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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-08-02Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.gov.tr/>AA Daily02 August 1999 MondayCONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 2, 1999. The Anadolu Ajansi does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)A TOTAL OF 407.5 MILLION U.S. CREDIT FROM WORLD BANKThe agreements for the credits worth of 407.5 million U.S. dollars which were obtained from the World Bank to finance the exports and the industrial technology projects, will be signed in Ankara today. Ajay Chhibber, the Turkey Director of the World Bank, Aydin Karaoz, Foreign Economic Relations Director General, will sign the loan agreements. A TOTAL OF 40,000 PERSONS TO BENEFIT FROM AMNESTY MILLIYET (LIBERAL)WHAT AN INTEREST!Harold Koh, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, met with the mayors of some southeastern provinces who are the members of People's Democracy Party (HADEP). Koh said that those who had to leave their villages will return to their villages. Koh noted that he will provide international humanitarian aid to the region. FENERBAHCE TO HOST REAL MADRID TODAY SABAH (LIBERAL)REAL STORY OF CAPTURE OF OCALAN, HEAD OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONYorgo Costorlas, Greek Ambassador to Kenya, explained the 14 days of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, in Kenya to Athens in a ciphered report. Costorlas said that Ocalan left for Kenya on February 1, 1999 with two officials from the Greek intelligence service and arrived in Kenya early on February 2. Costorlas noted that nobody knew who was coming to the embassy until they saw Ocalan; adding that he immediately recognized Ocalan. Costorlas said that a day later they received a message from Athens saying that they should go to South Africa and start talks to get political asylum and a passport for Ocalan. GERMANS TAKE LEAD IN EUROPEAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS CUMHURIYET (LEFT)FM CEM: ''THE RELATIVES OF THOSE KILLED OR INJURED DUE TO PKK TERRORISMSHOULD APPLY TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS'' Ismail Cem, the Foreign Minister, said that the relatives of those who were killed or injured due to PKK terrorism should apply to the European Court of Human Rights. Cem noted that these people should apply to the European Court with well-prepared files and that he can help these people who want to individually apply to this court. Cem stated that although they cannot get a legal solution by this way, their initiative can influence the point of view of Europe against Turkey. ''REFLECTIONS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH'' IN EPHESUS RADIKAL (LEFT)OVERTIME WORK TO BE PROPOSED AT PARLIAMENTARY CONSULTATION COUNCILThe political parties which set up the government will propose overtime work at the parliament to conclude the discussion on two draft laws. The political parties will propose that the Parliament should work from 2.00 p.m. to 12.00 p.m. including the Fridays. EYES OF STOCK MARKET ON ANKARA TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)POAS WAITING TO BE PRIVATIZEDMehmet Gultekin, the Director General of the Petrol Ofisi Corp. (POAS), said that all the infrastructural studies for privatization are completed in the POAS and that POAS is waiting to be privatized. Gultekin noted that POAS should be privatized because it will be very useful. Gultekin said that POAS had 29 trillion Turkish lira profit last year and that it will also have profits this year. KOC HOLDING THINKS ECONOMIC PACKAGE TO BE EFFECTIVE NEXT MONTH ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)EYES ON PARLIAMENTThe Draft Law on Social Security which was accepted in the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission last week, will be discussed at the Parliamentary General Assembly this week. The workers expect a back step in the retirement age. THREE CHILDREN DIE WHILE CRACKING WALNUTS ON ARTILLERY SHELL [02] TURSAB AND MINELLIUM TRAVEL FIRM HOSTS RECEPTION FOR EGYPTIAN JOURNALISTS WHO COME TO TURKEYISTANBUL, August 2 (A.A) - The Tourism and Travelling Agencies Union (TURSAB) and Minellium Travel company hosted a reception for the Egyptian journalists who came to Turkey as their guest on Sunday.Speaking in the reception, Cetin Gurcun, the Secretary General of TURSAB, said that Turkey is facing a very negative period in tourism and that Turkey had a serious stroke in the security issue which is the most important factor in tourism. Emphasizing that the supporters of the terrorist organization PKK staged various attacks in European countries after the capture of Abdullah Ocalan, the head of PKK, Gurcun noted that the people living in those countries felt uneasy about the demonstrations and