Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-08-12

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

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

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

12 AUGUST 2000 Saturday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] MEMBERS OF TURKEY-LIBYA PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP LEAVE FOR LIBYA

[03] FIRST ECEABAT WORLD PEACE AND MARTYRS' COMMEMORATION DAY -AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALANDER AMBASSADORS ATTEND CEREMONIES

[04] 3,400 HECTARES OF FOREST BURNS IN ANTALYA IN 149 FIRES IN EIGHT MONTHS

[05] ARCHAELOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN PANAZTEPE RUINS START

[06] EXCAVATIONS IN CATALHOYUK GIVE CLUES ABOUT ANCIENT LIFE

[07] NINE-METER TUNNEL FOUND IN KAHRAMANMARAS PRISON

[08] TREASURY TO HOLD TWO AUCTIONS

[09] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS:''THE THREAT OF GREEK CYPRIOTS TO WITHDRAW FROM TALKS IS A BLUFF''

[10] 11TH INTERNATIONAL KONYA MEVLANA CYCLING TOUR TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER

[11] FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF AUGUST 17 MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE

[12] 70 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN ISTANBUL

[13] SOLINGEN ARSON ATTACK -MEVLUDE GENC WRITES A LETTER TO GERMAN PRESIDENT RAU

[14] GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF SECURITY: -''F TYPE PRISONS ARE MORE MODERN AND THEIR CONDITIONS ABIDE BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS MORE THAN THE OTHER PRISONS''

[15] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO RETURN FOR THE SECOND TIME A DRAFT LAW OR KHK''

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

FICTITIOUS EXPORTS IN BURSA
Following the ''Parashute'', ''Whale'' and ''Octopus'' operations in Gaziantep, Izmir and Istanbul, the security forces found that 40 trillion Turkish lira (TL) was obtained from fictitious exports in Bursa province during ''Eagle'' operation. Seven people, including two famous businessmen, were taken into custody during the operations that were carried out jointly by the financial police and Bursa Republican Chief Prosecutor's Office.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

PERSON WHO STOLE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE EXAM BOOKLETS CAPTURED
The person who stole the university entrance exam booklets in 1999 and led to the postponement of the exam was captured. The burglar was a student of the Marmara University. He was captured as he entered Turkey 15 months after the incident. The student will be brought to Istanbul to get his blood samples and for interrogation.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

FETHULLAH GULEN:I DON'T WANT TO RETURN TO TURKEY
Nuh Mete Yuksel, the Prosecutor of the Ankara State Security Court (DGM) reached his goal in the end. Yuksel was able to make the court give a decision to arrest Fethullah Gulen in his absentia. Gulen who is in the U.S. said that this will not be good for the respect Turkey has abroad, adding he does not want to return to Turkey.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

OPPOSITION WITHIN MHP
The former chairmen of provincial and township headquarters of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) started an opposition movement within the party. Mustafa Bosdurmaz claimed that the registration of members is tricky, adding the MHP congresses of provinces and towns are not legitimate.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

GULEN'S ARRESTMENT DECISION
Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No. 2 decided to arrest Fethullah Gulen, the leader of Nur sect. Gulen is accused of setting up an organization with the aim of founding a state based on Sharia. A Red Bulletin can be issued to capture Fethullah Gulen, who is in the U.S.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

GIANT VESSEL IS KEPT WAITING
Bahamian-flagged SG Enterprise vessel is kept waiting offshore Rumeli Lighthouse as the weather conditions is not appropriate for passing through the Straits. The Maritime Undersecretariat said that the vessel could not weigh anchor as it was wavy.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

59 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CAPTURED IN A LORRY
Police captured 59 Northern Iraqis in a lorry which was en route from Turkey to Greece. Police, patrolling around Istanbul-Edirne highway, stopped a lorry which was en route to Edirne and captured 59 Northern Iraqis in the lorry. Turan Koc, the driver of the lorry, and another person who was sitting beside Koc and who was determined to be the human smuggler, were also arrested.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

PRISONS ARE AS YOU KNOW
The infiltration of guns to prisons can't be prevented. Three weapons, 35 gram of drug were confiscated in Bayrampasa Prison and one gun and one computer were seized in Bergama Prison.

[02] MEMBERS OF TURKEY-LIBYA PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP LEAVE FOR LIBYA

Gonul Saray Alpan, a Democratic Left Party (DSP) deputy who is the leader of the delegation said before the departure that they will visit Libya upon the official invitation of El Zinati Mohammad El Zinati, the Libyan Parliament Speaker.

