Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-12-13

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

13 DECEMBER 2000

Wednesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKS TO BE REPRESENTED AT INTERIM COUNCIL OF KOSOVO

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

ANGRY POLICEMEN TAKE TO STREETS
Nearly 3 thousand policemen who lost two of their colleagues in a machinegun ambush in Gaziosmanpasa district of Istanbul on Monday night, marched from the Directorate of Security to the Governor's Office by chanting slogans, waving Turkish flags and demanding a rapid response to the shootings. They called on Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk and Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan to resign. The policemen held their pistols in the air and shouted, ''will we use them after we are dead?''

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT MAKES CLOSURE OF POLITICAL PARTIES EASY
The Constitutional Court annulled Article 103/2 of the Political Parties Act which regulates the criteria of political parties' being the focus of illegal movements. The second paragraph of the Article was cancelled by the votes of six members of the Court against five.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

PAMUKBANK OBTAINS 100 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS SYNDICATED LOAN
Pamukbank of Turkey raised 100 million U.S. dollars through a syndicated loan. Pamukbank said that the agreement on the one-year maturity loan which would be used to finance exports had been signed in London by the creditor banks. The syndicated loan which has a libor+0.85 percent interest rate had been provided by 31 banks from 18 countries, and it had been led by The Bank of New York, Bayerische Hypo-Und Vereinsbank, Commerzbank AG and Standart Chartered Bank, it said.

TWO EARTHQUAKES JOLT MANISA
Two mild earthquakes measuring 3.5 and 3 on the Richter scale jolted Akhisar township of western Manisa province. The quakes were also felt in neighboring provinces. There were not any immediate reports of casualties or damages in the quakes.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

TANTAN: ''TURKEY WILL PURCHASE 20 THOUSAND NEW WEAPONS FROM ISRAEL''
Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan listened to problems of policemen after attending funeral of two security officials who lost their lives in an armed attack in Gaziosmanpasa district of Istanbul on Monday night. Tantan called on policemen to act with common sense. He added that Turkey would purchase 20 thousand Zigzaver weapons from Israel.

LEADERS SUMMIT FOCUSES ON NATIONAL PROGRAM
Leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government discussed the National program which will be prepared under the light of Accession Partnership Accord announced on November 8 by the European Union (EU). The National Program envisages reforms in many fields from Article 312 of Turkish Penal Code to Article 8 of Anti-Terrorism Law. Meanwhile, the National Program aims at lifting capital punishment and emergency rule.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

WE ARE READY FOR SOLUTION
Sources said that Turkey supported the European Security and Defense Identity process and would contribute to efforts for solution of this issue.

LAW ON CONDITIONAL RELEASE CAN BE VETOED
Sources say that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer could veto the law on conditional release as it included some rules that were in contradiction with the Constitution. Jurists say that there was not a difference between the approval of the law and bringing it to the Constitutional Court after approval. They say that President Sezer wouldn't prefer to send the law to the Court if he approved it.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RETURNS BACK
Central Bank which sell 7 billion U.S. dollars of foreign exchange during the crisis which was overcome by emergency support of the IMF and World Bank, purchased almost 1.4 billion U.S. dollars of foreign exchange in the first three days of the agreement with the IMF.

ONDE DAY LEFT FOR TENDERS
Tender process for block sale of 33.5 percent share of Turkish Telekom and 51 percent of Turkish Airlines (THY) will start tomorrow.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

POKEMON CRISIS
Private television station ATV decided not to broadcast popular cartoon series Pokemon after it was penalized by the Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK). The Health Ministry launched an investigation into the Pokemon after two children leapt from balconies believing they were Pokemons. The Health Ministry said that the agressiveness and violence were two characteristics of the Japanese cartoon series based on the adventures of some 150 monsters. The RTUK penalized the private television station ATV with a one-day blackout in response to a complaint by the Health Ministry

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

HOPE FOR SOLUTION OF DEATH FAST PROBLEM
The tension which escalated after murder of two policemen in Gaziosmanpasa, Istanbul and policemen's protest overshadowed inmates' death fast which entered its 55th day. Oral Calislar who mediates between the inmates and officials told the private NTV television channel that the Justice Ministry had taken a very positive step and that the chance for breaking the death fasts by the inmates had increased.

