Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-10-06

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

6 OCTOBER 2000

Friday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 6, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

The decree re-arranging working hours of civil servants was sent to the Presidency. According to the decree, working hours will start 15 minutes earlier and lunch break which lasts an hour a day, will be half an hour.

The working hours will end 45 minutes earlier to benefit from daylight 45 minutes more.

TWO EARTHQUAKES JOLT CANKIRI

Two earthquakes measuring 4.3 and 4.1 on the Richter scale jolted certral Cankiri province at 11:34 a.m. and 11:38 a.m. on Thursday. The earthquakes were centered on Orta township. The quakes were also felt in Ankara and neighboring townships. Meanwhile, a total of 23 tremors were recorded in Aegean Denizli province following Wednesday's 4.7-magnitude earthquake.

EXPORTS FROM AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASE BY 1.3 PERCENT

The exports from the Turkish automotive sector increased by 1.3 percent in September 2000. The Secretariat General of the Uludag Exporters' Unions said that the exports from the Turkish automotive sector rose to 190 million 594 thousand 226 U.S. dollars in September 2000. A total of 188 million U.S. dollars was obtained from the automobile exports in September 1999. Germany ranked first in automobile exports with 418.7 million U.S. dollars in the first nine months of 2000. France, Italy, the U.S. and Britain followed Germany.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

The government has appointed Ambassador to Iraq through a secret decree.

The party group leaders of the five political parties represented in the parliament mentioned Operation Northern Watch in their joint statement they issued about the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians. The joint statement noted that if the U.S. House of Representatives adopts the resolution in question, it is clear that the parliament will evaluate the extension of the mandate of Operation Northern Watch under the changing circumstances. Meanwhile, State Minister Tunca Toskay will go to Iraq to attend inauguration of Baghdad Fair.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

The 37th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival ended with an award ceremony in ancient Aspendos Theatre. Gule Gule (Good-Bye) of Zeki Okten was awarded with the Best Film Prize.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN SPAIN

Mesut Yilmaz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State, will attend the Second Foro Formentor Round Table Meeting that will be held in Palma de Mallorca between October 6-8. Yilmaz is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, Foreign Minister Josep Pique of Spain and Interior Minister Otto Schilly of Germany. After his arrival, Yilmaz will evaluate his contacts with Volkan Vural, the Secretary General for relations with European Union (EU) and with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem. Yilmaz will pay official visits to Brussels between October 13 and 14, and to France, the Term President of EU, between October 18 and 19. His contacts are expected to focus on the Accession Partnership Document which will be submitted to Turkey by the EU on November 8.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The Constitutional Court annuled the Authority Law which gives the government the authority to prepare decree with the force of law (KHK) on several issues. After this abolition, the legal basis of the KHKs legalized by the government was removed while a chaos is expected to occur due to annulment of regulations of some public organizations. The government has prepared 24 KHKs in accordance with this Authority Law and submitted them to the Presidency, and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved 21 of those KHKs while vetoed two of them.

FUNDAMENTALISM IN WRESTLING TO BE ERADICATED

The crushing defeat of the national wrestling team at the Olympic Games brought radical changes in this sports branch onto the agenda. State Minister Fikret Unlu in charge of Sports said that a person who does not have a contemporary mentality can't be a sportsman, adding that they opened an investigation into fundamentalist structuring in wrestling. Stressing that politics had never intervened in his State Ministry, Unlu said, ''I do not allow anybody to make politics in my State Ministry. We have given the start for a serious investigation about the wrestling clubs. The situation necessitates a restructuring in wrestling.'' Unlu said that Harun Dogan who did not wear a wrestling suit bearing the Turkish flag and refused to play a preliminary match would be prohibited from this sports between one and three years.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

The Commission which was formed by the Justice Ministry, has almost completed its preparation of a draft which foresees amendment to the second paragraph of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The Turkish Penal Code Commission revises its previous draft dated 1997 that foresaw change in the TCK. The draft which was prepared by the Commission was published at Justice Ministry and distributed to the Commission members headed by Prof. Sulhi Donmezer. The Commission will convene in the coming days again and give its last form to the draft. The draft will be later submitted to the Justice Ministry. After taking the views of the relevant institutions, the Ministry will give the last form to the draft. The second paragraph of Article 312 which was criticized of being ambiguous was re-arranged in the draft.

