Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-11-09

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

09 NOVEMBER 2001 Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL IN NEW YORK SEARCH SITUATION OF DETAINED TURKS

[03] TUSIAD SAYS SUCCESS OF ECONOMIC PROGRAM DEPENDS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF POLITICAL PROGRAM FOR EU

[04] PRESIDENT SEZER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SHEVARDNADZE OF GEORGIA

[05] WORKERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS GATHER IN ANKARA FOR JOINT PRESS RELEASE OF TURK-IS, DISK, KESK AND HAK-IS

[06] GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU SAYS TURKISH MILITARY TROOPS WILL LEAVE FOR AFGHANISTAN WHEN RIGHT TIME COMES

[07] PRESIDENT SEZER AND HIS GEORGIAN COUNTERPART SHEVARDNADZE HOLD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE (1)

[08] SP SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST STATE MINISTER DERVIS

[09] STATE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OZKAN RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADOR PEARSON

[10] STATE MINISTER GUREL SAYS TURKEY WILL NEVER PERMIT TURKISH CYPRIOTS TO BE A MINORITY

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES FOR UNITED STATES

[12] WORKERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS START GATHERING IN SIHHIYE SQUARE

[13] IMF SAYS 4TH AND 5TH TRANCHES OF LOAN TO TURKEY WON'T BE JOINED TOGETHER

[14] PRESIDENT SEZER SAYS WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS IN CAUCASUS THROUGH PEACEFUL METHODS AND IN DIRECTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW PRINCIPLES (2)

[15] TURKEY AND GEORGIA SIGN JOINT DECLARATION

[16] TURKEY AND GEORGIA SIGN JOINT DECLARATION

[17] PRESIDENT SEZER AND HIS GEORGIAN COUNTERPART SHEVARDNADZE HOLD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE (3)

[18] DUTCH GENERAL DIRECTOR FOR INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE SAYS IF TURKEY WANTS TO BE A PART OF EU, IT SHOULD CREATE DYNAMICS OF EU IN ITS OWN TERRITORY

[19] BARTHOLOMEOS SAYS IT IS WRONG TO ASSOCIATE ISLAM WITH TERRORISM

[20] STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC POOL SYSTEM DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

ADDITIONAL REPORT ABOUT ERDOGAN FINALIZED
Constitutional Court rapporteur completed the additional report regarding the Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Constitutional Court Chief Judge Mustafa Bumin distributed the report to the Constitutional Court members. The Constitutional Court will start to re-discuss the request of Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu on a date set by Bumin. Kanadoglu had made an application on August 21, 2001 and requested that the AK Party should be given official reprimand and the duties and authorities of AK Party leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan should be prevented as a precaution.

TPIC TO OPEN OIL WEELS IN IRAQ
Turkey which took part in the International Baghdad Fair with 150 firms, signed a number of contracts. Turkish Petroleum International Corp (TPIC) won a tender to open nearly 3 thousand oil wells in Kirkuk in five years.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

''EITHER WITH ECEVIT OR NOTHING''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan responded harshly to those who proposed him to undertake the mission of prime ministry instead of Bulent Ecevit. Ozkan said, ''I have been involved in politics with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, and I will give up politics with him.''

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DECREASES
Monthly industrial production index decreased by 9.2 percent in September of 2001 compared to the same period last year. State Institute of Statistics declared that manufacturing industry production decreased by 9.6 percent, mining industry production decreased by 16.7 percent, electricity, gas and water production decreased by 2.1 percent in September of 2000 compared to the same period of the previous year. Meanwhile, total industrial production decreased by 7.5 percent, mining industry decreased by 4.6 percent, manufacturing industry decreased by 8.3 percent, and electricity, gas and water industry decreased by 2.1 percent in the first nine months of 2001 compared to the same period of the previous year.

RABBANI: ''WE DO NOT REQUIRE ANY TROOPS FROM FRIENDLY STATES''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who paid an official visit to Tajikistan, met with Burhanuddin Rabbani, the ousted president of Afghanistan. Rabbani told reporters following the meeting, ''we do not require any troops from friendly states. The only thing we need is financial, logistical and political help. My fighters can handle the Taliban on their own.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CEM AND PAPANDREOU SIGN THREE AGREEMENTS
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and his Greek counterpart George Papandreou signed three new confidence-building measures agreements, and a series of protocols. The new measures include mutual invitation of Turkish and Greek officers to a comprehensive military exercise as observers, provision of an advanced communication between Turkish and Greek General Staffs, and implementation of a joint and sustainable environment initiative to prevent pollution in the Meric River. Other protocols are about extradition of illegal immigrants, foundation of Turkish-Greek joint unit against natural disasters, and cooperation between diplomatic academies of Turkish and Greek foreign ministries. Meanwhile, Cem and Papandreou became the first persons signing the Olympiad Peace Declaration.

