Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-03-23

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

23 MARCH 1998

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-EGYPT - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM MEETS WITH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT MUBAREK

[02] LEADERS SUMMIT ENDS - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ARMY ABOUT THE STRUGGLE AGAINST FUNDAMENTALISM''

[03] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

[04] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

[05] TURKEY-TRNC - PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''I AM SATISFIED ABOUT THE MEETING WITH CORDOVEZ''

[06] PRESIDENT DEMIREL ADDRESSES THE TRT-1: - ''I INVITE EVERYBODY TO DO THE TASK WHICH IS FORESEEN IN THE CONSTITUTION''

[07] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 23, 1998

[08] TURKISH-CHINESE COMMERCIAL RELATIONS

[01] TURKEY-EGYPT - FOREIGN MINISTER CEM MEETS WITH EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT MUBAREK

Cem conveyed President Suleyman Demirel's message to Mubarek and gave information about Turkey's initiative on the ''neighbourhood forum''. Cem said that the ''neighbourhood forum'' is a part of the government's policy on relations with the Middle East countries. Pointing out that the trade volume is 700 million US dollars between Turkey and Egypt, Cem said that they aim to increase this amount up to one billion US dollars within a year.

Cem said that Turkey will sign a free trade agreement with Egypt and a joint economic commission will be set up in June. Cem also added, ''Turkey is a member of the Customs Union. Therefore we can help Egypt to trade with the Western European countries and Egypt can help Turkey to trade in Africa.''

[02] LEADERS SUMMIT ENDS - PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ: ''THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ARMY ABOUT THE STRUGGLE AGAINST FUNDAMENTALISM''

Addressing a statement after the Leaders' Summit, Prime Minister Yılmaz stated that at the meeting the coalition leaders evaluated the efforts launched by the government concerning the stuggle against fundamentalism.

''We think that the struggle against fundamentalism should continue with the cooperation of all the institutions of the state and no government has done as much as our government to combat fundamentalism,'' Yılmaz said.

Noting that the government established a Follow-up Committee headed by the Prime Ministry Undersecretary, Prime Minister Yılmaz said, ''our government will continue its struggle against Islamic radicalism within the legal framework and without upsetting the beliefs of the people.''

Prime Minister Yılmaz stressed that the Prime Ministry Follow-up Committee held a briefing at the meeting about the efforts launched so far to struggle against fundamentalism.

Yılmaz stressed, ''the mission, meaning the struggle against fundamentalism, is not the job of one institution, it has to be carried out by all institutions, particularly the Parliament. The Turkish Armed Forces also has a mission just like the other public institutions and the responsibility for carrying out this mission in a coordinated way on behalf of the state belongs to the Prime Ministry.''

''Nobody should forget that a productive Parliament is the guarantee of the democratic system and our government attributes great importance to the regular and productive working of the Parliament,'' he said.

Responding to the questions of journalists, Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz said, ''Just as the body does not work without the heart, in just the same way democracy relies on the Parliament.''

''I hope I will meet with Gen. Ismail Hakkı Karadayı, the Chief of General Staff, before the National Security Council meeting,'' he said, responding to another question.

Yılmaz said early elections ''are not on the government's agenda,'' adding, ''we think that the statement of the General Staff was a product of misunderstanding and in fact a product of an artificial crisis. I suppose these misunderstandings will be sorted out during the National Security Council meeting that will be held on Friday.''

Prime Minister Yılmaz also told journalists that foreign developments particularly on the Cyprus question were discussed during the Leaders' Summit.

[03] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (1)

(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.)

SEVEN PKK TERRORISTS KILLED
During operations conducted by Turkish security forces in the southeastern regions, seven PKK terrorists have been killed. According to the State of Emergency Governership (OHAL) at the end of clashes between security forces and PKK terrorists in the Senoba and Delikavak Counties of Sirnak Province, seven terrorists had been killed.

In another incident in the Tunektepe district of Antalya three PKK separatists suspected of killing two civilians on 12 March, were arrested and their weapons seized.

