Anadolu Agency: News in English, 00-05-17

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NEWS

17 MAY 2000 Wednesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] FANS OF GALATASARAY AND BRITISH ARSENAL CLASH IN STREETS

[03] QUAKES SHAKE MANISA AND BALIKESIR

[04] CHICAGO UNIVERSITY TO CARRY OUT EXCAVATIONS IN ANTAKYA

[05] FRENCH COURT TO TAKE UP TURKEY'S APPLICATION REQUESTING ENLARGEMENT OF SCOPE OF CAKICI'S EXTRADITION DOSSIER

[06] SUPPORT FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS TO TURKEY

[07] HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY'S CHILDREN FOLKLORE DANCES COMPANY TO JOIN TURKISH PARADE IN U.S.

[08] RECORD BREAKING SUGAR EXPORTS -TURKSEKER TO EXPORT 600,000 TONS IN 2000

[09] PRESIDENT SEZER RECEIVES PREMIER ECEVIT

[10] BAHRIYE UCOK MURDER -FOUR PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

[11] TENDER OPENED FOR 15,490 DWELLINGS FOR QUAKE SURVIVORS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

U.S: SEZER IS NEITHER LIKE DEMIREL NOR OZAL
Following Ahmet Necdet Sezer's taking office on Tuesday, the United States said that it would take time to get to know Sezer and determine a policy, and that the only thing visible for the time being, was that Sezer was neither like Demirel, nor like Ozal. In a report addressed to Washington by the U.S Embassy in Ankara, it was said that Sezer, a judiciary personality attaching great importance to democratic values, would pursue balancing policies, and that he had to be invited to the U.S in the shortest time possible. The report suggested that the best way of determining the framework of relations with Turkey for the time being, would be to pursue a 'wait-and-see'' policy.

TERIM'S 37TH TEST
Galatasaray's Technical Director Fatih Terim, will supervise his team in its 37th European Cup encounter. Terim, who has been the technical director of Galatasaray for the past 36 matches, has enjoyed 18 victories and seen 11 defeats during his office. Terim is the first Turkish technical director to supervise a team in a European Cup encounter.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

FOUR PRESIDENTS IN A HALL
The hand-over ceremony, and the reception at Cankaya Palace became the stage of a series of interesting scenes. Kenan Evren, 7th President of Turkey; Suleyman Demirel, 9th President; Ahmet Necdet Sezer, 10th President; and President Rauf Denktas of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus were all at the reception hall on Tuesday evening. Among the guests were not only political figures, but also actors, actresses, and singers like Metin Akpinar, Perran Kutman, Muazzez Ersoy, and Tekin Akmansoy.

DESTRUCTIVE QUAKE SEEMS INEVITABLE
Scientists are anticipating strong earthquakes in Istanbul, Biga, Cinarcik, Tekirdag, Armutlu, and Elmacik. The presentations made within the framework of the NATo-organised meeting on ''Global Integration in Seismological Research in the Wake of 1999 Marmara and Athens Earthquakes'' were rather pessimistic, yet again realistic and scientific. The scientists who took the floor at the meeting, all called attention to the necesity of taking the necessary precautions in the Marmara region, since a highly destructive tremor could strike the region once again at any random moment. They also stressed that the faultline had an eastward motion, which meant, that the seismic activities would have a greater effect on the eastern regions every time they rattled.

SABAH (LIBERAL)

TALKS ON WORLD BANK CREDIT TO TAKE PLACE ON MAY 18
World Bank officials are planning to revise the 760-million dollar Economic Reform Loan (ERL) in their meeting on May 18. The statement made by World Bank officials said that the ERL had been aimed at contributing to the establishment of sustainable macro economic stability, strengthening and securing economic growth, curing economic sensitivity, and strengthening the public sector administration.

''I AM NOT GOING TO IRAN''
Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who took office on Tuesday as the 10th President of the Republic of Turkey, said that he would not go to Iran to attend the Islamic Conference Organisation Meeting, which is to take place between June 5 and 10 in Tehran. Sezer, who spoke to newsmen before the swear-in ceremony, said in reply to a question if there was any connection between his decision and the latest developments taking place within the scope of the 'Umut' operations, Sezer said 'maybe.'

