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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-22Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 22 MARCH 2001 Thursday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 22, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)ARMED ATTACK ON GENERAL UGURLUGeneral Bekir Ugurlu, the Commander of Ankara Gendarmerie Regional Forces left Ankara at about 02:30 p.m. on Wednesday to inspect the Provincial Gendarmerie Forces Commandership in central province of Corum. Terrorists opened fire on the automobile carrying General Ugurlu. A truck coming from the opposite side, saved General Ugurlu's life. Two of the bullets hit the truck while three others hit an escort vehicle. NEVRUZ FESTIVAL CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT TURKEY TANKER COLLIDES WITH A PASSENGER BUS, KILLING FOUR PEOPLE YILMAZ: ''WE SHOULD LIFT DEATH SENTENCE IN THE SHORTEST TIME FRAME'' MILLIYET (LIBERAL)DERVIS: ''I WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS''State Minister Kemal Dervis said, ''I will solve structural problems in Turkey's economy. This process will take nearly two years. Then I will return to the U.S. I will not be involved in politics. DERVIS DUE TO GERMANY FIRST DEATH IN DEATH FASTS SABAH (LIBERAL)160 PEOPLE DETAINED IN ISTANBUL DURING NEVRUZ CELEBRATIONSA total of 160 people including 30 women, were taken into custody in Istanbul during celebrations to mark Nevruz festival. Demontrators threw stones and bottles to security forces who did not allow two separete groups to unite in Topkapi district of Istanbul. TERRORISTS RAID TUSIAD'S MEETING IN PARIS CUMHURIYET (LEFT)ENTHUSIASM OF NEVRUZMore than 200 thousand people celebrated Nevruz with great enthusiasm in Diyarbakir. Tens of thousands of people expressed their peaceful wishes with slogans in festivities in Batman, Siirt, Hakkari, Gaziantep, Tunceli, Adiyaman and Elazig. Four Swiss people in Hakkari, two correspondents of Yendi Gundem newspaper, 29 people in Mersin and Konya and 100 people in Yalova were detained. FIRST NEWS ABOUT DEATH FROM F TYPE RADIKAL (LEFT)MHP RESISTSAs State Minister Kemal Dervis has been fully supported by leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government, some ministers from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have different approaches on the issues of privatization and public banks. Transportation Minister Enis Oksuz from the MHP and State Minister Yuksel Yalova from the Motherland Party (ANAP) did not support privatization of Turk Telekom. In accordance with urgent measures package disclosed by State Minister Dervis, the Turkish Airlines (THY) will be able to determine flight prices on its own without approval of the government. Transportation Minister Oksuz raised his objection to this measure. TURKIYE (RIGHT)DERVIS' TOUR FOR U.S. DOLLARState Minister Kemal Dervis who got ready to find source to overcome the crisis will start his tour to Germany, Italy and the U.S. tomorrow. Dervis who will inform the foreign banks on the new frame agreement and programme will leave for Germany. Dervis will proceed to the U.S. on March 25 and attend the Turkish-American Business Council. He will also meet with IMF, World Bank and U.S. Treasury Department officials. GREEN LIGHT TO LOAN ASSASINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST VICE GENERAL ECEVIT: ''I WANT ALSO WORKERS TO JOIN THE STRUGGLE'' STATE SUPPORT TO OLYMPICS ALSO ARIA SAYS ''HELLO'' ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)ISTANBUL UNDER INSPECTIONIstanbul which is one of the five candidate cities to 2008 Olympic Games has been under inspection since yesterday. International Olympic Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission members who came to Istanbul to observe the preparations for the games were given briefing at the Olympic House. ECEVIT: ''WE WILL OVERCOME THE CRISIS ALTOGETHER'' ARMED ATTACK AGAINST VICE GENERAL UGURLU -SABIHA GOKCEN PASSES AWAY Gokcen was under medical treatment at Gulhane Military Medical Faculty Hospital in Ankara. -MILD EARTHQUAKE ROCKS AFYON Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute officials said that the epicenter of the quake which happened at 08:21 a.m. was 12 kilometers northwest of Bolvadin township of Afyon. -IMF'S NEW ''FLEXIBILITY PRINCIPLE'' IMF officials said within framework of the new principle they announced yesterday, the flexibility would be brought to determination of criteria for the new IMF-backed programmes and they were planning to give more freedom to governments of countries. IMF sources said that within this framework, this new principle won't have significant effect on Turkey's new economic programme which was expected to be concluded next month. Meanwhile, the date of discussion of Turkey's new programme by the IMF Board had not been set yet. IMF Spokesman David Hawley told the A.A that the exact date of IMF Executive Board meeting in end of April or beginning of May had not become clear yet. Hawley said that IMF did not have any new opinion about Turkey in addition to statements made by European One Department Director Michael Deppler before he left