Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-02-08

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

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

AA Daily

08 February 1999 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND JORDAN DURING THE RULE OF KING HUSSEIN - KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN PAID HIS LAST OFFICIAL VISIT TO TURKEY IN 1996

[02] DEMISE OF KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN - FLAGS ARE AT HALF-MAST IN TURKEY

[03] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[04] PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO NEW KING ABDULLAH OF JORDAN AND QUEEN NOOR, WIFE OF KING HUSSEIN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: - ''HUMANITY WILL NEVER ALLOW KING HUSSEIN'S CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PEACE TO FADE AWAY''

[05] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TURKEY - AVALANCHE IN KARCI MOUNTAIN IN DENIZLI - ONE PERSON STILL MISSING

[06] RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND CHILE

[07] JCR, JAPANESE RATING INSTITUTE, POSTPONES ITS VISIT TO TURKEY TO FEBRUARY 20

[08] THE PROJECT REVISION DOCUMENT OF LOCAL AGENDA 21 RATIFIED

[09] AN EVALUATION MEETING TO BE HELD IN ANKARA TO IMPROVE TURKISH-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS

[10] THE REFERANDUM FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE TERM IN OFFICE OF HAFEZ AL- ASSAD, SYRIAN PRESIDENT, POSTPONED TO WEDNESDAY

[11] TURKISH ENTREPRENEURS CONGRESS IN THE NETHERLANDS

[12] BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TURKEY

[13] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN THE EASTERN ANATOLIA REGION - AROUND 1,500 VILLAGE ROADS IN NINE PROVINCES, CLOSED TO TRAFFIC

[14] AVALANCHE IN DENIZLI - WORKS CONTINUE TO RESCUE MOUNTAINEER WHO TRAPPED UNDER AVALANCHE

[15] TURKEY REJECTS A TRIPARTITE MEETING OF TURKEY, IRAN AND SYRIA TO DISCUSS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ - TURKEY: ''DESIRED CONDITIONS ARE NOT PRESENT YET''

[16] THE WRITTEN STATMENT OF IMF : - ''THE PROGRAMME WHICH TURKEY CARRIED OUT IN 1998 WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MANY FIELDS SUCH AS INFLATION, PRIMARY SURPLUS''

[17] IMF WRITTEN STATAMENT

[01] RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND JORDAN DURING THE RULE OF KING HUSSEIN - KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN PAID HIS LAST OFFICIAL VISIT TO TURKEY IN 1996

King Hussein of Jordan had paid his last official visit to Turkey on May 16, 1996 and came together with President Suleyman Demirel who previously visited Jordan on August 28, 1994.

The last high-level visit from Turkey to Jordan was realized by Mesut Yilmaz, then Prime Minister, between 6-7 September 1998.

Economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Jordan were almost perfect, but Jordan's economic difficulties obstructed such relations to be further improved.

Diplomatic sources pointed out that the change in the Jordanian administration is not expected to effect relations between the two countries.

[02] DEMISE OF KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN - FLAGS ARE AT HALF-MAST IN TURKEY

Addressing the journalists, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit pointed out that flags will remain at half-mast until the end of Monday as an expression of deep sorrow caused by the demise of King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan.

Describing King Hussein of Jordan as a precious leader who endeavoured for the Middle-east peace process and contributed to the development of Jordan, Ecevit expressed condolences to the Jordanian people who mourn for their King.

