacher.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

EVERY ONE OUT OF TEN PEOPLE IN TURKEY IS UNEMPLOYED
Economic Development Foundation (IKV) Chairman Meral Gezgin Eris said unemployment rate in Turkey has increased from 6.3 percent to 7.3 percent between April 1999 and April 2000. According to this one every out of ten people in Turkey is unemployed. Eris also noted that the number of people employed in agriculture sector is still too high for the European Union (EU). Eris strongly suggested to the government to take measures to create employment. ''Turkey has to be in close cooperation with the EU and must get the financial and technical support that it needs,'' she added.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

WE ONLY CHAT ON INTERNET
Turkish people prefer to chat on the internet and enjoy themselves. Majority of those going to ''Internet Cafes'' chat on the internet rather than making research on something.

[02] PAKISTANI LAND FORCES CHIEF OF STAFF TO VISIT TURKEY

Khan and his delegation will tour Nevsehir and Goreme on June 25 and then will proceed to Ankara.

On June 26, Monday, after visiting Ataturk's Mausoleum, Khan will meet with Necdet Timur at the Land Forces Headquarters.

During his stay, Khan will visit Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu, Land Forces Commander Hilmi Ozkok, Land Forces Logistic Commander Kamuran Orhon and National Defense Ministry Undersecretary Sener Eruyguru.

Khan and his delegation will leave Turkey on June 29, Thursday.

[03] LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER OKUYAN IN KAZAKHSTAN

Sevket Bulent, the Deputy Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader and a group of businessmen accompany Yasar Okuyan in his two-day visit to Kazakhstan.

Okuyan, who will receive the representatives of Meskhetian Turks in Kazakhstan, will return to Turkey on Monday.

[04] AMBASSADOR OF REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA HOSTS DINNER IN HONOUR OF DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER PAHAD

Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Logoglu and Sermet Atacanli who has been appointed as an ambassador to the Turkish Embassy in the Republic of South Africa attended the dinner. Many Turkish businessmen were also present at the dinner.

Noting that his visit is the fist visit since 1994 between the two countries, Pahad said he believed his visit will be a return point in advancement of relations between the countries. He also noted that they have signed three agreements on Friday to encourage tourism, trade and investments between the Republic of South Africa and Turkey.

Logoglu said Turkey esteems special importance to its relations with African countries as a part of its policy to reach out to African markets.

[05] SECURITY FORCES SEIZE 40 KILOS OF HEROIN IN HAKKARI

Hakkari Security Directorate's teams found more than 40 kilos of heroin in 48 packages hidden in a secret compartment of a truck which was going from Hakkari to Van. The market value of the drug was announced as 1 trillion Turkish Liras.

Three men were taken under custody including the driver. Police are working to catch another four people who are related to the incident.

[06] DRAFT LAW ON TRANSIT PASSAGE OF OIL THROUGH PIPELINES ADOPTED

The law aims at determining the proceedings and principles of transit passage of oil through pipelines and implementation of the provisions of the international agreements to which Turkey is a party.

The law which has the character of an internal law regulation about implementation of Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Project foresees the cabinet to charge an institution or a public institution to carry out the etudes, permissions, nationalization and other proceedings about the routes of pipelines.

The institution which will be charged with that will fulfil its mission in the shortest time possible. This institution will also deal with all kinds of actions and legal conflicts rising out of nationalization. The security of the pipeline and installations will be provided by the state but its cost will be met by the concerned public institution.

The conflicts that can arise due to transit oil pipeline projects between states or between state institutions and investors will be solved by international arbitration methods or by the solution methods that are foreseen by international agreements of which Turkey is a part.

It will be the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources which will be authorized in carrying out proceedings about transit oil pipelines such as giving the documents, the ownership of oil, its transfer and implementation of law. The standarts in environment law will be monitored by the Ministry of Environment.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Cumhur Ersumer said while responding to the criticisms of the opposition deputies that the draft law was prepared in line with international agreements. Ersumer stressed that Turkey will become an energy terminal, adding this will increase the strategic importance of the country.

[07] AGRICULTURE MINISTER GOKALP TO GO TO UNITED STATES

Gokalp will go to the United States on Sunday as the official guest of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman. During his stay, Gokalp will discuss with Glickman development of agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Gokalp will also visit Betsville Research Institute of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wheat Stock Market in Kansas City and various institutions related to stock breeding.

