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Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-03-18Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>Anadolu AgencyANADOLU AGENCY NEWS 19 MARCH 2001 Monday CONTENTS
[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCANThese are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on March 18, 2000. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.HURRIYET (LIBERAL)CLASH ERUPTS BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND DEMONSTRATORSClash erupted between security forces and members of the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) during the Labour Platform's demonstration in Ankara. Cafer Akpinar, the Secretary General of KESK's Branch in Ankara, was injured in his head during the clash. Security forces seized placards of the demonstrators. Meanwhile, the Labour Platform plans to organize a rally throughout Turkey on April 14. TURKISH DELEGATION IN JORDAN TURKEY-U.S. BUSINESS COUNCIL TO CONVENE MILLIYET (LIBERAL)WORLD BANK SUPPORT DERVISThe World Bank has fully supported urgent measures package disclosed by State Minister Kemal Dervis. Ajay Chhibber, the Representative of World Bank in Turkey, said that they were ready to assist Turkey. Chhibber eulogized the urgent measures package's attributing importance to reforms in banking sector and new economic program's social dimension. OPERATION AGAINST ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING SABAH (LIBERAL)TURKISH PASSENGERS ABOARD HIJACKED PLANE, RETURN TO TURKEYTurkish passengers who were rescued from the hijacked Russian plane which was forced to land at Medina Airport in Saudi Arabia, returned to Turkey. Ali Copoglu, one of the Turkish passengers aboard the plane, said, ''we planned to intervene in hijackers. But we feared that the hijackers could set off bombs.'' Cemal Aka said, ''if Saudi security forces had not launched an operation, no one would have been killed. Gursel Kambal went to the door after Saudi security forces could not open it. Saudi security forces first shot Kambal. Then, they shot Russian hostess in her head.'' YILMAZ: ''WE FULLY SUPPORT NEW ECONOMIC PROGRAM'' CUMHURIYET (LEFT)MOGULTAY RESIGNS FROM CHPMehmet Mogultay, a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP), who was transferred to the Disciplinary Board of CHP, has resigned from his party. Meanwhile, the Disciplinary Board of CHP has decided to expel Fikri Saglar from the party. LAWYER VURAL APPLIES TO ECHR REPORT ON IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS SEZER ASK FOR SUPPORT FROM PRESIDENT RAU OF GERMANY RADIKAL (LEFT)MEETINGS FOR FOREIGN SUPPORTState Minister Kemal Dervis, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Europe One Director Michael Deppler, ambassadors of member countries to the Group-7, and European Union (EU) Representative in Turkey Karen Fogg will come together at a dinner which will be hosted by Ajay Chhibber, the Representative of World Bank in Turkey, later today. New economic program will be taken up in detail at the dinner. MACEDONIAN FOREIGN MINISTER KERIM IN ANKARA TURKIYE (RIGHT)MILD EARTHQUAKE JOLTS ERZINCANA mild earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale jolted eastern province of Erzincan on Saturday. The quake sent people out to the streets in panic. There were not any immediate reports of casulties or damages in the province. TRADE WITH IRAQ ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)EBSO INVITES CLINTON TO TURKEYAegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO) has invited former U.S. President Bill Clinton to Turkey to attend a conference. Atil Akkan, the Chairman of EBSO Executive Board, said that they had applied to the relevant authorities. Akkan added that the conference would be a great opportunity to promote Aegean Region to the world. -PRESIDENT SEZER RETURNS TO TURKEY Addressing journalists at Ankara's Esenboga Airport after his arrival, President Sezer said, ''I had an opportunity to underline importance of German officials' support to Turkey's new economic program.'' Noting that the exhibition ''Troy: Dreams and Fact'' had made a valuable contribution to promote ancient civilizations and cultures in Turkey to the whole world, President Sezer recalled that he had held beneficial talks with President Johannes Rau of Germany during his visit to Germany. President Sezer said that his talks with his German counterpart had focused on relations between the two countries and problems of Turkish people living in Germany. President Sezer noted that several initiatives had been launched to further strengthen and diversify commercial and economic relations between Turkey and