Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-09-29

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NEWS

29 SEPTEMBER 2000 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] REPO TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN BANKS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS INCREASE 145 TRILLION TL

[03] BERGAMA EXPORTS 1.1 TRILLION TL GRANITE

[04] GAZIANTEP EXPORTS 6.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR MARGARINE AND VEGETABLE OIL

[05] TOTAL DEPOSITS AT BANKS INCREASE 467.7 QUADRILLION TL

[06] SECURITIES ACCOUNT AT BANKS DECREASES 205.1 TRILLION TL

[07] BANK CREDITS VOLUME INCREASES 298.6 TRILLION TL

[08] THIRTEEN COUNTRIES OUTPOUR ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY FOLLOWING DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES

[09] ASSYRIAN TABLETS FOUND IN EXCAVATIONS IN BISMIL

[10] THY-AMERICAN AIRLINES JOINT FLIGHTS TO START ON OCTOBER 1

[11] RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE -COURSE OF DISCUSSIONS CHANGED AFTER SPEECH OF LANTOS IN FAVOR OF TURKEY

[12] ANKARA STATE OPERA AND BALLET ON A TOUR IN GERMANY

[13] NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY INCREASE 35.6 PERCENT

[14] ''TURKEY-GEORGIA JOINT MANEOUVRES'' HELD SUCCESSFULLY

[15] U.S. GOVERNMENT PROVIDES TRAINING IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

[16] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''ALSO TURKEY HAS A LOT OF THING TO SAY ABOUT ARMENIAN OPPRESSION''

[17] TURKEY AND MOROCCO SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL IN CONSTRUCTION

[18] THK PARACHUTE NATIONAL TEAM TO COMPETE IN 25TH WORLD PARACHUTE CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

SO-CALLED DRAFT POSTPONED BY ANKARA'S PRESSURE
The International Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives did not vote on the draft law on so-called Armenian genocide. The meeting which was full of discussions, was postponed for one week by the pressure and initiaitives of Ankara. Members who are in favour of Turkey and who try to prevent the discussion of the draft law in the U.S. Congress, achieved in adopting the change which said that those who did the genocide, was not the Turkish government.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

DAMASCUS GIVES UP TERRORISM
Mohammad Harba, the Syrian Interior Minister who visited Turkey after a seven years of interval, claimed that his country does not permit any activities against Turkey. Harba, who was in Turkey for three days upon the invitation of Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan, signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkey. Responding to questions, Harba said that allegations saying that Syria supported the terrorist organization PKK were all suspicions and that security committees were set up to solve the issue, adding that he wants to close this page.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

WOLFENSOHN IS VOLUNTARY ENVOY
James Wolfensohn, the President of the World Bank who visited Turkey in May and who had very positive impressions of Turkey, met with the Turkish delegation headed by State Minister Recep Onal who is in Prague to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings. As Onal conveyed the best wishes of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Wolfensohn said that he respects Ecevit and that he attributes vital importance to Turkey. Wolfensohn noted that he is ready to extend support and requested Onal to convey his best wishes to Ecevit. Wolfensohn suggested that they should organize an international investors meeting, adding that he can introduce Turkey and Turkish economic programme to the foreign investors.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

ELECTRICITY CUT IS THE LAST ALTERNATIVE
State Minister Tunca Toskay said that they will launch saving campaign to overcome energy bottleneck and that they will form suervision and control commissions. Toskay noted that they will re-arrange the working hours. Toskay stated that electricity cut is the last alternative.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

PARLIAMENTARY VISIT TO U.S.
A delegation composed of the deputies of the political parties which are represented at the parliament, will go to Washington D.C. to hold contacts about the draft law on so-called Armenian genocide which was taken into the agenda of the U.S. House of Representatives. Parliament Speaker Yildirim Akbulut sent a letter to the group leaders of the political parties in which he requested the parties to choose a deputy to send to the U.S. to hold contacts regarding the draft law on so-called Armenian genocide. Akbulut noted that this visit targets at preventing the Armenian lobby's initiatives which aim at distorting realities.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

WEST WARNS TURKEY
James Wolfensohn, the President of the World Bank who met with State Minister Recep Onal in Prague, said that he finds the economic programme that Turkey is implementing, as successful. Wolfensohn noted that the decisions taken by Turkey to privatize the Turk Telekom and three public banks, carry importance because the privatization initiatives will give messages to the international markets. Wolfensohn said that Turkey should act quickly.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

QUADRILLION LIRAS OF DOPING TO ENERGY
A 1.5 billion U.S. dollars foreign loan was obtained for the natural gas power plants that the ENKA will construct in Gebze, Adapazari and Izmir together with its Americab partner Intergen. The power plants whicl will produce a 32 billion kwh energy a year will provide a 27 percent increase in energy production in Turkey.