3.7-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE CREATES PANIC IN VAN
A mild earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale jolted eastern province of Van early on Thursday. The earthquake sent residents in Van out to the streets in panic.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

stop him shouting.

LABOURERS IN ANKARA
The march organized by the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) and the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KESK) from different provinces to Ankara in order to protest unemployment, poverty, and corruption will end today with a press release in Ankara's Sihhiye Square.

YILMAZ: ''PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT AMAZED ME''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who objected to liquidation of the Directorate General of Rural Services amazed him.

DIALOGUE PROCESS AMONG TURKISH, ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI JOURNALISTS
Turkish, Armenian and Azerbaijani journalists signed a cooperation protocol to develop relations between the peoples of the three countries and help to bring a solution to the existing problems. The document which was called the Ankara Protocol was signed by Diplomacy Correspondents' Association Chairman Yusuf Kanli, Turkish Democracy Foundation Secretary General Murat Sengul, Armenian Yerevan Press Club President Boris Navasardian and Azerbaijani New Generation Journalists' Association Arif Aliyev.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

NUMBER OF BANKS DECREASE FROM 79 TO 67
The Banking Regulation and Supervision Authority (BRSA) said that the number of banks in Turkey decreased from 79 to 67. A progress report on the restructuring program of banking sector was released by the BRSA. Measures to be taken to make private banking system more robust were listed in the report. The report said that assets of the sector shrank by 27 percent to 112.6 billion U.S. dollars in August 2001 when compared with the end of the previous year. There was 40 percent decrease in Turkish lira (TL) deposits and 2 percent decrease in foreign currency deposits between January and August 2001, the report noted. The term loss of the banking sector which was 3.9 billion U.S. dollars by June decreased to 2.3 billion U.S. dollars by the end of August, the report noted.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

IMPORTS DECREASES SHARPLY
Customs Undersecretary Nevzat Saygilioglu said that total imports had been 36 billion 35 million U.S. dollars and total exports had been 25 billion 366 million U.S. dollars in the January-October period of 2001. Saygilioglu said total exports which had been 5 billion 87 million U.S. dollars in October of 2000 became 2 billion 524 million U.S. dollars in October of 2001. Noting that total exports which had been 2 billion 388 million U.S. dollars in October of 2000 became 2 billion 323 million U.S. dollars in October of 2001, Saygilioglu said that total exports could increase by 50 million U.S. dollars with the statistics to be sent by the customs which had not transited into automation yet. Saygilioglu said that foreign trade deficit decreased by 49.5 percent in the first ten months of 2001 when compared to same period of 2000.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

EU: ''REFORMS ARE POSITIVE, BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO START NEGOTIATIONS''
The Progress Report for Turkey which will be released by the European Union (EU) on November 13, becomes clear day by day. The report welcomed constitutional reforms in Turkey. However, it said that it was too early to start screening process. The screening process is a pre-condition for the beginning of membership negotiations.

[02] TURKISH CONSULATE GENERAL IN NEW YORK SEARCH SITUATION OF DETAINED TURKS

Also, New York-based Federation of Turkish-American Association (TADF) set up a committee to search situation of Turkish citizens.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INC) have begun to raid houses and business places of foreigners whose visas expired.

Mehmet Nuri Ezen, the Turkish Consul General in New York, asked U.S. officials to give detailed information about situation of Turkish citizens who were taken into custody during the raids.

Turkish Consulate General staff visited the detained Turks at prisons.

Meanwhile, Matthew Bryza, the Director for the European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, sent a letter to TADF Chairman Egemen Bagis, and said that any discrimination against Turkish people was out of question.

Noting that they were aware of the fact that Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, was the most reliable ally of the United States in fight against terrorism, Bryza said that they had informed the U.S. Office of Homeland Security which was set up recently under the leadership of Tom Ridge, on sensitivity of Turkish citizens living in the United States.

[03] TUSIAD SAYS SUCCESS OF ECONOMIC PROGRAM DEPENDS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF POLITICAL PROGRAM FOR EU

The report prepared by Yakup Beris and Asli Gurkan, noted that the economic program headed by State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy was, in fact, a pledge to fulfil economic criteria of the EU.