Germany. ''President Rau and I have reached a full consensus of opinion on German entrepreneurs' giving support to some projects in Turkey. Germany supported Turkey's full membership to the European Union (EU) at the Helsinki Summit in 1999. I underlined importance of continuation of this support during the full membership process,'' he told reporters. President Sezer said, ''I had an opportunity to underline importance of German officials' support to Turkey's new economic program.'' -WORLD WATER COUNCIL TO CONVENE IN ISTANBUL Releasing a written statement, the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Authority said that France-based WWC would convene at the Marmara Hotel in Istanbul on Sunday with the participation of 36 delegates from 12 countries to discuss the problem of decreasing water sources in the world. Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, the Water Sources Minister of Egypt and Chairman of the WWC, will also be in attendance at the three-day meeting. Dr. Olcay Unver, the Chairman of GAP Authority, and Prof. Dr. Dogan Altinbilek, the Director General of State Water Works, will represent Turkey at the meeting. -COOPERATION PROTOCOL SIGNED BETWEEN TURKISH AND GREEK MUNICIPALITIES State Minister Yuksel Yalova, Tekirdag Governor Cemalettin Sevin, mayors of provinces in Marmara Region, Greek Foreign Minister George Papendrou, and Greek mayors in Western Thrace were in attendance at the signing ceremony at Sappes Municipality. The protocol signed by co-presidents of Western Thrace Municipalities' Network, Tekirdag Mayor Osman Tabak and Sappes Mayor Dinos Haritopulos, envisages strengthening of cooperation, cultural and economic activities among municipalities in Eastern and Western Thrace in order to develop cooperation between Turkish and Greek peoples. Speaking at the signing ceremony, State Minister Yalova said, ''Eastern and Western Thrace will form a bridge between Turkey and Greece having a trade volume of 1 billion U.S. dollars.'' Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister Papandreou said that he supported the Turkish economy. Noting that they considered Turkish minority in Western Thrace as a cultural asset, Papandreou added that they had taken a series of measures to solve problems of Turkish minority. -PRIME MINISTRY OFFICE: Releasing a written statement, the Prime Ministry Office said, ''approval process of the Accession Partnership Accord prepared by the European Union (EU) and the Frame Regulation arranging financial relations, was finalized by the EU organs. Turkey will submit its National Program shaping up relations between Turkey and the EU, to the EU.'' Describing the National Program as a turning point in relations between Turkey and the EU, the statement noted that the preparatory works for the National Program had been carried out under the coordination of Turkey's Secretariat General for the EU. Noting that leaders of three political parties forming the coalition government had scrutinized Turkey's National Program and reached a full consensus of opinion, the statement added, ''the National Program will be submitted to the Council of Ministers on Monday. The National Program will be a proof of Turkey's political determination for the EU full membership, its self-confidence and of broad social comprimise.'' -SYRIAN-FLAGGED CARGO SHIP SINKS IN BLACK SEA OFF SINOP The 2,218 dwt Syrian-flagged Oula Queen sank 60 miles off Sinop while bringing the lumber from Russia's Novorossiiski port to Syria's Tarsus port, and seven of the 11-member crew of the vessel were rescued and brought to the Sinop port with a Coast Guard boat. Seamen Kamal Kanafani, Ahmet Abo Omar, Mohammad Hammoud, Andre Cristofor, Majid Mustafa, Abdulaziz Shaban and Ivan Novokreshchenov are now hosted at the Health Directorate's Guesthouse. Coast guard boats are searching for the missing captain Rahman Hamadi and crew members Mahmut Khalil, Mahmud Ahmet and Saad Khamis. -CONTACTS OF STATE MINISTER DERVIS Later, Dervis proceeded to the Treasury Undersecretariat to continue his works. State Minister Dervis is expected to carry out works with International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Treasury Undersecretariat, Central Bank and Banking Regulatory and Supervisory Authority (BRSA) officials. -NATIONAL INCOME PER CAPITA TO DECREASE TO According to the 2001 Year Programme statistics, the national income per capita which had firstly exceeded 2.000 U.S. dollars limit in 1990 and became 2.710 U.S. dollars increased over to 3.000 U.S. dollars limit in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. According to estimations of the State Planning Organization (DPT), the national