Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-08-31

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ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

31 AUGUST 2001 Friday

-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on August 31, 2001. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

The 32nd European Basketball Championship is beginning today. 16 teams will take on their rivals for 10 days to become the champion. The matches will be played in Ankara, Istanbul and southern province of Antalya. Turkish National Team will take on Latvia today. The match will start at 7.00 p.m.

BLOOD FOUND IN EYUP CEMETERY IS NOT PINAR'S BLOOD

The blood sample found on a grave stone in Eyup Cemetery where businessman Uzeyir Garih was killed were not the blood of Pinar Konuskan, the girl friend of Yener Yenmez, who is claimed to kill Garih. Now, it is seen that another women was involved in the assassination.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Ankara used to assume this attitude two or three years ago: ''Firstly, terrorism should be ended and then, it will be investments' turn.'' Terrorism has been left behind, however, the promises have not been kept. Unemployment and struggle to make a living cause disappointment. It is obligatory to create emploment opportunities to re-gain young people. Also, steps in democratization should be taken. Mayor Celik from People's Democracy Party (HADEP) said that it is time to make economic emergency rule (OHAL) in Diyarbakir.

WE CELEBRATED AUGUST 30

August 30 Victory day was celebrated throughout Turkey. Chief of General Staff, Huseyin Kivrikoglu, hosted a reception at night. Deputy Prime Ministers Devlet Bahceli and Mesut Yilmaz did not attend the reception. The commanders expressed their views at the reception. General Buyukanit said, ''those who claim that we are against the European Union (EU) are wrong. Do not ask about national security. The country needs tranquility.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

Neither Recep Tayyip Erdogan nor Recai Kutan were invited to the August 30 reception. The reason is the savings measures. The number of guests were reduced by half in this year's August 30 reception. Tansu Ciller was the only person except the members of the government who was invited to the reception as ''opposition leader.'' A military official said that any of the leaders, including Kutan, were not invited to the reception. However, Deniz Baykal, the leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), attended the reception as ''special guest.''

OCALAN HAD DAMAGED, TERIM HAS REPAIRED

The number of Italians who want to spend a holiday in Turkey increased 84 percent this year, thanks to Fatih Terim, the coach of world-famous Milan soccer club. Ices between Turkey and Italy, which occured two years ago due to Abdullah Ocalan, the head of the terrorist organization, have melted. Especially after Fatih Terim had become the coach of famous Milan team, the number of Italians visiting Turkey increased to a record level. A total of 165 thousand Italians have visited Turkey since the beginning of this year.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

Turkey decided to attend the international conference in Durban in the low- level due to 'the efforts of some countris to politicize the conference.' During the conference against racism which is expected to be a stage for intensive initiatives of circles against Turkey, Turkish delegation will defend the view that ''the name of any of the countries should not be mentioned in the final declaration not to divert from the aim of the conference.''

THREE GOOD NEWS ABOUT ZEUGMA

Three positive developments are on the way for ancient Zeugma site which is being inundated by the waters of Birecik Dam. First of these good news is that a project for a temporary museum is being prepared. Secondly, the city plan will be drawn by laser beams from a plane for the first time. Third, after Tasar became the Tourism Minister, river connection between Zeugma and Rumkale has been brought to the agenda.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

''Those who were awarded with the Public Works and Housing Ministry tenders were steered to buy equipment and materials from the companies of father and brother-in-law of Public Works and Housing Minister Koray Aydin. Aydin, who said that he does not sell materials to the state although he makes trade, is facing a serious accusation: The contractors who were awarded with the ministry tenders were streered to buy their materials from companies of Aydin's father and brother-in-law. The materials necessary for quake buildings were not only the materials that were sold. Aydin, who rejected that contractors were sold materials by influence, announced that the companies had almost 7 trillion Turkish lira (TL) turnover in 2000.

STATE TO PROTECT F.N.

The state decided to give a helping hand to 13-year-old F.N. who was detained immediately after the assassination of businessman Uzeyir Garih as a suspect and was later released as it was revealed that he had no connection with the murder. Ishak Alaton, the Chairman of the Executive Board of Alarko Holding, had earlier decided to help this 13-year-old boy. State Minister Hasan Gemici announced that social services experts carry out efforts to help F.N. overcome the negative incidents he had experienced.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Thomas Dawson, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) External Relations Department Director, said that recent developments in Turkey have been encouraging. Dawson said, ''recent developments in Turkey have been encouraging, with July inflation below expectations and treasury bill rates declining by more than 10 percentage points in the last week or so. If these trends continue and recovery starts, Turkey obviously would have turned the corner.'' Touching on campaigns to promote Turkish lira (TL), Dawson said that attempts to rally support among investors and so on is entirely appropriate.

