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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-09-30Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 30 SEPTEMBER 2000 Saturday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on Sept 30, 2000. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)NSC EXPRESSES REGRET OVER DEVELOPMENTSABOUT SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS The National Security Council (NSC) issued a statement after its meeting, expressing regret over the recent developments about the ''so-called genocide on Armenians'' which had been brought onto the agenda at the U.S. House of Representatives with the efforts of Armenian circles. BANKWATCH AFFIRMS ''C'' RATING TO KENTBANK MILLIYET (LIBERAL)CEM: ''THESE ARE UNPLEASANT DEVELOPMENTS''Foreign Minister Ismail Cem defined the discussion on resolution on so- called genocide on Armenians at the United States House of Representatives International Relations Committee as ''unpleasant developments'', and said he wished common sense would prevail. Cem said that this issue's becoming a matter of such a discussion was an unpleasant development for them. ''Turkey is a great state. Turkey is a powerful country which has powerful nation. We do our best to prevent approval of such resolutions by the parliament of another country. We do this with such an understanding that Turkey's suffering a serious damage and taking offense are out of question. This is an historical issue. It is wrong to exploit this for political purposes,'' he said. SABAH (LIBERAL)GOGUS CHOSEN AS CHAIRMAN OF EUROPAYMustafa Gogus, the Director of Credit Cards Security System Department of the Garanti Bankasi, was chosen as the Chairman of the Europay International South Europe Security Committee. Gogus said that this development would contribute to the promotion of Turkey. ''We will accelerate the efforts regarding the credit cards, making the e-commerce more secure, global risk administration and technological structuring,'' Gogus noted. Gogus stated that they would also exert efforts in the North Europe and that they would develop projects regarding the security of the payments with credit card. Gogus added that the committee would convene in Turkey in 2001. ANTONAKOPOULOS CALLS ON TURKISH BUSINESSMEN TO MAKE JOINT INVESTMENTS CUMHURIYET (LEFT)TWO PEOPLE DIE IN FIRE IN MAINTENANCE COMMANDERSHIPTwo people died while nine others were injured in a fire which broke out in the 1011 Main Maintenance and Repair Commandership in Ankara. The General Staff said that two civilian workers choked to death while trying to put out the fire which started during the test of signal pistol in the 1011 Main Maintenance and Repair Commandership. It said an investigation was under way related with the incident. PRESIDENT SEZER DUE TO CENTRAL ASIA IN OCTOBER RADIKAL (LEFT)EXPENSES ON MEDICINE PER PERSON REACH 35 U.S. DOLLARS IN 1999The expenses on medicine per person reached 35 U.S. dollars while the amount spent on medicine was 2.2 million U.S. dollars in 1999. The figures of the Medicine Employers Union indicated that 3,100 different kinds of medicine are put into Turkey's medicine market. The pharmacologists have produced 1 billion 5 million 420 thousand 472 boxes of medicine in 1999. A total of 96 companies, including 38 foreign campanies, worked in this sector. Antibiotics were spent the most in 1999. The share of the antibiotics in the total medicine consumption was 20 percent. Analgesics ranked the second with 13 percent. Pills to treat rheumatism, cold, influenza and cough, and vitamins were the other medicines which were sold frequently. NEW LEGISLATIVE YEAR TO START ON SUNDAY YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)SECURITY FORCES IMPOUND 40 KG OF ACID ANHYDRIDESecurity forces impounded 40 kg of acid anhydride, one of raw materials of heroin, in an operation in Viransehir township of southeastern Sanliurfa province. Two people were taken into custody in the operation. YAPI KREDI OBTAINS 300 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS LOAN TURKIYE (RIGHT)PRESIDENT SEZER: ''I AM OPEN TO DIALOGUE''Metin Yalman, the Presidential Spokesman and Press Counsellor, said that President Ahmet Necdet Sezer was determined to be in dialogue and cooperation with the Council of Ministers. Yalman told the weekly press conference that this dialogue and cooperation should not constitute an obstacle for Sezer when fulfilling his responsibilities in behaving in consonant with the Constitution and the rule of law. He will fulfil his responsibilities in accordance with the requirements of the oath he took when taking over the office, Yalman said. PHOTOGRAPHS OF TWO CITIES ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)WORLD BANK BOARD TO DISCUSS FSAL AT END-NOVEMBERThe World Bank Executive Board is not expected to discuss approval of extension of first tranche of the 1.5 billion U.S. dollar Financial Sector Adjustment Loan (FSAL) to Turkey in its meeting. The World Bank puts forward approval of a legal arrangement on privatization of three public banks in Turkey as a condition to release the first tranche of the FSAL. So the World Bank Board is not expected to take up the issue in its meeting as President Ahmet Necdet Sezer vetoed the Council of Ministers decree with the force of law (KHK) on the privatization of three public banks. The World Bank Board is expected to discuss the issue in its meeting at the end of November 2000 while the government will try to pass a draft law from the Parliament with this objective till this meeting. -OIL PRODUCTION -IN FIRST NINE MONTHS, TPAO PRODUCES 6.4 MILLION BARRELS OF GAZIANTEP - The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) produced a total of 6 million 431 thousand 61 barrels of oil in Adiyaman Province, the biggest oil reserve of Turkey, in the first nine months of 2000. Officials at the Regional Directorate of the TPAO told the A.A correspondent on Saturday that 47.5 percent of the oil production in Turkey was provided from 163 oil wells in Adiyaman, Sanliurfa and Kilis. The TPAO produces 23 thousand 557 barrels of oil per day. -IN FIRST EIGHT MONTHS, 89.