Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-12

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

12 MARCH

2001 Monday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] STATE MINISTER DERVIS (2):

[03] TWO AGREEMENTS ON NATURAL GAS PURCHASE FROM

[04] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING ENDS

[05] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING ENDS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

A DINNER TO MAKE PEACE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit will partake in dinner which will be hosted by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer in honor of Azerbaijani President Haydar Alivey. The dinner will be the first invitation of Prime Minister Ecevit at the Cankaya Presidential Palace following the row at meeting of the National Security Council.

TURKISH TRADE DELEGATION TO VISIT IRAQ
A delegation headed by Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen will go to Iraq. More than 200 businessmen and bureaucrats will participate in the visit.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

MILD EARTHQUAKE JOLTS AKSARAY
A mild earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale jolted central province of Aksaray at 09:21 p.m. on Sunday. Istanbul-based Kandilli Observatory Seismology Institute noted that the earthquake was centered on Aksaray. There were not any immediate reports of casualties or financial damages in the quake which was also felt in neighboring settlement units.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

SECOND FOREIGN TRADE VISIT TO BE PAID TO IRAQ
The second visit of the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat which is organized to assess the trade potential in Iraq will start on Monday. Many businessmen from food sector, spare parts and automative sector will participate in the visit. Kursad Tuzmen, the foreign trade undersecretary will also attend the visit.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

SECURITY FORCES PREVENT CEREMONIES IN GAZI NEIGHBORHOOD
Residents in Gazi neighborhood in Istanbul wanted to hold a demonstration to mark the sixth anniversary of incidents in which 17 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured. Thousands of security officials have been deployed in the neighborhood, and tight measures have been taken to prevent the demonstration. Hundreds of people were detained. Relatives of those who were killed six years ago, called on government to bring the murderers to the justice.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

PRESIDENT ALIYEV OF AZERBAIJAN DUE IN TURKEY
President Haydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan will come to Turkey on Monday on a five-day visit as the guest of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. President Aliyev will inform President Sezer on his contacts with Armenian President Robert Kocharian in France. Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether or not Turkey and Azerbaijan will sign intergovernmental agreement about natural gas purchase.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

SECOND FOREIGN TRADE VISIT TO BE PAID TO IRAQ
The second visit of the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat which is organized to assess the trade potential in Iraq will start on Monday. Many businessmen from food sector, spare parts and automative sector will participate in the visit. Kursad Tuzmen, the foreign trade undersecretary will also attend the trip.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

PROFESSOR MELEN SAYS INVESTORS IN ANATOLIA AND TURKISH YOUTH ARE
HOPES FOR FUTURE
Professor Mithat Melen, who is known with his views on vision of Turkey, said we should have hope despite the current economic crisis in Turkey. We should benefit from the dynamism of Turkey, said Melen, adding that the youth and investors in Anatolia are two reasons why we should have hope for the future of Turkey.

-STATE MINISTER DERVIS (1):
-''WE HAVE TO TAKE RAPID AND CERTAIN STEPS''
ISTANBUL - State Minister Kemal Dervis who had visited the U.S. to resign from his post at the World Bank and to hold talks with financial circles, returned to Turkey late on Sunday.

Staging a press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after his arrival, Dervis stressed, ''we have to take rapid and certain steps. At the same time, we should explain these steps to the people to secure their support.''

Noting that he had resigned from his post at the World Bank, Dervis told reporters, ''I held talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Horst Koehler, his aide Stanley Fischer and World Bank President James Wolfensohn. They have been monitoring all developments in Turkish economy. I informed them on our works. I told them that all institutions in Turkey had been expending efforts to prepare a serious, consistent program having a social dimension as soon as possible. I underlined importance of the program's having political and social support. I told them that we would prepare a national program and ask for support from international organizations like the IMF, and friendly countries.''