[03] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

THE STORM COLLAPSES A MINARET
The cold weather, the rain and the snowfall affected whole Turkey and paralyzed the daily life and the traffic. The heavy snowfall in Kayseri province closed the highways of Kayseri-Erciyes, Kayseri-Malatya to traffic. Meanwhile, the minaret of a mosque in Tahtakemer village of Tomarza county of Kayseri collapsed due to the storm. Fortunately, no deaths or injuries were reported.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

EUROPEAN FLU IN TURKEY
The influenza which was effective in Europe threatens Turkey. The doctors warned the Turkish citizens to take precautions not to catch the influenza. The Turkish doctors said that the influenza outbreak was not still effective in Turkey but that the number of people who catch cold increased.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

APO MADE SIMITIS FAINT
Costas Simitis, Greek Prime Minister, fainted when he heard that Abdullah Ocalan, the chief of the separatist terrorist organization, came to Athens one more time. The Greek daily ''To Vima'' reported that Simitis expelled Ocalan in his first visit to Athens as saying ''I have many other things to do.'' Ocalan came to Athens one more time when Simitis was in Vienna. When Simitis learned that Ocalan was in Athens, he fainted and Ocalan was deported.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

INTENSIVE AGENDA IN ECONOMY
The World Bank delegation will arrive in Ankara on Monday to hold talks over the bank loan worth of 300 million U.S. dollars to support the real sector which faces difficulties stemming from the global crisis. Meanwhile the delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Martin Hardy, the Chief of IMF Turkey Desk, will leave Turkey later today. Members of the delegation who came to Turkey on January 27, held talks with senior officials, bureaucrats and representatives of the private sector. The Economic and Social Council will also convene on Monday.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

MANAVGAT UNDER FLOOD WATERS
Many houses and business places in Manavgat County of Southern Antalya Province, were flooded by torrential rains. The heavy-rain affected the Otogar, Ornek and Bahcelievler Districts inundating many houses and business places. Mehmet Capraz, the Governor of Manavgat, said that five schools were also flooded.

YENİ YÜZYIL (LIBERAL)

NAME OF BARIS MANCO GIVEN TO STREETS, PARKS AND FORESTS
Turkish people continue to mourn for Baris Manco, a leading name in Turkish pop music who passed away on Sunday night from an heart attack. His name has been given a number of streets, avenues, boulevards, parks, trains and culture centers all over Turkey. Meanwhile the Forest Ministry plans to establish Baris Manco forests in different parts of Turkey.

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

THE IMF DELEGATION TO LEAVE TURKEY
The delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by Martin Hardy, the Chief of IMF Turkey Desk, will leave Turkey on Monday. Members of the delegation who came to Turkey on January 27, held talks with senior officials, bureaucrats and representatives of the private sector. Martin Hardy expressed gratification over the implementation of the Staff Monitoring Programme in 1998. Hardy noted that Turkey should realize the structural reforms.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

[04] PRESIDENT DEMIREL SENDS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO NEW KING ABDULLAH OF JORDAN AND QUEEN NOOR, WIFE OF KING HUSSEIN - PRESIDENT DEMIREL: - ''HUMANITY WILL NEVER ALLOW KING HUSSEIN'S CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PEACE TO FADE AWAY''

The Presidential Press Center quoted Demirel as saying, ''King Hussein of Jordan served his country and played a significant role in further improving the relations between Turkey and Jordan with his wisdom, experience and talents. His contribution for the peace both in the region and in the world will never be forgotten.''

''His majesty had endeavoured to set up a lasting peace and stability in the Middle-east. Humanity will never allow his contributions for peace to fade away. Demise of King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan is a serious loss for the whole world, ''Demirel added.

Demirel also expressed condolences for the Jordanian people who mourn for their beloved King Hussein.

[05] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TURKEY - AVALANCHE IN KARCI MOUNTAIN IN DENIZLI - ONE PERSON STILL MISSING

Most of the village roads and highways between Celikhan-Adiyaman and Celikhan-Malatya were closed to traffic in Adiyaman Province in the Southeastern Anatolia Region as a result of snowstorm.

A total of 54 village road were closed in Sariz, Yahyali, Akkisla Pinarbasi and Tomarza counties of Central Kayseri Province where the heavy snowfall is being effective.

Highway teams continue their activities to re-open the roads.

Many villages can not be reached by phone and several others can not be given electricity.

