Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-12-06

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

06 December 2001

Friday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 6, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch fos not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Galatasaray soccer club of Turkey became the first Turkish team which gained one points in Nou Camp Stadium of Barcelona for 110 thousand people. Galatasaray played very well in the first half of its European Champions League match with FC Barcelona. Firstly Umit Karan then Fleurquin scored goals in the first half. Barcelona started the second half with one goal. The referee dismissed Capone and deteriorated the balances. Barcelona drew with Galatasaray, which played with 10 footballers. In the extra time, Hakan was dismissed from the match but, Galatasaray achieved to gain one points in the end of the match with 9 players.

''IMMEDIATELY ABOLISH ONE MILLION QUADRE''

State Minister Mehmet Kececiler said that there were 1 million vacant quadre in the state. Kececiler noted that if they did not abolish those quadres immediately, they would be filled. The minister, who made a statement on empty quadres and retirement of public employees warned: ''These quadres should immediately be abolished. We have to abolish them to prevent them from being used during election process.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

The United States shed green light. A Turkish general will command the United Nations (U.N.) Peace Force which will go to Afghanistan soon. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff who returned the request of U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell for a meeting due to his principle decision for three years, sent Deputy Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit to the meeting. During his meeting with military personnel, Powell said that the Peace Force should go to Afghanistan in the possible shortest time. Turkish side said that Turkey's having the right to speak was important to restore the secularism understanding of Great Leader Ataturk by breaking the effect of Iran and Pakistan in Afghanistan. At the meeting, the sides reached an agreement in principle that the Peace Force would be commanded by a Turk general. The issue will become definite today.

ARIA WINS CASE

Ankara Fourth Basic Civil Code confirmed the right of national roaming of GSM operator Aria and lifted the precautionary measures. Aria announced that the competition would be in the advantage of the subscribers.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

The United States requested support from Turkey for the military operations. Turkey sent a list of requests comprised of five articles to the White House. Here are the requests: ''Erase all military debts and interests. Turkey's military debts totalled to 7 billion U.S. dollars including the interest rates. Erase all these debts. Secondly, lift all the textile quotas. In line with the decision of the World Trade Organization, the quotas will be lifted in 2005. Don't wait till that day and lift the quotas. Thirdly, give the command to Turkey. We are ready to send troops to Afghanistan. But, the command of Peace Force should be given to Turkey. This proposal was immediately accepted. Fourthly, press on Europe. The European Union (EU) does not include PKK and DHKP-C in its list of terrorist organizations. We want the U.S. support on these issues. Fifthly, strike on Iraq should be the final remedy. We are against an operation against Iraq. But, if it is unavoidable, it should be staged. But, do not neglect to consult us prior to the operation.''

THEY TALKED ABOUT GALATASARAY'S GOALS IN DINNER

The historic meeting in Cyprus took place. Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration, came to Turkish side 26 years later and had a dinner with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas. Clerides did not hang presidential flag on his car while two leaders did not talk about politics during the dinner which lasted for two and a half hours. As Galatasaray scored two goals against FC Barcelona, two old friends chatted about Galatasaray soccer club.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement, promised that he would exert efforts at the Laaken Summit scheduled for December 14 for an EU statement backing Turkey. Verheugen and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz will meet again in January. Yilmaz, who had a meeting with Verheugen in Brussels, requested a new road map and schedule upon the progress marked in Cyprus. The EU has calmed down as the minutes of the face-to-face meeting between Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas and Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration, was conveyed to the union. EU believes that mutual step has been taken for a solution in Cyprus that has been expected for a long time.

DGM LAW PASSES FROM COMMISSION IN THE SAME WAY

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's reason to return the law which amends the law on the State Security Courts (DGMs) led to a discussion among the deputies. Ismail Aydinli of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) supported Sezer while Fethullah Erbas of the Felicity Party (SP) said that Sezer was trying to harm the parliament's esteem.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

State Minister Kemal Dervis for economy is very hopeful on Turkey's economy. He said that economy had been recovering for two months. Dervis stated that September 11 attacks in the United States had affected badly everything but International Monetary Fund (IMF) made a fast move. State Minister Dervis noted that determination in foreign policy and programme created this situation. Dervis added that the atmosphere would be quite different when the foreign source came to Turkey.

