Anadolu Agency: News in English, 01-05-09

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Anadolu Agency Home Page at <http://www.anadoluajansi.com.tr/>

ANADOLU AGENCY

NEWS

09 MAY 2001 Wednesday

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

[02] IMF FIRST DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR SAYS IMF, U.S. AND G-7 SUPPORT TURKEY

[03] PARLIAMENTARY INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION ADOPTS DRAFT LAW

[04] NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY INCREASES 17.4 PERCENT

[05] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM DUE TO KOSOVO AND MACEDONIA

[06] ANKARA PROTESTS ATHENS

[07] INTERIOR MINISTER TANTAN IN IRAN

[08] PRESIDENT SEZER HOSTS A LUNCHEON IN HONOR OF

[09] PRIVATIZATION OF TURKISH TELEKOM

[01] TURKEY-PRESS SCAN

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)

VETO FROM ECEVIT TO NATO
The reaction of Turkey, which was excluded from the European Security and Defense Identity (ESDI), was very harsh. Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit returned the request of NATO Secretary General George Robertson who asked for the increase of Turkish military force in Kosovo.

CAKAN IS NEW ENERGY MINISTER
Zeki Cakan, the deputy leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP), was appointed as the new Energy and Natural Minister. Cakan, who is 51 years old and who was graduated from the Istanbul Technical University's (ITU) Electrical Engineering Department, is known for his discipline.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)

WHAT WAS FEARED OF BECOMES REALITY IN
FAULT LINE AROUND MARMARA ISLETS
The scientific groups that examined the findings of the La Suriot ship in the Marmara Sea said that the fault line which was 10-16 kilometre south of the Marmara Islets was very dangerous. Professor Mustafa Aktar said, ''the fault line around the islets is similar to the fault which hit Golcuk and is a dangerous fault. To this end, we can say that it is very risky for Marmara.''

SABAH (LIBERAL)

DERVIS WARNS AGAIN: ''A THIRD CRISIS WILL BE VERY SERIOUS''
State Minister Kemal Dervis sent messages to Ankara in the consultation meeting of the Confederation of Turkish Employers' Union (TISK) held in Istanbul. Dervis said that the laws on banking and Telekom should be adopted until May 15. Dervis said, ''only stating your support to the program is not enough. You should protect the program. If a third crisis occurs, its costs will be very high. My long-term target is to join the Turkish lira (TL) with Eurozone. It is possible in 4 or 5 years.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

STRUGGLE AGAINST PKK TO CONTINUE
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit received Iraqi Kurdistan Democrat Party (KDP) leader Massaud Barzani. Barzani, who came to Turkey to exchange views on the latest situation in Northern Iraq, also had a meeting with Faruk Logoglu, the Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry. Sources said that compromise on security and economic issues was reached by Barzani in the meetings held in Ankara. Barzani said, ''as long as the terrorist organization PKK insists on the continuation of its existence in the region, our struggle to push them outside the region will continue.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)

ECONOMY CONGRESS CANCELLED
Here is the most interesting circular on savings signed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The circular said that the Turkish Economy Congress in which Turkey's economy will be debated is postponed due to the ''current crisis.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)

TURK-IS: ''NO CONCESSION''
The Chairmanship Council of the Confederation of Turkish Labour Unions (Turk-Is) convened. Bayram Meral, the chairman of Turk-Is, said that the ''zero'' rise in the wages and salaries given by the government is unacceptable, adding, ''we will not take a backward step from our demands''.

''FP IS SUCCESSOR OF RP''
Chief prosecutor Sabih Kanadoglu claimed that the Virtue Party (FP) is the successor of the banned Welfare Party (RP) and requested that the FP be closed.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)

RESIGNATION CLAIM WHICH SHAKES ANKARA
It was claimed that Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu, who is currently acting as the Interior Minister since Saadettin Tantan is in Iran, objected to the request of Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz for launching investigation into the gendarmerie and that he resigned. It was learned that Yilmaz did not put the resignation of Mumcu to implementation and was waiting for Tantan's return.

[02] IMF FIRST DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR SAYS IMF, U.S. AND G-7 SUPPORT TURKEY

Fischer staged a press conference because he planned to leave the IMF later this year.

Stanley Fischer said that he will stay in the Fund until his successor is chosen and comes on board.

