Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-09-22

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

22 SEPTEMBER 2000 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] NGOs LAUNCH INITIATIVES TO FORM ''REGIONAL UNITY OF POWER'' TO ENABLE SECURITY OF STRAITS

[03] 2000 SYDNEY SUMMER OLYMPICS -TURKISH SPORTSMEN TO COMPETE IN TWO CATEGORIES ON SATURDAY

[04] BANK CREDITS VOLUME INCREASES 372.1 TRILLION TL

[05] SELIM PALIANI, QUALIFIED TO QUARTER FINALS IN BOXING IN SYDNEY 2000

[06] DECREASE IN EXPORT OF DRIED APRICOT FROM GAP REGION

[07] TPAO INTENSIFIES ITS EFFORTS TO FIND OIL IN CEYHAN

[08] MOSCOW ACADEMIC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TO GIVE CONCERTS IN ''AGIA IRINI BACH DAYS''

[09] AUSTRIAN AIRLINES PLANE MAKES AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT ATATURK AIRPORT

[10] KURSAT TUZMEN, UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN TRADE DUE TO TAIWAN

[11] GOLCUK LOUIS PASTEUR HOSPITAL'S FOUNDATION CEREMONY TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY

[12] SECURITY FORCES SEIZE 24 KILOS OF MORPHINE IN AN OPERATION

[13] MILD EARTHQUAKE IN KARAMAN

[14] HISTORICAL ARTIFACT OPERATION IN ISTANBUL

[15] SECURITY FORCES CONFISCATED 360 KG OF HASHISH AND 10.5 KG OF HEROIN

[16] ''FRANCE-TURKEY 2000'' COLLOQUIUM TO START IN ISTANBUL

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

GREEN LIGHT FROM MHP FOR ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
The Council of Ministers adopted a report prepared by the Human Rights Supreme Board which foresees the abolition of the capital punishment as a reference document. The National Movement Party (MHP) which extends support to the report that foresees the execution of capital punishment only during the war times, indirectly supported the abolition of the capital punishment.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

ELECTRICITY TO BE CUT FOR TWO HOURS
If enough water does not flow in the dams, Turkey will remain in darkness in the beginning of October. The government discussed the measures that will be taken to save energy. Ersumer said, ''if enough water does not flow in the dams, programmed two hours of electricity cuts will be made.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

AWARD TO STATE THEATRES FROM BELARUS
''Yemenimin Uclari''(The Tips of my Kerchief), a theatre play staged by Istanbul State Theatres, won an award in International Brest Bellaja Vezka 2000 Festival in Belarus. The play was presented with ''Special Award'' for reflecting the ethical problems resulting from modernization very well. The play is about a woman and her conflicts with her past, children, husband and environment.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

HOPEFUL FOR BOXING
Turkish boxers continue to mark successes in the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. Agasi Agaguloglu, competing in 54 kg boxing, beat Cermeno Nehomar of Venezuella 11-3 and qualified to the semi-final. Agaguloglu will take on Orthiz Rigondeaux of Cuba. Bulent Ulusoy, competing in 67 kg boxing, defeated Donte Craig of the U.S. 9-4. Ulusoy will take on Vitalin Grusac of Moldova.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

EXPLOSION IN ERDEMIR
An explosion which occured in Eregli Iron and Steel Factories (ERDEMIR) due to compression in one of the chimneys caused panic among residents of Eregli township of northwestern Zonguldak province. An explosion occured due to compression in one of the chimneys of Erdemir around 9.00 p.m. on Thursday. No casulties were recorded in the explosion. Officials of Erdemir said that the blast caused financial damages and that the damage assessment works will be launched on Friday morning.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

THOMSON FINANCIAL BANKWATCH UPGRADES
CREDIT NOTE OF PAMUKBANK
Thomson Financial Bankwatch, one of the leading international rating organizations, upgraded Pamukbank's credit note from B/C to D. A statement released by Pamukbank said Thomson Financial Bankwatch noted that strong capital structure, active quality, and increasing income capacity of Pamukbank were influential in the decision of Bankwatch to upgrade its credit note.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

HISTORY IN DANGER
Many historical artifacts of Istanbul were seriously damaged in the massive earthquakes that hit Turkey on August 17 and November 12, 1999. A total of 5 trillion 845 billion Turkish liras (TL) is needed to restore and repair these artifacts. Fatih Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum, Mihrimah Sultan Mosque and Atik Ali Pasa Mosque are among historical places that were seriously damaged in the massive earthquakes. The German and the U.S. people have launched initiatives to contribute to the restoration of Kucukayasofya (Small Hagia Sophia) Mosque which was built in 527 and named ''Sergios Bachos Church'' those days.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

FIFTH ROUND CYPRUS PROXIMITY TALKS TO BE HELD IN GENEVA
Rauf Denktas, the President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said that the fourth round of Cyprus proximity talks will end on September 26. Denktas said that the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides will depart from New York on Wednesday. Denktas noted that the fifth round of Cyprus proximity talks will probably be held in Geneva in November.

