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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-01-03

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

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

Anadolu Agency

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

03 JANUARY

2001 Wednesday


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
  • [02] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (3)
  • [03] LEADERS' SUMMIT STARTS
  • [04] NATIONAL PROGRAMME'S DRAFT TO BE SUBMITTED TO ECEVIT,
  • [05] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (5)
  • [06] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (6)
  • [07] INFLATION RATES (1)
  • [08] POLICE ON THE ALERT
  • [09] MEETING ON PRISONS ENDS
  • [10] INFLATION RATES (2)
  • [11] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (7)
  • [12] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (8)
  • [13] STATE MINISTER ONAL: ''THE PRIME MINISTRY APPROVES ISSUE

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

    These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 3, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

    HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

    KORKMAZ YIGIT TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AGAIN
    Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) Prosecutorship issued an arrest warrant against 11 people, including Korkmaz Yigit, within the framework of the investigation regarded with Bankekspres. Yigit was taken into custody on Tuesday evening.

    Ercan Cengiz, the Republican Prosecutor of Istanbul DGM, launched an investigation against Yigit on charges of ''forming an organization to empty bank's coffers''.

    LEADERS HOLD THE FIRST SUMMIT OF THE YEAR FOR ECONOMY
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said Turkey's finance sector and banking problem would be discussed at Wednesday's summit meeting of the leaders of the political parties forming the coalition government.

    ''We should carefully monitor the economy day by day following the latest crisis. We were actually doing this but we should monitor it more carefully. Because, unexpected events can happen not only in Turkey but also in the world,'' he said.

    MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

    AGCA MAY BENEFIT FROM AMNESTY
    Kartal Chief Prosecutorship opposed to the decision of Heavy Criminal Court that M. Ali Agca could not benefit from reduction of penalty. The prosecutorship stressed that the convict may benefit from the amnesty.

    CALL FOR SOLIDARITY FROM BAHCELI
    Devlet Bahceli, the Deputy Prime Minister, called on all the economic actors and the institutions to solidarity to prevent the repetition of financial crisis experienced in November.

    Bahceli said economy received harm from the ''autumn crisis,'' yet noted that it began to recover quickly. ''It is clear that all the concerned sides have great responsibilities to prevent this wound from bleeding again.''

    SABAH (LIBERAL)

    ISTANBUL DGM DECIDES TO ARREST CAGLAR IN HIS ABSENTIA
    Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) decided to arrest businessman Cavit Caglar in his absentia within scope of an investigation into the Egebank which was transferred to Savings Deposit Insurance Fund.

    Caglar who has not come to the Security Department to give testimony, is abroad for some time.

    HE CLIMBED TO THE ROCKS AND SAVED
    Abu Kalam Ajad, 27, of Bangladeshi origin who was sheltering himself in a rocky bay, was rescued on Tuesday 29 hours after the yesterday's ship accident offshore Kemer township of southern Antalya province.

    He was rushed to hospital for medical treatment. Doctors said that he was in good condition.

    CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

    ANOTHER INMATE DIES
    Riza Poyraz, who was injured in Umraniye Prison during the 3-day operation on prisons, and who was under medical treatment in Haydarpasa Numune Hospital for 12 days, lost his life.

    Number of inmates who died during the operation increased to 31 with the death of Poyraz. Meanwhile, death fast, which has been started to protest F type prisons, reached to the 76th day.

    INFLATION RATE TO BE DISCLOSED
    Annual inflation, which started to fall starting as of last March, is expected to decrease more with the December rate which will be disclosed today. Annual inflation is expected to decrease below 35 percent in wholesale and 40 percent in consumer prices.

    RADIKAL (LEFT)

    ECEVIT EVALUATES THE YEAR 2000
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, while evaluating the year 2000, and listing the targets for the year 2001, confessed that they could not reduce the inflation to the desired level.

    However, Ecevit also said economic crisis was overcome despite the negative elements within and outside the country.

    BEKAROGLU FROM FP: ''IS YOUR PROMISE STILL VALID?''
    Mehmet Bekaroglu, the Virtue Party (FP) parliamentarian from Rize province, reminded Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk his statement that implementation of F type prisons was postponed, and asked if the government went back from its word.

    Bekaroglu gave an interrogation motion to the Parliamentary Chairmanship and wanted the Justice Minister to respond it in a written statement.

    YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

    600 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS CAN NOT COME
    The ''agriculture reform loan,'' of the World Bank, worth of 600 million U.S. dollars, can not come as Husnu Yusuf Gokalp, the Agriculture Minister, did not sign the intent letter.

    In fact the government gives assurances to the World Bank which it wants, however, Gokalp does not want to cause tension with the farmers.

    HERE IS THE ACCIDENT BALANCE SHEET OF THE LONG HOLIDAY
    A total of 195 people died and 369 others were injured in traffic accidents that occurred throughout the 10-day long holiday. Security Department Traffic Services Chairmanship said 146 accidents occurred in December 23 and January 1.

    TURKIYE (RIGHT)

    ISTANBUL SUMMIT OF G-20 COUNTRIES
    Ministers and deputy governors of the countries, including Turkey, which are members of the G-20 platform will hold their 4th meeting in Turkey. The meeting which will take place in February, is a preparation for the meetings in the level of ministers and central bank governors.

    ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

    11 INDIANS GOT ON THE SHIP IN ISRAEL
    Efforts are underway to determine where the passengers of the Georgian flagged ''Pati,'' got on the ship. Security officials said they determined that 11 Indians got on the ship in Israel.

    It was also reported that the passengers might have got on the ship from different places.

    THE EVIL PLAN DID NOT WORK
    Terrorists of the illegal TKPML-TIKKO organization, who opened gunfire on a police vehicle last month killing two police and injuring 12 others, confessed that they wanted to stop the bus carrying the policemen, and throw hand grenade.

    The terrorists confessed that they could not throw the other bombs as the bus did not stop.

    -ALBRIGHT CALLS CEM ON THE PHONE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE
    WASHINGTON - Madeleine Albright, the U.S. Secretary of State, called Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on the phone within the framework of the efforts exerted to stop the clashes between Israelis and Palestinians that continued nearly for three months.

    Richard Boucher, the U.S. State Department Spokesman, said Albright called FM Cem two times on the phone. Boucher said Albright also called the Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Mousa, the Canadian Foreign Minister John Manley, the German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, the French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, the Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia, and Prince Bandar, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Washington.

    Boucher said Albright also talked with the Lebanese Prime Minister Refik Hariri, the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Dutch Foreign Minister Jozias van Aartsen, the Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel Ilah al-Katib, and the Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique.

    -EXPORTATION IN AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR INCREASES BY 6.3
    PERCENT IN 2000 AND REACHES 2.636 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS
    BURSA - Automotive sector and sub-industry exportation increased 6.3 percent in the year 2000 and reached 2.636 billion U.S. dollars.

    Uludag Exporters Union (UIB) General Secretariat officials said the automotive exportation was 2.481 billion U.S. dollars in 1999.

    Erkurt Ozerman, the Chairman of Uludag Vehicles and Sub-Industry Union, said the exportation in automotive sector was positive, adding that they expected ''Doblo,'' which TOFAS started to produce, to double the exportation figures of the year 2001.

    Ozarman said they were hopeful for the automotive exportation in case Euro gains value this year, ''automotive exportation is on the right track.''

    -SHIP ACCIDENT IN KEMER
    -GREEK CAPTAIN WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SIGNED A DOCUMENT
    UNDERTAKING RESPONSIBILITY IF HE SAILS OFF IN BAD
    WEATHER CONDITIONS
    ANTALYA - Greek Captain of the Georgian-flagged cargo ship, which sank after slamming into the rocks offshore Kiris region in Kemer township of southern Antalya province, had been warned about the bad weather conditions and signed a document undertaking responsibility in case he sailed off in bad weather.

    Omer Aslan, the Antalya Harbour Regional Director, told A.A correspondent that Greek Captain Polizois Gananis of Georgian-flagged cargo ship, Pati, had been warned against storm, and was made to sign a document undertaking responsibility in case he sails in bad weather conditions.

    Meanwhile, officials of Maritime Undersecretariat completed their investigation in the ship accident.

    -SHIP ACCIDENT IN KEMER
    -FOUR OF EIGHT DEAD BODIES PULLED OUT FROM SEA
    WERE FROM PAKISTAN
    ANTALYA - Four of the eight dead bodies which were pulled out from sea after the ship accident in Kemer, were from Pakistan.

    The twenty-five refugees whose majority were from Pakistan were brought to the Antalya police to identify the dead bodies.

    Sakil Ahmet, a Pakistani passanger who had earlier been rescued, identified the four bodies.