MARKETS OVERJOYED

The markets was overjoyed because of intensive demands to Treasury's euro bond issue and the positive atmosphere in Cyprus. Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) rose to 622 point. The price of 1 U.S. dollar was 1 million 463 thousand Turkish liras (TL). There was a decrease of 10 points in bond interests.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Following the unbelievable rises in the natural gas price which are made almost every day, the lowest natural gas invoice reached 75 million Turkish liras (TL). One cubic metre of natural gas purhased at 15 cents from Russia is sold to the citizens at 30 cent. The price of natural gas which started to hurt people before extreme cold weather starts is planned to be increased by 17 percent in the new year by imposing fuel oil consumption tax.

STORM AGAIN

Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions will be influenced by storm and rainy weather wave as of Friday.

SHIP SINKS

An Ukrainian-flagged ship sank off northern Sinop province due to storm. 15 of the 21 crewmembers were rescued while six others are still missing.

POWELL SAYS THERE IS NOT ANY DECISION ABOUT IRAQ YET

U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell, who met with Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in Ankara, said that they did not have any expectations from Turkey regarding Iraq since they had not taken a decision about this matter yet.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Constitutional Court rejected the annulment of the bill which foresees the privatization of Vakifbank. Constitutional Court Deputy Chairman Hasim Kilic announced that they finalized the case on annulment of the bill which foresaw changes in Vakifbank.

ORAL: ''STAND-BY DEAL WILL COVER 3 YEARS''

Finance Minister Sumer Oral said that International Monetary Fund (IMF) Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen and he discussed the budget and targets of 2002. Following the meeting, Oral told reporters that stand-by deal with the IMF would cover 3 years.

-U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL COORDINATOR TO CYPRUS SAYS ROLE OF DENKTAS IN POSITIVE RESULT REACHED IN CYPRUS SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED

WASHINGTON D.C., - Tom Weston, the U.S. State Department Special Coordinator to Cyprus, said on Thursday that role of President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in the positive result reached in Cyprus question should be acknowledged and recognized.

Speaking at a meeting, Weston defined the developments in Cyprus as a big step and noted that the United States had welcomed the developments.

Weston said that the European Union (EU) membership process was a motive in the path of solution to Cyprus question, on which the efforts were intensified especially in the spring of 1999.

The direct talks that the two leaders in Cyprus had started was the result of long-term efforts, Weston said and noted that the current process was an optimistic one.

Weston stressed that face-to-face meeting demand had come from Rauf Denktas and said that Denktas' role in the positive result should be acknowledged and recognized.

Turkey and Greece strongly encouraged the sides in the same direction, Weston said.

Weston stated that they could only make speculations about the future as the meeting of two leaders would continue.

The United States had doubled its efforts to help the leaders in the path to find a comprehensive solution, Weston said.

Upon a question on the contacts of the United States with Turkish army regarding Cyprus question, Weston said that Turkish government welcomed the announcement about resumption of direct talks with ''sincere and strong'' statements.

Weston noted that 30 thousand Turkish soldiers in the island had vital importance.

-U.S. STATE SECRETARY SAYS ATATURK FORESAW THAT TURKISH MODEL WAS

APPROPRIATE FOR AFGHANISTAN IN 1920S

WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell said on Thursday that Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic, could foresaw that a Turkish model was appropriate for Afghanistan in a very early period like the beginning of 1920s.

Powell, aboard the plane from Turkey to Brussels, told reporters that Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, during the working lunch he hosted, told himself and other colleagues that Afghanistan would turn back to the days in 1920s.

Noting that there was a hospital in Afghanistan named Ataturk Hospital, Powell said that the name of the hospital had not been changed even during the rule of Taliban.

Powell stated that Turkey had many ties with Afghanistan.

They had started to think what kind of contributions that Turkey could make in Afghanistan, Powell said.

Powell pointed out that Turkey proposed to send troops and that as these troops were brought together, they would be very helpful.

One of the issues debated by Turkey and other allies was for what reason the military force would be sent to the region, Powell said.

Powell noted that they were still working on the mission of the force that would go to Afghanistan.

The government to be formed in Afghanistan also thought that the existence of an organized force which would be ready to undertake any kind of mission in the region was beneficial, Powell said.

Powell stated that the region would not carry out civilian activities in the region.

Noting that this force would not have to keep people away from each other like in Kosovo, Powell said that Afghan people was willing to work together as seen in Bonn.