Ankara on last Monday. -U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE POWELL SENDS LETTER TO DEPUTIES IN In his letter to Dan Morhaim, a deputy from the Democrat Party, Powell said that such initiatives affected foreign policy of the U.S. State Department. Powell stressed that the issue was not among duties of the local assemblies. Observers in Washington D.C. said that Powell's letter to Morhaim was a sign of that the U.S.' new administration would continue to follow support given by former President Bill Clinton to Turkey. The resolution taken up at the local Senate and House of Representatives in Maryland state, envisages recognition of allegations saying that Ottoman Empire committed genocide on Armenians between 1915 and 1923, and announcement of April 24 as a Commemoration Day. If the resolution is approved in Maryland state following acceptance of a similar resolution in Virginia state, the Armenian lobby will gain an important ground for its draft resolution it planned to submit to the U.S. Congress. -G-7 COUNTRIES: ''WE WELCOME THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF TURKISH AUTHORITIES Releasing a statement, Treasury said that G-7 of which term president is Italy had made a statement on Turkey on March 19, 2001. Treasury said that the statement by the G-7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on Turkey is as follows: ''We welcome the announcement of the Turkish authorities on the framework for a strong new economic reform programme, supported by the IMF and the World Bank. The programme will rightly focus on achieving low inflation and sustainable public finances through sound fiscal and monetary policies, supported by vigorous implementation of structural reform. We particularly welcome the comprehensive and urgent plans in the programme to tackle the problems of the banking sector, in co-operation with the World Bank and the IMF. Long-term political commitment by the Turkish authorities to rigorous implementation of their programme remains absolutely critical to its success, and we will maintain our support for these efforts. A return of market confidence and the continuous engagement of the private sector are also critical for the Turkish economic recovery.'' -WORLD BANK EXPECTED TO INCREASE FSAL BY 750 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR Sources said on Thursday that World Bank would give at least 750 million U.S. dollars of extra loan to Turkey within framework of priority of the financial sector. Sources said that the loan could be met from the scope of the loan that the World Bank would extend to Turkey in three years within framework of the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS). Stressing that the FSAL 1 and FSAL 2 covered a total of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars of loan and that almost 375 million U.S. dollars of the FSAL 1 had been extended so far, officials said that the remaining tranches could be extended in shortest time frame if arrangements about the public banks were accelerated. World Bank said that it would approve the FSAL 1 if legal arrangements about privatization of public banks were adopted and it would approve the FSAL 2 if all arrangements about the financial sector were finalized. Meanwhile, officials said that Japan would extend a 1.5 billion U.S. dollars of co-financing to financial sector in accordance with the reciprocity principle, adding that the European Union (EU) was carying out a similar work. Sources said that the EU could extend a co-financing through Germany within framework of bilateral economic relations. -STATE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PREMIER BAHCELI SAYS Speaking in the first common meeting of the Fourth Economy Congress's science committees, Bahceli said that the main aim of the Economy Congress is to discuss in detail the socio-economic problems of Turkey to prepare the Turkish society for information age and the conditions of the 21st century. ''Unfortunately, our struggle against inflation which aims to reconstruct the economy is affected negatively by the results of the policies which were implemented in the past and which didn't take into consideration the realities of the country and the competitive market conditions. But we believe that the difficulties of the country will be overcome soon by the strong and dynamic structure of the Turkish economy and the resolution of the Turkish people. Turkey has to continue its struggle by respecting the principle of the democratic legal state and by fighting with corruption until the end,'' Bahceli said. Bahceli indicated that totally 64 scientific presentations will be read out in the Congress, the problems of the country will be discussed in ten panel discussions and 18 working groups will attend the Congress, which will undertake a very important role in preparation of Turkey's future. -NUMBER OF MACEDONIANS WHO ENTERED TURKEY Officials told A.A. correspondent that the number of the Macedonians, who came to Turkey due to the recent clashes in the Kosovo-Macedonia border, was more than six thousand and added that 239 Macedonians entered to Turkey between 01.00 a.m. and 