Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-02-19

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

19 FEBRUARY

2001 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL MUNCIH TOURISM FAIR

[03] TRUCK COLLIDES WITH SCHOOL BUS

[04] G-20 MEETING STARTS IN ISTANBUL

[05] FISCHER, THE IMF DEPUTY DIRECTOR:

[06] NSC MEETING

[07] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: (2)

[08] CENTRAL BANK GIVES MARKET 1.2 QUADRILLION

[09] TURKEY-IRAQI FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION: ''WE SHARE SUFFERINGS OF

[10] POLICE DETAINS GROUP WHICH PROTESTS G-20 MEETING IN ISTANBUL

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM DUE IN ITALY

[12] U.N. CONFERENCE AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION STARTS IN TEHRAN

[13] DANGER IN ENTRANCE OF ISTANBUL STRAIT

[14] ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN ISRAEL

[15] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK SAYS THAT IT NOT

[16] TUSIAD SAYS RECENT CRISIS SHOULD BE SOLVED TODAY

[17] PREMIER ECEVIT SAYS GOVERNMENT IS IN FULL CHARGE

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

AJDA PEKKAN CANCELS HER CONCERT IN FRANCE
Ajda Pekkan, a well known Turkish pop singer, who will give a concert in Olympia Hall, Paris, cancelled her concert in France as the French parliament adopted the law on so-called genocide on Armenians. The concert was to be held with the participation of famous singers such as Enrico Macias. The organizer of the event Erkan Ozerman said Pekkan will not participate in the concert titled The Music of Suleyman the Magnificent which will be held in June.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TRADE WITH IRAQ TO CONTINUE DESPITE U.S.
Tunca Toskay, the state minister, said relations developing between Turkey and Iraq in the recent times, would not be interrupted despite the bombing which the U.S. made on Iraq. Toskay said postponement of scheduled visit of Foreign Trade delegation to Baghdad in March and discussion of bilateral economic relations were not in question within this framework.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

FISCHER, IMF'S FIRST DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ARRIVES IN TURKEY
Stanley Fischer, the first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrived in Turkey to attend the G-20 meetings in Istanbul. After wrapping up his contacts in Istanbul, Fischer will proceed to Ankara and will meet with Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Selcuk Demiralp, the undersecretary of the treasury.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

NATIONAL PROGRAM IN NSC
The draft National Program, which will form European Union (EU) ''road map'' of Turkey, will be brought to the agenda of the National Security Council (NSC). The regular monthly meeting of the NSC will take place under the leadership of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Council will discuss the results obtained in struggle against the illegal activities, the Middle East peace process, regional developments, and other regional developments. Another important issue that will be discussed in the meeting would be the National Program.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

TANTAN ISSUES KOBI CIRCULAR
Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan called on the governors of 81 governors to take required measures to re-open the small and medium scale enterprises which were closed or work in low capacity. Tantan issued a circular and said the developments would enliven economic life and help security and tranquility to be settled.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

BULGARIAN ENERGY TO BE DOUBLED
Turkey which couldn't have the opportunity to implement nuclear power plant project for thirty years is planning to overcome energy shortage with help of its neighboring countries. Turkey and Bulgaria have reached a new agreement on increase of transfer of 2.5 billion kwh energy to 6 billion kwh.

ILLEGAL LABOR PROFITEERING
According to a research made by Confederation of Turkish Labor Unions (Turk- Is), the state suffered a 2 quadrillion 254 trillion 860 billion TL loss in one year as five million people were employed illegally.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

CRISIS COST 700 TRILLION TL
The crisis which erupted in November of 2000 costed 700 trillion TL to the state and people. Treasury Undersecretariat became obliged to make additional 700 trillion TL of interest payment from the budget which is formed with taxes paid by people, in order to borrow money from banks. Meanwhile, sources said that local and foreign investors who incited bad news and demanded great amount of profit to make the Treasury endure high interest had destroyed the markets.

