Anadolu Agency: News in English, 02-01-12

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ANADOLU AJANSI

HABERLER

12 January

2002 Saturday

Türkiye

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CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

PEOPLE WHO WILL BECOME UNEMPLOYED AFTER JANUARY 31 TO BE PAID INSURANCE
The unemployment insurance will start to be paid in Turkey as of January 31, 2002. Those who are dismissed although they do not make any mistakes can be paid money under unemployment insurance as of January 31.

FAZIL SAY WIND IN PARIS AGAIN
Pianist Fazil Say will give a concert in Theatre de Champs Elysees in Paris this evening. Say will play his Fourth Pianno Concerto ornamented with Anatolian motifs.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

PERSUASION VISIT FROM DERVIS TO SEZER
State Minister Kemal Dervis, who told President Ahmet Necdet Sezer that nobody would be previleged by the law which foresaw the restructuring debts of real sector, requested the approval of the law which had been adopted by the parliament. Dervis met with Sezer and informed him about the law which foresaw the restructuring of debts of real sector and allocating sources to banks. Dervis tried to eliminate the concerns of the President about the law.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

RECORD IN DSP
The deputies who attended the general assembly meetings at the parliament the most have been chosen. There are 46 deputies from the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and 4 from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) among the first 50. DSP group acting leader Emrehan Halici was the deputy who attended the general assembly meetings the most. Halici attented 271 of the sessions last year and became the first.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Stressing that establishment of a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq could be a threat on Turkey's integrity, Ecevit said, ''we will never allow this.''

10 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO BANKS
According to the Law on Structuring of the Debts of Finance Sector, the state will not give loans to the banks whose capital adequacy is between 0- 5 percent, and but will become a partner of it.

The law has been presented to the approval of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Two children of Yilmaz family, living on the first storey, lost their lives.

The family, who began to live in the building because of poverty, met the disaster which was expected.

Firefighters rescued a nine-year-old girl from the rubble of the three- storey wooden building which collapsed in Eminonu while efforts are under way to rescue a 38-year-old mother and two children aged 10 and 13 from the debris. According to the preliminary health control, the girl did not suffer from a serious injury or health problem.

The number of people pulled alive from the debris so far reached two. A three-year-old girl had earlier been rescued alive from the debris.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

NOW IT'S ELECTRICITY'S TURN
Industrialists asked for a reduction in electricity which is three-fold of the world prices in Turkey. Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) Chairman Caglayan said, ''reduction is obligatory for competition in the world. The state which is a monopoly in electricity is misusing its authority. We will take this issue to the Competition Board. Although the inflation rate was 89 percent in 2001, the price of electricity was raised by 122 percent.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Ecevit will also propose a trade agreement to be made and reduction of textile quotas. He will also call on purchase of 145 attack helicopters to be accelerated.

Cooperation against terrorism, sensitivities of the two countries toward Iraq, adding a new momentum to the peace process in the middle east, re- structuring of Afghanistan, Turkish-U.S. cooperation and Turkish-Greek relations are also expected to be brought onto the agenda during Ecevit's visit.

TURKISH LANGUAGE TO BE TAUGHT AS LESSON IN GERMANY
Germany's Baden Wurttemberg State Education Ministry decided to teach Turkish language as lesson in secondary schools. The implementation will start next year.

Baden Wurttemberg State National Education Minister Christa Engemann said they decided to teach Turkish language in secondary schools thinking that Turkish was an element of richness for the European Union (EU).

Engemann said they would speak with the Turkish Consulate next year and begin to teach Turkish in schools.

-IMF CONTENTED WITH LAW WHICH SUPPORTS BANKING SECTOR
WASHINGTON D.C. - International Monetary Fund's (IMF) European I Department Director Michael Deppler and IMF Director of the Monetary and Exchange Affairs Department Stefan Ingves said late on Friday that they had welcomed the banking law which foresaw supporting private banks.

Deppler and Ingves issued a statement in which they noted that the IMF welcomed the strong emphasis on measures to ensure the soundness of the banking system in the Turkish government's economic program.

The statement said, ''a sound banking sector will ensure confidence of depositors, a return to normal credit growth, and reduced pressures on interest and exchange rates. Sound and profitable banks will contribute revenue to the budget, enhance public debt sustainability, and set the stage for economic recovery.''

Turkish authorities had already implemented major financial sector reforms, the statement noted.

The statement pointed out that the large state banks had been rehabilitated and a large number of insolvent private banks had been taken over by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF).