NUCLEAR OPERATION

Customs officials confiscated radioactive substance named ''Osmium-187'' in 64 glass tubes in Istanbul. A statement of the State Ministry for Customs said that the customs officials, on a tip-off, started to follow a company in Istanbul. The statement noted that the customs officials raided on the company on Tuesday after they learnt that the company was marketing osmium. The customs officials confiscated osmium in 64 glass tubes, the statement said and pointed out that a significant increase was recorded in radioactive substance smuggling after the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. The statement said that six people were detained, adding that a full investigation is under way.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

The Justice Ministry released a statement upon the claims that most of those who benefitted from law on conditional release and suspension of punishments have returned to prisons. The Justice Ministry said that 33,109 inmates benefitted from the law, however, 162 of these people committed crimes and were re-sent to prison.

-AUGUST 30 VICTORY DAY CELEBRATED IN TURKEY AND ABROAD

PRIZREN/GENEVA/TASHKENT/BAKU/SELCUK - August 30 Victory Day was celebrated in Turkey and in foreign representations of Turkey on Thursday.

A ceremony was held by the Turkish troop on mission in Kosovo upon the Victory Day while the day was also celebrated by a reception hosted by Turkish Military Attache Ahmet Turmenoglu in Bern, Switzerland.

Swiss Deputy Chief of General Staff Martin von Orelli was among the participants of the reception. High-level commanders, generals, colonel, Turkey's Ambassador to Bern, Metin Ornekol, and ambassadors of 16 countries in Bern attended the reception.

Meanwhile, a reception was held at Turkey's Embassy in Tashkent to mark the Victory Day.

Besides the U.S., Chinese, Russian, French, German and Ukrainian military attaches, Uzbek Deputy Defense Ministers Mennapcan and Kayyumov attended the reception.

Some foreign diplomats, Turkish businessmen having business deals in Uzbekistan and Ganco Gancev, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative to Uzbekistan, were also in attendance at the reception.

In Baku, Turkey's Military Attache Zeki Durlanik hosted a reception to mark August 30 Victory Day.

In the meantime, almost two thousand tourists were interested in August 30 Victory Day celebrations held in Selcuk township of western Izmir province.

-CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF HOSTS RECEPTION UPON VICTORY DAY

ANKARA - Huseyin Kivrikoglu, the Chief of General Staff, hosted a reception upon August 30 Victory Day at Gazi Officer's Club in Ankara on Thursday.

President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Parliament Speaker Omer Izgi, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit, True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller, Constitutional Court Chairman Mustafa Bumin, some ministers, force commanders, Gendarmerie General Commander Aytac Yalman, high-level judicial personnel, military personnel, foreign diplomats and representatives of some press organizations were in attendance at the reception.

-ENERGY MINISTER CAKAN SAYS THERE WILL BE NO ELECTRICITY CUT

ANKARA - Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan said on Thursday that there will not be any electricity cuts this year.

Cakan told reporters that investments worth of 980 million U.S. dollars are needed for the rehabilitation of thermic power plants.

If the management transfer is made, 1 billion 75 billion U.S. dollars will be registered as income to the Treasury, Cakan said.

Cakan noted that if the distribution right is not transferred, a source is needed to make 1 billion U.S. dollar investment.

However, if it is transferred, a profit of 875 billion U.S. dollars will be recorded, Cakan stated.

Cakan noted that his ministry and the Treasury continues deliberations on the transfer of management and distribution right.

If this issue does not come to a conclusion, Turkey may face energy problem in 2002, Cakan stated.

Touching on electricity leakage and losses, Cakan said that the electiricity leakage and losses amount to 19 billion kilowatts per hour and stated that total electricity leakage and losses is 21.6 percent.

Cakan pointed out that Turkey has to provide an energy of 13,663 megawatts between 2002 and 2006.

When asked if there are prior projects among 29 build-operate-transfer projects, Cakan said that they will handle all of these projects as a whole and that he cannot think of any other guarantee than that of the Treasury for these projects.

