Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-11-06

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

6 NOVEMBER 2000 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] NATIONAL TURKISH SUPPORT UNIT

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

TULU GUMUSTEKIN TO GUIDE TURKEY TO THE EU
The Accession Partnership Document which will list the conditions necessary for Turkey's full EU membership will be announced this Wednesday. A new era will start for the Turkish business world after the announcement of this document. The Turkish world will have to work very hard to benefit from the EU and predict the economic losses it might face in advance. Therefore, there will be a bigger need for organizations which will inform the Turkish world regularly about the developments in the EU. Tulu Gumustekin is a lawyer specialized in EU and the United States and she has been living in Brussels for about ten years. She founded CPS Advisory Group righter after the Helskinki Summit which will meet this need. CPS is currently the only international public communication company which will work for Turkey. Gumustekin said ''Turkey needs at least 25 other companies like CPS'' on its way to the EU.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

NAIL KECILI PUT IN PRISON
Nail Kecili, the owner of Cenajans Grey Advertising Company was arrested by the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) Alternating Judge on Sunday. As a part of the operation against corruption, which is publicly known as the ''Kasirga Operation'', Kecili was interrogated by Ankara DGM Republic Prosecutor Nuh Mete Yuksel. Kecili's six friends who were taken into custody together with him were released the same day.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

ERGIN BROTHERS TO BE SENT TO DIFFERENT PRISONS WITHIN EVERY THREE MONTHS
Nuri and Vedat Ergin brothers will be sent to different prisons within every three months in order to prevent them to get the control of the prisons. Meanwhile, the number of civilian security officials have been increased in the Odemis and Bergama prisons to prevent the bloody incidents in the prisons.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

BAHCELI ELECTED AS MHP LEADER ONE MORE TIME
The Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) Sixth Great Congress was held at Ankara's Ataturk Sports Hall on Sunday. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli got 1,283 of the 1,301 votes and became the party leader again. Former Central Decision Council member Serafettin Toperi who harshly criticized Bahceli could not get any votes. Toperi said his press advisor who had his application, was blindfolded and kidnapped to prevent his participation in the elections.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ADDITIONAL WAGE INCREASE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS ON THE WAY
According to the Budget Law, if the wage increase given to civil servants remains below the inflation rate, civil servants will be paid that difference. According to this civil servants should be getting 5 to 5.7 percent of wage increase.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

WE DIDN'T CHANGE, BUT WE DEVELOPED
Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) was re- elected as the party leader yesterday. Noting that his party didn't change, but developed itself, Bahceli said that his party supported Turkey's candidacy to the European Union, but said Europe had to abandon its biased approach to the Turkish-Greek disputes in the Aegean and Cyprus. Bahceli added that MHP takes seriously the full membership of the Turkey to the European Union (EU).

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

''We must be able to realize a radical transformation and prevent all forms of underdevelopment in the country as this is a historical and national mission for us. Today we sign a new contract with the new century and declare that the Turkish nation will have contributions to this new age,'' said Bahceli after being re-elected as the MHP leader.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

MASTER STUDENT SULE KILICARSLAN CONTRIBUTES TO BAKU-CEYHAN
Master Student Sule Kilicarslan had a significant contribution to the realization of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline with the CD she prepared a year ago emphasizing the importance of straits and threats posed by the tankers. Kilicarslan who was among the ten successful young Turkish people selected by the Young Entrepreneurs Association, represented our country in the best way with her CD.

U.S. President Bill Clinton and other high level U.S. authorities were also given a copy of the CD.

[02] NATIONAL TURKISH SUPPORT UNIT

KFOR Commander General Zenne Smith opened the unit.

Speaking in the opening ceremony, Turkish Colonel Ender Cinar said that they planned to open the centre on the National Day of Turkey on October 29; however, it was delayed because of the elections in Kosovo.

The unit will serve as a communications centre for the Turkish military personnel working in Kosovo.

-GAP EXPORTS TEXTILE PRODUCTS WORTH OF 119,629,000 U.S. DOLLARS
SINCE BEGINNING OF YEAR
GAZIANTEP - South East Anatolia (GAP) region exported textile products worth of 119,629,000 U.S. dollars in the first nine months of the year with an increase of 42.3 percent compared to the same period of last year.

