Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-11-10

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

10 NOVEMBER 2000 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

SALES IN AUTOMATIVE INDUSTRY SET RECORDS
The total production in the automative industry increased 54.1 percent, and the automobile manufacture increased 47.6 percent in the first ten months of 2000. The automative sales, which had reached its peak point in 1993 with the sale of 340 thousand 772 automobiles, set a new record and reached to 384 thousand 824 automobiles in 2000.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

CEM SAYS ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP DOCUMENT IS GENERALLY POSITIVE
Foreign Minister Cem said he felt the EU roadmap, which is the Accession Partnership Document was ''generally positive'' apart from references it made to United Nations efforts to resolve the division of Cyprus. ''The government will attach importance to improving individual rights and freedoms in the framework of the constitution,'' Cem said in Strasbourg, where he was attending Council of Europe (COE) meetings. Cem added that ''the part on Cyprus is not a goal as some people say, but it is an offside and thus it is invalid for us.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

SABANCI DECIDES TO SET UP A JOINT GLOBAL COMPANY WITH DUPONT
Sabanci Holding decided to set up a joint venture with DuPont, a leading chemicals company in the world. The joint venture which will be set up in the Netherlands will produce industrial nylon yarn and cord fabric. The capital of the company will be 300 million U.S. dollars.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

PROPOSAL OF COMMON STATE
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan proposed yesterday the establishment of a common state to Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides during the fifth round of the proximity talks held in Geneva. The non-paper which is not binding, does not refer to federation and confederation.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

KUTAN: SOUTHERN CYPRUS CAN JOIN EU
Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP) wants Turkey to start its full membership negotiations with the European Union (EU) without wasting time. ''If this is not the case, the Southern Cyprus can join the EU soon and our interlocutors will not only be the southern Cyprus and Greece, but the EU will also intervene in the question,'' he claimed.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

CRITICAL PERIOD WITH FRANCE
Following the adoption of the resolution on the socalled genocide on Armenians by the French senate, France faces the risk of being excluded from the investment projects and tenders put out by Turkey. The amount of the projects in Turkey which interest France is more than 20 billion dollars and the 6 billion dollar of that is in energy sector.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

LEADERS ACCEPT AMNESTY
The leaders of the coalition government took up the issue of amnesty after the Council of Ministers meeting yesterday. An agreement was reached at the leaders summit about the scope of the amnesty law. The gangs will be kept outside the amnesty while a solution will be searched to prevent the imprisonment of Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP).

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

FOGG REPRESENTATIVE OF EU COMISSION IN TURKEY SAYS CYPRUS
SHOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED AS A PREREQUISITE FOR MEMBERSHIP
Karen Fogg, the representative of the European Union Commission in Ankara who staged a press conference on Thursday said that Cyprus issue which was mentioned in the Accession Partnership Accord, should be considered as a priority, not a precondition. Fogg also noted that the accord aims at supporting the candidate country for planning.

-STATE CEREMONY HELD IN MAUSOLEUM ON 62ND ANNIVERSARY OF GREAT
LEADER ATATURK'S DEMISE
ANKARA - A ceremony was held on Friday in the Mausoleum of great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of secular and modern Republic, who died 62 years ago.

State officials headed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer visited the Mausoleum and paid respect there.

Signing the special book of the Mausoleum, Sezer said that ''we work and launch efforts to reach the modern civilization and prosperity level.''

''We will reach Your Target of civilization by respecting the supremacy of law, overcoming the deficiences in the human rights and democratization,'' wrote Sezer in the Special Book of the Mausoleum.

The ceremony in the Mausoleum started at 08.50 local time. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Pariament Speaker Omer Izgi, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Land Forces Commander General Hilmi Ozkok, Constitutional Court Acting Chairman Hasim Kılıc, the Acting Chairman of the Supreme Court of Appeals Ismet Arslan, the Acting Chairman of the Council of State Dalova Sancar, the cabinet members, leaders of opposition parties and other officials participated in the state ceremony.

After the state ceremony, thousands of citizens who waited in front of the Mausoleum's door during the ceremony, started to visit the Mausoleum.

A ceremony was held in the parliament, and Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul where Ataturk died, and other ceremonies are being held throughout Turkey upon the demise of Ataturk.

