Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-06-05

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NEWS

05 JUNE 2000 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] EARTHQUAKES SHAKE IZMIR AND DENIZLI

[03] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK LEAVES FOR BRITAIN

[04] TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN BLACK SEA REGION

[05] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT IN NORWAY

[06] DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU IN NEW ORLEANS

[07] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION

[08] MILD EARTHQUAKES JOLT DENIZLI (2)

[09] CHIEF OF CROATION GENERAL STAFF VISITS GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU

[10] TURKISH ELTEM COMPANY TO CARRY OUT REHABILITATION

[11] WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

[12] TURKEY-CUBA JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION

[13] FOREIGN MINISTRY:

[14] IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER IN ANKARA

[15] STATE MINISTER ONAL RECEIVES JAPANESE DELEGATION

[16] PROJECT FOR MODERNIZATION OF CUSTOMS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

''WE MAY WITHDRAW FROM THE GOVERNMENT''
The Motherland Party (ANAP) will withdraw from the government if the Parliament decides to sent ANAP leader Mesut Yilmaz to the Constitutional Court. Ersin Taranoglu, the deputy leader of ANAP, harshly reacted to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and said, ''we do not want anybody's help. The MHP should not vent its anger regarding Ocalan and headscarf on us.'' The ANAP administration said that if the ANAP withdraws from the government, the two political parties which set up a coalition with the ANAP will have to explain how they had a partnership with a party they sent to Constitutional Court, for one year.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

DGM ARRESTS THREE IN ERZURUM
The State Security Court (DGM) arrested Nihat Ozmen, his spouse Sefika Ozmen, who had fled anti-Hezbollah operations in Istabul, in a midnight operation in Erzurum, and Ercan Dagdelen, a second year student at Ataturk University's Faculty of Medicine. The detainees after being tried at the DGM, were sent to Erzurum Prison.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

LIVANELI WIND IN MOSCOW
Zulfu Livaneli, a famous Turkish singer, sang songs, and the poems of Nazim Hikmet, a famous Turkish poet, were read out in a theatre in Moscow. Turkish and Russian listeners applauded Livaneli in the end of each song he sang. Moscow Chamber Orchestra played the songs of Livaneli.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TRAFFIC VICTIM SAVES LIFE
Zafer Bozkur, Director General at Opel factory in Torbali, Izmir, was killed in a car crash. His heart, kidneys, and liver was donated to three patients awaiting in despair on the verge of death by his family. All three hosts were reported to be in good condition following the transplants.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

TURKEY HIT BY TORRENTIAL RAINS
Many parts of Turkey, including Samsun, Sakarya, Karabuk, Konya and Duzce, were hit by torrential rains while the Prime Ministry Crisis Management Center launched initiatives to efficiently exert efforts against flood disaster. Three people died in the floods triggered by torrential rains. Schools recessed in Bartin for one day.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

TWO TURKISH GIRLS' SUCCESS IN U.S.
Two Turkish girsls from Ankara Science High School became the third in the World Young Researches' Competition held by the Intel Company in the U.S. between May 8 and 11. Duygu Kuzun and Fatma Ozdemir, two girls who became the champion of Turkey in the competition held by the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), became the third in the competion in which 1,600 people from 60 countries participated.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

BAKU-CEYHAN AT PARLIAMENT
The Parliament is expected to take up the draft which evaluated the ratification of the agreement on the ''Baku-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline Project'', as appropriate. The Azerbaijani and Georgian parliaments had earlier ratified five agreements on the project. After the parliament ratifies the agreement on Baku-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline Project, the pipeline will start to be constructed.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN BLACK SEA REGION
Floods triggered by torrential rains inundated hundreds of dwellings and business places in Bartin, Karabuk, Duzce, Kocaeli and Zonguldak provinces. The torrential rains are expected to continue for two or three more days.

[02] EARTHQUAKES SHAKE IZMIR AND DENIZLI

Officials at the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Center and Seismology Institute said that eight earthquakes were recorded on Sunday.

Below listed the hour, epicenter and magnitude of the earthquakes:

Hour Epicenter ** Magnitude ** ----

02.30 p.m. Karaburun-Izmir 3.5

02.47 p.m. Karaburun-Izmir 3.3

03.15 p.m. Karaburun-Izmir 3.5

03.30 p.m. Karaburun-Izmir 3.5

11.40 a.m. Denizli 3.3

02.19 p.m. Denizli 3.2

02.02 a.m. Balikesir-Erdek 2.9

10.54 a.m. Marmara Island 3.7

[03] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK LEAVES FOR BRITAIN

Prior to his departure from Istanbul, Turk told reporters that he will hold contacts on Monday and Tuesday with his British secretaries in charge of justice, interior affairs, and the European Union (EU), and the lawmen, including high-ranking officials of the judicial system.

He will take up the prison reform and human rights during his meetings, Turk said.

Turk noted that he will also discuss measures that should be taken up to solve several problems faced in the implementation of European Convention on Mutual Judicial Assistance in Criminal Affairs and European Convention on the Extradition of Criminials.

Turk said that he will also take up the improvement of present relations between the judicial organs of two countries.

He will also hold contacts with his European counterparts during the conference, and within this framework, he will meet with the Justice Ministers of Belgium and Italy, Turk stated.

Turk stressed that the main theme of the conference is ''Ensuring The Justice in the 21st Century'' and that within this framework, they will explain the initiatives that Turkey wants to launch in preventing the delay in ensuring the justice, benefitting from the modern opportunities, and the modernization of courts.

Turk added that he believes the resolutions of the conference will have contributions on Turkey and European countries in ensuring the freedom to claim one's rights and right to fair trial in the beginning of a new century.

Responding to the questions of the journalists regarding the extradition of Fehriye Erdal, one of the suspects of assasination of Ozdemir Sabanci, Turk said, ''Belgium has not yet sent an official document to us. But, it decided not to extradite Fehriye Erdal. I want to discuss this issue with my Belgian counterpart.''

''International cooperation is obligatory for struggling against crimes and punishing the criminals. Otherwise, a person who commits a crime in one country, can slip out of punishment by fleeing to another country. If Belgium does not extradite Erdal to Turkey due to some reasons resulting from its own domestic laws, it has to punish her. In our opinion, Erdal is a terrorist and must be punished,'' Turk added.

Upon another question, Turk said that the extradition of former Sisli Mayor Gulay Asliturk will be taken up during his meeting with Biritish Justice Minister.

When recalled, ''a former Iranian Intelligence Service defector who claimed in a television program broadcast in U.S. CBS channel that Iran was masterminded 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103, which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people, was taken into custody in Turkey,'' Turk said, ''this is out of question. We have not yet received any information about this issue.''

Upon a question regarding the Parliamentary Investigation Commission's decision to tranfser Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), to the Constitutional Court, Turk said, ''this is the decision of the commission. The Parliamentary General Assembly will take the final decision. To this end, the process has not been over yet. I believe that this problem will be solved in the Parliamentary General Assembly in a way that it will not affect the government.''

[04] TORRENTIAL RAINS CAUSE FLOOD IN BLACK SEA REGION

In Samsun province, Cobanlý Stream overflew due to torrential rains inundating a number of dwellings and business places in Atakum and Atakent hamlets.

Officials told the A.A correspondent that Ayse Yuksel, 87, drowned.

Security forces succeeded in rescuing four people who were stranded in their flooded houses.

Metin Ilyas Aksoy, the Governor of Samsun, held an emergency meeting with Crisis Desk officials to take necessary measures.

In Karabuk province, flood waters caused two bridges to collapse in Safranbolu township.

A total of ten dwellings demolished in Yenice township while 10 others were evacuated against danger of land slide.

Nafiz Kayali, the Governor of Karabuk; Enver Tumen, the Mayor of Karabuk, Colonel Varol Kutlu, the Commander of Garrison; and Haluk Baykal, the Director of Karabuk Security Department visited the flooded areas.

In Bartin province, torrential rains which started three days ago, caused Bartin River to overflow.

Flood waters inundated 150 dwellings and business places, and the main bus station in Bartin.

Floods engulfed 13 village roads around Bartin.

A 15-member search and rescue team of the Interior Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Defense, left for Bartin.

Primary and high schools recessed for one day.

Riza Yalcinkaya, the Mayor of Bartin, told the A.A correspondent that the 18th Bartin Culture, Art and Tourism Festival which was scheduled to be organized between June 5-11, was cancelled.

Fatih Eryilmaz, the Governor of Bartin, said that 28 villages could not be given electricity.

[05] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT IN NORWAY

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit arrived in Norway on Sunday on a three-day visit.

He was welcomed at the Oslo Military Airport by Turkey's Ambassador to Norway Osman Koruturk, Protocol Director-General of Norway's Foreign Ministry Svenn Svedmann, and various officials.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Ecevit said that he had always attached great importance to Norway, and underlined that he had always considered Norway as a model with its economic development, social justice, and peaceful foreign policies.

Noting that he had close friends in this country, Ecevit said he had visited Norway 22 years ago, again as the Prime Minister of Turkey.

''The relations between Turkey and Norway have always been good. But our economic relations are, unfortunately, at a lower level than our potentials. I believe that we will open new venues and further develop our relations as a result of the contacts I am going to make during the course of this visit,'' Ecevit said.

Together with the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, too, arrived in Oslo.

Ecevit and his entourage then proceeded to the guesthouse reserved for his residence.

Osman Koruturk, Turkey's Ambassador in Oslo, held a press conference for Turkish journalists in Norway on the relations between the two countries.

He said that Ecevit's visit was the second after an interval of 22 years to be made by Turkey in the level of prime ministery, both by Bulent Ecevit.

''At this point, where the relations between the two countries are at an ideal level, the defense policies of Turkey and Norway are much alike. Turkey and Norway, who have been 'front countries' during the Cold War era, want to become influencial in the European security and defense policies.''

''Turkey's being a non-EU member, and the fact that Norway's membership has been rejected in a nationwide referandum, introduce similar hardships to both countries,'' he noted.

Koruturk told reporters, ''Norway, one of the richest European countries, has significant oil and natural gas reserves. The Norwegian State is trying to develop human resources as well as industries by using the income obtained from these resources as funds, and investing in profitable international stock exchanges.''

He said, ''according to the research made by the Central Bank of Norway, Turkey is one of the 'promising' countries, and the parliament took a decision to encourage investments in Turkey last week. Norwegians are more interested in the Istanbul Stock Exchange.''

''Officials believe that the trade volume between Turkey and Norway, presently standing at 300 million U.S dollars can be multiplied. Within the framework of efforts to this end, Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Cumhur Ersumer paid a visit to Norway recently. And, within the framework of this visit, an energy cooperation protocol was signed between the two countries. Turkey was said to be purchasing substantial amounts of liquid gas from Norway,'' Koruturk said.

He added that Norwegian officials attached great importance to Prime Minister Ecevit's visit.

[06] DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU IN NEW ORLEANS

Cakmakoglu will attend a breakfast meeting with the members of the Turko-American Council, and later, proceed to the inauguration ceremony of the Victory Day Museum.

On Tuesday, he will leave the U.S in the evening hours, after attending the official inauguration ceremony of the Victory Day Museum.

U.S Secretary of Defense William Cohen and representatives of various NATO countries are also expected to attend the ceremony.

[07] PROFILE OF EXPORTS FROM GAP REGION

In the same period last year, the region exported 13 million 500 thousand U.S. dollars of candies.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Monday that in the first four months of the year, they exported 7 million 249 thousand U.S. dollars in sugar; and 7 million 927 thousand U.S. dollars in biscuit, cake, chocolate, and candy.

The majority of the goods were exported to Iraq, Germany, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Jordan and Azerbaijan.

[08] MILD EARTHQUAKES JOLT DENIZLI (2)

Goksu told A.A corespondent that no damages were recorded in seven earthquakes measuring between 3.2 and 3.6 on the Richter scale.

The recent quake jolted Denizli at 8.30 a.m. on Monday morning, Goksu noted.

Goksu added, ''there is no damage but citizens do not stay in their houses or workplaces because they were afraid of the 5.2-magnitude earthquake which jolted our province one and a half months ago.''

[09] CHIEF OF CROATION GENERAL STAFF VISITS GENERAL KIVRIKOGLU

A military ceremony was held after General Stipetic arrived in the General Staff Headquarters.

The meeting between General Kivrikoglu and General Stipetic was close to the press.

No statement was issued following the meeting.

[10] TURKISH ELTEM COMPANY TO CARRY OUT REHABILITATION

Eltem won the Turkmen government's international tender with its 62.5 million U.S. dollars bidding price in May, 2000.

The contract for the rehabilitation in question was approved by Turkmen President Saparmurat Turkmenbasi.

The Turkish Eximbank will finance the project which was planned to be finalized in three years.

According to the statement issued by Eltem Elektrik A.S., the projects it will carry out in Turkmenistan are as follows:

''Installation and rehabilitation of Turkmenistan Energy Distribution and System and the system which will transfer electricity energy to Turkey, installation and rehabilitation of power distribution system in Ashkhabad, and construction of Turkmen Energy and Industry Ministry's new building.''

Eltem will also construct high-voltage transformer centers, supply technical equipment and carry out assembling works in Turkmenistan.

