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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-29Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 29 MARCH 2001 Thursday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 29, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)WE PROMISEThe leaders of the coalition parties gave a historical promise to Turkish nation. They said they would extend full support to the economic program of State Minister Kemal Dervis and would also exert efforts for the adoption of necessary laws by the parliament. Noting that the legislative works should be efficient, rapid and harmonized, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said he believed that the Parliament would work rapidly. The coalition parties and the opposition parties have big responsibilities, added Ecevit. Speaking in his part, Devlet Bahceli, the deputy prime minister, said the Nationalist Movement party (MHP) will do its best for the adoption of the laws. We fully support the program, added Bahceli. Mesut Yilmaz, the deputy prime minister, gave certain messages to the deputies of the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the ANAP group later announced a commitment. According to this, the deputies said they would exert utmost effort to rapidly adopt the laws by the parliament, adding that they would extend full support to State Minister Kemal Dervis. STATE MINISTER DERVIS: ''I AM HOPEFUL, WE WILL SUCCEED'' MILLIYET (LIBERAL)ANKARA, YOU CAN DO ITThe parliament couldn't understand the importance of State Minister Kemal Dervis's statements, who previously said that the foreign financial support would be given following the adoption of fifteen laws. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit has said that it was impossible to pass these laws in fifteen days time. However, Argentine, which is also undergoing an economic crisis, adopted the necessary laws in one day. THE U.S.: ''IMPLEMENT POLITICAL REFORMS'' SABAH (LIBERAL)MISTAKE OF INEXPERIENCEDPrime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that State Minister Kemal Dervis' warning about April 15 stemmed from his ''political inexperience''. Prime Minister Ecevit did not agree with State Minister Dervis' warning saying, ''if we cannot obtain foreign source of 10-12 billion U.S. dollars and cannot adopt 15 draft law till April 15, a new crisis can emerge.'' Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''a new crisis will not emerge. Everything necessary in the economy has been done.'' PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT RELEASES A SAVING DECREE CUMHURIYET (LEFT)BAD NEWS FOR ANKARATom Dawson , the external relations department director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said they were waiting for Turkey to give its final shape to the economic program, adding that it wouldn't be possible for them to grant any loans before the ecomomic program was finalized. Staging a press conference in Washington D.C., Dawson said they should be informed about the details of the economic program to determine the amount of the loan that would be granted to Turkey. The IMF delegation headed by Carlo Cottarelli, the Turkey Desk Chief of IMF, is expected to arrive in Turkey on April 2. BLACKSEAFOR AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED IN ISTANBUL RADIKAL (LEFT)NEW TAX FOR CRISISThe government launched initiatives to create sources for the economy. The Ministry of Finance had started to work on a new tax law which is similar to net assets and economic balance tax which was collected during the economic crisis in 1994. The new tax will be paid in five equal installments. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that they would make statements next week regarding the program on domestic sources. STATE MINISTER MIRZAOGLU: ''MARITIME TRAFFIC IN TURKISH TURKIYE (RIGHT)MANY WORDS, BUT NO CASHThe U.S. which has been underlining importance of Turkey in every occassion, is slow to provide loan to Turkey. The U.S. does not want crisis in Turkey to spread to the world. Instead of providing loan to Turkey, the U.S. administration releases statements supporting Turkey. U.S. Secretary of Trade Don Evans said that they fully supported Turkey and expressed their belief over Turkey's success. GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED TO RELEASE KHK ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)KURTUL SAYS THEY EXPECT A HEALTHY COMPETITION IN COMING DAYSZafer Kurtul, the general manager of Akbank said they expect a healty competition among the banks in coming days, adding that the recent economic crisis had an impact on the banking sector too. Noting that these problems would be overcome soon, Kurtul said ''the public banks started to operate rationally. This is very important for us. We believe that rapid decisions would be taken about the banks transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund. We expect a better competitive environment in coming days.'' ONE U.S. DOLLAR OVER ONE MILLION AGAIN [02] A MEMBER OF TERRORIST HEZBOLLAH ORGANIZATION KILLED IN DIYARBAKIRDIYARBAKIR - A member of the terrorist Hezbollah organization who was proved to have been involved in assasination of Gaffar Okkan, the Police Chief of Diyarbakir, and five other policemen on January 24, 2001, was killed in an armed clash in Baglar hamlet of southeastern province of Diyarbakir on Thursday.Cemil Serhadli, the governor of Diyarbakir, told