Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-12-14

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From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>

14 DEC 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKISH, GREEK, TURKISH CYPRIOT AND GREEK CYPRIOT BUSINESSMEN COME TOGETHER IN ISTANBUL

[02] ECEVIT, DSP LEADER MEETS WITH CINDORUK, DTP LEADER

[03] DEMONSTRATION IN LONDON TO PROTEST ITALY

[04] GREEK CYPRIOTS OPEN FIRE TO TRNC BORDER - TRNC PROTESTS THE INCIDENT

[05] TREASURY TO ARRANGE 14-MONTH BOND TENDER ON TUESDAY

[06] FIRE-BOMB ATTACK TO A PUBLIC BUS IN ISTANBUL

[07] OTTOMAN SWORD TO BE EXPORTED TO THE US

[08] ECEVIT, DSP LEADER SAYS THAT CINDORUK, THE DTP LEADER TO EXTEND SUPPORT TO MINORITY GOVERNMENT

[09] IRAN EXCLUDED FROM TURKMEN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT

[10] 27 FOREIGNERS TRYING TO GO TO GREECE ILLEGALLY ARE CAUGHT

[11] 7 SYRIAN DRIVERS AND 2 TURKISH CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN SOUTHERN KARGAMIS BORDER GATE

[12] PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN PROVINCE BASIS - EASTHERN BINGOL PROVINCE IS THE PROVINCE WHERE THE MOST OF INVESTMENTS PER PERSON IS MADE - THE TOTAL OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IS 567.6 TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1998

[13] TURKISH-ITALIAN COOPERATION IN HEATERS

[14] FINANCE MINISTER TEMIZEL: ''TURKEY IS NOT EXPERIENCING A CRISIS''

[15] ALASYA, THE CHAIRMAN OF TRNC LABOUR UNION: ''AS LONG AS EMBARGO CONTINUES, CONTACTS AIMING TO BUILD UP CONFIDENCE WON'T GIVE ANY RESULT''

[16] FINANCE MINISTER TEMIZEL: - ''THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS NOT A GUIDED ECONOMY''

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''TURKEY HAS BEEN DE FACTO WITHIN THE EU FOR A LONG TIME ALTHOUGH SHE IS NOT A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU''

[18] VERGAU, THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: ''THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT THINKS THAT OCALAN HAS TO BE EXTRADITED TO TURKEY'' - ''PKK WAS PROHIBITED IN GERMANY AND IT WILL REMAIN PROHIBITED''

[19] ECONOMIC MEASURES MEETING - STATE MINISTER CELEBI: - ''EXISTING BOTTLENECKS EMERGED FROM THE INTERACTIONOF STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE EFFECT OF GLOBAL CRISIS''

[01] TURKISH, GREEK, TURKISH CYPRIOT AND GREEK CYPRIOT BUSINESSMEN COME TOGETHER IN ISTANBUL

Richard Holbrooke, US Special Envoy to Cyprus, said that the businessmen came together to improve the relations in the region and that the fact that the meeting was held in Istanbul did not have a political aim.

Responding the questions in a press conference after the meeting, Holbrooke stated that the meeting aimed at improving the relations between the businessmen by non-political diplomacy.

Hollbroke said, ''we are not here for a political aim. We have not come together to give a political message or to establish a political lobby. We are here to improve the relations in the region.''

Stressing that the meeting was held in order to take decisions regarding the facilitating of the life on Cyprus and in order to put these decisions into effect, Holbrooke noted that their aim was to prevent the misunderstanding between the parties by having face-to-face meetings.

In the joint declaration after the meeting, the parties disclosed that they discussed the water problem on the Island but added that this problem was not a political one.

Responding the questions of the journalists on the success of the meeting, the participants said that the fact that they came together was a solid success.

[02] ECEVIT, DSP LEADER MEETS WITH CINDORUK, DTP LEADER

Husamettin Ozkan, the State Minister, Ali Ilıksoy and Metin Bostancıoglu, the group deputy leaders and Zeki Sezer, the Secretary General all from the Democratic Left Party (DSP); Ismet Sezgin, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Yıldırım Aktuna, the State Minister, Mahmut Yılmas and Hamdi Ucpınarlar, deputy leaders from the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) participate in the meeting between Ecevit and Cindoruk.

