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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-03-11

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


[01] AA News

11 March 2000 Saturday

[02] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[03] These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 11, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their occuracy.

[04] HURRIYET (LIBERAL) - ---------------- GULMEZ CAPTURED IN ISTANBUL Ali Gulmez, the so-called bomb expert and secretary general of the illegal extreme leftist TKP-ML TIKKO organization, and Ganimet Bozlu, the courier of the illegal organization, were captured in Istanbul. Gulmez had prepared the bomb which was used in the attack staged against Ayhan Cevik, the Governor of Cankiri.

[05] ''LETTERS IN GOLD'' AT LOUVRE MUSEUM Worldwide famous Louvre Museum in French capital of Paris will host priceless calligraphy collection of Sakip Sabanci, a leading Turkish businessmen. ''Letters in Gold Exhibition'' will be opened on March 14. The collection was displayed last year at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art, and at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of the University of Harward. The collection comprises of 71 works including imperial decrees, tugras (sultan's signatures), and manuscript Korans.

[06] MILLIYET (LIBERAL) - ----------------- VERHEUGEN: ''HARMFUL POLITICAL POLARIZATION WILL END'' Regarding the one year prison sentence given to Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the Welfare Party (RF) which was closed by the Constitutional Court; Guenter Verheugen, the European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement, said he hoped that Turkey would overcome the harmful political polarization after completing its reforms. Responding to a question about Erbakan's prison sentence, Verheugen said he just heard the news so he didn't have the chance to examine it, and therefore refrained from making a comment. Noting that the EU needed Turkey as an equal partner, Verheugen added that they wanted to encourage Turkey to continue its political and economic reforms.

[07] GROSSMAN: ''TURKEY SHOULD BE GRANTED SPECIAL STATUS'' Marc Grossman, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, said that non-EU countries which are members of the NATO such as the U.S. and Turkey, should be granted special status within framework of the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI). Grossman stressed that non-EU NATO allies should participate in decision-taking mechanism of the EU security.

[08] SABAH (LIBERAL) - --------------- THE U.S. EXIMBANK TO GIVE LOAN WORTH OF 525 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS The U.S. Eximbank will give a loan worth of 525 million U.S. dollars for natural gas power plants in Gebze and Adapazari.

[09] KAYA SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS AND NINE MONTHS IN PRISON The Istanbul State Security Court No: 3 sentenced Ahmet Kaya, a prominent singer, to three years and nine months in prison on charges of aiding and abetting to the terrorist organization PKK.

[10] CUMHURIYET (LEFT) - ---------------- THREE CANCELLATIONS IN ENERGY The Council of State's Department No:10 abolished the energy tenders, which were won by mass-media holdings, in accordance with the Law on Organization and Broadcasts of Radios and Televisions. The Council of Ministers' decision on transfer of operation right of Thrace distribution network, Soma A-B thermic power plant and Catalagzi B thermic power plant was annuled.

[11] ''PARLIAMENT WILL NOT PASS 5+5'' Prime Minister and leader of Democratic Left Party (DSP) Bulent Ecevit and Motherland Party's (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz said that amendment would be accepted while groups have different opinions. Responding to questions of journalists about the constitutional change package, Ecevit said, ''I am very hopeful. Actually, more than 400 deputies have signed it. So I am hopeful.'' However, Mesut Yilmaz's senior aides Salih Yildirim and Ali Dogan said the Parliament would not approve the proposal. Many deputies of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and DSP said they would not vote in favor in the secret voting.

[12] RADIKAL (LEFT) - ------------- HAIL OF BULLETS IN HILTON Ali Tibukoglu, the cousin of Liberal Party's (LP) Besim Tibuk, was killed in an overnight armed attack in Ankara Hilton Hotel. MHP's former Diyarbakir Province Headquarter Chairman and two other people were injured in the armed attack.

[13] GUN EVIDENCE TO GANG The consultative authority's report provided one of the most important evidence in the missing guns case. It became clear with the report that the Baretta gun found in the car of True Path Party (DYP) deputy Sedat Bucak after the traffic accident in Susurluk was one the guns lost in the Security.

[14] YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL) - -------------------- INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DECREASES 3.9 PERCENT IN 1999 The production in the industrial sector decreased by 3.9 percent in 1999 compared to figures for 1998. The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced that the production decreased 1.5 percent in the forth three-month quarter of the 1999.