Asked if the criticisms of large emergency loans should be provided to countries like Turkey are valid, Fischer said, ''we try to avoid that as far as possible. But then when a crisis comes, the question is, what do you do? If a country, as in the case of Turkey, is willing to undertake quite extraordinary measures with apparently full political support to stabilize the situation and avoid the normal response of high inflation, but needs financing, what should the international community do?''

''Impose additional penalties on the country? I should point out that in the case of Turkey, the actions of the IMF and of the Managing Director had the full and explicit support of all the members of the Board and of the G- 7 separately in a statement. And I believe, although I'm not sure it was a separate statement, but I know of the U.S. Treasury,'' Fischer added.

Fischer noted that all three coalition leaders in Turkey signed the cover letter on the Letter of Intent.

''I know that we are increasingly putting an emphasis on getting the political backing for programs, as has been the case in Turkey where all three coalition leaders signed the cover letter on the Letter of Intent, and I hope that will move it in that direction,'' Fischer said.

Fischer foresaw that his successor will have to deal with the developments following the crisis in Turkey and Argentina.

[03] PARLIAMENTARY INTERNAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION ADOPTS DRAFT LAW

The draft law is expected to be debated by the Parliamentary General Assembly in the coming days.

The draft law said, ''Turkey rejects the 'Armenian genocide' allegations which were not proved and fixed by the history; and harshly condemns France and other external powers which encouraged Armenians for rebellion in order to use them for their own interests. Turkey harshly condemns the losses of life which occured for that purpose, and also the support and protection given to ASALA terrorism.''

The draft law noted that Turkey condemns Armenia for occupying the Upper Karabakh and Azerbaijani territories, for forcing people to migration and it also condemns that the people in Bosnia-Herzegovina became subject to genocide due to their religion and other people were a mere spectator of this.

The draft law stated that Turkey accepts that France and other European forces have moral responsibility.

The draft law also foresees the government to take the necessary measures to enable the above mentioned realities to be discussed all around the world and take measures against the biased decisions that will be taken against Turkey in the parliaments of other countries.

[04] NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING TURKEY INCREASES 17.4 PERCENT

A total of 846 thousand 640 tourists visited Turkey in April.

A statement of the Tourism Ministry said on Wednesday that Germany was ranked the first in the list of countries visiting Turkey the most with 28 percent while French with 7.7 percent and Russian Federation with 6 percent followed Germany.

The number of people coming from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries increased 30.5 percent while the number of people from Eastern Europe decreased 8.5 percent. 1.94 percent of the tourists paid one-day visit to Turkey in April.

A total of 80.89 percent of the tourists came to Turkey by planes, 15.30 percent by cars or buses, 0.34 percent by trains, and 3.48 percent by ships in April.

Meanwhile, the number of tourists visiting Turkey between January and April increased 16.3 percent when compared with the same period last year.

Two million 145 thousand 447 people visited Turkey between January and April 2001. 60.3 percent of the tourists were from OECD countries, 25.6 percent of them from East European countries. 1.27 percent of the tourists paid one-day visit to Turkey in this period.

Germany was ranked the first with 25.4 percent in the list of the countries which visited Turkey the most between January and April 2001. Russian Federation with 5.5 percent and France with 5.2 percent followed Germany.

A total of 74.56 percent of the tourists came to Turkey by planes, 22.22 percent by cars or buses, 0.43 percent by trains, and 2.79 percent by ships between January and April 2001.

[05] FOREIGN MINISTER CEM DUE TO KOSOVO AND MACEDONIA

Diplomatic sources told the A.A correspondent on Wednesday that Cem was scheduled to meet with Mahir Yagcilar, the Chairman of Turkish Democratic Union; Daan Everts, the Chief of Kosovo Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); and representatives of Albanian political parties in Kosovo.

Cem will partake in a luncheon to be hosted in his honor by the Turkish battalion in Kosovo.

He is also expected to come together with Hans Haekkerup, the Chairman of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), within framework of his contacts in Kosovo.

Cem will proceed to Macedonian capital Skopje from kosovo later in the day.

He will be received by President Boris Traykovski of Macedonia and Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski.

Traykovski has postponed his scheduled meeting to Turkey after tension had escaleted in the region.

Sources stressed that Turkey was deeply concerned about attacks on business places of Macedonian citizens of Turkish and Albanian origin, and on religious and cultural institutions.

