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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-08

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

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

Anadolu Agency

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

08 MARCH

2001 Thursday


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
  • [02] CUBAN TOURISM MINISTER LA VEGA THANKS TURKISH TOURISM AGENCY OGERTOURS

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

    These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 8, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

    HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

    GALATASARAY TO PLAY IN QUARTERFINAL
    Turkish soccer team Galatasaray who beat Italian soccer team Milan last night by 2-0, has got the right to play in the quarterfinal in the European Champions League. Galatasaray made everybody happy in Turkey which is trying to recover from the recent economic crisis.

    IMF IS BEHIND THE AGE
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is behind the contemporary age in respect of its functions. Ecevit said that the IMF also caused problems for the government because of its general attitude. Ecevit pointed out that the most sensitive problem is in banking sector, adding that in the recent crisis it was seen that the regulation about the Banking Regulation and Inspection Council was not sufficient. A new regulation will be prepared as soon as possible, Ecevit stressed.

    MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

    IMF IS OLD-FASHIONED
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that even in the U.S. people talk about the methods of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) saying that they are old-fashioned. Ecevit talked to reporters about the issues that are on the agenda of Turkey yesterday and said that ''a new regulation is a must in the banking sector. The wages of civil servants will be increased in line with the increase in the inflation rate.'' Ecevit said that the resignation of Zekeriya Temizel, the Chairman of the Banking Regulation and Inspection Board (BDDK) has been very surprising for him. Noting that the problems in the banking and finance have played a chief role in the last economic crisis, Ecevit said that it is not possible for them to accept every wish of the IMF.

    SABAH (LIBERAL)

    LAW TO BE ADOPTED FOR SACRIFICING SHEEP ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who is uneasy about the people's sacrificing sheep in public said that ''we must find a solution to this problem. A legal regulation can be done to prevent that.'' Responding to questions of journalists about various issues in his home, Ecevit said that the target of decreasing the inflation continues.

    DEBATE ON DERVIS' MEASURES
    A package of measures which will have three parts will be adopted for the rehabilitation of the banking sector which has been declared by State Minister Kemal Dervis as an issue having priority. Firstly the public banks and the banks which had earlier been transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund will be discussed.

    CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

    END TO EARLY MARRIAGES
    Many women organizations will come together at Sisli Freedom Square in Istanbul upon the March 8- World Women Day. In Ankara Cankaya mayor will transfer his post to a woman for one day. Meanwhile UNICEF has intensified its efforts to prevent marriages of people who are very young.

    ERDOGAN PREPARES TO FOUND A NEW PARTY
    Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the former mayor of Istanbul and a member of the Virtue Party (FP) tries to realize a project like the one of ex-president Turgut Ozal who had united four political tendencies within one party after the 1980 military intenvention. Erdogan's attitude is strongly criticized within the Virtue Party (FP) particularly by those who are close to Necmettin Erbakan, the former leader of the banned Welfare Party (RP).

    RADIKAL (LEFT)

    DERVIS TO FIND SOURCES FOR TURKEY
    Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who came together with the representatives of newspapers to Ankara, said that ''Turkey has a great internal and external source problem. We expect State Minister Kemal Dervis to find sources for Turkey due to his international experience.''

    AYTEKIN SAYS TURKEY IS DISGRACED
    Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin, who is currently in Brussels, said that Turkey is disgraced to the European Union (EU) delegation which came to Turkey to watch the people's sacrificing sheep upon the feast of sacrifice.

    TURKIYE (RIGHT)

    GREAT APPOINTMENT
    State Minister Kemal Dervis arrived in Washington D.C. early on Thursday. Dervis, who will have important contacts with the U.S. officials including the U.S. Secretary of Treasury, said that ''everything develops quite well.''

    FIVE TURKS DIE IN MECCA
    Five Turkish haj pilgrims died in Mecca during a ritual symbolizing the stoning of satan. Meanwhile nearly 130,000 Turkish haj pilgrims started to return to Turkey. Their return will end completely on March 27, 2001.

    ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

    TURK SAYS THE MISSION OF ARMY IS TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY
    Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister said in northern Trabzon province that the mission of the army is to protect the country, it is not to govern the country. Turk called on the people not to lose its trust to the democratic regime.

    BELLS TOLL FOR DIVISION IN LEFT
    The leading names of the leftist party the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) who don't like the policies of CHP leader Deniz Baykal, speeded up their efforts to found a new leftist political party. Ercan Karakas, Fikri Saglar, Seyfi Oktay, Mumtaz Soysal work for a new party.