-ATATURK, FOUNDER OF MODERN TURKEY COMMEMORATED IN TURKMENISTAN
ASHKABAT- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Turkey was commemorated in Ashkabat, the capital of Turkmenistan on Friday upon the 62nd anniversary of his death.

Mehmet Bahaettin Gursoz, the Ambassador of Turkey to Turkmenistan, and Orazgeldi Aydogdiev, the Turkmen Culture Minister attended the ceremony.

Ambassador Gursoz and Turkmen Minister Aydogdiev laid a wreath to the Ataturk Monument in Ashkabat, and a minute of silence was observed during the ceremony.

In his speech at the ceremony, Gursoz underlined the importance of commemorating Ataturk in Turkmenistan, adding that the revolutions of Ataturk were still valid in Turkey.

Colonel Recep Yıldız, the Turkish Military Attache who also delivered a speech at the ceremony said Ataturk was a genius for the military services.

The personnel of Turkish Embassy in Ashkabat, the Culture Minister of Turkmenistan, the Mayor of Ashkabat, and Turkish businessmen also attended the commemoration ceremony.

Meanwhile, commemoration ceremonies were also held in the Turkish schools in Ashkabat.

-GAP REGION EXPORTS TEXTILE WORTH OF 263.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS
GAZIANTEP- The textile products worth of 263.5 million U.S. dollars was exported from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first ten months of the year.

This indicates an increase of 10.6 percent in the textile export from the GAP region when compared to the textile export in the first ten months of 1999.

Textile products worth of 238 million 179 thousand U.S. dollars was exported from the region in the same period of last year.

The share of the textile export in the total export of the region, which was 51.8 percent in the first ten months of 1999, has increased to 57.3 percent in the same period of this year.

Adil Sani Konukoglu, the Chairman of the Association of the Southeastern Anatolia Textiles Exporters told the A.A reporter that the region exported 114 million 550 thousand U.S dollars of thread with a decrease of thirteen percent, 134 million 331 thousand U.S dollars of woven products with an increase of 41 percent, and 14 million 687 thousand U.S. dollars of various textiles products with an increase of 39 percent in the first ten months of 2000.

Konukoglu added that the textile products were mainly exported to Syria, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Jordan, Spain, Israel, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Romania, Kyrgyzistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Greece, France, Algeria, Azerbaijan, and the U.S.

-23 PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN CONNECTION WITH
BUFFALO MEAT SMUGGLING, QUESTIONED
ANKARA- The investigation into the illegal buffalo meat operation continues.

The investigation is carried out by Talat Salk, the Prosecutor of the State Security Court (DGM).

The 23 persons who were taken into custody in connection with the investigation, were brought to Ankara Security Directorate on Friday.

Ankara Financial Department of the Security started to question the 23 persons, including Engin Kecili and businessman Ishak Romano of Jewish origin.

The suspects are accused of bringing the meat illegally by benefitting from the transit trade regime.

Salk said that the financial dimension of the meat smuggling is not known yet. The meat is believed to be brought to Turkey from Syria, Iran, Pakistan, and Bulgaria.

-PARLIAMENTARY SOCCER TEAM PARTICIPATES IN CEREMONY
HELD IN TURKISH EMBASSY IN ALBANIA UPON ATATURK'S DEMISE
TIRANA - The deputies who are the members of the parliamentary soccer team participated in the ceremony held in Turkish Embassy in Tirana, Albania to commemorate Ataturk in the 62nd anniversary of his demise, on Friday.

The group of 15 deputies visited the Turkish Embassy in the morning. The Turkish Ambassador to Albania Murat Oguz and other Turkish representatives also participated in the ceremony.

The deputies will visit a sports school in the afternoon and give sports equipment to the school. The friendly match between the soccer teams of the Turkish and Albanian parliaments will be held at 6.00 p.m. the same day.

-SYMPOSIUM ON TURKEY-EU RELATIONS HELD IN BRUSSELS
BRUSSELS- Aydın Sezgin, the Director General of Press and Information said on Friday that the Turkish public opinion favours full membership of Turkey to the European Union (EU) and the people have started to believe that the doors of the EU have been opened for Turkey.

Speaking in a symposium on Turkey-EU relations held in Brussels, Belgium, Sezgin said that the customs union between Turkey and the EU is being carried out for five years although the EU didn't fulfil its obligations towards Turkey.