5 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS SURPRISE
State Minister Recep Onal in charge of Treasury said that the World Bank would extend another 5 billion U.S. dollars loan if Turkey reached economic targets.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

TELEKOM'S AND THY'S SITUATION NOT CLEAR
The privatization strategies of Turk Telekom and Turkish Airlines (THY) have not fixed yet. Officials of the Privatization Administration Board said that they are exerting efforts to decrease the state share in THY below 50 percent. The officials also said that following the first meeting of the tender commission, the privatization strategy of Turk Telekom will be fixed.

[02] REPO TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN BANKS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS INCREASE 145 TRILLION TL

The Central Bank data shows that the repo transactions, which were 7 quadrillion 519.1 trillion TL on September 15, increased to 7 quadrillion 664.1 trillion TL on September 22.

The reverse repo transactions, which were 6 quadrillion 507 billion TL on September 15, increased 5 trillion 993 billion TL to 12 quadrillion 500 trillion TL on September 22.

The repo transactions among the financial organizations rose 261 trillion 337 billion TL to 3 quadrillion 113.1 trillion TL on September 22. The total repo transactions amount was 2 quadrillion 851.8 trillion TL on September 15.

The reverse repo transactions among the financial organizations, which were 2 quadrillion 852.8 trillion TL on September 15, increased 261.3 trillion TL to 3 quadrillion 114.1 trillion TL on September 22.

[03] BERGAMA EXPORTS 1.1 TRILLION TL GRANITE

Bergama exported 45 thousand tons of granite in the mentioned period.

Abdullah Uzun, the Chairman of Egetas Inc., told A.A. correspondent on Friday that the granite sector in Turkey has improved in the last decade and that they were competing with the Chinese granite producers in the world market.

Reminding A.A correspondent that Turkey is one of the seven countries which produce the highest amount of granite in the world, Uzun said the European countries, especially Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria, prefer purchasing Turkish granite.

The total reserve of granite in Bergama is around 300-400 million tons, said Uzun.

The high-quality granite reserves of the world are located in Kozak Plateu of Bergama, Uzun added.

The granite is mainly used in constructions, pavements, and garden decorations.

[04] GAZIANTEP EXPORTS 6.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR MARGARINE AND VEGETABLE OIL

Gaziantep exported 9 thousand 219 tons of margarine and vegetable oil between January and August 2000.

Total of 10 thousand 522 tons of margarine and vegetable oil was exported in the same period in 1999 and 8 million 884 thousand U.S. dollars was obtained from this exports.

The figures of the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters Union indicated that the margarine and vegetable oil were mainly exported to Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Romania.

[05] TOTAL DEPOSITS AT BANKS INCREASE 467.7 QUADRILLION TL

The Central Bank data shows that the total deposit which was 56 quadrillion 770.8 trillion TL on September 8 increased to 57 quadrillion 238.6 trillion TL on September 15.

When the inter-banks deposits are not considered, the total deposit, which was 49 quadrillion 548.4 trillion TL on September 8, climbed 764.3 trillion TL to 50 quadrillion 312.7 trillion TL on September 15.

The total TL deposit rose 526.8 trillion TL to 24 quadrillion 129.2 trillion TL on September 15. The total TL deposit was 23 quadrillion 602.3 trillion on September 8.

As of September 15, the total TL deposit was composed of 15 quadrillion 898.4 trillion TL deposits at public banks, 8 quadrillion 64.6 trillion TL of deposits at private deposit banks and 124.1 trillion TL of deposits at foreign banks.

The foreign exchange accounts at banks increased 237.57 trillion TL to 26 quadrillion 946.1 trillion TL on September 15.

[06] SECURITIES ACCOUNT AT BANKS DECREASES 205.1 TRILLION TL

The total securities account at banks was 11 quadrillion 890.3 trillion TL on September 8.

