Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-12-07

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

07 DECEMBER 2000

Thursday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] EU COMMISSION TO GRANT 150 MILLION EURO ASSISTANCE

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

WE DON'T FORGIVE THEM
The amnesty issue started new discussions in Turkey. The families of the inmates were happy that their relatives would be granted amnesty, while the relatives of the victims of various crimes harshly oppose amnesty. A group of families whose relatives died in a traffic accident or murdered said they wouldn't forgive the people who killed their relatives. The families added the deputies who signed the amnesty law would be encouraging the crimes. One father who lost his daughter in a traffic accident said, the person who hit his daughter by car was sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment, adding that he would be freed if the amnesty was granted. Many families whose relatives murdered said if the criminals were to be granted amnesty, then why they were given punishments.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

SABAH (LIBERAL)

PITBULLS BANNED IN MANAVGAT
Manavgat Hygiene Council banned keeping Pitbull dogs in Manavgat due to their wild nature. Manavgat's Head Official Mehmet Capraz, after having a meeting with Manavgat residents who complain about these dogs, said that there were about 30 Pitbulls in the township noting that the complaints are increasing every day.

Owners of Pitbulls in Manavgat have two months to move or send their dogs somewhere else. Otherwise, their dogs will be taken from them and put in the municipality's animal shelter.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

PROTESTORS HEALTH DETERIORATES
The death fast of 203 inmates in prisons all over Turkey entered its 49th day today. The protestors' health is deteriorating and they also stopped drinking tea with sugar. There are intensified efforts to make them end their protests. A group from the Human Rights Association (IHD) visited Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk and asked him to take action as the time is running out.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

CRITICAL DAYS START IN DEATH FAST
Two of the inmates who entered the 49th day of their death fast is in serious health condition. Doctors said that after 50 days, the inmates will develop untreatable illnesses noting that they were expecting deaths any moment. Protestors whose health seriously deteriorated have started votiming blood. Others are suffering from hearing and seeing impairments, headaches, and weakness.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

RTUK CLOSES DOWN ATV BECAUSE OF POKEMON
The Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK), closed down ATV channel for one day as its broadcasts of Pokemon cartoon was harmful especially for the preschool kids. The RTUK took the decision of closing down after the application of Ministry of Health to RTUK. The report of RTUK said that the Pokemon cartoons were comprising violent elements in it adding that the cartoons caused the children to become insensitive to the violence phenomena.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

YUCAOGLU, CHAIRMAN OF TUSIAD SAYS THE MARKETS TO RELIEVE BY NEW
YEAR

Erkut Yucaoglu, the Chairman of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) said the markets will relieve by the beginning of 2001, adding that the loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was positive. Noting that this loan was necessary for the full implementation of the economic programme, Yucaoglu said the public finance and the macro economical part of the economic programme was on its track. The problems stem from not implementing the structural reforms said Yucaoglu.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

[02] EU COMMISSION TO GRANT 150 MILLION EURO ASSISTANCE

The frame regulation which constitutes the legal basis of the Accession Partnership for Document prepared for Turkey is expected to be adopted by the European Parliament (EP) at the end of January and a green light is expected to be shed on making the necessary financial cooperation for the implementation of the Accession Partnership. No problem of approval is expected in the EU in this issue.

However the EU which can't fulfil its financial obligations towards Turkey under the customs treaty due to the veto of Greece, shows a problematic attitude towards Turkey. The Commission continues to launch efforts in overcoming these difficulties.

The financial cooperation between Turkey and the EU is carried out by Financial Protocols since the signing of Ankara Treaty between Turkey and the EU and donations and low interest credits are given to Turkey by the EU.

In 32 years between 1964-1996, EU only transferred 755 million EUROs of credit and 75 million EUROs of donations to Turkey.

Recently the European Union (EU) Commission decided to grant 150 million euro assistance to Turkey to support the economic and social reforms. A statement of the EU Commission said last week that the assistance allocated from the Mediterranean fund MEDA targets at supporting the economic and social policy that the Ankara government is determined to implement to prevent the increase in prices, to ensure sustainable economic growth, to provide a fair distribution of income and to ensure harmony to the EU acquis.