Powell defined Turkey stop of his tour as ''very well'' under the light of the developments in Cyprus and European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP).

Stating that he was pleased about the developments in ESDP and Cyprus, Powell said that this was just a beginning in Cyprus.

Powell noted that two gentlemen were at least meeting each other again and said that everything had started to occur very quickly.

The leaders were not content with the first meeting, Powell said and pointed out that the leaders had a dinner and agreed to meet again in January.

Powell, who defined these developments as a progress, hoped that the leaders would continue to record progress.

U.S. State Secretary Powell said that he would discuss ESDP with his Greek and British colleagues in Brussels and that they would intensify on what could be done to mark rapid progress.

Powell noted that they debated many important issues during his tour to Turkey but that he was especially interested in trade.

Turkey touched on lifting of textile quotas during his contacts, Powell said and stated that Turkey was willing to restructure economy and show that it had been working actively on reforms.

Powell noted that Turkey had taken a little breath in the efforts to make the economy more efficient thanks to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding that he had long discussions on status quo in Afghanistan, Iraq, Caucasus and Asia during his contacts in Turkey.

-OPERATIONS LAUNCHED TO RESCUE RUSSIAN-FLAGGED TANKER

ISTANBUL - Operations were launched on Thursday to rescue the Russian- flagged tanker which ran aground off Yesilkoy district of Istanbul.

Officials of Coastal Security and Ship Rescue Enterprises General Directorate said that the tanker which ran aground almost one miles off the shore started unloading.

The officials noted that the tanker was planned to be rescued after some of its cargo was unloaded.

The tanker named Marshall Vasilevsky is 37,916 gross tons in weight and 242 metres in length.

The Russian-flagged tanker ran aground on Friday.

-CLERIDES SAYS HE WILL INVITE DENKTAS TO A DINNER

LEFKOSA - Glafcos Clerides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration, said on Thursday that he would host a dinner in honour of Rauf Denktas, the President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Clerides, who attended a dinner hosted by Denktas on Wednesday night, told reporters that he would invite Denktas to a dinner before the end of the year.

It would be absurd not to accept a dinner with Denktas after I had accepted a face-to-face meeting, Clerides said.

Upon a question on the perspective of the meetings, Clerides said that Denktas' aim would become definite during the direct negotiation scheduled for January 15.

Clerides presented famous Greek Cypriot drink ''Zivaniya'' as a gift to Denktas during the dinner.

-AK PARTY DEPUTY KAPUSUZ ASK FOREIGN MINISTER IF ANY TURKISH SOLDIERS

HAS DIED IN AFGHANISTAN

ANKARA - Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Salih Kapusuz asked on Thursday Foreign Minister Ismail Cem if any Turkish soldiers had died in Afghanistan.

Kapusuz presented a question motion to the Office of Parliament Speaker requesting Cem to respond.

In the question motion, Kapusuz said that a Pakistani newspaper wrote that Turkish special forces which had entered into Afghanistan together with the U.S. soldiers staged operations against caves where al Qaeda and Taliban members hid.

Kapusuz asked whether or not this news item was correct. He also asked Cem to respond to the questions, ''has any Turkish soldier been sent to Afghanistan for the U.S. operation on Afghanistan following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States? How many soldiers have been sent to Afghanistan? What is the rank of these soldiers? Are there any Turkish soldiers who lost their lives in the clashes?''

-ECONOMIST FUKUYAMA SAYS TURKEY CAN BE A LEADER IN LIBERALIZATION

OF ISLAM

WASHINGTON D.C. - Prominent economist Professor Francis Fukuyama said on Thursday that secular, democratic and Muslim Turkey could be a leader in liberalization of Islam as a successful model.

Speaking on a meeting on the effects of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the world and Turkey held by Turkish-American Business Forum, Fukuyama touched on Islam-modernization conflict.

Fukuyama noted that he preferred optimism in his views about the future and said that people felt hatred about a fundamentalist Islam which was seen in the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United Nations.

Efforts to liberalize Islam would continue in the long term, Fukuyama stated.

Fukuyama added that Turkey would have an important role in that process and could pioneer the process as a secular and democratic country.

-NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING STARTS

BRUSSELS - NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting started in NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem is representing Turkey at the meeting.

The North Atlantic Council, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council will also meet at the level of Foreign Ministers within the framework of the spring term meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

The North Atlantic Council meeting has a special importance because it is the first ministerial meeting following the operation launched against Afghanistan.