''Despite two serious economic crises, reform progress of the coalition government has recorded a progress that could not be achieved by any of governments during the last decade,'' it said.

The report claimed that the future of Turkey would depend results of a struggle between reformists and anti-reformists.

It said that reform process of the coalition goverment led by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit would have a vital importance on political and economic structure of the country.

Meanwhile, Abdullah Akyuz from the TUSIAD's Office in Washington D.C. said that although reform process of the government was ignored due to recent economic crisis, it was very beneficial for the country.

[04] PRESIDENT SEZER MEETS WITH PRESIDENT SHEVARDNADZE OF GEORGIA

State Minister Abdulhaluk Mehmet Cay is also in attendance at the meeting.

Following the meeting, President Sezer and President Shevardnadze will preside the inter-delegationary meetings.

Later, President Sezer and his Georgian counterpart Shevardnadze will sign a joint statement, and hold a joint press conference.

President Sezer and his entourage are expected to leave Tbilisi for Turkey later in the day.

[05] WORKERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS GATHER IN ANKARA FOR JOINT PRESS RELEASE OF TURK-IS, DISK, KESK AND HAK-IS

Turk-Is, DISK-KESK and Hak-Is decided to make a press release at Abdi Ipekci Park in Ankara's Sihhiye Square after the Confederation of International Free Labour Unions decided to declare November 9 as ''Global Action Day of Labour''.

Workers and civil cervants will march to Sihhiye Square.

Security measures have been tightened in Ankara.

A number of policemen have been deployed at Abdi Ipekci Park.

[06] GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU SAYS TURKISH MILITARY TROOPS WILL LEAVE FOR AFGHANISTAN WHEN RIGHT TIME COMES

Together with Land Forces Commander General Hilmi Ozkok, Air Forces Commander General Cumhur Asparuk, Naval Forces Commander Admiral Bulent Alpkaya and Second Army Commander General Edip Baser, General Kivrikoglu visited Governor Cemil Serhadli of southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

Responding to questions of journalists following the meeting, General Kivrikoglu said that he paid visits to the region from time to time to check the military troops.

Responding to questions of journalists about Afghanistan and Northern Iraq, Ggeneral Kivrikoglu noted, ''the date of Turkish military troop's departure for Afghanistan is not clear yet. Turkish military troops will leave for Afghanistan when the appropriate time has come. Even the United States has not sent its soldiers to Afghanistan. The United States has been maintaining the military operation with war planes and by using weapons from the sea. We do not have any information when the United States would deploy its soldiers in Afghanistan.''

''The number of Turkish soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan was determined as 90. I do not think that the military operation in Afghanistan entailed great numbers of military troops. Because, the Soviet Union had deployed 1 million soldiers in Afghanistan in the past, but had not come to a conclusion. According to my point of view, The Northern Alliance should be supported, and given weapons and equipment. Targets should be determined through intelligence, satellites and unmanned planes. I think that several operations can be launched by sending special forces teams to the area by helicopters. Any military operation in Northern Iraq is out of question for the time being,'' he stressed.

When asked of Turkey's attitude towards a possible strike of the Unite States on Iraq, General Kivrikoglu told reporters, ''Turkey, of course, does not want such an operation. Because, such an operation affects Turkey negatively. Turkey is a neighbor of Iraq. Turkey has suffered a financial loss of nearly 40 billion U.S. dollars in the past due to similar situation.''

Responding to a question about number of armed forces of the terrorist organization PKK in the region, General Kivrikoglu said that there could be 400 or more PKK terrorists in the region.

[07] PRESIDENT SEZER AND HIS GEORGIAN COUNTERPART SHEVARDNADZE HOLD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE (1)

President Sezer who is currently paying an official visit to Georgia, held a joint a press conference together with his Georgian capital Eduard Shevardnadze.

Speaking at the joint press conference, President Sezer said that Turkey was interested closely in problems of Georgia.

Stressing that Turkey and Georgia could not turn a blind eye to problems of each other, President Sezer said, ''I want to stress once again that protection of Georgia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity is of indispensable importance for us.''

Meanwhile, President Shevardnadze of Georgia said in his part that their relatins with Turkey had been improving in every field in a dynamic way.

President Shevardnadze said that they wanted to see Turkish soldiers in the multi-national peace force that was planned to be deployed in Abkhazia after wthdrawal of Russian soldiers.

President Shevardnadze said that he had conveyed his view about Turkish soldiers to President Sezer.