[02] NGOs LAUNCH INITIATIVES TO FORM ''REGIONAL UNITY OF POWER'' TO ENABLE SECURITY OF STRAITS

Yuksel Ustun, the Chairman of the Peace with Nature Association, told the participants of the meeting a scenario about what the dimensions of a possible disaster that may occur due to a collision of a vessel and an oil tanker in the Straits, may be.

Ustun said that even the ships which are 150 metres in width violate the security rules in the Istanbul Strait.

As the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) started to open to world markets, the traffic of other products than the oil in the Straits also increased, Ustun emphasized.

Ustun noted that 50 million tons of cargo transit through the Straits and that oil 40 million tons of this amount are composed of the oil and oil products.

''The amount of oil that may be carried through the Straits is expected to reach 95 million tons in 2002 by the transfer of Caspian oil, 125 million tons in 2005. 500 accidents happened in the Istanbul Strait in the last 50 years and 180 of these accidents happened in the last decade. A possible accident may endanger the lives of the residents of Istanbul and cause damages for the production, insurance, finance sectors, and the global and Turkish capital which cannot be compensated,'' Ustun said.

Ustun stated that vehicles that will take action in a possible accident in the Straits are not sufficient.

The ''Vessel Traffic Services (VTS)'' system should be immediately set up to prevent accidents and to protect the environment, Ustun said.

An emergency action plan should be formed to determine the efforts that may be exerted in a possible disaster, Ustun noted.

Ustun stressed that the central administration, local administrations and the non-governmental organizations should take measures.

The central administration should form a radar system, modern guide service, sea, air and land fire-fighter teams, vessel search equipment, emergency intervention and rescue units, and emergency plans, Ustun emphasized.

Ustun pointed out that the local administrations should prepare emergency plans which will provide the coordination of the land fire-fighter teams and non-governmental organizations and take measures.

The non-governmental organizations should continue their reactions, warn the people living in the region, and undertake responsibilities in voluntary first aid, emergency measures and assistance, Ustun said.

Ustun added, ''efforts should be launched to organize an international meeting in which the possible disaster that may be experienced in the Straits and the Black Sea during the transportation of Caucasus and Caspian oil and other hazardous substances should be discussed. Representatives of all sectors should be invited to the meeting that will be held in June 2001.''

[03] 2000 SYDNEY SUMMER OLYMPICS -TURKISH SPORTSMEN TO COMPETE IN TWO CATEGORIES ON SATURDAY

Ramazan Phaliani, competing in 57 kg boxing, will take on Vladimir Dos Santos Pereira of Brazil in the second round.

Firat Karagollu, competing in 71 kg boxing, will take on Frederic Esther of France, also in the second round.

In yachting, Ali Kemal Tufekci will compete in the fifth and sixth races in men's laser event while Enver Adakan will compete in first two races in men's finn event.

[04] BANK CREDITS VOLUME INCREASES 372.1 TRILLION TL

The total credit volume at banks was 26 quadrillion 543.5 trillion TL on September 1.

The Central Bank data shows that the total credits in the system were composed of 1 quadrillion 405.7 trillion TL of loans given to financial sector and 25 quadrillion 266.7 trillion TL of loans given to non-financial sector as of September 8.

The credits given to financial sector were composed of 770.9 trillion TL of loans given by deposit banks, and 643.8 trillion TL of loans given by development and investment banks.

The credits given to non-financial sector were composed of 198.7 trillion TL of loans given to Central Bank, 22 quadrillion 951.9 trillion TL of loans given to deposit banks, and 2 quadrillion 116.1 trillion TL given to development and investment banks.

[05] SELIM PALIANI, QUALIFIED TO QUARTER FINALS IN BOXING IN SYDNEY 2000

Paliani will take on Olympic Champion, Alexander Maletin from Russia on September 26 for the quarter finals.

Akin Kakauridze, will take on South Korean Jung Bin-In in 75 kg. boxing event, on Friday night.

Men's National Archery Team, failed to defeat its rival in the quarter finals and was eliminated from the games.

Meanwhile, Ayse Kilci who was expected to win a medal in the Olympics, ranked 25th in the shooting event of the Olympics.

[06] DECREASE IN EXPORT OF DRIED APRICOT FROM GAP REGION

In the same period last year, 14 thousand 59 tonnes of dried apricots worth of 30 million 405 thousand U.S. dollars were exported from the GAP region.

The data of the Southeastern Anatolian Exporters Association reveal that the dried apricot export in the first eight months of the year, was mainly done to the U.S, France, Italy, Britain, Australia, Germany, Israel, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and Greece.

Meanwhile, dried apricot export unit price decreased 17.4 percent when last years' prices are considered.

[07] TPAO INTENSIFIES ITS EFFORTS TO FIND OIL IN CEYHAN

The officials told the A.A correspondent on Friday that TPAO was continuing drilling in a person's field where oil gushed out after the earthquake.

Sources said that they reckoned to find oil at 1 thousand 200 depth.

[08] MOSCOW ACADEMIC CHAMBER ORCHESTRA TO GIVE CONCERTS IN ''AGIA IRINI BACH DAYS''

''Bach Days'' will continue with the concert of Alexandre Rudin on September 28 and will end with another concert of Rudin on September 29.