[15] CEM: ''THERE IS A TV CHANNEL BROADCASTING IN KURDISH LANGUAGE'' Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said in an interview with Belgian Le Vif- L'Express magazine that the inclusion of death penalty in Turkish Penal Code constituted an impediment for Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU), and Turkey was aware of that fact. Reminding that no death penalty had been executed in Turkey since 1984, Cem said ''even if I cannot say when, I am sure that we will abolish death penalty.'' Noting that the description of minority was determined within the framework of the Lausanne Treaty, Cem added that Kurds were not perceived as minority. ''We are not against freedoms of cultural, democratic rights, and the right to freedom of expression. Our Kurdish citizens can speak their own languages freely, publish books, newspapers, and broadcast,'' Cem noted.

[16] TURKIYE (RIGHT) - --------------- ONE-YEAR TO ERBAKAN The Diyarbakir State Security Court (DGM) made a decision about the case of Necmettin Erbakan, former leader of closed Welfare Party (RP) who was tried with charges of violating Article 312 of the Constitution. The Court sentenced Erbakan to one-year imprisonment and 220 thousand Turkish Liras fine. Erbakan was tried with charges of ''inciting hatred among people'' with the speech he made in southeastern Bingol province in 1994. If the Supreme Court approves the decision, Erbakan will stay in prison for 24 days, and his political life will end.

[17] DEMIREL: ''EU IS IMPORTANT FOR EU'' Addressing the conference on ''security'', President Suleyman Demirel said Turkey welcomed the new century with new opportunities. ''Turkey's EU candidacy is important not only for Europe but also for the whole region,'' he said.

[18] SABANCI DRAWS ATTENTION Sabanci Holding Executive Board Chairman Sakip Sabanci's call for marriage to Koc Holding and Dogus Holding received positive reactions from the business world. The President of the Association of Turkish Industrialists and Businessemn (TUSIAD) stressed the importance of the sound capital structure for the global competition, adding, ''this is obligatory for competition.'' The Is Bank Deputy Governor said marriage was a great advantage.

[19] ASSASINATION OF KISLALI GOING TO BE SOLVED Finally, the assasination of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali, who was killed in a car-bomb attack in 1999, will be solved. Police revealed that the bomb was prepaed by Ali Gulmez, who was captured in Istanbul. Gulmez is a member of the illegal TKP/ML-TIKKO organization. Police also revealed that the bomb used in car- bomb attack against former Cankiri Governor Ayhan Cevik was prepared by Gulmez.

[20] ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE) - ------------------ KUTAN: ''THE DECISION IS VERY DISTRESSING'' Recai Kutan of Virtue Party (FP) reacted to the decision of the Diyarbakir DGM against Necmettin Erbakan. ''One-year imprisonment sentence on a former prime minister who served the country for 50 years, is an unbelievable consequence,'' he said.

[21] GUL: ''WE WILL BE ASHAMED'' Criticizing the imprisonment sentence on Erbakan, Abdullah Gul, who is running for leadership in FP, said, ''this country will experience the embarrassment of one-year imprisonment sentence to a prime minister who expressed his thoughts.''

[22] VERHEUGEN: ''CONTINUE REFORMATION'' Evaluation the imprisonment sentence on Erbakan, Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement, said Turkey would overcome the political polarization which would affect Turkey's reforms while the U.S. Government reacted to the decision.

[23] AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUE TO SHAKE MARMARA REGION

[24] ISTANBUL - Aftershocks continue to shake Marmara Region in the wake of 7.4-magnitude earthquake which devastated the region on August 17. Officials at the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute told the A.A correspondent that two aftershocks measuring 2.6 and 3.1 on the Richter scale were recorded in Karapurcek township of Adapazari province at 05:24 p.m. and in Kocaeli province aa 10:01 p.m. on Friday.

[25] AKUT SENDS A TEAM TO MOZAMBIQUE

[26] ISTANBUL - AKUT, the Search and Rescue Association, sent on Friday a team composed of three doctors, and medical supplies to Mozambique which was devastated by flood disaster. Bijan Jahangiri, Galip Zihni Sanus and Murat Ihsan Atasayan, the members of the AKUT, left for Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday night. The team will proceed to the Club Navala Coordination Center in Mozambique from Johannesburg by helicopters. Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Sarp Yelkencioglu from the AKUT's Press and Public Relations Unit, said, ''we decided to send a team to Mozambique, but departure of our team was delayed after the accident in Mount Agri where Iskender Igdir died after plunging 60 meters from a peak.'' Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Red Crescent will also send humanitarian aid to Mozambique next week. Hundreds of people were killed while an estimated 1 million people were left homeless by floodwaters that peaked two weeks ago in Mozambique.

