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

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

03 MARCH

2001 Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

SERDENGECTI TO BE APPOINTED TO CENTRAL BANK
Sureyya Serdengecti, the Deputy Central Bank Governor, was decided to be appointed as the Central Bank Governor by the consent of Kemal Dervis.

TEMPERATURES TO RISE DURING EID AL-ADHA
There will be no precipitations on the eve, first and second day of the Eid al-Adha. The temperatures will be around 20-22 degrees Celcius in Marmara region, 22-24 degrees Celcius in Aegean, Mediterranean and the Southeastern Anatolia regions, and 12-20 degrees in Central Anatolia, Black Sea and Eastern Anatolia regions. The temperatures will slightly decrease on the third and fourth days of the Eid al-Adha.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TWO MORE TURKS COMING FROM WORLD BANK
Kemal Dervis, the State Minister for economy, is planning to call two economists with whom he worked together at the World Bank, to Turkey. One of the mentioned economists is Ataman Aksoy, the economic policies expert of the World Bank, and the other is Oya Unlu, who had been the adviser of Dervis. Sources said that one of these mentioned people can be proposed to be appointed to the Treasury Undersecretariat.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASES 6.5 PERCENT
The industrial production increased 6.5 percent in January 2001 when compared with January 2000. The State Statistics Institute (DIE) announced the monthly industrial production index. In accordance with the index, the industrial production increased 6.5 in January 2001.

CURRENT DEFICIT: 9.8 BILLION U.S. DOLLAR
The Central Bank announced the current deficit in 2000 as 9.765 billion U.S. dollars. The current deficit was 1.36 billion U.S. dollars in 1999. The current deficit was 783 million U.S. dollars last December. Turkey's exportation was 31.2 billion U.S. dollars and its importation was 53.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2000.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

''The Government of Turkey (GOT) and its law enforcement and antinarcotics forces have long attached top priority to disrupting narcotics trafficking and continued to do so in 2000. In cooperation with the UNODCCP, Turkey opened a training academy to provide instruction to counternarcotics officers from Turkey and regional countries,'' the report said.

''During 2000, Turkish law enforcement agencies, including the Turkish National Police, the Gendarmerie teams, Customs and the Coast Guard, seized over 5.9 tons of heroin, 25.6 tons of hashish and thousands of pills. There were 6,131 drug-related arrests (a 20 percent increase from 1999) and a significant increase in seizures of precursor chemicals, including acetic anhydride,'' it said.

''OLIVE BRANCH'' MODEL TO THE LEFTIST PARTY
Erdal Inonu, Cezmi Kartay, Murat Karayalcin and Altan Oymen, former leaders of the Republican People's Party (CHP), decided to implement ''olive branch'' model which was implemented in Italy in 1997. The model aims at bringing all leftist parties together.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

FAREWELL FROM DEMIRALP
Former Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp, who paid a farewell visit to the Treasury Undersecretariat, cried and made people cry with the speech he made during the visit. Demiralp said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is needed for Turkey's economy and that the stand-by should be continued.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Johns said preparation works will immediately start after the signing of the intergovernmental agreement.

POSTPONEMENT TO THE DEBTS OF QUAKE SURVIVORS
The credit debts of the tradesmen in quake region were postponed for one year.

Prime Ministry Press Center issued a statement and said the tradesmen and enterprises, who received damage in massive August 17 and November 12 quakes, who used the loans of Halk Bankasi, will re-pay their loans after one year.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Meanwhile, the government decided to appoint Sureyya Serdengecti as the Central Bank Governor.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pointed out that he believed Dervis would be successful.

-IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR KOHLER SAYS TURKEY
SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE DECISIONS
WASHINGTON D.C.- Horst Kohler, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, said late on Friday that Turkish government has to demonstrate, by action, that it is aware about the situation and takes the appropriate decisions.

Kohler and IMF First Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer gave a briefing on establishing an international capital markets department.

