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Turkish Press Review, 01-08-07
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic news in the Turkish press this morning
07.08.2001
SEZER TO RECEIVE DERVISPresident Ahmet Necdet Sezer will receive Minister of State responsible for Economy Kemal Dervis today. The meeting will be closed to the press. /Cumhuriyet_YAHNICI: "NO CONCESSIONS FROM NATIONAL SECURITY"Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of Motherland Party (ANAP) Mesut Yilmaz's statements on "national security" initiated a new political debate. The Deputy Chairman of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Sevket Bulent Yahnici said Turkey could not make any concessions from her national security due to her geo-strategic position. Stating that Turkey was under threats from the Caucasus, the Middle East and the Balkans, Yahnici said, "Maintaining national security does not necessitate any concessions from democracy or human rights." _Cumhuriyet_SHARON TO ARRIVE IN TURKEY TOMORROWFollowing Palestine Head of State Yaser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will arrive in Ankara tomorrow to find a solution to the Middle East crisis, which is in a dead-end currently. After his election as the Prime Minister in February, Sharon's special representative Meir Rosenne had visited Ankara and conveyed his message that for a settlement the violence should end. _Turkiye_WEB SITE ABOUT ATATURK'S MAUSOLEUMThe web site on Ataturk's Mausoleum (Anitkabir) is ready for its online visitors. The site includes Ataturk's photographs, authentic voice records, information about his personal assets and biography, and his reforms. The site can be visited at: http:__www.tsk.mil.tr_antikabir_index.html. The site also gives information on the architectural features of the Mausoleum. _Cumhuriyet_TQM AND ISO 9000 TRAINING TO BE GIVEN BY THE MINISTRY OF LABORThe Ministry of Labor and Social Security Undersecretary Fikri Sahin stated that Turkey, as a country which is in the process of being included in the European Union, should pay more attention to the development and harmonization of human resources, institutions and establishments in a new age. Total Quality Management and ISO 9000 Central Council Training established by the Ministry of Labor and concerned institutions have been started in the Ministry of Labor. Sahin pointed out that the contemporary labor force is expected to have skills required to find solutions to current problems, to be involved in resolution processes, to carry out team work, to be able to adapt to innovations, to communicate and to understand technology. _Turkish News_MINISTER OF ENERGY: "WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS REGARDING THE GAS DEAL WITH IRAN"The Minister of Energy Zeki Cakan declared that there were not any problems regarding the natural gas to be brought from Iran. Answering the questions of reporters in Istanbul on Monday, Cakan said the studies on the metering station at the Iranian side had not been completed yet. "When the certificate is signed, the natural gas will be bought. We don't have any problems regarding the natural gas to be bought from Iran. We have completed all of our obligations." _Turkish Daily News_ EASTERN ANATOLIA PROJECT MASTER PLANDifferent scenarios were foreseen for the region regarding the Eastern Anatolia Project (DAP) Master Plan, prepared in compliance with the Long Term Strategy and the Eighth Five Year Development Plan, which includes provinces in the Eastern Anatolia, Gumushane and Bayburt. The most asserting scenerio foresees that the income per capita in the region will be 86.2 % of Turkey's average in 2020. The required investment is calculated as 106.9 billion dollars in 2001-2020. According to another scenario the income per capita will be 57.7% and 80.3-billion dollar investment is required. _Turkiye_SOIL PRODUCTS OFFICE RECEIVES LOANThe Soil Products Office (TMO) has ensured a foreign loan amounting to 100 million US dollars to finance its purchases in the campaign period of 2001-2002. The agreement concerning the loan was signed by the General Director of the TMO, Mevlut Karakaya, and the Director to the Southern European Region, Pierre Galtie, on behalf of the BNP Paribas Bank, which has ensured the loan. Karakaya said, "We will begin to use the loan as from today. After using this loan, we will not have any problems concerning the financing of our purchases this year." _Milliyet/