During his visit, Gokalp will come together with World Bank representatives and discuss with them the Bank's financial support for Turkey's agriculture reform.

Farmers Registration System and Agricultural Data-Base Project is the most important project on Gokalp's list and its cost has been earlier announced as 250 million U.S. dollars.

Another project is the Alternative Product Project which will cost 588 million U.S. dollars. This project aims to grow plants which oil is extracted from instead of sugar cane, tea or hazelnuts which cause a big stocking problem because of it production surplus.

The third project is the ''Adjustment of Turkish Agricultural Input with World Prices'' which aims to lower down the cost of input and help Turkish farmers to compete in international markets. This project requires 750 million U.S. dollars.

After completing his contacts, Gokalp will return home on July 2.

[08] CIVIL SERVANTS PROTEST GOVERNMENT'S WAGE INCREASE AT ANKARA'S GUVENPARK

The civil servants also asked the government to have a collective bargaining agreement and to pay them their mandatory savings growth.

Memur-Sen Chairman Fatih Ugurlu said they have been waiting for the labour union law for ten years and added that the Parliament has been wasting time with the draft law. Ugurlu also criticized the wage increase the government has given to civil servants.

The protestors later dispersed with no incident.

[09] MOGAN AND EYMIR LAKES TO BE CLEANED

Environment Ministry said in a written statement that they held a meeting participated by representatives from State Water Works (DSI), Middle East Technical University's (METU) biology and environment departments, Hacettepe University, Ankara University, Golbasi Municipality and OCKK. Below are the decisions taken at the meeting:

-a management plan for Mogan and Eymir villages will be prepared immediately.

-the streams which are polluting these two lakes will be taken under control.

-research done on Eymir lake will be studied and will be expanded.

-a technical commission will determine the spots in Mogan lake which have the highest pollution rate and an action committee supervised by OCKK will take action in these places.

-necessary infrastructure works will be completed and experts of Environment Ministry and Golbasi Municipality will monitor the pollution in the lakes.

-studying the fish population in the lake and preparing a map of plants in the lakes.

[10] ANKARA MAYOR GOKCEK: ''WE'LL RESULT BATIKENT-SINCAN SUBWAY TENDER IN JULY''

Speaking to A.A correspondent, Melih Gokcek said that this new railway line will be constructed by extending the line till Sincan Torekent.

''The area project of Bakıkent-Sincan subway stations has been completed,'' said Gokcek and noted that the new line will cover Eryaman, Fatih and Torekent districts.

Gokcek noted that they also plan to extend the ANKARAY subway to Cayyolu district of Ankara, adding the support of the government is necessary for that.

[11] ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND RUINS OF OTTOMAN MOSQUE IN EXCAVATIONS AT GAZIANTEP CITADEL

Gaziantep Archeology Museum authorities told A.A correspondent on Saturday that the excavation which started in April cost 6 billion Turkish Liras and it recently ended when archeologists found ruins of a rectangular mosque with a big yard.

Culture Director of Gaziantep Hasan Eliacik noted that the citadel has been closed to visitors for many years and they are working to turn it into a tourism attraction.

Gaziantep Citadel will open to tourists after its restoration and illlumination is completed. Eliacik said they will hold artistic and cultural activities at the citadel.

[12] STATE MINISTER GUREL LEAVES FOR FRANCE

Speaking at Ataturk Airport before his departure, Gurel said that he will also go to Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, adding he will come together with representatives of Turkish associations in these countries and get information about the problems of Turkish citizens living there.

Gurel added that he will also meet with the Belgian Interior Minister, the Dutch Minister of Municipalities and Minorities and Swiss Minister of Justice during his contacts.

[13] GAZIANTEP GOVERNOR GULER SAYS RETURN OF SMUGGLED MOSAIC PIECE SHOWS TURKEY'S DETERMINISM TO PROTECT ITS CULTURAL ASSETS

''From now on smugglers will not easily take historical objects from Turkey and sell them to foreign museums,'' Guler said. ''Turkey's getting the mosaic back will be deterring not only for smugglers but also to those who purchase these objects.''

Guler also noted that international agreements require the museums to return pieces to a country when scientific evidence exists.

''Only private collectors can buy these objects and they would not pay very high prices like they used to. If the smugglers know that they won't get much money out of it, they will not take the risk,'' he explained.

The mosaic will be replaced in its original place which currently has a question mark and it will be restored.

