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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-08-27Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>AA Daily27 August 1999 FridayCONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 27, 1999. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)AID REACHES TO 42 TRILLION LIRAThe total of foreign and domestic aid, extended for the victims of the quake, reached to 42 trillion lira. Prime Ministry statement pointed out that domestic aid worth of 18.7 trillion lira, and foreign aid worth of 4.4 million German Marks, 636,102 U.S. dollars were extended. The 50 million U.S., dollars which was promised, began to come gradually. ECEVIT: ''EXPENSES WILL BE TRANSPARENT'' MILLIYET (LIBERAL)LETTER OF HOPEPrime Minister Ecevit will ask for 7 billion U.S. dollars from EU and OECD. Van Den Broek approved his request. Janja Halonen, EU Term President and Finnish Foreign Minister and Hans Van Den Broek, EU Foreign Relations Commission Chairman met with Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem on Thursday. Prime Minister said Turkey needed 6-7 billion U.S. dollars and would write a letter to EU and OECD leaders. This money will be asked from the U.S. and EU countries as bilateral aid and credit in foreign markets. The Prime Minister also asked for the removal of Greek veto at EU. ''Turkey is a part of European family. We will do all kinds of help. We will convey your request to Helsinki,'' Broek told Ecevit. In the meantime, Greek Foreign Minister Papandreu called his Turkish counterpart on the phone and said he started an initiative to collect money for Turkey within EU. He also noted that he will push to make the aid a considerable amount. METU:''TSUNAMI HIT GULF'' On the other hand, Turkish Sea Researches Foundation (TUDAV) had released a written statement and announced that no tsunami was observed after the quake. SABAH (LiBERAL)U.S. MAKES UP FOR TENT SCANDALThe U.S. is helping those who are struggling to live in poorly set up tents. Military tents that will house 82,280 people are on the way to Turkey. The tents will come to Demirce by three ships. Once the tents are set up, almost half of those who were left homeless will have a shelter. STUDENT WHO CAME THIRD IN UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE CUMHURIYET (LEFT)ESCAPE FROM THE DISASTER REGIONRain continues in the region. Victims of the quake try to get used to their new lives. It was reported that 621 people were pulled out from the rubble in the quake regions. Victims of the quake are settled in various public, education and resorts which were evacuated. Some of them prefer immigrating to their villages. According to the statement issued by Prime Ministry Crisis Management Center death toll rose to 13,040 and the number of wounded ones reached to 26, 630. CRIME CHAIN OF THE DEMOLITION 1- The ones who issued construction amnesty 2- The ones who destructed the concept of planning 3- The ones who created the concept of ''construction in return of a flat 4- The ones who refrained from scientific control in construction process 5- The ones who awarded plundering by reform plans 6- The ones who laid the foundation of illegal constructions with a ceremony 7- The ones who attacked protectors 8- The ones who construct agriculture fields, forests, and shores 9- The officials who did not want control of experts 10-The ones who gave municipalities as present to raiders. RADIKAL (LEFT)HERE IS THE POWER OF PEOPLEReaction gets a result: Quake tax draft which was adopted in the commission was postponed to October. The aid which were collected, will become transparent. The government was already undecided on the issue of tax law so the target became smaller in the second day when the taxes issued on the first day attracted reactions. The leaders decided to bring the tax draft into the agenda in October. VETO ON ONE BILLION EURO MAY BE LIFTED TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)''YES'' TO AID BUT ''NO'' TO TAXESEfforts to bring additional taxation to form a source to Quake Fund made the citizens angry. The citizens said ''we have already begun to act as a whole. We have mobilized all our strength. What can we do more?'' Businessmen also reacted by saying ''obligatory tax will stop the donations. The markets which are already stagnant will enter to crisis. Economy will enter into a bottleneck.'' QUAKE ALSO HIT EDUCATION IMMIGRATION FROM THE BAY TO THE EAST ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)TURKISH INVENTOR PUTS OUT TUPRAS FIREChemist Kemal Karadag put out the Tupras fire with a chemical he invented. He said he used KERA-X which spoils the molecular structure of oil and stops its burning. Ahmet Ozal who knew about Karadag's studies in this field, asked him to come to Ankara. Later, they went to the fire area to extinguish it. Karadag is complaining about not being able to get patent rights for his invention for eight years although KERA-X proved to be successful in gas station and car fires. He said his