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

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

12 December 2001

Wednesday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on December 12, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer harshly criticized the government during his meeting with a delegation from the Confederation of Turkish Workers Unions (Turk-Is). He said that he was hopeful only about the non-governmental organizations. The President said, ''interference of the State Security Court (DGM) law with the ongoing budget talks at the parliament cannot be in question. While you say that you are fighting against corruption, you adopt regulations facilitating it. The total money stolen from eight-ten banks was 15-17 billion U.S. dollars. Even the phrase of 'emptying the coffers' becomes insufficient in defining this. However, people are conscious and aware of everything. I suppose that a new atmosphere would be created after the next general elections. Privatization is being used to serve their supporters. Kars Milk Factory was privatized. The company took the machines. There should be the condition of production for at least ten years.''

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

The Constitutional Court annulled Article 6 on payments of the Compulsory Savings Law and gave the government a nine-month period to prepare a new law.

SEZER CRITICIZES

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer harshly criticised the government. He said that privatization deviated from its purpose and producers became wretched and miserable.

WE ARE GOING TO OIG WELLS IN NORTHERN IRAQ

Turkish Petroleum Corp (TPAO) Batman Region Director Mustafa Kart said that they had produced 5,605,648 barrels of crude oil in last ten months in 656 wells in 26 production areas. Meanwhile, TPAO Director General Kenan Veziroglu said that they would explore oil in Northern Iraq and in first stage, they were planning to dig ten wells to this end.

IMF PRAISES

IMF Executive Director for Europe said that IMF believed that Turkey's economy would start growing again next year. He said that revival of the economy had started as a result of government's successful implementations, and especially restructuring of state banks was quite successfull. Kiekens said that they were hopeful that the ongoing talks between IMF delegation and economy officials would be finalized until next week.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit explained to the newspaper the message he will give to the EU leaders at the Laeken Summit in Brussels between December 14- 15. Ecevit will tell the EU leaders, ''Turkey which targets to be EU member in 2004 takes its duties seriously, so prepare a schedule which meets our expectations.'' Ecevit explained point of Turkey about the summit by saying, ''careful attention in implementation of the national programme, delevopments in the economy which inspire hope...EU follows and appreciates all of these. We are now focusing on the membership schedule. But they have not prepared it. They should set our schedule as we must see our future.''

U.S. DOLLAR LOSES IN VALUE

In yesterday's bond auction, Treasury borrowed money with the lowest interest rate since the February crisis: 73,55 percent. As Treasury easily and successfully borrowed money, the pressure on sales of U.S. dollar increased, and 1 U.S. dollar decreased to 1 million 437 thousand Turkish liras, reducing to the lowest level since September 11.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer reacted to approval of State Security Court (DGM) Law by the parliament without any change by saying, ''it is impossible''. Sezer said that fight against corruption was made with words only. The President who supported Turk-Is's demand for early elections by saying ''you are right'', stated that he did not ''believe'' that the political parties would amend the Elections and Political Parties laws. Harshly criticizing the government about the Tobacco Law which he had earlied vetoed and the government was planning to approve without any change, President Sezer said, ''they will make farmers distraught and wretched.''

IMF WANTS NEW TAX

Adoption of Special Consumption Tax, settlement of inflation accounting system and revision in Income and Corporate Tax came onto the agenda of IMF delegation's talks in Ankara. It was mentioned that an expression about these changes would be included in the letter of intent which would be submitted under the new stand-by deal.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Traffic fines will increase by 53.2 percent in 2002. The lowest fine will be 20 million Turkish liras (TL) for not fastening the seat belt and the highest fine will be 1 billion 258 million TL for destroying taximeters or speedometers on passenger buses and lorries. A driver who violates the traffic light rule will pay 40 million TL.

EUROPE MONITORS PKK

The European Union included the terrorist PKK organization which it avoids to freeze its possessions, in the list of organizations to be monitored. Meanwhile, situation of terrorist DHKP-C organization is not clear.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

IMF Executive Director Willy Kiekens who met with Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit asked them to give letter of commitment promising that they will be more influential in matters of political support and determination in the letter of intent to be submitted to IMF. Leaders had submitted such a letter also in the past. Meanwhile, IMF delegation said 10 billion U.S. dollars of supplementary loan to Turkey depended on fulfilment of prior actions by the government. Under this, investment environment will be arranged, influence in public sector will be increased and state banks will be restructured. If the IMF delegation cannot finalize talks by December 14, talks will resume in January of 2002.