Last year's export income was 84,120,000 U.S. dollars. Last year, the share of textile products in the whole export income was 20.9 percent. This share increased to 29.6 percent this year.

Machine woven rugs, cotton, synthetic and knit fabrics, and towels constituted the main items of this year's textile export.

Turkey exported textile to Kazakhstan, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Italy, Belgium, Greece, France, Algeria, the United States, Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan, Germany, Portugal, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Sweden and Australia.

-300 YEARS OLD SKULL CARRIES TRACES OF BRAIN SURGERY
KAYSERI - Archaeologists saw the traces of two brain surgeries practiced on a 300 years old skull excavated in Kalehoyuk in Kaman township of central Kýrsehir province.

Dr. Sachihiro Omura, the Japanese archaelogist who is the head of the team, said on Monday that the excavations, which are carried out in Kalehoyuk for 15 years, revealed the traces of the Ottoman Empire times, Iron Age and the Bronze Age.

One of the interesting things excavated was a woman skull and they determined that a brain surgery was practiced on it 300 years ago.

Dr. Omura said that the brain surgery was repeated as the first one was not successful and as medicine was not developed three centuries ago.

A total of 50 skeletons were excavated in a house where Assyrians lived in the 18 century B.C., he said adding that they also found knives in the house proving that a great massacre was committed there thousand years ago.

Dr. Omura added that they found the bones of a lion, deers and small horses belonging to 13 and 14 century B.C., noting that these showed that that Anatolia was a great forest 3,000-3,500 years ago.

-EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK AND TURKEY SIGN CREDIT AGREEMENT
ANKARA - The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Turkey signed on Monday a credit agreement.

The Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp and the Deputy Chairman of the EIB Ewald Nowotny signed the agreement in a ceremony which was close to the press as the talks with IMF continue in the Treasury Undersecretariat.

The signed credit agreement is on the 150 million EUROs part of the 600 million EUROs of credit that will be extended to Turkey by EIB to overcome the damages of the two major earthquakes that occured in Turkey last year.

EIB had promised to give a credit worth of 600 million EUROs to Turkey to finance part of the Marmara Quake Urgent Aid and Reconstruction Project in line with the decision of the European Union.

The credit will be used for the rehabilitation of municipality infrastructures in Izmit, Sakarya, Yalova and Bolu provinces, the railway lines, highways, buildings and micro enterprises which were damaged by the earthquakes.

-U.S. AMBASSADOR PEARSON ASSURES TURKEY THAT NEXT
U.S. PRESIDENT WILL BE AWARE OF TURKEY'S IMPORTANCE
ANKARA - U.S. Ambassador in Ankara, Robert Pearson said the next U.S. president would also be aware of Turkey's strategic importance, like President Bill Clinton, when he spoke at a panel meeting, ''200 Years of Turkey-U.S. Relations'' at the Ankara University on Monday.

Pearson reminded his audience that Clinton had indicated that Turkey would play a critical role in shaping the 21st century. He remarked that he was positive that presidential candidates George Bush and Al Gore were also aware of this fact. ''The elected president would keep giving importance to Turkey,'' he said.

The first diplomatic relations started between Turkey and the United States in 1830 and relations advanced after the World War II, Pearson stated.

Drawing attention to Turkey's role in the NATO, the U.S. Ambassador said Turkey was very important for his country. He explained that Turkish-U.S. relations should not be limited in solely security and trade matters and pointed out that relations in several other fields including education and tourism were rapidly advancing.

Some people believed that certain countries were relatively less important than others when the Cold War was over, Pearson said. The incidents witnessed after the Cold War proved how wrong it was to include Turkey in that group of contries, he remarked.

Pointing to the Accession Partnership Accord which will be announced on Wednesday, the U.S. Ambassador said Turkey's path leading to the EU would be tough but he stressed that he believed Turkey was capable of overcoming obstacles.

Turkish-U.S. relations have a history of 200 years, Pearson said and indicated that this was constituting a strong foundation for relations. This is strong enough to deal with temporary difficulties, he said.

200 Years of Turkey-U.S. Relations panel meeting will last for three days and it will be participated by academicians.

-ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD TO BE ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY (1)
BRUSSELS - The Accession Partnership Accord which will define Turkey's full EU membership strategy will be announced on Nov. 8, Wednesday.