[08] SP SUBMITS A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST STATE MINISTER DERVIS

Holding a press conference in his office at the parliament, SP Deputy Group Chairman Veysel Candan said that the budget for the year 2002 was a budget of bankruptcy.

Candan said, ''Turkish people have been experiencing the most serious economic crisis of their history. State Minister Dervis has been acting as 'the only boss of economy' since March 2001. Hiss all desires were fulfilled by the coalition partners. Therefore, State Minister Dervis is the real responsible of economic collapse.''

[09] STATE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OZKAN RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADOR PEARSON

The meeting that lasted for about an hour, was closed to the press.

During the meeting, Pearson expressed uneasiness over that some Turkish firms which did not repay their debts to the U.S. companies.

[10] STATE MINISTER GUREL SAYS TURKEY WILL NEVER PERMIT TURKISH CYPRIOTS TO BE A MINORITY

Responding to questions of reporters if a new process regarding Cyprus had started, Gurel said that there was nothing new.

Gurel noted that the things said in recent days were the reiteration of the things that Turkey had said so far.

''There is nothing new. The only new things is that some circles are really becoming aware of how much Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are determined. Maybe, we can consider this as a new thing,'' Gurel said.

Asked if Turkey was carrying out an initiative to bring TRNC President Rauf Denktas to negotiation table again, Gurel said, ''no. If there is to be a development like Denktas' return to negotiation table, Clerides should evaluate the letter that Denktas wrote to him. You know Denktas proposed a face to face meeting. To this end, there is nothing that the talks should be under the auspices of a mediator or outside Cyprus. I guess that all the world is seeing that Denktas wants to handle the issue directly.''

When a reporter said, ''you say that we will integrate with TRNC if the Greek Cypriot administration is accepted to the European Union. How will this integration be,'' Gurel said, ''Turkey will neither permit Turkish Cypriots to be a minority in the European Union (EU) or another group nor let the Cyprus island be carried to another geography in one night.''

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM LEAVES FOR UNITED STATES

Cem will hold several official contacts and join the U.N. General Assembly between November 10 and 16.

Foreign Minister Cem will address the General Assembly on November 12.

Cem will hold bilateral relations with the foreign ministers of many countries, including Britain, France, the Netherlands, Israel, Italy, Russia, Hungary, Albania, Egypt, Algeria and Cuba and meet with the ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan at a working breakfast.

Foreign Minister Cem, who is expected to have a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, will also meet with U.N. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi and U.N. Special Envoy to Central Asia.

Cem will also meet with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and join the foreign ministers meeting of the Organization of the Islam Conference (OIC).

Ismail Cem will attend a dinner hosted by the EU Term Presidency to the EU member and candidate states.

Cem will return to Turkey after wrapping up contacts for almost a week.

[12] WORKERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS START GATHERING IN SIHHIYE SQUARE

They will attend the press release to be made by Turk-Is, DISK-KESK and Hak- Is on the occasion of November 9 Global Action Day of Labour declared by the Confederation of International Free Labour Unions.

They marched form Tandogan Square to Sihhiye Square under the leadership of DISK Chairman Suleyman Celebi, Turk-Is Chairman Bayram Meral, Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) leader Ufuk Uras, KESK Chairman Sami Evren and Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Chairman Yavuz Onen, by chanting slogans.

[13] IMF SAYS 4TH AND 5TH TRANCHES OF LOAN TO TURKEY WON'T BE JOINED TOGETHER

IMF officials told the A.A correspondent that IMF was not planning to unite the tenth and eleventh periods review works.

Within framework of the deal between Turkey and IMF in May, it was mentioned that the tenth review period would be after September 20 and the eleventh review period would be after November 15.

However, due to negative effects of September 11 terrorist attacks on the Turkish economy, creation of supplementary external finance requirement in 2002 and preparation of the savings measures package, almost a two-month postponement occurred in the tenth review period.

International finance circles in Washington D.C. said the IMF did not unite the tenth and eleventh reviews works as Turkey had not yet fulfilled the eleventh period performance criteria. As it was planned, IMF delegation headed by Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen will complete their works in Ankara next week end.

Later, the amount of next year's external finance requirement and its sources should be determined as also in line with savings measures. After these, IMF Executive Directors Board is expected to convene through the end of November to finalize the tenth review period and approve the fourth tranche of loan worth of nearly 3 billion U.S. dollars. At this meeting, the IMF Executive Directors Board is also expected to take the final decision of next year's external finance. Shortly after this meeting, IMF delegation will come to Turkey to start the eleventh review works.

