 |
Compact version |
|
 |
        |
|
 |
||
|
Saturday, 21 December 2024
|
||
 |
 |
|
|
|
Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-11-20Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 21 NOVEMBER 2001 Wednesday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on November 20, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)U.S. DOLLAR FALLS BELOW 1,5 MILLION TLThe additional loan expected to be taken from IMF pleased the markets. The Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) index increased to its maximum level after May 22, this year and reached 12,263 points. The selling price of one U.S. dollar fell below 1 million 500 thousand Turkish liras (TL) in Istanbul free market and interbank foreign exchange market. YILMAZ MEETS WITH MUMCU MILLIYET (LIBERAL)''I DIDN'T LIKE MYSELF''Erkan Mumcu, the deputy leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) who met with ANAP leader Mesut Yılmaz, told reporters that ''Mr. Yılmaz didn't like my words about Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. He is right. Mr. Prime Minister Ecevit is a very polite person, I worked with him. I am very sorry about my style in voicing my criticism.'' NEW PROMISES GIVEN TO IMF SABAH (LIBERAL)DON'T PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON TRADESMENSukru Kızılot, one of the most important tax experts of Turkey called the government not to put too much tax pressure on tradesmen. Tradesmen are still suffering from the economic crisis. Hundreds of them closed their business and others try to stand on their feet. Many of the tradesmen are not expected to have profits at the end of the year. However, the law urges tradesmen to pay taxes even if they don't have profit at the end of the year. PURSE-SNATCHERS KILL ONE WOMAN CUMHURIYET (LEFT)NEW CONDITIONS PECULIAR TO TURKEY SHOULD NOT BE PUTPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer said that he regarded the Progress Report announced by the EU Commission for Turkey on Nov. 13 as objective. Responding to questions of journalists about the Progress Report, Sezer said ''I evaluate it as objective. However, the EU should not bring forward new conditions which are peculiar to Turkey. We will abide by the criteria asked by the EU from other candidate countries. We will try to fulfil our deficiences written in the report.'' Sezer said that he was certainly hopeful that Turkey would overcome the economic crisis. When asked if early elections could be a remedy, Sezer said that ''it is the appreciation of the parliament.'' BANK IN PARLIAMENT ROBBED RADIKAL (LEFT)WHAT DO CHILD'S RIGHTS MEAN?Mehmet is one of the six million children who work in Turkey. He is 14 years old and he does not know the Child's Rights Day. He only knows to work continuously. According to the data of International Labour Organization (ILO), there are 252 million children in the world who work. Mehmet is one of them and he works in one of the car repair shops in Dolapdere, Istanbul. He does not go to work, but works six days a week and earns 60 million dollars (40 U.S. dollars) in a month. ANOTHER RAINY AND COLD WEATHER WAVE TURKIYE (RIGHT)IMF DELEGATION TO COME TO TURKEY IN DECEMBERAnne Krueger, the First Deputy Managing Director of IMF said that the IMF delegation will probably come to Turkey in the begininng of December. ''We must work more on the financial needs of Turkey,'' she said. IMF sources said that the delegation will hold contacts in Ankara about the new stand- by agreement planned to be signed between Turkey and IMF before the end of December and also to review the economic programme for the last time this year. ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)COALITION PARTNERS OPEN TO DEBATE CERTAIN ISSUESThe coalition parties Motherland Party (ANAP), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Democratic Left Party (DSP) opened to debate a series of proposals including the issue of political parties' going to elections together. Coalition parties who work on decreasing the election threshold from ten percent to eight percent, also consider to make ''election alliances'' legal. [02] STATE MINISTER GUREL SAYS TURKEY DOES NOT WANT TO JOIN EU UNDER ALL CONDITIONSBERLIN - State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said on Monday that if it is only the EU which determines the conditions, Turkey is not ready to join the EU, adding that ''Turkey does not want to join EU under all conditions. ''Speaking about the ''Future of Turkey-EU relations in a symposium organized by Berlin Europe Academy, Gurel said that Turkey wants to join the EU, adding that this is not a one-way path. Gurel said that Turkey fulfilled all of its obligations towards the EU, but the latter didn't do the same, adding that ''the EU would have given us 2 billion Euros to meet the losses stemming from the Customs Union. We've not received this money yet. Besides, we had to get 600 million