income per capita which was expected to be 3.060 U.S. dollars in 2000 is expected to rise to 3.242 U.S. dollars according to the 2001 Year Programme. However, such an opportunity was removed due to the decision to float foreign exchange currencies, which was taken late on February 21, 2001. According to the programme, the average U.S. dollar currency is expected to be 714.000 Turkish lira (TL) in 2001 but avegare U.S. dollar currency will be 924.656 TL and the national income per capita will decrease to 2.503 U.S. dollar due to the current devaluation. According to the programme, the Gross National Product (GNP) is expected to reach 214.86 billion U.S. dollars in 2001 but it will drop to 165-166 billion U.S. dollar due to devaluation. The mid-year population, GNP and national income per capita realizations between 1989 and 1999, and the estimations in 2000 and 2001 are as follows: . Mid-Year GNP National Income . Population (Billion Per Capita Year (thousand) U.S. dollar) (U.S. dollar) ----- --------- ----------- ------------- 2001 (xx) 66.275 214,86 3.242 2001 (xxx) 66.275 165,89 2.503 (x) : DPT's estimation (xx) : 2001 Year Programmme (xxx): Estimation made by taking devaluation into consideration -TURKISH PASSENGERS ABOARD HIJACKED PLANE, RETURN TO TURKEY A total of 47 Turkish passengers were brought back to Turkey by Turkish Airlines' (THY) plane which was sent to Saudi Arabia upon an instruction of the Prime Ministry Office. Turkish passanger Ibrahim Zumluoglu, the Deputy Director General of Ramstore Marino Shopping Center in Moscow, said, ''the hijackers had a knife and an axe. After the plane landed at the Medina Airport, Saudi security forces launched an operation to rescue us. But it was an unsystematic and unsuccessful operation.'' Mehmet Akyuz, one of the Turkish passengers aboard the hijacked plane, said, ''we could not understand what happened during the operation. The hijackers cut throat of a hostess because she was yelling in panic. She was already injured.'' Rabia Kara, one of the Turkish passengers of the hijacked Russian plane, said, ''I tried to protect my little daughter. It was too hot inside the plane. Later, they released us.'' Turkish passenger Ali Copoglu noted, ''Saudi security officials started to open fire as soon as they got onto the plane. Gursel Kambal was shot dead. If they had warned us to kneel, no one would have not been killed or injured. Another Turkish passanger Mustafa Efiloglu said, ''I saw one of the hijackers as he was taking a knife from the hostess' room. Later, they used this knife to threat us.'' Names of Turkish passengers who were brought back to Turkey from Saudi Arabia are as follows: Baki Kabal, Necati Acep, Ahmet Tufan, Akif Sevim, Sami Mergen, Turgay Ciftci, Ibrahim Zumluoglu, Cahit Yildirim, Galip Ertekin, Dursun Ali Ertekin, Ilyas Akyuz, Fikri Aka, Erdogan Bayraktar, Gazi Demirci, Mustafa Elifoglu, Remzi Aydin, Mustafa Kara, Hasan Aka, Erdogan Copoglu, Saban Kaya, Mustafa Copoglu, Ali Copoglu, Murat Soguktas, Osman Yakut, Berfin Nur Kaya, Suleyman Reyhan, Yilmaz Celik, Rabia Kara, Zulal Kara, Seref Akbas, Ozcan Ozkul, Omer Gokkaya, Bulent Hisir, Zafer Tip, Talip Tip, Mehmet Akyuz, Cemal Akyuz, Bahri Aka, Suleyman Aydogdu, Gazi Demirci, Riza Egemen, Mustafa Camli, Cemal Aka, Ahmet Oruc, Basri Aka, Ali Elifoglu, and Mustafa Kara. Meanwhile, body of Kambal who was killed in the operation was also brought back to Turkey. Turkish passengers were interrogated by the security forces at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after their arrival. Ozcan Ozkul who was injured in the operation, was taken under medical treatment at the Avrasya hospital. A total of 13 Turkish passangers went to Moscow by a Russian plane sent to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, sources said that the hijackers came to Turkey from Russia four months ago with tourist visa. Zara Arsayev, the wife of Suphan Arsayev who hijacked Russian plane which was bound from Istanbul and Moscow, to Medina, Saudi Arabia, together with his two sons, was detained in Istanbul. Her interrogation is under way. -A TOTAL OF 16,047 FOREIGNERS CAPTURED IN 2000 Officials at the Directorate General of Security told the A.A correspondent on Sunday that 3,078 Romanians, 2,830 Moldavans, 2,808 Guineans, Gambians, Senegaleses, South Africans, Zimbabweans, Burundians, Bangladeshis, Nigerians, Liberians, Sri Lankas, Papua New Guineans, Tanzanians and Zambians, 1,251 Ukranians, 2,124 Iraqis, 1,447 Iranians, 865 Azerbaijanis, 438 Pakistanis, 445 Russians, 263 Turkestanians, 166 Bulgarians, 158 Moroccans, 108 Syrians, 38 Algerians and 28 Egyptians were taken into custody on charges of involving in