Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-12-09

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

09 DECEMBER 2000

Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

HAPPINESS AND TEARS
The draft law on conditional release was adopted by the parliament on Friday. Those who will benefit from this law are happy while the relatives of those who will not make use of this law have tears on their eyes. A total of 40 thousand people will benefit from the law which was passed by 297 votes in favour and 72 against votes.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

YATAGAN TO BE SAVED AT LAST
The test operation of the desulfuration installations of the Yatagan Thermic Power Station, which led to air pollution, have been started. A successful result was reached by the test operation of the first unit of the desulfuration installation. Mehmet Hosoglu, the Managing director of the Yatagan Thermic Power Station, said that the first unit of the desulfuration installation will start full operation on January 18.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

TURKEY SURPRISES EUROPEAN OBSERVERS
Karen Fogg, the European Union (EU) Commission's Turkey Representative, attended the conference held by the Adana Chamber of Commerce. Fogg said that Turkey undertakes important responsibilities in the EU membership. Fogg noted that the membership concerns every part of the society, adding that Turkey is a country which surprises the foreign observers with the changes it makes.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

EU SUMMIT FINAL STATEMENT
On the second day of the Nice Summit which started with incidents, a final statement was issued about enlargement, European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI), employment, and other social issues. A paragraph about Cyprus also took place in the final statement. The final statement said Turkey should complete its national program rapidly and submit it to the EU Commission.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

WARM WINTER WITH SYRIA
A delegation from the Syrian Foreign Ministry will come to Turkey on Sunday to clarify the principles which will lay the groundwork of the relations between Turkey and Syria. If the two countries agree on the declaration of principles, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will go to Damascus within two weeks and sign the declaration by Farooq Al-Shara, his Syrian counterpart. Cem and Al-Shara will discuss the Middle East peace process.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

Yuksel Yalova, the Minister of State responsible for privatization, dismissed Alaadin Kudak, the Executive Board member of the Turkish Airlines. Kudak, who was earlier appointed by Oksuz, had close relations with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Oksuz did not forget this. THY wanted increase for the price of the tickets yet Oksuz refused it each time. In the end, the loss reached to 14.6 trillion. Now, THY will be put to privatization on December 14.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

TELEKOM PASSED FROM THE PALACE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer signed the Ministers Council decision regarding privatization of 33.5 percent of Turk Telekom. The decision was welcomed.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

SUPRISE SUMMIT FROM THE COALITION PARTNERS
Leaders of the parties which are the partners of the coalition government, made a suprise summit in the parliament to put an end to death fasts.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who listened to the members of the Human Rights Commission, reiterated his view that it was impossible to achieve something with the death fasts. He said, ''death fasts should be ended. Amnesty law can be considered as a new facility.''

-MOTSYK, UKRANIAN AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA, SPEAKS TO A.A
ANKARA - Oleksander Motsyk, the Ukranian Ambassador in Ankara, said on Saturday that closure of Chernobyl, was an issue of Ukranian domestic policy but also an issue which concerns international community as well.

Responding to the questions of A.A correspondent about the closure of Chernobyl nuclear power plant as a whole on December 15, Motsyk pointed out that Chernobyl was an important problem of the Ukranian domestic policy, adding that international dimensions of the issue could not be ignored.

Recalling that 8 percent of the Ukranian territories were declared as ''banned zone,'' since 1986 after the Chernobyl disaster, and that 12 percent of the budget were allocated to the issues related with the accident every year, Motsyk said lives of 3.5 million Ukranians were effected by the disaster.

Pointing out that radioactive influence was not only limited with Ukraine, Motsyk underlined that the disaster had an international dimension.

Motsyk said, ''at the moment, the issue is one of the most important domestic issues of Ukraine. Closure of Chernobyl, was an issue of Ukranian domestic policy but also an issue which concerns international community as well. As you know, when the accident happened in 1986, Ukranine was not an independent country. All the responsibility should not be imposed on Ukraine. International community should have financial contributions.''