Alpan noted that they will meet with the Libyan Parliament Speaker, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Energy Minister in Libya.

Alpan stressed that there are rooted, cultural and economic links with Libya, adding they believe that a new speed has to be gained to improve the political and commercial relations.

The peoples of both countries expect friendly relations from Turkish and Libyan parliamentarians, added Gonul Saray Alpan.

[03] FIRST ECEABAT WORLD PEACE AND MARTYRS' COMMEMORATION DAY -AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALANDER AMBASSADORS ATTEND CEREMONIES

Ian Fostyth, the Australian Ambassador, and Alan Cook, the New Zealander Ambassador, attended the ceremonies held by the Eceabat Municipality.

Adem Ejder, the Eceabat Mayor, said that they will make this organization an international one in the following years.

Ejder added that they want peace rather than fight.

[04] 3,400 HECTARES OF FOREST BURNS IN ANTALYA IN 149 FIRES IN EIGHT MONTHS

Approximately 3,400 hectares of forest burnt in the 149 fires that broke out in Antalya since the beginning of the year.

The forest fire in the region stems from hot wheather and low humidity.

Officials noted that the fires which broke out at night can't be controlled easily.

Out of the 149 forest fires in Antalya, 46 of them broke out in Manavgat township and its surrounding. The fires are mainly seen in Antalya, Alanya, Akseki, Finike, Gundogmus, Gazipasa, Kas, Kumluca and Serik.

[05] ARCHAELOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN PANAZTEPE RUINS START

Prof. Dr. Hayat Erkanal, the head of the delegation which carries out the

archaelogical excavations in Panaztepe said on Saturday that this year's excavations will be in graveyards. They expect to get important information about customs of burying the deaths in this year's excavations, Erkanal noted.

''We determined six graves in the ruins of ancient Panaztepe city, which was founded 2000 B.C. Excavations of Panaztepe present information to us proving that the roots of the Greek civilization are in Anatolia,'' he said.

Prof. Dr. Erkanal added that the excavations will be completed at the end of September.

[06] EXCAVATIONS IN CATALHOYUK GIVE CLUES ABOUT ANCIENT LIFE

Every material unearthed in Catalhoyuk in Cumra township of central Konya province sheds light to 7000 B.C.

Prof. Dr. Ian Hodder, who heads the excavations, said on Saturday that they found significant information about the ancient people and life during excavations that have been carried out in Catalhoyuk since 1993.

Hodder noted that five to ten people used to live in houses made of brick and having an area of 50-60 square metres and that small clans were formed those days.

A house was abandoned after it was used for almost 100-150 years, Hodder stated.

Hodder stressed that then, a new house was constructed on the former house and that thus, the tumulus occured.

They learnt that people of Catalhoyuk were buried in a basket in their houses after they died, Hodder emphasized.

Hodder said that the skeletons they have unearthed give information about those days.

They understood that the people of Catalhoyuk were shorter and thinner than today's people and that they lived until they are 65 or 70 by the bones they found, Hodder noted.

Hodder stated that the DNA tests that will be done on the bones will reveal whether this society was matriarchal or patriarchal.

The labour was equally divided between men and women in Catalhoyuk, Hodder stressed.

They think that there was not any hierarchy those days, Hodder said.

Hodder emphasized that the people of Catalhoyuk, who used to plant wheat and lentil and tamed bovine animals, gave importance to arts.

The people of Catalhoyuk drew pictures on the walls which were about hunting and their lives, Hodder added.

[07] NINE-METER TUNNEL FOUND IN KAHRAMANMARAS PRISON

Ahmet Gokcınar, the Chief prosecutor said on Saturday that the prison officials found a nine-meter tunnel during the modification that was made in the construction of the prison to change the ward system into room system.

Gokcınar noted that the tunnel was digged 10-11 months ago, adding ''the members of the terrorist organization who were taken into another section of the prison in January, broke the concrete floor in the ventilation cavity and digged the tunnel.''

Gokcınar noted that the terrorists decided to give up digging the tunnel when a part of the tunnel collapsed due to the work of the prison administration and gendarme to determine whether or not a tunnel was digged.

Gokcınar noted that a total of 560 prisoners including 155 terror organization members are in the prison.

[08] TREASURY TO HOLD TWO AUCTIONS

The value date of three-month debenture bonds is August 16, and the maturity is November 15, 2000.

