Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-09-23

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

23 SEPTEMBER 2001 Sunday

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Marc Grossman, the U.S. State Department's Undersecretary for Political Affairs, praised Ankara's attitude and said that Turkey was the country which knew how terrifying terrorism was and noted that the support that Turkey would extend had a special importance. Responding to questions of reporter Mehmet Ali Birand at CNN Turk channel, Grossman said that they wanted Turkey to take place in the coalition against terrorism. Grossman noted that Turkey immediately accepted this and showed that it chose them. Grossman said that it should not be forgotten that in the terrorist attacks in the U.S., not only Americans but also Turkish people died.

FOUR-DAY DETENTION COSTED TOO MUCH

The tender awarded to businessmen Mehmet Bayraktar in Miami is in danger because of his four-day detention. Bayraktar, the owner of the company named Flagstone Properties, was awarded with the construction tender worth of 281 billion U.S. dollars which would be finalized in two years. However, two rival companies asked for the cancellation of the tender by claiming that Bayraktar was arrested in Turkey due to investigation into Egebank, which had earlier been transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund. Flagstone company's lawyer denied the claims by saying that Bayraktar, who was in London during the incidents, was not arrested. However, the public institution which opened the tender decided to make a referendum in November. The project foresees the construction of two five-star hotels, one with 14 storeys and the other with 25 storeys, a shopping mall, restaruant and marina.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Austrian Foreign Ministry showed Turkey among the countries where secure travels can be made. The leading Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung listed Norway and Switzerland among most secure countries while showed Turkey, which it defined as ''a well-know country to spend holidays'', among secure countries. The statement said that the Austrian newspaper published this news story by depending on the list made in accordance with travelling recommendation bulletins issued by Austrian Foreign Ministry. Japan, Australia, Mexico, China, Thailand and Singapure were also listed among secure countries.

SECOND ROUND OF BARGAINING WITH IMF ON SEPTEMBER 29

The deliberations on the targets of 2002 which were cut due to the indefiniteness that occured following the terrorist attacks int he U.S. will resume at the end of this month. A delegation headed by State Minister Kemal dervis and comprised of high-level economy bureaucrats will go to the U.S. on September 29. Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak and Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti will also take place in the delegation. Dervis will meet with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury O'Neill, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Koehler, World Bank President Wolfhenson while the bureaucracts will hold technical contacts. The non- interest surplus, inflaton and growth rates, the balance of payment targets for 2002 would be made definite during the meetings.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Here are the messages signed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit: ''The airports are open. We are ready to exchange intelligence. We will increase the assistance to anti-Taliban groups. We will always support you in fight against terrorism. International community should help Afghan people.'

FIKRET KIZILOK DIES

Fikret Kizilok, a master of rock music in Turkey, died at the age of 55. Kizilok died at 24.00 local time on Friday at the hospital where he was under treatment. Kizilok was brought to Istanbul after he had had a heart attack in western Bodrum township on July 7. Kizilok was hospitalized a week ago due to renal and hearth insufficiency.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The State Tender Law is planned to be presented to the parliament till October 15 in line with the commitment made to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The new arrangement is being made under the auspices of IMF and World Bank. An independent and autonomous board is foreseen to be formed by a change in the State Tender Law.

THANKS FROM BUSH

U.S. President George W. Bush thanked Turkey for the support it had extended in fight against terrorism. WHite House Spokesperson Ari Fleischer stressed that Turkey had suffered much from terrorism and noted that Ankara and Washington were in solidarity against terrorism. Fleischer said that Ankara and Washington would take joint action.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Here is the hidden side of the permit given for the use of Turkish airspace and airports by U.S. planes. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara gave a note to the Foreign Ministry for a permission to use Turkish airspace and airports at 11.30 a.m. on Friday. The General Staff was immediately informed about the matter. The General Staff and Foreign Ministry wanted some information about 'whether or not nuclear or biological weapons would be carried.' U.S. Ambassador Pearson came to the Foreign Ministry at 2.30 p.m. Pearson said that they asked for the permission from NATO countries, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The permission was given at 5.00 p.m. U.S. State Secretary Powell said that there would not be any nuclear materials on the planes. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit asked for humanitarian aid for Afghan peole in the letter he sent to U.S. President George Bush to show Turkey's support.