THEIR NAME IS NOW SUMERBANK
Permission to Egebank, Yurtbank, Yasarbank and Bank Kapital to offer banking services was lifted. These banks were earlier included in the structure of Sumerbank.

STRAITS BECOMING VESSEL CEMETERY
Intense vessel traffic at Straits increased number of vessel accidents. A cargo vessel sank in the Straits early on Sunday as the 35th shipwreck.

[02] TURKEY PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL MUNCIH TOURISM FAIR

Visitors show great interest to the stand of Turkey in the fair, sources said adding that they were hopeful for the tourism season in 2001.

Many travel agencies and Tourism Foundation of southern Alanya township promote their activities for the new tourism season at the stand of Turkey.

Tents, yachts, and caravans are also being exhibited in the fair to which a total of 1093 participants from 50 countries are attending.

The International Munich Fair will remain open till February 25.

[03] TRUCK COLLIDES WITH SCHOOL BUS

Sources said that the minibus which was bringing students from Asagi Yenikoy village to center of Golova collided with a truck while it was entering the main road.

In the accident, the driver of the minibus and six students were killed and four students were injured.

''CLAIMS OF SO-CALLED GENOCIDE ON ARMENIANS AND THE FACTS'' CONFERENCE IN
LONDON

-PROF ATAOV: ''TURKEY SHOULD FIND A WAY
TO ANNUL THE DECISIONS''
LONDON - British Kemalist Thought Association staged a conference titled, ''Claims of So-Called Genocide on Armenians and the Facts.'' Prof. Turkkaya Ataov, who addressed the conference, pointed out that Turkey should find a way to annul the decisions taken by parliaments of many countries, mainly the French Parliament, regarded with claims of so-called genocide on Armenians.

Pointing out that the Armenians, and the countries supporting them found a new way; that is, to ''form a parallelism between the claims of so-called genocide on Armenians and the facts of the Holocaust, and to link the claims of the so-called genocide on Armenians with the Holocaust,'' Ataov said, ''however, they would not be able to achieve this, because everywhere in history is full of the evidences of the genocide committed against the Jews. There is not any evidence of genocide in the Ottoman-Armenian relations.''

Ataov said if Turkey manages to annul the decisions which passed from the parliaments of some countries, there would not be any other way which the Armenians would try. ''They may apply to any court they want. None of them will accept the incidents, experienced in history, as genocide. In the genocide agreement, which was signed in 1948, the description of genocide was made openly. The things experienced in history are not appropriate to this description.''

Recalling that the Armenians defended that the incidents in 1915 were the first genocide of the 20th century, Ataov said, ''the first genocide of the 20th century in fact is the atrocities made against the Turks during the First and Second Balkan wars. If one is looking for a genocide, then the genocides in the 20th century start with this. Its date is 1912 and 1913, not 1915.

Ataov said the jews, who were massacred in many regions of the world throughout history always regarded the Ottomans and the Turks as the place to shelter, noting that the French, who handed over 200,000 Jews to Germany during the Second World War, today accuse others of committing genocide.

Ataov said the Armenians lived comfortably in the period of the Ottomans that cannot be compared with the Jews living in any other regions of the world, and recalled that there were Armenians who had acted as foreign minister in the war period. ''The foreign minister of the Ottomans was an Armenian during the Balkan War. Two years after this, the Armenians claimed that genocide was committed on them. Isn't it clear that there is not such a thing.''

Ataov said another important aspect of the genocide was that only one of the sides would be armed, adding that, ''in fact, Armenians were armed in 1915. They had formed gangs and fought against Turkish soldiers collaborating with the enemy. Those are the informations that are existent in the documents written by them.''

Ataov said the Ottoman Empire was not an enemy of Christians, and that the Empire lived together with the Christian population for 218 years, and pointed out that the Ottoman empire did not impose anything to change them.