invention attracted the Israelis who want to grant him patent rights and asked the government to protect inventors like himself. TRANSPARENCY PROMISE FROM ECEVIT [02] PARLIAMENT'S GENERAL COUNCIL ACCEPTS REPENTANCE LAWANKARA, August 27 (A.A) - The Repentance Law was accepted by the Parliament's General Council on Thursday. The law suggests to pardon members of terrorist organization who never were involved in an attack and aims to prevent them to repeat their crimes and make them surrender with their arms. The first article of the Repentance Law excludes the founders, and high level executives of the terrorist organization.The law covers people who committed following crimes: -Inactive members of organizations which are founded to violate Articles 313, 125, 131, 146, and 162 of the Turkish Penalty Law by political or ideological purposes. -Those who were involved in crimes before the law takes effect if an investigation has not yet started about them. -Those who surrender by their own will to benefit from the law, and release information regarding the organizations's structure and help security forces to find and disperse the terrorist organization. -Those who hand over their guns and other equipment to security forces and prevent crimes by the information and documents they give. The law will be valid only for six months after it takes effect. Members of the terrorist organization who report to authorities -if their report is proved to be accurate-, after the law takes effect will benefit from punishment reduction. Those who were sentenced to death will be given prison sentence not less than 9 years and punishment of those who were sentenced to life will be reduced to a minimum of 6 years. Punishment of other crimes could be reduced to as little as one seventh of the original verdict. Terrorists who are involved in crimes, and those who provide shelter, provisions, and arms to terrorists will also benefit from reductions if they show repentance before their investigation begins. Article 1 also covers cases which were finalized. According to this, convicts whose investigations were in its latest stages or if verdicts were announced about them, can still benefit from punishment reduction if they apply and release information within 3 months after the law takes effect. At any stage of the investigation, the punishment of terrorists who report terrorist activities to authorities will be reduced. According to Article 2 of the Repentance Law those who benefited from an earlier repentance law and repeated their crimes will not be covered by the law. Ali Gungor, deputy of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) criticized the law and proposed to limit its definition. His proposals were rejected by the General Council. [03] TURKEY-ISRAEL - THE BIGGEST AID IN ISRAEL'S HISTORY TO BE SEND TO TURKEYTEL AVIV, August 27 (A.A) - A total of 850 tonnes of aid equipment collected by Israeli government and people, was ferried to Turkey with and Israeli cargo plane. The aid, which is expected to arrive at Iskenderun port on Saturday, is defined as the biggest foreign aid that Israel sent at one time in its history.Before Carmel Topaz Ship, belonging to Israeli Agreksco company, sailed off from Asdot Harbour of Israel, a ceremony was held in which Haim Ramon, Israeli Agriculture Minister, Ahmet Uzumcu, Turkey's Ambassador to Tel Aviv, and representatives of voluntary organizations attended. Addressing the ceremony, Ramon said, ''it is a duty for us to aid brotherly Turkish people.'' Meanwhile, Uzumcu said, ''we are thankful to Israeli people.'' The aid will later be taken from the cold storage rooms in Iskenderun port and distributed to the quake region with the support of voluntary Israelis. The 850 tonnes of aid, donated by Israeli Agriculture Ministry, private sector, people and charity organizations include 300 tonnes of vegetables and fruits, 150 tents, 50 tonnes of egg, 100 tonnes of canned food, 60 tonnes of water, 3 tonnes of batteries, 60 tonnes of toys, and 127 tonnes of clothings. [04] REPENTANCE LAW - JUSTICE MINISTER TURK: ''THE LAW WILL HAVE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS IN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM''ANKARA, August 27 (A.A) - Hikmet Sami Turk, Justice Minister said the Repentance Law which he thought would contribute to fight against terrorism, was prepared by considering people's sensitivity in this issue.The Minister stated that there were important differences between this law and the old ''5 Repentance Law'' since ''founders and executives of terrorist organizations as well as those who used arms against security personnel and civilians'' would not be covered by the new law. A total of 679 criminals benefited from the earlier law and only 22 of them committed crimes again. In the light of the information obtained from these terrorists, 755 others were caught and 233 shelters and storages were found, Turk explained. Mehmet Nacar, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy who spoke on behalf of his party