Anadolu Agency: News in English, 02-01-27

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ANADOLU AJANSI

NEWS

27 January

2002 Sunday

Türkiye

Dünya

Parlamento

Ekonomi

Spor

Sanat-Magazin

Sağlık

T

urkey

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 27, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

A war of ''order'' broke out between the Cankaya Presidential Palace and the Higher Education Board (YOK). An ''ordering'' document sent by the Presidential Secretariat General in September of 2001 escalated tension between the two institutions. YOK Chairman Prof. Dr. Guruz applied to the Council of State, and asked whether or not the President could order the YOK. The Council of State responded to Prof. Dr. Guruz, saying, ''the document should be considered not an order, but a recommendation.''

IRANIAN NATURAL GAS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO GREECE VIA TURKEY

Iran will sell natural gas to Greece via Turkey. Sedayi Adalet Newspaper said that Iranian Oil Minister Bijen Namdar Zengene would pay a visit to Greece to hold talks with Greek officials about the sale of natural gas. A 100-kilometre pipeline should be installed in Turkey to transfer Iranian natural gas to Greece.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's decision to veto three articles of the Banking Law escalated tension. The government did not publish other articles of the Banking Law which were not vetoed by President Sezer in the Official Gazette saying that the Cankaya Presidential Palace had not given any instruction yet. Meanwhile, the government gave the message that President Sezer's decision risked 16.3 million U.S. dollars of IMF loan.

FINANCIAL TIMES: ''PRESIDENT SEZER DELAYS IMF LOAN''

The Financial Times said, ''President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed three articles of a banking law, in a move likely to delay the International Monetary Fund's approval of a new loan for Turkey. Sezer, a former constitutional court chief, said he objected to provisions changing the legal status of managers and employees of state-owned banks, as well as reporting requirements for bank regulators. The law is one of the conditions for the IMF's approval, at a board meeting scheduled for February 4, for a three-year standby agreement backed by a loan of up to 16 billion U.S. dollars.''

RESONANT BOMB GOES OFF IN TRAIN STATION

Resonant bomb planted in a toilet at Istanbul's Haydarpasa Train Station went off at about 11:00 p.m. There were not any immediate reports of casualties in the incident. The bomb caused minor damage to the toilet. Meanwhile, security forces found a second bomb at the train station, and refused it. All passengers were evacuated during the search by security forces.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said, ''Turkey aims to begin full membership negotiations with the European Union next year. Our target is to become a full member in 2007.''

DERVIS: ''DO NOT WORRY''

State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy informed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed three articles of the Banking Law. Noting that they would debate and approve those three articles in a week, Dervis told the IMF that there was no need to worry.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) which does not consider leaders' pledges of assurance sufficient wants a commitment at the level of Council of Ministers about the arrangements to be made. IMF wanted the Council of Ministers to take a decision on amendments to some laws regarding the 18th stand-by deal. Upon the IMF's demand, actions plans on change of tax management structure, recovery of investment environment, influential state and narrowing of state are being tried to be prepared in a way which includes Council of Ministers commitment.

ARRANGEMENTS INSUFFICIENT

The European Union (EU) warned that the existing bills on Turkish Penal Code's articles 312 and 159 which the government foresaw to amend for adjustment with the EU were insufficient to meet the Copenhagen criteria. EU Ambassadors who visited Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that adoption of bills on articles 312 and 159 without any change might cause negative developments in relations between Turkey and the EU.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Ambassadors of member countries to the European Union (EU) visited Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. EU Commission's Representative in Turkey Karen Fogg, EU Term President Spain's Ambassador to Turkey Camara and next Term President Denmark's Ambassador to Turkey Happe said that Turkey had been delaying its promises about the freedom of thought. They also noted that the mini democracy package does not meet the EU's expectations.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS: ''WE DO NOT ALLOW OUTWORN BILL''

The Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is), the Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-is), the Confederation of Public Workers Trade Unions (KESK), and the Union of Chambers of Turkish Architects and Engineers (TMMOB) said that they would do their utmost to prevent legalization of the mini democracy package with its current shape.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Somehow sultanate of houses provided by the state for civil servants cannot be ended although their sale came to the agenda in order to prevent extravagance by the state. According to the statistics of the Finance Ministry, the state now owns 237,224 such houses and 3,371 social facilities although it has not purchased any house or social facility in last four years. Finance Minister Sumer Oral said that the National Education Ministry has 804 social facilities and it is followed by the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry with 357, Ziraat Bankasi with 225 and Finance Ministry with 118 social facilities. Meanwhile, ten members of parliament applied to the Parliament Speaker's Office in last one month to leave the MPs houses provided by the state with the pretext of high rent.