Pointing out that Fatih Sultan Mehmet was the Ottoman Sultan who made the first Armenian church to be founded in 1461, Ataov said, ''that church celebrates the 540th anniversary of its foundation today.''

Speaking about the deportation of the Armenians, Ataov said the deportation was made to keep those who made treachery away from the fronts. Ataov said the inexperienced government made some mistakes during the deportation, and he accepted that attacks were staged on the immigrating groups.

He said, ''We don't say nothing happened. However, there was not a genocide. An Armenian was acting as the chairman of municipality theatre in Istanbul when there was the immigration. The attacks did not occur with the order and the plans of the state. Those who gave decisions do not say some unfortunate incidents occured. They claim that genocide occured. That's why, I say they cannot win in any court they applied. Because there is no incident in the history that fits to the definition of genocide.''

[04] G-20 MEETING STARTS IN ISTANBUL

Decisions that can be taken by international organizations and national authorities to maximize profits and minimize negativities of globalization, strategies that can be developed in international platforms, and steps that can be taken for more fair participation of all nations and international trade will be the main issues of the meeting which will end on Monday afternoon.

Global issues like reducing poverty, as well as function of private sector in solution of financial sector are expected to be discussed at the meeting.

G-20 group was formed on Sept. 26, 1999 by industrialized seven countries; 11 countries namely Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and institutions like IMF, World Bank and EU.

[05] FISCHER, THE IMF DEPUTY DIRECTOR:

Fischer said they might stage a news conference on Monday evening following their meetings with the government officials.

Fischer said they would probably leave Turkey on Tuesday.

The IMF delegation, led by Fischer, wants structural reforms like the Draft Law on Electricity Market to be speeded up.

Financial sector and privatization issues are expected to be discussed during IMF delegation's contacts in Ankara on Monday.

[06] NSC MEETING

Speaking to reporters at the Prime Ministry building, Ecevit said, ''an extremely regretful incident occurred today. At the opening of the NSC meeting, before starting to discuss the agenda articles, the President took floor and made accusations against me in front of the public officials in an incredibly impolite manner. His attitude, which was not seen before, contradicted with our state traditions.''

Ecevit said, ''either I would respond him in the same manner, or I would leave. I preferred to leave the meeting. Other ministers, who were there, also left the meeting. This is a serious crisis. We will be able to find a solution to this. We will make a detailed statement to the public after discussing the issue with the members of the Council of Ministers.''

[07] PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT: (2)

When asked on what issues President Ahmet Necdet Sezer critized him, Ecevit said, ''I don't want to discuss the details now. We should focus on and think on it.''

Ecevit refrained from responding to the questions asking if the government would resign or the Council of Ministers could convene to discuss the issue.

Mesut Yilmaz, the Deputy Prime Minister and the State Minister; Husamettin Ozkan, the Deputy Prime Minister and the State Minister; Saadettin Tantan, the Interior Minister; and Sabahattin Cakmakoglu, the National Defense Minister, were in attendance during Ecevit's statements.

[08] CENTRAL BANK GIVES MARKET 1.2 QUADRILLION

The composite interest became 59.68 percent and the minimum simple interest rate became 59.68 percent in the auction.

[09] TURKEY-IRAQI FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION: ''WE SHARE SUFFERINGS OF

''Turkish people are very concerned about the hardships Iraqi people have to face,'' the statement said. ''We would like to emphasize that we support and share the sufferings of the Iraqi nation.''

[10] POLICE DETAINS GROUP WHICH PROTESTS G-20 MEETING IN ISTANBUL

A group of 40 people gathered in front of Hyatt Regency Hotel where the meeting is held. Deputy finance ministers and central bank deputy governors of the participating countries are attending the meeting. The group shouted slogans saying ''No to global capitalism and IMF'' and read a press statement.

The demonstrators later walked towards the hall where the meeting was going on and threw coins and rotten eggs at the hall. After the incident, they were detained by the security forces who came to the scene.

