Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-01-08

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

08 JANUARY

2001 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

MILITARY COMMANDER: WE LAUNCHED ENERGY OPERATION, NOT MINISTRY OF ENERGY
A high level commander said that the recent energy operation was launched by them, not by Cumhur Ersumer, the minister of energy. The commander said Ersumer was informed about the issue in the last minute, adding that they were determined to tackle the corruption cases in Turkey. Struggle against corruption was as important as struggle against terrorism of illegal PKK organization, the commander said, and added that they were exerting efforts to reveal the cycle of corruption in Turkey. Four bureaucrats and a former minister were previously detained within the framework of the investigation launched in the energy field.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

FIRE OPENED ON POLICE
Three terrorists opened fire on a police vehicle patrolling around Caglayan district of Istanbul, injuring one policeman. Policeman Yalcin Zoroglu was injured in the armed attack while the other policemen in the vehicle were not wounded. Zoroglu was taken under medical treatment in Okmeydani Social Security Agency (SSK) Hospital. The doctors said that the health condition of Zoroglu was stable.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

ATTACK ON POLICE VEHICLE
Unidentified two assailants staged an armed attack on a police vehicle in Kagithane district of Istanbul. A policeman was injured in the attack. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Security forces have launched an operation to capture the assailants.

SECOND AIRPORT IN ISTANBUL TO BE INAUGURATED
The second airport of Istanbul will be inaugurated on Monday. A military plane and a passenger plane will land at the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Kurtkoy neighborhood in Pendik district of Istanbul. The military plane will carry Prof. Dr. Ali Ercan, the undersecretary of defense industry, and other high-level officials. The Turkish Airlines' (THY) domestic flights will start at Sabiha Gokcen Airport on January 22.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

DSP DEPUTY MACIT: ''KANDIRA F TYPE PRISON
DOES NOT HAVE ANY DEFICIENCIES''
Hasan Macit, a deputy of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and a member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Sub-Commission, visited the Kandira F type Prison. Macit claimed that the prison does not have any physical deficiencies.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

AN AMERICAN DERVISH IN TURKEY
Tuesday Frindt of American origin and Rie Yamazaki of Japanese origin became members of Jalal Ud-din Rumi's whirling dervishes order. Reuters and AP news agencies transmitted a news report about foreign women in the dervish order in Turkey. According to the news report, Frindt, a painter and English teacher from Boston who grew up without religious instruction, said she had found peace in the ritual founded by the philosopher and poet Mevlana Jalal Ud-din Rumi. The news agencies said, ''the Mevlevis are a branch of Sufism, which emphasizes personal devotion and often blends local practices into worship. The order is open to all religions, but is based on the principles of the Prophet Muhammad.'' The news agencies quoted Mevlana as saying in one of famous poems:

Come! Come again! Whoever, whatever you may be, come!

Heathen, idolatrous or fire worshipper, come!

Even if you deny your oaths a hundred times, come!

Our door is the door of hope, come! Come as you are!

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

PRECIPITATIONS ON THE WAY
Turkey will be under the influence of precipitations starting from Tuesday. The Aegean, Marmara and Black Sea regions will be rainy on Tuesday. The temperatures will be one or two degrees over the seasonal normals.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

ENGINEERS TO ATTEND SEMINAR ON EARTHQAUKE IN GREECE
The Chamber of Turkish Civil Engineers and the Greek Technical Chamber will organize seminars on earthquake within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation in Protection of the Environment signed between Turkey and Greece. Muzaffer Tuncag, the chairman of the Chamber of Turkish Civil Engineers, said that six engineers each from Turkey and Greece and four scientists and engineers from the U.S. will attend the seminar. The first of the seminars which are jointly held by Turkey and Greece will be staged in Athens today and tomorrow and the second in Istanbul between January 11 and 12.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

-SEVENTH TURKEY-ISRAEL MILITARY DIALOGUE MEETING TO BE HELD IN TURKEY
ANKARA - The seventh Turkey-Israel military dialogue meeting will be held in Turkey between January 9 and 10.

A statement of the Office of Chief of General Staff said on Monday that Yasar Buyukanit, the deputy chief of general staff, will chair the Turkish side while Amos Yaron, the general director of Israeli defense ministry, will head the Israeli side during the meetings which will be held at the General Staff headquarters in Ankara.

The statement said that the military issues, the cooperation in defense industry and the issues concerning the two countries will be debated in the meeting.

Noting that these meetings are held semi-annually, the statement said that the meetings have positive contributions to the relations and cooperation between Turkey and Israel.

-GIANT ELECTRONIC COMPANIES WILLING TO COOPERATE WITH VESTEL
CHICAGO - The giant electronic companies of the world are willing to cooperate with Vestel, a Turkish big household appliances manufacturing company, in the Consumer Electronics Show held in Las Vegas city of the U.S.