Cakan said that if these projects are finalized till 2002, enery of 1378 megawatts will be provided and that they think that 500-600 megawatts of energy will be provided till 2002.

Asked if the Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) has any difficulties in repaying the price of natural gas bought from foreign countries, Cakan said that there is not any deficiencies in the repayment of the natural gas that BOTAS has bought from foreign countries.

Cakan noted that they are trying to set up a balance of payments among Turkish Electricity Distribution Corporation (TEDAS), Turkish Electricity Generation and Transmission Corporation (TEAS) and BOTAS.

Responding to a question on thermic power stations and distribution stations, Cakan said that 2 billion U.S. dollars are needed to make these investments and these investments have to be made in five years.

Cakan noted that Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit instructed them to follow the developments in nuclear energy technologies, adding that bureaucrats are following the developments.

-IMF DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS SAYS

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY ENCOURAGING

WASHINGTON D.C. - Thomas Dawson, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) External Relations Department Director, said on Thursday that recent developments in Turkey have been encouraging.

Dawson told a press conference that Turkey obviously would have turned the corned if these trends continue and recovery starts.

Dawson said, ''recent developments in Turkey have been encouraging, with July inflation below expectations and treasury bill rates declining by more than 10 percentage points in the last week or so. If these trends continue and recovery starts, Turkey obviously would have turned the corner. But to ensure this, it is clearly crucial for the authorities to continue to implement their strong program.''

''I have noted on a number of previous occasions that investor confidence is indeed one of the key issues there, and I think it's quite natural and appropriate for the authorities and investors to be taking this sort of approach,'' Dawson noted.

Responding to a question about the campaign to promote the Turkish lira (TL), Dawson said, ''investor confidence is indeed very important, and we've said that from the beginning. So attempts to rally support among investors and so on is entirely appropriate.''

Dawson noted that a delegation headed by IMF Turkey Desk Chief Juha Kahkonen will visit Turkey in early September for the 10th review of the program.

''And, assuming that things went well, the Board meeting on the review would be held in late September or early October,'' Dawson added.

The IMF Executive Board is expected to release 3 billion U.S. dollar loans to Turkey during this meeting.

-DEPUTY CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF SAYS SOLDIER NOT AGAINST EU

ANKARA - Deputy Chief of General Staff, Yasar Buyukanit said on Thursday that they are not against the European Union (EU).

Responding to questions of reporters at the reception hosted by Chief of General Staff, Huseyin Kivrikoglu, upon August 30 Victory Day, Buyukanit said that he is sad about the evaluations that ''the soldier is against Turkey's entrance in the EU.''

Buyukanit said, ''we are not against the EU. Those who say 'the soldier is against the EU' is wrong. Can Ataturk's secular and democratic army be against modernization?''

Responding to a question about Turkey's attitude towards the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI), Buyukanit said, ''there is not any black or white in these affairs. Everything will be right on the track in time. It is tried to be showed that there are very different things related with the EU and ESDI. But, there is also common voice. If all the factors affecting the situation are listed one after the other, the truth will prevail.''

Responding to questions of reporters, Land Forces Commander Hilmi Ozkok said that Aselsan has reached a very good place in electronic systems.

Asked if there is a change in the military structure in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, Ozkok said that some changes are made according to the course of the incidents and noted that they have formed a very dynamic force.

Responding to a question on news stories that Turkish Armed Forces sometimes enter Northern Iraq when fighting against the terrorist organization, Ozkok said, ''we enter from time to time but there is not anything broad in scope.''

-SOUTH KOREAN MINISTER OF MARITIME IN ANKARA

ANKARA - Wu-tak Chong, the South Korean Minister of Maritime and Fisheries, arrived in Ankara on Thursday for an official visit.

State Minister Ramazan Mirzaoglu welcomed the South Korean minister at the airport.

Mirzaoglu told reporters that the South Korean minister will pay a three- day official visit to Turkey as his guest.

State Minister Mirzaoglu said that they will debate maritime, trade and economy during their bilateral contacts and that ship construction industry and maritime cooperation will be the main items of their contacts.

Mirzaoglu noted that they will also hold pre-meetings regarding a maritime agreement between two countries and that they will present a draft agreement to Chong.

Chong expressed pleasure over being in Turkey and said that his visit serves two aims.

One of these aims is to increase cooperation in maritime and the other is to take the support of Turkey for a fair to be organized in South Korea, Chong added.