The statement said that the formation of permanent growth conditions, decrease of inflation, and taking under control the public expenditures are among the macro-economic targets of the program. The improvement of social security system, the passing of laws on the unemployment insurance and the retirement funds, and making the laws in compliant with the EU standards are important, the statement noted. The statement pointed out that the reconstruction of agricultural sector and privatization are also among the targets. The reforms aiming at ending the state monopoly in energy and telecommunication sectors by privatization should be supported, the statement said.

Meanwhile the EU Commission also gave a donation of 31 million euros and a loan of 600 million euros to Turkey in the scope of ''quake aids.''

-EU SUMMIT STARTS
NICE - The EU Council summit started in Nice city of France on Thursday.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit represents Turkey in the summit where there are the heads of states and governments of 15 EU member countries and the candidate countries.

Clouds of tear gas greeted leaders arriving in Acropolis convention centre for the summit following clashes between riot police and thousands of activists who are against globalism.

Police earlier fired volleys of tear gas at protesters who swarmed around downtown Nice in a bid to bar entry to the talks.

Militants of terrorist organizations like the PKK and TIKKO are also among the activists.

-EU OFFICE OF ADANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO BE INAUGURATED
ADANA - The European Union (EU) Information and Documentation Center which is set up by the Adana Chamber of Commerce (ATO) to contribute to the integration of the regional economy to the EU, will be inaugurated by Karen Fogg, the European Commission's representative to Turkey on Friday.

Fethi Kamisli, the Chairman of ATO, who made statements on the issue said they were aiming at benefitting from the projects, funds, and the research reports of the EU, adding that they would continue to implement works for cooperation and joint investments with the small and medium scale enterprises of the EU.

Noting that Turkey should open its economy to world, Kamisli said their economic plans and strategies were in line with this view.

''Our state is forming its bureaucracy for coordination and harmonization with the EU. As civil professional organizations we should also contribute to these efforts,'' said Kamisli.

-TREMOR SHAKES ERZINCAN
ERZINCAN - A tremor was recorded in eastern Erzincan province at 9.44 a.m on Thursday.

Ataturk University Quake Research Centre said that the epicenter of the quake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale was near Refahiye township of Erzincan province.

No casualties were reported.

-TRANSPORTATION MINISTER OKSUZ:
-''TURKSAT 2A WILL BE LAUNCHED AFTER MALFUNCTION IN THE ROCKET
IS REMOVED''
ISTANBUL - Enis Oksuz, the Minister of Transportation said on Thursday that the Turksat 2A would be launched after the removal of the malfunction in the rocket which would carry the satellite to the space.

Oksuz who made statements before his departure from Istanbul to Ankara said the launching of Turksat 2A was postponed due to the malfunction in the rocket.

These kind of investments were very expensive and time taking, so even a small risk couldn't be taken, Oksuz said and added the satellite would be launched in a few days time.

''If the launching wasn't postponed then there might be a loss of one billion U.S. dollars. The satellite is insured but we couldn't take the risk,'' said Oksuz.

Noting that there weren't any problems in the satellite, Oksuz repeated that a malfunction occured in the rocket which would carry the satellite to the space.

Responding to a question on the demand of the Turkish Airlines (THY) for an increase in the price of the domestic lines tickets, Oksuz said there was a stability programme of the government adding that people couldn't make arbitrary increases in ticket prices.

-TREASURY ISSUES BOND
ANKARA - The Treasury Undersecretariat issued treasury bonds worth of 20 million U.S. dollars and 80 million Euro with a maturity term of 84 days after the demand of Halk Bank.

A statement from the Treasury Undersecretariat said on Thursday that the bond export was done through direct sales.

The interest rate of the 20 million U.S. dollars worth of treasury bonds whose maturity ends on March 1, 2001 is 2.10 percent. The interest rate of the 80 million Euro worth of treasury bonds is 1.73 percent.

-JALAL UD-DIN RUMI TO BE COMMEMORATED ON
727TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEMISE
KONYA - Jalal ud-din Rumi will be commemorated on the 727th anniversary of his demise.

Officials at the Provincial Directorate of Culture told A.A correspondent on Thursday that several activities would take place in Konya province within the framework of Jalal ud-din Rumi Week.