    Ahmet said that the four dead persons were Disavir Huseyin, Mukaddes Ikbal, Seybi Muhammet and Seyfullah whose surname is not known. The other four dead bodies which belonged to men couldn't be identified as they were found in parts.

    Umur Asrav, a prosecutor told A.A correspondent that those immigrants who are kept waiting in the police have the refugee status and their situation will be cleared at the end of the investigation. Asrav said that the identified bodies could be sent to their countries if there is an application to them.

    -EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI
    ISTANBUL - An explosion occurred in the Security Department building in Mecidiyekoy district in Sisli township of Istanbul on Wednesday.

    Sources said that the explosion had happened in the fifth floor of the building at about 01:50 p.m.

    Two police officers were taken to hospital after the explosion, sources added.

    -TURKEY-EU RELATIONS
    -ANKARA EXPECTS SWEDEN TO FURTHER DEVELOP RELATIONS
    ANKARA - Ankara expects Sweden to develop the Turkey-European Union (EU) relations further during its presidency.

    Staging his weekly press conference, Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz recalled that comments which said that a tougher period was awaiting Turkey as Sweden approached sensitively towards some issues like human rights, had earlier been made. ''no, we said that we regard Sweden as the same with the other term presidents and we do not have any different expectation from Sweden.''

    Dirioz added that Turkey expected Sweden to further develop the Turkey-EU relations, accelerate Turkey's EU full-membership process and continue the process positively.

    -FOREIGN MINISTRY: ''TURKEY FULFILS ITS INTERNAL AND
    EXTERNAL RESPONSIBILITIES ABOUT IMMIGRATION''
    ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday that illegal immigration problem necessitated an effective international cooperation and Turkey fulfilled its responsibilities regarding the issue.

    Staging his weekly press conference at the Foreign Ministry building, Dirioz answered questions of journalists about the ship accident off Kemer township of southern province of Antalya.

    Noting that the Interior Ministry and other relevant units were closely following the issue, Dirioz said that they were informing the relevant countries concern foreign people they identified.

    Stating that Turkey's position toward the illegal immigration was clear, Dirioz said that Turkey was fulfilling its internal and external responsibilities regarding the illegal immigration.

    Stressing that the Interior Ministry took serious measures against the illegal immigration and it was in an intense cooperation with the relevant countries, Dirioz said, ''illegal immigration is an issue which has international dimensions. With this respect, it necessitates a complete and effective international cooperation.''

    -EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (2)
    -TERRORIST WHO DETONATES BOMB ON HIS BODY KILLED
    ISTANBUL - Police said that the explosion in the fifth floor of the Security Department building in Mecidiyekoy district in Sisli township of Istanbul was a sucide bomb attack.

    Police said that the person who detonated the bomb on his body was killed.

    The police officers who were injured in the bomb attack at about 01:50 p.m. were rushed to hospitals.

    [02] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (3)

    -SUICIDE BOMBER AND ANOTHER PERSON KILLED
    ISTANBUL - The terrorist who staged the suicide bomb attack on the Security Department building in Mecidiyekoy district in Sisli township of Istanbul and another person died, while five persons including four police officers were injured.

    The wounded persons were hospitalized.

    Police officers were called to give blood for their colleagues and they went to the hospital.

    The parts of the dead body of the terrorist who staged the attack are still in the scene.

    Meanwhile Kazım Abanoz, the Istanbul Director General of Security left the scene without making any statement.

    There are body parts and blood in the walls and in the ceiling of the building's fifth floor where the explosion took place.

    -FM SAYS TURKEY CONTINUES ITS INITIATIVES AGAINST
    CLAIMS OF SOCALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS
    ANKARA - Foreign Ministry wished success for all the secretaries appointed by the new U.S. President George Bush and added that they hoped the bilateral relations will also improve in the new period. Responding to a question in the weekly press briefing, Huseyin Dirioz, the foreign ministry deputy spokesman evaluated the news published in the press saying that the Armenian lobby in the U.S. will re-start its initiatives for the adoption of the resolution on the socalled genocide on Armenians.

    Dirioz said that Turkey has always opposed unfair accusations which distorted history against herself, adding that ''our initiatives against these claims continue.''