On the same day, the Commission which is the executive organ of the European Union (EU), will also present Brussel's Partnership Progress Report for 13 other candidates.

The Accession Partnership Accord is defined as the road map drawn for Turkey by the EU unilaterally. The Accord constitutes ''a critical turn of a long road'' after the Ankara Treaty in 1963, the Customs Union Agreement in 1995 and finally the Helsinki Summit in 1999.

The accord reminds candidate countries about the political, economic and institutional adjustment conditions that are necessary to join the EU. Through this document, the candidate countries will be expected to make commitments to fulfill these conditions by making a list of priorities and scheduling a calender for these activities.

The approval of the document by the EU Council will mean the beginning of the full membership process. The document will specify the target and the stages Turkey has to go through.

Besides Turkey's positive steps and achievements on its way to the EU, its delays, deviations and ambiguities will also be openly displayed to European and world public opinion and these matters will be debated.

The Turkish government is expected to state its position towards the Accord and prepare a National Adjustment Programme by the end of 2000 or beginning of next year.

-ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD TO BE ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY (2)
BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) Commission will state the deficiencies of Turkey from political, economic and institutional aspects on the way to the European Union (EU) full membership by announcing the Accession Partnership Accord on Wednesday.

The Commission will also remind the full membership criteria and express its expectations.

The paragraphs of the document related to the political, economic and institutional fields have to be evaluated differently. The political expectations from Turkey should be responded beforehand by Turkey to start the full membership negotiations with the EU. The deficiences in the fields of economic and institutional fields can be overcome partially when the negotiations start.

A foreword will be published in the document in which the Copenhagen criteria will be reminded and the expectations about the Cyprus issue will be expressed. Greece is uneasy by the fact that the Cyprus issue will most probably be included in the foreward, rather than the part of ''short and medium term expectations.''

Following the foreword which will also stress the importance of the strengthened political dialogue with Turkey, the short and medium term expectations and proposals will be underlined.

The Turkish-Greek relations and the Cyprus issue will direct the document just like the document adopted after the Helsinki summit.

Greece put pressure on the Commission asking it to take its views in the part of ''short and medium term expectations.'' The Turkish side gave the message that the transformation of the Greek views on Cyprus and Aegean issues into a precondition will be considered as an ''end that comes with the beginning.''

The document which will be announced on Wednesday, reflects an image which seems not to satisfy Greece. In such a case, Greece can issue a statement the same day.

Foreign sources in Brussels said that the document will be submitted to the approval of the EU Council either on November 20 or on December 5. They also tell that the attitude of Greece has to be closely monitored in the approval stage.

The EU Commission will remind Articles 4 and 9 of the Final Document of the Helsinki Summit dated December 1999 in the foreword and stress the importance of these articles.

The Article 4 of this document notes that the 13 candidate countries will participate in the enlargement process of the EU in equal conditions and they are obliged to share the same values and targets. It also calls the candidate countries to do everything to solve the possible border conflicts and problems in peaceful way. If this is not the case, it proposes the sides to apply to the International Court of Justice in the Hague in an appropriate time period and it gives time until the year 2004.

After stressing the open support extended to the efforts of the U.N. Secretary General for the peaceful solution of the Cyprus issue, the ninth article of the document states that a political solution will ease the EU membership of Cyprus to the EU, adding yet this won't be a precondition.

The views of Greece, which wishes more steps to be taken in the issues of Aegean and Cyprus than the steps taken in Helsinki and which wishes these factors to be reflected as a precondition, have not been taken into consideration as the EU thought that the dialogue with Turkey should not be put under risk and Turkey wouldn't accept that.

The EU Commission resisted the insistent initiatives and pressure of Greece and noted that the Helsinki mentality has to be protected and the good relations with Turkey will lead to a beneficial atmosphere for both sides.

-ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD TO BE ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY (3)
BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) Commission assumes an easy approach towards the political issues in the Accession Partnership Accord and benefits from the comments that are reflected from some authorities and that are made by non-governmental organizations and press organs.

The democratic reforms constitute the focal point of the Accession Partnership Accord. The ''short and medium term measures'' chapter of the Accord has vital importance.

This part handles the legal and constitutional amendment proposals regarding the human rights and basic freedoms within framework of continual development principle, and stresses on individual rights.