FOREIGN TRADE DEFICIT DOUBLED

Turkey exported 15 billion 790 million U.S. dollars goods and imported 29 billion 799.7 million U.S. dollars products in January-July 2000 period. The exports increased by 5 percent compared to same period last year while the increase in imports reached 35.3 percent. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) said that in parallel to the seven-month increase in imports, the foreign trade deficit rose 100.5 percent to 14 billion 9.6 million U.S. dollars, and the rate of exports meeting imports decreased from 68.3 percent to 53 percent.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

Turkey will send financial aid to Chechen refugees who were forced to leave their homes. The Foreign Ministry stated that Turkey would send 100 thousand U.S. dollars to more than 200 thousand Chechen refugees through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

BUYUKERMAN APPLIES FOR CANDIDACY

Mehmet Mail Buyukerman, an independent deputy from Eskisehir, applied for candidacy in election of new parliament speaker. During the first four days, no one has applied for candidacy. The application period will end at 24:00 local time on October 10.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

A terrorist who was walking around the Harbiye Military Complex in Istanbul was killed when the bombs he had wrapped on his boby detonated. The terrible death of the terrorist whose aim has still not been clear yet prevented a possible calamity. The smashed body of the fifteen-year-old terrorist spreaded to a 30-meter diameter place.

POLITICAL PARTIES DEPLOY JOINT POSITION AGAINST SO-CALLED RESOLUTION

The parliamentary group chairmen of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Motherland Party (ANAP), Virtue Party (FP) and True Path Party (DYP) have taken a joint position against the approval of the slanderous resolution which is full of Armenian lies by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee.

34 PERCENT OF TELEKOM TO BE PRIVATIZED

The commission decided to privatize 29 percent of the Turkish Telekom shares through block sale, and 5 percent of its shares through public offering.

WORKING HOURS RE-ARRANGED

Within fraemwork of the energy saving measures, the working hours were re- arranged. State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen said, ''the working hours will start fifteen minutes earlier. The lunch break has been decreased from one hour to half an hour.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

FP deputy Teoman Riza Guneri brought the Higher Education Board's (YOK) ''prohibition on wearing Islamic style headscraf in houses'' to the Parliament with a motion. Guner asked Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit to explain the reason for the YOK's prohibiting Islamic style headscarf also in the university campus lodgings.

GOVERNMENT CAN'T LEGALIZE KHK

After the decision on abolition of the Authority Law is published in the Official Gazette, the government can't prepare a new decree with the force of law (KHK). The KHKs which were earlier legalized will be valid till a case on their abolition. The court will abolish the KHKs shortly after the suit is filed as those KHKs will lack the legal basis.

ABOLITION DOES NOT COVER THE KHKS LEGALIZED EARLIER

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit evaluated the Constitutional Court's decision on abolition of the Authority Law after his meeting with the President. The Prime Minister defended that the abolition decision did not affect the KHKs that have been legalized so far.

-EXPLOSION IN FRONT OF HARBIYE MILITARY COMPLEX -ASSAILANT WHO DIED IN EXPLOSION IDENTIFIED

ISTANBUL - The assailant who died as he was staging a bomb attack in front of Harbiye Military Complex in Istanbul late on Thursday, was identified as Husamettin Cindar, 28.

Officials told the A.A correspondent that Cindar was a member of the illegal Turkish Workers and Peasant Liberation Army (TIKKO).

Meanwhile, witnesses said that the assailant had tried to enter the military complex of lodgings and entertainment facilities, but he was prevented by soldiers standing sentry.

A full investigation into the bomb attack is under way.

-NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU: -''RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED''

ANKARA - National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said on Friday that the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee could not be accepted.

A reception was hosted to promote new broadcasting period of private ETV television channel.

