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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-10-05Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 5 OCTOBER 2000 Thursday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 5, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)FIVE INITIATIVES TO BE LAUNCHED IN RETALIATION FOR U.S. RESOLUTIONTurkey will launch five initiatives in retaliation for the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians which was adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee. When asked whether or not the Incirlik base will be closed, Ecevit said, ''there can be developments regarding this issue.'' Turkey plans to upgrade its representation in Baghdad, Iraq, to an embassy. Turkey will permit planes carrying medical supplies to fly to Baghdad. The Armenian people who can enter into Turkey by paying 10 U.S. dollars at the border gate, will have to take visas from Turkey's foreign representations from now on. Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, will not go to the U.S. to put forward the reaction of the state. The cancellation of Kivrikoglu's scheduled visit shocked the U.S. authorities. ECEVIT ISSUES CIRCULAR ON ELECTRICITY MILLIYET (LIBERAL)TERRIBLE INJUSTICEThe richest section of the society in Turkey which constitutes 1 percent of Turkish population earns 7,5 billion liras on the average in a month. The poorest group on the other hand which constitutes 30 percent of Turkish population try to live with 32 million liras in a month. There is a difference of 236 folds between the richest and the poorest group of people in Turkey. But this ratio reaches 322 folds in Istanbul. MARMARA FAULT LINE HAS THREE PIECES SABAH (LIBERAL)RETALIATION TO U.S.If the resolution on the so-called genocide on Armenians passes from the U.S. House of Representatives, Turkey prepares to take measures including appointing an ambassador to Iraq. Among these measures, Turkey plans not to permit flights from Incirlik NATO base, which the U.S. uses for patrolling the Northern Iraq. If the resolution on genocide is adopted, the parliament won't also permit the Northern Watch flights. Chief of General Staff Gen. Huseyin Kıvrıkoglu postponed his visit to the U.S. later this month. Turkey also authorized for the first time a plane of medical supplies to fly to Baghdad, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. SUPRISING INVESTIGATION CUMHURIYET (LEFT)ZEUGMA DROWNSIt is now time to carry out excavations in the Zone C of the ancient Zeugma site which will not be inundated by the waters of the Birecik Dam that was constructed within the framework of the southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Zone A of the ancient site remained under the waters of Birecik Dam in June and Zone B on Wednesday. Kemal Sertok, the Acting Director of the Gaziantep Museum and the coordinator of the excavations, said that the urban elements of Zeugma will remain above the water level. PICASSO'S CAN BE RETURNED TO OWNERS RADIKAL (LEFT)THE FAULT LINE IN MARMARA COMPOSED OF THREE PIECES NOT TWOThe French vessel, Le Suroit had completed the second stage of its research in Marmara Sea. According to the findings of the vessel, the main fault line in Marmara is composed of three pieces not two. Prior to this research, the scientists had declared that the fault line was composed of two pieces. Prof. Dr. Xavier Le Pichon, the director of the Project carried by the vessel, said that there were important activation traces on the fault line. CAMPAIGN FOR THE ENERGY SAVINGS YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)PARLIAMENT ASSUMES A JOINT ATTITUDE ON THE APPROVAL OF THE SOCALLEDARMENIAN GENOCIDE The main features of the sanctions which will be imposed on the U.S. following the approval of the resolution on the socalled genocide on Armenians in the U.S. House International Relations Committee have become definite. Just like in the U.S. the government will stay behind, and the sanctions will be decided by the Parliament. The parties in the Parliament will assume a joint attitude. In the first stage, the visa procedures to Armenia have been tightened. The parliament declared that it will evaluate the term in office of the Northern Watch under the changing circumstances. Turkey, for the first time since the Gulf War, is going to appoint an ambassador to Iraq. THE EARTQUAKE IN DENIZLI CAUSED PANIC TURKIYE (RIGHT)RAID ON DEPOT OF EGEBANKPolice raided on a depot of a leasing company in Kagithane district of Istanbul and confiscated many documents within the framework of the Egebank investigation. Police confiscated 55 parcels of documents and three safe boxes during the operation. Police had earlier raided on a depot in Kadikoy district. TURKEY'S EFFICIENCY IN PEACE FORCE INCREASES ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)ACTION PLANTurkey prepared two separate plans covering many measures in return to the approval of the resolution on the socalled genocide on Armenians by the International Relations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives which will also be taken up in the full House. Turkey plans to close the H- 50 air corridor to Armenia, restrict the flights of Northern Watch over Northern Iraq, to bring the status of Incirlik Air Base to