the A.A correspondent, ''acting on a tip-off, security forces launched an operation in a house in Baglar at about 03:00 a.m. Clash erupted between security forces and a terrorist in the house. Terrorist Hasan Sariagac was killed in the clash. Security forces confiscated a long-range weapon, a handgun and a hand grenade. Relatives of the terrorist were captured and taken into custody.'' ''According to the ballistic tests on the confiscated weapons, it was determined that the long-range weapon was used in assasination of Okkan. A full investigation is under way,'' he added. Okkan had distributed names and photographs of 26 triggers of the terrorist Hezbollah organization to the press organs just before being assasinated in an armed attack in Sehitlik neighborhood of Diyarbakir on January 24, 2001 together with five policemen. Sariagac was among the identified triggers. -FOREIGN MINISTER CEM IN U.S. Cem will first meet with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, then he will come together with Powell. The meeting between Cem and President George W.Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice which was scheduled to be held on Friday, will take place on Thursday. Prior to these meetings, Cem came together with columnists from the Washington Post and the New York Times. Cem also held a bilateral meeting with Mark Parris, the former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey. He is scheduled to meet with March Grossman, the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs, and Madeleine Albright, the former Secretary of State, later on Thursday. -TURKEY ASKS U.S.' SUPPORT FOR IRAQ Tuzmen noted that issues such as commercial agreements with Iraq, further improvement of commercial relations with the U.S., textile quotas, and Free Trade Agreement between Turkey and the U.S. were taken up in his contacts with U.S. officials. Staging a press conference at the Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C., Tuzmen said, ''we have contracts worth of 650 million U.S. dollars with Iraq. One third of commercial tender agreements with Iraq have been suspended by the United Nations. We want proceedings in the United Nations to be accelerated.'' Recalling that he had an opportunity of meeting with U.S. Secretary of Trade Don Evans during the Turkish-American Council meetings, Tuzmen noted that they exchanged opinions about liberalization of commercial and investment relations between the two countries. Tuzmen said that the council which was set up to scrutinize commercial relations between Turkey and the U.S., would convene in Ankara in July. He noted, ''we reiterated our opinions about textile quotas. We have a Customs Union Agreement with the European Union (EU). It gives us the opportunity of textile without quota. There is an agreement between the U.S and the EU. Within this framework, our products should come to the U.S. without quota.'' Later, Tuzmen and accompanying delegation proceeded to San Francisco to attend a conference to be organized by the Turkish-American Association in California. -CENTRAL BANK STARTS HOLDING DAILY AUCTIONS TO Releasing a statement, Central Bank said that it could hold auctions to buy foreign currency in return for TL when it saw it necessary. It said that daily auctions to sell foreign currency in return for TL would be held with multiple price auction method and only the banks operating in Turkey could join those auctions. It said that those banks could submit bids with the price they consider it appropriate for the auction but Central Bank could announce the minimum and maximum foreign currency prices before the auction by taking market conditions into consideration. It said it would offer between 50 and 300 million U.S. dollars for sale in daily auction by taking the seasonal foreign currency demand-supply balanc in the economy into consideration. -ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AYTEKIN SAYS TURKEY HAS TO DETERMINE ''Turkey has to determine a strategy as soon as possible in environmental aspect for oil transportation via the Black Sea and the Straits,'' Aytekin said. Speaking to A.A correspondent, Aytekin said that there will be an additional burden on the existing oil transportation in the Black Sea and the straits by the opening of Tengiz-Novorotroitsk line which will transport Kazakh oil to the straits. Aytekin said that the pollution in the Black Sea and the straits will further increase if the oil in the tankers leak to the sea during loading and unloading. ''If we don't act sensitively in transportation of Kazakh oil, the tankers loaded with oil can cause great disasters in the straits,'' Aytekin said. Noting that the tankers which carry Kazakh oil should be stopped and searched, Aytekin said that if we permit the passages of these tankers in certain hours, maybe we can prevent the accidents more. If we permit all the coming tankers to pass anytime from the straits, we can cause great accidents, he said. Aytekin remarked that the straits have international status, adding that the international conventions which were prepared long time ago about the transportation in the straits have to be reviewed. Aytekin said that he will make a presentation about the oil transportation through the straits and take the views of the ministers. Aytekin pointed out that they will also request taking the necessary measures within the framework of the Black Sea Countries Cooperation Protocol to prevent