''Last year, market turbulence and a worsening economic environment led to losses in banks and undercapitalized banks were required to bring in new capital. However, the prospect of additional loan losses has created a need to put in place additional measures to safeguard the private banking system, '' the statement said.

The statement noted, ''the government's new bank support scheme, the legislative aspects of which were passed by Parliament yesterday, is designed to help the remaining private banking system survive the current depressed state of the economy, while still making bank owners fully liable for all losses the banks have incurred. It therefore involves no bailout of private bank owners with public funds. The scheme is part of the new economic program to be supported by the IMF. The full legal and regulatory framework for the scheme is expected to be put in place shortly.''

The scheme would start with rigorous targeted valuations of all banks' loan portfolios to identify possible losses and capital shortfalls, the statement said.

The statement pointed out that losses would be fully borne by existing owners, and banks would be asked to bring in additional capital.

The government would be prepared, through the SDIF, to match private contributions of new equity and also provide convertible subordinated loans to enhance banks' capital position, the statement noted.

The statement went on saying, ''while government shares will have preferential status, the scheme is designed to give private owners incentives to rehabilitate their bank, and also provide the SDIF with appropriate ways of selling its shares in due course. Regulations by the Bank Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) will provide details of the scheme, which will be fully transparent. The scheme is considered necessary at this point, given the likely scarcity of new capital from existing owners or new investors in Turkey and abroad under present market conditions.''

''The scheme is designed to show government support of the banking system, while minimizing overall public sector costs. The IMF supports this scheme as the least cost solution to deal with remaining banking sector weaknesses, '' the statement added.

-RED CRESCENT TO SEND HEALTH TEAM TO AFGHANISTAN
ANKARA - Red Crescent will send a health team comprised of doctors and nurses to Afghanistan.

Red Crescent Chairman Ertan Gonen said on Saturday that a health team composed of ten people will give mobile service in Afghanistan.

Red Crescent will charge four health personnel in a hospital.

Besides health team, Red Crescent will dispatch humanitarian aid including medicine and medical equipment worth of 25 billion Turkish liras (TL) to the region.

-TURKEY NOTIFIES U.N. THAT IT WILL PARTICIPATE IN AFGHAN PEACE FORCE
NEW YORK - Turkey officially notified the United Nations (U.N) that it would participate in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) formed to ensure security in and around Afghan capital Kabul and support the government.

Umit Pamir, the Turkish Permanent Representative to the U.N, presented a note about this issue to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Turkey had earlier announced that it would send 261 soldiers to Afghanistan and the highest rank would be colonel in that troop.

A statement of New York Press Attache's Office issued a statement in which it noted that six Turkish officers would be in mission at the headquarters of the international force.

The statement noted that the units to be deployed in Afghanistan could not exceed a battalion.

A delegation comprised of 12 people would go to Afghanistan between January 15 and 22 to make the preparatory works, the statement pointed out.

The statement added that officials thought to organize a tour to the region for the Turkish journalist after the troop deployed in Afghanistan.

-DEMOLITION OF AL-AJYAD FORTRESS
-FEDERATION OF TURKISH AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS SENDS LETTER OF PROTEST
TO SAUDI ARABIA'S U.N. REPRESENTATIVE AND WASHINGTON AMBASSADOR
NEW YORK - The Federation of Turkish American Associations (FTAA) sent letters of protest to Saudi Arabia's Ambassador in Washington Bandar Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz and Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the U.N. Fawzi Bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi upon the decision for the demolition of Al-Ajyad Fortress in Mecca by the Saudi Administration.

FTAA issued a statement and said, ''the federation's executive board decided to protect this historical heritage.''

The letters sent to the Saudi Arabian Ambassador and the U.N. Permanent Representative said:

''We condemn the decision taken by your government for the demolition of Al- Ajyad Fortress. The Turkish community living in the U.S., comprised of 600, 000 people, accept this decision as an insult. The same decision is a blow put on existing historical and cultural relations between our countries,'' he said.

The letter said, ''Al-Ajyad Fortress, constructed in the period of the Ottoman Empire, is one of the cultural riches of humanity and its demolition reminds us the initiatives of Taliban regime to demolish Budha sculptures.''

''We would like to remind you that this action would cast shadow over the esteem of your government and would be an evidence that your government is disrespectful to the historical and culture treasuries. In this respect, we invite your government to take lesson from Turkey pertaining to the protection of cultural heritages,'' the letter said.

-BRSA UNVEILS ITS REPORT ON STRENGTHENING OF CAPITALS OF BANKS
ANKARA - Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) unveiled on Saturday its report on the strengthening of capitals of banks.