The Central Bank data shows that there were a total of 11 quadrillion 685.2 trillion TL of securities including 8 quadrillion 229.6 trillion TL of securities, and 3 quadrillion 213.3 trillion TL of securities over foreign currency at the deposit banks portfolio.

The securities over TL at deposit banks are composed of 327 trillion TL in trasury bonds, 7 quadrillion 201.5 trillion TL in state debenture bonds and 568.3 trillion TL in stocks.

A total of 554.3 trillion TL of foreign currency securities at these banks are abroad while there is a total of 1 quadrillion 688.1 trillion TL of state debenture bonds among the domestic securities.

The total securities account at the development and investment banks was 242.8 trillion TL.

[07] BANK CREDITS VOLUME INCREASES 298.6 TRILLION TL

The total credit volume at banks was 26 quadrillion 672.5 trillion TL on September 8.

The Central Bank data shows that the total credits in the system were composed of 1 quadrillion 377.8 trillion TL of loans given to financial sector and 25 quadrillion 593.3 trillion TL of loans given to non-financial sector as of September 15.

The credits given to financial sector were composed of 741 trillion TL of loans given by deposit banks, and 636.8 trillion TL of loans given by development and investment banks.

The credits given to non-financial sector were composed of 198.5 trillion TL of loans given to Central Bank, 23 quadrillion 269.8 trillion TL of loans given to deposit banks, and 2 quadrillion 125 trillion TL given to development and investment banks.

[08] THIRTEEN COUNTRIES OUTPOUR ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY FOLLOWING DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES

Officials told A.A correspondent that Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Israel, Italy, Japan, Canada, Luxembourg, Taiwan, and Greece contributed to the construction of 5,073 prefabricated huts in the quake zone.

Officials of the thirteen countries who provided equipment and materials for the quake zone, continued to extend support and assistance to the quake zone after the huts had been built. The officials are visiting the quake zone from time to time and help the quake survivors.

Kemal Eyuboglu, the administrator of the prefabricated huts built in Derince township with contributions of Churches Union, said on Friday that 30 foreigners still continue to visit and help the quake survivors.

Becky Mavor of Scotland said that she is very pleased to help the quake survivors.

She is a university student, and she came to the region after his school had recessed for four weeks, Mavor said.

Tedd Wenger of the U.S. said that the problems of the quake survivors cannot be easily solved and that he wants to stay in the quake zone for six months.

Nikola Tolooei of Iran and his wife Sosan are exerting efforts in the region while the representatives of the Taiwanese government which built 300 prefabricated huts in Sirinkoy hamlet of Golcuk township visit the quake survivors in every two weeks.

[09] ASSYRIAN TABLETS FOUND IN EXCAVATIONS IN BISMIL

Many historical artifacts were unearthed in the excavations which were held in ten different spots in Hasankeyf and Bismil.

Andreas Schachner, the head of the excavation team, said on Friday that they found architectural constructions built around 5000-4500 B.C. in Grecano Tumulus in Bismil township.

Schachner noted that they found 15 tablets written in Assyrian language in the tumulus and that a German expert read one of these tablets.

The tablet was about an Assyrian merchant lived in eight century B.C. and his commercial deals, Schachner stated.

They think that all the tablets found in the tumulus were private archive of a person who lived those days, Schachner said, adding that but he thinks all the tablets were about different issues.

Schachner emphasized that they hope they can learn significant information about those days from these tablets.

Schachner added that the excavations carried out in the region and the excavations are very important since they aim at receiving information which will illuminate the history of the region.

[10] THY-AMERICAN AIRLINES JOINT FLIGHTS TO START ON OCTOBER 1

A statement of the THY said on Friday that in accordance with the code share agrement signed between the two airline companies on February 25, 2000, joint flights will be launched on October 1.

Under the agreement, American Airlines will sell tickets for THY's domestic flights in the U.S. while the THY will do the same thing for the American Airlines in Turkey.