Turkey's economy stagnated due to these anti-propogandas. Gurcun added that Turkey will overcome this bottleneck by efficient promotion campaigns as soon as possible. Galal El Sayed, the Editor in Chief of ''Al Akhbar'' newspaper of Egypt, said that the terrorist attacks in his country are exaggerated by the foreign new agencies and that they overcame these negative image by mentioning about the ancient Egypt in the foreground. The Egyptian delegation will have one-week visit in Turkey. The delegation will visit Istanbul, Pamukkale, and Kusadasi. [03] AKBAY, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF TEKEL: - ''WE AIM AT HAVING 2.5 BILLION U.S. DOLLAR TURNOVER BY THE END OF THIS YEAR''IZMIR, August 2 (A.A) - Mehmet Akbay, Director General of the state-run Spirit and Tobacco Administration (TEKEL), said on Monday that Tekel is a strong institution and that they aim at having 2.5 billion U.S. dollar turnover by the end of 1999.Akbay told A.A correspondent that Tekel is in a small amount of loss these days, but that it will gain a little profit in the next months by the new price arrangements. Emphasizing that they aim at having profits by the end of this year, Akbay noted that having profits by the end of the year depends on the developments and the whether or not they will make some price arrangements. Akbay said that he thinks that they will have 50 or 100 trillion Turkish liras profit this year; adding that they allocate 70 percent of their turnover to the Treasury. Akbay noted that the Tekel granted a total of 250 trillion Turkish liras to the Turkish farmers, including 210 trillion Turkish liras to the tobacco producers, 40 trillion Turkish liras to the anise and grape producers. Stating that they give priority to the exports, Akbay stressed that they should realize more exports from Tekel to gain more profit. Akbay said that Tekel is carrying out efforts to export to Belarus, Central Asia Turkish Republics like Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzistan; adding that the efforts to set up the European representation of Tekel in Hamburg city of Germany are at the last stage and that this representation will be the European centre of Tekel. Stressing that Tekel is exporting 1.5 million litres of raki to Europe at the moment, Akbay said that they will export all the products of Tekel to Europe by the new representation in Germany. [04] OFFICIALS ASK REDUCE OF PRICE OF LIQUID FUEL FOR FERRYBOATS AND SEABUSES BETWEEN TURKEY AND RUSSIATRABZON, August 2 (A.A) - The officials asked for the reduce of the price of the liquid fuel used by the ferryboats and the seabuses which hold cruises between Turkey and Russian Federation because the naval transportation is the most transportation way used in trade and tourism between the two countries; it was reported on Monday.Mazhar Afacan, the Chairman of the Executive Board of Trabzon Chamber of Industry and Commerce (TTSO), said that the foreign trade which contributes to the Turkish economy is realized mostly with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) including Russia. Afacan told A.A correspondent that it is necessary to have some incentives in the naval trade with the CIS countries to overcome the crisis in Turkey and to increase the trade with these countries. Afacan noted that the 50 percent decrease in the liquid fuel application should cover the naval vehicles. Recalling that three Turkish-flagged ferryboats are having cruises between Trabzon and Russia, Afacan stated that the Turkish ships should not be differentiated from the foreign-flagged ships and that the ferryboats should be given an incentive premium ranging between 500 and 3000 U.S. dollars in accordance with the number of tourists they bring to Turkey. Afacan stressed that as long as these incentives are made, the trade and tourism between Turkey and the CIS countries will improve. [05] DPT SAYS EXPORTS WILL HAVE A SLOW INCREASE IN FOLLOWING PERIOD - THE FOREIGN TRADE DEFICIT TO STAGNATE A LITTLE BY THE END OF 1999 WHEN COMPARED WITH THE FIGURES OF 1998ANKARA, August 2 (A.A) - The State Statistics Insitute (DPT) said on Monday that the exports of Turkey will have a slow increase in the following period.The DPT report said that the foreign trade deficit will stagnate a little by the end of 1999 when compared with the figures of 1999. The DPT noted that Turkish economy faced stagnation in domestic demand and economic activities due to the high rate of real interests and that the interests led to serious pressures on the public finance in the second half of 1999; adding that the increase rate of the tax revenues decreased and the decrease in the inflation stopped in the same period. However, the economic activities are foreseen to be revived in the second half of 1999 as the nominal and real interests have a