Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-11-12

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

12 NOVEMBER 2000 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] PRESIDENT SEZER IN QATAR

[03] SPORTS - JUDO

[04] SECURITY FORCES IMPOUND 41 KG OF HASHISH IN BITLIS

[05] SPORTS - BOXING

[06] FIFTH ROUND OF PROXIMITY TALKS ON CYPRUS

[07] OIC SUMMIT STARTS

[08] ''CULTURE TRAIN'' RETURNS TO ISTANBUL

[09] SPORTS - KARATE

[10] SOCCER-FRIENDLY GAME

[11] FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF DUZCE QUAKE DISASTER

[12] EXPORTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES RISE 14.8 PERCENT IN FIRST TEN MONTHS

[13] TURKEY-AUSTRIA JEC MEETING TO BE HELD IN VIENNA

[14] STATE MINISTER GEMICI IN BOLU:

[15] TREASURY TO SELL THREE-MONTH BONDS ON MONDAY

[16] IS-TIM TO PAY FIRST INSTALLMENT OF 1800 MHZ GSM LICENCE ON MONDAY

[17] WORKS ON PREPARATIONS OF 2001 YEAR PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME UNDER WAY

[18] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN IZMIR (1):

[19] ''MARMARAY'' PROJECT

[20] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN IZMIR (2):

[21] IN FIRST TEN MONTHS, 40.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS

[22] FIRE BREAKS OUT IN TERBAY FACTORY IN IZMIR

[23] OIC SUMMIT

[24] STATE MINISTER TOSKAY LEAVES FOR AUSTRIA

[25] FIRE IN TERBAY FACTORY IN IZMIR (2)

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

ECEVIT: ''COALITION PARTNERS SHOULD AGREE ON PROGRAMS IN KURDISH''
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit came together with diplomats, and assessed the Accession Partnership Accord which was submitted to Turkey by the European Union (EU) Commission. Volkan Vural, the Secretary General for EU; Yigit Altogan, the Acting Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry; Akin Alptuna, the Deputy Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry; and diplomats were in attendance at the meeting. Ecevit stressed, ''it is out of question for Turkey to approve the paragraph regarded with Cyprus which was added to the Accession Partnership Accord in the last minute. Turkey cannot accept any linkage between Cyprus issue and its EU membership.'' When asked of his evaluation about Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz's statement saying, 'state-run TRT can broadcast special programs in Kurdish language', Ecevit said, ''it is a sensitive issue. I do not make a statement before reaching an agreement among coalition partners.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

CULTURE MINISTRY LAUNCHES INITIATIVES FOR RETURN OF SMUGGLED WORKS
The Culture Ministry has launched initiatives in nine countries including Germany, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, the U.S. and Britain, for return of smuggled historical works. The Culture Ministry officials said that many historical works were returned to Turkey as a result of the Ministry's initiatives.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

USTUNEL QUALIFIES TO FINAL
Serdar Ustunel of Turkey competing in the 67 kg category, qualified to final in the 11th World Youth Boxing Championships in Hungarian capital of Budapest. Ustunel beat his Ukranian opponent Alexander Bakalov in semi- final.

He will vie for gold medal in his final match against his Russian opponent.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

DRUGSTORES ARE NOT SELLING WHILE THE MINISTER IS WAITING
The debate which started after the U.S. Medicine and Food Administration's statement continues. The statement said that the PPA, one of the ingredients of some flu and diet medicine, causes cerebral hemorrhage and heart attack especially in women. The Turkish Doctors' Association called on the government to collect those medicine and the the Turkish Pharmacists' Association warned the people not to use those medicine while Health Minister Osman Durmus is waiting for the results of the research by the Medicine Consultative Committee.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

COAL MINE COLLAPSES KILLING ONE WORKER
A mine belonged to the Turkish Coal Authority (TTK) collapsed, killing one worker. Huseyin Abdireisoglu, 25, was trapped under debris in the Kilimli Coal Enterprise in northern Zonguldak province. He was pulled out from the debris but he lost his life in the hospital.

