Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-11-10

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

10 NOVEMBER 2001

Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

MANGO:''ATATURK'S ACTS SHOULD BE REASSESSED''
British author Andrew Mango who is known for his books on Turkey, has said that Ataturk's life and his acts should be assessed again under the light of today's developments.

Speaking at a conference held at Koc University, Mango said that Ataturk had no pressure over the nation and that ''his only ideal was the independence of his country.'' ''Under the light of today's incidents, Ataturk's life and his acts should be assessed again. The terrorist attacks in the United States and the coalition formed in the whole world against terrorism drew attention to Ataturk's success in founding the first secular Muslim nation of the world and his vision,'' Mango said.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TURKS DON'T PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST AIDS
Researches have showed that Turks in general don't have much information about AIDS and don't protect themselves against the disease. Usage of condoms is low to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. A conference on AIDS will be given on Saturday at harbiye Military Museum Cultural Site. After the conference Leman Sam will give a concert for the benefit of Fight Against AIDS Association.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CRITICAL BUILDINGS TO BE PROTECTED BY MISSILES
Stinger missiles will protect the Presidential Residence, Prime Ministry, the Mausoleum, the General Staff and critical installations against suicide attacks. Turkey decided to form a missile shield against such attacks following the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on September 11. Turkey will purchase 148 missile defense system which will cost 265 million dollars. The project which was postponed due to the savings measures taken during the February crises, was brought to agenda again after the attacks in the U.S.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

SEZER:''WE'LL FOLLOW ATATURK'S PRINCIPLES''
In the message he released on Ataturk's death anniversary, President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has said that Ataturk's biggest accomplishment was to create a fully independent and sovereign nation from the Ottoman Empire which was about to be destroyed completely. ''There are very few leaders who changed the destiny of nations and shaped the world with their peace supporting principles. Therefore the Turkish nation should be very proud of great leader Ataturk,'' Sezer said and added that the nation would follow his principles.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

EU MEMBERSHIP CAN BECOME A DREAM
The EU Progress Report states that Turkey could not fulfil the political criteria. There must be a miracle for Turkey to join the EU before 2010. The EU does not seem to start full membership negotiations with Turkey before 2004. The Progress Report will be officially announced on November 13.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

13 SUSPECTS IN EGEBANK RELEASED
Aysenur Demirel, the wife of Murat Demirel who was one of the 13 suspects in relation to Egebank case were released from prison. The court decided the continuation of Demirel's imprisonment.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

-36 MEMBERS OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ASK BUSH TO HELP TURKEY
WASHINGTON D.C. - A total of 36 members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter on Saturday to U.S. President George W. Bush and asked him to give economic aid to Turkey which extends full support to the U.S. in the fight against terrorism.

The 36 members of the House of the Representatives said in the letter that Turkey is a traditional ally of the U.S. and it suffered a lot from terrorism.

The letter noted that if the U.S. can extend economic support to Turkey in the form of trade facilities or aid by international organizations, this will give both material and spiritual courage to Turkey. An ally country such as Turkey which has always extended support to the U.S. at the cost of being damaged, deserves such an aid in its difficult times, the letter continued.

Turkey is ready for unconditional aid to the U.S., the deputies said and added that Turkey was the target of a violent terrorism campaign which claimed the lives of more than 30,000 persons between the years 1984 and 1999 and that she knows the cost of freedom very well. Turkey abided by the sanctions imposed on Iraq for the last ten years, the letter said and stated that the September 11 crisis blew a heavy strike on the hopes of Turkey to overcome its economic problems.

The members of the U.S. House of Representatives also sent letters to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit thanking for the support Turkey extended to the U.S. in the fight against terrorism.

-ATATURK COMMEMORATED IN TRNC
LEFKOSA - Great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was commemorated in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on the 63th anniversary of his death on Saturday.

TRNC officials laid wreaths at Lefkosa Ataturk Monument and paid respect for Ataturk at 9.05 a.m. by when Ataturk passed away 63 years ago.