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

41,000 TICKETS SOLD
A total of 41,000 tickets were sold for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) final match which will be played between Galatasaray and British Arsenal team. The match will start in Parken Stadium of Copenhagen at 9.45 p.m. Emre, a Galatasaray footballer, cannot play in the match since he had a red card in the previous match. A total of 125 television channels will live broadcast the match. A total of 500 journalists and photo journalists, including 200 Turkish journalists, will watch the final match.

RADIKAL (LEFT)

FIELD HOSPITAL FROM SWEDEN
The Swedish government set up a 100-bed field hospital in the Korfez township of the quake stricken northwestern town of Kocaeli in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent and the International Red Cross Organisation. The Ministry of Health will train the hospital personnel for two months. The 16-tent field hospital, installed on an area of 400 square meters, will be operated by the Korfez Municipality for two years, and after two years, the Ministry of Health will take over.

'NO TO POLICE STATE'
Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who officially took over as the 10th President of Turkey on Tuesday, touched on the necessity of establishing a 'clean society' and 'state of law' in the speech he delivered after swearing in as President. Sezer touched on various issues of significance, including the immunity of the principle of secularism, supremacy of law, and loyalty to the principles and values introduced by Ataturk.

YENI BINYIL (LIBERAL)

APPROVAL TO LOAN
The Treasury Undersecretariat expects the World Bank to approve the 795.6 million U.S. dollar Economic Reform Loan to be granted to Turkey, in its Executive Board meeting on Thursday. The Treasury also expects the Loan Agreement to be signed in the end of May. The Treasury noted that the loan which will be provided by the World Bank to support Turkey's economic program, will be released in two portions. The Treasury Undersecretariat stated that the first portion of the loan which is worth of 384.6 million U.S. dollars, is planned to be released after the Loan Agreement takes effect. The Treasury added that the second portion is planned to be released after the conditions which are included in the Loan Agreement on the Economic Reform Program are fulfilled.

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

KUTAN: ''I OPENED A WHITE PAGE''
Recai Kutan, the leader of the Virtue Party (FP), denied the allegations saying that there is a battle between the ''reformists'' and ''traditionalists'' in the party. In the FP group meeting, Kutan said that the congress was held in a positive atmosphere. Kutan said, ''we have opened a white page yesterday. We should not look behind. The ranks are not important in this party. My responsibility is same as the responsibility of Abdulah Gul.''

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

''OUR LEADER IS LAW''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer emphasized that Turkey should no longer be remembered as a police state. Sezer said, ''we should settle state based on law principle in Turkey.'' Sezer also said that the Presidency will support the parliament in dealing with the justice, the rule of law and the distribution of income. Following his speech at the parliament, Sezer visited Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk. Later, Sezer took over the office from Suleyman Demirel at the Cankaya Presidential Palace.

[02] FANS OF GALATASARAY AND BRITISH ARSENAL CLASH IN STREETS

The fans of Galatasaray who were passing by a bar in a square in Copenhagen late on Tuesday, came across with the fans of Arsenal.

The British hooligans threw a plastic bottle to Galatasaray's fans who were passing by the bar.

Then, Galatasaray's fans wanted to enter into the bar but the doors of the bar were closed and they were not allowed in the bar.

The police which saw that the atmosphere was getting tenser and tenser, took security measures in front of the bar and did not permit the British fans who were in the bar, to go outside.

Later, some of the British fans went outside and the clash erupted.

Many Turkish and British fans, and three Turkish journalists, including Ali Oksuz, Gochan Yilmaz and Serkan Emekci, were injured in the clashes.

Some other clashes erupted in front of another bar in the square. Since the Turkish and British fans threw the bicycles which were around the bar, to each other, many other people were injured.

Later, police carrying dogs, came to the spot and put an end to the incidents.

