Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-06-09

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

09 JUNE 2001 Sunday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their

brief stories in Turkey's press on June 9, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not

verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Rustu Kazim Yucelen said, ''illegal telephone

tapping became a paranoia in the public opinion. Sometimes even I get

suspicious. As Interior Minister, my telephones might have been tapped. But I

promise. Everyone will talk on the phone freely from now on.''

RUSSIAN MINISTER PREFERS SWISSHOTEL

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov preferred

the Swisshotel which was stormed by a group of Chechen terrorists in April,

for the dinner hosted in his honor. Responding to a question about visa

implementation on Turkish businessmen, Ivanov said, ''if hotels are stormed

and planes are hijacked in this country, what can we do?''

ISTANBUL MUSIC FESTIVAL STARTS

The 29th Istanbul International Music Festival

organized by the Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation, started yesterday. The

festival will continue till July 3. The main theme of this year's festival is

Guiseppe Verdi. A total of 600 musicians including 480 foreigners from Italy,

Britain, Azerbaijan, the U.S., Russia, Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Denmark,

Finland, Sweden and France, will participate in the festival.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Airspace over central province of Konya will

become the third biggest imaginary battle field of the world. Turkish and

foreign war planes will perform exercises over Konya. Air forces of Turkey,

Israel and the U.S. will participate in the ''Anatolian Eagle Exercise'' which

will start on June 14.

INVESTIGATION AGAINST POLICE GANG

An investigation has been launched against

former Istanbul Police Chief Kazim Abanoz who set up special teams in the

Istanbul Police Department to follow some certain people.

COHN-BENDIT MEETS OZPOLAT

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a member of the European

Parliament, met with Sadi Ozpolat, one of the leaders of the illegal

Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) at the F-type prison in

Kandira district of Istanbul. Addressing journalists following the meeting,

Cohn-Bendit said, ''members of the DHKP-C have fixed ideas. Their ideas remind

me the Stone Age.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov who is

currently in Turkey on an official visit, met with Prime Minister Bulent

Ecevit. Speaking at the meeting, Ivanov said, ''I will stay at Istanbul's

Swisshotel. I hope that Chechens would not storm the hotel during my visit.''

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit responded to Ivanov saying, ''you can have a

sound sleep in every hotel in Istanbul.''

ALIEN IN FOCA NOW

Did the alien coming from depths of the space

come to Izmir after its visits to Usak and Sivas? Two security officials in

Foca township of western province of Izmir claimed that they saw an alien.

Security officials were engulfed in panic. They informed their director on the

incident. They said, ''the alien had a round head. There was a red light in

the middle of its body.''

IMF WARNS TURKEY POLITELY

International Monetary Fund (IMF) European One

Department Director Michael Deppler said that markets were worried whether or

not the program would be implemented and that the government should quell

those worries.

Deppler spoke at a conference on ''Restructuring

in Economy: Reforms and Opportunities'' which was organized by CNBC-E and

Management Turkey, via satellite from Washington D.C., the U.S. Noting that

any postponement in implementation of the program would create problems,

Deppler defined the decisions on public workers' pay and wheat prices as ''unfortunate''.

When asked what the most serious risk in front of Turkey was, Deppler said, ''there

are two serious risks. First one is the failure in implementation of the

program. There are serious worries in the markets over whether or not the

programme will be implemented. The government must quell this concern and

restore confidence in the markets.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges

of Turkey (TOBB) carried out a public survey with the participation of 249

chambers on ''impacts of the economic crisis on real sector''. According to

results of the survey, 98.61 percent of Turkish businessmen think that Turkey

should reconstruct its administration. 3,476 companies joined the survey. 95.5

percent of these companies think that Turkey needs a new Constitution while

the rest 4.5 percent think the opposite.

A NEW ERA TO START IN EURASIA

Proposals to be put forward by Russian Foreign

Minister Igor Ivanov and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem will be discussed during

Russian President Vladimir Putin's scheduled visit to Turkey at the end of

this year. During the meeting between Cem and Ivanov who is currently in

Turkey on an official visit, regional problems such as Iraq, Caucasus, Cyprus

and Balkans; the Blue Stream Project; bilateral political and economic

relations; and international smuggling and terrorism were brought onto agenda.