F TYPE BEATING IN ANKARA
Tension in Istanbul spreaded to Ankara. Police have never intervened in F type prison protests in Kizilay Square in Ankara but yesterday they intervened in the protesters with water-cannons and clubs. A clash erupted between police and protesters just hundreds of meters from the building where the leaders were discussing the National Programme. Protesters threw stones and sticks to police, breaking the windows of business places, buildings and motor vehicles. Also, a 250-person nationalist group clashed with protestors.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

BIG DEMAND FOR PALM PCs

The Turkish consumers showed great interest to the palm size personal computers, which entered the Turkish market in 2000 due to their suitable prices and different facilities for users. A total of 60 thousand palm pc's and workpads had been sold in Turkey till today. This number is expected to increase 20 percent during the New Year shoppings.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Ali Arabaci from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) said, ''these stemmed from the provocation of the Security Department''. Acting Parliament Speaker Murat Sokmenoglu said, ''let them walk. Roads don't wear away with walking.'' Former Interior Minister Meral Aksener said, ''policemen are using their democratic rights.'' Mahir Kaynak, a former National Intelligence Organization member, said, ''this is a provocation. These are not coincidental incidents.''

SORROWFUL DECISION ABOUT FP
The Constitutional Court annulled Article 103/2 of the Political Parties Act which regulates the criteria of political parties' being the focus of illegal movements. The Virtue Party (FP) was shocked with this decision of the court which had followed the same way in the closure case of the Welfare Party (RP).

PROTESTERS CLASH WITH POLICE
The tension which was created by the protests against the F type prisons changed into a clash in Ankara yesterday. Police intervened in the protesters who wanted to march to the Justice Ministry building. Protesters threw stones to the police. Police stopped the clash between the groups of opposite sides by opening fire in the air.

[02] TURKS TO BE REPRESENTED AT INTERIM COUNCIL OF KOSOVO

Mahir Yagcilar, the leader of Turkish Democratic League (TDB), has been appointed at the Interim Council which was formed in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolution no: 1244.

After Claire Taverna, the Spokesperson of United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) stated that the Interim Council decided to increase number of its members at its last meeting, representatives of four political parties including Yagcilar were appointed at the Council.

-PROMOTION OF PAMUKKALE THROUGH INTERNET
DENIZLI - Works are underway to promote the historic and touristic assets of Pamukkale, one of the touristic regions of Aegean Denizli province, through the internet.

Mehmet Korkmaz, the General Director of Denizli Tourism Directorate, said on Wednesday that they designed a web site for Pamukkale last June, adding that a total of 17 thousand people visited the web site in six months.

Korkmaz noted they were planning to develop the web site of Pamukkale and added that they would focus on promoting Pamukkale through the internet.

The address of Pamukkale web site is; www.pamukkale.gov.tr.

-MILD EARTHQUAKES JOLT AYDIN
IZMIR- Two mild earthquakes measuring 3.3 and 3.2 on the Richter scale jolted Germencik township of western Aydin province at 09:39 a.m. and 10:06 a.m. on Wednesday.

Officials at Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute told the A.A correspondent that the earthquakes were centered on Germencik.

There were not any immediate reports of casualties or damages in the quakes.

-GAP REGION EXPORTS AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS WORTH OF 134.9
MILLION U.S. DOLLARS TO EU COUNTRIES
GAZIANTEP - The Southeastern Anatolia Region(GAP) exported agricultural and animal products worth of 134 million 928 thousand U.S. dollars to the European Union(EU) countries in the first eleven months of the year.

This indicates an increase of 6.3 percent when compared to last year.

Agricultural and animal products worth of 126 million 898 thousand U.S. dollars were exported from the region to the EU countries in the same period of last year.

The data of Association of Southeast Anatolia Exporters show that animal products worth of one million 365 thousand U.S. dollars; cereals grain- cereals, seeds and its products worth of one million 815 thousand U.S. dollars, dried fruit worth of 19 million 902 thousand U.S. dollars, and textile products worth of 111 million 846 thousand U.S. dollars were exported to the EU countries between January and November.

Italy is the EU country which the GAP region exported its products the most with an export worth of 35 million 826 thousand U.S. dollars.

Germany ranked the second with an export worth of 24 million 904 thousand U.S. dollars, while Britain ranked the third with an export worth of 24 million 655 thousand U.S. dollars.

Cotton and synthetic textile products, synthetic and cotton yarn, dried apricot, knitted textiles and plastic sack are the products that were significant exportation items to the EU countries in the first eleven months of 2000.

-PRIVATIZATION OF THY
-STATE MINISTER YALOVA: ''PRIVATIZATION PROCESS OF THY WITH BLOCK SALE
OF ITS MAJORITY SHARES WILL START WITH NOTICES THAT WILL BE RELEASED
AS OF TOMORROW''
ANKARA- Yuksel Yalova, the State Minister in charge of Privatization, said on Wednesday that the privatization process of the Turkish Airlines (THY) with block sale of its majority shares would start with notices that would be released as of Thursday.

