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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 98-08-05Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>05 AUG 1998CONTENTS
[01] 110 WORKERS POISONED BY TABLE D'HOTEIZMIR, Aug 5 (A.A) - A total of 110 people working at three different business places in the Gaziemir and Cigli Ataturk Organized Industry Zones in Izmir were poisoned by the table d'hote served by the Ak Table D'hote company, it was reported on Tuesday.The staff of the Opel Opar Service Station in the Gaziemir Organized Industry Zone and the personnel of the Petposan Corp. and the Oral Cosmetics in the Cigli Industrial Zone started to feel faint after eating their lunch including spaghetti with meat sauce, chicken, soup and milk pudding. A total of 56 of these workers were treated at their business places while 54 of them were taken to the hospitals immediately. The doctors said the health conditions of the 54 workers weren't serious, but four of them needed serum. All of the workers were discharged from hospitals after treatment. The doctors said that the workers were poisoned from stale meat sauce. The investigation related to the issue continues. [02] PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''TURKEY CAN'T BE OUTSIDE OF EUROPE. WE ARE HURT BY DISCRIMINATION''ANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - President Suleyman Demirel said on Tuesday that ''Turkey can't be outside of Europe, we hope and expect that this mistake will be corrected. We are hurt by discrimination.''President Demirel, who received the same day the Union of Austrian-Turkish Associations, said that he will visit Austria in November as the official guest of Thomas Klestil, the Austrian President. Noting that Austria is a friendly country, President Demirel said that the problem of Turkey with Europe stems from the issue of the European Union (EU), ''the attitude of the EU towards Turkey during the Luxembourg Summit was wrong, Turkey has been a member of all the institutions within Europe after 1945 and she is a founding member in many of them. Europe is not only a geography, but it has a group of values. Turkey has all of these values, she is a world state and a part of Europe,'' he added. Pointing out that Turkey expects Austria, the EU Term President, to launch efforts to correct the mistake made by the EU during the Luxembourg Summit and which couldn't be corrected during the Cardiff Summit, President Demirel said, ''Europe without Turkey and Turkey without Europe aren't possible. We hope and expect that this mistake will be corrected.'' [03] GURDAL, MINISTER OF TOURISM: ''WE SHOULD ADJUST THE VAT IN TOURISM TO THE LEVEL IN RIVAL COUNTRIES''ANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - Ibrahim Gurdal, the Minister of Tourism, said on Tuesday that the Value Added Tax (VAT) in tourism should be adjusted to the level in rival countries, adding, ''I will bring the issue to the Council of Ministers.''Addressing the cocktail party organized at the Merit Altinel Hotel in Ankara for the participants of the Black Sea Green Tour, Ibrahim Gurdal said that their target was to keep tourism alive during the four seasons, stressing, ''we concluded the necessary activities with this objective. I will present to the Council of Ministers the issue of decreasing the VAT to one-digit numbers.'' Pointing out that the British companies were willing to construct facilities between Tarsus-Mersin and the German companies wanted to built facilities having the capacity of 50 thousand beds in the Aegean Region and that they submitted their projects to the Ministry of Tourism, Gurdal said, ''these are the huge projects for the 21st century. The opportunities to host the leaders of the world will be found. These are the elaborate projects of the 21st century. The British and German companies are saying that they will make 15 billion US dollars in investments for these projects and that they will have the British and Germans living in Spain spend their holidays in Turkey.'' ''Besides, 50 thousand people will be employed at these facilities. What these companies are requesting is to hire the lands needed for the facilities for 49 years. This is a very pleasing initiative. We will carry out the necessary activities.'' Tourisn Minister Gurdal added that Turkey isn't composed of only sea, beaches and sun, she is a heaven on earth that should be visited. [04] PRESIDENT DEMIREL: ''WE WILL REMOVE THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY WITHIN 10 YEARS''ANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - President Suleyman Demirel said on Tuesday that ''we'll remove the underdevelopment which has been continuing in Southeastern Turkey for a long time within 10 