Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-04-15

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NEWS

15 APRİL 2001 Sunday

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Three coalition leaders ended the populist extravagance era by their signature. Both the state and the citizens have spent more than their incomes for the last decade. Now, everybody will tighten belts. Debt, high interest rate and inflation monster will be annihilated. State Minister Kemal Dervis did not mention any name but said that all prime ministers who has taken the office since 1990 were responsible for the current situation.

MEANING OF DERVIS' TECHNICAL WORDS

The state will shrink 9 percent. Not even a single person will be employed as a civil servant from now on. The politicians will take their hands out of the public banks. The duty losses of the public banks will be transferred to the Treasury. Everything will be transparent and nothing will be hidden. The overtime and premium payments in the State Economic Enterprises (SEEs) will be lifted. The arbitrary increases in salaries which create differences in class among civil servants will be lifted. Subsidies for the farmers will be taken under control. These are what the state will do. The private banks will make real banking transactions. The capital of the banks will be increased and their structure be strengthened. Everybody cannot open a bank. In respect of the citizens, there will be no taxes. The tax control will increase and punishments will be in line with the inflation rate. Anti-corruption efforts will continue and the fuel oil prices will be arranged in accordance with the U.S. dollar.

THOSE WHO SUPPORT NEW PROGRAM

Fuat Miras, the chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), said that although the new program has some deficiencies, it is positive. Husamettin Kavi, the chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO), said that this new program will end the uneasiness. Lutfi Yenel of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) said that the program gave some good messages while Dervis Gunday, the chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Artisans (TESK), said they have to accept the program even if it is not a good one.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit told IMF Managing Director who called him the previous night that they extended full support to the new economic program. Prime Minister said that the way of foreign support has been paved. After watching the press conference of State Minister Kemal Dervis on the television, Ecevit came together with his partners. All the coalition leaders told reporters that they extend full support to the new economic program. Prime Minister said, ''the previous night, IMF Managing Director Koehler called me on the phone. I expressed our support and determination about the program.'' Thus, the coalition leaders have overcome the question marks about the political support which is important for the inflow of foreign aid.

BOTH HIS SPEECH AND COLOUR HE CHOOSE GOOD

Experts evaluated the body language and choice of clothes of State Minister Kemal Dervis when he was unveiling the new economic program. Necile Deliceoglu, an expert on colours, said, ''the shirt he wore was a correct choice. Blue is the colour of harmony.'' Azmi Ozkardes, an expert on body language, said, ''solidarity and friends were the words he used the most during his press conference. He attributes importance to team work.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

The year-end wholesale inflation is estimated as 57.6 percent while the year-end consumer inflation as 52.5 percent. The inflation rate will decrease around 20 percent next year. Thus, only one year will be lost.

ECONOMY WILL SHRINK THREE PERCENT THIS YEAR

The new economic program foresaw 3 percent shrinkage this year. But, the economy will grow 5 percent next year.

10-12 BILLION U.S. DOLLAR FOREIGN SUPPORT TO PROGRAM

The new economic program was submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday. State Minister Kemal Dervis said that they expect 10-12 billion U.S. dollar foreign support and that the foreign aid will become definite next week.

SIGNAL THAT 'U.S. DOLLAR WILL INCREASE'

Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti said that one U.S. dollar is equivalent to 1 million 250 Turkish liras (TL) and that the U.S. dollar has a 20 percent excessive value against the TL. This means that one U.S. dollar has to be around 1 million TL for the time being.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

When 178 days have passed since the hunger strikes and death fasts have been started in the prisons, Murat Coban, who was imprisoned in Sincan F type prison, died at Numune Hospital. Insensitivity claimed lives of 11 people.

WORKERS CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO RESIGN

Members of Labour Platform convened in Istanbul and held a demonstration named ''No to Corruption and Poverty.'' Thousands of workers said that their voice has to be heard rather than the voice of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and called on the the government to resign.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

Transportation Minister Enis Oksuz, who went to his election area by a private plane and attended an inauguration, thinks that this visit did not cause any losses to the state. Oksuz said, ''that plane is continuously flying from one place to another. It also carried me. 27 billion Turkish liras (TL) were not spent for me. So why should I pay it?''