The Mayor of Osmaniye, Umit Karahan, also said over the weekend that eight terrorists were killed during clashes in the Olukbasi plains in the Osmaniye-Hatay border regions. Karahan added that two soldiers were killed and another wounded during the clashes. /Cumhuriyet/Sabah/

ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER IN TURKEY
Israel Defense and Trade Minister, Natan Sharansky and an accompanying delegation will arrive in Turkey today. According to a statement from the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade a Turkey-Israel Business Council meeting will be held in Istanbul today. Sharansky and Isin Celebi, the Minister of State will attend the meeting. On 24 March, Natan Sharansky will come to Ankara to continue his official visit. /Cumhuriyet/Milliyet/

'GAP WILL END TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION'
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has begun initiatives to complete the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), which it evaluates as a ''key'' to solving terrorism and human rights issues in the region. The Foreign Ministry officials have noted that both issues have long had negative influences on Turkish foreign policy. Evaluating GAP as a vital project in maintaining the social and economic balances in the region, the ministry officials have started initiatives in other public institutions to accelerate the bringing to life the GAP project at full capacity as soon as possible. /Cumhuriyet/

EUROPEAN PKK MEMBERS
Last week security forces carried out operations in various districts of Istanbul. At the end of these operations 38 people had been arrested because they had documents belonging to the PKK terrorist organization. Among the documents found in a building once used by the now defunct political party HADEP, were photographs of the German and Finnish tourists who support the PKK. It was later stated that as a result of the PKK propaganda abroad, German and Finnish tourists had come to Turkey and actively supported the terrorist organization.

Officials pointed out that tourists were gathered at the PKK camps in Greece and then went to Syria by ship. It was also noted that the number of tourists that the PKK used as drug couriers had reached 200. /Sabah/Hurriyet/

CEM VISITING EGYPT
Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister was received yesterday by the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Egyptian capital of Cairo where Cem is holding meetings on bilateral relations between Turkey and Egypt. Cem has also held a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Amr Musa. In the meeting, Musa criticized the military cooperation between Turkey and Israel, whereas Cem insisted that this cooperation was not against the Arab states, and added that Turkey will continue its cooperation with Israel despite all the criticism made by the Arab countries. Musa, in his reply to Cem, reiterated his concern on this issue, saying that Egypt would maintain its stance against this cooperation until such time that the causes for concern were removed. /Hurriyet/

(To be continued)

[04] TURKEY-PRESS REVIEW (2)

(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.)

GOVERNMENT SUMMIT
The leaders of the government coalition parties, Mesut Yılmaz, Bulent Ecevit and Husamettin Cindoruk, met yesterday at the Prime Ministry Residence. The coalition partners said that they will continue to work in harmony and stressed that they will not head for early elections. They also discussed measures undertaken to cope with the growing fundmentalist trends.

Prime Minister Mesut Yılmaz and Chief of the General Staff, General Ismail Hakki Karadayi will meet on Thursday on the eve of the 27 March National Security Council meeting to discuss the increase in fundamentalism which has emerged as a top issue on the domestic agenda during the last few weeks. /Milliyet/

AVALANCHE IN BINGOL
An avalanche yesterday swept away 41 soldiers in Bingol. 24 of the soldiers were rescued, while seven died and six others were seriously injured. Search operations to find the four missing soldiers continue. /Cumhuriyet/

THE US GETS TOUGH WITH GREECE
Getting tough with her Greek counterpart, Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Madeleine Albright said over the weekend that although Greece was playing for time, time was running out. Albright again said over the weekend that the US administration wanted to see Greece begin unconditional dialogue with Turkey about the Aegean region and other pressing issues, in line with requests from Ankara to renew talks.

Albright also pointedly called on Greece to abandon her role of acting in opposition to Turkey on issues ranging from Turkey-Israel cooperation to relations with the EU. Albright also mentioned that it would be better if Greece avoided giving support to the Serbs in the critical Kosovo region.