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS OF THREAD EXPORTED FROM Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Saturday that in the first eight months of the year, they exported 31 million 150 thousand U.S. dollars in cotton thread; and 58 million 372 thousand U.S. dollars in synthetic thread. The majority of the goods were exported to the U.S., Belgium, Syria, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Spain, Germany, Romania, Britain, France and Greece. -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: -''PRESIDENT SEZER IS AN AUTHORITY OF LAW, Addressing a television program on the private CNN-Turk Channel, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''President Sezer is a significant authority of law, but policy does not consist of law. There are also economic and social problems in the policy. What is important is to provide a harmony between the law and these elements. Such a harmony can only be provided by setting up dialogue. We believe that we could resolve these problems through dialogue. we have begun to know each other with President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in the working atmosphere. We will be accustomed to each other in the course of time. We have to do so.'' Prime Minister Ecevit recalled that the government prepared a decree with the force of law (KHK) which was urgent in regard to foreign aids, with the contribution of jurists.'' Pointing out that disagreements might occur between the President and the government from time to time on the issues of KHKs and draft laws, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''what is important in such a case is to find an acceptable solution. We think that this solution is the Constitutional Court.'' When asked whether or the government wanted resignation of President Sezer, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''no. We do not have the authority or the right to demand resignation of the President. President Sezer will serve as the President of Turkey for seven years. It is impossible to discuss it. We do not have such an expectation.'' Stressing that dialogue between the President and government should be developed, Prime Minister Ecevit noted, ''we have to understand each other.'' Referring to the resolution regarded with so-called genocide on Armenians which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives International Operations and Human Rights Sub-Committee, Prime Minister Ecevit expressed his satisfaction with the U.S. Administration's attitude. Ecevit said, ''the U.S. Administration said that if this resolution is approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, Turkey can bring onto agenda a series of sanctions from position of Incirlik Base to ceasing the Operation Northern Watch. In that case, we will have to take effective and deterrent measures without forgeting the fact that the U.S. is one of our strategical allies. The U.S. Administration knows that our reaction would be rightful.'' Prime Minister Ecevit emphasized, ''there are some circles trying to establish a religious state in Turkey. But they are not strong enough to change the regime in Turkey. I believe that democratization process in Turkey could not be ceased.'' ''The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has some problems on the issue of abolishment of capital punishment,'' he said. Referring to discussions on broadcast in Kurdish language, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''there are television channels in several Western countries broadcasting ideological programs in Kurdish language. During our recent visit to southeastern provinces, members of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) chanted slogans against the 'Central Village' and 'Village-Town' projects. These are the terrorist organization PKK's slogans. They do not want such projects because it is easy to put pressure on villagers in disorganized rural areas.'' -EXCAVATION WORKS START IN A HIDE-OUT OF HEZBOLLAH IN BATMAN Acting on information from members of the terrorist organization who were detained during nationwide operations, security forces have started to dip up garden of a single-story house in Camlica neighbourhood of Batman. A number of operations have launched throughout Turkey since a shootout between security forces and members of the terrorist organization in Beykoz ditrict of Istanbul on January 17, 2000. In the shootout, Huseyin Velioglu, the head of the organization, was killed while two leading names of the organization were captured. Security forces discovered several hide-outs which were used by Hezbollah members to kill and bury their victims. -37TH ANTALYA GOLDEN ORANGE FILM FESTIVAL TO START ON