Both IBM and Quantum companies offered Vestel cooperation in recordable TV, and many companies applied to Vestel to market the internet terminal of Vestel in the U.S.

Vestel company displayed a new technology with its LCD television in the second day of the show, while the internet terminal manufactured by Vestel took place in the magazine that was published about the show.

Hakan Kutlu, the product manager of Vestel, told A.A. correspondent that they received signals that they would achieve success also in the U.S. after their success in Europe.

Stressing that Vestel had become a company that presented contemporary hi- tech products to the world, Kutlu said Vestel, which was holding 25 percent share of the TV market in Europe, would soon become more influential also in the world market.

-CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TANG IN ANKARA
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan of People's Republic of China who is currently in Turkey on an official visit, visited on Monday the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Republic of Turkey.

He laid a wreath to the mausoleum, and observed a minute of silence.

Tang also signed special book of the mausoleum, and visited the Ataturk Museum.

Later, inter-delegationary meetings presided by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Chinese counterpart Tang, started at the Foreign Ministry.

-MARDIN GOVERNOR KOCAKLAR SAYS THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN
INCIDENT WHICH VIOLATED HUMAN RIGHTS IN MARDIN IN RECENT YEARS
MARDIN - Temel Kocaklar, the governor of southeastern Mardin province, said on Monday that there had not been an incident in which human rights had been violated in Mardin in recent years.

Speaking in the first meeting of the Human Rights Provincial Board, Kocaklar said that they will exert all the efforts regarding human rights and that they will make the citizens conscious about this issue.

Nobody can support terrorism, Kocaklar said, pointing out that the terrorist attacks which had been staged earlier caused big damages in the region.

The Human Rights Provincial Board will hold positive efforts regarding the human rights, Kocaklar added.

-INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASES 10.5 PERCENT IN NOVEMBER 2000
ANKARA - The industrial production increased 10.5 percent in November of 2000 when compared to the same period of 1999, it was reported on Monday.

The data of the State Statistics Institute (DIE) show that the production in the mining industry increased 1.5 percent, production in manufacturing industry increased 12 percent, and the production in electricity, gas, and water sector increased 1.8 percent in November of 2000 when compared to the same period of 1999.

The production in overall industry had decreased two percent, and production in mining industry had decreased six percent, and the production in manufacturing sector had decreased 2.9 while production in electricity, gas, and water sector had increased 9.5 percent in November 1999.

The production in overall industry increased 6.2 percent when the averages of the eleven months of 2000 were compared to the averages of the same period in 1999.

The production in manufacturing industry increased 6.6 percent, and the production in electricity, gas, and water sector increased 8 percent, while the production in mining sector decreased 3.9 percent in the first eleven months of 2000.

The production in overall industry had decreased 5.7 percent, and the production in the mining industry had decreased 8.9 percent, and the production in manifacturing industry had decreased 6.6 percent while it increased 4.9 percent in electricity, gas, and water sector when the averages of the eleven months of 1999 were considered.

-FP LEADER KUTAN CALLS ON PARTY MEMBERS TO REACT
AGAINST THOSE DAMAGING FP
ISTANBUL - Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP), said on Monday, ''my words were distorted. I called on our party members to react against those damaging the FP.''

Kutan responded to questions of journalists prior to inauguration of the First Turkey Water Congress organized by the Water Foundation at the Lutfi Kirdar International Congress and Exhibition Palace.

When asked whether or not he gave the message to use violence against the reformists in the FP if it was necessary, Kutan said, ''no. Unfortunately, some newspapers distort our statements or create new statements. What I told our party members was totaly different. I called on them to react against those damaging the FP. They should react against me if I damage the FP. It was not a statement targeting someone.''

-MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND KAZAKHSTAN
ANKARA - The Logistics Implementation Protocol for Year 2000 envisaging Turkey's contribution to modernization of Kazakh Armed Forces, was signed.

Releasing a statement, the General Staff stated on Monday, ''Turkey which was the first country recognizing Kazakhstan's independence, attributes great importance to further develop military cooperation with this country. Within scope of a programme which has been in force since 1993, the Logistics Implementation Protocol for Year 2000 was signed in Ankara on January 4, 2001 between Turkey and Kazakhstan.''

The statement noted that the protocol included Kazakhstan's military requirements.

The General Staff added, ''Turkey will contribute to modernization of the Kazakh Armed Forces through the protocol which will strengthen existing ties, and further develop cooperation between the two countries.''

-TURKISH DIRECTOR ANTEPLI PRESENTED WITH ''BEST FOREIGN
DOCUMENTARY FILM'' AWARD IN NEW YORK
ISTANBUL - Gulnihal Antepli, a Turkish director, was presented with ''Best Foreign Documentary Film'' award in the International Film and Video Festival with his documentary film named ''The Colors of Darkness.''