According to some sources, the US President Clinton has also written to the leader of the Greek Cypriot community on Cyprus, Glafcos Clerides, about deploying Russian made S-300 missiles on the island. Clinton wants the missile order cancelled. /All papers/

PKK IN DISARRAY
The terrorist PKK organization is reported to be in confusion about the future of one of its most important leaders, Semdin Sakik. Leader of the Iraq-Kurdistan Democrat Party (IKDP), Mesut Barzani, who is holding Sakik, is going through the motions of having Sakik handed over to the Turkish security officials. Abdullah "Apo" Ocalan, leader of the PKK, wants to have Sakik handed over to him, so that the PKK can deal with Sakik in the way that it sees fit.

Sakik is being held in a secret location while final negotiations are made with Turkey. With Ocalan pressing to have Sakik returned to the PKK, it looks as though talks to resolve the matter and maintain stability in Northern Iraq will have to be extended. /Sabah/

[05] TURKEY-TRNC - PRESIDENT DENKTAS: ''I AM SATISFIED ABOUT THE MEETING WITH CORDOVEZ''

Denktas said in a written statement that Cordovez listened to the problems of the Turkish Cypriots with great interest and will convey these to Kofi Annan, the Secretary General of the United Nations. Denktas said that they believe Annan will report these problems to the UN Security Council, and added, ''the European countries will have to investigate deeply the reasons of the Turkish Cypriots' fight for independence because of the Greeks' and the Greek Cypriots' unilateral application to the European Union with a plan which aims to make the Turkish Cypriots a minority on the island.''

Stressing that the Greek Cypriots will never be the government of the Turkish Cypriots, Denktas requested the Turkish Cypriots to be patient.

Denktas said that the full membership to the EU is nothing but a trick of the Greeks and the Greek Cypriot side and the UN and no one else should be tricked by this game.

[06] PRESIDENT DEMIREL ADDRESSES THE TRT-1: - ''I INVITE EVERYBODY TO DO THE TASK WHICH IS FORESEEN IN THE CONSTITUTION''

Addressing the state-run television channel, President Suleyman Demirel stated,''there can be differences of opinion, lack of opinion and information between the public institutions, but people should not think that this means a crisis.''

Noting that his mission is to balance the power among the institutions, President Demirel stressed that this is a moral mission, rather than imposing sanctions.

''Turkey is preparing herself for the coming 2000s. In my opinion the most important preparation is to end the discussions on Turkey's regime. Turkey is a constitutional state, yet there is discussion on the Constitution, but it should not be targeted at the regime. There can be differences among institutions, this is also natural. These institutions can come together and sort out their differences, this is the reason for the existence of the National Security Council,'' Demirel said.

''There is no need to say that there is a conflict between the Turkish Armed Forces and the government. The Prime Minister says that there is only difference of understanding in practice. I would like to stress that one should be very careful in struggling against fundamentalism in Turkey because 99.9 percent of the Turkish citizens are Moslem. This struggle should be carried out without upsetting the beliefs of people, who are loyal to the Republic, secularism and Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. I suppose there will not have been any problems if the Chief of General Staff and the Prime Minister had talked with each other earlier concerning the struggle against fundamentalism,'' he said.

Requesting all the institutions of the state to do the tasks which are foreseen by the Constitution, President Demirel said that the army should not be made the target and a side in political debates.

Noting that the Parliament, Prime Minister, President and the Turkish Armed Forces constitute the Turkish state as a whole, President Demirel said that the Turkish Armed Forces will remain within the framework of the functions that are set forth by the Constitution and the laws and it is loyal and conscientious in the fields of democracy, secularism and territorial integrity.

[07] TURKEY IN BRIEF - MARCH 23, 1998

Turkey will turn over the term presidency to Armenia during the meetings.

In the meantime ''the Legal Subjects and Institutional Support for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Expert Group Working Meeting'' of the Balkan Center will be held in Istanbul between March 25-26.

ANKARA - The General Directorate of the State Railways (TCDD) will arrange two special train tours to the Nemrut and GAP regions.

Officials said that the tour will be held between May 8-13 and June 12-17.