Anti-globalists first held a protest in the World Trade Organization's meeting in Seattle. They continued their protests in World Bank, IMF and World Economic Forum meetings in Davos.

The demonstrators are protesting globalization and international organizations. The group which called itself A-Platform was reported to have been formed on the internet.

[11] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM DUE IN ITALY

Cem, who will visit Rome following his visit to Portugal, is scheduled to meet with Lamberto Dini, his Italian counterpart, on Wednesday.

''Italy-Turkey Intergovernmental Science and Technological Cooperation Agreement,'' will be signed during Cem's contacts in Italy.

Diplomatic sources said scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, exchange of personnel and project, inclusion of private sector to the relations between the institutions, and granting technical scholarships are included within the context of the agreement.

It was reported that the agreement would be valid for five years at the first stage, and that the time may be extended upon the confirmation of the sides.

Foreign Minister Cem will proceed to Skopje on February 22 following his two-day visit to Italy.

Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini had paid an official visit to Turkey in September 1999.

[12] U.N. CONFERENCE AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION STARTS IN TEHRAN

A delegation headed by State Minister Sukru Sina Gurel is attending the conference with observor status. Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and U.N. Human Rights Higher Commissary Mary Robinson spoke at the opening.

Kharrazi said that racism still existed in the world although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights rejects racism and racial discrimination and added that revival of Zionism in the Middle East was a clear example of this situation. The Iranian foreign minister indicated that dialogue between different civilizations and cultures was the most effective way to fight against all types of intolerance and xenophobia.

Robinson, after thanking the Iranian government for organizing the meeting, pointed out that the U.N. declared the year 2001 as ''year of dialogue between civilizations'' through the initiative of Iran. She said that the conference in Tehran was the last regional conference before the World Conference which will be held in South Africa in August. She also called on countries which hasn't yet signed the International Convention Against Racial Discrimination to sign this document and recognize the authority of the Committee Against Racial Discrimination which was set up under this convention.

She also said that the countries should make improvements in their national laws to make them in line with the convention's rules.

Gurel will make a speech in the afternoon session.

[13] DANGER IN ENTRANCE OF ISTANBUL STRAIT

The Maltese-fllaged ''Khaleda,'' tried to enter to the Istanbul Strait before waiting for the Ahirkapi Traffic Control Station, which regulated the traffic flow in the strait, to make a schedule.

''Khaleda,'' had a last minute escape from colliding with Norwegian-flagged ''Spareigot,'' cargo ship which entered the strait at the same moment. The two cargo ships suffered minor damages as they rubbed each other at a few points.

''Spareigot,'' was on her way to Bulgaria carrying 11.965 tonnes of coal, and ''Khaleda,'' was on her way to Ukraine. ''Khaleda,'' was empty.

[14] ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN ISRAEL

Terzioglu noted that the aim of the program was to further develop the relations with modern Turkey.

''Within the framework of the program, joint meetings are held and lecturers are exchanged between the two countries. The Israeli students' coming to Turkey to work are ensured,'' Terzioglu said.

Reminding the listeners that the past, today and future of Turkey's economy was discussed in the meeting which was held in Israel last year, Terzioglu said that this year, the Israeli economy is being debated.

Professor Yaakov Kop, the Director of Israeli Social Policy Researches Center, a lecturer of the Ben-Gurion University, and the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Financial Department and World Bank Adviser, said that Israel did not take loan from the IMF when struggling with high inflation.

Kop noted that they did not demand monetary aid from the U.S. when the disinflation program was started to be implemented and that they only asked the U.S. to support when a bad situation occured.

The situation of Turkey and Israel are different, Kop stated.

Kop said that Turkey needs inflow of money and that the IMF generally recommends things when it extends assistance.

The governments are ready to adapt the recommendations, Kop noted, stating that but, they do not take into consideration the social results.

Kop added that in his opinion, the governments should not fully adapt the recommendations but should take into consideration their social effects.