Euros within the scope of fourth financial protocol. We didn't receive it either.'' Gurel said that Turkey was the only country which joined the customs union without being a member, noting that the other candidates became members and then joined the customs deal. ''EU which prepared for the future at the Nice summit didn't mention Turkey even once in its enlargement plans. If Turkey's joining the EU takes too much time, Turkey maybe will not want to take part in this new EU,'' Gurel said. Noting that Turkey fought against terrorism with success, Gurel said that ''nobody supported us in our fight, even impediments were put. Despite that, we were able to win the fight against terrorism. Turkey is the first country which called for international cooperation and solidarity in the fight against terrorism.'' Gurel pointed out that if the EU takes into consideration Turkey's security interests, the latter is ready to make military cooperation with EU. ''Turkey is a NATO member, it permits allies to use NATO bases in Turkey, but Turkey is not included to the European Security and Defense Identity. This can't be accepted,'' he said. Referring to the Cyprus issue, Gurel said that Turkey-EU relations and Cyprus issue have to be taken up seperately. The Cyprus question didn't start with the intervention of Turkey in Cyprus in 1974, but it started with the Greek Cypriots' starting the ethnic cleansing in 1963. ''Turkish Cypriots have always been isolated, exposed to the intense sanctions of the EU and not recognized,'' he said. Greek Cypriots took Turkish Cypriots away from the cabinet, the parliament and their homes, he said. ''A plan to destroy Turks was prepared, Turkey intervened to prevent that and Turkish Cypriots declared TRNC in 1983,'' he said. Turkey, Turkish Cypriots and also Former U.N. Secretary General Peres de Cuellar warned the EU about the issue and noted that Turkish Cypriots were not a minority and that the Greek Cypriots wouldn't wish to negotiate. ''Yet, the EU didn't listen to us. The EU will either continue its attitude or delay Cyprus's membership to the EU. If Greek Cypriot side is accepted to the EU as a member, the TRNC will assume a joint approach with Turkey,'' he said. Gurel will return to the country on Tuesday. [03] STATE MINISTER DERVIS MEETS WITH IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR KOEHLERWASHINGTON D.C. - State Minister Kemal Dervis met with IMF Managing Director Horst Koehler on Monday.Responding to questions of journalists after the meeting, Dervis said that 10 billion dollars of additional credit planned to be given by IMF to Turkey was a new source. Dervis said that Turkey will also get the 3 billion dollars remaining from the tenth and eleventh reviews and 1 billion dollars which was earlier planned to be given to Turkey. He said that the additional credit planned to be 10 billion dollars will be added to the credit tranche that was earlier decided to be given to Turkey. In return, Turkey will pay back the 5 billion dollars of Structural Reserve Facility (SRF) to IMF next year, Dervis said and noted that IMF Executive Directors Board is expected to convene next week and result the tenth review. At this meeting, the Board is expected to release 3 billion dollars, which is the fourth tranche, to Turkey. The U.S. regards positively the economic situation of Turkey, said Dervis and noted that the 10 billion dollars of new source to be taken from IMF is not a donation, but a loan. Turkey has to decrease its debt burden in order to have a sound economy, Dervis said and added that there is no change in Turkey's paying back its debts to IMF next year. Turkey will pay 5 billion dollars of debt next year, Dervis said and noted that ''IMF will pay to us and we'll pay back to them. This is positive for us as 5 billion dollars was an expensive source. We will get rid of that. In place of that, we will get a more reasonable source for a longer term.'' ''This is a new programme for us,'' Dervis said who will attend a meeting to be organized by J.P. Morgan firm in New York on Tuesday. ''There is a positive atmosphere and we have to consolidate that. We will inform the private sector in the U.S. which invests or which are interested in Turkey. This is an important meeting,'' Dervis said. ''I am trying to give the message here that this programme is a good opportunity. The situation in the world is more difficult after September 11 terrorist attacks. Turkey should not seek for the solution of its problems by internal and external borrowing. The solution of the problems depends on having structural reforms and a sound economy. Additional source can ease that, but we must not try to find the solution by focusing on the loan. On the contary we must decrease our debt burden in time,'' he said. [04] TURKISH MILITARY DELEGATION COMES TO TASHKENTTASHKENT - The Turkish military delegation headed by Gen. Resat Turgut, the chief of Plan