Officials at the Meteorology Regional Directorate told the A.A correspondent that the bad weather conditions will continue in coming days.

Meanwhile Mutlu Acar (20) trapped under avalanche in the Karci Mountain in Western Denizli Province.

Halil Dagdas, Ahmet Turan and Burak Adnan Catakoglu, the other members of the climbing group, were rescued by security officials.

Works are underway in order to rescue Mutlu Acar.

[06] RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND CHILE

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding formed within the framework of the Commercial, Economic, Technical and Scientific Cooperation Agreement between Turkey and Chile, the two countries will cooperate in fields such as banking and finance, privatization, energy, joint investments, forestry, mining, tourism, agriculture and husbandry.

Meanwhile the list of goods which can be mutually exported between Turkey and Chile, is determined.

Turkey will export to Chile leather, tobacco, glass products, iron and steel, cotton, textile, toilet paper, soap, detergent, medicine, ceramic products, construction products and agricultural product. In return Chile will export cellulose and paper, copper, iron, textile and lumber.

[07] JCR, JAPANESE RATING INSTITUTE, POSTPONES ITS VISIT TO TURKEY TO FEBRUARY 20

Masami Shigematsu, the chief of the Turkish desk of JCR, told A.A correspondent that they postponed their visit because the economic agenda of Turkey is very busy.

Shigematsu said that they will hold contacts in Ankara and Istanbul within the framework of their visit to Turkey and will evaulate the information they have during their visits about the Turkish economy after they return Tokyo, and will then declare the rating note of Turkey.

The rating note of JCR is important for Turkey in getting credits from Samurai bond market with the least interests and in realizing Japanese investments in Turkey.

[08] THE PROJECT REVISION DOCUMENT OF LOCAL AGENDA 21 RATIFIED

The Project Revision Document which is issued on the Official Gazette on Monday aims at improvement of the relationship of the pilot cities which were determined before, with the World Academy of Local Governments and Democracy (WALD) and the fortification of the capacity of the local governments.

The parties aim at including the local governments of the republics in the Central Asia, Caucasus and Balkans to the next step of the project.

[09] AN EVALUATION MEETING TO BE HELD IN ANKARA TO IMPROVE TURKISH-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC AND TRADE RELATIONS

The representatives of the public and the private sectors will attend the meeting which will be held to improve the economic and trade relations between Turkey and Russia and to determine new fields of cooperation within the scope of long-term associations.

Nabi Sensoy, Turkish Ambassador to Moscow, will also join the meeting which will be presided by Mithat Balkan, Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary.

[10] THE REFERANDUM FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE TERM IN OFFICE OF HAFEZ AL- ASSAD, SYRIAN PRESIDENT, POSTPONED TO WEDNESDAY

The officials of the Syrian Embassy in Turkey recalled that three-day mourning was declared in Syria and its representations in the foreign countries due to the demise of King Hussein, adding that the referendum will be held on Wednesday.

The officials also said that the Syrian people living in Turkey can vote in the Syrian Embassy in Ankara and in Chief Counsulate in Istanbul from 8.00 a.m to 12.00 p.m. on January 10.

[11] TURKISH ENTREPRENEURS CONGRESS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Three hundred Turkish entrepreneurs who work in various fields in the Netherlands attended the congress which was held in the Rabobank Directorate General building.

The attendants discussed the requirements and problems which the Turkish entrepreneurs face to acquire a broder and permanent place in the Dutch market within the light of the modern developments in the congress. The attendants drew the attention to the importance and advantages of setting up a network of communication to make plans and investments for the future.

M. Bros, Director General of Dutch Small and Middle Scale Enterprises Union (MKB), said that he defined this congress as a first step of professionalism of the Turkish entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and that Turkish people were at the first place among the foreigners in the Netherlands who own workplaces.

Bros added that the Turkish entrepreneurs in the Netherlands improve the Turkish and Dutch relations, especially the tourism sector, adding that this improvement contributes to the mingling and unification of the Turkish people living in the Netherlands.

