Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-06-06

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

06 JUNE 2001 Wednesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] KIVRIKOGLU, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF ARRIVES IN BEIJING

[03] IMF EUROPEAN I DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR KIEKENS IN TURKEY

[04] WORLD BANK-TURKEY AGRICULTURE TALKS CONCLUDED

[05] STATE MINISTER DERVIS MEETS WITH BANK MANAGERS

[06] U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD: ''OUR COOPERATION WITH TURKEY IN INCIRLIK IS A VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP AND TURKEY IS A VERY IMPORTANT COUNTRY''

[07] DERVIS HAS MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BANKS

[08] TANTAN RESIGNS FROM STATE MINISTRY POST AND ANAP

[09] SOURCES SAY GREAT PLOTS AND DISINFORMATION UNDERWAY REGARDING ESDI

[10] FOREIGM MINISTRY SPOKESMAN DIRIOZ SAYS ALL DIMENSIONS OF BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA WILL BE TAKEN UP DURING IVANOV'S CONTACTS IN ANKARA

[11] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK:''FOUNDATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS ARE A DEMOCRACY SCHOOL''

[12] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS ADDRESSES DEPUTIES IN ANKARA: ''GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WANTS TO DO THE THING IT COULDN'T DO BY USE OF FORCE IN 11 YEARS, BY DECEIVING EU TODAY''

[13] EU COMMISSION'S ANKARA PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE FOGG SAYS NGOs ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR DEMOCRACIES

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

PEOPLE CLOSE TO TANTAN THINK TANTAN WILL RESIGN TODAY
A source close to Saadettin Tantan, the former Interior Minister and the new State Minister for Customs, said, ''he told us that he would not continue. He will resign both from the Motherland Party (ANAP) and the government today and go to Sakarya.'' Tantan told Hurriyet that he had not received the appointment notification yet. Tantan said, ''let me receive and read it and then we will speak.''

SECRET OF E.T. IN USAK TO BE SOLVED IN U.S.
The footprint of the E.T. in central Usak province which was stoned by the villagers will be analyzed in the U.S. An eye-witness said that he was face to face with the alien for 2-3 seconds.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

THEY HAVE CONFIDENCE IN TURKEY
Fuijo Cho, the chairman of the Toyota company, said that they will export 120 thousand vehicles from Turkey to Europe in 2004. Toyota launched initiatives to make its factory in Adapazari province an important export center of Europe. Cho said that Turkey have had confidence in Turkey since the very beginning. Cho emphasized that Turkish economy will be recovered by the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Cho said that what is important is exportation and that they will help Turkey with this project. Cho noted that they will spend 400 million U.S. dollars on the factory.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

BALLMER DUE TO TURKEY TODAY
Steve Ballmer, one of the two founders of Microsoft and the fourth rich person in the world, is coming to Turkey today. Haluk Maga, the general director of Microsoft Turkey, said that the visit of Ballmer has two targets, adding, ''he will both introduce the Office XP which will open a new page in Office systems and will once more emphasize the importance that Bill Gates attributes to Turkey.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

TWO CONDITIONS TO YEREVAN FROM ECEVIT
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit that the tense relations between Turkey and Armenia should be normalized for settlement of stability in Caucasus. After such a request, Ecevit said that there were two important conditions for setting up diplomatic relations between two neighboring countries: 1- Armenia should completely withdraw from Upper Karabakh and 2- A safe corridor should be opened between Nakhichevan and Azerbaijan.

