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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 02-02-05Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AjansıANADOLU AJANSI HABERLER 05 February 2002 Wednesday Türkiye Dünya Parlamento Ekonomi Spor Sanat-Magazin Sağlık Türkiye CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on Feb 5, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)USD NINE BILLION TO BE GIVEN TURKEY IMMEDIATELYThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) has full confidence in Turkey. New stand-by agreement was approved rapidly. Under the new stand-by, Turkey is envisaged to be given 16.2 billion U.S. dollars till 2004. Nine billion U.S. dollars of this source will be released immediately. IMF Board convened yesterday and approved Turkey’s programme for the 2002-2004 period. PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT WARNS SADDAM WITH A LETTER A TENDER TO BE HELD FOR MARMARAY PROJECT IN AUGUST A tender will be held in August of 2002 for the ''Marmaray Project'' aiming at passing the Istanbul Strait through a tunnel and railway system. Construction of the Marmaray Project to start in March of 2003, is expected to be finalize in April of 2007. CEM: ''IF THE EU SETS A DATE, COALITION GOVERNMENT WINS ELECTIONS ONCE MILLIYET (LIBERAL)THIS TIME WE INSPECTThe Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (COEPA) has charged Atilla Mutman, a deputy of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and a member of Turkish Group at the COEPA to inspect clashes between the Catholics and the Protestans in Northern Ireland. The COEPA said that Mutman could act impartially because he was a Muslim. As a result, Mutman became the peace atbitrator in Northern Ireland. Mutman is waiting for the Council of Europe Secretariat to finalize its preparatory works. Later, he will leave for Ireland. He will listen to the sides in Northern Ireland, and prepare a report for the COEPA. ISIKARA: ''MARMARA QUAKE APPROACHES DAY BY DAY'' SABAH (LIBERAL)DENKTAS: ''GREEN LINE IS NOT ANOTHER BERLIN WALL''President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said, ''I believe that a compromise will be reached on the island soon. Unification can be provided on the island by setting up bridges in the current situation on the island. The world should understand the fact that the Green Line brought forth peace to the island having two separate nations. It is necessary to find a solution to the Cyprus question.'' DERVIS: ''ECONOMIC SHOCK IN TURKEY CAME TO AN END'' OIB GIVEN THREE YEARS CUMHURIYET (LEFT)USD 9 BILLION TO COME IMMEDIATELYThe IMF approved the 18th stand-by deal after Turkey had fulfilled legal arrangements and pre-conditions. Turkey can immediately draw 9 billion U.S. dollars part of the approved loan of 19 billion U.S. dollars. The money is expected to come on Wednesday or Thursday. This year, 14.3 billion U.S. dollars together with the former sources will be used. Besides, 1 billion U.S. dollars will come each in 2003 and 2004. 3-YEAR DEPENDENCE DERVIS: ''TURKEY DESERVES'' RADIKAL (LEFT)THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE INSURANCE FEEL BITTER REGRETThe earthquake in Sultandagi clearly proved importance of the compulsory insurance of real estates against earthquake, which started to be implemented in March of 2001. The government which is discussing ''rapid payment'' in order to encourage insurance will not give money for the buildings which have not been insured in accordance with its commitment to the World Bank. The ceiling limit of the money to be paid to buildings which suffered damage in the quake in Afyon was set as 28 billion Turkish liras. However, only 9,671 of the 132,924 buildings in Afyon were insured. According to official figures, 622 buildings suffered damage, but it is still unclear how many of these buildings have insurance. LETTER TO BAGHDAD ECEVIT: ''ADJUSTMENT WILL BE TAKEN UP AGAIN'' TURKIYE (RIGHT)WE DID NOT TAKE NECESSARY LESSONSSunday's 6.0-magnitude earthquake in western province of Afyon revealed that we did not take necessary lessons from 1999's destructive earthquake disasters which claimed 50 thousand lives. In 1999, we accepted the fact that the real murderer of quake victims were constractors. However, they were released one by one by courts. We did not take into consideration Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute Director Prof. Dr. Ahmet Mete Isikara's warnings. Buildings which were razed to ground in Afyon were made of sun-dried bricks without any urban plans. We will forget pains of Afyon quake as we did in 1999 earthquake disasters till new earthquakes claim more lives. Holding a press conference, Prof. Dr. Isikara said, ''Turkey should be reconstructed. If such an earthquake had jolted Istanbul, all viaducts in the province would have destroyed.'' Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers took up Afyon quake at yesterday's meeting. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the state had mobilized for Afyon. State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli paid a visit to Afyon. Quake survivors told Bahceli that constractors should be brought to justice this time. Bahceli said that an investigation would be launched. SIX TERRORISTS SURRENDER TO SECURITY FORCES CHHIBBER VISITS GURTUNA ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)ECEVIT: ''WE SHOULD PROVIDE HARMONY THIS WEEK''Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that arguments about the adjustment bill should be finalized this week. Following the meeting of Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''we made new assessments about the bill. I believe that it would be beneficial to finalize these arguments about the bill this week.'' The democracy package was criticized harshly with the pretext that it envisaged changes in Articles 159 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) restricting the freedom of expression. 