The South Korean minister will visit Mirzaoglu and Tourism Minister Mustafa Tasar on Friday.

Chong will depart from Turkey on Saturday.

-FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

ISTANBUL/ANKARA - Buying and selling prices of U.S. dollar, German mark and British pound in Istanbul and Ankara at 09.30 a.m. on Friday are as follows:

(Turkish lira)

ISTANBUL FREE MARKET Buying Selling

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

U.S. dollar 1,365,000 1,380,000

German mark 636,000 646,000

British pound 1,966,000 2,023,000

Swiss franc 818,500 842,600

French franc 189,100 194,500

ANKARA FREE MARKET

German mark 637,000 648,000

British pound 1,967,000 2,020,000

-NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER CAKMAKOGLU LEAVES FOR BULGARIA

ANKARA - National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu left for Bulgaria on Friday.

Cakmakoglu will attend the ceremony in which Hilmi Akin Zorlu, the Commander of Southeastern Europe Multinational Peace Force Brigade (SEEBRIG) will hand over the mission to Greek general Andreas Kouzelis.

Cakmakoglu told reporters that Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania had signed the agreement regarding the foundation of SEEBRIG to maintain security and stability in the Balkans, promote neighbourly and friendly relations, and increase solidarity.

''This agreement permits changes and rotations in certain periods. The signatory countries will preside the headquarters four four years while the commanders and the political military steering committee chairman rotate every two years. Turkey has headed the commandership for two years and now, it will hand the mission to Greece,'' Cakmakoglu said.

Cakmakoglu added that the Political Military Committee Chairmanship will be handed over from Greece to Romania.

-GROWTH RATE ANNOUNCED AS -8.5 PERCENT IN FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR

ANKARA - The growth rate was announced as -8.5 percent in the first half of this year.

The State Statistics Institute (DIE) showed on Friday the second quarter growth rate as -11.8 percent.

Temporary calculations showed the Gross National Product (GNP) as 38 quadrillion 472 trillion 148 billion Turkish liras (TL), including the current figures, in the second quarter of this year.

The growth rate in the second quarter of this year was calculated as 4 percent on the basis of current figures and as -11.8 percent on the basis of fixed prices.

-TURKEY TO TAKE PART IN 14TH MEDITERRANEAN GAMES WITH 272 SPORTSMEN

ANKARA - Turkey will take part in the 14th Mediterranean Games with 272 sportsmen, including 175 men and 97 women.

The 14th Mediterranean Games will begin in Tunisia on September 2.

Almost 3 thousand sportsmen from 23 countries will participate in 23 categories.

Turkish sportsmen will challange in 22 categories except bowling.

Italy has won 600 gold, 503 silver and 434 bronze medals at the games which have been organized since 1951. Thus, Italy is ranked the first among countries which has become medalists in the games with a total of 1,437 medals.

Turkey is ranked the fourth in general standings with a total of 456 medals, including 192 gold, 118 silver and 146 bronze.

Below listed the Mediterranean Games held so far:

1951 Alexandria, Egypt: 32 Turkish sportsmen competed in atletics, basketball and free wrestling in the 1st Mediterranean Games held in Alexandria, Egypt in 1951. Turkey won 10 gold, three silver and seven bronze in 1951 Mediterranean Games.

1955 Barcelona, Spain: 42 Turkish sportsmen took part in athletics, basketball, Graeco-Roman wrestling, fencing and rowing categories and won 8 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze.

1959 Beirut, Lebanon: Turkey joined the gamest with 89 sportsmen in 8 categories and won 13 gold, 8 silver and 1 bronze medals.

1963 Naples, Italy: Turkey was represented with 110 sportsmen in 14 categories. Turkish sportsmen won 10 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze.

1967 Tunis, Tunisia: 126 Turkish sportsmen competed in 13 categories and won 9 gold, 9 silver and 7 bronze.

1971 Izmir, Turkey: 1,362 sportsmen joined the games. Turkey was represented with 219 sportsmen. Turkey won 18 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze medals.

1975 Algiers, Algeria: 173 Turkish sportsmen competed in 14 categories. Turkey won 12 gold, 11 silver and 8 bronze medals.

1979 Split, Yugoslavia: Turkey was represented with 189 sportsmen in 20 categories and won 5 gold, 5 silver and 14 bronze medals.

1983 Casablanca, Morocco: 189 Turkish sportsmen competed in 15 events and won 11 gold, 5 silver and 14 bronze medals.

1987 Latakia, Syria: Turkey took part with 211 sportsmen in 16 events and won 10 gold, 9 silver and 24 bronze medals.

1991 Athens, Greece: 197 Turkish sportsmen competed in 19 events. 23 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals came to Turkey.

1993 Languedoc-Rousillon, France: Turkey was represented with 218 sportsmen.

1997 Bari, Italy: 270 Turkish sportsmen competed in 23 events and won 28 gold, 16 silver and 21 bronze medals.

-A TOTAL OF 5.7 MILLION BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL PRODUCED IN EIGHT MONTHS

GAZIANTEP - Five million 724 thousand 351 barrels of crude oil was produced in southeastern Adiyaman province in eight months.

Officials at the Adiyaman Governorship and Turkish Petroleum Corp. (TPAO) told A.A correspondent on Friday that TPAO produced 90.1 percent of this amount while the rest was produced by private companies.

The officials said that 47.5 percent of the total oil production of Turkey is made at 163 wells in Adiyaman, Sanliurfa and kilis.

Approximately 23,557 barrels of high-gravity oil is struck from these wells a day, the officials added.

-GROWTH RATE IN FIRST HALF MONTHS IS -8.5 PERCENT

ANKARA - The State Institute of Statistics (DIE) announced on Friday that the growth rate with fixed prices was -11.8 percent in the second quarter of 2001, adding that the growth rate in the first half of the year was -8.5 percent.

According to DIE's temporary calculations for the second quarter of 2001, the Gross National Product (GNP) was 38 quadrillion 472 trillion 148 billion Turkish liras (TL) with current prices.

The DIE said the growth rate with current prices was 4 percent in the second quarter of this year.

The growth rates of some sectors in the first and second quarters and first half of this year are as follows:

SECTORAL GROWTH RATE

Fixed Prices Fixed prices Fixed prices

Q1 Q2 Six months

Name of Sector (percent) (percent) (percent)

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

Agriculture 5.2 -4.9 -1.6

Industry -1.3 -8.5 -5.2

Construction -7.3 -10.1 -8.9

Trade -4.1 -11.5 -8.3

Transport.& Comm -2.8 -8.8 -5.9

Financial Organiz. -5.3 -10.0 -7.7

Real Estate Ownership 2.1 2.0 2.1

Liberal Profession -1.9 -9.4 -6.1

State Services 3.8 3.6 3.7

Non-Profittable Organ.1.7 -0.3 0.6

Import Tax -10.4 -32.4 -22.0

GDP -2.2 -9.3 -6.1

GNP -4.5 -11.8 -8.5

TURKEY AMONG FIRST THREE COUNTRIES EXPORTING TO IRAQ

ANKARA - Foreign Trade Undersecretary Kursad Tuzmen said on Friday that Turkey is ranked the fifth in the list of countries exporting to Iraq and noted that they target at making Turkey among the first three countries exporting to Iraq.

Tuzmen told A.A correspondent that Turkey's exportation target for coming year is 33 billion U.s. dollars.

Turkish small and medium scale enterprises play important role in exportation to Syria, Iraq and Iran, Tuzmen pointed out.

Tuzmen said that the small and medium scale enterprises in Southeastern and Eastern Anatolia regions will play a complementary role in these markets in the following period.

Turkey's exports to Iraq increased by 116 percent, to Jordan by 64 percent, to Syria and Iran by 56 percent, to Bulgaria by 17 percent in two-year time, Tuzmen noted.

Tuzmen stated that shuttle trade also started to revive and announced that the shuttle trade will amount to 4.5-5 billion U.S. dollars this year.

They expect to obtain almost 500 million U.S. dollars from exports to Syria and 1 billion U.S. dollars from exports to Iraq, Tuzmen said.

Tuzmen pointed out that the exportation increased by 13.3 percent between January and August but that a recession may be faced in exportation rate due to problems in production by the end of the year.

Turkey will reach its target of exportation worth of 30 billion U.S. dollars by the end of the year, Tuzmen said.

Tuzmen stated that the real effects of devaluation on exportation will be seen next year.

They expect an exportation worth of 33 billion U.S. dollars and importaton of 47 billion U.S. dollars next year, Tuzmen said.

Turkey added that the exports-imports rate of meeting will be around 70 percent, Tuzmen added.

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