KESK HOLDS A DEMONSRATION IN ANKARA

Confederation of Public Workers Labor Unions (KESK)

Ankara Branches Platform held a demonstration in Ankara yesterday to protest

security forces' intervention in Thursday's demonstration. Platform Chairman

Hasan Karakaya said that seven people were taken into custody while some

others were hospitalized in Thursday's incidents. He complained that they were

not given the right to read out a press statement since December of last year

which is their legal right.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

DEMOCRATIC PARTIES''

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''electors

should not be passive. They should be active. Political parties which do not

conform to democracy in their structure, cannot fulfil necessities of a

democratic state. All arrangements should be made to democratize the political

parties.''

SHAMEFUL DEFENSE AT UMUT CASE

Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no:2

continued to hear the case on ''Umut'' (Hope) operation which was launched to

find murderers of journalist-writer Ugur Mumcu, and later covered 22 incidents,

including assasinations of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali, Prof. Muammer Aksoy

and Dr. Bahriye Ucok. During yesterday's court session, Ibrahim Ceylan, the

lawyer of the suspects, said, ''Mumcu should

have checked its automobile. Kislali and Ucok should have called the police

before opening suspecious packages.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

A joint working group was formed to further

develop relations between Turkey and Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Igor

Ivanov who held intense contacts in Ankara expressed his pleasure with the

partnership reached in bilateral relations including international security.

New York Times, one of the most influential dailies in the U.S., said that the

U.S. which targeted to reduce Russia's influence over the world's most

strategical area couldn't get a result from its efforts due to the Blue Stream

project and that Russia won the energy resources. The newspaper said that

Turkey's dependence on Russia increased.

MISTAKE IN CASA CRASH IS PECULIAR

The investigation into the CASA plane which

crashed shortly after it took off for a test flight was concluded. It was

announced that problems in the plane's aileron control system led to the crash

and that the possible cause of the accident was peculiar to the plane that

crashed and would not have any effect on the safety of the rest of CASA

planes.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

The new Law on Supreme Board of Radio and

Television (RTUK) which was adopted with the votes of coalition partners, is

unique in the world. Turkey gained a matchless radio and television law after

the government adopted the law by ignoring objections of press organs,

vocational organizations and scientists. President Ahmet Necdet Sezeris

expected to veto the law which will pave way to monopolism in the press.

-SPORTS - BOXING

CONTENTS

[01] PALIANI OF TURKEY QUALIFIES TO FINAL IN 57 KG AT

[02] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO START DEBATING CLOSURE

[03] GOVERNMENT BILL ON TOBACCO MARKET SUBMITTED

[04] STATE MINISTER BAL IN WASHINGTON D.C.:

[05] ''LIQUIDATION OF EMLAKBANK SHOULD BE DISCUSSED

[06] BILL ON CLOSURE OF DUTY LOSSES OF BANKS

[07] BILL ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

[08] FIFTH BALKAN TAEKWONDO CHAMPIONSHIPS START IN EDIRNE

[09] SPORTS - BODY-BUILDING

[10] SONTANJA, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF IFBB:

[11] ''WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SPREAD BODY-BUILDING

[12] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE (1):

[13] ''THERE ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF BUREAUCRACY''

[14] TRANSFER OF NUCLEAR WASTE THROUGH STRAITS

[15] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE (2)

[16] LOGAN, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY:

[17] ''REFORM PROGRAM SHOULD BE SUCCESSFUL TO REALIZE ATATURK'S

[18] VILLAGE GUARDS IN ADIYAMAN CLAIM THEY SEE UFO

[19] AGREEMENT REACHED ON ISTANBUL+5 DECLARATION

[01] PALIANI OF TURKEY QUALIFIES TO FINAL IN 57 KG AT

in men's 57 kg category, qualified to final late on Friday at the 11th World

Amateur Boxing Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Paliani took on Joni Turunen of Finland in the

semi-final.

