Anadolu Agency: News in English, 02-01-07

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ANADOLU AJANSI

HABERLER

08 January

2002 Monday

Türkiye

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-TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on January 7, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

Before leaving for Ankara to attend a meeting with Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan, Izmit Mayor Sefa Sirmen said, ''this year's severe winter conditions added misery of our people who have already been suffering from economic crisis. Our people have difficulties in paying high bills of natural gas. I am ready to sell natural gas with zero benefit. However, the Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) should make sacrifices.'' Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sumer Oral shed green light to a decrease in 18 percent added value tax for natural gas.

KING FAHD WIPES UP TURKISH TRACES

After Ottoman-era al-Ajyad Castle in Mecca was demolished to build a business and hotel complex, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia released an order to tear down decorative columns of the Prophet Mohammad Mosque. Meanwhile, bin Laden Group belonging to brothers of terrorist Osama bin Laden won the tender for construction of business and hotel complex in the place where al- Ajyad castle took place.

GOLDEN MANUSCRIPT BIBLE SEIZED

A manuscript Bible written with pure gold in Hebrew was seized in Birecik township of southeastern province of Sanliurfa. Acting on a tip-off, gendarmerie officers disguised as buyers had reached a deal with a person to buy a historical Bible for 500 thousand U.S. dollars. Undercover officers captured him, and seized the manuscript Bible. The 17-page Bible was written with pure gold in Hebrew language. There are only 16 such manuscript Bibles in the world. The Bible having a market value of nearly 1 million U.S. dollars, is thought to have been brought in from Iraq.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

Residents in Batikent district of Ankara were amazed when they faced with Directorate General of Electricity, Gas and Public Bus officials at the last weekend. Prior to Monday's meeting with Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan to review high price of natural gas, Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek ordered EGO officials to prepare expensive bills for natural gas consumers.

CARGO VESSEL RUNS AGROUND IN FRONT OF YENIKOY QUAY

A Turkish-flagged cargo vessel which had run aground in front of the Yenikoy Quay in Istanbul, was rescued. 4,647 gross tonne ''Haci Emine Ana'' run aground nearly 30 meters off the quay. The vessel which is 117.6 meters in length and 16.4 meters in width was carrying 7,800 tons of fertilizer from Ukraine's Kherson Port to Yarimca Port. The vessel was pulled by three tugboats and it anchored off Buyukdere.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

After the Constitutional Court's reasoned verdict about closure of the Virtue Party (FP) was published in the Official Gazette, Nazli Ilicak lost her deputyship. Now, Ilicak has to account for her insults against the government and the Turkish Armed Forces. She insulted the government and the Turkish Armed Forces by hiding behind her political immunity. There are 12 separate criminal files about Ilicak on charges of insulting the government and the Turkish Armed Forces. Turkish Penal Code envisages 6- year imprisonment for this crime. It means that if she is convicted, Ilicak has to serve 72 years in prison.

PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT DUE TO UNITED STATES

Details of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's three-day visit to the United States upon invitation of U.S. President George W. Bush became clear. Prime Minister Ecevit will arrive in Washington D.C. on January 14, he and his entourage will stay at the Ritz Carlton Hotel instead of official guesthouse Blair House. Prime Minister Ecevit will start his contacts in the United States by receiving Turkish-American Associations and Turkish- American Council officials. Later, he will receive International Monetary Fund Managing Director Horst Koehler and World Bank President James Wolfensohn. State Minister Kemal Dervis for Econmy is expected to accompany Ecevit. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ecevit will meet with President Bush at the White House after receiving U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

The Parliament will pass two the United Nations' (U.N.) agreements covering extraordinary measures for the financial leg of the terrorism before Bulent Ecevit' visit to the United States (U.S.). The agreement which was signed under the ''September 11 concept'' against global terrorism includes a wide ''terror fund'' definition. The U.N. while considering the ''suspicion'' enough for cutting terror's money sources in the prevention of the inflow of money wants strict regulations to denounce and to prevent all extraordinary procedures in the banks.

