Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-10-13

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

13 OCTOBER 2000

Friday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Meanwhile, Uri Bar-Ner, Israeli Ambassador to Ankara, met with Deputy Prime Minister Husamettin Ozkan, and wanted Ankara to mediate actively. Foreign Ministry summoned Israeli and Palestinian Ambassadors, and called on to act with common sense. Ankara also wanted Israel to put an end to the operation.

ECEVIT FEELS CONCERN OVER THE RELATIONS WITH THE U.S.
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, who addressed his party group meeting yesterday, evaluated the developments in foreign policy. Pointing out that Turkey attributed great importance to the Middle East Peace process, Ecevit said they sincerely contributed to the process.

Ecevit also said a negative process started between Turkey and the U.S. regarding the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians. Ecevit stressed that Bill Clinton, the U.S. President, and some leading high ranking commanders of the country did not exert required efforts to prevent the resolution.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Noting that everybody should be respectful to the decisions of the Constitutional Court, Yalova said ''the result is different if the Constitutional Court lifts the KHK on privatization of Vakifbank as a result of the abolition of the Authority Law, while the consequences are different if the Constitutional Court annuls the KHK on the basis of privatization that we want to make about Vakifbank.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Speaking to reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport before his departure, Turk said the new Turkish Penal Code's (TCK) coming into force may be in question in the year 2002.

Responding to a question about the capital punishment, Turk said the first stage of the commission works was completed regarded with the Turkish Penal Code, and noted that the draft would be sent to high judicial organs, bars, and universities.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TURKEY: ISRAEL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCIDENTS
An emergency meeting took place in Ankara after Israeli Armed Forces bombed Palestine. Ambassadors of Palestine, Israel, and the U.S. were summoned to the Foreign Ministry following the meeting and were told that the clashes should be ended soon.

Ankara intensified its diplomatic initiatives. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer talked to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak two days ago.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

YILMAZ: ADJUSTMENT TO EU SHOULD BE COMPLETED
Mesut Yilmaz, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said full membership to the European Union (EU) was a target of Turkey, adding that works for adjustment should be completed soon. Speaking at his party group meeting, Yilmaz said the citizens were sensitive on the restrictions brought to democratic rights and freedoms.

YENİ BİNYIL (LIBERAL)

COMPETITION FOR THE BEST QUALITY WINE
The wine contest which was organised by the Turkish Tobacco and Alcoholic Drinks Directorate (TEKEL), and the Tourism Ministry, started in Urgup township of Nevsehir province, on Thursday. Similar wine contests were held only in Yugoslavia, and France before.

A total of 274 types of wine from 15 countries are competing at the 12th International Wine Contest which is a part of the Urgup 2000 Cappadocia activities. Turkey, France, Brazil, Chili, Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy, Australia, Georgia, Portugal, the United States, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary will participate in the wine contest with 274 types of wines. Seventeen degustators will be in charge at the contest.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

A total of 79 countries out of 14 thousand, were awarded within the framework of ''28th International Quality- New Millenium Award'' which was organised by the Commerce Leaders Club.

The seven Turkish companies which won the award are as follows:

''Yestas Security Systems Inc., Celkolsan Machine Industry Inc., Ertas Metal Industry Inc., Hamidiye Spring Waters Inc., Hurriyet Newspaper and Printing Inc., Kaldera And Dagsan Solar Energy Inc.,and Petlas Tyre Industry Inc.''

SUPRISE SUPPORT TO TURKEY
The Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE), declared in its document named ''Attitude Against the Enlargement of the EU'' that the ''European business world is giving full support to the membership of Turkey'' . The document was distributed to the press in Brussels, on Thursday.

UNICE, while reflecting its' views and assesments about the candidate countries, congratulated the steps taken for the participation in the EU.

UNICE also noted that they were determined to support the efforts of Turkey in adjusting the Copenhagen Criterias.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Vakiflar village, which is totally composed of the Armenians, feel uneasy over the reporters and guests which come to the village in the recent days. Serkiz Serupe Gun, 82, one of the eldest people of the village, said the resolution was a game of the U.S.