Whirling dervishes will display performances at the Ataturk Sports Hall between December 9 and 17.

A ceremony will take place on December 17 to mark ''Shab-i Arus Night'' when Jalal ud-din Rumi passed away 727 years ago.

A number of Turkish and foreign guests are expected to be in attendance at the ceremony.

Jalal ud-din Rumi devoted himself to the pursuit of Sufi mysticism, in which he is justly regarded as a master. He was the spiritual founder of the Mevlevi order of whirling dervishes. His most important work, composed during the last ten years of his life, was the Mathnawi-i Manawi. This comprises about 30 thousand couplets in six books, a vast compensium of Sufi lore and doctrine, interspersed with fables and anecdotes. It is especially remarkable for its insight into the laws of physics and psychology. Second to this is the Diwan-i Shams-i Tabriz, a collection of lyrics (ghazals) dedicated to his spritual guide Shamsuddin of Tabriz.

-CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ERCEL: ''ANY CHANGE IN EXISTING
MONETARY AND CURRENCY POLICY IS OUT OF QUESTION''
ANKARA - Central Bank Governor Gazi Ercel said on Thursday that any change in existing monetary and currency policy was out of question.

Ercel said that more powerful macroeconomic policies which would be followed in 2001 would also cut and reduce the reflection of domestic dynamics on the balance of payments.

Speaking to the private NTV television channel, Ercel said, ''together with inflation rates in November, the Turkish lira has gained almost eight percent in value on consumer prices basis and almost 4-5 percent in value on wholesale prices basis since the beginning of the year.''

Recalling that the inflations rate for 2001 had been targeted to be between 10-12 percent, Ercel said, ''when you take into consideration the value of currency together with the band and the targeted inflation rate, this real valuation should naturally be reduced at the end of the year. Your currency can gain in value but you should take into consideration the reflection of this on the balance of payments.''

''Increase in oil prices and Euro's losing in value became the factors which negatively affected the balance of payments at the most, and this put a four billion U.S. dollars of additional burden on our shoulders. However, there has been an important rate of increase in productivity of the labor force in Turkey. When you assess all these developments together, I don't think that there is currently a problem but there is a risk, of course. However, more powerful macroeconomic policies we will follow next year will cut and reduce the reflection of domestic dynamics on the balance of payments. We take this issue very seriously,'' he said.

Ercel added that he believed that the Turkish banking system would gain a better and sound structure after developing risk management methods.

-TURKEY WELCOMES CEASEFIRE BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
ANKARA - Turkey said on Thursday that it welcomed the declaration of ceasefire between India and Pakistan within the framework of measures aimed at reducing the tension.

Releasing a statement, the Foreign Ministry recounted that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vejpayee had announced that any military operation wouldn't be launched in Cammu Kashmir during the holy month of Ramadan, and the Pakistani Foreign Ministry had declared ceasefire in control line in Kasmir as of December 2.

Stating that Turkey welcomed those developments, Foreign Ministry said, ''Turkey which has always supported settlement of atmosphere of peace, confidence and stability and grounds for cooperation between Pakistan and India, has also welcomed the constructive steps taken with this objective, and considers the statements of the sides within this framework.''

''Turkey wishes that this ceasefire which was declared mutually will be permanent,'' it said.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that the ceasefire should pave the way for the start of a constructive dialogue process aimed at peaceful solution of all bilateral problems including the Kashmir issue, enabling development of atmosphere of confidence between the sides.

Meanwhile, sources said that at least 35 people had been killed in violent actions that had happened since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan despite the declaration of mutual ceasefire in Kashmir during Ramadan.

-PANEL DISCUSSION HELD ON ''TURKISH-GREEK RELATIONS''
ANKARA - A panel discussion on ''Turkish-Greek Relations: an Escape from Security Dilemma in Aegean'' organized in cooperation between the Foreign Ministry's Strategical Researches Center and the NATO, was held on Thursday at the Ankara University with the participation of Turkish and Greek academicians.

Addressing opening of the panel discussion, Prof. Dr. Nusret Aras, the Rector of the Ankara University, said that the past between the two countries could cause a lack of confidence, and added that the same past was full of similarities and affinities.