said the draft law was comforting for people as it did not cover all members of the terrorist organization. Ali Gungor from the same party criticized the law by saying the Parliament must take radical measures to eradicate terrorism completely and should not pass a law to forgive terrorists who murdered thousands of people. He also said the new draft law violated Articles 87 and 14 of the Constitution and asked the Government to withdraw it. [05] U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: ''WE ARE WORKING ON THE AID PROGRAM TO TURKEY''WASHINGTON D.C., August 27 (A.A) - James Foley, the Spokesman of the U.S. State Department, said on Friday that Washington initiated studies about the support it would exert to Turkey in medium and long term following the massive earthquake disaster which hit Turkey.Speaking to journalists, Foley said they were initiating studies to overcome the effect which the quake would do on people and economy of Turkey in the medium and long term, adding that all those were at conceptual stage at the moment, and that there was no concrete decision. Meanwhile, it was reported that more than 15 million U.S. dollars income was obtained in the aid campaigns initiated in the U.S. Officials of the U.S. Red Cross Organization pointed out that more than seven million U.S. dollars were collected within the framework of their organizations, and noted that the total donation reached more than 15 million U.S. dollars. Various religious institutions participated in the campaign, and lately officials of Jesus Christ Church, which is an organization of Mormon sect, presented a donation cheque to Baki Ilkin, Turkey's Ambassador to Washington D.C. Ambassador Ilkin pointed out that many families in the quake region were homeless, adding that the priority was the sheltering of victims of quake at this stage. Ilkin said Turkish government purchased 7,200 tents from the U.S. within this framework. The total cost of the tents was reported as 700, 000 U.S. dollars. Ilkin said, ''sheltering people in the tents is planned at the first stage, than establishment of prefabricated houses, and at the last stage construction of new buildings is planned,'' adding that they were in contact with the U.S. authorities for the establishment of prefabricated houses. [06] TURKEY-IMF RELATIONS - CARLO COTTARRELLI, CHAIRMAN OF IMF TURKEY DESK: ''APPROVAL OF SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR TURKISH ECONOMY''WASHINGTON, ANKARA, August 27 (A.A) - Carlo Cottarelli, Chairman of IMF Turkey desk said approval of social security reform was a very important step for Turkish economy, it was reported on Friday.Cottarelli told the A.A correspondent that Social Security Reform was among the most important reforms and added that Turkey's social security system could not continue in its present state. Inefficiency of social security in Turkey has serious dimensions and the situation would have become worse if the reform had not been passed, Cottarelli stated. Cottarelli also said the government proved its determination by accepting this reform after the quake disaster. An IMF delegation will visit Turkey in September to discuss Extraordinary Credit aid, Cottarelli said. IMF will have meetings on Stand-By Agreement with Turkish officials who will come to Washington D.C. at IMF-World Bank Annual meetings. The IMF delegation who will come back to Turkey in October will continue their evaluations on Stand-By Agreement, Cotterelli explained and said he hoped to finalize talks on Stand-By Agreement in the last quarter of this year. [07] ALFREDO A.WITSCHI CESTARI, U.N.'S RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE TO TURKEY, SPEAKS TO A.AANKARA, August 27 (A.A) - A. Witschi-Cestari, the U.N. Representative to Turkey, said on Friday that they extended every kind of aid to Turkey and will continue to do so related with the massive quake which he defined as the ''one of the biggest natural disasters of this century.''Speaking to A.A correspondent about the quake, Alfredo A.Witschi-Cestari said an organization of the U.N., namely OCHA (Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), which holds coordination studies related with the natural disasters, arrived in Turkey 12 hours after the quake and started required efforts. Pointing out that coordination studies were very important following the quake, Cestari said OCHA organization helped the government in coordination of the aid. Cestari said the U.N. coordinated the countries who want to extend aid, according to the demands of Turkish Government. Pointing out that Turkey lost billions of U.S. dollars within a few seconds, Alfredo A.Witschi-Cestari said he believed that the government would overcome the problem with the help of international community despite the grave dimensions of the incident. Cestari said international community rushed for help besides the solidarity in Turkish community on quake issue, adding that international community showed an example of solidarity and cooperation to this end. Cestari