[15] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK SAYS THAT IT NOT

Responding to a question asking if Ozbek scolded him as he wanted to change expert witnesses within the scope of the white energy investigation, Turk said that ''the operation white energy started with a tip to gendarme; thus, gendarme started the operation in the beginning. Under the laws, when security forces take an action in such a circumstance, it should inform the prosecutors about it and they should act according to the instruction of the prosecutors. This investigation is carried out upon the instruction of the prosecutor and by the cooperation of the gendarme. The issue of energy is a new issue for the State Security Courts (DGM). Before, DGMs were just hearing cases on security, particularly about terrorist incidents. But now, under Law on Fight with Organized Crime No. 4422, the DGMs started to deal with cases other than security. In preliminary investigation, prosecutors feel the need to apply to expert witnesses. But these persons should both be specialized in their issue and be objective. As it is known under the laws, explaining views about an issue is a reason for judges to be rejected from a case. Expert witnesses can also be rejected upon the same basis.''

Turk said that he told Ankara DGM Prosecutor Talat Salk that they heard some information saying that some expert witnesses had expressed their views about the incident earlier and they can't be considered as impartial and he requested Salk to evaluate this.

Turk said that General Ozbek told him during his visit that the experts have carried out this mission since the very beginning and that a change may hinder the mission.

Turk said, ''but, as you said in your question, it is nobody's business to scold a minister. This is out of question.''

The meeting between him and General Ozbek or Prosecutor Talat Salk were exaggerated in the press, Turk noted, and went on saying, ''I cannot know the reason of this. But, it seems that a meeting held between two people were told to unauthorized people and those people reflected this meeting to the press.''

Turk noted that it is obvious that reflecting a meeting held between two people to unauthorized people cannot coincide with the feeling of responsibility that all public officials should have.

In such investigations, the security forces should be under the commmand of the prosecutors, Turk said, noting that nobody should think of the opposite.

Turk stated that they did not intervene in the delegation of experts.

When asked whether or not they informed Premier Bulent Ecevit about the issue, Turk said, ''yes.''

When reminded that Salk had said that they prevented military intervention between 1991 and 1995 by their efforts and asked his evaluations, Turk said, ''I cannot say anything about this issue. I do not have clear information that Salk had said that. Some incidents and some speeches are exaggerated by the press.''

When reminded that a report accusing the ministers was submitted to Ecevit, Turk said, ''I do not have any information about this. I have not received any information about this.''

When asked his evaluations about the conflicting statements regarding the missing two administrators of the People's Democracy Party (HADEP), Turk said, ''unfortunately, such incidents occur in our country from time to time. It is obligatory to exert all the necessary efforts to illuminate the incident and to find the missing people in the shortest time.''

[16] TUSIAD SAYS RECENT CRISIS SHOULD BE SOLVED TODAY

TUSIAD said that interest rates increased in a considerable extent, a high amount of foreign exchange left the financial system and the IMKB index decreased after the crisis in NSC.

''The cost of crisis in the state is very heavy. Everybody should act by knowing that and refrain from behaviours that will damage the economy,'' said TUSIAD.

The government has to show to the public opinion that it is aware of its responsibilities in a period when the inflation decreases, the economic programme starts to yield positive results and the EU membership process stayed on its track.

''If this necessary message is not given to the public opinion, all the sacrificies made for the implementation of the economic programme will all be in vain. National interests have to come first, and this crisis should be solved today,'' TUSIAD said.

[17] PREMIER ECEVIT SAYS GOVERNMENT IS IN FULL CHARGE

Issuing a statement while the cabinet meeting was continuing, Ecevit said that ''the incident caused by Mr. President during the National Security Council meeting today is very saddening. It is an incident which can't be seen in our state tradition. But the government is in full charge and it continues to implement the economic programme and regulations related to structural reforms in resolution. This incident will not affect the resolution of the government in implementing the economic programme in any way.''

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