Antepli told A.A correspondent on Monday that she worked for one and a half years on this documentary film and that this was the first Turkish documentary film which was rewarded in the International New York Film and Video Festival.

She is pleased to be presented with the award, Antepli said.

Antepli added, ''this is a very good beginning for me. I want to become the first Turkish woman director who wins the Oscar. I will start a course on film directorship in California in September and this course will last for two and a half years. I will continue to implement some projects when I am taking the course.''

A total of 110 films joined the festival held in New York between December 1 and 11, 2000.

The documentary film named ''The Color of Darkness'' narrates several facilities of the blind including painting, statues, chess and music. The film is about how the blind perceive the daily life.

The works of Esref Armagan, the only blind painter of the world, are also shown in the documentary film.

The U.S. film ''After The Storm'' was given the ''Best Film'' award while William Demeo was granted ''Best Actor'' and Annika Petersen ''Best Actress'' awards in the festival.

-ILLEGAL DOCUMENTS CONFISCATED DURING OPERATION IN CANAKKALE
PRISON REVEAL THAT SABANCI ASSASSINATION SHOWN AS A COURSE EXAMPLE
CANAKKALE - Illegal documents confiscated during the operation in Canakkale prison revealed that the assassination of businessman Ozdemir Sabanci was shown as an example in the terrorism courses given to the members of the terrorist organization in the prison.

Officials told A.A correspondent that meetings were held to train the members of the terrorist organization in the prison.

The officials said that armed attacks on the Sabanci Holding buildings, a multi-storey building on which there was a U.S. flag, a building having the symbol of the National Youth Foundation (MGV), and border gates were drawn on the documents confiscated in the ward where Ali Osman Kose, one of the so-called leaders of the illegal terrorist DHKP-C organization had been kept.

The documents were handed over to the Canakkale Republican Chief Prosecutor's Office, the officials noted, adding that these documents are important evidence about the activities of the terrorist organizations in the prisons.

-DEFENSE INDUSTRY SECURITY DRAFT IN PARLIAMENT AGAIN
ANKARA - ''Defense Industry Security Draft Law,'' which envisages providing security and secrecy in purchase of weapons which Turkey needs and in research-development works of the weapons, was submitted to the Parliamentary Chairmanship on Monday.

The draft also targets providing the security of the places where there are every kind of information, document, project and equipments in defense industry are kept and where all types of confidential information services are carried out.

The draft law, which covers all public institutions and organizations and the installations where these institutions and organizations operate, also covers all industry section that will serve in defense industry.

The draft law, which had first been submitted to the Parliament in 1994, was not legalized, and it was submitted to the parliament again in 1996. The draft law was not legalized at that time either.

The draft law, which had once again been submitted to the Parliament in 1999, but became null because the required time was expired, was submitted to the parliament again today.

-SCIENTISTS LOOKING FOR NAME FOR TURKEY'S FIRST MINI SATELLITE
ANKARA - Technical and Scientific Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) is getting ready to launch Turkey's first mini satellite.

TUBITAK Information Technologies and Research Institute (BILTEN) observation is now looking for a name for Turkey's first mini satellite. TUBITAK BILTEN Director Prof. Murat Askar told the A.A that they had signed an agreement with British Surrey Satellite Techology Limited (SSTL) firm which won the bidding to construct the satellite and make its observation modules. The satellite weighes only 100 kilos and it is a low orbit satellite.

Prof. Askar said the mini satellite will be placed on a low orbit between 600 to 800 kilometers far from the earth. The satellite which will have remote sensing will provide certain communication services. He indicated that the satellite will be mainly used to collect data on agriculture, urbanization and air pollution.

A satellite base will be set up at the Middle East Technical University (METU) to evaluate the data and convey it to the related insitutions. After the launching of this first satellite, Askar said next generation satellites will be designed and manufactured 100 percent by Turkish engineers at the installation and test laboratories which will be built at METU. This will create jobs for many young people. ''The first micro and mini satellites will be completely Turkish made, but we still have a long way to go for large satellites.''

Askar said that they were trying to decide on a name which will be approved by the majority of people. ''The name should be universal and foreigners should also be able to pronounce it easily,'' he commented, adding that they would start taking people's suggestions through BILTEN's internet site.

-TURKEY AND CHINA SIGN ACTION PLAN AIMING TO IMPROVE RELATIONS
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Tang Jiaxuan, the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, on Monday signed an action plan to improve relations between the two countries in various fields.

Cem and Tang Jianxuan signed the action plan following the interdelegational talks, and later issued a press release.

Pointing out that positive developments in Turkish-Chinese relations continued, FM Cem said visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister created facilities to further improve relations.

Tang Jiaxuan in his part pointed out that there were mutual interests between the two countries, and noted that partnership relations should be set up between Turkey and China in the new century.

