Anadolu Agency: News in English, 99-09-23

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

AA Daily

23 Sept 1999 Thursday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] CEM, FOREIGN MINISTER TO MEET SYRIAN FM AND U.S. STATE SECRETARY - CEM TO ADDRESS U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THURSDAY

[03] FM CEM'S CONTACTS IN U.S. CONTINUE - CEM MEETS WITH HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART KHARRAZI AND REQUESTS IRAN TO ABIDE BY U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ABOUT TERRORIST PKK ORGANIZATION

[04] FM CEM: ''TURKEY HAS THE INTENTION OF CREATING A SAFE ATMOSPHERE IN THE EAST AND WEST BY SETTING UP GOOD RELATIONS WITH HER NEIGHBOURS''

[05] INTERNATIONAL GAP'99 FAIR TO BE ORGANIZED BETWEEN OCTOBER 4-10

[06] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS TO BRIEF MINISTERS COUNCIL AND POLITICAL PARTIES ON CYPRUS ISSUE

[07] ECTAA TO ORGANIZE THEIR 2000 MEETING IN ISTANBUL -<B>PRESIDENT OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA IN TURKEY</B>

[09] CALL FROM OCALAN TO TERRORISTS - OCALAN, THE HEAD OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, CALLED ON A GROUP OF PKK TERRORISTS TO COME TO TURKEY TO PROVE THAT THEIR DECISION TO PUT AN END TO ARMED CLASH IS CARRIED OUT

[10] ''NATURAL GAS AND ENERGY'' MEETING - REFIZADE, CO-CHAIRMAN OF AZERIGAS: ''AZERI GAS TO COST TURKEY LESS''

[11] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:''PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S TERM OF OFFICE COULD BE RENEWED IF DIFFICULTIES ARISE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS''

[12] AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUE TO SHAKE DISASTER ZONE

[13] ERSUMER, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES: ''OFFICIAL TALKS RELATED WITH BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE TO START IN ANKARA ON THURSDAY''

[14] OKSUZ, MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, RETURNS FROM JAPAN ''TUBE TUNNEL PROJECT TO START LATEST IN ONE YEAR''

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL) DON'T GO, HE SHOULD COME AND SEE YOU
The meeting of Premier Bulent Ecevit with the Chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the U.S. turned into a scandal due to the place of the meeting. Premier Ecevit will stay in Blair House, which will be allocated to him during his stay in the U.S. and he should receive officials there due to customs. James Wolfensohn, the Chairman of the World Bank responded to the appointment request of Ecevit by saying ''I am very busy, can you come and see me in World Bank?'' Finally it was decided to hold the meeting in Marriot Wardman Park Otel, in which IMF-World Bank annual meetings will be held. For the first time a Turkish Prime Minister will go and meet with a bank administrator in the U.S.

JUSTICE MINISTER CONFESSES
Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister confessed that the bloody events which took place in Bayrampasa prison stemmed from the weakness in administration of the prison.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

ECEVIT CAN SOLVE CYPRUS ISSUE
Mark Parris, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey said that ''there are many examples showing that some persons, whose names are mentioned with some matters, can help in solution of them. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit can play an important role in solution of Cyprus issue. We won't make Turkey disappointed regarding aid, the Turkish government is stable. We guess that Clinton will work with this government till he stops his post as the President.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TREMOR IN TEKIRDAG IS NOT AN AFTERSHOCK
It was claimed that the tremor measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale in Tekirdag was not an aftershock but a normal earthquake. Professor Aykut Barka from the ITU Euroasia Geological Studies Department said the tremor in Tekirdag was not an aftershock but a normal earthquake. Meanwhile Associate Professor Tuncay Taymaz from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Seismology Department, said the tremor in Tekirdag was the continuation of the huge earthquake in Golcuk. ''These were chain earthquakes occurred in the same system,'' he said. Lastly Professor Sener Usenmezsoy from the Istanbul University Geology Department said, ''after August 17, it was observed that the pressure was accumulated on the fault between Gelibolu-Sarkoy. The seismic and geological pressures show that the next quake zone would be in the Sarkoy-Gelibolu-Saroz triangle. The next earthquake would affect Istanbul.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Also the DYP extended support to the proposal of Bulent Ecevit of the Democratic Left Party (DSP) and Mesut Yilmaz of the Motherland Party (ANAP) for the extension of the term office of President Suleyman Demirel.