The future role of the alliance in the fight against terrorism will be the prior item of the agenda of the meeting while the alliance is foreseen to adopt a declaration against terrorism.

Nineteen member countries will debate the compromise reached by Turkey and the European Union (EU) regarding the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). This issue will be the main item of the agenda of the joint meeting of EU and NATO councils this evening.

-MINIMUM WAGE FIXING COMMISSION TO HOLD ITS 4TH MEETING

ANKARA - Minimum Wage Fixing Commission will hold its 4th meeting on Friday.

The commission will evaluate the basic criteria of new minimum wage which will be valid as of January 1, 2002 in the 4th meeting.

Minimum Wage Fixing Commission which has convened three times so far is expected to fix the new minimum wage and announce it to the public after one or two meetings which will be held following the 4th meeting.

-A TOTAL OF 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT TURKEY IN OCTOBER

ANKARA - The number of foreigners visiting Turkey decreased by 9.5 percent in October 2001 when compared with October 2000.

According to the figures of the State Statistics Institute (DIE), 1 million 65 thousand 793 foreigners visited Turkey in October while this number was 1 million 178 thousand 221 in October 2000.

The number of Turkish people living abroad and visiting Turkey in October decreased by 20.4 percent when compared with last October. A total of 269, 957 Turkish people entered into Turkey in October 2001 while this number was 338,991 last October.

The number of foreigners who departed Turkey was 1 million 243 thousand 460 and the number of Turkish people departing Turkey was 363 thousand 878 in October 2001.

The number of foreigners visiting Turkey increased by 13.8 percent to 10 million 700 thousand 996 between January and October 2001. This number was 9 million 402 thousand 879 in the same period last year.

A total of 4 million 368 thousand 606 Turkish people visited Turkey in the mentioned period. This number was 4 million 629 thousand 380 between January and October 2000.

The number of foreigners departing Turkey increased by 15.1 percent to 10 million 301 thousand 802 in the first ten months of this year. This number was 8 million 949 thousand 944 in the same period last year.

A total of 4 million 315 thousand 784 Turkish citizens departed from Turkey between January and October 2001. This number was 4 million 533 thousand 142 in the same period last year.

-DEPUTY ANAP LEADER YILDIRIM SAYS AIM OF EMBARGO ON

IRAQ HAS TO BE QUESTIONED

ANKARA - Salih Yıldırım, the deputy leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) said on Wednesday that the aim of the embargo imposed on Iraq by the U.N. had to be questioned.

Speaking in a news conference he held in the parliament, Yıldırım said that Iraq was an important country for Turkey, adding that particularly the citizens in Southeastern Turkey attribute great importance to Turkey's starting to buy fuel oil from Iraq.

Noting that Iraq has rich hydrocarbon beds, world's second largest oil beds and a natural gas reserve of 280 billion cubicmeters, Yıldırım said that yet the people of this country live in poor conditions.

Yıldırım asserted that only Iraqi citizens pay the cost of the embargo imposed on Iraq, adding that Turkey is also negatively affected from this embargo. Yıldırım noted that Turkey lost 42 billion dollars due to the embargo on Iraq.

Yıldırım commented that the sanctions on Iraq went beyond their aim and started to punish the people, adding that Iraq administration has to permit the supervision of mass destruction weapons.

Yıldırım said that the U.N. resolutions impeded Turkey's purchasing of cheap oil and natural gas from Iraq, adding that citizens who earn their living by making border trade in southestern and eastern Turkey were in difficulty.

''No body has the right to punish Iraq people and therefore the regional people,'' he added.

-TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS SPEAKS TO A.A: ''IT IS NOT CORRECT TO HAVE BIG EXPECTATIONS ABOUT CYPRUS ISSUE''

LEFKOSA, Dec 6 (A.A) - Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday following his tete-a-tete meeting with Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides after four years that ''it is not correct to think as if everything has been resolved and there is nothing left to be sorted out.''

Responding to questions of A.A correspondent, Denktas said that Cyprus issue has not been solved for 38 years, adding that the issue can't be solved by one or two contacts. It is not correct to have big expectations on the issue, he stressed.

Denktas said that they decided with Clerides to start face to face meetings on January 16. Noting that the dinner he hosted last night for Clerides and U.N. special envoy for Cyprus Alvaro De Soto at the TRNC Presidential Residence was a social event, Denktas said that Cyprus issue was not discussed in the dinner.