The police took the injured people, two of who were seriously injured, to the hospital.

The injured people were taken under medical treatment.

[03] QUAKES SHAKE MANISA AND BALIKESIR

Officials of the Bogazici University Kandilli Observatory Center and Seismology Institute said that an earthquake measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale shook Soma township of Manisa at 2.00 a.m.

The officials added that an earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale jolted Gonen township of Balikesir at 4.14 a.m.

[04] CHICAGO UNIVERSITY TO CARRY OUT EXCAVATIONS IN ANTAKYA

At the meeting, where Gulay Dayican, Muslum Kabadayi, Nihat Yilmaz, M.Ali Solak and Mehmet Daraoglu, the 'Volunteers of Antakya' made presentations, the general features of Antakya, its harmonious social mosaic consisting of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim peoples and its economic structure was told with reference to current events and legends.

The meeting also staged the announcement of a decision by Chicago University team, to carry out excavations in Antakya. A team of 20 enthusiastic archaeologists, who had unearthearhed 178 tumuluses in previous excavations, will conduct excavations in the area this summer.

[05] FRENCH COURT TO TAKE UP TURKEY'S APPLICATION REQUESTING ENLARGEMENT OF SCOPE OF CAKICI'S EXTRADITION DOSSIER

France extradited Cakici to Turkey last December on condition that Cakici would only be tried for three dossiers which did not request capital punishment.

Later, Turkey applied to the French Justice Ministry and requested the consent of France to try Cakici in six more dossiers.

Turkey made this request under the Article 14 of the European Extradition Convention which is about the enlargement of the scope of the extradition.

Turkey can try Cakici for these additional dossiers only if the Aix-En Provence Court gives an affirmative decision regarding Turkey's request.

The Court accepted the additional time request of Cakici's lawyers in the first court session held on April 6 and postponed the court session to May 18.

Meanwhile, sources said that Jean Louis Pascal, the Aix-En-Provence Court's Prosecutor, will support Turkey's request for the enlargement of the extradition dossier.

Cakici was captured in Nice, France, in 1998.

The Nice Court sentenced Cakici to six-month imprisonment on September 24, 1998 on charges of entering into France with a false identification card.

But, Cakici remained in prison for nearly 15 months since Turkey requested his extradition.

Cakici was extradited to Turkey after French Justice Minister Elizabeth Guigou and Premier Lionel Jospin ratified the Aix-En-Provence Court's decision regarding the extradition of Cakici on condition.

[06] SUPPORT FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS TO TURKEY -TURKEY TO OBTAIN A TOTAL OF 10 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF FINANCIAL SOURCE FROM IMF, WORLD BANK, AND JBIC

At the meeting, in which officials from the Japanese Embassy in Ankara were also present, the participants took up the latest developments in Turkish economy.

The participants agreed that the latest developments in Turkey's economy were 'positive' and 'hope inspiring', and decided to cooperate in providing financial support to the economic reform program and projects to be launched within this context.

The World Bank is planning to provide financial sources worth over 5 billion U.S dollars, 3 billion of which is intended for the Structural Harmonisation process, and the remaining 2 billion 250 thousand as a 'project credit'.

Officials from the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC) will visit Turkey between May 29 and June 2 to prepare a report on the Turkish Financial Sector.

The JBIC delegation will carry out talks with various officials and propose officially to provide financial aid to Turkey.

Parallel to the World Bank's First-Portion Financial Harmonisation Credit, which is worth 750 thousand U.S dollars, the JBIC, too, will offer 750 thousand U.S dollars.

In total, Turkey will have obtained about 10 billion U.S dollars of financial sources from the World Bank, the IMF, and the JBIC.

[07] HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY'S CHILDREN FOLKLORE DANCES COMPANY TO JOIN TURKISH PARADE IN U.S.

The Hacettepe University said on Wednesday that 31-member team, including 28 children between 9 and 13, one administrator, two musicians, will join the ''19th Turkish Day'' parade and Turkish-American Friendship Week activities in New York on May 20.