New York-Boston-New York, New York-Washington-New York, New York-Los Angeles-New York, New York-San Francisco-New York, Miami-Atlanta-Miami, Miami-Dallas Forth-Miami, Miami-Houston-Miami, Miami-Los Angeles-Miami, Miami-Orlando-Miami, Miami-San Francisco-Miami, Chicago-Atlanta-Chicago, Chicago-Dallas Forth-Chicago, Chicago-Detroit-Chicago, Chicago-Houston- Chicago, Chicago-Los Angeles-Chicago, Chicago-Orlando-Chicago, Chicago- Seattle-Chicago, Chicago-San Francisco-Chicago are some of the destinations that can be flown by American Airlines planes after flying to New York, Miami and Chicago by the THY planes.

[11] RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE -COURSE OF DISCUSSIONS CHANGED AFTER SPEECH OF LANTOS IN FAVOR OF TURKEY

Democrat Party California Congressman Lantos who is the only U.S. Congressman who was saved from Holocaust before and during the World War II insistently stressed that the resolution would unjustly harm Turkey and damage national and strategical interests of the U.S.

Lantos who disproved theses of Armenian lobby put forward an alternative proposal foreseeing condemnation of every oppression in the world, preventing the vote on the resolution.

Lantos sressed that the resolution did not targeted human rights but it aimed at simple domestic political purposes, adding that the resolution would harm the national interests of the U.S. and its relations with its vital ally Turkey.

Lantos emphasized that the resolution would serve only Saddam Hussein.

Responding to the opinion of the Armenian lobby that historian-author Elie Weisel who devoted himself to frequently bring criminals of the Holocaust was supporting the Armenian theses, Lantos said, ''Weisel is one of my friends. However, his field of expert is limited with the Jewish genocide between 1930s and 1940s. As I do not ask basketball star Michael Jordan which telephone I will purchase, I do not ask advice from Weisel for Armenian genocide allegations.''

Tom Lantos was born in Hungary in 1928. In his childhood, his motherland was invaded by Nazi Germany. He was kept in concentration camps for some time. His family members were killed. Later, Lantos came to the U.S. with a scholarship in 1947. He decided to live in the U.S. and become a distinguished economist.

Lantos who became a Congressman in 1980 has been a member of the U.S. House since then.

Lantos who has close relations with also people of Jewish origin in Turkey does not ''defend a case which he does not believe in'', sources say.

[12] ANKARA STATE OPERA AND BALLET ON A TOUR IN GERMANY

The revenue of the tour which is organised by Patenschaften Fur Erdbebenopfer In Der Turkei e.v. Foundation will be donated to the quake survivors.

The group performed ''Turnpike'', ''I Want My Balloon Back'' and ''7th Symphony'' in Liederhalle Hegellsaal Hall in Stuttgart.

A total of 1,800 spectators, most of whom were the Germans, watched the Ankara State and Opera Ballet.

A total of 29 dancers took stage during the show.

[13] NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY INCREASE 35.6 PERCENT

A statement of State Istatistics Institute (DIE) said on Friday that 6 million 855 thousand 238 foreign tourists visited Turkey in the first eight months of the year.

The statement noted that 489 thousand 783 of these tourists paid daily excursions to Turkey by sea.

The number of tourists visiting Turkey was 5 million 53 thousand 965 in the same period in 1999.

Four million 786 thousand 713 tourists arrived in Turkey by air while 1 million 340 thousand 81 tourists by highway and 700 thousand 977 by sea,and 27 thousand 467 by railways between January and August 2000.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists visiting Turkey in August increased 31.5 percent to 1 million 419 thousand 294 when compared with the figures in August 1999.

In the same month last year, the number of tourists visiting Turkey was 1 million 79 thousand 249.

[14] ''TURKEY-GEORGIA JOINT MANEOUVRES'' HELD SUCCESSFULLY

The Georgian personnel headed by Border Units Command Colonel Korneli Salia who arrived in Turkey to participate in the military exercises were welcomed at the Turkgozu Border Gate by 211st Border Troop Commander Colonel Husman Akdeniz.

Later, the Turkish and Georgian personnel proceeded to field of military exercises observed by Ardahan Governor Hasan Ozdemir and 25th Mechanized Brigade Commander General Tuncay Cakan.

Colonal Akdeniz said that the manoeuvers would be the first military exercises that would be jointly staged by Turkey and Georgia, and that their target was to prevent illegal border crossings and illicit drug smuggling between Turkey and Georgia, and to introduce the works carried out with cooperation of the two countries.