Denktas said that they talked about the past and the days when they worked together with Clerides, adding that Clerides also asked retired coordinator and ambassador Necati Munir Ertekun to attend the dinner as the two knew each other. Denktas said that the only concrete issue that was taken up in the dinner was the decision to start direct talks on Jan. 16 rather than Jan. 15.

TRNC President Denktas said that they spent time in the dinner by telling jokes to each other, adding that Cleirdes brought two bottles of French cognac to him and Denktas gave as a present one packet of Turkish dessert. Denktas noted that when Clerides invites him to dinner, he will go to the other side.

''Following your face to face meeting with Clerides, there is an optimistic atmosphere in Cyprus. Did something magical happen in Cyprus?'' asked A.A correspondent to Denktas who said that ''if spring comes earlier, summer also comes earlier and so does the winter. I suppose everybody know that the Cyprus issue is a very difficult issue and the sides are at different poles. It is natural to be optimistic as the things are on the way to be solved, but it is not correct to have big expectations.''

Denktas said everybody has to be cautious, but optimistic.

''Everybody should expect the result to be good, but it is not correct to think as if everything has been resolved and there is nothing left to be sorted out. Thinking like that can be harmful,'' he said.

Pointing out that Cyprus issue is a big issue and the national interests of both sides are in question, Denktas said that ''for us, human rights, our equality, and rights of sovereignty are in question. If an issue has not been solved for 38 years, there are reasons of that. If we can remove a part of these reasons in our contacts and if we can record progress, this will be a great success. We will try to do that.''

''Can the question be solved in 2002?'' asked A.A to Denktas who said ''we will try to do that.''

Denktas said that he will have a conference with jurists in Istanbul on Dec. 12 and in Ankara on Dec. 13, adding that he can also meet with the Turkish officials during his stay in Ankara.

Noting that they spent a nice evening, Denktas said that they also talked about politicians.

-DERVIS: ''TURKEY SHOULD BE THE LEADER OF EMERGING MARKETS''

ANKARA - State Minister Kemal Dervis has said that Turkey should become the leader of emerging markets, during an inverview of EKOPANEL, a publication of the Treasury Undersecretariat Members Foundation.

Turkey, with its regional geographical location, young population, large economic market and a dynamic private sector, has two goals; the EU membership and take a place in the industrialized world, Dervis said. To reach these goals, Turkey should try to increase productivity both in public and private sector, gain competitive power and focus on sectors with high added value such as information technologies.

Pointing to the recent economic crisis, Dervis said, although there are indications of an economic recovery, Turkish economy is still facing troubles sometimes. He maintained that Turkey should make significant progress to create a strong economic background. He also pointed out that the regulations made in the banking sector were determined steps to fully change the old system and reject populism. ''Besides, the floating exchange system is acting as a valve that protects reserves against domestic and foreign risks, and it encourages export,'' he explained.

The consequences of Sept. 11 attacks had negative effect on the Turkish economy but, despite this situation, Turkey continued to implement structural reforms in a determined manner, Dervis said. He added that there were indications that international financial aid to Turkey would increase.

Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, who was also contacted by the same magazine, said ''Central Bank, which was figting on the boxing ring with one hand tied, can now use its both hands and it can act independently.''

''A major part of the domestic borrowing stock belongs to the public sector. When the future implementations taken into consideration, the interest rates should decrease,'' he commented.

Oztrak stated that the Turkish economy has strong structural balances and it was able to roll over its debts.

-WORLD BANK DELEGATION IN TURKEY

ANKARA - A delegation from the financial and private sector sections of the World Bank arrived Turkey and started activities in Ankara on Thursday.

The delegation first had meetings with Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency officials and they were briefed about the financing need of the financial sector.

The World Bank delegation will also have contacts with the IMF delegation who is also in Turkey and they will investigate the additional financing need of the financial sector for 2002, 2003 and 2004.

It was reported that the bank could offer Turkey an additional credit of 500 million U.S. dollars next year and this amount could increase depending on the implementation of structural reforms.

The amount of the additional credit will become clear after the meetings between the World Bank and the IMF. The bank had promised to pay a total of 6.2 billion U.S. dollars to Turkey in the next three years as part of the Country Aid Strategy (CAS).

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