Conferences on the music and the art of Bach will be held prior to the concerts.

Meanwhile ''The Agia Sophia Visuals of 600 years, and 1847-49 Fossati Restoration'' exhibition will be held in the Culture Ministry, Monuments and Museums General Directorate, Turkish and Islamic Monuments Museum.

The exhibition which will start on September 25 will be comprised of 107 works of art from various archives and libraries of Switzerland, Germany, France, Vatican and the Netherlands.

The drawings reflecting the admiration of European ancient travellers, architects, and painters on Agia Sophia will be exhibited.

The drawings of the Architect Gaspare Fossati and his brother who were appointed to the restoration of Agia Sophia, by Sultan Abdulmecid, in 1847, will be displayed.

[09] AUSTRIAN AIRLINES PLANE MAKES AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT ATATURK AIRPORT

Sources told the A.A correspondent that, the plane made the emergency landing due to the low blood pressure of a traveller. The traveller was hospitalized.

The plane then flew to Amman, Jordan at 01.00 local time.

Meanwhile, a plane belonging to Turkish Cypriot Airlines which was having its Istanbul-Ercan flight, had to come back to Ataturk Airport due to ''flap'' malfunction in the plane on Thursday night.

The plane flew to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) after being repaired on Thursday night.

[10] KURSAT TUZMEN, UNDERSECRETARY OF FOREIGN TRADE DUE TO TAIWAN

The meeting which will be held between September 24-28, will be organized by World Export Processing Zones Association (WEPZA). Kursat Tuzmen is the current chairman of the association.

A written statement made by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat says that in the conference which will be organised for the twentieth time, sessions on the issues of ''The Position of the Export Processing Zones in a Changing World and Environment'';''The Management of the Companies in Export Processing Zones''; and ''The Export Processing Zones Within the Framework of Electronic Trade'' would be held.

In the three hearings of the conference, eight proclamations will be issued. More than 200 representatives from 32 countries are expected to participate in the Conference.

WEPZA was founded under the auspices of the United Nations Industry Development Organisation (UNIDO) in 1997 and it is the only organization which brings the World Free Zone authorities together.

WEPZA aims at contributing to the economic capacity of the export processing zones with various services, mutual cooperation, interaction, research, and management education.

WEPZA organizes these conferences every year and Turkey hosted the conference in 1997.

[11] GOLCUK LOUIS PASTEUR HOSPITAL'S FOUNDATION CEREMONY TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY

The hospitals' construction expenses will be covered by French companies, France Foreign Ministry, French Red Cross, and Fondation de France.

Officials from the French Red Cross said on Friday that Osman Durmus, the Health Minister; Ertan Gonen, the Chairman of Turkish Red Crescent; Bernard Garcia, the French Ambassador to Turkey; and representatives from the French Red Cross will attend the ceremony.

Sources said units such as labour, gynaecology and intensive care will serve for the patients. For emergency cases, radiology unit and intensive care unit following the surgical operations will also be built in the hospital.

The construction of the hospital started last month and it is expected to be completed by December 2000.

[12] SECURITY FORCES SEIZE 24 KILOS OF MORPHINE IN AN OPERATION

Acting on a tip off the narcotic teams stopped a car on Diyarbakir- Silvan highway. During the search, 56 sachets of morphine which was hidden in the doors of the car were found.

The market value of the morphine is around 75 billion Turkish Liras.

A Turkish man was detained about the incident. In his interrogation the man said that he took the morphine from an Iranian in Yuksekova township of southeastern Hakkari province and that he would take the morphine to Istanbul.

Officials noted that the morphine after being sold and transformed into heroin, would be transported to Europe.

Narcotic team said, the police dog ''Lucky'' found the hidden morphine by sniffing the doors of the car.

[13] MILD EARTHQUAKE IN KARAMAN

Officials at the Istanbul based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute said that an earthquake measuring to 3.9 on the Richter Sclae jolted central Karaman province on Friday.

No casualties and financial damages were reported.

An earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter Scale had jolted Karaman on Thursday.

[14] HISTORICAL ARTIFACT OPERATION IN ISTANBUL

The person who was trying to sell the artifacts was detained following the operations in Ikitelli district.

With the operation, various objects and 6 marble abacuses were seized.

Officials said the investigation about the incident is underway.

[15] SECURITY FORCES CONFISCATED 360 KG OF HASHISH AND 10.5 KG OF HEROIN

Officials said that gendarmerie narcotic teams captured 360 kg of hashish in a sack which was hidden in a cave.

The security forces also seized 10,5 kg heroin hidden in the bushes near a house. Two persons in the house were detained related with the haul.

Sources noted that the market value of the drugs is 2 trillion Turkish Liras.

[16] ''FRANCE-TURKEY 2000'' COLLOQUIUM TO START IN ISTANBUL

A written statement from the French Embassy says that the colloquium is aiming at providing solutions to the concrete problems, and ''speeding up the participation process of Turkey to the European Union from political, social, and economic aspects'' topic will be discussed.

Mesut Yilmaz, the State Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister, and Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, will participate in the colloquium which will be held in the French Palace.

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