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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-15

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

15 MARCH

2001 Thursday


CONTENTS

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN
  • [02] EXCHANGE RATES IN COVERED BAZAAR IN ISTANBUL

  • [01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

    These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 15, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

    HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

    SECRET PROPOSAL
    Upon the wish of Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, Premier Bulent Ecevit proposed Kemal Dervis to become a member of the Democratic Left Party (DSP). Dervis refused this proposal. Public Works and Housing Minister Koray Aydin announced the secret proposal as follows: ''at first, we were against Dervis' being appointed as a minister outside the parliament. His current situation revealed that we were right because he is now like a fourth partner.''

    STROKE ON PUBLIC BANKS
    State Minister Kemal Dervis announced the package for overcoming the crisis. Three public banks will save the economy by preventing the economy from being a burden. A joint management will be set up for the Ziraat, Halk and Emlak banks to overcome the deficiencies. A total of 16 quadrillion Turkish liras (TL) will be transfered to the public banks, but the banks will not be charged of new missions which will harm the economy. The branches of the banks will be decreased and the retirement will be encouraged. The banks transfered to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund will either be re-organized and sold or closed. The Telekom, Turkish Airlines (THY), the state-run Spirit and Tobacco Administration and the sugar factories will be privatized and the new Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) will be sold.

    MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

    NO TRANSACTIONS BUT ONE U.S. DOLLAR EQUAL TO ONE MILLION TL
    One U.S. dollar increased to one million Turkish liras (TL) in the Covered Bazaar and the dollar interbank. The U.S. dollar, which had exceeded one million TL when the floating exchange rate regime was started to be implemented, also exceeded one million TL yesterday. The U.S. dollar, which was 900 thousand TL at the beginning of the week due to the effect of the confidence in State Minister Kemal Dervis, increased because the economic program had not been clear yet and the foreigners had demanded foreign exchange at high prices.

    RAIN AND COLD WEATHER ON THE WAY
    Turkey has been under the influence of a rainy weather as of Wednesday evening. Rain is expected in Black Sea Region, east of Mediterranean Region, south and east of Eastern Anatolia and the Southeastern Anatolia Region. The temperatures will decrease 8-10 degrees Celcius together with the precipitations.

    SABAH (LIBERAL)

    TWO KEY APPOINTMENTS
    Engin Akcakoca is being appointed as the chairman of the Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Board (BRSB). Akcakoca, who is the manager of three banks transferred to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund, was the general manager of Kocbank for nine years. The decree with the force of law on Akcakoca's appointment has been submitted to the ratification of the president. Also, the decree with the force of law on the appointment of Faik Oztrak as the Treasury Undersecretary has been presented to the Presidential Office. Oztrak is currently working as the deputy chairman of the BRSB.

    CONDITIONAL BRAKE TO U.S. DOLLAR
    The Turkish lira will continue to float while the Central Bank will intervene in the monetary markets if there are high increases in the exchange rates. The program depends on the continuation of the floating exchange rate regime. But, the Central Bank may intervene in the monetary markets. However, this intervention will not affect the long-term balance.

    CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

    UNIONS DO NOT PROMISE TO SUPPORT
    When State Minister Kemal Dervis visited the chairmen of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK), the Confederation of the Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) and Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak-Is), all the chairmen demanded the preparation of a program except that of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. DISK Chairman Suleyman Celebi said that the employees, retired and the farmers were affected the most by the economic program while Turk-Is Chairman Bayram Meral said that the program should not cause difficulties for the people.

    DISASTER COULD HAVE OCCURED
    The football world is talking about the incidents which occured at the match between Galatasaray soccer club of Turkey and Paris Saint Germain soccer club of France. State Minister Fikret Unlu said that the attack of the French people on the Turkish people was planned.

    RADIKAL (LEFT)

    WEAPON OF MINISTER IS RESIGNATION
    When one article of the draft Civil Code regarding the share of properties in marriage was changed, Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk threatened to resign for the fourth time. Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan persuaded Turk not to resign.

    RISE IN OIL PRICES
    The diesel oil prices were increased 1.3 percent, the oil prices were increased 2.7 percent, the cerosene prices were increased 4.6 percent, and the fuel oil prices were increased 10.2 percent. One liter of unleaded petrol will be sold at 699 thousand 600 Turkish liras (TL), one liter of super petrol at 700 thousand TL and one liter of normal petrol at 670 thousand 900 TL in the European side of Istanbul.

    TURKIYE (RIGHT)

    EXPORT TARGET IS 32 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS
    The Turkish trade delegation which is in Baghdad, Iraq, by the contributions of the Uludag Exporters Union and the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat, continues contacts with the Iraqi officials and businessmen. Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen said that the floating exchange rate regime can be beneficial to them. Tuzmen said, ''our export target which is 30 billion U.S. dollars can increase to 32 billion U.S. dollars.''

    ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

    OPERATION IN GURBULAK
    Thirteen truck full of unprocessed leather and other related equipment smuggled into Turkey were seized in three separate operations in eastern province of Agri's Gurbulak border gate. A total of 54 people including Gurbulak Customs Gate Chief, his assistant and another customs official were taken into custody related to the smuggling.

    ERSUMER IN SYRIA FOR INAUGURATION
    Energy and Natural Resources Minister Cumhur Ersumer attended a ceremony held for the connection of Syrian, Jordanian and Egyptian networks. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, King Abdullah of Jordan and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri also attended the ceremony.

    [02] EXCHANGE RATES IN COVERED BAZAAR IN ISTANBUL

    ISTANBUL - One U.S. dollar was sold at 1 million 5 thousand Turkish liras (TL) among the citizens in the Covered Bazaar in Istanbul on Thursday.

    One German mark was sold at 473 thousand TL.

    The purchase price of one U.S. dollar is 984 thousand TL, while the purchase price of one German mark is 454 thousand TL.

    The purchase price of one French franc in Covered Bazaar is 126 thousand 500 TL, the purchase price of one British sterling is 1 million 325 thousand TL, and the purchase price of one Swiss franc is 535 thousand TL.

    One French franc is sold at 138 thousand 500 TL, one British sterling is sold at 1 million 445 thousand TL, while one Swiss franc is sold at 595 thousand TL in Covered Bazaar.

    -FIRST U.S. DOLLAR TRANSACTION HELD AT 1 MILLION
    10 THOUSAND TL IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE INTERBANK
    ANKARA - The first U.S. dollar transaction was held at 1 million 10 thousand Turkish liras (TL) in the foreign exchange interbank of the Central Bank on Thursday.

    The buying price of one U.S. dollar was 999 thousand 788 TL and the selling price was 1 million 4 thousand 610 TL in the foreign exchange interbank of the Central Bank on Wednesday.

    -FIVE ADVERTISEMENT COMPANIES TO PROMOTE TURKEY
    IN EIGHT COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT 2001
    ANKARA - Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said on Thursday that they reached an agreement with eight companies to promote Turkey in eight countries throughout 2001, adding that Turkey would be promoted with an entirely new perspective.

    Mumcu told A.A. correspondent that the bids of the Tourism Ministry in communication field were realized with the participation of the civil sector and added that the civil sector attended the state bids for the first time.

    Turkey could be best promoted through a contemporary communication strategy, added Mumcu.

    Savas Kuce, the undersecretary of the Tourism Ministry, said they would continue to carry out the promotion campaigns which were launched last year under the same concept, adding that those campaigns stressed the diversity in Turkey.

    Recalling that Turkish lira (TL) had lost in value against the U.S. dollar, Kuce said they had to make a deduction in promotion activities other than the media plans which had been signed previously.

    The companies which will carry out the 2001 advertisement campaign of Turkey in eight different countries are as follows:

    BEST WER-BEAGENTUR

    Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldavia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary

    DDF

    Russia, and Commonwealth of Independent States

    DDF

    Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, South Africa

    BBD ARCY

    The U.S., Canada

    DDF

    France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, South American countries

    GART SHORE

    Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore

    PUBLI GRAPHICS

    Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

    ZIMMET ICOM

    Israel

    -REFLECTIONS OF ECONOMIC CRISIS IN BANKING SECTOR
    ISTANBUL - The monetary crisis which started in the second half of February had negative effects on two banks.

    The Ulusal Bank, of which Halit Cingillioglu was the owner, was transfered to the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund on February 28 while the Iktisat Bank, which was owned by Erol Aksoy, was transferred to the Fund on March 15 due to the crisis in money markets.

    The number of banks transfered to the Fund so far reached 13.

    Egebank, Yasarbank, Yurtbank and Bank Kapital which were transferred to the Fund, were united under the umbrella of Sumerbank on February 18.

    -980-KILOMETER LONG PIPELINE TO BE INSTALLED FOR PROJECT
    WHICH WILL TRANSPORT AZERBAIJANI GAS TO ERZURUM
    ANKARA - State-owned Turkish Pipeline Company (BOTAS) General Director Gokhan Yardim has said that a 980-kilometer long pipeline will be installed between Azerbaijan and Erzurum-Horasan as a part of the project that aims to transport Azerbaijani natural gas to Turkey.

    The 730-kilometer part of the pipeline will pass from Georgia and Azerbaijan and the remaining 250 kilometer will pass from the Turkish land. Every country will be in charge of the construction of the pipeline which passes from its own land. The Azerbaijani national oil company SOCAR will construct the pipeline in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

    Yardim indicated that the natural gas pipeline will join the Iranian natural gas pipeline in Erzurum. The 250-kilometer part between the Georgian border and Erzurum will cost a maximum of 200 million U.S. dollars. The pipeline carrying the Iranian and Azerbaijani natural gas will pass 50 kilometer east of Ankara and it will join the Blue Stream project which transports the Turkmen natural gas, he explained.