IMKB WILL WORK FIVE HOURS A DAY According to the decision given by the executive board of the Istanbul Stock Exchange (IMKB), working of the trading floor will be extended to 5 hours a day by the August 13th. The opening of the first session will begin at 09.30 every day and close at 12.00 noon. The second session will open at 14.00 hrs and closed at 16.30. IMKB chairman Osman Birsen explained the reason for the change being that they expected the transaction volume would increase and lessen the differences between the time zones among the countries in order that more foreign investors could invest in the market. Investors also may feel at ease to make decisions in the longer session periods, he added. /Hurriyet/
TURKEY'S HAZELNUT EXPORT TO CHINATurkey's hazelnut is going to enter into China markets with a Chinese name. Chinese people will consume the hazelnut under the name of "Wei Zhen Guo". To find a Chinese name for the Turkish hazel-nut a competition was organized in China and Mrs Qin Ye (23) won the competition with the name she offered./Hurriyet/
OXFORD BUSINESS GROUP: TURKEY WILL DEFINITELY REACH SMOOTHNESSThe Turkey editor of the Oxford Business Group (OBG)and publisher of the 'Emerging 2001 Turkey', Andrew Tabler said as soon as the problem of high inflation will be removed, Turkey will become a production headquarters. Pointing out the high rate of production potential in Turkey Tabler advised to be "patient to reach the smoothness". Andrew Tabler is working for an OBG team who is preparing a book promoting Turkey, named "Emerging Turkey 2001". Tabler noted that Turkey is the most dynamic, open and suitable country for production in the region it is situated on. Because of political uncertainty and instability Turkey was not able to use its advantages in full. /Hurriyet/ MEETINGS ON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRYThe Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Union (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu said that the first of the meetings to be held among the representatives of the manufacturing industry will take place on Thursday. Stating that the recent crisis did not just affect the manufacturing sector negatively but also the workers, Hisaciklioglu said, "The industry showed its potential by the $100 million loan which was given to Eximbank." _Cumhuriyet_TUPRAS INCREASES ITS SALESTUPRAS increased the quantity of petroleum it processed by 9% during the first seven months of this year. The sales of TUPRAS also increased by 5% reaching 14.1 million tons compared to the same period of last year. The exports of the oil products rose 42.5 % in the same period. _Cumhuriyet_WORLD'S BIGGEST OFFSHORE PLATFORM PASSES BOSPHORUSOne of the world's biggest offshore platforms, the Saipem-7000, to which is to lay pipes in deep waters for the Blue Stream Natural Gas Project, passed through the Bosphorus yesterday, at which the Strait was closed to other sea traffic. The giant platform entered the Bosphorus at 9 a.m. The $3.4 billion pipeline project, known as the Blue Stream, is scheduled to begin pumping gas in the first quarter of 2002. _Turkish Daily News_MARZANO IN TURKEYItalian Minister of Production Affairs, Antonio Marzano, said the general conjuncture would develop in the following three months and that Turkey would benefit from this conjuncture. Marzano came to Turkey because of the Saipem 700 vessel's passage from the Bosphorus and held a press conference at the Ciragan Palace, in Istanbul. Marzano recalled that many countries were suffering from the economic crisis and said, "It has also occurred in Italy. All the economic crises have their solutions and Italy will do her best regarding this issue." Marzano said he had also met with the State Minister Kemal Dervis and added, "He has very clear ideas for the solution of the problems. Turkey will be able to overcome this economic crisis in a very short period of time and easily. This is also the common idea of the Italian companies, who invest in Turkey. The Italian companies know that the economic problems in Turkey will be solved permanently. The Turkish economy will be an interesting and important economy." _Milliyet_MINCATO'S STATEMENTVittorio Mincato, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ENI, which implements the Blue Stream Project, said the gas pumping would begin in Spring, 2002 within the framework of the Blue Stream Project. Mincato spoke during the press conference that was held due to the Saipem 7000 vessel's passage from the Bosphorus and said, "Some people have considered this project as the "Blue Dream." However, this project is being implemented now. In this respect, the pipelines under the sea will be laid as from September. The works will be completed by the end of the year and the first tests will