Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-08-31

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

31

AUGUST 2000 Thursday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 31, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

General Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, said, ''there are thousands of civil servants trying to destroy the Republic of Turkey. These civil servants expend any kind of efforts to destroy our national unity. We have to prevent them by some arrangements. These arrangements can be either decrees having the power of law or laws.''

IMF TURKEY DESK CHIEF COTTARELLI ARRIVES IN TURKEY

Carlo Cottarelli, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief, came to Istanbul. Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport after his arrival, Cottarelli said that he came to Turkey to review the implementation of the stand-by agreement. Cottarelli said that the economic programme was going well. He added that they should carefully examine the new developments during the visit. Cottarelli noted that the recent increase in the inflation rate stemmed from the increase in the food prices due to hot wheather, adding that they should see the figures of August to understand how this rise would affect the inflation targets.

SEZER TO MEET WITH U.S. PRESIDENT CLINTON

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer will meet with U.S. President Bill Clinton within framework of the United Nations Millennium Summit in New York between September 6 and 8. The meeting will be the highest-level contact between Turkey and the U.S. after Sezer was sworn in as the 10th President of Turkey on May 16, 2000.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Lawyers of Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP) requested the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to suspend the court ruling against their client. They claimed that the one-year imprisonment sentence given to Erbakan was illegal. The ECHR debated the application on July 28, and rejected Erbakan's request. Lawyers of Erbakan applied to the ECHR for the second time. Their request was rejected again on August 11 by the CHR.

ERDAL TO BE TRIED IN BELGIUM

Belgium abandoned its decision to send Fehriye Erdal, a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and one of suspects of assasination of businessman Ozdemir Sabanci in 1996, to a third country. Prime Minister Verhofstadt of Belgium wanted Erdal to be tried in Belgium on charges of carrying unlicensed gun and forgery. Erdal can face imprisonment term from eight years to 12 years if she is found quilty.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

The Emergency Rule Region Governor's Office stated that a total of 10 terrorists were killed in operations launched in Semdinli township of Hakkari province, and Hozat, Ovacik and Nazimiye townships of Tunceli province. On Tuesday, six terrorists were killed in Tunceli province. The Emergency Rule Region Governor's Office added that the operations were underway.

108 SHEEPS KILLED

Unidentified people opened fire on a herd in Mutki township of eastern Bitlis province, killing 108 sheeps. Two shepherds survived the incident without any injuries. A full investigation into the incident is underway.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale which jolted Urus hamlet in Beypazari township of Ankara Beypazari township on August 22 damaged 79 buildings. Officials said that two buildings were seriously damaged while seven buildings suffered moderate damage and 71 of them suffered minor damage. Among the public buildings, Urus Merkez Primary School and Urus Health Center were damaged. Authorities decided to erect prefabricated buildings to replace two damaged buildings.

TURKEY'S THIRD SATELLITE TO BE LAUNCHED SOON

Mechanical and electronic tests of Turkey's third satellite Turksat 2A have been completed. The satellite, whose installation works are underway, will be launched from the French Guiena in South America in September. Turk Telekom General Director Hakki Alpturk said, ''Turksat 2A will be placed next to Turksat 1 C and will cover the area from the west of Europe to the Chinese Wall. Since Turksat 2B and Turksat 1C are on different eclipses, they cannot be used as alternatives for each other but Turksat 2A and Turksat 1C could be used as alternatives when a glitch occurs in one of them.'' Turksat 2A will be Europe's biggest satellite in terms of its covering range and power.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

CAN BE DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT AFTER DECREE''

Parliament Speaker Yildirim Akbulut said, ''restriction of president's authorities can only be made through a constitutional change. The issue can be discussed at the Parliament after the decree with the force of law (KHK) which foresees dismissal of civil servants who carry out fundamentalist and separatist activities.'' Akbulut who attended the Parliament Speakers Meeting in New York said, ''President Sezer, during the speeches he delivered before he was elected, stated that the president has too much power which contradicts with the parliamentarian system. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit also said that the president's power should be reconsidered. The government and the president agree on this matter.''

''YEMENIMIN UCLARI'' TO BE PERFORMED IN BELARUS

The Istanbul State Theatres will perform the play named ''Yemenimin Uclari'' in the ''Brest Bellaja Vezka 2000 Festival'' which will be held in Belarus between September 9 and 13. The play was written by Refik Erduran and directed by Alexander Kantaria of Georgia. The play narrates the past of a woman who is in mental hospital, her relations with her children, husband, and environment, and her psychology. The ethics and the conflict of values are reflected within the framework of East-West conflict in the play.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

Ajay Chibber, the World Bank's Turkey Director, said that the current economic program was a golden opportunty for Turkey. Addressing a meeting on ''Role of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMSEs) in the Economic Program'', Chibber said that Turkey's import increased and its export volume climbed as a result of the economic program.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

The Audit Court said that the documents which burnt in their new building on August 25 were those which were put in archives. ''The documents were earlier examined and these were not related to the accounts that are against the laws,'' said the Audit Court. It noted, ''it does not seem possible for the documents which constitute crime under Penal Law to disappear during the fire. It is possible to find the originals of the documents in other public institutions.''

