Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-07-31

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

31 JULY 2001 Tuesday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on July 31, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

The Faculty of Theology in Darende township of eastern province of Malatya was excluded from guidebook of the Student Selection Exam (OSS) for the year 2001. Later, it was closed down in accordance with a report prepared by the Higher Education Institution. The report said that the faculty was under control of Nakshibendi Sect, and the Sect was collecting illegal money through its foundation. The money was being allocated to the foundation instead of faculty.

OSMANLI-KORFEZBANK BECAMES NINTH BIGGEST BANK

General Assembly meetings pertaining to merging of Osmanli Bankasi and Korfezbank took place in Istanbul. The draft contract for transfer of Birlesik Turk Korfez Bankasi Corp. to Osmanli Bankasi, arrangement of the contract according to the approval of Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board and the General Board of the Bank, and authorization of the Bank Executive Board regarded with the signing of the contract were discussed at the extraordinary meeting. The bank became the ninth biggest bank of Turkey with its actual values of 5.1 billion U.S. dollars.

3.8-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE JOLTS YALOVA

An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale jolted northwestern province of Yalova at 04:57 p.m. Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute said that the earthquake was centered on the sea off Yalova. The earthquake was also felt in Istanbul and other neighboring provinces. There were not any immediate reports of casualties and damages in the earthquake.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

The CASA Firm confermed Milliyet's news story saying that the CASA-type plane had crashed near Ankara due to production failure. Exports finalized their report about the crash which resulted in death of four people. The report said that the plane had crashed due to a production failure of the CASA Firm.

TOURISM REVENUE INCREASE 14 PERCENT

Tourism revenues increased by 14.8 percent to 2 billion 88 million U.S. dollars in the first five months of 2001.

FRIGHTENING FIRE

Fire broke out in forested area near the Nuclear Research Center in Kucukcekmece district of Istanbul. Fire-fighting teams backed by four planes and a helicopter expended efforts to extinguish the fire before spreading to Nuclear Research Center. A total of 1,000 acres of forested area were burnt down to ashes in the fire.

TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN AFYON

Torrential rains and strong winds paralyzed daily life and traffic in western province of Afyon. Winds of up to 83 km per hour uprooted trees while flood waters triggered by torrential rains inundated 15 houses. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Ibrahim Akyol who was hit by a lightning, lost his life.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Oktay Vural was appointed in place of Enis Oksuz who resigned from ministry of transportation following the Telekom crisis. Vural learned the appointment from television. The first congratulation came from Devlet Bahceli, the State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister who also acts as the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

Decree of Vural was prepared on Monday evening, and sent to Presidency. The decree was immediately approved.

Bahceli, by making Vural as the Minister of Transportation, provided balance within the groupings in the party because Vural is not included in any group within the party.

PARTY IS COMING

The reformists, who continued efforts to set up a party after splitting up from the traditionalists following the closure of the Virtue Party (FP), will convene in August 1-3 in Afyon under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

It was reported that nearly 150 people including businessmen, academicians, artists and people from various professions as well as 55 parliamentarians who act together with the reformists, would attend the party meeting.

The reformists are expected to submit their petition regarding their establishment, in the first or second week of August.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Within framework of his contacts in Egyptian capital Cairo, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem met with Amr Moussa, the Secretary General of the Arab League. Later, Cem came together with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Maher. Cem's contacts focused on the latest developments in the Middle East where tension has been escalating continuously since last year.

PRISONS LIKE ARSENAL

Security forces confiscated 47 type of banned materials such as hand- grenades, whips, illicit drugs, bottles of wine and cell phones in five prisons in Istanbul. In Bayrampasa Prison, security forces seized 21 hand- guns and 205 bullets.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

General Assembly meetings pertaining to merging of Osmanli Bankasi and Korfezbank took place in Istanbul on Monday. The draft contract for transfer of Birlesik Turk Korfez Bankasi Corp. to Osmanli Bankasi, arrangement of the contract according to the approval of Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board and the General Board of the Bank, and authorization of the Bank Executive Board regarded with the signing of the contract were discussed at the extraordinary meeting.

Bilesik Turk Korfez Bankasi Corp held a meeting in Macka district at about the same hours with Osmanli Bankasi.

THIS TIME REALITIES WILL BE WRITTEN

Justice Ministry conveyed the report of Forensic Medicine, which denied the official reports regarded with ''Return to Life,'' operation, to Parliamentary Human Rights Inquiry Commission with seven months delay.