08.00 a.m. on Thursday. Officials indicated that the number of the Macedonians who came to Turkey had been gradually decreasing while many Turks and Albanians who came to Turkey said many people couldn't come to Turkey as they couldn't manage to obtain any passports. Officials said that the Turks and Albanians, who came to Turkey from Macedonia, were staying with their relatives and added ''those people who entered from Kapikule border gate had previously came to Turkey and stayed for a while. Most of them have relatives in Turkey.'' Noting that they asked those people whether they needed a place to stay, officials said none of them had demanded for such accomodation. It was stated that those people had enough money with them and didn't have any economic problems at the moment. Officials added that they would offer a place for those people at the Immigrants Guesthouse if requested. Meanwhile, Hasan Kusku, the chairman of the Balkan Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, told A.A. correspondent that those people who entered to Turkey from Kapikule border gate were Turkish people living in Macedonia and muslim Albanians with Macedonian passport. ''Recent clashes erupted because of the great Albania dream of the Albanian militants supported by the Albanians living in Kosovo. In fact, Albanians were the community who had many rights when compared to other communities in the region. They are at a better condition economically and politically when compared to Turkish people living in the region. Turkey should play an influential role in the region and should launch initiatives to secure the lives of our kinsmen in the region,'' added Kusku. Kusku said they believed that the recent clashes would come to an end before it spread to other regions. -OPERATIONS UNDERWAY IN CORUM FOLLOWING ARMED ATTACK ON GENDARME Gen. Bekir Ugurlu directs the operations carried out by Corum Gendarme Regiment Command together with the special unit sent from Ankara following the attack on the motorcade in the 38th kilometer of Corum-Ankara highway near Yenikaradona village. General Ugurlu monitors the developments in Sungurlu Gendarme Command Headquarters. Vehicles are stopped and controlled on the highway. Investigations also started in Tokat and Sivas provinces and their surroundings. Security officials said that the assailant or assailants can be members of the terrorist organization TIKKO who came from Tokat province. They added that the terrorists could return to Tokat. Assailants with machine guns fired on a motorcade carrying Ugurlu Wednesday, but there were no injuries. Gen. Bekir Ugurlu in the paramilitary police force, was on his way to the central city of Corum from the capital Ankara when the assailants fired shots. A statement from the paramilitary police said 31 shots were fired but only one bullet hit a car at the front of the motorcade. Ugurlu's car was not hit. The assailant/s can be one or two persons, officials added. -PREMIER ECEVIT SAYS ECONOMIC PROGRAMME WILL HAVE THREE STAGES Speaking to reporters after his weekly meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Ecevit said that he discussed internal and external developments, particularly economic developments and many other issues with President Sezer. Referring to the demise of Sabiha Gokcen, the first Turkish woman pilot, Ecevit said that ''I implore god's grace for her and strength over those who are grieving. Gokcen was our nation's honour.'' Ecevit said that very worrying clashes took place in Macedonia with certain Albanian guerillas recently, adding that ''we wish Albanian guerillas to stop this negative operation as soon as possible. The Balkans can't tolerate another fight. Such an operation won't bring any use to Albanians.'' Giving information about economic developments, Ecevit said that the state gained 3.3 quadrillion liras in the bond auction two days ago. Ecevit said that this amount could be increased to 7,4 quadrillion liras, but they didn't consider that necessary. Noting that the auction showed the trust of the society in itself and the state, Ecevit said that the efforts related to the new economic programme continue. ''The economic programme will have three stages, first of them is to take the effective measures in the banking sector, the banking sector is the weakest part of our economy. There has been a change in the law on banking. But it is seen that we need additional measures, thus priority will be given to taking effective measures in banking. The second stage will be stability in interest and foreign exchange rates. The third stage will be to settle the macro economic balances and to provide the stable growth as of the second part of the year. Besides we have to activate the domestic sources and provide foreign source. But we think that focusing on domestic sources, our own sources will be beneficial. As I mentioned earlier, we, as the government have been working hard for a few months to solve our domestic source problem. This work has come to its last stage and the necessary and concrete steps will be taken after a very short time. I hope that the domestic source problem will be solved in a great