DERVIS DOES NOT GIVE IN

State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy will ask the coalition partners to send the Banking Law's three articles which was vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer back to him without any change. If these articles are sent back to the President without any change, the President is obliged to approve them or he can apply to the Constitutional Court.

WE NEED TURKEY'S SUPPORT

Speaking to the Ihlas News Agency after the Israeli President, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said, ''we feel proud of our relations with Turkey. We always need Turkey's support.'' Arafat said that Turks were the people who made Jerusalem the Jerusalem al-Sharif and that if Sharon wanted to open Haram al-Sharif to Jews, this will be opposed firstly by Turks.

U.S. DOLLAR GAME

Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sinan Aygun said that speculators had prepared such a scenario that they always made profit even the U.S. dollar decreased or increased. Aygun said that speculators earned the interest which they gained in 90 years in the United States, just in one year in Turkey. ''What they do is to just turn the scenario upside down like the hourglass, keeping Turkey in the center of pincers of hot money.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

The legal vacuum in implementation of the Amnesty Law causes prisoners to seek new methods. Some prisoners are released earlier by requesting their transfer to prisons where the amnesty is implemented in favor of them. The difference in evaluation of 10 years of punishment commuting in some provinces caused prisoners to seek new methods. An inmate staying at Balikesir Prison had asked for his transfer to Canakkale Prison as the Canakkale Court implements the 10-year punishment commuting rule of the Amnesty Law in favor of prisoners. The prisoner who was released from Canakkale Prison ten days ago, said, ''if I was going to stay in the Balikesir Prison, I should have stayed in there for 20 months more.''

-NSC TO CONVENE ON TUESDAY

ANKARA - The National Security Council (NSC) will convene under the chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer at the Cankaya Presidential Palace on January 29.

The monthly regular meeting of the NSC will start at 09:30 a.m.

The meeting is expected to focus on recent developments both in Turkey and in the world.

-YILMAZ SAYS THEIR TARGET IS TO BECOME A FULL MEMBER OF EU IN 2007

ESSEN - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz who came to Essen, Germany as the guest of Initiative Group, visited Essen-based Turkish Studies Center on Saturday.

Holding a press conference following the visit, Yilmaz said, ''Turkey aims to begin full membership negotiations with the European Union (EU) next year by fulfilling short-term commitments in 2002. Our target is to take place among countries that will become full members of the EU in 2007.''

Recalling that the parliament made its most comprehensive constitutional amendment of its history, Yilmaz said, ''these constitutional amendments are about our short-term commitments in the National Programme submitted to the EU. We, as the government, turned amendments including our commitments in the National Programme into an adjustment package.''

Referring to criticisms saying that some arrangements did not meet the EU's expectations, Yilmaz said, ''our government has been evaluating these criticisms. Leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government will convene on Monday after the meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss these criticisms.''

''We will make some changes when the bill is brought onto parliamentary agenda. The real target of these arrangements is to meet the Copenhagen criteria,'' he said.

Yilmaz said, ''according to results of public survey, an important part of people in Europe are opposed to the EU's enlargement. Most of German people are against full membership of Poland and Czech Republic. However, candidace countries to the EU have been following the enlargement policy by taking into consideration positive results of the EU's enlargement for the future of both the EU and candidate countries. For the time being, enlargement is uncertain. Turkey is the only country that did not begin full membership negotiations. Turkey aims to begin full membership negotiations with the EU next year by fulfilling short-term commitments in 2002. Our target is to take place among countries that will become full member of the EU in 2007.''

''Tendencies in the German society should not discourage Turkey. Previous German government did not accept Turkey's candidicay to the EU. On the contrary, current German government supported Turkey's candidacy at Helsinki Summit in 1999. General elections will be held in Germany in a year. German opposition parties are opposed to Turkey's EU membership. If people of member countries decide on membership of other countries, any country cannot enter the EU,'' he said.

When asked whether or not Turkey sufficiently benefitted from EU's financial sources, Yilmaz said that Greece was the problem with the EU regarding extension of necessary financial source to Turkey.

Noting that existing sources were not at the level that could suffice Turkey's requirements, Yilmaz said that allocation of more source to Turkey would be in question in the new budget.

Yilmaz said that very serious amount of source would be given to Turkish economy from the infrastructure and regional funds together with Turkey's full membership.