    When asked how Turkey evaluates the appointment of the former Senator Spencer Abraham, a member of the Armenian lobby who is of Arab origin as he U.S. Energy Secretary, Dirioz said that ''we expect everybody to be friends of Turkey before making any comment on persons' attitude towards Turkey. In such circumstances, the thing that matters is performance. We wish success for all the ministers of the U.S. administration.''

    Dirioz pointed out that the Turkish-U.S. relations diversified gradually and developed, adding that they hoped these relations to progress positively.

    Abraham was a senator in the years 1994-2000 and he had an attitude which was often against Turkey. He also played a role in 1995 in decreasing the American economic and military aid given to Turkey showing the relations of Turkey with Armenia, the Cyprus question and human rights as an excuse. Abraham, who is 48 years old, also claimed that the socalled genocide on Armenians had to be accepted.

    Spencer Abraham has also played a leading role in U.S decision to continue its sanctions on Azerbaijan due to the clash between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

    -EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (4)
    -ONE DEAD PERSON AND TWO INJURED PERSONS TAKEN TO SISLI ETFAL HOSPITAL
    ISTANBUL - One dead body and two people who were injured in the suicide bomb attack on the security department building in Mecidiyekoy district in Sisli township of Istanbul on Wednesday were taken to the Sisli Etfal Hospital. Dr. Tunc Celebi, the Assistant Head Doctor, told journalists that the body belonged to a man between 45-50 years of age who had gray hairs.

    Stating that one of the injured people is Sabahat Kisakol who is a 52-year- old woman, Dr. Celebi said that Kisakol was taken under medical treatment at the Plastic Surgery Clinic as she suffered from injuries in her face.

    Dr. Celebi said that the other injured person is Hayati Balci who is a police officer, and he is suffering from slight injuries.

    [03] LEADERS' SUMMIT STARTS

    ANKARA - Leaders of the political parties forming the coalition government convened on Wednesday to determine the measures to be taken in the finance sector.

    The meeting of Bulent Ecevit, the Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP); Devlet Bahceli, the State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); and Mesut Yilmaz, the State Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), started at 03:10 p.m. at the Prime Ministry building.

    The leaders who will discuss the economic issues are expected to decide on the necessary measures to be taken in the finance sector including the banking system.

    State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, State Minister Tunca Toskay, State Minister Recep Onal, Finance Minister Sumer Oral, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Ahmet Sagar, Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp, State Planning Organization Undersecretary Akin Izmirlioglu, Central Bank Governor Gazi Ercel, Capital Market Board Chairman Dgğan

    Cansizlar, and Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authotrity Chairman Zekeriya Temizel are attending the meeting.

    -SHIP ACCIDENT IN KEMER
    -IDENTITIES OF 32 RESCUED PEOPLE ANNOUNCED
    ANTALYA - Identities of people who were rescued in the ship accident which occurred in Kiris region in Kemer township of southern province of Antalya on Monday were announced on Wednesday. Survivors who are staying at the Antalya Security Department building were given clothings by the Social Service Directorate.

    Identities of survivors are as follows:

    ''Pakistan: Ahmet Jamtiaz (21), Javad Asif (19), Mustafa Ghulam (25), Ighal Asjad (20), Ahmet Rizwan (21), Shahzad Wasim (18), Ahmet Saghir (25), Sorwaz Muhammad (25), Nnodem Abdul (25), Abram Mamsoor (18), Ahmet Jahfag (27), Hassion Tarig (33), Ijoir Muhammed (22), Ahmet Shabeel (22), Mazof Muhammed (25), Ahmet Izar, Ahmed Rizwan (23).

    India: Singh Stnam (25), Singh Jogo (26), Stam (30), Singh Srbjit (26), Simih Shavne (22), Singh Harnam, Singh Jogo (24), Raj Des (30), Singh Sukhdev (21).

    Albania: Zahay Ervis (23), Zhoj Besnik (20), Lika Blendi (22).

    Georgia: Alexandr Leontiev (53).

    Greece: Polizois Gulanis-Captain (41), Athanasios Kontis (40).

    Interrogation of the Greek captain of the ship and some crew members is under way while Pakistani Abu Kalam Ajad who was resuced 29 hours after the accident will be brought to Antalya after his medical care in Kemer.

    [04] NATIONAL PROGRAMME'S DRAFT TO BE SUBMITTED TO ECEVIT,

    BAHCELI AND YILMAZ
    ANKARA - The draft of the National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis (NPAA) is ready.

    NPAA had to be prepared by Turkey after the EU's adoption of the Accession Partnership Document for Turkey.