UNEMPLOYMENT SPREADS
The number of the unemployed which was 1,366,000 in the last quarter of 2000 increased 32.4 percent to 1,809,000 in the first quarter of 2001. The rate of the young unemployed who were graduated from universities exceeded 23.7 percent.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ESDI AGITATION IN WEST
The information note of the Office of Chief of General Staff regarding the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI) indicates the real attitude of the government. The ambassadors of western countries in Ankara tried to find an answer to this question. What is the meaning of the information note which was distributed when U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld was in Ankara? Do the soldiers and the government have different ideas? The information note which listed the issues that Turkey will not take a backward step ended the illusion that ''we have agreed with the Turks.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

IMF WARNS
IMF official Juha Kahkonen who met with State Minister Tunca Toskay said, ''you exceeded the criteria by making high rate of increase in salaries of workers and farmers. This situation will cause uneasiness in domestic and foreign markets. Where will you find the source for this?'' Toskay said that the burden of increase in salaries of workers on the budget was 600 trillion Turkish liras.

ECEVIT: THIS IS UNFAIR
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said, ''I don't think such a criticism would be right and fair'' as a response to IMF's allegations that Turkey exceeded the limits of the letter of intent.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

TENSE START FROM KAHKONEN
State Minister Tunca Toskay said that IMF's Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen felt uneasy about the dispute in the government about the cereals prices issue. Toskay who received the new IMF delegation said that they supported the program.

FIRST PRIVATE REFINERY
Turkish Ersan Petrol company is planning to open the first private refinery in Turkey in Kahramanmaras province in Mediterranean region. The refinery will cost 130 million U.S. dollars.

MERCILESS PRICE INCREASE IN GAS
The automatic price increase in LPG since February 22 caused people to disgust. The price increase in LPG in four months reached 102.2 percent.

[02] KIVRIKOGLU, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF ARRIVES IN BEIJING

Kivrikoglu is expected to meet with Deputy Chinese State Minister Hu Jintao and Fu Quanyou, the Chinese Chief of General Staff.

General Kivrikoglu, who will proceed to Shanghai following his contacts, is expected to depart from this country on June 10.

[03] IMF EUROPEAN I DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR KIEKENS IN TURKEY

Kiekens will attend the contacts of the IMF delegation and will receive information especially about the banking sector.

Willy Kiekens is expected to meet with State Minister Kemal Dervis and Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak this afternoon.

Kiekens will proceed to Istanbul this evening and will meet with the representatives of the banking sector on Thursday.

The problems of the banks and the restructuring of the banking sector are expected to be debated in Kieken's contacts in Istanbul.

[04] WORLD BANK-TURKEY AGRICULTURE TALKS CONCLUDED

Sources said on Wednesday that the talks which had started in Ankara on May 28 ended yesterday.

Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Husnu Yusuf Gokalp, Industry and Trade Minister Ahmet Kenan Tanrikulu and State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy would sign the Development Strategy Letter today or tomorrow, sources said.

The letter will be submitted to the World Bank for a 600 million U.S. dollars loan for agricultural restructuring projects.

Together with the strategy letter, the loan agreement was expected to be presented to World Bank Board's approval on June 28.

Projects will be put into practice in July-August if the World Bank approves the letter and loan agreement.

World Bank is expected to approve 397 million U.S. dollars first tranche of the 600 million U.S. dollars loan to Turkey in 2001-2004 period and the remaining amount between 2004-2006.

Sources said that 166 million U.S. dollars of the 397 million U.S. dollars first tranche of loan would be used to finance restructuring of agriculture sales cooperatives associations.

World Bank would allocate 52 million U.S. dollars to the 250 million U.S. dollars of farmers registration system program.

Within scope of the three-year alternative products and product planning program (farmers products exchange program) which will cost 545 million U.S. dollars, World Bank will extend 180 million U.S. dollars socurce to the project for narrowing the tobacco and hazelnut planting fields and 200 million U.S. dollars source to project for spreading direct income support payments.

Sources added that 10-12 million U.S. dollars part of the loan would be used to finance promotion of the projects.

[05] STATE MINISTER DERVIS MEETS WITH BANK MANAGERS

Sources said that Dervis would explain the new economic program.

Ekrem Keskin, the General Secretary of the Banks Association of Turkey, said that general managers of all banks had been invited to the meeting and that almost 60 bank managers or deputy bank managers would attend the meeting.

Keskin said that this was the first time that the economic problem was being discussed by the banking sector in a wide sense.

A similar meeting on the former economic program was held when Recep Onal was the state minister for economy, Keskin noted.

Keskin said that the views of the banking sector regarding the economic program would be debated at the meeting, adding that Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak and Hakan Ozyildiz, the deputy undersecretary for public finance, are also attending the meeting.

[06] U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD: ''OUR COOPERATION WITH TURKEY IN INCIRLIK IS A VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP AND TURKEY IS A VERY IMPORTANT COUNTRY''

Rumsfeld who paid his first external visit to Turkey after he was appointed as the U.S. Secretary of Defense told the U.S. Armed Forces television channel while he was visiting the Incirlik base that the cooperation he saw in Turkey and the support extended were great.

Noting that Turkey made ''good job'' in the Middle East and Caucasus despite difficulties, Rumsfeld said, ''Turkey is a very close friend and ally. Our cooperation in the Operation Northern Watch is a typical example for this cooperation.''

[07] DERVIS HAS MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF BANKS

After the two hour meeting which the participants discussed the transition to a powerful economy, Dervis left without making any statements to the press. He declined to answer when reporters asked him if he was given support by the bankers.

Later Dervis left the Ciragan Palace with his wife Catherine Dervis and went to Ataturk Airport to fly to Ankara.

[08] TANTAN RESIGNS FROM STATE MINISTRY POST AND ANAP

Tantan said in his statement that he was the Interior Minister for two years, adding that his appointment to another ministry does not coincide with his personal principles and his understanding of politics.

Noting that the posts are temporray, but the ideal of serving the people is the main principle, Tantan said that ''I have always acted with this understanding all through my life. The post, place and time of my serving my people in the fight against all sorts of unjusticies in line with the interests of my country and state are not important. I would like to stress that there won't be any deficiency in my resolution in this fight. I would also like to thank the people, public opinion and press who have always supported me. He also thanked the Interior Ministry personnel who also supported him.''

Upon questions of journalists, Istanbul security director Kazým Abanoz who came to welcome Tantan said that the state mission is based on the principle of continuity.

When journalists asked if Abanoz would also resign, Abanoz ddin't make any comment.

[09] SOURCES SAY GREAT PLOTS AND DISINFORMATION UNDERWAY REGARDING ESDI

The same sources said despite some positive steps taken, Ankara is not satisfied by the point reached and there was no concensus atmosphere in which Turkey could change its position in the NATO regarding the ESDI.

The EU is continuing its afforts to form a rapid deployment force of 60,000 soldiers. The EU wants this army to be cabable of being ready for an operation within 60 days when necessary and be in charge for at least one year.

The EU wants to use NATO's sources and capabilities in planning, information and high technology fields but wants to exclude non-EU member NATO allies during this process. The EU needs the approval of all NATO countries to automatically benefit from NATO sources and Turkey rejects to give this approval.

Sources said the press was used in these plots to make threats and those who can't obtain a result from this method finally sit at the negotiation table.

''Consensus could only be reached at bilateral contacts. They understood that they cannot force Ankara to accept the decisions of the Nice Summit by ignoring Ankara's warnings,'' a Turkish experts said and added that the Nice decisions which excludes non-EU NATO allies should be adjusted based on the Washington agreement. The Washington Agreement proposes not to discriminate among the members.

''Some EU members are acting as if they are making concessions on some points on which there are no conflicts. What should be answered is that can an EU country have the right to block Turkey's participation. Turkey's certain expectations should be met,'' a Turkish official said.

Quoting the statement of the General Staff which was announced on the day which U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrived in Ankara, an expert said this statement said that Turkey which had limitless contributions to Europe's security for 50 years should not be left outside this structure in the future and its national interests should be protected.

The General Staff had underlined in this statement that Turkey should participate in all decision taking and implementation stages of any operation in which the NATO sources will be used. The statement said that the proposals put forward so far were far from meeting Turkey's expectations. The General Staff also underlined that Turkey didn't lose its hopes and still believed that an agreement could be reached.

Pointing to threats and pressures on Turkey, the sources said the EU is trying to ''make Turkey to accept a bad solution by mentioning even worse solutions.''

When asked if the EU could give up NATO sources and develop its own defense identity, experts said that this would mean that the EU would be dependent on France and have to make great financial sacrifices. They said the EU members were far from reaching an agreement on this subject. France which continues to stay outside the military wing of NATO is targeting a formation independent from the Alliance and it could use Turkey as an excuse to reach this goal, the experts commented.

The press in EU countries has been continiously claiming that Turkey's blocking would be overcome by the United States' pressure at the NATO Summit on June 13.

''The solution of this problem is for the good of Turkey, NATO and the EU. We are going through a critical period and we are being flexible,'' Turkish officials stated. ''If Turkey had wanted, it would have blocked the NATO-EU dialogue completely. We didn't block the meetings and cooperation. We want participation in the decision taking mechanism. We want to have a say in this process rather than only expressing our view. They made a mistake by not consulting non-EU members while taking the Nice decisions. Turkey is not responsible of the point which has been reached. They should

have seen the consequences of these decisions. The Nice decisions should be made compatible with the Washington Agreement. Otherwise the EU will have to ask for NATO's approval for each operation and this approval is given unanimously. The ball is in the EU's corner.''

[10] FOREIGM MINISTRY SPOKESMAN DIRIOZ SAYS ALL DIMENSIONS OF BILATERAL RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA WILL BE TAKEN UP DURING IVANOV'S CONTACTS IN ANKARA

Upon a question, Dirioz said in the weekly press briefing that they will also focus on the regional cooperation possibilities during Ivanov's contacts.

Dirioz recounted that Ivanov is the first Russian Foreign Minister who will visit Turkey after nine years, adding that recently the bilateral relations between the two countries recorded progress in various fields.

Answering another question about the visit of a delegation from the European Parliament (EP) to Turkey, Dirioz stated that ''Turkey pursues a transparent policy on the issue. Prison reforms have been undertaken in our country. It has both pyhsical and legal dimensions, our cooperation with international organizations which focus on human rights continues.''

Dirioz said that the visit of EP delegation to Turkey is not the first one, adding that the European Committee for Prevention of Torture had also visited Turey. We make cooperation with them basically.''

Upon another question, Dirioz said that the claims saying that there is difference of opinion between the Ministry and the General Staff about the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) are not true.

''We are in close cooperation and coordination with the General Staff,'' Dirioz said.

Dirioz also said that Patriotic Union for Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani and Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (IKDP) leader Massaud Barzani will be invited to Turkey, adding that he can't give a date for it at the moment.

Upon another question about the visit of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to Ankara, Dirioz said that certain news published in the press doesn't reflect the content of the meetings, adding that Rumsfeld said in his own statements that he attributed importance to relations with Turkey.

[11] JUSTICE MINISTER TURK:''FOUNDATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS ARE A DEMOCRACY SCHOOL''

Turk indicated that the changes about associations are among the medium term goals in Turkey's National Program. He said the Associations Law and the Law Regulating Meetings and Demonstrations would be made more democratic. Turk said the articles regulating the associations' international activities is very important in Turkey's EU pre-accession process.

Speaking about the Civil Code, Turk said the final debates regarding this matter will start at Parliament Justice Commission tomorrow. Distribution of assets between the husband and wife will constitute the main topic of tomorrow's discussions.

A total of 155,112 associations were founded in Turkey and only 78,684 of them still survive today while 76,428 of them had to stop their activities because of different reasons, Turk said. ''Our goal is to enable associations and foundations to operate in a democratic environment in our country like in EU countries,'' he commented.''Associations and foundations are a democracy school and they should be made stronger. The stronger the associations will be the more democratic that country will be.''

[12] TRNC PRESIDENT DENKTAS ADDRESSES DEPUTIES IN ANKARA: ''GREEK CYPRIOT SIDE WANTS TO DO THE THING IT COULDN'T DO BY USE OF FORCE IN 11 YEARS, BY DECEIVING EU TODAY''

Addressing the deputies in the former senate hall in the parliament, Denktas said that ''Turkey tried to bring peace to the island both by giving finincial aid to our national cause that continues for years and also by sacrificing its own sons.''

Noting that a Turkish-Greek war in the region is unavoidable if Greece annexes the island to Greece, Denktas said that the Greek Cypriot-Greek partnership didn't give up the policy of claiming ownership on Cyprus.

''I spent more than half of my life to solve the Cyprus issue,'' said Denktas and he explained in details the things that happened on the island in the last 38 years. Denktas said that they fight for putting into practice the 1960 Treaty.

Denktas commented that the Greek Cypriot side sits around the negotiation table not to reach compromise, but to open the way to its own goals, adding that the Greek Cypriot side tries to prevent any shadow on the so-called ''legitimate Cyprus government'' and to give nothing to the Turkish side other than minority rights in all peace negotiations.

''If we make a new agreement and if accept the rights given to us on the paper, the Greek Cypriot side will start gradually to take us apart from the island,'' said Denktas adding that the condition to join the EU is imposed on them as ''accepting the EU norms.''

''Ninety percent of the TRNC people favour EU membership, but all of these people also want signing of an agrement on the island first. Half of them want to have this agreemment and join the EU with Turkey. We also tell the same thing. We can join the EU with Turkey after adoption of the global exchange of properties and after the installation of a livable atmosphere on the island. 15-20 years are given to Turkey to join the EU, but only few years are given to the Greek Cypriot side to join the EU. Greek Cypriot side already benefits from the EU membership. They should give up the game of disturbing the balance between Turkey and Greece which is the basis of 1960 Treaties for membership. When Turkey joins the EU, Cyprus also acquires this right. Till that moment, an agreement can be reached on the island. The EU has to delay the initiative which it launched for stability in the region,'' he said.

Denktas defended the view that the Greek Cypriot side tries to claim ownership on the island with EU membership, adding that they can't say ''yes'' to EU membership without the recognition of equal sovereignty, the guarantee of Turkey and without determination of their status.

Denktas said that he was criticized for leaving the negotiation table and shown as someone who is uncompromising. He stated that the Greek Cypriot side was now trying to do, what they failed to do in 11 years, through deceiving the EU.

''They are trying to make Cyprus an obstacle to Turkey's entrance to the EU. Britain was fighting with Ireland and it was not told to resolve its conflict with Ireland before it joined the union. Putting Cyprus as an obstacle in front of Turkey is very unfair,'' Denktas said.

The TRNC never objected to Turkey's wish to join the EU and they didn't see themselves entitled to make such an objection, Denktas said. However, he added that if Greeks and Greek Cypriots take control of the island, this would result in a second Crete incident.

''Bring members of the EU and European Parliament who support justice and fairness and we can show them the mass graves. We are ready to reach an agreement through peaceful ways and we are not a minority. We are sorry if these constitute an obstacle for your entering the EU but the EU should see the realities,'' Denktas said.

Responding to the questions of parliamentarians, Denktas said if the whole island is accepted to the EU, the Turkish soldiers will look like invaders since the EU countries don't recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). One parliamentarian remarked that the current developments in Cyprus are very much like Greeks taking control of Crete and that this should be explained to people very well.

Denktas said Turkey's support was very important and he had no doubt that this support would continue.

TRNC President later attended a lunch hosted by Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi in Parliament's Marble Hall.

[13] EU COMMISSION'S ANKARA PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE FOGG SAYS NGOs ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR DEMOCRACIES

Speaking at the conference titled ''Associations and Foundations in Turkey's EU Pre-Acccession Process'', Fogg said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were very important for democracies and that they represented people's freedom and protected the society against totaliterian trends. Development and strengthening of the NGOs are also very important for the EU and that the red tape and inspections should be minimized.

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