CEM: ''WE CAN BE THE HOST COUNTRY''

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, who met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, said that sides would sit at a negotiation table unless there was a provocation. Cem said, ''one of the meetings can be held in Turkey.'' Cem's visit to the region following a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine bore its first fruit. Cem said that Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat would meet today and that a series of contacts would follow this first meeting. As the Arafat-Peres meeting was bound on the condition that no clashes occured, Cem said, ''we are feared of a provocation.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Tourism Minister said that the attacks did not have any connection with Turkey and said, ''Turkey has been turned into a land of tranquility by rendering terrorism ineffective in a great extent.''

OYAK EXPORTS 45 THOUSAND ENGINES

Oyak Renault factory exported almost 45 thousand engines to France, Spain, Slovenia, Argentine, Colombia and Iran between September 2000 and June 2001. According to Performans, the broadcasting organ of Renault Mais, the Oyak Renault factory in Bursa was producing 1.6 litre 8V engines and 1.4 litre 8V engines to be exported. The factory will start to export some equipment to Dacia Factory in Romania as of this month.

ZAMAN (RIGHT)

Turkish Airlines (THY) made a profit worth of 2 trillion 959.7 billion Turkish liras (TL) in the first half of this year. THY sent a statement to Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) on Saturday in which it said that THY, which had a loss worth of 5 trillion 8 billion 428 million TL in the same period last year, made a profit of 2 trillion 959 billion 737 million TL in the first half of this year.

CONTENTS

[01] LABOUR MINISTER OKUYAN RETURNS TO TURKEY

[02] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BAHCELI SAYS TURKEY IS A COUNTRY WHICH KNOWS

[03] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK SAYS FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED

[04] GAP'S AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS INCREASE BY 23.7 PERCENT

[05] CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION TO DECREASE, IMPORTATION TO INCREASE

[06] ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AYTEKIN LEAVES FOR SWITZERLAND

[07] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM SAYS CONCERNS THAT TURKEY HAS VOICED FOR SO LONG ARE

[08] A GROUP OF TURKS DEPARTS FROM PAKISTAN

[09] TOURISM MINISTER TASAN SAYS TERRORISM SHOULD BE ERADICATED

[10] DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY LEAVES FOR HUNGARY

[11] TOURISM MINISTER TASAR SEES TURKEY'S FUTURE IN TOURISM

[01] LABOUR MINISTER OKUYAN RETURNS TO TURKEY

Okuyan had attended a conference on employment and quality in working life held by the Belgium Ministry of Employment and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in Brussels.

Labour Minister Okuyan told a press conference that he gave information about developments in Turkey in quality and employment and had the opportunity to listen to problems of the other countries.

Okuyan said that he had a biletaral contact with the Belgian Minister of Employment and that they decided to set up a joint working group.

They agreed to exchange technical cooperation and exchange of information about several issues concerning working life during Turkey's EU full membership process, Okuyan noted.

Okuyan said that he also met with his Bulgarian counterpart and they debated the social security agreement which had not been signed yet.

This issue was of vital importance for Turkey, Okuyan said and went on saying, ''we are trying to sign this agreement. There are 37 thousand kinsmen who have applied to get retired. 27 thousand of these people are being paid their pension. We cannot start paying the pension of the rest 10 thousand kinsmen. I expressed my wish to accelerate the initiatives to my Bulgarian counterpart.''

Okuyan added that he also had beneficial meetings with the representatives of Turkish associations and federations in Brussels.

[02] DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BAHCELI SAYS TURKEY IS A COUNTRY WHICH KNOWS

Responding to questions of reporters about effects of a possible war on Turkey, Bahceli said that the U.S. faced a big terrorist attack and that this country considered Afghanistan as the focus of the attacks in New York and Washington.

Bahceli said that Turkey had fought against terrorism for years and noted, ''Turkey is a country which knows what kind of a crime of humanity terrorism is.''

It was announced that there would be solidarity and cooperation with the U.S. during a possible intervention in the territory of Afghanistan, Bahceli noted and went on saying, ''we are following the developments carefully. We are aware of the problems that Turkey is facing. We have announced that we would extend every support we can to the U.S. with the lowest cost and risk and with the highest national interest and social benefit.''

Responding to another question, Bahceli said, ''it will be benefical to extend assistance in mutual solidarity, cooperation and dialogue without harming Turkey and by fulfilling the liabilities and responsibilities of the country. Acting cautiously and being careful against developments should not be defined as passiveness. Turkey has to be a country which behaves very carefully.''

Touching on equating terrorism with Islam, Bahceli said that this was a very wrong path and reminded the reporters that there were 1.7 billion Muslims and 55 independent countries in the world.