TELEKOM AND THY

The laws of tobacco, sugar and natural gas will increase the competition and facilitate privatization. The block sale of shares of Turk Telekom will stay below 50 percent. The airlines will freely determine the internal flight prices.

SAVINGS OF STATE

The expenditures will be decreased by 9 percent. The increase in number of personnel except those working in education, health and security systems, will be limited.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Common sense prevailed in the demonstrations held by the Labour Platform in 55 provinces. The incitements of provocateurs in Istanbul were useless. The demonstrators in Ankara showed their reaction against the ban of demonstrations in Ankara by tying their mouths by sticky tape.

CILLER: ''SNOW HAS FALLEN ON HOPE''

Touching on the new economic program, Tansu Ciller, the leader of the True Path Party (DYP), said that snow has fallen on hopes of people. Ciller said that this program disappointed the people.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Bayram Meral, the chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is), said that the economic program was prepared in line with the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and that it will not solve the problems. Salim Uslu, the Chairman of Moral Rights Workers Union (Hak- Is), said that the program was deprived of elements which would solve injustice in income, unemployment, hunger and poverty.

SECOND GAZI INCIDENT

Is this a coincidence? Second Gazi Ercel scandal is being experienced in economy. Osman Tunaboylu, the general director of the Ziraat Bankasi, was revealed to change his Turkish lira (TL) account into U.S. dollars two days before the devaluation. When investigation into Ercel continues, Tunaboylu was revealed to change his 102 billion TL account in the Halk Bankasi into U.S. dollars. Tunaboylu requested his retirement.

-TURKS LIVING IN BAVARIA STATE OF GERMANY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC POWER

IZMIR - Turkish people living in Baveria state of Germany are important economic power.

Faruk Sen, the director of the Germany-based Turkey Studies Center (TAM), told A.A correspondent on Sunday that a research carried out by the TAM indicated that the contribution of 118 thousand Turks living in Bavaria state to the German Gross National Product (GNP) is 10.2 billion German marks.

Sen said that this is a very important figure.

''Around 263 thousand of the Turkish people living in Germany are settled down in Bavaria state. When the Turkish people who have become German citizens are added to this number, the number of Turkish people living in the state reaches 294 thousand. And, the Turks constitute 2.4 percent of the total population in the state,'' Sen said.

Yunus Ulusoy, the coordinator of the TAM connection offices for foreign enterpreneurs, said that there are 7,700 Turkish enterpreneurs in the state.

Ulusoy noted that the Turkish enterpreneurs had earlier focused on Turkish food products but that the Turks have launched economic activities which target at all German market.

''The Turkish enterpreneurs in Bavaria employ 42 thousand people and make 1.8 billion German mark investments a year. These enterpreneurs have 7.2 billion German mark turnover,'' Ulusoy added.

-TREASURY TO ARRANGE EIGHT-MONTH BOND AUCTION

ANKARA - The Treasury Undersecretariat will arrange a 231-day (8-month) bond auction on Tuesday.

The bonds will be issued on April 18 while they will be repayed on December 5.

The Treasury foresees a minimum 300 trillion Turkish Liras (TL) of net borrowing at the auction.

Meanwhile, Treasury will repay 1 quadrillion 22.6 trillion TL in domestic borrowing on April 25.

The Treasury will repay a total of 1 quadrillion 398.9 trillion TL domestic borrowing in April.

The annual simple interest became 115 percent and the annual composite interest was 148.06 percent in the bond auction held on April 10.

-INVESTMENTS OF PRIVATE SECTOR AROUND

345.4 BILLION U.S. DOLLARS IN LAST DECADE

ANKARA - The private sector made 345 billion 486 million U.S. dollar investments in the last decade while the total public investments stayed at 82 billion 352 million U.S. dollars in the same period.

In accordance with the calculations of the A.A correspondent, the private sector mainly invested in dwellings, transportation and manufacturing industry while the public investments were mainly directed to transportation and energy.