illegal labor, prostitution, visa violation, use of false passport and illicit drug trafficking. In 1999, a total of 17,250 foreigners were detained. -AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV RETURNS TO BAKU Speaking to journalists at Bine Airport, Aliyev said that he had paid an important and necessary visit to Turkey and that he was pleased with his contacts in Turkey, adding that a new period had started in strategic cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan. When asked whether or not the sides had signed a military cooperation agreement, Aliyev said, ''I held bilateral contacts with the military officials. However, I can't say anything about this issue.'' When asked whether or not Turkey would set up a military base in Azerbaijan, Aliyev said, ''it will be good.'' Assessing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project which will bring Azerbaijani main production oil into the western markets, Aliyev said, ''there is not a thing to worry about the Baku-Ceyhan.'' Noting that the Azeri, Cirak and Gunesli oil beds in Azerbaijani part of the Caspian Sea would suffice the main export pipeline, Aliyev said that it was not an obligation for them to transfer Kazakh oil with the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline as the final decision about this issue would be taken by the Kazakh government. ''Recently, there have been some circles who attempted to prevent construction of the main export pipeline project. However, any disturbing remain does not exist now. During my visit, we have solved the issue of Azerbaijani natural gas export to Turkey,'' Aliyev added. -DEMAND TO FOREIGN EXCHANGE DOES NOT DECREASE IN LAST 14 MONTHS According to the Central Bank statistics, the foreign exchange deposits account which had been 34 billion 930 million U.S. dollars on December 31, 1999 when the 1 U.S. dollar-0.77 Euro currency basket started to be implemented rose 16.9 percent to its highest level of 40 billion 846 million U.S. dollars on September 29, 2000. The situation of foreign exchange deposits account in last 14 months is as follows: . FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEPOSITS ACCOUNT ------------------ -------------------- January 31, 2000 35.754 February 29, 2000 36.660 March 31, 2000 37.416 April 28, 2000 37.691 May 31, 2000 39.436 June 30, 2000 39.477 July 31, 2000 39.503 August 31, 2000 39.944 September 29, 2000 40.846 October 31, 2000 40.481 November 30, 2000 40.341 December 26, 2000 38.606 January 26, 2001 38.576 February 23, 2001 37.673 -FEDERATION OF TURKISH-AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS AND TURKISH-AMERICAN Gulertekin was sentenced to 8 years in prison and 10 million U.S. dollars fine on charges of weakening a baby's health by shaking him to take out something in his throat as she was working as a nany in Columbus city of Ohio, the U.S., in 1997. She has been in prison since 1998. Judicial circles described verdict of the court as unfair, intentional and too heavy. Within framework of the initiatives, Baki Ilkin, the Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., sent a letter to Robert Taft, the Governor of Ohio, and called on him to use his right of amnesty. Ilkin who launched initiatives at the U.S. Department of State, also sent letters to American businessmen. Releasing a written statement, Yavuz Aktas, the Turkish Consul General in Chicago, said, ''we have been searching all legal remedies for release of Gulertekin. She has to apply to U.S. authorities for amnesty. Gulertekin plans to use her right soon.'' Turkish people living in the U.S. signed a petition for release of Fugen Gulertekin. The petition will be sent to Taft in coming days. -YARDIM, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF BOTAS: Responding to questions of the A.A correspondent, Yardim said, ''tests will end at the end of June. Then, the pipeline will be ready. We will start purchasing natural gas from Iran as of July 31, 2001.'' ''Construction of 2,577-km pipeline has been finalized except for a 300-km part. 60 percent of hydrostatic tests has been completed. We have begun works on distribution of natural gas. Contractors have been carrying out works to make connections. Preparatory works are under way for a tender for connection lines,'' he added. -CONTACTS OF STATE MINISTER DERVIS The three ministers are expected to discuss the new economic program. -DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRIME MINISTRY STATE ARCHIVES PUBLISHES The books reveal the fact that Armenians had massacred 518 thousand Turks including many women, childen and elderly people with inhuman methods. The book on ''Documents on Massacres