THERE SHOULD BE FAIR TAXATION

Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said, ''there is not a fair taxation in Turkey, and the state is collecting tax from everyone from whom it can collect.'' He said that there cannot be a fair taxation in a country where unrecorded economy reached the half of whole economy.

GAS COMES FROM IRAN

Iranian natural gas has started to flow into Turkey as of Monday night. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan said that natural gas problem would be completely solved with the start of transfer of natural gas through the Blue Stream pipeline in the first half of 2002.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

The European Union (EU) at last included the PKK in the list of terrorist organizations. Assets, possessions, properties and receivables of the terrorist organizations in the list will be confiscated. Some diplomatic sources said that also the terrorist DHKP-C organization was in the list while EU sources had not made such a confirmation yet.

SUPREME COURT TO EXAMINE MERITS OF SUSURLUK CASE

Supreme Court of Appeals General Council accepted by majority the objection of Chief Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu to the verdict of Eight Penal Department which annuled the verdict of lower court given at Susurluk case due to ''incomplete investigation.'' The Eight Penal department of the Court will examine the case in respect of merits this time. The decision was taken by 16 votes against 9. If the Eighth Penal department approves the imprisonment given by Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) No. 6 in Susurluk case, the suspects have the right to ask for correction of the decision which is known as an extraordinary way of law. But this request first of all has to be accepted by the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals. If the Eighth Penal department annuls the verdict in merits, Kanadoglu has the right to object to it. Supreme Court of Appeals will again discuss this objection.

-STATE MINISTER CAY AND HEALTH MINISTER DURMUS LEAVE FOR KYRGYZSTAN

ISTANBUL - State Minister Abdulhaluk Cay and Health Minister Osman Durmus left for Kyrgyzstan early on Wednesday to hold official contacts.

Cay and Durmus will attend international meetings that will be held Bishkek to mark fifth anniversary of health services basic reforms in Kyrgyzstan.

Cay and Durmus are expected to return to Turkey on Saturday, December 15.

-PARLIAMENT APPROVES FINANCE MINISTRY'S 2002 YEAR BUDGET

-PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE 2002 YEAR BUDGET DRAFT LAW ON WEDNESDAY

ANKARA - The Parliamentary General Assembly approved late on Tuesday the Finance Ministry's 2002 Year budget.

Meanwhile, the parliament will debate the 2002 Year General and Added Budget Draft Law on Wednesday.

Under the draft law, the maximum salary of personnel under contract will be 1 billion 200 million 500 thousand Turkish liras (TL) and salaries of civil servants will be increased by ten percent in the first half of 2002, and there will be supplementary increase if inflation rate exceeds this rate of wage increase.

In the 2002 year consolidated budget, total expenditures is foreseen to be 97 quadrillion 831 trillion TL, total revenues is foreseen to be 70 quadrillion 918 trillion TL and budget deficit is foreseen to be 26 quadrillion 913 trillion TL.

In the budget, total tax revenues target is 57 quadrillion 911 trillion TL, non-tax incomes target is 6 quadrillion 907 trillion TL, special incomes and fund revenues target is 6 quadrillion TL, and added budget incomes target is 300 trillion TL.

In the budget, total personnel allowances is set as 17 quadrillion 125 trillion TL and other current allowances are set as 7 quadrillion 303 trillion TL. The budget sees a 2 quadrillion 430 trillion TL of investment allocation while total transfers will be 70 quadrillion 971 trillion TL.

The draft law targets to decrease annual inflation rate to 35 percent in consumer prices index (CPI) and to 31 percent in wholesale prices index (WPI) as of end of 2002. Under this, rate of budfet deficit in the gross national product is targeted to be reduced to 9.6 percent.

-PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IZGI IN ROMANIA

BUCHAREST - Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi and accompanying delegation left Bucharest on Wednesday following their contacts with the Romanian authorities. Izgi will meet with representatives of Turkish companies which invested in Romania.

