Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-07-14

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NEWS

14 JULY 2000 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] EXPORTS FROM GAP TO MIDDLE EAST

[03] EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATIONS

[04] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ ARRIVES IN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE HEADQUARTERS

[05] GERMAN TOURISTS INTERESTED IN NEMRUT

[06] IHD CHAIRMAN ONDUL: -''WE DID NOT TAKE UP ARTICLE 312 OF TCK IN OUR MEETING WITH VERHEUGEN''

[07] FOURTH MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE COUNTRIES STARTS

[08] EU COMMISSIONER VEHREUGEN SAYS HIS CONTACTS IN TURKEY ARE CONTRUCTIVE

[09] EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN VISITS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ

[10] BRITISH PARLIAMENTARIANS IN DIYARBAKIR

[11] 1,107 ARTISTS JOIN INTERNATIONAL IZMIR FESTIVAL

[12] FM CEM MEETS WITH HIS GREEK COUNTERPART PAPANDREOU: -''GESTURE PERIOD ENDED IN RELATIONS WITH GREECE. NOW IT IS TIME FOR TAKING CONCRETE ACTIONS''

[13] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT RECEIVES EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN

[14] GENDARME FORCES CAPTURE 83 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN BATMAN

[15] SOARING TEMPERATURES CLAIM FIVE LIVES

[16] VICTIMS OF QUAKE DISASTER ON AUGUST 17 TO BE COMMEMORATED

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

BAHCELI: TELL PEOPLE ABOUT 312
Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahceli gave instructions to his deputies to tell the nation and make sure that people understand fully the vital importance of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code for the Republic and democracy. Bahceli said that certain circles have started campaigns to abolish or amend this article in an effort to save banned Welfare Party leader Necmettin Erbakan from a prison sentence, but that his party should continue to defend this very article with determination for the sake of the Republic's survial in its democratic form. Erbakan is faced with a prison sentence for violating the said article.

RECORD OF THE CENTURY
Istanbul broke its hottest day record yesterday with a daily average temperature of 42,7 degrees celsius. Officials said that the temperature was felt much higher, at around 48 degrees, due to the high humidity rate. Extremely high temperatures were effective particularly yesterday all across the country.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TL REVOLUTION IN ATHENS
The rapprochement between Turkey and Greece has also been reflected on the TUrkish Lira (TL), after showing its positive effects on economic relations and tourism. The Turkish Lira, for the first time in history, started being sold at the Foreign Exchange offices of Athens. Officials said that the TL was only sold for the time being, but that full interactions over the TL would soon get started.

VIRTUAL TAX OFFICE ON THE WAY
Director General of Incomes Akif Hamzacebi said that the virtual ''Internet Tax Office'' would soon be opened to the use of taxpayers. The osligors of Corporation Income Tax will be able to perform their transactions through the internet at ''www.gelirler.gov.tr'' with the opening of the website to service.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

THREE YEARS FOUR MONTHS IMPRISONMENT TO CAKICI
Alaattin Cakici, the notorious mafia boss, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Thursday on charges of inciting his gunmen to stage an attack on journalist-writer Hincal Uluc.

France had extradited him to Turkey to stand trial on two cases. The file formed one of them. Cakici had been sentenced to five years in prison on June 19 by the Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) No: 6 on charges of ''forming and leading an organization to commit crimes'', the second case for which he was being tried in Turkey.

Cakici will serve imprisonment sentence for 21 months.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

DIFFICULT PERIOD WITH THE EU
The process where Turkey's candidacy route would be assessed started with the works of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) Commissioner responsible for enlargement. Talks, regarding accession partnership document, which was discussed during Verheugen's contacts, will take place in September in Ankara and Brussels. Draft accession partnership document is expected to be ready between September 20 and 30.

Mesut Yilmaz, who entered the cabinet as the State Minister responsible for the EU will meet with Verheugen. Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) refused to meet with Verheugen.

BE CAREFUL OF THE FOOD POISONINGS
Experts pointed out the increase in food poisonings in the recent days, and stressed that the food was inevitably affected by extreme hot weather. Experts called on the citizens not to buy the food that are sold in the streets.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

YILMAZ TO ASK FOR MONEY
Motherland Party leader Mesut Yilmaz, who has recently been appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of the EU Affairs, will make his first official contact in his post with the EU Commissioner in Charge of Enlargement Guenther Verheugen. The two will try to determine a timetable for the unleashed 450 million ECU portion of a total of 750 million ECU credit, which the European Union has to pay, in accordance with the Customs Union agreement it had signed with Turkey back in 1995.