CONSUMERS SEEK THEIR RIGHTS

Protection of Consumers Association (TUKODER) will denounce Energy and Finance Ministries, Istanbul Greater City Municipality, Ankara Greater City Municipality, Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS), IGDAS and EGO (Electric, Gas and Bus) to prosecutorship if there will be no 60 percent discount in the natural gas invoices. Consumer Rights Union (THD) blamed Energy Ministry and municipalities for trying to obtain profit. TUKODER Chairman Mehmet Sevim said that people were waiting for implementation not promise.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

The state has also intervened in the competition of organization between Public Employees' Union (KESK) and Turkish Public Workers' Labor Union (Kamu-Sen) with the coming into force of Public Workers' Unions Law. Labor Ministry supports the Turk Kamu-Sen supporter of National Movement Party (MHP) against KESK. The ministry has taken over the distribution of the member forms of the unions dependent on the Turk Kamu-Sen which is active on agriculture-forestry and health in the competition of the member which will be concluded in May 2002.

ONE INMATE ON DEATH FAST DIES

One inmate who was against F type prison also died on Sunday. Zeynel Karatas (23) who was in Tekirdag F type prison died as she was on death fast. The number of the people who died due to death fast reached to 45. Karatas was sentenced for being a member of an illegal leftist organization.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan will hold a meeting today with mayors of some provinces to discuss natural gas prices and supply- demand issue at the Directorate General of Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS). Mayors of Ankara, Istanbul, Izmit, Bursa and Eskisehir provinces will be in attendance at the meeting.

PARLIAMENT TO WORK OVERTIME THIS WEEK

The Parliament which has been working intensively to pass some laws before Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's visit to the United States will also work with the same tempo this week. The Parliament will discuss the draft law foreseeing restructuring the debts of real sector to financial sector and source transfer to financial sector. The talks on the draft between International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government will continue until last minute. The government proposes to increase the number of the banks which will utilize the source transfer while IMF wants to make source transfer to the banks which have 1 percent share in the sector.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

Illegal telephone tapping sub-commission had been set up in the Parliament in June 2001. The commission, which has not convened so far, decided to hold a meeting due to the claims that Labour and Social Security Minister Yasar Okuyan's telephone talks were listened. The subcommission, which had been formed within the body of Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission with the aim of investigating illegall telephone tapping events six months ago, will start to work this week.

SNOWFALL TO CONTINUE DURING THE WEEK

Cold and bad weather has paralyzed the daily life and transport across the country. Meteorology officials said that the snowfall and cold weather will be effective until the mid-week. The heavy snowfall and cold weather which have been effective throughout the country continue to affect badly Istanbul and across Turkey. Meteorology Affairs Directorate General said that there will be snowfall in Istanbul and Black Sea region again as of Tuesday. Over seven thousand village roads still have been closed to the traffic throughout Turkey and the schools in many provinces and townships have been recessed.

-DEATH-FASTING KARATAS DIES

GEBZE - Zeynel Karatas who had been fasting to death at the F-type prison in northwestern province of Tekirdag since May 11, 2001, died on Sunday.

Karatas, 23, had been arrested on charges of being a member of illegal Turkish Communist Party Marxist-Lenininst/Turkish Workers and Peasant Liberation Army (TKP-ML/TIKKO) and of being involved in illegal activities on behalf of the organization.

He was buried in Gebze township under tight security measures.

-DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ SAYS IT IS NECESSARY

TO REVIEW AND RE-ARRANGE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS

ANKARA - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, the leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), said on Sunday, ''it is not a political preference, but a necessity to review and re-arrange price of natural gas.''

Yilmaz attended a programme on the private TGRT Television Channel.

''Price of natural gas has reached unbelievable dimensions. Consumers have begun to prefer coal instead of natural gas in many places. This will lead to a sharp decrease in consumption of natural gas. Neither the Pipeline Transportation Inc. (BOTAS) nor the government prefer this. At this point, it is not a political preference, but a necessity to review and re-arrange price of natural gas. As you know, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Zeki Cakan will hold a meeting on Monday with mayors of some provinces. We will announce results of this meeting to the public opinion. On one hand, the BOTAS will decrease its own price for natural gas, and on the other hand, will drop benefit shares. Meanwhile, the government will reduce the tax in natural gas. I cannot give any figure about this reduction,'' he said.

Responding a question, Yilmaz said, ''Turkey is very optimistic about the year 2002. We should well-assess our opportunities in 2002 in order to maintain this optimism. The most important thing is to finalize structural reforms in 2002. If Turkey can achieve it, it will become a country having a high growth rate in 2003. 2002 will not be a difficult year like 2001. It will be a turning point in the history of Republic of Turkey. If we succeed in maintaining the necessary discipline in public finance and determination in completing structural reforms, we will overcome economic crisis by the end of the year.''