Bros said that the most important problem of the Turkish entrepreneurs is that they cannot be organized and that they cannot make plans for the future and added that they are ready to help them in overcoming these problems.

J. Mertens, the Director General of Rabobank Credits, said that they try to overcome the finance problem of the entrepreneurs in the Netherlands to increase the investments.

Noting that the foreigners realize 40 percent of the small and middle scale entreprises in the Netherlands and that Turkish people is on the top of the list of the foreigners who make investments in the Netherlands with 11 percent, Mertens said that they take into consideration the differences of language, culture and history in their approaches.

[12] BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TURKEY

A number of traffic accidents occured in Ankara-İstanbul highway as a result of heavy snowfall, causing financial damages.

Meanwhile a total of 30 village roads in Yildizeli, Koyulhisar, Susehri, Kangal and Dogansar counties in Central Sivas Province and 29 village roads in Hadim and Taskent counties of the Central Konya Province were closed to traffic.

Highway teams continue their activities to re-open the roads.

Primary and secondary schools are closed temporarily in the effected regions.

Many villages can not be reached by phone and several others can not be given electricity.

[13] HEAVY SNOWFALL PARALYZES DAILY LIFE AND TRAFFIC IN THE EASTERN ANATOLIA REGION - AROUND 1,500 VILLAGE ROADS IN NINE PROVINCES, CLOSED TO TRAFFIC

Nearly 1,500 village roads in Erzurum, Erzincan, Agri, Kars, Mus, Bingol, Tunceli, Igdir and Ardahan provinces and the highway between Rize and Erzurum were closed to the traffic.

Highway teams continue their activities to re-open the roads.

Many villages can not be reached by phone and several others can not be given electricity in the region.

[14] AVALANCHE IN DENIZLI - WORKS CONTINUE TO RESCUE MOUNTAINEER WHO TRAPPED UNDER AVALANCHE

Yusuf Ziya Goksu, the Governor of Denizli, said that rescue teams from Ankara and Bursa, arrived in the region in order to participate at the works.

Meanwhile Halil Dagdas, Ahmet Turan and Burak Adnan Catakoglu, the other members of the climbing group, were rescued by security officials.

[15] TURKEY REJECTS A TRIPARTITE MEETING OF TURKEY, IRAN AND SYRIA TO DISCUSS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ - TURKEY: ''DESIRED CONDITIONS ARE NOT PRESENT YET''

Eminzade met with President Suleyman Demirel, Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, Ugur Ziyal, Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary in his visit to Ankara last week.

Sources told A.A that Eminzade requested that the tripartite meetings among Turkey, Syria and Iran, the first of which was held in 1992 and in which the regional issues especially the Northern Iraq issue were discussed, should be started again in his meetings.

Turkey stated that she noted down the proposal of Eminzade about the tripartite meeting but emphasized that the desired conditions for the meeting are not present.

Eminzade said in his contacts that Iran is worried about the division of Iraq and that he believed that the territorial integrity and the political unity of Iraq should be protected rather than trying to set up other formations.

Eminzade requested that Iran and Turkey should have cooperation in struggling against terrorism in Northern Iraq where Turkey struggles against the separatist terrorist organization PKK and Iran against Iranian Kurdish Democratic Party (IKDP).

[16] THE WRITTEN STATMENT OF IMF : - ''THE PROGRAMME WHICH TURKEY CARRIED OUT IN 1998 WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MANY FIELDS SUCH AS INFLATION, PRIMARY SURPLUS''

The first article of the written statement which was distributed in the joint press conference of Hardy and Yener Dincmen, the Undersecretary of Treasury, and in which the ''Staff Monitoring Agreement'' was evaluated, said that this visit was held within the framework of the Staff Monitoring Agreement.

The written statement emphasized the general successful economic programmes of 1998 and the successful programmes which were carried out by the Central Bank.

