Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-08-12

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

12 AUGUST 2001 Saturday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on Aug 12, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit criticized soldiers: ''The statements of the General Staff regarding economy are unfortunate. I expressed my concerns to soldiers.'' Ecevit said, ''it was confusing for me that the General Staff showed the economy as if it bankrupted. None of the states has used this expression to mention economic problems. To this end, I think that this was an unfortunate expression. I met Deputy Chief of General Staff and expressed my concerns regarding recent polemics. The military wing and the General Staff did not show such a reaction even by an implication against the EU.''

THY WILL NOT FLY TO MIAMI IN 2002 SUMMER

Turkish Airlines (THY) will not fly to Miami in the summer of 2002. A statement sent by THY to Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) said that THY Executive Board decided not to fly to Miami in the new summer schedule which will start on March 28, 2002. Faik Akin, the THY Press and Public Relations Director, said that flights to Miami which are currently being held three times a week, will not be held in new summer schedule due to insufficient number of passengers and high costs.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that there are wishes about the exchange rates but that there are not any interventions. Ecevit said that social reactions against economic problems have been decreased.

U.S. DOLLAR CAN'T BE KEPT STABLE

Despite Central Bank's initiatives to intervene in the U.S. dollar by limited foreign exchange auctions, one U.S. dollar increased to 1 million 400 thousand Turkish liras (TL). The U.S. dollar gains value against TL because there is speculative demand besides the real demand.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said the parliamentarians from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) returned from their tours which they paid to Anatolia with optimistic impressions, and noted that, ''our villagers and farmers look at future with hope. Especially there is no problem in rural areas.'' Ecevit said, ''reactions coming from the society decreased to a great extend in the recent months.''

SPANISH TEXTILE COMPANY OWNERS IN TURKEY

Administrators of Grupo Sans, linked with Spanish Textile Company Sara Lee Holding, will come to Istanbul to attract the attention of foreign investors to Turkey in the crisis atmosphere and to contribute to Turkish tourism. The Spanish companies will hold their meetings in Istanbul where they would plan annual sale strategies.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Erdal Inonu and Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, who continue efforts to set up a new party in the left wing, met each other to evaluate the current situation of Turkey. During the tete-a-tete meeting, Inonu and Baykal agreed that left wing should be a serious alternative but they did not discuss joint initiatives.

OPERATION AGAINST FOREIGNERS IN IZMIR

A total of 200 foreigners who wanted to leave Turkey illegally were captured offshore Doganbey Gulf in Seferihisar township of western Izmir province. Investigation is under way to identify the foreigners and learn their nationalities.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

The efficient management and anti-corruption working group set up by the support of the World Bank is developing an action plan against the swindling in ''politician-bureaucrat-businessman' triangle. The working group aims to develop an action plan and anti-corruption strategy until the conference that will be organized in September.

TROY TO EXIST FOREVER

Excavations are under way for over a century to enable Troy, which demolished for many times since it was built 3,500 years ago and which was re-constructed for many times, to exist in modern times. Ancient city of Troy, which dated back to 3000 B.C., was the settlement of different people for 3,500 years. First excavations in the ancient city were carried out between 1871 and 1894. Since 1988, excavations are carried out by an international team headed by Professor Manfred Korfmann.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

It was reported that number of tourists visiting Mugla was more than one million in the first seven months of the year.

Mugla Tourism Provincial Directorate said British people became the first in visiting the city. A total of 353.023 British people visited Mugla province in the first seven months.

STATE MINISTER KECECILER TO VISIT PAKISTAN

State Minister Mehmet Kececiler will go to Pakistan on Sunday to attend the Independence Day ceremonies of this country. A statement of the State Ministry said on Saturday that Kececiler will also join the inauguration ceremony of the Chasma Irrigation Channel built by Turkish company TEKSER.

Kececiler will be received by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and convey the message of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.

State Minister Kececiler will also hold bilateral contacts with Pakistani Minister of Privatization and Minister for Housing.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Coast guard teams captured 200 foreigners in Doganbey bay in Seferihisar township in Aegean Izmir province as they were trying to flee abroad through illegal ways.

