Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-11-14

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

14 NOVEMBER 2000 Tuesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] GAP REGION EXPORTS 69.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR CEREALS IN TEN MONTHS

[03] AYTEKIN, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT DUE TO TUNISIA

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

FIAT DOBLO PROMOTED IN BURSA
Fiat Doblo which is the first world automobile manufactured by Turkey, is being promoted in Marmara Bursa province, following the first promotion in Autoshow Automobile Fair in Istanbul. Rahmi Koc, the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Koc Holding, and Roberto Testore, the Chairman of Fiat Auto, came to Bursa to start the promotion activities of Fiat Doblo. The Fiat Doblo cars are being produced in the factories of Koc Holding in Bursa.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

THEY ONLY AGREED ON GANG CRIMES
The government agreed on reduction of punishment. The Democratic Left Party (DSP) and the Motherland Party (ANAP) shed green light to the arrangement which would save Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP). On the other hand, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) opposed to this arrangement by saying that the arrangement would be returned by the Constitutional Court. Premier Bulent Ecevit said that the scope of the amnesty will be made public within a few days.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

IKV: ''OUR TARGET IS FIRSTLY EU AND THEN EURO''
The research titled ''Economic and Monetary Union in the European Union (EU) and Turkey'' which was issued by the Economic Development Foundation (IKV) said that Turkey should firstly give priority to full membership with the EU and then to reach conditions of the European Monetary Union (EMU). The research said that Turkey can more easily reach the economic level determined by Maastricht criteria after it becomes a full member of the EU. The research noted that Turkey cannot join the EMU in a short term under the present conditions.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

SEZER BRINGS CYPRUS QUESTION TO AGENDA OF OIC SUMMIT
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that a lasting peace on Cyprus can be ensured by taking into consideration the realities on the island. Speaking in the Organization for Islamic Conference (OIC) 9th Summit, Sezer noted that the confederation proposal is the rationalist and constructive approach for the solution of Cyprus question.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

PRODUCTION OF BIG HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES INCREASE
The production in the household appliances increased 27.9 percent between January and September when compared to the numbers of 1999. Fridge, television, and video are the products which were manufactured the most in the same period. The sources said that effective marketing campaigns are one of the reasons of this increase.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

HADEP COMMENTS ON ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD
Mayors from the People's Democracy Party (HADEP), said that they thought positively over the European Union (EU) Accession Partnership Accord and the approach of the government toward the document. The 36 mayors from HADEP, issued a joint statement following a meeting they held on Sunday. Abdullah Akin, the Mayor of Batman, who made the statement on behalf of the mayors, said, ''it has been observed that there are several mistakes and deficiencies in assessment of the priorities. For example, we think it is a mistake not to include abolishment of State of Emergency and capital punishment among the short term targets. Similary, it is a deficiency that the Kurdish problem did not take place in the document although it is the most important problem of Turkey and although failure to find a solution to the problem will create an obstacle in EU membership process.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

MARKETS IN TURKEY REVIVE
Many sectors in Turkey are under the process of revitalization before the New Year, and the Ramadan, the holy month of the Muslims. As the inflation rate decreased in October, various sectors in Turkey revived. Automotive, food, textile sectors are the sectors which benfitted the most from this process.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

FP LEADER KUTAN: ''THERE IS AGREEMENT BUT NOT BARGAINING''
Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP), said that they do not bargain with the coalition partners about the amnesty law and political reforms. Responding to a question, Kutan said, ''the bills submitted by the government are draft laws on which all the political parties have agreed. The bills have been discussed. Agreement has been reached on them. But, it will be wrong to say 'this is provided in return for this.''

[02] GAP REGION EXPORTS 69.1 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR CEREALS IN TEN MONTHS

The cereal-grain, leguminosae, oil seed and product exports from GAP region decreased 9.3 percent between January and October 2000 when compared with the same period of 1999.

The GAP region exported 76 million 183 thousand cereals-grains, leguminosae, oil seeds and products in first ten months of 1999.

