Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-01-20

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

20 JANUARY

2001 Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

SEZER HARSHLY REACTS TO FRANCE
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer harshly reacted to the adoption of the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians by the French parliament. Condemning the decision, Sezer said that he expects initiatives which will render the resolution ineffective from France.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

WE ARE BACKING BRSB
Carl Lindgren, the Deputy Director of Banking Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said that there is a great interest in the eight banks which were put to sale by the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board (BRSB). Lindgren noted that the IMF will back the BRSB's choise and method, adding that the BRSB will find the best solution about these banks.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

SONMEZ MEETS WITH CEM
Sonmez Koksal, the Turkish Ambassador to France who was recalled to Turkey to make consultations, met with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem at the Foreign Ministry. Following the meeting which lasted for two hours, Koksal said, ''I came here to hold consultations. I held my first contact in the Foreign Ministry of which I am a member. I will continue to make consultations next week.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

He said the quakes were especially accumulated in northern part of the Marmara Island and the Marmara Ereglisi.

BOMB EXPLODES IN GARBAGE
A teenager accidentally triggered a bomb he found in a trash can, injuring himself, three other boys and a passerby in eastern Van province on Friday. The 14 years old Memduh Kaya found the bomb in a trash can, and brought it to his neighborhood, where he ignored his friends' warnings and began playing with it. The bomb detonated when the boy smacked it against the ground. The injured people were rushed to nearby hospital.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

CEM DUE TO LIBYA
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will start his tour to Libya today. Cem's visit aims at opening a new page in the bilateral relations. Cem will be the first Turkih foreign minister who visits Libya since 1992.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

VURAL SAVAS RETIRES
Vural Savas, the Supreme Court of Appeals Republican Chief Prosecutor, retired by a ceremony held at the Supreme Court of Appeals.

KOC SEAL TO MOSCOW
The Ramstore, the joint venture of Koc Holding's Migros company and Enka Holding, inaugurated the greatest shopping center in Moscow, Russia. Istanbul Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna, Rahmi Koc, Sarik Tara and Turkey's Ambassador to Russia Nabi Sensoy attended the inauguration.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

AGAIN MILITARY PLANE CRASHES
A military plane crashed near Sarimsakli village in Bunyan township of central Kayseri province on Friday, killing three military personnel. Officials said that a CASA cargo plane which had taken off from the Erkilet 12th Air Transportation Main Air Base at about 11:00 a.m. crashed the shore of the Sarimsakli Dam lake near Sairmsakli village at about 11:15 a.m.

Production Chief at the Cimsa Factory Erol Kirde who witnessed the crash told the A.A correspondent that the plane which had flown low two times crashed near the water collection region at the back of the the dam.

A first lieutenant, a lieuteant, and a non-commissioned officer who have not been identified yet were killed in the crash.

-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES FOR LIBYA
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem left on Saturday for Libya.

Cem and the accompanying delegation will hold official contacts in Libya on Saturday and Sunday.

Bilateral relations and regional issues will be debated during Cem's contacts.

-TURKEY AND U.S. TO COMMEMORATE TURKISH SOLDIERS WHO BATTLED IN KOREA
WASHINGTON D.C. - Turkish soldiers who battled in the Korean War will be commemorated by ceremonies that will be held in Ankara and Washington D.C. on January 25.

Robert Pearson, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and Baki Ilkin, the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., will lay wreaths to the Korean War monuments in Ankara and Washington D.C.

Turkey had dispatched almost 15 thousand soldiers to Korea 50 years ago. A total of 741 of these soldiers died while 2,068 others were injured and 407 were missing in the end of the war.

Within the framework of the ceremonies, the U.S. Defense Department will present 200 soldiers who battled in the Korean War with a certificate of appreciation.

A ceremony will be held at the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C. in honour of these soldiers.

-ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN RESOLUTION
-CELIK, TBB DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: ''GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS ARE
TOTALLY CONTRARY TO HISTORICAL FACTS''
ANKARA - Burhan Kara Celik, the Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Bars Association (TBB), said on Saturday that genocide allegations of the Armenians were totally contrary to the historical facts.

Celik issued a written statement and said they harsly condemned the adoption of the Armenian resolution in the French parliament.

Pointing out that it was clear that the decision was taken because of the local administrations election that will take place in March, Celik said the Armenian genocide allegations contradicted with the facts and were baseless.