Mehmet Golhan, a senior aid of Tansu Ciller of DYP, said, ''our target is the presidential system. The President should be elected by people. However, Mr. President is our leader. We extend support when the proposal is presented to us.''

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has the intention of choosing Ecevit as the President, and Devlet Bahceli as the Prime Minister.

THREE BILLION DOLLARS MORE FROM WORLD BANK LIKELY
The situation of the one billion U.S. dollars loan promised by the World Bank is still uncertain, the World Bank President said, ''we are trying to give additional loan of three billion U.S. dollars to Turkey.''

TÜRKİYE (RIGHT)

RUSSIAN SUPPORT TO DEPLOYMENT FORCE
Russia announced that she extended support to the Turkish and Greek Foreign Ministers' proposol for ''establishment of a U.N. Rapid Deployment Force Against Earthquake''.

QUAKE ZONE UNDER OBSERVATION
Following the devastating earthquake in the Marmara Region, the Japanese, German and American scientists started to make observations in the quake zone.

American scientists set up nine seismographs around Henrek-Karadere region, Japanese scientists set up ten seismographs between Adapazari and Bolu and the German scientists established a research station near Taskesti, Bolu.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

WE ARE LUCKY
The tremor which shook offshore Tekirdag province in Marmara region and which had a magnitude of 5,0 caused panic among people in the regions that felt the quake. No casualities were reported, but six persons who jumped from balconies were injured in Istanbul. Schools were closed for one day in Tekirdag.

[02] CEM, FOREIGN MINISTER TO MEET SYRIAN FM AND U.S. STATE SECRETARY - CEM TO ADDRESS U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THURSDAY

Cem, who will come together with Faruq Al Shara, the Syrian Foreign Minister today in a luncheon, will meet with Madeleine Albright, the U.S. State Secretary on Thursday. The Cyprus issue is expected to be focused on this meeting.

Cem met with Sir David Hannay, the British Special Representative to Cyprus on Tuesday. Sir David carries out a shuttle diplomacy among Turkish, Greek Cypriot and Greek delegations and tries to make Turkey convince Rauf Denktas, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to sit around a negotiation table. Hannay, who is also supported by Alfred Moses, the U.S. President Bill Clinton's representative for Cyprus, conveys the requests of the Turkish side to the Greek Cypriot side and to persuade them to act in a more flexible way.

Madeleine Albright, the U.S. State Secretary will also meet with Glafcos Clerides, the Greek Cypriot leader today.

Cem will address the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday.

[03] FM CEM'S CONTACTS IN U.S. CONTINUE - CEM MEETS WITH HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART KHARRAZI AND REQUESTS IRAN TO ABIDE BY U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ABOUT TERRORIST PKK ORGANIZATION

Foreign Minister Cem met with Kemal Kharrazi, the Iranian Foreign Minister and requested Iran to abide by the U.N. Security Council's Resolutions about the terrorist organization PKK without wasting time.

Turkey complained about the terrorist organization PKK which escaped from Syria and Northern Iraq and took shelter in Iranian regions close to Turkey or used these regions as a transit passage point. Iranian officials insist on saying that their territories are not used for activities against Turkey.

The two ministers also took up the decrease in the trade volume between Turkey and Iran and reached an agreement to take measures to prevent this.

Foreign Minister Cem also met with Alexander Dimitrov, the Macedonian Foreign Minister on Tuesday.

The Macedonian Minister told Cem that they attribute great importance to remaining of Kosova within Yugoslavian territories.

Macedonia, whose one third of the population is Albanian, considers transformation of Kosovo into an independent state against her national interests.

Foreign Minister Cem thanked to Pakistani government for the generous aid it sent for quake survivors in Turkey in his meeting with Gohar Eyub Khan, the Pakistani Foreign Minister.

Pakistan had given 10 million dollars to Turkey in addition to the aid in kind they sent to Turkey.

The two ministers also reached a consensus of opinion about strengthening sea trade to improve Turkish-Pakistani trade and decided to encourage private navigation firms in this field.

[04] FM CEM: ''TURKEY HAS THE INTENTION OF CREATING A SAFE ATMOSPHERE IN THE EAST AND WEST BY SETTING UP GOOD RELATIONS WITH HER NEIGHBOURS''

Speaking to reporters, Ismail Cem stressed the importance of ''providing security of Turkey insofar as it's possible in the 2000s''. ''With this respect, Turkey attaches great importance to good relations with her neighbours,'' he stressed.