The figures of the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters Union indicated that 4 million 681 thousand U.S. dollar lentil, haricot bean and chickpea, 8 million 369 thousand U.S. dollar flour and semolina, 1 million 810 thousand U.S. dollar bulgur and macaroni, 7 million 477 thousand U.S. dollar oil, 40 million 610 thousand U.S. dollar sugar and candies, and 6 million 220 thousand U.S. dollar other products were exported from the GAP region in first ten months of 2000.

Iraq, Germany, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Romania were the countries that the GAP region exported its products between January and October 2000.

[03] AYTEKIN, MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT DUE TO TUNISIA

Releasing a written statement, the Ministry of Environment said the meeting aims at improving cooperation with other international organizations which are functioning in environment and sustainable development fields, encouraging the Non-Governmental Organizations to take part in the decision taking process, and conveying information about the issue to the concerned institutions.

''Strategic Report 2000'', and ''Tunisia Declaration'' which will form the legal base for the strategic report, will be adopted in the meeting of the Comission.

Aytekin will come back to Turkey on November 17.

-FIRST INTERNATIONAL OIL AND NATURAL GAS FAIR AND CONFERENCE TO B
HELD IN ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL - First International Oil and Natural Gas Fair and Congress (TURKIOG 2000) will be held in Istanbul between November 16 -18.

Cumhur Ersumer, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, will deliver a speech at the opening ceremony of TURKIOG 2000.

Yurdakul Yigitguden, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources; Gokhan Yardim, the General Director of State Run Oil Pipeline Company(BOTAS); and Osman Demirag, the General Director of Turkish Petrouleums Inc.(TPAO), will also deliver speeches within the framework of the congress.

Meanwhile, John Wolf, the U.S. President Bill Clinton's Energy Advisor for Caspian Sea Energy Basin; Chris Patten, the Representative of Euroepan Union Comission; Ajay Chhibber, the World Bank's Turkey Representative; and Jeffrey Kadet, one of the partners of Arthur Andersen, will participate in the congress as speakers.

The Blue Stream Project, Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline Project, the transfer of oil and natural gas from the Caspian region to the world energy markets, and the importance of the Turkish market in Trans-Caspian pipeline project, are the issues that will be discussed in the congress.

TURKIOG 2000, which is supported by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, BOTAS, and TPAO, is the first international fair and congress of the energy sector.

-HOSPITAL FOR CARETTA CARETTAS TO BE SET UP
DENIZLI - Hospital for the Caretta Carettas will be set up in Aegean Denizli province.

The hospital will be set up within the framework of a project launched by the Pamukkale University (PAU) to protect the caretta carettas which are gradually extincting.

Yakup Kaska, a lecturer of the PAU's Zoology Department who heads the team working for the project in Fethiye, Dalyan and Patara, told A.A correspondent on Tuesday that gathering information about the number and gender of the caretta carettas constitutes the first phase of the project.

Kaska said, ''the temperature of the place where the caretta carettas lay their eggs plays an important role in the gender of the offsprings. If the temperature, is over 32 degrees Celcius, a female caretta caretta is born. If the temperature is below 26 degrees Celcius, a male caretta caretta is born.''

''Our project also targets at setting up a hospital to protect and treat the caretta carettas which are injured. We will place transmitters on some of the caretta carettas to monitor their movement in the sea. We are looking for sponsors for our project,'' Kaska added.

Kaska noted that the information collected within framework of the project will be submitted as a statement in a scientific meeting in the U.S. in March 2001.

-EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FROM NORTHWESTERN TEKIRDAG PROVINCE
TEKIRDAG - Northwestern Tekirdag province exported 5 million 218 thousand U.S. dollar products in October 2000.

Tekirdag imported 86 million 515 thousand U.S. dollar products in October 2000.

Officials of the Tekirdag Customs Directorate said on Tuesday that the oil and fuel products ranked the first among the imported products with 67 million 755 thousand U.S. dollars.

Vegetable products, iron-steel, vegetable oil and margarines, organic chemicals and pharmaceutics are the other products imported to Tekirdag.

The vegetable product exports ranked the first with 2 million 817 thousand U.S. dollars.

Glass, stone, ceramics, iron-steel, copper, aluminium, foodstuff, chemicals, tobacco, and machinery are the other products exported from Tekirdag.

-SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
ANKARA - A conference on ''Sustainable Development in the European Union (EU) Membership Process'' will be held in Ankara on November 24.

The conference organized by the Directorate General of Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Authority, the United Nations Development Program's Representation in Turkey and the Procter and Gamble Firm, will be held at the Bilkent Hotel.

Issues such as ''Turkey 2000: A Public Survey on Sustainable Development'', ''Institutional Responsibilities in Sustainable Development'', ''Experiences of Institutional Responsibilities in Turkey'' will be discussed at the conference.

Murat Dural, a member of Executive Board of Turkish Insdustrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD); Olcay Unver, the Chairman of Directorate General of GAP Regional Development Authority; Alfedo Witschi- Cestari, the Representative of United Nations to Ankara; Alain Servanties, the Chief of EU Commission's Directorate General for Enlargement; Ajay Chhibber, the World Bank's Turkey Representative; Uner Kirdar, the former Chief Adviser of the United Nations Development Program; Peter Hindle, the Director of Procter and Gamble Firm for Foreign Affairs; and Werner Geissler, the Deputy Chairman of Procter and Gamble for Turkey, Caucasus Central Asia; will deliver speeches at the conference.

A panel discussion on ''Sustainable Development: Assessment of Economic Development, Social Justice and Environment'' will be held within framework of the conference.

Bahadir Kaleagası, the Representative of TUSIAD in Brussels; Gunesin Aydemir, the Project Responsible of Protestion of Natural Life Association; Halis Akder from the Middle East Technical University (METU); Kaya Yasinok, the Deputy Chairman of Directorate General of GAP Regional Development Authority; Korhan Gumus, the Chairman of Human Settlements Association; and Mustafa Donmez, the Deputy Secretary General for EU; will attend the panel discussion as speakers.

The Procter and Gamble Firm will introduce its report on ''Sustainable Development 2000'' at the conference.

The sustainable development which was included in the EU'S Maastricht Agreement, became an important rule within scope of the EU's enlargement policy in regard to ''encourage economic and social development, and to decrease unemployment''.

Two more meetings will be held in Swedish capital of Stockholm and Italian capital of Rome on November 29 on the sustainable development aiming at increasing living standards in developed and developing countries.

-EXPLOSION IN FRONT OF PROVINCIAL GENDARMERIE
TROOPS HEADQUARTERS IN SANLIURFA
-A SERGEANT INJURED SERIOUSLY
SANLIURFA - An explosion occurred on Tuesday in front of the Provincial Gendarmerie Troops Headquarters in southeastern Sanliurfa province.

Sources told the A.A correspondent that a sergeant was injured seriously in the explosion.

He was rushed to the Sanliurfa State Hospital for medical treatment.

Sanliurfa Governor Muzaffer Dilek together with Sedat Hasay, the Director of Security, and Lieutenant Colonel Cahit Sen, the Deputy Commander of the Provincial Gendarmerie Troops, came to the scene of the explosion.

A full investigation into the explosion in under way.

-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM:
-''THERE IS NOT A NEW SEARCH FOR A ROLE
REGARDED WITH INCIRLIK AIR BASE''
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Tuesday, ''there is not a new search for a role regarded with the Incirlik Air Base.''

Referring to a written motion submitted by Vehbi Hatipoglu, a deputy of the Virtue Party (FP) from Diyarbakir, Cem said, ''the Incirlik Air Base is a completely Turkish installation. There are two groups of foreign military elements at the base. These elements are serving within the framework of two separate legal grounds.''

Cem said, ''warplanes belonged to the U.S. Rotation Fleet, and supporting units were allowed to be deployed at the Incirlik Air Base in order to support NATO's defense plans. These warplanes carry out activities in accordance with agreements.''

''Operation Northern Watch has been performed by the United Mission Force deployed at the Incirlik Air Base. The Incirlik Air Base is a Turkish installation in which these two missions are being carried out. There is not a new search for a role regarded with the Incirlik Air Base,'' he said.

Responding to a question, Cem said, ''the parliament does have the authority to determine other formations instead of the Operation Northern Watch. Any comment whether or not a new formation would be set up by annuling the Operation Northern Watch, is nothing but a speculation.''