Fikret Unlu, the State Minister; Tunca Toskay, the State Minister; Edip Safter Gaydali, the State Minister; Ramazan Mirzaoglu, the State Minister; Hasan Gemici, the State Minister; Abdulhaluk Cay, the State Minister; Rustu Kazim Yucelen, the State Minister; Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, the National Defense Minister; Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister; Enis Oksuz, the Transportation Minister; Yildirim Akbulut, the former Speaker of Parliament;

Zekeriya Temizel, the Chairman of Banking Inspection Council; Vural Savas, the Republican Chief Prosecutor of Supreme Court; Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP); Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP); Ismet Sezgin, the Acting Chairman of Democratic Turkey Party (DTP); Yahya Gur, the Governor of Ankara, and a number of guests were in attendance at the reception.

Responding to questions of journalists, Cakmakoglu stressed, ''there are good administrative relations between Turkey and the U.S. But if the U.S. full House and the U.S. Senate approve the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, these relations can be damaged. Defense industry relations are among these good relations. We will evaluate all these issues if the resolution is approved by the U.S. full House and the U.S. Senate. But it is not a decision that I can take on my own as the National Defense Minister. The resolution is unacceptable to us.''

Responding to a question, Cakmakoglu said that General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, had taken an appropriate decision by cancelling his visit to the U.S.

Responding to a question about annulment of Authority Law by the Constitutional Court, State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen said, ''it is useless to discuss decisions taken by the Constitutional Court in a state of law. Previously we said that we would bring all matters within scope of the decrees with force of law (KHKs) onto the parliamentary agenda. This will take time.''

When asked whether or not tension has escalated between President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and the government on the issue of KHKs, Yucelen said, ''no. There is not such a tension.''

Referring to the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, Yucelen told reporters, ''some lobbies in the U.S. are playing a game by distorting historical facts. They have benefited from the election atmosphere in the U.S. Our government is doing its utmost on the issue. There is a good coordination between Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.''

Meanwhile, State Minister Tunca Toskay said that the Constitutional Court had the authority to annul issues which it thought as contradictory with the Constitution.

Referring to the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, Toskay said, ''we are disappointed with approval of the resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee. Turkey will give the necessary response with its organs, parliament, government and-non- governmental organizations.''

Yildirim Akbulut, the former Speaker of Parliament, ''those who had stabbed Turkey in the back during the war period, were Armenians. Now, they claim that they had been exposed to genocide. We do not expect such an attitude from a friendly country. I wish that the U.S. House of Representatives full House would not approve such an unjust resolution. In case of its approval, the government and the parliament will evaluate it again by taking into considiration Turkey's interests.''

-GAP REGION EXPORTS 18.8 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN FIRST EIGHT MONTHS

GAZIANTEP - The exports of agricultural products to African, Asian and the Commonwealth of Independent States countries from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first eight months of 2000 increased 7.8 percent to 18 million 809 thousand U.S. dollars.

In the same period last year, the region exported 17 million 440 thousand U.S. dollars of agricultural products to these countries.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Friday that the majority of the goods were exported to Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, Iran and Russia, and the Turkish goods in greatest demand were textile products.

-TURKEY-U.S. COMMERCIAL RELATIONS

ANKARA - The losses of the United States would intensify on defense industry and Turkey's losses would intensify on textiles and ready made clothings sector if mutual sanctions came to agenda after the approval of the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee, sources said on Friday.

The majority of exports from Turkey to the U.S. is composed of textiles and ready-to-wear clothings with more than 40 percent.

Although the U.S. puts quotas on Turkey for 21 textiles and 21 ready made clothings categories, the exports from these sectors to the U.S. rose by 30.2 percent in the January-August period of 2000.

Besides its domination over life style, consumption habits, television and motion-picture sectors, the United States has significant economic investments in Turkey.

According to the information compiled from the Treasury and Foreign Trade Undersecretariats, a total of 26 billion 754.7 million U.S. dollars of foreign capital inflow had been permitted as of end of June, 2000, and 3 billion 41.2 million U.S. dollars of this inflow belonged to the United States while France had a share of 5.3 billion U.S. dollars and Germany had a 3.5 billion U.S. dollars stake.

According to the Treasury Undersecretariat's Foreign Capital Directorate General data, a total of 1 billion 202 million U.S. dollars of foreign capital inflow had been permitted in the first half of 2000, and 30.6 million U.S. dollars of this amount belonged to the United States.

As of end-June 2000, a total of 5,129 foreign capital companies were operating in Turkey, and 318 them were American-rooted companies.