Motsyk said most of the financial source, that was required to purify the reactor, which the accident occurred in Chernobyl, was met, adding that approximately 600 million U.S. dollars was needed for the people who had to leave their homes and works because of the accident.

''We have decided to close Chernobyl as we could not bear the risks of a new disaster in the world, not only in Ukraine,'' the Ambassador said, adding that 5 percent of the Ukranian electricity was met by the reactor which would be closed. He said two new reactors were constructed in order to compensate the electricity gap caused by the closing of Chernobyl.''

Stating that Ukraine was not an oil rich country and that she imported those from Russia, Motsyk said nuclear energy did not have alternatives for Ukranie under today's conditions.

Motysk said, ''today, there are five nuclear power plants and 14 reactors which are on operation. Those met 35-40 percent of Ukraine's energy need. I can not know what the alternative energy sources in the future will be, but it is impossible for Ukraine today to give up nuclear energy. Because it has no alternative.''

When recalled that International Nuclear Energy Agency declared concerns that nuclear power plants in some former eastern bloc were not safe, Motsyk said the agency from time to time brought its concerns about the nuclear power plants, noting that it was natural.

Motysk said, ''the best you can do in nuclear power plants is to improve the security and protection levels as far as possible. Nobody can 100 percent guarantee the safety of nuclear power plants.''

Motsyk recalled that Ukraine contributed to the nuclear opposers by giving up its nuclear arsenal.

When recalled the news reports that Chernobyl power plant will be re- activated on December 11, Motsyk said activities in Chernobyl will certainly end on December 15 at 01:16, and that it would be out of question for the power plant to operate again.

-SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION EXPORTS 46 MILLION
U.S. DOLLAR DRIED FRUIT SINCE BEGINNING OF 2000
GAZIANTEP - The Southeastern Anatolia Region exported 46 million 87 thousand U.S. dollar dried fruit in the first eleven months of 2000.

The dried fruit exports from the region decreased 17.3 percent in first eleven months of 2000 when compared to the same period last year. The region exported 55.7 thousand U.S. dollar dried fruit between January and November 1999.

Abdulkadir Cikmaz, the Chairman of the Southeastern Anatolia Dried Fruit Exporters' Union, told A.A correspondent on Saturday that the region exported 41 million 177 thousand U.S. dollar dried apricot, 4 million 910 thousand U.S. dollar pistachio nut, pine nut, peanut, and some other products between January and November 2000.

Cikmaz said that the dried fruit was mainly exported to the U.S., France, Britain, Australia, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Romania, Saudi Arabia and Greece.

-EU NICE SUMMIT
-TURKEY IS NOT INCLUDED IN EU'S ENLARGEMENT UNTIL 2010
NICE - During the European Union (EU) Nice Summit, it was revealed in the document related with the institutional reforms that will be made prior to the enlargement, that the EU did not think Turkey is ready for full membership until 2010.

The number of commission members and its distribution in accordance with countries, ''qualified majority of voting'', the distribution of chairs in the European Parliament (EP), and the ''transition from unanimosity to majority of votes'' carry vital importance in the institutional reforms which are of vital importance prior to EU's enlargement process.

The document takes into consideration the situation of other 12 candidate countries related with the enlargement but it does not include Turkey in the foresight which was prepared for 2010.

-RUSSIA AND TURKEY TO ORGANIZE JOINT MODERN DRAMA AND THEATRE FESTIVAL
MOSCOW – Russia and Turkey will organize a joint modern drama and theatre festival for the first time.

The festival will be held in Moscow between December 15 and 22.

The plays written by Turkish authors will be staged by the Russian theatre companies during the festival.

The festival is supported by the Turkish and Russian Culture Ministries, the Russian Nations Theatre, Turkish State Theatres, and Milliyet daily.

Culture Minister Istemihan Talay is expected to come to Moscow within the framework of the festival.

