Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-10-23

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

23 OCTOBER 2000

Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] DRAFT ON APPROVAL OF SECOND ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL TO SOUTHEAST

[03] G-20 FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING TO START ON TUESDAY

[04] MALAYSIAN LAND FORCES COMMANDER VISITS LAND FORCES COMMANDER OZKOK

[05] TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN MEDITERRANEAN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL

[06] ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY

[07] RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER KASYANOV SPEAKS TO A.A

[08] THY SIGNS TWO NEW ''CODE SHARE'' AGREEMENTS

[09] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IZGI SAYS PARLIAMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS

[10] NIKIFOROS-TOKSOTIS MILITARY EXERCISES

[11] PROF. KUDEN: ''ISRAEL HAS THE TECHNOLOGY AND TURKEY HAS

[12] TREASURY RAISES 223 TRILLION TURKISH LIRA THROUGH AUCTION

[13] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS:

[14] TEMPORARY CENSUS RESULTS SHOW ANKARA'S POPULATION AS 4,018,278

[15] ECEVIT AND KASYANOV AGREE ON PARTNERSHIP, INSTEAD OF COMPETITION,

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

2,500 FUGITIVES CAPTURED IN THE DAY OF CENSUS
The census, which made people in Turkey to stay at home throughout the day, helped the police to capture 2,500 fugitives. Istanbul police arrested 61 people who had been wanted for a long time. Also, 80 people, who had been sentenced on various charges but later fled, were captured, and 28 people who were looked for military service, were also caught. Meanwhile, the Izmir police arrested 332 fugitives which it could not arrest for a long time. A total of 364 people have been captured in Bursa. The rest have been captured in various townships and provinces of Turkey.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

WORLD'S BIGGEST PRISON
The Associated Press said that Turkey, which is a candidate country for the European Union (EU), has been the biggest prison of the world due to the curfew held for the census on Sunday. ''Streets and shopping malls were deserted, restaurants and movie theaters closed while millions of Turks obeyed a day long curfew Sunday and stayed at home to be counted for a nationwide census,'' it said. The French AFP news agency said that Turkey was like a ghost country and noted that curfew reminded the military coups of 1960, 1071 and 1980.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

NATO'S GREAT SKILL!
NATO brought Turkey and Greece to the brink of crisis by its bad coordination, inconsistent statements and inserious attitude during the military exercise of Destined Glory. In the end, Greece withdrew from the exercise and its aircraft returned back to their bases.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

These seven transport planes will gain inter-continental flight capacity as a result of the modernization project which will be financed by the Defense Industry Development and Support Fund.

RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER KASYANOV DUE TO TURKEY
Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov of the Russian Federation will pay an official visit to Turkey between October 23-25 as guest of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. Cooperation issues in the fields of energy and defense industry will top the agenda of Kasyanov's visit. Establishment of joint military technology commission, establishment of joint naval force in the Black Sea, and cooperation in nuclear energy will be discussed during the visit.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

SPEED TRAIN BETWEEN ANKARA AND ISTANBUL
The first step was taken for the set up of the speed train project between Ankara and Istanbul. The bids for the tender about the project will be given to the Directorate General of the State Railways till December 20. With the implementation of the speed train project the distance between Istanbul and Ankara will take four hours.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

BAKU-CEYHAN PROJECT HAS NOT FINISHED
Everything has not finished regarding the project of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline in spite of the final agreements signed in Baku, Tbilisi and Ankara last week. The firms which operate the Azerbaijani oil have not still made up their mins that the project is profitable economically.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

IMF TO BE IN TURKEY ON TUESDAY
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation will come to Ankara on October 24. IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Carlo Cottarelli will arrive in Ankara on October 28 or 29. The IMF delegation would start meeting with economy bureaucrats at the Treasury Undersecretariat on October 25.

IMF delegation will hold meetings related to the third review which had been held in Istanbul and Ankara between August 30 and September 12 but couldn't be finalized.The IMF delegation headed by Cottarelli had left Turkey before concluding the third review and decided to come back to Turkey at the end of October as the works on 2001 year budget had not been finalized yet.