    -STATE MINISTER DERVIS ARRIVES IN WASHINGTON D.C.
    WASHINGTON D.C. - State Minister Kemal Dervis who is charged in economy, arrived in Washington D.C. early on Thursday to meet with officials from the U.S. Treasury Department, IMF, World Bank and finance circles.

    Dervis told at the airport that he will meet with the U.S. Secretary of Treasury Paul O'Neal the same day.

    Noting that he will complete the proceedings regarding to his resignation from the World Bank and he will meet with the concerned circles to save Turkey from its economic difficulties in the U.S., Dervis said that ''the main aim is to provide a source from abroad in a short time.''

    -FOREIGN MINISTRY DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY
    ALPOGAN TO LEAVE FOR MACEDONIA
    ANKARA - Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Yigit Alpogan will leave for Macedonia on Thursday due to the clashes that took place on the border of Macedonia and Kosovo.

    A Foreign Ministry statement said on Wednesday that Alpogan will hold contacts with high ranking officials as a special representative of the Turkish government upon the recent developments which will negatively affect the stability and security of Macedonia.

    Alpogan, who will give information in Macedonia about the efforts and contributions of Turkey for solution of the problem as soon as possible, will also convey verbally to the Macedonian Premier Ljupco Georgievski the message of the Turkish government saying that its support to Macedonia will continue.

    Alpogan will also meet with officials of the Macedonian Foreign Ministry.

    Tension arose when three Macedonian soldiers were killed on the border of Macedonia-Kosova last Sunday.

    -PREMIER ECEVIT SAYS TURKEY IS AMONG MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES
    IN RESPECT OF WOMAN-MAN EQUALITY
    ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Thursday that Turkey is among the most advanced countries of the world in respect of man and woman equality.

    Issuing a message upon the World Women's Day- March 8, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that the changes that are planned to be adopted in the Civil Code will further improve the woman-man equality.

    The most important contribution of the revolution of Ataturk had been the rights and equality given to Turkish women in all fields, said Premier Ecevit and added that women's benefitting well from the rights given to them and equality depends on their fully benefitting from education opportunities in the country. Ecevit said that the increase in the number of schoolgirls in Turkey recently is a pleasing development.

    Ecevit said that the increase in the educated women also strengethens the democracy, Ecevit noted that the Turkish women's proving themselves with utmost success is an honour for the whole nation.

    -TRNC DEPUTY PREMIER AKINCI SAYS TOURISM IS IMPORTANT
    IN OVERCOMING ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES OF TRNC
    LEKFOSA - Mustafa Akıncı, the State Minister and Deputy Premier of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Wednesday that TRNC goes through difficult days in economy, adding that tourism plays an important role in overcoming these economic difficulties.

    Akıncı, who attended the tourism fairs held in Istanbul, Crimea and Berlin, told reporters after returning to TRNC that TRNC's joining these three fairs will probably cause positive results for TRNC, adding that he had positive contacts in these countries.

    Akıncı said that they launch efforts to develop the tourism opportunities of TRNC and to bring more tourists to TRNC, adding that the TRNC stands drew great interest in fairs held in Istanbul and Berlin.

    -ENVIRONMENT MINISTER AYTEKIN'S CONTACTS IN BELGIUM
    BRUSSELS - The environment ministers of the EU countries and EU candidate countries convened in Brussels for the first time and they exchanged views with each other on Wednesday.

    Turkey was represented by Environment Minister Fevzi Aytekin in the meeting.

    The initiatives of candidate countries to abide by the EU laws and the regulations that will be taken by them in legal and technical fields within the scope of the Sixth Action Plan prepared by the EU (to be valid till 2010), were taken up in the meeting.

    Environment Minister Aytekin, who addressed the unofficial meeting headed by Swedish Environment Minister Kjell Larsonn, explained the things done and to be done by Turkey to abide by EU laws on environment.

    During the EU Environment Ministers Council meeting on Thursday, the EU is expected to officially aprove the Accession Partnership Accord prepared by EU Commission for Turkey. The Accord will go into force within few days following its being published in the EU official gazette. After completion of this process, the National Programme prepared by Turkey is expected to be submitted to EU.

    Aytekin will return to Turkey on Thursday.

    -ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD FOR TURKEY APPROVED
    BRUSSELS - The Accession Partnership Accord prepared by EU Commission for Turkey was approved without any debate on Thursday during the EU environment ministers council meeting.