said boosting the morale of the community was as important as the re-construction of economy, noting that everybody should help each other to normalize their lives. Cestari said Turkish media should undertake a very important responsibility and should boost morale to the community with the news reports they issue. The U.N. Turkey Representation, aiming to help the government, holds contacts with the embassies and try to coordinate the aid. The U.N. Representation which extend logistic support to Premiership Crisis Management Center, and formed a web-page to bring together Turkey's demands and international aid. The U.N. representation which contributed to search-rescue and efforts to haul away rubble, stated that it would also contribute at the stage of reconstruction of the disaster area. [08] ESER, CO-PRESIDENT OF TURKEY-EU JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION: - ''WE THANK TO OUR GREEK NEIGHBOURS FOR THEIR SINCERE CONTRIBUTION IN THE WAKE OF EARTHQUAKE DISASTER''ANKARA, Aug 27 (A.A) - Kursat Eser, Co-President of Turkey-EU Joint Parliamantery Comission, said on Friday, ''we thank to our Greek neighbours for their sincere contribution in the wake of the last week's earthquake disaster.''Releasing a written statement, Eser described Turkish and Greek people as the children of the same sea, and wished such a solidarity to continue in the political field. ''While the EU officials are paying an official visit to Turkey, we want to believe that the EU will start the financial protocol which it could not begin since 1995, and will assist us. We consider Greek people's warm approach as a concrete sign of a friendship bridge.'' [09] PRESIDENT DEMIREL RECEIVES PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER SHARIFANKARA, Aug 27 (A.A) - President Suleyman Demirel received on Friday Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, who is paying an official visit to Turkey.Addressing the meeting, Demirel underlined the friendly relations between Turkey and Pakistan, and expressed satisfaction over hosting Mr. Sharif in Turkey to this end. Stressing that they are pleased with Pakistan's humanitarian aid and warm approach in the aftermath of last week's devastating quake, President Demirel said, ''your visit on behalf of whole Pakistani people, consoled us. Pakistan sent humanitarian aid in a bid to heal the wounds of quake victims.'' Meanwhile, Mr. Sharif said in his part that the quake disaster claiming thousands of lives, created a profound sorrow among the Pakistani people, and expressed condolences on behalf of his nation. Stressing that the relations between the two countries depend on friendship, Mr. Sharif said that it was a catastrophe, and added that they share Turkish people's grief. [10] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT RECEIVES TOYAMA, JAPANESE AMBASSADORANKARA, Aug 27 (A.A) - Japan increased her amount of urgent aid she decided to send to Turkey following the earthquake, to three million U.S. dollars, it was reported on Friday.Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit received Ahuto Toyama, Japanese Ambassador to Ankara. At the meeting, Toyama recalled that Japan earlier decided to make a two million U.S. dollars urgent aid to Turkey. Toyama said the Japanese government decided to increase that amount by one million U.S. dollars at its meeting following the observations of the Japanese Foreign Minister in disaster area. Ambassador Toyama said that will include equipment and financial aid. Thanking to Japan for her friendship, Prime Minister Ecevit said they were grateful to the Japanese government, stressing the importance of aid and support that Japan decided to extend. [11] USAGE OF FINANCIAL AID SENT FOR QUAKE VICTIMS - PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: - ''I FIND SUCH CONCERNS STRANGE''ANKARA, Aug 27 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Friday that he found concerns regarded with the usage of financial aid sent for quake victims, strange, adding, ''if we determine corruptions or misuse of authority, then we will inspect it.''When asked, ''There are deep concerns among people regarded with donations for the quake victims. How will you provide transparency?'' Ecevit told reporters, ''all activities of the government are transparent. I find such concerns strange. If corruptions or misuse of authorities occur, then we will inspect it. Recently, some press organs aim at creating lack of confidence among people towards the government. But in current conditions, the state and the people should work together.'' [12] UNICEF STAGES A PRESS BRIEFING - HENFFINCK, UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE IN TURKEY: - ''IN AID DISTRIBUTION, WE ARE GIVING PRIORITY TO CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES''ANKARA, August 27 (A.A) - Philippe Henffinck, the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Turkey, said on Friday that in aid distribution they give priority to children, and to their families.The UNICEF Earthquake Assessment