The IMF delegation is expected to stay in Turkey for almost two weeks.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

TURKISH HOLDING TO MANUFACTURE POLISH TRACTORS IN TURKEY
Avantaj Holding will start to manufacture Polish tractors in Turkey. The tractors which will be manufactured completely with he Turkish labour, will also be exported. The tractors will be exported mainly to the Turkish Republics, and to the African countries. A total of ten thousand tractors will be manufactured annually.

[02] DRAFT ON APPROVAL OF SECOND ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL TO SOUTHEAST

The protocol foresees the establishment of the Military Engineering Unit and the Crisis Information Network in the Peace Keeping Force among Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Macedonia and Romania. Slovenia and the U.S. join the activities of the peace keeping force as observers.

The draft says that these new units will strengthen the peace keeping force and contribute to the improvement of the cooperation among member countries in the fields of humanitarian aid and intervention.

[03] G-20 FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING TO START ON TUESDAY

Turkish delegation includes Finance Minister Sumer Oral, Central Bank Governor Gazi Ercel, and Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp. The meeting will be chaired by Canadian Finance Minister Paul Martin.

G-7 formation aims to promote exchange of information on economic and financial issues, and to make global economy to reach stability. The G-20 formation includes Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Southern Korea, and institutions like the IMF-World Bank and European Union as well as G-7 members like Germany, Canada, the U.S., France, Italy, Japan and Britain.

G-20 brings industrialized countries and important emerging markets together, and thus promotes important international meetings and unofficial talks.

Member countries of G-7 group hold unofficial meetings since 1986, and had the opportunity to discuss important international economic problems. This brought cooperation and mutual understanding atmosphere among the political decision mechanisms of these countries.

The G-20 formation, where emerging markets were represented, was set up when a wide scale participation was seen as necessary, and ''strengthening international finance structure,'' was determined as target.

Paul Martin, Canada's Finance Minister, undertook the term Presidency of the G-20 for two years, which does not have permanent secretariat. Term presidency will rotate between the members of the G-7.

''Providing communication between the industrialized countries and emerging markets in order to strengthen international financial stability,'' tops the agenda of the G-20 meetings which bring finance ministers and central bank governors of the member countries together.

[04] MALAYSIAN LAND FORCES COMMANDER VISITS LAND FORCES COMMANDER OZKOK

Speaking after the meeting, General Ozkok said that there has been a cooperation between Turkey and Malaysia for 10 years in the military and defense industry fields.

General Ozkok, said that he is pleased to host General Dato'Seri who is currently in Turkey as his official guest, adding that ''we'll discuss issues of military cooperation and defense industry during General Dato'Seri's stay in Turkey.''

The guest general will leave Turkey on October 27.

[05] TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN MEDITERRANEAN STREET FOOD FESTIVAL

Street foods peculiar to the regions was promoted in the festival, and the locals of Cesena showed great interest to the Turkish stand.

Doner (a traditional Turkish food); borek, gozleme (traditional Turkish pastries); meatballs; halva; Turkish delight; tea; and Turkish coffee was sold in the Turkish stand.

The booklets promoting Turkey, was also distributed to the people visiting the festival.

Meanwhile, Guzin Yalin, one of the managers of Scope Inc., said that they set up the Turkey branch of the ''Mediterranean Cuisines Conservatoire'' and that they would organize a similar activity in April, in 2001.

Morocco, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Labanon, Tunisia, France, Israel, and Algeria are the members of the ''Mediterranean Cuisines Conservatoire.''

[06] ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY

Diplomatic sources said on Monday that Liel, who will officially start his post as the Undersecretary on November 1, will be received by the Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Tuesday.

Liel, who will come together with the Ninth President Suleyman Demirel on Wednesday, will also have a meeting with Kamran Inan, the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman.

Alon Liel, who will also attend a dinner that will be hosted by the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Faruk Logoglu on Wednesday evening in his honour, will leave Turkey on Thursday morning.

The Turkish officials will exchange views with Liel about the recent situation in the Middle East following the Arab League and the decision of Israel to give a break to the Middle East peace process.