Committed by Armenians'' is composed of two volumes. The first volume of the book includes documents dated between 1914 and 1919, and the second volume includes documents dated between 1919 and 1921. Nearly 2 million Turks died during the World War I. The book includes 89 original documents saying that 518,105 Turks had been massacred by Armenian gangs. These documents are reports of commissions carrying out investigations in the region, testimonies of local residents under oath, reports of local and military officials, and diaries of foreign officials working at Russian hospitals in the region. The book emphasizes, ''in fact, Turks had been exposed to massacre by occupier countries and Armenian gangs. They committed inhuman crimes such as raping women in front of their husbands and cutting throats of women and children.'' The second book named ''Armenian Committees Between 1891 and 1895'' gives information about targets and activities of committees set up by Armenians during the Sultan Abdulhamid II period, and about foreign countries' support to these committees. The third book named ''Targets and Activities of Armenian Committees in the Ottoman Empire Before and After Announcement of Constitutional Monarchy'' was published in French. -TURKEY TO ACCELERATE GIANT PROJECTS The projects which were included in investment programs of relevant organizations operating in sectors from energy to transportation and from infrastructural investments to agricultural integrated projects and defense industry will be put into practice by 2010. Turkey which succeeded in signing important projects in energy sector in addition to transportation and infrastructure investments will at the same time carry out projects to strengthen its defense. Turkey which continues seeking several alternatives to meet energy demand of its increasing population and rapidly developing industry is planning to overcome this problem with energy projects. Turkey which is planning to meet nearly 25 percent of the current annual 120 billion kwh energy consumption with several alternative energy resources till 2010 will solve almost whole domestic demand problem with new energy power plants. Meanwhile, Turkey is signing bilateral agreements with its neighbors on purchase of natural gas and crude oil in order to remove the energy shortage. Turkey which will put a series of projects in this field into practice in schedule will implement Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan natural gas pipelines and especially the Baku-Ceyhan crude oil pipeline before 2005. Turkey which took new projects on natural gas and crude oil with Turkmenistan, Russia, Iran and Egypt onto its agenda will start operating the first undersea natural gas pipeline project with Russia in next two years. Turkey which targets to set up a powerful defense industry due to its geographical situation will implement some important projects before 2010. Turkey which will make its preference among the bids of world's leading companies to construction of 145 attack helicopters and 1,000 new generation tanks this year will put these two giant projects into practice in next five years. Besides, Turkey will try to give start for projects for purchase of 32 III. Phase F-16 warplanes, light cargo plane, giant plane of the future, AWACS plane, automatic spacecraft, armored battle vehicle, sea helicopter and special forces helicopter within framework of its production programme. In first decade of the new century, Turkey will give priority also to the investments which are in scope of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) which is one of the giant integrated projects in the world. Almost 17 billion U.S. dollars have been spent on GAP of which 46.1 percent has been finalized, and 90 percent of the project will be completed if the necessary 20 billion U.S. dollars of source is obtained. Turkey which will put also the motorways and Istanbul and Canakkale Straits passing projects into practice is planning to increase the motorway network to 5 thousand kilometers by 2010. The third Istanbul Straits bridge and Canakkale Straits bridge projects are expected to be put out to tender in 2002 if necessary source is found. Turkey foresees to hold a tender for railway tunnel project via the Istanbul Straits this year and put it into service in 2005. -STATE MINISTER DERVIS TO HOLD CONTACTS Sources said on Sunday that Dervis was expected to leave abroad on Thursday or Friday. Meanwhile, the frame agreement is expected to be announced early on Monday. -FOREIGN TRADE DELEGATION CONCLUDES ITS CONTACTS IN JORDAN Jordan has pledged to act as a mediator to remove difficulties in highway transportation