be made by March. We hope that we will write a new historical page here, in this industrial initiative." _Milliyet_CAKAN: "BTC WILL BE OPERATED IN 2005"Speaking at the ceremony at the Ciragan Palace on the occasion of the event, Turkey's energy minister Zeki Cakan expressed confidence in the project. Recalling that some dubbed this a "dream," Cakan said, "The same circles said that flooring of the Black Sea was technically impossible. The ceremony on the occasion of the transit of Saipem confirms our confidence in the project. Zeki Cakan said that Blue Stream was a very useful project for Turkey, and criticized those people who are against Blue Stream saying that they were deliberately criticizing the project. _Turkish Daily News_KASLOWSKI: "ECONOMIC PROGRAM HAS FOES IN THE GOVERNMENT"Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Deputy Chairman Aldo Kaslowski said the economic problems were a result of dysfunctions in the political system. Kaslowski claimed that the economic program had antagonists, including some in the government. Italian Production Affairs Minister Antonio Marzano, who came to Turkey for the passage of the giant Saipem 7000 ship through the Bosphorus that is to lay the pipelines for the Blue Stream project, met TUSIAD members at the Ciragan Palace for the occasion. According to a press release, Kaslowski said the economic program failed because of the unwillingness of politicians to bring issues to their logical conclusions and the ensuring crises caused Turkey's impoverishment." _Turkish Daily News_CENTRAL BANK CUTS SHORT-TERM RATES AHEAD OF DEBT AUCTIONTurkey's Central Bank yesterday cut its short-term interest rates in a move widely expected by markets in order to help ease bond yields ahead of a Treasury debt auction today. The bank cut its overnight interest rate from 67% to 62%, seven-day rate from 71% to 68% and 14-day rate from 72% to 69%. "The Central Bank is closely monitoring the current developments in inflation and leading indicators of the near-term trends in line with its basic objective of maintaining price stability," the banks said in a statement yesterday. _Turkish Daily News_ORAL: "2002 BUDGET INCLUDES REFORMS"The Minister of Finance Sumer Oral said the budget for the year 2002 is being prepared with an understanding of reform. He said, "A new coding system will be carried out in 2002. More importance will be attached to the control of the expenditures. This application will be started from certain institutions. Expenditures will be transparent and followed easily by citizens." _Turkiye_REHABILITATION FUND STUDIES STARTSStudies for the Rehabilitation Fund to be formed to examine ways of solutions for real sector issues began yesterday. A World Bank delegation, which arrived in Ankara to participate in the studies, held the first meeting with economic bureaucrats yesterday. _Turkiye_UZBEK'S SUPPORT TO KOC HOLDINGThe Uzbek Council of Ministers approved the production, trade and export plan of the Sam-KocAuto, a Turk-Uzbek joint company, for the years between 2001 and 2005. The capital of the company was raised to 64.1 million dollars, which was foreseen as 47.5 million dollars in 1998. Accordingly, the midi bus production in Semerkant will be increased by four fold in 2005. _Turkiye_MALAYSIANS ON THE SILK ROAD IN DIYARBAKIRThe group who are participating in a rally, which has been organized by the Petronas Company, to promote the historical "Silk Road" have arrived in Diyarbakir. The group was welcomed by the residents of Rizvanaga Caddesi and took a break for dinner. The group translator Sebnem Altin said that six more countries will be visited during the Silk Road adventure. _Turkish News_AHMET ERTEGUN IN TIME MAGAZINFamous Time magazine reserved four pages in its latest issue for a doyen of the Turks living in the US, Ahmet Ertegun. Pointing out that Ertegun established "Atlantic Records" plate company in 1947 together with Jerry Wexler, the article said many prominent singers became famous after working with his company. _Turkiye/ BODRUM MUSEUM BROKE THE VISITOR RECORDBodrum Undersea Archeology Museum was chosen first on account of visitors and revenues. The museum was visited by 145,412 tourists of whom 84,608 were foreigners and earned a total revenue of 387.933.000 TL during the last year. The Bodrum Museum is regarded fourth among the 157 museums in Turkey following the Topkapý, Ayasofya and Mevlana Museums. The Bodrum Undersea Archeology Museum was established
in 1964, which has the biggest collection made of 257 various forms of more than 2,000 amphoras. /Hurriyet_
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