The delegation headed by Izgi which will also visit the rural areas in Romania is expected to listen to Turkish businessmen's complaints and problems and to discuss what could be done to solve those problems.

Meanwhile, Romanian officials said that both sides had reached a consensus opinion on further improvement of friendly relations and cooperation between Turkey and Romania at the delegation's yesterday's meeting with Romanian President Ion Iliescu.

They said that Iliescu had been invited to Turkey at the meeting, and the Romanian President had accepted the invitation and said that he would pay a visit to Turkey in the near future.

-WORLD BANK FINANCE SECTOR DELEGATION TO PROCEED FROM ISTANBUL TO ANKARA

ANKARA - The World Bank finance sector delegation is expected to proceed to Ankara after wrapping up its works in Istanbul on Wednesday and to leave Turkey on Friday.

Sources said that the delegation headed by Lalbt Raina which had come to Turkey last week finalized its work together with the finance sector representatives in Istanbul.

Lalbt Raina is scheduled to meet with Treasury and Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) officials today.

Meanwhile, sources said that World Bank private sector and finance sector director Paul Zeigelbaum had come to Turkey last week and gotten information on financing problems of finance sector and private sector.

After leaving Turkey, World Bank delegation is expected to inform the bank management on finance sector loan to Turkey in 2002.

Meanwhile, IMF Executive Director Willy Kiekens is expected to proceed from Ankara to Istanbul later in the day to hold contacts with real sector representatives.

-PUBLIC PERSONNEL TO BE ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE ON DECEMBER 31

ANKARA - Public personnel will be given administrative leave on Monday, December 31.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit issued a circular on Wednesday.

Under the circular, public personnel will be given administrative leave on December 31 on the condition of taking necessary measures and keeping necessary minimum personnel in order not to disrupt services.

Any extra payment will be out of question to those who will work on December 31.

Meanwhile, there will not be administrative leave on three days following the Ramadan feast which will be celebrated between December 16-18.

-AYCELL TO START COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES ON DEC. 14

ISTANBUL - Aycell, the fourth GSM operator of Turkey will start its commercial activities on Dec. 14.

Mobile telephone users will speak with a better voice standard with Aycell's GSM 1800 character.

A news conference will be held on Dec. 14 in which Aycell Executive Board President Vedat Karaaslan and Aycell Director General Mehmet Ekinalan will participate.

-STATE MINISTER KARAKOYUNLU SAYS TURKEY IS THE FIRST COUNTRY WHICH

RECOGNIZED BELARUS IN 1992 AND SENT AN AMBASSADOR

MINSK - State Minister Yilmaz Karakoyunlu said on Wednesday that Turkey was the first country which recognized Belarus on December 16, 1992 and sent an ambassador to that country.

Turkey-Belarus Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and Business Council meetings started in Belarussian capital Minsk under the chairmanship of Karakoyunlu and Belarussian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Khvostov.

Speaking at the meeting, Karakoyunlu said that the bilateral relations between Turkey and Belarus had been good since that day; however, commercial and economic relations should be further improved.

Karakoyunlu noted that he had a bilateral meeting with Khvostov and expressed pleasure about that meeting.

He would be pleased to contribute to improvement of bilateral relations, Karakoyunlu stated.

Karakoyunlu said, ''we are pleased with the level of our political relations. I am sure that both sides will exert efforts to continue these relations. Turkey was the first country which recognized Belarus on December 16, 1992 and sent an ambassador to this country. Since that day, our relations are going in a good course.''

The commercial and economic cooperation with Belarus would create new possibilities and opportunities to Turkish businessmen as the integration process between Belarus and Russia was progressed.

-BELARUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS MEETINGS WILL ACCELERATE RELATIONS

MINSK - Belarussian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Khvostov said on Wednesday that today's meetings between Turkey and Belarus would accelerate relations.

Turkey-Belarus Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and Business Council meetings started in Belarussian capital Minsk under the chairmanship of Karakoyunlu and Belarussian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Khvostov.

Speaking at the meeting, Khvostov said that relations with Turkey was one of the prior issues in Belarussian foreign policy.