He beat his Finish opponent, and qualified to

final.

Paliani will vie for gold medal on Sunday

against Galip Caferiov of Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, Bulent Ulusoy of Turkey competing in

men's 71 kg category, was defeated by Simion Marian of Romania.

Ulusoy won bronze medal.

On Saturday, Agasi Agaguloglu of Turkey

competing in men's 54 kg category, will vie for gold medal against Guller

Ortiz Rigondeaux of Cuba.

[02] CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO START DEBATING CLOSURE

debating the closure case against the Virtue Party (FP) on Tuesday.

Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin,

Deputy Chief Judge Chairman Hasim Kilic, and judges Fulya Kantarcioglu, Rustu

Sonmez, Ahmet Akyalcin, Ali Huner, Yalcin Acargun, Tulay Tugcu, Mahir Can

Ilicak, Ertugrul Ersoy and Sacit Adali will convene at 10:00 a.m. on June 12,

and start debating the closure case against the FP.

The case is expected to be finalized in seven

or ten days.

The lawsuit was filed on May 7, 1999, by Vural

Savas, the retired Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, with the

pretext that the FP was the continuation of the outlawed Welfare Party (RP)

and it became the focus of anti-secular activities.

Savas requested the Constitutional Court to

lift deputyships of all FP members except for Aydin Menderes who resigned from

the FP one day before the closure case.

While he was explaining his opinion on the

merits of the case, Savas claimed that the second paragraph of Article 103 of

the Political Parties Law was contrary to the Constitution, and requested the

court to annul the paragraph.

The second paragraph of Article 103 of the

Political Parties Law was annulled by the Constitutional Court.

Before his retirement, Savas sent a video

footage to the Constitutional Court including words referred to Necmettin

Erbakan, the former leader of the outlawed RP, during the first regular

congress of the FP.

The Constitutional Court asked Sabih Kanadoglu

who was replaced with Savas, to explain his opinion about the video footage.

Kanadoglu requested the Constitutional Court to

accept the video footage as a supplementary evidence.

The Constitutional Court rejected Kanadoglu's

request.

Later, Kanadoglu submitted a supplementary

indictment to the Constitutional Court.

Kanadoglu also requested the Constitutional

Court to ban founders of the FP from political activities for five years, and

to lift deputyships of Ismail Alptekin and Mehmet Ozyol.

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court rejected FP

leader Recai Kutan's request for implementation of Article 104 of the

Political Parties Law.

At its meeting on February 7, 2001, the

Constitutional Court decided to combine Kanadoglu's supplementary indictment

with the main lawsuit.

The FP submitted its pre-defense against the

supplementary indictment.

Later, Kanadoglu explained his opinions on the

merits of the case.

After submission of written defense by the FP,

Kanadoglu made verbal statements, and FP deputy Mustafa Kamalak made his

party's verbal defense.

Mehmet Turhan, the Rapporteur of the case,

prepared a supplementary report.

The report was distributed to the members of

the Constitutional Court.

[03] GOVERNMENT BILL ON TOBACCO MARKET SUBMITTED

of tobacco, tobacco products and alcoholic drinks market was submitted to the

Parliament Speaker's Office late on Friday.

The bill foresees restructuring of the

Directorate General of Tobacco and Alcoholic Drinks Monopoly (TEKEL).

In accordance with the bill, TEKEL's Public

Economic Enterprise status will be changed into State Economic Enterprise

status, paving the way for its privatization.

Under the bill, the Turkish Trade Law rules

won't be implemented in TEKEL's privatization in order to accelerate the

privatization process.

The bill foresees formation of a Tobacco,

Tobacco Products and Alcoholic Drinks Market Regulatory Committee comprising

seven members.

Each of the Finance Ministry, Health Ministry,

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry, Treasury Undersecretariat, Foreign

Trade Undersecretariat, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

(TOBB) and TEKEL Directorate General will have a representative in the

committee.