The private investments in manufacturing industry decreased from 26.2 percent to 22.6 percent between 1990 and 2000 while the private investments in transportation and communication sectors increased from 10.7 to 23.6 percent in the same period.

The private sector decreased its investments in agriculture while increased its investments in energy, tourism, education and health. The amount of private investments in mining did not change between 1990 and 2000.

The public sector allocated almost one-fourth of its investments in 2000 to transportation and one-fifth to energy.

The public investments in health and dwellings were increased while the investments in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, communication and tourism were decreased.

Below listed the public and private investments and the rate between them:

(Million U.S. dollars) (Percent)

YEAR PRIVATE PUBLIC Pub/priv

----- ------ ----- --------

1990 23.861 8.709 36.5

1991 24.603 8.700 35.3

1992 25.788 8.233 31.9

1993 34.731 7.984 22.9

1994 25.594 5.212 20.3

1995 33.972 4.890 14.4

1996 36.792 5.750 15.6

1997 39.264 6.657 16.9

1998 37.626 8.210 21.8

1999 29.763 8.525 28.6

2000 33.492 9.482 28.3

------- ------ ----

TOTAL 345.486 82.352 23.8

Note: The annual U.S. dollar rate was taken as a base in calculations.

-TOTAL OF 92 FRESCOES FROM ZEUGMA TAKEN UNDER PROTECTION

GAZIANTEP - A team from Ankara University Baskent Vocational High School has restored 92 frescoes unearthed during emergency excavations in ancient Zeugma site.

Bekir Eskici, the deputy director of the project, told A.A correspondent on Sunday that the frescoes has been taken under protection.

Eskici said that the project which has been carried out by 12 people for almost seven months will be finalized on May 23.

Eighty percent of the frescoes brought to the museum has been restored so far, Eskici noted.

Eskici said that they are restoring the frescoes disassembled from the Roman villas for the time being.

All the frescoes can be ready for exhibition on May 23, Eskici added.

-TOURISM MINISTER MUMCU SAYS THEY WANT ANATOLIA TO BE FULL

OF INTERNATIONAL HOTEL CHAINS

ADANA - Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu said on Sunday that they want Anatolia to be full of international hotel chains and touristic facilities.

Mumcu told A.A correspondent that efforts are underway to find places to build new hotels and touristic facilities.

''We will prepare projects for new hotels and touristic facilities. Then, the process will start. Build and operate model will be implemented on the fields which will be rented for 49 years. Tourism investors have to be encouraged,'' Mumcu said.

Mumcu continued, ''if a tourist wants to go to Van province, he asks hundreds of questions like if there is a hospital or if there are doctors. But, when you tell the tourist that he will stay in the Hilton in Van, there are not any problems. People know that they can meet their needs there.''

Turkish tourism has big potential, Mumcu said, adding that when necessary investments are made, tourism revenues will increase every year.

-SCHENK, DIRECTOR OF ROBINSON TO CLUB TO TURKEY, SAYS GIANT

TOURISM COMPANY TUI CONSIDERS TURKEY AS AN IMPORTANT COUNTRY

ANTALYA - Dieter Schenk, the director of Robinson Club Turkey and Germany which is bound to the giant tourism company TUI, said on Sunday that the TUI considers Turkey as one of the important tourism centers in the following years.

Schenk told A.A correspondent that tourism is quickly developing in Turkey.

The TUI is closely following Turkey because this country will become an important touristic country in the following years, Schenk said.

Schenk noted that TUI was the first foriegn company which invested in Turkish tourism sector and that TUI is a company which has confidence in Turkey and which is loyal to Turkey.

The Iber Hotel Management chain which is bound to TUI is searching for projects to make new investments in Turkey, Schenk stated.

Schenk pointed out that Robinson chain is also exerting efforts for new investsments in Turkey.

Hotels known in international markets should direct themselves to investments outside Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir to develop Turkish tourism, Schenk said.

Schenk said that international chains have to enter into Turkish market.

As far as he knows, Four Seasons plans to open a touristic facility in Istanbul, Schenk stated.

Schenk stressed that they also know that Swiss Hotel wants to open new hotels in Turkey.