493 AFTERSHOCKS OCCUR IN 24 HOURS -NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU LEAVES FOR PAKISTAN (2) Cakmakoglu left for Pakistani capital Islamabad as the official guest of Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar who also serves as the Defense minister on behalf of the Pakistani President. Speaking to reporters prior to his departure, Cakmakoglu said that he would be received by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf during his visit and they would take up bilateral, regional and international issues. Noting that friendship and brotherhood had been the two main factors in bilateral relations since 1947 when Pakistan had acquired its independence, Cakmakoglu said, ''Turkey and Pakistan are the two countries which have examplary relations and have always supported each other at political platforms. Our friendship with Pakistan also constitutes a model for other nations.'' Stating that existing problems in the region and terrorism in Afghanistan would be taken up during his visit, Cakmakoglu said that the recent issues between Pakistan and India would also be brought onto agenda during his visit. Cakmakoglu said, ''we believe that the Kashmir problem can be solved through peaceful methods and dialogue under today's conditions.'' Noting that Turkey's and Pakistan's capabilities and facilities in the field of defense industry would be reviewed during his visit, Cakmakoglu said that opportunities of cooperation would be evaluated according to this review. When asked whether or not Turkey and Pakistan would carry out joint works on rebuilding of Afghanistan, Cakmakoglu said that public opinion knew about Turkey's interest in Afghanistan and that Turkish contractors and businessmen could cooperate with Pakistan in Afghanistan. Stressing that they supported the interim government in Afghanistan during the process of transition into a permanent administration, Cakmakoglu said, ''we desire an administration which represents all Afghans.'' Recalling that the Turkish Armed FOrces (TSK) would send a 261-member military unit to Afghanistan, Cakmakoglu said that this unit was about to finalize its preparations. Cakmakoglu said that the unit would leave for the region after the advance delegation concluded its works about the settlement conditions in Afghanistan. Recalling that the TSK had also undertaken traning of the troop of guardsmen that would be formed in Afghanistan, Cakmakoglu said that Turkey would supply clothings and equipment of this troop. -559 AFTERSHOCKS OCCUR IN REGION AFTER SUNDAY'S EARTHQUAKE IN AFYON Officials at the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Institute told the A.A that 559 aftershock were recorded since the massive earthquake at 09:11 on Sunday until 10:00 on Tuesday. They said that epicenters of those aftershocks were Sultandagi and Cay townships of Afyon and the highest preliminary magnitude of those aftershocks was 3.7 on the Richter scale. They said 66 aftershicks were recorded in last 24 hours. Officials said aftershocks would continue in coming days and warned the citizens not to enter the damaged houses. -DISASTER WORKS GENERAL DIRECTORATE SAYS DEATH TOLL IS 43 It said that 15 of those people were killed in Sultandagi, 24 of them died in Cay, 1 person was killed in Bolvadin, 2 others lost their lives in Cobanlar and 1 person died in Sincanli, adding that 318 people were injured in the quake. It said that 3,644 tents, 13,120 blankets and 20 containers had been sent to Aegean Afyon province, which was jolted by a strong earthquake on Sunday. A statement of the Disaster Works General Directorate stressed that 20 container W.C, 3,000 stoves with LPG, 8 portable kitchens, and one mobile clinic were also dispatched to the quake zone. The statement noted that 35 technical personnel and three geophysicians were working at the region to measure the aftershocks. A total of 59 technicians from Antalya, Konya, Isparta and Denizli Public Works and Housing directorates, three gophysics engineers, five drivers, two carpenters and two electricians were charged in the disaster zone, the statement pointed out. It said that 500 billion Turkish liras (TL) of emergency aid appropriation had been sent to Afyon Governorship the same day. A total of 340 dwellings, 246 workplaces, 36 public institution buildings suffered severe and moderate damages, the statement added. Below is the preliminary damage assesments: . DWELLING WORKPLACE PUBLIC INSTITUTION The circular said that as a result of the Prime Minister's visit to the United States between January 15-18, 2002, it had been decided to form a ''Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Commission'' where economic and commercial issues would be taken up in order to reflect the close strategic partnership between Turkey and the United States also to the economic field. The circular stressed that this new consultative mechanism was foreseen to serve development of commercial relations by enlargening the economic dialogue between the sides, increase of investments and implementation of the economic reform program in Turkey in a successful way. ''It has been stated that the U.S. side co-chairmanship of the commission would be carried out by the U.S. State Department and it has been seen appropriate for the Foreign Ministry to carry out the Turkish side co- chairmanship of the commission. I request all public organizations and institutitons to extend necessary cooperation and support and give necessary information to the commission during its works,'' Ecevit said in his circular. -NEARLY USD 9.3 BILLION RELEASED BY IMF TO ENTER TREASURY'S ACCOUNTS BY Sources said that nearly 6.2 billion U.S. dollars part of this money would be immediately used in repayment of debts. Meanwhile, 7 billion U.S. dollars part of the 10 billion U.S. dollars of fresh source in total which would be given to