    The NPAA draft which has 800 pages and which is composed of 29 parts is being examined by three directors at the Turkey's Secretariat General for EU and the Secretary General Volkan Vural.

    The Secretariat General didn't have the Ramadan holiday in order to prepare NPAA which will be submitted to State Minister and Deputy Premier Mesut Yılmaz.

    Volkan Vural will be invited to the next week's leaders summit to explain the draft. After getting the approval of the leaders, the draft NPAA will have its final form and it is planned to be submitted to the European Commission at the end of January.

    The draft includes political criteria and their concrete alternatives and also the EU Legislation. Thus the NPAA will be easy to read.

    Turkey will have problems most in the agricultural field, however Turkey's adjustment to the EU legislation in the agricultural field can also be undertaken after joining the EU. Yet the NPAA draft foresees starting studies now in this field.

    The Accession Partnership Document, Progress Report, Eighth Five Years Development Programme, government's programme and sensitive issues for Turkey have been taken into consideration while preparing the NPAA draft.

    Following the approval of the draft by the coalition leaders, the Secretariat General for the EU will be busy in introducing the programme.

    The programme's summary will be distributed to various institutions and the Secretariat General will also explain the programme to the public opinion.

    Diplomatic sources said that some people in Turkey have some subjective views about NPAA. ''These people say that the EU imposes things on Turkey, which is not true. On the contrary, it is Turkey which applied for full membership. If Turkey announces that it withdraws from EU candidacy, this will please some European countries,'' sources said.

    They noted that the perspective of EU membership has to be evaluated within Ataturk's principle of ''reaching the modern civilization level.'' Diplomatic sources added that they regard the EU membership as a means of reaching this target. They also recounted that broadcasting in any language with the aim of dividing the country is prohibited. If separatist factors are found in any broadcasting, then these broadcasts can be stopped easily.

    [05] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (5)

    -ISTANBUL DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY ABANOZ SAYS
    BOMBER ENTERED THE BUILDING BY WRAPPING EXPLOSIVES ON HIS BODY
    ISTANBUL - Istanbul Director General of Security Kazım Abanoz said on Wednesday that the bomber entered the police station in Sisli district of Istanbul by wrapping the explosive on his body. ''He hided the bomb well, but we also think that there is ignorance,'' said Abanoz.

    Responding to questions of journalists, Kazım Abanoz said that there is no terrorist organization which assumed responsibility for the attack yet.

    ''Do you think it is revenge?'' asked journalists to Abanoz who said that ''I suppose so.''

    Abanoz said that the bomber was a man and he entered the Sisli security department introducing himself as a businesman.

    ''For the moment one police officer died and five others were injured,'' he said, adding that they think that the DHKP/C had probably staged the attack.

    Meanwhile Professor Mucahit Atmanoglu, the general coordinator of Florance Nightingale Hospital said that five wounded persons were brought to the hospital and their condition is not serious.

    Three of them are policemen, one of them is watchman and the other one is a citizen, said Atmanoglu.

    Meanwhile the number of wounded persons increased to seven.

    [06] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (6)

    ISTANBUL - The dead body of the person who was brought to Sisli Etfal Hospital after the explosion in police station in Sisli, was identified on Wednesday as Naci Canan Tuncer, a police officer.

    Naci Canan Tuncer, who was in civilian clothes when the bomb exploded was the driver of the Sisli Security Director Selcuk Tanrıverdi.

    [07] INFLATION RATES (1)

    ANKARA - The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) said on Wednesday that wholesale prices rose 1.9 percent and consumer prices increased 2.5 percent in December of 2000 compared to prices in November of 2000.

    DIE said that the inflation rate became 32.7 percent in wholesale prices and 39 percent in consumer prices in 2000.

    Meanwhile, the annual inflation rate according to 12-month averages became 51.4 percent in wholesale prices and 54.9 percent in consumer prices.

    (To be continued)

    [08] POLICE ON THE ALERT

    ANKARA - All security units were warned on Wednesday to be more careful about bomb attacks following the attack on Sisli Security Directorate.

    Directorate General of Security requested all the police directorates to search persons and examine packages well if they are suspicious about the latter.

    Officials said that security measures in crowded places have been intensified, calling citizens not to open packages if they are suspicious of them and to inform police immediately about such packages.