COOPERATION BETWEEN RED CRESCENT AND RED CROSS IN QUAKE-STRICKEN AREA
Several education and health institutions will be opened to service in quake-hit area in mid-November. Releasing a statement, the Directorate General of Red Crescent said that those education and health institutions had been constructed in the quake-stricken area in cooperation among Directorate General of Red Crescent, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRCS) and national accosiations from foreign countries,

It added that there were a hospital and a policlinic in Karamursel, and two primary schools in Adapazari and Akyazi among those institutions.

SECURITY FORCES DETAIN 10 PEOPLE
Security forces detained ten people who attempted to hold an illegal demonstration in Beyoglu district of Istanbul to protest ''F'' type prisons in which inmates are kept in cells instead of large wards. A group of relatives of prisoners gathered in front of Galatasaray High School on Istiklal Avenue to make a press release. Security forces intervened in the group, and called on demonstrators to disperse peacefully. After the demonstrators refused to disperse, security forces detained 10 of them.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

Acting on a tip-off, security forces stopped and searched an automobile in Bayrampasa district of Istanbul. They confiscated 70.5 kg of heroin hidden in the automobile. A total of five people were captured in the operation. The detainees confessed that the heroin which had been smuggled from a neighboring country, would have been sold in Dutch capital of Amsterdam. A full investigation into the drug smuggling is under way.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

ARMENIAN GRUDGE ALSO IN SPORTS
The so-called genocide overshadowed even sports. Armenian origin French international player Yuri Djorkaeff said that he wouldn't arrive in Turkey for the friendly match that will be played between Turkey and France in Istanbul on November 15.

ECEVIT SETS FORTH HIS FINAL OPINION ABOUT CYPRUS
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that Turkey made a distinction between the Cyprus issue and the European Union (EU). ''We do not approve the article which was added into the Accession Partnership in the last minute.''

UNCERTAINTY IN PERIOD OF AMNESTY
The period of reduction in imprisonment sentences in the ''amnesty draft law'' which is tried to be made ready by the religious holiday makes the government think. The government is expending intense efforts to set a period which is not contrary to equality principle of the Constitution and does not disturb public conscience.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

CYPRUS CONDITION CAN'T BE ACCEPTED
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''solve the Cyprus issue in one year. Turkey can't accept a linkage between the Cyprus issue and its candidacy to the European Union.''

''SUSURLUK WILL BE ACQUITTED''
Ugur Onder, the lawyer of Ibrahim Sahin, one of the suspects of the Susurluk case, said that there was neither evidence nor document. He claimed that all suspects would be acquitted. Onder added that his client became deaf after a traffic accident so he was communicating with his client with letters.

WOE ARE THOSE WHO THINK!
Since the beginning of the February 28 process, the total imprisonment sentence handed down on those who are guilty of thinking has reached 1,202 years and 4 months and the total fine has reached 188 billion 885 million Turkish lira. In the same period, a total of 52,964 attacks on freedom of religion have been made. A total of 2,107 civil servants became the injured party. A total of 4,279 students wearing Islamic style headscarf have been investigated.

[02] PRESIDENT SEZER IN QATAR

Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar welcomed President Sezer and his entourage at Doha's Airport.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem who is currently in Qatari capital of Doha to attend the OIC Summit, continued to hold bilateral contacts.

He came together with his Jordanian counterpart Abdurrahman al-Khatib at the Sheraton Hotel.

The meeting focused on bilateral relations and recent developments in the Middle East.

At the meeting, President Sezer's official visit to Jordan following the OIC Summit was also taken up.

Meanwhile, Cem met with Nabil Shaat, the Palestinian Minister for Development and Improvement of Foreign Relations, for the second time.

Foreign Ministry officials said that Cem's first meeting with Shaat was left half finished due to his intense program. At the second meeting, Cem and Shaat concluded their negotiations.

[03] SPORTS - JUDO

A total of 147 judokas aged between 11 and 14 from eight countries are participating in the championships.

The gold medal-winners of first-day games are as follows:

Women:

48 kg: Staroup Inska Olga (Ukraine)

52 kg: Baczko Bernaded (Hungary)

57 kg: Bahar Alaoglu (Turkey)

over 57 kg: Cserhati Eszter (Hungary)

Men:

55 kg: Cuneyt Cetin (Turkey)

60 kg: Bekauri Beka (Georgia)

66 kg: Kurman Galiyev (Kazakhstan)

73 kg: Demet Rashviligeo (Georgia)

over 73 kg: Bor Barna (Kazakhstan)

The Fourth Mevlana Judo Under-15 Championships will end on Sunday.