The commission will re-evaluate the operations under the lights of this report.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Interesting natural gas traffic, which started on Monday morning, ended with the news report that an agreement was provided with Iraq for ''purchase.'' Meanwhile, Iran intervened and said, ''we started natural gas transfer.''

Zeki Cakan, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said Iran's natural gas would not be taken noting that ''metering stations are defective.''

CEM IN PERSUATION TOUR

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who went to Egypt to put an end to tension that started in the Middle East, in his contacts gave the message that Turkish-Israeli relations is not an act against Arab world.

Pointing out that the policy covered in Turkish-Israeli relations are open, Cem said, ''we don't make use of our friendships to provide some

advantages.''

ECONMIC ENLIVENING IN AUTUMN

State Planning Institute (DPT) issued a report titled economic developments, and said a relative enlivening could start in economy in the second half of the yar.

According to the report, private consumption decreased 3.4 percent in the first quarter of this year because of the crises and the uncertainity atmosphere. Also private sector fixed capital investments decreased 12.6 percent.

IMPORTANT DAY FOR ERBAKAN

Result of the case, regarded with the closure of Welfare Party (RP), which was discussed in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), is expected to be given today. The result of the decision is very important for Necmettin Erbakan, former leader of the banned RP.

If the decision is in favor of RP, Turkey will have to pay compensation as a legal consequence of this. Erbakan defends that the political ban on him would also be lifted if the decision is in favor of them.

CONTENTS

[01] NUMBER OF FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITING ELAZIG INCREASES 100 PERCENT

[02] ECHR DECIDES THAT TURKEY WAS RIGHTFUL IN BANNING RP

[03] AIR FORCES COMMAND:

[04] LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER OKUYAN RECEIVES

[05] ECHR DECIDES THAT TURKEY WAS RIGHTFUL IN BANNING RP (2)

[06] TURKISH-GREEK FRIENDSHIP COMMITTEE IN KARS

[07] CITIZENS TO PAY 50 U.S. DOLLARS BEFORE GOING ABROAD

[08] TOBB DELEGATION MEETS WITH DERVIS

[09] TOBB DELEGATION MEETS WITH FINANCE MINISTER ORAL

[10] SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER COMES TO ANKARA

[11] VURAL SAVAS:''I HAD EARLIER SAID THAT THE ECHR WOULD DECIDE AGAINST THE RP''

[12] TOBB TO PRESENT REPORT TO GOVERNMENT

[13] JEWISH CULTURE EUROPE DAY TO BE CELEBRATED IN ISTANBUL

[14] ECHR DECISION ON RP

[01] NUMBER OF FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITING ELAZIG INCREASES 100 PERCENT

Sources told the A.A correspondent on Tuesday said, ''number of foreign tourists increased to this level for the first time in history of Elazig. Such a positive development in tourism made a valuable contribution to all sectors in our province. As a result of increase in number of foreign tourists, hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and other sectors have revived.''

[02] ECHR DECIDES THAT TURKEY WAS RIGHTFUL IN BANNING RP

Releasing a statement, the ECHR said on Tuesday that the court rejected RP administrators' allegation saying that Turkey had violated Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The decision was taken with four votes against three.

Meanwhile, the ECHR decided that it was unnecessary to debate the other complaints of RP administrators against Turkey. The Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights includes the freedom of assembly and association.

[03] AIR FORCES COMMAND:

Releasing a written statement, the Turkish Air Forces Command said, ''reasons of technical failure in rudder system of one of the CN-235-type planes were searched. As a result of the search, it was decided to check this technical factor causing the failure, in all CN-235-type planes, and controls were finalized. Such controls are one of the flight security methods of Turkish Air Forces Command.''

[04] LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER OKUYAN RECEIVES

Israel.'' Okuyan wished success to Sultan who has been newly appointed as Israeli Ambassador to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Sultan said in his part that the social security agreement would be signed in Israel. He invited Okuyan to Israel to attend the signing ceremony.

[05] ECHR DECIDES THAT TURKEY WAS RIGHTFUL IN BANNING RP (2)

''The ECHR held, by four votes to three, that there had been no violation of Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and unanimously that no separate issues arose under Articles 9, 10, 14, 17 and 18 of the Convention and Articles 1 and 3 of Protocol No. 1. Judgment was given by a Chamber of seven judges, composed as follows: President Jean-Paul Costa (French), Willi Fuhrmann (Austrian), Loukis Loucaides (Greek Cypriot), Riza Turmen (Turkish), Nicolas Bratza (British), Hanne Sophie Greve (Norwegian), and Kristaq Traja (Albanian),'' it said.Meanwhile, French lawyer of Erbakan in Strasbourg and Sevket Kazan, one of former deputies of the outlawed RP, will hold a press conference later in the day. In their complaint application to the ECHR in 1998, Necmettin Erbakan, Sevket Kazan and Ahmet Tekdal, the leaders of the outlawed RP, claimed that Turkey had violated 11 articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. The ECHR decided to debate their application on October 3, 2000. The court listened to lawyers of the outlawed RP and Turkish government at a session on Janiary 16, 2001.