The patrolling coast guard teams stopped a boat off shores of Doganbey and captured 200 foreigners. Investigations are underway to determine the nationalities of the foreigners.

279 PARTIES IN 142 YEARS

Turkish political life has been a stage to the foundation of 279 parties since 1859. A total of 88 of them had been set up before foundation of Republic and 191 of them had been set up after foundation of republic.

A total of 279 parties had acted in political life of the Ottoman Empire and the Turkish Republic since 1859.

A women's party had been set up in 1972. Mubeccel Goktuna had been the Chairperson of the ''Turkish National Women Party.''

Number of active parties in Turkish political life increased to 37 with the foundation of Felicity Party on July 20, 2001.

CONTENTS

[01] EIGHT PEOPLE WHO LEFT ITALY FOR PROJECT OF RETURN TO ROOTS ARRIVE IN ADAPAZARI

[02] QUAKE MEASURING 4.4 ON THE RICHTER SCALE SHAKES HAKKARI PROVINCE

[03] COAST GUARD TEAMS INTERCEPT 160 FOREIGNERS IN IZMIR

[04] TURKEY MADE 221.8 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR OFFICIAL AID LAST YEAR

[05] TOBB CHAIRMAN HISARCIKLIOGLU: ''GOVERNMENT TO ENLIVEN REAL SECTOR''

[06] EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO INCREASE NUMBER OF SCANDINAVIAN TOURISTS

[07] STATE MINISTER KECECILER LEAVES FOR PAKISTAN

[08] TURKEY'S OIL CONSUMPTION INCREASED 6.8 PERCENT IN 2000

[09] MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE ENTERED FROM EDIRNE TO TURKEY IN SEVEN MONTHS

[10] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (1)

[11] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (2)

[12] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (3)

[13] CAKAN SAYS TURKEY AND IRAN EXPECTED TO SIGN DOCUMENT REGARDING MEASURING STATION

[14] FOREST FIRE IN BAYINDIR TAKEN UNDER CONTROL

[01] EIGHT PEOPLE WHO LEFT ITALY FOR PROJECT OF RETURN TO ROOTS ARRIVE IN ADAPAZARI

The project was launched by people from Veneto, Italy, who found their lost history in Anatolia.

The team headed by Professor Ugo Silvello will reach northern province of Bartin via Bolu, Amasra, Inebolu, Kastamonu and Safranbolu.

[02] QUAKE MEASURING 4.4 ON THE RICHTER SCALE SHAKES HAKKARI PROVINCE

Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute said the epicenter of the quake, which occurred at 03:41 local time, was determined as 45 kilometres north of Semdinli.

The quake was felt in Semdinli, Yuksekova and Hakkari.

Citizens, who got panicked, spent the night outside their houses.

[03] COAST GUARD TEAMS INTERCEPT 160 FOREIGNERS IN IZMIR

Coast guard teams, acting on a tip-off, stopped a boat offshore Doganbey Gulf and found 200 foreigners who wanted to leave Turkey illegally.

The teams captured 160 of the foreigners of Iranian, Iraqi and Turkish origins while 40 of the foreigners managed to escape.

An operation is under way to capture these 40 foreigners.

Gendarmerie forces captured 178 foreigners, including 125 Turks, in an operation in the same township last Tuesday.

[04] TURKEY MADE 221.8 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR OFFICIAL AID LAST YEAR

According to figures of the State Statistics Institute, Turkey made 59 million 240 thousand 117 U.S. dollar aid to developing countries and donated 60 million 676 thousand 254 U.S. dollars to transition countries and 15 million 861 thousand 14 U.S. dollars to other countries.

Turkey paid membership fee to international organizations worth of 56 million 107 thousand 539 U.S. dollars in 2000 within the framework of the official aid.

Azerbaijan was ranked the first among the countries where Turkey made donation in 2000 with 3 million 724 thousand 967 U.S. dollars.

Turkmenistan with 2 million 637 thousand 11 U.S. dollars and Kyrgyzstan with 2 million 84 thousand 84 U.S. dollars followed Azerbaijan.