between Turkey and Syria. Syria's taking several taxes worth between 500 and 1,500 U.S. dollars from Turkish lorries, was described as an initiative aiming at hampering Turkey's trade. If Syria removes difficulties in highway transportation, Turkey will help Arab countries including Syria to trade with Eastern Europe. Jordanian Energy and Oil Ministry agreed with Syria for transportation of Egyptian oil and natural gas to Turkey and to Eastern Europe. A preliminary protocol was signed about passing of natural gas and oil pipeline from Turkey. Egyptian natural gas and oil will be transported to Eastern and Southeasten provinces of Turkey and to Eastern Europe. Sources said that in case of realization of the project, a new Silk Road could be opened in highway transportation. The delegation said that they were hopeful about setting up cooperation with Jordan in industrial investments and export of foodstuffs. The delegation is expected to leave Jordan for Turkey shortly after midnight. -DOMESTIC BORROWING STRATEGY ABOUT TO BE FINALIZED Sources said on Sunday that Treasury was focusing on two methods regarding the domestic borrowing strategy. The first method is about limitation of maturity with one month and three months and the other one is about debenture bonds with floating rates, one- month coupon payment and maturity more than one year. Sources said that Treasury and International Monetary Fund were in favor of floating rate domestic borrowing. Meanwhile, Treasury will repay 2.4 quadrillion Turkish lira in domestic borrowing on March 21, 2001. -A RALLY HELD IN TRNC TO MARK CANAKKALE VICTORY A total of 71 non-governmental organizations held a rally named ''Flag, Homeland and Freedom''. Many people carrying Turkish and TRNC flags in their hands gathered in Inonu Square in Lefkosa. The participants stressed that the Turkish Cypriots would never give up Turkey guarantorship and they would never accept an agreement denying the existence of the TRNC. A group of people came to the buffer zone, and gave a letter to United Nations Peace Keeping Force officials and asked them to convey it to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Meanwhile, President Rauf Denktas of the TRNC, told the A.A correspondent, ''this is a rally which aimed to herald voices of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot peoples to the whole world.'' Meanwhile, several ceremonies took place throughout Turkey to celebrate the victory and commemorate the martyrs. -STATE MINISTER MIRZAOGLU RETURNS FROM U.S. Speaking to journalists at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Mirzaoglu said that works on the system which aimed at safety of vessels and protection of lives and environment were under way within scope of a plan. Mirzaoglu stressed that there were factors which prevented safe cruising and required obligatory maneuvers like strong currents and winds of which speed reached 6-7 miles per hour, shallow places and islets in the Turkish Straits which was 325 kiolometers in length including 31 kilometers of Istanbul Straits, 70 kilometers of Canakkale Straits and 224 kilometers of Marmara Sea passing. Noting that this region urgently required a system which would provide safe cruising and protect environment, Mirzaoglu said that works on the ''Turkish Straits Vessel Traffic Management and Information System'' which aimed at safety of vessels and protection of lives and environment were under way within scope of a plan. Mirzaoglu said that one traffic control center and eight traffic monitoring centers would be built in the Istanbul Straits, one traffic control center and five traffic monitoring centers would be constructed in the Canakkale Straits and three traffic monitoring centers would be built in the Marmara Sea within scope of the project. Mirzaoglu said that he had observed the devices produced by the Lockheed Martin Overseas company in Syracuse during his visit to the U.S. and that they had exchanged opinions on more productive operation of the system. -RELATIVES OF KAMBAL TO SEEK FOR COMPENSATION Saban Akar, a friend of Kambal who was also aboard the plane, said, ''we have agreed with an Ankara-based company to work in Russia.'' Fikri Camoglu, the Mayor of Akpinar hamlet, said, ''according to autopsy report prepared by Saudi doctors, Kambal was killed accidentally. We requested the Forensic Medicine Institute in Istanbul to carry out a new autopsy.'' Noting that they applied to the Foreign Ministry, Camoglu said that they asked the Ministry officials to help them in bringing a compensation suit. -SECURITY FORCES DETAIN 67 MEMBERS OF IHD WHO ATTEMPT A group of 100 people gathered in Sultanahmet Square, and