Turkey pursues its economic stability programme with success, said Sezgin and noted that Turkey is the candidate country which recorded important progress regarding the harmony with the EU in the field of economy.

The Turkish government determined a calendar to comply with the Copenhagen criteria, he said adding that the public opinion, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), public institutions, political parties represented in the parliament support Turkey's full membership to the EU, he said.

The success in the full membership process does not only depend on the attitude and will of Turkey, said Sezgin and noted that those who consider Turkey's accession to the EU as a big mistake and those who want to regard Turkey as a buffer region, don't see the fact that Turkey does not regard its future like that.

-FINANCE MINISTER ORAL SUBMITS DRAFT LAW ON 2001 BUDGET TO
PARLIAMENTARY PLANNING AND BUDGET COMMISSION
ANKARA- Finance Minister Sumer Oral submitted the draft law on 2001 budget to the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission on Friday.

Oral said that the issue of civil servants' wages is important when the budget is taken into consideration.

''When determing the amount of the wage increase, both the budget foreseen for 2001 and the inflation targets have been taken into consideration. We plan to increase the wages of civil servants by 10 percent in the first six months of 2001. We aim at increasing the wages of civil servants by a percent which will be more than the inflation rate in 2001,'' said Oral.

Oral pointed out that this system will work by increasing the coefficients used in determining the wages if the inflation rate increases.

''This model which has started to be implemented this year and which enables the reflection of the deviation in the targetted inflation rate to the wage increases, will also continue next year,'' Oral said.

-BOTAS ANNOUNCES COMPANIES WHICH WILL SUBMIT
BIDS FOR PROJECT FOR WIDENING NATURAL GAS USAGE
ANKARA- The Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) announced on Friday the companies which will submit bids for the project for widening the natural gas usage.

A statement of the BOTAS General Directorate said that the companies which will take part in the tender for the Eskisehir-Mihaliccik, Bozuyuk- Eskisehir Loop Lines and Konya-Izmir and Sivas-Mersin natural gas pipelines, became definite.

The companies which will submit bids for Eskisehir-Mihaliccik and Bozuyuk- Eskisehir loop lines and Bozuyuk-Adapazari natural gas pipeline tenders are Stroytransgaz (Russia), Max Streicher KG (Germany), Alsim/ Alarko San. Tes ve Tic. Inc., Bonatti SPA (Italy), Tekfen Ins. ve Tes. Inc, Enka Ins. ve San Inc., Haustadt ve Timmermann (Germany), Tepe Inc., Colakoglu Ins. Turizm San. ve Tic. Inc, Fernas Ins.Ltd. Sti., Mc Connell Dowell (Australia), Limak Inş. Inc., Turan Hazinedaroglu Inc, Atilla Dogan Inc, Gasstroymontaj (Bulgaria), Sicim SPA (Italy), Gentes Yapi ve End. Tes. Tic. Ltd. Sti., Indet Ins. Dek. San. Tic. Inc., Mapa Ins. ve Tic Inc., STFA Enerji, Gama Endustri Inc., Mon Ins. Tic. Ltd. Sti., Akfen Inc.

The companies which will submit bids for Konya-Izmir and Sivas-Mersin natural gas pipeline tenders are Stroytransgaz (Russia), Max Streicher KG (Germany), Alsim/ Alarko San. Tes ve Tic. Inc., Bonatti SPA (Italy), Tekfen Ins. ve Tes. Inc., Enka Ins. ve San Inc., Haustadt ve Timmermann (Germany), Tepe Inc., Colakoglu Ins. Turizm San. ve Tic. Inc., Fernas Inş.Ltd. Şti., Mc Connell Dowell (Australia), Limak Ins. Inc., Turan Hazinedaroglu Inc., Atilla Dogan Inc., Gasstroymontaj (Bulgaria), Sicim SPA (Italy), Gentes Yapi ve End. Tes. Tic. Ltd. Sti., Indet Ins. Dek. San. Tic. Inc., Mapa Ins. ve Tic Inc., STFA Enerji, Gama Endustri Inc., Mon Ins. Tic. Ltd. Sti., Akfen Inc. Yuksel Ins. Inc., Kutlutas Ins. Tic. San. ltd. Sti., Metis Ins. ve Tic. Inc., Baytur Ins. Taah. Inc., Kolin Ins. Iml. Tic. Inc., Doguş Ins. ve Tic. Inc., Garanti Belfour Beatty, Nurol Ins ve Tic. Inc., As-Ka Insaat, Bayindir Insaat Inc., Erko Ins. Tic. Ltd. Sti., BM Muh. ve Ins. Ltd. Sti., Polat Yol Yapi San.Tic. Inc., Tokar Inc., Ceylan Insaat Taah., Yapisal Yapi San. Tic. Ltd. Lti., Gunsayil Insaat, Ekinciler ve Ort. Ins. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.