tanker accidents, adding that they will bring the issue to the agenda at the Black Sea Countries Environment ministers meeting. Aytekin said that a bill on emergency intervention in sea was prepared and it has been presented to the ministers. ''We want people to know that we will have very severe punishments for those oil tankers if they cause environmental pollution,'' he said. Aytekin added that the oil tankers have to be checked and controlled during their passage from the Black Sea to the Aegean exit. -DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF SECURITY WARNS PROVINCIAL SECURITY UNITS: The Directorate General of Security sent a warning decree to provincial security units. The decree said, ''bin Laden delivered a speech following the U.S. and British war planes' operation against Iraq, and gave information to his followers about his revenge action. These actions can also be staged in Turkey. Therefore, special measures should be taken in all representations of the U.S., Israel and Britain, including embassies, consulates, residences and synagogues.'' Stressing that tight security measures had always been implemented in representations of these countries, an official from the Directorate General of Security said that they informed U.S., Israeli and British officials on the issue. -BUDGET PERFORMANCE IN FIRST 2 MONTHS OF 2001 According to the Finance Ministry statistics, budget expenditures became 7 quadrillion 387 trillion 40 billion TL and budget revenues became 7 quadrillion 292 trillion 477 billion TL in the January-February period of 2001. Budget performance in first two months of 2001 is as follows: (billion TL) ----------------------- -------------- -Personnel 2,037,648 -Other currents 124,935 -Investment 90,438 -Transfers 5,134,019 -Domestic debt interest 3,378,793 -External debt interest 313,225 -Transfers to SEEs 95,262 -Tax rebate 216,931 -Social Security 926,658 -Intelligence services 15,407 -Student Credits and Dormitories 30,000 -Support to political parties 18,977 -Agricultural support 25,000 Revenues 7,292,477 -Tax revenues 4,859,819 -Regular non-tax revenues 1,758,161 -Special revenues and funds 538,887 -Annexed budget revenues 135,610 Budget deficit 94,563 Non-interest expenditures 3,695,022 Non-interest surplus 3,597,455 -PRIVATIZATION OF TURKISH TELEKOM Ankara Administrative Tribunal no: 6 announced its verdict in the suit filed by Public Entrepreneurship Development Foundation (KIGEM). Ankara Administrative Tribunal no: 6 has decided unanimously to suspend procedure for an auction to sell 33.5 percent of Turkish Telekom's shares and ruled out that it was contrary to the law and that its implementation would cause serious damages. -TERRORIST SARIAGAC WHO WAS KILLED IN THIS MORNING'S Sariagac who was involved in assasination of Okkan and five other policemen on January 24, 2001, was killed in an armed clash in Baglar hamlet of southeastern province of Diyarbakir. Okkan had released names and photographs of the terrorist organization Hezbollah's 26 hitmen at a press conference he staged on January 15, 2001 together with Diyarbakir Governor Cemil Serhadli. Sariagac's brother Huseyin Sariagac is also included in the list. Nizamettin Gokce and Sahin Ceribasi, the hitmen from the list, were captured previously. While Gokce surrended to the security forces in Istanbul, Ceribasi was captured in an operation launched in Istanbul five days ago. Names of other 23 hitmen of the Hezbollah are as follows: Nurullah Gulsever, Abdulvahap Ekinci, Guli M. Kinay, Ahmet Yesil, Ahmet Bozkir, Adem Ceylan, Sait M. Fidanci, Murat Aktas, Hizbullah Girisen, Kemal Kizar, Kemalettin Sanli, Necmettin Sanli, Mehmet Cicek, Haydar Solmaz, Ferit Kudat, Edip Balik, Mehmet Fidanci, Kazim Azarkan, Yasin Aydin, Ramazan Elmas, Muzaffer Abdukaya, Hasim Alabalik and Huseyin Sariagac. -FP GROUP DEPUTY CHAIRMAN ARINC: ''WE WILL Staging a press conference at the parliament, Arinc said, ''if fifteen different laws which Mr. Dervis wants the parliament to adopt in fifteen days are prepared rapidly and brought to parliament and commissions function well, we are ready to support them on behalf of 65 million people.'' ''We want Mr. Dervis to come and say 'we require them' if there is a necessity for adoption of these fifteen laws to relieve the country and overcome the financial crisis. As the FP, we will support it on behalf of the Turkish people. We are obliged to pave this way. We ready to support it in order to prevent Turkey from adopting an interim regime and enable the parliament to fulfil its responsibilities,'' he said. ''We want Mr. Dervis to come to the parliament and get the opinions of political parties. We will support adoption of fifteen laws in fifteen days if they are in favor of our nation,'' he said. When a journalist asked him about the conditions of the support that will be given, Arưnc said that ''I clearly stated that, we will support the additional budget law, the change in the banking law, tobacco, sugar, and change in tender law...In fact, we are against many of them, we also have reservations. But this is not the right time to discuss these issues. If they tell us that if these laws are not adopted till April 15, money won't come to Turkey and there will be chaos in Turkey, then we will support them. If they tell that Turkey will be drifted to the interim regime and no government will come out of this, we are ready to support them. We put forward politics and our party behind the priorities of our people. We have to say 'yes' to every remedy to lessen the difficulties of the people.'' Upon a question, Arưnc said that he is the FP deputy group leader and he talks with this title. -KAZAKH PRESIDENT NAZARBAYEV RECEIVES PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IZGI Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev received Izgi the same day. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Izgi said that the meeting has been very beneficial. Izgi said that the meetings based on good will and friendship have also positively affected the relations with neighbouring countries, adding that Turkey has adopted the understanding of ''peace in the country, peace in the world.'' Izgi said that they appreciate the policies of the Kazakh President Nazarbayev which are based on friendship, adding that ''we want to be friends with every country in the world. We like Nazarbayev as he also thinks in the same way. Our friends are their friends and our enemies are their enemies.'' Parliament Speaker Izgi said that he is very pleased with the development of Kazakhstan, adding that Turkey is ready to extend all sorts of support to Kazakhstan to prevent terrorist flows. Responding to a question, Izgi said that a significant progress has been recorded in Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline. Stressing that the extension of this project to Aktau, the city of Kazakhstan on the Caspian coast will be to the interest of the region. Before meeting with Nazarbayev, Izgi and the accompanying parliamentary delegation laid a wreath in front of ''political exile victims monument'' in Astana. -FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES OF CENTRAL BANK According to the Central Bank's weekly bulletin, the Central Bank's foreign exchange reserves which had been 20 billion 60 million U.S. dollars on March 16, decreased to 19 billion 170 million U.S. dollars on March 23. Meanwhile, total foreign exchange reserves of banks and private finance organizations increased by 438 million U.S. dollars from 12 billion 493 million U.S. dollars to 12 billion 931 million U.S. dollars as of March 9. Meanwhile, the international reserves comprising gold reservers of Turkey and foreign exchange reserves of the Central Bank, commercial banks and private finance organizations increased by 446 million U.S. dollars from 35 billion 23 million U.S. dollars to 35 billion 469 million U.S. dollars as of March 9. -EXTERNAL DEBT PAYMENTS The Central Bank data shows that the Treasury repaid 556.40 million U.S. dollars; the Central Bank repaid 22.56 million U.S. dollars; and the administrations with general and consolidated budget paid the remaining 18.83 million U.S. dollars. Turkey has repaid 2 billion 91.49 million U.S. dollars in external debt since the beginning of the year. Turkey had repaid 10 billion 44.6 million U.S. dollars in external debt in 2000. -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT (1): Staging a press conference at the Prime Ministry Office, Prime Minister Ecevit said that he was surprized with Budak's statement. ''Budak's statements suit neither DSP's harmony nor coalition government's harmony,'' he stressed. Recalling that Budak said that a new government should be formed and number of ministers should not exceed 20, Prime Minister Ecevit noted, ''if he has such proposals, he should explain them first to authorized councils of our party. It was understood that Budak did not need to abide by rules. We are living through a very sensitive period. All deputies should pay careful attention to their statements and behaviour in such a period.'' (to be continued) -FINANCIAL SERVICES PART OF NATIONAL PROGRAM (1) National Program foresees to renew the Banking Law's relevant rules for banks' consolidated financial accounts and accounting standards and targets to review the regulations for insured savings deposits and provide harmonization with the deposit guarantee systems' rules in the EU. According to the National Program, formation of a ''banking ombudsman'' authority within structure of the Union of Turkish Banks is beneficial. National Program's Financial Services Part stresses that generally the financial sector, but especially banking sector, carries out activities in Turkey in a liberal atmosphere open to international competition. Noting that Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authority (BRSA) which has sufficient administrative and financial autonomy and is foreseen to work in a transparent structure has been formed in accordance with Banks Law, this part says that decisions on banking system inflows and outflows will be taken by the BRSA. According to the National Program, the new law puts forward restrict conditions for foundation of a bank and foresees inter-government agreements on control and supervision of cross-border banking activities. The new law increases responsibilities and duties of bank's partners, its executive board and high level officials and brings an internal control and risk management system. Within this framework, executive units and managing units of banks are partially separated while restrictions for loans and participations and concept of indirect loan are harmonized with the EU regulations and more transparent and strict rules are brought for control and supervision of banks. Functioning of the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF) is granted flexibility and