TRNC President Rauf Denktas, Parliament Speaker Vehbi Zeki Serter, Deputy Premier Salih Cosar, Turkish Ambassador to TRNC Hayati Guven, Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Commander General Ahmet Ozteker and high ranking commanders, representatives of political parties, institutions, foundations and associations attended the ceremony.

Signing the Special Book of the Monument, Denktas called on the youngsters to prevent attempts to overshadow the principles and Republic of Great Leader Ataturk.

General Ahmet Ozteker said that the Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Command is in full charge for prosperity of the Turkish nation and for protecting peace for happiness of whole humanity.

-CEREMONIES HELD ALL OVER COUNTRY TO COMMEMORATE ATATURK
ANKARA - Founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was commemorated on his 63rd death anniversary in all over the country, in Turkey's embassies and consulates abroad and in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The state ceremony started at Ataturk's mausoleum, Anitkabir, at 8.55 a.m.. The delegation formed by statesmen laid a wreat made out of white and red carnations on Ataturk's mausoleum. Later the delegation observed two minutes of silence at 9.05 a.m., Ataturk's time of death, followed by the playing of the National Anthem.

At the same moment, people all around Turkey stopped to observe a minute of silence and cars also stopped and honked their horns.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer wrote the following in Anitkabir special book:

''Great Leader Ataturk, we are remembering you with respect on the 63rd anniversary of your death. The Turkish nation all around the world is remembering you with longing and gratitude. We are aware of the gains we made by the Republic which opened the doors of a modern civilization to us. Your principles and reforms will continue to shed light on our way. Your place in the heart of the Turkish nation will never change.''

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, Chief of General Staff Huseyin Kivrikoglu, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller, Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin, 7th President Kenan Evren, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz, Justice and Development Party (AK) leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Felicity Party (SP) leader Recai Kutan, People's Republican Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal were among the delegation members.

Security measures around Anitkabir were tightened due to the ceremony. A helicopter flew over Anitkabir before and during the ceremony to patrol the area. No other planes were allowed to fly over Anitkabir during the ceremony and Akdeniz and Genclik avenues around Anitkabir were closed to traffic.

Ataturk was commemorated also in Izmir with a ceremony attended by Izmir Acting Governor Avni Elyorgun, Izmir Mayor Ahmet Piristina and other officials.

Another ceremony was held in Istanbul's Taksim Square, in front of Taksim Republic Monument. Labour and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan, Istanbul Governor Erol Cakir, 1st Army Commnader Cetin Dogan and Istanbul Mayor Ali Mufit Gurtuna as well as representatives of a number of non- governmental organizations laid wreaths on the monument.

''Every passing day, we are understanding you better. He is showing us the good and the correct. He is shedding light on our road,'' Cakir wrote on monument's book.

-CEREMONY HELD AT DOLMABAHCE PALACE IN ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL - Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was commemorated on Saturday in the room at Dolmabahce Palace where he passed away 63 years ago.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Yuksel Yalova, Istanbul Deputy Governor Gazi Kaya, Garrison Command Representative Colonel Gazi Kaya, Istanbul municipality deputy secretary general Mahmut Kus and Parliamentary National Palaces Department Director Polat Akbulut attended the ceremony.

The officials laid a wreath in the bed of Ataturk wrapped by a Turkish flag. A small boy put a rose in the bed.

Yuksel Yalova wrote in the Special Book of the Palace that ''Turkey launches efforts to reach the modern target showed by Ataturk. Turkey believes that it will overcome this difficult period by national unity and solidarity. We commemorate Great Leader Ataturk on his 63rd anniversary of his death.''

Atfer the ceremony, citizens visited Ataturk's room which was opened.

-TURKISH MAN OPENS TOURISM OFFICE IN PHUKET ISLAND
PHUKET - Germany based tour operator SunLine Drect recently opened a new branch in the exotic Phuket island of Thailand. The company is owned by haluk Olgac, a Turkish man living in Germany.

Thailand's Tourism Minister said Sept. 11 attacks negatively affected tourism activities all around the world and added that he admired the braveness of the Turkish entrepreneurs to open a tourism office in Thailand in such a critical periof.

Olgac said his company would bring German tourists to Phuket Island and also bring rich tourists of Thailand to Turkey.

-RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO VISIT TURKEY
ANKARA - A Russian delegation headed by Russian parliament's lower chamber Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Dimitri Olegovic will come to Turkey on Monday for a three day visit.

The delegation which was invited by Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission Chairman Kamran Inan, will hold contacts in Ankara for the first two days. The Russian delegation will have a meeting with Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission members and it will be received by Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, State Ministers Yılmaz Karakoyunlu, Sukru Sina Gurel and Edip Safter Gaydalı.

The delegation will meet with Turkish-Russian Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Bulent Akarcalı, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and National Defense Commission Chairman Hasan Gulay.

The Russian delegation which will proceed to Istanbul after his contacts in Ankara, will attend the dinner to be hosted by Turkish-Russian Business Council Chairman Turgut Gur. The delegation will leave Turkey on November 15.

-SEZER:''KEMALIST THOUGHT TAKES SCIENCE AND REASON AS THE
AS THE BASIS OF DEVELOPMENT AND MODERNIZATION IN ALL FIELDS''
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer hsa said that the Kemalist thought system took science and reason as the basis of development and modernization in all fields and that this basis gives a dynamic structure to the Kemalist thought system.

''The Turkish nation has to be in a continious development and modernization because of the Kemalist thought which is originated from the Turkish nation and the country's realities,'' Sezer said when he spoke at the commemoration meeting held on the 63th death anniversary of Ataturk on Saturday.

The president said that the faithfulness of citizens to Ataturk's principles and reforms was the best expression of the nation's love, gratitude and respect for him.

''There are very few leaders in the history who could change the destiny of their countries and who shaped the world. Their principles, thought systems and their works which they leave behind continue to be a guide for future generations,'' Sezer said.

''Ataturk which has become an example also to other nations with the War of Independence and the Republic he founded, gained respect in all over the world. Therefore the Turkish nation should be very proud of him. The best way to remember Great Leader Ataturk is to teach his principles and reforms to our children.''

Sezer also indicated that the Kemalist thought system took reason and science as the basis of development and modernization in all areas, a factor giving a dynamic structure to this thought system. Sezer quoted Ataturk's words ''The most correct guide in life is science. It is ignorance to look for any other guide than science and it is diversion from truth.''

-SEZER:''ADOPTION OF SECULARISM WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
STEPS TAKEN DURING TURKEY'S MODERNIZATION PROCESS''
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer has said that new social, economic and political structures were adopted after the foundation of the Republic, this way the Turkish nation made important progress in the modernization process guided by Ataturk's principles and reforms.

''Adoption of the secularism principle was one of the most important steps taken during the modernization process,'' Sezer said when he spoke at a commemoration meeting held on the 63rd death anniversary of Ataturk on Saturday.

''Secularism is the essense of the Turkish Republic and its unchangable quality. Secularsm separates the world affairs from religious rules and encourages reason. A majority of Ataturk's reforms were able to be realized by the help of secularism.''

Sezer said Ataturk, through his reforms, offered a modern world and its values to the Turkish nation.

The president said Ataturk's biggest accomplishment was to create a fully independent and sovereign nation from the Ottoman Empire which was about to be destroyed.

''Through the Republic, Ataturk wanted to create a nation formed by free individuals who could look into the future, who could think with reason and creativity. Ataturk aimed to make Turkey an efficient member of the world, '' he said. ''If today we could talk about a modern Turkish Republic, this is because concepts of politics, culture and civilizations are not separate from each other.

President Sezer said that one of the most important steps taken in the modernization process is the adoption and implementation of the principle of secularism. ''Secularism is the essence of the Turkish Republic's foundation philosophy and the cornerstone of the national unity. Secularism is also an indispensable element of modernization. The adoption of many laws particularly the Civil Code has consolidated the steps taken to put into practice the principle of secularism,'' he said.

Sezer stressed that education is the most important tool in efforts to reach the modernization goal, adding that the Turkish nation has to benefit from the advantages of the modern world without giving concessions from its understanding of independence and culture.

''The democracy culture has to be adopted as a life style and the Turkish people have to remove all the obstacles that impede Turkey's becoming a democratic, secular and legal state,'' he added.