ANKARA - Gazi Ercel, the Chairman of the Central Bank, said on Monday that economic issues have not been diccussed sufficiently in the relations between Turkey and the European Union.

Addressing the seminar on ''The European Political Union and Turkey'' arranged by the Central Bank, Ercel said that the inflation rate in Turkey has not been discussed as a main article on the agenda with the European Union.

REYHANLI - It was reported that 1,500 of the 4,000 buses which were rented by Saudi Arabia to carry pilgrim candidates, have exited from the Cilvegozu border gate.

The buses rented by the Saudi Arabian Administration will complete the exits from the border gates by March 25.

ANKARA - The implementation of daylight savings time will begin on March 28 at midnight and will end on October 25, it was reported on Monday.

It is expected that 7.7 trillion Turkish Liras will be saved with the implementation. This amount was 5 trillion Turkish Liras last year.

MALATYA - Police seized 82.5 kg of hashish in an operation staged in the southeastern province of Malatya, it was reported on Monday.

Acting on a tip off, police teams staged an operation at the house of Celal Akkaya in Ikinciler Village of Malatya Province and found 82.5 kg of hashish hidden in bags.

Celal Akkaya was taken into custody and the investigation is underway.

DIYARBAKIR - A group of people, including Italian deputies and journalists, who were taken into custody during the Nevruz celebrations (Spring Feast of the Vernal Equinox) held in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, will be brought before the State Security Court on Monday.

Nafiz Kayalı, the Governor of Diyarbakır, said that the group was taken into custody because people displayed the banners of the separatist terrorist organization and attempted to hold an illegal demonstration.

''Even if one is a foreign parliamentarian, he/she does not have the right to disturb the peace in a country. These people tried to provocate people during the Nevruz celebrations, we can not allow them to disturb the peace, '' Kayalı added.

ANKARA - The seminar titled ''Local Administrations and Sustainable Development Processes'', which was organized by the Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) within the framework of the TIKA's ''Project to Strengthen the Local Administrations of the Turkish Republics in Central Asia'', started on Monday at the TIKA's conference hall in Ankara.

Mayors, Councilmen and Chairmen of the Councils of Balikci, Celal-Abad, Osh, Talas, Narin Cholpon-Ata, Bishkek Sverdlov Municipalities of Kyrgyzstan are participating at the seminar that will continue until March 26.

ANTALYA - The Event-Coordination Meeting of the Western European Union (WEU) ''Crisex-98'' Crisis Administration Exercise, which is hosted by Turkey, started in Antalya on Monday.

The military representatives of the WEU member countries Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Britain, Spain, Sweden, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Greece are participating at the meeting at the Antalya Sheraton Hotel.

It was reported that several sub-committees on ''politics'', ''intelligence'' and ''public relations'' would be set up at the meeting held within the scope of the ''Crisex-98'' WEU Crisis Administration Exercise that will take place between November 20 and 26.

[08] TURKISH-CHINESE COMMERCIAL RELATIONS

Guneri and Yao Kuangyi, the Chinese Ambassador to Turkey, held a joint press briefing the same day. Guneri gave information in the press briefing about the economic and commercial potential between Turkey and China.

Guneri said that the trade volume between the two countries had fluctuated between 500 and 600 million US dollars for years. Guneri said, ''we see that there has been a great imbalance in the trade volume between our two countries. Our importation from China is 500 million US dollars, while China imports 65 million US dollars of goods from us.''

Pointing out that Turkey wanted to increase her exports to China to 200 million US dollars, Guneri said that the two countries can cooperate in the construction sector.

''China requires 750 billion US dollars in transportation and infrastructure investments. The Turkish contractor companies should start initiatives to realize these projects in China,'' Guneri said.

Yao Kuangyi said that the Chinese market shows a powerful development trend in its economy and is in demand in the world.

''To improve the economic and commercial relations between the two countries is the duty of not only the Turkish and Chinese governments but also of the businessmen of our two countries. Turkey and China should improve their cooperation in the field of energy. Besides, our two countries can cooperate in the fields of textiles, durable goods and agriculture,'' Yao Kuangyi said.

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