-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN PARIS
PARIS - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem arrived on Tuesday in French capital of Paris to attend the Europe-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference in Marseille.

Cem will proceed to Marsellie on Wednesday to attend two-day conference which is due to start the same day.

He is scheduled to hold contacts with foreign ministers of member countries to the European Union (EU).

His contacts are expected to focus on Turkey's reaction to inclusion of Cyprus issue in the Accession Partnership Accord which was submitted to Turkey last week by the EU Commission.

The conference with the participation of 15 EU members and 12 Mediterranean countries, will be held under the shadow of clashes in the Middle East.

Several Arab countries and Israel had called on France to postpone the conference.

Releasing a statement yesterday, Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine of France said that they would not cancel the conference despite negative atmosphere in the Middle East.

Libya will participate in the conference with a status of ''special guest''.

Many Arab countries are not expected to attend the conference on the ministerial level.

Besides the Middle East peace process, EU's financial aid fund for the Mediterranean countries, and preparations for a stability pact between Europe and Mediterranean will be taken up at the conference.

The Europe-Mediterranean Conference was first held in Barcelona five years ago as a result of initiatives launched by France and Spain.

The Europe-Mediterranean Conference was formed in order to develop cooperation in the fields of policy, security, economy and environment.

-CLASHES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
-PALESTINIAN CHILDREN LIVING IN TURKEY,
SEEK SUPPORT BY VISITING EMBASSIES
ANKARA - A group of Palestinian children living in Turkey, sought support to put an end to violent acts in the Middle East by visiting embassies in Ankara on Monday.

A total of ten Palestinian children together with an official from the Palestinian Embassy in Ankara, paid visits to missions of People's Republic of China, France, Britain, the U.S., Russia, the European Union Commission, and the United Nations.

They conveyed their messages to embassy staff saying that clashes should be halted, children should not be killed and the Palestinian people should be protected.

Palestinian children will visit the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern Republic of Turkey, later in the day.

-TREASURY SELLS 941.1 TRILLION NOMINAL-VALUED DEBENTURE BONDS
ANKARA - Treasury Undersecretariat sold 941.1 trillion Turkish lira (TL) nominal valued 13-month debenture bonds in Tuesday's auction.

The total bid had been 1 quadrillion 443.5 trillion TL while the net sale became 663.8 trillion TL.

The annual simple interest rate became 38.9 percent and the annual composite interest rate became 38.28 percent.

The minimum simple interest rate became 38.20 percent and maximum simple interest rate became 39.17 percent.

The minimum composite interest rate became 37.71 percent and maximum composite interest rate became 38.65 percent.

Meanwhile, Treasury will repay 1 quadrillion 277 trillion 160.4 billion TL in domestic borrowing on Wednesday.

-BAKU-CEYHAN PIPELINE PROJECT
-BOTAS AND PLE COMPANY SIGN AGREEMENT
ANKARA - The Pipeline Oil Transportation Corp (Botas) and the German PLE company which will carry out basic engineering works within the framework of the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project, signed an agreement on Tuesday.

Botas General Director Gokhan Yardim said that Botas which was assigned as the contractor company in accordance with the ''Turn-Key Delivery Contractor Agreement'' signed on October 19, 2000 between Botas and the sponsor MEP members, signed an agreement with the PLE company on basic engineering works in Turkish territories.

Recalling that the PLE company had earlier carried out feasibility etudes for the Baku-Ceyhan project, Yardim said that the basic engineering works were foreseen to be finalized in six months.

Yardim said that Botas was responsible of finalizing detailed engineering works in 12 months and construction works in 32 months after the end of basic engineering works.

-PRESIDENT SEZER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT WAHID OF INDONESIA
AND WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER GECO OF ALBANIA
DOHA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who is currently in Qatari capital of Doha to attend the Ninth Heads of State and Government Summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), met on Tuesday with President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia and Deputy Prime Minister Makbule Geco of Albania.

Tacan Ildem, the Presidential Cabinet Chief and the Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser, staged a press conference to inform journalists on President Sezer's contacts.