According to the bill, tobacco will be traded

in accordance with contracts or auction method. The price of tobacco will be

set according to the contracts between farmers and merchants.

Foreign entrepreneurs who want to produce

tobacco products in Turkey should have a factory at which 2 billion cigarettes

per year should be produced in single shift and found hi-tech facilities

including also tobacco preparation departments for at least 15 million grams

for other tobacco products.

Those foreigners who fulfil these conditions

can sell, distribute and estimate price for their products in free market.

Those foreigners who want to produce tobacco products in Turkey will take

certificates from the TEKEL.

Imports of tobacco will be limited with the

production requirement even if it is made with the purpose of exports after

processing, and it can be carried out by tobacco producers mentioned in the

law.

The bill foresees imprisonment terms from 1

year to three years and at least 225 million Turkish lira fine to those who

set up or operate factory or facility to produce tobacco and tobacco products.

[04] STATE MINISTER BAL IN WASHINGTON D.C.:

[05] ''LIQUIDATION OF EMLAKBANK SHOULD BE DISCUSSED

on Saturday, ''although liquidation of Emlakbank is foreseen in the letter of

intent submitted by Turkey to the International Monetary Fund (IMF),

liquidation of the bank should be discussed with the IMF again.''

Bal proceeded to Washington D.C. after

attending the United Nations' special session on ''Istanbul+5'' in New York.

Holding a press conference, Bal said, ''liquidation

of Emlakbank will not be beneficial to our economy. If it is closed down, its

expenses will continue. Emlakbank has customers having credits of 3

quadrillion Turkish liras (TL). It means that 3 quadrillion TL would be

withdrawn from the markets. Also nearly 10 thousand personnel of the bank and

their families will constitute a serious social problem. The bank can be

shrinked and rehabilitated. Therefore, liquidation of the bank should be

discussed with the IMF again.''

Responding to a question on concerns about

implementation of the new economic program, Bal said, ''the Turkish government

has put forward some commitments in its letter of intent to the IMF. We will

fulfil these commitments. But it will be beneficial to discuss the letter of

intent by taking into consideration Turkey's conditions.''

Referring to allegations on so-called Armenian

genocide, Bal said, ''these are nothing but allegations. Such a genocide had

never taken place in Turkey. The Ottoman Empire decided to relocate Armenians

in order to provide both internal and external security following the battle

with Russia. All citizens of the Ottoman Empire were taken under state's

guarantee.''

Meanwhile, Bal came together with

representatives of the Turkish Forum and the Assembly of Turkish-American

Associations.

[06] BILL ON CLOSURE OF DUTY LOSSES OF BANKS

close duty losses of public banks was submitted to the Parliament Speaker's

Office late on Friday.

In accordance with the bill, banks will be

obliged to make their annual balance sheets about their annual activities (including

2000) and profit-loss figures approved by an independent supervisory committee

mentioned in Banks Law.

Banks' duty losses receivables which stemmed

from the duties they were charged with several laws and decrees before this

law enters effect and couldn't be met by budget subsidies will be closed

within framework of the rules set within scope of their reconstruction.

Meanwhile, the personnel who will be determined

as extra employment during the restructuring process will be transferred to

other public institutions and organizations.

The negative difference between commitments and

assets which will be taken over by Ziraat Bankasi and Halk Bankasi will be

paid to the undertaking bank as capital by the Treasury Undersecretariat.

Following transfer procedures, Emlak Bankasi's

authorities and capabilities to carry out banking activities and accept

deposits will end and it will enter closure process.

Rules of the Law on Collecting Public

Receivables will be implemented in collecting of every kind of banks'

receivables until the public share in the banks reduces below 50 percent.

The Banks Board will be authorized in sale of

Group A and B shares belonging to Foundations Directorate General.

The bill annuls the laws which cause duty

losses which negatively affect financial structures of Ziraat Bankasi and

Agriculture Credit Cooperatives.