As of the same date, total capital of foreign capital limited companies in Turkey reached 2 quadrillion 220 trillion Turkish liras (TL) while 1 quadrillion 178 trillion 963 billion TL of this amount belonged to foreign capital companies.

The share of foreign capital in total capital of foreign capital limited companies is 53.12 percent.

The total capital of Turkish companies which set up partnerships with American companies is 264 trillion 460.3 billion TL, and 57.36 percent or 151 trillion 685.6 billion TL of this capital belongs to American companies. The share of American companies in total capital of foreign companies is 12.87 percent.

As of end-June 2000, the U.S. became the second country with which Turkey mostly traded.

According to the statistics, in the first half of 2000, total exports from Turkey was 13 billion 353.4 million U.S. dollars, and 1 billion 489 million U.S. dollars of those exports were made to the U.S.

In the January-June period of 2000, exports to the U.S. increased 26.44 percent when compared to same period of 1999.

In the same period last year, total exports from Turkey to the U.S. was 1 billion 177.6 million U.S. dollars which was equivalent to 9.2 percent of total exports from Turkey.

In the first half of 2000, a total of 25 billion 24.2 million U.S. dollars imports were made, and 1 billion 962 million U.S. dollars which was equivalent to 7.8 percent of total imports were made from the U.S.

With this amount of imports, the U.S. ranked second after Germany.

Imports from the U.S. increased 40.22 percent in the first half of 2000 when compared to same period of 1999. In the first half of 1999, 7.6 percent of total imports had been made from the U.S.

The U.S. considers Turkey one of the ten rapidly growing and emerging markets in the world and Turkey attributes great importance to foreign trade with the U.S.

Total imports from U.S. in 1999 had been 3 billion 80 million U.S. dollars while total exports to this country from Turkey had been 2 billion 436.6 million U.S. dollars.

In 1998, total exports from Turkey to the U.S. had been 2 billion 233.3 million U.S. dollars while total imports from this country had been 4 billion 53.7 million U.S. dollars.

-ANKARA CONSIDERS UPRISING IN YUGOSLAVIA AS ''PROMISING DEVELOPMENT'' REGARDING STABILITY IN BALKANS

ANKARA - Ankara considers the uprising in Yugoslavia as a ''development which is hopeful for settlement of peace and stability in the Balkans''.

A high-level Foreign Ministry official told the A.A correspondent on Friday that the uprising was a historical turning point and a democratic action of the Serbs.

Noting that the incidents in Yugoslavia were important for re-settlement of stability in the Balkans, the official said that they hoped this transition period would pass without clashes.

-ERTUGRULOGLU, FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE MINISTER OF TRNC:

-''IF THE RESOLUTION OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT IS ISSUED AT

THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENTS, THEN IT WILL BE MEANINGLESS TO HOLD

FIFTH ROUND OF PROXIMITY TALKS''

LEFKOSA - Tahsin Ertugruloglu, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said on Friday, ''if resolution (of the European Parliament regarding Cyprus) comes out from the European Cuuncil at the level of the governments, then it will be meaningless to hold the fifth round of proximity talks.'' Ertugruloglu who attended the fourth round of proximity talks in New York, the U.S., returned to the TRNC.

Addressing journalists after his arrival, Ertugruloglu said that the resolution approved by the European Parliament was an expression of insincerity.

He noted that the resolution would have negative impacts in the new process on Cyprus question.

Noting that the resolution was unacceptable for both Turkey and the TRNC, Ertugruloglu told reporters, ''if resolution comes out from the European Council at the level of the governments, then it will be meaningless to hold the fifth round of proximity talks which will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, between October 1 and 10.''

Ertugruloglu said that a basis for meaningful negotiations could not be formed during the fourth round of proximity talks in New York.

Recalling that United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan had underlined importance of equality of two sides at the first day of the talks, Ertugruloglu said that the Greek Cypriot side's attitude revealed that they could not digest equality of the Turkish Cypriot side.

He added, ''it is not possible to hold face-to-face talks as long as the Greek Cypriots continue to reject the TRNC.''

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-TURKISH-GREEK MEDIA CONFERENCE TO START IN ISTANBUL ON SATURDAY

ISTANBUL - The ''Turkish-Greek Media Conference'' which was organized by the Press Council and the Press Council Solidarity and Development Foundation will start in Istanbul on Saturday.