[07] RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER KASYANOV SPEAKS TO A.A

Speaking to A.A correspondent, Kasyanov said they wanted more in Turkish- Russian trade-economic relations. Kasyanov pointed out that there would be a ''leap in bilateral relations'' in case they win the helicopter tender. Kasyanov said they also wanted an effective cooperation against terrorism, and noted that they were ready to take every measures to prevent the terrorists to shelter on territories of the two countries.

Kasyanov said they were in general pleased over the existing trade, economy and business relations between Turkey and Russia, and noted that they were pleased that relations in this field have a positive dynamic despite all the difficulties. Kasyanov said it was possible to call for more by considering current figures, geographical closeness, and complementary elements of the economies of the two countries.

Kasyanov invited Turkish businessmen to make more investments in Turkey, adding that time came to break the outdated ideas perceiving the other as the side purchasing and selling the traditional goods.

The Russian Minister said Turkish-Russian annual foreign trade volume was around three billion U.S. dollars, stressing that this figure partly reflected rich potential of the bilateral relations based on mutual interests. He said the calculations shows that Turkey has the facility to make important capital investments in an atmosphere where positive developments are recorded in Russian economy.

Kasyanov said it was clear that Turkish private investments have an inefficient volume in Russia, even when financial, technological, and other facilities of the Turkish holdings, working in Russian markets for a long time, is taken into consideration. He said this volume was not more than 100 million U.S. dollars.

Kasyanov said in case they get the helicopter tender of Turkey and start production of the helicopters in Turkey, this would make an strong impact in improvement of relations.

Responding to a question about helicopter tender, Kasyanov said level of high technology cooperation will be effective on level of cooperation in future relations.

Kasyanov said several branches of Turkish-Russian economies give facilities for comprehensive cooperation where high techologies would be used, and stressed that he thought dynamics and productivity of the relations in the new century would be determined with those.

Kasyanov said related Russian institutions actively joined in the helicopter tender together with their foreign partners, and noted that they considered long term necessities of Russia while joining in the tender.

Pointing out that they were still insistent that the Russian proposal was the best well prepared and appropriate one, Kasyanov said it was a helicopter which was tested in practice.

Kasyanov, in his statement, also gave the message that they were ready for an effective cooperation with Turkey against terrorism.

Pointing out that there were terrorists acting on a wide arch extending from the Balkans to the Middle East, and from Chechnya to Afganistan, Kasyanov called on Turkey that, ''we don't have any other way but active cooperation and reciprocal support against this very dangerous challenge.''

Kasyanov ended his statement saying the Russian administration and their public were sensitive toward terrorism and separatism, and expressed pleasure over the increasing mutual understanding between Moscow and Ankara to have cooperation in this respect.

Mentioning the ''Cooperation Joint Declaration in Struggle Against Terrorism,'' signed between Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in Moscow, Kasyanov said they were ready to make cooperation with Turkey's administration to take measures to prevent terrorist activities.

[08] THY SIGNS TWO NEW ''CODE SHARE'' AGREEMENTS

THY said on Monday that the agreements would be valid as of October 29, 2000.

In accordance with the agreement, the three airlines would purchase 5 seats in business class and 20 seats in economy class among each other in the Istanbul-Prague-Istanbul and Istanbul-Warsaw-Istanbul flights, it said.

[09] PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IZGI SAYS PARLIAMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS

The Advisory Council convened under the leadership of recently elected Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi at 10.05 a.m. on Monday.

Izgi told reporters that the party representatives wish to continue their sensitivity over the Armenian resolution in the new legislative term. ''Our nation had to face a situation which it did not deserve because of this resolution,'' Izgi said.

Izgi stated that they have decided to form a study group which will carry out scientific studies to respond to unfair allegations on this matter. Both Turkish and foreign historians will work in this group which will finalize their studies by April 24, 2001, he explained.

''We are very determined on this matter,'' Izgi went on to say.''The Ottomans were the victims, but those who caused the incidents are being shown as the victims. We will work to reveal historical facts. We will try to send a copy of this study to all foreign parliaments, libraries and make it accessible for everyone who like to benefit from it.''