FIRE AT ANKARA RIDING CLUB TAKEN UNDER CONTROL

Fire which broke out at the Ankara Riding Club was taken under control. Eight fire-fighting teams participated in efforts to extinguish the fire which started in a place where nearly 500 tonnes of straw and dry grass were stored.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Narcotics teams impounded 104 kg of heroin hidden in the storage room of a furniture store in Inegol township of northwestern Bursa province. Five people were taken into custody in the operation.

RUSSIAN TRADE DELEGATION VISITS IZTO

Ekrem Demirtas, the Chairman of the Izmir Chamber of Commerce (IZTO), met with members of Russian trade delegation who are currently in Turkey to attend the 69th International Izmir Fair. Addressing the meeting, Demirtas underlined Russia's importance in Turkey's commercial relations. He said, ''there is a serious potential to further improve economic and commercial relations between the two countries.'' Meanwhile, Aleksandr Tomilov, the Deputy Trade Attache of Russian Embassy in Ankara, said in his part that Turkey came on the second place after Germany among Russia's commercial partners. Referring the recession in trade volume between Turkey and Russia since the global crisis in 1998, Tomilov stressed that Russian firms' participation in the 69th International Izmir Fair would revive the economic and commercial relations between the two countries.

-MILD EARTHQUAKE JOLTS DUZCE

ISTANBUL- A mild earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale jolted in northwestern Duzce province at 11:21 p.m. on Wednesday.

Officials at the Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute told A.A correspondent that the earthquake was centered on Golyaka township of Duzce province.

-FOREIGN MINISTER BERDIYEV OF TURKMENISTAN IN ANKARA

ANKARA- Foreign Minister Batir Berdiyev of Turkmenistan arrived in Ankara on Thursday on an official visit as the guest of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.

Foreign Minister Cem welcomed his Turkmen counterpart at the Esenboga Airpot.

Berdiyev is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Cem.

-OIL PRODUCTION IN ADIYAMAN

-TPAO PRODUCES 5.7 MILLION BARRELS OF

OIL IN FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF 2000

GAZIANTEP- The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) produced a total of 5 million 747 thousand 908 barrels of oil in Adiyaman Province, the biggest oil reserve of Turkey, in the first eight months of 2000.

Officials at the Regional Diretorate of the TPAO told the A.A correspondent on Thursday that 47.5 percent of the oil production in Turkey was being provided from 163 oil wells in Adiyaman.

The TPAO produces 23 thousand 557 barrels of oil per day.

-IN FIRST SEVEN MONTHS, 14.3 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS

OF CHEMICALS EXPORTED FROM GAZIANTEP

GAZIANTEP- The exports of chemicals from the southeastern Gaziantep province in the first seven months of 2000 increased 17.2 percent to 14 million 343 thousand U.S. dollars.

In the same period last year, the province exported 12 million 228 thousand U.S. dollars of chemicals.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Thursday that the majority of the goods were exported to the member countries to the European Union (EU), the U.S., Morocco, South Africa, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Romania, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.

-TURKEY-IMF (1)

-DEMIRALP, UNDERSECRETARY OF TREASURY:

-''THERE IS NOT A SITUATION AT THIS POINT

ENTAILING ECONOMIC MEASURES''

ANKARA- Selcuk Demiralp, the Undersecretary of Treasury, said on Thursday, ''there is not a situation at this point entailing to take economic measures.''

Carlo Cottarelli, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief, started his official contacts by visiting Demiralp.

Responding to questions of journalists following the meeting, Demiralp said, ''I do not think that there was a deviation in targets regarded with the economic program. Financial policy and rate of exchange policy were going well.

When asked whether or not new measures would be taken, Demiralp said, ''there is not a situation at this point entailing to take economic measures.''

Meanwhile, Cottarelli said in his part that economic program was going well, and inflation decreased.

-TURKEY-IMF (2)

-TREASURY UNDERSECRETARY DEMIRALP:

''THE MORE WE APPROACH TO THE TARGET,

THE MORE WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE SUCCESS OF THE

PROGRAM TO THE PUBLIC''

ANKARA- Selcuk Demiralp, the Undersecretary of the Treasury, said on Thursday that there would not be a great deviation from the targets of the program, adding that, ''yet, the more we approach to the target, the more we will announce the success of this program to the public.''