Khvostov expressed belief that today's meetings would accelerate the relations and said that Turkey was one of the countries with which Belarus had good relations.

However, the existing commercial and economic potential was not efficiently used, Khvostov noted.

Khovostov stated that they would search for the objective reasons of that deficiency which had to be overcome during JEC and Business Council meetings and said that especially the businessmen undertook significant duties to improve the cooperation.

There were not any political problems between the two countries, Khovostov said and pointed out that the legal ground to increase Turkish investments in Belarus were present.

Khovostov listed the cooperation fields to be debated at their meetings as industry, agriculture, construction and tourism.

Trade volume between Turkey and Belarus is around 50 million U.S. dollars.

-''UNIVERSAL FASTING DAY FOR PEACE AND SOLIDARITY'' TO BE HELD ON DEC. 14

ISTANBUL - Christians in Turkey will also participate in the activity on Dec. 14 which was announced as ''Universal Fasting Day for Peace and Solidarity'' upon the proposal of Pope John Paul the Second.

Turkish Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul said on Wednesday in a written statement that the Turkey Armenian Patriarchate Spiritual Council headed by Patriarch Mesrob II accepted Dec. 14 as Day of Fasting and Praying.

The Armenian Patriarch invited the members of the all Armenian Church to fast together with their muslim friends to fast on Friday.

''Therefore, there will be persons who will fast for peace in all Europe on Friday,'' it was noted.

The statement noted that people from all religions and beliefs can participate in the religious ceremony namely ''Heart to Heart for Peace and Love,'' to be held at Uc Horan Armenian Church in Beyoglu district of Istanbul on Friday night.

Mesrob II said in his part that the religious holidays of three main religions will take place on the same dates this year, and noted that ''the religious holidays will be overshadowed by war this year. Intolerance, racism, fanaticism are also escalating. This is smaheful for the humanity.''

-PARLIAMENTARY FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMISSION ADOPTS DRAFT LAWS WHICH FIND

RATIFICATION OF TWO AGREEMENTS SIGNED WITH SYRIA AND U.S. APPROPRIATE

ANKARA - Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission adopted on Wednesday draft laws which found ratification of two agreements signed with Syria and the United States appropriate.

The commission which convened under the chairmanship of Motherland Party (ANAP) deputy Kamran Inan debated two international laws.

The commission firstly adopted the draft law which found as appropriate the agreement signed between Turkey and the United States regarding mutual quality guarantee services.

Under the agreement, Turkey willl not pay any price for the defense equipment and services it will buy from the United States for quality guarantee activities.

The commission also debated the law which found ratification of the agreement on the re-admission of illegal migrants signed between Turkey and Syria.

The agremeent which was signed in Damascus on September 10, 2001 foresees the re-admission of illegal migrants from third countries who enter from Syria to Turkey illegally back to Syria or their own countries.

-U.S. DELEGATION HOLDING CONTACTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ TO INFORM ANKARA

ANKARA - The U.S. delegation headed by high-level official of the U.S. State Department responsible for Middle Eastern affairs will inform Ankara about its contacts with Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz told the weekly press conference that the U.S. delegation was paying a routine visit to Northern Iraq.

Dirioz said, ''they had made a similar orientation last year. One of our officials is also in that delegation. We will meet when they return and receive information.''

-TURKEY BELIEVES THERE CAN BE A NEW OPENING THROUGH TALKS IN MIDDLE EAST

ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday that they believe that there could be a new opening in the dispute through Mitchell Report's recommendations and the talks between the sides.

Dirioz told the weekly press conference that they were following the developments in Middle East with concern and grief.

''It is obvious that the problem cannot be solved through violence. We believe that there could be a new opening in the dispute through Mitchell Report's recommendations and the talks between the sides,'' Dirioz said.

Dirioz stressed that the concern over the escalation of violence in the region prevailed the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting in Doha and added that the participants accepted the view during the meeting that opening the dialogue and negotiation path was the only remedy for a solution.

-FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS TURKEY READY TO CONTRIBUTE TO ENSUREMENT OF STABILITY IN AFGHANISTAN

ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said on Wednesday that Turkey was ready to contribute to ensurement of security and stability in Afghanistan.