Sources said that when preparing the document, the EU Commission did not ignore Turkey's sensitivity and was fastidious not to open doors to separatist supporters when mentioning reforms, adding that the document assumes an attitude which is respectful to the Constitution and the Republic.

The document also includes some statements regarding ''cultural rights'' which can lead to several comments. It is seen that the EU Commission sometimes refers to Turkey's laws and Constitution in the document. The Article 10 of the Constitution is one of these references.

This article which is titled ''Equality In Front of Law'' says that ''everybody is equal in front of laws without making discrimination in respect of language, race, colour, sex, political thought, philosophical belief, religion, sect and etc. Nobody, no family, no group or no class can be privileged. The state organs and administrative branches should behave in accordance with the principle of equality in front of laws in all their practices.''

The document also benefits from the articles and definitions of the Council of Europe (COE), of which Turkey is a member.

The Accession Partnership Accord includes sentences regarding the capital punishment and requests the continuation of the moratorium regarding not execution of capital punishment in Turkey.

The document also requests Turkey to be a side to the protocol 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights which bans the capital punishment.

The document also emphasizes the ''importance of taking care of the balance between regions'' under another chapter. The EU, which requests that the imbalance in economic development of regions should be overcome, refers to the development of economic, cultural and social rights.

It is observed that the EU Commission paid attention to complying these statements with the decisions and official discourses made by the Ankara government.

-PREMIER ECEVIT:
-''WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD GOOD RELATIONS WITH CROATIA BUT
OUR ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL RELATIONS ARE NOT STRONG''
ANKARA - Premier Bulent Ecevit said on Monday that Turkey has always had good relations with Croatia but that the economic and commercial relations between the two countries are not strong.

Ecevit met with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan.

Following their meeting, the two prime ministers staged a joint press statement.

Ecevit said that the two governments are determined to improve the economic and commercial relations.

The Croatian government headed by Racan has fulfilled successful works in a short time, Ecevit noted.

Ecevit stated that while Croatia has taken significant steps in democratization during the rule of this government, it has also started to take giant leap forward in economy.

Ecevit continued, ''especially after the change of regime in Yugoslavia, we have entered into an important phase in the Balkans. Racan gave us important information about the possible developments in the region.''

When asked a question saying, ''you have mentioned changes in Yugoslavia. Have you reached an agreement on the inclusion of Yugoslavia to the Southeastern Europe Stability Pact?'' Ecevit said, ''I agree with the things that Racan said regarding Yugoslavia. I share both his concerns and hopes. I hope Kostunica will take serious steps to unite Yugoslavia with the civilized world again.''

Ecevit added, ''one of the forthcoming conditions for this is Yugoslavia's absolutely ending the ethnic discrimination. Another condition is Yugoslavia's behaving respectfully to all the countries in the region.''

-ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD TO BE ANNOUNCED ON WEDNESDAY (4)
BRUSSELS - The European Union (EU) Commission wants Turkish government to maintain its economic stability package, and supports the package by describing it as an appropriate and right step.

The Accession Partnership Accord which will be announced on Wednesday, includes chapters on domestic market.

These chapters focus on elements such as continuation and development of policy regarding the Customs Union and strengthening of the order.

The EU underlines importance of adjustment works in the fields such as agriculture and fishery, on the sectoral basis.

Having regard to regulations, the Accession Partnership Accord includes general proposals regarded with strengthening administrative and judicial capacity.

The EU Commission did not refer to the issue of EU's financial commitments stemming especially from the Customs Union. This was commented as a negative factor in regard to the Accord's credit.

The Accession Partnership Accord whose content on financial aid is ''insufficient'', reflects the EU's ''weak and imperfect policy'' in this field.

Although it was said, ''it was known that the accession strategy entails an appropriate financial cooperation,'' concrete expressions regarding financial cooperation and the EU's commitments, do not take place in the Accord.

The EU commission sources said that the ''Frame Regulations'' which would form the legal ground for financial cooperation, was submitted to the European Parliament for approval.

Noting that the European Parliament was expected to approve the Frame Regulations in January, 2001, the sources added that Greece's attitude and its right to veto were considered as important factors.

Within framework of its commitments to Turkey, the EU was envisaged to provide financial support of more than 1 billion U.S. dollars.