SUNDAY The main theme of the festival will be ''peace'' after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared 2000 as the ''Year of Peace''. Within framework of activities, two Turkish and two Greek parliamentarians together with actors, actresses, poets and scientists headed by the Turkish- Greek Women's Peace Initiative will place a ''peace wreath'' to the Manavgat River. Safiye Qaddafi, the wife of Libyan Leader Colonel Muammer al-Qaddafi, and their daughter Dr. Ayse Qaddafi will be in attendance at the festival. Names and directors of eight films which will compete in the National Long- Feature Film Competition are as follows: Abuzer Kadayif of Tunc Basaran, September Storm (Eylul Firtinasi) of Atif Yilmaz, Wicked Byzantine (Kahpe Bizans) of Gani Mujde, Goodbye (Gule Gule) of Zeki Okten, House of Angels (Meleklerevi) of Omer Kavur, Spoilsport (Oyun Bozan) of Nesli Colgecen, Bitter Soul (Aci Gonul) of Ersin Pertan, and Colorful Turkish (Renkli Turkce) of Ahmet Cadirci. The 37th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will end on October 5 with the award ceremony. -SECURITY FORCES IMPOUND 18.4 KG OF HEROIN Officials told the A.A correspondent that the security forces stopped and searched a Macedonia-registered automobile which was on its way from Turkey to Macedonia via Bulgaria. They impounded 18.4 kg of heroin hidden in the automobile. Albanian driver of the automobile was taken into custody. Officials said that the market value of the drug was nearly 1 million 700 thousand German marks. A full investigation into the incident is under way. -''TURKEY 2000'' FESTIVAL IN U.S. The festival aims at promoting Turkey and contemporary Turkish arts. Musicians from the TRT Izmir Radio and students were in attendance at inauguration of the festival. Yavuz Aktas, the Turkish Consul General in Chicago, said that nearly 30 thousand people attended the first-day activities of the festival. Meanwhile, the Cinciati Enquirer, the Middletown Journal ve the Dayto Daily covered the story on their first-pages. -TRNC FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE MINISTRY: -''GREEK CYPRIOTS SHOULD ACCEPT Releasing a written statement regarded with the Greek Cypriots' so-called foundation-day of Republic of Cyprus on October 1, the TRNC Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministry said, ''the Partnership Republic was founded on August 16, 1960. The first and second anniversaries of foundation of the Republic of Cyprus were celebrated in 1961 and 1962. After the Turkish Cypriots, one of the equal founder partners of Republic, were expelled in 1963 from the state mechanism by force, the Greek Cypriots started to celebrate October 1 as the so-called foundation day of the partnership republic. In fact, they founded their own administration on October 1.'' ''Modern assault weapons which were purchased within framework of Greek Cypriot-Greek joint military doctrine, are being displayed during such celebrations. These weapons were purchased with the aim of eradicating the Turkish Cypriots. They failed to eradicate the Turkish Cypriots during the ethnic cleansing campaing between 1963 and 1974. The Greek Cypriots have preferred armament to providing peace on the island. The Greek Cypriot side put forward its real target by distorting historical facts,'' the statement stressed. Officials from Greece are expected to attend tomorrow's ceremonies in the Greek Cypriot side to mark the so-called ''independence day''. -EXCAVATION WORKS CONTINUE IN HIDE-OUTS OF HEZBOLLAH IN BATMAN Acting on information from a member of the terrorist organization who was detained during operations in Diyarbakir, security forces have started to dip up several parts of the houses in Camlica neighbourhood of Batman. In his testimony, the Hezbollah member said that Huseyin Velioglu, the head of the organization, had interrogated eight people in these houses. Noting that these people were killed later, the Hezbollah member said that their bodies were buried in the houses. In 1998, security forces exhumed a body in another house in the same neighbourhood of Batman. -CLASHES IN AL-HARAM AL-SHARIF -PRESIDENT SEZER SENDS A MESSAGE TO In his message, President Sezer harsly condemned use of weapon in a holy site of Islam. President Sezer said, ''such distressing developments reveals that it was vitally important to provide lasting peace in the region. We hope that such developments would not obstruct efforts to provide peace.'' President Sezer expressed his condolences, and implored God's strength upon all who are grieving for their beloved ones. A total of seven people were killed while more than 200 others were injured in yesterday's violent clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israelis in Al-Haram Al-Sharif. -RESOLUTION REGARDED WITH SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS -AKARCALI, DEPUTY Akarcali told reporters, ''we learnt that a group from French Socialist Party has launched initiatives to bring a similar resolution regarded with so-called genocide on Armenians, onto agenda of French Senate on Tuesday. As you know, similar initiatives were prevented in France last year. Our French friends warned us to take action immediately.'' ''Some countries are trying to put an unexisting blame on Turkey to end their remorse. Nearly 20 million people were sold to America from Africa as slaves. About 10 million of them died from starvation during long journeys. In