Turkey in 2002 would be aused in the budget while the remaining 3 billion U.S. dollars part would be allocated to consolidation of reserves, sources said. According to another statistics, 12 billion U.S. dollars of fresh source including 1 billion U.S. dollars each in 2003 and 2004 should be repaid in four years but there will not be any repayment in first 2 years and three months. Sources said that this loan should be repaid in five years at the latest and the interest rate would be about 6.61 percent. Meanwhile, IMF delegation will carry out its first review visit in March 2002. The second, third and fourth reviews will take place in May, July and October 2002. After each of these reviews, a letter of intent will be submitted to the IMF. Nearly 1 billion 150 million U.S. dolllars of loan tranche will be aproved after each of these reviews. The last loan tranche of nearly 1.5 billion U.S. dollars will be released after the review in October. Sources added that IMF delegation will pay review visits to Turkey once in every six months in 2003 and 2004 if the economic program was implemented in line with the plan. -STATE MINISTER DERVIS PROCEEDS FROM NEW YORK TO LONDON Dervis will attend a meeting organized by Credit Suisse finance organization later in the day. Dervis will deliver a speech on latest economic developments in Turkey during the meeting in which also finance and business circles in London will participate. Dervis will return to Turkey on Wednesday. -GARCIA, FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA, SAYS TURKEY AND FRANCE PLAN TO SET UP Bernard Garcia, the French Ambassador in Ankara, addressed a news conference and announced the aid package of his country for the Afyon quake. Responding to a question, Garcia evaluated the level of relations between the two countries, particularly in defense, following the adoption of the so-called genocide on Armenians. Garcia said Richard, following his meetings with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, said the Turkish side attributed importance to the ''technology transfer'' and noted that officials of the two sides discussed their plans to launch joint initiatives on military issues and set up a joint defense industry. -FRENCH AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA GARCIA SAYS FRENCH COMPANY SUBMITS Garcia announced the aid package of his country to Turkey after the strong earthquake in Aegean Afyon province. Garcia also evaluted the level of relations between the two countries following the adoption of so-called genocide on Armenians, and the point reached particularly in defense field. When recalled the news reports that the Aselsan-Mikes partnership instead of French company Thales won the bidding for the modernization of F-16 planes, Garcia said they have not received any official information about this. Speaking about the results of the tender, Garcia said Turkey was a sovereign country, and that the decision belonged to it, yet he said he found it beneficial to remind some points. Garcia said the equipment, that would be assembled to F-16 planes were made in the U.S., but that the assemblers were French. Garcia also said the French company was positive toward the technology transfer which Ankara attributed a great importance, noting that he did not think that other companies made a better proposal. Garcia said Richard, following his meetings with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, said the Turkish side attributed importance to the ''technology transfer'' and noted that officials of the two sides discussed their plans to launch joint initiatives on military issues and set up a joint defense industry. Garcia said draft resolutions for the establishment of a joint industry were also discussed, noting that France is positive toward the issue of defense industry. He said France had its first nuclear weapons during the period of De Gaulle, and that it continued efforts up to now. Garcia said it was natural for Turkey and France to launch a joint initiative because point of view of the two countries to the incidents are the same. Garcia said the aid sent by the French administration should not be considered as a gesture made to Turkey following the decision on so-called genocide on Armenians, and noted that the aid did not have any connection with the Turkish-French relations. He said relations between two countries may sour from time to time, but relations between the Turkish and French people have a past. -ARSEVEN: ''IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS, TURKEY HAS AN IMAGE WHICH IT ''Legal regulations reached an important point. Passing adjustment bills and other complementary regulations will also create a relief,'' Arseven said when he attended a human rights meeting which lasted for two hours on Tuesday. ''It's our main goal to create the environment and conditions to make our people fully benefit from human rights. Despite many legal and administrative changes that were made, Turkey has an image that it doesn't deserve regarding human rights. Improving this image is necessary both for joining the EU and to have a better image in the world public opinion. This year, especially, is important to fulfill the political criteria of the EU, '' Arseven said. Arseven also said that an Advisory Council was set up to provide communication between state institutions and non-governmental organizations. Arseven said that at the meeting they assessed the activities of provincial and township councils which have an important role in the developing of human rights and they discussed the measures that could be taken to make these councils work more efficiently. Turkey made significant progress in the field of human rights, Arseven said and added that there was still a long way to go ahead of Turkey in this field. Dünya Parlamento Ekonomi Spor Sanat-Magazin Sağlık
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