tendency of decrease in the end of the finance policy which is supported by structural reforms and the money policy applications. Besides, when the stagnation in the first quarter of 1999 is taken into consideration, the growth rate is expected to be 0.5 percent by the end of 1999. The increase in the 12-month wholesale price index will be 50 or 55 percent and the approximate annual increase in the wholesale price index will be 50 percent by the end of 1999. [06] TURKEY'S CREDIT MARK DOES NOT CHANGE - S&P DOES NOT CHANGE TURKEY'S CREDIT ''B'' MARKNEW YORK, Aug 2 (A.A) - Standart and Poor's (S &P), one of the leading credit rating institutions of the world, didn't change Turkey's credit mark ''B'' and her economic impression which was ''stagnant,'' it is reported on Monday.S & P said that the fragmented political appearance in Turkey caused changes of government in Turkey and sustainable growth couldn't be achieved as Turkey can't implement the necessary economic policies. Noting that the burden of interest rate in the economy constitutes more than 70 percent of the tax incomes, the statement added that this burden provides a very limited financial flexibility in the economy. The S & P statement suggested Turkey to implement a restricted monetary- finance policy and structural reforms, adding if this is not the case, financial difficulties can come to the agenda. S & P didn't also change ''B'' credit mark of Turkey but changed Turkey's economic impression from ''positive'' to ''stagnant'' in January this year. Before the recent statement, a S & P delegation came to Turkey and held contacts here. [07] POTABLE WATER TRANSPORTATION TO BOZCAADA UNDER AEGEANBOZCAADA, August 2 (A.A) - The project which started seven years ago for bringing potable water into Bozcaada county of Canakkale under the Aegean Sea was concluded, it was reported on Monday.Mustafa Yigit, the Head Official of Bozcaada island, told the A.A correspondent that a total of 4,590 meters of the 5,780 meter-pipe passes under the Aegean. ''A total of 30 litres of potable water is tansferred to Bozcaada per second. We estimate that Bozcaada which has a two thousand population, won't face potable water shortage till the year 2050 with this project which brings drinking water to our island sufficing 40-45 thousand people, '' he stated. [08] S AND P RECONFIRMS ''B'' RATING FOR TURKEY - S AND P: ''ALTHOUGH IT WAS NEWLY FORMED, THERE IS A CONSENSUS THAT THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE SUCCESSFUL MEASURES''NEW YORK/ANKARA, August 2 (A.A) - The Standard and Poor's (S And P), a leading rating organization in the world, gave the signal that it would increase Turkey's rating in forthcoming period, it was reported on Monday.The S and P issued a statement and said that if the Turkish government avoids populist policies but stresses the necessary measures for the solution of problems while preparing the 2000 year budget in autumn, then it might change the economic view into positive and increase its rating. The statement said although the Turkish government was newly formed, there is a consensus that it would take successful measures, and within this content, the banking reform was adopted and the retirement age will be increased from 38 to 58 for women and from 43 to 60 for men in accordance with the Social Security Reform. Noting that the constitutional change concerning international arbitration would increase investments in energy field, the statement said that a privatization programme, which will gain speed again, might ease the burden of public financing. [09] MEMBERS OF SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL VISIT ANITKABIR, MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURKANKARA, Aug 2 (A.A) - Members of the Supreme Military Council together with Premier Bulent Ecevit visited on Monday Anıtkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of secular and modern Turkey.The delegation laid a wreath in front of Ataturk's mausoleum and Premier Ecevit signed the special book of Anıtkabir. The members of the Supreme Military Council were hosted by General Atilla Ates, the Commander of Land Forces in a lunch the same day. They will come together again in the dinner that will be hosted by General Huseyin Kıvrıkoglu, the Chief of General Staff the same evening. Premier Ecevit and President Suleyman Demirel will host dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively for the honour of the members of the Supreme Military Council. The decisions taken by the Council are expected to be announced after their approval by President Suleyman Demirel. [10] S AND P RECONFIRMS ''B'' RATING FOR TURKEY - S AND P: ''SENSITIVITY AGAINST EXTERNAL SHOCKS CONTINUE'' - ''NON-PERFORMANCE CREDITS ARE INCREASING IN FINANCIAL SECTOR''NEW YORK/ANKARA, August 2 (A.A) - The