Stressing that the rapprochement process between Turkey and Greece started in the wake of quake disasters in Marmara Region and in Athens, Aras said, ''I hope that new disasters are not needed to further improve this process.''

Prof. Dr. Celal Gole, the Dean of Faculty of Political Sciences, noted, ''the most beneficial duty of Turkish and Greek scientists is to take up problems within scientific framework and without prejudices. Meanwhile, media has an important role in relations between the two countries.''

At the first session of the panel discussion, political and military relations between Turkey and Greece were taken up.

Fatih Tayfur from the Middle East Technical University (METU) said that the relations between the two countries had always been problematic.

''The two countries were traditionally expending efforts to get advantages against each other. Greece has obstructed relations between Turkey and the European Union (EU),'' he added.

Costas Ifantis from the Athens University said that Greece had perceived threats from Turkey whether they were real or not.

He stressed that realistic policies should be developed.

Thanos Dakos, a member of the Hellen Association for Europe and Foreign Policy, said that problems such as ''Ocalan fiasco'' and Kardak crisis were experienced in bilateral relations at the end of 1990s.

Dakos added, ''Greece is not the only and the biggest obstacle in front of Turkey's EU membership.''

Two sessions will be held later today on economic, social and cultural relations between the two countries.

Karen Fogg, the Representative of the EU Commission in Turkey; Ioannis Corantis, the Greek Ambassador to Turkey; and representatives of diplomatic missions in Ankara were in attendance at the panel discussion.

-FOREIGN DEBT PAYMENTS
-92.7 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS PAID BETWEEN DECEMBER 1-6
ANKARA - Turkey repaid a total of 92.7 million U.S. dollars of foreign debt between December 1 and 6.

The Central Bank data show that the Treasury paid 49. million U.S. dollars; the Central Bank repaid 40.8 million U.S. dollars; and 2.4 million U.S. dollars was the repayments of the documentation and membership fees of the administrations.

Meanwhile, Turkey has repaid a total of 9 billion 103.3 million U.S. dollars of foreign debt since the beginning of this year.

-FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES OF CENTRAL
BANK DECREASE TO 18.0 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS
ANKARA - The foreign exchange reserves of the Central Bank decreased by 2 billion 641 million U.S. dollars between November 24 and December 1.

According to the Central Bank's weekly bulletin, the Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves which had been 21 billion 583 million U.S. dollars on November 24 decreased to 18 billion 942 million U.S. dollars on December 1 while the gold reserves became 1 billion 10 million U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, total foreign exchange reserves of banks and private finance organizations decreased by 214 million U.S. dollars from 16 billion 463 million U.S. dollars to 16 billion 249 million U.S. dollars as of November 17.

The international reserves comprising of gold reserves of Turkey and foreign exchange reserves of the Central Bank, commercial banks and private finance organizations increased by 635 million U.S. dollars from 41 billion 56 million U.S. dollars to 41 billion 691 million U.S. dollars as of November 17.

-EUROPEAN CONFERENCE IN NICE ENDS
-PHOTOGRAPH OF LEADERS TAKEN
ANKARA - The European Conference which started earlier on Thursday in Nice, France, with the participation of heads of state and government of member and candidate countries to the European Union (EU), ended.

At the end of the Conference, ''family photograph'' of the leaders was taken.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem who represented Turkey at the Conference, took place in the photograph.

Later, leaders came together in a luncheon.

Meanwhile, as the number of people who came to Nice to protest the summit increased up to 60 thousand, tight security measures have been taken in Nice.

Nearly 15 thousand policemen have been deployed in Nice.

Demonstrators set on fire a branch of the Paris National Bank in Nice.

They chanted slogans to protest the Charter of Fundamental Rights which will be signed at the summit.

There are members of the terrorist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party- Front (DHKP-C), the Turkish Workers and Peasant Liberation Army (TIKKO) and the terrorist organization PKK among the demonstrators.

-GENERAL STAFF EVALUATES INTERNAL SECURITY
-IT SAYS THAT PKK TERRORISM DECREASED IN 2000, YET
PKK LAUNCHES EFFORTS TO BECOME A POLITICAL POWER
ANKARA - The General Staff said on Thursday that the terrorism of the PKK decreased in the year 2000, however it tries to become a political power this time.