Officials of the Culture Ministry and State Theatres, actors and actresses and reporters will also come to Moscow.

Plays of Refik Erduran, Nazim Hikmet, Resat Nuri Guntekin, Aziz Nesin, Tuncer Cucenoglu, Nezihe Aras, and Melih Cevdet Anday will be staged during the festival.

As a continuation of the same activity, the plays of Russian authors will be staged in Turkey by the Turkish players next year.

-CONSTRUCTION OF ONE F-TYPE PRISON COMPLETED
IN KOCAELI PROVINCE AND ITS TEMPORARY ACCEPTANCE MADE
IZMIT - Construction of one of the F-type prisons in Kandira township in Kocaeli province was completed, and its temporary acceptance was made.

Fahri Keser, the Kocaeli Republican Chief Prosecutor, told A.A correspondent that one of the F-type prisons in Kandira was ready for service.

Keser said construction of the prison started 1.5 years ago, adding that the prison had a capacity of 363 people. He said technical structure, construction, internal equipment, security systems, and police station were convenient to the service.

Keser said training of the personnel, who were appointed, still continued, adding that they needed more than 100 people for the two prisons.

He said another prison was also under contruction, adding that, ''50 percent of the prison is completed. We expect it to be completed in April or in May. Our capacity will reach 726 when this prison is completed.''

-NEARLY 100 PEOPLE TAKEN UNDER CUSTODY IN BEYOGLU AS
THEY ATTEMPTED TO STAGE DEMONSTRATION TO PROTEST
F-TYPE PRISON IMPLEMENTATION
ISTANBUL - Police captured nearly 100 people in Beyoglu district as they were trying to stage a demonstration to protest F-type prison implementation and to extend support to death fasts.

Police warned the group which gathered in Istiklal Street at 12:00 local time chanting slogans, to disperse. The police surrounded the group which refused to disperse. The demonstrators opposed to the police intervention.

Meanwhile, another group appeared in Istiklal Street at another point. The teams intervened this group which marched chanting slogans. Police began to capture the demonstrators. Some of the demonstrators, who used force against the police, were handcuffed.

Nearly 80 demonstrators were taken into custody here. Another group, which threw stones on a police vehicle, tried to block road to traffic in Tarlabasi Boulevard. A total of 20 demonstrators were taken into custody here.

Meanwhile, members of Free Democracy Party (ODP), and Party of the Labour (EMEP), the Peoples' Democracy Party (HADEP), and relatives of inmates tried to stage a demonstration to extend support to death fasts and to protest the F-type prisons.

Police intervened the 50-people group, and captured eight people.

-9TH PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S VISIT TO THE MIDDLE EAST
ANKARA - The 9th President Suleyman Demirel will go on a tour to the Middle East on December 11, within the framework of the works of the Fact-Finding Committee formed regarding the clashes between Israelis and Palestinians.

Kuleli Press Center issued a statement and said Demirel will hold contacts in Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Jordan during his two-day visit.

Demirel will meet with the members of the Fact-Finding Committee in Israel, which is the first stop of his visit. Demirel will hold contacts in Palestine following the committee meeting here and will leave for Egypt on Monday evening.

Demirel is scheduled to meet with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Jordan on December 12.

Demirel is expected to return to Turkey on Tuesday evening.

-A GROUP OF INTELLECTUALS ENTER INTO BAYRAMPASA PRISON
TO MEDIATE BETWEEN INMATES AND OFFICIALS
ISTANBUL - A group of intellectuals entered on Saturday into Bayrampasa Prison to mediate between the inmates who are on death fast, and the officials.

The group, including Yasar Kemal, Zulfu Livaneli, Orhan Pamuk, Oral Calislar and Can Dundar, will mediate between the inmates and the officials to put an end to the death fasts.

Before the group entered into the prison, author Yasar Kemal told reporters that they came to the prison to contribute to the ending of the ongoing protests in prisons.