''I will meet with officials at the Treasury at 06:30 a.m. on Monday. We will scrutinize our works. Later, I will come together with deputy prime ministers to take an important step in preparing the program,'' he noted.

Dervis added, ''we have to take rapid and certain steps. At the same time, we should explain these steps to the people to secure their support. A serious crisis can be turned into an important opportunity. If we succeed in seizing this opportunity, Turkey can have a stable and developing economy distributing the national income fairly.''

(To be continued)

[02] STATE MINISTER DERVIS (2):

Staging a press conference at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after his arrival, Dervis said, ''the program may need some new legal arrangements. We will submit these arrangements to the parliament. I think that the government would explain the program to the people and ask for support from them.''

Noting that he had held beneficial contacts in the U.S., Dervis said that everyone was waiting for Turkey's new program.

''Both international institutions and friendly nations are supportive. We need to announce our program in detail first, and I am sure that we will secure the support,'' he told reporters.

Responding to a question about new appointments, Dervis gave no certain name, and said, ''it is necessary and beneficial to make some important appointments.''

Responding to another question, Dervis told reporters, ''we have to prepare the program as soon as possible. It is extremely important in regard to relieve the markets.''

Noting that the banking sector was an important part of the current crisis, Dervis said, ''we have to implement productive solutions as soon as possible both in the public and private sectors.''

Later, Dervis left Istanbul for Ankara.

(End)

[03] TWO AGREEMENTS ON NATURAL GAS PURCHASE FROM

Officials from Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said works regarding the purchase of natural gas from Azerbaijan which had started in October were finalized and agreements on the issue would be signed on Monday.

The intergovernmental agreement will be signed by the Energy Ministers of the two countries and in presence of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev.

The agreement was completed following the consultations between the Azerbaijani working group and the Turkish working group which is comprised of officials from Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry, and State Run Oil Pipeline Company (BOTAS).

The natural gas purchase agreement will be signed by BOTAS and SOCAR, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, in presence of energy ministers of both countries.

Officials said the purchase of natural gas would start in 2004 with an amount of two billion cubic meters, adding that 6.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas would be purchased annually.

This natural gas purchase would continue for 15 years said officials, adding that the Azerbaijani natural gas was the cheapest purchased by BOTAS when other natural gas purchase contracts signed by BOTAS were considered.

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT:
-''DISINFLATION PROCESS WILL ACCELERATE
AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL DIFFICULT MONTHS''
ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said on Sunday, ''decrease in inflation rates in recent months is a sign of Turkish economy's potential. Therefore, I am hopeful about the future. Disinflation process will accelerate again after several difficult months.''

Speaking at a television program on the private TV 8 Channel, Prime Minister Ecevit said, ''Turkey has been experiencing a difficult period in its economy, but Turkey has great opportunities. Turkey has recorded important progress in industry during the last 15-20 years. A new generation of entrepreneurs has appeared.''

''A serious decrease was recorded in inflation rates during the 57th government. This positive decrease cannot be maintained for the next few months due to current economic crisis. Decrease in inflation rates in recent months is a sign of Turkish economy's potential. Therefore, I am hopeful about the future. Disinflation process will accelerate again after several difficult months,'' he said.

Stressing that the new exchange rate policy would give rise to export, Ecevit said, ''such a development will make an important contribution to production in general. Acceleration in export will also speed up our production. If our exporters and industrialists come together and prepare a joint working program, they can accelerate more the production process.''

''We expect an important increase in number of foreign tourists coming to Turkey as a result of our new exchange rate policy. This increase will make an important contribution to domestic production and services sector,'' he said.

Ecevit emphasized, ''one of the most important problems to be taken up is banking and finance sector. Many economic problems including high rates of inflations stem from long-standing problems in banking and finance sectors. Our government is determined to struggle against these problems.''

-A TOTAL OF 1.1 MILLION TURKISH EMPLOYERS WORK IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
ANKARA - A total of 3 million 518 thousand 788 Turkish citizens are living in foreign countries. 1 million 170 thousand 226 of them are working in these countries.