Noting that a great success has been achieved in the struggle with terrorism particularly in the last six years, the General Staff said that the existance of 4500 terrorists, whose majority is abroad, continues to constitute a threat for the country.

General Staff said that the fight with the PKK which wants to spread in various different fields such as in political field, should continue.

The Turkish Armed Forces continues to fight with the number one issue, which is the terrorism of the PKK. ''The number of terrorist incidents which was 3,298 in 1994 decreased to 45 in 2000. In other words, in the past, nine incidents took place in a day, but this number decreased to one incident in nine days in 2000. The number of those who died in terrorist attacks decreased from 1,479 to 15 in a year, those of the security forces decreased from 1,145 to 29. The number of the total wounded decreased to 108 from four thousands in a year.''

The General Staff added that the number of terrorists decreased to 4,000-4, 500 from 11,000, stressing that the terrorist organization can only keep 10 percent of this number in the country.

''In this case, it is possible to say that the 'violence' dimension of terrorism was taken under control in a great extent in 2000. A total of 5, 853 soldiers died in the fight with the PKK terorrist organization and 11, 946 others were wounded,'' it was noted.

The General Staff added that the terrorist organization PKK tries to use its socalled ''call for peace'' politically and it also uses its terrorists as a tool in that.

Listing some of the demands of the terrorist organization PKK from Turkey under the name of socalled call for peace, the General Staff said that ''the PKK wants description of our citizens of Kurdish origin as a different nation, autonomy for some of our regions and amnesty for all PKK terrorists including more than 10,000 inmates -including the head terrorist Ocalan-.''

The General Staff added that the PKK threatened the Turkish Republic of re- starting its armed activities if the latter does not accept its demands, stressing that the PKK tries to do what it couldn't do with use of force by issuing this socalled call for peace.

''The Turkish Armed Forces is resolved to fight with PKK terrorism until this threat is completely removed,'' it added.

-NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU RETURNS TO TURKEY
ANKARA - National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said on Thursday, ''the role which wanted to be given to Turkey in the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI) is restricted with consultations. We are objecting to this attitude. I told that we did not accept such a mission.''

Cakmakoglu who had attended the NATO meetings in Brussels returned to Turkey after wrapping up his contacts in Brussels.

Staging a press conference at the Esenboga Airport, Cakmakoglu noted that he had attended a series of meetings in which the ESDI was high on the agenda.

Noting that the NATO and the West European Union (WEU) had been responsible for security of Europe so far, Cakmakoglu told reporters, ''the WEU has decided to hand over its mission to the European Union (EU). Turkey has some opportunities in the WEU like all other member countries. We want our rights to be protected and recognized in the ESDI. In various platforms, we explained Turkey's opinions. We want to play an active role in the military force which will be formed by the EU.''

''Active participation of non-EU allies in the European security dimension is a necessity in accordance with the Washington decisions. We have been defending that we should be given full and equal rights in a military formation in which the NATO's opportunities would be used. The role which wanted to be given to Turkey in the ESDI is restricted with consultations. We are objecting to this attitude. I told that we did not accept such a mission,'' he stressed.

Cakmakoglu tols reporters, ''the EU wants to automatically make use of NATO's planning opportunities and capabilities. However, our policy is about assessment of each issue separately. In accordance with this policy, our initiatives and efforts are continuing. Our opinions have not been accepted yet. We do not accept the EU's plan to make use of NATO's planning opportunities and capabilities. Eventually, the meeting resulted in a decision to carry out works in accordance with Washington decisions which were taken to protect interests regarded with security of the allies and other decisions.''

He said that the recent developments in the Balkans were also taken up at the meeting.

Recalling that he had held a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart, Cakmakoglu said, ''we exchanged views in developing cooperation in the field of defense industry.''

Responding to a question, Cakmakoglu said, ''the U.S. wants to preserve its efficiency through the NATO. We think that the U.S. does not want exclusion of Turkey from the ESDI.''

-U.S. AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY PEARSON VISITS ADAPAZARI
-PEARSON: ''AID TO TURKEY BY U.S. AFTER EARTHQUAKE
DISPLAYS ROOTED FRIENDSHIP''
ADAPAZARI - United States Ambassador to Turkey Robert Pearson said on Thursday that aid sent to Turkey by the U.S. after the earthquake displayed the rooted historical friendship between the two countries.