CZECH PRESIDENT CALLS FOR AMNESTY FOR YAGMURDERELI
Vaclav Havel, the Czech President, currently holding contacts in Turkey, wanted amnesty for Esber Yagmurdereli, the lawyer-author who is still in prison. Havel said upon the assignment given to him by Czech Authors Union, he learned that a Turkish author was in prison due to political reason, and that he wanted amnesty for him.

-IN FIRST NINE MONTHS, 108.2 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS OF
AGRICULTURAL AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED TO EU COUNTRIES
GAZIANTEP - The exports of agricultural and animal products to European Union (EU) countries from the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) region in the first nine months of 2000 increased 12.1 percent to 108 million 239 thousand US dollars.

In the same period last year, the region exported 96 million 552 thousand U.S. dollars of agricultural and animal products to EU countries.

Officials at the Southeastern Anatolia Exporters' Union, told the A.A correspondent on Friday that in the first nine months of the year, they exported 90 million 764 thousand U.S. dollars in textiles; 1 million 226 thousand U.S. dollars in grain-cereals; 15 million 124 thousand U.S. dollars in dried fruits and 1 million 125 thousand U.S. dollars in livestock.

The majority of the goods were exported to Italy, Germany and Britain, and the Turkish goods in greatest demand were synthetic thread, cotton thread, dried apricot, plastic sack and textile.

-DRAFT TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO TCK
-COMMISSION, SET UP BY JUSTICE MINISTRY, COMPLETES WORKS
ANKARA - Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Amendment Commission, set up by Justice Ministry, completed its works regarding the preliminary draft of the TCK.

The Commission, led by Prof. Sulhi Donmezer, is composed of the univesity lecturers, members of High Court of Appeals, Republican prosecutors of High Court of Appeals, and Justice Ministry bureaucrats, gave the last shape to the text.

The Commission made amendments under the light of the criticisms directed to the preliminary draft prepared in 1997.

Prof. Donmezer will brief about the preliminary draft after the reasons and re-writing of the TCK Preliminary Draft are completed.

The preliminary draft will later be given to the Justice Ministry. The Ministry will give the last shape to the preliminary draft after getting the views of various institutions and people. The preliminary draft will be submitted to the Parliament after being discussed in Council of Ministers.

Hikmet Sami Turk, the Justice Minister, pointed out that the draft may be

legalized by mid 2001, yet noted that it could only take effect in 2002.

In the preliminary draft, an article takes place in the place of Article 312. This foresees commutement of death sentence to life imprisonment.''

-FM CEM AND HIS GREEK COUNTERPART
PAPANDREOU TO CONVENE IN MARMARIS
MARMARIS - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem and Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou will meet on Sunday to discuss the problems between the two countries.

Cem and Papandreou will meet at Mares Hotel at 12:30 local time. The two foreign ministers will together talk to press at 14:15 local time.

Cem and Papandreou will proceed to Rhodes the same day at 15:15 local time, and sit at table again.

Cem and an accompanying delegation are expected to return to Marmaris on Sunday evening.

-TURKISH-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC RELATIONS
ISTANBUL - Activities will take place in Istanbul to improve economic relations between Turkey and Russia.

The Eighth Joint Meeting of Turkish-Russian Business Council and Opening of Russian Exporters Products Fair would take place next week.

Almost 400 Russian businessmen headed by Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Ilya are expected to participate in the joint meeting scheduled to take place in Istanbul on November 22.

The high-level officials of the Turkish and Russian governments will convey their opinions about the development of bilateral economic relations to the business world in the meeting.

Cooperation in construction, trade and tourism sectors, investments and high technologies will be discussed in the meeting during which regional cooperation will also be taken up.