Also tender law is among the performance criteria of the eleventh period. Under normal conditions, this period is expected to be finalized in a short time, paving the way for approval of this year's fifth and last tranche of loan worth of 3 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, State Minister Kemal Dervis who will represent Turkey in the G- 20, IMF and World Banks meeting in Ottowa, Canada next week end is expected to later proceed to Washington D.C.

[14] PRESIDENT SEZER SAYS WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF SOLUTION OF PROBLEMS IN CAUCASUS THROUGH PEACEFUL METHODS AND IN DIRECTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW PRINCIPLES (2)

Sezer and Shevardnadze held a joint press conference following their tete-a- tete meeting and interdelegationary meetings.

President Sezer said that the Caucasus was a sensitive region where some problems which had not been solved yet were being faced and that the problems would affect all Eurasia.

Sezer noted that understanding, solidarity and cooperation among regional countries were very important and that the obstacles in front of development and welfare of regional countries would be eliminated as the problems were solved.

Stressing that they were in favour of the solution of the Abkhazia issue peacefully on the basis of Georgia's territorial integrity, political unity and sovereignty, Sezer said, ''during our meeting, we stated that we would continue to do our best to contribute to the rapprochement efforts between the sides.''

Shevardnadze and he were sharing similar views about the improvement of bilateral relations, Sezer noted and pointed out that they should encourage private sector representatives to have direct business contacts with each other.

They also debated the implementation process of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project, Sezer said.

Sezer stated that the ratification of the agreement on Shah Deniz project by the Georgian parliament as soon as possible would facilitate the implementation.

They also evaluated the developments following the terrorist attacks in the U.S., Sezer said, ''within this framework, we agreed that the international fight against terrorism should be supported.''

Upon a question on cooperation of two countries in combatting terrorism, Sezer said that agreements were made on this issue with some other countries before and that they wanted to make a similar agreement with Georgia.

Georgia accepted this proposal, he added.

Responding to a question about Turkey's contributions to solution of Abkhazia issue, Sezer said that they wanted the issue to be solved by peaceful methods and that they were ready to do what was necessary.

Sezer invited Shevardnadze to Turkey as he concluded his words.

[15] TURKEY AND GEORGIA SIGN JOINT DECLARATION

The joint declaration stated that bilateral relations between Turkey and Georgia were for the benefit of both countries.

The declaration noted that two presidents debated the transit highway transportation between two countries during their meetings which were held within the framework of Sezer's official visit to Georgia.

Georgia decided to put to practice a reasonable price tariff for Turkish transporter companies and take measures for the security of lorries, trucks and their drivers, the declaration said.

The declaration noted that Georgia would exert efforts for the solution of problems of Emlak Bankasi, the first Turkish bank opened in Tbilisi.

Shevardnadze later hosted a luncheon in honour of Sezer.

[16] TURKEY AND GEORGIA SIGN JOINT DECLARATION

The joint declaration stated that bilateral relations between Turkey and Georgia were for the benefit of both countries.

The declaration noted that two presidents debated the transit highway transportation between two countries during their meetings which were held within the framework of Sezer's official visit to Georgia.

Georgia decided to put to practice a reasonable price tariff for Turkish transporter companies and take measures for the security of lorries, trucks and their drivers, the declaration said.

The declaration noted that Georgia would exert efforts for the solution of problems of Emlak Bankasi, the first Turkish bank opened in Tbilisi.

Shevardnadze later hosted a luncheon in honour of Sezer.

[17] PRESIDENT SEZER AND HIS GEORGIAN COUNTERPART SHEVARDNADZE HOLD A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE (3)

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer who is currently paying an official visit to Georgia, held a joint a press conference together with his Georgian capital Eduard Shevardnadze.

Speaking at the press conference, President Eduard Shevardnadze said that relations between Turkey and Georgia had been further improving in every field, and added that both sides had the necessary will to accelerate this improvement.

Noting that his meeting with President Sezer had focused on the issue of terrorism, President Shevardnadze noted that preparatory works had been under way to set up a tripartite cooperation among Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Pointing out that a number of people of Abkhaz origin had been living in Turkey, President Shevardnadze said that Turkey had been extending support to solution of the Abkhaz problem within framework of Georgia's territorial integrity.

He said that Turkey's support was of great importance for them.

President Shevardnadze stressed that President Sezer and he had reached full consensus of opion on putting into practice the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline as soon as possible.

Recalling that President Sezer had invited him to Turkey, President Shevardnadze said that he had responded this invitation in the affirmative, and he was ready to pay a visit to Turkey.