the agenda of the parliament, to eliminate some American firms from defense tenders and to give permission to the company which will take medical supplies to Iraq. [02] GAP REGION EXPORTS 23,8 MILLION DOLLARS OF KNITTED TEXTILESGAZIANTEP - The Southeast Anatolian Project (GAP) region exported knitted textiles worth of 23,8 million dollars in the first eight months of this year by an increase of 22 percent.The GAP exported knitted textiles worth of 19,5 million dollars in the same period last year. The share of the knitted textiles in the regional exports which was 5,5 percent in the first eight months of 1999 increased to 6,7 percent covering the same period this year. Italy, Belgium, France, Greece, Algeria, Romania and Israel come among the leading countries to which GAP exported knitted textiles. Meanwhile the knitted textile export unit price increased by 9,6 percent in the same period this year compared to last year. [03] ACTING GROUP LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT:-''IF THE RESOLUTION ON THE SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON THE ARMENIANSTAKES EFFECT, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE U.S. WITH THE PRESENT PARTNERSHIP SPIRIT'' ANKARA - The acting group leaders of the political parties said on Thursday that if the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians takes effect, it will be difficult to continue the cooperation between Turkey and the U.S. with the present partnership spirit. Aydin Tumen of the Democratic Left Party (DSP), Omer Izgu of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Yasin Hatiboglu of the Virtue Party (FP), Zeki Cakan of the Motherland Party (ANAP), Saffet Arikan Beduk of the True Path Party (DYP) issued a joint statement regarding the adoptation of the resolution on the so-called genocide on the Armenians by the U.S. House International Relations Committee. The statement said that the resolution which was adopted by the concerned committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and foreseen to be submitted to the full House, means the distortion of the history for political purposes. ''The parliament and the government have announced that if this resolution is adopted by the full House, it will have negative impacts on the relations between Turkey and Armenia, peace efforts in the Caucasus, and Turkey-U.S. relations. If this resolution takes effect, it will be difficult to continue the cooperation between Turkey and the U.S. with the present partnership spirit,'' the statement said. The statement added, ''within this context, the Operation Northern Watch which is submitted to the ratification of the parliament from time to time, will also be negatively affected. In other words, if the U.S. House of Representatives passes the resolution, it is obvious that the parliament will evaluate the extension of Operation Northern Watch within framework of changing conditions.'' [04] RESOLUTION ON SOCALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS-GAFFNEY, CHAIRMAN OF SECURITY ETUDES CENTRE:''OFFENDING TURKEY BY THIS TIMING, WILL BE DETRIMENTAL FOR NATIONAL INTERESTS OF AMERICAN PEOPLE'' WASHINGTON D.C - Frank Gaffney, the Chairman of the Security Etudes Centre based in Washington D.C. who also had a key position in Pentagon when Ronald Reagan was the U.S. President, warned on Thursday the U.S. House of Representatives saying that offending Turkey, which has vital importance for the U.S., by the resolution on the socalled genocide on Armenians will give serious damages to the national interests of the U.S. Gaffney said in an article published in Investor's Business daily that the partisan effort of Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives will be detrimental to the interests of the American nation. Hastert puts pressure on persons for the adoption of the resolution, said Gaffney and noted that the resolution puts under risk the relations with the ally Turkey, adding that the timing was very wrong. Gaffney stressed that Turkey is a secular, pro-Western, democratic and a reliable ally of the U.S. today and it developed strategical relations with Israel which carries great importance for the U.S. The important status of Turkey in respect of geopolitics can change many things, said Gaffney. ''Turkey is situated at the centre of a region which covers Armenia, Persian Gulf where there are Iraq and Iran, the Balkans where there is Serbia, southern Caucasus, Caspian region and North Africa where there are crisis and potential clashes. The importance of Turkey for the U.S. also depends on the fact that Turkey is at the centre of a region covering the countries namely Russia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria which oppose to the interests and values of the U.S. These countries both try to give damage to Turkey and at the same time they support the Islamist and Kurdish elements within Turkey. Turkey is an important ally and the U.S. House of Representatives should not ignore its national interests,'' he added. [05] TRANSEURASIA 2000 FAIR TO BE HELD IN ISTANBULANKARA - The first Turkish transport, logistics, equipment transfer and storage fair ''Transeurasia 2000'' will be held in World Trade Center, Istanbul between October 25-28.Transeurasia Fair which will be held with