The Russian Export Products Fair which was organized by the Moscow Chamber of Industry and Commerce through coordination of the Russian government will be opened at the Tepebasi TUYAP Fair Center on November 23.

The companies which want to carry out joint activities with the Turkish companies especially in Iraq, Iran and Syria are expected to attend the fair that the Russian government will organize for the first time in a foreign country.

Meanwhile, a press conference will be staged on October 17 at the Russian Consulate General regarding the eighth joint meeting of the Turkish-Russian Business Council and the Russian Export Products Fair.

-5TH LOCAL MEDIA TRAINING SEMINAR
-GULER, A.A PRESIDENT GENERAL DIRECTOR:
-''ANADOLU AGENCY USES THE MOST ADVANCED
FACILITIES OF TECHNOLOGY''
ERZINCAN - Mehmet Guler, the President General Director (PGD) of the Anadolu Agency (A.A), said on Friday that A.A made use of the most advanced facilities of technology to send news reports and photograph to its subscribers.

Guler briefed about, ''Agency Journalism,'' in 5th Local Media Training Seminar,'' staged by Erzincan Governorship and Press and Information General Directorate.

Pointing out that A.A, which was established on April 1920 with the directives of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Modern Turkish Republic, undertook an important mission in foundation of young Turkish Republic, and its development, Guler said the Agency was in an effort to use the most advanced technologies.

Guler said A.A used the first radiotelegraphy and the computer in journalism, adding that, ''A.A has 23 offices within the country, and 21 officies abroad. We have agreements with the news agencies of 44 countries. We are tranmitting our news reports and photographs to our subscribers through satelite. We send approximately 700 news reports and more than 120 photographs a day. Also, we put into service around 100 news reports in English and around 50 news reports in French per day.''

Guler said A.A was always a pioneer in rapid journalism, and that also important and interesting news reports came from the web-sites.

Guler said agency journalism was difficult, adding that the news reports costed much. Guler said, ''some broadcasting and publishing organs sometimes change the news reports of the Agency that we can not recognize them. Some newspapers, which are our subscribers, don't use signatures, they only write A.A. Some others even more write the names of their reporters under it.''

Pointing out that the cost of some news reports was very high, Guler said, ''for example, a news report and a photograph, during a visit of the 9th President Suleyman Demirel to Yemen, has costed us 25,000 U.S. dollars. Those are not known much. However, despite all these, we will prepare our news reports in the very best way.''

Guler said, ''we have the freedom of transmitting our news reports without consulting to anybody,'' adding that A.A General Directors' being journalists is effective in this.

Stressing that A.A was very important for the broadcasting organs in Turkey, Guler said, ''a national newspaper in Turkey, which is not a subscriber of the A.A, can not be published, or a television can not broadcast.''

Guler also said the A.A has 430 personnel, and that the situation of A.A personnel pertaining to labour union was giving him pride but at the same time create difficultes from time to time.

-NATIONAL EDUCATION MINISTER DUE TO POLAND ON SATURDAY
ANKARA - National Education Minister Metin Bostancioglu will leave on Saturday for Poland to attend the 20th European Education Ministers' Permanent Conference.

''Education Policies for Democratic Citizenship and Social Harmony, Targets and Strategies for Europe'' will be the matter of the conference which will take place in Krakow between October 15-17.

Besides, reports on education of democratic citizenship, education of European history in 20th century, language education in Europe, social harmony, education policies for democratic citizenship and social harmony, and Southeast European Stability Pact will be taken up in the conference.''

-ELECTION OF NEW PARLIAMENT SPEAKER
-YALCINBAYIR WITHDRAWS FROM CANDIDACY
ANKARA - Ertugrul Yalcinbayir, the Bursa deputy of the Motherland Party (ANAP), witdrew from candidacy for election of new parliament speaker on Friday.

Yalcinbayir, one of the three candidates from the ANAP, got 14 votes in the first round and 12 votes in the second round which were held yesterday.

After Yalcinbayir's withdrawal, five deputies will participate in the third round of vote on October 17.

