Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-10-09

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

9 OCTOBER 2000

Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] A PRIVATE TURKISH COMPANY SENDS MEDICINE AND BABY FOOD TO IRAQ

[03] EARLY WORKING HOURS SYSTEM TO START TOMORROW

[04] MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AYTEKIN IN BRUSSELS

[05] ''INTERNATIONAL SECOND FRIENDSHIP BICYCLE TOUR'' HELD WITH THE

[06] TURKISH-BULGARIAN COOPERATION IN SOCCER

[07] GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S BROTHER'S BALLOON TRIP IN URGUP

[08] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

[09] TORRENTIAL RAINS EXPECTED TO EFFECT MARMARA

[10] RED CRESCENT'S CHAIRMAN GONEN:

[11] WRESTLING CHAMPIONS OF TURKEY TO TAKE STAGE IN PARIS

[12] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

[13] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

[14] HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR SUPREME BOARD REGIONAL MEETING

[15] MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AYTEKIN IN BRUSSELS:

[16] HIGHER BOARD OF PRIVATIZATION EXPECTED TO CONVENE ON TUESDAY

[17] AWARD FROM EU TO IZMIT MUNICIPALITY

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

the lunch break will be half an hour in all the institutions.

CAKMAKOGLU IN GREECE
National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu who is currently in Greece for the second time in a week, said that he would hold talks with his British, French and U.S. counterparts on the issue of the resolution on the so-called genocide on Armenians wich was approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Comittee. He said that they would warn the U.S. on the issue once again. Cakmakoglu will attend meeting of defense ministers of the Southeast European Multi-National Military Force in Salonica.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

INCREASE IN WAGES AT MOST 10 PERCENT
The techinal studies are continuing on the 2001 budget which is expected to be sumitted to the parliament on October 17 at the latest. Savings are targetted in the personnel, current expenditures and investment expenditures. The non-interest balance is expected to be increased to 8-9 quadrillion Turkish liras. Meanwhile 3 or 6 percent of increase in the wages of civil servants is expected in 2001.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

ARMED ATTACK ON YALVAC MAYOR BAYRAM
Tekin Bayram, the Mayor of Yalvac township of southern Isparta province, was seriously injured in an armed attack. Mevlut Karaca shot Bayram as he was holding talks with residents in a coffee-house. Bayram who was shot three times in his chest, was rushed to a hospital in Isparta province. He underwent a successful surgical operation. Halil Ibrahim Dasoz, the Governor of Isparta, said that Bayram had argued with Karaca due to a land subdivision proceeding. He added that Karaca was taken into custody. Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu visited Bayram at the hospital.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

GENERAL CENSUS
Nearly 950,000 people will be assigned in general census, and it will cost more than 30 trillion Turkish liras. The general census will take place on October 22. Interior Ministry prepared a circular on the issue to assess the real population. The circular said local administrators who will make falsification in census, will be punished severely. This census will be the 14th since 1927. Results of the census will be disclosed within 18 months.

TRAFFIC ACCIDENT CLAIMS FIVE LIVES
A total of five people were killed while four others were injured in a traffic accident on Ankara-Istanbul highway. Sources said that an automobile plunged into Kurtbogazi Dam, killing five people. Those who were injured in the accident, were taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

WHAT A BARGAINING
Egebank of Yahya Murat Demirel and Bank Express of Korkmaz Yigit gave credits worth of 60 million dollars to each other. The companies which the credits were given were fictitious. The first part of the credit which was worth of 30 million dollars was given on 22, September 1998 and the second part was given one week later. A total of 120 million dollars were given.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

TURK: ''RAPPROCHEMENT WITH GREECE WILL INCREASE''
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that the conflicts between Turkey and Greece would not be beneficial to either of the countries. Turk noted that the rapproachement between the two countries would gradually increase.