Noting that the Turkish-Georgian border was a region where the tranquility was dominant, and this situation should be an example to the world, Akdeniz said, ''our goal is to show how this tranquility is provided.''

Georgian Border Troops Commander Salia said that Turkey had helped Georgia in many field after Georgia gained its independence, and those assistances intensified in military field.

Stressing that such military exercises developed peace and friendship between two countries, Salia said that he hoped such activities would continue.

Later, the Turkish and Georgian border troops successfully staged the joint maneouvres based on preventing illegal border crossings from one country to another.

[15] U.S. GOVERNMENT PROVIDES TRAINING IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

A statement of the U.S. Embassy said on Friday that FEMA is sending trainers from its Emergency Management Institute (EMI), along with expert technical consultants, to the ITU campus to conduct ''train-the-trainer'' emergency management classes and exercises.

The statement noted that FEMA, working with ITU, developed a 19-course curriculum constitutiting the basic building blocks necessary for effective emergency management training.

''The first of these intensive education sessions began on September 25 and the effort will continue over the next seven months. FEMA trainers plan to be on the ITU campus one week per month through spring 2001,'' the statement said.

The statement stressed that this program is one of the activities covered by the protocol signed on November 15, 1999 between FEMA and the Directorate General for Disaster Affairs of the Ministry of Public Works.

The statement added that funding for the FEMA program is being provided by the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the United States Agency for International Development.

[16] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''ALSO TURKEY HAS A LOT OF THING TO SAY ABOUT ARMENIAN OPPRESSION''

''Also Turkey has many things to explain to the world about the issue of Armenian oppression against Turks. These will be explained when the time comes,'' he said.

Turk said that the real aim of Armenians was to demand territory from Turkey and destroy territorial integrity of Turkey in the future.

Turk attended a panel discussion on ''Legal, Political and Social Life of Women in Ancient Era'' which was organized at the Talya Hotel in southern Antalya province by the Ancient Laws History Fernand De Visscher International Association.

Speaking at the panel discussion, Turk said that Turkey had reduced the inequality between men and women to a minimum level after its foundation, and the remaining inequalities would be totally removed in accordance with the draft law on Civil Code.

Speaking to reporters following the panel discussion, Turk said that there was an uncertainty in the Constitution about the issue of decree with the force of law (KHK), and it should be corrected.

''The concept of KHK was restricted in Turkey with the decisions on the Constitutional Court. The authority confusion and annulment of KHKs tops the agenda. If the draft law is not approved by the President when its is submitted for the first time, it is approved by the President when it is submitted for the second time. However, it is different for the KHKs. The Constitution does not mention what should be done if the President vetoes a KHK. I think that this uncertainty should be removed instead of debating on the issue,'' he said.

Recalling that the jurisdiction authority was given to the President and the Council of Ministry, Turk said, ''harmony and collaboration between these two authorities are obligatory. The possible differences of opinion should not be debated publicly.''

Responding to a question about Virtue Party (FP) leader Recai Kutan's meeting with NATO administration, Turk said, ''we are a NATO ally. A meeting between a member of parliament and an organization with which we cooperate is normal. However, it will be more beneficial to discuss domestic issues in Turkey. We think it inappropriate to complain Turkey to other people.''

[17] TURKEY AND MOROCCO SIGN COOPERATION PROTOCOL IN CONSTRUCTION

Public Works and Housing Minister Koray Aydin and Moroccan Equipment Minister Bauamor Taghouan signed the memorandum of understanding.

Aydin said that they agreed to cooperate on highways, dams, water works, education and exchange of experts, measures against earthquakes and other natural disasters.

They also agreed that the Turkish contractors will support the construction of Morocco, Aydin noted.

Aydin stated that to this end, the contractors and he will visit Morocco in the following months.

Taghouan said that the governments of the two countries should encourage the increase of trade volume.

[18] THK PARACHUTE NATIONAL TEAM TO COMPETE IN 25TH WORLD PARACHUTE CHAMPIONSHIP IN JAPAN

The National Team will leave for Japan on October 2.

Five women and five men parachutists of Turkey will compete in the championship.

A total of 196 parachutists including 58 women and 138 men from 29 countries will participate in the championship.

More information about the event can be received at web-site ''www.thk.org.tr''

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