These deputies are Omer Izgi from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP),

Murat Basesgioglu from the Motherland Party (ANAP), Turhan Guven from the True Path Party (DYP), Ismail Alptekin from the Virtue Party (FP) and Mail Buyukerman, an independent deputy from Eskisehir.

The absolute majority (276 votes) of the total number of deputies at the 550-seat Parliament is required in the third round.

If the absolute majority cannot be reached in the third round, two of the candidates who receive highest votes, will attend the fourth round on October 18.

In the fourth round, the candidate who gets the highest vote, will be the new parliament speaker.

Votes of candidates in the first and second round of votes are as follows:

First Second

. Candidates Round Round

. ---------- ------ ------
Omer Izgi (Nationalist Movement Party MHP) 197 238

Murat Basesgioglu(Motherland Party ANAP) 159 124

Yilmaz Karakoyunlu(ANAP) 80 withdrew

Turhan Guven(True Path Party DYP) 51 57

Ertugrul Yalcinbayir(ANAP) 14 12

Ismail Alptekin(Virtue Party FP) 4 66

Mail Buyukerman(Independent) 3 4

-CONTACTS OF IKV IN BRUSSELS
BRUSSELS - Meral Gezgin Eris, the Chairperson of the Economic Development Foundation (IKV), said on Friday that the European Union (EU) was ready to improve cooperation with Turkey and extend support, and noted that thinking of the opposite would be wrong.

Eris, who spoke to the A.A correspondent following her contacts in Brussels, said, ''Turkey continues to be insufficient in conveying its own potential and facilities. We have once more observed that we should carry out a planned and coordinated work to overcome this inefficiency. Turkey should deepen its cooperation with the EU in economic and political dimensions.''

''The EU Commission is willing to cooperate with Turkey. We saw that they opened the gates, but all we need is that we should be willing and ready for cooperation,'' Eris said.

Pointing out that European business world supported EU-Turkey integration, Eris said they were insistent on the importance of the financial aid. ''They accept that the amount of fund extended to Turkey was lower than the other candidates. They accept it, yet they noted that it was not easy to overcome this within the EU mechanisms. They said despite this they worked on it. We should be ready for a project in this respect.''

Eris said Turkey's need for promotion and lobbying was open, Eris said, ''unfortunately, there is a belief that lobbying activities should be carried out by the diplomats. However, diplomats make diplomacy. Lobbying activities is the work of media, business world, unions, and vocational organizations. Turkey is not known and understood much in the world. We should overcome this. We have completed the most important dimension of the integration but there are promotion deficiencies even in the most concrete issues. We have no chance if we fail to struggle perceiving it as a total mobilization.''

Pointing out that the IKV found the performance of the economic program as successful, Eris said the EU shared the same views. Eris said the program has been carried out by the government in a resolved way despite all the political risks.

Eris defended that privatization should be accelarated, and noted that, ''it is impossible for the stability program to bring the desired results if it is not connected to privatization. This will have very positive reflections on Turkey-EU relations. Copenhagen criteria are not only political but also economic.''

''Performance of the government can not be considered as successful,'' Eris said, adding that, ''this is a very slow performance. If the government fails to benefit from the valuable time that is in front of it, we may miss opportunities.''

Eris said the European Parliament, where various political views are collected, should be taken up with a serious approach, and noted that politicians should be in a close dialogue.

''Turkey, with the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, implements the most serious economic stability program in its history. The EU pledged for macro economic support when it was making the Customs Union deal with Turkey. Now, nobody demands them to keep their promises and to support the program. We have the right to do this.''

Eris is expected to return to Turkey today.

-DEBENTURE BOND ISSUE IN JAPANESE SAMURAI MARKET
ANKARA - The Treasury Undersecretariat authorized Nomura Securities and Daiwa Securities SB Capital Markets as partner leader banks to lead its debenture bond issue in the Samurai market which is denominated in Japanese yen.