Turkey will become one of the most important tourism centers in the Meditterranean like Spain, Italy and France when international hotel chains start to make investsments in Turkey, Schenk emphasized.

Schenk said that Turkey should be careful not to decrease the quality.

The ancient cities and historical heritage in Turkey exist neither in Europe nor North African countries, Schenk stressed.

Schenk said that 90-100 percent of three holiday villages managed by Robinson in Turkey are full, adding that this tourism season will be a good one.

-FARMERS ALSO REQUEST POSTPONEMENT OF THEIR DEBTS

ANKARA - The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Ministry will present the Council of Ministers a draft decree with the force of law which envisages facilitation in repayment of default debts of farmers to the Ziraat Bankasi, agricultural credit cooperatives, Agricultural Enterprises General Directorate (TIGEM), and Turkish Electricity Distribution Inc. (TEDAS).

The total default debts of the farmers is around 1.5 quadrillion Turkish liras (TL).

Officials told A.A correspondent on Sunday that Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp will request the Council of Minister on Monday to facilitate repayment of default credit and electricity debts of farmers.

The officials said that the decree with the force of law which will be presented to the Council of Ministers asks for the postponement of default agricultural credit and electricity debts of farmers for three years and without any interests.

The decree with the force of law also foresees the repayment of the debt in three years and in six installments.

Gokalp had earlier said that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli welcomed the draft but that source caused the problem.

-RITUAL HELD IN ST. GEORGE CHURCH IN GARDEN OF PATRIARCHATE

ISTANBUL - Ritual was held on Sunday in St.George Church in the garden of the Fener Greek Orthodox Partriarchate to mark Easter which is an annual festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Fener Greek Orthodox Partriarch Bartholomeos conducted the ritual.

Ioannis Corandis, the Greek Ambassador to Ankara; Georgia's Ambassador to Turkey; consul generals of Belgium, Sweden, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Russia to Istanbul; and many tourists who came from Greece to Turkey; attended the ritual.

Following the ritual, Bartholomeos gave Easter eggs to almost 2,500 people who attended the ritual.

-SINGLE-DOUBLE LICENSE PLATE IMPLEMENTATION TO START ON MONDAY

ISTANBUL - The single-double license plate implementation in the official vehicles will start in Istanbul on Monday within the framework of saving measures.

As of Monday, official vehicles, the last number of the license plates of which is single, will be used only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while the official vehicles, the last number of the license plates of which is double, will be used only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Thus, Istanbul governorship plans to save almost 150 billion Turkish liras (TL) in one month.

The Istanbul governorship will evaluate whether or not the implementation is useful a month later. If positive results are gained, instruction will be given related with the implementation.

Meanwhile, the official ambulances, the first aid vehicles, fire brigade vehicles, police vehicles, vehicles belonging to the judicial authorities and Armed Forces are exempted from this implementation.

-MHP LEADER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BAHCELI:

-''DESPITE ALL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AND WITNESSES, OUR NATION

WAS TRIED TO BE GET USE OF BY A GENOCIDE TALE''

ANKARA - Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Deputy Prime Minister, said on Sunday that despite all historical documents and witnesses, Turkish nation tried to be get use of by a genocide tale by ignoring the realities.

Speaking in the ceremony held to mark 70th anniversary of establishment of Turkish History Authority (TTK), Bahceli said that history cannot be changed by the efforts of lobbies or decisions of parliaments.

Bahceli noted that the TTK was established in 1931 by Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic, to make historical researches.

It is impossible to understand the historical integrity and the current values without having historical conscious, Bahceli stated.

Bahceli said that parliaments are made a tool of the efforts to distort realities regarding the so-called Armenian genocide allegations.

It is not possible to turn a blind eye to behaviours and attitudes which conceal historical realities and which do not coincide with friendship and cooperation, Bahceli stressed.

Bahceli wished the countries which have political and economic cooperation with Turkey to act rationally and with common sense.

The TTK, scientists and researchers undertake important duties to prevent such problems from recurrence and to explain the world the rightfulness of Turkey by documents, Bahceli added.

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