-MACHINE-MADE CARPETS OF KAYSERI TO ATTEND
HANNOVER DOMOTEX CARPET FAIR
KAYSERI - Saray, Atlas, and Atlantik Companies, which are the leading names in Turkey producing machine-made carpets, will attend ''Domotex 2001 Carpet Fair,'' that will be staged in Hannover city of Germany in January 13 and 16.

Officials of Saray, Atlas, and Atlantic Carpet Factories said they attended the fair with new products, and noted that the carpets have been sent to the fair in Germany.

-ABNA MEMBERS DISCUSS COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES IN 2004 OLYMPICS
ATHENS - A seminar on monitoring sports games and Olympics on a digital system which is held by the Balkan News Agencies Association (ABNA) started in Athens on Monday.

Representatives from Agence France Presse (AFP), Australian News Agency (AAP), Dutch Press Agency (DPA), Press Association (PA) and EPA Photography Agency spoke on the first day of the seminar. Costas Kartalis, responsible official from the Olympics in the Greek Culture Ministry also attended the seminar's opening.

Top executives from the Anadolu Agency (A.A), and other ABNA members which are Athens News Agency (ANA), Albanian News Agency (ATA), Bulgarian News Agency (BNA), Macedonian News Agency (MIA), Greek Macedonia News Agency (MPA), Romanian News Agency (MIA), and Yugoslavian News Agency (TANJUG) attended the seminar.

General Director and President of Mehmet Guler, Sports Department Director Turhan Kardes and Photography Department Deputy Director Selahattin Yilmaz represented the Anatolian Agency at the seminar.

The participants are discussing cooperation opportunities among Balkan news agencies during 2004 Athens Olympics during the seminar which will end tomorrow.

Athens News Agency will take over term presidency from the Anadolu Agency at the ABNA General Council meeting which will be held after the seminar.

-TURKEY AND CHINA SIGN ACTION PLAN AIMING TO IMPROVE RELATIONS (2)
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Monday that the friendship between Turkey and China has become more concrete by the action plane they signed with Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan the same day.

Speaking to press after the interdelegationary meetings and the signing of the action plan, Cem said that he is pleased to see Tang in Turkey, adding that the visit will be beneficial for the bilateral relations.

Cem said that many ministers between the two countries visited each other after his visit to China in February 1998, adding that they hosted Chinese President Jiang Zemin last year.

Noting that he thanked Tang for the aid China sent to Turkey after the quake in Turkey, Cem said that this will never be forgotten by the Turkish people.

Cem said that the foreign ministries of the two countries charged an official to exchange views on international issues which the two countries are interested. Cem said that they also decided to bring together the representatives of the two countries to the U.N., adding that they also exchanged views to hold the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting. Cem said that the foreign ministries of the two countries will prepare the political basis for a Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting.

Ismail Cem said that they want to further improve cooperation in the fields of tourism, investments, agriculture and transportation.

Noting that China sends 180 million tourists to the world every year, Cem said that they decided to make some changes and take steps to direct Chinese tourists to Turkey.

Cem said that they also want China to invest in the Southeast Anatolian Region (GAP). Sources said that China is interested in investing in small scale energy investments in GAP.

Cem said that China also plans to make some investments in the field of agriculture, adding that China is also interested in financing Kars-Tbilisi railway.

Speaking after Cem, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan said that the Silk Road of the 21st century will be built between Turkey and China and it will be brighter.

Tang said that there is a common language and common interests between the two countries, adding that a partnership has to be set up between Turkey and China in the new century.

The action plan they signed the same day aims at implementing the agreements signed during Zemin's visit to Turkey, Tang noted.

Sources said that Cem conveyed the views of Turkey to China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, about the Cyprus question.

Cem said that the officials of the two countries have to be in consultation regarding Cyprus within the scope of the U.N. and Chinese side also welcomed that.

The Middle East Peace Process, Afghanistan and developments about Iraq were also taken up in the meetings. The Turkish side also informed China about the negative effects of the embargo imposed on Iraq, on Turkey.

-INTERIOR MINISTRY DENIES NEWS PUBLISHED IN SOME NEWSPAPERS
ANKARA - The Ministry of Interior issued a statement on Monday and said that the news published in some newspapers the same day regarding the operation called ''white energy'' which caused dismissal of some officials from TEAS, the Turkish Electricity Production and Transmission Inc. (TEAS), is baseless and it misinforms the public opinion.

Issuing a written statement, the Interior Ministry's Press Consultancy said that Mustafa Mendilcioglu was taken into custody in addition to those who had earlier been taken into custody, upon the instruction of Talat Salk, the Prosecutor of the Ankara State Security Court (DGM).

''We will inform the press and the public opinion from time to time about the investigation that is being carried out. News which was published today in some dailies is not true. Thus information that is received from unathorized sources should not be taken into consideration,'' it added.

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