Releasing a written statement, Treasury Undersecretariat said that the issue of debenture bonds which would have a three-year maturity was expected to be finalized in November and be 50 billion Japanese yen (almost 465 million U.S. dollars).

Within scope of the 2000 year external borrowing program, the Treasury Undersecretariat had raised 90 billion Japanese yen (almost 835 million U.S. dollar) through two different debenture bond issues in February and June.

-IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY VISITS ATO (1)
ANKARA - Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun said on Friday that they wanted to increase more the trade volume between Turkey and Iraq within framework of the U.N. embargo, adding, ''consequestly, we want the embargo on Iraq to be lifted.''

Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey Faruq Yahya Al-Hicazi visited ATO Chairman Aygun the same day.

Speaking at the meeting, Aygun said they wanted to resume the relations between Turkey and Iraq before the Gulf War which most seriously affected Iraq and Turkey.

Noting that the good relations between the two countries were continuing despite the U.N. embargo, Aygun said, ''we hope that initiatives aimed at developing the economic relations between Turkey and Iraq will be launched. We have to abide by the restrictions brought by the U.N. system while launching those initiatives. We believe that this embargo will be lifted. Thus, we are obliged to revive the relations with Iraq beginning from today. Unfortunately, Turkey has suffered more than 50 billion U.S. dollars loss after the Gulf War.''

Aygun claimed that the United States and Britain which were the defenders of the embargo on Iraq had violated the embargo by selling goods to Iraq via the companies that the businessmen of those countries set up in Jordan.

Defending that those businessmen had raised 150 billion U.S. dollars through their companies in Jordan, Aygun said, ''the Jordanese economy grew five-fold as a result of those companies.''

Noting that Turkey realized nowadays that it became the country which was most seriously affected by the embargo, Aygun said that as the Turkish businessmen, they wanted to form a Turkish-Iraqi Business Council within framework of those developments.

Aygun said that as the Turkish businessmen, they wanted to visit Iraq, and requested help from the Iraqi Ambassador to this end.

Stressing that they had endured this loss for last ten years but they did not want to bear any more, Aygun, ''we should launch initiative without losing any time. We believe we make business with Iraq.''

The Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey said in his part that Turkey and Iraq had always been economic partners, adding that the Business Council which would be formed through economic cooperation between Turkey and Iraq would undertake a very important task.

Noting that the Iraqi government wanted the relations between Turkey and Iraq to be better than those before 1990, the Iraqi Ambassador said that they were approaching to this step by step.

''We know that Turkey suffered more than 50 billion U.S. dollar loss due to the embargo. It is a serious loss. Today, the Turkish businessmen and we are trying to set up a Business Council. Meanwhile, we are grateful to the Turkish businessmen who went to Iraq for humanitarian pourposes. We call on them to continue this,'' he said.

(To be continued)

-OIL PROSPECTING WORKS START IN ISKENDERUN
ISKENDERUN - Turkish Petrolium Inc. (TPAO) started oil prospecting works in Iskenderun township of Mediterranean Hatay province, on Friday.

The officials told A.A correspondent that, the TPAO teams which have been making researches in the region, started drilling works on Friday.

-MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENT SEZER AND PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT ENDS
ANKARA - Weekly routine meeting between President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit ended.

The meeting lasted for half an hour.

Prime Minister Ecevit departed from the Cankaya Presidential Palace without making a statement to journalists.

-INCIDENTS IN MIDDLE EAST
-ILDEM, PRESIDENTIAL CABINET CHIEF:
-''LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ARE EXTREMELY SADDENING''
ANKARA - Tacan Ildem, the Presidential Cabinet Chief and the Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser, said on Friday, ''the latest developments in the Middle East are extremely saddening. Turkey and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer expects resettlement of tranquility atmosphere in the region.''

Addressing the weekly press conference, Ildem said, ''saddening developments occurred in the region which have given rise to concerns about stability and peace in Middle East.''