Expressing his pleasure with arrival of Greek jets after a 30 years of interval, Turk added, ''the bilateral relations between Turkey and Greece, two NATO allies, should be promoted. Turkey and Greece share a joint geography in the Balkans. The two countries should have good relations. The conflicts which have occurred until today, have not been beneficial for either of the two sides. From now on, the rapproachement between the two countries will increase.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

THREE CRITICAL MONTHS
If we don't have any serious problem in October, November and December in which the most critical issues will be taken up for our country, our economy will improve. The budget of 2001 will be submitted to the parliament in October. The paper says that the last quarter of 2000 will be a turning point in Turkey's history.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

[02] A PRIVATE TURKISH COMPANY SENDS MEDICINE AND BABY FOOD TO IRAQ

Within the framework of the permission taken from the United Nations Sanctions Committee, the SETA Company sent nine packages of medicine and baby food to Iraq.

A private airplane carrying the stuff, took off from Istanbul at 08:05 a.m.

Addressing journalists at the airport, Lutfi Akdogan, a former deputy and retired journalist, said, ''SETA Construction, Oil and Petroleum Products and Medical Industry Trade Corp. has been launching initiatives for a year to send medicine and baby food to Iraq.''

Noting that purchase of medicine and foodstuff in return for oil was envisaged within the framework of a protocol which was signed between Turkey and Iraq, Akdogan told reporters, ''we got permission from the United Nations and the Foreign Ministry. Selim Karaosmanoglu, the Counsellor of the Foreign Ministry in Baghdad, and Iraqi ministers will welcome us in Baghdad. This is an humanitarian aid. It is wrong to consider our aid as a retaliation against the resolution on the so-called genocide on Armenians which was approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee.''

Tahir Ipekci, the President of the Executive Board of SETA, said, ''our commercial relations with Iraq started ten years ago. We have decided to send humanitarian aid to Iraq. A few days ago, 20 ambulances were sent to Iraq through the SETA. Number of ambulances will increase up to 200 till the end-November. This is a business which was won within the framework of a tender allowed by the United Nations.''

The delegation is expected to return to Turkey on Wednesday.

[03] EARLY WORKING HOURS SYSTEM TO START TOMORROW

In accordance with the new arrangement, the work will start at 07:45 a.m. and finish at 04:15 p.m. in the Interior Ministry, the National Education Ministry, and the Health Ministry.

The work will start at 08:15 a.m. and finish at 04:45 p.m. in other ministries and banks.

In the Prime Ministry, the General Staff, the National Defense Ministry, the Force Commanderships, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry, the Forestry Ministry, and other public institutions, the working hours will start at 08:45 a.m. and end at 05:15 p.m.

The lunch break will be half an hour in all the institutions.

[04] MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AYTEKIN IN BRUSSELS

The Final Act signed by Aytekin with ministers of other EU candidate countries will be one of the additions of the ''European Environment Agency and European Information and Observatory Network Accession Agreement'' between Turkey and the EU from now on.

The ''European Environment Agency'' which is the first EU institution that was opened to the membership of the candidate countries help candidate countries to abide by the EU legislation and it will also enable the gathering of reliable environmental data.

Turkey took initiatives in June, 1999 to join the ''European Environment Agency.'' This accession is planned to be realized in 2001 with other candidates.

EU and every candidate country will approve the accession agreement according to their own procedure.

The new members will fully join the executive board of the Agency and participate in the studies of the scientific committee.

Following the entrance of the agreement into force, the candidate countries will abide by the regulations of the agency.

Minister of Environment Aytekin participates in the annual meeting of the environment ministers which will end this evening.

[05] ''INTERNATIONAL SECOND FRIENDSHIP BICYCLE TOUR'' HELD WITH THE

The first tour was held in Aegean Izmir province last year.

A total of 500 cyclists, including 15 Turkish cyclists, and Greek cyclists, joined the tour. The cyclists completed the tour at the Mayor Square after cycling 5 kilometers.

In the ceremony, Petros Pentalaras, the mayor of Chios, and Yelda Hiziroglu, the assembly member of the Konak municipality of Izmir, let the ''pigeons of peace'' fly, and planted an olive tree sapling with the wishes to ''improve the solidarity between the nations.''