[27] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION - IN FIRST TWO MONTHS, 14.3 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS OF GRAIN-CEREALS EXPORTED

[28] GAZIANTEP - The exports of grain-cereals from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first two months of 2000 decreased 11 percent to 14 million 271 thousand U.S. dollars. In the same period last year, the region exported 16 million 13 thousand U.S. dollars of grain- cereals. Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union told the A.A correspondent on Saturday that in the first two months of the year, they exported 1 million 6 thousand U.S. dollars in lentil, chickpea and bean; 1 million 774 thousand U.S. dollars in flour; 1 million 290 thousand U.S. dollars in oil; 6 million 354 thousand U.S. dollars in sugar and candies; and 3 million 847 thousand U.S. dollars in various products. The majority of the goods were exported to Iraq, Germany, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Romania.

[29] ROOFS OF DWELLINGS AND BUSINESS PLACES BLOWN OFF UNDER HEAVY WINDS IN EASTERN ANATOLIA

[30] ERZURUM - A powerful storm hit Erzurum, Agri, Kars, Igdir, Ardahan and Mus provinces in Eastern Anatolia on Saturday. Gusts of around 80 kilometers per hour tore roofs of many dwellings and business places in the region. The storm also damaged energy and communication lines.

[31] OPERATIONS AGAINST HISTORICAL WORK SMUGGLING - EIGHT PEOPLE DETAINED

[32] BOLU - Security forces captured on Saturday eight people who were smuggling historical works in Bolu province. Acting on a tip-off, security forces raided a business place in the province. They confiscated 33 pieces of historical works including coins, pistols, candlesticks, rifles, books and manuscript Korans. A large-scale investigation into the smuggling is underway.

[33] ''DISCIPLINED WARRIOR 2000 MANOEUVRES'' END

[34] IZMIR - The NATO Southeast European Cooperative Commandership's annual military exercise, ''Disciplined Warrýor 2000'', in Aegean Izmir province ended on Saturday. Releasing a written statement, the NATO Southeast European Cooperative Commandership's Press and Public Relations Office said that 230 personnel, along with the NATO Command, Control and Consultation Authority; the European Strategical Commandership's Special Manoeuvres Department; the regional headquarters of FSOUTH, NAVSOUTH, AIRSOUTH and STRIKFORSOUTH; the Cooperative Inferior Region Commandership Headquarters; and the European Allied Commandership Rapid Reaction Army Corps staff participated in the manoeuvres. Also Hungary which recently became a member of the NATO, provided reinforcement to the manoeuvres.

[35] TURKEY'S ECONOMY-FOREIGN INVESTORS - YASED SECRETARY GENERAL ARIMAN: - ''TURKISH INVESTORS' POINT OF VIEW ON TURKISH ECONOMY IS MORE PESSIMISTIC WHILE FOREIGN INVESTORS APPROACH MORE OBJECTIVELY AND HOPEFULLY''

[36] IZMIR - Abdurrahman Ariman, the Secretary General of the Foreign Capital Association (YASED), said on Saturday that foreign investors had positive point of view about the Turkish economy. ''They want to invest in Turkey. Turkish investors' point of view is much more pessimistic while foreign investors approach more objectively and hopefully,'' he said. Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Ariman said foreign investors' positive approach stemmed from the positive reports of International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and international rating organizations. Ariman said many foreign investors and multi-national companies, which want to invest in Turkey, took into consideration economic developments rather than the political developments. ''They find the targets of the continuing economic program feasible. We saw that foreign investors and multi-national companies which carry out activities in 160 countries under every regime, do not take into consideration politics very seriously. They approach investment with economic developments and current economic criteria or they abstain. Many foreign investor groups approach the Turkish economy objectively and positively. Up until now, political instability and chronic high-inflation have constituted an obstacle in front of them. However, the current developments inspire hope. Many foreign investors are now discussing whether or not the inflation will decrease to 25 percent. They say that it would be pleasing even if it will drop to about 30 percent,'' he said. Abdurrahman Ariman said Turkey had the capability to draw a 30 billion U.S. dollars foreign capital investment annually, but the annual inflow become one billion U.S. dollars in last decade.