When asked about the IMF's attitude towards the recent crisis in Turkey, Kohler said, ''The Fund's support is well known. That was the program of November last year. There is now a new situation, and it is first and foremost the Turkish government who has to demonstrate, by action, that it is aware about the situation and takes the appropriate decisions.''

Fischer said that the political developments had a role in the recent crisis in Turkey.

Kohler said that the program prepared following the situation in November is a credible program, adding that however, the political developments affect the situation.

-TURKISH CULTURE CENTER TO BE OPENED IN KYRGYZ UNIVERSITY
BISHKEK- Turkish Culture Center will be opened in the Social Sciences University in Kyrgyzstan.

Isengul Bolcurova, the rector of the university, told a press conference on Saturday that Turkey's history and Turkish culture and literature are currently taught in the university.

Bolcurova said that they exert efforts to set up Turkish Culture Center within the framework of the university.

-FINANCE MINISTER ORAL:
-''THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL TAX IN THE NEW PERIOD''
ANKARA- Finance Minister Sumer Oral said on Saturday that there is no additional tax in the new period.

Oral told A.A correspondent that the crisis in Turkey's economy was rapidly overcome and the markets started to normalize.

The crisis occurred due to the liquidity shortage in the financial sector, Oral said, noting, ''Turkey is a strong country. It has the strength to overcome the problems.''

Oral said that a good beginning was made for the budgetary practices this year.

He does not have any hesitations about reaching the tax targets this year, Oral noted.

Oral stated that Turkey does not need an additional tax burden in the new period.

Exportation is the most dynamic sector of the nenw period, Oral pointed out.

Oral said that they have exerted all the efforts to pave the way for the exporters.

Oral added, ''efforts are underway to take measures to decrease the bureaucratic practices in exportation. Increase in exportation means the increase of production and employment and the revival of economy. The Finance Ministry will make arrangements to pave the way for the exporters and to rapidly carry out the procedures in exportation. Because, the exportation has gained importance in this new period.''

-TEMIZEL RESIGNS
ANKARA - Zekeriya Temizel, the Chairman of the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board (BRSB), resigned on Saturday.

A statement of the BRSB said that Temizel resigned from his office where he was appointed on March 31, 2000.

Temizel said in the statement that he resigned from the Chairmanship of BRSB where he was appointed by the Council of Minister decision no 2000/313.
-LEADING TOUR OPERATORS OF EUROPE BUY LOCAL TOURISM COMPANIES
ANTALYA- Giant tour operators of Europe bought local tourism companies after deciding to hold activities in Turkish markets with their own companies.

Some leading tour operators of Europe like TUI, ITS, First Choice, and Barcelo, started to set up their own companies either by seizing their Turkish partners or isolating them.

After TUI, the giant German tourism company, bought Tantur, Britain's First Choice Camel entered to the market by buying Elana. German ITS, the partner of Mandalin Tour that resigned in February, bought Mas Tour, and thus it will act directly in Turkey.

Some tourism agencies said direct acting of foreign tour operators in Turkey should be considered as a ''serios danger.''

Some others say this should be perceived as a positive development noting that, ''the foreign tour operators make investments as they see a promising future in Turkey.''

Tavit Koletavitoglu, the Chairman of the Tourism Investors Assocation, pointed out that foreign tour operators, which bring tourists to Turkey, attributed importance to the quality of service, adding that it was natural for them to set up their own companies instead of their local partners which fail to produce sufficient services.

Koletavitoglu said, ''it is better for the foreign tourism agencies to exist directly in Turkey. This may be regarded as the guarantee of a tourist inflow as there is a certain service quality. It is wrong to see acting of leading tour operators of Europe as a threat or blow on destination management sector or the travelling agency.

Nizamettin Sen, the General Secretary of Antalya Promotion Foundation, pointed out that, ''countries which send tourists implement the same procedures in Turkey which they had earlier implemented in Spain, Italy and Greece.''