    Police reports had earlier noted that leftist terrorist organizations such as PKK and DHKP/C and fundamentalist organizations launched efforts to stage new and effective attacks.

    [09] MEETING ON PRISONS ENDS

    ANKARA - The meeting of Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk, Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan and State Minister Faruk Bal to solve prison problems and prepare the necessary legal infrastructure following the transfer of inmates to F type prisons ended on Wednesday.

    Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Bal said that the aim of the meeting was to provide implementations which determine the conditions for inmates inside prisons and which were accepted by the international laws, allowing the prisoners to serve their imprisonment terms appropriate to human rights in prisons.

    Bal said that bureaucrats and technicians would work on revisions which aimed to save prisons from hands of terrorist organizations, gangs and mafia.

    Meanwhile, Justice Minister Turk said that they had reached a consensus of opinion in principle on the necessity of amendments to five laws including the resolution which foresaw an amendment to Article 16 of the Anti- Terrorism Law.

    Noting that five draft laws which had been prepared by the Justice Ministry were discussed in the meeting, Turk said that those draft laws foresaw amendment to Article 16 of the Anti-Terrorism law, establishment of Executive Judicial Authority, Judge's Office and Prisons Follow-Up Committees, social security opportunity to prisoners working at prisons and amendment to the Law on Cost of Construction of Prisons and and Courts.

    Noting that the meeting focused mainly on the first three resolutions, Turk said, ''first of all, there is a full consensus of opinion on the necessity of these resolutions. Prisons will be operated with understanding of full respect to human rights. They will be the institutions where human rights are realized at the highest level. With this objective, necessary measures will be taken and necessary units will be formed.''

    ''Every necessary measure will be taken and every necessary arrangement will be made in order to prevent terrorist organizations and mafia from taking shelter in prisons once again. The new arrangements will be prepared in a way to link these two targets. On basis of the resolutions prepared by our ministry, the issue will be taken into consideration within a broad perpective and within framework of these two principles. Thus the requirements of the country, the rules of the Constitution, human rights and and international documents about prisons will be taken into consideration and these resolutions will be finalized,'' he said.

    Turk said that 335 prisoners had been transferred to the Ankara F Type Prison, 348 inmates had been transferred to the Edirne F Type Prison, and 340 others had been transferred to the Kocaeli F Type Prison.

    Noting that most of the inmates who were fasting to death and on hunger strike ended their actions after the interventions in prisons, Turk said that 103 inmates at the Ankara F Type Prison were still fasting to death, and 165 others were on hunger strike; 99 prisoners at the Edirne F Type Prison were fasting to death, and 92 others were on hunger strike; and 28 inmates at the Kocaeli F Type Prison were fasting to death, and 159 others were on hunger strike.

    ''A total of 1,118 prisoners at 41 prisons are on hunger strike and 395 others are fasting to death. They are given salt, sugar, juicy nourishment and vitamin pills if they want,'' he said.

    [10] INFLATION RATES (2)

    ANKARA - The inflation rate became 32.7 percent in wholesale prices and 39 percent in consumer prices in 2000.

    The inflation rate had been 62.9 percent in wholesale prices and 68.8 percent in consumer prices in 1999.

    The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) said on Wednesday that wholesale prices rose 1.9 percent and consumer prices increased 2.5 percent in December of 2000 when compared to prices in November of 2000.

    According to the DIE's 1994=100 based wholesale and consumer prices index, the monthly and annually comparisons of price increases in last five years are as follows:

    Monthly Inflation

    . Wholesale . Consumer

    ------------------------- -------------------------
    Month 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

    ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----- ----- ---- ---- ---- ---
    Jan 9.8 5.6 6.5 3.6 5.8 8.3 5.9 7.2 4.8 4.9

    Feb 5.8 6.2 4.6 3.4 4.1 4.5 5.7 4.4 3.2 3.7

    Mar 7.0 6.0 4.0 4.0 3.1 5.6 5.4 4.3 4.1 2.9

    Apr 8.1 5.5 4.0 5.3 2.4 6.7 6.6 4.7 4.9 2.3

    May 4.1 5.2 3.3 3.2 1.7 4.5 4.7 3.5 2.9 2.2

    Jun 2.7 3.4 1.6 1.8 0.3 2.5 2.9 2.4 3.3 0.7

    Jul 2.4 5.3 2.5 4.0 1.0 2.1 6.3 3.4 3.8 2.2

    Aug 3.8 5.3 2.4 3.3 0.9 4.8 6.2 4.0 4.2 2.2

    Sep 5.1 6.3 5.3 5.9 2.3 6.1 7.3 6.7 6.0 3.1

    Oct 5.5 6.7 4.1 4.7 2.8 6.5 8.3 6.1 6.3 3.1

    Nov 5.1 5.6 3.4 4.1 2.4 5.2 6.6 4.3 4.2 3.7

    Dec 3.9 5.4 2.5 6.8 1.9 3.4 5.1 3.3 5.9 2.5

    Annual Inflation

    . Wholesale . Consumer

    ----------------------- ------------------------
    Month 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