years.''President Demirel received the same day Aytekin Yıldırım, the President of Piramit International Fair Executive Board. Yıldırım gave information to President Demirel about the first International Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Fair that will be held in the southeastern province of Sanlıurfa between 5-11 October. President Demirel said that the fair will open a new page in the GAP and proposed to the delegation members that they should cooperate with the universities. ''Industrialists come to the region. The importance of the commercial growing of hothouse vegetables has been understood. When hothouses were set up, large peppers, tomatoes and eggplants grew there. This is an incredible incident and these are the first signs of the abundance there. People rush for water to irrigate their fields. They now demand electricity. The government adopted a written decree, the GAP project will be completed by 2010,'' he added. [05] ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION AT OYLUMHOYUKGAZIANTEP, Aug 5 (A.A) - The archaeological excavations, which were started to reveal the artifacts and information dating back 12 thousand years, continue at the Oylum Tumulus (Oylumhoyuk) in southeastern Kilis Province, it was reported on Wednesday.A 20-member excavation unit including four archaeologists from Germany, the Netherlands and Georgia are being led by Prof. Dr. Engin Ozgen from the Hacettepe University. The archaeological excavations and research have been carried out for the last eleven years at Oylumhoyuk, which had a military, economic, political and strategical importance among Anatolia, Syria and Mesopotamia and thus hosted different cultures in history. Defining the Oylumhoyuk excavation as the ''journey from the present to 12 thousand years in the past'', Prof. Dr. Ozgen said that they were working at the eastern and western slopes and the summit of the tumulus. The Oylumhoyuk excavation is financed by the Ministry of Culture and the German Institute of Archaeology in Istanbul. [06] TORRENTIAL RAINS AT SAMSUN PROVINCE IN BLACK SEA REGION - LOTS OF HOUSES AND BUSINESS PLACES INUNDATEDSAMSUN, Aug 5 (A.A) - Most of the houses and business places at the city center of Samsun Province in the Black Sea Region were flooded by torrential rains, which started early on Wednesday and continued for 30 minutes.The heavy-rain affected the Meskenler, Yenimahalle, Kadikoy and Irmak Districts and the Gulsan Industrial Zone, inundating most of the houses and business places. The torrential rains also paralyzed the daily life and traffic in the city. The Samsun Municipality units continue their pumping activities. Meanwhile, the officials from the Meteorology Regional Directorate said that the heavy-rains will continue until the weekend. [07] TURKISH SIEMENS TO BE TRANSFERRED TO PIRELLI ON 1 OCTOBERBURSA, Aug 5 (A.A) - The plant of the Turkish Siemens Cable and Electricity Industry Inc. in Mudanya where energy and communications cables are produced, will be transferred to the Pirelli firm by 1 October after the former sold its installations to Pirelli for 1.7 billion German marks, it was reported on Wednesday.The Siemens AG, which is centered in the cities of Berlin and Munich in Germany, sold all of its plants, which produced energy and communications and transferred their 6,200 workers to the Pirelli SpA, the Italian firm which is engaged in the cable and tyre sectors. The Turkish Siemens officials said that the cable business constitutes 1 percent of the total sales of Siemens and it is one of the 16 business branches of Siemens, adding that both Siemens and Pirelli will profit from the transfer. A total of 55.8 percent of the shares of the Turkish Siemens Cable and Electricity Industry Inc., where 870 workers work, have been sold to Pirelli, while the Koc Holding owns 10 percent of the shares and Simko has a 5 percent share. [08] RESTORATION OF CHURCHES AT CAPPADOCIA - FIVE CHURCHES RESTORED IN LAST TEN YEARSNEVSEHIR, Aug 5 (A.A) - A total of five churches at the Cappadocia Region, one of the most important tourism centers in Turkey, were restored in last five years, it was reported on Wednesday.The restoration of two citadel churches in the Tatlarin region in Acigol County; the St. John Church near Gulsehir County, and the Elmali and Karanlik Churches in the Goreme Open Air Museum, were concluded within last ten years with the support of the Ministry of Culture and with the allocations of revenues from the museums and ruin sites. Officials said that a total of 100 billion Turkish Liras was spent for the restorations of these five churches, adding that the restoration of the El Nazar Church in the Goreme region will be concluded by the end of 1998. [09] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (1)These are brief summaries of some of the leading stories in Turkey's press on 5 August 1998. The Anadolu Agency doesn't verify these stories and doesn't vouch for their accuracy.