According to the report, only the banks, the capitalization ratios of which are positive, will be extended capital contribution within the framework of the initiatives to strengthen the capital of the banks.

In accordance with the report, it is planned to strengthen the capital structures of the banks, the capitalization ratios of which are below 8 percent, by a direct extention of capital support.

The activities of the banks which are extended assistance will be supervised by the appointment of an administrator. In order to eliminate the possiblity to harm the public by the developments in share prices, the shares of the partners controlling the bank will be taken as a guarantee.

-DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MHP LEADER BAHCELI:
''FIGHT SHOULD BE LAUNCHED SOON AGAINST TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS,
WHICH ANNOY TURKEY FOR A LONG TIME''
ANKARA - Devlet Bahceli, the Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said on Saturday that fight should be launched soon against terrorist organizations, which annoy Turkey for a long time, and which form a potential threat for the stability of Western Europe.

Speaking at his party's central executive commitee meeting, Bahceli evaluated the political and economic developments.

He said, ''it should not be forgotten that such an effort would be a serious indicator to exhibit an open and sincere approach against Turkey.''

Briefing about the developments recorded following September 11 attacks, Bahceli said Turkey expended support to the operation launched against Afghanistan, adding that Turkey, with this support, showed that it would contribute to every kind of cooperation atmosphere that will be developed in the country against terrorism.

Pointing out that determination of Turkey in this respect has rightful reasons, Bahceli said, ''Turkey, which has been a target of fierce terrorism for long years, is among the countries in the world which very well knows the sufferings of terrorism.''

Bahceli said some EU countries still have a misleading idea that terrorism, which did not direct to itself, was not in fact terrorism.

Stressing that those should know that terrorism was a crime of humanity which did not have any value and principle, Bahceli said, ''terrorism is a weapon which will return to those who fed itself. As long as terrorism is used as a tool in relations of the states and nations, it would be indispensable for the innocent people to see sorrowful receipes.''

Pointing out that the EU administrations could not put forward an effective and open fight against terrorism for years, Bahceli said it was seen that some Western European countries gave permission to activities of those organizations.

Bahceli said such an understanding contradicted with friendship and universal cooperation understanding, and noted that, ''the Turkish nation wants the EU administration to leave double standards against the terrorist organizations which form a danger for the social order and democracy of our country, and to expend support to Turkey.''

Underlining that another issue which is important in relations with the EU was Cyprus, Bahceli said information and policy development process of the EU administrations, basing of Greek-Greek Cypriot thesis, did not facilitate the solution of the problem.

Bahceli said an approach, considering the existence of the Turkish nation, and their sovereignty rights should be developed for a lasting and just solution on Cyprus.

-STATE MINISTER GUREL DUE TO POLAND AND CZECH REPUBLIC
ANKARA - State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel will pay a visit to Poland and Czech Republic between January 13 and 20.

Gurel will meet with Danuta Hubner, the Polish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary and the Chairperson of the European Integration Committee; Marek Bryx, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure; Jerzy Jaskiernia, the Chairperson of the Polish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission; and Tadeusz Iwinski, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

State Minister Gurel will also have a meeting with Piotr Weglenski, the Rector of Warsaw University.

Gurel will visit Turkology Department at Warsaw University and have a meeting with the students.

After that meeting, Gurel will meet with businessmen at the Turkish-Polish Businessmen's Association.

Following his contacts in Warsaw, Gurel will proceed to Prague on January 16 and meet with Czech Minister of Interior Stanislav Gross and Pavel Telicka, the Deputy Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Union (EU) chief negotiator.

Gurel will give a conference on Turkey-EU relations at International Relations Institute and interview with leading Czech journalists.

State Minister Gurel is expected to return to Turkey on January 20.

-BRSA UNVEILS ITS REPORT ON STRENGTHENING OF CAPITALS OF BANKS (2)
ANKARA - Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) unveiled on Saturday its report on the strengthening of capitals of banks.

According to the report, the real decrease in capital resources of private banks was 34.4 percent due to the economic crisis.

The report said that the credit volume stagnated by 7.9 percent.

In accordance with the report, the developments has made it necessary to strengthen solution strategy which will handle banking and real sectors together and to re-operate intermediation function of the sector.

The report said, ''the banking sector restructuring program will be strengthened with three new devices additional to the current method for the solution of the insolvent banks problem by transferring them to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (SDIF).''

These devices are providing liquidation of late receivables of banks and thus establishing asset management companies to make actives of banks liquid, operating debt structuring systems that wil ensure continuation of activities of real sector companies which have lost their power, and strengthening capital structures of banks.