[03] DEMONSTRATION IN LONDON TO PROTEST ITALY

Almost one thousand people convened at the Hyde Park and marched to the Italian Embassy in London.

The people, who attended the demonstration with Turkish, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Azerbaijani flags, chanted the slogans condemning terrorism.

The protesters presented to Italian Embassy officials a statement, which stressed that Ocalan is the terrorist responsible for the deaths of 30 thousand people and Italy is obliged to extradite the terrorist in question to Turkey.

The people, who protested Italy and chief terrorist Ocalan, dispersed peacefully.

[04] GREEK CYPRIOTS OPEN FIRE TO TRNC BORDER - TRNC PROTESTS THE INCIDENT

Greek Cypriots, who came to the TRNC border near Kiracıkoy and Cayonu villages opened fire against the Turkish Cypriot side in two separate cases. Greek Cypriots in civilian clothes left the scene after opening fire.

Press Office of the TRNC Security Forces said that no body died or was injured at the incidents.

A person who got off his car near Kiracıkoy region opened fire against the Turkish region with a shotgun in his hand.

Meanwhile four Greek Cypriots in the region controlled by British Bases provocated verbally the Turkish watchmen and opened fire against them.

The Press Office noted that the Turkish security forces were very calm and this prevented the occurence of a sad event.

TRNC officials protested the incident and informed the UN Peace Force and British Bases about the events.

[05] TREASURY TO ARRANGE 14-MONTH BOND TENDER ON TUESDAY

Treasury foresees a net sale up to 100 trillion Turkish Liras (TL).

The value date of bonds is 16 December and the maturity is 9 February 2000.

Meanwhile, the Treasury will realize 9.8 trillion TL in domestic borrowing repayment on 18 December; 18.1 trillion TL on 23 December; 42.6 trillion TL on 24 December and 125 trillion TL on 31 December.

[06] FIRE-BOMB ATTACK TO A PUBLIC BUS IN ISTANBUL

A group of 15 persons broke the back window of the bus and threw a firebomb inside the bus. The fire which started after the explosion of the fire-bomb was put out by the driver and the citizens nearby.

The assailants escaped before the security forces arrived.

[07] OTTOMAN SWORD TO BE EXPORTED TO THE US

Mehmet Asım Ayanoglu, who exports souvenirs to the US for 30 years told A.A correspondent that they have exported old boxes, boats and wooden furniture till today.

Ayanoglu said that they will export Ottoman sword upon the demand of a Turkish firm in the US, adding that ''our contacts with the firm continue and they requested a sample. If they like it, we will start to produce more.'' Ayanoglu pointed out that the US firms demand copper, copper buckets for decorative purposes.

Hamdi Yuksel, an official from the importing firm said that the number of muslim population increased from six millions to 12 millions in the US, adding that ''the increase in moslem population also boostered the demand for historical belongings such as swords, light-thin-soled boots belonging to the Ottoman period.''

Yuksel pointed out that the swords used in the period of Ottomans symbolize the muslim people, thus 50 of them will be imported at the first stage.

[08] ECEVIT, DSP LEADER SAYS THAT CINDORUK, THE DTP LEADER TO EXTEND SUPPORT TO MINORITY GOVERNMENT

Ecevit met with Husamettin Cindoruk, the leader of the Democratic Turkey Party (DTP) the same day.

Responding to questions of journalists after his meeting with Cindoruk, Bulent Ecevit said that ''DTP knows the difficulties of the minority government, but they have accepted to support that. I am grateful to them. We had been in harmony with the ministers from the Democratic Turkey Party for 17 months and I believe we have been successful.''

Noting that he held a beneficial, positive and friendly meeting with Cindoruk, Ecevit said that the most appropriate solution will be a minority government that will be formed by the Democratic Left Party (DSP).

''If the necessary support is extended to me, I will attribute importance to work in collaboration with the political parties in the parliament and public opinion, I will refrain from all kinds of partisan attitudes and I suppose this fact is accepted by all the parties. If the government we will form gets vote of confidence, it will face the mission of preparing Turkey to the general and local elections that will be held on April 18. Besides Turkey has important daily and foreign policy problems and it is not possible to delay them. Time is a very important factor and the events take place very fastly,'' said Ecevit.

Noting that it is a necessity to take a series of measures concerning economy, Ecevit pointed out that he is aware of the difficulty of the mission he will undertake.