Standard and Poor's (S & P), a leading rating organization in the world, said on Monday that the Turkish government adopted the banking reform and the 1999 budget in a short time and this was an effective development.Stressing that it is difficult to continue reform movements and set up a sound financial structure in medium-term in a low economic development atmosphere, the S & P said the sensitivity in the Turkish economy against the external shocks continue despite the expectation for a balanced current transactions position. S & P said the high inflationist expectation continues despite the recoveries in the last quarter of 1998 and first quarter of 1999, and the annual inflation rate had been at about 70 percent since 1994 as the financial mechanism continues with inflationist gap, stressing that this situation let Turkey became the country that has the worst performance among the countries exposed to credit rating. Noting that the financial sector is the net foreign borrowing payer in Turkey, the S & P statement said deduction in sources of financial sector might distress not only the private sector but also the government which realizes high amount of borrowing from that sector. Pointing out that S and P estimates that the 1999 year budget deficit would be 11.7 percent of the Gross National Product (GNP), the statement said the Turkish government targets to increase the deficit to 11 percent with the Staff Monitoring Agreement signed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and realize the non-interest budget surplus to be two percent of the GNP. S & P confirmed ''B'' rating for Turkey and changed its economic monitoring into ''stable from positive'' in January 1999. [11] PREMIER ECEVIT ISSUES A CIRCULAR ON HUMAN RIGHTS TRAININGANKARA, Aug 2 (A.A) - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Monday that the 57th government considers improvement of human rights one of its main duties, calling on the vocational training programmes to give more place to human rights.Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit sent a circular on human rights training to concerned institutions. Noting that the Supreme Coordinator Council of Human Rights launches efforts to protect and improve human rights, the circular pointed out that the Supreme Council attributes importance to make the consciousness of human rights become widespread in the country. Recalling that the Supreme Council set up the National Committee of Human Rights Training Decade to implement the U.N. Action Plan for Human Rights Training Decade in 1998, the circular said that the Council charged the Committee to prepare the National Programme of Human Rights Training. The circular stressed that the concerned public institutions particularly the Ministries of Justice, Interior and National Education should convey the reports they will prepare about implementation of the programme to the Supreme Coordinator Council of Human Rights in every three months starting from April 1, 2000. [12] OKSUZ, MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, IN TRNCLEFKOSA, August 2 (A.A) - Enis Oksuz, the Minister of Transportation and Communications, arrived on Monday in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to attend the official opening ceremony of the TRNC Turkcell (TRNCELL), a mobile communications network.Minister Oksuz was received by Rauf Denktas, the President of the TRNC; Ertugrul Hasipoglu, the Speaker of the TRNC Parliament; Dervis Eroglu, the Prime Minister of the TRNC; and Mustafa Akinci, the Minister of State and the Deputy Prime Minister of the TRNC. Noting that he considers Cyprus as a ''member of the family'', Oksuz, during his contacts, said that there has not been a rightful case in the history like the Turkish Cypriots' case. Oksuz stated that they were expending efforts to enable the Turkish Cypriots to make use of the same facilities that the Turkish people are benefitting in the field of communications. ''The Turkish Cypriot nation has a special importance for the people living in the Republic of Turkey. We are like a family and we consider the Cyprus case as our case,'' he said. The TRNCELL, which is the second mobile communications company that arrived in the TRNC after the Telsim, will be officially opened late on the same day by TRNC President Rauf Denktas and Transportation and Communications Minister Enis Oksuz. [13] AGREEMENTS SIGNED FOR WORLD BANK'S CREDITS TO TURKEYANKARA, Aug 2 (A.A) - Agreements on the World Bank's credits worth of totally 407.5 million dollars to Turkey regarding projects of financing exportation and industrial technology were signed in Ankara on Monday.Ajay Chibber, the World Bank's Turkey Director and Aydın Karaoz, the Director General of Foreign Economic Relations signed the agreements. The project of Financing