According to the Labour and Social Security Ministry's data, 1 million 26 thousand 618 Turkish people are working in West European countries, 5 thousand 381 in Turkish Republics, 115 thousand 750 in Middle Eastern and North African countries, and 22 thousand 477 in other countries.

Most of the Turkish workers are in Germany, Saudi Arabia, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Britain. There are a few Turkish workers in Belarus, Luxembourg, Jordan, South Africa, Qatar and Lichtenstein.

A total of 3 million 112 thousand 983 Turkish citizens are living in West European countries, 23 thousand 50 in Turkish Republics, 122 thousand 380 in Middle Eastern and North African countries, and 260 thousand 375 in other countries.

Most of the Turkish citizens live in Germany, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Austria, the U.S., Belgium, Switzerland, Britain and Australia.

According to the Labour and Social Security Ministry's data, number of Turkish citizens and Turkish workers in foreign countries are as follows:

Number of Turkish Number of Turkish

Countries citizens workers

--------- ----------------- ----------------
Germany 2,053,654 76,219

France 301,209 76,122

the Netherlands 299,909 51,000

Austria 134,229 48,057

Belgium 70,701 25,874

Sweden 38,844 3,200

Britain 72,500 40,450

Denmark 36,569 10,739

Italy 10,000

Finland 3,325

Spain 1,000

Luxembourg 210 60

Switzerland 80,114 33,558

Norway 10,000 6,000

Lichtenstein 809 339

Azerbaijan 5,000 2,000

Turkmenistan 5,000

Uzbekistan 3,700 1,881

Kazakhstan 7,000

Kyrgyzstan 2,050 1,500

Tajikistan 300

Saudi Arabia 115,000 110,000

Libya 2,850 2,400

Kuwait 3,000 2,750

Jordan 1,130 200

Qatar 400 400

Russia 30,000 10,514

Belarus 70 4

Georgia 1,200 500

Ukraine 800 350

Moldova 200

Israel 10,000

Japan 1,729 1,729

the U.S. 130,000

Canada 35,000

Australia 50,876 9,130

South Africa 500 250

-FOREIGN TRADE UNDERSECRETARY TUZMEN:
-''WE WILL PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTARY EXPORT OPPORTUNITY OF
500-600 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AS A RESULT OF INCREASING
TRADE VOLUME WITH NEIHBORING COUNTRIES''
ANKARA - Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen said on Monday, ''we will provide a supplementary export opportunity of 500-600 million U.S. dollars as a result of increasing trade volume with neighboring countries and their neighbors.''

Tuzmen staged a press conference before leaving for Iraq and Jordan.

Speaking at the press conference, Tuzmen said, ''Turkey has decided to increase its trade with neighboring countries. Turkey's trade volume with neighboring countries account for only 5-8 percent of its total trade volume. Turkey's increasing its trade with neighboring countries will make an important contribution to regional peace and stability.''

Noting that Turkey had a significant position in its geography, Tuzmen said, ''we will pay visits to Iraq and Jordan. During our visit to Iraq between March 12 and 16, we will hold contacts with high-level Iraqi officials. Within framework of our visit, several seminars will be held to introduce Turkey. After wrapping up our contacts in Iraq, we will proceed to Jordan on March 16. Jordan has succeeded in reviving its economy in the wake of the Gulf War. There is a special economic zone in Jordan.''

''Turkey's export to neighboring Iran increased nearly 53 percent this year. Our export to Iraq increased more than 50 percent, and our export to Greece increased 14 percent. In the last 18 months, oil prices increased. This development caused an important increase in incomes in Gulf states. We think that Turkey should get its share from this increase. We will provide a supplementary export opportunity of 500-600 million U.S. dollars as a result of increasing trade volume with neighboring countries and their neighbors,'' he added.