Noting that Turkey's relations with her eastern and southern neighbours were set up on a more positive basis compared to the past, Cem said, ''we are trying to make the same thing in the west. However, there are many steps to be taken. We want to contribute to settlement of a more secure atmosphere in our west and east.''

Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said the agreement between Turkey and Greece for the establishment of a multi-national rapid deployment force against earthquake under the U.N. umbrella received great interest and support.

Pointing out that the opinion for establishment of a joint earthquake search-rescue team stemmed from Turkey's and Greece's intention of offering their experience to other states, Cem said that their initiative received support from many countries.

[05] INTERNATIONAL GAP'99 FAIR TO BE ORGANIZED BETWEEN OCTOBER 4-10

President Suleyman Demirel will open the fair at which almost 300 domestic and foreign companies in industry, technology and production sectors and in the fields of agriculture, food, construction, durable goods, automotive, plactics, packaging, culture and tourism will have stands.

The businessmen and companies of Turkey, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the Turkish Republics, the Ukraine, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), South African Republic, Syria, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Jordan will participate in the fair.

[06] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS TO BRIEF MINISTERS COUNCIL AND POLITICAL PARTIES ON CYPRUS ISSUE

Denktas will first receive members of the Ministers Council and then representatives from the Democrat Party, the Republican Turkish Party and the National Rebirth Party on Thursday.

[07] ECTAA TO ORGANIZE THEIR 2000 MEETING IN ISTANBUL

Talha Camas, the President of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) told A.A that TURSAB joined ECTAA as an observor member. TURSAB, after it joined ECTAA as an observor, proposed to organize ECTAA meeting in Istanbul in 2000 which ECTAA accepted. Sidney Perez, the President of ECTAA sent a letter to TURSAB where it said it was very important to organize this meeting in Istanbul for both Turkey-EU relations and development of relations in the tourism field. The ECTAA meeting will take place on May 25 and 26.

Camas noted that 63 percent of tourists visiting Turkey came from EU countries which make Turkey-EU relations very important.

There was a 15 to 25 percent increase in the number of tourists visiting Turkey following similar meetings hosted by TURSAB, Camas noted and said organization of this meeting in Istanbul could also boost tourism by promoting Turkey.

-<B>PRESIDENT OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA IN TURKEY</B>

ISTANBUL, Sept 22 (A.A)- Alia Izzetbegovich, President of Bosnia- Herzegovina, arrived in Turkey from Kuwait at 13:45 local time on Wednesday.

Izzetbegovic will hold observations in quake regions in Yalova and Cinarcik and later return to Istanbul.

Izzetbegovic, who will meet with President Suleyman Demirel on September 24 in Ankara, will later depart Turkey.

[09] CALL FROM OCALAN TO TERRORISTS - OCALAN, THE HEAD OF THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, CALLED ON A GROUP OF PKK TERRORISTS TO COME TO TURKEY TO PROVE THAT THEIR DECISION TO PUT AN END TO ARMED CLASH IS CARRIED OUT

Ocalan issued a written statement through his lawyers Irfan Dundar, Hatice Korkut and Ahmet Avsar, who met him on Imrali Island on September 20.

In the statement Ocalan called on a group of PKK terrorists to come to Turkey together with their weapons as an expression of good will and noted that this step would be very important to prove that their decision to put an end to armed clash was carried out. Ocalan said he waited for the interest and support of the state and community.

[10] ''NATURAL GAS AND ENERGY'' MEETING - REFIZADE, CO-CHAIRMAN OF AZERIGAS: ''AZERI GAS TO COST TURKEY LESS''

Addressing a meeting titled ''Natural gas and Energy'', staged by IBS company, Refizade said Azerbaijan was a worldwide gas production region, adding that it has two trillion cubic meters reserves.

Refizade said Turkey will gain advantage in case it takes the natural gas it needs from Azerbaijan, and noted that ''Turkey prefers Azeri natural gas due to historical closeness. Western countries also support Azeri natural gas due to several reasons.''

Meanwhile, Philippe Lamboley, Director of Total company and electricity development, briefed about the activities of his company.

Lamboley said Turkey has to strengthen its energy transportation lines to transfer its energy potential to the west and that new energy power plants were needed to this end, adding that 5 billion U.S. dollars investment was needed in this respect.