According to the report, the restructuring process increased indefiniteness in economy.

The real financial structures of private banks will be put forth in the end of an equal, neutral and three-stage supervision.

Then, if some losses are found, bank general boards will convene and give a decision about the shareholders' undertaking bank losses, taking other measures, necessary cash capital allocation.

As the final stage, banks, the capitalization ratios of which are below 8 percent, will be extended direct capital support and thus, their capital structures will be strengthened.

The capital support will be made in two ways. The first way is to make a direct capital allocation to banks and the second is to make it as a credit guarantee simila to capital.

In order to raise capitalization ratio of banks to 9 percent, seven-year credit will be provided in return for bonds that can be turned into shares.

Banks, the capitalization ratios of which are 1 percent or which have positive capitalization ratio by transfers or mergers, can benefit from one of these two supports.

According to the report, the public will be a partner of the bank as much as the capital it gives to the bank.

The report noted that there was not any change in the strategy to solve the problems of the banks which had negative capitalization ratio.

According to the report, unlimited account insurance and full guarantee, open liquidity support and tolerant supervision and control policies are increasing the cost of restructuring of banking sector.

The report noted that restructuring strategy had features limiting costs of restructuring of banking sector, adding that support to be given to banks was not a transfer of a gratuitous or uncontrolled source.

(End)

-''TURKEY-EU RELATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS''
-CHP LEADER BAYKAL: ''ISSUING OF RECOMMENDATORY DECISION PERTAINING TO
TURKEY'S
EU MEMBERSHIP SHOULD BE A TARGET IN SEVILLA SUMMIT''
ANKARA - Republican Peoples' Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said on Saturday that term presidency of Spain and the year 2002 brought important opportunities in Turkey-EU relations. Baykal said , ''issuing of recommendatory decision pertaining to Turkey's EU membership should be a target in Sevilla Summit.''

Addressing the opening of meeting entitled, ''Turkey-EU Relations and Expectations'' held by Turkish Strategic, Social and Economic Researches Foundation, Baykal said, ''Spain, which became an EU member following difficult days, always expended support to Turkey's EU membership.''

Baykal said Europe, which left behind two world wars and disputes, today came to the stage of monetary unit, stressing that it was natural for Turkey to be a part of this formation.

Baykal said Turkey gave an independence struggle against the West, but later adopted western judicial systems and administrative structure, noting that there was not any deviation from the fundamental understandings of even in the hardest days of Turkish Republics.

Pointing out that politicians, who planned Europe's new re-construction, always considered balanced between Turkey and Greece, noting that, ''unfortunately, this parity was lost with in the EU formation.''

Baykal said Laeken summit created an optimistic atmosphere for Turkey, adding that, ''Spain's term presidency is an important opportunity which should be evaluated well. Issuing of recommendatory decision pertaining to Turkey's EU membership should be a target in Sevilla Summit.''

-JUSTICE MINISTER TURK:
''THERE IS THE ALLEGATION THAT THERE IS IMPLEMENTATION OF ISOLATION
IN F TYPE PRISONS. THIS IS NOT RIGHT''
DIYARBAKIR - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said on Saturday that the allegation that there was implementation of isolation in prisons was not right.

Responding to the questions of reporters, Turk said there were important legal arrangements in prisons in the past one year.

Pointing out that there was an amendment to the Article 6 of the Anti- Terrorism Law, and that Follow-Up Committees Law was issued, Turk said a change has been made enabling prisoners to talk with their relatives on the phone.

Turk, who also responded to the questions of reporters about hunger strikes, said there were still betterment and education programs for the prisoners in F type prisons.

Pointing out that there were social and cultural activities in prisons, and that a new opportunity has been presented to them regarded with social activities including chat, production and sports for five hours a week, Turk said, ''several reasons have been put forward for death fasts and hunger strikes. However, implementation of isolation has been under the basis of this allegation. This is not right.''

-JAPANESE SENATE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN MOTOOKA SAYS PSYCHOLOGICAL NEGATITIVITES
OF

QUAKE ON CHILDREN AND ELDERLY PEOPLE SHOULD BE REMOVED
ADAPAZARI - Japanese Senate Deputy Chairman Shoji Motooka said on Saturday that psychological negativities of the two quakes on people should be removed and that a joint work should be carried out in this respect. Motooka and an accompanying parliamentary delegation visited the Turkish- Japanese Village that was set up in Adapazari following the quake and talked with the quake survivor children.