Bulent Ecevit said that he took up the arrangements with Cindoruk that should be taken up by the parliament as soon as possible.

[09] IRAN EXCLUDED FROM TURKMEN NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT

Diplomatic sources said that the chance for bringing the Turkmen natural gas into Turkey via the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan and Georgia had increased while Iran had been excluded from the project with this decision.

Ankara and Ashkabat earlier reached an agreement in the transportation of Turkmen natural gas to Europe via Turkey. However, Turkmenistan couldn't make a decision about the route of the pipeline.

Following the meetings between the Turkmen government and the US officials, Turkmenistan preferred the ''Eurasian Corridor and Turkey Route'' proposed by Washington.

Diplomatic sources said the US administration didn't want Iran to be influential in energy lines as she accepts Iran as a terrorist state.

Meanwhile, Russia proposes the pipeline to pass from her territories in spite of the alternative of Caspian-Caucasus-Turkey route.

The Turkmenistan-Turkey line is estimated to cost 2.5 billion US dollars.

[10] 27 FOREIGNERS TRYING TO GO TO GREECE ILLEGALLY ARE CAUGHT

The gendarmarie guards arrested a total of 27 foreigners, including 14 Iranians, 12 Iraqis, and one Palestanian, in the military restricted zone in the Turkish-Greek border.

The officials stated that the foreigners who want to go to Greece illegally from the Turkish border do not take into consideration the adverse weather conditions such as cold, snow and freezing.

Stressing that the level of water in the Meric River which forms the border between Turkey and Greece, increased, the officials said, ''the boats they are using to cross the river can collapse and they can lose control. Thus, many people can die. However, there are still many people who do not take this fact into consideration and try to cross the border.''

[11] 7 SYRIAN DRIVERS AND 2 TURKISH CUSTOMS OFFICIALS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN SOUTHERN KARGAMIS BORDER GATE

The Gaziantep Governership issued a statement noting that an operation was held in the southern Kargamıs Border Gate on a tip-off regarding that ten tankers and one lorry loaded olive oil from Turkey to take to Syria without declaration.

A total of 84.080 kilograms of undeclared olive oil was found in the trucks in a follow-up control made after the customs controls.

The officials stressed that seven Syrian drivers and two Turkish customs officials were taken into custody and that the investigation regarding the incident is on the way.

[12] PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN PROVINCE BASIS - EASTHERN BINGOL PROVINCE IS THE PROVINCE WHERE THE MOST OF INVESTMENTS PER PERSON IS MADE - THE TOTAL OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IS 567.6 TRILLION TURKISH LIRAS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1998

Southern Antalya province becomes the province which received most of the investment with an amount of more than 15 trillion Turkish liras in the first half of 1998, whereas the investments to Siirt stays at only 6 billion Turkish liras in the same period.

In accordance with the figures of the Public Investments Report of the State Planning Institute, the total of the public investments was approximately 567 trillion Turkish liras.

About 365 trillion liras of the mentioned investments has been distributed to various provinces and 202 trillions has been transferred to the investments in province basis.

When the estimates of the population are taken into consideration, the province which gets the highest amount of investments per capita is Bingol with more than 36 million Turkish liras investment.

Eastern Tunceli province with an amount of 30 million liras and Bilecik with 19 million liras follow Bingol in the investments per person. The province where the public investment per person is the least in the first six months of 1998 is Siirt with 23.000 liras.

When the total of public investments in province basis is taken into consideration, southern Antalya province receives the most public investments with more than 15 trillion Turkish lira-investment. Western Izmır province and capital Ankara follows Antalya. Siirt also is the province in which the least public investments are held with 6 million liras.

The public investments done in the provinces and the public investments per capita in the first six months of 1998 are as follows:

                        POPULATION   INVESTMENT      PER PERSON
                  1998 APP.PERSON)  (BILLION TL) INVESTMENT(THOUSANDTL)
                      ------------  -----------   ---------------
 1-ADANA		 1.694.653    1.672	    987
 2-ADIYAMAN		   694.248	852	  1.227
 3-AFYON		   802.938    1.304	  1.624
 4-AGRI			   468.696	443	    945
 5-AMASYA		   344.967	249	    722
 6-ANKARA		 3.735.278   14.816	  3.967
 7-ANTALYA		 1.544.317   15.763	 10.207
 8-ARTVIN		   181.404    1.474	  8.126
 9-AYDIN		   906.849    1.513	  1.668
10-BALIKESIR		 1.036.135    4.320	  4.169
11-BILECIK		   193.571    3.729	 19.264
12-BINGOL		   233.456    8.588	 36.786
13-BITLIS		   340.500	262	    769
14-BOLU			   554.473    1.754	  3.163
15-BURDUR		   252.579	458	  1.813
16-BURSA		 1.991.811   11.867	  5.958
17-CANAKKALE		   450.310    3.202	  7.111
18-CANKIRI		   248.513	130	    523
19-CORUM		   575.336    4.091	  7.111
20-DENIZLI		   822.221    2.140	  2.603
21-D.BAKIR		 1.299.763    5.706	  4.390
22-EDIRNE		   397.500	878	  2.209
23-ELAZIG		   520.180	790	  1.519
24-ERZINCAN		   278.334	583	  2.095
25-ERZURUM		   875.541    1.771	  2.023
26-ESKISEHIR		   662.599    4.414	  6.662
27-GAZIANTEP		 1.138.424    3.841	  3.374
28-GIRESUN		   457.193	481	  1.052
29-GUMUSHANE		   152.609	985	  6.454
30-HAKKARI		   223.652	389	  1.739
31-HATAY		 1.205.114    1.145	    950
32-ISPARTA		   464.010    1.560	  3.362
33-ICEL			 1.530.350    8.132	  5.314
34-ISTANBUL		 9.382.894   11.162	  1.190
35-IZMIR		 3.153.383   15.350	  4.868
36-KARS			   320.473	506	  1.579
37-KASTAMONU		   358.186    1.505	  4.202
38-KAYSERI		   976.757	614	    629
39-KIRKLARELI		   319.706	840	  2.627
40-KIRŞEHIR		   240.090	650	  2.707
41-KOCAELI		 1.200.953    3.224	  2.685
42-KONYA		 1.948.156    2.984	  1.532
43-KUTAHYA		   645.276	523	    811
44-MALATYA		   825.474    1.793	  2.172
45-MANISA		 1.239.064    1.604	  1.295
46-K.MARAS		 1.018.535    2.168	  2.129
47-MARDIN		   654.947	128	    195
48-MUGLA		   647.086    8.306	 12.836
49-MUS			   426.432    1.095	  2.568
50-NEVSEHIR		   287.694    1.135	  3.945
51-NIGDE		   317.215	922	  2.907
52-ORDU			   841.312	915	  1.088
53-RIZE			   323.419	799	  2.470
54-SAKARYA		   736.223	938	  1.274
55-SAMSUN		 1.152.995    4.061	  3.522
56-SIIRT		   264.099        6	     23
57-SINOP		   210.277    1.011	  4.808
58-SIVAS		   691.624    7.223      10.444
59-TEKIRDAG		   576.445    2.148	  3.726
60-TOKAT		   693.696	513	    740
61-TRABZON		   851.522    2.495	  2.930
62-TUNCELI		    81.898    2.466	 30.111
63-S.URFA		 1.331.362    5.782	  4.343
64-USAK			   313.702	207	    660
65-VAN			   774.220	607	    784
66-YOZGAT		   601.542    1.126	  1.872
67-ZONGULDAK		   608.896    2.230	  3.662
68-AKSARAY		   348.669	757	  2.171
69-BAYBURT		    98.922	108	  1.092
70-KARAMAN		   225.128	270	  1.199
71-KIRIKKALE		   358.192    1.112	  3.104
72-BATMAN		   405.540	466	  1.149
73-SIRNAK(*)		   321.848	971	  3.017
74-BARTIN		   185.258	488	  2.634
75-ARDAHAN		   124.805	 15	     20
76-IGDIR		   145.630	640	  4.395
77-YALOVA		   166.617	204	  1.224
78-KARABUK		   225.992	177	    783
79-KILIS		   108.029	 93	    861
80-OSMANIYE		   443.346	515	  1.162
VARIOUS PROVINCES	   365.485
TOTAL			63.451.000		567.590

[13] TURKISH-ITALIAN COOPERATION IN HEATERS

Raks company sent a statement to Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB) saying that the three-months period of trial has been completed, adding that the agreement signed on November 11 foresees production, distrubition and sale of De'Longhi brand heaters.