Noting that there was not any disagreement with State Minister Kemal Dervis for Economy on the issue of Banks Law, Yilmaz said, ''during the last meeting among coalition partners, State Minister Dervis told us that he planned to put an additional article to the Banks Law envisaging allocation of a certain source from public sector to banking sector. We, as coalition partners, have accepted it in principle. However, we expressed our concerns. I said that serious measures should be taken to prevent possible problems stemming from its implementation. Works are under way on the law. Meanwhile, State Minister Dervis has been continuing to hold contacts with representatives of the sector. Some changes can be made before bringing it onto parliamentary agenda.''

Responding a question about country threshold in general elections, Yilmaz said, ''we do not have any concerns about country threshold in the general elections. The ANAP is an indispensable factor of the Turkish politics. We have succeeded in overcoming disagreements among coalition partners through compromise. The most important contribution of this government is developing a culture of compromise in the politics.''

Referring to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's scheduled visit to the United States, Yilmaz said, ''this visit will result in important outcomes in regard to our economic relations with the United States. Turkey is the country suffering most from United States' restrictions in imports from other countries to protect its own economy. We requested the United States to lift these quotas. Prime Minister Ecevit will reiterate it during his visit to the United States. I believe that the United States could not be indifferent to Turkey's warning in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11.''

Referring to Turkey's European Union (EU) full membership process, Yilmaz said, ''duration of this process depends on Turkey's performance. The EU has been treating unjustly towards Turkey. It continued this unjust attitude by not including terrorist organizations PKK, Hezbollah and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C). However, we can make a request from the EU after fulfilling our commitments in our National Programme. If we fail to fulfil them, the EU does not accept our membership.''

Noting that there were some circles trying to prevent Turkey's full membership to the EU, Yilmaz said, ''there can be such circles, but more than two thirds of Turkey's population want EU full membership.''

Yilmaz said, ''if Turkey will enter the EU, it will become a full member with its 81 provinces. However, Turkey should overcome some of its problems in order to become a full member. They constitute obstacle in front of our full membership. One of this problems is the matter of the Southeast. This does not jeopardize national integrity.''

Responding a question about Prime Minister Ecevit's health situation, Yilmaz said, ''Prime Minister Ecevit does not have any health problem preventing him from fulfilling his mission.''

-CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO DEBATE KANADOGLU'S REQUEST TO WARN AK PARTY

ANKARA - The Constitutional Court will debate Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu's request to warn the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Tuesday.

The Constitutional Court delegation has taken Kanadoglu's request to warn the AK Party to exclude Recep Tayyip Erdogan from founder membership of the party since he was not competent to be elected as a deputy.

The Constitutional Court is also expected to take a decision about the request for ''imposing a precautionary measure'' to Erdogan's using his authority as the leader of the AK Party, and about the request to warn the AK Party to exclude female founder member Ayse Bohurler, Ayse Nur Kurtoglu, Habibe Guner, Sema Ramazanoglu, Fatma Unsal Bostan and Serap Yahsi Yasar from the founder membership of the party.

-ANKARA DGM STARTS HEARING 20TH SESSION OF CASE ON ''UMUT (HOPE) OPERATION''

ANKARA - Ankara State Security Court (DGM) no: 2 started on Monday hearing the 20th session of the case on ''Umut'' (Hope) operation which was launched to find murderers of journalist-writer Ugur Mumcu, and later covered 22 incidents, including assasinations of Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taner Kislali, Prof. Muammer Aksoy and Dr. Bahriye Ucok.

Tight security measures have been taken in and around the DGM building.

The court delegation is expected to take a decision about the case.

The indictment about merits of the case requested the court to acquit suspects Abdullah Argun Cetin, Musa Koca, Ismail Kochan, Seref Dursun and Adnan Yukdag due to lack of evidence.

The indictment sought capital punishment to suspects Ferhan Ozmen, Necdet Yuksel, Rustu Aytufan, Yusuf Karakus, Muzaffer Dagdeviren, Abdulhamit Celik, Fatih Aydin, Hasan Kilic and Mehmet Sahin on charges of ''attempting to damage constitutional order of the state by using force'' in accordance with Article 146/1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

It sought imprisonment sentences up to 22 years and 6 months to suspect Mehmet Ali Tekin on charges of ''forming an armed gang against security of the state'' in accordance with Article 168/1 of the TCK and Article 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

The indictment sought imprisonment sentences from 15 years to 22 years and 6 months to suspects Mehmet Kasap, Mehmet Gurova, Adil Aydin, Murat Nazli, Hakki Selcuk Sanli and Talip Ozcelik on charges of ''being a member of an illegal organization'' in accordance with Article 168/2 of the TCK and Article 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Law while it sought imprisonment sentences from 4 years 6 months to 7 years and 6 months to suspects Dervis Polat and Yuksel Pakdemir on charges of ''aiding and abetting to an illegal organization'' in accordance with Article 169 of the TCK and Article 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Law.