-DE SOTO STARTS HIS CONTACTS IN CYPRUS
LEFKOSA - The U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's Cyprus Special Representative Alvaro De Soto started his contacts in Cyprus on Monday which are aiming to prepare grounds for the fifth round of proximity talks on Cyprus. De Soto first had a one hour meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides. Later, De Soto passed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and met with TRNC President Rauf Denktas.

Responding to a question prior to the meeting, Denktas told reporters that De Soto was trying to prepare grounds for the next round of talks. Denktas stressed that this stage was very important and the talks would not be good for Cyprus without the necessary preparations.

''However, the Greek Cypriots opposed to it,'' Denktas said. ''The U.N. Secretary General had proposed political equality between the two sides. He had said 'political equality, new partnership, two sides, and two equal states'. He had stated that 'no sides can represent the other'. If the Greek Cypriots openly declare that they don't agree with the U.N. Secretary General, then we would thank De Soto and the talks would be over now.''

Denktas stressed that they put forward constructive proposals during the talks but they did not get the same response from the Greek Cypriot side. He said the Greek Cypriots insist on claiming that they are the sole legal government on the island and their priority is the EU and that they want to go and rescue the northern part of the island. Taking into consideration this mentality, it should be known pretty well who is infact acting with good will, he added.

[10] NIKIFOROS-TOKSOTIS MILITARY EXERCISES

Releasing a written statement, the Foreign Ministry recalled that Greek warplanes and warships backed by heavy weapons, motorized infantry units and tanks participated in the exercises which were staged every year by Greece and Greek-Cypriot administration in the southern part of Cyprus within the framework of their ''joint doctrine''.

Stressing that the scenario of the exercises was based on attacking on the Turkish side, the statement said, ''the Greek warplanes have carried out bombardment mission in the exercises, and landed at the Baphos's Andreas Papandreou military airbase which is allocated to Greece. The implementation style of the military exercises has once more proved that the concerns about the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) were based on a good reason, and it has been considered as a development that can negatively affect peace and stability in East Mediterranean.''

The statement said that participation of the Greek warplanes which had landed at the Baphos military airbase in such a military exercise while the proximity talks process which started within framework of the U.N. Secretary General's good will mission, would not contribute to proximity talks and the efforts for continuation of peace and stability in Cyprus.

The statement stressed that Turkey was determined to continue to take necessary measures against every threat against the TRNC's security and attempts to destroy the Turkish-Greek balance on Cyprus.

[11] PROF. KUDEN: ''ISRAEL HAS THE TECHNOLOGY AND TURKEY HAS

Cukurova Region Agricultural Cooperation Opportunities Programme which is a joint effort of ATO, Adana Chamber of Commerce (ASO), Adana Trade Bourse (ATB), Israel's Istanbul Consulate and Cine Agriculture Industry and Trade Corp. was discussed at a meeting in Adana's Seyhan Hotel.

Kamisli said Turkey's export to Israel reached 355 million U.S. dollars and its import was 287 million U.S. dollars in 1997. ''Although almost half of Israeli land is desert and it has limited natural sources, Israel is a leading country in agriculture due to its focus on research and development activities,'' he said.

Trade with Israel constitutes an important part of Cukurova region's commercial activities, he said and stressed that Cukurova has all the potential to increase this cooperation.

Israeli Trade Attachee Avichai Levit who also spoke at the meeting said trade relations between the two countries grew by 20 percent in 1999. ''I believe that it will grow further,'' he added.

''There is a two hours flying distance between our countries. This means goods can be delivered to the buyer within 48 hours. The free trade agreement also played an important role in the development of relations. We should take good advantage of this situation.''

Prof. Ayvin Kuden said Israel, despite its limited natural resources and scarce water, managed to realize a big development in agriculture. ''Israel has the technology and Turkey has the favourable conditions for agriculture. We should use them together,'' Kuden said.

Israel Export Institute International Projects and Agriculture Technology Marketing Department Director Yitshak Kiriati said only 20 percent of Israeli land was favourable for agriculture and the rest was rocky areas and deserts. Kiriati said the secret for their success is technology and he briefed the participants on technological developments in agriculture in his country.