Pentalaras said that friendship is like a tree, adding that as the planted sapling grew, the friendship between Greece and Turkey would also improve.

Pentalaras noted that they were aiming at holding such activities more often, and said these activities will contribute to the peace between the nations.

Meanwhile, Hiziroglu said, they were pleased with the interest of the locals of the Chios Island, noting that they were also aiming at contributing to the friendship between the two nations with these kind of activities.

George Kerbatsos, the Art and Culture Director of Chios Municipality pointed out that the activity lasted two days because of a misunderstanding and said, they would like to host their Turkish guests for a longer time in the coming organization.

The Turkish and Greek delegation, later presented various gifts to each other.

[06] TURKISH-BULGARIAN COOPERATION IN SOCCER

Kazanci who purchased 50 percent of the Beroe, a Bulgarian First Division soccer club, briefed the Turkish journalists on the facilities and stadium of the Beroe.

Staging a joint press conferece in Stara Zagora city of Bulgaria together with Beroe Club President Stanislav Tanev, Kazanci said that Turkey and Bulgaria have historical and geographical ties.

''We purchased half of the Beroe Club as we wanted to consolidate the friendship between Turkey and Bulgaria. Here, the Turkish and Bulgarian peoples will take each other by the hand. I believe that sports will strengthen the bridges of friendship between Turkey and Bulgaria,'' he said.

Noting that his Aksa company had invested in Bulgaria, Kazanci said that they would continue to invest in Bulgaria also in field of sports.

Beroe Club President Stanislav Tanev said that also their supporters welcomed partnership of a Turkish entrepreneur.

Tanev said, ''together with our Turkish partner, we will make the Beroe a versy successful soccer team.''

Together with the infrastructure, there are 1,000 sportsmen and 18 trainers in the Beroe club which plays its games at the 30,000-seat Beroe Stadium.

[07] GERMAN CHANCELLOR'S BROTHER'S BALLOON TRIP IN URGUP

Luthar Vosseler, who is working as an operator in a drainage company, and who writes articles in a newspaper, made his first balloon trip in Urgup township of Central Nevsehir province.

Luthar Vosseler, and his wife Gisela were excited in the balloon trip, in which they had the opportunity to view the touristic and historical sites of the Cappadocia region.

Luthar Vosseler said they enjoyed the trip adding that the view was magnificent.

Vosseler couple was offered wine and pastry, following the balloon trip.

[08] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

Toskay said that international markets would be conquered if the concept of ''it is of good quality like a Turkish product'' was settled in addition to the expression ''strong like a Turk''.

Toskay recalled that the macro economic instability caused by the high chronic inflation in last 25 years had prevented the desired sustainable growth in Turkey.

Noting that the macro economic instability made in impossible to use restricted domestic sources in productive fields, Toskay said that the atmosphere of uncertainty prevented investments which could contribute to economic growth and the capital moved from productive fields to speculative fields.

Toskay stressed that the macro economic program which had been put into practice in December aimed to ''decrease the inflation and interest rates, re-settle the macro economic balances and increase the sustainable growth potential of the economy through effective use of sources''.

State Minister Toskay said that decreasing the monthly inflation rate below one percent in 2001 could be possible with a serios determinations and support of all actors of the economy.

[09] TORRENTIAL RAINS EXPECTED TO EFFECT MARMARA

The rains which will effect the northern and central regions on

Wednesday, won't be effective on Thursday.

[10] RED CRESCENT'S CHAIRMAN GONEN:

After the meeting between Premier Bulent Ecevit and Japanese Red Cross Chairman Skoichi Fujimori, Gonen said that the Japanese Red Cross has a great project of contributing to the education and health services in the quake-hit region.

Gonen said that they informed Premier Ecevit about the construction work carried out by the Japanese Red Cross, adding that Ecevit was pleased by that.

Gonen pointed out that he will participate in the foundation-laying and protocol signing ceremonies of the schools in Bolu and Izmit together with the Japanese Red Cross delegation tomorrow.