extent. But we have to support them with foreign sources, too,'' Ecevit said. Ecevit said that foreign circles which are closely interested in Turkey closely monitor the recent economic problems, adding that ''G-7s, which is composed of the most powerful states closely monitor the situation in Turkey. They have even encouraged Switzerland, although it is not a member of G-7, to pay attention to Turkey. Switzerland is closely interested in Turkey.'' -PRIME MINISTER BULENY ECEVIT: (2) The Banking Law would be changed and the remaining funds would be closed, added Ecevit. Ecevit, who made statements at the Cankaya Presidential Palace following his regular meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, gave information about the economic program. Noting that State Minister Kemal Dervis would hold contacts in Germany and the U.S. for one week, Ecevit said, ''I hope that Dervis would return to Turkey with good news.'' Recalling that chambers of commerce and industry had urged for an independence war on economy through ads in some dailies, Ecevit said he mentioned his gratitude on the issue in his speech at the group meeting yesterday. ''This is a very important initiative and I believe that concrete outcomes would be obtained at the end. I am sure that workers would also participate in this campaign. Positive outcomes were obtained previously as workers and the investors had acted together in struggle against inflation. The Higher Planning Board will convene on March 30 and the Economic and Social Council will convene on March 31 to strengthen this compromise,'' Ecevit added. The slow down in imports could bring some problems and some benefits said Ecevit and added, ''first of all, the domestic markets could revive and production could increase. Foreign sales will increase. We had a meeting with the representatives of tourism sector. They know that floating exchange rate policy would be very beneficial. Many reservations were made already. To this end, the benefits of the floating exchange rate policy will start to occur.'' Noting that they hoped that the inflation rate would start to decrease following an intense working period for a couple of months, Ecevit said they determined the legal arrangements related to the economic program. Some laws should be adopted very rapidly, said Ecevit and added, ''first of all a supplementary budget should be formed and adopted. The Banking Law will be changed. Remaining funds would be closed. Amendments will be made on Bankruptcy Law and the liquidation of the banks will be facilititated. A new Central Bank law which is in harmony with the European Union (EU) norms will be issued. Law on Telekom will be changed. Works on tobacco and sugar law will gain speed. The Public Tender Law will be issued. Necessary amendments will be made on Civil Aviation Law. The oil and natural gas laws will take effect. Laws and decrees on losses concerning public service costs will be abolished.'' Noting that they submitted a very busy schedule to the parliament, Ecevit said, ''the parliament had a very busy schedule previously. We hope that the parliament would continue to exert the same efforts with the contributions of the opposition parties.'' ''I hope that the economic developments will gain speed with these legal arrangements,'' Ecevit added. -PREMIER ECEVIT SAYS THEY HAVE TO EXAMINE LEGALLY THE SITUATION Responding to questions of journalists after his weekly meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Ecevit said that there is no clear date by when the new economic programme will be announced, adding there won't be any delay. ''Its date will be clear after Mr. Dervis returns to Turkey from Germany,'' said Ecevit. When asked if there is any problem in the coalition government about privatization, Ecevit said that there is no problem within the government about it. Ecevit indicated that they take up the problems every day by coming together as the leaders of the three coalition parties. Ecevit said that they don't have any difficulty in solving the problems. Upon a question about the armed attack directed at Gen. Bekir Ugurlu, the Gendarme Regional Commander, Ecevit said that the incident was very saddening. ''I suppose the result of the operations started will be clear in the coming days,'' Ecevit said. When asked if State Minister Dervis told the government parties that he would stay in Turkey for two years and then return to the U.S., Ecevit said smiling ''no, he didn't say such a thing to me.'' Upon another question about what those domestic sources are, Ecevit said that ''we will make them public when we give the last form to them.'' When asked his views about the decision of the Board of Higher Education (YOK) to prevent Fatih University's taking students in the next academic year, Ecevit said that ''there are autonomous institutions in Turkey. It is natural for them to take decisions according to their own understanding.'' -STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS THEY WILL TRY TO FORM ''The programme which is backed by the Turkish society has to be also supported by the IMF,'' said Kemal Dervis. Staging a press briefing in Berlin, Kemal Dervis