-SECOND EUROPEAN-MEDITERRANEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS FORUM
ANKARA - Women parliamentarians, who represented Turkey at the Second European-Mediterranean Women Parliamentarians Forum, said their participation to the meeting was beneficial for Turkey's promotion and its acquisitions.

Oya Akgonenc, the Virtue Party (FP) parliamentarian; Ayse Gurocak, the Democratic Left Party (DSP) parliamentarian; Isilay Saygin, the Motherland Party (ANAP) Izmir parliamentarian, and Nesrin Unal, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Antalya parliamentarian, who had attended the meeting that took place in Malta in March 1-3, staged a news conference in the Parliament. Unal did not attend the news conference.

Gurocak read out the text which was prepared regarded with the meeting.

Gurocak said Nesrin Unal made a general evaluation about ''globalization and women,'' during the meeting in Malta, and that she herself focused on the idea that globalization should be turned into a process working for people and communities not for economy.

Gurocak said Saygin pointed out the difficulties which women met in globalization, noting that Akgonenc conveyed her views regarded with the influences of globalization on women.

Gurocak said they launched initiatives for Turkey to host the meeting in the year 2003, noting that their proposal was supported in principle.

[04] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING ENDS

Speaking after the Council of Ministers meeting which took place under the leadership of prime minister Bulent Ecevit, Gurel said prime minister Ecevit, who addressed the opening of the meeting, pointed out that prepations of the new economic program was carried out by state minister Kemal Dervis. Gurel said the prime minister stressed that the new program, which will be prepared soon, will have a national quality, and that cooperation would be made with the IMF and the World Bank at preparation and execution stages.

Recalling that state minister Dervis did not attend today's meeting, Gurel said Dervis would attend the works of the Council of Ministers after taking oath in the Parliament.

Gurel also said Enis Oksuz, the transportation minister, briefed about the rapid train projects during the meeting, adding that, ''if rapid train project takes place in railways, which did not record a new development particularly in the past 50 years, a giant step would be taken. The Council of Ministers decided in principle that works on the issue would be carried out in Transportation Ministry, and would later be brought to the High Planning Council.''

Gurel said environment minister Fevzi Aytekin and tourism minister Erkan Mumcu briefed about the works of their ministries.

[05] COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MEETING ENDS

Responding to the questions of reporters following the Council of Ministers meeting, Gurel said, ''national economic program will be a program which we prepare by considering our conditions.'' However, cooperation would continue with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank at preparation and implementation stages, he added.

When asked if privatization, inflation target, providing source from the IMF and the World Bank, and internal sources were discussed during the meeting, Gurel said the new national economic program has not been completed yet, noting that preparations continued in technical stage.

Pointing out that the state minister Kemal Dervis provided coordination on the issue, Gurel said there was not a detailed information regarded with the economic program, and noted that the prime minister only briefed about the general quality of the economic program.

-AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV IN ANKARA
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Monday welcomed Azerbaijani President Haydar Aliyev with an official ceremony.

Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, State Minister Abdulhaluk Cay, State Minister Yuksel Yalova, Finance Minister Sumer Oral, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Cumhur Ersumer, Culture Minister Istemihan Talay, and Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Yigit Alpogan also attended the ceremony.

Addressing the opening of the ceremony, Sezer said Turkey and Azerbaijan were the two important countries of the same region. Sezer said foreign policy targets and point of views of the two countries became closer due to the specialities of the mutual geography and their growing importance in international relations. Sezer said, ''the developments that were recorded revealed that the policies we followed should be complementary and support each other.''

Sezer said all dimensions of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations would be discussed during the visit of Aliyev, noting that they would seek for ways to improve trade relations.

''We will review the situation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline project, which will form the most important part of East-West energy corridor, and we will evaluate the works we should do to implement this draft soon.''

''It is a very positive development that we will sign an agreement during the visit of Aliyev pertaining to the purchase of natural gas of Shah Deniz. With this agreement, which confirms our determination to bring Azerbaijan's natural gas to Turkey, an important step would be taken to realize the other pipeline projects,'' Sezer stressed.