The sources said that Turkey could benefit from loan budget of 8.5 billion U.S. dollars which was allocated to support candidate countries, adding that Greece's approval was necessary within structure of the European Investment Bank.

Following announcement of the Accession Partnership Accord, various and partial comments can be made.

Meanwhile, lobby activities pioneered by some German Christian Democrats who wanted Turkey to step back from EU membership, are continuing.

Ankara will make a realistic and coolheaded evaluation of the Accession Partnership Accord.

Turkish officials are expected to explain their first evaluation to the press and the public opinion the same day.

The EU Commission will also announce annual ''Accession Progress Report'' for each of 13 candidate countries.

The EU Commission's real approach to Turkey will be reflected in this report.

Sources noted that if the Accession Progress Report put forward different expressions and approaches than the ones in the Accession Partnership Accord,

''serious problems'' could emerge.

They added that terminology should be same and coherent.

All candidate countries wonder about the Accession Progress Reports.

Except for Turkey, all countries which has started full membership negotiations, hope to find a sign about progress and date within framework of this document.

-TURKEY-BULGARIA
-DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ:
-''OUR COUNTRIES WHICH ARE CANDIDATE TO EU, SHOULD CONTINUE
TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE FULL MEMBERSHIP PROCESS''
ANKARA - Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Monday that the countries which are candidate to the European Union (EU) should continue to support each other in the full membership process.

The Turkey-Bulgaria Economic and Technical Cooperation Joint Committee 14th Term Meeting started in Ankara.

Yilmaz is heading the Turkish delegation while Evgeni Tchatchev, the Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister, is heading the Bulgarian delegation.

Addressing the opening remarks, Yilmaz said that Turkey was announced as a candidate country to the EU by a resolution taken at the Helsinki Summit.

Yilmaz noted that Bulgaria is one of the transit countries through which natural gas is transferred from Russian Federation to Turkey.

To this end, the finalization of investments in Bulgaria on time carries importance for providing the additional natural gas from Russia on time and with convenient pressure, Yilmaz stated.

Yilmaz added that within this framework, they think that the improvement of cooperation between the concerned institutions of the two countries in modernization of pipeline in Bulgaria and utilization of natural gas underground depots, will be beneficial.

-CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER RACAN SAYS GOOD POLITICAL
RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND CROATIA SHOULD BE
SUPPORTED BY ECONOMIC RELATIONS
ANKARA - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said on Monday that the good political relations between Turkey and Croatia should be supported by good economic relations.

Racan and Premier Bulent Ecevit staged a press statement following their meeting.

Racan said that they will never forget Turkey's support against the attacks towards Croatia.

They agreed to improve the economic and commercial relations during their contacts, Racan noted.

Racan stated that the two countries have geostrategic importance in their region.

Croatian President Stepan Mesic will visit Turkey soon, Racan said, adding that they will be pleased to see Ecevit in Zagreb.

Responding to a question on the re-integration of Yugoslavia to the international community following the change of rule, Racan said that Croatia is in favour of cooperation with all the regional countries.

Racan noted that Croatia's policy is to say yes to regional cooperation but no to regional destiny.

Racan added that Croatia supports the democratic change in Yugoslavia.

-BHADRAKUMAR, INDIAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, IN SAMSUN:
-''WE WANT TO FURTHER IMPROVE ECONOMIC
RELATIONS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES''
SAMSUN - M.K. Bhadrakumar, the Indian Ambassador to Turkey, said on Monday that they wanted to futher improve economic relations between Turkey and India.

Bhadrakumar visited Muammer Guler, the Governor of northeastern Samsun province.

Stressing that there were historical ties between Turkish and Indian peoples, Bahadrakumar underlined similarities between Mahatma Gandi and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Noting that an important progress had been recorded in bilateral relations in recent years, Bahadrakumar said that they wanted to further improve economic and cultural relations between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Governor Muammer Guler expressed his pleasure with hosting Bahadrakumar in Samsun.

Guler added that Bahadrakumar's visit would make a valuable contribution to relations between the two countries.

-EU SECRETARY GENERAL VURAL:
-''WE ARE MAKING A HISTORICAL MARCH NOW. A MARCH
FROM WHICH WE CANNOT TURN BACK''
ISTANBUL - Volkan Vural, the European Union (EU) Secretary General, said on Monday that Turkey is making a historical march now, a march from which it cannot return back.