[04] SECURITY FORCES IMPOUND 41 KG OF HASHISH IN BITLIS

Acting on a tip-off, security forces launched an operation near Uran village in Mutki township.

They confiscated 41 kg of hashish hidden in bushes.

A full investigation into the drug smuggling is under way.

[05] SPORTS - BOXING

Selcuk Aydin of Turkey competing in the 57 kg category, was defeated by

Boris Georgiev of Bulgaria, and ranked third.

In the 71 kg category, Ihsan Kose of Turkey was injured in his hand, and he had to leave the match.

Kose won bronze medal in the championship.

[06] FIFTH ROUND OF PROXIMITY TALKS ON CYPRUS

''Under these circumstances, the Turkish Cypriot side will evaluate whether or not it is meaningful to continue the proximity talks process,'' he said.

Issuing a written statement, Eroglu said that the non-paper submitted to the sides by United Nations Secretary General Annan at the fifth round of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, was full of puns and gaps.

Referring to Turkey-European Union (EU), and the Greek Cypriot side-EU relations, Eroglu said in his statement, ''if the target is to clearing the EU full-membership way for the Greek Cypriot side, the Turkish Cypriot side will maintain its determination to deepen relations with Turkey against this policy.''

Eroglu called on sides to evaluate the Turkish Cypriot side's confederation proposal with a serious and rationalist manner.

Pointing out that the proximity talks process which started in December 1999, was concluded in Geneva on Friday, Eroglu said, ''despite the media blackout of the United Nations, the Greek Cypriot side leaked the 20- article non-paper submitted to the sides by Annan as a 'verbal statement', to the press. This is a new sign of the Greek Cypriot side's unserious and distant attitude.''

''It was understood from the non-paper that the United Nations does not take into consideration the Turkish Cypriot side's attitude during the unconditional process between the two equal sides which started with Annan's statement on November 14, 1999 to invite the sides to the proximity talks. With this non-paper which ignores the fact of existence of two equal and sovereign states on the island, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has stepped back from his statements he made at the fourth round of proximity talks in New York, the U.S. This non-paper cannot provide a transition into meaningful negotiations which will lead to a comprehensive agreement. There are many puns and gaps in the non-paper which includes phrases such as 'only one sovereign and unseparable state', 'basic freedoms' and 'a united Cyprus under guarantee','' he said.

Eroglu stressed, ''the Turkish Cypriot side will assess whether or not it is meaningful to attend the new round of proximity talks under the light of the non-paper which includes an approach saying, 'relevant United Nations resolutions and agreements will be taken into consideration fully.''

He continued, ''the non-paper submitted by Annan, disappointed the Turkish Cypriot side. At the same time, the EU included the Cyprus issue in the 'short-term criteria' chapter of Accession Partnership Accord for Turkey. This attitude which spoiled the Greek Cypriot side, was an attempt to make the Cyprus issue a kind of pre-condition for Turkey. Beside the United Nations Secretariat which turned a blind eye to the Turkish Cypriot side's confederation proposal, the EU has been expending efforts to become an intervenor in the Cyprus issue, and to link Turkey's EU membership with the Cyprus issue which are two separate issues.''

''It is clear that such initiatives would not come to a positive conclusion. The Turkish Cypriots have never recognized the phony Republic of Cyprus which expended efforts to destroy the Turkish Cypriot people. The TRNC will never recognize thisphony republic in the future. We called on relevant sides especially the United Nations Secretariat, to give up their wrong attitudes, and to take the Turkish Cypriot side's confederation proposal into consideration with a serious and rationalist manner,'' he said.

Eroglu added, ''if these circles including the EU aim to clear the EU way for the phony Republic of Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot side will maintain its determination to deepen relations with Turkey against this policy.''

[07] OIC SUMMIT STARTS

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer represents Turkey at the Summit. He is being accompanied by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

President Mohammad Khatami of Iran will make the opening remarks, and hand over the OIC Term Presidency to Qatar.