Ildem said, ''at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Geco expressed satisfaction over improving relations between Turkey and Albania in every field. Stressing that they attributed great importance to improvement of economic relations, Geco called on Turkish firms to join infrastructure investments in Albania. Noting that they would realize privatization in key fields like telecommunication, Geco said that they wanted Turkish firms to contribute to their works. Geco conveyed Albanian President Rexhep Meidani's invitation to President Sezer.''

''President Sezer stressed that Turkey attributed great importance to its relations with Albania. He noted that Turkey was determined to further improve relations with Albania in every field. President Sezer sent his best wishes to his Albanian counterpart Meidani,'' he said.

Ildem told reporters, ''President Wahid of Indonesia told President Sezer that Indonesia had taken Turkey's initiatives on the path of development as an example. He expressed his pleasure with meeting President Sezer in Qatar. Stressing that cultural relations should be further improved, President Wahid said that they attributed importance to cooperation in education in order to spread of Turkish language in Indonesia. He said that exchange of students between the two countries would be beneficial to this end.''

Ildem noted that economic relations were also brought onto agenda of the meeting.

He said that President Sezer had underlined importance of accelerating activities of Business Council which was founded in 1995.

''President Wahid said that the Turkey-Indonesia Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting in 2001 would create a ground to accelerate activities of Business Council,'' he told reporters.

Ildem added that Wahid had invited President Sezer to Indonesia.

President Sezer will proceed to Jordan from Qatar on an official visit as guest of King Abdullah II of Jordan.

-PALESTINIAN CHILDREN VISIT MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURK
ANKARA - A group of Palestinian children living in Turkey, visited on Tuesday the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of modern Republic of Turkey.

Earlier, ten Palestinian children together with an official from the Palestinian Embassy in Ankara, paid visits to missions of People's Republic of China, France, Britain, the U.S., Russia, the European Union Commission, and the United Nations.

They conveyed their messages to embassy staff saying that clashes should be halted, children should not be killed and the Palestinian people should be protected.

Palestinian children laid bouquets to the mausoleum of Ataturk.

-SOCCER-FRIENDLY GAME BETWEEN TURKEY AND FRANCE
-TURKEY'S COACH GUNES: ''WE WANT TO WIN THE MATCH''
ISTANBUL - Senol Gunes, the Coach of the Turkish National Team, said on Tuesday that they wanted to win tomorrow's friendly game against World and European Champions France.

Speaking to reporters, Gunes said that the players would play easily as they wouldn't seek to win a point.

''We won't subordinate our style as to take the opponent under control. I will do some experiments on the system during this friendly game. I can try out inexperienced young players. We will play seriously. We have two aims from this match. To help newcomers adapt to the team and to prepare for World Cup qualification matches. That's why we have chosen a strong opponent,'' he said.

Probable teams:

Turkey: 1-Rustu Recber; 4-Bulent Korkmaz, 3-Ogun Temizkanoglu, 13-Fatih Akyel, 14-Tayfur Havutcu, 8-Suat Kaya, 7-Okan Buruk, 11-Hakan Unsal, 10- Muzzy Izzet, 9-Hakan Sukur, 22-Fatih Tekke

France: 1-Fabien Barthez; 15-Lilian Thuram, 5-Frank Leboeuf, 8-Marcel Desailly, 2-Vincent Candela, 4-Patrick Vieira, 17-Emmanuel Petit, 19-Johan Micoud, 10-Zinedine Zidane, 13-Sylvain Wiltord, 20-David Trezeguet

Referee: Georgios Borovilos (Greece)

Linesmen: Simeon Tsolakidis and Alexias Orfanos (Greece)

-STATE MINISTER BAL RECEIVES CHHIBBER, WORLD
BANK'S REPRESENTATIVE IN TURKEY
ANKARA - State Minister Faruk Bal received on Tuesday Ajay

Chhibber, the World Bank's Representative in Turkey.

Responding to questions of the A.A correspondent following the meeting, Bal said that they had exchanged opinions on the draft law on banks.

When asked whether or not making three public banks autonomous and later privatizating them would be adequate for the World Bank's approval of loan, Bal said, ''the issue should be debated at the General Assembly. If we are going to use the loan, we should privatize these banks, and we should make arrangements on privatization of the banks.''