-STANDARD AND POOR'S ANNOUNCES LONG TERM
RATING OF DEMIRBANK AS B+
ISTANBUL - The Standard and Poor's, an international rating organization, announced the long term rating of Demirbank as B+ and short term rating as B.

A statement of Demirbank said on Friday that Demirbank got the highest rating note when compared with other Turkish banks.

The statement noted that the qualified administration and developing branch network were taken into consideration when rating of Demirbank was announced.

The capital of the bank was trippled in the last three years, the statement said.

The statement added that equity of Demirbank was 556 million U.S. dollars in June.

-PRESIDENT SEZER:
-''ATATURK'S PRINCIPAL AND CONTINUAL STRUGGLE
WAS AGAINST BIGOTRY AND FANATICISM''
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Friday that the principal and continual struggle of Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, was against bigotry and fanaticism.

Speaking in a panel discussion held to commemorate Ataturk in the 62th anniversary of his demise, Sezer said that Ataturk attributed importance to the future during his whole life.

Sezer noted that Ataturk made plans for the future and took decisions because he knew that being bound to past would not have positive contributions to the future.

Ataturk will continue to direct the future of Turkey with his principles and reforms, Sezer stated.

Sezer stressed that he thinks that Turkey should rapidly overcome its deficiencies in state of law, human rights and democratization to reach level of modern civilized countries, which was the target of Great Leader Ataturk.

-FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE THAT HIT DUZCE
-TOTAL OF 3,010 PEOPLE STILL SHELTER IN TENT-SITES
DUZCE - A total of 3,010 people still shelter in tent-sites and 27,586 people in prefabricated huts in the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that hit Duzce province on November 12, 1999.

Duzce Governor Fikret Guven said on Friday that all the world was mobilized to help Duzce following the devastating earthquake and that the Turkish Armed Forces extended the most support to Duzce.

The construction of the permanent dwellings in which almost 8,000 families will shelter, continues, Guven noted.

Guven stated that although the permanent dwellings are constructed in the earlier determined date, the quake survivors may not have the opportunity to settle down in these dwellings by winter.

Officials told A.A correspondent that 3,010 people are sheltering in two tent-sites and 27,586 people are sheltering in 6,797 prefabricated huts in the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake which rocked Duzce.

A total of 7,100 permanent dwellings are being constructed in Duzce by the Public Works and Housing Ministry.

The Prime Minister Cooperative Housing Administration is constructing 620 dwellings in Duzce and 204 dwellings in Golyaka by the loan extended by the World Bank.

-GENDARME FORCES SEIZE 15 KG HEROIN IN GAZIANTEP
GAZIANTEP - Gendarme forces seized on Friday 15 kilograms of heroin in southeastern Gaziantep province.

Gendarme forces, disguising as buyers, captured two people with 15 kilograms of heroin at toll collection gates of Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep Motorway.

The heroin had a market price of 250 billion Turkish liras.

Gendarme forces quoted the detainees as saying that the leader of the drug trafficking gang was Ali Cicek, the owner of UNSAN Inc., a flour factory.

The detainees said in their interrogation that the heroin was brought from Iran to Turkey via Northern Iraq and that it was hidden in UNSAN Inc.

Gendarme forces, who searched the factory, confiscated the account registrations of the factory.

It was revealed that the factory was involved in fictitious exportation.

The gendarme forces detained three more people in the operation.

Efforts are underway to capture seven more people who were also involved in the drug trafficking.

-PRESIDENTIAL CABINET CHIEF ILDEM:
-''WE EXPECT FRANCE PARLIAMENT NOT TO APPROVE THE DECISION
TAKEN BY FRENCH SENATE REGARDING RESOLUTION ON
SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS''
ANKARA- Tacan Ildem, the Presidential Cabinet Chief and Foreign Affairs Chief Consultant, said on Friday that Turkey expects the French parliament not to approve the decision taken by the French Senate regarding the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians.