The statement noted that the Italian heaters will be sold in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Armenia and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The design, specification, quality standarts of the products will be approved by De'Longhi firm and their quality will be equal to the similar products that are produced by De'Longhi.

[14] FINANCE MINISTER TEMIZEL: ''TURKEY IS NOT EXPERIENCING A CRISIS''

Temizel emphasized that Turkey was not experiencing a crisis but an external crisis had very negative effects on Turkey.

Addressing a joint press conference he held together with State Minister Isin Celebi in Ankara, Finance Minister Temizel gave detailed information about the measures, of which main lines were announced by Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

Temizel said that the crisis, which started in the Far East and Russia, discomposed the international capital and that the international capital oriented into the ''reliable'' markets from ''risky'' ones.

''Turkey was also affected as she was considered within the same context. The Far Eastern countries started to sell their goods at the lowest prices, '' Temizel stated.

Yener Dincmen, the Undersecretary of Treasury; Yavuz Ege, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade; Gazi Ercel, the President of the Central Bank; Nevzat Saygilioglu, the General Director of Incomes; and other bureaucrats attended the joint press conference of Celebi and Temizel.

[15] ALASYA, THE CHAIRMAN OF TRNC LABOUR UNION: ''AS LONG AS EMBARGO CONTINUES, CONTACTS AIMING TO BUILD UP CONFIDENCE WON'T GIVE ANY RESULT''

Alasya stated that the ideas and projects included in the joint declaration issued at the end of the meeting held among Turkish, Greek, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot businessmen in Istanbul can only be implemented by the recognition of TRNC and as a result of the negotiations that will be held with the Greek Cypriot side on equal terms.

Huseyin Alaska noted that the statement of Constantinos Lordos, who spoke on behalf of the Greek Cypriot businessmen at the meeting held in Istanbul and who said that ''we will never accept the equality of the Turkish Cypriots'' shows the mentality of the Greek-Greek Cypriot front.

Noting that the new parliament in TRNC is expected to call on the Greek Cypriot administration to discuss a confederational proposal, Alasya said that if the Greek administration does not give a positive response, the TRNC parliament will apply to the United Nations (UN) for membership.

[16] FINANCE MINISTER TEMIZEL: - ''THE TURKISH ECONOMY IS NOT A GUIDED ECONOMY''

Stressing that dramatizing and exaggerating the economic situation can't bring profits to the people and country, Temizel said, ''first of all, Turkey should give up crying that there were a crisis. The important thing is to express the problem and seek for the correct solutions within social compromise, and this is what we are trying to do.''

Addressing a joint press conference with State Minister Isin Celebi in Ankara, Finance Minister Temizel said that the Turkish economy was not a guided economy and nobody should think that the state had every kind of intervention opportunity and it could change every negative incident into positive one.

''It is real that the state can affect economic decisions and it can be influential on these decisions. However, the important thing is to remove the negativities stemming from those decisions by reducing to the minimum level the state's irrational decisions. Besides, it is impossible to say that the state and the public can meet the costs of the irrational attitudes of the persons and institutions. Thus, everybody should bear the costs of his or her economic decisions,'' Temizel said.

Temizel mentioned that the persons and institutions might be right for making individual decisions, but the common sense and social profit can't be ignored even in those right decisions.

''Nobody has the right for creating risks against people in order to remove the possible risks in future. Besides, nobody has the right for turning some issues into political polemics,'' Temizel said.

''Today, all of the international organizations accept that the tax arrangements had positive effects on the balance of public financing in Turkey, that is, all organizations confirm the positive effects of those arrangements on public financing. These arangements aim at registering unrecorded economy, collecting tax from everybody but at their payment ability and spreading the tax base,'' Temizel noted.

[17] PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''TURKEY HAS BEEN DE FACTO WITHIN THE EU FOR A LONG TIME ALTHOUGH SHE IS NOT A FULL MEMBER OF THE EU''

Addressing a meeting namely ''World and Turkish economy in the 21st century, '' held at Istanbul University Economy Faculty, President Demirel stated that Turkey which had earlier a population living in villages transformed into one of industry and urban society within 75 years.