Stressing that they knew the quake was influential on children and elderly people, Motooka said negative effects of the quake should be removed.

Motooka said financial losses caused by the quake could be removed in time, but that it takes a long time for the children and elderly people to get rid of the psychological effects of quake.

Motooka said the municipalities and other organizations should carry out works in this respect.

-VURAL, SECRETARY GENERAL FOR EU: ''IF TURKEY IS OUTSIDE ENLARGEMENT
WAVE, ITS MEMBERSHIP WILL REMAIN UNRESOLVED''
ANKARA - Volkan Vural, the Secretary General for the European Union (EU), said on Saturday that if Turkey was outside the enlargement wave, its membership would remain unresolved.

Speaking at a panel discussion held within the framework of the meeting on Turkey-EU relations and expectations held by the Strategic, Social and Economic Researches Foundation of Turkey in the Years 2000 (Vakif 2000), Vural said that 12 EU candidate countries except Turkey would probably become an EU member till 2007.

Vural noted that Turkey was fulfilling its responsibilities in its relations with the EU in ''slow motion'' and said that the National Program and the parliament's will in relations with the EU were the concrete examples that Turkey-EU relations had been solved in ideological sense.

Turkey had to take its place in the EU without losing any time, Vural pointed out.

Stating that Turkey had taken significant steps since the National Program prepared in March 2001, Vural said that it was not possible to begin full membership negotiations before the Copenhagen political criteria had been totaly met.

Vural said that they had to clarify their stance towards sensitive issues and noted that the stance towards language in the law on Higher Board of Radio and Television (RTUK) should be clarified and the extraordinary situation should be lifted.

It would not be enough to only make laws, Vural stated and underlined that implementation of those laws was important.

Vural said that Turkey did not have the luxury to lose any more opportunities, adding, ''to this end, we have to work in cooperation.''

Manuel de la Camara, the Spanish Ambassador to Turkey, said that Copenhagen criteria were clearly defined and that these criteria were valid for all EU candidates.

Camara noted that Laeken Summit brought positive approaches for Turkey's membership and said that if Turkey's full membership negotiations did not begin till 2003, Turkey's membership could be delayed to later.

Meral Gezgin Eris, the Chairperson of Economic Development Foundation (IKV), said that 2002 was a very important year for Turkey-EU relations.

The positive atmosphere in the Laeken Summit was the result of constitutional amendments, decrease in effects of economic crisis, compromise on European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) and beginning of direct talks in Cyprus.

-STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS THEY HOPE THAT BANKING
SECTOR WILL BE STRONGER IN SIX MONTHS
ISTANBUL - State Minister Kemal Dervis said on Saturday that they hoped that the banking sector would be a stronger sector which could give credit to real sector and support growth.

Following his meeting with bank officials, Dervis told reporters that they informed the bank officials about the law on banking sector.

Dervis said that the law had not entered into force yet and noted that the president was examining it.

Dervis stated that the real aim of the law was to accelerate growth, facilitate investments and exportation in Turkey, and transfer credits to real sector.

The main target of a strong banking system was in fact all the above mentioned aims, Dervis said.

Dervis noted, ''the reason why the banking sector could not extend enough credits to the producing sector was the public deficits. The public sector prevented the flow of sources to real sector by taking sources from the market since it did not have a strong financial policy and public balance in the last decade. This is the biggest obstacle before the operation of banking system and growth of real sector. A strong financial policy and a saving state is the biggest guarantee for the real sector and it is also a precondition for the banking sector to take the credit.''

They would continue to debate the law with representatives of banking sector, Dervis pointed out.

Dervis stated that they also touched on the importance of medium and small scale enterprises.

''Small and medium scale enterprises are expecting support of not only Halk Bankasi but also private banks. The private banks are getting prepared for this. They have given a support at a certain extent. But, this support has to be increased. This is not only the duty of Halk Bankasi. Of course, Halk Bankasi will continue to do it. But, it is of utmost importance for the private banking to support small and medium scale enterprises to give credit to those enterprises within sound banking criteria,'' Dervis said.

Asked if President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had reservations, Dervis said, ''I met with the president as soon as the law was passed. He could not have the opportunity to examine the law. I gave information to the president in detail about the contents, targets of the law and how we are welcoming the year 2002. It was very beneficial for me. Of course, he will examine the law. It is an important and multi-dimensional law. I guess that the president also sees the importance of the law in regard to supporting real sector and in regard to strengthening the banking sector. He will also support the law.''

Upon another question, Dervis said, ''if we can achieve our targets successfully, there will be not any reason not to live such a deep crisis.''

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