When asked, ''it there any problem on the issue?'' Bal said that they did not any problem in dealing with the issue.

-BALANCE SHEET IN EMERGENCY RULE REGION
-AYDINER, GOVERNOR OF EMERGENCY RULE REGION:
-''572 TERRORIST WERE RENDERED INEFFECTIVE IN PAST TEN MONTHS''
DIYARBAKIR - Gokhan Aydiner, the Governor of Emergency Rule Region, said on Tuesday, ''572 terrorists were rendered ineffective in the past ten months. 351 of these terrorists were killed.''

Staging a press conference at the Southeast Journalists' Society, Aydiner said, ''mission of Emergency Rule Region Governor's Office is to eradicate terrorist movements against country's integrity and state's unitry structure. A total of 206 terrorist incidents occurred in 11 provinces in the Emergency Rule Region in the first ten months of the year. 572 terrorists were rendered ineffective in the past ten months. 351 of these terrorists were killed. 547 out of 1,717 people who were captured due to their connection with terrorist organization PKK, were arrested. 1,730 out of 2,709 people who were captured during operations against terrorist Hezbollah organization, were arrested. Meanwhile, 27 security officials and 39 civilians lost their lives while 73 security officials and 29 civilians were injured in terrorist incidents.''

Aydiner stressed that terrorist incidents decreased more than 80 percent compared to figures of 1999.

Recalling that a 107-article action plan envisaging development of 25 provinces in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions was put into practice with signature of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on May 9, 2000, Aydiner said that the action plan aimed at decreasing the difference of development among regions and provinces in the same region to the minimum level.

Aydiner said, ''32,580 people who were forced to leave their homes due to terrorist incidents, returned to their homes in 145 villages and 189 hamlets. 5,853 dwellings were constructed to settle these villagers. Infrastructure works are under way in 48 villages. Works are continuing to finalize organized industrial sites in Diyarbakir, Siirt, Van, Hakkari, Sirnak and Bitlis provinces. The government allocated 407 trillion Turkish liras for 4,410 projects in the region.''

He added, ''constructions of 26 hospitals, 10 health centers and 14 health houses are continuing. Constructions of 37 schools were finalized.''

-TURKISH CYPRIOT COASTAL SECURITY AND SHIP RESCUE COMPANY OPENED IN GIRNE
LEFKOSA - State Minister Ramazan Mirzaoglu inaugurated on Tuesday the Turkish Cypriot Coastal Security and Ship Rescue company which will carry out research-rescue activities in the territorial waters of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

A fire-extinguisher boat and a rescue tug boat were delivered to the TRNC during the inauguration.

Speaking at the inauguration, TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu said that the facility they were opening gave important messages, and that Turkey and they were cooperating.

State Minister Mirzaoglu said in his part that the TRNC was trying to prove its existence, and that the facility they were opening was one of the indicators of the TRNC's existence.

Mirzaoglu said that his Ministry and the TRNC government had signed cooperation protocols and that they were puting them into practice.

Stressing that Turkey's policy toward Cyprus was not changed, Mirzaoglu said that they would always support the rightful case of the Turkish Cypriots.

-ANKARA DGM ALTERNATE JUDGE DECIDES TO ARREST
NINE SUSPECTS ON CHARGES OF SMUGGLING MEAT INTO TURKEY
ANKARA - The Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no:2 Alternate Judge's Office decided on Tuesday to arrest nine of the eighteen people who had been detained on charges of smuggling meat into Turkey and to release nine others.

Following the seven-hour interrogation, Alternate Judge Ramazan Aksan decided to arrest nine detainees, ''Isak Romano, Yavuz Yildirim, Mustafa Murt, Unsal Gungor, Muslum Kocak, Mahmut Arslan, Abdulkadir Ozbey, Sevda Oktem Karaca and Ozkan Ergun'' on charges of ''violating Law on Struggle Against Criminal Organizations Seeking Profit, preparing phony documents and smuggling goods''.