The bill foresees liquidation of Civil Defense

Fund, Disasters Fund, Mass Housing Fund, Electricity Energy Fund, Free Areas

Settlement and Development Fund, Apprenticeship Vocational and Technical

Education Development and Spreading Fund, Small and Medium Scale Industry

Development and Support Fund, Pasture Fund and Special Environment Protection

Fund will be liquidated.

Incomes from these funds will be transferred to

budget.

[07] BILL ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

arbitration was submitted to the Parliament Speaker's Office late on Friday.

The draft includes arrangements about ''solution

of disputes stemming from privilege specifications and contracts for public

services which include foreign factors'' which is foreseen in Article 125 of

the Constitution through arbitration.

The factor of ''foreignness'' will be accepted

if the business place or place of their residence of the sides are in

different states and at least one of the partners of the company which signed

the contract that is the basis of arbitration agreement brings foreign capital

in accordance with the relevant regulations and provide capital or asset flow

from one country to another.

The bill foresees signing of ''arbitration

agreement'' for solution of possible disputes through arbitration.

Sides can decide on the number of arbitrators

but the number of arbitrators should be odd. If the sides did not reach an

agreement of the number of arbitrators, three arbitrators will be chosen.

Sides will have equal rights and authority in

arbitration process.

[08] FIFTH BALKAN TAEKWONDO CHAMPIONSHIPS START IN EDIRNE

Championships started at the Mimar Sinan Sports Hall in northwestern province

of Edirne on Saturday.

A total of 62 sportsmen and 49 sportswomen from

Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina

are attending the championships.

Taekwondo Federation Deputy Chairman Coskun

Eftekin said that they were hosting the championships in Edirne as it was

close to the Balkan countries.

''The Balkan Taekwondo Association protects its

existence as self-sacrificing efforts of Turkey and Greece,'' he said.

[09] SPORTS - BODY-BUILDING

[10] SONTANJA, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF IFBB:

[11] ''WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SPREAD BODY-BUILDING

(IFBB) Deputy Chairman Rafael Sontanja said on Saturday that they had been

trying to spread body-building as a way of healthy living.

Speaking at a meeting to promote the 18th

Mediterranean Countries Body-Building and Fitness Championships in

southeastern province of Gaziantep, Sontanja expressed his pleasure with

Turkish people's interest in body-building.

The championships will start at 03:00 p.m. at

Gaziantep Municipality Sports Hall the same day.

A total of 48 sportsmen and women from Turkey,

Yugoslavia, Israel, Italy, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Palestine and Morocco will

participate in the championships.

[12] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE (1):

[13] ''THERE ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL OBSTACLES IN FRONT OF BUREAUCRACY''

Saturday, ''there are Psychological obstacles in front of bureaucracy.

Bureaucrats and public workers should rely on that they would not get into

trouble because of the deals they signed legally.''

Holding a press conference at the Prime

Ministry Office, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''there are hopeful developments

in the economy. A decrease has begun in the inflation rate which is more rapid

than the expected.''

''The atmosphere of security provided during

the 57th government's term in office, has made an important contrubition to

improvement of tourism. Now, our prior target is to increase production.

Therefore, we have to provide the necessary source. The problem is not only

the source. At the same time, we should activate bureaucracy. As it was

pointed out at the Higher Planning Board's statement, there are psychological

obstacles in front of bureaucracy. Bureaucrats and public workers should rely

on that they would not get into trouble because of the deals they signed

legally,'' he stressed.

Prime Minister Ecevit added, ''after the 57th

government has come to the power, struggle against corruption has accelerated.

Political will in the government has provided it. Struggle against corruption

will continue without interruption. We should store bureaucracy confidence

while we have been struggling against corruption. This is the duty of a state

of law. It is also a necessity of sound and rapid development.''

(To be continued)

[14] TRANSFER OF NUCLEAR WASTE THROUGH STRAITS

Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Nuclear Energy Institute said on Saturday

that it was very difficult to prevent transfer of nuclear waste through the

Turkish Straits.

''Turkey must form a very good team and

determine measures against transfer of nuclear waste through the Straits,'' he

said.

Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Gencay said

that there were three kinds of nuclear waste in the world such as low, medium

and high level radioactive substances, and that the nuclear waste that Russia

was planning to carry via the Straits was ''high level'' radioactive.

''Transfer of nuclear waste through the Straits

is risky, of course. We should do everything to prevent this but it is very

difficult. Because, this matter has been on the European agenda for a long

time. Now, Russia allocated a large area to bury nuclear waste. This waste

will be carried to Russia whether or not we want it,'' he said.

''Almost ten thousand tons of nuclear waste is

created a year, and most of the waste in in the United States. I don't think

that the United States will send nuclear waste to Russia,'' he added.

[15] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT HOLDS A PRESS CONFERENCE (2)

Saturday that they were protecting financial discipline while they were

supporting imports and increase in production.

Holding a press conference at the Prime

Ministry Office, Ecevit said that coordination, cooperation and harmonization

among the relevant state organizations should be set up, adding, ''this is the

prior condition for drawing foreign capital.''

Stressing that the government and parliament

were working rapidly, Ecevit said that they attributed importance to also

contribution of bureaucracy.

Ecevit said that as it had been stated

following Thursday's Higher Planning Board (YPK) meeting, they were determined

to finalize legislative works which were conditions mentioned in the economic

program, in June.

Noting that signing of all government bills

within this scope by the Council of Ministers members had ended, Ecevit said

that they believed that the parliament would rapidly legalize those bills.

Recalling that one of them was Tobacco law,

Ecevit said that as it had been stated following Thursday's YPK meeting, they

would offer opportunities and arrangements to farmers, which were necessary

for planting of more profitable crop in fields where tobacco couldn't be

planted, and later, they would give the start for implementation.

''The need for this is felt especially in

Southeast. We will pave the way for prosperity of farmers,'' he said.

Ecevit said that purification of land mines in

border regions was another important project for the Southeast.

''Thus a broad productive soil will be opened

to agriculture and offered to farmers who don't have land. The area of mine- planted

region is 306 thousand hectares. Besides, we will continue accelerating return-to-village

project. The 57th government will be the government of initiative and progress

both in industry and agriculture,'' he said.

Later, Prime Minister Ecevit responded to

questions of journalists.

When recalled by a journalists that

International Monetary Fund (IMF) European One Department Director Michael

Deppler criticized the program due to salaries of public workers and wheat

prices, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''we notified the IMF on our opinions. Any

problem is out of question.''

Prime Minister Ecevit rejected allegations

saying that Sadettin Tantan who resigned from Interior Ministry, was invited

to the Democratic Left Party (DSP) by State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister

Husamettin Ozkan.

When asked, ''Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk

said that the lowest rate in the election law was planned to be 5 percent, and

that this proposal could be submitted to the parliament. Will the proposal be

submitted to parliament during this legislative year?'' Ecevit told reporters,

''the parliament will recess at the end of June. It will debate laws regarded

with the economic program till that day. It is hard for the parliament to

spend time on other drafts.''

Prime Minister Ecevit expressed his concerns

about Russia's decision to transport nuclear susbtance through the Straits.

Responding to a question about his dialogue

with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov which was published in a newspaper

today, Prime Minister Ecevit told reporters, ''the news story was exaggerated.

I told Mr. Ivanov that Chechen terrorists were captured immediately, and legal

investigation was launched against them. He told me that they would hold a

meeting at the Swisshotel which was stormed by terrorists, by smiling. Such

news stories upset both me and Mr. Ivanov.''

(End)

[16] LOGAN, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY:

[17] ''REFORM PROGRAM SHOULD BE SUCCESSFUL TO REALIZE ATATURK'S

to Turkey, said on Saturday that the reform program should be successful to

realize Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's vision to make Turkey a stable, prosperous and

democratic European state based on market economy and supremacy of law.

Speaking at a conference organized by

Association of Industrialists and Businessmen (KAYSIAD) in central province of

Kayseri on ''Turkey and Britain, Economic Relations between Turkey and the

European Union (EU), and Further Improvement of These Relations'', Logan said

that what was requested from Turkey for the EU membership was not different

from what was asked from other 12 candidates.