said that the programme has not been formed with its details, adding that yet they agreed with the IMF and the World Bank on the frame of the programme. ''We will make public the economic programme with its details and present it to the public and private institutions after three weeks both in Turkey and abroad,'' Dervis said. Noting that the programme has to be prepared within a social solidarity and by taking the views of various sections in the society, Dervis said that ''we must form the programme not only with foreign finance circles, but also with the Turkish society. But we also need foreign support at this stage.'' ''It is not possible to get support from others without taking the support of IMF. We must submit the programme to the IMF and also get its support. They are also very tolerant, we contact with both them and the World Bank, '' Dervis said. The aim of his visit to Germany is to speed up the support of the IMF and the World Bank, said Dervis and noted that they will also have intensive studies with the U.S. Department of Treasury. -TUNISIAN PRESIDENT ZINE AL-ABIDINE BEN ALI ARRIVES IN ANKARA Ben Ali and the accompanying delegation was welcomed by State Minister Hasan Gemici, Tunisian Ambassador to Turkey Mohammed Lessir, ambassadors of Arab countries to Turkey and other officials at Esenboga Airport. An official welcoming ceremony will be held at Presidential Palace at 16.00 local time for Ben Ali, who came to Turkey as the official guest of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. After the ceremony, the two presidents will come together in a tete-a-tete meeting and in the interdelegationary meetings. The guest president will leave Turkey on Friday evening after completing his contacts on Friday. -GOVERNMENT PRESENTS NPAA IN PARLIAMENT (1) Yılmaz stressed that they can't endanger the territorial integrity, unitary structure and the basic values of the republic. ''In that respect, we must understand the sensitivities and regard them as our sensitivities,'' Yılmaz said. State Minister and Deputy Premier Yılmaz gave information to the parliament about NPAA. Noting that the programme has been prepared as a result of an intensive work, Yılmaz said that they took into consideration the contributions of all public institutions and non-governmental organizations in the formation of the programme. Yılmaz told deputies that the programme reflected the broadest consensus that is possible in the society and thanked all the political parties for their contributions. Yılmaz said that there is an association relationship between Turkey and the European Union (EU) for nearly 40 years, adding that the real perspective of the full membership has opened with Helsinki summit in December 1999. Yılmaz remarked that the Helsinki summit created an opportunity window that opened full membership path to Turkey. Yılmaz said that the members of EU increased in time since its foundation and it has 15 members now, adding that EU is in the biggest enlargement process of its history nowadays. Noting that EU is expected to play a more active role in the world stage as a great economic political power with nearly 30 members, Yılmaz said that ''this fact will also change the balances in the world and it will be a new strategic development.'' ''Copenhagen criteria are the values that constitute the basis of the EU and they foresee the candidate countries to fulfil the conditions for a democratic state which is based on supremacy of law and human rights and which has a free market economy,' said Yılmaz. Yılmaz said that countries such as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic will finish the full membership negotiations soon. Yılmaz recounted that the Accession Partnership Document and frame report on financial assistance to Turkey were approved by the EU, adding that EU has fulfilled its responsibilities towards Turkey in this way. Yılmaz said that Turkey has to benefit equally from the financial opportunities given to other candidate countries and it should not only benefit from Mediterranean funds, but also from other programmes valid for other candidate countries. Yılmaz said that EU has to continue fulfilling its obligations towards Turkey on a more realistic basis which also supports the candidacy of Turkey. Turkey has fulfilled its obligation by preparing its national programme, said Yılmaz and pointed out that ''Turkey has certain sensitivities. It is not possible to ignore them. No country like us had witnessed such a separatist terrorism for 15 years and many citizens were killed by terrorism. While forming the NPAA, Turkey has attributed importance to make Turkey reach the modern civilization level and make Turkey a full member of the EU. I believe that it is our common wish to make our citizens benefit from the individual liberties, to take under guarantee the right to freedom of thought and expression under certain criteria, to form an independent and well-working judiciary mechanism. This programme is one which shows our parliament as the supreme organ that uses sovereignty in the name of people.'' ''It is a reality that we have many deficiencies in human rights and supremacy