Noting that Turkey was not obtaining external source only from the EU, Yilmaz said, ''now Turkey uses one-third of all loans that IMF gives to the world. According to the national income, Turkey is the country which obtains the biggest amount of source from the IMF so Turkey does not have the right to complain about matter of external source.''

Responding a question about education in mother tongue, Yilmaz said, ''Turkey's mother tongue education is Turkish. It is the ordering rule of our Constitution. Any education except this is impossible. Despite this clear rule of the Constitution, evey citizen in Turkey has the right to give petition. However, this right should not be used by changing it into a political campaign. If people take unfair advantage of this right, this creates tension in the society. So necessary measures should be taken. Every individual in Turkey is obliged to contribute to social peace. Those who violate this will be the circle which suffers more like in the past.''

Noting that broadcast in mother tongue was a matter foreseen under the Copenhagen criteria, Yilmaz said that the matter covered radio and television channels not the press.

Srtressing that there was a special law about the broadcast in Turkey, Yilmaz said that arrangements would be made about the matter, adding, ''this will be determined through a compromise at the parliament in a comprehensive way. Education in mother tongue and broadcast are separate issues. There should be broadcast but the issue of how this broadcast should be is still unclear. It will be solved.''

Yilmaz will return to Istanbul on Sunday.

-TURK SAYS IT'S CLEAR KURDISH EDUCATION DEMANDS HAVE CONNECTION WITH PKK

ADANA - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said on Saturday that demands for education in Kurdish contradicted with the Constitution and is was clear that those demands had connection with the terrorist organization PKK.

Turk visited Governor's Office in southern province of Adana.

When asked during the meeting whether of not petitions about education in Kurdish had connection with an illegal organization, Turk said, ''undoubtedly, every citizen can submit petition about the matters which either concern themselves or the administration and their petitions are responded. However, demands cannot be contrary to the Constitution.''

''It is clear that demands in Kurdish education have connection with the terrorist organization. However, we should not show same approach to everybody who joins such acts. There are people who organize these acts and there are people who were forced to sign such petitions,'' he said.

''The aim of the terrorist organization with this act and the similar acts in the future is to create a mass of unhappy people as mauch as possible, fill police stations and prisons with such people and bring possible disputes or verdicts of courts in a case that will be filed by those people to the European Court of Human rights. As far as it is understood the illegal organization is following such a plan,'' he said.

Stressing that the Constitution said that ''Turkish is the official language of the state and any language except Turkish cannot be the mother tongue at schools'', Turk said, ''so the response to a demand which contradicts with the Constitution is clear.''

When asked, ''it was claimed that some head officials took identity cards of citizens in eastern provinces and wrote petitions on behalf of them. Is this claim true?'' Turk said, ''the concept of Turk is our common identity. We cannot accept efforts to follow separatist intentions by creating sub- identities. If claims saying that some head officials took identity cards of citizens in eastern provinces and wrote petitions on behalf of them are true, this is a crime. And all crimes will be punished.''

Meanwhile, Adana Bar Chairman Necati Erdem informed Justice Minister Turk on their problems.

Erdem said that prison gendarmes and guards should not carry on body-search on lawyers.

Turk told Erdem that they would bring the issue onto parliamentary agenda and added that new arrangements would be made soon.

''Briefcases of lawyers will not be searched without decision of judge. However, there are more tight measures in prisons across Europe. Also, there are more sensitive systems in European prisons,'' he added.

-GREEK BUSINESSMEN TO INVEST IN TURKEY

IZMIR - Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO) Chairman Ekrem Demirtas said on Sunday, ''a number of Greek companies are getting prepared to invest in Turkey. This is the fruit of friendly relations that have been improving between the two neighboring countries in recent years.''

Responding questions of the A.A correspondent, Demirtas said, ''we learnt that nearly sixty Greek companies were planning to invest in Turkey this year. Greek National Bank has allocated a fund of five hundred million U.S. dollars to these investments. Turkish-Greek Friendship Association Chairman and Greek National Bank Director Panagiotis Koutsikos has been playing an important role by encouraging Greek businessmen to invest in Turkey.''

''Avarage of trade volume between Turkey and Greece had been about five hundred million U.S. dollars in previous years. This amount rose to one billion U.S. dollars. We expect trade volume between the two countries to increase more in coming years. Partnerships and cooperations will be beneficial for both countries,'' he said.