wanted to hold a sit-in demonstration to support death-fasting prisoners. Security forces urged the demonstrators to disperse peacefully. After the demonstrators refused to disperse, security forces intervened in the group, and detained 67 demonstrators. -THREE PEOPLE TRYING TO SMUGGLE 323 KG OF HEROIN TO EUROPE, CAPTURED Acting on a tip-off, security forces discovered a drug trafficking gang smuggling illicit drug from Afghanistan and Iran. Security forces raided some houses and depots, and confiscated 323 kg of heroin, a hand-gun and four automobiles. Three people were detained in the operation. Meanwhile, a total of 326 kg of heroin, 189 gr of cocaine, 197 gr of hashish, 9 pills, a hand-gun, 11 automobiles and a minibus were seized in operation in Istanbul in the last eight days. 43 people were taken into custody in the operations. -''NINJA TURTLES'' IN ISTANBUL The 24-member action team which came from New York, the U.S. will perform a kung-fu show during tomorrow's inauguration of Bagcilar Olympic Sports Complex which was constructed by the Istanbul Municipality. Team members said that kung-fu sports was an art which shows positive sides of life. -STATE MINISTER DERVIS: Dervis responded to questions of journalists following luncheon in which he came together with State Minister Tunca Toskay and Finance Minister Sumer Oral. Stressing that exportation was the locomotive of Turkish economy, Dervis said that measures to be taken in exports were discussed at the luncheon. Dervis told reporters that Oral informed him on balance of public finance. Responding to a question about tonight's dinner with the participation of ambassadors of the U.S., Japan, German, France, Britain, Italy and Canada, the member countries to the G-7, State Minister Dervis stressed, ''I will brief them on our works. I will try to explain that Turkey needs a reasonable amount of foreign support in order to overcome current crisis.'' Noting that works were under way about monetary figures in new economic program, State Minister Dervis said, ''I may make a statement together with economy bureaucrats and Central Bank Governor on Monday morning. For the time being, we are working on the frame agreement. We need to hold detailed talks with representatives of different social circles.'' -STATE MINISTERS DERVIS AND TOSKAY AND Following the luncheon, Toskay said that Dervis and he had met yesterday and they had discussed especially foreign trade matters. ''We held a very beneficial and detailed meeting yesterday. And today, we convened at a working dinner upon invitation of the Finance Minister. We have reviewed all macro balances of exports and economy. There is not any lack of accord among us. We believe that we can overcome this difficult period as a result of our works in harmony. All of us believe that dynamics of the Turkish economy and people do have the potential to overcome such a crisis. Our intense works continue,'' he said. Noting that foreign trade and especially exports were important opportunities in such a period, Toskay said, ''we have discussed in detail what we can do against this crisis. It was very beneficial. I think that such meetings will be held also in coming days.'' Meanwhile, Finance Minister Oral said that they had discussed every economic issues including exports and public finance at the luncheon. Oral said that they had assessed all dimensions of the economy and discussed the new economic programme. Stressing that Turkey had a dynamic economy, Oral said, ''Turkey is a great country. Turkey will overcome all problems and continue disinflation programme. The decisions which will be taken during these works will be publicly announced.'' Following the statements, Kemal Dervis proceeded to the Treasury Undersecretariat building. Central Bank Governor Sureyya Serdengecti also came to the Treasury Undersecretariat building. -WORLD WATER COUNCIL CONVENES IN ISTANBUL Directorate of Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Authority will host the four-day meeting at the Marmara Hotel. Speaking at the meeting, Rene Coulomb, the Deputy Chairman of WWC from France, said that the GAP was a worldwide known project including dimensions such as regional development and energy. William Cosgrove, the Deputy Chairman of WWC from Canada, said that the Third World Water Forum would be held in Japan in 2003. Olcay Unver, the Chairman of GAP Authority, said that the WWC was an important international organization affecting world's water policies. The WWC was founded in 1996. Egyptian Water Sources Minister Mahmoud Abu-Zeid has been acting as the chairman of WWC. The WWC has 294 members.
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