Staging a press conference, Yalova said that they attributed importance to protection of THY's national identity in the future.

He said, ''with this respect, the intense works on privatization of THY have been finalized, and we have made several arrangements which guarantee the successful future of THY.''

''First of all, the main contract of the THY was revised, and the missions of the THY have been re-arranged. These arrangements aim to develop THY's global airways company identity, protect its leadership in domestic air transportation, make its technical repair unit to be a regional base and develop its main civil aviation server identity, and continuation of these missions has been guaranteed with the preferred stock.'' he said.

''Within framework of the bilateral agreements signed with 79 countries, THY's national air transporter identity will continue. As the national airways, THY will continue its activities, and its domestic and international flight routes will be protected. Shares of foreign partners won't exceed 40 percent of THY's capital directly or indirectly, and its management and control will belong to real and legal persons of Turkish origin,'' Yalova said.

''Fifty-one percent of THY's total capital will be privatized in this tender. The maximum rate of shares that foreign investors can hold will be twenty-four percent of THY's total capital. Within this framework, foreign investors can bid for the tender if they form consortium with the Turkish real and legal persons, and their shares can only be the minority shares,'' he said.

''In accordance with the decision of the High Board of Privatization and the law no:4046, a preferred stock has been created in order to grant the state right of approval for its share in the THY. This share gives the state the right of making the final decision about continuation of THY's tasks and missions, increase in THY's capital, merge with another company, closure of THY, cancellation of any flight route of THY, number of its flights and several other important decisions about THY,'' he said.

''The tender specifications document guarantees rapid allocation of every service by THY to the Turkish Armed Forces in case of emergency until December 31, 2003,'' he added.

-2008 OLYMPIC GAMES
-DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ AND STATE MINISTER UNLU LEAVE FOR GENEVA
ANKARA- State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and State Minister Fikret Unlu left on Wednesday for Geneva, Switzerland.

Yilmaz and Unlu will proceed from Geneva to Lausanne to attend the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board meeting.

The five candidate cities to the Olympic Games in 2008 will be introduced at the meeting in the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne.

Yilmaz who will head the Turkish delegation will make a briefing on Istanbul at the meeting, and later, he will stage a press conference.

-JAPANESE PEOPLE SHOW GREAT INTEREST IN WINES
PRODUCED IN CAPPADOCIA REGION
NEVSEHIR- Japanese people who attribute great importance to selection of wines, ordered 70 thousand litres of Cappadocia wine as it suited to their tastes.

Hasan Turasan, the owner of Turasan Wine Producing Company in Urgup township of central Nevsehir province, said on Wednesday that they were continuing to exert efforts to market the Cappadocia wines abroad.

Noting that they received positive outcomes from the wine samples sent to the Japan, which is one of the most difficult markets in wine export, Turasan said they managed to make an export agreement worth of 200 thousand U.S. dollars with the Japanese.

''I believe that we could reach bigger markets in the Far East, with the contribution of the Japanese tourists who visit Cappadocia region in great numbers, to promotion of Turkish wines,'' said Turasan.

-HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN EASTERN ANATOLIA
VAN/HAKKARI- Heavy snowfall which started two day ago, is continuing to paralyze daily life and traffic in Eastern Anatolia Region on Wednesday.

A total of 28 village roads in Baskale, Catak, Ozalp and Gurpınar townships in Van province, and Yuksekova and Semdinli townships of Hakkari province, were closed to the traffic.

Highway teams are trying to re-open the roads.

-NAIM SULEYMANOGLU, CHOSEN AS VICE PRESIDENT OF IWF
ANKARA - Naim Suleymanoglu, the Olympiad and World Champ in weight-lifting, was chosen as the Vice-President of the International Weight-lifting Federation (IWF) in the voting session held in Athens, Greece last week.

Suleymanoglu is the first person who is chosen as the vice president of IWF with a sportsman background.

Suleymanoglu was chosen as the vice president with the votes of Muslim countries, Greece, Turkish Republics, and Russia.

Kenan Nuhut, the Chairman of Turkish Weight-lifting Federation, said they carried out influential lobbying activities for Suleymanoglu to be chosen as the vice president.

Nuhut noted, ''I believe that the relations between Turkey and the IWF would further improve after this event.''

-TENDER PROCESS OF TRNC'S WATER SUPPLY MASTER
PLAN ENGINEERING SERVICES TO START IN JANUARY
ANKARA- The tender process of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) water supply master plan engineering services will start on January 15, 2001.
The project will be implemented by the State Water Works (DSI) General Directorate.