(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.) SCHRODER: ''TURKEY SHOULD ENTER EU'' FOREIGN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN THRACE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF YAPI-KREDI BANK ON FCI EDUCATION COMMITTEE Committee in its annual meeting held in San Diego. Ekmekcioglu, the Chairman of the Factoring Education Committee has been serving in this capacity for the last three years. /Sabah/ BAYINDIR-ASTRADI PARTNERSHIP FOR TUNNEL PROJECT TREASURY CONTROLS WORLD BANK CREDITS /Milliyet/ 1,322 MISSILES FOR ATHENS PKK KILLS 15 SOLDIERS [10] TURKISH PRESS REVIEW (2)These are brief summaries of some of the leading stories in Turkey's press on 5 August 1998. The Anadolu Agency doesn't verify these stories and doesn't vouch for their accuracy.(Derived from the Newsspot of the Turkish General Directorate of Press and Information.) THY GETS ISO 9001 CERTIFICATE DENKTAS-CIZOV MEETING Denktas said however, that the missiles had halted the negotiation process. It was later announced that Denktas and Cizov had evaluated recent developments in the Cyprus issue. /Cumhuriyet/ GAP OIL GOVERNMENT NAMES NEW MINISTERS SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL MEETING CHESS OLYMPICS IN TURKEY [11] TURKEY IN BRIEF - 5 AUGUST 1998ELAZIG - The ''First Hazar Water Sports and Parachute Festival'' started on Tuesday in Sivrice County.Lutfullah Bilgin, the Governor of the eastern Elazig Province, said that their aim in organizing such a festival was to promote the Hazar Lake. DIYARBAKIR - Narcotics officials seized on Tuesday nine kg of hashish in the Baglar District in southeastern Diyarbakir Province. The investigation is underway. ANKARA - Ambassador Korkmaz Haktanir, the Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry, gave on Tuesday a reception for the Foreign Ministry personnel, who have been appointed to go abroad. Ambassador Necati Utkan, the Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry; Sermet Atacanli, the Deputy Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry and high-level officials from the Ministry also attended the reception. ISTANBUL - Georges Moustoki, the famous musician, gave on Tuesday a concert at the Rumeli Hisari (Fortress) in Istanbul. Moustoki, who is a French citizen of Greek origin, performed his concert within the framework of the traditional Rumeli Fortress concerts. The famous musician will continue to charm music lovers until 6 August. [12] NETAS WINS ITS THIRD TENDER IN KAZAKHSTANISTANBUL, Aug 5 (A.A) - The Northern Electric Telecommunications Corp. (Netas) won a tender to modernize a telecommunications network in Kazakhstan, it was reported on Wednesday.A contract of nearly 20 million US dollars is expected to be signed at the end of September 1998. M. Sait Gozum, the General Manager of the Netas, said in a written statement, '' this tender is the third tender the Netas has won in Kazakhstan this year. We competed with companies, which are very powerful on the national and international platforms. We have gone from being a company that buys technology to one which realizes exports to more than 20 countries from Argentina to China. Our exports will further increase.'' Pointing out that they realized 51 million US dollars in exports last year, Gozum said that their target for 1998 was 70 million US dollars. [13] PROFILO TELRA EXPORTS TV SETS TO AFRICAISTANBUL, Aug 5 (A.A) - The Profilo Telra achieved the export potential it targetted for the African market after Europe, Russia and the Middle East, it was reported on Wednesday.The Profilo Telra also realized its first exports to South Africa, Mozambique and Egypt after the Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Nigerian, Ghanaian and Ivory Coast markets. The Profilo Telra, which entered into the African market, exported 35 thousand television sets last year and sold 30 thousand TVs to Africa in the first half of this year. Its target is to export 75 thousand TVs by the end of 1998. [14] FOREIGN MINISTRY LAUNCHES EFFORTS TO PROMOTE TURKEYANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - The Foreign Ministry launches efforts to promote Turkey with a project which will be prepared in coordination with the concerned institutions. The main theme of the project has been determined as ''struggle with negative points and to bring the positive aspects to the front,'' it was reported on Wednesday.A high ranking official from the Foreign Ministry said that the new promotion project aims at creating a positive effect on both foreign countries