The Press Council said on Friday that a total of 138 delegates, 75 from Turkey and 63 from Greece, would attend the second conference in Istanbul, recalling that the first one had been held in Athens.

The conference which will start with an opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel will be held in three sessions comprising panel discussions on ''How Can Turkey-Greece Relations Be Developed?''

The ''Turkish-Greek Media Conference'' will end with a press conference on October 8.

State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel will host a reception and farewell dinner at the Yildiz Palace on October 8. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit is expected to attend the reception and deliver a speech.

As a result of the efforts of the Turkish-Greek Journalists Contact Group which was formed through initiatives of the Press Council, the first conference was held in Athens in February, and the second conference was decided to be held in Istanbul in October 2000.

-RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS:

-IRTEMCELIK, A DEPUTY OF ANAP: ''THEIR FINAL TARGET IS TO TAKE

TERRITORY FROM TURKEY''

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, a deputy of the Motherland Party (ANAP) and a member of the parliamentary delegation which is currently is the U.S. to convey Turkey's sensitivity over the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, said on Friday that final target of fanatic Armenians was to take territory from Turkey. Addressing a press conference which was staged at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C., Irtemcelik, ''their final target is to take territory from Turkey. They also want to damage relations between Turkey and the U.S. within framework of this process.''

Stressing that an article of the Armenian Constitution including territorial demand from Turkey, had been obstructing diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Armenia, Irtemcelik noted, ''we should show a reaction which will not satisfy these circles and which will deter efforts to damage Turkey's relations with the U.S. and the West.''

When asked, ''do you think that the Republican Party is responsible for the resolution,'' Metin Ergun, a deputy of the Nationalist Movement party (MHP), said that ''no. We held responsible Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, for the resolution. Hastert can blacken a nation in such a way.''

The parliamentary delegation members Irtemcelik from ANAP, Ergun from MHP, Temel Karamollaoglu from Virtue Party (FP), Tayyibe Gulek from Democratic Left Party (DSP) and Ayfer Yilmaz from the True Path Party (DYP) said that they appreciated the efforts of the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. against the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians.

When asked to evaluate the lobbying firm whom Turkey pays 1.8 million U.S. dollars, Irtemcelik said, ''an evaluation on the issue will be Turkish Ambassador Baki Ilkin's. If we had not satisfied with the company, we would have not worked with the company. It will be wrong to say something negative about the company. We have signed a contract with this company for one year. Its annulment is possible at any time.''

Responding to a question about support of the Jewish genocide museum in the U.S. to the so-called ''Armenian genocide museum'' which is planned to be opened, Baki Ilkin, the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., said, ''within the framework of American laws, if a race slanders another race, a lawsuit can be filed. But no reaction could be shown before the museum is opened and a proof is put forward.''

Ilkin told reporters, ''Jewish community in the U.S. expressed uneasiness over assistance of Irwing Greenberg, the Curator of Jewish Genocide Museum, to the Armenian lobby. They do not want Genocide Museum to be included in these discussions. Jewish people both in Turkey and the U.S. are disturbed by such a link.''

Responding to a question, Ilkin said that it was out of question for him to be called back to Ankara for consultations after the approval of resolution by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee.

When asked if the resolution is approved, what will be done on the issue of extension of mandate of Operation Northern Watch, Irtemcelik said, ''we will act in accordance with Turkey's interests. The issue of resolution has not come to an and yet. We will evaluate it after it is finalized.''

The parliamentary delegation met with Thomas Pickering, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State; Robert Pearson, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey; Norman Dicks, the Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee; and with Alan Weinstein, the Chairman of Center for Democracy Organization.

The parliamentary delegation is expected to depart from the U.S. after wrapping up their contacts with members of the House of Representatives.

-JUSTICE MINISTER: ''TURKEY SHOULD

ABSOLUTELY LIFT DEATH SENTENCE IN LONG-TERM''

ANKARA - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said on Friday that Turkey was obliged to lift the death sentence in the long-term. Turk attended a meeting of the Black Sea Littoral Countries Bars Union at the Hilton Hotel in Ankara. Turk answered the questions of journalists following the meeting.