The Alternate Judge decided to release the other nine detainees, ''Cemil Guzelis, Cem Birim, Ibrahim Araz, Serpil Kotan, Ali Riza Kalkan, Aydin Coskun, Yakup Rakicioglu, Ergun Akdeniz and Sabahaddin Dikiciler''.

The nine people who were arrested will be sent to the Ankara Prison.

The Ankara DGM had decided to release thirteen other detainees on Monday.

The operation was initiated as a result of the activities of a commission formed in 1999 under the supervision of Interior Ministry inspectors.

The commission was formed with the Prime Ministry's approval on December 12, 1999 and it included representatives from the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry, the Customs Deparment, the Police Department, the Gendarmerie General Commandership and the Security Department's Smuggling and Organized Crime Divisions.

The commission started its studies by investigating livestock smuggling in border provinces.

Later, they concentrated on meat smuggling and focused on certain companies which looked suspicious. After obtaining concrete documents on this matter, legal authorities were informed and the operation was started to end meat smuggling in Turkey.

-TREASURY UNDERSECRETARY DEMIRALP: ''IMF'S TURKEY DESK CHIEF
COTTARELLI AND I WILL STAGE A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY''
ANKARA - Treasury Underecretary Selcuk Demiralp said on Tuesday that International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief Carlo Cottarelli and he would stage a press conference on Wednesday.

Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Demiralp said that Cottarelli and he would give information on the IMF delegation's contacts held in Ankara within framework of the ''third review'' during the press conference that would start at 04:00 p.m.

The contacts of the IMF delegation headed by Cottarelli in Ankara focused on general economic situation, developments in banking and privatization fields and economic figures for 2001.

Cottarelli had arrived in Ankara later than the IMF delegation as some high- level economy bureaucrats including Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp and Central Bank Governor Gazi Ercel would be in Montreal, Canada to attend G-20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' meeting between October 24-25.

IMF delegation which had arrived in Ankara on October 27, 2000 held meetings related to the third review which had been held in Istanbul and Ankara between August 30 and September 12 but couldn't be finalized.

The IMF delegation headed by Cottarelli had left Turkey before concluding the third review and decided to come back to Turkey at the end of October as the works on 2001 year budget had not been finalized yet.

The supplementary letter of intent which will be prepared after the meetings between the IMF delegation and Turkish economy bureaucrats is foreseen to be taken up by the IMF Board in December.

-TUNISIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ARRIVES IN ANKARA
ANKARA - Tunisian Defense Minister Mohammed Jegeam arrived on Tuesday in Ankara as the guest of National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu.

Cakmakoglu welcomed his Tunisian counterpart at Ankara's Esenboga Airport.

Cakmakoglu said that the Tunisian Defense Minister and he would hold talks on issues of defense, military and defense industry.

Stating that they would expend efforts to further develop good bilateral relations, Cakmakoglu said that they would assess the mutual potential at the joint commission meeting.

Guest Tunisian Defense Minister Jegeam said that the aim of his visit was to develop the mutual works on military field.

Jegeam said that the historical and geographical similarities between Turkey and Tunisia constituted the basis for development of relations.

The guest minister said that they wanted to discuss also the political relations, and added that the Tunisian President invited President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to Tunisia.

-TUSIAD WARNS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
STRASBOURG - Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen (TUSIAD) Chairman Erkut Yucaoglu sent on Tuesday letters to European Parliamentary group chairmen and members, criticizing the attempts to include Armenian genocide allegations into the motion for resolution regarding Turkey.

Reflecting the concerns of the Turkish business world, Yucaoglu said that it would be wrong to make a biased historical assessment and a decision by the European Parliament, and this would serve anly some separate agendas and affect the Turkey-European Union (EU) and Turkey-Armenia relations very negatively.

The TUSIAD Chairman said that the biased steps that would be taken would contradict with the European democracy, and that it was wrong to talk about a genocide during a war that claimed many lives from many countries.

Stressing that the Ankara government had proposed all relevant states to open their archives to the scientists, historians and experts, Yucaoglu said that the Unites States Congress had withdrawn this issue from its agenda.

Emphasizing that Turkey was determined to advance in economic and political harmonization path, Yucaoglu said that bringning so-called genocide allegations onto the agenda would be against also the interests of Europe.

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