[12] TREASURY RAISES 223 TRILLION TURKISH LIRA THROUGH AUCTION

The net sale became 228 trillion TL while the total bid had been 571.1 trillion TL.

The value date of bonds is October 25, 2000 and the maturity is January 24, 2001.

The annual simple interest rate became 35.77 percent and the annual composite interest rate became 40.85 percent.

The minimum simple interest rate became 35.07 percent and maximum simple interest rate became 36.50 percent.

The minimum composite interest rate became 39.95 percent and maximum composite interest rate became 41.81 percent.

Meanwhile, Treasury will hold another auction on Tuesday, October 24 to sell 41-month (413-day) debenture bonds.

Treasury foresees to make a net sale between 400-500 trillion TL. The value date on these debenture bonds is October 25, 2000 and the maturity is December 12, 2001.

Meanwhile, Treasury will repay 1 quadrillion 521 trillion 414 billion TL in October.

[13] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS:

Following his meeting with Alvaro De Soto, the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy to Cyprus, Denktas told reporters that the visit that the Greek and Greek Cypriot officials paid to this base prior to De Soto's visit to Cyprus was intentional.

Denktas said that De Soto and he exchanged views during the meeting and that he informed De Soto about the behaviours of the Greek and Greek Cypriots in the last days.

Expressing views on the allegations about the locking of the Greek Cypriot missiles on Turkish planes, Denktas said, ''especially their locking on the Turkish planes by the radars is directly an invitation for a big disaster. We hope Greece will make the necessary warning to them and they will not make such a madness. If the Greek Cypriots really get prepared for such a disaster, if they wish it, they should frankly tell it and we should learn about it.''

Denktas continued, ''if they wish a compromise like we do, they should become sane. If they think that they can resist to Turkey by looking at their weapons and if they are getting prepared for this, I think they have gone too far. We expressed all these to De Soto. We think he will use this information in the required way.''

Responding to a question, Denktas said that the visit that Greek Defense Minister Akis Tzohatsopoulos and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides paid to Baphos base was intentional.

Denktas said, ''the Cyprus question cannot be solved for 37 years because they (the Greek Cypriots) live in an atmosphere in which they are considered as the 'republic of Cyprus.' They are flying high by inhaling this air. But, like a balloon, if they fly higher, it will be dangerous for themselves.''

Underlining that the Cyprus question can be settled if the Greek Cypriot administration accepts that it is not the government of Turkish Cypriots, Denktas said, ''they should accept it rapidly. They should also accept that they will not be our government in the future. They should accept that our state will exist.''

De Soto said that he is listening to the sides and that he will release a press conference following his contacts.

[14] TEMPORARY CENSUS RESULTS SHOW ANKARA'S POPULATION AS 4,018,278

Among Ankara's 24 provinces, Cankaya topped the list with 766,684 inhabitants and it was followed by Kecioren which has a population of 672, 396. Yenimahalle is the third crowdest province with 553,263 residents.

Ankara's population was announced as 3,693,390 after the 1997 census. This shows an increase of 324,888 people in the capital's population in three years.

[15] ECEVIT AND KASYANOV AGREE ON PARTNERSHIP, INSTEAD OF COMPETITION,

After the meetings between Turkish and Russian delegations which were held at the Prime Ministry, Ecevit and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Kasyanov held a press conference.

Noting that the economic crisis negatively affected the economic and commercial relations between the two countries, Ecevit said there would be an economic revival as the crisis is now over. He said the Joint Economy Commission's (JEC) protocol agreement which will be signed is another pleasing development.

Ecevit also praised the earthquake aid the Russian Federation sent to Turkey last year after the disaster. ''The Blue Stream project which we agreed on is another very important project,'' he said and noted that Kasyanov would visit the Blue Stream construction site in Samsun on Tuesday.

Kasyanov also said his country regards Turkey, not as a competitor, but as a partner. Stating that they attach great importance to the Blue Stream project, Kasyanov said they are aiming to start the first natural gas transfer in the fall of 2001.

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