President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is attending the summit as an observer.

[08] ''CULTURE TRAIN'' RETURNS TO ISTANBUL

The ''Culture Train'' arrived at Sirkeci Railway Station at 08:00 a.m.

Kemal Vatan, the Chairman of Parliamentary Turkey-Macedonia Friendship Group and a deputy of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) from Izmir; Turhan Tayan, the Chairman of Parliamentary Turkey-Greece Friendship Group and a deputy of the Motherland Party (ANAP) from Bursa; and Hayati Korkmaz, the Chairman of Parliamentary Turkey-Bulgaria Friendship Group and a deputy of DSP from Bursa; were in the delegation visiting Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece.

Addressing the ceremony at Sirkeci Railway Station, Tayan said that the ''Culture Train'' had made a valuable contribution to set up a friendship bridge between Turkey and these countries.

[09] SPORTS - KARATE

A total of 250 sportsmen from Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania and Macedonia are participating in the championships.

In men's kumite category, Turkey ranked first, Greece second and Macedonia third while in women's kumite category, Turkey ranked first, Yugoslavia second and Bulgaria third.

In men's ''kata'' category, Yugoslavia ranked first, Turkey second

and Greece third while in women's kata category, Yugoslavia ranked first, Greece second and Turkey third.

The Fifth Balkans Under-15 Karate Championships will end on Sunday.

[10] SOCCER-FRIENDLY GAME

World and European Champions who will stay at the Conrad Hotel in Istanbul, will carry out a training at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium late on Monday.

Meanwhile, world-wide famous Michel Platini of France will come to Istanbul to watch the match as the guest of the Turkish Football Federation.

The friendly match at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium will start at 09:00 p.m.

[11] FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF DUZCE QUAKE DISASTER

Releasing a statement to mark the first anniversary of the quake disaster which devastated northwestern Duzce province on November 12, 1999, President Sezer said, ''as we were expending efforts to heal the wounds of the massive quake on August 17, another quake jolted Duzce on November 12 and claimed hundreds of lives. We will never forget the dates of August 17 and November 12, 1999 in order to take necessary lessons from the quake disasters and to revive hopes of quake survivors.''

''Our state has prioritized settlement of quake survivors in permament housing units as soon as possible. Works are under way to finalize construction of permanent settlement units. The Republic of Turkey which has succeeded in overcoming all difficulties in unity and solidarišty with its nation, will heal wounds of quake disasters,'' he added.

President Sezer expressed his condolences, and implored God's strength upon all who are grieving for their beloved ones.

[12] EXPORTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES RISE 14.8 PERCENT IN FIRST TEN MONTHS

According to the Automotive Manufacturers' Association statistics, a total of 79,106 motor vehicles were exported between January and October. The total exports of motor vehicles had been 70,614 pieces in the same period of 1999.

A total of 5,109 commercial motor vehicles was exported in first ten months of 2000 while this number had been 7,150 in the same period of 1999.

Exports of tractors increased 36.6 percent to 6,933 pieces. A total of 5, 075 tractors had been exported in the same period of 1999.

In the January-October period of 2000, exports of lorries reduced 46.7 percent and exports of midibuses decreased 40 percent while exports of pickup trucks rose 7 percent, exports of minibuses increased 57.8 percent and exports of buses climbed 25 percent.

Meanwhile, exports of automobiles increased 14.8 percent to 67,064 pieces in the first ten months of 2000. A total of 58,389 automobiles had been exported in the same period of 1999.

[13] TURKEY-AUSTRIA JEC MEETING TO BE HELD IN VIENNA

State Minister Tunca Toskay and Martin Bartenstein, the Austrian Federal Economy and Labour Minister, will preside the meeting.

The meeting will focus on opportunities of cooperation in the fields of energy, free trade areas, small and medium scale enterprises and contracting services.

Representatives of several ministries and private sector will take place in the Turkish delegation.

Meanwhile, Turkey-Austria Business Council's sixth term meeting will be held on Tuesday.

Toskay is expected to come together with representatives of Austrian private sector during his visit to Vienna.