the participation of Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan, Germany, France, and Italy, will bring together the companies of the sector. ''Transeurasia 2000 First International Transport and Logistics Congress'' will be held in Istanbul Raddison Hotel between October 24-25, within the framework of Transeurasia 2000. Sources said the prominent names of the sector will participate in the congress and the problems of the sector will be discussed throughout the panel. [06] NORTHERN WATCH OPERATION'S MANDATE TO END ON DECEMBER 30ANKARA - The mandate of the Northern Watch Operation will end on December 30 this year.The party group leaders of the five political parties represented in the parliament mentioned Northern Watch Operation in their joint statement which they issued about the resolution on socalled genocide on Armenians which is expected to be voted in the U.S. House of Representatives next week. The joint statement noted that if the U.S. House of Representatives adopts the resolution in question, it is apparent that the parliament will evaluate the extension of the mandate of Northern Watch Operation under the changing circumstances. ''Reconnaissance and prevention flights -if necessary-'' take place within the Northern Watch Operation which is carried out within the limits determined by Turkey. This air force uses the joint defense bases in Incirlik, Adana. The prime ministry note regarding the extension of the Northern Watch Operation's mandate was accepted on July 28, 2000 in the parliament. According to that, the mandate of the Northern Watch Operation which was extended by six months as of June 30, will end on December 30, 2000. The prime ministry note has to be discussed at the parliament before that date. [07] GREEK AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY CORANTIS: ''RELATIONSBETWEEN TURKEY AND GREECE ARE IMPROVING RAPIDLY''ANTALYA, Oct 5 (A.A) - Greek Ambassador to Turkey Ioannis Corantis said on Thursday that the relations between Turkey and Greece were improving rapidly. Corantis visited Antalya Governor Ertugrul Dokuzoglu and Antalya Mayor Bekir Kumbul. Speaking at his meeting with Governor Dokuzoglu, Corantis said that good relations had been set up between Turkey and Greece last year. Turkey-Greece relations was in a smooth athmoshere and they signed nine bilateral agreements least year which covered several fields from tourism to industry, he said. Noting that the Greek government was seeking new fields of cooperation with Turkey, Corantis said that the trade volume between the two countries had reached 700 million U.S. dollars in 1999 and they expected the trade volume to exceed 1 billion U.S. dollars in 2000. Stressing that Greece wanted Turkey to enter the European Union (EU), Corantis said that Greece's efforts would continue to this end. Saying that the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians wouldn't negatively affect Turkey's EU membership, Corantis said that the conditions for Turkey's entering the EU had been set by the Helsinki and Copenhagen criteria on which the resolution in question wouldn't be influential. Responding to questions about the resolution, Corantis said that it was a decision of the U.S. Congress, and it was out of question for him to comment on it. Responding to a question, Corantis said that Turkey's entering the EU did not have any connection with terrorism as terrorist organizations existed in every country, adding that the required thing was to show respect to human rights. Corantis said that Turkey and Greece had signed an agreement on sea transportation which would be approved by the Greek Council of Ministers in October. Corantis said that the sea transportation between the two countries would gain an important dimension in accordance with the agreement in question. Later, Corantis visited Mayor Bekir Kumbul and congratulated him for organization of 37th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Kumbul will read out a ''Peace Message'' in Greek language at the award ceremony of the Festival late on the same day. [08] EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUSA DUE IN TURKEYANKARA - Amr Musa, the Agyptian Foreign Minister, will pay an official visit to Turkey between October 8 and 10 as the guest of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem.Addressing the weekly press conference, Huseyin Dirioz, the Deputy Spokesman of Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday that Musa's contacts in Turkey were expected to focus on relations between the two countries. Dirioz added that Cem and Musa would exchange views about Middle East peace process and other regional issues. [09] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING ENDS (1)-STATE MINISTER YUCELEN: ''WORKING HOURS WILL START 15 MINUTES EARLIER''ANKARA - Rustu Kazim Yuculen, the State Minister and Spokesman of Government, said on Thursday, ''the Council of Ministers re-arranged working hours. The decree was sent to the Presidency. According to the decree, working hours will start 15 minutes earlier. Meanwhile, lunch breaks which were one hour in a day, were decreased to half an hour.'' Addressing journalists following the Council of Ministers meeting, Yucelen said, ''the working hours were re-arranged to prevent energy shortage from affecting negatively our people. The working hours will start 15 minutes earlier and lunch breaks which were one hour in a day, were decreased to half an hour. Thus, we will benefit from daylight 45 minutes more. The working hours will end 45 minutes earlier.'' Yucelen said that the decree was signed by members of the Council of Ministers, and sent to the Presidency.'' In accordance with the decree, new working hours are as follows: 07:45 a.m.