''A war was experienced in 1915s with the Armenians who wanted to annex the eastern region of our country to Armenia. Armenians were promoted and incited by France. It is inevitable that both sides suffered in this war. More than three million Turkish citizens were killed by the Armenians. Forgetting this is a shame for France,'' he noted.

Celik said they hoped the French parliamentarians and the French President Jacques Chirac would apply to the Supreme Court considering the negative development which the decision would cause. ''Otherwise, Chirac and the French parliamentarians should undertake the responsibilities of the decisions which the Turkish people and the state would take and the sanctions Turkey would imposed.''

-MEDAL OF PRIDE TO BE CONFERRED TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN TERRORISM
ANKARA - Medal of pride will be given to the relatives of 34 victims of Armenian terrorism and three people who survived from the Armenian terrorist attack.

Below listed the victims of the Armenian terrorism whose families will be granted the medal of pride:

Mehmet Baydar, the Turkish Consul General to Santa Barbara; Bahadir Demir, the Turkish Consul to Santa Barbara; Danis Tunaligil, the Turkish Ambassador to Austria; Ismail Erez, the Turkish Ambassador to France; driver Talip Yener; Oktar Cirit, the Turkish First Secretary to Lebanon; Taha Carim, the Turkish Ambassador to Vatican; Necla Kuneralp, the Turkish Ambassadress to Spain; retired ambassador Besir Balcioglu; Ahmet Benler, the son of Turkey's Ambassador in the Hague; Yilmaz Colpan, the Turkish Tourism Counsellor to France; Galip Ozmen, the Turkish Administrative Attache to Greece; Neslihan Ozmen, the daughter of the Turkish Administrative Attache to Greece; Sarik Ariyak, the Turkish Consul General to Sydney; Engin Sever, the Turkish Security Attache to Sydney; Resat Morali, the Turkish Working Attache to France; Tecelli Ari, the Turkish Religion Attache to France; Savas Yerguz, the Turkish Secretary to Geneva; Cemal Ozen, the Turkish Security Attache to France; Kemal Arikan, the Turkish Consul General to Los Angeles; Orhan Gunduz, the Turkish Honorary Consul General to Boston; Erkut Akbay, the Turkish Administrative Attache to Portugal, and his wife Nadide Akbay; Atila Altikat, the Turkish Military Attache to Ottowa; Bora Suelkan, the Turkish Military Attache to Burgas; Galip Balkar, the Turkish Ambassador to Yugoslavia; Dursun Aksoy, the Turkish Administrative Attache to Belgium; Cahida Mihcioglu, the wife of Turkish Counsellor to Portugal; Isik Yonder, the wife of Turkish secretary to Iran; Erdogan Ozen, the Turkish Working Attache to Austria; Enver Ergun, the international civil servant in Vienna; Cetin Gorgu, the Turkish Press Attache to Greece; Caglar Yucel, the Turkish Military Attache to Iraq; and Haluk Sipahioglu, the Turkish Counsellor to Greece.

Below listed the diplomats who survived from the Armenian terrorism and who will be given the medal of pride:

Selcuk Bakkalbasi, the Turkish Press Counsellor to France; Kani Gungor, the Turkish Trade Counsellor to Ottowa; and Ismail Pamukcu, the turkish Military Attache to Iran.

-TUNNEL FOUND IN UMRANIYE PRISON
ISTANBUL - A tunnel was found in Umraniye Prison which was evacuated following intervention in prisons.

Gendarme Commandership officials said during the searches they made in prisons following the intervention, they found a tunnel in the prison where members of the illegal DHKP/C terrorists were kept.

Officials said searches continued in the prison.

-TURKISH CITIZENS LIVING IN GERMANY CONDEMN
DECISION OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT
BERLIN - Turkish Citizens living in Germany on Saturday condemned the adoption of the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians in the French parliament.

Hakki Keskin, the Turkish German Associations Chairman, issued a statement and said unilateral political decisions, taken on a historical issue, would damage relations between the two friendly countries.

Pointing out that effective Armenian lobby in France was influential on the parliamentarians to take the decision, the statement said, ''unfortunately, Turkey failed to fulfil her duties in this respect. Although 85 years passed, Turkish historians did not make adequate investigations and reseaches. The documents and archieves on the issue were not presented to the service of the historians.''