    Yardim said the project is still in development stage. He indicated that 16 new wells would be drilled and Turkey would start receiving the gas in 2004. According to the project, Turkey will import 2 billion cubic meters of gas in 2004 and this will increase to 6.6 billion cubic meters in 2007.

    ''The cost of the first stage which is until 2004 is 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. I don't know how long the second stage will take. Turkey has not made a commitment regarding the second stage. We are only committed to buy 6.6 billion cubic meters. They are targeting 20 billlion cubic meters for the project's second stage and the consortium should build additional pipelines to meet the increasing demand,'' he explained.

    Yardim said they would open a bid for the construction of the part of the pipeline which will pass from Turkey. The estimated cost of the 250- kilometer part is 200 million U.S. dollars.

    BP-Amoco and Statoil have 25.5 percent, Socar, TotalFinaElf, LukAGIp and Iranian company OIEC have 10 percent, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation has nine percent of shares in the Shah Deniz project.

    -CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DECIDES TO DISCUSS IN MERITS THE
    SUIT FILED FOR ABOLISHMENT OF LAW THAT FORESEES PRIVATIZATION
    OF THREE PUBLIC BANKS
    ANKARA - The Constitutional Court decided on Thursday to discuss in merits the suit filed for the abolishment of the law that foresees public banks to be made autonomous first and then to be privatized.

    The Court made its first examination for the second time on the suit filed by the Virtue Party (FP).

    The Court didn't find any deficiency in the file and decided to discuss the application in merits.

    The Court had previously returned the file to FP due to the deficiency in the file.

    The Court had also examined the suit filed by FP requesting the abolishment of Article 41/b of the budget law No. 4611 on 2001 Financial Year Budget Law. The Court also decided to discuss in merits this application.

    -AGRICULTURE MINISTER GOKALP DUE TO SYRIA
    ANKARA - Husnu Yusuf Gokalp, the minister of agriculture, will go to Syria on March 25 upon the invitation of Asad Mustafa, the Syrian Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform.

    Releasing a written statement, the ministry of agriculture said technical, scientific and cooperation on agriculture agreement will be signed during the official visit of Gokalp which will continue till March 29.

    Gokalp will also make visits to official and private institutions related to agriculture during his stay in Syria.

    A technical delegation from the Agriculture Ministry and twenty representatives of the private sector will attend the visit to improve the agricultural trade between the two countries.

    -TREASURY BUREAUCRATS HOLD MEETINGS
    WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF IMF AND WORLD BANK
    ANKARA - The bureaucrats of Treasury started to hold meetings with the representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday.

    State Minister Kemal Dervis is also attending the meetings from time to time.

    Ajay Chhibber, the representative of World Bank to Turkey is also attending the meeting.

    -ONE PERSON DIES IN TENSION BETWEEN CITIZENS AND POLICE IN AYDIN
    AYDIN - A citizen died in the tension that broke out between police, who wanted to search the houses surrounding Aydın E type prison, and citizens on Thursday.

    Aydın police, who regularly searches houses near F type prison in western Aydın province, also wanted to search the house of Resul Aydemir (35), who didn't want to permit that. The tension escalated when the neighbours joined the quarrel. Aydemir who resisted the police who wanted to search one of the rooms in the second floor of the house by pointing a knife at the police and by breaking the windows later fainted and he died as he was taken to a hospital.

    The brothers of Aydemir Suleyman and Abdullah Aydemir were also taken into custody.

    Aydın Security Director Cemil Demir told A.A that citizens and police are not against each other in Aydın. ''Aydemir resisted our police,'' Demir said. Demir said that houses near the prison are searched by court order, adding yet some citizens resist that.

    -HIJACKED RUSSIAN PASSENGER PLANE IS IN EGYPT'S AIRSPACE
    ANKARA - The Russian passenger plane which was hijacked soon after its take- off from Ataturk Airport of Istanbul, is in Egypt's airspace for the moment.

    Transportation Ministry officials said on Thursday that they wanted the hijackers to come back to Istanbul in the first contact they had with the plane. Plane is apparently hijacked by force. However, the hijacker/s rejected this demand.

    Officials said that the plane is in Egypt's airspace for the moment.

    -TRANSPORTATION MINISTER OKSUZ SAYS PLANE LOSES 400 METERS OF
    ALTITUDE DURING PHYSICAL FIGHT IN COCKPIT
    ANKARA - Transportation Minister Enis Oksuz said on Thursday that there has been a physical fight in the cockpit of the Russian passanger airplane while it was hijacked.

    Speaking to reporters, Oksuz said that the plane was hijacked by two Chechen persons and the plane lost 400 meters of altitude during the fight.

    Oksuz noted that the plane is about to complete its flight over the Mediterranean, adding that the hijackers want to go to an Arab country which is 3,000 kilometers away.


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