Speaking in the meeting titled ''EU Communication Platform'' held by the Advertisement Foundation, Advertisement Association, and Hurriyet daily, Vural said that Turkey cannot give up and that it should continue to change itself.

Vural noted that the EU Commission will submit Turkey its Accession Partnership Accord 48 hours later.

''This document is a road map for Turkey regarding the full membership and the start of required negotiations for the full membership,'' Vural said.

Stating that the accord was prepared by the EU Commission, Vural said, ''with this document, the Commission will make evaluations about the present situation in respect of the Copenhagen criteria which are required to be fulfilled by Turkey to become a full member of the union. The Commission will put forward the things which it requests Turkey to priorily fulfil in respect of political criteria, economic criteria and adjustment to regulations, in the short and medium term.''

Vural noted that Turkish government will make evaluations regarding the document after it receives it.

They will prepare a national program after they receive the document, Vural stated.

Vural said that the program will include the measures that will be taken regarding the Copenhagen political and economic criteria, and adjustments to regulations.

Noting that Turkey has 50 years of official relations with the EU, Vural said that but that Turkey's relations with Europe go back to centuries ago.

Vural said that there are specific threats inside and outside against Turkey's democracy and that Turkey's democracy should not be underestimated, adding that Turkey is a country which adjusts democracy with Islam.

What should be done is to get prepared to the EU membership, Vural stressed.

Vural noted that the surveys indicate that 70 percent of the Turkish people desire EU full membership and that this tendency is also valid for the political parties.

Turkey should work to enter into mind and hearts of the EU public opinion, Vural said.

Vural continued, ''if the EU wants to become a world power and if it wants to compete with the U.S., it should have a strategic depth. This depth can be possible with a country like Turkey. But, they do not know the importance that Turkey has for the EU. We should persuade them that our membership will contribute to the EU's welfare.''

He is optimistic that Turkey will fulfil the Copenhagen criteria, Vural noted.

Vural added, ''I think our membership will become real within an appropriate time. I think the objections of the EU will decrease if we fulfil the requirements.''

-FINANCE MINISTER ORAL: ''GIVING TAX FACILITIES TO BANK
MARRIAGES WILL COME ONTO THE AGENDA IN COMING DAYS''
ANKARA - Finance Minister Sumer Oral said on Monday that tax facilities for bank marriages would be discussed by the government and arrangements with this objective would come to the agenda in coming days.

The Finance Minister rewarded primary school teachers and students who won the competitions held within scope of the ''2000 Year Tax Week'' celebrations.

After the award ceremony, Oral answered questions of journalists.

Responding to a question, Oral said, ''the more powerful banking system, the more powerful economy you have. After the works carried out in coordination with the Banking Arrangement and Supervision Board, tax recovery may come onto the agenda for the bank marriages in specific time frames.''

Responding to criticisims about the talks with the IMF delegation which were closed to press, Oral said that they did not give up the principle of transparency.

When asked whether or not the IMF had asked Turkey to take supplementary measures about 2001 year budget revenues, Oral said, ''Turkey has prepeared a budget appropriate to its principles. The expenditure and income figures of this budget are clear.''

Responding to another question, Oral said that the persons who evaded tax would be publicly announced in coming days.

Stressing that the principle of increase in civil servants' salaries more than inflation rate was still valid, Oral said that they would do what was necessary when increase in consumer prices exceeded increase in civil servants' salaries.

Stating that a sound tax structure was very important for the future of the country, Oral said that the taxes which were collected fairly should be spended on proper places.

When asked how the IMF had assessed the 2001 budget, Oral said, ''how we assess it is more important. The 2001 year budget is based on the second year of the three-year economic program and it has been prepared in accordance with the program targets. It is a budget appropriate to the facts in Turkey.''

Oral said that they thought that the 2001 year draft budget would be presented to the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission through the weekend.

-TURKEY-BULGARIA (2)
-DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ:
-''TURKEY HAS FULFILLED ITS COMMITMENTS WITHIN FRAMEWORK
OF ELECTRICITY AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES''
ANKARA - Mesut Yilmaz, the Deputy Prime Minister and State Minister, said on Monday, ''electricity energy forms an important dimension of relations between Turkey and Bulgaria. Turkey has fulfilled all its commitments within framework of the Cooperation Agreement and Protocol in fields of energy and infrastructure signed between the two countries. I believe that Bulgarian side would also provide the necessary facilities.''