    EU Council approved last month the frame regulation for Turkey's candidacy process that constituted the legal basis of the Accord last month. This approval was published in the official gazette.

    Following the publication of the approval of the accord in the Official Gazette, Turkey is expected to submit its national programme to Brussels within March.

    -MUZEYYEN ISIKGOZ, A LONELY WOMAN ON WORLD WOMEN'S DAY
    SANLIURFA/SIVEREK - AIDS patient Muzeyyen Isikgoz, a resident of Sanliurfa's Siverek township, is complaining that no woman wants to socialize with her not even coming near her because of her disease.

    Isikgoz was infected by HIV during a blood transfusion at Sanliurfa Red Crescent Blood Bank in 1996. Her baby, Rukiye was also infected by the disease and later died after she gave birth by sezerian.

    Isıkgoz, during an interview with the A.A in her home in Haliliye district, said how depressed she feels because of the disease and does not even go out of home.

    When asked to comment on the World Women's Day, she said ''it meant her nothing.''

    ''I'm sick of everything, especially the press,'' she said angrily. ''No woman wants to socialize with me. They don't even come near me. I feel that I'm getting closer to death every day. The fear of death is eating me alive, especially after the death of my daughter Rukiye. Just leave me alone.''

    Her husband Sedat Isıkgoz said her wife was elected the ''mother of the year'' by the Mothers' Association. ''But, since then no woman visited her. It would have relieved her a little if somebody came and talked with her,'' he said, not hiding his bitterness.

    -FIRST GROUP OF TURKISH HAJ PILGRIMS RETURNS TO TURKEY
    ISTANBUL - The first team composed of nearly 300 Turkish haj pilgrims returned to Turkey from Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

    The two airplanes of the Turkish Airlines (THY) and Egyptian Airways carrying the Turkish pilgrims landed at Ataturk Airport around 9.30 a.m.

    The pilgrims said that they were very happy to be in sacred territories for nearly one month, adding that they were pleased with the organization of the Religious Directorate. They noted that they had no information about the death of pilgrims during a ritual symbolizing the stoning of satan on the first day of feast of sacrifice.

    The return of all the Turkish haj pilgrims to Turkey will end by March 27.

    [02] CUBAN TOURISM MINISTER LA VEGA THANKS TURKISH TOURISM AGENCY OGERTOURS

    BERLIN - Cuban Tourism Minister Eduard de La Vega, who attended the International Tourism Fair held in Berlin, Germany, thanked Vural Oger, owner of the Ogertours, which is based in Germany.

    ''We are grateful to Vural Oger, who contributed a lot to tourism incomes of Cuba,'' said La Vega and requested Ogertours to hold flights to Santiago de Cuba, which is in south of Cuba and which is an ancient city.

    La Vega told A.A correspondent that a new page has been opened in Cuban tourism by Ogertours' starting flights from Germany to Cuba, adding that ''Ogetours has contributed a lot to the development of tourism in our country.''

    ''Today we are the agency which brought most of the German tourists to Cuba, '' Vural Oger said in his part and added that they work in collabration with Cuban people regarding hotels. Oger said they said they can start flights to Santiago ancient city in Cuba soon.

    -TREMOR SHAKES CINARCIK SLIGHTLY
    ISTANBUL - A tremor shook slightly Cınarcık township of northwestern Yalova province on Thursday.

    Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory and Seismology Centre recorded the tremor measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale at 13.32 local time.

    The tremor was also felt in some districts of Istanbul.

    -PROJECT STARTS TO SAVE DIYARBAKIR CITY WALLS
    DIYARBAKIR - A project is underway to save Diyarbakir's city walls, the second longest wall after the Chinese Wall, however a total of 30 trillion TL is needed for the the wall's repair.

    Officials said the damage the nature caused to the walls is minor compared to that caused by people. Repair works started 27 years ago, but the efforts didn't get intensified until three years ago.

    The Culture Ministry and Diyarbakir Governor's Office spent about 500 billion TL for the wall's repair but managed to restore only 15 percent of the whole fortress. A total of 30 trillion TL is needed to repair the wall which is 5.2 kilometers long, 14 meters high and seven meters wide.

    Provincial Private Management Directorate put aside 115 billion TL while the Culture Ministry assigned 60 billion TL this year for the project but officials urged the private sector to also pitch in.

    ''The Culture Ministry, Governor's Office and Municipality are working hard together to realize this project,'' an official said. ''There are 2,000 houses which were illegally built in front of the walls. The houses standing in front of the repaired part of the walls have been demolished and this area has been turned into a park. But the other houses are a big obstacle since they are obstructing the repair works.''