Demiralp responded to the questions of reporters following his meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation led by Carlo Cottarelli. When asked if any measure was required related with the current deficit, Demiralp said, there is not reason to take urgent measures beyond the program Turkey implements.

When asked if the program targets would be revised, Demiralp said, ''we put forward a target since the beginning of the program. We are trying to find out how much we approached to this target. We don't think we deviated from this target.''

Demiralp said the program operated very well due to finance policies and currency policies, adding that, ''figures of August are becoming clear. We have reached an important figure in non-interest surplus. Yet, economy is a dynamic issue, and measures should be taken against every development.''

-TURKEY-IMF (3)

-TREASUREY UNDERSECRETARY DEMIRALP:

-''WE AGREE WITH IMF THAT THE PERFORMANCES

IN 2000 HAVE BEEN PROCEEDING IN LINE WITH THE PROGRAMME''

ANKARA - Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp said on Thursday that they agree with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the performances in 2000 have been proceeding in line with the economic programme.

Following his meeting with the IMF delegation headed by IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Carlo Cottarelli, Demiralp told reporters that they started to hold contacts with the IMF delegation today.

Noting that these meetings are the third round meetings of 2000, Demiralp stated that they hold contacts with the IMF delegation in every three months within framework of the programme.

Demiralp noted that they discussed the performances in first eight months of 2000 in the meetings.

Demiralp continued, ''our eight-month performance is very important and robust in especially consolidated budget implementations. We expect important and positive developments in the following four months. The IMF has the same expectations.''

They will take up the initiatives that will be carried out in 2001 during their contacts with the IMF, Demiralp stated.

Demiralp added, ''by taking into consideration the general principles of 2001, especially budgetary and financial policies, and the economic situation, we will discuss all economic performance for 2001. The contacts will continue until September 12. Cottarelli and I will go to London on September 12. We will attend a conference regarding Turkey in London on September 13 and we will discuss Turkey's economic situation.''

-TURKEY-IMF (4)

-IMF'S TURKEY DESK CHIEF COTTARELLI:

-''WE WILL DISCUSS THE MEASURES THAT WILL BE TAKEN IN

MONETARY AND FINANCIAL POLICIES WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF BUDGET OF 2001''

ANKARA- Carlo Cottarelli, the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Turkey Desk Chief, said on Thursday that they will discuss the measures that will be taken in the monetary and financial policies within framework of budget of 2001.

Following his meeting with Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp, Cottarelli told reporters that they came to Ankara for third review contacts.

Cottarelli said that significant developments were recorded in financial policies in the previous term and that the non-interest surplus increased while the interest rates decreased.

Cottarelli noted that the economy is recovering and that developments were recorded in structural fields.

More developments can be marked by privatization especially by the privatization of Turk Telekom, Cottarelli stated.

Cottarelli stressed that the current balance should be closely followed and that the increase in oil prices and the imports that increased as the economy revived were elements that had influence on current balance.

Cottarelli emphasized that oil prices had effects on not only current balance but also on inflation.

Pointing out that the revival of domestic demand in Turkey's economy is positive, Cottarelli said that the consumption in this revival should be closely watched. He also said that consumtion demand especially in automobiles increased as the interest rates decreased.

Cottarelli said that current transactions are important for Turkey and that the imports increased due to oil and domestic demand.

Cottarelli added that imports included investment goods and that tourism revenues increased.

-NEW ERA IN BANKING

-PROTOCOL SIGNED TO TRANSFER AUTHORITY OF CENTRAL BANK AND

TREASURY TO BANKING REGULATION AND AUDIT BOARD

ANKARA - A protocol was signed on Thursday to transfer the authority of the Central Bank and Treasury Undersecretariat to the Banking Regulation and Audit Board (BDDK) and reorganize the cooperation principles among these three institutions.

Treasury Undersecretary Selcuk Demiralp, Central Bank Chairman Gazi Ercel and BDDK Chairman Zekeriya Temizel signed the protocol at BDDK building.

Temizel, in a speech, said the BDDK started service as of Thursday according to the law and the Higher Council of the BDDK has been carrying out the necessary activities for five months. Noting that the BDDK is the beginning of a new era for Turkish banking system, Temizel said this means that an independent institution will be inspecting the banking sector as it is in the developed world.

Temizel said this also means that Turkey will fully obey the international rules defined by Basel Banking Committee. ''The new system will bring trustable inspection and monitoring to banking sector which will be in line with international norms. Regulations in banking field will not be under any influences and it will only aim to meet the needs of the sector. Besides, people and international investors will base their preferences of banks on accurate and dependable information.''

Demiralp said the Treasury which successfully regulated and inspected banking sector for long years is handing over this responsibility to the BDDK as of Thursday and added that the Treasury would assist the BDDK, especially in finding the necessary funds.