Kemal said, ''noone has intervened the death fasts until today. It is too late today. This should be ended as soon as possible. We, the intellectuals, do not want to intervene this. But, we find ourselves in this issue. We will listen to the proposals of the inmates and later convey these proposals to the officials.''

Meanwhile, Kamer Genc, Mehmet Bekaroglu, Tunay Dikmen, the members of the Parliamentary Human Rights Supervision Sub-Commission; and Ferzan Citici, the Istanbul Republican Chief Prosecutor; are also in the prison.

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:
''CONDITIONAL RELEASE IS NOT AN AMNESTY
BUT IT GIVES CHANCE TO THOSE WHO DID NOT CHOSE THE RIGHT WAY''
ANKARA - Prime Minister BulentEcevit said on Saturday that draft law on conditional release, which was adopted in the Parliament, was not an amnesty in fact, but it gives a chance to those who did not chose the right way. ''Those who benefitted this facility, will have to pay its cost heavily if they commit crime again.''

Pointing out that F-type prison system will not take start immediately, Ecevit called on those who are on death fast, their families and the non- governmental organization to put an end to their activities.

Ecevit made a statement in Prime Ministry and said another benefit of the draft law was to halve prison population. ''Thus,'' Ecevit noted, ''there will be an opportunity to make a healty arrangement.''

''Prisons are the action centers of terrorists and mafia. Again, in most of the prisons, there is not security of life and state authority. Those longstanding problems can be solved through new structurings and arragements foreseen to be made in prisons. One of the leading conditions to provide this, is to put an end to ward system. However, its replacement with cell system is out of question.''

Ecevit said the inmates can stay in healthy rooms in F type prisons, and noted that they can come together in activities like sports and libraries. ''These implementations and arrangements, which are in practice in the most contemporary and democratic countries, will also be valid in our country.''

''Despite this, some terrorists in prisons aiming to prevent F type prisons, forced the young people, who they influenced, to start death fasts. Because of this, nearly 250 young people have come close to the brink of death. This inhumane action should end from now on. Parents have responsibilities in this respect.''

Prime Minister Ecevit said Parliamentary Human Rights Commission members intervened to prevent this disaster.

Pointing out that he met with some parliamentarians who are the members of the commission, and that he wished success in their assignments, Ecevit said, ''we will evaluate the information and proposals which they will bring to us. I would like to recall that F type prisons will not immediately start to function. Preparations of it will continue for some time. Facts will be realized more during this period.''

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:
-''WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS OUR GETTING PREPARED FOR THE
EU FULL MEMBERSHIP ON TIME AND AS IT IS REQUIRED''
ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, speaking about the final statement which was issued following the European Union (EU) summit, which had taken place in Nice, said, ''what is important is our getting prepared for the EU full membership on time and as it is required. The full membership gate can be opened to us not in 10 years, but earlier than this time.''

Ecevit responded to the questions of reporters following his statements. When a journalist recalled that Ali Gungor, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Deputy to Mersin province, who reacted harsly to him and to the draft law on conditional release in the Parliament on Friday night, benefitted from the amnsty law that was issued in 1974, when Ecevit was the Prime Minister, Ecevit said, ''I just learned this information. I don't want to comment on his statements that were made on Friday. This is MHP's internal problems.''

When asked what the government was planning to put an end to the ongoing ''death fasts,'' in prisons, Ecevit said the Justice Ministry and the Health Ministry exerted extreme efforts, adding that some non-governmental organizations intervened.

Ecevit said, ''by making use of all the facility, we are trying to contribute to the efforts to put an end to the inhuman death fast.''

Responding to a question if he met with the officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved the decree related with privatization of Telekom, Ecevit said Horst Kohler, the IMF Managing Director, called him on the phone. Ecevit said Kohler congratulated him and wished success.

A journalist said the final statement, which was issued in the EU summit, included provisions that Turkey's full membership negotiations would be extended till the year 2010, and asked Ecevit's evaluations.