Report prepared in cooperation with the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), and the U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), was introduced to journalists in a press briefing. Noting that a total of 33,814 buildings were razed to ground or badly damaged by the last week's devastating earthquake, conferees said that about 600 thousand people including 220 thousand children were left homeless in the disaster. Stressing that the UNICEF will launch initatives to obliterate psychological effect of the quake on children, the conferees pointed out that the UNICEF also plans to assist Turkey on the issues of establihing makeshift homes, meeting the need of portable water, and protecting the public health. In the press briefing, it was recalled that the UNICEF has distributed in the disaster area 100 toilets, 65 water tanks, 10 thousand water containers, 2.6 million water purifying tablets, 100 aid kits, and 25 urgent aid kits so far. Conferees then gave information about the action plan which was prepared as a result of the urgent assessments in the affected areas between August 23- 26. Stressing that an estimated 7.5 million U.S. dollars is required for the action plan including repair of hospitals and buildings which were razed to ground or badly damaged by quake; provision of educational services; provision of makeshift shelters; training and inspection of officials who work in the area; and health services, the conferees said that 1.5 million U.S. dollars of this amount have alreadly been provided. Philippe Henffinck underlined that the quake disaster in Turkey caused a huge international solidarity, noting that the rest of the required amount will be given by funds which will be provided by the various units of the U.N. Alexander Malyavin, UNICEF Health Projects Official, danger of epidemics were prevented in the disaster area as a result of influential works of the Health Ministry, adding that the Ministry was very successful in providing health services in the region. Recalling that 20 thousand people who were in critical conditions, were sent to hospitals in Ankara and Istanbul by helicopters, Malyavin said they witnessed that necessary works have been done in the area to prevent threat of epidemics by sending 500 doctors, and more than 100 ambulances to the aregion. Referring to statement of Osman Durmus, Health Minister, as ''There is no need for the U.S. floating hospitals,'', Malyavin stressed that there was really no need for these hospitals, because all injured people in critical conditions, were sent to other provinces. [13] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER FISCHER RECEIVES REPRESENTATIVES OF TURKISH ORGANIZATIONSBERLIN, August 27 (A.A) - Joschka Fischer, the German Foreign Minister, received representatives of Turkish organizations on Friday.Representatives of the German-Turkish Foundation, the Turkey Researches Center, the Turkish Community in Germany, the European Alaouites' Unions Federation, the German Turkish Citizens Council, and the Berlin Brandenburg Turkish Community, attended the meeting. Cem Ozdemir, Spokesman of Interior Ministry, were also in attendance at the meeting. Expressing deep sorrow at the great loss of life in the last week's devastating quake disaster, Fischer described criticisms towards humanitarian aid sent to disaster area by Germany, as unreasonable. Fischer stressed that the German government did not deserve these criticisms. Noting that the winter is approaching, and urgent measures should be taken as soon as possible, Fischer said that an urgent aid commission has been set up. Recalling that the European Union has several funds, Fischer noted that he was working to use these funds for quake victims. Fischer added that Turkey should be accepted as a full member of the EU to solve dispute between Turkey and Greece. He also called on Turkey to record progress on the issue of human rights till the Helsinki Summit. [14] ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DINI DUE IN TURKEY ON SEPTEMBER 16ROME, Aug 27 (A.A) - Lamberto Dini, the Foreign Minister of Italy, will pay an official visit to Ankara on September 16 as the guest of Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, it was reported on Friday.Dini, who had met with Cem during the summit for cooperation in the Balkans last month in Sarajevo, said he would visit Turkey in September. Vittorio Surdo, the Italian Ambassador to Ankara who visited Ismail Cem yesterday, expressed Italy's sorrow over the earthquake that hit the Marmara region. Cem and Surdo discussed the visit of the Italian Foreign Minister to Turkey in September. The Turkey-EU relations, the tension which occurred during the period in which Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, was staying in Rome, and the improvement of the Turkey-Italy relations are expected to be taken up at the meeting between Ismail Cem and Lamberto Dini. A.A Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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