[14] STATE MINISTER GEMICI IN BOLU:

Gemici visited Bolu Mayor Yuksel Ceylan.

Speaking at the meeting, Gemici stressed, ''governors in quake-stricken area have been given instructions to establish campuses for students, the elderly people and children living in prefabricated huts which will be emptied by quake survivors.''

Gemici said, ''we have sent 234 TL social aid to quake-hit area in the wake of quake disasters on August 17 and November 12, 1999. A total of 159 trillion TL was sent to the quake-hit area from throughout Turkey and foreign countries. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) donated 60 trillion TL. Tent-cities and prefabricated huts were not included in these amounts.''

Meanwhile, Gemici stressed, ''the Anadolu Agency has achieved a great success by heralding the voice of quake survivors to the world together with us. I want to congratulate the personnel of the Anadolu Agency.''

[15] TREASURY TO SELL THREE-MONTH BONDS ON MONDAY

Treasury is expected to raise 238 trillion Turkish lira in this auction.

The value date of these bonds is November 15, 2000 and the maturity is February 14, 2001.

Meanwhile, the 238 trillion TL borrowing will meet 15 percent of total domestic debt repayment in November of 2000.

Treasury will hold another auction on Tuesday, November 14 to sell 13-month (392-day) state bonds. Treasury is expected to raise 700-820 trillion TL in this auction.

[16] IS-TIM TO PAY FIRST INSTALLMENT OF 1800 MHZ GSM LICENCE ON MONDAY

The Grup 7 Ilesitim Hizmetleri company said on Sunday that after winning the tender for installation and operation of a 1800 Mhz GSM phone network in April of 2000, the IS-TIM Telekomunikasyon Hizmetleri A.S. would pay the first 500 million U.S. dollar of first installment on Monday, November 13 in accordance with the contract signed by the Transportation and Communications Ministry on October 27, 2000.

The 1800 Mhz GSM project will be put into practice with the know-how of the TIM, a leading company in mobile communications in Europe with more than 40 million customers, and the cooperation between Is Bankasi and TIM in Turkey.

The IS-TIM which will operate the first 1800 GSM mobile phone netwrok in Turkey targets to put the most advanced technologies into use to offer best technological services to its customers.

[17] WORKS ON PREPARATIONS OF 2001 YEAR PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME UNDER WAY

Sources said on Sunday that the 2001 year privatization programme could be announced in December of 2000.

As a result of its works since the beginning of the year, the OIB reduced the number of companies in its portfolio to 47, and its works on process of privatization of these 47 companies are under way.

The OIB is planning to privatize 51 percent of the Turkish Airlines (THY) with a block sale by the end of 2000. The tender for this block sale is expected to be made at the end of November or in the first week of December.

OIB officials said that the tender for block sale of THY's 51 percent shares would be held by the end of 2000.

The OIB has raised 2 billion 633.3 million U.S. dollars as a result of its privatization works on the companies in its portfolio since the beginning of 2000.

OIB had targeted a 5.2 billion U.S. dollars total privatization outcome in 2000.

[18] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN IZMIR (1):

Addressing a meeting on ''New Policies in the New Millenium'' organized by the Motherland Party (ANAP), Yilmaz said that Turkey had entered a new period in its 50-year EU process.

Yilmaz said, ''for EU full membership, a country should be firstly included in the enlargement process and granted candidacy status. Turkey's candidacy was announced at last year's Helsinki Summit. The second stage is the Accession Partnership Accord. The EU Commission issued the Accession Partnership Accord for Turkey last week. And the third stage is beginning of full membership negotiations.''

''First of all, everyone should well know the fact that there is a long way to EU in front of us. It is a difficult process. The same difficulties are also in question for the EU. Accepting a great and strong country like Turkey as a member is not an easy thing for the EU. Our one-thousand-year common history and geography entail us to become a EU member. In fact, the Turks have been European for centuries. The Republic of Turkey is also European like the Ottoman Empire. Turkey has been struggling to become European for the last two centuries. The EU membership and unification with Europe is not a new thing for Turkey. Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the first person who paved the EU way to Turkey. Defunct Turgut Ozal, the Eighth President of Turkey, made the most important contribution to Turkey's EU process,'' he stressed.