Ildem told the weekly press conference that the French Senate's adopting the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians as a saddening development.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer wishes that the common sense will prevail in the end, Ildem said.

Responding to a question about the reactions of the President to the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians which was adopted by the French Senate, Ildem said, ''it is a very regretful development that the French Senate adopted the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians by taking into consideration only the Armenian allegations which distort the historical realities. There is not any genocide committed in Turkey's history. To this end, it is not possible for us to accept such allegations. We harshly reject to these allegations.''

Ildem noted that Sezer had earlier met with his French counterpart, adding that he wrote a letter regarding this issue.

-FINANCE MINISTER ORAL SUBMITS DRAFT LAW ON 2001 BUDGET TO
PARLIAMENTARY PLANNING AND BUDGET COMMISSION
-ORAL: ''WE WILL NOT ALLOW SQUANDERING IN PUBLIC SERVICES''
ANKARA- Finance Minister Sumer Oral said on Friday that the care that was shown to the expenditure would continue in the year 2001, adding that, ''the society is sensitive to how the tax it paid was spent. We will not allow to squandering in public services.''

Oral who spoke when he submitted draft law on 2001 budget to Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission, said investment projects, which don't have adequate allocations, would not be allowed to start this year, adding that they would continue to direct the resources which were allocated for investment, to the projects that would be beneficial to the public.

Oral said the new State Tender Draft Law, which was prepared according to the European Union (EU) and international tender standarts, and which gave priority to principles like transparancy, competition and public control, would be submitted to the Parliament soon.

''We will continue to sell the immoveables, which belong to Treasury, to make contributions to the economy in the year 2001,'' Oral said adding that, ''in 2001 year budget, we will adopt an approach where the outcomes were also controlled in public finance administration, not only the control of the input.''

Oral said Public Finance Administration Project, which is under implementation with the support of the World Bank loan, will continue in the year 2001.

Recalling that 18, 243 people had died in massive August 17 and November 12 earthquakes, and that 48, 901 others were injured, Oral said the government took every kind of legal, administrative, and economic measures to heal the wounds of the quake, and noted that authority law was issued, and necessary additional allocations were provided to meet the damages.

Oral said required arrangements were made in tax laws to provide additional income to finance the expenses that would be made from the budget.

Speaking about inflation, Oral said, ''the point where we reached today is the lowest rate of inflation of the past 14 years. The 25-year chronic inflation, which had begun to be perceived as a fate, entered to a serious tendency of falling.''

Pointing out that the budgets were the most important documents of states, Oral said 2001 budget was the second budget of the 57th government, and added that, ''this budget is the second slice of the three-year economic program which we carried out in a determined way, and the first budget of the five-year Development Plan.''

Oral said the government, with the program it implemented, is resolved to reduce the inflation rate to single digit number, to re-create the encouragement for investments, and to make the economy to reach a stable and continous growth with the support of the structural reforms.

Oral said confidence of the domestic and foreign markets and the support of the public were gained with the determination of the government to implement the program, and added that important steps have been taken toward the target.

Briefing about the economic developments in the world, Oral said growth rate in developing countries in the year 2001 was estimated as 5.7 percent, and the growth rate in developed countries was estimated as 3.2 percent.

Oral said increase in oil prices negatively affected the exporter countries and the growth of the world, adding that, ''in case the increase in oil prices can not be prevented or the prices can not reduce to moderate level, the estimations that were made for the world economy would change.''

Recalling that Turkey became a candidate country to the EU in Helsinki summit that took place in December 10-11, 1999, Oral said Accession Partnershp Accord, which was prepared to enter the union in question, was announced on November 8.

''Full membership of Turkey to the European Union would integrate Turkey with the world, and make it more stronger in its region,'' Oral said, and stressed that, ''Turkey, in this process, should form the required basis to reduce the negative elements caused by globalization to the minimum level, and to benefit from its positive elements in the maximum level.''

Oral said the stagnancy, which started in the last quarter of 1998 in Turkish economy, continued in 1999 because of the domestic and foreign negative developments, the structural arragements which could not be solved for long years, and because of the massive quake disaster. Oral said the economic grew 4.3 percent in the first half of this year due to the structural measures that were taken. Oral said 6 perecent growth was expected to be realized in the year 2000 as a result of the positive developments in economy.