Speaking about acting of foreign companies in Turkey as the ''requirement of globalization,'' Sen said, ''German and British tour operators compete in potential countries. Their competition is reflected to the countries which they send tourists. The leading operators seize the companies which give them services.''

Sen said, ''foreigners make investments to countries which they rely on. This means they rely on Turkey.''

Zafer Cengiz, the tour operator, said, ''this means there is demand to Turkey however Turkish companies failed to produce quality services. The foreign companies progress toward the target in a planned way.''

Here are the companies which the leading tourism agencies bought, and the countries they are acting in:

Turkish Company Sold Tour Operator which bought it

-------------------- ----------------------------
Gulet (Austria) TUI (Germany)

Tantur (Turkey) TUI (Germany)

Nazar (Germany) First Choice (Britain)

STS (Germany) First Choice (Britain)

Marmara (France) First Choice (Britain)

Sun Quest (Britain) First Choice (Britain)

Turchese (Italy) First Choice (Britain)

Taurus (Austria) First Choice (Britain)

Bosphorus (Belgium) First Choice (Britain)

Royal Vocasiones (Spain) First Choice (Britain)

Camel (Turkey) Barcelo (Spain)

Elena (Turkey) Barcelo (Spain)

-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM TO ATTEND ATC CONFERENCE IN U.S.
WASHINGTON D.C.- Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will attend the 20th annual conference of the American-Turkish Council (ATC) held in Washington D.C.

Cem will attend the conference during his visit to the U.S. as the official guest of U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell in the end of this month.

A statement of the ATC said that Cem will be the keynote speaker during the 20th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkish relations sponsored by the American- Turkish Council/American Friends of Turkey and the Turkish-U.S. Business Council.

Kursat Tuzmen, the Foreign Trade Undersecretary; Ali Ercan, the Defense Industries Undersecretary; Erdogan Bilsener, the Bursa Mayor; Resat Turgut, the Office of Chief of General Staff's Planning and Principles Chairman, and high-ranking military officials will attend the conference.

Baki Ilkin, the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., and Robert Pearson, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, are also expected to attend the conference.

The bilateral and regional relations of the U.S. and Turkey and the ways to further improve the relations are debated in the panel discussions held during the annual conferences of the ATC.

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:
''I REQUESTED TEMIZEL TO CONTINUE THIS IMPORTANT
POST BUT I COULD NOT PERSUADE HIM''
ANKARA- Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Saturday that he was sorry that Zekeriya Temizel resigned from the Chairmanship of Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board (BRSB), noting that, ''I requested him to continue this important post, but I could not persuade him.''

Ecevit issued a written statement and recalled that Temizel announced on Saturday his resignation from the chairmanship of BRSB.

Stressing that Temizel made valuable services to the state in all assignments he has undertaken, Ecevit said, ''I expressed sorrow over his resignation. I requested him to continue this important post, but I could not persuade him. I wish success to Temizel in the posts that he will undertake from now on.''

-MALTESE-FLAGGED SHIP NOT PERMITTED TO PASS THROUGH CANAKKALE STRAIT
CANAKKALE - A Maltese-flagged ship which broke down while passing through the Canakkale Strait, was not permitted to continue its sail on Saturday.

The ro-ro ship named ''Strofades-2'' which was en route from Pireas port of Greece to Derince, had a breakdown in its engine and helm while passing through the Canakkale Strait.

The guide captain informed the officials of the Strait Traffic Control Station about the malfunction.

Officials called on the captain of the ship to anchor.

The engine of the ship which anchored in Karacaorenalti hamlet was repaired but a technical team from Istanbul is waited for the repair of the breakdown in the helm.

Officials called on the ships which are passing through the strait to be careful.