Almost 482 billion Turkish liras (TL) will be spent for the engineering services of the project.

TRNC's underwater and ground water resources will be examined and thus, the water potential of the TRNC will be evaluated and the water need will be determined.

The engineering company of the company group will also examine the possible other projects that can be carried out on the island like the irrigation, dams for potable and city water, regulators, tunnels, and vertical and horizontal wells, and drainage.

Following the studies, the master plan and the appendixes, and the specifications will be prepared in accordance with the regulations.

The cost and the the possible time that the project will take will become clear following the master plan works.

-CLOSURE CASE AGAINST FP
-CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TAKES INTERIM DECISIONS
ANKARA- Constitutional Court gave interim decisions Wednesday regarding closure of Virtue Party (FP), and adjourned the case till these interim decisions are fulfilled.

Hasim Kilic, the Constitutional Court Acting Chairman, told journalists that the Supreme Court decided to give a petition of Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP), to the High Court of Appeals to take their views.

When asked if they would continue to hear the case after January, Kilic said, ''we will resume at a time that will be determined by the Counstitutional Court Chairmanship.''

-APPLICATION OF OCALAN, THE HEAD OF THE TERRORIST
ORGANIZATION, TO ECHR
STRASBOURG - The Chamber I of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is expected to disclose its decision on Thursday whether or not to examine the application of the lawyers of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization.

During the hearings of the ECHR which had taken place on November 21 in the Chamber I, views of Ocalan's lawyers and the views of the Turkish government were listened, and later they started to write its decision.

Sources of the Council of Europe said the judges will review the text during Thursday's meeting, and will confirm it.

Sources pointed out that the possibility of the Chamber I to find admissible the application of Ocalan's lawyers who claimed that Turkey violated Article 5 (the right to liberty and security) and Article 6 (the right to fair trial) of the European Convention on Human Rights is high.

The same sources added that the judges had difficulty in deciding whether or not Turkey violated the right to life covered by Article 2 of the Convention.

The lawyers of the head terrorist claimed that Turkey violated Articles

2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 34 of the Convention.

If the Chamber I of the ECHR decides that the case is a political and tough one, it has the right to transfer the case to the Grand Chamber of ECHR which is composed of 17 judges. If this is the case, the both sides have the right to oppose that.

Chamber I, while discussing the application of Ocalan, has the legal right to take such a decision in every stage of the case. If such a decision is taken, both sides have the right to oppose in a specific time.

-BIRLIK MENSUCAT EXPORTS TOWELS AND UNBLEACHED LINEN
WORTH OF 26 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS
KAYSERI- Birlik Mensucat Company based in central Kayseri province exported towels and unbleached linen worth of 26 million U.S. dollars in the first eleven months of the year.

Ibrahim Atinc, the Deputy General Manager of the company said on Wednesday that their products were highly demanded in the foreign markets as their products were cheap and of high-quality.

Noting that they were exporting their goods mainly to the U.S., Atinc said they were exporting their goods to thirteen countries.

''Export to the U.S. constitutes the fourty percent of our total export. The remaining part is the exports to Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Spain. Our bath robes and towels are being sold in the outstanding chain stores in Germany. Our export between January and November increased 23.8 percent when compared to the same period of last year,'' said Atinc.

Atinc added they were aiming at exporting goods worth of 28-30 million U.S. dollars by the end of the year.

-NATO COUNCIL TO CONVENE ON THURSDAY
BRUSSELS- The NATO Council, which is the highest decision-making organ of the Alliance and which is comprised of the foreign ministers of 19 NATO member countries, will hold its year-end meeting in Brussels on Thursday.

The NATO-Ukraine Commission, Europe-Atlantic Association Council, and NATO- Russia Joint Council will also convene within framework of the NATO Council meeting.

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will represent Turkey in the meetings.

The Council will discuss the developments in the Balkans, including the developments in Yugoslavia, Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the latest developments regarding the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI).

The fortification of security in the Europe-Atlantic region by the regional cooperation and the settlement of security and stability in the Caucasus, Southeast Europe, and the Central Asia in the long term will be discussed in the Europe-Atlantic Association Council meeting to which the ministers of the countries cooperating with NATO will also attend.

The European Union (EU) wants the rapid reaction force which was formed to intervene the crisis in several regions of Europe, to utilize NATO capabilities whenever it wants and without any conditions. But, it excludes non-EU NATO allies, including Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Iceland, and Norway, from the decision-making mechanism.

This situation disturbs non-EU NATO allies, particularly Turkey.

Ankara has prevented the NATO-EU relations from becoming official and some allies from taking excluding steps by its harsh attitude it has assumed in the recent months.