Sezer said Turkey and Azerbaijan would evaluate the proposals which will turn the Caspian Sea into a transit road between Europe and Central Asia and a functional intersection point, noting that they would also discuss regional and international issues which concern the two countries.

Pointing out that Aliyev's visit has a special importance when the developments that were recorded in the region and the stage reached in Upper Karabakh peace process is taken into consideration, Sezer said, ''problems that exist in Caucasus region bottleneck regional cooperation facilities and lessen the expectations toward establishment of lasting peace, confidence, stability and good neighborhood relations. We will discuss Upper Karabakh conflict and the stage in peace process today.''

Sezer said they would also discuss problems of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic.

The guest president Aliyev in his part said relations between the two countries were very positive in every field, noting that this positive cooperation should be further developed.

Pointing out that trade relations with Turkey were important for Azerbaijan, Aliyev said, 20 percent of Azeri territories are under the Armenian occupation for 12 years, and more than one million Azerbaijani people live in tents under difficult conditions.

Aliyev said Armenian-Azeri conflict should be solved, noting that they needed consultations for the solution of this problem through peaceful means.

Interdelegational talks would start following tete-a-tete meeting between Sezer and Aliyev.

-CLOSURE CASE AGAINST FP
-FP DEPUTY KAMALAK SUBMITS FP'S PRELIMINARY DEFENSE
TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
ANKARA - The Virtue Party (FP) on Monday submitted its preliminary defense to the Constitutional Court against the additional indictment in closure case.

Mustafa Kamalak, the FP Kahramanmaras parliamentarian, handed over the preliminary defense to Ismet Yagci, the Constitutional Court concerned official.

Responding to the questions of reporters regarded with the preliminary defense, Kamalak said it was comprised of 41 pages.

Kamalak said in the preliminary defense they showed as an example the True Path Party (DYP), about which a closure case had been opened earlier, and that demand for closure was rejected.

Vural Savas, former chief prosecutor of Supreme Court of Appeals, had filed a suit on May 7, 1999 saying FP ''was a successor of the banned Welfare Part (RP), and that ''it became a focus of anti-secularist activities.'' In the second process, the preliminary defense will be send to Supreme Court of Appeals Prosecutorship.

Sabih Kanadoglu, the Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor will express his views concerning the merits of the case against the preliminary defense.

Kanadoglu's views will be conveyed to the FP, and FP will give its final defense. Following these procedures, Kanadoglu will make verbal statements, and FP officials will make verbal defense.

Mehmet Turhan, the rapporteur of the case, will consider all the defenses pertaining to the additional indictment, and prepare an additional report. A decision will be given at a date that will be set by Mustafa Bumin, the Constitutional Court Chairman.

Kanadoglu had prepared an additional indictment when the Constitutional Court did not accept the video footage related to the first regular congress of FP as evidence.

Kanadoglu in his additional indictment said the sub-title writing ''Mujahidin Erbakan,'' indicating Necmettin Erbakan, the leader of the banned RP, in FP's first regular congress, was an evidence that FP was a successor of the RP, and claimed that FP should be banned in this respect.

The Constitutional Court decided to combine additional indictment of Kanadoglu with the main case, and demanded preliminary defense from the FP against the additional indictment.

-FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES
ISTANBUL/ANKARA - Buying and selling prices of U.S. dollar, German mark and British pound in Istanbul and Ankara as of 5 p.m. on Monday are as follows:

ISTANBUL FREE MARKET Buying Selling

-------------------- ------- ------
U.S. dollar 920,000 930,000

German mark 440,000 443,000

British pound 1,420,000 1,300,000

Swiss franc 590,350 574,150

French franc 138,250 135,000

ANKARA FREE MARKET

German mark 440.000 450.000

British pound 1.370.000 1.460.000

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