and Principles Desk of General Staff arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on Tuesday.The delegation came to Tashkent to hold contacts within the scope of the ''implementation protocol'' of the military-technics cooperation agreement signed between the two countries during President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's visit to Uzbekistan last year. The delegation will meet with Uzbek Defense Minister Kadir Gulamov, Uzbek National Security Council Secretary Mirekber Rahmankulov and Deputy Foreign Minister Sadık Safeyev. [05] TURKISH AMBASSADOR LOGOGLU ATTENDS DINNER HOSTED BY U.S PRESIDENT BUSH FOR AMBASSADORS OF MUSLIM COUNTRIESWASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. President George W. Bush hosted a dinner for the ambassadors of muslim countries in the U.S. on Monday due to Ramadan.Turkish Ambassador to the U.S. Faruk Logoglu attended the dinner and sat at the same table with Bush. Speaking before the dinner, Bush said that Ramadan month enables people from different religions to understand each other more. There is no place for terrorists in any religion and the evil has no holy days, said Bush who also thanked the ambassadors of the muslim countries for the support their countries extended to the fight with terrorism. U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell and U.S. Justice Secretary John Ashcroft also attended the meeting. Bush said that the U.S. wanted to live in peace with people from all beliefs, adding that they launched efforts to make the Afghan people and the whole Islam world to reach a better life. [06] CARGO SHIP CASTS ANCHOR OFFSHORE SARIYER, ISTANBULISTANBUL - The ''Sao Tome-flagged'' cargo ship whose rudder broke down and which drifted for some time, had no choice than casting anchor on Tuesday morning.The 5,635 gross tons of ship namely ''Medgeneral 1'' cast anchor due to a failure in its rudder system. However, the ship could not stop and it drifted in the Black Sea direction for some time, and it came near the land. The ship which was taken under control by the coast guard teams was pulled to Beykoz Pasabahce coast. Istanbul strait was closed to traffic due to the failure in the ship and the navigating ships were warned. The Sao Tome-flagged ship was on the way from Konstanta to Moracco. [07] ONE PERSON CAPTURED RED HANDED WHILE TRYING TO SELL HISTORICAL WORKS OF ART TO POLICE IN IZMIRIZMIR - One person who tried to sell historical works of art to police was captured red handed in Dikili town of western Izmir province on Tuesday.Acting on a tip-off, the police teams contacted with Filiz Guner, a woman who wanted to sell the historical works of art. Police seized 73 works of art in her car. [08] PRESIDENT SEZER SAYS DECLARATION OF RIGHTS OF CHILD AND CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF CHILD NECESSITATE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATIONANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Tuesday that the Declaration of Rights of Children and Convention on Rights of Children which were adopted by the U.N. and which guarantee the rights of children necessitate international solidarity and cooperation.Sezer said that many countries including Turkey signed both documents and this ensures one's looking at the future with hope and optimism, adding that ''yet the common effort of countries has to be questioned when the high number of children who live in poor conditions in the world is taken into consideration.'' Issuing a written message upon the ''Child's Rights Day'', Sezer said that the whole world has to launch common efforts to present modern living standarts to children, to protect them and to educate them in the best way. ''It is the most important responsibility of countries to leave a good world to children where love, tolerance and peace prevail,'' Sezer said. Sezer said that great leader Ataturk's declaring April 23, the foundation day of the Turkish parliament as a children's festival is a sign of the fact that Turkey regards children of other countries as important as its own children. [09] TURKEY'S RANK FALLS FROM 35 TO 44 IN LIST OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONANKARA - Turkey's rank which was 35 in the international competition list fell to 44 as of April this year.According to the World Competition Index for 2001, Turkey which was ranked the 35th in 1997 has been ranked the 44th in the list in 2001. In the period between 1997 and 2001, Turkey lost its competetion superiority against Hungary, Greece, Italy, Mexico, India and South Africa according to the data of the ''International Administration Development Institute'' published by Ankara Trade Chamber. In respect of productivity, Turkey is ranked the 39th in the World Competition Index which has a great influence on global economy. [10] GAP EXPORTS AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS WORTH OF 14,7 