-STATE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OZKAN:
''I HAVE NOT GIVEN ANY ORDERS TO THE BANK TO GIVE OR NOT
TO GIVE CREDIT TO A PERSON, COMPANY OR GROUP''
ANKARA- Husamettin Ozkan, the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, said on Saturday that he has not given any orders to Halk Bankasi to give or not to give credit to a person, company or group apart from the general order of his ministry to give credit to real tradesmen and industrialists according to the banking principles.

Ozkan issued a written statement after news reports saying that permission was not given to interrogate officials of Halk Bankasi, which is a related institution of his ministry.

Ozkan said they did not intervene to the Bank administration and appointments, noting that necessary atmosphere and facilities were provided to ensure the Bank work autonomously.

-TOURISM MINISTER MUMCU VISITS ITB FAIR IN BERLIN
BERLIN- Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu visited on Saturday the international ITB fair and Turkish stand in Berlin, Germany.

Mumcu, accompanied by Antalya Governor Ertugrul Dokuzoglu and Antalya Mayor Bekir Kumbul, arrived in Berlin to visit the ITB fair which is being held between March 3 and 7.

Visiting the Turkish stand in the fair, Mumcu told reporters that this fair is an opportunity which brings the travelling agencies, tour operators, and hotel managers together.

Mumcu said that Turkey is the country which received the earliest reservations for the tourism season, adding, ''Turkey does not have a demand problem but it has a supply problem.''

The developments in tourism are very positive, Mumcu noted, stating that he can say that Turkey will have a good tourism season this year.

Mumcu said that the Turkish lira's (TL) losing value does not have an important role in the improvement of tourism.

Tourism is the biggest income in Turkey's economy, Mumcu emphasized.

Mumcu said that tourism is the biggest sector which directly contributes to the national income.

When asked what the deficiencies of Turkey was when compared with Spain and Italy, Mumcu said that the difference results from geography because the North Europeans can reach these two countries through highway and railway more rapidly.

Mumcu noted that the easiest way to come to Turkey is the airway.

Mumcu came across with Eberhard Diepgen, the Prime Minister of Berlin state of Germany, when visiting the fair and drank Turkish coffee in one of the Turkish stands.

Diepgen said that the Turkish stand was very good and was constructed professionally.

-WORLD BANK-AGRICULTURAL REFORM LOAN
ANKARA - Turkish officials and the World Bank officials reached consensus on the agricultural reconstruction and the agricultural reform agreement.

Officials said on Saturday that the meetings among officials of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Ministry, Industrial and Trade Ministry, and Treasury Undersecretariat and the World Bank officials reached the final stage.

The agreement will take effect after the ratification of the World Bank Executive Board and the signature of the concerned ministers.

Officials said that the 397 million U.S. dollar portion of the 600 million U.S. dollar loan that the bank will give to Turkey will be released between 2001 and 2004 while the rest will be released between 2004 and 2006, adding that the first portion may be released in April.

-INFLATION IN WPI DECREASES TO 26.5 PERCENT AND IN CPI TO 33.4 PERCENT
ANKARA - The inflation in the wholesale prices index (WPI) decreased to 26.5 percent and in consumer prices index (CPI) to 33.4 percent in February 2001.

The State Statistics Institute (DIE) said on Saturday that the inflation in WPI increased 2.6 percent and 1.8 percent in CPI in February 2001 when compared with February 2000.

Meanwhile, the annual inflation rate in accordance with the 12-month average as of February was announced as 44.5 percent in WPI and 48.9 percent in CPI.

-ECONOMY BUREAUCRATS GIVE BRIEFING TO STATE MINISTER DERVIS
ANKARA- Economy bureaucrats gave a briefing on Saturday to State Minister Kemal Dervis at the Treasury Undersecretariat.

The bureaucrats briefed Dervis on the public finance, foreign capital, incentives, foreign borrowing and the situation of the State Economic Enterprises (SEEs).

Sources said that Dervis will continue to receive information from the bureaucrats about the institutions which are under his responsibility.

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