of law. Turkey has to overcome its deficiences as soon as possible even if it does not have a EU perspective. By preparing the programme, our government showed its understanding in this direction,'' Yılmaz said. -FOREIGN MINISTER CEM VISITS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ Cem said the reflections from the EU countries' governments on the National Program were sufficient. Cem visited Yilmaz in his room at the parliament. Cem made statements following the meeting which lasted for almost 45 minutes. ''I will go to the EU countries and to the U.S. upon the invitation of the U.S. Secretary of State. I will hold bilateral contacts with many circles within the framework of my visits and they would be of prime importance. To this end, I met with the leaders of the coalition. I also got the views of Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli yesterday,'' Cem said. When asked what would be the frame of his contacts in the U.S., Cem said ''every issue concerning both countries would be discussed. The U.S. is a very important power. Turkey is a supra regional power, not a regional power. The interests of both countries intersects with each other. Regions such as Balkans, Caucasus, the Middle East and Central Asia, which were in our own historical geography, have an important position in the economy and foreign policies of the U.S. Therefore, we have many things to discuss.'' When a journalist asked Cem ''connections are being made with the economic issues and Northern Iraq and Cyprus. It has been claimed that some concessions would be made,'' Cem said, ''I previously said that those are not true.'' Upon another question, Cem said he wouldn't make any contacts on economy during his meetings in the U.S. and the EU countries, and he added that they were doing their best to contribute to the economic program and the efforts of State Minister Kemal Dervis. Cem added that he would make political contacts during his visits. ''The Turkish-American Council had invited me as a speaker four months ago. I will deliver a speech there,'' Cem said. When asked how the EU countries reacted to the National Program of Turkey, Cem said, ''I found the reflections of the EU countries on the issue as sufficient. There may be some parts in the program which wouldn't be approved by everybody. However, this program is the most comprehensive democratization program in our republic history. I attribute importance to it and I believe that it brings an opportunity to Turkey and opens a path for the country.'' -STATE MINISTER DERVIS CONTINUES HIS CONTACTS IN BERLIN When reminded an article in a daily which claimed that Dervis was planning to return to the U.S. following his works on economy, Dervis said ''I guess my words are misinterpreted. I am not intended to return to the U.S. I said that I could go to a city other than Istanbul if I failed to achieve success and leave the cabinet. I will continue to live in Turkey for the next 20-30 years.'' Noting that there were very difficult days ahead of us, Dervis said support to the economic program carries importance. ''As you may know, this is not a task that will be carried out by one person alone. The support of not only government, and political parties, but also whole society is necessary,'' Dervis added. Dervis will meet with Hans Eichel, the minister of finance, and Michael Steiner, the foreign policy advisor of Gerhard Schroeder, the prime minister of Germany, within the framework of his contacts in Germany. ''We expect support from Germany; however, we will not go into detail today. I would like to visit Germany again when we achieved success in our program. I would also like to get information about the views of Turkish people living in Germany,''Dervis said. Dervis noted he expected that Turkey would be in a better situation during summer time and added, ''however, the coming weeks would be very difficult and we have to work very hard. We should seriously work on the figures. We are working together with officials from Treasury, Central Bank, Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, State Planning Institution, and Finance Ministry. We are pleased to serve our country. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit extends support to us on every matter.'' Noting that the Turkish people living in Europe extended support to Turkey, Dervis requested them to closely follow the developments in Turkey. ''They can make investment in Turkey whenever they wanted. We would exert utmost effort to keep our promises and build confidence in Turkey,'' added Dervis. Dervis said Michael Steiner was a close friend of his since their stay in Bosnia, adding that he would give information to Steiner about the recent works in Turkey. -GOVERNMENT PRESENTS NPAA IN PARLIAMENT (2) Addressing the parliament, Yılmaz said that ''we need to implement the programme as soon as possible. This is not only the government's responsibility, it is a joint obligation that falls on all political parties in parliament. Preparing and adopting our national programme was an honourable and difficult mission. But those who will put the programme into practice are those who