and the Turks. ''If you give positive signals to the people you will achieve positive results,'' said the official, adding that the new promotion activity aims at changing the image of Turkey abroad. Noting that Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, will hold a dialogue with business circles in line with his diplomacy focusing on the economy, the official said ''everybody wants to promote Turkey, but we want to carry out these activities from one channel.'' The Foreign Ministry, which has recently completed its report on ''Turkey and the World in 2010 and 2020,'' will work in coordination with the Ministries of Tourism, Environment, Transportation, Culture, the Ministry of State responsible for Human Rights, the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade and the State Planning Organization. The Foreign Ministry also aims to work together with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) concerning the new project. Pointing out that the Promotion Campaign is one of the three important projects which are on the agenda of the Foreign Ministry, the official said that the other two are African and Latin American Action Plans. The official added that the Ministry will put the Latin American Action Plan into force in September. [15] PRESS CONFERENCE OF CELEBI, MINISTER OF STATE - CELEBI: ''TURKISH EXIMBANK DECREASES LOAN INTEREST RATES BY EIGHT POINTS TO BE VALID BY WEDNESDAY''ANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - Isin Celebi, the Minister of State Responsible for the Economy, said on Wednesday that the Turkish Eximbank decreased its credit interest rates by eight points to be valid the same day.Addressing a press conference, Celebi gave information about the latest developments in exports and the activities of the Turkish Eximbank which finances exports with its loans. Celebi said that the Executive Board of the Eximbank decided late on Tuesday to make an eight-point decrease in the interest rates and thus a sixteen-point deduction has been realized in the interest rates in the last 45 days. Pointing out that the interest rate for the three-month term will be between 55 and 57 percent and for the four-month term it will be between 59 and 63 percent, Celebi said that the interest rates will be between 51 and 59 percent for the insured companies. Celebi said that the companies in the regions having development priority will be provided with ten-point deduction in interest rates which will be between 41 and 49 percent. [16] SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT CETIN RECEIVES HAYNES, CHAIRMAN OF TURKISH- AMERICAN COUNCILANKARA, August 5 (A.A) - Hikmet Cetin, the Speaker of the Parliament, received on Wednesday Fred Haynes, the Chairman of the Turkish-American Council.Addressing the meeting, Cetin described Haynes as a close friend of the Turkish people, and reminded that Haynes defends Turkey at every occasion. He added, ''at the same time, Haynes contributes to the relations between Turkey and the US.'' Pointing out that Haynes is interested in Turkesy's energy projects, Cetin requested the American businessmen to make investments in Turkey. Fred Haynes expressed his satisfaction at being in Turkey and explained that the aim of his visit to Turkey is to make observations and research concerning energy investments Noting that Turkey needs an annual energy increase of 8-10 percent, Haynes said, ''we support Turkey's thesis on the Baku-Ceyhan route. We are aware of Turkey's increasing enery requirement.'' [17] SECURITY FORCES RENDER 172 TERRORISTS INEFFECTIVE - 13 SECURITY FORCES DIE DURING CLASHES - TERRORISTS BURN DOWN THREE LORRIESDIYARBAKIR, August 4 (A.A) - A total of 165 terrorists were killed and 7 others were captured during the operations launched by the security forces in Sirnak, Hakkari and Van Provinces, it was reported on Wednesday.Officials from the Governorship of the State of Emergency Region told the A.A correspondent that 13 security forces died during the clashes with the members of the separatist terrorist organization. Security forces seized a great deal of food, munitions and livestock during the operations. Meanwhile, a group of separatist terrorists burned down three lorries belonging to the Bingol Municipality. Operations are underway in the region in order to capture the terrorists. [18] 13.5 KG GOLD SEIZED IN A TURKISH BUS IN BULGARIASOFIA, Aug 5 (A.A) - A total of 13.5 kg gold was seized in a Turkish bus at the Captain Andreevo border gate, it was reported on Wednesday.Ivan Kutevski, the Spokesman of the General Directorate of Bulgarian ''Customs'', said that after they became suspicious, they made a search in the bus of a Turkish tour agent called ''Ipek Tourism''. The gold jewellery which was