[11] WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Aytekin and an accompanying delegation visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Great Leader Ataturk, on the occassion of the World Environment Day.

Aytekin later joined the ceremony held in Anitpark and said that it is the precondition of citizenship to pay attention to the natural environment when producing and consuming, and to refrain from destroying the nature.

Aytekin emphasized that the deterioration of air, water and soil makes the nature unpleasant for all the living things.

''Our target is transferring the forthcoming generations a world in which they can live,'' Aytekin said.

Aytekin noted that the protection of environment can only be possible by the education of people.

''We will not have any concern about the future as long as we teach our children, who are the guarantee of our future, the protection of environment. We want to see our children, to whom Great Leader Ataturk bestowed our future, as people who love their homeland, and who are conscious and sensitive about environment,'' Aytekin added.

[12] TURKEY-CUBA JOINT ECONOMIC COMMISSION

A Turkish delegation headed by State Minister Rustu Kasim Yucelen will attend the meetings.

Releasing a statement, the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat said on Monday that Yucelen and Marta Lomas, Cuban Foreign Investments and Economic Cooperation Minister, would preside the meetings which will end on June 9.

At the meetings, economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Cuba will be scrutinized, and measures to be taken in order to further improve commercial relations will be discussed.

Meanwhile, a group of Turkish businessmen are paying a visit to Cuba.

[13] FOREIGN MINISTRY:

The Foreign Ministry said that Aga had earlier been sentenced to imprisonment on charges of ''usurping the authority.''

The Foreign Ministry continued, ''with this last imprisonment decision, the rights of Turkish minority in Western Thrace under the bilateral and international agreements that Greece also signed, are violated once more.''

Turkey is determined to protect the rights of Turkish minority in Western Thrace, the Foreign Ministry noted.

The Foreign Ministry called on Greece to respect to the rights of Turkish minority in Western Thrace.

Four lawsuits were filed against elected Mufti Aga on charges that he usurped the authority in the messages he issued in 1996 and 1998.

Aga was sentenced to seven-month imprisonment in the end of the trial process.

[14] IRANIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER IN ANKARA

At the Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Adeli told reporters that he came to Ankara to invite President Ahmet Necdet Sezer to the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit which will be held in Iranian capital of Tehran.

When recalled the news saying that an Iranian agent sheltered in Turkey, Adeli said that this issue is not included in the agenda of his meeting.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer is expected to receive Adeli later today.

The U.S. CBS television channel had claimed that an Iranian intelligence official named Ahmet Behbahani who ran away to Turkey, was interrogated by the Turkish authorities regarding the terrorist attacks that Iran staged in Turkey.

[15] STATE MINISTER ONAL RECEIVES JAPANESE DELEGATION

After the meeting, Onal told reporters that Turkish-Japanese trade volume reached 2 billion U.S. dollars and noted that Turkey's export constitutes only one tenth of this amount. This low export rate of Turkey to Japan also makes Japan uncomfortable, Onal said. He stated that the Japanese delegation is working on programmes which will encourage Turkey to export more to Japan and they are preparing projects with Britain and EU countries as for the same purpose.

Turkey will participate in a fair which will be organized in Japan in the fall of 2001, Onal said. Renting a stand is quite expensive in Japan but Japan will pay for Turkey's stand and it will also pay for the transportation of Turkey's promotional products, he explained.

JETRO Chairman Hatakeyama said they started successful projects with Britain, France, and the Netherlands. ''The Turkish government should also do promotional activities to help Turkish firms open to the Japanese market,'' he said.

Hatakeyama later had a meeting with Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursat Tuzmen. ''Our trade volume with Japan was 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in 1999. Turkey's export in this amount was only 200 million U.S. dollars. Japanese export to Turkey was 1.2 billion U.S. dollars. We will work hard to close this gap,'' Tuzmen stated.

[16] PROJECT FOR MODERNIZATION OF CUSTOMS

Staging a press conference, Kececiler said renewal of only the regulations was not sufficient to bring the Turkish Customs Management to contemporary level.

Kececiler said a software program namely computerized customs activities had been developed to carry out rapid and perfect customs procedure and transactions.

Kececiler said 95 percent of customs procedure would be carried out by the software program, giving the opportunity to make effective customs inspection and decreasing the tax loss which stemmed from ''wrong declaration and wrong accruement.''

Kececiler stated that the program would be put into practice at the customs bureaus in Ankara as of June 12, 2000.

Kececiler added that real exports and imports procedures would be concluded between one or two days as a result of the new system.

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