The value date of 2-year papers is August 16, and the maturity is May 15, 2002.

Treasury foresees a net sale between 838 trillion Turkish Liras (TL) in three-month debenture bond auction, and a net sale between 150 -250 trillion TL in two-year debenture bond auction.

Treasury will repay 5 quadrillion 584.2 trillion TL in domestic borrowing in August.

[09] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS:''THE THREAT OF GREEK CYPRIOTS TO WITHDRAW FROM TALKS IS A BLUFF''

Responding to a question before the meeting that was held to inform political parties in TRNC about the recent developments in Cyprus and the Geneva proximity talks, Denktas said that ''the words of the Greek Cypriots saying that they would withdraw from talks is a kind of bluff. It is a kind of rigged game to influence the U.N. Secretary General or the U.N. Security Council.''

Denktas noted that the aim of the Greek Cypriots is to eliminate the confederation proposal of the Turkish side and to bring the talks to the frame they want.

Denktas stressed that they attended the talks by the condition that everything will come to the table without any preconditions, adding ''we will meet without any preconditions. The sides are not communities, there is no longer a thing called intercommunal talks. The term of 'two equal sides' is used. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Nobody will be limited by referring to the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.''

When journalists told him that the Greek Cypriots issued statements noting that they expected a softer attitude from them, Denktas said ''they should tell us what they want. There are issues which we can't be soft.''

Denktas noted that the real aim of the Greek Cypriots is to join the European Union (EU) by being the government of the whole Cyprus and to end the rights of Turkey on Cyprus.

Greek Cypriots also try to join the European Security Unit, said Denktas and stressed that this is a very wrong idea.

Denktas noted that the aim is to bring the EU to Cyprus and to end the rights of Turkey on Cyprus by putting the Cyprus in the security area of EU. Denktas pointed out that he warned the U.N. Secretary General and Cyprus Special Representative Alvaro De Soto about the issue.

[10] 11TH INTERNATIONAL KONYA MEVLANA CYCLING TOUR TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER

Ramazan Ercin, Cycling Provincial Representative, told A.A correspondent on Saturday that the cyclers will pedal 400 kilometres for five days.

Ercin said that they invited sportsmen from almost 30 countries.

Below listed the schedule of the races:

September 5: 7 kilometre prologue

September 6: 95 kilometre Konya-Beysehir

32 kilometre Beysehir-Huglu

September 7: 120 kilometre Beysehir-Seydisehir-Konya

September 8: 110 kilometre Konya-Cumra

September 9: 36 kilometre Alaaddin tour.

[11] FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF AUGUST 17 MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE

Thousands of people died in the massive earthquake which jolted the region at 03.02 a.m.

One of the settlements which was seriously hit by the earthquake was Istanbul.

In accordance with the figures of Istanbul Governorship Disaster Administration Center, 454 people died in the earthquake in Istanbul.

This number increased to 981 when the people who were brought from Yalova, Duzce and Golcuk to Istanbul for medical treatment, and who died in Istanbul, were added.

A total of 1,880 people were injured in the earthquake.

Almost 41,000 dwellings and workplaces were damaged in the quake. 18,162 dwellings became uninhabitable. 820 out of 3,171 schools in Istanbul were damaged.

Scholarships and accomodation were provided for 4,616 students.

The quake also hit the medical institutions. Four medical institutions were seriously damaged, eight medical institutions were moderately damaged and 44 were slightly damaged. Officials decided to demolish a hospital which was seriously damaged and three medical clinics.

A total of 1,137 public buildings had slight damages, 387 had moderate damages and 37 had serious damages.

A total of 900 families were provided accomodation by the Istanbul Governorship.

The Istanbul Governorship extended 109 billion 200 million Turkish lira (TL) aid to 364 families whose houses collapsed in the deadly earthquake.

Almost 1.5 trillion TL collected in the aid campaigns in Istanbul, were transferred to the account opened by the Prime Ministry.

Humanitarian aid from 70 countries and 3,622 search and rescue personnel came to Istanbul following the earthquakes that hit Marmara Region and Duzce province.

Following the earthquake, Istanbul Disaster Association was formed to provide equipment and personnel.

A ''concrete examination laboratory'' was set up within the framework of technical infrastructure works and transceiver infrastructure was assembled.

Number of search and rescue teams which was 300 prior to the massive earthquake, increased to 5,316 by the participation of official, private and voluntary organizations.