composed of earrings, chains and bracelets were found in 29 packages in a secret place under the seat of the driver. The drivers of the bus, who were going from Istanbul to the city of Prizren in the Kosovo region, were taken into custody in connection with the incident. The Bulgarian police launched a wide-ranged investigation related to the seized gold. [19] PRESIDENT MASHADOV OF CECHNYA: - ''GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND CECHNYA CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE IN CAUCASUS''ISTANBUL, August 5 (A.A) - President Aslan Mashadov of Cechnya said on Wednesday that the Turks and Cechens are friends, adding, ''good relations between Turkey and Cechnya contribute to peace in the Caucasus.''Addressing the journalists at the Ataturk Airport before he left for the US on a scheduled flight of the Turkish Airlines to attend the meetings of the Islamic Committee, Mashadov expressed satisfaction with his three-day visit in Turkey. Pointing out that he will hold contacts with senior American officials on the problems of his country, Mashadov noted, ''we can never forget Turkey's support during our most difficult days. We want Turkey's influence to be increased in the region.'' [20] ''FREE ZONE'' PROPOSAL AT KAPIKULEEDIRNE, Aug 5 (A.A) - Hamdi Sedefci, the Mayor of Edirne, proposed on Wednesday to establish a ''Free Zone'' at the Kapikule Border Gate and in a place where the borders of the three countries intersect and where the Meric River also passes.Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Sedefci said a free zone could be established near the Meric River which passes beneath the Kapikule Border Gate which separates Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. Sedefci noted that within the framework of the bilateral relations carried out with Bulgaria and Greece, he would mention his proposal for establishing a free zone, adding that the people of these three countries would make use of this free zone. He said, ''I share the views of President Suleyman Demirel who says ''let us remove the borders'' whenever he comes to Edirne. Sedefci said that the people in the world would come to this free zone without passports and have friendly relations with each other. ''I believe that such a rapprochement will contribute to world peace. We expect the same kind of rapprochement from the friendly countries,'' he added. Sedefci said he would bring up this proposal in a meeting with the representatives of Greece and Bulgaria which will be held at Edirne in September. [21] BILKENT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHARMS ITALYANKARA, August 5 (A.A) - The Bilkent Symphony Orchestra (BASSO) will return to Turkey tomorrow after it concludes its concerts in Italy, it was reported on Wednesday.The BASSO received a standing applause during its two concerts at the Montepulciano International Music Festival. The written statement of the Bilkent University pointed out that more than 5 thousand people watched the BASSO at the Duomo square in Montepulciano. The Orchestra, that was conducted by Massimo Freccia, greeted the Italians with Beethoven's 9th Symphony, whose theme is ''friendship and peace.'' The BASSO's concerts in Italy aimed to promote Turkey worldwide. [22] AFSIN-ELBISTAN THERMAL POWER PLANT - B UNIT CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON THURSDAYANKARA, Aug 5 (A.A) - The agreement related to the construction of the B Unit of the Afsin-Elbistan Thermal Power Plant will be signed on Thursday.The TEAS officials told the A.A correspondent that a Consortium, composed of the Japanese Mitsubishi and the Turkish Enka-Gama-Tekfen-Tokar companies undertook construction of the B unit. The cost of the tender for the B unit is 1.5 billion US dollars and will have a 4x360 megawatt power. The first unit of the power plant is foreseen to be put into operation within four years. Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz is expected to participate at the signing ceremony. [23] THE MINT TO MINT FIVE THOUSAND COMMEMORATIVE COIN SETS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEYISTANBUL, August 5 (A.A) - The Mint will put up for sale in October five thousand commemorative coin sets that will be minted within the framework of the 75th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, it was reported on Wednesday.The Mint's written statement pointed out that the coin set will be formed of seven coins, five of them with differenet figures. The sets including one golden, four silver and two bronze coins, will be put up for sale at the Yildiz-Besiktas Mint Cashier's Office, Beyoglu Sukru Bahadir Stamp House and the Ankara Treasury Foundation Sales Agency. Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |