Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-04-22

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

22 APRİL 2001 Sunday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

DERVIS UNDERTAKES EDUCATION COSTS OF 10 CHILDREN
State Minister Kemal Dervis who is in charge of economy, undertook the education costs of ten children within the scope of the Turkish Education Volunteers Foundation's (TEV) campaign of supporting one million children.

Dervis participated in NTV's broadcast alive by phone to support the campaign and said that he would pay for the education costs of ten children.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

TURKISH CONTRACTORS IN POLAND
Turkish contactors undertook the construction of health and tourism installations near Biala Podlaska Military Airport in Poland. The project is worth of 2.3 billion U.S. dollars.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

SAVING ALARM IN MILITARY
General Staff published the list of saving measures under 42 articles and formed a follow-up council for inspection. The measures will be implemented fully and the follow-up council will inform the General Staff every Friday about the implementation of the saving measures in the army.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TANTAN SAYS HE WON'T RESIGN
The claims saying that ''Istanbul Security Director Abanoz set up a team in the organization which is composed of supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a sect leader within the information of Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan and the team followed Istanbul Governor Erol Cakır'' caused tension in the security directorate. Denying the claims, Interior Minister Saadettin Tantan said that he won't resign.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ONE GOOD, ONE BAD NEWS
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has welcomed Turkey's speeding up its efforts for undertaking economic reforms. IMF Spokesman David Hawley said that IMF welcomed the progress recorded by Turkish officials in the implementation of the economic programme. It is not certain yet when the negotiations between the IMF delegation which is currently in Ankara and the Turkish government on the new letter of intent will end. Meanwhile the U.S. administration said that ''credit institutions like IMF should focus on precautions before economic crises spread in one country. After that it is more difficult to extend support to these countries.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

KOC SELLS TANKER TO NETHERLANDS
State Minister Ramazan Mirzaoglu participated yesterday in a ceremony in which ''M/T LIEKE THERESA'' tanker built by Koc Group firm namely RMK Marine Ship Building Industry for the Dutch Unifleet B.V., was launched into the sea in Tuzla district of Istanbul. Mirzaoglu said that such kind of efforts boost the morale of Turkey in the recent economic crisis. The tanker's width is 13,6 meters and its lenght is 91,6 meters.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

-G-13 GROUP MEETING
-FINANCE MINISTER ORAL SAYS SWEDISH FINANCIAL MINISTER
TOLD IN PRESS STATEMENT THAT THEY SUPPORT TURKEY'S EFFORTS
AND STRUCTURAL REFORMS
MALMOE-ANKARA - Finance Minister Sumer Oral said on Saturday that Boss Eringholm, the finance minister of the EU Term President Sweden said in the press statement that EU supports the efforts and structural reforms of Turkey.

After attending the G-13 Group meeting held in Copenhagen, Denmark, Oral participated in the ECOFIN meeting in Malmoe city of Sweden.

Speaking to A.A correspondent, Oral said that ''candidate countries conveyed their experiences to each other and their accession to the EU and budget deficits were evaluated at the G-13 meeting. Later the candidate countries, including Turkey met with finance ministers of 15 EU countries. Erignholm, the Swedish finance minister said that the EU supports the efforts and structural reforms of Turkey.''

Noting that he also met with German finance minister, Oral said that German finance minister told him that Germany supports the efforts of Turkey. Oral said that he didn't discuss the financial aid expected from G-7 countries to Turkey with his German counterpart.

Meanwhile the support to the national programme of Turkey was confirmed at the dialogue meeting of the ECOFIN Council composed of EU finance and economy ministers and central bank governors of the EU countries.

The full support to Turkey has been confirmed in the statement of ECOFIN Chairman Bosse Ringholm and it was also stressed that the measures, structural reform and reconstruction of financial sector unveiled by State Minister Kemal Dervis last week were pleasing.

ECOFIN statement called on Turkey to implement the economic programme without any delay, stressing the importance of close cooperation with international monetary institutions.

ECOFIN statement hoped the stability programme of Turkey to reach success, calling IMF and World Bank to extend aid to Turkey, adding that the support of the Turkish private sector to the national programme was also important.

-ISTANBUL SECURITY DIRECTOR ABANOZ DENIES CLAIMS OF
SECRET SURVEILLANCE OF ISTANBUL GOVERNOR'S CALLS
ISTANBUL - Kazım Abanoz, Istanbul Security Director said on Saturday that he didn't order secret surveillance of the telephone calls of Istanbul Governor Erol Cakır, adding that he didn't have any connection with any sect and he didn't know Fethullah Gulen, a sect leader.

Issuing a written statement, Abanoz said that certain newspapers published unreal news, noting that none of the claims written in the newspapers are true and legal proceedings have started against these claims which accuse himself and the Istanbul police organization.

Abanoz said that he maintained the existing staff in spite of small changes in Istanbul Security Directorate since he came to power.

''Telephone-tapping is a crime if it is not done by the order of the court and if it is done against suspicious persons who are not monitored by the police. Telephone tapping is a crime when anybody's talks on the phone are listened only for personal aims. The claims saying that Cakır's telephone calls were tapped upon my order is a slander on me,'' he said.

''I have not demanded Mr. Governor or any other official to appoint police officers against the legal rules. I started to work as the Security Director of Istanbul on August 17, 2000 and the staff which was working then is still working now, there is no change in the staff,'' he said.

Abanoz stressed that there is no influence of any political, ideologic group or sect on him, adding that the claim written in Milliyet newspaper about his alleged relation with Fethullah Gulen, a sect leader is totaly baseless.

''Such accusations are efforts launched to unveil our success in struggle with corruption and to deceive the public opinion,'' he added.

-WTO'S ACTIVITIES, COMPETITION LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS TO BE
DISCUSSED AT IBA CONFERENCE
ANKARA - The International Bars Association (IBA)

will hold a conference in Istanbul on May 31 and June 1.

Many Turkish and foreign participants of the conference will focus on the World Trade Organization's activities, human rights and competition law.

Turkey Bars' Association Chaiman Eralp Özgen said on Sunday that the IBA had held the Internet Conference in 1997 in Turkey. ''The conference will be very interesting and important for lawyers and people of related professions. I'm also hoping that it'll help people to get to know their foreign colleagues and form business and social relations with them,'' he said.

Competition policy and market economy, EU: Enlargement and growth initiatives, competition policy and control of company mergings in Turkey, privatization and competition regulations, and global competition

initiative are some of the topics that will be debated at the conference.

On the second day of the conference, the participants will discuss cooperation with the World Trade Organization and human rights.

Those who want to attend the conference have to pay a fee of 120 U.S.

dollars while lawyers are required to pay only 80 dollars to attend the conference which will take place at Istanbul Swissotel. The participants will be given a certificate at the end of the two-day conference.

-PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT ISSUES MESSAGE UPON APRIL 23 NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY
AND CHILDREN'S DAY
ANKARA - Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit issued a message on Sunday upon the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day which will be celebrated throughout the country on Monday.

Ecevit said that the source of the concept of national sovereignty which enables the Turkish Republic to continue its existance is the Turkish people's determination and independence feeling.

Noting that the parliament is the basic institution of the Turkish Republic's state and national sovereignty, Ecevit indicated that Turkey will solve its economic difficulties as soon as possible.

Ecevit also expressed gratitude in his message for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern and secular Turkish Republic.

-ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTRY DENIES CLAIMS THAT MINISTER
ERSUMER EMPTIED HIS OFFICE
ANKARA - Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said on Sunday that the news published in a newspaper the same day claiming that Energy Minister Cumhur Ersumer emptied his office is totally wrong.

Issuing a written statement, the Ministry said that it is not correct that Ersumer has not come to his office in the Ministry for four days.

Noting the contacts of Ersumer for four days starting from April 16 to April 21, the Ministry said that Ersumer signed many documents, made phone calls and met with many deputies and bureaucrats during the mentioned days.

''Mr. Ersumer neither emptied his office nor said farewell to any bureaucrats,'' said Ersumer adding that even the most inexperienced journalist would find out the facts and not write such a news.

-TURKEY'S NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION EXPECTED TO RISE SHARPLY
ANKARA - The natural gas consumption in the world is expected to reach 4.72 trillion cubic meters in 2020 while Turkey's natural gas consumption in 2010 is predicted as 55 billion cubic meters.

A study carried out by the Foreign Trade Undersecretariat on the world natural gas reserves and its consumption, noted that the natural gas demand is on the rise in the world except for the Middle East and Africa. Natural gas demand is expected to increase in the developing countries in Asia, and central and south America.

In Turkey, the current natural gas production is 566 million cubic meters annually and this meets only five percent of the need. Turkey consumes an average of 10.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas every year. However, Turkey's natural gas demand is expected to rise sharply in the coming years and reach 55 billion cubic meters in 2010.

Based on the figures released by the U.S. Energy Department in 1998, Turkey comes the sixth in the world in natural gas import which is 9.9 billion cubic meters annually. The United States comes first in the

natural gas import followed by Germany, Japan, Italy and France.

-NSC TO CONVENE ON TUESDAY
ANKARA - The National Security Council (NSC) will convene on April 24 Tuesday under the leadership of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

The meeting will start at 9.30 a.m. at the Presidential Residence.

Recent internal and external developments will be discussed in the regular meeting of NSC.

-FOUR TERRORISTS CAPTURED IN DIYARBAKIR AND ITS TOWNS
DIYARBAKIR - Four members of the terrorist organization PKK were captured in southeastern Sanlıurfa province and its towns.

Emergency Rule Regional Governor's Office said on Sunday that with the capture of these four terrorists, the number of terrorists who were captured in Diyarbakır province and who carried out organizational work within the terrorist organization, reached 96 in the last one year.

-OKUYAN SAYS SECURITY MEASURES WORK WELL IN SOCIAL
SECURITY INSTITUTIONS
ANTALYA - Labour and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan has said that a decree proposing to decrease the Social Security Agency's (SSK) premium increases from 48.8 percent to 40 percent was presented to the cabinet for voting.

Okuyan answered reporters' questions on Sunday in Antalya where he went to attend a seminar on the national programme and foreign competition in the

textile sector.

Telling about the savings measures imposed on the SSK and Social Insurance for the Self-Employed (Bag-Kur), Okuyan said the SSK and Bag-Kur decreased the amount of aid they obtain from the Treasury by two billion dollars and 300 million dollars respectively in the last one year. He said his ministry recently included the Retiree's Fund also in these saving measures.

A joint protocol recently signed with Health and Finance ministries will help all three of these institutions to save a total of one quadrillion TL in

one year.

-ONE INMATE WHO WAS ON DEATH FAST DIES
ISTANBUL - Sibel Surucu, who was tried at Istanbul State Security Court (DGM) for carrying out activities on behalf of the illegal TKEP/L organization, died because of death fast on Sunday.

Sibel Surucu, who was 24 years old and who was hospitalized, didn't accept medical treatment and died today.

-STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS THREE IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS OF ECONOMIC
PROGRAMME SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE SAME TIME
KEMER - State Minister Kemal Dervis said on Sunday that the national stability programme has three dimensions, adding that ''the three dimensions have to be implemented at the same time for the stability of the programme.

Dervis said in the seminar on national stability programme and foreign competition in textile in 2000s held in Kemer town of southern Antalya province that the national stability programme prepared to overcome the crisis has to be carried out in a serious manner.

Noting that the first dimension of the programme that constitutes the basis of the economic programme is to decrease the state expenditures, Dervis said that ''we aim at decreasing the state's expenses by nine percent compared to last year. Decreasing the expenses is a tough job, but if we can't overcome the deficit in budget, we can't improve debt dynamics. We must strengethen the public balance.''

Dervis said that ''we are not thinking of bringing a new tax, because it is really to difficult to re-install trust and draw capital to Turkey.''

The second dimension of the programme is to act carefully in borrowing, he said adding ''we must continue borrowing for some amount, we don't have any other choice, yet we must borrow money on more positive conditions.''

Dervis said that Turkey's economy does not have a foreign exchange problem or foreign deficit, adding that yet there is a public deficit.

''The reason of our search for foreign source is to find the finance in borrowing process in the most convenient way. The money we borrow from IMF, World Bank and official sources is for longer-term and less costly when compared to the money we borrow from markets. We will find a significant amount of foreign source,'' he said.

Dervis said that the last dimension of the programme is to end the secret borrowing through state banks, adding that they will restrict the public finance for some amount. Dervis said that the duty losses of state banks increased a lot in the last 6-7 years.

-TURKISH AND EUROPEAN BUSINESSMEN TO VISIT SOUTH EAST IN MAY
DIYARBAKIR - A group of 200 leading Turkish and

European businessmen will visit south east Turkey in May, as a part of an organization carried out by VIP Tourism company, it was reported on Sunday.

The trip which is called ''Visit to the legendary south east'' will take place on May 23-27 and it aims to promote the south east Anatolia abroad and boost tourism in this region.

The tour will start in Gaziantep and follow a route passing from Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Mardin and Batman before it will come to an end in Adiyaman. The participants will attend a mass at a monestary in Mardin. Famous singer Nukhet Duru will sing for the group in Sanliurfa's Harran township.

Six foreign journalists will also be in the group which will enjoy the tourism sites and natural atractions in south east Anatolia.

-STATE MINISTER DERVIS SAYS POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
INTERACT EACH OTHER VERY MUCH IN TURKEY
KEMER - State Minister Kemal Dervis said on Sunday that politics and economics interact each other very much in Turkey, adding that ''we must separate the two from each other.''

Speaking in the seminar held in Antalya, Dervis said that national stability programme is not only an economic programme, but also a reconstruction programme.

Dervis said that the basis of the reconstruction process is to separate politics and economics from each other, adding that ''both politics and economics suffer from that. Politics sould stop using economy.''

Dervis said that the responsibilties of the ministers toward public institutions will continue, but the latter should not be made a tool of short term political ends.

Recounting that he started his mission as the State Minister on March 13 when the Treasury needed an important amount of borrowing, Dervis said that ''we held the auction on March 21, we used 3 quadrillion liras from that tender. The cost of that borrowing was annually 193 percent as composite interest rate. The composite index decreased to 118 percent in the auction last week. I suppose this was due to the support of the markets to the economic programme, which is pleasing.''

Dervis said that interest rates have to be decreased, adding that the government's goal is to decrease the interest rates to 30 percent this year and to 15 percent next year. He indicated that the parliament will work on very important laws in May and June and even in fall to undertake the structural reforms.

Pointing out that Turkey will pay its debts, Dervis said that Central Bank's issuing money is not a solution, adding that this can increase the inflation rate to 20-30 percents.

Dervis said that there is no need to be pessimistic, adding that Turkey has a very dynamic private sector and Turkey's economy will grow in the coming periods by working hard. Dervis said that the average growth rate will hopefully reach 7 percent next year.

Dervis said that Turkey will become the strongest economy of the Mediterranean, Balkans and the Middle East soon, adding that Europe will be willing to accept Turkey when this comes true.

-JUSTICE MINISTER TURK:''WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST TO IMPROVE PRISONS'
CONDITIONS''
TRABZON - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said

on Sunday that all the necessary measures were being taken to improve the standards of prisons.

Speaking to reporters at Trabzon Governor's office, Turk said that three bills had been submitted to the Parliament for approval, and added:

''These include amendments to Article No. 16 of the Anti-Terrorism Law, Enforcement Jurisdiction Bill, and Prison Monitoring Committees Bill; so as to eliminate the sources of problems which lead prisoners and their relatives raise complaints. I believe that death fasting and hunger striking prisoners, too, will figure that these bills will meet their demands once they have been enforced. We have long been working on these bills; and I hope that these bills will give the death fasting and hunger striking prisoners a good reason to quit their protests.''

''There are 22 terror groups who have given the decision for these protests, everyone has to see that. I am expecting those taking part in these protests to take note of this fact, to distance themselves of their own volition from those who want to send them to death, and to bring an end to these fasts.''

In response to a question on the extradition of Cavit Caglar, a former minister and businesman, Turk said that Caglar had been arrested temporarily by U.S officials upon the request of Turkey, for only 60 days, and that Turkey, as procedures necessitate, would be sending US officials an extradition request sometime next week.

''In fact, throughout the normal extradition process, the person in question has certain legal rights. If the person in question decides to make use of these rights, the process prolongs to six months, even one year. But since Caglar has stated that he wants to get back home, this process would not be so complicated. Unless any change takes place, we can expect Caglar's

extradition to take place in 15 or 30 days' time,'' he added.

In response to a question on the condition of Fetullah Gulen, a sect leader, Turk said: ''Fetullah Gulen's situation is different than that of

Caglar. An extradition request necessitates that the person in question must have committed offenses in both countries. There is an agreement on extradition of criminals and mutual judicial aid signed between

Turkey and the United States. We have not yet received a request for his extradition from the State Security Court. But it is very likely that our request would be turned down if we were to ask for his extradition, on grounds that his offenses had been political offenses.''

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