-DERVIS HOLDS MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF REAL SECTOR

ANKARA - State Minister Kemal Dervis met with representatives of the ''Civilian Initiative,'' to discuss the problems of the real sector.

Rifat Hisarcıklıoglu, the Chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB); Sinan Aygun, the Chairman of Ankara Trade Chamber (ATO); Refik Baydur, the Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Employers' Unions (TISK); Faruk Yucel, the Chairman of Turkish Agriculture Chamber; Ali Pasa Aksu, the Chairman of Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Artisans (TESK); Bayram Meral, the Chairman of Turkish Trade Union Workers and Employers (Turk-Is) and one representative from the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) attended the meeting held at the Treasury.

Treasury Undersecretary Faik Oztrak, Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BRSA) Chairman Engin Akcakoca and Public Banks Joint Executive Board Chairman Vural Akısık also attended the meeting.

-AUCTION COMMISSION SET UP FOR PRIVATIZATION OF TURKISH TELEKOM

ANKARA - An auction commission was set up to hold an auction for privatization of Turkish Telekom.

Sources said on Monday that the commission headed by Privatization Administration Board (OIB) Chairman Ugur Bayar was comprised of an official from the OIB, two officials from the Transportation Ministry and an official from the Treasury Undersecretariat.

A commission was set up on December 14, 2001 and the commission held an auction for privatization of Turkish Telekom but the auction was cancelled as any bid had not been submitted.

-DENKTAS AND CLERIDES TO MEET ON JANUARY 11

LEFKOSA - President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Greek Cypriot administration leader Glafcos Clerides will come together at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 11 to discuss matter of missing people prior to the direct talks that will start on January 16.

Denktas and Clerides will have a tete-a-tete meeting at U.N. Secretary General's Assistant Special Envoy to Cyprus Zbigniew Wlosowicz's house near the Lefkosa Airport.

At the end of their tete-a-tete meeting at the same place in July 1997, Denktas and Clerides had reached an agreement on determining the situation of missing people. Since that time, this agreement could not be put into practice due to the attitude of the Greek Cypriot side.

The agreement foresaw mutual exchange of information on the missing people and cooperation.

-CASE OF ''HOPE (UMUT) OPERATION''

-ANKARA DGM SENTENCES THREE SUSPECTS TO DEATH

ANKARA - Ankara State Security Court (DGM) No. 2 sentenced on Monday Ferhan Ozmen, Necdet Yuksel and Rustu Aytufan to death in the Case of ''Umut (Hope) Operation''.

Huseyin Eken, the chief judge announced the verdict. The court acquitted four suspects. One suspect will be tried at criminal court and the case about one suspect was suspended due to the Law no. 4616.

The court sentenced 15 suspects to heavy imprisonment changing from three to 18 years.

The operation was launched to find the murderers of prominent intellectuals including Ugur Mumcu, a journalist and writer.

-VURAL SAYS WORKS ON RESTRUCTURING OF TELEKOM WILL END BY END OF 2002

ANKARA - Transportation Minister Oktay Vural said on Monday that restructuring works on preparation of Turkish Telekom for competition and privatization would be concluded by the end of the year.

Vural held a press conference to explain the targets of his ministry in 2002.

He said, ''our vision is to be a Transportation Ministry which accelerates economic and social development by improving democracy, forming strategic transportation and communication corridors and increasing the national competitive power with policies which are based on perfect transportation and communications services, competition, safety and security.''

''Our mission is to serve Turkey by improving Turkey's transportation and communication infrastructure in a way which protects national interests and security by directing an integrated industry and transportation system which has rapid and secure technological means in a competitive atmosphere after increasing the standard of living of the Turkish nation. Our desire is to make Turkey the leading country in the 21st century. We are determined to offer transportation and communication services deserved by the Turkish people,'' he said.

Noting that 65 percent of the capacity of airports which were open to civil flights in Turkey was not used, Vural said that the feasibility works on the Turkish-Jet Reigonal Air Transportation Project would be concluded by the end of January.

Vural added that the Civil Aviation bill would be legalized by the end of 2002, forming an independent ''Civil Aviation Authority'' which would develop a civil aviation management appropriate to objective principles.

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