In 1994, during an excavation supervised by Prof. David Kennedy from West Australia University, it was found out that a part of the mosaic floor was stolen in a Roman house in Zeugma ancient city. A question mark was put in the missing part of the mosaic floor. It was later announced that the missing part was the picture of two lovers Partenope and Metiox.

While experts were working to find the missing part, a Canadian mosaic expert Sheila Campbell sent a picture of a mosaic piece exhibited at Menil Collection. Gaziantep Museum archeologists studied the picture and they found out that it was the missing part. They informed the Culture Ministry about this development.

Menil Collection Science Director Bernard Davezac also studied the file formed by scientific data about the missing piece and he admitted that the piece they were displaying at their museum belonged to Zeugma.

The mosaic was brought back to Gaziantep on June 19 by archeologist Esra Akca and it was replaced to its original place.

[14] ARCHEOLOGISTS FIND RUINS OF OTTOMAN MOSQUE IN EXCAVATIONS AT GAZIANTEP CITADEL

Gaziantep Archeology Museum authorities told A.A correspondent on Saturday that the excavation which started in April cost 6 billion Turkish Liras and it recently ended when archeologists found ruins of a rectangular mosque with a big yard.

Culture Director of Gaziantep Hasan Eliacik noted that the citadel has been closed to visitors for many years and they are working to turn it into a tourism attraction.

Gaziantep Citadel will open to tourists after its restoration and illlumination is completed. Eliacik said they will hold artistic and cultural activities at the citadel.

[15] FP LEADER KUTAN: ''UNCLEAR AND CONTRADICTORY ATTITUDE OF MHP HAS CREATED A COLDNESS AMONG COALITION PARTNERS''

''We will wait and see the developments from now on,'' said Kutan.

Kutan participated in a party meeting held in FP Headquarters in Ankara and claimed that all the other parties have statist view except the FP.

''FP is the only civilian party and it is similar to the nation,'' Kutan claimed and reminded reporters about his earlier statements saying Mesut Yılmaz, the ANAP leader and Tansu Ciller, the True Path Party (DYP) wouldn't stand trial at the Constitutional Court.

''It was clear from the beginning that Mesut Yılmaz won't be referred to the Constitutional Court for prosecution, because the True Path Party (DYP) noted that it wouldn't take part in the voting,'' Kutan said.

Upon another question, Recai Kutan alleged that all parties except the Virtue Party (FP) were damaged by the ballot that took place in the parliament.

''Will everything within the government be like the one in the past?'' asked a journalist to Kutan who said that ''they say so, but we don't believe it. The confidence among coalition parties has been disturbed in a considerable extent. Secondly the executive organ will slow down. From now on the coalition partners won't agree upon the decrees and the prepared bills easily,'' Kutan claimed.

[16] FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM SAYS TURKEY IS NOT GOOD AT MAKING ITS PROPAGANDA IN FRONT OF WORLD

Cem visited Aydin Governorship and had a meeting with Acting Governor Halit Gungor. ''Tourists who come to visit Turkey is our best political tool,'' Cem said and added that this would help Turkey in its foreign policy.

''We are doing well in tourism this year but we should do even better,'' Cem said. He said the entrance fee charged from the tourists is a wrong policy and noted that his efforts to lift it unfortunately yielded no results. He said if Turkey lifts the entrance fee, tourists who come to Turkey will stay longer and leave more money.

Speaking about economy, Cem said Turkey has started overcoming its financial troubles and the government is carrying out its stability programme successfully.

''We have left behind a year and it is not going bad. Economy experts say economy will revitalize in 6 or 7 months and according to this Turkey's development rate for 2000 will be higher than we expected. Pulling down the inflation from 65 to 30 percent and having a growth rate of 5 percent are good developments.

Turkey's image in foreign politics is rapidly improving and this has positive reflections to tourism and export, Cem said.

Responding to a question over forest fires, Cem said Turkey needs to get aid from other countries, like Greece which hires planes from Canada for this purpose.

When a reporter reminded him that during the leaders summit in Portugal, Turkey was seriously warned about its human rights, legal system and delay in legal reforms, Cem said some of these complaints were correct but others were caused by malinformation and they were exaggerated.

''I must confess that our performance was not as good as we expected because of the constitutional change and the presidential elections,'' he said. ''We have lost time. If we don't improve ourselves in these areas, our entrance to the EU will be delayed and this would negatively affect our economic growth.''

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