''The Turkish economy, which is the 16th biggest economy of the world, which has a gross national product of 400 billion dollars and 6500 dollars of national income per capita according to the data of the World Bank, realizes a growth rate of 6-8 percent. Among the rapidly developing markets of the world in 1997, Turkey comes the seventh. Turkey is still the biggest economy in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Black Sea, Caspian Basin and the Middle East. The total foreign trade volume of Turkey reached 80 billion dollars and her export increased by 78 percent during the last six years. 90 percent of our exports are composed of industrial goods, today the Turkish industry can sell her products to 135 countries and Turkey has proved her economic competition power to the whole world,'' President Demirel said.

''Three million Turkish people living in EU countries provided an additional value of 49,7 billion ECUs in 1997, this amount is more than half of the budget of EU. The investments of Turkish people in Europe is seven billion dollars and the number of the firms they established in Europe is 62,000,'' he added.

President Demirel said that Turkey is at the centre of the world by her geographical status, adding that Istanbul has become a centre of Euroasia in respect of finance and trade.

President Demirel stated that a wide free trade zone will naturally come out by the leadership of Turkey from the Baltics to Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

[18] VERGAU, THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: ''THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT THINKS THAT OCALAN HAS TO BE EXTRADITED TO TURKEY'' - ''PKK WAS PROHIBITED IN GERMANY AND IT WILL REMAIN PROHIBITED''

Addressing a conference on ''Germany, Turkey and Europe'' in Ege University, Vergau stated that the relations between Turkey and Germany have always been good, stressing that the new government in Germany has a positive approach concerning the membership of Turkey to the European Union (EU) and it is aware of the strategical importance of Turkey. Noting that the EU membership of Turkey needs patience, Vergau stated that ''we regard Turkey as the 12th candidate, we have to work together concerning the fulfilment of criteria put forward by the EU.''

Stressing that the cultural relations between Germany and Turkey are very positive, Vergau noted that ''we have common scientific works, there are 160 teachers who came to Turkey from Germany and these teachers work at some state-high schools and universities. We also wish to increase the number of scholars of the two countries. 25,000 Turkish students study in German universities and many of these students live in Germany.''

Pointing out that representations of 780 German firms are in Turkey, Vergau stated that Germany has an effective status in Turkey in respect of investment. ''We propose making investments in Turkey, as there is a perfect potential here. I also offer Turkish people to undertake further investments in Germany,'' he said.

Noting that Germany struggles together with Turkey against terrorism, the German Ambassador pointed out that ''PKK was prohibited in Germany and it will remain prohibited.''

''The federal government can't request the extradition of Abdullah Ocalan to Germany. This would be an irresponsible act, the Turkish government understands the attitude of Germany,'' he said.

Vergau stressed that Germany wishes the integration of Turkey to the European market system, adding the customs deal was an important step taken to this end. ''We should not lose our patience concerning the EU membership, we should launch efforts to fulfil the criteria in a systematic way,'' he added.

[19] ECONOMIC MEASURES MEETING - STATE MINISTER CELEBI: - ''EXISTING BOTTLENECKS EMERGED FROM THE INTERACTIONOF STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE EFFECT OF GLOBAL CRISIS''

Addressing the joing press conference with Finance Minister Zekeriya Temizel in Ankara, State Minister Celebi said that the power and dynamism of Turkey will solve the bottlenecks and problems.

Pointing out that the problems in Turkey should be solved within a medium and long term perspective, Celebi said, ''the global crisis is deepening. The effect of the crisis on Russia is more negative than the expected and it won't last in a short time.''

Stating that the global crisis resulted in production decreases in several countries, Celebi said that the crisis caused 11 percent production decrease in Malaysia; 17 percent in Phippines; 2 percent in Singapore; 10 percent in Argentina and Brazil; nearly 15 percent in Russia.

Noting that the income per capita in 36 developing countries dropped seriously in 1998, Celebi said that the implementations, which started in July and August 1997 as a basic economic policy aiming at setting up stability at macro economic balances, brought positive results.

''During this process, the inflation has entered into a specific declining trend. The current transactions deficit, which was 1.3 billion US dollares last year, became positive. The Central Bank managed to keep its foreign exchange reserves at the level of 20 billion US dollars. It has been announced very clearly that the Gross National Product, which is the basic indicator of production, will continue at about three percent; new balances will be created at macro economic policies; the inflation will reduce to about 50 percent,'' Celebi said.

''Turkey attaches importance to the deepening of the crisis in Russia in August 1998. Turkey's exports to Russia dropped by nearly 80 percent in September 1998,'' Celebi added.

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