would be really honourable.'' The deputy premier warned that the fulfillment of the programme would not be easy, adding ''I want it to be known that there are strong barriers both at home and abroad against its application.'' Yılmaz said that while preparing the programme, he saw that certain European famous politicians questioned the candidacy of Turkey. Yılmaz said that he saw certain persons who said that Turkey should not be a full member of Europe and who want to set up only a special relationship with Turkey. Yılmaz said that he read the statements of others who said that ''Turkey can't fulfil the Copenhagen criteria,'' adding that he also witnessed the efforts of reducing the EU full membership to only one or two issues. ''All of them happened, and you should know that they will continue to happen from now on. Issues which are not related to EU issue will also be put forward against us. They will try to discourage our people's wish for EU membership. In the future, people, who can't digest the new structuring in Turkey will come out,'' said Yılmaz. Yılmaz said that there is common sense in Turkey in spite of everything, adding that the national programme was put into practice by compromise and good will. ''The changes and reforms to be undertaken in Turkey won't weaken our state, on the contrary it will further strengthen it.'' ''This programme means a new and civilized Turkey. We want to open the horizon of a Turkey that reaches the power to compete with the world in all areas'' Yılmaz said adding that ''we must change at least ten articles of the Constitution, adopt 59 new laws and make important changes in our 95 laws.'' -PRESIDENT SEZER HOLDS OFFICIAL CEREMONY TO WELCOME Addressing the ceremony, Sezer said that Tunisia has a leading status in the Arabic and Islamic world, adding that ''Tunisia contributes significantly to the goals of installation of peace and stability and consolidation of international solidarity in the international forums.'' Noting that Turkey and Tunisia have similar geographical status, Sezer said that the two countries function as bridges between the continents. Sezer indicated that the two countries have undertaken special responsibilities for the cooperation between the two countries, adding that ''I am happy to have the opportunity to exchange views with Ben Ali about regional and international issues that closely interest our countries.'' Ben Ali said in his part that the negotiations will bring the opportunity to discover new cooperation issues between the two countries. ''We are glad about the visits that took place between the representatives of the private sector to date. We target to have more of these visits which will serve the interests of the two friendly countries and which target at building a real economy partnership,'' he said. The two presidents will have interdelegationary meetings after their tete-a- tete meetings. -TUSIAD DELEGATION MEETS WITH OFFICIALS FROM MEDEF The TUSIAD delegation and MEDEF officials discussed how the problems which occured following the adoption of law on so-called genocide on Armenians by the French parliament would be removed. The recent economic developments in Turkey were also taken up in the meeting. Following the meeting, MEDEF has pledged to support Turkey to better convey its views on allegations on so-called genocide on Armenians. A crowded delegation from MEDEF will also pay a visit to Turkey in summer months to overcome the problems between two countries. Staging a press conference following the meeting, Tuncay Ozilhan, the chairman of TUSIAD, said removing problems between France and Turkey would serve to the benefits of both countries, adding that problems which occurred in political arena shouldn't affect economic relations. Ozilhan said he believed that France should compensate the political mistake it had made, adding that the economic relations which deteriorated recently affected both countries. Recent economic developments in Turkey were also taken up in the meeting, said Ozilhan and added that the Turkish bussiness circles extended support to State Minister Kemal Dervis. Erkut Yucaoglu, the former chairman of TUSIAD said the economic crisis in Turkey had erupted as there was a delay in the implementation of economic and political reforms, adding that different views in the government on economy could be considered as a negative situation. Noting that Turkey had the power to overcome the crisis, Yucaoglu said the presence of a minister in the cabinet, who will coordinate whole economic works, was a positive step. The delegation, which is comprised of Ozilhan, Yucaoglu, Aldo Kaslowski, the chairman of Turkish-French Business Council; Haluk Tukel, the secretary general of TUSIAD; and Bahadir Kaleagasi, the representative of TUSIAD in Brussels; later returned Turkey after wrapping up their contacts in Paris. -MAGNITUDE OF EARTHQUAKE IN CANKIRI IS 4.3 ON RICHTER SCALE Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Centre said that the magnitude of the quake, whose epicenter was Orta township of Cankırı province, was nearly 4.3 on the Richter scale.
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