[06] TURKISH-GREEK FRIENDSHIP COMMITTEE IN KARS

Some 25 members of the committee who are the grandchildren of Turks of Greek origin who lived in Kars and escaped Armenian cruelty in 1900s, visited Kars Governor Nevzat Turhan on Tuesday. Committee members said that their ancestors lived in Kars until 1920 and that they wanted to make Kars a sister city.

Committee Chairman Zahor Yedis explained that their grandfathers prepared a photo album in 1901 and that they wanted to prepare a new one by taking pictures of the city.Yedis pointed out that peace and friendship prevailed in Kars many years ago and that they wanted to start initiatives to continue this peace atmosphere. He added that they were organizing a Kars Festival in Greece one day a year and that they wanted to visit the city every year from now on.Governor Turhan expressed support for the development of peace in every field.

[07] CITIZENS TO PAY 50 U.S. DOLLARS BEFORE GOING ABROAD

The decision taken regarding the procedures and rules of collecting money from citizens who go abroad was published in the Official Gazette and went into force last Saturday.

Turkish citizens who go to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), who study abroad, who are younger than seven years old, who will have medical treatment abroad, public employees who work abroad permanently, their spouses and children who are younger than 18, sportsmen and sportswomen who will attend international sports competitions, firm representatives who are members of the Turkish Travel Agencies Union, ships which go abroad for commerce, citizens who go abroad for the day and citizens who go to Mecca for pilgrimage for the first time won't pay 50 U.S. dollars while leaving Turkey for other countries.

The Finance Ministry, which will enforce the provisions of the decision, had noted that it would take all sorts of measures to prevent any uneasiness that could take place during collecting the money at border gates. Citizens will be guided at the border gates on the issue on the first day of the new application.

[08] TOBB DELEGATION MEETS WITH DERVIS

Hisarciklioglu and TOBB members will have a series of contacts with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, deputy prime ministers and a certain ministers to express their views regarding current economic troubles on Tuesday.

The TOBB delegation had its first meeting with State Minister in charge of Economy Kemal Dervis at the Treasury Undersecretariat. After a meeting which lasted about 80 minutes, Hisarciklioglu told reporters that they debated the problems of the real sector during the meeting.He explained that they conveyed the views of 355 chambers and commodity exchanges to Dervis. The TOBB delegation presented Dervis a report which summarized the problems of the real sector and proposed solutions. Hisarciklioglu said they would start holding meetings with the related sectors and ministers next week.Meanwhile Dervis visited the British Embassy in early Tuesday and had contacts with British officials.

[09] TOBB DELEGATION MEETS WITH FINANCE MINISTER ORAL

Prior to the meeting, Oral told reporters that he and the TOBB delegation would discuss the economy in general and the problems of the real economy. Oral said that financial and economic balances should be formed as the result of the economic program. He pointed out that public finance and budget were following a good coarse as well as other economic indications. Oral said that the public finance in Turkey should be modernized and brought to a global level. ''We must be in a very good cooperation to achieve this. The sooner we maintain a confidence environment, the easier will be to bring a solution,'' Oral said and they always received support from the TOBB. Later, the TOBB delegation presented Oral a report on Turkey's current economic troubles and solution proposals.

Hisarciklioglu also pointed out that the exporters had to wait too long to receive Value Added Tax (VAT) repayments from the government. The TOBB delegation is continuing its meetings with government officials.

[10] SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER COMES TO ANKARA

Nasser was welcomed by Syrian Ambassador to Turkey Said El Bruni, Foreign Ministry Middle East Department's Director General Turkekul Kurttekin and Turkish Ambassador to Syria Oguz Celikkol at Esenboga Airport.

Nasser who will start his contacts on Wednesday, will meet with Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal. Bilateral relations, regional and international developments will be taken up during Nasser's contacts in Ankara.

[11] VURAL SAVAS:''I HAD EARLIER SAID THAT THE ECHR WOULD DECIDE AGAINST THE RP''

''There are also statements made by party executives which target our constitutional system,'' Savas told the A.A.