Noting that there were many joint investment projects in the fields of energy, tourism, transportation and foodstuff, Demirtas said, ''there are many affinities between Turkish and Greek peoples. Therefore, we understand each other in a short period of time. Mutual visits of Turkish and Greek non-governmental organizations and businessmen in recent years have made important contributions to this end.''

''We requested the Turkish Airlines (THY) to organize direct flights from Izmir to Salonica and Athens. The THY responded our request in the affirmative. Meanwhile, our efforts have been continuing for rapid ferry journeys from Cesme township of Izmir to Pireaus and Salonica. Transportation is of great importance in regard to further improvement of economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Greece,'' he added.

-DENKTAS TO MEET WITH CLERIDES AND INFORM POLITICIANS ON MONDAY

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) will meet on Monday with Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides for the fifth time within framework of the direct talks which aim to to find a solution to the Cyprus issue.

Also delegations of the leaders will attend tomorrow's meeting which will start at 17:00 Turkish local time at the ''Lefkosa Conference Center'' near the U.N.-controlled Lefkosa Airport.

Constitutional issues and authorities of central government to be founded are being discussed during the talks in which U.N. Secretary General's Special Envoy to Cyprus Alvaro De Soto participates as an observer.

At their meeting on January 16, Denktas and Clerides decided to meet at 17:00 on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Prior to his meeting with Clerides on Monday, TRNC President Rauf Denktas will receive leaders of political parties and inform them on the general framework of the talks.

-TURKISH BARMEK COMPANY WINS AUCTION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A TRANSFORMER CENTER IN PAKISTAN

ANKARA - Turkish companies won another auction abroad.

Turkish Barmek Holding's Barmek construction company undertook construction of 500-kilovolt (kv) Rewat transformer center within scope of the Pakistani Energy Ministry's Ghaziii-Baratha Hydroelectric Power Plant rehabilitation project to which also giant European energy companies like Alstom, Simens, ABB and Vatech submitted bids.

The sides are expected to sign a 8.5 million U.S. dollars of contract next week for rehabilitation of 500 kv Rewat transformer center in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Works on rehabilitation of the transformer center will be finalized in nearly 18 months and financed by the Islamic Development Bank loan.

-COALITION PARTNERS TO CONVENE ON MONDAY

ANKARA - Leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government are expected to convene on Monday.

The meeting will be held following the meeting of the Council of Ministers that will start at 11 a.m.

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, the leader of the Democratic Left Party (DSP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP); State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan; and State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy will be in attendance at the meeting.

The meeting is expected to focus on three articles of the Banking Law which were returned to the parliament to be discussed again by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

-BOTAS TO INVEST 260 TRILLION LIRAS IN NATURAL GAS IN 2002

ANKARA - The Turkish Pipeline Transportation Inc (Botas) will make a 560 trillion Turkish liras (TL) of investment in 2002.

According to statistics in the Investment Programme, 15 trillion 529 billion TL was allocated to the etude project invetments that Botas will finalize this year.

Natural gas underground storing etude and Turkey-Greece Natural Gas Pipeline etude are among those projects.

A 103 trillion 820 billion TL of source was allocated to the projects which will be completed this year while use of a 33 trillion 608 billion TL of external loan was foreseen for these projects.

Meanwhile, 2 quadrillion 76 trillion has been spent so far on these projects which will be finalized this year and 878 trillion TL of external loan has been used for these projects.

In 2002, natural gas distribution network in Bursa and Eskisehir will be completed. Within framework of the Eastern Anatolia Natural Gas Main Transfer Route project, pipelines between Dogubeyazit and Erzurum; Erzurum and Sivas; Sivas and Kayseri; Kayseri and Ankara; and Kayseri and Seydisehir via Konya will be constructed.

The Samsun-Ankara Natural Gas Transfer Line, Karacabey-Izmir Natural Gas Transfer Line, Iraq-Turkey Crude Oil Pipeline telecommunication and scada systems are among the projects that Botas is planning to finalize by the end of 2002.

Meanwhile, the amount of source allocated to the projects that Botas can finalize after 2002 was set as 415 trillion 762 billion TL.

A total of 849.1 trillion has been so far spent on those projects which cost 2 quadrillion 862 trillion TL.

The Liquefied Natural Gas Import Terminal in Marmara Eregli and Southern Natural Gas Transfer Line which are planned to be finalized in 2003 are among those projects.

Meanwhile, a 28.4 trillion TL of source was allocated to the Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan-Turkey natural gas pipeline project. Besides, a 24 trillion 889 billion TL of fund was allocated to new projects of Botas.

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