The 14th term meeting of Turkish-Bulgarian Economic and Technical Cooperation Joint Commission started on Monday in Ankara.

While Deputy Prime Minister Yilmaz is heading the Turkish delegation at the meeting, Evgeni Tchatchev, the Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister, is leading the Bulgarian delegation.

Addressing the meeting, Yilmaz said, ''Turkey has given priority to further improvement of economic and commercial relations with Bulgaria on the basis of mutual interest. Improvement of these relations will also make an important contribution to efforts to strengthen cooperation among regional countries.''

Recalling that Turkey started a comprehensive reconstruction process in parrallel to the devolopments in economic situation 1980s, Yilmaz said that Turkey's share in foreign markets had increased considerably since then.

He said, ''Turkey's economy shrank 6.4 percent due to Asian, Russian and Latin American crisis in 1997 and last year's earthquake disaster which devastated Turkey's industrial heartland.''

Yilmaz underlined importance of deepening current commercial and economic relations between Turkey and Bulgaria.

He added, ''Free Trade Agreement which was signed between Turkey and Bulgaria in 1999, is a turning point in liberalization of bilateral trade.

Settlement of free trade area within the framework of an agreement reached among Turkish, Bulgarian and Romanian presidents in 1999, will make an important contribution to further improvement of economic and commercial relations among these three countries.''

''Trade volume between Turkey and Bulgaria was 297 million U.S. dollars in 1992. This figure increased to 581 million U.S. dollars in 1998. In 1999, trade volume decreased to 529 million U.S. dollars. In January-June 2000 period, the trade volume increased 29 percent to 319 million U.S. dollars, '' he said.

He said, ''West-East Corridor Highway Project is the most important project in the field of transportation. This project will connect Balkan countries to each other. It will form convenient infrastructure for further improvement of relations among these countries.''

Yilmaz underlined importance of setting up a joint customs point between Turkey and Bulgaria.

He stressed that Lesova-Hamzabeyli border gate should be opened as soon as possible.

Yilmaz emphasized that Turkey was ready to expend efforts to develop cooperation with Bulgaria in other fields.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian Regional Development and Public Works Minister Evgeni Tchatchev said in his part that trade volume between Turkey and Bulgaria was far away from the desired level.

He said that Turkey was ranked fourth in Bulgaria's export, and eighth in its import.

-ENERGY MINISTER ERSUMER: ''I THINK WE CAN PASS THE WINTER
WITHOUT A SCHEDULED POWER OUTAGE IN
CASE OF FAVORABLE CONDITIONS''
ISTANBUL - Energy and Natural Resources Minister Cumhur Ersumer said on Monday that they were trying to increase the amount of electricity they imported.

''I think that we can pass the winter without a scheduled power outage if we do not face very serious problems in transfer of natural gas and extraordinary changes in weather conditions,'' he said.

Ersumer staged a press conference following the meeting organized together by the Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) and the Association of Norwegian Industrialists and Businessmen (NHO) and answered questions of journalists.

Ersumer said that together with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, there were almost ten projects for transportation of Caspian basin oil to the Western markets.

''Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is the most advanced project among these projects. It can be possible to give up other projects but it seems today that it is impossible to give up the Baku-Ceyhan project,'' Ersumer said.

Responding to a question about the memorandum of understanding signed in Norway, Ersumer said that seven articles had been set for development of cooperation opportunities and that the Findikli-Arhavi hydroelectric dam project which had been developed by the State Water Works (DSI) was one of those articles.

Ersumer said that the Norwegian companies had told them that they would be pleased with the energy investments like build-operate-transfer, build- transfer and transfer of operation right.

Ersumer stressed that the Norwegian government and the Norwegian oil company Statoil extended great support to the Baku-Ceyhan project.

Responding to a question, Ersumer said, ''while we are trying to increase the amount of electricity that we import, we are holding international tenders for mobile power plants.''

''I think that we can pass the winter without a scheduled power outage if we do not face very serious problems in transfer of natural gas and extraordinary changes in weather conditions,'' he said.

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