Turkey donated 1 million 789 thousand 108 U.S. dollars to Saudi Arabia, 1 million 646 thousand 611 U.S. dollars to Kazakhstan and 1 million 30 thousand 465 U.S. dollars to Georgia.

Turkey's donations to Bosnia-Herzegovina amounted to 884 thousand 703 U.S. dollars, to Mongolia to 559 thousand 860 U.S. dollars, to Kosovo 484 thousand 17 U.S. dollars and to Moldova to 483 thousand 682 U.S. dollars.

Turkey, which donated 1 million 656 thousand 643 U.S. dollars to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), granted 956 thousand 756 U.S. dollars to Ukraine and 526 thousand 527 U.S. dollars to Bulgaria.

Turkey's donations to Russian Federation in 2000 were around 286 thousand 965 U.S. dollars and to Romania around 184 thousand 820 U.S. dollars.

[05] TOBB CHAIRMAN HISARCIKLIOGLU: ''GOVERNMENT TO ENLIVEN REAL SECTOR''

Responding to the questions of A.A correspondent, Hisarciklioglu said representatives of real sector, finance sector, Treasury, Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board (BRSB), Bank Association of Turkey and private and state banks will convene and set up a committee.

Hisarciklioglu said the primary target of the committee would be to re- operate the credit mechanism toward real sector, noting that the sides pointed out their wishes in this respect before the establishment of the committee.

Pointing out that finance sector closed its doors to the real sector for a long time and that it did not open new credits, Hisarciklioglu said this pushed real sector into a deadlock.

Hisarciklioglu said, ''the system between finance sector and real sector did not work any more. The banks have difficulty in getting back the credits they have opened. The real sector can not work. After the credit mechanisms start to work again, both sections will be enlivened.''

TOBB Chairman pointed out that wheels will start to turn again in industry and trade after banking sector open credit to real sector again.

Stressing that he discussed re-operation of credit mechanism with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and State Minister Kemal Dervis, Hisarciklioglu said they shared the same views in this respect.

TOBB Chairman pointed out that, ''we have the full belief that the government will enliven real sector.''

Pointing out that it would not be possible for the finance sector to stand still without real sector, Hisarciklioglu said, ''real sector and banking sector will return to happy days. We can not be separated.''

''Everything is solved by dialogue,'' said Hisarciklioglu, noting that key of the country economy passed from production and exportation, and stressed that each step that would be taken in this respect would serve to social peace.

Hisarciklioglu said the TOBB administration was holding researches in Anatolia for a long time, and that they learned the problems of the real sector.

He said, ''the real sector is in a serious situation at the time being. It was painful to see that more than 50 percent of the facilities were closed down. Many of the factories can not work. We can not survive without production. The statement made by the prime minister pertaining to the real sector gave us hope. We are having difficult days, but we will overcome those days altogether. The statements of the World Bank officials also support us. Our hopes were strengthened when we saw that administrators of the World Bank look at the solution of the problems from the same point of view.''

[06] EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO INCREASE NUMBER OF SCANDINAVIAN TOURISTS

The number of Scandinavian people visiting the region started to decrease since 1995.

A total of 450 thousand Scandinavian people visited the region in 1995 while this number was 550 thousand in 1996.

This number fell to 450 thousand in 1997, 378 thousand to 1998 and 290 thousand to 1999 but increased to 300 thousand in 2000.

Tourism associations and agencies in Antalya decided to have cooperation to increase the number of people coming from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark to Antalya.

Nuvit Ozkan, the Deputy Chairman of the Alanya Promotion Foundation (ALTAV), said on Sunday that Scandinavian people prefer apart hotels and to this end, number of these hotels has been increased in Alanya.

Ozkan noted that ALTAV joined fairs in Scandinavian countries, adding that ALTAV and Mediterranean Hoteliers Union (AKTOB) will carry out joint initiatives to enter into Scandinavian market.

[07] STATE MINISTER KECECILER LEAVES FOR PAKISTAN

Speaking at Ankara's Esenboga Airport before his departure, Kececiler said he would represent Turkish Republic in Independence Day ceremonies of brotherly Pakistan, and noted that he would attended the opening of ''Chasma irrigation project,'' which was constructed by a Turkish company.