[06] ANKARA PROTESTS ATHENS

Diplomatic sources told the A.A correspondent on Wednesday that Dane Madeleine Kumanakos, the Undersecretary of Greek Embassy in Ankara, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

She was told by Foreign Ministry officials that Admiral Theodoroulakis could not come to Aksaz by a military helicopter which would take off from Rhodes Island.

Meanwhile, Huseyin Dirioz, the Deputy Spokesman of Foreign Ministry, said at the weekly press conference, ''in accordance with the Paris Treaty signed in 1947, Rhodes Island was disarmed. Therefore, any plane not only of Greece but of any countries, cannot be deployed on the island. The Greek Embassy in Ankara was recalled that any military plane of any country could not take off from Rhodes Island.''

[07] INTERIOR MINISTER TANTAN IN IRAN

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Tantan said that Turkey and Iran were two neighboring countries having a common history.

''There are many similarities between Turkish and Iranian nations. Both Turkey and Iran have important roles and benefits in their region. Our cooperation in security will also serve regional security. We believe that relations in the fields of security, culture and economy should be further improved between the two countries,'' he stressed.

Meanwhile, Tantan's scheduled meetings with President Mohammed Khatemi of Iran and Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Khrazzi were cancelled.

Tantan met with Vice President Habibi instead of President Khatemi.

Interior Minister Tantan and his Iranian counterpart Abdol Vahed Musavi- Lari are expected to sign the memorandum of understanding following the interdelegationary meetings.

They are expected to stage a joint press conference following the signing ceremony.

-PRESIDENT SEZER:
-''BOTH OIC AND ITS FINANCIAL COOPERATION ORGAN COMCEC ARE
EXPECTED TO INTERVENE ACTIVELY ON ISSUES WHICH ARE HIGH ON
AGENDA OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY''
ISTANBUL - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, the Chairman of the Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), said on Wednesday, ''both OIC, an international forum having a number of members, and its financial cooperation organ COMCEC are expected to intervene actively on issues which are high on the agenda of international community.''

The 17th meeting of Monitoring Committee of the Standing Committee for COMCEC started at Istanbul's the Marmara Hotel.

President Sezer could not attend the meeting, but sent a message.

In his message, President Sezer said, ''the COMCEC started as a regional cooperation initiative within structure of the OIC. During the last decade, it became an organization whose international characteristicts became clearer as a result of global changes.''

President Sezer said, ''as a result of developments in the information technology, rapid liberalization and globalizations tendencies in production, trade and capital movements make national efforts for development more open to international dynamics. The Strategy and Acting Plan which was adopted in previous years, aimed at adapting the member countries to the COMCEC to the global developments.''

''Both OIC, an international forum having a number of members, and its financial cooperation organ COMCEC are expected to intervene actively on issues which are high on the agenda of international community. The COMCEC, as a financial cooperation and solidarity organization of Islamic countries, should seek solutions to problems stemming from global dynamics,'' he added.

-PRESIDENT SEZER HOSTS A LUNCHEON IN HONOR OF
AMBASSADORS OF EU COUNTRIES
ANKARA - President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said on Wednesday, ''Turkish nation has been maintaining its intense relations with Europe for centuries in every field.''

President Sezer hosted a luncheon in honor of ambassadors of member countries to the European Union (EU) to mark the Europe Day.

Speaking at the luncheon, President Sezer stressed, ''Turkey's efforts to integrate with the EU have accelerated since announcement of its candidacy at Helsinki summit in 1999.''

State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz; Foreign Minister Ismail Cem; Faruk Logoglu, the Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry; Akin Alptuna, the Deputy Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry; and Volkan Vural, Turkey's Secretary General for the EU; also partook in the luncheon.

-GROSSMAN DUE IN TURKEY
ANKARA - Marc Grossman, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, will come to Ankara on Thursday to inform Turkish officials on national missile defense system of the U.S.

Speaking at the weekly press conference, Huseyin Dirioz, the Deputy Spokesman of Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday, ''delegation headed by Grossman, one of the former U.S. ambassadors to Turkey, will come to Ankara tomorrow to inform Turkish officials on U.S.' national missile defense system developed against threats stemming from weapons of mass destruction.''

Dirioz said that Grossman would be received by Foreign Minister Ismail Cem on Friday.