    -WORLD WOMEN'S DAY CELEBRATED IN TURKEY
    ANKARA/BOLU/ANTALYA/ISTANBUL - The World Women's Day is celebrated with various activities throughout Turkey on Thursday.

    A march was organized in northwestern Bolu province in which women branches of political parties and non-governmental organizations attended.

    Antalya Democracy Platform issued a press statement in front of the Post, Telephone and Telegram (PTT) Office upon the Day. Nursel Ozturk, speaking on behalf of the Platform claimed that Turkish women are victims of all kind of pressure and violence.

    The woman branch of the Republican People's Party (CHP) laid wreath in front of Republican Monument in Taksim square and Zubeyda Hanım Bust (mother of Ataturk) in Samatya, Istanbul.

    CHP women members shouted slogans saying ''We are Women, Strong and Kemalist,'' ''Turkey Is Secular and Remain So.'' The women paid respect for one minute and sang the National Anthem.

    CHP Istanbul Provincial Woman Branch Chairperson Dondu Babacan read out a press statement and said that the main philosophy of March 8 is to improve the health, education, economic and cultural conditions of women.

    Babacan stressed that the Civil Code has to be re-arranged in line with the existing conditions.

    -WOMAN BECOMES MAYOR FOR A DAY IN CANKAYA, ANKARA
    ANKARA - Kumru Gozcu, a housewife, became the Cankaya mayor of Ankara for a day on Thursday, the World Women's Day.

    Gozcu said women should participate in all levels of the society and both men and women should work together to achieve this.

    During her one day mayorship, Gozcu said Cankaya's most urgent needs were parks, gardens and green areas. She also said she would have set up a animal shelter if she had the authority.

    Cankaya Mayor Haydar Yilmaz, who lent his seat to Gozcu for a day, said that ''a society in which women don't enjoy the same level of liberty as men could not be free.''

    Yilmaz said women were the assurance of reform, dignity and modernity in a society. Pointing to the sexual discrimination women face all over the world, Yilmaz said Turkey was one of the first countries which granted women the right to vote and be elected in politics. However, he said there are still people in today's Turkey who want to cover their women and female children in black chadors.

    -1,389 PERSONS WHO MET WITH THEIR RELATIVES IN SYRIA
    START TO RETURN TO TURKEY
    CEYLANPINAR - The return of 1,389 persons who have been the guests of their relatives in Syria for 48 hours, to Turkey has started.

    Officials at Ceylanpınar border gate told A.A correspondent on Thursday that those who went to Syria by administrative letter on the second and third days of feast of sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) started to return to Turkey.

    Officials noted that the return of 1,389 persons (totally 441 families) will be completed till 17.00 hours today, adding that 948 persons composed of 448 families will return to Turkey on Friday.

    Meanwhile the families who entered Turkey from Syria said they were happy as they reunited with their relatives, adding they will host their relatives from Syria in Turkey next year.

    -VERHEUGEN SAYS ADOPTION OF ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP ACCORD IS
    AN IMPORTANT STEP AND SIGNAL
    BRUSSELS- Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner responsible for enlargement said on Thursday that the adoption of the Accession Partnership Accord prepared by the EU Commission for Turkey the same day was an important step and signal.

    Verheugen said that the Accord constitutes a road map for Turkey, adding the official approval of the document has come true in an important period in the Turkish-EU relations.

    Evaluating the approval of the document as an important sign, Verheugen said that this development is a support for the political and economic reforms in Turkey.

    Meanwhile an EU Commission statement noted that the approval of the Accord today constituted an important step in respect of the relations with Turkey whose candidacy was officially approved in Helsinki summit.

    The statement noted that the expectations from Turkey and priorities of Turkey on the way to full membership were determined in the Accession Partnership Accord, adding that comprehensive political and economic reforms are necessary in Turkey for it to abide by the Copenhagen criteria.

    The statement listed the abolishment of death sentence, broadening the scope of the freedom of expression, taking measures against torture and giving cultural rights to Turkish citizens without making any discrimination as examples of expectations from Turkey.

    EU Commission also noted that the National Programme should be approved by the Turkish government as soon as posssible and submitted to the EU.

    EU Council approved last month the frame report for Turkey's candidacy process that constituted the legal basis of the Accord. This approval was published in the EU official gazette.

    Following the publication of the approval of the Accord in the Official Gazette, Turkey is expected to submit its national programme to Brussels within March.


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