''There is no political problem between Turkey and brotherly Pakistan,'' Kececiler said recalling that economic and trade agreements were signed with Pakistan earlier.

Pointing out that there were trade and economic relations between the two countries which did not suit to the potential of the two countries within the framework of those agreements, Kececiler said senior officials of the two countries exert efforts to improve those relations.

Stressing that Turkish constructors undertook important projects in Pakistan, Kececiler said ''Chasma irrigation project,'' was completed before the planned time.

Kececiler said inauguration of the irrigation canal would take place on August 15, adding that, ''I will attend the inauguration ceremony. I convey Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's written and verbal messages to Pervez Musharraf, the head of state.''

[08] TURKEY'S OIL CONSUMPTION INCREASED 6.8 PERCENT IN 2000

Accoding to the ''World Energy Report'' of BP, Turkey's natural gas consumption rose 17.5 percent in the same year.

Turkey consumed 31.5 million tons of oil and 14.1 billion cubic metres of natural gas last year.

Turkey's coal consumption decreased 1.8 percent while its hydroelectricity consumption fell 10.9 percent in 2000.

Total energy consumption of Turkey increased 4.3 percent last year.

[09] MORE THAN ONE MILLION PEOPLE ENTERED FROM EDIRNE TO TURKEY IN SEVEN MONTHS

A total of 768 thousand 187 people left Turkey from these customs gates between January and till end of July.

One million 43 thousand 843 people entered Turkey and 844 thousand 414 people left Turkey from the customs gates in Edirne in the same period last year.

The number of people entering from Edirne to Turkey decreased 1.7 percent and the number of people leaving Turkey from Edirne fell 9 percent in the first seven months of this year when compared to the same period last year.

Bulgarian people were ranked the first among people entering Turkey with 187 thousand 170 while Greek people followed the Bulgarians with 64 thousand 912.

A total of 443 thousand 57 Turkish citizens entered Turkey while 277 thousand 966 left Turkey in the mentioned period.

[10] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (1)

Cakan held a news conference regarded with the issues which were discussed and resulted in TEDAS and TEAS meetings.

Cakan said, ''our meetings with the administrators of TEAS and TEDAS continued for three days. We have completed our meetings with TEDAS in 22 hours. Our meetings with TEAS will continue after the news conference.''

Cakan said the administrators conveyed all the issues in details and presented their views and proposals.

(To be continued)

[11] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (2)

Cakan held a news conference and said TEDAS General Directorate will set up a new hardware and software system to provide auto-control and information communication.

This hardware will be submitted to the service in General Directorate and in a pilot province that will be determined, at least in two years, and later this system will gradually spread to the whole country.

Current sytem will be rehabilitated with the facilities of TEDAS General Directorate till this procedure is completed, and existing obstacles will be overcome.

According to the final statement, great importance will be attributed to the collecting of energy costs, and every kind of sanction will be imposed. Legal procedure will be started against the institutions who refuse to pay their debts and electricity of those institutions would be cut.

Those are the decisions that were taken pertaining to the current leakage:

-Transformer losses will be decreased by preventing the Distribution transformers to work with low load.

-Any loss will not be allowed in distribution lines.

-The networks, which expired technically and due to economic means, will be renewed within the framework of the investment program.

-Geographic information system will be applied on the high and medium voltage network in metropolitans. Thus, all subscriber data will be followed by a computer.

-At first, the medium voltage networks of metropolitans like Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Gaziantep and Kony will be automated. Implementation of supervision, control and remote control projects will be given priority. Also, the initiatives that have been launched will be accelerated.

-Electricity counters will be modernized. Pre-paid system will be implemented and accelerated.

-Attention will be paid on the quality of the equipment used in medium and low voltage networks.

Below listed the decisions written under the title ''Other Loss and Leakage Current'':

-Measuring systems of subscribers who consume a great deal of electricity will be controlled periodically.

-Powerful armatures will be used in rural area and secondary roads and the old armatures will be changed.

-No consumption can be made without becoming a subscriber.