''Later, U.S. delegation headed by Grossman and Turkish delegation led by Faruk Logoglu, the Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry, will hold negotiations,'' he said.

When asked of news stories saying that Taiwanese Foreign Minister had paid a visit to Turkey on May 2, Dirioz said, ''Turkey recognized the People's Republic of China on August 5, 1971. Turkey considers People's Republic of China as the only representative of China.''

-U.S. PRESIDENT BUSH SENDS A LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER ECEVIT
ANKARA - U.S. President George W. Bush sent a letter to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit through Robert Pearson, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, on Wednesday.

In his letter, President Bush said, ''the news of your formal agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was received with great satisfaction. As I expressed when we last spoke, we strongly support your efforts to reform the Turkish economy. We are pleased that we could lead an international consensus to finance your program through the IMF and the World Bank. I am confident you and your government will demonstrate by your actions over the coming days and weeks that the support of the United States and international community was a wise investment, both in Turkey's economic and political well-being, as well as in the stabilitly, security and prosperity of Europe.''

''We are encouraged that you and your government are working hard to implement your reform program. I also know that some of these reforms, like telecommunications privatization and bank restructuring, will be challenging and require great political courage. The full realization of your reform agenda is central to improving confidence and creating the conditions for a return to economic growth. I believe your leadership in this effort is critical,'' he noted.

President Bush said, ''we also want to congratulate you and the Turkish law enforcement community for the professional and peaceful manner in which you successfully managed the recent hostage situation in Istanbul that put American citizens at risk. We look forward to seeing the perpetrators brought to justice for this crime.''

''Mr. Prime Minister, through hard work, sacrifice and close cooperation, we have made important progress towards resolving Turkey's recent crisis and towards reaching our common goals. I look forward to seeing you in Brussels on June 13, when we and other allied leaders will review progress in our joint endeavors,'' Bush added.

-STATE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BAHCELI:
-''GLOBALIZATION PROCESS HAVE BROUGHT FORTH BOTH OPPORTUNITIES OF
DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY, AND COSTS FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES''
ISTANBUL - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the Chairman of the Monitoring Committee of the Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), said on Wednesday, ''globalization process have brought forth both opportunities of development and prosperity, and costs for developing countries.''

The 17th meeting of Monitoring Committee of the Standing Committee for COMCEC started at Istanbul's the Marmara Hotel.

Speaking at the meeting, Bahceli said, ''financial crises which emerged in different countries in the last several years are example of this. The current economic crisis in Turkey was not limited only with financial sector but also included real sector. It caused a heavy cost and a serious loss in social prosperity.''

Noting that it was impossible to get rid of negative impacts of global dynamics by closing the borders, Bahceli noted, ''at the same time, we cannot hope that we would seize benefits of the globalization by opening ourselves completely.''

Underlining importance of cooperation among Islamic countries, Bahceli said, ''another negative impact of the globalization is standard development recipes ignoring social and cultural differences. It was understood that a single development model which was valid for every countries, did not exist. Such models increased difference of prosperity between poor and rich countries.

''Turkey has been working to strengthen and diversify its relations with the other countries in every field. Islamic countries have an important place to this end due to our historical, moral and cultural ties. Turkey will continue to expend efforts for success of both OIC and COMCEC,'' he stressed.

-17TH MEETING OF OIC COMCEC
-OIC SECRETARY GENERAL BELKEZIZ'S MESSAGE:
-''WE CONDEMN ISRAEL'S AGGRESSIVE ATTITUDE
TOWARDS OUR PALESTINIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS''
ISTANBUL - Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Abdulvahid Belkeziz said on Wednesday that the meeting was being held in a period which was very important for Palestine, adding, ''we condemn Israel's aggressive attitude towards our Palestinian brothers and sisters.''

Sending a message to 17th meeting of Monitoring Committee of the OIC's Economic and Commercial Cooperation Standing Committee (COMCEC) in Istanbul, Belkeziz called on international community to form an international system for protection of Palestinians against Israel's such aggressive attitude and persuade Israel to give up this aggressive attitude by putting pressure on Israel.

Belkeziz stressed that he wanted return of Palestinian refugees to occupied territories.

Noting that the recommendations which had been determined at Monday's experts group meeting to accelerate implementation of the OIC's Action Plan for Economic and Commercial Cooperation were submitted at this meeting, Belkeziz said that the aim of all works was to accelerate implementation of the Action Plan.