''Turkey is ready to make all necessary contributions to resettle tranquility atmosphere in the region. Both Palestine and Israel believe that Turkey would make an important contribution. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's visits to Turkey are signs of this belief,'' he told reporters.

When asked whether or not Arafat-Barak summit would be held in Turkey, Ildem said, ''Turkey, close to both Israel and Arab countries, will be willing to host a crisis summit between Palestinian President Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Barak. Turkey can take any initiative that would contribute to peace. Among such initiatives one should not disregard the possibility of its acting as a host. If the need arises for such a meeting, Turkey would not decline to host it.''

When asked whether or not a special representative would se bent to the region, Ildem said, ''if it is necessary we will send our special representative to the region.''

Recalling that President Sezer had held a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak, Ildem said, ''saddening developments in Middle East was taken up during the conversation. Both leaders stressed that these developments should not interrupt peace efforts. Both Palestinian President Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Barak had paid visits to Turkey following the Camp David Summit. President Sezer had held talks with both leaders. In those days, we believed that a historical moment was seized to

create a fair and lasting peace in the Middle East. President Sezer had suggested both leaders to evaluate such a historical opportunity. Current explosion of violence in the region is extremely saddening. What is important is resettlement of tranquility atmosphere.''

Noting that both sides were deeply sensitive about the issue of Jerusalem, Ildem said, ''the sides should assume an attitude that will not incite each other.''

Referring to yesterday's bombing of a U.S. Navy vessel in the Yemeni port of Aden in which 7 people were killed, Ildem said, ''this attack is unacceptable. President Sezer expressed his profound sorrow over the attack.

Such attacks cannot be accepted whatever their motives are. Turkey has been condemning all kinds of terrorism from the very beginning.

Referring to the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians which was approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee, Ildem said, ''the resolution was passed by the Rules Committee. It is expected to be debated at the full House on Tuesday. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer conveyed Turkey's and Turkish people's sensitivity to the U.S. administration and to U.S. President Bill Clinton. The U.S. administration is aware of the fact that Turkey would not accept approval of the resolution by the full House. President Sezer believes that common-sense would prevail at the end despite all negative developments. Relations between Turkey and the U.S. have reached the level of strategical partnership in recent years. We wish that the members of the U.S. House of Representatives would take into consideration these high-level relations with Turkey during the stage of vote.''

''Turkey has important position and role in Southeastern Europe, Caucasus and the Middle East. The U.S. should act being aware of sensitive and fragile developments in these regions. It will be beneficial for the U.S, which is a country in the position of global migration. We wish that members of the U.S. House of Representatives would not insist on this mistake,'' he told reporters.

Referring to President Sezer's visit to Central Asian countries between October 16 and 20, Ildem told reporters, ''there are developed relations between Turkey and these countries in every field. These countries are very sensitive about terrorism. They seek Turkey's cooperation in struggle against terrorism. Turkey is determined to assist these countries in their struggle. President Sezer's visits to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan will make a valuable contribution to institutionalization of relations with these countries in every field.''

-FOREIGN MINISTER CEM:
-''WE AGREE ON MOST OF THE ISSUES
IN ACCESSION PARTNERSHIP DOCUMENT''
ANKARA - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem said on Friday that Turkey generally agreed with the European Union (EU) in most of the points in Accession Partnership Document, prepared by the EU Commission.

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with Eneko Landaburu, the General Director of the EU Commission responsible for enlargement, Cem said the meeting was ''important and positive,'' and noted that ''Accession Partnership Document, prepared by the EU is a unilateral document. Therotically, they can write what they want, but generally they consult with the related country.''

Pointing out that the EU Commission was in contact with the EU member countries while preparing the document, Cem said, ''we discuss our views deeply during the works with the EU Commission.''

Pointing out that most of the views within the framework of the Accession Partnership Document included the elements that were in international agreements Turkey earlier signed, Cem said, ''we express our sensitivity in points which are away from our understanding. Some of these were positive.''