[37] TWO STATUES BELONGED TO PERSIAN ERA CONFISCATED

[38] GAZIANTEP - Security forces confiscated on Saturday two statues belonged to Persian era in southeastern Gaziantep province. Staging a press conference, Hasim Tunc, the Deputy Director of Security in Gaziantep, said that one person was taken into custody in an operation launched in the province. Tunc said, ''the statues dated back to fifth century B.C., were earlier unearthed in rural area near Salkim village in Siverek township of Gaziantep. We confiscated those statues and we will hand over the statues to the Gaziantep Archaeology Museum.''

[39] TOURISM MINISTER MUMCU ARRIVES IN BERLIN

[40] BERLIN - Erkan Mumcu, the Minister of Tourism, arrived on Saturday in Germany to attend ITB Tourism Fair in Berlin. After opening the Turkish stand, Mumcu met with Eberhard Diepgen, the Prime Minister of Berlin State. Mumcu briefed Diepgen on the Turkish stand. Later, Mumcu visited the Turkish firms participating in the fair. Minister Mumcu said that they were expecting ten million foreign tourists to visit Turkey this year. Mumcu added that they were expecting a great tourism input in the year 2000. Meanwhile, Diepgen said in his part that Turkey was a touristic country, expressing his pleasure with the Turkish stand.

[41] NARCOTICS OFFICIALS CONFISCATE 163.2 KG OF HEROIN IN THREE SEPARATE OPERATIONS

[42] ISTANBUL - Hasan Ozdemir, the Directore General of Provincial Security in Istanbul, said on Saturday that narcotics officials confiscated 163.2 kg of heroin in three separate operations in Istanbul. Staging a press conference, Ozdemir noted that acting on a tip-off, the narcotics officials revealed that considerable amount of heroin which was produced in a neighbouring country, was brought to Turkey, and tried to be sold in the market. Ozdemir told reporters, ''the narcotics officials captured 17 people and seized five pistols, three automobiles and three buses in the operations. The market price of illicit drugs and vehicles is nearly one trillion Turkish Liras. Meanwhile, we have launched a joint operation with Bulgarian narcotics officials for the first time.'' Referring to 22 tonnes of hashish and 630 kg of base morphine confiscated in southern province of Mersin, Ozdemir said, ''we captured five people including Orfi Cetinkaya, in Istanbul. We also confiscated 5,800 kg of sodium carbonade, one of the raw materials in production of heroin, in a depot belonged to Cetinkaya in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.''

[43] U.S. DIPLOMATS DISTRIBUTE HUMANITARIAN AID IN BOLU

[44] BOLU - Two diplomats of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara distributed humanitarian aid in quake-stricken Bolu province on Saturday. U.S. diplomats Rosa Trainham and Dane Irwin paid a visit to Ugur Gur, the Director of Bolu Security, and expressed their profound sorrow over loss of lives in the quake disaster. Later, they distributed a number of blankets and sheets to the quake survivors. Trainham said that the aid was collected by their families.

[45] HEAVY SNOWFALL IN GUMUSHANE

[46] GUMUSHANE - The heavy snowfall paralyzes daily life and traffic in Gumushane province in eastern Black Sea Region. Sources said a number of village roads were closed to traffic due to snowfall continuing since overnight. Traffic Police warned drivers to be careful because of the icy road near Zigana Mountain. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall paralyzed daily life and traffic also in Bayburt province in eastern Black Sea Region.

[47] GENERAL TIMUR DEPARTS FROM TRNC: - ''A BRILLIANT FUTURE IS AWAITING THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS''

[48] LEFKOSA - General Necdet Timur, the Chief of Land Forces Staff, who paid a working visit to the Turkish Peace-Keeping Forces Commendership in the Trukish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), departed from the TRNC on Saturday. Addressing journalists at the Ercan Airport, General Timur said, ''a brilliant future is awaiting the Turkish Cypriots.'' Expressing his pleasure with visiting the TRNC, General Timur said that he had an opportunity to hold contacts with the state and government officials of the TRNC. Meanwhile, Ertugrul Hasipoglu, the Speaker of TRNC Parliament, said in his part that General Timur's visit was very important for the Turkish Cypriots and for those who were interested in the Cyprus issue. Stressing that the Turkish Cypriots were living in peace and did not concern about their lives, Hasipoglu noted that the Turkish Armed Forces and TRNC Security Forces secured peace not only in the TRNC, but also on whole island. Underlining the importance of economic development, Hasipoglu added, ''we are expending efforts to this end. I want to stress the significance of our unity and cooperation especially in this period.''

[49] A.A


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