Meanwhile, Fouad Yaseen, the Palestinian Ambassador to Turkey and head of Palestinian delegation, said that pains and grief of Palestinians interested every participant of the meeting, adding, ''here, there are some tragic realities. We see the children. The Palestinian nation is trying to exist on hold territories by suffering great pains.''

Stressing that all other children except Palestinian children were under protection of a state, Yaseen said ,''if more than one billion children are living in the world, we should be aware of this tragic reality today.''

Yaseen thanked the OIC members as they had not avoided undertaking responsibility for the sake of the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Ali Hassan Al-Khakaf, the head of the Qatari delegation, said that Palestinians' pains and grief stemmed from Israel's aggressive attitude and the Palestinians were suffering from Israel's oppression.

Stressing that the international community was talking about human rights although it was witnessing those developments, Khalaf said, ''however, as the Islamic world, should extend the necessary assistance and support deserved by the Palestinians.''

Meanwhile, Mohamed Koudaymi, the head of the Syrian delegation, said that Palestinians were trying to protects themselves against Israeli attacks, adding, ''our brothers and sisters are expecting us to give our helping hands and develop our cooperation. Efforts of the OIC are indispensable efforts to reach this target. We support all of its activities.''

-17TH MEETING OF MONITORING COMMITTEE OF COMCEC HELD IN ISTANBUL
ISTANBUL - The 17th meeting of Monitoring Committee of the Standing Committee for the Economic and Trade Cooperation (COMCEC) of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) started in Istanbul's the Marmara Hotel on Wednesday.

A total of 53 representatives from 11 countries and some international organizations are in attendance at the meeting.

A working meeting was held under the chairmanship of Akin Izmirlioglu, the Undersecretary of State Planning Organization (DPT) and Deputy Chairman of Monitoring Committee of the COMCEC.

At the working meeting, economic cooperation decisions taken by the COMCEC, and Secretariat General of OIC's report about implementation of Action Plan of COMCEC were taken up.

State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli, the Chairman of the Monitoring Committee of the COMCEC, hosted a luncheon in honor of the participants.

The afternoon session is expected to focus on issues such as activities of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and draft agenda of the 17th meeting of COMCEC.
The meeting will end on Thursday.

[08] PRESIDENT SEZER HOSTS A LUNCHEON IN HONOR OF

Speaking at the luncheon, President Sezer, ''efforts to integrate with Europe are part of a long process. After foundation of Republic of Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey has made a serious of reforms and taken its distinguished place in the international platform. Turkey has become a side of the all international organizations founded following the World War II. It made important contributions during the Cold War era. Legal foundations of our relations with the EU were laid nearly 40 years ago. Turkey's efforts to integrate with the EU have accelerated since announcement of its candidacy at Helsinki summit in 1999.''

''As a candidate country, Turkey should be more effective in future of the EU. Turkey wants to take place at the intergovernmental conference to be organized by the EU in coming years to discuss structural reforms. Turkey will continue to modernize its economic, social and politicial institutions under the light of new developments in Europe. The EU full membership constitutes a great opportunity for Turkey. The EU has also some commitments in this process. The EU's supports to other candidates should also be valid for Turkey,'' he said.

President Sezer added, ''Turkey will overcome all problems with its structure, qualified labour force, experiences and its traditional understanding of tolerance. Therefore, we believe that Turkey would take its place in the structure of the EU earlier than expected.''

Meanwhile, Henrik Liljegren, the Ambassador of Sweden, the Term President of the EU; said that Turkey belonged to the Europe.

He added that they expected Turkey to share basic principles such as democracy, law and human rights as a full member of the EU.

[09] PRIVATIZATION OF TURKISH TELEKOM

Dervis answered questions of journalists while the Parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission is discussing the proposal for amendment to Banks Law.

Responding to the question which said, ''What is the latest point reached in Telekom? Transportation and Communications Minister Enis Oksuz and you have said that a consensus had been reached. What is the latest situation?'' Dervis said, ''I have not explained anything. It is appropriate to make statement when everything becomes clear.''

When asked whether or not the draft law had reached the point of its submission to the parliament, Dervis said, ''I don't know but the important thing is to arrange and manage the sector in a way to support the economy and bring Turkey to new century. It should be managed seriously and beyond political interests.''

Anadolu Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article