[11] WRESTLING CHAMPIONS OF TURKEY TO TAKE STAGE IN PARIS

Ekrem Yavuz, Cengiz Elbeye, Ahmet Tasci, Hasan Gundogdu, Kenan Simsek, Mehmet Yilmaz, Savas Yildirim, Abdullah Ersoy, Sukru Kazan ve Kadir Ergin, the famous wrestling champions of Turkey, will take part in ''The Baspehlivans of Turkey- La lutte de Legendes'' (Wrestling of the Legends) play.

The organization which will be held with the support of the International Traditional Sports Support Association (APSTI), based in Fontaines Sur Saone village, will also be held in Lyon.

The play will comprise the origin of the Kirkpinar legend which is 650 years old, wrestling tournament, folk dance show, and exhibition.

The wrestling champions of Turkey, who were working on the play for more than a year, also recorded a CD named ''Haydi Pehlivan'', in Turkish, French, and English.

[12] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

Noting that Turkey was known at global markets as a country which produces products of high in quality and delivers the orders in time, Tuzmen said that it was quite difficult to remove the negative effects of some companies' exports on behalf of whole country for short-term benefits on the ''Turkish product'' image.

Stressing that the continuous exports which was desired in global markets where competition had been intensified could be possible only with such a quality understanding, Tuzmen said, ''if we can't sell the Turkey image, it becomes difficult to sell Turkish products. The Turkish businessmen should attribute great importance to the concept of TURQUALITY trademark, and expend efforts to implement this quality understanding for the products which bear this trademark.''

''TURQUALITY will be the symbol of the safe and world-famous Turkish export products which have the maximum condition. Thus it will represent the factor of security which the product in high quality should have,'' he said.

Kursad Tuzmen said that the quality should also be the main factor of domestic competition.

Stressing that foreign trade was the basis of development, Tuzmen said, ''The countries which have 100-150 billion U.S. dollar foreign trade volume do not have any problem with their neighbors. Any problem does not occur in politics, if you have a high foreign trade volume.''

[13] FOREIGN TRADE WEEK

President Sezer sent a message to State Ministry Tunca Toskay on the occasion of opening of the Third Foreign Trade Week.

In his message which was read out at the ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel in Ankara, President Sezer said that sale of the Turkish products in most of the countries in the world today was the great success of the Turkish entrepreneurs.

President Sezer said that this situation also proved that Turkey headed towards the global market target from the understanding of self-sufficient production and national market.

''Turkey should uninterruptedly continue its economic development by making the expected structural reforms, successfully conclude the process of its integration with the world economy and be more influent in the world economy by increasing its production and exports. I believe Turkey has the power and potential to reach this goal,'' he said.

Stressing that making production for the world, seeking new markets and entering new foreign markets were the important conditions for the economy of a country to stand on its feet, President Sezer said that the basic condition for reaching the desired targets in the foreign trade was the production in high quality appropriate to international standards.

Noting that the world had become a global and single market, removing the economic frontiers and providing free movement of goods and services in the global scale, President Sezer said that this global markets had created new opportunities to each country.

Stressing that the conditions of the globalizing competition should be fulfilled to benefit from those opportunities, President Sezer said that the understanding of total quality in goods and services constituted main conditions of the global competition.

Stating that Turkey should keep itself ready to benefit from the opportunities offered by the globalization in fields of economy, trade, communicatipns, environment and foreign policy and to overcome the possible new problems, Preisdent Sezer said that there was no doubt that Turkey would take its part among the most advanced countries in the new millenium by successfully fulfilling its development with its educated manpower and rich resources.

[14] HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR SUPREME BOARD REGIONAL MEETING

Speaking at the opening of Human Rights Coordinator Supreme Board Regional Meeting, Yucelen pointed out that issues related with human rights were discussed in details in regional meetings.

''These meetings are very productive, and ideas which everybody can benefit, are revealed. The efforts of only the state and the government are not sufficient on human rights. Everybody should do their best in this respect,'' Yucelen said.

Stressing that human rights was one of the most important issues of the era, Yucelen said, ''globalizing countries will use their sovereignty jointly on environment and human righs. Our country continously exerts efforts on human rights. The decree, announcing the establishment of Human Rights Chairmanship within the body of Prime Ministry, was issued on October 5, 2000. This is a very important development.''