The statement said, ''because of this, the view that there was a genocide was spread in the world public opinion. Primarily, Turkey should do her homework urgently.''

The statement said a commission, comprised of historians from Turkey, Armenia and some other countries, should be set up. Turkey and Armenia should prevent their documents and archieves to the members of the commission. The report, which the commission will prepare, should be presented to the information of the world public.''

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT SAYS A SANCTION PROGRAM TO BE
PREPARED AGAINST FRANCE WHICH WILL NOT EFFECT TURKISH ECONOMY
ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Saturday that a sanction plan, which will not effect Turkish economy, will be prepared against France, which adopted resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians.

Responding to a question about the sanctions which were envisaged to be imposed against France, which adopted the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians, Ecevit said Foreign Ministry carried out detailed works in this respect.

Ecevit said contacts will be made with the related ministries and the institutions to determine how Turkey would make its influence felt on France. Ecevit said, ''of course, we will prepare a plan that will not hurt us. We will search for sanctions against France without giving damage to Turkish economy. Works on the issue will be completed within a few days.''

Speaking about the ''White Energy Operation,'' Ecevit said the jurisdiction was functioning, and that discussion of the issue in public may cast shadow over the jurisdiction.

-ROADS OF 50 SETTLEMENT PLACES CLOSED
TO TRAFFIC IN VAN AND HAKKARI PROVINCES
VAN - Roads of 50 settlement places in eastern Van and Hakkari provinces were closed to traffic because of heavy snowfall.

Heavy snowfall and fog are influential in the region. The thickness of the snow reached 5cm in Van, and 10cm in Hakkari. In high altitute sections, the thickness of the snow is about 1 metre.

Officials of Rural Services Regional Directorate said they would start works to open the roads after the snowfall stops.

-OTTOMAN EMPIRE HAS ALWAYS EMBRACED
THOSE WHO ESCAPED FROM OPPRESSION
ERZURUM - While reactions to the adoption of the resolution on the so- called genocide on Armenians by the French parliament continued, it is noted in history books that Turks embraced those persons who escaped from oppression throughout the history.

The Turkish people, who are accused of committing genocide against the Armenians during the first World War, have always embraced people who escaped from oppression without making any religious, linguistic and racial discrimination. Many nations can take lessons from the attitude of the Turkish people

In accordance with the information that A.A correspondent obtained from the history books, the Muslims and the Jews who were oppressed in Spain in 1486, sent an envoy to the Ottoman Empire, explained their situation and requested help.

The Ottoman Empire sent a fleet commanded by Kemal Reis to attack the Spanish coasts in 1505, saved some of the Muslims and Jews from massacre and brought them to Turkey.

When the humanity tragedy and the massacre in Spain increased, Kilic Ali Pasa, then-admiral and governor-general to Algeria, was commanded to help those who were oppressed in Spain. Many history books write that many Muslims and Jews were brought from Spain to African coasts and then these people were settled down in southern Adana and Tarsus provinces. These people were exempted from tax for five years to get recovered.

-''I WILL NOT GIVE BACK THOSE WHO TAKE SHELTER IN MY STATE''-
Five thousand Hungarian and Polish partiots who rebelled during the movement of freedom and resisting to the strict administrations in Europe, ran away from the oppression and sheltered to the Ottoman Empire in 1849.

The ottoman Empire's not giving back these refugees who sheltered in its territory although there was a possibility of a war, was appreciated as a service of humanity throughout the world.

In accordance with the historical sources, Lajos Kossuth, then-Hungarian president, wrote a letter to Sultan Abdulmecit of the Ottoman Empire, to save himself from oppression, and asked whether or not Sultan Abdulmecit could embrace himself and his friends.

Sultan Abdulmecit said that the refugees were his guests and gave the guarantee that noone could harm these refugees. Thus, five thousand Hungarian and Polish people took refuge in the Ottoman Empire.

After the refuge of the Hungarian and Polish people, Russia and Austria had insisted that these refugees should be given back to them and even the Russians warned that they would declare war if the refugees were not given back.

When Russia and Austria insisted on their demand, young Sultan Abdulmecit gave a lesson of humanity and said, ''I will abandon my crown and sacrifice myself. But, I will never give back those who take shelter in my state.''