The second article of the written statement issued by the IMF said that the programme which Turkey started to carry out in 1998 was successful in many fields.

There was a sharp decrease in the inflation as was planned in the programme, the statemenht said, addding that the primary surplus was too much within the targets of the programme and the Central Bank limited the improvement of the net domestic assets in the programme.

The structural reforms were accelerated in the first six months of 1998, it added.

Emphasizing that the economic policies were directed with talent in a period of economic crisis throughout the world, the third article of the statement stressed that the reserves were taken in an appropiate level, new inflow was realized to the international borrowing markets, adding that a strong foreign current transaction position will enable the applicability of the foreign positions.

The fourth article put forward that the items like the foreign economic shocks, the unidentified political environments, not putting into effect the key structural reforms will lead to an increase of the interests and the burden in the public finance and will damage the real economy.

This article also said that a broader work will be carried out with the officials in a strategy of anti-inflationalism after the elections.

This programme can be worked out on the Staff Monitoring agreement and can be supported with the financial resources, it added.

Stressing that the targets of 1998 for decreasing the inflation was realized but that some structural reforms could not be applied, the fifth article noted that the primary surplus exceeded the desired aim of 4.1 percent in the Gross National Product (GNP) of 1998.

Also stating that the unexpected developments in the interest rates increased the interest burden, the fifth article said, ''the interests which was 7.8 percent in the GNP of 1997 increased to 11.7 percent in 1998.

[17] IMF WRITTEN STATAMENT

The written statement of the IMF delegation put forward its evaulations of 1998 and its economic expectation until June, until when the staff monitoring agreement will continue.

The sixth article of the written statement said, ''the monetary policy faced difficulties and problems in 1998. The Central Bank showed an appropriate reaction to the outflow of capital in the second half of 1998 and ensured the stable position of the reserves by limiting the growth of the net domestic assets in 700 trillion Turkish liras. The Central Bank also refrained from implementing a policy on the value loss of the Turkish lira for competition.''

The seventh article stated that the foreign economic shocks and high rates of interest negatively affected the real economy and that the Gross National Product (GNP) decreased to 1.9 percent in the last quarter of 1998, adding that the decrease of the inflation continued in January 1999 when compared with the figures of January 1998.

The eight article said that the privatization programme accelerated in the first half of 1998.

The prices oil products were adapted to the world prices and the agriculture encouraging prices were adapted to the targets of inflation, it added.

Pointing out that the taxation reform was put into effect, it said that the regulative framework for the privatization of energy and telecommunication sectors could not be realized.

Recalling that a surplus in the primary budget is aimed, the ninth article noted that the officials expects at least 3 percent surplus on the GNP basis and that they believe that it is important to apply public finance and anti-inflationary policies by taking the ideas saying that the wages should be increased, the agriculture encouragement prices should be raised as a starting point to improve the social compromise.

The tenth article emphasized that the monetary policy aims at stabilizing the reserves of the Central Bank and the protection of the achievements from the anti-inflationary policies, while the eleventh article pointed out the importance of passing the draft law about banking system as soon as possible.

-THE RESULT-
The written statement of the IMF said that Turkey could overcome the significant foreign shocks under the policies of Staff Monitoring Agreement and that she realized significant decrease in the inflation rate, adding that these positive results will be fortified in the first half of 1999.

Emphasizing that Turkey has to struggle against the financial and structural reforms which form the basis of cronic inflation, the IMF added that the cost of this struggle is very high.

The IMF noted that the structural reforms and the macro economic measures should be taken after the elections which will be held in April 1999 and stressed that the Fund can provide concrete and strong support to the definite measures taken within this framework.

The IMF pointed out that they will continue to cooperate with the Turkish officials in improving a programme which can also provide the financial resource of the Fund.

Meanwhile, the IMF foresees that the twelve-month inflation will decrease to 45 percent on WPI (Wholesale Price ındex) basis by the end of June 1999.

A.A

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