Stressing the importance of the protocol, Ercel said this was a big step in the collection, evaluation and coordination of information among institutions.

-ECEVIT'S POEMS TRANSLATED INTO MACEDONIAN

SKOPJE - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's book ''Poems'' has been translated into Macedonian.

Macedonian Turkish author and translator Esad Bayram translated Ecevit's poems with the title of ''Izyavana Lubov''. Prof.Sande Stoycevski, Macedonian author and poet who wrote a criticism about the book said ''Ecevit's poems show that he is a humanist and esteems great value on people.''

Ina-Komerc publishing house which published Ecevit's poems stated that the book is drawing a lot of attention from Macedonian readers.

-30 HECTARES OF FOREST BURNT IN FOREST FIRES ON WEDNESDAY

ANKARA- Thirty hectares of forest were burnt in forest fires which broke out throughout Turkey on Wednesday.

A statement of the Forestry Ministry said on Thursday that fire broke out in 16 forested areas on Wednesday and that 30 hectares of forest were destroyed in these fires.

The statement noted that all the fires, except one, were taken under control.

Fire which broke out in a forested area in eastern Mus province continues, and 15 hectares of forest were burnt until now, the statement said.

Meanwhile, fire broke out in a forest in Milas-Saricay hamlet of Aegean Mugla province on Thursday. One hectare of forest was burnt in the fire.

A total of 22,641 hectares of forest have been burnt in 1,556 fires that have broken out since the beginning of 2000.

-LEUKEMIC KEMAL FROM TRNC DIES IN LONDON

LEFKOSA- Kemal Saracoglu, a thirteen-year-old boy from Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) who was suffering from leukaemia, died on Thursday in London, where he was kept under medical treatment.

Joint campaigns were launched in TRNC and Greek Cypriot administration for Saracoglu and Andreas Vasiliu, a seven-year old Greek Cypriot boy who was also suffering from leukaemia.

Blood campaign was launched for Kemal in London in February.

Suitable bone marrow for Kemal could not be found while bone marrow was transplanted to Vasiliu.

Doctors said in May that they had found suitable bone marrow for Kemal but it was too late for transplantation.

Sua Saracoglu, the father of Kemal, said that he may take body of his son to TRNC this weekend.

-TURKEY REPAYS 968.32 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS

IN FOREIGN DEBT BETWEEN IN AUGUST

ANKARA- Turkey repaid a total of 968.32 million U.S. dollars in foreign debt in August 2000.

The Central Bank data shows that the Treasury repaid 853.20 million U.S. dollars; the Central Bank repaid 57.46 million U.S. dollars; the administrations with general and annexed budgets repaid 57.66 million U.S. dollars in foreign debt in August.

Meanwhile, a total of 6 billion 910.94 million U.S. dollars of foreign debt has been repaid since the beginning of the year.

-IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT ''MANAVGAT WATER''

TEL AVIV- Important developments are recorded regarding purchase of Manavgat Water following the visit of Ehud Barak, the Prime Minister of Israel, to Ankara.

Construction of 13-km pipeline, planned to transfer the Manavgat Water from the discharging installations in Ashkelon to the main reservoir in Nohora, started. The construction, which is expected to cost 20 million U.S. dollars, is foreseen to be completed by mid 2001.

Israel, after discussing the proposals of the maritime transportation companies for the transfer of the Manavgat Water from Turkey, will send a delegation to Turkey to carry out contacts about purchase of the water.

Meanwhile, it was reported that Turkey decreased the price of water.

According to a news report which appeared in Ha'aretz Newspaper, Turkey accepted to decrease the price of one cubic meter of water from 23 cent to 8-10 cent.

Israel, which experiences drought, plans to purchase 45 million cubic meters water at the first stage.

-STATE THEATERS TOUR THE WORLD

ANKARA- The State Theaters (DT) will visit Egypt, Belarus, Moldovia, France and Germany in September and October.

A written statement from the State Theaters said that Tayfun Orhon's play ''Copluk'' (Garbage Dump) will be performed in Egypt on September 1-11. The play will participate in Cairo International Experimental Theater Festival.

''Once Insan'' (Human First), a play by Yilmaz Karakoyunlu will be performed in Toronto, Canada between September 27 and October 1.

State artist Mustafa Mutlu will perform a ''Karagoz'' shadow puppet show in Moldovian city of Chisinau on October 7-15 October at Licurici-55 International Puppet Theater Festival.

Turgut Ozakman's ''Kanavice'' (Cross stitch) will be performed at Paris Suden Theater on October 28-31.

Bursa State Theater will perform Aziz Nesin's ''Cicu'' in Germany on September 22-24.

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