Bahceli said, ''broadening the concept of terrorism toward all Muslim countries will turn the world into an uninhabitable place.''

Such discrimination was not a right behaviour, Bahceli noted and stated that terrorism was a social disaster which was valid in all geographies and against which all the humanity should fight.

Pointing out that it was not correct to veer a target as a Muslim or Christian, Bahceli said that all countries should be in cooperation and solidarity and that the examples of this cooperation and solidarity had started to be seen.

Bahceli said that they thought that the organization of an international conference against terrorism under the auspices of the United Nations would be beneficial.

Touching on the policy of the government towards Afghanistan, Bahceli said that it was announced that Turkey would be in solidarity and cooperation with the friendly and ally U.S. in fight against terrorism and noted that developments in coming days would put forward the course of this.

[03] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK SAYS FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED

Turk attended the international meeting on measures against organized crimes, possibilities and borders in a state of law held jointly by Dokuz Eylul University's Faculty of Law, Directorate General of Security, and German Giessen Justus-Liebig University.

Speaking at the meeting, Turk said that the prior initiative to be taken was to remove the economic and social reasons which led to these crimes and stressed that Turkey had suffered much from organized crimes for years.

Turk noted that the U.S. was the target of the biggest terrorist attack of the new era, however, Turkey had felt this grief for years.

''Turkey is sincerely sharing the grief of the U.S. We are ready to extend every support in the trial of the criminals,'' Turk said.

Turk noted that 194 lawsuits were filed in accordance with the Law on Fight against Interest Crime Gangs in 2000 and said that the number of suspects in these cases were 1,318.

A total of 59 of the lawsuits had been concluded, Turk said and stated that imprisonment was given to suspects in 13 of the cases, suspects were acquitted in 14 cases.

Turk pointed out that intelligence was of vital importance in fight against organized crimes and cooperation should be made with other countries.

''Borders of states can be an obstacle in fight against organized crimes in some cases. However, it will be deterring if cooperation is made in fight against some cross-border crimes. Turkey has signed agreements on extradition of criminals with several countries. Turkey is always fulfilling the requirements of these agreements. Most of the time, the European Convention prevents the extradition of criminals. This understanding should be given up,'' Turk said.

Turk went on saying, ''the last terrorist attack in the U.S. should be a lesson. Joint investigation should be efficiently made in fight against cross-border crimes. Turkey signed not only the United Nations convention against cross-border crimes but also the additional protocol. The draft law which foresees that this convention and protocols would be presented to the parliament for approval. There are many provisions in our laws against cross-border crimes.''

Fight against organized crimes was within the framework of the duties of the State Security Courts (DGMs) and to this end, they wanted to make amendments to the law on the duties of DGMs, Turk said.

Turk noted that they also wanted to make amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMUK).

Turk, who later responded questions of reporters, said that under Article 5 of the NATO charter, a terrorist attack on the U.S. was considered as an attack on Turkey, which was a NATO member.

Turkey would try to do its best in a counter attack on the terrorist attack in the U.S., Turk said and noted that Turkey was trying to explain the ''terrorism evil'' for years.

The European Union (EU) had launched an initiative under the leadership of Belgium, the EU Term President, Turk stated.

Turk said that justice ministers of EU member and candidate countries would attend a meeting in which international cooperation possibilities in fight against organized crimes, human smuggling and terrorism would be debated.

He would also attend a meeting of the justice ministers of European countries to be held in Moscow in October, Turk noted.

Turk pointed out that terrorism would also be on the agenda of this meeting.

Responding to another question, Turk stressed that Turkey had always drew the attention to terrorism and said that all the other countries should exert utmost efforts to capture those who planned the terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Turk said that Turkey was always beside the U.S. in its fight against terrorism.

Touching on head terrorist Abdullah Ocalan, Turk said that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) had earlier ruled a precautionary measure related with the Ocalan file and that the result of the process should be waited.

Turk noted that the parliament was exerting efforts regarding this matter and added, ''the process in Ocalan case continues. Today, all the world has understood how a big disaster terrorism is.''

[04] GAP'S AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS INCREASE BY 23.7 PERCENT

The region exported agricultural, animal and industrial products worth of 66 million 586 thousand U.S. dollars to the above mentioned countries in the same period last year.

Exports to Italy increased by 46.8 percent to 39 million 652 thousand U.S. dollars, exports to Syria climbed by 2.3 percent to 22 million 474 thousand, and exports to Germany rose by 15.1 percent to 20 million 296 thousand U.S. dollars between January and August 2001 when compared with the same period last year.