Responding to a question about an amendment to second paragraph of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Turk said that the works on the commission on amendments to the whole TCK would be finalized by the end of October.

''The amendment to the second paragraph of Article 312 aims at preventing incitement of hatred among people and broadening the freedom of thought to the largest extent. Unification of contemporary criminal laws with the domestic facts in a single synthesis is in question. The amendments to the whole TCK are still draft proposals. The commission will give the final shape to these by the end of this month,'' he said.

Turk said that the draft would be sent to the relevant institutions and organizations after the commission finalized its works, and submitted to the Council of Ministers by the end of 2000.

Noting that the draft proposal would later be sent to the Parliament, the Justice Minister said that he expected those amendments to be legalized through mid-2001.

When asked whether or not the new TCK draft lifted the death sentence, Turk recalled that the TCK draft in 1997 had foreseen ''life in prison'' instead of death sentence.

Turk added that also the current works on the amendments to the TCK foresaw life in prison instead of capital punishment.

''The workd have not been concluded yet. Turkey should absolutely lift the death sentence in long-term. There is not death sentence in contemporary criminal laws. Among the Council of Europe members, Turkey is the only country which has death sentence in its laws. The death sentence prevents extradition of fugitives abroad,'' he said.

-ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AYTEKIN TO SIGN

EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY FINAL ACT

ANKARA - Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin will sign European Environment Agency Final Act in Brussels on October 9. Officials of the Environment Ministry said on Friday that the European Union (EU) Candidate Countries' Environment Ministers Annual Meeting will be held in Brussels on October 9.

Aytekin every candidate country and the EU will approve the partnership agreement in accordance with their own procedures and the candidate country will participate in the agency in 2001.

The candidate countries will take part in the executive board of the Agency but they cannot vote for some rare situations.

The candidate countries can join the initiatives of the scientific committee.

The European Enviorment Agency, the first agency of the European Union which accepts the candidate countries as its members, helps the candidate countries in getting adjusted to the regulations and implementing them.

Also, the Agency helps the collection of reliable environmental data and the observation of the environmental situation.

After the agreement is put into effect, the candidate countries will have to abide by the regulations of the Agency. They will make financial assistance to the Agency.

The countries will approve the establishment of infrastructural system which will enable the collection of data for the Agency.

-HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIANS

ANKARA - Yavuz Onen, the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Turkish Human Rights Foundation called on Friday for support for the Palestinians.

Onen issued a statement in which he called on everybody to be in solidarity with the Palestinians against the violence and brutality they faced in the lands of Israel and Palestine.

Yavuz Onen said that the Israeli security forces killed 66 people in the last six days by being ''excessively violent'' and by using ''hand grenades, anti-tank missiles, rocket launchers, and assault helicopters'' against the Palestinian demonstrators.

There were children aged 12 among those who died in the incidents, Onen noted.

Onen said, ''we consider this violence as a crime of humanity and we condemn it. The Israeli governments have been obviously and fearlessly violating the international law and human rights in Palestinian lands for years.''

Requesting the United Nations (U.N.) Security Council to enable Israel to withdraw from the lands it has occupied and leave Jerusalem, Onen said that as a human rights organization, they will continue to be in solidarity with the Palestinian nation in its rightful and legal case.

-TWO MEN CAUGHT WHILE TRYING TO SELL 150 GRAMS OF URANIUM IN EDIRNE

EDIRNE - Gendarmarie teams caught two men in Edirne who were trying to sell 150 grams of uranium which is used in nuclear weapon production. It was stated that the uranium was brought from Bulgaria.

Acting on a tip-off, Edirne Gendarmerie Department's Smuggling and Organized Crime teams contacted 49-year old Himmet Serbest and asked him to bring some sample. Serbest brought 25 grams of uranium and gave it in a bottle to the security forces who were disguised as buyers. The security forces contacted the same man after six days and they agreed to pay him 20 billion Turkish Liras in return of 125 grams of uranium.

Serbest was caught during the delivery of the uranium. During his interrogation, he said he bought the uranium from the 36-year old Nebi Mutlu.

Nebi Mutlu who was also caught by the security forces confessed that he smuggled the uranium from Bulgaria to Turkey in 1999.