National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, who had represented Turkey in the NATO defense ministers meeting held in Brussels at the beginning of the month, announced Turkey's attitude as follows: ''Our efforts to play an influential role in European Security Architecture continued also during this meeting. Within this framework, the most important issue we have discussed was the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI).''

Cakmakoglu had also said, ''as a part of the decisions taken during NATO's Washington Summit, relations between NATO and EU will be build up on arrangements between NATO and Western European Union (WEU), and that the support which NATO will provide for the EU will be developed in parallel to the effective participation of the European allies, which are not the EU members, to the EU security dimension.''

''Within this framework, the role foreseen to be given to the European allies, which are not the EU members, including Turkey, is limited with consultations, instead of an effective participation. If the arrangements in question are not bettered in a way that will satisfy us, it would be impossible to record process in demands of the EU from NATO. Unfortunately, our views and proposals in this respect have not been considered adequately by the EU. The issue is still important for us as it is related with our security interests,'' Cakmakoglu had added.

Cakmakoglu had said that Turkey responded affirmatively to willingness of the EU to play a main role in ESDI, yet that Ankara's willingness to play a more effective role continued. He said Turkey has rightful views and proposals, adding that it would continue to defend these.

Some EU countries, especially France which is not a member of NATO's integrated military command, are uneasy about Turkey's attitude.

To this end, U.S. State Secretary Madeleine Albright and U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen made speeches which warned the EU and requested that the EU countries not to make a mistake like thinking the European defense without NATO and not to cause division in the Alliance.

NATO Secretary General George Robertson had said that the EU could not carry out any military operations without access to NATO assets.

Robertson had said that if the EU states wanted to use NATO assets, they should do it through the alliance planning.

The EU plans could not be carried out without reaching a compromise with the NATO, Robertson said, adding that setting up of military headquarters like the NATO owned and duplication will be extravagancy and stupidity.

The attitude of Ankara who refuses to be excluded from the European defense and security identity, seems to last longer the ''yellow light'' instead of the expected ''green light''.

-RENAULT DECIDES TO SUSPEND PRODUCTION ON DECEMBER 21, 22 AND 25
BURSA - The Oyak Renault, a leading motor vehicles producer, will suspend its production on December 21, 22 and 25 due to the increase in motor vehicles purchase credit interest rates and decrease in general consumption demand.

Officials told A.A correspondent on Wednesday that the factories where spare parts for exportation are produced, will continue to work in those days.

Meanwhile, production will also be suspended between December 26, 2000 and January 1, 2001 due to the Id al-Fitr and new year holiday.

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT SAYS IF POLICE START TO BE A FACTOR
OF DISORDER, EVERTYHING WILL BE OUT OF CONTROL
ANKARA- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Wednesday that if the police start to be a factor of disorder, everything will be out of control.

Ecevit said, ''if the police rush into streets without any permission and if they start to be a factor of disorder although they are responsible to ensure public order, everything will be out of control. People will feel insecure and helpless. The police will be the side which will be upset about this. I hope we will no more experience massive police protests which are high on the agenda of Turkey in recent days.''

-STATE MINISTER MIRZAOGLU:
''THE BLACK SEA IS GRADUALLY GETTING POLLUTED''
ISTANBUL- Ramazan Mirzaoglu, the state minister responsible for maritime, said on Wednesday that the Black Sea was gradually getting polluted, adding that, ''as the Black Sea littoral states, we should protect the Black Sea and our coasts, and act together.''

Addressing the Black Sea Harbour State Control Memorandum First Committee meeting, Mirzaoglu stressed that the Black Sea, which covers a 460,000 km area, is shared by Turkey, Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, and Ukraine.

Recalling the memorandum had been signed on April 7, 2000 in Istanbul by the Black Sea littoral countries in order to provide sailing, life, property, and environment security, Mirzaoglu said, ''we aimed at reducing the factors that threaten sailing, life and property and environment security, and we also targeted ending unfair competition in the harbours.''

Mirzaoglu said the Black Sea, which has great importance for Turkey, was gradually getting polluted, adding that there was a decrease in fishing stocks.

Briefing about the Istanbul and Canakkale Straits, Mirzaoglu said approximately 50,000 ships were passing from the two straits annually, adding that nearly 2,000 sea vehicles were passing between the Asia and Europe sides of Istanbul per day.

Mirzaoglu said 5,504 of the 50,000 ships, that were passing from the Istanbul Strait, were carrying dangerous cargo, and noted that there was an increase in number and size of these ships.

Mirzaoglu said many important steps were taken to provide sailing security and protection of sea, adding that ship traffic administration and information system, will be implemented by mid-2001.

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