Dried apricot, cotton thread, cotton and knitted textile, synthetic thread, and machine-made carpet were the main export products.

[05] CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION TO DECREASE, IMPORTATION TO INCREASE

According to the sector report of the State Planning Organization (DPT) in which crude oil production and importation figures were estimated, the new petrol production of Turkey is foreseen to decrease to 1 million 449 thousand tons in 2005.

Turkey is expected to produce 2 million 686 thousand tons of crude oil this year.

Turkish Petroleum Corp.'s (TPAO) crude oil production, which is foreseen to be around 1 million 632 thousand tons in 2001, is expected to fall to 982 tons in 2005.

The negative situation which occured as new wells are not found and the temporary stop in searches of some companies in Southeastern and Eastern Anatolia regions will be met by extra crude oil importation.

Turkey, which imported 32 million 551 thousand tons of crude oil in 2000, will import 31 million 894 tons this year and 33 million 149 tons in 2002.

Turkey's total crude oil importation is calculated to be 34 million 395 thousand tons in 2003, 35 million 499 thousand tons in 2004 and 36 million 625 thousand tons in 2005.

Below listed the crude oil production and importation of Turkey till 2010:

CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION (thousand tons)

YEAR TPAO PRODUCT. OTHER TOTAL
----- ------------ -------- ------
2000 1.922 764 2.686
2001 1.632 695 2.327
2002 1.414 629 2.043
2003 1.239 570 1.809
2004 1.094 516 1.610
2005 982 467 1.449
CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION, DEMAND, IMPORTATION PROJECTION
thousand tons

YEAR PRODUCT. DEMAND IMPORT
----- ------ ------ ------
2000 2.686 35.127 32.441
2001 2.327 34.221 31.894
2002 2.043 35.192 33.149
2003 1.809 36.204 34.395
2004 1.610 37.109 35.499
2005 1.449 38.074 36.625

[06] ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AYTEKIN LEAVES FOR SWITZERLAND

Prior to his departure, Aytekin told reporters that the meeting which would be held in Geneva on Monday and Tuesday aimed to determine the possible contributions of the European Economic Commisison region to the World Sustainable Development Summit to be organized between September 2-11, 2002.

Aytekin said that at the summit to be held in 2002, the ten years following the World Environment Summit held in Rio in 1992 would be evaluated.

He would also sign cooperation protocol on environment with the Netherlands, Aytekin noted.

Aytekin stated that he would proceed from Geneva to Germany, where he would search the possibilities of the foundation of a special data bank to develop environmental conscience regarding energy.

He would also be briefed by administrators of two German companies which wanted to make energy investments in Turkey, Aytekin added.

Aytekin will return to Turkey on September 28.

[07] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM SAYS CONCERNS THAT TURKEY HAS VOICED FOR SO LONG ARE

Attending a program broadcast in private CNN Turk channel, Cem said that Turkey expressed its concerns about terrorism in different platforms before the terrorist attacks in the U.S. were made.

Cem said that a new period in fight against terrorism had started and that the rules of the game in the world had changed.

''I am unwilling to say that some positive results may come out of such a saddening incident, however, some opportunities for Turkey have been created as the views defended by Turkey have been adopted by mass groups. We should make use of these opportunities without exaggeration and carefully. We are exerting efforts to this end,'' Cem said.

Cem noted that many countries financed terrorism through money laundering and went on saying, ''this is an issue which we have brought to the agenda, which we try to keep on the agenda and continue to do so.''

They wished that serious initiatives should be launched to prevent the financing of terrorism, Cem stated.

Upon a question, Cem said that Turkey did not want Pakistani people to feel grief and that it had earlier warned Pakistan that the intermingling of state and religious affairs would cause a troble for itself.

Cem said, ''we are doing our best to enable Pakistan come out of this crisis with the least loss.''

[08] A GROUP OF TURKS DEPARTS FROM PAKISTAN

Mostly women and children boarded on the special plane sent by Turkish Airlines (THY) to Islamabad.

Spouses and children of Turkish diplomats and Turkish workers in Pakistan are among those who are returning to Turkey.

Ali Vural Oktem, the Turkish Ambassador in Islamabad, said that they decided to organize such a flight in line with the instruction of the Foreign Ministry which called on Turkish citizens who were living in Pakistan to depart from this country.

Oktem said, ''I hope there will not be any need for a new evacuation.''

Turkish companies operating in Pakistan sent their non-essential staff by this plane, Oktem noted.