The team will be headed by lecturer Murat Ozkan, the University noted.

The University also said that the team will exhibit the folklore dances which symbolizes the War of Independence and respect to Ataturk.

The University added that the team will also display the folklore dances of Adiyaman, Artvin, Silifke and Black Sea regions.

[08] RECORD BREAKING SUGAR EXPORTS -TURKSEKER TO EXPORT 600,000 TONS IN 2000

The TURKSEKER will carry out the exports with consideration of the prices offered at global sugar stock exchanges.

Exports by certain TURKSEKER factories will take place within the framework of a timetable set by the General Directorate of TURKSEKER. The major importers of Turkish sugar will be European countries, Turkish speaking republics, and Central Asian countries.

Last year's export figure stood at 400 thousand tons.

[09] PRESIDENT SEZER RECEIVES PREMIER ECEVIT

Ecevit congratulated Sezer for becoming the tenth President of Turkey.

The meeting lasted for nearly half an hour.

[10] BAHRIYE UCOK MURDER -FOUR PERSONS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

Upon the interrogation of Necdet Yuksel and Ferhan Ozmen, members of an illegal terrorist organization namley ''Jerusalem Commandos'' who are kept in custody, the perpetrators of the bomb attack staged on Bahriye Ucok were identified.

Three perpetrators were caught on Tuesday night and this morning Musa Koca was caught.

Security officials said that new persons were identified in connection with Ucok murder and operations are underway to capture these persons.

''We can say that Ucok murder is about to be solved,'' a high official said.

Meanwhile, a gun seized in Sincan district of Ankara was the same one used in the killing of Prof. Dr. Muammer Aksoy, the Chairman of Kemalist Thought Association in 1990.

Yet, a perpetrator regarding Aksoy murder has not been identified.

[11] TENDER OPENED FOR 15,490 DWELLINGS FOR QUAKE SURVIVORS

The announcements pertaining to the tender were published in the Turkish and English versions of Wednesday's issue of the Official Gazette by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.

The expropriations of the 15,490 dwellings have been completed, and thus, the housing units have become suitable for bidding.

The 10,626 housing units in Istanbul and Duzce, however will be put on a tender at a later date, once their expropriations have been completed.

The housing units, each 99 square meters in size, will be commissioned to the company to offer the lowest price.

The dwellings have been divided into three separate work groups according to their quantities.

Working Group A contains 650 and more housing units; B contains housing units between 350-600; and C contains between 150-300 housing units.

Any bidder may, if he elects to do so, submit proposals for work group (A-B-C) and all works included in these categories provided that they purchase specifications therefor.

Maximum lump sum price for each work group is defined in the respective tender specifications. Housing units in Work Group (A) will be constructed by using tunnel formwork system and those in Group B and Group C will be constructed by using the conventional system.

Time for completion is 150 dayb of the date of possession by the contractor of the site.No advance payment shall be effected for the works.

Bidders shall submit their proposals accompanied by the documents referred to above to the employer by:

12 a.m. on June 9, 2000 in the case of Work Group (A)

12 a.m. on June 12, 2000 in the case of Work Group (B)

12 a.m. on June 14, 2000 in the case of Work Group (C)

The applicants will be required to provide a written application, a copy of the contractor's license, an information form containing information about the contractor, a certificate confirming that the contractor has no outstanding income or corporation income tax, a document showing annual volume of construction works undertaken, a written undertaking for construction machninery, a written undertaking for technical personnel, statements and certificates for similar works performed.

Foreign companies are not required to present a contractor's license or a certificate confirming that the contractor has no outstanding income or corporation income tax.

Specifications for the works and appendices thereto and sample forms shall be obtained by depositing 1.000.000.000 TL. (one billion TL) for work group A and 500.000.000 (five hundred million TL) for Work Group (B) and 250.000.000 (two hundred fifty million) for Work Group C in the General Directorate for Disasters' account no. 502208 entitled ''Marmara Depreme Afet Fonu'' with Ziraat Bank's Ankara Individual Banking Branch against a receipt.

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