PERSONALIZING E-BUSINESS
The Obase Computer and Consultancy Companny, established by four Turkish youths in 1994, has reached 38 percent of Turkey's chain stores and hypermarkets with its services. Haluk Alpay, Executive Board Chairman of Obase, which is the leading hypermarket administration solution consultant in Turkey and Russia, said they were planning to enter U.S and European markets in two years' time, and that they had been providing services to 835 national businesses in 1999, and that their aim was to pull this number up to 1,200 in 2000. Among their solutions partners are such leading technology experts as NCR, IBM POS, Microsoft, Oracle, and Pricer, and among their customers are Migros, Çarşı, Tansaş, Hugo Boss, Tepe Home, and Benetton.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

FEHRIYE ERDAL TO BE EXPELLED FROM BELGIUM
Johan Delmulle, Belgian Gent Chief Prosecutor, said Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of Sabanci murder, will be tried on July 20. Erdal appealed the case as Bruges Court extended the detention period two days ago. Erdal will stay in Bruges prison till July 20. An official from Belgian Interior Ministry said Belgian government decided to expell Erdal. The official said Erdal would not be extradited to Turkey.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

DIFFICULT TASK
Mesut Yilmaz, leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), who was appointed as the State Minister and Deputy Prime Ministry, will coordinate the works in the country to harmonize with the European Union (EU). Foreign Relations will again be carried out by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

GOOD NEWS TO TEXTILE PRODUCERS
European Union (EU) decided to lift the quotas implemented on textile starting as of 2002 till to the year 2005 in stages. Haluk Ozelci, the EU Turkish Textile Ready Wear Exporters representative said the year 2005 will be important for Turkish texile producers. Ozelci said Turkish textile sector should re-structure and prepare itself.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

VILLAGES ON FIRE
Scorching hot weather wave sweeping across the country is setting forests ablaze. Yesterday, three villages and a total of 200 hectares of forest land in Izmir's Kemalpasa township burnt into ashes. The forest fire, which was fanned by the wind to the nearby three villages, forced the villagers out of their homes in Yukari Kizilca, Asagi Kizilca, and Kamberler villages. The blaze was extinguished by 6 hilecopters, 200 soldiers, 15 working machines, and fire birgade teams.

'UNLIMITED POWER' PERFORMS INTERESTING SHOW
Emile Ratelband, the creator of ''Unlimited Power'' is in Turkey to give a series of seminars. Ratelband, who spoke to reporters at Istanbul's Polat Renaissance Hotel, performed his breathtaking show afterwards. Ratelband's aim is to show people that everyone, in fact, is able to do 'the impossible' through motivation and a different viewpoint.

[02] EXPORTS FROM GAP TO MIDDLE EAST

The share of Middle Eastern countries in the region's total exports, which had been 33,9 percent in the first six months of 1999, went down to 24,8 percent.

According to the information given by the Union of South East Anatolian Exporters, animal products worth 119 thousand U.S dollars, cereals, grains, oil seeds and products worth 36 million 601 thousand U.S dollars, dried fruits worth 1 million 128 thousand dollars, and textiles worth 29 million 984 thousand dollars were exported to the Middle East in the January-June 2000 period.

Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia are the major importers of Turkish goods, and the major export goods of Turkey to Middle Eastern countries are synthetic threads, cotton threads, plastic secks, sunflower oil, olive oil, cereals, dried apricots, biscuits, synthetic and knitted textiles, sugar, and flour.

[03] EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATIONS

Verheugen had a one hour meeting with Chairman of the Human Rights Association (IHD) Husnu Ondul, Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation Yavuz Onen, and Chairman of Mazlum-Der Yilmaz Ensarioglu at the EU Commission Turkey Bureau.

Verheugen made no statements prior to or after his contacts.

[04] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ ARRIVES IN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE HEADQUARTERS

Mesut Yilmaz is to have his first official talk as the Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of EU Affairs with EU Commissioner in Charge of Enlargement Gunther Verheugen. He is later to receive President of Turk-Is Labor Union Bayram Meral.

[05] GERMAN TOURISTS INTERESTED IN NEMRUT

Huseyin Baraner, Consultant to Oger Holding told the A.A correspondent that they were planning to host at least 5 thousand this year, and at least 15 thousand German tourists next year in Nemrut, qualified as the ''8th wonder of the world''.

''We had started promoting Turkey years ago, by using pictures of the god statues in Nemrut, and we saw that we had made a good choice in doing so. Our company has brought in the greatest number of German tourists to the region. There is, now a much greater demand by them, and we are attaching special importance to Nemrut due to the increasing interest of the German tourists,'' said Baraner.