Responding to a question about cooperation in fight againts terrorism, President Shevardnadze said that Turkey and Georgia shared the same views.

He said that they expected Azerbaijan to participate in this cooperation, and added that such a tripartite cooperation would facilitate efforts to solve ethnic problems.

Responding to another question, President Shevardnadze said that Russian soldiers constituted most of the peace forces in Abkhazia.

Recalling that Georgian parliament had taken a decision about withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Georgian territories, President Shevardnadze said that they had proposed the United Nations to deploy a multi-national peace force in the region.

President Shevardnadze said that they wanted to see Turkish soldiers in the multi-national peace force that was planned to be deployed in Abkhazia after wthdrawal of Russian soldiers.

President Shevardnadze added that Georgia aimed at further improving its relations with Turkey, Europe, the United States and the Russian Federation.

[18] DUTCH GENERAL DIRECTOR FOR INTEGRATION WITH EUROPE SAYS IF TURKEY WANTS TO BE A PART OF EU, IT SHOULD CREATE DYNAMICS OF EU IN ITS OWN TERRITORY

Giving a conference on EU's enlargement and Turkey, De Bruijn said that besides circulating single currency named Euro, the EU had assumed a new attitude which named ''Lisbon Strategy'' and which aimed to make economy of the union more competitive and dynamic and develop economic and social policies.

De Bruijn noted that EU's enlargement target was not a new thing and that this was being discussed since 1993.

The countries which wanted to take part in the union should adopt the values like democracy, peace and equality which the EU attributed importance, De Bruijn stated.

De Bruijn said that EU could not do without Turkey and similary, it was very important for Turkey to enter into the EU.

Turkey's making reforms in its territory was another important issue in accession with the EU, De Bruijn pointed out.

If Turkey wanted to be a part of the EU, which was also my wish, it should create the dynamics which occured in the EU in its own territory, De Bruijn said.

De Bruijn said that Turkey was economically and strategically important for the EU and noted that he thought that it had recorded significant progress.

De Bruijn added that it was time to continue the reforms.

[19] BARTHOLOMEOS SAYS IT IS WRONG TO ASSOCIATE ISLAM WITH TERRORISM

Bartholomeos who visited Antalya Governor Ertugrul Dokuzoglu, said he came to Antalya to attend 12 Islands Mayors Meeting and tonight he would pass from Kas to Meis Island.

''No religion approves war,'' Bartolomeos told reporters. ''There are people who want to show the war in Afghanistan as the war of religions and this is very wrong and dangerous. It is very wrong to associate Islam with terrorism.''

Underlining that all religions encourage friendship and peace, Bartholomeos said that a meeting would be held on Dec. 19-20 entitled Inter-Religions Organization Meeting sponsored by the EU. At this meeting, he said, the participants will discuss the ongoing war in Afghanistan and try to prevent using of religions as material in wars. Bartholomeos said the meeting was important for world peace.

Dokuzoglu invited Bartholomeos to Santa Claus ceremonies which will be held in Demre on Dec. 4-8. Bartholomeos had to decline the invitation since he will be attending another meeting on that date but he said he would send a representative.

[20] STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC POOL SYSTEM DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE

Responding to the queston of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Salih Kapusuz if they thought of implementing this system, Dervis said that public joint account system was put to implementation in 1996 to ensure efficient use of public resources and to decrease the borrowing need of the public.

Dervis noted that the pool system could not be carried out efficiently due to cash problems of concerned banks, due to problems resulting from the status of some public institutions particularly the State Economic Enterprises (SEEs), and due to the edcisions taken by some higher judicial organs.

''Within the framework of these developments, the implementation of Treasury's using sources from public institutions was ended; however, the implementation of public joint account system was continued. Implementation of public pool system does not seem possible because privatization process of state banks have been launched,'' Dervis said.

Asked how the assets in balance sheets of public institutions like the Turkish Petroleum Corp. (TPAO) and Oil Pipeline Inc. (BOTAS) were used, Dervis said that BOTAS needed 170-200 million U.S. dollars for gas purchases every month.

Dervis noted that the income gained from domestic natural gas sales was changed into U.S. dollars and used in foreign repayments.

TPAO was an institution which had to work with a certain amount of cash to carry out its internal and external searches and production without deficiencies, Dervis said.

Dervis noted that this institution continued its search and drilling initiatives in cooperation with Central Asian republics and foreign oil companies in neighbouring countries and added, ''we guess that the investments made in especially Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan will start to return to the country no later than the end of 2004.''

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