Latin America, 20 million Aztecs and Mayas were massacred. In the 18th century, Britons cut off hands of 50 thousand textile workers in India because they did not want competition in the textile sector. French war ships opened fire on Algerian people who were celebrating the end of World War II, as they thought it was an uprising,'' he said. Akarcali stressed that the Foreign Ministry should provide more information about such developments. He emphasized that the parliament should carry out works to solve this problem during the new legislative year. -A RALLY TO BE HELD IN IGDIR TO PROTEST RESOLUTION REGARDED WITH SO-CALLED Iussing a statement, the Rally Organization Committee said on Saturday that hundreds of thousands of Turkish people were killed in massacres committed by Armenian gangs in Igdir, Erzurum, Erzincan, Kars and Van in 1910s. A mass grave was unearthed in Hakahmet village in Igdir province last year in which skeletons of 78 Turks massacred by Armenian militants, were found. -COLLOQUIUM ON ''TURKEY-FRANCE 2000: A NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR EUROPE'' Addressing a colloquium on ''Turkey-France 2000: A New Partnership for Europe'' which was organized in Istanbul by the French Embassy and the France-Turkey Committee, Garchia stressed that the colloquium would make a valuable contribution to further improve relations between the two countries. Describing current relations between Turkey and France as ''excellent'', Garchia said that he hoped these excellent relations would continue in the future. Recalling that France had undertaken the EU Term Presidency, Garchia said that they were interested in Turkey's integration process with the EU. He noted that one of the most important issues on the agenda of the EU was the Accession Partnership Document which would be submitted to Turkey on November 8, 2000. Stressing that the EU's financial aids would help Turkey to make necessary reforms, Garchia pointed out that they wanted to approve global financial arrangement during France's Term Presidency. Meanwhile, Alexandre Jevakhoff, the Chairman of France-Turkey Committee, said that the colloquium was an expression of friendship between the two countries. Jevakhoff stressed that France aimed at assisting Turkey in its EU full membership process. -STATE MINISTER GUREL RETURNS TO TURKEY Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport after his arrival, Gurel said that Turkey attributed great importance to relations with Ukraine. ''Turkey aims at further improving relations and cooperation with Ukraine in every field. Ukranian President will pay an official visit to Turkey in November to this end,'' he told reporters. Gurel noted that he had held beneficial contacts with Vasly Rohovy, the Ukranian Economy Minister, during his visit to Kiev. He added that his contacts in Ukraine had focused on problems of Turkish citizens and businessmen living in this country. -STATE MINISTER GAYDALI DEPARTS FROM RUSSIA Responding to questions of the A.A correspondent prior to his departure, Gaydali said that his contacts had focused on ''Usage of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes'' and ''Early Reports for the Nuclear Accidents'' agreements. Gaydali said that these two agreements were expected to be signed during Russian Prime Minister Mihail Kasyanov's visit to Turkey between October 23 and 25. He said, ''Russia has proposed to sale electricity to Turkey from the VVR- 1000 nuclear power plant in Rostov which will become operational at the end of this year, via the Black Sea. Both Turkish and Russian technical delegations will carry out works on the proposal. Also, the Russian side reiterated its proposal to construct a nuclear enery power plant in Turkey.'' -PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: -''CONSTITUTIONAL COURT SOLVES DISAGREEMENTS Prime Minister Ecevit said that they would submit the KHK on the privatization of three public banks to the parliament as a draft law. He said that the issue of KHK was not brought onto agenda of the National Security Council's (NSC) monthly meeting. Ecevit said, ''I am hopefull that political parties would reach a reconciliation on the Amnesty Law and amendment to Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has some problems on the issue of abolishment of capital punishment. In spite of this, the MHP wants Turkey to become a full member of the European Union (EU). One of the main conditions of EU full membership is abolishment of capital punishment.'' Responding to another question, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''the inflation rate has begun to decrease and the economy has begun to revive. A decision to hold early elections at this point can disrupt all these positive developments.'' -STATE MINISTER GEMICI RETURNS TO TURKEY Addressing journalists at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul after his arrival, Gemici said that he had paid official visits to Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo within framework of Turkey's opening policy towards African countries. Gemici said that he had conveyed President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's messages to presidents of these countries. He added that he had signed several economic, commercial and technical agreements during his visits in order to further improve relations with these countries.
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