Exportation costs nearly 252,53 million dollars. Eximbank will be debtor and the Treasury will be guarantor in the credit received within the scope of the project aiming at supporting the real sector in Turkey's exportation. The credit will be used by export institutions by the mediation of five private banks at the most (four commercial and one development banks) by the permission of Eximbank for financing investment capital or financing enterprise. The loan will have seven-year term, an interest rate of libor+ 0.75 percent and there won't be repayment in first three years. The Project of Industrial Technology will cost nearly 155 million dollars and it will be carried out by Turkish Patent Institution, TUBITAK-Marmara Research Centre and Turkish Association of Advancing Technology. The credit will have 17-year term, an interest rate of libor+ 0.75 percent and there won't be repayments in the first five years. The project aims at increasing the capacity of Turkish industry in respect of technology and making it come closer with the international standarts, improving new products and production technologies and supporting activities of quality and measure technologies which is an important step in integration of Turkey with the European Union (EU). [14] HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR TURKEY: 1998-2007ANKARA, Aug 2 (A.A) - The proposal of ''Human Rights Training Programme for Turkey: 1998-2007'' noted that human rights training is one of the main methods of having ''free, effective and active citizens.''The Programme was prepared by the National Committee of Human Rights Training Decade and was adopted by the Supreme Coordinator Council of Human Rights. Noting that the United Nations (U.N.) declared the years of 1995-2004 as the ''Human Rights Training Decade'' in 1994, the proposal pointed out that ''the aim is described as efforts of training and giving information to people in order to set up an international human rights culture.'' The proposal also lists the things that should be done in the field of human rights at primary, secondary and high schools and public institutions. The National Committee of Human Rights Training Decade is composed of representatives of non-governmental organizations and university professors. [15] HOH: ''BULGARIAN NEW ELECTION LAW IS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC''SOFIA, August 2 (A.A) - The Rights and Freedoms Movement (HOH) which is composed of mostly Turks, defined the newly adopted election law in Bulgaria as ''anti-democratic'', it was reported on Monday.Officials at the HOH claimed that some Articles of the new law will confuse ten percent of electors about the local elections that were foreseen to be held in autumn. HOH, which is opposed to the appointment of the chiefs of villages and towns that have a population less than 500 people by the municipal boards rather than elections, protested the Article that prohibits helping uneducated people by another person in front of a ballot box during an election. This Article and some other Articles of the new Election Law, that is criticized by the HOH, are expected to be brought to the agenda of the European Parliament. Bulgarian experts in law claimed that such a protest actually had a moral value which would fail in getting a concrete result. [16] PRESS MEETING OF FINANCE MINISTER, SUMER ORAL - DRAFT LAW TO BE SENT TO PARLIAMENT ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY IF SIGNATURES ARE COMPLETEDANKARA, August 2 (A.A) - Sumer Oral, the Finance Minister said the law draft which suggests some changes in tax law would be sent to the Parliament on Monday or Tuesday if all the signatures are completed.Oral, at a press meeting, stated that they completed the preparements on the tax law and the Council of Ministers decided to send the draft to the Parliament for approval. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit announced on July 22 urgent measures in tax that need to be taken to overcome the economic impasse Turkey is in. ''Turkish economy is experiencing a recession because of the financial crisis which originated in the Far East in 1997 and developing events in Russia in 1998. It is impossible to view tax systems independent from economic conditions. The economy must be strong in order to collect tax. It is important to have an economy which can produce and create employment. Economic revival must be essential. Therefore some articles of law no.4369 will be delayed without changing the essence of the law. Through this, it is aimed to remove the obstacles in front of the economy,'' Oral said. The Minister later gave information about the content of the draft law which suggests changes in tax law. A.A Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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