Savas remarked that he didn't believe that the ECHR would follow an objective line in party closure cases. ''For example, the People's Democratic Party's (HADEP) activities are much serious than the RP. It has many activities that encourage and support separatism. The ECHR is not a traditional court, but a political delegation. Because all its members are elected among three candidates from each country. Countries appoint people who would support their national policy as judges to this court. Separatist activities in Turkey are openly supported by all the EU members. Even, the PKK, which is one of the most bloody organizations, receive support within the EU. Therefore, I don't personnally believe that the ECHR would approve a decision to close a political party which is engaged in separatist activities,'' he explained.

[12] TOBB TO PRESENT REPORT TO GOVERNMENT

The report, which includes a number of striking views, was given to State Minister for Economy Kemal Dervis this morning and it is expected to be presented to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in the afternoon.

TOBB stated that they travelled 4,500 kilometers which included 18 provinces and 32 townships on July 5 and 26 and offered, in the report, certain demographic and economic observations about the travelled regions.

It was reported that there were 556,650 chambers and commodity exchanges in the regions that were visited which was 57 percent of the total number of chambers and commodity exchanges in Turkey. The population of the travelled areas was 25 million which is 41 percent of Turkey's total population. The agricultural areas in the travelled areas consisted 35 percent of Turkey's agricultural areas, the report said.

TOBB emphasized that maintenance of confidence atmosphere was necessary to overcome Turkey's problems and this could be achieved only if people worked together and if the government acts in a determined manner. ''TOBB will do its best for the maintenance of this atmosphere,'' the report said.

The report remarked that the economy managment was squeezed in the triangle of stock market-interest-foreign currency. The tradition of paying debts by borrowing drifted Turkey to the current situation, TOBB said and added that production should be increased and these products would be sold at foreign markets.

''We have to open the way to real sector to realize good qualilty production at reasonable prices in order to compete with the world,'' the report stated. Due to the shrinking domestic demand, a fast drop took place in production, capacity usage rates declined and many factories and business places shut down. Social Security Agency (SSK) premiums and energy costs must be brought down for investors who will create high employment as a solution, the report said. The report noted that the extreme fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate created great difficulty for borrowing and competition conditions of the real sector, calling the government to take measures to prevent negative developments in production, employment and investment. TOBB also called the government to be resolved in not permitting the fluctuating foreign exchange rate to cause speculations. Assessing the issue of finance, the report said that enterprises which undertook investments by going into debt with foreign exchange can't meet the increasing foreign exchange rate cost today. Thus, the real sector needs its debts to be put off and also financial support, the report stressed. The real sector saving fund to be set up to overcome the difficulties must found a system in which TOBB will also be present, the report said, adding that Halkbank is firm and slow in payments backs and new redemption demands.

The report stressed that there has not been significant and expected increase in exports and imports, adding that this expected increase will never be seen as there is lack of confidence in markets.

TOBB noted that Eximbank can't meet the demands of exporters sufficiently and it does not welcome demands of transferring resources to it due to bureaucratic impediments. The resources to be transfered to Eximbank can't be transfered since Eximbank acts slowly.

Referring to problems in the sectors, the report noted that there has to be strong leadership in the country.

The economic programme has to be evaluated by a broad experts platform said the report and called the government to prevent extravagance.

[13] JEWISH CULTURE EUROPE DAY TO BE CELEBRATED IN ISTANBUL

Turkey Chief Rabi's office said in a written statement that the activities which first started in France in 1996 will also take place in Turkey this year. The activities will take place on Sept. 2, Sunday between 10.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. at Neve Shalom Culture Center, Askenaz and Italian synagogues, and 50th year Turkish Jewish Museum. There will also be concerts at these places on the same day.

[14] ECHR DECISION ON RP

''ECHR had earlier took into consideration the element of getting involved in violence, but now it has found suspicions enough for closure of a party. This is also a contradictory decision for ECHR, too,'' said Kazan.

Kazan also asserted that the decision of ECHR also contradicts with views of Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) about secularism applications. The sides have the right to oppose the decision of ECHR within three months. If the sides apply to Grand Chamber which is composed of 17 judges and which acts like a court of appeal, the request will be examined by the panel which is composed of five judges. The panel has the right to reject the application without sending it to Grand Chamber. If the application is sent to Grand Chamber, the latter can ask sides for views in written form again or holding another court session. There is no time limit for the Grand Chamber to result the appeal application.

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