[11] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:''PRESIDENT DEMIREL'S TERM OF OFFICE COULD BE RENEWED IF DIFFICULTIES ARISE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS''

Ecevit answered the questions of reporters when Osman Birsen, the President of Istanbul Stock Exchange Market (IMKB) visited him.

When reminded about a conflict over the location of a meeting with the President of the World Bank during his visit to the U.S., Ecevit said the meeting will take place at Blair House.

''I think Blair House will be appropriate. Because I will be the U.S. President's guest there. Of course, the meetings I will have with IMF and World Bank presidents are very important right now. They are working to create big resources for Turkey's disaster areas. They have already taken some steps on this matter. Besides, Turkey has subjects other than the earthquake which needs to be discussed with IMF and the World Bank. I am hoping that I will have the chance to meet with them in Washington D.C. I will meet with them at Blair House which will be assigned to me by President Clinton,'' he explained.

Responding to another question, Ecevit said the former State Minister Hikmet Ulugbay would not be appointed as the Head of the Higher Council of Banks. ''I think this is a misinformation. He will continue to be a successful deputy,'' he said.

About President Suleyman Demirel's term which terminates in May 2000, Ecevit said his term of office could be renewed if difficulties arise in presidential elections. Ecevit stressed that he was not planning to become president and will not do so in the future.

[12] AFTERSHOCKS CONTINUE TO SHAKE DISASTER ZONE

The Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Center and Seismology Institute said that nine aftershocks hit the disaster zone since 19:47 local time last night.

Below listed the place, time and magnitude of the aftershocks:

Place Time Magnitude

----- ---- ---------
Tekirdag 19.47 2.8

Adapazari-Akyazi 23.01 2.9

Tekirdag 23.34 3.1

Yalova-Cinarcik 04.04 3.2

Yalova-Cinarcik 04.49 3.0

Adapazari 06.18 3.4

Adapazari-Akyazi 08.01 3.6

Balikesir-Savastepe 10.42 2.9

Marmara Denizi 11.29 2.8

[13] ERSUMER, MINISTER OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES: ''OFFICIAL TALKS RELATED WITH BAKU-CEYHAN OIL PIPELINE TO START IN ANKARA ON THURSDAY''

Speaking to A.A correspondent after meeting with the representatives of energy companies and several countries following ''Natural Gas and Energy'' meeting, Ersumer said they discussed several issues with the representatives of companies and several countries before the Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline meeting that will start on Thursday, adding that ''we wish Thursday's meeting will be the last one. Everybody wants a decision to be taken soon.''

Finance of Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline, date of starting and ending of the construction were discussed at the meeting and production of oil reserves that will be evaluated were discussed at the meeting, Ersumer said adding that ''we come to a position that we discuss timing.''

Stressing that Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline was not a project that can take effect in one year even if a decision is taken today, Ersumer said the pipeline may take effect at least in the year 2004.

Ersumer pointed out that oil reserves of Azerbaijan were rich, adding that ''oil reserves in Azerbaijan requires a second pipeline. This pipeline will also not be adequate.''

Stating that oil reserves of Azerbaijan have 100 million tonnes annually, Ersumer said annual capacity of Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline is 50 million tonnes. The minister pointed out the importance of the oil reserves of Azerbaijan and noted that they estimated that oil production will increase after the implementation of pipeline and that a second main pipeline will be constructed within this period.

Ersumer recalled that the first step of Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline talks was taken with an agreement which had been signed between himself and Azeri Prime Minister in the year 1998, and lasted for two years.

Ersumer said they will reach to important points in Baku-Ceyhan Pipeline talks that will take place in Ankara on Thursday, adding that ''Thursday's talks will be the part that is close to final part.''

[14] OKSUZ, MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, RETURNS FROM JAPAN ''TUBE TUNNEL PROJECT TO START LATEST IN ONE YEAR''

Oksuz, Minister of Transportation, returned to Turkey after wrapping up his contacts in Japan. Speaking at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Oksuz said the credit agreement related with the Project was signed as a result of his contacts in Japan.

Oksuz said after the conclusion of rail system which unites the two continents, a railway route will be formed from London to Chinese Sea, adding that this will bring vividity to economical life of Turkey.

Oksuz said tube passage system that will be realized in the Strait will not be affected by the quake, adding that tube tunnel can be used as a sheltering in case of a quake or war.

Transportation Minister pointed out that approximate cost of the Tube Passage and Rail System projects were approximately 2.5 million U.S. dollars, adding that the credit will be provided by a Japanese finance institution named OECF.

A.A

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