-Initiatives will be launched to make the necessary arrangements in the electricity tariffs regulation to prevent use of leakage current and to accelarate fee collection.

Under the ''Investments'' title of the final statement, it was noted that attention will be paid to start operation of installations, which are built by using all of the appropriations, on time.

Materials which are stores in warehouses will be listed and start to be used, the final statement said.

(To be continued)

[12] CAKAN, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE (3)

Cakan held a news conference and said all the administrators in TEAS will use all their authorities. Failure of the official to use his authority will be accepted as negligence.

The final statement said purchase of goods and services will be speeded up without delaying the service, and all the personnel will work in unity, solidarity, reciprocal confidence, and with determination.

Pointing out that meeting Turkey's electricity energy demand in the most rationalist way would be the main target, the final statement said technical requirements and economy can not be ignored. It was also announced that investments regarded with production and tranmission would be carried our in parallel.

The statement said it was an indispensable requirment for Turkey, which imports energy, to use electricity energy in a productive, economic and rational way. It said, ''to this end maximum care would be shown to the usage of electricity. Works regarded with elimination of equipments, which are not needed, will be speeded up.''

The decisions, which were taken under the title of ''Production,'' are listed as:

-All the units and General Directorates, which will be newly set up, will exert all efforts to provide the functioning of Electricity Market Law fully. The Electricity Market Law had been issued to provide the sector operate according to the principles of liberal economy.

-All measures will be taken to provide electricity energy production in the coming winter months in particular.

-Measures that will increase production in Thermic and Hydraulic Power Plants will be taken up rapidly.

-All measures will be taken for the efficient use of water in hydraulic and thermic power stations due to draught which continues in recent years.

-Authorities will try to enable Turkey have sufficient and optimum extra capacity by taking into consideration all technical and economic conditions of energy system in Turkey. To this end, TEAS will prepare a report about measures to be taken related with production and transmission and will submit it to the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry within a week.

-The chimney desulfurization installation and electrophilter rehabilition projects will be finalized quickly. The projects, which have not been put to tender yet, will be accelerated.

-Necessary measures will be taken to prevent electricity cut this winter, to increase thermic power plant productions to the optimum level, to continue hydraulic production in line with the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) programs.

Below listed the decisions written under the title ''Tranmission'':

-Technical infrastructural works needed for economic system management will be completed as soon as possible.

-Necessary investments will be accelerated to ensure secure operaton of transmission system and to prevent regional loss of voltage.

-All measures will be taken to accelerate expropriation of planned transmission lines.

-To accelerate construction of transmission lines, necessary administrative and legal measures will be taken to shorten the environment reports process which caused a delay.

-Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, Forestry Ministry and Finance Ministry will launch joint initiatives to overcome problems related with transition right of the transmission lines constructed in forests.

Regarding the ''personnel'', the final statement said that the works to inquire personnel need of central and local branches and to meet this demand will be finalized within a week.

The final statement pointed out that after the separation of TEAS, initiatives to re-organize local branches will be launched.

All alternatives will be evaluated to meet the qualified personnel deficit due to retirement of some personnel or some other reasons, the final statement added.

(End)

[13] CAKAN SAYS TURKEY AND IRAN EXPECTED TO SIGN DOCUMENT REGARDING MEASURING STATION

Responding to questions of reporters about initiatives regarding natural gas, Cakan said that Turkey does not have any problems related with the natural gas to be purchased from Iran.

Cakan noted that the Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS) has fulfilled all its liabilities and the pipeline has been finalized.

''During my phone call with Iranian Minister, I talked about this issue. The Iranian technical team and a team from BOTAS met each other and listed the deficiencies. Turkey is ready to purchase gas as these deficiencies are overcome. Of course, we cannot buy the gas before the gas is tested by the measuring station. We have to give priority to Turkey's interests,'' Cakan added.

[14] FOREST FIRE IN BAYINDIR TAKEN UNDER CONTROL

Yuksel issued a written statement and pointed out that fire-fighters and soldiers, backed by work machines and planes, exerted efforts to extinguish the fire fanned by strong winds.

Surrounding cities and townships sent extra fire-fighters and work machines to the region.

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