Robert Pearson and his wife Margaret Pearson visited Cahit Kirac, the Governor of quake-stricken Sakarya province, and Aziz Duran, the Mayor of Adapazari to get information on latest situation of works in the region and needs of the quake survivors.

Speaking at his meeting with Governor Kirac, Pearson said that they came to the region to express their respect to those who had lost their lives in the quake and to their families.

Stressing that Turkey and the U.S. had rooted friendship, Pearson said, ''the aid we sent to you after the earthquake is a concrete display of this friendship. Our relations became more powerful due to the earthquake. The earthquake claimed many lives as it hit a crowded and urbanized region. However, the works you carried out after the earthquake are worth of appreciation. It cost us years to recover from the earthquakes in 1935 and 1994 in the U.S. As we knew these, we tried to help you.''

''Turkey's point of view about natural disasters will be a lesson to us. After seeing the works and measures you took after the earthquake, we understood that there are many things for us to learn from Turkey about earthquake. We take your works and measures as our model,'' he said.

-GENERAL STAFF EVALUATES INTERNAL SECURITY (2)
ANKARA - General Staff said on Thursday that the PKK terrorist organization uses slogans such as ''ethnic identity, education and broadcast in mother tongue and strengethening of local administrations'' as elements of persuading the society for its political separatist activities.

The General Staff issued the same day a ''2000 Year Internal Security Operation Evaluation Report'' and indicated that the PKK terrorist organization tries to put pressure on the state both from the country and outside.

These activities of the PKK terrorist organization can be described as ''politicization'' efforts of the PKK, said the General Staff adding that these are also efforts launched for creating and developing a political separatist movement. This can be described as the second dimension of the terrorism of the PKK, it noted. Some circles of the society are organized in legal and illegal institutions and they are forced to hold demonstrations, said the General Staff showing as an example the conflict between children and police during the census held on October 22, 2000 in southern province of Adana.

''As it is known the citizens in southeastern Anatolia suffered a lot by the terrorist attacks of the PKK, thousands of people died, thousands of villages were damaged and the development of eastern and southeastern provinces was hampered by the activities of the PKK.''

''As it is also known terrorism is a kind of violence which does not respect human rights and it is the most important threat directed against humanity and democracies. This is also valid for the EU, Article 29 of the EU agreement holds liable its member countries to fight with terrorism. However some EU member countries supported the terrorist organization PKK in the past and this helped the PKK to continue its existance. Some developments which took place in 2000 and some EU offices' taking the terrorist organization as an interlocutor caused suspicions in the public opinion that the support given to the PKK in the past still continues. This encourages the PKK and makes difficult the efforts of Turkey to end terrorism.''

''In Turkey no ethnic or religious difference is manipulated,'' the General Staff said adding that all dimensions of terrorism have to end.

''There are more than 40 terrorist organizations in Turkey today which are based on ethnic, ideologic and fundamentalist elements. The number of these terrorist organization's members only in prisons is around 11,000. In return to that many terrorists can settle in European countires. Turkey carries out a great struggle to fight with terrorism, which is a crime against humanity. This struggle, above all, is a struggle for human rights and democracy. This fight has to be won for our citizens' exercising their rights, particularly the right to life, in a democratic atmosphere. However it is also a reality that separatist and fundamentalist movements supported by other circles abroad try to reach their goal by benefitting from the existing democratic atmosphere in Turkey. The fight with terrorism lasted that long due to the importance given to human rights and the rule of law.''

Recounting that an Action plan was put into force to remove the economic and social damage caused by the PKK terrorism in eastern and southeastern provinces of Turkey, the General Staff said that the government put into enforcement the action plan on May 2000 that took as a target the social and economic development.

(END)

-EU SUMMIT IN NICE
-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES WERE NOT TAKEN UP''
NICE - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Thursday, ''I referred to the importance attributed by Turkey to the European Union (EU) and Europe during my speech at the European Conference in Nice, France. Controversial issues were not taken up.''

Prime Minister Ecevit who is representing Turkey at the European Conference in which heads of state and government of member and candidate countries to the EU are attending, responded to questions of journalists.