-NGOs CALL ON JUSTICE MINISTRY TO IMPROVE PRISON CONDITIONS

ANKARA - A group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called on the Justice Ministry to end the ongoing death fasts and make improvements in the prison conditions.

Human Rights Association Chairman Husnu Ondul, who read out a press statement, claimed that the death fasts were continuing because of lack of dialogue between the Justice Ministry and the inmates. He also accused the ministry for failing to take satisfactory steps to bring a solution to the problem. He indicated that a total of 176 people were still continuing death fasting in prisons.

When asked to comment on the operation carried out in Istanbul's Kucuk Armutlu district, Ondul said he believed the security forces used illegal methods during the incident.

-67 FOREIGNERS IN BALIKESIR AND THREE IN EDIRNE CAUGHT
WHILE TRYING TO LEAVE TURKEY ILLEGALLY
EDREMIT/EDIRNE - A total of 67 foreigners were caught in Balikesir's Edremit and Burhaniye townships while they were trying to leave Turkey illegally.

Acting on a tip-off, police teams detained 33 foreigners in Edremit and 34 in Burhaniye. Seven Turks who were helping the foreigners to pass to other countries were also caught.

During their interrogation, the foreigners said they were planning to go to Ayvalik township and later flee to Italy from here.

In Edirne's Ipsala township, three foreigners who don't have passports and one Turkish person who was helping them were caught. Thre three foreigners said they wanted to pass to Greece from Edirne.

The foreigners were sent to Edirne Security Directorate to be deported.

-MIRZAOGLU:''GREECE AND TURKEY ARE WALKING ON THE ROUTE
OF ATATURK AND VENIZELOS''
SALONICA - State Minister Ramazan Mirzaoglu has said that Turkish and Greek nations shared many historical and cultural values and the two nations want to live in peace.

Mirzaoglu came to Salonica to attend the ceremony held at Ataturk's house in the city on his 63rd death anniversary. In the city, Mirzaoglu met with Macedonia and Thrace Minister George Pashalidis.

Drawing attention to the rapproachment between the two countries, Mirzaoglu said the two countries were following the path of Ataturk and Venizelos who laid the foundation of friendship between Turkey and Greece.

''The Turkish minority in Western Thrace and the Greek Minority in Turkey are factors which strengthen peace between the two countries. This is how we see it,'' he said.

Pashalidis also said that peace was for the interest of both countries.

Mirzaoglu and the accompanying delegation will spend the night in Salonica. They will attend a dinner hosted by Pashalidis on Saturday night. The delegation will leave for Turkey on Sunday.

-11TH BRITISH EDUCATION FAIR OPENS IN IZMIR
IZMIR - The 11th British Education Fair organized by the British Council opened in Izmir on Saturday.

The British Council Izmir Director Patricia Turkmenoglu who spoke at the opening of the fair, drew attention to the technological developments of our day. She said the goal of the fair is to introduce British education institutions to Turkish students. She indicated that a total of 8,240 Turkish students went to her country to learn English and 1,764 students went to British to study at universities.

She said that students who are planning to go to Britain to study during 2002-2003 education year, will be able to register at the fair which will last for two days. The same fair will repeat on Nov. 13-14 at Ankara Hilton, Istanbul Ceylan Inter-Continental Hotel on Nov. 16-17. A total of 32 Biritish eudcation institution representatives will attend the fair and Turkish students will be able to receive information about education opportunities in Britain.

Three lucky students, who will be chosen among those who fill in a survey, will be invited to attend a free language course of two weeks in Britain.

A series of seminars will also be given to the students about visa applications, scholarship programs, language schools in Britain and English language examinations at Cambridge University.

-POLICE DETAIN 30 PROTESTORS IN ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL - Police detained about 30 protestors who wanted to hold a demonstration without official permission in Istanbul's Beyoglu district on Saturday.

The group, who gathered in front of Galatasaray Post Office, changed slogans to protest the F type prison system.

Police did not allow the group to read out a press statement.

Polis detained the protestors who refused to disperse. Most of the protestors were women and Human Rights Association's Istanbul branch Chairman Eren Keskin was also in the group.

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