Yucelen said Human Rights Chairmanship will also cover the implementation of the provisions of the regulation on human rights, and noted that, ''the Chairmanship will discuss the results and overcome the deficiencies seen in the regulations. It will also launch efforts to adjust national regulations with the international regulations. It will follow, discuss and coordinate the education projects related with human rights and will also cover the allegations about human rights violations. It will examine the applications.''

Yucelen said, ''our preparations are under way for the formation of a new unit with the participation of non-governmental organizations. I believe that complaints in Turkey about the human rights violations will be reduced to the minimum. Thus, lies of those, who don't want Turkey to be in a good position, will be revealed.''

Stressing that there were important developments in the recent days in Turkey on human rights, Yucelen said, ''international organizations write positive things about Turkey in their recent reports. Evaluation of European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which was made in the first seven months of the year 2000, regarding the complaints on human rights violations, said Russia becomes the first with 972 complaints, Italy, the second with 881 complaints, France the third with 868 complaints, Poland the fourth with 691 complaints, and Turkey the fifth with 655 complaints.''

Yucelen said, ''we are in an effort to put an end to the human rights violations. Human rights violations in Turkey will be under the world average by the end of 2001. I will always repeat this. We will create a new Turkey where the people will learn about their rights and duties.''

[15] MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AYTEKIN IN BRUSSELS:

Exchange of information and data will bring great benefits, said Aytekin and noted that ''the most important issue is to adopt the laws to abide by the EU legislation. We'll realize that within one year.''

Aytekin said that the efforts of the Ministry of Environment to abide by the EU continue in cooperation with the concerned institutions and non- governmental organizations (NGOs), adding that they prepared 60 projects to benefit from the environment funds of the EU and they ifnormed the EU and Japan about these projects.

The environment infrastructure in Turkey is awful, he said adding that Turkey is backward in this field for 50 years. ''The 60 projects we prepared are concerned with infrastructure. We target to make all the municipalities benefit from the projects,'' said Aytekin.

[16] HIGHER BOARD OF PRIVATIZATION EXPECTED TO CONVENE ON TUESDAY

Sources said on Monday that State Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli and Husamettin Ozkan, State Ministers Recep Onal and Yuksel Yalova, Industry and Trade Minister Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu and Finance Minister Sumer Oral are expected to attend the meeting at the Prime Ministry building.

Also, Privatization Administration Board (OIB) Chairman Ugur Bayar and relevant bureaucrats will participate in the meeting.

The privatizations which have been made so far since the beginning of 2000, the privatizations which are planned for the last quarter of 2000 and the frame of the 2001 year privatization program are expected to be discussed at the meeting which will be presided by Prime Minister Ecevit.

[17] AWARD FROM EU TO IZMIT MUNICIPALITY

In the competition which is organized by the European Commission Environmental Directorate, the environmental projects on the industrial

and residential wastes, air pollution, and water quality of the urbans were evaluated, and 11 municipilaties from Turkey, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia were given adaptation rewards.

Fevzi Aytekin, the Minister of Environment also attended the ceremony.

Sefa Sirmen who received the reward from Swedish Margot Wallstrom, the member of the European Commission responsible for the environmental issues, said that a Turkish municipality received an EU reward for the first time.

Noting that the Izmit municipality managed to clean the Gulf within the framework of an environment project, Sirmen said the liquid wastes were refined in a biological refinery and transferred to sea.

We produce electricity from the burning of hazardous wastes, other wastes which couldn't be burnt, were buried in isolation storages, and we planted trees on them, said Sirmen.

Sirmen pointed out that, although Izmit is an industrial place, the locals of Izmit weren't affected by the wastes.

''We minimized the air pollution by the natural gas, and managed to refine the potable water. Receiving this EU reward is an honour for Turkey'' said Sirmen.

Sirmen noted that the facility buildings of this project weren't damaged by the earthquake, adding that they will work for better projects in the future.

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article