Oktem stated there was not any reduction in personnel of Turkish Embassy but that only two personnel were sent to Turkey together with their spouses.

Almost 60 Turkish people left Islamabad for Istanbul.

[09] TOURISM MINISTER TASAN SAYS TERRORISM SHOULD BE ERADICATED

Tasar attended on Sunday the inauguration ceremony of the Frankfurt Branch of Motherland Association.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tasar said that they aimed to launch and exert efforts to ensure the establishment of strong bridges with Turkey and find solutions to problems of Turkish people living abroad and that they had reached this target.

Touching on terrorist attacks in the U.S., Tasar said, ''once upon a time when there were terrorist attacks in Turkey, those who backed these attacks or who thought and were pleased that terrorism was in Turkey not in their country should take into consideration that terrorism does not have any religion, colour, gender or nationality. Terrorism is terrorism and terrorist is a terrorist. To this end, fight is obligatory against terrorism. Unless a fight is launched against terrorism, I am afraid that one day it will hit the countries which only watched these attack and which did not join the fight one day.''

Drawing the attention that Muslims were under suspicion as some circles mentioned a Islamic terrorism following the terrorist attacks in the U.S., Tasar said that Islam was a universal religion of affection and tolerance.

Tasar continued, ''nobody can equate the word terrorism with the word Islam. Islam is a universal religion. We do not intervene in nobody's religion or belief but, nobody should think that we can digest a mass accusation of the members of a religion by mentioning Islam together with terrorism. A terrorist can occur with a Muslim identity or a Christian identity or with an atheist identity. But, in the end, there is only one reality: Terrorist is a terrorist and a person against whom fight should be made. To this end, I think that everybody, particularly the U.S., should make this distinction very well.''

Tasar noted that the U.S. citizens did not come to Turkey following the terrorist attacks in the U.S. because planes did not take off and that there was only 1 percent decrease in the number of American tourists to Turkey.

Inviting all the world people to Turkey with the slogan, ''come to Turkey if you want to forget all your problems'', Tasar said that he started his tour to this end.

[10] DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SECURITY LEAVES FOR HUNGARY

Prior to his departure, Onal said that the pre-commission works related with the General Assembly started two days ago.

Onal said, ''the General Assembly will start its works tomorrow. The issues which are related with the mission of Interpol, especially the issues except political criminals, will be debated. Criminal affairs will be discussed. I think that international terrorism will be given priority as a special item of the agenda following the terrorist attacks in the U.S.''

Kemal Onal added that he would deliver a speech on illegal immigration which closely concerned Turkey.

[11] TOURISM MINISTER TASAR SEES TURKEY'S FUTURE IN TOURISM

Following his meeting with representatives of airline companies which brought tourists to Turkey, Tasar told reporters that they debated the problems of the airline companies, the solution proposals and expectations during the meeting.

They gave start to find solution to the problems, Tasar noted and said that the companies set up a commission and presented a report to him.

Tasar stated that they would evaluate this report to further improve tourism in Turkey and that they would convey this report to Transportation Ministry and State Ministry in charge of the Treasury.

If necessary, they would try to find a solution by discussing it at the Council of Ministers meeting, Tasar said.

Tasar called on German investors to invest in tourism sector in Turkey and said that they would provide every possibility to these investors.

Noting that in line with the developments following terrorist attacks in the U.S., states were expected to give guarantee for the planes related with the ''war risk cover of insurance companies'', Tasar said, ''Germany has given this guarantee. To this end, Turkey should also give the same guarantee. We should know that otherwise, Turkish planes are facing a risk and possibility of not flying to Germany or any other place in the world. To this end, I would like to say that our government will take the necessary measures as soon as possible.''

Tasar pointed out that representatives of airline companies asked for the reduction of airport taxes in dead seasons and went on saying, ''the days which are considered as dead season will not be dead season in the future. I also believe that these taxes should be reduced in the mentioned days. When we go beyond the tourism understanding in Turkey which only consists of sea and sun and when we take into consideration the 4-season 12-month tourism potential in Turkey, phenomenon called dead season will become invalid.''

Istanbul destinaton was a treasure by itself, Tasar noted and said that they would attribute more importance to Istanbul and carry out planned promotion campaigns.

Representatives of airline companies said that they brought 4.5 million tourists and 2 million workers to Turkey by 56 planes in 2000 and paid 2.5 trillion Turkish lira (TL) tax to Turkey.

The representatives said that these figures will be increased by 25 percent in 2001 and their turnover in 2001 would exceed 1 billion U.S. dollars.

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