vitality while transfer and marriage of banks are encouraged and process of liquidation is accelerated. Besides, private finance organizations are obliged to abide by the Banks Law. National Program says that as a result of arrangements which will be adopted under the Banks Law, harmonization with the EU and international regulations will be provided at the maximum point. Stressing that integration of services sector in the EU was formed with settlement of domestic market in 1992, and this process was achieved on basis of three basic principles, National Program says, ''the first one of these is the Original Country Principle. According to this principle, the bank of a member country is under control and supervision of the relevant authority in its country. Other principle is implementation of Single Licence. According to this principle, banks can carry out activities in all member countries with a licence they obtain from a single country. The last principle is reciprocal recognition of relevant authority and regulations in each other's countries.'' ''In the process of its accession, Turkey must provide harmonization with the principles mentioned in field of financial services and with the EU regulations adopted under the light of these principles,'' National Program says. Stressing that the banking regulations do not include any factor obstructing banking institutions and their opening branch offices in Turkey, National Program says that the number of foreign banks and international banking transactions in Turkey are expected to increase after free movement of services between Turkey and the EU is adopted. Noting that important arrangements which will provide harmonization with the international banking regulations at the maximum point have been adopted recently, National Program says that within framework of the aim to adapt the structure of banking sector to market conditions, privatization of public banks in a specific period is another important issue on the agenda. According to National Program, the currently existing Turkish banking regulations are actually in harmony with the EU banking regulations to the maximum point. After one-to-one comparisons, it was observed that some of them were brought to level of complete harmony, and there is a need for a few changes in some of them, and some of them do not contain similar regulations. The Banks' Consolidated Financial Accounts Regulation and the Communique on Rules and Principles Regarding Announcement of Consolidated Financial Accounts and Banks' Uniform Accounting Standards Plan and Explanation contain inharmony. In accordance with the law, the regulation should be renewed and relevant regulations will be changed within framework of the rules of the EU Council Directives and Amendments. Besides, the decision and Fund regulation rules about the insured savings deposit and premiums which are collected by the SDIF will be reviewed in accordance with rules of European Parliament and Council Directives regarded with the deposit guarantee system in the EU. Stressing that harmonization with the EU regulations don not require any institutional change, National Program says that formation of a ''banking ombudsman'' authority within structure of the Union of Turkish Banks is beneficial. National Program says that there is need for an increase in current personnel's information and experience about the regulations and principles in the EU countries. (To be continued) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT (2) Prime Minister Ecevit staged a press conference following his weekly routine meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Noting that he had informed President Sezer on legislative works, Prime Minister Ecevit said ''the parliament displayed a fast tempo during last year's legislative period. Foreign officials paying visits to Turkey and EU officials appreciated our speed. The parliament could not provide the same tempo this year. I believe that the parliament will catch the same tempo as soon as urgent drafts are brought onto parliamentary agenda. I believe that many important laws can be adopted by the parliament.'' ''Following tomorrow's National Security Council (NSC) meeting, the Higher Planning Board will convene. On Saturday, the Economic and Social Council will hold a meeting. These are very important meetings. We will discuss economic situation, economic and social conditions and requirements at the Higher Planning Board's meeting. We need to determine an economic strategy. We should find a national economic strategy which will be in harmony with both economic program to be submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and National Program that was submitted to the European Union (EU),'' he said. Underlining importance of meeting of the Economic and Social Council, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''that employees and employers work together in such a crisis period, is very important. When I was serving as prime minister in June of 1978, we experienced same situation. Social agreement negotiations had been held between the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) and the government. We had succeeded in reaching an agreement.'' He added, ''in a period when economy was in crisis in whole world, we could get very positive results. I hope the same atmosphere would be provided at the Economic and Social Council. We may not reach a social agreement, but we may take steps towards a social agreement.'' -FINANCIAL SERVICES PART OF NATIONAL PROGRAM (2) According to the National Program's part about stock market, the capital markets in Turkey have great similarities with the international markets and EU regulations regarding regulations, companies and products while they have not similar dimensions with those in developed countries. Regarding the rules for quotation of securities and stock at the Stock Exchange, there are some differences in calculation of the capital, amount of minimum capital, minimum amount of open-to-public and usage of compulsory mediation. National Program stresses that while Capital Market Board (SPK) determines the necessary information and relevant standards which should be published in the explanation in Turkey, this mission is undertaken by the stock exchanges in many EU countries. Regarding the ''insiders' trade'', National Program says, ''regulations about the insiders' trade in Turkey have great similarities with those in the EU.'' Noting that there are some changes which should be made in some fields when Turkey reaches the stage of EU membership, National Program says, ''gold and precious metals should be excluded from the means that investment funds can include into their portfolio in order to let the Turkish investment funds to benefit from the single permission principle. Besides, there is a need for changes in the issue of existence of banks in the capital market.'' ''In addition to these, there is a need for some changes in issue of bringing exception on some occasions to minimum amount of open-to-public in stock exchange quotation and public information commitments. Besides, there is a need for some revisions in issues of capital sufficiency of intermediary institutions in order to provide complete harmonization at the stage of Turkey's full-membership although the currently existing regulation is basically in harmony with the EU regulation,'' National Program says. National Program stresses that the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) Quotation Regulation, regulation about foundation and functioning principles of stock exchanges and communiques about intermediary institutions and portfolio management will be revised in medium term. The insurance part of the National Programs says that the Turkish insurance market should display asymmetric approach in the pre-accession process as it is taken into consideration that the Turkish insurance market is in the process of development and amount of premium production constitutes a few part of the Gross National Product (GNP). Noting that harmonization with the relevant coordination directives will be provided in fields of motor vehicles financial responsibility insurance and starting and carrying out activities in insurances other than life insurance, National Program enumerates other fields on which efforts will be expended in order to adjust the Turkish regulations with the EU regulations as follows: ''-Cross-border activities of foreign insurance companies without opening branch office in Turkey, -Obligation of offering insurance service by local insurance companies in Turkey except the life insurance, -Real insurance mediators (brokers, producers and experts) have to be Turkish citizens, -Removal of reassurance monopoly which foresees compulsory transfer to the Milli Reasurans T.A.S. which is a domestic reassurance company.'' National Program says that although all these adjustment arrangements about insurance are foreseen to be achieved in medium term, these changes can be achieved in short term. (End) -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT (3): Prime Minister Ecevit staged a press conference following his weekly routine meeting with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. When asked whether or not Ridvan Budak, a deputy of the Democratic Left Party 'DSP) from Istanbul, would be transferred to Disciplinary Board, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''I do not think to transfer him to the Disciplinary Board. But I found his statement extremely strange and inconvenient.'' When asked what President Sezer's opinion would be about arrangement of 15 drafts which were planned to be adopted urgently, as decrees with the force of law (KHKs), Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''the issue was not brought onto agenda of my meeting with President Sezer.'' When recalled by a journalists that the Virtue Party supported the government to adopt 15 drafts in question as soon as possible, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''such supports are pleasing. The power and the opposition should work together in critical periods in democratic countries. We, as the ruling parties and opposition parties, could display a harmonious work last year and got very positive results. I hope that same process will start again.'' When asked of his assessment about discussions on interim regime, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''I do not want to even hear the word of interim regime.'' Responding to a question about allegations saying that State Minister Kemal Dervis was tried to be worn out, Prime Minister Ecevit told reporters, ''some distressing news reports were issued about State Minister Dervis. I found these allegations extremely strange. I believe that State Minister Dervis would maintain his mission successfully.'' (End)
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