Logan said that Turkey had applied on its own

desire and free will to adjust its laws and administration with the EU's laws

and administration.

Noting that the decision taken at Helsinki

Summit in 1999 was the basis of dialogue between Turkey and the EU in many

fields such as consumer rights and administrative organizations, Logan said,

''I know that there were people in Turkey who believed that Turkey would be

forced to make concessions which would weaken its territorial integrity, under

the guise of political criteria for the EU full membership. A weak and

separated Turkey will not be beneficial for the EU. Another matter is the

Cyprus question. As a guarantor power, we have been expending utmost effort to

encourage finding a lasting solution to problems on the island. We are in

favor of a solution envisaging a bizonal and bicommunal federal Cyprus that

will become a full member of the EU. No one wants Turkey to make a choice

between its benefits in the EU and on Cyprus.''

Noting that the decisions taken at Helsinki

Summit included some sensitive fields such as minorities and human rights,

Logan said that dialogue with the EU should not be considered an attempt to

intervene in Turkey's domestic affairs.

Logan said that the dialogue between Turkey and

the EU aimed at determining what Turkey should do to fulfil membership

criteria.

He emphasized that British government had been

fully supporting Turkey's full membership to the EU.

Referring to economic crisis in Turkey, Logan

said that the crisis prevented Turkey from maintaining its political and

social reforms and using its economic potential completely.

Noting that they supported the International

Monetary Fund (IMF)'s giving a source of 14 billion U.S. dollars to assist

Turkey in fulfilling its economic reform plans, Logan said that if Turkey

implemented the program successfully, the program would pave the way for a

more stable and prosperous future of Turkey.

Rejecting allegations saying that IMF or

international community had been putting pressure on Turkey, Logan said that

the reform package was Turkey's program, and that it was supported by the

international community.

He stressed that the reform program should be

successful to realize Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's vision to make Turkey a stable,

prosperous and democratic European state based on market economy and supremacy

of law.

Logan added that trade volume between Turkey

and Britain which had been 2 billion U.S. dollars five years ago, increased up

to 5.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2000.

[18] VILLAGE GUARDS IN ADIYAMAN CLAIM THEY SEE UFO

province of Adiyaman claimed that they saw a big tray-like flying shining

object and followed this object with night vision goggles.

Sources said on Saturday that a group of

village guards and gendarme soldiers who were patrolling around a mountainous

terrain in the north of Dandirmaz village in Tut township of Adiyaman had seen

at about 22:00 hours on Friday that a tray-like shining object had taken off

from the ground and faded into the distance.

Village guards claimed that they had spotted

the extraterrestrial object from 1.5-2 kilometers away and later it had

disappeared 45 minutes after it had landed and taken off for several times.

Village guards Hakan Unal, Fevzi Cebe, Ibrahim

Yilmaz and Yusuf Yilmaz said, ''red and yellow lights were shining from the

object's upper part which seems like a window, and the bottom part of the

object was like a dish and it was spinning continuously. We followed it with

night vision goggles for some time.''

[19] AGREEMENT REACHED ON ISTANBUL+5 DECLARATION

declaration which will be released at the end of United Nations General

Assembly's special session on ''Istanbul+5''.

The declaration envisaging provide enough

dwelling for everyone was approved late on Friday.

The declaration also included commitments about

sustainable development of human settlements in the urbanizing world.

Release of the declaration was delayed after

delegates could not reach agreement on an Arab-initiated paragraph to

criticize Israel without giving name, for building Jewish settlement units on

Palestinian lands.

The paragraph supported by the Group of 77, a

bloc of 131 developing nations, did not mention either Israel or Palestine by

name but emphasized, ''the illegality under international law of any transfer

of civilian population of the occupying power to the occupied territories and

the establishment of settlements in those territories.''

The three-day special session organized by the

Nairobi-based U.N. Center for Human Settlement, was convened to evaluate the

progress on an action plan on housing approved at the Habitat-II Meeting which

was held in Istanbul in 1996.

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