Dirioz told a weekly press conference that who would be the commander of the United Nations (U.N) Peace Force formed in Afghanistan had not become definite yet.

Different news were coming related with that issue, Dirioz said and noted, ''the issue has not become definite yet. We guess that it will become definite in a few days as the new government is in office.''

Dirioz pointed out that Turkey had not made any official declaration that it wanted to command the peace force since the beginning of the incidents. Besides, he said, Turkey was ready to contribute to ensurement of stability and security and restructring of that country.

Reminding reporters that Turkey continued to dispatch humanitarian aid to Afghanistan for a long time, Dirioz noted that 1 million 64 thousand U.S. dollar aid had been sent to that country in 2001.

Asked if Ankara made a suggestion to Uzbek leader Rashid Dostum about the efforts to form an interim government in Afghanistan, Dirioz said that Turkey had always been in favour of ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan and tried to make contributions.

Dirioz stated that they requested information from Pakistani administration about the Turks who were captured when passing from Afghanistan to Pakistan and who were still under interrogation. They had not received any official information yet, Dirioz said.

Turkey's Embassy in Washington D.C was exerting necessary initiatives about the Turks who were detained in the United States, Dirioz added.

-JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS IMF WANTS RAPID OPERATION OF LEGAL SYSTEM

ANKARA - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said on Wednesday that International Monetary Fund (IMF) wanted the rapid operation of legal system.

Turk received IMF Banking Department Chief Carl Lindgren and execution and bankrupt expert Mark Griffith.

Responding to questions of reporters following the meeting, Turk said that the IMF delegation also requested the creditors to be paid their receivables on time.

Turk noted that he gave information about the reform initiatives in legal and judicial system in Turkey during the meeting.

They reviewed the reforms that had been made and being made on several laws, Turk stated.

Turk said, ''as it is known, there are reforms initiatives on some basic laws in Turkey. Civil Code which was one of these reforms has entered into law. This law at the same time increases confidence in credit system. Meanwhile, efforts are under way related with Turkish Code of Obligations and Turkish Commercial Code. The European Union (EU) standards were taken as a base in these laws. The initiatives will be concluded in the following one year.''

A procedure law package would be presented to the Council of Ministers in following weeks and be submitted to the parliament if it was approved, Turk noted.

Turk stated that the draft foresaw amendments on the whole or some important articles of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Code of Civil Procedure, Execution and Bankrupt Law and the Code of Labour Courts.

The package also included the draft law on the formation of first degree courts and local basic courts, Turk said.

Turk stressed that the common item of the new package was the formation of court of first instance and opening the path of first instance before the appeals.

As those drafts took effect, local basic courts would be formed in 15 provinces in April, Turk said.

Turk noted that he informed the IMF experts on all these issues.

Drawing the attention to the increase in execution and bankrupt cases together with the crisis, Turk said that it was the right of the creditors to be paid their receivables without any delay.

Turk noted that there were new approaches like Istanbul approach regarding that issue and that works were under way to ensure the creditors to be granted their right without any competition and to ensure debtors to be in a condition to pay their debts.

''There are provisions which balance the interests of the debtors and creditors in the Execution and Bankrupt Law. But, the needs require the revision of the laws and amendments in line with the international standards. Our ministry continues works to this end. We have exchanged views on these issues,'' Turk said.

When reporters asked Turk if the IMF delegation asked Turkey for any demand, Turk said that the IMF delegation pointed out to the need of provisions under the Law of Execution and Bankrupt which would ease the proceeding of one creditor's collecting money from the debtors and which would prevent creditors from any loss. Turk said that there is no difference of opinion between the IMF and the government about the issue.

''The laws of procedure which I mentioned just now would be presented to the cabinet and the parliament in the coming weeks. We think that the studies that foresee amendments in the Code of Obligations and Turkish Commercial Law will probably be completed next year,'' he said. Turk said that 2003 will be an important year in respect of adopting these laws, adding that he expected the law of procedures to be adopted next year.