    ----- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----
    Jan 64.9 78.0 92.5 50.0 66.4 78.1 75.7 101.6 65.9 68.9

    Feb 63.0 78.6 89.6 48.3 67.5 77.5 77.7 99.3 63.9 69.7

    Mar 65.3 77.0 86.0 48.2 66.1 79.3 77.3 97.2 63.5 67.9

    Apr 69.9 72.8 83.3 50.0 61.5 80.8 77.2 93.6 63.9 63.8

    May 73.7 74.6 79.9 50.0 59.2 82.9 77.5 91.4 63.0 62.7

    Jun 76.2 75.7 76.7 50.3 56.8 82.9 78.0 90.6 64.3 58.6

    Jul 76.3 80.7 72.1 52.4 52.3 81.2 85.2 85.3 65.0 56.2

    Aug 79.0 83.4 67.4 53.7 48.9 81.9 87.8 81.4 65.4 53.2

    Sep 79.8 85.4 65.9 54.4 43.9 79.3 89.9 80.4 64.3 49.0

    Oct 82.8 87.5 62.0 55.2 41.4 76.6 93.2 76.6 64.7 44.4

    Nov 85.7 88.4 58.6 56.3 39.1 80.4 95.8 72.8 64.6 43.8

    Dec 84.9 91.0 54.3 62.9 32.7 79.8 99.1 69.7 68.8 39.0

    (End)

    [11] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (7)

    -BODY OF SUICIDE BOMBER TAKEN TO FORENSIC MEDICINE
    ISTANBUL - The body of the suicide bomber who blew himself up on the fifth floor of the security department building in Sisli township of Istanbul was taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute. Officials picked up the parts of the body of the bomber and put them in a plastic bag. Parts of the body spreaded to some cars in the parking lot of the building and to the wall of a building 20 meters away from the police station. The plastic bag was later sent to the Forensic Medicine.

    Meanwhile, the walls in the fifth floor which suffered heavy damage in the explosion were broken by the fire brigades. Several cars in the parking lot of the police station and some adjacent buildings suffered minor damage due to the bricks and windows which were broken and fell down in the explosion.

    Three police officers, two watchmen and two citizens were injured in the explosion.

    [12] EXPLOSION IN SECURITY DEPARTMENT BUILDING IN SISLI (8)

    -DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY GENC: ''ONE POLICEMAN WAS MARTYRED
    AND TWO OTHERS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THE ATTACK''
    ISTANBUL - Turan Genc, the Director General of Security, said on Wednesday that one policeman was martyred and two others were seriously injured in the suicide bomb attack on the security department building in Sisli township of Istanbul. Speaking to reporters, Genc said, ''cruelty of terrorism has been once again understood with this attack. As the nation, we should struggle against terrorism with cooperation and national mobilization. I implore God's mercy upon those who were martyred.''

    Responding to a question, Genc said that the name of the suicide bomber who was a member of the illegal DHKP-C organization was Gultekin Koc who was born in eastern province of Erzincan.

    [13] STATE MINISTER ONAL: ''THE PRIME MINISTRY APPROVES ISSUE

    OF DEBENTURE BONDS TO MEET SERVICING LOSSES OF PUBLIC BANKS''
    ANKARA - Recep Onal, the State Minister in charge of Economy, said on Wednesday that the Prime Ministry approved issue of debenture bonds to meet servicing losses of public banks.

    Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Onal said that each of Ziraat Bankasi and Halk Bankasi would be given 2 quadrillion Turkish liras (TL) of debenture bonds; and Ziraat Bankasi would also be given 500 million U.S. dollars of debenture bonds and Halk Bankasi would also be given 250 million U.S. dollars of debenture bonds.

    Onal added that it would positively affect the markets and create liquidity.


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