Baraner added that the protection and the promotion of this wonderful, and historically important spot was of vital importance from the standpoint of Turkey's tourism.

[06] IHD CHAIRMAN ONDUL: -''WE DID NOT TAKE UP ARTICLE 312 OF TCK IN OUR MEETING WITH VERHEUGEN''

Ondul, who spoke to reporters after the meeting with Verheugen, in which the representatives of various human rights organizations and associations were also present, said that Verheugen had told them that Turkey had made no significant progress since the Helsinki Summit in the field of human rights.

Ondul said that he had also submitted a report on human rights prepared by his association to Verheugen.

[07] FOURTH MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE COUNTRIES STARTS

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and the accompanying delegation, including high- ranking officials of the Foreign Ministry, are representing Turkey in the meeting.

The participants will exchange ideas about the developments marked in stability, security and democracy in Southeastern Europe. The initiatives carried out since the adoptation of Southeastern Europe Stability Pact will be evaluated during the meeting.

The attitude and efforts of the countries regarding the projects that will be put into force within the framework of the Stability Pact are on the agenda of the meeting.

Cem will hold bilateral contacts with the other foreign ministers joining the meeting.

Ismail Cem is expected to meet with George Papandreau, the Greek FOreign Minister, this afternoon.

Besides Turkey and Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria and Romania are participating in the meeting as full members and Croatia and Bosnia- Herzegovina are attending the meeting as observers.

[08] EU COMMISSIONER VEHREUGEN SAYS HIS CONTACTS IN TURKEY ARE CONTRUCTIVE

Following his one-hour meeting with Yilmaz, Verheugen told reporters that the main item of the agenda of the meeting was the human rights.

Verheugen noted that he knows Yilmaz for a long time and that they had good communication because Yilmaz speaks German fluently.

He received information from State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen and Yilmaz about the steps that Turkish government has taken in human rights, Verheugen stated. He pointed out that the existence of political will in this field is very important.

Verheugen stressed that the other issue that was taken up during his contacts was the preparatory works for the Accession Partnership Accord.

He and Yilmaz discussed the institutional framework of this document, and this framework carries vital importance for Turkey, Verheugen emphasized.

Verheugen said that both of his contacts were constructive.

When a journalist asked whether or not the financial assistance foreseen for Turkey was on the agenda of today's meeting, Verheugen said that they did not discuss this issue.

Verheugen noted that Turkey can gradually benefit from several programmes of the European Investment Bank.

Responding to a question about the initiatives that Turkey should launch in human rights, Verheugen said that Turkey knows the things that it should do and that efforts are underway in the parliament.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources said that Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code, capital punishment and minorities were not discussed in the meeting between Yilmaz and Verheugen.

The sources added that these issues were taken up in the meetings that Verheugen held on Thursday.

[09] EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN VISITS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ

Addressing journalists after his meeting with Guenther Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement, Yilmaz said, ''the issue of the EU entails re- arrangement and reconstruction of the Turkish state. Therefore, a comprehensive coordination among all ministries and state institutions is necessary. I will try to work to provide such a coordination. I will also carry out foreign contacts which are required to provide domestic coordination in relations with the European Union. These contacts will be held under the roof of the Foreign Ministry.''

Recalling that he had previously worked with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem for two years, Yilmaz told reporters, ''no one needs to be worried because there won't be any problems.''

When asked about his meeting with Verheugen, Yilmaz refrained from making a statement and said he would brief journalists after Verheugen wraps up his contacts in Turkey.

Yilmaz told reporters that Turkey should fulfil several political and economic duties during its full membership to the EU process.

Pointing out that they would prepare and submit an ''Accession Partnership Accord'' to the EU in September, Yilmaz said, ''all these negotiations focused on preparation works of the document. After studying the document, Turkey will put forward its national strategy. All these are the steps that should be taken till the end

[10] BRITISH PARLIAMENTARIANS IN DIYARBAKIR

Clwyd, Lloyd and Sule Bucak, the Deputy Secretary General of the Republican People's Party (CHP), held a meeting with Hanefi Isik, the Regional Director of the Human Rights Association.

Clwyd said that British public is sensitive about the Ilisu Dam and that they came to the region to receive information about this dam and Hasankeyf.

She will ask the opinion of the people living in this region about the construction of the dam and the saving of Hasankeyf, Clwyd noted.

Clwyd stated that she will submit a report about this issue to the British government which has a drawback in granting credit for the Ilisu Dam.