Cem stressed that Turkey has hesitations on some points, noting that, ''we are in continuous contact with Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commissioner for enlargement. Our contacts with Landaburu will continue.''

Cem said, ''I hope that a document will be revealed in the end, and despite the existence of some elements that we will not accept, it will bring a concrete and dynamic contribution.''

Landaburu in his part said Accession Partnership Document was very important for the EU, adding that the document which was prepared, was not negotiated. Landaburu said short and medium term targets were drawn in the document.

Landaburu said they attributed importance to listen to the views of Turkey by considering the close cooperation of EU with Turkey, and pointed out that they target to disclose the Accession Partnership Document on November 8.

Landaburu said they were not obliged to agree on all issues in the formation of the document, yet intended to continue the relations which are based on mutual confidence.

-BODIES OF FOUR WORKERS PULLED FROM ILLEGAL MINE PIT
ZONGULDAK - Bodies of four workers who were stranded in an illegal mine pit in Gelik region in northern Zonguldak province after an underground explosion six days ago, were pulled out on Friday.

Dead bodies were sent to the State Hospital in Zonguldak for autopsy.

-IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY VISITS ATO (2)
ANKARA - Iraqi Ambassador to Turkey Farouq Yahya Al-Hicazi said on Friday that the relations between Turkey and Iraq were friendly, adding, ''our relations do not develop as reflection and reaction of other problems.''

During his meeting with Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) Chairman Sinan Aygun, the Iraqi Ambassador responded to questions of journalists.

When asked what he thought about the helping hand given by Turkey recently, Al-Hicazi said that the cooperation between Turkey and Iraq had started with the visit of Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursat Tuzmen together with businessmen to Iraq in February, and it continued.

Noting that this cooperation started to yield fruits recently, the Ambassador said that this did not have any connection with the resolution on so-called genocide on Armenians.

When asked whether or not construction of another pipeline parallel to the Yumurtalik-Kirkuk pipeline was in question, Al-Hicazi said, ''this is an old project but it was affected by the embargo. There is even another pipeline in question which will carry natural gas in addition to oil. In coming days, we will try to carry out this in accordance with the economic recovery.''

When asked what the Iraqi government thought about Turkey's initiatives to open a second border gate and purchase more oil, the Iraqi Ambassador said that they would support it if there would be any purchase aimed at increasing the trade volume within scope of the cooperation between Turkey and Iraq.

When asked whether or not the groups in Northern Iraq would benefit from the border gate earlier than Turkey and Iraq, the Iraqi Ambassador said, ''the situation of Northern Iraq is an exception. It is not legal. We hope that Northern Iraq will return to normal and everybody will obtain their rights from the state.''

(End)

-PANEL DISCUSSION ON ARRANGEMENTS ABOUT WORKING LIFE
-LABOR AND SOCIAL SECURITY MINISTER OKUYAN: ''THE SIGNATURES FOR THE
LABOR ASSURANCE DRAFT LAW WERE FINALISED AT THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS''
ANKARA - Labor and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan said on Thursday that the labor assurance draft law would be transferred to the Parliament most probably next week.

Speaking at a panel discussion on ''Arrangements About Working Life'' which was organized by the Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk-Is), Okuyan said that three demands had been expressed since foundation of Turk- Is in 1952: unemployment insurance, labor assurance and prevention of unregistered employment.

''These rightful demands have been expressed for 48 years and all political parties including my party vowed to meet these demands in the election campaigns. Unemployment insurance and prevention of unregistered employment gained legal status last year,'' he said.

Okuyan said that the labor assurance draft law had been discussed in last one year at several platforms and he had for several times proposed the social sides to come together at these platforms. ''Unfortunately, this did not happen and we submitted the draft law to the Council of Ministers and all of the ministers have signed it as of yesterday night.''

Okuyan said that the draft law foresaw legal grounds for dismissal of workers and prevention of dismissal of workers due to their membership to a labor union.

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