Initiatives were accelerated to set up a fully-equipped field hospital in Istanbul.

Video-tapes and CD-roms about ''Living with the Quake'' and books on ''Quake and Istanbul'' were distributed to the citizens following the deadly earthquake.

[12] 70 KG HEROIN SEIZED IN ISTANBUL

The three persons who would send the heroin, having a market value of 750 billion liras, abroad were also taken into custody.

Istanbul Narcotic officials said that acting on a tip-off, police started to monitor for two weeks the persons who tried to transfer the heroin, they brought to Turkey from Iran, to European countries.

The persons were at last captured in a car with 52 kg of heroin in Bagcılar.

In another operation staged in Kadıkoy, a person was taken into custody and 18 kg of heroin was confiscated.

[13] SOLINGEN ARSON ATTACK -MEVLUDE GENC WRITES A LETTER TO GERMAN PRESIDENT RAU

She expressed her concern over the early release of one of the four extreme- rightist assailants who staged the arson attack.

''This will encourage certain persons,'' Mevlude Genc wrote in the letter

she sent to Rau, German Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin and Justice Minister of North Rhine Westphalia State Jochen Dieckmann.

''I am worried about our security after the release of the one of the Solingen arson assailants,'' she noted.

Herta Daeubler-Gmelin and Jochen Dieckmann sent letters to Genc and noted that the decision was taken by the court.

German President Johannes Rau said that he will visit Gen family after the parliamentary holiday.

The four extreme-rightist assailants were sentenced to 10 and 15 years of imprisonment in 1995 for killing five persons. One of them was released earlier because of good conduct.

[14] GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF SECURITY: -''F TYPE PRISONS ARE MORE MODERN AND THEIR CONDITIONS ABIDE BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS MORE THAN THE OTHER PRISONS''

A statement of the General Directorate of Security said that the present prisons have become the administrative centers of terrorist organizations.

The statement noted that supporters of terrorist organizations and organized crime gangs have staged protests for some time since F type prisons will be opened soon.

Inmates in prisons in 16 provinces had gone on hunger strikes since the beginning of 2000, the statement said.

The statement continued, ''we have hit big strokes on people or organizations which treaten Turkey's constitutional order and security by Marxist-Leninist, extreme rightist, racist, fundamentalist and separatist actions. Many terrorists have been captured and transferred to judicial organs.''

''We saw that the prisons have become the administrative centers of terrorist organizations since the leaders of the terrorist organizations are imprisoned in wards. We realized that order-command chain and hierarchy were set up in the wards where inmates convicted of terrorist crimes are kept,'' the statement added.

The statement said that 92 inmates, including Dursun Karatas, the leader of the illegal, extreme leftist DHKP-C organization, and Ali Gulmez, the so- called general secretary of the illegal, extreme leftist TIKKO organization, fled from the prison in 1988, 1993 and 1997.

A total of 33 inmates died during hunger strikes and resistance against the prison administrations, and the inmates took hostage 43 guardians during their protests, the statement emphasized.

The statement stressed that the terrorist crimes and organized crime gangs killed 13 people including Mustafa Duyar, one of assailants of businessman Ozdemir Sabanci assassination, whom they defined as traitors.

The statement said, ''the ward system prevents efficient controls and inspections. This leads to inmates' getting the control and domination from the prison personnel.''

The statement added, ''in fact, the prisons should not be schools of crimes or mafia dwellings. The F type prisons are important steps taken to make prisons places which will abide by the requirements of modern state.''

[15] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: ''THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO RETURN FOR THE SECOND TIME A DRAFT LAW OR KHK''

Ecevit said that the claim saying that ''the President proposed to meet, but the Prime Minister didn't accept that,'' is not true. There is no need to keep the debate on appointment on the agenda, Ecevit stressed. ''I am not hurt,'' he added.

Prime Minister Ecevit said through the Press Centre that ''our regular meetings with the President are held on Thursdays. If necessary, the meetings can certainly be postponed to another date. Prime Ministry Office was informed by the Presidential office that the meeting on August 10 couldn't be held. No other date was given. Besides it was also noted that next week's meeting wouldn't be held upon President's schedule due to the first anniversary of the August 17 earthquake. No other date was given.''

''The thing that is important is the attitude the President will have when the decree is submitted to him for the second time. The President doesn't have the right to return for the second time a draft law or a decree having the force of law (KHK) without signing it. Yet he can apply to the Constitutional Court. I hope Mr. President won't have an attitude other than

that.''

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