When asked if these developments would be included among the performance criteria of IMF, IMF Banking Department Head Carl Lindgren said that the IMF delegation only takes information about the legal and justice system in Turkey.

Lindgren said that structural reforms were undertaken in Turkey and the reforms are the most important elements of the programme.

Upon another question, Turk said that the Justice Ministry does not work on banking and the law of banking is in force, adding that ''the amendment foreseen in the State Security Law (DGM) is not directly related with the banking system... There are DGMS only in nine provinces in the country. However, the criminal courts exist in all the provinces and in our big towns. Therefore, the crimes covered by 313 Article of the Turkish Penal Code will be heard more rapidly and in the court which is nearest to the place where the crime is committed. Therefore, this amendment will also strengthen the fight with corruption.''

When reporters asked the IMF delegation if the things done in the country in respect of banking law were sufficient, Lindgren said that the only topic that was taken up in the meeting was legal and judiciary system reforms.

-GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS SO-CALLED CALIPHATE STATE PROVOKES ITS

SUPPORTERS AGAINST DEMOCRACY AND TURKISH REPUBLIC

BERLIN - German Interior Minister Otto Schily said on Wednesday that the so- called caliphate state provoked its supporters against democracy and Turkish Republic.

Holding a press conference, Schily noted that the broadcasting organ of the Union of Islamic Communities and Societies named ''Ummet-i Muhammed'' was making hostility against Jews.

Schily said that 19 sub-organizations of the union were banned and 212 houses and offices in seven German states were searched.

The so-called caliphate state was trying to revive the caliphate abolished by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic, in 1924, Schily noted.

Schily stated that the group was trying to found a state by ignoring their constitution and to oppose to German legal order with fetwas (mufti's opinion on a matter involving the Islamic religious law).

In his opinion, the ban was a necessary measure, Schily said.

Schily stressed that the banning decision was not a decision agaist Islam and Muslims living in Germany.

On the contrary, he said, it would be beneficial to the Muslims because the Muslims would be cleared by this way.

Schily noted that almost 3 million 200 thousand Muslims were living in Germany and that there were only 30 thousand fundamentalists among them.

But, what he expected from the Muslim citizens was to assume a definite attitude against fundamentalism, Schily stated.

Asked if Metin Kaplan, the leader of the union who was in prison would be deported, Schily said that the Cologne Foreigners Department announced that the deportation could be possible immediately.

Within this framework, Schily noted, more members of the association could be deported.

Schily pointed out that the members of the union who had become German citizens would be tried under German laws.

Asked if the Islamic Community-Denominational Vision would be banned, Schily said that they would investigate other fundamentalist associations and that he could not say anything definite at that stage.

Schily stated that the decision should be a warning to other fundamentalist organizations, but he could not announce which of the associations they would ban beforehand.

Asked if they were holding contacts with the Turkish government related with the extradition of Kaplan, Schily said that they would hold contacts with Turkish government but that in accordance with their laws, they did not extradite people who could be sentenced to capital punishment or be tortured.

However, Schily said, they did not think that Turkey would torture Kaplan.

Schily noted that they did not have any concrete evidence that the Islamic Community and Associations Union had links with terrorist Osama bin Laden.

-PRESIDENT SEZER APPROVES LAW THAT FORESEES AMENDMENT ON DGMs

ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer approved on Wednesday the Law No. 4723 which foresaw amendment in the State Security Courts (DGM) and the Law on Fight with Organized Crimes.

Presidential Press Centre said that Sezer earlier sent back the law to the parliament for a second reconsideration as he didn't approve the first, second and third articles of the law and the provisional first article.

Yet the same law was adopted by the parliament as it was on December 6, 2001, the Press Centre noted and added that the President was obliged to promulgate the law in this case as it was foreseen under Article 89 of the Constitution.

By the approved law, the DGMs won't hear cases related to the crimes of forming a gang to commit crime and the crime of helping the members of these groups which were covered under Articles 313 and 314 of Turkish Penal Code. High criminal courts will hear these cases instead of DGMs.

The law also provides other DGMs, not only DGM No. 1, to try suspects under the fight with organized crimes if there are more than one DGM in a certain place. The law aims to decrease the heavy burden on DGMs.

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