Ecevit recalled that, following the Luxembourg summit, where many negative decisions about Turkey were taken, he had said, ''don't worry. The EU will come to our door, and will invite us to the membership.''

''In fact this happened,'' Ecevit said, adding that officials of the EU had come to our door in Helsinki summit in December 1999. They had written letters and invited us to the membership candidacy. I hope the same result will be obtained in other issues related with the EU. What is important is our getting prepared for the EU full membership on time and as it is required. The gates for full membership can be opened to us before 10 years.''

When a journalist recalled that the General Staff and the National Intelligence Orgnaization (MIT) revealed different views about the broadcasting in Kurdish, and asked, ''the statement made by the General Staff when you were in Nice was found significant. Do you share this view, '' Ecevit said Turkey has become an open society, adding that all the institutions disclosed their views on important national and international issues.

Ecevit said, ''I believe that a consensus will be reached between these views soon, and the most positive result will be obtained.''

-DEPOSIT ACCOUNT INTEREST RATES OF BANKS
ANKARA - The recent fluctuations in the markets affected the banks' deposit account interest rates and these interest rates increased between 1 and 14 points in last one week.

The interest rates of some banks for Turkish lira (TL) deposit accounts are as follows:

(percent)

Name of Bank 1-Month 3-Month 6-Month 12-Month

--------------- ------ -------- ------ -------
Akbank 40 38 36 36

Bank Ekspres 45 37 36 35

Bayindirbank 38 36 33 33

Demirbank 38 33 30 25

Disbank 60 45 40 40

EGSBANK 41 41 35 35
Emlak Bankasi 46 44 37 32

Etibank 40 40 40 40

Finansbank 38 37 35 34

Garanti Bankasi 59 36 34 33

Halkbank 44 42 37 35

Is Bankasi 36 37 37 35

Kocbank 59 39 38 38

Korfezbank 40 37 34 34

Osmanli Bankasi 38 37 33 32

Oyakbank 38 40 39 38

Pamukbank 41 41 38 38

Sekerbank 39 38 36 36

TEB 38 33 33 33
Tekstilbank 46 37 34 34

Toprakbank 44 42 38 36

Turkbank 38 36 32 32

Vakifbank 38 37 36 30

Yapi Kredi Bankasi 37 37 36 36

Ziraat Bankasi 44 46 43 38

-EU TERM PRESIDENT FRANCE:
''TURKEY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENT RELATED
WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AS FULL MEMBERSHIP
NEGOTIATIONS WITH TURKEY HAVE NOT STARTED''
NICE - Hubert Vedrine, the Foreign Minister of France, the Term President of the European Union (EU), said on Saturday that Ankara was not included in the document related with the institutional reforms as full membership negotiations with Turkey have not started.

Vedrine addressed a news conference together with Pierre Moscovici, the French Minister responsible for European Affairs.

Responding to a question why references to Turkey were not made within the works of the EU related with the institutional reforms till the year 2010, Vedrine said Turkey has a special position because of the reasons that were known, adding that Ankara's name was not mentioned in the reform works as full membership negotiations have not started.

Pointing out that his country submitted a draft document to the member countries related with the reforms, Vedrine said differences of vies on this document could not be overcome yet.

Moskovici in his part said France was in an ''cautious optimism,'' to overcome the conflicts related with the institutional reforms, adding that the talks would continue in the afternoon session.

The last document, which the EU prepared about the institutional reforms, takes into consideration the situation of other 12 candidate countries related with the enlargement but it does not include Turkey in the foresight which was prepared for 2010.

-LOAN INTEREST RATES OF BANKS INCREASE
ANKARA - The consumer credit interest rates of banks increased to 9.50 percent due to recent fluctuations in the markets.

The monthly interest rates of consumer, motor vehicle and housing credits of some banks are as follows:

. (percent)

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article