Oral said annual increase in wholesale prices rose to 65.6 percent in 1995, to 84.9 percent in 1996, and to 91 percent in 1997. ''Although inflation recessed to 54.3 percent in 1998, it rose to 62.9 percent in 1999, and the increase in the first 10 months of the year 2000, was 27.1 percent.''

Oral said, ''the support of all sections of the society was obviously the most important aspect in struggle to reduce the rate of inflation and in success of the program.''

Oral said the developments in the recent one year clarified that public finance was gradually having a healthy structure, and noted that budget of the year 2001 was the second and most important budget of the three-year economic program.

Finance Minister Oral stressed that, ''with the budget of the year 2001, Turkey takes a very important and meaningful step. Before all, we are obliged to enliven the success and confidence spirit of a soceity which were crushed under inflation for years.''

Oral said control in taxes became more influential due to a change in the structure of tax control, adding that, ''tax administration is being equipped with the recent technolgy.''

Oral said in the 2001 budget, the expenses were seen as 48.3 quadrillion lira, the incomes were determined as 43.1 quadrillion lira, and the primary surplus was determined as 11.4 quadrillion lira.

Stressing that increase in exportation remained in limited level as Euro lost value against Dollar, Oral said current deficit would be 8.2 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the year, and the Gross National Product would be around 4.1 percent.

Oral, who mentioned the structural reforms for the success fo the economic program, pointed out that the government was determined to materialize all the reforms without any delay.

-PRESIDENT SEZER DUE TO QATAR ON SATURDAY
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will go to Qatar on Saturday.

Tacan Ildem, the Presidential Cabinet Chief and Foreign Affairs Chief Consultant, told the weekly press conference on Friday that Sezer, who is expected to arrive in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday evening, will attend the opening session of the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) on November 12.

President Sezer will deliver two speeches with the title of President of Turkey and with the title of the Chairman of Commercial and Economic Cooperation Standing Committee (COMCEC). Sezer will submit the report of the last meeting to the summit.

Sezer will hold bilateral contacts with the heads of state and governments of the participant countries.

President Sezer will also meet with Kofi Annan, the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General.

Following the OIC meeting, Sezer will proceed to Jordan on November 14 and attend the dinner hosted in his honour by the Jordanian Prime Minister that evening.

After visiting the Royal Cemetery on November 15, Sezer will attend the official welcome ceremony.

Following the ceremony, the tete-a-tete and inter-delegationary meetings will be held.

Sezer and King Abdullah of Jordan will attend the Turkish-Jordanian Business Council meeting in the afternoon.

President Sezer will visit the Turkish Martrydom in the afternoon.

Sezer and his wife Semra Sezer will attend the dinner hosted in their honour by Jordanian King and Queen.

Sezer will depart from Jordan on Thursday after visiting the historical sites.

Sezer is expected to arrive in Ankara on Thursday afternoon.

Ildem said that the OIC has 56 members and that Turkey joins the works of the organization since 1969.

Ildem said, ''in every OIC meeting, Turkey announces that the decisions taken in the meeting should comply with Turkey's Constitution and expresses the drawback that it will implement the decisions if they comply with the Constitution.''

The developments in the Middle East peace process and the tragic incidents in Jerusalem can be important items of the OIC meeting, Ildem noted.

Ildem stated that the member countries are expected to exchange ideas about the future of the Middle East peace process and to adopt a decision in the meeting.

''Turkey wishes the sides to reach an agreement through dialogue to ensure lasting and fair peace in the Middle East. Turkey expects that the violence in the region to be ended and that steps that can make the sides reach an agreement to be taken. Turkey is determined to continue its contributions to this end,'' Ildem said.

Ildem noted that resolutions on Cyprus question and Western Thrace Turkish minority which have importance for Turkey, will be submitted in the summit.

Touching on relations with Jordan, Ildem said that the relations between Turkey and Jordan go back to old days.

Ildem noted that King Abdullah visited Turkey in March and had a fruitful meeting with President Sezer during the Millenium Summit.

The two presidents decided to meet each other twice a year, Ildem stated.

Ildem stressed that Sezer's visit to Jordan between November 14 and 16 will contribute to the promotion of the relations.

The two presidents attribute importance to the promotion of economic and commercial relations, Ildem said, adding that a meeting with the business circles will be held following the official contacts in Jordan on November 15.

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