Yilmaz noted, ''all these factors entail Turkey to become a EU member and entail the EU to accept Turkey as a member. There have been some prejudices and negativities in our long-standing relations with Europe. We should not ignore them. Mutual negativities and interest conflicts are two most important factors preventing us from becoming a EU member.''

He said, ''the Accession Partnership Accord and National Program will give us chance to remove all hesitations both in Turkey and in the EU. Turkey is determined to completely implement the National Program which will be prepared within framework of the Accession Partnership Accord.''

Yilmaz added, ''I want to warn Greece. Greece should give up using the EU as a shield. The EU wants both Turkey and Greece to solve their problems. It also wants the Cyprus issue to be resolved. We want solution of these problems, but this does not mean that Turkey would make unilateral concessions. Our Greek friends should realize these facts.''

(To be continued)

[19] ''MARMARAY'' PROJECT

Noting that the tenders for the engineering and consultancy works of the system which would be financed by 800 million U.S. dollars loan obtained from the Japan Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) had been held, Oksuz said that the construction of the foundation of the system would start in May of 2001.

Within framework of the construction programme, the system is foreseen to be finalized in 2005.

Stressing that the Marmaray could be put into service earlier than the schedule, Oksuz said that the necessary loans for the system had earlier been obtained and that the investment programme was under way within the foreseen frame.

Oksuz emphasized that they targeted to finalize the Marmaray project earlier than the schedule.

[20] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ IN IZMIR (2):

Addressing a meeting on ''New Policies in the New Millenium'' organized by the Motherland Party (ANAP), Yilmaz said, ''the European Union (EU) did not take into consideration Turkey's applications for membership in 1987 and even in 1997 by saying that Turkey was far away from the EU's conditions.''

''The Accession Partnership Accord did not include elements which Turkey would strain to fulfil. We can fulfil all these conditions earlier than expected with determination and self-confidence. Turkish people's hesitations came to an end on the issue of EU membership. Now, it is time to take action. Turkey will become a EU full member soon,'' he added.

(End)

[21] IN FIRST TEN MONTHS, 40.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS

In the same period last year, the region exported 48 million 950 thousand U.S. dollars of dried fruits.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Sunday that in the first ten months of the year, they exported 36 million 181 thousand U.S. dollars in dried apricots and 3 million 960 thousand U.S. dollars in pistachios, roasted chickpeas and various dried fruits.

The majority of the goods were exported to the U.S., France, Britain, Australia, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Greece.

[22] FIRE BREAKS OUT IN TERBAY FACTORY IN IZMIR

The fire started at paint store of the factory producing garbage containers and motor vehicle spare parts.

Later, the fire spread to depots where chemical substances are stored.

Witnesses said that explosions occurred in the factory.

Fire-fighting teams have rushed to the factory to extinguish the fire.

There were not immediate reports of casualties in the fire.

[23] OIC SUMMIT

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Egyptian counterpart Amr Moussa were in attendance at the meeting.

Meanwhile, President Sezer partook in a luncheon hosted by Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar.

[24] STATE MINISTER TOSKAY LEAVES FOR AUSTRIA

Staging a press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport prior to his departure, Toskay said that the Turkey-Austria JEC's third term meeting would be held in Vienna on Monday.

He said that multilateral trade, commercial relations between Turkey and Austria and measures to further improve bilateral trade between the two countries would be taken up at the meeting.

Toskay told reporters, ''opportunities of cooperation in fields of energy, free trade areas, small and medium scale enterprises and contracting services will be taken up. Activities of Turkey-Austria Business Council and new cooperation opportunities in energy field will also be discussed at the meeting.''

He said that he would also attend the Turkey-Austria Business Council's sixth term meeting on Tuesday.

Toskay added that he would hold contacts with Martin Bartenstein, the Austrian Federal Economy and Labour Minister, and Dr. Christoph Leithl, the Chairman of Austrian Chamber of Economy.

[25] FIRE IN TERBAY FACTORY IN IZMIR (2)

Sources said that the paint store of the factory producing garbage containers and motor vehicle spare parts, was burnt down to ashes in the fire.

There were not immediate reports of casualties in the fire.

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