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS TO AFRICAN COUNTRIESGAZIANTEP - Southeastern Anatolian Project (GAP) region exported agricultural and industrial products to African countries worth of 14 million 778 thousand U.S. dollars in the first ten months of this year with 38.7 percent increase.In the same period last year, the region exported agricultural and industrial products worth of 10 million 654 thousand U.S. dollars. Southeast Anatolian Exporters' Associations said that GAP region exported animal and animal products worth of 139 thousand dollars, cereals and their products worth of 2 million dollars, dried fruit worth of 1 million 16 thousand dollars and textile worth of 11 million 623 thousand dollars to African countries in January-October 2001 period. The region exported mostly knitted and other textile products to African countries. Egypt became the main export center with 5 million 264 thousand dollars of products. [11] CAKMAKOGLU MEETS WITH HIS BULGARIAN COUNTERPART IN BRUSSELSBRUSSELS - National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu who is currently in Brussels to attend the European Union (EU) meetings and to hold a series of contacts, met on Tuesday with his Bulgarian counterpart Nikolay Svinarov.During the meeting, Cakmakoglu congratulated Svinarov who has been newly appointed to his duty. Cakmakoglu and Svinarov reviewed defense and security cooperation between Turkey and Bulgaria. Later, Cakmakoglu attended the meetings held with the participation of foreign, interior or defense ministers of member and candidate countries to the EU and of European allies of NATO. The meetings focused on the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) and relations between EU and NATO. Cakmakoglu is expected to hold a press conference to give information about his contacts in Brussels later in the day. [12] IFC BECOMES PARTNER OF TURKISH-KYRGYZ JOINT VENTURE WITH USD 2.4 MILLIONWASHINGTON/ANKARA - World Bank's subsidiary International Finance Corporation (IFC) became partner of Turkish-Kyrgyz joint venture Akun Ltd.IFC said on Tuesday that the partnership which was prepared by investment project IFC expert Engin Goksu of Turkey targeted to encourage Turkish- Kyrgyz investments in Kyrgyzstan. Akun Ltd will produce wheat near capital city Bishkek. IFC which was founded in 1956 has given more than 31 billion U.S. dollars assistance to private sectors throughout the world. [13] NATO STANAVFORMED VESSELS VISIT MARMARISMARMARIS - Four vessels of NATO's Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED) visited Marmaris.Marmaris Head Official Isa Kucuk and Marmaris Mayor Ismet Karadinc hosted a cocktail party in honor of STANAVFORMED Commander Sommerville Angus. Aksaz Naval Base Commander Admiral Ahmet Aksoy, commanders and personnel of STANAVFORMED vessels attended the cocktail party. NATO STANAVFORMED General Staff Captain Albay Sinan Ertugrul said that STANAVFORMED was composed of eigt vessels from different countries and that HMS Chatnam (United Kingdom), HMNLS Van Nes (Netherlands), SPS Santa Maria (Spain) and TCG Giresun (Turkey) formed the first group. He said that the vessels in the second group would visit Marmaris between November 22-25. Stressing that the STANAVFORMED was assigned to secure peace in Mediterranean, Ertugrul said that ''these routine visits that are paid under Article 5 of the NATO Agreement after events of September 11 aim to extend support to the United States.'' [14] BANDLER: ''WE REGARD DENKTASS-CLERIDES MEETING AS PART OF ANNAN'S EFFORTS TO BRING A SOLUTION TO CYPRUS''LEFKOSA - U.S. Ambassador in the Greek Cypriot part of Lefkosa, Donald Bandler said that his government regarded the meeting which will take place between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides as part of the U.N. Secretary General's efforts to bring a comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem.After a meeting with Clerides, Bandler told reporters that the United States continued to support the good will mission of the U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. Responding to a question, Bandler said he and Clerides discussed the meeting Clerides will have with Denktas. Denktas and Clerides will get together on Dec. 4 at Annan's Cyprus Special Deputy Representative Zbigniew Wlosowich's residence in Lefkosa. [15] GUREL LEAVES GERMANYBERLIN - State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel left Berlin for Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines (THY) plane after wrapping up his contacts in Germany on Tuesday.During his stay in Berlin, he attended the Capital Markets Promotion Meeting organized by the Prime Ministry Capital Market Council. Gurel also met with Deputy Chairman of the Jewish Community in Germany, Michael Friedman, and Turkish citizens at the Religious Affairs Turkish Islam Association.
Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
All Rights Reserved.