Noting that he had held very beneficial meetings within the framework of the summit, Ecevit told reporters, ''we did not take up controversial issues. We explained our opinions about EU's domestic reforms.''

Ecevit said, ''President Jacques Chirac expressed his pleasure with participation of Turkey in the meeting for the first time. We did not attend the previous meeting because of unfortunate incidents at the Luxembourg Summit. I thanked President Chirac for his contributions.''

Recalling that he had delivered a brief speech at the conference, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''I referred to the importance attributed by Turkey to the EU and Europe during my speech at the European Conference. I said that Turkey had special relations in the Caucasus and the Central Asia, and that these relations can make valuable contributions to the EU.''

Responding to a question, Ecevit said, ''preparations for the National Programme for the Adoption of Acquis (NPAA) are under way. After these studies are finalized in mid-December, the programme will be submitted to the Council of Ministers.''

Responding to another question, Prime Minister Ecevit told reporters, ''the concept of 'political dialogue' which was brought onto relations between Turkey and Greece, and Greece's acceptance of this concept are positive developments. On numerous occasions, we stressed that our relations with Greece and especially the Aegean dispute should be solved through dialogue.''

Noting that he had held brief talks with prime ministers of several countries, Ecevit tols reporters, ''I also met with Prime Minister Costas Simitis of Greece and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou. But these talks were not long enough to take up some issues. I was sitting beside Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain at the luncheon. I had an opportunity to explain Turkey's views to Mr. Blair about the European Security and Defense Identity.''

-VERHEUGEN, EU COMMISSIONER FOR ENLARGEMENT SAYS
BEGINNING OF FULL MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS DEPENDS ON TURKEY
NICE - Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) commissioner for enlargement, said on Thursday that beginning of full membership negotiations depended on Turkey.

Responding to questions of journalists about the Accession Partnership Accord for Turkey which was announced on November 8 by the EU Commission, Verheugen noted that Turkey would prepare the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis, and that beginning of full membership negotiations depended on Turkey's taking steps in human rights and democracy.

Stressing that Turkey should lift capital punishment, Verheugen said that they expected Turkey to record concrete progress in struggle against torture, implementation of emergency rule and on other issues regarded with human rights.

Noting that there was a long way in front of Turkey regarding the issue of beginning of full membership negotiations, Verheugen said everything depended on Turkey from now on.

Verheugen expressed his pleasure with participation of Turkey in the meeting for the first time.

Responding to a question about the Cyprus issue, Verheugen told reporters that the EU had been holding intense contacts with the United Nations and the U.S. about it.

He said that President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) could change his mind and attend talks after the latest developments.

Verheugen noted that United Nations-sponsored proximity talks and negotiations about the Greek Cypriot side's EU full membership were related but different processes.

Verheugen said that President Denktas was invited to the full membership negotiations, and added that he had refused to attend the negotiations.

-CPT'S TURKEY REPORT
-FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''OUR GOVERNMENT HAS
PERMITTED PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT BY CPT''
ANKARA - The Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the government had permitted the publication of the report drawn up by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) after its visit to Turkey from 27 February to 3 March 1999.

Releasing a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that the report was published together with the responses of the Turkish authorities.

It said that the government had authorised publication of the preliminary observations made by the delegation of the CPT which visited Turkey from 16 to 24 July 2000, together with their response to those observations.

''Under Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the CPT in relation to a visit, its report and its consultations with the State concerned are confidential. However, the State may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention, '' the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry said that in the course of the visit in 1999, the CPT reviewed the treatment towards inmates and detainees, adding that for this purpose, the Committee's delegation visited various police stations in Istanbul and Izmir.

The delegation also visited the prison on Imrali Island where it examined the treatment of the prison's sole inmate, Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, it said.

The preliminary observations made by the delegation after the visit have already been published, on 4 May 1999, at the request of the Turkish authorities, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry said that one of the main purposes of the CPT delegation's visit in July of 2000 was to examine the steps being taken by the Turkish authorities to introduce smaller rooms for prisoners and, more specifically, the F-type prison project.

The Foreign Ministry expressed its pleasure with the cooperation between the relevant authorities and the CPT.

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