-00:00 p.m. - 00:30 p.m.-04:15 p.m. for the Interior Ministry, the National Education Ministry and the Health Ministry, 08:15 a.m.-00:30 p.m. - 01:00 p.m.-04:45 p.m. for other ministries and banks, 08:45 a.m.-00:30 p.m. - 01:00 p.m.-05:15 p.m. for the Prime Ministry, the General Staff, the National Defense Ministry, the commanderships, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry, and the Forestry Ministry, 08:45 a.m.-00:30 p.m. - 01:00 p.m.- 05:15 p.m. for relevant institutions. Yucelen said, ''the working hours were re-arranged to prevent energy shortage from affecting negatively our people. If it rains at seasonal avarege, there will be no need for these arrangements.'' Responding to a question, Yucelen noted that the issue of privatization of Turkish Telekom was not brought onto agenda of the Council of Ministers meeting. (To be continued) [10] EGMEZ WHO IS TORTURED IN GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WINSCASE HE BRINGS TO EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTSLEFKOSA - Erkan Egmez who had been abducted by Greek Cypriot police on October 7, 1995 while he was working in his farm-land near Akincilar village of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and exposed to torture for weeks won the lawsuit which he had brought to the European Commission of Human Rights against the Greek Cypriot administration in 1996. Staging a press conference on Thursday, Erkan Egmez gave information about the developments. Egmez said that after winning the case at the European Commission of Human
Rights, they had applied to the High Court and the hearing was held on July
6, 2000. Stressing that he couldn't forget the torture he had been exposed to during the days he was kept in prison in the Greek Cypriot side, Egmez said, ''there are nearly 60 scars on my body which can't be removed till I die.'' Noting that the village they were living in was in the buffer zone but the U.N. Peacekeeping Force did not take necessary security measures, Egmez said that the Greek Cypriot police had the capability to do whatever it wanted at anytime due to those insufficient security measures. Erkan Egmez said that the torture he had been exposed to for 53 days during his detention on charges of ''smuggling illicit drugs and espionage'' reminded him the oppression and cruelty by Greek Cypriots against the Turkish Cypriots in 1963. Egmez added that the torture he had been exposed to was included in the annual reports of the United States and United Nations. [11] TRNC GOVERNMENT INFORMS ANKARA THAT IT APPROVES ECONOMIC PACKAGELEFKOSA - The coalition government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) sent an official letter to Turkey late on Wednesday, informing Ankara that it approved the Economic Package.After sending the official letter in question, TRNC Prime Minister Dervis Eroglu said that the works on a loan agreement between Turkey and the TRNC to overcome the TRNC's financial problems in 2000 were about to be finalized. Eroglu said that the TRNC government's aim was to concretize the economic and financial structures of the TRNC state which was exposed to unjust embargoes and to settle economic stability with the support of Turkey. Noting that action plan among the sectors would be one of the measures, Eroglu asked the Turkish Cypriots not to be seized by provocations. [12] CEM'S VISIT TO UZBEKISTANANKARA - Huseyin Dirioz, the Deputy Spokesman of Foreign Ministry, said on Thursday, ''Foreign Minister Ismail Cem's visit to Uzbekistan between October 2 and 3 aimed at reviving relations between the two countries.''Addressing a weekly press conference at the Foreign Ministry, Dirioz noted that Uzbekistan shared Turkey's intention to further improve bilateral relations. Recalling that Cem had been the first Turkish Foreign Minister paying an official visit to Uzbekistan since 1994, Dirioz told reporters, ''the Uzbek side stressed that they attributed importance to relations with Turkey. They noted that Turkey has a great importance in the Turkish world.'' ''Foreign Minister Cem's contacts in Uzbekistan focused on issues of operating political mechanisms between Turkey and Uzbekistan, functioning economic institutions such as Joint Economic Committee (JEC), Turkey's assistance in struggle against terrorism. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's visit to Uzbekistan on October 16 was also taken up at the contacts,'' he said. In previous statements, it was told that Turkey and Uzbekistan were expected to sign five agreements during President Sezer's visit to this country. -TURKEY REPAYS 8.45 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS Meanwhile, a total of 7 billion 759.62 million U.S. dollars of foreign debt has been repaid since the beginning of the year.
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