Almost 35 thousand people will have to leave their places as Hasankeyf remains under waters, and to this end, they have to ask the ideas of the people about the Ilisu Dam, Clwyd added.

Clwyd and the accompanying people later visited the Diyarbakir Bar.

[11] 1,107 ARTISTS JOIN INTERNATIONAL IZMIR FESTIVAL

Officials of the Izmir Culture and Arts Education Foundation (IKSEV) said on Friday that the festival ended with the concert that Fazil Say-Kudsi Erguner Jazz Quartet gave in Cesme townhip of Izmir on Thursday night.

The officials noted that 16 activities were held within the framework of the festival.

The Philharmonia Orchestra, famous violin virtuosos like Leonidas and Kavakos, and Russian Army Chorus joined the festival, the officials stated.

The Lyrical History Show was also performed within the framework of the festival, the officials stressed.

The officials added that the Foundation has started the preparations for next year's festival without losing any time.

[12] FM CEM MEETS WITH HIS GREEK COUNTERPART PAPANDREOU: -''GESTURE PERIOD ENDED IN RELATIONS WITH GREECE. NOW IT IS TIME FOR TAKING CONCRETE ACTIONS''

Cem met with his Greek counterpart George Papandreou during the foreign ministers meeting of ''Southeast European Countries Cooperation Process'' in Ohrid, Macedonia.

Addressing journalists following the 30-minute meeting, Cem said that they had evaluated recent developments in relations between the two countries.

Stressing that rapproachement between Turkey and Greece was beneficial for both countries, Cem said that they were planning to come together with Papandreou in August to evaluate developments in relations between the two countries.

When journalists asked his views about expectations of Athens for a gesture from Turkey, Cem said, ''as I told before, gesture period ended in relations between Turkey and Greece. Now it is time for taking concrete actions.''

Responding to a question on whether or not the latest developments on Cyprus were brought to the agenda of the meeting, Cem said that replacing check-points through the green line within the borders of TRNC is an issue which concerns TRNC alone.

Cem said, ''there is nothing to exaggerate.''

Cem noted that he and Papandreou shared the concerns of both sides during their meetings.

Pointing out to the necessity of being realistic about Turkish-Greek relations, Cem said, ''there is nothing to be confused about. What is important is that both nations have good relations and pursue good relations.''

Cem stated that Turkey's attitude towards the solution of bilateral relations with Greece is known and that Turkey is ready to discuss the bilateral relations peacefully in accordance with the Article 33 of the United Nations (U.N.) Charter.

Referring to the foreing ministers meeting of the Southeastern Europe Countries, Cem said that this platform in which the regional countries take up their own problems, brings forth efficient results.

Cem stressed that Bosnia, Kosovo and stability pact was discussed in the meeting and that this process is at the stage of implementation.

Cem emphasized that a meeting on commercial cooperation, mutual investments and economic structuring will be held in Turkey in October.

Drawing the attention to the forest fire in Greece in the opening session of the meeting, Cem called on all the regional countries to have cooperation against such disasters.

[13] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT RECEIVES EU COMMISSIONER VERHEUGEN

Volkan Vural, the Secretary General for Relations with the EU, and Karen Fogg, the EU Commission Representative to Turkey, were in attendance at the meeting.

No statement has been issued yet about agenda of the meeting.

[14] GENDARME FORCES CAPTURE 83 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN BATMAN

Batman Governor Isa Parlak said that the gendarme forces captued 83 Iraqis hidden in a lorry in Besiri township of Batman province.

Parlak noted that the Iraqis wanted to illegally pass from Turkey to European countries.

Parlak added that the illegal immigrants will be deported following the completion of legal procedures.

[15] SOARING TEMPERATURES CLAIM FIVE LIVES

Hasan Azak, 15, Mehmet Acun, 70, Sukru Aydin, 45, and Sacide Zenger, 40, died of strokes, heart attacks and brain hemorrages brought on by extreme temperatures.

Meanwhile, Mustafa Sevilmis, 9, drowned when he went swimming in a small lake in Bahtilli hamlet in Simav township of Aegean Kutahya province.

[16] VICTIMS OF QUAKE DISASTER ON AUGUST 17 TO BE COMMEMORATED

Addressing a press conference, Yakup Kocal, the Mayor of Yalova, said on Friday that victims of the deadly quake would be commemorated at the first anniversary of the disaster.

Kocal told reporters that they would invite those who rushed to Yalova to help quake survivors to the commemoration day activities.

He added that a Quake Monument would be inaugurated within framework of the activities.

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