Cekmece Nuclear Research Center Director Yasar Ozal told A.A correspondent that they have to examine the substance to make sure it is uranium. The uranium is usually mixed with iron, zinc and chromium and it is sold as pure uranium, he explained.

Noting that they did not find uranium more than 15 grams for years, Ozal said finding 150 grams of uranium was a very rare occurance.

-''GREEK MOVIES WEEK'' TO START IN ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL -''Greek Movies Week'' which is organised with the support of Turkish and Greek Culture Ministries will be held in Istanbul between October 9-20.

In the activity which is organised by Academy Istanbul, the movies of the young Greek directors who had won prizes in national and international festivals, will be projected.

The activities will start with the projection of ''Vasiliki'' movie in Ataturk Culture Center on October 9.

'Balkanisauter'', ''Touch Me Not'', ''Female Company'', ''Dawn'', ''The Mating Game'', ''End of an Era'', ''Beware of Greeks'' are other movies which will be projected during the week.

-RESOLUTION ON SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS

-MESROB II, PATRIARCH OF TURKISH ARMENIANS, SAYS THE ARMENIAN

PEOPLE NOT HAVING ANY LINKS WITH THIS RESOLUTION WILL BE HURT

BY MEASURES TAKEN BY TURKEY AGAINST RESOLUTION

ISTANBUL/KADIKOY - Mesrob II, the Patriarch of Turkish Armenians, said on Friday that the Armenian people who does not have any links with the resolution on the so-called genocide against the Armenians which was adopted by the U.S. House International Relations Committee, will suffer the damages of the measures taken by Turkey against this resolution. Mesrob II told a press conference that what they have feared, has become true.

Some of the Armenian people earn their living by shuttle trade and to this end, they enter into Turkey, Mesrob II said.

Mesrob II noted that as Turkey starts to take visa from the Armenians, these people cannot earn their living.

Mesrob II stated that he does not think that the administrators are affected by these implementations, but that lifting the air corridor will cause big problems for Armenia.

That the resolution was passed by the Human Rights Committee and been submitted to the full House disturbs the Turkish Armenians from the very beginning, Mesrob II said.

Mesrob II said, ''as I have said before, we are both Turkish and Armenians. The Armenians in Turkey can only want friendship between the two nations. That Turkish Armenians' behaving and thinking in contrary to the Turkish Republic cannot be in question. This situation disturbs us. I hope this crisis will be overcome in the possible shortest time. As the Patriarch of Turkish Armenians, the launching of a constructive dialogue between the two nations which is the desire of many authors and intellectuals, is also my wish.''

When asked why the U.S. is adopting this resolution nowadays, Mesrob II said that he cannot express ideas because he does not understand international politics. ''Whatever its reason is, it is a troublesome situation for us, Turkey, and the Armenian people,'' Mesrob II said.

When asked whether or not he, as a clergyman, gave a message to the U.S., Mesrob II recalled that they went to Europe and the U.S. and met with the clergymen in the beginning of 1980s as a good will initiative.

They had signed documents which condemned international terrorism in the end of these contacts, Mesrob II noted.

Mesrob II said, ''I think this time, we get excited very rapidly. I am not sure that the resolution will pass from the U.S. House of Representatives.''

If there is a demand to express his message in the U.S., he can to the U.S. with a delegation, and meet with U.S. Catholic Cardinals and Armenian Archbishops, Mesrob II said. Mesrob II said that firstly, there should be a will in his community and should have a demand in this direction.

Mesrob II continued, ''we are in a very different position here. Although the Turkish people behave us friendly and call us Turkish citizens, they think that we are a minority. They may sometimes think that they cannot trust us. Also, the Armenians living abroad think that the Armenians living in Turkey are the supporters of Turkey. We sometimes think that we are not respected by any sides. To this end, I do not think we will be effective.''

Pointing out that there are 38 churches, 18 schools, 20 associations, 20 chorus, two daily and one weekly newspapers belonging to the Armenians living in Istanbul, Mesrob II said, ''I think it will be the most influencial attitude to bring the problems of these into the agenda, thus showing that these people are living side by side with the Turkish people.''

Reminding the reporters that the Patriarchate sent statements to the U.S. in three languages after the sub-committee adopted the resolution, Mesrob II said that they can give a written statement if the U.S. House of Representatives makes such a request.

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