The Polish people settled down in Istanbul, Aleppo, Vidin and Silistre while the Hungarians leaded by Kossuth moved to Kutahya.

-''TURKS DID NOT YIELD TO THREATS''-
Hungarian leader Kossuth and his friends left Kutahya 21 months later for London. Kossuth, who was welcomed in London, delivered a speech in London and said, ''I am living today and I am free because the Turks protected me and my friends despite the threats and pressure of Austria and Russia. The Turks are such people that they did not yield to all the threats by their sublime feelings and respect to human rights. Turkish nation has a very sublime power due to these aspects. The existence of Turks today and in the future is beneficial for Europe and humanity. I am living with the memories of favour and respect I received from the Turks.''

-FAMOUS WRITER LEWIS...-
Famous writer Bernard Lewis drew the attention to the Ottoman Empire's embracing the Jews who were oppressed in Europe and sheltered in the Ottoman territory.

Lewis said that the Ottoman Empire always embraced the Jews who were oppressed and expelled from Europe, and that even the Jews were invited to the Ottoman territory to be saved from the oppression.

-EMBRACING THE RUSSIANS...-
Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Belarussians dispersed throughout the world but preferred Turkey, which was the first stop and the bridge to freedom. Turks, who welcomed and tolerated those who escaped from Russia, launched a campaign in January 1921.

The Hilal-i Ahmer Society started to distribute free soup to tens of thousands of Russian refugees. Also, woolen blankets were delivered to thousands of Belarussians in the winter of 1921 and several funds were set up for the solution of the health problems of these people.

In accordance with the historical sources, the reason for 150-200 thousand Belarussians choosing Turkey was the tolerance and hospitality of the Ottoman Empire.

Writer Jack Delon narrated the life of the Belarussians who escaped to Turkey in his book named ''Belarussians in Beyoglu'' and told about the memories of those people.

The book narrates a Belarussian who explained how he escaped to Turkey as saying, ''when we were escaping from Russia, we thought that Turkey, the only country which opened its doors to the Jews who escaped from Spanish inquisition, will not return us in 1920s.''

In the foreword of a book named ''Spassibo'' which means gratitude in Russian language and which was published in Istanbul 1924 and in France in 1930, it was stated, ''Gratitude to you Istanbul! You embraced us and sheltered us! You employed us and saved our lives! We will never forget you the most beautiful city of the world!''

The editor of the book wrote, ''this book is about the humble efforts of the Russian journalists and writers before they departed from Istanbul. The aim of this book was to express gratitude of the Russian people to the people of every nation and religion living in Istanbul.

-AUTOCRACY PERIOD IN RUSSIA-
Assistant Professor Yavuz Ozdemir, a lecturer of the Ataturk University's History Education Department, said that the history books wrote that almost 30 thousand Russian people sheltered in Turkey and thus could survive from the revolution of 1905 which happened during the autocracy period in Russia.

-WORLD WAR II-
Assistant Professor Erol Kurkcuoglu, a lecturer of the Ataturk University's Faculty of Science and Letters, said that the Turkish people have always supported the oppressed people and that the oppressed people sheltered in Turkey throughout the history.

Kurkcuoglu said that thousands of people who were oppressed due to the World War II took shelter in Turkey.

After the World War II had erupted, more than tens of thousands of people fearing of being killed and oppressed, sheltered in Turkey, which was the only country where their life was taken under guarantee, Kurkcuoglu noted.

Kurkcuoglu stated that 500 thousand people immigrated to Turkey during the Gulf War which erupted in 1990 and that Turkey hosted these immigrants as best as it could.

Almost one million people escaped to Turkey following the revolution of Iran in 1979 and that almost four thousand people immigrated to Turkey after the former Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan in 1982, Kurkcuoglu said.

Kurkcuoglu noted that more than 300 thousand people sheltered in Turkey due to the oppression policy of Bulgaria in 1991, adding that Turkey also embraced the Kosovars who escaped from Serbian oppression.

-LOAN INTEREST RATES OF BANKS
ANKARA - Esbank, Garanti Bankasi, Pamukbank, Finansbank and Kentbank reduced interest rates for consumer, motor vehicles and real estate purchase loans between 0.5 percent and 3.5 percent last week.

The interest rates for consumer, motor vehicles and real estate purchase loans of some banks on monthly basis are as follows:

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